In the center of town, Ember had been very lost looking for someone. Thankfully, she noticed two familiar purple and orange scaly faces running adjacent to the street she was on.

"Bingo."

Farther ahead, Spike was on his way to get permission from Benny, just a few more houses down to where he had to be. Only now, another shadow had joined them from overhead.

"Where are you two off to?" Ember innocently asked from above.

A little surprised to see the Dragon Lord again out of nowhere, Smolder flew up to answer.

"Spike says that Chris has movies that show Twilight and him saving the world. He's going to ask Benny if we can go to their embassy to ask Chris if we can watch them."

A chance to learn more about the humans and get a better look at their embassy? This was too convenient to pass up, revealing to Ember her in.

"That sounds cool, but if you're going there, I want to make sure everything is safe."

Spike, still in full stride, thinking he could be helpful, made an offer.

“I can take you there if you like. I’ve been there and know the place pretty well.”

Grinding to a halt, Spike nearly tilted over at the nearby pony home, currently thumping out some oddly familiar melodies. That was a good enough sign Benny was there, prompting Spike to start pounding on the door.

Miraculously, the knocks were heard, and Octavia opened the door to much surprise as to who all was there… Considering that two were complete strangers.

"Hello, Spike. And who are your new friends?"

Spike was so excited that he almost forgot to give introductions.

"Good afternoon, Octavia. This is Princess Ember and my new friend, Smolder. We wanted to head over to the Human Embassy, but I was told to ask Benny if that's okay."

Octavia quickly bowed to show her respect to the now-identified royalty.

"Princess, it's an honor to meet you. Please, come inside."

As she led them in, Benny was already in view with Vinyl in the middle of mixing something they were working on. Though Benny was quick to notice the draconic trio and greeted them.

"Hey, guys. You two missed the party last night, but there was a new style of music we were introduced to. We’re trying to recreate it."

Still working on her mix table, Vinyl nodded with one earphone on.

"Sup, Princess? You here to jam with us?"

Still focused on her new mission, Ember trained her eyes to Benny on the couch.

"Uh, no. Smolder was invited to join Spike at Benny's embassy. If they’re allowed to go, I wanted to make sure everything was safe for her there."

While Benny wasn't overly familiar with these two new dragons, he knew he could trust Spike. At the same time, he had enough conversations catching up with Chris that he knew what plans were in store for the rest of the day.

"I'm fine with you guys going there, but Chris is expecting company in the next few hours. Out of respect for what he has planned, I'd prefer only the company he invited be there while watching over the kids. So as long as he's willing to entertain you in the meantime, I don't mind."

Thinking about it, it would be rude for Benny not to see the Princess into his tarp-covered house personally.

"I still need to get a change of clothes for the dinner tonight. How about I drive you there. And since Pinkie isn't with you." He turned to his music mares. "You two mind tagging along?"

After a lengthy walk, Trixie finally made it back. Despite a bit of sweat and slight shortness of breath, she was much calmer than when she had left Twilight’s.

"Ugh," she grunted, tired, hot, and in desperate need of a drink. "Chris? Is it too early to get that bottle back from last night?"

Popping his head out into the garage, Chris welcomed her back, hoping she was joking.

"Hey, Trixie. We got water, juice, and soda. Liquor bar opens after the show, sorry."

If that's what it was going to take, she could weather the storm until then. Even if the rest of her body and mind firmly disagreed.

"Fine… and how big of an audience will I be performing for tonight?"

Chris had to think for a moment. None of the other girls were going to make it over, and neither were any of his friends.

"Uh… Me, two guards, four kids, and one of their moms… not one that I'm dating. So eight… or six since the guards are technically working."

A show for six? She couldn't tell if this was her finally hitting rock bottom or the first step up from it.

Maybe it was just a favor and an apology for all she had done. Not just to the residents of Ponyville, but even her role in the humans being brought here.

Although there was something about Chris that now intrigued Trixie. Something about how Starlight and the others were so attracted to him. And now that she had him alone in the living room, she had to ask.

"How did you get Starlight and the other girls all… you know… into you?"

Suddenly not so alone, Thunder walked in through the back door with an answer of her own.

"Every human has something special to offer," she warmly answered. "I imagine Chris caught more than a few eyes, given his ways with foals. Not many stallions look at a single mare with a foal of her own for love, yet Chris seems to welcome the young ones as well as their mothers."

Almost bashfully, Chris shrugged at the kind words as he continued to clean up.

"I think that certainly played a role in it, but there's more to it than that. Honestly, though, it all happened so fast that even they're all still trying to figure it out."

With a handful of streamers, he stopped and gave it a little more thought. Perhaps he had missed something, and there was more to share, though nothing seemed to come to mind.

"Honestly, I was just looking for one to get to know better. Maybe try dating if we got along after a while… but instead, they all tried getting closer to me at the same time and couldn't wait to try being committed."

Things really did escalate too fast for even him to really follow along. So much of what he did was an on-the-spot reaction or adapting to somepony else's plan, which mainly involved him trying to slow things down.

"Yeah… I've barely done anything. I said that I wanted to find a mare to date, ended up with five, which became six… and I'm barely keeping up with them."

Even if it was likely saving the world, though how exactly was still up in the air, Trixie still didn't understand how anypony, or even a human, could agree to such a union.

"Not that I have anything against what you're doing, but how can you be with so many mares at one time?"

Unable to avoid the question, Chris sulked slightly at a situation that was simultaneously amazing, yet disheartening.

"It wasn't my plan, and originally I was against it. I didn't think it could work… Then they told me that's what they wanted. The only change that had to be made was to not make me the focus of the relationship, which thankfully was able to happen when they realized how much they all cared about each other as well."

While the explanation seemed all well and good, it didn’t cover the big question digging at Trixie.

"What about the rutting?"

“Trixie!” Thunder shouted, red-faced and visibly appalled at the question. "You shouldn't…"

Surprising both Trixie and Chris, Thunder dropped her shocked look and seemed to be confused, even a bit embarrassed.

"That does mean starting a family, right?"

While Trixie should have known that question was crossing the line, she couldn’t stop herself and continued talking.

“It would mean starting a family if ponies could have foals with humans.” She turned back to Chris, now with an inquisitive stare. “Can't you?”

That was true, but Starlight didn’t see it with such a narrow perspective.

“You know, Trixie. You could have just asked me about it if you were curious. Didn’t need to say it out in the open like that.”

The three in the living room turned to the garage door to see Starlight standing with a smirk before strutting her way inside.

"Sorry for interrupting, I just came back to let Chris know that everything is still on for tonight. Although, now I'm curious to know how you seem to be so unabashedly familiar with the topic of rutting."

After hearing more than a few whispers of inner conflicts, as well as seeing how close Twilight came to blows with Oven Fresh, Thunder quickly saw herself out the back.

"Well, you seem plenty safe in here, Chris. I'm just going to head outside and look over the security for tonight."

Somehow, Thunder's retreat seemed more wise than cowardly to Trixie, especially given the circumstances, even if unwarranted.

"Relax," Trixie whined, greatly annoyed. "I'm not trying to steal Chris away from Starlight. I'm not even flirting with him. I just wanted to know if-" She slowed her words, realizing she was saying far too much. "—you two..."

She rolled her eyes, still confused about it all. Not to mention how to properly say it.

"—or seven... were able to enjoy your relationships to the fullest extent."

The room was quiet after that out of nowhere response, although it did leave Thunder rather confused, suddenly forgetting her desire to flee the scene moments prior.

"How could you enjoy a relationship to the fullest extent if… How would you even… Not that… But if they don't—"

If this really was getting as awkward as Chris felt it was, he didn't want it to be as painful as Thunder was making it out to be.

"Thunder, please, before you ask us anything else, do you know how sex is performed?"

Starlight figured she knew what was likely happening and quickly interjected with some more clarity.

"If your memory of what sex stops at two ponies falling in love or kissing, just say no."

After a moment of what had to be deep thought, Thunder slowly shook her head. A sad look of shame or embarrassment showing through as she lowered her eyes.

"No. I must have been confusing myself when trying to think about how a human would… umm..."

Reliving all of this again, Chris shook his head as his life seemed to play in repeat.

"It's literally all the same," he answered in a sympathetic tone. "How about you and me go for another little walk while I explain the basics?"

As Thunder started to turn and follow, she felt a tug on her wing. She looked back to see the edge of her wing and Starlight's horn glowing to get her attention.

"Just a heads up, it's going to sound unbelievable, but it's all true. Even the really gross, messy stuff. Try to keep an open mind about it is all I’m saying."

Still glad to be from the position of being Chris's potential mare, Trixie groaned.

"Trust Trixie, it's pretty much all gross and pointless."

After Chris stepped out with Thunder and slid the door closed behind them, Starlight started her inquiry.

"Okay, Trixie. I know I said at the party if you were interested, I would ask the girls-"

"I'm not interested," Trixie answered with a sharpened tongue, leaving no room for doubt in her flat expression. "I only wanted to make sure you were able to rut him without anypony getting in the way.”

And just like that, Starlight’s entire train of thought was derailed, but she figured why Trixie would say something so nonsensical.

“Trixie? I know what you’re going through with the hangover, but getting drunk again can’t be helpful. Let’s get you some bread and water to help sober you up.”

“What?!” Trixie yelped. “I’m not drunk! I just-”

There was so much in the way between what Starlight thought and what Trixie knew. Beyond that, there was so much more that she didn't even know what really applied anymore. At the very least, she could explain herself to her only real friend.

"Look… every night after I left I saw more of what the end of our world was supposed to look like. What I do know is that humans were the key to our survival, and those that had the best chance of saving us were those that fell in love with a human. In one version, it was me, but Twilight came between us. Years later, the darkness that Benny defeated here, grows so strong that it kills everypony and every human."

Starlight stood in silence. She never forgot about Trixie's dream but wasn't expecting to hear something so grim. It actually shook her a little. Yet, something looked so off with how sad Trixie looked and spoke.

