Somnambula tried her hardest to sleep, but she couldn’t even rest for a second with Fwynxie continuously messing around and playing with her body. Any thoughts of slumber she had completely evaporated into thin air as she finally groaned and accepted her fate.

“May my kin welcome me with a bountiful feast...” Somnambula groaned and rubbed her eyes as she finally walked forward to Fwynxie.

“What yoo wanna pway, Som-Mama?” Fwynxie’s tail swished back and forth again.

"How about a game outside?" Somnambula knew that it wasn't going to work, but even so, knowing things didn't essentially mean they were going to happen. "It's such a nice day outside, and the sands are generally nice today."

"But I grounded." Fwynxie hung her head. "Me no go outside. Queen no wet me. Or else, me get spankies..." She rubbed her butt cheeks to emphasize the point.

"Of course." Somnambula rolled her eyes. "Well, there goes that plan."

"But me okay. We just pway here! Together!" Somnambula bounced over to some building blocks. "Wook, Som-Mama! Me make a tower!" And she began to pick up the blocks and stack them on top of each other, giggling as she did so.

"Well, at the very least, she is as cute as a real foal..." Somnambula smiled, but tried her best not to. She was trapped by the thing and now she was beginning to love its' antics. "Why am I acting this way? I should be thinking on how to get out of here!"

Fwynxie cooed and babbled as she put block after block on top of each other. The letters and pictures were so jumbled that they made no coherent sense, but that wasn't what she was focused on at the moment. All she cared about was playing, and having fun with each second of it.

"Yoo wike blocks, Som-Mama?" Fwynxie asked, showing a block to her. "They super fun! Wook! Something on every part!" She squealed, showing off the pictures and letters.

"I'm fine, Fwynxie. Those things would please babies, but I am a full-grown mare." She stated as she walked up to the block.

"Yoo smaww, Som-Mama." Fwynxie picked her up with the tail. "Yoo sure yoo not baby too?"

"Trust me. I'm sure." She lowered her brows. "Nothing you say or do could—" Before she could finish, Fwynxie put the large pacifier into her mouth using her free claw.

"Baby!" Fwnyxie squealed. "Som-Mama cuter now!"

Somnambula tried to spit out the pacifier, but Fwynxie made sure that it stuck in by pushing her paw against her little muzzle. Giggling, she cuddled her little pony once again, while building the tower in the background.

So this is it then... Somnambula couldn't do anything more than suckle on the pacifier. Here I am. Somnambula, saviour of Southern Equestria, being babysat by a baby sphinx. This would be a hilarious joke if I enjoyed this. And yet, at the same time, now I'm beginning to have doubts about this Fwynxie girl. She turned her head to see the sphinx idly playing and mumbling to herself. Is it really that bad to leave her? And if that's the case, then can she and her queen still provide for me?

If this is my fate, she's trying her hardest to seem like it's not that awful. Maybe I've been taking this the wrong way all this time... Somnambula still suckled, not because she didn't want to stop, but because of Fwynxie's gentle smile which she could barely see. What if I took care of her instead of trying to escape her? It's a life-changing decision, but one I'll have to live with for now. After all, when the deserts give you sand, make hourglasses out of them.

"Som-Mama?" Fwynxie finally pulled Somnambula back to her chest. "Wook! My tower finished!"

Somnambula looked down at, quite frankly, what was one of the most unimpressive building block towers she had ever seen. With only eight blocks high. But she was more taken by the size of the blocks than the number she had stacked up. And for that, she couldn't help but smile at it.

"It good tower! Just wike queen used ta make for me when I was super-duper itty-bitty!" She put Somnambula down at the first block. "She used to make them weally, WEALLY high!" She raised her left paw up to the tallest block. "Dey awmost touched da woof!"

"The roof?" Somnambula looked up and envisioned more and more blocks being added to the tower. "That's pretty impressive, little one."

"Thank yoo, Som-Mama!" Fwynxie gave her a big smile. "Now, me wanna build higher! Just... one thing."

"What's that?" Somnambula asked.

"Uh... no more bwocks." She pointed around the room, and sure enough, there was no more building blocks. "How we build wid no more bwocks?"

"Maybe we could..." Somnambula looked around, but no matter how much she searched, there were no more blocks for her and Fwynxie to stack. "Nope. I don't see anymore blocks anywhere. Sorry, Fwynxie."

"Dat okay. We can still make something weally big!" She beamed from ear to ear and began to run away. "Ooh! We can use dis!" She picked up the ball and a stuffed animal.

