“Oh, my goodness.” The mare looked between the clipboard floating before her, the object surrounded in faint blue magic, and you, who sat watching her with curious patience on the bed. Donning a white coat, the mare wore glasses that she fidgeted around with as she sat next to you in your bedroom.

You raised a brow in response. “I… excuse me, Doctor Phial?” you asked.

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just… well, when Princess Luna gave me the dossier on you, I saw the pictures and expected you to be… shorter. There weren’t any size comparisons. Maybe I should get them to work on that…”

“I’m sorry I failed to meet your expectations,” you quipped.

“Oh, no! No! Don’t apologize!” Phial laughed and waved a hoof at you. “It’s just that when the rumors began to circulate about a… well, an amazing hunk servicing mares with spectacular performance, I thought that you would be something closer in stature to a pony, suffice to say.”

“Well, I can kneel, if that’s what you’re asking…”

Phial blushed furiously and buried her eyes behind the clipboard. “I am… well aware of your knees, chief,” she said, clearing her throat before continuing. “As for your checkup, you are clean, for now. Continue taking the potions that Princess Luna has provided you with, and we shall see what happens from there.”

“Must be a lot of work to get me these potions.” You fiddled with your thumbs, mind as clear as a sparkling night sky and your body untensed, but you feared putting yourself to anything strenuous should the symptoms suddenly return. The thought of being in such a crippled state with no one around to help you made you wary of how you commenced with your chores now. “I know I haven’t spoken much to Princess Luna up until recently… but if you see her, give her my thanks for potions.”

“She’s always a bit leery when dealing with new acquaintances,” Phial said, stuffing the clipboard into the doctor’s bag next to her chair. “I heard about how you got here. I was part of the team that had to examine the mess you left behind… there was blood everywhere.”

“Sorry. The wall wouldn’t move out of the way, so…” You shrugged. “...I had to make do.”

She giggled. “Well, that little incident sparked a wave of gossip here in the castle. You know, a lot of the ponies thought you died when the staff took you out of the room on a stretcher with all the blood you left behind. Princess Celestia had to calm them all, while Princess Luna was actually with us, escorting you to the medical wing of the castle.”

“She escorted me?” You raised an eyebrow at this, and the mare nodded.

“Yep. She was just a nonstop chatterbox, just question after question, right up until we went into the emergency room—which we thankfully didn’t need to use, but she was worried all the same.” She clasped her bag shut and stood, smiling at you. “She might seem a bit cold, at first, but she’s a softie at heart. Just give her some time.”

You chuckled and shook your head. The atmosphere when Luna around could be best described as frigid, sapping your motivation to act jovial around her until the awkwardness seeped into the room thick enough to be cut with a knife. “We’ve spoken with each other on several occasions now, and… well, I don’t think she likes me.”

“She’s like that with everyone, chief,” Phial replied immediately. No doubt that she had encountered many a patient and fellow staff member who’d presented such a concern to her. “Trust me, chief, she doesn’t hate you. It’s very rare that Luna sees fit to actually visit anypony, even in the castle, on her own volition. She could just have easily sent the potion via a messenger with a letter instead. Just give her some time.”

“Oh.” Perhaps there was a chance to strengthen the relationship, after all. “Well, thank you, Doctor Phial.”

Phial placed a hoof on the doorknob, clicking her tongue at you. “Seeing as how you’re on a first-name basis with all of the mares here, you can just call me Glass—the name’s Glass Phial. And… well…” She hummed to herself, her smile stretching wide. A blush formed that only deepened as she looked at you. “I might be calling upon your services myself, at some point in the future.”

“I would say that’s entirely up to my decision, isn’t it?” you deadpanned. “While I understand the severity of having to deal with your estrus, you aren’t in heat right now, and I already have my plate stacked high dealing with as many mares as I am right now.” You sighed, and looked out the window. While the skies were as perfect as ever, a bright sun with a few clouds hovering by, your dampened mood only made the whole scene irritating to watch. “Not to mention that I’ve yet to work on the relationship aspect of this deal…”

Glass shrugged. “Well, if you’re ever interested in me, I’m always game for a good romp,” she said. And with that, she left, leaving you alone in the room with your thoughts. These moments were growing maddeningly common, so you got off the bed and immediately sat down to the paperwork piled high on your desk.

You heard a knock on the door before it opened. Aqua’s face peered in, catching you rubbing your head as you sat at the table. “How did the checkup go, chief?” she asked.

“I’m fine. Unfortunately, the doctor is also interested in laying with me,” you said with a groan. “Is it too much to find a mare that isn’t so terribly focused on my sexual performance? I should feel like a god of sex and pleasure, but all I’m feeling is terrible dread that hangs over my head like a cloud any time I talk to a mare.”

“Well, there’s Princess Luna and Cadance,” she said, slipping in and settling herself into one of the two empty chairs in front of you. “But… well, they’re princesses, so I guess that doesn’t really count.” She eyed the empty green bottle sitting next to your nightstand. “I see you’ve already taken today’s dosage.”

“Tastes like crap, but it goes down smooth, at least,” you said. “I feel fine, but when I was talking to Princess Luna, it was like…” You shuddered and shook your head. “Body on fire, mind couldn’t think… the world was swirling in my eyes. So long as I avoid taking in any more magic, my chances of going through another episode will be less…”

“Got anything else going on after your stint with the Night Guard tonight?”

“No. And I plan to keep it that way, for a while, so that means no kinky times for the both of us until I’m cleared.” Aqua pouted, in that adorable way she always did, and you couldn’t stop the stupid grin that spread on your face. “Hey, we still have that date tentatively planned, right? I might think about doing it after the day’s done…” You wiggled your eyebrows at her.

