View difference between Paste ID: f5ZpWpx4 and n6LtP3k0

 Be Anon
 >Be waking up in your borrowed bed
 >You stretch and snuggle deeper into the depths of your blankets
 >You had nothing better to do today than sleep in
 >There was never anything better to do than sleep in
 >You've been living day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute ever since you arrived in this world
 >There is literally nothing for you to do all day other than be a curiosity, a conversation starter, for the Princesses and their dignitaries...
 >Sparkle was the worst
 >Whenever she was around, the questions never stopped
 >It was like being around a little kid
 >'How advanced are humans?'
 >>'A hell of a lot more advanced than you ponies are'
 >'Why?'
 >>'We can't use magic, so we have to focus on technology'
 >'Why?'
 >>'Because my home world doesn't have magic
 >'Why?'
 >>'I don't know'
 >'Why don't you know?'
 >>'My people always thought magic wasn't real'
 >'Why?'
 >You groan at the unpleasant memory
 >Those conversations could go on for hours if you couldn't escape
 >You sigh and force yourself to think about happier things
 >Like the Food here
 >Everything tastes significantly better here than it does back home
 >Especially the desserts
 >These ponies have made desserts into an art form
 >Pudding stands out as a true testament to the powers of chocolate and sugar
 >As your brain lingers on the delectable confections, you begin to drift off
 >You fall back into a beautiful sleep
 >"ANONYMOUS! IT IS TIME TO WAKE THYSELF! MINE SISTER AND I WAIT FOR THEE!"
 >You twitch yourself awake violently as Luna invades your mind
 >Damnit Luna
 >You sigh and swing your legs over the edge of the bed and stand groggily
 >You rub the sleep out of your eyes as you head towards your borrowed bathroom to begin your monotonous morning routine
 >You shower exactly the same as you do everyday
 >You brush your teeth same as you do everyday
 >You dry and dress yourself the same as you do everyday
 >You scratch at your beard
 >Ponies are terrified of anything sharper than a ball
 >So of course you can't get a razor
 >You sigh and head towards the great hall for breakfast
 >Same as every day
 >A pair of royal guards open the doors for you and you step in
 >Luna greets you first, same as every damn day
 >"GREETINGS ANONYMOUS! WE HOPE OUR WAKEUP CALL DID NOT DISTURB YOU OVERMUCH!"
 >She's too damn loud for this early in the morning
 "Morning, Moonbutt"
 >Luna bellows a laugh at the stupid nickname
 >Same as everyday
 >Celestia greets you next
 >"Good morning, Anonymous. I trust you had a restful night?"
 >You nod
 "I slept well enough. How about you? You don't look so good"
 >You smile
 >This routine may be written in stone, but you still get a kick out of this part
 >"What do you mean? I feel... NO! Anonymous, don't do it"
 >She gives you a glare of warning
 >Which you brazenly ignore
 "I mean-"
 >"ANONYMOUS, I swear to ME, if you make that joke again I'll send you to jail!"
 >Your eyes narrow
 >So do Celestia's
 >Luna sips a juice box expectantly
 "...Why the long face?"
 >Celestia screams and throws her hooves into the air
 >...That's new
 >Normally she just puts her face in her hoof and sighs
 >"That is IT, Anonymous! I warned you!"
 >...
 >Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to piss off an eternal god-princess?
 >Celestia slams her hooves into the table, bouncing Luna's juice box into the air and onto the ground
 >"I Hereby sentence you to a month in prison!"
 >Damn!
 >Luna looks down dejectedly at her fallen juice
 "A whole month?! For one bad joke?!"
 >"Not 'one bad joke', one terrible joke told every day for the last four weeks!"
 >Luna magics her juice box back to the table and resumes sipping its remaining contents
 >"AREN'T YOU BEING A LITTLE HARSH, DEAR SISTER?"
 >Celestia swivels her head towards her sister
 >"REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
 >Oh Jesus!
 >...Maybe a month in jail won't be that bad?
 "I think I'll go pack my things"
 >Luna nods quickly
 >"GOOD IDEA!"
 >You are escorted by several guards back to your borrowed room
 >You try to look at the bright side
 >Things can't get any worse from here, right?
 >Plus it will be a /very/ welcome change of pace
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >..
 >...
 >Be on a carriage ride to the prison
 >You stare out the window, watching the scenery slowly flow past
 >You've been on this carriage for an hour now
 >With a sigh of boredom, you lazily look around the inside of the carriage
 >You couldn't even try taking a nap without Luna popping in for a visit
 >How long have you been on this damn thing?
 >Your stomache growls
 >If only you packed a snack...
 >The carriage comes to a shuddering stop
 >One of the guards taps on the carriage door, then opens it
 >"We're here. Welcome to 'Goofy Goober's High Security Party Prison"
 >He moves aside and you step out to see what can only be described as a candy palace
 >Standing at the front gate is a very excited looking earth pony
 >"Howdy! I'm the warden The Warden!"
 "Nice to meet you meet you"
 >She tilts her head
 >"What?"
 >You sigh internally
 "Nevermind. I'm Anonymous"
 >The Warden nods
 >"I know.It's a pleasure to meet you! Come with me and I'll explain how your first day will go"
 >She turns and happily trots toward the prison
 >"As you know, this is the prison"
 >She makes a sweeping gesture with her hoof
 >"founded by my own grandfather! Goofy Goober!"
 >She continues through the front doors and a pair of guardponies wave happily
 >She leads you to a small locker room just past the entrance that has a gray uniform on a bench
 >"I'll give you some privacy in here. You'll change into uniform here then we'll continue the tour"
 >You nod and The Warden leaves
 >You undress and easily pull on the uniform
 >The uniform is stupidly comfortable
 >It is more like a pajama onesie with the footies than a prison uniform
 >What's more, it is perfectly fitted for you
 >They must have pulled your measurements from the royal tailors
 >Neat
 >You step out of the locker room and The Warden beams you a smile
 >"Did you know the uniform colors mean different things? Black belongs to supervillians, Red uniforms are dangerous prisoners, and orange are normal prisoners"
 >You nod thoughtfully
 >...
 >Wait
 "What about gray uniforms?"
 >The Warden giggles
 >"That color means that you are just somepony who made a mistake. I was really surprised that a gray uniform would be getting a full month! Grays normally only get a few days at the most"
 >Neat
 >Everyone here was going to assume you were a pushover
 >Fantastic
 >"Come on, I'll show you the Mess hall next! You are just in time for lunch"
 >You sigh and follow the prancing pony
 >At least it was something new
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be a black suit Changeling Queen
 >You are sitting at your table
 >Alone
 >As usual
 >You don't care
 >You really don't
 >You don't mind being alone at all
 >Not one bit
 >It isn't like a creature that feeds off love and friendship could ever be lonely or anything
 >Besides, if anyone else sat at your table they could ruin your view of the mess
 >You always sat so that you could see everything happening around you
 >You sigh and use your magic to play with the food on your plate
 >Sure, you /could/ survive off material food...
 >But it was tasteless compared to love
 >You take a bite of the flavorless sustenance and sigh as you chew
 >Watching the mess, you notice The Warden leading a new inmate into the large space
 >Hrm...
 >What an odd creature
 >It looked almost like a minotaur
 >With some obvious differences
 >It was smaller, weaker looking
 >But the biggest giveaway was the gray uniform
 >Minotaurs were always at least orange level
 >You swallow
 >This creature was in for a rough few days
 
 Be Anon
 >Be in the mess with The Warden
 >Be hungry from that long carriage ride
 "Hey, while we're here could I get something to eat?"
 >The Warden nods
 >"Of course! Help yourself! I have a few things I can work on while you eat. I'll be back in a little while to continue the tour!"
 >The Warden hops away, humming happily to herself
 >Leaving you alone in the center of the crowded mess hall
 >With countless inmates of every race and gender staring at you
 >You self consciously head towards the food line
 >It feels like a hundred pairs of eyes are digging into your back
 >...Not a great feeling
 >You go through the mostly empty line quickly and turn back towards the mess proper with a full tray
 >The vast majority of inmates have already lost interest in you
 >Though there are a few who still watch you
 >You give those staring a nervous grin and head towards the nearest table
 >A table occupied by a minotaur, a dragon, and a griffon
 >Like Popanon always said...
 >No better time to make friends like the present
 "Hi, I'm Anon. Mind if I sit here?"
 >The catbird eyes you and shrugs
 "...Thanks"
 >You sit and focus on your meal
 >"Hi, I'm Libele"
 >You look over to see the dragon in red waving sheepishly
 >Based on the voice, definitely a female
 >You smile back
 >Don't want to alienate a potential ally here
 >After all, it seemed like everyone else was set to either ignore you or make damned sure you knew your place
 "Pleasure to meet you Libele"
 >She gives a tiny smile
 "Who are your friends?"
 >You make a sweeping gesture at everyone else at the table
 >"The griffon in red is Feygl. Say 'hello', Feygl"
 >The griffon rolls her eyes
 >"'Hello Feygl'"
 >You chuckle at the griffon's terrible joke
 >Feygl smirks over in response
 >Libele points to the minotaur sitting across the table from you
 >"The minotaur in gray is Amber Ember"
 >The light brown coated minotaur looks up at the mention of her name
 >She spots you and looks at you surprised, but pleasantly so
 >"Hello, when did you get here?"
 "Just a minute ago. I'm Anonymous, but most people just call me 'Anon'"
 >She bows a little in her seat
 >"The pleasure of meeting is all mine. Peace find you, Anon"
 "Thanks, peace find you too?"
 >The minotaur gives a lazy giggle
 >Libele points to the empty seat next to her
 >"This breezie is Vintl"
 >Libele leans over and whispers to you
 >"Don't underestimate her, she's a black suit for a reason"
 >You look over at the spot, confused
 >There is a tray there, and Libele left plenty of room...
 >But you can't see anyone there...
 >A high pitched warble comes out of the space near Libele
 >The hell?
 >That was one adorably high-pitched voice
 >You tilt your head and lean over to try and see the source of the voice
 >Libele smiles nervously at the seemingly empty space
 >"Please, Vintl, be nice. He's new here and a graysuit! He doesn't mean any harm"
 >The high pitched warble returns with a vengeance
 >You squint your eyes and lean closer...
 >...
 >It doesn't take long for you to finally spot the source of the voice
 >A tiny, pony-like fairy thing is glaring at you
 >The breezie bark-chirps something at you
 >Whatever she said, it was probably offensive
 >You look around the table for support
 >Libele looks distressed
 >Amber just hums to herself, completely oblivious to the situation
 >Feygl is watching the exchange, smirking
 >You turn back to the obviously angry, extremely tiny creature
 "Whatever I did, I'm sorry?"
 >The breezie's expression turns to one of smug satisfaction and she chirps
 >Libele sighs in relief
 >"Thanks for not hurting him, Vintl"
 >You sit back on the bench
 >Within the span of a few minutes, you've met four mythical creatures
 >A light brown minotaur
 >An emerald green dragon
 >A -mostly- white griffon
 >And a pink-skinned fairy
 >Neat!
 >This was already more interesting than the palace
 >Your belly growls at you
 >...Time to see if the food is anywhere near as good as at the palace
 >You start digging into your food
 >Delicious!
 >You smile as you chew
 >You'd only been here a few minutes and experienced more excitement and wonder here than in all the time spent at Celestia's castle
 
 Be Feygl
 >Be sitting next to a weird creature in a gray uniform
 >While new gray suits are common, you've never seen one of his species before
 "So what are you?"
 >Anon looks over and swallows
 >"I'm a human"
 >The buck is a human?
 "The buck is a human?"
 >Anon leans back to face you better
 >"To put it simply, I'm an alien"
 >muffled in the distance, an inmate greets his friend
 >"Ay! L'Mao!"
 >You raise an eyebrow
 "An alien? really?"
 >Anon nods and takes another bite
 >"Whole other world"
 >Amber's eyes focus sharply on Anon
 >"You're from another plane of existence?! Amazing... What is your world like?"
 >Anon sighs and smiles
 >"It is a whole lot darker than this world. This place seems to be built on sunshine and rainbows"
 >You raise an eyebrow
 "Oh yeah? So what was your world built on?"
 >Anon stares you dead in the eyes
 >"Not pleasant things"
 >Anon frowns
 >"I don't want to talk about my world right now, can we change the subject? What do you do for fun around here?"
 >Libele clasps her talons
 >"We have all sorts of lovely clubs and groups. Would you like to join me for dance club?"
 >Anon sips his milk
 >"eh... I'll think about it"
 >Amber smiles
 >"You are more than welcome to join me for one of my 'sermons'"
 >Anon raises an eyebrow
 >"You're a preacher?"
 >Amber nods
 >"Many have forgotten the old ways, have forgotten to remember their ancestors. I try my best to remind them with songs, stories, and herbal enlightenment"
 >Anon takes another sip
 >"'herbal enlightenment'?"
 >Amber nods happily
 >"Plants hold the keys to other planes of reality and new ways of viewing our world. Maybe we could find a way for you to send a message home together? Everyone is connected through nature and ancestors, after all"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"I doubt it, my people are pretty far removed from nature"
 >Amber frowns
 >"That isn't good"
 >Anon looks around the table
 >"We survive, it isn't that bad... What did you all do to get put here?"
 >Amber raises a hand and blushes slightly
 >"I burned some incense from home in a... public place. No one there appreciated being sent on a spiritual journey"
 >You turn away as Anon looks over at you
 "I don't want to talk about it"
 >Vintl pokes her head up and yodel-warbles an answer
 >Libele frowns
 >"Please don't cuss, Vintl"
 >Anon turns to Libele
 >"So what is your story? You seem too nice to be a criminal"
 >Libele looks at the ground in shame
 >"I'm too big. I kept accidently bumping into things and ended up..."
 >...
 >Anon tilts his head
 >"Ended up what?"
 >Libele sniffles
 >"...I ended up... I ended up...Destroying a whole village!"
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Wow! Really?"
 >Libele nods sadly
 >"I wish I wasn't so big..."
 >Anon smiles at her
 >"Hey, cheer up. It was all an accident, right? And no one was hurt?"
 >Libele nods again
 >Anon's comforting smile grows larger
 >"So you have nothing to feel bad about. Besides, you're already serving your time here to make up for it. Also, you aren't 'too big'. I'd say you are only a few feet taller than I am!"
 >Vintl squeaks something encouraging to Libele
 >Libele sniffles and smiles
 >"Thanks..."
 >Anon nods
 >"Glad to help cheer you up"
 
 Be Anon
 "Glad to help cheer you up"
 >Look at you
 >You're making friends
 >Mommanon would be so proud
 >With females
 >Popanon would be so proud
 >With a bunch of animals
 >Uncle Incognito would be so proud
 >...
 >Uncle Incognito wasn't a very good role model
 >Vintl warbles a question at you
 >You look over at the breezie
 >Vintl raises an eyebrow expectantly
 >You turn towards Libele
 "Translation please?"
 >Libele nods
 >"Vintl says she wants to know what you did"
 "Ah"
 >You nod and smile to yourself
 "Being the only human in Equestria, I was a personal guest of Celestia, But she didn't approve of my sense of humor"
 >Feygl raises an eyebrow
 >"Really? What happened?"
 "As you all can see, humans have pretty short faces compared to everything else in this world. So each day for a month I asked Celestia 'why the long face?'... She finally lost it and sent me to prison"
 >The four girls just stare at you for a moment
 >Vintl reacts first, laughing and bark-chirping something
 >Libele recoils from her small friend
 >"Vintl! Don't say such things of royalty!"
 >You turn to Libele again
 "Translation?"
 >Libele reseats her wings against her back
 >"...I can only repeat part of it. Vintl said she likes you, and wants to know how long your sentence is"
 >You turn back to the fairy
 "I'm here for a month"
 >Vintl starts laughing her tiny ass off
 >Feygl shakes her head
 >"Now I know you're pulling my tail. No way a gray is stuck here for a full month"
 >Amber reaches across the table and places her hands on yours
 >"I believe you, and I'm sorry. I hope this punishment passes quickly for you"
 >You give Amber an awkward smile
 >She smiles back
 >After a second, she begins chewing her lip and her eyes begin to glaze over
 >...
 >..
 >.
 "Thanks... Could I have my hands back? I'd like to finish eating before The Warden comes back to finish the tour"
 >Amber's eyes widen in surprise
 >"Of course! I'm sorry, I was lost in thought"
 >You give her a thumbs up
 "All good"
 >With your newly freed hands, you resume eating
 >It's almost time for your favorite part of the meal
 >Dessert!
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >That new inmate sat at a table near yours
 >Looks like he has already made a few friends
 >They all share a laugh
 >You bite your lip
 >Why is it always so easy for everyone else?
 >Why doesn't anyone like you?
 >...
 >Why bother asking questions you already knew the answer to?...
 >No one liked you because you are a changeling
 >And not just any changeling, a brood queen
 >A brood queen without a brood...
 >You let out an angry sigh
 >You don't need anyone else
 >You've always done just fine on your own
 >The food on your tray slowly gets colder and colder
 >You aren't hungry for this slop
 >As you stare at the unappetizing meal, so lost in thought you fail to notice another inmate approaching your table
 >A magical blue aura surrounds your tray and, before you can react, tosses the contents onto the floor
 >All except your pudding cup
 >The pudding cup floats over to the owner of the aura
 >A gray unicorn with a white mane
 "What is it now, Bright Spear?"
 >Spear sneers at you, magically pulling up the collar on his red jumpsuit
 >"Your kind don't deserve to eat food that ponies worked hard for"
 >Several inmates turn to look at the commotion
 >Including the new inmate
 >Your eyes narrow at Spear
 >He stands his ground
 "Give me back my pudding"
 >You don't actually want it
 >But you can't let Spear win
 >Spear smiles cruelly
 >"No"
 >The new inmate stands up
 >"What's your problem, just give her back her pudding"
 >You blink in surprise
 >Someone was actually on your side?!
 >Spear raises an eyebrow at the inmate, eyeing his gray suit
 >"Back off gray, you're in over your head"
 >The inmate shakes his head and steps closer to Spear
 >Spear has to tilt his head back to look the gray suit in the eye
 >The gray suit crosses his arms
 >"I'd say the situation is only up to my knees at worst"
 >He leans down, completely overshadowing Spear
 >"Now give the pudding back"
 >Spear growls
 >"Never! Changelings are monsters!"
 >With that, Spear magically opens the pudding and slams it top-down onto the mess floor
 >Then he stomps on it
 >Pudding goes flying, some of it splattering against the new inmate's shins
 >"What did you do that for?!"
 >Spear turns and trots away, sticking his tongue out at the gray suit
 >The new inmate shakes his head as he turns to you
 >"Damn, what a dick. Why was he bothering you? And why are you sitting alone?"
 >You shrug
 "No one likes me"
 >The gray suit frowns
 >"Why do you say that?"
 "Because It's true. No one wants to be friends with a changeling"
 >The inmate shakes his head
 >"I can't believe there is racism in a place like this... Tell ya what, my name is Anon and you can have my pudding"
 >You blink
 "What?"
 >The gray suit, Anon, smiles
 >"He smashed your pudding, and everyone needs at least one friend... When I was a kid, I was mercilessly bullied. I don't like seeing others go through that kind of experience. I'll be right back"
 >Anon quickly strides back to his table to grab his pudding cup from his tray, along with an unused spoon
 >This new inmate was up to something, no one treated you nicely
 >It had to be a trick
 >Anon carefully steps around the splattered food on the floor and places the treat on the table in front of you
 >"Here"
 >You eye Anon suspiciously
 "What are you planning?"
 >Anon tilts his head slightly
 >"What do you mean? I can get more pudding during dinner"
 >You see The Warden trot back into the mess, far behind Anon
 >"Inmate Anonymous, are you ready to resume the tour?"
 >Anon glances over his shoulder at The Warden
 >"Sure, just give me a minute!"
 >He turns back towards you
 >"I'll see you around"
 >He starts to turn away, but stops suddenly
 >"Almost forgot, I never caught your name"
 "That's because I never told you what it was"
 >Anon smirks
 >"Real cute. Seriously though"
 "Spinnerette"
 >Anon nods
 >"Pleasure to meet you Spinnerette"
 >You nod at him and he turns, smiling, back to his original table
 >He says his goodbyes to the various creatures at the table and The Warden leads him away
 >You watch him every step of the way as he leaves
 >What an odd creature this Anon was
 >You look down at the pudding he offered
 >You sniff the outside of the little carton
 >Doesn't smell like he did anything to it
 >And the top is sealed tight, no way he tampered with the contents
 >You shrug and use your magic to peel back the lid
 >Had to get something in your belly, after all
 >Your magical aura surrounds the spoon
 >There was no way he wasn't up to something
 >No one ever gave changelings anything out of the goodness of their hearts alone
 >You dip the spoon into the pudding and levitate it towards your mouth
 >Anon probably just wanted you to transform to look like someone he knew ba-
 >...wait
 >what?
 >You could taste the pudding?!
 >WHAT?!
 >The sweet coco treat sits in your mouth, saturating it with sugar
 >and something else
 >Genuine compassion
 >You greedily swallow the morsel and dig into the pudding
 >Each bite was better than the last
 >You abandon the spoon and extend your long tongue into the cup, licking up every last drop
 >With the pudding cup well and truly empty, you lean back on your bench
 >You'd spent most of your life in the prison system, and that was the best meal you'd had in years
 >So...
 >Anon wants to be...friends?
 >Even though you are a Changeling?
 >You lick your lips
 >Seems like you'll have to keep an eye out for this 'Anonymous'
 
 
 Be The Warden
 >Today has been such a good day so far!
 >You got to meet a new inmate
 >And he's already making friends!
 "And this is the music room! You can practice any instrument you want in here. If you can't play any, I'm sure everypony would love to help you learn!"
 >The tour was going splendidly as well
 >Anon was listening carefully, occasionally glancing at the map you gave him as you pointed out new locations
 >Your smile grows as you trot towards the pool
 >Things were going so smoothly
 >Usually, something went wrong during the initial tour
 >You giggle to yourself as you remember your first time giving the tour to an inmate by yourself
 >You had gotten lost and had somehow managed to lead the inmate outside and into the woods!
 >The smell of chlorine grows as the sounds of music fade
 >You close your eyes and take a deep sniff
 >You always did enjoy that smell
 >So clean smelling, that smell was
 >The kind of smell you could smell all day
 >A pony shouts out in fear
 >Your eyes snap open
 >One of your inmates was in trouble
 >You bullet ahead, leaving Anon behind
 >You skid around the corner and rush into the pool room
 >Just in time to be splashed
 >"Sorry there matey, didn't see ya thar!"
 >That was Sandy Beaches' voice
 >You shake the water from your face and look towards the source of the voice
 >Sure enough, Sandy was grinning wildly at you
 >A stallion wearing water wings sighs in relief
 >"Thank Celestia you're here Warden! Sandy won't stop splashing me!"
 >You give Sandy a disapproving look
 >Sandy growls at the stallion
 >"Ye blabbering skally-wag!"
 >You get into a power stance
 "Sandy, apologize. Now"
 >The roudy pegasus huffs
 >"I do apologize...yar..."
 >You curtly nod
 >You turn as you hear the sounds of footsteps approaching you from behind
 "Ah, Anon. Sorry about disappearing on you. Welcome to the pool"
 >Anon smiles and looks around
 >"Don't worry abou-"
 >He's cut off by a massive wave of water
 >"Yah-ha-ha-har!"
 "SANDY!"
 >You turn back to the troublemaking mare
 "Out of the pool! Now!"
 >Sandy frowns
 >"But matey! T'was an accident!"
 >Sandy eyes the soaking wet human
 >"Besides, methinks he be stallion enough to survive a bit o' the sea. Ain't I right, ya big landlubber?"
 >Sandy winks at Anon
 >At least you think it's a wink
 >You can't really tell with that eyepatch covering her other eye
 "No excuses young lady! Out. Of. The. Pool!"
 >Sandy pouts
 >"B-But the sea! She calls to me!"
 "It's just a pool! And where did you get that eyepatch? I thought I already confiscated it"
 >"That t'wer me old eyepatch! I made a new one during Arts and Crafts!"
 >You hold out a hoof
 "Give"
 >Sandy groans unhappily and drags herself out of the pool
 >She slowly removes the eyepatch and reverently drapes it over your hoof
 "Good"
 >"This isn't the last ye've heard of Sandy Beaches, the Dread pirate!"
 "No more talking like a pirate, either"
 >Sandy gives you a puppy-eyed look
 >"Aw...really? Why not?"
 "You get too excited when you use your pirate voice"
 >You turn back to Anon
 "I'm so sorry about this, Anon"
 >Anon waves your apology away with a chuckle
 >"Don't worry about it, I was going to ask if we could cut the tour short anyway"
 >Anon turns to Sandy
 >"I oughta keel-haul ye for gettin me wet!"
 >Sandy gasps and grins
 >Anon winks back and chuckles
 >Sandy's grin grows
 >"I do believe I just found meself a first-mate!"
 >Anon shakes his head
 >"Yar, I do be a captain!"
 >"Neigh! I am the captain!"
 >You step between them
 >Sandy is being a bad influence on Anon
 "That is quite enough you two. Anon, you can change in your room. There should be several sets of clean jumpsuits in your closet already. I'll show you where it is. And Sandy?"
 >The deep blue pegasus tilts her head
 >"Yar?"
 "Behave"
 >"Yar"
 >You sigh
 >She's still using her 'pirate voice'
 >But at least she promised to behave
 >Well, you need to show Anon to his room for now
 >Poor dear is probably catching a cold
 
 Be Anon
 >Be in your cell
 >The Warden had guided you here and then left to do whatever it is wardens do
 >You had wasted no time getting changed into something dry
 >You sigh happily and stretch, letting yourself fall backwards onto your new bed
 >A whole room to yourself!
 >It was practically a luxury apartment
 >You could even lock the door from your own side for privacy
 >Now that you are finally away from that stuffy castle, you are enjoying life again
 >Sure, hedonistic royal luxury is nice...
 >But damn, was it dull!
 >You run your hand through your damp hair
 >You reek of chlorine
 >A smile finds its way to your lips
 >Back in the palace, no one was allowed to splash or play in the pool
 >Hell, no one was allowed to play /ever/
 >Luna was the only one who could get away with shenanigans
 >She was basically a big child
 >With cosmic power
 >You'd even been the scapegoat to a few of Luna's schemes
 >You'd been sent to bed without dinner a couple times because of her
 >Getting all of the punishment with none of the fun...
 >God-princesses didn't play fair
 >No one cared or listened when you stood up for yourself...
 >You roll over and examine the radio on your nightstand
 >Playing with the dials, you find a few good stations
 >Putting on a relaxing station, you flop back over on the bed
 >A yawn forces itself violently upon you
 >A nap sounds pretty good right now
 >It had already been the most exciting day in months
 >And it wasn't even dinner yet!
 >You stretch out and close your eyes as the radio provides the perfect prelude to sleep
 
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >That new inmate was in for a world of hurt
 >No way you could let a changeling sympathizer have free reign of the prison
 >You had to teach that gray, 'Anon',  a lesson
 >Your inmate friends would undoubtedly be more than willing to help you
 >You even had a few favors you could call in with the guards
 >It pays to be a royal guard
 >...ex-royal guard
 >You reflexively clench your jaw
 >Those cursed bugs cost you your job
 >How anypony could care about them, you'd never know
 >They had attacked the capitol!
 >They were parasites!
 >If everypony had acted like you did, then changelings would never dare attack again
 >You deserved a medal for your bravery
 >But instead your superior had arrested you, citing 'unnecessary brutality to prisoners of war'
 >You growl at the memory of the injustice
 >At least you could still do some good in here against the black menace and their supporters
 >You smirk
 >Anon was going to learn to respect your authority
 >You hurry down the hall
 >No time like the present!
 
 Be Libele
 >Be knitting
 >Be by yourself because your friends think knitting is boring
 >With no one to talk to, you've been letting your mind wander
 >Your claws working on auto-pilot
 >You think back to Anon's encounter with Bright Spear and the changeling...
 >Anon was an odd one
 >A gray standing up to a red?
 >Simply unheard of!
 >Bright Spear was surely going to try something
 >Probably soon
 >Spear wasn't known for his subtlety or patience
 >But Anon would probably be alright
 >After he left the mess, Vintl did say she was going to keep an eye on him
 >You smile
 >Vintl usually has such a hard time making friends
 >The language barrier is difficult to breach, and it takes a lot to earn her respect
 >Hopefully Amber will finish that 'gift of the tongue' potion soon so you won't have to translate everything for her
 >Your claws click together, gently jarring you from your reverie
 >Looks like you ran out of yarn
 >You hold up the scarf you were working on
 >...
 >You may have overdone it
 >The scarf is easily seventeen feet long
 >Even for creatures with long necks like dragons, this was a bit much
 >You sigh and fold the scarf, placing it into your yarn basket
 >You'd figure out what to do with it later
 
 Be Anon
 >Be woken up from your lovely nap by someone banging on your door
 >You blearily blink at the sound
 "Who is it?"
 >"Just open up!"
 >Some stallion's voice you don't recognize
 "What do you want?"
 >The only reply you get is more banging
 >With any hopes of continuing your nap dashed, you sigh and swing your legs off the bed
 >The banging persists as you approach
 "Hold your horses! I'm coming already!"
 >The banging stops and you hear confused chatter on the other side of the door
 >They must not know that expression here
 >You're too groggy to care
 >You unlock your door and swing it open
 >Bright Spear and three other ponies quickly muscle their way into your room
 >Spear's horn glows and he magically slams the door shut, locking it
 >"You shouldn't mess with your superiors, gray suit"
 >He grins menacingly
 >"I just put a holding spell on your door. There is no way you're escaping"
 >His friends step forward, each holding a pillow in their mouths
 >...
 >Good news: Your grogginess is gone
 >Bad News: Four stallions are threatening you in your own cell
 >Worse News: The pillows are probably filled with rocks
 >The radio channel switches suddenly
 >"You have such poor taste in music, Anon. Here, this is a much better song to be beaten to... Get him!"
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFENybsBDRw&feature=youtu.be
 >Spear's three friends rush forward and you instinctively go into a fighting crouch
 >You easily dodge the first two swings, but the third stallion managed a direct hit on your back!...
 >...And you feel next to nothing
 >You give the pony a confused glance
 >He growls and whips his head around, smacking you in the gut with the pillow
 >Still nothing
 >The other two jump in, viciously swinging their pillows
 >There was nothing dangerous about these pillows at all
 >Spear laughs triumphantly
 >"Had enough yet, 'hero'?!"
 >Was this guy for real?
 >You look down at the stallion who first landed a blow
 >He hasn't stopped swinging
 "What are you doing?"
 >He mumbles a reply through the pillow clenched in his teeth
 >You look over at Spear
 "What are they doing?"
 >Spear sneers at you
 >"Teaching you a lesson for sympathizing with a filthy BUG!"
 >Again with the racism
 >This is a mean tiny pastel horse
 >"Keep going lads, I want to hear him squeal!"
 >The song on the radio ends, and a new one fades in
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRU1AJsXN1g
 >Spear's cruel laughter is cut short by a high-pitched war cry
 >Vintl?
 >She squeezes her way under your door and into the room
 >Spear laughs harder
 >"Another bug? You have terrible taste in friends, Anon"
 >Vintl growls loudly as she jumps into the air
  >She begins zipping around Spear, kicking him with each pass
 >"Get it off me! Get it off!"
 >Spear screams as Vintl bites his ear
 >Hard
 >The three ponies who had been attacking you stare at the Breezie in abject horror
 >Spear stumbles around your room
 >The brutal breezie doesn't let up
 >Spear is practically in tears as the tiny creature zips around his head
 >"Help me, please!"
 >Vintl growls
 >Spear's three friends share a glance, then run for the door in a panic
 >They desperately try to open it
 >...But Spear's spell holds fast
 >You chuckle
 >Looks like their plan backfired
 >These ponies could never take you in a real fight...
 >...Time to teach some bullies what it's like to /be/ bullied
 
 
 Be The Warden
 >Be in your office
 >With four crying stallions
 >Bright Spear,  Heavy Hoof, Hard Hugs, and High Hail
 >Bright Spear had to be carried in
 >You still couldn't believe what they were saying
 >Partly because Spear was always complaining that somepony did something to him
 >Even when they hadn't
 >"I swear! Anonymous and that breezie did this to us!"
 >You frown at Spear
 "I doubt a gray suit and a breezie could hurt anypony, let alone four reds"
 >Spear stamps his hoof
 >"They did though!"
 >Hard Hugs nods
 >"A-Anon... he... he kept slapping my tummy saying 'pink belly'!"
 >Hard Hugs bursts back into tears
 >High Hail bites his lip
 >"He pulled my mane and tail!"
 >Heavy Hoof glares at the floor
 >"He said mean things about my mother. He used visual aids!"
 >You sigh
 "Alright, I'll look into this. Where did all this happen?"
 >The stallions go quiet, looking to their leader for guidance
 >"We were just minding our own business, walking down the hall"
 >You frown and shake your head
 "And none of my guards saw or heard a commotion in the hall? I don't think so. Tell me the truth"
 >Bright Spear gives you a look as though you caught him with his hoof in the cookie jar
 >Heavy Hoof nervously steps in place
 >"We were...In Anon's room"
 >You tilt your head
 "Why were you in there?"
 >"We-"
 >Spear loudly interrupts his friend
 >"You know what Warden? Nevermind, we'll be fine"
 >Hard Hugs frowns
 >"B-But, my pink belly!"
 >Spear shoots him a glare
 >"You'll live. Sorry to bother you Warden"
 >You raise an eyebrow
 "Take care then"
 >The four stallions shuffle out of your office
 >Finally
 >It was almost dinnertime and you were starved
 >You pack up and prepare to head to the mess hall
 >Eating in the mess will give you a chance to ask Anon and Vintl about what happened
 >You doubt anything actually happened
 >You smile at the thought of eating with Vintl's group
 >They were always so lively
 >But first, you had to stop by the Nurse's office
 >The nurse needed to give Anon his physical tomorrow. She should also check on Bright Spear's gang for boo-boos just to be safe
 
 
 Be Amber Ember
 >Be exploring the meaning of life
 >You breathe in deep from your nose
 >Why were you here?
 >Why was there a prison here?
 >Why was anything here?
 >Why couldn't you make your dreams a reality?
 >No, no bad thoughts
 >You clear your mind again and breathe out from your mouth
 >The world around you has such vivid, beautiful colors
 >Almost as though the colors were fighting to exist in a world that was black and white
 >"Yo, airhead, time for dinner"
 >You smile
 >Feygl always helped you remember to eat
 >Such a good friend
 >You stand up from your favorite meditation mat
 "Thank you Feygl. Lead the way"
 >Feygl begins walking away
 >You let her magnificent white plumage act as your beacon, guiding you to your next location in this world
 >"So, when will that potion for Vintl be ready?"
 >You smile
 "It is cooking now, it should be done after dinner"
 >Feygl smiles
 >"Awesome. I'm sick of needing Libele to translate everything"
 >As you enter the mess, Anon waves at you from a table
 >Looks like he, Vintl, and Libele beat you to the mess
 >You wave back as Feygl leads you toward the food line
 >It doesn't take long before you are seated at the table across from Anon and Vintl, next to Feygl and Libele
 >...odd
 >Vintl always sits next to Libele
 >The Dragon finishes chewing and swallows her bite
 >"Vintl was just telling me about how she and Anon beat off four stallions"
 >A decidedly pirate-sounding laugh erupts from behind you
 >Anon grins
 >"Yar, I do spy Sandy"
 >The pegasus places her tray next to Libele
 >"That ye do! How be me first mate?"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"Haven't yet met the lad"
 >Sandy smirks
 >"Ye haven't yet met yerself?"
 >Anon feigns confusion
 >"But I do be a captain!"
 >Sandy winks
 >"Ye certainly got the Booty to be a captain!"
 >Anon laughs
 >"Okay, that was a good one"
 >"Yah-har!"
 >Anon's gaze jumps to something behind you
 >You follow his gaze as he stands and waves someone over
 >The Changeling queen, Spinnerette, nods back awkwardly and begins to walk over
 >Was Anon inviting her over to your table?
 >How nice of him
 >You kept meaning to invite her over, but it always slipped your mind
 >Anon smiles
 >"Hey Spinnerette"
 >The changeling eyes the group, then the free spot next to Anon
 >"Greetings, Anonymous. May I join you all for dinner?"
 >Anon nods
 >"Please do"
 >Spinnerette slowly sits down next to Anon
 >Anon beams a grin at her
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >Be sitting very gingerly in the mess with your friends
 >Anon had kicked your butt
 >Literally
 >Your arm still hurt where he grabbed and twisted, each hand going in a different direction
 >It had felt like he was tearing your arm apart
 >You grit your teeth
 >You had let your guard down
 >If The Warden wasn't an incompetent mess, she'd have quarantined all the non-ponies long ago
 >She could have been a powerful ally against the lesser races, but instead she insisted on treating them like equals
 >Nothing was equal to an equine
 >It was probably because she was a dumb mud-pony
 >Not a brilliant unicorn like you
 >The Warden would have put you and your gang in serious time-out if she knew you had tried to beat up Anon
 >'No dessert for a week' kind of punishment
 >That was no way to treat a veteran
 
 Be Anon
 >Be swallowing a bite
 >Vintl just finished bragging about she destroyed those four stallions earlier
 >With some minor backup from you
 "That's a bold-faced lie. You only took down Spear, I had the rest of them!"
 >Sandy tilts her head
 >"Why were you fighting them in the first place?"
 >You shrug
 "They picked a fight with me. Came into my room and tried to beat me with a bunch of pillows"
 >Libele gives you a worried look
 >"Why would they do that!?"
 "They didn't like the fact I stood up for Spinnerette"
 >Spinnerette looks away
 >"You shouldn't have helped me. I don't like people getting hurt because of me. And I don't like being indebted to someone"
 "Nonsense, you don't owe me a thing. Those assholes were asking for it."
 >Libele gasps at the cuss
 >"Anon! Language!"
 >You give her an appologetic grin
 "Sorry Libele"
 >She nods
 >"It's okay... Just try and refrain from the bad language around me"
 "Alright. Old habit but I'll try and tone it down"
 >Sandy takes a swig of juice
 >"Anon, matey, I've been meaning to ask: What do they call sailors where you come from?"
 >You give her a quizzical look
 "What do you mean?"
 >"We call sailors sea ponies, are human sailors 'sea humans'?"
 >You shake your head
 "Nah, usually they are just called sailors. Though sometimes people call them sea men"
 >Libele almost spits out her milk, Feygl snorts, Vintl giggles, and Spinnerette raises an eyebrow
 >Sandy bursts into raucous laughter
 >"Ye be pulling my tail!"
 >You shake your head
 "Nope, being completely honest.
 >Sandy laughs again
 >"That's too funny!"
 >Libele blushes
 >"Can we please change the subject?"
 >Sandy's laughter dies down
 >"Fine, I'll let it drop... for now"
 >Sandy smiles, eating her dinner mostly quietly
 >She occasionally hummed a few notes, as though testing them
 
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be the nurse and psychiatrist for the prison population
 >Be walking with The Warden towards the mess
 "Tell me more about this new inmate, Anonymous. I've read his dossier and know he isn't from a well-known species but the file didn't contain any pictures, I have no idea what he looks like"
 >The Warden smiles
 >"Anon has the body of a minotaur and the head of a monkey. I don't know what animal his legs and feet are from. You can't miss him"
 >You nod
 "Is he capable of magic?"
 >"Everything we know about him is in his file"
 >You frown
 "There was next to nothing in his file"
 >The Warden stops to look you dead in the eye
 >"Exactly"
 >She resumes walking
 >"That is why I need you perform a complete physical on him. A camera will be given to you for the examination. I'd like you to schedule it for first thing in the morning"
 >You nod
 "Sure, I'm eager to get a look at him"
 >"First though, I need you to check on Bright Spear's gang. They said they got in a fight with Anon and Vintl"
 >You frown
 "Anon is a gray suit, and Vintl is a breezie. Shouldn't I check them first?"
 >The Warden giggles
 >"Don't underestimate them. Apparently Anon and Vintl make a good team, based on what Spear's colts said"
 "Anon must be quite the specimen to take on four reds with only a breezie for backup. Shouldn't you do something to make sure they don't fight again?"
 >"Anon doesn't strike me as the type to start a fight, and Bright Spear had it coming"
 "That isn't a very professional opinion, ma'am"
 >The Warden smirks
 >"Too bad we share it"
 >You had to admit, you had been taking care of a lot of boo-boos caused by that overzealous inmate and his group
 >But without any real evidence, all you had been able to do was give him a stern warning
 >You smile
 >It felt good to have real justice done
 "Got me there"
 >The two of you enter the mess through the southern door
 >The Warden points towards a table of inmates
 >"See that table with only one male? That male is Anon"
 >You peer through your glasses at the distant table
 >...
 >So that's what Anonymous looks like
 >Neat
 >It'll be interesting to examine him
 >But that will have to wait for tomorrow
 >You have idiots to check on
 
 Be Anon
 >Be opening your pudding cup
 >The time for glorious chocolaty goodness has arrived!
 >You raise the pudding cup's foil top to your face
 >You expertly flick out your tongue to lick away every trace of pudding stuck to it
 >Once the foil is clean, you place it on your tray
 >Before picking up your spoon, you glance over and see Feygl watching you intently
 >...
 "...Do I have something on my face?"
 >Feygl blushes slightly
 >...Though that could just be your imagination
 >"...Yeah. Got some pudding on your nose"
 >Libele gives you a caring smile
 >"I'll go get a napkin for you"
 >Libele extracts herself carefully from the table and heads towards the lunch line
 >Sandy pounds her hoof against the table
 >"I've got it!"
 >You tilt your head
 "Got what?"
 >Sandy beams you a grin
 >"I made up a song to honor human sailors. Listen to this..."
 >She clears her throat
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9iF-5ip8ZA
 >Music begins playing out of nowhere
 >You've seen this a couple times back at the palace
 >The magical little horses could summon a full band and/or orchestra out of the aether  when they sang
 >Pretty neat trick at first
 >Not so fun when you get woken up by Luna singing herself a lullaby accompanied by an accordian
 >..Might as well play along, you had nothing to lose
 >And it would be a good way to cement your friendship with Sandy
 >These little equines take music very seriously
 >As the music picks up, you growl out a few pirate noises
 >Sandy's eyes sparkle as you join in but quickly holds up a hoof to silence you
 >"The ship sailed into harbor, after fifteen months at sea..."
 >Sandy is obviously struggling to sing straight, already laughing at some joke she hasn't shared
 >She flashes a dangerous smirk your way with a naughty glint in her eye
 >"...after drinking up their pay, they staggered through the town...But-all-the-inns-and-public-houses-turned-the -sailors-down"
 >You join in again, this time accompanied by Feygl and Vintl
 >[sad pirate noises intensify]
 >Sandy is singing to the whole table now
 >"The captain said: 'fear not me lads!"
 >She has the biggest, brightest smile you've ever seen on a pony
 >And that is saying quite a bit
 >What could she have planned?...
 >"...you all can stay for free!"
 >That was your cue
 >[happy pirate noises]
 >Sandy raises a hoof sharply to cut you off
 >"BUT! When the captain's wife awoke, upon the break of day..."
 >Sandy takes a deep, deep breath
 >"They say that you could hear her wailing, clear to Buck-knee baaaaay!"
 "YAR!"
 >Vintl shushes you, interested in the odd buildup
 >Sandy's eyes twinkle again and she smirks
 >"She said there's..."
 >...
 >oh god damn it
 >This is beautiful!
 >And so stupid
 >Vintl had made the mistake of taking a swig of milk just before the punchline
 >Turns out breezies can laugh so hard they spurt milk out their noses
 >Neat
 >Spinnerette rolls her eyes
 >Feygl snorts and shakes her head
 >Amber is in her own little world, processing some problem in her head
 >Sandy just keeps going...
 >...and going...
 >...and going!
 >There is no stopping her
 >"...Got into me Irish stew.."
 >Feygl pushes her bowl of soup away
 >Sandy must be running out of locations
 >...
 >Nope, not yet
 >There's a few more it looks like
 >"Although I am a patient wife, 'tis more than I can bear..."
 >It must be almost over
 >Vintl can barely breathe through her laughter
 >Sandy looks thoroughly pleased with herself as she finishes up the song
 >The music fades out and returns from whence it came, and Sandy takes a bow
 >You give her a round of applause and a smirk
 "Real mature humor there"
 >Sandy just wiggles her eyebrows at you and giggles
 >Amber raises a hand
 >"Can someone explain the joke to me? I wasn't paying attention"
 >Feygl cuts in before anyone else can say a word
 >"I'll explain it when you're older"
 >Amber frowns
 >"I'm older than you"
 >Feygl smirks
 >"Not where it counts"
 >Libele returns to the table and hands you a napkin
 "Thanks Libele"
 >She nods and returns to her seat
 >"My pleasure, Anon. So, did I miss anything?"
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be very happy you are done dealing with Spear's gang
 >They did have some minor boo-boos, but nothing serious
 >If Anon did beat them up, he was smart and didn't leave any lasting marks
 >The Warden had gone ahead to check on Anon's group
 >Leaving you to deal with Spear's gang alone
 >Warden...you traitor
 >Spear spent the entire time flirting with you
 >Of course, his method of flirting is to brag about himself
 >'I can lift really heavy things' and 'Yes, my horn IS all-natural'
 >For fifteen solid minutes you had to listen to his garbage
 >But you were able to check up on everypony in his gang
 >You wander over to The Warden, seated at Anon's table
 >"Ah, Happy! I was just telling Anon about you"
 >With her, that could mean anything
 >The two of you had been through a lot together
 >The inmates at the table all greet you
 >Anon raises his hand vertically and wiggles his fingers 'hello' at you
 >You smile back
 >You always did enjoy watching fingers dance
 "A pleasure to meet you, Anonymous"
 >Anon nods back
 >"The feeling is mutual. Is what The Warden said about the 'churro incident' true?"
 >Bucking Warden
 "I have no recollection of that time or those events, clearly The Warden made the whole thing up"
 >You give The Warden a disapproving look
 >You /hate/ when she tells people that story
 >Anon chuckles
 "Anyway... Did The Warden tell you about your appointment tomorrow?"
 >Anon nods
 >"I'm to report to your office to have a physical performed in the morning"
 >Sandy smirks
 >"I bet ye'd like to have a physical performed!"
 >Anon gives Sandy a playful frown
 >"Oh hush"
 >Sandy giggles
 >You clear your throat to get Anon's attention again
 "Good, I'll see you tomorrow morning then"
 >You turn to leave but The Warden stops you
 >"Hold on, why don't you join us? I already got you a tray"
 >You glance around the table
 "Hasn't dinner ended already?"
 >The Warden smiles
 >"Dinner isn't over until I say it is"
 >You smile at your old friend and nod
 "Sure, I'll join"
 >You sit down across from The Warden, next to Spinnerette
 >You look over at Anon
 "Is it true that you and Vintl beat up Spear's gang?"
 >Anon turns to you
 >"I will neither confirm nor deny those rumors. Hurting other prisoners is a punishment that could get my pudding privileges revoked"
 >The Warden nods approvingly
 >You shoot her a glance
 "Did you tell him to say that?"
 >The Warden smiles at you innocently
 >"I will neither confirm nor deny-"
 >You shake your head and smile
 "Alright, alright, I get it."
 >Anon chuckles
 "Well Anon, if you did take Spear's gang down a peg it wouldn't be such a bad thing. Time outs and scolding just don't work on ponies like that"
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >Be glaring at Anon's table
 >He's chatting up that cute nurse you've had your eye on
 >Your glare intensifies as she laughs at something he said
 >There is no way you're letting him snatch her up
 >You are going to show him who is the boss around here
 >But you can't take him on head-first...
 >You'll just have to outsmart him
 >Shouldn't be too hard
 >He has a stupid face
 >The rest of him must be just as stupid
 >You smile
 "Alright lads, we are taking Anon down"
 >Heavy Hoof frowns
 >"But boss, he's too tough!"
 >You scowl at your underling
 "Nopony is tougher than I am. But to keep you losers safe, we'll prank him into submission"
 >Hard Hugs tilts his head
 >"How are we going to do that, boss?"
 "Simple, we'll start small and escalate until he surrenders. He thinks he can lure Happy Heart away from me, but he's got another thing coming..."
 >"Don't you already have a four mare herd?"
 >You snarl at him
 "They all left me when I was put in jail! But I'll show them. I'll get Heart to fall in love with me, then make her declare me fit for active duty again. I'll regain my uniform and show them all!"
 >Your expression shifts to a toothy smile
 >You'll regain your pride soon
 >Very soon
 
 Be Anon
 "Well girls, I think I'm about ready to hit the hay"
 >The Warden glances nervously between you and her hay sandwich
 >"I know you don't like hay, but isn't that a bit extreme?"
 >You smile reassuringly at her
 "Don't worry, that's just a human expression"
 >The Warden smiles in relief and takes another bite
 >Happy Heart tilts her head
 >"Are all human expressions so violent?"
 >You pause to consider the question
 "Some are"
 >Heart nods to herself
 >"Interesting..."
 >She raises a hoof to her chin, deep in thought
 >She looked adorable in her little nurse's uniform
 >Amber reaches over and places a hand over yours
 >"I can give you some relaxing herbs to help you sleep, or you could take some relaxing incense if you want"
 >You shake your head
 "Thanks for the offer, but I should be fine"
 >Spinnerette buzzes gently
 >"Good night, Anonymous"
 >You smile back
 "Thanks, good night"
 >Feygl fluffs her wings
 >"g'night"
 >you wave a little salute
 >"Night Feygl, you too Vintl, Libele"
 >The Warden swallows her bite of food
 >"Don't forget about us ponies!"
 >You give her a smile
 "Good night Warden, Sandy, and Heart"
 >The ponies say their goodbyes, Sandy giving you a few more pirate noises than were strictly necessary
 >You gently extract your hand from Amber's and leave the table
 >You start heading back to your cell with a yawn
 >That nap earlier really didn't help much
 >Doesn't help that Spear interrupted it before you could get any real rest
 >At least he won't be bothering you any more
 >Probably
 
 Be Amber Ember
 >Be with Feygl
 >Be in your room
 >Meditating
 >You take in a lungful of aromatic air
 >It really is a shame Anon didn't want to try any of your herbs or incenses
 >Oh well, he might come around eventually
 >Your senses feel sharpened, as though they are all being focused to a single point that is everywhere and nowhere all at once
 >There is a light breeze caused by your ceiling fan
 >..The sweet smell of burning incense pervades your nose and lungs
 >This was one of your favorites
 >It is also your own personal mix, with ingredients from as far away as Saddle Arabia and Labrynthia
 >You designed the incense specifically to sharpen the senses and relax the body
 >You can hear Feygl strum her guitar
 >She takes a deep breath, shifting her wings into a more comfortable position
 >This was your nightly routine with her
 >She said your incenses helped her decompress from the day
 >And her gentle playing helped you channel your focus
 >"So what do you think of that new inmate?"
 >You open an eye and look at your dear friend
 >She was restless tonight
 "He seems very nice. He gets along well with others, he has a good soul. A strong spirit. Not many can earn Vintl's respect so easily"
 >The griffon nods
 >"Think he really took down Spear's gang?"
 "What I think is irrelevant to the truth"
 >Feygl ruffles her wings again
 >"Fine, what is the truth?"
 >You close your eye
 "I don't know. You know how Vintl can boast"
 >Feygl nods thoughtfully
 >"That potion ready for her?"
 >You nod and gesture towards your hotplate
 "It is ready whenever she is. I left the heat low to keep the potion warm. The ingredients would congeal otherwise"
 >"Nasty"
 >You giggle
 "Indeed"
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >"You ever see a creature like Anon before?"
 >You gently shake your head
 >Feygl begins playing a relaxed tune
 "You seem very interested in him"
 >The guitar squeaks as Feygl's claws slip
 >"I don't know what you're talking about"
 >You smile
 >Feygl was a terrible liar
 "You slipped on the guitar, your breathing became shallower, and your hind claws clicked against the floor. Your body betrays you"
 >Feygl huffs
 >"It isn't my fault he's interesting"
 >You reply with a relaxed giggle
 >"I mean it! You know griffons are attracted to strength"
 >Keeping your eyes closed, you raise an eyebrow
 >"And you know that all the black suits are spoken for"
 "Vintl isn't"
 >"She doesn't count"
 "Anon is a gray"
 >Feygl taps her claws against the guitar
 >"For now, maybe. He's already made prison history with the longest sentence a gray has ever had, and if he really did take on four reds with Vintl then he's worth watching"
 >You nod, digesting her argument
 "You have a point"
 >Feygl clicks her claws against the guitar again
 >"I have several"
 >You lazily giggle at your friend's joke
 >Feygl sets her guitar aside
 >"Seriously though, he could be hiding some real potential"
 >Before you could reply, there is a knock at your door
 >You open your eyes
 "Come in"
 >Libele enters the room, Vintl riding on her shoulder
 >Vintl chirps something indecipherable
 >Libele translates for you and Feygl
 >"Vintl wants to know if the potion is ready yet"
 >You nod
 "It's on the hot plate. Help yourself"
 >Vintl nods and takes off for the hotplate
 >The faint buzz of her wings helps calm you and stir the air
 >Breezies were so good at bringing life to a room
 >Vintl lands on the table by the hotplate
 >Libele follows close behind, removing the potion from the heat source
 >Vintl peers into the glass
 >She gags and warbles something at you
 >You look towards Libele, who blushes
 >"I'm not repeating that"
 >Feygl smirks and picks her guitar back up
 >"Can't wait for your foul mouth to make sense"
 >Vintl grins back and chirps a few words
 >Her attention shifts back to the potion
 >She inspects the flask of bubbling green liquid
 >The flask is almost twice her size
 >Vintl grumps out a question
 >Libele turns to you
 >"Vintl wants to know if she has to drink the whole thing"
 >You nod
 >The breezie shouts, pointing at the flask
 "You don't have to drink it all at once. The effect is permanent and accumulates. The more you drink, the easier we'll understand you"
 >The breezie nods and steels herself for her first taste of the brew
 >She dips her head forward and takes a loud sip
 >A bubble pops in front of her, coating her sensitive antennae
 >Vintl growls in response and begins chugging away, swallowing as much as possible
 >After a few minutes, she pulls her head back and takes a deep breath
 >You smile at her
 "Well done. I know potions can disagree with some people's tastes"
 >Vintl grins back, having noticeably drained the flask a huge amount
 >A huge amount for a breezie, that is
 >Still two-thirds of the potion remain
 "You should be able to speak individual words now, if you speak slowly"
 >Feygl grins
 >"What are you waiting for? I wanna hear you speak"
 >Vintl furrows her brow in concentration
 >"Hello...friends..."
 >Libele claps her clawed hands together
 >Vintl beams a toothy grin at you
 >"Working...!"
 >You give her a proud smile
 "Yes it is"
 >The breezie jumps up and down excitedly
 >"My...Words...You....understand....Them...!"
 >Feygl laughs
 >"You know we do! Amber knows everything there is to know about alchemy, how could it not work?"
 >You feel your face heating at the praise
 "That is an exaggeration"
 >Libele settles her wings
 >"You really did to a good job"
 >Vintl nods
 >"Good...work..."
 >You close your eyes and let your head face forward, smiling to yourself
 "Thank you, everyone. Your praise means a lot to me"
 >Feygl's claws clack against her guitar again
 >"I think I'm going to go 'hit the hay' as Anon puts it. It's pretty late"
 >You open your eyes to check the clock on your wall
 >well then
 >Time flies when you're with friends
 >Libele offers a hand to Vintl
 >"I'm headed to bed too. Want a ride, Vintl?"
 >Vintl looks back at the flask
 >"Potion....what...do?"
 "Libele, could you place it back on the hotplate? The potion will survive as long as it remains heated"
 >The dragon nods and places the flask in its spot with her free hand
 >Vintl hops onto Libele's offered hand
 >Libele carefully lifts her dainty friend to her perch
 >Vintl turns on Libele's shoulder to face you
 >"Thank...You..."
 >You smile back
 "My pleasure"
 >Feygl chuckles, cradling her guitar with one arm
 >"Any excuse to work with rare ingredients, right?"
 "Right"
 >You say goodbye to each of your friends as they funnel out of your room
 >After they have all left, you move to your closet where you keep your chests of alchemy items
 >The three chests are organized by completion
 >The first chest holds raw ingredients
 >The second chest holds long term projects and more complex ingredients
 >But neither of those chests are what draw you there
 >You open the third chest, devoted to completed items and potions
 >You lift a cup filled with incense sticks
 >You don't need to further organize your incenses
 >You can recognize each by scent and texture
 >You select a smooth green incense stick
 >It was designed to relax and induce pleasant dreams
 >This, combined with the incense already burning, should induce intense dreams and a deep sleep
 >You close the chest and place the new stick onto the incense tray
 >You take a deep breath, calling upon the spirits of your ancestors to open a channel to negotiate with the elemental planes
 >You call for an audience with fire
 >Fire was always easy to negotiate with
 >All it wanted to do was consume
 >You successfully call forth a small living ember onto the palm of your hand
 >The weak elemental spirit eagerly jumps from your palm onto the end of the incense
 >As its body degenerates into formlessness it cackles joyously
 >You leave the spirit to its meal of incense and head towards your bed
 >The spirit would be banished once its meal was gone
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be lying on your bed
 >In your cell
 >Alone
 >But that is okay
 >You wanted to be alone right now
 >You needed to recover
 >Eating with such a tight-knit group was...
 >Intense
 >You could taste the emotions flowing between them all
 >Especially those who were particularly close friends
 >Feygl and Amber, Libele and Vintl, The Warden and Happy Heart...
 >You could also taste a little lust that Sandy and Feygl felt towards Anon
 >Vintl also felt a strong bond of admiration and respect towards him
 >No doubt borne of their fight against Spear's gang
 >But most importantly, you could taste camaraderie from Anon to you
 >Though not much else was targeted at you, what you did get was delicious and filling
 >And what's more, you had a pleasant meal just skimming from some of the love and friendship flowing around you
 >You smile and rub your full belly
 >You'd have to find a way to both thank Anon, and cement your place in the group
 >But how?
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >Have the group form a herd?
 >It wasn't exactly the changeling way to join a herd, but it would secure your food supply and guarantee allies against bullies like Spear
 >If you outright suggested the formation of a herd, the others would likely reject the idea
 >You'd need to convince them it was their idea, not yours
 >You smile
 >You could start with Vintl and Feygl
 >They would be the easiest to start with
 >Those two would likely drag in their closest friends, Libele and Amber
 >Sandy would probably jump at the chance to join Anon's herd
 >The most difficult individual to include may be Anon himself
 >You sensed plenty of early friendship from him towards the others...
 >But no love and only a little lust towards the others, though he did have some repressed and untargeted lust
 >He's only known the others for half a day though, and love blooms easily between friends
 >You'd just need to help push things along a little
 >Your smile grows, plans and schemes already flowing around your head
 >But those could wait until morning
 >You buzz up to the cocoon above your bed and curl into it
 >It was so much more comfortable than lying flat on a bed
 >You flick off the lights with your magic and close your eyes
 >You can't help but smile
 >Being in Anon's herd would seriously increase your status in life
 >A steady, reliable source of excellent food...
 >Not to mention you needed a male to begin your hive
 >You could sense great hidden potential in Anon
 >He could make an excellent brood king
 >He could give you a hive powerful enough to rival your mother's
 >You may even become strong enough to challenge her directly, make her your underling
 >Your smile never fades as you fall asleep
 >You dream of a powerful hive, with a powerful king and several step-queens at your side
 >You dream of being unstoppable
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be in your office early in the morning
 >You had plenty of paperwork to complete in preparation of Anon's physical
 >Hu-39 form for the physical of an inmate
 >KU-23 form for the physical of an unknown species
 >SR-98 form for the request of previous medical records
 >SR-99 form for the request of previously denied medical records
 >All in triplicate, of course
 >You've filled these types of forms so many times before that your body works on auto-pilot, letting your mind wander
 >You have a proposition for Anon once he arrives
 >You've always wanted to make a real difference, but have always been denied that desire
 >Some criminals only understand power, strength
 >Those inmates needed a firmer response than conventional punishment allowed
 >That's where Anon came in, you could use him to punish those who you couldn't punish yourself
 >You finish the first two forms in triplicate and check the clock
 >Still plenty of time before Anon was supposed to arrive
 >You sigh as you use your magic to levitate the other forms in front of yourself
 >The royal physicians had gotten a chance to inspect Anon already but refused to release his records
 >They said the records were detained for 'issues of national security'
 >'national security' your hoof!
 >Those records could hold important scientific information that the world could use
 >You'd ask Anon to sign a disclosure agreement to allow you to share his body with the world
 >Griffon feathers made perfect quills, minotaur milk was the healthiest around, and dragon scales were priceless for both their beauty and their alchemical properties
 >Who knew what discoveries could be made from Anon's physiology!
 >While considering the myriad of possibilities, your body completes the final form
 >You glance up at the clock
 >You smile, magically preparing a XW-02 disclosure form for when Anon arrived
 >Still a good fifteen minutes until the earliest you could expect Anon
 >The perfect amount of time to get some stretches done
 >Stretching the body regularly was an easy way to gently exercise the body and stay healthy
 >You hop off your chair and head towards the carpeted area of your office
 >Starting with basic stretches, you work each leg individually
 >Your joints creak in protest even as they send pleasure signals to your brain
 >With each leg warmed up, you move on to your core
 >Lying on your belly, you flex your back taut
 >You keep your legs parallel to the ground and stretch them straight ahead and behind of yourself
 >'The Wonderbolt'
 >You hold the simple pose for ten seconds before rolling onto your back
 >You tuck your chin to your chest and raise your legs straight up
 >'The Horseshoe'
 >After another ten seconds, you switch your pose again
 >Time to step it up a bit
 >You rock yourself into a sitting position, then force your legs to the sides
 >'The Flat Pony'
 >You bring your upper limbs forward, unbalancing yourself
 >You gently fall forward onto your hooves
 >Using the momentum to help boost yourself, you go into a headstand
 >All the while keeping your lower legs split 180 degrees
 >Perfect balance
 >Perfect form
 >Perfect concent-
 >Anon opens the door to your office
 >"Hey nurse Happy Heart, I'm here for my-"
 >The sudden interruption breaks your concentration and you wriggle your body wildly in a futile attempt at staying balanced
 >You fall forward, landing on your back with a thud
 >In an instant, Anon is beside you
 >"You okay? That sounded painful"
 >You bite your lip and grimace
 "It was"
 >Anon offers a hand
 >"Here, let me help you up"
 >You grunt in thanks but wave his hand away
 >You gingerly roll back to your hooves and take a deep breath
 >A lesser mare would be in tears from the pain
 >You use your magic to check your back for lingering injury
 >Back booboos were serious business
 >You confirm that there was no real damage done and turn to face Anon
 "I'm sorry you had to see that, I'm fine now. Are you ready for your physical?"
 >Anon still looks a little worried but nods
 >You use your magic to close and lock the door
 >Patient privacy is important
 >You levitate your favorite clipboard over, along with a quill
 "Remove your clothing so we can begin"
 >Anon nods but hesitates
 >"Is it alright if I keep my underwear on? Unlike all the other sapient races here, humans can't hide their goobly bits and I'd like to preserve my modesty"
 "I'm required to perform a full physical, meaning a full examination of your body. However, we might be able to work something out"
 >Anon nods
 >"Alright, I'm listening. What do you have in mind?"
 >You smile
 "I want to make a real difference in this prison. I can help rehabilitate the oranges and grays, but I have trouble reaching the reds and black suits. The latter two only respect power. I need somepony who can speak that language to them."
 >Anon frowns
 >"You want me to intimidate other inmates?"
 "Not just intimidate, take them down a peg. We both know you took on Spear's gang, and I need somepony who can do what you already did"
 >Anon's brow furrows
 >"How will me bullying and fighting others help you 'make a difference'?"
 "I'm glad you asked. As I mentioned, some only respond to force, while others are too full of themselves to listen to anypony. They will listen once someone has taken them down a few pegs. Time-outs and revoking dessert and club privileges just doesn't work on some ponies. You'd be helping rehabilitate the worst inmates, the meanest bullies,  into productive members of society. I wouldn't ask you to 'deal' with anypony who didn't deserve it. You'd only bully the bullies"
 >Anon's expression turns neutral
 >"I'm not sure about this"
 >You tilt your head
 "Why not?"
 >"Well for one thing, it seems like a lot of work for being allowed to keep my underwear on. A big commitment for a small favor"
 >You nod
 "I understand, which is why I'm also offering double desserts for you"
 >Anon furrows his brown in consideration
 >You smile at him expectantly
 >"Make it double desserts for me and everyone at my table and you got a deal"
 >You smile and offer a hoof
 "Shake on it?"
 >Anon gives your hoof a solid, yet gentle shake
 >You beam him a smile
 "You won't regret this. Now please strip as far as you are comfortable so we can begin. I'll need you to describe whatever you leave covered in great detail for the report"
 
