Nurse Redheart looked over the results of the tests she’d performed on the young Diamond Dog, a small frown on her muzzle.

“Well,” she finally said. “While I can’t be a hundred percent sure… we don’t know a lot about Dog physiology I’m afraid. But… I’d probably put him between ten and twelve years old.”

“Split the difference, call it eleven for the sake of it,” Aspect nodded. “At least until something comes along to correct us. How’s that blood work looking?”

“It’ll take a few days to get a result,” Redheart responded. “I’ll admit, we’ve never met a half Dog/half Pony before. I had no idea it was even possible.”

“Fair enough,” Aspect chuckled. “What else...oh yeah. He’s been living with the dogs on the outskirts of town until a few days ago, except for when he was very young and in a pony city. I don’t suppose you’d have a booster shot that would make sure he doesn’t immediately fall sick lying around?”

“I do,” the mare nodded. “But without those blood results, I don’t know what effect they’d have. Those shots are tailored to a pony, and I have some griffon ones here too. But if the worst happens, we won’t know how to reverse the effects. Though I imagine if he hasn’t fallen sick by now, a few more days won’t matter too much.”

“Translation,” Aspect spoke to Pup, rubbing him behind the ears. “‘Let the ponies that went to school for this do their work, you ungrateful customer.’”

“Glad to see that you understand,” Redheart smiled sweetly. “Now will that be all today? I have a pregnant mare to tend to next.”

“For now, yes,” Aspect nodded as he guided Pup onto his back for the walk home. “But do let me know when the work is done. I’m anxious about the town and Pup making a good impression on each other.”

“I'll do the best I can,” Redheart nodded. “Just… keep him away from densely populated areas like the park and markets. Also the school, those kids always have a cold or some such.”

“Will do,” Aspect saluted with a wing before they were off. “See?” he said to the pup on his back as they made their way home. “It didn’t hurt too bad, and they’ll make sure you don’t get sick easily in the future. Plus they gave you a lollipop.”

Pup would have answered, but his mouth was full of candy and his eyes were as wide as saucers. “What… is this delicious stuff!?”

“Candy,” Aspect replied as they made their way to the massive house he called home. “Suck on it to get more flavor. It won’t last forever, but it’s good while it does.”

“Sooooo gooood~” the pup moaned, enjoying his treat. “This is waaaay better than rocks and rabbit jerky.”

“Don’t mention the meat-eating around the yellow and pink pegasus,” Aspect warned the pup. “She’s the animal caretaker for Ponyville, her favorite friend is a bunny. I don’t know how she’d take it.”

“Ahh, well I never liked rabbit anyway, too stringy,” Pup shrugged.

“We can go hunting later, I’ll need meat soon anyhow,” Aspect explained. This put Pup in a visibly happier mood as well. He was so tired of eating rock soup all the time. Hmm, maybe candy soup?

On their way home, Twilight brushed past Aspect, but seemed to be so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice him. She just kept muttering to herself as she walked away.

“Well that’s a first,” Aspect mused as they kept on their way to the home. “Normally she has a small list of questions to ask.”

“Wasn’t she one of the ponies that was with you in the den?” Pup asked. “Cause she’s talking to herself… Dog’s do that when they go mad…”

“Eh, I tended to talk to myself when I was alone, helped me organize my thoughts better,” Aspect replied with a shrug of his wings. “I’d do it at home, but nowadays I have all the pictures hanging up. It’s not a bad thing. Just a thing ponies do. She’ll be fine. She’s probably just stressed out over something.”

“Oh… Well, you’re her friend aren’t you?” Pup pointed out. “Shouldn’t you...I dunno, help her or something? Isn’t that what friends do?”

“I’ll explain when we get home,” Aspect promised. “Let’s just say that I’ve already intervened once. I’ll hold off on doing any more until I’m ready to get involved with crazy shenanigans again.”

“Well, if you say so,” Pup shrugged and followed the pegasus stallion.

At this point, Aspect was almost used to random ponies popping up in his home. Still, one of the ponies that awaited him when he and Pup arrived was new. He was a tall unicorn stallion. A pure white coat and a two tone blue mane and tail. His cutie mark was a shield with a five-pointed magenta star.

“Hello Grandfather!” Cadence waved and ran over to hug him. “I finally managed to escape Canterlot and those nagging nobles. All thanks to my knight in shining armor here.”

“That joke is never going to get old, is it Cadie?” the stallion sighed.

Aspect took the hug without complaint; Luna’s were stronger. He eyed the stallion warily, quite sure that this was the coltfriend he’d been warned about. A mischievous glint came to his eyes.

“Oh, introductions!” Cadence beamed. “Grandfather? This is Shining Armor, my most wonderful fiance and Captain of the Royal Guard. Shiny? This is—”

“Balanced Aspect,” Shining Armor said. “An immortal human with relations to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”

“Oh you’re read up,” Aspect smirked at the stallion. “But did Cadenza tell you why she calls me grandfather, or is that a surprise I still get to spring on you?”

“One, anypony as powerful as you, and so close to the Princesses I swore to protect, of course I’d learn about you. And two, I assume because Princesses Celestia and Luna are her aunts,” Shining replied stoically. “Or is there something I haven’t been informed about?”

“Yup, first rule of the house,” Aspect replied with a nod of his head. “Leave the titles at the door. Nothing more than you’re comfortable with, and you’d best believe if you bring yours, I’ll bring mine. We’ll talk about how we’re actually related later, maybe.” He went to the door and was about to open it, before turning and pointing a wing at the stallion. “Another thing. Drop the guard act when you’re in here. If something serious were to actually happen here, in a house that is regularly visited by the forces of the world incarnate, then we’ll have bigger problems than how many guards we need.”

Shining sighed, it was bad enough that he was so far outclassed by the ones he had to protect… it was another to have somepony actually point it out.

“Hey, don’t get me wrong,” Aspect spoke up, having picked up on that. “I find it quite admirable that ponies think my daughters need defending. And there are still things they can’t do. For example, be everywhere, or know everything that’s going on. And don’t point it out to Lulu, but she can’t do one whiff of fire magic. It’s just too much her opposite. Like ice is to Tia.”

“Huh… that, I did not know,” Shining said and his eyes twinkled. “Like how Cadence is a lousy flier, especially for a pony that used to be a pegasus~”

“Shiny!” Cadence blushed. “That was meean!”

