The trip to Luna’s chambers was a short one. Despite her earlier excitability, Silver remained impressively composed when she realized exactly where they were going. However, that didn’t stop her from ogling every stitch and speck of dust like they were priceless treasures just for the proximity they’d held with the alicorn she idolized. There’d even been a short awkward dance when she was asked to sit down, as if afraid to defile one of the Princess’ chairs with her inferior backside. Eventually, she managed to bring herself to sit across from Thomas and Talon while Moonlight stood behind them. Drinks were ordered, and a look from Talon told Thomas the responsibility of getting things started was his.

“Do all bat ponies act like this when it comes to Luna?” Thomas asked.

“Like what?” Silver asked warily.

“I hope that didn’t sound rude. I’m pretty new to Equestria and still figuring things out.” He waited until her expression softened, which he took as a sign that no offense was taken. “But what Moonlight said earlier about bat ponies being passionate got me wondering. Ponies seem to revere the Princesses in general, and it’s not hard to see why, but do bat ponies worship Luna or something?”

“Well, we do,” Silver admitted plainly. Taking a quick quiet sip of her coffee, pinkie finger extended and everything, she set her china cup back on its holder and smiled gently. “Few worship to the same degree as the old days, and the only church to Luna still standing is in Nocternia. Most ponies worship the alicorns in general, but Luna has always had a special place in the hearts of our tribe.” She sighed wistfully. “There’s actually a bit of a story behind that.”

“I’m up for a story,” Thomas said with a chipper grin. “How about you guys?”

“I got nowhere to be.” Talon shrugged.

“It would be an honor to hear the story of your tribe from the source.” Moonlight nodded eagerly.

“Very well.” Silver straightened up in her seat. “Ours was actually the fourth tribe to settle in Equestria. In those days, other ponies saw our slit eyes, featherless wings, and nocturnal habits as rather frightening. A trend, I’m saddened to say, that has yet to fully go away,” she said mournfully. “As such, to assuage their fears, our tribe split into smaller nomadic groups that foraged the land for what we needed. We kept our distance from other pony settlements, trading with them only rarely, and overall there was peace.”

“Really?” Thomas leaned forward, thoroughly intrigued. “I don’t remember that part of the Hearth’s Warming Eve story.”

“That’s because we weren’t there,” Silver said plainly. “We didn’t come to Equestria until almost a hundred years later. By that point most of the land and skies had already been claimed and settled. Also, I’m betting you’ve only read about the story from the play. Am I right?”

“Not historically accurate?” Thomas asked grimly. “Should’ve known prettying up history wasn’t just something humans did.”

“Human?” Silver questioned, only to recall. “Oh. That’s your race.”

“Yup.” Thomas gave a short nod. “Also, for the record, a male human is called a man and a female is a woman.”

“Ya don’t say.” Talon interjected, her brow raising in interest.

Moonlight was also intrigued, though she did better at hiding it.

“Anyway, the sentiment behind the story was fairly accurate, as far as I know.” Silver continued. “The rulers of the three tribes did become friends and they did make a commitment to peace. However, these things just don’t happen all at once. There was less fighting, so the Wendigoes never came back, but like I said, by the time the bat ponies arrived, Equestria had already been claimed and divided up by the various nations of the three tribes.”

“Nations?” Thomas asked. “As in, more than just the three tribes?”

“That would be another historical inaccuracy. You see, bat ponies were the only tribe to arrive in Equestria completely united.” Silver said with a proud smirk, trying to ignore the look Moonlight was giving her. “The rest were still holding to themselves in various city states. The idea that they were all united under the banner of their respective tribes is, well, just something ponies tell themselves nowadays so they don’t have to think we bat ponies one-upped them on something.”

“That’s not true at all!” Moonlight protested indignantly. “We talk about unity to encourage it for future generations. It’s not some bitter rivalry, like you’re making it out to be.”

“Oh?” Silver tilted her head as she studied Moonlight carefully. “You seem to believe that, but how many bat ponies did you really know growing up?”

Moonlight grimaced. “I don’t see what that has to do with it.”

“I’m getting a little out of order here, but when Princess Luna was banished, my ponies became scattered nomads once more. For those of us who remained in the cities, we were looked down upon for generations,” Silver said coldly. “Princess Celestia’s laws might have saved us from open persecution for following her sister, but our ponies were never able to prosper like they had when Princess Luna was in power.”

