While she slept, Marigold was dreaming, enjoying the voice that seemed to always be with her, telling her what to do and praising her for doing well.

Meadow paused. She swore she had disconnected her magic link to her and hadn’t expected to have spontaneous insight into a pony. She wondered whether the calm feeling, Reaper or otherwise, was somehow responsible.

‘Hey Twilight?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Marigold is dreaming about me…’

‘Okay… and?’ Twilight asked, confused.

‘She seems to be dreaming of staying my pet, and it’s a really good dream according to what she’s feeling.’

‘So claim her as a pet.’ Twilight said casually.

‘I’m worried they’re just caught up in the heat of the moment though… she’s a business owner and worked hard to get to where she was.’

'Seems like she wants it to me… seems like they all do.' Twilight said, looking over all of them.

'Sadly for them, Marigold is the only one who caught my eye.' Meadow replied, 'What do I do? Outside of affection, I cannot support her or her dreams in a substantial way.'

'Standing orders' Twilight replied simply.

‘Huh?’ Meadow asked, feeling confused at the short answer.

‘Give her orders she's to follow, even without you around.’

Meadow hesitated, thinking about what they could do. She knew with Twilight’s power she could reach them regardless, but she felt like she wanted Marigold closer…

‘You know, if you don’t like just calling her, we could just visit her…’ Twilight suggested, suspecting what Meadow was worried about based on Dawn.

Meadow hummed, then nodded, deciding it was worth a try. ‘Mind if I borrow a collar for her?'

Twilight replied by pulling one out with a blank nameplate

'Marigold, a fairy tells me you want to be together, to be mine... is that so?'

'Yessss.' Marigold answered in her dream to the voice.

'Then Marigold, until you decide otherwise, when I place this on your collar, you are mine and I will look after you as much as I can.' Meadow said, gently attaching it to her neck.

Marigold moaned in her dream, nearly feeling a wave of pleasure that was barely held back, being held like a dam by sheer willpower, making Meadow chuckle gently and stroke her back. Meadow hadn’t intended this end result, but she wasn’t going to complain.

'Marigold, my name is Meadow. While I’m in Manehattan, we can visit each night after your work is over. Make sure you do well with your business while we’re gone, I know how much you love making ponies smile.' She said, stroking her chin and neck.

'Yesssss.' She shivered as she woke from the dream, still wrapped up in the voice of Meadow.

'Good girl. If you ever want, you can open a branch in Rally Point to be closer to us.' She said as she held the mare gently.

Much to Meadow’s surprise, Marigold started thinking about plans, telling Meadow exactly what she would do to make it happen as soon as she possibly could.

'Marigold, no.’ Meadow warned, ‘please do not hurt yourself or your business trying to rush things. I wouldn’t want my pet to abandon all that she’s learned to this point just to be with me a little sooner. What would you do if things didn’t work out like we want? Once your business is able to expand safely, train up your assistant as a manager for you so you can open the business in Rally Point or Vanhoover. Once you do, you can tell the patrols that ‘steel pony’ sent you.’

‘I… yes master…’ She thought, feeling disappointed she couldn’t come sooner until Meadow gave her all the scratching and pettings she wished for, feeling a slow wave of tingling spread from her lower legs up her body as a gentle pulsing pressed below.

'Rally Point?' Twilight asked, having been party to their conversation.

'I’m hoping there’s no issue with bringing her along.' Meadow said, hugging her pet and enveloping her in warmth. 'I can remove the memory if need be.'

'What is Rally Point?' Twilight asked, confused.

'The name of the town by Dawn’s place, where the EDF citizens gather.'

'Town? You mean the temporary shelters?'

'Yeah. By this Equestria, it is a town.'

'When did they decide that?'

'It wasn’t a decision in a normal sense... never mind. Either way, she'd understand it better as a town, even if it’s really not.'

'Okay.' Twilight replied with a shrug.

Meadow laid a low maintenance invisibility spell on Marigold's collar, patting her belly gently, giggling with her pet let out a purr of her own. ‘Such a good pet.'

Twilight chuckled.

'What? Meadow asked.

