The previous chapter accrued an all-time low lacking of feedback from across multiple sites. I hope this chapter proves more satisfying than the last.

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Days went by. And it really felt like things had returned to a familiar peacefulness that I had nearly forgotten. Ponyville finally felt like home again. I no longer felt the prying of eyes that were not there. Although my employers at Sugarcube Corner and the spa still insisted I return to work only when I had fully recovered. Even though my bandages had been removed, I knew it took more than a couple of weeks for broken bones to heal. There was still a solid crack in my skull that was mending and I needed to tread carefully for a while longer. And I was not the only one who had been healed.

The local hospital had recently received a team of specialists to perform the same procedure upon any Ponyville locals who had participated in the war only to come home with worrying psychological symptoms. Not many in Ponyville joined the militia, but no one would be overlooked. My dearest friends who had followed me to the battlefield, who had been showing signs of just being...off after returning home, finally began to act like their old selves again. Pinkie Pie was her jolly old self again and was really getting the most out of that harness that she rolled herself around in. Applejack was always happy to shoot the breeze at market and had resumed in stopping by my home to drop off delicious baked apple goods for us and little Gladesong, who was always happy to see her country aunt. Big Macintosh had returned to being a very relaxed quiet stallion instead of gazing into empty space from time to time. Rainbow Dash had resumed her occasional afternoon naps instead of constantly being on alert for anyone who got too low to the round. And Rarity had regained her muse and had resumed catching up on her backlog of orders. And that was when she was not visiting to spend time with her beloved goddaughter. It really felt like we had finally left the war behind and could get back to just living our lives together in the town we all loved.

Everything was more or less back to normal with only a few small changes here and there. New friends had come home with us who ended up becoming their own circle of friends. Smolder, Ocellus, and Gallus began to hang out on a nearly daily basis. I suppose something just clicked between the three of them. Although Ocellus still insists on wearing her favorite dragon disguise whenever she heads out. Both for how practical it is and for the sake of keeping her real form hidden from the locals. No one in Ponyville knows there is a Changeling living amongst them. Not yet, at least.

Things were happy and as they should be. And I was honestly eager to get back into the swing of things at my job. I never knew how much I missed being around people in a pleasant environment and was starting to go a little stir crazy over having too much free time on my hands whenever I was not just being a father to Gladesong and Scootaloo and living the married life with Fluttershy. I was happy. They were happy. And it would only be a little longer before I could return to putting my hands to good use in a way that does not involve a typewriter.

But last night... After dreaming so well night after night once my fractured mind had been mended... A nightmare occurred. One I could not forget.

I fell asleep with Fluttershy by my side, our home having gone quiet for the night. But when my mind shifted into dreaming, I found myself...in an unsettling location that defied reality. My surroundings were dark, a boundless dark sky above. And yet I felt more like I was indoors. The floor...was made up entirely of interchanging white and black tiles. The white squares of that checkerboard pattern glowed softly to provide some light, but it was not a comforting glow. And it almost felt familiar... Something so unnatural and almost whimsical... Memories I cannot recall... Did Discord have a penchant for these patterns?

There were walls around me with a much smaller set of those black and glowing white squares set along the walls at waist height and only in a straight line. There was...something inherently uncomfortable about the space I was in. I think the phenomenon is called.....liminal space. Like where I was had been completely disconnected from the flow of time. A pocket in space with no beginning or end. I felt alone. My thoughts began to race and...why was I thinking so clearly?

A shock went through my mind. I brought my hands to my face. I felt my touch. I could see and think fluently. I looked down at myself. My body was bare save for the boxers I wore to bed. I was too aware for this to be just any dream. Too lucid... It suddenly dawned on me. For me to be this aware in my dreams, I was not alone. Someone was out there. And I suddenly felt relief. I had a visitor.

"OK, that had me going for a moment..." I laughed to myself upon realizing that I had gotten worked up over nothing. I had nothing to fear if the Princess of the Night or the Princess of Dreams was in my dreaming mind somewhere. I then spoke up, "OK then... That you out there, Luna?"

No response. If she was there, or at least watching me from the edges of my dream, she would have said something by then. I waited a moment with my eyes narrowing upon realizing that I had guessed wrong. It was not uncommon for both her and her fellow sister of the night to visit me in unison. "Oh, right... Nightmare Moon then?"

Once again, I got no response. And there was no way my beloved angel of the night would refuse to call out to me. I waited and waited, arms crossing in confusion. My eyes squinted as I pondered my situation. If it was not them, then who had entered my dreaming mind? Almost as if my visitor was staying quiet with me just to wait until I made a lucky guess. What a jokester...

And then it hit me. Of course there was one more. The Princess of Dreams and the Princess of the Night would not have even come to exist had a stallion equally tied to the soothing shadows never sired them. I snapped my fingers upon having this epiphany and called out, "Oh, right! Your majesty! Orbash, is that you? Are you out there?"

I almost forgot what he said that one time. I knew the moon king did not have the same level of mastery over the dream realm that his daughters have, but surely he could still enter and travel through the enchanted dreamscape at will. I cracked an amused smirk over having completely forgotten about that wonderful stallion. Even if just for a moment. So I waited for him to call out, expecting his jolly laughter to be the first thing I heard now that I had guessed at his presence.

And yet... Nothing. Not one voice called out to me. Not Luna. Not Nightmare Moon. Not even King Orbash himself. I was alone. And yet...I knew that was impossible. A newfound anxiety came over me. The royal family members most closely tied with the night and the dreams it brings were not in my dream. But I was still completely lucid. There was someone in there. Someone who was not them. And just like that, despite knowing I was not in any real danger, I felt very much on edge. An unidentified party had joined me that night. And I began to fear what I would find out there.

I began to wander those dimly illuminated halls, the walls disappearing into the darkness above to the point where I had to wonder if the walls ever ended or if there was even a ceiling for them to connect to. I widened my stance while scanning the sky, fearful that something could vault over the top of the walls and pounce upon me. My surroundings... It was as if my dreaming mind had conjured up a space that was specifically designed to make me uncomfortable.

I wandered down halls. Walked across vast empty rooms. Marched up and down stairs. No matter how far I wandered, I never got anywhere. Trapped in a labyrinth of black and white squares. And I was always on alert. My nerves fought against each other, being relieved that I was alone yet hating that I was alone. But did I really want to find whoever or whatever else was out there?

I muttered to myself near constantly. Trying to keep myself sane. Was it wise to keep wandering around? It was always taxing to find the courage to peek around every new corner, wondering if I would find the unknown intruder waiting for me. But what if they were not waiting in one spot? What if they were also hunting me?

As time went by and my feet carried me forward, I began to sense a presence... I could not put my finger on where it was coming from, but I felt a chill flow down my spine upon sensing...something. That feeling you get when you just know that there is something or someone nearby and you are not ready for it. I was most definitely not alone. Something was out there in the shadows. Something big.

All sorts of theories began to flow through my head. Was this an unexpected side effect of the memory dampening procedure I went through? Was this the work of my psychological scars biting back at my choice to leave them behind? Whatever it was, I began to hear it. I could hear something...prowling about in those empty halls. A heavy tread. Something big. And the slight sound of claws occasionally sliding along the floor with every step. This was not the sound of a person strolling through the halls like me. The labyrinth had its own guardian beast prowling the halls for intruders. I needed to keep moving.

The distant sound of beastly footsteps began to become harder to discern the direction they were coming from. All I knew was that it was close. This bizarre liminal space was clearly designed to disorient me on some level. The creature prowling the halls thankfully had not yet detected my presence. I never heard its pace quicken. And eventually, I even heard the beast let out a snarling sigh. Something that sounded almost...feline. The first thing that came to my mind was the form of a fearsome manticore. Fighting off one of those with my bare hands would be near impossible enough, but having to contend with a massive scorpion tail as well? I dreaded whatever agony I would feel if that beast's venom made its way into my body and broke into a sprint to try and put more distance between us.

This ultimately felt like a bad idea. I needed to conserve my energy in case that thing found me. I slowed to a light jog at most, the smooth floor being at least somewhat comfortable against my bare feet. Almost like polished stone tiles. The futility of my situation began to dawn on me as I went down another hall that looked no different from the rest. There was no way out of this labyrinth. No escape from my pursuer. All I could do was keep moving until my body finally decided it had been sleeping long enough and woke up. It would take much more than a slap to my face to force myself awake.

Another corner to turn past came up ahead. And then another. I suddenly realized that I had gone down a hall that was looping back into the same larger room I had just been in. I sprinted down the hall, hoping to find another way out of the room before that mysterious beast could reach it. Upon reaching that vast room again, my eyes spotted a flight of stairs in one corner. But before I could reach it... I heard it. And my eyes followed the wall to the furthest way out. There was no running this time. I watched the corner. And then...it came.

Something large prowled out behind the corner. It was pitch black, like a shadow given form. Although I saw a few parts of its dark form that had a glossy finish to it when the glow of the floor's white squares reached it. And then it turned to face me, the only part of its body not stained black being the piercing white beacons that served as its eyes. But what shocked me most was...that I recognized this creature.

My dream had not been invaded by an intruder. This creature had been lingering at the edges of my mind the entire time. And she had finally sought me out. A confused whisper escaped my lips. "My god, it's you..."

There was no mistaking her. Cynder stood before me. Her body and form was no different than I last saw her. Still larger than she should have been. But...the jet black and crimson red that stained her scales when I last saw her... It was all a uniform shade of charcoal black. Her horns, claws, and the platinum components covering her body were the sections that had a certain glossy finish to them. And I did not notice it at first, but a thin wavering black haze was constantly engulfing her body. Before I could say anything else, she began to prowl towards me. The white glow of her eyes hid anything else beneath it, but I could swear that she was...glaring at me with a very bitter scowl.

I should have been happy to see her. My heart told me to step forward and hold her, but my gut was telling me to run. I still remembered when she utterly fled from me. Threw herself off that cliff to soar away out over the dark ocean. As if she desperately wanted to escape me. But now she was approaching me and I was left so very confused. Confused and anxious. This form of purest black shrouded in gaseous shadows... It was the most menacing form I had ever seen her assume. But it could not have been the doing of her old master. Malefor was gone. Erased from my dreaming mind. This was not the work of unseen puppet strings held by a new master. This malevolence was entirely her own.

She prowled right up to me, those unblinking glowing beacons never looking away. I gazed up at the shadowy behemoth before me and began to cautiously raise my hands towards her. Offering to hold her head like our previous encounter. She lifted her head and gazed down at me like fresh prey. But...surely she would never harm me. She was there for me when I needed her most. And I came to her when she was adrift and lost. I had grown to cherish that little wyrm. She would never...

I received an answer when I took a step forward. She suddenly lashed out with her right hand, that powerful mitt swatting me to my right and slamming me into the wall with my back to it. My bare flesh stun from the impact with the breath having been knocked out of me. Cynder then brought her head down before me as I groaned, "Cynder...?"

She exhaled with a low sigh that sounded like a low purr from a large predatory cat. Without blinking once, she glared at me from mere inches away. Only then did she speak, her voice whispering with a venomous bitter hiss to it. "You lied to me."

Those words...struck me right in my heart. There was no joy in that voice. No relief at having found me. Those words were angry. Vengeful. But...to say I lied to her... No. I never once spoke a lie. I have always been nothing but honest to her. Reeling in a mixture of confusion and renewed fear, I asked, "What...did I say? What lies?"

"You deceived me. Made me believe that you're something you're not. Just when I began to open my heart to you, I saw you for what you really are. And you're nothing like what I hoped you were." Cynder hissed with a genuine disgust in her tone. And I was still unable to comprehend where she got the idea that I had ever lied to her. But there was no trying to reason with her now. She took a few steps back, green embers starting to flicker around the edges of her long jaws. "Now that I know what you are... I'll see to it you never deceive anyone ever again."

I ran. I knew what was coming. Just as Cynder unleashed a massive stream of unnatural green fire from her jaws, I bolted towards the stairs to my left and down them. But I did not escape unscathed. She turned her head to follow me and scorched my right arm as I tried to shield my face. I turned and jumped from halfway down the stairs to the floor below just to try and get some distance between us, my eyes scanning my arm. It could have been worse, but the outer side of my forearm was coated in the telltale red hue of a minor burn. But I did not have time to ponder my injury. Cynder was coming for me.