“Everypony has their weaknesses and their strengths,” Aspect agreed. “Though if there’s one thing you’ll always have over us immortals, it’s numbers. Get enough ponies in one place, focused on one goal, the impossible can become possible. Celly and Lulu didn’t always raise the moon and sun, you know.” With that, the door was pushed open and they were all ushered inside by the stallion.

“I’ve always wondered that,” Cadence asked as they entered the house. “I know that before the Discord Era, it was Unicorn’s that rose the sun and moon… but what about in your time? During the Rainbow Valley and all that.”

“Dream Valley, and it was still unicorns,” Aspect said. “Entire villages would take turns gathering around monuments to focus their power. They had to have a rotation going, otherwise those that participated too much risked straining their magic to the point where they could no longer use it. That became less of an issue when I gave out some spare power to the pony tribes...but it still wasn’t good by any stretch of the imagination. By the way, don’t mind the paintings.”

“Paintings?” Shining blinked and turned to look at one… which turned to look at him. He gave a startled yelp and backpedaled away from it. The subject in question just chortled as it moved on to the next painting.

“Yeah, Pictomancy. I should also warn you there’s a perverted pegasus colt wandering the halls, as well as a painted copy of Starswirl the Bearded. I think that’s just about everyone…”

“Starswirl… how is Twilight not living here?” Shining chuckled. “She’d flip her horn if she heard that.”

“She knows,” Aspect sighed. “Probably has something to do with aforementioned pegasus.”

“I’m surprised she’s not lurking around here then,” Shining smiled. “She’s a huuuuge Starswirl fan. I’m pretty sure she knows more about him that he ever did.”

“Yeah, about that,” Aspect intoned. “There’s a thing going on today. Has been for a little bit. It involves the Bearers, I’ve noticed that crazy things just seem to...happen, around them.”

“Ahh, she seems to find something every week huh?’ Shining chuckled. “You could write a serial novella about her and her friends.”

“Oh,” Cadence smiled. “By the way. Shining Armor here is Twilight’s big brother.”

“Aaah, that explains the slightly similar cutie marks, then,” Aspect nodded sagely. “Anyways. Pup? Feel like doing a scouting run of the house and telling me who all is in residence?”

Pup put his paw to the floor and closed his eyes. “The big bird is on the second floor… the seapony in the bathroom, also on the second… And I can’t feel the princesses. And, there’s two ponies in your bedroom.”

“Really Neptune, just gonna abandon your kingdom entirely?” Aspect muttered before looking at a nearby painting. “Mind passing along word to my guests that I’m home with more guests?”

The subject nodded and walked out of her frame, reappearing in one further along the wall.

“That… is so weird,” Shining muttered as he watched the pony walk off. “And… was that Private Pansy from the Unification Era?”

“It was indeed,” Aspect agreed as he thought about the best place to have a meeting. “Hmm. Dining room or ballroom?”

Cadence’s stomach gave a loud rumble.

“Dining room it is,” Shining chuckled before Cadence was pulled into a rather wet hug, along with Aspect.

“My dearest family!” Neptune cried out. “I have just realised how long I have been away from my kingdom and I must return posthaste! But I did so enjoy meeting family again after so long!”

“Take care out there,” Aspect croaked out.

“Assuredly I shall do as such father!” Neptune nodded as he gave the pair one last crushing hug before setting them down. And then with a whirlwind of water, he vanished from sight.

“Well…” Shining looked at Cadence, admiring her with a wet mane. “That was interesting.”

“That, was Neptune, ruler of the oceans,” Aspect sighed as he contemplated shaking himself dry...then realized Pup was standing right there. “Bathroom first, then the dining room.”

“I’ll be back as well,” Cadence said and looked at Pup. She was sensing odd magic from him. “The dining room is over there Shiny, we’ll only be a moment.”

“Alright,” Shining replied, kissing her cheek before she walked off.

Only a few minutes later, a well-dried Cadence and Aspect walked into the dining room. “I’ve been told my cooking is abysmal, though palatable, so I doubt you want me cooking,” the stallion opened with.

“Ditto… unless military rations are your thing,” Shining chuckled. Cadence sighed and shook her head.

“Don’t look at me, I can’t cook either.”

“Well, we’re utterly boned,” Aspect sighed.

Cadence’s eyes sparkled. “Speaking of… I hear you have two marefriends now~”

“I’m not sure how it happened myself,” Aspect replied with a shrug. “One second I’m trying to take Bonnie off to see Written, the next a prismatic pegasus is kissing me.”

“Wait… you have two marefriends?” Shining blinked. “And here I thought you would be an honourable sort…”

“For your information, they know and sprung the arrangement on me,” Aspect sniped back. “Besides, I’m never honorable in combat. There’s time for honor when you’re paying your respects. When you’re fighting for your life and the survival of ponykind as a whole, honor goes out the window.”

“Sorry, Shiny’s a bit like his grandfather in thinking a pony should only have one,” Cadence said and nuzzled him. “But his stick-in-the-mud’ness is just one of the things I like about him. He’s so cute~”

“I-I’m not cute!” Shining argued back.

“Yeah, I’m not seeing it,” Aspect agreed. “He’s more rugged than cute.”

“See? He gets it… though I’m not sure how I feel about another stallion complimenting my looks,” Shining blinked slowly.

“Ah, don’t sweat it,” Aspect waved a wing at the unicorn stallion. “I’m just what you would call a connoisseur of cute. I’ve seen it so often I’ve become quite skilled at picking it out.”

“I grew up with a filly Twilight Sparkle,” Shining countered. With a smile, he cast a Memory recall spell and a picture appeared in the air.

“Yup, fillies are definitely the cutest,” Aspect agreed. “At least, as long as they’re not abusing their cuteness to get things from you. Tia and Lulu were terrible about that. The moment they realized they had ‘cuteness powers’ they started to abuse them.”

“Hahah, Twilight did that all the time to get cookies,” Cadence giggled. “Then one day, I distracted her with a picture book…”

“And then Bookworm Sparkle was born,” Shining concluded.

“Unlike me, who still has cuteness abused against him on a nigh daily basis,” Aspect replied with a sigh. “Ah well. At least it’s not ‘can I have a cookie’ or ‘can I have another story before bedtime’ anymore. Now it’s just…”

Cadence’s eyes widened and she leaned in closer. “Ooh~ You have some juicy details?”

“Please don’t enable her…” Shining said with a long-suffering sigh.

