LOVE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD ON ME

Chapter 16: Shiny, Happy Ponies

The couch was as comfortable a piece of furniture as money could buy. Stuffed with clouds and sheathed in pegasus-crafted fabric, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that the couch was actually the most comfortable place in the entire house, yet Cheerilee grunted as she shifted around to a more comfortable position on it. Looking down at her distended belly, her face took on a conflicted expression as she rubbed her hoof across it.

“Eight months along, and I already look ready to pop.” Her voice was full of concern for the little life within her. “Either you're gonna be the biggest filly in Equestrian history, or you're just a little too eager to meet the world. I wish the doctor had encountered something like this before, because you got me worried little girl.” The soothing sounds of the rain outside made the couch and the fireplace all the cozier, and helped to ease her worries.

She looked up and smiled as Twilight walked into the living room of their home, levitating a familiar red box. “Last one in the house, Cheery, so make it last.”

Cheerilee licked her lips and reached for the box. “Gimme, gimme, gimme!” She opened the top of the box and poured straight into her mouth.

Twilight shook her head in amusement. “I don't know how you can eat an entire box of jalapeño cheese crackers in a day.”

Licking the cheese powder from her lips, Cheerilee replied, “Hey, what the filly wants, the filly gets.” She closed up the now half-full box again and set it on the coffee table in front of her. “That hit the spot. So, did you give any more thought to the name?”

Twilight rubbed the back of her head while she looked off into the distance. “I just don't know, Cheery. That name has a... history for me; good and bad.”

“Oh come on, Twi. What could she have possibly done to ruin that name for you forever? Besides, it's cute.” Cheerilee patted the couch seat, and made some room for her to join her.

Hopping up and snuggling with her, Twilight said nothing until she had settled in and breathed out a contented sigh, listening to the sounds coming from Cheerilee's belly. “You haven't seen her drunk, Cheery. She gets... sad. And then she looks at me and it's like...”

Cheerilee leaned over and kissed the top of Twilight's head. “I'm sorry, Twi. I'll drop it. I didn't know it-”

She was stopped by a purple hoof on her lips. “No. No, it's alright. Maybe this will... break the cycle. Might even be cathartic for me- for both of us.”

The front door opened, and Spitfire quickly walked in and shut it behind her. “Wow! It is raining cats and dogs out there!” She shook herself off and walked over to the ponies on the couch, giving them both a kiss. “How's my favorite pregnant teacher and student?”

“Better now that you're here, Hot Stuff. Maybe now I can get a hoof rub too,” Twilight replied, waving a forehoof at her.

Spitfire kissed her hoof gallantly, and walked off to the hallway bathroom. “Let me get dried off first. It was absolutely pouring out there.”

“How was work?” Twilight asked. “Since it's above the clouds, I imagine that you didn't have to worry too much about the damp at least.”

Coming out of the bathroom, still rubbing her mane dry, Spitfire answered, “We may avoid the damp, but it's still windy as Hay up there during a thunderstorm.”

Twilight felt Cheerilee stiffen up and looked to her. “S'wrong, Cheery?”

A blush overcame her cheeks, and she said, “Either I just wet myself, or my water just broke; and I didn't feel my bladder release.”

Twilight leaped to her hooves and looked at the couch. A huge wet spot stained the fabric, and that's when Cheerilee grabbed onto her stomach and cried out. Immediately, Twilight's magic called forth a list, and she said, “Spitfire! Go get a cab. I'll go wake Trixie from her nap! Hurry!”

Trixie was already waking when Twilight ran into the room. “What's goin' on, Twi?”

“Cheerilee went into labor! We have to get her to the hospital fast!”

Trixie's expression soured as she took to her hooves, an obvious bulge in her belly, but not nearly as big as her fellow herd-wife. “I knew she was trying to get hers out first, the showoff.”

“Trixie, this is no time for rivalry! We need to get her there fast, and we can't teleport!” Twilight was running around the room, tearing it apart while looking for something.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Trixie asked, “What are you looking for?”

Twilight turned to her, panic in her eyes, despite the comfort of the list floating next to her. “A raincoat, an umbrella, a sheet of plywood, a newspaper, anything to keep the rain off of us!”