My feet carried me quickly with the ceiling that should have been not far above me once again assimilated into the shadows above. There was no sign of the floor I had just been on. This eldritch location was continuing to conspire against me. I could hear the heavy tread of Cynder's steps coming down the stairs far behind me, her unnaturally large size and bulky wingspan working against her. But I was more vulnerable than I had ever been in my dreams. No armor to protect me. No weapons to fight off threats. And the Princesses of the Night and Dreams had no idea what was happening. I was entirely at the mercy of my pursuer and the environment. All I could do was run.

I had lost sight of her after turning another corner. But I could still hear that heavy tread. And I could hear her wrathful voice echo through the halls. "How many have you deceived...? How many have you seduced...?"

That final word awoke a sudden realization in my gut. Seduced... No... The last thing I ever really told her was when I gave a brief explanation of the very loving yet unorthodox relationship I have with the women in my life who became more than just friends. Did she...really believe that I was dishonest about that? That there was no way such love was possible?

Dread filled my heart. The worst responses I had ever gotten from anyone who first learned of that aspect of my life always responded with confusion, disappointment, or distress. But they always listened when I took the time to explain. They understood. But not Cynder. And yet...why? Why was she the only one to react to that information with murderous hostility?

As I ran across another vast room with a corridor visible at one end, I thought I heard a different sound reach my ears. Not heavy clawed footsteps. More like...wings?

I was caught by surprise as the large shadowy form of Cynder came in for a sliding landing ahead of me. Her great wings had proven the alien geometry of this strange world. With no ceiling above us, regardless of what floor we were on, she could easily soar over the walls to intercept me. As she turned to face me with my feet quickly bringing me to a halt, she glared at me with her maw opening wide for a yell. "How many have you defiled?!"

From that open maw came a vortex of wind that swept me right off my feet and sent me hurtling across the room and into the wall yet again. This impact was harder than the last and sent me slumping to the floor as I struggled to shrug off the sting and catch my breath. But as I struggled to stand, Cynder sprinted towards me like a hunting lioness. She was very swift and I almost panicked to see her coming in that fast. But just as I got to my feet, she came to a sliding stop with her body turning sideways as I saw a sudden flash of a metallic shine. Eyes opening wide in horror, I threw up an arm in futility as her long tail blade was swung my way.

A scalding pain shot across my torso as Cynder's blade flashed by me and I once again fell against the wall. The pain gradually lost the initial bite and became an awful burning ache. A warm wet feeling was beginning to ooze down my body as I was left stunned by this new pain. I could barely bring myself to look down. A long gash tore through my upper torso on a shallow angle, thick fresh blood pouring from the cut. I suspect my ribcage was the only thing that prevented that blade of darkened platinum from gutting my vitals.

I think I was in shock. It had been a very long time since I suffered a wound like that. One that could easily prove fatal if not tended to quickly. And never before had I been conscious enough to remember the instant it was forced upon me. Cynder could have killed me in that instant. And it was then that I really understood her intentions. My friend was not simply trying to harm or punish me. She wanted me dead...

I had grown to cherish that little dragoness. The days and weeks we spent apart only made our reunions sweeter. She had been there for me when I needed her during my darkest days during the war. Even protected me and dearly wanted to stay with me. Now there was nothing but hate in those glowing white eyes. As Cynder turned to me entirely and began to approach with a slow prowling walk, I felt a tear flow free while my body struggled to regain the strength that such a wound had torn out of it. Was this...what betrayal felt like? Betrayal over such irrational unfounded beliefs? My body and mind reeling, I asked softly, "Do I...mean nothing to you anymore...?"

She stopped. That look of bitter fury never left that darkened beastly face. But her face did suddenly gain a new glowing white feature just below the eyes. A single long white stripe that reached her lower jaw.....before dripping off it and splattering onto the floor below. Glowing...white tears... And when she replied, Cynder did not speak. She roared. "YOU WERE ALL I HAD!!!"

I did not know what to believe anymore. All I knew was that I was in dire peril and no amount of pain would wake me up. I struggled to my feet, hoping that I could stay on my feet this time. Cynder could have struck me down right there while I was struggling to stand, but...she hesitated. There was a profound moment of hesitation where she did not attack. But she did finally draw closer before pushing her body up high, both hands ready to come down and crush me under them. I found the strength I needed and sprinted past the shadowy dragoness while praying her tail would not lash out at me again. I heard those powerful hands slam into the floor hard. In a desperate attempt to strike at me while I was behind her, Cynder clumsily tried to make her tail blade stab into me. Her aim was poor from such an awkward position and the blade clanked into the floor instead.

Fear and pain driving me, I looked over my shoulder at my pursuer as she turned to face me. Her jaws opened wide and launched a continuous stream of purple lightning at me, the magical electricity dragging along the wall as I just barely managed to stay ahead of if with my scorched right arm pinned over the long gash in my chest to try and stem the loss of blood. Another moment of hesitation. Cynder could have swept her head to one side to have that wave of lightning sweep across the entire room. Was so much power just that hard to control? Or...was she not able to fully commit to the act?

I was forced to duck under that stream of lightning in order to get into the nearest corridor. And I was most fortunate to find that it branched off into two separate directions. Praying that she would not follow me, I ran down the path on the left. I could hear Cynder's heavy tread as she galloped down the hall before I heard her steps becoming more distant. She took the other path. But even though I was out of danger for the moment, I still heard her roar bitterly through the halls. "You gave me everything I needed when I needed it most! You made me feel like I belonged! That I finally had somewhere... Someone to belong with! How could you be so much less than what I thought you were?! How could you let me believe you're something you're not?!"

She almost sounded like she was weeping. There was such bitterness in that voice. Such disgust... Such hate. But there was sorrow. I could hear that voice breaking. And yet, I could not let myself dwell on it too much. Cynder was far past the point of being reasoned with by that point. All I could do was hope I could outlast her in this scenario. Just wake up and push her to the brink of my mind. Where she would hopefully stay indefinitely...

I never truly escaped the sounds of her footsteps. And her voice would call out frequently. Demanding that I show myself. Everything she said was all the same. A painful fusion of wrath and sorrow. I was beginning to feel weak. The loss of blood from that great gash across my chest had slowed, but it would not stop. It was a fight against time. Although I would much rather take bleeding out over being burned alive.

Cynder's voice eventually became something I welcomed. It helped me determine which direction she was in and where to avoid going. But eventually, even that stopped. She ceased her demands and became silent with only the distant sounds of her heavy tread being the only indication of her location. And even that ended. I could sometimes hear the flapping of her wings as she soared through the boundless black sky to prowl from above. By some miracle, I evaded her for the time being.

My blood loss was really getting to me after a while. I stumbled about unevenly, my left hand propping me up against walls for support. My gaze was more often than not focused on the floor. For being a dream, this felt far too real. I shambled across another great room while staying close to the nearest wall. But just as I reached a corner that led into another corridor, I lifted my gaze. And far across the room at the other end, there she was. Cynder stepped into view and turned to me, her glowing white eyes spotting me instantly with those glowing trails of tears flowing down her reptilian cheeks

I did not even wait to see what she would do or say. With what little strength I had left, I entered the corridor and sprinted ahead. But this one... This corridor felt endless. I ran and I ran, but never found any corners to turn past. No branches leading off to the sides. I may as well have been forced into a dead end. I was sprinting as swiftly as my feet would carry me while a much swifter beast was coming up behind me.

Cynder's heavy footsteps echoed down the halls as she pursued me like a panther closing in on its prey. I glanced over my shoulder just once and could see her behind me, green embers flickering out of her closed jaws as she steadily narrowed the distance. My legs ached, my lungs burned for air, my arm remained pinned to my chest with much of my lower body stained red with my blood. She was soon right behind me. I was sure that she would grab me in her jaws and roast me alive in the fire that would surge forth from her throat. My eyes narrowed, certain that this was the end...

And yet... The corridor that I believed was truly endless with those countless squares of black and glowing white rapidly passing under the two of us... It finally ended. And I quickly found myself running right off a ledge and tumbling down into that endless darkness as the unbearable sensation of falling engulfed me. Cynder was not spared either and even yelled in surprise as that blackened behemoth went tumbling through the air above me. But only for a moment. With a flap of her great wings, she regained control of herself and dove down through the air to continue her pursuit.

My helpless tumbling through that blackness soon ended with me ending up on my back while forced to face upward at the friend who was now desperately trying to end me. True helplessness took hold of my heart. Between the sensation of falling, the fear of the beast who was doing all she could to end me, and the agonizing injuries I had endured, I was going...numb. I could not fight this any longer. If Cynder would not deal the final blow, then the inevitable collision with whatever was at the bottom of that chasm would finish me. I just...accepted it. I could not run. I could only take whatever was coming.

Cynder hesitated once again. I was the perfect target just falling ahead of her. Those green embers filled her jaws, but she did not strike. Not immediately. After a moment of helpless plummeting, she finally acted. With jaws parting wide, she unleashed one last massive stream of green flames to put me out of my misery.

But the flames never touched me. I narrowed my eyes, but did not close them. I never looked away from my doom. But that wall of flames stopped just short of me as they tried to push through a glittering veil of blue... A blue...magic barrier... They found me!

The torrent of green flames suddenly ended when Cynder must have noticed that her attack was not getting through. While she gazed at me in confusion and at that translucent blue dome of magical force, the barrier faded as something shot by me and snatched me out of the air. A mare with a coat as black as night held me in her arms as she dove along through the air. And she was very quick to apologize for her delayed arrival. "Forgive me for not sensing your distress sooner!"

I could not even speak. It was a challenge to even process that I was finally on my way to being out of danger. And Nightmare Moon was not the only one there. Before Cynder could even react to the fact that I had just been saved, a massive bolt of blue lightning exploded into her to knock her out of the sky. Nightmare Moon dove swiftly towards the endless expanse of black and glowing white checkerboards that was spreading out far below us. There was an end to the fall and they had reached me in time. I saw the form of Luna swoop over to us while Cynder's shadowy form plummeted through the air helplessly, the dragoness having been thorough left stunned. The Princess of the Night called out, "Heavens, what happened to you?!"

There was no point in trying to speak. I was too weak. And my royal companions could see that. They quickly brought me to the floor below as they landed as gently as possible. Once on my feet, a quick flash of their magic mended the wounds I had suffered. I felt...better. At least physically. The blood staining my body was gone. The burned red flesh on my arm had been healed. But there was no easy way of soothing my emotions. Nightmare Moon looked me in the eye and asked, "What happened? Who did this to you?"

There was a thunderous thud not far from us. Cynder crashed clumsily into the floor with her vast wings creating enough drag to slow her descent enough to not rough her up too much with the landing. All I could do was point at her. Luna's eyes opened wide as she began to recognize the shadowy wyrm beginning to climb back onto her feet. "That... That can't be her... That's not the same wyrm we..."

"It is, Luna. The form is unmistakable. But why has she returned to this size? And why...so dark? Even when shackled by that curse, she never looked so foul before..." Nightmare Moon spoke as she stepped forward. If anyone could get through to Cynder by then, it was her. "Speak to us, child! What has become of you since we last crossed paths?! Why have you harmed this man?!"

Cynder snarled while looking no worse for the wear. Whatever this dark power was that had consumed her, it had empowered her in a way that left her seemingly unfazed by Luna's lightning magic. She spread her wings menacingly while she replied, "You again... Why are you defending him?"

"Why have you harmed a man who has shown you nothing but mercy and kindness?! Speak to us! What has come over you?!" Luna then demanded while I stayed back. My body may have been mended, but my heart was still too shaky for me to even try to get a word in. I was genuinely afraid of her by then. Had Luna and Nightmare Moon not been there, I would have fled.

"He told me! Told me a truth that changed everything! I know what he is now! A deceiver and seducer! How many has he taken?!" Cynder roared in sheer frustration now that very powerful friends had gotten between us. She would never get to me while they were in the way.

"She knows... You told her?" Luna asked while the two of them looked back at me.

"She asked... So I told her. She fled...and then she came back...like this." I explained quietly as I found the will to speak. Even if just for a moment.

Nightmare Moon turned to the dark dragonesses before us. And she spoke firmly yet sincerely. "Is that it? You loathe this man...because his heart pines for many? If that is the case, I can assure you that you are dearly mistaken here. His heart is true. There is no deception in how he..."

"Lies! They're all the same!" Cynder roared while unleashing a burst of purple lightning from her maw that the two royal sisters had to block with another barrier. "There's no love in such desires! They all desire control! To ensnare and enslave! They're all nothing but trophies to him!"

