As Principal Celestia drove her battered old faded blue station wagon – affectionately dubbed ‘Rosie’ - out of the city of Canterlot towards Camp Everfree, she couldn’t help but reflect on how crazy the last few days had been. She laughed quietly to herself. Even for her crazy upside down life, the last few days had been, as her mother would have described, a doozy.

A quick glance to the passenger seat only reinforced how crazy the seventy two hours had been. Her ‘twin’ smiled back at her from the car seat and that alone was enough to unnerve her, or it might have, had Princess Celestia not been projecting that aura of calm serenity that almost seemed like a physical presence.

‘How does she do that?’ Principal Celestia thought to herself as she drove along the quiet streets. It was late afternoon, or early evening, depending on your point of view, but even so they were blessed with very little traffic. Still, she had to wonder how her equine counterpart did it. Nothing seemed to flap her. She took everything in stride with that serene smile that seemed to warm your soul.

Even though they looked alike, on the surface at any rate, that was just one of the many things that set the two women apart. The Principal marvelled at how the Princess allowed nothing to disquiet her. While she herself worried, and stressed, and wrung her hands, the Princess was as a calm mill pond.

When they eventually reached the security gate that demarked the entrance to the camp, Principal Celestia stopped Rosie and she got out to open the gate. She offered up silent thanks to Gloriosa and Timber that, as promised, the gate guard was absent for the day. Not that she minded Burnt Oak looking at her in her skimpy swimsuit and wrap combo, but seeing two of her would have raised questions. With the gate open, she got back in and drove through, stopping just long enough to close it behind them. “No one will disturb us,” she affirmed, speaking for what felt like the first time in hours as she drove to the parking lot.

Princess Celestia, who had insisted upon being called ‘Celly’ while she was in the human world, gazed impassively out of the car’s window. Like she always did, she surveyed the scene, took it all in, down to the smallest detail. “And this forest is where the centaurs are living now, Tia?”

Principal Celestia looked where her counterpart was looking and smiled. Not just because her voice sounded like warm honey drizzled over fresh hot pancakes. ‘I’m sure I don’t sound like that…’ she thought, ‘She even sounds better than me, she’s like super-me…’ “This is just one of the places they live in now, Celly. They originally appeared on the other side of the world, in a country called Greece.”

“One moment while I amend my notes!” piped up the third woman in the car. Princess Twilight, who was sat in the backseat, had a large red covered book open and her pen was scribbling quickly across the page. The only reason she had been silent this whole time they had been travelling was because she had been frantically taking notes on everything she had seen on the way.

As the sound of pen scratching on parchment filled the car, Princess Celestia giggled, “Never change, Twilight.”

Even though she joined in with the good natured giggles, Principal Celestia couldn’t help but feel a twinge of resentment towards her other self. ‘Even her giggles are musical…’ It was just another facet in which she felt inferior, like a cheap copy. A facsimile given form. She banished that twisted thought to the back of her mind and forced a smile. “I can give you books on the country in question, if you like, Twilight.”

“Oh!” Princess Twilight exclaimed, the innate scholar excited at the prospect of learning something new. “Yes, yes. That would be...” she paused when she saw her old mentor laughing in the passenger seat, “I mean, for research purposes, of course.”

“Or book forts.”

Having for the moment banished her demons back to the dark nether regions of her mind, Principal Celestia laughed, “You can do research in book forts!”

Twilight groaned and tried her best to hide behind her big red book. Her pen never stopped moving though. “Now I'm being double teamed…”

“Nice to be the one doing it for a change,” Principal Celestia commented as she steered her car into the parking space she always used, “I've been on the receiving end of Lulu and Cheerilee's teasing for ages.”

“I know what you mean about Luna,” Princess Celestia replied to her counterpart with a knowing twinkle in her eyes. She had lost count of the amount of exploding cakes, fake scrolls, joke mirrors and Tartarus knew what other pranks her sister had played on her over the centuries. “Cheerilee is just happy to get a book back that Twilight borrows.”

“One time!” Twilight exclaimed in protest, “Just one time and it never goes away!”

“Your sister is a teasing pranking pain in the ass too?” asked Principal Celestia with a wry smile on her face. She didn’t know why, as she killed Rosie’s engine and placed her car keys in her shoulder bag, but the knowledge that her counterpart had to deal with the same nonsense that she did made her feel so much better. It was almost like there was a cosmic rule that no matter what dimension she was in, Luna was a pain.

“Very much a pain in the flank,” the Princess confirmed, again thinking of the last time she had been caught out by a joke scroll that had blown up, covering her in black soot.

“When she gets with Pinkie and Dashie, Equestria trembles,” Twilight shuddered in the back.

“It seems our worlds are more similar than first glances would seem to indicate,” Principal Celestia opined as she got out and opened the passenger doors for her two honoured guests.

“I think I could write a dissertation on how culture designs transportation vehicles,” Twilight smiled as she got out of the backseat and stretched her legs. She was sure to snatch up the handful of books she had bought with her from Equestria, from her own personal library in her Crystal Castle. The castle that Rainbow Dash had affectionately dubbed the ‘Fortress of Friendship’.

“Maybe after we deal with Scorpan's followers, Princess?”

Twilight hugged her books to her chest and she rolled her eyes at her former teacher’s jibe. “I can multitask.” Just like, at that moment, she was running three such dissertations in her head. One, on the nature of weather that wasn’t governed by Pegasi, another on the aforementioned similarities between transport vehicles and a third on inter-dimensional languages and why English was the same as Equish, or vice-versa.

Principal Celestia giggled, though those little demons scratching at the back of her head made the smile somewhat forced. “So very similar. Now, you see the lake?” she asked, pointing to the lake past the dock, “We're going around that to the north where those large trees are.”

“Don't fear,” Princess Celestia placed a comforting hand on her counterpart’s shoulder. She saw the strained look in her eyes, heard the tightness in her voice, the tensing of her shoulders. She saw the signs but believed she was stressed over the current situation, which, bizarre as it was, was understandable. “We will be able to find our way back here should we be separated for some reason. Please lead the way, Tia, as you're someone they know.”

Nodding her head, the Principal led the way. She was happy to be in front, because that meant she didn’t have to look at the literal goddess that walked behind her. ‘You’re being stupid, Tia…you’re being jealous of yourself! But she isn’t me,’ she told herself, ‘She’s me plus, a perfect me, a me that I’ll never be…’ “You know,” she spoke to the younger woman in order to distract herself, “Twilight, I'm actually quite interested in why the portal always seems to send you here wearing the same clothes.”

Twilight laughed at that. “Yes, Sunset had an idea around the portal in order to make money. She made me strip one night before I went back. Then, when I returned she thought she could rack up a line of clothing to sell. Only problem was, the clothing I stripped off disappeared when I returned.”

“Huh,” the Principal mulled that over for a second, shooting the Princess a sideways look. Princess Celestia had worn an almost exact copy of her CHS school uniform when she had appeared through the portal three days ago. That had been swiftly discarded in favour of a skimpy red swimsuit. “I'm happy to go with "it's magic".” When they got to the edge of the trees, she paused. “I'm afraid here we must disrobe. Centaurs don't wear clothing except for ceremonial purposes.”

Twilight perked up, brushing her hair over her ears and readying her pen on the page of her notebook. “The centaurs don't hold to the human taboos regarding nudity?”

“They do not,” Principal Celestia duly removed her swimsuit and her wrap that had been covering her body until she was standing naked but for her sandals and her ever-present collar.

“Can I keep my shoulder bag?” asked Twilight, hefting her full bag on one shoulder and holding her books under the other arm.

“Of course you can,” the Principal replied as she placed her swimsuit and her wrap in her own bag. “You can still bring your notebook too,” she snickered.

“When in Roma…” Without a care in the world, Princess Celestia undressed, slipping off her own swimsuit, just like Twilight did beside her.