Trixie took Twilight's face in her forehooves and looked her in the eye. “Twilight, if you don't calm down right now, we'll leave you right here until the filly is born. The last thing we need is you panicking.” She turned her around until she faced the bedroom door and swatted her rump. “The raincoats and umbrellas are where we always keep them, in the closet next to the front door.”

“Thanks, Trix!” Twilight yelled as she ran out of the room. Trixie shook her head in amusement as she joined the rest of her herd in the living room.

She walked in to find Twilight trying to stuff the very pregnant Cheerilee into a raincoat. Several umbrellas leaned against the couch, which were knocked over by an excited Twilight as she hovered around the mare. The door opened and Spitfire came in again, soaking wet. Waving them over, she said, “Let's go! I managed to wrangle a taxi passing by.”

Though the trip itself took only a couple of minutes, it felt like an eternity to the mares. Cheerilee's grunts and screams of pain overwhelmed Twilight's attempts at coaching her breathing. Pulling up in front of the hospital, Spitfire and Twilight guided the mare in, while Trixie went in ahead to call the doctors. They burst through the doors just as Trixie and the nurses came over with a gurney and loaded the teacher onto it.

One of the nurses that the mares recognized as Coldheart said, “The doctor's already been called and is on her way. She should be here any moment.” Twilight just nodded to her and continued coaching Cheerilee's breathing as they wheeled her to the delivery room.

Just as they were getting settled in, Dr. Feelgood trotted through the door. “Status?” she calmly said.

“Contractions coming in two minutes apart, and fully dilated,” Nurse Coldheart replied, just a little harried.

“My water broke! What do you think?” Cheerilee shouted at the doctor.

Hoping to distract Cheerilee from continuing to harangue the pony that will get her through this, Twilight patted the hoof she was holding on to and said, “Remember, breathe-”

“I AM BREATHING! I COULDN'T SHOUT LIKE THIS IF I WASN'T BREATHING!”

While the nurses continued to prepare Cheerilee, Doctor Feelgood pulled Trixie and Spitfire aside. “Tell me truthfully, has she been doing the exercises I taught you all, or has she been just laying about?”

“Blood pressure, one-forty-five over eighty-three! Heart rate, two-oh-six!” A nurse shouted.

Spitfire nodded. “I've been making sure to do the exercises with all three of them each morning. Trust me, they're getting plenty of exercise.”

“Is she going to be okay, Doctor?” Trixie asked pleadingly.

Doctor Feelgood nodded. “I think so, Trixie. Even though it's way too soon for birth to even be possible right now, the filly has been developing quite quickly, and since she's been up and about, delivery should be relatively simple. I just wish I knew what caused the filly to develop this fast for her, and not for you.”

“Doctor, the head's getting ready to crown,” Coldheart said.

Not wasting any more time, Doctor Feelgood took up her station between Cheerilee's legs. “Alright, here we go, Cheerilee. You need to really start bearing down now.”

“WHAT DO YOU THINK I'VE BEEN DOING?” she shouted at her. Turning to Twilight, she added, “WHEN THIS IS OVER, I'M GONNA PAY YOU BACK FOR THIS, SPARKLE! I'M GONNA KNOCK YOU UP WITH TWINS! SEE IF I DON'T!”

Twilight gasped in pain from the grip Cheerilee had on her hoof, nearly falling to her knees. She managed to keep her hooves, and ran a damp washcloth over Cheerilee's forehead. “I'll be glad to take them too, Cheery, but old business first. Puuuuush!”

Cheerilee grit her teeth and strained, trying to push the baby along the birth canal. She suddenly slammed her head back and cried out. “Roadapples! The horn's caught on the wall!” Doctor Feelgood said. Her horn lit up, and she used her telekinetic field to feel around and gently dislodged the horn, allowing the foal to slide forward almost two inches at once. “Okay, I got it, now push again, Cheerilee!”

“I can't! I can't! It hurts too much!” she replied, tears streaming down her face.

The doctor shook her head. “You don't want an epidural right now, Sweetie, it will make the whole process go on longer. Now I need you to be brave and push again.” Gritting her teeth once more, Cheerilee strained, and the doctor smiled. “Okay, doing good now. Here she comes, just keep up the good work.”