"The only lies here are those that you have told yourself! We know this man! We know those who long for him as he longs for them! I assure you there are no ulterior motives in how his heart works!" Nightmare Moon shouted while Luna stood near me, the Princess of the Night making herself the last line of defense. The Princess of Dreams then said more softly, "And I know this...because my heart pines for him as much as his pines for me."

To reveal that sacred secret to anyone was no simple choice. The love Nightmare Moon and I hold for each other must be kept secret from most. But Cynder... While this revelation did silence her for just a moment, the darkened dragoness then hissed in disbelief. "Even you... He's ensnared you too?! You let yourself become his whore?!"

Nightmare Moon became deathly still. At least until she spoke with an icy tone. "Say that again."

Just as Cynder began to get a word out, Nightmare Moon took hold of her by the throat with her dark blue magic aura forming a glittering shackle around her neck just below the jaws. The dragoness was suddenly pulled to the floor and pinned as the Princess of Dreams took a step forward, her voice rising with a new layer of wrath to it. Luna and I recoiled at this sudden show of rage with our darkened friend having somehow found a way to strike a nerve. "How...dare you even assume such a farce! You are not the only one here who was cursed by shadowy forces! I was seduced by this man?! Far from it! My heart was earned that night!"

Cynder was thoroughly immobilized while still trying to find her footing. And while I was still reeling from the tension of this moment, hearing Nightmare Moon's words reawakened a subtle sense of joy in me. "I should have perished that night, but that man... This man was the first in all the land to see me not as a demon, but as a mare! He went to great lengths that night to save me from all. And he succeeded. Since that night, he has been my guiding light. And my heart is and always will be his. And his heart belongs equally to me, even as others have found a place in his. Do you understand that, child? Do you truly believe that I am..."

"YOU FOOOOOLS!!!" Cynder roared with newfound rage as whatever shadowy power within her exploded in a volatile aura. She broke free of Nightmare Moon's magical grasp, lifting herself high before bringing her head down and unleashing a massive wave of green flames that forced the two royal sisters back onto the defensive. All the while, fresh glowing white tears continued to cascade down her face.

"Why does she not listen... I speak the truth, yet she still refuses to heed us?" Nightmare Moon grumbled while she and Luna remained before me, desperately trying to ward off Cynder's fiery assault as she struggled to overwhelm them. I had resigned myself to their efforts. If I ran, Cynder would pursue me. I had to remain where I was.

"She is beyond the reach of reasoning, sister... This shadowy shroud... I fear the malleable nature of the dream realm has caused whatever demons within her heart to have manifested into this physical and emotional state. She must...be purified..." Luna growled while keeping her barrier up. But Cynder's assaults were potent and relentless. She would not let up for a second. "If only...we were not so pinned down..."

I thought we were stuck. Or at least trapped within one spot until she finally exhausted herself. But I thought I saw something from above. A silvery flash. And then...

A thunderclap rang out through the black sky. And in a flash, Cynder was engulfed by a column of white lightning. The dark dragoness howled in agony as her assault came to an abrupt halt. That column of raw electrical energy faded after only a few seconds, but that brief exposure was enough to completely floor her. The shadowy dragoness flopped to the floor before trying to find her footing again. All three of us stood aghast at this sudden heavenly assault from nowhere. And I muttered softly upon taking note of the lightning's color. "White...?"

A voice came from above, an equine form swooping overhead. "Act now! I can't strike again without slaying her!"

"Father... Thank you!" Luna called out before she and Nightmare Moon set their eyes upon our friend turned foe. Together, they both enshrouded Cynder in their magic auras. She began to struggle as their combined might kept her pinned to the floor. "Sister, we must be quick!"

"Yes... Together." Nightmare Moon replied before their unique brand of dream magic was focused upon our dazed guest. The Princess of Dreams then spoke, "Poor child... Enough of this. Fears... Doubts... Rage... Let your demons go!"

The spell was cast as I took a step back. That shadowy aura began to just pour out of Cynder in black foggy geysers, her voice calling out in a distorted howl. What little shadows still clung to her became too thick for us to see Cynder through it. But as the second went by, she became quiet. And her silhouette began to shrink. Further and further until those shadows disappeared to reveal a much smaller dragoness of violet and rosy red hues. The little dragoness was curled up like a sleeping cat, but I knew she was not asleep. And I was still wary.

"There... She should be much more willing to listen now." Nightmare Moon sighed in relief before the flapping of wings reached our ears. We glanced up to see none other than the moon king himself descending upon us. He landed nearby while his daughters bowed to him. "It was good of you to come, Father..."

"And I am most glad that I decided to take a peek into your domain. You two really had your hooves full tonight." Orbash replied with his usual kind tone being somewhat subdued. He then looked at me with a gaze of concern and asked, "Are you well, my boy? I sensed that you were...distressed."

"Having someone you considered a good friend try to murder you will do that to a guy..." I muttered in exhaustion now that the tension in the air faded. There was nothing but a black sky and endless rows of black and glowing white squares as far as the eye could see. The only comfort I took was knowing that we were out of danger.

"Did she now...?" Orbash asked curiously before turning his gaze towards the weakened dragoness. He tilted his head to one side and asked, "And...who is this little wyrm? A dragon...but not one of Equestria..."

"An entity summoned from this man's dreams, Father. And please... Keep that a secret from her. She is not ready to know that." Nightmare Moon whispered most pleadingly. She understood Cynder better than most and surely took no satisfaction in getting so rough with her that night.

Orbash turned his gaze back towards the fallen dragoness. Rather than appear displeased or frustrated over her prior transgressions, he cast her a very concerned gaze. "I shall... But is this her realm? I can't imagine anyone making a home for..."

"No, father... She is an unusual case. Very unusual." Luna explained with barely more than a whisper, trying to keep the dazed dragoness ahead of us out of earshot. "The world we met her in... It was obliterated. Erased so thoroughly that even we cannot restore it. Now she wanders... Aimlessly, without a home. And my sister and I hope that someday, somehow, we may find a means to bridge the gap between dream and reality to welcome her into Equestria. We are certain she will fit right in."

"If that is so, I hope she will be much better behaved when that day comes compared to what I saw tonight." Orbash muttered while Cynder appeared to remain almost unconscious. At least for a moment longer. Orbash's eyes suddenly widened open casting his gaze towards Cynder before he muttered, "She rises."

We all flinched and faced her. As Orbash said, Cynder was beginning to rise to her feet. Even if she had been purified of whatever darkness had consumed her, she looked very sore after being engulfed by Orbash's unparalleled lightning magic. Had he used it on her while in her natural state, I doubt she would have survived. She kept her head bowed in fatigued once standing, her gaze conveying utter exhaustion once she looked our way. And yet, I still flinched. It was only the third time I had seen Cynder for what she truly was, but the memories from just minute earlier... I could not push them aside. She was smaller than before, but just as deadly if need be.

"Child... Speak to us." Nightmare Moon spoke firmly, yet with a softer tone than before. Cynder was not herself, even if what just happened was not the work of an unseen manipulator. "What drove you to do this? What were the true reasons for you raising you hand against a man who has been nothing but kind to you?"

Cynder did not speak. She instead began to step forward, her gait unsteady and weak. She was very sore. The glow in her eyes has disappeared to reveal that beautiful shade of teal, but I had difficultly in appreciating it. And she did not stop. Cynder shuffled past Nightmare Moon, the Princess of Dreams responding with her horn becoming engulfed with a cautionary magic aura. "Child... You had best behave yourself."

She responded to nothing. For as exhausted as her eyes were, she never looked away from me. The dragoness stepped ever closer and eventually passed Luna and Orbash, their horns becoming equally ready to cast a spell. Luna spoke firmly, "You had best not continue this groundless conflict... What has come over you?"

I held my hands out in front of me as Cynder came between me and my only protectors. She could easily pounce on me if she wanted to. I felt so conflicted... I could still vividly remember the pain of the flames. The instant my chest was cleaved open. All that red... All of it my own blood... This little dragoness sought to murder me. Would she try again?

Cynder came to a stop and gazed up at me as I stood ready to shove her away if she were to lunge at me. Her eyes were lidded. So very tired, and yet...something else. "I..."

With that soft mutter, Cynder finally slumped to the floor. And she let out a most exhausted wheeze as she spoke further. "I don't know what to believe anymore..."

She once again curled up into a ball, one of her wings draping over her head to hide it. The fury I had seen in her was gone. Now she had been consumed with a...certain misery. A part of me was tempted to reach out to her, but...I could not. Not after everything that had just happened. I was nothing but honest to her. For Cynder...to do what she did...entirely of her own volition...

Nightmare Moon and Luna rested on the ground beside the little wyrm on each side while Orbash stood near me protectively. The kind moon king touched his central horn to my brow without a word, most likely a sign of affection to soothe my concerns. No one would get by him. Nightmare Moon then asked, "Child... Tell us. What drove you to do this? What did you hear? Why...did you seek to harm the man who cherished you?"

Cynder could still not bring herself to reveal her face. But we did hear her speak. Her tone was soft and wracked with grief. "He told me... With complete sincerity. No minced words... He spoke of love... I knew he was being honest and yet...I just...couldn't believe it..."

Orbash turned his gaze towards me for a second, but not with a glare of scolding. It was a look of concern. And I was hardly surprised by this revelation. But it was the first time anyone had reacted to such an explanation with such extremes. Luna then asked softly, "Why did you not believe the truth then?"

"I couldn't believe it...because...it was just too good to be true..." Cynder whimpered in shame. And all we could do was listen. "My heart wanted to believe it, but the rest of me couldn't... So...I told myself a lie... That he was never what I thought he was. That he was a monster hiding behind a smile who had deceived everyone. A seducer who preyed upon maidens... I kept telling myself that until it became the truth. That was...my reality. And...I decided...to not let the monster hurt anyone else..."

I was at a loss for words. I did not know what to believe by then. What in the world would possess Cynder to fight so hard at even considering that what I told her was a facade hiding at a much darker truth? She was free of Malefor's influence. Surely he never did anything...that severe to her that would instill that sort of trauma, right?

Nightmare Moon draped her wing over the coiled wyrm and said, "But...he is not what you believed him to be. I spoke the truth. Do you believe me now?"

Cynder very hesitantly peeked out from under her wing at the Princess of Dreams. She then asked, "Do you...really love him? As much as he loves you?"

She did not speak. Nightmare Moon merely rose to her feet and walked towards me while Luna stayed by Cynder's side. As she did so, she spoke softly. "I did...reckless things that night. I too did not believe him for a time. Until he finally held me as we both lay bleeding under the light of dawn."

My attention was directed entirely towards the approaching Princess of Dreams. And what a welcome distraction she was. She gazed at me in longing as I remembered the injuries I suffered. An injury that I did not even notice I had until I came out of a wrathful desperate haze. "Do you remember, my love? When you held me that night?"

"I didn't go out there to slay you... I came to you so I could save you." I replied as the two of us reached out, Orbash watching us with a knowing smile as my arms and her wings held us together. The love I held for my angel of the night remained intact, even if we could...not be truly together. I whispered to her, "I love you... Always."

"And I will always love you, my guiding light." The Princess of Dreams whispered sweetly to me as we stood there, just holding each other in respite. Nightmare Moon then spoke towards her father, "I hope you do not think less of me, Father... I belong to this man and this man alone... No matter the circumstances."

"You speak as if this comes as a surprise to me." Orbash spoke with a chuckle while the two of us glanced at him. My heart fluttered with a certain giddiness I had only felt once in the presence of the moon king. He then stepped towards us and spoke with a more sincere whisper, "I know the circumstances here. And I respect your decision, my child. But know this. Should something change...and you two are willing and able to let it happen, I will gladly preside over the day you two are crowned as king and queen. Hopefully Celestia will share that crown as well."

"Your majesty, I... I'm just at a loss for words here..." I muttered at the thought of being crowned with both Celestia and Nightmare Moon... Queens of the day and night... That was a beautiful fantasy. A fantasy that likely would never become more than that, but beautiful nonetheless.

As they watched, Luna spoke to Cynder. "Do you see now, child? Tell me there is any deceit in how that man and my sister hold and whisper to each other. Do you truly believe that man sees my sister as nothing more than a trophy to pleasure himself with?"