“Uh, yeah…” Aqua bit her lip, and nervously rubbed her right arm. “About that—you’re… not allowed to leave the castle grounds until otherwise stated.”

You remained silent. Your first outing to somewhere that wasn’t in this castle was already being shut down before it began? The urge to scream was strong, but you fought it back, only slowly nodding to Aqua’s words. “I see…” You sighed. “That’s disappointing. I can only walk around the castle gardens so many times before it becomes stale.”

“I know you were really looking forward to visiting Canterlot, chief,” Aqua said, “but you’re the castle’s best-kept secret right now. Outside of those walls, not a single soul knows that we’ve been housing you for months now. The public might panic, and once the word gets out, the gossip that we’ve kept locked up in here will be out of the bag, too. And that’s where things have the chance to get ugly.”

You scoffed and rolled your eyes. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Mares, chief. The castle would be raining mares.”

“Is it that bad out there?”

“I’m exaggerating, but only a teeny bit,” Aqua said, emphasizing the word by winking with an eye and producing a small space between her hooves. “There are mares stallion-starved out there that would go to Tartarus and back just to have a chance with someone like you. You realize that two out of every three conversations the maids have here is about you, right?”

“And what do they say about the chief?” you asked. Your stupid grin toyed with Aqua’s flat expression, but you held fast.

“Oh, they say so many things about you,” Aqua said, nodding her head as she cleared her throat. “Among other things, you now apparently have a massive dick, magic that can make mares cum where they stand, a voice that can melt gold, and you also happen to be a very prominent member of the guard. Which in a way, I guess you are, but still.”

“Are they serious? I walk by them every day when I’m on my rounds,” you said, throwing your arms up in the air. You reclined into your chair, kicking your feet up onto the desk as you folded your arms. “Is this seriously what they say, or are you just pulling my chain?”

“Pulling your what?”

“Are you joking with me about this, Aqua?”

“Well… yeah,” she said, smiling to herself. “I should have known you wouldn’t fall for that. But my point still stands: if word gets out that you can pleasure the strongest and toughest mares in all of Equestria, we’ll have a line forming up here that’ll go out the gates and all the way down to Ponyville in the valley.”

“So I’m going to be stuck in the castle forever?”

Aqua shook her head in a fit of haste. “No, no, it’s not like that. Princess Celestia has… well, she’s been busy working on a speech to introduce you to the public. You’ve been here for a while now, and I think we’ve learned enough of each other where we can say that you aren’t a threat to ponies. After that, she’ll probably let you head out into the city, let you mingle for a bit.”

“So, like a celebrity, then?” You scratched your chin. Certainly, the popularity was tempting, but the last thing you really wanted was to be stalked by paparazzi. Perhaps Princess Celestia had something in mind for that, too, but you weren’t holding your breath. “I’m not sure I’d like the sound of that. It would make our date pretty awkward.”

“Well, you’re going to get a lot of attention when we head into the city, public announcement or not. It’s just this way, ponies won’t be wondering who this strange creature is strolling about with a pretty pegasus at his side.” She paused, then added, “With a squad of Royal Guard escorting them.”

“Oh, come on, I’m going to have an escort, too?” you said, groaning. “At this point, I’d say we should just stay here and do dinner and a lovely evening walk, but it doesn’t help that we’d have to deal with everyone else here in the castle, too. I just can’t catch a break with this, can I?”

“Well, I’m sure we can make something work. We could just make reservations at a private resort. There’s a few up north past Manehattan in the mountains we can do.” She giggled, giddily stamping her hooves onto the cushions of her seat—another thing ponies did when they were excited, you noticed. “Oh, we should go to a resort! It’ll be nice, quiet, relaxing, plenty of great sights, foods to eat, and they cater to griffons, too! Maybe you can finally eat something you like.”

You wagged the feather of your quill at her. “I like it. Though…” You grasped for words and gestured between the both of you. “We don’t exactly have much in the way of money. I’d imagine that a trip like that’s going to cost quite a number of bits, a kind of number that I only ever see on my invoices.”

Aqua looked down at the ground, ears folded. “Yeah… as much as I like being in the Guard, we don’t get much in the way of vacations. That’s never been much of a problem, though… until I met you.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet,” you said. You left your chair to hoist her up with the tenderest of touches, and spun around the room with her embraced in your arms. “The other mares are going to be so jealous.”

“That’s not what I intended it to be, just that…” She squirmed in your grasp, then froze and stared into your eyes with determination. “What do you know about herds?”

You stopped your spinning, letting her situate herself comfortably next to you when you let her down onto the bed, and sat down next to her afterwards. “Uh… a herd? I can’t say that I’ve heard you or the other guards say much of it, but I have caught the word used once or twice by some of the maids.”

She took a deep breath. “Okay. Well, a herd is essentially a stallion and any number of mares that he’s in a committed relationship with. There’s plenty of other details, but I’ll go into them further at your leisure, but the fact of the matter is that, to an outsider, it would appear that you are the stallion, and the entire unit comprises the mares of your herd.”

“Ah, right, that whole gender disparity thing,” you said, nodding. “What’s the average number of mares in a herd, anyway?”

Aqua said nothing for several minutes, and you guessed that having as many mares that you did wasn’t a normal occurrence. “The number varies,” she said after several tense minutes, “but it’s usually several, nothing near to the amount of mares that you’re with now. Entrance into the herd depends entirely upon the current members, which would be us two, in this case, but since it’s well-known that you’ve bedded all of us and there hasn’t been any outright denial of their involvement with you, everypony assumes that we’re a herd.”