"I think the only difference between our world being saved and the others I saw destroyed was that I was involved with Chris. Only this time, I ran away and Chris didn't come after me. Instead, he ended up with you and-"

In a quiet moment of reflection, Trixie questioned what she was really feeling. Starlight seemed like a better fit for this life, and now Trixie had to wonder what her untethered fate would lead her towards.

"All the humans defy everything I could have imagined about them, but you decided not to keep Chris to yourself. You were even kissing that pegasus, Prim Posy."

All the torment and stress Trixie tried to rid herself of came back, breaking her spirit and taxing her mind.

"The world is saved and I don’t get it. When I had him, he was all I wanted. I don’t want magic as much as my other me wanted to be with Chris. The other me was even going to kill you because that other Starlight never became Twilight’s student. But,” She cringed slightly. “In that world, Chris seemed to believe that Celestia was behind the humans arriving and that you would try to kill Chris to get back at Twilight.”

Starlight felt her heart stop for a moment. The thought of hurting Chris again, let alone anything bad happening to him.

“I could never kill Chris. I know I haven’t told him, but I love him.”

Now for Trixie’s real question.

“Then why are you sharing him? You could have him all to yourself, run away together, keep him safe. What are you doing… kissing other mares and letting him do the same to them?”

Those were valid questions, but Starlight didn’t have any easy answers. She could barely look at Trixie just thinking about it.

“Trixie, I don’t know about your dreams, but it’s different for me. Things with me and Chris didn’t start off so well. I didn’t think I deserved to be with him. Like you, the thought of even being touched by him bothered me. That’s why I helped the other girls get with Chris. I figured that the more I could offer him, the less likely he would want to leave me. Even as a friend, I was afraid of losing him.”

Despite all Chris had expressed, parts of Starlight’s past still held its leash tightly on her confidence.

“I kept on pushing for Chris to experience more with the others, hoping to keep him happy enough to never lose interest.” Her unpleasant expression slowly warmed into a smile. “But just like when you and I first became friends, I found common ground with them. I could see the pain of feeling alone. Like they couldn't be accepted and longed to find that acceptance from Chris, just like I did. And since we were already friends at that point, I was happy to share. Not just Chris, but also our experiences, and how excited we got, how he made us feel.”

Thinking back to how well things had turned out in the end, Starlight smiled at Trixie as many warm thoughts returned to her.

“The more confident and happy we make Chris, the more amazing our relationship became, and the sex with each other is well...Wow. That’s part of the reason I had asked if you wanted to join us. As my first real friend, who's always on the road traveling, spending all that time by yourself. I thought you would have appreciated what the girls and I share.”

A lot of thoughts ran through Trixie's mind. Starlight was her best friend still, and there were potentially more benefits of being with Chris.

If the Echoes were gone, stopping the return of Harmony's influence would mean that she and her friend would be free. Plus, Chris did seem like a nice enough guy.

"Starlight, above anything else, I want to make sure that just like me, you’re in charge of your own destiny. I think a big part of that is centered around you being with Chris. And the power you feel from being with him comes from that. I was given that power when I brought all of them here, but I’m afraid of losing the ability of being in control of my life.”

Believing she was getting through to her friend, Starlight approached Trixie and pulled her in for a hug. It was a comforting embrace and Trixie lowered her defenses a little more, hoping she could rely on Starlight for some help.

“There’s so much I want to tell you, but none of it makes any sense. I even took notes, but now it all seems like one big useless nightmare.”

“It’s okay,” Starlight said, trying to comfort her magician friend. “We’ll get this all worked out tonight.”

"You can't be serious," Thunder asked, still trying to make sure Chris wasn't messing with her. "The dirty parts of our bodies we pee out of? Touching or licking was odd enough as it is, but to put them together?"

Chris gave a long sigh as they continued walking, questioning how much he should actually tell her, already regretting just telling her the basics.

"Yes, when the penis becomes erect, it is inserted into the vagina and thrust in and out until the stimulation causes an orgasm. The orgasm is meant to feel pleasurable to both partners, which helps ensure they stay together in the act long enough for the male to orgasm. This results in the release of a white fluid containing sperm cells that merge with an ovary, also known as an egg cell, which then becomes a fetus. The fetus grows until the mother gives birth, which is where the baby is pushed out the vagina—"

"Pushed out!" Thunder yelped, turning positively pale as she twitched slightly in the direction of her own backside. "That's not possible! Have you seen how big a foal is?!"

Annoyed, Chris hung his head, struggling with how much more difficult of a time he was having with Thunder. It was like trying to explain sex to a child… who just so happened to be a full-grown adult.

"Yes, it sounds impossible, and yet, it's true. The body will stretch enough to allow the newborn to pass through, but yes, it's very painful. Even still, the body heals, and everything goes back to normal… though I can't figure out why so many of you don't know any of this."

Of course, Thunder was still mostly in denial. Not that he could exactly blame her, given the salvo of bombs he’d just dropped.

"That… that can't be right. How do you even know that's how rutting is done?"

While only focusing on giving her the basics, since attempting to explain foreplay techniques were beyond her ability to accept or even understand, Chris wasn't going to risk discussing anything further and wanted to wrap everything up.

"Listenl, you can either choose to believe me or not. That's just how it is."

The entire vibe between the two had changed, and Thunder suddenly wondered if she had insulted her ward.

"My apologies, Chris. I don’t mean to be rude. It's just a bit much to believe with words alone."

Nope-Nope-Nope. That was too obvious of a trap, and Chris wasn't going to fall face-first into another mare, neither metaphorically or literally.

"I get it, it's fine… just ask Twilight in private. She'll tell you what's what, and with better details."

While Thunder didn't know Chris like she knew Cerb, there was no reason to believe he was lying to her. And for everything else they knew so much about, why should she doubt him? Although for all the mares Chris was with, that drew some more questions.

"Do any of you plan on having any foals with any of the mares you're with? I imagine if rutting as you say, it's likely Cerberus will court either Fluttershy or Rarity to start a family with."

Well, that one should probably be addressed, though Chris still wanted to be cautious about it.

"No, unfortunately. We can only get other humans pregnant. Sex between humans and ponies will only have the feel-good part of it happen, not the family making part."

He could already hear the follow-up and thought it better to answer her question before she felt worse for asking.

"But even though we can't start our own families like that, it doesn't mean that we don't still want to be together. The sex part just becomes something to be enjoyed with each other. We all accept that this is how it is. For anything else, you might wanna know, ask Twilight."

Again the vibe degraded, making Thunder all the more nervous and apologetic.

"If I offended you, it was not intentional. I do not mean to be so difficult."

Even if he was trying to protect himself, Chris didn't want to give the wrong impression.

"I'm not offended or upset. I just don't think I should be the one to explain this all to you. I'm not in a position above you to teach you that kind of stuff."

Respecting the motion to move away from the topic, Thunder nodded.

"I think I understand what you're saying. So, if we're done with that, do you have any security concerns for the night?"

While there wasn't anything he could think of, the sudden emergence of Ember with Benny from behind the house quickly changed things for Chris.

"Son of a bitch… yes, I do. At no point tonight do I want you to leave my side unless I have Starlight or any of the other girls I'm dating with me."

Thunder gave Chris a puzzled look, then followed his eyes to the dragon princess and found herself perplexed.

"Chris, while I'm happy to assist you like this, I don't believe Princess Ember to be a threat. Our kingdoms have had good relations as of late."

Chris gave no visual cues that he cared about international relations.

"That's fine. I just don't want her getting the wrong idea about me being available for anything other than being friends. I doubt Starlight would take any requests or advances very well."

With all the recent discussions, Thunder started to guess where his concerns truly lay. And immediately, her previous panic returned with a vengeance.

"Oh, shit. We could have a war on our hooves if Starlight obliterated Princess Ember over the right to rut you."

Well, while not entirely wrong, Chris was willing to accept her take on the circumstances as being good enough.

"I'll be civil about it if she tries anything, but thank you."

Upon returning to the house, Ember did a rather poor job of hiding how happy she was to see Chris again.

"Hello again, Chris. I was told you were—"

She noticed, well after the fact, the pony Chris was with wasn't Swift Sails. This other pegasus was also of the Solar Guard but entirely new to her. Thus naturally, it set her suspicions on alert, narrowing her eyes at the potential roadblock, or even potentially, another rival.

"And who is this?"

And just like that, Chris saw his opportunity to be tactfully non-insulting.

"This is Thunder Glide," Chris proudly answered. "She's been assigned to watch over any of us when we're not with our assigned guardians. Speaking of guardians, did you get a chance to meet Starlight? I lucked out with her as my guardian since we started dating recently."

And just like that, Ember looked like a child who just got told that Christmas was canceled. Or Hearth’s Warming since this was Equestria. Or whatever dragons celebrate.

"You're dating a pony, too?"

Thankfully, Benny caught on right away to why Chris ham-fisted that factoid up. He should have known Ember's request to visit his home/embassy was a rather weak reason. However, knowing how Starlight was when it came to protecting Chris, he had to step in.

"Actually, Chris, just like most of us, is dating more than one. Chris actually has six mares he's very attached to.”

Still in earshot, Trixie trotted up to the group with some disappointing news to break.

"Sorry, but Starlight already left. She said something about not wanting to spoil her date tonight a second time?"

While that left Ember standing utterly stunned, Spike ran up, more interested in what he was there for.

"Chris! Can you show us one of the movies where Twilight and us save the world?"

Remembering his manners, he stopped and pointed his thumb claw toward his new dragon companion.

"And this is Smolder. She wants to see it, too."

Now stuck in between appeasing all his guests and keeping his word to Trixie, he wasn’t sure what to do.

"Well, I kind of already promised to show another movie to Trixie. Umm… actually, I can let you watch that on my laptop while we watch ours on the TV."

Spike looked at Chris’s crotch, innocent of course, but the lack of understanding was more than enough to have him believe that’s what Chris was talking about.

