Author's Notes:

This chapter contains Mature content. Skip ahead if you do not wish to read about it.

Moonglade wiped at her eyes as she returned back inside, sniffling as she did so. It was just so hard to distance herself from him and it was just not fair that she had to have this changeling code to not fall in love.

Just thinking about it again made her want to run to her room and cry, but she knew her mother would want to have words about tonight’s dinner, so with as much strength as she could muster, Moonglade fought back against the tears and blew her nose as she made her way down the hall.

She found her mother and aunt already back in the lounge room, with Ivory Wings checking on the mini speaker she had left there today. Ebony Wings was standing before one of the paintings, smiling approvingly at it.

“Look at this, sister,” Ebony said. “The museum hosting these had no idea who the subject was. I’m the only one capable of truly appreciating these portraits. Good thing the curator was willing to sell.”

“I don’t know why you even decided to sell that one back when we were still in Trottingham.” Ivory looked up from the table she was bending down at and adjusted her glasses. “I told you not to sell it. It’s a wonder how it was still in the museum after so many years.”

“Because it’s a picture of me, dear sister. And anything of me is worth showing off to the world. Don’t I look just dashing in those alchemist’s robes? A true master of the craft.”

“You know, I was a lot more active in the Renaissance than you, and I don’t have paintings of me languishing in museums,” Ivory Wings said with a roll of her eyes.

Ebony laughed. “That’s because you’ve got a whole five-book series on warfare to your name. Even military leaders today still swear by your books. Commander Vespa’s Art of War.”

“Yes, but for a portrait you just have to stand there. My books were written way before the creation of the printing press; do you have any idea how many quills I went through doing those?”

“Not as many as the artist went through paint brushes,” Ebony quipped back. She turned and seemed to notice Moonglade for the first time. “Oh. It’s you. I was going to get someone to fetch you anyway. We have matters to discuss, you and I.”

Moonglade nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Ebony Wings sat down gracefully on the couch and adjusted her crown. “I don’t know what I was expecting, but that boy needs to brush up on how to greet royalty. I offer my hand, he kisses it. Simple. Even the lowliest peasant back in the old days knew that.”

“Um...” Moonglade said. This was not the direction she had thought this would go.

“I don’t think he considers you a royal,” Ivory sighed. “Just because we know you are doesn’t mean he does.”

“And why shouldn’t he?” Ebony demanded. “Do you know how many fans I have that would walk across a sea of broken glass and thumbtacks just to kiss my hand? Do you?”

“Now, sister, I think you’re expecting a little much-”

“And he didn’t even ask for my autograph!” Ebony hissed. “What’s the matter with him? Has he even seen my movies?”

“Ebony.” Ivory looked like she was about to plant her face in her palm. “The boy was not here for you. He was here for your daughter. Today, is not about you.”

“He didn’t ask for her autograph either,” Ebony groused.

“Why would he?” Ivory groaned. “Forget it. Can we just move past this? Tell your daughter what you think of him. Besides not treating you like royalty.”

Moonglade didn’t know what to do, so she just stood there and smiled sweetly.

“Congratulations,” Ebony said languidly, examining her fingernails. “I didn’t decide to kill him, so he must have done enough right to escape the fruitcake. What does he want from me, a medal?”

“He clearly likes you, sweetie,” Ivory added. “You’ve done a fine job choosing your prey. Don’t you agree, sister?”

Ebony Wings reached up to her head and removed her crown, turning it over in her hands. “Yes, it was very tasty while it lasted. Not entirely my favorite flavor though. Love is like wine, the aged ones always taste better.”

“That’s not how it works,” Ivory Wings interjected.

“Well excuse me for trying to be poetic.”

“You probably won’t like it if an old guy decided to date her.”

“I probably wouldn’t like it if you kept talking about this.”

Ivory Wings opened her mouth to say something, then shut it. Ebony Wings smirked and placed her crown back on her head.

“The boy seemed to show an odd interest in the sirens and their gems,” Ebony continued. “They’re not on to you, are they, Ivory, those girls you’re dealing with?”

“Impossible. I’ve been wearing a different persona each time I meet them. They have no idea I’m involved.” Ivory Wings picked one of the pistols off the wall and examined it in her hands. “I’m not that careless.” She looked up. “Is this loaded?”

Ebony Wings didn’t even look up. “Every gun in this house is loaded. And I would appreciate you not putting any more holes in my walls, so watch your trigger finger.”

