Stirring in the bed, I slowly wake up as I roll to the side. My head keeps running over what had just occurred within the dream. Many people would probably refuse to do what I did, likely giving themselves a false hope of seeing their family again. However, I saw it more as a way of finally getting some closure, to say goodbye to my family back home before beginning my own family here in Equestria.

Reluctantly opening my eyes to the sun, I glance at the clock to realise that it's 13:27. Having only had a few hours sleep as to not fuck up my sleeping pattern, I force myself to sit up and lean against the headrest as I rub my tired eyes. Looking to where Luna was, I realise that she is no longer in bed. Instead, I notice her on the far end of the room as she adjusts her breastplate.

Hearing my moving in bed, she looks at me and gives a warm smile. "How are you feeling?"

I start to climb out of bed. "I'm okay. Thank you, Luna, for letting me speak to my dad. I know it was just a dream... but it helped."

"Of course, John. If you ever need anything, you only need to ask me." With her magic, she rests my uniform on the end of the bed. "Feel free to take a shower before you return to your duties."

Grabbing my uniform, I start to put on my trousers. "I'll wait until we return to base. We should get back out to do another sweep of Coltcheser to make sure it's secure."

As I get changed, Luna gathers up the rest of my equipment and places it alongside me. "Before I forget, you'll be going to Ponyville for the weekend on the thirtieth of August."

"Why?" I ask her curiously as I start to put on my boots. "I'll still be part way through my first half of the tour."

"To see Rarity in order to get your suit fitted for the wedding," Luna grins. "Rainbow Dash is also returning on the weekend so I figured the two of you could keep each other company on the journey back."

"Ah, right. I take it you've picked out a design?"

"I have a few in mind which Rarity designed. I'll be with you on Saturday to pick out the final design for you. I'm torn on a couple." Luna seems to catch my grin as I look at her, "What?"

"It's just nice to see you getting excited about the wedding."

Luna smiles bashfully as she tries to hide a small blush. "I would be lying if I said that I've never pictured a wedding ceremony for myself when I was younger."

"So, what is the design? I take it you've gone away from the idea of me wearing a ceremonial uniform."

Luna shrugs as she steps up to me, "I've seen you plenty in your uniform. I figured something a little bit more traditional would work better."

"That's fine by me." Leaning closer, I give Luna a soft kiss on the lips before putting on my shirt. "But why am I there for the whole weekend?"

"I just thought you'd appreciate an extra day so that you're not rushing around. The others will be able to cope without you for two days, don't worry."

I chuckle as I grab my rifle, "With Chaser in command? They'll fall apart."

Luna rolls her eyes, "You were the one that made him your second in command."

"I know, I'm sure he'll be fine; I'm just taking the piss." Checking over my rifle, I remove the magazine that is still within the weapon. Examining the last of my ammunition, I find that I only have the one magazine left after having used it as a support weapon. With little ammunition, until we return to base, I'll have to rely on my Glock if anything was to take place while we are still within Coltchester.

"I'm sorry, John, but I'm afraid that I have business to attend to. After last night, I should be seen assisting with the town's security and recovery."

With Luna starting to head for the door, I quickly reach for her and rest my hand on her back. "Before you go, I have something important to tell you." As Luna turns back to me, I take out my phone and show her the picture of Silverwing after I killed him, followed by the photo of his true form being revealed. "The Changelings have been impersonating Silverwing, or they are him. Either way, they're potentially still in the area."

Luna examines the pictures closely with concern, "We shall have to make sure that precautions are made to prevent their infiltration in the Equestrian Army and Guard."

"What do you propose? I've already been told that they're difficult to detect."

"Any soldiers that are MIA and then located, must be immediately secured and separated for tests to be carried out. We need to stop them from getting within our ranks before it happens. They're fairly predictable when it comes to taking somepony's place, abducting them before impersonating the missing soldier. Nopony should separate from their unit during operations to reduce the risk."

I nod my head, "I'll make sure the commanding officers are aware of this. Ideally, we still want the fact that Changelings may be operating within the area to be hidden. We'll claim it's a precaution to prevent ambush and to be able to assist one another in case a sinkhole opens up underneath patrols."