“I remember one time I was here, I was going to walk out of gym naked and I thought Rarity was going to burst.” Princess Twilight giggled behind her hand.

Now that they were naked, Principal Celestia couldn’t help but notice Princess Celestia's awesome body. Though they were the same height, that was where the similarities ended. She couldn’t help but look down and compare those perfectly round gravity defying D cup breasts to her sagging ones, those perfect six pack abs and flat belly to her own pudgy pot belly, the toned ass to her wide behind, the pastel coloured hair that didn’t have a touch of grey anywhere and, worst of all, far worse than any of that, was her eyes. No wrinkles adorned that perfect face, no crow’s feet, no age lines, no bags under her eyes…No scars on her wrists and forearms.

In short, Principal Celestia wanted to run away and hide. ‘She’s a lot prettier than you are…’ came that ever-present voice in her head. “Ahem...well...this way, shall we?” she led the way around the trees, every step reinforcing just how ugly and wretched she was. ‘Look at the state of you compared to her…she’s perfect, and you…you’re you!’ “Hello self-loathing my old friend...” she muttered under her breath as she rounded the trees.

When she saw Moonsilver and, beside him, Equinox, Principal Celestia was all smiles. She wasn’t at all surprised that his father would be there with his son to greet them, as he was a member of the Council of Elders. “Moonsilver! Equinox!” she squealed and rushed over, embracing her lover in a tight hug, “May I introduce my two guests from Equestria, Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight Sparkle,” she gestured to them both in turn.

“You could be her sister,” Moonsilver greeted Princess Celestia with a bow of his head, which was returned in kind, though he was more concerned at the moment why his lover’s smile was not reaching her eyes. “And you,” he addressed Twilight with a similar bow, “You look like one of the ones that was in camp last week.”

“They do look remarkably similar, son.” Equinox commented quietly to Moonsilver, glancing between the two tall white skinned women.

“Princesses,” Celestia cleared her throat loudly, though she looked away from them – she didn’t want to look at Princess Celestia any longer than she had to – and occupied herself with her lover’s broad chest, “This is Moonsilver, my beloved, and his father Equinox. He has a seat on the council.”

Princess Celestia took a moment to appraise the two centaur stallions. For all intents and purposes, they were exactly like Tirek in appearance. “I see little has changed since Scorpan took his followers through the portal.” Somewhat predictably, Twilight was scribbling notes in her book, complete with hastily drawn diagrams.

Equinox treated Princess Celestia to a low, respectful bow. “I am told you were present when Scorpan met with Starswirl the Bearded to request asylum for our kind, Princess Celestia.”

“I was,” the Princess curtseyed respectfully to the elder centaur, “As was my sister, it was fifteen hundred years ago, though I recall it like it was yesterday. Not long after we defeated Discord, did Lord Tirek plan his folly.”

Quickly, Equinox held up his hands in a pleading gesture. “If you please, Princess, we don't use the Destroyer's name.”

Curiously, Celestia tilted her head to one side as if deep in thought. All the while, Twilight’s pen never stopped moving. “I've reached a point in my life where names hold no power. Still,” she acquiesced, “I can and will honour your wishes. Much has changed over fifteen hundred years, then I think that is for more ears than yours, Equinox.”

Equinox sighed deeply when he recognised the truth of her words. “The Council of Elders is a scared bunch of centaurs, thanks to the failing magic. But that is why you're here,” he gestured to the forest behind him, “It's my pleasure to be able to invite you to our Harvest Festival,”

“I will of course be delighted to attend.”

As he was busy hugging his Celestia, Moonsilver coughed none to delicately in his father’s direction. Both centaurs shared a wry smile between them. “And you and your notebook are welcome as well, Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight though, oblivious with her nose in her notebook, kept writing. “Yes, yes of course…”

“Maybe there will be some refreshments?” asked Celestia curiously, just to see if Twilight would write that in her book too.

“Of course,” Equinox smiled graciously, though the twinkle remained in his eyes, “There will be a mighty feast provided by the Hunters and the Farmers,” he chuckled as he turned to lead the way into the forest proper, “Tell the notebook it can bring it's Princess too.”

“Father!” Moonsilver exclaimed, facepalming while beside him, his pet simply giggled.

Walking along, Twilight snorted as they broke the treeline and entered the forest, “It doesn't go anywhere without me.”

Princess Celestia walked beside Equinox, wisely leaving her counterpart and Moonsilver alone. “I must caution you, Equinox, she does have a biting wit. Like a paper cut.”

As his father and the two Princesses laughed at the shared joke, Moonsilver nuzzled Celestia’s cheek and he whispered into her ear, “This is not what I was expecting from royalty. Then again, I confess I’m not sure what I expected.”

Glad to be walking with her lover, Celestia returned the whisper while Equinox and the Princesses fell into idle chit chat, each sharing some small talk about things that the Principal wasn’t interested in. “Me neither, Master, if I'm honest. My counterpart who could be my long lost sister isn't what I was expecting, either.”

Lowering a hand, Moonsilver openly groped his pet’s wide fleshy behind, uncaring as to whom might be watching. “I think the council will be surprised too.”

The moment she felt his firm strong hand squeeze her fat ass cheek, Celestia let out a soft pleasured moan. Despite that thought, she couldn’t quite stop those evil little tendrils from worming their way into her brain and spreading their poison. “I thought she would look more...like me, not um...like she was sculpted perfection…”

Moonsilver caught the way she all but spat the last two words. He caught it and he was determined, by the Great Forest, to do something about it. “That is a good word for her, sculpted. She is very…angular.” He snickered and allowed his hand to slide up from her ass, along her back and eventually it stopped just under her long hair at her grey collar. “Lacking in any of the sensuous curves. Soft squishy curves that I adore…” Twilight glanced back at them and, blushing, she returned to her writing.

“I know, and you're right.” Knowing he was right though didn’t stop her blushing and squeezing his hand in hers. “It's just...my old demons, that's all, Master.”

Moonsilver knew well the demons of which she spoke. It was those same demons he had seen when she had appeared before him broken and reduced almost to tears after he had met Roseluck. “Demons I shall see slain.”

“I'm getting a spanking later, aren't I?” Celestia asked, well aware she was in for a punishment, she just hoped that whatever it was, it would be more merciful than the orgasm denial he had forced her to endure. Anything but that!

Solemnly, Moonsilver nodded. “The demons must be slain, my pet.” He then gave her a big kiss lick along the side of her face. At the slurping noise, Twilight glanced up from her notebook, saw what was happening, blushed hard, and quickly went back to her writing. “Do you need to be there to assist the Princesses from the portal?”

“There with the Council of Elders you mean?” Distracted from dwelling on her demons by the question, she shook her head, “I sincerely hope not.” She giggled, for she could imagine no greater torture. “I deal with stuffy councils all the time. I'd much rather mingle with you and your sister and enjoy the festival.”

Moonsilver snickered, for judging by her tone, the human councils and the centaur ones sounded very much alike. “Then, in that case, there is a bar we should visit instead. You've already met the bartender, and I hope there is a stallion there you can share a drink with.” He smiled fondly when he thought of Shadewalker. True, they had recently had their differences, but they had put those behind them and become kin once more.

“That's why we have our distinguished guests,” Celestia was never so glad that those guests were there. “They can have the joy of the council. I want to share a drink with Honeyside.” She hugged Moonsilver’s strong muscular arm. “Is this stallion a friend?” she assumed he must be, if he wanted her to meet him.

“Friend, enemy, brother, it depends on time of day, really,” the pale grey centaur snickered, recalling the recent disagreements he’d had with his fellow Hunter. “He was very unhappy about you, then again, you exposed the truth. A hard mouthful to chew.”