"Those?" Somnambula tilted her head and watched as Fwynxie came running back and put the objects on top of the block tower, making it collapse with little effort.

"Oopsie! Guess we stawt all oder again!" Fwynxie chuckled and started to pick the blocks back up, rearranging them back into the one tower she had made earlier. "Yay for bwocks!"

Why do I love her? And why is she so content with starting all over again? Somnambula asked herself mentally as she watched Fwynxie build the tower again, then try to use the other items she had gathered, only to knock it down again. I mean, I know she's a baby sphinx, but she loves riddles. Why does she love knocking that tower over when she's just trying to build it up again? Wouldn't it make more sense to just play with some other toys?

"Me love pwaytime, Som-Mama..." Fwynxie scrunched her face up and hugged herself. "Pwaytime is fun. Fun is good."

Oh. That's right. She's still got the feel of a kid deep down inside... Somnambula couldn't help but pat Fwynxie as she continued to play with the blocks. Fwynxie... You're such a sweet kid deep down.

Later, when time had passed, a large hatch opened at the back of the room. Somnambula had never noticed that exit before and was quick to trot over to it, with Fwynxie charging straight through it, tail wagging all the way like a dog.

"Yay! Food!" Fwynxie cheered as she went into the next room. "Follow me, Som-Mama!"

"I was doing that anyway." Somnambula rolled her eyes as she walked through the passageway and followed Fwynxie into the next room.

The next room was something that widely contrasted that of the nursery behind them. A wide room with a large empty pool in the middle of it. There were torches all around the room, with more hieroglyphs carved into the walls. At the end of the room, a massive altar stood before them, with a throne right the middle of it. With gems carved into the walls in such a unique and intricate pattern, it was like something out of a fairytale for both Somnambula and for Fwynxie.

Sitting in the middle of the room was another sphinx. This one was much bigger than the one before it and was draped in much more clothes. A gold, amber, and topaz breastplate was draped around her chest, she wore sharp crystal greaves on her paws, and her crown was much bigger than that of Fwynxie's; not to mention, more decorated too.

"Hi, Queen!" Fwynxie smiled and prowled up to the giant sphinx, sitting softly before her. "Wook! Som-Mama here too!"

"Som-Mama?" The new sphinx looked down and saw the pony approach her and Fwynxie. "What are you doing here? And why did Fwynxie not report you to me sooner?"

"So. You are the queen?" Somnambula looked up towards the hulking beast that stood before her.

"Do not change the subject!" The queen bellowed, unfurling her massive wings. "Why are you here? And why is my Fwynxie so infatuated with you?!"

"Stop, queen!" Fwynxie ran up the queen's body and into her arms. "Som-Mama did nothing wong. She super-fun instead."

"Fun?" The big sphinx stared down at Somnambula. "You are aware that this is technically trespassing on others' property, correct?"

"Yes, and I meant nobody in here any harm. I just came to free a prince from Fwynxie's hold." Somnambula pushed her front hooves together. "But, from the looks of things, he was able to get out just fine, and now I find myself trapped in here with no way to escape."

"Of course. Such is the way of the Sphinx's Pyramid." The queen folded her front paws. "Those who enter are doomed to remain, unless somepony else comes to their aid. That pony who wanted to leave because my girl was driving him mad?" She petted Fwynxie, making her purr and roll on the queen's laps like a pet cat. "He got his wish after all, now that you're here."

"But at my expense." Somnambula sighed, looking up at the sphinx and her guardian. "Please, mighty one. Just one exit and I'll take it."

"No. You entered this domain, so now you shall suffer your fate. The fate of being my little Fwynxie's pet for all of time!" She jabbed a paw at Somnambula, making her jump backwards and almost fall into the pool. "That is, until somepony else decides to bust you out and take her place, that is."

"Nuh-uh! Nopony ever take Som-Mama away. She da best!" Fwynxie pouted and shook her head.

"I thought as much..." Somnambula muttered to herself as she stepped back up to the sphinx. "Well, is there any chance that you can provide me with something to eat as well?" Her belly rumbled loudly, and it echoed throughout the room. "I've spent almost an entire day without food, and it's driving me insane!"

"Of course. Never let it be said that we sphinxes are not generous to our 'guests'." The queen's crown lit up, and a small beam poured out of it and hit the ground by Somnambula's feet. Once it stopped, a small platter of fruits appeared before her. "Eat. Nourish yourself, little one. You'll NEED IT."

