The next day promised to be a very good one, if the mid-morning weather was anything to go by. The bright sunshine shone through the branches and leaves of a cedar tree that overhung a wrought iron bench that had probably been there in the Celestial Park since Princess Luna’s banishment it was so old. The lone occupant of the bench sighed happily, and placed his royal blue forelegs behind his head and closed his yellow eyes against the dappled sunlight.

The teenage unicorn stallion had been sat on this particular bench for the past hour since his arrival in the park at nine a.m. While it wasn’t the warmest of mornings, it was at least better in the park than it was at The Wandering Pony hostel where he had been staying. Indeed, Brightstar assumed the minotaur that ran the place had taken attitude lessons straight from Nightmare Moon herself. ‘Heh…she’s old enough…’ he thought with a laugh. ‘Moonbeak said to be here for ten, I wonder if she’ll be on time, or what she has in mind?’ Thinking about the possibilities made his sheath twitch.

Brightstar didn’t have to think about it for very long however, as five minutes later on the second chime of ten according to the clock tower that rose from the centre of a nearby water fountain, Moonbeak pulled up in her white transit van and parked at the sidewalk next to where the pony was sitting. The griffon stuck her head out of the open window. “Did you sleep on that bench?”

Hearing her shrill voice, Brightstar got up from the old bench and bid a silent farewell to the spider that had been his companion for the past hour. Smiling, he approached the van with a stretch of his legs. “I believe the bench would've been more comfortable than where I did sleep.” He inclined his head in a polite bow. “Good morning to you, Moonbeak.”

Returning the nod, Moonbeak got out of her van and, walking around to the back she opened up both doors. “We are shooting over there by the water fountain. You didn't say where you were staying, though I didn't ask.” With that the pregnant griffon began moving her equipment from the van to the sidewalk. Athena, her little one and a half year old kitten, was awake and watching from her car seat.

“For now, I have a room at the Wandering Pony hostel not far from the Twisted Tail.” Brightstar replied and smile at Athena in her seat. “Your kitten is cute.”

Moonbeak shrugged her grey shoulders. “It is how kittens survive.” She carried a metal case holding her camera from the van. “Unless this is too heavy for you, you may help.” Removing her tripod next she placed it a few feet away from the clock tower fountain.

“Of course,” Brightstar, very eager to impress his potential mate, smiled. “What do you want moving, and where do you want it?”

Moonbeak, absorbed with her task of checking her spare battery packs for sufficient charge, pointed a clawed hand without looking up. “If it isn't part of the van, over there where I put my tripod.”

“You got it!” Brightstar lit his horn and in his bright yellow aura lifted up two of the containers. Happy he was doing a good job, Moonbeak left the rest of the moving out to the royal blue unicorn. Odd times she would glance up and note that everything was stacked nearby to her in neat lines and numerical order. Idly while she was setting up she wondered if it was an OCD thing.

“Almost done, Moonbeak!” Brightstar called out when there was just three containers remaining. The white headed griffon nodded appreciatively, wearing a very pleased look on her face as she was at least half an hour ahead of her normal set up schedule. The royal blue unicorn floated over the last three containers. “There you go.” He cast a look back at the van and saw Athena watching him intently. “Your kitten looks bored. Does she like jugglers?”

Putting her camera down, Moonbeak looked around and found she couldn’t see Athena on the grass. “Did my van have some sort of griffon hood ornament?”

“Um, no, not that I noticed,” Brightstar answered, confused.

Moonbeak rolled her emerald green eyes. “What part of 'if it isn't part of the van' did you fail to understand?”

“Ah…” Brightstar blushed a very bright red. “I’ll be right back.” Quickly he scooted over to the van where the little white feathered brown furred kitten reached out to him with tiny grasping claws. “Hey little one, wanna pony ride?” He asked as with his magic he unclipped the straps of the car seat and levitated the little kitten up. She gurgled happily at the sensation and Moonbeak watched him like a hawk out of the corner of her eye as Brightstar floated Athena to his back and, using his magic like a magnet, kept her in place as he pranced over. “Your most important package, Ma'am.”

Moonbeak looked nonplussed. “Did you forget something, pony?”

“Ah…oops, I ah, do apologise…” Brightstar lit his horn an even brighter yellow as he layered another spell on top of the one he had already cast and levitated over the car seat that Athena had been sat in from the van.

Moonbeak simply shook her head at his perceived foalishness. “When no-one can carry her, she is comfortable in the seat. She likes to play on the grass.” As the photographer said that, right on time, two unicorns – a yellow stallion and a sky blue mare - entered the Celestial Park and walked up to the griffon, whereupon they started talking shop. The stallion was asking about backgrounds whilst the mare was taking notes.

Her attention diverted by the arrival of the two ponies, Moonbeak pulled out a contract and began to make last minute pen and ink changes as they talked, the yellow stallion signed it with a smile and Brightstar very gently set Athena down from his back in the grass next to him and sat down with her.

Freed from the strange pony’s back, Athena rolled onto her belly and spent a few moments clawing around in the grass, content to pull up some blades and tossing them in the air. When the little kitten found a worm, she immediately picked it up in her talons and popped the wriggling juicy treat in her beak and snapped it shut. Brightstar chuckled at her antics. “You are a cutie!” An idea came to him and he used his illusion magic to create a little ball of energy and rolled it to her to play with.

Distracted by the new shiny thing, Athena tried to crawl on it and bite it. Three mares then entered the park, a fuchsia unicorn, a teal pegasus and an orange earth pony, all dressed in fetish gear straight from the local Mi Amore Cadenza store. The orange earth pony mare was happy to meet Moonbeak and after a hug that lasted a few moments the griffon led the three over to where Athena and Brightstar were playing.

“Taste nice, little one?” Brightstar asked with a smile as she found a second worm and snacked on that one too.

“This is my kitten sitter, Brightstar.” Moonbeak led off and the earth pony got down low on the ground to nuzzle Athena who recognised her and reared up to hug her.

The fuchsia unicorn grinned. “Don't know how you can find time to work and have a family, Moony.”

The teal pegasus smiled down at the little kitten. “She is a cute one alright.” She then nudged the unicorn, “so is the sitter.”

Brightstar looked up at the three ponies and bowed his head in greeting. “Hello to you all,” he said politely, “I must say I like your outfits.”

The moment she heard the royal blue stallion’s Canterlot accent the earth pony laughed out loud and gave Moonbeak a wink. “How far did you have to go to find a sitter?”

“Nobility doesn't usually 'sit',” the unicorn teased, her Fillydelphian accent jarring completely with Brightstar’s own.

The pegasus giggled like a gossiping filly. “I wonder if the kitten is the only griffon being sat?”

Brightstar smiled an easy smile and giggled at the fuchsia unicorn. “I assure you Miss, I'm not nobility.”

“Ah…that is information you might or might not find out.” Moonbeak blushed a faint red blush. “The light is right,” she changed the subject, determined to get the conversation back to where she was comfortable. Work. Work was easy. Work she could do without having to think about it too much. Brightstar…well he was complicated – a good complicated, but complicated nonetheless. “Let's get started. Photogenic, were you briefed on the changes?”

Photogenic, the fuchsia unicorn, replied. “Yeah, no big deal, right Tulip?”

Tulip, the orange earth pony, stood and playfully fussed with her purple mane. “I'm not paying for getting my mane fixed, so I'm good with it.”

With that the four walked off to the clock tower water fountain, while the unicorn stallion and the mare that had made the alterations to the contract were stood behind Moonbeak's camera. Naturally, Brightstar was very curious as to what was going on, but he kept up the ball spell for Athena to play with. ‘Kitten sitter…’ he grinned, ‘I like that. I like that a lot.’

The three fetish mares took their cue and gathered around the water fountain and Moonbeak was the professional behind the camera. She took many photos as the three interacted playfully. The unicorn mare behind the camera used her magic to make the water fountain spray higher and farther than it otherwise would have, making sure that the three mares got very wet.

‘Cool trick…’ Brightstar thought with a smile and went back to kitten sitting, creating a second ball with his magic. Athena however was distracted by another worm she had dug up, which she promptly ate. Then the little kitten was uncertain what to do as she looked curiously at both balls. Smiling, Brightstar gently rolled the ball slowly between his hooves then he rolled it over to her.

At the fountain the three mares played with each other in the water that sparkled in the morning sunlight. There was no 'sexual' contact per se, but the poses they were making were very sensual and suggestive. While he was playing ball with the very cute bundle of white feathers and brown fur that was Athena, Brightstar would look up every so often and spare the mares a glance. ‘Very nice, ladies,’ he smiled and once again turned his attention to the kitten. ‘I wonder if you like fireworks.’ Leaning down close to the grass, he shot a couple of multi coloured sparks from his horn.

Athena, who immediately saw the bright green and red and yellow sparks, forgot about the two balls and crawled over to Brightstar’s head and reared up, reaching for the pretty spark emitter with her tiny claws. “You like sparks, cutie?” He asked with a smile at her uncoordinated attempts to grasp his horn, and he cancels the spells that maintained the balls, vanishing them with a little ‘pop’ sound.

Immediately Athena noticed the balls disappear. “Ba! Ba!” She cried, wondering where her toys had gone.