 
 Be The Warden
 >Be reading through the morning reports
 >There were a few interesting reports in the piles of paperwork
 >There was an escape attempt last night...
 >Sleep Walker, true to his name, walked right out the front door
 >Several clubs needed more supplies, including the 'hand appreciation' club
 >They wanted more disposable gloves
 >Which was odd...
 >Didn't you just order a huge shipment of gloves for them?
 >You shrug, and sign the request form
 >Gloves, even in bulk, were cheap enough to not hurt the prison's budget
 >You move onto the next report  in the tower of papers in your 'in' tray
 >Today was going to be a long day
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >Today was going to be a great day!
 >Your contacts had pulled through nearly instantly to get you the supplies you needed to show Anon his place
 >You'd be able to move whenever you saw an opportunity
 >... The perfect first chance being breakfast
 >While you dealt with Anon in the mess hall, your minions could booby trap his room
 >You smile and gather several choice items for the first wave of pranks
 >Anon won't know what hit him
 
 Be Anon
 >The day has gone well so far
 >You finished your 'complete' physical a few minutes ago
 >It went pretty well
 >You got to keep your privacy intact and wrangled some extra dessert for your friends
 >And all you'd have to do in return is make a few scary faces at some troublemakers every now and again
 >Probably
 >You glance at a wall clock
 >The mess hall should just be opening up for breakfast about now
 >Waffles sound fantastic
 >Letting your belly take the lead, you make your way into the mess
 >The room is quieter than usual
 >Most inmates are either still sleeping or are too groggy to be chatty
 >You go through the meal line and pick out the breakfast of champions
 >A big fluffy waffle, apple juice, a dab of peanut butter,  and a sliced apple
 >You take your tray over to your usual table
 >None of your friends are here yet
 >You sit down in your spot and reach for the condiments in the center of the table
 >Syrup for the waffle and honey for the apple
 >You pour the two sticky substances into separate divots in your tray
 >The syrup's darker brown contrasts beautifully with the light amber color of the honey
 >Can't forget to also pour a little syrup into the waffle's syrup traps
 >You put the two bottles back on the table and prepare to dig in
 >You start with the waffle, cutting it in half once, then again
 >With the waffle in fourths, you cut the first quadrant up even further
 >Skewering the one eighth sized piece of waffle you dip it into the syrup pooling on your tray
 >You retract the waffle slice and watch as the excess syrup flows away in one long strand
 >Twisting your fork to keep as much syrup as possible on the waffle slice, you bring it to your mouth
 >You pop the morsel into your mouth and let out a hum of pleasure
 >The syrup saturates your tongue in sugar, and the waffle has been cooked to perfection
 >You take a swig of juice to wash down the food
 >Smiling, you let out a contented sigh
 >Say what you will about this world, but one thing is undeniable
 >The food is amazing
 >You spear an apple slice and dip it into the honey
 >Apples here never had a grainy texture and were always insanely crisp
 >You bring the apple to your mouth and bite down
 >...This was wrong
 >...Apples didn't squish like this
 >Apples weren't supposed to taste like wax either
 >You spit the convincing fake back onto your tray
 >The taste of wax lingers in your mouth
 >You take a mouthful of juice and swish it around, trying to wash away the bad taste
 "Damn, that was nasty"
 >Better check the other apple slices
 >You use your fork and knife to cut each slice in half
 >Each one is a fake. Apple on the outside, wax on the inside
 >That's odd, why would the staff feed you a wax apple?
 >...
 >"Greetings, Anonymous"
 >You jump and turn to the source of the voice
 "oh, good morning Spinnerette"
 >The changeling magically lays her tray down next to yours and sits next to you
 >"I'm sorry for scaring you"
 >You give her a reassuring smile
 "No worries, you just surprised me is all. You sleep well last night?"
 >Spinnerette smiles demurely, the tips of her fangs barely poking through
 >"Very well"
 "Good to hear"
 >The changeling nods and her gaze falls on your tray
 >"I didn't know you ate wax. I could give you some of my cocooning wax if you wish"
 >You shake your head
 "I don't eat wax, I have no idea why they gave me a wax apple. Thanks for the offer though"
 >Spinnerette's horn lights up and her apple begins to emit a pale glow as magic wraps around it
 >"You can have my apple. I don't like them"
 >She levitates the apple to your tray, moving the wax fakes out of the way for you
 "Really? Thank you"
 >You shoot her a smile
 >Spinnerette nods and levitates a pair of condiment bottles over to her tray
 >You use your plastic knife to slice the apple into more easily managed chunks
 "Hey Spinny, why'd you get an apple if you don't like them?"
 >The changeling freezes up and her chitinous black skin darkens
 >"...Spinny?"
 >You shrug
 "Easier than saying 'Spinnerette' every time I want to talk to you. Why'd you grab an apple?"
 >Spinnerette stares intently at her tray
 >"No reason, I guess"
 "huh.."
 >You nod and glance at her tray
 >She has picked out exactly the same thing you did
 >Even poured her syrup and honey like you
 >Weird...
 >You shake your head to yourself
 >It was just a coincidence
 >Probably
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Anon gave you a nickname!
 >It wasn't much, just a shorter version of your real name
 >But it still meant progress
 >And he said he would want to keep talking to you!
 >It was a gamble getting the same thing he did for breakfast, but it paid off
 >big time
 >Thankfulness was tasty
 >You were filling up on his friendship, too
 >It may not be love yet, but this was only the first step
 >You go over your mental checklist for Anon
 >First step: Become close friends with him
 >Second Step: Gain his love
 >Third step: Convince him to take on a herd with you in it
 >And maybe, just maybe, if you were lucky...
 >Fourth step: World domination
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >It worked!
 >Anon tried to eat the fake apple!
 >What a nincompoop!
 >It took all of your considerable willpower to keep from bursting into laughter when he took that first bite and his face scrunched up
 >You still ended up letting out an incredibly manly giggle though
 >But Anon didn't seem to notice
 >You owed Wax Sculpture and Meal Ticket for their help, but it was all worth it
 >Even though that bug Spinnerette gave him a real apple in the end
 >You smile to yourself as you finish your meal and leave the mess
 >Somepony else would put your tray away
 >You were far too important to lower yourself by putting things away
 >Even if the rest of the world hadn't figured that out yet
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be finished with your paperwork for Anon's physical
 >Finally
 >You magically open up your filing cabinet marked 'trouble' and pull out several dossiers
 >You would start Anon off slowly...
 >Desert Sands, 'The messmaker', Orange suit
 >L'mao, 'The entertainer', Red suit
 >Vladdy, 'The One in a Hurry', Orange suit
 >These would be Anon's first targets
 >You open up each dossier to review their files
 >Desert sands had earned his name, and didn't care if people were grossed out by his filth
 >He was also well known for causing messes then leaving them so others had to clean up after him
 >He was banned from the play room for leaving toys out too often
 >Light brown coat, Dark brown mane, dark yellow eyes
 >...
 >L'mao liked making fun of people, liked to call people stupid
 >You frown
 >L'mao used to be a celebrity
 >Hence the nickname 'The Entertainer'
 >He used to be on educational shows
 >You hope that with Anon's help, you can get L'mao back to the good side
 >Where L'mao can use his fame and ability to teach again
 >Bipedal, red fur, large eyes
 >...
 >Vladdy never walked anywhere
 >He always ran
 >And he never cared who was in his way
 >He once pushed right through an entire crowd without apologizing once
 >You sigh
 >It was such a shame...
 >Vladdy is a Saiga, and they are rare enough without their few remaining males getting locked up for being foalish
 >You gather up the files and head out of your office
 >You and Anon needed to make plans
 
 Be Vintl
 >Be riding on Libele's shoulder
 >Heading for Amber's room
 >You were going to down more of that foul tasting potion before breakfast
 >You really were fortunate to have Libele as a friend
 >You wouldn't have been able to communicate with anyone without her
 >It was exceedingly rare for anyone other than a breezie to speak your language
 >"I never did ask, how does the potion taste?"
 >You stick out your tongue
 >"That bad?"
 >You nod
 "Really...bad..."
 >Libele gives you a motherly smile
 >"You can speak in your native language with me if you want"
 >You shake your head
 "Need...practice...want....to....be...understood!"
 >Libele's grin grows
 >"I'm proud of you. I know firsthand that potions can be... lacking in flavor"
 >You laugh
 "Have...flavor...Bad...flavor!"
 >Libele giggles
 >"Couldn't have said it better myself"
 >You beam a grin at her
 >You look ahead and spot Amber's door
 >Looks like you have arrived
 >Libele raises her hand and knocks on the door
 >You hear a muffled groan from inside
 >You share a confused glance with Libele
 "Just...try...enter"
 >Libele frowns
 >"But she didn't give us permission to go in!"
 >You sigh and hop off Libele's shoulder
 >You float down to the floor and peer under the crack between door and floor
 >Amber is still lying in bed
 >Your frown deepens and you squeeze your way under the door
 >As usual, the space under the door is more than large enough for your small frame to slip through
 >Once on the other side, you make the trek to Amber's bed
 >You aggressively drift up to the head of her bed and land right in front of the oversleeping minotaur
 >You gather up all your strength and take a deep breath...
 "WAKE"
 >...
 "UP"
 >The minotaur mumbles something and rolls over
 >You stamp your hoof against the mattress in frustration
 >You need one of your friends to remove the potion from the hot plate!
 >...
 >Or do you?
 >You float your way over to the bubbling potion
 >You peer into the flask...
 >It's still the same bubbling mess
 >You tentatively touch the liquid with a hoof
 >Not too hot, just really warm
 >Like hot coco that's been left out for a half hour
 >Just cool enough to drink
 >You lick the liquid from your hoof and cringe
 >eeyup, still nasty tasting
 >But you were tough enough to take it
 >You dip your head forward and drink
 >And drink
 >And drink
 >Even when Libele knocks worriedly on the door, you keep drinking
 >"Everything alright in there? Hello?"
 >You guzzle as much of the bitter liquid as possible before finally coming up for air
 >Time to see how much you drank...
 >The flask only has a third of the potion left!
 >Neat!
 >You experiment with different speeds, seeing at what speed the potion kicks in
 >Finding a pattern, you grin
 "I. got. this"
 >You hear muffled conversation on the other side of the door, ending with a knock at the door
 >"Hey airhead, breakfast!"
 >Amber reacts to Feygl's voice and sits up
 >Amber blinks blearily
 >"Did someone say breakfast?..."
 >The door rattles as Feygl bangs on it
 >"Come on, or everything will be cold by the time we get there"
 >Amber smiles
 >"Be right there, I'm famished!"
 >Amber spots you on her table and beams you a grin
 >"Good morning Vintl. Here to drink more of the potion?"
 >You point a hoof at the flask
 "Already. drank. some"
 >Amber claps her hands together
 >"You're getting so good at speaking our language!"
 >You nod and puff out your chest
 >Drinking that potion was no small feat
 >Feygl bangs on the door again
 >"Hurry up airhead, we'll miss breakfast entirely at this rate!"
 >Amber blinks and hops out of bed
 >"Come on Vintl, we can't miss breakfast!"
 >She offers you her hand, and you speedily drift over to it
 >You were looking forward to showing off your new speaking skills to Anon
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be eating comfortably with Anon
 >While you don't really care for the food itself, Anon's emotions are providing a nice buffet
 >You don't mind the silence, but other creatures prefer to talk while they eat
 >...For some reason
 >Anon is probably getting bored with nothing to focus on other than his meal
 >Better talk to him, give him something to focus on
 >...But what?
 >You could ask him about his home, but that would be cliché...
 >Ask him about humans?
 >Maybe...
 >But what specifically?
 >What plays they create?
 >No, that wouldn't spark a real conversation...
 >How about what humans do for fun?
 >Better...
 >Human mating habits?
 >...
 >Those two questions are the same thing
 >You giggle to yourself
 >Anon glances over at you with a friendly smile
 >You taste curiousity
 >"What's so funny?"
 >Buck
 >Your food is suddenly very interesting
 "Nothing, just remembered a dumb joke"
 >Anon's smile disappears
 >"Aw come on, don't leave me in the dark"
 >He saw through your bluff
 >BUCK
 >Things will be harder if you push him away and deny his curiousity...
 >But if you tell him, will things get awkward?
 >Your belly knots up
 >Pushing him away would erode trust
 >Better tell the truth
 >You take a stabilizing breath
 "I was trying to think of things to ask you about. I was considering asking about what humans do for fun, and then considered asking about human...mating habits... and..."
 >Anon smirks
 >"Practically the same thing"
 >Your eyes widen in surprise
 >How'd he know?!
 >Anon tilts his head at you
 >"I thought you didn't go for dirty jokes"
 >You shrug, thinking back to Sandy's musical number yesterday
 "I'm fine with dirty jokes, I'm just not one for puns"
 >"ah"
 >Anon's attention goes back to his tray as he takes another bite
 >That was a close one
 >Your belly still feels tight
 >You force yourself to calm down
 >...
 >That's better...
 >But now you are back to square one
 >Anon isn't focused on you any more
 >What can you talk about that won't make things worse?...
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >That's it! You'll ask him about the others who normally sit at the table
 >You already know exactly how he feels about them, but talking about them might help him fall in love with them
 "What do you think of the people we sit with?"
 >Anon swallows and looks at you
 >"What do you mean?"
 "You know... what are your thoughts on them?"
 >Anon smiles
 >"Some are a bit odd, but they are all good people"
 >You nod
 >Not much of a response, but at least he's talking to you
 >"What about you, what's your opinion on them?"
 >You blink in surprise
 >Anon wants your opinion?
 >Excellent!
 >That means he genuinely wants to know more about you and how you think!
 >But...
 >You stare back down at your tray
 >What is your real opinion on them?
 >You haven't really tried thinking of everyone else as anything other than a food source...
 >Growing up being hunted and shunned by others tends to make it hard to reciprocate friendships...
 >Not that you didn't /want/ real friends...
 >But you always survived on your own
 >Anon waves his hand in front of your eyes
 >"Hello? Earth to Spinny? er...Equestria to Spinny"
 >You recoil slightly and look at him
 "What?"
 >Anon smiles
 >"Sorry, but you were just sitting there, not moving a muscle"
 >You smile sheepishly at him
 "I was lost in thought..."
 >Hrm...
 >What do you think of the others?...
 "I agree the others are good... Not many tolerate changelings, and even fewer would accept them into their circle of friends. I owe you a great debt for befriending me"
 >That's it, tell Anon the truth while simultaneously prompting him to feel protective of you...
 >Anon frowns
 >"What rubbish"
 >You blink in surprise
 "What?"
 >"This world is so colorful and friendly, if I hadn't already seen ponies being hateful, I'd say it was impossible. I'm sorry you've had to go through all that alone, but you've got friends now. Us outcasts need to stick together"
 >Anon wraps an arm around you and squeezes
 >Your eyes flutter in surprise and your body freezes
 >Anon is HUGGING you!?
 >Nothing feeds you faster than direct contact!
 >After so long with barely anything to feed off of, the sensations are overwhelming
 >Anon frowns and pulls his arm back
 >"You alright? You look a little faint"
 >No time to recover
 >He asked you a question!
 >"...I'm sorry, guess I shouldn't have done that"
 >You can feel Anon's regret and shame growing
 >ANSWER HIM!
 >Don't let him think he shouldn't touch you!
 "Nononononono, you good"
 >Nailed it
 >Anon doesn't look or taste convinced
 >"You sure?"
 >You take a stabilizing breath
 "Y-yes, I'm fine. You just took me by surprise, is all..."
 >Anon's guilt is washed away by relief
 >He smiles at you
 >"That's good"
 >You feel the blood rushing to your face and ears
 >...Ears that feel  like they could catch fire
 >You stare at your hooves
 >Got to press your advantage now! You're on a roll!
 "You can put your arm back around me, if you want..."
 >Anon chuckles
 >"maybe after breakfast"
 >Anon said he might hug you after breakfast!
 >NAILED IT
 >"Also, did you know you blink when you're surprised? Cute little habit"
 >Anon gives you a smile before turning back to his meal
 >That's it
 >That is all you can take
 >Your belly is fit to burst
 >Any more friendship and you'll be forced to purge some of the emotions
 >And you can't risk purging with so much riding on your actions with Anon
 >An overfed changeling would let all the excess love and friendship they'd eaten to pour out in a rush of emotions
 >Purging was a valuable survival trait of changelings
 >It prevented queens without hives from getting too powerful, and guaranteed food for the rest of the hive if one drone got lucky
 >Only queens with hives could properly channel the extra emotion into raw power
 >You couldn't let Anon see you purging
 >Not yet, at least
 >You needed to get rid of some of this excess emotion
 "P-please excuse me, I'm done eating"
 >Anon nods and smiles
 >"I'll catch you later"
 >That is what you are counting on
 >Anon takes another bite
 "I'll be in my room if y-you need a-anything"
 >CALM YOURSELF
 >Anon swallows his food
 >"Right. See you later"
 >You nod numbly and carry your tray away
 >You still can't believe Anon hugged you...
 >Right out in the open!
 >L-Lewd!
 >Things were moving faster than expected!
 >Excellent!
 >You put your dirty tray away and stumble towards your cell
 >You needed to store some of this raw emotion in changeling jelly
 >That way you could save it for later
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >...Maybe Anon would want to try some?...
 >No, that thought is just your body attempting to purge
 >There is no way he would want to try it...
 >Still, you can't help but smile at the thought of Anon enjoying something so intense and private from you
 >You smile all the way back to your cell, wobbling slightly
 
 Be Anon
 >Be three fourths through your meal
 >Spinnerette looked a little loopy when she left, but she's a tough girl
 >She'll make it back to her cell
 >Probably
 >...
 >You knew public displays of affection were pretty rare here...
 >Only the closest of friends came anywhere near each other it seemed
 >Still, you didn't expect such a reaction from Spinnerette
 >She stiffened up and looked so panicked...
 >At least she wasn't offended
 >Maybe you should check up on her in a bit, just to be safe?
 >...hrm...
 >After the initial shock wore off, she turned into a stuttering awkward mess...
 >...She likes you, doesn't she?
 >You stop chewing
 >Would you, could you, a bug pony?
 >Well... You weren't exactly a Casanova back home, so having someone who really cared deeply about you would be nice
 >And honestly, you've fapped to weirder stuff than her
 >...But she's another species!
 >Not a dumb animal though, she is a sapient being so it wouldn't be bestiality...
 >...right?
 >Right
 >Probably
 "Bah, this is too much for right now"
 >You'll give this proper consideration later
 >For now, you had a meal to finish
 >You'd check on her later, and sort out your own thoughts before then
 >Hopefully
 >You resume chewing
 >Feels good to have a plan
 >Even if it's a terrible one
 >"Anon! I. can. talk. better. now!"
 >You turn and see a familiar crowd approaching
 >A couple of the girls wave at you, and you beam a smile right back
 "Hey girls, good to see you all. Vintl, I can finally understand you!"
 >The breezie beams
 >"Golly. darn. right. you. can. understand. me.!"
 >Vintl continues to beam proudly
 >You can't help but chuckle
 "Golly darn?"
 >The breezie tilts her head in confusion
 >"What.?"
 "You said 'golly darn'"
 >Vintl frowns
 >"No. I. said. golly. darn. no. I. mean. golly. darn. I. mean.-Amber. help. why. can't. I. curse?!"
 >Amber gives her a laid back grin
 >"I had to put some sugar cane into the potion for sweetness, otherwise it would be too bitter to drink. The sweetness probably just added the side effect of prohibiting cuss words"
 >Vintl's face twists into an angry frown
 >"Fluff. You.!"
 >Libele giggles
 >"Honestly dearie, it's nice to not have you swearing for once"
 >Vintl glares at her
 >"Fluff. you. too.! No. one. will. take. me. seriously. if. I. can't. cuss. them. out.!"
 >You raise your hand
 "I'll still take you seriously"
 >Vintl calms down a little and huffs
 >"Thanks... Still. gonna. miss. curse. words."
 >You give the disheartened breezie  a reassuring smile
 "If it will make you feel better, I'll try and cuss less too. You won't have to go through the loss in vocabulary alone"
 Vintl shrugs
 >"Thanks. I. guess."
 >With Vintl's disappointment addressed, the girls settle around the table with their trays
 >Feygl and Vintl sit on either side of you, while Libele and Amber sit across from you
 "So, other than Vintl learning to speak something understandable, any big news?"
 >Feygl beams a proud smile
 >"I learned a new song on my guitar"
 >You meet her gaze with a grin
 "You play the guitar? Neat. I'd like to hear you play some time"
 >Feygl looks at her tray
 >"Sure, maybe I'll be able to find the time to play a song or two for you"
 >You nod
 "Looking forward to it already"
 >Amber raises her hand
 >"I'm working on a new potion for body modification"
 >You tilt your head, looking at her
 "Body modification?"
 >She nods excitedly
 >"I could give someone wings, or a horn, even an extra arm! Or make them a giant! Or shrink them! The possibilities are endless!"
 >Amber gestures wildly
 >This is the most animated you've ever seen her
 >She must /really/ be into potions
 >"All I need is a powerful stabilizing agent for the base potion. From there, all I would need to do is add a pretty common ingredient to specify how the body would be modified. Feathers for wings, fish scales to grow scaly armor, pygmy berries to shrink and giant toadstool to grow, just to name a few"
 >You let out a low whistle
 "Impressive"
 >She nods
 >"It would be, if I could make it work! I just can't find a powerful enough stabilizing agent..."
 >Amber glowers at her tray
 "That's too bad... potions like that could be a lot of fun, and really useful"
 >Libele swallows her bite
 >"There must be some ingredient powerful enough, right?"
 >Amber nods her head
 >"Yes, but...Everything available is well outside what I can afford"
 >Feygl sips her juice and clears her throat
 >"Is there anything we can do or give you? I know you've used my old feathers in the past, maybe Libele can give you molted scales or nail clippings?"
 >Libele nods
 >"I could do that!"
 >Amber smiles weakly
 >"That's sweet, but it wouldn't work. I need something even stronger than that"
 >Vintl buzzes her wings
 >"What.about.Anon.?"
 >You blink at her
 "What about me?"
 >"Never. experimented. with. human. nails. or. human. hair. Right. Amber.?"
 >Amber nods slowly, mind racing
 >"You're right, I haven't had the chance to try anything from Anon's body... Anon, Could you give me something to experiment with?"
 >You shrug
 "I guess I could, but can it wait until after breakfast?"
 >Amber nods, beaming a smile
 >"Thank you! I doubt you'll have the missing ingredient, but your unique physiology and background may lead to some interesting ingredient effects. I can't wait to see what you'll do to my potions!"
 >You return her smile
 "No problem. Let me know what my body is good for"
 >Sandy arrives with a bang, loudly dropping her tray on the table
 >"I can think of a few things yer body would be good fer!"
 >She wiggles her eyebrows ferociously
 >You can't help but chuckle
 "Golly gee, Sandy. You're incorrigible!"
 >Vintl smiles at your commitment to keep your language as decent as hers
 
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be entering the mess
 >There's Anon, at his usual spot with his group
 >Looks like he's finished eating and is just talking with the girls
 >Perfect
 >That means you can begin the other inmate's rehabilitation!
 >You trot up to the table, sporting a pleasant smile
 "Good morning Anonymous. If you have some free time, I'd appreciate some help."
 >Anon's gaze shifts to you
 >"Good morning doc. I guess I did promise to help you, just didn't expect you to ask so soon"
 >You beam a grin at him
 "No time like the present!"
 >Anon sighs and smiles
 >"Alright, I did promise"
 >He turns back towards the girls around the table
 >"Bye girls, I'll talk to you all later. Amber, once I'm done with Happy I'll swing by your cell"
 >Amber nods excitedly
 >"I can't wait!"
 >Anon extracts himself and his tray from the table as the rest of the girls say their goodbyes
 >You lead Anon from the mess, along the way letting him put his dirty tray away
 "You have three options to start with. L'mao, Desert Sands, and Vladdy"
 >Anon nods
 >"Tell me about them"
 >You float the dossiers towards him
 "Everything you need to know is in their files"
 >Anon nods again, grabbing the folders
 >Your excitement builds as he reads through each dossier
 >"Alright, let's start with this L'mao guy"
 >You beam Anon a smile
 "Excellent choice. L'mao likes to hang out in an alley in the prison compound right outside the kitchens"
 >Anon hands back the dossiers
 >"Take me there"
 >You magically grab the dossiers and nod
 >You start leading the way to the yard which connected to L'mao's alley
 >"So what's the plan?"
 "As you know, L'mao likes to treat ponies like idiots. I need you to insult him right back and make him feel like the stupid one for once"
 >Anon nods thoughtfully
 >"I can handle insults, but didn't this guy teach for a living?"
 >You nod
 "Yes, but he only taught young ponies. You'll do fine"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"Alright, I'll see what I can do"
 >You and Anon complete the rest of the journey to the yard silently
 >Once L'mao's alley is visible, you stop
 "I can't be seen helping you by too many inmates. L'mao is in that alley there. Probably with his two best friends, Snuffles and Large Bird"
 >Anon nods
 >"Alright, here goes nothing..."
 >He starts walking towards the alley at a brisk pace
 >You bite your lip nervously
 >He'll be fine...
 >Right?
 >Right
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be walking past the alley entrance
 >Time to earn that extra dessert for you and your friends
 >The alley is a dead end, and you can make out two hulking shapes in the darkness
 >And...is that a miniature piano?
 >You stop when a high pitched, husky voice calls out
 >"Why are you here?"
 >You look down to see the...thing... you came here for
 >L'mao, in all his red and two foot tall glory is standing before you
 >"I'm talking to you, dumb-dumb!"
 "You're L'mao?"
 >The red thing nods
 >"L'mao is L'mao, yes... Nice face!"
 >L'mao laughs with his mouth wide open
 >All the while, his eyes stare straight ahead
 >Almost looking dead
 >Creepy
 >He stops laughing and stares coldly at you
 >"Who are you, and what do you want with L'mao?"
 "I'm Anon, and I heard you aren't very nice"
 >"You heard right about L'mao! L'mao is dangerous!"
 >The little being tries to flex and intimidate you
 >Large bird moves forward
 >"Don't be too hard on him L'mao, everyone makes mistakes. I've made mistakes, you've made mistakes, Anon has made mistakes, even Anon's parents made mistakes..."
 >That's odd, his friend is trying to help yo- wait a minute
 "Hey!"
 >Large bird smirks down at you with those same, dead eyes as L'mao
 >"Yeah? What are you going to do about it?"
 >You wave a hand dismissively at Large Bird
 "I can deal with you later, food"
 >Large Bird tilts his head
 >"Food?"
 "Yes, food. Back where I come from, people love to eat birds. Especially large flightless ones like you"
 >You give him a predatory smile
 >Large Bird bursts into tears and runs to the back of the alley
 >L'mao steps forward
 >"You came to see L'mao, not Large Bird! Why?!"
 "I heard you like to bully others and call them dumb, and I've had enough of it"
 >L'mao giggles
 >"Nobody tells L'mao what to do! Dumby!"
 >Guess he won't shape up the easy way
 >Time to lower yourself to his level
 "Nobody tells you what to do because you're too dumb to follow instructions"
 >L'mao glares at you
 >"What did you just say to L'mao?"
 "Wow, you can't even follow a single sentence! You really are dumb"
 >L'mao bangs his hand against the wall
 >"L'mao is not dumb! You are dumb!"
 >The other large being hidden in the alley, Snuffles, starts walking forward slowly
 >"You've done it now, it isn't a good idea to make L'mao angry"
 "Why? Does he get dumber when he's angry?"
 >L'mao screams wordlessly at you
 >Snuffles finally walks up beside his friend, into the light...
 >...Holy poop, is that a wooly mammoth?!
 >"You need to apologize to L'mao, before I do the 'snuffle shuffle' on your face"
 >...He's bluffing
 >He must be
 >The closest thing to a physical fight here is a pillow fight
 >Better call him out on the bluff
 "Hey fatty, stay quiet. I'm talking to the dumb one right now"
 >The mammoth creature bursts into tears and waddle-runs to the back of the alley to try and escape your mean words
 >...What a pushover
 >L'mao glares at you, his anger already giving way to fear
 >"Why are you doing this to L'mao!? Why are you doing this to L'mao's friends?!"
 >You smile at him
 "Simple, because you've been a bully for too long. You've let your pride take over your common sense. You need to learn that the world doesn't revolve around you, you need to learn that this isn't L'mao's world"
 >L'mao glances back towards his friends, seeking support
 >But L'mao's friends are too busy sobbing at the far end of the alley to be of any help
 >L'mao glares up at you again
 >"Why won't you leave L'mao and his friends alone?!"
 >He's practically in tears
 >You smirk at him
 "Tell me, how does it feel to be bullied?"
 >"Terrible! Please stop being mean to L'mao and his friends!"
 "I will, on one condition"
 >"What is it?"
 "Don't insult people anymore. Now you've experienced what it is like to be on the receiving end of bullying, remember how it feels and be nice."
 >L'mao quickly nods
 >"L'mao didn't like being bullied! L'mao will be nice to everyone from now on!"
 >Mission accomplished
 >If The Warden catches word of you bullying, she'll be forced to take action against you
 >Better nip any thoughts of being a tattle-tale in the bud
 >What better way to do that than through extending a pre-emptive olive branch?
 >You beam him a friendly smile and extend a hand
 "Good. Sorry I had to be so rough on you, no hard feelings?"
 >L'mao smiles and shakes your hand
 >"No hard feelings. You can even have a present!"
 "A present?"
 >L'mao nods enthusiastically
 >"Yeah!"
 >He turns and calls to his friends
 >"Snuffy, Large bird, come here!"
 >You wave back at the cowering masses of fur and feathers
 "Sorry I had to be so rough on you guys"
 >The two large beings approach slowly
 >L'mao beams at them
 >"Come see what L'mao did!"
 >Snuffles speaks up first
 >"What have you done L'mao?"
 >L'mao grins
 >"L'mao wrote his own song!"
 >Large bird tilts his head
 >"Really? What's it called?"
 >Dang, those two got over their tears quickly
 >L'mao nods
 >"L'mao' s song"
 >Large bird nods
 >"Clever title"
 >Snuffles leans toward his avian friend
 >"I wish I'd thought of it"
 >L'mao sits down next to the miniature piano
 >"Do Snuffy and Large Bird want to hear it?"
 >The two speak in unison
 >"Oh sure!"
 >L'mao rests his fingers on the piano keys
 >"Okay! Anon, you can have this song too!"
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSYadh2xmcI
 (Author's note: This song is canon to the story until the 2:57 mark if you substitute "Big" for "Large")
 
 
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be pacing back and forth
 >Why is Anon taking so long?
 >L'mao shouldn't be that much of a challenge for someone who could take out Spear's gang!
 >Even with L'mao's big friends...
 >Anon finally walks out of the alley, sporting a grin
 >You rush up to him, inspecting him for any signs of injury
 "Well, how'd it go?"
 >Anon gives you a thumbs-up
 >"Pretty well. L'mao agreed to stop bullying people and even gave me a song"
 >You raise an eyebrow
 "He gave you a song?"
 >Anon nods
 >"Eeyup, 'Anon's Song'"
 >Anon chuckles and shakes his head
 >"Pure silliness"
 >You give him a smile
 "You accomplished your goal, L'mao promised to be good! I've spent months trying to rehabilitate him and you did it in just a couple minutes! Fantastic work, Anon. I can't thank you enough"
 >Anon smiles at you
 >"Just remember your end of the bargain during lunch. Speaking of which, want to join me and my group? I know Vintl will love to hear the story, and Libele probably couldn't rest until she's thanked you personally"
 >You frown
 "Nopony can know I made a deal with you, rewarding you for being a bully"
 >Anon frowns back
 >"of course, sorry...Nevermind, then..."
 >Anon furrows his brow in thought
 >"Actually, how about if I told them you gave me the extra puddings because I let you do some extra studies with my body?"
 >You tilt your head
 "What do you mean?"
 >Anon smiles
 >"Well, I promised Amber that she could use my hair and nail clippings to test as potion ingredients. Humans are rare and it would be realistic that you, as a medical professional, would want as much research done on a rare species as possible"
 >You nod
 "Yes...that might work! Good thinking"
 >Anon taps his head
 >"Momanon always did say I was a clever one"
 >You giggle and nod
 "She wasn't wrong... We can finish up with the other two trouble inmates later. Take a rest, you've earned it"
 >Anon nods
 >"Thanks, I did tell Amber I would let her experiment with me after breakfast so I should head over to her cell...Do you know where that is?"
 >You nod
 "I have a room directory back at my office"
 
 Be Amber Ember
 >Be sitting against your wall
 >Be trying your best to meditate
 >Be failing miserably, even with Feygl playing a relaxing tune
 >You were just too excited!
 >A brand new source of potentially ultra-rare ingredients?
 >That you would be the first one to EVER get a chance with?
 >It really is an alchemist's dream come true!
 >Even if Anon's body isn't worth any interesting ingredients, the potential of being the first to discover a new potion was intoxicating
 >"You okay Amber?"
 >You open your eyes to look at Feygl
 >She's lying on your bed, relaxing
 "Of course, why do you ask?"
 >Feygl points at your hoof with a wing
 >"You were tapping your hoof in time with my playing. You only do that when you can't meditate. And the only time you can't meditate is when something is on your mind"
 >You smile at your old friend
 "You know me too well"
 >Feygl smirks
 >"I know. So what's eating you?"
 >You shake your head
 "Nothing, I'm just excited!"
 >Feygl's eyes twinkle, a sure sign she's about to tease you
 >"And I thought I had the hots for Anon! Well I don't mind sharing with you. We'll split him ninety-ten, my favor"
 >You giggle
 "That isn't why I'm excited and you know it"
 >Feygl laughs
 >"I'm serious! You're already like family to me, why not make it official and throw in some hot stud?"
 >You giggle again, relaxing from your meditation pose
 "Tell you what, I'll think about it"
 >Feygl smiles
 >"That's all I can ask"
 >Feygl strums a few chords idly
 >"So what are you hoping to find out from Anon's body?"
 "I'd really like to see something brand new, completely unexpected. However, I think I'll only find ingredients of minimal value"
 >Feygl tilts her head
 >"I thought you wanted to see that 'stabilizing' effect from him"
 >You shrug
 "I'm not getting my hopes up. I'm afraid my body-mod potion is just a crazy dream..."
 >Feygl shakes her head
 >"I'm sure you'll get it someday! If not today with Anon, then eventually. You're the smartest person I know when it comes to herbs and potions. I believe in you"
 >You smile warmly at her
 "Thank you, your support means a lot"
 >Feygl beams at you
 >"Anytime"
 >You glance at your wall clock
 >Anon never said a specific time to expect him
 "Think he's on his way here?"
 >Feygl shrugs
 >"I hope so. could you stay sitting against that wall when he arrives?"
 >You tilt your head
 "Sure...but why?"
 >Feygl smirks
 >"If Anon is facing you, It'll give me a good excuse to look at his butt"
 >You smile and raise an eyebrow
 >Feygl giggles
 >"What? He's got a cute butt!"
 >You join in the giggles, but the mirth is cut short by a knock at the door
 >That must be him!
 "Come in!"
 >The door swings open to reveal Anon
 >"Sorry it took me a while to get here. I had business with Happy Heart, as you know. I also had to look up your room number"
 >Of course!
 >You never told him where your room was!
 "I'm glad you found your way!"
 >Feygl nods
 >"How /did/ you find this room?"
 >Anon smiles
 >"Happy Heart's directory"
 >He walks in and closes the door
 >"So, Amber, you can use hair and nail clippings right?"
 >You nod
 "Right. I don't need much to begin experimenting. Did you bring any?"
 >Anon just gives you a confused expression
 >"What do you mean? Don't you have a pair of scissors we can use to cut my ha- oh wait, I'm an idiot. We're in a prison, of course the inmates aren't allowed to have scissors"
 >Feygl shakes her head
 >"Actually, you just need a permit to use scissors. What does being an inmate have to do with anything?"
 >Anon blinks in confusion
 >"Wait, a permit? Seriously?"
 >You nod
 "Of course. The permit requires a two week long workshop that teaches how to safely handle scissors"
 >Anon chuckles
 >"You're screwing with me. But fine, no scissors here. I'll just run my fingers through my hair a couple times, that should knock a few hairs loose"
 >You smile
 "That might give me enough to work with for a single experiment. You can get your nails and hair clipped at the spa"
 >Anon nods
 >"Alright, I'll give you whatever falls out of my head and then go to the spa"
 >Feygl sets her guitar aside and hops out of your bed
 >"I'll go with you. My claws could use a trim too"
 >Anon gives her a smile
 >"Sounds like a plan, let's do it"
 
 Be Feygl
 >Be leading Anon to the spa
 >Because you are a genius
 >A few hours at the spa with Anon would provide you the perfect opportunity to learn more about him
 >You could learn, for example, how tough he really is
 >He hinted that where he comes from, anyone can use a sharp object like scissors without supervision or a permit
 >But you'd watch when he got his nails cut
 >Even you had a hard time when someone brought those clippers to bear on your claws and talons
 >He may talk big, but no one can fully withstand having such dangerous instruments near their sensitive digits
 >You've seen grown griffons in the royal army bawl like babies when it came time to trim their nails
 >You smile
 >Yes, this will prove an excellent test to see just what kind of male Anon really is!
 >You steal a glance up at him
 >You see more of his details than the other girls ever could
 >Because of his short sleeves, you could examine his arms
 >Covered in light hair, with the occasional freckle...
 >and something else
 >A number of scars
 >Those were the real reason you /knew/ Anon was tough
 >You couldn't mention those scars to Amber
 >You didn't want to upset your dear friend
 >"What's up? Something on my arm?"
 >BUCK!
 >Anon caught you looking!
 >He lifts his arm, inspecting it for foreign material
 "No, you're good. Nothing on your arm"
 >Maybe he won't ask why you were looking?
 >Anon allows his arm to fall back to his side, gently swaying as he walked
 >"So then why were you staring at my arm?"
 >HAY BISCUITS!
 >No avoiding it now...
 >...
 >To Tartarus with it, might as well just ask him about the scars
 "I couldn't help but notice the scars on your arms. Where did you get those?"
 >Anon lifts his arm back up to inspect it again
 >"You really want to hear how I got these?"
 >You confirm with a nod
 >"Alright, sure, I'll tell you about them. Most people here can't stand stories where someone gets hurt. Last time I told someone about it, they fainted"
 >You give him a cocky smirk
 "I'm not most people. Go on, I can take it"
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Alright, feel free to stop me if it gets too graphic for you"
 >You nod, smirk growing
 "Sure, now spill the beans already"
 >Anon smiles and twists his arm, pointing out a faint white line
 >"Back when I was really little, I was playing in the woods with some friends. We were playing tag, and I got pushed against a broken branch and it cut my arm"
 >By the Good King, he got that as a child!?
 "That must have hurt!"
 >Anon laughs
 >"Like a.... dang, this no cussing rule is difficult"
 >You give him a weak smile
 "You can cuss around me, I won't tell Vintl or Libele"
 >Anon beams you a grin
 >"Thanks. Yeah, it hurt like a bitch. But at least I got a candy bar out of it"
 >You tilt your head
 "What?"
 >"My grandpa was visiting, and he saw my mom cleaning up my cut. When she sprayed the anti-bacterial stuff on my arm, I didn't cry. So my grandpa gave me some chocolate for being 'a tough little trooper'"
 >Anon smiles at the memory
 >He points out another mark, a pale scar that was nearly a perfect circle
 >"This was a fun one, I'm proud of this one"
 "W-why?"
 >"Well, back where I come from we have a couple games called things like 'airsoft' and 'paintball'..."
 >Anon animatedly gestures with his free hand
 >"...Don't let the names fool you, these aren't games that anyone from this world could play-"
 "Why?"
 >Anon's eyes light up
 >"I'll tell you why! In this world, you can become a black-suit-tier criminal for injuring someone and drawing blood. I heard that even during his fight with the purple princess, Tirek was trying to avoid seriously hurting her"
 >Anon leans down and whispers conspiratorially
 >"I heard he faints at the sight of blood!"
 >He stands back up
 >"Anyway, the basic principle behind airsoft and paintball is the same. To play paintball, you use something called a 'paintball gun', which is designed to use compressed air to propel a circular capsule filled with paint through a long metal tube at high speed. Once this capsule hits something, it ruptures and marks the area with paint"
 >You frown
 "Isn't that insanely dangerous?"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"Only if you don't follow the rules or don't wear a mask. Anyway, there are different game types when you play paintball. We were playing a variation called 'mercy'. Basically, you aren't out when you get hit-"
 >You stop walking
 "Wait, you actually aim at EACHOTHER?!"
 >Anon stops and frowns
 >"Well, yeah. It wouldn't be as much fun otherwise. Anyway, this little scar is my badge of honor because I won that game"
 >Anon flashes a toothy grin
 >"Even beat my dad that round. It was a good day"
 >You give Anon a shaky nod
 >Anon's smile fades as he looks you over
 >"You seem a bit shaken up. Sorry, guess I overdid it with my stories."
 >You shake your head
 "I-I'm fine, it's just... woah"
 >Anon grins sheepishly
 >"We can save the rest for later. How far are we from the spa?"
 >You point down the hall
 "Not far now, just past the corner"
 >Anon nods
 >"Good, lead the way"
 >You start walking down the hall, Anon falling in beside you
 >You glance one last time at those scars on his arm
 >Your gut clenches in nervousness and a little fear
 >Anon might be embelishing the story a little to try and impress you, but you doubt it
 >He was probably telling the truth
 >This male was easily the toughest creature you've ever met
 >His species hurt eachother for fun!
 >He wasn't just tough...
 >He was a monster
 >But he could be caring and sensitive too...
 >He wasn't just a monster...
 >He was a kind and sexy monster
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >Be in Anon's room
 >Be starting phase one of your most ingenious prank ever
 >You had snuck into his room earlier and stolen some of his uniforms...
 >So that Heavy Hoof could 'modify them'
 >You grin maliciously
 >Starting today, Anon will discover that he's losing weight...
 >Or think he is!
 >You exchange the altered uniforms for what is already in Anon's closet
 >Every uniform in his closet had to be bigger for this to work
 >You stuff the clothing into your saddlebags
 >You'll take these to Heavy Hoof to prepare for phase two
 >You can't help but let out a dark, manly giggle
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be done storing the excess emotional nutrition in jelly
 >It was a close call
 >You nearly completely lost your composure
 >Making a mental note to be more on guard next time you see Anon, you pull out a deck of cards
 >Anon said he might be visiting you before lunch, and you needed to prepare yourself
 >And nothing allows you to focus like the binary relations between cards during a game of solitaire
 >Usually when you need to relax, any game will do
 >But today was special
 >You needed the full effect
 >You close your eyes and go through the well-practiced motions of preparing the game, as your mother taught you
 >The cards levitate all around you in a maelstrom, thoroughly shuffling the deck
 >You alter the spell, and the cards fall into place on your desk
 >With the game ready, you open your eyes
 >...
 >buck
 >Total garbage
 >Oh well, you have to play the hand you've been dealt
 >What was it mother always said when you lost?
 >oh, yes...
 "Unlucky at cards, lucky at love"
 >You smile as you lose the first round
 
 Be Anon
 >Be enjoying the spa with Feygl
 >Be in a small room, lying down on one of two massage tables
 >You honestly weren't expecting much...
 >But this really was lovely
 "Didn't know visiting a spa could be so nice. Amazing how they got real masseurs to work here"
 >Feygl giggles from the table next to you
 >"The spa is run by inmates, same as every other place here"
 "Huh...neat"
 >"These ponies would go crazy if they weren't allowed to do their special talent. This way we all win"
 >You chuckle
 "Oh yeah"
 >You raise an arm, giving a thumbs-up to your massuse
 "Keep up the great work buddy"
 >The mare above you giggles soothingly and continues to work your back
 >When you first saw the arrangement, it didn't make sense to you...
 >A massage table with handholds built so high?
 >But Feygl had told you to just relax and go with it
 >She gave damn good advice
 >The mare was stepping on your back in all the right ways
 >You let out a deep sigh as she clears a knot
 "How do you keep your hooves so smooth? I'd expect hooves to be poor tools for massages"
 >"I'm sorry, trade secret"
 >You chuckle
 "Fair enough"
 >Feygl weakly flaps a wing to get your attention
 >"These ponies practically live in the spa. I doubt they've ever stepped in anything worse than an old mud bath"
 "That makes sense I suppose"
 >Both your masseuse and Feygl's chime in with the same soothing giggle
 "So, when are we going to get my hair cut? Don't get me wrong, I'm loving this, but Amber is probably waiting"
 >Feygl makes a happy sound as her masseur steps on a sweet spot
 >"She can wait..."
 >You chuckle
 "If you say so"
 >You close your eyes and breathe through your nose, enjoying the calming sensations
 >Your mind begins to wander...
 >From memories of home, to an idle fantasy, to recent events, to Spinnerette...
 >Shit, you still hadn't come to a decision about her
 >Her emarassment
 >Her awkward invitation
 >There is no way you misread her signals
 >She's interested
 >The initial shock and oddness of the situation has mostly faded
 >She really is pretty
 >In her own, bug-pony kind of way
 >Well...
 >Why not?
 >It's not like you are deciding whether or not to marry her
 >Just if you could consider a date or two
 >You smile to yourself
 >You've come to a decision
 >You'll see Spinnerette after giving Amber your clippings
 >This massage really did hit the spot, helped you make a good choice
 >Nothing to do now but enjoy it as much as possi-
 >"WHERE IS ANON!?"
 >...Was that Amber?
 >Your massage-pony turns toward the door as it slams open
 >"ANON, I NEED YOU!"
 >You look up at the overexcited minotaur
 >She's bouncing up and down in happiness
 >What a nice view...
 >You blink and look up at her face
 "What's going on?"
 >She beams at you
 >"I need more samples. Now! Your hair reacted positively with 'Merry Gold's Decoction', turning it pitch black!"
 >You stare at her blankly
 >Feygl rests her head on her forearms
 >"Translation please?"
 >Amber gestures wildly
 >"Anon's hair is a powerful stabilizing agent. I need to perform further tests, but ran out of hair"
 >You wave your arm
 >"Alright, haircut time. Could you please get off me now miss?"
 >The mare carefully hops off of you, and Feygl's mare does the same
 >You extract yourself from the table and step next to Amber
 >The scent of strong herbs washes over you as you approach her
 >Smells like a mixture of cinnamon and fresh rain
 >"Could I also get some nail clippings? Please?"
 >She gives you the biggest pair of puppy-eyes you've ever seen
 >You nod and chuckle
 "Of course, they were getting a bit long anyway"
 >Amber jumps and dances around excitedly
 >You can't help but smile at the outburst
 >Your massage-pony daintily walks up to you and Amber
 >"I'm sorry sir, our nail-clipping specialist is out today"
 >The news puts an instant dampener on Amber's joy
 >"Oh, alright. I guess just hair is more than enough for now"
 >You shake your head and turn to the spa pony
 "Nonsense, just give me the nail clippers and I'll do mine myself"
 >The pony looks at you, shocked
 >Amber's jaw drops
 >Feygl mutters something under her breath so quietly that it might just have been your imagination
 >"What a badass..."
 
