It was dark when Airmail, Tempest, Wildfire, Luna and Octavia finally left the Manehatten Times building and took off from the empty sidewalk outside of Stripe’s Cup of Java coffee shop following the merriment that had been the open mic night. Not to mention the fun that had been the game of truth or dare suggested by Serenity. Celestia had once again taken care of the sun and the moon, making Luna wince at her lack of imagination as her sister had placed the stars in the same places they had been in for a thousand years. And, with her wife on her back, Luna lifted them both into the inky black sky to follow the other three pegasi back to the ranch.

With Tempest leading, and Wildfire following her alongside Airmail, the flight was relatively uneventful, save for the fact that Wildfire was carrying Octavia’s prized cherished cello in its case on her back.

And Tempest insisted on flying the Narrow’s Bridge route. Through the suspension bridge’s cables. Again.

While Octavia fretted endlessly over the safety of her instrument and Wildfire’s ability to carry it, the five mares had arrived back at the large two storey white ranch. Still in front, Tempest made to land on the wide balcony of the first floor. Being the first one to land she started off a loud beeping noise from the ranch’s security alarm system. Airmail had the keycard and thankfully she landed next at the same time as Wildfire did and quickly retrieved the card from her saddlebag and slapped it across the card reader before she hoofed in the required security code.

Smiling, Tempest hoofed open the sliding balcony doors and trotted inside with Airmail and Wildfire as Luna came in to land with Octavia, both mares entered Caffeinated's place.

Inside the ranch, on the first floor’s U shaped hallway in front of the wide stairs, Airmail stopped to help Wildfire unstrap the case containing the priceless cello from her back. The moment Luna landed, the very second her four hooves touched the balcony, Octavia jumped off of Luna’s back and rushed over to the little yellow mare, taking her beloved instrument as soon as she was able.

“Has she been a good Pet to be able to play with her toy?” Tempest asked Luna with a grin.

“Actually no, she hasn't.” Luna replied, thinking of all the fretting and worrying her wife had done on the flight here. “Pet, leave it alone. Wildfire was instructed to carry it.”

Watching Airmail help Wildfire carry it down the stairs, with the aim of placing the instrument in the music room, the dark grey earth pony danced on the tips of her hooves, obviously in a fair bit of distress, “B-But...Mistress…”

Lovingly, Luna stroked the old mare’s charcoal mane and gave her cheek a nuzzle. “Shh…it's alright. It won't come to any harm.” With a hoof, she guided her down the stairs to the floor below.

Wasting to time at all, Tempest was already in the kitchen on the main floor, working the coffee machine. “Creamy coffee for your Pet, Luna?”

“Yes please Tempest,” Luna nodded from the bottom of the stairs, “I think she's had enough tea for today.”

“We may as well wait in the Kitchen.” Airmail said as she guided Wildfire to the long breakfast table while she opened the fridge and snooped inside for whatever goodies she could find there, her brown eyes quickly zeroing in on three of her favourite desserts.

“Excellent idea, Airmail.” Luna smiled as she draped her large left wing over her wife. “Come on, Tavi.”

“Apple Pie I can heat up, there’s black forest cake, or we have fruit salad?” Airmail called over her shoulder while Tempest set the various drinks on the kitchen table.

“Pie for me with vanilla ice cream, Airy,” Tempest smiled when she took her spot on the bench at the table.

Luna’s turquoise eyes lit up like it was her birthday. “Oooh cake! Definitely black forest cake. I so seldom get the chance with Tia around.” This earned her a loud giggle from the azure blue pegasus, “Airmail I'm serious!” The Princess insisted.

Octavia snickered, “She does like her cake.”

“Wily?” Airmail asked the yellow mare as she too took up a seat, having sniffed out her sugary black coffee. “Oh, and what for your Pet?” While she waited for a reply, Airmail got a couple of slices of the apple pie and placed one on the microwave then she cut a very generous ‘alicorn’ sized slice of thee black forest cake and passed it with her hoof in front of the salivating Luna. “Thespian uses real kirshwassa from Germaney.”

“I’ll have the fruit salad please, Pretty.” Wildfire answered as she blew the steam from her coffee.

Pausing in the licking of her midnight blue lips, Luna answered, “Tavi will have the apple pie and strawberry ice cream please Airmail.” She smiled, knowing that it was one of her wife’s favourite desserts.

Working the microwave like a professional, Airmail pulled out the now-warm slice of apple pie and smoothly slid another one in, this one for Octavia. Retrieving the tubs of ice cream from the freezer, the azure blue mare added vanilla to the warm one and hoofed it over to Tempest. Turning back to the counter she poured out a serving of the mixed summer fruit salad into a deep bowl for Wildfire.

Octavia grinned a very wide grin at the thought of hot delicious apple pie and wonderfully cold strawberry ice cream while Airmail put the summer fruit salad in front of Wildfire with a loud clink of the bowl and the spoon. Turning her attention back to the counter as the microwave pinged. Slicing one more piece of apple pie she swapped it in the microwave for the hot one, and after she had added three large scoops of strawberry ice cream to it she served it up to the excited earth pony.

“Thank you, Airmail.” Octavia said with a smile, waiting for Luna’s nod so she could eat.

“Thanks Pretty!” Wildfire exclaimed, diving in to her bowl like an exuberant filly and taking a bite of her fruit salad.

“You’re welcome, Wily.” Airmail giggled with the ping of the microwave and added two large scoops of chocolate ice cream to her warmed slice of apple pie before joining the group of mares at the kitchen table. “Very nice flying Wily, and excellent flying as always, Tempest.”

“I do my best,” Wildfire said, lifting her muzzle from the bowl and hastily swallowing the mouthful of apple, orange and mango. “And, I did have a precious cargo.”

Luna meanwhile was struggling with her dilemma, weighing the constraints of Princessly decorum against her almost physical need to dive in and decimate this black forest cake as if it had wronged her greatly. Instead she settled for a compromise and levitated a dessert spoon full to her mouth like it was a mechanical digger. “Airmail,” she said when she paused for air, “Is your feather still safe?”

In response, Airmail tilted her head to reveal the dark midnight blue feather, while it was a little windblown from the flight, it was securely tied to her mane above her right ear. “It will find a home with the other three in my bedroom.”

Proud of how well behaved her Pet was being, Luna gave her the nod as she replied to Airmail’s statement, “You are building a collection?”

“If you call four feathers over thirty years a collection,” Airmail said as Octavia began delicately eating her dessert. “Especially since I've gotten two of them in the last few days.”

Now Luna was interested, “Oh?”

Airmail nodded, “Beautiful Eyes here was my third, yesterday.”

Octavia meanwhile was in sheer bliss with her apple pie and strawberry ice cream, as was Tempest with her pie and vanilla, while Wildfire was busily polishing off her summer fruit salad like she hadn’t tasted it in years. Which she hadn’t. Luna however, was determined to make her rare treat last more than a few quick bites. “Well,” she said after a swallowed mouthful, “My feather can't compare with hers, I'm afraid.”

Airmail paused in her pie eating to nod her agreement. “It’s still an unexpected treasure, Luna.”

“It was no trouble.” With her sumptuously creamy black forest cake almost gone, Luna addressed the little yellow pegasus. “Wildfire, about your foal, you seem awfully sure you're having a filly.”

“Yuppers!” Wildfire lifted up her muzzle from her fruit salad. “It’s all part of the plan. Get free of the home, find somewhere to live, get pregnant, have a filly. In that order.”

“I hope that Serenity has a filly too.” Airmail put in thoughtfully.

Wildfire turned her head to the sound of Airmail’s voice, detecting a little reticence in her tone. “Does Senior Pet really want a filly?”

“She does,” Airmail replied, “For Mapper.”

Wildfire licked out the last of her fruit and smiled. “I’m really not fussed what it is as long as it's healthy.”

Opposite the blind mare at the kitchen table, Tempest greedily scooped up the remains of her apple pie with her tongue. “Yeah, but you really don't know how Mapper will act, Airmail. She might learn to love a colt.” She pointed out.

“Maybe,” Airmail shrugged, “With all our support.”

“I didn't know how I'd be with Dusk,” Octavia interjected with a reminiscent smile, “But I wouldn't change having him for the whole of Equestria.”

Luna simply smiled and, bearing Requiem’s advice in mind, kissed her wife on the nearest patch of her fading grey fur.

“Speaking of, Dusk seemed to recover from Vocal Chord pretty quickly.” Tempest commented, “That Brush Stroke is no small time painter.”

Swallowing a mouthful of her strawberry ice cream, Octavia put in, “I don't blame him, life is much too short to mope over a singer.” Then, under her breath, the ageing earth pony mare muttered, “Not all of us live forever.”

Tempest nodded, “Why you have to seize the moment and live it to the fullest.” Then she giggled mischievously, “Even if it does scare some cello player.”

Octavia nodded, entirely not noticing Luna's pained expression from her previous comment, nor the fact her wife had stopped eating her cake. “My apologies for fretting, but nopony else has ever carried my cello before.”

“You still worried over it?” Airmail asked, “The case is unharmed.”

“No,” Octavia shook her head, the light flecks of grey / white dancing in her otherwise charcoal mane. “Mistress said it would be unharmed, and it is.”

Stricken, unable to sit there anymore, Luna roughly pushed away the remains of her black forest cake, drawing attention to her. “If you'll all excuse me, I need some air at the balcony.”

Airmail pointed out to the patio with her azure blue hoof. “The doors are unlocked now, so you can do straight out to the pool deck if you like.”

“Thank you,” Luna got up very quickly and turned towards the back doors, “I just need a moment…” her voice breaking as she called over her shoulder.

“So…what's up with her?” Tempest asked when Luna was outside, a thoroughly puzzled look on her violet face.

Octavia looked down and twirled her forehooves around each other. “I um…I fear I have upset my Mistress.”

Airmail caught on at once, “Oh, about dying, you mean?”

“Yes,” Octavia nodded, still looking at the kitchen table, “Sometimes I speak without thinking, and this subject upsets her.”

“Didn't Requiem talk about this?” Tempest asked as she reached for her coffee, “Death never really comes to those who are kept in your heart.”

“It is hard to talk to a memory though.” Airmail commented gently.

Octavia lifted her head, conspicuously wiping her pink eyes. “Mistress feels it more keenly than most. When she came back from the moon she was unaware of the length of time she was gone until the Elements cleansed her.”

Tempest had to admit as she sipped her coffee that she didn’t get it. “It's been thirty years since that, though.”

Listening, Airmail thought she had it, and gently changed the subject slightly. “So, Octavia, has she told you about loves from her past?”

“Oh yes,” the old earth pony replied, perking up as her pink eyes shined with renewed enthusiasm. “Once when I asked her. There was a pegasus called Sky Dive she loved very dearly. She told me that upon her return she had hoped to rekindle their flame, instead she spent a whole week at her grave, and at the graves of all those she had known from before.”

Tempest tenderly laid her violet hoof on to Octavia’s, “Do you go with her?”

“Every year on her birthday.” Octavia replied. “I won't let Mistress go alone, it’s...not healthy for her.”

Airmail nodded. “That sounds like something Requiem would say. I want to be cremated when I go, so that Tempest will have to dust my urn.” She giggled as her marefriend responded with an exaggerated eye roll.

Having been silent the whole time, Wildfire spoke up, “In the home, I wanted to be buried at sea.”

That got Airmail’s attention. “Like, whole body or scattered ashes?” She found herself asking before she realised just what she was asking.

“Whole body.” Wildfire answered with a smile. “Mainly because Amethyst Glory always said she'd dance on my grave. That way I'd know she'd drown.” She finished with a snigger, and to giggles from the others around the table.

Both Airmail and Tempest’s giggles gave way to laughter, then Tempest said, “If that is what you want that is what you'll get. Somepony will take your foal to the beach to visit you.”

Wildfire’s voice went quiet, “I don't know anymore, Honey.” She said confidently, “I'm more concerned about living now.”

“And quite right, too.” Octavia agreed.

“Thank Luna for that,” Airmail smiled as she reached for her coffee, “But Octavia is right. We don't have forever so make memories for others so through them you have your immortality.”

Octavia took a sip of her milky coffee and nodded, “Besides, Wildfire, Mistress assures me they have begun lengthy prison sentences, with little chance of release.”

“And you have family with you now Wily.” Airmail put her azure blue hoof around Wildfire’s shoulder, “She can never touch you again. If Mapper doesn't do something to her, I will.”

Wildfire leant into the tight hug that she now found herself in. “I know, Pretty,” she whispered, “I'm happy here, really I am.”

Seeing as Airmail was nearest to Wildfire, she leant in to deliver a tender nuzzle to her yellow cheek as Tempest asked, “If I may ask Octavia, how old are you?”

Octavia nodded. “Of course you may, Tempest. I am sixty one.”

Unperturbed in the slightest, Tempest replied, “I’m thirty eight, Airmail is forty eight. Mapper is forty three and Serenity is thirty three while Coffee Bean is sixty eight, and she is pretty spry.”

Luna chose that moment to re-enter the ranch and trotted up to the kitchen, drying her turquoise eyes with her magical aura. “Sixty one years young, I might add.”

Finishing up her nuzzle, Airmail giggled, “You heard Requiem. You should read her book, ‘Growing Old is Mandatory, but Growing Up is Optional’.”

Octavia wrung her hooves once more. “I-I'm sorry for upsetting you, Mistress.”

Reaching the table, Luna leant in and lovingly nuzzled her wife’s cheek. “Forget it my love.”

Airmail snorted derisively, “As if you will.”

“I told my Pet to forget it,” Luna said with a wink at the azure blue mare. “I didn't say I'd forget it, Airmail.”

Sat next to her wife, Octavia gave a deep sigh and reluctantly pushed what was left of her coffee to one side. “Tea, Mistress?”

“For our sakes we hope you will never forget us and that you'll watch over whatever foals we may have.” Tempest said, trying very hard to suppress her giggles aimed at Octavia.

“Yes Pet, tea for you for the rest of the day.” Luna smiled a very thin smile at her naughty mare, then, to Tempest she brightened, “How could I forget my new friends? You have no idea how refreshing it is to be here, and treated like anypony else!” The lunar alicorn enthused, indeed, the allure of being here amongst these ponies where nothing was expected of her other than to just be her, was almost intoxicating. “Now, we know what Dusk did with his day, I assume you ponies had work?”