“He sounds like the sort you want in your corner,” Celestia commented as they walked past the large standing stones and walked on into the forest proper. She had passed the air stones so many times now that she hardly noticed the fuzzy feeling she experienced that was the Equestrian magic trying to conceal the centaurs.

“If I know Shadewalker, and I do, he watched us enter and is even now heading towards the bar, or fleeing it.”

Almost on reflex, Celestia looked around, expecting to see someone else stood somewhere watching them. All she saw was Princess Twilight scribbling furiously in her notebook, no doubt describing the sensations she had just experienced upon passing the stones. “But…I haven't seen anyone else.”

“Shadewalker isn't named 'Shadow' without just cause, Tia.”

“So he's a Hunter, like you?”

“Yes, and possibly even better.” Moonsilver paused after he made that admission out loud. After a few seconds, the lack of an 'I told you so' meant he wasn't near. He laughed, because he knew that there was no way in all the forest that he would resist such an opportunity.

“In that case, I must thank him for not shooting me.” Celestia commented as they made their way smoothly and effortlessly through the trees. Even she was having less difficulty than normal negotiating her way through the ferns and the shrubbery of the forest floor, going deeper than she ever had before.

“Don’t worry, my love, I already have.” Moonsilver placed a kiss on his pet’s lips and very gently, he began to steer her away in a different direction to the one his father was taking the Princesses. “This way, I'm sure Honeyside would like to meet you without something shoved up her.”

As he snickered at his own joke, Principal Celestia raised her hand in a parting wave to the Princesses and especially to Equinox and, obligingly, she walked alongside her Master through the outskirts of the camp to the Bee and Barb inn. “Speaking of which, I have something for her in my bag.”

“Did your sister return used goods?” he snarked, an eyebrow raised as if tempting her into a joke.

“Certainly not!” Celestia giggled, “Let’s just say it’s a toy more suited to her size.”

“If I didn't know better, I'd say that was a fat joke.”

“Master...as if I would,” Celestia said reproachfully as they entered the centaur camp proper, unopposed. “Oh...” she had to confess, from all that she had heard from Moonsilver, Honeyside and Equinox, it wasn’t at all what she had been expecting. There were the tree houses – or house trees – like the one she had stayed in with Moonsilver grouped together in what she recognised was a loose street, with a thoroughfare between them, like a road. Some were dwellings, others she recognised as shops, with rabbit and birds hanging outside, one that clearly had art on display and another she saw was an apothecary.

“Not that different from the camp by the lake.” Moonsilver squeezed her hand and led her in further and, after a few paces, a lot of the centaurs that had been milling around stopped what they were doing to stare at the human in their midst.

“Forgive me, Silver, but I was expecting guards with bows, demanding I declare myself on pain of death…” Celestia looked around and, thinking of no better course of action, waved at those she guessed where in last minute prep mode for the festival that was mere hours away.

No sooner had she said that than a particularly bold young sky blue centaur filly walked up to them. She looked no more than seven or eight, by Celestia’s best guess, though she couldn’t be absolutely sure. “Who’s that, Moonsilver?” she squeaked out as bold as brass, while the adults watched more warily.

“This human is called Celestia, Swiftcreek,” Moonsilver answered the little filly, “She is a guest of the council.”

A stallion, who was as green as the leaves on the trees with a wheat coloured mane spoke up next, “Is this about the failing stones?”

“Yes, Grainseed, it is.” As Moonsilver spoke, more and more centaurs stopped what they were doing to watch. Some, the braver ones, took a few steps towards the strange visitor. The really brave ones – the youngsters – came right up to Celestia and shook her hand. A pure white filly who looked older than Swiftcreek gave her a wreath of leaves and flowers to wear. “I'm sure the council will have an announcement for us later.”

A mare, just as white as the filly who had given Celestia the wreath, ushered the filly behind her in a protective gesture that the filly blatantly ignored. “Why is she here then?”

“She was the escort for the representatives of her kind, Softsnow.” Moonsilver smiled broadly, not at Softsnow, but at her filly, Snowdrift, who had just quietly given Celestia a flower bracelet to wear on her wrist. “Now she has some free time before the festival and I'm taking her to the Bee and Barb.”

“Oh my...” Somewhat overwhelmed by the reception she was getting, Celestia very carefully set the wreath on her head so that it wouldn’t fall off. In spite of Moonsilver’s insistence they were going to the bar, she took a moment to shake hands with those that said hello, and she made sure to speak without the use of the language stone. “I'm very pleased to meet you all,” she smiled, aware from her time as a languages teacher at CHS that the ability to use a native tongue was always appreciated.

“She talks funny momma!” said a filly nearby that Celestia couldn’t see amid the press of bodies around her that were following them to the tavern.

“Her mouth isn’t like ours,” said a tall chestnut brown mare, obviously replying to her unseen daughter’s comment, “So you should be understanding.”

As they walked through the camp towards the tavern, Celestia thought the filly, her mother and for that matter all the centaurs, were just adorable. “Excuse me, Grainseed, do you know my Moonsilver?”

“Yes,” the stallion answered, walking alongside the couple, “He puts food on our tables just as I do. Just that his food tries to run away, while mine waits patiently for me.”

Celestia burst out laughing, “You're a farmer? Pardon me, but I didn't want to be caught assuming.” She supposed that Grainseed was something of a farmer’s name, but along those lines, there was nothing about ‘Moonsilver’ that screamed Hunter. “You are of the water school, then, Grainseed? From what Moonsilver tells me and what I understand of your society.”

“So stereotypical!” Grainseed raised a hand to his head in a dramatic sigh before he joined in with Celestia’s good natured laughter. “I'm actually with the earth school, but it’s true that most farmers are of the water school.”

Moonsilver gently squeezed his pet’s hand, “Schooling and profession don't always go hand in hand, Tia.”

Celestia giggled and, when he squeezed her hand – an almost imperceptible gesture – he may as well have spanked her behind raw. “There goes my chance to show off!” she breezed, glad that Grainseed was taking it in good humour. “I believed the earth school were the creators of the houses you live in. Silver gave me an earth stone and I grew a plant!”

The very second she said that, her comment was met by a lot of murmurs, some whispered, some not so much. “She can use the stones?” Grainseed asked, caught a little off guard.

Internally, Moonsilver facepalmed, though he was very tempted to place his palm on his lover’s backside. “Some say the stones are failing,” though he addressed Grainseed, he was speaking to the centaurs as a whole, “But I think it’s more a case that their magic is spreading, and as it spreads the force is weakening.”

“I can, Grainseed, though I'm sure I'm just an amateur,” Celestia replied, “I think Silver is right, that the magic is spreading.”

Almost immediately, there were several shouts of 'what does that mean?’ from the centaurs. Moonsilver lifted up his hands and requested silence from them, his friends and peers. “It means the Council of Elders is meeting with the representatives from Equestria to see what the best solution is for us and for the humans. Now,” he all but dragged his lover to the tavern, “I'm parched and in need of a cider.”

Skilfully, Celestia deigned to allow Moonsilver to handle all that noise. Instead, she quietly opened the door of the tavern and stood aside for him. “Allow me,” she said with a wink, “Master.”

“Well,” Honeyside greeted them both warmly as they walked inside her bar, Celestia she hugged like a sister, “She wears the collar well, Moony.”

“As well as she should,” commented a powerfully built and very intimidating-looking dark grey centaur stallion from a nearby table.

“Watch it Shade, I'm not so old I can't escort you out by an ear.”

Shadewalker chuckled at Honeyside. Everyone knew that in her tavern, she was the Queen. Even the High Elder knew not to question her in her domain. “Drinks for those two,” he gestured to Celestia and Moonsilver, then to the rest who had followed them inside, “The rest of you can buy your own.”

“Why, thank you!” Celestia looked at Moonsilver and then at Shadewalker and she put two and two together in her head. “This is the stallion you wished me to meet, Master?”

