~~~~~~Twilight Hall, Early the next morning.~~~~~~

Twilight hated waking up with a headache.

Usually, it was because the only time she ever woke up with a headache was when she'd either been working too hard on spellwork. Alternatively, there had been a Pinkie Pie party the previous evening, and that meant she had a huge mess that would need cleaning up. She cracked open one eye, noticing that she'd fallen asleep on the library sofa with a soft sheet tucked over her body and a pillow that hadn't been there before under her head.

Pinkie herself was nowhere to be found, though a note had been perched on the nearby table. In pink stationary, and with purple ink depicting a cheerful little cartoon pinkie winking at her. Where did she... Twilight facehoofed. Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie, Twilight. She gingerly grabbed the note with her hoof, rubbing at her temple while she read it.

"Morning Mistress Twilight!

Wow I even have to write it! Weird. Anywhozit, You looked kinda tired so I made sure you were comfy and cleaned up after our party! (And what a party it was! I knew you had it in ya, Mistress Twilight! (Whoops! There I go again!)) I think that there was something extra special about those Candies, so I thought you should probably find out what they were before having any more of them.

When you wake up, I'll probably be out and about in town meeting all the new ponies and other creatures around here! It's gonna be a big job, but I'm sure it'll be easy as Pinkie Pie! (See what I did there? ;) ) But we should totes get together for dinner! I'll meet you in the town square at sundown, so don't be late! We need to plan a big Twilight's-got-sexy-shadows party or something like that!

Oh, and you should invite Rainbow Dash too! I bet she's gonna love our new kind of parties. See ya at dinner!

-Pinkie!"

Twilight sighed gustily. Extra special is right. She grumbled softly, pushing herself gingerly off the sofa - though she was quiet touched by the blanket and pillow. "Winterlight." She growled powerfully as she stood up, stretching out her limbs. "Get your flank in here right now." Twilight's voice practically rumbled with power, setting the shelves of books around her to trembling.

It took her three minutes. Twilight counted. The usually immaculate Shadowbolt captain was heavily sweating - her coat and mane in complete disarray, and she smelled strongly of very vigorous sex. "Normally, I might be sorry for interrupting you." growled Twilight. "But I'm afraid I've got some questions about cupcakes that you need to answer." Winterlight looked up at her, still heavily breathing and eyes widening just a touch in fear. "Please, Captain - do enlighten me as to why I was drugged up to my horn last night?"

Winterlight took a moment or two to get her breath back - as well as to rally what few brain cells she had that were still functional. All while Twilight's icy glare seemed to fill more and more of her view. My she's gotten... stronger. Winterlight thought faintly. Once, Twilight's shadow had been a lurking beast of a thing - obviously very powerful, but quiet and subtle. Today? It loomed over her shoulders, wrapped around her like a cloak of darkness.

Only two conversions, and already Twilight's power was growing at an astonishing rate. Winterlight felt a lump settle into her throat and swallowed gently. She has begun to look like my Queen from so long ago. The very thought stabbed an icicle through Winterlight's gut, feeling a sense of awe slowly overcoming her.

Twilight arched an eyebrow and Winterlight had to stop herself from immediately prostrating herself before her queen. Winterlight swallowed again and began to speak "Yes, Mistress. The cupcakes were ordered by Shadow Dancer and Silent Moon." Twilight's face darkened a little, and Winterlight hurried on in her words. "I was completely unaware of the drugs, my Queen. Their actions were against orders and our agreed upon plans." Winterlight's hooves slowly tapped together in nervousness.

Twilight inhaled deeply and then exhaled. "Very well, Captain. I will deal with them personally." Her smile was slightly wicked. "Before you return to your... entertainment, make sure you secure the remaining contraband. I have already thought of a suitable punishment." Winterlight blinked and then bowed deeply to Twilight in obedience. Twilight spoke softly, commandingly. "I don't expect there will be a failure like this again, Captain. Am I understood?"

Winterlight nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, my Queen. I will personally make sure of that." She bowed deeply once more and pulled herself into the shadow, mentally chuckling. Dancer and Moon are gonna get it for sure. Mm, I hope Shade Hoof is still game...