“Honey took me for a walk round the lake,” Wildfire spoke up proudly, before draining half of her cooled black coffee. “Then I helped out with the weather work.”

Tempest nodded, suitably proud of Wildfire’s achievement. “Lieutenant Frost says she did well on the Weather Duty.”

“My wings ached real bad after a while,” the diminutive yellow pegasus continued, “But making it rain was just like old times firefighting with the Canterlot Fire Team.”

“Hmph…” Airmail slumped her chin onto her forehoof and propped herself up with it. “I pushed a quill all day…”

Luna sat up straight and put a hoof to her chest. “I sympathise Airmail, I too spent most of the day pushing a quill…”

“Yes,” Octavia interrupted with a loud cough. “Over me, Mistress.”

Almost instantly Airmail perked up, sensing as she did the opportunity for teasing to be had. “Does she write cute little sayings and symbols around your cutie mark?” She asked, her brown eyes alive with mischief.

Octavia blushed a very deep red, which pleased the lead editor no end as she replied, “If I've been a good pony, yes.”

Tempest snickered, “I prefer to use the non-business end of a quill on Airmail,” she teased with a seductive wink over the kitchen table, causing Airmail to become very interested in what was left of her apple pie.

“Oh?” Wildfire asked, “You don't get written on, Pretty?”

“I um, I'm a little bit…ticklish.” Airmail squeaked, still studying her plate with glowing cheeks.

Wildfire giggled loudly behind her hoof, “I’ll have to remember that, in case I wake up first.” She thought, hatching plans in her head to tickle her lover’s hooves in bed.

“Yes,” Tempest snickered, “But she also kicks.”

“Um…” Wildfire paused, shelving her freshly laid tickling plans, lest she get a hoof in the face. “Maybe I won't tickle you awake then, Pretty.”

“Or,” Tempest cut in, her blue eyes twinkling, “Maybe I'll help you.” She giggled, earning herself a perfectly formed and lovingly delivered raspberry from the azure blue mare as well as renewed giggles from Wildfire.

Octavia smiled as she looked wistfully at her half-finished coffee. “That reminds me of the time when Mistress Celestia woke Dusk up by making the sun shine just on his room three hours early.”

Suddenly Tempest mentally kicked herself. “Ooh! I should have asked Octavia for some of Luna's secrets when she was outside.”

“Well to be fair, love,” Luna giggled as she reached for her cake, “He did spike her cake with laxatives, made her ‘unwell’ for hours afterwards.”

“Cake abuse?” Airmail commented, “That does sound positively criminal.”

Luna nodded sagely, recalling with extreme clarity the very messy – and smelly - after effects of Dusk’s prank on her sister. “It was indeed, Airmail. And Tempest, you can ask away.”

Tempest considered this for but a moment before she answered, “Aah…but there is less fun finding out your secrets from you.”

An idea occurred to Airmail then, “Are you ticklish?” She asked innocently, “Of course, Caffy wasn't tickling you the other day.”

Luna giggled, “I am ticklish as it happens.” With a devious idea in her mind, the lunar alicorn sprang to her hooves. “My Pet can tell you where while I go inspect her cello.” She was giggling like an excited little filly as she exited the kitchen for the music room. “Perhaps it would look good bright pink?”

Tempest barked out a laugh, “It would match her bow tie then, at least.”

Octavia sat there completely stunned, her mouth hanging open in shock. “L-Lulu…y-you wouldn't...”

“She didn't say what tea,” Tempest started after Luna had left the confines of the kitchen, “Would you like a green tea?”

“Yes please, Tempest. With two sugars and cream if you please.” Octavia grimaced even at the thought of that, “I suppose I earned it, didn’t I?”

Wildfire leant across the table, an incredulous tone in her voice as she asked, “Would Luna really paint your cello?”

Tempest giggled at the yellow mare’s naivety. She really was cute when she was clueless. “I'm sure she is good with illusion magic to make it look pink, Wily.” She offered, getting up from the bench to prep the green tea.

“I doubt Mistress would really paint it,” Octavia agreed, “But she does like to tease.”

Airmail smiled at the elderly mare opposite her and reached a hoof over to comfort her. “I think you'll like this a lot more than that Earl Grey.”

Octavia shuddered, “Seriously, how Dusk can stand it I don’t know, Airmail.”

“I don't know, I drink Coffee.” Tempest commented from the Tea’s Maid machine, then a sly smile crossed her violet muzzle. “So, spill, where are Luna's tickle spots?”

Octavia grinned, “The base of her wings, just where they join her barrel.” She started, ticking off her wife’s best spots in her head as she divulged these state secrets, “Ah…behind her ears, under her chin and her worst spots are the centres of her hooves.”

At the mention of hooves Wildfire’s ears perked up, “Her hooves?”

Airmail let out a soft giggle, “Well, that explains why she was suddenly tired before Wildfire even finished one hoof.”

“Oh yes,” the dark grey earth pony mare giggled, “She laughs like a filly when Mistress Celestia attends her hooves.”

Suddenly curious, whether it was the reporter in her or whatever, Airmail asked, “We got Dusk's perspective of living at the palace yesterday. What is your take on it?”

Octavia shrugged at first. She’d been asked this question many times over the years in one form or another – did she prefer the palace to her old home? What was it like? and so on – that she had a reply ready to hoof. “The palace itself isn't so bad, I tend to stay away from the Day and the Night courts, which Mistress assures me is dull beyond words. I have my music rooms near my suite, so I'm happy, though Mistress keeps me busy.”

“Can you really deep throat her horn like Serenity did?” Tempest asked as she laid the steaming hot cup of green tea in front of her.

Octavia swelled with pride. “I can, it took some practice though.”

Airmail shuddered involuntarily, “I know for sure I'd choke to death.” Then she asked something which had been on her mind for a little while. Not ‘bothering’ her as such, more something she’d noticed and had picked up on. “Serenity doesn't call Mapper Mistress all the time, do you with Luna?”

Octavia paused as she thought about it. “There are only a hoof-full of times that I don't,” she said finally, “But usually yes I usually refer to my wife as Mistress.”

“Mapper calls it 'Independent Time' when she and Serenity are just a couple of ponies.” Tempest said with a smile as she prepped a second round of coffees for herself, Airmail and Wildfire. “I think Serenity prefers to use Mistress though.”

Understanding, Airmail nodded. “Can I ask you a more personal question?”

Taking a very delicate sip of her green tea, and finding it not wholly unpleasant, Octavia smiled, “Of course you may.”

Airmail took a deep breath as she prepared to ask what she wanted to ask. It was a very intimate question after all. “Dusk may have told Wildfire, but I personally don't know. How did you conceive Dusk?”

Wildfire interjected, “D spun me a wild tale about it being a 'magical night'.” She said with a loud giggle.

Octavia smiled a wide warm smile at the now long ago memory, one she’d cherish forever until the end of her days. “Well…I remember it was the night of our first anniversary, we had talked about bearing a foal, and Mistress suggested we get a night pony guard to join us for the night.” If possible, the earth pony’s smile only grew wider as she recalled Night Watch’s magnificent performance on that night. “It…it was indeed magical.”

Tempest laid the tray holding the three hot coffees on the kitchen table, causing Octavia to squirm with envy as she again sipped her green tea. “Both Wily and Serenity have expressed a desire to do it the natural way.” She commented as she hoofed out the mugs to their intended recipients.

‘Reporter’ Airmail was in full swing. “Don't all the night guard have bat wings?”

Octavia nodded to her interviewer. “They do indeed.” Then, turning her attention to the violet weather captain, she replied, “There are spells, really potent spells for fertility, but I think it's highly unlikely you'll get a colt without a stallion's ‘involvement’.”

Airmail snorted. “A trip to a clinic and a syringe doesn't sound too personal.” A comment which earned her a very disapproving stare from her marefriend.

The dark grey earth pony blushed, “When you put it that way no, I don’t suppose it does.” She conceded the azure blue mare’s well-made point. “I confessed to my Mistress my wish for a colt, and she invited her most trusted guard to join us.”

Although not a prude by any stretch of anypony’s imagination, Tempest was nonetheless eager to change the subject back to a slightly less lewd topic. “Have you written your own music for your cello?” She asked as she sipped her coffee.

“Oh yes,” Octavia smiled, likewise happy with the subject change. “Many pieces, in fact.”

Airmail sighed internally at Tempest’s little smirk, “Was the piece you played earlier tonight one of yours?”

The dark grey earth pony shook her head. “No, it was a classic Prench piece I know Mistress really likes.”

“I'd like to hear an original piece.” Tempest said, because this was Octavia Melody, and who wouldn’t want her to play something if you had the chance? “I take it your tour will be mostly your work?”

“Yes, Tempest.” Octavia nodded with a slightly sad smile. “My final tour coming up will feature mostly my own pieces. If Mistress allows I might play for you all later?”

Tempest smiled eagerly, “I'm sure that can be arranged.” Then, as she sipped her coffee, a thought occurred to her. “Are you up to it though?”

Octavia sniffed, trying her very best to not be offended. Although her medical history was private – she had no desire for the whole of Equestria to know she had advanced arthritis in her hooves, anypony with any kind of decent ear could’ve known at the coffee shop she had dropped a couple of notes. And for once, not intentionally, either. “I can manage one piece to my satisfaction, thank you...” she sighed, “Forgive me, I don't wish to be rude.”

Far from being upset, Tempest understood the need for an artist to perform. “You accepting hugs?”

Octavia smiled, “I certainly am.”

Airmail leapt up with a grin, pulling Wildfire with her as she called out, “Group hug!”

As Airmail, Wildfire and Tempest all came around the kitchen table and began to position themselves around the old earth pony mare. Hugging her gently, the violet pegasus whispered, “I'm really the softy here and didn't meant to say you couldn't perform.”

Gratefully, Octavia accepted the group hug from the three mares. “Tempest, I didn't mean to take it so much to heart, I do apologise.”

Tempest leant forward and very gently kissed and nipped the dark grey ear nearest to her. “Accepted!”

Try as she might, in the group hug, Airmail was once again curious. “Have you and Celestia ever gotten it on?”

Without a trace of a blush whatsoever, Octavia replied with a nod, “Yes we have. Many times in fact.”

“Is she as much fun as Luna?” Tempest asked.

“Did Luna tell you about her time with Caffy?” Airmail asked, not giving the earth pony time to answer.

“Or her time in the Mare’s Room?” Grinned Tempest.

“Or in the shower?” Airmail put in.

Laughing, Octavia held up her hooves in a somewhat futile attempt to stem the flow of questions. “One at a time, I beg you, please.” Looking from Airmail to Tempest she decided to answer them in the order she had been asked. “Firstly, Mistress Celestia is fun in her own way, she is far stricter than my wife, with a much bigger horn.” She added with a wink that made Tempest blush. “Second, Mistress told me about making Caffeinated's dream come true, about how she let herself be dominated. It is an itch she has at times. As for the other times it must've skipped Mistresses mind, though she did tell me about taking one of you flying.”

“That was Requiem.” Tempest smiled. “She let her cloud jump from eighteen thousand feet.”

“Requiem was the one licking Luna's hooves in the Mare's Room,” Airmail interjected, “And she is the one Luna washed in the Wet Room shower.”

“Indeed?” Octavia raised an eyebrow, “I remember my first flight. It wasn't all that pretty.” The earth pony snickered at the memory. Certainly afterwards her beloved had needed several showers to get properly clean. “Really, Airmail? I must ask Mistress about this when she reappears.”

Airmail grinned as she pulled up a picture of Requiem on her cell phone. “She's forty four and she acts like she's fourteen. Freefalling is a huge passion of hers.”

Octavia looked at the picture of the red and blue painted pony and smiled as she put the face to the name, recalling clearly now the exuberant mare from the coffee shop earlier. “She’s a beauty indeed. Well, as I reminded my Mistress while she was cleaning herself for the third time, the lack of…ahem…control was not my fault, and were I meant to fly I would have been graced with wings.”

Tempest merely giggled, “You just need Requiem's attitude then. She says wings are cheating.”

“Oh, I don't mind being taken along for a teleport,” Octavia replied, “But otherwise, hooves on the ground, thank you.”

The violet pegasus then asked something she’d been itching to ask since they had met Octavia back at Stripe’s Cup of Java, something of Equestria-shattering importance. “Did you bring any foal pictures of Dusk?”

Octavia nodded her head. “Of course, Tempest. Would you like to see?”

“Meh…I've seen them before.” Wildfire shrugged as she left the group hug to seek out her forgotten black coffee.

A huge bout of sympathy soared through Tempest’s chest as she watched Wildfire seek out her drink. “We'll describe the ones she shows so you can remember them.”

Reaching into her saddle bag, Octavia retrieved her album, which one would assume she – like all mothers – carried around for just such an occasion like this. To their great credit, Tempest and Airmail were the perfect audience, adding ‘oohs and aaaws’ to the immensely cute photographs, until they came across one the diminutive pegasus actually remembered. As they described the picture of a very young Dusk with his moon shaped rattle, pacifier and building blocks around him, the memory returned to her. Many years ago, Octavia had shown their old friends this album. “I do remember that one, the one in the nappy and the rattle,” Wildfire commented, “Dusk was such a cute baby.”

“Until you're the one to change the nappies.” Airmail snickered.

Wildfire didn’t care a jot. She’d pictured this happening for so long now that little things like dirty nappies couldn’t possibly put her off. “My little filly can get filthy as much as she likes, I'll be more than happy to change her.”

“Even when the poo goes from cute on Mare's Milk to that Celestia awful smell when they eat veggies?” Airmail nudged her with her foreleg.

The yellow mare shook her head, “Nopes! Not even then. Pretty, I don’t care as long as I have filly cuddles afterwards.”

Both Airmail and Tempest smiled and giggled then, how could they not, at Wildfire’s enthusiasm for her dream? “Did Luna change nappies?” Tempest asked, still bearing her smile.

“Oh yes,” the old earth pony nodded, “Mistress always took care of the night shift, as she is always awake at that time.”

“I know you can start your milk to flow.” Airmail thought out loud, “Did Luna nurse him?”

Again, Octavia nodded. “If he was hungry at night, then Mistress fed him.”

