Book Binding CYOA

You've lived in Ponyville for a couple weeks now. Thanks to the crazy shit that's always happening around town, your new apartment was a steal. It's large enough for you to live comfortably, but the place just feels so empty. You haven't met more than a couple ponies since you came here. Maybe if you went out, you could strike up a conversation with some stranger.

 

You decide to get your lazy, lonely ass out of bed and go outside. A quick breakfast and a shower are all you need to get ready. As you walk out of your apartment complex, the streets seem a bit emptier than usual. Even the center of town seems desolate compared to its usual bustling townsfolk. It sorta gives you the creeps. Should you keep walking, or give up and go home?

 

Despite how good a night in sounds, you keep walking. And walking. Soon, you've reached the far end of town, right by the Everfree Forest. You still haven't seen more than three or four ponies out on the street, and they all seemed like they were in a hurry to get wherever they were going. Maybe this town wasn't the comfy rural setting it was hyped up to be... Anyway, since you weren't having any luck outside, maybe you could visit one of Ponyville's famous shops? Or, if you feel like doing something crazy, you could wander off into the forest.

 

Wait, why the hell were you even considering going into the forest? Whatever's out there surely isn't coltfriend material anyway. You walk into a nearest shop, which just happens to be the local bar. It's a weird time to go drinking, though. The bartender is a little surprised when he hears you come in. Besides the pathetic-looking noontime drunks, it's just you, him, and another colt just pulling up a barstool.

 

You take a moment to check yourself in a mirror before you slide up next to the cute colt at the bar. You tell him he doesn't seem like the type to hang out at a bar this early. He smiles and tells you he's not sure what type he is. The bartender comes around, and you order a couple shots for the two of you. A few dozen bits of cheap booze later, and you both forget that you're getting smashed at 9AM on a Tuesday. The rest of the bar doesn't seem to mind, anyway. When you've both had enough to drink, you stumble out of the bar together. Your house is over half an hour away, WAY too far to walk in your current state. Where will you and your new friend go?

 

Before you know what's going on, the colt starts leading you toward the forest. Noting the nervous look on your face, he starts the small talk up again. You find out his name is Book Binding, but you can call him whatever. Before long, you're in a little clearing with a camp set up. He tells you this is where he's been living for the last few days. Will you stay here, or are things getting too weird for you?

 

Fuck logic. You're getting some today! You get into Bookie's tent with him. He zips it up so none of the creepy Everfree shit can get in. He giggles and tells you this is the first time he's been this drunk. Suddenly, a flash of green light fills the tent. You're spooning a changeling! He seems too drunk to care that he just dropped his disguise, so you're probably too drunk to care too. What next?

 

Some voice in your head tells you to lick his horn. His giggling somehow gets even louder, and you laugh with him. You only went out for a walk, and now here you are in the middle of the forest about to fuck a changeling. What kind of absurd shit is this? He ends the laughter with a kiss, and you're reminded that you should probably get on with getting it on. He's getting a little more aggressive in his cuddling, almost as if he's hoping to top you. Are you okay with that?

 

Nope, you're not having any of that. He seems okay with you taking charge, so you spend the rest of your morning fucking him silly. You decide to sleep off the alcohol with him; After all, he seems trustworthy for a changeling. You're not entirely sure what will happen when you wake up, but you think that you might be interested in turning this one-morning stand into something.

 

You wake up some time in the early afternoon. Book is still curled up next to you, so you take care not to bump him on your way out. Maybe you should make some lunch for the two of you. There's not much to eat around his camp. Wait, what do changelings eat? All you know is that they absorb love. Maybe the sex was all he needed? You crawl back into the tiny tent just as he begins to wake.

 

As it turns out, Book Binding didn't remember a single thing. After you explain to him why you know he's a changeling, and why his ass hurts, he calms down a little. The sun is setting, you must have slept through your whole afternoon! What now?

 

You just can't stand to see him live all alone in this dangerous place. He gladly accepts your offer to stay at your place for a while. Maybe he really was as lonely as you were.

Getting back to your apartment isn't an issue - the streets are still practically empty. You should probably pick up a newspaper tomorrow, it seems like something weird happened. Anyway, the two of you get back to your apartment just as the last bit of daylight fades. Neither of you are tired or anything, so what will you do to pass the time together?

 

You plop down on your sofa, and Bookie follows suit. The book you've been reading is still sitting on the coffee table. Before you can pick it up, he pulls it over with his magic. He asks what it's about. You tell him it's a really sad story about a gryphon that rescues an injured pony. The look on his face suggests he's read that too. He moves a little closer and leans on your side. It's nice just having someone to keep you company tonight.

 

He seems to be feeling better as well. Just a few hours ago, he must have been starving for a little love. It was the least you could do to give him some. You spend the rest of the night getting to know each other while you read that book. Turns out the two of you have a lot in common. Damn, you really got lucky today.

The blinding sun comes through your window, waking you both up. You feel more rested than you have since you moved here. What will you do with your day?

 

There's hardly anything left to eat here. The best you can muster up is some scrambled eggs and oatmeal. It was a little nasty, but nobody thought to make dinner last night so you both wolf it down anyway. After that, it was about time to get ready for work. You wanted to shower alone, but Book insisted on washing the Everfree dirt out of his leg holes. You were more than willing to help him with that, but any naughty stuff would have to wait until you got home. A few more minutes is all you need to get your mane in order and tell your new friend goodbye.

Your new job is boring as hell, just like your last one. You just sit at a store counter and wait for somepony to wander in, which doesn't happen often. Apparently enchanted antiques aren't everypony's thing. After what feels like an eternity of staring out the little window on the shop door, it's time to close up.

The walk home is (thankfully) very short, thanks to a quick route through a couple backyards. For once, you have a real reason to hurry home. Book is there when you unlock the door, with a troubled look on his face.

 

Book looks upset. You ask him what's going on as you step in the door. He asks you if you like him. You tell him that you really do like him, and ask what makes him question that. He says that things got off to a really fast start, and he's not entirely sure what the two of you are. Is this just a sex thing, or do you want to make something more out of it?

 

You assure him that you do want a relationship. He seems a lot happier now that that's been cleared up. However, there's one thing he does want to know. If you two are dating, when will you actually go out on a date?

 

"How about right now?" you ask as you go in for a kiss. He just smiles and pulls your head in. After getting some nicer clothes on and coming up with a cover story for Book, you set off for one of Pinkie Pie's famous parties. Your coltfriend looks just as excited as you are.

You arrive at the town library just as the party gets going. It's a little odd being so loud in a place like this, but everypony seems to be having a great time. Suddenly, the lights go out and everyone scrambles behind the nearest furniture. It must be a surprise party! You and Book are still standing right by the door, so what will you do?