Brightstar giggled and, before the confused little kitten could cry, lit his horn and cast the illusion again, creating a third ball. “Here you go!” He nudged the bright red sparkly creation over to her.

“BA!” Athena cried joyously and pounced it. As she made contact, Brightstar added a layer to the spell so that every time she hit it the ball changed colour. Now it was bright blue. Athena, completely distracted by the new toy, whiled away the thirty minutes that the photo shoot took up by seeing what colour the ball would change next.

“It looks like Mommy's all done little one.” Brightstar thought out loud as he saw the unicorn stallion step out from behind the camera and collect the fetish gear from the three mares, leaving them to dry themselves on the grass in the warm late morning sunshine. The unicorn mare behind the camera finalised everything with the pregnant griffon before following the stallion out of the park. As they dried, the unicorn and pegasus model chatted for a short time before they too took their leave. Once everything was taken care of, Moonbeak and the earth pony mare came over to where Brightstar and Athena were playing. The royal blue stallion smiled at their approach. “Did you have a good shoot?”

“Mama!” Athena saw her mother coming and immediately threw up her arms.

“You have fun?” Moonbeak asked as she picked her up and gave her an affectionate nuzzle.

The orange earth pony mare snickered. “Should have with the royal sitter.”

At that, Moonbeak let out a rather girly giggle. “This is Tulip.” She introduced the earth pony, and Tulip duly performed a slight bow.

Brightstar chuckled, “I'm pleased to meet you, Miss Tulip.” He held out his hoof for a bump of greeting, which the model quickly returned. “We had a lot of fun.”

Tulip shot her friend a suspicious look, knowing as she did of her recent bereavement from her husband, and what had happened to Goldcrest. “Moony I'm a bit surpri...”

Moonbeak swiftly cut across her friend before she could finish her sentence. “He did a fine job. My only fear is Athena will pick up his accent.”

Tulip paused at that, giving a forced little giggle. “Of course Moony, but there are worse things.”

“Thank you Moonbeak, she's a well behaved little kitten.” Brightstar nodded and smiled up at Tulip, wholly missing the interaction between the two. “There certainly are worse things to pick up in Canterlot.”

“If Moony found you then it can't be all bad.” Tulip commented, returning the stallion’s smile.

“Remains to be seen,” Moonbeak replied, stroking her kitten’s cheek with a clawed finger, “but he listens well.”

Tulip smiled, aware of her friend’s idea of ‘fun’. “Makes them easier to train.” The orange mare put her forehoof on Moonbeak's shoulder. “You going to be okay?” She asked gently. In response Moonbeak glared at her, making the earth pony laugh. “Use that stare on him. It might just work.”

Softening up her look, Moonbeak sighed. She knew her friend only meant well. “I'll be fine, Tulip, thank you.”

Brightstar smiled as she nodded and walked off into the park. “Would you like some assistance packing your things away?” He asked helpfully.

“Let me pack my cameras while you play with her,” Moonbeak nodded, “and then you can see if you remember where things go in the van.” She nuzzled and cooed Athena’s belly fur and set her down in the grass.

“Alrighty.” The royal blue stallion smiled at Athena who was looking at him expectantly. “Athena, want another ball?”

“Ba!”

Grinning, he lit his horn and cast the minor illusion spell that creates the magic colour changing ball. “Here's your ball!”

While they played, Moonbeak was quick to put every piece of her camera equipment back in their respective cases, and with everything stacked neatly on the grass she came walking back over to where Brightstar was playing ball with her kitten. “I see magic does have its uses.” Without another word, Moonbeak got down on the grass to play with Athena, rolling the magical ball to her.

It was but a moment later that Brightstar realised this was his cue, and he glanced over to where the packed cases were waiting on the sidewalk to be packed away. Getting up, he trotted over the grass past the bench he had been sat on to the cases and, fully appreciating the value of some of the equipment – he knew some of this stuff could range into the high thousands of bits - starts to very carefully levitate them back into the van in their exact positions they were in before.

With the time approaching eleven in the a.m., Brightstar trotted back over once his appointed task had been completed. “That’s everything back in the van, Moonbeak.”

Moonbeak looked up from her little game of ball. “Thank you.” She said simply and stood, taking Athena in her arms to the van. Quickly she made sure the car seat was secured in place and then she secures Athena in it. “Can I treat you to lunch?”

“It was my pleasure…” Brightstar started but was interrupted by his rumbling belly. “Now you mention it, lunch would be amazing, thank you.” ‘And bound to be tastier than what the Wandering Pony’s kitchen can produce…’ he thought quietly to himself. His only concern was bits at this point.

“No recent missing relatives?” She asked as she got in the driver’s seat.

Brightstar got in the passenger side and shook his head. “None that I'm aware of.”

“Good,” Moonbeak’s beak twisted up into a smile. “It's bad form to feed a pony a blood relative.” She giggled and floored the gas, driving off down the street.

The royal blue stallion laughed at that. “So your shoot went well?”

“Yes.” Moonbeak nodded. “They agreed to a water damage rider, but the unicorn was good with the fountain. I get picked for a lot of shoots because I don't mind last minute changes. Wouldn't think that would you?”

“Well,” Brightstar considered his reply. “I admit I don't know a lot about your business, but I imagine it pays to be as flexible as you can. That way they come back to you.”

Moonbeak laughed at that. “I'm sure you found the griffons in the kingdom very flexible.”

“Hmm…they were okay, once they started talking that is,” Brightstar laughed as he recalled his time spent in Griffonstone. “It helped that I went out of my way and learnt the language.”

“You too seem flexible.” Moonbeak commented as she drove through an intersection that Brightstar thought he recognised. “Athena had fun. Better than being stuck in a car seat.”

“Oh, that, well as it happens I have a tiny bit of experience looking after foals,” Brightstar explained, glossing over the whole ‘Cyclone wearing nappies and acting like a foal thing’. After all, that was a fourth date kind of revelation. “And Athena loved playing ball with me.”

“You didn't panic when she ate those worms.” The pregnant griffon observed, “Did they try to gross you out in the kingdom?”

“Oh Luna above, yes!” Brightstar laughed out loud. “At Stormclaw Academy I had the whole raw bloody meat hazing thing in the cafeteria for a good week or so, they thought it was funny to serve the pony meat. I shut them right up when I ate it.”

“Impressive.” Moonbeak, Brightstar noted, actually did sound impressed. “I have pony food for my friends.”

“Thank you,” he grinned. “Steak Tartare and Carne Apache are often served in Canterlot restaurants.”

Moonbeak actually glanced across at the royal blue stallion for a split second as she drove, to see if he was joking with her. “I thought you ponies gave cows equal rights.”

“Canterlot is...different to the rest of Equestria.” Brightstar led off, debating internally with himself just how much to share at this early juncture. “My ah, my mum used to take my sister and I to the upmarket restaurants as a treat until she uh, she wasn't able to, anymore.” He said, rather glossing over the exact reasons as to why his mum couldn’t take them anywhere anymore. That was definitely sixth date stuff.

“I find all ponies strange,” Moonbeak said as she pulled her van into Horsehead Square. “But, I like strange.”

“Then I have never been more happy to be strange.”

A few moments later Moonbeak turned her van into the Big Tree neighbourhood of Horsehead Square, and after passing two large treehouses the griffon pulled into the carport located behind her tree that Brightstar hadn’t noticed in the dark of the previous night. “My storage area and darkroom are at the base.” Moonbeak pointed with a clawed finger. “Once everything is put away we can go up in the house proper and I'll make lunch.”

“That sounds like a plan, Miss Moonbeak.” Brightstar smiled as they both exited the van. “May I please be of assistance?”

‘So very polite…I like you but, we’ll see.’ Moonbeak thought to herself with a satisfied smile. “You may. You do carry things quite well.” She marched up to the door of her storage / darkroom, disguised to look like part of the tree. Indeed, if you didn’t know there was a door there you wouldn’t know. When she began putting her stuff away in the tree the unicorn could see it was very well organized and extremely high end.

“Thank you, Miss.” Brightstar lit his horn and with a series of simple levitations he used his magic to help the griffon put the camera equipment away. “Well organised, I see.”

“Order guarantees success.” Moonbeak commented once the things had been put away and the wooden door securely closed.

“I like order.” Brightstar smiled. ‘My OCD likes order anyway…and that tree door is uncanny, it’s so well disguised!’ He trotted back to the van. “When you cast a lot of illusions, order helps to ground you in reality.”

“I cast very few illusions.” Moonbeak replied nonchalantly as she retrieved her little kitten from the car seat and she put her on her back. When she felt Athena’s little claws dig in to her fur she took off and flew around the tree to the entrance.

Brightstar followed her around to the front of the treehouse and before common sense could stop him said aloud, “you certainly cast a spell on me.”

Hovering in place just next to her front door, Moonbeak performed an exaggerated roll of her emerald green eyes so that the stallion below her could see. ‘Oh by Grover’s Talon he’s so adorable!’ Shaking her head though she flew through her door and left it open.

