Luna landed silently outside the castle two days later, about an hour after sunset. She'd done her duty on the wing, something that had actually been a lot more difficult than she'd anticipated. It nearly left her crashing into the ground in fact. She survived the ordeal however and was now certain that she would be avoiding such an undertaking while flying for a long while. Perhaps one day she'd grow into her powers enough to do it in her sleep, but the raising of the sun and moon often left the two alicorns exhausted if they were not together to boost each other's casting.

"Something to remember in the future, I suppose."

She passed the knights watching the gate, nodding as they saluted but motioning them to be silent.

"There is no need to wake everyone up. I will be heading to bed shortly."

A maid helped her to prepare a bath, the alicorn warming the water herself to save time. She'd worried about waking her flock, but they were apparently in a deep enough sleep that even her radiating emotions weren't enough to wake them. She knew they should be able to sense here excitement if nothing else.

'I have to wonder if Max was correct. I do feel like I would give my crown for another chance to experience the embrace of Maximus and Crystal. Oh dear, I would hate to learn that it actually is addicting. Or would it be so bad...'

She bathed quickly, using her magic to wash her body before jumping out of the tub and drying herself as quickly as possible. A spark of static leaped from her hoof to a the servingmare, causing the poor pony to jump in surprise before she realized what had occurred. Luna's giggles increased tenfold when she merely giggled in embarrassment and muttered about the changelings being a bad influence on her. It was true in a way. She was more active, more emotional. What irony it was that creatures that fed on emotion would encourage her to embrace her own. Not just her either, no. Max was set on pulling her sister out of her self-imposed isolation as well.

Luna quietly crept into her room, slowing in surprise when she noticed there didn't seem to be anyone present. Were the changelings still up somewhere? She glanced around the room quickly, even looking under the bed and on the ceiling. Nothing, no sign of either Crystal or Max. Surely they were at least preparing for bed, were they not?

The alicorn left the room, trotting down the hallways in search of her missing companions. She needed them, needed to see them again. To smell them, to feel them, to hold them. Preferably feel them as they brought her repeatedly to orgasm and smell them as her room was filled with the scent of their lovemaking, she giggled as her cheeks turned purple.

Luna searched the dining rooms, the sitting rooms, even a storage room that was being converted into a makeshift library. It seemed the knights had finally been coerced to write down their secrets. Now they just needed a way to keep track of the information.

"Hello, Princess Luna," Flick said, not looking up from the scrolls she was studying.

"Flick? What is it you are working on? And is it so important that you must do so this late?" the alicorn asked in surprise.

The changeling mare hummed, making a note on a large scroll before unceremoniously tossing the smaller one into a pile.

"I'm going through what the knights and servingponies have given us. A few have even asked for somebuggy to write down their own tonics and curative tricks, as they can't read or write themselves. The issue that has arisen is that some of this information is repeated. If everyone knows the same cold rememedy, we're going to end up with seventeen scrolls with the same information on them clogging our library. When that same issue is repeated for forty different bits of information..."

"I understand. Do be certain to avoid throwing away scrolls that have only one or two copied recipes or ideas. There could be new information somewhere else on the scroll." Luna warned.

"That's what that pile is for," Flick said, pointing to a smaller pile of scrolls. "I haven't double checked all of the information on them, but one or two of them are questionable. I had no idea ponies had so many cures for hiccups and colds. I had to go back through the scrolls when I realized that just because it is a cure or treatment for the same thing, that doesn't mean it is the same treatment."

Luna nodded in understanding.

"Yes, ponies tend to use whatever is nearby. That means that with as spread out as we are, we learned many different cures for the same things."

"Unlike changelings, who as far as I know have all lived in the same location," Flick said, shaking her head. "It's kind of strange having ponies directly interact with me. Not bad, but...it's different."

"And you are well cared for?" Luna asked.

Lifting a solid hoof into view, the shape shifter nodded.

"I don't think I can remember a time when I didn't have holes. In fact I thought it was a normal part of us. It's also strange to not have a queen or stronger changeling demanding the emotion I've gathered. I heard Maximus and Crystal both are showing holes at the moment, but they didn't even call for me, much less demand that I hoof over any extra emotion I've gathered. It almost feels like I'm, I don't know, like I'm hoarding it. Like I could get in trouble for doing this."

