As the cockatrice rushed out of the bush, Fluttershy knew that Dusk wouldn’t have let it get past him, which meant…

Fluttershy choked out a sob. The monster had already taken Harry from her. Now it must have done the same thing to Dusk, and was after her and the foals for an easy meal.

The cockatrice leapt at her, and Fluttershy bit down on her lip, throwing her arms up in front of her face to protect herself. When the creature began to peck at her flesh, she threw her hands out and tossed it away, back into the bush it had emerged from.

Yet before she could catch her breath, it was back, crashing from the long grass and hissing in defiance. A sense of pure rage and hatred emanated from the small monster, washing over Fluttershy, drowning out her emotions… except for a flicker of her own anger, eager to meet this creature's challenge, eager to avenge Harry and, a small voice whispered to her… maybe Dusk as well?

“No!”

The bird-like monster snapped back, stunned by the brazen retaliation. It had been stopped mid-stride by the powerful emotion behind the simple statement. Fluttershy only barely registered that the creature had stopped. Anger and rage had hit her like a tidal wave. She was shaking with barely suppressed fury, her shoulders hunched forward, hands balled into fists.

She had called out the creature and now its eyes were locked with hers. She could feel the bewilderment in the creature’s gaze, but more importantly, some part of her registered the deadly magic in its piercing look.

Despite the way she felt her legs beginning to tremble, Fluttershy found the courage to take a step forward. She had to create a buffer space between herself and the four cowering foals behind her. A tiny, pure flame of resolve inside her flared up, becoming a monstrous wildfire, incensed by everything that had occurred over the course of this horrible night.

As the rage threatened to completely overwhelm her, a nervous twitch started in her right hand, and she raised a tight fist as a whole new mood bloomed in her heart. Unable to measure it, to sift through the feelings that were threatening to burst free, Fluttershy looked deep into the cockatrice’s magical eyes, her emotions finding form in a single, repeated statement.

“No!”

The cockatrice was at a loss - never before had prey so willingly stepped at it like this, so openly challenging its magic. To meet its gaze was death. But locked in battle with the focused glare from Fluttershy, the monster found something that was new to it - it found something that unnerved it. Attempting to move forward one more step, now locked in a war of wills, not sure whose eyes were trapped watching the others’, the bird faltered.

The magic worked as it had always done before. Sweetie Belle saw it first, as stone began to surreptitiously form over Fluttershy’s fingers, crawling up over the mare’s wrists in an excruciatingly slow yet rapid pace. Before she could draw a breath, the stone had continued its journey, sliding to cover her arms. On the verge of tears, the young filly cried out, “Oh, no! Fluttershy!”

On hearing that scared cry for help, Fluttershy felt something inside her just… snap. She was no longer scared of the strange little magical creature. She wanted it to stop hurting ponies she liked, and then…? She couldn't believe it, but she just didn't care what happened to the little chicken-like creature after that. It was terrifying the fillies behind her. It had petrified Harry. And she didn’t even know what had happened to or where Dusk had gone.

Though it was painful, feeling the creature’s magic sliding over her slowly, Fluttershy took one long stride directly towards the cockatrice, never blinking. Her voice was no longer its normally kind, understanding tone. Now it was cold, demanding, and flat. “You're going to let me go. Remove your magic from Harry, and then we’re going to go find Dusk. And then anypony else you've attacked. Right. Now.”

The ever-expanding tendrils of magically-growing stone continued to seep over Fluttershy’s body as she held the monster’s gaze. She could feel her body slowly going rigid as its power overwhelmed her, but she didn’t care. Distantly, she felt a small twinge of pity for the creature; it couldn't look at anything without killing it.

Squashing that feeling of pity, Fluttershy took another step, glacially slow, ready to wring the monster's neck if it didn't obey her. She spoke again, an ominous tone of disgust colored with an undercurrent of rage echoed in her voice as she reached out for the cockatrice’s throat. “Let. Me. Go.”

For a second, the Everfree Forest fell silent.

To the fillies behind Fluttershy, now nearly as terrified at the mare’s decidedly un-Fluttershy-like behavior as they were of the cockatrice, it seemed as though the entire forest was watching this encounter, every creature holding its breath as pure-hearted Fluttershy seemed ready to do something awful in the name of vengeance.

Facing all of this, the raw malice, the pure disgust that this previously-scared prey directed at it…

The cockatrice blinked.

All at once, a weight she hadn't really noticed until now seemed to lift from Fluttershy’s body the moment the twisted monster broke eye contact. All over her, the buildup of stone softened, and as it did so, it rapidly began to slough off her skin, quickly piling up around her feet.

Feeling lighter than air; Fluttershy reached behind her to soothe the terrorized filly that clung to her friends, making sure to not break her stare at the creature. With newfound confidence, Fluttershy brushed her nails through Sweetie Belle’s hair lightly, trying to comfort the filly. “Now, now. No need for tears, Sweetie. Everything's all right. Now let's go back up the path. This cockatrice owes Harry an apology first, then we had better find Dusk or he'll be in real trouble.”

Whether or not the creature understood Fluttershy was impossible for the fillies to tell. But constantly checking over its shoulder and finding her steely gaze locked on it, the monster found itself quickly marching back up the path, towards the stone bear.

Oppressive darkness and numbing silence... That was all Dusk felt.

He was trapped and stiff. Unable to feel- no, not just feel, Dusk realized; he was unable to move any part of his body at all. Every joint felt trapped, held pinned in a vice that locked him in place. Every nerve in his body sent back the exact same cold, numb sensation. Despite being unable to breathe, his lungs didn’t ache. He wondered if it was a byproduct of the creature’s magic. Were all of its prey stuck like this? Would he feel it as the creature began to eat it?

What had happened? What had gone wrong? He couldn't seem to remember much. He just knew he had failed somehow, yet he couldn't recall how.

Unable to even measure the passage of time, Dusk was left to struggle in vain against the overwhelming pressure that restricted his body, binding him in place. Bitterly, feeling as though his pride and ego had taken a massive blow, he couldn't help but think to himself, “After all my training, and everything I've studied, I lost to some feral animal. I can't die here. Dear Celestia, this cannot be my fate!”

“Against the mountain, how can one pony claim to stand against fate?”

A voice whispered through Dusk’s mind like drops of rainfall dancing on a still pond. Its silken tone, dancing across his frozen nerves, feeling like it sent tingles of exultation vibrating through his very soul.

With the voice came the feeling of a powerful unicorn - or alicorn, impossible as it sounded - somepony beyond even the Princesses. He was unable to see the source of the powerful essence, and was beginning to feel frightened that this presence’s magic dwarfed anypony he had ever met. That thought alone rattled him to the core. But before Dusk could search for answers, a too-familiar giggle echoed from the darkness.

Latching onto the half-formed memories of a place of overwhelming light, Dusk struggled to remember more about the voice whispering in his mind, of where he had been when he heard the voice, of what it had said. Yet all his thoughts kept returning to the presence of the voice, and the only pony he had ever met with such a staggering existence that exerted a raw will on the world around her being. This being felt far more powerful, but… Celestia? Could it all be so simple? “Celestia? My goddess, I-”

Dusk couldn't tell how, but some part of the familiar voice echoed in his mind with laughter, before correcting him. “Not Celestia, dear child, but a very good guess.”

Silence hung in the air for a moment. Then Dusk felt what he could only identify as the sensation of a hand, somehow stroking through the aching muscles inside his back. “She did a very good job of this, and you've gone and thrown it all to chaos in just over twenty years. Discord would be proud. You are leaking magic everywhere!”

Something passed before Dusk’s eyes. He couldn't have seen it. He knew, somewhere in the depths of his confused and exhausted mind, he couldn't see anything, but rational thought was beginning to fail him in this strange setting. Grasping for answers, Dusk’s thoughts returned to the first time he had… died. When Luna’s voice had called him back.

But before he could even finish recalling the memory imprinted deeply into his mind, the voice danced with laughter once more. “Luna? No. She isn't here either. I’m impressed though. Most ponies would have passed out by now. Why do you fight on? What could possibly be worth all the trouble you’ve been through?”

Dusk responded in his own mind, a rapid montage of images flooding his mind of the mares he’d come to know in the year, the intensity of them shocking him even as he replied. “For them. I promised each of them so much... I can't fail them… I'd give up anything for them.”

There was a pause. Time passed and the voice’s presence lingered, always at the edge of his vision. Was it judging him? Weighing his answer? He couldn't tell. Couldn't follow the voice’s presence except when it passed occasionally before his eyes.

After what seemed an eternity, it spoke. “Are you sure? You are one of Celestia’s brightest students, yet I don’t believe you understand just what anything could be... I know that you believe you would do whatever it takes to be there for them, though. But what if you were asked to give up the Light of the World for a mere handful of mares? Could you do that, for them?”

There was a weight to the voice’s tone, an emphasis in her words that he didn’t quite understand. She had a wary edge that nearly made Dusk pause, but his response escaped before he could consider the implications of what she’d said. “For the mares I love? I'd give anything! I swore I'd protect them! No cost would be too great, if I had to pay it!” Dusk shocked himself at the intensity of his response, not that he regretted the words.

The voice was quiet for an immeasurable moment. Then, with a clear note of teasing in its voice, as though the speaker already knew the answer, it whispered into his ear. “Then why are you still here? One of your mares needs you.”

Reaching for his magic, a mare appeared in Dusk’s mind. He could tell she was quaking in overwhelming terror. Dusk dredged up every scrap of mana he could feel, the creature’s stone curse somehow blocking him from calling upon his full power. He forced his mana into his aching, deadened limbs. For a moment the raspberry-coloured fire burned against the rock… then suddenly died, snuffed out by the rock’s resilient enchantment. Letting out a frustrated growl, Dusk tried to fight off a gnawing feeling of despair. “I- I can't... I just don't have the power. This curse is smothering me… it’s too strong!”

Dusk felt a slight pressure on his back, like fingers tapping artfully up along his spine, dancing on the bones. “Perhaps I should give you a taste of your birthright, then. That which my daughter has denied you thus far…”

Dusk couldn't help but let out a shiver at the feeling of those ‘fingers’ brushing along his spine. As they move up his body, though, he could feel a blooming growth inside his mana, something he could only compared to… to the Black Lotus.

In one massive and sudden rush, Dusk was now surrounded by mana. Seemingly limitless amounts of raw magic were gushing forth from somewhere, the sheer strength this power promised him alluring beyond anything he’d encountered. Even as he embraced it - how could he not, with the endless possibilities it whispered to him? - it began reviving his deadened limbs, spiraling out through his petrified figure, warming his entire body. Yet despite the possibilities he could feel opening up to him with all this power, it still lacked the seductive edge that the Black Lotus had always held. This power just felt… right.

As his confusion was drowned out by the rush of strength this magic - his magic? - gave him, he couldn't help but wonder again who this mystery pony was, and more importantly... "W...why? How!?"