Chuckling at the picture perfect eye roll he had just been given, Brightstar saw that there was in fact no stairs leading up to the large expansive treehouse that was built around the three huge oak trees. The only way up was flight or magic. Gathering himself he lit his horn and concentrated very hard. Disappearing in a flash of yellow light he reappeared an instant later perched on the doorstep. Straight away he saw an area of the living room marked off with toys for Athena. Moving through the treehouse he saw everything was natural wood and the room was well appointed like a Canterlot home. Athena was already in the play area.

Brightstar took a brief moment to collect himself and make sure he was all there after the teleportation. It wasn’t that he was scared of teleporting, he just preferred not to. Splicing hurt. “Wow...” he whistled appreciatively, “very nice house Miss Moonbeak.”

Moonbeak’s shrill voice sounded from the kitchen at the end of the treehouse. “I enjoy it. Make yourself at home. Lunch will be about ten minutes.”

“Uh huh,” Brightstar murmured as he walked around. He saw a hallway leading off to one side of the treehouse, he assumed the bathroom and bedrooms were down there. “So...you had this built around the oak trees? I love it!”

“A dead tree is a useless tree.” Moonbeak commented from the kitchen, accompanied by the delicious smell of grilling fish.

“But I do love how the design works with the trees.” Brightstar commented as he looked around. The large round circular rooms looked for all intents and purposes like extensions of the trees they were built around. “Did you design it?”

“No, an earth pony architect from Manehatten did it. Flank Wright his name was.”

“Well he did a great job.” Brightstar sat on the couch in the living room and was very pleased to discover it was a soft and comfortable as it looked. “Aaah…” he sighed in comfort.

Alas, the ten minutes passed by all too quickly, and Moonbeak walked in to collect Athena for lunch. “We will eat in the dining room.”

“Yes Miss,” very reluctantly the royal blue stallion got up from the world’s comfiest couch and followed the pregnant griffon through the treehouse to the dining room. The unicorn paused upon entering the dining room. On the large slab of smoothly sanded and lacquered wood that was the dining table were arranged three substantial wooden platters each filled with various grilled veggies, bread & butter and grilled sardines respectively. Two glasses of white wine completed the delicious looking meal. “Something else to drink?” Moonbeak asked as she placed Athena in her high chair.

“Oh no Miss,” Brightstar waved his hoof dismissively, “white wine is perfect, thank you.”

Moonbeak sat and poured the white wine, indicating Brightstar to sit as well. As he did so she poured Athena a beaker of water. “Eat what you like.” She put a generous helping of grilled veggies and fish on Athena's plate as well as a serving of everything on hers.

“I thank you Miss, for this lunch.” Having not eaten at all that day, Brightstar eagerly levitated over a small mound of the bread and the sardines.

Moonbeak ate a sardine, her sharp beak viciously snapping the fish in two. “What are you looking for, Brightstar?” She asked unexpectedly while her kitten messily laid into her own fish.

“Love,” Brightstar replied quickly once he had swallowed the mouthful of bread and fishes he had been chewing. “But I'm not looking, I found it already.”

‘Bless him, he’s cute!’ Moonbeak smiled back at the young stallion. “There,” she pointed a clawed finger at Athena, “is half my life. Do you know where the other half is?”

“I'd expect no less, Miss.” Brightstar chewed some more fish and took a sip of his white wine as he considered his answer. “You mentioned last night he was no longer with you.”

“Ha!” Moonbeak barked out a shrill laugh. “Little do you know.” She rubbed a clawed hand lovingly over her very pregnant belly. When she spoke next her tone was considerably softer. “The other half is in here. Why should I make each of them give up one sixth to you?”

Brightstar didn’t need to think of his answer. “Because I love you, Miss Moonbeak.” The royal blue stallion answered honestly. “I'd stay here for you all.”

“Love is pain and sorrow.” Moonbeak’s emerald green eyes met his yellow ones. “Do you want me to share that with you?”

“Of course.” Brightstar nodded. “As I would wish to share mine with you, then we become stronger with the sharing.”

“I will give you a chance.” Moonbeak smiled and snapped at a couple of sardines. “You did very well yesterday, and again today. Athena likes you. Your magic is also useful. What is it you do other than chase griffons?”

“Thank you.” He smiled and ate a slice of bread with a grilled sardine. “I have just graduated Canterlot University. I'm fluent in Zebran, Griffonian, and a few other languages including Minotaur, and I'm good at illusion spells.”

“You want to be an ambassador?”

“Hmm, that was my first idea when I went to University, yes.” Brightstar replied with a sip of his wine. “And you? Did you always want to be a photographer?”

“Yes, from a very young age.” Moonbeak replied with a proud smile. “I'm learning to paint also.”

“Oh really?” Brightstar looked up, very interested at that. “What things have you photographed?”

“Mostly individuals. Griffons, ponies, dragons, and others.” Moonbeak answered, “Now I mostly do fashion and magazine covers.”

“If you ever wanted to photograph landscapes, you don't get much better than the views from Canterlot Mountain.”

Moonbeak laughed her high shrill laugh. “After the eyries of the Griffonstone Mountains you think of Canterlot.”

“What can I say?” Brightstar laughed, “home is home. I'm due back soon to visit my mum, I'd rather do it with you.”

“A little soon to introduce me to your mother.” Moonbeak commented shortly.

‘I’d rather not do it at all, but you deserve to know,’ Brightstar thought as his smile fell from his face and he looked down at the table. “Yeah, you have a point.”

Moonbeak immediately caught the change in the stallion’s demeanour. Instantly she regretted what she had said. “Stay the night with me.” She reached her claw over the table and squeezed his hoof. “I miss the warmth beside me.”

Brightstar perked up straight away and smiled a wide smile. “Anything for you, Miss.”

Moonbeak gave his hoof another tender squeeze. “After lunch, when Athena takes her nap, we can share interests. I liked the sharing yesterday.”

“As did I, Miss.” Brightstar grinned broadly, recalling all too well the events of the previous night at the Twisted Tail. “The sharing was a lot of fun.”

Moonbeak decided to change tack. “You do any photography at that university of yours?” She asked curiously as Athena’s eyes began to droop in her high chair. She could tell her kitten wasn’t far away from her appointed nap.

“A little,” and when Brightstar said a little, he meant it. “I contributed to the university paper.”

“Oh, I remember those days.” The pregnant griffon giggled, watching Athena comically nod her head. She estimated another ten minutes before she was out face first in her three quarters empty plate. “Blurry pictures of moving trees.”

Brightstar laughed, making Athena jerk her eyes open before she closed them again. “That's right. The one thing Canterlot does rather well is scenery.”

Just before her kitten’s face hit her plate, Moonbeak slid from her seating pad and caught her daughter in her arms. The little kitten murmured once before she curled up and pulled her brown wing around her. “While Athena naps I get my work done.” She whispered, carrying her through to her crib and flicking on the monitor. “Join me in my darkroom, I have etchings to show you.” She said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

“Indeed?” Brightstar smiled as he too stood up. “Then, I would be only too pleased to see your etchings.”

Wafting her long grey leonine tail under the royal blue stallion’s nose, Moonbeak walked past him and out of the open front door and flew around to the carport.

Walking out to the ‘doorstep’, Brightstar looked down at the street a good forty feet below him. He knew the only way down was the way he got up. Gathering his concentration, the young stallion teleported himself down to the ground in a bright flash of yellow magic. “I'm all here!” He exclaimed gleefully as he checked himself over.

Moonbeak paused at the hidden door to her darkroom. “What would happen if you left your horn behind?”

Brightstar flinched involuntarily. “It is called splicing, leaving behind a body part.” He could easily recall the magic classes at the university, when Professor Sinistra had had to summon several of the nurses to attend the results of the inexperienced teleportation accidents. Thankfully nopony had died, though there was one poor mare who needed a wheelchair ever afterwards. “It would be immensely painful, and I would doubtless embarrass myself by passing out.”

Bowing her head, Moonbeak looked under the stallion, inspecting his sheath closely and breathing in his rose scent. “Seems you didn't leave it behind.”

“Aaah,” he gave a somewhat embarrassed chuckle. “That horn I can't live without, I'm afraid.”

Using a hidden keypad, Moonbeak opened the disguised door. “You have your priorities.”

“Indeed so Miss.” He stood aside politely, “after you, please.”

With all the camera equipment lining one side, there wasn’t an awful lot of room in the base of the largest oak tree that made up the darkroom. Even less when Moonbeak closed the door behind them. On the back wall were arrayed a variety of developing fluids next to some rolls of film in a bin. Brightstar had a look around the well-ordered workspace and smiled as he saw the computer and printer. “You have digital equipment, I see.”

“Yes,” Moonbeak nodded, “a lot of my commercial work is digital. High end customers will pay for real film, and then I do real film for my own self sanity.”

“Hmm…digital is still a rarity in Canterlot,” Brightstar commented, “then again they still have gas street lights.”

Moonbeak turned to hold the young pony in her steely gaze. “Old doesn't mean useless, but it does take a lot more maintenance. Things looked a lot different in Filly when they used gas, I find the electric lighting is so harsh, then that gives you yet another look.”

“I understand.” Brightstar smiled and saw an opportunity for one of Slingshot’s pickup lines. “Myself I prefer the older methods, I'm quite prepared to maintain you...” his yellow eyes shrunk in horror when he realised he had messed up the line. Badly. “Ah, I mean, um, them.”