“Please,” Ivory scoffed. “I’ve been handling firearms ever since they were invented. I know gun safety like the blade of my kris.”

“Why are you even picking that up. Put it back.”

Ivory Wings replaced the pistol on the wall and sat down opposite her sister. Moonglade looked back and forth between the two.

“Right, so, this Homestead Run…” Ebony started.

Ivory didn’t bother to correct her this time.

“I think you may continue to hunt him.” Ebony Wings slid one leg across the other. “Notice I said hunt. I still sense you holding back, daughter. You still love him.”

“I-I-I… umm…” Moonglade bent lower, lowering her head, unable to make eye contact with her mother. “I’m trying, m-mother…”

“And that’s precisely the problem,” Ebony said, her eyes flashing. “You’re trying. I want you to stop trying and actually succeed.”

“I-I know I should-shouldn’t… but it’s hard,” Moonglade answered sheepishly. “He’s… he’s such a nice boy…”

“And stop this stammering,” Ebony Wings said sternly. “You are a princess. You should speak with confidence and poise.”

“I’m-I’m sorry, mother…” Moonglade flinched. “I’ll… try…”

“What did I just say about trying? Don’t try, actually do it, or I’ll have my executioner on that boy, boyfriend or not.”

Moonglade pushed her glasses up her nose and nodded slowly.

“And I think we are done for the day. I shall need a nice hot shower.” Ebony brushed a hand through her long black hair. “Sister dear, won’t you join me? It’s been a while.”

“I’ve got more work to prepare, so not this time, Chryssie.” Ivory headed for the door. “Moonglade, sweetie, would you walk with Aunt Ivory?”

The young changeling wanted to get out of here badly, so she complied, hurrying after her aunt.

When they were out of sight from her mother, Ivory placed an arm around her niece and gently gave her shoulder a pat. “It’s okay, sweetie. I know, it’s not easy once you’ve let it take ahold of you. But try harder, alright? You have to. You just can’t trust these humans. If Home Run finds out what you really are, it doesn’t matter if he loves you or if you love him. He will turn against you. Humans are all the same.”

“Would you really kill him?” Moonglade whispered.

Ivory Wings sighed. “I am the queen’s executioner. Technically speaking, I have to do whatever your mother orders. That’s just how the hierarchy works.”

“But you won’t, right Aunt Ivory?” Moonglade looked at her aunt. “He’s… I know I shouldn’t love him, but he means so much to me. You won’t kill him, will you?”

“I’ll try not to,” Ivory grimaced. “Wouldn’t be the first time your mother’s ordered a hit on someone close to home.”

“Thanks, Aunt Ivory.” Moonglade gave her aunt a hug as they made their way upstairs. She really didn’t want Home Run to die, at least, not because her mother wanted him to. “Who else? I mean, did mother ask you to kill close to home. We don’t have any neighbors.”

“Your cousin, for starters. Of course, I understood why it had to be done, but I couldn’t do it alone. So I enlisted the help of some friends. A lot of adventures later…” Ivory shrugged. “We succeeded.”

“Wait, are we talking about Cousin Morn?” Moonglade raised an eyebrow. “You said close to home… Ohhhhh, you didn’t mean it literally, did you? Wait, is it because our home is like, built on the old Canterlot castle grounds?”

“Yes, my son, Morn. And it seems you have a lot to learn about figures of speech, young lady.” Ivory led Moonglade over to her room and looked around the hallway one more time before shutting the door. “Okay, so… I did some homework, and how would you like to go see your grandparents next week, sweetie?”

“My grandparents? You know where they live?” There was a glint of excitement in Moonglade’s eyes and she almost couldn’t contain it. “Really? I can?”

“I went through your mother’s old contacts and then cross referenced them online. Them being the parents of a former movie star also helped.” Ivory ran a finger along her table. “What do you think of helping me inspect a few spots that would have plenty of light from the blood moon? After that on the way home we could, say, take a short detour to your grandparents’ place and have a look see?”

“Okay! But why are you looking for places that would have light from a blood moon?”

Ivory Wings opened her mouth and her fangs eased out. “From my early talks with Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle, repairing the sirens’ gems will take as much magic power as we can gather, and what more magical time than a blood moon? Don’t worry about it; I’ve got it all covered. Now get changed and go to bed. I’ve got some disguises to fabricate.”