'Nothing.' Twilight said, amused.

'I see. You must be easily be amused.' Meadow teased. 'Marigold, dear, how are you feeling?'

'Good.' she thought back to the voice.

'Good. I’ve made the collar invisible, so others won’t make fun of you for it, but you can still feel it. And remember me when we’re around.’

'Okay.' she said

'When does your store open today Marigold?'

'Tomorrow.' she said to the voice.

'Are you not open every day?'

'No.'

'Lucky you.' Meadow chuckled and hugged her again, feeling her shiver at their touch. She patted closer to her marehood, adding, ‘Lucky me too. We can be together longer today.'

Marigold moaned quietly, wiggling in place against the other half-asleep mares.

Meadow chuckled, pausing once again with her hand just above the sensitive lips. 'Do I have your permission to continue, Marigold?'

'Yes, yes, yes, yes!' She said excitedly, practically begging for Meadow to continue.

'As you wish, pet.' She said before licking at her cheek as she said ‘pet,’ cementing it with pleasure by rubbing with her fingers, trying to tie the word with the sensation together in her mind.

Marigold let out a long low moan as she finally received the attention she sought, trying to press herself into a nearby mare for the warmth as she enjoyed her role as a pet.

Meadow showed her the pleasures magic could bring, rubbing inside her marehood and tailhole, her magic imitating the fingers she was familiar with, building her up slowly and gently so she wouldn’t hurt her pet.

Marigold squirmed against a deeper purple mare, pressing and holding them as she was played with.

Meadow took her time pleasuring the mare, letting her cum only after half an hour of fondling, touching and kisses all over her body. When she was ready to let it happen, she intensified her affections, uttering a single word.

'Cum.'

Marigold moaned as she did, lightning dancing through her nerves. She squirmed and twitched uncontrollably in small ways and let out soft high pitched moans that reached Twilight’s ears, giving the disguised princess a small grin at the effects Meadow achieved.

Twilight watched as she idly petted the still impaled Lapdog, amused at Meadow’s training.

Meadow comforted Marigold throughout, holding her as she wished, muttering praises for her as Meadow ensured her attachment, enjoying their throes of pleasure.

Storm turned to watch, mumbling, "Well, she's not done having fun... I’m starting to get sore over here."

"Ah, you’re awake." Twilight said before she gripped Storm’s hips firmly with her fingers, starting to slowly pull her off.

Storm gasped, feeling each fraction of an inch in detail. It almost hurt to have it pulled out like that, but she needed to move away for a little while.

It took a while since Meadow seemed to have made Twilight very well endowed, but soon there was a pop as Twilight came free of the mare.

Storm gasped and tried to ignore the tingling of the stretch, the tiny air currents that stirred up her spread cave as she shivered. She saw Twilight set herself down closeby and pressed herself against Twilight.

"You need a shower. You stink of mare." Storm teased with a mumble.

"That's just my natural musk, and most of it’s you." Twilight smirked.

"Musk huh" she snorted playfully. "At least it’s mostly me."

"Oh? My dear Lapdog...you wouldn't happen to be jealous of these other mares being around…" She leaned close to her ear with a smirk and whispered. "Would you?"

"What? Me? Jealous? After all the mares ‘n stallions I’ve been with?" She asked incredulously.

'Yeah, she’s totally jealous.' Meadow said. 'She's loaded with jealousy.'

Twilight proceeded to nibble Storm’s ear.

Storm gasped, then chuckled, "What?"

"You taste good." She said as she licked the side of her face.

Storm laughed, shaking lightly in place, "Oh? Big metal stallion's gonna eat me up?"

'That could be arranged' Meadow said to both of them, before only saying to Twilight, 'i could simulate it as an illusion for both of you.'

"No! No, I’m good. Don’t." Storm said firmly.

Twilight only burst out laughing

"What? I’m not food." Storm frowned.

'A certain changeling queen might disagree.' Meadow said to Twilight with a smirk, causing the purple mare to chuckle.

Storm slowly stood up, legs shaking. "Gonna shower…”

"Okay." Twilight and slapped her flank

Storm gasped, stumbling forward before going into the bathroom and closing the door.