There was another laugh behind him, and the cadence of it sounded remarkably similar to Princess Luna's. "Because, my little pony, I hate to be cheated. And when my... adversary cheated and had you attacked in Cloudsdale, I was granted leave to, as you say, bend the rules a bit to compensate."

Dusk felt utterly lost, having no idea what the voice was talking about. "Adversary? Rules?... I was attacked in Cloudsdale?"

The voice’s owner laid a feathery touch on his shoulder. "Hush, my child. You'll figure it all out eventually. My daughter has taught you well, and nurtured you far better than even I expected of her. For now though, you have more pressing matters. Free yourself of this enchantment, as your work is far from over."

Still awash in an immeasurable flood of mana, Dusk reached inside to draw up from his internal fires. But as he looked around, instead of the controlled flame he had developed and grown since foalhood, he found a roaring inferno that staggered him, defying belief, blazing higher than he could conceivably measure. The flood of mana he had been sensing wasn't from the voice and her captivating riddles…

It was all coming from him.

Trying to wrestle the overflowing flood of mana into something he could use, Dusk twisted it into a brutish hammer of raw force. Even as he formed it, he knew it was cruder than any spell he’d cast as a foal, but there was so much power, he knew it would be a vain effort to try controlling it further. Raising the instrument of his freedom, Dusk cursed the spell that enveloped his physical body.

Gritting his teeth, he swung.

Fluttershy could have dropped to her knees with joy at the sight as leaves of paper-thin stone peeled off Harry’s body like strips of dried bark being shredded from a tree. Beneath it, gritty fragments still remained, sticking stubbornly to the massive bear's fur, but as the layer of stone broke off, he began breathing with a rough, gasping wheeze. It worked! The cockatrice’s curse could be lifted! Now all she had to do was find Dusk, and-

A concussive explosion slammed into everyone in the clearing like a hammer. It drove even the massive bear to his knees, tearing the branches from nearly every tree in sight. Whatever mystical control Fluttershy had established on the cockatrice by sheer force of will was shattered by the impact. As the mare shook dirt from her face and struggled to sit up, the foul monster released a cry of victory and bolted away, running towards the deepest, darkest bowels of the Everfree Forest like a demon out of Tartarus. Never once did it look back, clearly determined to make the most of its moment of freedom.

The fillies were back on their feet before the ringing stopped in Fluttershy’s ears. Working as a team, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Dinky helped dust the clinging debris from Harry’s fur while the great grizzly bear slowly rolled over and sat up, still clearly dazed by the traumatic experience.

Fluttershy continued to pull herself together as Sweetie Belle approached, the small filly offering a hand to help Fluttershy up. Reminding herself to put on a brave face for the foals, Fluttershy was unsure of just what could be wandering the Everfree Forest to have caused so much noise and destruction; especially when something as dangerous as the cockatrice was menacing the area.

However, she had to work past that unknown fear. Dusk was missing and the foals were now in danger by... whatever had done this. She smiled at Sweetie Belle before taking her to join the girls, who were still helping to right the massive bear on his feet. Fluttershy stroked his head around the ear before speaking with an uncharacteristically firm and confident tone. “Harry, take the girls home and keep watch until I get back. I have to find Dusk.”

For a moment, the titanic bear growled and looked like he was going to argue with his caretaker, shifting his stiff body as he shook out his sore limbs. One look to the frightened foals crowding around his massive legs, though, made him reconsider. Nudging Fluttershy with his maw, he simply let out a short chruff. He then turned around, nudging the foals around him in turn and gently pushing them to start walking back towards the cottage.

Fluttershy smiled at the retreating bear, the gentle giant she’d welcomed into her home. She was beyond relieved that he was fine, and as he left with the foals, she called out to the girls. “Harry is gonna take you back to my cottage and keep you all safe while I go find Dusk! Listen to him, don't cause too much of a fuss, and maybe he'll even let you ride on his back!”

As they left, it was hard for Fluttershy to wait, watching for a few long moments to make sure the foals weren’t going to give poor Harry too much trouble. She smiled as, after some one-sided negotiations by the fillies, he bent low to the ground and let Sweetie Belle and Dinky climb onto his back. Casually, he carried both girls without a hint of effort as he walked on all fours.

When at last they passed out of her line of sight, Fluttershy turned back to face the direction the shock wave had emanated from. Only Dusk could have survived whatever had done that to so many trees.

As she began making her way towards what had caused so much destruction, Fluttershy felt a pang of regret. The other girls had received weapons and combat training from Princess Celestia and Bronze Feather. However, while Fluttershy still had the mithril gloves that Bronze had given her, Fluttershy hadn’t even considered bringing them. The gloves themselves lay half-forgotten on a shelf near her bed. But there was no time to retrieve them - not when Dusk was still out there, hopefully unhurt by the blast.

The first hints of starlight overhead broke Dash from her fugue. The dog’s blood still covered her hands, her lance, and was smeared all over her clothing. Bolting free of Applejack’s supporting grip, she rushed past the girls and lept into the clear sky. She flew high into the sky, finally feeling like she was able to breathe clearly in the reassuring freedom of the open air.

Despite the comfort being in the sky offered her, every time she closed her eyes she saw those pitiful eyes again, the Diamond Dog seeming to ask her ‘Why? Why did you do this?’ as he stared into her soul, body folded around her lance like a broken doll. She couldn't shake his gaze, couldn’t help but shiver when she felt her lance pierce his body… Truth be told, she barely remembered most of the trip out of the tunnel after that, only having a vague notion of Applejack and Bronze dragging her away from him, leaving his body a broken heap in the tunnel.

The sudden noise of beating wings rising up to join her made Dash flinch, but a distant part of her mind remembered the distinct clanking of Bronze’s armor when she flew, and a hesitant glance down confirmed the guard was coming to join her. Shuddering with the effort to shake off the lingering memory of the dog’s horrified gaze, Dash turned to face Bronze as she approached, trying to remember everything that had happened as they fled the endless tunnels after she ki… neutralized the dog.

It was all a blur.

“Hey Dash, you feeling a little better now that you got a chance to stretch your wings and clear your head?”

Bronze's voice was tense, worried, yet distracted by something. Dash knew she'd been the topic of conversation while they had fled the tunnel, but trying to think of what had been said just reminded her of the staring dog. That memory seemed to override the rest of the night, the pain of that moment like a knife dragging against her heart.

Trying to act casual, Dash stretched out her whole body, shaking tense arms while only now realizing her hand was cramping from her iron-like grip around her mother’s lance. “Yeah, no. I'm fine Bronze. It's- um, I’m good. What's up? You look like you've got something else on your mind besides my peace of mind. Spill it already.”

Bronze hesitated, a moment of disbelief and concern playing across her face that Dash didn't miss. That was fine. She was fine. The fact that everypony else seemed to think otherwise wasn't her problem. Glancing down to the ground, Dash saw Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie and Winona were already moving, heading back towards the Apple farm. That was good. They’d be safe at the farm - she didn’t think the dogs would be brave enough to encroach fully into the town’s limits.

“Applejack and Rarity asked me to… to fly to Canterlot. I'm the only member of the Royal Guard in Ponyville, and being Dusk’s second, it kinda falls to me to make sure the town’s protected.” Bronze let out an explosive breath, seeming to relax a little in the free air as well, before continuing. “Normally I’d go get Dusk and let him know what’s going on, but Rarity begged me not to. Said he’s babysitting some of the foals with Fluttershy. If we hurry, we can make it there and get our reports done before the sun comes up.”

The thought of Fluttershy and Dusk being safe at her cottage was comforting, but then Dash remembered - Light, how could she forget? - that she’d killed somepony. How would Fluttershy react to that news? Dash sucked in a breath, before forcing herself to calm down. Fluttershy would understand. She wouldn’t lose her oldest friend. Pushing aside that fresh worry, Dash tightened her grip on her lance once more, determined to finish this debacle. The Royal Guards would ensure the safety of Ponyville. “I'll go with you. Ponyville will be fine - the dogs won’t do anything this soon after they’ve been spanked.”

That made Bronze smile. As heavy as Dash knew her armor was, the guard looked relieved at Dash’s offer of help, twisting around to look down at the other mares as they rushed back towards the orchards and safety. “Thanks, Dash. I'm glad you're feeling up to this. It's gonna be a rough flight and we don't have time to drop off anything. Need some water, or are you ready to go now?”

Unable to help herself, Dash felt elated, and guilty about it to boot. “Are you kidding? Right now I'd really rather a swig of something a lot harder than water, but it'll have to do for now, at least until we get some more guards out here to keep Ponyville safe.”

It was easy for Fluttershy to follow the trail of devastation left in the wake of the blast that had knocked her off her feet. Everywhere, heaps of broken tree branches lay piled up where they had landed, splayed out from the epicenter.

Tense, scared, and ready to jump out of her skin from fear, Fluttershy found the eerie silence only made her more cautious, wary of whatever had blown this part of the forest apart.

Large piles of broken wood, as well as some of the smaller trees left shattered by the force of the blast, blocked her path. Fluttershy unfolded her wings and flew over the larger piles, taking small, hovering hops from one clearing to the next.

After she half-flew over one particularly large wall of broken trees, she was able to see a bright light growing in the distance. It was a stunning luminescent aura, a sphere surrounded by a trench of dirt, broken forest, and even a few shattered boulders, presumably cracked by the detonation.

Approaching the glowing sphere with caution, Fluttershy gasped with shock when she was finally able to see what waited in the center of all the devastation.

Somehow, Dusk stood there, all alone in the middle of the devastated forest, untouched. His body was illuminated by his magic, the bright magenta nearly blinding. Shocking her even more was how the bright aura of his magic bent around him, forming a pair of wings that folded over the front of his body, crossing into a protective layer over his chest.

As though he'd heard her gasp, Dusk shifted to look up at her, and she felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of his eyes. They glowed, lit purely by his magic. There were no pupils there, only the bright raspberry shine of his power.

He stared at her, silent for a moment, before he raised a hand towards her. As he did so, the wings created by his aura spread out wide, far larger than any pegasi’s wings. When he spoke, even his voice seemed tinged with the overwhelming power that covered his body. "Fluttershy... please... there's just so much..."

Before he could finish the sentence he struggled with, the bright light that surrounded him dissipated into nothing, the darkness of the night sweeping in over the pair immediately. Dusk staggered as the light left, and for a moment he wavered on shaky legs, on the verge of collapsing.

Fluttershy's wings snapped open wide, reacting on impulse before she could even think. Rushing forward like a dart, she caught him before he could hit the ground. She held him tightly in her arms and buried her face in his hair. “Oh, by the Light, Dusk! Are- are you alright?”

The stallion offered her a weary smile, lifting one shaky hand to stroke the soft pink locks that hung in his face. He managed a weak and pensive chuckle before speaking in a breathless tone. “I think- I think I know better than to say this, but at this point, I just have to say… what else can go wrong?”

Unable to help herself, Fluttershy began crying even as she laughed, her tears landing on his face. Overwhelmed by the situation and the night so far, before she realized what she was doing, she leaned in and locked her lips with his, silencing herself even as her tears continued to run down her cheeks, giving the kiss a somewhat salty taste.

