LOVE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD ON ME

Chapter 13: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Golden Bit slammed his forehooves onto his office desk so hard, he knocked off a picture frame. “What do you mean 'she's going to be married or something this weekend'? That's the best information you can offer me? 'Married or something'? What kind of report is that? What am I paying you for?” he roared at the poor unicorn stallion trembling before him.

The Duke fell back into his chair in a huff. “Whom is she marrying?”

The frightened light green stallion pulled a sheet of paper from his saddlebag and read it in a tremulous voice. “Th- they're Cheerilee, Spitfire, and Trixie, though it seems the last was once known as Lulamoon. They were made nobles this Dewsday.”

Glaring at his hireling, Golden Bit arched an eyebrow. “What? I don't recognize their names. What ranks do they hold? Wait, three? Since when does that brat get off marrying three ponies? That's illegal!”

The stallion glanced at his paper again, mostly so he didn't have to meet his irate boss's eyes. “That's what I don't get either, Your Grace. None of the Princesses have proclaimed any indulgences, nor proposed any laws before Parliament to change marriage laws of any kind.” He looked up to meet Golden Bits' eyes and immediately regretted it. “I'm not sure how she plans to skirt the law, but they don't seem to be worried about it being nullified,” he said with a gulp.

Golden Bit steepled his hooves in front of his face and brooded in silence. That certainly explains where Celestia went Dewsday. She went to ennoble those ponies so they could form whatever union they have planned. I remember now overhearing Silver Veil talking to Heartstrings about some sort of new nobles. “I suppose it's too much to ask that you know just who these stallions are, is it?”

The spy nervously looked from side to side, refusing to let his eyes rest once more on Golden Bit, in a vain attempt to avoid feeling his ire. “Er, Actually, they're mares. All of them.”

Golden Bit sat in silence for a moment, then scrubbed his eyes with his hooves. His shoulders began shaking, causing his spy to take a hesitant half-step backwards. When he burst out into loud, insane-sounding laughter, the spy sat down heavily on his rump. It took several moments before he regained control of himself, and his laughs subsided to mere chuckles, and he wiped the tears from his eyes. “Oh, dear me. And what does she expect to do for children; adopt? Rent-A-Stallion?” A nervous cough from the spy caught his attention and all semblance of mirth disappeared from him. “What?” he asked flatly.

Coughing into a hoof, he said, “They've been seeing an obstetrician a lot recently. Like, about as often as you might expect a pregnant mare to go, which is way more than you'd expect from a mare who just moved. I wasn't able to crack the doctor or any of the staff about the reason for the visit, but the nursing staff there seemed very excited.”

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Golden Bit stood and went to his window and looked out over Canterlot. “I never would have pegged her as brave or kinky enough to use that spell. Certainly puts her in a new light.” Turning his head slightly, he asked, “So what other bad news do you have for me?”

“Whatever it is they're doing is occurring this Satyrday. While the whole town is very close-mouthed about just what is going on, several things can't help be known. One: Sweet Apple Acres is central to some sort of gathering requiring that a pergola and archway be rebuilt and decorated with white roses.

“Two: said event requires so many flowers that the local producers can't keep up, and additional orders were placed here in Canterlot.

“Three: Octavia has canceled a standing appointment here in Canterlot with the Philharmonic for unknown reasons.

“Four: Sparkle's friend and dressmaker Rarity, was so busy this past week with a secret order, that she delayed all previous orders, and is taking no more until she opens up again on Moonday.

“Five: Sparkle's friend and baker Pinkie-Pie and friend and farmer Applejack have been seen baking for the past two days straight.

“Six: Family of all four mares have been heard to be careful to keep their schedules for this coming weekend open.

“Seven: For several months, as I have been reporting to you, Twilight has been living with these four mares, and has been seen by me to be acting like more than friends. My only possible conclusion is a marriage of some sort.”