"They are showing holes? I best see to their feeding, in that case," the dark alicorn said with a broad smile.

Flick was giggling as she left, likely sensing the lust and love rolling off of the alicorn. If Maximus could track her from the other side of the castle than certainly the infiltrator would be capable of smelling it from two paces away.

The changelings were in none of the places she'd thought of checking, so Luna decided to try asking Celestia. It was a long shot, but if they went anywhere Max was intelligent enough to warn someone of his absence. Wandering down the otherwise quiet halls and finding the solar alicorn's room Luna quietly opened the door, peering inside.

"Tia?" she whispered. If the mare was asleep, she would find someone else to help her find...

Luna brought a hoof to her mouth, stifling a giggle at the sight. Celestia was in a deep sleep, currently using a wing to hold Max firmly to her side. Crystal was present as well, but she was pressing into the stallion's other side, apparently not finding the white mare's warmth worth physical contact with the larger female.

The fact that Celestia had allowed them into her room at all was remarkable considering her cold initial response to Maximus's presence. Perhaps she was finally warming up to them. Perhaps in the future she would be able to get Tia to relax around them enough to join them.

For now she would abide by Max's request. No pushing the older alicorn beyond what she was comfortable with. While Luna was certain a few mind-shattering orgasms would leave the white alicorn feeling much better about herself and life in general, she would have to be patient.

"She may find someone else, you know," a voice said, calling her from her thoughts.

Luna blinked, looking up and finding two sets of eyes currently fixated on her. Crystal and Max were both awake, the youngest member of her flock moving away from Max in invitation. Not wishing to be rude, Luna flapped her expansive wings a few times, gently settling on the bed between the changelings and giving both a kiss. She paused afterwards, looking to Crystal with a bit of confusion. The proto queen had always been very docile in her presence, but that kiss was a bit more passionate than what she usually received.

"We'll explain it tomorrow. Something happened to us while you were away," Max soothed, likely sensing her confusion. She nodded in reply. If Maximus didn't think it was important enough to tell her at the moment it wasn't something that put either of them in danger. She used a wing to pull Crystal to her side, earning a happy purr from the mare but wasn't quite sure what to do about the stallion. He was, after all, currently being claimed by Celestia's wing.

Max rolled his eyes, giving her what she assumed was a wingless shrug before settling in for the night.

"I shall make certain you are both properly cared for in the morning," Luna whispered to him instead, earning her a hungry grin and a giggle from Crystal. She would also tell them of her discovery in the morning, as well as her wish to begin relations with the other keeps and towns. From what the stallion had said before, it would both allow them to grow and allow them to use any surplus resources. Tia would likely be unhappy with the idea, but it would need to be done eventually.

It was early the next morning when Max was pulled from his dream by the loss of his warm blanket. Looking around in confusion, he remembered too late that the blanket had likely been a wing belonging to one of mares on the balcony as they completed their twice daily ritual.

As Luna's power receded and Celestia's bloomed, the two alicorn's a swirl of power, Crystal was fumbling around for a blanket so that she could go back to sleep. He smirked at her irritated huffing but didn't join her. Luna had been gone for several days and he had both missed her company and was curious as to her findings.

"So much easier with your aid, Tia," Luna giggled as they finished.

The glow of Celestia's horn faded and she nodded in agreement.

"I find it a bit easier as time passes, but it is so much easier when we work together."

"Speaking of together, what horrid night terrors caused you to offer your bed to my flock?"

Seeing the elder alicorn look to her in confusion, Luna bobbed her head towards the bed.

"We found Maximus and Crystal in your bed last night so we joined you all. It was enjoyable, but we could not wrest our stallion from your wing."

Max hopped off the bed, the clack of his hooves on the floor causing the ears of both alicorns to perk at the sound. He smiled as they turned to look at him.

"Ponies were leaving us to our selves, so we decided to stick a bit closer to her. She's was not used to having you gone without a distraction to keep her occupied. Any news, or do you want to tell us over breakfast?"

Luna made a wing assisted leap to the changeling, kissing him long and deeply in response.

"We shall discuss it after breakfast. I also wish to know if you are privy to trade or business with other towns."

"You will not be joining us, Crystal?" Celestia called back as they approached the door.

In response a hoof rose from the covers, waving them off. It caused Luna to frown, as she was unfamiliar with such casualness from the queen.