“Uh… so, does the movie like… pop out of your lap or-”

“No, Spike,” Chris groaned, being reminded that Spike, in spite of his age, was still practically a child. “My laptop is a small portable computer. Or think of it as a mini-TV that has a built-in movie player.”

There were at least three good jokes Benny wanted to make from that slip-up but thought he might save it for later. Until then, he figured he would kill the time with Chris to help keep his love life safe from the Dragon Lord he barely knew. Having his girls there would make it easier, too.

"Tavi, Vinyl, would you care to watch a movie before we head back?

Before they could answer, Chris was already moving to get things set up.

"We should have just enough time before I start babysitting and you have to go."

While Chris was busy setting up his laptop in the guest room for Spike and Smolder, and Benny gave Trixie a better rundown of the house she would be watching over, Ember had excused herself to "rest and wait on the couch" while they were busy.

Really, she was stewing in her thoughts of disappointment.

"What terrible luck. Why didn't Twilight tell me Chris was already taken? That could have been embarrassing had I… What would I have even asked him anyway? I'm sure dragons have sex the same way humans or ponies do. Wait… We lay eggs? Do we even need to have sex?"

In her own self-reflecting, there was a sad realization that not only did she not understand sex until today, she also didn’t know if or how it even applied to her own biology, much less when combined with a human’s.

"Gah! This is so stupid. Had I known the only three humans that can fight like a dragon were taken, I would have just asked to borrow Peter from Twilight. Sharing seems to already be something normal for them. And it's not like anything would happen from it… How many crumby-zooms do dragons have anyway? No, it was chrome… chrome-uh… Whatever those things are."

Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, she focused on that last issue and gave it a little more thought.

"Hold on. I'm a dragon. I don't gush over guys or do practice dates… Although she did say he helps others learn what they need to find someone better for them. I should find someone to rule with me. I certainly don't want to look like a fool when… Do dragons even have sex? I've never even heard of rutting. Or do only ponies call it that?"

With more time to think about it, she welcomed the movie as a distraction. In fact, after only hearing rumors of what a movie even was as a hatchling, she was looking forward to watching it.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting," Chris said from behind, with the rest of the viewers returning. "So, this movie is called Now You See Me. It’s about human magicians. They can’t do real magic, but you’ll see.”

Smolder, currently sitting on the bed with one eye on the screen in front of her, was trying to figure out exactly what she was looking at.

“So… Twilight wasn’t always an alicorn?”

Of course, Spike did his best to explain what the cartoon was showing, which was a bit surreal given the cartoon was about him.

“No, Twilight was born a normal unicorn, this all happened a little over three years ago. But she was always this crazy about studying and tests. Although… I never heard that conversation between Princess Luna and Princess Celestia about Twilight being tested. I don’t know what she was supposed to be ready for. They never told her much.”

By this point, the show came to a moment Smolder wasn’t especially engaged with, and not even Spike was all too proud of it.

“Heh… yeah… we sing every once in a while. But later on we…"

Much to his surprise, the show transitioned to the end of their trip. Hours and hours of planning and conversations on the train had been completely skipped over.

"Oh… so the movie just jumps up to us at the end of the train ride. It takes a full day to travel to-Woah! Uh—”

Spike scratched his head at the return of King Sombra suddenly on screen. Much like how the cartoon made them all look simpler and a little cuter, this version of Sombra left a lot to the imagination in comparison.

“Uh... King Sombra looks a lot scarier in real life.”

Events a little later into the episode brought a little more criticism from Smolder. So much luggage and whining from one full-grown mare? Not very impressive.

“What happened to Rarity to make her so cool and fight off the Timberwolves compared to this? She seems really girly, even for a pony.”

“Yeah,” Spike groaned, not even trying to defend her. “Her passion for fashion and anything pretty can make her act like that. But, just like Fluttershy, she certainly has changed a lot since she met Cerb."

Since this seemed like a boring part where Spike's friends were busy talking to other ponies she didn’t care about and looking for clues in the show, Smolder took that time to change the conversation to Cerb.

"So, this Cerb guy sounds really cool. Is he like that Benny human?"

That stirred up some less-than-pleasing thoughts, but Spike had to agree.

"Yeah… Cerb is like a gentle giant. He's nice like Sniff and Benny, but when he fights, he's like nothing I've ever seen or heard of. Twilight thinks if he gets mad enough, he might be unstoppable. I don't blame Rarity for falling for him."

For all the ways Smolder could have taken that, she gave it a surprising amount of sympathy. Just the way he had said it, she could tell Spike must have had some feelings for the marshmallow mare. Even if they were misplaced, she saw some real potential in the young drake.

"Cerb may be pretty tough by the stories you told us," she passively suggested. "But he's no dragon. A mare like Rarity probably couldn't handle a drake like you, I bet. Not after your first molting at least."

While it wasn't really her style to be so forward, she wanted to let Spike know that maybe he had his attention focused in the wrong direction.

"You may think like you're more pony than dragon because of how you act, but if you keep kicking butt like you have been, you could have any dragon you wanted. Dragons dig the strong, powerful types."

Was that a flirt? Spike wasn't ready with a proper reaction to this.

"I… I'm going to be training with Cerb and some of his friends. I'm going to get a lot stronger."

He said those words, not knowing where to take the conversation next. He didn't even know if he really even knew this dragoness well enough to have anything more than a crush, though he was starting to like her.

"I also wouldn't know what to do or say. You and Ember are the only two dragons I know that don't mind that I live like a pony. I know you hate it, but it's actually really nice. And I wouldn't be as strong as I am today if not for… all the things you don't like."

It was true that he was the most pony-like dragon she had ever met, actually, the only one she’d ever met, but she could see some of the benefits that came with it.

"It's not all bad, Spike. And I don't hate all of it, either. Sure, all the hearts and bright colors don't look all that cool or intense, but you still turned out alright. Even all the super-strong humans don't seem to mind it or your pony friends. I could probably live with all the stupid songs and fancy dresses if it meant being able to go on all the cool adventures you do."

If this dragoness was into Spike like he was starting to think she was, he could at least try to emulate some of Sniff’s teachings.

"You know, speaking of the fancy dresses, you looked pretty good in yours. And just because it might look cute on you, it doesn't change who you are on the inside. I still think you're way cooler than most ponies I know."

She gave Spike a look that seemed to fight between taking the compliment and trying to be angry about it, but Spike thought he had a smooth enough line to make it work. That or earn himself a punch in the face.

"You shouldn't have to limit yourself to what others think you should be or want. It's important to do what you can to help make those you care about happy, but it shouldn't come at the expense of not allowing yourself to try new things that you also might enjoy. And, personally, for as tough as I think you are, I don't think a dress would do anything other than make you more attractive."

At that compliment, Smolder burst into laughter, rolling onto her back and holding her stomach. She wasn’t even trying to restrain herself.

Spike thought he'd blown it, but when Smolder sat at, she was singing a different tune.

"Wow, Spike. I don’t know if I should hit you for sounding like such a dork or thank you for not making fun of me for looking so ridiculous in pony clothes."

The Dragon Lord and the three ponies were still engrossed in the movie's display of the many metropolitan scenes of the human world. Most shocked was Ember.

"I can't believe how big the cities of your world are. And all of those machines… and are you sure humans can't use hypnosis like that one magician did?"

Benny just shrugged, not giving much thought to the question. It was fake, after all.

“Mentalists like that guy don’t really exist. Usually, when you see people go to sleep like he tells them to, they’re paid actors. As for reading their minds, it’s all about asking enough open questions and looking for the reactions they have, but really it only works on gullible people who want to believe that it’s real. Just keep watching and they’ll explain more of it as the movie goes on.”

As the movie continued, and the dialog between the main characters became more casually inappropriate, Vinyl let her non-filtered thoughts escape.

“Why is that Merrit guy always trying to ask Henley for sex? They’re not even married.”

Just as ignorant, Octavia glared at Vinyl slightly over the inappropriate question.

“I think that’s just a joke, Vinyl. I highly doubt that they imply that humans would want to start a family without making it formal.”

Equally lacking a filter, Trixie spoke to answer the question and hopefully stop the chatter from disrupting the movie. Being a magician herself, she was especially engrossed in the film and didn’t want to miss a second of it.

“Humans can have sex any time they want with whoever they want without the risk of having a foal. Even with ponies. They do it because they enjoy the way it feels. That’s why he’s asking her to have sex with him. It’s just how humans are.”

Upon hearing the confirmation, Ember crossed her arms with a sour expression.

“Stupid lucky ponies.”

That was enough confirmation to make Octavia believe her previous statement wasn’t right after all.

“Well… I guess I was wrong about the joke.”

Now that the cat was out of the bag, Benny knew he had to stay on top of things to stop his situation from devolving into what Chris and Sniff had already embraced.

“The joke is that he wants sex, but she has no interest in him like that. I can explain the rest of the sex stuff to you later. Let’s just finish the movie first.”

While the others were fawning over the movie, Trixie was still trying to figure out what she was supposed to be taking away from it.

"The movie was really good, but how was this supposed to help me with my own performances? You weren't planning on me robbing a bank or fighting… I don't know what our equivalent to FBI agents would be."

Chris lowered the volume and turned to her with a slight smile.

"Forget the plot of the movie for a moment. Just think about their performance. It wasn’t just about them standing on stage and doing a trick for them. They were entertaining their audience even outside of their illusions. They told jokes, got the audience involved, and let them think they would know what the trick is before averting their expectations."

He had another example in mind but couldn't remember the title.

"There’s another movie I can show you that talks about it. The magician does this trick on stage where he makes two doors work like a portal when he walks in one and out the other. It was the greatest trick any audience had ever seen, but the performance of it happens so fast with no build-up that they don't really get anything out of it."

Benny knew what he was talking about but was struggling just as much.