"Make sure that you're careful. Although it would likely be difficult to pull off, I'm sure that you'd be a target."

"Do you really think they'd be able to impersonate me?" I chuckle as I step up to the door. "My colourful language, advanced knowledge of engineering and human tech, constantly wearing clothing which only I possess, not to mention I walk on two legs while Changelings walk on four. I'm sure it'll be difficult to pull it off."

"I'd be able to easily pick one out." Luna steps alongside me, lifting her forehoof to tap my head. "I can no longer view your memories unless you allow it."

I look at her in confusion. "What do you mean? You just did it earlier today."

"Because you subconsciously allowed me to access your mind. It seems that Discords 'gift' also works on me. I can not access your mind until you allow it. You're protected from spells which influence the mind, and only you can lower the barrier. If I'm ever uncertain that it is the real you, I can try to access your dream while your sleep. From there, I can look at your memories. If it's not your memories and somepony else's, I'll know straight away that it's an imposter."

"Impressive," I comment as I lean against the door. "But, I can't do that. I'll need you to say a phrase to know it is the real you. Something that nobody else would ever guess."

"And what do you propose?"

I pause as I try to think of a phrase that I can easily remember in a situation where I'm under pressure, something that only I would know and nobody would easily guess. Thinking back to some of my memories with Luna, a cheeky grin spreads quickly across my lips as I think about one of our early and eventful encounters. "You and me baby ain't nothin' but mammals."

Luna initially stares at me in confusion before her eyes suddenly widen, "No!" She protests with an expression of irritation.

"Come on," I laugh as I step up to her. "Nobody else will know what I'm referring to when I say this. They had no reason to remember this song, it was months ago and thrown in with a bunch of other, more memorable songs." Smirking, I brush my hand against her neck, "You and me baby ain't nothin' but mammals."

Luna hesitates before releasing a defeated sigh, "...So let's do it like they do on the Discovery Channel."

I quickly start to laugh out at Luna's expression as she glares daggers at me before the corner of her mouth slowly starts to curl upwards. Feeling cheeky, I lean alongside her ear and whisper, "It's a very enticing offer."

Luna giggles as she tilts her head towards me, "Hmm, don't tempt me." Kissing my cheek, she pulls away from me. "Come on, we both have business to attend to." As we step out the room, I suddenly feel the back of my collar being tugged, forcing me to turn around. Off balance, I'm caught off guard as Luna swiftly pushes her lips against mine in a passionate kiss. Pulling away, she gives me a seductive smile before sauntering off. "Next time, John."

As she walks down the hall, I find myself involuntarily staring at her rump as her hips sway with each step. Finally snapping out of the trance as she goes around the corner, I finally realise that I've been staring like a horny teenager whilst stood in front of two confused Thestral guards. Looking at the pair, I continue to beam as I close the door to her room. "Looks like I've got something to look forward to," I slyly remark before stepping down the corridor.

As I move away, I can hear one of the guards muttering to the other, "Lucky bastard." Unable to hold back, I let out a loud laugh at his outburst as I stroll away.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

After having met up with the others, a few of us decided to do a quick walkthrough of the industrial sector while the rest assisted with unloading supplies for the increased garrison which would consist of the Army and Guard. Chaser, Sunny, Matrix, Harts Fire, Night Striker and Von Wahrenhoof tagged along with me as I met up with numerous groups of soldiers, gathering intelligence and reports on the area to ensure that we had dealt with the threat.

As we start to move along an abandoned cobble street road, we step over the numerous cracks as dried blood rest within the gaps. Lined up alongside both side of the roads some corpses of those who fell in the fight. The left side, consisting of four canvased bodies, were those of ponies, their silhouettes standing out from underneath the bloodies white sheets. On the right, lay a selection of seven Diamond Dog's, their physical sizes much larger than those of the ponies.

Keeping my hand on the pistol, I pull back one of the covers that rests on the remain of a pony. Underneath lies a light blue unicorn mare, three large gouges cover her neck, allowing me to easily identify the injury that killed her. Covering the body back up, I look over the other. "She's a civilian. The Dog's didn't give a shit who they attacked."

"These few streets were the lucky ones," Night Striker states as his forehooves seem to twitch nervously.

