This past week has been… well, it fucking sucked. Ever since I quit drinking, it’s like all the things I used to enjoy induced an anxiety I couldn’t run away from; for fucks sakes, I can’t even sit by the pool anymore without that sense of… terrible-ness. The best thing I’ve been able to do is to just keep focusing on my work and my nation… but it’s been so fucking exhausting!

“Glimmer… are you sure you wanna do that?” This afternoon, I found myself in my office, taking part in a meeting between Glimmer and I. “I mean, power to you, but-”

“I need to… sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt!” I waved her interrupting off, unable to be bothered. “It’s… it’s personal. He… Gosh, this is terrible… but… he insulted my wife on a couple… more than a couple occasions, and…” She looked away ashamed- but I just smirked.

“So he insulted your wife's honor, is what you’re telling me?” That’s how I viewed it, anyway. “By extension, he insulted your honor. Fuck him.” Glimmer cocked an eyebrow, huffing in amusement.

“Honor? I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you say that word!” But I just shrugged with a grin.

“My sense of honor is a bit different from the classical pony definition. Among other tenets, I hold the contract of marriage in high regard. Anyone who insults my wife insults me, and taking care of that prick is… well, it’s the right thing to do!” I explained with a shrug. “Bottom line is, make sure to let that bastard know he fucked up. Fin will be there, too- she’s a professional, trust me.” I said with a grin, standing and leaning over my desk with my hand out.

After a brief hesitation- Glimmer gave me a dark grin and shook my hand.

I slapped her on the shoulder playfully. “Now get outta here! You’re on the clock, starting now!” We both shared a laugh, heading towards the door. I held the door for her, and she paused when she turned the corner.

“Leona?” She said, getting my attention. “Thank you.” I nodded with a proud smile. After that Fin told me what she could’ve been capable of, I was confident she wouldn’t get cold feet.

On my way to my room, I was gonna say goodbye to my wife; she and Silver Spoon had planned to spend tonight together for the past week or so, just hanging out together and relaxing.

“You gonna be heading out soon?” I asked her, beholding her adjusting her hair in the mirror. She looked at me with a smile.

“I was just waiting to say goodbye!” She approached me, and I wrapped my arms around her in a gentle kiss.

I saw her hooves jerk and flinched; she threw her front hooves around the back of my neck and pulled my face in, forcing her tongue into my beak for a much sloppier kiss. A thin line of drool connected our chins, my wife giggling adorably as I forced a chuckle.

“There, I said it!” She said with a snort. “Goodbyyyeee, honey!” She kissed my cheek once more, hips swaying when she turned to exit the bedroom.

“Love you, honey!” I said, and she responded-

“Love youuuu!” Blowing a kiss my way.

And so, I was alone... Mamma was out on the town with some friends; Tonio had the night off; I don’t really hang out with Trixie that often; and I was fairly certain Anastasia had left to visit a friend.

I hopped onto the bed with a sigh, staring up at the ceiling.

Mew!

Corleone jumped up and meowed, purring and begging for attention. So, I lazily scratched behind her ear… still staring at the ceiling.

I sighed again, wishing I had a drink. I was… alone.

I sighed with a groan, rolling out of bed after… I wasn’t sure how long I was laying there. Couldn’t have been long, though. I found myself making my way back towards my office, black thoughts filling my mind as I shut the door behind me. I then jumped on the chair, opening one of the drawers and pressing a button inside, revealing a false panel.

It was a pint bottle of whiskey; the cork made a beautiful sound as I yanked it out, the caramel-colored fluid within shining beautifully in the afternoon sunlight.

“Fuck it. No-one’s home to see me fuck up.” I took a swig, savoring the burn as-

Knock, Knock, Knock.

“Who the fu-!?” I groaned as I closed the bottle and set it in the drawer, slamming it shut. I fiddled with the soundproofing enchantment dial on my desk- “Who is it?”

“Mamma, let me in!” I heard Anastasia through my door, making me blink in confusion.