Aspect smirked, and opened his mouth. Cadence was prepared to hear details about his love life. What she got…

“Daddy, can you stay?”

Cadence blinked. “Um… I’m sorry… wat?”

“That’s really the reason I’m here, and not travelling Equestria, to see what they’ve done with it,” Aspect explained. “My daughters cuted me into staying in one place.”

“Oh…” Cadence sat back, blushing slightly. She… wasn’t quite sure how to deal with that.

Shining just stared. Aspect had shut down the alicorn utterly. He had to learn his secrets!

Then the dining room door opened and… a maid entered? Cadence and Aspect immediately recognised Bon Bon in the frilly dress, as she carried a silver tray on her back.

“Greetings honoured guests,” she smiled as she set the tray on the table. “My humblest apologies for being so late. But however, lunch is now served.”

“I did not tell her to do this,” Aspect preemptively defended himself from Shining.

“Hmm, your maids don’t make lunch?” he asked.

“He jests,” Bon Bon smiled. “Our Master is a very generous sort. Very… giving~” She turned to set the second tray town, giving Aspect a nice upskirt view.

“Of course,” a second mare said as Rainbow Dash walked in with a tea tray on her outstretched wings. “Our Master is the odd sort. Here is your tea by the way.”

Cadence was trying not to bust a gut here, her red face was evident she was trying immensely hard.

“I’m being serious,” Aspect tried to defend himself once again. “I would never tell my marefriends to do this.”

“These are your marefriends?” Shining blinked as he looked at the two maids.

“The Master loves us very much~” Bon Bon hummed and kissed Aspect’s cheek.

“And so, we would do anything for him~” Rainbow added and winked at the pegasus stallion.

“I’ll hold you to that when we no longer have guests,” Aspect promised them. He pointed at the chairs to either side of him with a wing. “For now, join me.”

“Oh but Master~” Bon Bon cooed.

“It’s not proper to eat with the guests,” Rainbow finished as the two mares smiled and headed for the door.

“I really don’t know why they find me interesting, or why they continue to toy with me like that,” Aspect sighed. “They know it’s only going to end one way.”

“Oh?” Cadence snorted, taking a sip of tea to try and calm her incoming gigglefit.

“Yes, and if I didn’t have guests, I’d be doing that right now,” Aspect sighed, again. “But there are certain things you don’t do.”

“Mister Aspect… who do you think my marefriend is?” Shining sighed. “I’m surprised she hasn’t started giving you advice yet.”

“Can I!?” Cadence asked excitedly.

“Down,” Aspect told Cadence. “You already did that.”

“But I have mooore~” Cadence hummed and rocked from side to side. “Especially now you have two cute mares~”

“Cadence, down!’ Shining said and the alicorn pouted, folding her forelegs and puffing out her cheeks.

“In any case,” Aspect started as he picked up a teacup. “So. Shining Armor. Brother to the new Bearer of Magic. And that’s about all I know about you besides the fact that you’re clearly a guard. Oh. And dating my granddaughter.”

“Yes well, I’m Captain of the Guard actually,” Shining replied and nuzzled the pouting Cadence. “And there’s also that. I love Cadie very much.”

“Well I know that the one that would be more entitled to chime in can’t, not without us going to him instead, so I’ll ask you in his stead,” Aspect stated before downing some tea and smiling at the taste. “Good stuff. Anyways. You promise to be there for her? No matter the situation?”

“I’ll take on the whole damned world if it came after her,” Shining said, his gaze becoming a steely one. “And I know, that if the threat is big enough to be one for an alicorn… well I probably won’t stand a chance…” he put his hoof on Cadence’s and smiled. “Doesn’t mean I won’t bucking try though.”

“Ah,” Aspect smiled. “You remind me of me when I was young. When all I had was a sword and the will to help the ponies, and my first mission was invading the castle of nightmares with Megan to try and rescue the captives and stop Tirek. She handled that with the Rainbow of Light, but I was right there next to her, willing to do...something. Anything, to help.”

“Your point?” Shining asked.

“You aren’t one of us,” Aspect pointed out. “I respect that you love her. I do. And her prospects for finding immortal love are dreadfully thin. But there’s nothing anyone can do to stop the inevitable. Heck, there’s even an Aspect devoted entirely to the inevitable.”

“So what…” Shining frowned and slammed a hoof on the table. “Are you saying I can’t protect her? That I’m not strong enough!?”

“I’m asking the both of you one simple question,” Aspect returned, raising a hoof, before pointing it at the pair. “Is this worth it?”

“It’s always worth it!” Shining said with a fierce glare. “Come heaven or Tartarus. It’ll always be worth it!”

Aspect gazed at them a moment longer, before nodding once at him. Then he turned to Cadence. “Is it worth it?” he asked her softly.

“You tell me,” she smiled back and kissed her husband-to-be deeply.

“Congrats, colt,” Aspect smiled at the pair. “You pass. Because true love isn’t something that’s convenient. It’s not something you can say ‘oh, I’ll get to it later.’ It’s something you fight for.”

“Speaking from experience?” Cadence teased him once she broke the kiss. “Sorry Grandfather, but I think I know just a little more on the subject of love than you.”

“What is Equestria, if not my greatest labor of love, to tame the world for the pony race?” Aspect quipped.

“Oh fine, I’ll give you that,” Cadence said and then smirked. “You seem intent on collecting every single uninvolved mare at this rate anyway~”

“Hardly,” Aspect shook his head. “I’m just happy to teach ponies and help out my friends when I can. I wasn’t expecting a second.”

“You know, a proper herd is usually five or six,” she hummed. “About one stallion for every three mares.”

“...And with my luck, Bon Bon will have heard that,” Aspect sighed. “Look, just...no. Okay? I gave up the Earth Aspect. I don’t have super-pony stamina anymore.”

Shining rubbed his chin and smiled. “I could run you through some basic Guard training. Stamina building and the like.”

“I have a basic weight room in one of my basement rooms,” Aspect explained. “I just have to get used to my new lows before I can start improving on them. I’ve been running with both Earth and Air at full power for so long, I’ve forgotten what it’s like to not be full of power.”

“Well, the offer’s always open,” Shining nodded as he took his lid off of his food tray. “Ooh, this looks pretty good,” he commented. “Who cooked this?”

“Likely Bon Bon,” Aspect commented as he pulled the lid off his. “Tell you what. Write up a list of exercises and I’ll see about adding what I can. I have plenty of things to do around town as it is. Between training Pup, teaching the foals, teaching the Wonderbolts, which is a weird sensation to me, and the random things your sister and her friends get up to every week, my plate is pretty full as it is.”