A white sphere the size of a small cantaloupe with a tiny tuft of pink mane greeted the light of the room, the little nubbin of a horn poking through first. “That's the ol' pepper! Keep it coming, she's almost through!”

Twilight leaned in close, giving her quiet words of encouragement while Trixie and Spitfire took turns petting her sweaty mane or wiping her forehead with the cool, damp washcloth. Cheerilee gave a great heave, her mouth and eyes going wide in soundless strain.

Doctor Feelgood caught the baby as she squipped out. “She's out! She's...” her pause was suddenly covered by the wailing of the newborn foal. She quickly snipped the umbilical and swaddled the foal in a blanket before hoofing her over to the exhausted mother. Motioning with her head, she cleared the room of nurses, and stood next to the bed while the family cooed over the infant. Clearing her throat, she said, “There's something you need to know about her.”

Her serious tone silenced the room. “Wh- what's wrong with my baby?” Cheerilee asked, holding the filly protectively, as if somepony would try to take her away.

“I'm not sure that I would qualify this as 'wrong', per se, but it definitely qualifies as different,” she replied. “You see, she's not... entirely female.”

Four confused stares met her, and Cheerilee unwrapped the blanket from around the baby in her arms. The last fold was moved aside, and a quite unusual sight greeted them. Nestled between two tiny dots that marked her nipples, was a penis sheath. Looking further down, they saw that she did indeed have a vagina, but then they looked back to the sheath in confusion.

Doctor Feelgood gently took the baby and placed her next to Cheerilee's teats, and she immediately started to suckle.

Twilight looked from doctor to filly in confusion several times before uttering, “How?”

Doctor Feelgood shook her head in confusion. “I don't know either. Remember when I told you that she kept shifting around during the sonograms? Well, that's how I missed it. As to how she came to have both? Well, these sorts of things occur now and then. It's... unusual, but by no means detrimental to her health; and...” She looked down at the filly happily nursing and not even bothering to take in the world around her. “... she's likely to be very popular among the fillies.”

The four mares looked to each other, deep concern etched into their faces.

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Vintage Fields cooed at the infant in her hooves, making a game of rubbing noses with her. “Who's a beautiful baby? Who's a beautiful baby? You are! Yes you are! Yes you are!” She laughed at the filly's giggle, finding it irresistibly infectious.

Cheerilee gently took her daughter back from her mother and smiled at her. “Excuse me, Mom. It's time for someone's feeding.”

She watched her daughter whisk her granddaughter away to the nursery, and found her eyes alighting onto Twilight, who was just coming back into the room with a tea service. “So what did the doctor say about her being born so early? Did it have anything to do with... you know... her... thing?”

Trixie sniffed at her from her spot on the couch. “It's called a penis, not a thing. And I'll thank you to not treat her like she's-”

“Trixie, please. I'm sure she didn't mean anything by that. She's probably just confused about how to deal with such an unusual situation,” Twilight said placatingly. She looked to her Mother-in-law, who nodded back. “See?” She kissed her herd-wife on the cheek and began serving the cups. “But I appreciate you coming to Sunny's defense; and I'm sure Cheerilee would too.”

Slightly mollified, Trixie grumbled, “Fine. Trixie will abstain from browbeating, but will not restrain herself should somepony even think to say one bad thing about any of our fillies. Sunny Days is beautiful, and she is healthy. That is all that should matter.”

“And it is, Dear,” Vintage Fields replied. “I was just curious if there were some connection between her early birth and her penis,” She said the last word with more than a little relish at the satisfied expression in Trixie's face.

A knock at the door drew everypony's attention, and Twilight excused herself to attend to it. As she left the living room, she could hear Trixie and Vintage Fields taking friendly pot shots at each other beneath thinly veiled attempts at compliments. She opened the door and was pleasantly surprised to see Celestia standing there, flanked by two familiar unicorns. “Princess! Mom, Dad! You made it!”

Velvet hugged her daughter, and walked past, looking high and low. “Where is she? Where's my-” She stopped dead upon sighting Vintage Fields sitting calmly on the sofa opposite Trixie. “Oh my,” she quietly breathed, clearly taken with her.

Night Light walked in after giving his daughter a hug as well, and smirked at both his wife and the mare at which she was staring. “Good morning, Ms. Fields, Trixie.”

