Shining looked in the long mirror. A good half of his torso was missing fur now, his tail and mane were both almost completely cerulean. His face looked more round, his muzzle pronounced; although he still had most of his fur on his head, the big jagged horn was a strong reminder of what he was becoming. He had been growing bigger, larger now than his wife, and although that size gain hadn't been bad, today was the first day that "his" growth had reversed. The swelling buds on his back, Careful had assured him, were his wings coming in.

Slipping up beside her husband, Cadance nuzzled in against him, letting every ounce of her love for the stallion pour free. "You seem tense." It was and wasn't a question. She knew his moods well enough to know that he was tense, but prompting him like this was the right way to handle her Shiny.

"I knew… I really knew... this day was a certainty once I started growing, but it still hits me hard." Shining leaned over and nuzzled against Cadance's cheek. Beside his head, floating in his brilliant-green magic, was the little measuring stick they had been using to log his changes. "I am an inch smaller."

"Shiny, if you think that makes you any less my husband, you need to mount me right now and get that thought out of your head." Cadance's tone was firm and naughty. "You can be whatever you want to be, you have shown me that time and again." Her words purred into Shining Armor's ear. "You want to see?"

Shining Armor relaxed and gave a little nod. Their bedroom games had been more and more creative since he learned to transform, sometimes he would surprise Cadance, other times she would whisper exactly what she wanted—Shining liked what she came up with so much, he often gave repeat performances with them.

"Become yourself, Shining Armor. Prince of the Crystal Empire." Cadance barely spoke the words and Shining burned with green fire. His body shrank a little, his fur and hair all restored to their pre-change colors. She turned her head from where it rested against the side of his head. Locking eyes with her stallion in the mirror, Cadance gave a gentle nibble to his ear. "Now, taller, bigger; as big as you are undisguised."

The commands were easy to follow; Shining stretched his body up and out, creating a stallion stature that would have dwarfed King Sombra. Cadance couldn't reach his ear anymore, and contented herself—when he dropped his head a little—with nuzzling Shining's neck. Looking in the mirror, Shining watched Cadance's horn light, then quickly felt what she was about. She rubbed his stallionhood, stroking the sheathed mass. He groaned, he widened his stance a little, but he didn't protest.

Cadance stroked Shining, teasing him from his hiding place. The heavy girth dropped down into her magic and she wrapped it completely in a suckling grip. "Now I want you bigger, my stallion." She kept her eyes on him, watching the reflection as Shining's eyes seemed to glaze over a little, just as any stallion would for his attentive mare. A small burst of green and he was bigger, thicker and longer. Cadance nibbled at his cheek. "Perfect."

It took every ounce of focus for Shining not to buck into Cadance's grip. He held a steely grip on his muscles, even as she held a velvet one on his length. There was so much of him being rubbed down there, that he didn't notice Cadance had moved behind him until he felt her nuzzling under his tail. Control broke as he bucked; once, twice, thrice he gave a shove forward, then caught himself. "Cady…"

"My stallion." Cadance opened her mouth, catching one of Shining's balls in her mouth. She closed her lips around the base, giving it the slightest of squeezes. When her husband groaned, she thrummed her throat. Letting go of his testicle, she traced her tongue up.

Shining's eyes widened when Cadance traced his perineum up to his tail-hole. He knew what was coming, they had played such games before, and the fact that he no longer ate food made the act a lot less messy than it really should have been. Cadance's horn-tip touched his puffy pucker, forcing the muscled ring wider. He couldn't do anything but groan as more and more of her slipped inside him.

Cadance strengthened her magic, as she worked into her husband. She used a lot more power than sleeving his shaft required, because it made her horn tickle his insides. She pushed in a little deeper before she found what she was after. Jerking him faster, she lifted one forehoof up to rub his balls, then just as she knew he was close, she let go of his shaft and unloaded a blast of love-energy right into his prostate. She felt his body clenching already, felt him react to each and every thing she did, she felt so in love that she shared his release as a gift.

There was no hope that Shining would be able to hold back. He was changeling enough that any amount of love was nice, but what Cadance used—and where she used it—had him white out in pleasure. The world was gone, there was only the swelling of pleasure Cadance had given him, her love that matched it, and his locked legs keeping him from falling.

Drawing back, Cadance pulled her horn slowly from Shining's ring, leaving his sphincter clutching and gripping at emptiness. Stepping up beside the still-ejaculating stallion, she leaned down and wrapped her snout around the huge shaft under him, catching a little of his essence.