Golden Bit rounded on him angrily. “Why haven't you been able to get better confirmation than this? I used to get better reports on her movements than this from you.”

The stallion drew himself up and put on a stern face. “I've told Your Grace that since she moved to Ponyville, it's been harder to keep tabs on her movements. Back in Canterlot, it wasn't hard to find ponies within the palace that would tell me what I wanted to know. Here, it's much more difficult, especially with that infernal Plain Sight! I swear she has like a sixth sense when it comes to Sparkle, and is always there to block me.” He rose to his hooves and began pacing in front of the Duke, his anger growing with each step.

“It's never anything I can use against her with the local authorities, such as they are in that backwater dump! I think she has contacts within them anyway, since they're never around when she blocks me outright, and there's never witnesses.” He sat down with an exasperated sigh and ran a hoof through his lighter green mane. “Basically Your Grace, until you're willing to put more money and hire more to keep watch over Sparkle, our information on her is going to be spotty at best.”

Golden Bit returned to the window and stared out it again for a moment. “Return to your post. Notify me of any changes.” He didn't even turn back when the stallion bowed and left his sumptuous office. When the door closed, the Duke turned and walked over to his liquor cabinet, but paused when a CRACK sounded from under his hoof.

Looking down, he saw the picture frame that was knocked from his desk earlier and picked it up in his magic. Golden Bit turned it over to see his son as a colt of about eight smiling as he played a violin for an enthralled Twilight Sparkle. He remembered this as one of the happiest days of his life, because it was when the colt had finally gained her trust, a feat that Blueblood had yet to surpass in his eyes. The stallion smiled fondly, remembering how happy his son had been that he had finally made friends with her, and brushed the shattered glass from the picture.

Golden bit then remembered his last meeting with Blueblood and his smile turned into a sour frown. He went over to the trashcan and held the picture frame over it to throw it away, but hesitated. After a moment's indecision, he instead shook all the broken glass out and put the frame back on his desk, facing the chair.

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Twilight reached for the final bunch of roses and deftly tied them to the pergola using her magic. With that done, she sighed and stepped back to look over her work. She loved the smell and look of white roses, and the contrast they provided against the red cedar wood really made them pop. She breathed in deeply and felt all the day's weariness drain away on the cool breeze that wended its way through the orchard the Apple family had graciously offered to host the event.

She turned at the sound of an approaching pony and smiled at Rarity. “Twilight, darling, we're all done in the barn if you want to come inspect it.” Nodding her assent, Twilight fell into step beside her. ”Not nervous about tomorrow, are you darling?” Rarity asked.

Waving a dismissive hoof, Twilight replied, “Of course not.” She grinned at her a little too much and after a few moments, added, “Terrified. I keep worrying that I'll forget to do something, or say something, or Stars forbid, somepony tries something stupid and I lose control.”

Rarity paused, halting their progress towards the barn and rested a reassuring hoof on Twilight's shoulder. “Twilight, even if you do manage to forget something, it will still be your best day ever, because you'll be committing to spending the rest of your life with the three luckiest mares in all Equestria.”

Twilight embraced Rarity and said in a choked voice, “No, I'm the luckiest mare in all of Equestria, for having friends like you girls, not to mention a herd like mine. I really have to get the Princess something nice for pushing me to make friends.”

They walked into the barn to find white and pastel streamers of the colors found in their dresses and bunting hung to artfully disguise the true purpose of the building. Balloons of the same colors accented them, and a small stage off to one side was being used by Octavia's Octet which where currently practicing the processional song picked out. Vinyl Scratch was setting up her turntable behind them, so it would be ready to go at a moment's notice. Tables were set up against the walls, leaving a space in the center for ponies to dance, and a buffet was set up, waiting to be stocked. Best of all, not a speck of hay was to be seen anywhere.

Trixie and Cheerilee, who had been setting up tables with tablecloths and centerpieces ran up to her. “Doesn't it look grand, Twilight? Trixie knew we could depend on Rarity!”

