To call him nervous would be an understatement. Nerve-wracked, make that nerve-wrecked, is closer to home. There is a very familial circular groove worn on the carpet of their apartment. Another one goes around his official office of officialdom. The few papers he stamped were probably important. It would probably have been a good idea to read them. He'd never noticed how loud the clock in that office was. He'd tried to stop it, but his magic made something go ping inside it instead. The clock started to accelerate, facilitating a rapid escape on the grounds of possible incendiary escalation. He tried taking a walk in the Castle Gardens, but the damp and depressing weather succeeded in making him both sweat and shiver at the same time. He tried to creep to the Guard barracks, but apparently everyone was on some field exercise in the woods below Canterlot. The barrack's canteen made the best hot cocoa in the city. He could really use a cup right now. Or seven. Shambling back for the Castle proper, he spies the giant grandfather clock in the foyer. Late afternoon was upon him, drawing the inevitable confrontation closer.

The confrontation with his sister. The confrontation with his inner demons. The events of that day play on an endless loop inside his head. The surprise, the embarrassment, the lust, the stiffy in the crowd... the toilet. The day he found out just how broken his mind was. Was it a cry for help, or just him stepping over some dark threshold that didn't have a floor behind it, but a bottomless pit of darkness. Gnashing teeth and serrated blades are probably involved in his descent as well. It'd be really great not to have such an active imagination right now.

Should he tell Cadance beforehand? Try to lessen the blow? It wouldn't really matter, would it? She'll hate her either way and never want to see him again. Is it possible that the whole topic will not come up? Can he pretend it didn't happen? Should he still tell Cadance? There were not supposed to be any secrets and she promised to stand with him whatever may come?

The spiraling staircase to Cadance and his tower goes on forever. Every step steeper than the last, changing almost into a ladder by the time he reaches the top. It's his imagination again. Everything is his imagination, he repeats to himself. Twily will be herself, she didn't notice anything back then, nopony will realise anything is wrong. His own demons are just inside his head. Everything will be perfect. Everything will be... He pushes the door open warily.

"...and do a little shake!" Cadance and Twilight Sparkle shake their rumps at each other in their 'secret' greeting. His face flushes at the sight of those two upraised rears. Twilight Sparkle looks at him. He looks at her. Her face flushes as well and she looks at the floor. He does the same.

Fuck

"Oh, Shiny!" Cadance calls happily. "Twilight caught the earlier train and is already here! Isn't it wonderful?"

"Yeah," Shining Armor says. "H-hey, Sis."

Twilight Sparkle lifts her head, but doesn't look him in the eyes. "Hello."

Cadance pulls the rope hanging near the door to summon the maids. "I'll have them bring us some tea. You must be absolutely freezing, Twilight."

"Y-yes. It's really..." Twilight Sparkle looks out the window. Apparently she notices the weather for the first time. "...cold out there. Autumn. Cold. Brrr."

There is a knock on the door. Cadance gestures at Twilight Sparkle and the couch. "Please, go take a seat. Don't you worry, Aunt Celestia introduced me to a new wonderful tea blend this week. I'm sure it will drive the cold right out." She opens the door to talk to the maid and doesn't notice how Twilight Sparkle's head slumps down again. She turns for the couch without saying a word.

Shining Armor hesitates, looking back and forth between Cadance and Twilight Sparkle.

"Well, go on," Cadance says over her shoulder. "I'm sure the two of you have a lot of catching up to do."

"Err, right." Shining Armor's legs feel like frozen lead as he walks the mile to the couch. Twilight is sitting with her head still bent down, staring intently at the carpet. Should he tell her the truth and try to apologise? Beg for mercy? Run to the balcony and jump? He shakes his head. With a little nudge of his magic, he pushes one of the chairs closer to the coffee table that sits in front of the couch and his sister. The screech of the chair's legs dragging on the floor makes Twilight Sparkle jump.

She looks at him. He looks at her. Her face burns crimson under her purple coat. She tries to form words with her mouth, but nothing comes out. Her head slumps back down.

Shining Armor sits down. Talk. Talk about something. Anything. "So, uhh, how was the train ride?"

"Mm, fine," Twilight Sparkle says without lifting her head.

"You came on the earlier train?"

"Yes."

"Hard to believe you got up so early. You always slept in because you stayed up all night reading."

"Yes, well, I... woke early today and had nothing to do so I left early." Her voice sounds very off to Shining Armor, but he can't really place it. Is she angry? Afraid?

"Isn't that the train that ponies who work in Canterlot take? You must have been here hours ago then."

"I walked around a bit."

"So, uhh, do any shopping or something?" The moment the words leave his mouth, he knows he's made a mistake. The memory of meeting his sister at the door of Honey & Copper's springs to his mind, vivid as if it happened earlier today.

Twilight Sparkle's head shoots up. "No! I mean... I didn't do any shopping. Of any kind. Anywhere." This time it's clear she's afraid. Shining Armor doesn't remember seeing her this jumpy ever since she got that B+ in a math exam and had to show it to their dad.

"Twily, I—"

"Well, the tea will be here shortly," Cadance says. She swoops in and sits next to Twilight Sparkle on the couch. Cadance immediately looks at her with a frown, and puts a hoof underneath her chin. "Are you tired, Twilight?"

"N-no. I mean, a bit, maybe," Twilight Sparkle stammers out.

"Well, at least you have a nice, healthy red on your cheeks. I remember how cute you looked when we came inside after playing in the cold. You'd guzzle down hot cocoa and look at the mirror just to see how red your face would get. Then you got your botany book to name all the fruits and flowers that were the same colour." Cadance giggles at the memory.

Twilight smiles despite herself and seems to perk up a bit. "Yes. I think it was one of my first mnemonics. I was the only one to get full marks on that test."

The chatter goes on between the fillies. Shining Armor is content to stay aside, wrestling with his own thoughts, which grow darker by the minute. It's clear that Twily knew something happened that day and was afraid of him. She probably saw him pop a boner at the station when she was leaving and connected the dots. Twily was always too bright to miss something obvious like that.

A few minutes later the maids come in with a steaming pot of tea that fills the room with the scent of various exotic leaves and herbs. There are also tiny cakes with strawberries on the top. One of the maids pours them all a cup and bows before leaving.

A sip of the tea confirms to Shining Armor that it must be really exotic. Exotic meaning it's a cacophony of tastes that end up tasting of nothing specific at all, except maybe mint. He never understood why anyone would put mint into tea. Or into anything else for that matter.