Tempest’s mind wandered a little at that point. “I think I would enjoy doing that…”

Airmail snickered, “Stormy, you just like me sucking on your nipples.”

Quick as a flash, Tempest fired back, “You're the one with a milk fetish.”

Wildfire laughed out loud, almost spluttering her cold coffee across the kitchen table. “Milk and feathers, Pretty?”

“Duh for feathers,” Airmail laughed, “But yeah, I would love to see both of you nursing. I grew up on mare’s milk.”

“Honey did say earlier at the lake she'd like to share my milk with the foal.” Wildfire piped up before she drunk what was left of her black coffee. “You were nursed as a foal, Airy?”

Airmail giggled, “So some of me has rubbed off on you, Tempest, and by the way I grew up on mare’s milk, I meant until I left the house as an adult.”

In reply to her marefriend’s quip, Tempest merely rolled her crystal blue eyes and turned to Octavia with another burning question she’d just thought up. “What about the other two Princesses, do they play too?”

Octavia smiled. It was common knowledge that Cadance did, given her extensive range of Mi Amore Cadanza – or MiAC, as they were more commonly known - shops that catered exclusively to almost every kink and fetish that the adult pony could dream up. “Princess Cadance does, as you probably know, Tempest. Princess Twilight has her own Pet also.”

Tempest digested that little nugget. “I guess I sorta thought of the royal family as its own herd.”

“They are as close as a herd,” Octavia agreed, “They are all family apart from Princess Twilight, and she may as well be family.”

Airmail smiled again. “You found out Tempest’s fetish, and she has a hard time getting me to play with her, but yeah.” She whistled appreciatively, “Four princesses…must be heaven.” The azure blue mare sighed, while Tempest shrugged her shoulders.

“It certainly can be...let’s say…intense, when they're all at the castle.”

“There are times when we are too intense and don't get along together.” Tempest said, thinking of the incident not all that long ago that had split their little mare’s herd apart. “It’ll be interesting living under the same roof again.”

“Do you intend to bear your foals at a similar time then?” Octavia asked curiously.

“Serenity and Wildfire do, yes.” Tempest clarified. “I have no plans on ever getting pregnant.”

“Same here I think.” Octavia agreed, though somewhat reticently, “One was quite enough.”

“I'll be a mother through Wily and Serenity.” Tempest snickered, “Aunt Airmail will change nappies as she has a lot of experience.”

“Thank you so much for volunteering me.” Airmail deadpanned over the kitchen table.

“You have experience?” Wildfire asked, “I knew you'd make a great Aunt!”

“Yes,” Airmail rolled her eyes, “So much so I joined the Equestrian Forces to escape babysitter duty.”

Tempest scooted around and leant behind Octavia to tenderly nuzzle Airmail’s cheek. “You'll make a great Auntie.”

Wildfire’s ears drooped back to her head as she pointed her head down to the table. “Oh...oh, well you don't have to change anything if you don't want to, Pretty.”

“You just try and stop me.”

Tempest went over to Wildfire and gave her a nuzzle as well, just so she didn’t feel left out. “She just likes to complain so you know she is happy.”

As Tempest re-took her seat at the bench to the left of Octavia, with Airmail to her immediate right, Luna’s powerful voice echoed from the music room with just a hint of mischief. “Your cello is a lovely pink with green lightning bolts! Can I come back yet?”

Looking over the table at each other, sharing the same thought and casting a quick glance at the unsuspecting Octavia, the violet and the blue mare grinned before Airmail and Tempest answered as one with a loud, “Yes!”

Luna had barely taken one step back into the kitchen when to either side of the old earth pony mare, Airmail and Tempest both stuck their tongues in her ears for two very wet sloppy kisses, causing the dark grey pony to squeak loudly in complete surprise.

“Oh, very nicely done.” The lunar alicorn giggled her approval as she took her seat on the bench opposite Wildfire.

Between the two younger mares, Octavia squirmed, “M-Mistress…aaah…m-make them staaahp!” She pleaded fruitlessly as each proceeded to give deliberately breathy snickers into the dark grey ears.

Luna merely levitated over a mug of moonshine coffee which she magically boiled. “Stop what, Pet? Carry on, girls.”

With Luna’s blessing, Tempest, with her muzzle still deep in Octavia's ear spoke in a husky vibrating whisper, “We had a nice talk about changing nappies while you were gone.”

Likewise, and not to be outdone, Airmail had her muzzle in the earth pony’s right ear as she asked, “Why green lightning bolts?”

Luna blew her coffee and answered with supreme nonchalance, “Because they clash so nicely with pink.”

“AaaAAH!” Octavia moaned, squirming her hind legs together under the gentle torture of the tongues mercilessly attacking her ears. “Mmm…” she whimpered when Airmail switched from tonguing to nibbling the very outer edges of her ear.

Tempest however was content to see how deep in Octavia’s ear she could get her muzzle. “Hmm…Dusk’s foal pictures are sooooooooooooooo cute.” She purred, stimulating the sensitive hairs all around her victim’s ear.

Enjoying the unfolding scene, Luna couldn’t help but smirk, “Aren’t they just divine?”

“Hmmm!” Octavia shuddered with pleasure as Airmail nibbled on her ear.

Airmail looked up at Luna with mouthful of her wife’s right ear. “I'm surprised you survived Requiem’s hoof licking so well, Luna.” She grinned, her voice muffled but clearly audible what she was trying to say.

Luna smiled around her drink. “She told you then?” The alicorn sniggered behind her hoof. “I assure you it was quite the effort.” Then a wonderful jewel encrusted idea swam into her mind, and with a grin that reached her voice, turned to the yellow mare sat opposite her. “Say, Wildfire, your lovers are doing quite a number on my Pet. Would you like to lend a hoof?”

“Does Octavia have tickly hooves?” Tempest asked, entirely not bothering to remove her muzzle from the ear it was in, which caused the dark grey earth pony to squirm ever more, her hind legs firmly pressed together.

“Not ticklish, no…” Luna shook her head. “But she does like her hooves serviced, don’t you, Pet?”

“Nggh…” Octavia hissed as like two sharpshooters, the two tongues found their mark yet again.

Airmail looked up with a devilish grin on her muzzle. “Go get 'em, Wily.”

Wildfire almost leapt up from the table in her enthusiasm, “I'm so there!”

Luna smiled as she watched the blind pony get up and feel her way along the kitchen table to where her two lovers were lovingly assaulting her Pet’s ears. Every time she watched her move she was impressed how well she made her way around. “Wildfire, which would you like first?”

“Hmm…” Wildfire actually thought about it as she zeroed in on the dual familiar scents of jasmine and sandalwood. “Let’s start with the left hind, please.”

Obligingly, Airmail and Tempest paused in what they were doing and between them both they easily rolled Octavia over onto her back, resting the older mare very carefully on the tiles of the kitchen floor. Now rolled over, the dark grey earth pony presented her left hind hoof to Wildfire’s lips as Airmail re-inserted her tongue, this time in the mare’s left ear while Tempest skilfully moved from nibbling her other ear to kissing her lips.

Down at the offered hoof, Wildfire felt the very toe of it tap her lips ever so gently so she knew where it was, and she took it in her forelegs and began to give it her expert attention.

Seeing the yellow mare swirling her tongue delicately around her wife’s hoof, Luna scooted around to stand on Wildfire’s left side and she lowered her head to Octavia's crotch, to the panties that were still in the wedgie as Mistress Mapper had ordered back in the coffee shop.

Octavia’s breathing hitched as the lunar alicorn began kissing around her marehood, trailing her wet lips in tiny little pecks around her labia before kissing down her right inner thigh.

At her head, Tempest nibbled along her jawline down to neck and then back up to her mouth while Airmail kept up her ear work. “And Pet?” Luna smirked as she lifted her head up, “Be a good girl and don't cum until permitted.” With that she kissed her way back up her hind leg.

Octavia, fully expecting this from her Luna, could only groan under the sensory assault, “Y-Yes…M-Mistress…”

Tempest, getting an idea, gave the earth pony a last loving kiss to her lips and moved down to her left forehoof. “I love to watch you hold that bow and now I’m going to love lip massaging that hoof.”

Octavia merely whimpered in pleasure as her Luna started to stroke her rapidly moistening labia with her right wingtip. “Oooh...hmmm Mistress…that’s heavenly…”

Having licked and sucked her way all over Octavia’s left hind hoof, Wildfire carefully moved around Luna’s larger body to get to her other hind hoof, quickly finding it and repeating her favourite inner swirl technique as she ran her tongue firmly around the inner edge of the white wall and then dancing it over her sole.

Tempest, watching the hoof pro that was Wildfire work her magic, tried to do the same to the hoof she now held in her grasp, dancing her tongue around the sole and the sensitive frog.

In the midst of all this loving attention Octavia panted heavily, her core starting to heat up with excitement. “P-Please, Mistress…” she gasped.

Luna ignored her at first, running the tip of her long spiralled horn up the other side of her marehood. “Please what, Pet?” She asked teasingly.

Trying her best to control her breathing, Octavia moaned, “Let...” she gasped, “Me cum, please?”

Smiling a sly smile Airmail finally moved from the earth pony’s right ear to place a firm but tender lip lock on her to slow down the pleas. Giggling to herself, Luna made a show of thinking about it before she shook her head. “Hmm...not yet, I think.” Instead she lit her horn with her turquoise glow and used it to vibrate her Pet’s moist labia as she moved slowly towards the wet entrance to her marehood.

With no other recourse, Octavia whimpered audibly into Airmail's deep kiss, her body trembling as Wildfire began nibbling gently on the hard outer edge of the hoof before blowing softly into the centre just above the tip of the frog.

On the other side of her, Tempest used her left forehoof to rub Octavia's chest and then up and down her foreleg as she flicked her tongue over the bulbs at the back of her hoof, while Airmail kept up the kiss and used her hoof to gently scratch behind the ears and play with her charcoal mane.

At her Pet’s now sopping wet marehood Luna could feel her trembling, a sure sign that she wasn’t far away from her climax. “Who's my pretty young mare?” She asked silkily as she slightly increased the vibrations from her horn.

Hearing that, Airmail released the kiss so that she could answer the question.

In a heady daze of pleasure, Octavia barely registered what she’d been asked, “I...I am, Mistress!” She squealed.

“You are what?” Luna asked simply.

“Y-Your…aaaah…” Octavia tried really hard to breathe, “Your p-pretty mare...Mistress!” She squeaked as Airmail bumped noses with her.

“So close,” Luna tutted, “But not right, Pet.” Increasing the vibrations even more, the lunar alicorn smiled and moved her long horn to the entrance of her wife’s slit and slowly, torturously slowly, slid the top third in past the now drenched panties.

Octavia tried to talk, tried to protest, but Airmail immediately kissed her to interrupt her, knowing the panting whimpering mare would have to shout out the answer Luna wanted to hear.

At her hind hoof, Wildfire now rubbed her muzzle across the hoof's soft centre, breathing hot breath through her nose directly onto the most sensitive part of the hoof as she did so.

Octavia shivered, her whole body visibly trembling with the sheer effort of holding in her orgasm, knowing full well that just saying the answer will set her free. She didn’t want to say it. It wasn’t true.

She wasn’t pretty, not any more.

She was old, faded, a shadow of what she once was.

She knew she wasn’t pretty, but she couldn’t fight off the intense vibrations coursing through her any longer, nor could she resist the hoof jobs from Wildfire and Tempest or Airmail’s sweet kiss. She just couldn’t.

As the front doors opened she pulled away from the kiss and in a mild delirium screamed, “I-I'm your pretty YOUNG MARE MISTRESS!”

In response Airmail gave her a deep tongue probing kiss and Tempest moved from worshipping her hoof to nibbling the foreleg at the juncture to the barrel.

“Of course you are, Pet.” Luna whispered lovingly. “You may cum.” She heard hoof-steps enter the ranch as she slid her vibrating horn deeper inside Octavia’s dripping marehood, well past the panties and rubbing against her clitoris.

With the added stimulation of the vibrations directly on her nub, Octavia couldn’t have held back any longer had she wanted to. “AAaaaAAAH…s-sweet LUUUNA!” At a volume not far away from the Royal Canterlot Voice, the dark grey earth pony arched her back and came, orgasming very loud and very hard, wetting her mistress’s forehead in the process with her sweet cum as it poured from her like a waterfall.

Mapper, with Serenity beside her, stood just inside the large kitchen bearing a smirk on her pink muzzle. “And, somepony told me my Junior Pet couldn't sing.”

Luna ceased her vibrations and gently pulled her horn out of her wife’s wet tunnel, allowing Octavia to ride out her intense orgasm as she magically cleaned herself up. “I’ll have you know, she sings very well.”

“Better in the kitchen than the dining room.” Thespian commented with a giggle as Caffeinated carefully stepped around the mares to get to the coffee machine.

Luna moved up to kiss her Pet’s sweaty lips. “You're my pretty young mare, and you can have your coffee my love.”

Through half-lidded pink eyes, Octavia gasped as her body heaved in the afterglow of her climax. “T-Thankyou…” she panted, “Mistress…”

Busy at the coffee maker, Caffeinated emptied out what was left of Octavia's green tea and got started prepping her a coffee along with drinks for the others too. “I’m glad you weren't too bored waiting for us.”

“Middle Pet,” Mapper said to Wildfire, resting her pink hoof on her shoulder as she made her way carefully back to the long bench at the kitchen table. “Did you make it safely back with your cargo?”

Wildfire nodded, “Yes I did, Mistress.”

Mapper leant in and tenderly kissed the diminutive pegasus’s forehead. “You are a very good pony, Free Time for you.” She stroked the mare’s cheek, “Enjoy your night even more than you already have.”

Wildfire practically glowed from the praise she had received. “Thank you, Mistress!”

Getting the pink unicorn’s attention, Airmail performed a complex set of ear flicks as she used their silent method of communication, at once both pleased and amused to see the confusion on her herd-mate’s face. “Caffy, dear,” Mapper started, “When did you get a pink cello?”

Luna merely sat in the kitchen and giggled, looking as guilty as when she and Celestia had stolen their mother’s cookies from the parlour when they had been young fillies.

Caffeinated however looked utterly perplexed as he made the various drinks for the group. “Um…” he tried to discern if Mapper was playing him.