~~~~~~~~

Rainbow Dash was both having fun, and not having fun.

It was fun to show off her incredible agility, speed and instincts in the air. Even these cheating batponies teleporting through the shadows couldn't keep up with her. It was even more fun when despite every trick, trap, or tactic they used, none of them could catch her when she was on the wing. Nets? Foalsplay. Ambushes? Filly, Please. Magic? She'd spent the last four years living with Mistress Twilight for Celestia's sake.

What Dash really wasn't having fun with was the fact that she'd been doing this for almost 24 hours now - And if Ribbon was to be believed, she had another 24 hours to go before her 'training' was complete. Rainbow Dash was starting to get seriously tired. The fact that she'd been attacked for most of that time hadn't helped her mood very much. There's only so much physical abuse one pony can take before she starts getting cranky. And Dash was starting to veer towards getting really cheesed off. Ribbon didn't look tired at all, for some bloody reason and that just made dash more pissed.

True, she hadn't been bored at all for all of those hours - and Ribbons had been loads of fun to hang out with. For all sorts of reasons that had nothing to do with the sexiness. Noooothing at all. Yeah right, Dash - That'll hold up. She snorted softly, currently perched on one of the freshly tiled rooftops with Ribbon nearby.

The batpony had a great sense of humor, and loved pranking almost as much as Dash did. Okay, so she drank blood for food, but Dash was prepared to overlook that. I mean, Mistress Twilight's turned into a freaky-kinky shadow Lady. Who I want to tie me to her bed frame and buck my brains out. Dash immediately blushed at the thought, trying - and failing - to hide it from Ribbon.

The batpony was next to her a moment later, grinning toothily at her. "Shadow take me, I'm jealous." She purred into Rainbow's ear with a soft giggle. "She must be incredible if you think about her this much." Ribbon had been teasing Dash all day after Rainbow had unwisely told her about how she'd been brought into the shadow. Dash quickly discovered these Shadowbolts took that sort of thing pretty seriously, and apparently, she'd scored quite a coup by making it with the Mistress. Which of course, means they all need to beat up on me. Dash thought wryly. Some things never change. They still behave like fillies at flight school.

For now though, Dash appreciated the few quiet minutes while she tried to catch her wind back. Damnit, why can’t they teach me how to do that shadow hop thing? Dash grumped quietly, tucking her hooves under her wings and closing her eyes. I Swear, I'm gonna sleep for a week after this is over. she sighed and tried to catch a really fast nap. Luckily, it seemed Ribbon was willing to let Dash grab the snatch of sleep this time instead of finding an excuse to wake her up.

Ribbon smiled gently at the cyan pegasus now snoozing against the chimney. She really is as good as she boasts. the thestral thought with a slow smile. I bet the unit leaders are salivating over who gets to recruit her. Ribbon hoped she'd get picked for her unit - for more than just her skills. That tight flank, that devil-may-care smile. She shivered a little and grinned. She'd belong primarily to the Mistress of course, but that didn't mean Ribbon couldn't have a nibble here and there.

For now though, giving Rainbow Dash a little rest was a good idea. The point of the training was to push her, not break her completely. The Captain might disagree, but the Captain wasn't here right now. So Ribbon grinned and watched Dash be incredibly cute while sleeping, while also keeping an eye on the streets below - like she was supposed to be doing on this patrol.