Cadance and Twilight Sparkle seem to have gotten going with their gossip. Then out of the blue Cadance switches gears. "So, Twilight," she starts. A slightly crooked, yet maternal grin spreads on her face. "Have you met anypony nice recently?"

"A-anypony?" Twilight Sparkle furrows her brow. "I've met a lot of nice ponies lately. I got to meet Captain Spitfire and a few of the other Wonderbolts when we went to see Rainbow Dash at her Wonderbolts Reserve Camp."

Cadance sniffs quietly. "I meant have you met any nice colts lately?"

Twilight Sparkle's face grows slightly paler. The teacup in her magic trembles a bit. "I..."

"Maybe a colt...friend?" Cadance asks.

Twilight looks at Shining Armor. He looks at her. "Twil—"

The shimmer around Twilight Sparkle's teacup vanishes suddenly. The cup comes crashing down onto the table, cracking it and spilling its contents all over the table. She tries to grab it with her hooves instead, but knocks the large pot of tea over instead. It hits the edge of the cake plate, spreading pastries all over. As if an afterthought, her spoon falls to the floor with a clatter.

"I'm sorry! I'll clean it up, I'll... I..." She looks frantically around her, her eyes finally stopping on Shining Armor's face. For a moment, he thinks that she glances to between his legs. Her horn flares up and she disappears in a flash of light.

Cadance jumps up from her seat. She has spatters of tea all over her, but she doesn't care about them. "Twilight!" she yells. Before Shining Armor can even react, she runs out of the room and into their bedroom. He darts after her. In the bedroom, she throws the doors to the balcony open and runs outside, scanning around if she might spot a purple dot somewhere down below. "Twilight!" she shouts her name out again.

A tiny rustle and a sniffle carry into Shining Armor's ears. He walks to the door of their bathroom and raps at the door. "Twily? Are you in there?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Cady!" He calls out. "She's in there."

Cadance rushes to the door and tries to open it, but it's locked. "Twilight? What is wrong, Dear? Did you hurt yourself?"

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean this to happen. Any of this!"

Cadance leans against the door. "Twilight, please calm down. It's just some tea."

"No, you don't understand," Twilight calls out. She's crying.

Shining Armor's chest is frozen solid. His legs can barely support him, and he feels his teeth clatter together. "Cady, it's my fault. It's all my fault."

"Shiny? What are you saying?" Cadance looks at Shining Armor, then back at the door of the bathroom. "What is going on here?"

"It's all my fault, Cady." He feels the dam burst inside him. He just can't keep it inside him any more. "Back when I met with Twily a while back, she was coming out of the sex shop we went to. She'd bought some, well, stuff, and showed them to me at a cafe we went to. I got to thinking about stuff and it was back when you and I were going through a really rough spot and, well, I, uhh, got to thinking really stupid things and then I... I... thought about Twily and..." she feels acrid bile building at the back of his throat. "I started thinking of s-sex. And Twily. And I got a b-b-boner at the station and she probably noticed and I went to the toilet and... and—"

Cadance stares at him, her face blank like she was hit with shovel.

"No! No! No!" The door bursts of the bathroom bursts open. A tear-streaked Twilight Sparkle emerges to fall down in front of Shining Armor and Cadance. "You have it all wrong, Shiny! That's not what happened! At all! It was my fault! All of it!"

"What are you saying, Twily? It was all me! I'm a sick, messed up—"

"I was in heat!" Twilight Sparkle shouts out.

A sudden silence takes over the room. Cadance is still staring blankly at the two siblings. Shining Armor finally manages to open his mouth. "Wha?"

"I was in heat," Twilight Sparkle says, this time in a lot quieter. She slowly climbs up from the floor, but remains seated, her face almost to the floor.

"But... but you have yours in the Summer. Every mare has theirs in the Summer. Even I know that!"

"Yes, but, it's complicated. It's... well, I was inside a lot this Summer and heat is actually caused by a mare being out in the sunlight. It's all to do with hormones." Twilight Sparkle's voice grows steadier as the lecturer inside her tries to take hold. "Some mares can get several in a year if they are out all the time. Like App—a friend I have. So I missed mine this Summer. But then we went to the beach with my friends and there were pirates and lot of things happened so I ended up being in the sun a lot out of season, so... then I got into heat."

"B-but... I would have noticed. I can tell. Every stallion can tell," Shining Armor stammered mirroring the words of his Sex Ed teacher from school.

"I know! I was so ashamed of it. It got really busy with everything all of a sudden, so I tried to cover it with some perfume and magic. It worked, at least in Ponyville. I got a few glances from the stallions, but nothing more. But I, uhh, well, you see... trying to hide it made it worse and, well, I needed to do something and I'd visited that store a few times for, uhh, research and I knew they'd understand."

Twilight Sparkle stops for a moment and swallows. She tries to lift her eyes up to look at Shining Armor, but immediately shakes her head and slouches back down.

"So I bought some things, like the, well, the things I showed you, and a few more. I was hoping for it to be a quick trip without nopony even knowing I was there. And then I met you, and I... I'm sorry."

Cadance cuts in. Her voice is steady and warm, like a kindergarten teacher talking to two foals. "So you were in heat, but Shiny couldn't tell. You thought about him and he thought about you, and you both did something silly about it."

Both Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle nod quietly.

"You poor things. All this time you've had to carry something like this inside you and it was all an accident?" she says.

Twilight Sparkle lunges at her, grabbing her in a tight, desperate hug, sobbing into her chest. "I'm so sorry. I've never been so ashamed in my life. I, hic, didn't think I could ever look at Shiny and with you moving to the Crystal Empire soon I was so scared I'd ruined everything with my BBBFF."

Shining Armor is stunned. It's like a surgeon had removed an evil black tumour from his heart in one quick slice, but that surgeon had been traveling at supersonic speeds and used a sledgehammer. It wasn't me. It wasn't me. It wasn't me. I'm not messed up. She was in heat. It wasn't me!

"It wasn't me," he whispers.

Cadance turns to him and nods quietly towards Twilight Sparkle, who is still clinging onto her like a foal.

