The Amulet of Graveeda 3

				Daring Doo and the Amulet of Graveeda
						Part 3

			This is a shameless Fetish Story, leave now if you don't want that

					Contains: Pregnancy, belly expansion

	She followed the stallion out of his kitchen, into the far more obvious spa area. It looked rather dreary however, barely any lights on, empty tables and hot tubs drained of water; it was almost worse than the empty streets.

	“Has business always been this been bad?” Daring felt she knew the answer, but had to ask.

	“It was fine actually, until about a month ago. Some of my regulars started canceling, and then the walk ins stopped. Soon enough I found quite a bit of my schedule cleared, not even enough to keep my apprentices occupied. I still had enough to get by, but... after what happened a few days ago.” She could hear the pain in his voice. “Well, I thought it best to close shop for a few days. Only take what I needed and not cancel anypony who still had an appointment. Me and the misses have been up in the loft just... recuperating I guess. Sorry again about coming at you like that, when I heard noises coming from the employee lounge I thought the worst.”

	“Oh, don't worry about it. I probably would of done the same thing.”

	“Anyway, here we are.” He opened a door to a more private area of the spa, a room sealed off from the rest of the more public space. “Good thing you showed up when you did, almost drained the water out of the tub.”

	Daring followed him through the doorway, and beheld a far more well-lit room. The colors were soft and inviting, places to store all manner of beauty products close by, and perhaps best of all in the center of the room was a hut tub which looked built into the layout of the room as it gently rose slightly out of the floor. Within that hot tub Daring could make out soft padding, more than likely meant for her to lay upon. She began to wonder just how pampered she was about to become.

	“Wow, when you said world-class you meant it huh?”

	“Well, let's just say you bought the best and-” Daring was slightly surprised when he entwined one of his arms around hers. “We here at Prodigal Point like to take good care of mothers.” He then began to carefully escort her toward the tub, she couldn't help but slightly blush at the courtesy.

	“So formal with a lady and not even give her your name?”

	“You may call me Teddy, everypony else does.” He then continued as he had before as they reached the waiting bath.

	The path into the tub was inclined to make it easier for her to get into, but it didn't raise so high that she felt it might be dangerous. Daring couldn't help but notice that it seemed raised just high enough that the stallion escorting her wouldn't need to bend over to provide his services to whoever was within it. She took a tentative step in and felt the warm water already beginning to work away at stress built up in her leg, she also noticed the tub wasn't smooth, it seemed to be rather porous in such a way that it might prevent slipping. There were also some guide rails she could use once she got to the other side where the padding was.

	When Daring made a move to turn herself around, she was surprised as the stallion continued to help. Making sure she had less hardship while trying to turn about as she prepared to lay down on her back. When she began to lean back he didn't falter as he helped her gently glide into the tub, the water slowly working its way across her body as she fell deeper into its depths, its surface displacing higher as her full grown girth joined the rest of her body within it. She was rather surprised at how much of it stood up above the water line, more than enough for the stallion to work with.

	Daring just sighed heavily as she let the warmth soak in, the stress already beginning to leave. “I think I really needed this.” She said in a long windy coo, there even seemed to be some leftover stress from her older adventures soaking away into the warm bath.

	So there she lay with her eyes closed, resting against the heavenly soft padding built into the tub, while listening to the stallion get out all manner of tools and beauty products from various storage cabinets. She didn't care as she just felt her stomach lift and fall into the water from her tempered breathing. It's surface covered in a slight sheen from the water, her fur matted from the wetness enough to reveal the shape to any witness. Her exposed navel especially prominent as Daring's fur could no longer hide it so well.

	It wasn't until she felt something soft and warm begin to tease curious feelings out of her belly that she opened her eyes at all. It seemed Teddy had begun his message, a wet sponge tied to one of his hooves as a bottle wrapped in magic squirted some form of soap onto her tall island of a paunch. It must have had some form of moisturizer mixed in as it seemed to make the sponge glide across her girth a bit easier.

	Daring's feelings about it were anything but platonic as its soft strokes spread a wonderful feeling across her gut. He began to message up and around with it, driving so many wonderful tingles across her weighty womb. The entire process made Daring realize just how massive she was as he seemed to take forever just to clean one side. Occasionally she could feel her gut twitch, she wasn't sure if it was normal for it definitely wasn't from her foal kicking, and it felt nothing short of extraordinary.