I opened the door and said- “Wha- when did you get back?” I asked, and she let herself in; I rolled my eyes as I shut the door.

“Mommy wanted me to stay here so you wouldn’t be left alone!” She was enthused, and I pulled her in for a hug… annoyed as I was. I took a seat at my desk, pretending I was getting back to paperwo- “Why does your breath smell like whiskey?” She asked, and my eyes shot open.

“How the fu-!” I outraged, throwing my arms out. “How the fuck is that even possible!? I only had a sip!”

Anastasia… gave me an odd look. “I didn’t smell any whiskey- but I did get you to confess.”

I blinked twice. “I…” I held my head in my hands. “I… I actually fell for that…” OLDEST FUCKING TRICK IN THE BOOK! WHAT THE FUCK!

“You promised, Mamma!” Anastasia yelled, tears in her eyes. “You promised me you’d stop drinking!” I just held my arms out in a half-shrug.

“I-It’s been a week!” I defended, feeling a mix of anger, shame, and embarrassment at getting caught.

“When we were on that airship and I had a really bad dream, you were too drunk to wake up!” She cried, and I pulled her in for a hu- she shoved me back. “You were in that bad dream!” I blinked in confusion, feeling just… overwhelmed with emotions.

“I… I was?” I squeaked out, and my baby nodded her head.

“I dreamt we were in our balloon, and the ocean was fulla spiders!” Tears poured down her face as she vented to me. “You were drunk, and-and… you… you…” She shuddered as she spoke, almost like the dream was too terrifying to remember. She whispered, barely perceptible. “You let me fall…” She sniffed heavily, “Because you were too busy drinking!”

I leaned back in my chair, feeling numb. I… I was the monster in her nightmare?

“Please, Mamma… I just want you to love me agaaaiiiinn!” She just stood in her chair, facing down and crying her eyes out. “I-I just want to spend time with you! I can’t do that when you’re drinking, Mamma!”

Internally, I felt numb. I looked back to the drawer on my desk, haphazardly slammed shut.

“I-I’ll run away! You’ll never see me again!” She yelled between tears with a shaky breath. “And-And I’ll find a new mamma! A better one!”

My shaky hand pulled the drawer open, pulling the pint bottle out slowly.

“Y-You used to be cool, Mamma!”

Crash!

I threw the bottle at the wall, watching it shatter and drench my wall in whiskey; I scooped Anastasia up in my grasp before she could even react, letting her cry into my chest while I wailed and bawled my eyes out.

Jesus Christ. What have I done? Why did I do this to myself? My baby… I am so, so sorry.

---

The morning sun rose in the east, and the night chill of the Umugqa desert slowly faded; a long caravan of zebras pulled sleds full of goods along the “road” of compacted sand, formed by the thousands of zebras which trod this path in generations before. The ones not pulling the carts bore a crossbow, a dagger, and a large shield they sling over their shoulder; It had a small spike on the bottom used to stake it into the sand. The other zebras, tasked with pulling sleds, wore light robes which protected them from baking daytime sun.

There were two odd-ones out among the group, being the Ambassadors from Griffonia; One was a unicorn wearing an off-white overcoat, stained with sand, and a cream felt hat on his head with a pair of goggles around his neck. The other was a zebra-griffon halfling, wearing the traditional black robes of a desert caravaneer and a shotgun, slung along his side. It was a shortened pump action, able to hold four shots and with a folding foregrip and cut-off stock.

They followed the road going along one of the rivers, being able to see their destination on the horizon; Irem, the City of Pillars, stood defiantly as one of the main bastions of desert Zebra civilization. The Pillars were actually 5 natural buttes surrounding the city’s perimeter, each connected in a pentagon of baked brick walls that provided shade and protection. The two great rivers that cut through the desert, called the Allegahela and the Monongheny, carved their way around the perimeter of the city and combined somewhere behind it, the Oiho river; in so many words, to attack the city, you gotta go through the front. But aside from that, swaths of farmland surrounded outside the rivers, growing all sorts of beans, peas, lentils… eh, you get the point.