"There are...others?" Cynder asked with her curled posture starting to unravel. She lifted her head to better gaze upon us with eyes filled with uncertainty. Luna nodded in confirmation, only for Cynder to speak softly. "Please... Bring them here."

We all turned to face Cynder. What was with that request? Nightmare Moon asked, "You...want to meet those who love this man as he loves them?"

"No. I don't want to meet them... I need to meet them." Cynder explained firmly, eyes starting to quiver in desperation. "I need...to hear what they have to say. I need to be proven wrong."

We all glanced at each other in pondering before the four of us stepped away to discuss things privately. Cynder remained where she was and waited patiently. I huddled around the nocturnal royals while Orbash said, "She might be onto something here. If what she needs is testimony from those with direct experience, then I say this is a golden opportunity to put this misunderstanding behind us."

"I concur, Father. The only question is...who shall we summon? We must take into consideration whether or not they might even be asleep right now. Different time zones could be an issue here." Luna replied in contemplation. She then looked to me and said, "James... They are your beloveds. Who do you think would be the wisest decisions?"

I crossed my arms in thought. The more loving faces around me, the calmer I would feel in the presence of someone who nearly murdered me. This had turned into a very stressful night. "We don't want to drag in too many... I say we limit them to just three guests."

Nightmare Moon nodded in agreement. "Mm. Perhaps differences in dynamics would be wise as well. Very well then. Who shall we summon?"

"Fluttershy needs to be one of them. She was the first. She has to be present. But for the rest..." I muttered while considering my options carefully. Fluttershy's presence was an absolute necessity. As my wife, she had essentially become the matriarch to our steadily growing family. Her approval was necessary for every woman who would become more to me than just a friend.

"There is no need to examine her dreaming mind. You did fall asleep right beside her, did you not?" Luna asked with a bit of wit in her voice. I cracked a smile at this hint of levity. She fell asleep right as I did. In the same bed, no less.

"Yeah, she's there. She kissed me goodnight too... As for the others..." I muttered as my thoughts wandered. I had to choose carefully. Fluttershy was my first love and had been nearly hotly contested with the beautiful Rarity. But would Rarity be the next choice? No, she was too close to home... I needed to change it up a bit. My thoughts wandered until a particularly beautiful soul flashed through my mind. "Novo... She should be here. My relationship with her is very unique. And...I think her presence would add some life to the party."

"Ah yes, the queen of Capricorn Island. She is very fond of you. And the love between you is a rarity, is it not? Queen and commoner, yet beloveds all the same? There's some beautiful poetry there." Orbash chuckled as he surely remembered that zesty queen. His six horns were coated in his silvery aura as he was likely scanning the dream realm for her presence. He then smirked at me and said, "Yes, I agree with that. And it seems like she has only just entered the dream realm. She should be present. A mare with boundless experience in the art of love, she would surely set your friend straight. Now then, who is the last who should join us?"

I had to think carefully about the third guest we would be receiving. My wife. And a wonderful unaging queen whose heart had been shattered only for me to gradually put the pieces back together. Who should be with them? "For the last... Ember."

The three royals cast me some unusual gazes. They likely were not completely aware of my relationship with Ember despite the few breadcrumbs our actions might have left for them. Nightmare Moon then asked, "The Dragon Lord? But...I do not recall you and her having ever..."

"You do know how dragon courtship works in Equestria, right?" I asked with the three royal ponies displaying responses of confirmation. I then explained, "Then you know it's not something she takes lightly. She's being very careful with this. Trust me when I say I am so in love with her... And that it's completely mutual. Why do you suppose she's as fiercely protective of me as she is? She's marked me as a potential mate and won't dare let me go too soon."

Luna bean to smile brightly before she said, "Yes... Yes, I have seen the signs... The two of you are practically betrothed by now. I suspected there was something going on between you two. Although are you certain Ember would be an ideal guest for this event?"

"It's not just that we love each other. She's a dragon. Like Cynder. I think her being able to vouch for me would really connect with Cynder. Just...don't pressure her too much. It's something she needs to decide on by her own terms." I replied with a hand lifted. Although I then added, "Besides... I feel safer when she's around. I kind of need someone like that right now."

"So I see... Just let me see if she is available..." Nightmare Moon retorted before she lifted her head and channeled her magic through her horn. Seconds went by before the aura vanished. "Yes, she is slumbering at this moment. Although it is difficult to say how much longer it will be before she awakens. She lies much farther to the east than you and will likely awaken a couple of hours before you do."

"Right... Then it's agreed?" I asked with the three royal alicorns nodding together. We then began to approach Cynder again while she waited patiently. Although I think I noticed a look of shame when she noticed that I was putting my three royal companions between her and myself.

Orbash spoke first once we drew near. "It has been decided upon, child. Three of this man's loved ones shall be summoned here. I think you'll be able to find that they'll be providing very convincing arguments to set your worries aside."

"All right... I hope they can. But... Um... Sir?" Cynder replied before she gazed up at the beautiful moon king himself. She then asked, "If you don't mind me asking... Who even are you?"

"Me? Why, I am so glad you asked, my dear." Orbash chuckled while his daughters both smirked at the glorious stallion beside us. It was his first time joining us in the dream realm at the time. "I am King Orbash. And these two lovely ladies are my pride and joy."

"Ki... King?!" Cynder yelped before she hastily bowed to the beautiful stallion before her. "It never occurred to me that you ever existed! You're the father of these creation goddesses?! Then...you're a god among gods!"

"Oh my word, that's rather heavy a term to use..." Orbash stammered while his sisters giggled at Cynder's misinterpretation of him. He then explained, "Well, in terms of the realm of reality, I suppose I do come close to what one might expect of the divine... But no. No, my children and I are no such thing. Powerful, yes. But not divine. We bleed and hunger all the same as mortals."

Cynder lifted her head to gaze upon the ethereal stallion before her, his shimmering silver mane and tail billowing in the air as if lifted by unseen winds. She spoke humbly, "If you say so... You do sound like a very kind king."

"I certainly try. And my subjects would likely say the same." He replied about as humbly as she did. He then glanced about at our rather...bleak surroundings and said, "Now then... Since we are about to have guests, how about we do something about...this ghastly environment?"

"Yes, this place could do with a makeover. What twisted mind could even come up with this? Nothing but checkerboards as far as the eye can see? Looks like Discord's work if he was depressed." Luna replied while I was not surprised she also noticed the parallels between that pattern and the fallen mad spirit. Nightmare Moon and her then lifted their horns high with their magic auras surging around them. "Just give us a moment..."

With a flash, the entire boundless black sky aboard and miles of endless black and white squares were blown away by an expanding wave of ethereal energy that wiped the slate clean. But no sooner had the ground under us be swept away did a new environment sprout in place. The sky above opened up to reveal a beautiful star-studded vista and an unnaturally large full moon to light up the sky. We appeared to be above a sea of clouds and were standing upon a very flat mountaintop covered in soft grass. Colorful mushrooms and exotic flowers dotted our surroundings, yet another environment that was all too fitting for the dream realm. Cynder, thoroughly convinced of Luna and Nightmare Moon being the equivalent of goddesses in their realm, gazed about in awe. "Beautiful..."

"Quite. You two have far surpassed me in this craft, my dears." Orbash retorted while his daughters beamed happily now that he had witnessed their mastery of dream weaving with his own eyes. I too was impressed by this dreamy locale. When one thinks of dreams, such a place would probably be one of the first things that come to mind. Although Orbash then looked me over with his eyes narrowing. "You're not going to see your beloveds like that, are you?"

"Hey, I didn't plan anything here..." I replied before gust of wind blew across the vista. It did look a bit chilly up there and I was not at all dressed for it. Or for anything. Briefly shivering, I turned to the two nights sisters. "Yeah, I probably should get dressed... Fix me up?"

"We shall. The only question is... What shall you wear?" Nightmare Moon replied as she and Luna lowered their gazes in thought. The Princess of Dreams soon suddenly lifted her head in epiphany and said smugly, "Ah, I recall one such ensemble... Luna, do you remember that suit of white our friend here wore to the previous Grand Galloping Gala?"

"You mean the one he also wore to his wedding? Yes, I do." Luna retorted with an equally impish grin on her lips. I took a step back, but she then acted quickly. "Well, seeing as how this is a special occasion... Consider it done!"

In a flash of Luna's magic, I was engulfed. And I suddenly felt quite comfortable. Orbash was the first to comment, his head tilting to one side to adjust his viewing angle. "Hm! Dashing, if I say so myself. Do you really have something like this back home?"

"Mmhm. I only wear it for special occasions. Rarity put a lot of work into this." I replied while dazzled to find myself once again clad in that elegant and stylish suit of white, my tailed jacket providing ample protection from a chilly breeze. Although I then noticed that one of my companions was...a bit more dazzled than the rest.

Cynder stared at me with eyes wide while never blinking. Even her wings had spread wide almost as if on reflex. Nightmare Moon soon asked, "Something come over you, child?"

She began to stammer, her eyes wandering while Cynder just could not get a word out. She then partially hid her face behind a wing and said, "Dashing... Yeah. Dashing."

"I believe what she's saying is compliments to our tailor." Orbash laughed while I just rolled my eyes. Even with the tension in the air all but gone, I was still wary. This was a woman who jumped to horrifyingly extreme conclusions over a harmless yet unusual revelation that resulted in her sincerely trying to harm me or worse. Although Orbash distracted me from that dark train of thought. "Now then, why don't we get started in inviting our guests?"

"Yes, though let us take it one at a time." Luna replied before approaching the edge of the plateau we were standing on. "I believe Fluttershy should be the first..."

With a flash of her magic, a rift opened before Luna. And my eyes widened a bit in pleasant surprise to see Fluttershy sanding on the other side. or rather lounging on a beach while surrounded by a bunch of adorable seal pups. I think she was dreaming of summer since the warmer seasons were on their way out at the time. She was fawning over the little things while I found myself cracking a smile. Luna then asked, "I hope I'm not interrupting..."

"Hm...? Oh! Princess Luna! Would you care to join me? These adorable little creatures do love company." Fluttershy replied before nuzzling a squeaky little seal pup. "Yes you do! Oh, you're just the cutest little thing!"

"As much as I would be remiss to refuse, I must ask that you join us over here for now. It's a special occasion and your husband insists that you attend." Luna replied while not quite keeping a straight face.

Fluttershy lifted her head while Luna stepped aside. With nothing between us, I waved at my adorable wife. "Hi, honey. Wanna have a spot of tea with us? Ember and Novo will be here soon too."

"Oh, it's a special party? Sure! I'm sorry, little ones. I've been invited and I have to go. We'll catch up some other time, all right? Mama Fluttershy loves you!" Fluttershy retorted before going to every seal pup one by one and giving them a goodbye kiss. She then hopped through the rift before it closed behind her. "Ooh, this is...lovely... What a beautiful view! But where are..."

Luna caught Fluttershy right away and whispered something into her ear. Fluttershy nodded again. And then again before her eyes widened with her eyes glancing over at the dragoness nearby. I suspect she was informed to not ever imply that we were in the realm of dreams. "Oh... I see. And...who is this?"

"More...ponies?" Cynder muttered as she eyed Fluttershy for the first time. She knew nothing of Equestria or its people outside of the three princesses who have governed that world for eons. Although she quickly caught herself and said, "Oh, I... I'm Cynder."

"Ooh, you're a dragon? And...not scary? I'm sorry, big scary adult dragons have always scared me. But...you're very pretty. I love the colors of your scales." Fluttershy replied while trying to make a good first impression. I was not going to ask what Luna had told her. She did not need to know everything about Cynder at the time.

Fluttershy's ever-present kindness was an unexpected yet welcome greeting to the wayward wyrm, especially when considering what had led to that moment. Cynder's eyes widened before she averted her gaze. "That's...kind of you to say... Thank you."

My wife then looked up at me and asked, "Who is she? Is Cynder a friend of yours? Someone you met in Ember's home?"

My eyes glanced at Cynder while she could not bring herself to look at me. I said what little I could. "She's...just someone I know."

"That's...it? But where did... Oh my..." Fluttershy asked before she trailed off upon seeing who was standing near us. She finally laid eyes upon Orbash for the first time, her eyes widening to see the handsome king before her. "You... The way you look... Are you...?"

Nightmare Moon took the opportunity to get the next word in. And she was casting quite the smirk at us while she said, "Fluttershy. Allow me to introduce you to our father. King Orbash."