"That was… uh… damn. I own it, too. Whatever, though. It's on my computer so you can show it to her later. In the meantime, I think we need to get out of your hair."

As Benny stood up, he finally remembered something important.

"Oh, yeah. Twilight’s doing a dinner at her place tonight. I know you’re watching the kids for your girls, but when you’re done, they'd like to have all of us there. If you show up late, that's fine. There's also a cocktail party at G and Ohs, but I doubt your girls will be ready by then."

Still, with some mixed feelings, Ember stood up and gave one look at Chris before quickly turning away.

"It would be nice to have you there. If you can make it, I mean."

This was getting awkward again, and Benny wasn't digging it.

"Just try to make it after the dinner is over for drinks and whatever. And, uh… how about you go grab Spike and Smolder for me while we get the car ready."

Benny gave a soft smile to Ember, ready to escort her out.

"Princess, would you like a ride back with us?"

Unexpectedly, Ember turned and started towards the backdoor, unfurling her wings and stretching them out much like one would their arms after waking up in the morning.

"Thanks, but I need to stretch my wings for a bit. If you could take Smolder back with you to the rest of the dignitaries, let them know I'll be there in a bit."

That seemed a bit unexpected, though Chris seemed to take it as a sign of relief and took off for the stairs.

"Well, I'll go grab the other two."

That left Benny with the other mares, though knowing the pending conversation, he didn't feel like staying around Trixie and shouted up to Chris.

"We'll be in the car."

As soon as Benny and his mares were out of the house, Thunder looked at Trixie with a befuddled look.

"When did you learn all of that? About sex, I mean. What more do you know."

Trixie groaned, not wanting to talk about it, knowing full well it would just lead to more confusion and drawn-out explanations she simply didn’t have the patience for. Not to mention it still disgusted her.

"Uck, more than I want to know. And no, I'm not interested, or is there something else you want to know?”

For a moment, Thunder was even more curious, tempted to explore the matter further. Yet, like the flicker of a candle, her reasons instantly vanished when she thought of how to apply them.

"Nnn… no… I suppose not."

The rumbling of dragon feet clamored down the steps with two excited friends. One being Smolder, sharing her praise for Spike.

"I still can't believe you took that jump. That King Sombra guy really must have looked wicked scary with all those dark crystals he tried to kill you with. What did they taste like?"

Spike laughed as he hit the final step, puffing out his chest with a hint of pride.

"No idea. Never thought to try."

Not wanting to keep Benny waiting, he made a sharp turn and headed for the garage with Smolder close behind.

"Thanks again, Chris! We'll have to hang out sometime!"

As the car took off and the last of the room fell silent, Chris turned to Trixie and Thunder to make a request.

"Before the kids get here, I want to make one thing clear."

Both mares looked at Chris, surprised at how serious he sounded.

"Sex isn't something we talk about openly. If you want to talk about it in private, that's fine. If you have questions about it, you can ask me or one of the others discreetly. Also, don't mention it around foals. They're not old enough to be mentally or emotionally ready for it."

He was about to be done, but remembered Ember's reaction towards him and how passive these two seemed to be about it; how almost every pony seemed to be so overly passive about sex.

"The kids will be here soon. I'm gonna be upstairs for a minute."

After a not-so-exciting day of studying rocks and crystal formations, the class was promptly ushered out. Not even the teacher chose to stay behind. She even insisted on walking Button Mash home, which was fine, though still unusual, especially for Button Mash.

"I'm not in trouble, am I, Miss Cheerilee?" He nervously asked. "Because if this is about my bubblegum mysteriously ending up somepony's tail-"

"Button!" Cheerilee said, raising her voice before quickly calming herself. "You are not in trouble. I'm just walking you home so I can meet up with your mother. We have plans this evening, nothing that will stop you from going to see Chris again tonight. So, how about you keep how somepony's gum, which may or may not have been yours, ending up in Silver Spoon's tail a mystery."

For the love of Celestia, Cheerilee did not want to have to discipline him and screw up her plans for this evening. She just had to shut him up or find another topic he could focus on.

"I liked your suggestions for Chris, by the way. I'm sure they are wonderful ideas your mother and Chris would enjoy."

Button's eyes lit up, energizing more with every step, even the propeller on his beanies was spinning with excitement.

"You know about their date?"

From not far behind, Cream Heart's voice joined the conversation.

"She most certainly does."

Button and Cheerilee looked over their shoulders to see Cream trotting up behind them with two saddlebags full of groceries.

"And thank you for walking Button home. By the way, Starlight stopped over this morning, the poor thing was… Well, I'll tell you about the juicy details later, but she mentioned that I need to have a little talk about our collective arrangement before we send Button off."

They reached Cream's house with Button kindly holding the door open for both of them. After they all stepped in, Button ran straight for his room.

"I'm going to get ready for the movie with Chris, mom!"

Recognizing his behavior and rush to get away, Cream figured she knew what was happening and giggled as she turned to Cheerilee.

"What'd he do this time?"

Cheerilee giggled, though with a bit more of a sigh, given how often she’d had to put up with the young foal's antics.

"He may or may not have been trying to make his bubblegum float like a hot air balloon, which may or may not have burst over Silver Spoon’s tail today."

Cream stopped shy of grabbing a box of pasta to sigh, but ended up laughing instead.

"That foal, I swear. How much trouble is he in?"

Still unloading more of the groceries, Cheerilee smiled, not looking the least concerned about it.

"I haven't asked, and Silver Spoon hasn't said anything, so as of right now it's not worth bringing up." Her smile grew a little wider. "Besides, he has been a lot more attentive to my lessons since he started to worry about getting caught… if he may have been responsible and was worried about being grounded tonight."

Realizing the teacher's intentions, Cream gave a grateful smile and turned to shut the fridge. While she was happy to be with Cheerilee, she was still on the fence over the night's plans.

"Well, I would hate for him to miss out on spending time with Chris tonight. That would certainly put a damper on the date. But Berry Punch will be here soon, so I'd like you to stay close while I talk to Button."

Her smile softened a little, feeling some of her worry starting to weigh down on her.

"Thankfully, he likes you and the rest of the girls that he's met. So… hooves crossed this goes well."

She turned towards Button's room and called out.

"Button! Could you come down here, please? I need to talk to you before you leave with your friends and Berry Punch!"

From behind his closed door, Button shouted back over what sounded like his usual video games.

"Is this about the bubblegum?"

Cream facehoofed, disappointment running deep at his response before doubling down on her request.

"If you don't get down here right this instant, I'll make it about the bubblegum!"

With that proposal made, Button was standing in front of his mother and teacher lickitysplit. The bright smile on his face reeked of guilt as he stood there but did nothing to calm Cream's concerns.

"Button, dear. Do you really like Chris?"

The sudden shift in topic made it finally dawn on Button that he wasn't in trouble and this was a serious conversation he was about to have.

"Uh… yeah. Why?"

This wasn’t going to be an easy conversation, so Cream picked Button up and set him on the countertop to keep it more personal.

"Well, I told you that I really like Chris and that we had a wonderful evening together, but… sweetie, this is going to be hard for me to explain but… If things with Chris go the way I would like them to, we might have a much bigger family, and I want to know how you feel about it before I go on my date tonight."

As expected, after that conflicting setup, Button was thoroughly confused.

"But how are you going to go on another date with Chris if he's watching me and the other foals tonight?"

And now to drop the truth bomb.

"Button, dear. I know it's been hard since we lost your father. It's been very hard on me as well. It's been very hard on a few others like Derpy and Prim Posy."

While the sad truth of losing his father still hurt, he didn't understand why the other moms were being brought up.

"I still miss him too mom. But what does that have to do with Cotton Cloudy and Dinky's moms? Does it have something to do with them also going to see Chris tonight?"

Cream cozied up a little closer to Cheerilee and tried to keep a strong front despite knowing what lay ahead.

"It does. You see, while no pony could ever replace your father, there aren't many stallions around, so it's hard to find somepony to fill that hole in our hearts. So few that their mothers, along with Cheerilee, Nurse Redheart, and Starlight Glimmer realized that mares like us need more than just a stallion in our life to share our love with."

Button gave the most perplexed look he could express, even the blades of his propeller curved like a question mark.

"Wha?"

It was time to be a little more frank about her plans for the night, but with a gentle touch.

“What I’m trying to say is that Chris is very popular and attractive. I wasn’t the first or only mare to get close to Chris. Fortunately, all the other mares that like Chris as much as I do became friends. We all decided to stay close while trying to help Chris figure out who he would want to be with. But in the end, we all liked being with each other so much that we decided to try something new and all love each other instead of letting any of us be sad or lonely anymore.”

Despite the soft approach, Button still couldn’t understand what he was being told. Not that Cream could exactly blame him.

“So… is Chris going to fall in love with somepony else and not date you anymore? You’re the best, mom. I don’t want to see Chris again if he doesn’t know that.”

Okay, so the softer approach wasn’t getting the point across, and Cheerilee stepped in to try and help straighten things out.

“That’s not the case at all, Button. What your mother is trying to say is that her and I, along with Prim, Starlight, Redheart, and Derpy all ended up falling in love with each other while falling in love with Chris. So, instead of only one of us dating him, we all decided to date him as well as each other at the same time.”

Judging by Button’s reaction, reminded the pair of one of his video game characters glitching, Cream could tell that being blunt was what he needed to hear and decided to do just the same.

“I know it sounds strange, but while you’re spending time with Chris tonight and getting to know Cotton Cloudy and Dinky better, Miss Cheerilee and I will be having our first date with each other.”

In a near cartoon-like fashion, Button shook his head to the point his eyes rolled around in his head when he stopped.

“You’re going to date my teacher?! Mom! I can’t have my teacher as another mom! She’d give me homework even after school’s over.”

After his initial knee-jerk reaction of a response, some childlike logic suddenly stepped in to show some silver lining.

“Wait? If you’re going to be my other mom, is that why I’m not in trouble about the bubble gum?”