 

You push Book behind something and go in after him. The place is totally silent now, so you can hear when the front door begins to open. A silhouette of a little dragon stands there, unaware of the trap laid for him.

"SURPRISE!" yells everypony in the library, as the lights come on and the music resumes. Spike sees how the place is decorated, and is overjoyed that so many ponies came to celebrate his birthday.

Now that that was done, the real party could begin. Spike and the younger ponies sat in the corner opening presents (mostly gems and comics), while the grownups crowded around the open bar. Book's off talking to some mares you don't recognize. Hopefully, he doesn't get drunk enough to lose his disguise again.

Wait... what if he is?

A green aura shines through the room. The music grinds to a halt, and everypony is staring in shock at your changeling coltfriend.

 

"Hehe, nice costume," you stammer out as Book is backed into a corner. Nopony laughs at your lame joke. Your date looks like he's about to cry, he's that scared. Suddenly, he makes a leap for a window. He almost makes it, but some pegasus catches him in a flying tackle. It looks like the Elements of Harmony are about to haul him off to some dungeon, so now's the time to act if you want to save him.

 

You shout for everypony's attention. Once you have most of them looking at you, you beg them to let him speak. Together, you explain how you met (omitting the sex) and that you knew he was a changeling the whole time. They're starting to look conflicted now. It's against the law to knowingly harbor a changeling, but this one doesn't seem all that bad. He even swears that he's never done anything bad to anypony.

If the two of you play your cards right, you might just walk out of here tonight. If not, you'll probably have to make a run for it.

 

Twilight Sparkle, owner of the library and self-appointed changeling expert, comes out of the crowd. She tries to cast a spell on you to break the changeling mind control, but of course it has no effect. You tell her that if she doesn't believe you, she can see for herself.

After a moment of deep thought, she comes to a decision. Book will be interrogated and kept under very close observation, but he can stay. You thank her, say goodbye to Book for now, and go home. It's back to this. How will you pass the time until you can go see Book again?

 

You decide to make something for when he gets home. Looking through your pantry, you find absolutely fucking nothing of use. Great, now you'll have to make a trip to the market when the whole town knows what just happened.

You put your clothes back on and run out to the market. You live like a broke college kid, so you've got plenty of money to spare on ingredients for a pie and some other stuff.

You didn't get any shit while you were out, but it was obvious that everyone was watching you warily. Shit, this is gonna be just like the time you came out back home, isn't it?

Well, whatever. You get what you came for and go back home. The pie is simple enough to throw together, and your bag of other ingredients would make a good gumbo or something.

 

With the cooking done, you can't think of anything to do with your day. You crawl into bed for some much-needed sleep.

Some time later, you're awoken by a harsh banging on your door. You jump up and run back to the door, eager to hear what's going on. In the doorway stands a guardpony, flanked by Twilight Sparkle and Book Binding. They step inside, and you close the door behind them. Twilight explains the terms of her pardon: Book will be accompanied by this guard at all times. In addition, he must report to her to share everything he knows about the changelings. With that, she leaves your apartment.

You're sitting next to the pegasus guard, who seems a little nervous about his new assignment. What will you and Book do?

 

A great idea pops into your head. The guard probably has very clear instructions to NOT have sex with the changeling he's monitoring. However, he can't do a damn thing about you and Book.

After a bit of catching up, you wrap your forelegs around Book and kiss him. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a very uncomfortable stallion watching you. It occurs to you that this is the first time you've kissed Book in his real form. Those fangs feel really weird.

He pulls away from the kiss. What now?

 

Alright, time to see how far you can take things. Book seems to get the message. He hops up on the bed and spreads 'em.

Wait... this is weird. Something about the sight of insect balls makes you reconsider your actions. Maybe you should try to befriend the guy before you try having sex in front of him. You offer both of them some gumbo and pie. Book fills you in on everything that happened after you left the party. It turns out he's had most of his creepy changeling powers disabled, but otherwise he's okay.

As for the guard... he's not too happy to be here. He must have drawn the short straw or something. You ask for his name, he says it's Storm Chaser. While you eat, he tells you about all the stupid protocols you'll have to follow while he's here. Maybe he'll warm up to you over time.

 

The list, despite obviously being written up on short notice by Twilight, covers most of the bases.

>The changeling will be watched at all times by an appointed royal guard. This guard is UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES to provide love to the changeling.

>The changeling shall be allowed residence in Ponyville with its coltfriend.

>At no time is the changeling permitted to use its powers of disguise, mind control, etc. unless specifically ordered to do so by myself or a royal guard.

>The changeling will report to me twice weekly to provide information on the changelings as well as to have tests taken.

>In the event of these rules being broken, the royal guard is to bring the changeling to the Canterlot dungeons to await exile.

Yeah, it's not something you feel like fucking around with.

 

After the rules have been read, you show Storm where he can put his things. He'll be sleeping on the couch, since it's either there or the twin-size bed with you and Book. Curse this one room apartment.

You pull Book aside. When you ask him why he gave up so easily, he just laughs. He says he has no loyalty to Chrysalis, and he's happy to help the ponies get some advantage over the bossy cunt. Sounds like they've had issues. The only thing he's concerned about is the list of rules. If he has to walk around town as a changeling, he's never going to be accepted.

Still, it's not like you can do anything about it. Right?

 

You find yourself fantasizing about a daring escape from Ponyville. You know it'll never happen, but at least the part where you tie up Storm Chaser keeps you entertained.

You talk to Book about the "no disguises" rule. You know he prefers the pony look, so maybe with a little luck you can convince Twilight to ease up on it.

A few days later, on your next trip into town, you stop by the library. Twilight wasn't too keen on listening to the bitching of an upset boyfriend, but she still heard you out. You convinced her to make a bit of a change to the rules. Instead of being stuck as a changeling 24/7, Book can be Book again. All he has to do is wear this weird magic collar that shows he's a changeling.

 

With that sorted out, you go back home. Book and Storm have been getting to know each other. Turns out Storm is a really nice guy. Too bad he's probably straight.

You get on the bed with Book, and tell him what Twilight said. He's really happy to hear that he's allowed to be a pony again, even if it does mean wearing a weird collar. You put it on for him, and the lock clicks shut firmly. The key goes to Storm.

Book immediately goes back to the form you met him in. It must be a favorite of his. Now that the rules got a little easier, what will you guys do?

 

Your apartment doesn't have many options when it comes to entertaimment, but for some reason you do have a box full of board games. The three of you spend the rest of the day trying out a ton of weird games, but eventually you have to call it a night. After all, it's back to work tomorrow. You fall asleep quickly, thanks to the comforting feeling of Book's breath on your neck.

