Journal, the problem planning to divide up chapters in advance of writing them is that making a (1 of 2) implies there will be a (2 of 2), and not (2 of 4) or (oops that was the only one). This is an issue because I'm writing with invisible mage's ink, and it can't be removed, only crossed out.

This entry would probably be better named... well, why give things away? If you've read this far you're probably a pervert seeking suspense and dicks. Who am I to judge. (Okay, I'm Princess Twilight Freaking Sparkle, but that still doesn't count for much.)

As we returned to the room, I noticed Applejack wincing with every step. Her swollen frogs were obviously sending a mixture of pleasure and pain into her groin with every step.

We climbed into bed together and cuddled. At this point, I was just waiting for Applejack to use the stone to suck the pretty brains out of my stupid head, whether or not I wanted it. That's what this meeting was all about, wasn't it? Still, being held by her legs—sex absent, for the moment—was very comforting.

"I love you," I whispered. "I'm sorry."

AJ laughed. "You don't gotta be sorry for that, sugarlump. You need to stop feelin' bad about feelin' so good."

"I don't even mean the sex," I said. "I mean I care about you, and I owe you more than 'love'. You're special."

"I know, darlin'." She kissed my nose and held me closer. "You are to me, too. We're good friends, and a little bit more. Ain't no shame in that."

I sighed and relaxed, tucking my muzzle under her chin. "I guess you're going to make me use the Breakstone soon, huh?"

"I'd like that, but that'll be up to you, Twi," said Applejack. "Most ponies would want a hint of the wolf first, or even a taste. Makes it easier to accept the rock thing. Whatever route you aim to take is fine by me. You're the boss, even if you don't like that sort of thing, bein' a lost cunt like me."

"It doesn't matter. I have to choose something, or they'll just force me. If Twilight Sparkle has to die, I'd rather it happen with you." I closed my eyes. As much as I wanted this to happen, the thought was depressing me.

"Aw, shucks. They ain't gonna force you, Twi. You just need to come around, accept it, and learn your place," said Applejack. "Forcin' you only made things worse." She gently touched my cheek with a swollen, pussy-like frog, shivering as the velvety pillow rubbed against my flesh.

"No, Princess Cadance told me. They're going to force me if you don't convince me to do it," I revealed. "I've taken too long. They're tired of watching me suffer, and I can't say as I blame them."

AJ frowned. "That ain't right," she said. "Dagnabit. I thought this was finally gonna be voluntary."

"It wasn't with you, was it?" I asked. "I mean, how could it be voluntary? You wouldn't betray your friends. I can't believe that."

"Well, they are my friends, and they got to my family first. Seein' my kin, and how happy they all were... it wore me down, Twi. When the time came, I let 'em have their way with me and my holes," she said. "Oh, we recently found out Pinkie's distant Apple kin! Ain't that somethin'. Makes it way kinkier now when we fuck."

I laughed. "That's... too perfect," I said.

"Yeah. Anyway, I fell to pressure and agreed to a hint of the wolf, then a taste, and then what they said started makin' perfect sense. So I let 'em take my noggin apart, seein' as I wasn't usin' it for much anyhow," she said, with a smile.

I narrowed my eyes and frowned. "That is not true, Applejack. You have a beautiful mind." I was tempted to say 'had' but I was afraid I'd start crying. (I'm not sure this conversation is perfectly accurate. I'm reconstructing it as best I can since my memory charm wasn't active.) "There's more to a pony's mind than book-learning," I added, surprised to hear myself say those words. But it's true, isn't it?

"I'm kiddin' ya, silly mare! The rock don't take the smart part out. Just the dumb part that keeps you from thinkin' with your puss." She winked at me, which prompted another blush.

It's so easy for AJ to disarm me, Journal.

"But," she continued, "even after all you been through, I don't like the idea of pushin' you into this. I mean, all you gotta do to stop the sex abuse is consent. Why won't you let us love you proper?"

"I don't know... I..."