I had to suppress a laugh. Fluttershy's jaw dropped open while Orbash smiled down at her. "A pleasure, my dear."

"Oooooh my goodness, I've read about you in my husband's writings, you're every bit as glorious as I imagined, your silver mane, your coat of midnight, you're as beautiful as I imagined..." Fluttershy went on and on before she dissolved into a stammering mess over finally meeting the true king of Equestria for the first time. Orbash and I could not contain our laughter at Fluttershy's utter astonishment at seeing the finest stallion who ever lived.

"If I had a bit for every time I've heard someone say something similar to that to me, I would be very rich indeed!" Orbash laughed before bowing his head towards the awestruck mare before him. "But I've heard equally fine things about you, my dear. And let me say right now that you've married a very fine man. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

I noticed Cynder's wings just droop to the ground over yonder. She had such a deflated distant look in her eyes. Was the act of hearing so many speaking so kindly of me making her feel even worse over what she just did? Fluttershy did not quite overcome her amazement and even slumped to a sitting position. She was blushing furiously as she muttered, "It's a... It's a... It's... Oh my, I'm a married mare and I'm getting so flustered... James, is it normal for most mares to be so...awestruck when they meet our king for the first time?"

My eyes narrowed as a very sly smirk crossed my lips. I knew exactly the best way to answer that question. "Oh, I don't know... Why don't we ask Novo?"

Orbash visibly recoiled from this statement. And he sighed in amusement while rolling his eyes. "Well, it's most certainly fortunate that Sunflare isn't here... Yes, go ahead. Let's bring that zesty queen in. Nightmare Moon, if you would?"

"At once. Let's see here..." Nightmare Moon replied before she faced the nearest edge of the plateau we were on. Her eyes focused while her magic aura flared up around her horn. "So distant... There she is."

We watched as yet another rift in space formed before the Princess of Dreams. As for what was on the other side... I suppose we should not have been surprised. Novo was in plain sight while reclining in a spa with a number of unicorn mares I did not recognize going about and giving her all manner of treatments. Filing her talons and hooves, applying a facial to her eyelids, brushing her feathers, she was getting the full experience. She was so relaxed that we were hesitant to disturb her. But disturb her we must. Nightmare Moon spoke cautiously, "Um... I would loathe to disturb you, but is this a bad time?"

"Wha... Who's that?" Novo asked while she lifted a cucumber slice from her left eye. She noticed Nightmare Moon right away and spoke with a smile on her beak. "Well now, hello there. What brings you around to my place? I'm just enjoying some R&R here. Care to join me?"

"Another time, perhaps? This is important, Novo. It's... Wait a moment." Nightmare Moon then stepped through the rift and right up to Novo. I noticed Cynder tilt her head further in one direction to try and see through the rift, but did not try very hard. I saw Nightmare Moon whisper towards Novo's left ear tuft. Most likely to inform her to maintain some level of secrecy around Cynder. The hippogriff queen soon nodded and allowed Nightmare Moon to remove the facial cream from her face in a flash of magic light. Novo was soon back on her feet while Nightmare Moon at least bid farewell to Novo's imaginary entourage. "So sorry to interrupt, ladies. Royal business."

Novo followed the Princess of Dreams with the rift closing behind the two of them. She glanced about at the serene environment we were standing upon before saying, "Now this... This is a fine view... Good evening to you, Luna. And... Oh, hello there, you two!"

The hippogriff queen came trotting right over to Fluttershy and I, her great wings catching us both in a soft feathery embrace. My wife and I hugged that beautiful bird as she said, "Oh, I missed you two. And how's the little sweet pea lately? Does she miss her mama bird? Should I schedule an emergency visit?"

"Oh, it's so good to see you, your majesty. Gladesong is doing wonderfully. And she's been so happy to have her father back to his old self. The specialists in Canterlot finally fixed him." Fluttershy whispered while I even placed a kiss on Novo's cheek. I am never not pleased to see that wonderful queen.

Fluttershy's words awoke a new look of alarm in Novo's eyes. She turned to me, her winged embrace tightening, and asked, "Fix you...? Did something happen? Is your head all right, honey?"

"It's...complicated. Let's just say my mind was in a bad place by the time I got home. Celestia even had the foresight to anticipate such problems and assigned some doctors to find a cure ahead of time. I'm fine, now, Novo. Really." I explained in brief while wanting to make it clear right away that my fractured mind was finally out of danger. There was no need to concern her with a problem that no longer existed.

"Oh, thank goodness... If I found out my king-in-waiting was experiencing complications, I'd be on the next flight back to Ponyville to provide some TLC. If you ever need me for anything, you just send for me, baby. Mama will be right there." Novo cooed while placing a kiss upon my cheek. She then nuzzled Fluttershy and whispered sweetly to her. "I hope you two have been catching up ever since he got back. Poor man missed you, dear."

"We really have been. It's just...so nice to finally have everything back to normal. Not just with James being home, but with all of our friends. Ponyville's finally feeling like Ponyville again." Fluttershy explained while she and I shared a smile with each other. Although Novo's gaze soon turned elsewhere and I began to smirk in anticipation. She released her grasp on us and stepped past us. Fluttershy asked in curiosity, "Novo...?"

"Excuse me a second, dears." Novo said smugly as she began to step towards an increasingly nervous Orbash. She then spoke with such a sultry tone of voice, "Like I could not notice the hunkiest stud of a stallion I've ever laid eyes on. What brings you here, handsome?"

"Oh dear, here we go again. Heaven forbid Sunflare sees this." Orbash started to laugh as Novo sidled up next to him. He then bowed his head to her while she did the same. "And you're just as radiant as when I last saw you, m'lady."

Luna and Nightmare Moon groaned or rolled their eyes in utter embarrassment over Novo...just being Novo. Fluttershy could perfectly emphasize with where she was coming though. As for me, I was just enjoying the show. Novo was just having fun while appreciating Orbash's beauty a bit more than she probably should have been. Even if I knew where her heart truly lied. Although I did notice Cynder covering her mouth out of the corner of my eye. As if she was desperately trying to stifle a laugh. The Princess of the Night then asked, "Novo, must you be so forward with our father? He gets this quite enough as is."

"Oh, cool your haunches, little moon. I know your daddy's completely off-limits." Novo retorted while Luna could only let out a loud equine snort, a burst of steam coming from her nostrils thanks to the fairly cool air around us. Although Novo then stroked her wing down Orbash's back, causing the handsome king's eyes to widen considerably. "I've always been one who appreciates beauty. And there ain't no stallion more beautiful than the #1 royal DILF in the world. Certainly not with those haunches."

The two night sisters physically recoiled at Novo's sweet talking with both of them looking like they were about to start gagging. Poor Celestia would be furious if she saw that. As for Orbash, he just started howling in awkward laughter. I think Novo had done the impossible in truly making him nervous, yet he found her use of words too extreme to not find funny. And I was certainly getting a laugh out of the spectacle. But no one was laughing harder than Cynder. The little dragoness had lost her footing and had fallen to the floor while she kept trying to cover her face now that she had been quickly introduced to Novo's unique brand of humorous sass. "She's too muhuhuhuch!!!"

"Hm? Well, who's this pretty little thing?" Novo asked now that someone had distracted her from the gorgeous king in the room. She turned to Cynder now that the laughter was dying down and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. What brings you here, honey?"

Cynder managed to compose herself before rising to her feet again. "I'm...Cynder, your...majesty? You are...a hippogriff? And a queen? A hippogriff queen?"

"Sure am, honey. I've got the crown for it." Novo replied while tapping a finger on the golden circlet set atop her head. Although she then said, "Oh, but don't get any ideas. This fine stallion might be king, but I'm not his queen. I know I was laying the sweet stuff down pretty heavy right there, but he's not my king."

Novo turned to me while my eyes met hers. And a beautiful sincere smile formed on her beak that mirrored my own. She then stepped towards me as she said, "My king...is this sweet sugar bear right here."

I paid no mind to Cynder. Novo and I embraced as her beak clamped over my cheeks to allow her tongue to invade my mouth. We sighed in bliss as our tongues danced for a wonderful kiss. Dream or no dream, our love remained the same as always. And no one dared interrupt. At least until Cynder spoke up in shock with her wings suddenly spreading wide. "King... James?! You're a king?!"

My wariness of her faded for the moment as I found her shock to be more funny than anything else. And it was rather ridiculous for Cynder to assume that she had basically almost assassinated a royal monarch and the very heavy consequences she would be facing if she pulled it off. I got a snicker out of the face she was making and said, "Not yet, but maybe someday!"

Novo then held me in her wing while smirking at little Cynder. "Oh, that's not a maybe, honey. This sugar bear will be wearing a crown someday. And even then... Fluttershy here? Me? And every other lucky lady who finds paradise with him? We're all his queens, baby. And we're richer for it."

"You...really weren't kidding..." Cynder muttered to me as she began to display a look of true shame. No one ever laid the truth down heavier than Novo. And to hear the hippogriff queen speaking such a fact so confidently was exactly the truth she needed to hear in order to deal a massive blow to her doubts. Although she then stared at Novo and asked, "But...are you truly a queen?"

Novo titled her head to one side as she noticed the confusion in Cynder's tone. She released me from her embrace and said, "Uh...yes? I did just say I am. Got the crown and everything. Why? You not convinced?"

"I mean don't get me wrong. You really do look the part. So regal... It's just... I mean..." Cynder began to say before pausing to try and find the right words. She then eventually said, "I thought a queen is supposed to be...you know... Serious. Maybe a bit stoic. A firm and imposing paragon for her people. One who..."

"Excuse me, but did I ask you to tell me how to do my job?" Novo suddenly said very firmly to shut Cynder up. She then began to march right over to the cowering dragoness while looking like she was halfway between offended and amused. We all watched with bated breath. And it was likely a criticism Novo had heard before. She stood over Cynder and exclaimed, "You got a problem with how I reign? How I strut my stuff on my home turf? I'm the queen here! I'll rule however I want! I might do things to the beat of my own drum, but I'm still as queen as they come! You don't like my style?! You can just see yourself out! Got it, honey?"

She sounded mad, but I could see that Novo said everything she did with a smile. And Cynder's look of fear in her eyes began to fade as she found herself starting to display an increasingly crooked smile on her reptilian lips. A grimace I did not even know she could make. After a few seconds of silence, Cynder glanced at me and said, "I like her already."

Novo just lifted her head high and laughed at Cynder's response while we too smiled or even chuckled with her. Cynder then rolled her eyes amusingly and spoke, “Yeah, what do I know? I know absolutely nothing on what it means to be queen. Pay no mind to this silly commoner."

"Oh, honey. You know I'm just messing with you, right? I've gotten flack like that soooo many times over my reign that I've learned to just laugh at it. I'm a wife and mother first and a queen second. But I'm still queen and I will do my duty to the best of my ability. And from what I've seen, my people are quite happy to have me on the throne." Novo explained more calmly while lightly petting Cynder on her head. Although she then turned to face us and asked, "Come to think of it, we're here for something important, right? Are we expecting anyone else?"

"Thank you for the reminder. Only one remains. I shall fetch her immediately." Nightmare Moon replied while she again faced the vista beyond the cliffs. Her horn's magic aura flared up around it as she soon said, "There she is."

One last rift opened before her. And while I could not see into it, Nightmare Moon then stuck her head through the rift. We all watched in curious silence as I heard only the faintest mutterings between her and whoever was on the other side. She soon stepped back as a familiar blue dragoness stepped through the closing rift. And I felt my heart swell upon seeing that beautiful creature again. Fluttershy spoke first. "Ember! Hello again!"

"Oh hey, good to see all of you too!" Ember replied, her hand waving in greeting. Although she was very quick to see the one person there she had never laid eyes on before. "Huh? Oh, hi... Wait... You're a dragon too?"

This was curious. Ember approached Cynder right away. Possibly due to some sort of dragon empathy. Cynder gazed up at Ember with equal curiosity. While Ember would not have looked out of place among the Artisan dragons Cynder and I had crossed paths with, Cynder could clearly see there was something...different that set her and Ember apart. The darker dragoness spoke first in greeting. "I'm Cynder."

"Cynder? That does sound like a name I'd hear in my territories..." Ember muttered with her arms crossed, eyes narrowing in contemplation. Although she then waved her hand at our guest and said, "Well anyway... I am Ember. The Dragon Lord. What brings you here?"