	He slowly began to move around to the other side, stroking her girth carefully all the while. She did her best to hide her moans as she breathed harder, her stomach rising up higher out of the water from the deeper breathing. She groaned deeply as the feelings mixed with her gut's movement, another strong twitch rocking it about. She couldn't help but lean her belly into his strokes, trying to get him to press just a bit harder, to drive that intense sensation just a bit deeper. He seemed to pick up on her, and obliged, which only made her situation better as the butterflies grew stronger.

	His final ascent left her in a daze. The higher he went the greater that twitch felt, his constant movement gradually messaging her higher than lower caused that feeling to swell to a new high every time. Her twitches became a little stronger, while her breathing also became a little quicker. Daring's noises then grew a little less private as a deep warmth surged out into her extremities, her stomach noticing a change especially so as his strokes felt so more sensual. She could swear the whole thing was becoming more sensitive as he went on.

	When Teddy finally reached the summit Daring had become so reactive that it was a small wonder why he hadn't stopped to see what had her so bothered, she wondered if this was perhaps normal for him. As his soft warm sponge began circling her navel Daring's twitches became much stronger, looking far more like she was thrusting her gut out of the water to coax him on than subtle movements. Something deep in her gut felt awoken, unable to contain herself as he marched onto the summit.

	His first pass over the exposed navel left her breathless as a storm of fluttering sensations spread out all over from the surprising touch. He then began to scrub a little harder, either aware of what was happening or trying to get out a stubborn patch of dirt. Daring could only groan loudly, trying to resist the urge to physically thrust her gut into his message, more so than the errant twitches were doing already. Every stroke made her insides move, butterflies whisking about in an endless swelling tide that needed to be answered soon. She had no idea what would happen if she lost her cool, but one part of her wanted him to make her do so.

	In a sudden move he twisted the sponge upon her naked navel, the grinding sensation arcing down her belly button like a lightning rod as it drove down deep into her. That spark ignited a fire, her back arched into a slight thrust as her belly's slight twitch became a full immense throb. For a split second she felt her gut swell larger and fill up more of the tub, as the water sloshed around from the titanic movement. Something on her belly was thrown off from the wave of motion too, but Daring was too swept up in the moment to remember what it was. As she recovered from the engorged feeling there was a warmth that washed over her gut in waves, alongside a series of softening throbs as her girth felt rather satisfied.

	Daring opened her eyes to see Teddy dousing her belly with water to remove any excess suds from the soap. When he noticed her stare he simply gave a rather sly look back, Daring really hoped it wasn't for the wrong reasons.

	“Sorry I got a little um... excited there.”

	“No, its alright, that's what usually happens.” He set down the small bucket he used to wash her off and went off to the assortment of waiting supplies closeby, “You're not the most extreme reaction I've ever had. Although you must of never had one before, all that release from the stress in there is just astonishing.”

	“Yeah well, one day you're out living your life, not enough time for anything then-” She looked down at the whole mountain of gut before her, “One day you wake up with a melon between your legs and you realize to take things a little slower.”

	Teddy just shook his head at her joke, “Isn't that always the case?” He continued to look through an assortment of bottles he had as the conversation continued. “I'm still surprised you reacted so strongly to just my cleaning, I must be getting good at this.”

	“Wait, I thought you just said I was normal... and not even the best one.”

	“Well, yeah. But usually they do that after I use this.” Daring watched him use magic to pull an unlabeled bottle of what might be lotion out from behind his back as he returned to her side. “It's called godmother's kiss, I usually charge extra for this but for you its all part of the world-class pampering package.”

	“Oh?” The use of the word 'godmother' had Daring worried and yet excited at the same time. “And why is it called that?”

	“It's an old recipe of secret ingredients I make myself, got it from my gran-pappy's journal. He was a rather good masseuse as well, it was apparently used for royalty.” He said with a sly grin.

	She wasn't sure if he was trying to imply something or just be coy. “O-oh really? That's interesting.”

	“Yes it is, and do you wanna know why?”

	Daring felt as though she was getting backed into a corner, and with no way out in a bathtub she couldn't help but feel trapped. “Um... W-why?”