She held Dusk even tighter as the kiss drew on, before she finally pulled away and saw the surprise in his eyes. She felt a dark blush spread over her cheeks in response to her embarrassingly forward kiss, and tried to move away in shame.

However, Dusk moved far more quickly, and his suddenly firm yet gentle grip on her wrist didn't allow her to move too far before she had to stop. Struggling to rise on shaky legs, Dusk stood, and brought the two of them in close, wrapping his arms around her hips and hugging her from behind, kissing the side of her neck once before speaking. “We… should get back to your cottage, Shy… The fillies! Are they safe? And the cockatrice? Where is it?” Dusk half-turned the mare in his arms, concern clear on his face once more.

Nearly on the verge of tears again, but beginning to giggle once more at how rapidly Dusk brought himself back to worrying for others, Fluttershy shivered and nodded. Letting him turn her around fully, she unfurled her wings and brought them around his body, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. She held him close, keeping her trembling wings expanded over his back, reveling in the contact, the warmth of his body. Despite not being able to make herself meet his eyes, she savored how close he was, before finally speaking. “They’re… Harry’s taking them back to the house. We… I scared the cockatrice off. Are you okay?”

Dusk nodded as he held the mare. “Yes… it’s been a strange night. I… There’s a lot I need to look into, to think about, Fluttershy. As well… um, us. We should talk, but not here.”

The mare in his arms nodded, before squeezing him once more. She pulled away, but only so she could trap one of his arms with both of hers. As they turned in the general direction of her home, she kept one wing firmly glued to his back, guiding him. Dusk’s earlier weakness seems to rapidly dissipate, the stallion appeared to be quickly regaining his strength, or at least the appearance of enough to climb over and around the fallen trees and branches as they began making their way out of the devastated clearing.

3am, Granny Smith’s Kitchen, Sweet Apple Acres

It was hard for Applejack to put into words how relieved she was to be safely back on the Apple family farm. However, she could tell that Rarity was tense. Her every action screamed that she was distracted by something. Applejack sighed, knowing that losing more sleep now was all but inevitable. But watching her unicorn lover pace a trench in Granny’s kitchen didn't sit well with her. Pushing her chair back slightly from the Apple’s large table, she said, “Sugarcube, why don't ya come sit down. There ain't nothing you can do until daylight. Besides, Dusk's staying with Fluttershy, if those two can't keep four foals out of trouble, nopony can.”

Continuing her worrisome march from one end of the large family kitchen to the other, Rarity was walking away from Applejack when the farmpony spoke. The fashionista whirled around on one foot to confront her lover with one raised finger. “But don't you see? They're also staying in about the furthest place outside of town as anypony. Even most of the farm families live closer to Ponyville then Fluttershy does! And she's right on the border with the Everfree Forest! We've already seen the kind of monsters that prowl in those woods at night!”

Standing up, Applejack moved to stand by Rarity, gently grasping the smaller mare's hand in hers reassuringly. Applejack tried to comfort the anxious mare, speaking softly and guiding her to a free chair. “Yes, and you’ve seen Fluttershy pacify a manticore and win a punch-out with a dragon. And I know we weren't there for it, but you know Dusk took on a hydra to protect Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Not to mention the time he straight up fought Nightmare Moon to try and protect everypony, remember?”

Momentarily thoughtful as Applejack reminded her of the absurd situations their pair of friend got into, Rarity's expression became only slightly less pensive as Applejack went on. When at last there was a silent moment, the prim pony asked, “So what is your point, darling?”

Chuckling, Applejack moved one hand up to Rarity's jaw, and rubbed a thumb over the fashionista’s flawless cheek, Applejack smiled. She marvelled at how she found she could still lose herself in those beautiful eyes, and answering softly, laughing a little as she tried to stay focused. “So if you know that little Sweetie is under the best care she can get, why’re you wearing a hole in Granny’s floor? Or are you tryin to wake up poor Barb and Winona for no good reason?”

Rarity's firm expression held for just a second as she stared back into Applejack’s eyes. Slowly, rose hues tinted her cheeks, the smaller mare finally rolling her eyes before surrendering to a blush. She shook her head and wrapped her arms around the tall farm mare’s hips, pressing the two of them close against one another. “Oh you are such a fuddy duddy! I had a really good grump on and then you had to ruin it by talking sense! I think you’ve been spending too much time around Dusk, love.”

Applejack wrapped one arm around Rarity’s hips, her other hand finding its way into that luxurious purple hair she loved so much. Gently massaging the back of Rarity’s head with her strong fingers, Applejack laughed, the two of them sharing comfort in one another. “No, but now that you mention it, we really should start a schedule or something. Twice now I've got my extra chores done and even finished preparing things for Appleloosa, and both times I show up to the library just to see that Dash is there already. Go figure that mare knows when it’s prime time for some danged rain or something. If Dusk’s herd gets any larger, we’re going to run into some real sharing problems if we don’t nip it in the bud now.” She made sure to chuckle a little. She didn't want to sound like she was accusing the younger mare of hoarding Dusk to herself, but it had been such a disappointment to doll up her hair - all fancy-like like her Ma had showed her - only to find Dash already busy with Dusk.

The sudden sharp squeak of a nearby door swinging open interrupted whatever Rarity's answer might have been. Dressed in her nightgown and robe, walking with her usual hunch, Granny Smith wandered into the kitchen and reached for a teapot in a morning ritual that ran longer than Applejack had lived with her gran. Shuffling to the stove after filling the pot at the sink, the old matron muttered gently to herself. “Waste’a candles leaving them burning all night Apple Bloom, if’en your big sister doesn't teach you responsibility with expensive candles, I might need t’have a talk with her.”

Realizing that the old mare hadn't realized anyone was actually at the kitchen table yet, Applejack gently coughed to clear her throat before calling out to the clan matriarch. “Morning Granny. Sorry for burning the good candles, but me and Rarity had a real time with this Diamond Dog colony. If you could spare some of your tea for us, I'd be happy to make up some porridge for breakfast and spin you a tale that'll make your teeth stand on end!”

Standing up and moving to help her granny, Applejack never noticed the intense way Rarity’s soulful azure eyes watched her. The unicorn pursed her lips, eyes thoughtful as she listened to Applejack’s recounting of the night they had spent in the dogs’ tunnels.

Eventually finishing her story, Applejack settled into a chair beside the watching unicorn. As she waited for Granny to finish her porridge, Applejack finally noticed the unicorn’s gaze. Putting a supportive hand on Rarity's knee, she asked, “Feeling any better, sugarcube?”

Rarity nodded once, a small smile finding a way to her lips. “Assuredly.”

Applejack knew the mare was thinking of something more - she had that look in her eyes that she always did when she was considering something important. When Applejack opened her mouth though, the unicorn cut her off, her voice a soft whisper, and she gripped Applejack’s hand on her knee, thanking Celestia for the wonderful farm pony she’d fallen in love with. Meeting Applejack’s gaze, there was a mischievous glint in her eyes. “We'll talk later, when we’re alone.”

Near Dawn, Canterlot

Bronze had to shake off the dull pangs of exhaustion. She had no time for them right now. She stood before a goddess and nothing was so taxing as being under the eye of Princess Luna.

It had seemed so simple to find the night guard sergeant on duty and report. But that had escalated from notifying a keen, if sullen, bat mare with a crisp new uniform to having to report at Silken Flight’s desk. Bronze could've sworn that by the time her and Dash had arrived, the bat would likely have been going to bed, but the spy mistress looked as fresh as any officer on duty by the time Bronze was allowed into the office.

As Bronze gave her report, it felt just like when one of her old sergeants called for a surprise inspection of the barracks when she’d been on liberty all weekend, but with the lack of sleep starting to dull her senses, it was a hundred times worse. In the corner of her mind, a list was already forming of little things she should have checked during that brief break in the hallway. Her hair was still full of gravel, her armor had needed a polish before she'd started the day’s exercises, but she'd left it for after training... Light, that was still just yesterday! Bronze thought; not to mention-

Silken Flight sat behind her desk, tapping one quill thoughtfully against the wood as she looked over the notes she’d taken from Bronze and Dash’s report. Eventually, she stood up, gesturing for them to follow. “Okay, hold the rest of your report. Princess Luna will want to hear all of this immediately. Gentle Breeze, Shining Armor’s going to need to hear all of this, so go tell whatever one of his XO’s that’s on night duty to come to Celestia’s Spire. I am taking them straight to her majesty.”

Bronze watched the snowy-haired young filly as she rushed towards the door after snapping off a crisp salute, Silk calling after the mare. “And don’t forget to bring along your papers. I still need you to take dictation of everything Rainbow Dash and Bronze Feather say!”

The young foal skidded to a halt and turned heel to rush back to the disregarded paperwork, blushing so hard it showed despite her dark skin. But Bronze couldn’t help but get lost in a momentary flicker of pride and bemusement at the foal, remembering her first days in Shining Armor’s service... and how quickly he had taken her to task regarding one half-finished report.

But as they flew as a trio to the towering Spire, they could see where Princess Luna stood watch over the night. In less than an hour, Princess Celestia would raise the sun. Bronze couldn’t help but notice how distracted Dash really was. Falling back to catch the daydreaming mare’s attention, Bronze gave Dash the smallest nudge with a wing, before leaning in close to keep their conversation private. “Hey, if you’re that tired, maybe you should report to Luna first. I’m sure once you’ve given them your account, they’ll find some place for you to crash, alright?”

Dash rolled her eyes and playfully swatted Bronze’s wing with her own. “Look Bronze, I’m just fine! I was just… just distracted, don’t worry about it, alright? Besides, if you’re uncomfortable reporting before so many high ranking ponies, I can speak first. If nothing else, I’ve gotten used to talking to big shots with all the crazy shit that’s been going on since Dusk came to Ponyville.”

The sudden and changed in demeanor that followed shocked Bronze. She’d seen how cocksure Dash could be, but the rapid way that Dash went from seemingly exhausted, to worried momentarily, and back to her normal confident self caught Bronze momentarily off guard.

Speeding off to fly beside Silk, Dash left Bronze in her wake, left her wondering just what had happened to make her so distracted, and to set off the rapid-fire different emotions… until she remembered. The Diamond Dog. The tiny one that Dash had skewered protecting their backs. That had to be it, but even as Bronze came on the realization, the three flyers came upon Celestia’s Spire. Princess Luna sat in the center of it, wings half-extended, legs crossed. As she came in for a landing, Bronze thought the alicorn looked like she was meditating - or sleeping.

Silk landed upon the enameled balcony, swiftly moving over to the pale goddess, and spoke in a rush of whispers. Hanging back at Dash’s side, Bronze watched as a pair of bat pony attendants rushed from some hidden room inside the Spire, hands at knives on their hips. They hesitated for a moment as they recognized Silk. Their hands left their belt at that point, and they changed course, approaching Bronze and Dash with wineskins and fruit they grabbed from a table inside the Rise. No words were spoken by anyone, save for the spy mistress who continued to whisper in the goddess’ ear.

