“No, I love you more.”

Doug rolls his eyes as he walks out on the topdeck, the conversation getting louder even as the words stay the same. Nestled against the outer railing, is a mostly white, only slightly green-tinged unicorn, cerulean eyes locked into the light purple of his wife’s. Her pink wing drapes reassuringly over her husband’s back, calming strokes helping keep the third helping of Pinkie Pie’s delicious cake from getting lost overboard.

“No,” Prince Consort Shining Armor stammers out this time. He gulps, doing his best to not take his gaze away from his wife’s radiance. “I love you more.”

“Get a room, you two!” Doug jokes as he joins them on the starboard quarter.

“Doug!” Shining Armor greets with a flick of his head. He flashes him a toothy smile, only for Princess Cadance’s hoof to immediately twist his head back to face her. “Remind me,” he says between enforced kisses, “to thank you and Twily again for helping with this.” He pats his wife’s taut belly, again relinquishing sovereignty of his muzzle to the pink invader with an acquiescent grin.

Doug chuckles as he glances around. The rest of the Elements are spread out along the railings, Pinkie Pie leading them in a marathon game of ‘I Spy’. It’s easy to spot Applejack’s frustration as she tries to think of both a clue and an object that hasn’t been used before, Pinkie Pie’s eidetic memory in silly games like this in full effect.

Everypony who lacks wings - including, to her chagrin, Fluttershy - has a parachute backpack with ripcord in easy mouth range. He subconsciously fingers his own; normally, the mares eschewed the measure, counting on Equestrian engineering and fellow flyers as their safety net. But the Prince had cautioned, and Princesses concurred, that the likelihood of an abrupt disembarking is far higher than on a routine trip.

“Sure. But, you didn’t hear it from me,” Doug adds quietly, counting on the steady ‘soi, soi, soi’ of the warship ahead of them to drown out his words from the sharp-eared mares. Shining Armor and Cadance both lean in. “Twilight might have complained about any, ahem, reminders of her BBBFF and foalsitter getting it on. Not that she minded helping, of course.”

“So she doesn’t like the teasing,” Shining Armor says, staring off into space as a hoof strokes his spreading grin. “I’ll have to crank it up; after all, I’m pretty sure I was getting it in.”

“Shiny,” Cadance corrects, her melodious voice nevertheless a harsh rebuke that gets Shining Armor’s ears to lay flat.

“I’m sorry,” he says contritely, head bobbing.

“We’re a married couple now,” Cadance continues sternly.

“I know, I know,” Shining Armor says with a heavy sigh.

They say in stereo, “We do this together.”

Shining Armor’s eyes twinkle as his ears perk back up. “It’s going to get worse.”

“Way worse,” Cadance echoes mirthfully. “You’d think after joining a herd and having twins on the way she’d be less prudish about the subject.”

“Well, you are the Princess of Love,” Shining Armor says with a wry chuckle. “Maybe that’s your special power.” He nuzzles her, quickly adding, “One of your special powers.”

Cadance rolls her eyes as he winks lewdly.

“About that earlier suggestion,” Shining Armor continues mischievously. “Want to join the high-flying club?”

Cadance pulls back in shock, a hoof coming to her muzzle as she stares wide-eyed at her husband. “What do you mean, join?!” she spits out, muscles clenching as she visibly holds back from smacking the goofy grin off his muzzle. “You say that like you’re already a member, yet the only mares with you the time you were on an airship were his-” she flicks her mane at Doug “-and her.”

Her eyes don’t move, but Doug’s do. On the port railing and idly gouging a divot into the railing rests an obsidian plated changeling. Brilliant emerald wings sparkle in the sunlight, much to her obvious consternation, given the agitated way she folds them this way and that to avoid the light reflecting into her narrowed iridescent eyes. Cobalt locks, thick and braided on both mane and tail, spill over her tumescent barrel.

There are no chains around her now-whole legs, or restraints on her full wings, or even an inhibitor on her still-jagged horn. The accusations against her - deposing sovereign nations, industrial espionage, and keeping records of which high level officials in the Council had used her underlings’ ‘services’ - would certainly merit such shackles. She had grudgingly agreed to come to this ‘maulwurf court’ only after Princess Celestia gave her word to do her utmost to defend the newest addition to Equestria’s populace. The Council agreed because the Princess would take her place should the Changeling Queen… disappear.