“I’m pretty sure if this herd—with all of us—is taken to its logical conclusion, then I would probably end up marrying you all. Er, you do have marriage here, right?” Upon receiving a nod, you continued, “I’m not sure if protocol would allow this. That would mean that every other mare in this unit, including Lieutenant Emberspark, your superior, would become your sisters-in-law.”

“Oh, right.” She thinned her lips, ears flopping about as she was lost in thought. You patiently waited for her answer, and pondered the nuances of married life with an entire unit of Royal Guard until she broke her silence with a sigh and a shrug. “Well, that’s out of the picture then. It does set a bad picture, and I’m sure Princess Celestia would never approve of it anyway.”

“Maybe we should get the word out that we don’t have a herd,” you suggested. Aqua nodded, and brushed up against you. Her feathers tickled your skin as she rolled into your lap, hooves hanging over her chest. Unable to resist the temptation, you found your right hand brushing down the length of her stomach, which elicited a contented coo from her.

“When it comes to rubs, I just love those hands of yours,” she said, holding your arm as you kneaded your fingers into her coat.. “I’ll have to talk to the other girls about it, but I think they’ll understand. Our previous agreement was strictly for sexual relief, after all. Mmm, your hands are so warm… I love your belly rubs.”

“I’m feeling a bit tired again… care to share a nap with me?”

“That depends.” She rolled over onto your thighs and sat face-down, her muzzle buried in your crotch. “Maybe after I attend to you first…”

“No, Aqua. I need to be able to service the Night Guard tonight,” you said, disgruntled with her approaches. Picking her up before her tongue could move to undo your zipper—which she had ample practice with—you moved her aside to the empty space of your queen-sized bed. “All of the Night Guard… I’m not so sure it’ll turn out as well this time, without those enhancers. Any chance there are aphrodisiacs out there that don’t involve magically-treated ingredients?”

“Yeah. They’re also exotic, and that means they’re expensive. We’re talking top-notch Zebrican apothecary work with ingredients that don’t grow here, and unfortunately a controlled substance here in Equestria after a few scandals with it.” You wondered how effectively this Zebrican potion worked, and whether or not the crown would be willing to pay for it. Keeping you fit to attend to the mares’ needs seemed important enough, and perhaps Princess Luna would be willing to negotiate on your behalf.

“Ugh. After tonight, I’ll ask Princess Luna about it.” You laid down, bringing yourself prone alongside Aqua. A faceful of mane greeted you as you opened your eyes as she rolled over to you. “Still up for that nap?”

“Definitely,” she said, snuggling into you as her wings were soft lumps against your chest. You felt her rump grind against your crotch, which you put a stop to with a hard slap to her flank. “Ow!”

“Not today,” you repeated in a singsong tone. You thought of ways to indulge yourself after your time with the Night Guard; it was strange how a change in situation made you grow fonder of their presence. “Tomorrow, alright?” You kissed her on the cheek and rested your head. “Night, Aqua.”

You heard her laugh. “It’s afternoon right now.”

“Mmm, whatever. Be happy you can sleep with me on a day where your shift ended early.” You felt the space in front of you grow cold as she vacated the bed, followed by the room darkening as she shut the curtains. The blankets ruffled as she returned, and you felt her lips touch your cheek before she landed her head on your shoulder.

“I know, I know. Have a nice nap, chief.”

Your nap was interrupted by the sound of hooves on stone, and from what you could tell it was coming from every direction. As you groggily sat up, the first thing you noticed was the moonlight shining in from the window, with the moon itself high up in the sky. A rush of adrenaline coursed through your veins as you realized you missed the appointed time, and were stuck in a room full of batponies, all of them looking at you.

“He’s awake!” you heard one whisper.

“Lock down his limbs before he can react!”

“Don’t let him get away!”

Before you could say anything, an armored hoof covered your mouth, and the batponies each took one of your extremities in their hooves, with the remaining few observing near the window. If it weren’t for the fact that you were being kidnapped in the middle of the night, you would have thought their glowing eyes were rather charming.

“Stop struggling! We didn’t want to wake up your marefriend, so we dropped by to whisk you away or something romantic like that!” you heard Captain Eclipse whisper into your ear. So she was the one covering your mouth, not that you’d be able to tell in the darkness.

“Wake who up, exactly?” came Aqua’s deadpan reply. Eclipse’s eyes went wide, her ears shooting up in shock as she looked over the bed. Aqua rolled over, wearing a smile at catching the batponies in the act. “Though I suppose it would be right for them to collect on a prior agreement, don’t you, chief?”

“Are we free to take him or not?” Eclipse asked. The other batponies nodded, and you noticed some of them fidgeting around on their hooves. Several shuffled around the room with impatience, and you caught the sight of their juices weaving down their legs, shone by the light from the open window that they entered from.

“Uh…” You held up your hand to let them know you were about to speak, but Aqua cut you off.

“You’re free. And make sure to be gentle with him, Captain, else you won’t be seeing him again. I hope you understand.” Aqua’s tail flicked towards you, brushing against your leg. The fine hairs were cool to the touch and silky as they splayed out across your leg. Your marefriend gave Eclipse a smile, and you knew she was reminding all of the batponies who you really belonged to.

“We know of his… condition,” Eclipse said, eyeing the empty green bottle on the nightstand right next to the both of you. “We’ll be as gentle as we can allow. You know how strenuous these interactions can be.”

“Great.” Aqua’s smile was now on you, and she blew you a kiss. “Have fun, chief.”

“I’d rather just go back to—whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” Your cry was a short one as you found yourself picked up by the arms by a pair of batponies and whisked out of the window before you even knew what happened. The night air was cold, the wind stung your eyes, and your flailing legs did little to help stabilize the ponies carrying you to their tower. Much to their skill, they managed to maintain their course and avoid barreling into the other batponies escorting you.