'Ahhh, she left it unlocked.' Meadow announced.

'Oh? Heh. Maybe she wants some company."

'She must have left the option for her owner. What a good pet.'

'Yes she is.~~' Twilight said, slowly getting to her hooves.

Meadow sat back, enjoying Twilight's pleasure as she simultaneously laid with Marigold and held her.

Twilight waited near the door until she heard the shower start. It wasn’t long and she started to hear Storm sing for the first time.

'Huh, you must've really put her in a good mood.' Meadow commenting, liking what she was hearing.

'Show me her mind.' Twilight ordered.

Meadow displayed Storm's vision and her thought process to Twilight. Storm was singing a song she often sang only to herself after a good night out, only having shared it with Nightfall.

Twilight wondered now if she should intrude. She didn't want to ruin something special between her and her mate until Meadow corrected her.

Meadow showed Twilight how Storm was thinking of her mate and Twilight both, quite comfortable in the moment as she quietly sang her song of close feelings, ending after only a couple minutes as she worked to wash her mane.

Twilight smiled as the song finished, appreciating that moment she got to observe before walking into the bathroom quietly, dropping her disguise and the one on Storm as she snuck in.

Storm sighed contentedly as she rinsed her mane and then worked on her body, struggling to reach her back effectively from the wounds and aching muscles.

Twilight slipped into the shower and was quickly drenched. Her mane and fur clung to her body, showing off the well-toned body under it very quickly as she grabbed a cloth and started to wash Storm.

Storm looked back in surprise. She thought she had locked the door. She was about to comment on how Twilight was insatiable when she felt her back being washed and relaxed.

Twilight smirked as she kept washing her pet. She observed its muscles and good form closely, the orange and red fur thoroughly soaked and clinging to her body, tail hanging low and heavy from the water, and mane doing similarly. It showed Twilight everything without reservation.

Storm looked back at Twilight, noticing the same becoming true for her too. Her mind turned to compliment their form, though something stopped her. She said nothing and idly washed one of her forelegs. She kept her eye on Twilight, wondering how different things would be if she hadn't met Night… but that was silly. She wouldn't have met Twilight at all if it weren't for him.

'But what if you had met her first?' Twilight whispered in the back of her head to get her thoughts rolling as she watched.

Storm stood, somewhat frozen in place as the thought crossed her mind, and she admitted instinctively that she wouldn't have given him much of a look at first, but then immediately felt guilty. She loved Nightfall, for all his strengths and even a couple of his flaws. She didn't want to entertain the idea that he wasn't in her life, and it filled her with dread as she tried to force it out of her mind because of how much it hurt to think about.

Twilight rapidly pulled back, more than a bit surprised

'You alright?' Meadow asked.

'I… didn’t expect her to be repulsed by the idea…' she said, slowing her actions as the mood died.

'She's not repulsed by the idea of meeting you first.' Meadow clarified, 'She's repulsed at the idea of not meeting Night. It's like saying if you had met Dawn first, and never met Chrysalis, you wouldn't consider her as a mate. Same thing. She doesn't want to give her mate up, like you wouldn't.'

'That’s still repulsed at the idea.' she said as the spin was still the exact same thing.

'I'm not saying it wasn't. I'm saying understand her point of view. She loves her mate, and can't bear to be without them. When I dig deeper, she's at the same point with you, it's just not on the surface yet like it is with Nightfall.' Meadow said.

'Same point?'

'She can't imagine being without you. Even in her fantasy with Nightfall before, you were present. When she imagines raising a family, she's still expecting you to visit, and is disappointed if I interject the idea that you're busy that day, almost depressed even.' Meadow said.

'Huh…' Twilight looked what Storm planned in relation to her family and Twilight.

Storm’s thoughts show she sees Twilight as another mate, though she struggles with that idea as she thinks of herself as a monogamous mare, and her mate is monogamous as well. Apparently, this is why she keeps struggling with her position as pet internally.

Twilight wondered how she could ease her mind. The hard part was that Storm was unaware of the conflict, and was unsure what would do so without being aware of what Twilight was trying to do. Twilight continued to wash her, looking how Storm planned to have Twilight around her family.