Ribbon poked her head out from over the roof, eyeballing the alley ways below her. Seems normal enough. She thought, scanning along the roads until she spotted a pink bouncing earth pony who seemed to be telling jokes to a crowd of construction workers. Well. That's new. she smirked a little - The earth pony was getting roars of laughter and hoof-stomped applause from her audience. She's pretty cute. Kinda cuddly looking. She leaned on the edge of the roof and perked her ears, trying to listen in.

~~~~~~~~~

Pinkie Pie was on a roll today. She'd already made friends with all three bakeries in town by sharing some of her favorite cupcake recipes. Then she'd made friends with a nice fruit-ice vendor just off the main street by showing him how to make triple-burple-berry ice. Then she'd just started making all sorts of new friends all around town in one way or another! Pinkie was absolutely ecstatic from all the smile's she'd spawned today. And this place was in serious need of some smiles! Pinkie thought with a big grin.

Of course, that might have had something to do with the party she'd been planning. And the little samples of the party she'd been spreading around too. Everypony seemed way more enthusiastic when she'd told them what kind of party she was putting together... and offered them a little pre-party sample. Wasn't really that much different from how she did it back in Ponyville! Just fewer cupcakes, and more blowjobs. Hmm, I should make sure there's going to be plenty of those fun cupcakes at the party. I wonder if Twi can order more in time?

The workers she'd been joking with had to get back to their jobs though, so there wouldn't be any more party favors to pass out for now. Pinkie felt a little glum for that, until her pinkie-sense twigged that somepony was still watching her. Ooo! Where where? Spotting the watcher didn't take Pinkie long though.

Pinkie had figured out how those strange-uniformed ponies were hiding in the trees and on rooftops, and now she could spot them from a mile off. Well, maybe half a mile in good weather. A cute thestral mare was peeking at her from a rooftop and Pinkie beamed up at her. She looks like she could be fun!

It took Pinkie less than thirty seconds to plot her route up to that rooftop. Soon, she was bouncing, jumping and clambering up a scaffolding around the house. By the time she reached the thestral, Pinkie knew she had complete surprise. "Hi!" She piped up - the quizzically looking around Shadowbolt nearly jumping out of her flight suit. "I'm Pinkie Pie! It's nice to meet- Ohmigosh, DASHIE!"

For as Pinkie's gaze had traversed the rooftop, there was Rainbow Dash. In one of those funny outfits, no less! She was sleeping too, but Pinkie never let that stop her. Especially not now that Dashie had that glowy shadow power inside her too, and that meant she would probably love her new Pinkie Pie Parties! So Pinkie dove, not caring one way or another about what that might mean - or what might be going on.

At that very moment, a half dozen Shadowbolts appeared seemingly out of nowhere. They were all converging on the same target as Pinkie Pie - which was to say, a sleeping Rainbow Dash. Pinkie didn't know who they were, but even in the slowness of the moment she could tell they meant her harm.

And that just wasn't going to happen. Not on Pinkie's watch.

~~~~~~~~

Twilight Shadow's hooves stalked down the hallway of her home. Right now, Twilight Sparkle had taken a firm back seat to the Shadow, as she approached the door of her Maiden's rooms. She could have traversed in there via the shadows. She could have taken them without a single word, whisked away to be punished.

She could have done a lot of things, but right now she wanted to make a point not just to her Maidens, but to every other pony who lived and worked in this city. No shadows for now, Twilight pulled magic in through her horn and slammed open the door to the Maiden's room, nearly taking them off the hinges in the process.

The Maiden's room was designed around two beds, equidistantly spaced. If Twilight had been an artist, she might have admired the dichotomy of the room - White and off-white everything for Silent Moon, Black and dark blues for Shadow Dancer. The rooms were otherwise identical excepting in style - Beds, Dressers, Vanities, And a pair of writing desks shoved up against one another in the middle of the room. There was also a common table and chairs between the two sides of the room, painted neatly into white and black halves.

At the moment however, both maidens had gotten tangled up in Shadow Dancers bed - where they lay cuddled into one another’s arms in a very cute fashion. Once again, if Twilight had been quite angry - she would have been quite charmed by the effect.