“Window’s open, Captain!” you heard the one carrying you on your left shout.

“Alright! Everypony in! Go, go, go!” Eclipse shouted, pointing towards the open window in Luna’s tower, situated the furthest from the front gates with the grounds cloistered away with its own gates and walls. The batponies dove for the window, and as you neared it, you realized that the window seemed small.

As you grew even nearer, you saw that it was indeed far too small for a form of your size. You shook around in their grasp, attempting to raise your legs for the imminent landing but found yourself too drowsy for your body to comply. “Uh… ladies, I don’t think I’m going to fit through that window!” you warned them.

“Nonsense! Princess Luna uses it all the time!”

“And I’m taller than she is, okay? This isn’t going to work!”

“No guts, no glory, chief!” cheered the batpony on your right. “We’ll get you through, no problem!” You weren’t sure of that—you’d seen windows like the one you were about to enter used exclusively by pegasi on roofs, though the ones the Night Guard used were on the side of the walls for ease of access. “Here we go!”

“Can’t you slow down?!”

“Nope! Time is of the essence, chief!” The entrance was drawing close far quicker than you would have liked, and your entire body tensed in anticipation of the pain to come. Your vision was obscured entirely by the tower on your approach when you felt hooves kick your legs back and up into the air. “And in you go!”

Smooth tile greeted your shirt as you slid into the tower, thankful for the integrity of your head as you sailed through the frame. That, however, was cut short, as you realized that you weren’t slowing down. Gliding along the floor, you heard the batponies behind you gasp in shock and holler to catch you as the wall drew close.

You attempted to rotate yourself so that you would hit the wall with your side or your feet, but it was too late. Only a partial turn could be managed, and your cold hands managed to gain enough traction on the tile—ridiculously smooth tile, as if you were sailing across ice—to alter your course. All of this happened in a matter of several seconds.

The last thing you heard before your cheek met the wall was the sound of Eclipse shouting for you.

“Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no…!”

Your head throbbed with a dull pain as you opened your eyes to a spinning world. Through the blur, you could make out the moving form of purple and black as you groggily reached your arm into the air. A hoof grasped it, and gently forced it back down.

“You’re awake!” Eclipse leaned in to nuzzle you, which you reciprocated to the best of your ability. You ended up wagging your head like a drunken fool. “Don’t move! You took a serious hit back there. I’m so sorry, I should have informed the girls more on proper landing technique for… uh, you. The Night Guard doesn’t have much experience with foreign dignitaries.”

A mare snorted. “It’s all your fault, Starburst. If you only listened to him and slowed down before we landed, we wouldn’t be here right now.”

“What? You’re one to talk, Moon River! You kicked up his hooves first right before we landed, which means that you’re the one responsible for him kissing the wall!” You heard her blow a raspberry in response. “And now look at what you’ve done to him!”

“It wouldn’t have been a problem if you didn’t follow along with it. That means we’re both at fault here.”

“Nuh-unh! I only followed you because I thought you knew what you were doing!”

“I only did it because you didn’t stop me from doing it! I didn’t know what to do, either!”

As the two continued bickering, your vision finally cleared enough for you to make out details beyond the tip of your nose. Rising up, you groaned with exertion as the dizziness failed to subside, and found yourself holding onto Eclipse for support. “Ugh… that really smarts,” you muttered.

“—you stupid idiot!” The two mares standing across from you had their fangs bared towards each other. Their forms stood low as they stood off against each other, ready to pounce at the slightest movement. “Stop trying to pin the blame on me!” Starburst shouted.

Moon River growled. “Why, you—”

“Okay! Ladies! That’s enough, alright?” you interrupted, rubbing your head as another batpony arrived with an ice pack, which you gladly accepted. With a grateful sigh, the cooled bag granted you immediate relief, and you turned your attention to the two mares. “Starburst, Moon River. Please don’t argue. I’m fine, alright?”

The mares relaxed, taking a tentative step away from each other at Starburst risked a look at you. Her coat was also a brilliant deep black, like Eclipse, but her mane and tail were a pure icy blue, with her eyes to match. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know that landing would have ended up like the way it did. I should have slowed down.”

“A-ha!” Moon River held her head high, sneering at Starburst. Her coat was the standard grey-and-purple palette with golden eyes that you saw the regular members of the Night Guard wear, save that her mane flowed down past her shoulders. Curious thoughts about their history came to the fore of your mind, but you had better things to worry about. “It was all your—”

“Moon River!” Eclipse answered this time, still holding your body close as you nursed your head. “Stand down! As far as things are concerned, you are both in the fault here for not heeding his instructions, and the lack of common sense the two of you demonstrated put the chief’s life at risk. I chose you two because I believed you were suited to the task, but it looks like I was wrong.” Eclipse’s face was a muted expression of disgust, and you awaited a verbal lashing that would follow, but never did.

The two mares stiffened, facing as one towards Eclipse and bowing their heads. “We are sorry, Captain, please forgive us,” said both in unison.

“This is supposed to be a night to enjoy, for all of us,” Eclipse said, her brows furrowing as she clenched her eyes shut—you noticed that her body relaxed, though she only hugged closer to you. “Don’t sour it with petty arguments. Your punishments will be decided later. For now… let us help the chief to the quarters.” With a tap, she urged you to stand, and you managed to achieve a semblance of balance once you were on your feet.

“This way, chief.” Starburst took you by the other arm, turning you aside to stroll down a serene hallway, and with your eyes adjusted to the darkness, the details were clear. Princess Luna’s preference for the dark, sleek, and beautiful was no surprise to you: the tiles on the ground were a cold black stone with iconography of the night sky and stars etched white atop. The windows you passed were adorned with three-toned curtains of black, midnight blue, and purple— the same colors used by Nightmare Moon, but you chalked the choices up to Luna’s own personal preference rather than a descent back to madness.