Shining Armor walks next to her baby sister, and without any warning or fanfare, grabs her in a giant hug, dragging her away from Cadance. She tries to struggle for a moment, but gives in almost immediately. "Twily, there's no way I would ever, ever let you go. You're my little sister and nothing will ever change that. This whole thing was just a stupid accident and nothing more, right?" He feels a nod against his chest. "Nothing. Ever."

"But I made you—"

"Shh. It doesn't matter. None of it matters." Twilight Sparkle radiates warmth against him, but it is nothing compared to the warmth he feels inside his chest. It is the pure love he has always felt for his little sister. No confusing thoughts, nothing from Little Shiny, just sheer happiness that he once again has his Twily back in his life. A trickle of tears runs down his cheek.

They hold onto each other for a long time, neither caring about the rest of the world. When Shining Armor finally opens his eyes, he notices Cadance isn't in the room with them. Twilight Sparkle moves slightly as well and turns to look up at him. This time neither of them turns away, but instead they smile.

As they get up, one look at the full body mirror dumps ice-cold water onto Twilight Sparkle. Her face is a mess of tear streaks and a childish yo-yo of snot is doing a bungee jump from her nose. Her chest is still covered in the dried remnants of the exquisitely exotic brew from earlier. She shakes her head and giggles. "Rarity would have a heart attack if she saw me now. I think I need to go clean up."

Shining Armor leaves her to the bathroom and walks to the living room. Cadance is sitting on the couch. Not a sign of the tea, the broken cups, or any of the other mess is visible any more. There is a glass of water in front of her. She quietly pats the seat next to her.

As he sits down, she leans against his shoulder. "I thought you two might want to be alone for a moment. The maids already cleaned up."

"I noticed." He gives another look around the place, this time honed with the years of military training and absolute cleanliness. He can't spot anything amiss. "They're really good."

"They are," she says, and nuzzles him gently. "Is everything alright between you and Twilight?"

"Yeah. I think so. She's just washing up."

"That's good to know," she says. She rubs her cheek against his for emphasis.

Shining Armor clears his throat. "You know, I really wanted to tell you, but—"

"Shh. No need for that now, Honey. It all worked, didn't it?"

"Yeah." He leans onto the back of the couch, pulling Cadance with him. "It all worked out."

"You know," Cadance starts. "I knew there was something wrong with Twilight the moment she came in. I could feel her heart was aching."

Shining Armor strokes her chest with a hoof. Amazingly, she doesn't have any tea stains on her coat either, whereas he could pass for a pinto easily. "Is that why you asked about her having a coltfriend?"

"That's the usual reason for a young mare to have heartaches, isn't it?"

"Well, you know Twily. There's never anything normal about her problems."

Cadance pokes him on the chest gently. "You know, Mister, you two are so alike sometimes."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

Cadance doesn't answer, just hides her giggle behind a hoof.

"Well you're sure taking this pretty well."

When she talks, he can feel the warmth and care radiating from every inch of her body. The same feeling he got from Twilight Sparkle. "Whatever happened between the two of you is behind you now, and it seems the less I know about it, the better I'll sleep. What I do know is that I just got to see two of my most important ponies in the world help mend each others' hearts and let their love flow again. I couldn't be happier."

Twilight Sparkle bursts into the room. "Don't worry, I know several cleaning up spells! I'll take care of the mess immediately!"

"Don't worry, Twilight. It's been taken care of," Cadance says.

Twilight Sparkle looks around the room sans a mess. "What, really?"

Cadance points her horn at Shining Armor. It glimmers pink for a moment, and the stains disappear from his coat. "One of the first spells Aunt Celestia taught me."

Twilight Sparkle's eyes gleam. "You really have to teach me that spell! Does it work on ink splashes too?!"

Shining Armor shakes his head. Seems his sister is back to her own self again.

"The Alicorn Amulet? THE Alicorn Amulet?" Cadance asks incredulously.

Twilight Sparkle nods. "Yes. Apparently Trixie had found it at an old curio-and-frozen-yoghurt-shop."

"Was this before or after your friend cloned herself a hundred times over?" Shining Armor asks.

Twilight Sparkle checks her notes she prepared just for this meeting. "After, but before the giant timberwolf attack."

Shining Armor massages his temples. "Ponyville is a major weirdness magnet."

"I actually have several interesting theories about that!" Twilight Sparkles eyes gleam as she fishes out yet another stack of scrolls from her saddlebag of holding.

"Could you finish the story about the alicorn amulet first? You left us hanging." Shining Armor says.

"Oh, yes! Where was I? So, Trixie, the unicorn showmare I'd met before, wanted to magic duel with me. She threatened the whole village if I didn't do it." Twilight Sparkle waves her hooves dismissively. "Don't get me wrong, it was all the amulet's doing. She turned out to be a pretty nice pony, though she does have quite the ego."

"You beat her, right?" Shining Armor says.

Twilight looks away for a moment. "Well, eventually, but it took a lot of planning. We actually fooled her into thinking I could change the age of a pony at will, but it was really all of my friends in disguise and a lot of smoke."

Cadance giggles. "So you actually used showmagic on a showmagician?"

Twilight Sparkle beams. "Pretty much. Though I got the idea from Zecora in the first place."

"And she fell for it?" Shining Armor laughs as well. "You got her to think that it was possible to change a pony's age?"

The victorious expression on Twilight Sparkle's face fades away into a more solemn look. "Trixie was able to change a pony's age when she was wearing the amulet. I tried to do it too, but I just lacked the magic power. After I told Princess Celestia about it, she told me that there are a few of those spells stored in the Canterlot Archives. I've been meaning to study them, but it's been so hectic lately."

"Wow. That's just like, wow," Shining Armor says.

"Why would you want to study such magic, Twilight?"

"Out of curiousity mostly. I know I lack the raw power for it, but the theory behind must be very complex. I might be able to use it in creating new spells."

To Shining Armor's surprise, Cadance's expression grows very stern. "Twilight, you know you shouldn't even joke about that. Experimenting with new magic is dangerous business. Just think of what kind of problems even learning already existing spells has caused."

Shining Armor reaches forward to pat Cadance's hoof. "It's just studying, right?" He turns to Twilight Sparkle. "You'll just have to become an Alicorn yourself so you can keep slinging all the spells you want."

Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor share a hearty laugh. Even Cadance has to give up and join in at the sheer absurdity of the whole thought.

After a while, Twilight Sparkle wipes the mirthful tears away from her eyes. "Wait till you hear about how we released Discord..."