Both mares facehoofed in unison, but Cream decided to roll with it after composing herself.

“Cheerilee and I being with each other while being with Chris, doesn’t mean you can get away with acting up in school or leaving your gum in Silver Spoon’s tail. But… if it helps you to not get too worked up over this, we’ll let what you may or may not have done go for now. We know this will take some getting used to, but we want you to know that what we’re doing won’t change how we feel about each other, and I’m always going to love you just as much. We~ just might have some more mommies and sisters to share our love with. Can you be a big boy for me and give this a try while we do our best to make this work for all of us? Because Starlight, Nurse Redheart, and the other moms are looking forward to being one big happy family.”

Regardless of this sounding so bizarre that it could only happen in one of his comics or video games, Button thought about what was being offered.

One big happy family with Chris and five other mares and their two daughters? He was sure Chris was going to be special someponies with his mom, and then he would have a father again. But to have five more moms? Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

Then there were Cotton Cloudy and Dinky. Sure, they were cool and fun to be around, but sisters? He’d never had one before, let alone two. Heck, he hardly ever saw his brother anymore.

Actually, going back to the other mares, Prim and Derpy could fly him around if he asked them nicely. That could be fun. Plus, Nurse Redheart could be there for him every time he got hurt, which was more often than he cared to admit.

Then the final whammy hit. Starlight was a reformed supervillainess that lived and trained with the Princess. Not only was she super powerful and cool, but she was also probably involved in secret royal spy stuff! This was going to be the coolest family ever!

However… his mom was going on a date with another mare? Was that worth the benefits? Sadly, there was only one way to find out.

“I… guess I’ll give it a try, mom… Miss Cheerilee… or do I call you mom number two? How does this work? It’s still really weird.”

Feeling surprisingly warmed by the acceptance, Cheerilee tempted crossing his comfort levels and stepped up to give Button a motherly hug.

“I’m still just your teacher right now, Button. So, just Cheerilee is fine when we’re not at school. And since you’ve been so nice, let’s just say that your gum ending up in Silver Spoon’s tail was a harmless accident with no reason for detention.”

Suddenly, it felt good to have a teacher as a second mom, and Button hugged her back.

“Okay, Cheerilee. And are you going to date Chris too?”

Cheerilee pulled out of the hug and let Cream give Button a kiss on the cheek before setting him back on the floor so she could answer him.

“Chris and I have spent some time together while with your mother and the other girls, but we decided to have a date with each other before setting up my date with him. So, after tonight, we’ll see when that will happen. Though I’m sure there will be nights where it will be more than just one of us going out with Chris or each other at the same time.”

That was still odd to hear, but Button looked up to her and did his best not to dwell on it.

“Oh… kay. Well, I guess I hope he likes you, too.”

In spite of a few hiccups, this had gone smoother than Cream had hoped for and was getting caught up in the moment as she turned to Cheerilee.

“Oh, I think he already does, sweetie. Just like I do.”

Perhaps too caught up in the moment, Cream raised a hoof to turn Cheerilee’s face towards hers and gave her a gentle smooch on the cheek.

“Thanks for helping me explain things.”

Unfortunately, the tender moment was ruined by Button gagging and groaning like had a brain freeze from sucking down a milkshake too fast. His tantrum came complete with him flopping around on the floor and spinning in circles.

“Ahh! Ahh! Gnah! My mom just kissed the teacher! Ahhhhh!”

Cheerilee looked down at the sad spectacle while Cream slowly facehoofed. This was going to be a much rougher experience than she had expected.

“Hey, mom,” Button spoke up, sounding completely back to normal. “You were right. I did lose my twenty-sided, glow-in-the-dark dye in the kitchen. It’s right here under the stove. Wow! This having more than one mom deal is already working out for me.”

Or maybe Button was going to be just as difficult to deal with as normal.

Berry Punch had arrived with the other three foals gathered with an unexpected guest. Onyx had tagged along and tried to calm Cream and her date.

"There’s nothing to worry about. I'm just here to escort Miss Punch to the embassy. After our training session, Chris got himself ready to prepare for the evening and asked me to show her how to get there.”

While the adults made idle chit-chat, the foals were having their own discussion.

"So," Button was putting together what the others had tried not to say. "We might be brothers and sisters someday?"

Dinky, in all her childlike wonder, celebrated it.

"I never had a brother or sister before. Are we going to share a room and toys?"

Cloudy, meanwhile, seemed conflicted and far less enthused by the idea. Not against all of it, granted, but still on the fence.

"I wouldn't mind having a brother or a sister, but Starlight was over at my house when I got home and-"

The young filly shuttered. Her whole appearance was something comical, but only because of her inadequacy of expressing her thoughts any other way. Like she had stared into the abyss, but instead of seeing darkness, it was Starlight and her mother both in wedding gowns made of balloons while they were kissing at an upsidedown altar.

"My mom was getting all close and rubbing cheeks with her. Moms aren't supposed to do that."

To be fair, Button had acted far worse earlier, but he seemed to have gotten over it by this point.

"Yeah, my mom gave Miss Cheerilee a kiss right in front of me."

Not thinking the conversation had any negative connotations and being the most innocent of the group, Dinky shared what she experienced.

"My mom picked me up from school and took me over to Nurse Redheart's house first and told me how happy she was to be with her and how Chris loved all of them. She even said they all kissed each other. It's gotta be true love."

That whole time, Pina Colada had been listening to them, but didn't have the heart to tell Dinky how that only happened in fairy tales.

"Yeah, I agree with Cloudy. Moms don't normally kiss other moms… or mares… or the same stallion. I bet it would have been different if my sister went on a date with him."

The three others looked at Pina Colada cock-eyed as she gloated.

"I'm just saying. My big sis is pretty much the best mare out there."

What could have turned into a childish spat was thankfully interrupted by Onyx.

"Alright, ya little runts. Fall in line. We're going on a little hike."

The sudden order put Button on edge, so Berry stepped up next to remind him of who he was dealing with.

"Need I remind you how old these foals are, Onyx?"

Before Onyx could muster his bravado, Button ripped it away with one glaring observation.

"What happened to your face? Why’s it all bumpy on the left side?"

Hoping to save the battered stallion some self-esteem, Berry nudged the guard to lead the way.

"That's not a very nice thing to say, Button."

Of course, Pina Colada, lacking the same filter, rebutted her sister.

"But sis, you asked him the same thing when he came to our house."

Getting only a small head start, Onyx continued on but called out to the foals, hoping to capture their attention. After all, while he had been rattled from his time on the mat with Chris, he was proud of the marks he wore.

"I bet you didn’t know that humans are probably the best fighters in the world. My face is like this because I boxed with Chris today."

The response he was hoping for started with Button.

"Chris is a boxer?" Button shouted with excitement, then realized what all those bumps and swelling implied and ran up to the guard’s side. "You really fought him? How good is he?"

Sadly, Onyx wasn't the best with foals. Being so work-driven, he merely lacked the experience. However, over the years, he figured he'd seen enough and could pull off some of the mannerisms and leaned down with a campfire storyteller’s voice.

"Do you really wanna know?"

He must have learned enough because it quickly caught the attention of the three other fillies, who rushed to hear the tale.

With the busy hours over and the deliveries made, Ovens had fallen back to an old pastime of trying to put together some new recipes. Getting closer to Top Shelf again with Sniff had really reinvigorated her creative side.

"Okay, so these bread bowls are good, but what seasons can I add to really make them special?"

Just when she ruled cumin out of her next experiment, the door opened up to a face she was happy to see.

"Peter!" She happily called his name as she ran out to welcome him.

After the long day, she was really looking forward to seeing him again. In fact, she was so excited to have him back that she kept up, throwing her forelegs around his neck, and was searching for his tongue before she detected the faint lingering scent of Twilight on his lips.

"Mmmph," she moaned deeply into his lips before pulling back with a lustful look in her eyes. "You've been a busy boy today. Is Twilight still up and walking around?"

From just behind Sniff, a cheerfully cute voice answered the question for him.

"The princess is just fine," Swifty's voice came clearly as she stepped inside, not even batting an eye at the baker. "We saw her out of the castle to look for Pinkie."

Swifty found a spot to rest her halberd and looked around the bakery, not giving the world around her much concern.

"The mayor looked a little tired this morning though, after her meeting with Peter, but it was a happy kind of tired."

Sniff brought his hands up and finally supported Ovens by holding her butt as he grinned.

"Something, something, Mayor's desk. Something, something, hand joke, and lip service pun… Also, Twilight says she owes me, though she doesn't want me limiting myself. I'm not sure if that meant just for a day, but she'd like you back tonight with the two of us tonight."

All of that sounded wonderful to Ovens, aside from one pending issue.

"Oh? Well then, I'll be happy to join you both tonight, but I can't do too much until after dinner. Twilight invited me."

Even though she very much wanted to chance a helping hand in the kitchen, since a good rutting was still out of the question, she decided to walk the edge by nudging Sniff’s crotch with her tail. With his pants in the way, the act itself was stimulating, though not enough to break her will. Just something to keep things exciting while playing with him.

"I'm making the bread for tonight's dinner, so I can't exactly do all those wonderful things with you until after that’s over, even though I want to so badly after leaving you with Twilight this morning. And it sounds like even Mayor Mare-” She remembered that Swifty was still with them and stopped herself from saying too much. “Well… you’ll have to tell me how the punch line to those jokes and puns you mentioned went.”

This was the fourth time today something had been started with Sniff with no means for a release of his own. Twilight wasn’t ready and appreciated him taking things slow, Mayor wasn't ready either, or even clued in, and now Ovens managed to find the willpower to hold off on doing anything until after her work and social obligations were taken care of. So, even if he did get off twice yesterday, this was a brand new day with all new challenges and temptations.

Letting Twilight ride his lap was an erotic experience, and fooling around in the shower had left him open to pushing some limits with Ovens to hold himself off, but now that wasn’t going to happen.