The tower was a series of curved halls both up and down, empty rooms filled with great murals and statues posed with great flair, countless ceilings marked with a single large moon towering above the visitor with its army of stars. You’d yet to see anything that resembled the bedroom you’d met Eclipse in, though the mares gradually brought you upward, to what you assumed were their quarters.

At this point, you were well and in full control of your senses, able to walk without need of aid. “Wouldn’t it have been better for you us to just fly to our destination in the first place?” you asked. Starburst and Moon River shared a glance that implied that they, too, had wondered the same thing, but Eclipse merely laughed.

“And miss the chance to show you where we live? Don’t you think it’s great here? This whole tower and its grounds are the domain of the Night Guard! It’s much better than living in those cramped barracks, don’t you think?” she said with gusto, hooves spread wide at the work of art that was Luna’s tower. “You can move in here with us and have plenty of space to do whatever you want!”

“I’m not moving out of the barracks.” Best to shut that one down early, you figured. The mares all whined at your response, offering sweet words and batting eyes to sway your opinion. They reached deaf ears. “I said no, ladies. No matter what you say, that’s my home, where all of my girls are.”

“And your marefriend,” Moon River said.

“Yes, and my marefriend,” you agreed. “Besides, this tower’s a maze! And what do you even do with all of these rooms, anyway?”

“Sparring, exercise, that sort of stuff,” Starburst said.

“Really?” said a mare behind you. “I thought we only used the top floor rooms for that. Nopony ever comes down here except when we do our weekly tower cleaning run.”

“Shh, don’t say that,” Starburst said in a tone of jest. “He might get the idea that he can work his cute flank helping us clean the tower.” When she noticed you looking at her, she added, “Er, if you don’t mind leading our cleaning train, that is…”

“You’re so awkward, Starburst,” chimed in another mare.

“I am not!” No further words were exchanged, and Eclipse finally brought the group to their destination in silence. Double doors, sleek black as if made of obsidian, greeted your eyes, and the great symbol of the two sisters stood marked with gold—a full circle, half-sun and half-moon, one on each door.

“Here we are!” Eclipse said, nodding to the two mares at her side. The two Night Guards dutifully stepped forward and pulled the weighty doors open, grunting with exertion. Through the door you went, only to find yourself… outside? The floor of the room remained intact, with tiles, beds, and cushions all about, but there were no walls, only columns that shored up the great domed roof above you.

“This is…” you began. Eclipse hovered past you, her leathery wings producing deep flaps that echoed with the whispering wind.

“You guessed it. Magic,” she said, coming to a stop at a massive bed in the center of the room, dressed with a star-etched deep purple blanket, and surrounded with a moat of cushions. A calm breeze ran through your hair, and you attempted to ascertain such a spectacle by looking to where you’d just entered from. The door stood alone and open, with only its frame standing surrounded by thin air.

You let out an awestruck whistle. “Very impressive stuff you’ve got here. Princess Luna has fine taste.”

“That she does. Now that we’re here, let’s get started. Starburst, do the chief a favor and strip him down, would you?” In a heartbeat, you felt Starburst leap onto your back and all of her hooves dig into the cloth of your coat and pants. In a swift motion, she reached around and unbuttoned your coat, undid your belt, and unzipped your pants in a single moment, pulling them all away at once.

“Wow, that was… quick,” you said, staring down at your underpants and dress shirt. The shirt, too, went, leaving only the clothing that covered your pride and joy. Starburst nudged you—or rather, shoved you forward, and you tripped onto the bed and into the arms of a waiting Eclipse.

“Now...” Eclipse said huskily. Her tongue flicked out, giving your cheek a taste. Her hoof circled around your chest, and then drifted downwards towards your crotch while you took her head in both hands and brought her in for a kiss. “Mmm… so willing, little pet. You’ll get what you deserve tonight.”

Her hoof dug in and dragged the cloth off of your raging hard-on, and she purred as she stroked your length. “Ready for a wild night, Eclipse?” you asked, caressing her flanks. She smiled deviously at you, withdrawing her agonizing touch and leaving your dick throbbing.

“Oh, I am.” Her fangs showed through her smile, and she looked past your shoulder. The scent of the mares grew stronger as they closed in from behind you, and you found a pair of hooves working you in place of Eclipse’s. “But I will have you when they’re all done… and it’s only fair that I save the best for last. Now, it’s bad manners to keep a lady waiting…”

“Me first!” Starburst plowed through the crowd of mares that had gathered in front of her and did a flip over your head, landing in your lap and looking absolutely ecstatic. Then her eyes found your dick. “Huh. It’s different.” You gasped as she swallowed it whole, taking it right down to the base. Her tongue wrapped itself around your shaft, pulling, sucking, tasting you, her head bobbing up and down in your lap. You were dangerously close to orgasm when she slowed, drawing her head back and staring up at you as her lips released the head with a wet smack. “I can get used to different.” An impressive feat with those fangs of hers.

“Careful, Starburst,” said Eclipse, settling in on the cushion floor across from you. She laid her head on the bed, and you saw her arms shift underneath herself—almost imperceptible had you not been looking for her. Her eyes went half-lidded, and her next words were spoken in a daze. “I think you’re getting him turned on…”

“Oh, he’s been turned on for a while now. Isn’t that right, chief?” Starburst asked.

A playful lick and a giggle followed, but you weren’t going to be outdone, and they weren’t going to be the only ones having fun. As Starburst resumed your blowjob, you unleashed your full teasing arsenal: first, the wings and their sensitive components, working your way to playing with her ears, the base of her tail, and touching the edges of her pussy, drenched heavy with her juices.