Twilight facehoofed. “I can't believe I forgot about this...”

Celestia walked in and nuzzled Twilight. “I wouldn't worry, my Faithful Student. We're all adults here and know how to behave accordingly.”

At that moment, Cheerilee walked back into the room, the tiny filly riding her back. Right away, Twilight Velvet scooped up the foal and cooed at her. “Oh, she is simply marvelous! Look, Dear! Isn't she just divine?” She held Sunny up to her husband, who immediately blew a raspberry on the baby's belly, causing her to giggle.

Celestia froze upon seeing her, though. Oh, my. It's just like my nightmare! White coat, pink mane and tail, horn and- Oh, wait! No wings! Thank goodness. She trotted over and nuzzled the foal playfully. “She's wonderful, Twilight. What are you naming her?”

Twilight shuffled her hooves as she walked over slowly. “Um, that's the thing, Princess. We were hoping- with your permission, of course- to call her Sunny Days.”

Nonplussed by the question, it took her a moment to reply. Her expression softened and her serene smile returned. “I would be honored, Twilight. Let us hope that she lives up to the name.” She bowed her head and touched her horn to the foal's with a flash of light. Appearing startled, she pulled her head back and looked to Twilight with wide eyes. “Is there something you needed to tell us, my Faithful Student?”

There she goes again, capitalizing her title for me, Twilight thought to herself. With a nervous cough, she said, “Ah, yes. You see, Mom, Dad, Princess, Sunny was born with something... extra.”

Vintage Fields snorted a laugh. “I'll say she has.”

Twilight politely coughed into her hoof and continued. “Ahem, yes. Sunny Days is a hermaphrodite. She...”

“Oh, for Stars' sake, Twilight!” Trixie said. “She has colt and filly parts, and the first one of you to tell me that she's wrong or bad will have to deal with me!”

Celestia extended a wing, brushing it along Trixie's mane. “Peace, Trixie. None of us would ever say such a thing about Sunny Days. She is a beautiful filly, and we are very glad she's come along.”

Vintage Fields nervously cleared her throat. “Excuse me, Princess, but you've lived for so long. Have you ever heard of a filly being born like this? Can you tell us if it has anything to do with her early birth? I mean, when I had Cheerilee and Berry Punch they pretty much were born on the dot eleven months later. You could have set a calendar by them.”

A light blush came over Celestia's white cheeks, and she looked a little sheepish. “I'm afraid that both events may be my fault.”

Twilight Velvet gave her a look that could freeze helium at twenty paces. “How so?”

“Allow me to explain from the beginning,” Celestia said, sitting down next to the coffee table, while the rest of the ponies took seats around her, Velvet holding on to the infant like somepony was going to take her away. "When Cheerilee was foalnapped, the Nightmare had cast an Anchor on to little Sunny Day's soul. Twilight and I think that it was attempting to leave behind a piece of itself so that it could be reborn after the main body of its essence was destroyed.

“However, we found the spell and removed it from the filly's soul. Unfortunately, the damage it had wrought on her was severe. Bad enough to turn her into a soulless husk should she be born like that.” Celestia took a deep breath and sighed. “We couldn't let that happen, so with the permission of Twilight and her herd, I gave her a piece of my own soul to strengthen hers. Being an alicorn, and the Princess of the Sun, that little portion I gave her would be enough to save her.”

Celestia sighed and looked to the infant still cradled in Velvet's forelegs. “This would necessarily create certain... complications. She is nearly as healthy as I, and will almost never suffer from illnesses nor disease, and will heal at an incredible rate. She will likely have an affinity for healing and/or fire magic, but this caused her to grow faster, hence, the early birth. I'm afraid that if the bonding has taken this turn, then she may grow into adulthood faster than normal as well. This doesn't mean she will die sooner, however. On the contrary, she will probably out live her siblings by a wide margin, and any children she has will live longer as well.”

“But what about the penis?” Vintage Fields asked. “Does that mean that you...”

Celestia blushed and nodded. “Alicorns, that is to say, all alicorns embody the pony races as a whole; whether they be unicorn, pegasi, earth pony... or male or female. I can, at need, have... a penis.”

Twilight's eyes went wide with the implications. “Does that mean that Cadance...”