“You know, in retrospect…” Emmie spoke up, getting Sinan’s attention. He gave him a sly grin- “Maybe it’s for the best Leona didn’t follow on this journey.” He used a handkerchief to wipe sweat off his forehead. “They’d have to clear off a sled to cart her back home after a heart attack.”

The two ambassadors shared a chuckle.

“Even during the war, when we were all at the peak of our fitness- she’d complain constantly about all the walking.” Sinan gave a half-hearted laugh. Emmie forced a chuckle to fill the silence- but something was bothering Sinan. “Is… You’ve known Leona for much longer than I have. Is everything alright with her?”

Emmie bit his lip, glancing off to the side. “She’s… she’s always been a problem drinker, as far as I’m aware. In fact, a couple years before that war, it almost killed her- so she was totally sober for a while.” Sinan’s eyes widened in surprise. “She never told you? That explains it.”

“No shit?” He said incredulously. “Fuck, I never meant to encourage her- I thought we were just having fun.” Emmie just shrugged.

“If you hadn’t started first, then she would’ve. Excuses are just convenience for an alcoholic- anything to justify getting drunk in the middle of the day.” To say he was intimately familiar with this cycle would be an understatement. “You know, she’s what inspired me to quit drinking myself?” Sinan cocked an eyebrow. “I won’t give you my life's story. But just as I broke the cycle of alcoholism in my family, I think Leona could do the same; she just needs some help, is all.”

“Leona is a good friend to me.” Sinan mused. “I should probably cut back a little too, if I’m to be honest with myself here.” They both locked eyes and nodded, each sporting a grin. Emmie slapped his back.

“So… Any plans for when you get home?” He said with a sly grin. “Because the first thing I’m gonna do is get railed over the couch by my wonderful soon-to-be husband. You?”

Sinan gave him a smug look. “My harem awaits me eagerly.” By ‘Harem’ he meant his girlfriends; it was less of a harem, more of an open relationship. “Have you ever had three mouths on it at once?” He gestured back, and Emmie gave him an impressed grin.

“Impressive… What about two working the balls… One eating me out from behind… all the while I’m plowing some twink?” He had a smug grin on his face; Sinan nodded, knowing he’d been one-upped there.

“So, I’m curious- bi or gay?” Sinan asked with a smirk. Emmie just chuckled.

“Gay all the way, honey!” He flicked his hoof daintily, accentuating his accent to make it sound fruitier than normal. “Tried it with a mare once- but I can’t stand the smell of fish.” The two shared a hearty laugh-

“Did you know you can tell when Leona eats her wife out?” Sinan spoke- “She always orders the fish dinner afterwards!” More laughter echoed across the desert as the two Ambassadors made their approach.

An hour later, there it was: Irem, the City of Pillars. Trees, grass, and other shrubbery grew haphazardly around the city’s perimeter; the river provided many of the things plants craved, and the plants out here seemingly vied for dominance over one another. A faint smell of rot clung outside the walls as the younger flora seemingly choked the life out of older flora: The older plants rotted away into the loose topsoil, allowing the younger plants to grow and take their place in the cycle.

Inside the city walls, grass and flowers grew in abundance thanks to the system of irrigation trenches, criss-crossing the city in a grid-like pattern. The main avenues had date palms planted going down the middle; each one had a metal basin near the base, so the fruit can be collected when they fall. The roads weren’t that wide, either: being on average ten-feet wide, they were flanked by two to three story buildings with flat tops.

They were made of mud bricks and made smooth with a sort of mud-plaster; their natural reddish-orange color only barely poked through the cracks of the beautiful murals and patterns painted on their sides. Many of them were painted with stripes of vibrant paints, each building patterned uniquely with shapes and swirls, seemingly for the sake of looking pretty. Some of them had murals depicting ancient zebra heroes, hieroglyphs surrounding their mural telling their (definitely not embellished) stories. One wall appeared to have a long tunnel opening up into it; but a closer inspection revealed it to simply be a painted wall. Allegedly, this is to stop the desert Coyotes. They’re quite wiley… or so they say.