“Mmf!” Starburst was panting when she stopped, breathing heavy as she buckled down on your lap, your dick forgotten as her body trembled at your ceaseless fondling. “S-stop that! You’re not going to win—nng! No! I—oh, Celest—mmf—blessed Luna, yes! I… I’m going to…!” Her body tensed and erupted in a wave of pleasure, crowning you the winner of your little competition, and putting you in the prime position to overtake her. You planted a line of kisses along the length of her neck as you traded spots, taking a position above her as she mumbled incoherently at the onset of her orgasm. “Wh… what are you—”

Starburst practically melted at your touch, and came only by you teasing her. What a sensitive mare she was, but you figured that being as pent up as the poor Night Guard must have been did no favors in keeping your thresholds in check. Of course, you weren’t finished yet—the main course was next. You embraced her fully, the size of your body dwarfing hers. “Shh, Starburst,” you whispered. “Just close your eyes.”

She did as told, biting her lower lip as your weight shifted. Your knees bit into the mattress, and you gently raised her by the flanks. “Oh, chief… what are you—ah!” You drove into her with abandon, and her pussy greedily took in your dick, a continuation of from one set of lips to another. Her body still shook with the fading shock of her last orgasm, but already she was moaning so loudly that you were sure that everypony in the castle could hear her.

You breathed into the pillow, feeling the heat of your breath taper off into the cloth of the pillow, and you, too, lost yourself in the act. Starburst hugged you tight, and you caught sight of her expression out of the corner of your eye as you pumped into her—an expression of pure bliss, mouth ajar and eyes glazed over, head bouncing with every thrust.

Every wave of ecstasy that washed over your body pushed your mind to its limits, and you lost track of time as you fucked her relentlessly. Once, twice, three times, going nonstop, yet you realized that while Starburst had gone completely limp from rutting her silly, you received no satisfaction in return. You wondered if you should speak your mind, and stopped to pull yourself off of Starburst.

The mare snored lightly as you backed away, taking a familiar green bottle from Eclipse’s hooves as you caught your breath. “Is… is she dead?” you asked before downing the potion and gagging at its taste.

Eclipse harrumphed. “No, she’s not dead, but… blessed Luna, indeed. Chief, you fucked her eight times in a row without even stopping! Most stallions can only go half of that, and you’re still rock hard!” she said, jabbing at your penis, still dripping with Starburst’s juices.

You didn’t feel strange, and the potion was already at work, so you wondered why you were unable to achieve release. Another visit to Doctor Phial would have to be arranged, but now wasn’t the time to worry the girls. “So…” you said. “Who’s next?”

Again, the room exploded in a flood of mares vying for your affections, but this time, your other escort prevailed. Moon River claimed her position as the second lay for the night by adroitly slipping by the other mares’ packed advances, weaving along the sides and slipping herself right in front of you before the next closest mare could even touch her tail. “That would be me!” She flashed you her pearly whites, wings popping open as she looked down at your dick.

“Of course it’d be you,” you said. Like with Aqua and all winged ponies, Moon was so light that you could pick her up with only one hand, and brought her close to you. Her ears twitched as you blew into them, massaging her wings the whole time. “I’m your little fucktoy for tonight, Moon… I can do anything you want me to.”

“Ah…” Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard as she watched you nervously as she bent her head to accept the kisses to her cheek. “You, uh…”

“Yes?” you asked. When she didn’t answer, you went to playing with her tail’s base and dug your hands in underneath her to toy with her pussy and anus only to find that it was drenching wet. “All you have to do is ask, Moon River…”

“Make me your mare,” was her quiet reply. Hand laced with her juices, you placed a finger into her mouth. She suckled on it as she looked up to you.

“Seems awfully… generic,” you said, narrowing your eyes at her with a curious smile. “Unless you want the same treatment that Starburst got, that is…”

“No, I mean… make me your mare in front of…” She swallowed. “...all of them.” So she got off on having others watch. Given the intimacy of ponies and the casualness with which they regarded sex, especially with each other—you fucked Aqua’s entire unit in their own barracks, of all things—you found it an odd that such a fetish would actually exist.

You were already doing it in front of everyone else here, but it seemed Moon River wanted to take it to the next level. She stood and turned around, facing the other mares with an expression that spoke of raging hormones and a voyeuristic rush. Her tail raised, presenting all of her pussy to you, and she looked back to you with inviting eyes.

“Tonight, I’m your fucktoy,” she said, so quiet as if she were afraid that the others would hear, but her proximity to the others made it all but impossible. “Make me your mare.”

Talking dirty already made you horny, and her invitation was the cherry on top. Your sex drive was on pause, forever suspended in that pleasure state as you plowed Starburst like your life depended on it, and you had no doubt that it would be the same way with Moon River, too. The need to cum scratched at the back of your mind like nails on a chalkboard, but you shoved it away to worry about later.

You huffed, taking in the sight for a moment longer before you went to work. You swept your hands underneath her, knocking her off of her hooves and onto her stomach, and she went wide-eyed as you grasped her by the buttocks and grinded your dick against the crux of her soft folds. “Is this what you want, Moon River?”

She swallowed hard. “Yes…” she said, her voice sensuous. So it appeared she was into your little game—that was good. While you weren’t sure if you liked it, it was beyond arousing in the heat of the moment.

“I can give it to you,” you said, leaning forward and covering her body with yours. Her wings flapped, a feeble attempt to get you to back off, but you swatted them aside with ease and pinned her down to the bed by her neck. You kissed behind her left ear, enjoying the moan she let out. “But you’ll have to ask for it.”