Rarity blushed at the compliment. “Oh, it was a joint effort, Trixie. I never could have done it alone,” she said bashfully.

Just then, a gust of wind blew in, hot on the tail of Rainbow Dash. “Okay, we're all set up! Let's go!”

“Go? Go where?” Twilight said, looking around nervously.

Rarity smirked at her. “Darling, did you really think we'd see you off without a bachelorette party?”

A panicked look overcame the librarian. “What? But I never got that book in the 'For Fun and Profit' series, let alone in the 'For Dummies' series! How will I know what to do? How will I know if we missed anything?”

Dash rolled her eyes and started pushing the recalcitrant mare from behind. “Ugh! You and your 'How To' guides. I swear, one of these days, I'm gonna use all the copies in the library for kindling! Just play things by ear for once!”

“Come, come, dear. You really need to learn that there are some things that are better off learned in person rather than a book,” Rarity said, closing the doors as they left. “After all, there is only so much they can teach one.”

Twilight gasped in utter shock. “Blasphemy! Heresy! I am shocked and appalled at you, Rarity! And Rainbow, if you harm one leaf of paper in my library, I'll revoke your library card!”

Unseen behind her, Cheerilee and Trixie shared a silent laugh.

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The party arrived at Fluttershy's house to find Applejack and Spitfire rolling a large barrel into her kitchen and setting it up on the counter. The pegasus chocked it on either side to keep it from rolling, while the farmer pulled out a spigot and a mallet from under her hat. Seeing them enter, Applejack tilted her hat back in greeting with the mallet in her hoof. “Well, howdy there, Twi. Welcome to your last night o' freedom.”

Spitfire flew over and hugged Twilight tightly. “If freedom means living without my daily dose of vitamin Twi, I'll take imprisonment, thank you very much.”

Twilight breathed in the musky aroma of her fillyfriend's sweaty exertions and sighed contentedly. She threw her forelegs around the pegasus and stuck her tongue out at Applejack. “Don't listen to her, Loves. She's just jealous that Rarity hasn't made an honest mare of her yet.”

Rainbow elbowed the white unicorn in the side. “Yeah, that's a good point! Why haven't you and AJ tied the knot yet?”

Her face turning bright red, Rarity sputtered nonsense. “I- well- she- that is- you see- it's like-” She turned to Applejack with big dewy eyes and a quivering bottom lip.

The farmer came running to her Lady's rescue and laid one possessive foreleg around her neck, and waved her hat at the rest of the ponies playfully with the other. “Back! Back, Ah say!” She turned the unicorn's head to face hers. “Don't you worry none, Sugar. Ah'll protect yah from those mean ol' ponies!” she said in exaggerated baby talk.

Pinkie-Pie came bouncing into the kitchen and saw all the hugging going on. “Ooo! It can be Sweetheart Hug Tiem now?” With that, she tackled Dash to the floor and started smothering her with kisses and a move more appropriately called a grapple than a hug. The pegasus below her tried to escape, proclaiming “this mushy stuff” was way uncool, although everypony there could see that she wasn't trying very hard.

Not wanting to be left out, Cheerilee and Trixie latched on to their soon-to-be alpha, showering her and each other with chaste kisses.

This was the scene that greeted Fluttershy and the three Princesses as they walked in from the backyard. “Oh, my!” Fluttershy eeped out.

“Sooth, 'Tia! Wert thou fibbing when thou claim'd that orgies were now the exception, rather than the rule?” Luna asked.

Celestia rested a gentle hoof on her shoulder. “Be at ease, sister. I don't believe this is what it appears to be, is it, My Faithful Student?”

Twilight gulped, sure that she could hear the capitalization of her favorite nickname.