“Smooth compliment.” Moonbeak rolled her eyes sarcastically and held her belly as the kitten gave her a kick. “I'll have to beat you with my walker.”

Brightstar chuckled, “please forgive my lines, they are as smooth as a cobbled road.”

“Yes,” she giggled, “you win many points for bringing up my aged status of an elder statesgriffon.” ‘He does make me laugh though, and I don’t feel thirty when I’m around him.’

“A beauty of a statesgriffon, I might add.” The royal blue unicorn said quickly, eager to make up for his earlier slip.

Moonbeak snorted out a shrill laugh. “I warn you though I am high maintenance.” With that she proceeded to turn on the computer, the printer and she plugged in the camera from the photo shoot.

“As all ladies should be.” Brightstar said with a perky little smile. “I assure you I can accommodate your every whim, my lady!”

“Bold words, pony.” Smiling to herself, she printed out a proof sheet, and clawed it over to the unicorn along with a photographic magnifying glass. “Pick four for me to toss and four I must keep.”

“Indeed they are, then fortune favours the bold.” Using his yellow magic, he took the shot glass shaped magnifying glass and the sheet of photos. “Hmmm...” he looked at each of the eight pictures for a good long time, fully aware he was being given a test of his honest opinion. He looked them over for a last time. “Well, going on subject content, background...I'd say toss these.” He highlighted the pictures with a few passers-by bombing the photos in the background.

But for two of the pictures, it was the three mares in a variety of poses, states of wetness, and some with 'photo bombers' and the two other pictures were of just the water fountain, but Brightstar could note the shadow of the clock tower had moved. “I rather like this one of just the fountain, but here the shadow seems too long.”

Moonbeak snickered. “Do you think a fashion magazine would publish a picture of a fountain?”

“Aah no, your point.” Brightstar flushed a cute shade of red, “then I would suggest those four with the fewest bystanders to keep, those that focus on the subject, here these four for instance.”

Moonbeak looked over the ones he had selected with his yellow magic – the unicorn mare taking water in her mouth, the pegasus mare shackled while her long mane splattered the other two and the earth pony mare cross eyed as the water hit her nose. “I can agree with your choices, I'll keep those for their review. They tend to like motion captured. so, what are the lonely fountain ones for?”

“Thank you,” Brightstar smiled, “I'm glad you approve of my choices. I rather like the one of the shackled pegasus mare…” his yellow eyes lingered on the photograph, something that did not go unnoticed by the griffon. “I ah...” he decided to change the subject. “I just like the fountain. My mum likes fountains...the touch and sound of running water soothes her.”

“My start and finish photos to judge the natural light placement.” Moonbeak tapped a few keys on the keyboard and printed off a separate picture. Brightstar saw it was one of the mare getting the shackles put on her and was not part of the photo shoot. “I like to take extras in case something catches my eye.”

“Aaah yes, of course, that's what the fountains are for.” He smiled a blushing smile, somewhat embarrassed that he’d almost said too much too soon. “I will assume on your performance last night you are good with shackles?”

Moonbeak merely smiled and busied herself putting the package together on a disk. “After Athena wakes we will go shopping and I'll drop this off. So, you have plans for today?”

“No Ma'am, not at all.” Brightstar replied. “When we were done I was going to enjoy the park before going back to the hostel, why do you ask?”

Right then, an intercom speaker that the unicorn had not noticed until then crackled to life, “Mama?” Came the kitten’s tiny voice.

“Okay, it is time to go.” Moonbeak said, standing up. “I'll have to show you my ancient photography another day.” She proceeded to quickly shut down the systems, “You go first, I have to activate the security.”

“Alright,” Brightstar had stood to the side to let her leave ahead of him, but he quickly trotted out of the dark room. When she left, Moonbeak activated the security in her dark room and shut the disguised door behind her and upon exiting the carport, flew around and up to the front of her house. ‘Oh…here we go again…’ he lit his horn and once more teleported up to the treehouse, clutching his belly when he reappeared. “Uuugh.”

“I thought all unicorns can teleport to the moon and back.” Moonbeak commented when she walked out of Athena’s room with the kitten on her back.

“N-Not so, Ma'am.” Brightstar smiled as he swayed a little. “All unicorns can levitate. Teleportation is a harder skill to learn and master. Think of it like squeezing yourself through a hosepipe.”

Moonbeak had sudden thoughts of squeezing the unicorn through a hosepipe. “Oh…” she lowered herself to the floor and Athena clambered down her side to the floor. Straight away she went up to the stallion.

“Ba!” She squeaked loudly, causing her mum to snicker.

Smiling, he used his magic to once again create a bright yellow ball. “Here you go, Athena!”

Athena was simply overjoyed. “Ba!” She demonstrated this by immediately pouncing it.

“How far away can you be to maintain that?” Moonbeak asked curiously.

Brightstar made the ball change colour from yellow to green as Athena pounced it, making her squeal with joy. “I have an average range of thirty feet on direct illusions.”

“So, not line of sight then.” The older griffon said thoughtfully, “She could play with it in the van an you don't have to look at her playing?”

“That's right,” Brightstar nodded in agreement. “Line of sight does help but it’s not necessary.”

Moonbeak nodded her understanding as she left the living room for the kitchen and started looking through cabinets and adding items to a shopping list. Content where he was, Brightstar played with Athena, batting the ball gently to her with his forehooves. He noted that Athena was very good at pouncing, but now once she had it she left it to see where the stallion would move it next. Crouching low to the wooden floor he levitated the ball and rested it on his muzzle.

Athena stopped in mid pounce and stared at Brightstar, entirely not sure what to do. Moonbeak looked in from the kitchen. “You can make it blue with a white star and she will learn to pounce your butt. Might keep her fed later in life.”

The unicorn chuckled and magically changed the ball’s colour, makes it a royal blue with a single white star. Athena’s bright green eyes went very wide, but she still didn't move. Her mother giggled, “You ever deal with yearlings?”

“This is my first time.”

“When she was younger she would beak individuals,” Moonbeak explained, “so I trained her to not do that. As long as the ball is on your nose she will leave it be.”

“Aah I see.” Brightstar moved the ball with his yellow aura to sit just in front of his nose on the wooden floor.

As soon as the ball touched the floor Athena attacked it and in the process bopped the pony’s nose with her wing tip. Once she had it well away from the stallion she moved off to watch it intently. Brightstar took the boop with a giggle and kept the colour of the ball, making it bounce gently on the floor.

Seeing the ball bounce once then twice, Athena timed her pounce and took it down.

Having completed her shopping list in the kitchen, Moonbeak came back into the living room. “Shopping!”

Athena immediately lost interest in the ball. The little kitten knew what shopping meant. It meant ice cream! “'ream!” She squeaked happily.

“Fly.”

At her mother’s command, Athena tried really very hard, flapping her little wings until they were a golden brown blur, but only her hopping on her legs got her any air time.

Brightstar’s heart melted at Athena’s determined efforts. Completely and utterly melted. “Aaah bless, that's so cute!”

Satisfied her daughter had tried her best, Moonbeak nodded. “Ice Cream!”

Athena stopped trying to fly and clapped her little talons together. “'Ream!”

“She should have it down at two years old,” Moonbeak smiled proudly, “some a couple months sooner, some a couple months later.” She smiled as she reached down and put Athena on her back. “You teleport more than one pony?”

Brightstar stood up from the floor and said proudly, “I can, yes Ma'am.”

“I'll have to see you do it sometime.” She left the treehouse out of the front door and flew around to the carport and to her white transit van.

Brightstar took a moment, swallowing hard and he concentrated, teleporting once more to the ground. By the time he had walked over to the van, Athena was secured in the car seat in the front back row, and Moonbeak was waiting in the driver's seat. Holding his belly, and praying the griffon would please drive smoothly, he got in the passenger seat. No sooner had his flank touched the seat than Athena squeaked, “Ba!”

Putting the van in gear, Moonbeak snickered. “You have only yourself to blame.”

Brightstar chuckled and happily created the blue ball with white star for the kitten to play with. “Anything to oblige.”

“So I've noticed,” she commented as she pulled out of the carport and headed into town. “Then again you do have a fast mouth."

“You didn't complain about my mouth in the pub last night.”

“Your tongue is nothing to complain about.” Moonbeak said as she overtook a slow moving Chevy Colt. “Your off the paw remarks...”

“Hopefully they'll earn me a spanking?” As he said that, Moonbeak drove the van past a strip mall that contained the Fillydelphia MiAC store – he could’ve sworn she actually slowed down as she passed it – and a smile spread over his royal blue face. “Hmmm…MiAC's always a good place to shop, isn’t it?”

Silently Moonbeak pulled into a nearby parking spot, “They do carry a nice variety.” Once she was out of her seat she got Athena out of her car seat and onto her back.

“I was imagining myself in a grey collar.” Brightstar smiled eagerly as the pony and the griffon walked up to the very, very pink façade of the adult shop.

Moonbeak let out a very happy giggle. “You're a pony that knows how to drop a hint.” At least he was direct. She liked direct.

“What can I say?” He grinned as he held open the door in his magic and she walked in ahead of the stallion. “You roused a side of me last night I hadn't really explored before.” They entered the shop, and as they didn’t ask for any help nopony bothered them and they were left alone to browse. For Brightstar the burgeoning submissive, it was like Hearths Warming morning. “When a sexy griffon tells you to sit on the floor, you sit.”