“Yes, a friend from my foalhood.” Moonsilver walked over to his kinsman and they greeted each other with a clasped forearm and a nuzzle, a nuzzle that Celestia noticed the dark grey centaur held far longer than Moonsilver did. “Voice of reason, and a fine pessimist to my optimism.”

Honeyside snorted as she prepared the drinks that Shadewalker had requested. She already knew Moonsilver’s preferred cider, so that was easily done. “Like two peas in a pod, only as different as night and day.”

Shadewalker casually inspected his master-crafted longbow propped at the side of the table. “I enjoy hunting at night.”

“You sound like my sister and I.” Celestia smiled and she held out her hand in greeting as she sat down at the table on a seat opposite the dark grey Hunter. “I’m very pleased to meet you. I'm Celestia, though I prefer Tia.”

“Very well, Prefer Tia.” Shadewalker was smiling broadly as he pushed the mug of cider her way that Honeyside had just placed on the table and then he gave the other one to Moonsilver. “Can the human take strong drink?”

Moonsilver thought back to Berryshine’s beer and how strong that was and he had to really struggle to not snort his mouthful over the table. “From what I've seen the human may drink us under the bar, Shadow.”

Likewise, Celestia was thinking of Berryshine’s beer and, also she was laughing at Shadewalker’s joke as she laughed out loud in the bar. “I like you!” she took the mug and lifted it up to her lips without hesitation. “To the Great Forest, may she forever watch over us.” Salute given, she swallowed a good mouthful of the cider and found it to her liking.

“You’ve taught her manners,” Shadewalker said with a smile in his voice and a twinkle in his eyes.

“You have to have them to teach them!” Honeyside shouted from the bar, to which a great many of the patrons cheered.

“It seemed the wise thing to do,” Moonsilver shrugged, “Rather than have her with an arrow in the heart.”

Now it was Shadewalker’s turn to snort his drink, “You talked me out of that on day one.”

“And I am very pleased he did,” Celestia said as she delicately drank her cider. “Although I trust, with your considerable skill, I would not have suffered, Shadow?”

As Shadewalker blushed and turned away to hide said blush, Moonsilver couldn’t resist a further tease. “It isn't often the prey has a chance to talk back.”

“Enough teasing,” Honeyside called out again, stamping her authority over her tavern before anything could get out of hand, “As I can just as easily toss the two of you out, also.” To emphasise her point, the bartender gave all three of them a very stern look.

Suitably chastised, Celestia blushed, for she felt very much like she herself was back in school. “We'll behave, miss Honeyside.” She turned to Moonsilver and asked, “May I give her the present I brought now?”

“You may pet,” Moonsilver acquiesced, purely because he was more than curious to see what the present was. He was hoping by the Great Forest that it would be something rude he could tease her about for a long time to come. “Knowing Honeyside, I'm sure she would love to show it off.”

“Miss Honeyside,” Celestia called the bartender over to the table and, as the older centaur approached, she reached for her shoulder bag with a smile. “I had the Princesses bring this over for you,” she took out a hefty looking twenty inch long stallionator dildo, which happened to be modelled on an earth pony draft stallion. “I know you said the last one was rather small.”

“Did Equinox model for that?” Shadewalker asked, staring with wide eyes at the work of art that had been placed on the table.

Honeyside was suitably impressed. “No time like the present!” As Moonsilver blushed, she picked it up and reached back, slotting the red plastic toy deep inside her. She tested for the fit, loving the way the flat blunt head split her marehood apart and its girth filled her up. It certainly hit all her right spots. “Need to test for feel now. Drinks anyone?”

Watching Shadewalker carefully, Celestia took note of the dark grey stallion’s appreciative look at the toy and, armed with that, and the way that he looked at Moonsilver, she made her mind up about him then and there and she swallowed her mug of cider. “I'd like another, please!”

As she walked back behind her bar to fill out numerous drinks orders, Honeyside had some extra wiggles in her hips and a pep in her step, much to the applause and delight of the other patrons in the tavern. “I take it the one I used is none the worse for wear?” she asked, placing a refilled mug in front of Celestia.

“Not at all!” Celestia smiled, “My sister had her pet test it for taste and she was quite satisfied.”

“She's a keeper, Moony.” Honeyside sat herself down at the table, the fact that she hadn’t been invited to do so not bothering her in the slightest. “So, rumour has it you’ve brought two other humans to see the council.” It was a statement, not a question.

“The rumour is not quite true,” Moonsilver said, taking a mouthful of his cider, “You may speak freely, pet.”

“We bought two humans, yes,” Celestia spoke up now hat permission had been given. She had learned her lesson in that regard! “But, they are Princesses from Equestria, here to see the council about the issues with the errant magic running wild over the city.”

“Equestria,” Shadewalker put in, “But there were no humans in Equestria.”

“No, Shadow, but the portal changes the pony's physical form to match that of humans when they come through. Why it didn't alter your kind…I can only guess at.”

Honeyside, as perceptive as Celestia, watched the human as she glanced between Moonsilver and Shadewalker. She saw the look on one stallion’s face and the obliviousness on the other. “Moony, your sister stopped by earlier. She has two boar and a deer at the butchers. Please go to Sharp Knife and collect them for me. I think it’ll be busy when the council finishes their business.”

“Why doesn't she bring the meat?” Moonsilver asked, reluctant to get up now that he was comfortable and sat with his ‘mare’.

Honeyside just laughed it off, “Maybe some Treesinger has something to do with that?”

Recognising defeat, Moonsilver shook his head. For a quiet life it was easiest just to do as the bartender asked. “Will you be alright, pet?”

“I promise I won't get lost,” Celestia rolled her eyes playfully at her lover as he stood up and stretched his four legs, “Or let Honeyside steal me away from you with her feminine whiles…”

“You haven't seen her operate those feminine whiles…”

Honeyside levelled a long and loud raspberry at Shadewalker and she made shooing motions at Moonsilver, who in turn rolled his eyes and he took his leave, trotting out of the tavern to the butcher. Once he was gone and well out of earshot, Honeyside wasted little time. “So, what secrets do you have now he’s gone?”

“Oh, I have some gossip for you, Honeyside.” As she leant conspiratorially over the table, she couldn’t help but feel a bit underhanded and exploitative. “Moonsilver and I have entered into a herd with two of my old friends!” Yes, it was a dirty play, perhaps, but she carefully watched Shadewalker’s reaction and, sure enough, she got one.

For a split second, a dark look crossed the Hunter’s eyes, then it gave way to a deep, soul heavy sigh. “It has been good to meet you, and, well, I’m pleased to not have killed you. Thanks for the drinks Honey,” he said as he made to get up, “you can put them on Moonsilver's tab.”

Seeing him stand up, Celestia quickly placed her hand on Shadewalker’s arm. “How long have you been attracted to him, Shadow?”

Mutely, Shadewalker’s jaw opened and closed, but no sound came out. He did not, however, walk away. “Since puberty I think,” Honeyside commented, earning herself a stern glare from the dark grey Hunter. A glare that she shrugged off without a second thought. Or a first thought, if she was honest.

“And let me guess,” Celestia squeezed his forearm, “Moonsilver has absolutely no idea?”

“None, unless…” seemingly defeated, he slumped back in his seat and cast an accusatory look at Honeyside, “someone told him.”

Honeyside shook her head, “Not my business. I just serve drinks, but it seems not enough to loosen anyone's tongue.”

“I'm sorry, Shadow.” Celestia smiled warmly and genuinely, “Loving someone who doesn't return those feelings is tough, the toughest thing ever, I see it at my school all the time.”

Shadewalker stared at the table. “I would ask that neither of you say anything to Moonsilver. I will move on.” ‘Eventually,’ he thought to himself, though he had no idea how. Moonsilver was just perfect, in every way. Except that Moonsilver liked the mares and he…he loved Moonsilver.