Well, maybe there was a chance for something since even Ovens was growing weaker by the second. Feeling his fingers holding her rump, drawing closer to her heated divide, his scent growing stronger, she couldn't help but move in to kiss him again. So, whatever happens, she’d evaluate it as it came.

As it was happening, it felt like both were giving in and waiting for one or the other to make the next move. Kissing and feeling over each other, never making that final push to either remove his clothing or enter her; they were so involved with tempting each other that it wasn’t until the second voice in the room pulled them out of their entanglement, making them both freeze.

“I guess I am back a bit earlier than you probably expected,” Lyra’s voice spoke out clearly, her surprise apparent to anyone listening. “I gotta say, that’s a pretty unique way to kiss. I don’t think I’ve seen two ponies do it like that.”

As Lyra shut the door behind her, the rich scent of clovers hit her with greater potency than usual, though it came with another fragrance that was sweeter, a little tart, but just as tantalizing to the senses. There was something about it that seemed to brighten her mood and make her heart beat a little faster.

Thankfully she was able to repress it and focus on the reason she was here.

“I spoke with Celestia, and she agrees that Peter and the rest of his friends should attend the summit. I’m sure the rest of the ponies with them will be invited as well, but I’m sure I can get them in if there are any mix-ups.”

She stepped up closer, catching a stronger dose of the unfamiliar scent in the air.

“Are you baking something new, Ovens? Whatever it is, it smells amazing.”

After standing by and trying not to gawk at Sniff and Ovens getting intimately close, Swifty took a moment to finally examine the same aroma she’d been trying to ignore. The first layer that filled the room was Sniff; she knew that much. However, whatever this other scent was, it wasn’t new to her. It wasn’t Sniff, though he constantly seemed to have it on him. So did Twilight, actually. In fact, it was there that morning after Sniff left the mayor’s office, though all three times there were noticeable differences that made this lovely new scent unique as the mares themselves.

Wait… That was it! That had to be it. They were all stronger versions of each mare’s natural scent with something like that of the humans. It wasn’t as potent, obviously, but even still, there was something welcoming and lovely about it.

However, this new discovery was a bit too far out there to openly admit or even question aloud. She would stand back and observe for now.

Sadly for Sniff, he again had his ambitions squashed as soon as he helped Ovens back to the floor. At the same time, he figured it was for the best. Unlike Ovens, who was angry at herself for letting things go that far, but at least could look forward that dinner would end sooner rather than later.

Still, with the scent of clovers that rich and sea salt leaving that antagonizing burn, she knew Sniff must have been really wanting it. However, with Lyra here, she thought she could help the two of them while keeping her own inhibitions under control.

“Peter, I wish we had more time together, especially now. But, at the same time, I know I’ve been hogging you the most. Keeping that in mind, I wanted to invite Lyra out with us this evening, but she came back sooner than I thought she would, and she could really use a friend right now.”

With this new arrangement set in motion, Ovens returned behind the counter, failing to hold off an ear twitch; she made a proposal she was sure both would enjoy.

"Much like Mayor, Topsy, and the other girls, Lyra could really use a little more love in her life, but she's also a little shy. So, maybe you two could get to know each other a little better before I close up for the night. Dinner is at eight tonight, but we can meet up at Grapes and Olives for drinks at say… six-thirty? Give us some time together before the other guests show up?”

Sniff looked down at Lyra, not expecting to pick up another date so soon, though that did make it a little odd that he already planned on seeing Top Shelf that night. Although, he at least knew Lyra and enjoyed her company since their talk during her spa session. She also didn’t seem to be forward enough that he had to worry about doing anything he was sure Twilight or Ovens would encourage him to do.

“My favorite stalker is shy?" He joked. "That doesn’t sound right.”

Lyra gave a slight chuckle, though she still felt like she didn’t deserve the kindness being offered.

“I only followed you once. That hardly counts as being a stalker”

Despite the attempt at the joke, there was something in Lyra’s voice that told Sniff something was going on. If he was going to help her out, this wasn't the place for it.

"You just need some more time on the clock, then. Come on, let's find someplace private for you to creep on me."

For Swifty, she was becoming rather accustomed to Sniff’s ways. They were cute, and seeing how the girls were with him, she wanted to see more and just so happened to know of a good place for it.

“Miss Heartstrings, Peter, I think I know just the place where we won't be bothered.

After borrowing a pair of shorts from Cerb's room, Sniff stepped into the hot tub with his personal guard and newest mare added to his roster of dates/and potential fuck buddies.

"Swifty, this was a great idea."

Lyra had no idea that the castle had a hot tub, let alone one this big. It might as well have been a pool, or was that the intent behind its design to begin with?

The edges still needed some work to make them level but overall it was still relaxing. Although, one thing did make this pre-practice date with Sniff a little stranger than she even agreed to. The way Sniff and Swifty were together, it wasn't clear if they were friends or if there was something more between them.

“So," Sniff spoke up, ready to find his groove with this friendly mint unicorn. "You don't mind that Swifty sticks around with us, do you? You keep looking over to make sure she's still there."

Lyra glanced over to the guard lounging, belly down in an out-of-place inner tube. Since this wasn't actually a date for them at the moment, it didn't seem to be a problem. Granted, at the same time, she'd been there while getting her massage, so having her around again likely wouldn't make it an issue even if the date had started.

"No. She's fine, but why does she follow you around all the time? She's more of a stalker than I ever was."

Clearly, that was a joke, and Sniff had to laugh a little at the wary eye Swifty made in return as she continued to haplessly float along.

"No, no. After the events in the Everfree Forest, there was reason to believe that my friends and I could still be in danger from some old rivals of the princesses. So, until we get the all-clear, we're keeping at least one of our guardians or one elite guard with us."

After remembering the stalker comment made at the bakery and realizing it must have been some inside joke between the two, Swifty had closed her eyes and gone back to relaxing. Though she thought she could add a little more lucidity to the situation.

"Peter and I have gotten along really well since before the Timberwolves attacked. He even asked for my help to watch over him before that as well. After proving myself during the rescue efforts to extract Cerb, I guess Princess Twilight trusted me enough to watch over Peter when she and Oven Fresh couldn't be with him."

Despite the truth behind these words, there was a little more, obviously, but she didn't need to divulge everything. Especially since there was more she still needed to discuss with Twilight. For now, though, it was best to stick to the basics.

"So, whenever Peter has business to attend to, or goes out to visit another mare he's dating, I tag along and make sure there's no interruptions or threats allowed to get close to him."

As Swfity returned to her relaxed drifting, it was becoming more clear to Lyra that these humans couldn't be any less of a threat. If they needed protection around the clock, then she had to know more if she was going to convince Celestia to believe the same.

So, given her new position, both with her occupation as well as her physical location right next to him, that left only one topic to ask. Namely, regarding his many relationships.

"Just who else are you dating out in town?"

"Out in town?" Sniff asked, deciding to take it literally as any mare, not in the castle. If she knew about Ovens, she had to know about Twilight.

"I… Well, really, I've only been on an actual date with Ovens so far. I've been getting to know Mayor Mare and Top Shelf better since last night. I also have a lunch date with Lilly, Daisy, and Roseluck tomorrow, and still have yet to work anything out with Amethyst Star and Spring Forward. They might not want to actually do this shared dating thing Ovens invited you into. I told them that if all they wanted was some advice and dating tips, I could just help them that way."

It really was an odd arrangement he had with all of them, but now he didn't know what Lyra was looking for, whose expression was difficult to read given the recent revelation.

"I'm guessing you didn't know all that? Does that bother you, or were you looking for anything in particular with me?"

Lyra didn’t respond immediately, quietly drawing a circle in the water as she tried to process this new information.

That was a lot of ponies for one stallion to be dating. All of them were mares she knew and got along with. Many she'd even worked or volunteered with. Perhaps sharing Peter could lead to others she could branch out to and not have to rely on Bon Bon so much. It seemed to be working well with Starlight after sharing Chris. And after reading about that mare’s profile, it must have worked extraordinarily well.

"No, I didn't know who all you were involved with, and I don’t think it will bother me."

Her voice, while mostly chipper, still gave off some mixed tones of sadness. In some ways, she was still trying to figure out what she wanted.

"As for what I'm looking for? I… I'm not sure. I want to keep helping you, get to know you more, and… Would you really let me have you in all the same ways Oven Fresh does?"

That was the offer, but having never dated before, only hearing of others' experiences, what she saw with Sniff was already outside of her limited knowledge.

"She said I could, though I had only thought about your massages. I'd never seen the kind of kissing you two do together."

Sniff listened carefully to what she was saying. In some ways, she sounded a bit like Twilight had when they spoke about being physical together. She wasn’t pushy or presumptive, asked questions in a respectful manner, and was ignorant of what physical types of intimacy were acceptable. It made him a lot more comfortable around her. At least enough that he could be a little more open and forward with her.

"I'd like to get to know you more as well, and I'll certainly welcome the help. As for having me in all the ways that Ovens does, we can work up to that if it's something you'd like to do, but that will progress with getting to know each other more and what you’re going to be comfortable with."

The thought of kissing Sniff sounded nice, but that was based mostly on her experiences with his touch. Right now, that's what she wanted. Actually, the way that she saw him holding Ovens earlier looked tempting. She just hoped that wasn't asking for too much.

"Could… you hold me like you did Ovens earlier?"

That didn't seem like too tall of an order, though that would have her on his lap. Lots of room for things to get carried away if he wasn't careful. Although maybe that's what he was hoping for, given how his mental state left him agreeable to his temptations.

"I suppose I don't mind that. As long as you’re okay with it."

This was a big step for Lyra. While she was typically more confident and perky, she'd never been romantic. There was also the lingering awkwardness of Sniff already being with the other mares and his bodyguard watching. Even if she had said it wouldn't bother her, it still was something that needed getting used to.