 Be Claw Chopper
 >Be the toughest manicurist this side of Canterlot
 >Be in your room, sick
 >Be hit by the sudden feeling that somewhere nearby, nails were being handled by somepony who wasn't a specialist
 >You shudder at the thought
 
 Be Amber Ember
 >Be alone in your room
 >Be working with your lab gear
 >You had asked Anon and Feygl to leave you alone so you could work in peace
 >Anon mentioned he had plans, and Feygl said something about a cold shower
 >So it was just you and your mortar and pestle, alembic, vials, pencil and notepad
 >And all the ingredients you could want
 >You had some of Anon's hair trimmings and nail clippings boiling in solutions that would tell you their exact strength
 >The rest was stored in your ingredient chest in separate baggies
 >You giggle in excitement as an orange plume of smoke belches from one of the solutions
 >You quickly write down the color and quantity before staring at the bubbling solutions again
 >Fantastic!
 >The early data points at Anon's nails and hair having different potencies...
 >Fascinating!
 >You tap your hooves against the ground and spin the pencil while eagerly waiting for the next signal from the volatile liquids
 >The nail-solution mewls like a kitten
 >That's a very good sign
 >Anon had been so wonderful getting you his nail clippings
 >To do what he did... he's either insane, insanely brave, a lover of science and alchemy, or he's head-over-heels in love with you
 >The last possibility is the least likely
 >You've really only just met
 >And you just don't know him well enough to consider a relationship yet
 >But then again...
 >Feygl is interested in him, and you trust her judgement
 >And he's the only male to give your group any attention at all
 >And while he may not be as big as a minotaur, he's much nicer and less aggressive
 >Sure... You could be convinced to try a relationship with him
 >Especially if he keeps giving you bits of himself to try in your potions!
 >You giggle at the thought
 >His body could make you a household name among alchemists
 >To be in the history books as the alchemist who discovered and used rare new ingredients...
 >What an honor that would be
 >Your train of thought is derailed as both potions emit a sound similar to a balloon deflating
 >You frown
 >That wasn't a good sign
 >You quickly scribble down the observation
 >Only time and further experimentation would tell if you had stumbled on a priceless ingredient or a dud
 
 Be Sandy Beaches
 >Be in the pool
 >Or, more accurately, be standing on the deck of your ship
 >Since all ships have male names, and The Warden decomissioned your last vessel, you decided to name this one...
 >'The H.M.S. Anon'
 >Scourge of the seven seas!
 >or at least the scourge of the late-morning pool
 >The Warden wouldn't be sinking this vessel
 >It was built just like its namesake
 >That, and this wasn't just any vessel
 >It was a battleship
 >Armed to the teeth with the latest maritime fighting technology
 >The Warden wouldn't stand a chance
 >You had already cleared all the riff-raff from your waters
 >This place was yours
 >All you needed to do now was protect your territory
 >"Come on Sandy, let us swim! We have to practice our synchronized doggy-paddle!"
 >You glare dangerously at the wannabe sailors lining the shore
 "You land-lubbers'll never get yer dirty hooves in me ocean again!"
 >The stallion stamps his hoof
 >"But you let that Breezie in the pool with you!"
 >You look over to your quartermaster, Vintl
 "She do be a mighty warrior, and me quartermaster! No playing in the pool unless ye join me pirate crew!"
 >One of the mares on the coast begins to cry
 >"B-but I don't want to be a pirate! Pirates are gross!"
 "Take that back ye scurvy dog!"
 >The mare breaks down into sobs at the insult
 >The stallion from before moves to comfort her, glaring at you
 >"How dare you make one of my wives cry! I'm telling The Warden!"
 >You lob a liquid explosive at the stallion
 >You don't land a direct hit but the explosive detonates, drenching him and everypony around him
 >Even with your vision partially blocked by an eyepatch, you are a pretty good shot
 "Let her come! She'll never break me! I'm making my stand!"
 >The ponies flee from the pool room
 >Good
 >Now the pool is all yours
 >Yours, and Vintl's
 >You don't feel bad about taking the waters by force
 >Those ponies will be fine
 >They had eachother
 >They can just go do herd things instead of soil your precious ocean
 >You'd show Anon how good a pirate you were, and then he'd submit to being your first mate!
 >It felt good to be king of the pirates
 
 Be The Warden
 >Be marching toward the pool with two guards in tow
 >Also be getting real tired of this malarkey
 >Sandy has 'conquered' the pool again
 >You'd sent several guards to resolve the situation
 >They had all returned, shivering and soaked to the bone
 >No doubt some would succumb to their injuries, fall ill, and you'd lose them...
 >...For a couple days at least, until they got over their colds
 >You stop at the door to the pool
 >Only Celestia knows what horrors lie beyond this portal
 >You look to the two guards, each carrying a towel
 "Be prepared to cover me in towels once I leave the room. I can't afford to catch  a cold now"
 >One guard gulps, and the other nods
 >"We're ready ma'am. Lead the way"
 >You shake your head
 "I'm going in alone. I can't afford to lose any more guards either"
 >"B-But Warden-!"
 >You extend a hoof, cutting her off
 "I'll be fine. Now wish me luck, I'm going in"
 >The guards salute as you carefully open the door and step inside
 >The door swings shut behind you as you spot Sandy
 >Wearing a new eyepatch
 >Standing in a boat
 >A small, poorly made boat
 >But a boat none-the-less
 "Sandy, give yourself up. This can only end one way"
 >The pirate pony flares her wings
 >"I'll ne'er surrender! Ye'll never sink this vessel!"
 "Sandy, that glorified box is barely keeping afloat. Did you make it yourself?"
 >Sandy nods
 >"Ya-har!"
 "You used real wood too, didn't you?"
 >Sandy beams a proud grin
 >"I used only the finest materials to craft the 'H.M.S. Anon'!"
 >You sigh
 >So this is partly Anon's doing
 >He really shouldn't encourage her
 >Sandy flaps her wings, forcing the boat to drift forward
 >"This ocean belongs to the Sandy Pirates!"
 >You shake your head
 "No. This is a public pool. Get out of that boat and give me the eyepatch or else you'll lose dessert privileges"
 >Sandy narrows her eyes
 >"Ye wouldn't dare"
 >You narrow yours
 "Try me"
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >Sandy smirks
 >"You'll never sink me"
 >You frown
 "Don't make me come out there. I do NOT want to get my coat wet"
 >Sandy lobs a balloon at you and you try to dodge
 >No good! You dodged right into it's trajectory!
 >The water balloon pops, drenching you in slightly cold water
 >No wonder your guards couldn't handle this situation
 >But you weren't like your guards
 >You were made of sterner stuff
 >"Too late now!"
 >You grit your teeth
 >It
 >Is
 >On!
 >With a primal battlecry, you jump into the pool
 >Mortar shots land all around as you furiously paddle towards the small boat
 >As soon as you get close, Sandy flaps her wings
 >Forcing the boat away from you
 >The chase continues all the way to the deep end
 >And the edge of the pool
 "Give up! You're only making things worse! You can't win, you've run out of pool!"
 >"WE'LL NEVER SURRENDER!"
 >Sandy manages a well-placed shot, and a balloon pops on your face
 >With an angry growl, you finally make contact with the ship
 >You begin to pull yourself aboard, but stop
 >Staring you dead in the snout is the muzzle of a jurry-rigged water pistol
 "Vintl?"
 >The breezie smirks
 >"Warden. Looks. Like. You're... All. Washed. up."
 >Vintl hugs the trigger with all her might, sending a stream of water up your nose
 >Sandy assaults you with her own water pistol, the stream hitting you in the mouth as you cry out
 "WARGLRGLRGL"
 
 
 Be Libele
 >Be happily knitting a tiny towel for Vintl
 >She'll need one soon
 >You smile
 >It fills your heart with happiness to know Vintl is able to be with friends without needing you around to translate everything
 >Vintl and Sandy are no doubt playing in the pool
 >Hopefully having the time of their lives splashing eachother
 >You'll be sure to ask her all about it during lunch
 >You check the clock
 >It was nearly lunch time already
 >Perfect, you were just starting to feel a little peckish
 >You hum a contented tune as you finish up Vintl's towel
 
 Be Anon
 >Be sitting at the lunch table with Spinnerette, Feygl, Libele and Happy Heart
 >Amber was too busy with her experiments, and had asked Feygl to bring her something to eat later
 >You had no idea where Vintl and Sandy were, though
 >They usually weren't so late
 >Libele taps her claws against the table
 >"I'm really starting to get worried. Vintl is always so punctual! Do you think something could have happened to her?"
 >Shaking your head, you swallow your bite
 "I doubt it. What could possibly happen in a place like this? They're fine. You said they were hanging out together, right?"
 >Libele nods
 "Well, they probably just lost track of time"
 >Libele bites her lip and clacks her claws together
 >"I hope you are right"
 >You give her a reassuring smile
 "Of course I am. No need to worry"
 >Libele smiles nervously
 >"Alright... I'll try to relax"
 >You beam her a grin
 "Good. Try some pudding, it'll help you get your mind off it"
 >Libele nods and turns to Happy
 >"Thank you again for getting us this extra dessert"
 >Happy smiles
 >"I already told you, I'm not the one to thank. Anon asked that I repay his willingness to help me research with pudding for his friends"
 >You give her a playful frown
 "You aren't really holding up your end of the bargain"
 >Happy frowns, confused
 >"What do you mean?"
 >You point at her tray
 "You're one of my friends, aren't you? Where is your extra dessert?"
 >The unicorn's eyes widen
 >"You see me as a friend?..."
 >You give her a smile
 "Sure, you're nice and get along with my other friends"
 >Happy nods to herself, deep in thought
 >huh
 >Silly little horsie
 >You start to raise your fork to take another bite, but stop
 >Vintl and Sandy just walked in
 >Under guard escort
 >The guards lead them to your table
 >The guards peel off, heading to the lunch line
 >They must be getting the lunches for your friends
 >Libele spots the approaching group and frowns
 >"What happened? Vintl, what did you do?"
 >The breezie pouts back
 >"The. Warden. Stole. Our. Ship."
 >Libele tilts her head
 >"What?"
 >Sandy plops herself down at the table
 >"The Warden decomissioned me greatest vessel yet. I crafted 'im from well aged timber all by meself... And now The Warden has 'im"
 "You made a wooden boat?"
 >Sandy is practically radiating sadness
 >"Aye...aye... He were great!"
 >You give her a sympathetic smile
 "I'm sorry. We're all here for you"
 >Sandy sniffles
 >"Thank ye... I-I'll be fine"
 >The two guards return with mostly full trays
 >With something very important missing
 >"Here you are, eat up"
 >The guards start to leave
 "Hey wait just a minute, where are their pudding cups?!"
 >One of the guards turns to you
 >"They lost pudding privileges"
 "For how long?"
 >The guard turns away
 >"T-three whole days"
 >The guards hurry away
 >Your two troublemaking friends stare sadly down at their food
 >You look from them to your own glorious pair of chocolate delights
 >Damnit
 >Sometimes it sucks being a good friend
 "No one should go without pudding. Especially not anyone I like. You two can have my puddings if you want"
 >Vintl and Sandy both look at you in shock
 >Vintl recovers first
 >"You. are. wonderful.! Thank. you. so. much.!"
 >You place the two puddings on their trays
 >Sandy looks from you to the pudding, then back to you
 >"I can't accept this. If The Warden found out you gave me dessert then you'd be in so much trouble!"
 >D'aw
 >She's so worried, she lost her pirate accent
 >You shoot her a wink
 "Yar... A pirate ne'er need fear a landlubber like her"
 >Sandy's eyes fill with tears and she beams you the biggest grin
 >"T-Thank ye, matey"
 >Vintl wastes no time digging into the pudding
 >Spinnerette frowns
 >"Anon, now you don't have any... You can have mine if you want"
 >You turn to her
 "Are you sure? I'm okay going without pudding if you want both of yours, I'll be fine"
 >Spinnerette smiles at you, her eyes glued to her hooves
 >"It's okay. You'll enjoy it more than I will..."
 >She begins to blush under your gaze
 >"...Besides... I want you to be happy"
 >She bites her lip and twiddles her hooves a little
 >D'aw, how could anyone say 'no' to that face?
 "Thanks Spinny. You're one of the good ones"
 >Her blush intensifies as she floats a pudding over to your tray
 >"I also decided where we should go after lunch for...our date"
 >You beam her an expectant grin
 "Yeah? What'd you decide?"
 >Vintl hops onto the table, face coated in pudding
 >"I. didn't. know. you. were. adding. to. your. herd.! I. want. in.!"
 >Wait, what?
 >Feygl reseats her wings, starting to blush
 >"Hey! I saw him first"
 >Wait, what?!
 >Sandy finishes a bite of food
 >"He be my first mate and I'll be making him me /first mate/ as well!"
 >WAIT, WHAT?!
 "Woah, wait, slow down, what's going on?"
 >Libele offers a napkin to Vintl
 >"They want to join your herd, Anon"
 "...I don't follow"
 >Feygl tilts her head, frowning
 "Don't make this difficult for us. Don't you know what a herd is?"
 >You blink at her
 "A herd. You mean like one male and a bunch of females?"
 >Though she manages perfect eye contact and tone, Feygl's beautiful feathers can't hide her now vibrant blush
 >"Basically. We want into yours"
 >Sandy nods and shoots you a wink
 >"Don't you want into us?"
 >This is all moving too fast
 >You need an adult
 "Is this normal?"
 >Happy Heart nods
 >"It is only natural for males and females to find eachother attractive, and why should only one girl out of every five get a mate?"
 "You're talking like there aren't enough guys to go around"
 >Vintl nods
 >"Too. few."
 >Spinny offers you a small smile, blushing fiercely
 >"And none like you"
 >You make a mental note to find that cute once you have the matter at hand settled
 "I already have a date with just Spinnerette-"
 >The Changeling princess cuts you off
 >"I'm okay with sharing you. I mean, if you are okay with being shared... I'm not greedy"
 >Spinnerette looks from girl to girl around the table, nervous smile plastered on her face
 >You carefully eye each girl
 "I wouldn't be 'sharing' with another guy, would I? And I wouldn't have to 'be shared' with another guy either?"
 >Libele giggles
 >"Only if you want to"
 >Feygl nods agreement
 >"Herdmates are fiercely loyal to eachother"
 >You take a deep breath
 "I really wasn't expecting this. This really came out of the blue for me. I could use some time to wrap my head around it all"
 >Sandy frowns
 >"But the tide waits for no man!"
 >Feygl extends a wing in front of Sandy's face
 >"Take your time deciding. I'm confident you'll make the right choice"
 >You reward her with a smile
 "Thanks"
 >Feygl smirks back
 >"Just be aware that me and Amber are a package deal. I'm not leaving her behind"
 "Alright"
 >Silence falls around the table
 >You play with your remaining food
 >You've completely lost your appetite, your mind totally preoccupied
 >...Maybe some research on the matter will do you some good
 "I'm heading off for now. I'll talk to you all soon"
 >Feygl gives you a friendly smile
 >"You better"
 >Vintl, Libele, and Happy Heart wave goodbye
 >Sandy shoots you a wink
 >"Catch ye later, sailor~"
 >You offer them all a little wave in response before turning to Spinnerette
 "Sorry Spinny, mind if I postpone our date a bit until I get my thoughts clear?"
 >Spinnerette smiles
 >"I'm okay, as long as you don't cancel it"
 >You give her a reassuring smile
 "Of course, don't worry about it. Bye girls"
 >You put your tray away and leave for the library
 >You needed to figure out the logistics of how the hell this would work, and if it even could work
 >There was no way it was as simple as just having your own personal harem
 >But if they are all willing to give it a try...
 >It should be fine
 >You'll feel better after you learn more about what it means to have a herd
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be chewing your lip instead of your food
 >Events have been unfolding far above and beyond your expectations
 >First, Anon asks you on a date!
 >Then some of the girls at the table ask to join his herd!
 >You've been either the greatest schemer in Changeling history, or the luckiest
 >But now is the tipping point in your plan
 >Anon is deciding what to do about the herding requests
 >And there is nothing you can do right now to help sway him towards the herd
 >The feeling of helplessness is infuriating
 >Someone else is deciding your future, and you have no say in it!
 >Even though Anon promised not to abandon you or reject you, you can't help but feel nervous
 >What if Anon doesn't want to herd and likes one of the other girls more than you?!
 >Amber looks more human than you do, no one would think it odd for him to be with a pony like Sandy or a griffon like Feygl, even choosing Vintl would raise less eyebrows than if he chose you...
 >You take a deep breath to calm yourself
 >No
 >You have first dibs on Anon
 >The others can't steal him away
 >But hopefully they won't need to try
 >While just having Anon would be a dream come true, you'd be unstopable with a large loving herd
 >You glance around the table, unsure of if you should think of these girls as future sisters or future rivals
 
 Be Feygl
 >Things are moving faster than you expected
 >You didn't think you'd be able to just claim a spot in Anon's herd like you did
 >You'd have taken it slower, if the others hadn't jumped for a position
 >Hopefully Amber wouldn't mind that you 'volunteered' her for the herd as well
 >You'd caught Anon ogling her chest
 >You knew Anon would have a hard time resisting her
 >Amber probably wouldn't mind
 >She'd probably thank you
 >You'd talked with her before about herding with Anon
 >Sure, she laughed it off as a joke, but still...
 >...
 >Besides, you couldn't let your best friend stay lonely while you got such a stud
 
 Be Sandy Beaches
 >You may have lost your ship, the 'H.M.S. Anon'...
 >But you were about to have a new, better ship
 >A relationship
 >With the only male that was man enough to be a real pirate
 >And what a man he was
 >You smile to yourself
 >Anon would come around soon enough
 >It was only a matter of time
 >How could he ever turn down a mare like you, after all?
 >You were a mighty fine mare
 >With impressive booty
 >You couldn't wait to see his sextant...
 >...Or swab his deck
 
 Be Vintl
 >Anon may be a gray, but he's YOUR gray
 >He was just being a foalish male, needing to comlicate things for  no reason
 >You and him were the toughest people around
 >It was only natural you'd hook up eventually
 >He was probably preoccupied by the size difference....
 >BAH!
 >You could work out the logistics later!
 >You may smaller than his fist...
 >...But you'd bet your last bit that you could service him better!
 >You giggle
 >He was resourceful, he'd find a way for you two to....consummate
 >Smart, tough, cute...
 >The two of you could rule this prison if you wanted to
 >You might just have to take him on a date to 'the Ring'
 >You were already the super-ultra-light-weight champion
 >Anon had the makings of being a champion there himself
 >Besides, the last time he fought someone, you were helping him
 >It would be fun to watch him struggle against another, and prove his strength
 >You'd help him celebrate after each victory, kiss away every boo-boo he gained
 >No matter where it may be
 >A gray suit, a champion of 'the Ring'...
 >You laugh at the thought
 >Anon would be one heck of a ringer for 'the Ring'
 
 Be Anon
 >Be studying about herding
 >You've been at it for hours now
 >You were correct...
 >Herding isn't as simple as getting your own harem
 >It was analogous to dating, but more intense
 >Feygl wasn't kidding earlier, either. Herds were fiercely loyal
 >Herds almost never broke up, and bad breakups were unheard of
 >Herds could gain members after formation, but rarely lost anyone...
 >And they would all rely on you
 >You'd be responsible for making sure they are all happy and healthy
 >If you weren't in prison, you'd also have to manage the finances
 >And manage the household... if you didn't have a stay-at-home girl in the herd to do that for you
 >Breezies, ponies, minotaurs, and griffons are all form herds normally. There were even a few examples of dragons joining herds, though that was more rare
 >You lean back in your chair and let out a sigh
 >You had absorbed a lot of other information too
 >Now that you have all the information you need, time for the million dollar question...
 >Are you willing to do it?
 >Can you form a herd?
 >The question has been working on your mind the entire time you've been studying
 >If you did, you'd have to declare an alpha at some point
 >That could cause trouble
 >...Your friends were adult enough to not squabble, right?
 >Probably
 >A herd would be a big responsibility
 >But it would also give you power in society. Big herds are seen as a mark of greatness and virility
 >Having a herd could be a lot of fun, and it could be a lot of 'fun'
 >You have nothing to lose by trying it
 >And you could gain a family
 >...
 >Fuck it, you'll flip a coin
 >You wave over the librarian
 "Excuse me miss, could I borrow a bit? I'd like to flip a coin to decide something"
 >The librarian nods
 >"As long as you do it quietly, dearie"
 >The elderly mare travels back to her desk and you follow behind
 >She pulls out a bit from one of the cabinets in the desk and passes it to you
 "Thank you, ma'am"
 >She nods and smiles
 >Alright, moment of truth...
 >Heads, you'll do it
 >Tails, you won't
 >You flip the coin
 >Your eyes stay riveted to the coin as it elegantly spins and arcs in the air with a satisfying *ting*
 >You catch the coin and slap it against the back of your hand with a meaty smack
 >Tails...
 >...
 >That was a bad toss
 >It doesn't count
 >You repeat the process and the coin lands heads-up
 >You hand the coin back to the shocked librarian
 >"Are you alright?! Why did you hit your hand with the bit?!"
 >You give her a reassuring smile
 "I'm alright. It's a human thing. Thanks again for letting me use that bit"
 >The mare nods slowly
 >"Don't mention it, dearie..."
 >You return the books you used for reference and make your way out of the library and towards Spinny's room
 >You promised her a date
 >You'd let everyone know your decision at dinner
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be in your cell, trying to calm yourself
 >With little success
 >Not even solitaire was relaxing you
 >Anon has been alone in the library for hours now
 >And he hasn't said a word to anyone
 >Who knows what he's thinking at this very moment?
 >What if he can't handle the culture shock and makes an oath of celibacy?!
 >You shake away the foalish thought
 >Anon wasn't so fragile
 >He was tough
 >He could adapt
 >He could-
 >Your thoughts are derailed someone knocking at your door
 >THAT MUST BE HIM!
 >You zip over to the door and pull it wide open
 >Anon stands before you, in all his glory
 >...Holding some flowers
 >He smiles broadly at you
 >"Hey Spinny, sorry it took me so long"
 >You beam him a grin
 "Anon! Did...Did you get me flowers? How did you even get flowers?"
 >He nods
 >"Yup, these are for you. And let's just say I owe the gardening club a few favors"
 >Anon walks into your room and offers you the flowers
 >You give him your cutest smile and magically take the flowers from him
 >This isn't good, you can already feel your face heating up into a blush
 >You can't risk losing your composure yet
 "I'll put these in some water right away!"
 >Anon makes an open gesture with his hand
 >"Take your time. Where are we going?"
 >You peek your head around your bathroom door as you fill a glass with water
 "I have a couple ideas. I thought you might like making the final choice"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"Alright, shoot. What have you picked out?"
 >You put the flowers into the glass and levitate the whole thing onto your nightstand
 "We could catch a play the theatre club is putting on, we could also go to the arcade, or we could just spend the time here in my room"
 >You are doing so well!
 >You haven't stuttered once!
 >You got this, there is no way Anon will see how nervous you are if you keep this up
 >...Males like confident females, after all
 >Anon raises an eyebrow and smirks
 >"Spending a date alone in your bedroom? How risque..."
 >You blink and freeze
 >Anon's smirk grows
 "I s-swear I wasn't-t planning anything l-lewd! I mean, u-unless you wanted to... Not that I don't want to, but-"
 >SHUT UP!
 >SHUT THE BUCK UP!
 >RIGHT NOW!
 >SHUT UP!
 >You clamp your mouth shut
 >Your face feels on fire
 >Anon chuckles
 >"I'm sorry, I was just teasing you. How about we catch the show. It'll probably end around dinner, and then we can chill here after eating"
 >You nod, not trusting your voice
 >"So when does the show start?"
 >You take a deep, deep breath to steady yourself
 >Letting the breath out shakily, you check your wall-clock
 "We have forty-five minutes until the show starts"
 >Anon looks at the clock and nods
 >"Alright, that gives us a half hour to kill"
 >You nod
 >Anon walks over to your bed and sits down
 >You smile at him
 >He smiles back
 >...
 >You buzz your wings nervously
 >...
 >Anon turns his head and coughs into his shoulder
 >...
 >...This isn't going well
 >Anon will get bored
 >Think of something!
 >...!
 >GAMES!
 >Card games!
 >That could work!
 "H-how about we play a few games to pass the time?"
 >Anon nods and starts to get off the bed
 >"Sure"
 >You hold up a hoof
 "Please, don't get up. We can play on the bed"
 >Anon's eyes sparkle as his mischievous smirk returns
 >"Oh my, what kind of games will we be playing on the bed?~"
 >Your face heats up again
 >Your ears could start fires
 >Anon chuckles again
 >"Sorry Spinny, I just love making you blush"
 >You puff out your cheeks, pouting at the overly playful human
 >Anon pats a spot on the bed
 >"I'll stop, I'll stop... Come on up, let's play"
 >You hop up next to him, wings buzzing
 >"So what game do you have in mind?"
 >That is a very good question
 >...
 >Sitting so close to him, his scent and playful emotions are nearly overwhelming
 >His happiness and friendship are already filling you up
 >How are you going to make it through this date?...
 >...
 >...You'll find a way
 >"Spinny? You there?"
 >BUCK
 "Y-yeah, sorry"
 >Anon smiles
 >"All good. So, what game?"
 "I like solitaire..."
 >BUCK
 >Solitaire is a one person game!
 >Anon will think you're stupid or something!
 >BUCK
 >"Sure, I suppose we can play solitaire together"
 >You blink at him
 "What do you mean?"
 >Anon motions toward the deck of cards on your table
 >"Bring the cards over here, I'd do it but I'm lazy. We can work together, two heads are better than one"
 >You nod meekly and levitate the cards over
 >Hopefully you can complete the date without bucking it up any more than you already have...
 >You shuffle quickly and begin laying out the cards
 >Anon shifts his weight to lay down
 >Right!
 >Next!
 >To!
 >You!
 >His side is pressing against your flank!
 >You can feel his body heat through the fabric of both jumpsuits
 >You bite your lip and finish laying out the cards
 >You feel a small burst of happiness from Anon
 >"Look at that, two aces already"
 >Anon moves to place the aces aside
 >...Which presses him tighter against you
 >By the Great Brood Mother, how are you going to survive this without completely blowing your cool?
 
 Be Anon
 >Be playing solitaire with Spinnerette
 >You were doing most of the work
 >Maybe you teased her a little too much?
 >...Nah
 >You didn't cause any real harm
 >Besides, that was all twenty minutes ago
 >There must be something else bothering her
 >Whelp, best way to find out about it is to ask
 "Something bothering you?"
 >Spinnerette blinks and looks down at you
 >"N-no, nothing is wrong, I'm fine"
 >You chuckle
 "And I'd heard that changelings were supposed to be good liars..."
 >You give her a reassuring smile
 "Come on, what's eating you?"
 >Spinnerette bites her lip
 >It was always so cute how her fangs poked out more when she did that
 >She takes a deep breath, and tightly closes her eyes
 >"I'm worried that I'm not doing a good job at this date and I really want to know if you will form a herd or not!"
 >She spills it all in one breath
 >You give her a smile as she opens her eyes
 "You are doing fine. This is honestly the best date I've ever been on so far. Back home I tended to attract the crazy ones... And where herding is concerned, I've decided that I'll give it a try. I have nothing to lose, but stand to gain a whole lot"
 >You give Spinnerette a questioning look
 "You really okay with sharing me?"
 >Spinnerette nods
 >"Mhm, as long as you don't forget about me"
 >You reach out and rub her back, right below her wings
 >She blinks at you and freezes, wings buzzing on and off weakly
 "Don't worry, I could never forget about you"
 >You give her a warm smile
 >Her lip twitches as your hand moves clockwise across her back
 >She seems to be staring at a point in the next room over
 >Your hand slows and she trembles slightly
 "...You okay?"
 >Spinnerette nods slowly
 >"M-Mhm"
 >You retract your hand and check the clock
 "We've got about twenty minutes until the show starts, want to leave for it now?"
 >Spinny's eyes refocus on you as she blinks the delirium away
 >"S-sure, let's do that"
 >You give her a smile and pack up the cards
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be walking down the hall with Anon
 >More accurately, be stumbling down the hall next to him as he walks
 >"You okay there Spinny? You look a little woozy"
 >He cares!
 >If your nearly full belly is any indication, and it is, he's practically in love with you!
 >You smile and nod up at him
 "I'm fine, thank you for asking though"
 >Anon...
 >Anon rubbed your back!
 >H-How bold!~
 >...
 >How are you supposed to give him a successful date when he keep distracting you like that?
 >If you aren't careful, he'll overfeed you...
 >And you might not be able to excuse yourself to store it all away in time
 >...Which would be a recipe for disaster for this date
 >...Things will be just fine...
 >...Right?
 >Right
 >You've planned and prepared for every contingency and possibility
 >You've run this scenario a hundred times in you head
 >You couldn't fail
 >"So what is the name of the play we're seeing?"
 >...
 >BUCK
 >Alright, don't panic, you can salvage this
 "I...want it to be a surprise?"
 >NAILED IT
 >Anon nods
 >"Alright, I can respect that. I'll find out soon enough"
 >Huh...
 >You were so lost in thought, you didn't realize you had already arrived
 >The two of you step up to the ticket counter
 "Two for the show, please"
 >The pony behind the counter eyes you and Anon
 >...
 >Anon clears his throat
 >"Excuse us, two please"
 >The ticket pony slowly nods and pulls two tickets
 >"Alright... enjoy the show"
 >The mare gives you both a knowing wink
 >...
 >That isn't a very good sign
 >Just what the hay kind of show did you take Anon to see?
 >Anon grabs the tickets and thanks the pony
 >You follow him to the theatre entrance, where an usher takes you to your seats...
 >...Way in the back, with a terrible view
 >You glance around the audience, trying to gauge what the show is based off the demographic present...
 >Lots of stallions with one or two females each
 >...If only you saw more plays, and knew what that meant
 >A stallion walks onto the stage
 >"Ladies and Gentlecolts, to pass the time before the real show begins I'm proud to announce The Juveniles will be performing for our viewing pleasure"
 >The stallion bows and quickly shuffles off-stage as a number of fillies and colts rush onto the stage with props and scenery
 >Anon leans over to you
 >"Looks like the kids from juvy get some time in the limelight"
 >You nod
 >The children begin to perform a song and dance number
 >This couldn't be worse
 >The song is bad and poorly performed
 >How bad is the damage to the date...?
 >You glance over at Anon
 >He's smiling!
 >That's good!
 >The song ends and the kids all take a bow
 >The crowd cheers wildly for them
 >Even Anon joins in, clapping lazily and chuckling
 >"Very cute"
 >So, Anon liked cute things...
 >You'd have to work on being cuter
 >The curtains close and the sounds of magic and grunting instantly fill the space behind them
 >"Preparing the set. Good, I'm curious what the setting is"
 >So are you
 >So are the kids, it would seem
 >"Can't we please stay to watch?"
 >"Yeah, I wanna see!"
 >"Pretty, pretty please? With a cherry on top?"
 >A couple guards do their best to usher the lingering foals away from the theatre
 >The lights over the audience dim until they completely shut off, and the curtains swing back open
 >The shoddy childrens' set has been replaced with a very well made backdrop and set
 >The play has begun
 >No turning back now
 
 Be Anon
 >Be watching the play with Spinny
 >Be having a great time
 >The show itself is mediocre
 >Some generic fantasy story
 >There was one adorable 'fight' scene that had the rest of the audience gasping that was particularly fun to watch...
 >But what really makes this so great is Spinnerette
 >She obviously wants to impress you
 >Every now and then you catch her staring at you in the darkness
 >Every time you do, she snaps her head to face the stage
 >Though the darkness conceals the finer details, you /know/ that she's blushing
 >You can't help but smile a little broader each time you catch her
 >She's terrified that you aren't having a good time
 >You'd best put those fears to rest
 >Now was the perfect opportunity, too
 >The valiant prince has just saved the princess, and they are sharing a tender moment on stage
 >You mentally open "The Great Book of Dating Maneuvers" to the first page
 >The oldest trick in the book
 >You fake a yawn and stretch...
 >...draping your arm across Spinny's back, just above her wings
 >The wispy appendages buzz frantically for a full second, until her brain catches on to what just happened
 >You glance over to see her staring at you, viciously biting her lip
 >You give her a reassuring squeeze and beam her a grin
 >She hesitates for a few seconds before stiffly leaning into the embrace
 >Poor girl is stiff as a board
 >...She smells nice, though
 >Like...fresh rain and...
 >Hrm...
 >You can't quite place the rest of it
 >...
 >Oh hey, she's starting to loosen up!
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be on the verge of losing it
 >You were already pretty full before you arrived here at the theatre
 >And now Anon is hugging you!
 >L-lewd!
 >In the dark!
 >L-LEWD!
 >In public!
 >KINKY!
 >You can't help but stare up at your amazing male
 >He glances down, smiles, and squeezes you closer
 >You find it impossible to meet his gaze for long
 >If your face were any hotter, it'd be glowing
 >...
 >You know it's a bad idea...
 >You know it's possibly your worst decision all day...
 >But you don't care
 >Drunk off love, you lean into him and close your eyes
 >His scent...
 >The taste of his emotions...
 >It was all better than you imagined!
 >The actors on stage quiet, and you can feel the audience on the edge of their seats
 >You open one eye to check on what's happening on sta-
 >Both eyes bolt open
 >You are frozen in place
 >The ponies...
 >on the stage...
 >They...
 >They're...
 >They are kissing!
 >The stallion is a pegasus and he's... he's...
 >He's holding the mare in his wings!
 >You can hear naughty giggling throughout the theatre
 >The taste of guilt, pleasure, and excitement wash over you from the crowd
 >You and Anon aren't the only couple getting close
 >Some are even reenacting the scene on stage!
 >Poor Anon must be horrified!
 >He must think you brought him in here to take advantage of him!
 >Or worse!
 >How could you forget to check what the play was before the date!?
 >Everything is ruined because you didn't plan ahead enough!
 >If your belly wasn't already fit to burst with positive emotions, you'd be bawling your eyes out
 >You look up at Anon in despair
 >Anon looks back down at you
 >You try desperately to explain, to appologize...
 >But you can't get your mouth to work
 >All you can do is stare up at him and /will/ him to understand and forgive
 
 Be Anon
 >D'aw, how cute!
 >The little ponies on stage just gave eachother a peck on the lips
 >Adorable
 >The sounds of giggling distract you from the show
 >You can just make out a couple couples doing the same thing in the darkness
 >You feel Spinnerette's head tilt against you
 >You turn and peer down at her in the darkness
 >She is staring up at you with the biggest pout and puppy-eyes you've ever seen
 >...
 >D'aww... Adorable little bug-butt must want one too
 >This is the clearest signal you've ever received
 >You squeeze her into you and lean down to give her a light kiss
 >Her wings buzz uselessly a few times
 >Her lips tremble against yours
 >You pull away after a second
 >Spinnerette just gives you a dazed look through half-lidded eyes
 >"W-wha...?"
 >You can't help but chuckle and give her a squeeze as you turn back to the show
 >...which is over now, apparently
 >That must have been the big finish
 >The curtains are closed
 >The sounds of rushing ponies can be easily made out from behind the curtain
 >The curtains open up to reveal the entire cast and crew on stage, taking their bows
 >The audience bursts into loud applause and cheers
 >You clap along with the excited creatures around you
 >It was a fun little play
 >...
 >..
 >.
 "So, what'd you think of the show?"
 >Spinnerette blinks hard a few times, before shaking her head to clear it of cobwebs
 >"I-I, Uh, I-I m-mean, um..."
 >...
 "Seems like you enjoyed it"
 >Spinnerette nods, gaze going into and out of focus
 "...Well, I don't know about you but I'm starved. Dinner should be open by now, let's go join the others"
 >Spinnerette just nods again, wearing the biggest smile you've ever seen
 >You carefully lead the stumbling girl to the mess hall
 >...maybe that kiss was too much?
 
 
 Be Feygl
 >Be in Amber's room
 >Amber hasn't stopped talking since you arrived
 >She sure has some impressive lungs, she's barely paused for breath
 >You've never seen her this animated
 >You just wish you knew what the hay she was talking about
 >She's been spewing a whole lot of alchemical jargon
 >Amber pauses to take a breath and you jump on the opportunity
 "So what does all this mean? Remember, I don't speak alchemist lingo"
 >Amber takes a deep breath
 >"It means that my potion does /technically/ work..."
 >You beam her a grin
 "Really? Way to go! I knew you could do it!"
 >Amber frowns
 >"It does work, but only barely"
 >You share her frown
 "What do you mean?"
 >Amber sighs
 >"I mean its effects aren't permanent, and it can only affect someone to make them weaker or to shift their strengths"
 >You tilt your head
 "'shift their strenghts?'"
 >Amber nods
 >"For example, I can take away a body builders muscles and replace them with intellect. Or I could just remove his muscles. Either way, she would go back to normal within a few hours at most... I've failed..."
 >Your friend clenches her fists
 >"I worked so hard on this, and it doesn't work... All that time and effort, wasted..."
 >You walk over to your friend and wrap her in a hug
 >Amber tightly hugs you back
 "You didn't fail. You made something brand new, something the world has never seen before! So what if it can't make a sea pony into an alicorn, or a dragon into a minotaur? You've still done something amazing!"
 >Amber continues to hold you for several long minutes before disengaging
 >"Thanks... I needed that. It's just... This was supposed to be my big break. This was supposed to be the thing that made me stand out. You know I'm the only one in my family to go to jail? All my siblings are off doing great things, finding mates, getting married... Just being successful. I work so hard and what do I have to show for it? A useless body mod potion, that's it..."
 >You give your friend a winning smile
 "What about me? You have me, don't you"
 >Amber nods
 "And about finding a mate... How would you feel if we really were herdmates to a real stud, wouldn't that help you feel better?"
 >Amber laughs bitterly
 >"Sure, It'd be great to know I'm not unwanted. But who would want a failure like me? Besides, we're in jail. What kind of male wants a pair of criminals?"
 >You pat your friend on the shoulder
 "Just let me worry about the details. I'll play matchmaker and get us hooked up with a real man, just you wait and see"
 >Now you just need Anon to pull through and accept your proposal
 >Once he does, you'll fully break the news to Amber
 >No sense getting her hopes up if Anon turns you down
 >The last thing Amber needed right now was a rejection, even an indirect one
 >Amber giggles sadly
 >"Thanks... I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to skip dinner"
 >You frown
 "Why?"
 >"I just don't feel like I can sit out there with everyone right now... Besides, I'm not hungry"
 >You give your dear friend a sympathetic smile
 "Alright, I understand... I'll bring you something from the mess hall later, okay?"
 >Amber shrugs
 >"Sure, that'd be nice, thank you"
 >Poor girl desperately needs good news
 >...Please Anon, make the right choice
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be putting forth a heroic effort to stay lucid, to stay in control
 >You were already fit to burst before the end of the play, and when you looked up at Anon at the end...
 >You just weren't anywhere near prepared for Anon to...
 >For Anon to...
 >To...
 >...
 >You take a deep, steadying breath
 >You couldn't even keep your thoughts straight!
 >...For Anon to kiss you!
 >You can't handle any more attention
 >Any more, and you'll be forced to purge the excess love
 >You've done a good job holding it back, but once it starts...
 >There will be no stopping it
 >You'll make such a fool out of yourself!
 >You NEED to find a way to dump the excess without Anon knowing
 >Gotta keep your cool
 >"You go ahead and sit at the table, I'll get your tray for you. Just take it easy, okay?"
 >It doesn't help Anon is showering you with concern and compassion...
 >He must think you're sick or something
 >You can't let him get any more worried
 >If he's worried, he can't enjoy your company
 >And if he's worried, he'll keep pumping too much attention into you
 >You force a weak grin on your face
 "Don't worry about me, Anon. I'm just fine. I'm better than fine. I'm great!"
 >He smiles back, clearly still worried
 >"You sure? You really don't look well"
 >You give him a strong nod
 "I'm with you, how could anything be going wrong?"
 >Leak in the dam!
 >Plug it! Plug it! Plug it!
 >You barely manage to contain the wave of emotion
 >That was a close one
 >"Alright, if you say so..."
 >You and Anon claim your food and make your way to the usual table
 >The others are already there
 
 Be Anon
 >Be about to sit down at the table
 >Sandy and Vintl both jump up as they see you approach
 >Vintl lands on Sandy's head and they speak in unison
 >"Anon!"
 >You give your future girlfriends a grin
 "Hey girls"
 >They both beam up at you expectantly
 >Feygl reseats her wings
 >"So, did you make your decision?"
 >You sit down and nod, Spinnerette collapsing on the bench next to you
 "Yeah, I decided I'd try taking you all up on your offer. I'll give this herding thing a shot"
 >Sandy and Vintl bounce around the table excitedly
 >Feygl beams you a smirk
 >"I knew you couldn't resist"
 >Vintl floats her way onto your shoulder
 >"I. call. dibs. on. next. date.!"
 >Sandy stops jumping and frowns
 >"No fair! I deserve to go on the next date!"
 >Vintl narrows her eyes at the pirate pegasus
 >"Oh. Yeah.? Why. is. that.?"
 >Sandy puffs out her chest and spreads her wings wide, one wing going right in front of Libele's face
 >"Because I'm a captain and I outrank you, Quartermaster!"
 >Vintl stamps her tiny hoof against your shoulder
 >"You. aren't. a. real. captain.!"
 >Libele makes a calming gesture
 >"Vintl, please, you just hit Anon! Calm down, please! Anon, are you alright?"
 >You give the dragon a nod
 >Sandy growls at Vintl
 >"Is this here a mutiny?!"
 >Vintl starts to respond, but you cut her off
 "Please don't fight. How about this: Vintl gets me during the morning and Sandy gets me after lunch. That way Vintl gets me first, but Sandy has more time"
 >The two girls huff and frown, but both nod agreement
 "Good. I don't enjoy seeing people I like fight each other"
 >Vintl scuffs her hoof
 >"Sorry. Anon."
 >Sandy nods
 >"I'm even more sorry"
 >Vintl frowns
 >"No. I'm. more. sorry."
 >Sandy shakes her head
 >"Nuh-uh!"
 "Girls..."
 >They both look away guiltily
 "Say sorry to each other so we can move on"
 >Vintl huffs again
 >"...Sorry. Sandy."
 >Sandy glances up at the breezie, then back down to the table
 >"I'm sorry too, Vintl"
 >You smile
 "Good, proud of both of you. We'll go on our dates tomorrow, okay?"
 >Both girls nod enthusiastically
 >Feygl raises a claw, already starting to blush
 >"When do I get a date?"
 "How about the day after tomorrow?"
 >The catbird nods and smiles
 >"I can live with that"
 >You shoot her a grin and start eating
 >You had a busy few days ahead of you
 >And you promised Spinny that you'd spend a little more time with her tonight before bed
 >Hopefully she's feeling well enough to finish the date
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be desperately trying to hold yourself together
 >Be only barely succeeding
 >You've had too much exposure to positive emotions
 >Way too much exposure
 >You've managed to make it nearly the entire way through dinner
 >Anon looks over at you, eyes full of concern
 >"Hey Spinny, you sure you're alright? You haven't touched your food"
 >You screw your eyes shut as Anon unwittingly shoves more compassion into you
 "I'm fine, just not hungry"
 >"If you say so... Look, if you're too sick to hang out after dinner then that's fine. I won't be offended. Do what you need to so you can take care of yourself"
 >You shake your head
 "I'm fine! I really, really want to spend more time with you!"
 >You mentally kick yourself for saying something so stupid and desperate
 >Anon smiles at you
 >"We can wait, I'm not going anywhere. This /is/ a prison, after all"
 >You firmly shake your head
 "No, we are finishing this date like we planned!"
 >"Alright, alright. Just... pace yourself, alright?"
 >You open your eyes and nod
 "Sure, of course, I'm fine"
 >That was a close one
 >You can't hoard any more emotion
 >Your body already feels like it's about to pop
 >...
 >Good, the others are all talking to each other
 >No one is focused on you
 >You can focus on digesting some of this excess...
 >Anon gestures and loses his fork in the process
 >The utensil lands on the floor next to you
 >Anon picks it back up and wraps it in a napkin, leaving it on the table in front of himself
 >He glances around the table, looking for a replacement
 >His eyes settle on your unused fork
 >"Hey Spinny, could I use your fork since you haven't used it?"
 >You nod and levitate it over to him
 >Anon beams you a smile
 >"Thanks Spinny, you're the best"
 >Oh no
 >Your body just physically can't take anymore!
 >No no no!
 >Your heroic resolve just can't stand up against the massive tides of emotion inside you
 >NO!
 >Your defenses start to crack
 >STOP IT!
 >Then fracture
 >HOLD IT TOGETHER!
 >...Then shatter
 >Joy, mirth, love, compassion, friendship, and laughter wash over your system
 >Why were you ever holding this feeling back?!
 >Every color is enhanced
 >Everything seems slightly farther away, but you can see it all in greater detail
 >You look down at your holed arms and hooves
 >...
 >Fascinating!
 >You've never /really/ looked at these before
 >Even though they are attached to you
 >You giggle
 >How silly, to not really look at yourself!
 >"Hey Spinny, what's so funny?"
 >What a rich, powerful sound!
 >Oh, you /need/ to hear that again!
 >"...Spinny? Hello?"
 >There it is again!
 >You /must/ find the source of this beautiful voice...
 >You look over and see...
 >...Woah
 >You can feel your eyes dilate as you stare at the most wonderful, beautiful, handsome, amazing, fantas-
 >"Spinny? You alright? You look pretty out of it"
 >THIS CREATURE!
 >You /must/ get closer to this creature!
 >You snuggle in close to Anon and giggle
 >"Woah, where did /this/ come from?"
 >You press the side of your face against his shoulder and look up at him
 >He has a cute name for you, you need a cute name for him!
 "Anon...ANON!...AnOn...Anewn...nonA?"
 >The last one makes you giggle
 >A frown defiles his face
 >"Spinny? What's wrong, talk to me"
 >You giggle
 >He called you Spinny again!
 >...He also shoved more compassion into you
 >You rub your face against his shoulder
 >The feel of his fabric is wonderful
 >The feel of his shoulder underneath is even better
 "Onan?..."
 >No, you like 'Nona' better
 >But it could be better yet...
 "Nonny?"
 >THERE WE GO
 >That's the ticket!
 >You giggle and close your eyes, continuing to rub yourself against his arm
 >He was YOURS
 >You would hug him and pet him and name him 'Nonny'
 "Nonny, Nonny, Nonny..."
 
 Be Anon
 >Be thoroughly confused
 >Your shy, adorable little bug-butt who was terrified of touching you very suddenly shifted tone
 >She seems like a completely different person
 >Spinny intertwines her arms with yours and mewls up at you happily
 >The other girls' jaws are on the floor
 >You and Spinny are the center of attention for every nearby table, too
 >Most of the observers are blushing fiercely, while a few others yell catcalls at you and Spinny
 >Spinny just cuddles in closer, squeezing your arm and buzzing her wings
 >....Right, this can't be a good thing
 "Girls... I think I'm going to have to be excused. I'm going to make sure Spinnerette gets back to her room safely"
 >Libele nods, blushing fiercely
 >"You do that..."
 >Feygl just nods, eyes dilated
 >Vintl pouts angrily at Spinnerette
 >"I. wanted. to. do. that..."
 >She huffs and looks up at you
 >"Good. night. Anon."
 >Sandy stops biting her lip to give you a sheepish grin
 >"G-Good night, matey"
 >You crook your finger into a hook for her
 "Yar, g'night"
 >You turn your head back towards the affectionate changeling
 "Can you walk?"
 >Spinnerette shrugs
 >...Or maybe she was just trying to rub herself on you more
 >She holds you tight as you move off the bench
 >Once you manage to stand, she wraps her legs around you and giggles
 >...
 >Looks like you have to carry her
 >There are audible gasps as you pick her up, one arm across her back and  one helping to support her bottom
 >The blushes around you intensify
 >You gently carry the giggling, mewling mess out of the mess
 >Leaving behind dozens of beet-red faces
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be lying on your bed belly up, giggling
 >Anon is staring down at you, eyes filled with concern
 >He helped removed your jumpsuit earlier after you spilled water on yourself
 >You giggle harder at the memory
 >"I got you some more water. Please try to relax"
 >You smile at him and uselessly wave your hooves in the air
 >Anon sets the glass of water on your bedstand
 >You give him a lopsided grin
 "I love you Nonny, with all my heart, with all my love. I give you ALL the love, Nonny"
 >Deep down, a little voice is yelling at you
 >You can't really understand what it's saying, though
 >And you don't really care
 >Anon is here!
 >Everything is good!
 >The little voice increases it's volume slightly
 >You ignore it and gaze up at Anon...
 >You want to give him a kiss
 >Now
 >You set your glorious scheming mind to work
 "Nonny!....c'mere"
 >Anon leans down a little
 >"Yes? What is it?"
 "...'mere"
 >He leans down further
 "...'mere"
 >Just a little bit more!
 >Now to lay your trap...
 "Mzasthrass"
 >Take the bait, Anon...
 >Anon tilts his head-So cute!- and leans further down
 >He's within range now
 >"What was tha-mrpf!"
 >You dart your head forward to interrupt him
 >He jumps a little in surprise
 >You channel everything into the kiss
 >You feel your overwhelming excess joy and happiness surge through your lips and into his
 >The little voice in your head goes from tiny static to a loud wail as the overpowering emotion drains from you
 >You pull back to see a very surprised Anon
 >Your face heats up and you bite your lip nervously
 >Anon blinks at you and swallows
 "S-Sorry! I d-didn't mean to!"
 >Anon breaks into a laugh and shakes his head
 >"That sounds more like the real you. What the hell happened? You really had me worried"
 >Your face gets hotter and you turn your head away from him
 "I... I couldn't hold it in"
 >You screw your eyes shut, shame and guilt overwhelming you
 >"What? What do you mean?"
 >You take a deep breath to steady yourself
 >If only you could turn invisible, or stop time, or...anything to escape from this moment
 "Changelings eat emotions and feelings. During our date..."
 >You can't say that he force-fed you
 >You brought this on yourself, after all
 >How could Anon ever forgive you?
 "...I over ate. I just couldn't hold it all in, so I just kind of...burst"
 >Anon nods thoughtfully
 >"And it doesn't hurt you, right?"
 >You shake your head and open your eyes to look up at him
 "No... It actually feels really good... But I lose inhibition and can't think straight"
 >Your face gets even hotter
 >You can feel yourself starting to cry
 "P-please forgive me, I didn't mean to cause a scene earlier. It was-s a m-mistake"
 >Anon gives you a reassuring smile
 >"Hey, no worries. I'm just glad you are okay"
 >You blink in surprise
 >He's forgiving you?
 >So easily?
 >How?!
 >...Don't question your good fortune, roll with it!
 "Thank you!.. Sorry I kissed you without your consent..."
 >Anon chuckles and winks at you
 >"You always have my consent"
 >Oh, that's good...
 >...
 >OH, THAT'S REALLY GOOD
 >But... You still feel ashamed...
 "T-Thanks... I s-still feel like I b-blew it though. H-How can I ever m-make it up to y-you?"
 >Anon sits on the bed next to you
 >"I'm sure I'll think of something eventually"
 >He throws you a winning smile
 >"You know, our date technically isn't over yet"
 >That's right!
 >Anon said you could still see him after dinner!
 >You offer him a demure smile
 "Mhm"
 >"So, what do you want to do until bedtime? A game?"
 >You start to answer, but are cut off by a yawn
 >OH NO
 >Anon will think you're bored of him!
 >Wait...no, he's chuckling
 >"I guess you're feeling pretty drained. We can play later in the week"
 >You shake your head
 "N-No! I want to spend as much time with you as I can!"
 >Anon chuckles and...
 >You blink in surprise
 >...He just put his hand on your belly!
 >"Alright cuddlebug, scoot over a bit"
 >...What?
 >...C-Cuddlebug?
 >You nervously comply and Anon lies down next to you
 >"Since you are obviously tired, we can just lie here together for a bit"
 >Your face simply can't get any hotter
 >Anon slides his hand to your side and gives you a squeeze
 >Your breath hitches in your throat
 >You can't breathe
 >This is simply too much!
 >...But it's too much in all the right ways
 >You turn to your side, facing away from Anon
 >You aren't comfortable on your back, and If you were to face him...
 >What if your breath was bad? What if you sneezed on him?! What if...
 >...
 >Yes, facing away is best
 >Anon scoots a little closer, so your back is pressed up against his belly and chest
 >Your wings struggle to buzz nervously, but you keep them still
 >Anon gently rubs your belly
 >You bite your lip, hard
 >You've never been this close to anyone...
 >Hopefully you won't mess it up, like you messed up earlier
 >Still... Anon is always so forgiving whenever you cross a line...
 >In fact, he seems to bond to you more strongly with every misunderstanding or awkward event
 >...Maybe you should push your luck a little on purpose?
 >You push away the dangerous thought for now
 >Anon just wanted to cuddle right now
 >You need to wait for the right time
 >Yes... When the time is right, you'll see just how far you can push it
 
 (Author's Note: Jump to 'Spinny's first lewd' for next portion of story)
 
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >Be walking into the mess for breakfast
 >Be absolutely miserable
 >...Because you got no sleep last night...
 >...Because your cell is adjacent to that monter Spinnerette's cell
 >You'd skipped dinner in order to get some extra sleep to prepare more pranks against Anon...
 >But Anon must have seen through your schemes
 >He /must/ have tried to sabotage your early night on purpose
 >That Anon, and his wench the changeling...
 >You had only just started falling asleep when they started...
 >You shudder and do your best to keep from retching
 >The incessant buzzing is still stuck in your head, a phantom sound that leaves you dry-heaving
 >Glaring tiredly at the floor, you trudge through the open door
 >You glance around and check your bag
 >Your minion High Hail really came through when he snuck in this contraband for you
 >Anon may have doomed you to a week of nightmares, but you'll show him!
 >If you pull this off, he'll be so embarrassed!
 >Not to mention Happy Heart will never love him...
 >You giggle evilly as you collapse at a table bench near Anon's usual table
 >One of your minions would get your breakfast for you
 >You needed to be ready for whenever Anon arrived
 >Anon would rue the day he crossed you, Bright Spear the merciless!
 
 
 Be Amber Ember
 >Be on your way to breakfast with Feygl
 >Be in your best low-cut blouse
 >You're even wearing your best horn ring
 >It was important to look your best today
 >You still couldn't believe what Feygl told you...
 >Anon had invited you into his herd!
 >You've never been invited into a herd before...
 >It didn't help that you were always either studying, meditating, or brewing something
 >knee-deep in an ingredient-rich swamp isn't exactly the best place to meet boys
 >You cross your arms and hug yourself
 "Are you sure Anon wasn't joking around about forming a herd?"
 >Feygl grins up at you
 >"Positive"
 >You bite your lip in thought
 >Feygl tilts her head and stops walking
 >"What's up?"
 "Nothing, I'm fine"
 >Feygl shakes her head
 >"I've known you for years, I can tell when something is on your mind. Come on, what's eating you?"
 >You sigh and give your friend a smile
 "A couple things, actually. First, I'm still upset about my failed potion. I'm also nervous about joining Anon's herd. He's a good guy, and I trust your judgement, but still..."
 >Fegyl bumps herself against your side comfortingly
 >"You didn't fail, your potion does work! Just not like you originally planned. As for being in Anon's herd... I don't think it's possible to blow it with him. I mean, you can't be more awkward than Spinnerette and he keeps her around. I have a date scheduled with him tomorrow, let's take him out together"
 >You nod slowly
 >It has been a while since you last spent the day with Feygl actually doing something...
 >But messing up in front of Anon was only part of your worries about him
 >You hadn't spent any real time getting close to him, and joining his herd could be a mistake...
 >...Though probably not
 >He was nice, Feygl liked him, he couldn't be a bad guy...
 >You nod more quickly
 >Yes, a date would let you get to know him better
 >You smile at your dear friend
 "Come on, let's go get some breakfast"
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be waking up in your own bed after a very pleasant dream
 >With a yawn and a stretch, you lazily glance over at your clock...
 >...shit
 >You completely overslept
 >Hopping out of bed, you hurry groggily to your bathroom
 >If you shower quickly enough, you'll still be able to make it in time for breakfast
 >It only takes you a moment to undress and step into the shower
 >You can't help but smile as you think back to the night you just had
 >Spinny knew how to treat a guy right...
 >...When she wasn't panicking
 >You smile to yourself
 >Yes indeed, it was a fine night
 >You were still tingling a little
 >...Maybe her alien physiology has something to do with it?
 >Coming into contact with her...fluids... certainly caused a reaction
 >Even taking her /amazing/ ministrations into account, you came pretty damn fast...
 >...Was it possible she shortened your 'fuse'?
 >You definitely felt happier after she kissed you, and not just because of the physical contact...
 >You shake away the paranoid thoughts
 >Spinny could never chemically manipulate you on purpose
 >You shut off the water and step out of your private shower
 >It was great having your own bathroom
 >While there were some communal showers near the gym, you never got to see either
 >Some group of prisoners had reserved the gym area for one of their friend's birthday party
 >You smirk as a dirty thought crosses your mind
 >Maybe you could invite Spinny over and introduce her to the term 'dropping the soap'?
 >Making a mental note to do just that, you dry yourself and get dressed
 >Today would be a busy day
 >You had a date with Vintl today
 >And later, you had a date with Sandy planned
 >You hurry out of your room towards the mess
 >A good breakfast could be a game-changer on a day like today
 
 
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >Be impatiently chewing a carrot
 >Anon still hasn't arrived
 >Everyone else who normally sits at his table is already there
 >Even his wench, the changeling, made it into the mess before he did
 >You glower as the girls at the table laugh at some unheard joke
 >Happy Heart is having far too good a time over there
 >She is falling in with the wrong crowd
 >Anon is a bad influence for all of them
 >With the exception of the changeling
 >She was already a monster without Anon's help
 >You barely manage to swallow, thinking about that tail-raising fly-eater
 >Not only did they cuddle in public, but the things you heard them do in private!
 >Holding back a retch, you glance over at the door to the mess
 >A dark smile grows on your face
 >Anon just walked in
 >Perfect
 >You prepare 'the device' for deployment
 >You need to time this /perfectly/ in order for it to work
 >Wrapping 'the device' in your magic, you prepare to strike
 >Anon takes longer than usual getting breakfast... probably because that degenerate took so long to get here
 >Anon finally starts walking towards his table
 >The nearest open seat is next to Happy Heart
 >Perfect
 >Each stride takes Anon closer to his downfall
 >You squint in preparation
 >Wait for it...
 >Wait...
 >For...
 >It...
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >NOW!
 >You use your magic to propel 'the device' under Anon just before he finishes sitting down
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDVRxhLF7lY
 >PERFECT!
 >NAILED IT!
 >You can see every girl at his table stiffen at the obnoxious sound
 >Happy recoils and stares at Anon, aghast
 >"ANON! Please, we're trying to eat!"
 >You can't contain your mirth and nearly fall off your bench laughing with a mouth full of half-chewed food
 >Inmates are staring at Anon, some laughing while others glare in disgust
 >You've done it!
 >You've ruined his reputation!
 >You've beaten hi-!
 >-!
 >Can't breathe!
 >The wad of chewed vegetables was sucked into your throat while you were laughing!
 >NO NO NO NO!
 >Your story can't  end here!
 >You're the hero!
 >The hero can't lose, the hero /never/ loses!
 >Everyone is too busy focused on Anon to help you
 >You try to wave your arms to attract help, but you are ignored
 >Time ticks on agonizingly slowly
 >It takes an eternity before you lose the ability to move, your body crying out for air
 >The world starts to slowly dissipate around you as a strange calmness pervades your entire existence
 >...So this is how it ends...?
 >You want to smile, but can't find the strength
 >You die now as a martyr to the great war against changeling freaks and their sympathizers
 >...
 >...Wait...
 >You don't want to die
 >The world swims and you feel something wet on your face
 >Through the murky water, you finally hear one of your gang calling for help
 >"Boss Bright is choking! Somepony, anypony, help! Please!"
 >...You know they are worlds too late
 >It takes a unicorn a few minutes to remove blockages
 >Even skilled unicorns need to take their time, to avoid causing more damage
 >Your fated lover, Happy, could have saved you if she knew in time...
 >...But it was too late...
 >...They were all too late...
 >...The world fades away softly
 >...How odd...
 >Your eyes are cold...
 >They must still be open...
 >You vaguely sense the world spinning, shouting voices
 >...But they don't matter
 >You just want to sleep
 >Why won't they let you sleep?
 >A sharp, incredibly intense pressure on your belly pushes away some of your tiredness
 >The stale air in your lungs is blasted out, launching the detritus from your throat
 >You instinctively gasp in shock and pain as soon as the pressure relents
 >You feel as though you are swimming up from the bottom of a murky lake as the world flickers and flows into focus
 >A crowd must have formed around you as you lay dying...
 >You know this because now that crowd was wildly cheering
 >You continue to gasp for as you realize...
 >...You're...being held up?
 >Glancing down at the arms, a cold chill runs down your spine
 >These arms have some nasty scars on them
 >The arms slowly lower you to the ground
 >"You okay? Can you stand?"
 >You nod feebly, coughing,  and look towards the owner of the arms and-
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >no
 >No
 >No!
 >NO!
 >Anon looks at you with a concerned smile
 >"I know we aren't exactly friends, but I'm glad you're okay"
 >Your minion High Hail flaps his wings in excitement
 >"Thanks for saving Boss Bright Spear!"
 >Anon nods and grins
 >"Don't mention it"
 >Your blood is cold as ice
 >Happy runs up next to Anon
 >"What the hay did you do and how did you do it?!"
 >Anon frowns
 >"What do you mean? That was the Heimlich Maneuver"
 >Happy laughs, shocked, and shakes her head
 >"Whatever it is called, it was amazing! How did you remove the blockage without magic?"
 >Is Happy Heart actually /impressed/ with him?!
 >Anon smiles humbly
 >"It's a pretty common technique where I'm from. When a person is choking, they usually have some air trapped in their lungs. By forcefully squeezing their belly just below the ribs, you can force that air out. The escaping air takes whatever is causing the problem along for the ride"
 >...Wait... Anon 'forcefully' squeezed your belly?...
 >Happy Heart nods enthusiastically
 >"Amazing! Fascinating! It looked brutal... But it really saved his life! You need to share more medical techniques from your world!"
 >NO!
 >It isn't amazing!
  >ANON MOLESTED YOU
 >Anon smiles
 >"Sure, I'm no expert, but I'll share what I know"
 >Anon's little bug, Vintl, tugs at his clothing
 >"What. about. our. date.?"
 >Anon frowns
 >"Oh, right. Sorry Vintl, completely skipped my mind in the excitement. Happy, we'll have to do it tonight. I'm booked all day today"
 >Vintl nods and grins conspiratorially
 >"The. Ring. Awaits."
 >Happy nods understandingly
 >"I didn't hear that. Before you go, you should know that one of our 'research' targets is there"
 >Anon winks at her and grins
 >Anon
 >Winked
 >At Happy
 >"Got it, I'll keep an eye out"
 >You finish coughing weakly and glare at Anon
 "Y-you molested me! GUARDS! This man touched me without my consent!"
 >Happy rolls her eyes at your outburst
 >"That's right Anon molested the life right back into you"
 >You glare at her
 >She meets your gaze
 >You turn and spit, eliciting a gasp from the more sensitive ponies around you at the rude behavior
 >She'll learn her place one of these days
 >You'll make sure of that
 >"Aren't you going to thank Anon for saving you?"
 >You snort and shake your head
 >It was Anon's fault you were choking in the first place, why should you thank him?
 >You hear Anon sigh behind you
 >"Come on girls, let's go finish breakfast"
 >You glare straight ahead, eyes focused on nothing
 >The shame of it all!
 >To be saved by your rival, your nemesis...
 >...Even if it was his fault you needed saving...
 >The unending shame of it all!...
 >...No
 >You didn't need saving
 >You were fine on your own
 >A little chewed up carrot couldn't kill you!
 >Your minions try to talk to you, but you glare at them until they are silent
 >You wanted to finish your meal in pea-
 >...aw hay biscuits!...
 >You frown mourningly at your tray, covered in a thick paste of chewed carrot
 >Pushing away the bolus covered tray, you fume and plan your next move
 >Anon may have won this round, but the war was far from over!
 