 

You wake up the next morning, with just enough time to get ready before work. As you slide off your side of the tiny bed, you notice where Storm Chaser ended up last night. He had turned the couch around so it was like an extention of the bed. Huh.

Once you're done with your shower and everything, you go back out into the main room of the apartment. The guys are just waking up now. When you ask Storm why he was sleeping right next to you two, he blushes a little and tells you it was only to keep a close eye on Book. Whatever. You've got a job to get to.

 

Work is a fucking bore. The place is so empty that you almost wish somepony would come by just so you could do something. Eventually, two ponies do come by. Book and Storm were out today, so they decided to visit you at work. You can't leave for a couple more hours, so they only stick around for a few minutes before going off to do whatever they're doing.

One eternity later, you close up for the night. Where to now?

 

Oh yeah, you used up pretty much all the food you had making that gumbo. You should go out to the store. It's weird buying food that's not instant noodles and yogurt and shit, but you know your friends deserve better than that. You get a nice variety of snacks and ingredients that should last you until next week. You pick up a few books from the library too. Nothing too special, just some stuff Twilight recommended.

 

You've really spent a lot on food and rent lately, but you want to get something nice to cheer Storm up. The local thrift shop should have something! You walk over there and see what clothes they have. Hopefully, you can guess his size. You end up buying a few outfits, some stuff to make your apartment look a little nicer, and that larger mattress you've been wanting for a while. Even at bargain prices, you barely have enough cash on you to pay for everything. Oh well, it was worth it. You have to levitate all your new stuff home, and it'll be a pain in the ass to get inside, but it's totally worth it. Book will love being able to have his own side of the bed.

 

Déjà vu. When you get home, Storm's crying on the bed again. Even Book looks a little shaken up this time. You leave the mattress outside and ask them what happened. While you were out, Storm Chaser went and talked to his parents about what he's been feeling. He didn't go into much detail, but the bruises make it clear how the talk went. You're no stranger to gay bashing, but you have no idea how to handle this situation.

 

There's only one non-violent solution you can think of. You pull out a pen and quill and begin writing a letter to Storm's parents. It reads like an official indictment, but hopefully they don't know much about assault laws because you're bullshitting a lot of this. You'll send it later, once the guys have calmed down enough to give you the address. Book gets up to see what you're up to. You didn't notice earlier, but he's been hit a couple times as well. This is too much.

The three of you rest on the bed, finding comfort in each other's presence as you assure them that everything will be okay. You just hope you're right. The last thing you want is abuse around here.

 

You find yourself almost falling asleep between them. Before you can let that happen, you've still got to get your shit inside. You tell them they've got some new clothes in the shopping bag, but they don't care to look right now. With a little effort, the mattress comes in too. They get off the tiny old one and you swap them out. You don't really know what to do with the twin size one yet, so for now it's just propped up against a wall. With that taken care of, you crawl between Storm and Book again.

 

The three of you get some much-needed sleep, though you wouldn't really call it good sleep. You have nightmares about the time you came out to your parents, and the chain of events that led you to move here.

You wake up too late to shower before work. It's sure been a wonderful week.

 

One thing's for sure: it's all uphill from here. Work is about the same, but your home life is a weird situation. Everyone seems to have forgotten about the "don't love the changeling" rule, because they're spending a lot of time cuddling and shit. Not that you have a problem with that or anything.

One day, a couple barges into the usually empty shop. Wait, that guy looks kinda like Storm Chaser! An older, angrier, straighter Storm Chaser. Do you say something, or let him browse the shelves of stupid antiques in peace?

 

As great as it would be to start flinging antique vases at him, you resist any temptations to start something. He doesn't know who you are, after all. The bastard leaves a few minutes later without buying anything. It's about the end of your shift anyway, so you lock the place up and leave.

 

You decide to rush home before the daily tragedy happens. Storm and Book are probably not home right now, so you might just have enough time to get a shower before anyone shows up. With that in mind, you charge into your apartment... and see Book sucking Storm's dick. They don't notice you yet. What do you do?

 

You're not sure how you feel about this yet, but you knew something like this would happen eventually. For now, you really need that shower. You sneak past them without an issue (they are really into it) and silently close the bathroom door. They'll hear the shower for sure, but you don't care.

While you're in there, you have a chance to think about your very unconventional relationship. What will you do about Storm Chaser?

 

You've got some serious doubts about this, but you're willing to give this threesome a chance. A part of you can't help but feel betrayed, though. You leave the bathroom and see that they're waiting for you to say something. You tell them that if that's what they both want, you're okay with it. Storm look relieved, but Book doesn't seem to believe you.

 

You pull Book aside. He looks how you feel right now, but you tell him that he has nothing to worry about. You want whatever he wants. He seems a little more convinced. Well, everything's all awkward again. What will you guys do now that this is sorta official?

 

The time doesn't seem right for a threesome just yet. You ask the guys if they feel like going out somewhere. Book feels a little nervous about it, with the threat of exile and all, but they both agree. You put on your very best preowned thrift shop clothes and grab some money from your stash. Now where will you three go?

 

You pick out a pretty nice restaurant together. If anyone asks, you're gonna have to lie and say that Storm Chaser is nothing more than a guard playing third wheel. Oh well.

The place is actually not that bad. They have awesome hay fries. Most ponies there don't seem to have a problem with Book anymore. You guess they're used to seeing him being escorted around town all the time. You three have a great time out, and eventually you all head home. Book flops over onto the couch and succumbs to the food coma. What do you do?

 

With Book in dispose, it's just you and Storm. You ask him what he wants to try, and he says he's always wanted to feel what bottoming is like. You're more than willing to show him.

 

CLOP WARNING -------- If you don't like gay clop, you should skip this next paragraph. They made me do it.

 

Storm gets on the bed and looks back up at you. You put a hoof on his back and tell him that you'll go easy on him. After all, you do want to make sure he feels good about this. You're a little hard already, so with a few strokes and a ridiculous amount of lube, you're good to go. Storm tenses up as you put your forehooves on his shoulders. As you whisper reassurances to him, you get yourself in a good position. You start sliding your hips forward. Sweet Celestia, he's tight. You keep pushing, and before you know it, you're all the way in Storm's ass. He lets you know he's ready, and you begin a gentle rhythm. Every thrust gets a little harder than the last, until eventually you're slamming him into the mattress. He sounds like he's having the time of his life down there. It's a wonder how he isn't waking Book up. Suddenly, he just stops. He clenches around your dick as he cums all over your pillow. That bit of extra tightness pushes you over the edge as well, and you give one last thrust as you finish in him. You take a minute to catch your breath before you pull out and fall next to him in bed. All you can hear is Storm's heavy breaths, until a voice breaks the near-silence.

"Are you guys done yet? I really want to go to sleep."