Octavia meanwhile managed, with some effort, to stand up with visibly shaky legs, she waved off her wife’s offer of support as she sat on the bench, and thoroughly looking forward to a coffee she shot Luna a quick look. Giving her the barest shake of her head which Luna quickly returned, Octavia visibly relaxed as Caffeinated turned to face Mapper. “What pink cello?” He asked in his rumbling low voice.

“The one in the music room,” Mapper replied. “Isn't it yours?”

Wanting to see for himself, Trumpet peeled off from the group and walked off to the music room and very quickly the dark red unicorn stallion was back, looking mystified. “Looks like the one Octavia played, but isn't, since it is bright pink.”

“Thespy?” Caffeinated asked his wife, but the blue / grey earth pony simply shrugged.

Like a very guilty filly caught with a cookie in her magical aura, Luna held up a hoof. “I'm afraid I got creative while Tempest, Airmail and Wildfire questioned my Pet.”

Trumpet was in shock, that his hero’s prized instrument could be defaced in such a manner. “But…but, green lightning bolts?”

Luna giggled, “Don't they clash nicely?”

Brushing his dark red hoof through his orange mane Trumpet had to agree that yes, they certainly did clash. “So much so they might actually affect the sound.”

“Oh, I doubt it.” Luna giggled as she turned to her wife. “Pet?”

“With your permission, Mistress.” Octavia bowed, now recovered from her climax, “Ms. Tempest asked me for a performance.”

Tempest bounced on the bench with unbridled glee, “Pretty please with chocolate sprinkles!”

Luna smiled, “Now, how can I possibly deny that?” She turned to Octavia, “Pet, you may indulge yourself and perform any piece you wish.”

Seeing which way the music room was from where Trumpet had walked, Octavia led the small group there in a trot, with Caffeinated bringing up the rear with a large tray of drinks balanced perfectly on his back. As the ponies made themselves comfortable around the music room, the orange zebra passed out the drinks to their respective owners the ageing cellist got herself ready and in position before she began a most intimate of performances, beginning to play 'Elegie in C minor, Op 24' - a piece she had learnt and played when she had been little more than four years old, stood on a stool in her father’s great room – with the practised ease of an artist at work she played, though with some effort she played the six minute piece perfectly, not dropping a single note.

A round of polite hoof clapping greeted her when she finished the performance, and Octavia gave each member of her audience a low bow as if she had just performed for Carneighgie Hall. “Thank you all.” She said with justifiable pride.

On her seating pad next to the gently clapping alicorn, Mapper leant over and asked quietly, “Mistress Luna, did you punish Junior Pet while she was here?”

“Once, Mistress Mapper,” Luna replied solemnly, “For upsetting me regarding her mortality.”

“She dropped five notes.” Mapper then proceeded to tick off the various punishments in her head, Luna nodding her agreement to each one. “One, Middle Pet carried her cello. Two, She sang Cyndi Lauper, and that was utterly divine. Three, she was punished by Mistress Luna. Four, I will erase as she was a good Pet on that last piece. So that leaves number five, which is not one to do alone.” Sitting up straight on her seating pad Mapper clapped her hooves loudly, “Pets!”

At once, Serenity moved in front of her Mistress and bowed so that her muzzle touched the carpeted floor of the music room.

Next to Wildfire, as ever on her left side, Airmail whispered what was expected of her to the little yellow mare. “Move in front of Mapper and bow.”

Nodding her understanding, Wildfire sniffed out her Mistress’s scent and carefully walked in front of Mapper, to the right of Serenity and bowed low to the floor.

As Octavia was busy resting her cello and bow on its stand, she saw out of the corner of her eye Mistress Mapper looking at the two Pets in front of her with a frown creasing her pink face, and Luna looking at her with at her expectantly. Mentally facehooving, she quickly remembered her place and scurried over beside Wildfire and bowed as low as her joints would allow of her.

Watching with a raised eyebrow, Mapper asked in an even voice, “Were you delayed putting away your cello, Junior Pet?”

“Yes, Mistress.” Octavia answered truthfully to the floor.

“I see.” Mapper nodded, taking her answer at face value. “It is good to finish a job then move on to the next. You three will now clean the Stallion's Room. Please wash your hooves when you are finished and report to the Mare's Room.” Her orders finished, Mapper clapped her hooves again.

Silently, Serenity nudged Wildfire’s left flank and stood up, trotting out of the music room into the U shaped hallway and over to the wide flight of stairs. Feeling the nudge, and hearing her Mistresses order, Wildfire stood up and with a well-placed wingtip the blind mare felt her way out of the music room. Octavia, not knowing exactly where to go, got up and followed Wildfire down the stairs.

Once the three mares were down the stairs in the basement level of the ranch, Serenity led the other two straight over to the left to the plain wooden door that had the sign ‘Stallion’s Room’. “It is nice to not have to do this alone for once. Careful in there putting a hoof to your mouth or you may taste something you didn’t want to.” She warned from grim experience.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Wildfire commented offhoofedly with a shrug of her shoulders.

Octavia, busy looking around the basement hallway, wasn’t listening too closely as she saw the sign saying ‘To the Moon’ on the Dungeon doors. Snickering at the sign she turned to the little yellow mare with a puzzled look on her face. “What do you mean, Wildfire?”

“Oh…” Wildfire replied, “It doesn't matter now.”

Octavia noted the door through which Serenity went, the 'Stallion's Room', had under it a sign saying, 'Need balls to Enter', which the teal unicorn duly ignored. Wildfire and Octavia followed Serenity through the door, the little mare immediately wrinkling her nose against the now very stale day old smell of stallion musk. “Uuugh!” She uttered before she could stop herself.

Inside the Stallion’s Room, her hooves clopping on the hardwood floor, Serenity shrugged. “I've seen worse. At least they chose to do some of their play out in the back yard.” The grateful tone in her voice did not go unnoticed by the other two ponies. Looking around, Serenity saw the rectangular shaped mat lying to one side of the room. Having no idea if it had been used or not, she asked, “Wily could you scrub the mat please?”

“Alrighty,” Wildfire nodded, “I’m on it.”

“Thank you, let me show you where the stuff is.” Serenity led Wildfire to a closet, its door almost invisible as it was the same plain wooden panelling as the walls, inside were strap on hoof brushes, buckets, mops, a sink and mild disinfectant soap. “Do you need help?”

“Nopes,” Wildfire replied, her role at the care home all coming back to her, “I've scrubbed stuff before, I got this.”

“Octavia, that room,” Serenity pointed her horn at a similarly almost invisible door situated next to the mop room, “That is laundry. I'll strip bedding and send it your way if you could get the wash started, please.”

“Certainly.” Octavia trotted over to the laundry room as Wildfire started to hoof scrub the mat, humming her happy tune as she worked away. Next to her, Serenity's horn lit up with its hazel glow and in short order she stripped the cases from pillows and she levitated them over to form a pile at the door of the laundry room. These were quickly followed by bedding and other cloth items.

With a distinct look of distaste on her teal muzzle, Serenity made sure to inspect each pillow to see if it also needed additional cleaning. A few with suspiciously ‘heavy staining’ were separated from the rest and the clean ones went on a shelf.

Dutifully at her assigned post, Octavia gathered up the soiled bedding in her hooves and deposited it as fast as she could into a washing machine, crinkling her nose up at the smell. “Uugh! Indeed, Wildfire.” As she worked, Octavia listened to Wildfire humming away. “Wildfire, dear, you're humming.”

Lifting her head up, Wildfire paused in her scrubbing. “Oh…am I? I don't realise I'm doing it, just sort of happens when I'm happy.”

Serenity put in, “It’s that song she sang at the open mic, ‘Prettiest Eyes’.” With that, she took the pillows not saved by the cases to the mop room.

“I'm familiar with the song, in fact I'm a fan of the band,” Octavia replied, “I just wondered why you hummed it. You can’t be that happy scrubbing a stallion's mat.”

“Making Mistress Mapper happy is cause enough for joy.” Serenity said, as if that was that and proceeding to hoof scrub the soiled pillows.

“It's habit I guess.” Wildfire shrugged as she poured some more disinfectant and scrubbed at a new spot. “I work hard, I do well, I don't get beaten, I'm a happy Wily, so I hum my tune.”

Loading up a second washing machine, Octavia was aghast. That Canterlot, her home, could be so rotten, was anathema to her. “The care home was really that bad?”

“Yuppers, it was.” The diminutive yellow mare scrubbed furiously at a spot on the mat like it owed her money. “But, now I’m happy, 'cos I like making my Mistress happy, not 'cos I'm living in fear of getting a broken wing.”

Serenity’s ears perked up, and she decided to test the newly freed mare. “What will you do if Mistress Mapper punishes you physically?”

Wildfire stopped in her cleaning and thought about it. “Well, if I think it’s too much, like it’s abuse or it’s really hurting then I have my safe word to use, 'Peaches', like Octavia did at the karaoke earlier.”

Serenity nodded, pleased that to say yesterday Wildfire’s mind was described as ‘like cheese’, she seemed – on the surface at least – to be doing well. “I have only used my word once.” She commented, “Now I'm her slave and I don't think I'll ever use it again.”

“Slave huh?” Wildfire asked, “What’s that like?”

“It's who I am.” Serenity answered quickly and easily, “I'm completely devoted to my Mistress. I'll do anything she desires and I know she loves me as completely as I love her.”

“Huh...” Wildfire digested that as she went back to work on the mat, scrubbing at a particularly hard bit and trying very hard not to think too much on what the stain might be while Serenity got back to her task, using her hazel magic to spin dry each pillow once it was clean. “Amethyst Glory used to say I was her slave...punching bag would've been more like it.”

“There was no love.” Serenity said kindly, “You were not a slave, you were an object, much like the scrub brush on your hoof.”

Wildfire muttered, “You aren't kidding, Serenity.”

Hearing this somewhat muffled exchange over the noise of the washing machine, Octavia called, “They treated you that badly?”

“Without love there is only abuse.” Serenity commented from where she was working in the storage room.

“How much has Princess Luna told you?” Wildfire asked as she stopped scrubbing the large mat for a moment.

Octavia emerged from the laundry room, “Mistress hasn't told me much,” she admitted.

Serenity floated the last pillow to the shelf and put a pair of brushes on her forehooves as she left the storage room the teal unicorn used Wildfire’s bucket and started surreptitiously cleaning the parts that the blind mare – through no fault of her own – hadn’t gotten to or had missed. Stood on the bits she had cleaned, Wildfire called, “Well c'mere then. I’ve got something to show you.”

As Octavia left the laundry room, and Wildfire heard her hoof-steps clop on the hardwood floor, Wildfire spread her tortured yellow wings as wide as she could spread them. “Serenity, could you please magically move my feathers and show Octavia my souvenirs?”

“Yes Middle Pet, of course.” Obligingly, Serenity lit her horn and, taking her wings in her glowing hazel aura, she did as Wildfire requested and very carefully indeed she pulled the feathers back along the leading edges of her wings.

Seeing the extensive damage, Octavia’s pink eyes grew wide at the exposed criss-cross latticework of scars and improperly mended broken wing bones that were currently being highlighted by the unicorn’s magic. “Oh…oh sweet Luna above…” the dark grey earth pony had her hoof to her mouth in complete shock at what she was witnessing.

“Yeah.” Wildfire turned her head away with a faint blush. “Now you know. They were that bad.” Turning to the vague direction of Serenity, she said, “Thanks Senior Pet.” With that she went back to the mat, humming her happy tune.

Serenity nodded, “You are welcome. Know that Mistress Mapper loves you, and there will be no more abuse.”

“Yuppers, I know,” Wildfire agreed, “That's why I'm happy to serve her, it’s not that I'm scrubbing this,” she indicated the mat with her hoof, “It could be anything and I'd still be happy doing it.”

Serenity heard the truth in her fellow Pet and herd-mate’s voice and stepped over to nuzzle her cheek tenderly. “Your efforts show your love for Mistress Mapper.” While Wildfire was somewhat easy to read, Octavia on the other hoof was trickier. Turning to the earth pony she asked, “Why are you here, Junior Pet?”

“Because my Mistress bade me to obey Mistress Mapper as if she were my wife,” Octavia replied, giving something of a standard stock response. “And, I live to serve my Mistress. Making her happy makes me happy.”

Serenity of course saw straight through this the very second the words left the ageing earth pony’s lips. “Yet you were naughty and Mistress Luna had to punish you.”

Octavia looked away to an empty patch of wall. “Sometimes…sometimes I need reminding I'm her pretty mare.”

Serenity stopped her scrubbing. “Here with us Pets you can speak the truth.”

Octavia stomped her hoof slightly into the hardwood floor. “I'm scared alright?” She said, reluctantly admitting the fear that took her heart most days. “Mistress knows there are more years behind me than in front now, and yes, despite my Mistresses reassurances, that scares me. A lot.”

‘At last,’ Serenity thought to herself, ‘Something akin to the truth at last.’ The teal mare scrutinised the earth pony a little closer, the wrinkles, the lines, the light grey in her fur, the white in her mane and the arthritic hooves that were slowly taking her gift away from her a day at a time. She did feel a degree of sympathy for her, she still had something she needed to say. “My Mistress asks that I be a good pony, but I'm a bad pony, and if Mistress doesn't notice I must confess. If I'm a very bad pony and Mistress catches me she will punish me. If I'm a very, very bad pony she might even whip me.” She couldn’t hold in the soft sigh of happiness at that thought. “I should be a good pony, but I am not. You, Junior Pet are a bad pony so that Mistress Luna will spend more attention on you to love you as you are. You know she believes you are beautiful, and still you are a bad pony for your own selfish reasons, just like I'm a bad pony for mine!”

Octavia nodded. Of course, Serenity was right. She smiled a wide smile for this unicorn who was practically half her age was twice as wise. “Yes, I admit I'm a bad pony for thinking like I do. I too confess my failings to my Mistress, and I'm a bad pony for liking her attention when she punishes me.”

Serenity went back to scrubbing, pleased that what she had said had at least sunk in. “All ponies are bad ponies, but even selfish bad ponies still want the love of their Mistress or their Master. Even bad pony Mistresses and Masters still need the love of the bad ponies they control. Do you love Mistress Luna more than your own life?”

Again, Octavia nodded. “A lot more, Senior Pet. A whole lot more.” She turned and went back to the laundry room as she heard the washer finish its work. “Anything else need washing?”

