As we lay in bed, staring at the simultaneously familiar and unfamiliar ceiling, feeling the simultaneously unfamiliar and familiar arm around our shoulders and bare skin against our bare skin, a growing panic began to swell.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” I asked quietly.

“I don’t know if I’m a virgin or not anymore!” she exclaimed.

I couldn’t help but giggle. “It’s not funny! It’s a core aspect of my identity and personality, and now I don’t know if it’s changed or not! I’ve still never actually experienced sex for myself in my own body, but I’ve felt… things I could hardly put to words if I tried. So much of my perspective is changed and yet… I know it will be completely different when I try it for myself. The somatic sense alone will make it a radically different experience. So in some ways I’m just as naive as I was.”

“I know it seems like it should be a simple ‘yes or no’, but sometimes it isn’t,” I said. “Life is complicated sometimes, and categories don’t always do things justice.”

“But without categories, there’s chaos!” Twilight objected.

“Categories are tools… like swords. You use them when they’re appropriate, not when they’re not,” I said.

“A sword is your idea of a tool?” Twilight deadpanned.

“It counts. And the analogy works with another tool if you like. Quills,” I suggested.

“What are you talking about?” Nanaki inquired.

“Whether Twilight’s still a virgin,” I answered.

Nanaki pondered that for a bit. “Yes,” he finally answered.

“Well, there’s your answer,” I said.

“But what about-?” Twilight began.

“You heard the man,” I said with an amused grin.

“It’s essentially the same as someone who’s only seen… what do you hu- err, city folk call it?” Nanaki said. “The videos of people having sex.”

“Pornography,” I answered. What had he been saying before he corrected himself? I didn’t dwell on it too long. “It’s a bit more intimate, but I see your point. Someone watching someone else have sex, even if they touch themselves as they watch, is still a virgin. Even if it does open their mind to some things they hadn’t understood before.”

“Okay, I can accept that,” Twilight said, settling down now that her category was clearly defined.

“So… is this a one time thing?” Nanaki asked, “or will you be bringing other ponies to bed in you?”

“I only needed Twilight to suppress the Mako energy this one time,” I said.

“Obviously,” Nanaki agreed. “But I expect you’ll make a habit of this… fusion thing.”

“Junctioning,” I said.

“Junctioning?” he asked.

“I don’t know where the word came from,” I admitted, “it just feels right. Junctioning a… something Force. Harmonic Force? Yeah, junctioning a Harmonic Force.”

“Okay, well… once you figure out how to un-junction, I’m sure you’ll train yourself to use it effectively so that you can better overcome the monsters and other threats that endanger your friends and neighbors. It’s who you are. And it’s what I would do, if I had the power instead of you,” Nanaki said.

“Right… and once I can un-junction, there’ll never be a need to bring another pony to bed in me, as you say,” I pointed out.

“Right, no need,” he said. “So you wouldn’t give Rainbow Dash the chance then? Or any of the others. That’s your right, I’m merely inquiring.”

I couldn’t help but think that Rainbow would jump at the chance. But then she didn’t need something like this to join us in bed. Did I? Yes. And it was barely enough. I’d forgone sex for days because of it, and had assumed I would do without from now until I got Twilight free.

“Twilight, would you want to be part of this again?” I asked.

“I… don’t think I can bring myself to say no,” Twilight said. “Does that make me a terrible friend?”

“What about if you were un-junctioned, just your usual unicorn self?” I asked.

She froze up, answering with a series of disjointed vowels. “I’m just inquiring,” I clarified.

“No,” she said. “At least that’s my answer right now. It’s too much to think about right now. I like Nanaki, but he isn’t my special somepony, and neither are you.”

“Twilight says she won’t be joining the herd,” I told Nanaki. “But at least we can still enjoy each other like this until she’s freed. As for Rainbow, or anypony else down the line… I don’t know yet.”

Nanaki gave me a kiss right at the base of the horn. “Alright. No rush.”

“You’re going again?” Diamond Tiara asked me, as I packed my bags once more.