"She's fine, Luna. Just a side effect of some bit of changeling biology she sprung on me," Max explained.

Celestia nodded.

"It was worrying to find you two in that condition."

Sensing the burst of anxiety blooming in the darker mare, Max pressed against her shoulder with his own for a moment as they walked.

"Crystal wanted something familiar, something from home. So she activated some sort of connection changelings are capable of using. It left both of us out of sorts for a while, but it allows us to share information. It also seems to have had a greater impact on her personality than my own."

"Is that why she seems more assertive? She did not yield to a kiss this time, instead she pressed back. It took me by surprise," Luna admitted.

"It also gave me access to her memories of the hive. I know you said Tia took care of you after Discord struck your home, but I think you two were much better off than Crystal. Mother was a right terror, prone to torture sessions at any perceived sleight. She hasn't really talked about it, but if you wanted to learn about Crystal's life in the hive there's no better time to ask than while she's looking at the world through a different filter," Max suggested.

"A filter. I believe you used the term after the incident but I could only guess at its meaning," the white alicorn said.

"A filter is... in terms of an item, it usually is something you run air or water through. It removes impurities like dirt or dust. In terms of a mental filter, we experience the world through the filter of our memories. We all have different experiences, so each of us will react to things differently. As Crystal is currently coming to terms with my memories, it's my way of reacting she'll be following. It also may have to do with our perceptions of the memories.

"When I think of a past event, I remember how it made me feel. I remember scents, sounds, emotions, voices, tastes, all kinds of things that add- we'll call it color, they add color to the memory. Most of Crystal's memories just feel flat by comparison. Sure there are emotions, but she doesn't remember the smell of an early morning patrol through the desert. She doesn't remember the temperature of the hive or the voice of a friend she lost. She's kind of disconnected from her memories and it's that way on purpose. Mother would actually get angry if she had to sort out additional fluff from a warrior queen or drone's memories aside from the facts. While Flick can get away with the additional development as an infiltrator and Crack was never really away from the hive enough to warrant a search of his thoughts, Crystal was under the mare's constant supervision."

Luna looked at him with worry written on her face and clouding her emotions.

"You are calling that queen Mother."

"I think that's both a bit of the ingrained fear as well as a way to distinguish between our parents. Mother is different from Mom, we're both aware of this. I also asked Crystal about it last night, as she said she can pull the filter at any time. He reason she doesn't is because she's terrified she'll have a panic attack the second she does. Her memories are being recorded with full color at the moment, so if she thinks back to what she did or goes through my memories without the filter-"

"She will only remember that such additions shall cause her grief. That such additions will get her in trouble," Celestia finished.

"I think a bit of distance between her old memories and these new ones will help. It's been fun, actually. I now have someone to talk to about things from home and she is apparently better at sorting memories than I am. Likely has to do with practice."

"Oh, our dreams are joined now as well. For the last few days we've ended up in a shared dream taking place in my old apartment. I want to change it, but I'm not certain how."

Luna perked at that bit of information.

"Your dreams have been more stable? The first time we entered you dreams they were very chaotic. We lost control for only a moment and were pulled along the winds of the dream without mercy. It was a frightening experience."

"They don't really feel like dreams anymore to me. It's more a waiting room while I'm asleep. While I'm there I can talk to Crystal if she's sleeping as well but for the most part we just kind of doze on my bed."

"I think it's a good opportunity to show you some things, like how a printing press looks and works. I just need to figure out dream manipulation. Right now we're kind of just using what we have, which means the bed's a bit cramped. It was made for a single adult human, not two people. Oh, and my body's a weird hybrid of changeling and human in the dream. I don't know if the changeling bit is increasing, but it's kind of weird seeing the mish-mash of species," Max said with a chuckle.

"Truly?" Luna asked. "Oh, this is a wonderful opportunity! I must see this, tonight perhaps. I have been fairly cautious of entering dreams since I encountered yours. A book I read once spoke of dream walkers becoming injured in dreams and with how easily my concentration slipped, I did not wish to experience any further incidents. Perhaps once I learn more I will be capable of bringing Tia to join us."

"Mmm, dreams being filled with pretty ladies. I have no objection to that," the stallion said with a laugh, causing Luna to giggle in turn. Celestia merely huffed, though he caught the barest hint of a smile on her lips this time.