“You have my word, Shadow, that I won’t say a word.” She at last removed her hand from his arm when she was sure he wasn’t going to run away, “And thank you, for not shooting me. I appreciate that.”

“I doubt that would have won Moonsilver's heart. Enough said,” Shadewalker quickly swallowed his cider and he offered his empty mug up to the bartender, “I'll have another, if you please, Honey.”

“Same, please.” Requested Celestia as she too offered her mug up to Honeyside, who took them to her bar. “I trust we'll see you at the festival, Shadow?”

“Of course,” Shadewalker affirmed, “then I doubt that Moonsilver told you he and I are in the festival.”

“Oooh, no he didn't!” Celestia was suddenly interested in the upcoming festival. “So, what's involved? Is there dancing?”

“There will be dancing for the populace after the different schools do their dances.” Honeyside stated as she set down the latest round of drinks on the table and sat back down before continuing, “The Hunters and the fire school dance first, then the Farmers and the water school. After them, it’s the Treesingers and the earth school. Last up are the Defenders and the air school. Speakers, Dreamers and Healers all dance together after the rest.”

“The top five Hunters of the year will do a dance of thanks for Hunts past and for Hunts to come,” Shadewalker further explained, taking a sip of his cider.

“It'll be an honour to watch,” Celestia meant that too. She was only too aware that she would be the first human to witness a centaur festival in well over a thousand years, “And I'll do my best not to get in the way.”

“There will be a cord to separate the onlookers from the dancers.”

“Being trodden under hoof is quite painful,” Honeyside further elaborated Shadewalker’s comment.

“And not the nice kind of pain from being spanked by one!” Celestia put in, and both Shadewalker and Honeyside lost it in gales of laughter. Celestia, really quite pleased with herself, just delicately sipped her cider, though she did wonder how Honeyside was able to walk around so normally with that monster toy wedged inside her.

“You're okay,” Shadewalker stated after he had finished laughing, “And I hope it does work out between the two of you.”

Holding out her hand, Celestia had been around long enough to know just how high praise that statement was. “I hope we're friends for a long time, until all are one, and we join the Great Forest.”

Just as Shadewalker shook the offered hand over the table, Moonsilver kicked open the door of the tavern and he walked through, burdened with the carcasses that Honeyside had sent him to the butchers for. Delighted, the bartender stood up and clapped her hands. “Lay them on the table there,” she pointed behind the bar and she called out, “Redhoof, time to get a cooking!”

“See?” Celestia said as Redhoof, a young female centaur, started moving the meat to the kitchen, “I didn't get lost, I'm still here and un-whiled!”

“Not for lack of trying,” Shadewalker shot Celestia and Moonsilver a sly look, “Honey has been spiking her drinks.” As they laughed, Honeyside chose to raspberry the dark grey Hunter once again.

“She has tried to ply me with drink,” Celestia giggled, holding up her empty mug as evidence of such. “And I have been warned to look out for some dodgy dancing from you later.”

Moonsilver looked at Shadewalker who, in returning the look, convinced Celestia that he would be excellent at poker. “Well,” the pale grey centaur grinned, “That is one less surprise. Now, you already know I can dance.”

Shadewalker scoffed, “Your name is on the program.”

“Oh I think I shall enjoy this!” Celestia beamed. It may have been due to the three hard ciders she had consumed. She was sure that had a lot to do with it. A lot of a lot, if her warmed cheeks were anything to go by. “I'll sit and watch with Dawn and her partner.”

“Dawnie isn't dancing in the Hunter’s school, but Applewood is, she’s representing the Treesingers.” Moonsilver stated, very much looking forward to the show. Applewood was a gifted singer.

That dark look came over Shadewalker’s expression once more. Talk of Dawnglow and Applewood sent his relatively buoyant mood crashing, he didn’t like to even think about Dawnglow and Applewood, because Moonsilver’s sister had found love, but he, as yet, had not. “I look forward to the day his sister makes him sit out a dance,” he deflected.

“As do I, Shadow.” Celestia raised her mug in a salute to Dawnglow only to be reminded that it was empty of its contents. “She's a capable young mare.”

As Moonsilver was about to answer both Shadewalker and Celestia with an extremely pithy quip, he was interrupted by the appearance of an air school elder. That in itself was extraordinary in a Hunter’s tavern. “Moonsilver,” the pure white mare with the ice blue mane announced herself, “You and Celestia are wanted at the meeting of the Council of Elders.”

“Okay, Elder Winterfrost,” Moonsilver stood without question and he took Celestia’s hand and he gave her a miniscule shoulder shrug as they followed the elder out of the tavern.

Walking beside her lover, Celestia couldn’t help but giggle, a stark contrast to the solemn look on Moonsilver’s face. “Why do I feel like I'm being summoned to the head teacher's office?”

“I was hoping they wouldn't need us at all.”

“As was I, my love,” Celestia squeezed his hand as they made their way through the camp. Unlike the last time, they were not crowded by excited onlookers. Although, the Principal suspected, that was due to Elder Winterfrost’s presence. Her aura of authority was palpable. Presently, after a few minutes’ walk, Celestia saw where they were headed. The Council Hall was, in fact, four gigantic oak trees that had been merged and manipulated by the Treesingers into a grand hall, easily the largest dwelling in the camp.

Inside the Council Hall it was just as grand and impressive as Celestia had been expecting. On the walls were eight huge banners that she, correctly guessed, represented the eight schools and their magical geodes. Around a vast circular table, under each banner, was sat the High Elder of their respective school. As Winterfrost took her seat under the water banner, a truly ancient centaur mare stood up.

Celestia recognised the mare standing as the Supreme Elder, not in the least because of the grand ceremonial headdress she wore but because of the glowing white Lord stone in her crown. “Moonsilver, welcome.” She greeted the pale grey Hunter and then she nodded to Celestia stood by his side. “Human, welcome. I am Chiron, Supreme Elder of this camp. I want to understand what you know about the portal back to our home world.”

“Good day, Madam Elder,” Moonsilver bowed low in deference to Chiron’s station. He was pleased to see that Celestia did the same. He stood and nodded a greeting to the two Princesses who had already been seated at the round table. His father and the other lesser ranked members of the council were arranged on tiered benches either side of the central table. “I don't understand much, but what I do know, I'll gladly share.” He glanced at Celestia by his side, “I know we have lost our affinity to the portal's magic. To me, it was like it wasn't there at all.”

“Principal,” Princess Celestia spoke up, her voice as timeless and serene as ever, “When I came through, you told me it was always active.”

“Indeed it is,” Principal Celestia stepped forwards and just like that, fifty sets of eyes were upon her. This was familiar territory, for she was reminded greatly of the school board and the governors. Albeit here she was completely naked. “Sunset Shimmer told me that, during the incident with the sirens, Princess Twilight Sparkle made it so the portal was always open, not just every thirty moons as was the case before.” She took a deep breath, “When I placed my hand upon its surface, I could feel the magic flow up my arm. The portal opened for me, but I didn't go through it.”

Princess Twilight, ever accompanied by her stack of books, stood up to address the council. “Supreme Elder, this confirms my theory that it is not the same portal. From my research Starswirl the Bearded closed the portal he sent the centaurs through and opened a new one for the sirens.”

“Supreme Elder,” Principal Celestia said, again drawing the attention to her, making her wish that she sounded as calmly powerful as her counterpart, “What Princess Twilight said agrees with the theory I had. The asylum was a one way deal.”

“Yes!” Princess Twilight exclaimed with a nod of her head, “Yes! so Tirek couldn't follow!” Several gasps and oaths and curses followed the Princess’s use of the name they so hated and reviled, causing Twilight to blush and hunch down in an attempt to hide behind her stack of books.

“Yes, Princess,” Moonsilver inclined his head to the young monarch, “So we would be safe where He could not follow.”