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Another round of laughter erupted from the night-enshrouded house, causing Shining Armor to roll his eyes again. I wonder what crazy color they decided to paint that poor mare's hooves? To say that his idea of what went on in a bachelorette party was a bit skewed would be an understatement. As far as he was concerned, because this was his sister they were talking about, the most risqué thing he could imagine happening there was somepony dogearing a page instead of using a proper bookmark.

“Perimeter secure, sir!”

Shining saluted without even turning around, but froze halfway to his brow when the voice registered to his brain. He whirled around to see his second-least favorite pony ever standing at attention. “What are you doing here, Plain Sight? You were given the night off so that your whole team can be on hoof tomorrow. The Royal Guard is on duty tonight.”

Plain Sight grinned at the unveiled antipathy, which bordered on open hostility. “I am relaxing, Prince-Consort.” Her smile became a little toothier at Shining's frown from her use of his now proper title. “Aw, is the poor widdle Ex-Captain upset that he can't pway Woyal Guawd any mowe?” she asked in singsong baby talk.

“Watch your tone, Lieutenant,” he growled in a menacing tone. “I am still a reserve Captain, and your superior in the chain of command.”

Plain Sight assumed a pose of attention and saluted smartly. “Sah, yes Sah!” The gleam of mischief in her eyes put lie to the respect in her show. Her posture drooped into something more casual and she leaned an elbow on the fence surrounding Fluttershy's cottage. “What is it with you Captains being such sticklers for protocol? You even say 'left-tenant' like the Princess instead of 'loo-tenant'. It's all very pretentious sounding, you know.”

Rather than have to look at her anymore than he must, he turned his attention back to the cottage. “Somepony like you would never understand.”

“Mmm, do tell.”

A hard gleam in his eyes overcame him as he explained. “It's about taking your responsibility seriously. Dangers lurk everywhere, and it's not enough to be ready for them. Sometimes, you can avert danger by looking like you're looking for danger. Having a menacing-looking guard at your side can do more for your safety and peace of mind than a thousand guards in the shadows that you aren't even aware of.”

To her credit, Plain Sight held her laughter in for almost a full five seconds. Shining looked at her sprawled across the fence rail trying to keep her voice down as she shook from deep belly-laughs. At first he was just shocked, but then it turned to anger, and he angrily hissed at her, “What is so funny?”

The earth pony wiped a tear from her eye and took a deep breath. “You are. You're so cute! You think that every problem can be solved with a force bolt, or a magical barrier, or a dozen burly guards. Tell me, Prince, what do you use to swat flies, carts? Buildings? Just because you can use a disintegration ray, doesn't necessarily mean that you should.”

Shining waved the comment off as negligible. “Yes, yes, I know. Appropriate force levels and all that. It's only the second lesson they drill into us in magic school.”

“Then perhaps you need a remedial course?” She smiled at his look of shock for the second time this night. “Tell me, Oh Wise, and Sage Prince Armor; do you think that you sister would be herding with those three ponies tomorrow if she had been under the kind of protection you would deem appropriate? Hmm? Would she have been able to live anything resembling the happy life she's led up to now under that kind of scrutiny? Who would have approached her, knowing that a mean ol' stallion would be glaring down at them, judging them, and just waiting for Twilight to show the tiniest bit of distress?

“No, she would probably be back in Canterlot, her nose buried in a book, remaining oblivious to Prince Blueblood's advances; and that would be a best case scenario,” she answered for him. “Worst case scenario, she would have married The Great White Dope and be on her third foal if he and his father had any say in it; and mark my words, they would. Worse still, they would have warped her mind away from the Princess's love, and turned her into a pawn in the little power games.”

She looked him in his doubting eyes and held his attention captive. “Don't you think that she's happier with the way things have turned out? She has so many friends, that she needs an abacus to keep track, she has a job that she loves, a little adventure on the side, and the love of three amazing mares. To top it all off, she's beaten her big brother and ex-foalsitter to the punch with grandfoals.” She turned again to face the cottage where another burst of laughter was heard. “This is the happiest she's ever been, Shining. Is hating me always going to color your judgment of my methods, or are you just resentful that you had to retire when you married the love of your life?”