“Your momma taught you well, then.” Moonbeak commented as she walked along the aisle with collars. Every combination of width, length and colour was accounted for. After a few moments she found a collar that was just the right shade of grey that matched that of her fur and her wings. Picking it up, she twirled it in her claw. “Like?”

Brightstar, who was about to suggest a white one for the colour of her head feathers, instead nodded with a smile. “Yes Ma'am, I like very much!”

Holding the collar in her claw she moved to another spot in the store, this wall mounted rack held cloth cuffs with buttons, sturdier cloth with Velcro and lastly fur lined iron shackles with lock and key that looked like they came straight from Nightmare Moon’s dungeon. They could have, were it not for the fur lining padding the insides for comfort. “Wow…those mean business don't they?” The unicorn indicated the iron shackles, testing them with his hoof. “Nice weight to them.”

Moonbeak simply nodded, but Brightstar caught a gleam that twinkled in her emerald green eyes. He knew which ones he needed to get, if only to show her he was serious. “I'd like a set of those I think.”

“And what will you do if I ‘accidentally’ toss the key?” Moonbeak asked seriously.

“Well, any flat headed screwdriver will open the lock.” Brightstar replied, showing her the screws.

“You can spend your bits where you want.” Moonbeak said with a shrug of her shoulders, feigning a disinterest that was purely for show. Internally she was very happy indeed.

Brightstar paused for just a moment. While he wanted very much to impress the griffon with him, the one thousand two hundred bit price tag had him thinking twice. Ultimately, with Moonbeak tapping her claw, he made his choice. Even though this purchase was a third of the money he had left, if it didn’t go well it just meant he was going back to Canterlot a few days early. “Very well, I'll get these ones.”

“I have in my claw what I'm getting today.”

“As have I.” He levitated a full set of the iron shackles, for both his front and hind hooves, from the rack. Following after Moonbeak, who headed to the service counter and paid her three hundred bits for the grey collar, Brightstar paid for the set of iron shackles and floated them into his saddlebags.

Next up was grocery shopping. This went very quickly as Moonbeak was armed with her list and she knew how to use it. “I can cook up some weird pony food if you pick it out.” She said over shoulder as she went efficiently round the aisles.

“Oh I’m not squeamish Ma'am,” Brightstar replied, “whatever you normally eat is perfectly fine.”

Moonbeak snorted and after getting the groceries paid for she went next door to the ice cream shop, where Athena got very excited indeed.

Brightstar chuckled, “it looks like someone likes ice cream.”

Athena confirmed this assertion. “Ream!”

“What kind?” Moonbeak asked.

“Traarrery!”

Giggling, Moonbeak approached the counter and addressed the mint green earth pony with a vanilla coloured mane. “Double Dip, you got any pony flavour in yet?”

Double Dip nodded to his best customer, well, the mother of his best customer anyway, and said, “I can always put a hoof in yours.”

“Hmm no thanks, I know where that hoof has been.” She joined in the stallion’s little laugh and put in her order. “A foals strawberry and a double chocochip in a waffle cone.”

Brightstar was scanning the menu, and found the flavour he wanted. “Salted caramel in a cone, please.”

Moonbeak put up her clawed hand. “I got the unicorn with the out of town accent.”

Paying the seventy five bits, Moonbeak found an empty table complete with a booster pad for Athena to sit on, and once she was secured in place the little golden brown kitten went to town on the strawberry ice cream. After Moonbeak sat herself down, Brightstar seated himself and delicately licked at his caramel ice cream with a contented sigh. “Hard to beat good ice cream.” She said.

“You are quite right.” Brightstar smiled, “my sister would love this salted caramel.”

After Brightstar finished his ice cream a few moments later, Moonbeak lead off with a change of subject, deciding to test her potential Pet. “My saddlebag is heavy, will you help me carry something?”

Brightstar nodded with a smile. “Of course, it would be my pleasure.”

She reached into her bag and pulled out the grey collar and she leant over the table to buckle it around his neck. “There,” she said as she adjusted the fit, making sure it wasn’t too loose or too tight, “my bag is much lighter now.”

The royal blue unicorn’s smile widened, “hmm...it feels better too.” The other ponies in the shop did notice what was going on, but none said or did anything beyond looking.

Wholly ignoring the watchers, Moonbeak leant forward. “Like to have those shackles on?”

“MmMmm…” he bit his lip, breathing all excited as he tried to control his arousal. “Yes please, Mistress.”

‘Gotcha!’ Even though she knew there was little doubt in any case, the putting on of the collar, his willing acceptance of it, and his calling her ‘Mistress’ all but sealed the deal. “That's good to know.” Moonbeak stood up and placed the cleaned Athena on her back. “Need to get those groceries home.” She then proceeded to trot out of the door, knowing full well she was leaving him still wanting them on. ‘Moony you are such a tease.’

Brightstar was still smiling when he got to the white transit van and sat in the passenger seat, and his smile got wider when Athena cried out for another ball. Moonbeak was also smiling but chose to say nothing on the way home, while Brightstar lit his horn and created another royal blue ball with white star for the happy little kitten to play with.

Once they neared the treehouse residence, Moonbeak activated the car phone. After two rings a young female voice answered; “Hello?”

“Ceres, it's Moony,” Moonbeak spoke up loudly into you the speaker. “You free to sit tonight?”

“Well, I was going to do my claws with my crappy polish.”

Moonbeak grinned as she drove, she saw her kitten happily batting her claws at the royal blue ball that was floating just in front of her. “You can use mine.”

“What time?” Ceres asked, eager to get hold of her older friend’s far superior makeup kit.

“Seven to Midnight.”

“See you then!” Ceres hung up her phone, sounding just as excited as Athena was in the back of the van.

Moonbeak pressed the button that shut off the car phone as she pulled into her car port at the base of her treehouse. “Plans for tonight?” She asked, killing the van’s engine.

Brightstar smiled, “none to speak of, other than perhaps visiting the Twisted Tail again, to see if I could make a pint last all night.”

“Well,” the pregnant griffon smiled, toying with the stallion as a cat would with a mouse. “I wouldn't want you to interrupt your plans, I'm sure I'll be fine for dinner.”

“But, plans can change, can't they?” Brightstar amended quickly, unaware he was being played, albeit in a good natured way. “I'd happily accompany you for dinner.” ‘I’d accompany you anywhere, anytime…’

“Hmmm,” Moonbeak decided she’d played with him enough. After all he really was a pleasant well-mannered young stallion.
“It’s a good thing I found a sitter for tonight. I think I'll invite you along.” She giggled like a griffon half her age, heaved her bulk out of the driver’s seat and got Athena on her back. Spreading her wide powerful grey wings she flew them both up to the house.

Getting out of the van, Brightstar looked up at the treehouse forty feet above the street. “Uuugh...” once more he cast the spell and in a blinding flash of yellow light he teleported up to appear just inside the front door. As his vision returned to him, he saw Athena was busying herself playing with her building blocks while Moonbeak was in the kitchen putting away the groceries. Automatically the unicorn went to check himself over but stopped with a blush. “Can I help?” He asked, trotting through the living room to the kitchen.

Noticing the blush, Moonbeak asked with a sly grin, “Double checking both horns?” She giggled, “Sure, canned stuff in the pantry.”

Brightstar nodded and smiled a weak smile. “I ah…I just think I've teleported more today than I have this year so far, that’s all.” He cast the simpler levitation spell and floated four cans to the pantry.

“Is that an issue?” Moonbeak grew very serious, she even rested a clawed hand on the stallion’s shoulder. “I can have steps put in...” she caught herself and removed her hand with a cough, “you know, ah, if you are going to visit often, that is.”

‘Aww she does care!’ Brightstar smiled to himself, “not at all Moonbeak, it's good for me to practise...but thank you for the offer, as I'd love to visit more often.”

Now it was the griffon’s turn to blush, the faint red tinge colouring her cheeks. “Err, yes, that might happen...” hurriedly she turned her back and she continued to put stuff away.

“I'd like to think it would.” He floated more of the cans to the pantry.

Moonbeak simply smiled, and gave up on the pretence that she wasn’t at all interested in the attractive, polite young unicorn that made her feel younger than she had in a long time. Her shrill voice softened, “you can join me in Athena's story time.”

“I'd love to.” Brightstar was a little shocked at first, upon realising exactly what a momentous thing this was that he was being offered. He was being allowed in. “What stories does she like?”

“High literature of course!” Moonbeak replied with a flourish. “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, or The Sneetches...”

“Aaah, the giants!” Brightstar chuckled, “I'm told as a colt I enjoyed the Hungry Caterpillar.”

Moonbeak giggled, “'Thena thinks caterpillars taste bad.”

“Ah well, I can't attest to that. I'll have to take her word for it.”

“I know what to read,” Moonbeak said assuredly, “it is one of Equestria's exports. 'Thena,” she called to her kitten, “story time!”

“Tory!” Athena scattered her half assembled tower of blocks in favour of the promised story.