 Be Amber Ember
 >Be walking back to the table with everyone
 >Be very impressed with how Anon just saved a pony's life
 >Anon...
 >What a remarkable man
 >Feygl liked him, he had Vintl's respect, he was strong, his body could be used for alchemy, and he's a hero...
 >...You could be proud of being part of his herd...
 >...Except for that disgusting sound he made!
 >To make such a rude sound at the breakfast table...
 >You dealt with enough odor with your alchemy, you didn't need more bad smells during meals
 >Still walking to the table, you implore your ancestors' spirits to open the gate to the air dimension
 >You raise your hand, palm up, and summon a small air sprite
 >The incorporeal being whirls and dances on your palm and around your fingers
 <"Little Sprite, I ask that you cleanse the air around my table. What do you want in return?"
 ><"I desire to be one with the air-giver"
 >You smile at the sprite
 >It must be refering to Anon
 >Seems this little elemental wants to be breathed into his body
 <"Little Sprite, you have a deal"
 >The little zephyr flows away from your hand, it's form invisible to everyone except you
 >The sprite quickly completes it's task and charges towards Anon
 >You smile
 >Anon won't be affected in the slightest
 >Worst case scenario, he sneezes
 >The invisible sprite latches itself to Anon's nose, completely undetected...
 >...There, Anon breathed in, the sprite is gone
 >You nod happily to yourself, the transaction completed
 >Anon frowns and clears his throat
 >Then he coughs a few times, before clearing his throat again
 >Spinnerette stops next to Anon
 >"Are you alright?"
 >Anon nods
 >"Yea, just something in my throat. Swig of something should clear it right up"
 >You frown
 >The others can't sense it, but Anon has fully absorbed the elemental
 >That can't happen
 >Normally, elementals will complete an action before the magic or material sustaining them is gone
 >Once their 'food' source is gone, the elemental dies and fades into the background
 >Even ingested elementals should lose their power
 >But Anon's...
 >This needed further study
 >To ingest an elemental's power...
 >"What's this?"
 >Happy levitates an odd bag from the bench where Anon was sitting
 >Anon nods
 >"That's a whoopee cushion. I tried to tell you all that I didn't fart, but you all were too busy yelling at me"
 "What's a whoopee cushion?"
 >Anon inspects the bag
 >"...Neat, this is one of those self-inflating models. You want to know what a whoopee cushion is? Listen to this"
 >Anon reaches out and squeezes the bag, which deflates with a rude sound
 >...
 >Oh...
 >You frown
 "Why would anyone do that to you?"
 >Anon adjusts his clothing
 >"To prank me. Pretty weak and juvenile though, so no harm done"
 >Spinnerette growls
 >"Who would do such a thing?! If I get my hooves on them..."
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Don't worry, I can take care of myself"
 >Spinnerette blinks and blushes
 >"I didn't mean that you couldn't! I mean, you aren't weak! You're actually pretty strong..."
 >Her blush intensifies as Anon smirks
 >"F-Forget I said anything"
 >You frown
 "Don't you want to find out who did this to you?"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"I'm a little curious, but honestly... It was a pathetic prank, I've been the target of much worse in the past. It doesn't bother me"
 >Your eyes widen slightly in surprise
 >You didn't think Anon was such a forgiving soul
 >Happy levitates the whoopee cushion closer to herself
 >"I'll catch you all later, I need to put this thing away. A pranking device of this caliber isn't allowed. If one of you were caught with this contraband, you could get a pretty serious time-out"
 >Everyone says their goodbies and the mare leaves
 >You resume eating as conversation picks up around you
 >You don't bother following their chatting
 >There are too many scenarios and thoughts running through your head right now to chat
 >Thankfully, the rest of breakfast passed without incident
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be walking with Vintl on your shoulder
 >"Left. here."
 >You nod
 "Sure thing, little boss"
 >The breezie has been guiding you to a place called 'the ring'
 >Knowing this prison, it's an ice-skating rink
 >"Left. Again."
 >You nod
 "Right"
 >Vintl shakes her head
 >"No. Left.!"
 >You smirk
 >This could be fun
 "Right, I understand"
 >Vintl frowns
 >"No.LEFT.!"
 "Right, got it"
 >Vintl growls a little
 >"LEFT.!"
 >Time to see if you can really pull this off...
 "So I need to go left?"
 >Vintl nods
 >"Right!"
 >You grin mischeviously...
 "If you say so, little boss"
 >...and turn right
 >Vintl stamps her hoof
 >"Why. did. you. go. right.?!"
 "You just said 'right'!"
 >Vintl puffs out her cheeks and scrunchies
 >You can't help but chuckle at the ridiculous face she's making
 >"Stop.that.!"
 >You grin apologetically
 "Sorry little boss, couldn't resist"
 >You turn and start walking in the correct direction
 "So what exactly is 'the ring' like?"
 >Vintl gives you a predatory grin
 >"Place. that. separates. stallions. from. foals."
 >You chuckle
 "Sounds intense"
 >Vintl nods, wearing a wide grin
 >"Left."
 >You turn to face a maintenence tunnel door
 "This is a maintenence door"
 >Vintl nods
 >"Mhm., Go."
 >You push open the door and walk down a tunnel filled with cobwebs and hissing pipes
 >It was the kind of hallway that would immobilize a pony in fear
 >You just carefully duck under the low-hanging webs
 >Vintl is on your shoulder, and the last thing you need is for one of your girlfriends to become spider-chow
 >Vintl guides you through the maze of decrepit halls until you reach a door guarded by a minotaur and a dragon in red suits
 >"Rust., Wyrm., hello."
 >The minotaur nods the breezie a greeting, eyeing you up
 >The dragon crosses his arms and frowns
 >"Vintl. Why did you bring this gray here?"
 >Your tiny girlfriend laughs
 >"To. kick. your. asses."
 >The dragon stares at her for a long moment...
 >...
 >...Before bursting into laughter
 >"Oh Vintl, don't you dare ever change. So this is some new meat for the ring?"
 >Vintl nods as the minotaur sneers
 >"I can't let him in"
 >Vintl glares at the minotaur
 >"Rust... The. gray,. Anon,. is. with. me."
 >The minotaur snorts and looks at you
 >"Listen here, gray. You don't belong here. You may be with the mosquito-league champ, but that doesn't mean anything. You don't have what it takes, so just get out of here. Go on, run back to your cell and have a guard read you a story or something."
 >Vintl growls at the minotaur
 >"Anon. could. take. you. down. and. I'm. more. heavyweight. than. your. dick."
 >The dragon, Wyrm, chuckles. Each breath leaving with a small plume of fire
 >"Dang, that was a good burn!"
 "You should know. After all, you breathe fire"
 >The dragon smiles at you
 >"I like this guy. I'm letting him in"
 >The minotaur grumbles but steps aside
 >"I'll be watching you, new meat"
 >On a whim, you stick your tongue out at him as you pass through the guarded door
 >Vintl and Wyrm laugh as the minotaur fumes
 >Once you are on the other side of the door, Vintl hops off your shoulder to float in front of you
 >She waves her hoof grandly towards the area you're in
 >"Welcome. to. the. ring.!"
 >...
 >...neat
 
 
 
 Be Vintl
 >Be in the outskirts of 'The Ring'
 >Be the most badass person in the room
 >If your hunch is right, you're standing the shoulder of the second most badass person in the room
 >Your man, Anon
 >"So 'the ring' is this circular area around the arena?"
 >You nod
 "Arena. is. called. the. pit."
 >Anon nods slightly
 >"Neat. So what are the rules here?"
 "Champion. of. smaller. weight. class. decides. if. you. can. fight.. Once. approved. you. can. challenge. anyone. within. one. weight. class.. You'll. probably. be. a. heavyweight.. So. you. can. fight. a. medium. weight. or. a. super. heavyweight. fighter."
 >Anon nods, absorbing the information
 >"How about the actual fights?"
 "Three. types. of. fights.. rough-housing,. boxing,. and armed. combat.."
 >Anon raises an eyebrow
 >"Seriously? How did you manage to get weapons into a prison?"
 >You glance from side to side, checking for any known snitches
 >With the coast clear, you lean closer to Anon's ear
 "Medium. Weight. champion. can. smuggle. anything. into. the. prison.. We. also. co-opt. pool. noodles.."
 >Anon chuckles and nods
 >"I see"
 >You lean back so you are within Anon's field of vision
 "Let's. go. see. mid. weight. champion. so. you. can. get. into. a. fight."
 >Anon smiles
 >"Sure, sounds like fun. What's their name?"
 >You shrug
 "No. one. knows. their. real. name.. They. simply. fight. under. the. alias. 'The. Inmate.'.. Her. room. is. on. the. east. side. of. the. ring,. third. door.."
 >You point Anon in the right direction and he takes off at a brisk pace
 >This was so exciting!
 >Anon was going to fight!
 >He was going to show all these weaklings what a real man is supposed to be like
 >Various red and black suits give you both the stink-eye as you make your way to The Inmate's quarters
 >It doesn't matter
 >Anon will show them all how strong he really is
 >You bite your lip in anticipation
 >Hopefully 'The Inmate' is in today...
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be politely knocking at The Inmate's door
 "Hello? Miss 'The Inmate'? I'm here to sign up to fight"
 >Just because you're joining an underground fighting ring doesn't mean you can forget your manners
 >"Who dares disturb me?! Enter, and be judged!"
 >...
 >That voice sounds familiar...
 >...
 >...No, she  can't be...
 >You push open the door and step in
 >Vintl floats off your shoulder
 >"The. Inmate., good. to. see. you. in. today.. This. is. Anon,. he's. going. to. fight.."
 >A very familiar looking earth pony turns to face you
 >"So you're this 'Anon' I've heard about! I heard you took down Bright Spear's gang in a fight! About time you found your way down here!
 >...She is!
 >Standing in the center of the small room, wearing a cloth mask and shorts to 'hide' her identity, is The Warden
 >This can't be real
 "Warden? What are you doing here?"
 >Vintl frowns
 >"Anon. what. are. you. talking. about.?"
 >'The Inmate' gives you a panicked, pleading look
 >"I-I'm not The Warden! As flattering as it is to be confused with such a pretty pony as her, I am not her!"
 >You slowly smile
 "Of course not, my mistake"
 >She sighs in relief and you shoot her a wink
 "So... About me competing in a fight?"
 >The Warden/Inmate nods
 >"We normally don't let anyone below red level fight, but I like your style! You have my permission to fight anyone or anypony who'll accept"
 >You beam her a grin
 "Thanks"
 >The Warden grins from ear to ear
 >"My pleasure! Be sure to challenge me at some point, Anon!"
 >You chuckle and nod
 "Sure thing, 'Inmate'"
 >You give her another wink and she giggles
 >Vintl gives you a feral grin
 >"Let's. go. find. a. chump. for. you. to. destroy.."
 >You chuckle and shrug
 "Sure thing, little boss"
 >You step out of the small room, only to be immediately confronted by a familiar minotaur
 >"I told you that you weren't fit to be here. I'm glad The Inmate put you in your place, dingus"
 >Vintl's eyes narrow
 >"Anon....Please. challenge. him.."
 >Rust sneers
 >"Don't tell me The Inmate actually approved your request?!"
 >You smirk and nod
 "She sure did"
 >Rust snorts
 >"You're lying"
 >You shake your head
 "I'm not, and I challenge you!"
 >The minotaur laughs
 >"I'm not fighting a gray like you!"
 >A small crowd has started to form around you and Rust
 "Why not? Afraid you'll lose?"
 >The minotaur growls
 >Vintl laughs
 >"Oh. he's. nettled.!"
 >You chuckle and nod
 "Super nettled"
 >Rust roars at you wordlessly
 "Now now, I know you aren't too bright but you need to use your indoor voice"
 >Rust growls more loudly
 >You chuckle
 "I know your type. You're the big, tough, dumb kind of fighter. I could take you down easily"
 >Vintl squees at your tough-guy talk
 >Rust advances a step
 >"You take that back!"
 >You chuckle
 "Fine, fine... You aren't tough"
 >Rust snorts and nods, crossing his arms
 >"That's more like it..."
 >Vintl tilts her head at you
 >You smile back
 "Give him a minute..."
 >Rust stops nodding, uncrossing his arms
 >"HEY!"
 >You chuckle
 "There it is"
 >Rust stamps a hoof
 >"Fine, you asked for it! I'll DESTROY you!"
 >You cross your arms and smile
 "About time you accepted. How do you want to fight?"
 >The minotaur flexes his arm
 >"We're gonna box"
 >You nod and grin
 "You're on. Meet you in the pit"
 >Rust narrows his eyes
 >"We'll use 'the maze' arena"
 >You nod
 "Sure"
 >You glance over at Vintl
 "What's he talking about?"
 >Vintl flutters her wings in excitement
 >"Half. the. pit. is. an. open. top. maze.."
 >You nod
 "Ah, thanks"
 >Rust turns away from you, but looks back over his shoulder
 >"I'll meet you down there. We'll start at opposite ends of the maze. Don't keep me waiting"
 >The red suited minotaur walks off at a brisk pace towards the large pit
 >You turn your head to better see Vintl
 "Lead me to my corner, little boss"
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >..
 >...
 >"This. is. where. you'll. enter. from.."
 >Vintl points at a set of stairs leading into the pit
 >"Since. you're. boxing., you'll. need. these.."
 >She waves over an attendant  carries over two inflated plastic orbs
 >You raise your fists and the attendant slides your arms into sleeves built into the orbs
 >As she does, a nostalgic tune flits through your head
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqRfI5jqz1U
 >Yeah...
 >You got this
 >You turn to Vintl
 "I'd ask you to wish me luck, but I won't need it"
 >Vintl's eyes widen in delight
 >"Go. kick. his. butt.!"
 >You nod and turn towards the stairs
 >Time to descend into the pit's maze to fight a minotaur
 
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be smiling
 >Be singing to yourself
 "Socker boppers... Socker boppers..."
 >From somewhere ahead of you, Rust yells out
 >"Stop singing!... Leave it to a gray dingus to sing during a fight..."
 >You grin
 "MORE FUN THAN A PILLOW FIGHT!"
 >"UGH!"
 >You chuckle to yourself
 >He's getting upset
 >Upset opponents make mistakes
 >You smile and punch your inflatable fists together
 >This is going to be fun!
 >You feel almost supernaturally light on your feet
 >A few spectators, including Vintl, have gathered around the lip of the pit to look down into the maze
 >You give her a wave and continue into the maze
 >These sharp turns give you an idea...
 >Over the cheers and jeers of the crowd, you hear heavy hoof steps
 >Your prey is near
 >Vintl hops around, yelling encouragement and orders
 >"Be. Sure. to. noogie. that. dork. for. me.!"
 >You shoot her a grin and a nod before putting your plan into action
 >You wait around a bend, listening to the steps get closer and closer...
 >"Look at that grey, he's trying to hide!"
 >"How adorable!"
 >"Tear him apart Rust!"
 >You ignore the crowd and exhale slowly...
 >...There
 >Your smile widens as you spot Rust's shadow
 >Waiting until the last possible second, you silently chuckle to yourself
 >This'll be good
 >As soon as you see his hoof step into your field of vision, you pop around the corner with a high jab
 >Rust spots you and steps forward boldly...
 >"Alright you dingus, prepare to face the wrath of-"
 >...right into your bopper'd fist
 >He recoils and grunts
 >"Augh, You damn wanker! You punched me in the-"
 >FACE JAB
 >DIRECT HIT
 >Rust grunts and growls
 >"You did it again!"
 >FACE JAB
 >You smile
 >This is too easy
 >"STOP IT!"
 >FACE JAB
 >"PISS!"
 >You chuckle
 "So... You gonna try and dodge any of these?"
 >Rust roars and begins to telegraph a punch
 >...He's worse than a first level video game boss
 >You easily duck under his swing
 >He spins, off balance and ends up slamming his bouncy fist into the wall
 "Now now, that wall ISN'T your learning disorder"
 >Rust roars louder
 >"You're a vagina!"
 >You smirk
 "Been so long since you've seen one you don't even recognize one, do ya?"
 >Rust raises his arms for an overhead strike...
 >...Leaving his core completely exposed
 >KIDNEY PUNCH
 >Rust's arms droop
 >KIDNEY PUNCH
 >He exhales sharply
 >KIDNEY PUNCH...
 >...and pause...
 >The crowd has gone completely silent...
 >Except for one tiny voice, haltingly screaming encouragement
 >Rust groans and weakly holds out a hand
 >"P-Please don't punch me..."
 >You smirk
 "No"
 >STOMACHE PUNCH!
 >The minotaur doubles over
 >You bounce away as the minotaur slowly recovers from your brutal assault
 "That looked pretty painful...Here I thought minotaurs were tough, but this is just sad.... Ready to continue whenever you are, big guy"
 >The minotaur snarls
 >"Sad for you!"
 >He charges at you, fist drawn back
 >You step out of the way at the last second, extending a leg
 >The minotaur tumbles, and rolls
 >He glares at you and stands back up
 >"You think you're so tough, I'll show you!"
 >He charges at a more measured pace, watching your leg carefully...
 >So you jump forward and deck him in the face while he's distracted by your legs
 >Rust falls flat on his back
 >"Augh, DAMNIT!"
 >You whistle nonchalantly and step away as he gets back up
 >Rust charges again, preparing to swing from the other side
 >"Bet you weren't expecting me to come from the left-"
 >He whiffs the punch and you jab him in the stomache and dance away
 >"Gah! How'd you see it coming?!"
 >Rust is breathing heavily
 >The crowd's volume is starting to pick up again
 >You smile
 >They're calling your name!
 >Neat!
 >Rust glances around and sprints down a nearby corridor
 >The growing crowd starts shouting heckles at the fleeing minotaur
 >You chuckle and smirk
 >Rust made a big mistake
 >He ran down the same path you came from
 >You know the terrain
 >He just gave you the home advantage
 >You follow in hot pursuit until he turns a sharp corner and the sound of his hoof steps stops suddenly
 >Trying to beat you at your own game?
 >Not fucking likely
 >There was a branching path a few yards back that looked like it might loop around behind him...
 >You turn to jog down the new path
 >You take the time to catch your breath
 >Beating up a mythological creature wasn't easy
 >With that refreshing breather giving you support, you round a corner...
 >...and come face to back with Rust
 >You quietly step up behind him
 "Hey, how's it going?"
 >Rust keeps staring dead ahead
 >"Oh hey, I'm just waiting for that gray jerk so I can surprise him!"
 >You suppress a chuckle
 "Neat."
 >Rust begins to turn to you
 >"Yeah, he'll never see it co-....Oh"
 >You smirk up at Rust and begin laying into him with everything you've got
 >The poor creature just can't keep up as you force him back, each punch pounding away at an unguarded area
 >The minotaur finally falls away, landing hard on his rump
 >You pause, breathing hard at the burst of exertion
 >Rust looks up at you pleadingly
 >"Look.. I know we said some things... But I bet if we just talk to eachother a little, we could become friends. What do you say? First thing you can do as my new best buddy is throw the fight. How about it? High five?"
 >You smirk
 "Down low"
 >"wha-"
 "Too slow"
 >You lunge towards him and use all your momentum for a powerful uppercut straight to his snout
 >The crowd goes balistic as Rust topples over
 >You can barely make out Vintl screaming cheers, her tiny voice lost in the uproar
 >The crowd knows Rust is finished, you know he's finished, and most importantly HE knows that he's finished
 >You raise your arms triumphantly and the crowd starts a chant...
 >"Hu-mil-iate! Hu-mil-iate!"
 >Rust sits up and looks up at the crowd miserably
 >He sighs and looks over at you
 >"Please... make it quick..."
 >He bares his head to you
 >Vintl did tell you to noogie him...
 >And how can you say no to her tiny adorable face?
 >You nod formally and remove one of your boppers, stepping over to the downed minotaur
 >With great ceremony, you lower your knuckles to his head and apply the noogie
 >The crowd goes wild again, especially Vintl
 >Rust squirms but can't escape your grasp
 >After a few moments of you adding insult to injury, a pair of pegasi fly down to help you and Rust find your separate ways out of the maze
 >You can't stop grinning
 >It's been too long since you were able to really let loose...
 >...And after a short break, it will be time to issue a challenge to Happy's target
 >You make a mental note to thank Vintl for taking you here for your date together
 
 (Author's note: I stole nearly everything in this fight from Team Four Star. If you haven't already, go watch their videos. I'll wait.)
 
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be crawling through the air ducts
 >Because you're scouting
 >You need to see how viable the prison is as a starting place for your hive
 >A starting place for your own hive...
 >The thought makes you giddy
 >Anon was a powerful mate, meaning you will have a powerful brood!
 >You continue to carefully inch your way around the prison, committing every twist and turn to memory
 >Eventually you come across a straight drop in the ducts
 >Not uncommon...
 >What was uncommon was the smell
 >The air coming from below had a different scent about it
 >Stale and wet, completely unlike the dry sterile atmosphere you were used to in the prison
 >Your curiosity piqued, you carefully lower yourself to the bottom of the long shaft
 >You grin as you reach the bottom
 >Seems the metal has corroded and rusted
 >Interesting...
 >You summon your magic to disintigrate the rusted out area, leaving a large hole in the duct
 >With a little squeeze, you're able to slip through the hole you created...
 >...To emerge into a large natural cavern
 >Complete with piercing stalagmites and threatening stalagtites
 >There was even a cold underground river!
 >You practically vibrate with excitement as you explore the natural cavern
 >It looked just like mom's cave back home!
 >You take a closer look at everything, wings buzzing even when you aren't airborne
 >Solid rock walls that are strong enough to support the cavern...
 >You tap the rock face carefully, listening closely to the acoustics
 >...Perfect! The walls are also /just/ weak enough for excavations!
 >You can expand!
 >This place was absolutely perfect, a dream home
 >You smile broadly
 >Home, food, mate, you have everything you need to start an unstoppable colony
 >Now... How to convince Anon to let you start a hive?
 >...You should wait
 >You already rushed things too much so far
 >You bite your lip and look around the beautiful cavern
 >...The future will have to wait...
 >With one last forlorn look at the cave you climb back into the ducts
 >Can't risk being detected down here
 >Not yet, anyway
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be the center of attention
 >"You. were. spectacular.!"
 >You give her a grin
 >This is the third time she's told you that
 >Vintl is easily the proudest person in the room
 >She hasn't stopped smiling and giggling since you came out of the maze
 >If you had a penny for every time she said 'That's. my. man.!'...
 >You spot The Warden approaching, still in her disguise
 >"Well done Anon! I knew letting you join would be a good idea! That really was some fight!"
 >A member of your new female fan club, a minotaur, with obviously fake piercings clasps her hands by her waist and uses her arms to emphasize her assets
 >"You simply must tell me where you learned to fight like that! Maybe over dinner in my cell?~"
 >She flutters her eyelashes at you
 >Vintl hops on top of your head and glares down at the woman
 >"He's. Mine.! Only. those. I. approve. can. be. with. him.."
 >The minotaur frowns
 >"Buzz off pipsqueak! So... What do you say Anon? Want to get to know me better? Because I want to get to know you better, you perfect-"
 >You raise a hand to interrupt her
 "Sorry, I'm not perfect. Fidelity is my flaw"
 >Vintl blows a raspberry at the minotaur and waves her off
 >The minotaur huffs and frowns up at your little girlfriend before looking down to you
 >"If you change your mind, I'll be around~"
 >She turns and walks away, hips swaying more than necessary
 >Your attention is pulled away from the female by another minotaur
 >Rust is walking over to you
 >He stops a few feet short and awkwardly clears his throat
 >"I'm sorry, I guess you do deserve to be here... so go find someone else to fight already! It isn't like I want to see you fight!"
 >You raise an eyebrow
 "erm...Alright?"
 >Rust turns away and mutters something under his breath
 "D-Dingus..."
 
 Be Vladdy
 >Be a very pissed off saiga
 >That 'Anon' schmuck was stealing your thunder!
 >You're supposed to be the unique-species tough guy!
 >Time to teach this upstart whose /really/ in charge here!
 >You rush over to the 'human' to give him a piece of your mind
 >As you approach, his head swivels and he spots you
 >His eyes widen in surprise
 >...And is that a hint of recognition?
 >No matter, he's going down!
 "You there, minotaur reject! You're not so tough"
 >That little sprite, Vintl, leans down and loudly whispers to Anon
 >"That's. Vladdy.."
 >You nod and snort
 "That's right!"
 >Anon stares at you for a few moments, lips trembling
 >Good, he's already afraid of you
 >You knew you could put that gray in his pla-
 >"...Did you know you have a pair of assholes on your face?"
 >Anon bursts into laughter
 >...
 "What was that?"
 >Anon wipes a tear from his eye
 >"Seriously, what a cthulu muzzle! You look like the bastard special needs child of a tapir and a goat!"
 >Your nostrils flare in rage
 >NO ONE makes fun of your nose!
 >Anon feigns terror
 >"Oh no, look out everyone! He's going to inhale us all!"
 >You stamp a hoof
 "That's ENOUGH! I challenge you!"
 >Anon's laughter dies down
 >"I accept, I accept, just look away from me or something. I can't take any more of your face"
 >You growl
 "You. Me. Roughhousing on the field right now!"
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Sure, sure... See you there about five minutes after your nose arrives"
 >You glare at him before eagerly run to the open, clear part of the pit
 >You would show him!
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be entering the pit again after only a few moment's rest
 >You were going to teach this Toydarian horse reject who is the boss around here
 >Vintl was worried you were pushing yourself too hard...
 >...She also shocked the crowd by kissing your cheek for fighting again without taking a real break
 >Vintl explained the rules of roughhousing in the pit
 >No punches, kicks, bites, gouging, or attacking with horns
 >You'll win once Vladdy submits
 >Shouldn't take too long
 >The last fight only lasted as long as it did because the maze came between you and your prey
 >You spot Vladdy eagerly pacing across the pit
 >As soon as you set foot on the well-cushioned floor, the saiga charges
 >You charge ahead to meet him
 >Vladdy hops left, then right, before pushing forward
 >You drop your hand, palm open, and catch his advance
 >The saiga grunts and growls, trying to push past your steel-clad defense
 >Every time he pushes forward, you push him back
 >You can't help but chuckle
 >It's the classic 'big guy holding furious little guy at arms length' routine
 >This is too easy
 >You notice Vladdy preparing for another push against your arm...
 >...Time to shine
 >You bend you knees and raise your other hand to prepare for the right moment
 >Vladdy snarls at you
 >"You're useless!"
 >...THERE!
 >Vladdy tries to push ahead again...
 >...and you let him
 >He stumbles with your arm suddenly providing no resistance
 >As he stumbles, you grab his short horns and pull him forward
 >With his momentum firmly under your control, you twist out of the path of his charge while adding to it's speed
 >Once Vladdy passes you, you start raising your arms up
 >The crowd gasps in pure shock as you throw an endangered species
 >You laugh as Vladdy shakily gets back to his hooves
 "Would you look at that?... Looks like there's something I'm good at after all"
 >Vladdy narrows his eyes at you
 >"And that would be?..."
 >His voice drips with venom
 >You smirk, narrowing your own eyes
 "...Opening cans of whoop-ass on midget elephants"
 >The saiga screams and charges you
 >He's angry
 >Good
 >He needs to be bullied into submission, or else your girls won't get their extra pudding
 >...One more insult ought to do the trick
 "HEY EVERYBODY, TODAY I THREW A MUTANT GOAT!"
 >You manage to catch him by the horns again, stopping him cold
 >Though Vladdy struggles violently, you hold him fast
 >You start to slowly push him back and he gives you a shocked look
 >At least, you think he's shocked
 >Pretty hard to tell with such a huge nose
 >You speed up your advance and Vladdy can't keep up
 >With one last shove, you send the saiga spinning
 >He lands hard on his back
 >You slap your palms, smirking down at the dazed creature
 "I hope you aren't going to surrender quite yet, I haven't taught you your lesson yet"
 >Vladdy weakly stands back up, nostrils flaring
 >You smile
 >He's nearly finished
 >One more toss and he'll be too battered to move
 >"Yeah?... and what lesson is that?"
 >He swallows hard in exhaustion and his nose whistles
 >Vladdy knows now that he can't win
 >You got this
 "Don't be such a prick. Mind your manners. Promise me that and I'll apologize for making fun of your nose"
 >The saiga pants heavily
 "If you don't... I'll just have to keep throwing your endangered ass around until you learn that lesson"
 >Vladdy growls...
 >Then hangs his head in defeat
 >"...Fine. I surrender, and I promise to mind my manners better from now on"
 >He practically spits the words at you
 >You grin and nod
 "Good. I'll see you around, Vladdy... Especially if you don't keep that promise"
 >The saiga nods, catching the implied threat before weakly stumbling away
 >The crowd cheers your name as Vladdy slowly leaves the pit in defeat
 >You raise your arms and the crowd roars
 >You smile
 >It's good being a gladiator in magical horse land
 
 
 
 Be The Warden
 >Be in your 'The Inmate' identity
 >You had no idea how Anon saw through your perfect disguise
 >But it didn't matter
 >It was so nice of him to not spill your secret
 >You smile as Anon takes a victory lap in the pit
 >He was an astounding fighter
 >Anon fought like a black suit having a /really/ bad day
 >You still couldn't believe that Rust didn't even touch Anon
 >And then the fight with Vladdy...
 >Simply spectacular!
 >It's rare to see something so brutal, even down in the pit
 >Vintl was a lucky little mare
 >She had one heck of a mate!
 
 
 Be Sandy Beaches
 >Be putting the finishing touches on your gift to Anon
 >You proudly beam down at your hard work
 >Anon is going to love this!
 >You nod
 >...He'd better
 >You spent the entire morning working on it
 >Time to go over the plan for the date...
 >Sit next to him at lunch, leave early to get everything set up and tell him to meet you in the pool room, then spring the presents on him!
 >You ruffle your wings in excitement
 >The hours had passed so slowly...
 >...But also way too fast!
 >You couldn't wait to play with Anon...
 >...But you also almost didn't have time to finish your preparations!
 >You check the clock on your wall and your grin grows
 >It was finally lunch time!
 >Perfect
 >You pack up by hiding everything under your bed, then happily trot out the door
 >This is going to be so much fun!
 
 Be Anon
 >Be nearly done with lunch
 >Vintl has spent the entire time excitedly talking about your exploits
 >Complete with sound effects like 'zop' and 'Kaplow'
 >You take a spoonful of delicious pudding into your mouth as Vintl recreates your fight with Vladdy for the second time
 >Happy smiles and winks at you, recognizing that you upheld your end of the bargain again
 >You smile back and tilt your spoon in silent thanks for the extra dessert
 >While Libele has only been listening to Vintl to be polite, the other girls are much more attentive
 >...With the exception of Amber, who is in her own little world of formulas and herbs
 >Feygl especially has been watching with wide eyes as Vintl brutalizes an empty milk carton, throwing it around to demonstrate your technique
 >You chuckle and adjust your clothing as the milk carton makes a beautiful arc through the air, landing on the floor with a hollow sound
 >Sandy guzzles down her juice and slams her sippy cup down on the table with a satisfied sigh
 >"Yar... That be good grog. Well lad and ladies, I hope ye'll excuse me. Anon! I'll meet ye at the pool for our date"
 >You nod and she beams at you
 >"I'm looking forward to this... Don't be late, or I'll make ye walk the plank!"
 "Don't worry Cap'n, I'll be thar"
 >Her eyes shine
 >"Yah-har!"
 "Yah-har!"
 >Sandy giggles and quickly hurries to put her tray away
 >While you eat, Vintl tells everyone about your fight with Rust for the third time
 >Much to Feygl's delight
 >It doesn't take you long to finish your meal and be on your way towards the pool
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be watching Sandy Beaches leave the mess
 >Once Anon got around to dealing with his last assigned target, Desert Sands, you'd have him give Sandy a talking to
 >She is notorious for taking over the pool and not letting anyone else get into the water
 >You sip your milk, idly watching Vintl flail around the table
 >She really doesn't care that you're a staff member here at the prison, she views you as one of her friends...
 >...The fact she's talking about Anon dominating two other inmates is proof enough of that
 >You glance around the table in a sudden realization
 >All these girls had just... accepted you into their group
 >While you had friends outside the penal system, most were in prestigious hospitals or mental institutes far from here
 >The boasting, the banter, the friendship, it all reminded you of those years you spent learning your trade alongside those old friends
 >You smile as Vintl dramatically throws herself, reenacting Vladdy's flights
 >It was like you dreamed of when you first applied for the position in this prison...
 >Helping troubled souls and making friends at the same time!
 >Up until now the inmates tried to avoid you...
 >You glance over at Anon
 >That creature has somehow created his own group, his own clique of outcasts that you wer now a part of
 >You grin to yourself
 >You wouldn't have it any other way
 >Anon wipes his mouth with a napkin and stands
 >"I'll see you all at dinner, I'm off for now"
 >You smile and wave while the other girls give more substantial goodbies
 >Anon is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma...
 >A gray suit, and a real kind sweet heart
 >Yet he's also above and beyond the scariest inmate in the prison
 >...You may have to keep a closer eye on him than you first thought
 
 Be Sandy Beaches
 >Be waiting for Anon in the pool room
 >You had everything prepared
 >All that was missing was your guest of honor
 >Your first mate...
 >...Hopefully he really will be your first mate someday!
 >You make pirate sounds as you alternate between staring at the clock and at the door as you wait for Anon
 >You'd have the pool all to yourselves for a while
 >No one except you and Anon were brave enough to swim right after eating
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be walking to the pool
 >You already stopped by your cell to put on your swimsuit and get your personal towel
 >Sandy has no doubt planned some pirate-themed pool antics
 >The area around the pool is completely empty of inmates or guards
 >Seems everyone is either still eating or they have no plans to use the pool yet
 >You push past the door to the pool room and the scent of chlorine washes over you
 >Such a clean smell!
 >Sandy spots you and excitedly waves you over
 >Hrm... Wonder what she's hiding under that towel?
 >"Anon! I made you something for our date"
 >She beams at you and quickly turns to start rummaging under the towel
 "You didn't have to get me anything-"
 >Sandy grunts from under the towel
 >"No, I wanted to make these for you"
 >She extracts herself from the towel with a pair of eyepatches in her mouth
 >You chuckle and smile as she beams you the most excited smile
 "You made me an eyepatch?"
 >She nods confirmation proudly
 >"Aren't you going to take it?"
 >She speaks around the obstruction in her mouth pretty well
 >You reach a hand under her muzzle and she drops the eyepatches with a soft 'pleh'
 >"Could you put mine on me?"
 >You nod
 "Sure thing, hold still..."
 >You kneel down in front of her and she smiles shyly
 >Careful not to tug her hair with the eyepatch's elastic strap, you lower the patch to her eye
 >She blushes and giggles
 >"Thanks Anon!"
 "Anytime....Matey"
 >You shoot her a wink
 >She ruffles her wings and giggles again
 "So what else is under your towel?"
 >Sandy shakes her head
 >"Not until you put on your eyepatch!"
 >You chuckle and nod
 "Of course, how could I forget?"
 >You put on the eyepatch on over your left eye and Sandy squees in joy
 >She excitedly flutters into the air
 >"How does it feel?"
 >You adjust the eyepatch to sit better on your face
 "Perfect. Big enough to cover my entire eye socket but small enough that it doesn't cover my entire face"
 >Sandy pumps a hoof in the air
 >"YES! I was so worried I had the size wrong! How about the strap, is it too loose or too tight?"
 >You slide a finger between the strap and your temple
 "Not too tight or too loose, just perfect"
 >Sandy mumbles something under her breath
 >"Just like me..."
 "What was that?"
 >She beams at you
 >"I said it's yours for free! I'm glad you like it"
 >...You get the feeling she said something different
 >Sandy lands, hooves clicking against the tile floor
 >"Now me matey, are ye ready to set sail as a pirate?"
 >You give her a toothy grin
 "YAR!"
 >Sandy returns your grin
 >"LET ME SEE YER PIRATE FACE!"
 "YAAAR!"
 >Sandy flaps up to eye level with you
 >"THAT AIN'T A PIRATE FACE, THIS IS A PIRATE FACE!"
 >She takes in a deep gulp of air...
 >...Unless your eyes are tricking you, she also expanded a little!
 >"YAAAAAHAARRRRRRR!! NOW LET ME SEE YOUR REAL PIRATE FACE!"
 >You take in as much air as your lungs allow and scream pirate noises right back at her
 >"That's more like it! Last test, do you know the pirate alphabet?!"
 >You raise an eyebrow and tilt your head
 "No cap'n, what be the pirate alphabet?"
 >Sandy smirks
 >"It be easy to learn, there are only ten letters in it!"
 "Yar? What be they?"
 >Sandy gives you a huge shit-eating grin
 >"They be thus: 'Aye', 'Aye', 'ARRRrrr', and the seven 'C's"
 >You don't know whether to laugh or groan
 >Sandy does a loop-de-loop in the air
 >"Congratulations matey! Ye be a pirate! Do what you want, 'cause a pirate is free! You are a PIRATE!"
 >You cheer while Sandy lands by the towel
 >"Now then matey, it do be my pleasure to introduce you to the finest vessel to sail the pool... King Anon's Revenge!"
 >Sandy takes the edge of the towel in her mouth and pulls it dramatically away to reveal...
 >...A dinghy
 >With a bunch of cardboard tubes glued together to form a makeshift mast
 >She even made a wee jolly roger!
 >It looks like a human, with an hourglass in one hand and an arrow in the other which points towards a heart
 >Sandy shuffles in expectant awkwardness as you examine the ship and flag
 >"So...Do you like it?"
 >You glance over and y-
 >...Looking was a mistake
 >Her eyes are huge and she's biting her lip in nervous anticipation of your opinion
 >Sandy wiggles a little as your eyes meet
 >"W-well?"
 >She anxiously shifts from side to side
 >If this keeps up, your heart won't hold out
 >You give her the biggest grin you can muster
 "It be beautiful! But... what does the jolly roger stand for?"
 >Sandy gasps in delight
 >"YOU KNOW THE FLAG HAS MEANING?!"
 >Once your sense of hearing returns, you nod
 "Of course, so why did you choose these symbols?"
 >Sandy blushes happily
 >"The man is you, because you're important! You're holding an hourglass and pointing to hearts to symbolize what will hopefully be a long happy relationship"
 >D'awww
 >"S-so... Do you like it? I made it just for today!..."
 >Sandy looks up at you hopefully
 >You give her another toothy smile
 "It be perfect, I love it"
 >Sandy giggles and jumps in joy
 >"YAHAR! We'll be the greatest pirates who've ever sailed!"
 >You chuckle and nod
 "I'll be the king of the pirates!"
 >Sandy blushes fiercely and flashes you a lopsided smile
 >"Can I be queen of the pirates?"
 >You laugh and she joins in
 >"I'll take that as a yes! Yar!"
 >You hold out a fist
 "To becoming the greatest pirates this pool ha- no, this PRISON has ever seen!"
 >Sandy bumps your fist
 >"YAR! And to King Anon's Revenge!"
 >You nod and shoot her a grin
  "YAR!"
 
 Be Sandy Beaches
 >Be pushing your mighty vessel on its maiden voyage into the pool with Anon's help
 >He's so big and strong...
 >Anon will be the greatest pirate king ever!
 >And you'll be the greatest queen of the pirates!
 >From the coasts of Santa Ponyta to the beaches of Labrynthia, you'll be the ultimate pirate couple!
 >And it all starts with this ship...
 >This ship that you haven't been able to test yet
 >You are an accomplished shipwright, so it should be fine, but still...
 >You shake your head and push harder
 >No time to test it now
 >And you couldn't risk The Warden confiscating it before the date
 >King Anon's Revenge slides easily into the water
 >Moment of truth...
 >Your heart is in your throat
 >If it sinks...
 >The great vessel sits high in the water, the interior remaining dry
 >YES!
 >It's sea worthy!
 >You giggle in excitement and hop onto the ship, checking for any potential leaks
 >...
 >It's perfect
 >Not a single leak
 >Your best work yet!
 >Good... It would be terrible if your bag hidden on the boat got wet
 >A quick spin has you facing Anon again
 "Come on, get in!"
 >Anon steps to the edge of the pool and puts one foot on the ship
 >He carefully shifts his weight and King Anon's Revenge starts to sit lower and lower in the water
 >You watch the rising water level intently
 >Anon was a lot bigger than you, but you had made adjustments to your usual design to accommodate his weight...
 >Hopefully they would be enough
 >King Anon's Revenge was easily the largest ship you've ever made
 >You didn't know Anon's exact weight, so you had to estimate...
 >You shift your wings nervously
 >This ship can't sink, you won't let it sink!
 >This ship is for Anon!
 >Anon finally brings his other foot into the boat
 >The ship bobs and wobbles a little, but doesn't take on any water
 >...
 >VICTORY!
 >SUCCESS!
 >[Happy pirate horse noises]!
 >Anon carefully sits down in the boat
 >You flash him a mighty grin
 "Welcome aboard the King Anon's Revenge! I have a few 'special' items prepared for this maiden voyage"
 >You open up your cleverly hidden saddlebag and pull out your rare booty
 >Treasures that you could only share with Anon
 >...Mostly because most of them were STRICTLY banned
 >Anon peers over curiously
 >"What's in the bag?"
 >You beam a grin
 "Matey, I ask you, what pirate would be complete without..."
 >You use your wings to scoop out a pair of small bottles
 "...GROG AND RUM!"
 >Anon laughs
 >"YAR!"
 >If he thought that was good...
 "That only be scratchin the surface o' what I have 'ere!"
 >You dive your muzzle back into the bag
 >There were three more surprises for Anon, two of them were made by Amber
 >You pull out your magical music player first
 >Magic was such a strange thing...
 >Arcane magic users had no idea how to make music players, but elemental magic users could do it no problem!
 >Anon examines the oddly shaped orb
 >...He looks adorable when he squints like that!
 >"So...What is that?"
 >You grin
 "It be me music player! I blow into this part here, and then it will play music out of these holes covering it"
 >Anon's eyes widen
 >"Neat!"
 >You nod and bring the mouthpiece to your lips
 >Anon watches as you spend several minutes fervently blowing into the contraption
 >The orb finally stops accepting your breath, signaling that it is ready to be played
 >You prop the orb up on the prow and tap it a few times
 >After a few seconds, the music kicks in
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG2OQKqdExc
 >Anon lets out a piratey laugh as ocean sounds accompanied by a plucking string instrument float from the music player
 >"That be amazing!"
 >He hasn't seen anything yet
 >You go back to the bag one last time for the really amazing stuff
 >Anon won't know what hit him with this one
 >Amber really took a chance making these for you
 >Gingerly lifting a tube from the bag, you smile as your favorite part of the song hits
 >You get chills every time that part of the song happens!
 >It makes you want to burst into action!...
 >...but you /really/ don't want to risk extravagent movement with this payload on board
 >Carefully opening the bag, you slowly draw out what anyone else would assume is an incense stick
 >But you know better
 >This was something far, far more dangerous
 >Anon tilts his head
 >"What be that, cap'n?"
 >You flash him a dangerous smile
 "Just watch this"
 >You pick up the stick on the metal end and place the rough edge against the side of the boat
 >With a flick of your head, the end of the stick ignites into a green fiery plume of danger and explosions
 >Anon looks on, wide eyed
 >"Where did you get a sparkler?"
 "I promised I wouldn't tell"
 >Anon nods
 >"I guess I can understand. Something tells me we aren't supposed to have these"
 >You shake your head gently
 >Anon picks up one of the fire sticks to examine
 >"You know... A famous pirate of my world used something similar to these"
 >Your heart jumps
 >There were pirates where Anon came from?
 >One of them used sparklers?!
 >You must learn more!
 "Tell me about them!"
 >Anon ignites his sparkler, the light flickering mysteriously off his eyes
 >"His name was Blackbeard, and even though he lived hundreds of years ago he's still one of the most infamous pirates who ever lived. His real name was Edward Teach, but they also called him a demon"
 >Your body tingles with excitement
 "W-Why?"
 >Anon grins mischeviously
 >"They say he would charge into battle, steal treasure, and emerge victorious without so much as a scratch. All while smoke and fire billowed from him"
 >Your jaw drops, and so does your sparkler
 >A loose Sparkler...
 >On a wooden ship...
 >PANICK!
 "Oh NO! FIRE! ABANDON SHIP!"
 >You dive into the pool
 >You didn't even have time to suck in any air before you submerged
 >Biting your lip, you surface
 >You worked so hard on that ship...
 >...And for it to go up in flames...
 >The thought alone made your heart feel ready to break
 >You blink the water from your eyes and turn to the doomed vessel
 >Though it pained you greatly, you needed watch
 >It's the best ship you ever made!
 >...It /was/ the best ship you ever made...
 >You complete your turn, expecting flames to be licking at the jolly roger...
 >...Only to see a confused Anon holding two lit sparklers
 >...
 >Anon...
 >He stayed on board to save the ship!
 "A-Anon! You saved the ship!"
 >Anon chuckles and nods
 >"Yup, there wasn't really any dang-"
 >You use your wings to skillfully jump out of the water and into the air
 "Thank you thank you thank you! I was so worried the ship was lost! Ye be the finest pirate that ever lived!"
 >You land on the boat, making it rock
 >Anon raises his hands high as you dart in, giving him a big hug with both your arms and wings
 >Normally you wouldn't be so physically forward, but he just saved King Anon's Revenge
 >Anon's earned this hug!
 >After a moment, you pull away
 >Your face feels hot, and not from the sparklers
 >Anon chuckles and smirks
 >"So, you wanna hear how Blackbeard achieved his /fiery/ reputation?..."
 >You abruptly sit and nod eagerly
 "Yes please!"
 >Anon's eyes shine brighter than the sparklers as he grins
 >"Just like this..."
 >You look on in awe as Anon carefully slips the non-flamable portion of the sparklers through his beard and into the headband of his eyepatch
 >You swallow hard as white-hot sparks fly from the sparklers and onto Anon's exposed flesh
 >The sparks jump across his skin in a terrifying, hypnotic dance
 >Anon is so badass, he doesn't even notice
 >The green fire of the sparklers gives his skin an unearthly glow
 >He flashes you a dangerous smile
 >"So cap'n, where do we be sailing?"
 >You find it hard to breathe
 >Anon looks like a flaming ghost
 > You swallow hard before you reach into your bag for the final item
 "This treasure map will take us away from the ship, but only temporarily. There do be great booty to be found and plundered!"
 >Anon mutters something under his breath
 >"Yeah, yours"
 >Your breath catches in your throat
 "W-What was that, m-matey?"
 >Anon smiles innocently
 >"Nothing, nothing. Besides, if I had said something then I'm sure you started it"
 >You giggle and your face heats up considerably
 >Anon has a good sense of humor!
 >You lay down the map and point at the large red "X"
 "Here's the plan..."
 
 
 
 Be The Warden
 >Be making your rounds around the prison
 >It gave the guards morale to see you patrolling
 >And it helped keep some of the rowdier inmates in line
 >You glance into the knitting club as you pass their room
 >Everyone is happily knitting away
 >Libele spots you and puts aside her knitting just long enough to wave at you
 >You smile and nod back before continuing your rounds
 >You were looking forward to being back in your office
 >Back in your office, you had prepared a little gift for yourself
 >Part of the reason you were making your rounds was to work off some of the calories you were about to consume
 >You lick your chops and hurry on with your rounds
 
 Be Anon
 >Be carefully holding a pool noodle by each end
 >Also be preparing to leave the pool room with Sandy
 >"Are ye ready for riches?!"
 >You grin and growl, hefting your makeshift 'weapon'
 >Sandy returns your grin
 >"Excellent! Remember, stick to the plan"
 >She folds up her map and puts it in her saddlebag, moving her own small pool noodle and music player out of the way
 >You push open the door for her and she jumps out of the room and into the hall with a growl
 >Sandy glances in every direction, making sure the coast is clear
 >Once the hall is secured, she motions for you to follow
 >She leads you through a winding pathway that avoided all the major intersections and halls
 >As you approach your ultimate destination, Sandy extends a wing to block your path
 >She brings her other wing in front of her mouth and makes a shushing motion
 >You nod and pull your lips into your mouth to emphasize that you understand
 >Sandy carefully leans around the corner to scout ahead...
 >After a second, she quickly withdraws her head and turns back to you to whisper her findings
 >"There's only one guard in our way. You ready?"
 >You nod and lower your voice to match her volume
 "Born ready"
 >Your sparklers hiss and start to fizzle
 "...Actually, give me a second"
 >You quickly pull out another pair of sparklers from your pocket and use the dying sparklers to light the new ones
 >Tossing the used sparklers aside, you don your new wreath of fire
 >Sandy's eyes light up as you give her a toothy grin
 "Let's do this"
 >Sandy nods
 >"You distract the guard, I'll gather up the booty. Let's go!"
 >Sandy charges around the corner, with you hot on her heels
 >She darts past the confused guard
 >The guardpony tries to go after Sandy, but you intercept
 >You bring one end of the pool noodle to your mouth and bring the other end to bear against the guard
 >With a mighty exhale, you force the water trapped in the noodle out the other end...
 >...Drenching the poor guardpony
 >The guard squeals in shock and attempts to retreat
 >You suddenly hear music start up
 >While stowing the booty in her bags, Sandy must have hit her music player
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRh-dzrI4Z4
 >Your sparklers pop and fizzle strongly, making the guard's eyes bug out
 >You hold your noodle in front of you like a rapier
 >A few swings is all it takes to demonstrate to the guard why he shouldn't try to interrupt Sandy
 >Speaking of which...
 >Sandy jumps back into the hall behind you
 >"I've got the treasure, move move move!"
 >You turn to follow the fleeing pirate pony
 >The guard you left behind blows a whistle and begins calling for help
 >You leave him in your dust
 >Though seemingly countless numbers of guards appear from rooms and intersections you pass, Sandy's twisting path ensures that you quickly lose each pursuer in turn
 >It doesn't take a genius to realize where you and Sandy are headed, however, and as you turn a corner you spot a blockade
 >Sandy easily soars over the obstruction
 >The hall is crawling with guards, and you could never climb the blockade before being nabbed
 >Looks like you need to split up!
 >You skid as you turn down a side hall
 >The guardponies shout and yell, chasing you down the hall
 >You turn the only corner available at the end of the hall
 >SHIT!
 >Dead end!
 >You get to the end of the hall and turn to face your pursuers
 >The guards slow to a trot
 >A few are carrying buckets of water
 >"Don't worry inmate Anon, we'll put your fire out! Don't worry, help is on the way!"
 >You ready your trusty noodle for combat...
 >...They aren't taking you without a fight!
 >The pegasi guards prepare to dive at you, and you go into a battle-crouch...
 >...Only to see the pegasi bowled away by a blue and black blur
 >Sandy came back for you!
 >She lowers a hoof bump
 >"Matey, I thought I lost ye!"
 >You reach up and bump her hoof
 "It takes more than this to stop me!"
 >Sandy lands next to you, preparing for a last stand
 >"Well, it was fun while it lasted..."
 >Sandy retrieves her pool noodle and snarles at the rapidly approaching guards
 >You grit your teeth
 >Your illustrious pirate carreer can't end this way!
 >Think... THINK!
 >You frantically look around for a path of escape
 >...
 >Brain Blast!
 >There's a window behind you!
 >And you're on the ground floor!
 "Cover me, I'm preparing our escape!"
 >Sandy hops forward and growls threateningly at the guards, showing her trust in you through action rather than bothering with words
 >You quickly turn to inspect the window...
 >The window isn't sealed shut, and doesn't have any bars!
 >Perfect!
 >You try lifting the window pane...
 >The window easily slides up and out of your way
 >It wasn't even latched
 "Sandy, through here!"
 >You hop through the open window, ignoring the guard's pleas for you to stop running
 >A second later, Sandy dives out of the window and out into the open next to you
 >Glancing back through the window, you spot the guard's slack-jawed expressions
 >A mischevious smirk finds it's way to your lips
 "Gentlemen, ladies, you will always remember this as the day you /almost/ caught Captains Anonymous and Sandy Beaches!"
 >You share a brief moment with Sandy
 >You were thinking the same thing
 >Time to return to the ship
 >Sandy takes to the air again as you flee on foot, leaving the guards far behind
 >Sandy leads the way back to the pool room exterior, both of you dodging windows along the way
 >It doesn't take long for you to be back at the pool
 >Luckily, the hall next to it also had an unlocked window...
 >...are /all/ the windows here unlocked?
 >You file away the information as Sandy encourages you back onto the rickety boat
 >Carefully shifting your weight just right, you board the vessel
 >Sandy beams you a fierce grin before pulling out a large bag from her saddlebags
 >She upturns the bag, dumping it's contents into the boat
 >Dozens, if not hundreds of golden coins fall onto the ship's deck
 >Sandy tosses the bag overboard and laughs triumphantly!
 >You join her with a cheer!
 
 Be The Warden
 >Be consoling a very damp guard
 >Also be very annoyed
 >It seems Anon and Sandy broke into your office and stole all of your chocolate coins
 >All your chocolate coins that you had been saving all day
 >As soon as your guards found those two, you would have words with them
 >Very serious words
 >Words like 'time-out' and 'going to bed without dinner'
 >Maybe even...'detention'
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be lying in King Anon's Revenge next to Sandy
 >Be listening to Sandy's music player again
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGNz8UJCpbk
 >Also be eating gold-foil covered chocolate coins with Sandy
 >"Matey, would you be so kind as to peel me another?"
 >Poor Sandy can't get the foil off by herself
 >You reach into the dwindling coin pile and carefully peel off the foil...
 >...You smile
 >Another perfect peel. The horseshoe and pony designs on each side are pristine
 >Sandy smiles at you and opens her mouth with a little 'ah~'
 >You bring the chocolate coin to her lips, where she wastes no time taking the entire coin into her mouth all in one go
 >With a full mouth, and a fuller smile, Sandy nods her appreciation before swallowing
 >"Mmm, thank you matey"
 >Sandy licks her lips and giggles
 >"I do think I've completely ruined my appetite"
 >She rubs her belly happily
 >"Thanks again for letting me take you on this date"
 >You beam her a smile, your mouth too stuffed with chocolate to speak
 >Sandy giggles again and brings the grog bottle up to her mouth for a swig
 >Chocolate, music, juice of questionable alcohol content...
 "This is my kind of picnic"
 >Sandy raises her bottle in agreement, her sharp movement making the boat rock
 >The boat's rocking adds a soft, pleasant splashing sound to accompany the music
 >This is possibly one of the most relaxed moments of your life
 >You take a pull on your 'rum'
 >Sandy lazily watches as you slowly eat five more coins
 >You offer her a peeled coin and she shakes her head
 >"My tummy is already starting to hurt... How can you still eat those? Do ye have a hollow leg or something?"
 >You smirk around the chocolate in your mouth and swallow
 "I'm a lot bigger than you. I can consume more"
 >You bite into the previously offered coin to punctuate your point
 >As you sigh in pleasure, Sandy giggles and rubs her belly in satisfaction
 >You hear the door swing open, and Sandy freezes
 >The intruder takes a few steps into the pool room...
 >...
 >"They aren't in here, but it looks like Sandy made another boat!"
 >The pony walks back out, the door automatically shutting behind him
 >Sandy lets out a sigh of relief before beaming you a grin
 >"That was a close one. Good thing I made the sides of this ship so tall!"
 >You reach over and clasp her shoulder, returning her grin
 "Right, good job! It just wouldn't do for us to be discovered now"
 >Sandy blushes slightly and looks from your face, to your hand, then back to your face
 >"Aye..."
 >You raise an eyebrow
 >This much contact makes her blush?
 >What happened to all her bluster and dirty jokes?
 >You give her shoulder a little squeeze and begin to retract your hand
 >Sandy quickly brings her hoof up to your hand, a fierce blush rapidly growing on her face
 >"Ye know, my tummy really hurts..."
 >She rubs herself with her free hoof
 >"...Your hands could rub me better than my hard hooves...?"
 >You chuckle and scoot closer
 >Sandy grins and lets go of your hand
 >With one arm propping yourself up, your newly freed hand slides easily over to her exposed belly
 >Her fur is pleasantly soft, despite being drenched in chlorine-filled water so often
 >She must work hard to keep herself this soft
 >That, or pegasi normally have insanely soft fur
 >Sandy sighs happily as you begin to gently rub her belly in small clockwise circles
 >You chuckle at her response, causing her to giggle nervously
 >Your hand makes a meandering path up from her belly button to her chest
 >Her heartbeat is absolutely pounding
 >The circular motion of your hand reverses, and you slowly bring your hand back down to her belly
 >Sandy bites her lip and spreads her legs to give you better access to her soft tummy
 >You work your way to her sides, but she stops you as you approach her wings
 >"Could you avoid me wings for now? They be really sensitive..."
 >Nodding your understanding, you adjust your hand's trajectory back to her belly
 >Sandy smiles and wiggles appreciatively
 
 Be The Warden
 >Be marching toward the pool
 >Your guards reported that Sandy had a new boat just floating in the water
 >That's where Anon and Sandy had to be
 >You had already checked their rooms and everywhere else in the prison
 >You had even sent guards to check the bathrooms!
 >Sandy and Anon may think they were clever, hiding in the first place you had searched...
 >But you would have the last laugh!
 >You swing open the pool room's door and march in
 "Sandy Beaches and Anonymous! I know you are hiding in that boat! Come out NOW!"
 >Silence is your only response
 "I said: I know you are hiding in that boat! COME OUT NOW! And turn off that music!"
 >You hear something inside the boat thump, and the boat itself rocks a little before you hear Sandy's voice
 >"Can't do that, Warden!"
 >You narrow your eyes
 "And just /why/ is that?"
 >"Me and Anon are doing lewd things!"
 >Your face instantly heats up
 >Your face heats up to the point you're afraid your clothing may singe
 "O-okay! As soon as you're finished, get to my office! A-After you clean up, I mean!"
 >You open the door and call for your guards
 "Bring them to my office the instant they leave this room!"
 >You hear giggles and chuckles coming from the boat
 >That's your cue to leave!
 >As you start to walk out, you hear Anon murmur something...
 >"What are you talking about? This isn't lewd..."
 >You should have known Sandy would fib about something like that to get out of being punished!
 >Time to go teach those two hooligans a less-
 >"I'm just rubbing your belly!"
 >SHE WASN'T LYING
 >You quickly spin on a single hoof and march yourself right out of the pool room
 >Your blush redoubles as you close the door, locking in the sounds of giggling
 
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be sitting in front of The Warden's desk with Sandy
 >The Warden looks pissed
 >"I can't believe you two! I suppose I should have expected this from Sandy, but you, Anon?"
 >The Warden shakes her head
 >"I'm sorry, but theft is a /very/ serious offense. Sandy, you'll be going to bed without dinner tonight"
 >Sandy sticks her tongue out
 >"I'm full anyway!"
 >The Warden narrows her eyes
 >"Don't make me take away tomorrow's dinner too"
 >Sandy huffs and crosses her arms, pouting
 >The Warden reaches into her desk and pulls out a bead necklace that she puts on top of the desk
 >She pushes it towards Sandy, who reluctantly puts it on
 >Looks like there are letters on the necklace...
 >You peer over to get a better look
 >The necklace's beads spell out ' I am a naughty girl' over and over
 >Neat
 >The Warden looks over at you
 >Your turn for punishment
 >"As for you, Anon... I'm extending your sentence another week and upgrading you from gray level to orange. I'm very disappointed in you, Anon"
 >Another week in this place?...
 >Awesome!
 >And you're an orange inmate now...
 >Neat
 >Maybe you'll get some more respect around here now
 >The Warden frowns at you
 >...You should probably say sorry
 >Who knows what she'll do otherwise?
 >You can't risk getting The Warden more upset, she might take it out on Sandy
 >You put on the biggest pair of puppy-eyes you can muster
 "I'm sorry, Warden..."
 >The Warden nods authoritatively
 >"Good. Dismissed!"
 >The Warden turns to look at the confiscated evidence bag and sighs
 >...Maybe you should have left her more than six chocolate coins
 >You follow Sandy out of the office
 >She doesn't speak a word until you are out of earshot of the office
 >"Who does The Warden think she is, taking away my dinner?!"
 >You shrug
 "Maybe The Warden thinks she's the warden?"
 >Sandy frowns up at you
 >"Anon, now isn't the time for jokes. Can't you see I'm not in the mood?"
 >She really is in a foul mood
 >She hasn't made any pirate sounds since you two were caught
 >You smile sheepishly at her
 "Sorry. How's your stomache feeling?"
 >Sandy groans
 >"Not great..."
 >She offers you a small smile
 >"Thanks again for rubbing my tummy earlier... Can you do it again sometime? Soon? Please?"
 >You chuckle and nod with a smile
 >Sandy's cheeks color slightly
 >"Thanks Anon"
 "Anything for you, lil' cap'n"
 >Sandy giggles then cuts herself off with a groan
 >"Ugh... I need to go lie down. I'll see you tomorrow"
 >You wave goodbye to your little pirate
 >Whelp... it's almost time for dinner, might as well head there a little early
 >You start walking towards the mess
 >No doubt Vintl will be excited about your 'promotion' to orange
 >"Anon! There you are, I'm glad I caught you"
 >You turn to see Happy trotting up behind you
 "Hey Happy, what's the latest?"
 >Happy looks around, checking for any potential eavesdroppers
 >Once she's sure the coast is clear, she motions for you to lean down so she can whisper to you
 >"I've discovered that Desert Sands, your final target, will be attending the 'tropical theme' party tomorrow"
 >You nod as you digest the morsel of information
 "Neat...But I already have date plans with Feygl"
 >Happy frowns
 >"Can't you convince her to go to the party then?"
 >You shrug
 "I'll see what I can do"
 >Happy nods happily
 >"That's all I can ask... So, want to walk with me to the mess hall?"
 >You smile down at her
 "Sure, I'd enjoy your company"
 >Happy's eyes widen slightly
 >"Is that so... Very well, let's get going"
 >You motion for her to go first, then follow at her side as she takes the lead
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be sitting at the usual table with Anon and his herd, minus one pirate
 >Speaking of being with Anon's herd...
 >Anon enjoys your company?
 >Interesting
 >The feeling there is certainly mutual
 >Anon just has an easygoing way about him, and he always seems eager to help you
 >You feel like you can let your guard down
 >And his girls have accepted you as a member of their little circle of friends...
 >...This required further consideration
 >Anon clears his throat
 >"Hey girls... I have an announcement to make"
 >You look over at Anon
 >"During my date with Sandy I kind of...helped her break into The Wardens office so we could steal her candy. I'm an orange level inmate now"
 >So that's what all that noise was earlier!
 >Vintl bursts into laughter
 >"About. time.!"
 >Spinnerette blinks
 >"You weren't hurt, were you?"
 >Anon smiles and shakes his head
 >"Of course not, it takes more than a bunch of guards and a tongue-lashing to hurt me. I'm built better than that"
 >Feygl smirks
 >"As a tribute to Sandy: You're /very/ well built..."
 >Anon chuckles
 >"What was that?"
 >Fegyl's smirk grows as her plumage takes on a slight pink tint
 >"You heard me!"
 >Anon throws back his head and laughs
 >Spinnerette frowns, looking around the table
 >"Where IS Sandy, anyway?"
 >Anon quiets down and turns to her
 >"Sandy ate a little too much chocolate, and has a tummy-ache. The Warden Also sent her to bed without dinner"
 >Spinnerette smiles
 >"May I be excused? This is a great chance for me to bond with Sandy"
 >Anon nods, frowning
 >"Of course, but you haven't touched your food yet. And I doubt you can really do anything to make her feel better"
 >Spinnerette smiles broadly
 >"I'm full, and you'd be surprised what changelings can accomplish"
 >Anon nods and waves goodbye
 >Spinnerette beams and everyone says their goodbyes
 >You watch the changeling leave, buzzing happily
 >...Was it just you, or is she getting taller?
 >Feygl taps a claw against the table
 >"So Anon... Is it okay with you if Amber joins our date?"
 >Anon smiles over at Amber
 >"Sure, I'm looking forward to spending time with you two. After Vintl and Sandy, I'm ready for something more relaxed"
 >They're talking about their upcoming date, now is your best chance to suggest the party so that Anon will be in position to deal with Desert Sands!
 "If Anon wants relaxed, how about the tropical themed party? It's tomorrow, and I doubt there will be anything intense"
 >Anon nods, shooting you a wink
 >"That sounds like it could be fun. What were you planning?"
 >Feygl gives you a sour look
 >"I /was/ planning on going to that party as a surprise during the date..."
 >...
 >Whoops
 "Sorry Feygl"
 >The griffon shrugs and sighs
 >"Nothing to do about it now, don't worry about it"
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >Be sitting in your cell
 >Be very angry
 >Anon had gone and gotten himself changed into an orange level inmate, and now your ingenious plan to change Anon's clothing to make him think his body was changing was a dud!
 >At the very least, you'd need to start over...
 >...
 >No
 >You needed something new
 >You have a few friends in the kitchen staff...
 >...
 >Yeah, that could work!
 >You'd need to hurry if you wanted to get the materials you would need!
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >..
 >...
 >The halls are completely silent
 >Which makes sense
 >It is really late
 >...But somehow Anon is still awake
 >You force your eyes open
 >You can't fall asleep here in front of Anon's room!
 >Anon can't stay up much longer
 >You go over the plan in your head one more time
 >Step one: wait for Anon to turn off his light
 >Step two: wait about ten more minutes before sneaking in
 >Step three: sneak into his room
 >Step four: carefully apply whipped cream to his hand
 >Step Five: administer the feather you got from your minion High Hail to Anon's face
 >Step Six: Watch as Anon makes a fool of himself
 >Step Seven: Sneak out
 >Step Eight: Laugh
 >Step Nine: acquire Happy Heart's love
 >Step Ten: be released from prison
 >Step Eleven: become captain of the guard
 >Step Twelve: retire as the wealthiest guard who ever lived in terms of both females and money
 >You smile
 >Your plan is foolproof!
 >If only Anon would start going to bed...
 >With a massive yawn, you check a clock...
 >Inconceivable!
 >Anon is still awake at /this/ hour of the night?!
 >It's almost ten!
 >...
 >He has to go to bed eventually...
 >You yawn again
 >... You'll be ready for when he falls asleep
 >He may have beaten you the first time...
 >You smile
 >That won't happen again
 >no doubt about it, you are going to humiliate Anon /this/ time!
 