Sunny Flare wasn’t having a terribly good night. She had woken up from a dream she was having about Silver Rose, where her fingers had found their way into the mauve-skinned girl’s mouth. Silver had begun sucking on them, while her other hand began to pull down her skirt, but just before any fingers could penetrate either of their womanly parts, Sunny had woken up, drenched in sweat.

“Oh man…” she had groaned, placing one hand over her eyes and turning on her back.

She had hoped it hadn’t been a dream, but of course it was. She hadn’t felt Silver’s touch in over a week now and it was driving her nuts. Another thing driving her nuts was her sexual obsession with her girlfriend. Sunny found herself asking many times, why? Why was she so crazy about Silver Rose and why did she need Silver’s touch so badly?

Sunny bit at a fingernail as she stared up at her ceiling, her eyes slowly adjusting to the gloom.

“This isn’t normal,” she whispered. “Am… Am I really that into her?”

It was probably a long time coming, but Sunny finally admitted it to herself.

She needed help. Not being with Silver was destroying her.

Looking over to her poster of Fast Bender, she sighed and pictured his amazing eyes looking back at her. “Oh, Fast Bender. What should I do? I’m obsessed. Again. With Silver Rose. Again.”

Fast Bender didn’t say anything. Perhaps that was for the best.

Sunny sighed and picked up her phone, opening her contacts list. Her thumb hovered over the names, finally settling on Sugarcoat.

Sunny hesitated, wondering whether this was the right thing to do.

Screw it. It can’t possibly make things worse.

It took Sugarcoat five rings to respond.

“Sunny Flare?” Sugarcoat’s sleep-addled voice came. “Why are you calling at three in the morning? It’s so early. This better be important.”

“It is!” Sunny inisited, trying to keep her voice down in case she woke someone in the house.

“Well, what is it? I want to get back to sleep. Make it quick.”

“I… well… I have a prob… a problem!” Sunny quickly got out. “I have a really big problem, okay? I need help.”

“Well, I can name several. But what do you need?”

“I… I…” Sunny’s face went red. “I have a… problem. With Silver R-Rose… And I don’t know w-what to do.”

“What? Again? I thought you already got over it. You two are so friendly now.” Sugarcoat sounded confused, but also irritated.

“No, it’s not that ki-kind of problem… Now it-it’s…”

Sugarcoat sighed on the other end. “You’ve fallen in love with her, haven’t you. And you two are dating.”

“Wh-what?” Sunny’s eyes went wide with surprise. “You kn-knew…?”

“You two are just too chummy around each other now. And the way you stare at her in class is a big telltale, wouldn’t you think so?”

“I-I don’t stare at her in class!”

“You do, Sunny. All the time.”

“I… I… I don’t!”

“Whatever. So what did you call me for? Surely not to ask me if it’s a good idea or not?”

“I… uh, so…” Sunny cleared her throat. It was so embarrassing to have to say this. “So… we’ve uh… done some… things. Uh, things I’ve been struggling with.”

There was a pause on the other end. “You two have had sex.”

“Sugarcoat!” Sunny’s face grew even redder. “You don’t need to put it so bluntly!”

“Does it matter? So what do you want, Sunny? Do you need me to tell you it’s something you shouldn’t be doing yet?”

“It’s not that. It’s… it’s that I’ve just been crazy about Silver. I can’t take my mind off her and… and all that stuff…”

Sunny reached a hand down to her shorts, stuffing it in and playing her fingers down her panties. Just thinking about Silver made her heart race and her head spin.

“I just… I keep wanting her, Sugarcoat. Her touch, her scent… Her body… Aa-aaah…” Sunny moaned as her fingers pressed down against her clit. “I ju-just… I… I… Mmm…”

Sunny ran a finger down her slit, feeling the opening moisten through her panties as she pictured Silver taking her shirt off. She’d never seen Silver’s naked body before, not in real life, but imaginary Silver had such an amazing body.

“Sunny? Hello, Sunny? Are you masturbating right now? While I’m still here on the phone?”

Sunny didn’t hear her, her thoughts already lost on her girlfriend’s body as she pictured her now peel off her panties.

“Mmm… touch me, Silvy… touch my pussy…” Sunny shut her eyes and smiled.

She pretended her fingers were Silver’s and peeled her panties aside, now playing them across her moistening skin.

“Feels so good… mmm…”

She gently pushed one finger inside her pussy, feeling her insides squeeze against her.