“No, just put the laundry in the dryer and we will be done.” Serenity replied and as she heard Octavia hoof the laundry in to the dryer and turn it on, she said with a smile, “You are a bad pony, Junior Pet.” She giggled, “But sometimes that can be very, very good.”

Octavia merely giggled as Wildfire stood up straight, flexing her legs. “Is there anymore of this mat that needs doing?” She asked, “Did I get everywhere?”

Giving it a once over, Serenity was happy it was sufficiently clean. “It is done, Middle Pet, please put the items away. I will get the air freshener.”

“Alrighty.” With that, the blind mare removed the hoof brushes from her forehooves and carried the cleaning things back to the storage room as Serenity levitated the air freshener from the middle shelf and sprayed it liberally around the room to leave it smelling like an old growth forest.

Floating the air freshener back to the storage and closing the door, Serenity giggled, “Once I was a very, very bad pony and left the room smelling like bubblegum.”

Wildfire was stunned, though not totally surprised. “No…for realzies?”

“Yes,” Serenity nodded with a nostalgic smile as she recalled the wonderful feel of the cricket bat on her flanks. “But I will be a good pony today as I do not want to share my punishment.”

Octavia closed the laundry room door, “It certainly smells a lot better than when we came in.”

Nodding, Serenity led the way out to the Wet Room. “We need to clean our hooves quickly before Mistress is displeased at our slowness.”

~ ~ ~

Up in the music room, sat on her seating pad next to Luna and surrounded by Caffeinated, Thespian, Airmail, Tempest, Recital, Trumpet and of course Coffee Bean who was present at Luna’s left side, Mapper turned to Tempest with a smile playing over her muzzle. “Now the Pets are busy, tell me Tempest, was it a simple flight back or your usual?”

“Through the Narrow’s Bridge cables.” Tempest replied nonchalantly.

Not one to be easily stunned, Mapper was now sat with her mouth hanging open in shock. “Do you have…any…idea the value of Wildfire's cargo?” She asked, her voice little more than a disbelieving hiss.

Tempest shrugged, “Less than the value of Wily.” She replied, to which the pink mare could only nod her agreement.

Luna put her forehoof on Mapper’s in an attempt to comfort her. “Wildfire did fly very well, once more.” She commented, neglecting to mention the part where she once again flew under the bridge rather than through it.

“Of course she did.” Tempest stated like this was patently obvious. “She is a precision flyer, that training and skill hasn't been lost.”

Mapper smirked, “How did Junior Pet take the flight?”

“Tavi liked my flying just fine, though watching Wildfire flying with her cello she just about dirtied my coat...again.” Luna giggled behind her hoof.

“She was in a bit of panic landing too,” Airmail interjected, “But we calmed her down.”

“So I heard when we came in.” Mapper commented, earning her a round of giggles and sniggers from the others in the music room. “It should take the Pets about half an hour to do the work, so I'm up for some desert while we wait.”

“Very good idea, Mapper,” Luna agreed, almost licking her lips at the thought of another taste of Thespian’s cake. “I'm getting more of that black forest cake seeing as I have chance.”

Thespian couldn’t believe her ears as they all made their way back into the kitchen, access to the top chefs and cooks in the land and here Luna was complimenting her cake! “You really like it?”

Luna smiled as she took the seat she had before. “It's exquisite, Thespian. Thank you.”

Thespian was a happy filly, doing a little hoof dance not wholly dissimilar to the one that Requiem had performed when Luna had agreed to take her flying the day previous, and she veritably flew around the table helping Airmail who had decided to take on dessert detail again.

“It’s so rare I get to try any as good as that, Thespian.”

Thespian giggled, making sure to serve the Princess up an extra-large slice – which she did and she enjoyed the look of lust on the alicorn’s face when she slid it in front of her. “Take a slice home with you, and leave a plate with a few crumbs on the dining table.”

Mapper raised an eyebrow, “Careful what you wish for Thespian, or you'll have that unannounced plushie inspection after all.” The pink unicorn’s comment served to sober up the prancing earth pony as Airmail made sure everypony got the cake, pie or fruit salad they requested.

In her own little piece of heaven, Luna giggled, “If Tia got wind of cake as good as this you'll have another house guest.”

Thespian thought about that, with a hoof raised to her chin, “I could get used to guests liking my cakes.”

“Then I'll be sure to leave some lying about.” Luna replied through a very unprincessly mouthful of cake, cream splattering all over her lips.

“Please eat all you want,” the earth pony giggled, “Just don't drink my ingredients.”

Luna smiled to herself, amazed at how much ‘at home’ she felt among these ponies. Oh, if I ate all I wanted Thespian I'd have flanks like my big sister.”

“Round is still a shape.” Thespian giggled, as did the rest of the group join in on the joke, none more so than the lunar alicorn herself.

Amidst her sparkling laughter, Luna managed to reply, “Still it’s a very good job I flew here, get these calories burned in advance.”

Swallowing a mouthful of her apple pie, Recital spoke up then as a thought occurred to the light blue unicorn. “Did you all have fun with the truth or dare game?”

Enthusiastically Luna nodded. “It was fun indeed, mainly due to Serenity's skill with deep throating my horn, and to Coffee Bean's skill with her lips.”

On Luna’s left, and busy with her own slice of black forest cake, the elderly zebra attempted and failed an invisibility spell as this time Airmail had a fruit salad. “It may have been so,” the azure blue mare said between mouthfuls of apple, grape and orange, “But Octavia says she can do your sister's horn too.”

Mapper looked up from her ice cream. “Challenge accepted.” She said simply.

Luna thought about it before giving her judgement on the matter. “She can just about do Tia's horn, though she leaves about an inch or two at the base, which she says doesn't count due to her fur.”

Mapper smiled as she sucked ice cream from the spoon. “Do bring her by for cake of course.”

“The next time I think I'll have to,” Luna nodded thoughtfully, “She was rather put out at having to mind the shop again.”

Mapper shrugged, “Let the Librarian Princess do that, or better yet, bring her instead.” The pink mare commented in the manner of one that sees and converses with royalty every day of the week. “You said she has a Pet?” She asked, her magenta eyes twinkling.

At that, Luna giggled, almost spitting the cake she was trying to swallow. “The librarian...yes…hehehe…yes, Twilight has a pet. Rainbow Dash is very, very well trained.”

Tempest almost dropped her spoon into her apple pie. “The Wonderbolt!?”

Airmail was likewise incredulous. “The commander of the Equestrian Air Force?”

Luna nodded, “The one and only, and as I’m sure she'll tell you herself, most awesome flyer in Equestria, yes Airmail.” She replied with a smile as she went back to and finished off her cake.

“Yeah,” Airmail said as she too finished her dessert, “She is brought up a lot in flight school.”

Over by the coffee machine, Caffeinated rumbled, “That accounts for two of the Celestia Six, I wonder, have the others gone down the same route?”

Mapper flashed the orange zebra a knowing look full of meaning and pausing with her vanilla ice cream, asked, “What does that mean Caffy?”

Smirking, Caffeinated sauntered over and gave Mapper a kiss to the tip of her horn, earning an embarrassed squeak that bought giggles from the group of ponies around the kitchen table. “Aren't you the one that always says close friends should ‘bond’ closely?”

To Airmail’s statement, Luna replied, “I imagine Rainbow Dash's manoeuvres are required reading in flight school. If they aren't she'll be very insulted.” To Mapper’s momentary discomfort she laughed. “Caffy, Fluttershy and Applejack have been happily married for just over thirty years, they have two thirty year old daughters, Cloud Blossom and Apple Honey. Cloud is a sculptor, a wonderful artist, while Honey happens to captain the Manehatten rugby team.”

“Oh…” Thespian exclaimed, drawing attention to herself, “There are examples of Cloud Blossom’s art in the Manehatten Museum!”

Mapper nodded, “That leaves the designer who we all know is world famous and the party one…I think.” Of course, everypony here knew who Rarity was. She had boutiques all over the country, and several in Manehatten alone. Most well-known was the upmarket Rarity’s Recreations, run by Coco Pommel, and the slightly more accessible Rarity For You on Saddle Row run by Plaid Stripes.

“Rarity and Pinkie Pie?” Luna asked with a smile, “It took them a while, but they've been together for a few years.” Then her tone turned somewhat serious, “But…please be careful how you mention Pinkie Pie around my Pet, Octavia doesn't exactly get on with Pinkie.”

Mapper nodded thoughtfully, “Good to know there’s something else I can use if Junior Pet gets out of line.”

“You all know the Grand Galloping Gala?” Luna paused for breath as they all nodded at her. “The one that was held after my return was an utter disaster. For a few years after, my Pet hated the sound of her name, now she's cooled to just disliking her.” Luna giggled, “Octavia has never really forgiven Pinkie for ruining her set that night.”

“So…she carries a grudge.” Mapper thought out loud, “Hmmm…”

“No,” Luna shook her head, “Not usually, Pinkie Pie is the exception that proves the rule. You have to understand, Mapper, my Pet had worked her whole career at the time just to get invited to play at the castle, and for her opportunity to be ruined by the thoughtless act of a careless pony, it took her years to recover her reputation.”

Mapper smiled, “Is that why you chose pink for her cello?”

“Oh that...partly.” Luna agreed, “I knew she'd hate it.” The lunar alicorn lit her horn and concentrated hard, cancelling the illusion she had been maintaining for the past hour. “I've had my fun with that.”

“You have an interesting definition of fun.” Caffeinated smirked as he kissed Thespian’s cheek. “As in, fun is what you make of it.”

“I just wanted to see if she'd play with it looking like that.” Luna grinned as she drank her coffee that the barista had made for her.

Trumpet commented then, “I don't think she looks at her instrument when she plays. I know I don't.”

Luna nodded her agreement, “I don’t think she even sees it as an instrument, more it’s a part of herself, Trumpet.”

The dark red unicorn smiled as he lovingly hugged and kissed his wife at the kitchen table. “True, it’s like your hoof is a part of yourself when you walk.”

“Exactly so, Trumpet.”

Mapper smiled as she finished her vanilla ice cream with a great amount of relish. “I think I should make another trip over to Canterlot.”

Luna’s ears perked up at that, and she giggled to herself imagining Mapper and Serenity in the castle just hanging out with her, Tavi and Tia. “Hmm…you'd be welcome at the castle of course, Mapper.”

Mapper nodded her thanks, intent as she was on getting every last piece of vanilla from her bowl. “Very sweet of you, I'll make sure to attend our next class reunion.”

“Class reunion?” Luna asked.

Mapper smiled as she replied, “I did graduate from Celestia’s school, as did Senior Pet.”

“Interesting, I’ll make sure the guards will let you straight in,” Luna smiled as Mapper murmured her thanks around her spoon, then a wonderful idea struck her, perfect for embarrassing her colt. “Now...I do believe my Pet was showing foal photos of Dusk to Airmail and Tempest. Would anypony else care for a look?”

As one, Thespian and Recital both shouted an echoing, “Yes!” Earth pony and unicorn both bouncing with motherly excitement.

Caffeinated chuckled at his wife’s enthusiasm. “Too bad Snowfall isn't here.”

As a response, Thespian stuck her tongue out at her hubby as Luna took hold of her wife’s photo album in her turquoise magical field and levitated the book of memories over to Thespian’s eager waiting hooves. “Have fun, Thespian.” Luna giggled behind her hoof as immediately the two mares had the photo album open, and even though they’d already seen it, Tempest and Airmail still joined in the many ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ and even the odd ‘that's so cute!’ that followed. What struck all of them however, was how much the young Prince looked for all the world like a filly. A fact that wasn’t helped when Luna added whistfully, “He was a cute little colt…”

Smiling to herself at a mother’s medling fully accomplished, Luna thought out loud, “It would be nice to see pictures of Wildfire's filly as she grows up.” A throwaway comment, nothing more, she didn’t really expect a response.

Looking up from the photo album however, Tempest replied, “It would be nice if we were able to see Wildfire's filly playing with Serenity's filly.”

Airmail nodded, “There will be lots of pictures too.”

The parent in the Princess had to agree she was quite looking forward to that. A lot. “Yes, that would be very nice to see.” Then, she couldn’t resist a little tease. “And of course, I want to see the pictures of Aunty Airmail here changing the foal’s nappies.”

At that, Mapper laughed out loud, “Ahh, the hoof of experience.”

Airmail stuck out her tongue at the laughing pink unicorn. “Maybe I'll just let them ride around on Auntie Tempest with no nappies at all.”

Luna, like Caffeinated and Thespian, joined Mapper in her laughing fit. “Dusk used to do that, trust me I perfected cleaning spells pretty quick.”

Tempest snickered, “We should just bath together. Far easier and less of a faff.”

Beside her nephew, Coffee Bean looked up from the photo album and glanced across at the orange stallion with a sly grin on her old muzzle. “Mimi lazima kupata baadhi ya wengine albamu farasi picha?”

Caffeinated merely closed his emerald green eyes and shook his head, full of a dread that his Aunt actually would carry it through and get his old photo album to show the others. Seeing the poor stallion’s reaction, Luna offered as sympathetic a look as she could manage, although the effect was ruined entirely by her snigger.

Having had enough of the cuteness that was the foal photos, Mapper stood up with a loud sigh. “I'm all for retiring to the Mare’s Room.”

Caffeinated nodded, indicating himself, Thespian, Trumpet and Recital. “The four of us will be up in our bedroom.”

“I must admit I'm eager to flop on a cloud.” Luna agreed with Mapper, stretching her long legs as she stood to her full height. “Requiem said earlier that Wildfire had refilled them.”

“I was going to bring that up.” Mapper said to the Princess and to Airmail and Tempest. “Did she use her safe word?”

Airmail gave her a puzzled look. “Why would she do that?”

Mapper shrugged, “I was hoping you didn't have to hold her hoof doing so.”

“We didn't need to.” Tempest spoke up in Wildfire’s defence. “She got there and back on her own. Well, almost. She landed about two hundred yards away in a neighbour's back yard.”

Luna joined in, “From what Requiem told me, it was a ninety per cent successful mission.”

Surprised, Mapper raised her eyebrow. “What…no crying out like a lost foal?”

Airmail shot her a straight deadpanned look. “No, Mapper, she didn’t.”