Supreme Elder Chiron silenced the rumbling murmurs in her council chambers with a tap of her cane on the floor. It was only a gentle gesture, but it echoed around the hall. “But now we want to return. The magic that protects us is failing all over the world.”

“I'm a bit of an expert on Starswirl the Bearded’s spells,” Twilight unconsciously flexed her shoulders as if she was flexing her non-existent wings, “So I should be able to attune the portal for your people.”

That silenced the assembled hall even more effectively that the Supreme Elder’s cane. “You could do that?” asked Moonsilver.

“Pardon me, Supreme Elder,” Principal Celestia spoke up, “You say the magic is failing. I was given to understand it's more a case that as the world is exposed to Equestrian magic, the air stones cannot protect you because they cannot tell human from centaur.”

Rather unexpectedly, High Elder Sagittarius, leader of the fire school and Master Hunter, stood and slammed his fist on the round table, so hard it made Celestia squeak and try to hide behind Moonsilver. “That is failure, human!”

Again, the Supreme Elder tapped her cane on the floor and demanded order, though this time the Lord stone in her crown glowed with power. Immediately, the aged Hunter sat back down quietly. “Yes, you are technically right,” Chiron conceded, “But it matters not if are slaughtered by the humans now as we were by the Greeks before us.”

“But we wou...”

Moonsilver placed his strong hand firmly on Celestia's shoulder and he silenced her with a shake of his head before he addressed the council as a whole. “Past events between our peoples matters not if we have an opportunity to return whence we came, Supreme Elder.”

“I know what the human was…” High Elder Agrarian, leader of the water school, quailed under the very stern glare from Moonsilver, “Er, I mean, what Celestia was going to say. The same thing that the Princesses have said. Magic of Friendship.” The Master Farmer pointed an accusatory finger at Celestia, “You're from this world. You know how xenophobic your people are.”

“I will not lie. The worst of us are the worst. They don't represent all of us,” Principal Celestia found herself suddenly defending her species in front of the centaur’s accusation. Somewhat defiantly, she summoned her nerve and she held the High Elder's stare. “Just like those centaurs you send to the Wild Wood don't represent all of you.” Countless jeers and cheers greeted her words.

For the third time, Supreme Elder Chiron tapped her cane and demanded order in her council. “I will have order!” she cried, silencing the hall. “This just confirms what has been said. What do you need, Princess Twilight, to help us return to our real home?”

“I'll need blood samples form as many of you as possible,” Twilight started, drawing in a deep breath in preparation for a Twilight Lecture, “I have to account for genetic deviation over...”

Thankfully, Princess Celestia was on hand to save the centaurs from their fate. “I think they have the idea, Twilight,” she silenced the young Princess with a hand on hers.

“We have a varied community here, Princess Twilight,” Moonsilver stated, thinking quickly, “All the schools are well-represented by over a hundred of us

Sat beside Princess Celestia, Twilight blinked once then twice to recover from being interrupted when she had been on the verge a good long monolog. Now, her brain had to back up and think again, something she wasn’t that good at. “Err, yes, if I could get a sample from each school, and at least three generations of each of those, that should be sufficient.”

“You can take one from me, Princess,” Moonsilver stepped forward, his sentiment echoed by Sagittarius and a score of the other council members.

Rolling her eyes, Supreme Elder Chiron yet again thrust her cane to the floor and the Lord stone glowed, demanding order from the assembly. “It is good of you all to volunteer, but I, along with the Healers, will organise the blood draw. You, Moonsilver, can spend time with your...with Celestia.”

“How long with this take?” asked a male centaur from the side benches.

It took Twilight a moment to realise the question had been directed at her. “Oh,” she blushed deeply, “me, ah, well I estimate two to three weeks, or thereabouts.”

Suddenly, Principal Celestia had a flash of memory. A flash of Professor Flintheart Neighsayer. “If you could hurry it along a bit, Princess Twilight,” she said, a cold ball of sickly dread settling in her gut when, again, all the eyes were cast in her direction. “You see, we saw on the news the other day that in two weeks’ time there is to be an human expedition into this forest.”

“High Elder Winterfrost,” another male shouted from the opposite bench, “We of the air school need to organise our defences!”

“Yes,” Moonsilver found himself agreeing with Elder Skylark’s sentiment, “We should be well defended against rifles.”

Elder Skylark though wasn’t content with that. “We can use those weapons too!” several loud murmurs of agreement rippled through the assembly like a stone dropped into a pond, “Give them to the fire school! Turn their fireboxes and bangsticks upon the savages!” The murmurs of agreement swiftly became a chorus of cheers.

“No!”

Supreme Elder Chiron bellowed out in a voice that was wholly mismatched to her frail form. The Lord stone glowed so brightly that it blinded everyone in the council hall. Even her eyes glowed bright white.

“I will have order!

The ancient centaur paused for a few moments. The silence in the hall was deafening following the shouted cheers of seconds before. When her eyes returned to normal, Chiron turned her keen gaze to the Princesses. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, in light of this new information, could you please find a solution a bit faster?”

Twilight was still struggling to find her voice after the old mare’s display of power. “U-Um...”

Fortunately, Princess Celestia was on hand to bail out her protégé. Idly she wondered if she could employ the old centaur as a means to get the Canterlot nobles in order during her Day Court. “Of course she can, Supreme Elder, we will all be helping her as needed.”

“I have faith in your ability, Princess Twilight,” Principal Celestia spoke up and then, before she continued, she levelled her best stare at the centaurs on the side benches. “Just as I have faith in the centaurs here to do whatever they can to help move things along.”

“We will be in the camp throughout the festival if you should need anything from either of us,” Moonsilver swiftly took Celestia by the hand before she or anyone else could say or do anything else. He had a sense that tensions were frayed amongst the assembly, and that was for more skilled diplomacy than he possessed. “Will there be anything else, Supreme Elder?”

“No,” Chiron waved her wrinkled hand at the young Hunter, “You two may leave. Thank you for confirming what we've heard.”

Without any further ado, Moonsilver turned and all but galloped from the Council Hall with Celestia in tow practically dragged off of her feet he left so quickly. Once they were stood outside in the darkening sky of early evening, Celestia let out a deep sighing breath that she hadn’t realised she was holding in. “I hate councils…”

Moonsilver looked around at the camp, at his home, at the youngsters decorating the trees with glow lights that were designed to attract fireflies when they were lit up and at the adults who were setting out table after table of food and drink, and everything felt right. “Even when they argue, with Supreme Elder Chiron's firm hand, and her cane, things do get done.”

“I apologise, Silver, I've just had my fill of them all lately,” Celestia leaned against her lover, drawing strength from his solid, strong body. “School board investigations, government enquiries...my sister and I have stalled no end of them since the Equestrian magic became more and more prevalent in this world.”

“If Princess Twilight finds a way, will you stay with me?” Moonsilver asked, voicing a thought that had entered his head and had, if he was honest, been in his head since he had seen her hand disappear through the portal, “I will not be able to stay here.”

“You'd leave for Equestria?” Celestia wasn’t that surprised to hear that.

“I...” Moonsilver started to speak and then he paused, instead he led her through the milling throngs of centaurs busily placing stands here and there for the festival, “Tia,” he said eventually, “the council will order the evacuation. It will be done globally. Will a lone centaur find a life in this world with you? If...If you won't go, then, yes I will stay, for as long as the rest of the people in this world will let me.”

For a long time, Celestia was quiet as they walked through the camp towards what was going to be the main festival area where the schools would perform their dances and hold their celebrations for that year’s bountiful harvest. All the frenetic last minute activity reminded her of the dances she had hosted at CHS over the years. When she looked at the camp, looked at her lover and then weighed up her life, her choice was an easy one. “I'll go with you, Moonsilver.”