"Come on, Tia. You know you can't hide it from me. You thought that was funny."

"Tia, do not make us fetch Crystal. I am certain with the three of us we are capable of overpowering you and I seem to remember somebody being extremely ticklish," Luna threatened, giggling madly. "What say you, Max? A quick application of adhesive and she would be at our mercy."

Max nodded along, smiling brightly at the now wary white alicorn.

"I think I like it. We'll have to catch her off-guard though. Maybe get Crystal in on it for the first shot to make sure she can't get away."

Celestia jumped in surprise when Luna brushed a wing along her other side, the dark mare having used Celly's focus on the changeling to slip behind her.

"When you least expect it," Luna whispered threateningly, bursting into giggles as she sped towards the dining room.

Watching as Luna slipped into the dining room ahead of them, Celestia turned to find the shape shifter smiling at her.

"Would you be interested in springing a trap on her?" Max said with a fanged grin.

The alicorn looked back to the door Luna disappeared behind and smiled.

"That sounds like a lovely plan. I assume you will bring Crystal in on it?"

"Of course."

Celestia finally let loose a chuckle.

"You realize Luna will likely seek revenge for this betrayal."

"It's worth it. Besides, I've hit you with enough jokes for now," Max joked. "Time to knock Luna down a peg."

"-I found that the town of Coltson was still as undefended as before. It was strange, Tia. Very unnerving as well. There were no walls or patrols at night, even though they had almost a year to make one. It was as if they simply did not care for their own safety."

Luna slowed enough to shove a large piece of toast with egg on it into her mouth, humming at the flavor and nodding to Max.

"You are correct, it does taste good. I believe I may try one of these egg and cheese sand witches you mentioned earlier."

"I still don't know how ponies can lose the idea of slapping ingredients between two slices of bread. I think that's about as basic as cooking gets," Max grumbled. "I mean, next thing you know you'll be telling me you guys forgot how to make corn on the cob or mashed potatoes."

He was about to take a bite of his eggs when he noticed both alicorns staring at him, confusion and curiosity radiating from the two of them.

"Oh you're kidding me."

"I know what potatoes are so mashed potatoes is simple enough to deduce, but I do not recall ever hearing of this corn," the lunar alicorn said.

The stallion nodded.

"Add that to the list of things we need to get a hold of. Corn is another one of those things that is very useful. Food is the main thing people think of, but you can also use it for a bit of fuel or alcohol. Not for drinking usually, but I'd like to see some stronger spirits being produced for the sanitation effects if nothing else."

"You have mentioned using alcohols for sanitation purposes before. Why is that?" Celestia asked.

"It has to do with those cells I was telling Luna about a while ago. The one's all bodies are made from? Some of the ways we get sick is from cells that don't belong in our bodies getting in through cuts and scratches. Alcohol kills those cells. It does a bit of damage to you as well but when the choices are a little damage that your body will heal in a week or so if it even takes that long versus an illness of unknown strength, I'll take a little extra pain any day."

"I'll see if I can put together a quick class on biology later on to better explain it. If nothing else I can likely get Crystal to help me remember the names of all the bits and bobs of a cell. The thing you're doing though, if I remember correctly, is breaking the shin of the cell by altering its environment to be something it cant survive in. Like how a pony can't breath under water. The high concentration of alcohol is lethal to most germs. It's a poison after all..."

"I do not believe our definitions of poison are the same, Maximus," Luna said with a laugh. "Creatures usually do not go about purposely drinking poisons."

The stallion sighed, rubbing his temple while thinking of his explenation.

"Booze has a lot of weird effects. It messes with your blood, your mind, everything. Sometimes it's what people want at the moment though, like reduced inhibitions, coining the term liquid courage. Of course if the drinks are strong enough, you can drink yourself to death. It sounds strange, but there are plenty of things that while dangerous, in smaller amounts they aren't just safer, but their effects are desirable. Like if someone's in a lot of pain, sometimes getting them drunk can help distract them or dull that pain. In that case, the altered state of mind is what you want."

"We are getting off topic," Celestia finally said. "As informative as this is, was there anything else you saw, Luna?"

"Merely the fact that some houses looked quite nice while others were hastily constructed. Other than that there was just a feeling..." the blue alicorn trailed off.

"What kind of feeling?" Max asked.