“Why?” Thomas spoke up, hoping to break the building tension between the mares. “That is, why were your people-ponies… why were you guys better off with Luna?”

Both mares visibly relaxed as Silver continued. “As you may or may not know, after centuries of relative peace, everything fell apart with the coming of the Discord.” She practically spat the name out. “The suffering he inflicted was brief, but terrible. So much was lost from all four tribes. Remember when I said that bat ponies didn’t arrive until a century after the other tribes? That’s just a rough estimate, because we honestly don’t know. We don’t even know what made us come to Equestria in the first place. All that remains before that time are stories, and even most of them are fairly vague. I can’t even say if we were escaping catastrophe like the other tribes, or simply continuing a long history of migration.

“The only thing we know for certain is that after the arrival of the alicorns and the banishment of the Discord, it was the younger sibling who tended to my tribe most of all,” Silver said reverently. “It might have been our nocturnal nature that drew us together, meaning that we were the only ones truly able to appreciate her lovely nights. The suffering inflicted by Discord hurt all ponies, but it had left our already scattered tribe even weaker. Were it not for Princess Luna’s decisive action in negotiating a plot of land to call our own, to build and farm as we had not done in an age, the bat pony tribe might have gone extinct, as we fear others might have. We were the only ones who truly appreciated her lovely nights. That, Sir Thomas, is why bat ponies revere, respect, and worship Princess Luna above all.”

“Oh.” Thomas said flatly, too awed to think of much else to say. “Wait, extinct?” Silver nodded. “So there were more tribes of ponies?”

“Pre-Discord records are contradictory, to say the least.” Silver grimaced. “However, most historians believe there were numerous subspecies of each pony, such as unicorns as tall as Celestia but with lion tails. But with Equestria as damaged as it was, the Princesses were not able to save everypony. The smallest of the tribes had lost their culture and either died out or integrated with the larger tribes. Either way, there has been no mention of these lost ponies ever since.”

“What about that land Luna gave you? Is that still around?” Thomas asked, hoping it would lighten the mood.

“Nocternia,” Silver said dreamily. “The sacred home of the bat pony tribe. It is said that Princess Luna chose this mountain specifically, not only because the intricate caverns provided an ideal place for us to build and sleep safely during the day, not only because the land at the base of the mountain was rich and fertile, but because it was upon this very mountain that the Princesses arrived and first looked out over the land that would be theirs.” She smiled whimsically. “Yes. When most of my tribe fled the other cities and returned to our nomadic practices, Nocternia remained the last bright star that lit up the land. It was hoped that one day we would be the beacon that would call our Princess to return to us.” She sighed. “Instead, it was some nowhere earth pony village.” Silver concluded with unapologetic disappointment.

“Ponyville’s a lot nicer than you might think,” Thomas offered casually. “Granted, it was being eaten by a giant star bear the last time I saw it, but I’m sure they’ve got it fixed up by now.”

Silver chuckled. “Yes. I remember reading about how you daringly saved that filly only to smooch Princess Celestia’s protégé. I must say had I been in your situation, I might have done things differently.” She smiled suggestively, batting her eyes at him.

“So you say,” Thomas commented questioningly. “But I guess we won’t know for certain till we get another star bear attack.”

“Hmm.” Silver tapped her chin thoughtfully before taking another sip. “Thank you for the offer, but I think I’ll pass.”

“Alright. Then it’s my turn.” Talon shuffled around to make herself comfortable and leaned in on her elbows. “That was a very lovely history lesson on bat ponies, but it doesn’t tell us very much about the bat pony who wants to make a career about eating Moonbutt’s marehood.”

Silver choked on her tea, sending out little drops across the table cover. Still she kept her cup in place and stared Talon down with as much dignity as she could muster through bright red cheeks. “A-as you say.” She whispered meekly.

“I think what my friend is trying to say,” Thomas began as he gave Talon a disapproving glare, “Is that we’d like to know more about who you are and not just what you are.” He smiled slyly. “Who is Silver Bell and why would I want to share a bed with her?”

“I supposed that’s a fair question.” Silver agreed, apparently no longer as flustered. “Where would you like me to start?”

“Let’s start at the beginning.” Thomas suggested while wondering what he was doing differently than Talon. “Where’d you grow up? What’s your family like? Oh, and your cutie mark story. That ought to be interesting.”

Silver beamed, apparently eager from the selection of questions. “Well, as I said earlier, I am a member of House Bell, one of the oldest bat pony noble houses in all Equestria. I was born and grew up in the city of Prance, a lovely little gem but nothing compared to the majesty of Canterlot.”