“Cady, it’s not like that,” Shining Armor belabors, this time the one to pull his spouse’s muzzle to face his own. “I told you what happened between us.”

“You did,” Cadance says grimly.

“And she promised to be Honest,” Shining Armor continues, nodding along.

“As honest as she can be,” Cadance mutters.

“And she told you what she did while you were…-n’t there.”

“Imprisoned, you mean,” Cadance spits out. “She nearly robbed me of my wedding night.” Her scowl deepens.

“It’s not healthy to keep bringing that up,” Shining Armor says as he nuzzles his wife. “It’s in the past. She’s different now.” He gives her another, more forceful nuzzle. “And I’ve tried to make it up to you every night since then.” He winks at her salaciously. “You’ve enjoyed that, right?”

“Mm,” Cadance dourly grunts out. “Sorry. Not in the mood. Though I’d bet she’d be more than willing to help.”

“You know that’s not what I want,” Shining Armor protests, staying at her side even as she nudges him away.

Cadance huffs, facing the floor, eyes closed. She barely flinches when a shadow blocks the sunlight.

Shining Armor’s eyelids grind against each other as he digs a furrow in his forehead. “Great,” he mutters, his sigh more a bleak grunt. “Is it that time already?” He sets a hoof under him, pushing up.

“I…” comes the Queen’s flinching reply before her maw clenches together, two fangs like ivory daggers twisting her frown to a malevolent glare. One long ebony leg, heavy set with bulky muscles that strain to lift her own weight, callously pushes the unicorn down. “I didn’t come here for you.”

A deep growl rumbles in the back of Shining Armor’s throat, though he has little chance of physically overpowering his second ‘mare’. He twists his head against the floor, scowling at Doug. Cadance opens a single eye, her animosity quickly replaced by concern.

“What?” Doug asks glibly. He stays locked on the shimmering eyes peering over him, a faint smile skittering across his features that ends with flicking his head in greeting. Yet he detects a hint of sadness in those eyes, a desperate longing that would never be allowed to surface. He opens his mouth, about to comment on it, before the reformed changeling interrupts.

“Never mind,” Chrysalis spits out, a shake of her head drumming her locks against her side. She spins, her gravid belly undulating as she stomps away.

Doug frowns in confusion, glancing at Shining Armor. “What was that about?”

“Nothing,” Shining Armor states coldly. He huffs as his wife gently prods him. “That you need to worry about.”

Cadance matches his huff with one of her own. “Chryssy has been having… problems.” She sits up a little bit more, shaking some of the doldrums out of her mane.

“Cady…” Shining Armor hangs his head slightly.

“Well, I do like fixing things,” Doug says jocularly. He continues despite Armor’s muted glare. “You could say it gets me going.”

“Yeah, well, why don’t you go fix everything,” Shining Armor mutters bitterly.

“If I had phenomenal, cosmic powers?” Doug’s voice booms, getting everypony’s head to briefly turn. He flexes his arms, a cheeky grin smooching at his biceps.

“I don’t think that helped,” Cady interjects with a snicker.

Now it’s Doug’s turn to roll his eyes as he deflates. “Alright, you got me.” He ruffles a perky pink ear, drawing an appreciative coo. “You two doing okay?”

“We’re doing well,” Cadance responds guilelessly, offering Doug a friendly smile. “We’ll be happy to get back to Canterlot once this is all over.”

“Yeah.” Doug raises an imaginary glass to the alicorn. “I second that!”

Her pink hoof shoots up, tapping against Doug’s hand.

Shining Armor stays against the floor, grunting as he glares, mostly at Chrysalis.

“Aww, don’t be like that.” Cadance leans down, nuzzling the triple-hued locks. She nips at his ear when he doesn’t respond. “Still feeling a little sick?”

“No,” Shining Armor mutters.

“Mm,” Cadance returns coquettishly. “Well, if you were, I thought we could find a room below decks. But if you’re feeling fine, then-”

A fit of coughing suddenly overtakes the unicorn.

“Oh, you poor dear,” Cadance consoles, nuzzling her husband as she tenderly runs a hoof along his back. She sighs heavily. “I’m sorry I got angry.”

“No, I get it,” Shining Armor says reassuringly. “I’d be mad too if I thought you were foaling around with anypony, before or after we got together.”

“Mm.” Cadance smiles weakly. “I bet you’re getting lots of offers, now that you’re a full-fledged Prince Consort.” She nuzzles closer into him, horn sliding against his neck. She grips her hooves around him, holding tight like she never wants to let go.