The buildings themselves are crafted beautifully, too: Rather than flat walls all around, many buildings contained second story balconies with smooth pillar railings, as well as external stairs leading to the roof and upper floors. The roofs are where the peasant class slept at night, being farmers and laborers; apparently it’s not too bad, considering the lack of rain or anything. Many of their so-called “middle class” merchants and the like slept inside these houses.

As for the rich? In the center of the city was a short, stubby butte- almost looking like a miniature mesa. The area surrounding this butte was covered in well-maintained gardens and large mansions of baked bricks, coated in mud plaster for smoothness… but that wasn’t the most impressive part of this butte.

A straight staircase led to the top, a little over forty feet above and flanked by braziers which burned at night. Surmounting the great structure was the Zeburrat of Irem; a square pyramid consisting of three tiers of terraces, culminating in the main building on top, where the Shah and his family lived. That’s who Sinan and Emmie came all this way to meet.

The throne room had large glassless windows flanking either side; the Shah sat on his wide pillowy throne, surrounded by zebra mares wearing silk gowns and covered in brass jewelry, fanning him off and feeding him dates from a bowl. His white silk robes were clean and soft, untouched by the desert sand; his crown was made of woven reeds and open on the top, so his hair was tied in a ponytail and draped behind him.

The desert was full of smaller city states under the control of Irem. Then there were the nomads that traveled from place to place, wherever the wind took them. And this guy in front of Sinan and Emmie guaranteed the independence of all of them.

‘In exchange for permission to drill within your lands, your people will be provided with better roads, medicine, and-” Sinan was in the middle of his sales pitch to the Shah… until he was interrupted.

“Noh!” The Shah blurted out, accented strangely, sharing a giggle with his mares. Emmie, able to understand the zebra language, blinked in confusion; Sinan was also more than a little caught off guard.

‘Then… something else, perhaps? As the world leaders in manufacturing and development, we-’

“Noh!” Sinan couldn’t help but to sigh in frustration.

‘So this is it? No compromise, just stupid fucking jokes?’ he said, feeling more than a little pissed off.

“Yeh!” was all he had to say in the matter. The Shah waved them off with his hoof, wordlessly telling them to go away.

So, the two Ambassadors walked down the flights of steps dejectedly.

“Well, in the interests of avoiding bloodshed, I supposed we tried our best.” Emmie mused aloud. Sinan nodded.

“Whether or not some inbred degenerate gives us permission, we’re still getting that oil. The question is, how willing will they be to fight and bleed for it?” Sinan asked, smirking rhetorically.

Mind’s Eye just gave him a wide, dark grin.

Behind the city, in the much wider and deeper Oiho river, a Griffon steamship paddled down the river, the flag of the Syndicate waving high above. Unlike the river they walked along before, they’d be much less susceptible to attack on that river due to the width.

It’d follow the coast north for a bit to restock on coal before heading west, all the way back home.

---

Chancellor Neighsay left that educators convention in a huff; it was a yearly event in Griffonia where educators would speak about their experience with their new system so far, exchanging anecdotes, thoughts, and other such compromises to further improve the system.

“Driver! Take me back to my hotel room. I’ve heard quite enough!” He demanded the driver of the four-door cab, sitting in the front seat. She looked over at him with a nod, adjusting the flat cap atop her head before starting the car and driving off. It was barely past 10 pm- the moon shining high in the sky.

“And this is the respect you give to a foreign ambassador?” He snarled.

“No, sir. I apologize.” She said to him with a sly grin; he grumbled in annoyance.

“I can’t believe Twilight demanded I waste my time with this nonsense.” He said with a huff. “Can you believe they don’t follow textbooks here? They think showing kids a bunch of pretty pictures will make them learn anything!” He ranted, the driver simply focusing on the road.

“That’s nuts.” She said, and the Chancellor nodded.