The rest of the conversation fades as pieces of a puzzle start falling into place in Shining Armor's mind. Age change magic, huh. Now there's a thought.

"We should really do this more often," Cadance says. "Are you sure you don't want us to walk you to the station?"

Twilight Sparkle shakes her head. "I've already taken too much of your time."

"Don't be like that, Twily! It was great to see you again. Especially without the fate of the whole world being at risk," Shining Armor says.

"To be honest, I promised to go see Princess Celestia today too. I just hope it isn't too late already." Twilight Sparkle glances at the clock, which is already closing on six in the evening.

Cadance walks to her and wraps a wing around her. "I'm sure Aunt Celestia will make time for her favourite student."

Shining Armor joins in the hug. He didn't expect seeing his sister go would feel so rough, and he has to swallow a lump in his throat.

After a while, Twilight Sparkle backs away from the embrace. "Well, I'll be off then!"

Shining Armor and Cadance lean against each other and wave goodbye to Twilight Sparkle. As the door closes behind her, Shining Armor's melancholy passes in a heartbeat, replaced by overflowing enthusiasm. "Did you hear that, Cady?!" he shouts, jumping around Cadance.

Cadance looks at him with a cocked head. "She is going to meet with Aunt Celestia? Isn't that pretty usual? They do correspond regula—"

"No! Age change magic, Cady!"

"Well, yes, it did sound impressive."

Shining Armor stops in front of Cadance and pushes his muzzle against hers. "Don't you get it? We could do it! It'd be perfect."

Cadance puts a hoof onto his muzzle and pushes him away. "Do it? Do what? What's gotten into you?"

Shining Armor falls onto his rump, but still has a stupid grin on his face. "You're an Alicorn! You could use the spell to turn younger and we could, you know... have sex?" The sheer thought sends a shiver down his spine and wakes up Little Shiny.

A heavy silence falls in the room. Cadance looks at him like he was a worm that had just crawled out of an apple she was eating. "You can't be serious."

Shining Armor creeps forward on the floor, ending up in an almost begging position in front of Cadance. "It would be perfect! Think about it! You'd be a bit smaller and we could easily do the whole dominance thing, and we wouldn't even need any role costumes or anything."

"You're serious about this? You want to use Aunt knows how difficult and powerful magic for... for fooling around in bed?"

"Yup!"

"Don't be ridiculous. That would be so stupid on so many levels."

"I'm sure it'd work! Hay, even the though is driving me crazy!"

"Crazy is right. Did you seriously just keep thinking about something like this the whole time Twilight was here?"

He gives a guilty grin. "Mayyybe?

"Absolutely not," Cadance says. She turns around and begins to walk away.

Shining Armor grabs her hind leg. "Oawww pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaase!?"

Cadance tries to shake him loose with her grappled hoof and push Shining Armor away, but he won't budge. "Stop it. Argh! Let me go!" She hobbles in place, but just when she isn't looking in front of her, her forehoof catches onto the edge of a carpet and she plummets onto her stomach on the floor with a shriek.

Shining Armor doesn't waste time and crawls over her, peppering her body and face in kisses, all the while repeating "Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease?"

"Shiny, get off of me!" she squeals, waving her hooves to ward off the attacker. Despite herself she begins to laugh. "Stop it! Stop! It! Hahahaargh!" When the assault doesn't subside, she finally gives in. "Fine! I'll think about!"

Shining Armor stops her assault for a moment. "You promise?"

Cadance finally gets both of her forehooves against Shining Armor's chest and pushes him off of her. He rolls onto the floor, never losing his crazy grin. Cadance sits up and tries to check her disheveled mane. "I told you I would think about it. Nothing more."

It took Shining Armor several days of cajoling, bribing, convincing, and more outright begging to finally make Cadance cave in and go to the Canterlot Archives for the spell. It had been very easy to find, the curator being besides himself from getting a visit from the royal couple. It was in one of the closed sections of the library; An ancient tome made of pale wood bound in gold. They had to sign several waivers to be allowed to take it outside of the library and promise that it would not leave the castle grounds.

"Shining Armor! Behave yourself!" Cadance says in her best foalsitter voice as they leave the Archives. "You were jumping around like a little colt who'd eaten too much sugar."

"I can't help it, Cady! We're actually going to do this."

"I told you, I will only check the spell out, nothing more."

"Well, seeing as we already have the spell, we might as well try it out, right?"

"Shiny!"

As they return to their apartment, they find Cadance's maids, Broom Sweep and Feather Duster, finishing up.

"Your Royal Highnesses," both of the maids say in unison, bowing deep to the couple. "We are almost done here. Please pardon our tardiness."

"What has gotten into you two?" Cadance asks. "You don't have to be so formal."

Broom Sweep bowed down even lower. "Oh, we can't do that, Your Royal Highness. It wouldn't do at all to speak to a Princess and especially a Prince in nothing but the most formal of address."

Cadance shakes her head and looks at Shining Armor in confusion. He smiles back. "I think I know what this is all about. Gimme a second."

He walks to their bedroom and opens the drawer of his bedside table. He picks up two very official looking papers. He returns back to the living room, where Cadance is still trying to find out what was going on, but the maids just stand in stoic silence.

"Here are your resignation papers," Shining Armor says, floating the two papers over to the maids. "All signed."

"Shining Armor?" Cadance asks. The fact that she uses his full name is a clear sign of a storm closing in. "What is this? I thought you threw those away ages ago?"

"I'm sorry, Honey, but this is something that has to be done."

"What in Equestria?" Cadance asks. Her face goes from outright fury to concern and confusion.

"Thank you, Your Royal Highness," the maids say. "It has been an honour to serve you and your Lady."

"You will find that your termination is effective from the change of the month and you have nice severance for your long employment."

"SHINING ARMOR! STOP THIS AT ONCE!" Cadance shouts. She walks right between him and the maids. "You are NOT firing them! You don't have the right!"

"Your Royal Highness, I know it is most rude of me to interrupt," Broom Sweep says. "But this matter is between Prince Shining Armor and the two of us. That is what those papers stand for. We gave them of our free will, and he has chosen to do as them what he would." There is a tiny, but still perceptible quiver in her voice. Shining Armor savours it like a fine piece of cake. With a strawberry on top.

"B-but... but... Shiny... why are you... what is this..?" Cadance stammers.

"Are you done here?" Shining Armor says, making sure his voice is as cold as possible. "If so, you may leave. We have urgent business to attend to." A little more. Just a little more. I can do this.