“I’d hate to be you,” Shining chuckled and shook his head. “But sure, I can do that. As long as you try. No point in it if you don’t stick with it.”

“Like I just illuminated, no promises,” Aspect pointed out. “We’re literally sat in front of a font of wild magic and monsters. It used to be tamer when ponies lived there. Since they’ve been gone for a thousand years, monsters have taken over. Anything could come out of the treeline tomorrow.”

“I wouldn’t tempt fate like that,” Cadence chuckled. “You already had a Hydra, an Ursa and Celestia knows what else.”

“I must have missed the Ursa by a hair, I doubt I would have missed something that large trundling out of the treeline,” Aspect muttered. “Oh! And let’s not forget the Parasprite plague.”

“Oh yeah, Twiley’s letter mentioned those,” Shining chuckled. “And the Ursa… which she dealt with single-hoofedly or so I was told.”

“I’m gonna have to ask about that one,” the pegasus mused. “But yeah. For a ‘sleepy little town,’ I don’t seem to be able to do much in the way of being retired.”

“Could you really sit still?” Hurricane chuckled from a portrait. “Why couldn’t I get immortality? I’m missing all the fun stuff!”

“And then you have the constant reminders about Pictomancy and Realm,” Aspect continued. “Which means I have to keep more of an eye out.”

“Do I want to know?” Shining raised an eyebrow. “Well, I probably don’t…”

“Nope, but I’ll explain later,” Cadence giggled and ate her meal in record time. What? She was starving. “And speaking of… Did I sense a new Aspect?”

“Mmhmm, Pup is the new Earth Aspect,” Aspect explained as he continued on his food. “Needed a new one anyways. Job’s been vacant way too long.”

“And a new Aspect of Air?” Cadence asked him. “I know Arabus has been giving you trouble lately.”

“Haven’t found one yet,” Aspect replied with a shake of his head. “I can handle him, he’s just one. Now I can focus more of my efforts on taming and removing his influence from my mind. When the time comes to pass the essence off, I’ll only be giving over the power, not the influence.”

“So, what will happen to the influence then?” Shining asked. This sounded like it could be dangerous.

“When the time comes, that the spirit is finally laid to rest, Mort will come to carry it away to Niflheim, where all the past Aspects reside. Watched over by the Windego king, Gelgeth, no spirits escape his gaze or domain,” Aspect intoned before finishing off his lunch.

“This crap is way above my pay-grade,” Shining sighed. “Well, whatever. As long as you have a handle on it and the princesses trust you. I’ll defer to their judgement.”

“It’s all very complex, true,” Aspect agreed before grinning maliciously. “Oh, and we haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet!”

“Of course you haven’t,” Shining sighed. “You know, I’m gonna go pay my sister a visit since I’m here. I need some normalcy right now…”

“Looking for normal? In Ponyville?” Aspect laughed loudly. “Oh, that’s a good one.”

“Nopony likes a smartass,” Shining muttered as he stood up. “Well, it was nice meeting you Mister Aspect. Look me up the next time you’re in Canterlot.”

“Take care,” Aspect waved with a wing. “Maybe next time you’ll be made of sterner stuff.”

“Grandfather!” Cadence scolded him. “Don’t pick on Shiny or I will be very cross!”

“Fine, fine, out of respect,” the pegasus chuckled as he took another sip of tea.

“Good,” Cadence said and smirked. “I hope Rainbow’s father knows what you’re doing with his daughter~” And with those parting words, she left his home with Shining Armor.

“She just had to bring that up, didn’t she?” Aspect muttered. “Ah well.”

Well on the bright side...now that his guests were gone, he could go see about his apparently acquired set of maids.

Inside the house, he found his little maids talking in the kitchen as Bon Bon was doing the dishes.

“Oh man, did you see his face?” Rainbow cackled in her raspy tone. “I thought he would pop a blood vessel or something. It was amazing~”

“It was quite fun wasn’t it?” Bon Bon giggled. “I do hope he isn’t too mad.”

“What this?” they heard in Aspect’s rumbling tone. “My maids, gossiping about me behind my back? Well we can’t have that.”

“Eep!” Rainbow yelped and jumped into the air. Bon also turned, her eyes wide with surprise.

“H-Hello Aspect…” she gulped. “Um… nice day we’re having?”

“Oh yes, it is,” Aspect agreed with a malicious smile. “It’s about to be a lot nicer. For me anyways. See, it would appear that a few maids got me all worked up in front of guests. Guests. We can’t be having that. But fortunately…”

He paused dramatically before finishing his statement in a lower tone. “Those guests are gone now.”

“Uhhh…” Rainbow gulped. “Y-Ya know, I just remembered some weather work i have to do. GoodluckBonIgottagobye!” she made a break for an open window…

Only to find herself smacking right into it as all the windows and doors shut. Aspect folded his wing back up with a smirk. “Really now, it’s like you thought running away would save you,” Aspect hummed as he walked over to Rainbow Dash.

“Oh crap,” Rainbow gulped. “Bons? A little help?”

Bon Bon was already sneaking out of the room.

“Running will only save you for so long,” Aspect called out as he reached Rainbow and ran a hoof over her flank. “You can either suffer for what you did or let it happen when you next decide to spend the night. Because I have a long memory.”

“Oh ponyfeathers,” Rainbow gulped as Bon Bon found herself teleported back into the room, the faint glow of Cadence’s magic around her. Oh goodie, his granddaughter left him a candy treat~

“Mmm, now what was it you said earlier?” Aspect mused as he ran his hoof over Dash’s cutie mark. “‘We would do anything for him?’”

Rainbow couldn’t help but let out a small shiver. Well, might as well make the most of it.

“W-Well… my Master,” she said in a timid tone, sounding not too unlike Fluttershy. “What… do you wish of me?”

“The pair of you,” Aspect started, before sitting on his flank and spreading his legs to display himself for them. “Can get me ready. Because I recall some teasing that happened in the dining room that I need to pay back.”

“And, how would you like us to do that?” Bon Bon asked, coming up behind him and nibbling his ear.

“I suggest the pair of you use those mouths for something other than teasing me with,” Aspect pointed out matter-of-factly. “You can even take this chance to show Rainbow that trick of yours.”