"Mi amore… Cady…" Shining turned, realizing how big he was compared to her. A flash of green fire returned him to a "normal sized" Shining Armor. He didn't have more words for her, not as he nuzzled and licked her snout clean of the little mess she hadn't swallowed.

Turning the cleaning into a kiss, Cadance paused, letting minutes of the day slide by without an iota of thought. At last, her brain poked at her, reminding her that there was something important today. "Oh!" She had to jerk back from Shining, he seemed intent on trapping her in another kiss. "Your sister and her friends are coming today to help with greeting the representative for the Equestria Games. I guess they didn't get the memo about us… distancing ourselves."

Shining felt on top of the world. He was so full of love he almost felt drunk, and his body was still in a post-orgasmic rush. The normal slump of refraction seemed… distant. "I was going to stop by the track today, give our athletes a bit of a boost." Shining almost pranced as he followed Cadance toward the door. Brushing up behind her, he pressed his chest against her plot, leaning down to nibble at her croup and dock.

Cadance ruffled her wings and looked back. "Shiny, are you going to mount me or am I going to go meet your sister on time?" She saw a moment of challenge, as the stallion in him threatened to trample all over her plans. Instead, he just nibbled her dock again. "Tease."

"Mmmhmm." Shining stopped with the naughty nibbling and stepped up beside Cadance. "And tonight, I am going to buck you until you walk funny." He just finished his little promise when Cadance opened the doors of their suite and they trotted forward.

"Your Highnesses!" Careful was waiting, of course. "We have located the representative. Bright sent word that she will be catching the mid-afternoon train from Canterlot. Slick has integrated into the state of changelings in Canterlot." He had his book out, reading notes from it. "They gobbled up all the misinformation we gave him… I wish I had paid more attention to him in the hive, he has a knack for this work."

"And my sister?" Shining spaced himself just right, so that as they walked Cadance and his own shoulders and flanks kept brushing. "I take it everything is in order for her and her friends' arrival?"

"Of course, Your Highness." Careful bowed respectfully. "Also, we are fairly sure we have identified the spy from Canterlot." They were in an empty section of hallway, he could be a little free with his tongue. "Namely, Dropper is back in the Crystal Empire. The guard who—"

"The former lieutenant who almost started a war between the Crystal Empire and Equestria. I remember him." Shining Armor sighed. "I wished that had gone a little smoother, but I thought Princess Celestia seemed to understand what happened quite well… although not all of it, of course."

"He doesn't seem like the type she would send." Cadance flicked her tail a few times, trying to get the slight kink Shining had put in it, out. "Nor Luna either, for that matter. Is he alone?"

Careful flicked open his book, examining his notes. "No, he came with another stallion, Gleam—"

"Gleaming Fire. Devoted to his lieutenant, but sensible. He would make a good spy, for a pony." Shining grinned and shot a wink to Careful. "You are keeping an eye on them?" When Careful nodded, Shining continued, "Good work, report them to us if they get a little too hot. Do you have fake information to leak?"

Snorting with pride, Careful nodded. "Of course. Not fake, though. Just not what they really want. They met a young guard mare, newly recruited, who is helping me pass on the bad leaks. I believe your sister knows of the mare, Trixie Lulamoon… wait, I am saying it wrong." Careful flashed with green fire, becoming a perfect duplicate of Trixie. "The Great and Powerful Trixie!" She gestured into the air, making little streamers of magic set of fireworks in the hall.

"Twily told me about her. They didn't part on the best of terms, if I remember rightly. Is she fitting in well?" Shining still wanted to control the guard, it was an old ache, and one he knew Gilt would always forgive him for. I really should stop, though.

Careful dropped his disguise with a flash of fire. "She is not a regular. Gilt has approved her for special attention, and she is doing work for me. She puts on airs, she is vain and almost hilariously conceited, but I think Trixie Lulamoon has the makings of an excellent spy."

Cadance cut in on the colts-club-like meeting. "Sounds like a good resource to cultivate; you do splendid work, Careful." She beamed at the changeling and watched him shrug off most of the love she sent towards him. "I must have some breakfast or I am going to fade away…"

"You might want to make it fast, or grab something to take with you, my Queen." Careful blushed as he fell back to hive-language. "Sorry, Your Highness. But you are running short on time. Twilight Sparkle and her friends will be here any minute, and you still need to get your mane done."

"Don't remind me. I had to set aside nearly twenty minutes just for that. But it will give me a chance to socialize with Twilight and her friends." Cadance lifted her hooves a little more. "Do you have this Trixie doing anything today?" When Careful shook his head, she grinned wider. "Perfect, send her over as soon as possible, with some breakfast snacks."