Brightstar walked over very interested as the kitten sat herself on her little pillow on the couch in the living room. Moonbeak selected a book from the bottom shelf of several built into the walls of the circular room and began to read the ‘high literature’, 'Green Eggs and Ham'. “A classic indeed!” He chuckled, and when she got to the bit in the story about a house and a mouse he magically created them, and then he did the same with the box and the fox and so it went on. Athena took great joy in naming the objects that were created, or at least getting close to their names.

He smiled when the story was finished. “You're a clever kitten, ‘Thena.”

As Athena giggled and proudly sucked on her talon, Moonbeak spoke up, “Soon she will become the one thing every kitten becomes.”

“Oh?”

“A lawyer.”

“I'm sure you can’t wait.” Brightstar grinned as he ticked the little kitten’s chest fur.

“I look forward to her talking my ears off.” Moonbeak giggled as she watched Brightstar being so natural with her daughter. ‘How can he be so perfect without trying?’ She wondered to herself. “Play Time, ‘Thena!”

“Caa!” Excitedly, Athena slid down from the couch and crawled on over to her toy box. “Caa wace!” The kitten dug around for a few moments and when she turned around, her mother could see she had retrieved her toy cars. Three toy cars, where usually it was two.

“Looks like a new racer has come onto the track!” Moonbeak’s heart almost leapt when she noticed Athena had chosen for herself a blue car with a white stripe, whereas before the green one that she passed to her had always been her car of choice.

“I am honoured indeed.” Brightstar nodded to the kitten when a golden brown one was set in front of him.

Athena had put both of her claws on her car and she proceeded to run around the living room, Moonbeak was barely keeping up with her, she had one claw on the car, the other under her wing. In last place in the race, Brightstar was spending too much time giggling like a colt to keep up.

Out in front, Athena seemed to race in random directions as and when it suited her and she giggled like mad when her mom tried to pass and she rather expertly cut her off. Brightstar laughed as he pulled alongside the pregnant griffon. “I think Air Raid has a future contender in your kitten.”

“Yes, or my driving.” She agreed.

“Or that too,” he chuckled and tried to keep up, and was about to pass the green car when Athena crossed her imaginary finish line and started jumping up and down like she had won the Equestria Rally cup. Certainly Air Raid’s victory celebrations had been remarkably similar.

“Win! Win! Win! Win! Win!”

“Whooo!” Brightstar clapped his forehooves and made a little harmless firework light show to celebrate the win.

“Retty!” Athena cooed at the light show. A loud knock on the door distracted her attention once more. “Cere!”

“She is used to story time before sitter time.” Moonbeak explained as she walked over and got the door. “Hello Ceres, Athena is waiting for you.”

“Like always,” came the chipper reply of the sixteen year old griffon. “Ohhhh, so who's the stallion?” She asked, almost sniffing gossip as she walked into the living room.

Moonbeak rolled her green eyes and made the necessary introductions. “Ceres, Brightstar, Brightstar, Ceres.”

Brightstar stood and as he nodded his head in a polite greeting to the young frost blue furred female, he noted her white head feathers had red tips on them. “Рад встрече с вами, Ceres.”

Ceres smiled, impressed he knew the griffonian language. “Это гладкая говорун вы встретились вчера.”

Moonbeak nodded, “да.”

Brightstar smiled, happy that he had been spoken about. “At your service.”

“I doubt that,” Ceres flicked her feathers with her manicured talons, “but by what I see you're at Moony's service.” She giggled and pointed to the grey collar he was wearing.

“Good thing that too,” Moonbeak grinned and shot Brightstar a look. “Your father would kill him and eat the evidence.”

“Then it is good I am at Moonbeak's service.”

Ceres was about to reply to that when Athena crawled over and began begging for attention from her sitter. “Hi there Athena.”

“Cere pay.” The kitten demanded with a cute look on her face.

“Pay what?” Ceres asked.

Athena pointed to the scattered remains of her block tower on the wooden floor. “Bocks!”

Ceres giggled, “Her majesty has spoken! Have fun Moony, and you too Bright.” She went off with Athena, allowing herself to be led by the claw as if she’d never been here before, to play with the multi coloured blocks.

Brightstar smiled as he stroked his collar with his forehoof. “I rather think I might.”

“Did you make reservations for dinner?” Moonbeak asked, standing by her front door.

“Aah…I'm afraid I haven't had the chance,” Brightstar blushed. ‘Not to mention I can’t afford anywhere that requires a reservation in any case.’

Moonbeak treated the blushing stallion to a picture perfect eye roll and he could hear Ceres giggling over in the corner of the living room. “Then it’s a good thing Filly Cheese Stack doesn't need reservations.” She opened the front door and, mindful of what he’d said earlier about teleporting, asked; “Do you need a ride down?”

Brightstar did a little happy dance at the invitation, pleased he didn’t have to teleport. “I'd like a ride just this once, please.”

“Piss on my back and I'll drop you.” Moonbeak warned as she squatted down low to allow him to mount her.

The unicorn let out a little eep as he walked over and very carefully climbed up onto her back. “Never, my lady.” Once he was on her grey back, his hind legs resting on her wide flanks he got a loose hold around her chest.

Happy that her passenger was secure, Moonbeak performed a drop take off and, flying around the tree, she landed on the passenger side of her white transit van. Getting off, Brightstar gave her a grateful nuzzle of thanks for the brief ride. “Filly Cheese Stack caters to the locals, but they do have a lot of non-ponies for the ingredient list. Did you bring your shackles?” She asked as she got into the driver’s seat.

“Yes Ma'am,” Brightstar replied as he too got in the van. “I have them here in my bag.”

“Good.” Moonbeak giggled, “they may come in useful later.”

Brightstar smiled next to her. “Oh, I do hope so.”

The journey to the Fillydelphia Cheese Stack eatery was short and uneventful, and when Moonbeak parked up alongside it Brightstar saw that it was a lot like Gino's Grill except Gino's was a tourist chain, while the Cheese Stack was clearly a local place. When they entered, Brightstar as always opening the door for his lady, the unicorn saw just how diverse it was. It was a busy place too. Ponies of all tribes were sat at long tables next to zebras, griffons and minotaurs. Behind the counter were griffon, zebra, and unicorn workers.

As they waited in line, Brightstar perused the large menu that was above the counter. There was a list of twenty vegetarian items, five meat items and two gem items along with four types of cheese, and four types of bread. “Hmmm...” the royal blue unicorn looked over the meat items, which included; pork tenderloin, pork bacon, tuna, locust and millbug. “I do like the sound of those.”

“Blackie,” Moonbeak addressed the jet black unicorn stallion with a familiar smiles, “the works, hold the stones.”

“Got it Moony,” Blackie confirmed the grey griffon’s order. “Your shadow want sumtin?”

“Pork bacon please,” Brightstar spoke up, “oh and some locust as well.”

“Veggies or cheese?” Blackie asked, slightly exasperated at these tourists not giving a full order. “You want pumpernickel like Moony?”

Moonbeak caught the look on the black unicorn’s face and laughed. “First time out, and I think the menu has overloaded his little brain.”

Brightstar laughed easily, the dig flowing off of his back. “The cheese and pumpernickel bread, please.”

Moonbeak shook her head. “You say works on cheese then pick of the four. Good choice in bread though.”

“Aah,” Brightstar stood corrected. “In that case, I shall have the works on pony mozzarella cheese, with the pumpernickel bread.”

“No. Stones!” Moonbeak slammed her clawed had onto the counter and glared at Blackie emphatically.

Blackie merely chuckled and got to work. “Next street over from my place has a Diamond Dog den, that’s why they have gems on the menu and the pranksters behind the counter slip them in unless you say no.”

“I see,” Brightstar chuckled, that was something his sister would do if she worked here. “Then yes, I agree, no stones.”

“Bush Tail,” Moonbeak got the attention of the terracotta coloured zebra, “two ales.” Once the zebra had poured the beers and put them on the counter, the pregnant griffon took one and made her way over to a small empty table while Brightstar took up the other in his glowing yellow magical aura and walks over to join her at the table. “You might guess I stop by here every once in a while.”

“I had guessed,” he looked around the modest eatery, somewhere between a café and a restaurant. “I can see why. I like this place already.”

“If you can get past the service. Good for locals, has no stars on Trip Adviser.” Moonbeak giggled as the large male griffon silently dropped two plates on the table and walked off without a word. “Just like back home.”

Brightstar chuckled and leant in to take a deep sniff of his plate. “Hmm…this does bring back memories of Stormclaw Academy.”

Moonbeak took a beakful of her food. “Did they ever sneak raw meat into your food?”

Brightstar nodded and swallowed the mouthful of bacon he had been chewing. “Oh yes, a few times in fact. As well as having me sample some bloodwine.”

Moonbeak looked up at that, “Did they at least serve it warm?”

“After I sent it back and asked for it to be served properly, yes.”

“It's okay, but I'm not a fan,” Moonbeak commented, her respect for this pony increasing a few notches that he had taken the hazings at the Academy. “And raw flesh isn't my cup of tea either. I rather like most pony food, but some of the flowers you use are just too sweet.”

“Agreed. When I was at the university in Canterlot I sampled Zebran cuisine.” He thoughtfully ate another mouthful, this time digging in to the cheese and locusts. “But...I have a question for you, Moonbeak.”