Mapper nodded with satisfaction, very pleased with her Pet’s performance. “She has come a long ways indeed since you made me break her, Mistress Luna.”

“She has indeed.” Luna agreed as the group made their way out into the U shaped hallway. “I'm amazed at such an amount of progress in such a short space of time. I will confess when I touched her mind I was rather concerned at the amount of trauma I found there.”

Tempest spoke up then, “Talking with her at our home, I get the impression that time is more of a break now, an interruption of her life plans.”

“Good,” Luna nodded to the violet weather captain, “And I'm impressed she was as good as you said she was on the weather team earlier Tempest.”

“Frost let her solo a cloud, said she took direction well.” Tempest commented, “She was a bit unsure, but she did well. We are going to go shopping tomorrow for some aids for her.”

“And socks!” Airmail put in, not wanting to omit the vitally important socks.

Luna just smiled and shook her head. “I think I'm going to stop being surprised at just what she can accomplish. I admit I thought any kind of controlled flight was beyond her at first,” at Airmail’s outraged look she quickly added, “I'm very happy to be proven wrong, Airmail.” She giggled, “Besides, one can never have too many socks.”

On the stairs leading up to the top floor of the ranch, Thespian nudged her husband in the barrel. “See Caffy, I told you we need more socks!”

“When you think you have enough, Thespian, buy some more!” Luna called after the ascending group.

Conspicuously, like a filly asking out her first date, Mapper sidled over to the alicorn. “Will you be joining us this night, Luna?” She asked hopefully.

Luna nodded with a smile and a nuzzle to the pink unicorn’s neck. “I'll join you in the Mare's Room for a while, then I think I shall sample a bedroom, Caffy has cloud mattresses.”

Coffee Bean snickered at the top of the stairs, “He has grown soft,” the old Priestess smiled nonetheless, “Not that I will fail to enjoy the softness.”

Lowering her head to nuzzle the old zebra, Luna smiled, “You're more than welcome to join me, Coffee Bean.”

Coffee Bean merely bowed in deference to her Goddess. “I'm honoured, Mungu wa Usiku.”

From the first floor, Caffeinated called down, “So you know, we will be in the first bedroom on the right as you come up the stairs.”

Nodding to Caffeinated, Mapper led the way down the wide flight of stairs to the basement level of the ranch, the other four mares following closely behind her. Pausing at the Wet Room, the pink unicorn listened for but a moment with her ear pressed up against the door. “The shower is running so they should soon be joining us.” With that she entered the Mare’s Room and dutifully inspected the pillows and futons that her Pet had filled. Deeming the job well done, Mapper chose a futon and settled down upon it, folding her legs in under her body.

In stark contrast, Luna immediately – and most unprincessly – flopped herself down onto the nearest two pillows, stretching out her legs and wings with a deep happy sigh of relief. Airmail and Tempest settled themselves either side of Mapper, while Coffee Bean chose the futon nearest to the midnight blue Princess. Giving the white zebra mare a smile, Luna draped her left wing over her. Feeling the luxuriousness of the wing over her back, Coffee Bean closed the hoof-width gap between them and Luna once more nuzzled the old Priestess. Laid next to her, Coffee Bean was hesitantly enjoying herself.

The door to the Mare’s Room opened then and the three Pets, led by Serenity, entered the room and when the teal unicorn lowered herself in front of her Mistress, she had Wildfire to her left and Octavia to her right copy her in the low bow she offered. “Mistress,” Serenity’s melodic voice said, “We have completed the task.”

Looking down imperiously upon her three Pets, Mapper couldn’t help but feel justifiably proud at what they had done. “Shall I inspect?”

Unmoving from her bow, Serenity replied, “As the Mistress desires.”

After a short pause, in which she closely scrutinised each of them in turn, Mapper ordered simply, “Senior Pet, Report.”

Serenity spoke up first, “Mistress. Junior Pet questioned Middle Pet and Middle Pet upset Junior Pet. Also, Middle Pet is no longer proud of her scars.”

Communicating with her wife with more than just mere words, Serenity silently filled her Mistress in on every little thing that had transpired in the Stallion’s Room. Satisfied and happy beyond measure, Mapper asked, “Do you think Middle Pet should have a reward?”

Her nose still touching the hardwood floor, Serenity replied, “If it pleases the Mistress.”

“Suggestion?”

Serenity smiled, “Give me to the Middle Pet, Mistress.”

From her futon, Mapper nodded, “I will take it under consideration.” The pink unicorn then turned her attention to Serenity’s left and to the diminutive yellow mare awaiting her orders. “Middle Pet, Report.”

Without raising her head, Wildfire answered her Mistress as best she could. “I scrubbed clean what Senior Pet asked me to clean Mistress. Junior Pet asked me about the home, and if it was that bad. I asked Senior Pet to help me show her. I apologise for upsetting her, Mistress.”

“Hmm…” Mapper looked down at the blind pony. While that report wasn’t necessarily what she wanted, she at least deserved points for effort. “Is it true you no longer take pride in your scars?”

“Yes Mistress, it is true.”

Finally, and with the ghost of a faint smile adorning her pink muzzle, Mapper turned to Octavia who, while not as low as the other two, was still bowed before her. “Junior Pet, report.”

“The laundry was done Mistress.” Octavia replied straight away, her muzzle as low to the floor as she could manage. “I did question Middle Pet about her experiences…” Noticeably, the dark grey mare’s voice trembled and cracked at what she’d witnessed. “I-I…I had no idea it was that brutal, Mistress.”

Feeling a not too small degree of sympathy for the older pony – no doubt she had felt the same as she had done when she had inspected Wildfire’s wings before the parade – Mapper extended her hoof to Octavia’s shoulder. “I have no idea how brutal it was, Junior Pet.”

“I have been shown the evidence Mistress.” Octavia replied sadly, “Her time there must have been awful.”

“Yes,” Mapper nodded sympathetically, “But now she is in a home of love.” Turning her attention back to her bowing pegasus, the pink unicorn asked, “Middle Pet are you happy here?”

Straightaway Wildfire answered, “I can't remember a time when I was happier, Mistress.”

Through her unique link with Serenity, Mapper got four words that made her very happy indeed. ‘She speaks the truth.’ Although, just by looking at the yellow pony you could see she was happy. This one wore her heart on her foreleg, indeed. Inwardly Mapper smiled. While it did make her easy to read, it also meant she wasn’t keeping anything back. “Anything else Junior Pet?”

Octavia shook her head. “No, Mistress.”

“Roll onto your back, Junior Pet.”

“Yes Mistress.” Hastening to do as she was instructed, Octavia rolled over onto her back, the weight of her legs causing them to splay open so that but for the panties wedged in her marehood since the open mic at the coffee shop she was fully displayed.

Looking on, Mapper smiled her approval as her eyes met Luna’s. “Middle Pet, you may use your mouth only to adjust Junior Pet's article of clothing for a smoother appearance.”

“Yes Mistress!” Immediately, Wildfire used her wingtip to feel her way to her right, moving confidently past Serenity and touching Octavia’s right hind leg. With her hoof and her nose now she felt her way around Octavia to get her head firmly between the dark grey pony’s legs, pushing in with her muzzle until she had the panties in her teeth. Getting a firm grip the diminutive yellow mare pulled them out of her and licked them smooth, causing the cellist to shudder happily.

“Well done Middle Pet.” Mapper clapped her forehooves together loudly as she announced, “Free Time for Senior and Middle Pets. Mistress Luna, I commend Junior Pet to your care.”

Luna nodded to Mapper then to her wife. “Pet, come here.” She lifted her right wing and as Serenity moved up against Mapper and Airmail Tempest moved to lay either side of Wildfire, Octavia righted herself and scurried under Luna’s outstretched wing. “Mistress...” Octavia nuzzled the alicorn’s shoulder as she gave voice to her concerns, “Luna, my love, the care home staff. Please tell me you punished them.”

Settling her wings over the zebra to her left and the earth pony to her right, Luna nodded grimly. “They were punished as severely as I was able Tavi. Do you understand me?”

Octavia looked up at her wife and her pink eyes went wide as saucers as the realisation dawned upon her just what that meant. Luna had never, ever hidden from her the darker more sinister nature of her royal duties. Something that until now she had kept a firm hoofs breadth away from. Now of course, after the events of the day before, those lines had become very blurred. Very blurred indeed. “I understand you, Mistress.”

As Serenity nestled in deep next to her partner, Mapper nuzzled her affectionately. “Did you enjoy your night, Pet?”

“Hmhmm…” Serenity purred, “It was a lot of fun, but no offense Mistress, Luna's horn was very tasty.”

“And you Wildfire,” Mapper asked as Airmail hugged her left flank and Tempest hugged her right. “Did you enjoy your evening?”

“Yuppers Mistress!” Wildfire smiled, “It was a great evening!”

“What did you like most?” Mapper asked curiously.

Wildfire didn’t have to think about it very hard. She knew what she had loved the most about tonight, no, the whole day in general. “Flying back here, I really enjoyed that, Mistress.”

Mapper nodded as she cuddled into Serenity. “You did very well Wily, in fact your responsibility from now on is to fill the Mare's Room pillows when we stay here.”

“Awesomes!” Wildfire almost bounced between the two older mares, “I can totally do that, um...Mistress.”

Turning to the violet pegasus, Mapper snickered, “Tempest you may mother hen of course.”

In response, Tempest just smiled sweetly while they both shared a wink and a knowing look full of meaning as Wildfire spoke up, “Pardon Mistress, but all Honey has to do is point me in the right direction.”

Tempest bent her head and nuzzled the little yellow mare, “I'll always point you in the right direction, Wily.”

Cuddling under Luna’s right wing, Octavia nosed the alicorn’s shoulder to get her attention.

Feeling the gentle nudge, Luna looked down upon the dark grey earth pony with a smile, “What is it, love?”

In not quite a whisper, not quite her normal volume, Octavia said, “Mistress I saw the damage that was done to Wildfire's wings.” The ageing earth pony shuddered involuntarily as she recalled with unnerving clarity the horrendous damage she had witnessed in the Wet Room. “They must hurt her so much to fly. Isn't there something, anything you can do about it?”

“Hmm…” Luna thought about it. While she was by no means an expert on healing spells she was, as a Dom, sufficiently well versed in emergency spells in case a play should go wrong. “There might well be.” Looking across at the yellow mare nestled in between Airmail and Tempest, she said, “Wildfire can I ask you a favour?”

“You are on Free Time, Wildfire.” Mapper reminded her as Airmail watched Luna closely, highly suspicious of what she was about to do.

“Sure,” Wildfire said as she turned her head towards Luna’s voice. “What do you need, Princess?”

As gently as she possibly could, making sure it was understood what she said next was a request and not an order, Luna asked, “Wildfire, could you stand for me and spread your wings, please?”

In order to allow her the movement, Airmail and Tempest lowered themselves to their bellies on their pillows either side of the little yellow mare as Wildfire nodded. “Alrighty, Princess.” Standing carefully to her full height – which admittedly wasn’t much – she spread her wings as wide as she could.

“Thank you Wildfire.” Luna inclined her head in thanks, “Now with your permission I'll use a spell to move your feathers. It won't hurt, I promise.”

Mapper spoke up, “I have every confidence that my Pet can withstand some pain.”

Squaring her tiny shoulders, Wildfire braced herself. “Alright,” she said, somewhat emotionlessly.

With the diminutive pegasus’s permission, Luna lit her horn and taking the yellow feathers in her turquoise magical aura she carefully moved the downy feathers on the leading edges of her wings aside against the grain, displaying the extensive damage for all to clearly see. With tears in her eyes, Octavia winced and looked away, while Airmail and Tempest remained stoic at the view from underneath their new herd-mate.

Muttering aloud to herself, Luna surveyed the damage. “Hmm…lots of scarring, some old, some newer, more recent.” To her trained eye, well versed as she was in administering pain, Luna at once identified the marks of the bullwhip, the crop, the blunt force of a hoof… “Hmm…the scarring is easily fixed, superficial damage....” next she moved on to the breaks, of which there were many. As she could tell, most of which were administered by a large stallion’s hoof. Some however were the result of a well-aimed whip. The darkness in the Princess was almost impressed. “Ulna and Radius on both wings broken twice, Humerus on the left broken once and the Metacarpals on the right broken once.” Luna had a tear in her eye as she dismissed the spell. “Thank you, Wildfire. You may sit.”

Pulling her wings back in to a resting position, Wildfire lowered herself to sit back down between Airmail and Tempest, her head well down. Straight away the two older pegasi draped their wings comfortingly over Wildfire’s back and Airmail nuzzled her affectionately. “I love you.” She whispered in her ear.

Wildfire had a tremulous smile on her muzzle, “I…I love you too, Pretty.”

“I just need one more thing Wildfire,” Luna said gently but firmly, bringing everypony’s attention to her. “Honest answers to the questions I’m going to ask.”

Watching the exchange with great interest, Mapper was almost insulted and offended that it was being suggested her herd-mate would be untruthful. Indeed, she was about to vociferously object when Serenity put her teal hoof on her wife’s foreleg and shook her head. Controlling herself, Mapper asked calmly instead, “Mistress Luna do you think my pet would lie?”

Concentrating on the yellow pony, Luna didn’t look at the pink unicorn when she replied, “No Mistress Mapper, I don't.” Scrutinising Wildfire some more, Luna assessed just what she could and could not do. “Now, Wildfire, were any of these breaks fixed properly, allowed to heal correctly?”

Wildfire shook her head sadly, “No, Princess. They left my wings to heal on their own.”

Again, the Nightmare within her howled for vengeance, and Luna had to really force herself to quieten it down. She needed cold hard precision here, and would tap into that part of herself as and when was necessary. “I see. And, does it hurt when you fly?”

Wildfire cocked her head in thought as she considered her reply. “Well, I'm alright for about forty five minutes or so, then they start to hurt real bad, Princess.”

“I see,” Luna said quietly, “Well given the extensive damage to your wing bones I am amazed you can stay in the air for even that long. Tempest, how long was Wildfire working the weather earlier?”

Now it was Tempest’s turn to consider her answer. She hadn’t given it much thought earlier when they were working. “A twenty minute flight from our house to the meet up point, and a hour after that pushing clouds. Then she did three thirty minute shifts of cloud bouncing with thirty minute breaks. After that it was roughly another forty minutes or so till we got to the coffee shop.”