Unfortunately for the sleeping couple, Twilight was angry. Very, very angry. Her horn lit up again with nothing but magic - and she yanked the blanket out from over the sleeping couple- sending both ponies tumbling to the ground in a surprised and suddenly awoken heap. They stared at her in confusion - or rather, Dancer stared. Moon just looked confused.

Then confusion turned into fear as Twilight stalked across the room - her shadow grew beneath her hooves until it stretched back out into the hallway. Her mane was not merely dripping with liquid shadows now, but practically smoking with them. Her eyes were a dark violet set of dragons eyes and they glared balefully at her two wayward maidens.

For the first time, Twilight's eyes could at last see what all of her minions could see. Like a halo of power around their heads, dark shadows flitted and pulsed within and around them. That is their Shadow, Twilight... An ancient, raspy voice spoke into her ears. It is what compels them to obey you, and grants them the Shadow's power.

Twilight's head nearly whipped around at the voice - but that wouldn't have done for her intimidating entrance. Instead, she simply planted her hooves and glared at them menacingly while she worked out the issue in her head. So I can see. So, who do I have the honor of sharing my mind with this time? She did her best to imbue her mental tone with an angry growl. Her maidens were still trembling, as if they had been frozen to the ground by her gaze.

The raspy voice chuckled softly. I am not Tantalus, my precious shade. As to who I really am? You'll find out in time. Now deal with these miscreants. You have more important duties. The voice faded in a cackle of laughter and Twilight wanted to snarl aloud. She was truly getting tired of being manipulated by seemingly every creature and spirit of this Shadow.

It was time to start taking control of the situation, once and for all. "Get up." Twilight spoke oh-so-softly. "On your hooves, right now." Her tone was still soft. Dangerously so. Dancer and Moon were on their hooves in seconds, bowing deeply to Twilight. Twilight didn't even deign to notice the bowing. It was a meaningless gesture right now, a reflex given to her. She hadn't really done much to earn those bows, those words of respect. She was about to change that. "So." Twilight lifted a hoof and dropped a sticky yellow and purple candy to the floor in front of their hooves. "You get one chance to explain." That was magnanimous enough, she thought.

Both her Maidens seemed to think so too, as neither of them immediately began begging for mercy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pinkie wasn't a fighting pony at heart. She much preferred fun as a solution to every problem in the world. She was even pretty positive that if she'd just managed to get Chrysalis to simmer down and enjoy the party, there might not have even been a fight then either! But not liking to fight, and not knowing how to fight were two different things entirely.

Pinkie twisted her soft body in midair - instead of forehooves first, she was now legs first. The first of the pegasi and batponies attacking her friend was a good ten feet ahead of the others. None of them had noticed her, which Pinkie was just fine with. She always did love a good surprise.

Pinkie might not have had the hard body of Applejack, but she had spent the first ten years of her life on a rock farm. Since then, she'd been lifting massive stacks of sweets, sacks of flour and sugar, and all manner of other heavy things in her apprenticeship to the Cake family. Which was to say, that Pinkie was still an earth pony, and she still knew how to pack a wallop.

More importantly, she had learned years ago that sometimes ponies didn't want to have fun. Or at least, not the kind of fun that you might enjoy too. That was just the way of the world sometimes, and even Granny Pie had said she'd had to get into hoofsticuffs from time to time. So Pinkie had taken maybe one or two or a few hundred classes on the subject of fighting pretty much everything.

Pinkie smiled from the memories of those fun lessons. Then her rear hooves connected with the unsuspecting head of the attacking thestral, and sent him crashing into the building below them and through an unfinished stone wall. Pinkie planted her forehooves on the roof's edge as she landed, with all the balance of a trained acrobat. With the momentum from her forward leap still going, she twisted her body again and brought her rear hooves around in a classic apple-buck - smashing into the second attacking pony with enough force to send them rocketing across the sky.