	“Because you are-”

	Please don't say the godmother, please don't say the godmother, please don't say the godmother.

	“-going to become absolute puddy in my hooves when I use this on you.”

	Daring was prepared for demands, or another odd hostage situation, but this. “Huh?”

	“Oh don't act innocent with me. If that little show from just my sponge drove you mad, this is going to be a true display for the ages. For I know your weak-spots now, I could feel all that stress inside you aching to be let out. And with all that knowledge available to me-” Suddenly two soft pads that looked like they were meant for some indulgent belly rubbing joined the bottle of lotion in the air. “-I'm going to destroy you. HA-HA-HA!”

	Daring could tell he liked to put on a show of his own, but perhaps he was just being goofy because he hadn't felt so happy in such a long time. Even up till the time he had begun cleaning her he seemed rather sullen, now though he seemed better, like a hole had been healed. She wondered if she had anything to do with it, or if he was perhaps just happy to treat a client once again after having his mind dragged down by so much recently. Either way she didn't really want to spoil his fun with questions.

	“Well bring it on, I think you'll find that I’ve gotten in a few hairy scraps before.”

	“Oh I doubt you're going to last more than ten seconds.” Teddy retorted alongside a throaty chuckle.

					()()(A while later)()()

	They looked down at a map of the town, markings indicated where agents were patrolling and looking for the godmother. One of the scouts began recounting the initial sighting gathered from reports.

	“She moved through the alleys to the library, there she stayed until she was unfortunately scared off to the southwest. The sightings die down after that, sir.”

	The headmaster continued to contemplate the map, this godmother was resourceful he had to give her that. There was no less then four possible routes she could take out of Prodigal Point, and it would be no surprise if she did so thanks to the work of certain individuals.

	“You're sure no one has seen any trains leave, or a pegasus flying away out of the city limits?”

	“They've been maintaining stories about broken engines and bad storm fronts closing in, if she left it wasn't on one of the main routes, sir.”

	Quick fix spoke up, “Perhaps she had herself smuggled out. There are more than a few ponies in this town who would.”

	“No, most of the ones willing to move a pregnant mare work down at the docks, and we have deals in place with them to 'take the day off'.”

	As they began to exchange further ideas of the godmother's whereabouts nopony realized the motions made by the amulet upon the desk. Not until it began to rattle about and glow, then the gathered group couldn't take their eyes off it. The amulet leaped a few feet up off the table in blinding flash of light, before it softly landed back where it was in a warm glow.

	Quick Fix had no idea what was going on. “What was that?”

	The headmaster was the first to realize what was happening. “By the stars.” His eyes then glued back to the map. “Are there any body healers in the possible range where she went?”

	The scout spoke up, “There are more than a few, but we don't have any ponies in the immediate area.”

	Quick fix pointed one out specifically, “That one, its only a few blocks from the library, and I know for a fact that the owner is a descendent of the old royal caretaker.”

	“Are you sure?”

	“Positive sir, I know the owner personally. He's the only one who could caused that reaction.”

	“Alright then, its your call, so you get to go.” The headmaster gave him a wary look, “And I trust this time things will be a bit more... diplomatic?”

	“I'll surrender myself and let her go if that's what it takes to just speak with her.”

	“Good, then get going.” The headmaster watched the amulet carefully as they left him, its glow slightly healthier than it was before. “At least this healer bought us some time.”

					()()(A while earlier)()()

	Teddy apologized as he was about to start, he apparently forgot some form of catalytic agent that would kick-start the lotion's properties. She didn't mind, the bath was still warm, and she was pretty sure the water recycled itself somehow with a fresh batch every few minutes. All she did was close her eyes and rest, until a deep reaching spark ignited a flutter of feelings within her paunch.

	The butterflies were back but they were being tied up in a knot close to where the spark originated. Tighter and tighter it was made as her entire belly seemed to be moving about. Something soft yet firm pressed against the knot, slowly making it looser but never releasing it. Her entire gut felt alive as an untold number of tiny prickles danced across its surface, she couldn't stop herself from openly groaning from the sensation. Suddenly a force pressed into her stomach and the knot popped, the release sending a wave of pressure into her womb. It pushed at her belly's meager limitations, and suddenly she grew.