"It is nothing of importance, just a feeling of being watched. It was likely nothing but I was certain that I was hiding my presence."

"You were carrying that jar of emotion, it is possible there is another changeling or two in the town and they sensed the emotion. An unguarded town would be a perfect target."

"I have to disagree with you, Celestia. An unguarded town sounds like a good target but if anything starts attacking ponies there's no way to protect your food source. In that case the lack of guards and defenses makes it just as dangerous for you to live there. But there were no bandits or anything like that?"

Luna shook her head.

"Not that I could see. In addition to my explorations I decided it would behoove us to make contact with nearby towns and castles. Duke Silverblood's is the only major one I am aware of at the moment."

"That could be dangerous," Max said. "Something's going on in that direction, whether the issue is in Silverblood Keep or Coltson. I'd rather find another individual to contact first if it was possible. If not we can do a bit of infiltration work. Nothing too in depth; just seeing the market and possibly the duke himself. Find out what we can about him."

Celestia nodded, though she was obviously irritated at the idea.

"I suppose that is what we shall end up doing. Silverblood Keep is the only nearby trade center I am aware of. All of the other locations are small towns that usually have only a few small shops that do not carry much of interest."

"Awesome, I'll talk to Crystal and we'll practice my shape shifting. I didn't want to burn too much energy while you were away, Luna," the changeling chuckled. "I wouldn't be able to do much if I was starving and out of energy."

"This link that Crystal shares with you. It has not had any negative side effects?"

"Not that I've noticed. I mean, aside from a deep fear of a crazy old changeling queen and a few stray thoughts that upon closer inspection don't quite fit my usual line, no. Worst I've dealt with lately has been a few times I wanted to push Flick or Crack around, one time I even got it in my head to start bullying Crystal. I think that's her knowledge of the hive though. Things were kind of dog eat dog there. Either you bullied those below you or they stabbed you in the back because they saw your kindness as a weakness.

"The other two haven't really shown that kind of aggression so it might either be just the queen's or just the soldiers. It's getting a bit easier to spot the stray thoughts based on her memories now that I know where they came from. They're also kind of jarring for me, so that makes it even easier. Like a pacifist all of a sudden wanting to kick puppies."

"A pacifist you most certainly are not," Luna giggled, rising from her seat. "I believe it is time Crystal was awoken. We have much to do and the sooner we accomplish it the sooner I can enjoy time with my flock."

Max rose to follow, giving Celestia a wink before motioning for silence and following Luna. Concentrating on the link, he called out to Crystal.

The smaller shape shifter responded with a line of z's, causing him to roll his eyes.

'I swear, you pull out some of the most ridiculous jokes. Speaking of which, Luna's coming to see you. We're going to ambush her.'

'Yes!' The mare nearly shouted back. 'What are we gonna do to her first?!?'

'Nothing sexual for now,' he returned, getting a whine in response. 'Celestia's following me, we're just going to be tickling Luna a bit. And Celestia.'

'Oh, a double betrayal. I like it.'

'Celestia doesn't know about the double-cross so don't clue her in I'll let you know when we strike. For now pretend to sleep. When Luna gets close-'

'Pow! I grab her!'

Celestia stifled a giggle as she followed the pair as silently as she could. It was not as necessary as she would have thought, Luna having been lost to day dreams nearly as soon as she had left the dining room. She felt like a little filly again, planning on ambushing her sister like this. How long had it been since the two of them sat down and laughed, or enjoyed the time spent together after Discord's defeat.

As frustrating as the stallion's attitude could be at times, he was certain of his priorities. Family first. She wasn't certain she could accept that, but his attitude had done wonders for Luna's mood. In fact, it had done wonders for Luna in general. The younger mare was more confident, more expressive, more everything. Add to this the fact that he was kind to her in his own strange way, she felt guilty to have dismissed him at their first meeting.

'He would likely call my suspicions justified of course. In fact I believe he did so several times.'

His reasoning for helping them was also sound. The stronger their power base, the safer he was. The more their technology advanced, the closer they would be to what he was familiarity, to what he was comfortable with. She still found his reasoning for sanitation odd but his reasoning for dictating a more ordered town around the Keep was sound as anything she'd heard. She could very easily see a fire rip through the densely constructed huts and hovels that were being thrown together, most even sharing walls. She almost had almost thrown him away. Almost left him to starve in the dungeon. It would have devestated Luna but it also would have scared her. She thought he was lying about the emotion thing, attempting to talk her in to removing the suppressor. If Luna had not taken it into her own hooves and, well, bedded him it was very possible the male would be dead of starvation.