"Well... I wouldn't usually recommend this, but maybe try thinkin' with your noggin rather than your clit?" she asked, to my surprise. "Forget the sex. Just relax, clear your mind, and use that powerful logic you got up there," she said. "Don't feel horny, and don't feel disgust. Where does that get you?"

I thought about it for a long moment. "Part of me wants to rid the whole world of sex, but that's the disgust talking. Part of me wants to submit, but that's the arousal and the insecurity," I said. "The logic? I want to see Princess Celestia first, like they originally promised me. If she's okay with becoming a vampony, then I will be too. But I need to see her. She's the smartest, most honorable pony I've ever known, even including my BBBFF. I owe her so much. I wish the vamponies would keep that promise to me, but it isn't going to happen."

Applejack sighed. "How long do you s'pose we got together before they break us up?"

"I don't know, but I doubt I have until the next Sunrise. I think they want this finished today. You're basically my last chance to go peaceably." My eyes began to water. "I wish I could accept it! It would be so easy to let them have me, and I want it so badly, but I can't shake that feeling of responsibility."

AJ pursed her lips for a moment. "Okay, then don't. Fight 'em back," she said. "Give them bitches what-for."

"Wait, really? That would just be more suffering. It's not like I have a chance to escape," I said. "Are you actually suggesting I keep resisting?"

"I think you should become a vampony, Twi. I want you to become a vampony. I want you to join us like my lungs want air," she said. "But I want you to do it honestly, and if you still ain't ready, well, you ain't ready. As much as I'd love to watch that stubborn noodle of yours melt and put a silly smile on your face, I won't feel right forcin' you."

"But I'll feel better afterwards. I'll be grateful. That's what they all say."

"That don't excuse it," said AJ. "Fuck, but I wish it did! Maybe if I beg you sweet enough you'll come around?" She leaned back and pouted, with cute puppy-dog eyes. (I have the distinct feeling Rarity taught her that move.)

I almost said 'yes' in that moment, Journal. I've never wanted to give up so badly before. But something deep in my subconscious wouldn't let me do it. I kept thinking back to the time I'd spent with Celestia as a foal: her patience, her tutelage, her love-at-a-leg's-distance. She's the reason I'm a princess. She's the reason that being a princess actually means something.

"I want to speak with Celestia in person, just once," I whispered, turning my head down so I didn't have to look into AJ's eyes. "I've been able to talk to her in my dreams, but the meetings are too short and it isn't the same."

"Ah, horse apples. Can't blame me for tryin'," she said. "Look, I ain't sure this 'meet with Celestia' thing isn't just a stallin' excuse your brain is makin' up for you. What if you speak to her and she agrees with us? Will you come to your senses?"

I looked back up and nodded my head. "Yes, I will. If Celestia is on board, I'll immediately convert."

Applejack looked deep into my eyes. "Okay, I believe that. And if she ain't, what then?"

"I don't know. I guess it depends on what she says. I'll probably try to convince her to give the vamponies a chance. I don't think you're evil anymore, even if I've been accidentally raped a couple of times. You're just... different," I said, shrugging. "I mean, you're moving too fast and making too many changes, which needs to stop. There has to be some middle ground we can come to that keeps vamponies safe and allows them to have choices, without endangering all of society in the process."

"That's mighty insightful," said AJ, kissing me on the lips. Her long vampony tongue slithered out and wrapped around my muzzle for a moment. "Bottom line, Twilight. I trust you to make the right decisions. You're the most level-headed mare I know, even if you are all fixed-up inside. You should go have that meeting with Princess Celestia."

I blinked a few times. "I can't believe you're advocating this."

"Me neither, to be honest. I mainly wanna bang you silly until you let me do anything I want to you, and I do mean anything. Bakin' your brains and turnin' you into a fuckmonster's just for starters, y'know," she said. "But it'll be so much sweeter if you give it up to me out of love."

"I want to give my body and soul to you so badly, you have no idea."

"Oh, I have an idea. More than one," she said. "Some of which involves drinkin' that little potion and introducin' you to some serious Apple cock. But you should run off before it's too late."