 Be Anon
 >Be waking up after a very pleasant night's sleep
 >Studying always helped put you to sleep
 >Whether you wanted it to or not
 >If you ever end up back home, you'd need to have your brain ready for the demanding world
 >Because if you could be taken to a place like /this/ out of the blue, you could be sent back just as easily
 >You stretch and head towards your shower
 >You chuckle as you remember the librarian's reaction to you checking out a trig math book
 >Her eyes had bugged out and her jaw dropped!
 >Silly little horses must not be required to take very intense math classes
 >Your mind wanders absently as you shower
 >This place seems to never run out of hot water
 >You finish up your shower and quickly dry and dress yourself
 >Feygl is probably chomping at the bit to take you on that date
 >You take a  deep, happy breath and swing your door open
 >...
 >Isn't that Bright Spear?
 >...
 >It is!
 >He's fast asleep, curled up in front of your door
 >And he's holding something...
 >Whipped cream and a feather
 >So he's your secret prankster
 >You should've known
 >Well, looks like you have some time before this sleepy bastard wakes up
 >You have time for a little 'retribution'...
 >And you know /just/ the prank to pull
 >You hurry off to the prison's pet supply shop
 >Hopefully they're open this early in the morning
 
 Be Feygl
 >Be eating breakfast with the girls
 >Anon hasn't appeared yet
 >Though it's only a matter of time
 >You take a big bite of waffle and eye the door
 >He must be on his way by now...
 >...You smile
 >There he is
 >You watch as Anon gets his food
 >You love the way he moves
 >A brutal, unstoppable force held in check by a civil and caring mind
 >You wave at Anon as he approaches the table
 "Morning, Anon"
 >He smiles back at you
 >...Would you just look at those fangs!
 >Not nearly as pointy as Spinnerette's fangs, but then again his are designed for a different purpose...
 >Changeling fangs work like little straws to draw in fluids
 >Human fangs are /much/ too stubby for that
 >Anon's fangs must be for ripping and tearing...
 >A pleasant shiver runs up your spine as everyone else exchanges greetings with Anon
 >Libele politely wipes her mouth with a napkin
 >"So Anon, any reason you were late to breakfast?"
 >Anon smirks
 >"Let's just say I ran into Spear on the way here"
 >Happy frowns
 >"What did that fool do this time?"
 >Anon beams her a toothy grin
 >"Oh, nothing I-"
 >Anon is cut off by a high pitched squeal
 "What was that?!"
 >Anon chuckles
 >Happy tilts her head at him
 >"I think it came from outside the mess hall. Anon, what did you do?"
 >Before Anon can reply, Spear gallops into the mess screaming
 >"ANOOON! You TWIT!"
 >Anon turns, struggling and failing to hide a smile
 >"Yes Bright Spear?"
 >The furious ex-guard glares at Anon
 >"You put dead minnows in my pockets!"
 >Anon feigns anger, raising a fist
 >"They were ALIVE when I put them there! You've /killed/ them!"
 >Spear sputters and shakes his head, eyes wide
 >Happy, Sandy, and Vintl all burst into raucus laughter
 >You can't help but join them
 >Spear growls at Anon
 >"This isn't over, nerd!"
 >Anon rolls his eyes
 >"Whatever you say, fishpockets"
 >Spear narrows his eyes
 >"My name is 'Bright Spear', not 'fishpockets'!"
 >Anon offers him a dissmissive wave
 >"Whatever you say, Sight Bear"
 >Bright Spear snarls
 >"Bright Spear!"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"Light Smear?"
 >Bright spear stamps a hoof
 >"Bright Spear!"
 >Anon gives him a look of understanding
 >"Oooh... I get it now"
 >Bright Spear nods
 >"Good"
 >Bright Spear turns to leave and Anon waves goodbye
 >"Seeya later, fishpockets!"
 >Bright Spear freezes...
 >...takes a deep breath...
 >... And leaves
 >You smile at Anon
 "That was mean"
 >Anon smirks back
 >"I know. I'm a terrible, evil person. I need help"
 >You giggle
 >Anon, Amber, and you are going to have such a good day today
 >You can just /feel/ it
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be entering Feygl's room with Feygl and Amber
 >Amber walks in first
 >"I'll have this incense burning in a moment. Today I chose something that both relaxes and strengthens emotional bonds"
 >Feygl chirps
 >"Thanks! Anon, make yourself comfortable"
 >You nod  and head over to the bed
 >While you flop onto your back, Feygl goes to her closet
 >Amber lights up the incense...somehow
 >As she steps away from the incense and you start to feel much, /much/ hotter than usual...
 >...And the feeling is gone
 >Weird
 >Feygl pulls a guitar out of her closet and starts walking towards the bed
 >"That smells really good Amber, you outdid yourself"
 >Amber smiles at her friend
 >"Thank you. It's my newest recipe"
 >Amber smiles at you
 >"What do you think, Anon?"
 >You sniff the air tentatively
 >Nothing
 "Guess it hasn't reached me ye-"
 >You are interrupted by a powerful sneeze
 >THERE it is
 >You sniffle and recover from the sneeze
 >...Smells a little like Amber mixed with... something
 >Something that tickles your nose
 >Amber giggles
 >"Sorry, guess I shouldn't make it so potent"
 >You smile and shake your head
 "Don't worry about it, I'm just not used to incense"
 >Feygl hops up onto the bed and lies down next to you
 >"Anon, do you play any instruments?"
 >You shake your head
 "Not really. At least, not very well. I spent more time at the gym than at the band hall"
 >Amber tilts her head and walks to the foot of the bed
 >"You work out?"
 >You shrug
 "Yeah, though I prefer to get my excercise doing things other than lifting and lowering heavy objects or running in big circles"
 >Amber sits cross-legged on the bed
 >"So what do you like to do for excercise?"
 >You tilt your head towards Feygl
 "I already mentioned to Feygl how I got some of my scars doing sports and games back home. I did Paintball, Airsoft, Belegarth, Dagohir-"
 >Feygl strums a few chords on her guitar
 "-I also tried a couple martial arts and settled on Judo as my favorite"
 >Feygl starts tuning her guitar
 >"You didn't mention those last couple before, what are those games?"
 >You give her a grin
 "They are better described as sports.  Judo is a martial art"
 >Amber smiles at you
 >"I didn't know you were an artist. What exactly are martial arts?"
 >Looks like she isn't familiar with the term
 >You smirk
 "Martial arts are different forms of fighting. Judo specializes in making big, strong opponents lie down against their will"
 >Feygl tilts her head
 >"You mean like asking nicely?"
 >You shake your head
 >Amber leans forward a little
 >"Asking /really/ nicely?"
 >You chuckle
 "No... I mean by physically throwing or tripping them"
 >Amber's eyes go wide, and Feygl's guitar squeaks
 >You offer them a smile
 "Belegarth and Dagohir are fighting with padded weapons."
 >Feygl adjusts her wings
 >"S-So you were trained how to fight? Were you in the army?"
 >You shake your head
 "Nope"
 >Amber furrows her brow
 >"Then why were you learning how to fight?"
 >You chuckle
 "For fun"
 >Amber eyes you carefully
 >"...You like hurting people?"
 >You frown
 "Of course not"
 >Amber frowns back
 >"Then how could you do it?"
 >You take a breath
 "It's good excercise and one of the main tenants for nearly every martial art is that it should only be used in self-defence. I'd never pick a fight with someone just to hurt them"
 >Amber relaxes
 >"That's good to hear... Sorry for doubting you"
 >You wave it off
 "Don't worry about it"
 >You turn to look at Feygl
 "I actually got two scars from Judo, if you're interested"
 >Feygl's eyes go wide and she nods her head
 >"I'd like to hear about them!"
 >You smile and pull up your pant leg to reveal a nasty looking scar on your calf
 "This is my newest scar. Got it when I was thrown, what happen-"
 >Amber leans forward again
 >"You were thrown too?!"
 >You nod
 "Of course. I can't train with the others if they can't throw me, right? Anyway, what happened was I was thrown and I fell /just/ the wrong way. I cut my leg on my own toenail"
 >You chuckle at the silliness of the injury
 >Amber and Feygl gasp
 >Feygl recovers first
 >"Y-You said you got a second one too...?"
 >You nod and pull up your sleeve to expose your elbow, revealing two scars
 "You see this blotchy one? I got this one on my...fifth day, I think. I had a rug burn from the fourth day that hadn't completely healed up yet. I ended up just tearing off that whole section of skin"
 >Amber trembles slightly
 >"H-How awful..."
 >Feygl swallows, hard
 >"W-Where did the second scar on your elbow come from?"
 >You smile
 "That was from a Dagohir match. I go hit /just/ the wrong way and it tore off a chunk of skin. Didn't hurt much though"
 >Amber shakes her head
 >"How could that not hurt much?!"
 >You chuckle
 "The same swing that tore my skin also bashed my funny bone. I couldn't move or feel anything in that arm for twenty minutes after it happened! I only learned I'd been really hurt when I got blood on my shirt"
 >Amber covers her mouth with her hands, eyes starting to tear up
 >"T-That's horrible!"
 >You shake your head
 "Nah, it wasn't so bad. It was a couple years ago, and I got this neat scar out of it"
 >Feygl's jaw drops
 >"C-can I touch it...?"
 >You shrug
 "If you really want to"
 >Feygl swallows and shakily reaches out a clawed finger towards your upraised elbow
 >She gently traces around the pale tissue
 >Feygl clicks her beak nervously as she runs her digit down the line of the scar
 >"w-woah..."
 >Amber chews her lip, watching Feygl
 "I have one last scar worth talking about, but I don't thnk Amber is up for that story"
 >Feygl looks plaintively at Amber
 >"Can I please hear about the last one? Please?"
 >Amber takes a deep breath, and slowly nods
 >Feygl beams her a grin
 >"Thanks! Anon, can I please hear about it?"
 >You give Amber a concerned look
 "If Amber is okay with it..."
 >Amber closes her eyes and nods
 >"Feygl really wants to know, go ahead"
 >You nod slowly and pull up your pant leg
 "I got this one doing Belegarth. I was running on my knees when I landed on something decidedly sharp and nasty..."
 >You finally pull your pant leg high enough to reveal the rough scar on your knee
 "It punctured my knee and put me out of the game for a while. I probably should have gone to the doctor to see about stitches, now that I think about it..."
 >Feygl's eyes are the size of plates
 >Amber looks sick and teary-eyed
 >"How could you keep doing dangerous things after getting hurt so many times?"
 >You shrug
 "Way I see it, I had more fun than pain. And isn't that the goal of life? To fill it with more fun and happiness than pain and sadness?"
 >Feygl eyes your knee
 >"You must have had a /really/ good time then..."
 
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be in your office treating a boo-boo
 >The injured mare looks down, teary-eyed at her hurt knee
 >Luckily the skin wasn't broken, she just bumped it pretty hard
 >You go through the normal procedure for boo-boos
 >Apply bandaid, apply ice, give patient lollypop, say nice things about them while they eat it, remove ice, kiss it better
 "There, all better! Right?"
 >The mare sniffles at you and nods
 >"T-Thanks, nurse..."
 >You give her a reassuring smile
 "You are welcome. Come back if you still hurt in fifteen minutes and I'll see if I can't get you another lollypop"
 >She smiles at you
 >"Mhm! Thanks again!"
 >You step away from the examination table and the mare hops off and carefully tests moving her leg
 >With a happy hop, she trots out of your office
 >Another job well done, all in a day's work for a nurse
 >You check the clock
 >Excellent
 >It's already been a few hours since breakfast!
 >Looks like the tropical party will be starting soon
 >You use your magic to levitate a pencil and sticky note to your door
 >Out...At...Party...
 >You nod and start to move the pencil back to your desk, but hesitate
 >...
 >You bring the pencil back to the note on the door
 >Don't...Get...Hurt...
 >There, you should be all set now
 >Time to go to a party!
 >...And hopefully see Anon teach Desert Sands a lesson about causing messes
 
 Be Anon
 >Be at the tropical themed party with Amber and Feygl
 >Be standing by the snack bar
 >You steal a glance at your girls
 >Amber looked like she was feeling better, She was even smiling and laughing again
 >Feygl seemed to have a big smile glued to her face
 >Seems like the date is going well so far!
 >After you talked about your scars, Feygl had played some guitar while Amber taught you how to meditate
 >You nose still itched a little from the incense
 >Still, Amber knew her stuff
 >You felt full of energy, yet relaxed and calm
 >A weird, but not unpleasant state of being
 >You glance around the room, watching the various creatures dance and talk and eat
 >It was a fun little party, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves
 >Amber had even gotten into the spirit of things and changed into a coconut bikini top
 >Using a coconut that was just a little too young to be used as a top
 >U-Unf...
 >You smile and sip your punch
 >Silly little horses refused to call it 'punch' though
 >They called it 'nudge'
 >You catch movement out of the corner of your eye and turn
 >Happy Heart has arrived to the party
 >You raise your cup towards her as a gesture of greetings, and she smiles and nods back
 >You've been keeping an eye on her discipline target, Desert Sands
 >He hasn't tried anything...yet
 >You didn't like how he was wearing a trenchcoat
 >It didn't fit the theme
 >At all
 >Happy trots up to your group
 >"Hello Anon, Feygl, Amber. Enjoying the party?"
 >Amber nods
 >Feygl beams Happy a grin
 >"You bet!"
 >You nod
 "Yup. Though I'm curious, isn't this kind of theme party exactly what Sandy enjoys? I thought she would be here"
 >Happy shakes her head
 >"No pirates allowed. Not since she tampered with the nudge at one of these parties"
 >You frown
 "There is no way Sandy could poison someone"
 >Happy smirks
 >"She replaced it with 'grog' and everyone got drunk"
 >You chuckle
 "That sounds like something she'd do to try and liven up a party"
 >Happy nods and giggles, levitating her own cup of punch up to her lips
 >"You look good today, Anon"
 >You bow your head
 "Thank you. You look good too, though you don't quite fit the theme..."
 >Happy looks down at the nurse uniform she's wearing, then blushes
 >"I forgot to change out of my uniform, and besides, I don't really have anything that fits the theme that I could wear"
 >You chuckle
 "All good"
 >You smile over at Amber and Feygl
 "You know, you two look great too"
 >Feygl's grin grows wider
 >Amber blushes and adjusts her top
 >"Really? I feel silly in this thing..."
 >You give her a thumbs up
 "Seriously, you look great"
 >Amber blushes a little harder
 >"Thanks... though I wouldn't mind taking this off, it's a little itchy"
 >You wouldn't mind her taking it off either
 >...This is neither the time, nor the place for those thoughts
 >Feygl tilts her head
 >"Why don't you take it off then?"
 >Amber frowns
 >"I didn't take anything to change into"
 >Feygl rolls her eyes
 >"I don't know what it is with bipeds and clothing... Come on, just take it off! No one will mind"
 >You silently cheer for Feygl
 >The kind of cheering one has for a lost cause or something impossible
 >Amber shuffles awkwardly from side to side
 >"Well... I guess you're right..."
 >Wait, what?
 >...well nudity does seem to be acceptable in this world
 >This day is about to get a whole lot better!
 >You sip your punch to hide your smile
 >Amber slowly unties her top...
 >Oh hell yes
 >You watch eagerly as she removes the article of clothing
 >...woah
 >Talk about perfect breasts!
 >Amber sees you staring and blushes
 >"Do I have something on my chest?..."
 >No
 >No she doesn't
 >And you wouldn't have it any other way
 >Feygl giggles and nudges her friend
 >"Relax, you're fine"
 >You agree
 >Amber is /fine/
 >Happy bumps your side and you tear your eyes away to look down at her
 >Happy tilts her head meaningfully towards Desert Sands
 >...
 >Desert Sands is on the move
 >He's coming closer to your group...
 >Though he could just be heading for the snackbar next to you
 >You watch carefully as he approaches closer and closer...
 >The pony serving snacks beams him a grin
 >"Aloha friend, what can I get you?"
 >Desert Sands grins crookedly and throws off his trenchcoat
 >He's wearing a jacket of canisters underneath!
 >You step protectively in front of your girls as Desert grabs a ripcord attached to every canister
 >He laughs manically and pulls the ripcord!
 >"ALOHA SNACKBAR!"
 
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >"ALOHA SNACKBAR!"
 >Desert Sands' canister jacket explodes outward in dozens of colorful strands
 >Inmates and guards alike scream as Desert's streamers coated everything in his immediate area
 >Including the snacks , a few unlucky ponies who were too close, and Anon...
 >Anon, who had acted so bravely to shield you, Amber and Feygl, was now absolutely covered in silly string!
 >He even got some on his hair!
 >Poor Anon... silly string chemicals aren't good for hair!
 >Y-You'll always remember his sacrifice...
 >Anon grumbles and pulls the strand off his head
 >"You there, you're Desert Sands?"
 >Desert beams a manical smile at Anon
 >"The one and only! Look at this beautiful mess!"
 >Anon sighs and looks into his cup of nudge
 >He absently swirls the liquid in the cup before looking back up at Desert
 >"You got silly string in my juice. You know this means war... I need to take your Weapons of Mess Distribution away and teach you to clean up after yourself"
 >That clever Anon... using his spoiled nudge as an excuse to teach Desert Sands a lesson!
 >Anon sets his cup on the snackbar and picks up a glass of water
 >"Clean up your mess, Desert"
 >The brown pony shakes his head
 >"No!"
 >Anon dips his fingers into the glass of water
 >Desert watches as Anon retracts his dripping fingers from the glass
 >"Last warning, Desert. Clean up"
 >Desert Sands sticks his tongue out at Anon
 >Anon sighs
 >"Have it your way..."
 >He turns to face you and the other girls
 >"Sorry ladies, this should only take a few minutes"
 >Anon looks back at the petulant pony and flicks his fingers forward
 >Desert flinches as his face is spattered with water droplets
 >Anon dips his fingers back into the glass of water
 >"Don't make me repeat myself. Clean up!"
 >Desert Sands hisses and uses a hoof to knock an apple off the snack bar
 >Anon raises his fingers from the glass threateningly
 >Desert growls back
 >Anon responds with another flick, adding a little more moisture to Desert Sand's face
 >The brown pony flinches and tries to shake off some of the water
 >"Stop that!"
 >Desert's ears flop wildly as he tries to throw off the droplets clinging to the sensitive hairs there
 >Anon narrows his eyes
 >"Not until you start cleaning up after yourself. Got it?"
 >Desert glares at Anon and crushes the apple under his hoof
 >Anon flicks water at Desert three more times in rapid succession
 >"No! Bad terrorist! Bad!"
 >Desert Sands hisses and mewls plaintively under the aquatic assault
 >Anon frowns down at Desert
 >"This is your last chance. Start cleaning up, or I get serious"
 >Anon tilts the cup back and forth meaningfully
 >Amber clasps her hands to her chest
 >"Be careful Anon! He's dangerous!"
 >Anon smirks over his shoulder at her
 >"Yeah well... So am I"
 >The little tuft of fur on the end of Feygl's tail pomfs out
 >Anon turns back to Desert and hefts the glass
 >"So what'll it be? You clean this place up, or I'll make your face an oasis"
 >Desert sneers at Anon
 >"You wouldn't da-"
 >Anon doesn't even let him finish
 >Desert Sands freezes as the cold water takes him full in the face
 >After a second of just standing there, drenched, the shock begins to wear off
 >Desert begins hopping up and down
 >"COLD COLD COLD WET COLD WET!"
 >...You never imagined Anon could be so ruthless!
 >You thought Vintl was exaggerating when she talked about how Anon fought in the pit!
 >You bite your lip
 >He was doing things a guard or a nurse could never do!
 >...He was marvelous!
 >"So, Desert. Ready to clean up your mess now?"
 >Desert shivers and glares at Anon
 >"W-Why should I? Y-You're out of water now!"
 >Anon smirks and gestures towards the snack bar....
 >Desert Sand's eyes go wide as he realizes his greatest mistake
 >Anon is standing next to an army of glasses pre-filled with ice water
 >Anon... That clever monkey!
 >He wasn't just protecting you and the other girls from the explosion, he was positioning himself to retaliate!
 >Such a brilliant tactical mind!
 >Anon chuckles
 >"So, Desert, the way I see it you have two options: Promise to clean up after yourself from now on, or get ready to rename yourself 'Arctic Ice'!"
 >Desert glances between Anon and the array of glasses...
 >"Fine. You win"
 >The brown pony practically spits the words
 >Anon smirks
 >"Good terrorist. You'll need some towels to clean this all up"
 >Anon turns and sets his empty glass on the snack bar
 >"Excuse me, miss snackbar pony? Do you have any towels my 'friend' could use to clean up?"
 >The dumbstruck mare nods and slowly retrieves a towel from behind the counter
 >Anon nods happily and reaches for the towel
 >"Thank you miss"
 >As he turns to hand the towel to Desert, Anon accidently knocks his empty glass onto the floor
 >Once again, the partygoers scream as the cup shatters into several deadly-looking shards
 >All those with wings immediately take flight to avoid any potential of stepping on the sharp glass
 >Anon looks down at the shattered cup, frowning
 >"Damnit"
 >A pony faints
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Guess I can't be a hypocrite now... Here, Desert, take this towel and clean up your mess while I get my own mess cleaned"
 >Anon tosses Desert the towel and then kneels down towards the deadly shards of glass
 >Amber reaches out, but doesn't dare take a step closer to the broken glass
 >"Anon, wait! That glass is dangerous!"
 >Anon just smirks over his shoulder at her again
 >"Don't make me say it again... I got this"
 >Feygl clicks her beak nervously as Anon starts picking up the glass
 >WITH HIS BARE HANDS
 >I-Impossible!
 >It isn't long before every shard is in Anon's hand
 >You shake yourself out of your shock induced immobility
 "Here, Anon... put that glass into a safe container"
 >You levitate an emergency containment unit from it's place on the wall next to the fire extinguisher over to Anon
 >Everyone looks on in awe as Anon casually drops the clinking shards of pure ouchie into the container
 >You tightly shut the containment lid and levitate it into the trash as Anon turns back to Amber and Feygl
 >"Sorry about all that, girls. Now then, where were we?... Oh yeah! Amber: You look great!"
 
 Be Anon
 >Be sitting on a lawn chair next to Amber and Feygl
 >Be enjoying what's left of the party
 >Unfortunately, Happy had to leave to take care of some of the ponies that got hit by the silly string explosion
 >Amber folds her arms, framing her breasts
 >"I feel a little silly without anything to cover up with... Would you two mind if I left for a little bit so I could put something on?"
 >A little part of you starts to cry inside
 >...Feygl won't let you down, she'll convice Amber to stay topless!
 >Feygl rolls her eyes at her friend
 >"If you really have to..."
 >That little part of you screams 'noooooo'
 >Looks like you're on your own in convincing Amber that shirtless is the way to go
 "I'm enjoying your company, Amber... Would it make you feel better if I took off my shirt?"
 >Feygl's eyes widen and she shoots Amber a look
 >Amber and Feygl have one of those silent conversations only best friends can have, and Amber nods
 >"I guess that could work"
 >You and Feygl share the same thought-VICTORY!
 >You set your fresh cup of nudge down and quickly begin to remove your shirt
 >Feygl swishes her tail in excitement as you raise the article of clothing up and off
 >You drop your shirt to the side of your chair and recline again, carefully scooping up your nudge along the way
 >Feygl tilts her head
 >"Anon... Why do you have breasts?"
 >You almost choke on your nudge
 "What was that?"
 >Feygl points at your nipples
 >"You have boobs"
 >She frowns
 >"I thought you were a male!"
 >You frown back
 "I /am/ a male! I'm a guy. Humans have nipples no matter which gender they are. Some males even have three!"
 >Feygl tilts her head
 >"Really? That's really weird. Humans are weird"
 >You chuckle
 "Yup"
 >Amber gives you a shy smile
 >"I didn't know all humans had them... Thanks for taking off your shirt. I didn't think it would help, but I really do feel less self conscious about being topless now"
 >You shoot her a warm smile
 "Anytime... I don't know why you would feel self conscious though, you've got some very impressive...assets"
 >You take a sip of nudge and Amber blushes
 >"Thanks... but my size is actually pretty pathetic"
 >You blink and tilt your head
 "What do you mean?"
 >Amber leans forward and frowns down at her breasts , hefting each one
 >U-Unf
 >"I'm smaller than average. Even my younger sisters are bigger!"
 >You chuckle and shake your head
 >Time to earn some points with Amber
 "Amber... You have a chest that human women would do unspeakable things for. Besides, I've seen a few of the other minotaur ladies running around here and let me say... They just aren't practical. That, and they look saggy. From my point of view, you're the perfect size. Small enough not to be flat and saggy, but still /very/ impressive"
 >You do your best to look her in the eyes
 "You have large perky breasts that are /extremely/ attractive"
 >Amber's blush deepens
 >"Really?..."
 >You nod and grin
 "I've never seen a more beautiful pair in my life"
 >Amber smiles down at her chest and reclines back into her chair
 >"...Thanks Anon, it means a lot to hear that"
 >You smile at her and take another sip of your nudge
 >Amber smiles back at you and crosses her arms under her breasts, pushing them together
 >Life is /good/
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be sitting with a sickly pirate in her room
 >Poor girl really did eat too much candy...
 >She was still in pain from last night, and she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep!
 >Nothing you did seemed to help
 >Every spell failed, and your remedies did nothing to soothe Sandy's aching stomache...
 >...It may be time for your last resort
 >While you can't dull the pain or get rid of some of the chocolate in her system, you can still make her feel better
 >With all the love you've been ingesting lately, you have enough stored up in your cell and in your cave to share some
 >But sharing food isn't something that a changeling does lightly
 >Normally changelings only share food with members of their hive...
 >Sandy is part of Anon's herd, just like you! Doesn't that /make/ her part of your hive?
 >...Yes, yes it does
 >...All you have to do is convince Sandy to let you help
 >Sandy groans on the bed as you levitate a glass of water over to her bedstand
 "Sandy... I may be able to make you feel better"
 >Sandy pops open an eye
 >"H-How?"
 >You shuffle your hooves
 "I can give you some of my emotional jelly. I don't know exactly what affect it will have on you, but I can make a guess... It probably won't make the pain go away... but it will let you forget about it. I hope."
 >Sandy screws her eye closed again
 >"Fine! Just do it... please...Anything to help this pain..."
 >You gather up your courage and step closer to Sandy
 "This may seem... invasive at first, but it's just how changelings share"
 >Sandy grunts and you step up next to her
 >You force your body to begin secreting a substance with the consistency of honey
 >Your bellyful of love slowly begins to empty as the emotional jelly coats your mouth and the various holes across your body
 >The jelly in your leg holes fills tiny sacks that pinch themselves off from your body, falling away
 >You collect the little orbs with your magic
 >Bringing one of the larger orbs to your face, you inspect the quality...
 >...And smile
 >An excellent batch
 >Nearly perfect, in fact
 >Anon really was a loving person
 >Normally, a changeling could just pierce the little orbs with their fangs to suck out the honey
 >But Sandy doesn't have fangs
 >You use your magic to crush the sacks, levitating the resulting mess in the air
  >You lean down to Sandy and plant your lips on hers
 >The pirate lets out a muffled yelp of surprise
 >Your tongue invades her open mouth, coating the inside with a layer of pure love
 >Sandy's weak struggling comes to a quick stop, and she begins to giggle against your mouth
 >Good, the jelly has a powerful effect on her!
 >...Much, much stronger than it did on Anon...
 >You shrug the thought aside for now
 >Your job isn't quite done yet
 >The jelly is reacting with the air, dissolving the sack skins and diluting the levitated jelly
 >Can't let it all go to waste...
 >You lower the mess onto Sandy's little bulging belly and begin to slowly rub the jelly into her coat and skin
 >The pirate pony wriggles happily underneath you
 >You smile against her mouth and retract your tongue as Sandy giggles
 >When the last of the jelly has been rubbed into her skin, you pull back to view your work
 >Sandy slowly blinks up at you and growls playfully, before bursting into giggles again
 >Sandy's giggling slowly morph into snoring
 >You sigh in relief
 >Sandy /finally/ fell asleep!
 
 
 Be Sandy Beaches
 >Be sailing in a magnificent ship alongside Anon and the rest of his herd
 >Everyone is wearing one of your eyepatches!
 >The waters are crystal clear and still as glass
 >except... now it isn't water
 >You're flying an airship!
 >You look off the port side and see rolling hills and farmlands in the distance
 >With a few flaps of your wings, you're looking off the starboard side
 >A great city lies in the distance, full of sparkling lights
 >You order the ship to fly to the city, and your mighty vessel creaks and groans under the strain of a tight turn
 >You aren't afraid though
 >This ship was made by you, it can withstand anything
 >King Anon's Revenge finishes it's turn and rapidly approaches the city...
 >...But faster than you can approach, water flows in from all around
 >By the time you get there, the city is submerged
 >You spend a minute watching strange aquatic creatures glide through the water underneath the ship
 >A laughing and smiling Anon taps you on the shoulder and points into the distance
 >You squint but can't quite see what he's so excited about...
 >Anon pulls out a spyglass for you and you peek through
 >Land!
 >...And a group of people are already there?
 >Digging?
 >They must have found treasure!
 >You peer through the spyglass at the figures, trying to figure out who they are...
 >One of them, a black maned dark blue pegasus looks over in your direction...
 >...It's you!
 >You wave to you
 >You wave back
 >You watch as the ship sails away on further adventures...
 >Such a majestic vessel
 >A thumping sound makes you turn back toward the beach
 >The girls have hit a treasure chest!
 >You wave them aside and approach the chest
 >It thumps at you
 >You raise the lid, and find the ultimate treasure!
 >Anon beams a smile at you from inside the chest
 >You happily hop into his arms and wrap him up in a big hug
 >He hugs you back and plants a kiss on your eyepatch
 >The whole world swims and changes in your peripheral vision
 >Anon is all that matters right now
 >And the rest of the herd
 >The other girls all chat and laugh as Anon sits you down on his lap in the mess hall
 >He smiles down at you warmly and lifts a spoon
 >"Open the cove, here comes the ship..."
 >You open your maw to let Anon feed you, and the rest of the girls giggle
 >You've never felt so loved in your life
 >It feels spectacular!
 >Anon begins to feed you, but runs out of food quickly...
 >...And then the dream became interesting
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be sitting with a sleeping pirate pony
 >Sandy has been thrashing a little...
 >But she's kept a smile the entire time she's been asleep
 >Sandy murmurs and giggles in her sleep, wings twitching and flexing slightly
 >She must be having good dreams
 >You yawn and stretch
 >You stayed up all night with Sandy, trying to help her relax enough to sleep
 >From the look of things, she'll be out of it for a while
 >...Time for you to get some shut-eye too
 >Your cave is closer to Sandy's room than your cell is
 >With a grunt of effort, you prepare a combination phasing/teleportation spell
 >A ring of cold fire surrounds you, and a bubble encapsulates you
 >You begin slowly sinking into the floor
 >The sensation feels like sinking through sand, except the sand is only a few inches thick
 >The damp air of the cave hits your hooves
 >You give one last caring glance at Sandy as your head slips through
 >Once fully in the cave, the spell releases you and there is a brief moment of free fall before you can catch yourself
 >You buzz over to your cocoon and curl in for bed
 >You blearily glance over at your pile of orbs in the corner of the cave
 >A smile finds it's way to your lips
 >The pile was already larger than some of the stalagmites
 >You wriggle in tighter and close your eyes
 >Hopefully you'll have dreams of Anon...
 
 Be Feygl
 >Be /very/ happy
 >The date couldn't be going better
 >Anon and Amber were bonding well, and you got to see Anon's dangerous side
 >You glance over at the human and a pleasant shiver runs up your spine
 >When he turned and said he was dangerous... you just had chills!
 >...And now he's shirtless
 >Every scar and crevice of his upper body is on display for you
 >And you are enjoying the view
 >You take a sip of nudge
 >Anon takes a sip of his own drink, chuckling at a joke Amber made
 >Your eyes greedily soak up the show
 >Without thick hair, feathers, or a shirt in the way, you can see Anon's muscles pushing against his skin
 >The way his belly contracts as he laughs...
 >The way the tendons in his hands dance as he gestures or picks up his glass...
 >His whole body was simply /amazing/
 >If you had lips, you'd be biting your lower lip
 >Instead, you idly click your beak
 >After this date, you'll need some of Amber's relaxing incense and a cold shower
 >A /VERY/ cold shower
 
 
 
 Be Amber
 >Be enjoying the attention Anon is lavishing you with
 >You'd seen that greedy expression on so many male faces back home, but it was never directed at you...
 >Feygl was right, it was a good idea to go on this date!
 >...hopefully she isn't jealous of the attention you're getting
 >You look past Anon to check on Feygl...
 >You recline with a smile
 >Fegyl is too busy giving Anon that same greedy look to mind
 >Good
 >The last thing you want is to get into a fight with your best friend
 >You smile and turn to give Anon a better view
 >He beams a grin at you and raises his cup in a tiny toast
 >A little more heat rushes to your face, and you giggle and wink back
 >Anon takes a sip, and you motion for him to give Feygl some attention too
 >He nods and tears his eyes away to look at Feygl
 >While you can't see his expression, Feygl certainly seems pleased with this turn of events
 >Feygl begins to blush
 >Anon flexes a little
 >Feygl's blush grows, and she clicks her beak a few times
 >Anon has her eating out of the palm of his hand
 >He chuckles and Feygl's blush doubles
 >Anon must have winked at her or something
 >Feygl rolls to lie on her belly, legs over the side of the lawn chair pointed away from Anon
 >She wiggles her behind at him with /just/ enough sublety for it to not be overtly lewd
 >Anon chuckles, and Feygl's tail swishes anxiously
 >He really has her worked up...
 >You clear your throat and Anon turns back to you
 >Can't let him seduce your best friend on the first date...
 >Besides, you missed the attention
 
 
 Be Libele
 >Be enjoying tea with Vintl
 >Or, more accurately, be enjoying tea next to Vintl
 >Vintl sighs in pleasure and sinks deeper into her teacup, enjoying her 'herbal bath'
 >The little creature has always been a bit high strung, but she's seemed calmer ever since she met Anon
 >...Anon...
 >He's been such a good influence on Vintl and the others
 >Mostly
 >You giggle into your teacup, remembering how Anon awkwardly explained why he became an orange suit
 >Vintl pops an eye open and tilts her head up at you
 >"What's. so. funny.?"
 >You smile down at your tiny friend
 "Oh nothing, nothing at all"
 >Vintl shrugs and sinks down into her tea so that only her nose is above the sweet liquid
 >You smile
 >There was a time that Vintl would've hounded you for hours to learn why you giggled
 >She really had changed, especially since her date with Anon
 >You sip your tea
 >The biological need for a mate and the psychological need to be loved could make folks do strange things...
 >Vintl sits up in her cup and wipes the tea from her face
 >"You. should. join. Anon's. herd.!"
 >You nearly choke on your tea
 "E-Excuse me?"
 >Vintl beams at you
 >"Join. the. herd.!"
 >You frown down at Vintl
 "I'm afraid I would make a poor fit, Anon seems to enjoy more... active... company"
 >Vintl grins
 >"Can't. know. until. you. ask. him.!"
 >You do your best to smile convincingly
 "I wouldn't fit in with the other girls"
 >Vintl shakes her head
 >"You. already. do.!"
 >You sigh and shake your head
 >"I'm afraid I'm just not a good match with Anon. Besides, I'm a dragon and he's a...monkey thing"
 >Vintl frowns
 >"He's. a. human.!"
 >You raise your hand in a calming gesture
 "You're right, I'm sorry. Still, my point stands"
 >Vintl shakes her head
 >"Dragons. can. mate. with. anything.!"
 >You frown and blush slightly at the brash phrasing
 "Technically accurate... but so far Anon just seems too... he's just not a good match for me"
 >Vintl crosses her arms, causing little ripples in her teacup
 >"Why. not.?"
 >You take a sip of tea
 >This has gone on long enough
 >Time to give it to her straight
 "Anon just doesn't meet my standards"
 >Vintl raises an eyebrow dangerously
 >"Excuse. me.?"
 >You sigh and rest your teacup on it's saucer
 "If your stories are to be believed, he is more than tough enough. The problem is, you've been known to tell tall tales in the past. All dragons are tough, I need someone who has at /least/ as much going on in their head as in their bodies. He seems nice enough, tough and strong enough, but I just don't have any reason to believe he is as smart as he is handsome"
 >Vintl raises a hoof at you
 >"But. you. do. think. he's. handsome.!"
 >You sigh and nod
 "He has all the physical attributes of a potential mate, I just don't think he has the mental attributes"
 >Vintl glowers at you
 >"Anon. is. brilliant.! I. bet. he's. smarter. than. you.!"
 >You chuckle and take a sip of tea
 "I doubt that..."
 >Vintl grins mischievously
 >"Put. your. bits. where. your. mouth. is.!"
 >You raise an eyebrow
 >Vintl couldn't be suggesting a wager of some kind...
 >...could she?
 >"The. knowledge. triathlon.! Anon. against. you.. If. Anon. beats. you., you. ask. to. join. the. herd.!"
 >You smirk
 "And If I win?..."
 >Vintl huffs
 >"You. won't.!"
 >You rest your tea on it's saucer
 "But if I do?..."
 >Vintl crosses her arms again
 >"....I'll. wear. one. of. the. dresses. you. made. me..."
 >A smile forces it's way to your face
 >You've been trying to convince Vintl to try out one of your dresses for ages!
 >You had the /perfect/ dress in mind, too...
 >It would match her bubblegum-pink skin, highlight her honey-colored eyes, and wouldn't clash with her baby-blue hair!
 >This was a chance you couldn't pass up
 >...And there was no way you could lose to Anon
 >Probably
 >You extend a claw to the diminutive creature
 "You have a deal"
 >Vintl places her hoof on your claw, and you shake on the agreement
 
 Be Feygl
 >Be lying down strategically to show off you 'assets' for Anon
 >You beam proudly
 >This was the best date in the history of dates
 >Anon takes a sip of his nudge
 >His every muscle is on display as he swallows, his throat undulating seductively
 >...
 >How is that even possible?
 >Anon lowers his cup with a satisfied sigh before turning to you
 >"As much as I'm enjoying it, I don't think we should spend the rest of our time together just oggling eachother"
 >Your face heats up, but you maintain your composure
 "I have no idea what you're talking about"
 >Nailed it!
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Sure, whatever you say. So, what did you do before you went to jail? I know Amber used to provide incense and sermons for nature groups"
 >You rub your shoulder
 "I played a few guitar gigs to bring in extra coin, but mostly I worked at the recruitment office"
 >Anon sips his juice
 >"Recruitment office?"
 >You nod
 "Dear old mom was in the military, dad was an entertainer for the military"
 >You feel your face heat up
 "The military is in my feathers, I just kind of slid into place over time...Plus I thought it might be a good way to meet tough males"
 >You chuckle
 "Instead, I met Amber Ember"
 >Anon turns toward Amber
 >"What were you doing in a griffon recruitment office?"
 >Amber shifts awkwardly
 >"...I was lost"
 >Anon chuckles
 >"fair enough. So, what happened?"
 >You roll over a little to better face Anon
 >It doesn't show off your behind quite as well, but it is more comfortable to talk to him like this
 "I offered to help her find her way to wherever it was she needed to go"
 >Amber smiles over at you
 >"It's about the only time I've ever been happy I got lost. I was a bit of a drifter back then, and I was on my way to a seminar on shamanism. I was working on a project to talk to my earliest ancestor spirits to try and divine the origin of minotaurs"
 >Anon sits up in his chair
 >"A lofty goal... What happened?"
 >Amber shrugs
 >"Nothing. It was a fool's errand in the first place anyway... minotaur shamans, many more powerful than I am, have tried and failed over the centuries"
 >Anon frowns
 >"I'm sorry. I wish I could help"
 >Amber smiles
 >"It's okay, I gave that up a while ago. Besides, the only way you could help is if you shared some sort of connection with my early ancesto-"
 >Amber jerks to a stop
 >Anon tilts his head
 >"what's wrong?"
 >Amber begins nodding to herself, muttering
 >Anon turns to you
 >"What's going on?"
 >You smile reassuringly
 >You've seen this before
 "Somehow, you've given her an idea. In a minute or two, she'll snap out of it with a plan"
 >Anon leans back into his chair and sips his nudge
 >"Huh... neat...So, how did you end up in jail?"
 >You smile fondly at your best friend as she continues to mutter to herself
 "Well, I had joined Amber on a little trip to Manehattan to visit a cloister of monks in the city"
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Monks? In a major city?"
 >You wave his chuckles away
 "Do you want to hear the story or not?"
 >Anon nods and takes a sip of his nearly empty cup of nudge
 >"Yes please"
 >You smile
 "Good. Well, Amber decided she wanted to trade incense formulas but the monks turned her down. So she decided that the only way to convince them would be for them to try a free sample. That's what got her sent to jail"
 >Anon tilts his head
 >"What? How does /that/ work?"
 >You giggle and feel yourself blushing hard at the memory
 >"Well, Amber didn't exactly /tell/ them that she was switching the incense. She must have combined the perfect combination of herbs because all of the sudden all these monks who had taken oaths of celibacy suddenly couldn't contain their... /excitement/"
 >Anon bursts into uproarious laughter that jars Amber from her contemplations
 >Amber looks around, confused
 >"What's going on, what happened?"
 >You smile sweetly
 "Nothing, nothing, don't worry about it"
 >Anon stifles his laughter just long enough to get you in trouble
 >"Can you make a few more of those /exciting/ incense sticks? I want to try them out on Sandy!"
 >Amber's entire upper body flushes red with embarrassment
 >She crosses her arms angrily, covering her chest in the process
 >Anon makes a sad sound
 >You sit up and raise your claws to try and calm the situation
 "Anyway, Anon, you wanted to know how I ended up in jail?"
 >Anon wipes a tear from his eye and nods, chuckling occasionally
 >You lean back into your chair again and Amber pouts
 "Well, once I learned my best friend was going to jail, I couldn't just abandon her! So I said some hurtful thinks to the head monk to get incarcerated with Amber"
 >Amber leans forward
 >"If I recall correctly, you said he was 'petite', that he had a 'short fuse'... among other things"
 >You feel your face heat up slightly under Anon's scrutiny
 "A lot of monks broke their vows that day, let's just leave it at that"
 >Anon laughs and shakes his head
 >He smiles at you and Amber fondly
 >"You two are crazy. I like that!"
 >Amber uncrosses her arms and clasps her hands comfortably over her bellybutton
 >"Thank you... And about your offer earlier? To try and help me with my original life goal? There may be a way you can help. I'll need more of your hair to try a ritual. If my hunch is correct, a human may be one of the progenitors of the /entire/ minotaur race! That would mean you might be the key to talking to the first minotaur!"
 >Anon beams her a grin
 >"Alright, we can do it first thing tomorrow morning"
 >Amber hops out of her chair in excitement, right over to Anon's lap
 >"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!"
 >You can only watch as an overjoyed Amber hugs a slightly dazed Anon
 >You click your beak anxiously
 >...You wanted to do that!
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be on your way to the mess hall for dinner
 >Be looking forward to being around Anon and his girls
 >...Perhaps a bit more than is strictly professional
 >You were still amazed at how well Anon handled Desert Sands
 >Anon took a pony that had been giving you trouble for weeks, and got him to stop misbehaving in /minutes/!
 >You wasted so much time until now using the friendly approach alone...
 >But now you have Anon, your champion of justice and rehabilitation!
 >You step into the mess and Anon waves from the table, cheeks stuffed
 >A wave back, and a minute or two later, and you're on your way to the table, levitating your own tray of food
 >...The table seems pretty empty
 >You sit at the table and lay down your tray
 "Where is Sandy and Spinnerette?"
 >Anon swallows hard, then covers his mouth with his hand
 >His fork idly dangles from his raised hand
 >"I Haven't seen either of them all day. I'm honestly getting a little worried"
 >You nod in sympathy, and smile reassuringly
 "I'm sure they'll turn up sooner or later"
 >Anon frowns
 >"Hopefully sooner rather than later"
 >It's so sweet how he cares about his girls so much
 >You glance around at Amber and Feygl, the girls flanking Anon
 >Feygl wipes a little drool from her beak as she continues to stare at Anon
 >...Odd, she hasn't touched her food yet...
 >...Maybe it's that smell in the air?
 >Amber is staring past her tray with the biggest smile you've ever seen on her
 >Along with the lowest-cut top you've ever seen on her
 >...At least she's wearing something now, she could catch a cold otherwise
 >Vintl and Libele are very pointedly /not/ talking to eachother
 >You turn back towards Anon and smile sweetly
 >Anon doesn't notice, as he begins cutting into his food again
 >You sniff the air and follow your nose toward the source of the smell...
 >Oh
 >Oh dear!
 >Anon is eating /meat/
 >A chunk of flesh and a chicken's leg, neatly cooked and prepared lie on Anon's plate
 >Anon is a predator?!
 >...
 >You lean back and let the information digest...
 >...Once your shock has worn off, you lean forward again
 "Anon, I didn't know you ate meat"
 >Anon smiles and grins sheepishly
 >"I thought my teeth gave it away?"
 >You notice Anon's pointed canines as he smiles sheepishly
 >"Sorry for not warning you, I now ponies can be sensitive to things like this"
 >You shake your head
 "It's all right, I should have known"
 >At least Anon is getting the food he needs...
 >The prison must have gotten the meat from the animal shelter
 >Ponies try to raise pigs and chickens as pets sometimes, but there are always more pets than homes...
 >That meat must be from some poor animals that died in a shelter of age or illness
 >Anon bites into the flesh happily
 >...No sense telling him where it came from, that knowledge would only make him feel guilty and spoil his appetite
 >Vintl takes a tiny, tiny sip of her drink then turns to Anon
 >"Are. you. free. tomorrow. for. a. Brainothon.?"
 >Anon swallows and shrugs
 >"Maybe, what is it and when is it?"
 >Libele sets down a half-eaten crystal and wipes her mouth with a napkin
 >"It's a competition to test your intelligence against someone else. Winner wears the Champion's Bowtie. It will take place after lunch"
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Perfect timing. So, do you want to see it with me or do you want to see me compete?"
 >Vintl shoots a toothy grin
 >Anon chuckles again and shakes his head
  >"I should have guessed. Alright, sure, why not? I'll compete"
 >Libele smiles
 >"Good, I look forward to the competition. I'll also be participating"
 >Anon smiles
 >"Neat. What kind of questions will be asked?"
 >Libele daintily clears her throat
 >"There will be questions on the natural world and on applications of magic"
 >Poor Anon...
 >Applications of magic questions inevitably end up being complex math
 >Anon doesn't stand a chance, he came from a world without magic!
 >Anon smiles and nods
 >"Great, it plays to my strengths! I look forward to competing with you"
 >Libele smiles back
 >"That's good. Good luck tomorrow"
 >Anon smirks
 >"Thanks, but I won't need it. Good luck to you"
 >Libele sips her tea
 >"Thank you, Anonymous, but I won't need luck either. I regularly place second at these events"
 >Anon lifts the chicken leg and bites in, the spark of friendly competition in his eye
 >You take a long sip of your juice
 "I hear the current champion is a big showoff who could really use a lesson in humility"
 >You wink at Anon, who nods his understanding
 >You beam back a broad smile
 >This should be a fun competition to watch
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >You /really/ didn't want to use this prank
 >It was the kind of prank that could extend your stay here indefinitely...
 >...But Anon had left you no choice
 >With Anon away at dinner, you easily sneak into his room
 >Anon will rue the day he ever crossed paths with you, Bright Spear the indomi- Indomu-Idomite-
 >...
 >Anon will rue the day he ever crossed paths with you, Bright Spear the unstoppable!
 >You giggle mercilessly as you cross the threshold into Anon's bathroom
 >Tomorrow will be a day long remembered!
 
