I awoke to the sensation of falling, before both me and Ribbon splattered on the floor, the pods interiors still coating us. The impact caused me to reflexively tighten myself around Ribbon, before whipping my head around to figure out what just happened, when my eyes settled on… “Wendy…”

"HIA! I happen to see you guys in a pod but I thought we weren't doing that anymore, but then I thought maybe someling put you guys there 'cause there isn't supposed to be two ponies in one pod. So I thought I'd let you out and ask 'Why are you two in a pod together?'!.” Oh… Joy. Did she find coffee somewhere? wait… I felt my cheeks rapidly heat up, the weirdness of our situation dawning on me. Wendy was effectively watching me and Ribbon snuggle, while we were covered in slime…

"I was standing there for like, five minutes trying to think of what I should do." Oh sweet lord… I could feel my blush intensify, as I felt Ribbon squirm around in my embrace, before settling back down.

"Wow, your face is like, SUPER red. Are you feeling ok?" Why God… WHYYYYYY MEEEEE!

“Shhh… Can’t you see Ribbon is still asleep? She deserves a nice long rest, don’t you think?” is it me, or is it getting rather hard to move…?

It was about that time I heard a husky, muffled voice moaning from between my wings. "D-dont... stop..." Is… Ribbon really dreaming about doing that with me?! When I looked back up, Wendy had vanished, leaving my rather creeped out. after calming myself down, I just sat there and basked in the warmth of Ribbon, and the gel still coating me, as it slowly oozed down my face…

when I finally decided to let go of Ribbon and get up, however, I realized several things. One, the reason I was starting to have trouble moving, was because the gel I was covered in had started hardening. Two, that gel had now fully solidified, leaving my stuck wrapped around Ribbon like a cocoon, as well as sticking my mouth and eyes shut. And three, Ribbon would be in the same predicament as me.

I begun hearing extremely muffled moans coming from between my wings, and realized Ribbon had woken up.

-Hi Ribbon... This is the single most awkward way I have EVER woken up… Also, we’re both kinda stuck.-

'Why can't I move? What happened to the pod?'

-Wendy decided to let us out… and I was… Kinda too busy basking in your warmth to realize that this gunk was hardening…-

'... I'm never sleeping in a pod again.'

-Agreed.-

'H-hold on, I might be able to... to do it myself.' A green flash originates from beneath my wings, and I soon find the gel flaking off, and I slowly spread my wings, working out the stiffness.

“Did not know there was a spell for that.”

"Takes more energy though."

A soft grin emerged on my face, as I internally chuckled at that. "I dont think thats a problem for you, considering you have me."

"Yeah, I might have food source, but not all of us... " She quickly realizes what she just said, and backpedals in an attempt to avoid causing a problem. "I'm sorry, I should have worded that better." I couldn't help but chuckle at how she awkwardly tried to get out of her presumed situation.

"Its okay. besides, haven't I given you an 'all you can eat buffet' before?"

"Yeah, You did."

I felt my ears twitch as I picked up the steadily growing sound of chirping, Turning to Ribbon, I noticed she had heard it as well. the chirping abruptly cut off, leaving me staring intently at the only entrance to this room.

I blinked, and the next thing I knew, Mirage was pouncing at Ribbon, delivering the cutest glomp I had ever seen, causing Ribbon to wince at the impact. “You certainly are fast."

Yeah, but, how do we keep her safe from all the trouble that comes looking for us…? I would NEVER forgive myself if Mirage or Scootaloo got caught in the crossfire…

"I'm going to go make sure she's got someling to play with."

“Good idea.” I need something more advanced than just charging headlong into the fight… wait… how have I not thought of this sooner? quickly trotting after RIbbon and Mirage, I voiced my curiosity. "Ribbon, I know his seems out of the blue, but how would one go about performing a partial shapeshift? I mean, I know that my shape shifting works differently from yours, but at least I would have an idea of where to start.”

“Umm... hmm. Try a full shift but only change one thing. Do that a few times to get a feel for what changes and then only change that part. That's how I learned how to do a partial shapeshift." Of course, there is no way I would do that around our little Mirage… if my miasma terrified Ribbon the first time she experienced it, then it could traumatize Mirage, something I would never forgive myself for… wait. where did Mirage get to anywa- ”Ah!”

Mirage had somehow scrambled onto Ribbons back while we were conversing, and had managed to make her way onto her head, where she begun cutely nibbling on Ribbons ear, which she was quickly removed from.

“Little ninja we got here, don’t we?”

Ribbon simply looked unimpressed at Mirage’s stealth feat. "I'm not really surprised, we are kinda made for it."

“True… True… So, uhhhh, what were you dreaming about earlier... it sounded pretty..." -Naughty, if you catch my drift-

"I, uh, was t-talking in my sleep? W-what did I say?"

-You said 'don't stop' and pretty huskily, at that.-

'Oh my' I could tell by the look on her face that it was something that she thought I would disagree with. she must think I’m the type who would get jelly about her dreaming of doing it with somepony else.

-So... who was it?-

'You, who else? she says this with a slightly guilty look on her face, and hint of worry as well.

-Oh c'mon... who was it REALLY? ...you think I'm jealous, don't you...?-

'No, and why would I? It's not like I was dreaming about anypony in particular.' by now, she looked ready to pass out in fright, she knew that I knew that she wasn't telling the truth.