Celestia regained a small measure of her mischievous composure and winked at her. “I am unaware whether or not your brother has-”

“I can't hear you! La la la la laaaaaaaaa!” Twilight yelled in a loud, sing-song voice, as she put her hooves to her ears.

Smiling down at her student, Celestia added, “Needless to say, there's a good chance she can hide it if she so chooses. I'll teach her the trick to it when she's old enough, but for now, it's best to treat her... condition as if it were normal.” A growl from Trixie startled her, and she hastily amended, “Not that she isn't normal, but you know what I mean.”

“Does this mean she's... going to be an alicorn?” Trixie asked.

Celestia shook her head. “No. One is either born an alicorn, or they are not. Being an alicorn is not a state or change one can 'evolve' or 'grow into'. If that were the case, the world would be overrun with alicorns, and that would just be silly.”

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

“Sister, please! Thou cannot blame thyself for what happened to the foals in thy keeping! Thou hadst no inkling what the dragons wert planning!” Celestia pleaded as she trotted alongside her younger sister.

“Our course is set, 'Tia. They threw down the gauntlet, and we must reply, lest they think us weak and overrun our fledgeling nation! We art but three, and we art not omnipresent!” Stopping with a sigh, the lavender alicorn turned to her older sister. “We beseech thee, please let us do this. Or wouldst thou rather press our little sister into this service so grim?”

Celestia reared back as if slapped in the face. “Heavens forfend! Luna is far too young to take up arms, let alone shoulder a task as grave as...” She stopped and shook her head. “Do not seek to muddy the waters, sister. There is no reason that We cannot do this rather than thou.”

“Except that Equestria needs the sun more than it needs the stars and magic,” the lavender alicorn replied. She sighed as she came forward and nuzzled her sister's cheek. “Believe us, sister. Wert there another way, We wouldst surely take it. Nyx and We thoroughly searched for the answer, and this was the best way.” She continued down the hallway towards the Royal Armory. “At worst, We shalt lose corporeal form for a few days whilst We replenish our divine energies. At best?” She shrugged as she paused at the door to the armory. “We shalt be late for supper.”

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Twilight bolted up into a sitting position so fast, she fell out of the rocking chair in which she had been dozing. She was confused as to whether it was the dream, or the wailing infant in the crib next to her which had awoken her, but decided that the question could be resolved after the malodorous diaper was changed first. Moving purely on instinct, she used her telekinesis to remove the offending garment. I really must thank Mom and Dad for making me a unicorn. I shudder to think what this would be like having to use my mouth.

Task complete, she put the filly down on the large floor cushion and laid down next to her, letting her nuzzle into her breasts for a quick midnight feeding. As Sunny suckled, she looked out the window, and gazed at the star-filled night sky. I really do need to talk to the Princess about these dreams. They're so much more vivid than my other dreams, and aside from my being an alicorn, they almost feel as natural as reality. She watched the stars as they wheeled about in their nightly course, and picked out the star, Sirius, next to Orion the Hunter. She could almost swear that the star was winking at her.

Noticing that the suckling had slowed to just an occasional twitch, Twilight looked down to find her foal sleeping contentedly. She picked her up and returned her to the crib by hoof, not once waking her up. She gazed down at the sleeping filly and smiled serenely. I wonder if this is how Mom felt when Shiny and I were just born? The librarian stroked the tiny tuft of pink mane and started softly singing.

You are my sunshine,
my only sunshine.
You make me happy,
when skies are gray.
You'll never know dear,
how much I love you.
Please don't take
my sunshine away.

She leaned over and gently kissed her on the forehead, and whispered, “Goodnight, my Sunshine.”

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Trixie covered her eyes with her hooves, trying hard not to laugh. “Where's Mama? Where's Mama?” She uncovered her eyes, surprising the tiny filly sitting against the curve of Cheerilee's body. “Here she is!”

Sunny Days giggled and clapped. She reached out for Trixie, who gladly took her in her forelegs and cuddled her. “Ooo, you're such a good baby! Mama's going to teach you all her magic tricks!”

Cheerilee smiled at her as she finished off another bite of her cucumber sandwich. “Just so long as you don't teach her how to disappear until she's an adult. She's quick enough as is.”