“Heh, I wish.” Shining Armor shakes his head for emphasis. His statement draws a disappointed huff from Cadance. “Other than Rare-”

He cuts off, gulping as he glances at Doug.

The human looks more pensive than angry at the reminder. “Don’t worry, we worked that out. Even if we had to go through it a second time, considering Lunaris as the sire. Although…” he draws the word out, staring out at the endless sky. “Would you have? If we couldn’t have foals, or if she wasn’t okay with them being magically stunted?”

“That’s…” Shining Armor stammers, twisting his head to look at Cadance. “That’s a tough question.”

Cadance doesn’t look happy, merely staring at the wooden railing. The hoof stroking her husband’s side slows down, but doesn’t stop.

“And if she’s fully capable of having a healthy foal with her stallion?” Doug grimaces at his own question, neither pony answering. Doug muses, “I had a few ask the day the news came out. But that dried up, probably because nopony got anywhere, and we were all busy with the wedding preparations. After heat week was over? Nothing. At least, Applejack never told me about any.” He pauses for a moment, sighing to himself. “Doesn’t seem right.”

“You’d tell me if you got any, right?” Cadance asks solemnly.

“Of course, dear.” Shining Armor nuzzles his wife, and she meets his eyes this time.

“Good.” She grins as he leaps to his hooves, though it shifts to a wry smile as he sways uneasily. “Let’s see if I can remind you why I’m the only mare you’ll ever want to love.”

Doug chuckles as Cadance leads Shining Armor away. He leaps back as Spike hurries past him, clutching half a dozen scrolls and loose papers to his chest as he barrels into Twilight’s room, barely able to spare a claw to wave at his ‘sire’. Doug shakes his head, staying clear of the ornery changeling to see what the rest of his mares are up to.

“I spy…” Pinkie Pie draws out, scratching her hoof with a chin, “something that contains… apple!”

“Apples,” Applejack immediately says, looking quite perturbed as all eyes go on her. It bothers Doug slightly that this might be a possible answer.

“Nope!”

“Applejack,” Fluttershy tries.

“Nope!”

“Applejack’s hat,” Rarity guesses.

“Nope!”

“Apple cider?” Rainbow asks hopefully.

“Nope!”

“Awww,” Rainbow Dash moans. She glances at Applejack. “Please tell me you got some cider on board, and we’re not full up on cake.”

Applejack smirks as she reaches a hoof inside her hat, only to frown as a cerulean blur deprives her of the precious amber liquid. She shakes her head, smirking at the pegasus guzzling it down. “We squeezed a barrel on board, but it’s for the return trip!”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash retorts with a pungent burp. “Probably shouldn’t have told me that.”

“Dash…” Applejack scowls.

“Hoofwrestle for your share?” Rainbow Dash drops the empty cider bottle, propping her elbow on the railing.

“You’re on!” Applejack grunts as orange strains against cerulean. “Ah should let ya know, Ah’ve been trainin’ since we last went!”

“Hey!” Pinkie Pie exclaims. “No starting a new game while the first one isn’t finished!”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash stay locked in place, growling.

Pinkie Pie takes an exaggeratedly large breath, then belts out, “Nine thousand nine hundred ninety-”

“Ugh, fine,” Rainbow Dash moans, though neither pony relinquishes their grip on the other. She looks over the side, trying to see as far ahead of her as she can.

“Grapple?” Doug asks as he wades into the melee, ruffling both Applejack and Rainbow’s manes.

“Nope!”

“That’s a good one,” Applejack mutters to herself, only tearing her gaze away from Rainbow to the extent the pegasus does the same to her. She gives Doug the shortest nuzzle she can before growling, again zeroing in on the third mare of the herd.

“Appleloosa?” Rainbow Dash asks, having looked past Applejack at the earth pony settlement far in the distance.

“Yupperoines!” Pinkie Pie scribbles something down. “That’s five for me…”

“We must be making good time,” Doug remarks, leaning over the railing.

“Nah, I’ve just got really sharp eyes.” Rainbow Dash points toward the horizon. “And we’re going super slow.”

“Okay, Rainbow, you’re up!”

“I spy…” Rainbow Dash says with a cocky smirk, “a winner!” She slams her hoof as hard as she can against Applejack’s.

The earth pony is unyielding. “Oh, ya spy me? Ah’m touched.”