“I just don't like the idea of somepony too scared to tell the mare she loves how she feels, guarding my sister.”

They stood there in silence, leaning on the fence rail. Plain Sight finally pushed away and started walking off. “Touché.”

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All but one pony there was in shock. Yes, they had dared her to do it. Yes, she was drunk as a skunk. And yes, the music was getting to everypony, but they never thought that she actually would do it. Not her. So now they stood there, their mouths hanging open, and their eyes glued to that yellow pegasus rump as it swayed to the beat of the song. They made not a sound as Fluttershy thrust her hips in a provocative manner. They moved not a muscle as she whipped her mane around while bent over, swinging her forelegs back and forth. They hardly even dared to breathe when she looked each of them in the eye seductively as the normally reserved mare lay on her side and lifted one hind leg straight up into the air in a split that would do a cheerleader proud. They didn't even dare to blink when she resumed standing on her hind legs and ran her forehooves all over her body as if begging them to do the same to her.

After what seemed like an eternity, the song ended, and the room erupted in cheering, hollering, and catcalls. A thunderous applause met the mare as she stepped down from the coffee table, but the blush on her cheeks was more from the hard cider she had been drinking than embarrassment.

As the next song started, Spitfire grabbed Twilight by the hoof, saying, “Come on! We can't let her show us up!”

Cheerilee jumped in to the mix. “Oh, think you're gonna leave out the original Barbie Girl from her song? I don't think so!”

“Trixie will show you how it's done!” As per usual, when these four mares tried to dance together, it ended up being the most explicit dance scene you could get without actual penetration. Kisses were exchanged, bodies were caressed, and it was finally broken up by Celestia using her magic to separate each pony within their own bubble.

The only one to show any remorse was Twilight, who had actually drunk very little. Once she realized that she had all but had sex in front of her mentor, she was so embarrassed, that she hid under her hooves, blushing hard enough to pass for an apple fresh from the orchard. “I am soooo sorry, Princess! I don't know what came over me!”

Celestia gave her a reassuring nuzzle. “It's quite alright, Twilight. We all need to cut loose every now and then. Just look at Luna!”

The cowering unicorn uncovered one eye and immediately regretted it. Luna was rump-bumping Fluttershy to another song. It was difficult to connect the wholesome looking pegasus, who was casually smacking her flank against the larger alicorn's, while looking up at her her such innocence, to the sex Goddess that had been dancing on the table only minutes before.

Pinkie-Pie decided then that it was time for her favorite part of any party. “GAME TIME!” she shouted at the top of her lungs. She passed out fresh mugs of cider to everypony (making sure Trixie's and Cheerilee's were non-alcoholic) and called them to gather around the coffee table in the middle of Fluttershy's living room. Turning off her portable CD player, she brought out an old record player decorated in bright colors. “We're going to play...” From behind her back, she whipped out a long, semi-soft tube made of blue vinyl, “Pass the Vibrator! Rules are simple. Everypony passes the vibrator to the right while the music is playing. When the music stops, that pony is out. Last pony to be holding it when the music stops is out. Winner of the final round gets to keep the vibrator! Neat, huh?”

Turning on the vibrator, she handed it to a squeamish Rarity, who stared at it with a horrid fascination. The Baker returned to the record player and started it up. “Start passing!” she said to the strains of Pop Goes the Weasel. First out was Applejack, who actually looked a little disappointed, followed by a relieved Rarity. It kept going like that until it was just Spitfire and Luna passing it between the two of them, both looking serious about winning. The music finally stopped and Luna had to stop herself from passing it on to Spitfire.

“Mooney wins!” Pinkie shouted with glee.