“Incredible,” Luna was stunned. “Absolutely incredible. You must have been in some, please excuse me, awesome amount of pain, Wildfire.”

Wildfire just shrugged her shoulders. “Yuppers, it hurt a bit, sure. But pain is just pain, y’know? Nothing to it, but to do it.”

Luna couldn’t help but laugh. “Wildfire, I think you and I have a very different opinion on what 'hurts a bit' means. I wouldn't attempt to fly with wings like these, let alone attempt and pull off the moves you can do.”

Airmail shot Tempest a glare over Wildfire’s back. “Didn't you notice?”

Tempest shivered. She hadn’t been looked at like that in a good long while. “I was working the Battalion and when I checked in with Wily she seemed fine. She said she was fine!” The violet mare protested her innocence.

“They really didn't hurt all that much, Pretty.” Wildfire spoke up, “I’m used to it by now.”

“Now,” Luna said loudly, before the situation could get out of hoof, “The scarring I can heal right here right now, you won't feel a thing, other than a pleasant tingling sensation over your wings...”

“Call me cynical but I hear a pretty big 'but' coming,” Wildfire said as she interrupted the Princess, “And I’m sure I won't like it.”

Mapper couldn’t suppress her giggle, “Weren't you paying attention Middle Pet? Mistress Luna said it was her sister with the pretty big butt.” At that Wildfire sniggered and even Serenity started laughing.

“Very well.” Luna nodded, finding very little humour in what she was about to say. Indeed she was prepared for the reaction from a certain azure blue pegasus who was still glaring suspiciously at her. “Here's the 'but'. I can mend the breaks in your wing bones. BUT…they have been so poorly and improperly fixed before now that to mend them properly...I'll...I…I'm afraid I'll have to re-break them first, in order to set them.”

Hearing that, Serenity smiled a really eerily wide psychotic smile. “Wildfire,” she asked, the ear-to-ear smile still firmly in place, “Do you want to be awake when Mistress Luna breaks your wings?”

In utter shock, Wildfire didn’t hear what Serenity had said, so focused was she on Luna’s statement. “Y-You…you want…t-to do what!?” She exclaimed, momentarily forgetting she was addressing royalty, “You w-want t-to break my w-wings!?”

Throughout this, Airmail and Tempest had remained strangely quiet, now however the violet mare nuzzled Wildfire’s cheek tenderly. “They healed wrong, love. The only way to properly fix them is to set them correctly. To do that they must be broken again.”

“B-But…but…” Wildfire spluttered, starting to get panicked, “Y-You said…you wouldn't hurt them!” Breathing deeply the little mare began to hyperventilate from fear.

Serenity’s too-wide smile never slipped once. “Do you want to be awake?”

“What!? Do I…do I what!?” She breathed heavily, “It'll bucking hurt!”

Serenity’s psychotic smile turned all hopeful. “I didn't ask that.”

Wildfire shrugged, “I was awake the first time they were broken wasn't I?” She asked, her defeated shoulders slumping, “How is this different?”

“Please answer Senior Pet's question.” Mapper interjected, “Do you want to be awake to see what Mistress Luna does?”

“Yeah,” Wildfire replied determinedly, “Yeah I do. I can't see what she's doing with my wings, so I'll feel it instead.

Unable to contain herself at the prospect of experiencing such sweet pain, Serenity jumped to her hooves. “Do you want to feel the pain?”

Wildfire grimaced, “Not particularly, no I don’t.”

“Let me feel it for you!” Serenity started to dance on her four hooves, so excited was she at the thought of what she might be allowed to do here. “Please! Please!”

“Serenity,” Luna asked, interrupting Wildfire before she could fire off an objection, “Are you completely sure about this?” She asked as Airmail and Tempest both nuzzled the yellow mare and scooted backwards to give them room.

Now Serenity had given up the happy dance and was bouncing on her pillow with excitement. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

“Let her have her fun,” Mapper shrugged, “She is on Free Time.”

“Fun!?” Luna was in complete disbelief. She might have spent a thousand years away, but in the thirty that she had been back she was fairly certain now she had a working understanding of the word ‘fun’. This wasn’t it. “Mapper, there are ten separate major breaks in the wing bones, plus multiple minor breaks as a result of hooves. I assure you, Serenity, this will be excruciatingly painful.”

“Please! Please!” As she begged, Serenity wet herself with anticipation. “Please! Please!”

Luna blinked once then twice. In the BDSM circles in Canterlot, she had of course met mares who were addicted to pain. Such a thing was in of itself not uncommon. Indeed, as a cause of most of it, Luna understood sometimes it was desirable. Indeed, her own beating at the hooves of Caffeinated proved that, but she’d never encountered a mare quite like Serenity. Nor, she was sure, would she ever again. “Last time, this will likely be the worst pain you have felt in your life. Are you sure? Once I start I will not stop until it is finished.”

Completely understanding Luna’s reluctance, Mapper slid off of her futon and put her hoof up on Luna’s shoulder. “If you want to punish her then just say no.”

At the sound of that, Serenity immediately stopped her bouncing, becoming altogether more subdued for an eternal few minutes until Luna gave her a long hard look and nodded her agreement to the plan. Utterly thrilled at finally being able to indulge in her true kink, Serenity moved in front of Wildfire as Tempest and Airmail slid pillows underneath them both. “Wildfire, are you comfortable?”

Nestling on the pillows that her herd-mates had thoughtfully slid under her, Wildfire felt movement in front of her that she guessed was Serenity. “Yuppers, I'm comfy.” She replied, sounding far more confident than she felt. The next thing Wildfire felt was a forehead resting on her own as the teal unicorn laid down on the pillows in front of her. She felt the unicorn’s spiralled horn resting upon her head between her ears, she felt a pulsing tingle that signified a spell being cast, and suddenly, miraculously, every single iota of pain Wildfire had vanished from her body. She was about to comment on this when she noticed it was only the pain that had gone, she could still feel the pillows under her and Serenity touching her.

Casting her spell, Serenity shivered happily. “It is like a light tickle, you have a very high pain tolerance, Wildfire.”

Wildfire shrugged, “Yeah, I know. I've learned to deal with it.”

Cautiously, thinking ahead, Mapper moved forward and to the side to sit between the two mares and placed a hoof over her wife's horn so that it wouldn't lose contact with Wildfire. Just in case.

Standing from the futons she was resting on, Luna walked over to stand behind Wildfire. “Spread your wings please.”

Looking up at the lunar alicorn, Mapper said, with a great deal of pride in her voice, “As you may have guessed, my Pet scores very high in empathy.”

As Wildfire nervously spread her wings wide open on the floor, Serenity gasped, the empathic link between her and the little yellow mare now fully established. “Oh…oooh yeeeesssss,” she hissed, “It is like I have wings.” Indeed it was as if she was no longer a unicorn but a pegasus pony. She could feel Wildfire’s wings as if they were her very own. “Oh it is sooooo good!” The spikes of pain running through her new limbs were sending corresponding spikes of pleasure through her body.

Luna frowned a little as she prepared her spell. “Serenity, can you feel Wildfire's wings as if they were your own?”

“Y-Yes…yes,” she moaned, “I feel the points of pain.” Her melodic voice was shaking with the sheer pleasure of the pain she felt. “I can feel the musculature, I can feel the bones, I can feel the feathers resting on the pillows.”

“You can feel the poorly mended bones and scars?” Luna asked.

Serenity gave the slightest almost imperceptible nod, not wanting to break this most exquisite connection. “I can feel the bones and the pinched nerves and the twisted muscle. Not the scars on her wings though, that pain is too light. I can feel the scars over her eyes though.”

Laying there in the Mare’s Room, Wildfire was truly, utterly amazed. “You…you can feel my sockets, where my eyes were?” It was only then that Wildfire noticed that the pain in her face was gone too. A pain that had become such a part of her that at first she hadn’t noticed its absence.

“Yes,” Serenity was by now so aroused it was an effort to speak. She felt the scars, she felt the melted flesh and the pitted empty sockets that once had held the prettiest chestnut brown eyes. The teal unicorn felt all this as if it was she herself that’d had the hydrochloric and sulphuric acids thrown in her face. “I know the pain of the kisses.”

“Damn...you know what I live with everyday then.”

“I love you Wildfire,” Serenity whispered, using her empathic magic she continued to draw on the past pain so that it faded from the diminutive pegasus and transferred it to herself. “Give me all of your pain.”

“Ahem…” Luna cleared her throat, “If we are all sufficiently…prepared...I need to concentrate fully on this task. Anypony else who might make a noise, I ask you to please leave.”

“Pet,” Mapper breathed in Serenity’s ear, “You may not make a sound above a whisper unless Mistress Luna asks you a question. You may however orgasm freely.”

Serenity merely whispered in reply, her voice full of arousal and adoration. “Yes Mistress.”

“I'm staying,” Airmail stated defiantly, making it very clear from her tone that she was going absolutely nowhere at all. “I've seen worse.”

Huddling next to her marefriend, Tempest’s voice while resolute, wasn’t as confident as Airmail. “I'll just snuggle Airmail and I'll try to be very quiet.”

Behind her on the futons that Luna had vacated, Coffee Bean said steadfastly, “Nami kuwa imara.”

“Tavi?” Luna asked over her shoulder without turning around.

With a wavering voice that was uncertain, Octavia replied, “I'm staying, Mistress.” Hearing the dark grey earth pony’s distress, Coffee Bean moved over the futons to lay next to her and tentatively draped her foreleg over her shoulders to see if she would allow the hug, a hug that Octavia gladly accepted.

Reliving the whole five years of past abuse that Wildfire had endured at the care home, Serenity had a blissful smile plastered all over her teal muzzle.

Wildfire was beyond amazed. “I-I…I don't hurt any more, anywhere...”

Mapper shot Wildfire a stern look, a look that made it to her voice as she ordered, “You too Middle Pet, quiet unless Mistress Luna asks you a question.”

Wildfire whispered, “Yes Mistress.”

“Very well then.” In position to see every part of Wildfire’s wings, Luna was finally ready to start the procedure. “Everypony, we begin in three…two…one…” on the count of one, Luna lit her horn and cast her spell – or spells, would’ve been more accurate, for there were several minor spells layered together to create the effects she needed - extending her powerful magic first through Wildfire's left wing. With her eyes closed she allowed herself to ‘see’ through her exploratory magic as it extended along the bones in the wing. In short order she came across and felt the first break in the Radius and, as gently as she could, broke it again.

Sure she would hear a scream, Luna was impressed to see Serenity just shiver and smile as the Princess held the bones together and magically sealed them seamlessly together before she moved on to the next break in the Radius.

Bracing herself to once more feel the agonising pain of her bones breaking, Wildfire instead felt nothing. She heard the awful snapping sound of the bone breaking and she felt the pressure, she just felt no pain at all. Completely unsure what to make of it all, Wildfire shuffled instinctively at the noise.

Her concentration wavering slightly at the movement of her ‘patient’, Luna commanded, “Hold still!”

On the other end of the empathic link, Serenity pushed her forehoof between her hind legs and began to circle her marehood as Luna reached and broke the second break in the Radius and, gaining confidence in her own ability, the two in the smaller bone of the Ulna before magically knitting them back together.

On the edge of her awareness, Luna noted Serenity was now rubbing herself very hard. Paying it little mind, she asked, “Were those three breaks tolerable Serenity?”

Maintaining her connection, Serenity panted, “They were delicious, Mistress Luna, but the pain fades.”

Moving her magical consciousness over to Wildfire’s right wing, Luna at once detected the breaks there. “I'm going to do the other Radius and Ulna together. Be prepared.” Despite her warning, the teal unicorn’s smile never wavered once and Mapper looked at the Princess as she took hold of the improperly healed breaks. Giving herself a silent countdown Luna broke all four fractures simultaneously.

With her hoof playing over her clitoris, Serenity bit her lip to give off a soft moan and the whole room could smell her arousal as Luna wove the broken pieces back together, sealing them as one bone each. “Nggh…” Luna winced in complete concentration and found the large Humerus bone had a large single break and many tiny hairline cracks radiating from it. Breaking apart all of them, she started to sweat with the effort.

Taking a deep intake of air, Serenity began hoofing herself with the stimulus from the intense pain as the lunar alicorn deftly slotted the many pieces back together inside Wildfire’s wing and magically sealed them. “Hmm…last one now…” she said more to herself than to anypony else.

As Luna re-entered Wildfire’s left wing, she noticed Serenity’s leg was up to her fetlock inside her dripping wet marehood. Encountering the fragile carpal joint, Luna extended her magical field over the honeycomb lattice that was the metacarpals, frowning somewhat as she found at least fifteen separate tiny breaks in these 'finger' bones.

Serenity began to come back down from her high, the tingles of these breaks almost tickling her as without warning Luna magically shattered the bones, causing the teal mare to once again bite her lip in order to hold back her scream of ecstasy while now the sweat was running freely down the midnight blue alicorn’s face as she tried – and failed in a few places – to keep the multiple pieces from rubbing against each other as she tried to mould the tiny breaks into their proper form.

Reaching her second orgasm from the pain alone, Serenity whispered, “Mistress?”

Pouring more power into the multi-layered spell, Luna was finally able to sculpt the myriad breaks back together into their proper shape, sealing them shut.

“Finished?” Mapper asked, awed at the display of power and skill.

Finally, Luna sent a wave of power over the skin of Wildfire's wings instantly healing the scar tissue she found there. “And...I'm...done...” weakened by the effort, Luna stumbled to her knees.

Concerned, Mapper bent over Serenity’s prone form. “Come home my Pet. Return to me my love.” She whispered in her wife’s ear as Serenity pulled her hoof out of herself with a dazed half lidded look on her face, as sweaty as Luna was. “Taste Wildfire's pain.” Mapper smiled at her. “Can you taste it?”

Still keeping up the connection, Serenity barely nodded, “Yes Mistress.”

“Show me.”

Seeing her wife stumble, Octavia rushed out from under Coffee Bean’s foreleg to Luna's side, tenderly nuzzling her Mistress as a soft hazel glow appeared over the acid scars that covered Wildfire's face and also over a spot on her left wing where the Princess had fused the bones and two spots on the finger bones she had just mended.

Seeing that the three spots on the wing were glowing a brighter hazel than her face, Mapper asked, “On the wings, what is the flavour?”