Moonsilver had to stop himself from prancing in place like an over excited colt on his first Hunt. He only just succeeded. “The Equestrian Princesses were turned human. Do you think you will be okay to be turned into a pony?”

“I um...” Celestia trailed off to silence as she blushed bright red, many thoughts and scenarios suddenly running through her head, “I hadn't thought about it…”

“Something for you to think about. Ah!” he exclaimed, shocking her from her reverie as he pulled her to a stop beside a row of food tables that had already been laid out around the dance areas earlier in the day, “Are you hungry?”

“I'm starved!” It was only when Moonsilver mentioned food that she realised just how hungry she was. In fact, she couldn’t remember when she had eaten earlier that day and she was quite glad to have the prospect of food as a distraction to the prospect of being turned into a pony.

“You must try this then!” Moonsilver pointed out a tray of meat on the vast table. “Venison my sister took down this morning and cooked by Honey.” He leant in close to her and he whispered, “She uses that cider of hers. Big secret!” The venison, as it turned out, was just one plate of a large spread made available by the efforts of the Hunters, and Moonsilver was making good use of the others letting him to the front since Celestia was with him.

“Oh my yes indeed I must!” As she was allowed to the front by the parting of the centaurs around her, Celestia nodded at those who let her pass, though she was that hungry that she could have jumped on the table. Decorum however prevented that. “I hope it tastes as good as it looks!”

As it happened, the food was every bit as good and varied as it looked. Once the first plate had been eaten, and the festival had begun properly, Moonsilver stood and took Celestia’s hand in his. “Time to go dancing.”

All at once, Celestia, who had been sat close to Dawnglow but not next to her, erupted in a huge blush that coloured her whole face. “M-M-Me?” she spluttered, full of nerves. She had never been much of a dancer, unless she had been sufficiently lubricated by Berryshine’s finest first.

“It’s tradition that the Hunters open the festival,” then, leaning in, Moonsilver whispered, “Honey is a terrible dancer.”

“Fine...” Although her face was still red when she got up, Celestia allowed herself to be led into the central dance area. “You win. I'll dance.” When she looked around though, she was suddenly struck with just how many centaurs there were watching, not to mention the Princesses who were sat with the Supreme Elder.

“I'll try to not to step on your feet,” Moonsilver snickered as he fell into a choreographed dance with Shadewalker and three other Hunters whom she didn’t know or recognise. Outside the Hunter’s square, Celestia noted that the other centaur couples who were dancing were dancing side by side. Seeing that, Moonsilver broke with a century of tradition to dance side by side with her. “My sister isn't dancing so after two, I will get drinks and you can talk to her.”

“That's a great idea, Silver.” Celestia whispered back, trying to ignore all the stunned stares that were directed her way from the watching crowd. “I don't want her lonely.” Since she was already being stared daggers, knives and bows, she decided to hell with it and she danced one of the jives her mother taught her as a girl.

Although every pair of eyes were watching Moonsilver and Celestia dance, none of the crowd were foolish enough to make any negative comments, at least not with the Supreme Elder and her cane in attendance. After two such dances, Moonsilver led his partner to the side of the dance square where she could re-join those spectating. “And now, I'll get us some drinks.”

More than slightly breathless and very red in the face, though this time not from blushing, Celestia leant on her lover so she wouldn’t double over. “O-Okay!” gasping for breath, she kissed her stallion’s cheek and she walked over to where Dawnglow was sitting all alone looking the very dictionary definition of lonely.

“You two look good together,” Dawnglow immediately perked up when Celestia sat by her side and hugged her ‘sister’ tightly, “And I have been weighing myself, before you ask.”

“Hello and a happy Harvest Festival to you too,” Celestia beamed and happily embraced Dawnglow in her arms like she had done back in the forest weeks ago. “So, tell me all about it, Dawnie.”

“Applewood, I mean, Mistress, has me doing some exercises three times every day, in addition to my hunting duties, to make me a bit more toned.” The young centaur giggled behind her hand, “When I told her I was trying to lose weight, she said if I lost all my curves she would stuff me till I burst.” Then, as suddenly as they started, the giggles stopped and she looked away. “It's hard, so I try to avoid mirrors.”

“I understand, sweetie.” When Dawnglow looked away, it all but broke Celestia’s heart. She’d had her own personal battles with those evil demons that lived in the mirrors and taunted her every time she looked at them. Battles she was still fighting every single day. “Did you tell her, about what you were doing?” she asked gently.

Though she was still looking away, the yellow centaur nodded solemnly. “She said she was disappointed in me, and I think she was a little angry, but she hugged me for the longest time.” Having obviously dried her eyes, though Celestia pretended not to notice, Dawnglow looked back at her sister with a tentative smile on her face. “Thank you.”

“Good girl,” Celestia patted Dawnglow’s shoulder. “A problem shared is a problem halved, as they say. I think, at a guess, she may have been angry that you didn't tell her sooner. Now, I promised you a treat last time I saw you, didn't I?”

Smiling broadly, Dawnglow nodded eagerly. “You did!”

Smiling just as broadly, Celestia dipped into her shoulder bag that she had left before she went dancing. She had just the special treat in mind for the troubled mare. “It's not ice cream, I know, for which I'm sorry, but it is nice.” When she produced the donut, her smile could have split her head. Pinkie Pie would have been impressed. “One maple syrup and bacon donut, just for you.”

The very moment she saw the donut, Dawnglow’s eyes went wide as dinner plates and, just as she was about to take a bite, she looked across the stands at Applewood who was sat with the Treesingers. “O-Okay…”

Celestia followed where the centaur was looking and she grinned, recognising the love there in her eyes. “Now that, that is a fine looking Mistress,” she said, passing her donut.

Dawnglow looked from Applewood to the donut and to Celestia and back again. “Should I share?”

“I think two things, Dawnie,” Celestia said with a warm comforting smile on her face, “You go and share the donut with your girlfriend, and then you ask your Mistress to dance.”

“But everyone will see us together!”

“Yes they will, Dawnie,” Celestia squeezed her new sister’s shoulder. “That's the point. Show your Mistress you're hers. Show her and everyone else that you belong to her, not these others watching. If you do nothing, you let them own you, and besides...I bet she'd love to show off a sexy looking mare like you at the dance?”

“What if she says no?”

“Then she says no and I'll dance with you. But do you really think she'll say no?”

Dawnglow looked at the donut and again at Applewood, seeming to draw courage from both as she shook her head. “I need to be brave, don't I?”

Celestia took Dawnglow’s hands in her own and she closed them over the donut. “Yes you do. You need to be as brave as you are when you submit yourself to her.”

Nodding her head and with as solemn a look on her face as though she was about to embark on a Hunt, Dawnglow blanked out all other distractions. All the dancers, Hunters and Farmers alike, vanished from her mind. All those watching, the Hunters that had already danced and the Treesingers waiting their turn, ceased to exist. She walked to Applewood and Celestia watched as she placed the donut halfway in her mouth and kissed her.

Celestia wasn’t the only one who noticed. A series of gasps went up at the display, as did a fair share of whoops and cheers. When they finished kissing and walked out together onto the dance floor, Moonsilver appeared as if by magic by his pet’s side. “I think you've earned this drink, Tia.”

“Why thank you, kind sir!” she took the offered drink and, by the taste of it, judged correctly it was one of Honeyside’s brew. “I'm glad for her, Silver. Your sister is a delight.”

“She is under a lot of pressure, is what she is,” Moonsilver said as he watched his sister dance. “First we lost our mother, and our father didn't do well pretending to be her. Then there is us, and finally her fear of failure.”

“I understand, Silver.” Celestia smiled at him, sipping at her cider. She’d already had three back in the tavern and she wanted to pace herself. Falling unconscious due to drink wasn’t the impression she wanted to make with the camp. “She's loaded herself up with a ton of angst, and it's hard to overcome it.”