It’s like she’s channeling Rarity or something. Thomas thought.

“There are five in my birth herd with Gold Bell as my Dame and Rock Hard as my sire. My… what is it?”

Thomas held his hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter. “Y-your dad’s name is Rock Hard?”

Silver puzzled over the human’s peculiar reaction. “One of my fathers, the stallion who sired me, is named Rock Hard. He’s a body builder and professional model. Why is that so funny?”

Talon rolled her eyes and answered. “The little guy just gets this way about pony names sometimes. I don’t really get it either. Just roll with it.”

“Sorry,” Thomas held his hand up. “Sorry. I’m good now. Please, go on.”

Nodding, Silver resumed, grateful that Thomas had calmed down from… whatever that was. “I’m the middle foal of five. My foalhood was a rather typical one for somepony of my upbringing. My parents were loving, but strict. It was important of us to set a good example for bat ponies everywhere, so my siblings and I spent a lot of time training in etiquette and other disciplines in a very prestigious private school.”

Thomas frowned. “Was it hard growing up with that kind of pressure?”

“Not at all,” Silver smiled brightly, flashing a pristine set of fangs. “The discipline instilled in my siblings and I was the envy of most of our classmates. In fact, when it came time to pick for teams, I’d say we were some of the few who were picked as much for merit as for, as Miss Talon says, brownnosing from our wealthy parents.”

Talon snickered while Silver nodded with a serene smile, clearly proud of her choice of words and their effect on the griffon.

“What’d you do for fun?” Thomas asked.

“The usual, I suppose,” Silver said with a shrug. “Tag, ball, chess, my sisters went out for sports, but I preferred more quiet games like cards.”

“Quiet, huh?” Talon nodded, leaning over to whisper in Thomas’ ear. “Sounds like this one’s right up your alley.”

“You know she can hear us, right?” He whispered back as he glanced at the confused bat mare.

“What’s your point?” Talon asked, still whispering.

“Ugh,” Thomas groaned, ending their whispers. “Please, go on.”

Silver smiled, finding these little antics endearing in how different they were from what she was used to. “You know, my teachers would have boxed my ears if I behaved like that.” She commented good-naturedly.

“They can try with me.” Talon said evenly. “But then they’d have to be ready for re-Tali-ation.”

“No.” Thomas said flatly as he braced his fist against his forehead and shook his head in disapproval. “Just no.”

Chuckling, Silver continued. “Well I suppose that brings me to my cutie mark story.” This got the attention of the others. “I’m afraid it’s nothing special.”

“Tell it anyway.” Thomas encouraged.

“Well…” Silver blushed at the insistence of the cute little stallion. “It was my third year in secondary school and I was in my school’s choir. We’re encouraged to try out a variety of extracurricular activities in the hopes of finding our cutie marks. However, most manage to get theirs by the first or second year and then drop most of their nonessentials. I was in the middle of second year, last in my grade with a blank flank, and still I had no idea what I was meant for. All I had was a feeling that it had something to do with music. Since I never hit it off with any of the instruments, I focused all my spare energy into the choir.

“One day we were holding tryouts to see who would represent our school in a city-wide singing competition. I entered, even though my teacher discouraged those of us without musical cutie marks. She wasn’t being rude, I don’t think. She just didn’t want us to be disappointed. Anyway, the tryouts were being held like a mini competition where each round had us sing a different song of the teachers’ choosing. I made it to the finals with one other colt, Soprano Beat. For nine rounds we were given song after song, and each time he and I hit every note perfectly. By the tenth round, the teachers ran out of prompts so the disqualified candidates started shouting songs from popular bands. By the twentieth the teachers were ready to call it a tie, but I refused. I remember thinking how tired I was of being looked down on for being a blank flank and I wanted to prove myself once and for all.

“That’s when it happened.” Silver beamed proudly. “A filly suggested one of the newer songs from the band Easy Listening, but neither Soprano nor I had heard it. We were ready to move on to the next suggestion, but the filly was very insistent. She started singing the first few lines of the song and… I just picked it up. I’d never heard the song in my life, but after hearing the first few lines, it just clicked in my head. The next words just seemed so obvious. It was like I was channeling the very essence of the Magic of Harmony through my soul. I was so caught up in the moment, singing louder and prouder than I ever had before, that I might not have noticed until Soprano pointed it out.” Silver stood and pulled up the side of her green skirt until her thigh was present for all to see. “And that’s when this little treasure showed up.”