 

CLOP WARNING OVER --------- No more sexytimes.

 

You can't help but laugh a little when you realize Book has been listening to you fuck for half an hour. This threesome thing might not be all bad. There's certainly a lot of potential for fun stuff. With that in mind, you drift off to sleep between Book and Storm.

You wake up at your usual time, but you feel a little more optimistic about work today. You sit up to roll out of bed, and come face to face with Twilight Sparkle. She must have let herself in somehow. She looks at you, then at Book, then at Storm. It's painfully obvious what happened last night. A scowl crosses her face as she says "Well, I think this is going to be a problem."

 

You stare at each other for what feels like hours as the realization that you're totally fucked sinks in. This is it. Storm will be transferred somewhere else, and Book will be exiled or rot in some dungeon. If you're going to do anything to prevent that, now is your only chance.

Twilight clears her throat and tries to look serious. "I really want to help you guys, but my hooves are tied here. I don't know what to do." You begin pleading with her, begging her not to take your only friends away.

"Well, I only came here because Book never showed up to our last meeting. I think we can forget this ever happened." Yes, that's exactly what you want. It almost seems like Twilight's rooting for you three. You always assumed she was just being a bitch and putting all those restrictions on Book, but now you're not so sure.

Book and Storm are still asleep. What will you do?

 

You ask if she means she's okay with your relationship. She says it can't continue any longer, but she'll excuse anything that has happened so far. With that, she apologizes for everything and leaves.

How will you tell your coltfriends?

 

You shake them awake once you're sure Twilight is gone. They can tell something's wrong by the look on your face. When you tell them about Twilight's ultimatum, they look heartbroken. Storm looks you in the eyes and tells you he's leaving. He can't stay around here anymore, not if he'll never be allowed to love Book. He'll go back to his regular guard duty, and somepony else will come in to replace him.

 

As sad as it is to see Storm go, you know it's for the best. You assure him that if he has problems with his family or anything else, you and Book will be around to help. He packs his things, thanks you both again, and leaves. Some time later, you hear a knock at your door. It's a new guard.

 

This guy seems different. While Storm Chaser was kind and pretty casual about the rules, Book's new guard is cold and official. He asks you a long series of questions about the apartment, your daily schedule, and many other meaningless facts. All of your answers get written in his notebook.

He puts his bags behind the couch, which is back in its original spot, and begins lecturing the two of you on how things will be run around here. What kind of bullshit is this?

>No sex.

>No "making out," only short kisses.

>Stay on your own sides of the bed.

>Leave him be unless told otherwise.

>blah blah blah

 

You should take things more slowly than you did with Storm. Something about this dude is a little unsettling. He introduces himself as Hard Knock, but refuses to say anything else about himself. Between the rules and his attitude, this is gonna be torture.

Eh, rules are meant to be broken. How about you violate some rules with Book?

You give him the "let's go" look as you walk over to the bed. This won't end well, but you might have some fun before things to sour. Maybe tonight you'll let Book take the lead. You crawl down between his legs, and - you're enveloped in magic. What a fucking buzzkill this guy is. Hard Knock floats you over to him, giving you a really scary look the whole time. He keeps staring at you for a very uncomfortable minute, then drops you carelessly to the floor.

 

Before you have time to think, you're up on your hooves and running at Hard Knock. He has no problem bucking you in the jaw, and you drop like a sack of potatoes. Ouch. Book just looks on in horror as the guard beats the hell out of you. It's just like when Storm's dad lost it.

He stops. You hear him call you a faggot, a bug fucker, all those names, and then he steps outside.

Book runs over to your side. There's not much he can do for you without risking his freedom, but at least he can check out your injuries. He tells you that you lost a tooth and probably broke your foreleg. That must be why you can hardly move. He casts some sort of sedative spell, and everything fades out.

When you come to, you see you're in the hospital. Book left a note by your bed, but there's no way you can read it yourself.

 

You press the call button on your bed's remote. A nurse immediately runs in and greets you. She gives you a recap of everything that happened after Book brought you in, a list of your injuries (broken leg, cracked jaw, bruised everything), and she even reads the note to you.

"Hey dude, sorry I can't be there right now. You looked really bad when I handed you over to the medics. When you read this, I'm probably on my way back from the police station. Hardass is trying to get you arrested for assaulting an officer, and I'm trying to get HIM in trouble for brutality. We'll see how things work out.

Love ya!"

 

You make a mental note to back up Book's testimony when you get the chance. For now, you can just sit there and bide your time. Whatever it takes, that bastard is going to pay for this.

After some time (it's hard to tell in a place like this), Book comes around. You notice that he's alone. Maybe all the recent events have made everyone forget about watching him. He tells you that it's not the first time Hard Knock has gay bashed, and this looks like the incident that'll end his career. He tries to hug you, but the nurse stops him before he can mess up your bandages or something.

Visiting hours end sooner than you'd hoped. How will you spend the next few days until you can get out of bed?

 

You look through some stuff Book left for you. There's candy, books, and some embarrassing stuff you shove to the bottom of the bag. The Daring Do book doesn't sound too bad. You float it in front of your immobilized head and start reading.

Four days later, you've finished every book in the bag and the doctors have you on your hooves again. It's not quite time to go home yet, but you're improving quickly. Book visits every day, and Storm Chaser even came around once or twice. His job is going fine again. He even asked a nice stallion out this weekend! You say your goodbyes and wish him luck on his date.

Finally, the day you've been waiting for comes around. Book comes by to take you home, and the doctors leave him with a big bag of bandages and painkillers. You're almost home now. It's about time you sleep in your own bed again.

 

You've had a lot of problems lately with shit going bad, especially when you're on your way home. Book understands and picks up the pace. You get inside and go straight to bed, no interruptions, no worries, no... no royal guard. The place is totally empty. Whatever. You'll find out what the deal is with that tomorrow. For now, you should just enjoy your time off work with your coltfriend.

 

You're not a big fan of being all doped up just to sleep, so you decide not to take your painkillers before bed. Big mistake. The only way you can lie down without much pain is sprawled out on your back. Book sees what you're going through, and tries to make you feel comfy.

------------SLIGHTLY CLOPPY WARNING-------------

Hey, as long as you've got your legs spread, how about some fun? Book rests his head on your crotch and stares up at you. You smile back at him as he starts sucking you off. Despite the fangs, he's really good at this. He takes your whole length into his mouth as his head bobs in a steady rhythm. You only hold back for a few minutes before you blow your load down his throat. After a blowjob like that, you won't have any trouble sleeping tonight.