Storm didn't have anything concrete. She pictured spending time with both of them, but Meadow projected based on working with her before and being linked, likely would try to see both as much as allowed, try to get Nightfall to be flexible if she could.

Twilight’s curiosity turned to what relation to her kids would be.

Storm had zero thoughts on the subject at all, due to her own expectation of not having foals. Meadow projected based on Storm and Storm's understanding of Nightfall, Twilight would be the godmother but the foals would be raised as Night's and hers.

Twilight smiled at that idea and washed Storm with more vigor, causing Storm to grunt.

"Oof… easy there, I don't have your strength you know."

"Oh, sorry." She said, pulling back a bit as she washed Storm more carefully.

Storm chuckled, "Yeah... ‘less you wanna give me a horn like your other pet… you ok?"

"Yeah, why?" She said as she washed Storm’s belly.

"Just… not used to anypony washing my fur, except Night." She said.

"Oh?" She asked as she washed her pet.

"Yeah..."

Twilight listened but kept caring for her pet. After all, that wasn’t a request to stop.

Storm blushed and sighed quietly before shaking excess water off her head as she moved toward the front and avoid some of the water streaming onto her head and face.

Twilight smiled as she washed Storm’s flanks while Storm grabbed the bottle of conditioner, making her hooves seem to just slide over her fur.

The two of them working together helped Storm get cleaned. Storm turned off the water once she had a final rinsing and shook herself again, sending water everywhere.

A towel was wrapped around her form very soon and Twilight began to dry her.

Storm stood in place and shivered as the water dripped off her fur to the floor below her, but stood still otherwise for her owner.

Twilight smiled as she dried her pet, thinking of how well behaved Storm was being.

"Haven't been toweled like this since I was a filly." Storm chuckled quietly.

Twilight chuckled s she worked.

Storm shook her head, flapping her damp mane across her neck on both sides, which prompted Twilight to start drying her mane and made her laugh.

"What are you doing?"

"Drying you off." Twilight answered.

"Well, yeah…" She said, but then flicked her wet tail against Twilight's leg, lightly blushing at their contact.

Twilight moved and began to dry that tail. She then moved to grab several towels and wrapped them all around Storm to dry her off.

"Hey, come on now.” Storm laughed, “not so many at once."

"Ok." Twilight shrugged, pulling the towels away to reveal a dry Fire Storm, colors as vivid as she could ask for.

Storm shook herself, only to have her fur poof out on end, then looked at Twilight, as if both daring her to laugh and hoping she won't.

Twilight smirked and took something out. A moment later, and a few clicks were heard.

Storm froze, looking at her in horror, "You wouldn't dare… you took a picture of me like this?"

"Yup!" she said cheerfully as it vanished again.

Storm shook herself again to get herself to unfluff, but failed, only making things worse and another click could be heard.

"So help me Celestia, if you show them to anyone..."

Twilight smirked as it vanished again. "You'll what? Flash me your marehood?"

"I don’t know yet, but you won’t show them to anypony."

Twilight smirked, oh so very tempted to show them just to see what the pegasus did.

Storm huffed and went over to carefully brush herself, intent on preening afterward.

She felt the brush start to move on its own as Twilight toweled herself off. Storm blinked, looking for the source before shrugging and moving her muzzle into her wings, trying to fish out any bad feathers out of the ones that were dry anyway.

Twilight sighed and moved over to sit Storm down as she began to preen the mare. Storm looked back to Twilight, concerned from hearing the sigh.

"I… should let you do this then?"

"Huh?" She looked at her confused

"You seem to be really wanting to groom me right now." Storm said, "Should I leave it to you?"

"Yes. Is it odd for an owner to groom her pet?" she asked as she preened her.

"No… just… not used to it yet." She said, slowly spreading out her wings for Twilight.

Twilight silently approved of Storm’s willingness to allow her to do so and took the slightly shaking wings in her magical grip as her fingers sifted through the feathers, helping them dry off as she looked, being very delicate in her moving of the feathers and plucking one bad feather after another.