“Zebrans can cook!” The griffon smiled as she made her tenderloin disappear with a few snaps of her beak. “I don't tend to question what I eat. Ask.”

“You asked me earlier what I wanted.” He took a hefty swig of his beer. “I would ask you the same question.”

Moonbeak didn’t answer straight away. That was a good question, and it deserved a good answer. Thoughts of Goldcrest wandered into her head, however she found that when she was with this unicorn, those thoughts weren’t as painful as they were. “Peace.” She replied eventually.

Brightstar smiled. “Then, I hope we both find what we're after with each other.”

She gave a shrug of her shoulders. “The bacon here is very crispy.”

“Yes it is, just how I like it.”

Moonbeak nodded. “Is one enough for you?” She asked, indicating his half empty beer glass.

He nodded quickly. “For now.” The royal blue stallion levitated a mix of meat, cheese and bread to his mouth and he ate with a euphoric smile. “I'm curious though, Moonbeak, have you always been dominant?”

“Dominant?” She asked in return, “A pony thing, and I have taken to pony ways. For griffons it is last push, and yes, I tend to push last.”

“I think it suits you.”

“I can play questions too,” Moonbeak said as she leant over the small table and ran a talon along the grey collar she had bought for him. “How long have you longed for a collar?”

Brightstar smiled, “I'm not sure when it first started. I'd say about a year ago now, when me and my friends were at a funfair in Canterlot.” He recalled the time when Cyclone had him on his knees with his muzzle pressed up against the nappy she had been wearing.

“Your friends were the ponies at the race track?”

“Air Raid and Slingshot,” Brightstar lead off, “along with four others you haven't met yet.”

“Maybe the opportunity will come up to do so.” Moonbeak said as she finished her food and her ale. She waved a claw over at the counter and got an immediate nod from Blackie who had been watching them. “Come, I have another place to take you.” Without another word she got up and left.

Quickly Brightstar got up and followed after the grey furred griffon. “I've never thought of myself as particularly submissive,” he spoke up when he caught up with her, “but last night with you, it seemed right, it felt so very right.”

“Good, I will try to give you that 'right' feeling again tonight.” Moonbeak laughed and stopped the unicorn at the passenger door. “I need to borrow your shackles.”

“Of course, they're in my bag.”

Opening the passenger side door, Moonbeak reached into Brightstar’s saddlebag and got out the set of iron shackles and, crouching down, she put all four securely above his hooves, locking each with the key which she kept in her clawed hand. “They look nice against your fur.” Her tone changed a little with the wearing of the cuffs, becoming a little colder, more commanding. “Get in.” She turned and moved around to the driver's side.

“Nnnng...” it was a struggle, with his hooves firmly shackled together, but after a few moments, Brightstar managed to get in the passenger's side seat.

“Aaw,” Moonbeak gave him a condescending smile, relishing that feeling of power and control, as well as the responsibility for this young stallion’s well-being and care. “Are they too heavy for my little pony?”

As Moonbeak reached over and secured his seatbelt for him, Brightstar blushed intensely. “N-No Mistress.” He murmured, thrilling in the rush of comfort and security he felt at giving up his willpower to her.

With a shrill satisfied laugh, Moonbeak drove off, and presently Brightstar recognised the streets, and he had an inkling of where they were going. Sure enough, after a moments silence they pulled up outside the Twisted Tail bar. Once she was parked up and the engine was killed, Moonbeak held up a claw to her beak and raised an eyebrow. “Follow.” She said simply and got out of the van and walked up to the door.

“Yes Mistress!” Awkwardly, Brightstar got himself out of the van and walked as quickly as the chains on the shackles allowed.

Moonbeak paused, she didn’t get inside, instead she watched his progress, half amused at his struggle, half concerned at his struggle. This was after all a game. “Is something wrong?”

“Aah, no Mistress,” Brightstar replied, not wanting to show any weakness or to disappoint his Mistress. He knew how much griffons prized strength. “They just need getting used to, that’s all.”

For the fourth time that day Moonbeak rolled her emerald green eyes. “Fine, just go walking around like some thousand year old stallion.” She turned and entered the pub without a backwards glance.

Brightstar chuckled to himself and after a moment's practise he followed his Mistress inside, getting a little round of stomped hooves as he did so.

“Hey Moony,” Selene, the black griffon barmaid, looked across from her chat with Brass Knuckles who was as ever perched on her stool at the bar. “Oh, you brought the uni back. You even dressed him up for us!” Others in the bar heard her comment and stopped what they were doing to look and see what she meant, and there was some general laughter.

Moonbeak nodded to her friend as she took her regular table. “Two ales Selene, and you may need a mop, the shackles keep him from using his magic.”

“Put the non-unicorn pony's ale on my tab.” Brass Knuckles spoke up from the bar, again Brightstar was amazed at a minotaur her size was so softly spoken. “That racing pony got me some nice bits.”

Brightstar approached the table where Moonbeak was sat, he noticed immediately that there was just her seating pad present. The floor would once again be his spot, and that was fine with him. He smiled quickly as he seated himself. “The Mistress is quite right, Ms. Selene, I cannot use my magic whilst wearing these.” This was of course a barefaced lie. The shackles he was wearing went no way whatsoever in preventing his use of magic, but if his Mistress said they did, then they did. He nodded to the hulking muscular minotaur. “My thanks, Ms. Knuckles.”

Brass Knuckles had a questioning look on her face, but she figured it wasn’t worth messing with Moonbeak's game. Forge, the slate grey earth pony with the anvil cutie mark called out, “You going to put on another show?”

“Maybe.” Was Moonbeak’s only response as Selene bought over the two ales and put the drinks on the table between the griffon and the unicorn. “I knew I should have put a cover charge on for tonight.” Selene giggled and went back behind the bar.

Making himself comfortable, as much as he could on the hard wooden floor, Brightstar smiled. “Thank you, Mistress.”

Moonbeak took a delicate sip of her ale. “You are welcome, my Pet.”

‘Yeeees! There's that feeling again!’ Wholly unused to drinking or eating without the use of his magic, Brightstar at first tried using just his muzzle to get at the ale, then when that didn’t work he uses both forehooves to lift up his beer to his lips.

“It is so much fun to watch a unicorn pretend to be an earth pony.” Forge snickered from his table across the pub.

Blossomseed, his mare that was cuddled up next to him looked over the table with an interested expression on her face and she giggled, “Aww look...almost makes you feel sorry for him, don't it Forge?”

Brightstar couldn’t hide his blush, nor could he deny the taunts were getting him more than little bit aroused as he put his pint glass down so that he wasn't lifting up the iron weight for very long.

Moonbeak caught this and decided to have a little fun with her new Pet. “I think my Pet needs to steady his nerves.” She said loudly, ensuring anyone not looking at them before were doing so now. “A couple shots of Dalwinny if you please.”

Selene grinned, “Coming right up.”

Brightstar gave the pregnant griffon another smile. “You know me so well.”

This time the waitress dropped off the two shots, and Moonbeak lifted one in her clawed hand. “Down the hatch, Pet.” She downed hers in one go swallow.

The royal blue unicorn took a brief moment to sniff happily at the whiskey and, holding the smaller shot glass awkwardly between his forehooves he lifted it up to his lips. He didn’t know how earth ponies managed as he got three quarters of the shot in his mouth, while the rest spattered onto his chin.

As soon as he put the glass down on the table, Moonbeak reached across and held his chin in her sharp talons. His yellow eyes met her green ones. “S-Sorry Mistress…”

“Terrible!” Moonbeak exclaimed amid a gale of snickers and giggles from the room. “Really! If you wanted to share you should have said something.” She then did a very sensual licking of his chin to get the bit of whiskey that was still there, seeing as none fell to the table or floor.

The snickers from the watching crowd became hoots and cheers as Brightstar gave a loud aroused whimper. “Y-Yes Mistress...thank you Mistress...” He wanted to squirm in shame as he felt his shaft start to emerge from its sheath with the effects of the sensual licking.

This did not go unnoticed from the gallery. A voice Brightstar didn’t recognise called out, “Look out Moony, he might squirt you!”

“Fifty bits says he cums again tonight, you in, Forge?” Blossomseed said once the general laughter had died down.

Brightstar looked firmly at Moonbeak and the two shared an imperceptibly small nod of their heads that they understood the game at hoof, and then he stared at the table top, his red cheeks visible through his blue fur.

Brass Knuckles put her bits on the table, the wood creaking under the force of her slap. “I'm on that.”

“I say he doesn't.” Moonbeak countered and then the betting began to get furious. Looking him square in the eyes, Moonbeak moved a wing to his hard erect undercarriage and stroked it softly.

Blossomseed put her money down. “I'mma go two hundred bits!”

“No Problem, I'll match up to seven hundred and fifty bits.” Moonbeak announced to the whole room while Brightstar whimpered again as his iron hard cock was stroked by the griffon’s wing. She stared deep into his eyes as the primary feathers twirled around his shaft.

The rest of the room quickly reached the seven hundred and fifty bit total and Selene heckled from the bar, “You know she is just gonna get up and take her little pony and all your money.”

Brass Knuckles shook her crimson head. “No, Selene. That is not Moony's style.”