"I can't. I'm impotent," I said, pointing to my horn. "They also have some kind of a teleportation field around the castle..."

"That don't sound like the Twi—"

There was a knock on the door. "It's me, Sis," came my brother's voice. "Are you both decent?"

We looked at each other, nervously. Before I could respond, Applejack giggled like a schoolfilly.

"We'll be very decent in a few minutes," said AJ. "Very decent, if you know what I mean."

"Glad to hear it. We'll come in shortly, and we want to see progress," said Shining Armor. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, BBBFF!" I called out cheerfully. I tried to fake a giggle of my own, but I really can't do that well.

We waited for a few moments as a few hoofsteps sounded, receding from the door.

"Fuck. I guess it's game over," I said. "Time to take me into the fold, AJ."

"Well, in terms of showing 'progress', we got us a couple of options," she said. "The wine's a good start."

Applejack got off the bed, popped the cork, and poured two glasses of wine. "Sit on the floor," she instructed.

I obeyed without hesitation, crawling off of the bed. Obeying Applejack made me feel deeply proud inside.

"What's this?" I asked, taking the wine in hoof. "You said there was something special in it."

Applejack nodded, taking her own glass in hoof. "It's the easy way out, Twi. It's got a weak form of the love poison in it," she said. "We drink it, and look into each other's eyes. I'll want what's best for you, you'll want what I want, and it'll feel totally natural when you beg me for the box."

I looked down into the glass, envious of its power.

"Get the box from under the bed," I said. "I think I'm ready."

When Shining Armor knocked next, there was no response. Upon opening the door, he saw my lover and I resting on the floor, staring into each other's eyes. The wine glasses were nearly empty and lying on the floor beside us. The box was off to the side, already open, stone aglow.

I heard Princess Cadance's voice. "Oh sweetie. Isn't it romantic?" she said, her voice filled with excitement.

I gently rubbed my muzzle against AJ's, lost in her eyes. She was all that mattered in my world.

"It sure is. Yes! We got her Caddy. We finally got her," he said, exhaling in relief. "Thank Luna."

"Thank her source for being wrong, you mean," said Cadance. "Let's leave these two lovebirds alone."

The couple left the room and closed the door behind them, and I continued to rub my muzzle against Applejack's, oblivious to anything else around us.

"Um, Twi?" said AJ. "We can stop pretendin' now."

"Who's pretending?" I said, with a dopey smile.

Applejack chuckled and kissed me on the lips. "Seriously, though. They're gonna catch on eventually, once they find that ugly wine stain under the bed." She closed up the box out of my line of vision.

"I'm not sure what this accomplished other than buying us several hours of time," I whispered, finally standing up. "I mean, I am grateful for the time. Maybe I'll even let it happen..."

"Just before Master Shining warned us, you were sayin' why you can't escape," said Applejack. "I was about to point out how un-Twilight-like a thing that is to hear come from your muzzle."

"But... I can't. It's literally impossible."

"I ain't never heard you give up so easy, Twi. What gives?"

I gulped. "I... I guess you're right. I want to lose, AJ. My brain hasn't been acting at full capacity, not since that night with my parents. I miss my friends and family too much to keep fighting the way I used to."

"Then get to thinkin', because you ain't got much time," said Applejack. "I can't help you out much, other than to coach you. Think like a bookhorse again."

I furrowed my brow in thought. It was true. I hadn't been thinking at full capacity. I'd let a lot of this nonsense happen to me because deep down it's what I wanted to happen.

"I've got to get this vibrating cuff off my horn or I don't stand a chance," I said. "My horn isn't useful as a mana chamber if it's vibrating, because it disrupts the echo."

Applejack reached out and scraped her hoof against the gooey cuff. "I'll take your word on that one. Huh, I don't know what this stuff is. It's soft but it don't come off." She pressed against it with the tip of her hoof, managing to avoid bumping it with her swollen frog. "It cuts, but it seals back together. It's like some kinda magic epoxy."