"Me and you have different interpretations of what's lucky," Harts Fire responds as he tears his eyes away from the covered ponies.

"This area had a very quick response when it came to the Guard. These factories were the main ones that were running at the time of the attack. Most Guards came here to defend the ponies. That's why this area was lucky. If so many Guards didn't respond... there'd be a lot more dead."

"But a large response in one area sacrifices the effectiveness elsewhere," I add as I step off the road and onto the path. "Although they saved a large number of civilians here, that meant that the Guards weren't able to effectively respond elsewhere."

"You think they could have done better?" Harts Fire challenges.

"I'm not saying they did shit. Actually, it was quite the opposite. They responded quickly and found a priority. No matter what, some areas were going to be left exposed so the Dog's could attack. The Guards did a good job and I think that we would have acted the same way they did."

"So, what's the plan?" Chaser demands as he steps over one of the dead Dog's, his eyes glaring daggers at it. "We hit these buckers where it hurts?"

"It's not that easy," Sunny states as she removes her helmet and clasps it onto her webbing. "Those that attacked here live underground. That means fighting deep within narrow tunnel networks which we know nothing about. They'll likely be trapped and filled with ambush points. We'd need a way to clear it out." Turning her gaze to me, she seems hesitant before asking me a question. "D-did you human have something that could help in this... situation?"

Rubbing my chin, I nod my head. "In the past. Flamethrowers were used in the world wars and a few decades after. They're now outlawed in warfare when it comes to population centres, but they can still technically be used. However, everyone kinda just stopped using them, kinda like a mutual agreement. 'If you don't use them against us, we won't use them against you'."

"So, you'd burn somepony alive?" Sunny asks in disgust.

"Desperate times called for desperate measures. I have no appetite to create a flamethrower; they are horrible weapons, but are effective. Use one of them deep in a tunnel and you'll clear out a good section of it with ease. Other than that, the options would be gas, ideally a non-lethal variant which would render those who are unprotected unconscious. However, we'd need to know every entry point to be effective, and they may have some sort of makeshift ventilation which will reduce the effect. Not to mention it would involve a shit tonne of gas."

"So we go in hard," Chaser counters.

"And lose a lot of our guys in the process. We have the advantage on the ground, they have control below. It'll likely stay that way for as long as we're here, probably longer."

"You must have an idea?" Von Wahrenhoof demands.

"I'm not a strategist," I reply bluntly. "I'm a frontline soldier like you guys. The top brass will come up with a plan and we'll follow it. Besides, we haven't got the resources or information required at this time to launch an assault. If you know where the Diamond Dog's are hiding then, be our guest, enlighten me." He fails to respond as he turns away. "I don't have all the answers and I never will."

As Von Wahrenhoof opens his mouth to offer a rebuttal, the sounds of a metal clattering in one of the warehouses next door causes everyone to snap to attention. Drawing our weapons, we all rapidly take aim at the door as we remain silent in an attempt to hear for any more movement inside.

Stepping cautiously along the building, I stop in front of a steel roller door with a chain hanging alongside me. Standing with my pistol aimed at the door, I point to the side of me and everyone lines up with their weapons drawn and aiming at the door. With everyone ready, Sunny takes a hold of the chain in her magic and pulls it sharply downwards, opening the door in the process.

As the door opens up, natural light fills the dark and dusty warehouse. Immediately seeing two forms on the other side, everyone quickly locks on to them until we finally realise that it's two ponies. Knowing that we're not about to get jumped, everyone gradually lowers their weapons.

Examining the two unicorns, they seem to be almost identical. Their coats are a pale yellow colour with a hint of olive, their manes red with a white strip, the one on the right having a moustache. Their cutie marks both appear to be apples, the one with the facial hair sporting two-thirds of an apple with the other showing the last segment. Along with their almost identical natural appearances, they're both wearing a white and blue striped vest with a white shirt underneath, along with black bowties wrapped around their necks.

Inside the tattered warehouse lies large stacks of crates, some of them holding labels which shows silhouettes of themselves facing one another. Along with the crates are a few barrels holding large quantities of apples, along with some sort of modified carriage.