“That was a real nice story,” Talon said. “So I assume you won and carried your school to victory.”

Silver averted her gaze embarrassingly as she sat back down. “Yes and no. Yes that I won the tryouts, but the next day I caught a bug that had been going around, so I wasn’t able to compete.”

“The universe can be really mean sometimes.” Thomas observed. Suddenly the human had an ominous feeling that those words held more truth than he’d intended.

“Yes it can.” Silver agreed. “But it’s okay. I was able to compete next year and managed to take home second place out of twenty.”

“Not bad.” Talon commented.

“But now you’ve got me curious.” Thomas shuffled in his seat. “So all you need are the first few lines of a song, any song, and you’ll be able to sing the rest even if you’ve never heard it before?”

“If you doubt, I’m willing to pass any test.” Silver challenged confidently. “Just make sure you start at the beginning of the song, otherwise it doesn’t make sense for me. Though I warn you, I’m an avid consumer of all kinds of music Equestria has produced in the last few years, even the hits from the other races. I doubt there are even that many songs left that I haven’t heard.”

“Really?” Thomas smirked impishly. “And how many humans songs have you heard?”

Silver froze. Her silence was her answer.

While Thomas really wanted to experiment, maybe with a high energy opening to one of his favorite anime, he decided he didn’t want to risk embarrassing her. Instead, he settled for something he considered more in line with what he’d come to expect as rather typical of popular Equestrian music.

Somewhere, over the rainbow
Way up high
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby

Thomas paused and watched Silver. She was looking past him as she focused intently on the song. Her lips moved, repeating the words, but she didn’t quite have it yet and motioned for him to go on. As she did, Thomas was only able to think about how perfect she was. Absolutely perfect. Every inflection, every pitch, she even sounded like Dorothy, or at least a really good impersonator. By the time it ended, Thomas had already started and Talon soon joined him in applauding. “That was incredible, like listening to it for the first time all over again.”

Silver shrugged sheepishly. “You’re too kind. It was short, but the melody was lovely. Also, I don’t really know how to say this, but the song tasted strange in my mouth. It wasn’t bad, just, I don’t know, different.”

Thomas and Talon exchanged puzzled looks before Talon offered a suggestion. “Maybe human songs are just different like that?”

“As good an explanation as any, I guess.” Thomas shrugged, resolving to play with this ability more at a later date. “But what about now? I mean, did you do anything before deciding to come to Canterlot?”

“I worked at a music store selling instruments.” Silver answered. “I never could use the things very well, but I understood the mechanics well enough to sell them. It was just a thing to keep me busy and make a few extra bits while I auditioned for various music rolls that turned up here and there. However,” she tailed off despondently, “besides there not being much of a demand for a pony with, basically, super memorization skills, there was always just something that kept me from getting the part. Sometimes it was a scheduling error, other times there was a traffic accident. More than once they found a pony they liked and told the rest of us to go home before we could even try. Heh. It kind of got me wondering if I’ve been cursed with bad luck or something.”

“You didn’t piss off a zebra, did you?” Talon asked warily. “I hear they have potions that can do that sort of thing.”

“Not that I’m aware of,” Silver sighed. “My parents kept telling me that it’s just destiny getting me to hold out until I find the right part, but it’s hard not to feel discouraged after so much rejection.”

“Preaching to the choir on that one.” Thomas remarked.

Silver tilted her head. “Why would I preach to a choir?”

“It’s an expression,” Thomas chuckled. “It means I know what you’re talking about. Back home, before coming to Equestria, I sent out my resume to like twenty or thirty companies a week. I was unemployed for a year and a half before getting a minimum wage job at a deli.”

“And then ya found your way here, and now ya pound Princess plot for a living.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Thomas picked up his cup and motioned for Talon to do the same. They said their cheers, clinked their cups together and downed their drinks in a few gulps.

“Do you have to talk about the Princess that way?” Silver squirmed uncomfortably. “It just seems so… disrespectful to talk like that behind her back.”

“You think that’s bad, you should hear some of the stuff she says when Luna’s actually around.” Thomas whispered conspiratorially.

Silver blinked. “And… this is acceptable?”

Talon just snickered and shook her head. “You’re gonna have to get used to talk like that around here, sweet wings.” She emphasized by waggling her eyebrows suggestively. Silver’s cheeks just colored deeper as she tried to hide behind her cup. “Not sure how things work where you’re from, but around here, once the doors lock, all manners fly right out the window; along with a few ponies if things get really wild.”