“Indeed, though I wouldn’t use such crass terminology. Subjects like history- they aren’t a movie to watch! It’s a linear series of events, meant to be memorized and studied! Properly studied, not comparing the past to the absolute clownish events of today!” He scoffed in absolute disgust.

“Tradition is tradition, after all.” She said plainly, turning off the main city road.

“Exactly! Tradition is meant to be followed and respected!” He said with a huff. “Kids these days have no respect for their betters, and it shows! Poor Blueblood, he was murdered in broad daylight! Those Brass Shoes, or whatever they're called- I hope Celestia herself returns to deal with them!”

He stopped his rant to take a deep breath as the car came to a halt. “How much longer? This headrest is making my neck sore.” The driver cut the engine, and that’s when he realized- the alley they were down only had one way out.

“Hello, Neighsay. Trixie says hello.” Glimmer’s voice whispered behind him, sending a chill down his spine. She was waiting there the whole time, laying on the back seat covered in a black blanket.

“I do- Hrk!”

An icepick was jammed into the back of his neck, the perpetrator using her arm to hold his head back. He flailed uselessly and briefly- before going slack altogether, an unsightly bloodstain running down the leather seats. His jaw flopped open, leaking blood while his eyes remained wide open in an expression of shock.

“Thought he’d never shut the fuck up.” the disguised Fin said, rolling down the window before tossing the ridiculous hat out and lighting a cigarette. “You did good.”

Glimmer sat in the backseat, panting as though she were trying to catch her breath. “I-I’m g-goo-good!” he stuttered out, holding a slightly bloodstained hoof to her pounding heart.

Fin took a deep drag of her cigarette, blowing it out the window. “It gets easier the more you do, believe me.” She mused.

“Gimme one of those.” Glimmer demanded, Fin wordlessly presenting the pack to her. She snatched one up greedily, using her magic to light it and inhaling heartily; the first puff was let out with a shaky breath, Glimmer leaning back with a sigh.

Much more calmly, she opened her back window to take a much smoother drag, savoring the taste of the cigarette; her first one in ten years.

“Wanna stop at a gas station after we chop him up? I gotta get more smokes.” Fin asked, and Glimmer nodded, thinking it was a fantastic idea.

“Hey there!” The two heard someone yell from behind them, causing their neck hairs/feathers to stand up straight. “You still runnin’ tonight?” He asked, thinking they were just a regular cabbie.

“FUCK OFF!”
“FUCK OFF!”

The two yelled in unison, the stranger getting the hint; the absurdity of the situation, combined with the adrenaline… Made Glimmer laugh.

---

On Silver Spoon’s private balcony, the sounds of bubbling could be heard periodically; followed by coughing, giggling, and a euphoric feeling not long after.

“I… I never understood how Leona could stand blunts… or cigarettes, for that matter.” Silvie mused to herself. Dee, sitting next to her on the swinging double-chair, just snorted; Silver began repacking her bong.

“Ya’ gotta do what ya’ gotta!” She might have had a bit of a second-hand buzz, but that was it. “I remember back in high school, she kept our weed supplies in a metal box, hidden in the closet.” She took a sip from a glass of orange juice. “At one point, she put a layer of newspaper over the weed and a couple dildos over top, just for the off-chance her mother got too nosey.”

Silver blinked, the bridge of her nose scrunched up in thought. “Where in Ponyvi- Silicon Valley.” She said in sudden remembrance. “She was in… what, senior year when we were still in 9th? Gosh, we were barely teens then!” She couldn’t help but laugh at the crazy shit they got away with in a small town.

“Ol’ Silly Val! She was using the money she earned at Bargain’s to buy rubber off the zebras, I remember!” Dee giggled as Silver started sparking the bong. “Normally, they would’ve cost a bunch… but when I told her it was for hiding our weed, she gave me half off!”

Dee laughed aloud as Silver giggled and lit up. The flick of a lighter. Bubbling. Coughing. Giggling, once more!

“Isn’t her company headquartered in Griffonia now?” Silver asked, and Dee wiggled her eyebrows.