	She opened her eyes to see that her body was not lying to her, her belly had in fact grown slightly from the release. A pad rested against her side in a field of magic, a strange glowing substance slathered just beneath it.

	Teddy spoke up, “And that was just the first spot.”

	Daring wasn't sure if he was blind to what just happened, her gut was definitely a tad larger than it had been. Yet she didn't care, she just wanted him to keep doing whatever it was he was doing.

	Another knot appeared within her womb, the butterflies that had danced before were swept up inside it alongside others newly appeared. The knot only felt tighter because of that, her need for it to be released growing. All the while her belly was alive with thousands of tiny sparks, the lotion being driven into her skin from the soft pads stroking the sides of her gut. She was already losing her will to resist, pushing her stomach into his message to try and lure him into releasing the pressure. She had to be rid of the knot, it must be undone so she could grow.

	The knot in her stomach was slowly loosening. Each time that it became closer to releasing she could feel a warm wave surge through her, driving her breath on a quicker path as her gut was in full motion from her pumping diaphragm. She began to feel the entire mass between her legs quiver, an urge, a need for the building ache to be released. The pleasure filled shivers arced across her immense stomach, and the womb inside moved. The action danced her girth about in such a way that it only served to make her even more bothered from the stimulation it brought.

	She felt another forceful push, and then a familiar internal pop. Her skin was alive as lightning danced across her body in a fit of shivers, the pressure released into her tension filled muscles in her stomach, and she felt her girth grow outward once again. A slight bit of water displacing out of the tub from her new size.

	She thought he might pause, find a new knot to entwine, yet all he did was continue to message her mass. Her belly was a madhouse of sensations, fluttering deep within as shivers raced across its surface. She tried to gently breath to maintain herself, but every few moments her gut would be rocked by a gentle gurgle and then expand ever so slightly. Ache's would build and then be released in an instant, each burst sending a new wave of warmth and growth into her.

	By the time he got to the top of her gut she had swollen to the size of twins, full grown and ready to be born any second. All the while aches she didn't even know she had were found and obliterated in an explosion of nerves that tingled across her flesh. She was deeply enthralled by his massage, encircling the highest point of her womb before he even dared advance upon the final summit, her fully exposed navel. Daring could feel one of his hooves upon her as he had to balance against her to see it clearly.

	It too had swollen from her recent growth, red and delicate as her thundering heart caused it to slightly throb. He carefully placed a new streak of lotion upon it, and simply allowed it to sink in on its own for a moment. She could only utter a frustrated sigh from the slightly intrusive power of it, the final and greatest point of stress churning her insides about as it worked itself upon her. Suddenly there was pressure against it, her womb immediately felt an explosion of fluttering tickles that raced into every corner of her girth.

	Daring couldn't help but thrust herself into his grinding motion, her belly physically throbbing with immense pleasure as she felt the titanic knot being loosened from his kneading force. She continued to thrust, and thrust, each time a wonderful sensation of her womb being pulled higher followed. The knot was almost undone, she could feel the flutter of pressure building, ready for the rest of it to explode outward and make her grow. Her thrusts felt so much greater as the knot was almost ready to burst, her stomach already much larger than when she began, and yet she wanted more. More growth, more room, more until she could carry them all.

	Without warning the constricting force in her womb was undone. She felt an immense pressure ignite within her womb, the forces caused her belly to throb with such a force that it knocked the overeager stallion off its surface. Her womb felt like it was expanding incredibly as her stomach rose over her in a series of uncontrollable throbs, making room for so many soon to be foals. Suddenly her womb felt alive, an electric charge surged through her as her girth began to glow brightly. She couldn't contain herself, not even as she felt strange pressure on the outside of her womb as something pushed its way inside.

	Daring was startled as she felt that something which pushed its way into her spark into being within the womb between her legs. Then watched in awe as her belly grew every so slightly. She could feel a second set of legs kick alongside the first. Another one pressed into her belly, eliciting a slight moan as the pressure it exerted to enter. There was another spark, and she groaned as her belly grew once more, stretching and groaning as it pushed itself far above the tub with its girth. The assault of younglings rhythmically kicking within her brought no end of sensations.