“Please, give Trixie some credit,” she replied with a roll of her eyes. “She has a better sense of responsibility than that. Besides, she's a newborn. How far could she get?” she asked, crossing her forelegs across her chest.

Cheerilee's eyes went wide. “Trixie, where's Sunny?” she gasped.

Looking around, they saw that the filly was not anywhere on their picnic blanket, Trixie even going so far as to lift the corner of the blanket. Cheerilee stiffened and pointed towards the park's lake. “There! By the water!”

Trixie turned to see their baby filly sitting by the water, a mare in the water talking to her. They ran up and Trixie scooped the baby up and holding her close. “Sunny, don't you ever run off without a mama again!”

The light green mare in the water smiled at them. “Is she yours? She's a lovely child.”

Trixie was about to lay into her, but Cheerilee put her hoof in the showmare's mouth. “Yes, she's ours. Thank you so much for making sure she didn't fall into the water. We want to teach her to swim, but the weather's turned far too chilly.”

“It was no trouble at all. My sister and I are with child as well, see?” The mare reared up in the water, showing off her distinct belly bulge, sitting right above her fish-like tail. She sank back into the water, making only a small splash. “We know how it is to worry about our young. My name is Scylla, by the way.” She held out a fin-like hoof, which Cheerilee took with a smile.

“I'm Cheerilee, the local teacher.” She pointed at her herd-wife and daughter, introducing them as well. “That's Trixie, and our daughter, Sunny Days.”

Trixie gingerly took the proffered fin/hoof and shook it. “Charmed.”

Scylla looked to Cheerilee and asked, “If you're the teacher, why aren't you in class? It is a school day, is it not?”

“Our alpha, Twilight Sparkle, is filling in for me while I'm on maternity leave,” the mulberry mare replied.

“Oh, Twilight Sparkle is your alpha?” Scylla asked, “I see. That explains a lot.”

Cheerilee tilted her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

Scylla blushed a little and sank up to her neck before returning to her previous height out of the water. “Oh! I just meant that Twilight Sparkle's power is legendary, and well, power is an incredible aphrodisiac. Not that we'd ever cheat on our beloved, but, it makes sense for a pony of her stature to attract many mates,” she quickly amended.

A light blue mare poked out of the water and splashed Scylla. “Here you are, sister!” She espied the land bound mares, and she smiled at them seductively. “Oh! Aren't you going to introduce us, Scylla?”

“Behave, sister,” she said, giving her a playful shove with a fin/hoof. “These are Twilight Sparkle's herd-wives, Cheerilee, and Trixie, as well as their foal, Sunny Days.” Turning to the mares, she added, “Miladies, This is my sister, Charybdis.”

Charybdis held out a fin/hoof, which was taken by Cheerilee. “Enchanté,” she said in a slightly more subdued tone.

Cheerilee's eyes lit up. “Oh, parlez-vous Fantaisie?”

“Oui, juste un peu,” Charybdis replied.

Scylla hugged her sister and smiled at them. “As fun as it's been, we need to get home. Beloved will be home soon, and we have a full night planned.”

Cheerilee waved to them as they ducked underwater again. “It was a pleasure meeting you both.” She turned to Trixie and nodded towards the picnic they had abandoned in their search for their wayward filly. “I suppose we'd better get home as well. I was considering a three-bean salad and cranberry muffins for dinner. What do you think?”

Trixie was about to reply when they spotted a familiar yellow pegasus landing nearby. “Um, H- hello, girls,” Fluttershy said. “Is- um, do you know if Twilight's still in class? I um, need to talk to her, if that's okay.”

“I'm afraid so, Fluttershy,” Cheerilee replied. “Class won't let out for another couple of hours at least, and that's if she doesn't have any of the students stick around after class.”

“Oh. I see,” Fluttershy said in a small voice.

“Is there anything we can help you with?” Trixie asked.

Fluttershy looked shocked at the question, and hid behind her mane. “Oh! Um, no thank you. It's nothing important, really. I'll just wait until she's free.” And with that, she flew off, leaving behind two bemused mares, and a napping filly.

“What was that all about?” Trixie asked.

Cheerilee shrugged. “Search me. She keeps to herself, so it's hard to break past her wall of shyness.” Shrugging, they resumed the task of cleaning up the remains of their picnic lunch.