There was something about that response that triggered...a peculiar reaction in Cynder. Her eyes narrowed, but not in contemplation. She looked...bewildered. Almost disgusted. Cynder then said, "That name... It's weird. When I hear 'Ember', I think of...pink."

"Wait, really? What gave you that idea?" Ember asked in genuine confusion.

"I...can't explain it. It just...sounds familiar. And that color... What's with these...feelings? Glimmers...of past lives?" Cynder muttered as she tucked her body together further and further. As if trying to huddle up against herself in extreme cold. But instead of cold, she was reeling from an unseen and unexplainable force that just made her cringe in utter discomfort. She grit her teeth, squinted her eyes, and just acted like she was responded to stimuli brought on by sheer disgust. "Ugh, get these thoughts out of my head! It feels like I've lived through some really...stupid things I don't think I'd care to remember..."

Consumed with more intrigue than caution, I took a step forward. But Ember then gently rested her hand upon Cynder's brow. The Dragon Lord's touch appeared to calm her while Ember said, "Are you OK?"

"I... Uh... Yes, I'm fine. Just...unpleasant memories, but I have no idea where they got there. Although I get the feeling...you're a really good Ember." Cynder retorted while starting to smile up at the Dragon Lord. Her stance relaxed before she asked, "Anyway... Dragon Lord? Don't you mean dragon queen?"

"Hey, I didn't come up with the title. Since the very beginning, anyone who inherits the Bloodstone Scepter is the Dragon Lord. Male, female, doesn't matter." Ember shrugged her shoulders before she started to eye Cynder more closely. "Come to think of it... You don't exactly look like any dragon from my realm. You feel...different."

"I was getting the same feeling, honestly. I really don't think we come from the same world..." Cynder replied as she got comfortable before Ember. She then explained, "All the dragons from the world I came from all walked like beasts. But they built cities and ran their own societies. Architects, scholars, they were a proud people."

Ember's eyes opened with newfound intrigue. She gestured happily towards Cynder as she said, "Really now?! I'll bet I would've been much happier living with your people than mine. The dragon lands I rule over are almost nothing but volcanic wastelands. Now cities or anything. Just caves for housing, the bunch of primitive boulderheads... I really hope to fix that soon."

Cynder cracked a very crooked and surprised grin upon hearing Ember trash talk her own subjects. "Boulderheads...?! It sounds like your subjects don't follow your example very well..."

"Nope, not really. But some of them are a bit more courteous now than they were just a few months ago. I think that's a good sign." Ember said with a delighted grin.

And...they just continued to talk. And talk some more. It looked like Cynder had found a friend in Ember. I crossed my arms while I watched the two dragonesses chat each other up. I had no idea how we would even interrupt them. Although Fluttershy soon whispered, "Um... Do you think we should stop them?"

Novo then whispered to us all, "Nah, let them be for a little while. You don't just interrupt the start of a new friendship like this."

"But time is of the essence. Ember will surely be the first to awaken at this rate. And we have important business to conduct." Luna whispered before she finally approached the two chatting dragons. She got their attention by loudly clearing her throat before speaking. "I do not wish to interrupt, but I must remind you that the time we have together at this moment is finite. And we are here for a reason, are we not?"

"Oh... Right." Cynder muttered while Ember just looked at Luna in confusion. Neither she nor the others had been told of why they had been summoned. "Then...shall we get started?"

"Come to think of it, what did you call us for?" Ember asked with arms crossed. My eyes opened wider as I realized that neither of our guests had any inkling of understanding regarding the situation surrounding Cynder. What should we tell them?

"Oh, nothing much. Just...a little time together to talk." Luna replied before facing the center of the plateau we were standing upon. With a cast of her magic, she summoned a cluster of colorful mushrooms from the ground to serve as a table and soft seats. "Let's get comfortable."

This seemed like a reasonable way to approach the situation. Cynder wanted to talk to those who knew me on a much more intimate level than her and this was a good way to do it. I took a seat on one such toadstool while Fluttershy sat beside me with Nightmare Moon on the other side. Although Orbash remained standing as he stepped back. Nightmare Moon asked, "Aren't you going to join us, Father?"

"Tempting, but I think I've overstayed my welcome. And besides, Sunflare would never let me hear the end of it if I spent an evening with another queen without her." The moon king laughed while Novo joined in by letting out an unprepared guffaw. He then bowed to us and said, "But it was a pleasure being here tonight. And a fine farewell to you, Miss Cynder."

Cynder bowed her head at the table and said softly, "Thank you, your majesty... But where will you go?"

"I know exactly where I am going..." Orbash spoke with an impish grin on his lips. He then turned from us while his silvery magic aura coated his six horns. Another rift opened before him while I heard a very familiar voice yelp from the other side. One who called his name. The cheeky moon king then spread his wings wide and called out, "Hello, my love! Your king has arrived!"

With a flap of those wings, Orbash hurled himself through the rift and into the dreaming mind of his own wife. And Luna was quick to swoop over to the rift and close it herself. Her head snapped to the left to look at us with a rather frustrated gaze as she called out, "We are NOT opening that again!"

"Oh come on, just when it sounded like things were about to get steamy!" Novo laughed while the rest of us either joined in or shook our heads. Although once Luna took a seat at the table, the hippogriff queen asked with an arm resting on the table. "So then... Ladies and sugar bear. Why are we here?"

"You're...uh... Heheh..." I started to reply before snickering at the term she used to single me out. Although I then had an idea to help with the mood. "Come to think of it, shouldn't we get some tea going?"

"Very good point. And perhaps some scones. Allow me." Nightmare Moon replied before her magic summoned a couple of teapots and platters of assorted colorful scones. A thin trail of steam rose from each spout and I could notice the faint hint of chamomile in the air. "I do believe these will suffice."

Ember was quick to point out something odd about the methods of the Princess of Dreams. "Wait... Did you bake those just now? Or...conjure them up out of nothing?"

"Uh... I... I just..." Nightmare Moon stammered with her eyes widening in rather comical uncertainty. She said uneasily, "Now that you mention that, I'm doubting my culinary knowledge! I can't make any guarantees over how these taste!"

"Then allow me." She said assuredly before she poured herself a cup of the and took a sip. Her eyes wandered for a moment in thought before she passed judgement. "The faintest hint of honey... I think you got what you were aiming for. Now, for the rest..."

Always eager to try new cuisine, Ember reached out for the scone platter and took one that looked full of assorted berries. After one bite, she cast a smile at their baker. "Tastes fine to me!"

With any worries over the quality of the food and drink washed away, we all began passing around the snacks provided. My eyes fell upon Cynder as she poured herself a drink. While her hands were not as dexterous as mine, she had no difficulty handling something as delicate as fine porcelain. And for the moment, everything just settled into polite conversation. Although Fluttershy, Ember, and Novo did most of the talking like a trio of friends having a reunion. I think Cynder was observing them too. She probably understood that those three ladies were not just friends of mine. We were in love. We had shared a bed with each other. And had shared pleasure. The sight of all three of them being so trusting and friendly towards each other truly conveyed that they were all in agreement with the situation surrounding our life as lovers and family. Nightmare Moon and Luna had little to say. They were just supervising the situation.

The first step had been made. Cynder had not witnessed the camaraderie between my lovers to see that there was no jealousy or spite. We were all in this together. Although that was not enough. Cynder still needed answers. "Excuse me... Hello?"

"Whatcha need, honey? You've been awful quiet for a while." Novo replied as all eyes fell upon our guest. I held my tongue, more comfortable than before while still being more than just a bit apprehensive in her presence.

"Um... It's just... You know this man, right?" Cynder asked in an attempt to ease into the subject.

Ember rested her jaw on the back of her hand and said, "Of course we do. Why?"

"You... You really don't act like friends to him. I was hoping to...understand the truth." Cynder muttered carefully while I too was uneasy about the truth slipping. If word got out that the misunderstanding between the two of us resulted in Cynder trying to murder me, Ember especially would become hostile.

"The tru... Oooooh..." Fluttershy gasped softly while they all gazed at Cynder with wider eyes than before. Nightmare Moon and Luna looked noticeably tense, as if anticipating a confrontation. My wife glanced at me and asked, "She knows?"

I only nodded. "Cynder would like to hear what you have to say about it. She's heard my side of it. Now it's your turn."

Cynder was clearly trying to be civil about this. And she was withholding any and all judgement until after she had heard the truth from both side. She then asked, "So then... You all are his mates?"

"That's an old fashioned way of saying it... But...yeah?" Novo retorted before waving at Fluttershy first. "Actually, how about we go in order? Fluttershy, honey? You've known him the longest."

"Oh, right! I'd be happy to." Fluttershy squeaked while she and I shared a smile. The lovely pegasus looked around at our guests and began to speak. "I've known James since his very first day in Equestria. He was such a troubled lost soul, stuck in a new environment that was completely alien to him. I could tell just by looking at him how broody and quiet he was. My friends and I came together that day to make sure his first day in Ponyville was a good one. And that...was where it all started with us. From strangers to friends."

"That sounds...nice. Kind of idyllic, really. Nothing fancy and I like that." Cynder replied with a noticeable smile on her lips. She then asked, "Then...how did you two become something more?"

Fluttershy sighed while starting to look a little embarrassed. "I...admit that I was hastier than I should've been... I had never been in love before... It was...less than a week after he arrived where I...felt such a strong attraction to him... In hindsight, we really did get lucky in how well everything turned out in the long run. I was new to it. He had just experienced a failed relationship. And we were...ready to try and be happy together."

Hearing her be so introspective about our relationship made me genuinely smile. I reached out and held Fluttershy's hoof under the table before she and I smiled at each other. There was nothing but sincerity in her words. Ember especially had both hands clasped together under her jaw to hold it up while she looked on in admiration. Novo cooed sweetly at us as she said, "Aww, you two really were meant for each other. Congrats, you two."

Cynder was definitely more at ease now that she had seen where it all started for me. Although that was when it became time to ask the more difficult questions. "So...you were his first. Then how did...others come into the picture?"

Our smiles faded. And I did not trust myself to explain things to Cynder. Fluttershy faced our guest and said, "It didn't happen overnight... But there was one who loved him as much as I do. And I even spoke to her about it. My best friend... Rarity. She and James became best friends very quickly after he arrived. And they always had such amazing chemistry... That friendship...became more. And we even talked about it. We considered the possibility of...embracing an unusual relationship. We both agreed not to at first, but...things changed over time. And after some time, we began to feel more faith in James as a man who really did have the kind of love needed to maintain that kind of relationship."

Fluttershy's utter sincerity captivated everyone around her. She was being entirely serious and forward while not sharing every single detail. She then sighed and said happily, "Rarity...was the first. We wanted each other to be happy and wanted to be more for the man we love. And he had the courage to really try and make it happen. And that...was when we all became a family."

I noticed Cynder wipe a trickling tear from her eye. Only Fluttershy could touch one's heart like that. Cynder maintained her composure as she said, "You make it sound so beautiful... I think I understand how things are between you. But now..."

Cynder then looked towards Novo and asked, "Were you next? How did that happen? You're a queen, but..."

"Don't go thinking I'm that picky, honey. I've been married before. And my previous king was also a commoner. Social status don't mean anything when it comes to what your heart wants." Novo snapped lightly at the curious dragoness. But after a moment of awkward silence, Novo's gaze lowered as she realized what it was she had just revealed. "Yes... You heard that right. I had a king once... I had a husband. And I've been a widow for a very long time. I couldn't stop grieving over what I had lost. I couldn't...consider trying to be happy in a new way."

All eyes fell upon the queen of Capricorn Island. It had been some time since Novo last had to really recall the life she lost before she met me. I suspect Cynder could tell that Novo's lifespan was not exactly mortal, but she never asked about it. Such a topic was not relevant. Although I did see Novo start to smile while she stirred the tea in her cup with one finger. "But I do have an amazing best friend. And she set in motion a plan that might help me without me even knowing it."

I found myself smiling when Novo glanced over at me. We were both so madly in love. And it did not happen overnight. She then looked at Cynder and explained, "She arrived at my palace, business as usual. And this fine sugar bear was with her. Sweet and subdued, a man who listens more than he talks. And I always had a lot to say. I really found myself liking this man. And he...really found himself liking me."

Cynder's lips held a smirk of amusement while I found myself sheepishly averting my gaze. She was right. I found Novo unbelievably endearing and attractive. A nearly perfect woman, a queen like no other. In such a short time, I felt myself become drawn to her. And Novo must have read my mind since she then blew a kiss my way before resuming her story. "He was there as my friend's escort and knight. But he and I became more day by day. He listened well when I spoke and we were up on a balcony one night... He held me...and that was when I saw his ring."

"Ring?" Cynder asked before I lifted my right hand. There it was on my finger. My golden wedding ring. Fluttershy responded in kind by lifting her hoof that held her own wedding bracelet around her wrist. Considering her usage of such primitive terms like 'mates', I was not sure if she would understand the nuance behind that jewelry. But she did. Her eyes widened as Cynder surely realized that those two golden bands were a set that bound Fluttershy and I together. "Oooooh... Mates for life... I see. So then...what happened next?"

Novo sighed while she smiled crookedly at me for a second. "I admit I got a little bitter. When I realized I was dealing with a married man who was reaching out to me in what looked like a hint of nervous courtship, I asked him if he was gonna take his ring off first. And he didn't. He held me while keeping his ring on. And that threw me for a loop. I couldn't understand how a married man could open himself up to another woman while still keeping his wife in his heart."

I noticed Fluttershy look at me while beaming so proudly at me. This little recollection only reinforced her choice to put that kind of faith in me. I held her hoof while also glad that I had not disappointed her. Novo began to smile more sincerely as she continued. "He explained to me how his family back home was working. The poor thing... He was really unsure of himself at the time. He was still figuring things out and even sounded like he doubted himself. But he was trying for all their sakes. Although...this did clash hard with my people's culture. We hippogriffs mate for life and with only one spouse. But he was just so sincere about it that...I felt compelled to give him a chance. I could see that he wanted to be good to me... And I started to wonder...would this man be the one who could convince me to let myself fall in love again?"

That was when I snickered to myself over how Novo described my behavior that night. I groaned quietly while scratching at my head, "Yeah, I really wasn't that confident about something so unorthodox. I wasn't even sure if I could ever be good enough for someone like you."

"Patience, baby. I'm getting there. Now, where was I?" Novo spoke while showing me that sweet soulful smile I had come to adore on her face. She then explained, "Right... I decided to give him a test. A very strict test to see if he really was a man who loved his women as people and not as trophies. I invited him to my bedroom that night. No guards, completely unsupervised and unprotected. And I gave him strict orders to follow. And he listened. He stayed by my side and we both slept well. And when I woke up, I inspected myself closely for any signs of him having molested me in my sleep. And I found nothing. He respected my will and let me sleep undisturbed."

Cynder's eyes widened at this impressive show of trust from this very capable queen. Novo then cast me a smug smirk as she said, "Of course, had he manhandled me even once, I would've ejected him from my palace and never let him back in. The one kind of man I just can't stand is a scoundrel. And a scoundrel you are not, my love."

I sighed while feeling my face burning with red. I said what little I could. "I love you..."

"Love you too, baby. But the story's not over." Novo replied before she continued. "That was when I knew I could trust this man. And bit by bit... Day by day... I opened my heart to him more while he did the same. And we...were so happy together. I was falling in love... I had forgotten how...wonderful that feels. When we held each other... When we kissed each other... It was...finally another day in paradise... At least up until it was time for him to go home."

She looked so lovelorn looking back on those first few days where we were in the very beginning of a wonderful relationship. Only for that vacation to be followed by a span of very uncertain separation. Novo bowed her head and let out a long sigh. "I...wasn't ready to let go. I begged this man to stay... I told him how we hippogriffs do not second guess our hearts. I knew I was ready to be his. But...he insisted we wait. I had tested him. And now he wanted to test us both. And I'm embarrassed to say...I very nearly failed that test."

The levity in the air fell as Novo even held her head up in one hand. She paused for a long moment before she could bring herself to speak. "Days went by...and I felt like I got played. I could not understand why such a wonderful man would come into my life, fall in love with me while I fell in love with him. Only for him to leave...and insist we wait. I had just begun to recover from a broken heart...and those cracks opened again. And this time, I knew who was responsible for my pain. My pain became doubt. And that doubt became anger. And when I finally laid eyes on him again...I was angry. And I had planned out a long furious rant for him..."

I became increasingly nervous. If Novo was not angry, she was doing a great job of acting like it. But she then chuckled bitterly before she said, "When I saw him again... All that anger just disappeared. And that was when I really understood what he was testing. He wanted to find out just how happy we would be the next time we saw each other after some time apart."

Cynder then asked cautiously, "And...were you?"

Novo smirked at he ignorant dragoness before looking at me out of the corner of her eye. "Let's just say that this man will be crowned my king someday. And we'll have very many heirs together. And I couldn't be more honored to be part of this...wonderful family he's invited me into."

Our guest flinched at Novo's brazen declaration of love while everyone else around us even went so far as to applaud her for such a good story with an equally inspiring outcome. But I still felt the need to apologize to her. "I'm sorry if I ever hurt you back there... I just..."

"James... Honey, don't apologize. I get where you were coming from. You weren't getting cold feet. You were just being cautious. All's well that ends well, right?" Novo replied sweetly as we gazed at each other from across the table. Although she then turned to Ember and said, "Now that my story's said and done... What about you, Ember? Anything you wanna say about your future king?"

"What?! Whoa, hold on there! He and I aren't mates yet!" Ember yelped before frantically waving her hands about. This only got some confused glances from the rest of our entourage. She was there for the same reason as Novo and Fluttershy. Although I began to wonder exactly what she could even say to Cynder about that.

"You're...not?" Cynder asked with her head tilting to one side. "But...aren't you two...something more?"

"No! I mean yes! I mean...kind of? Technically, we're... Uh..." Ember stammered and sputtered before holding her head in both hands. I covered my mouth to muffle a chuckle. I did not expect Ember to react quite so...humorously. She then finally groaned, "It's...complicated..."

Novo finally let out a hearty chuckle and said, "Girl, come on. We all know you're head over heels for this man. I've seen the chemistry between you two. And I know he's got you on the mind a lot too. What are..."

"Stop! I'm not kidding here!" Ember shouted while planting both hands firmly on the rather soft mushroom table. That soft thump with the fungal surface bending inward slightly really caught her by surprise. I think we were all bewildered that the table did not respond like a wooden one. But that distraction passed quickly as Ember said, "I can't...say things like that too easily. You know how a dragon heart works."

Cynder was understandably the most confused out of all of us. She then asked, "Wha... Wait, what do you mean about dragon hearts?"

Ember looked towards the only other dragon around us and said, "I'm not sure how courtship works with your race of dragons, but mine...take it very seriously. It's infused right into our blood. Raw instincts that we can't defy. I already told you how...rugged my territory is. That makes choosing a companion all the more dire. When a dragon spots a potential mate, they pursue them cautiously. Waiting to be certain they're the one. And when they finally approach them, the answer is final. If yes, they remain mates for life. If no... They will never allow themselves to feel that strongly for that person ever again. No sense on wasting time chasing an impossible dream."

Cynder's eyes widened while we all listened. Conversation and helping everyone understand the nuances of how her heart works would probably ease Ember into speaking more openly. Luna and Nightmare Moon continued to listen without a word, but they were always ready to step in should something happen. Cynder then muttered, "That sounds...powerful. Beautiful, really."

"Yeah, that's probably the best thing I can say about my subjects. They're a bunch of boulderheads, but they always take romance seriously." Ember retorted with a snide smirk on her lips.

It was then that Cynder asked the obvious question again. "But does that mean you're not pursuing James?"

"I..." Ember muttered uneasily. I looked at her as she looked at me and just nodded. I was perfectly fine with whatever she needed to say. We all listened patiently as the Dragon Lord finally began to speak with her fingers fidgeting with each other. "I...don't know... I've never been good at understanding my own feelings. I really didn't have the time to try or care until...he found me."

Now we were getting somewhere. And Cynder leaned a little closer to her fellow dragoness to listen in. "He was the first to ever really listen to me. Something those idiots back home never did. Told me truths I needed to hear and...I had to find him. And when I found out war was coming, I decided I couldn't lose him. I joined him on the battlefield to make sure he was always safe... And...I learned important things from him."

Cynder even began to smile as she listened. When Ember paused, her scarlet eyes lowering their gaze to the table, the dark dragoness asked, "What did you learn?"

Ember sighed happily as she spoke with a softer tone. "We haven't known each other all that long, but we went through so much together so fast... I learned that beauty can be found even in those who are strong. And that tenderness is not a sign of weakness. It wasn't just that I found someone who listens to me... He always respected me."

"You've always been an amazing person, Ember. Truly the best out of all your people." I said at the first opportunity. I knew I was interrupting, but I just wanted to reinforce Ember's own thoughts. She beamed at me gratefully while even Cynder started to show a smile. We were finally getting through to her.

"You really like saying that, don't you?" Ember chuckled before leaning harder on the table. Her eyes narrowed inquisitively as she then asked, "Come to think of it, there's also something else you kept saying to me. What was it you said I keep giving you?"

My lips wiggled as I smiled crookedly at my beloved. And I spoke the truth. "You've always given me courage."

"And you've always given me hope, my little warrior poet." Ember spoke lovingly as her heart was finally put on full display. She may not have been openly declaring the situation between us, but there was no denying it by that point. We were in love.

Cynder once again had to wipe away a single tear upon hearing such powerful words of love being spoken. Although her eyes then widened before looking at me. "Wait... You write poetry? Can I see some of them?"

"Huh?! Oh, no... I'm not actually a poet. I just write prose. Although I wise I had a knack for poetry." I retorted with Ember eyeing me most lovingly. Such a beautiful angle her head was on, her long jaws angled down as those lovely scarlet eyes gazed at me in that face of blue. I wanted to say it, but I remembered her plea. I had to resist the urge to say those three special words again. I had been reckless too many times already.

There was no hiding the truth from Ember as everyone else watched patiently and in admiration. Cynder then asked, "So then...you do love him...? You two are planning on becoming mates?"

I held my tongue, but Ember sighed contemplatively. She clenched her hands together and closed her eyes. "That's all I'm gonna say on this topic. I've said enough. And I'll figure things out as I go. But this man is mine to protect. I will always be his shield. His enemies are my enemies and those that would harm him...will pay dearly."

The more Ember spoke, the wider Cynder's eyes became. Her eyebrows rose, a growing look of dread settling onto her face. I too felt uncomfortable as my memories drifted back to what had happened earlier that night. With great caution, Cynder then asked, "What...would you do if someone...hurt him? Maybe even try to kill him?"

Ember's response was very succinct. She chugged the last of her tea from her cup, which was rather thick ceramic. She then looked at Cynder and proceeded to suddenly crush her cup in her hand without flinching. She spoke firmly, "Then they die. If someone tries to take this man from me... From everyone who cherishes him...I'll see to it that's the last thing they'll ever do."

Cynder...faltered. Ember's firm and very sincere words combined with a display of her strength caused Cynder to freeze up and literally fall off of her seat. I too flinched at that display and knew why Cynder recoiled with as much horror as she did. If Ember caught word of what manner of injury Cynder had inflicted upon me that night, she would rip her head off. Everyone else around the table leaned forward in concern with Ember even asking, "Whoa, you OK there? I wasn't trying to scare you!"

"I... I think I'm all right..." Cynder stammered as she rose up again to look over the table. She still looked jarred, glancing at Ember in sheer fear. But she still tried to smile and looked at all of us. "I just want to say... I'm glad I got to meet you tonight. The stories you've told me... I... I see why you are all in this together. You're all very happy together and..."

Novo rested her beak on the back of her hand and asked, "Honey, you make it sound like you expected the worst and needed to hear a second opinion from the ladies in this sweetheart's life."

"That's...exactly the reason why I wanted to talk to you all..." Cynder muttered shamefully with her wings drooping once again. "I...couldn't believe it... I needed to hear the truth from more than just him. And...now I believe you. The love you all share... It's so real. Too sincere to be fake. I believe you. And I'm...happy for all of you."

Fluttershy then spoke up sweetly upon noticing our guest's deflating mood. "Oh, Cynder... Thank you. And it's all right if you were skeptical about it. Most of Equestria probably doesn't see such relationships in a positive light either. We...have to be careful over who's allowed to know about this. It's risky... Someone might make assumptions and do something drastic. Especially to James... I would hate for anyone to think he was taking advantage of us. Or what they might do to him for it."

It was unbearably uncomfortable to hear my own wife unknowingly describe exactly what happened shortly before she arrived. And it was too much for Cynder. Shame overtaking her, she began to step to the side. "Ex... Excuse me..."