Somnambula, not wanting to go another minute without starving, tore into the food like a ravenous wolf. She even bit through the rind of the watermelons and slurped up the juices voraciously. As the liquid poured down her throat and face, she let out a moan of content, finally sating the hunger that she had been burdened with since she arrived at the pyramid.

"These are so good!" Somnambula's eyes began to sparkle. "How do you do it?"

"Well, when you're a high and mighty sphinx queen, you tend to do a lot more than just spout off some silly riddles." The queen chuckled and looked down at Fwynxie. "Speaking of which, I think it's time you ate your fill too, little one." She tickled Fwynxie's navel with her paws, which made the baby laugh and flail her back legs more.

While Somnambula ate away at her food, Fwynxie watched as a large bottle of milk appeared before her, with an amber nipple popping out of the top. She took the milk and began to suckle away, with a reward of sweet, warm, succulent milk for her efforts. She tenderly reached up for the queen as she drank the milk more and more, the world seeming to fade away from her as her whole throat filled with the white, creamy drink. Much like an actual baby, she was finally rendered completely motionless, save for her mouth.

Once the queen had seen Fwynxie finish the bottle, she pulled it out of her mouth and gave her a hug, which she was happy to return. "I lub you, queen. And I lub yoo too, Som-Mama!" She reached out for both of them.

"Such a lovely pair." The queen smiled and laid Fwynxie down with Somnambula. "Now, I wish that somepony else never comes and rescues you." She gave the pony a sadistic grin, which then melted down into a tender smile. "But let's not scare you. After all, what good are you to my little Fwynxie-winxie if you can't at least smile and be happy about it?"

"Yeah! Som-Mama no sad! Onwy happy!" Fwynxie gave Somnambula another death-hug, squeezing the air out of her lungs for the umpteenth time.

"Fwynxie... Please stop..." Somnambula struggled for breath again. "You're crushing me!"

"Oh!" She opened her paws up, hung her head, and widened her eyes. "Me sowwy, Som-Mama..."

"It's quite alright." Somnambula brushed herself down, when in reality, it wasn't fine in the slightest. That had just cemented the fact that there was no escape for her, and that she was bound to Fwynxie until someone else came to her aid. "Everything is just fine. Nothing to worry about. I'm yours, Fwynxie." She lowered her head and stared down at her hooves, accepting her fate.

"Yay! We together fowever!" Fwynxie bounded up and down on the spot. "Me and Som-Mama! We pway together! And she never weave!"

"Yes, my little Fwynxie." She leaned down and looked Somnambula in the eyes. "She's yours to keep..."

Somnambula just nodded at the queen and walked away, with Fwynxie following close behind her. That was her last chance at trying to break out, and it had just gone up in flames. Now, she really did have to rely on somepony to save her, as the prince did when she first embarked on this journey. It wasn't what she had hoped for, but it was the bed that had been made. Now, she just had to lie in it; no matter how adorable it was.

Once they both made it back into the room, the hatch closed up, and Fwynxie galloped off over towards the ball. She rolled and caught it, bouncing it up and down before aiming it at Somnambula.

"Catch! Som-Mama!" Fwynxie called as she tossed the ball towards her.

This time, Somnambula was determined not to get flattened, so she reached her front hooves out and tried to catch the ball, but it was still flying with enough velocity and weight to knock her backwards. Once the spherical weapon smashed against her, she flew into the wall and fell like a feather dropping from a great height.

"No, Som-Mama. Yoo supposed to catch it." Fwynxie took the ball and rolled it back as Somnambula got back onto her feet again. "Twy again!" And she threw the ball again.

"Oh, sweet mother of..." Somnambula again tried to catch, but was still repelled by the massive, rubber death-ball. She hit the wall again, but this time, she was sandwiched by the ball, and heard a ringing in her ears as she tumbled to the ground again.

"Yoo not good at this, are yoo?" Fwynxie asked, walking up to Somnambula. "It okay. Me just roll ball instead! Surely, yoo catch it then!" She went back into position, readied the ball, and then pushed it forward gently, rolling it towards Somnambula. "Catch it now!"

When Somnambula saw the ball approach her this time, she didn't even bother to get up. She just lifted a hoof and acted as a stopper for the ball, which landed gently in the palm of her hoof. "Caught it."

"Yay!" Fwynxie cheered and jumped up and down, before taking the ball back from Somnambula. "Now try it again! Faster!"

Somnambula tried stopping it again, but it ended up just rolling on top of her body and back off as it hit the wall and rebounded. "Caught it..." She mumbled.