"Have her on her best behavior, and I want her to give a full written report on everything that happens." Shining chuckled. "It never hurts to have a spy who can rub shoulders with royalty and their friends."

Trixie looked at the boulder. The thing looked huge, heavy, and just as annoying to move as normal.
"Okay, Trixie, lift that and we can go for a run again." Gleaming gestured to the massive rock.

"Ahem. The Great and Powerful Trixie requires assistance!" Trixie stood dead still, not even flinching when two big unicorn stallions trotted over, lifted the boulder with their magic, then set it back down. "Trixie thanks you."

"Wait, how did you do that? Who were they?" Gleaming turned to look at where the two stallions had gone, but she couldn't lay eyes on them anymore. Turning her head back, she just caught Trixie lifting the boulder up with one hoof, folding it down into a tiny pebble, and tucking it into her uniform. "That was new."

"Thank you. Trixie prides herself on never using the same trick twice." Preening like a filly, Trixie was about to continue when Commander Gilt trotted up to the pair. Snapping to attention, Trixie awaited word on what secrets she was going to be given next to "leak to a spy."

"Private Trixie, you have informal duties for the Prince and Princess." Gilt snapped off her own salute. "At ease. Princess Cadance has found herself in a social gathering, and due to reasons beyond her control, skipped breakfast. You are to fetch a tray of treats from the kitchen and deliver them to the Royal Solarium and Spa, and comport yourself like a mare of breeding."

Trixie's eyes widened, getting closer to the royal couple was just what she needed to do. Trixie knew the Guard was the way in. She clopped a hoof to the ground. "Yes, sir!"

"Informal, remember. And steward Careful wants a full write-up of the event, so memorize everything. I might not be able to make a perfect soldier out of you, Trixie, but a hive has room for everyling. Dismissed."

The phrase sounded like a common saying to Trixie, which was interesting precisely because not much was known about the changelings. "Sir, right away." She started trotting toward the castle, her firm hoof-beats feeling effortless, despite the armor she wore.

Slipping into the castle through the guard gate, Trixie made her way through the labyrinth of stairs that seemed to define the very structure, all the way to the kitchen. "The Princess requires a tray of treats for herself and important guests. Trixie is to take them to her."

Dealing with the staff of the kitchen, she quickly had a tray of little sandwiches assembled on a large tray. "Good work." Trixie picked up the tray in her magic, and began trotting down the stairs again. Leaving the castle, she made her way to the Royal Solarium and Spa. The lovely day was completely unmarred, right up until she knocked firmly on the door with a hoof.

"Who is it?"

The voice from inside was familiar to Trixie. She twitched one eyebrow as she tried to figure out who it was. At last the door opened and revealed Twilight Sparkle. The tray was kept from spilling only by years of discipline for her performances. "You?!" Trixie blinked in shock.

"Ah, Trixie Lulamoon. That is my breakfast, I take it?" Cadance was relaxing inside, her coat being worked on by several mares.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Trixie's voice snapped the words back without thought. For a fraction of a moment embarrassment was threatening to make inroads on her ego, but then she saw Twilight's face, then the faces of all her friends. Shock, complete and utter shock, and on the blue pegasus, awe. This is a show, Princess Cadance wants me to perform as her guard and ally, I will not fail! She puffed out her chest and trotted in, setting the tray down beside Cadance. "Your Highness."

Author's Notes:

Princess Celestia: "Are you proud of both Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor for putting aside their previous bad experiences with Changelings and trying to make peace?

"Honestly? With no politics involved? I am so proud of those two. The Crystal Empire, under Sombra, was a terror, it was a potential disaster for the whole of Equestria." Celestia used a delicate fork to break a tiny piece of cheesecake free and pop it in her mouth. "Mmm. How can I possibly count their actions of befriending changelings as a bad thing? When I have pushed for inclusion for so long."

Heaving a sigh, she closed her eyes. "Politically? We are being cautious in dealings with the Crystal Empire, and hope that their experiment with redeeming changelings pays off. I have every confidence in Princess Mi amore Cadenza and Shining Armor." Her eyes narrowed a little, her snout turning down a fraction. The Princess' displeasure in the political stance was quite obvious.

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

So I do this "Ask x" thing, x can be any pony within the story. You can ask them anything and I they will definitely hopefully reply. Keep the questions appropriate to the age-rating of the stories and of course, I they will answer the best question(s) in the author notes of the next chapter. The more votes a comment has the more likely I will get it to the right pony to answer, try and keep it to one answer per post! I They will pick one question per chapter.

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