“Not much of a trick, as it is practice,” Bon Bon mused as she leaned down. “The trick is knowing how to suppress the gag reflex.” She opened her mouth and with one, slow movement, took almost his entire length in a single go.

“Holy buck!” Rainbow whispered. Aspect let out a little moan of his own, before running a hoof through Bon Bon’s mane. The mare responded by letting out a low, loud moan around him as she pushed down a little more, until her nose met his belly.

“Mmm, now you should let Rainbow have a turn,” Aspect replied through a pant of pleasure. “And give her pointers as well.”

Bon Bon moaned again and slowly pulled back up, nibbling on his medial ring as he did. She eventually pulled back, pulling off of him with a wet pop. “Mmm, how was that? Master~”

“Quite well done,” Aspect praised her. “Now, help your fellow maid as best as you can. Something tells me she might need it if she seeks to replicate that feat.”

Rainbow gulped and leaned down. “Okay… no sweat, I can totes do this.”

“Just relax,” Bon Bon smiled as Rainbow licked the tip, before pressing it past her lips. “Don’t be so tense…” She rubbed the mare’s back soothingly as Rainbow went a little deeper, Aspect feeling himself slip further inside her mouth.

“Good so far, but listen to her,” Aspect added as he began running a hoof through Dash’s mane. Rainbow nodded, listening to Bon Bon’s voice.

“Breathe through your nose, not your mouth,” Bon Bon instructed. “Relax your throat…”

Aspect felt his tip move into her throat as she pushed deeper. He could see the bulge from the outside and buck it was a tight fit! He moaned appreciatively, doing his best to not add to her woes and holding still. She pushed a little further down, getting past his medial ring and taking more than three quarters of him, holding there before she had to pull back, coughing slightly.

“That is still quite impressive,” Aspect praised her.

*hack* “Urgh, sorry… I wish I was as good as Bon Bon when it came to that… geez, how many coltfriends have you had?”

“None, I used… other means,” Bon Bon blushed. “I also don’t have a gag reflex, so that helps.”

“That’s perfectly okay,” Aspect chuckled. “Everypony is good at something. Just because you aren’t as skilled at that, doesn’t mean you don’t have other ways to get one over on me.”

“True enough~” Rainbow purred as she moved around to his back. “Oh Bonnie, you mind taking that side?”

Bon Bon nodded as Rainbow started nuzzling and nibbling his wingjoints again, while Bon Bon resumed deepthroating him. The combined sensations were enough to get the stallion moaning in pleasure, and now that he didn’t have super-stamina, it was actually a fight to hold out for very long.

Rainbow moved down his left wing, licking, kissing and preening it as Bon Bon pulled back up, suckling on the tip as she stroked his remaining shaft with her hooves.

“Mmm, you gonna cum?” Rainbow whispered into his ear. “I bet you do~ Tell me Master~ Where do you wanna do it~?”

“F-Fuck,” Aspect moaned as he felt his peak approaching. “N-not yet. Can’t cum yet. Haven’t...seen to either of you yet.”

“Aww, I bet we can make you cum a whole bunch,” Rainbow nibbled his neck. “Better hurry Master, tell us where you wanna cum~”

Aspect let out a small growl as he looked down at the mare sucking him off. “I’m well ready,” he told Bon Bon. “Present yourself.”

Bon Bon blinked in confusion. Aspect illuminated his plan for her after that.

“I’m putting another load in you,” he told the candy-mare. “And then I’m going to make sure Rainbow isn’t saying that teasingly.”

“You’re gonna get me pregnant one of these days,” Bon Bon mused as she turned around and lifted her tail for him. Instantly, Aspect was on her back, pressing his length against her folds as he got into position. Ohh, she was already so wet. Such a naughty little maid.

“Mmm, be sure to fuck her good and proper,” Rainbow egged him on. Aspect pushed himself inside of Bon Bon, letting his length fill her and sighing in bliss.

“Not sure I can last too long, to be honest,” Aspect spoke up as he started to move. “You both did a number on me.”

“Aww, and we’re just getting started,” Rainbow mused as Bon Bon started to moan softly.

“Mm, I should be good for another round after this one though,” Aspect explained as he started picking up speed. “Plenty of time to pay attention to you.”

“Promises promises,” Rainbow chuckled as she moved back to his wings. Aspect moaned and gripped Bon Bon tighter as he felt his peak come back towards him. In a matter of moments, he’d probably…

Bon Bon moaned and squeezed her thighs together, tightening around him. That did it for the stallion, with a louder moan and a shorter thrust, he buried himself inside the mare beneath him and unloaded inside her.

“Ahhhnn~” Bon Bon let out a long moan as she felt herself get filled by him. It was so warm and filling her so much~

Aspect held himself still until he stopped twitching, before sighing and slowly pulling out of Bon Bon. He then turned his gaze to Rainbow Dash and smirked. “Next,” he said. Bon Bon sighed softly and looked at her leaking rump.

“Uhh, good Aspect?” Rainbow gulped. “Heel.”

Aspect smirked before flipping the mare off of him. He’d done it just right, too: she landed on the floor right in front of Bon Bon, so she had a front row seat to those leaking, dripping folds. He then repositioned himself so that he was sitting behind her, stroking her flank with a hoof. “Well don’t just make Bon Bon have to deal with that mess,” he said as he stroked her mark. “Eat her out.”

Rainbow blushed hard, but nodded as she pulled Bon Bon closer, giving Aspect quite the show of the pegasi’s tongue licking her folds, Bon Bon moaning softly as a result.

It was a good show, and she was taking to it well. But all the same, he knew what got her off.

He lightly smacked her Cutie mark with a hoof. She let out a yelp, followed by a slight moan and a slightly deeper blush.

“Ahh, you ass!” she hissed. In response, Aspect smacked the same side, slightly harder. He was rewarded with another moan and a more defiant glare.

“I didn’t tell you to stop,” Aspect pointed out as he rubbed the spot he’d been spanking with a hoof. Rainbow gasped, but resumed ‘cleaning’ Bon Bon as the earth mare sighed contently. That pegasus was pretty skilled with her tongue.

Aspect nodded, then spanked Dash’s other mark. Hard this time, enough to sting a little. She actually yelped that time, and he noticed her marehood getting rather damp.

“What a naughty little maid, getting off to being spanked like this,” Aspect mused aloud. “Mmm. Punishing her only turns her on.” He grabbed her flank with both of his hooves and rubbed the marks, grinding his hooves into the spots he’d been hitting. Rainbow groaned into Bon Bon’s own pussy, her own dampening even more as a few droplets hit the floor beneath her.