The contraption has some sort of machinery mounted to the rear, numerous chimneys stacked on the top along with a series of barrels and tubing which connect to the main machine which is fitted with various lights and dials. Towards the front is an additional barrel which is bolted in place, a sofa sat directly in front with a speech podium and a cow catcher below. On each side, there are two larger wheels are the front with protective covers, a pair of lights sat over the covers. Towards the rear are another set of wheels, albeit smaller in size.

Returning my pistol into its holster, I step in through the door. "Care to tell me what the two of you are doing here? This area is still under lockdown and all civilians are supposed to be out of here until the all-clear has been given." Stepping up to one of the crates, I open it up and examine a large selection of green tonics within glass bottles.

"Why my brother and I were merely protecting our interests," The pony with the moustache responds.

"Indeed we are, brother of mine," The other responds with a cheesy smile. "Allow me to introduce ourselves. We're the world famous Flim Flam Brothers, salesponies extraordinaire."

I roll my eyes as he finishes introducing themselves, the thought of a phoney salesman going door to door popping into my mind. "And what exactly are your 'interests'? I can't exactly have the two of you walking around a cordoned off location.

"It's only the most fantastical products you've laid your eyes on, my bipedal friend," Flam calls out as he steps up to the crate. "The Flim Flam Miracle Curative Tonic can cure any ailment that may befall you. Aching joints, hooferia, horsentery, tonsillitis-"

"-Drop the sales pitch," I cut in as I step back. "I'm not falling for a shitty scam."

"A scam!? How dare you! This tonic has been scientifically proven to-"

"-To be a waste of fucking money." Stepping away from him, I notice Sunny trying to subtly signal for me to join her by the door. Stepping up to her, I lean closer and whisper to her. "What's up?"

"They're wanted in Ponyville," Sunny informs me as she eyes the twins.

"What?" I ask in confusion. "How do you know that?"

"We were the guards of Ponyville for some time. Nothing criminal really happened in ponyville, except these two cons. They're wanted for numerous counts of fraud across multiple Equestrian towns."

A smug grin quickly appears on my face as I chuckle to myself. "Oh, that's brilliant. Let's see if we can give them some karma and take them for a ride."

Stepping back, I turn back to the twins who seem to be talking to themselves. Strolling up to the contraption in the centre of the room, I look it over carefully. Going low to the floor, I look at the underside and recognise numerous mechanical parts which would be used for a car back home. Despite being very basic and nowhere near the standard of modern cars, this certainly seems to be the making of a very basic car.

Standing back up, I examine the main machinery at the back. "What is this?"

"That is the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000." Flim answers with confidence as he and his brother step to either side of me. "This spectacular machine is capable of making more cider than you could drink in all your days of thinking."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I can handle my drink."

"Well then, you'll be somepony who would truly appreciate the wonders that the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 can do for you. Just imagine, and an endless supply of freshly squeezed and nutritious cider at your disposal."

"And how do you move this thing around?" I ask as I pat the side of the chassis. "This must be a pain to tow."

"Using Flim Flam patented technology, this wondrous form of locomotion is capable of moving on its own accord. With the use of magic, this spectacular machine is capable of producing barrel upon barrel of cider, travelling from town to town with the help of magic to power the industrial miracle that is."

"The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000," The twins declare out loud in unison as I look at it.

Turning around and leaning against it, I pat it with my hand. "I'll take it."

The two look at one another then laugh before Flam tilts his head, "I'm sorry, sir, but the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 is not for sale."

As the others all look at me in curiosity, I rest my hand on my sword. "The two of you are both wanted in various towns across the country for fraud," The twins' expressions quickly drop as they exchange nervous glances. "I may not be a guard, but I can easily arrest you and take you away to answer for the crimes. That will be a lot of money to return to everyone you swindled, including additional court costs and compensation to each and every victim. Your pockets are going to be very light after that."

Pushing myself away from the machine, I step past the twins and turn back to face them before continuing. "There'll probably be a few years in prison for the crime, and we all know what goes on in those showers. I'm sure the two of you will be really popular there, but that's not the popularity you're after. So, in order to prevent that situation... let's come to an agreement."

Quickly huddling together, the two brothers seem to consider their options as they rendezvous with each other. Seeming to come to an agreement, they step back before Flim clears his throat. "And... what do you propose?"