"As you say, Your Royal Highness." Broom Sweep turns for the door. "Come, Feather Duster. We are in the way."

Shining Armor makes sure his grin is as malicious as possible as he turns to look at the other maid. Feather Duster stands still, her professional facade clearly cracking, a mixture of hatred and fear evident on her face. "Broomy, he... he can't..."

A tiny shiver runs down Broom Sweep's back. She doesn't turn around as she replies. "He can, and he has. There is nothing more to be said."

"I... " Feather Duster starts, but bites down on her lip. "You're right. All's said and done."

Cadance walks to Shining Armor, poking him in the chest with a hoof. "If you think for one second, one, second, that I'll let this happen—"

"Shut up, Cadance," Shining Armor says in a calm, quiet voice. The effect is stronger than if he had struck her in the face at full force. She falls down onto her haunches and blinks with her unseeing eyes.

The two maids reach the door, and without turning around, slowly exit.

"Excuse me?" Shining Armor calls after them. The maids freeze just outside the door. "Isn't it customary for you two to turn around at the door and bow before leaving?"

A moment passes, with neither of the maids moving. Then slowly, very, very slowly, they turn around. Both of their faces are streaked with tears, their faces pale and desperate. They are clenching their teeth together desperately to keep some semblance of composure. They lean forward, tears falling onto the floor as they bow.

Shining Armor fully expected the sight, but the stab of guilt is still far worse he expected. I went too far. Well, at least I can finally stop this charade. "One more thing," he says. "I hear on good authority that the Crystal Empire has a large castle that hasn't had anypony cleaning or maintaining it for over a thousand years. Apparently it was pretty much a bachelor pad for crazy Unicorn King. The Royal Couple moving there soon will be in need of some professional staff to get the place up and running again. These would be the posts of a Head Housekeeper and a Majordomo. It wouldn't be an easy task, seeing as they would have to choose every single pony working at the castle and tell each of them exactly what to do. Actually, those two would probably be the two most powerful ponies at the whole castle, only answerable to the Royal Couple themselves. "He grins before going for the final blow. "If you two would like to apply, I could write both of you very good recommendations."

A moment of silence passes as the maids process the new turn of events. Feather Duster reaches the inevitable conclusion first. "You cheeky bugger," she says in a low growl. "You no-good, conniving—"

Broom Sweep cuts in. "What my colleague here is saying is that you are one piece of work, Prince Shining Armor. One piece of work."

"So I take it you will be applying for the jobs?"

The maids look at each other. There is a general scuffle of aprons being used as handkerchiefs, throats being cleared, and postures being straightened.

Broom Sweep stands once again as the stoic and proud mare she is. "We shall take it under consideration, Your Royal Highness."

Feather Duster nods. "That we will. Now, if there wasn't anything else, Prince Shining Armor?"

"Actually... there was something. If, and this is a big if, my loving wife doesn't murder me the moment you two leave, I'm pretty sure there will be a need of clean sheets tomorrow morning. And do make sure nopony bothers us tonight, and tell the guards downstairs to ignore all the loud noises coming from here." She gives them his favourite grin. "Now off you go."

The maids bow and courteously close the door. Shining Armor puts his ear against the door. He can faintly make out "That cheeky bugger." After a while, there is an added "Oh, the scandal!" and some bickering on which should be the Head Housekeeper.

Shining Armor grins, then turns around to behold the fury that is the love of his life. Except instead of a face full of rage, he finds Cadance still sitting on the floor where he left her after telling her to shut up. His grin vanishes as he walks to her.

"Cady? It's okay. It was just a joke."

She seems to snap out of her shock. "A... joke? So they aren't fired?"

Shining Armor sits down and wraps a hoof around Cadance. "You weren't listening? I asked them to move to the Crystal Empire with us and take care of running the castle."

"But, but, you gave them their resignations. You fired them, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did 'fire' them," he says while air-quoting with his hooves, one of them still wrapped around Cadance's shoulders. "I wanted to show them that I was actually their boss, but also that I didn't have any ill feelings towards them. I know I got off on the wrong hoof with them, so maybe this will help me, well, both me and them, to start over. I know they never meant any harm and were looking out for the most important pony in my life... even if they were assholes in doing so."

"That's... good I guess." Cadance finally seems to return from her confusion, her vacant eyes focusing on Shining Armor. "But you were really nasty about it."

"Err, well, I, uhh..." There was no real way around it. "Yeah. I went too far, I know. If it's any kinda defense, I really did feel bad about doing it. I just figured I needed to play their game and show them what kind of a pony I really am."

Cadance nods. "I do understand why you did it. It still doesn't make it right."

There are a dozen more excuses Shining Armor thought of in advance, but none of them seem to be worth anything under Cadance's disappointed eyes. "I'm sorry."

Cadance keeps her stare for a moment more, but then nods. "I know you are. Maybe now you'll know a bit of how it feels to argue against diplomats and actually win."

"I still don't think I'm cut out for this job," Shining Armor says. The hollow feeling he's had since the so called victory threatens to swallow him.

"Promise to warn me before you do anything like this again?" Cadance says.

"You would have said no," Shining Armor says.

"Probably. But it would be better than 'shut up'."

That one hits home. "Sorry."

"That was the first time you've ever told me to shut up," Cadance says, with a poke of a hoof to his chest for emphasis. Shining Armor can't bring himself to look at her. Cadance leans against his ear and whispers. "Don't make me use the age change spell just to turn you into a colt and wash your mouth out with soap."

Shining Armor's ears straighten in disbelief. "Wha?"

"To be honest, those two were acting ridiculously as well, so maybe they deserved it." Instead of poking Shining Armor's chest, she rubs it instead. "You did go too far, Mister, but at the same time I think it was a good lesson to you about politics."

"So you forgive me?"

Cadance nods, but the smile on her face shows quite a lot of malice. "And I know they're going to get you back for it."

Shining Armor tries to put on a confident grin, but has to swallow the lump in his throat.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go study a spell."

Shining Armor fully expected that his antics would put the whole spell project on hold for a good long while. "You're still going to go through with it? After what I did?"

Cadance shrugs. "I already forgave you. And you're not the only one that's been waiting to get laid." She gives him a wink.

Shining Armor leans in to give her a kiss, which she happily replies. Oh, Celestia, I love this mare.