“I think I’ll keep on doing this to you until you finish cleaning out Bon Bon,” Aspect stated with a nod as he pulled one hoof back to smack her flank again. “Let’s see how focused you can remain, shall we?” Smack.

Rainbow panted as she doubled her efforts, licking Bon Bon for all she was worth as the earth mare moaned louder. Aspect smirked and decided to reward the pegasus. So the next time he pulled his hoof back, it wasn’t to smack Rainbow.

It was to grind said hoof into her lower lips, letting her feel something paying attention to her damp folds for once. Rainbow groaned and wiggled her hips a little, her aching nethers demanding attention as she buried her muzzle into Bon Bon, eliciting a deeper moan from her.

“Mmm, I think it’s just about time to reward this naughty little maid, don’t you?” Aspect asked Bon Bon. “She’s so enthusiastic…”

“O-Oh yeesss~” Bon Bon groaned. “Rut her good, punish this ahh~ This little maid!”

Aspect nodded and stood up to adjust himself, even getting a hoof involved to make sure he was pointed in the right direction. It didn’t take long for Rainbow to feel something flat and hard poking at her netherlips. She wasn’t given too long to think about it, as it started pushing into her as well. Rainbow let out a crying moan as he pushed deeper, Bon Bon stroking her mane as she drew the pegasus in for a kiss, licking some of her own juices from her lips.

The stallion grunted as he started to properly screw the pegasus, moving in and out of her at a decent pace now. She was so tight!

“Mmm, what’s it like?’ Bon Bon asked. “Rutting this cute little maid, I bet it’s nice~”

“It’s like a warm, wet vice for my dick,” Aspect huffed as he did his best to push into and out of Rainbow Dash. “She’s so tight...so wet…” He pulled one of his hooves back and smacked her flank again. The pegasus moaned, a fresh coat of juices covering his thrusting member.

“Ohh, she that’s tight?” Bon Bon purred. “And do you like it, My Master~?”

“Mmm, I do, but I think it’s about time I changed what I was doing, lest I put a load where it’s not wanted,” Aspect replied, slowly drawing fully out of Dash. Now his member prodded at Dash’s other hole.

“Mmm, you really wanna fill her though, don’t you?” Bon Bon chuckled.

“Yes, but giving her a foal would be detrimental to her career and goals,” Aspect pointed out as he pressed into Dash’s flank. “Filling this hole, however…”

“Oh, so you’re liking that huh? Such a kinky master we have,” Bon Bon cooed. “Isn’t that right Dashie?”

“Mmm, nn~” Rainbow moaned, wiggling her hips. Aspect responded by smacking her flank again as he pressed deeper into her, giving Dash his entire length. The pegasus moaned louder now, as Bon Bon was content to watch for the moment.

Actually, she stepped forward and pulled Aspect into a kiss, her tongue intertwining with his a she moaned softly into his mouth. Then she got an idea, she pulled back and took something from her skirt, putting it into her mouth. She chewed for a moment and pulled Aspect back into a kiss, and he discovered her mouth was filled with melted chocolate.

“Mmm,” he moaned into her mouth as he kept pounding Dash’s flank. Now if only the little pegasus would admit she’d liked this…

“Ahhh~” the pegasus cried out. “Harder… fuck my ass harder!”

Well, Aspect got his wish. He began screwing her as hard as he could manage, doing his best to ream the poor little pegasus with all the force he could muster. Dash almost screamed with pleasure as Bon Bon just quirked an eyebrow. Huh, who knew the little mare was so kinky. She smirked and moved behind Aspect, doing her best to copy Rainbow Dash’s efforts with his wings.

Aspect let out a moan as he felt even more pleasure surge through him. At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before he’d filled both of them.

“Ohhh, are you getting close?” Bon Bon purred into his ear and nibbled on it. “Are you going to fill up that little mare under you~? Show that maid who her Master is~”

“Can’t help it...she feels too good,” Aspect panted out.

“Ohh, does she now?” Bon Bon said teasingly and then accidently found that spot between his wings that he liked.

“Fuck!” Aspect swore as he bucked extra hard that time. Rainbow let out a particularly sharp moan as well, her hooves trying to find purchase as the stallion rutted her into the floor.

It wasn’t long before Aspect let out another moan, his length throbbing and twitching inside of Rainbow Dash. The mare let out her own cry as she felt that familiar feeling of his load filling up her lower intestines, her hooves going down to rub her belly as she felt him just unload into her. She almost swore she saw her stomach swell from the amount.

“...F-Fuck,” the stallion huffed as he kept cumming. “My little maids are quite good at getting me to let loose,” he teased.

“Oh but Master,” Bon Bon replied in that same tone. “That was only round one.”

“Wait, what?” Dash asked, her eyes widening.

“Oh, I like the sound of that,” the stallion chuckled as he drew Bon Bon closer.

Twilight groaned as she settled down onto her couch. Seriously, this entire debacle could have been avoided if Rarity and Fluttershy had just talked to one another in the first place. At least it was nice to see Cadence and Shining Armor again. The skies outside were darkening, seems a Wild Storm had popped up over the Everfree, so the town’s weather pegasi were racing to make sure it didn’t enter Ponyville.

“A wild storm… now, why does that sound familiar?” the unicorn blinked. She could have sworn there was something to do… somepony mentioned something…

Then there was a rapid series of knocks on her front door. Almost as bad as Pinkie, if Pinkie actually used doors.

“Public. Library…” Twilight muttered as she opened the door with her magic. She was too tired to deal with this right now. “Pick a book, write your name in the ledger. You have a week to return it,” she said listlessly.

“I’m not here for a book, I’m here for you!” she heard in a familiar tone. “Starswirl and I got up to some real brainstorming! I have so many ideas! And now there’s a wild storm in the Everfree! Come on, come on, get ready!”

….wut?

Twilight blinked and looked up at the chatterbox. “Oh, it’s you Realm.” She sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes. “Get ready for what? Is this a euphemism of yours? I thought we talked about that.”

“Nah, not like that,” Realm brushed off, before reminding Twilight of the important part. “Wild storm in the Everfree means Spectra Crystals. Or at least, it will do if it breaks up in time for the sunlight to make a natural rainbow. Which means I’ll have a supply to try out my ideas with! And I promised you I’d take you out to one, so you could see the crystals yourself.”