----------------DONE----------------------------

 

You wake up with a big tray of food on the bed. Wow, Book really is trying to make you feel better. While you eat together on the bed, you remember something you meant to ask him. Why aren't there any guards around? He says that when he took you to the hospital and reported Hard Knock and all that, Twilight had sort of a change of heart. He's still on a bit of a short leash, but he isn't required to have a guard at all times. It's great news for both of you. You promise him that as soon as you're back in good shape, you'll take full advantage of the lack of supervision.

 

With that rule struck down, you two could probably see Storm Chaser again! Book's been to his house before, so he leaves you home while he goes to talk to him. It doesn't take long for him to return with not just Storm, but a scrawny tan stallion as well. This must be the guy Storm asked out! He introduces himself as Caramel, and says he's never been on a double date before. What an odd thing to bring up out of the blue. You point out that you and Book haven't either. Book just smiles and says that it'll be a first for everyone.

Wait... did he tell them you wanted to go out tonight? Shit.

 

Well, you might as well have fun with it. You suggest a date at the bowling alley, but your hopes are struck down by Book. He's probably right to say no, he saw how badly injured you were. You hate to admit it, but he's right. You can hardly walk in your current state, let alone bowl. Instead, you go to some fancy café near your apartment complex. Storm seems really happy with Caramel. He isn't anything like what you figured Storm's type was, though. He's pretty shy, and tries to avoid talking for most of the date. Book talks enough to make up for Cara's silence. He has a lot to say about Hard Knock, Storm's parents, and everything else going on in town. Then the conversation turns to you. What about you?

 

You're a little zoned out when Book calls your name. Whatever you blurted out sounded something like "Huh, foursome Book maid." They all just laugh. Storm jokes that you must've had a little too much to drink with those meds you're on. Maybe he's right, you are feeling a bit woozy.

 

You guys have a great night together, but eventually it's time to go your separate ways. You're feeling a little under the weather anyway. Storm promises he'll stay in touch as you leave the place. The walk home isn't too far, so it's only a few minutes before you're carefully lowering yourself into bed. You could just drift off right now, but Book seems to have something else in mind. He's checking your injuries and trying to find ways to have sex without hurting you. He could just suck your dick again, or he could power bottom and try to be really gentle.

 

He says that if he makes sure not to put too much weight on you, he could probably ride your dick. You trust him enough to make that decision, so he starts getting things ready.

It doesn't take long to get everything all lubed up. He lines himself up with the head and starts lowering himself onto you. Now he's using his wings to help lift himself more easily. The buzz you have going from the hard cider and painkillers makes everything feel really surreal as he increases his pace. Luckily, you're able to stay focused on the sex and cling to consciousness. Book is putting a lot of effort into this, there's no way you're missing out on it. He tries leaning back at a different angle. Suddenly, it feels amazing for both of you. You get a great view of his dick waving around, untouched. It doesn't seem right for you to sit there and do nothing, so you try to reach out for it. Only then do you realize that you can hardly move a muscle. You can't even turn your head! For some reason, you're not too concerned with that. You just resort to using your magic to stroke him off as he bounces on you. He's loving it even more than you are now. His legs begin to wobble, then give out entirely as he falls down onto you one last time. That's what pushes both of you over the edge. As you cum inside Book, he paints your dazed face with his own load. He sits on you a moment longer, trying to catch his breath as he prepares to get off of you. He cuddles up next to you without a word. The mysterious intoxication lulls you into the deepest sleep you've had in a very long time. You only hope that you'll be okay when you wake up.

 

It feels like you only passed out for a second, but when you come to, you have no idea where you are. It looks like somepony's living room. Hey, there's a fucking needle in your chest! What happened to you? You shoot up, despite your injuries, and try to regain your bearings. Book, Storm, and Caramel are crowded around you, looking extremely concerned for your safety.

 

It takes them a while to calm you down. Book explains everything that happened last night. You had a bad reaction to your prescription. He didn't know what to do, so he brought you to Storm's house. Luckily, Caramel's brother is a doctor, so he knows a thing or two about medical emergencies. He gave you a shot of adrenaline to get you to snap out of your stupor. According to him, you're fine now that you're awake. Just don't do anything stupid.

 

You're still really confused about everything, so it slips your mind that you got the week off work. You try to get off of Storm's futon, but you slip and the thing dumps you out on the floor. At least you land on your good side. Hey, there's something under the futon! You slide it over to see what it is, because what else are you going to do while you're bedridden? It's a box of Storm Chaser's old guard equipment. A recently replaced badge, a couple office mememtos, and... the key to Book's collar.

 

It doesn't look like he uses this box much. Maybe he wouldn't notice if you swiped the key. You take the badge too just for the hell of it, and stash both under your bandages. The box goes right back where it was, and you climb back onto the futon just before Caramel comes in to check on you.

 

His demeanor changes once he thinks you're asleep. He walks up right next to the futon and checks your pulse to make sure you're not slipping back into a coma or anything. Once that is no longer any worry, he climbs up right next to you. The furniture is large enough for two ponies, but he's right up against you. What's he up to? Caramel smiles and kisses you on the lips.

 

No. You're not gonna do this to Book. You open your eyes and push Caramel away. The look on his face just proves what he planned on doing. He brings out the waterworks and begs you not to tell Storm about this mistake. What do you do?

 

You agree to keep it a secret as long as he promises to stay faithful to Storm. The last thing that guy needs is a coltfriend that isn't there to help with his parents.

Anyway, now that you're up, you can go visit with the guys. They've been up talking all night. Storm cooked breakfast for three, so you're left with nothing but scraps. They must not have expected you to wake up so soon.

 

Wait, is Storm wearing rainbow socks? Jeez, just last week he thought he was straight. Now he's donned his gay apparel. You wonder what his coworkers think.

 

You ask Storm where the socks came from. He says that Caramel's ex left them with him when they broke up. They were a little too big for Cara, so he gave them to Storm.

 

A knock at the front door interrupts your conversation. It's one of the town's guards coming to get Storm. They must be understaffed. Storm runs off to get dressed before the guard sees his socks. You and Book take the opportuity to go home.

The walk there is noticeably easier for you. Maybe the injuries are healing quicker than expected. Now that you're in your apartment again, what will you do?

 

You'll tell Book about the key and badge eventually, but not right now. You hide them in one of your jackets on the way inside. It's back to the bed with you. You're in the middle of a great novel that you want to finish before you go back to work. Book's trying to find something to do with his free time.

 

Since there's nothing else to do around here, Book asks you to read the book to him. You explain the story so far and start reading aloud. Book rests his head on your shoulder and tries to look adorable for you. He must be trying to get his love fix.

 

The book comes to a pretty satisfying end. Now that that's done, you've got nothing left to do around here. Oh wait, that's not right. You can do Book.