	She felt another one pushing against her, rubbing against her stomach to try and entice her to let it in. Warm surges began to throb alongside the event, slowly she grew warmer as the single point of pressure pushed its way into her, the feelings only magnified as it got closer to her womb. When it finally crossed over she felt it spark into being. Her womb stretching farther without complaint, coaxing her girth into growing more for the added foal. They continued to grow as well, large and healthy within her as water from the tub surged over the sides from the mass growing within.

	Without warning she felt two sparks ignite together, twins she knew. They pushed so hard at their sudden appearance that her gravid girth had a time keeping up, the sensation of sudden growth making Daring unable to contain herself as the pressure began to build again, the extra room running out. Yet still all the life within her kicked and moved, the sheer power of it rocking her sensitive paunch around bringing no end to the fulfilling experience of carrying so many.

	Then she felt a single tiny spark, weaker than the rest appear within her, unsure of what it meant. That single tiny spark became two, and two became three. She was unprepared as triplets began to grow within her at a rapid rate. Her belly was suddenly unable to expand, yet the foals within continued to grow. She could feel her stomach stretch, but it wasn't growing, she needed more room.

	She had to grow, she needed to. Her stomach began to thrust upward of its own accord, pushing at her own limit. All she could do was grown from the sensation, as she suddenly felt herself grow. It thrust again, and she grew a little more. Slowly it continued until she felt a pressure building inside her, something that was slowly withholding the thrusts as it demanded to be released, but she couldn't stop, she was at the mercy of her stomach's sudden surges and growth. It became such a great force within that her stomach felt like it was about to burst, the thrusts becoming immense throbs as she couldn't hold it back anymore.

	It felt like there was an explosion inside her womb as it released, her gut billowing out in every direction as it suddenly grew. More sparks spontaneously ignited as they helped push her to new heights, each one growing her just a little more until the storm eventually passed. Daring could only breathe as her womb gently throbbed with life, constantly warm and comforting to herself and those within. She could only coo as they all moved and kicked within her, gently sending shivers down her spine from their intimate connection to her.

	She wouldn't let anything happen to them, not now, not ever. Slowly she felt the repercussions of so much growth, her muscles tired from being stretched and regrown with every new foal, Daring needed to rest, and felt no qualms about taking a short nap. She gently stroked what she could reach of her paunch as she slowly drifted away from reality into her dreams.

	Nothing would take them from her, she surmised as rest slowly overtook her, nothing.

						()()()()()

	Teddy wasn't sure how to react, he had been in something of a trance ever since he touched her belly with the godmother's kiss. The stress in the knots he had felt within her before seemed to be so much more than that, like they were webs of pain brought on by something else. He didn't know why but every stroke he gave her felt right, like he was helping her, like he was healing her. Now he could only stand by as he watched the spectacle before him.

	A mountain of a womb had grown out of the tub, the mare it was attached to easily slumbered as he watched full grown foals occasionally kick and rock her belly about. Did he do something wrong? There was magic involved in the lotion but it never caused this level of a reaction, the worst that had ever happened before was a mare who had been expecting a single foal for a few months suddenly found herself a little farther along when he finished. It was a difficult thing to believe when it happened, but this?

	There must be an explanation, he thought to himself, godmother's kiss isn't supposed to-

	Then it hit him.

	“The godmother!” He had to slam his hooves over his mouth, hoping he didn't wake her.

	Teddy had taken a book from the library a few days ago which spoke of her, about what she could do. It was poppycock to say the least, but the journal from his grandfather spoke of her too; like she was real. Now he stood in the same room as her, a goddess blooming with life as they had for a long time before him. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know what to say. Was she old, older than she appeared? Why was she here? What did she want from him? Perhaps the greatest question that rose within his mind was how, how can I get her to help?

	His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a cough. It definitely wasn't his own, and the only other pony in the room was.

	“Oh no.”

	Teddy could only watch in horror as black smoke rose out of the godmother's mouth, her gut slightly shrinking as a foal was stolen from her womb. He didn't know what to do, he didn't understand why the curse had waited until now to do this. Was it so strong from her absence that even she couldn't stop it? He tried to think if he could do anything to help, but the godmother coughed again. A larger cloud of smoke rising out of her mouth as her gut gave up more of the young that disappeared from her rapidly decaying girth. There was nothing he could do as that black cloud seemed to steal the warmth from the room, sending a shiver down his spine as it drained the last of the foals from her. Then, just like before, the curse's smoke disappeared from the room. Leaving no trace of its presence save an awful chill in the air and that a mare was now without her foals.