She flushed such dark thoughts away as the reached Luna's room. It was almost time to strike. She just had to wait a little longer. Luna approached the bed and Crystal rose to meet her, moving forward and kissing the alicorn passionately even as Max moved into position beside them. Crystal broke the kiss, looked up a little and hacked.

Less than a second later a second bark emitted from Max, the stallion adhering one of Luna's hooves to the floor and leaving her trapped.

"Traitor!" Luna shouted in surprise, trying desperately to work any kind of magic even as the changelings stuck her other three hooves to the floor. To Celestia's delight, Luna managed to catch sight of her as she walked into the room. Luna's eyes widened in shock as the older alicorn approached.

"What are you doing? You were supposed to help me capture Tia, not give her the chance to attack me!"

"Well, I figured I've teased Tia quite enough lately, so it was time for some payback. She's all yours, princess," the stallion called back to her.

Luna's eyes went wide as she redoubled her futile struggles with the adhesive gel.

"Maximus, Crystal, release me at once or I sha-hahahaha, no, Tia, stop! Not that! Ah-hahahaha!"

Celestia giggled merrily as her magic and wings danced over Luna's body, causing her little sister to writhe and squirm as she was tickled mercilessly. The last time she had done this, Luna had merely flown away, albeit rather drunkenly as Celestia's magic had a decent range. Once Luna had started learning magic, the two were fairly well matched. Luna could dispel her magic touch and Celestia had wings with which to defend herself as well.

'And so did our tickle-sessions end. Neither could gain a solid advantage and then we became so busy...no, I became so busy. Lulu was bored out of her mind.'

By now the younger alicorn was in tears, gasping for air and begging for mercy. Celestia slowly approached Luna's face, her tongue hanging from her mouth threateningly.

"Nuh-ho, Tia do-haha, don't you dare. I, I swearee-heehee, I swear I shall make you, hahaha, I'll make you regret it!"

Celestia continued her approach and Luna began straining against her bindings, tilting ponderously and she aimed her head away. Finally Celestia wrapped her forelegs around Luna's neck. She leaned forward and stuck her tongue in Luna's ear.

"Tia! Oh that is most foul, ew ew ew, stop! No, don't, get it out! Oh this is so disgusting! Maximus, a pox upon you and yours! Crystal, free us this instant! No, subdue mine sister that I may met out proper punishment! Mine wrath shall be the thing of le-hehahahaha, no, damnation, Crystal! You are to stop her, not aide her!"

Celestia removed her tongue to find sparks of green fire dancing over Luna's body, following the paths her own magic had used just moments ago. Max approached Luna, his own tongue hanging out threateningly and causing Luna to redouble her shouts and threats. The white alicorn giggled, preparing to give her little sister a double wet willy when something unexpected happened.

Her magic cut out.

Looking up, she saw the male had licked a layer of the adhesive onto her own horn, cutting off her magic so quickly she almost hadn't noticed. Before she could take more than three steps backwards Crystal was raising herself over Luna's back with her forelegs, barking a few quick shots of adhesive at Celestia's hooves and trapping the older mare in the same position Luna was in.

"Oh wow," Max chuckled, looking to a giggling Crystal. "A sudden yet inevitable betrayal. I never saw that one coming!"

"We win!" Crystal laughed, her horn blazing with power as her magic danced over both alicorns. It was joined a moment later by Max's own magic, doubling the effect.

Celestia resisted of course. She did as best she could, but even she could not resist the contact for long. Seconds later it became much worse, both of the changelings assuming Luna's form and beginning to run their feathers over their captives in addition to their magic. Her thoughts were instantly turned to planning revenge on the stallion and how best to incorporate Luna into her plans. After all, Luna would surely be interested in avenging this betrayal.

Even as her eyes began to tear up from the constant assault, her mind was hard at work planning her revenge. The stallion would rue the day he betrayed her like this.

Max chuckled merrily as he tickled Celestia into a stupor, the mare gasping and giggling mindlessly as he slowed in his assault. It wouldn't due to have the alicorn pass out from lack of air.