“Mistress,” Serenity replied, “There are nerves are caught in the bones and they are squeezed with pleasure.”

Shooting the exhausted Princess a look, Mapper asked, “Are you up to finishing?”

It had been years since Octavia had seen her wide this exhausted, since the incident with the Tantabus in Ponyville. Lovingly she put her hoof on her shoulder. “Luna...my love, are you alright?”

“Y-Yes, I'm...I will be,” Luna tried to stand and then stumbled back to her knees, “I’m…just light headed.”

Following Octavia’s lead, Coffee Bean slid from her futon and nuzzled her Goddess. “Kuchukua nguvu zangu.” She said gently.

“Is…is it done?” Wildfire asked, astounded as she experimentally flexed her wings. “My wings...they don't feel like my wings!”

“AaaAAAH!” Still connected by the empathic link, Serenity orgasmed for a third time.

Mapper cried sternly, “Lie still Pet!”

Whimpering, Wildfire whispered, “Yes Mistress.” With her wings fully outstretched she lay still on the pillows.

“Luna,” Mapper asked gently, “Can you continue?”

“I-I'm...finished...Mapper.” The Princess shook her head in order to clear it. “The bones are mended, and the scar tissue is gone.”

“Love, show us the tasty spots again.”

“Yes Mistress.” Once more Serenity’s hazel glow reappeared on the three spots on the left wing and Wildfire’s eyes.

“You've mended the bones,” Mapper explained, “But those are nerves pinched by the bones you mended, and I have no finesse at all to do such fine work.”

Luna sighed at the prospect of using her magic again so soon. “It was...harder than I imagined it would be.”

“All great undertakings usually are.” Mapper replied, “But based on Serenity’s last orgasm I don't think I want to let Wildfire have her pain back just yet.”

“There's nothing that I can do about your eyes I'm afraid, Wildfire.” Luna asserted gently, choosing her words carefully, “There's nothing left for me to repair.”

“Can you not free the nerves so they are no longer pinched in the wings?” Mapper asked the Princess.

In her wife’s and Coffee Bean’s embrace, Luna considered her reply, “Hmm…possibly, can Serenity tell me where they are, exactly?”

Leaning back into Serenity’s ear, Mapper said firmly, “Focus love. I want the spot of flavour. Start with the one at the edge of the wing.” As soon as the pink unicorn finished speaking the bright hazel glow shrunk to a pin point of hazel light.

Seeing the bright point of light on the wing, Luna once again closed her eyes and concentrated her magic as she entered the point of the wing. A simple exploration revealed the nerve bundle was fused with the bone. “Hmm…damn it’s fused…” Lighting her horn even brighter the lunar alicorn layered yet another spell onto those she had already cast and mentally entered the bone itself and proceeded to slowly, very slowly, separate each individual nerve fibre.

After twenty minutes, when she was finished, the pin point of light vanished and the next spot along the wing shrunk down to be followed by the last. Keeping up her concentration, Luna repeated her process on the remaining two areas, individually separating each and every nerve. Eventually, after forty minutes of solid effort, all that was left was a soft hazel glow around where Wildfire's eyes should be.

Seeing just the glow around the yellow mare’s face, Mapper stroked Serenity’s back and affectionately nipped her ear. “Return to me Pet and let Wildfire have her pain back.”

Serenity almost whined, “No more flavour, Mistress?”

Mapper shook her head, “No more.” Smiling sadly at the loss of the connection, Serenity gradually cancelled her empathic spell and slowly returned the dull everyday pain of the acid scars to Wildfire. Once, and only once, the hazel glow was completely and totally gone from Serenity’s horn did Mapper hold her wife and remove her horn from Wildfire’s head.

“Damn…” Wildfire winced as she felt the familiar dull ache of her scars seep back through her face, although probably as a result of the spell the pain was somewhat diminished. “Aaahn…” she gasped as she also felt a new ache through her newly repaired wings, almost like she had flown through some tree branches.

Mapper smiled as she cuddled her semi-conscious wife, “Pain lets us know we live, Pet.”

“I…I hope...nopony needs magic for a while,” Luna gasped, covered in sweat and trembling with the sheer effort of the amount of magic she had just performed. “I'm done…” still she found the energy to smile at Octavia's worried look.

Serenity came around for a moment, a heady smile on her face. “Thank you Wildfire, for sharing.”

Again, and for what felt like the millionth time that evening, Wildfire was amazed. “But…my wings...” she squeaked in disbelief as she folded and flared them a couple of times, even giving them a flap, “They…they feel brand new!”

“Tempest, Airmail,” Mapper smiled at the two very relieved looking pegasi, “I think your companion needs to test drive her wings.” Bending her head down, the pink unicorn tenderly kissed the teal mare’s cheek. “Was it good Serenity?”

Still fuggy from the experience, and her three orgasms, Serenity nodded. “It was wonderful Mistress.”

“The Best?”

Serenity shook her head and gave a very tiny smile. “No Mistress, I'm thankful it wasn't the best.”

Watching the three pegasi stand, Luna warned, “Don't push them too hard, the bones are fully repaired and operational, but the muscles may be weakened. Best to take it slow, Wildfire.”

Tempest nodded as she stretched her legs. “Let's do a short flight to the beach and back.”

“Don't push yourself.” Luna warned again, this time very serious. “I'm not doing that again.”

Turning to face the Princess’s voice, Wildfire bowed both out of respect and gratitude. “I promise I'll be careful.”

Airmail inclined her head to Luna, “We will be careful of our companion.”

As Airmail and Tempest left the Mare’s Room with Wildfire following closely behind them, Mapper turned to Luna with a new level of appreciation in her magenta eyes. “Your fine skill and precision was beautiful to watch, Luna.”

“Thank you Mapper.” Luna smiled back at her, “It certainly was a challenge, more to the point I'm very happy it worked, for there was no guarantee of success.”

“Pfft…” Mapper scoffed as Serenity fell asleep, “Coffee Bean believed in you. You couldn't possibly fail.”

Luna giggled, “That much is true.”

Octavia spoke up then, finding her voice finally. “It staggers me Mistress that she was able to fly at all with damage that severe.”

“Pain is in the mind,” Mapper merely shrugged in response, “And so you can control it.”

Luna nodded at that. “Serenity said Wildfire's tolerance was exceptional.”

“Yes,” Mapper agreed, “It takes a lot for her to taste the pain, however she could taste it right away.” The pink mare lovingly stroked her wife’s snoring body. “I'm going to let her sleep, but yes, she also absorbs the memory of pain like a sponge. It is the real pain that she loves the most to taste.”

Sadly Luna shook her head. “Extraordinary. How a group of ponies could so wilfully inflict so much suffering to another that that pony starts to view it as 'normal', it makes me feel sick imagining it.”

Cold fire flashed across the magenta eyes at that. “Abuse will gain my anger. Suffering is part of life. Pain is a drug that can be misused.”

Octavia raised her hoof then, “If my Mistress has done what I suspect she has, they will never hurt anypony again Mistress Mapper.”

Mapper gave a slight grin, “Airmail’s solution or were you merciful?”

“It was an execution, not a slaughter Mapper.” Luna replied grimly, “And their souls are forever bound in Tartarus.”

Mapper shrugged, “For the best. Airmail tends to give back suffering as it was given.”

“I know,” Luna nodded, “I have all her reports from her missions, still, it pleases me that I was able to put at least some of her abuse to rest.”

“I will not abuse my Pet, so rest well there.” Mapper said assuredly, then she let out quite a fillyish giggle. “Of course, some have their own idea of what abuse is.” She looked pointedly at Octavia, “Like having a blind pegasus carry their cello or singing bubblegum pop songs.”

Nodding, Octavia smiled, “You have me there Mistress.”

“So,” Mapper giggled, “My idea of abuse may not be another's idea of abuse.”

“Still, I have to admit that Wildfire did do an admirable job.” Octavia grudgingly agreed.

“I trust Tempest.” Mapper said simply. “She believes in Wildfire, so I to believe in Wildfire.”

Luna smiled as she cuddled into her wife’s left flank. “She is an exceptional pegasus and you're a lucky Mistress to have her as a Pet.”

“She will be a very useful and valuable member of our herd.” Mapper replied with a wink directed at Octavia, “I could use a strong earth pony though.”

Grinning, Octavia returned the wink. “I'm happy to be your Junior Pet, as my Mistress allows.”

“I don't think I can love you as your Mistress loves you so I'll be happy when you visit.”

“Oh…” Luna thought aloud, “I think we'll visit quite regularly from now on, don't you Tavi?”

Happily, Octavia nuzzled Luna’s shoulder, “Yes my love, I rather think we will.”

“Coffee Bean,” Luna said, “How are you doing?”

Completely awed by what she had witnessed, Coffee Bean took a moment to reply. “I have seen the power of the Goddess this night.”

Absolutely contented, Luna laid her right wing over Octavia while holding up the other. “Coffee Bean I'd very much like a snuggle from you, please.” As the old white zebra moved to Luna’s other side she pressed in deep against her midnight blue fur and the Princess laid her wing over her as she had with her wife. “Tavi,” she asked, “Where would you like to sleep tonight?”

Quick as a flash Octavia answered, “With the Pets Mistress, if you please.” She didn’t know if it was a motherly thing or not, but nothing in the whole land was going to keep her from snuggling with Wildfire tonight.

Mapper raised her eyebrow with interest, “Will you be sleeping elsewhere Luna?”

A moment’s thought later and Luna had her answer. “I'm going to use a bedroom this time I think.”

“Are you going to join the other four?” Mapper asked, thinking of Caffeinated, Thespian, Trumpet and Recital already upstairs.

Luna shook her head, “No, not this time, I fancy stretching out.”

Mapper nodded, “Care for any company?”

“Oh,” Luna grinned, thinking how exquisite bedding Mapper would be, “I can always use company.”

“The Pets don't need supervision.” Mapper thought aloud, with a definite nod of her head to Octavia, “Gives them a chance to be naughty. How much company would you like, Luna?”

Glancing to her left and to the simply irresistible white zebra, Luna grinned, “Two mares should be sufficient company for tonight, I think.”

Following Luna’s gaze, Mapper smiled as an idea took hold in her head. “May I be so bold to suggest a fine Earth Pony?” She asked, earning herself a delightful little squeak from the old Preistess.

“You may.” Luna smiled back, playing along with the pink unicorn. “Know you of such a fine pony?”

Mapper rubbed her chin, deep in thought. For a split second she was tempted to say ‘Pinkie Pie’, but one look at how comfortable and relaxed Octavia was put her off of that. “Mayhap the stripy one next to you?”

“Aah!” Luna nodded, “I quite agree with your choice, Mapper.”

Nestled into Luna’s left flank, Coffee Bean could scarsely believe her old ears. “Nami kuthibitisha thamani yangu Mungu wa Usiku.” She uttered reverently.

“I'm sure you will prove your worth just fine, Coffee.” Mapper assured the white zebra, “So, if you still have room for another do you want a tickly feather or somepony horning in on your operation?”

Luna thought about it but ultimately shook her head. “No I think you two should be sufficient to keep me company.” Glancing down to her right she winked at her wife, “Tavi, you staying for one Pet in particular?”

Octavia blushed at having been found out. “Well…I do want to cuddle Wildfire forever, Mistress.”

“She has been trying to be a good pony.” Mapper smiled. “Maybe you can teach her that being a bad pony now and again can be just as much fun.” Continuing to stroke Serenity’s mane as she slept, Mapper asked, “You will watch over this one too?” When the dark grey earth pony nodded that she would, Mapper said, “One more favour Junior Pet. When this one wakes let both Pets know all the negatives to bearing a foal. It won't stop them but it might sober them up a bit.”

Octavia nodded, “Certainly Mistress, though as you say it will not stop them, either of them, from what I gather.”

“I don't want to stop them.” Mapper explained, “I just want them grounded. They are bringing our little herd back together.”

“Then I shall ground them, Mistress.”

Luna leant and conspicuously kissed a patch of Octavia’s light grey fur. “Before we go, who's my pretty young mare?”

Feeling in a thoroughly good mood, Octavia replied, “I am Mistress.”

“Yeye ni lakini mtoto,” Coffee Bean commented, earning herself a snorted laugh from Mapper.

‘I certainly hope they are going easy, no bridge flights…’ Luna thought, and indeed she was about to vocalise this thought, when she was interrupted by loud excited chatter from outside the Mare’s Room. Notably from one mare that was louder and more exuberant than the others.

“Wohoo!” Wildfire whooped with glee as she burst back into the room, “That was like, totally amazing!”

With the plain wooden door still open, Tempest entered ahead of Airmail, the azure blue mare distinctly out of breath. “We went to South Point,” Tempest explained, looking at Wildfire proudly.

“I take it somepony enjoyed themselves?” Luna asked, trying desperately to hold in her giggle as Wildfire was busy with a four hooved happy dance of utter joy.

“We got her up to sixty miles per hour after some stretching and…”

“These aren't my wings!” Wildfire interrupted Tempest, unable to contain herself any longer. “It's like, the best Hearths Warming gift ever!”

Standing from her futon, Mapper went and hugged the still dancing pegasus tightly, so very proud of how brave she had been this night. “You may thank Junior Pet for asking her Mistress to do so. I will also leave Senior Pet in your care. We adults are using the back left bedroom. It the Pets are too much for you then you two can use one of the front bedrooms.” Breaking the hug to kiss the sleeping Serenity, Mapper trotted over to the door.

Wildfire practically spear tackled Octavia as Luna wisely dodged out of the way with Coffee Bean. “Thank you! Thank you Octavia, thank you!” Hugging her tight, the little yellow mare pulled away a little, “But, thank you doesn't seem enough for this, for what you’ve done.”

“Seeing you happy is thanks enough,” Octavia smiled, “But I'll have a cuddle as well.”

Airmail glanced over at Tempest, “Want to have some private time or d’you want to foalsit?”

Tempest thought about it. For two seconds. “Private time. Let the Pets play freely.” She and Airmail both shared a kiss and nuzzle, then Tempest grinned, “Have fun, Wily.” With that they went over to join Luna and Coffee Bean at the door to the Mare’s Room, Mapper having already departed.

“Yuppers!” Wildfire didn’t care, she was too busy hugging Octavia like there was no tomorrow. “You have fun too!”