Cadance lays on the bed, still reading the spell one more time to make sure she gets it right. Shining Armor, on the other hoof, is pacing a circle onto the floor. They might need a new carpet soon.

"Is it difficult?"

"It's complex."

"Oh."

He paces another round.

"So, uhh, are you sure it's safe?"

"Mmmh. Yes if I cast it right."

"Good. Good."

Another round.

"Are you sure—"

Cadance looks up at him with a deadpan stare. "You're the one who suggested it, Shiny. Why do I feel you're the one who's going to be changed around and not me?"

"Sorry."

Cadance doesn't need magic to make him feel like a little colt. All she needs to do is keep staring at him.

"I know I suggested it, but I don't want you to get hurt."

"Shiny, if you don't let me concentrate on this spell, you can forget the whole thing anyway. Why don't you take a deep breath outside." She turns a page. "Sounds like you were expecting a baby to be born or something."

Shining Armor rushes to the bed, standing halfway on the bed. "Baby!? We were only talking about a few years, like a teenager!"

She slams the book shut. "Shining Armor. This spell has been designed to allow a pony to experience different phases of a pony's development. It is for changing the apparent age of a pony. I can go from baby to a grandmother. I will still be in complete control of my body with all of my magic intact. There's even a fail-safe that will turn unravel the magic and turn me back to myself in an hour or so."

He deflates under her lecture. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She pushes her muzzle against his. "I. Just. Did."

"Sorry," Shining Armor mutters as he backs away. "I kinda got worried because even Twily couldn't get the spell right."

"This spell isn't that hard to cast, really. It's complex and needs a lot of power, but nothing I can't handle. From what Twilight told us, she was trying to cast it without proper preparations..." She taps the books for emphasis, "...or research, and under a lot of stress. There's a good chance she would have gotten it right if she wasn't, well, being Twilight."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." She opens the book "Twilight is probably on par with me on sheer magical power and her skill with it is pretty much the best in Equestria."

"Yeah, she's kinda special." He smiles to himself. "Err, did I tell you I kinda have this thing about transforming wives?"

"Shiny, let me put it this way: Would you let me finish before I turn into a teenager for you to ravish?" She closes her eyes halfway and licks her lips.

Shining Armor feels a familiar warmth spread to his face and gather in his loins. Any further worries about his wife are drowned under a flood of hormones.

"I'll, uhh, be on the balcony?"

"There's a good Prince."

The outside evening air makes him cough a few times. It's clearly below freezing already and his breath comes out in small clouds. Little Shiny quietly retreats into it's sheath from shock, but informs him that it's not sleeping, only waiting. After feeling so flushed mere moments ago, the freezing air sends shivers down his whole body.

He doesn't have to wait long. Cadance opens the door and walks next to him, pushing her body against his. The warmth of her body feels welcome. He turns around to give him a kiss and she returns it happily.

"Now, Mister Shining Armor, are you ready to go back to High School?"

"Very much yes, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza."

She walks behind him and nudges his rump to get him moving. He doesn't have to be told twice. Inside, they both lie down on the bed. He can feel a blush coming onto his face, but sees Cadance's cheeks glow a darker pink as well.

"This is so silly, Cady."

"Honey, I want to do this. If it means we'll get back to how it was before the wedding, I'll try anything." She closes her eyes and begins to concentrate.

"Cady?"

Her eyes open up and the glowing shimmer from her horn fades out. She raises an eyebrow.

"Thank you," he says.

They share another kiss, this one far longer and deeper than the one on the balcony. She finally leans back from it and licks her lips.

"Just you wait," she whispers, and closes her eyes. She concentrates for a moment, her eyes squinting shut even tighter as she focuses all of her magic into her horn. Instead of the normal pink glow, it starts running wild with pink orbs that bubble along its length and all over her body. Her shape begins to fluctuate and change rapidly. She opens her eyes in horror, lifting her hooves towards Shining Armor, but a flash of light engulfs her before he can grab them.

His hooves only grasp thin air. Lights dance around in his vision as he tries to blink the burns away. "Cady? Are you alright?"

"Oh, dear." Cadance's words came out as a squeaky, childish whinny. "I think I went a bit too far."

In front of him is Cadance as a filly of maybe seven years. She looks awkward and still a bit dazed from the transformation. Her wings, now far too tiny to support flight, flutter uncontrollably as she tries to stay upright.

"Wow. You were pretty cute as a filly."

"Well I didn't have these wretched things back then." She finally steadies herself and folds her little wings against her body.

"I'll turn right back and we can try again."

"No," he says. A dangerous smile creeps unto his lips and he begins to advance on the foal slowly.

"Shiny?"

"I think you're perfect right now... Come over her." He lurches for her, but she rolls away and off the bed.

To Cadance's growing horror, he slowly gets up, turning his head sideways and begins to sing off key. "I like little fillies. They make me feel so... good."

"Eek!" Cadance tries to run, but is soon grabbed in Shining Armor's magic and brought back onto the bed.

"I like little fillies, they make me feel so..." Her horn begins to glow, but he just prods it slightly to stop it. "...bad." An evil grin spreads onto his face.

"What are you doing, Shiny!?"

"Something I've wanted to do for a long, long time." He grabs Cadance with his now much stronger hooves and despite her struggles, turns her onto her back in front of him. He hovers above her, the tiny filly helpless underneath him.

She tries to cover herself with her tiny wings. "Please, Shiny! You're scaring me! Stop it!"

Shining Armor licks his lips hungrily. His eyes gleam red in the dim light. "No escaping it, Cady! I have you right where I want you! Now I can finally do... THIS!" He digs his hooves deep into Cadance's sides and starts wiggling them all over her ribs.

Her eyes bulge as the panic sets in. "Noooooo-oo-oh-hah-haah-haaaa-AAAH! Stooopp!"

"Not a chance!"

She squirms and giggles and snorts, but he won't let up. When she finally thinks it's over, he pushes her down and spreads her hooves wide and blows a raspberry on her stomach, making her scream even harder. He continues tickling her. Her horn sputters sparks, but she cannot concentrate with the assault of The Tickler. He goes on until she starts to hiccup from laughing so much. As he lets go, Cadance crawls back a few inches on the bed, her lower lip in the deepest pout he has ever seen her with.

She wipes a few tears from her face. "You are a monster," she mumbles. "To do something like that to a sweet, innocent little filly..." She glares at him, which only serves to make him laugh.