'It's all fun and games until someone dies of oxygen deprivation.'

He moved to her face, picking her tear-streaked face up in a hoof and forcing her to meet his, or this case Luna's, gaze.

"Say uncle," he said in the blue alicorn's voice.

"We, we yield," she gasped. "M-mercy."

"Mercy if for the weak," he sneered before laughing once more. "But I am pretty hungry right now so I suppose that's a form of weakness."

The alicorn blushed deeply at his jab and he shook his head.

"No, I'm not going to try push you into a relationship. You know that by now, Tia. So how this is going to work is we have a day to recover. After that, you get to do your prank or revenge, then you get a day reprieve. How does that sound? You don't even have to do anything immediately, but nothing for today or tomorrow. Give Crystal and I a chance to rest and recover with Luna nearby."

Celestia nodded still giggling every now and again as the stallion began to lick the adhesive off her hooves. She burned with a bit of embarrassment, but she was still radiating enough happiness to drown out nearly all other emotions.

As he began working on the oldest mare's third leg, he was his by a wave of powerful lust radiating from beside him. He turned to see Crystal taking advantage of Luna's predicament, the changeling having added a bit more adhesive to Luna's muzzle to silence her as the shape shifter began licking enticingly along Luna's flank.

"Dammit, Crystal. Wait until Celestia's out of the room," he groaned, causing the aforementioned mare to perk up and look at Luna. Seeing a copy of the blue alicorn currently burying its muzzle in the younger alicorn's muff, Celestia blushed hotly and began to panic in her bindings.

"Stop it, Celestia. I'm going to get you out of here as soon as possible, but if you kick me it's going to take longer. Seriously, they couldn't give me like, two minutes to get Celestia out of here? Pain in the ass horny mare with no self control, I swear she's worse than some collage students."

The second her fourth hoof was free Celestia was bolting from the room, only being stopped outside as Max reminded her of the adhesive still sitting on her horn. Pulling Celestia into Luna's bathing room to remove the gel privately, he dropped his disguise, spat into a rag and began wiping the gel off of her horn that way. No way did he want to spend extra time licking her horn. After he'd removed any that he could see and began using the rag to double-check his work on her rear legs, he gave her a quick hug.

"I'm sorry, Tia. I thought they had a bit more self-control. Crystal's new attitude sometimes takes unexpected turns. Or in this case I suppose it would be a completely expected turn."

"It is fine, Maximus," she assured him with a tired smile. "The experience was enjoyable aside from the last few moments. I do not believe I have laughed like that for a long time. Perhaps tomorrow, once everypony is recovered, we may all practice in the yard again?"

"You just want to smash me into the dirt again," he accused with an indignant huff.

"Oh dear, my plan was so obvious? Perhaps I should do such things more often so that I learn to better disguise my motives."

Opening the door and stepping through, she looked back at him.

"I expect Luna to be somewhat presentable by lunch, Maximus. I shall even send a serving pony along in a few hours. That should give you ample time to corral those mares."

"I'll do my best, Tia. Don't expect a miracle though. I'm only one man. Stallion. Same thing, I guess."

The alicorn tittered as she walked out of the bathroom and left him to himself. Taking a preparatory breath, he used the door connecting Luna's room to the bathing room to reenter his mare's bedroom.

Not much had changed since he left a few moments ago. Luna was still panting, her tail now raised to its maximum height as Crystal continued to press deeper into her alpha's depths. Luna's wings were fully extended, flapping every now and again but not aiding the blue mare in the slightest since her hooves were still stuck to the floor.

Crystal meanwhile had returned to her changeling form and was buzzing her wings happily as she gave a few messy slurps, enjoying the first real powerful expressions of lust and love in several days as she brought her alpha pleasure. Pressing herself more deeply against the alicorn's backside, the younger mare swallowed several deep gulps as Luna shuddered from an orgasm.

"Damn, you've already got her under your hoof, huh?" Max asked as he approached, watching as the two continued without even slowing.

Stepping around to Luna's side, he began to nibble her already stiff wings and nip at the sensitive muscles that connected her wings to her back, causing a fresh set of spasms to fire down Luna's spine. The alicorn whimpered into her bonds, squirming even as her legs began to shake from the constant pleasure and successive climaxes the changeling at her tail was setting off. With a pitiable whimper, her legs gave out, causing her to collapse awkwardly to the floor.