"I'm not after the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 to make cider. You guys can keep all the machinery that does that, I want the physical frame, the engine to propel it and for you to teach Sunny the magic to operate it."

"You expect us to just give you one of our greatest pieces of work?" Flim glares at me in disbelief as his brother soon matches his expression. "Even if we did consider it, what would we be getting from this agreement?"

"Just to sweeten the deal, I can convince Princess Luna to give you both a royal pardon in exchange for assisting the Equestrian Army. You'll both be free men and will have a future opportunity to help yourselves set up a legitimate business, rather than childish scams."

I can see the look of irritation in the brothers as I continue to insult their business enterprises. Flam glances to my squad mates nervously as they keep a hold of their weapons. "And this business would be?"

"I take it the two of you developed and created the chassis and working parts?"

"Somepony helped us with some of the finer details, but that is correct."

"Then you two have struck gold," I grin as I close the distance between them. "Because I see the inventors of Equestria's first automobile. Capable of developing personal transportation for every single person in the whole country."

The two brothers seem to perk up at the mention of striking gold. "Would you... elaborate?"

"You two still have the schematics to make it?" The twins exchange a glance before Flim reluctantly nods. "You can replicate more and begin to sell them. Hire someone to develop the main body and a few safety features for it, maybe tweak the engine in the future so it runs on something other than magic. You'll go into business to develop selling cars, locomotions, automobiles... whatever you want to call it."

The two soon being to laugh as Flim shakes his head, "Now that you told us this, what's stopping us from selling the design and declining your deal?"

Drawing my sword, the others lift their rifles and take aim. "I can just arrest you both, here and now. With you both arrested, I can seize anything I deem to be evidence for your crimes. I know the blueprints are here, I'll take them and the actual working model here while you're both in prison. Without the schematics, you'll have no way of replicating the design once you're released. You'll lose everything and I'll still get what I want."

Stepping as close as I can, I drag my hand along the side of the blade. "I'm taking a page out of Twilight's book. I'm offering you a chance at retribution and to redeem yourselves. Take it or leave it, it’s no skin off my bones. Either way, I get what I want."

It doesn't take long until Flam nods to his brother. Releasing a defeated sigh, he nods his head. "Allow us to remove the cider presses and it's yours. My brother will teach your companion the spell to power the engine."

As he turns back to the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, I return the sword to its sheath as Chaser joins alongside me. "And what are we going to do with this?" He asks in intrigue.

"Remember the training where I showed you guys the tank?" He nods his head. "Figured this could be the basis to develop armoured vehicles for the army. Question is, do we make tanks, IFVs or APCs?"

"You want to make those hideous metal sheds?"

"We only have armoured trains and the Griffins have airships which are giant targets. If we make multiple armoured vehicles, it will give us support on the ground where the train cannot reach."

Chaser rolls his eyes, "I'm not ever getting on one of those boxes."

"You don't have to. It seems, for now, that only Unicorns will only be able to operate the driving mechanisms. First priority will be trying to convert the engine to run on a more conventional fuel source. After that, we'll need to fit tracks to it, armour plating, then a weapon system."

"So we're actually going to become engineers?" Matrix chuckles as he hovers around the machine.

I run my hand back and forth over my chin. "In our spare time. It'll need to be sent back to Camp Birmingham to be replicated and worked on fully. Then we'll have to train a few new soldiers to become fully fledged tank crews."

"Finally, we can do some work that I'm actually trained in," He exclaims in excitement as his hooves touch the floor. The two of us step up to the machine, our eyes running over the various parts as Flam goes about disassembling the parts we don't need. "Reckon you can do it?" Matrix asks in a wary tone.

"I used to be an engineer with REME working on various vehicles of war, not to mention I worked on cars. Tinkering with it shouldn't be an issue, getting a sufficient and strong design will be the issue. I've worked off something that already physically exists, not working from scratch."

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It only took a few hours for the cider maker to be stripped down to the bare essentials, leaving us with a frame, engine and mechanical parts to operate the vehicle. I also decided to snap a picture of the schematics with my phone when the brothers weren’t looking, so we can make more of our own in case they revert back to their old ways.