"Oh? Well maybe I should call in some maids and ask them to bring us some nice clothes for you. I could dress you up in the cutest—"

"You're horrible!"

"Want to go play skiprope outside? Or should we have a picnic? We still have almost the full hour left."

"Oh, no you don't, Mister. This experiment stops. Right. Now." Her horn takes on a bright pink glow.

He doesn't try to stop her, careful not to disrupt the spell. He sits down onto his haunches and looks as the pink bubbles once again cover her body. This time he knows to shield his eyes from what comes next.

After another flash of light, she is fully grown and aged again. It quickly becomes clear that she's a bit too aged.

"Shiny..." she says, her voice sounding gravelly. "...I don't feel so good." She slumps forward, her forelegs unable to support her.

He takes her into a tight embrace. "Shh. At least I know you'll look great a few years down the line."

She gives her a wrinkled smile. "Flatterer," she says. "It's all because of you making me rush the spell! Don't you understand that it's very delicate and that—"

"Whoah. You'll turn real naggy too."

Cadance looks at him with a murderous glare. "Why did I ever marry you in the first place?"

"Folly of youth?" he answers.

"Shiny!" She pushes her away, but winces as her back cramps up.

"Or maybe cos you love me to bits?"

Despite herself, she giggles girlishly in stark contrast to her appearance. "Yes, there might be that."

"Might?" he says in mock hurt.

"Maybe I should have gone with Buck Withers instead?"

"HIM!? He was a jock! A bully! A... a... very funny, Grandma." It's his turn to frown and glare at her.

"Serves you right!" She pushes her tongue out at him.

He looks through his brain for a comeback. "I think you're going senile."

"Hmph! Kids these days." They leer at each other and then break into a laugh.

She turns serious after a moment, taking a deep breath. "Now. I hope this try gets it right. I'm not sure I can do this again today."

"Let's hope for the best. And don't worry, at least this has been... educational."

She squints her eyes again, making the wrinkles on her face dance before she vanishes in another flash of magic.

Shining Armor blinks his eyes a few times.

"So? Am I back?"

"Whoah."

"What do you mean 'whoah'? What happened this time."

"I'd forgotten how cute you were back in High School. No wonder I fell for you."

"High..?" She instinctively brings her hooves to her face." Did I get it right?"

"Ooh, yeah. Very much so. Come on." He gives her a helping hoof to get her off the bed. They walk to the large mirror standing in the corner of their bedroom. He notes that her head can barely reach his shoulders. She gasps when she sees herself in the mirror.

"I did it! Shiny, I did it!" She grabs him by the neck and jumps up. He stand back onto only his hind legs and takes her into his hooves. She is heavy, but not like the adult Cadance. He dances a few steps around, trying to find his balance. She giggles all the while. They nuzzle and share a short kiss before he carries her back onto the bed.

Cadance coyly turns onto her side, stroking the sheets with a seductive hoof. "Now why would a handsome, strong stallion like you bring a sweet teenager such as me into his bed?"

He sits down next to the bed and looks her over intently. He scratches his chin apparently deep in thought. "Hmm. I dunno. I think something is still missing..."

"W-what do you mean? I did it, din't I? I turned into a teenager just as you asked!" Her voice carries a slight tinge of panic and nervousness with it.

He leans forward and gives her another kiss. "Honey, it's not that. I'll be right back."

Without another word, he leaves Cadance lying on the bed. He walks to the bathroom and immediately finds what he's looking for. He floats the object over to Cadance, who looks at it as if it was completely alien to her.

"A... hair ring? Why would I... "

He fidgets a bit, looking at his hooves. "It's because, uhh, well, when we were in High School, I really liked the way you kept your mane in a ponytail. So, err, could you?"

"A ponytail," she says in a calm voice. The calm before a storm.

"Y-yeah" He swallows nervously.

Cadance gets up from the bed and advances on him. Her eyes blaze with sudden anger. "You never told me you liked my ponytail back then!"

"Well, I didn't think it was a big deal! Is it a big deal?"

"Shining Armor! Do you have any idea how much time I spent on my hair in High School!? I tried at least a dozen different looks to see if you'd compliment me on any of those! Are you telling me that after all the hours of work I put into it, you liked me best with a simple ponytail!?"

Despite the fact that she is a full head shorter than him, he still feels smaller than the pink teenager in front of him. "Well, I, uhh, you never asked—"

"Asked!? Does a fillyfriend need to ask if she looks good? Didn't you spend time to look good when we were together, is that it?"

"I brushed my mane almost every day! And used deodorant!"

"You..!" She prods him in the chest with a hoof. "You!"

"Cady, I—"

She turns around and lifts her tail up to his face. "You are an uncouth, barbaric peasant! You..."

The rest of her tirade is lost on him. He is stuck looking at the swaying backside of his now teenaged wife. The solution comes to him in an instant. The sound of his hoof landing on her rump with a loud slap rings through the room. She falls completely silent, apparently gasping for air from shock and surprise.

"I think that's enough of that, err, Little Missy."

Cadance looks at him over her shoulder. "S-shiny! How could you! How... ahh..."

Shining Armor's hoof never leaves her rump. Instead he begins to rub it all over her buttocks, quickly soothing away the pain from the smack. He lifts his other forehoof onto her back, right next to her tail, and starts to rub it at it's stem. She gasps again, but not of discomfort this time. His other hoof travels downwards slowly, making sure to give her bottom a long, gentle caress, before he reaches even lower, skipping past her future prize and down to her legs. Cadance's inner thighs are wet and slippery, her essence running freely out from her in a teenager's hormone rush."

"You were saying, My Little Princess?"

"Bed. Now." Her words come out in short barks.

"Hmmh? Is that how you speak to adults?"

"Shinyyy! I want it right now!"

"Oh, you'll get it." He feels a familiar, but welcome, throbbing between his feet. "But first you have to do your hair."

"You... ahh!"

His hoof just touched her swollen lips, doing a quick brush over them before returning to her thighs.

Without another word, Cadance picks up the hair ring and tucks her mane through it in haste. Several clumps of loose hair are left out from it, making her look wild and messy.

"No, Cadance. Do it properly. I know how much effort..." He once again brushes against her sex. "...you put into your mane."

"Shinyyy-y-y-y," she half speaks, half whinnies.

"Please?" He gives the base of her tail a kiss, then takes the tail itself into his mouth and tugs at it gently. "Would you do it for me?"