Twilight’s eyes widened as all her fatigue vanished. Her magic called out a set of bags and in a literal flash, appeared at Realms side with a burst of teleportation. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!”

“Actually, you might wanna make yourself some coffee real fast,” Realm pointed out. “I saw how tired you were. I pick up on details, I’m an artist, it’s my job. And it could be a while before the storm breaks up to the point where a natural rainbow forms. If it happens before sunset. I’ll keep an eye on it while you get your energy back.”

He made a good point. “Alright, do you want something? Juice box maybe?” She couldn’t stop the teasing smirk on her face.

“Nah, I’m energetic as it is. I was actually having tea when I heard the storm over at the house, then I remembered all my plans and promises and got ready to visit you.” Realm walked over to a window with a prime view of the Everfree and fixed his eyes on the storm on the horizon.

“Ahh, to be young again,” Twilight sighed wistfully as she moved to the kitchen. Spike was helping Rarity again today, so she would have to fetch her own coffee. Luckily it was the one thing she could make without it becoming charcoal. A few minutes later, she had a small cup for now, and filled a thermos with the rest. “So how deep into the Everfree are we looking to go?” Twilight asked.

“Wherever the rainbow forms,” Realm replied without looking at her. “If we get lucky, one end will be in Ponyville, which means it won’t have the crystals at that end. So we’ll only have to go hunting down the other end, making it a quick mission. Like as not, though, both ends will pop up in the Everfree, and I’ll have to guard you on the way to check out one end. At which point, it’s a gamble if we picked right.”

“You'll guard me?” Twilight asked as she walked back into the living room, sipping at her cup as she offered Realm a plate of apple slices. The colt gratefully took it, all without taking one eye off the window. He then demonstrated his Gale King skills for the mare, flaring a wing and running electricity up and down it.

Twilight snagged his wing with her magic, staring at it. “How do you do that!? Do you generate the electricity yourself? Or maybe draw in static from the atmosphere? If you generate it, is magic involved? Some kind of electrical sac or gland like eels? Oh, what if--”

“You know, it would probably go faster if I actually had a chance to reply,” the colt pointed out.

Twilight stopped and smiled sheepishly. She released his wing and took a sip of her coffee. “Eheh, sorry.”

“Anyway,” Realm continued as he did his best to remember the lessons and not lose track of what was important. “It’s a skill of the Gale King martial art, which is based around taking a pegasus’s natural magic to the limits of what it can do. Very few can actually manage to generate lightning. Those that do, and possess the magic and will to take their studies further...well, Commander Hurricane wasn’t just called that. She actually could make hurricanes.”

Twilight blinked at that one. Note to self, sleep over Aspect’s place and interview all those portraits.

“Ditzy Doo set a tornado on fire once,” Twilight said, remembering that story that Rainbow told her one day.

“She’d probably be a very strong Aeromancer, if she were properly trained,” Realm commented as he kept his vigil.

“Also…” Twilight pawed at the ground. “I'm sorry for threatening you the other day. I just… well that's what the Princess told me to say, not that I'm blaming her but…” She blushed slightly and looked away. “No pony’s ever thought about me like that before.”

“I find that hard to believe, even in this age that says I won’t be a stallion for four more years,” Realm snorted. “You’re an attractive mare, miss. And I’m not just saying that because you remind me of Clover. You’re intelligent, think of your friends, and can be quite the firebrand if provoked.”

Note to self, heavily blushing Twilight was cutest Twilight yet.

“Are you teasing me again?” she mumbled, taking a heavy gulp of her hot coffee. Her eyes widened and she yelped as the liquid scalded her tongue.

“Hey, easy on the hot stuff!” Realm told her, turning away from the window to look at her in concern. “And no. You taught me my lesson about teasing. I’m being honest with you. I just wish there were a mare in this day that had half your qualities and a smattering of interest in me.”

“Times have changed I’m afraid,” Twilight chuckled, still blushing a little. “W-Well, if I had to admit… if you were a little older I might have…” She trailed off and found a nearby book suddenly very interesting.

“Hey look!” Realm said, pointing a hoof at the window. “There!” Against all odds, though the storm hadn’t fully broken yet, there was a rainbow. And true to luck, one end of it did land in Ponyville. “We have a heading!”

“Oh!” Twilight grabbed her bags and nodded. “I can teleport us to the edge of the forest, save us some time.”

“Make sure to not lose sight of the end of the rainbow,” Realm agreed as he bounded over to stand next to her. “Otherwise we’ll have to reorient, and we’ll lose time.”

Twilight nodded and her horn flashed, and when the light faded, Realm saw that they were at the edge of the forest, the rainbow directly over their heads. Twilight smiled and brushed off her foreleg. “Perfect landing. Now, lead the way Sir Realm.”

“Right, follow me,” Realm replied, pushing into the forest. “We shouldn’t have long to go, if the rainbow is so close over our heads. Look for shining crystals, you really won’t be able to miss them. If we get lucky, we might even get to see them forming.”

“Okay,” Twilight nodded, her heart racing with excitement as she entered the forest with him. The trees grew dense very quickly, Twilight’s heart still racing and… her breathing was growing heavier?

“We should find some soon,” Realm muttered as they pushed through the underbrush. “Nopony’s ever seen them actually forming before. We just know where to look to harvest them.”

“Y-Yeah… s-s-sure…” Twilight replied, her eyes darting around, and then let out a loud yelp when the wind rustled a nearby bush.

“Hey, relax about, oh, just a little,” Realm called back. “Yeah, I get it, it’s the Everfree. Remember, I used to live in the middle of it. You acting anxious and scared is just gonna call attention down onto us. Be confident. You have no idea how many monsters can smell fear.”

“Scared? I’m not scared!” Twilight said, though the waver in her voice screamed otherwise. “I-I mean, it’s not like that Cockatrice is waiting to turn me to stone again right!? I’m just excited about the stones, not about being a stone, right!?”

“Oooh, I remember those,” Realm replied with a wince. “Yeah. Okay. Luckily for you, I know a trick to dealing with them. Dad was not happy I was going out into the forest with them about, so he made sure I could pull this trick off. I can’t out-stare them, but I can make them think twice about staring at me.”

Twilight’s breathing calmed a little. “Y-You promise?”

“Yup, just make sure that you’re not looking at me either. It works based on your line of sight. If you’re looking at me, you’ll be effected as well, and that’s not an impression I want to leave on such a pretty mare.”