“What?” Rainbow Dash exclaims. “No! It’s me!” She grunts as she strains, slowly pushing the orange hoof over.

“That’s what Ah said!” Applejack grins despite her hoof bending back painfully. “It’s me!”

“Rainbow Dash loses!” Pinkie Pie shouts, a loud blast from a horn that wasn’t there before startling the pegasus.

“Wait, what?” Rainbow Dash says, her concentration breaking long enough to let Applejack smack her hoof against the railing. “Hey!”

“Hah!” Applejack smirks, holding the struggling cerulean hoof down.

“You can’t give away the answer without letting everypony guess!” Pinkie Pie shakes her head, disappointed. “I’ve told you this a dozen times now! Don’t make it a baker’s dozen!” She leans in close, stage whispering in Rainbow Dash’s ear despite her obvious discomfort, “Thirteen’s an unlucky number!”

Doug slinks away from the three bickering mares toward Fluttershy and Rarity. The pegasus’ smile seems genuine, Rarity’s considerably more forced. At least, when it can be seen under her giant floppy hat. “Having fun?”

“If by fun,” Rarity says through half-gritted teeth, “you mean sufficiently distracted from the fact that I am marching into the dragon’s maw wearing this?” She flicks her mane back disdainfully, indicating her hat and accompanying straps to keep it in place. “It’s all I had on hoof, and there’s no way I would step into one of my competitor’s shops.”

“Sounds like you need a Canterlot outlet,” Doug says, the corners of his mouth curling up.

“Please, darling.” Rarity dismisses the idea with a wave of her hoof. “With seven foals on the way? I won’t be surprised if I am conscripted into making diapers instead of dresses.”

“Not counting Starlight’s?” Doug remarks to himself. He says a little louder, “Well, at least as long as you keep doing the things you love.” He rubs his hand into her curled mane.

Rarity snuggles up to her stallion, one of the few creatures she trusts to wiggle his way into her mane without destroying it. “With the orders that have been pouring in ever since the Princesses joined the herd?” Her cobalt eyes beam brightly. “Doug, I cannot express how happy it makes me to turn down offers I do not find inspiring. Unbeholden to a bottom line!”

“Yeah,” Doug sympathizes. He’s taken on all comers for his job as weather scheduler, now handling most of the cities in Equestria. Each provides their own unique challenges, keeping it from getting too repetitive. Some days, though? He wants to blow it off and spend more time with the mares just hanging out and getting to know them.

Rarity jolts upwards, shouting “~Idea!~” before racing belowdecks. It’s enough of a distraction that Doug doesn’t notice Rainbow Dash and Applejack rolling around until they take out his legs.

Other days, he’s glad he’s cooped up in the relative safety of his office.

He flops to the floor, breath knocked out with a hearty *whump*. His armor doesn’t cushion his fall at all, merely adding to the weight.

Pinkie Pie pronks past, ignoring his plight. “Applejack!” the pink pony protests. “You haven’t given your clue!”

“Ah spy,” Applejack grits out as she crashes into one of the railings. It shudders somewhat distressingly. “Something with apple!”

“Oh, come on!” Rainbow Dash grunts out. “Apples!”

“Really?” Applejack spits back. “Is that all you think Ah can think of?”

“Applejack’s hat!” Pinkie Pie guesses with more enthusiasm than the rest of the mares combined. She goes into even more of a frenzy when the farmpony shakes her head, unable to spare the breath with Rainbow Dash wrestling her. “Applejack’s coat! Applejack’s rope!”

“Thanks,” Doug mutters to Fluttershy as she lends him a hoof. She smiles as she takes to the air, leaving him to dodge the rolling ball of mare as it careens past again. “Perhaps this isn’t the safest spot.”

“Maybe not,” Fluttershy agrees, her wings beating to keep from falling back. She waves as he retreats to the stern. “Take care!”

Doug passes Chrysalis, his faint smile obviously not the greeting she is hoping for. She scowls, though any expression of hers seems as such. She looks away, giving him no indication she wants him to stay, and he proceeds up the short climb to the top of the captain’s cabin.

At the helm, a deep orchid hoof guiding the wheel, stands Commander Tempest Shadow. Her muzzle is set in a harsh grimace that might have been carved from stone if not for how it deepens as she watches the ponies at play. Malevolent green eyes flick across him, baring a few more teeth.

Next Chapter: Ch. 3 - Fortified Legion, Part Three Estimated time remaining: 31 Hours, 47 Minutes