“Wild Manticore does make some… quality products, Leona and I’ve found… Er, Wild Manticore is her company!” Dee corrected herself. “Because like, why would anyone name a sex toy company after themselves?”

Another round of laughter and much banter later, the two leaned back into the chair contentedly, staring at the bright moon.

Silver Spoon yawned deeply, Dee following not long after.

“This view is fuckin’ beautiful.” Dee mused, Silver half-asleep next to her. She forced a yawn, stretching her arms over the back of the chair. “Just like the absolute cutie sitting next to me,” Silver hummed, a faint smile on her face as Dee’s hoof wrapped around her back. “Just shut your eyes and relax- you need your beauty sleep.”

The mare slowly leaned over, Dee gently guiding her head into her lap. She caressed her mane and side softly as she dozed off in her lap.

If she closed her right eye and held her hoof in the right place, everything below Silver’s neck would be out of her line of sight- and she couldn’t help but feel aroused. She couldn’t help but imagine that head ending in a bleeding stump. What if the head were still alive? What if she could make the severed head eat her out?

Dee let out a shudder as she imagined the possibilities running through her sadistic brain.

One thing was for certain- having Truffle’s moved to a night shift was a great idea on her part.

---

An engine could be heard, rumbling down a dirt road late at night; Not a taxi, but a Ben’s two-seater, rounded towards the back with a trunk that wasn’t just a box nailed to the back. The passenger snored obnoxiously, the driver having a weary, dream-like look on her face. There was a third passenger as well- or, part of a third passenger, resting in the trunk.

The car parked in a clearing, the engine shutting off; the driver woke her passenger up by gently hitting her arm.

“Snnrrrrk- Huh?” She surveyed her surroundings, trying to remember what she was doing.

“We’re here. Come on- almost done.” Fin was already out of the car while Glimmer’s mind was still reeling.

“Oh, uh. Okay.” She popped the door open, stumbling slightly in the dark.

“I thought I told you to sleep during the day?” Fin asked, grabbing one side of a large plastic bag, wrapped in chains and weights. His head was already buried in a separate location, so even if it got found, the search for the rest of the body… and proof… would be a fool's errand.

“Too anxious.” She muttered, her telekinesis holding the other end of the body. There was a cliff overlooking the eastern ocean- and in the distance, the two could see the sun just barely poking over the horizon.

“But not anymore?” Fin asked, trying to giggle but just huffing from the exertion. Glimmer shook her head, her magic straining under the weights.

They looked over the cliffside, watching the waves crash into the craggy cliff-shore below.

“On three!” Fin said, swinging the stiff backwards. “One!” They used the momentum to keep their swing going. “Two!” She grunted, preparing for one more swing. “Three!”

The bag was let go, sent tumbling over the edge.

“Oh shit!” Fin stumbled, almost tripping off the ledge- but Glimmer caught her in her magic.

“I gotcha!” She said, and Fin breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

“Thanks!” She said; being a griffon, she could’ve just corrected herself mid-air and flown… but have you ever tripped off a cliff before? Wings or no, it’s still scary! “Oof, that’ll wake ya’!” She pulled Glimmer in for a quick hug as the sun rose slowly off the horizon.

“What now?” Glimmer asked and lit a cigarette, the two making their way back to the car.

“I’ll navigate if you drive.” Fin suggested, already getting in the passenger's seat with a yawn. “I’m gonna take a nap when we get to the highway.” Glimmer nodded.

“I can do that.” She said, getting in and buckling her seatbelt… She looked at the dashboard and gauges in front of her strangely. “How do I start it again?”

---

In her luxury apartment in Manehattan, Sweetie Belle carried a few suitcases in her magic, setting them in various corners of the place. The morning sunlight beamed into the apartment, shining on her trophy wall- A framed photo of her as Bella Donna, her stage name, was surrounded by golden records, all above a large stereo system. She made her name by combining the lyrical themes of Equestrian Blues and mixing them with Griffonian Rockabilly.