“Sure… sorry I’m being such a wimp,” Twilight sighed. “Rainbow would probably laugh at me right now.”

“Everyone has things they’re afraid of,” Realm said as he pushed through another bush. “For instance. I’m afraid of a lot of silly stuff. Mostly because Dad made sure I was capable and trained for the harder stuff. Because hey, he knew I was going to follow my dreams. Better to make sure I was prepared for anything that might happen. But he kinda...left out things like...social skills.”

“Yeah well, I’m not exactly a social pony either,” Twilight giggled, already feeling worlds better. “I couldn’t even tell when a colt was hitting on me.”

“I got all my training from Hurricane, and only now am I seeing how wrong she was,” Realm said as he pushed past a final piece of shrubbery and gasped. Twilight’s horn shone and she took a stance.

“What is it? Monster?”

“You’re gonna want to see this,” Realm softly replied as he gestured for her to come closer with a wing. Twilight stepped closer, craning her neck to look over his shoulder.

There was a small clearing in front of them, and materializing out of a white mist were crystals, growing like sugar candy. One finished growing, coming to a point, and the rainbow above streamed down to fill the crystal, causing it to swirl within in all the colors.

“Oh… wow…” Twilight breathed softly. “I’ve never seen anything like this. Are...Are those Spectra crystals?”

“Yup, and we got here in time to see them grow,” Realm replied in just as soft a tone. “But as wonderful as it is to see them growing, we only have as long as the rainbow lasts to harvest them. Quick, we have to get in there and get pulling.”

Twilight nodded and her horn lit up, but the second her aura touched the stones…

“Yeoch!” she exclaimed, rubbing her horn. “What was that?”

“They’re wild magic trapping color, they wouldn’t take well to being harvested except by touch,” Realm explained as he walked closer to the crystals. He touched the one that had finished and twisted it, before pulling and removing the whole thing from the ground. “There’ve been very few unicorn Pictomancers, but they all said the same thing. Touching them is the only way to harvest them. Blink closer, sure. But don’t try to harvest them except by touch. Otherwise something something magical feedback, I wasn’t listening.”

“Ah, alright,” Twilight nodded and she touched a crystal delicately, and once she realised she wasn’t gonna get zapped again, she gave it a pull. She was quite surprised to find how easy it came out. “Huh… it’s lighter than it looks.”

“Magic and color,” Realm replied as he moved on to the next, not even bothering to bag the crystal he’d pulled out. “What’s important is the amount you get out before the rainbow fades. We can pack them up later.”

“Right, pulling,” Twilight nodded as she started yanking more crystals. By the time the rainbow faded, they’d managed to secure twenty six of the gems.

“Phew!” Twilight wiped her brow and giggled. “These have to be the shiniest weeds I’ve ever pulled.”

“I’ve never managed to get them all before,” Realm replied as he looked up at the fading rainbow. “Wow.” He looked back down at the supply and smiled. “This is probably enough for my plan…” He nudged one over to the unicorn. “You can have one.”

“Really!?” Twilight held up the crystal to look at it before placing it in her bag. “Thank you so much!” The unicorn smiled happily as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

Realm blinked.

The pegasus blushed and looked down at the crystals, suddenly finding them very interesting.

He’d...not even teasingly, had Clover ever…

“Still, we shouldn't linger in the forest too long,” Twilight said as she helped him pack the rest of the crystals. “Is it safe to teleport with these?”

“Oh!” Realm snapped out of his kiss-induced daze, helping Twilight to pack the crystals away in his bag. “Yeah. It’s safe to teleport and do magic on them after they’ve been harvested. They’re just picky about the whole being harvested process. Only the touch of a hoof will do.”

“Alright,” Twilight grinned, happy she wouldn’t have to walk back through the forest. “Say when, and I’ll send us straight home.”

“Let’s get all of these packed away first,” Realm replied as he stuffed yet another crystal into his bag. Twilight nodded as she helped, reaching for another crystal as her hoof brushed against his, but she hadn't seemed to notice. Realm did though, and blushed again as he kept his focus. Barely. They had to get these crystals packed before something showed up.

A distant roar… one that was still a little close for comfort.

“Okay, double time it is!” Twilight replied hastily and shoved the rest of the crystals inside. That roar was getting very close… very quickly. Once the last crystal was bagged, she grabbed the colt and hugged him close as she teleported…

And reappeared in Aspect’s kitchen, still holding onto Realm.

The colt would have said something...if he hadn’t been blushing up a storm. Twilight released him and looked around.

“Huh? I was aiming for the living room… also, what is that smell?” she wrinkled up her nose at the heavy musk that filled the room.

“You don’t want to know,” Realm sighed as he got his blushing under control. “Um, thanks again for helping me and all. I doubt it would have gone as well as it did if you hadn’t been there to assist.”

“Too bad I was acting like a filly half the time,” Twilight chuckled. “Thanks though. I think I actually feel a little less afraid thanks to you.”

“Hmm, if you’re still scared of the cockatrices, there is a simple trick you could use to avoid them,” the colt mused. “Back in the day, the ponies learned that if you just blocked their line of sight, you could avoid being turned to stone. It takes them a moment to warm up their stoning gaze. So if you had...what was it dad called them? Sun-glasses?”

“That… might actually work,” Twilight mused, then her eyes widened. Seeing the expression on her face when she came up with an idea was a wondrous thing to behold.

“Right, well, you go have fun with that,” Realm told the unicorn as he tried his best to not get distracted again. “I have to create things.”

“Actually, I think i might stick around,” Twilight smiled. “I’m curious as to why you needed so many crystals, plus I’d like to talk with some of the portraits here.”

“Suit yourself,” Realm replied as he adjusted his saddlebags. “I’ll be in the basement. It’s where dad put the cauldron for making paint, and I might need a lot of paint for this.”

“Okay, have fun Realm!” Twilight smiled and waved. “Thank you for the crystal!”

Realm nodded as he left for the basement. He’d been gathering materials for this ever since he and Starswirl had come up with the idea. A small set of stonecutter’s tools, a easel with a large canvas, and the makings of a frame for the picture he was about to craft had all been set up in front of the cauldron. As well as buckets and buckets of water, because he had planned for a lot of paint for this.

Ponies kept telling him that his title wasn’t impressive anymore. That the Everfree Castle was just a bunch of ruins.

Well, he’d show them what it used to be like.

Author's Notes:

Hah! Got it up early for once!

And surely this will end well. Yup.

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