“I’m… I’m a naughty mare, chief. Please… please give it to me.” You found yourself surprised as her tail wrapped around you, pressing your dick tight against the round nub of her anus. You gritted your teeth at the sensation, sliding it down to place it right against her pussy. “I’m a horny little pony. Show everypony what a… a slut I am.”

“Good girl.” Her attention was elsewhere, directed at the rest of the Night Guard. All the mares congregated on or next to the bed, all with expression of uncertainty and wanting… wanting to be in her place. Eclipse was no different, her shoulders slowly shaking and leaving no wonder to what she was doing below.

You slid into Moon without any difficulty, feeling her walls close in around your dick. “Oh, my—” At this point, your dick was hard enough that the feeling it gave had you thinking it was made of stone. Just slipping into her would have been enough to make you cum, but again it reached that painful peak of satisfaction only to have it bleed away and leave only soreness and frustration behind.

Frustration which you took out on her, railing into her like a man possessed as you attempted to keep that high for as long as you could. Moon was given no reprieve, and with every time she came to orgasm, you pushed into her harder than before. The blanket you fucked on top of piled underneath your knees as you pushed her closer to the edge of the bed, closer to all the watching eyes.

Each orgasm came with a position change: first, it was from behind, then on her side, in the missionary position, sitting on your lap, but as she came yet another time, you could have been considered feral, so lost to lust that words from the mares as they whispered to each other was drowned out by the urges that rampaged your mind. Moon’s body quivered from the repeated climaxing, her head dangling off the edge of the bed, mane touching the floor, and still you pounded away with no indication of slowing down.

Sexually aggressive, that was what Luna told you. At the time, you found the notion preposterous—surely you would have willpower to stave off any outburst—but now you found yourself in the precarious position of being under the influence of that power… and it terrified you. Your lust-driven persona clawed in your mind, demanding release, satisfaction, but your eyes did not lie to you: that the petite mare laid bare before you placed all her trust into you, as with every mare who laid with you did. And you were close to breaking that trust. Too close.

You thrusted into her one last time as she climaxed again, the last time for the night. Your consciousness was awash with awareness now, like water running through a scorched desert, and you realized the extent of your hold over Moon. She looked absolutely horrendous, with her mane thrown about and her coat ruffled, and your hands still gripped her shoulders.

“I… Moon?” you asked, gently releasing her.

“Yes… chief…?” came her faint reply.

“Are you okay?” You picked her head up and pulled her further onto the bed, and placed her down as softly as you could. “Did you like it?”

She stirred, turning her head and looking at you with sleepy eyes. “Yes… I loved it. You’re amazing, chief…” Yawning, she turned aside and mumbled, “I just wish more stallions were like you…” The light snoring followed, and you sighed in relief.

“Hoho, wow.” Eclipse kept her voice low as she stared in bewilderment at your still-erect cock. “You are absolutely godlike tonight, chief. Forget the magic—if this is how you’re always like, then you never needed it in the first place!” An admirable guess, but she was unfortunately wrong. A conversation was needed, of course, but that would come later. For now, you decided to play along.

“Hey, I saved myself for you girls,” you said, “and I appreciate being showered in compliments.” You passed a warm smile to all of the mares, but you felt a stabbing cold in your gut as you lied to their faces, and your smile faltered, only slightly. “We have all night, ladies. Let’s take our time, shall we?”

“Ugh…” You keeled over onto the bed as you dropped Eclipse onto it, rolling over and bumping butts with each other. The moon still stood high in the night sky, which meant it was either a permanent illusion in the barracks of the batponies, who would be accustomed to such a thing, or you’d done your duty faster than it seemed. “I… don’t want to do that again,” you said.

“There’s still me, remember?” Eclipse said. A hard hoof reached around to stroke your length, but you only let out a groan of pain in return. “Hmm. Guess being without magic is starting to wear on you, after all. Kind of expected, given how many times you came… and I sort of knocked off a few myself. Still ready and raring to go, though.”

“That’s the thing, though, Eclipse… I didn’t cum once.”

“What…” Eclipse looked between your cock and your face in disbelief, alternating faster until she ended up shaking her head to clear out her surprise. “You’re telling me that you did all of my Night Guard without even cumming once?”

“Yeah. This isn’t supposed to be normal, by the way. We usually go limp after a couple of times, and that’s being very generous.” You rolled over to the other side, hissing in pain as your dick flopped against the bedsheet. “Ack! Okay, when I’m not doing anything with it, it really hurts. The only time it doesn’t is when I’m fucking a mare, and going that route has not yielded any beneficial results.”

“Why didn’t you say anything? We could have stopped!”

“And what? Ruin your whole night?” you snapped back. “I can take a little more of this, no problem, and I can handle at least one more—” Her hoof flew across your cheek and you saw stars for a moment. Aghast, you looked back to her, hand touching the stricken spot. Eclipse’s nose touched yours, her eyes staring you down with a mixture of concern and disappointment.

“Don’t you ever think about putting us ahead of your wellbeing. You think you would have gotten that with the potions.” She sighed and arched her neck over to nuzzle you, practically rubbing her mane all over your head. “You’re such a dear to do this for us, and I don’t want you to get hurt… we can always reschedule, chief. It’s not a problem for us. We’ve been without effective relief for a while, so we can wait a few more days, or weeks, or what have you.”

“You’re the only mare left,” you said, looking at the other mares at the room’s centerpiece bed. They laid about, all slumbering on the bed or the pillows surrounding it, thoroughly satisfied with you. “Just one more, Eclipse. I can handle it, I promise.”

“You…” Eclipse’s mouth opened and shut, her eyes darting about as she fought for words. “You are not going to… you’re…” She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, shuffling onto you. “O-Okay, fine. I… I am so really, really horny right now, and seeing as how you haven’t ejaculated yet, I’m going to see if I’m the mare that can make you do it.”