Moonsilver turned his pet’s face to his and placed a firm, loving kiss on her lips. “At least she seems to be listening to you. Bottoms up, pet, we need to get back to dancing.”

Celestia returned the cider flavoured kiss with one of her own. “Hmhmm, just like I'm listening to you. Now,” she kissed him again, her mouth full of cider, “Master,” a third kiss found his lips, “I would dance for you.”

“Maybe later in the night you can dance for me here in public,” Moonsilver’s smile was full of intent, “but now is not the time.”

“I agree, Silver.” She emptied her mug and, setting it down on the floor, she got up and started to dance with him right there where they were, amid a group of centaurs that made room for them. The music didn’t let up for a moment, and a second later, they all joined in the group dance.

“Now is a good time for entertainment, pet.” Moonsilver was enjoying the festival immensely. Even Chiron was dancing with the two Princesses, the ancient mare’s frail body not hampering her moves in the slightest. “Do you know any sensuous dances from your past with Berryshine and Roseluck?”

“Why yes Master,” Celestia replied, a happy, relaxed smile on her face and, although she would vehemently deny it later, began to – as Rainbow Dash might have said – throw shapes on the impromptu dance area like she was at a rave. “I happen to know a few!” she grinned, dancing with her hands up in the air.

A second later, without warning, Moonsilver clapped his hands loudly and stomped his hooves. If half of the centaurs sat in their part of the festival weren’t watching them before, they were now. “Now appearing for the first time,” he declared loudly in the style of a ringmaster, “from beyond the forest for your entertainment! Celestia, Queen of Dance!” he kissed his pet’s lips, “Perform for me.”

Just five short weeks ago, Celestia would have ran scared and hid away at all the pairs of eyes looking her way. Now though, she danced. After she did a very, very good job of not laughing at how goofy Moonsilver sounded, she danced. With an abandon granted by the amount of cider she’d had and the good time she was having, Celestia performed a sensual dance that Roseluck taught her once, imagining a pole she could dance around.

“I didn't know I could dance like that,” Princess Celestia said with a smile on her face. Supreme Elder Chiron had eventually given in to her age and allowed herself to be escorted back to her dwelling by two young studs, leaving herself and Twilight to enjoy the rest of the festival.

“I'd like to see you dance like that, Celly” Twilight snickered, the amount of extremely hard alcohol she’d had giving her the nerve to call her old mentor by a nickname.

“And what would Rainbow Dash say if I did?” asked the Princess, emptying her latest mug of Honeyside’s cider down her neck. She was starting to regret not coming to this world more often, if they had things like this!

Slightly drunkenly – or not so slightly – Twilight hiccupped, “Twenty per cent awesome!”

When Principal Celestia noticed that several of the centaurs had started to disperse and move on to other parts of the festival, she decided to up the sensuality of her dance, spinning around and dropping her ass up and down in front of Moonsilver and shaking her ample booty for his pleasure. Those few that were still watching were free with their comments. “She jiggles better than Thornbriar!” and “I'm still trying to figure out how it dances on two legs” and even one mare who shouted out, “Look at Moony, you can tell he’s enjoying this dance!” Celestia surprised herself with how much she loved the commentary, and how it spurred her on. Turning back around, she saw how much her Master was ‘appreciating’ her dance and she jiggled her breasts in his face, a wide grin on hers.

“You think she can really take that?” asked Princess Celestia, pointing out Moonsilver’s fourteen inch erection out to Twilight as they walked over and sat in the space recently vacated by the departing centaurs.

“If she can dilate, I don’t see why not,” Princess Twilight answered, her alcohol intake seemingly not impairing her studious nature. “That’s not as big as an earth po...”

Princess Celestia rolled her eyes, “Sometimes science takes the fun out of things…”

Twilight blinked, “Whu-What?”

As she concluded her dance, Principal Celestia giggled as she spun to face her counterpart and she gave the tall statuesque version of her a very knowing, very lewd nod and wink that was full of meaning. Leaping up to her feet, Princess Celestia grabbed her and pulled her into a tight breast crushing hug. “You know, you so remind me of when I was young.”

“Boob squishing is hot!” observed Twilight, though she chose not to write that down in her notebook.

Suddenly, the Principal kissed the Princess’s nose. While it had been true that earlier that day – and for the past three days – that she had been on the verge of depression over her counterpart’s goddess-like appearance, right at that moment, Celestia couldn’t care less. Maybe it was the adrenalin from dancing. Maybe it was the cider. Maybe it was her Master’s erection that she had caused. Celestia didn’t care. Yes, the Princess was flawless, yes she had abs and muscles in places she didn’t even have places, yes there were no grey in her hair or wrinkles on her face, but she had a lover who loved her. “C’mon, Celly, let’s both dance. I wanna see Twilight explode!”

“I'm still getting used two legs,” Princess Celestia grinned in the Principal’s embrace, looking over her shoulder she winked at Moonsilver and also she took note of Twilight’s interest, “So slow dance and you lead.”

“Alright,” Principal Celestia started the dance and, after she did so, she realised just how foolish she had been, being jealous of the Princess. Every time she met Moonsilver’s gaze, she knew he only had eyes for her. For once, her demons were silent, and she danced purely for the joy of dancing, existing wholly in the moment. Once the first dance was done, the Principal started a waltz. She lead and the Princess was a quick learner.

As they danced, almost all of the centaurs that had been watching had left, leaving Moonsilver, Celestia, the two Princesses, Dawnglow and Applewood alone in the dance area. This was understandable, the Principal assumed, the centaurs probably either weren’t interested in a human dance, or didn't find it all that erotic in the first place. Celestia didn’t care. She was dancing for her Master, nobody else.

After the waltz, Twilight leapt up and all but jumped into the middle of the dancing couple. “I’m afraid I'm cutting in here, Principal Celestia.”

Moonsilver laughed, stepping forwards and taking his lover in his arms, “I believe that's my cue!” With his pet in his arms, he started to dance with her. He too had proved a quick study and, in spite of having four legs, he did not have four left hooves as he started a very sensual waltz. Taking their lead, Applewood danced slowly with Dawnglow, with way too much groping and kissing than was strictly necessary.

Celestia took note that Applewood was openly groping Dawnglow in their ‘dance’ and, for a moment, the submissives shared a smile with each other before Moonsilver reminded her that he was there with a well-placed hand on her ass and another on her full fleshy breast. “Hmmmm,” she purred into a pale grey ear, “I like this dance…”

“Do you think they put up your two friends for the night somewhere?” asked Moonsilver when he realised that they were the only three couples remaining.

“I'm willing to bet Equinox offered them to stay in your bedroom,” Celestia replied, following that up with a breathless kiss.

“You are most likely correct,” Moonsilver snorted out a laugh, “Let’s go there and see if they show up, shall we?” taking her hand in his, the centaur led her through the camp to his dwelling. They walked through the aftermath of the festival, food scraps and empty mugs littered the forest floor as did the odd passed out reveller. Among them, Shadewalker was laying unconscious in the arms and legs of an amber stallion. “All clear, for now,” Moonsilver announced when they entered his house, “Then again, maybe my sister will show them a nice place to sleep in the forest…”

Celestia giggled like a schoolgirl. At any other time she would have been greatly interested in the inside of her lover’s house, but right then and there, still on a high from dancing and drinking, she only had one thing on her mind. “Take me to your bedroom. Then take me, in your bedroom!”

Smirking, Moonsilver picked Celestia up in his strong arms and placed her belly down on his back. He moved quickly through his house and as soon as he was in his bedroom he piled up some pillows at the back edge of the bed. He then lifted Celestia off of his back and tossed her – lightly - onto the bed face down. When she squealed for him to take her, he pulled on her legs so that her belly was on the pillows and her ass was up high in the air for easy mounting. “There will be no end of the taking!”