Luna looked to the vibrator, which was still running and turned to her sister. “Er, how doth one 'turn it off'?” Celestia turned the buzzing toy around so that her little sister could see the bottom with the switch. Blushing, the younger alicorn muttered “My thanks,” and set it aside with her discarded regalia.

“Hey, Pinkie! Let's play 'I Never', next!” Cadance said.

Pinkie clapped her hooves at the suggestion. “Ooo! That's a good one! One I can play too!”

“I Never?” replied Dash. “Sounds like it's right up Rarity's alley!” She fell over backwards laughing.

Rarity sniffed and put her nose in the air. “How droll, Rainbow.”

Cadance laid her mug on the table and gestured for the rest to follow suit. “The rules are simple. One of us says 'I never,' followed by something they've never done, and everypony who cannot say the same honestly must take a drink, like so.” She cleared her throat and raised her mug. “I never had sex with more than one pony at a time.”

Twilight glared into her smirk and took a drink of her cider, as did her herdmates. She was surprised when she saw that they were not alone. In fact, the only ones not drinking were Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Cadance herself. With wide eyes, she turned to Celestia.

The white alicorn simply looked at her and shrugged. “What can I say? I've been around for a long time, and was once considered a symbol of fertility and fecundity.”

Spitfire turned to Dash with equal surprise. “Really? When have you partaken of... Ooohhh...”

Shrugging it off like it was no big deal, the pegasus replied, “It was just a few days ago. No biggie.”

Twilight set her mug down and laid her head next to it. “This was more than I wanted to know.”

Winking at her, Celestia replied, “Now you know how I feel.”

Cadance nodded to Pinkie-Pie next to her. “Oh! My turn? Ooo... What to go with... Ah!” Raising her mug, she proudly proclaimed, “I never lusted after Big Macintosh!”

Applejack facehoofed. “Really, Pinkie? That was somethin' Ah coulda done without knowin'.” Pinkie just grinned at her as Twilight, Cheerilee, Rarity, Fluttershy, and most surprising of all, Rainbow Dash and Luna took a drink. Applejack gave Luna and Dash an incredulous look. “The Princess is surprisin' enough, but you too, Dash?”

The racer threw up her hooves in frustration. “Why is it so surprising to everypony that I like cock as much pussy? I swear you'd think I have a sign taped to my back that says 'Carpet Muncher' or something!” She jabbed Applejack in the ribs with her elbow, saying, “Besides, your brother is one fine HPOA.”

“Huh-poh-ah?” Luna said. “Prithee, what dost that word meaneth?”

Spitfire jumped in, saying, “It's an acronym, Princess. It stands for Hot Piece Of Ass. Aych, Pee, Oh, Ay.”

Luna crowed with laughter. “Verily, Truer words hath ne'er been spoken!”

Applejack groaned and pulled her hat down over her face to hide her embarrassment. Pinkie nodded to Rainbow Dash beside her, who raised her mug and said with confidence, “I never get scared.” Boos and catcalls met this declaration, and the pegasus cleared her throat and said, “Okay, okay, for real, this time. I never...” She thought for a moment, then said, “I never thought I'd find my true love within my own gender.”

She was met this time with “Aaawww”s. “That's so sweet!” Rarity said.

Celestia added, “It's often where we lest expect to find it.”

“Verily,” Luna agreed.

This time, only Pinkie-Pie and Twilight took a drink. Snuggling into Spitfire, Twilight said, “I knew as soon as I saw you that first time in the Princess's court that colts were ruined for me forever.” Spitfire's face turned beet red, but she laid her head on top of Twilight's while Trixie and Cheerilee hugged them both.

Pinkie declared, “Colts never really interested me. But I knew it was a special day when I met my Dashie-poo.”

Applejack raised her mug and said, “Ah never done it with a stallion afore.”

Unsurprisingly, Celestia, Cadance, and Luna took a drink, but Dash surprised everypony there by also taking one. She looked at her staring friends and said, “What? It was years ago.”