	He wasn't sure what he could do, he almost believed that he may of caused this. He dared to approach hoping that she was still alright, and when he was close enough to see within the tub's walls he was grateful for at least one thing. Her womb still rocked about with at least one foal, her girth the size it had been when she first arrived. Perhaps there was still hope for some it seemed, for whoever else had felt her touch.

	He was struck with realization once more, “Touch.” Perhaps that was what it took, something stronger to resist the curse.

	She began to stir.

	He knew she could help, he just hoped he could convince her to stay, at least for a little while longer.

						()()()()()

	Daring felt odd, she couldn't quite place it, but the first thing that came to mind was that she was rather cold. When she opened her eyes the first thing she noticed was her belly not being a towering monolith, had she dreamed that? Then she noticed Teddy hovering over her, a rather worried look on his face.

	She spoke up before he could say anything, “Sorry about that, I didn't mean to um... pass out on you like that.” He seemed rather confused by her answer, she really hoped that the whole monolithic girth thing was a dream; even if she had enjoyed it.

	His face seemed to flash with an idea for a moment, “Oh, yes, well if you don't mind waiting for a moment I need to go fetch some things for the last part of your stay.”

	“There's something better then what you just did to me?”

	“Maybe, we'll just have to see if you're up for it. Until then here.” She saw him manipulate something with his magic, the tub was filled with more warm water suddenly, and some calm music began playing from a recorder across the room. “Just, please don't go anywhere, I'll be right back.” He left in no small hurry out the only door in the room.

	Daring wasn't quite sure what to make of that, he sounded rather worried that she might actually leave. Why would he think she'd do that unless... She looked at her stomach, its size still rather large thanks to the full grown foal within. She remembered the almost total lack of water in the tub.

	“Oh, boy.” She began to think that perhaps the growth wasn't a dream. What was she supposed to do though, it wasn't there anymore, what happened to it? She had spent all this time just enjoying the ride she hadn't stopped to think about what she should do next. What about the curse? Those order idiots and their plans for her? And those foals, what was she going to do about the families and their lost foals?

	She just leaned back and tried to relax, letting the warm water distract her as best it could. At the very least that odd event near the end of her session proved one thing to her, she could definitely hold her share of foals. The problem was figuring out how she was going to help anypony by doing it, if this godmother was such a significant figure then where were the ones on her side? There had to be something she could do, anything.

	There were voices coming from out in the main room, alongside the noisy clatter of more than one set of hooves. Daring had a feeling she knew what was happening, and just waited as the door opened to a hushed argument of words.

	“I'm not in the mood for this hun, she's gone and she isn't coming back.”

	“But its her, I'm positive. All you have to do is-”

	“No, I'm not indulging your fantasies anymore. This is just ludicrous.”

	“But I know it was the curse that book mentioned, she can fix this.”

	Daring could tell they were trying to be quiet, but it sounded like she was about to hear an argument. She didn't want that, the curse had already done enough to them.

	She interrupted them before it could start, “So I guess my secret is out then?”

	They both stopped whispering and looked over to her, the wife took a step forward as she spoke.

	“I don't know what idea you put in my husband's head but I want none of it. You should be ashamed of yourself, taking advantage of everypony's problems. How much did you make him pay to 'heal me'?”

	Teddy spoke up, “Merry don't-”

	“No,” Daring interrupted, “She has every right to be suspicious.”

	Merry still looked rather angry, but she was definitely listening now.

	“He didn't pay me a bit. I know that you probably don't believe in anything that could bring your filly back, but do you really want to say that she's gone forever? Especially after how she was taken?”

	The mare seemed rather perturbed by her questioning, “What are you trying to say? That I wanted it to happen? If this is what I can expect from some 'godmother' then you can leave right now, I’ll have none of it!”

	“I can see it you know. How you lost her.” Daring sent a glance her husband's way, “How he had to watch his daughter disappear, and he couldn't do a thing about it.”