You lean over and wrap your hooves around him, burying his head under yours. He pushes up against your chest and enjoys the comfortable embrace. Only for a moment, though. He begins to squirm his way out of your grasp and make his way to the end of the bed. Looks like he's in the mood again. He tells you he wants to try something new today. He won't say what, but it sounds like more than a morning quickie.

 

You tell him you won't do anything unless he tells you first. With a sigh, he describes what he has in mind. It's some weird changeling stuff, but nothing about it sounds bad to you.

 

You're confident that Book wouldn't try anything he didn't think you'd like. You tell him to go ahead. He sure is happy now. He skips off to the closet and returns with the big tarp he used to use as his tent. You hesitantly agree to help him spread it across the bed. What does this "changeling stuff" entail exactly?

You find out soon enough. He builds one of those changeling cocoons around you as he slowly jerks you off with his leg holes. You've gotta admit, this is kinda nice. The feeling of floating around in this stuff and getting off is relaxing in an indescribable way. You could almost fall asleep in here if it weren't for Book stroking you off. Wait, you are falling asleep! It must be the slime. It's fucking hypnotic or something.

 

Your changeling-induced sleep is full of bizarre dreams. Memories float by like reflections in a window. You notice that not all of them are real. The most vivid hallucination stays in your mind's eye long enough for you to get immersed in it.

 

Book is standing up on a platform. You're not sure why, but you know you should approach him. There's something strange about the ponies around you. They all stare expectantly at the two of you. Wait, it's coming back to you. How could you forget what you were doing? This is the day you've been waiting for for all the years you've known your coltfriend! No, not your coltfriend. As of today, he'll be your husband. The ceremony is short, but the seconds feel like hours to you. All you want is to say the words and run off with Book. The pony giving a speech looks at you. Knowing it's your cue, you let out a confident "I do." The stallion turns to Book.

Suddenly, the wedding fades away. All that's left is you, Book, and an endless green glow. He opens his mouth to speak. You still expect him to say "I do," but instead he speaks the words that snap you out of this... whatever this is.

"Come on, wake up already!"

You roll over and cough up mouthfuls of the green goo. It took a while before you got yourself back in order. That was some trippy shit, and it left you feeling a little burned out. At least it was fun while it lasted. Book seems really energized by the experience. He explains how a cocoon makes ponies dream about happy things so a changeling can harvest their emotions. It might have been nice to know before he started.

 

You really, REALLY, need a shower right now. Book leaves you to that while he starts getting the goo cleaned off of his tarp. Where does that stuff come from, anyway?

In your attempt to not track it all over your apartment, you slip and slide the rest of the way to the bathroom door. The shower is almost as relaxing as the pod was. It takes almost all the hot water you have to scrub the excess slime out of your coat and mane. Your injuries actually feel a lot better than they did this morning, except for your sore ass. Maybe Book had a little more fun than you thought.

You don't bother doing anything to your mane once you're dry. All you want is some food. How long were you asleep anyway? A quick peek out of the front door suggests it was all day. You wolf down some leftovers and look around for anything to do with your night. Sleep is pretty much out of the question, since you've spent the last 12 hours in hypno dreamy love land.

 

It's not long before Book comes back home. You don't want to know where he dumped all that changeling goo. Now's your first chance at an actual conversation with him since you got out of the pod, so you ask him about it. After thanking you again, he tells you it was a really great experience for him. He feels like a new changeling now! It's good to hear. You tell him about the hallucinations and everything on your end, omitting the part where you got married. For some reason, he actually has his own stories about pod visions.

 

You ask him why he was in a pod. He explains that he was turned from a pony into a changeling in one. That must be why he was acting so weird about putting you in one. At least he pulled you out before you could bug out.

Anyway, his dreams. He claims that his pod dream was just his life as a really campy musical. You're not sure if he's serious or not, but it makes you laugh. He asks you what you saw. You tell him all about the memories floating by you and the wedding. He lets out an exaggerated "d'aww" and hugs you. That's the kind of lovey-dovey stuff that really gives him a boost.

 

Something reminds you of that key you stole. You grab it out of its hiding place and bring it to Book. He's surprised that you went behind Storm Chaser's back like that, but he sure is grateful. With the key and a bit of magic, you manage to break the lock on the collar. Now, he should be able to remove it whenever he pleases.

 

-----------

 

Months have passed since you first met Book Binding. It's amazing how things have changed around Ponyville since those early days. The town seems to have gotten used to having a changeling around, hardly even sparing a second glance when the two of you go out. He's even found a job as a farmhand. You're still working in the antique store, but you've found ways to get some free time while you're on the clock.

Your friends stop by every now and then to catch up. Storm Chaser and Caramel are still going steady, and Storm's parents have finally come around. It seems as if nopony has anything to worry about anymore.

 

One day, Book comes home from work with a big smile on his face. He says that the Apple family invited him to dinner for being such a help with the harvest. You've both heard of the Apples' legendary pies. This should be good. You throw on some nice clothes and leave for Sweet Apple Acres.

 

Your meal with the Apple family was definitely not how you expected. It started out with Granny Smith's reaction to a gay couple in her house. After Applejack and her siblings shut her up, they brought out the food. To everypony's surprise, it didn't contain a single apple. There were fruits of all kinds, and a massive bowl of salad, but no sign of that apple pie you so desired. It only took a few seconds for Applebloom to crack up and shout "Cutie Mark Crusaders: Master Pranksters!" To everypony's dismay, the real meal was found upstairs and half-eaten by Applebloom's stupid friends.

 

Surrounded by the scraps of apples, apple fritters, and apple crepes is the one thing you came for: apple pie. Those girls had the good sense not to come between you and your pie. Everypony rejoices as you carry the massive treat back onto the dinner table. It is indeed the most incredible dessert you have ever tasted. Your taste buds moan with delight as you dump load after load of the juicy filling into your mouth. The feeling is almost sexual in nature. All of the Apples watch you eat. They understand. They've all been there, eating this pie for the first time.

 

After that, dinner was pretty nice. Maybe it's a good idea to try to meet new people after all. You thank them for the meal and walk back home with Book. All you want to do is go lie down and sink into your food coma.

 

You wake up in the morning feeling a little under the weather. It must've been the cider. You crawl out of bed, careful not to wake Book, and go to the bathroom to get ready for work. As you pass by the mirror, you notice a bit of a change. Your plot looks noticeably bigger. If you keep up the pie eating, you'll have hips like a mare before you know it!

 

Book gives you a kiss and a playful slap on the ass on your way out the door. Yeah, he noticed.

 

On the way home from work, you buy a cowpony costume on clearance. You're not exactly sure why. Maybe Book might like the hat. You slip the costume on before you burst into the house, shouting some stupid shit in a country accent. Book screams and runs into the closet before you can tell him it's you.