"There's a mana crystal on the back of it powering it. Can you do anything about that?" I asked.

Applejack pressed her hoof behind my horn. "I could try to crush it," she said. "But I'd need my shoes for that, because my hoofpussies are in the way."

"That won't work," I said. "You'd likely break my horn off in trying to crush the crystal."

"Hmm. I dunno, Twi. Think outside the box, maybe? You know how horns work better than I do," she offered.

"The irony is that if I could get a single spell off, I could easily remove the cuff," I said. "I'd probably have to strip some of the velvet off of my horn, which would be painful, but a simple short-range teleport would do it..."

One spell. That's all I needed. But I couldn't cast a spell because my horn was vibrating...

She placed a gentle hoof on my mane, shivering as she pet it with that erotic part of her body. I was trying not to think about sex again, but it was pretty much impossible. "You're sayin' that the doohickey makes your magic bounce around wrong inside your horn? I don't pretend to understand any of this, but talkin' it out usually helps me when I have a problem."

"Right, that's the idea. The vibration physically moves the horn out of position several times per... second... Wait..."

AJ grinned. "I recognize the spark in those eyes, clever mare," she whispered.

"No. It's... probably impossible," I said. "I mean..."

"Impossible for a normal pony, or impossible for Twilight Sparkle?" asked Applejack, raising a brow.

It was a crazy idea, even for me. I have an incredible amount of fine-grained horn control, but even I couldn't possibly...

Could I?

I took a deep breath. "If I could vibrate the spell at the exact same rate as my horn, the vibration should cancel out. But this thing is vibrating at 20 Horstz, minimum! I can't even think that fast... unless..." I paused, as the wheels continued to turn. "There's a chance, but it's a crazy one and I'll need your help, AJ."

"You got it. What do I do?"

"Can you take the Stance, temporarily? Like, stand on your hind legs?"

"If I brace against the wall, sure," she said. "Then what?"

"Pick me up by my hind legs and hold me upside down by my hooves so my head is above the floor. I need my head to hang free so my brain is picking up as much of the horn vibration as it can."

"Dunno how long I can hold you like that, but I'll push it." Applejack put on her rear horseshoes, then stood by the wall and reared up into the Stance. I did an awkward headstand and she grasped my rear hooves with her soft frog-cunts. I ended up dangling, facing away from her, but with my body pressed against hers. My head was vibrating against her teats.

"Hold me out further," I asked. "I can't lean against you."

"Damn," joked AJ. "That vibration is gettin' me off somethin' fierce." She held me out further, nearly stumbling. I began to swing free, and after a few seconds had stabilized.

"Okay. Just be very quiet and hold me nice and firm," I said.

"Yes'm," said Applejack. (I was slightly disappointed she wasn't clever enough to realize the correct response was to say nothing, but maybe it was just excessive politeness talking. She's like that.)

I focused on the spot in front of me, and imagined a naked teleport. I would need to scrape the thing off of my horn in the process, which made the spell much harder to prepare. I knew if this worked that some of the velvet was coming off, but I didn't have much of a choice in that.

I tried experimental contact with my horn. Basic stuff, just magical focus with empty telekinesis on the horn itself. Nothing happened. I tried to do a very short connection, for a fraction of a second. Nothing. Then I decided to try multiple times in a row, modulating how much I was increasing the vibration by each time.

My horn sparked. Only once, and only for a moment, but it happened.

"Holy fuck," I said, trying to keep my voice down. "This might actually work!"

Applejack wisely said nothing this time. (Maybe it was politeness the first time.)

I tried to echo into the horn with telekinesis for short durations (again, fractions of a second). I managed to get a grip for half a second, then I worked on refining it further. Finally, I got almost a whole second out of it. That was almost enough.

"You got about half a minute before I need to set you down for a bit," warned Applejack.

"Got it," I said, and didn't think about the time limit. I tried to cast the teleport directly, and it failed halfway through. It was too draining. I needed to try something else first to practice. I developed a mana pulse next, and got it to last for about two seconds. Holding a mana pulse was harder.