	Merry didn't want to recall that, but the pain was evident on her face. “Then what... what do you want?”

	“I want to help you.” Daring leaned out of the tub and grabbed the mare's hoof, she was close enough. “All you have to do is ask.”

	Daring wasn't entirely sure what she was doing, it almost felt like instinct, but she didn't ignore what it told her to do. She had Merry place her hoof upon her distended womb, and slowly stroke it in a small circle like Quill had earlier. Daring could feel her stomach become warmer than it usually was, a gentle tingle extending out across the surface. Merry leaned forward as though she was in a slight trance, a name whispered under her breath, and then she kissed the godmother's belly.

	Daring felt a spark ignite within her paunch, and as Merry pulled away she saw a small wisp of light disappear into her mouth. She wasn't able to think about it as her womb felt alive, gurgling and rumbling as pressure began to build, something within her growing. Her breathing became erratic as her gut slowly grew before her eyes, pushing higher as the single foal within her was joined by another. It's warmth seemed to spike as she felt something surging up her throat, in an instinctual reflex she arced her head back and exhaled.

	A bright shimmering aura left her mouth, and floated through the air toward Merry. She took a step back as it approached her face, it stopped before her as though it was waiting for something. Merry seemed to have a tear in her eye as she spoke aloud.

	“Marigold?”

	 The aura disappeared into her throat, driving down until it left a warm glow in her gut. Merry seemed to suddenly grow woozy, her husband rushing over to catch her as he let her lay down in his lap. She seemed to pass out just as Daring felt something in her own womb.

	Daring's stomach had a glow to it as well, and she could feel it gently throb. Each one slightly greater than the last as it seemed her growth had yet to complete itself. She did her best to control herself over the immense sensation, her gut stretching tight and then growing to accommodate the foal growing inside her. She looked over to Merry when she heard a grumble come from her, and watched in amazement as her belly surged outward, an immense scene of growth as her foal began to return. She watched as their womb's throbbed together in sync, and groaned with every spurt of growth they both experienced. It continued for a time, until Daring's own gut was twice the size it had been, and Merry about as big as she had been with just one.

	Slowly the glow left them both, and Daring was in wonder as a new set of hooves danced and bumped across her womb, the same happening to Merry in her sleepy state. When she began to rouse Daring couldn't help but smile, as Teddy couldn't take his eyes from their child in his wife's womb once again. Merry seemed dazed and confused, but when her husband grabbed her attention and brought it down toward their child. Her eyes began to grow thick with mist, as she carefully stroked the impossible event before her as though it might disappear. It responded to her touch with a kick.

	“She's back...” Merry quickly grabbed her husband's hoof and had him feel their daughter kicking as well. “She's back!” She began crying and laughing all the while, her husband growing rather emotional as well while they were locked in each others grasp and watched their daughter prod the inside of her mother's womb.

	Merry was far too emotional to answer, but her husband spared a word or two Daring's way. “Thank you.”

	She just watched them for a while, enjoying the sounds of their laughter as their fear just faded away. The curse's work was undone, and Daring couldn't feel prouder that she had some part to do with it. She had to do this, she had to become whatever the godmother was, the fear of the curse needed to be banished and forgotten. She tried to get up out of the tub, but found herself quite a bit heavier than she had been a minute ago. A rather grateful friend returned to her side, and assisted her as she got up out of the tub; he even helped dry her off.

	Teddy whispered in her ear, “If you ever need anything, you know who to call.”

	“Yeah,” Daring said over a few heavy breaths, she could definitely feel the weight of the 'twins' in her womb. She would be hard pressed to do more than walk at this point.

	“What are you going to do now?” He asked.

	“Not really sure.” She said back honestly.

	“You can stay here, we could bring other families to you, and you could-”

	“No,” Daring said much to his surprise, “There are ponies after me, I don't know what they want, but I don't think they mean well. I can't let either of you get in the way.”

	“Are you sure?”

	Daring looked at Merry, who was still in awe that her child had returned. She couldn't put that in any danger, even if it made this harder for herself. “Yes.”

	“Alright then.” He checked on his wife as well, but then leaned close toward Daring as he whispered a warning into her ear. “But I’m worried there may be something wrong. I saw the curse take foals from you.”