 

You pull a lasso out of one of your pockets and swing it around menacingly.

"Book Binding, you're under arrest for pony wrangling. You wanna do this the easy way, or the hard way?"

He scoffs as his horn starts glowing. "I'm always up for the hard way, Sheriff."

Suddenly, your lasso is ripped out of your grip. Book magically hogties you with your own rope and tosses you onto the bed. You don't have any time to work the knot out before he leaps on top of you.

You spend your afternoon roughhousing in bed with the lasso and your magic. You're both gonna be sore as hell in the morning, but it was worth it.

 

The two of you are awoken by frantic knocking and an annoyingly upbeat voice. You get the door, and a real cowpony flies into the room. Shit, maybe you should've taken off that costume before you fell asleep.

 

The strange pony is shaking your coltfriend, shouting "Book Bindin', get yer flank outta bed!"

 

Book recognizes him, and introduces the guy as Braeburn. He's Applejack's cousin. That must mean Book is needed on the farm. There must be some kind of crisis going on down there if they're sending Apples out to round up workers. Braeburn pulls Book out of bed and ushers him out the door. As he stands in the doorway of your apartment, he stares you down. What does he want, a duel at high noon?

 

Suddenly, his creepy glare becomes a smile and he turns back to Book. "Bring yer coltfriend. He looks like the kinda help we need!"

 

You throw the badge behind your bed and leave with Book and Braeburn. What's happening at Sweet Apple Acres? Is there some horrible tragedy going on and only you three can save the town? Nah. They're just in dire need of applebuckers. After hours of kicking trees (and being mocked for your costume), your work is done. Everypony seems to be headed for the big barn, so you go too.

Inside the barn is a giant keg of cold cider. It's like a dream come true. You drink five or six glasses of it while you hang out with the other stallions working on the farm.

 

If you put cider and a bunch of sweaty stallions in a room, something's bound to happen. In this case, strip poker happened. Since ponies don't wear clothes, things get a little more interesting when they play strip poker.

 

Things get off to a pretty mellow start. You take off your duster in the first couple minutes, but you're thankful to have that thing off. Big Mac has to take off his... whatever that is around his neck. Braeburn loses his hat and vest. That takes care of every article of clothing in the barn. Now, the penalties get harsher. They might start off with a kiss, maybe a cuddle. Soon enough, it devolves into makeout sessions and dry humping. Since when did this whole town turn into a bunch of horny gay teenagers?

 

You really don't feel like blowing another guy in front of Book, but rules are rules. You bring your head down near his crotch, but a hoof stops you.

"Whoa there partner, don't be so hasty. All ah wanted was a little rubdown."

Oh. That's fine too. You rub his belly with a hoof as he leans back onto the table. He's really getting into it. His leg is even twitching like a dog's. Book glances over from the game and snickers at how submissive Braeburn is. After a few more minutes, he gets back up. That actually wasn't too bad.

 

The game ends soon enough, and everypony goes home. You are still talking with Braeburn, though. He's hyper, but really nice. Maybe you and Book could have a little fun with him. It's not like you swore off threesomes forever. You invite him back to your place. He turns you down right off the bat, says he doesn't do threesomes. Looks like a lost cause. Oh well, you've got better things to do. Time to get home before sundown.

 

On your way home, you see Storm Chaser and Caramel out on their porch. You stop in just to visit. Turns out Caramel just moved in with Storm, and their relationship's moving very fast. You probably cockblocked them by coming here, so you don't stay long.

The extra few minutes cost you the last bits of daylight. It's pitch black out, since you don't live in that nice part of town that's lit up all night. It's actually kinda scary. This is the first time you've been out alone at this hour since you moved here. After a long trek across the neighborhood, you realize that you are totally lost.

 

Well, the ponies here are supposed to be nice. Maybe you can ask somepony for directions. There's a silhouette just down this alley. You approach it, but something doesn't feel right about this. A hoof comes out of nowhere and bucks you right below your eye. You fall and bang your head on something, then it's lights out.

 

You wake up around dawn. Everything hurts. It's not nearly as bad as the beating Hard Knock gave you, but this pain extends to a few sensitive areas. At a glance, nothing seems to be broken. Your eye needs attention, but that's about it. You didn't have much shit for them to rob you of either. You limp out of the alley, really feeling the pain now that you're moving. Everypony that sees you tries to keep your distance. You must look pretty badass in this state. Torn up cowpony costume, messy mane, and blood all over. If only you felt badass,,,

 

Book and Storm are waiting for you when you walk into your apartment. They're both speechless when they see you. When you went missing last night, Book must have gone to get Storm's help. They get you back to the hospital, where you shouldn't be stuck for more than a couple days this time.

 

So you're stuck in the hospital today, just in case you start bleeding again. It's a boring place. You don't even have a bag of stuff from Book this time. How will you pass the time until you can leave?

 

You try writing some fanfiction, but that doesn't take long to go to shit. Oh well.

 

When the doctor comes in, you notice he looks a lot like Caramel. You strike up a conversation, and it turns out Caramel wasn't lying about his brother. He asks you if Cara seems happy with his coltfriend. You assure him that he couldn't be happier when he's with Storm.

 

The doctor leaves to go do some medical stuff. Now's your chance to fuck around while nobody's here! You take a labcoat from a cabinet and start messing around with the medical equipment. You're walking around the room, babbling about some doctor-y stuff, when you notice a familiar face in the window. Book has been watching you this whole time!

 

To make things worse, the doctor is coming back! Book pulls you down a hallway and into an empty stairwell. Caramel's brother will surely know something's up when he sees you're gone. Leave it to the drunk changeling to cover his tracks.

 

The stairs lead you down to the morgue. Oh well, it's a decent place to hide. It's cold and creepy, but neither of you care that much. Book checks for any sign of the hospital staff, and when the coast is clear he starts whispering to you.

 

"Ya know, I had a rough day. You went missing and all I could do was go get Storm and hope for the best. And then you turn up, and we have to take you here again. So fuck you!" He pauses to giggle at himself. How drunk is he, anyway? "But it made me think about things."

 

He stops and spaces out a little. You have to push him to tell you what he'd been thinking of.

 

"Yeah, that. Well you weren't home and I was so worried and scared and shit because I care about you. I mean I really love you, man. You're a bit of a weirdo, and you get beaten up a lot, but I fucking love ya."

 

Just to prove his point, he pushes you over and jams his tongue in your mouth. So now you're making out with a drunk changeling in a hospital's morgue. How romantic is this?

 

You're really getting into it when a noise interrupts you. Book scrambles behind an autopsy table and you're left in the open. Fuck it, you'll play dead. You hop on one of the empty drawers and try to make your injuries look fatal.