She responds with another gasp of pleasure. Without another word, she unties her rushed ponytail and starts doing it up more properly.

Shining Armor makes sure to make it as hard for her to concentrate on her magic as possible, rubbing her posterior, landing tiny kisses all over it, and occasionally running his hoof along her legs, all the way up to her wet mound.

Cadance's magic sputters, and she drops the hair ring. When she picks it up, the bundle of hair she'd gathered up slides from her grasp and down her neck. "It's, ahhh, really hard to... concentrate... Shiny!"

"Would you like me to stop?" he asks. He stops moving his hooves for emphasis.

"You wouldn't dare!" she says, but obediently picks up her mane again.

Shining Armor eases off her a bit, allowing her to continue, but makes sure to pleasure her all the while. He can't resist giving her cutie mark a few licks, which make her shiver all over, which almost makes her fumble again.

At last, she is finished. She turns around to give him a triumphant look. It would be triumphant, if her cheeks weren't flushed red and a tiny sliver of drool wasn't running down the side of her mouth. "Please?" She motion for the bed with her head.

He grins. "All you had to do was ask."

She climbs onto the bed and lowers her chest down to the mattress, leaving her hind legs straight to offer him free access to her nethers. He looks at her, already hard and willing. He climbs up to the bed as well and moves to mount her, lifting his forehooves onto her back. His member hovers inches away from her sex, but he doesn't push in.

"Shinyyy!" She wiggles her bottom, trying to push against his erection.

"I think I have a better idea." He backs away and pushes his head against her flank and tips her sideways.

Cadance falls onto her side and looks at him in confusion.

He takes a hold of her hind legs and turns her completely on her back and spreads her legs open, affording him a full view of her glistening sex once more.

"You're mine," he growls, a slight sliver of drool running from the corner of his mouth. Shining Armor dives in, burying his muzzle in her slit. His nose is filled her musky goodness just as is his mouth from her tasty youthful fluids. His tongue feels dry in his mouth, but it soon gets wet again once he goes to work, exploring every bit of that pink valley. He sucks, slurps, nibbles, and probes, his every motion eliciting moans of need from Cadance.

Shining Armor circles his forehooves around Cadance's legs from the outside, lifting her rump slightly off the bed. He can feel her wildly swishing tail hit his fully erect rod time and time again, driving him to work faster and faster on her

"Please! Give it to me! I want you inside me!"

Little Shiny takes over. He is only a passenger on the ship of lust as he steps forward, bringing his powertool next to the doorway that needs to be screwed in tight. He pushes in, barely fitting to the glorious canyon, now a mere creek of its adult size. She is tight. So very tight. No sitting in diplomatic meetings instead of doing track and field. No heavy dinners instead of the healthy cafeteria food. His last trepidation is assuaged as he finds nothing blocking his way, as there seem to be some things even magic cannot return. Inch by inch he goes deeper, with Cadance wailing his name over and over. Her horn sputters sparks of magic all around, stray bolts of telekinesis tossing the pillows next to her head all over the room. Shining Armor reaches the bottom just as his ring comes in contact with Cadance's glistening wet crotch.

Little Shiny demands for him to go to full ramming speed, but Captain Shining Armor takes ahold of the wheel. He pulls back, just as slowly as he went in, every nerve in his body lashing out for him to move faster. Just as his member is about to exit, he pushes back in, even slower than last time. He can feel his tip flaring, the taut muscles of Cadance's hole tightening around him like a vice. Cadance hits the bed with her forehooves, tears in her eyes from both pleasure and the pain. It is almost uncomfortable to move, but the abundant lubrication allows him to push forward again. Cadance's hips twitch up and down, trying to milk his knob-ended magic staff, but he pushes her down.

Shining Armor is in control. He commands Little Shiny, and he commands the teenaged filly underneath him. Cadance's moans are sweet ambrosia to his ears. She calls out his name, asking, begging, commanding, pleading, promising, for him to take her harder and faster. Every motion of her body beckons for him, but he stops completely. Cadance shrieks in frustration trying to push up against him. He pushes her down once again. She is his. That is how it is, and there is no other way it could be. The faun-like expression on Cadance's desperate face drives even more blood into his scepter of power pushing the sides of Cadance's tunnel of flesh to their physical limits.

Then, and only then, Shining Armor decides it is time. He pushes back in, then pulls out again, over and over, ever faster, ever harder. Cadance's pleads turn into moans, her needy twitches into rhythmic pushes to answer his. He is giving her what she wants, what she needs, but she needs a reminder of who is in control. Shining Armor brings a hoof hard onto her rump with a loud smack. Cadance's reaction is immediate. She pushes up ever harder, both from surprise and need. He pounds in more, every few thrusts giving her another hard smack to drive her closer to the edge of madness and ecstasy. Her eyes lose focus as they begin to roll from one side to another. Her mouth is still open, but there are no more words, only the moans and ululations of her primal lust. Shining Armor feels the pressure begin to build between his legs. Cadance's tunnel convulses rapidly.

He charges is for the final assault.

A sudden pink explosion shoots out from one of the towers in Canterlot Castle, enveloping the city. Most ponies don't see it, but they feel the effects all the same. Couples, both young and old, decide that maybe there is something more fun to do in bed than sleep after all. A lot of lube and tissues get used. The following day, relationship problems feel quite smaller, and happy smiles can be seen all around. Rings are bought and presented, with wedding bells ringing in the future. Colts finally find the courage to ask the fillies they have a crush on to go out with them. Teachers hurry to put sexual education on the curriculum. A little filly in kindergarten decides she is going to marry the snot-nosed colt who stole her doll and pulled her pigtails the day before.

To most everyone's luck, it isn't the heat season, so there isn't a population explosion eleven months later. Princess Celestia has a stern talk with Princess Cadance on how to conduct herself more carefully. The lecture is only slightly mitigated by the content blush under her dark eyes. Maybe it is just a coincidence that several guardsponies have to call in sick the next day. On the other hoof, Princess Luna never talks about the dreams of ponies she visits, but if she did, the words she would use would be "sweaty, sticky, smelly, and great fun all over!" And probably "Huzzah!"

Back in the royal bedroom, a panting Shining Armor lays next to the teenaged Princess of Love.

"You know, Cady... we still have about half an hour left and there's a Filly Scout uniform in your size..."

"Bring it."