	Daring's eyes went wide at hearing that, she had suspected it but confirmation did little to alleviate her fears.

	“I read that you're supposed to be immune to it, but for some reason it still worked on you. I don't know what that means but it can't be good, you have to find a way to fix it; before it does something worse.”

	Daring couldn't help it, but if he knew this much about it she had to confide in him a secret. “I honestly don't know a thing about what I’m doing. You know more than me about even what I’m capable of, is there anything else you know about me?”

	The masseuse turned lore master was rather shaken to hear that, but did his best to think. “Do you have the amulet?”

	“Well, no.”

	“Then get it, the godmother and the amulet are both very important. I don't know what else could help, but that's all I can tell you.”

	“How do you know all this?” She said in a rather suspicious tone.

	“I read about it in a book after...” He looked back to his wife, “But that's in the past now.”

	“Do you still have it?”

	“I... lost it.” He really wished he hadn't, the fines were going to be a pain to pay off.

	Daring couldn't help but let loose a disappointed sigh, “Well I should get going, something tells me they have a way of tracking me down whenever I do what I do.” She gave Teddy one last clear warning, “And if they do show up don't be a hero, your wife needs you, understand me?”

	He nodded appropriately and left to tend to his wife, the happy couple sharing a private moment of happiness as Daring left, heading toward the doorway which lead to the alleyway. Unsure of what her next move should be beyond getting away from a trap she felt was closing in on her location.

					()()(A while later)()()

	Quick fix knocked on the door.

	“We're closed, come back tomorrow!”

	He shouted to the answer he received, “Is your door still Closed to an old friend Teddy!?”

	“Quick fix?!”

	He heard a jumbled hurry of hooves, one ascending a flight of stairs as another began approaching the door, undoing all manner of locks on the other side. It eventually opened slightly.

	“What are you doing... here.” Teddy noticed the black robe which his old friend wore, as well as the small posse of similar ponies he traveled with; all which were strangers to him.

	“May I come inside?”

	“What's with the troops? You in the army now?”

	“This is important Teddy, and I don't have a lot of time, may I please come in and speak to you privately.”

	“I guess, as long as your posse stays outside.”

	“That's fine.” He gave a signal to his compatriots, and they stood at ease near the entrance. Once inside Quick Fix took a seat in one of the chairs nearest the door, his friend Teddy sitting across from him. A stairway across the room from them creaked noisily, but drew little attention.

	“So, I haven't seen you for a while. What's with the getup and the military doctrine all of a sudden.”

	“I'll cut straight to the point Teddy.” He looked his friend dead in the eyes, “Was she here?”

	“She?” Teddy shifted uneasily in his chair, “She who?”

	“I think you know who.” He looked toward the staircase. “Your wife believes the staircase to be far more hidden than it actually is.”

	“Merry, I told you to-” He stopped himself short. “What do you want? I can't believe you of all ponies would associate with ponies that want to stop the godmother.”

	“I need to know, is she still here?”

	“She helped me and my wife, how can you expect me to rat her out to you!?”

	“Her life is in danger.”

	“Yeah, from you!”

	“No, from the curse!” Quick Fix took a deep breath, letting the heat leave his voice. “It was a very long series of unfortunate events that lead us to this moment, but you know me. I wouldn't even begin to help ponies that meant to harm another, especially not one that performs such a sacred task as the godmother. Help me out here, please.”

	He held his old friend's gaze, looking for falsehood, filled with suspicion. Then he just sighed. “She left a while ago, I don't know where. She was convinced you and your group were after her, I don't know much else. I think something's wrong with her, but I couldn't get her to stay. If you really want to help then give her the amulet, I'm sure a group such as yours already has it as some kind of precaution against her.”

	Quick fix seemed satisfied with the answer, and got up to leave, not wanting to perturb his friend anymore than he had. “One last thing though. How many foals was she bearing when she left.”

	“Two, including my wife's.” He seemed unwilling to say much more than that. “Why?”

	“The greater her burden the less time we have.” He gave his old friend a worried glance. “Take care my old friend, and guard your wife well. She may very well give birth to the last generation of Prodigal Point.”

	He left without saying much more, rallying his men outside to begin a sweep of the area. It would be fruitless much to his frustration, the time before the curse had its way quickly approaching.


						End Part 3