Of course, all of those negative feelings went away as soon as Sniff’s helping hands assisted with her mounting his lap and guiding her forelegs around his neck. There was so much more of him to feel against her when he held her like this. The bare skin of his legs touching her inner thighs, his chest against hers, then his hands holding her by her flanks.

It was no wonder Ovens was kissing him so deeply and had him hold her like this. Everything felt so real and wonderful. After the terrible week she had with Bon Bon, it actually made the distance put between them feel worse.

"Does it always feel like this?" She quietly asked, eyes still drifting towards their reflection in the water.

Given all the positive experiences with mares, the subtle sadness Sniff heard in her voice changed his priorities. Even if he didn't know Lyra all that well, he'd never heard her sound like this. Now he had to do some digging.

"It only gets better from what I've seen. Is there something going on you wanna talk about? A girl like you shouldn’t sound so sad when you’re trying to relax.”

While floating not too far away, Swifty opened her eyes to watch what Sniff was doing. There was no cause for alarm, but for all the talks of dating and unusual moans she heard from the mayor’s office, she still didn’t really know what all he was doing with these mares.

Watching him with Ovens jump up and kiss him the same way she did at the Post-War-Party Party could have been a clue, but this wasn’t strictly physical. He was consoling her and offering help on a personal level.

It shouldn’t have surprised her but it certainly intrigued her curiosity to see what else had the other mares so wrapped up around him. It had to be something amazing judging by how Lyra held her hooves around him and looked to be leaving herself so vulnerable, yet relaxed, if not discretely clinging to him.

“How can you care so much?” Lyra softly asked, feeling guilty for accepting his affection. “Ovens told me that you probably won’t be here for long and can’t have a family with any of us… yet you’re willing to treat us like we could. Being with a human shouldn’t be a problem for us, even if we’re meant to be with stallions.”

She clung a little tighter as her misty eyes began to well up. Her first thoughts about humans had come from such a gross position of misunderstanding, and she was still spying on them, potentially leading them to their downfall. Yet, she was being offered something that made her feel selfish for accepting when she was so undeserving. Then again, if this worked, maybe proving how compassionate and loving humans could be would be their salvation.

Yet… all she could do was dump her emotional baggage on him.

“But it’s so hard for us to find a stallion. Ovens told me that if me and you don’t work out together, you could help me find a stallion of my own, maybe even another mare if that’s what I wanted. I… never had a stallion, and we’re not supposed to want to be with another mare even if that's all we have… but this feels so right to be like this with you. I don’t know what I want anymore, but I hate feeling so trapped and isolated by everypony.”

While this wasn’t as bad as Twilight’s breakdown, Sniff could tell Lyra needed some guidance and her confidence restored.

Trying to comfort her by rubbing up and down her back, he started to see what she’d done and where he could pick up.

“What about your friend Bon Bon? Have you tried talking to her about any of this? I want to help you either way, but you shouldn’t feel isolated if you have such a good friend like her.”

Sadly, Lyra couldn’t tell him the full truth. Bon Bon was overwhelmingly the source of her problems. Perhaps there was enough she could say without making him pry.

“Bon Bon and I aren’t as close as I thought we were. I don’t think she could understand—”

She hadn’t thought her words through and stopped short of admitting something that she only now realized. Right there and then, holding him in the water like she was, she made up her mind without even thinking about it.

“I do want this, Peter. Even if I can’t have you all to myself, I want more of this. Everything Ovens said I could have with you, everything she has. I’ve never seen her so happy, or the mayor, Top Shelf, all of them.”

She readjusted herself to sit a little higher on his lap and felt something she hadn’t expected. It gave her a jolt that was better than anything his massage had given. It took a moment for her to realize where that jolt had come from and where she must have brushed up against Sniff to bring about that feeling. That horrific realization had her slide back, but Sniff pulled her into that same position.

“It’s okay,” Sniff whispered in her ear. “If you want what she has, you can stay with me like this for as long as you like. If it’s your first time feeling like this, don’t feel embarrassed by it. We can go slow at first.”

He gently squeezed her rump and pulled her up a little more to grind his hard-on through the thin fabric against her. Like it or not, he was too horny not to enjoy himself and help her explore this portion of their future intimacy. After all, if Ovens had personally picked her out and welcomed her into the fold, it was going to happen sooner or later.

“How much has Ovens told you about what all we can do to make you feel like this?”

Lyra didn’t know what was happening, but it was the best feeling she ever experienced. She was told that he could do better than what a massage could offer. Was this it? If so, what was making it feel so good?

“Not much,” She whispered, under some heavy breathing. “She told me you need somepony to share close physical affection with.”

As the treatment continued, she gave a long quiet moan as his hands massaged over her rump and drew closer between the space normally covered by her tail, which was lifting on its own for him.

“Is… this what—” She broke from her what she was saying with an airy gasp and nuzzled in closer under his neck. “If this is what you need another special somepony for—”

She felt her body start to move on its own and continue to grind on the stiff section of anatomy pressed between her legs. “-please let me help you. I want to do more to help you, and I can’t feel bad when you’re doing this to me.”

Well, Sniff had taken things too far to simply stop now but again found himself treating a mare to something she didn’t understand. At the same time, she sounded like she really needed this.

“I owe you a lot still for all the help you’ve given me and my friends. So, how about we stay like this for a little longer before we have another chat with Ovens over some drinks?”

Under the covers on the oversized bed, Kelly opened her eyes to the sight of Luna smiling at her. Both were still holding onto one another, though it was clear that Luna had been awake for at least a while.

“Tis about time you have woken, my lovely companion. I have been eagerly awaiting your company to join me, and might I add, tis unusual for me to sleep in as such, but I simply could not pull myself away from you.”

Kelly slowly started to stretch her arms further around Luna as she drew in a deep breath and welcomed her princess into the new day.

“Mmm, thank you for letting me sleep in, and we can stay like this for a little longer if you like.”

In a rush of giddy affection, Luna pulled Kelly against her, wrapped all her legs and wings around the sleepy human, then rolled onto her back. She held her new lover against her, laying chest to chest and face to face, blanketing the waking lady with her wings and feeling over as much of the uncovered skin as she could while she kissed her lover through their shared giggles.

“Hmhmm, tis the least I can do for sharing such a wonderful introduction to a new day with you, my dear. And for you, I will gladly waste the day away. So long as I may hold you near, that is.”

Since Luna had returned not long after her departure, they had wasted no time exploring each other’s desires. It had turned out to be better than expected for both of them, though Kelly sadly wasn’t as excited upon waking as her lovely mare appeared to be.

Not that it wasn’t adorable, but Kelly didn’t know how much she would be up for, given how she still had to check up on Big Mac.

Well, she wasn’t exactly ready to get out of bed either, and she couldn’t find it in herself to say no to a little more time with Luna.

“Last night certainly was amazing. God knows I needed what your tongue can do.”

Luna grinned and stroked her fetlocks over Kelly’s ass, remembering the thrill of discovering all the new places she had been invited to become more acquainted with. Not only her partner’s, but all the new experiences Kelly had treated her to as well.

“The day is still bright and lively, yet the dawn is so far away. Might I be so bold as to devour you once more? Of course, I would love nothing more than to have you savor me as well, but I would not want to leave you unsatisfied before taking on my duties.”

The Mistress of the Moon batted her eyes and giggled with an overjoyed smile. “Though, if it is alright with you, I would like to consider a repeat of last night’s embraces as my personal duty to serve you with from here on out.”

As...tempting as that sounded, this was too much for Kelly to handle without giving in. Although regardless of how skilled Luna had proven herself to be, she knew she couldn’t leave their stallion out of the loop. That would require giving Luna a not-so-subtle reminder of their agreement. A reminder given with an incentive to encourage her compliance, of course.

“I think I can see myself returning to your bed tonight, but I would like Mac to join us as well.”

She pushed herself up and slid down to her knees between Luna’s legs. The warm blanket and soft sheets fell away from Kelly, revealing her nude form that stood only long enough to straddle over her mare.

Thinking she could have a little fun herself, she sat herself down with Luna’s back left leg behind her, and Luna’s right to her front. This hadn’t been attempted previously with each other, but some scissoring would be a welcomed start to her mare's day.

From Luna’s point of view, there was no reason to question any of Kelly’s actions. Everything had been a divine experience, so whatever Kelly was about to do, Luna needed only to trust her and wait for instructions if they were needed. However, it was unlikely that instructions were going to be required as soon as she felt Kelly’s pussy press into hers.

She was wet, far more than Kelly was. Of course, she had been awake for longer than she would likely admit, waiting for Kelly to rise from her slumber, but spent the entire time fantasizing over their many lustful acts. Feeling each other’s labias mashing and grinding their clits against each other had not crossed her mind, though the feeling left her gasping too intensely to beg for more.

Even Kelly was becoming vocal after really getting into her groove.

“God, do I love how your pussy feels, Luna.”

She was getting carried away and needed to hear Luna agree to her demands. After that, she’d try not to wear her out before getting her own from the princess. In the meantime, Kelly slowed her pace and started to pull away, barely letting their vulvas kiss over their slick inner flesh.

“Now, are you gonna be a good girl and invite Mackie with us tonight?”

They’d had barely even started, but Luna was so close to the special point of build-up before the climax would hit. Why did Kelly have to stop?

Of course, the answer was yes, but then she realized that she’d been only groaning and mumbling nonsense.

“Yen,” she drunkenly grunted, completely lost in the fog of lust her lover had dragged her into.

“Yen?” Kelly repeated with a mischievous laugh. “I need to hear a yes from you, Moon Butt.”

She pressed herself down, doing a slow grind back up Luna’s slit, and stopped near the top to twerk her hips, using the peak of Luna’s mound to grind her clit on. If it was anything like giving oral, it would drive the mare crazy but not be enough to easily push her over the edge.

Of course, it was driving Luna crazy, and she wanted to cum against Kelly’s pussy like no other.

“Yes!” She shrieked in desperation. “I want-mmmm-Emmm, oooh~ I wah-uhh-want him with us, Kelly. Nnnnemmm, now please.”