Bronze took some grapes, while Dash took a pull at one of the wineskins, gasping and sputtering as the scent of herbs filled the air. Bronze barely held in a laugh. She grinned, and started patting Dash’s back while the other mare sputtered at the strong wine.

From the center of the Rise, a voice spoke up, calm and confident. “Just breathe, young Rainbow Dash. The drink is a popular blend of strong wine and herbs made by the students of medicine at Canterlot University. It is meant to treat exhaustion, as well as promote clarity of thought. My attendants keep a fresh supply of it on hand at night, as most who need an audience with me have pressing reasons to be here, oft for dangerous reasons.”

“Just about sounds right to me, Princess.” Dash smiled a little while she gave a weary chuckle, shaking the tension from her wings before taking a smaller, more reasonable drink of the wine. Swallowing easier and giving a happy sigh, Dash passed the skin to Bronze before offering the goddess a half-hearted bow. “That is some good sh- … stuff, Princess. You and Silk need to talk more, or should Bronze and me start reporting? It’s been one long day and Ponyville’s in trouble.”

Silk gave a wiry grin, shaking her head. “When isn’t it?”

Dash grinned wider, and shook her head. “This time, it isn’t Dusk’s fault.” When Silk started to respond, Dash cut her off, her tone suddenly cold this time. “No. Seriously. These Diamond Dogs kidnapped Rarity right in front of Barb. Me, Bronze, and AJ got her back, but they outnumber us like twenty to one, so we need backup, fast.”

Turning to inspect Rainbow Dash with the full force of her willpower, Luna’s smile spread in a thin line. “You're a humorous mare, Rainbow Dash, but we prefer your father’s taste in jests. Go on, report.”

Bronze couldn't help but smile a little when Dash gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of her neck. Here they were, detailing for the Goddess of the Night, and Dash just had to be her normal, cocky self when dealing with authority. At some point, she gave Shining Armor a small nod of acknowledgement as he rushed in, bedraggled hair and rumpled uniform with a steaming cup of coffee clutched to his chest. Clearly someone had risked Cadence's wrath to wake their captain. As she watched him scratching at his fuzzy chin - clearly he’d forgone a quick shave when he was woken up - he poured over maps that showed where the Royal Guard were already deployed.

When their reports had been given to the Princess, the Captain of the Guard was the first to speak. "With all the activity of late,” Shining began, “it's gotten to be a bit hard to shuffle the standing guard around to find a division free to clean up after Dusk.”

Bronze had been inspecting the map and all the new markers she didn't recognize. Realizing Shining had only spoken to delay for time, she thrust a finger at the map and one of the strange new markers that was located between Ponyville and Canterlot, hoping to help her old commander out. “Hey, so Shining, what are those green units? Are they something new? I'm a little rusty with your mapping system since I moved to Dusk's service.”

If Shining Armor was distracted by her question he showed no sign of it. Still comparing paper notes to the map and cross referencing units deployed in the field, he spoke with an absent-minded tone, staring more at his papers than the part of the map she pointed out. “The small green squares are bat mercenary units, numbering between ten and twenty-five members, and those with a circle around the square denote nomad camps with a population of less than five hundred, including their mercenaries. Ever since Princess Luna’s return they have started voluntarily reporting their positions instead of forcing us to try and keep track of their movements on our own.”

Remembering the other mares’ stories about the bat foal that had beaten Soarin in one-on-one combat, a spark of inspiration went off in Bronze's mind. “So why not send the group camped here,” she said as she pointed to a unit on the map, "to Ponyville? It would reduce the risk of the Diamond Dogs attacking, reassure the locals that they're being taken care of, and give you the time you need to free up a Royal Guard unit, right?”

There was a moment of dead air, and Bronze felt a trickle of sweat ran down her neck. Silk swiftly strode over, inspecting the map for the first time during this conversation. Her grin looked unnatural on her face to Bronze, the hardened mercenary was acting like an eager foal. Her leathery wings lifted off her back excitedly, tail flicking giddily as she she spoke with delight. “Yes, why not hire them? If Princess Luna were to sign her name to your request, they'd likely even do the job for free. Or at least ask for a heavily reduced contract.”

There was another moment as everypony went silent, while Bronze looked between a flabbergasted Shining Armor and the slowly spreading smile on Princess Luna’s face. Moving over to the map, the lunar goddess placed a hand on Silk’s shoulder as she spoke. “I would approve of any reasonable action by my dear children that protects the lives of civilians. Shining?”

The stallion nodded thoughtfully before giving a measured shrug. “It would work. The nobelists would have a tantrum over the expense, but they complain about everything, regardless of how reasonably we argue military costs. Princess Luna? I'll take most of the magistrates’ flak on this, but they'll hound you about the bats getting ‘in the way’ of the Royal Guard’s duties. Are you okay with dealing with those paper pushers?”

Straightening her back to stand at her full height, Luna made a small gesture to the cluster of bat ponies that were hovering in attendance for her commands. The motion got an instant reaction: one older female bat lifted a writing desk and rushed over to stand at Luna’s side, quill at the ready. “A petition: ‘To the mercenary band of…-” her voice drifted off as she inspected Shining’s map, reading the tiny symbols engraved on the group Bronze had pointed out. “... the Silver Moon clan. We have need of your aid in a time sensitive matter: the protection of the humble town of Ponyville from attack by Diamond Dogs who have already broken their word in signed treaties. We eagerly await your response, signed, The Night Mother...’ If you think they'd prefer my title instead of my name.”

They all watched as the elder bat wrote, the lines of sweeping ink swirling with practiced flair. After she finished, Luna looked over the paper quickly before nodding once and thanking the mare. The scribe rushed out of the room, flanked by the white-haired foal that had led Bronze here.

Luna watched them leave for a moment, before turning to Shining armor and answering his earlier question. “My children have been punished for a thousand years because of the devotion and loyalty their ancestors held for me. Hunted to near extinction, mistrusted for an age, because they held to me as strongly as the other tribes held to my sister. Returning my children to their proper place in Equestrian society is more important to me than dealing with the annoyance of some self-righteous bigots throwing angry words around.”

The matter settled in his mind, Shining Armor dove into his own writing, quill to page and head bowed, pausing only briefly to check names and titles of relevant members of the bat mercenary group. It was as a jaw popping yawn forced its way between her lips that Bronze realized how long the day had been and they were still waiting on the letter.

Turning to look out at the horizon, the faint first flickers of dawn marked the beginning of a new day. Bronze felt a tingle of guilt as she realized Princess Celestia was now standing at the far end of the Rise, her hands thrown to the sky as she urged the sun to rise from its sleep. ‘By the Light, how did I miss Princess Celestia walking in?!’

Feeling an angry blush cross her face, she dropped to kneel - despite how awkward her heavy armor made the act. As she kneeled there, her tired mind began to wander. Remembering the letter her father had sent her, she smiled, knowing that this time of day he would likely already be baking. Somehow, though, he always found the time to take a few minutes to kneel outside as the dawn sun rose. Imagining what he must be up to now, her grin grew wider at the thought they might both be sharing this calm moment through the Goddess. “Good morning, Dad, hope the day’s baking goes well… Sorry I don't have the time to visit today, but I promise it's for a good reason… and that I’ll write back as soon as I get home.”

Bronze blinked, a realization jolting her out of her musings. Home… she considered Ponyville, with her new friends and potential herd, and Dusk, home. She glanced over at Dash, who was kneeling as well, wings drooping towards the ground. Bronze felt a newfound resolve at the realization - she wanted to cement her place with the ponies she cared about in Ponyville, she-

Celestia's hands dropped to her sides, and Bronze released another embarrassing yawn that made her entire jaw ache, disrupting her thoughts. Turning to look at her, Celestia smiled, her voice a silken calm despite the unusual activity on her private balcony. “If Dusk is working you and Rainbow Dash so hard, it only makes sense you two should use his private quarters. Rest assured that Shining Armor and Silken Flight will take care of Ponyville. You two need to get some proper sleep before returning home. Now go on, fly over to the old observatory, and I'll send somepony over with breakfast… or, after that day you’ve had, I guess it would be your dinner.”

Bronze was flushed in embarrassed pride at Celestia's concern, but before she could accept, Dash attempted to reject it. “Uhh… thanks and all, Princess. But I think we’d both really feel better if we got back to Ponyville as soon as possible. I mean, the bats won’t get there for a while, and... It's just that, well, l…” She paused, swallowing hard and noticeably shivering. “... I really feel like we'd be letting down Ponyville if we left it unprotected for so long, right Bronze?”

Shaking her head, Bronze heard something in Dash’s tone that told her there was something else bothering her. Something more than rushing to protect Ponyville bugging Dash, but Bronze had no idea what it could be. She reached out and put a hand on the pegasus’ shoulder, trying to comfort and support her at the same time. “It's daytime, Dash. Ponyville is safe, at least until dusk tonight. No way the dogs will go out to raid the town today. The only reason Winona's eyes don't hurt from the sun is she's used to being above ground all the time now - those Diamond Dogs wouldn't be able to fight effectively on a bright day like today. Let’s just go get some rest. I’m not sure I’d even make the flight back home, as exhausted as I am. Flying in so much armor, so often? You'll crash and burn long before you can help anypony.”

Celestia smiled, gesturing at the obviously tired pegasus before speaking. "I understand your concern, Rainbow Dash. In fact, I commend it. Even in the face of exhaustion, your loyalty to your town and friends keeps you going. However, Bronze Feather is right. You'd probably end up making it home so tired you'd end up being useless if anything did happen today. Rest assured, my sister's bats will arrive at Ponyville long before any rogue Diamond Dogs dare to visit the surface. They will find quite the shock waiting for them if they are foolish enough to attempt anything.”

Looking from the solar goddess to Bronze, and back again, Dash seemed like she was about to protest again. After a few moments of being silent, however, she finally nodded.. Accepting a set of keys from Shining Armor, Bronze and Dash flew off for Dusk’s observatory. Both eager for a shower, some food, and a lot of much-needed rest.

On the way back to her cottage, Fluttershy had kept an iron grip on Dusk's arm, wing still firmly guiding him. Despite his protests that he was feeling better - and Fluttershy's grudging acceptance that he did seem to be fine after finding him in the center of the crater - the mare still refused to let go of his body.

As Fluttershy’s cottage came into view, Dusk was relieved to see that Harry the bear had decided to guard the home by laying down before the front door. The moment the bear caught a whiff of Fluttershy, he lurched to his feet and ran down to meet them, only barely managing to skid to a halt before barreling into the smaller pair.

Dusk's initial worry that the bear wouldn’t be able to stop and end up trampling over them was quelled when Fluttershy calmly let go of his arm - while keeping her wing passively in place on his back - and threw her arms around the titanic bear’s neck as the enthusiastic giant lumbered to a halt.

Fluttershy gently scratched along the bear’s facial fur, pressing her mouth against the top of his head to place a kiss when he bent down far enough. “Oh, I was so worried when I first saw you! You’re okay now, right? And the girls?”

Nuzzling his face further against his caretaker, Harry let out a series of growls that, while indecipherable to Dusk, Fluttershy seemed to understand perfectly. Finally taking her wing off of Dusk’s back, the mare knelt down, looking at one of Harry’s forelegs. He whimpered pitifully.

When she spoke, her voice was tinged with teasing. “You big cub, you’re just missing a little bit of fur. It’ll grow back!” Fluttershy took one hand off the bear’s face, and reached down to gently stroke that same foreleg inspecting the hair. Dusk only now noticed that some of the hair was, indeed, quite a bit shorter than the rest.

The *grumph* from Harry that followed sounded a little pouty, even to Dusk’s ears. The massive ursine pulled his head away from Fluttershy’s hands and peered behind the pair of them, back towards the woods. Watching it for a quiet moment, he huffed out a short breath through his nose. He then moved around behind Fluttershy and firmly pushed her towards the cottage with his broad forehead and snout on her back.

Fluttershy laughed, one wing quickly reaching back to guide Dusk again. When he drew close enough, she firmly grabbed his hand, twining her fingers with his as she let Harry push her towards her home. “He’s just worried there might be something else in the woods, Dusk.”

Dusk nodded, his thumb gently stroking the back of Fluttershy’s hand as he spoke, mentally chuckling at how well Fluttershy seemed to have the bear wrapped around her finger. “Well, after tonight, I can’t say I blame him for worrying. Tonight was rather… enlightening. And the most humbling day I've experience since… well besides Nightmare Moon, I don't know how long!”

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow at the stallion, fixating on the first half of his comment. “Enlightening? Dusk, it was *terrifying*. I… I nearly *lost* you and Ha-*eep*!” Fluttershy let out a loud squeak as Dusk swept his good arm around the mare, pulling her into a hug at the same time as the bear stepped in closer, burying his cold snout against her neck.

Dusk wrapped his other arm around the shy mare, the questing hand finding its way into her hair to grasp at the back of her head, firmly pressing her against him. Dusk brushed his cheek against Fluttershy’s, shushing her gently. “Shhh… We’re all fine, the cockatrice is gone.”

Stroking his other hand down her back comfortingly, Dusk asked a question that had been bugging him since Fluttershy had found him. “How did you scare that thing off, anyways?”

Reassured that Fluttershy was fine by the way she buried her face against Dusk’s neck, Harry settled back to sit down and watch them again while Fluttershy started drawing strength from Dusk's scent. Her own arms were wrapped around his waist, the mare enjoying the feel of him holding her tightly. After a few moments of just enjoying his closeness, Fluttershy finally spoke, voice soft. “He just… I got *so mad* at him. Just- Well I wanted to make him listen to me. And all that anger had to go somewhere, so I forced it to kinda flow out in the form of a stare. Then he finally started to listen to me, and I- Well I forced him to let Harry go, and then… there was just this big explosion, and he left, and I don’t know where...” The mare’s voice dropped off, and she shivered.

Dusk firmed his grip on the mare, shushing her again. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m sorry I scared you - I’m not even really sure how it all happened, either. I know the cockatrice got me, but then… well…”

Dusk’s voice drifted off, unsure of what to tell the anxious mare. Sighing, he decided that he wanted to figure out how much of whatever had happened to him was real and not just snatches of random thought as oxygen starvation kicked in. He needed to deal with all of this before worrying her with the confusing situation he’d found himself in. “I think I was frozen for a time, but eventually I managed to pull together enough mana together to break free of its gaze.”

The pair stood there for a moment, drawing comfort from one another, before Harry began to grow restless again. The bear returned to firmly nudging the pair with his snout, puncturing the motion with an insistent grumbling growl.

The pair laughed, being forcefully pushed up to the front door. Still holding the mare around the hips, Dusk asked, “So, you got mad? Really? I just can’t picture that?”

Fluttershy grew quiet for a moment. When she spoke, her wing extended to lay against Dusk’s back once more. “It’s… I just couldn’t put up with letting bad things happen to you anymore. I think I sort of hypnotized the animal side of the creature. I really don’t like the feeling that comes with it. It just feels so wrong. But he just made me so *angry*, and I…” She drifted off, wing tightening around Dusk’s shoulders.

Chuckling softly, Dusk said, “Well, remind me never to upset you then, Fluttershy. Besides, I don’t think you would ever need to hypnotise me for anything.” Dusk leaned in closer, and laid a soft kiss against the side of her head, laughing softly as he saw the heavy blush on Fluttershy’s cheeks.

Finally exiting the endless forest into the familiar clearing around her cottage, Fluttershy turned around, laughing a little as she brushed a hand along Harry’s jaw. “Thank you for walking us home, you big goof. Now you get some rest for now, okay?”

The bear let out a soft grumph as he just turned away from them and walked at his own casual pace to find a favorite spot to lay on the edge of the patio. He made sure to place himself facing the woods. When Fluttershy saw that he wasn’t going downstairs to the den built into the cellar under her cottage, she simply had to ask, “Harry, what are you doing?”

Harry gave another growl and remained where he was laying. When Dusk turned to Fluttershy and raised an eyebrow, she shook her head. “He says he’s going to stay here, the big worrywart.” Sighing, she turned back to the door, pushing Dusk in front of her. “Come on, we’ll get the girls settled in and I’ll get him a blanket.”

The next few minutes were leagues more hectic than Dusk had ever expected them to be. The moment Dusk was in the door, the Cutie Mark Crusaders swarmed him. Sweetie Belle tearfully hugged him, saying she’d been so scared when the explosion had happened and nopony knew where he was. Scootaloo and Applebloom excitedly bombarded him with questions and exclamations about the noise that had rippled through the forest, what kind of creature Fluttershy had scared off, and how amazing Fluttershy had been when she forced it to do what she wanted. Dinky was like an island of calm in the swirling storm of the quartet, seemingly content to look over Dusk. Never raising her voice, save to ask him one time if he was hurt or needed her to grab Fluttershy’s first-aid kit.

As Dusk tried to answer as many questions as he could, and calm Sweetie Belle down, he noticed Fluttershy taking a large blanket out to the front porch, returning a few minutes later with a happy grin on her face. The mare approached the group, eyes glancing over the blankets scattered around. Laying one hand on Dusk’s shoulder, she addressed the fillies, saying, “Okay girls, after tonight, I know It’s nearly morning, but I’m ready to go to bed. Do you all have everything you need?”

Most of the fillies started to return to their cots, except for Sweetie Belle, who had already started dozing off with her head on Dusk’s leg. Halfway through collecting her blanket and pillow, Applebloom paused, looking back up at Fluttershy, “I think we’re good, Fluttershy - but where’s Dusk gonna sleep? We only got enough cots out here for us.”

Wings shifting slightly, Fluttershy’s cheeks reddened, and their was a momentary pause in the air. But when she found her voice, it remained confident as she answered, “Oh, I’ll set another one set up in my room for him. I didn’t want him to bother you girls during your sleepover.”

Dusk’s eyebrows rose, but he remained quiet and carefully shifted Sweetie Belle back into her cot. The filly grumbled quietly, but as Dusk tucked her blanket in around her, the filly stretched out for a moment before curling around her large pillow, mumbling into it. “...night...dy.”

Smiling at the tired filly, Dusk turned to the others. “So, you ladies promise that you aren’t going to stay up the rest of the night, are you?”

Scootaloo snorted, already half-buried in her cot next to Applebloom’s. “Pff, yeah right. Gotta get up early so we can try out more stuff for our cutie marks!”

Yawning next to her, Applebloom nodded. “Yeah, we already got a ton of ideas! Gonna be really busy.”

Chuckling, Dusk place his hand on the small of Fluttershy’s back, who was already turning to lead him to her room. “Okay then, I guess we’ll see you girls later then. Sleep well!”

Following Fluttershy, Dusk couldn’t help but chuckle at the chorus of “good night”s behind him. Fluttershy walked ahead of him, her wings held tightly to her back, and one of her hands gasping his between the two of them. She guided him into her room, pausing to hold the door as she gestured him to go in further. Dusk noted that the mare had, at some point, lit a pair of candles in the room, the room lit in a soft glow that cast long shadows along the walls, but still gave off an intimate feel. Somehow, despite all of Fluttershy’s meek behavior, Dusk wasn’t surprised when he entered her room and saw no space for a cot.

Behind him, Fluttershy gently closed the door before turning to face him. She was nearly silent, save for the sound of her nervous breathing, as she slipped her arms around his waist, burying her face between his neck and shoulder. Still unsure of what the mare had planned, Dusk simply returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around the mare, careful of her wings. He placed a soft kiss on the top of her mane, and didn’t speak, waiting for Fluttershy to break the silence first.

After a few minutes, Fluttershy spoke, face still buried against him. “Dusk? Can you, um, can you put up your silence spell thing? Please?” The mare had begun to lightly, gently, drag her nails up and down his back, though Dusk couldn’t tell if it was to comfort her or himself.

Nodding once, Dusk flared his horn and wove his magic in the appropriate way, speaking once he had completed it. “It’s up, Fluttershy. Noise can still come in, but whatever you want to say will remain between us.”

The mare in his arms didn’t answer immediately. She seemed content at the moment to remain holding him, lightly dragging her fingers up and down his back. Dusk could tell she had something important on her mind, however, by the way her wings continued to twitch from time to time. He was glad that dealing with Dash and Bronze had made him more aware of a pegasus’ moods, and how their wings seemed to reveal a bit of what they were thinking. He brushed a finger along her primaries, smiling when she shivered in his arms.

Finally, after remaining quiet for a few minutes more, the mare turned her face up, lips brushing Dusk's ear. Her voice was whisper-quiet, but her words shocked him. “Dusk, I… I love you.” Her arms tightened around him, but after a moment she pulled back to look at his face, gauging his reaction.

Dusk’s eyes went wide. The soft-spoken pegasus in his arms was quiet, and he saw hints of tears where she’d apparently been quietly crying against him. The unicorn brought one hand up from Fluttershy’s wing, and cupped her cheek, brushing a thumb along one tear trail. Confidence and trepidation flowed through him in equal measure as he spoke. “I love you too, Fluttershy. But are you sure you-”

The mare cut him off, quickly pressing her lips to his, and wrapping her wings around him, enveloping him in a world of feathers and Fluttershy’s earthy scent. She brought her hands up in between them, balling his shirt up in her fists as she eagerly, forcefully pushed against him. Dusk was a little surprised by the mare’s forwardness, and she pushed him back several steps towards her bed by the time he managed to arrest their motion.

When he stopped them, having nearly been shoved down onto Fluttershy’s bed, the mare finally pulled back. Her cheeks were a bright red, and her voice was breathy, a subtle - though not unwelcome - difference from her normal soft tone. “I-I’m sorry Dusk, I just - I was so scared that I’d lost you tonight, and that made me realize just how much you mean to me, an-and to the other girls, and now I just want you because I’m so selfish, and I-”

Dusk cut off Fluttershy’s hurried explanation by gently kissing her, tightening his arms firmly around her curvy waist, pressing the length of her body against his. She squeaked at first, but then melted into him. Her wings pushed him closer to her as well, the mare blushing harder as she pressed her large chest firmly against his. She could hardly believe what she was doing, but she knew she wanted more, so much more. She wanted what Rarity had with Dusk, wanted Dusk to be hers too.

Telling herself that she could do this, Fluttershy parted her lips slightly, forcing herself to press her tongue against his lips. She was nearly overcome with happiness when he parted his lips as well, and his tongue met hers. A sudden shock of pleasure ran straight down Fluttershy’s spine, and the mare nearly collapsed; might have if not for Dusk’s arms firmly holding her. Her wings left his back, snapping stiffly into full spread behind her. She moaned into the kiss, her tongue shyly exploring Dusk’s, and she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck to help hold herself up, not trusting her legs anymore.

Groaning into Fluttershy's mouth, Dusk dragged his hands up and down Fluttershy’s plush sides, relishing in the feel of the shy mare pressing herself against him, coming out of her shell to express how she felt with him. Losing himself in the way Fluttershy eagerly pushed against him, constantly eager for more, Dusk slipped his hands down to grasp the mare’s full rear.

Fluttershy abruptly broke out of the kiss with a startled squeak, staring at Dusk with eyes full of hunger and lust. He didn’t let her go, content to just watch her and wait for her reaction. The mare’s face was flushed red, and her body felt like it was on fire. Fluttershy knew her heat had ended ages ago, but in Dusk’s arms, it felt like that burning need had come crashing back. Not wanting the feeling of warmth in her belly to end, Fluttershy squirmed in Dusk’s hands, letting out a low moan before gasping for breath when his fingers dug into the flesh of her ass.

Feeling more encouraged by Fluttershy’s response, Dusk-

Found himself pushed backwards into the mare’s bed. Momentarily confused, he looked up at the pegasus, who wore a fiercely determined look on her face. Wings fluttering nervously behind her, Fluttershy bashfully murmured, “Um, stay there, okay?” Not waiting for a response, she turned to one of the candles, and placed a glass bell over it, quickly snuffing the light out. The room darkened by a considerable degree, though the remaining candle gave off just enough light for Dusk to see Fluttershy biting her lip nervously.

Returning to the foot of the bed in front of Dusk, Fluttershy nervously wrung her hands, looking at the floor. Her pink mane covered her face, after a few moments, she grew still, and Dusk heard her let out one single, slow, loud breath. Looking up suddenly, Fluttershy met Dusk’s eyes and purposefully reached for the hem of her dress, practically tearing it off in one swoop.

Dusk’s eyes followed the dress up and over the mare, and continued to watch it as she tossed it aside, transfixed, as the light fabric floated to land over a chair. So different from Rarity who would have insisted in properly hanging the dress. After realizing he wasn’t paying attention to the mare whose bed he lay in, he turned to meet her gaze. Fluttershy’s face was a bright red, but she bravely held her head up, meeting his purple eyes, despite being nearly naked in her lingerie. The mare spread her wings wide, willing herself to show Dusk everything.

Dusk leaned forward on the bed, eyes transfixed on the mare in front of him. His stare began to slowly move down Fluttershy’s body, unable to help but openly ogle the pegasus. The soft light from the candle in the room seemed to make her pale skin glow. He was surprised at first to see how pale she was under her clothing, given how often the mare was outside. The analytical side of Dusk’s brain reminded him that she typically wore heavier clothing outside, so it made sense that her body wouldn’t be as sun-kissed as her hands, forearms and face.

Eyes continuing their downward trend, Dusk’s stare met Fluttershy’s breasts and the custom bra Rarity had created to contain the massive mammaries. Though the mare herself was usually embarrassed by her large assets, she now found herself pushing her chest forward slightly, eager for Dusk’s approval - which she could clearly see she had, if his slack jaw was any indication. Feeling braver by his rapt attention, the mare stepped forward, putting herself within easy reach of the stallion.

Dusk shook himself lightly when she stepped forward. Glancing up at her still-blushing face, Dusk received a shy nod from the mare. His gaze dropping back down, Dusk brought his hands up to Fluttershy’s plump sides and gently pulled her in closer, between his legs. Sitting up straight now, Dusk brought his nose in close to the mare’s slightly pudgy stomach, just beneath her still-covered breasts. Breathing in deeply, Dusk let out a soft groan at the enthralling smell of the mare in his hands, before closing the final distance and placing a soft kiss on the mare’s warm skin.

Having expect Dusk to go straight for her chest, Fluttershy was entirely caught off guard by his attention to her stomach, letting out a laughing giggle. Flustered and slightly embarrassed now, as the mare had never been able to shed those extra pounds that she fretted over, the pegasus bent her legs slightly and wrapped her arms around Dusk’s head before trapping him firmly against the top of her cleavage.

“Dusk!~~ That’s not- not there, please? I know I’m not as fit as Dash or Rarity but-”

Dusk brought his face out of the warm embrace of Fluttershy’s breasts, quickly bringing his lips up to meet hers in an eager, passionate kiss. He slipped a hand up to the back of her neck, holding her in place, even as the other kneaded her side.

When he eventually let the mare go, her eyes had glazed slightly, and Dusk’s breath came in heavy and fast. “Fluttershy, you are absolutely gorgeous. Every bit of you.”

Pressing his forehead against hers, he waited for the mare to process what he said. When she blinked and seemed to return to her senses, she gave him a bashful, goofy, and teasingly excited grin. Surging forward, the mare pushed Dusk backwards onto the bed, flattening her chest against his as she eagerly reclaimed his lips, aggressively pushing her tongue into his mouth.

Fluttershy’s eager moan was only slightly muffled as it carried throughout the room. Burying her hands in Dusk’s hair, a rush of happiness accompanying a foreign sense of complete excitement assaulted all of her senses, and she happily let it wash over her. She brought one leg up onto the bed, before realizing that her skin was still brushing against Dusk’s clothes. Reluctantly letting the stallion beneath her go, Fluttershy sat back, giving him a moment to look at her, his eyes wide and surprised. Delighted that she had gotten that reaction from him, the pegasus eagerly pulled on his clothing, fumbling with Dusk’s belt. Meeting his gaze, she practically whined, “Off.”

With the way Fluttershy was begging him with her eyes and actions, practically grinding along his leg as she sat half-atop him, Dusk eagerly began removing his shirt, using magic to rapidly accelerate the tedious process. As Fluttershy continued removing his belt, he tossed the shirt where she’d left her dress before dropping his hands down to help her with his pants. After an embarrassing amount of fumbling and confusion for such a simple action, they finally succeeded in removing his belt. Dusk began kicking his pants off, with Fluttershy reluctantly sitting up and forward to help give him some room to work with.

When the pink-haired pegasus sat forward, Dusk saw an opportunity and grinned. While trying to remove his pants, he leaned forward as well, gently nibbling Fluttershy’s stomach and dipping his tongue into her navel. The mare above him let out a loud gasp and giggled, falling off balance and crashing down on top of him in in a fit of laughter and surprise. Now pinned beneath her, Dusk breathed in deeply, feeling drunk off the smell of the amorous mare laying on top of him. He finally managed to finish removing his pants, his aching erection springing up eagerly, and Dusk slid his hands up Fluttershy’s calves to her thighs, massaging the mare’s soft legs as his hands traveled.

Still giggling on top of him, Fluttershy felt a wild abandon at how eager Dusk seemed to be to touch her, to do anything to her. Embracing the feeling, she reached behind her shoulders and undid the clasp on her bra, letting it drop onto Dusk’s face. After freeing her chest, she reached down and began sliding her panties off, blushing slightly as they came away damp.

Kissing his way up Fluttershy’s chest, he took one dangling nipple in his mouth and sucked on it, lightly brushing his teeth against her sensitive nub. Fluttershy’s wings flapped excitedly, brushing the sides of the bed as she wrapped both arms around Dusk’s head, trapping him against her chest.

Teasing the mare with his tongue, Dusk move backwards up the bed slightly, pulling Fluttershy along with him, guiding her with his hands on her thighs and the breast in his mouth. Whining eagerly as Dusk brought her further up the bed, Fluttershy’s tail flicked happily, and she felt it cover Dusk’s erection. The stallion beneath her groaned softly, the soft hair brushing his cock making him want to rush.

Dusk didn’t want to push the mare though. Releasing her breast, Dusk shifted so that his face was closer to Fluttershy’s, eagerly kissing the mare’s neck. Dragging his hands across her ass, he brought them up along her sides and brushed her primaries once more before settling on her thighs. He buried his face in her neck, whispering, “Fluttershy, are you sure abo-” His breath caught in his throat.

Fluttershy had sat down in his lap, trapping his pelvis between her legs, pressing the shaft down firmly against her marehood. She froze up on top of Dusk, suddenly filled with trepidation. She shifted, unable to help but moan at the feel of his firmness sliding along her pussy, and met his eyes. She was afraid of what he’d think of her having second thoughts at this point.

When Fluttershy had gone still, Dusk had stopped as well, unsure of why she was hesitating now. When she looked down at him, suddenly scared, Dusk understood. Smiling up at her, he brought one hand up to cup her cheek. “Shy, if you want, we can stop. I know it’s been a hectic day, but we’ll only do whatever you want.”

With that reminder of what they’d gone through in the past few hours, Fluttershy’s face became resolute. Shaking her head quickly, she said, “No! I-I do want this, Dusk, really. I just… can we do it at my pace? Please?” She emphasized her plea with a shake and grind of her hips along their connected genitals, causing the two of them to mutually gasp.

Dusk smiled up at her before replying, “Of course, Fluttershy. Just… I want to make sure you enjoy this too, okay? If I push you too far or if you feel uncomfortable, just tell me and we’ll stop.” Dusk brought his other hand up to the pegasus’ face, cupping both cheeks before letting his fingers slide down her body slowly, teasing her. When he reached her breasts, he let his thumbs circle her nipples as he lightly dug his fingers into the mare’s soft flesh.

Nodding fervently, Fluttershy pressed her chest forward, eager to feel Dusk’s hands all over her. She immersed herself in the gentle way he massaged and groped her chest, and the feeling of his stallionhood rubbing between her legs. Eventually though, impatience overran her, and she reached down to their laps, grasping Dusk’s cock firmly. Tugging on it, she ground it against herself, wings snapping to their full extent, and letting out an eager groan.

A wicked, perverted idea filled her head, and blushing hotly, Fluttershy made sure to stroke his length from base to tip. The noises Dusk made only turned her on more. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Fluttershy angled Dusk’s cock towards her pussy’s entrance, having to restrain herself from greedily taking him as fast as she could.

Meeting his gaze - no longer feeling any of the earlier, silly worries she’d had before - she brought up the hand that had aligned his shaft. Making sure he was watching her, she gave her hand a long, drawn-out sniff. Dusk cocked his head curiously, but Fluttershy merely said, “Rarity was wrong, Dusk…” She fell forward on the bed, her hands landing on either side of his head, breasts firmly trapped against his chest and face, his cock on the edge of penetrating her. Leaning in close to his ear, she licked the tip of it, tongue brushing over the earring with Celestia’s cutie mark on it. “You smell just as good now as you did before.”

With that, Fluttershy rolled her hips forward, taking Dusk from the tip to the root in one motion. The mare let out a noise somewhere between a whine and a moan, the shock of the intrusion making her hold still to process it. Her wings held out stiffly on either side, eyes were clenched shut, and her hands balled into the sheets by Dusk’s head.

Dusk was faring much better, enjoying the sudden warmth and tightness of the mare on top of him, and the feeling of her breasts against his chest, her nipples like two hot buds of pleasure against him. Feeling her stop once more, Dusk brought one hand to the small of her back, just above her tail, and began massaging her there with a pair of fingers. His other hand grasped the back of Fluttershy’s neck, and he gently pulled her forward until her forehead met his, his horn parting her pink mane.

“Easy, Fluttershy, take your time. We have all night,” Dusk whispered, waiting for Fluttershy to recover her senses.

After several long moments, Fluttershy eventually gave herself a shake, and opened her eyes to meet Dusk’s. He saw some pain in her teal orbs, but the joyous smile she bore set him at ease.

Fluttershy leaned down to capture Dusk in another kiss, this time rolling her entire body against his, groaning happily against the wave of pleasure. She let go of the sheets and moved her hands back into Dusk’s hair, gripping down on it gently as she moved on top of him, sliding her body back and forth against his, trying to memorize the feel of his skin against hers.

Pulling back from their kiss, Fluttershy buried her face against Dusk’s neck, grazing her teeth along his skin. Nipping him roughly, she reached back and guided his hands down to her ass, squeaking happily when he began lifting her and dropping her down on his own.

Dusk half-growled into Fluttershy’s ear as she began biting and licking his neck, the mare’s tight grip in his hair making him want to fuck her faster. He kept a deliberate pace, however, wanting to be careful with her, and wanting to prolong this - the normally-reserved mare in his arms already had him nearing his limit. One hand left her ass, trailing its way up to land between her wings. Grinning, he began applying light pressure on the muscles he found there, noteing that they weren’t nearly as developed as those on Dash’s back.

Fluttershy let out a high-pitched whine when he touched her flight muscles, the mare’s pussy tightening down on his shaft suddenly. That was the final touch for Dusk - digging his fingers into Fluttershy’s ass and grasping the root of one of her wings. He came, thrusting desperately into the mare on top of him.

Fluttershy’s knees tightened against Dusk’s sides, the mare grinding her hips as closely against him as she could. Her cheek was pressed against his, and she was gasping roughly into his ear, tremors flying through her body every time she felt Dusk pulse inside of her.

After what felt like a small eternity, she felt Dusk’s climax ebb, and she slowly came down off her own orgasmic high as well. She could feel his warmth in her belly, and it felt like it was spreading throughout all of her body. The mare happily stayed in place on top of him, reveling in the feeling.

Enjoying the sound and feel of Fluttershy breathing into his ear, Dusk lay under her. He took his hands from her wing and ass, moving them to the small of her back, massaging in small circles. Dusk turned to nuzzle his jaw against Fluttershy’s, before trailing a series of kisses to her lips.

Fluttershy giggled while he kissed her, the happy noise still bubbling out when he claimed her lips. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, wings finally drooping down to cover her back. “That was… thank you, Dusk.”

Dusk chuckled under her, his breath tickling her neck. “Thank you for trusting me, Fluttershy. Though, I do have a question for you…” He trailed off, doing his best to keep a sly smile off his face.

Fluttershy buried her face in against his neck again, tongue lashing out quickly to taste the stallion’s - her stallion’s, she thought proudly - sweat, enjoying everything about him. Letting out a happy sigh, Fluttershy shifted her hips again, feeling Dusk go soft inside her. “Anything, Dusk.”

Unable to hide the smile now, Dusk leaned down, feeling like a foal about to whisper a secret. “Would you do me the honor of being in my herd?”

10:00 a.m., Dusk’s Observatory, Canterlot

Dash woke standing on the balls of her feet, body drenched in sweat and her heart racing so fast her knees felt week. For a moment she couldn't dismiss his face as he stared into her eyes, accusatory and angry. She could still feel his weight at the end of her spear, his life’s blood pouring down into her hands. Her mouth opened, a scream on her lips-

Her eyes caught sight of Bronze’s sleeping form, curled up on the bed, curled up right beside where Dash had been sleeping seconds ago. Her hand clamped over her mouth and the cry died on her lips.

Swallowing back the crash of panic, and banishing the face from her mind, Dash snatched her shirt off a chair and left the bedroom, closing the door as gently as she could as she slipped out.

10am, Celestia's Spire, Canterlot

“Then it's all settled. I'll let Dusk know Silk and the mercenaries are on the way.”

Luna found slipping into the Dream Realm like putting on comfortable old shirt. It took no effort, fit exactly the way she wanted, and had brought back such fond memories.

The endlessly changing shadows of a twisted, warped world danced around before Luna, yet even as she exerted her willpower against the malleable world, she could see the first bubbles taking shape. There was Celestia, with only the tiniest of orbs representing her rigid focus, marking her daydreams that were nearly impenetrable.

Next to her was Silken Flight, who still stared at the empty spot Luna had been standing, her dreams a nearly-transparent ball. Luna smiled at her lover, who seemed incapable of stopping herself from worrying about Luna’s safety, even in this realm, her realm. With a thought, Luna projected an image of herself comforting the bat pony, and Silk’s dream ball shuddered before the mare herself picked up a stack of reports and left the balcony.

Turning towards the final pony pouring over the map, Shining Armor surprised her. His mind was focused, and the daydream over his head was constantly flickering in and out of existence. When it did exist, it was nearly as small as Celestia's own. Luna found herself curious at what had him so focused, so driven to work that he wanted to avoid thinking about, that she couldn’t help but peek into his daydream.

A black box. A diamond ring. Young Princess Cadance.

Luna smiled as she stepped away. The mind of a stallion in love.. I wonder how Cadance will react. Stepping towards the balcony’s edge, Luna ignored the way the whole world moved in slow motion, like somepony stuck in mud.

Launching into flight [scene unfinished]

The echoing whisper of a click made Bronze stretch out in bed, flexing her aching wings and bending her stiff back. Exhaustion and exertion weighed so many of the joints down. ”I am never flying from Ponyville to Canterlot in full armor with a racehorse like Rainbow Dash again. But, by the Light, if I have to do it again, I'll invest in a pair of replacement wings!”

Dash’s Nightmare

Noon, Sunday, April 17th, Fluttershy’s Cottage.

Dusk woke slowly, fighting against the temptingly soft blankets and sheets that lay on him. When he opened his eyes, it took him a moment to remember where he was, and what had all happened the previous night. The fillies chasing Henrietta. The cockatrice. Fluttershy crying in his arms, as he sat dazed and still confused. Putting the fillies to bed. And then…

Dusk breathed in deep, lungs filling with the scent of the bashful pegasus that he’d grown to love, and let out a content sigh. Without looking, he reached across to the opposite side of the bed, before realizing he was alone. Looking over to Fluttershy’s side of the bed, all that lay there was a single yellow feather on her pillow. Smiling now, Dusk sat up, brushing one hand through his long hair, before looking around for his robe and pants.

Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Dusk plucked the yellow feather from Fluttershy’s pillow. Brushing its length under his nose, he was rewarded with the faint scent of the mare herself, bringing back flashes of the previous night’s excesses. Grinning wider now, Dusk pushed himself off the bed and grabbed his robe and pants, curious where the mare herself was at.

Making his way out of Fluttershy’s room, Dusk saw that the living room was empty as well, blankets strewn across the cots and sofa haphazardly. After a half-second’s fright, a moment’s worry that the events from last night were repeating, Dusk heard the voices of the fillies from outside, laughing and calling to one another. Trying to rub the sleep still lingering in his eyes, Dusk made sure his robe was closed as he walked on, feather secure in one deep pocket. Hearing Fluttershy’s voice come from the kitchen, he turned in that direction, bringing a hand through his hair once more in a pointless attempt to tame it.

As he neared the kitchen, he slowed, listening to the quiet mare’s voice speaking to someone confidently - a rare occurrence he was happy to experience.

“Your leg hair will grow back. You’re acting like it’s the end of the world, you big fussy cub.”

The growling reply that came back could only have been Harry, and Dusk still found it a marvel at how easily Fluttershy interacted with him, despite being so reluctant and timid around other ponies. Moving into the kitchen, Dusk leaned on the doorframe, staying silent as he looked at the beautiful mare that he now shared a bond with.

The pegasus herself was draped in a heavy robe covering most of her body, though her wings lay open to the air, relaxed against her back. She was making pancakes, and already had a large stack of them set aside, with several more cooking in a large pan. In front of her was a window, and through it a large muzzle poked in, nose sniffing and moving around in eager curiosity at the smell of the breakfast that was in front of him.

“Oh you hush, Harry. After all that excitement last night, you should be glad that’s all that happened. I still can’t believe it, I almost lost both you and Dusk...”

Dusk tilted his head, watching Fluttershy more carefully now. She’d seemed mostly fine last night after they’d arrived back at her house safely, fillies in tow - and the two had… expressed themselves to one another. Now though, she seemed to be drawing in on herself, lost in thought about the previous night’s scares. Dusk made mental notes as her wings drooped, still trying to pick up on all the visual tics that pegasi seemed to give with their wings. It was simply fascinating how much of their body language those two appendages could-

A surprised giggle jolted Dusk out of his thoughts. Shaking his head slightly, he looked up at Fluttershy again, who was now fighting off Harry’s nose with one hand.

“Harry! Your nose is so cold, you big goof! Stop that!” Fluttershy giggled again, before gently grasping his muzzle in one hand and kissing the nose.

With a satisfied hrumph from the large bear, his muzzle disappeared from the window, only to be replaced by one large forepaw snaking in, one claw extended towards the pancakes.

When Fluttershy saw what the bear was doing, she gave a sharp, “Ah, ah!” and reached out with her free hand to flick his claw. The pitiful noise the large bear let out made Dusk wonder if that really was the same bear that Fluttershy had said was so protective of the fillies on the walk back to the house.

The large paw disappeared and was replaced once more by the same muzzle, only this time the lower lip was pushed out in what Dusk assumed was an attempt at pouting. Fluttershy giggled again, and reached out to stroke the fuzzy giant’s chin.

“Now Harry, you know these are for the girls and Dusk… But!” Fluttershy’s grin became wide, and she leaned in close to the bear’s nose, whispering loudly, “If you go get some of your special honey that you’ve got stashed away downstairs, and share it with them, I’ll make you your own batch of pancakes, okay?”

When Fluttershy leaned back from the bear, Dusk smiled, curious to see what Harry would do. For a moment, the bear’s nose just twitched, sniffing at the air and, presumably, the pancakes. The large bear licked his chops once, twice, before leaning further into the window and giving his pegasus caretaker’s face a long, wet lick.

Harry disappeared through the window at Fluttershy’s laughter, and Dusk was about to go over to her, when the bear’s muzzle returned, sniffing loudly. Fluttershy was still giggling, wiping the bear’s saliva off her face. The bear growled what seemed questioningly, and Fluttershy’s laughter stopped, a bright blush covering her face.

The mare looked down at the pancakes still sizzling on the pan, bangs and hair hiding her face from view. Her voice was embarrassed when she finally spoke. “Harry! That is… whatever we did is personal! But…” Fluttershy looked up at the bear, though her face was still hidden from Dusk. “Thank you. It means a lot that you think Dusk's a good stallion. Angel Bunny isn’t so sure.”

The bear’s nose twitched again, this time sniffing in Dusk’s direction. The bear gave a last parting growrph before his muzzle disappeared a final time. Fluttershy leaned further over the stove, calling out, “He’s just overprotective, like somebear else I could name!”

When the mare giggled again and returned her attention to the pan, Dusk pushed off the doorframe and began walking towards her. Trying to stay quiet, his approach was announced by one of the floorboards letting out a loud creak, causing him to flinch and stop in his tracks as Fluttershy gasped and turned towards him, spatula half-raised.

After she realized who it was, she laughed, putting a hand over her chest. “By the Light, Dusk, you scared me! I was just about to go wake you up, I’m nearly done here.” Fluttershy gestured at the pancakes on the counter, before turning back towards the pan and flipping the ones sizzling there. “Did you, um….” Her cheeks brightened again, and Dusk couldn’t help but smile at how adorable it made her look. “Did you sleep well?”

Still saying nothing, Dusk moved up behind the pegasus and slid his arms around her wide, plush hips, enjoying the feeling of her robe. She let out a surprised squeak even as he pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her hair, inhaling the scent that was pure Fluttershy deeply. He felt her wings press back against his chest, the feathery limbs trying to flutter, but they only ended up tickling his front. He was silent for a long moment, just enjoying the feeling of the mare in his arms.

When he finally spoke, his breath sent shivers down Fluttershy’s back, and her wings twitched against him again. “I slept fantastic, thank you Fluttershy. I had one of the most perfect mares in Equestria making sure I was comfortable, after all.” He kissed the back of her neck, in the center of her cutie mark. When she shivered he smiled, once more enjoying the feeling of her wings shuffling against his chest.

Fluttershy felt like her face was on fire, but she focused on moving the pancakes from the pan onto the stack of the finished ones. Placing her spatula down, she was still for a moment, before whirling around in Dusk’s arms, surprising him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, hugging him tightly to her, even as she buried her face in against the hollow of his throat, her wings finally free to lift off her back and encircle him.

The mare was quiet as she held him, and Dusk was content to simply hold her close. When she finally spoke, her voice was halting, and sounded almost afraid. “I just… I had to make sure you were real. A-after everything that happened with the cockatrice, how you just… I don’t know, came back on your own… I was terrified I dreamed it all. Even after seeing you in Celestia’s light this morning, it still felt so surreal.”

Dusk remained quiet for a few moments before he brought one hand up to Fluttershy’s chin, turning her face up towards his. Fluttershy let out a soft squeak of surprise as Dusk pressed her lips against his in a firm kiss. The pegasus melted into the kiss almost immediately, however, eager to taste Dusk once more. To taste her stallion once more.

When the two eventually parted, Dusk leaned his forehead in against hers, the mare’s pink hair tickling his horn. The pair laughed softly, hands running over one another’s backs. Dusk’s hands brushed over the bases of Fluttershy’s wings, and the pegasus sucked in a breath and bit her lip in response, smiling wickedly as her face flushed red.

“Dusk,” she breathed out, giving him a quick kiss before continuing, “You can’t just go touching a pegasus’ wings like that…” She shook her wings, feeling a shiver travel up her spine and into the feathery appendages as she brushed her primaries along Dusk’s back.

Dusk’s eyes widened in mock shock, and in a disbelieving tone he asked, “What? I can’t? You mean I shouldn’t do something like… this?” He gently squeezed the bases of her wings, stepping in closer to her when he felt the mare’s wings shiver in his hands.

Fluttershy’s eyes drifted shut as she let out the softest of groans, pressing further against Dusk. Feeling emboldened by his actions, and remembering everything from the previous night, she brought her lips close to his, brushing them softly together. “Because i-if you do that, then I’ll have to… to…”

Suddenly the shy mare lost her nerve, hiding her face against his neck, breathing his scent in deeply and trying to avoid looking at him. Her wings retreated to her back, and she squeezed her arms around his neck, burrowing herself in deeper against him.

The pair were quiet for a moment, before Dusk finally broke the silence, stroking one hand through the pegasus’ long mane. “I love you, Fluttershy.”

His new lover’s initial response was to just squeeze him against her once more, but after a few moments he heard a soft, “I love you too, Dusk Shine.”

Then she pulled away from him, and Dusk saw a determined look in her eyes. She brought her hands up to his cheeks, and pulled him down to her for a firm kiss. Dusk was surprised only for a moment, before he breathed out into the kiss and took a half step towards the mare, angling her to press her back against the nearby sink. She let out a delighted noise into his mouth, and Dusk moved to deepen the kiss.

A loud growl interrupted him, however. Shocked out of the intimate moment, both ponies jumped away from one another, facing the noise. A large paw was stuck in through the window, holding a surprisingly small jar of honey.

“Harry Bear!” Fluttershy said admonishingly. “That’s just- you can’t- oooh!” Flustered, and for one of the few times Dusk had seen her, apparently upset, the pink-haired mare reached out and snatched the jar of honey from the massive paw. “I know that you want your pancakes, Harry, but that was just rude!”

From outside the window Dusk heard a series of ‘grumphs’ and half-growls. Coughing awkwardly, but trying to smile at the amusing situation, Dusk put one hand onto the lower of Fluttershy’s back before speaking softly. “I’m going to go check on the fillies and call them in for breakfast. Is that fine?”

Extending one wing to brush her flight feathers against his back, Fluttershy nodded absently as she continued to listen to what - Dusk assumed - was an unapologetic and hungry bear’s growling.

As he walked towards the front door, Dusk heard Fluttershy finally responding to her ursine friend. “Harry Bear! We- I- we would never do that out where the fillies could see! And furthermore…”

Holding in a laugh, remembering just how intimate the two had been getting in the kitchen, Dusk walked out of the front door, glad to be in Celestia’s beautiful morning.

Meanwhile in Twilight Velvet’s Chamber, Griffonstone

Blitz couldn't blame the sergeant on duty when he returned from patrol the day after Dee's visit. He'd only been doing his job when he made note of Blitz’s limp while entering the Equestrian barracks.

Blitz was tempted to blame the medic on shift when he reported to get his leg checked. After Velvet Sparkle found out about the sergeant’s report and couldn't find a matching medical report, the short argument he’d had with her ended with her escorting him personally to see the poor duty medic. But the medical mare was just doing her duty, and had noticed his last physical was already a year overdue. And no attempt at bribery could avoid her noting in his file the fresh scratches Dee had left all over his back.

Now, however, Blitz was very tempted to blame Dee, as he stood in Velvet's office - being chewed out by the ambassador again, though this time it was because he hadn't managed to find a way to steal or hide his physical before Velvet found it.

"... and furthermore, Blitz you can't tell me it's a healthy relationship! Dee’s basically a ghost! I only found out she was ever even here at all today because somepony has a limp and a barrage of scratches all over his back! Now my personal unit has to look through everything that's happened since just before you arrived for hints of how she slipped in. To this day Celestia frustrates me by allowing her special agents this sort of freedom - meddling in where they’re not asked, screwing up who knows what!”

Twilight Velvet slapped his medical examination shut, turning her glare up at the stallion standing in front of her desk. “At least you’re still fit for duty. By the Light, Blitz, you could have at least told me she showed up. Given me some idea she was here - instead of letting me find out like this. Celestia only knows what little Dashie would think about you hiding a visit from her herd mother. Or are you even going to tell her? When was the last time Dee even saw your herd’s filly?"

Blitz couldn't deny that what came next was entirely his fault. It wasn’t probably the sigh, nor the mutter, but rolling his eyes, and the half-muttered reply that set the mare off. "We never were a herd, but that's not the point, she-"

Twilight Velvet’s eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped in volume, and a tone entered it that told Blitz he had screwed up. “Rainbow Blitz. You are not telling me what I think you are. Because what I think you’re telling me is that you and Dee hooked up at some point after Firefly died.” Velvet slumped back in her chair, rolling her eyes. “No, Light. The way today is going, you’re going to tell me you two hooked up before that.”

The jab stung, and in any normal situation, because of their long-standing friendship, Blitz would have called Velvet out. However… “Velvet, when Dee and I got together is no concern of yours. Look, I-”

Velvet suddenly stood up, hands on the desk in front of her. Her eyes were wide and accusatory. “Blitz, no. No, no, no. No. You are not saying that- by the Light, Blitz, you… you didn’t. You couldn’t.”

Setting his jaw against the painful memories of Firefly’s death and the weeks, months surrounding it, Rainbow Blitz took a second to collect himself. He could feel the old hurt still there, threatening tears if he let it, and the shape that it had left him and Dee both in. Pointedly not answering the implied question, Blitz spoke, his voice somehow not shaking. “Dee asked that I not tell you because she said it would merely cause you more stress - she swore on her badge that she did not interfere with anything you had set in motion.”

Twilight Velvet stared at him for several long moments, before pulling her chair in closer to her desk to sit down. She looked around her desk, shuffling some papers. Blitz could tell when she was trying to make herself busy. After perhaps another thirty seconds of her looking at reports, she finally spoke. “Rainbow Blitz, I need time to process this. I have - I have things to do, guards to speak with, I need to go see the mollens, and-”

Suddenly, Velvet’s office door slammed open. Blitz’s instincts snapped into gear despite how the mood had switched in the room. The long belt dagger on his hip slid into his palm and felt just like a familiar glove, as he lept between the intruder and Velvet, throwing himself on the mare.

The rumble lasted but a moment, and Blitz knelt on top of the mare’s throat, blade over guards head. His voice was controlled ice as he glared down at her. “Entering the ambassador’s quarters without permission can easily cost a pony their life, now speak up quick and if Velvet is not satisfied, this will be a short conversation.”

Blitz could feel Velvet's eyes on the back of his head but didn't risk breaking eye contact with the mare to check on her. The girl was nearly in tears as she managed to sob out the words that brought Blitz right back to memories of the worst days before the Dawn of the Red Sun. “The young Emperor Ashen Thunderhead… he- he's dead!”

Author's Notes:

One of two unfinished projected created over two years ago and simply festering. I am sorry that this never will be finished properly. I hope some of you enjoy this at least a little bit.

The other unfinished project: Letting go of Sunset

This will be out someday when I decide to dump it out in public. It's a super long term epilogue to the story line I was going to do.