Fuck it, I thought. I'm going for it now.

I paused for a second, focused all my energy, and tried to cast the spell. It failed halfway through again. I was pretty sure it would have worked without the extra bit trying to pry off the cuff.

"Gettin' close," said AJ.

If I'm going to be set down for a while, I might as well be fatigued.

I took a deep breath, focused hard, and tried a second time, to the same result.

Then it occured to me: what if there were something wrong with the teleport itself? What if it weren't just the vibration?

Of course! I can't teleport into a vibrating frame of reference... so I would need to add a reverse vibration to the image of my teleport castle-space. Dear Celestia, this was complicated!

Applejack was holding firm, and I was pretty sure it had been long past thirty seconds. I'm sure her muscles were aching from lactic acid buildup at this point.

But I was too close to give up now. I concentrated hard on just the right amount of vibration to add, deducted that amount plus the amount I could tell I was already vibrating due to the jiggling I could see through my eyes (hanging like this), and gave it everything I had.

Add just enough vibration. Imagine un-vibrated target. Hold the spell in my horn long enough. And leave the damned cuff behind!

One flash of light later, I was upside-down roughly one meter in front of me, hanging in midair. I fell to the floor, and so did Applejack. My muscles ached, but hers were undoubtedly worse. I stood up on shaky legs, dizzy and with a throbbing pain in my horn. AJ stood up and flexed her forelegs repeatedly, wincing.

Sitting in front of her was a gooey mass of cuff.

"I can't believe it," I said. "It worked."

"I ain't so surprised," said Applejack, with a look of pride in her eyes. That pride quickly faded to horror. "Oh, Twilight. Bless your heart," she whispered.

"What?" I said. "What is it?"

"Your horn. It's bleedin' pretty bad," she said.

I cantered into the bathroom to get a look, and she followed me. "Shit. It looks pretty ugly," I said, greatly understating the image. It looked like a small segment of my horn had been peeled off, and it was bloody underneath. "I think I can stem the bleeding, though." I stripped a washcloth in two with my magic (it hurt to cast, but it didn't matter—I could finally cast again, and it felt like having legs to walk with for the first time in forever) and tied it tightly around my horn. It quickly turned red. I added another layer, which also turned red. I'd try to change it later on.

Just in case the reader is not familiar with unicorn horns, they don't bleed under normal circumstances. The reason my horn is bleeding is that it's currently in the middle of a growth cycle. This has been a common occurrence since I became an alicorn—or pegacorn, or whatever. I'm not sure when exactly the velvet began growing again, but I think it was shortly before I lost my virginity. Maybe the experience even jump-started it.

Why do they call it "losing" your virginity, anyway? I haven't lost anything. If anything, I've gained from the experience. Maybe it's just the perversion talking, though...

"Are you goin' to be alright?" she asked me. "If I touch that horn, will it hurt you?"

"It would a little," I said. "It's tolerable, though."

Then Applejack's face fell and she grabbed my horn, hard, in her puffy hoof.

"AJ! What are you doing?" I gasped. It hurt a lot. I could feel that she was nullifying my magic!

Applejack frowned. "I'm sorry, hon. But before I let you go, I need to know something. You gotta promise me if your plan don't work, you'll turn yourself back in to the vamponies," she said. "This madness has to end, and you're only gettin' out of here on the condition that Celestia's the end of the line. You hear?"

I tried to nod, painfully. "Yes, I promise!" I said.

"Look me in the eyes, Twilight. I'll know," she said. "I might not be able to keep a grip for long with these hooves sexed up, but I'll bite you if I gotta end this."

I looked Applejack in the eyes. She was worried for me, I could tell.

I let go of the pain.

"I promise. I will only try to meet with Celestia, and if we can't resolve the problem together, I'll turn myself in and submit," I said. I was crying, but I meant it.

Applejack slowly nodded, then released me. "I believe you," she said, and then she washed the blood off of her hoof.

"Oh thank Friendship," I gasped, and replaced both bandages with two more from a different washcloth. This time it didn't bleed through as quickly.