The game continued on like that until more than half of them lay passed out on various pieces of furniture. As Applejack, the last of the non-alicorn hold outs, fell against Rarity on the couch, Celestia stood and stretched her legs and wings. “It has been some time since we last had fun like this. Eh, Lulu?” she asked as she spread a blanket over Twilight and her mares.

Luna looked up at her sister. “Sooth. Let us hope that it doesn't take this long afore the next such celebration.” She smiled down at Fluttershy, whose leg was trying to jog along as her belly was rubbed by the Lunar Alicorn.

“Auntie Luna, leave that poor mare's belly alone,” Cadance said. She shook her head in bemusement. “I swear, with the way you treat her, she's going to get the wrong idea about you. Half the Royal Guard already has. Why just this morning, I overheard one placing a bet with another as to when you two were going to stop playing games and hook up 'officially'.”

Luna stopped rubbing her belly and stroked her cheek instead. “She hath posed us the same question.” Cadance stiffened, but said nothing. “She didst not understand why it cannot be; still doth not. Yet she is always ready to welcome us into her home with a smile and the promise of friendship.”

Cadance walked up to her and hugged her tightly. “It'll be okay, Auntie. We're here for you.”

“We wouldst wish for a different fate for her. A kinder one. If one were deserving of finding true love, it is she.” Luna leaned into the embrace, finding a small measure of peace in the simple act of kindness.

The warmth was more than doubled when Celestia wrapped them both up in her vast wing. “ 'Till all are one.”

As if from rote, Luna and Cadance echoed her. “ 'Till all are one.”

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She could feel the barrier cracking. It would not be long before it shattered entirely. Not even she could stand up to a pounding from an entire flight of dragons. “No! We must not falter! We cannot!” Looking behind her, she could see the scared faces of the foals left in her care. “Fear not, young ones! We shall prevail!”

An especially hard slam against her shield put lie to her words. In truth, it could not last much longer. Already, the dragons were prying at the tiny cracks that had formed, and would soon be through, free to ravage the small church in which the ponies had taken shelter. Their shrieks and roars were louder now, and with each hammer blow upon her magical barrier, it felt like the dragon in question had punched her instead of the proxy.

Veins began to stand out and sweat poured down her purple coat as she strained to hold off the imminent slaughter. And then it happened. Her magical barrier, a wall of force that could stand up to the strongest of hurricanes for days on end, a layer of protection that had diverted a river of lava around a village, a mighty shield that once reflected a ray of pure entropy back upon it's caster, the one spell she always knew she could count on, failed.

She fell to the stone floor of the church, gasping for breath. The oldest of the foals started to come forward to help her, but she waved her back. “No! Stay-” Whatever else she was going to say was lost forever when the roof of the church was ripped away, and ten dragons looked over the edge of the wall. When they exhaled, breathing the fiercest weapon in their arsenal, the end came so quickly, none of them had a time to even draw breath to scream.

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Twilight awoke screaming and flailing her hooves, trying to free herself from the entangling blanket around her. Looking around, she could see no dragons, nothing more threatening than Fluttershy's pet, Angel Bunny, who looked at her like she was insane. Trixie rolled over on the floor beside her, mumbling, “Close the curtains, dear. 'S too early.” Ponies lay sprawled everywhere in the room, laying where they had fallen the previous night.

Cadance came over and levitated a glass of water which Twilight eagerly accepted. “Bad dream, Ladybug?” The unicorn nodded silently in reply. “Want to talk about it?” A shake of her head this time. “Then you better get up. Your herding ceremony starts in just three hours,” she said with a wide smile.

Author's Notes:

How's that for a bachelorette party? I actually looked up some of the games that might get played at them, just for this chapter. See the lengths I go to for you all?

The usual disclaimers go here. I own the arrangement of the words, Golden Bit, his unnamed spy, and Plain Sight. All else belongs to Hasbro and Lauren Faust.