“She’s exaggerating,” Thomas assured as he reached out for Silver’s hand, only to hesitate at the last moment, uncertain how that might be taken. “I mean, she’s right about getting used to the talk, but things don’t actually get that crazy, you know, during.”

Talon smiled slyly. “If I were you, I’d be wary about taking advice from a guy who’s never been in more than a threesome.”

Silver blinked curiously. “Why would that matter?”

“Oh Faust,” Talon face palmed, shaking her head in dismay. “It matters because there’s a reason our jobs exist.” Talon set her claws back on the table and looked seriously across at Silver. “You said House Bell’s been giving Luna concubines for generations? I’m having trouble believing that at the moment because, if it were true, they would have told ya about the crazy powerful libido of your average alicorn. It’s like their bodies are in a perpetual state of heat.” She said bluntly, pausing to let the weight of her words sink in. “Thomas here’s only been with Luna a short time, so while he has some idea, she’s still not fully recovered from getting blasted by the Elements of Harmony and it’s all pretty tame at the moment. Same with Cadence who’s still fairly young. Celestia, on the other claw-”

She’s saying full names. Thomas thought warily. This can’t be good.

Talon shuddered. “I love the gal and all, but she is INSATIABLE. I don’t think she’s even able to get off with any fewer than four of us helping out at any given time, and sometimes not even then. We’re basically hanging all over her body like monkeys in a tree, no offense,” she directed at Thomas, “constantly working her sensitive spots to get her going. And when it gets really bad, oh boy.” Talon smiled grimly. “There’s a reason concubines are the envy of prostitutes across the land. It’s because, when it gets really bad for Celestia, she’s had to hire out professional whorses just to give us support. And ya know what? Despite how much they’re paid, they actually quit half way through almost half the time. They just couldn’t handle it.”

“You can’t be serious,” Silver asserted, shaking her head. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around the perpetual heat thing. But if professional whorses can’t even handle the Princesses, what makes you, him, or me any different?” She demanded anxiously.

“I’d like to know that too,” Thomas added, catching a bit of Silver’s panic.

“Because they like us.” Talon smirked. “Sex is always better with someone you like. And because the alicorns like us so much, our touch is that much more satisfying to them. Basically, we’re like their herd, and the things we do just can’t be matched by anyone else. That’s why I said the whorses were brought in as support, not the main event. In a way, we concubines are like the first and last line of defense protecting Equestria from the unbridled lust of the alicorns, but you didn’t hear that from me.” She snickered. “Also, being around an alicorn kind of rubs off on ya, in more ways than one.”

Silver gulped. “How do you mean?”

“And how come I don’t know this already?” added Thomas.

“You know how mares synch up their heat cycles, right?” Talon asked, to which Silver and even Moonlight nodded. “Well there’s a similar kind of hormone synch up when you’re around alicorns enough. For one thing, while you won’t want sex as often as they do, two out of three days you’re gonna be in the mood.”

Silver shivered as she imagined what it would be like for her body to be in a near constant state of heat. Loins on fire two weeks out of the year was bad enough, but this sounded utterly dreadful. However, Silver only hardened her resolve. Her ancestors had worked hard to satiate the pains of their beloved savior, and so would she.

Inferring as much as she watched the bat mare, Talon gave an approving nod before continuing. “The second thing you’ll notice is your rise in endurance. When an alicorn orgasms, they release magic in waves that go out in all directions, unlike the little sparks you get from a unicorn that only spray a small area. Over time, with enough exposure, these waves kind of buildup in your body, giving you some extra energy reserves that help keep ya going through those really long sessions.”

“How long exactly does it take for that to happen?” Thomas asked. “Because I’ve been here for a while and apparently Luna’s had to cast a lot of endurance spells. Even now I still need an energy drink sometimes.”

“That I can’t say,” Talon admitted. “The energy drink thing is normal though. None of us’ll ever be a full match for an alicorn, so we all need suppliments sometimes. However, you’re not magical in nature, so maybe that kind of passive magic doesn’t affect you the same.”

“Well that’s a bummer.” Thomas said dryly.

“I didn’t say it wouldn’t ever affect you, only that it’s probably not the same.” Talon assured. “Maybe it just takes you longer to build up or something.”

“Just to be clear,” Silver interjected. “I’m applying for a position where it will be my job to satiate the, as you say, insatiable. Is that about right?”