AJ cleared her throat noisily. "So, I'm thinkin' I'll take some of these towels and put them under the covers with me. If Master Shining comes into the room, I'll tell him we're sleep-cuddlin', and that may be enough to keep you safe until Sunup. No guarantees, though."

"I meant what I said," I promised her. "I'll take some more of these washcloths and my Journal and get out. I'll probably be on the way to the Crystal Kingdom before morning, so that should buy me the time I need."

"How are you gonna get past that teleportation thing?" she asked.

"Oh, that's not hard. I can—"

Applejack placed her soft hoofpad over my mouth. "No, wait. Don't tell me. They can wheedle that out of me tomorrow, and I don't wanna give them anything they can use against you until you get to Princess Celestia. But you damn well better not hurt anypony or endanger yourself, missy."

"One way or the other, the conflict ends tomorrow. Peacefully," I said. "Maybe Celestia will be able to negotiate a compromise, but I won't let her start a war."

Then AJ smiled. "I trust you, sugarcube. Now go on and git. I'll prep the bed and have myself an extended nap next to Towel Twilight."

"I'll never forget this," I said. "You didn't have to do this. Maybe you shouldn't have."

"It was the right thing to do." Applejack shrugged as though betraying the vamponies and sending me on a potentially dangerous quest was no big deal.

(And maybe to her, it wasn't.)

So I grabbed my Journal and ink and some strips of towel for bandages, prepped some saddlebags, and teleported myself into the secret hallway. I trotted down the hallway until I reached the cave entrance. Something was setting there.

It was a small envelope, unaddressed.

I picked it up with my magic and descended into the cave. I needed to get away from the castle because my blood was leaving a telltale scent. I took off the bandages and burned them to remove the blood smell (they still smelled bad, but it wouldn't be quite as obvious of a scent), then put on two new bandages and opened the letter.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

If you're not Twilight Sparkle, then buck you to Tartarus. This is only for her. I'm warning you stupid vamponies, if you harm one hair on her mane I'll be coming for you.

Hay Twilight, I hope this is you. It's Dash. I left this behind because I wanted to let you know what's going on. I think the media here are all controlled by the vamponies already, and I'm afraid to show my face during the day. I'm basically waiting for you or Spike or Celestia to tell me what to do, because I have no idea at this point.

Oh, today is the morning of exactly three days after I escaped from the castle, so there's that. I spend most of the day here... er, I mean, where you met me. You know the place. In the evenings I do recon.

Spike showed up last night dressed in a ridiculous disguise that isn't foaling anypony. He's been hanging by the train station. I think he's headed to the Crystal Kingdom. I wanted to talk to him but the place is surrounded by Royal Guards right now. I have no idea how they haven't spotted him, unless they're not looking for him. He's actually so silly-looking I suspect they think he's some foal playing around or something. Which I guess is partly true.

Be safe, Twi. I'll be waiting for your orders, or whatever you do to use your magical awesome brain to fix everything, because you really gotta do that. We're counting on you.

Um... I also love you. I think.

Your loyal friend,

–Rainbow Dash

She must have left the note this morning, Journal. I'll wait for an hour or two to see if she comes back to the caves, but if I don't see her, I'll need to head for the train station.

Actually, I've already waited an hour or two because I sat here writing all of this down, so I guess I'm sunk. I want to leave her a note telling her of my plans, but I can't risk the vamponies finding it. I'll just leave a note where she dropped the envelope saying, "I'm fine, Dash. Working on a solution. –Twilight". Hopefully that will be enough.

I've changed the bandage once again, but I don't have enough bandages to do this forever so I'll have to be parsimonious with them.

I wish I could wait for you, Dash. I just can't.

I love you too.

It's probably Sundown now, so I'm headed to the train station. Somehow I'll get to the Crystal Kingdom, mark my words. I still have that plug up my ass but I'm hoping it will help me keep from needing to use the restroom (eww) which I really don't want to do when vampony senses are lurking around.

Well, then. Here goes everything.