 Be Anon
 >Be lying comfortably in bed after a great day
 >You've got nearly half a dozen girlfriends
 >Spinny, Vintl, Sandy, Amber, Feygl...
 >Two more girls and you'll have a girlfriend for every day of the week!
 >You chuckle at the thought
 >Each girl brought something new to the table
 >Spinny just made you feel good, Vintl and Sandy were a blast to be around, while Amber and Feygl were the best when it came to just relaxing
 >You smile
 >Every girl also brought something to the bedroom...
 >Spinny had some serious dexterity in places you didn't know someone /could/ have dexterity... Sandy said her wings were sensitive, so it could be a lot of fun to play with them... Feygl seemed like she couldn't wait to show you /exactly/ what she could do...
 >But what about Vintl?
 >She's literally smaller than your dick
 >You would need to shrink, she would need to grow, or she would need to be /really/ flexible
 >...You'll figure something out for her eventually
 >You sigh happily
 >Amber has some /fine/ equipment
 >And you aren't talking about her alembic!
 >When she hopped up onto your lap...
 >Damn... today was a good day
 >You yawn and roll over for bed
 >Tomorrow was going to be another big, full day
 
 Be Luna
 >Be missing the human, Anonymous
 >Without him around, things have been dull
 >Maybe you could ask your sister to pardon him?
 >...Tia would never agree to it...
 >CURSES!
 >Poor Anon must be so lonely there
 >You check your clock
 >...
 >Anon should be asleep by now
 >You can pay him a little visit!
 >Yes!
 >With the smallest magical effort, you are in the dreamscape
 >Countless lights flicker and dance around eachother in an endless sea
 >You drift aimlessly for a minute, just enjoying the view
 >The lights of dear friends and lovers always dance closest to eachother
 >...Simply beautiful!
 >You smile and prepare your focus
 >You came here with a mission in mind, after all
 >It takes a mere instant before you are in front of Anon's dream
 >...Interesting
 >There are a number of lights /very/ close to Anon's
 >You frown
 >Anon has been making a lot of friends!
 >He must not miss you!
 >....
 >...No, that's just your separation anxiety talking
 >Of course he misses you!
 >You are the princess of the night!
 >Even if you were bad at showing it, Anon was one of your best friends at the castle
 >He treated you like an equal instead of like a god-princess
 >Being treated like a god is fun for the first few centuries, but it gets /very/ dull after a while
 >You move forward through the aether and enter Anon's dream
 >It takes only a moment for you to gain your bearings
 >...Some sort of arena?
 >With a massive cheering crowd!
 >You follow the crowd's gaze to the center of the arena, and the source of the dream
 >Anon is in a battle-crouch, ready to move at the slightest aggressive movement
 >A dream replica of your sister circles him dangerously
 >You pout
 >Why is it always your sister that people dream about?
 >...Maybe Anon put you in the crowd somewhere?
 >You scan the crowd, looking for a familiar face...
 >...wait
 >Something isn't right here
 >The giant crowd is only made up of a few individuals!
 >...All of whom are female
 >You pout harder
 >The crowd roars as Anon bursts into motion...
 >...then everything melts
 >CURSES!
 >Anon's dreams are cycling
 >Everything re-shapes after a minute
 >Now Anon is setting up a picnic in the royal gardens
 >...which seem to have been misplaced
 >Instead of the gleaming white walls forming a ring around the garden, four pink walls and a roof surround the garden
 >Anon calls out for... someone to come over and eat
 >You /hated/ it when dreamers used concepts instead of words
 >A rich, incredibly relaxing smell fills your nostrils
 >...That's rare
 >/Really/ rare
 >No one ever dreams with smells
 >From behind the trees, a familiar group of females appear
 >You narrow your eyes
 >These must be the dreamers that are so close to Anon
 >...There is no way they are this pretty in reality
 >You eject yourself back into the dreamscape
 >Better make sure these girls feel the same way about him
 >You enter one of the dreams at random
 >Feygl the griffon
 >In the shortest of moments, you gain your bearings and look toward the source of the drea-
 >...What is-
 >oh
 >OH
 >This is one of /those/ dreams!
 >...You can now confirm that this girl, at least, has some /serious/ feelings for Anon
 >...Though a little more 'research' on the matter couldn't hurt
 
 Be Sandy
 >Be waking up
 >You stretch and blink at your clock
 >...Two Thirty-Four in the morning...
 >That's good
 >Everything is good
 >...
 >No
 >Not everything is good
 >You need a hug
 >You need to give someone a hug
 >...Anon probably wouldn't mind being woken up by his favorite pirate for some late night cuddles
 >Worst case scenario, you'll tell him you had a bad dream and he'll let you in
 >All it takes is a few moments for you to be well on your way to Anon's room
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be yawning
 >Be /very/ hungry
 >You effectively lost your dinner making Sandy feel better
 >The pile of jelly orbs glows tantalizingly in the darkness
 >...You really shouldn't
 >Those are for your future swarm!
 >You unfold yourself from your cocoon
 >M-Maybe Anon wouldn't mind some late night cuddles?
 >...But what if he gets angry at you?
 >He'd forgive you
 >...But what if he doesn't like you enough?
 >You feel your face heating up
 >...Anon definitely likes you enough
 >Somehow the knowledge doesn't help stop the butterflies in your belly
 >Your stomache growls loudly at you
 >Surely Anon won't mind, and if you explain the situation then he'll forgive you!
 >You prepare a spell to teleport back to your room, where you can more easily walk to Anon's cell
 
 Be Feygl
 >Be staring wide-eyed at your ceiling
 >You just had the most intense dream of your life
 >If real Anon is anything like dream-Anon...
 >...You need to be held right now
 >Even if nothing happens, you want to feel his touch
 >...What would mom and dad think?...
 >You shake the negative thoughts away
 >Mom would probably praise you for finding such a strong mate, and dad would just go along with whatever mom said
 >Besides, you are an adult
 >You can make your own decisions
 >A powerful, confident female who doesn't need the approval of anyone else
 >And right now you need to be the little spoon
 >You brush your blankets off with a wing and begin the journey to Anon's room
 
 Be Amber Ember
 >It's no use
 >Even your strongest incense did nothing to calm your nerves
 >You couldn't sleep, you couldn't focus enough to meditate or practice alchemy...
 >Maybe a late night walk could help you relax?
 >Certainly couldn't hurt
 >Within a few minutes you are walking out of your room with no real destination in mind
 
 Be Anon
 >Be woken up by a very loud hushed conversation in front of your door
 >You groan and check your clock
 >Just past two thirty
 >Who the hell could be arguing in front of your door at this time of night?
 >Fuck it, they'll probably move on or stop arguing soon...
 >...
 >...Those voices seem familiar...
 >You prop yourself up on an elbow and glare blearily at the door
 >Sounds like Feygl and Sandy...
 >...With the occasional word or two from Amber
 >You shove the covers off and stumble your way to the door
 >Both Feygl and Sandy freeze as you pull the door open
 >You survey the girls assembled in front of your room, one hand rubbing the sleep from your eyes
 >Looks like you heard right
 >Feygl, Sandy, and Amber are all looking back at you
 "...The fuck are you all doing in front of my door? What's with all the shouting?"
 >Feygl and Sandy both blush
 >Amber steps forward
 >"These two were arguing over who would get to spend the night with you"
 >You glance back and forth between Sandy and Feygl
 "This true?"
 >They both nod guiltily
 >Feygl shifts her wings
 >"I'm sorry Anon, I didn't mean to make you mad..."
 >Sandy nods
 >"Yar..."
 >You shake your head and chuckle
 >Both girls give you big, puppy-eyes
 >These girls will be the death of you
 "You both realize there is enough room on my bed for both of you to cuddle up with me, right?"
 >Feygl blushes up at you hopefully, clicking her beak slightly
 >"You mean we can both stay with you?"
 >You nod and Sandy rears up, waving her hooves and flapping her wings in excitement
 >"YAH-HAR!"
 >You put your finger to your lips
 "Just tone down the volume, please"
 >Sandy blushes and gives you a sheepish grin
 >"Sorry, Anon..."
 >Amber smiles
 >"I'm glad you got that settled"
 >You nod, then tilt your head
 "What about you, Amber? You want in too?"
 >Amber's eyes go wide and she blushes
 >"It hadn't crossed my mind, I was just taking a late night walk to clear my head!"
 >You give her a reassuring smile
 "At this point, one more body won't make much difference. You're welcome to join us"
 >Amber smiles shyly and idly plays with her tail
 >"Well... If Feygl is joining you, I can't see the harm in it"
 >You nod and step to the side, motioning for the girls to enter
 >The girls begin marching into your room
 >You begin to close the door, but stop when you hear a horrible growling gurgle
 >Sandy is instantly glued to the side of your leg
 >"Was that a sea monster?!"
 >Feygl peers into the darkness
 >"We're way too far inland for a sea monster"
 >Sandy presses a little tighter against your side
 >"Don't be so sure! Sea monsters will do anything to gobble up a pirate!"
 >You carefully scan the darkness
 >An awkward buzz, then the gurgle-growl again
 >It's getting closer
 >Sandy hides behind you, peering out from between your legs
 >The buzzing gets louder and louder, and so does the growling
 >It's coming from... There!
 >Left of your door
 >You watch the darkened hall carefully
 >After a few suspensful moments, you spot a familiar pair of green eyes faintly glowing in the darkness
 >Sandy squeak-growls and huddles up closer to you, holding your legs with her wings
 >You wave affectionately at the figure in the darkness
 "Hey Spinny, can't sleep?"
 >Spinnerette walks into the light, her wings buzzing nervously
 >"H-Hey Anon! F-Fancy meeting you here!"
 >You smirk at her
 "Yeah, a real coincidence. You do realize I sleep here?"
 >Spinnerette shifts from side to side awkwardly and blushes
 >Her stomache makes it's presence known with another echoing gurgle
 >Spinny freezes and gives you an embarrassed look
 >You chuckle
 "Need some late-night love?"
 >Spinny nods self consciously
 >"Yeah, but it looks like you already have a full room. I'll just go and-"
 >You cut her off
 "Just get in here"
 >She flashes you a grateful smile and almost makes it through the door before Sandy pounces out at her from between your legs
 >Spinny blinks in surprise as Sandy wraps her in a hug
 >"Thank you for not being a sea monster and for helping me feel better earlier!"
 >Spinnerette smiles awkwardly and wraps an arm around Sandy
 >"Anytime, anything for a herdmate"
 >You step aside to let the pair through, and shut the door once they enter your room
 >The four girls mill around your bed aimlessly
 >Looks like you'll have to take charge here
 "So... Who wants to be where?"
 >Nailed it
 >Feygl's blush returns with a vengeance
 >"I'd like to be little spoon, if possible"
 >Amber raises her hand
 >"I don't mind where I am"
 >Sandy beams at you
 >"I want to be on top of you!"
 >Spinnerette's blush intensifies
 >"As long as I'm touching you at least a little, I don't mind"
 >You nod and stroke your chin thoughtfully
 "Right then... I guess I'll sandwich between Feygl and Spinnerette. Sandy, you're on top-"
 >The pirate growls and giggles happily
 "-and Amber, you just became my pillow for the night. Sound like a plan, everyone?"
 >The girls all give you some variation on a nod and blush
 "Right then, I'll get in first. Everyone just fall in around me"
 >You walk over to your bed and hop in, curling up on your side a little off from the center of the bed to guarantee that Amber will have enough room for her legs
 >Feygl lies herself down in front of you and scoots her way back into you
 >You wrap an arm and a leg around her side, pinning her wings against your belly
 >You feel her heartbeat speed up and she smiles back at you
 >Spinnerette buzzes onto the bed behind you and curls up tightly against your back
 >You can practically hear the blood rushing to her face
 >Amber carefully slides in and you prop yourself up on your elbow to make room for her
 >Once Amber is in place, you lower your head onto her
 >Your cheek is met by the lovely cushion of her breasts
 >...Neat!
 >You feel her heartbeat speed up and her temperature increase as you relax into her
 >Amber smiles down at you and drapes one arm around Feygl, while her other hand cups your head
 >Sandy bounces her way up the bed and wastes no time in wrapping herself tightly around you
 >She even uses her wings to hug Feygl and Spinny
 >The layer of girls around you shifts as each girl wriggles in closer and finds comfortable positions
 >There are plenty of awkward giggles and gasps as the girls settle in
 >When everyone finally stops moving, your torso is coated in female on three sides, you're already losing feeling in one arm, and you have two noses pressed against your neck
 >You can't help but smile as you are tickled by Spinny and Sandy's breathing
 >Your head slowly rises and falls with Amber's breathing
 >Feygl wriggles herself into you and you manage to slip your sleeping arm into a more comfortable position
 >You yawn and nearly get a mouthful of boob
 >...
 >Bad penis
 >Now is time for sleep, not boners
 >One by one, the girls surrounding you fall asleep
 >You end up being the last one awake
 >This is simultaneously the most comfortable, and least comfortable you've ever been
 
 
 Be Luna
 >Be Princess of the night
 >Be a powerful demi-god
 >Be 'patiently' waiting for Anon to fall back asleep
 >You knew just the trick to see if he really doesn't miss you
 >It always worked in the past
 >...Just as soon as Anon falls back asleep, you'll know
 >...any minute now....
 >You sigh and watch the empty space orbited by the girl's dreams
 >When dreamers woke up, their lights disappeared like motes of dust leaving a sunbeam
 >The night drags on, and you wait
 >You'd know soon enough
 
 Be Anon
 >Be waking up from an odd dream
 >There was a test that you hadn't studied for, and it was all about the princesses...
 >... Maybe this 'brainothon' thing was worrying you a little more than you thought
 >You yawn and try to stretch, only to be blocked on all sides
 >...Oh yeah
 >...Nearly all of your girlfriends decided to sleep with you last night
 >You blink and do your best to take stock of where everyone is positioned
 >The girls kept your body pinned in the same spot, and you are drenched in sweat from their combined body heat
 >Feygl is pressed tightly against your belly with your arm hugging her around the middle
 >She even has her...hand... resting comfortably on top of your own, gently holding your hug in place
 >Spinny still has her nose burried into the back of your neck
 >Judging by the slow deep breaths, she's asleep still
 >Sandy is sprawled out on top of you, snoring and lightly twitching
 >Amber idly strokes the side of your head with her thumb as she smiles at nothing in particular
 >She must not realize you're awake yet
 >...This does feel pretty nice...
 >The only one out of place is 'anon jr.'
 >...well, what did you expect?
 >You just spent an entire night literally covered in girls
 >If Feygl woke up right now, she'd probably feel you...
 >...But if you move, someone might wake up and end the cuddles!...
 >...There is no harm in enjoying the cuddles and petting a little longer
 >You do your best to snuggle in and give Feygl some space without disturbing any of the girls
 >Spinny's breathing continues to gently tickle the nape of your neck as you breathe in Amber's soothing scent
 >Sandy's wings are as good as any blanket, and you are nice and toasty warm
 >...A little sweaty, but that's a small price to pay for this level of comfort
 >You give Feygl a little squeeze and let out a content sigh
 >Amber's hand shifts slightly and her thumb begins massaging your temple
 >Your eyes seem to shut using their own free will
 >Not that you mind
 >Heartbeats, heartbeats all around you...
 >...And you can feel every one of them
 >Each one beats to a different tempo
 >Countless seconds turn into endless, blissful minutes
 >Your mind idly wanders between semi-coherent thoughts and nothing at all
 >This, this is paradise
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >Spinny begins to move behind you, and your muscles tighten in worry
 >Is she going to get up and spoil this?...
 >...No, she was just repositioning herself
 >Spinny is once again practically glued to your back
 >Neat, you were just thinking your little cuddle-Voltron could use more Spinny
 >You smile and snuggle deeper into your girls
 >Amber catches the movement and smiles down at you
 >"Anon, you're awake. Good morning"
 >Your sleep-drunk brain can't handle this right now
 "No awake, time now for nap, yes"
 >You blearily try to burry your head into your pillow
 >...Wait
 >You aren't using your pillow
 >Your eyes pop open to see a bright red Amber biting her lip
 >Whoops
 >You give her a sheepish grin
 >'Anon jr.' tries very hard to get noticed
 "Sorry, forgot I was using you as a pillow"
 >Amber gives you a shy smile
 >"Don't worry about it..."
 >Spinny stretches against you
 >The motion and conversation must have woken her up
 >"Good morning, Anon..."
 >Spinnerette rubs her head against the back of your head affectionately
 >Damnit, no! Your ultimate cuddle-orgy is ending!
 >As long as no one else wakes up yet, you might be able to convince the others to sta-
 >"Good mor-"
 >Feygl is cut off by her own yawn
 >"-'scuse me, Morning Anon. Morning Amber"
 >Amber gives her dear friend a mildly embarrassed smile
 >"Good morning Feygl"
 >...Well, at least no one has noticed your morning wood
 >Spinny props herself up behind you
 >"Morning girls"
 >Amber and Feygl return the greeting in harmony
 >...This may be the end of your cuddle cocoon
 >Feygl and Spinny reluctantly pull away from you, and you raise your head to allow Amber to do the same
 >Through all of this, Sandy remains fast asleep
 >She even tightens her grip, moving her wings to envelope you in a blanket of feathers
 >Luckily, her wing manages to keep 'Anon jr.' hidden
 >Amber frowns down at you
 >"Aren't you getting up, Anon?"
 >You chuckle helplessly
 "I would, but..."
 >You use your eyes and head to gesture to the sleeping pirate on top of you
 >Maybe you can calm down a little while Sandy unwittingly keeps you covered
 >Feygl rolls her eyes playfully
 >"You do realize that you're bigger than her, right? Just push her off"
 >You frown
 "But just look at her sleeping face? How could I just shove her off?"
 >Feygl smirks
 >"Like this"
 >Feygl extends her wing into Sandy, gently moving her from her perch
 >Sandy groggily squaks as she falls off of you
 >You chuckle and frown, doing your best to play it cool
 >As long as you don't draw attention to it, you should be fine
 "That wasn't very nice"
 >Feygl shrugs
 >"If I can't keep cuddling, neither can she. It just wouldn't be fair"
 >You smirk
 "You didn't have to stop cuddling. You left, I didn't kick you out"
 >Feygl raises an eyebrow and starts moving back toward the bed with a smirk
 >"That so?..."
 >Did Feygl notice?...
 >Amber places her hand on Feygl's shoulder
 >"We really should go and give Anon some privacy to prepare for the day"
 >That's right...
 >First, the ritual with Amber
 >Then the competition after
 >...Shit
 >You gotta get up
 >Sandy sits up and blinks
 "Morning Sandy"
 >A powerful yawn overtakes her, so she just waves back
 >Amber begins herding the herd out of your room
 >"Come on girls, let's let Anon get ready in peace"
 >Feygl frowns playfully
 >"Aw, but things are just getting interesting now that we are awake! Can't we stick around a little longer?"
 >...Yup, Feygl noticed
 >Spinny raises her hoof
 >"S-Seconded"
 >...So did Spinny
 >You chuckle and give the griffon and changeling a few affectionate strokes across their backs
 "Sorry girls, as much as I enjoy spending time with you, I need to shower and get ready for the day"
 >Sandy rubs up against your side
 >"Yar, I don't mind getting a little wet~"
 >Spinny raises her hoof again
 >"S-Seconded!"
 >Amber shakes her head
 >"We're probably going to be late for breakfast as it is. Come on, before we make Anon miss breakfast"
 >You watch with some disappointment as the girls file out of your room under Amber's supervision
 >...whelp, she is right...
 >It's already getting late for breakfast, and everyone in the cuddle pile got a little hot and sweaty last night
 >You took the brunt of it, being in the middle of it all
 >Time for a cold shower
 
 
 Be Amber Ember
 >Be waiting for Anon in the mess with the other girls
 >You feel extremely well rested
 >Though it wasn't your plan when you went wandering last night....
 >You sure are glad you ended up in Anon's room
 >...Even if your chest is a little sore from being used as a pillow
 >You smile and take a sip of milk
 >Anon should be arriving soon...
 >The girls chat and joke around you as your mind wanders
 >If your hunch is correct and minotaurs are a hybrid creature of human and cow...
 >Well, for one thing it would explain why even the most powerful shamans in minotauren history couldn't summon the progenitors of the species
 >All this time, your people were looking in the wrong place!
 >...Metaphorically speaking, of course
 >The girls shift and react loudly to something
 >Must be Anon
 >You push your thoughts aside and turn to see the affectionate human approaching the table with a loaded tray
 >Feygl scoots to the side, creating an opening for Anon between you and her
 >"Here's an open spot for you"
 >You giggle quietly to yourself
 >Feygl was head-over-heels for Anon
 >He seemed to know /just/ how to push her buttons
 >Even when he didn't mean to!
 >If you weren't around to keep her in check, she probably would have pounced on him at some point yesterday
 >While there is absolutely nothing wrong with a male being intimate with one of his females, and relationships tend to move faster in a herd...
 >...It was still a little too early to be getting into Anon's pants
 >Anon sits down next to you and flashes a smile around the table
 >...What's that smell?
 >Lilac and aloe?
 >Vintl hops up onto the table, glaring at Anon
 >"Why. didn't. you. invite. me. to. cuddle. last. night.?!"
 >Anon blinks, then offers her a sheepish grin
 >"Sorry Vintl, everyone else just kind of...showed up. I didn't leave you out on purpose"
 >The breezie pouts
 >"You. still. left. me. out. though...."
 >Anon leans back
 >"I'm sorry... Tell you what, I'll let you sit on my lap during breakfast to make up for it if you want"
 >Vintl's expression loses its sour quality as she considers the offer
 >Libele looks around
 >"...Really? In the middle of the mess hall? Scandalous..."
 >Sandy grins mischieviously over at Anon
 >"Wouldn't ye prefer someone with a little more... booty? Your mizzenmast won't feel anything with-"
 >Anon raises a hand to cut her off
 >"It's the principle of the thing. It's my job as the male to give attention to all of my girls, no matter their size or shape..."
 >Sandy's expression falls
 >Anon smiles and winks at her
 >"...Though I may take you up on your offer sometime in the future"
 >Sandy beams Anon a huge smile
 >Anon turns back towards Vintl
 >"So, are you okay with that?"
 >Vintl nods happily and floats her way to Anon
 >She settles in and Anon breaks off a piece of his toast for her to munch
 >Vintl takes the piece of double cooked bread, but looks around confused instead of digging in
 >"What's. that. smell.?"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"I didn't have my normal shampoo in my shower for some reason. All that was there was some flowery shampoo clearly designed for females"
 >Feygl tilts her head
 >"If it was clearly made for girls, why did you use it?"
 >Anon gives a little shrug
 >"I didn't want to keep you all waiting for me, and I had no other options. There's an old human saying: 'Beggars can't be choosers'... Besides, I'd like to think I'm masculine enough to not be mistaken for a girl even if I smell like one"
 >Vintl smiles up at Anon and begins gnawing at her piece of toast
 >Happy Heart nods approvingly
 >"That is a very mature outlook"
 >Feygl smirks at Anon
 >"And you really are more than masculine enough"
 >Sandy flashes a smile in agreement
 >"Yar!"
 >Anon chuckles and spreads his arms
 >"Ladies, please, if you stroke my ego any more then my head won't be able to fit through the door"
 >You know /exactly/ what kind of comment Sandy is going to make
 >Sandy giggles
 >"Then how about I stroke so-"
 >You turn suddenly to Anon to cut Sandy off
 "Are you ready for the ritual, Anon?"
 >Sandy shoots you an annoyed look
 >Anon chuckles and nods
 >"I think so, as long as your ancestors don't mind me smelling a little flowery"
 >You giggle lightly and smile
 "I'm sure they won't mind. Be sure to eat your fill, you have a big day ahead"
 >Anon nods and starts eating
 >After a moment, Anon politely covers his mouth with a hand and turns to you
 >"If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you competing in the 'brainothon'? It's on the natural world and 'applications of magic', isn't that right up your alley?"
 >You shake your head
 "I understand the natural world on a spiritual level, but I don't have all the intricate technical details. I could always ask an elemental or a spirit, but that would be cheating"
 >Anon chews his food thoughtfully
 >"Hrm...Fair enough"
 >A lull in the conversation is all it takes for your mind to wander back to the ritual
 >You have everything you need, it should turn out just fine
 >You anxiously chew your lip
 >Was one of your childhood dreams about to come true?...
 >...You shouldn't get your hopes up
 >Life has a way of destroying even the finest laid plans
 >You couldn't even be sure if it would work at all...
 >No
 >No bad thoughts
 >No sense getting nervous or excited
 >It'll just be some extra time for you to be around Anon, and if anything extra happens...
 >Well, that would be just fine
 >...Anon has a way about of getting things done
 >You can look to him for support
 >He'll help you with this ritual
 >He'd never let one of his girls down
 >...
 >You just thought of yourself as one of his girls
 >Anon gestures and talks to the other girls, but you barely register the commotion around you
 >You take a sip of milk and smile into your glass
 
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >Be furious
 >You worked so hard and risked so much when you snuck into Anon's room to switch his shampoo...
 >And what did you get out of it?
 >Nothing!
 >Anon didn't care!
 >And his not caring was impressing Happy!
 >...This isn't over yet though
 >Anon is only an orange, and you're a red
 >You still outrank him in badness
 >The next prank needs to be a doozy, something the whole prison will remember!
 >That will show him!
 >...Now what kind of prank could go down in legend?
 >Your mind wanders as you chew your breakfast, planning your next move
 
 Be Anon
 >Be walking with Amber into her room
 >"Please take a seat, Anon. I need to make some last adjustments before we can begin"
 >You nod and flop yourself onto the bed
 >Amber quickly moves around the room, preparing a space near the foot of her bed
 >Her short tail flicks side to side in agitation as she briskly crisscrosses the room gathering materials
 >After half a minute, the setting is prepared
 >Amber sits down on one side of a large mat with a small metal bowl sitting in the center
 >"Please turn off the lights and sit down across from me"
 >You hit the lights and take your new seat
 >Amber takes a little baggie of your hair and dumps the contents into the bowl
 >She tosses aside the empty bag and holds her hands out to you
 >"Take my hands please, Anon"
 >You do as you are told and Amber smiles
 >"Before we begin, just let me say that whether anything happens or not, it means a lot to me that you believe in me enough to try"
 >You beam her a smile
 "Of course I believe in you. I'm your male, it's part of my job!"
 >Amber giggles
 >"Still, thank you. Well... Here goes nothing"
 >Amber lets out a deep breath and shuts her eyes
 >The muscles in her hands twitch and jerk and she screws her eyes shut
 >Your nostrils are assaulted by the odor of burning hair
 >A glance confirms your suspicions...partly
 >The hair in the bowl is burning a bright green flame, but the fire isn't consuming the hair
 >...Neat
 >Amber takes a deep breath, and her trembling intensifies
 >She's obviously working hard to do...something
 >She lets out a sharp breath and the flames jump
 >"Oi, who's calling?"
 >The flames jump and split into two figures
 >A man and a cow
 >The flaming cow radiates warmth, both heat and friendliness
 >"Why hello dearie, always pleasant to get a call from one of the grandkids!"
 >The man folds his arms
 >"It's been centuries since we last heard from the living. What, can't spend just a few minutes to call? Kids these days..."
 >Amber stares wide-eyed at the two burning figures
 >Her mouth opens and shuts a few times, then she swallows and tries talking again
 >...Nothing
 >The man taps his foot in the air above the bowl
 >"Oi, not going to say anything? Introduce yourself! Kids these days, no manners..."
 >...Looks like you'll have to break the ice for Amber, before this spirit loses his patience and just leaves
 >Better be polite, if for no other reason than poor Amber would be heartbroken if these spirits were somehow offended
 "Hello Sir and Ma'am, I'm Anonymous and this is Amber"
 >The two burning beings turn to face you
 >Their 'eyes' seem to burn through the core of your being
 >No wonder Amber was speechless
 >The man uncrosses his arms and squats down to get a better look at you
 >"Well lookey here, another human! Been ages since I last saw another human!"
 >Tears begin streaming down Amber's face
 >"It's really you... the progenitors... the couple that started the minotaur race?"
 >The burning cow nods
 >"That's right, dearie. It is a pleasure to meet you"
 >Amber sniffles
 >"T-This is a true honor to meet you!"
 >The burning cow dips her head a little
 >"Is something wrong dearie? You're crying"
 >Amber giggles awkwardly
 >"I-I'm fine, j-just a little emotional to meet you"
 >You tilt your head
 "No offence, but how can we be sure these two are your progenitors?"
 >The man snorts
 >"Spirits can't lie"
 >You frown
 "You could be lying about being unable to lie"
 >The man opens and closes his mouth a few times before standing and throwing his arms in the air
 >"Kids these days!"
 >Amber shoots a glare at you
 >"Anon, please! Spirits can't lie!"
 >You give her a sheepish smile
 "Sorry Amber, sorry Mr...?"
 >The spirit nods at you
 >"That's better. Everyone just calls me Co"
 >Amber beams
 >"So it all started with Co... Co, and...?"
 >The cow spirit smiles appologetically
 >"Where are my manners? I'm Patty"
 >Amber's tear-soaked cheeks glisten in the green light of the fire
 >"It's the greatest of honors to meet you both"
 >You smile
 >This is easily the happiest you've ever seen Amber
 "How long does this spell last?"
 >Amber frowns
 >"Only a few more minutes..."
 >You nod
 "Co, Patty, could you do me a massive favor?"
 >Co shakes his head
 >"Barely even met, and he's already asking favors... Kids these days!"
 >Patty swats at her ghostly mate with her tail
 >"Oh hush you. What can we do for you, dearie?"
 >You nod toward Amber
 "Amber here summoned you here. The reason it's been so long since you've been brought to the land of the living is because no one could pull it off. Could you go to the minotaur capitol and let the priests there know who you are and that Amber Ember managed to call you here?"
 >Patty smiles warmly
 >"It would be my pleasure...Just where is 'here' anyway?"
 >You grin sheepishly
 "Goofy Goober's High Security Party Prison"
 >Co sighs
 >"Of course we're in a prison. Kids these days..."
 >Patty smiles
 >"Come on Co, let's go drop in and make sure the kids are doing alright back home. It's the least we can do for family. You wouldn't let down a fellow human, would you?"
 >Co sighs
 >"Fine, let's get a move on then. We don't have all day"
 >The Spirits fade away and the fire in the bowl shifts from green to red and orange
 >Amber stares at you in confusion as the flames finally consume the hair sample in the bowl
 >"Why did you send them away? There was so much more I had to ask!"
 >You give her a happy smile
 "We can always call them again, they seemed to enjoy talking to you. Besides, I wanted to make sure you were recognized for what you did here today"
 >You give her a wink
 "You're about to go down in history books!"
 >Amber's eyes light up
 >"Y-You're right!"
 >She jumps forward and wraps you up in a tight hug
 >"Thank you! I couldn't have done it without you!"
 >You chuckle and hug her back
 "Like I said before, I'm your male. It's part of my job to help you"
 >Amber pulls back and giggles
 >"You do realize that you just became the greatest catch a minotauress could ask for?"
 >You tilt your head and smile
 "Really?"
 >Amber nods
 >"Once the progenitors tell the priests that we summoned them together, you'll be a celebrity there! Every minotauress will be jealous that I nabbed a male from the same species as our progenitor!"
 >You chuckle and pull her in for another tight hug
 "Neat!"
 >Amber squeezes you
 >"You're quite the catch, and after today there is no way I'm letting you escape!"
 >You squeeze her back
 "Good thing I'm not trying to get away, then"
 >Amber giggles happily and squeezes you a little tighter
 
 
 Be The Warden
 >Be preparing for the brainothon
 >You would be giving the competitors their questions
 >There were four competitors for sure...
 >Anon was rumored to be planning on competing too
 >How exciting!
 >It's unlikely he'll win, but it's always nice to have another challenger in the running
 >You flip through the possible questions
 >Though you aren't dumb, and you would even consider yourself rather clever...
 >...These questions are beyond you
 >You might get a few through lucky guesses, but someone really needs to know their stuff to get these questions correct without guessing...
 >... or they would need to have the answers memorized
 >Which is why you've kept the questions with you all day
 >There would be no cheating, you'd make sure of that!
 >You start hurrying to the theatre
 >There were a few things you still needed to make sure were prepared for the competition
 >Podiums, buzzers, whiteboards, sound system, prizes...
 >You had a lot to prepare before lunch ended
 >You check a clock
 >Lunch is just starting
 >Better speed it up a bit!
 >Don't want to have ponies arrive before you're ready!
 
 Be Feygl
 >Be sitting next to Libele and Spinnerette
 >Be sitting across from Anon and Sandy
 >You wish you were sitting next to Anon, though...
 >Sandy /insisted/ on sitting on Anon's lap through lunch
 >Vintl and Happy Heart were on Anon's left...
 >...And Amber nabbed the seat on Anon's right
 >Meaning you had to take the next best thing, and sit across from him
 >Oh well... You'll get him to yourself eventually anyway
 >Amber quietly giggles to herself
 >...She's been /extremely/ happy since she spent the morning with Anon...
 >Anon said he'd let Amber explain what happened, but she's been too out of it for you to get any details out of her...
 >!
 >If she got into Anon's pants before you did...!
 >After she pulled you away from him this morning, too!
 >...It just wouldn't be fair...
 >You eye your friend carefully
 >This is certainly the happiest you've seen her in a long time...
 >Maybe ever
 >She doesn't smell like she fooled around with Anon...
 >But then again, Amber is a master of herbal odors
 >She could easily mask or wash away the scent of hanky-panky...
 >...
 >Not knowing is killing you
 "Anon, can't you please just tell us what happened?"
 >Anon swallows his bite
 >"I promised to let Amber tell you all about it"
 >You point at your spaced-out friend
 "She's not exactly in the most talkative mood. Please?"
 >Vintl nods
 >"I. wanna. know. what. happened.!"
 >Sandy wriggles against Anon
 >"Yar, just tell them. Feygl is obviously desparate to know"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"Amber, is it okay if I tell them how the ritual turned out?"
 >Amber blinks a few times and blushes
 >"Alright, sorry. I thought I would have my thoughts organized by now and be ready to describe it all in detail, but... I'm still processing what happened, it was all so amazing!"
 >Sandy giggles
 >"Oh my~"
 >You frown at the pirate pony, and Anon chuckles
 >"Nothing naughty happened. Unless you consider raising spirits naughty... Anyway, Amber was able to summon the spirits of her race's progenitors. Today we met the couple that created the minotaur race"
 >You beam a happy smile at Amber
 "Really?! You actually pulled it off? Great job!"
 >Amber wraps Anon in a quick one-armed hug
 >"Thanks! I couldn't have done it without Anon"
 >You smile and nod, relieved and proud
 >Amber was able to fulfill one of her greatest fantasies because of Anon!
 >...And as much as you love Amber, you had next dibs on Anon!
 >Sandy may have a small lead right now, sitting on his lap like that...
 >...But you'll pull ahead!
 >...
 >You can feel your face heating up
 >...Better think of something else for now
 >You continue to smile broadly for your friend as everyone else praises and congratulates her
 >"Degenerate!"
 >You turn to see the source of the unpleasant voice
 >Oh joy
 >Bright Spear
 >"I can't believe you're making one of your mares sit on you in public! You're disgusting!"
 >The unicorn sneers at Anon
 >Sandy glares at Spear
 >"Anon isn't making me, I had to beg him to let me!"
 >Spear scowls at her
 >"Of course, all of you-"
 >Anon smiles at Spear dangerously
 >"Hey there fishpockets, while I do appreciate your taste in shampoos, I've got to warn you..."
 >Anon's eyes narrow
 >"No one gets away with insulting my girls"
 >A pleasant shiver runs up your spine
 >Bright Spear and Anon glare at eachother for several long seconds
 >You can't breathe
 >This is too intense for you to breathe and potentially disturb the delicate situation
 >Bright Spear snarls and looks away first
 >"Dingus..."
 >Anon chuckles and waves Spear away
 >"That will be all, you can go now"
 >Spear glares at Anon as he turns to leave
 >"I'm leaving because I want to, not because you're letting me!"
 >Anon rolls his eyes
 >"Whatever you say, fishpockets"
 >Spear growls and grumbles as he walks away
 >Sandy blows him a raspberry
 >You finally manage to take in a deep breath
 >Anon is so awesome!
 >He gave you chills...
 >...He also makes you itch inside
 >A /very/ familiar itch
 >Especially around him...
 >You've had enough of cold showers,
 >You want that itch scratched!
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be preparing for the brainothon to start
 >Be Standing backstage in one of the sound blocks
 >Be trying to use some of the calming techniques Amber taught you
 >...They aren't working very well
 >You are more excited than nervous
 >All your girls decided to show up to watch you compete!
 >All your girls who adore you and who think you're the greatest thing ever...
 >Plus a bunch of complete strangers...
 >They are all here to see you show off your smarts
 >... Or fail to
 >So yeah, no pressure or anything
 >You open your eyes to the pitch blackness of the soundblock
 >On one side of the room, you can hear the murmur of the crowd
 >On the other side, the dead silence of backstage
 >The thick doors on either side of the small room do wonders at blocking sound
 >...Hence the name
 >You shake away the stupid thoughts
 >With a deep breath, you close your eyes
 >It doesn't make much difference in the inky blackness
 >You release your breath and lean back against the wall of the small room
 >You attempt to clear your head, letting yourself slowly slide down the wall until you are sitting
 >All is quiet
 >All is silent
 >...Peaceful
 >You breathe in through your nose...
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >...and breathe out through your mouth
 >Calm minds work better than excited or anxious minds when it comes to tests
 >You let your breathing regulate, enjoying the cool darkness
 >"T-This is just like a cave! I d-didn't know you liked c-caves! I do t-too!"
 >You practically jump out of your skin at the sudden, unexpected voice in the dark
 "...Spinny, is that you?"
 >A faint green light begins to glow above you
 >"S-Sorry, I didn't realize you can't see in the dark"
 >Spinny's hair is hanging straight down as she awkwardly smiles at you from a vent in the ceiling
 >You chuckle in relief, your body still twitchy from the scare
 "As happy as I am to see you, what are you doing here? And why in the vent?"
 >Spinny's light dims and she breaks eye contact
 >"I could sense your-r anxiety, n-nervousness, and your annoyance. I wanted to see if I c-could help..."
 >You smile warmly up at her
 "Thanks, you're sweet... But why the air vent?"
 >Spinny drops out of the vent, buzzing her wings /just/ right so the lands on her hooves
 >"Well, you aren't supposed to have visitors... B-But I couldn't just sit there and feel you feeling bad! S-So I used the vents to get around"
 >You nod thoughtfully
 "Alright, but how'd you find me?"
 >Spinnerette's horn brightens and she smiles
 >"I can feel you!"
 >You smirk and raise an eyebrow
 "Yeah you can"
 >In the split second before Spinny's light flickered out, you caught the most mortified look of embarrassment on her face
 >You chuckle as she struggles to light her horn up again
 >When you can finally make out her face again, you easily spot Spinny's blush
 >Spinnerette pouts at you
 >"You made my light go out!"
 >You give her a warm smile
 "Sorry Spinny. Want to join me?"
 >You pat the floor next to you
 >Spinnerette walks over and gingerly sits down several inches away from where you suggested
 >You shake your head and smirk
 "That isn't where I asked you to sit. Come on, scoot a little closer. I don't bite. Usually. You're probably safe. For now"
 >Spinnerette giggles nervously and awkwardly scoots herself a little closer to you
 >You raise an eyebrow at her, and she gives you a lopsided grin
 >You chuckle and scoot yourself over so that your side is pressed against hers
 >Spinnerette stiffens a little, but she manages to maintain her goofy smile
 >That's a good sign
 >She's getting better
 >...probably?
 >You wrap an arm around her and lean back, making yourself comfortable
 >Slowly, ever so slowly, she stiffly leans more and more into you
 >You hold your breath as the petrified girl leans into you
 >...It takes what feels like minutes, but she finally loosens up and snuggles in more comfortably
 >You chuckle and pull her in tighter
 >Spinny lets out a shaky, happy sigh
 >She gently rubs her head against your shoulder until you rest your head against hers
 >One of the holes in her horn is placed /perfectly/ for your nose to not be squished in this position
 >You smile against her hair and chuckle
 >Spinny's ear perks up
 >"I'm doing something right....right?"
 >You nod, rubbing your cheek on her
 >"...Can you tell me what it is? S-So I can do it again later..."
 >You chuckle and give her a little squeeze
 "This... You know your horn is shaped perfectly for cuddling like this?"
 >Spinnerette presses in tighter against you
 >"O-Oh..."
 >You close your eyes and take a deep, relaxing breath
 "You can turn off that light now"
 >Spinny doesn't respond audibly, but the light passing through your eyelids disappears
 "You know, you really shouldn't be so nervous with me. You're a very pretty girl that I like. A lot"
 >If you didn't know any better, you'd say you could feel Spinny's face heat up against the cloth of your shirt
 >"R-Really?"
 >You nod, messing up her hair a little
 "Really. From your beautiful eyes to your gorgeous sleek hair..."
 >You idly run a finger around the lip of one of the holes in her legs
 "...Even your holes are cute"
 >Spinny's wings give a short, happy buzz
 >"Y-Yours too..."
 >You smirk
 "My holes are pretty? Oh my~"
 >You feel her whole body stiffen up again
 >"W-What I meant was...I..."
 >Her wings buzz frantically
 >Chuckling, you give your petrified girlfriend a squeeze
 "I know what you meant"
 >Spinny relaxes again, but doesn't quite reach the same level of cuddle
 >...Damn...
 >...
 >Still, this is nice
 >"...Anon?"
 >You tilt your head
 "Hrm?"
 >Spinny takes a deep breath
 >"...F-Forget I said anything!"
 >You chuckle and squeeze your awkward Changeling Queen
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Curses!
 >You were /this/ close to talking to Anon about starting your hive!
 >...Thank goodness it's so dark in here
 >Otherwise, Anon might see how hard you're blushing
 >You smile into his chest
 >At least there is a bright side...
 >Anon called you pretty~
 >...And you screwed it up by acting like a dork in front of him again...
 >Thank goodness Anon is so forgiving!
 >Anon gives you a squeeze and nuzzles you head
 >"Hey Spinny..."
 >You tilt your head up
 "Yes, Anon?"
 >Anon gives you a squeeze, disturbing the butterflies in your belly
 >"Thanks for coming back here. I needed this"
 >The heat in your face grows more fierce
 "A-Anytime, Anon"
 >Most of his nervousness has been replaced with feelings of love for you
 >This little cuddle session was giving you a very filling midday snack
 >But more important than getting your fill, was the pleasant feeling of Anon so close to you
 >You sigh happily
 >You'd be okay with this moment lasting forev-
 >"Attention, your attention everyone, please. Take your seats! The competition will begin shortly, competitors please report backstage!"
 >Anon sighs and starts to pull away from you
 >...Curses!
 >"You'd better get back to the others, I need to go get ready"
 >You stand and nod sadly
 "I know... Good luck, Anon!"
 >Anon flashes you a grin
 >"Thanks, I'll see you after the competition. Say 'hi' to the others for me"
 >You nod and buzz up to the open vent
 "Sure...Bye Anon!"
 >He smiles and waves
 >"See you later, Spinny"
 >You close up the vent and begin the journey back to your seat
 
 Be Anon
 >Be talking with the mare who controls the sound system
 >"What do you mean you don't have theme music? EVERYONE competing needs theme music!"
 >You frown
 "No one told me I needed any! Don't you have something you could use for me?"
 >The sound pony nods her head
 >"Fine, we'll just use some generic junk for you. I swear, you're almost as bad as Libele"
 >You tilt your head
 "What do you mean?"
 >The sound mare shakes her head as she starts to walk away
 >"Libele requested that we don't play anything for her!"
 >The sound mare disappears around a corner
 >...
 >The competition should be starting any minute now
 >You head back to wait in the theatre' s wings
 >As you arrive, The Warden steps out onto the stage
 >"Welcome stallions, mares, minotaurs and more, to the BRAINOTHON!"
 >The crowd cheers
 >The Warden beams at them
 >"Today we have five competitors seeking the title! Who will win? Only time will tell! Now, let's meet the competitors!"
 >The lights on the audience slowly fade out
 >The Warden gestures towards the podiums lined up behind her
 >"Libele the Dragon! She got second place last time, can she secure first place this time? Maybe she can with a little cheering!"
 >The audience goes wild, especially Vintl, as Libele walks on stage and stands comfortably behind a podium
 >As the cheering dies down, The Warden begins pacing
 >"Next, let's meet the stallion Rock Candy the Candymaker! He's got a sweet tooth for victory!"
 >The speakers around the stage come to life as the stallion begins his walk on stage
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RChD6LXhPkU
 >Damn, that stallion must have more muscles in his neck than you have in your whole body!
 >...That can't be healthy
 >Rock Candy raises a hoof and the audience cheers loudly for him
 >He does a few poses as he takes the longest possible route to his podium
 >A few mares in the front row swoon as Rock flexes in front of them
 >The stallion finally arrives at his podium
 >He roars and the audience goes wild
 >...This guy really knows how to work a crowd
 >Or maybe ponies are just really easily excited
 >The music fades out and The Warden nods
 >"Everypony, please give a warm welcome to our next competitor Mr. Take Under! His hobbies include putting things underneath himself!"
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jya2eBCDcW0
 >Bells toll, and no one appears
 >A full twelve seconds pass before anything happens...
 >And then a trap door opens
 >The lights flicker as a stallion with a /very/ greasy mane and a very black robe slowly emerges from the hole in the stage
 >This is all too much for some ponies in the audience, and a few ponies scream in fear
 >The music fades out and the flickering stops as Take Under arrives at his podium
 >The Warden smiles reassuringly at the audience
 >"Please put your hooves together for our fourth competitor, Anonymous the Human!"
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os0zmiMfRjM
 >Guess that's your cue
 >You step out onto the stage and wave awkwardly at your girls as the crowd cheers
 >The plonky, happy music fades out as you arrive at your podium
 >The Warden smiles approvingly at you
 >"...And finally, the competitor you have all been waiting for..."
 >The audience's applause die down
 >"...You've seen the rest, now meet the best!..."
 >Oi
 >Rude
 >"...Hill Stony, the Science Pony!"
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtVJdPfm0F8
 >A gangly unicorn in a white labcoat gallops down the aisle in the audience, accompanied by the crowd's thundering applause
 >He hops up onto the stage and does a dorky dance, and the audience chants with the music
 >"HILL, HILL, HILL, HILL, HILL, HILL!"
 >He holds up a hoof to stop the chanting, waits for a second, then points to the audience
 >"SCIENCE RULES!"
 >Hill beams the cockiest grin you've ever seen at the audience
 >Hill continues to strut around the stage as the music plays
 >He wiggles his eyebrows at the mares in the front row, and a few more swoon
 >The unicorn makes his way to his podium, but doesn't step behind it right away
 >He raises his hooves as the chanting begins again
 >"HILL, HILL, HILL, HILL, HILL, HILL, HILL, HILL, HILL, HILL!"
 >The music comes to an end and he finally steps behind his podium
 >The Warden nods
 >"Let the Brainothon begin!"
 
 
 Be Feygl
 >Hill Stony continues to prance around stage as his theme plays
 >You glance over at Spinnerette
 >You must admit to yourself, you're a little jealous of Spinnerette
 >First, she disappears without a word
 >Then she reappears telling everyone that Anon says 'hi'
 >You knew she wasn't lying about visiting Anon...
 >She smells like him
 >The music ends and The Warden nods
 >"Let the Brainothon begin!"
 >No time to be jealous, the first question would be asked soon!
 >The Warden paces in front of the competitors
 >"I'll briefly explain the rules for those of you who are new here. Each contestant will be asked a question in turns. You may pass once, and your question must be answered by the next contestant in line. Miss three questions, and you're disqualified. Please hold applause until after all the contestants have answered their questions"
 >The Warden scans the audience, before turning to the contestants
 >"Anon, you're new to this. Any questions?"
 >Anon smiles
 >"Only the ones you're about to ask"
 >The Warden, along with several audience members, giggle at the response
 >The Warden beams him a grin and trots over to her own podium
 >"Good. The order will go: Libele, Rock Candy, Take Under, Anonymous, Hill Stony. First question-"
 >The cocky unicorn interrupts her
 >"Please, use my full title"
 >The Warden shrugs
 >"If you want... Libele, first question..."
 >The Warden flips a card over on her podium
 >"At what temperature does water freeze?"
 >Libele smiles
 >"Zero"
 >The Warden nods
 >"Very good. Rock, At what temperature does water boil?"
 >Rock flexes
 >"One hundred!"
 >The Warden smiles
 >"Correct! Take Under..."
 >You glance over at Anon while The Warden gives Take Under his question
 >Anon looks so calm and relaxed
 >He catches you staring, and wiggles his fingers back at you
 >How can he be so relaxed and confident up there?
 >It's almost his turn to be questioned!
 >The Warden nods at Take Under
 >"Very good. Anonymous, what are clouds made of? Excluding magic. Be specific"
 >Anon beams at The Warden
 >"Back home they were made of tiny water droplets condensed around particles of dust in the air"
 >The Warden giggles
 >"Well, they're made the same way here. Hill Stony, the Science Pony..."
 >Anon did it!
 >He answered his first question!
 >The Warden turns to the audience
 >"Of course, Hill Stony is correct. That concludes the first round!"
 >The audience applauds, and you join in
 >All your applause are for Anon though
 >...And maybe one or two claps for Libele, but just because she's a friend
 
 Be Anon
 >Be having a good time
 >Who knew ponies thought third grade science was cutting-edge?
 >...
 >You probably should have seen that coming, honestly
 >The Warden smiles broadly
 >"And that concludes the /eigth/ round! Let's have a round of applause for our remaining contestants!"
 >You take a small bow, waving at your girls
 >Sandy, Vintl and Feygl are all shouting wildly, Amber beams you a smile and waves back, while Spinny bounces and cheers for you
 >You give them a determined grin
 >This isn't over yet
 >You glance over at the remaining competitors
 >Hill Stony soaks up the attention, and Libele quietly stands behind her podium
 >If dragons could sweat, Libele would be drenched in nervous sweat
 >She's the worst off of the three of you
 >She's already missed two questions and used her pass
 >Hill hasn't missed any questions, but you aren't really worried about that
 >Because you haven't missed any either
 >The Warden calms the audience
 >"It looks like we may soon have a new champion! But only time will tell. Time for the next round of questions! Libele, which direction do stalagmites point? Up or down?"
 >Libele swallows loudly
 >"Pass?"
 >The Warden shakes her head
 >"I'm sorry, you've already used your pass. You must answer this question"
 >Libele frowns
 >"Drat and bother!...They hang down?"
 >The Warden shakes her head
 >"I'm sorry, that's incorrect. Libele, that was your third incorrect question. Please step off the stage, you've been disqualified"
 >Libele hangs her head
 >"I understand"
 >She looks over at you
 >"Anon, you better win this. I'd hate to think I lost to anyone except the very best"
 >You nod and shoot her a grin
 >The competition continues
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >"Correct! That concludes round /fifteen/ of the competition! Things are getting /really/ intense here folks! Anon, What do you call a mountain with a flat top?"
 >You beam her a smug grin
 "A plateau"
 >The Warden shakes her head in amazement
 >"Yet /another/ correct answer! I've never seen anything like this!"
 >Hill Stony glares at you
 >"No one has ever beaten me before in a competition like this. I won't let you be the first"
 >You smirk back
 "Haven't you ever heard? There's a first time for everything"
 >The Warden clears her throat
 >"Please save conversations until the round is over. Hill Stony, the Science Pony, what type of animal are frogs?"
 >The cocky unicorn smirks
 >"Amphibians"
 >The Warden nods
 >"Correct again! Time for round /seventeen/! I'm almost out of questions! Time for some questions on applied magic... Anon, If a unicorn uses five SS's of magic for every levitation spell, how many SS's of magic will it take to cast twelve levitation spells?"
 >Time for some simple algebra
 >Five times twelve? Sixty
 >This shit is too easy
 >...though part of you is curious what the hell one SS of magic is
 "Sixty SS's of magic"
 >The Warden nods
 >"Correct! Hill Stony, the Science Pony... Oooh, this is a really tough one!  If a unicorn uses seven SS's of magic to cast a spell, how many spells would she have to cast to use up one-hundred, forty-seven SS's of magic?"
 >The audience gasps
 >Hill narrows his eyes at you and smirks
 >"Pass"
 >The audience gasps louder, and Hill licks his lips
 >The Warden's eyes bug out a little
 >"We're witnessing history here, folks! For the first time... Hill has passed on a question!"
 >You chuckle and shrug
 "I pass it right back"
 >Hill frowns
 >"You can't do that"
 >The Warden clears her throat
 >"Yes he can. Hill, please answer the question"
 >Hill frowns, and begins scribbling on his whiteboard
 >The crowd watches in total silence
 >Hill furrows his brow, and clears his whiteboard
 >Can he not get this?
 >Several long seconds pass, and Hill's scribbling takes on a more frantic quality
 >The Warden checks the time
 >"Hill Stony, the Science Pony... please, we need an answer"
 >Hill waves her off with a hoof
 >"I can get this, I can get this! Just give me a minute!"
 >You smirk
 >He's becoming unhinged
 >Losing his cool
 >You got this
 >For a full minute, the only sound is the squeaking of Hill's whiteboard marker
 >Finally, The Warden clears her throat
 >"Hill Stony, the Science Pony... you're out of time. Answer please?"
 >Hill growls
 >"I said give me a minute!"
 >The Warden frowns
 >"I did. Your time is up. Answer please"
 >Hill Stony frowns
 >"I don't have an answer. That question is impossible, no one can answer that!"
 >Now that is a challenge if you ever heard one
 >...And it's a great opportunity to show Hill exactly what he's dealing with
 >You raise your had
 >"Could I have this as my next question, then?"
 >The Warden frowns again
 >"Normally, I'd say 'no'... But we are almost out of questions. Hill Stony, the Science Pony, are you okay with this?"
 >Hill pouts and shrugs
 >"Sure, let him lose a question too"
 >The Warden smiles
 >"Alright. Anon, you may answer the question. But first, why ask for a question you already passed?"
 >You smirk
 "To make a point. The answer is twenty-one spells"
 >Silence reigns supreme
 >The Warden checks the question card, then looks at you, then back to the card
 >"T-That is correct!"
 >Silence had a short run as ruler
 >The crowd completely loses their shit
 >You smile and wave at your girls, each of them cheering wildly
 >...If this keeps up much longer, they'll lose their voices!
 >Even Libele joins in on the cheering
 >Hill Stony's jaw drops
 >You smirk back over at him while the crowd goes insane
 >You got this
 
 
 Be Libele
 >This is insane!
 >Anon managed to answer a question that not even Hill could get right?!
 >He didn't even use his whiteboard to help him figure out the answer!
 >...
 >...Seems you /seriously/ underestimated Anon
 >Whether he gets first place or not, you did promise Vintl you'd ask to join Anon's herd if he beat you
 >He's certainly done that
 >Anon got a question that Hill failed to answer...
 >You still couldn't quite believe it!
 >You glance over at the rest of the girls
 >Vintl had been either kind enough, or cocky enough in Anon's abilities to save you a seat
 >The girls are all cheering wildly for Anon
 >A glance at the stage confirms that Anon is happily wiggling his fingers at your group
 >Anon winks, and you share a thought with every other girl in your group
 >'Anon just winked at me!'
 >The others double their cheering
 >Their enthusiasm is... infectious
 >You smile and join in their cheers
 >Anon shoots you all a thumbs up
 >The Warden waves her hooves in the air
 >"Alright, alright, order! I know this is an amazing turn of events, but the competition isn't over yet! Both contestants have a good chance of winning"
 >Hill Stony shakes his head viciously
 >"False! It's obvious who is going to win!"
 >Anon chuckles loudly
 >"I'm glad you realize that. I'm okay with you surrendering now. That would save me time and save you from some serious embarrassment"
 >Hill glares at Anon
 >"Warden... Please ask my rival his next question"
 >Anon nods
 >"Yes please, let's get this over with"
 >The Warden smiles nervously
 >"Alright... Anon, name one mammal that lays eggs"
 >Anon smirks
 >"You sure you don't want to give me something difficult?"
 >Hill gives Anon a dirty look
 >"Just answer the question... Or do you not know the answer? Is that it? You're bluffing, aren't you!"
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Wrong again, Hill"
 >Hill stamps a hoof
 >"Use my full title!"
 >Anon smirks
 >"Warden, my answer is: The duck-billed platypus"
 >The Warden smiles
 >"Correct! Hill Stony, the Science Pony... If eight unicorns are required to cast a powerful spell, how many unicorns are required to cast four and a half powerful spells?"
 >Hill's horn lights up, and his marker begins flying over his whiteboard
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Need any help?"
 >Hill grunts
 >Anon tilts his head
 >"Was that a 'yes' or a 'no'?"
 >Hill growls, but doesn't look up from his whiteboard
 >Happy Heart leans over to you
 >"Anon is really laying it on pretty thick. I didn't know he'd be so ruthless up there"
 >You nod, watching the odd male
 >Why would he be offering to help Hill like that?...
 >...
 >Oh
 >Oh that clever monkey
 "He's playing with Hill Stony... Getting into his head, and ruining Hill's concentration!"
 >Happy's eyes widen
 >"R-Really? That's brilliant psychological technique!"
 >You nod and gaze up at the human with triple, no, quadruple the respect you had for him this morning
 >...It would seem your bet with Vintl has been a real win-win arrangement
 >Hill wipes away his work his whiteboard with a cloth
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Starting over? Need a hint? Warden, you can give him a hint if h-"
 >Hill snaps his head to the side to glare at Anon
 >"SHUT UP! I don't need help!"
 >Anon gives Hill an infuriatingly friendly smile
 >"You sure, buddy? You look like you need some help... If that sweat on your face is any indicator, that is"
 >Hill quickly wipes his face with a cloth...
 >...the same cloth he's been using for his whiteboard!
 >Anon laughs and gestures towards Hill's dirty face
 >"Buddy, yo-"
 >Hill snarles
 >"I'm not your 'buddy'!"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"Whatever you say, friendo-"
 >Hill's eye twitches
 >"-I just thought I'd warn you that you got a little something on your face"
 >Hill glances down at his dirty cloth
 >His eyes snap back up to Anon
 >"You got me dirty!"
 >Anon holds his hands in the air
 >"Easy there, friendo. I didn't do anything to you"
 >Hill stamps a hoof
 >"Stop making a fool out of me!"
 >Anon narrows his eyes and smirks
 >"You're doing that all by yourself, friendo"
 >Hill's horn lights up and the unicorn levitates his marker threateningly
 >The Warden's voice booms out
 >"Hill, your time is up! Answer please!"
 >The unicorn stares at The Warden, slack-jawed
 >The Warden smiles back expectantly
 >"I need your answer"
 >Hill glances at his empty whiteboard and licks his lips nervously
 >"...I don't have an answer-YET! Give me just another mi-"
 >The Warden shakes her head firmly
 >"Sorry, no extra time. We need an answer, Hill Stony the Science Pony"
 >Anon raises his hand lazily
 >"I'm fine with my friend here having a few extra minutes if he really needs them"
 >Hill whips his head around
 >"I don't need your charity! I can beat you without missing another question!"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"Suit yourself. Warden, what's my question?"
 >The Warden shuffles the papers on her podium awkwardly
 >"The thing is... that was sort of the last one. Hill Stony, the Science Pony... Because you have the least remaining chances, you are disqualified. Anon takes fir-"
 >Hill shakes his head
 >"NO! The competition can't end like this! There must be a clear winner!"
 >Anon raises his hand again
 >"I'm okay with that. Warden, can't Hill and I just ask eachother questions?"
 >The Warden glances back and forth between Anon and the furious unicorn
 >"...I suppose it's alright. Hill Stony the Science Pony, what's your question for Anon?"
 >Hill smiles darkly at Anon
 >"Anon... What trade wind do dragons follow and use during their migrations?"
 >Anon furrows his brow
 >"Guess you've gotten me there. I haven't the slightest clue"
 >Hill laughs happily
 >"The 'Stirrupco'! Take that! This is only the start of my glorious comeback!"
 >Anon smiles mockingly
 >"Whatever you say, friendo. My turn"
 >Hill narrows his eyes and smirks
 >"Bring it!"
 >Anon stretches and yawns comfortably
 >How can he be so relaxed?!
 >"Are humans carnivores or herbivores?"
 >Hill's face freezes
 >"You can't ask that"
 >Anon smirks
 >"Why not?"
 >Hill stamps his hoof
 >"That isn't a question about the natural world or applied magic!"
 >Anon looks over at The Warden
 >"Excuse me, Warden? You'd agree that humans are a type of animal, correct? Though humans may be rare here, back in my world humans are /extremely/ common. There are literally billions of us"
 >The Warden nods slowly
 >"Sorry Hill Stony, the Science Pony. You need to answer Anon's question"
 >Hill stamps his hoof
 >"FINE!..."
 >Hill stares at Anon
 >The unicorn rubs his chin thoughtfully
 >"...Herbivore is too obvious, so I should pick carnivore!...But you might have known that I'd think that, so I should guess herbivore after all!... But then again..."
 >Anon taps his foot loudly
 >"Come on, what's your answer?"
 >Hill narrows his eyes at Anon
 >"...Carnivore"
 >The crowd around you gasps
 >...Haven't you seen Anon eating both meat and fruits?
 >Anon smirks and raises an eyebrow
 >"Is that your final answer?"
 >Hill shifts nervously
 >"...yes-NO! Herbivore!"
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Is /that/ your final answer?"
 >Hill nods
 >Anon laughs louder
 >"I'm sorry, but that is incorrect!"
 >The crowd gasps, a few pointing toward you and the other girls, whispering to eachother
 >"Aren't they part of his herd?"
 >"Maybe they're all dangerous"
 >Hill's eyes go wide
 >"You're a carnivore!?"
 >Anon smirks and shakes his head
 >Hill and the audience share a /very/ confused moment
 >Anon chuckles
 >"Answers that I would have considered correct are: Yes, no, both, and neither"
 >Hill shakes his head in disbelief
 >"What does that even mean?!"
 >Anon smiles
 >"Humans are omnivores. We eat meat and plants. Well then, Hill, congratulations on getting /second/ place"
 >...
 >Did that actually happen?
 >Did Anon actually just beat Hill Stony?!
 >Hill shakes his head
 >"No, NO! You cheated! I can't lose!"
 >The Warden shakes the shock from her system and beams at the crowd
 >"THIS IS SIMPLY AMAZING! WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION, LET'S HAVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF OUR COMPETITORS TODAY! ESPECIALLY OUR WINNER, ANON!"
 >The audience around you goes balistic, and you slump back into your seat
 >...That was...
 >...Amazing!
 >Anon wasn't just smarter than Hill, he was more clever than Hill, too!
 >Hill continues to try and deny Anon's victory, but his voice is lost in the roar of the crowd
 >Anon steps out from behind his podium, bows slightly, and gives a friendly wave to the audience
 >... You really did underestimate Anon
 >You wouldn't make that mistake again
 >Anon was on a whole different level
 >You glance over at the others
 >These girls, your friends, were /hopefully/ about to become your herdmates
 >The crowd's enthusiasm rages on
 
 Be Anon
 >Be sitting at your usual spot for dinner
 >Be wearing a slightly uncomfortable bowtie
 >You smile
 >Your girls have been praising you nonstop since you won the brainothon
 >Vintl dances on your shoulder
 >"I. knew. you. could. do. it.!"
 >Feygl leans into your side
 >"Yeah! You were /really/ impressive"
 >Sandy nuzzles into your other side
 >"Where did you learn to be so smart?"
 >You chuckle
 "School. I know there are schools in this world"
 >Amber nods
 >"True, but we don't learn anything as complex as applied magic. Where did you learn to solve applied magic problems?"
 >You smile at your minotaur girlfriend
 "Like I said, I learned it in school"
 >Spinny frowns
 >"But I thought you didn't have magic where you came from... How would your people know anything about magic?"
 >You tap your head
 "We don't"
 >Vintl stamps her tiny hoof on your shoulder
 >"Give. us. a. straight. answer.!"
 >You chuckle
 "Alright, alright... Applied magic questions are simple algebra. It's a word problem, so I just converted the question into an easily understood formula and then solved for the missing variable"
 >The girls all give you blank stares
 "...Seriously? Humans learn this stuff in middle school, it isn't that complex"
 >Happy Heart tilts her head
 >"What's 'middle school'?"
 >You blink at the odd question
 "You know, the school you go to after elementary school? Sometimes called Primary and secondary schools?"
 >Your girlfriends don't react, and continue their blank stares
 "...The point is, I convert the problem into pure numbers. I learned a long time ago, when I was just a kid"
 >Happy Heart's eyes widen
 >"Seriously? Honestly?! That's insane! You must be brilliant!"
 >You chuckle
 "Thanks, I'd like to think I got good grades... usually, at least. But this stuff isn't uncommon. Where I come from, everyone learns it at that same age"
 >Feygl giggles
 >"You really know a lot... but how well do you know /biology/?"
 >You smirk back at her
 "I could give you a demonstration, sometime"
 >Feygl smirks
 >"I think I'd like that... A lot"
 >Amber shakes her head
 >"To learn all that at such a young age...That's insane... You humans must be brilliant! I had no idea..."
 >You bow your head a little
 "Thanks, it's my personal theory that humans are very, /very/ good at coming up with increasingly complex and clever ways to do silly things"
 >Sandy tilts her head
 >"What do ye mean?"
 >You chuckle
 "Well... For example, humans have walked on the moon"
 >Vintl shakes her head
 >"Now. I. know. you're. pulling. my. tail.!"
 >You tilt your head to try and look your tiny girlfriend in the eye
 "I swear it's the truth. We've had a couple people walk on the moon, and a lot more float in space. They were wearing protective gear, of course, but they still did it"
 >Happy stares off at nothing in particular
 >"Amazing... The magic required to transport someone to the moon is..."
 >You smirk
 "Humans don't use magic, remember? Doesn't exsist in our world"
 >Amber frowns
 >"Then how did humans manage to reach the moon?"
 >You gesture towards Sandy
 "You remember those sparklers? Well, imagine a gigantic tower made of metal and ceramic absolutely stuffed to the brim with an insanely large sparkler with just a tiny capsule at the top /just/ large enough for a few humans to sit"
 >Feygl smirks
 >"I wouldn't mind seeing /your/ metal tower"
 >You chuckle and raise an eyebrow
 "Oh my~"
 >Happy frowns, bringing the conversation back on track
 >"That sounds really dangerous"
 >You nod
 "Extremely. Several courageous, brave humans have lost their lives attempting to go to space"
 >Amber shakes her head
 >"They shouldn't have died! Sparklers don't go off unless someone ignites them!"
 >You chuckle
 "That's the thing... We ignite it. Fire pours out of the bottom of the tower so fast that it lifts the entire thing off the ground. As it travels higher and higher, parts of it are designed to fall off until only a small portion around the capsule remains"
 >Happy stares at you, wide-eyed
 >"What could possibly be on the moon that is worth that much risk?!"
 >You smile proudly
 "Humans have gained a significant amount of scientific knowledge from our days in space... But in a more concrete, materialistic sense, there isn't anything on the moon we need"
 >Spinny blinks
 >"What? Your people couldn't have known what science there was to learn in space... Why go to the moon and go through all that danger if there is nothing you want there?!"
 >You shoot her a toothy grin
 "Human nature. Humans as a species are always pushing, expanding, testing, learning. We found a few pretty rocks in space, sure. But the real reward was the science! The glory! The achievement!"
 >The girls sit for a few minutes in stunned silence
 >"Humans. are. crazy.!"
 >You chuckle and raise your knuckle up to the breezie on your shoulder
 "Yeah? Well this human is crazy about you girls"
 >You hear the clicking of claws on tile behind you
 >"Excuse me, Anon?"
 >You turn and beam a grin
 "Hey there Libele, I was wondering where you were"
 >Libele smiles cutely and hefts a bundle of cloth in her arms
 >"I was off getting this. Anon, it's easy for a dragon to find a tough, strong mate. It is significantly harder to find an intelligent mate. Today you really impressed me with your knowledge and wit. I'd be honored if you would accept me into your herd. I understand it is traditional for a potential addition to bring the male a present..."
 >Libele holds out the bundle of cloth
 >"...So here, this is for you. The wool I used to make it is made out of Nemean lion mane hairs. This scarf will never wear out or tear. It is also extremely stain resistant and easy to clean"
 >Vintl hops up and down on your shoulder
 >"Please. please. please. please. please. let. her. join.! She's. my. best. friend.!"
 >Libele hands you the scarf
 >The scarf is smooth and soft
 >You start to straighten out the scarf to get a better look
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >...Just how long is this thing?!
 >Libele rubs the back of her neck
 >"...I may have overdone it when I made this. It is seventeen feet long"
 >Seventeen feet?!
 >And it sounds like it's made of a really expensive material
 "Thank you, you obviously put a lot of work into this. I'm alright with you joining if the girls are"
 >You glance back towards your girls to gauge their reactions
 >Every single one of them is wearing a big, excited, goofy grin
 "No objections?"
 >No objections
 >You turn back to Libele
 "Well Libele... Welcome to the herd"
 >Libele gives you a relieved smile and your girls cheer
 
 
 Be Libele
 >Be sitting at the usual table with your friends
 >These girls... Your herd mates
 >Part of you still couldn't believe everything that had transpired
 >Hill was beaten so easily!
 >Simply remarkable...
 >And now you're in a herd with the male that beat him
 >...Hopefully Anon won't mind the size difference
 >He is a bit smaller than you...
 >...
 >On the other hand, Anon and Vintl get along just fine despite their size difference
 >If Anon had problems with you being taller than him, he probably wouldn't have let you into the herd at all
 >You're just fine
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be eating dinner with Anon's group
 >Libele daintily wipes her mouth
 >"Anon? I understand that every other girl in the herd has had a chance to take you on a date. I would like to have that same opportunity"
 >Anon swallows his bite and nods
 >"Of course, we can spend some time together tomorrow"
 >Libele smiles back
 >"Excellent, thank you"
 >You take a sip of your juice
 >Anon's herd is really filling up...
 >He has seven girls already!
 >Most males can barely handle five...
 >Can't forget that he has both a changeling /and/ a gryphon in his herd
 >Both races are well known for their...appetites
 >But everyone seems happy with him...
 >He's done such a good job making this group so tightly knit together
 >You munch your sandwich thoughtfully
 >Anon is a remarkable person...
 >He's managed to bring down every single challenger you've set him up against
 >...Strong...
 >...Smart...
 >...Caring...
 >...
 >... This can't be happening
 >You can't be falling in love with an inmate!
 >Anon laughs and wiggles his eyebrows at something Spinnerette said
 >Such a rich sound~
 >You frown
 >Conflicting emotions and thoughts swirl in your head
 >Insecurities, fears, and guilt wrestle against hope and affection
 >Anon turns to you and frowns in concern
 >"You alright Happy? You like you've got something on your mind"
 >You force a smile
 >He's so sincere, concerned with your well-being...
 >...
 >That tears it!
 >You're going to ask to join!
 >...Now might not be the best time, though...
 "I'm fine... Though I would like to speak to you tomorrow. Privately"
 >Sandy giggles
 >"Yar, I'd like our privates to talk too!"
 >Feygl frowns playfully
 >"No fair! Me first!"
 >Anon tousles the naughty pirate's hair affectionately
 >"Quiet you! Bad pirate!"
 >Sandy smiles and growls up at him
 >Anon wraps an arm around Feygl
 >"And you stop that too!"
 >Feygl smirks back
 >"Make me"
 >Anon chuckles and shakes his head, before turning back to you
 >"I can swing by your office after my date with Libele"
 >Libele smiles
 >"I'm rather looking forward to it"
 >Anon smiles and straightens his championship bow-tie
 >"Me too. So, Happy, would that work?"
 >You nod
 "That sounds perfect"
 >Anon smiles
 >"Great!"
 >Feygl smiles over at Anon
 >"I wouldn't mind having some alone time with you..."
 >Anon winks at her
 >"Anytime, my door is always open to my girls"
 >Feygl blushes and nods
 >"Thanks... I'll certainly keep that in mind"
 >He turns back to Libele
 >"So, what are you thinking for our date?"
 >Libele sips her tea
 >"I was hoping we could stay in and chat or read together with some good tea"
 >Anon smiles and leans back
 >"That sounds really relaxing. Mind if I have coffee too?"
 >Libele nods
 >"I'll arrange for whatever beverage you prefer. How many spoons of sugar will you want in it?"
 >Anon takes a bite of his meal
 >"None, and no cream, please"
 >Your eyes widen as a couple girls gasp in shock
 >Feygl clicks her beak
 >"P-Pure coffee? Are you crazy? No one can handle that level of bitterness!"
 >Anon chuckles
 >"You clearly haven't met my ex. Seriously though, I prefer black coffee"
 >Spinny leans into Anon
 >"Are you sure you can't put something in it?"
 >Anon winks seductively at Spinny
 >She squeaks and blinks in surprise
 >Anon chuckles again
 >"I'll be fine. I already get enough sweetness out of you girls"
 >Libele nods slowly
 >"I... suppose I can arrange that"
 >Anon beams a smile at her
 >"Thanks! It feels like forever since I've had a good cup of coffee. It'll be great to finally get a hot cup of the stuff again"
 >Anon resumes eating his meal
 >...To drink pure coffee...
 >If anyone else said they drank the stuff, you'd call them a liar
 >...But Anon isn't like anyone else
 >He's something completely different
 >Feygl clicks her beak
 >"Anon, you're so amazing!"
 