That was a very good answer, and Kelly responded by reaching down to spread Luna’s lower lips open. She continued the tribbing against Luna’s throbbing clit until her pussy was pulsating, leaking mare cum over them both.

Luna howled louder than she had for any other orgasm and fidgeted restlessly as the climax rolled over into another.

It was so beautiful, this feeling of forbidden carnal delights, the heat, the sopping mess they made, and the rich, succulent scent that nearly matched the flavor of her lover, now so heavy on the nose she could taste it. She had to have it again, and as her orgasm began to subside, she called out before another climax would rob her of her voice.

“Ugh! Kelly, please… I want to taste you again. Please let me make you feel good, too.”

Kelly chuckled and let herself fall back onto the mattress. She didn’t start this with the intent of getting off, but after having to wait for so long, what she had last night wasn’t going to be enough to hold her off after scissoring like that.

"Oh, you're right, Luna. I can't go all day without this. Not without spoiling the fun for Mackie."

Luna slowly turned onto her side and crawled her way to Kelly’s waiting quim. That last orgasm had left her a little lightheaded, but she had been waiting all morning for another taste.

"Then let me have him first. We will make tonight most special for him. Then we will both have you until it is you who cannot stand."

Now there was an idea that brought about many wicked thoughts. As much as she loved what Luna could do, she needed some dick and longed to have Mac take her again. Even if he wouldn't last, she could make the most of it.

"Mmm, I want you both to eat me out at the same time tonight. Then I want you to suck on my clit and make me cum while he fucks me.”

As Luna drew closer, her mind filled with all of the same lewd thoughts. What had started as a search for companionship had grown into a debaucherous life, she was all too willing to give herself to.

While Kelly could have been enough for her, the things she was told she could do with a stallion rekindled her old thoughts of Big Mac. Then sharing him? There were so many new things she wanted to try.

“Yes, and so much more, but for now, you are all mine.”

Not needing any further instructions, Luna lowered her lips down on Kelly and forced her tongue into the sweet crevice of Kelly’s femininity. She was no longer apprehensive about what she was doing, nor did the thought of tasting herself give her any qualms. She embraced the idea like it were a lover’s kiss, only more intimate and rewarding.

Actually, it was so much better than a simple kiss between two lovers. It was sweeter, more exciting; even tasting herself mixed with Kelly was a reminder of receiving the same embrace and their commitment to each other. It even left her tingling between her legs, the pleasure growing the more she pleased her lover. It was no wonder Big Mac couldn’t hold out when eating her out.

It was so intoxicating, taking in the sweet taste of Kelly’s pussy. The scent of her lover’s arousal was strong enough to remove her awareness of her surroundings while Kelly’s moans drowned out the rest. All that was left was her sight, which was focused on the beautiful figure still left uncovered.

There were so many ways to enjoy pleasing her lover as well. Long strokes over her outer lips, spreading them to its length, focusing on her clit, teasing her entrance, or plunging into its depth as she did now.

There was a lovely sensation that came with focusing on the clit; feeling the electric impulses Kelly let out with her spikes of pleasure was tempting, but Kelly loved penetration. Giving or receiving, feeling her lover inside her, or doing the same gave a steady high with more time to enjoy each other until it escalated into her peak.

However, Luna was too involved this time. She wanted to drink in Kelly’s climax again and worked with a driven intensity to make her cum. It was going to happen soon. Her growing heat, the way her moans whined into a sharper pitch, the steadier her flow of fluids continued to quench Luna’s thirst, which might have been insatiable.

Then her human lover peaked.

Her moans filled the room with every excited breath as Kelly gyrated her hips and ran her hands over her body. Then, the flood her honey hole released. Such a delectable nectar that Luna greedily sought out, lapping it up while she sucked her lover’s pussy as dry as she could.

And yet, even after that, Luna still felt her hunger and desire flare up.

Why did it have to end? Why couldn’t she drink in this woman’s love a while longer? Why did the ecstasy take so long to capture yet escape so quickly? It felt like such an injustice to unequally please Kelly like her skilled human hands could do for her.

Just a while longer. If she didn’t stop, maybe Kelly would let her stay.

“Mmmph,” Kelly moaned. “You’re amazing, but you’re not getting any more out of me for a while, Moon Butt.”

Luna whined, disappointed with the reality of not being rewarded with a longer stay. Desperate, she tried to earn her keep by returning to Kelly’s clit. Little sparks of pleasure still emerged as Kelly twitched again, yet her partner still wouldn’t let her stay.

“Come on, you greedy little girl. You’re done down there, now come up here and gimme some sugar.”

This was so unfair, and Luna groaned as she raised her still dripping muzzle with her sad eyes, which Kelly had to laugh at.

“Oh, you poor baby. Come here.”

Luna was so cute, even when she wasn’t trying to be, but she really needed to learn not to dwell on trying to please Kelly the same way she could do to her. At least she was still compliant when given the right motivation, and Kelly sitting up to pull her into a kiss worked like a charm.

Kissing Luna, much like going down on her, was better than what she thought she deserved. There was so much affection behind every kiss. A truly deep appreciation and an unending desire for her she could feel every time. Now, adding in the lust for each other, as well as the cunnilingus that went along with it, she felt as if she had found a loving partner the likes she only thought Big Mac could have been for her.

Not only that, just like with her stallion, it was so easy to get lost in the moment and carried away. Pulling Luna in for a simple kiss instantly became heated with heavy petting and rolling the princess onto her back again.

“Oh, my god,” Kelly gasped as she broke their entanglement. “If we don’t stop now, I’m just going to start eating you out again. Not that I wouldn’t mind, but you’ve got shit to do today.”

She leaned down and again gave Luna a deep kiss, still searching for any remaining arousal they shared. She was going to have to be careful with Luna. Both her and Big Mac were giving her the affection and positive attention she needed, but right now, only Luna could keep up with her sexually.

“Mmm,” she gave one last whirl of her tongue before pulling back with what little strength she had left to stop herself. "We are going to have so much fun together, but I can't leave Mac so neglected. I'm going to my room to shower. If I don't, I'm not going to stop… Actually, I'm going to need to use your shower. I'm sure others will realize that I smell like your pussy."

Luna giggled at the remark, and it was true. The smell was all over the room and was practically entrenched in Kelly.

"I actually like it, but fear not. I made sure you would always be close to me. I had my guards move all of your clothes and personal items into the room next to mine. I~ also might have taken the liberty of adding a door between our rooms."

Kelly sat up, looking in the direction Luna was staring at, noticing the out-of-place door on the far wall.

"Oh, shit. I thought that was a closet.'

Luna giggled again as she trailed her hooves up Kelly's sides, letting them come to rest over her lover’s breasts.

"Officially, you are under my protection during the night and when Big Macintosh is preoccupied with the farm. We know some days he will still have his responsibilities to tend to."

She let her hooves trace their way down to rest on Kelly’s hips and smiled a bit sheepishly.

"Unofficially, I was hoping that you would be using your room only when I wasn't with you."

This got Kelly excited all over again. She really was being spoiled, but she wouldn’t let that happen without rewarding her princess in all the ways she could thank her.

"You better believe that I'm going to be spending as much time with you as I can when I'm not with Mac, you little sneak. Now come on, it’s shower time."

Ember sure was lucky, if not clever to talk her way into the human Embassy. Also, it's nice to see Benny still getting along with Octavia and Vinyl.

Heh, then we cut back to Trixie. Poor girl deserves a drink after her run-in with Discord. although, she should have expected a pretty low turnout when accepting the invitation. It was for only kids in Chris's harem.

Speaking of his harem, Starlight sure showed up in the nick of time to lay out some telling backstory to why she was so aggressive with pushing Chris to other mares. Thankfully, it all worked out. Of course, now Thunder Glide has been brought up to speed... or maybe only half-speed since she couldn't accept what she was hearing from Chris.

That of course led to Ember's arrival... just to crash and burn on her failure to launch. True, it was of her own doing, but at least nothing came of it and Starlight wasn't there to stake her claim on Chris.

Moving on to Spike, if you weren't following along, they ended up watching Season 3's episodes 1 and 2: The Crystal Empire - Part 1 & 2.

It does seem that after realizing how strong Spike has become that she's taking some real admiration to him. Even allowing herself to not rely on her strong dragon front she was putting on. Kinda cute when you think about it.

Also, if you haven't seen "Now you see me," it's pretty good. (7 outta 10 in my opinion) Worth the watch if you're not expecting a 10 outta 10. Still, it's a good start for Trixie to find some common ground with her as a house guest.

Next... this was a little odd to tackle. Cheerilee escorting Button back to his house so his mother could have their date, then to have Cream tell him that's exactly what they were doing... as well as 4 other mares he knows. Also, they seem pretty hard set on making it a family affair in time.

Button is a cute kid when written right (I say that only hoping I did a decent job.)

Also, Onyx showed up when the kids were about to start a fight... Neat.

Moving onto Ovens, good God that girl has a thirst but keeps on trying to hydrate other mares first. That's a... uh... Well,

Sure is hard to keep things steady and well informed when there are other ears around... and when Sniff's surprise date shows up early before Ovens could request that hand in the kitchen.

Up in the hot tub later on though, how could things not go as expected? With the exception of Lyra really getting choked up with where she came from, what she got roped into, what she might be giving up, and how that makes her feel, considering what she's now going after.

Kind of touching that almost got ruined by... touching. But was saved by... touching. It wasn't just his hands though, so that's kind of original. Right?

And yes... for those of you who went back to re-read 79.6, Luna and Kelly are still a thing, and I couldn't help but try to focus on how cute Luna be in bed.

Otherwise, with this chapter ending, as well as the afternoon for our Stranded Seven and the ponies they love, there is only so much time left for them to recover before drinks, dinner, more introductions, and whatever else the night may bring. What else might that be? Expect the unexpected in next weeks publication: