Resuming just in time for my birthday.

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It has been only a few days since that grand occasion in Canterlot. And being back home in Ponyville after all that... The War of Preservation. The act of healing both physically and mentally. And then the closing of that chapter in Equestria's history. What a day that was. But the very next day, everyone had gone home and things quickly returned to normal. And it had been much too long since I returned to what Equestria sees as being normal.

Being out on the Empty Plains really messed with my routines. Old routines were forgotten to make room for new ones. And then I had to relearn my old routines once everything had been said and done. Reacquainting myself with the layout of Ponyville. No longer having to be in armor. And having my children back in my life. Precious little Gladesong missed me dearly and Scootaloo could not be more proud of me. And when she found out I was knighted... I think I almost became her favorite person in Ponyville and dethroned Rainbow Dash. Almost.

For just a few days, everything went back to the way I remembered it from weeks or months ago. The only real reminder of any significant change being the new face living under our roof. A false dragoness who came home with me from the Empty Plains. But I knew it would not be too much longer before that changed. Little Ocellus and Smolder would soon begin the process of getting their own home. But that is surely still months away.

After such a turbulent time, I awoke in bed earlier than I used to. My schedules and routines on the Empty Plains had resulted me in becoming an earlier riser than I used to be. And I awoke to find Fluttershy still very soundly asleep beside me. Her snoring was light and quiet. Even in slumber, she still had the softest and most demure voice in the entire town. And I loved her for it.

I gazed upon my slumbering wife and was reminded of how much I loved her. Even after everything that had happened out there... No matter who came into my life since I left to fight in warfare and how many new wonderful women found a place in my heart, she was still the first. Fluttershy was the first love of my life in Equestria. She became my wife. And then she became the mother of my first child. She was the foundation of the family we had started. And I was reminded of why I married her and not anyone else.

Fluttershy gently rolled onto her side with her back away from me. She appeared to be having a good dream. And as my heart pined for her, I made a decision. There was something we had not done together in a good while. Something that we had not partaken in since before the war. It was time to fix that. And to make certain my wife would have a wonderful start to her day.

I pulled myself closer with my chest to her back and caressed my hand over her sides and down to her flank. Fluttershy cooed and mumbled in slumber, not awakening while still responding to my touch. We both remained covered in bed as my hand slid over the rounded contours of her flank. While I could not see it, I could feel every inch of flesh covered by a thin layer of silken hair. Fluttershy had always had a fine set of hips on her, but I could feel how much more...defined her rump had become since bringing our daughter into the world.

Her flank felt...rounder than it had always been. A little softer as well. I found my desire for her growing the longer I caressed her matronly rump. This was the result of motherhood. The birth of little Gladesong had left a lasting mark on her body. These were the hips of a mother mare. And I felt such a powerful sense of pride as I appreciated her blessed curves. I did this to her. I made my beloved the mother of our child. And I would do it again if she would let me.

My hand continued to wander, sliding over the motherly curves of her flank and up to her chest. I held my wife against me with my fingers tracing through her silky coat. I could feel the faint thumping of her heart with the rise and fall of her chest with every long slumbering breath. And even then, my hand once again slid down over her belly and then between her hind legs. I could feel those soft mounds in my grasp. Her plump swollen teats, heavy with milk for our child.

Fluttershy began to stir evermore as I fondled those soft mammaries. She sighed and whimpered delicately as I hoped we would not wake everyone who was downstairs. The hatch over the stairs would muffle us, but the walls and floor were not entirely soundproof. And Gladesong was right under us. Best not wake the baby.

It was tempting to whisper to my wife as I caressed her beautiful body. But I did not want to wake her too quickly. I gently took one of her teats into my hand, closing my fingers over it to squeeze it like a human woman's breast. They were just so soft... So feminine. And I could not resist the urge to experiment with my beloved's body.

Her soft whispering snores turned into the tiniest moans as I pinched my fingers around her plump teats. Fluttershy was clay in my hands. My fingers felt around her motherly mammary as I attempted to pinpoint the very middle while not able to see it. I squeezed and squeezed again. And I finally found what I was looking for. With a few more gentle pinches of one spot, I could feel a subtle wetness. A bead of liquid forming between my fingers. I lifted my fingers to my lips and licked them clean. There was so little flavor on that one drop, but I knew what it was. My wife's sweet nectar for our baby girl downstairs.

My fingers returned to her flank and tapped my fingers more firmly upon the side. I could feel the subtle rippling of her soft motherly flesh that now rested between her silken coat and the strong equine muscle beneath. My fingers caressed her delicate cutie marks as her snoring moans became more pronounced. She would awaken soon at this rate. And I knew what I needed. My other hand reached low to pull my boxers down just enough to reveal my eager manhood. So hard and stiff, my shaft ached for her. But not yet. I would not dare enter my beloved until she awoke.

My fingers slid further inward between Fluttershy's flanks. Towards her most sacred spot. My fingers slid along the velvety flesh between her flanks. The marehood from which our daughter had been born from. Even in slumber, her body responded. I felt her lips part as they began to wink for me. And only then did I see my wife lift her head with those beautiful eyes opening lazily to gaze back at me. "Good morning, dear..."

"Good morning, love." I whispered back to my beautiful wife. I pulled myself closer as she craned her neck to bring her lips to mine. Even after all that happened out there on the Empty Plains, nothing had changed between us. She was the first to be mine. The mare I chose to walk down the aisle with. The first to bear my child. No one could ever replace Fluttershy. And I was being reminded of the love we found together. As our lips touched over and over, my hand continued to caress her flank under the covers. And she did not object. Barely awake, she knew what we both wanted. And as I adjusted the placement of my hips and pulled her body closer, I whispered to her. "Daddy needs you now."

"Mommy needs you too... Ooooh, James..." Fluttershy cooed before gasping quietly. I was already inside her. My arm draped over my beloved as I began to thrust ever so tenderly into my wife. Her warm moist depths enveloped my shaft as I pistoned myself in and out. But not with an eager fervor. I was taking it slow. Gently. I wanted to savor the buildup for release this time. Even as I pushed deep inside her, Fluttershy cooed to me quietly. "It's been...too long since we did this..."

"It really has, love... Let me be good to you." I whispered to her as I made love to my mare as her man. Over and over, slow yet deep, my hips pressed against her soft and curvy rump. With one arm sliding under her, I embraced Fluttershy from below while my other hand continued to do all it could to please her. I slid my hand over her curvaceous flank. And then once again over her plump teats. As I pleasured her from within, I also pleasured her on the outside. My hands again firmly grasped her motherly bosom as I whispered sweet words to her ear. "You're more beautiful than ever..."

I suspect Fluttershy was not entirely awake. She barely spoke. All she could do was coo and moan softly as I pleasured her to the best of my ability. It was such a serene experience. So little sound coming from us and from our surroundings. So far from Ponyville that only the occasional twittering of morning songbirds from outside reached our ears. It was just us in that moment. Just the two of us. Where our family began.

I made an active attempt to not think about the passage of time. All that mattered then was bringing sweet pleasure to my wife that she had gone without for too long. After some time more, I adjusted our positioning. I rolled Fluttershy onto her belly and she lazily tucked her legs at her sides. I pulled myself atop her to again thrust deep inside her. I could feel her full matronly hips give with each press against her. I was so in love... Just wanting to protract this moment as long as possible by going for longer instead of harder. And I whispered sweetly into her ear, "Good daddies always finish inside, right?"

"Yes, daddy... Please..." My wife cooed to me as I made certain to be as gentle as possible with her. So little sound with only slow and deliberate thrusts into her body. As she became more awake, I heard her whisper a tender request to me. "Oh, daddy... Make me a mommy again..."

She was one right after my own heart. Pregnancy had been so good to her. She loved being in that state. Constantly glowing with her pale gold coat only adding to the warmth of budding motherhood. She even became a bit more confident while carrying Gladesong. I knew it would only be a matter of time before we would have more children. And I welcomed it. I whispered my reply to my beautiful wife, "Only if you'll make me a daddy again."

"Yes... Oh yes... James, I'll...make you a daddy so many times... Our babies will love you..." Fluttershy cooed in quiet need. She was spilling her heart out to me. I knew she was not in heat. I had grown to recognize that unmistakable heightened warmth in a mare who was ready to breed. No foals would be sired that morning. But that would not stop us from trying.

I embraced my wife from behind with my thrusts becoming a bit quicker and a bit more forceful. But I was still gentle. Pacing myself carefully. Oh, how I wanted to see her swell again. I could remember the times I held my heavily gravid wife in my arms. Caressing the round and wide belly that contained our child. The times where I would whisper to Gladesong as she stirred within. And then the day when I witnessed the birth of that little angel. The moment I held her for the first time... And I was more than willing to embark on that journey again with my wife.

It was part of who I was at that time. I was a father by then. A father who genuinely wanted to make my family grow. To watch over and raise the precious little lives I would make with Fluttershy and every wonderful woman who would enter our family in due time. But at that moment, only Fluttershy had my attention. And I spoke a beautiful truth to her. "You're such a wonderful mom, dear."

Fluttershy muffled her voice with the pillow under her head. She was trying to be quiet. Doing everything she could to not wake the child we had already made together as she slumbered just under us. And so I whispered to her again. "You're such a beautiful mother now, dear... The best mom in town."

"James...!" She squeaked as my loving compliments tickled her heart. It was still so hard to believe. Out of our closest circle of friends, she was the first to become a mother. And it was a label she wore with pride. My wife then returned the favor with sweet whispers of her own. "And you...are an amazing dad... Gladesong adores you... She missed you so bad when you...were away... Scootaloo missed you too... They both did... They know you're an amazing father..."

With the thrusting of my hips increasing their tempo and a growing pressure in my loins building, I whispered in need. "Will you make me a father again, my love?"

"Yes... Yes, James!" Fluttershy quietly squeaked as she too sounded like she was reaching her limit. Her soft motherly flanks jiggled as I thrust into her with more force. "Give me...your baby, my love... Make...our family grow..."

It was impossible to restrain myself any longer. I began to thrust faster for only just a moment. The rush in my head defying my need to approach the end slowly. And just a moment later... Such sweet release. For as silent as we were, the results were...overwhelming. We groaned quietly while my wife quivered under me. And deep inside her... What a powerful climax. I could feel the thick copious jets of seed exploding from my shaft and deep into my wife's waiting womb. It had been too long since my last sexual encounter and I had unknowingly been saving myself for her. If only she was in heat... We would surely had just conceived another precious little foal together. If only...

I rolled back onto my side with my arms still wrapped around my wife. What a wonderful afterglow... One hand was kept firmly over her chest to feel the faint thumping of her beating heart within. The pace was quick before it began to slow as the high of our lovemaking ran its course. I then sang what was in my heart as I whispered into her ear. "I can't wait to have more beautiful children with you, dear."

Fluttershy let out the sweetest of giggles as she still gasped lightly, her face flushed as she looked over her shoulder at me. "If they're even half as lovely as Gladesong... Oh, James... Our next foal can't come soon enough, my love."

Her lips met mine as we sighed together in blissful matrimony. To start my day in such a way... This was truly the life. A life we both wanted. What we deserved and earned. I truly had finally returned to the life I had left behind when war descended upon this beautiful world. And so I whispered to my beautiful wife, "I love you."

"And I love you." Fluttershy replied with equal tenderness. She basked in my embrace for a moment longer before we both suddenly froze. There was a subtle sound approaching. Feet coming up the stairs. Even though the hatch had a lock on it, I think there was a key of sorts to get it open somewhere downstairs. And we both winched as we heard that lock come undone. The hatch lifted just enough to reveal a pair of beautiful blue reptilian eyes peering at us. Fluttershy lifted her head and asked, "Smolder...?"

"Hey there, guys. Ocellus and I were gonna get started on breakfast pretty soon since you're sleeping in. You don't mind us cooking, right?" Smolder asked with barely more than a whisper. Gladesong and maybe Scootaloo must have still been asleep at the time.

Smolder and Ocellus had been trying their hand at cooking lately. They have even prepared a few meals for us at the end of the day that turned out quite enjoyable. I just nodded at the little lady while so glad that Fluttershy and I were covered where it mattered by the bedspread draped over us. "Sure, that'd be fine. We'll be down in a little while."

"See you soon, lovebirds." Smolder whispered before she lowered the latch and secured the lock on it. Only when her descending footsteps became too distant to hear did we allow ourselves to breathe. Smolder would have had a lot of questions to ask had she seen that I was still deep inside my wife.

Fluttershy and I wasted no time and hurried into the bathroom to get a hot shower going. We needed it after all of that. While we lounged in the bathtub with that deluge of warm water falling over us, Fluttershy sighed in relief before she looked at me. "I still can't believe the two of them are already planning on moving out. At least they won't be going too far. Gladesong would miss them so much..."

"They're not kids anymore, dear. They're both fine young ladies. Admittedly they are a bit young to be getting their own place like that, but they did have to grow up faster than they should have..." I replied while lathering up my wife's long flowing mane with her favorite shampoo. Word got to us that Ocellus and Smolder were almost denied the right to own a house. They had to take a competency exam first. I heard that Ocellus passed with flying colors, but Smolder struggled a bit. For as smart as she is for her age, Smolder is not all that book smart at this time.

My wife held me after she rinsed her mane and tail, her head nuzzled under my chin while I embraced her as well. Just taking a moment to savor each other while she continued to talk about our youngest guests. "Smolder used to spend so much more time around the house before the war... Ever since she came home with Gallus and Ocellus, they've all been spending time away with each other."

"That's a good thing. She needs friends she can relate to. I know she became a young woman sooner than desired, but it's important to have something like that at such an age. She has more friends now than I did at her age." I replied while recalling a similar conversation I had on the train up to Canterlot mere days ago. Although I still did feel a less than rational sting in my heart knowing that Smolder would not be living under the same roof as us anymore before long. And it was for the best. "It's healthy for her to...get some distance from me for a while. It wouldn't be right for her to become too dependent on me at her age."

"But...she loves you. I know she does." Fluttershy whispered as she noticed a certain tone of longing in my voice. She looked at me with those lovely eyes and said, "I could see it clearly when she went out there to find you. Did...something change between you two?"

I shook my head while trying to word my response carefully. "No, not at all. I love that wonderful little lady. But...I mean... She did grow up too fast. Some parts of her have properly matured beyond the point they should have. But some parts of her...can't be forced to grow with the rest of her. Only time can do that. And...she's not ready for stuff like that while she's still growing. She's a young lady with the mind of a woman, but too much of her is still that of a girl. So the circumstances at hand...are perfect to help the rest of her grow to catch up with the bits of her that matured quickly without any unfortunate influences."

"Hm... I think I see what you mean. I know you would never take advantage of her, but...best to be safe, right?" Fluttershy sighed while continuing to get comfortable up against me. She really had grown to adore that little dragon lady. And so too had our firstborn daughter. "I just want her to be happy. She's such a good friend of the family."

"She really is... I can't wait to see how she grows in like...what, the next five years?" I retorted while my mind began to race. Dragons take on such a wildly varied array of body structures as they age. No two look alike. What would Smolder look like by the time she turned twenty? It was an exciting mystery that only time would solve. Although there was another young lady in Smolder's company who came to mind. "What about Ocellus?"

Fluttershy's gaze wandered for a few seconds as she pondered the newest guest living under our roof. "She's...sixteen, right? That's the minimum age of being legally classified as an adult in most of Equestria. She's her own mare now. And... I mean I still don't trust Changelings in general, but...she's been lovely. Very lovely. I think you were right. She's the best love bug who ever lived."

That particular terminology got a chuckle out of me. "Love bug, huh? She's not a Changeling to you anymore?"

"I don't know... I mean it sounds a lot nicer to call such a sweet little thing a love bug. I see why you call her that all the time. It's such a nice thing to say for such a nice little mare." Fluttershy giggled sweetly with a big smile on her lips. I never thought she would become so enamored with little Ocellus after her prior experiences with Changelings. Even Thorax did not get into quite such good graces with her last time they met. Although my wife then whispered to me something unexpected. "And she really loves you."

"Yeah... I remember. I think you shouldn't tell this to just anyone, but she said she loves me more than anything." I retorted as I could distinctly recall that little love bug's voice telling me those precious words. Although I had to wonder exactly what kind of love she was feeling at the time.

Fluttershy kissed me on the ear and whispered to me. "I've caught her staring at you when you're not looking. Like she can't take her eyes off you."

When considering how a Changeling normally looks when not wearing a disguise, I could almost picture her stalking me like a hungry panther eager for a good meal. That mental image caused me to burst into a snickering fit. While I could imagine Ocellus doing that in a playful manner, she was much too tender and gentle to ever stalk and maul someone like that. Although I did recall that she almost never takes that dragon disguise off even when safe indoors. And that form does have the sweetest face I have ever seen on a dragon. Imagining those gentle eyes watching me... It sent a very pleasant shiver down my spine. "She can't help looking at me half the time?"

Fluttershy continued explain to me while we lathered each other up. "I don't think even Smolder has noticed. But...I sometimes find her just watching you. She even follows you around sometimes just to keep an eye on you. I don't think she's planning anything dangerous... And here's the strangest thing. I've even found her sometimes in the bathroom...styling her hair. Using my combs and brushes to mess around with it. I don't think anything ever sticks, but...what do you make of that?"

"Changing up her hairstyle? She does have some really nice long locks of soft hair on that head...but what's the point of that? If she wants to change how it looks, she could just use her Changeling magic to alter her form in seconds." I retorted while applying shampoo to my own scalp. Even with my hair being barely more than peach fuzz by then, it had reached a length where rubbing soap over my scalp was no longer viable. I then pondered the words spoken between us before saying, "Maybe...it's a side effect of staying in a disguise for too long and too often? I'm starting to suspect that the longer Ocellus is in that dragon form, the more she thinks and feels like a real dragon. That would make Changeling spies even more effective at their jobs if they really stick to a disguise long enough."

My wife's eyes opened wide as a new theory popped into her head. "What if she stays in that form for...too long? Do you think she'll...be stuck like that forever?"

That was a rather intense hypothesis to imagine. A Changeling staying in a disguise for so long that their own cellular structure becomes locked permanently in that form? Could Ocellus abandon her life as a Changeling entirely and choose to be a dragon? I almost considered this to be possible...but then laughed at myself at such a ridiculous notion. There was no way. A Changeling surely cannot experience something like that. It would be too easy for them to disconnect themselves from the hive. If a Changeling were to spontaneously cease to be a Changeling on even a genetic level, that would be a massive security risk to the hive. And even Thorax did not ever suggest such a phenomenon being possible. "Nah... That can't be real. Ocellus might really like that dragon body of hers, but she'll never be completely stuck in it."

"You think so? I guess that would be pretty crazy... Changelings stop being Changelings by being in one form for too long? That does sound like a real fantasy." Fluttershy giggled as I rinsed my hair. But Fluttershy then kissed me on my cheek and said, "But really now... I do think she's always longing for you whenever she's watching you the way she does. Just don't tell her you heard this from me."

I thought back to the loving words Ocellus had told me on rare occasions. How she hoped that I would love her as much as I love Smolder one day. How she loves me more than anything else in her life. And finally...a simple and sincere statement while nestled in my arms. I love you. Just that statement alone... Just those three words. I did not think on it at the time, but... Ocellus? My little love bug? I whispered to Fluttershy and asked, "Dear... Would you really be OK with...a Changeling finding love with me? If Ocellus and I become something more, would you condone it?"

"If you asked me that a year ago, I would probably refuse. She's a Changeling, James. They're...not good people." Fluttershy said rather firmly before that frown gave was for a lovely smile. "But not her. She's a love bug. And she has so much love to give. Ocellus is already very happy with us. But if anything changes... If you two...fall in love? Then yes... Yes, she would be more than welcome to become part of our family."

"Thank you, dear. There's a lot of unknowns surrounding her at the moment, but...we'll see. It's just too soon to say. I think." I replied with a relieved sigh. Ocellus really does seem like the kind of mare who could endear herself to anyone as long as she maintained enough of a convincing disguise. It is her gentle heart that makes her who she is. Although it was around then that we were finishing up in the bathroom. And I could already smell breakfast being prepared. "Anyway, we about done here? That aroma is getting me hungry."

"Mm, me too. And I still need to let Gladesong nurse. We should hurry on down." Fluttershy replied as the water was shut off. Minutes later, I got myself dressed and followed Fluttershy downstairs. She made a beeline for the nursery as Gladesong's voice called out for her. I instead made my way to the kitchen and was greeted by the sight of both Smolder and Ocellus going about to prepare breakfast. Smolder was minding the stove while Ocellus was mixing pancake batter in a bowl. They even had the sense to wear aprons while doing so. Pink aprons, no less.

They did not notice me at first, but...something about their attire caught my eye. What little there was of it. Smolder and Ocellus never wear anything most of the time. Not like there is anything indecent for them to expose. Those ventral scales act like a tightly fitting layer of armor with each plate constantly locked together. But there was something about those aprons draped over the front of their bodies that...only drew attention to their usual nakedness. And I quickly facepalmed as I found myself mentally scolding myself over even daring to see anything lewd about the situation. "Now I see why so many see housewives wearing aprons as being enticing..."

My attention did not go undetected by the only person in the room who might as well have had eyes in the back of her head. Ocellus visibly flinched in response to the fluctuating love and tiniest hints of lust in my heart and looked back at me. She and I both grinned at each other so awkwardly while I waved at her. Smolder soon noticed and looked at the two of us in confusion while clearly not understanding the context over our crooked smiles. The less she knew, the better.

We soon all gathered around the table with plenty of good cooking on display. And I was relieved when Smolder and Ocellus cast their aprons aside. Scootaloo was quick to join after having only just woken up. It was a Saturday and she always sleeps in on the weekends. Smolder even sat beside Gladesong in her booster chair so she could personally feed the little filly. It was a good morning like many before.

As we dined, I recalled what Fluttershy had told me about Ocellus. I glanced at the false dragoness across the table and noticed much to my surprise that her eyes were locked onto me. She only had a little bit of everything that was available on her plate. This was normal for her. A Changeling's diet does not require solid foods when an ample supply of love is available. What little was there was just for the sake of tasting everything. But this time... Ocellus was not even touching it. All she did was lightly poke and prod at the little morsels with her fork. Although Scootaloo, who was seated beside her, took note of her friend's lack of appetite. "What's wrong? It's gonna get cold."

"Um... I'm not really that hungry. You want it?" Ocellus replied sheepishly over someone noticing her lack of enthusiasm. While she does not really need solid foods, she does enjoy eating them for the sake of the flavor. She did gently slide the plate towards Scootaloo, who was more than happy to enjoy more of that fine cooking. The two of them did a good job. Ocellus even got daring by adding chocolate chips and a scoop of peanut butter to the pancake batter. The results were nothing short of decadent.

I tried to take my eyes off of Ocellus, but my gaze kept meeting hers. Everyone else was conversing at the kitchen table and I took part at times too, but Ocellus... She might as well have not been there at all. She was being discreet and silent, her eyes constantly focused on me. She had long locks of her hair draped over one side of her face to hide her right eye. As if she was trying to conceal herself. But the left eye... Was she tired? Feeling ill? No, I believe...she was filled with a certain kind of longing. I knew what she wanted. She was hungry, but not for solid foods. And not for the love that was floating around her. She wanted only one kind of love from a specific source. And I knew she was waiting to get her share where there would be no prying eyes.

I did all I could to distract myself from the disguised Changeling seated across from me and that delicious breakfast food did help, but I could not avoid looking back at that precious little love bug. She never looked away from me and must have been trying so hard to be patient. And no one noticed. She only moved from that spot once the table had been cleared and even volunteered to do the dishes. I immediately deduced why. She was stalling for time to let the house get empty.

Fluttershy seemed to be onto her. My wife has developed a certain awareness of the women in my life who are far more than friends. She took Gladesong back to the nursery to supplement her morning meal with fresh mother's milk of her own. Scootaloo soon hurried off on her scooter to meet up with her friends in town. And Smolder soon headed for the front door with a big basket under her arm. She looked back at me while I sat on the sofa in the living room and said, "I'm gonna head out to do some foraging. The berries are great when autumn comes around!"

"Sweet. Sounds like we might be having some cobbler soon. Take care, Smolder." I replied while the intrepid dragoness headed out the door. Summer had truly ended with the days being cooler than usual. But mere moments after Smolder departed and Fluttershy had closed the door to the nursery behind her, Ocellus stuck her head out of the kitchen to look at me with that almost pained look of need in her eyes. I quietly called out to her with a hand reaching out. "Come here, love bug."

She responded all too willingly. Ocellus hurried across the room with a quick stride and climbed onto the sofa before leaning into my chest with her hands resting on me. I heard her whisper, "I just...really didn't want anything else for breakfast... It all looked so unappetizing compared to your love."

"Then it's a good thing I have plenty to share. Come on. Help yourself." I replied while I just sat there while stroking my hand over her head. Moments went by with the two of us just sitting there. But...nothing happened. I started to notice a distinct lack of that subtle sensation. Ocellus was not feeding. I felt no love being siphoned from me. I asked softly, "Ocellus...? I'm not noticing anything here... Are you really just not hungry right now?"

"I..." Ocellus muttered before lifting her head to gaze at me with that beautiful face of a dragoness that was all her own. Her eyes were still filled with an almost desperate look of desire. I leaned back just slightly as I wondered if she was not well. She then leaned closer to me and whispered, "I...want to...drink from the tap. I think that's what Smolder called it?"

A kiss. She wanted to drain my love through my very lips. I then asked, "But...is it really any different than just draining it from me without touch?"

She did not have an answer for me. Ocellus fidgeted and glanced left and right while barely turning her head. I started to understand the situation. She did not need to drain love directly through my lips. She just wanted to. With no reasoning to provide, she looked at me directly and asked, "Please...?"

"OK... Sure, if you really prefer doing it that way." I replied while she began to bring her face closer to mine. But I then suddenly had a realization and asked, "Wait. Are you planning on sharing your own love with me?"

It would not have been the first time Ocellus had pumped some of her own love into me. And I could recall the sensation of being overcharged with that precious resource. A love so great that it began to lean into the realm of lust. I have found myself desiring that little love bug under such an influence. And Ocellus confirmed my suspicions with a wandering gaze. "Yes...? May I? I...want to make you happy."

I shook my head. I was not in the mood for any risks so early in the day. "Not this time, love bug. Please, don't. I don't need that right now. All right?"

"Oh... All right then. But...shall we?" Ocellus asked while looking either disappointed or embarrassed. And all I could do was nod. She rose closer to me. Her eyes narrowed as her reptilian lips reached for mine. And then...they touched.

It was a pleasant experience as always. Feeling her lips upon mine. Ocellus sighing through her nostrils as I began to feel that subtle sensation. She had begun to feed. I too found myself sighing in minor pleasure. But her hands began to wander. They rubbed over my chest in such an...amorous manner. And I responded in kind. My hands slid down her back and between her wings. And then down over her gently swaying tail. It was only supposed to be a kiss for the sake of feeding, but...it was quickly becoming so much more. Like so many times before.

Ocellus began to desire more. She pressed into that kiss as her lips began to part. And I answered in kind. We groaned together as our tongues touched. Even as a dragoness, I noticed the lack of a subtle hint of sulfur on her breath. Her flavor...was entirely her own. And I loved it. The taste of a Changeling's kiss is...lovely in ways I cannot describe. And she continued to feed from me all the while.

We were getting much too into that kiss. I suspect Ocellus was not doing it just to feed. It was to find mutual pleasure with me. One hand of mine strayed from the path down her back and tail and slid over her haunch. Her hips and thighs were a bit more defined than those on Smolder. Not entirely like that of a bipedal lizard. I could feel a subtle curve where the thigh met the body. Something...feminine. My fingers gently pressed into her thigh as Ocellus squealed quietly into that kiss. Only then did the kiss end with the two of us gazing at each other to pause for breath. But before I could get a word in, Ocellus resumed her feeding with renewed vigor.

That starving love bug came at me again with burning desire. She closed her eyes and promptly seduced me into continuing that wonderful kiss. She hummed and moaned beautifully with her arms wrapping around me and a hand resting on the back of my head. Doing everything she could to insure I would not slip away from her. I did the same with my own arms and held her against me. Such a wonderful kiss... Even without pumping her own love into me while feeding on my own, she was making me very happy to be partaking in this sacred act between the two of us.

I wanted to make this beautiful creature in my embrace feel as loved and treasured as possible. Even with my eyes clamped shut and our lips locked with our tongues dancing in joy, my hands did their part. I slid my fingers and palms over her back and again over her haunches. How did she create an entirely unique yet beautifully feminine dragon body for herself? It was just so...beautiful. So womanly in its own right. Not designed based on the wiles of a young girl. This was the work of a young woman who had a grasp of the nuances of feminine beauty. Truly the dragoness in her own heart made real.

My hands roamed to the front of her body while Ocellus remained pressed up against me in such wonderful passion. She was in ecstasy. Those smooth ventral scales were a delight to caress. But as I slid my fingers up and down her underside, she replied. One of her hands came to mine and gently rested over it. And then...she began to guide it lower. To her belly...and then below that.

The lower my touch was guided, the more I came back to my senses. Lower...and lower... Right towards where the ventral scales blurred the line between tail and body. But...she was not a true dragon. Surely I would not find what I found on Ember.

As she hummed and sang to me with her muffled voice, Ocellus brought my fingers to a pair of ventral scales between her legs. Her movements were clumsy. As if she was wondering if something was even there at all while using my fingers to check herself. But soon enough, I felt it. A pair of those ventral scales began to drift apart. And...a subtle scent began to reach my nose. A dragoness in need. Ocellus may have always been a Changeling. But there between her legs... The cloaca of a dragoness all the same.

I wanted to. Ocellus was offering me the chance to give her pleasure like never before. And I wanted to give her that pleasure. But...it was too soon. I knew she was not a filly. She was a mare in the eyes of Equestria's society. But we still were not ready for such a commitment. Not yet. It took every ounce of my will to break that kiss and pull my hand back. I adored that little love bug, but this was too much too fast. Gasping for breath, I gazed into Ocellus' surprised eyes as I whispered to her. "No... Please, not this time. It's too soon, Ocellus."

I expected her to stammer and apologize profusely over what she almost did. It would be expected from such a demure and timid little mare. And yet...she did not. Ocellus leaned even harder into me. Rubbing over my chest... Trying to push my shirt up higher to get it over my head. "But...I... I need you..."

"Ocellus, I..." I muttered before she silenced me with a brief kiss upon my lips. How daring! I never knew timid little Ocellus could be so bold! But I continued to push myself back on the sofa until I was backed into the corner. "Love bug, this... You know this is too soon. You don't really want this...right?"

"But...I do." She whispered with her eyes filled with such a craving. But not one containing any kind of malice or even selfishness. There was still that same precious tenderness in them as always. And she whispered to me with such beautiful sincerity. "I love you... I love you more than anything... And I want to give you all my love."

It was not the first time she told me that. Just days ago, she said the same thing. That she loved me the most out of anything or anyone in her life. But the exact nature of that love was something I went out of my way to not inquire about. But this love she was practically glowing with...

She got my shirt halfway up my torso and began to slide her bare palms over my exposed skin. Such a soft and delicate touch... She sighed sweetly and gazed into my eyes. "Please... Let me have this... Let me be your dragoness. Let me make you happy... Just like how you've always made me happy... Please love me... Love me like you love Smolder. Love me like you love all of them."

Wait... Something about that statement struck me. And I was momentarily distracted from the simmering tension as I asked a question. "Dragoness...? But...you're a Changeling, right?"

I must have said just the right thing. Ocellus twitched as if she had suddenly been pinched with her eyes opening wide. She did not move as I could almost hear the cogs turning in her head. She then meekly muttered, "Oh...right... I am. I...uh..."

With the situation having been diffused, I started to find some humor in her realization. I leaned towards her with a big smirk on my lips as I asked, "Been stuck as a dragon for so long that you started to think you're one?"

"Sorry! Sorry, I've never done this before!" Ocellus squealed as she rapidly scooted back from me until we were seated at opposite ends of the sofa. I got a chuckle out of this while she displayed a huge sheepish grin on that adorable face. "I've never been in a form like this for so long! I...completely forgot about what they warned us about back in the hive."

It looked like Fluttershy's suspicions were not entirely unfounded. Now that I had discovered a new topic to discuss, I capitalized on the opportunity to distract my little friend from what we were doing a moment earlier. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen you in your natural Changeling form in days... Maybe weeks. What happens if you stay stuck in one form for too long? Are there...side effects?"

Ocellus crossed her legs with her hands resting upon her ankles as she began to speak to me. "Um... Kind of? The longer we Changelings wear a disguise, the better we can hold onto it. After a week or maybe ten days, it becomes impossible to force us to lose it by accident. You could tickle me all you want and I won't change back to normal now unless I consciously choose a different form."

A cunning trick indeed. And it would make for Changeling spies to be horrifyingly effective at their roles. I then asked while thinking back to what Fluttershy told me. "That's it? But Fluttershy... She's seen you doing things that doesn't make sense for a Changeling. She's found you styling your hair just about every day. With a brush. Couldn't you just use your magic to adjust your hair?"

The false dragoness before me bowed her head in silence for just a moment. I could not imagine what was going through her head. I do not know how Changelings think. Or how they think when in a body that is not theirs for too long. She finally muttered, "I started using a comb because...it felt right. I stopped using magic to do little things like that because I didn't need it. I have hands now and they work great."

I continued to sit there and listen. Ocellus then looked at me and explained, "Although...they did warn us. If we stay in a certain form for too long, we can...start to think like them. I...honestly started to think that I'm a dragon after a while. Like this is the real me. I've even felt the urge to...eat gemstones when I've seen them."

That last bit got me concerned. I quickly reached out to her and asked, "Whoa, you didn't actually try to eat any diamonds, did you?"

Ocellus giggled at that question. She all too happily said, "Oh, no way! That would break my jaw! I know I look like a dragon, but I can't perfectly replicate all of their physical features. I quickly lost my taste for gemstones when I actually did taste one. I don't have a dragon's taste buds. I also don't have their amazing jaw muscles and unbreakable teeth. I don't even have the stomach fire they do. Really, I can't actually breathe fire. I tried... Or rather I found out when I had a good sneeze once."

This was quite the revelation. For as effective as Changelings are at rocking the looks of the creatures they imitate, they cannot perfectly mimic their more unique physiological traits? An unfortunate limit to have, but I suppose that works in the favor of the rest of Equestria. But as I pondered this, I took note of the form Ocellus had been wearing for days or even weeks on end. She had gotten so comfortable in it that she had almost forgotten that she is a Changeling. Although she then placed a hand on her chest and said almost forlornly, "And...I don't have a dragon's heart."

A long sigh wheezed from my nostrils. And I remained silent. Ocellus needed to speak. "I...almost envy her. Smolder knows exactly what her heart wants. That kind of conviction... The commitment... Dragons put everything into their love. She'll be yours forever when the day comes. And...I wish I knew what it's like to love like that. Dragons have always been such brutes in Equestria...but no one falls in love harder than a dragon."

"Ocellus... Don't worry about how they love. Just love in your own way." I replied softly as she lifted her gaze to look at me. I then said, "And...you don't have to wear this form all the time. Come on, take it off for a little while. Just be the love bug you've always been. I really don't mind what form you wear. Go ahead. Be you."

She looked down at herself before looking at her wings and tail. Ocellus dragged a finger through her long soft hair. She then muttered quietly, "I...don't want to..."

I tilted my head to one side. Refusing to take off her disguise while in a place of safety? "You...don't?"

"I...like this form. I like this body. I know it's not the real me, but...it feels like it's still me. Like...what I would be if I was born as a dragon. This isn't just a disguise to me anymore. This...feels like what I could've been in another life." Ocellus replied while tucking herself into a delicate fetal position. Her right eye was once again hidden behind her hair while she smiled sweetly at me. "I can change back anytime I want. And I don't want to right now. I...want to be your dragoness now."

Something felt wrong with that statement. I understood that the body she was inhabiting at that time was certainly nice to look at. And she was clearly very comfortable in it. And yet...it felt like an admission to something that she was trying to not say. I felt compelled to comfort her. And so I did. I pulled myself across the sofa and took the little lady into my arms and whispered into her ear. "Ocellus... You do make for a beautiful dragoness. But you'll always be my little love bug."

"James... I... I want to be your dragoness... I...really do..." I heard Ocellus whisper as she went almost limp in my embrace. I heard her voice starting to quiver. And then it broke entirely. "But I... I can't be... I can't be your dragoness when I can't love you like one..."

She was crying... I could feel her tears flowing into my shirt. I tightened my embrace as she lifted her head and sobbed. Very loudly. "I didn't ask to be born a Changeling! Why couldn't I have been born like this?! Why was I born as something all of Equestria hates?!"

Poor little Ocellus... She slumped into my embrace and wept bitterly. Even I could not resist the building of my own tears at the edges of my eyes. She finally found a form that she could call her own, but it did not change what she was under the surface. Ocellus could wear as many entirely unique masks as she could come up with and it would change nothing. She was still a Changeling. And too many in Equestria would hate her for it. I chose my next words very carefully. And I needed to be honest. "But I don't hate you... I love you."

That pathetic whimpering slowly faded away as Ocellus started to find her strength again. She straightened herself up before looking me in the eyes with such a pitiable face. Fresh tears having flowed down her long jaw. Her eyes were wide with surprise as she asked weakly, "You...do...?"

All I could do was nod. And I could almost feel Ocellus gazing into my heart. "I feel...so much love in you... So much love just for me. But...I can't...tell what kind of love it is."

"I don't know what it is yet either. I haven't known you all that long yet, but...I adore you. Even if you're a Changeling." I whispered to her while bringing a hand to her face and gently brushing that lock of hair aside to reveal her other eye. I quickly thought up more kind words to say. "You are a wonderful young woman and I'm blessed to have you in my life. I won't let what you are decide how I feel about you. I'll let that beautiful soul of yours do that."

"You're always so kind to me when I'm so upset..." Ocellus muttered before she leaned into my embrace. I could feel her starting to siphon some of my love out of me in a more passive manner. Just a bit of comfort food to soothe her heart. "I...love you... I know I can't love you like Smolder does, but...I'll...still keep loving you."

"Ocellus... Please do me one little favor." I replied before bringing my lips towards one of her drooping ears. I knew exactly what to say to her. "Don't love me like a dragon. Love me in the way only you can."

When our eyes met again, she had begun to smile. Just a little bit. Tears were still staining her face. But that smile was enough to fill me with a sense of accomplishment. She then asked sincerely, "Will you...ever love me like you love her? Like you love...them?"

A long and thoughtful sigh hissed from my lips. Even after what had almost happened just minutes ago, I needed to be honest. I then gazed into those beautiful eyes and said, "I think...there is a very strong likelihood of that happening. It's just a matter of when. You...are a wonderful person, Ocellus. If you...were to be my mare..."

"I will... I'll be your... Your mare. Your dragoness. I'll be your anything and everything..." Ocellus whispered wonderfully with so much of that grief leaving her eyes. She placed a hand on the back of my head and continued to speak to me. "I'm sorry... I know I sound so eager and... It's just... All that love you're carrying just for me... It...makes me want you. Makes me...want to be yours... I wonder how many other Changelings have gotten to feel something this wonderful?"

"Heh, the only other Changeling I've spoken to in any great length is Thorax. And...even he got a bit too cuddly last time I saw him..." I muttered before noticing that Ocellus appeared confused by my words. The last time she ever saw him was right after the Changeling queen revealed herself to us on the Empty Plains. She did not know about... "Oh, right. I think I should mention he stopped by just to see me on the day of that big party a few days ago. We had a nice chat. He's a good guy."

"Yeah, Thorax was always nice to me too. I wonder if he'll come back again if he knows where we are?" Ocellus replied with a smile quickly forming on her lips. She then tucked her head comfortably under my jaw and whispered to me. "James... I... I don't really have much to do today... Could I just...put myself down for a nap?"

"You're more than welcome to, Ocellus. I'm sure a nap would be good for you after having such a good cry. Rest now." I retorted while Ocellus began to straighten herself up before me instead of lying down. And her hand remained on the back of my head. As if she was preventing me from pulling away. And those eyes... Nervous, yet needy. "Uh... Love bug? Something you need first?"

"I'm sorry... I know I'm being selfish, but... May I please just...keep feeding until I can eat no more? Just...let me put myself in a love coma so I can't wake up for a while?" Ocellus asked with such a tender whisper. Her hand was not merely holding me either. Her fingers were tenderly sliding over the thin layer of hair on my scalp in an almost...enticing manner.

All I did was nod. I could not forget the last time she literally passed out from overdosing on the love in the air when she visited Novo's chambers aboard the Alabaster that one time. And I knew exactly how she wanted to feed. Our eyes slowly closed as our lips came together for another long and tender kiss. And I could feel my love being siphoned into her from our mere touch. And...we could not stop ourselves. I did not want to merely give her my love. I wanted her to feel loved.

That kiss deepened in mere seconds. We clung to each other in a wonderful embrace, our voices humming and singing to each other. Her taste upon my tongue as hers invited mine to a dance. I held her beautiful feminine body to mine. Dragon or Changeling, it did not matter to me. She was utterly radiant in my eyes. A delicate treasure to cherish. As I gave her all the love she needed, Ocellus was equally good to me. Her fingers slid through the hair on my head while her other hand found its way to mine. She desperately grasped it in a very special way. By closing her fingers between mine. If she was not saying she was madly in love with me, she was certainly implying it at the time. And when she finally broke that kiss with a gasp, she gazed drowsily into my eyes and tried to speak once more before sleep could take her. "I'll always be your dra... I mean ma... Lo..."

She kept stumbling over her words. Trying to get out a beautiful parting phrase before she could pass out. While I too just sat there while flushed from that wonderful experience, Ocellus began to slump against me. And her final words... Spoken with such sincerity. "I'll...always be...your woman..."

The disguised Changeling was snoring in a matter of seconds. And I was left pondering her words. Just...why did she say that? Was her mind clouded by all the literal love contained in her body? Or did she really say what was in her heart? Regardless, I stood up and made sure that Ocellus was in a comfortable position on the sofa with a pillow even tucked up against her head. And I kneeled beside her with a hand sliding over her side. She looked much happier in sleep than she had been minutes ago.

I started to question my own heart. What was this wonderful young lady to me? We had not known each other all that long. For even less time than Smolder and I have known each other. And yet...she had more than endeared herself to me. For being from a race of creatures with a very unsavory history in this world, Ocellus had proven to be one of the loveliest little mares I had ever met. Just someone who wanted to be happy and be loved. And she had certainly earned mine.

She would always be mine in some shape or form. I was convinced of that. There was no one else she would rather be with. My mind filled with uncertainty, I whispered to the beautiful love bug before me. "I don't know what the future holds for us, but...I just want you to be the happiest little love bug in the world. I'm here for you...my dear. We'll see... We'll see what happens, all right?"

Ocellus really was essentially in a coma at the time. So deep asleep that my touch and voice did nothing to rouse her. But when I started to consider standing up, I heard the faintest creaking as I saw the door to the left opening. Fluttershy stepped out of the nursery with Gladesong hanging over her shoulder in swaddling. And her gaze of concern mirrored my own. "I'm sorry, dear... I heard. Is she all right?"

"You weren't wrong about her getting way too into this body. She...really doesn't like the fact that she's something the rest of the world looks down on." I muttered before turning my attention back towards the slumbering Changeling before us. I slid my hand over her in an attempt to influence her dreams. Trying to fill her mind with lovely fantasies. "I just wish there was more I could do for her."

"Stay in her life, James. You're everything to her." Fluttershy whispered before she placed a kiss upon my cheek. She then nuzzled her head up against mine while Gladesong tried to reach out to the slumbering false dragoness. "I know you two will be very happy together if she ever becomes something more."

"I want to be good to her, dear. There's not a single bad bone in her at all." I replied before reaching out and kissing our friend on the head. Was I falling in love with the beautiful Changeling before me? Maybe... Just maybe. It was too soon to say. "I just want her to be happy."

I wanted to stay right there longer. But I knew there was somewhere I needed to be. I looked at Fluttershy and said, "Anyway... I really should be heading out. They're expecting me at the spa."

"Your first day back to work, right? I hope your fingers aren't too rusty." Fluttershy said with a giggle before kissing me on the cheek again. She then winked at me and said, "Rarity and I need to get back into our own spa routine pretty soon. I think she said she wanted to wait until the week after you went back to work so you can work out the kinks. We want to feel you at your best."

"Man, how long has it been since the two of you went for your usual there? Feels like ages ago." I replied while stunned with just how much of a wrench the War of Preservation threw into our lives' routines. Regardless, I could not stay any longer. I did not want to be too late on my first day back to work. I kissed my wife goodbye and then took my tiny daughter into my arms for a moment. I cradled little Gladesong and whispered to her, "Daddy's got to go to work now, sweetheart. But he'll be back in time for dinner. Be good for your mother, OK?"

I suspect she would have thrown a bit of a fuss if she had been more awake by then. After a good breakfast, Gladesong looked and sounded ready for a nap. And I knew exactly where she wanted to be. I gently tucked her up against Ocellus to let my daughter nap with her favorite love bug. And this did get a response from the slumbering false dragoness. She lazily draped an arm over the tiny pegasus filly while Gladesong closed her eyes with such a smile on her face. I looked at Fluttershy and whispered while we beamed at each other. "She really loves Ocellus."

"Maybe she'll start calling Ocellus her mommy someday too. I just hope her Mama Rarity doesn't get too jealous." Fluttershy giggled quietly before once again kissing me right on the lips. She then winked at me again and said, "I'll come find you at the café for lunch. I'll bring Rarity along too. We miss spending time with you."

"Sounds lovely, dear. I'll see you there. Anyway, gotta go." I retorted before sharing a brief hug with my wife. I then hurried out the door and was greeted by a cool autumn breeze. I had no need for a jacket. I could tolerate the low 50s and this felt more like the upper 50s at the time. The sky was clear and the sun bright. Feeling rested and eager to get back in the swing of things, I made my way down the path and on my way to Ponyville proper.

The warm sun shining down on my head reminded me of how thin my hair was at the time. I slid my hand atop my scalp and was reminded of how much heat one's head gives off now that I had so little in the way. At least I would not need a haircut again until spring came around. I had always loathed autumn due to the depressing shifting in temperatures and seeing the flora around me dying or losing their leaves. But Ponyville's eternal greenery always combated that to some degree. Feeling the cool bite of autumn air reminded me of what was coming, but seeing the world around me so full of life with all that green instilled a strange yet pleasant dissonance.

Ponyville was bustling the way it does on every Saturday. Everything really was just the way I remembered it. With how everyone was going about their business, it was like the war never even happened. And that was for the best. It would be ideal if the public consciousness would just forget about it and leave the details of that dark period to be remembered only by the history books. I have said it so many times before and I will say it again. War has no place in Equestria. It was a miracle that this wonderful world was able to hold onto its values and ideals in the end.

I finally came to the town square with no interruptions. Maybe a wave or a brief greeting from a local or two who I have not become acquainted with yet, but no friends or family of mine. And I came to a stop once I was standing before the spa. It felt almost surreal to finally be back there after so long away. The weeks or months that had passed since I last laid eyes on the sweeping purple roof of that elegant building felt like years. Had anything changed in my absence?

After taking a moment to steady myself, I ducked through the doorway and found one of my employers standing behind the front desk. Pink coat and blue mane... Aloe or Lotus... Ah right, that was Aloe. And she was all too happy to see me walk in. "James, welcome back! Are you ready to return to work?"

That elegant accent was music to my ears. I had missed it more than I thought I did. "Yep. Don't want to be stuck at home with nothing to do and I've healed as much as I'm going to, so I'm ready to put my hands to good use."

Aloe was utterly delighted at my response. "Oh, splendid! You have no idea how many customers were disappointed to not get to experience your massage services. Quake did everything she could to cover for you, but there's just no substitute for your magic fingers. I can't wait to see our customers walk out of here with the smiles we haven't seen in too long."

I was quick to clock in and stepped into the spa's main chamber. And it felt...magical being back in there after so long. The view. The scents of lotions and salves. I got hit with such a wave of nostalgia. Lotus and Quake were dealing with a few customers already on a massage table and the facial station. Neither of who I recognized. Always the silent type, Quake just cast me a firm smile while I passed by.

It was good to be back. I got comfortable at my workstation and just sat there while taking in the sights and sounds of the spa for the first time in much too long. I even hesitated to read any magazines to avoid distracting myself. Although not even twenty minutes later, I got my first customer. And she could not have been a better choice.

"Hey there, James!" I heard a voice call out far to my left. Rainbow Dash had just stepped past the curtains leading out into the lobby. I almost expected the spa to be too much for a sporty mare like her, but I quickly suspected she was there for me more than anything else. She came trotting right over and asked, "First day back? I wasn't sure if you worked here on Saturdays. Every other day, right?"

"That's how it always worked. You can find me here Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Whatcha here for? Hot tub? Seaweed wrap?" I asked in return while not sure what sort of spa service someone like Rainbow Dash is more partial towards. She was never one of our more regular customers.

My wild friend bounded up onto the massage table furthest from the entrance. She promptly got comfortable and looked at me. "I'm only here for a massage. And only if it's done by your magic fingers, big guy."

"Someone has good taste." I retorted before flexing my fingers to loosen myself up. Although as I stepped up beside her, I was unsure of where to start. I was undeniably rusty by that point. "Um... Hold on, lemme figure this out."

"What's the matter? You outta practice?" Rainbow Dash asked before she quickly came up with an idea. She spread her wings and asked, "How about you start on the girls here? Not much to work with, right?"

She was right. It was the best spot to ease myself in. For as strong as pegasus wings can be, there is not much muscle in them. Most of their strength comes from their pectoral muscles. At least I think I that is how they work. I mostly just focused on the joints. And Rainbow Dash practically quivered as I loosened up her wings. "Oooooooh yeah, that's what I needed. I can't believe how bad I needed this..."

"And I'm counting on the Wonderbolts coming in next week at this rate... Better get back in shape for the whole squadron." I retorted while knowing that those guys are some of my best customers from out of town. And they would definitely need my services after running themselves ragged in the war. Although that thought suddenly reminded me of something. I leaned over to Rainbow's ear and asked, "Why don't you come in that day? Future Wonderbolt right here, aren't you?"

"Ha, yeah! Spitfire did give me that invite! It just sucks I gotta wait until next summer for the tryouts." Rainbow Dash laughed before I moved onto her other wing. It felt good to be putting my hands to good use helping people after so long of using them for little more than holding a sword. Rainbow Dash must have read my mind since she then said, "Man, you really do have the hands of an artist. No wonder this is the job you ended up sticking with. You're way better at this than using a sword."

"Hey, swordsmanship is still an art and it's something I do take some pride in. Although this is admittedly much more fulfilling." I replied while finishing up with her wing. Once they were folded, I stepped up beside her and tried to figure out how to proceed with the rest of her. "Hang on... Lemme see if I still got it."

Rainbow Dash had set her head down on her folded arms and was not watching me anymore. She then asked, "What's going on back there? You starting on my flanks or my shoulders or OH YEAH THAT'S THE SPOT!!!"

Unsure of where to start with the use of my hands, I decided to brute force my way with my elbow instead. I pressed firmly onto Rainbow's back as a noticeable crack was heard in loosening up her vertebrae. And it sounded like it was a spot that really needed some attention. From that point on, it all started to come back to me. I still remember where I used to do everything while straddling my customers to apply my touch from above, but I had found a means to do some of it while just leaning over them instead.

It was when I had to massage Rainbow Dash's flanks that I did climb onto the massage table and straddled her. After having such a morning with Fluttershy in the bedroom that morning, I was quick to notice how much sleeker Rainbow Dash's haunches were. Compared to the matronly curves of my wife's rump, Rainbow's was much more maidenly and streamlined. Although that is probably something that benefits a speed demon like her. I then suddenly snickered as I recalled the difficulties I tend to have with the much more muscular earth ponies who partake in my services. "I almost forgot how lightweight you pegasi are. It's gonna take a while to figure out how to massage earth ponies properly again. I still remember how difficult and tiring it was the first time I gave Applejack a massage."

"Oh man, I do remember that! Your hands were raw after all that. You don't have to worry about us pegasi. We have to be light to fly as well as we do." Rainbow Dash laughed while she grunted in pleasure. I had to be especially mindful of her cutie marks. One good poke would surely give her a pleasure spike that would be out of line in my line of work. Although she then said, "But if you ask me, I think I'm pretty buff as far as pegasi go. I'm no AJ, but I can totally bench more than Fluttershy."

"I don't doubt that. She's a pretty strong flier herself, but she's no athlete." I retorted as I remembered vividly the start of my day. My hands began to knead Rainbow Dash's flanks as I tried to recall the full round and soft contours of my wife's foal-bearing hips. Although in my distraction, I started to feel up Rainbow's flanks in ways I really was not supposed to.

"Ooooh... Whatcha doing back there, big guy? That don't feel like a massage." Rainbow Dash said knowingly as I snapped out of my daydream. I looked back at my friend while she looked over her shoulder at me with a big smirk on her lips. She then said softly, "You can massage my marks, if you want. You know you're the only man allowed to touch them."

"I...really shouldn't, Rainbow. Not now." I replied while I went silent in trying to finish up my work on her flanks. I hurriedly dismounted her once I was done before gently rolling Rainbow Dash onto her back. "OK, now for this side. Just relax, OK?"

"I'm always relaxed when I'm with just you, big guy." She replied while I started to knead and caressed her jaw and cheeks. The facial muscles require a more subtle touch compared to the rest of her and it is a part of the procedure that I am particularly fond of. Although Rainbow Dash was not entirely still during the procedure. She just stared at me constantly as I held her face with my fingers. And at one point, she began to purse her lips to mime a kiss. Her eyes were lidded and I quickly saw this as an invitation. My heart fluttered as I quickly glanced around to check for prying eyes. I knew she was my mare. Even if things were only starting to deepen between us. I was quick with my move, bringing my lips to hers for only a brief kiss. Rainbow then whispered, "Love you, big guy."

"Love you too, Rainbow." I said while continuing with my work. My mind began to wander to the party we enjoyed mere days ago. How Rainbow Dash had spoken to Fluttershy in regards to her rekindling the relationship between the two of us after leaving it dormant for too long.

My wandering gaze was just enough of an indicator of what was on my mind. I did not ask, but Rainbow Dash spoke to me anyway. "Hey... About that. Wanna talk about this over lunch? I think that's a good time to really discuss this."

It looked like she had finally decided on a time to discuss the next step. And I was happy to agree to it. "I was wondering when you'd wanna do that. Sure. Fluttershy and Rarity will be joining me at the café today. I'll see you there, right?"

"Count on it, big guy. I'll even get a table for us." She retorted before I started to move down her body to tend to the rest of her underside. My palms and fingers pressed into her chest while it heaved under me to let Rainbow Dash let out a very pleased sigh. I could feel the firm muscle just under the surface. She was not joking. Rainbow Dash was impressively buff for a pegasus mare. I moved further and further down from her chest to her belly. But while my hands stayed where they were, my eyes wandered lower.

I could see them nestled between her hind legs. A pair of modest teats covered in a fine layer of her sky blue coat with darkened summits. They were so much less pronounced than those on Fluttershy. A physical reminder of Rainbow Dash's femininity despite her boisterous and tomboyish reputation. No matter how tough and wild she became, she would always be a woman. And I was not the only one to notice. "I know what you're looking at down there."

Those words were like shards of ice in my heart. I knew Rainbow Dash was not upset with me. Far from it. I think she was pleased that I was admiring a part of her that no other male ever had before. But it was still jarring to know that I had been caught ogling a part of her body. When I lifted my head to look at her, Rainbow Dash whispered to me with an inviting smile. "Go ahead, big guy. You can go lower. I want the full massage package."

"I don't normally do this, Rainbow. That part of a mare's body is usually off-limits for me. But for you... Sure." I replied while both eager to please and nervous that someone might come over and see. As long as they were at a distance, no one would really see exactly where my hands were reaching. And once I was done with massaging her abdomen, I moved my hands even lower. "Here we go..."

"Do it, big guy. You know you're the only one who gets to tap the coolest mare in town." Rainbow Dash whispered with a snicker that just made me roll my eyes. That kind of shamelessness was something I had only grown to expect out of Novo by then. Although I did as she requested. I pressed my palms directly into those soft mammaries as Rainbow Dash let out such a sigh. "Mmm, I didn't think they were that soft... They don't normally get touched down there, you know?"

Instead of massaging, I found myself rubbing and caressing one of her most neglected areas. I slid my fingers over those soft mounds. Gently pinching them as Rainbow Dash quivered and covered her mouth to muffle her voice. It was brief, but that was the point where I knew I had to stop even if no one could actually see where I was reaching, Rainbow's very unusual gestures would raise a few eyebrows. I lifted my hands from her and said, "OK, that's enough. Not here, Rainbow."

"Dang it... Do you have any idea how many times I wish you could hold me like you did back then?" Rainbow Dash groaned as she rolled over before turning around to face me. She looked deeply disappointed and frustrated, but not at me. "Nothing's changed since that day. You're still...the only man my heart's ever wanted. And now... Now we can finally make it happen, right?"

"Only if you're ready." I replied while trying to maintain an air of professionalism in my work environment. She was my friend. And she was my onetime lover. But at that moment, Rainbow Dash was my client. We had to keep a bit of distance between us while under the spa's roof.

"Of course I'm ready. I talked it over with Fluttershy and she's perfectly fine with...me becoming part of your family. We'll...talk it over at lunch, all right?" Rainbow whispered before placing a quick kiss on my lips again while no one was around to see. She then smiled with a look of desperation in her eyes and muttered, "Oh man, I can't stand this... Now that it's finally really happening, I... I'm just so excited to be your mare for real, James. I've almost lost you too many times and... I just wanna hold you and make sure you're always gonna be OK. I don't care how sappy I sound. I just love you, big guy. I always did."

"Oh man, Rainbow... You know what? Come here." I retorted while finding Rainbow Dash's words and just the inflections in her voice reeking of uncertainty born from a lack of experience. She knew almost nothing of the art of romance. And I did not care about that. I held her in a firm embrace while she did the same. I then whispered into her ear, "It'll be OK, Rainbow. We'll figure this out. You've always been amazing."

"Even if I did some stupid stuff to you early on?" Rainbow Dash chuckled while I too remembered my earliest days in Ponyville. Whether it was out of sheer recklessness and a tacit lack of foresight, Rainbow Dash was not the best person among my close circle of friends at the time. There were times where she made me genuinely upset. Or even caused me physical harm. She then nuzzled my ear and said, "I swear I'll try to always be good to you, big guy. Because you've always been good to me."

"You've become a much better person since then, Rainbow. And I love you for that." I whispered to her while thinking it would be best to not let that embrace drag out for much longer. I soon released her from my grasp and said, "Anyway, I'll see you at lunch, right?"

"Yep. I'll get there at noon sharp and save a table. See you there, big guy. And great work as always." Rainbow Dash replied before hopping down and having to stretch very noisily with her letting out grunts and very satisfied groans. Seeing her that loosened up was a surefire display of how effective that massage was for her. It was especially reassuring for me to watch since it showed that I had not lost my touch. She then saw herself out and disappeared through the curtains leading out to the lobby.

I had to deal with a few more customers who were very happy to finally receive one of my massages after too much waiting for my return. And then my lunch break came. As soon as noon came along, I was out the door and making my way over to the local café. I had barely visited that location since returning home. I was eager to resume that particular routine since I almost never dine alone there.

The sun was high and casting a warm glow over the town to combat the slight chill of autumn air. Almost in a parallel to the early days of spring. And once the café came into view, I saw Rainbow Dash seated at one of the mushroom top tables outdoors. While there were a few other locals dining outside as well, most of the tables were empty. Most tend to prefer dining indoors once the weather starts to become cooler.

Rainbow Dash waved me down as I hastened my pace She had even fetched a stool for me to sit on. And I was quickly reminded of just how unfitting most of Equestria's architecture is for humans. It has always been not so much the design of everything as much as it is the scaling of the objects. But I had long since adapted by then. I took a seat at the table and asked, "No sign of anyone else yet?"

"Nope! You sure we're supposed to be expecting anyone?" Rainbow Dash asked in return while I did not see any menus on the table. She must have insisted the waiter not do so yet until the rest of the party arrived.

"Very sure. Fluttershy said she would show up for lunch with Rarity and Gladesong. They should be here at any time now." I replied before noticing the waiter approaching. He then bowed to me, which was not something he had ever done before. I wonder if it had something to do with what Equestria knew about me by then... Regardless, I then said, "A party of four plus one foal."

The waiter trotted off to fetch our menus. And no sooner had he gone back inside did a pair of mares come into view in the distance as they walked down the open road of Ponyville. They hastened their pace into a trot while Rainbow Dash and I waved at them in greeting. "Hey, there you are! What's up, girls?"

"Darlings, hello! Good of you to join us, Rainbow Dash!" Rarity called out as she came right over with Fluttershy close behind her. I could even see little Gladesong bound up in swaddling at her side. Rarity then made a beeline right to my side and placed a kiss upon each of my cheeks. "And there's our knight in shining armor! First day back to work, dear?"

"Yep. And Rainbow Dash was my first customer." I replied while restraining the urge to kiss Rarity back. We had to keep up the charade in public. Even if there were not that many around who would see us.

Fluttershy looked at her friend in intrigue and asked, "You were the first to receive a massage on his first day back? How was it? Was it as good as it's always been?"

Rainbow Dash flexed her neck from side to side before spreading her wings wide with another stretch. She then quickly folded them and said, "You bet! He was a little rusty at first, but he's still got it!"

Gladesong started to stir in her swaddling and managed to reach out to our friend while Fluttershy came closer. She then said, "I think somepony wants to say high to their Auntie Dashie."

I knew Rainbow Dash had little experience with very young children. She knew how to deal with older kids, but never infants. If she had a maternal side to her, I had never seen it. But she still greeted my daughter with her usual zest by touching her nose to Gladesong's. "Hey there, squirt! How's Scoot been? She still being the coolest big sister in town?"

"Scootaloo's always happy to spend time with Gladesong. I think having a baby sister of her own has been good for her." Fluttershy said while just looking so proud. I shared in that pride. A beautiful daughter born from the two of us and a daughter we had adopted who had been without a family for too long. We really were a family by then.

"The kid's got a real family now. You did a really great thing for her, you two. Thanks for giving Scoot what she's always wanted." Rainbow Dash replied before Fluttershy stepped past her. But while her gaze followed Fluttershy, her eyes suddenly opened wide while I noticed her wings suddenly spring open. I narrowed my gaze in curiosity, but then had to suppress a laugh. I knew exactly what her eyes happened to focus on once Fluttershy had her back to her friend.

Rarity also happened to notice the obvious wingboner Rainbow Dash was sporting as well as the faint blush starting to fill her cheeks. Our elegant friend raised an eyebrow and asked, "Rainbow Dash...? Why so flustered? Are you feeling all right?"

Fluttershy then happened to look back at her friend with equal confusion. Now backed into a corner, Rainbow stuttered and stammered for a moment before averting her gaze with a goofy grin on her face. "Oh, uh, I mean... It's nothing, I... Well, if you really wanna know... Wow, Fluttershy. You've really filled out in all the right places ever since you had a kid. What's your secret?"

I buried my face in my hands as I burst into a snickering fit. While Fluttershy recoiled in embarrassment, I could not stop myself from laughing since I knew exactly what she noticed. Fluttershy had always been beautiful, but motherhood had affected her body in a most profound way that I had already covered earlier in this entry. And with Fluttershy being Fluttershy, she quickly tried to deny such a claim. "Oh, it's not like that! I... I mean... Oh dear, it's not like I'm a supermodel now or anything..."

Rarity, always having an eye for fine details and an appreciation for beauty, begged to differ. "Nonsense, darling! Have you looked in a mirror lately? You've weathered the journey to motherhood with such grace! You're positively glowing now! Take from moi, dear. You've never been more beautiful."

"Oh goodness me, you two... I'm really not... Um..." Fluttershy stammered with such a crooked smile on her lips. Her friends were not messing with her. It was nothing but genuine compliments. She then looked at me while Gladesong remained oblivious to the context of the conversation happening around her. My wife then asked, "James, be honest with me. I haven't...changed that much since having Gladesong, have I?"

Rainbow Dash and Rarity both watched in knowing anticipation. And I knew exactly how to answer that question. I put my fingers together and smirked deviously like a cunning mastermind that immediately caused Fluttershy to look like she regretted asking me that question. My ploy in play, I then pointed right at her and said, "Honey, you've never been sexier."

Fluttershy just about fainted in response to that. While our two companions giggled or howled in laughter, Fluttershy swayed before slumping right down to the ground in a seated position. Her eyes were wide open with her face flushed pink. I started to suspect that I might have gone too far and asked, "Uh... Fluttershy? Dear, are you OK?"

Her dazed eyes looked over at me as even our friends stopped laughing. She then spoke softly, "I love you so much right now..."

"Man, is it any wonder you two got hitched?" Rainbow Dash snickered as Fluttershy tried to cool herself off by fanning herself with her own wings. I was just surprised the other customers around us were not paying us much mind. It was right around then that the waiter returned and even brought a booster chair for Gladesong. I was not certain if she would even want anything the café had to offer even though she was old enough to have solid foods by then, but it was good for her to be with us. She was placed between Fluttershy and I before we started reading off the menu. I really missed the sandwich combos and the side of the day was marinated Brussels sprouts. I could not pass that up.

Once our orders had been placed and the waiter had departed, I reached out for my daughter while her mother chatted with her friends. Gladesong loved my touch whenever I scratched her behind the ears or under her chin. It was certainly not something her mother could do. Although I bet Novo did it a few times during her prior visit. I then leaned over and whispered into her ear, "Daddy loves you."

The precious little filly giggled at my words. It is difficult to say if she understands spoken speech yet, but my words did make her happy. I got a chuckle when she reached out for my hand and took hold of my finger with her mouth. My daughter started sucking on my finger. Probably out of hunger. I whispered out to Fluttershy and whispered, "I think she needs you, dear."

"Hm? Oh my, Gladesong... Daddy can't give you what you need. Come here, dear." Fluttershy giggled before lifting our daughter from her seat and tucking her up against her belly to allow our child to nurse. She and I shared a loving smile. Married life really is wonderful and we were blessed to be having such a smooth transition with our firstborn. Although Fluttershy then looked around at the two other mares seated at the table and asked, "So...um... Do you think this is a good time to talk about it?"

"If you mean what I think you do... Yeah. But let's be quiet about it." I replied with my eyes glancing over at Rainbow Dash. We were going to need to have this talk sooner or later and it would be best for Rarity to be present as well. The lack of acoustics provided by walls would help in keeping our voices from carrying too far. A strange paradox when considering we were all in plain sight and with other customers dining close by. I then spoke out across the table, "Rainbow. You wanted to talk to us about something?"

Her eyes opened wide upon realizing why she had joined us. Rarity and Fluttershy fell silent. I am not certain how much Rarity knew about Rainbow Dash and I by then, but she likely knew enough. Rainbow Dash glanced left and right with no one paying us any mind. She then said softly, "Yeah... I mean we talked about this during the party, right? You sure you're OK with this, Fluttershy?"

My wife nodded with a smile. "Of course I am. I can't imagine you doing anything dishonest here. And I've been there with you during...those times. I know you love him. And that you love him enough to be his."

Rarity then spoke up while leaning with an elbow on the table. She then asked with an inquisitive gleam in her eye, "Rainbow Dash, correct me if I'm wrong. If memory serves... Didn't you and Fluttershy have a certain...sleepover at your place last holiday season? And how did that go?"

Fluttershy must have told her something. I certainly never told Rarity that Rainbow and I had ever become intimate at any point. I had nothing to say and knew that the event at her house was entirely her and Fluttershy's idea. She then explained quietly, "That was...to pay him back for everything that happened with Discord. I wanted the big guy to know he was loved and we would never leave him."

Rarity's face became much more somber. I wonder what they remember about that time that I do not. My beautiful beloved then asked, "And...what happened between the two of you?"

"It wasn't planned, I'll tell you that. I only stuck with softcore stuff that night. I loved him, but James was Fluttershy's man. But...then..." Rainbow Dash began to explain while I felt compelled to just listen. Fluttershy and I shared a quick glance while she cracked a crooked smile. It was a very bold thing to give Rainbow Dash that offer at the time. Perhaps that was a prelude of her seeing the potential in me as a man who has the integrity needed for the relationships I have now. Rainbow then sighed as her gaze wandered. "She...let us do it. And for just that night...I became his mare. And that memory still sticks with me."

I clasped my hands in front of my face. I could remember that night. The tenderness. The affection and genuine love between us. And the moment I filled her in a way that I had only done to Fluttershy... It was as if we had a glimpse into what it would be like if we...were a family. I could still remember how Rainbow Dash could not just stay behind when we departed the next day. There was no way she could just say goodbye and go back to being like that night never even happened. Not after she became my mare and I became her man. She stayed with us all day before she could bring herself to go home.

Rarity remained silent for a moment before she asked softly, "Was he good to you? And were you good to him?"

"He was great... And I tried to make sure he knew I was crazy about him. I've never met a dude...who really gets me like he does. A guy who's...been good to me and for me. And...I think I'm done doubting myself about this." Rainbow Dash replied while still looking around at whoever was nearby. No one heard us, but she was being exceedingly cautious. She then smiled longingly at her two friends and asked, "I'm...ready to take this to the next level. Starting tomorrow...may I join you girls as his mare? Can I be his and him be mine?"

"I've already given you my blessing, Rainbow. I know we can trust you with us. Rarity? How about you?" Fluttershy replied while we all looked towards the most beautiful mare at the table.

Rarity waved happily at the only other pegasus seated with us. "Of course I'm fine with it! Granted, you were just about the last mare I would've ever expected to start pining for this sweet gentleman, but I suppose it's true what they say. Opposites attract."

"Hey, I wouldn't say it like that. We've just been...good for each other, you know?" Rainbow Dash retorted with an increasingly crooked smile on her face. She was very much out of her element being in such a situation. She had never been known for being sentimental. Although she then turned to me with that smile fading. "Wait... James, we can't forget you. I know all the other girls in your life are OK with me, but... What about you? Do you...want me?"

With how much they had focused on how each other thinks about the situation, they had forgotten about my thoughts on it. And I rested one hand over the other as I said what was in my heart. "Yes, Rainbow... Will you be my mare?"

My eyes widened as Rainbow Dash bit her lower lip with her eyes beginning to glisten with fresh tears. Even Rarity and Fluttershy looked alarmed by this sudden surge in sheer emotion. I expected Rainbow Dash to start bawling or just shriek in sheer joy. But she stayed quiet. Very quiet. As the tears spilled over the edges of her lids, Rainbow Dash bit her hoof as she wheezed in a joyous sob. Doing everything in her power to keep herself from drawing attention. Fluttershy reached out and patted her friend on the shoulder and whispered sweet words to the weeping pegasus. "It'll be OK, Rainbow... It'll be OK."

"I'm...not upset, girls... I'm just... I didn't know what it's like to be this happy...!" Rainbow Dash quietly squealed before she finally started to relax. I was genuinely concerned for her and wondered if I had done something wrong. Rainbow Dash quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled rather apologetically at me. "Sorry! Sorry, I'm just a total newbie when it comes to this romantic stuff... I've...never had anyone in my life like this... I'm OK. Just...gotta get used to being in love and knowing it's mutual, you know?"

"We'll take things one day at a time, all right? Good to have you with us, Rainbow." I replied while wishing she was seated closer to me so I could put my arms around her. Even I was at a loss of exactly what to feel about Rainbow Dash and I actually establishing our relationship as something more. It was just that one time and then never again... I had resigned myself to believing we could never go beyond that one night. But now... I was excited. She and I had been through so much together in ways I had not been with anyone else. I was expecting a good future for us.

Rainbow Dash nodded while just beaming with such a big toothy grin of delight. She was chuckling quietly, although I think the huffing and wheezing in her throat was also an almost laughing kind of sob. These were new emotions for her. And I knew the reckless emotions of being in love for the first time. Although Fluttershy then started to smirk at her friend before saying, "Just remember. Now that you're part of the family, you're Gladesong's mommy too."

That... Just... That face. That face Rainbow Dash made upon hearing those words. I had to immediately cover my mouth just to not burst out laughing to see such a drastic shift in Rainbow's mood. Eyes wide open and lips curved down into such an uncomfortable frown, she meekly asked, "Come again?"

Rarity burst into her own giggling fit before managing to explain, "Darling, have you forgotten? We are all his mares while he is our man. And all the children in this family are our children. I love little Gladesong like she's my own and I was even given the honor of naming her! That means our children are your children as well, yes?"

"I...really didn't read the fine print, did I?" Rainbow Dash muttered before I finally could not contain myself. I placed my head down on my arm while letting out a very hearty guffaw. I doubt anyone was staring. Those who were paying attention to us by then were probably assuming Rainbow Dash had cracked a very good joke. She then replied while flustering in her seat, "Oh man, oh man, I'm not ready for this! Having kids is like the last thing on my mind!"

"You don't have to actually raise her, Rainbow!" Fluttershy squealed with her own laughter squeaking deep in her throat. Rarity then used her levitation magic to move Gladesong's booster chair to be right between Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy before my wife reached under herself and lifted our daughter back up. Gladesong looked satisfied after having just finished nursing and did not mind being put back in her seat. Fluttershy then whispered while Rainbow Dash pulled her head back from Gladesong in uncertainty. "Go on, Rainbow. You're her mommy now too. Let her know."

"Uh... Oh man, I guess I really am now, huh?" Rainbow Dash grumbled with such a nervous grin on her face. She was completely out of her comfort zone. And Gladesong finally got her attention by reaching out and touching the bashful pegasus on the nose. Rainbow then looked at her while still visibly sweating profusely and said, "Uh... Hey there, squirt. So...I... I guess from now on, I'm... I'm with you guys, huh? Yeah, I've got the hots for your dad and...we've got a history together, you know? It's... It's a really complicated story. I don't think you'll get it until you're a lot older..."

I almost laughed again. This was strangely entertaining to watch. But Gladesong did not understand Rainbow's discomfort. She just leaned forward and even licked Rainbow Dash on the nose. This prompted a snort from our friend as she said, "You are way too cute for your own good, you know that? Maybe you do need me around. Gotta keep an eye on you kids when you don't know better, right?"

She was starting to open up to the idea that Gladesong might as well be her own child by then. And that was when Rainbow Dash flashed my daughter a very confident grin. "Hey, you know what that means?! You've got the coolest mom in town now! Yeah, that's right! If I'm your mommy now, then I'm the coolest mom in Ponyville! Man, the stunts I'll teach you when you finally figure out how to get in the air on your own! That's cool with you guys, right? If I'm this kid's honorary other mother, I can teach her all my best moves, right?"

"Uuuuuuuhhhh... We'll talk about that later." Fluttershy stammered while I just facepalmed in amusement. Of course that was all it took to being more open to the idea of becoming closer with our first child. Rainbow Dash just might have a private pupil in the coming years. But would Gladesong be daring enough to try the wild stunts that Rainbow Dash is capable of? We would have to wait and see.

Rainbow Dash grinned in some genuine excitement before she touched her nose to Gladesong's. "I guess that means you just got 20% cooler, kid! And maybe you'll be 30% cooler by this time in ten years! I can already imagine you pulling off your first sonic rainboom! Then maybe..."

"Rainbow Dash, that's quite enough! Don't get too far ahead of yourself!" Rarity spoke up before using her levitation magic to literally take Rainbow by the ear and pull her back. Gladesong just giggled at her new surrogate mother's enthusiasm without any understanding of what she was talking about. All I did was roll my eyes. Rainbow Dash was surprising no one with her behavior. At least she was starting to become more comfortable with being more involved with Gladesong's life. And in her own wild way.

"Heh, sorry. Just... Wow. I gotta pretty psyched there, huh?" Rainbow Dash chuckled in some embarrassment. She then locked eyes with Gladesong again before bringing her face closer to hers. The situation calmed, she spoke again. "You know what, kid? Sure. If Rarity's your mom too, then I guess that makes me your extra cool mom. I think we're gonna get along just fine... Wait!"

Rainbow Dash suddenly lifted her head and looked at us in shock. "What about Scoot?! If she finds out about this, she's gonna freak! She's been crazy about the idea of me being like a big sis to her for a long time! But this?!"

This was a detail we had all overlooked. And we all stared at each other in bewildered silence. Just how would Scootaloo handle the news that her role model had become something more with me? I mean she would certainly be thrilled to see the two of us as a couple, but... I then thought of something to ask. "But...can you see her as your daughter?"

I had to suppress a laugh again. Rainbow Dash gave me such a stink eye while she said, "You serious? I'm only barely more than twice her age! There's no way I could pass as her mom unless I was getting busy back in flight school. And my parents weren't THAT incompetent in raising me!"

"Rainbow, why must you always be so amusing in your sheer lack of tact?!" Rarity shrieked while breaking out into awkward laughter while I could only rub my fingers over my temples. That was a rather shockingly funny thing to say, but also suggested a wildly inappropriate concept that was better off not discussed. Rainbow Dash had always had a bit of a brazen promiscuousness about her in certain situations, but thinking about her acting like that at Scootaloo's age... No. Just no. Absolutely not. Thank goodness that never actually happened.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes at just how ridiculous that response was in hindsight. Fluttershy was even holding her face in her hooves while sounding like she was not sure if that retort warranted a laugh from her. Although Rainbow's eyes did wander for a moment as she appeared to be thinking to herself. She then asked, "But now that you mention it... I dunno. You think she'd be OK with me being her aunt instead? I dunno if she's gonna wanna stick to the whole sister thing when she finds out about this."

"That does sound better. And it wouldn't be impossible if it actually applied. But...we'll talk about that later. And...here comes lunch now." Fluttershy replied before looking over her shoulder. The waiter was on his way over with our meal. Gladesong was quickly returned to her prior position and we hastily put that conversation topic on hold. While the most important things had been said and decided upon, anything else would have to wait for a later date.

Lunch was just as good as I remembered. It really was like a return to what I recalled about living in Ponyville. And Gladesong really liked the soft marinated Brussels sprouts on the side. Once our dining had concluded, we all departed from the café with a smile. Rainbow Dash let out a long sigh on a full stomach and said, "Wow, I needed that. Just like old times, right?"

"I concur! We really should gather up the rest of the girls for a full party next time. And Spike! The poor dear just doesn't get out often enough, I swear." Rarity replied while also taking a moment to nuzzle Gladesong. She was slung in swaddling at her side now that it was Rarity's turn to carry the little filly around. And she was right about Spike. Even though he was fortunate to not have to leave the homefront during the war, he would surely appreciate catching up on lost time with the mares that made up Twilight's closest circle of friends. He and I also need to catch up on the comic book scene. I have been out of the loop for a short while.

Fluttershy looked towards Rainbow Dash and asked quietly, "So then... Will we be seeing you more often at our place?"

Rainbow Dash was noticeably hesitant in providing a response. Or rather she appeared unsure of what to say. "I... Man, I'm really not used to being in a real relationship like this... This is all new to me, you know?"

"We'll figure things out bit by bit, Rainbow. There's no rush." I replied while also feeling a bit nervous about everything that had changed between us that day. Rainbow Dash... One of the last mares in the world I ever thought I would find love with. I was a bit giddy myself about it.

"Heh, I better take your word for it. You're the guy who knows more than me on this stuff." Rainbow Dash chuckled before she looked back and forth at Fluttershy and Rarity. We all knew I needed to get back to work soon and she could not follow me if she had no reason to go back there today. "Hey, mind if I hang with you girls for the rest of the afternoon? I'm free today and was gonna take a nap, but..."

"Of course, Rainbow. You're part of the family now. It'd be great if we could spend the afternoon together and help you get to know Gladesong a little more." Fluttershy replied with a smile. Rainbow Dash grinned broadly in a way that convinced me things would be just fine. Fluttershy then looked up at me and was about to speak, but then noticed Gladesong had nodded off for a nap in her swaddling. She then looked back at me and whispered, "I guess you'll get to say goodnight to Gladesong later. We really shouldn't wake her."

"Right. Anyway, it was great getting to talk to you ladies. I'll see you again soon." I replied before giving each of them a hug goodbye. But since hugging Rarity carried the risk of disturbing Gladesong, we settled for a quick kiss while no one was looking. With our goodbyes said and our appetites sated, I hurried on back to the spa to resume my shift.

I suspect some of the locals actually followed me back to work once it became apparent of where I was going because I had a sudden influx of customers upon returning to the spa. From the first five minutes after I returned to my post to the last five minutes of my shift, I was kept busy. While my hands were tired by the time I saw myself out to go home, I felt fulfilled. Like it was a day well spent. Everything was finally getting back to the way it was supposed to be.

The dropping temperatures was not the only sign that autumn had arrived. The sun had begun to set earlier. And that glowing orb of celestial fire was just starting to touch the horizon to the west. But I could not go home just yet. There was one place I needed to stop by. I had dropped something off earlier this week for someone to work on and it was time for me to pick it up. Wanting to get this over and done with before night could fall, I hurried off at a brisk pace.

My trek took me to the northwestern outskirts of town where the houses became fewer and gentle hills covered the land. It was not at all an area of Ponyville I frequent and I almost got lost after having been there only once before. But I did find my way to my destination. No small part in how unusual the exterior design of the house I was looking for appeared. "There it is... And just when you think you've seen all of Ponyville's quirks, you find something new."

How do I describe what I was seeing? The overall look of the architecture before me was not unusual in its general design, but the aesthetics...had a very quirky duality to it. From the doorway, the house's external coloration was split right down the middle. The left side had walls colored a wooden orange while the right was painted a cooler suite of purples. Even the thatched roof had varying shades of brown straw. And...was that a chimney or a set of five funnels for a pipe organ on the left side of the roof? A large bush of dense leaves was growing on the front lawn and been carefully trimmed into the shape of a music note. There was no mistaking who lived there.

Thoroughly amused and bemused all at once, I knocked on the door for only the second time. And I did not wait long for an answer. A very beautiful earth pony mare of subdued shades of umber answered the door and spoke with a very refined accent that made her sound like she belonged in Canterlot instead of Ponyville. "Ah, hello! Are you here to pick up your...device?"

"Hello, Octavia. Yes, if it's ready." I replied upon recognizing Ponyville's star cello player. I never would have guessed she shared a home with a mare who is easily her polar opposite in mannerisms and musical tastes.

Octavia looked over her shoulder and called out into their house. "Vinyl, your client has returned."

"Sweet! I'll be right out!" I heard another voice reply from somewhere inside. Octavia stepped away from the door as I heard the approaching clopping of hooves. Ponyville's local DJ soon came into view and stood in the doorway while still sporting her favorite pair of sunglasses. "Hey, just the dude I was expecting! Finished up barely an hour ago. This baby's got some crazy specs on it."

"Specs? Vinyl, I only asked you for a good cleaning." I replied in some confusion while she levitated a familiar device up to my hand. The shiny blue casing of a clamshell shaped electronic device that was the only one of its kind on the entire planet. My 3DS game console. After having neglected using it for so long, I decided it was time to see if I could get it fixed up enough while getting out all the eyesores. But when I flipped it open to check how well Vinyl Scratch had cleaned out under the top screen, I was in for a big surprise. "Wha... You got the scratches out too?"

Vinyl Scratch was taking a lot of pride in surpassing my expectations. "Of course I did! Those two big vertical lines on the screen? Who would even design it like that? I couldn't just leave such a sweet piece of work looking like that. I got all that junk out from under the screen, polished off the scratches, and I even added a bit of sealing around the edges so no more dust can get stuck under there again. You like it?"

"Like it? It looks like it's fresh outta the box! I didn't think it was possible to get it back into mint condition!" I replied while looking the device all over. I was very impressed. I asked Vinyl Scratch if she would be willing to give my 3DS a good cleaning since she appeared to be the most electronics savvy person in Ponyville and I was not left disappointed.

Beaming with pride, the DJ then peered at me over her sunglasses as she threw a little surprise my way. "Hey, I know my tech. You're not the only one who knows how to take good care of this stuff. Although I gotta say that thing's way too quiet for its own good. I almost thought there was something defective in the audio hardware when I tested it out. So I hope you don't mind, but...I jacked up the volume output on that thing by about...say...200%."

She was not wrong. Something that disappointed me on the 3DS was how quiet it was even when compared to the inferior DSi I had. Despite running on more powerful next generation hardware, the volume output was noticeably lower. But as I processed this information... I cast Vinyl Scratch a cockeyed glance and asked, "Are you saying you modded my console?"

"More like upgraded the audio hardware. It should be twice as loud now. And I went ahead and put on that screen protector you gave me. No more scratches for this baby." The DJ replied while smirking in pride. I know she likes her music loud at the parties she caters for and she was not about to let her reputation slide.

I pursed my lips and hissed out a failed whistle as I looked over my upgraded handheld. All I asked for was for her to clean out the dust under the top screen. I did not expect her to restore it to pristine condition as well as address some of the design flaws and technical shortcomings on it. And upon looking closer, she was correct in mentioning that a screen protector was now perfectly covering the top screen to prevent any future scratches from getting on it. It had been provided with the gift I had received from Celestia and Luna, apparently at Luna's insistence. This small favor I had asked had gone above and beyond. I had to return the favor. "What do I owe you, DJ? You did a lot more than I asked for."

"Hey, it's cool, dude. I actually had a lotta fun checking that thing out. You
brought some cool tech with you from where you come from. But you really insist..." Vinyl replied with a wave of her hoof in a dismissive fashion, although she did rub her chin in thought for just a moment. And the response I got was about what I should have expected. "Tell you what. I'll swing by the spa on Tuesday. If you wanna pay me back for this, just give me the best massage of my life. You'll be warmed up by then, right?"

The perfect use of my skills indeed. I happily nodded and said, "Yeah, I should be able to do just fine. Today was my first day back to work and I think I've worked out the kinks. I'll see you there, all right?"

"Sure thing, dude. Oh, don't forget your pouch here. I kept everything else in it. Really digging the designs on it too. Have a good night, James. I'll see ya Tuesday." Vinyl Scratch then passed me the silver pouch I always use to carry my 3DS around in. Upon saying goodbye and slinging the pouch over my shoulder, I hurried off for home. The sun was already halfway sunk over the western horizon and I did not want to get home after dark.

Night was on the verge of beginning by the time Fluttershy's cottage came into view way up ahead. But I also saw an unexpected sight before I could get there. Halfway down the road leading to and from Ponyville proper stood Smolder, Ocellus, and Twilight Sparkle. And beside them was a stallion in what appeared to be a foreman's uniform complete with a hard hat. Probably someone from Ponyville's local construction firm. My curiosity piqued, I hurried on over to see what this was about. Although I did have my suspicions.

The three ladies were looking over the stallion's shoulder as he had a light on his helmet directed at a clipboard resting on his upturned hoof. There was also a small wheeled cart parked on the road that carried a few boxes that surely contained various tools for his line of work. They did not even notice me approaching. Twilight did eventually and waved at me in greeting before going back to paying attention to what was being discussed amongst them. Smolder looked a bit lost over what was being discussed, but Ocellus was much more understanding with how she appeared very focused on what was being said. I could see that she was being very attentive to what was being discussed. About as much as Twilight herself. I did not catch all that much of what was being said by the guy, but it was all construction lingo that pointed to that being where Smolder and Ocellus would finally have their home built.

Smolder eventually looked up and noticed me. I waved down at her while she smiled back at me. But she then flinched as if she suddenly had an epiphany. She looked down at the clipboard before looking back up at me. She then interrupted the foreman and said, "Hey, wait! What're the options for... Uh... What's that word I'm looking for? About the...size?"

Ocellus was quick to assume the right word and said, "I think you mean scaling?"

The foreman then replied as he suddenly noticed my presence, "Oh, didn't see you there, sir! Yes, we can adjust the scaling of the structure if you'd like. We normally scale the results around the needs of ponies, but we can scale them up to fit different creatures if you need it. What do you have in mind?"

"Yeah, I'm still growing. I'm not really sure how big I'll get. Might wanna go for something bigger... You got scaling meant for humans?" Smolder asked while pointing out how she was far from being an adult in size. She still had a lot of growing to do. More physically than mentally.

Twilight was quick to chuckle while she looked up at me. The scaling issues of most Equestrian architecture was simply not designed for human use. I almost laughed as well as she said, "You do have to duck through doors a lot, James. Maybe we should avoid that with this place."

The foreman flipped over to another chart under the one he was already looking at and quickly became puzzled. "Um... We might have a problem here. We don't have any guidelines regarding scaling for human use. What's the next best reference you can provide?"

One particular race of creatures immediately came to mind. I then asked, "What about harpies? They generally grow to human size."

"Sure, we can do that. Can't remember the last time we had to adjust scaling for harpy use in Ponyville, but we can make that happen." The foreman replied before discussing some more details that I was not too privy on listening to. Twilight spoke up occasionally to explain things in ways that Smolder would understand better. And by the time I started to walk down the road to get back home, the foreman had fetched some wooden stakes from his cart and started hammering them into the ground before stringing up a white rope between them. It was probably just to set out the outline of where the house's foundation would go. Construction will likely begin sometime next week. I still can barely believe it is already starting...

With the sun all but disappeared over the horizon and the Everfree Forest at the edge of the meadow, soft glows filled most of the windows of Fluttershy's home. The nocturnal creatures had started to become active with the call of a killdeer reaching my ears. But upon ducking through the front door, I was greeted by an unexpected sight. Rainbow Dash was resting on the floor while reading from a storybook. Gladesong was being held in Scootaloo's arms while my youngest child looked very entertained. I did not get a chance to figure out what was being read since Rainbow Dash immediately turned to look at me. "There's the big man. We've been trying to keep the kid awake so you could get home to put her to bed."

I could already smell dinner being prepared. Fluttershy was hard at work in the kitchen. I was not going to ask why Rainbow Dash had insisted on following Fluttershy home after all was said and done that day. I would surely find out why soon. Scootaloo tried to help Gladesong stand on just her hind legs in an act of play, but Gladesong was looking a bit lethargic even if she also looked happy. Scootaloo then asked, "Long day, little sis? Ready for bed?"

"Yep, looks like it. She was all over the place with the big girls today. That probably wore her out." I said before stepping forward and gently lifting the tiny foal into my arms. She looked more than ready to turn in for the night. "Looks like you had a lot of fun today with your mothers. Ready for bed, sweetheart?"

Gladesong let out a very long yawn to get her point across. I quietly carried my child into the nursery at the back of the house. Only a small lamp near the crib was casting any real light throughout the room. Although I found I was not alone. Rainbow Dash followed and locked the door behind her. When I looked down at my guest, I could see a certain...need in her eyes. I whispered softly, "I take it you're here for a special reason?"

"Yeah... Set her down first." Rainbow whispered back to me in an act of discretion. While Fluttershy was well aware of our rekindled relationship, neither of us knew how to break the news gently to Scootaloo. Certainly not when we had a baby that just wanted to get to sleep. I gently set Gladesong down in her crib and had to catch Rainbow Dash in my arms as she jumped up at me. I held the athletic lightweight in my arms while she gazed into my eyes with such a quiet joy. "So then... I guess we're doing this for real from now on?"

"Yeah... Better late than never." I replied before we were both being held in a tender embrace. I had always thought it was a relationship that was never meant to be. And then my heart found a new path to follow. I whispered to my beloved, "Love you Rainbow."

"Kiss me, big guy." She whispered back to me. And we did not delay. Our eyes closed and our lips touched. And then our voices sang as our tongues danced. Rainbow Dash especially was in bliss as we kissed in such a way that we had not done in too long. I felt her wiggle her hips from side to side while her wings spread wide. Her embrace tightened around me as if she was allowing me to loosen my grip. I suspected I knew what she wanted. And so my hands slid down her back again.

We continued to hum and sing to each other in that wonderful kiss. My hands soon slid over the curves of Rainbow's flanks while I was very mindful of her cutie marks. My firstborn was probably watching. While much too naive to understand anything like that and her memory probably would not even recall seeing such a thing, it would not be proper to display too much intimacy in front of my daughter. My hands and fingers slid over my beloved's haunches and soon cupped them from below to hold her up. I heard a soft sigh in Rainbow's throat as I grasped her feminine curves in a way no other man ever had. She wanted me to appreciate her body in a way that I had done only once before. Our kiss soon ended with such a wonderful warmth filling me. That beautiful boisterous mare then whispered to me, "I'm your mare now, James... Take care of me and I'll take care of you."

"It's good to have you with us, Rainbow... I wasn't sure if this day would ever come. I love you." I whispered back to her before she nestled her head against mine. At least for a moment. We only then remembered who was in the room with us. The two of us looked down to see a drowsy Gladesong looking up at us. How was I supposed to explain the situation to her when she probably did not fully understand spoken dialects yet? "Uh... You're probably wondering what we're doing here..."

Rainbow Dash started to smirk at me before she looked down at my daughter. "Basically... When a mare kisses your daddy like that, she's your mommy too. You're gonna have so many moms loving you eventually, you know that?"

I think the word 'mommy' is a word Gladesong does understand since she did reach up and giggle at us. Rainbow then whispered into my ear, "I know I won't be the last mare who becomes so much more to you, big daddy. You really are just that kind of guy. Be good to them like you've always been good to me."

"Big daddy, huh? Heh, I like the sound of that." I snickered as I found that term really resonating with me. Flirtatious as always, Rainbow Dash had found a way to really sing to my heart. I then whispered into her ear, "Careful, dear. This big daddy might make you a mommy for real someday."

I was not sure how Rainbow Dash would react to that, but she did react in a way that I kind of expected out of someone like her. She squirmed and stammered in my grasp as I noticed her cheeks glowing with a heavy blush. "Oh man, James... Come on, you know that's waaaay off my radar. I'm not cut out for that. Besides, what would the Wonderbolt's think? I'm finally on my way to becoming one of them and they'll think I've gone soft if I end up having kids..."

That line of thinking was much too juvenile for her by then. I then said a bit more firmly, "Rainbow, I can assure you that some of the Wonderbolts do have kids. I've overheard a few of them trading stories of parenting experiences with each other during their group visits to the spa. I don't remember exactly who, but I know what I heard."

"Wait. You're serious?" Rainbow Dash asked with her eyes opening wide in surprise. I just cracked a smirk and nodded at her. Her delusions shattered, Rainbow looked away from me with such a sheepish grin on her lips. "Wow... You can be a Wonderbolt AND a parent? Uh... Wow. Guess I'm kinda dumb after all. No wonder Gilda was always the brains out of the two of us."

"Rainbow Dumb, huh? Nah, I'd say you're just more brawn than brains. Unless that's just your ego talking." I snorted with a suppressed laugh upon hearing Rainbow Dash indulge in some self-depreciation. I then whispered into her ear with renewed sincerity, "But really, if having kids truly isn't something you can see yourself doing, that's OK. You don't have..."

"Hey, I didn't say that. It's just I've already got big plans in the pipeline, you know? All I'm thinking about right now are the tryouts next year. After that... We'll see." Rainbow Dash spoke up quickly before also sneaking a kiss onto my cheek. She then whispered softly to me, "But...I have thought about it. A lot. Like...sometimes when I saw Fluttershy while she was carrying Gladesong, I wondered what it'd be like. I guess it's normal for a mare to wonder what it'd be like to have a foal at some point."

I embraced her more thoroughly to keep Rainbow Dash from slipping out of my grip. My head rested against hers while Gladesong only continued to watch us. Maybe she was taking some enjoyment in watching and listening to us talk. "Then there's nothing wrong with wondering. It's normal to contemplate reproduction at least once in your life. But if it's not something you can see yourself doing, that's fine. Not everyone is meant to be a parent."

"If what I've heard about your dad is anything to go by, you know what you're talking about." Rainbow Dash muttered more sincerely before she looked me in the eyes. I felt like I should have been surprised by her mentioning that. My wild lover then spoke, "Look, James. Right now, it's all a big maybe. I just don't know right now. I mean I like the idea of being the coolest mom in Ponyville, but...am I really cut out for it? I dunno, it's just way too soon. Let's just...wait and see, yeah?"

"Will do, Rainbow. Just remember that you already have a little girl to look after now." I replied before bringing her close to the ground to let Rainbow Dash stand. We then both looked at Gladesong while she looked like she was struggling to stay asleep. "Right, sweetheart?"

"Guess I've got plenty of time to practice with kids now that you've got me, squirt." Rainbow Dash muttered before coming up to the bars on the crib with Gladesong reaching out and touching her on the nose. Rainbow was beaming with a huge grin before she whispered, "You've had a long day. Sweet dreams, kid."

I gently tucked Gladesong in before she was finally out like a light. Although Rainbow Dash then asked, "Has she been giving you any trouble? I'm getting the weird impression she hasn't had a flying fit once."

"You mean like Pound Cake has done? No, Gladesong hasn't done that once. Are you sure those weird bouts of behavior that is uncharacteristically complex for babies is normal?" I asked while remembering the few times I had helped Pinkie Pie babysit the Cake twins before Gladesong was born.

Rainbow Dash tilted her head to one side as her gaze wandered in thought. "You know what...? I'm starting to wonder if that stuff comes from rare parenting horror stories. Because when you put it like that...it really shouldn't be possible for babies to have the kind of focus needed to fly that good or even use magic at all. I guess those kids are the exception to the norm?"

"Let's hope so. Although I guess if Gladesong does start exhibiting that kind of behavior, all of Fluttershy's feathered friends can just chase her down. She won't get far from a flock of birds." I snickered before noticing the smell of Fluttershy's cooking leaking through the door. Dinner was ready by then. "Anyway, better let the princess sleep. You wanna stay for dinner?"

"I feel like I really should. I'm...part of the family now, right?" Rainbow Dash smiled in a giddy fashion while trying to keep her voice down. We were very careful in leaving the nursery to let Gladesong sleep through the night undisturbed. And some of Fluttershy's more nocturnal critter friends would be keeping a close eye on her.

Rainbow Dash was careful to not spill the news about her essentially becoming a new member of our family. That was something that would need to be approached on its own time and in a careful way. Not so much for safety as much as it was to keep Scootaloo from...overreacting. Her personal role model essentially being in the same position as her own adopted mother? That would be crazy.

Fluttershy had whipped up a pasta dish as the main course that night. A slightly spicy Alfredo sauce that I adored over a big pot of linguine. Although my eyes did fall upon Ocellus again like at breakfast. I could not forget about the experience we had that morning. Although she engaged in conversation as much as everyone else at the table. She was even eating little bits of what was available. She must have gotten her full serving of love that morning after breakfast.

That did not stop her from making eye contact with me. While not as constant as at breakfast, the lovely little false dragoness would still occasionally just...stare at me. And Smolder eventually caught on. I feigned ignorance while watching the two of them out of the corner of my eye. Ocellus suddenly flinched before looking to her left at Smolder, the dragoness smirking at her with a smug stare of her own. She then glanced at me, then back at Ocellus, and then wiggled her eyebrows at her friend. Ocellus covered her face in embarrassment while I had to struggle to not laugh. If there was one person Ocellus could not hide her adoration for me from, it was her best friend. The timid little Changeling then proceeded to keep her eyes to herself for the rest of the meal.

Dinner went by without a hitch. Rainbow Dash kissed me goodbye before seeing herself out. While Scootaloo was not looking, of course. Smolder and Ocellus offered to do the dishes on account of them possessing hands in order to save Fluttershy the trouble. Fluttershy went to take care of the laundry while Scootaloo went to her bedroom to check out the latest Power Ponies comic book. As for me, now that I had some time to myself... I had been waiting all day for that moment.

I took a seat on the sofa at the back of the living room and pulled out my 3DS. I once again marveled at what an impressive refurbishment job Vinyl Scratch had done on it. In even better condition than when I first took it out of its original packaging. And there was a good reason on why I decided then was a good time to get my most powerful gaming device from home back into pristine condition.

A small flat and square container was in my hand. The little gift Celestia had given me just weeks ago. Now that it was unwrapped, I could see that the concealed gift was exactly what I expected. A game case for a 3DS game card. And the title... Luna had chosen well. "Triple Deluxe... I forgot this game was even in development. It must've only just been released. Good call, Luna."

I removed the card from the case and immediately popped it into my 3DS before powering it on. It was almost magical with how long I had gone since last using that device in the way it was meant to be used. Graphical fidelity beyond anything that had come before it, capable of producing fully orchestrated sound, and 3D effects without requiring those old fashioned 3D glasses... It was like I was turning on the 3DS for the first time all over again. And I found that Vinyl Scratch was not wrong about the upgraded audio system. I had to turn it down a bit out of concern of waking Gladesong in the next room over.

I got such a nostalgia rush as I started playing that little gift from way back home. Simply beautiful, as if I was seeing a parallel sister world to Equestria. It was no small wonder the cover art on the case appealed to Luna so much. But I did not want to play too far too fast. I restricted myself to stopping short of the first boss fight in the game before turning off the console and closing the device. I sighed in delight over my little gaming session. I would have to thank the royal sisters directly for such a pleasant surprise.

While it was getting late by then with the world outside the windows having gone dark, I decided to try and be a little more productive before turning in for the night. I made my way past Ocellus and Smolder in the kitchen while they appeared to be finishing up with the dishes. Or maybe they were preparing some dessert for themselves, I am not really sure. I closed the door behind me once in the laundry room and sat myself down at my typewriter to begin chronicling the day I had just experienced. Or to get as much done as possible before bed.

Fluttershy had just turned the clothes dryer on before I came in and the rumbling hum of the device to my right filled the room with a pleasant ambience that helped me focus on my work. Even the warmth being released from the dryer felt good in the face of the creeping autumn cold settling over the land. But I did not go undisturbed for too long. The dryer provided enough of an auditory smokescreen to not let me hear the door open and then close behind me. And I was almost startled when I saw that Ocellus had entered and was standing just to my right. "Huh?! Oh, hey there, love bug."

"Hello. Am I...interrupting anything?" Ocellus asked coyly with her hands behind her back. She even swayed a bit in place like she was not entirely sure of why she was in there in the first place.

"Nah, you're fine." I replied while trying to focus on my writing. But a few clicks of the keys later, I found it impossible to multitask on typing when there was a guest beside me clearly desiring my attention. I looked to my right and asked, "You got your fill today? You didn't look like you were starving for love at dinner."

"Yeah, I actually was still feeling pretty full from breakfast. I even missed lunch thanks to that nap." Ocellus said with a timid smile on her draconic face.

She was definitely not looking as emotionally weighed down as she had been during breakfast. The poor thing was desperately pining for me at the time. Maybe more than she should have been. I then asked, "So then... Whatcha need? Did you come in here for something?"

I was not trying to shoo her away. I just wanted to know what Ocellus was even doing in the laundry room in the first place. And she did not reply immediately. Her gaze wandered and she fidgeted before me. After a moment of trying to find the right words, she looked me in the eyes and just...smiled. "I just wanted to be with you."

There was...a beautiful sincerity in that tone. No caveats at all. She just wanted to be near me. Not even just to feed on my love. And I... I could not send her away after hearing that. I turned to face her in my seat and held out a hand to her. "Come here, love bug."

She happily answered my call. A moment later, she was seated across my lap with her head leaning against my chest. I kept an arm around the disguised Changeling to keep her from slipping off while her hand rested upon my chest. I asked quietly, "Are you hungry?"

"No." Ocellus whispered with her eyes closed. She did not squirm or make requests. She was just...basking in my presence. She then said again, "I just want to be with you."

There was nothing I could say to that. It was such a simple desire that I doubt many creatures have. She just wanted to be near me. But as I put my arms around the little lady to keep her held comfortably against me, her fingers sliding over my chest repeatedly conveyed to me that she wanted to make me feel just as happy too. I heard the false dragoness whisper to me, "I'm sorry if I'm taking time away from your writing... I know it's an important hobby."

"Don't apologize, love bug. You're more important than that." I whispered to that precious little lady. I placed a kiss upon each of the two horns on her head before whispering into her ear. "You're much more important that any simple hobby. I can always make time for you at home."

She pressed herself up against me in a much more needy manner. As if my words were too much, yet drew her closer. "But...I'm just a love bug... Right?"

"No. Not just a love bug." I replied before getting witty about it. I wanted to say something that would really tickle her heart. "You're my little love bug."

That wonderful giggle confirmed that my attempt to make Ocellus happy was a success. Although she then threw a surprise my way. "I'm...also your woman. Right?"

"Not yet... Maybe someday, but not yet. It's just too soon." I whispered to her while trying to focus on the laundry machines ahead of me. It felt like all my insistence on utilizing caution was falling on deaf ears. Then again, I did not have much of an understanding on how Changelings work. Perhaps no one does. Why was she so persistent on being so loving towards me? I tried to draw her attention away from that topic as I recalled what I saw upon coming home that evening. "At least things are finally getting started on getting your own place constructed. It'll be good for you to finally get out from under my roof and have some time to yourself."

"Mmhm... I know... I'm just glad we won't be going too far. I would miss you so much..." Ocellus muttered under my chin as her fingers continued to trace themselves over my beating heart. Although she soon asked quietly, "When I finally have a home... Will you come stay with me sometimes?"

Having a couple of friends living a stone's throw away from my house sounded very convenient. Although there was a certain...nuance in those words. One that did not escape my attention. "Ocellus... It sounds like you don't want me to just visit..."

"No, not just visit. I said stay with me. You...do that sometimes with Rarity, right?" Ocellus asked as I felt a sudden twinge in my heart. While I have not done so since before the war, I have occasionally stayed overnight with Rarity at her home. And we always share the same bed. And Ocellus then whispered into my ear, "I want you to hold me in bed like you did out there... During the war. I miss sharing a bed with you."

"That was out of necessity, love bug. You and Smolder were assigned to my care in the command center. You had to stay in my chambers when there was nothing else going on." I replied while starting to not be so certain of if Ocellus knew what she was doing. I knew that there was nothing legally dubious about what I was suspecting from her. But...it still felt too soon. I then tried to dissuade her from whatever I suspected she was implying. "Ocellus, I do adore you, but... Why are you so eager to...be like this? What're you saying?"

"I love you. Haven't I said that enough?" She replied rather frankly. Without doubt or exaggeration. She continued to speak from just under my chin, "And I know you love me. I feel safe with you. Because I know you would never hurt me."

How could she be so confident with what she was believing? This was not like with Smolder and how a dragon's heart is singularly focused on a single potential mate at a time. Ocellus may have adopted the appearance of a dragon, but she lacked the caution of one. She lacked the patience. She was already so certain of what her heart desired. But why? How could she have so much faith in anyone? "Love bug... Why are you so sure I wouldn't do anything to you?"

"James, have you really forgotten?" Ocellus asked before she finally lifted her head to look at me. She then rested her hand over my heart and spoke with a smile. "I can sense what's in your heart. And it's not a deceptive love. I don't sense any danger in it. If you wanted to use me or do anything to me, I would've known by now."

I was at a loss for words. I knew that Changelings can sense varying intensities of love in someone, but to also detect any malicious intent hidden amongst that love? She continued to speak sweetly to me. "I'm so comfortable with you because I know your love is real. It isn't fake and isn't hiding anything dark under the surface. I want to be with you...because I know I'll be happy with you."

There was no arguing with her if she could literally read my heart like an open book. I bowed my head and snickered to myself in annoyance. "It's embarrassing for all my attempts to understand love that you still understand my heart better than I do."

Ocellus said nothing, but she did do something. She brought both hands to my jaw and lifted my face to look right at her. And then... Without hesitation or doubt... Her lips pressed against mine. But only for a moment. While I was left mildly stunned by such a brazen display of affection, Ocellus merely smiled at me. "It's OK if you don't understand how your heart works. I'll understand it for you. Do you trust me?"

"I do... It's just...I'm not a Changeling. I can't read people like you can. I can't...be as sure of myself as you." I replied while starting to feel rather upset with myself. While Ocellus was so sure of herself, I could not be with myself. My gaze wandered before I muttered, "I almost envy you... I wish I could trust myself as much as you can trust your own judgement. I want to believe you when you say you have nothing to fear from me, but...I don't think I can."

"Don't worry. You'll get there someday. And I know it because..." Ocellus replied before bringing a hand to my arm. Her fingers lifted my sleeve to reveal my cutie mark. And her fingers delicately traced over the twin white dove symbols there in a way that was...surprisingly pleasant. "Because of this. Someone with...such a beautiful cutie mark can't possibly hold any twisted love in their hearts."

Perhaps my cutie mark really is the ultimate testament of how my heart works. Doves... A universal symbol of peace and love. Why was I so blessed to receive such a symbol to remain forever upon my body? It is almost a shame that my clothing always conceals it. And as her fingers caressed that lovely symbol, Ocellus gazed into my eyes with a calm smile. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"But...how much do you love me?" I asked out of sheer curiosity. Those three precious words could mean so much yet so little at the same time.

"I...love you more than anything in my life right now." Ocellus replied with a whisper as her delicate fingers rose to my face. Her soft and almost womanly touch expertly slid along my face in a manner than sent a wonderful shiver down my spine. Hands that no Changeling naturally possessed. Hands of a form she had grown to see as her own. She continued to whisper to me with such sincerity as her long tail curled to wrap around me to keep us bound together, "I've gained so much since you brought me home, but...I still love you most of all."

As she continued to caress me while I decided to just indulge in that precious love bug's affections for a while, I noticed the door to the laundry room creak open just a crack to reveal Smolder's face peering in. Her blue reptilian eye widened before I noticed a knowing smile on her lips form. She then quietly closed the door before Ocellus could notice. And I heard her voice whisper to someone on the other side. "Let's not bother them. They need some time to each other."

This was becoming a very intimate moment between the little love bug and I. Fluttershy had probably gotten curious over what was happening and sent Smolder to check on us. And as Ocellus continued to caress my face like a wonderful bride, I whispered to her. "I just...want you to be happy, dear..."

Ocellus began to sport a smile as she turned my words on their heads. "I can be whatever you want me to be, James."

I felt a surge of warmth in me of both excitement and nervousness. Was she...flirting with me? I replied quietly, "But...I want you to be whatever you want to be."

Once again, Ocellus surprised me with a very sincere response. "I want to be yours."

"But you are. You're my little love bug, right?" I retorted while being very careful with my use of words. Ocellus was very intelligent. Much more clever than one might assume for someone so demure. And she was aware of the magic of words.

"But I don't just want to be your love bug." She whispered with both hands starting to hold my face. Her eyes were filled with a powerful need just under the surface. And she whispered to me her heart's desire. "I want to be your woman."

"Ocellus, I'm not sure you..." I started to speak before she silenced me. The false dragoness brought her lips to mine. Such a tender kiss. It did not go deeper than that, but it lingered for some time.

"I want to be your love bug... To be your mare... To be your...everything." Ocellus cooed to me after pausing in the kiss to take a breath. I could not push her away. It felt so...right. Such sincerity... Not at all the reckless words of a young girl. Ocellus was all grown up. No longer a filly. A lovely young mare. And my heart was a shining beacon she could not ignore. I feared that I was controlling her, but I had to insist to myself that this all her decision. She had been searching for a place to call home and had finally found it within me. This was not my doing. It was hers.

She kissed me again with those wonderful dragon lips. Ocellus slid her delicate hands through my hair and over my shoulders as I just accepted all her wonderful affections. Was I...in love too? It was so tempting to just cast all caution to the wind, but I resisted. I followed my gut instincts and restrained myself just enough. But I did not refuse her. For just that moment, she and I were each other's world.

My hands roamed her petite body, sliding my own fingers over the smooth ventral scales upon her chest much like she had been doing to mine. My other hand rested upon her lower back right at the base of her tail. And with the next break in our kiss, I whispered my own gratitude to her. "You...just might be the most wonderful treasure I brought home from the war..."

"The war was so terrible... At least we did find some good things out there, right?" Ocellus asked in return with her hand resting over mine as it felt the beating of her own heart. She sighed with her eyes closing momentarily as she continued to speak. "You found me... And I found you. And...if..."

I heard her voice quiver. Her hand tightened its grasp over mine as I could almost feel her delicate emotions. Her eyes opened with a single tear starting to overflow from each lid. "If...the war never happened... We wouldn't have found each other... We wouldn't be together now..."

Such a brutal serendipity... The War of Preservation was something no one came home better from. And yet... What good we found out there was more than simply good. They were beautiful irreplaceable treasures. And one such treasure was in my arms. As Ocellus rested her brow against my chest to let out a quiet whimper, I held her against me as a single tear flowed free from my eyes. I resented everything about the war. But...had it never happened... I would have never found Ocellus. She would still be out there, living an unfulfilling life among the Changeling hive. And she would never be happy.

Ocellus whimpered with tears flowing down my shirt. She soon found the strength to lift her head and gaze into my eyes. "I found you... I found Smolder... And then we found Gallus... And then...I found Ponyville... I know it was terrible, but...is it wrong that I'm kinda glad the war happened?"

"I guess...we can as a means to spite the war. It's not something I want to go through twice, but...I'm grateful for what I gained from it." I whispered back to her with my fingers gently lifting her jaw. I once again kissed her upon the lips while I said, "I gained so many good friends out there... And more than that. I'm especially grateful to have you."

"I love you." Ocellus replied again with unwavering sincerity. And this time, our lips touched before they parted. Our eyes closed as she clung to each other. Such beautiful hums and songs filled her throat as our tongues danced. I adored her call. I cherished her taste. And at the first chance to speak, Ocellus repeated that sacred declaration. "I love you..."

It was tempting to reciprocate those three beautiful words. But I resisted. I adored her, yet it still...felt...too soon. We were safe. Even in the eyes of society, no one would frown upon us. At least outside the context of me having been wed to Fluttershy months prior. But we had known each other for not all that long. Patience... But...the way she then placed her hand upon my chest while gazing meaningfully into my eyes... Maybe I did not need to say anything. Maybe...my heart was telling her all she needed to know.

Ocellus once again began to tenderly caress my face and my hair while often placing sweet kisses upon my lips and cheeks. And I pointed out a certain aspect of what she was doing. "You know you don't have to stay in this form when we're together like this. You can still be my little love bug in body."

"James, I already told you that I'm really comfortable in this form. Besides... If I wasn't in this form..." Ocellus replied almost cheekily before she held up her hand before me. She then curled one finger and touched my nose with it. A big giddy grin spread across her lips as she said, "I wouldn't be able to do this. Or hold you... Or...caress you like this..."

She resumed her loving caresses all over my head. Ocellus had truly developed an appreciation for hands. The sensation of touch through those fingers... It was not something she would get through the use of levitation magic. And I decided to return the favor. My hands rested upon her shoulders before my fingers began to glide over her smooth scaled chest.

A harsh sigh hissed from her throat. Ocellus began to slow her caresses as I continued with mine. My hands and fingers slid over her shoulders and over her smooth chest. Her breaths became deeper as her hands lowered away from my face. Those deep sighs... She was in ecstasy. I wanted her to feel loved. Even if just for a moment.

Ocellus swooned at my touch as I focused only on her enjoyment. This was not about what I could get out of it. This was all about her. My fingers pressed more firmly along her chest to feel what was under the surface. The false dragoness before me was not simply an illusion. I could feel actual muscle under those scales. A subtle crease down the middle separating her pectoral muscles. Lacking in the more feminine features of more mammalian females, but still radiating a certain feminine elegance only a dragoness could possess. And yet... Even in the throes of her pleasure, Ocellus placed both hands over mine as she gazed at me with a knowing smile. A thick blush was forming on her face as she whispered to me. "I did say...that I can be whatever you want me to be."

Before I could inquire as to what she was referring to, I jerked my head back as a green glow started to cover her chest. A flash of green fire flashed over my hands and compelled me to pull them back. Strangely, I only felt a little heat. It was not painful at all. The green flames of a Changeling's metamorphosis magic was not actual fire on its own. But once the flames faded, I asked, "Um... Is something different?"

"A little. Can you see it?" Ocellus asked with a very shy smile forming on her lips. She was blushing furiously and began to tweak one of her long locks of hair with a finger. I did not notice any changes in her body at first. But then... As my eyes scanned the only place where those flames had covered her, I noticed something had changed. Albeit subtlety. Her pectoral muscles had expanded outwards a little bit. Just enough to resemble...petite breasts. Ocellus knew I had figured it out when she saw my widened eyes and asked, "Your kind... The females of your species have these, right?"

The two very petite breasts upon her scaled chest were false. Just her smooth scales expanded outward enough to provide two shallow mounds. And yet...while insubstantial, I was flustered at how this minor adjustment drastically enhanced her feminine form. The false dragoness before me was already very beautiful and feminine by dragon standards. And yet...adding a small feature that invokes parallels with females of my own species only made her all the more enticing and feminine in my eyes. She looked...just a little more human now. "Is it...even possible for dragon females to have their pectoral muscles...develop in this manner?"

"Maybe? I would...try to become human, but...only a Changeling queen can take on the forms of bipedal creatures. The rest of us can only become dragons since they technically count as quadrupeds." Ocellus replied before bringing her hands to her much more feminine chest. She had clearly never modified her body like that before. And as she caressed and pressed her fingers into her petite false breasts, she sighed in unexpected pleasure. "Strange... It really does feel better this way. But...do you like it?"

"It's such a minor change, yet...you look so much more womanly now." I replied while trying to not let my curiosity compel me to do something indecent with her. And yet...she took hold of my hands and rested them upon her chest. "Ocellus, I... I don't I should..."

"Please... Go ahead... This is all for you. I want to be beautiful for you." She whispered with those beautiful eyes gazing up at me. And so I answered her request. My hands and fingers examined her modifications. And all the while, she sighed and wheezed with a growing pleasure. Those false breasts were soft, but were all muscle. I began thinking more logically as I pondered the concept of a dragoness having her pectoral muscles developing in such a way that they expand outwards to accommodate their growth. Dragons have virtually no body fat on them and their digestive systems prevent the accumulation of any excess. They are very lean by design. Although Ocellus awoke me from my thoughts as she spoke with a gasp. "I...think I see...why these are so...desirable for mammals."

This observation confused me and prompted me to look down at my own hands. What little was there was still being tenderly fondled in my grasp. I then asked, "This...doesn't feel that good, does it? They're not proper breasts. There's no fat or milk glands in there..."

"I can't explain it... This just...feels nice..." The false dragoness cooed as she coaxed my hands to continue exploring her modified chest. I tried to not think about what these sensations were doing to her, but something else was quick to confirm my suspicions. A subtle scent began to fill the air. A spicy scent of need from a reptile. And Ocellus began to gaze into my eyes with a look I had only seen in the eyes of Ember up to that point. A gaze of lust. "I...think I need you..."

"Ocellus. Please, do me a favor for now." I said firmly while taking my hands off her. I then leaned towards her ear and said, "Love me. But don't lust for me. Not yet."

Her eyes opened wide upon hearing those words. And all she could do was nod. But with how...open she was to letting me caress her in such an intimate fashion... With how quickly she almost coaxed me into pleasuring her that morning... A new question came to mind. "Ocellus... Does...that sort of thing just come more naturally to Changelings than most other species?"

She fidgeted on my lap while having difficulty looking me in the eye. Ocellus knew exactly of what I was implying. And despite the more isolated society of the Changeling hive, I quickly discovered that Ocellus is not as sheltered as I expected. She sheepishly muttered while hiding half her face behind her hair, "We... Um... I'll just say it like this... Breeding is in a Changeling's nature."

All I did was stare for a moment. Breeding... That is a very strong and primal word. And I knew what it meant. And I quickly pondered if the Changeling race is very sexually minded by nature. An evolutionary trait as a means to keep their population stable in a word that is hostile to them? "Um... What do you mean by that?"

"I mean... Um... We have to be. If I was...in heat... And we...you know..." Ocellus stammered while clearly not being comfortable discussing such a lewd topic. I almost laughed. She had gone from being very needy to very nervous on a dime. Although in spite of her nervous blush filling her face, she began to smile at me. "If we...did that... I...would be sure to have your baby."

Genetic compatibility between humans and anything else in Equestria had become a hot topic among scientific communities not long after my arrival in this world. I had still not heard back from the labs after donating a sample of my own sperm for research purposes. I even almost forgot about that day until I just remembered that even happened while writing this. And yet... Ocellus sounded so sure of herself. Like there was no doubt on the compatibility of Changelings with any other creature. I asked softly, "Just how compatible would a Changeling be with me?"

"Very. We can breed with anyone. If we...made love while I'm in heat... You would become a father to Changeling foals." Ocellus said with a tone that almost sounded like the thought excited her. And...even I was enticed by the thought of it. Changeling children? Dark little love bug foals with blank blue eyes and little fangs that just want to be loved? If they would turn out to be half as sweet as Ocellus... I could vividly imagine it. Little dark foals held in my arms while they happily fed on their father's love... And Ocellus spoke with a slight gasp in her voice. "James... The love in your heart is burning hotter now... Are you thinking of having Changeling babies?"

Curse my all-revealing heart! I flinched and sputtered when I realized that there was no hiding what I feel about such a concept. I looked away from her and said, "Yes...? It sounds...like Changeling kids would be lovely little things. My kids would never go hungry as long as they had me."

Ocellus stared at me in silence for a moment before she started to display a truly precious smile. She then asked softly, "You really wanna be a daddy, don't you?"

"I... I do, Ocellus. I really do." I sighed while not making any attempt to hide my heart from her. I looked in the general direction of Gladesong's nursery and thought kindly of my firstborn. I knew she would not be the last child I would father. Although I then looked at Ocellus and said, "The way you Changelings have no compatibility issues... Looks like your kind have more in common with the kirin than I thought."

"You know, I always thought there was a weird parallel between the two of us... Almost like Changelings and kirin are counterparts to each other. Maybe someone should look into that..." Ocellus muttered before she was reminded of her lingering arousal. She looked down at herself and mumbled, "I'll have to take care of this before bed..."

I was quick to mention an important warning to her. "Don't let Smolder see you do it. She doesn't need to know what that part of her body is for yet. Do it somewhere you won't be interrupted."

Ocellus nodded in understanding. She would probably go hide in the treetops nearby to...take care of business. Although she then looked at me and whispered something that...left some conflicted feelings in my heart. "I'll be thinking of you."

"I...feel like I should be honored." I muttered while averting my gaze as I pondered those words. They were filled with such sincerity... She could think of anything to drive up her pleasure. But of all things, she chose me to be in her thoughts at the time.

"It's getting late... Fluttershy's probably waiting for you. But...before we say goodnight..." Ocellus asked quietly before tapping herself on the lips. She then asked with a timid smile, "One more? Please?"

"One more goodnight kiss for the love bug? Sure." I retorted while seeing nothing wrong with such a request. I rested my hand on the back of her head as she wrapped all of her limbs around me. But shortly after our lips touched... I felt it. Something being siphoned through my lips. But...Ocellus was not taking my love... No... That warmth filling me... She was giving me hers!

Ocellus knew exactly what she was doing. She held onto me as tightly as possible to keep me from wiggling free as she pumped her excess love into me through my lips. While I was mildly alarmed at first, it quickly began to feel...wonderful. There was no malice in her actions. And all that love... I could only project it onto the one lovely mare in the room. I did love that precious love bug. But that love was growing rapidly. I wanted to hold her forever. Whisper sweet little things into her ear. Perhaps...become something more...

Just when all that love in me was starting to become concentrated to the point of doubling as lust, Ocellus broke the kiss and gazed at me with such a cheeky smile on her lips. My thoughts cleared and I asked in concern, "Ocellus... What was that for?"

She winked at me before saying, "Don't give it back to me. Give it to Fluttershy."

I broke down chuckling at her sneaky antics. Clever girl. Only then did Ocellus climb down from my lap. But she still kissed me on the cheek and whispered, "But in all seriousness... I hope we have a wonderful future waiting for us. Just as long as it's with you..."

"The wait will be worth it, love bug. Anyway... I won't keep you. Have a good night, dear." I replied before Ocellus saw herself out with a very anxious gait in her step. She had quite the itch to scratch. And I was trying hard to keep that thought out of my head by focusing on a wonderful mare who was waiting for me to come to bed.

I was so full of excess love at that point. My eyes fell upon my typewriter, but I could not even try to focus on continuing writing out this journal at the time. I was too distracted. I felt hot and strangely tense. There was something I needed. I did not want to sit at that typewriter and click away on the keys. I wanted to hold my wife in my arms and kiss her sweetly. Whisper such wonderful loving compliments into her ear. Bring her sweet pleasure...

There was no denying what I needed at that moment. I quietly left the laundry room and found the lights in the house having been turned off. It was quiet... Very quiet. I could hear the faintest gentle snoring from the room over yonder where Scootaloo and Smolder were sleeping. And Ocellus was somewhere outside tending to her needs. With the nursery door shut and no sounds of the tiny filly from within trying to breach the walls, there was only one place left to go. I quietly ascended the staircase and saw the gentle glow of candlelight filling the master bedroom upstairs. I wonder if Ocellus gave Fluttershy a dose of her love on her way out. In hindsight, I would not be surprised if she decided to play cupid that night.

I was in for a surprise when I reached the top of the stairs. Fluttershy was relaxing on the bed and...was wearing something I had not seen on her in quite some time. "Good evening, dear. Long day?"

If I was desiring Fluttershy earlier, I was utterly craving her at that moment. She was wearing her elegant custom nightwear complete with her black silken stockings. Something she only wears when she wants to really unwind at night. I quickly and quietly closed the hatch behind me and said, "Man, you haven't worn that in a while... And it looks better than ever on you."

Fluttershy beamed at me as she whispered, "I really wanted to be good to you tonight, dear. You gave me such a wonderful start to my day. So I want to help you end your day on a happy note."

I wasted no time in undressing. Something like this before a hot shower was a perfect way for us to end our day. And I was desperately wanting to share all that love in me with my beautiful wife. I all but sailed into bed before snatching her up in my arms and giving her the best kiss I could provide. "God, honey... How did you ever become this sexy?"

"A wife needs to be beautiful for her husband. Just as he needs to be irresistible to her." Fluttershy whispered as she gazed into my eyes. That unconditional display of need in them... Very unusual for her. Ocellus must have given her a peck on the cheek before leaving to give her a dose of love. And all that love was being directed to me and mine to her. Although she then lowered her head and said, "Let me get started, dear."

I failed to notice that I was already fully erect and only realized this once she took my shaft into her mouth. I gasped harshly as I felt my beautiful wife pleasuring me so eagerly. That slick tongue working along my length... How was she still so good at this after so long since the last time?

This was only a means to an end. Fluttershy only caressed my shaft with her tongue long enough to secure my arousal. She soon lifted her lips to my ear and whispered, "Good daddies always finish inside, right?"

"You bet they do, honey." I whispered with such a powerful desire for her. Although while I was familiar with that statement after having been introduced to it by Novo herself, I never wondered what the counterpart to it could be. "But what do good mommies do?"

Fluttershy batted her eyelashes at me as she whispered such a loving statement. "Good mommies are always ready to make beautiful children with Daddy."

There was such sincerity in those words... Fluttershy knew exactly what she and I wanted. There was too much love between us... Far too much for us to give to only each other. All that love would go to creating a new life to share it with. And I came to a beautiful realization. "You know what, dear...? I think there's some truth to children being the psychical embodiment of the love of their parents."

"They really are, James. Now then... Please?" Fluttershy whispered in need before resting on her side. Displaying herself for me as that flowing beautiful tail swayed out of the way of her barely concealed haunches. "Mommy's ready for you, Daddy."

I could not resist the call. I crawled over to her and began to pull her nightwear to the side, but was momentarily distracted with how her transformed body now fit into the black fabric. It now clung so much more tightly to her rump, accentuating her rounder motherly curves. I never would have imagined that the sweetest and most demure mare in Ponyville could become such a goddess. I pulled the fabric to the side and was greeted by her winking marehood. She desperately needed me. And without delay, I was inside her.

It was a challenge to keep our voices down. I thrust deep into my beautiful wife as she gazed up at me in adoration. Our lovemaking was not slow and meticulous like it had been that morning. It was feverish and filled with purpose. The bed creaked beneath us as my hips slammed into the soft cushioning curves of Fluttershy's flanks. I found myself grinning as I remembered something from lunchtime at the café. "God, no wonder Rainbow Dash noticed your amazing hips this afternoon, dear. Motherhood's done wonders for you... Oh god, you're amazing..."

Instead of the obvious response of Fluttershy becoming flustered, she instead replied with a wrist over her lips as she giggled at me. "I only look like this because of you, dear. You did this to me. You made a mommy."

"And I'll do it again." I whispered before bringing myself low and kissing my wife upon the lips. Over and over, our lips touched. I felt such a sense of pride. I fell in love with one of the most beautiful mares in Ponyville and somehow did the impossible by making her even more enrapturingly gorgeous. As I continued to thrust desperately into her, I panted softly with all that love in me spilling out to her. "You're just such an amazing mom, baby... You make me proud to be a daddy..."

"James... Oh, my love... I'm so proud to be a mommy to your baby... I love our children... And I want to have more with you." Fluttershy was spilling her heart out to me while I did the same. There was no doubt in those beautiful eyes. I had to always see into those beautiful cyan discs. I turned her onto her back before resuming my vigorous efforts. She was not in heat at the time. But I did not care. Maybe a miracle would happen. Maybe we would be blessed with a new addition to our family if we desired it hard enough.

Fluttershy rested her veiled hooves upon my shoulders as she remained gazing up at me constantly. Her voluminous mane was spread out under her like a dense blanket of flower petals. And she continued to whisper her heart's desires to me. "I loved it...when I was carrying Gladesong in me... Whenever she stirred... Whenever you had your hands on my belly... I felt so delicate, yet so beautiful... I felt...amazing... Like I was glowing..."

"You...were utterly radiant, dear... Like a glowing golden sun..." I whispered to her while not missing a beat with the movement of my hips. I loved how wide and round her body became as she carried our daughter. She looked so happy with what was happening to her. And the moments we had together... Just the two of us and our unborn daughter... Those were magical times. I could still remember caressing her belly while whispering to the little miracle child waiting to be born... And I dearly wanted to experience that with her again. "God, I'm so ready to be a daddy again, Fluttershy... To your foals."

"Mmmm... Ooooh, James... Please... Get me pregnant again, dear. I want to be filled with your beautiful foals. Give me your child... And then another after that..." Fluttershy squealed quietly as her limbs began to cling to me all the more meaningfully. She needed this. We needed this.

"No... Not my foals." I whispered before leaning closer and whispering a precious detail to her. A fact she needed to be reminded of. "Our foals."

"Yes! Our... Our beautiful babies!" Fluttershy covered her mouth as she almost shouted in delight. Her eyes sparkled with a beautiful desire. She was so ready. So sure of herself. It was time to make our family grow again. "Please, my love...! Let me make you a father again! I'll give you a filly... Maybe a colt... I hope we'll have a son this time..."

"Oh, Fluttershy... I'll make you a mother again... Gladesong and Scootaloo would love having a baby brother..." I whispered as I began to thrust frantically in her. The pressure in my loins was rising. And the shriller gasps from my wife told me that she was on the verge as well. But we would never be able to keep our voices down. We were about to shout in climax and wake up everyone in the house. So we did the only thing we could. We embraced as our lips locked over each other's. And as our tongues danced and we sang to each other, it happened.

What a powerful finish... I exploded into my wife as she quivered around me. The two of desperately desiring to create a new little life between us. We groaned into each other, our own lips locking in the noise of our mutual climax. I nearly fainted... Everything became a blur for a moment before I realized I was now resting atop Fluttershy as she panted beneath me. My senses started to return to me. I realized what we had tried to do. Our efforts would not bear fruit that night. But...we could always dream. I knew that Gladesong would not be the last little angel to be born into our family.

That overwhelming love in me... I had burned through most of it by then. As if the love Ocellus had given me had literally been burned as fuel. And it was all given to my dear Fluttershy. My fingers caressed her head as she gazed in a daze at nothing in particular. Even after all that had happened since our last act of intimacy, nothing had changed between us. She was still my wife and I was still her husband. And we were still very much in love. And we always would be. I kissed my wife on the ear and whispered to her, "I love you so much, Fluttershy..."

"Love you...forever, James..." She whimpered softly before starting to come out of her daze. Face flushed in the soft glow of a nearby candle, she smiled warmly at me. "That was... Oh my goodness... Oh...my... You were amazing, dear... Did I...help your day end well?"

"I think I'm gonna sleep and dream very well tonight, love... You're amazing. God, I love you..." I muttered in very pleasurable fatigue. My lips met hers as we kissed again. What a wonderful way to wrap up my first real day back to my old routines.

A hot shower was practically required after that. And the two of us got to sleep without trouble while not a peep was heard in the house. No one was the wiser in the morning, although Ocellus did smirk at me when she passed me on the stairs. She was just on her way up to the bathroom to take care of her own morning routines. That dragon body of hers really has become like a second skin to Ocellus.

And now I sit here at my typewriter on Sunday morning to finish this entry. Yesterday was nothing special on the surface, but it was exactly the kind of day I needed after everything that happened over the past few months. And even then, some little changes happened. Rainbow Dash... She and I need to start planning some time together. And...

Wait. Am I forgetting something here? Was I supposed to be expecting something this Sunday? Or was it the next Sunday? What was it again...? Meh, I am sure it will come to me eventually. Something will surely jog my memory at the right time.

Regardless, now is a day of relaxation for us. Fluttershy wants to take our family for a walk through her little forest reserve nearby. And Smolder wants to bring Ocellus and Gallus along for their first stroll there as friends. Today will be a good day. Just another day in paradise. As it should be.

It felt good getting back into the swing of things, especially with this on my typewriter. Time to see when we will be heading out.