 Be Bright Spear
 >Be sipping your sugarless-iced-upside-down-caramel-and-cinnamon-extra-foam-extra-milk-extra-sugar-strawberry-decaf-macchiato
 >You needed to stay up late tonight in order to pull off your next prank
 >It had taken some real effort, but your minions managed to bring in a rubber chicken for you
 >You giggle darkly, already imagining how the prank will work
 >Anon will wake up tomorrow, and open his door...
 >...pulling the string...
 >...releasing the catch...
 >...dropping the rubber chicken...
 >...which will swing on it's own string, straight into Anon's dumb, ugly face!
 >Your plan is pure genious!
 >Though your previous pranks have all fallen flat or backfired, there is no way you can fail this time!
 >Your thoughts are interrupted by a new stallion sitting at your table
 >Uninvited
 >"Are you that disgraced lout, Bright Spear?"
 >Hey!
 >Rude!
 "I am Bright Spear, and you've got a lot of nerve talking like that to me"
 >The new unicorn smiles warmly
 >"I hear you're trying to bring Anon down"
 >You shush him with a hoof
 "Not so loud!... What do you want?"
 >The stallion extends a hoof
 >"An alliance. Against our mutual enemy"
 >You narrow your eyes at the stallion
 "Why would I want your help? I can take him down all by myself!"
 >The unicorn scoffs
 >"Please, you've failed time after time. I'm smarter than you'll ever be, and I know of others who would be willing to join us"
 >You raise an eyebrow, intrigued
 >This stallion could be the key to finally beating Anon...
 >And he has a point, you have been having a hard time against Anon...
 "I'm not stupid, so if you're half as smart as you claim to be, you must be a genious. Alright, I'll give you a chance"
 >You extend your hoof to meet his
 "What's your name, anyway?"
 >The unicorn smiles
 >"My name is Hill Stony, the Science Pony"
 
 [The next section of story is in the "Feygl's First Lewd" paste]
 
 
 Be Hill Stony, the Science Pony
 >Be working in your personal workshop/laboratory late into the night
 >It's well past your bedtime
 >But there wasn't time for bed!
 >You needed to prepare yourself and your allies with advanced technology and gadgets if your plan is going to work
 >This will easily be your greatest challenge yet!
 >Your nemesis, Anon, is smart and tough like nothing this prison has ever seen before
 >You'd received reports on Anon's foray into the Pit
 >Anon couldn't be beaten or intimidated physically
 >From personal experience, you know he can't be easily tricked or outsmarted...
 >Luckily, he has several weaknesses you can...exploit
 >You smirk and prepare your tools
 >While Anon may have been able to repel Bright Spear, there is no way you will be defeated
 >You have vision and brains that Spear lacks!
 >...Not to mention you have allies, while that simpleton tried to take Anon on one-on-one
 >Yes... You'll come out on top
 >There is no way you can lose
 >A powerful yawn forces itself upon you
 >You try to blink the drowsiness away...
 >...But fail
 >The workbench is covered with tools and half-finished gadgets, all seeming to cry out to be worked with
 >You shake your head as another yawn assaults you
 >...The gadgets will have to wait for now
 >Even geniouses need their sleep
 >You leave everything out and head towards your bed
 >It'll be easier to finish working in the morning if all your tools are already out on the workbench
 >Almost as soon as your head hits the pillow, you're dozing off
 >You smile as you fade off into dreams...
 >Dreams of victory
 >Dreams of being recognized for your genious nature
 >Dreams of having a princess as your alpha mare
 
 Be Luna
 >Be the princess of the night
 >Be floating among the dreams
 >Be upset
 >Last night you learned that Anon thought some less than pleasant things about you and your sister...
 >He has no reason to think those things, though!
 >You're kind, benevolent, funny...
 >You sigh
 >Nice mares /always/ finish last!
 >Anon seemed so unhappy when he first arrived...
 >A colt should never be sad!
 >It's the age-old duty of every mare to keep stallions happy
 >You went out of your way to include Anon in pranks around the castle so he wouldn't feel lonely
 >You tried every trick in the book to be his friend
 >Laughing at all his jokes...
 >Complimenting him every day...
 >And this is how he repays your kindness?
 >...
 >You organize the dreamscape to display only the dreams in the prison
 >Anon's herd's dreams cluster in front of you
 >You worked your tail off, and he doesn't even see you as a friend?
 >What did these girls have that you don't?!
 >...
 >Your pouting is interrupted by the spark of a dreamer floating past your eyes, giving you a momentary peephole into their dream
 >Someone in the prison was dreaming about you?
 >Interesting...
 >With a silent, inverted flash, you enter the dream
 >...This dreamer certainly has some flattering opinions about you!
 >Your dream self has a slightly longer horn and fluffier wings...
 >Not bad, but the dreamer messed up your chest tuft
 >You've got more fluff than /that/ on your chest!
 >...Time to meet your 'secret admirer'
 >You glance around and spot the dreamer's 'mind' floating above the dream version of you, but below the real you
 >The dreamer's 'body' enters the room, proudly declaring his victory over Anon
 >Interesting...
 >You tweak the dream slightly, and the fake you questions how the stallion beat Anon
 >The pony proudly declares that he is himself, and he is Hill Stony the Science Pony, and that Hill Stony the Science Pony is him
 >...He may like to hear himself talk, but at least he's kinda cute
 >The stallion wordlessly elaborates that his latest plan worked flawlessly, Anon was defeated!
 >You try to get more information out of the cocky stallion...
 >...No good, if you want any details then you're going to need to expose your presence in his dream
 >The dreamer's point of view flies into his dream body and he quickly closes the distance to the fake you
 >You hold back from revealing yourself just yet, curious to see what he does with the dream you
 >The dream bodies shift and flow, melting together into a mess of limbs
 >It takes a few seconds, but the two bodies separate again
 >Oh~
 >This dreamer certainly is a cuddly one, isn't he?
 >...You can afford to stay hidden a while longer
 >And where better to hide than in plain sight?
 >You eject the fake version of yourself and easily slip into it's place before it fully fades away
 >Hill has no idea it's the real you he's cuddling with
 >You smile as he buries his face into your chest tuft
 >'Tia may have forbade you from changing dreams to satisfy your needs, but she never said anything about if you could insert yourself into a dream where the dreamer has already been dreaming /interesting/ things about you
 >Besides, he wants it! You're just making the experience more genuine for him
 >Though the sensations are frustratingly muffled due to being from a dream, you can't help but wrap your wings around the ambitious male
 >You'll get the most out of his dream that you can before you risk trying to get more information out of him
 >You've accidently revealed yourself before in dream scenes like this, and it usually ends in an awkward letter of apology
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be waking up
 >Be a little sore
 >You yawn mightily and get a mouthful of feathers
 >Spitting out some stray down, you blearily blink and stretch
 >Feygl is curled up next to you in a tight ball of fluff and feathers
 >You prop yourself up with your elbow and look down at your sleeping gryphon
 >Her belly silently raises and lowers as she breathes, occasionally twitching or trembling as she dreams
 >You lean down and give her a peck on the forehead
 >Feygl yawns and stretches, not truly awake
 >You stifle a d'aww as she covers her eyes with her taloned hands and pulls her chin into her chest
 >She finishes the stretch and sighs happily, leaving her eyes covered
 >You quietly chuckle to yourself
 >She is completely drained
 >...No doubt because of you
 >Well, she certainly didn't make it easy for you!
 >Last night was easily the best workout you've had in a while
 >You start to lie back down, but your belly pointedly reminds you that you haven't had breakfast yet
 >Curse your body for needing things like 'food' and 'sleep'!
 >You should probably wake Feygl up so she can get something to eat too
 >Feygl coos softly in her sleep
 >It's probably best if you let her sleep in for now
 >Besides, she's not quite the right shape to share the shower with you
 >You leave the sleepy hybrid to her catnap and head towards your bathroom
 >Good workouts leave bad smells
 >You don't bother shutting your bathroom door
 >Feygl is out cold, and it really wouldn't be a bad thing if she saw you in the shower
 >With a twist of a knob, the shower splashes to life
 >When the water is warm enough, you carefully step over the rim of the tub and into the stall
 >One of these days you'll plug the drain and let the water fill up to that rim and take a bath
 >You bathe quickly and dry yourself, smelling less of sweat and more like a field of daisies
 >Why ponies made shampoo that smelled like their food, you'll never know...
 >Actually, didn't you hear something about bacon-scented hygiene products back home?
 >You wave the idle thought away and get dressed
 >A brief glance confirms your earlier suspicions
 >Feygl is still fast asleep on your bed, too worn out to wake up anytime soon
 >Better leave her a note, in case she wakes up before you get back from breakfast
 >You scavange some paper and a pencil and begin to write the note
 >It takes only a few seconds to have the note written out, but it's missing something...
 >You idly roll the pencil between your fingers for a moment before adding a few finishing touches
 >Satisfied with your note, you head out the door into another bright beautiful day with your lively girlfriends
 >...And also one rubber chicken, apparently
 
 Be Feygl
 >Be waking up
 >Be barely able to open your eyes
 >You're so relaxed, so calm...
 >...So sore!
 >You groan as you struggle to lift yourself into what could barely pass for a sitting position
 >This is easily the weakest you've ever felt, all your limbs feel as though they are petitioning for independance from your body
 >Last night comes back to you in a flash
 >Anon... Anon was /amazing/!
 >He made you feel things you didn't even imagine were possible!
 >The way he used that scarf...
 >It's a small wonder that the heat of your face doesn't set your feathers on fire
 >That Anon...
 >...Where is he, anyway?
 >He isn't in bed with you...
 >You glance around the room
 >Looks like Anon isn't here...
 >[sad catbird noises]
 >You spot a piece of paper on the bedstand next to you
 >Looks like he left a note...
 >'Dear Feygl,
 >I left to go get some breakfast. I'll be bringing back some for you if I don't see you in the mess hall, so feel free to clean yourself up in my bathroom.
 >Love, Anon'
 >'P.S. Sorry for the mess'
 >'P.P.S. Not really'
 >'P.P.P.S. It's a good look for you'
 >The lack of flaming feathers escalates from small wonder to a full-blown miracle
 >Anon signed it 'Love'!
 >You giggle happily and flop back down into a more comfortable position
 >First he blows your mind, and then he gets you breakfast in bed?
 >You roll onto your back and rest an arm on your belly
 >...So that's why he apologized for leaving a mess
 >This will be a lot of work to clean out of your fur
 >Normally you'd clean yourself without water, licking yourself clean like a cat...
 >But this mess is probably beyond your tongue
 >If it were fresh and you weren't so exhausted, it would be a different matter completely
 >...It'll only get worse if you proscrastinate
 >Your body violently protests as you force yourself to get out of the bed
 >After catching your breath for a few minutes, you pick yourself up off the floor and continue the trek to Anon's shower
 >You can barely walk
 >The bottom of the stall is a little damp
 >Anon must have already showered
 >How can he just walk around after a night like /that/?!
 >You shake your head in wonder as the water begins spraying down
 >With a massive effort, you manage to waddle into the stall
 >Thank goodness the warm water here never runs out
 >You aren't sure you can get back out of the stall any time soon
 
 Be Anon
 >Be walking up to your table carrying two trays
 >Vintl spots you first and hops up onto the table to wave at you
 >Her sudden motion draws every girl's attention over to you
 >By the time you reach your table, every one of them is beaming at you
 >Sandy moves over for you to sit next to her, but you've already spent a couple meals sitting close to her
 >Your other girls should get turns sitting next to you, too
 "Hey girls, how'd you all sleep?"
 >You take a seat next to Libele and Happy
 >Sandy deflates a little
 >"Anon, don't you want to sit next to me?"
 >You give her a warm smile
 "Of course I do. But I can't play favorites. Libele just joined the herd so she should get some time sitting next to me. We can sit together at lunch, deal?"
 >Sandy frowns but nods
 >"Fine..."
 >Vintl canters across the table and floats up to your shoulder
 >"Good. Morning. Anon.!"
 >You raise up a finger to her, and she bops it with her hoof
 "Hey there little boss, sleep well?"
 >Vintl nods
 >"I. had. good. dreams. Anon.!"
 >You smile at the tiny creature
 "I'm glad to hear that"
 >Libele shifts and looks down at a large bulge in your pants
 >"Anon...What is that?"
 >You follow her gaze
 "...So, weird thing happened this morning, someone had this hanging in front of my door"
 >You reach into your pocket and pull out a floppy rubber chicken
 >Spinny blinks and Amber stares at the fake poultry
 >Libele pokes it with a claw
 >"It was just... hanging there?"
 >You nod
 "Yup, at about head height. I bet I know who this belongs to, too"
 >You glance over your shoulder at Bright Spear
 >He is snickering
 "Hey Bright Spear, catch!"
 >You lob the rubber chicken in an underhand throw
 >Bright Spear blinks
 >"Wait, wha-"
 >He is interrupted by a rubber chicken to the face
 >You feign a worried look
 "Oh dear, I'm sorry Bright Spear. I thought you would be able to catch something like that"
 >Bright Spear flushes with anger as the chicken flops onto the floor
 >The Warden appears, seemingly out of nowhere
 >"Anon! Did you just throw a rubber chicken at Bright Spear?!"
 >You shake your head
 >Bright Spear snarles
 >"LIAR!"
 >You frown
 "I was only returning your toy. You should be thanking me"
 >The Warden's eyes narrow
 >"So the chicken is yours, Bright Spear?"
 >Bright Spear sputters
 >"That doesn't matter right now, /he/ threw it at /me/!"
 >The Warden takes a deep breath
 >"And just how did Anon get it?"
 >You smile cheerfully
 "He left it hanging on a string outside my door"
 >The Warden sighs
 >"Seriously, Bright Spear? I expected better from you. I don't know why, though. Come on, it's time for a timeout"
 >Bright Spear glares at you
 >"This isn't over, monkey! We WILL win in the end! You haven't seen the last of me!"
 >You roll your eyes and wriggle your fingers to wave him goodbye
 "Whatever you say. Bye bye fishpockets"
 >Bright Spear growls
 >"Don't call me that!"
 >The Warden clears her throat meaningfully to get Spear's attention
 >Spear grudgingly follows The Warden out of the mess hall
 >You turn back to your tray and begin eating your breakfast
 >Sandy pokes at the extra tray of food in front of you
 >"Why'd ye get two breakfasts, Anon?"
 >You smile at her and swallow the food in your mouth
 "It's for Feygl"
 >Amber frowns
 >"That's sweet of you, but why can't she get her own breakfast? Where is she, anyway?"
 >The other girls glance around, looking for the missing catbird
 "She... isn't feeling well this morning. I promised I'd get her breakfast if she couldn't come here herself"
 >Happy smiles up at you
 >"You take such good care of your herd"
 >If she knew the half of it...
 >You smile back at her
 >Vintl nods
 >"Yeah. he. does.!"
 >Amber tilts her head at Vintl
 >"Vintl, I've been meaning to ask... When are you going to finish off that translation potion? It requires one of my hotplates to keep from going bad. I have two, so it isn't a huge problem but I'd like to know when you'd like to finish it off"
 >Vintl cringes
 >"That. potion. is. /really/. nasty."
 >Amber sighs
 >"I know, I tried to make it sweeter with sugar cane-"
 >Vintl stamps her tiny hoof
 >"You. made. it. so. I. can't. curse.! If. I. drink. more. I. might. not. be. able. to. get. angry.!"
 >Amber shakes her head
 >"No, no, that couldn't happen! There aren't any potions that directly affect mood, and the translation potion is focused on your speech anyway"
 >Vintl pouts
 >Libele smiles warmly at the breezie
 >"Don't worry dear, I'm sure it can't make things worse for you. Amber worked very hard on that potion as a favor for a friend, you shouldn't be rude"
 >Vintl looks up at you for support
 >You tilt your head and point towards Libele's head above you
 "She's right, you know"
 >"....I. might. try. more. later.. Sorry. Amber."
 >Libele smiles
 >"That's the spirit, dear"
 
 
 
 Be Hill Stony, the Science Pony
 >Be skipping breakfast
 >Because it's a beautiful new day after an amazing night's sleep
 >Your dream actually gave you a few ideas to use, too!
 >The dream had made you realize that you'd have to remove Spinnerette from the picture
 >Her innate ability to sense feelings could easily ruin your plans
 >You already had /just/ the thing to get rid of her while you carried out your plan
 >The minutes turn into hours as you work, but you eventually finish each and every device
 >You wipe the sweat from your brow as you proudly look down at what you've created
 >With a cackle, you carefully store each item in your saddlebags
 >Luckily, you already planned a meeting your associates today
 >It will give you a chance to discuss the revised plan with everyone
 
 Be Anon
 >Be on your date with Libele
 >Be sitting in a comfortable chair in the library
 >Be sipping some of the best damn coffee you've ever tasted
 >Even if the caffeine didn't wake you up, the hot bitterness would
 >You take a deep sniff of the rich scent wafting from the mug
 "You know it's a great cup when the /smell/ helps wake you up!"
 >Libele sips her tea
 >"I'm pleased that you're enjoying your coffee so much"
 >You gently blow on the liquid and nod
 "This stuff is fantastic, what's this brew called? I'd like to be able to find it again later"
 >Libele takes another sip
 >"It's called 'Black Fire'. It's actually illegal in some places"
 >You raise your eyebrows
 "Seriously? Why?"
 >Libele sets her cup on it's saucer with a dainty clink
 >"It's a well known fact that coffee can help someone sober up. That coffee, if not properly diluted, has been known to make ponies /too/ sober"
 >You take a sip and tilt your head
 >This coffee is way too hot to gulp down yet
 "What does that even mean?"
 >Libele grimaces
 >"It isn't pretty... They lose emotion and gain some serious dexterity and strength. It can be frightening to see someone who is normally jolly change like that"
 >You nod and take another sip
 >Not quite cool enough yet
 "I bet... so, what are you reading?"
 >Libele lifts her book so you can get a better look at the cover
 >'Military History in the present era'
 >You raise an eyebrow
 "Military history?..."
 >Libele nods and frowns
 >"Do you disapprove?"
 >You shake your head
 "No, not at all... It just doesn't seem like it would fit your tastes"
 >Libele shrugs
 >"Normally I wouldn't pick it up, but Vintl has insisted that there is something worthwhile in learning about fighting. This way I can tell her I honestly tried learning about her interests. I'm learning about 'the big one' right now"
 >You take a small sip of your coffee
 >Still a little too hot
 "What's 'the big one'?"
 >Libele looks into the book
 >"A massive magical explosive"
 >Wait, what?
 >An actual weapon?
 "An explosive? As in, thing that goes 'boom'?"
 >Libele nods and traces her claw along the words as she reads
 >"'the big one is designed to pop harmlessly and shower the area with thick tufts of magic-infused cotton. The cotton forms a thick blanket over the landscape for miles, putting anything caught in the blast radius to sleep'"
 >You chuckle
 >That's more like what you've come to expect from this world
 >Libele lowers her book and looks back over at you
 >"So what are you reading?"
 >You heft your book
 >Libele raises an eyebrow
 >"A bestiary?"
 >You nod
 "I really haven't done enough research on the races of my girls. Did you know that it is extremely rare for Gryphons to form a herd of more than two or three, and that if someone new joins then one of the others has to leave? No wonder Feygl has been so...needy. Her instincts must have been screaming at her that she could be pushed out of the herd at any time, poor girl"
 >Libele picks up her cup to take another sip of tea
 >"I suppose that makes sense"
 >You take a sip of coffee
 >It's almost cool enough to drink
 "Did you know that you can tell almost as much about a minotaur by their name as you can tell about a pony by their name? The first part defines their role in society and the second part identifies them and can give you a hint at their personality. Royalty uses the surname 'Platinum', nobles use 'Gold', extremely wealthy landowners and minor nobles use 'Silver', the lowest caste of nobles and merchants use 'Bronze', military and ex-military use 'Iron' and 'Steel', with the general public using other metals for surnames"
 >Libele places her empty teacup on it's saucer
 >"What about Amber Ember? Her surname isn't a metal"
 >You nod
 "Yup, precious stones and gems are reserved for the priests and shammans. She's probably named 'Amber' because she's so good with nature and the past. There really isn't much here on dragons though, could you fill me in?"
 >Libele nods, pouring herself a fresh cup of tea
 >"I'd be happy to. Dragons start life as eggs, and we require either significant heat or significant magic to hatch. Dragon eggs can stay dormant for centuries, if needed. The amount of magic or heat determines our gender, less for male and more for female. After hatching, we quickly mature to a child state that we stay in for many years as our bodies save up resources and magic in order to grow wings. It's possible to induce growth faster by feeding our...baser instincts at that age. Once we develop wings, we go through another growth spurt and reach adulthood quickly. We don't go through any more growth spurts after that, but we do continue to grow very slowly. The oldest dragons can become rather large, easily bigger than a house"
 >You sip your coffee and nod
 >The coffee is the perfect temperature now!
 >You gulp down the coffee and finish with a satisfied sigh before looking back at Libele
 "I'm going to go get myself another cup, but I want you to tell me more when I get back"
 >Libele bows her head a little
 >"As you wish"
 
 
 
 Be Hill Stony the Science Pony
 >Be standing in front of a podium in a forgotten lecture hall of the prison
 >The small room's rows of chairs have gathered dust in their years of abandonment while the dust in the air hangs suspended by rays of light coming in from dirty windows
 >You peer down at your associates filling the first row
 >Spear and his four friends make up the majority of the group, though there are several others
 >Each person here holds a grudge against Anon
 >You smile at your collection of allies
 >Each one has their own unique skills and abilities
 >Each one will prove to be a valuable resource in your war against Anon
 >Each one will-
 >One of the inmates stamps a hoof
 >"Get on with it! What are we even waiting for?!"
 >You glare back at him
 "I'll start when I'm ready and not one moment before or after! You ruined the atmosphere of the situation, I hope you're proud"
 >With the outburst silenced, you return to smiling at your gathered allies
 "Now then... Friends! Allies! Comrades! Brothers! Associat-"
 >"Get on with it!"
 >You glare at the loudmouth again
 "I /thought/ we already settled this! I've started, so just sit there and listen! Maybe, just /maybe/ you'll understand enough to be useful for once in your life!... Now then, As I was saying... Last night I had a vision. I saw Anon's weaknesses clearer than ever before! His reign of terror over us is about to end! Our plans have changed slightly, but I've prepared tools to compensate for your tiny, tiny minds. Listen up when I say your name, I'll be giving you your new assignments and gadgets"
 >You read off the names of those gathered here one by one, explaining their role and how to use their tools to carry out those roles
 >Even though you mostly receive blank stares for your efforts at education, you think they have the basics down
 >You are almost ready to begin
 >Now you just need to get rid of the changeling
 >It shouldn't be difficult
 >You had just the thing
 
 Be Anon
 >Be enjoying your fourth cup of coffee
 >This stuff is fantastic
 >Libele frowns at you, concern written across her face
 >"Anon, dear, I think you've had enough coffee for now..."
 >You growl into your mug
 "Blasphemy"
 >Libele's frown deepens
 >"Anon, I'm serious"
 >You smile up at her
 "Don't worry, I can handle the caffeine, I'm a big boy. Come on, tell me more about you"
 >Libele sighs
 >"Very well... Could you at least stop jittering like that?"
 >You frown
 "What are you talking about? I'm not moving"
 >Libele raises an eyebrow and points a claw at you
 >You follow the gesture to your leg
 >Your leg which is currently madly bouncing
 >With a sheepish grin, you force the limb to be still
 "Sorry. Please continue?"
 >Libele smiles
 >"Alright... Where was I?"
 >You take a gulp of coffee
 "You were talking about your adoptive family"
 >Libele nods
 >"Ah, that's right... Well, while mother and father loved me deeply and cared for me well when I was young they didn't quite know how to help me fit in as I grew"
 >You take a sip of coffee
 >"Dragons naturally get more aggressive during the years between childhood and adulthood and I was no exception. I was quite the delinquent! My parents ended up sending me to a boarding school where I gained my love of learning, though it took me a while longer to learn my proper manners. You see, I fell in with the 'wrong crowd' as my parents phrased it"
 >Libele giggles softly
 >"How anyone could refer to a single breezie as a whole crowd is something I'll never understand"
 >You nod with a chuckle
 "So that's where you met Vintl?"
 >Libele nods
 >"That girl can be a walking natural disaster when she puts her mind to it. She regularly got me into all sorts of trouble... From staying up late to eating our desserts before dinner, our exploits frequently had us in the principal's office"
 >Libele giggles fondly at the memories
 >"Those were fun times... However, one day when I went into Pillar Town to get some shopping done with Vintl, I tripped. I came /this/ close to landing on her! I managed to twist away from her, but inadvertently knocked over one of the town's famous pillars..."
 >Libele's beautiful emerald scales begin to take on a decidedly pink hue
 >"...That pillar, in turn, knocked over another. That pillar knocked over yet /another/, and so on until every pillar was horizontal. Most of the pillars landed on buildings in the end... No one was injured, but I still needed to be punished for destroying the town. That's why I was sent here. It... frightened me. Someone could have been hurt because I had no self-discipline! That event convinced me to shape up and behave properly, not this prison sentence"
 >You nod sympathetically
 "You did the right thing. I've accidently hurt people in the past and it isn't fun... So how did Vintl end up coming here with you? She punch a guard when they arrested you?"
 >Libele giggles
 >"Oh, that does sound like something she would do!... But no, Vintl just sort of tagged along. She was given her first sentence for sneaking into the prison, which suited her just fine. Not long after, she climbed the suit coloration ranks until she reached black"
 >Libele sets her teacup on its saucer
 >"Please excuse me for a moment, Anonymous. I need to use the lady dragon's room"
 >You nod
 "Go ahead, I'll be here"
 >Libele raises from her chair and makes her way out of the library
 >You take a sip of coffee-
 >And nearly choke on it as something tickles against your cheek and neck
 >"Anon.! You're. doing. well. on. this. date.! But. you. could. be. doing. better.. Let. me. help.! I. know. Libele. better. than. she. knows. herself."
 >Once you've made sure the coffee went down your throat the right way, you tilt your head to look Vintl
 >The breezie beams back at you, eager to help
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be relaxing in your room with a deck of cards
 >Life is good
 >Full belly, fantastic mate, several herdmates...
 >You smile as your mind wanders, bringing up happy memories from each girl
 >The only thing that could make your life better is a hive...
 >Anon wouldn't need to do anything except give you permission
 >You could manage the hive by yourself easily!
 >...probably
 >It would take some getting used to, but if what your mother said was correct...
 >She said that she'd prefer to lose her horn and wings instead of her hive
 >Your mother isn't one to exaggerate
 >Having a hive will be amazing
 >Anon is so loving, so understanding...
 >He'd probably let you start a hive if you asked
 >...The only real problem is working up the courage to ask him...
 >You are distracted from your thoughts by the sound of paper scraping against the floor
 >You turn and spot a piece of paper that must have been pushed under your door
 >With a thought, you will your magic to bring the paper to you
 >The paper had been folded in half, so you unfold it
 >It's a note!
 >Maybe Anon wrote you a love letter?!
 >The thought makes you giddy
 >Only way to know is to read it...
 >'Spinnerette, I have it on good authority that your mother, Queen Mandible, is quite ill.'
 >Oh no!
 >This is terrible!
 >'Your mother has requested your presence during these trying times.'
 >She knows that you're in prison, how does she expect you to escape?!
 >...You'll find a way
 >Your mother needs you
 >She's always had high expectations for you
 >She has always held you to an impressive standard
 >You will not fail her!
 >You will go to her, and make her proud
 >But... who wrote the note?
 >No one signed it at the bottom...
 >You flip the page searching for a name
 >...But find nothing else written on the paper
 >Well, it doesn't matter who wrote it
 >You need to find a way to get out of here!
 >But.... how?
 >...
 >Anon!
 >Anon can help you escape!
 >He'll fill you up with love, and you can take some of your stored food for the journey
 >This will be the perfect chance to catch up with your mother, too
 >She probably won't be able to believe you managed to keep a real mate!
 >...Unless she tastes some of the stored love, at least
 >The love you've stored up is nearly completely pure, undiluted by being targeted towards someone else
 >You gather up your cards and put them away in their little box
 >Time to find Anon
 >You need to let him know that you are escaping and that you need his help
 >If anyone can get you out of here, he can
 
 Be Anon
 >Be in the library
 >Vintl just finished giving you a crash course on dragon body language and on Libele in general
 >"You. sure. you. got. all. that.?"
 >You shake your head
 "That was a lot of details in a very short time. I think I got some of it, though"
 >Vintl shrugs
 >"That. will. have. to. do.. We're. out. of. time.. Good. luck.!"
 >Vintl hops behind your chair and disappears
 >...She must be hiding under the chair or something
 >With nothing else to do for now, you raise your book to continue learning about your girls...
 >'Breezies are naturally a little elastic so that they don't get hurt as easily'
 >...Neat!
 >Libele enters the library and heads back towards her chair
 >You sip your coffee as she sits back down, draping her wings over the back of her chair so she doesn't lean onto them
 >She takes a sip of tea and sighs contentedly
 >"This really is lovely. It's so rare that I have company when I read"
 >You beam her a smile and nod
 "It's nice to have a laid back morning for once"
 >Vintl mentioned that Libele is a real cuddle-fiend, maybe she'd enjoy this date even more if you read in the same chair
 >Time to bring out the charm
 "I don't know about you, but I think this library is absolutely /freezing/"
 >You rub your hands together for emphasis
 >Nailed it
 >Libele tilts her head slightly
 >"The library is always like this, I thought you've been in here before?  You should have brought the scarf I made you"
 >You deadpan
 "...Hindsight is 20/20. Besides, it's dirty"
 >Libele raises an eyebrow
 >"How can it already be dirty? I gave it to you yesterday!"
 >...You shouldn't tell Libele about what happened with Feygl and the scarf
 >Libele looks at you curiously
 >"Well?..."
 >...
 >This line of conversation can only end poorly
 >There is no way for you to change the subject without drawing suspicion!
 >Time to initiate escape plan 'Papa Echo Echo Bravo Romeo Echo Alpha Kilo'
 >You down the remains of your cup of coffee and stand
 "Actually, could you give me a moment? I need to use the little human's room, nature calls"
 >Libele leans back and nods
 >"Please, go ahead"
 >You set your empty cup and your book on a little table and head towards the door to the library
 
 
 Be Libele
 >Be sipping your tea
 >Anon is suddenly acting rather oddly
 >You catch movement out of the corner of your eye
 >You turn just in time to see Vintl floating up to your shoulder
 "Vintl? What are you doing here?"
 >Vintl beams a grin at you
 >"Making. sure. you. don't. screw. this. date."
 >You frown
 "I'm doing quite well, thank you very much. Anon and I are having a lovely time"
 >Vintl shakes her head as she lands on your shoulder
 >"Anon. is. cold...."
 >You tilt your head
 "There really isn't anything I can do about that. I can't breathe fire here, we're in a library!"
 >Vintl shakes her head and frowns
 >"Anon. is. /cold/...."
 >You frown
 "What? It isn't my fault"
 >Vintl rubs her face with a hoof
 >"Anon. is. cold., you. are. warm.. Warm. beats. cold."
 >Vintl wiggles her eyebrows for emphasis
 >...
 >oh
 >...
 >OH!
 >Vintl smiles as realization hits you
 "I can't cuddle with him! We're in public!"
 >Vintl rolls her eyes
 >"Invite. him. to. your. room.! That. male. /needs/. a. good. cuddling.!"
 >You tap your claws against the cover of your book nervously
 "Are you quite sure? I'd hate to offend him on our first date"
 >Vintl nods enthusiastically
 >You thoughtfully sip your tea
 >You /do/ prefer reading in the comfort of your own room...
 "What if Anon doesn't want to? What if he refuses?"
 >Vintl giggles
 >"How. can. he. say. no. to. you.?"
 >She nods in the general direction of the mess hall
 >"Besides., he. lets. Sandy. sit. on. his. lap. in. public. during. meals."
 >You take another sip
 "True..."
 >Vintl sighs
 >"When. have. I. ever. lead. you. wrong.?"
 >You raise an eyebrow
 "Well, there was that time when we first met-"
 >Vintl frowns
 >"Other. than. that. one. time., have. I. ever. lead. you. wrong.?"
 >You smile
 "How about when the headmistress got that new-"
 >Vintl stamps her hoof
 >"Other. than. those. two. times.-"
 >You raise a claw
 "How about when we found that strange flower-"
 >Vintl huffs and glares at you
 >"Just. ask. him. back. to. your. room.!"
 >You giggle softly as Vintl's glare dies away
 >...Anon does seem like he'd be good at cuddling
 >And it's been a long time since you've had a good cuddle...
 >You nod
 "Alright, I'll think about it"
 >Vintl beams at you
 >"Good.!"
 >You smile at your friend
 >Vintl nods back with a smirk
 >"Go. get. him.! I'll. be. around."
 >Vintl winks at you and dives off your shoulder
 >She quickly disappears behind the arm of your chair
 >You keep an eye out for her for a few more seconds before turning back to your tea and book
 >After another minute, Anon returns through the library doors
 >You glance up and smile warmly at him as he approaches
 >Once he gets within talking distance, you set your teacup down and gently close your book
 "Anon, welcome back"
 >Anon smiles back
 >"Yup, this feels much better"
 >Anon lets himself flop down into his chair and he picks up his book
 >"This bestiary really is helpful... Do you know how I can check this out?"
 >You tilt your head
 "What do you mean?"
 >Anon tilts his head back at you
 >"What do you mean 'what do you mean'? I'd like to hold on to this book for a few days so I can study it"
 >You sip your tea
 "In that case, just take it. Just remember to return it when you're done"
 >Anon frowns
 >"Shouldn't I let the librarian know I'm taking it? So she knows who has it?"
 >You shrug
 "You can if you'd like, though I doubt she'd remember"
 >Anon opens his mouth to say something, but then closes his mouth again
 >Vintl pops up on the back of Anon's chair
 >You try not to look directly at her
 >Anon leans toward you
 >"Doesn't she keep track of who has what book? You know, in case someone doesn't return it?"
 >You shake your head
 "It would only be a problem if you were planning to keep the book more than a few months"
 >Vintl points at Anon and starts silently mouthing something at you
 >You glance up at her to try and make out what she's saying
 >She flexes, hugging an imaginary Anon
 >'Do it!'
 >Anon shrugs
 >"I don't plan on keeping this book /that/ long... Isn't anyone worried that someone will just take a book and keep it without letting anyone know?"
 >You shake your head, still looking at Vintl
 "That seems impossible"
 >Anon raises an eyebrow
 >"Seriously? If you say so..."
 >Vintl raises a hoof in front of her
 >'Nothing is impossible!...We're at the point where anyone else would quit, but you're not gonna stop here! No! What are you waiting for?! DO IT!'
 >Anon frowns and raises his hand to his forhead
 >"Do I have something on my head?"
 >You focus back down on Anon
 "No, no, not at all"
 >Vintl dives behind the chair as Anon sets his book down again
 >"Is there something behind me?"
 >He turns to look over his shoulder
 >Seeing nothing there, he slowly turns to face you again
 >Vintl hops back up onto the back of his chair
 >Anon picks his book up again
 >"Have you ever forgotten to return a book?"
 >Vintl makes a ring with her arms
 >'DO IT!'
 >You frown
 "I couldn't do that!"
 >Vintl shakes her tiny hoof at you
 >'Yes you can! Just do it! Don't give up...'
 >She does the flex-hug motion again and walks off the back of Anon's chair, disappearing behind it
 >You have the distinct feeling that if you don't make a move soon, Vintl will take matters into her own hooves
 >Her tiny, tiny hooves
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Libele keeps looking at your forhead
 >It's rather disconcerting
 >You didn't check yourself too closely in the mirror this morning...
 >Do you have a zit?
 >You strategically brush your bangs to the side, sneakily checking for blemishes
 >...Nope
 >Your skin is clean
 >...Maybe Vintl is doing something behind you?...
 >You frown
 >That's unlikely
 >Earlier, Vintl hid as soon as she thought Libele was about to come back
 >Libele leans forward slightly
 >"Is something wrong, Anon?"
 >You smile and shake your head
 "No, sorry, I was lost in thought. So I can really just take this without checking it out?"
 >You lift your bestiary and Libele nods
 >"Of course"
 >You lower the book back to your lap
 "Neat..."
 >Vintl clambers up behind Libele's head and sits on the back of her chair
 >Libele smiles and takes a sip of tea
 >Vintl points repeatedly at the scaly fins running down Libele's back
 >...That's right, Vintl said you should compliment those!
 >You smile over at Libele
 "You know, I love the coloration of your scales. Beautiful emerald green... especially those darker fins on your back"
 >Libele's smile grows and she takes another sip of tea to try to hide her blush
 >"Why thank you, Anon. You wouldn't believe what I have to go through to get decent scale polish here"
 >You tilt your head
 "Scale polish?"
 >Libele nods
 >"Normally, dragon scales are hard"
 >She gently flicks the crest of fins on her head
 >"Even these scales can dry out and get hard, even sharp! With the right polish, I can keep all of my scales radiant and supple"
 >Though it's hard to tell from this distance, you could swear that Vintl is wiggling her eyebrows
 >She extends her arms and gently squeezes her left forearm for emphasis
 >The scales on her arm bend as she applies pressure
 >It looks more like a very talented special effects artist painted scales on skin than actual scales
 >You let out a low whistle
 "Impressive!"
 >Vintl points at Libele's arm, and then at you
 >...She's trying to tell you something
 >You lean toward Libele and extend your own arm
 "May I?"
 >Libele shifts in her seat and clears her throat
 >"Very well... Of course, go ahead"
 >She extends her arm towards you
 >You take her hand into your left hand and gently rub your right hand up her arm, against the grain of her scales
 >Vintl nods happily and pumps her hoof in the air
 >She approves!
 >You can't help but marvel at Libele's scales
 >Impossibly smooth, flexible as skin, crisscrossed with a subtle pattern of ridges where one scale ends and another begins
 >You bring your right hand back down her arm
 >Your arm glides easily across the cascading scales
 >Her body heat radiates through, leaving her scales pleasantly warm to the touch
 >It's the same type of warmth as waking up in a blanket coccoon during winter
 >Libele shifts a little again and giggles nervously
 >"Anon, please, we're in public!"
 >You smile and give her hand a little squeeze, before retracting your arms
 >Why do people here always make such a big fuss about touching in public?
 >Libele slowly reclaims her arm with a tinge of blush on her face
 >Vintl nods, shooting a wink at you
 >Looks like you're on the right track
 >Time to press your advantage
 "You weren't kidding about your scales. You've obviously done a fantastic job with them"
 >Libele smiles cutely down into her teacup
 >"Thank you, Anonymous..."
 >Vintl disappears from her spot behind Libele
 >Damn, she was being such a good little wing man!
 >... She's too tiny and female to be a wing man...
 >Feather girl?
 >Damn, Vintl was being such a good little feather girl!
 >Looks like you'll have to manage on your own for a little while
 >You look up at the gently blushing dragonesse and smile warmly
 >Libele smiles back and takes another sip of tea
 >...You got this
 
 
 Be Libele
 >Be smiling at Anon
 >...In silence...
 >...
 >You take a sip of tea as the silence drags on
 >...
 >Okay, no, this needs to stop
 >To use one of Vintl's expressions, 'This pregnant pause just gave birth to an awkward moment'
 >You point at the bestiary in Anon's lap
 "So which species are you reading about now?"
 >Anon cracks open his book
 >"I didn't save my place when I left for the restroom, but there's a section on pegasi in here"
 >It isn't much, but at least it ended that interminable silence!
 "Interesting... Anything there that might help with Sandy?"
 >Anon quickly skims through the pages on pegasi and nods
 >"There's a lot of useful information. Listen to this: 'Preening is typically a private event, done alone or by a close friend or family member. While pegasi wings are sensitive, the most sensitive flight-related areas aren't located on the wings. These sensitive areas actually include the space between the wings and the pits under the wings"
 >You nod
 "That makes sense. It's the same with Dragons, though most dragons don't like to admit that. It's probably the same for all winged species"
 >Anon nods, stroking his beard
 >"Interesting... It also says that pegasi are naturally athletic and light, with hollow bones like birds!"
 >You tilt your head
 "It must be hard for her to swim underwater"
 >Anon shakes his head and traces a finger along the page
 >"'In addition to being capable fliers, pegasi tend to be excellent swimmers. By modifying their flapping technique, a pegasus can swim like a penguin'...Neat"
 >Vintl hops up on the back of Anon's chair, holding two bookmarks in her arms
 >You do your best to ignore her as she pushes the first bookmark into the crease between the back of Anon's chair and the chair's cushion
 >...She drew a little stick dragon on it
 >Vintl then lays the other bookmark in front of the first
 >...This one has a little stick human on it!
 >Vintl points at you, then the first bookmark, then at Anon, then at the second bookmark
 >You glance at Anon
 >He still has his nose burried in his book
 >You risk sticking your forked tongue out at Vintl
 >She responds by sticking her own tongue back out at you, and then forcefully points at the 'cuddling' bookmarks
 >Anon perks up, and you manage to retract your tongue just before he looks up
 >"Here's a neat little tidbit... Pegasi are more likely to have sensitive hooves because they spend so much time flying, and they often walk on soft clouds instead of hard earth"
 >You tilt your head
 "Interesting"
 >Anon nods and closes the book, keeping his place with a thumb
 >"You sure you aren't feeling the cold at all? I think we'd be more comfortable in a smaller space"
 >A pony nearby bursts into giggles as she reads
 >Anon glances over at the loud mare, and then looks back at you
 >"I wouldn't mind a quieter, more private space either"
 >Vintl starts jumping up and down, flailing her tiny limbs and nodding furiously
 >If she keeps this up, Anon will notice her!
 >You slowly nod your head
 "I suppose you have a point... How about we adjourn to my room?"
 >Anon smiles broadly and nods
 >"Sounds like a plan. Please, lead the way"
 >You take one final sip of your tea, finally draining the cup
 >Anon stands and stretches, sighing happily
 "Right this way, Anon..."
 >You take the lead and head towards the door to the library
 >Anon quickly catches up and walks next to you
 >You turn your head to glance back at Vintl
 >...That little sprite is dancing and jumping happily with her bookmarks
 >You turn forward again
 >She actually convinced you to invite Anon back to your room!
 >That girl always gets you in trouble...
 >...Though, this really isn't a /bad/ thing
 >After all, it's like Vintl said... Anon isn't afraid of touching his girls
 >In fact, you're a little jealous of how easily the other girls ask for attention
 >Spinnerette, Sandy, Feygl...
 >Even Vintl has had more intimate interactions with Anon!
 >...And now you're about to be alone with him in your room
 >You really aren't used to situations like this
 >You sigh as you step out of the library
 >Anon frowns up at you
 >"Is everything all right?"
 >You smile down at him
 "Of course, everything is just fine"
 >Anon smiles back and glances over his shoulder
 >He chuckles and shakes his head, facing forward again
 >You glance back too, expecting to still see Vintl dancing her fool head off...
 >...But she's gone
 >She even took the bookmarks
 >All evidence of her has completely disappeared
 >The only hint that she was ever there is a very confused unicorn librarian mare peering behind one of the chairs
 >She must have went over to pick up the cups you and Anon left behind and then spotted the Breezie
 >You shake your head and face forward again
 >Either Anon has a very odd sense of humor, or he spotted Vintl
 >If she let him see her, that can only mean one thing
 >...That little matchmaker was playing both sides!
 >That girl really does always get you in trouble...
 >But at least she always means well
 >She has a heart of pure gold in that little chest of hers
 >You idly swish your tail as you walk beside Anon, leading him to your room
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be in a hallway east of the mess hall
 >Anon is no where to be found
 >You've already checked his room and Libele's
 >If only he was thinking about you, you might be able to get a clue to his location!
 >Maybe one of the other girls has seen him?
 >You'll start by asking Amber if she's seen Anon
 >Amber is probably meditating or experimenting in her room, so she'll be the easiest to find
 >If she doesn't know, maybe Feygl or Sandy will
 >Sandy is probably at the pool or the workshop, and Feygl is probably with Amber or she'll be at the music club
 >You quickly set out towards Amber's room
 >It is imperative you find Anon
 
 Be Hill Stony the Science Pony
 >Everything is going according to plan
 >Your allies will strike the first target as soon as that infernal bug leaves
 >With her ability to read emotions and experience with illusions, she would see through your plan instantly....
 >...If you allowed her to be around
 >There is no way she'll see through your fake note, though
 >Soon she will be gone
 >Soon, your plan will be put into motion!
 >Soon, you will reap the fruits of your labor!
 >Soon, you-
 >Spear grunts at you
 >"Come on, hurry up already!"
 >You glare at him
 "I'll go at my own speed, thank you very much!... Now then... Got any threes?"
 >Spear shakes his head and smiles
 >"Go fish!"
 >You grumble and glare as you draw a card
 >...yes, soon your diligence will be rewarded!
 >You chuckle under your breath in excitement
 
 Be Anon
 >Be in Libele's room
 >Alone with Libele
 >Vintl is nowhere in sight
 >Though that doesn't really mean much... you'll still just have to assume that you've lost your feather girl
 >You're on your own for now
 >...No matter
 >You got this
 "Libele, would you like to read on the bed so you can lie down?"
 >The dragoness smiles and nods
 >"That sounds lovely"
 >You frown playfully
 "Your bed looks like it isn't quite large enough for both of us"
 >Bullshit
 >Total bullshit
 >Her bed could easily fit three dragons
 >Four, if they laid down close together
 >Libele frowns
 >"It would appear that you're correct, Anon. Did you want to read in the bed too?"
 >You nod seriously
 "It would appear that we'll have to cuddle up to conserve space. You get in first, I'll find a comfortable position once you're settled in"
 >Libele nods and gently flaps her wings
 >She keeps her wings extended as she makes her way to the center of the bed and lies down on her back
 >She elegantly wriggles into a comfortable position
 >Once she's in place, she smiles expectantly up at you
 >"Alright, I'm settled. Please join me, Anonymous"
 >You smile back and nod
 >Big comfy dragoness, interesting books, and you are all constants...
 >Positioning is the only variable
 >You just need to solve this equation for maximum cuddles
 >You kick off your shoes and approach the bed, considering where to lie down
 >Libele smiles and giggles softly as you ease your way onto the bed and over to her, book clutched to your chest
 >While you could settle yourself next to her and spoon, that is a terrible position for reading
 >...And you really would like to keep reading this bestiary
 >Because you can't spell 'bestiary' or 'bestiality' with out 'best'!
 >...You feel a little dirty after that joke
 >It's the kind of thing uncle Incognito would take seriously
 >You clamber your way closer to Libele
 >...So, not by her side...
 >You crawl up her tail and between her legs
 >Libele's head recoils a little in surprise
 >"A-Anon? What do you think you're doing?"
 >You frown
 "Trust me on this, I promise I'm not trying any hanky panky"
 >She relaxes a little, but still watches you curiously
 >You reach her belly and stop, carefully turning around to lie on your back...
 >...and on her belly
 >You sink slightly into her plush scales
 >While she still has a firm layer of incredibly tough muscle, her recent switch to a slower lifestyle has already cultured a layer of cushy fat
 >Not enough to be visibly noticeable, but enough to give her body the perfect amount of firmness
 >You settle in, resting your head on her chest
 >She obviously wasn't expecting you to get into such an intimate position
 >It takes Libele a moment to adjust
 >You crack open your book and just start reading
 >If what Vintl told you is true, Libele will warm up to this position soon enough
 >Ever so slowly, Libele adjusts to having you lying on her
 >You smile as her tail wraps itself around one of your legs
 >You continue reading
 >Libele slowly curls her wings around you, giving you a membraneous blanket of warm skin from under your armpits to halfway down your shins
 >A paragraph later, and she wraps an arm around you
 >With one arm resting on your collarbone, she uses the top of your head to help hold her own book in place
 >This...
 >This is heavenly!
 >Vintl wasn't exaggerating about how comfortable dragon-cuddles are!
 
 
 
 Be Feygl
 >Be with Spinnerette and Amber
 >Spinny burst into Amber's room a few seconds ago
 >...Poor girl looks pretty spooked
 >"Are you both sure you don't know where Anon is?..."
 >Amber nods
 >"I'm sorry, I really don't know... Have you checked his room?"
 >Spinnerette nods
 >You set your guitar aside
 "How about Libele's room, they're on a date together right?"
 >Spinnerette nods
 >"I tried there too, but didn't see either of them... Sorry for bothering you two, I'll try asking Sandy. Maybe she knows where they are"
 >You frown
 "You should check the library, isn't that where Libele is taking Anon?"
 >Amber nods
 >"That sounds right. Anon also said he'd meet with Happy Heart after his date, so he may be in her office"
 >Spinny nods thankfully
 >"Happy's office is on the way to the library! That sounds perfect, thank you!"
 >She turns to leave
 "Wait, what's wrong? Why do you need to see Anon so badly?"
 >Spinnerette bites her lip and turns back to you, her eyes firmly on the door
 >"I don't really have time to explain, but my mother is sick and I need Anon's help"
 >You glance over at Amber and the two of you nod to eachother
 >The kind of nod that carries an entire conversation
 >The kind of nod that only best friends can have
 "We're coming with you. We're here to help you however we can"
 >Spinnerette blinks and looks at you
 >"R-Really?"
 >Amber smiles warmly
 >"Of course! We're part of a family, and that's what family does for eachother"
 >You nod
 "Besides, you'd do the same thing for us. Now let's go find Anon"
 >Spinnerette blinks hard a few times, smiling cutely
 >"T-Thank you... Yeah, let's go!"
 