“I’m sorry. The Golden Oak Library doesn’t have the materials I need to research a cure for, well… this,” I said with a gesture at my horn. “If it hadn’t been Twilight, I’d send Twilight along without me. But since I’m the one she’s stuck inside, I’ve got to go.” I thought a moment before an idea occurred to me. “Would you like to come with us?”

“Of course I would,” Diamond said, literally jumping at the suggestion. “I haven’t been to Canterlot in almost a year. I have friends there, and oh, can Silver Spoon come too?”

“If her parents don’t mind. If they come as well, it might be better. I doubt you want to spend that much time in the library with us, so if there’s somepony else who can watch over you during the day…”

“We can take care of ourselves,” she assured. “What about the rest of my friends?”

“You can ask. I’m sure Sweetie will want to come with Spike, if she’s allowed to,” I said. “I don’t know about Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. You know them better than I do.”

“They wouldn’t want to be left out,” Diamond said. “But Apple Bloom’s family might not be so keen on her coming. I’ll ask, though. When are we leaving?”

“I’d meant to catch the noon train, but you’ll need some time. Last train leaves an hour before sundown, will that be enough time for you to ask your friends and see who can make it? If they can’t travel with us on such short notice, they can always meet us there in the next day or so,” I offered.

“It’ll have to be,” she said. “Here, let me sneak a few things into your luggage for me.” Working together, we quickly got the few toiletries and other miscellany she would need in with my things before heading back into town.

“You know, I really hate to do this to you, boss,” Pinkie said, “but I’m going to have to cut you off from hugs unless you Pinkie Promise you won’t absorb me like you did Twilight.”

“That’s fair,” I said. “How do you… Pinkie Promise?” She didn’t have any pinkies, so it couldn’t be the same as we did back on Gaia.

“That’s easy. First, you state what you’re agreeing to, then you recite the oath: cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” as she did, she made a series of gestures with her hoof, culminating in poking herself in the eye painfully. “Just remember… a Pinkie Promise is an unbreakable oath!”

“I can’t make that promise, yet,” I said. “I don’t know how I did it in the first place, much less how to avoid it.”

“Then no hugs for you!” she said.

“Alright. No hugs until I figure it out,” I agreed. “Hey, where’s Mrs. Cake?”

“She’s resting inside,” Pinkie said. “She’s having one of her rougher days today.She’s having a foal soon, you know?”

I shook my head. “Congratulate her for me, then,” I said. “But while I’m here, can I get some baked goods to go? I’m taking Diamond Tiara, Nanaki and Spike to Canterlot to do some research. Hmm… I’ll take a baker’s dozen of those cupcakes, like we had yesterday.”

“I don’t have enough ready, can you come back and pick them up in an hour?” she asked.

I spent much of the afternoon patrolling Ponyville, and making sure Rainbow Dash got a proper nap. I hadn’t realized how much more invasive the monsters of Everfree had gotten. Without the Tree holding them back, the weaker monsters came and went freely, up until the point that somepony who could fight intervened.

On the plus side, those of us who did fight were getting a lot of practice in. Fighting with Twilight merged with me was an eye opening experience for both of us. The librarian was completely unaccustomed to the front lines, but the magic we were able to wield together… Telekinesis alone was brutally effective with a warrior’s mind guiding it. Rarity had long proved that, but she lacked the raw power Twilight and I could bring to bear. Add in spells, even the basics Twilight had completely memorized, like teleportation and basic barrier spells, and we were as flexible as we were deadly.

The sound of the train’s whistle approaching brought my attention back to my plans. A couple of quick teleports about town and I had gathered my belongings and was waiting at the train station.

“Going somewhere?” Private Eclipse questioned, as he descended to land nearby. He sounded like he was about to say something else when I turned to him and he noticed the changes. “Whoa! When’d you get a horn?”

“Miss Sparkle and I had a magical mishap,” I said. “We’re going to Canterlot to research how to undo it.”

“Why? I mean, it looks good on you,” he said, checking me out.