Realising just how much money he stood to lose tonight if things went sideways, Brightstar looked back into the eyes of his Mistress and bit his lip as he tried to think about something, anything, not sexy, determined as he was not to cum. Moonbeak saw his determined look and the smile she flashed him back showed in her cheeks. “I need another shot of Dalwhinney here.”

Brightstar winked at her smile. “Th-thaaaank you Mistress!”

The waitress set the shot glass down on the table. “If my Pet spills again, who would like to do the clean up?”

Brass Knuckles answered far quicker than anyone there in the Twisted Tail thought possible. “I could clean up Dalwhinney.”

“Me!” Blossomseed called out loudly, “I would! Um...can I, Forge, please?”

Looking at the shot glass like it might suddenly upend itself of its own free will, Brightstar placed his forehooves on the sides of the glass and really, really concentrated as he started to lift it up. He had barely got it an inch from the table however when Moonbeak leant over and put her hand over it, stopping him from lifting the glass. “Naughty Pet.”

Forge grinned and kissed his mare’s forehead. “Sure hun, looks like some fun to be had.”

Brightstar gulped. N-Naughty, Mistress?”

Blossomseed clapped her hooves together. “Yay! Thanks Forgey!”

“Hmhmm…” Moonbeak nodded. “Very naughty.” She took the glass from him in her claws, though the wing never stopped its slow torturous movement. “Remain still.”

“Yes Mistress.” Brightstar stayed stock still, not daring to move a muscle.

Shooting the panting stallion a sly grin, Moonbeak moved the glass under the table and spilled just a little bit of the whiskey onto his hard shaft. “My Pet has spilled again!” She exclaimed in an outraged tone. She pulled up her wing. “On himself and on my feathers!” She put the whiskey stained feathers under his nose. “Clean these now!”

Brass Knuckles blushed a deep purple. “Ah, were you serious Moony?”

“Yes, Knuckles.”

“Is he...”

“I made sure he was all nice and clean earlier.” Moonbeak assured the large minotaur with a gentle smile.

“Okay!” The massive crimson minotaur was off her bar stool and under Brightstar in an instant. “What I do for free whiskey.” To take his mind off of what was about to happen, Brightstar immediately began to lick and suck his Mistress’s primary feathers as Brass Knuckles licked her way along the length of his cock. She used her large bovine tongue to ensure there was absolutely no whiskey left from the spill. She even gave the throbbing shaft a quick suck to make sure.

“GaaAAaah...” Brightstar twitched violently. “Th-Thank y-you, Ms. Knuckles.”

“Now that's the good stuff,” she stood up with an exaggerated wink to the pregnant griffon. “And I see why you griffs think ponies are tasty.”

Thoroughly enjoying her Pet’s discomfort, Moonbeak lifted the glass once more in her claw while Brightstar, with a supreme act of willpower, managed to calm himself down. Watching from her table, Blossomseed called out, “Hey Moony, spill it on his horn!”

With a satisfied smile, Moonbeak inspected her wing and saw that it was clean. “Well done, Pet.” Straight away she moved it back to stroking the royal blue stallion’s cock, allowing him no respite as she took the glass up to the tip of his horn and poured some more out, watching as it trickled over the grooves. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, such a messy Pet!”

“Mmmmm!” Was all the poor unicorn could whimper, knowing full well where this was going next. “S-Sorry Mistress…”

“Me!” Blossomseed held her hoof up like she was calling on the teacher in class to get their attention. “Me! Pick me! I'll clean it!”

“All yours deary.”

“Yay!” Blossomseed was up and over her table so fast that those watching swore she teleported. “Damn this is a big horn. Moony which horn's bigger?”

Moonbeak snickered, “the lower one, and by a good bit I might add, but the upper sparkles nicely.”

Not taking her word for it, Blossomseed had a look down below at what the stallion was packing as Brightstar blushed an intense red and scrunched up his eyes with the effort of not climaxing. “Oh yeah...damn Moony he's huge!” The earth pony mare took a very long, very slow lick up his horn.

“For a unicorn,” Moonbeak nodded, “I'm sure he has nothing over your mate.”

Blossomseed giggled, “nah Forge's bigger!” She laughed as she trotted back to her stallion, leaving Brightstar a quivering wreck. He very barely made it through the hornjob, his horn pulsing a bright yellow in time with the stroking of the griffon’s wing around his hard stallionhood.

“Aww...” Blossomseed whined, “I was so close!”

Hanging over the bar, Selene had a perfect view of the action. “Moony, he's so wasted he'll spill on those chicken eggs under his tail.”

Smirking, Moonbeak quickened her wing strokes and pours what was left in the shot glass all over Brightstar’s heavy swinging balls. Not needing any invitation, Selene flapped over the bar and straight under Brightstar’s black tail. “Time for some beak action as I'm not losing any bits today.”

Brightstar, merely let out a nonsensical whimper, his mind fogged as it was by Brass Knuckles's blowjob and Blossomseed's hornjob, the pleasure addled pony didn't really realise what was going on until he felt Selene's beak and tongue slathering all over his balls. All throughout, Moonbeak never let up on the wing strokes that were caressing his member. A few more moments of that treatment was all he could take and Brightstar’s whole body went into spasm. “AAAaaaAAAAH!” He screamed loudly as he came, shooting his semen like a geyser.

Blossomseed was impressed. “Damn…look at that load!”

“It has been no more than twenty four hours.” Brass Knuckles admonished. “Moony, you should treat your Pet better.”

Once she was happy that her Pet had finished ejaculating, Moonbeak held up a semen stained feather under his nose. “Clean up.”

“Uuuuuh...” still lost in his pleasure daze, Brightstar didn’t think, he automatically started to suck her primary feather clean.

Moonbeak didn’t have the words to express how proud she was of her stallion and her Pet. He had played her game and played it very well indeed. She leant her swollen belly over the table and whispered in his ear so that no-one else heard. “You don't have two bits to rub together, do you?”

Brightstar was about to deny it, but he knew there was little point. Blushing a very bright red he shook his head. “N-No Mistress, I don’t.”

Pulling her now spotlessly clean wing back, Moonbeak gave him a very deep tender kiss. That she already knew the answer wasn’t the point. To hear him admit it was. Honesty was the one thing she valued above all others. “Two more ales, Selene.” She requested as she sat back down.

“Thank you Mistress.” Brightstar sighed, his breathing just about under control.

“Did you have fun?” Moonbeak asked as the crowd took their share of her bits and congratulated the two of them on a splendid performance.

“Yes!” Brightstar squeaked out, “yes I really did, thank you. And did you, have fun?”

“I'm feeling much better.”

“Good.” He smiled, “then tonight has been a success, Mistress.”

Following the performance, the conversation between them remained light until the clock showed it was ten forty p.m. Moonbeak slid from her seating pad and stretched her legs. “Time to go. Take care all.”

“Yes Mistress, of course.” Standing from the floor, he similarly stretched and nodded to the crowd.

“I can drop you off at the Wandering Pony,” Moonbeak lead off once they were both back in her transit van. “Or…or if you want, you can come up.”

Brightstar thought about it for a couple of seconds. “I'd very much like to come up, thank you.”

With the ride back to the treehouse being short and uneventful, especially at this time of night, they were soon pulling into the carport at the base of the three large oak trees. “Wanna ride up?”

Brightstar nodded once he was out of the passenger seat. After the ales and the whiskeys, he did not trust himself to teleport. “Yes please, Moonbeak.”

“Hop on, Bright.” She flew them both up to the front door and opened it once the stallion was off of her back. “I'm back Ceres.” She whispered.

Ceres was ready to greet them in the living room. “Welcome back. Athena has been down for an hour.”

Brightstar walked in after his griffon and inclined his head. “Good evening, Miss Ceres.” She merely gave him a cheery wave and with her stuff already gathered, left them alone in the living and flew out of the front door.

Moonbeak made sure the door was locked behind her and walked back to where the unicorn was waiting patiently. “Brightstar,” she sat down next to him, her tone tinged with sadness as she felt her kitten kick inside her. “It’s cold, and I miss the warmth and sound at night.”

The royal blue stallion nuzzled her neck affectionately. “If you're offering, I'd be happy to keep you warm this freezing night.”

“I am.” She said simply as she removed the shackles and she ran a talon along the grey collar. “Do you wish to keep this on?”

“Hmm,” he almost purred, “yes please, it’s really quite comfortable.”

Moonbeak placed a tender loving kiss on his cheek and she hooked a talon under the collar and she pulled him through to her bedroom. “You can have the left side.”

Behind her, Brightstar almost skipped along to the bedroom, and he moved around to the left side of the bed as she got in on the right side. Facing the door, she laid on her side with her back to the young unicorn. Getting in the bed, Brightstar pulled up the thick fluffy comforter over the both of them and after a moment he rolled over to give his griffon, his lady and his Mistress a spooning cuddle.

Moonbeak sighed happily, held in her stallion’s loving embrace. “Sleep well, Bright. I know I will.”

As the warmth of the comforter combined with the warmth of the heat from Moonbeak’s body washed over him and lulled him towards sleep, Brightstar murmured, “MmMmm…” he squeezed her gently and felt very sorry for anypony or anything out on this cold night. “Sweet dreams, Moonbeak.”