The spell that Sunny had to learn was also fairly basic, according to her. The magic would be used on a certain part of the engine the brothers referred to as a 'spark battery'. Magic would be channelled through the part which would act as a housing unit before dispersing the magical energy gradually throughout the engine in order to power the vehicle. From there, a simple telekinesis spell would be used to grasp onto the steering lever underneath the chassis in order to steer the front wheels.

When we got it back to the main army camp, Matrix and I spent the entire afternoon studying all of the parts and ensuring that they were of good quality. To save us days trying to figure out how every part was manufactured, I was able to take pictures of each schematic the Flim Flam brothers had of the working parts. In the future, it would allow the military to produce their own parts for the vehicle so that replacement parts and new copies could be developed.

After working for hours on numerous working parts and after the previous night, it was safe to say that a hot shower would have been a dream come true. After having a lengthy wash and shaving my stubble, I wrap a towel around my body and slip my feet into some basic flip-flops before leaving the shower block to return to the SOG's operational tent.

Stepping past the mess tent, I notice that my entire team is inside eating their dinner and joking around with one another. To my surprise, there even seems to be a group of armoured Thestrals which are interacting with my team, although their demeanour seems... off. Deciding I'd rather get changed before joining them, I continue towards my supplies in order to get changed. Entering the operations tent, I pull apart the tent flaps to the left passage for my Section's quarters, only to stop at the entrance when I find someone in with me.

Grinning, I look at Luna as she lies back on my bed, her hindlegs open slightly revealing a certain area to me. "Luna? Although this is a... pleasant view, I thought you were returning to Canterlot this evening."

With a seductive grin, Luna sits up slowly as her forehoof moves to obstruct the view. "I needed to say goodbye to my fiance." Her forehoof slowly drags across her body as her horn envelopes in her magical aura, her energy reaching out and grabbing my towel. "A proper goodbye."

Caught off guard, she is able to tear my towel away from me. Quickly releasing the tent flaps behind me so that they close, I step forward as I glance at where I entered. "W-what about if someone comes in? My team-"

"-Are currently occupied with my elite guard," Luna grins as her magic changes focus and hoists a set of thin ropes from the floor. "We've got a little time together." The ropes float over my shoulders to the tent flaps, slotting through the small holes to tie it closed as to act as a temporary lock.

Stepping closer, I pass the numerous beds as Luna's eyes lock onto my lower body. "A little time? You know that I prefer a longer and better session."

"Time isn't a luxury in this instance." Rising to her hooves, Luna stand alongside my bed as she lets out a little chuckle. "After all, 'you and me baby ain't nothin but mammals so let's do it like they do on the discovery channel'." Upon finishing the quote, her chuckle increase in volume.

Stopping in front of her, I brush my hand against her cheek. "Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint my future wife." Leaning closer, I pull her in close as I press my lips against hers. Not really wanting to build up, Luna seems to dive straight in as her tongue quickly pushes past my lips, her forehoof simultaneously lifting up to caress a sensitive part of my body.

Luna's tongue soon begins to rapidly flick against mine as she wraps her wings around my body, keeping me pressed against her. As we get lost in our actions, her magic continues to stroke my member, quickly causing me to stand at attention at the contact. Each pulse of her magic sends an incredible sensation throughout my body, actively stimulating the nerves in my groin with each movement.

Pulling back from the kiss, a small trail of saliva connect our lips as Luna stares into my eyes. Her cheeks turning red with passion, her lust filled eyes flicking all over my body as she steps backwards. Turning around, she lifts her tail to the side as she looks over her shoulder at me with a seductive smile. Watching my reaction, she sways her hips back and forth as she leans forward over my bed.

Staring like a kid in a candy store, I lick my lips as I close the distance. Kneeling down behind her, I drag my tongue along her damp slit. The contact is enough to send a shiver down her spine as her legs tremble, an audible moan escaping her lips before she can cover her mouth.

Chuckling at her instant enthusiasm at my actions, I decide not to hold back and dive straight in. I slowly push my tongue deep inside her as my hand reacher around her hind legs, curling underneath her body as to rub against her clit. Luna is quick to show her appreciation as she pushes back against me, forcing her pussy against my mouth.