“Sunny? Can you hear me? I’m still here, you know?” Sugarcoat’s voice pierced right through Sunny’s fantasy. “Sunny! Get ahold of yourself!”

Sunny froze. She’d done it again. Night after night, she just kept touching herself, thinking of her girlfriend. Pulling her finger from her wet pussy, Sunny moaned one last time from satisfaction and quickly sat up, her face completely red and panting.

“So-sorry, Sugarcoat. You see! It’s a problem!”

“Evidently.”

“Yes, so you see why I’ve come to you? Do you think I’d have said something as embarrassing as this otherwise?”

“So what is the problem exactly? If you don’t know what it is, how am I supposed to know?”

“You’re the smart one, can’t you guess?” Sunny hissed.

“While I may be the ‘smart one’, among our group, it’s also seven past three in the morning and I don’t feel like playing twenty questions right about now. So spill it. What do you think is the problem.”

“Well, this obsession is taking over me! You heard what just happened! And don’t you tell anyone anything about this. It’s bad enough as it is. I have to resist the urge to do it at school. Sometimes I can’t even do that! I need this to go down, Sugarcoat.”

“Well, we won’t be in school for some months, so you don’t have to worry about that. Though I do find it interesting that you’ve fallen for her after you wanted her gone. You don’t think she’s a vampire, do you?”

“What?!” Sunny shrieked. Then she remembered that she had to be quiet and stage-whispered, “What did you just say?”

“Don’t you remember? That cubicle door incident just doesn’t add up. Silver’s different.” Sugarcoat paused to sneeze. “If I get sick today, I’m blaming you. Anyway, you haven’t noticed anything strange about her? Like, that time she jumped right over you and the other girls?”

“There’s no way she’s a vampire! I’m not in love with some monster! Silver’s amazing! She’s kind and smart and she’s extremely hot. Oh, Silver…” Sunny reached a hand to her pussy again. It was growing warmer between her legs. “Besides, she’s been out in the sun. Vampires can’t do that.”

“Well, vampire or not, watch yourself around her. I did some research and up until a couple of months ago, there’s nothing on her. At all. That’s a little unusual, don’t you think?”

“What do you mean… aaahh… nothing on her…?” Sunny bit down on her lip as her fingers brushed a very sensitive spot.

“Can you stop touching yourself long enough to hold a conversation, a conversation that may I remind you, you started?” Sugarcoat ordered. “I don’t want this to turn into some phone sex kind of deal. What I’m saying is that it’s like she came out of nowhere. Right out of the blue. Has she ever talked to you about her past, Sunny?”

Sunny quickly stopped touching herself again and thought about it. No, Silver had never talked about the past. Hay, she didn’t even really talk about her family. They only knew about her mother and twin sister, besides her late father, because of the news.

“Well, that still doesn’t make her a vampire or anything.” Sunny pictured Silver’s slender legs and imagined her lifting them enough that she could see under her short skirt. “I’m sure she’s just secretive. Oohhh, Silver, you’re so hot… An-anyway, that doesn’t matter. You’re supposed to help me quit having so many naughty thoughts about her!”

“The fact that she’s a total mystery doesn’t?” Sugarcoat said drily. “Look. If you’re really serious about this, maybe think of the things about Silver that aren’t sexy. Think you can do that, Sunny?”

“What’s not sexy about her, Sugarcoat? Her eyes, her face, her soft lips, her hair, her touch, her body… Ooohhh…” Sunny slipped one hand under her shirt and grabbed for her right breast, while the other one went back to her panties. “She’s so hot… Aaahh… aaaah! Sugarcoat, I can’t… help it.”

“I’m not getting through to you at all, am I?” Sugarcoat sighed.

“I can’t… stop thinking… mmm… about her…” Sunny inserted two fingers into herself and thrust them deep.

“Stop. Just stop. Think about Fast Bender or something. Didn’t you want his autograph?” Sugarcoat was grasping at straws now.

“Aaah, aaahh, Fast Bender, help me… Help me stop being so… obsessed…!” Sunny’s mouth hung open as she gasped for air. “It’s… it’s not working, Sugarcoat! I still just keep seeing Silver. Oh man, she’s so hot when she’s naked…”

Sunny continued to push her fingers in and out of her now soaking pussy, the squelching sound loud enough that even Sugarcoat could hear it from her end, much to her irk.