 Be Anon
 >Be extremely comfortable
 >Be also extremely confined
 >...But that's okay because you're just so damn comfortable
 >Libele's tail has wrapped around both your legs...
 >Her wings hold you tight...
 >Her forearm wrapped loosely around your throat keeps you firmly in place on top of her belly
 >Libele's entire body simply radiates heat
 >It's like being in a living sleeping bag...
 >...or a very lazy python
 >Your only real complaint was that Libele's breathing caused your head to shift, distracting you from really reading up on minotaurs
 >...but that was only a problem for the first few minutes
 >You quickly acclimated to the motion
 >The gentle up and down of her breathing was only disturbed by the pulsing of her heartbeat
 >This close, you could feel her heartbeat pass through her body
 >First her chest, then her arm, then her wings...
 >And sometimes, if you held your breath and really focused on it... You could even feel it in her tail
 >Libele carefully turns the page in her book, taking a moment to smooth out your hair after the disturbance
 >Those heartbeats slowly thumping away...
 >Her warmth could make a man forget the meaning of the word 'cold'...
 >The gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed...
 >The whole experience was making it difficult to keep your eyes open
 >You've read the same page three times, and not a single sentence has stuck in your brain
 >With a mighty blink, you push away the sleepy feeling and force yourself to read the page one last time
 >'All about Minotaurs'
 >Below is a brief table of contents and index
 >You scan the page and flip to the section on biology
 >...The first few pages are all about males
 >Skip!
 >...There we are, females...
 >You skim the short section
 >While most of the section is dedicated to a general description of body shape and size, there are a few interesting pieces of information that catch your eye
 >'While the females of most other mammalian species only lactate during pregnancy and for some time afterward, Minotaur females have varying degrees of lactation production throughout their lives whether they breed or not. In addition, they are more prone to spells and potions that modify the production of milk'
 >...Neat
 >A little disturbing, but neat
 >...'modify the production'...
 >Does that mean that Amber could create a potion that makes her lactate chocolate milk?
 >That seems like on hell of an awkward conversation to have with her
 >You continue reading
 >Libele turns a page again
 >Life is good
 >Life is also warm
 
 Be Vintl
 >Be bored
 >Be really, really bored
 >You had snuck into Libele's room to check on the lovebirds, and were overjoyed that they were getting along so well!
 >...all thanks to you, of course
 >...But they were barely moving, and weren't really talking
 >And you didn't have a book
 >You weren't supposed to be here, either
 >So you can't talk to them, you can't read, you can't even join the cuddles!
 >This fucking sucks!
 >...You miss swearing outside of your own head
 >Sure, you can try cussing in your native language...
 >But what's the fun in that?
 >It isn't fun to cuss if no one understands you!
 >You really, really miss damning things
 >While some people believe in god-royalty like the Equestrian princesses or the Minotauran Spirit Master,and other folk believe in nameless faceless gods...
 >You've never really been spiritual
 >That doesn't mean you can't have fun blaspheming
 >Quite the opposite, in fact!
 >You sigh
 >Last time you tried damning something, all you said was...
 >What was it again exactly?
 >Oh yeah!
 >'The. gods., blessed. be. they., love. your. family. and. shower. them. with. affection.'
 >What you meant to say was
 >'The gods did your grandmother'
 >You sigh again
 >This is boring
 >You're bored
 >Well... Anon and Libele seem to have the situation under control
 >They can take it from here, you can't hold their hands forever
 >You sneak your way to the door and squeeze yourself through the gap at the bottom of the door
 
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be totally engrossed in paperwork
 >You've found your groove!
 >You are in the zone!
 >At this rate, you'll be able to go home early!
 >...Which would be fantastic
 >You promised yourself you would write home tonight
 >It'd be nice to be able to have some real free time to do that without feeling rushed
 >You levitate over another page and quickly scan its contents
 >...
 >A request form?
 >You glance up at the names on the form
 >Bat Buddy and Fire Star
 >Those two lovebirds were really flooding your inbox lately with requests for herbal suppliments to fight off infection
 >No matter what you told them, they insisted that cooties were a serious threat to their relationship
 >You sigh and approve the request, just like you have done with all their other suppliment requests
 >No sense in spoiling their fun just because they don't understand medicine
 >Everyone knows you can only get cooties as a foal
 >A sudden, urgent knocking at your door snaps you out of your groove
 >You shuffle the papers on your desk into a pile that could pass as messy if it was in a dark room and you squinted at it from another room entirely
 "Come in!"
 >You swivel in your chair as the door swings open
 "Spinnerette, Feygl, Amber... What brings you girls here?"
 >Spinny quickly scans the room as Feygl steps past her and Amber waves at you
 >Spinnerette deflates a little as she completes her scan
 >"Have you seen Anon? I can't find him anywhere and it's /really/ important that I see him!"
 >You frown and shake your head
 "I haven't seen him yet. What's going on?"
 >Spinny bites her lip, starting to move back out the door
 >Amber steps aside to let her past
 >"It's a bit of a family matter"
 >You smile reassuringly
 "What is the issue? Maybe I can help?"
 >Amber starts to respond, but Feygl steps forward and cuts her off
 >"Sorry, it should probably stay in the family"
 >Your smile diminishes a little
 >You may not be part of the family yet...
 >But with any luck, you will be by this afternoon!
 >...Maybe one of them can stick around to give you some pointers?
 >Spinny leaves, with Amber in tow
 >Feygl moves to follow
 "Wait! I could actually use your help too..."
 >Spinny stops reluctantly
 >"What is it?"
 >You smile a little nervously
 "Well, I'm planning on asking Anon to join your herd and I'd like some advice"
 >Feygl smiles broadly
 >"Really? That's fantastic!"
 >Amber tilts her head
 >"Are you sure he'll be willing to take on another girl?"
 >Feygl Frowns
 >"He'll probably be okay with it if we are. I mean, he asked us about letting Libele join"
 >Amber nods at you
 >"Well, when you ask him about joining be sure to mention that I said it was a good idea"
 >Feygl nods too
 >"Same here. You're a friend and you always get us extra dessert"
 >Spinnerette steps in place
 >"Same. Sorry, but can we /please/ find Anon?"
 >Feygl waves Spinny and Amber away
 >"Don't worry girls, I got this. You two find Anon"
 >Spinnerette doesn't need to be told twice and leaves at a brisk pace for the library
 >Amber follows not far behind
 >Feygl turns back to you and kicks the door closed with a hind paw
 >"Now then, let me give you a crash course on Anonymous..."
 
 Be Libele
 >Be very comfortable
 >Anon is surprisingly cuddly
 >He is also surprisingly forward
 >You flick out your tongue to dampen a claw and turn the page
 >Holding the book in one hand, you use that same hand to smooth Anon's hair
 >Some of Anon's hair always gets caught when you turn the page, so this routine has become familiar
 >This odd patch of fur on his head is really the only thing causing problems
 >...But even then, it's only a minor inconvenience
 >You don't really mind
 >Besides, his hair feels neat and everything else is fantastic
 >Anon's breath gently tickles the scales on your arm as he reads
 >You can feel his heartbeat through your arm
 >A happy sigh escapes your lips
 >It's been too long since you've had a good cuddle
 >You squeeze Anon a little tighter
 >He's /just/ the right size to cuddle with
 >Vintl is your best friend but...
 >She's just too small and energetic to cuddle properly
 >With Anon, you can actually apply some force
 >You sneakily lean down and quietly smell Anon's hair...
 >Doing your best to ignore the flowery scent of his shampoo, you pick out his actual scent
 >Smells nice~
 >...Hard to believe someone who appears to be designed to be cuddled is so dangerous
 >If even half the stories Vintl has told you are true, Anon is a force to be reckoned with
 >...A very squeezeable force
 >A very intelligent squeezeable force
 >You smile contentedly to yourself and pretend to turn the page in your book...
 >Which gives you the perfect cover to play with his hair a little
 
 Be Anon
 >You were not expecting this
 >Libele is just straight-up petting your head right now
 
 
 Be Spinnerette
 >Be thoroughly searching the library for Anon
 >Be searching for Libele also
 >Because if you find Libele, you find Anon
 >You've already checked the lounges, the reading rooms, and the coffee shop
 >You even checked the library aisles according to both the alphabet and the Dew Wheat decimal system
 >And you've found...
 >Nothing
 >No sign of Anon or Libele!
 >Amber peeks around a bookcase and waves you over
 >"Spinny, come look what I found!"
 >You rush over
 "Is it Anon?"
 >Amber shakes her head and holds out a pair of bookmarks
 >"No... Tiny signs of Anon and Libele"
 
 Be Anon
 >She's still petting your head
 >You don't mind too much...
 >If it makes her happy, you shouldn't take it away from her
 >Besides, she's a fire-breathing dragon
 >She can do whatever the hell she wants
 >...
 >Apparently she wants to nuzzle the back of your head
 >...Neat
 >At least you know the date is going well
 
 
 Be Feygl
 >Be sitting in Happy's office
 >Happy is sitting across from you with a pen and notepad
 "Alright, let's go over what you have so far"
 >Happy looks down at her notes
 >"Alright... Anon enjoys music, pudding, and he's tough as nails"
 >You nod
 "Correct. We're on the right path here"
 >Happy sighs
 >"If you say so..."
 >You frown
 "What's wrong?"
 >Happy frowns at her notepad
 >"While this is good information, I already knew it AND I don't think it can really help me when I ask"
 >You nod
 "That's a fair point... Actually, how about if you give him some pudding while music is playing in the background?"
 >Happy smiles
 >"Now that's a good idea! I need more of that! Now... How am I going to get music?"
 >You beam her a grin
 "Look no further! I can play the guitar"
 >Happy Beams right back
 >"Excellent! It'll be easy for me to get the pudding... Anything else you can think of?"
 >You close your eyes tight, scratching the side of your head with a talon as you brainstorm any potential advice or ideas
 "Well... Anon is rather protective of us, maybe you can leverage your position as a nurse?"
 >Happy nods
 >"Yeah... I can be the family physician! Great thinking"
 >You puff out your chest in pride
 "Well, I am rather clever even if I do say so myself"
 >Happy giggles
 >"Thanks for helping me... I'm honestly a little nervous"
 >You dismiss the comment with a wave of your talons
 "Don't mention it, and don't worry. Anon is a great guy and he has no reason to reject you"
 >Happy frowns
 >"Are you sure?... He already has so many girls in his herd"
 >You smile fondly
 "I can personally vouch for his ability to take care of us..."
 >Yeah you can
 >You still felt a little funny
 >"Feygl? Hello?"
 >You shake your head and blink your eyes
 "Sorry, I was lost in thought for a second there"
 >Happy smiles
 >"It's fine... Anon will probably be wrapping up his date with Libele soon, we should get everything ready"
 >You nod
 "Sure thing! I'll grab my guitar and meet you back here"
 >Happy beams broadly
 >"You got it! Thanks again for helping me"
 >You giggle happily
 "Don't mention it. Besides, we're going to be family soon"
 >Happy smiles at you
 >"I sure hope so... Let's go, we're wasting time"
 >You nod
 >The two of you don't have all day
 
 Be Anon
 >Things are heating up
 >Literally
 >The heat has gone from 'slept in bed' to 'slept in bed during a blizzard' levels of toasty comfort
 
 Be Amber
 >Poor Spinnerette
 >She seems so distraught...
 >You really need to find Anon soon
 >Spinny leads you to the Arts & Crafts workshop
 >You look up at the rainbow sign above the door
 >'Arts & Crafts workshop'
 >...
 >You don't know what you expected
 >You look back down at Spinnerette
 "Sandy likes to hang out here, right?"
 >Spinnerette nods without looking back to you
 >"That's right. Maybe she's seen Anon, or knows someone who has"
 >Poor girl...
 >She's practically on the verge of tears
 >You need to wrap up this search fast
 >Spinny wastes no time entering the workshop
 >The area is separated into a few dozen private work areas, along with a large resource storage area where a crowd of angry ponies are currently arguing
 >"What do you mean we're out of popsicle sticks again!"
 >"I mean we're out of popsicle sticks again!"
 >"How is that even possible?! I just ordered /hundreds/ of them!"
 >"We're out of glue sticks too!"
 >The crowd audibly gasps
 >"Oh, the horror!"
 >"No!"
 >"This must be your fault somehow!"
 >"How dare you!..."
 >The argument fades into the background as you follow Spinnerette past the arguing ponies
 >She ducks her head into each private work area, desparately searching for Sandy
 >Spinnerette jerks to a stop and practically dives into a station near the end of the hall
 >Sandy must be in there
 >You hurry over to the private area and quickly step into the room, closing the door behind you
 >Vintl and Sandy both wave as you enter the room
 >Spinnerette smiles weakly at them
 >"Hello girls, have either of you seen Anon?"
 >Sandy frowns, shaking her head...
 >But Vintl nods happily
 >"He's. in. Libele's. room.. Don't. disturb. them. unless. it's. an. emergency., though.. They're. cuddling.."
 >...No wonder they left the library
 >Sandy frowns
 >"Aw... I wanted to do that!"
 >Spinnerette dives past you, disappearing out of the room faster than you thought possible
 >Sandy smiles up at you
 >"Wanna help us build me next ship?"
 >You shake your head
 "I should be around to help Spinnerette if she needs me. Her mother is sick"
 >Sandy frowns and drops her popsicle stick
 >"That doesn't sound good. Come on Vintl, we can't let our crewmates down!"
 >Vintl hops onto a gluestick as though it were a stepstool
 >"Yar.!"
 
 Be Anon
 >Okay, seriously!
 >Is human hair like catnip for dragons or something?!
 
 
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be walking into the kitchen
 >This is so exciting!
 >You're really nervous...
 >But you're confident that with Feygl's help, you'll have no problems
 >Anon is a reasonable male
 >He'll listen to reason and common sense
 >Who /wouldn't/ want an attractive nurse in their herd?
 >Brussel Sprout the lunchmare looks up from the oven as you enter
 >"Hey there Happy! Here to help prepare lunch?"
 >You shake your head
 "Sorry, not this time... Besides, you know I don't cook"
 >Sprout smiles at you, stepping away from the oven
 >"So, what brings you to my humble workplace?"
 >You point towards the refrigerator
 "I need a pudding cup"
 >Sprout frowns
 >"Are... you sure? Maybe you should cut back on all the pudding. Doesn't a nice plate of carrots sound like a better snack?"
 >You raise an eyebrow
 "What are you implying?"
 >Sprout grins sheepishly
 >"Nothing, just... Wouldn't you feel better if you ate healthier?"
 >You frown
 "I feel fine"
 >Sprout takes a few steps towards you
 >"Are you positive? You always look so tired..."
 >You nod firmly
 "I'm fine. I'm a nurse, remember? I think I'd be able to recognize if I was unhealthy. Besides, I don't eat all the puddings you give me"
 >Sprout tilts her head
 >"Really? What do you /do/ with all that pudding?..."
 >She leans forward conspiritorially
 >"...You don't /bathe/ in it, do you?"
 >You wrinkle your nose
 "That's a thing? No, I don't. What I do with it all isn't any of your business. I don't ask what you do with all the suckers I trade you"
 >Sprout shrugs
 >"Alright, what you do with them is your business I suppose... I'm going to have to charge you more than usual. Between the extra cups you've already reserved and the fact that my latest shipment is late, we might run out of cups by the end of the day... And it's my tail on the line if we run out"
 >You nod
 >This is worth the extra cost
 >It could be what cements your place in the herd, after all
 "Very well, name your price"
 >Sprout grins smugly
 >"eighteen suckers"
 >You frown
 "That's more than triple the usual rate"
 >Sprout nods
 >"Like I said, I'm taking a risk here. So, deal or no deal?"
 >You sigh
 >She's got you by the dock on this one
 >Maybe you can negotiate something a little cheaper?
 >If you run out of suckers, it'll be /your/ tail on the line
 "ten suckers, and I'll throw in a spa voucher"
 >Employees can't use the facilities here for free like the prisoners can
 >Sprout's eyes twinkle and she extends a hoof
 >"Deal"
 >You shake on it, and you're soon on your way back to your office
 >It was almost showtime
 >Your heart felt like it wanted to jump out of your chest and run a marathon
 
 Be Libele
 >THIS IS AMAZING!
 >This smell...
 >Simply enchanting!
 >Anon's scent fills you up with a kind of joy
 >You take another deep sniff and some of his hair tickles your muzzle
 >A wave of light carefree buzzing suffuses itself throughout your body
 >You squeeze Anon a little tighter, and your chest rumbles as you growl appreciatively
 >The book you were reading falls out of your hand
 >That's okay though
 >You weren't reading it anymore
 >You had found something much better to do in bed with Anon...
 >The poor phrasing of the thought forces you to blush, despite your addled brain
 >Anon wriggles a little against you
 >You reflexively tighten your grip on the human and his struggling ceases
 >With one arm still firmly across his collarbone, you slide your free hand up and down his arm and shoulder
 >Your body tingles where it touches his, even through clothing
 >The sensation is simply fantastic...overwhelming
 >It's hard to think
 >All you can really focus on is Anon
 >You're okay with that
 >You continue your intoxicated affections as Anon wriggles again
 >Nope
 >He isn't moving
 >This is too nice to end right now
 
 Be Anon
 >This is starting to get out of hand
 >Libele's hand idly traces patterns across your chest and she nuzzles in against your head
 >...Things could be a lot worse
 >Though you aren't completely sure whether you like that growling or not
 >It was a bit like a cat's purr mixed with a healthy dose of crocodile sounds and something else that hit on a primal fear...
 >On the other hand, it made her vibrate
 >The combination of being completely encased in supple scales, the toasty heat, and the vibration was extremely relaxing...
 >...
 >Your back itches like mad, though
 >You try to sit up to scratch it, but Libele keeps you firmly horizontal
 >Her growl intensifies until you relax
 >Welp, looks like you live here now
 >Still, that itch is bothering you...
 >You wriggle against Libele, trying to scratch the itch with her body
 >...Well, good news is it worked
 >Bad news, it didn't work very well
 >That itch has only retreated temporarily
 >It'll rally its forces and return
 >You lean back into Libele, awaiting the inevitable return of the itch
 >Libele nuzzles into your head, gently forcing it into an uncomfortable position
 >You sigh in resignation
 >There is no escape from your cuddle-drunk dragoness
 >...Though, there are worse fates than this
 >Libele's rumbling growl massages your back as you think
 >ooo...That's nice...
 >Hopefully the other girls will forgive you for being unable to escape
 >You close your eyes and let the sensations take over...
 >...At this rate...
 >...you'll be asleep...
 >...in...no...
 >!
 >Your eyes pop open
 >Did...
 >Did Libele just /lick/ your head?!
 
 Be Amber
 >Be following Spinnerette
 >She has a head start on you, but you know where she's going
 >Sandy is flying alongside you while Vintl balances on your shoulder
 >It doesn't take long for your group to arrive at the entrance to the hall that Libele's room is in
 >You turn the corner and spot Spinnerette standing awkwardly in front of the open door to Libele's room
 >"I...um...A-Anon? I need... S-Speak to you..."
 >Something has really thrown her off balance...
 >You jog up to her and peer into the room
 "Anon, whatever you're up to can wait. Spinny nee-"
 >Anon is barely visible
 >He's completely covered in dragon
 >Only his face is visible
 >Anon's eyes dart between you, Spinny, Vintl, and Sandy
 >He silently mouths 'help me' at the four of you
 >Libele continues to gently gnaw Anon's scalp, totally unaware that she was being observed
 >Vintl Cheers at them, laughing and smiling broadly
 >"Woo.! Way. to. go.! Good. job. getting. lucky. you. two.!"
 >Sandy deflates a little when she spots the cuddling couple
 >"Aw...I wanted to do that..."
 >You glance over at Spinnerette
 >She's biting her lip and fidgeting, bright blush on her face
 >There's a blush on your face too... You didn't think you'd interrupt such an...intimate moment
 >Anon squirms
 >"Libele? The other girls need me, can you let me go?"
 >Libele's eyes remain glazed over as she growls, tightening her grip
 "Please Libele, Spinnerette needs to speak to him..."
 >Vintl giggles madly as Anon makes an odd face
 >"PLEASE! Libele, don't lick my ear!"
 >Libele makes a sound somewhere between a cough and a growl...
 >The kind of sound that, with some imagination, could be a type of giggle
 >Anon sighs
 >"Sorry Spinny... If it's okay with you, we can talk right now. I don't think Libele will mind"
 >Spinnerette smiles meekly and slowly walks into the room
 >"Anon... My mother is sick, I need to go see her. D-Do you think you could help me?"
 >Anon frowns worriedly
 >"Of course I'll help! What do you need"
 >Spinny smiles gratefully
 >You step into the room with Sandy in tow
 >With a kick, Sandy closes the door
 "We're here to help too, however we can"
 >Anon tries to nod, but Libele's jaw holds his head firmly in place
 >"We're family, we've got your back"
 >Spinny smiles back at you
 >"Thank you, thank you all!"
 >Anon smiles at her
 >"So, looks like it's time to bust you out of prison! We'll remove the chain that binds you here! Life doesn't always give you cookies, but we'll make sure everything ends like honey for you. Doesn't matter if we're hungry, thirsty, or sleepy, we'll get you out of here. Even if we have to tear this place apart, brick by brick. I won't let life treat you like a pin cushion. When it comes to my girls, I have a short fuse. I promise you, you'll see your mother!"
 >Vintl raises a hoof
 >"Can. we. have. a. jubilee. after. she. gets. back.?"
 >Anon nods ineffectually again
 >"Sure, but first things first. Let's figure out how we're going to get Spinny out of here"
 
 Be The Warden
 >Be in The Ring as your super-secret alter ego
 >The Inmate
 >You just finished putting some upstart in her place
 >Maybe now that mare will learn to treat her superiors with respect
 >A knock at your door draws your attention
 "Come on in!"
 >The door creaks open and Rust steps into the room
 >"Greetings, Ma'am"
 >You smile broadly
 "Hey there friend! What brings you to me?"
 >Your eyes narrow and your smile turns dangerous
 "You finally challenging me to a fight?"
 >Rust raises his hands and shakes his head
 >"No! No. I'm here on behalf of Hill Stony the Science Pony"
 >You frown
 "What does he want with me?"
 >Rust smiles
 >"He wants to offer you a place on the ground floor of something big. This kind of offer doesn't happen very often, and it's my pleasure to represent it and offer you a place in it. I'm not saying you're a fool, but it would take a real dummy to turn me down on this proposition. I-"
 >You raise a hoof and Rust's mouth snaps shut
 >You smile
 >He knows who's in charge here
 "I'm afraid I'll have to turn you down. Hill Stony just isn't stallion enough for me"
 >Rust frowns
 >"Wait, what?"
 >You sigh
 "Look, he's smart and all but I've already received four other marriage proposals this week, all of them from better males than him. At least they asked me directly and didn't use their friends instead"
 >Rust shakes his head
 >"I'm not asking you to marry him!"
 >You frown
 "I don't want to herd with him either"
 >Rust gives you a plaintive look
 >"You don't need to herd with him! That isn't what he wants!"
 >You narrow your eyes
 "FIRST of all, I'm saving that kind of thing for when I do find a male worthy of me. Secondly, why wouldn't he want to herd with me? I'm quite the catch! Hill should be ashamed! He has no honor, and no dignity! Sending you to give me such a lewd proposal..."
 >Rust shakes his head
 >"This isn't what you think! I'm part of it too! It isn't-"
 >Your glare silences him
 >You can feel your nostrils flare as you angrily huff at him
 "Rust"
 >He gulps loudly
 >"Y-Yes ma'am?"
 >Your eyes narrow dangerously
 "Get out. Now. Before I lose my temper"
 >Rust bows a little and quickly shuffles away
 >...Just in time, too
 >You were about to run out of patience
 >Rust shuts your door, leaving you alone with your thoughts
 >Such a vile offer...
 >You'll have to punish both of them for even thinking of it
 >They'll slip up sooner or later, and you can punish them as The Warden
 >Another knock at your door draws your attention
 "Come in!"
 >A stallion nervously enters the room, carrying a tray of cookies
 >"Ma'am, here are your post-fight cookies that you ordered. Ma'am."
 >Goody!
 >You are always a little grumpy before you get your post-fight cookies!
 "Yay! Thank you, you're sweet"
 >The stallion blushes fiercely and sets the cookies on your desk...
 >...There are three extra cookies
 "Why are there extra cookies? I only ordered five"
 >The stallion bites his lip
 >"T-Those are from me... I was wondering if you'd...uh... like to go out.... with me, I mean... Like a date... or something"
 >You sigh
 >It's always hardest rejecting the nervous ones
 
 
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be in Libele's room
 >Be confined by a very large, very affectionate dragon
 >Be finished coming up with a plan to help Spinny escape
 "Good plan girls"
 >You beam a smile all around
 "I'm proud of all of you. Way to come together to help Spinny!"
 >Spinnerette smiles happily, nodding
 >"Thank you all, this means so much to me..."
 >Sandy wraps Spinny in a wing
 >"You don't need to thank me, I'd do anything for a crewmate!"
 >Vintl hops up onto the wing covering Spinny's shoulders
 >"Seconded.!"
 >Amber gives Spinny a motherly smile and nods
 >"Like I've said before, we're family"
 >Spinny sniffles, beaming a smile as she wipes a tear from her eye
 >"I-I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm crying! I'm happy!"
 >You give her a friendly chuckle
 "Don't worry, you don't have to appologize"
 >Sandy nods firmly
 >"I did that too when I first got my cutie mark. Here's how my dad explained it to me"
 >Sandy sits bolt upright, chin held high
 >"'lass, ye're crying because you're so happy that your body can't contain it all. Ye're body has gone right past happy into sad again. Ye broke yer happy, and that's a good thing'"
 >Vintl raises an eyebrow
 >"Breaking. your. happy. is. a. good. thing.?"
 >Sandy shrugs
 >"Daddy had some strange expressions. When I was angry or sulking he liked to call me 'salty'"
 >Spinny giggle-hiccups
 >You wave your free arm, the one that had been holding your book, motioning Spinny over
 "Come here. Since you'll be gone for a while, we need to fill you up with love. Come on everyone, group hug to feed Spinny"
 >Vintl floats right over to you, followed by an enthusiastic Sandy
 >Amber and Spinny are a little more reserved, both sporting powerful blushes
 >You wrap your arm around Spinny once she shuffles close enough
 >Vintl hops onto her head and lies down, using her entire body to hug the top of Spinny's head
 >Sandy joins in quickly, hugging with forearms and wings
 >Amber is the last to join, gingerly wrapping her arms around Spinny's neck
 >All is silent for a few moments...
 >...Except for the sound of Libele's rough tongue against your hair
 >That is actually a rather loud sound
 >...
 >Other than the licking, this was actually pretty comfortable
 >Sandy's feathers tickled your arm, while Amber's breasts were pressed up against the back of your hand
 >Spinny sniffles happily
 >"Thank you... Thank you all..."
 >You squeeze her a little tighter, and Libele does the same to you
 "It's fine, we're here for you. Just let us know when you're full"
 >The girls all snuggle in
 >This may take a while...
 >But you can't complain
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >..
 >...
 >Spinny shifts her weight a little
 >"Thank you everyone... I'm full"
 >The girls peel off one by one
 >You glance at the clock
 "Perfect timing, it's almost lunch. This gives me just enough time to meet with Happy, like I promised...That is, if I can escape from Libele"
 >Amber frowns
 >"How are you going to escape?"
 >You try to shrug
 "Not a clue, she's got me completely immobilized. I don't want to hurt her by trying to escape with force. If I even could escape with force"
 >Vintl stretches
 >"I. got. this."
 >She floats up to Libele's gently bobbing head
 >As soon as she lands, she begins rubbing a scale on Libele's snout
 >Air whizzes past your ears as Libele inhales sharply
 >Vintl keeps rubbing
 >Another massive inhale
 >More rubbing
 >Libele sucks in more air than the previous two times combined, and removes your head from her jaws
 >All is silent for a moment, the only movement is Vintl's rubbing...
 >The peace is shattered by Libele, her entire body convulsing in a mighty sneeze
 >A gout of flame sprays from her mouth, scorching the ceiling
 >Her violent convulsion ejects you from your spot on her belly
 >You soar through the air, the flames flash-drying your hair
 >You land on your feet and stumble forward, forced by the momentum of your recent flight
 >Vintl cheers
 >"You. have. perfect. form.! Good. landing. too.!"
 >Amber rushes over to your side, inspecting you closely
 >"Are you alright, Anon?"
 >You nod, still gathering you senses
 >Amber frowns
 >"Are you sure? You got awfully close to those flames..."
 >You smile and nod
 "Yeah, I'm fine. Hell of a ride, though"
 >Sandy bounces over to you
 >"That was so cool! Do it again!"
 >Amber frowns at Sandy
 >"He shouldn't do it again! It was really dangerous!"
 >Sandy pouts
 >"Anon is tough enough to survive anything!"
 >You chuckle
 "I don't know about that... But it was kind of fun. Reminds me of when I was a kid. We had this inflatable mattress that we'd fill up just over halfway, I'd sit on the edge and my dad would jump onto the inflated side to launch me into a pile of pillows. It almost felt like I was a kid again... Except for those flames of course"
 >Libele sniffles and groans
 >"Wha...What happened? Last I remember, I was reading with Anon and then..."
 >Libele's face sports an impressive blush as she notices everyone in the room
 >Vintl spins to look her friend in the eyes
 >"What. happened. is. you. got. lucky.! High. hoof.!"
 >Vintl raises her tiny hoof, and Libele's blush deepens
 >"Come. on., don't. leave. me. hanging.!"
 >Libele self consciously raises a claw and taps Vintl's hoof
 >Vintl spins back to face you
 >"Yeah.! You. too. Anon.!"
 >With a chuckle, you step over and bump her hoof with your fingertip
 >Libele looks up at you awkwardly
 >"My appologies, Anon. I sort of... lost control"
 >You wave your hand dissmisively
 "It's fine, just try not to let it happen again"
 >Libele nods
 >"Of course, I'm sorry"
 >You offer her a smile
 "Don't worry about it... Just to be on the safe side, I'll be your jetpack next time"
 >Vintl takes flight to prevent Libele's blush from burning her hooves
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >Be in your office with Feygl
 >You're starting to get anxious again
 >Anon is really taking his time...
 >You can't really blame him for that
 >He's on a date with Libele, one of his girls!
 >You really can't complain...
 >You wouldn't want him to cut a date with you short to go see someone else
 >Still, you wish he'd just show up already!
 >The waiting, the suspense, it's killing you!
 "Any idea when Anon is going to be here?"
 >Feygl adjusts the strap on her guitar and shrugs
 >"Not a clue. Hopefully he'll be here soon"
 >You nod
 "Yeah..."
 >The room falls silent, and you stare at your hooves uselessly
 >The only sounds are the ticking of the clock and Feygl tuning her guitar
 "Mind if I do some stretches to clear my head?"
 >Feygl shakes her head
 >"Go ahead, do whatever you need to so you can be prepared"
 >You smile and nod
 "Thank you"
 >With a tightly controlled burst of magic, you quickly retrieve your yoga mat from its place in your closet
 >With the mat layed down, you climb on top and begin an easy routine
 >Feygl sets her guitar aside
 >"Holy... How are you bending like that?"
 >You smile at her
 >She's upside-down from this angle
 "I've been practicing since I was a filly. I actually thought I was going to get a cutiemark in gymnastics"
 >Feygl tilts her head
 >"I can certainly see why... Is your hipbone supposed to jut out like that?"
 >You giggle softly
 >It isn't easy to convulse your diaphram in this position
 "Yes, this is normal. It's actually a pretty easy routine for me"
 >Feygl frowns
 >"You're pulling my tail. What would a hard routine be like?"
 >You reach the apex of the form and begin the next one in the routine
 "Well, pegasi are naturally more flexible than the other pony races. The medium difficulty pegasi routines are expert difficutly for the other races"
 >Feygl nods
 >"That makes sense... Wait, what are you doing now?!"
 >You smile at Feygl
 "This form is called 'Inverted Pretzel'. The last one is 'Pile of Hay'. I'm going through a routine developed by the gymnast Lean Cuisine. She designed this routine to calm the nerves and work the stomach to promote a healthy appetite and a lithe body"
 >Feygl nods slowly
 >"Huh... Neat"
 >You nod happily
 "I could teach you a few basic forms if you'd like. It will help relax you and make you more flexible"
 >Feygl clicks her beak thoughtfully
 >"Well... I guess we could do that later, sure. As long as Amber can join, she's really into stuff like this"
 >You beam at her
 "Excellent! Consider those lessons my payment for your help with Anon"
 >Feygl beams back at you
 >"Sounds like a deal!... You know, Anon will probably /appreciate/ how flexible you are"
 >Your face heats up with the beginning of a blush
 "Please, that's hardly appropriate!"
 >Feygl shrugs
 >"It's appropriate between herd mates, but I'm sorry if I offended you"
 >You shake your head and sigh
 "No, you're right. I'm sorry, I'm just antsy. I need to use every tool available to woo Anon. Thank you for the suggestion, but I really don't see how I can bring that up in conversation"
 >Feygl smirks mischeviously
 >"Who says you have to talk about it? When Anon knocks on the door, just stay in whatever position you are in from your routine. Flexibility is best shown, not talked about"
 >You bite your lip
 "I...suppose that could work"
 >Feygl nods, but is interrupted by a knocking at the door before she can respond
 >She dives behind the examination table, snatching her guitar along the way
 >As the sound hits you, your heart jumps right up to your throat
 "Wh-Who is it?"
 >The doorknob jiggles
 >"It's me, Anon. Can I come in?"
 >You swallow nervously
 "Oh yes, I've been expecting you. Please come in"
 >The door starts to swing open an-
 >Wait!
 >NOPE!
 >This is the worst possible position for him to walk in on!
 >Your heiny is pointed straight at the door!
 >You panic and flop over, desparately trying to regain some semblance of dignity
 >Anon steps into the room, swinging the door shut behind himself
 >"Hey there Happy, Sorry I'm la-...Are you alright?"
 >You nod, fighting a creeping blush
 "I'm fine, I was just doing some yoga while I waited. This form is called... 'Ball of Yarn'?"
 >Please buy it
 >Please please please buy it
 >Anon nods slowly
 >"Huh...neat. So, what is it you wanted to talk about?"
 >You take a deep, steadying breath as you stand and face Anon
 "We can get to that in a moment, but first... Would you like a pudding cup?"
 >You magically levitate the sweet treat and a tiny plastic spoon from your desk over to Anon
 >He plucks the items from the air with a smile
 >"Thanks! So, I'm guessing this has to do with our deal? That, or you want to make a new deal"
 >You nods slowly
 "Kind of, yes. Would you like to sit down?"
 >Anon nods
 >"Sure... I'm not going to like this deal, am I?"
 >Your heart sinks
 "Why would you say that?"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"Because you're treating me very nicely and I'm paranoid"
 >He takes his treat and sits on the examination table
 >"So, what's on your mind?"
 >You take a deep, steadying breath
 "As you are undoubtedly already aware, you are a fine specimen. Your physical and mental abilities are practically off the charts. I would like to propose a mutually beneficial relationship based on emotional, rational, and...physical foundations"
 >Anon raises an eyebrow
 >"So, to put it plainly... You want to join my herd?"
 >You purse your lips and nod
 >Anon takes a deep breath
 >"Are you sure? I mean I already have six girls in my herd, and I'm not sure if I can handle taking on any more"
 >You look Anon straight in the eyes
 "I've been assured by a trustworthy source that you are more than capable of handling a herd of seven or more"
 >Anon raises an eyebrow
 >"And just who might this source of yours be?"
 >Your expression deadpans
 "Someone who should be helping me right now"
 >Muffled sounds of a guitar being brought to a playable position practically echo through your office
 >The squeaking strings draw Anon's attention to the space behind the examination table
 >"Feygl? Is that you?"
 >The gryphon shushes Anon
 >"Pay no attention to the gryphon behind the table"
 >You rub your face with your hoof
 >This isn't going well
 >Hopefully you can still turn this around
 
 Be Anon
 >Be sitting in Happy's office with Feygl behind you and Happy in front
 >Happy smiles nervously at you
 >"Well, you already know the reasons I'd like to join your herd... /Including Feygl's musical talent/"
 >Feygl responds to the que and begins playing
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNyGCI7Z2lI
 >Well... this is actually pretty soothing...
 >You lean back and look down at Feygl, trying to figure out where the sounds of the other musical instruments were coming from
 >Happy clears her throat to regain your attention
 >"By allowing me to join your herd, you would be gaining access to your own personal physician. Not only for yourself, but for the rest of the herd as well. I can keep them healthy while you keep them happy. While you are all inmates here, having close ties to someone in the staff can't possibly hurt either"
 >Happy walks up to you, placing her hooves in your hands
 >"Over the brief time I've known you, you've done nothing but impress. So, how about it? Will you make me the happiest girl there could ever be?"
 >She seems almost like she's reciting lines from a script...
 >Or a trashy romance novel
 >...Which could be the case
 >Feygl doesn't stop the music as she throws in her two cents
 >"Most of the other girls in the herd already said she could join! Please Anon? She's one of our friends, and she has good reasons to let her join"
 >Fuck it
 >Why not?
 >She gets along with the other girls just fine
 >She does have a point about being able to help keep your girls healthy
 >And she is pretty cute...
 >You nod slowly
 "I wish you girls would stop putting me on the spot like this, but... If my girls want you to join, and it would make you that happy... Then alright, let's do this. Happy Heart, you're welcome in my herd"
 >Feygl stops playing and leaps over the examination table over to Happy
 >"You made it in! You made it in!"
 >Happy's face takes on a pinker tinge and she nods happily
 >You smile at the two girls
 >Both of them are your girlfriends
 >Spinny, Sandy, Vintl, Feygl, Amber, Libele, and now Happy...
 >Seven, seven girls!
 >Ah-ah-ah-ah
 >You have enough girlfriends to be with a different girl each day of the week
 >Damn... You have some serious game here in horseland
 
 Be Libele
 >Be in the mess hall
 >Be mortified at your earlier behavior
 >Vintl can't stop giggling happily for you
 >You rest your head in your claws
 >Poor Anon...
 >First you molest his head...
 >Then you prevent him from escaping so you can molest his head /more/
 >And finally, when Vintl helps him escape you nearly roasted him!
 >Vintl hops on your shoulder excitedly
 >"Hiya. Anon.!"
 >You look up and spot Anon, Feygl, and Happy making their way to the table
 >Silence reigns at the table
 >Everyone knew that Happy was going to ask to join, you had already been filled in on everything that was going on today
 >Happy seems... happy
 >That's a good sign
 >Feygl gives a thumbs up just outside of Anon's peripheral vision
 >You swallow your feelings of shame and smile at the three
 >Everyone exchanges greetings as they sit at the table
 >Vintl wiggles her eyebrows at Happy
 >"So.? How'd. it. go.?"
 >Happy smiles
 >"We're herd-sisters now"
 >You smile at Happy
 >You're happy for Happy
 >She seems so happy!
 >Anon nods
 >"Now that you're part of the family, you should know that we're planning an escape"
 >Happy's eyes go wide
 >"What?! That's crazy! You could have an entire week added to your sentences!"
 >Anon shrugs
 >"This is important. Spinny needs to see her sick mother"
 >Happy frowns
 >"Can't you just ask The Warden to let her go? As long as she promises to come back..."
 >Spinny shakes her head
 >"That wouldn't work, red and black suits aren't allowed to leave without a chaperone or two. If my mother's hive is discovered, she'll be arrested and her hive will be broken apart!"
 >Happy glances around the table nervously
 >"So... when are you planning the escape?"
 >A blood-curdling scream pierces the usual din of the mess hall
 >The entire room falls silent as more screaming erupts from somewhere not far away
 >Vintl hops onto Happy's shoulder
 >"Right. now. baby.!"
 >A white unicorn mare comes sprinting from the direction of the screams, tears streaming down her face
 >"EW EW EW EW EW EW EW, I got some on me! EWEWEWEWEWEWEW!"
 >Happy's face loses some of it's color
 >"W-What is going on?"
 >Anon tilts his head towards Amber
 >"Amber here just created a distraction for us. Spinny, you ready?"
 >Spinnerette nods
 >"T-Thank you all... I love you all!"
 >Anon smiles at her
 >"We love you too, Spinny"
 >Spinnerette nods, starting to tear up
 >"I-I know, I can taste it..."
 >Anon nods
 >"You should go, before the confusion dies down"
 >Spinny nods and everyone says their goodbyes to the changeling queen
 >The screaming gets louder as numerous new voices join in
 >Amber's distraction is gaining momentum
 "Anon, we should move. This place won't be.... tolerable for much longer"
 >Anon nods everyone stands up
 >"Spinny... It's time. Goodbye, and good luck"
 >Spinnerette sniffles and nods nervously, ready to disappear
 >Anon smiles
 >"I'll have plenty of cuddles waiting for you when you get back"
 >Spinny blushes and smiles
 >Without another word, she walks towards the center of the mess hall
 >A group of screaming ponies gallops through the mess, and Spinny easily blends in and joins them in their mad rush
 >Now all she has to do is reach an outer wall...
 >Once she does that, she can phase through to the outside and make a run for it
 >Anon nods towards you
 >"Libele was right about this place not being...comfortable for much longer. Let's move"
 
 Be Vladdy
 >Be in the cell of your cousin Tick-Tick the Dik Dik, trying to convince him to help you
 >Inmates and guards alike are screaming outside the door
 >Anon and his herd must be making their move
 >That Hill Stony sure knows his stuff, his plan is going off without a hitch
 >Your cousin Tick-Tick shakes his head in disbelief
 >"You mean to tell me that all that chaos outside is because of that weird looking monkey thing and his herd?"
 >You nod
 "Yes"
 >Tick-Tick frowns
 >"...and you want my help bringing them down"
 >You nod again
 "Yes! What's so hard to understand about that?"
 >Tick-Tick laughs
 >"You're crazier than I thought! How am I supposed to help? You /know/ I'm no good to you in a fight"
 >You smile
 "That's just it... we don't need you to fight! Like I said, we got Hill Stony planning for us! He's super smart and can lead us to victory! He has a plan that needs someone tiny, and you're perfect for the part"
 >Tick-Tick frowns
 >"You promise I don't have to fight anyone?"
 >You nod eagerly
 "Yes! Just come with me to the hideout, we'll explain what you need to do there"
 >Tick-Tick nods slowly
 >"Alright, fine... But you owe me one!"
 
 Be The Warden
 >WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!
 >WATER HAS FLOODED THE PIT!
 >Champions and audience members alike are running around in a panick!
 >'The Inmate' can't do anything...
 >Time to become 'The Warden' again and take charge of the situation!
 >...But not here
 >You don't want to expose your real identity here
 >You dart for the entrance
 >Whoever did this will have tartarus to pay!
 >You'll make sure of that!
 
 Be Amber Ember
 >Be sitting on a comfortable reading couch
 >Be with Anon and the other girls, excluding Libele, in the upper floor of the library
 >The highest publicly available place in the entire prison
 >Even here, far away from where you set off the distraction, you can hear the faint sounds of terror
 >Feygl rubs up against you and sits next to you
 >"You okay? You look pretty upset"
 >You smile weakly and nod
 "I don't like causing mayhem like this. Those poor ponies..."
 >Anon smiles at you apologetically
 >"I'm sorry you had to do this... But thank you. It really means a lot to me that you helped Spinny this much"
 >Feygl nods
 >"Without you, Spinny never would have been able to see her mother! If Spinny had tried to teleport or phase through the walls, the unicorn guards would have sensed her escape instantly. You're a real hero"
 >You stare at your hands, clasped together on your lap
 "I know, I know... Still, I wish there was a less destructive option"
 >Vintl waves happily as Libele rounds a corner and comes into view, carrying a tray
 >"Hey. there. big. girl., what'd. you. bring. us.?"
 >Libele carefully lowers the tray onto the table
 >"For myself, Happy,  and Amber: tea. For you, Sandy, and Feygl I brought cocoa with those marshmallows you like, and for Anon..."
 >Libele gingerly passes Anon a simple brown cup
 >"...A cup of 'Black Fire' coffee. No sugar or cream"
 >Anon sniffs at the cup happily
 >"This smells amazing, thanks!"
 >Anon sniffs at the hot beverage again and you watch as the steam springing from the liquid is pulled into his nostrils
 >...Something is... off... about that coffee
 >Is that...?
 >It is!
 >Some little water elemental must have snuck it's way into his coffee
 >Anon takes a sip before you can stop him
 >Though he didn't drink much... it was enough to swallow the elemental
 >...He'll be fine
 >Anon has already consumed a fire elemental and an air elemental
 >Still, he wouldn't have been exposed to that water elemental if you hadn't summoned so many...
 "Anon, do you think I went overboard with the distraction?"
 >Anon looks up at you and smiles
 >"I think you were perfect"
 >You sigh
 "Really? I mean... Did I really have to make /every/ toilet overflow?"
 >Happy spits out some of her tea in shock
 >"W-Wait, /that/ was the distraction!?"
 
 Be The Warden
 >Be the next day
 >Be in your office with Anon and his herd, along with several guards
 >You glare accusingly at Amber
 "My unicorns discovered a massive amount of magic caused the toilets to overflow yesterday. /Elemental/ magic. There's only one inmate in my prison who could pull something like this off. It has also come to my attention that the inmate Spinnerette is missing. Amber, I believe you caused yesterday's chaos to allow her to escape"
 >Amber stares dejectedly at the floor
 >"...Yes Ma'am. I'm sorry, Ma'am"
 >You nod and turn towards your old friend, Happy Heart, and beam her a grin
 "Happy... First, let me congratulate you on joining a herd! I'm so happy for you!"
 >Happy smiles awkwardly
 >"Thank you, I only just joined yesterday"
 >You nod and your expression darkens
 "I know... Which brings me to my second point. I almost didn't believe the report when I first read it.  I can understand inmates causing me problems, but one of the people involved is my friend and employee? I'm severely disappointed in you"
 >You scan the group carefully
 "This is a major breach in prisoner etiquette, and in the employee rulebook. With my power as warden of this prison, I hereby extend Amber's sentence by a full week and upgrade her to orange level. The entire herd will also spend a full hour in timeout, including you Happy. Finally... Happy, I'm sorry, but you broke the rules. I'm going to have to put you under arrest"
 >Anon frowns, shaking his head and stepping forward
 >"You can't punish her! She had no idea what was going to happen until it had already happened!"
 >You frown at Anon, then look at Happy
 "Is this true?"
 >Happy nods sadly
 >"Yes... I'm sorry, Warden"
 >You sigh
 "Look... as much as I'd like to let you go, I need to punish /someone/ for this mess. My reputation is on the line here. I'm already taking it pretty easy on Amber, her punishment is staying in jail with her herd! I can't do much to punish Spinnerette becuase she doesn't care about sweets or being alone, and she's already a black suit"
 >Amber takes a step forward
 >"You're already punishing me... Please, don't punish Happy"
 >You shake your head
 "Inmate Amber Ember, are in enough trouble without challenging my choices"
 >Anon raises his hand
 >"Please punish me instead of Happy. It was all my idea, the whole mess is my fault"
 >You narrow your eyes
 >Anon is a tough cookie
 >He can't be punished by normal means
 >...Meaning you can give him an extraordinarily tough punishment!
 >Your reputation will be secured and you won't have to punish your friend!
 >You nod your head slowly, still frowning
 "I'll allow this... Instead of arresting Happy, Anon will spend the rest of today and tomorrow in timeout"
 >The girls gasp
 >Happy shakes her head
 >"That's too long! He'll go insane!"
 >Libele nods
 >"Surely there's another way!"
 >Anon turns to face his girls and beams them a smile
 >"Don't worry about me. I'm a big tough human, I'll survive"
 >You nod
 "Good, it's settled then. Because you'll be in timeout for so long, you'll be allowed to request books, paper, crayons, and pencils to pass the time"
 >You turn towards the guard on your left
 "Please escort Anon to the Trouble Corner"
 >The herd says their farewells and eventually everyone either leaves or is escorted away
 >Leaving you alone in your office
 >You sigh and rub your head
 >The carpet in your office is still soggy from that stunt Anon and Amber pulled
 
 Be Anon
 >This isn't so bad
 >You can spend the day reading and doodling
 >It might actually be nice to have a little peace and quiet for once
 >You flop yourself onto the bed and yawn
 >...maybe a nap is in order
 >You take off your shoes and get ready for the nap by curling yourself up in a blanket
 >...You are now an Anon burrito
 >It isn't as comfortable as being in the middle of a dragon-cuddle, but it'll have to do
 
 Be Vladdy
 >Be lying in wait for your target
 >Be in costume
 >You're mostly underwater, only the tip of your nose is above the water line
 >In only a matter of minutes, it will be the right time to strike and open the weighted cooler you're standing on
 >Everyone is ready to play their part to bring Anon down by hitting his weak spot
 >His herd
 >Anon may be a monster...
 >But his herd is easy pickings
 >Through your goggles, you spot your target
 >Sandy Beaches, the pirate pony
 >She's built another rickety raft...
 >And it's floating towards you
 >You'll strike once it's directly above you...
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >Almost...
 >...There, that should be perfect
 >You take a deep breath and submerge completely
 >It only takes a few seconds to open the cooler
 >A large block of dry ice bubbles and turns the water chilly as it quickly rises and bumps the bottom of the boat
 >You see Sandy's outline cast a shadow over the side of her boat...
 >...But she can't see you
 >The heavy fog created by the dry ice prevents her from seeing you
 >Time to see if this costume Hill made is any good
 >You kick off the bottom of the pool, coming up on the opposite side of the boat
 >With a mighty bellow, you grab at the boat
 >Sandy jumps into the air and screams
 >"SEAMONSTER! HELP! ANOOOOONN!"
 >Sandy flies out of the pool room, screaming and crying
 >You smile
 >It feels good to be beating Anon
 >...And this was only the beginning!
 >Time to hide the evidence and escape
 >You dive down again to recover the cooler
 >With a huge effort, you manage to drag the heavy box back to the shallow end and remove it from the pool
 >You get out of the costume and lock it in the cooler
 >You quickly glance around to make sure no one saw you...
 >...And the coast is clear
 >Time to drag the cooler back to the hideout
 
 Be Sandy Beaches
 >MONSTER!
 >YOU SAW A MONSTER!
 >IT WAS A SEA MONSTER!
 >THE /WORST/ KIND OF MONSTER!
 >YOU NEED TO FIND ANON!
 >HE'LL PROTECT YOU FROM THE MONSTER!
 >HE WON'T LET IT GOBBLE YOU!
 
 
 Be Anon
 >Be in your cell with your crayons and paper
 >Be using your time wisely
 >You're creating portraits for your girls
 >They'll be so surprised to see how hard you worked on these!
 >You can't wait to see their reactions to the drawings!
 
 Be Biscuits and Milk
 >Be the guard posted outside Anon's cell
 >One of Anon's herdmates, Sandy, is crying in front of you
 >"Please! I need to see him! He'll protect me!"
 >You frown tightly and shake your head
 "I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to let anyone in or out until Anon has finished his time out"
 >Sandy hiccup-sobs
 >"B-But the seamonster will get me!"
 >You do your best to smile comfortingly
 >You may be the toughest guard in the prison, but you're not cruel
 "I can keep you safe if you want. That way you'll be able to see Anon as soon as he leaves, too"
 >Sandy sniffles and shakes a little, glancing over her shoulder
 >"A-Alright..."
 
 Be Libele
 >Be very carefully flying in the exact center of your room
 >Not touching anything
 >You're hyperventilating
 >There are creepy-crawlies in your room
 >EVERYWHERE
 >To think, you were just lying in your bed before you noticed...
 >You shudder as the memory of a centipede skittering across your wing replays over and over in your head
 >The memories force ghostly recreations of the feeling all across your body
 >You're... unclean
 >A spider feels its way across your ceiling
 >Your wings are getting tired, and you lose altitude to avoid the eight-legged freak
 >An earwig lifts its tail-pincer threateningly
 >With a soft 'eep!' you regain your altitude
 >You bite your lip almost painfully
 >If only someone would open your door for you, you could escape!
 >You can't open it yourself...
 >One of... /THEM/ is sitting on top of the knob!
 >This... This is tartarus!
 
 Be Hill Stony the Science Pony
 >Things are turning out just perfectly!
 >Anon was out of the picture, and if everything was going according to schedule...
 >Two of Anon's girls should be cowering in fear right about now
 >A dark chuckle forces its way through your lips
 >This is absolutely fantastic!
 >Your plan is going to come to perfect fruition
 >Anon will never see this coming...
 >...Partly because he's stuck in timeout!
 >Things are actually progressing better than you could have hoped
 >With Anon out of the way, your minions have been able to move without fear
 >Oh yes, things are just perfect
 >You smirk as you make your way to your target
 >Feygl the Gryphon
 >The musical orb bounces around in your saddlebags
 >You stop and force yourself to relax
 >If you get excited and move too quickly, the musical orb might get too jostled
 >If that happens, it'll start to play before it's in place
 >Can't have that
 >It could ruin your plan
 >After a moment of calming yoursef, you resume your journey
 >It takes only a few minutes for you to be in front of Feygl's room
 >Peering under her door, you take stock of the situation
 >Through the small amount you can see and hear from inside the room...
 >Feygl must be on her bed, practicing her guitar
 >Perfect!
 >You focus your magic and create a scrying eye in her bathroom
 >You close your eyes and force the scrying eye to display Feygl's bathroom directly into your mind
 >With a frown, you look around her bathroom
 >While it isn't exactly dirty... She is far from organized
 >What kind of person keeps the toilet paper on the toilet tank, not in the holder?!
 >You shake your head and focus your magic through the eye
 >A gentle nudge sends her toothbrush clattering to the floor
 >You quickly dismiss your magic as Feygl's guitar squeaks
 >"What was that?"
 >You smile as you hear Feygl hop off her bed
 >As soon as you hear her claws clacking against the bathroom tile, you summon a new scrying eye in her bedroom
 >You quickly scan for her guitar....
 >There, on the bed!
 >Speed is required, she's probably already picked up the toothbrush by now!
 >Moving quickly to avoid detection, you teleport the musical orb from your saddlebag and into Feygl's guitar
 >A flick of magic, and it begins to play
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFamSTqqlSk
 >You smile as the sound of the toothbrush clatters to the floor again hits your ears, almost lost by the sound of the ghostly music
 >"Wh-What?"
 >Through the corner of your scrying eye, you can see Feygl retreating further into her bathroom
 >Time to kick things up a notch!
 >Using your magic, you grab the dooknob to her bathroom, and slam the door
 >Feygl yelps as she's trapped in the bathroom
 >You hold the knob in place, locking her inside
 >"H-Hey! Let me out! Who's doing this?!"
 >You increase the volume of the musical orb, and the music drowns out her yelling
 >You smile cruelly
 >Everything is going according to plan...
 >Perfectly
 >Just perfectly
 
 Be Anon
 >Be in your cell
 >You can hear the muffled sounds of talking outside your timeout cell
 >...But you can't make out who is talking
 >...oh well
 >Probably just The Warden checking in to make sure you haven't tried to escape or anything
 >You proudly hold up your first drawing
 >Spinny will be so happy to see this!
 >You quickly get to work making the next drawing
 >This one will be for...
 
 
 Be Amber
 >Be meditating alone in your room
 >The sun's rays beam through your window, spreading warm energy throughout the room
 >Between the convection heat, your own breathing, and some creative use of air elementals, you've created a circuit of air and energy through the room that begins and ends right where you are sitting
 >This is perfect, everything is in balance...
 >You needed this to calm your mind
 >Poor Anon... taking the punishment for you...
 >There must be some way you can repay him!
 >...Maybe some sweet-smelling incense?
 >Or you could put your alchemical knowledge to use in the kitchen, and make him some fine sweets
 >Candy can't be that much different from incense, and you're great with incense!
 >You nod to yourself
 >You'll ask the others for help making them tomorrow, that way the candy will be ready just as Anon is leaving time out
 >A faint scratching sound distracts you from your thoughts
 >A cursory glance around the room fails to reveal the source of the sound
 >...Maybe it was nothing
 >You close your eyes and continue your meditation, completely unaware that a new stick was added to the incense plate
 
 Be Happy Heart
 >How could things spiral out of control so quickly!
 >You only /just/ joined the herd, and things have already gone wrong!
 >Poor Anon...
 >He'll no doubt be unnerved after so long in time out!
 >He's probably suffering terribly right now, and there's nothing you can do to help...
 
 Be Anon
 >You drew a thing!
 >No doubt Sandy will love this!
 >...You should probably laminate it, so that it can't get wet
 >Knowing Sandy, she'll try and use it for a flag...
 >Or a pretend treasure-map
 >Or a precious booty
 >You chuckle to yourself
 >She might even bury it in a box as her buried treasure
 >You shake your head, grinning from ear to ear
 >Now, who should you draw next?...
 >...Vintl!
 >If any of your girls will be excited to have their portrait drawn by you, it will be Vintl
 >You'll do Feygl and Amber next, because dragons are hard to draw and you're getting tired of drawing ponies
 >You grab your pink and blue crayons and a new sheet of paper in preparation to draw Vintl
 >She is going to absolutely love this!
 
 Be Happy
 >Yes, poor Anon is probably miserable right now...
 >At least The Warden was reasonable and let Anon have some books and drawing supplies to keep himself occupied
 >If he was stuck in timeout without anything...
 >No one could survive that
 >Even the toughest pony would lose their minds in such a situation
 >You shake your head firmly
 >Anon will be fine!
 >He's strong!
 >He's tough!
 >He will survive and leave that time out room with a big grin
 >Still... something doesn't feel right
 >Maybe some yoga will help clear your head...
 >Luckily your yoga mat is already out on the floor
 >You thought you put it away last time you used it...
 >Oh well, you'll remember to put it away this time
 >You step onto the mat and quickly go into a difficult routine
 >You need this
 >It has been a real roller coaster of emotion these past few days
 >And right now, the thing you need most is...
 >...To relax
 >You find a comfortable advanced position and hold it
 >As the seconds tick away, the tension slowly oozes out of your body
 >Breathing deeply through your nose, you push the position...
 >...And exhaling slowly through your mouth, you relax the position
 >After a few minutes of this regiment, your body feels loose and relaxed
 >...Even though your mind isn't completely settled
 >With a sigh, you try to unfurl yourself and get on with your day...
 >...But you can't?
 >What?
 >Why can't you move?
 >You're stuck to the mat!
 >Why?!
 >What?!
 
 Be Hill Stony, the Science Pony
 >Be in your lair with your minions
 "We are doing well! All is going according to plan... I'm proud of you, my minions!"
 >A cheer goes up around you
 "We only have a few more targets before our vengeance is complete!"
 >Another cheer
 "Rust and Tick-Tick will be getting the Breezie soon, and the minotaur will be finding the sparkler in her incense tray soon... but not soon enough!"
 >Your minions laugh as you beam down at them
 "Yes! We have already stuck the rest of his girls... The gryphon, the dragon, the pegasus, the unicorn! We-"
 >Spear holds up a hoof urgently
 >You tilt your head and point at him
 "Yes, Spear?"
 >Spear stands and frowns
 >"Anon doesn't have a unicorn in his herd! The closest thing would be that filthy changeling"
 >Spear's gang nods behind him
 >You smirk at them
 "And that, dear Spear, is what separates you and I. /I/ am aware that Anon DOES have a unicorn in his herd! None other than the prison's nurse, Happy Heart"
 >Spear's expression freezes
 >"What did you do?"
 >You smirk
 "The next time she tries any yoga, she'll find herself in quite the... /sticky/ situation!"
 >You chuckle as Spear frowns dangerously
 >"What do you mean?"
 >You stifle your laughter long enough to answer
 "Heat-activated glue. Nearly undetectable until it becomes sticky, but extremely hard to remove unless you have the proper cleaning solution. She'll stretch on the mat and find herself glued in place as her body heat activates the glue!"
 >Spear growls
 >"You didn't say anything about pranking Happy Heart!"
 >You frown
 "I said we'd be targetting Anon's herd. She recently joined his herd. Therefore, she is a target"
 >Spear stamps a hoof
 >"That's not good enough reason! Go clean her mat right now or I'll tell The Warden what you've done!"
 >You chuckle at the fool in front of you
 "Please, I know it isn't easy but /try/ to use your brain. If you tell on me, you'll get in trouble too. Mutually-assured time out. You tell on me, I tell on you. If I'm going down..."
 >You smile smugly
 "...Then I'm taking you down with me. And trust me, you'll fall farther than I will"
 >Spear grumbles grudgingly and slumps angrily in his seat
 >Your smile broadens
 >That simpleton was so easy to manipulate
 >As always, you've outsmarted those around you!
 >Even Anon, that clever primate, has no idea how badly he has lost!
 >Yes, things are going /exactly/ as planned
 
 Be Anon
 >You drew another thing!
 >Vintl will love this!
 >Next you'll do Feygl...
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >You really got Feygl's good side with this one!
 >Time to draw one for Amber!
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >You really got Amber's good side with this one!
 >Time for Libele's portrait!
 >...
 >..
 >.
 >This one would have been better if you'd had more room to draw on
 >Hopefully Libele will still like it
 >Well, last but not least, it's time to draw a portrait for Happy!