Max pulled Crystal from her feast with a burst of magic, earning a pair of needy whines from the mares before he motioned to the bindings holding their mate to the floor. Crystal immediately perked up and began helping him remove the gunk before transporting their prey to the bed. Setting Luna on her bed, her splayed wings holding her in position as she sat on her back, he grinned as he felt her emotions finally start to clear of the orgasm-induced cloud of happiness. It was the perfect time to set Crystal back to work.

He grinned viciously as Crystal dove back into her previous position, causing Luna to give a muffled shout of surprise as she was once more invaded by the proto queen's writhing tongue. Straddling Luna, he removed the adhesive binding her muzzle shut before driving his own tongue deep into her mouth, kissing her as passionately as he could. He stroked her neck, running his magic aura over her wings as she bucked underneath him, radiating lust and love like a furnace set to overload.

"I know you'll look for revenge, Luna, but for now Crystal and I are hungry. I'm sure you don't mind, do you?"

Giving a quick warning to Crystal and causing her to, albeit reluctantly, pull back, he backed himself up slightly and shoved himself forward. The alicorn immediately spasmed at the penetration, her eyes wide even as her hooves locked around his neck. There was no issue with her being unprepared though, Crystal had seen to that. He drove himself deeper, causing the mare to moan with abandon, driving him on further even as he heard the needy whines of the younger mare who was currently being left out.

'Front and center, shape shift like this,' he sent to her, along with a mental image.

Crystal jumped over the two, a flash of green fire passing over her body as she shoved her needy sex into the reach of her mates. Max grinned, beginning to lick at the top set of vaginal lips as Luna took the bottom, both of them lapping at Crystal's double sex as the stallion continued his rhythmic thrusting.

Apparently not satisfied with the pleasure another flash of fire flowed over Crystal's body. Her moans turned to shouts as she amplified her own sensitivity, the two tongues exploring her twin depths causing her mind to explode with pleasure.

The pace continued for only a few moments though, Crystal's heightened sensitivity coming at a cost. With final squeal and a flash of green fire the mare climaxed, dropping her disguise and leaving Max with his tongue buried deep inside a very different hole. With a mix of amusement and confusion, he slurped his tongue back in, drawing a shudder of pleasure from the young shape shifter before she tottered precariously on the bed. With one last insensate giggle she pitched forward, falling off the edge of the bed entirely.

Max stopped mid-thrust, both of the remaining members of the flock staring at the mare's tail as her muffled giggles reached them from below. It took an act of will that would have broken others, but both Max and Luna scrambled to the edge of the bed, Luna's legs still shaking slightly from her previous orgasms.

Crystal was out of it, her back arched almost painfully as her rear legs sat on the bed, leaving her face and barrel to bear the brunt of the impact. A small bit of green blood was currently leaking from her nose but it was already drying. Max sighed, lifting the drooling changeling back onto the bed and into the hooves of a concerned Luna.

"She doesn't seem to be greatly injured. Just a small split right between her lip and nose. We can have Crack take a look at it later," Luna said as she tucked her beta in to the covers. Turning back to the stallion, she grinned hungrily before raising her rear in his direction.

"Now, I believe we were in the middle of something?"

He grinned right at her, causing her to pulse with lust and love at the sight. Not missing a beat he jumped over to her and mounted her again, assuming his previous pace and doing his best to drive the mare into the bed.

"You know, ha, that I will have, ha, revenge for that, right?" Luna gasped in time with his thrusts.

"Long as, it ends in, ha, the three-EE of us, in bed, I don't mind," he responded, leaning in to nip her ear. Giving a few more powerful thrusts, he shuddered as the mare's tunnel began undulating violently, milking him and sending him over the edge. He thrust forward one last time, burying himself inside of her even as the mare came one last time, only having the energy left to whimper as her body seized up once again.

As they basked in the afterglow, Max allowed himself to go limp on the mare's back. He could already see a few of the larger holes in his forelegs starting to fade, the sex/feeding leaving him both exhausted and full. Judging by the dazed giggles emitting from his flock's alpha, Luna was thinking the same thing. Just, you know, a different kind of full.

Author's Notes:

I don't care what happens to Crystal, she gets to be silly. Even during sex.