“Am I going to have to come over there and slap you?” Sugarcoat snapped. “I don’t have to listen to this, you called me. I could be sleeping right now. Hay, I’m going to have to get some brain bleach after hearing you whack off to Silver Rose.”

“Sooooorryyyy,” Sunny whined, taking her hand out of her panties. Again. Her two fingers were sticky with her womanly juice. “Okay, okay… So… what do you suggest, Sugarcoat…?”

“First, you need to show restraint, Sunny,” Sugarcoat said sternly. “You didn’t seem to have this problem when you were dating Domino Ace. He dumped you because you didn’t have this part of you, remember?”

“Yeah… I don’t know what comes over me. Every time I think of Silver, my hands start moving on their own…”

“Don’t you put your hand in your pants again.” Sunny was about to do it, but stopped as her index finger touched the tip of her panties and drew her hand back. “So you don’t think she’s a vampire, but what if she’s a witch?”

“Witch? Come on, you don’t believe there are such things?” Sunny scoffed at the idea of Silver flying around on a broomstick. Flying on a broomstick where she could see her pink panties under the flapping of her really short skirt…

“Has she invited you over to her house yet?” Sugarcoat asked impishly.

“Well, I haven’t even invited her to my house yet.”

“Yes you did. Our study group, remember?”

“O-Oh. She d-did…?” Sunny scratched at her chin. Then realized she got some of her fluids on it and frowned. “Okay, well… like you said. She’s… private. I guess.”

An owl hooted outside. It sounded like laughter.

“So, Sunny, I don’t want to jump to conclusions just yet, but I don’t want to rule it out either. You saw for yourself during the Friendship Games. Magic is real and possible. What if… what if Silver put some sort of spell on you? To make you crazy for her?”

“Come on, why would she even want to do that? She’s not a witch, Sugarcoat.”

Sugarcoat made a funny noise that was halfway between a yawn and a sneeze. “Sunny, I think there’s more to Silver Rose that we both know. How many teenage girls can just rip off a cubicle door?”

“I… I don’t know.” Sunny shrugged.

“Nothing adds up, Sunny. I know she’s our friend, but we cannot deny that there’s something about her that may possibly be more than human.”

Sunny wasn’t sure what to think of Sugarcoat’s analysis. On one hand what she was saying did make sense in some regards. On the other hand, maybe she was simply trying to distract her from pleasuring herself, which was working. Or maybe Sugarcoat was just dead tired and was spouting nonsense.

“What are you getting at here, Sugarcoat?” Sunny asked tiredly. Now that the thrill of touching herself was sidelined, she was beginning to feel sleepy.

“I’m not getting at anything just yet,” Sunny’s friend replied firmly. “Just that I think there’s more going on here than we me know.”

“Well, fine then,” Sunny said, slightly annoyed. Sugarcoat was usually upfront about things. It wasn’t like her to be this roundabout. “I’ll go pay her a visit and ask her myself.”

“Sunny, you come up with a lot of dumb plans, but that has got to be the worst one yet. You don’t just go up to someone and ask them if they’re hiding secret identities and powers from you.”

Sugarcoat sneezed again, followed by a low grumble on the other end of the phone.

“Then what would you do then? Spy on the house or something?”

Sugarcoat blew her nose and sniffed. “That would be preferable over your barbaric plan.”

“So what, we get the girls together and stakeout the house? Great way to spend the holidays, Sugarcoat.”

“Well if it’ll somehow get you to stop touching yourself every night, then yes, that would be a good plan.” She sneezed again. “I’m blaming you for this, Sunny.”

“Why are you so cold anyway?” Sunny demanded. “Do you sleep naked or something?”

“That’s none of your business,” Sugarcoat sniffed. “Text me and the others in the morning. I think Lemon has a van we can use. Good night, Sunny.”

Click.

Sunny Flare sat in the dark, her brain a whirl, even in its tired state. She had finally told one of her friends about her relationship with Silver Rose. Worse, she had even began touching herself while on the phone with Sugarcoat.

“You’re crazy, Sunny. Just crazy…” She slapped a hand to her face and groaned.

Tomorrow, she would likely even have to tell the other Shadowbolts about her scandalous relationship. She wondered what Silver’s mom would think if she knew her daughter was secretly having sex with another girl.

Sunny didn’t want to think about the repercussions.

In the end, fatigue took over and Sunny fell back against her pillow, her mind working herself to sleep. This could all wait till the sun came back up.