She ran. Cynder galloped off across the plateau. As far as it reached. When she finally came to the edge overlooking that sea of moonlit clouds, she stopped. Cynder merely rested on the cliff and gazed out over the sea. She was a little hard to make out from where we were due to the bushes and a few small trees, but we could see her.

I think everyone had some questions over why Cynder had just abruptly run off like that, but they withheld those questions. Although Ember did ask a very obvious question. "James... Who even is she? You've never mentioned a Cynder to any of us. A friend of yours who's visiting you tonight?"

I had no idea how to even try to explain the situation to any of them. How could I possibly explain in brief the existence of an entity born from my own dreams who had gained self-awareness and was now wandering my own mind as a vagabond? Let alone the plan to hopefully drag her out of the dream realm and into the realm of reality. Although by then, I was not so certain if the 'friend' aspect was even true anymore. So I said what little I could. "I...don't really know anymore."

Novo was the first to notice my sunken tone. She asked softly, "Honey... What's wrong? She's a friend of yours, right?"

"Really, I don't know anymore. She's just...someone I know. And let's just leave it at that. Please." I pleaded softly with my heart finally starting to remember the very recent memories of that night. I could never forget feeling my own flesh being rend by Cynder's own blade. My own blood spilling down my body. But I tried to push that out of my mind and focused on the wonderful people around me. "But really... Thanks for being here tonight. She really needed to hear what you had to say."

"It was a pleasure, James... And..." Ember replied before she let out a very long yawn. She appeared to be struggling to keep her eyes open. "Wow... Why am I so sleepy? Can you even get sleepy when you're dreaming?"

Luna finally spoke up and explained, "It would seem that Celestia is bringing dawn to your land. You will surely awaken very soon."

"Really? Doesn't...feel like I've been asleep that long... I guess time just flows differently here?" Ember asked while rubbing her eyes and failing to get herself to become more awake. "I guess...this is goodbye then. I really enjoyed my time tonight. See you...soon, all right...?"

We barely even had a chance to speak. Ember suddenly vanished in a very brief flash of light. Novo got a little chuckle out of that and said, "And so the Dragon Lord rises from her lair to face the day... We really need to see her more often."

Fluttershy then pointed out something that we needed to keep in mind. "Wait... Doesn't that mean we'll be waking up soon too? We're to the west of the dragon lands, right?"

"Yeah, probably. Just not yet though..." I replied before I focused on the very distant form of Cynder. She was entirely oblivious over what we were doing from over there. While still wary, I knew I needed to speak to her one last time before the dream ended. "Excuse me, ladies... I think I need to go check on Cynder. I don't know if I'll be back in time before we wake up."

"Oh, don't you worry about us, honey. Little Fluttershy and I can take the time to have a little mom talk between us." Novo chuckled while Fluttershy kissed me goodbye. She would be seeing me first thing in the morning anyway. I then stepped over to Novo and happily kissed her goodbye as well. "Love you, James. And I think we'll be seeing each other again before long."

"I certainly hope so. Love you, girls." I replied before facing Luna and Nightmare Moon. The treats on the table had begun to dwindle and the teapots were empty. I then said, "Thank you... I think things will be OK now."

"Everything went according to plan. And if you're going where I think you are... Luna and I will be watching. Should something happen, we will intervene." Nightmare Moon replied while she and Luna rose from their seats. As Fluttershy and Novo began to gossip about their own children, I made my way across the plateau. Even if I did not want to.

A gentle cool breeze of the night blew through my full head of hair, reminding me that my body was healing. I brushed by many bushes before I finally reached Cynder. She had her back to me while lounging like a large feline at the edge of the cliff. A big part of me wanted to turn around and walk away from the beast that nearly butchered me. But another part of me was telling me that would be a mistake. I was out of danger. Steeling my nerves, I took a seat by Cynder with my legs dangling off the cliff. "Did you get the answers you needed?"

Cynder did not respond. She did not even look at me. But I did see a trickle of tears flowing down her face. She sighed deeply before speaking to me, eyes still gazing out at that sea of clouds. "I was a fool..."

I said nothing to that. I knew there was no contesting that claim. And Cynder began to speak more. "You told me the truth... And I didn't listen. Because I just...couldn't believe it was true... I had every reason to trust you...and I didn't... I told myself a lie just because it was easier to believe... I believed you were no better than Malefor... I was a fool."

That name again... I remembered when I finally found her again in that storm. Her body having regained the same size and colors as when we first found her infected by that curse. But the form I saw tonight... Shadowy and stained black as pitch. Was that really a form she assumed naturally? The strange properties of the dream realm responding to something in her? Or...was it something else? Another lingering 'gift' left behind by her old master?

I was very tempted to give Cynder the benefit of the doubt. That shadowy behemoth she became could not have been natural. I looked at her and said quietly, "But...that wasn't entirely you. That shadowy state. Something Malefor left behind? A sleeper curse set to activate in certain circumstances? It sounds like something he..."

"No... No! No, that wasn't him!" Cynder suddenly barked while she even looked right up at me with utter shame on her face. "I can't blame Malefor for this...because that wasn't his fault! That was all me!"

I had a creeping suspicion that Malefor really had no influence on the events on that night, but I was tempted to deny that belief. To see and hear Cynder admit to such a thing... I muttered coldly, "That form... Your actions...were entirely your own tonight?"

Cynder bowed her head as more tears flowed. "There was no voice in my head... I wasn't being shackled in my own mind and being forced to watch... You told me the truth...and I couldn't believe it... And I kept listening to my own lies. Just because they were easier to believe! You were all I ever had and I almost threw you away!"

She collapsed before me with her hands covering her face. Whimpering pathetically as she wallowed with nowhere to run and no one to throw the blame at. I could not speak. I could only listen to the weeping wyrm.

Such a pathetic sight... And an equally pathetic motive. I watched her weep, but never touched her. What could drive her to doubt my words that hard? I needed answers. "I never gave you a reason to doubt me. All I ever wanted for you was to be happy. What did you think I was...doing to them when I told you?"

My thoughts went back to the obvious sexual subtext regarding my words to her that night. And the accusations she threw at me while pursuing me through that twisted labyrinth. I thought of Malefor. The way he spoke to and about Cynder the one night we ever saw him. An exceptionally dark and unsettling concept passed through my thoughts. "Malefor... Did he...do something to you? Did he...force himself on you?"

Cynder said nothing. Her weeping became quiet and she just...lied there before me. No answer...yet it was still an answer. My eyes widened with a new horror forming in my gut. I turned away from her and muttered, "I'm sorry..."

"No..." Cynder whispered as I felt her hand upon my thigh. Newfound pity in my heart, I looked at her as she rose to her feet. Her tears had ceased flowing and she looked surprisingly more stable. Cynder shook her head and said, "He didn't. I know what you're thinking of and...I swear he never did...that to me."

"Oh..." I mumbled with my gaze once more directed at the sea of clouds before us. It was such an easy assumption to make and not a fate I would wish on anyone.

Cynder then rested more comfortably beside me and also looked out over that foggy ocean before she spoke again. "But...he was going to."

My eyes widened slightly as I glanced at her. Cynder did not look at me, her eyes gazing out into the abyss with a look of...subtle bitterness in them. "The night you found me... That was the first time I ever encountered him in person. Every other time I spoke to him, he always appeared before me through a projection of himself. Basically a...sort of phantom. And far too often, I could...feel his eyes looking at me in a...very specific and carnal way."

I dared not speak while Cynder went dredging up very uncomfortable memories from a time of her life she never wanted to look back on. "With every council, I felt his eyes on me more often. He would start to prowl around me. I was a prisoner in my own body, but I knew why he was looking at me like that. And then..."

My breath caught in my throat when I noticed Cynder become very still and tense. She inhaled sharply to calm herself and spoke, "The very last time I spoke to him before the night you found me, he...came onto me. I felt him over me, even if he didn't have a physical body. He whispered...awful things to me. How he had...plans for me. And...I can still remember myself speaking with words that weren't mine... How I was...so looking forward to the day where he could finally ravage me..."

A sickening thought... I only knew Malefor for a single night. And even before then, I knew next to nothing about him. But from what I did know of him... Imagining him using Cynder for something as debased as a sex slave.....or even a breeder would not be outside the realm of possibility for someone like him. I desperately tried to push such images out of my mind. Images of Malefor using Cynder as his breeding whore... Her voice helped distract me from those thoughts. "My body was the only thing I still had a shred of ownership over... And I was on the verge of losing that too. I knew what was coming and couldn't escape it. If you...and they...had not come to me that night... I don't even want to imagine what Malefor would've done to me after he finally manifested in a physical form..."

It was...harrowing to realize that the stakes during that fateful night in the depths of my dreams were even higher than any of us could have expected. I bowed my head as I recoiled from this revelation. And I soon felt Cynder lean against me. "I was so sure...you were doing the same to them. That you were using them the same way Malefor would've used me... But I now know I was wrong... I was a fool."

I said nothing and allowed Cynder to speak further. Her tone was weak and timid. "Such...beautiful stories... And they were so sincere about it too... They way they spoke to you...and you to them... I shouldn't have thought twice about you. They don't belong to you... You belong to them. And I...nearly took you from them..."

All I could do was let out a sigh. And then I felt it. A faint rippling sensation through the air. Except this time, I welcomed it. I could barely bring myself to even look at Cynder. Not after all that...

"Do you hate me...?" Cynder asked as she slumped to the ground again. When I hesitantly glanced down at her, she barely looked up at me. "Do you even trust me anymore?"

"I really don't know anymore... I just want to go and...rest." I muttered while turning my gaze up at that beautiful night sky. "You did...some terrible things tonight."

"I know... And I can't go with you. Not while knowing what I did..." Cynder replied while I took note of that statement. She tried to cling to me once in order to follow me out of that world. And she failed. But why voluntarily choose to stay behind? I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye while she explained, "Please... Don't come looking for me. Not for a while... I need some time. Need to figure out why I did what I did tonight. I need time to understand...where I went wrong. I'll...come find you when I have a real answer."

"Sounds about right..." I muttered with my heart heavy with pity and disappointment. Although I soon noticed her scoot just a bit closer to me. I did not budge.

"It's almost time for you to go, right? There's somewhere you need to be." Cynder explained while still not quite grasping the nature of her own existence. All I did was nod. But she then asked, "I don't have the right to ask, but...please... May I stay by your side until then? Until you have to leave?"

I turned to look at Cynder and just sighed with an exhausted scowl on my face. She pleaded with a whisper. "Please... Even after all this, you're still all I ever had."

No words came, but I still nodded. More and more, I felt those ripples through the air while Cynder did not. I expected her to say something precious. Something heartfelt. But no other words came. I did not look upon her once after that. And when my vision became filled with a pale veil, I awoke to find myself gazing up at the ceiling in my own home. And I still felt so tired.

Fluttershy awoke right at that same time and greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. I rolled my head to one side and saw my lovely wife gazing back at me with a smile. "Good morning, dear. I had a wonderful time tonight."

I managed to smile just a little. Just enough to make it seem like nothing was wrong. Although as we sat up in bed, Fluttershy then asked me a sincere question. "James... Before I forget. Really... Who was that? Who is Cynder?"

A strange exhausting emptiness filled my heart. The kind of apathy that comes from having a most unfulfilling dream that you cannot quite recall while just knowing it was an unpleasant time. I said what little she needed to know. Something honest, yet acceptably vague. "Nobody... It's complicated. She's someone who does not exist. Not yet, at least."

What a dull morning... It took quite some time for me to shake off that funk today. Spending time with Gladesong helped with that. Her smiles and giggles are good for my heart. But as I sit here writing this... Cynder... Why did you do that?

I just do not know what to think of her by this point. I worried about her. I grew to adore her. I wanted nothing but the best for her. I ponder if I was even on the verge of loving her... And then...that happened. That is not the kind of mistake that one can just forgive and forget about... Maybe she was right. Maybe some time apart is what we need. Although I certainly am not in a hurry to see her again.

That should do it for now. Fluttershy has requested that we go for a walk through the forest nearby with Gladesong. And I am all for it. It sounds like Fluttershy had even made some progress while I was away during the war in securing that forest as a protected reserve with her serving as its warden. I almost forgot she brought that up. Her own little forest... Fluttershy's Forest.

I should start packing for the hike. I really should not keep my family waiting.