It doesn't take long before she's moaning with each lap of my tongue, her hoof buried in her mouth in a poor attempt at muffling her pleasured moans. Luna's legs begin to tremble in a matter of minutes before I pull away from her, wiping my mouth clean as she lets the front of her body collapse onto the bed.

Chuckling to myself, I grab onto her hips and roll her onto her back. Climbing over her, I look down at her as she pants softly. Locking eyes with me, she stretches out her forelegs and rests her hooves against the sides of my body. "Come on, John, what are you waiting for?" Pushing her hips against my body, she grinds her wet pussy against my cock. "Fuck me."

Growling under my breath, I lean my head against her ear and whisper. "If I ever turn that down, then there is something seriously wrong with me." Nibbling on the tip of her ear, I push my entire length inside her with ease, causing Luna to bite her lip as a gasp escapes her mouth.

Continuing with slow and deep thrusts, my body brushes against hers with each movement as her forehooves pull me closer to her. With our bodies being so close, she lifts her head and bites softly on the side of my neck. A soft hiss escapes my list as my hands grasp onto her flanks, squeezing her tight as I remain close.

Using her magic, Luna forces the two of us to change positions, leaving her on top with me pinned below her. Chuckling, she starts to rock her hips back and forth at a rapid pace, her hooves running back and forth over my muscle. "You didn't think... that I'd say goodbye without a little attention. Did you?" Luna says between moans.

I let out a groan as she suddenly lifts and lowers herself, "It... seems to be a routine, a great routine." Sitting up, I wrap my arms around her body as she drapes her wings around me, blanketing me in her feathers. The two of us rock back and forth at the same rhythm, moans leaving our lips as we hold one another close.

"How long do you reckon it'll take before they realise we snuck off?" I ask as I look at Crimson alongside me. The two of us strolling along the narrow passage with Chaser and Sunny behind us; Sunny being wrapped under Chaser's wing as he holds her close.

"It won't be long," Crimson replies with a slight chuckle. "The big one certainly won't notice. He was too busy trying to chat up Slicer."

"And she wasn't interested in the slightest." Sunny adds from behind us.

"No, she really wasn't," I reply as we turn the corner, our operation centre now visible. "Didn't it seem a bit odd? A group of Thestral Royal Guards keeping us... entertained? I recognise a couple of them, they're Princess Luna's guards."

"So where is the Princess?"

"It's kinda obvious," Chaser answers his marefriend. "She's likely with John. Haven't you noticed his absence?"

"I still can't believe that he's engaged to the Princess," Crimson remarks. "He isn't exactly the most civil individual in the world, and he's gonna become a Prince."

"Reckon he'll become power hungry?" I query as I look at the others. "One of those typical twats who enjoys his title a bit too much."

Chaser scoffs, "Hardly. He rarely uses his status as an officer around his friends or other soldiers, he's laid back. He'll likely be the most unconventional Prince in Equestrian history."

"Is that good or bad?"

"...Both?" He answers weakly with a slight grin.

“Both.” I reply as I look at him.

“Both,” The two of us acknowledge in unison.

“Both is good,” Chaser repeats with a smug grin.

Returning to the operations centre, we all enter the main tent where the sounds of groaning can be heard from Alpha Section's tent. "Is that what I think it is?" Chaser asks as our heads turn to the tent entrance, thin sections of rope weakly holding the tent flaps together.

We all stare at the entrance to the sleeping quarters, the sound of moans and groans standing out much more since we've noticed it. "...Who's going in?" Sunny asks nervously as everypony seems unable to tear their eyes away.

We all slowly turn our heads to Crimson. Looking at us nervously, she shifts her position. "Why me?"

"We're pulling rank on this one," I add with a soft chuckle. "Go on, Private."

"I'm not opening the tent while two ponies are in the middle of rutting."

"I don't think that's two ponies," Sunny states with a blush. "Being distracted by Royal Guards, not to mention the absence of John and Luna."

"Ohh," The rest of us call out in unison as the realisation hits us.

We all stand in an awkward silence as the sounds of the session seem to come to an end, a satisfied and vocal feminine moan coming from inside. Turning to Sunny, I crack a sly grin, "Is he really as good as she makes him sound?" Sunny only answers me with a heavy blush as she looks away.