(\ /)
( . .)
*(")(")

Cunning Eye growled to the nearly empty bar as he nursed his pint of beer. The earth pony tending the bar winced at the growl, but continued polishing the bartop, far enough from his only customer that he could seek shelter should he turn violent again, but close enough to provide speedy service at the slightest indication he might be needed. The commander looked to his aide de camp, a somewhat comely minotaur lass, who was currently working through a pile of paperwork nearly eye level. He considered taking her to his room (he personally burned down the house he had taken when he discovered Evening Falls missing), but knew she had too much work to do to be interrupted so that he could relieve some frustration. Besides, he had an appointment. Now if only-

A cloaked stallion walked into the bar, utterly fearless of the apparent danger that kept not only the natives, but also the occupying forces out. The shadowed figure walked straight up to Cunning Eye and took the stool next to him, waving to the barkeep, who slid a pint of cider to him. The stallion gratefully downed half the cider and slammed the mug appreciatively. "Ah! That hit the spot." He turned to Cunning Eye and said, "You said you needed something?"

The minotaur grunted and finished off his own mug and slid it down the bar towards the tender. Looking at the fearful stallion, he said, "Beat it. But don't go far."

All too happy to comply, the earth pony quickly made his way to the kitchen at the back of the building.

When he was gone, Cunning Eye said, "Our friends back home need some more grease. The wheels are starting to get squeaky again."

The cloaked stallion snorted in amusement. "It certainly does take a lot to keep a machine like this going, doesn't it? The usual amount?"

Cunning Eye nodded, his expression still dour. "That should do it."

Looking at him in the mirror, the cloaked stallion remarked, "You don't look like you're enjoying yourself. I thought you lived for this sort of thing."

"Nearly five months is a long time to be at a constant state of readiness," Cunning Eye replied. "Not to mention-"

"Not to mention losing your favorite toy," the cloaked pony said. "I have to admit, she must have been a fine looking mare before you got to her-"

He got no further as Cunning Eye stood in an eye blink, sword drawn, edge resting against the pony's throat. "I will personally see that traitor begging for mercy as I torture him to death with my own hands."

The pony drank more of his cider around the blade, and smiled. "It's always good to have goals, even if they are ridiculously unobtainable. Auric has already told his interrogators everything he knew about you and our operation, which thankfully, wasn't much. Good compartmentalization there, by the way. Unfortunately, due to his rescue of young Miss Evening Falls and his help informing the Equestrian Army of you and your usual tactics, he's been granted asylum. He and the lovely Evening Falls have been moved further into Equestria, where even my boss is having trouble locating them. From what I have been given to understand, Miss Evening Falls is quite taken with her rescuer and refuses to leave his side."

"Do you enjoy walking on the edge of a knife?" Cunning Eye asked. Both paused as the female minotaur quietly coughed and rose, walked over to them and handed a piece of paper to her superior. Cunning Eye read the note and grunted, nodding his head towards the front door. As she left, he said, "We're going to need a little... help on this."

The pony turned his head a little to regard the real minotaur instead of his reflection. "Oh?"

Cunning Eye sheathed his sword and sat down again. "Things have gotten... stale, of late. We need a stick to stir up the ponies' nest. The longer, the better. I was thinking of sinking a reinforcement ship, but my adjutant has come up with something I like even better, and puts my men at low risk." He handed the paper to the pony, who read it and smiled.

"I think we can work with this." He folded the paper and slid it into a pocket. "Make sure you give your... ah, adjutant a proper bonus for this plan."

Cunning Eye grinned and stood. "Oh, you can rely on that."

Author's Notes:

Well, it seems I may have had a problem lately with my pacing. I'll admit, it is probably the weakest part of writing off the cuff, rather than using an outline; but it's a little late to change it now, so I'll finish out this story like I have been doing, and will use a more structured method for my next one. We'll see if it makes it any better/easier/whatever. In any case, the first of the babies is here, and it only took another four-month time jump! Yay, me! Sunny Days is the only filly I had planned out fully, so from now on, all the new fillies will be made using your suggestions from my blog post.

The usual disclaimers go here. I own the arrangement of the words, Sunny Days, Dr. Feelgood, Vintage Fields, Scylla, and Charybdis. All else belongs to Hasbro and Lauren Faust.