My mind raced a moment, between wanting to tell him off, twitch my non-existent tail, make a terrible pun about him needing a library card, and a bit of indecision as to whether I was still afraid of actually being with a stallion. It seemed this kind of emotional situation could really make the bleeding over between our minds troublesome.

I shook my head to clear it. “There are certainly some benefits to it, but it’s really not acceptable to stay this way. If we can really master it, though… being able to merge temporarily to take on harder fights, then separate again to live out our lives… I’m sure you could see the implications.”

The thestral nodded. “Of course. Hey, you can merge with me anytime, Cloud.~”

I couldn’t help but giggle. “That was an awful pickup line.”

He blinked a few times, then blushed a bit. “Sorry. I can’t help myself sometimes. I admit, I have a taste for the exotic…”

“Maybe if we’d met a year ago, or right after the winter,” I said. “As it is… if you were serious about your offer to spar, then when I get back, we’ll give it a go. I’d like to see how well you handle that sword of yours.”

“You know, with the right inflection, that could have been an awful pickup line from you,~” he teased.

“Oh, look, there’s my boyfriend now,” I said, waving at Nanaki as he approached. Spike, Diamond Tiara, Sweetie Belle, and Rarity were with him.

“The tall one without the scales?” he verified. “Well, if you two ever want a third…”

“Not interested,” I said bluntly. It was a bit of an exaggeration, but there were quite a few ponies who were a lot higher on the list than he was. If we ever started down that route it wouldn’t start with him.

“Who’s the pony?” Nanaki asked when he approached.

“One of those thestrals that are covering the night shift,” Rarity said. “I’m sorry, darling, I’ve forgotten your name”

“Solar Eclipse,” he introduced. “Good to see you again, Rarity. And you must be Nanaki. I’m sorry, I don’t know the rest of your names yet.”

“The one with a tiara is my adopted daughter, Diamond Tiara,” I said. “And those are Spike and Sweetie Belle. Take good care of Ponyville while we’re gone, Private Eclipse. I’m not sure how long we’ll be out, but I expect the town to be in good shape when we return.”

“Well, if anything goes down at night, we’ll take care of it,” he promised. He hesitated a moment before getting the hint, saluting and taking flight. Not that there was much more time to talk, anyways. The train was pulling up.

“So, no excuses now, darlings. How was the Gala?” Rarity inquired as the engine started. She had glanced to be sure her sister and friends had wandered off first, which seemed silly to me. It was a bit late to be concerned with their innocence, but I could appreciate the impulse.

I smiled and squeezed Nanaki’s hand a moment. “It went quite well, on the whole, despite a few unpleasant moments along the way.”

“I imagine. That scar on your nose itself must be an interesting story,” Rarity prodded.

I shook my head. “Afraid it’s a simple mystery. It appeared on my face without any apparent cause. We don’t really have anything to go on to investigate it further. So until something comes up, we’re just left to wonder ourselves.”

“Strange. Scars don’t just appear like that,” Rarity said. “It looks like you nearly lost your nose. And you really know nothing about it?”

“It could be related to your newfound ability to absorb ponies,” Nanaki speculated.

“Why would you think that?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Timing, nothing more,” he admitted. “But they are both quite mysterious. I feel it would be stranger for them to be coincidentally timed than linked.”

I rubbed at my nose, feeling the edges of the scar. “You might be right, but that doesn’t give me much more to go on. I’ll keep it in mind as we look for a cure though.”

“I do hope you’re able to separate yourselves soon,” Rarity said. “But if you aren’t, you must allow me to redo your wardrobe. It’s critical to choose fabric colors that complement your natural coloration, and yours has changed quite dramatically since I designed your current clothes.”

I struggled to keep myself from rolling my eyes. Fashion was very important to my friend, so it was important I take it seriously with her. “That’s a good point. If we’re able to master this, perhaps we should have you make outfits to go with it for each pairing… Which brings up the question, would you care to give it a try?”