-Come on, I can shapeshift, if you tell me I might make it a reality~.-

She pauses, before looking at the ground, contemplating on telling me.

'C-c-chrysalis and Nightmare moon' Somehow, even over our link, that sounded hushed, Ribbons face turning a spectacular shade of emerald.. 'With... wing binds and, uh... collar and leash

-Wow... I could see why you wouldn't want to wake up from a dream like that when you had ponies like those two serving you.-

Ribbon gulps, much to my confusion. 'About that part... I was wearing the collar...’

oh… OHHH! *Fwump!* oh goddammit… not the wings again… WINGS, Y U GO HAPPY GO GO FUN TIME! I could feel my face heating up immensely, both at this situation, and at the stupidity of what I just though.

We just stood there, staring for several minutes, before Ribbon broke the silence. "Should I buy the collar, or will you?"

"Uhhh you can..." I… I don’t even…

As if we didn’t already get kinky enough…

Why am I strangely okay with this…?

Wait… Mirage dissap- OHHHHHHH! I slowly slid to the floor as Mirage nibbled on my ear. BAD CHI, THIS SHOULD NOT FEEL LIKE THAT!

"Come on you," with that, the sensation ended, as Ribbon had grabbed Mirage in her magic. "I'm carrying you in my magic from now on."

I could feel my wings slowly folding back down, as I followed Ribbon, towards the caretaker chambers, which served as both the infirmary and the changeling equivalent of daycare. several drones were buzzing around, trying to keep nymphs from running amuck, and having to pluck several from the walls and ceiling. Of course, the first thing Mirage does is walk up to another nymph and ‘boop’ them on the nose, causing him to scrunch his nose, before running over to me and hiding behind my leg, giggling.

suddenly, the entire room went deathly silent, as every nymph, all turned to face me at the same time.

-Ribbon... why are they all looking at me like that?-

'New food source. I'd put up a shield if I was you.'

-But I've never used a shield... spell...- "This is gonna suck..."

They all charged at me, an oncoming ebony tide of buzzing and chirping changeling nymphs, hellbent on turning me into snack. Once they got close enough for me to make out details on each one of them, they crashed into a shield Ribbon had put up around me, after she had realized my complete inexperience with such spells.

-think i should leave before you tire out?-

'Yeah.'

I quickly fired up my magic, a destination already in mind. when the light faded, I was in our bedroom here at the hive. I slowly trotted towards the bed, and as I reached under it, felt just what I was looking for.

Excellent… Pinkie got them here… Opening the box, I was greeted to the sight of half a dozen Cupcanos, still as fresh as the day they were made, thanks to Pinks getting Twilight to enchant the box… I am one devious motherbucker. I grabbed one in my hoof, and downed the whole thing in a single bite.

“Ohhh that hits the spot…” I waited for a few moments, and felt the heat well up in my stomach. *BUUUUURP!* Rainbow fire… that will never get old.

"How are the Cupcanos I made?"

“Damn good, Pinkie. Daaamn good.” I had genuinly gotten used to Pinkies randomness quite a while ago… It never fails to amuse me when shes around, however.

Grabbing another cupcake, I scarfed it down, smiling happily.

"Glad you like them" She said as she crawls out from under the bed with marshmallows in hoof. I saw the marshmallows, and knew what she had planed, as she reached behind her and pulled out a stick.

she impaled about half a dozen of them on the stick, and held it in the air as I prepared to release another polychromatic belch of fire.

"Pinkie, when did you..."

“Oh hi Ribbo- BURRRP!” and there we go, half a dozen marshmallows grilled to perfection.

"... She brought rainbow cupcakes did she?"

“Yepperoni!”

“OF COURSE!” yes, the ham is strong with me today…

"Can I have some of those?" she points towards the marshmallows Pinkie was currently holding.

“Okey dokey loki!” the next think both of us knew, Ribbon had marshmallows stuck into the holes in her hooves, and Pinkie was gone, leaving a flummoxed Ribbon trying to dislodge the marshmallows, until she tried sucking one out, causing her to moan at the sensation.

"I think she knew you were sensitive there..."

"You think? First foals at Cheerilee's class, and now Pinkie puts marshmallows in them." Gulping down the fluffy sugar, she sucked out another one, trying not to twitch at the sensation of it sliding out of her hoof.

Ribbon chews and swallows it down, to my amusement, as she goes for a third. "You doing this for the taste or because of how good it feels?"

"I can't leave them, it's embarrassing…” she swallows the third and starts on the forth. "Ok, maybe there's two reasons."

“I bet.”

“Not helping.” Once the fourth marshmallow was gone she reached for the last one, but couldn’t seem to reach it. “A, uh. Little help?” umm.. you can just pull it out with mag-

"...Why did it only now occur to me you could have used magic to pull those out?"

Ribbon glared at me, and then at the marshmallow, before turning back to me. "You couldn't tell me that four marshmallows ago?"

"Didnt think of it until now."

"Want the last one?" she hovered the last marshmallow over to me.

"sure, why not." I grabbed it in my magic, and quickly ate it.

“So now that the Marshmallows are gone. And Pinkie, I guess. Should we go back to ponyville? I still need to work on your rifle."

“Probably a good idea. I still need to read through all the books Twilight gave me.”

Never did find out about what caused that explosion either...