The cheery pop-tunes of old just didn’t meld well with the current underlying sense of unease and instability; their bland optimism did nothing to dispel the dark cloud over the Equestrian subconscious. As a result, Sweetie had legions of depressed ghost-writers to do the prose for her while she counted the stacks she made off ‘em.

One particular suitcase, however, came from a different sucker. She popped it open on her bed, nodding as she once again beheld her winnings from the Executive Game.

“That doctor didn’t see it coming!” she giggled to herself, wondering how much debt he wound up owing to the house. It was like he never figured out when to quit! But little did she realize, that doctor going broke was exactly what Leona was hoping for. “Sucks to be him, though.”

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Sweetie Belle blinked, wondering who could be at the door this early? She was quite tired from the journey, but was cognizant enough to stuff the suitcase under her bed. She undid the latch, opening the door.

“We have a warrant for your arrest, under the suspicion of colluding with foreign entities.”

---

“Not good, not good, not good!” Twilight muttered to herself, cantering down the hallways of Canterlot castle. “Princess Luna!” She yelled, letting herself into the Princesses office.

She didn’t even look up from the crossword puzzle she was doing, sipping her mid-afternoon coffee like nothing was going on.

“Yes, Twilight?” She said, not even looking up.

“Chancellor Neighsay is missing!” As soon as she said that, Luna’s head shot up.

“Neighsay is missing? Did he go missing in Griffonia?” She asked, setting her pen down.

Twilight nodded- “Yeah, last seen leaving the convention!” She sat down at the chair across from Luna, ready to hear her plan of action!

“Chancellor Neighsay… I can’t believe it…” She muttered, steepling her hooves. She smirked. “I can’t believe that actually worked!” Twilight was… confused, to say the least.

“I don’t-” But Luna interrupted.

“He was always at odds with Starlight… and now she’s under the protection of Leona.” Luna pieced together casually. “And Leona has been known to do… favors of this sort, for her friends. Therefore, if Leona ordered Neighsay killed, it was likely on Glimmer’s behalf. There’ll be some phony investigation with no conclusive evidence, I’m sure of it.” Luna nodded in approval, glad to have her suspicion more-or-less confirmed. But then again- words can be misinterpreted through the grapevine.

“So, what’re we gonna do now?” Twilight asked, annoyed that Leona once again got one over her. They had to do something about her, she knew it.

“Find somepony more suitable to fill Neighsay’s position.” Luna said, returning to her crossword and taking a sip of coffee. “Maybe somepony a little more… forward thinking? From what I’ve heard, the Griffon’s educa-”

“Wait, WHAT!?” Twilight raised her voice- “We can’t-!” Luna looked up at her with an intense glare, and she shrunk back into her seat.

“Find somepony more suitable to fill Neighsay’s position.” She reiterated with a glare. “This silly game of good versus bad has done nothing but continually allow Equestria to destabilize!” She ranted- Twilight opened her mouth for rebuttal, but she continued- “Think about it- now that he’s gone, we can replace his position without the rest of the nobility turning their swords on us! Er, metaphorically, anyway.” To Twilight, Luna’s justification was… sound.

“But… But what about being good? About doing the right thing! A man died, and you think it’s because he insulted Trixie? Even if that’s the case, it’s not right!” Once again, Luna gave her a flat look.

“You have your orders, Twilight. Acts of good are not always wise- acts of evil aren’t always foolish. We strive to be good- but right now, stability is my aim.” Luna shrugged, resuming her crossword with nary a word.

“But… but who should I put in his position?” She asked nervously.

Luna just took a sip of her coffee. She’s a big filly. She can figure it out on her own. But I swear- whatever my sister saw in her, I don’t see it.

---

At two PM, Glimmer finally made it back to Leona’s compound. She’d dropped off Fin, who allowed Glimmer to use her shower, and even let her borrow the car she’d been driving to get back to the compound.

“I’ve got more.” Was all she said on the matter. Worked for Glimmer, though.