“Try what?... Oh, becoming one with you? That sounds a bit intimate,” she said, blushing a bit.

“It is, in its own way. And I’d only try it after we’ve found a way to safely keep it temporary. And as I’m sure you can understand, Rainbow Dash has first dibs, after Twilight is free. But I’m just wondering if you’re interested at all.”

“I’ll have to think about it, darling,” Rarity said, though she was clearly eyeing Nanaki as she did so. I hadn’t mentioned anything about intimate time while merged, but her mind had obviously gone there on its own. “You still haven’t told me much about the Gala, though.”

“Ah… we had fun dancing… I was surprised how quickly I picked it up, honestly. Perhaps one more mystery for the pile? Especially considering how differently humans dance from ponies,” I said.

“Given your shapes, I would hope so,” Rarity agreed.

“Oh, and we met a princess I hadn’t heard of. Princess something Amore, the Princess of Love,” I said. “Though she seemed like the least loving pony I’d met.”

“Our going theory is she’s highly frustrated, waiting for her wedding date,” Nanaki offered.

Rarity giggled at the idea. “I suppose that’s one possibility. I wish I could have made it, but then… I’m not sure how well it would have went with Blueblood being there.”

“He made some excuses when we spoke to him, though I’m not certain I believe him,” I said. “He said the nurse sounded like you, and bid him keep his eyes closed while she, you know. Serviced him.”

“Do you think I should give him another chance?” Rarity inquired.

I thought about it quietly, while Nanaki took the chance to speak. “There’s more there than we know. If he lied… he cares enough at least to lie in hopes of regaining your affection. That’s more than nothing, but a poor basis for a relationship. If he tells the truth… someone thought it worth deceiving him for a bit of fellatio. I can’t imagine they couldn’t have found a willing stallion elsewhere, so why him, why then? It’s easier to believe she intended for you to catch them than that it was true lust.”

“So you think somepony intended to break us up?” Rarity asked.

“Either that, or your coltfriend is simply a lying cheater,” Nanaki said. “Unfortunately, since he’s a prince, I’d have to say either possibility is quite realistic. We had hoped to talk to the nurse, but didn’t have a chance before we returned home. Cloud, do you mind if I pursue that lead while you two do your research?”

“We’ll miss your help in it, but if Spike is with us we’ll get by,” I said. “I do want to know what you’re able to turn up.”

“Please do, Nanaki,” Rarity requested. “I need to know whether I owe my prince an apology or a fresh black eye.”

“I know this is more urgent,” I began channelling Twilight without thinking much of it. “But I’m kind of sad that I’m going to miss it.”

“Miss what?” Nanaki asked, confused.

“Nightmare Night, darling. And we won’t miss it, we’ll just celebrate it in Canterlot instead. Don’t tell me you don’t have costumes ready?” Rarity inquired.

I shook my head. “I didn’t know anything about it, and Twilight’s costume won’t fit us like this. We didn’t think to pack it, even if we did get separated in time.”

“Well, you two could always just go as-” Rarity gestured up and down me with a hoof. She had a point, even if it hurt a bit.

“Anyone care to explain?” Nanaki asked.

“Every year, the ponies have a holiday where they dress up as monsters or other figures of interest, try to scare one another for fun, and distribute candy and other treats. I, I mean Twilight, was going to go as Starswirl the Bearded, one of the greatest wizards in Equestrian history,” I explained.

“The one who filled the wing of the library we’re headed for?” Nanaki confirmed.

I nodded. “It was effectively cancelled last year in Ponyville by Nightmare Moon’s return, and subsequent restoration to her former identity as Princess Luna. So we never got to experience it in Ponyville.”

“Perhaps next year. You haven’t experienced it in Canterlot either, have you?” Nanaki asked rhetorically.

“Twilight has. She grew up here,” I pointed out. “And as nice as it would be to see some of her old friends and family members, it’d be awkward doing so like this. Still, we can certainly enjoy some of the more public aspects. It’s a big town, we won’t run into anyone like that if we don’t seek them out.”