Storm stayed still, leaving her wings outstretched as she barely noticed the dead feathers being removed anymore. Her eyes half closed in relaxation as the meticulous purple mare finished. She blinked a few times before realizing her wings were done, and tucked in her wings as Twilight began the brushing of her fur.
Storm let out a contented sigh as she felt the brush, letting it glide over her fur and listened as Twilight began to hum a song to her through her smile. Storm listened for a minute, then spoke.

"You keep humming that tune. What is it?"

"Something my mother used to hum when I was a little filly and when she brushed my mane." She said as she brushed. "Other than that, I have no clue where she heard it."

"Ahh." Storm said, feeling like she better understood as she waited, enjoying the mane in front of her eyes.

Twilight chuckled and began brushing her mane, hearing another sigh and watching as the mare closed her eyes to enjoy it.

Twilight worked, enjoying grooming her. She did it for Chrysalis as well, but there wasn't a lot she could do for her as Chrysalis only had a mane and tail.

Storm simply enjoyed the contact, wondering just how thorough they were going to be. The grooming felt like it took forever, since it seemed Twilight was going as far as her pet would let her, but after she put down the brush, Storm felt it and laughed quietly.

"That took forever, but my fur feels great."

"Lots of practice caring for appearances." Twilight chuckled.

"Bet your friends taught you well."

"Heh. Rarity did very well yes."

Storm nodded, "She has good taste"

"Yeah… She did… the best…" she said, getting a far off look in her eyes.

Storm looked at her concerned. "You ok?"

"Huh?" she said before she shook her head. "Yeah, just… remembering things."

Storm looked at her a moment, then reached to give her a hug. "We can visit her if you want. Her store is here after all…"

"That’s not her… my Rarity is dead and buried in Ponyville cemetery with the others…"

"Oh…" she said quietly, "sorry."

"It’s fine, it’s… better this way, keeping them separate, or else it will bury my memories of them."

"I understand… not a lot, but enough." She said, going forward to give Twilight a reassuring hug.

Twilight put her wings around Storm and just held her. "I don’t mind meeting them, but not as anything special… just strangers meeting."

"No point in reopening wounds.” Storm nodded respectfully, “I'll still be here for ya at least."

Twilight nodded, then Storm gave the strong mare a tighter hug and holding it for a moment before letting it go to a gentler hug.

"Gonna be ok there master?"

Meadow blinked, 'Huh... I don't think she realized what she just said.'

'Me either.’ Twilight chuckled as she replied to her pet, "Yeah, I'll be fine… need to visit them when we get home to give them an update on recent goings on."

Storm nodded, "Is that a trip you make alone?"

"Usually. Chrysalis often comes with when she can, or Cadence but she has her own places she visits.”

"You want some company next time?" She offered.

Twilight blinked at her, wings still around the orange-red mare. "Eh?"

"Just saying... if you want me to come with to visit, I will."

'I’d like that…” Twilight slowly nodded, “make telling them about things easier."

"You got it."

Twilight smiled and nuzzle her pet appreciatively, getting a hug in return. She smiled at the mare who was patting her back, and after a moment, the fire mare pulled back with a smile and got ready to leave the bathroom. Twilight watched her go and then went to the door to join her in the room, discovering Meadow had sent everyone home.

Dawn: All right, Jeron, let’s get this looked over… …. Uhm, this isn’t bad at all, a bit lacking on the senses but- Jeron, why are you showing the Telephone spell like a hive link spell?
Jeron: Because that is how you joined the link…
Dawn: and that’s not how the spell works, otherwise ponies would be hiveminds too.
Jeron: *blinks*
Dawn: …. *sigh* after editing a good forty pages and nearly twenty thousand words in six or so hours despite a cold, I’ll let it slide.
Jeron: YES! *hoofpump*
Dawn: *sighs in relief* you’d think being a hybrid would make me more resilient to disease… maybe I should consider going into a cocoon for a week or three to recover…

Author's Notes:

Yay Storm and Twilight bonding more! Also Meadow is being furhter influanced by Twilight

I have a PATREON with fair rewards. Every bit is greatly appreciated and helps me out.