“That sounds pretty accurate. Yes.” Talon confirmed as she leered back at the mare, eyes judging her every twitch for signs that she might not be able to handle it.

Silver nodded in consideration. “I suppose this next question would be standard for any kind of interview. Will there be training?”

Talon chuckled. “It’s more like ya learn on the job. Just look at Chimp here,” she bumped Thomas’ shoulder. “I’ve been working with him the last few weeks to help him overcome his shyness and look at him now. He’s interviewing ya, making ya comfortable, and asking ya questions like a proper manager should. He’d have been a nervous wreck if we’d tried this a month ago.”

“She’s right.” Thomas admitted with a shrug. “Also, a month ago I wouldn’t have been able to… do… this!” He jabbed at Talon’s side where he knew she was ticklish. However, without even looking in his direction, the griffon managed to catch his wrist and hold him in place.

“Good try. Almost got me that time.” Talon nodded and released his wrist, never taking her eyes off the mare across from her. “But you see my point,” she addressed Silver. “You’re worried about sexual prowess, but the thing we work on most in the harem business is confidence. Just be confident in being yourself around your Princess, while also making sure your Princess is comfortable in being herself around you. After that, everything else just falls into place.”

It warmed Thomas’ heart to see the worry fade from Silver’s face.

“Thank you, Lady Talon.”

“Who said you could call me that?” Talon asked irately, bringing on a new wave of panic in the mare. “Didn’t I say to call me Tali if my boss liked ya?” She turned to Thomas. “Well. What’s the verdict?”

Caught off guard, Thomas glanced nervously between Talon and Silver. When he’d calmed down enough to set his mind in order, he leaned forward and gave the mare a warm smile. “As far as first interviews go, I’d have to say that I like what I see.”

“Y-you mean…” Silver’s lip quivered as her excitement threatened to boil over and send her flying around the room. She wouldn’t do that because her parents raised a Lady, not a wild animal. She was on the edge though, and so was her mane. “Ohmygosh. Ohmygosh. Ohmygosh.”

“Don’t get your pubes in a knot, sweet wings.” Talon dissuaded, causing both the mare’s mood and mane to deflate. “Chimp thinks you’re cute and I wouldn’t mind taking you for a little romp myself, but that’s not enough to earn ya the job. There’s one last pony to consider and her opinion matters just a tiny bit more than ours,” Talon emphasized by holding her claw up and creating a tiny space between her clawed thumb and forefinger.

“Naturally,” Silver agreed as she recomposed herself in her seat. “It was silly of me to expect to earn this job after a single interview. That said, when can I expect the second?”

Thomas and Talon faced one another as she gestured under the table for him to answer. Never thought interviews would require so much improv on this side of the table. He mused as he accepted the burden of his role with dignity and gave Silver her answer. “When we next see Luna, we’ll tell her about our meeting and see where she wants to take things from there.”

*Thump-thump*

“And three guesses where we’re going right now.” Thomas added cheerfully.

They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways at the door. Luna was so excited to hear about the interview that she couldn’t decide if she’d rather buck or have them explain. They compromised at doing both at once. It wasn’t the most efficient conversation, but the concubines were able to address the major points of interest. Silver Bell was a bat pony and naturally idolized Luna. While she was easily flustered by the mentioning of sex, it may have just been a response to the crass way Talon went about it. She was an aristocrat, and with the exception of seemingly disliking Moonlight for some reason, had given no indication that she was full of herself; proud without the need to look down on others. Once they’d finished, and finished, Luna knew the next step to take.

It cannot be stressed enough how this story was started with absolutely no real plan. I had to go back and reread a little from the first chapter to clarify something here, and it’s astounding how much the story has changed from what it was. When I started, I didn’t see any of this coming. This story has evolved almost entirely as it was written and as I read the suggestions of my readers.

That said, this chapter was a lot of fun. As Silver’s backstory unfolded, it really gave me a chance to play with her character and figure out who she is and how her character fits in with the others. The history of the bat ponies was also spur of the moment. It’s not all that original, having borrowed basic ideas from a few other sources, but I think it works well in setting up the fourth tribe along with the first three.

The explanation of alicorn lust was also fun. They’re these elegant and divine creatures, but the way Talon paints them, all it would take is missing one good buck and suddenly Equestria would be subjected to the terror that is Molestia or something. Nah. I’m certain Talon was just exaggerating things… maybe… probably best if we didn’t find out though.