You nodded, running your hands down her sides and enjoying the smooth touch of her coat. The batponies had a finer coat than the pegasi, so it was as if your fingers ran across velvet. “I’d love to see you try,” you said. “So, how do you want to—”

A hoof covered your mouth, and Eclipse shook her head. “Shut up. You aren’t going to be doing any of the work tonight. You’ve done enough as it is… and seeing how faithful you’ve been, my little pet, it’s only fair that I do all the work this time.”

The hoof receded, and the only thing you did was nod. Happy with your complicity, Eclipse took your hands off of your body, giving a cute shake of her hoof in front of your eyes to let you know that there would be no touching. You took your hands and grasped the bedsheet with it, tensing as she situated herself over your dick.

Eclipse threw her head back, tossing her mane about as she raised her hooves up to her head. She slowly stroked them across her cheeks and down her neck, running them along the slender shape of her body and the plumpness of her flanks, ending with her hooves rubbing against the skin of your stomach. You watched the entire display with mute interest, your arousal returning stronger than ever.

“Oh, you like that, don’t you?” she growled. “I’m surprised you didn’t go for our weak points on the wings tonight, chief, but I guess that wasn’t needed. Your dick is enough to drive a mare to the edge.” She dropped herself down, giving a long moan as she basked in the penetration. Her walls tightened, wrapping themselves around your shaft as she began to work.

“Just…” You inhaled sharply, holding the breath in your throat. “Just… once. Only once, okay?”

“Of course,” Eclipse said. “Only once.” Sadness crept into her voice, and you felt bad for her. It was her duty as the Captain of the Night Guard to ensure that her subordinates were taken care of, so it wouldn’t surprise you if Eclipse was normally the one who received the short end of the stick during these arrangements, if she even got to see any action at all.

“I’ll make it up to you,” you breathed out. Eclipse regarded you with discerning eyes, her pace painstaking as she prolonged the moment. Her lips twitched as she thought upon what you said, but her indecisiveness was replaced with a confident grin.

“I know you will,” she said. “Now, chief, shh. Let me work my magic, okay?”

“Anything you say, Lady Eclipse.”

She laughed. “Oh, I’m not a noblemare, chief. But I will be your lady tonight. A lady and her lord… doesn’t that sound nice? Now, honestly, be quiet, would you? You’re making it hard for me to focus on trying to get you to cum.”

You nodded, staring down at your hands as they held the fabric of the sheets with a death grip. Sweating like you’ve never sweated before, there was a huge impulse in your mind to reverse the roles of the game, to knock her aside and absolutely ravage her. You mentally cursed yourself—intrusive thoughts weren’t uncommon, but in this case, the compulsion was absolutely unbearable. The scratching feeling in the back of your mind returned,but you remained steadfast.

Eclipse moaned as she proceeded faster and faster, the lips of her pussy slickened with her juices as her form rocked over your body. The soft mounds of her teats were in clear sight, her wings were spread, and your mind was filled with nothing but thoughts of how much better you could make her feel, if only you could touch them. In a clever ploy by the hidden parts of your mind, your hands drifted closer to her with every passing second, until they were touching your hips by the time she reached a fever pitch.

At this point, you were more focused on honing your will into stopping your hands from moving than you did Eclipse, who duly enjoyed your cock and was moaning with the fire of passion in her voice. The sensation peaked again, right at that painful cusp of orgasm but achieving no release. You settled with staring at the stone ceiling’s fine features until you felt her convulse, where your raging temperament dissipated once she collapsed onto your shoulder.

“Did… did it work?” she asked, panting.

You gave a breathy laugh, shaking your head. “No… no, it didn’t,” you said. “I’m sorry, Eclipse.” Still erect, your penis remained pointed high, as if mocking your inability to cum as you stared down at it with a frown.

“Don’t be. Just… just make sure you see the doctor again tomorrow, okay? And talk with Princess Luna, too.” Eclipse snuggled up to you, offering the comfort of her warmth, if not the gratification of her body. You wrapped an arm around her, taking the time to tease her wings. “Ehehe… stop it, chief. I’m still jittery from the sex, and I’d say you have bigger things to worry about.” She glanced at your cock. “Literally.”

“Tomorrow, I’ll talk to the doctor and Princess Luna,” you said. “For now, get some sleep.”

Eclipse yawned and gave you a quick nuzzle before rolling over to a pillow, where she rested her head. “Good night, chief… and thanks for tonight.”

“It was my pleasure.”

“No, no…” She smacked her lips and her voice lulled as fatigue took her. “It was ours…”

You watched her as she fell asleep, until her breathing steadied and silence was the only companion remaining. A longing mood tugged at your heart, and you ran a gentle hand through her mane as you contemplated the strange symptoms you’d been under—what you assumed to be what was that same daze that occurred when you spoke with Princess Luna, except when exposed to the act that required the use of magic in the first place.

Any notion of continued sex had been completely halted with the passing of this night. You needed a way to expunge the rest of the magic from your body, soon, before you ended up passing the point of no return, where then every mare you saw was nothing more than another outlet for your insatiable lust. You thought of Aqua, and your love for her, and a random thought scrolled through your mind—the idea of love being able to conquer all things.

A bitter laugh, low and dry, left your lips. That was nothing but a foolish hope, but you clung to that idea like a raft amidst the uncaring waters of a tumultuous sea. There was nothing better than the thought of returning to your room, but you were tired and in no shape to descend the tower without any help, so it had to wait until next morning.

You weren’t able to fall asleep that night.

Author's Notes:

I'm sad no one got my Firefly joke in the last chapter.