By now, the attackers had noticed that their intended target had a friend. They had also noticed that friend was apparently an insane earth pony, with enough strength to give even them problems. Rainbow Dash was still asleep though, apparently so tired she hadn't even noticed the meleè going on around her. And Ribbon? She was just gaping at Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie smirked as the four remaining attackers seemed to realize their folly just a bit too late. Hmph. I expected you to be a superb priestess to convert for me... I had not anticipated a warrior. A dry, raspy tone spoke in Pinkie's head. He sounded like he could use a glass of water, and maybe a cupcake or two. The voice coughed and then hacked out a laugh Glass of water. Now that is definitely new.

Pinkie felt a sexy giggle come on and reached out to grab one of the scrambling pegasi. Hi there! I'm Pinkie Pie! She thought cheerfully. Wow, This town was great! She was even making new friends inside her own head! One sec, I'll be riiiight with you. the caught pegasi only had enough time to look up in astonishment as Pinkie smashed him headfirst into the roof tiles...and through the roof. Whoopsiedaisy. Little too rough there. Aw, he'll be fine though. She giggled madly again as the last of the attackers were beating a fast aerial retreat.

Pinkie grabbed a now loosened roof tile and tossed it into the air. She pirouetted and smashed it with her rear hooves - clean clocking a fourth shadow bolt hard enough to send him crashing into the ground. Pinkie dusted her hooves off. And that's that! So what's your name, Mr. Voice in my head? she thought cheerfully, turning to smile brightly at Ribbon. "This town's even more fun than I thought!" She proclaimed, getting only a bemused smile in return. "I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name?"

Ribbon seemed to be formulating her answer, as the raspy voice chuckled softly. Oh you are almost as fascinating as my precious shade. I think I like you, pink one. You may call me Umbra.

~~~~~~~~~

Twilight had listened quite patiently to their explanations. Stammering and incoherent as they occasionally had been. Still, they made sense enough given the context. Oh, they were still in very deep trouble - but at least they were not simply acting like complete fools. Quite the contrary in fact. "Well. At least you are not fools." Twilight vocalized, and she could see her Maidens relax just a tiny bit.

She smirked softly. "Your actions were still vastly inappropriate, and merit discipline." She lifted the still sticky candy from the floor, eyeballing it with a smile. "So this is what you two will do. You will go and acquire exactly five of these candies for each of you from Captain Winterlight. You will inform her that you are to be fed these candies, and then bound in such a way as you cannot move any of your limbs to touch yourself." A smile - wicked and evil - slowly formed on Twilight's face. "You will then be locked in quiet, dark and separate rooms, alone until such time as I deem you have sufficiently learned your lesson."

There was a moment of disbelief, and a slow horror seemed to creep onto Shadow Dancer's face. She knew exactly how sensitive those candies made you. She also know exactly how much they turbocharged a pony's normal sex drive. Put two and two together, and the punishment of being utterly aching for untold hours with absolutely no hope for release?

Twilight had to preen a little at the poetry of the punishment. She had no doubt her Maidens would not forget this experience for a very long time to come. "Oh yes. And if you attempt to lie or deceive your way out of any part of this punishment.." Twilight whispered, leaning down so that Dancer could look dead in to her Queens dragon-slitted eyes. "You will soon come to realize that I was being merciful the first time I punished you." Her tone was dark, and redolent with the shadow. "Now. Go."

Shadow dancer nodded numbly and vanished into the shadow of her bed to go and find Winterlight. Silent Moon remained for a moment though, her heart racing in excitement. True, she was likely going to suffer terribly over these next hours. Probably enough to break her mind a little bit. But in those words, in those deep, powerful and commanding words that had left the mouth of Twilight Shadow - Silent Moon had heard her Queen. Her Mistress. The one she knew would lead them all to the glorious darkness they had been promised.

It was enough to send a shiver of anticipation down her spine, even as she melted into the shadows. Tremble, Celestia. Moon thought with satisfaction. The Night is coming once again..

Author's Notes:

27 hours and seven re-writes later, and this thing is FINALLY DONE.

And now, I actually have my structure all properly set up for the next twelve chapters. HURRAH!