Deciding to brave it, I gently pull the weak knots on the ropes with my magic in order to gain access. The ropes drop to the floor, the tent flaps opening to give us all a view of what's inside. Sitting on the end on his bed, John is sat over the end with Luna sat on his lap facing him, her wings covering his naked body. The two seems to be locked in a sweaty embrace as they hold one another, breathing heavily as they fail to notice us.

Clearing my throat, the pair's heads suddenly jerk up as they look at one another in shock. Their heads simultaneously turn to face us, their eyes widening in horror at the realisation of the position they've been caught in. Luna frantically climbs off John, rolling to the side and seemingly injuring a delicate part of the body with her sudden movement, sending him falling off the bed as he holds onto his groin, letting out a pained groan.

Generating a field of magic from her horn, a thin wall of blue energy pushes against all of us, knocking us off balance. We all stumble backwards, colliding with the table behind us as the tent flaps are forced closed in Luna's magic. We all look at one another, a mixture of nervous and amused grins on our face. "Well... that was interesting," I remark as I release a quiet chuckle.

Rolling on the floor in agony, I hold onto my member after Luna's quick movement forced it to go into a position it shouldn't have in its current state. Shuffling onto my knees, I lean forwards and let out a pained groan as I notice Luna standing frozen on the spot. "T-that really fucking hurt." I state weakly between breaths. Crawling to my footlocker, I open the container and grab a pair of pants and trousers. "Are you okay, Luna?"

She slowly turns to me, her face the brightest shade of red I've ever seen on her. "This is bad."

"It's not ideal," I state as I stand up, putting on my clothing as I look at her. "Our relationship is already public, people were gonna take a leap and guess that we'd have sex. Yes, being caught while having sex isn't ideal, but they'll forget it soon enough."

“Could you imagine the scandal that could arise-”

“-If they tell anyone? I’m able to make an educated guess.” I reply as I rub my sore member. “They’ll respect that we are in a relationship and that we are going to do theses things, it won’t be long before everyone realises that we’ve already had sex out of wedlock.”

“What?” Luna asks in surprise. “How?”

I cock a brow as I gesture to her stomach, “Baby weight. It’ll show soon enough and they’ll do the maths.”

“Oh. Right,” Luna replies sheepishly with a light blush.

Stepping up to Luna, I wrap her in a hug and hold her close. "I'll deal with them and tell them to keep quiet about this. They'll understand, they know we're in a relationship and that people hearing about this won't look... great."

Luna looks at me with a worried expression, "Are you sure you'll be okay speaking to them by yourself?"

"I've had some awkward talks in my life," I answer with a nod. "I'll deal with them. You should get ready to head back home."

Luna smiles weakly at me as she gives me a quick kiss. "I love you, John."

I return her smile as I caress her cheek, "I love you too." Luna takes a step back, with a quick flash of her horn, she vanishes from the spot, leaving me in the tent as her magical barrier drops. Releasing a sigh, I rub my face and step towards the entrance where I pull the tent flaps away to find the small group looking at me. "So..."

"Just couldn't keep it in your pants, could you?" Deka remarks with a mischievous grin. "I hope she didn't hurt the little fella."

"You're just jealous," I reply with a roll of my eyes. Looking at the others, I release a sigh. "Obviously she is embarrassed about the situation we were caught in, as am I, but I need all of you to keep quiet about this."

Chaser can't help but laugh as he notices I looked primarily at him. "I learnt my lesson from last time. Besides, this ain't so bad. You two are kinda expected to rut."

"Probably once we're married, and that ain't happened yet. So to avoid any shit, you guys need to keep quiet."

"It could have been worse," Deka remarks. "We could have come in a minute earlier and left you with blue balls.

I can't help but laugh at Deka's attitude towards the situation. "That would have been extremely cruel."

"You've got nothing to worry about, John," Crimson reassures me with a comforting smile. "You two obviously have... needs. We're not going to say anything to anyone else. Just, try to keep it for when you have somewhere a little more private."

I roll my eyes, "I'll keep that in mind." Turning to return to my bed, I run my hand across the back of my neck as I let out a sigh.

Totally worth it.