Around the otherside of the house, she found Leona tossing a ball with Anastasia, panting and out of breath with a massive smile on her face; but most unusual (for her) was the fact that Leona hadn’t bothered putting her usual clothes on. Glimmer bit her lip to keep from smirking as she saw Leona attempt to jump and catch it, only for her wooden leg to slip and throw her off balance.

“Fuckin thing!” She heard her yell, jerking the straps on her leg undone and tossing it off to the side.

“Hey, Leona?” Glimmer yelled, really wanting to go back inside. “I’ll skip the preamble. I got that thing done for you!” Leona, panting like she was out of air, flashed her a thumbs up.

“We’ll talk in a bit!” She said, looking back to Anastasia with a focused look. Using her tail as a counterbalance, she broke into a full-tilt sprint, almost exactly mimicking a three-legged cat. “Gonna getcha!” She yelled, Anastasia laughing merrily as she ran.

“YOU CAN’T CATCH ME, MAMMA!” she yelled in response. Glimmer made her way back inside, passing Diamond Tiara as she made her way out, sporting sunglasses and a bathrobe.

The inside of the house was cool and air-conditioned; and from the kitchen, several fragrant aromas told her that Amelia was cooking something… but something else superseded her appetite.

Upstairs and outside her bedroom, her magic slammed the key into the lock.

“TRIXIEEE!” She yelled… her wife was on the bed, legs spread with a massive blush on her cheeks.

“KNOCK PLEASE!” She yelled, grabbing her hat and covering her member on instinct.

Glimmer used a hoof to kick the door shut, her magic locking it. She cantered towards her wife as she sighed in relief.

“Ohh, goodness, Starlight! You almost gave me a he-hrrrm!?” Trixie was interrupted as Glimmer tossed Trixie’s hat off to the side; her hooves wrapped around her beautiful wife’s shoulders, Starlight’s tongue trying to make its way in.

After a few moments of surprise, Trixie gladly opened her mouth. She allowed herself to lean back, Glimmer pinning her down to the bed. She started moving in a forward and back motion, feeling something wet rubbing against her underside.

Glimmer relished her wifes adorable squeaking and moaning. It made her feel powerful, having dominion over another’s body. It made her feel even more powerful when she had dominion over another pony’s life.

“Wha- what’s gotten into youuuu?” Trixie, who typically was on top… enjoyed the change of pace.

“Whatever do you mean, darling?” She asked with an airy voice. “I haven’t changed!” She reassured her wife, diving into her wife's neck to leave hickeys under her fur. “Not a bit!” She mumbled into her lover's neck, hoping this would never end.

---

Later that evening, Dee met with Anastasia alone in her bedroom.

“I want you to tell me the truth, alright?” She said to Anastasia, sitting on the end of her bed.

“Of course, Mommy!” She said, already tucked in bed.

“Did your Mamma have anything to drink while I was gone?” Anastasia looked her in the eyes.

“Nope! Nothing at all!” Dee had a look of relief on her face; she leaned down and kissed Anastasia on the forehead.

“Say goodnight to your sister?” She asked, pointing to the small bump on her belly.

“Good night, sis’!” She waved to Dee’s belly before looking up to her mommy. “Good night, Mommy! Is Mamma gonna say goodnight?” Dee just smiled.

“Of course she is, honey.”

---

Leona shut Anastasia’s door behind her. She wordlessly approached the bed where her daughter sat up, pulling her in for a hug.

“Thank you, baby…” The great relief in her voice was lost on little Anastasia. “Thank you so much.”

“Of course, Mamma. I love youuu!” Leona squeezed her tight, knowing that at least Anastasia wouldn’t hit her.

“I love you too, honey. I’ll never let anything bad happen to you.” Anastasia didn’t need to hear that promise, though; she knew her Mamma would always be there for her. “Forever and always.” She said.

I have a discord server for this fic out now!! It'd be real cool if u joined :333

:3

As always, thanks so much for reading! Likes and comments are very much appreciated :3