 

Wait... what is that noise anyway? It sounds almost like a cry for help. Book watches as you approach the hatch and peek inside. There's a pony desperately kicking at the walls of the metal tomb. You should probably let them out, but first you want to figure out who this pony is.

 

Wait, you shouldn't be hesitating to save somepony! What the fuck is wrong with you lately? You unlock the drawer and yank it open. Even now that you've got a good look at the pony, you're still not sure who it is.

 

The pony throws himself off the drawer, landing on shaky hooves. He must've been in there a while. He thanks you for freeing him, and asks you where he is. When you tell him that he's in the Ponyville Hospital, he looks a lot less worried. Book comes out and introduces the two of you to the pony. The mysterious morgue pony says you should help it get out of here, and for some reason you really want to obey.

 

You hear the sound of hooves on the stairs behind you. All three of you panic and look for another way out. Hey, there's a lift in the corner! You pile into it and use your magic to raise it to ground level. It must be for taking corpses out to the funeral home or something, because you end up in the back lot of the hospital. The sorta-daring escape is over before it could really get going.

 

You take the long way home to avoid attracting any attention. Maybe you should get some answers out of whoever this pony is. After all, it's not exactly normal to be found alive in a morgue drawer and have to run from the cops.

 

You try to get some info out of the guy. He claims he doesn't remember anything before he woke up in the morgue, but that's probably bullshit. He keeps glaring at Book. Maybe this has something to do with changelings.

 

This is all too fishy for you. You pin him down and yell for Book to grab a towel. Time to get the full story.

 

He panics when he sees the water and towel. You kinda feel bad for doing this, but whatever. You can just pretend you're a sociopath or something.

 

It only takes a minute or two to break him. Turns out it does have something to do with changelings. There's going to be a second invasion right here in Ponyville. He was smuggled in through the hospital to get things ready. It's a good thing you two found him first. Now what will you do about this?

 

Well, this is kinda beyond your abilities. You should probably hand him over to the cops. Wait, where is the police station? Neither of you really know, so you start walking to Storm Chaser's house. He's as bewildered as you are about the whole situation. He slaps his hoofcuffs on the changeling and starts leading him out. Caramel follows, but something seems a little odd about his demeanor today.

 

You ask Caramel if he's feeling okay. He gets all defensive for some reason. Wait a second, something's up here. You whisper something to Book, and he casts an anti-illusion spell. Caramel leaps out of the way, dropping his disguise as he takes cover behind the couch. Looks like the invasion has already begun.

 

Luckily, you brought the waterboarding kit from your apartment. Storm isn't too happy about torturing his coltfriend, but you manage to convince him that it's necessary. Not-Caramel tells you that he's been impersonating Cara since he met Storm. That explains why he was getting all cuddly with you that one time. Storm looks hurt. It must be tough dating a changeling. Oh wait...

 

Anyway, you bring them down to the station. It doesn't take long for the Elements of Harmony to show up. They ask you all about how you found them, and you explain everything but the waterboarding. Good thing you got your stories straight beforehand. Then the mares do something unexpected. They ask you and Book what they should do to protect the town. What, you're the new changeling experts?

 

You ask for a map of the town. With it, you sketch out a basic defense plan for an assault on the town. It's mediocre at best, and only defends against a ground assault, but in a town that's 90% earth ponies, you don't have much to work with.

 

Twilight looks over your plans and adds some actual strategy to it. She writes up a plan to expose any hidden changelings with a big area-of-effect spell and put up a shield around the town. This might just work. Maybe you'll even manage to survive!

 

Things are probably gonna get really fucked up when Chrysalis comes to town, so you should make the best of your time left. Book comes up with some lame excuse to take you home, and soon you're pounding him on the bed like always. Both of you are a little too distracted to enjoy it. It feels like you're just going through the motions to kill time. You finish and shower off together.

 

You want to look cool for the battle, so you put the cowpony gear back on. The rips and bloodstains only serve to make you look like some kind of movie hero. Now that you think about it, this would make a pretty decent spaghetti western.

 

It's almost time now. You're worried about what might happen, but Book promises he'll be there for you no matter what.

 

You stop Book on his way out the door. There's something you want to give him first. It's an old family heirloom of yours, a little necklace. It seems like a fitting replacement for his changeling collar. He thanks you, puts it on, and leaves. Twilight said she had a special job for him, so this will probably be the last you'll see of him until things blow over.

 

You've got a place to be as well. You grab the weapons given to you by the royal guards and head out to the barricades. Fuck, you're shaking. You can't let anypony see you're scared.

 

The front lines have been quiet so far, but something is definitely happening. The Everfree Forest has been unnaturally calm all day. Suddenly, changelings began pouring out of the trees like a swarm of hornets. Maybe Twilight's barrier will prove more effective than her brother's did in Canterlot.

 

Wait, no it's not. It takes mere seconds for them to smash through it and begin rocketing into your barricades. The battle has begun!

 

Shit's getting crazy. Magical bullets are flying everywhere, the changelings are almost blotting out the sun, and royal guards are kicking royal ass. It's weird how well you guys are doing. It's also weird how nopony is checking for imposters. You point that out to Book Binding, and he agrees it's stupid of the ponies. Wait, when did Book get to the front lines? Oh shit.

 

Not-Book throws you into a bar next to the barricade. Hey, this is where you first met Book! You don't have much time to reminisce, the asshole that looks like your boyfriend is coming for you. You can't fight somepony that looks like Book, so you cast the anti-disguise spell on him. What you see makes you really wish you hadn't. It's Queen Chrysalis.

 

You frantically dig through your pockets to find something that'll get you out of this mess. Chryssy just sits there, laughing at your struggle. This bitch is way out of your league, but if you can distract her, you might be able to escape. Aha! Your old knife is still in your saddlebag! A well-aimed throw should at least keep her busy for a second or two. With a practiced swish of your horn, the trench knife flies right at her.

 

You turn to run, but freeze mid-step as Chrysalis laughs.

"Did you think you could run from me? Give me a break. I came out here myself just to get rid of you two coltcuddlers!"

 

Does that mean Book is being attacked too?

 

"You know, it's not every day I have a defector. Book Binding was the first I've had in years, and he's proven to be quite a thorn in my side." She emphasizes her statement with a crushing magical blow to your ribs.

 

She gets uncomfortable close to you as she begins casting another spell. Her horn glows a sickly green as she snarls, "But now you'll be my prisoner."

 

Your vision blurs. No, you can't just let her do this! You fight as hard as you can to stay conscious, but it's an impossible struggle. You just have to hope that Book will save you. He promised he'd be there for you. He has to.

 

You come to in a familiar bed. Your heart is racing for some reason. Maybe you had a bad dream. You look over and see Book is still curled up around you. Ah, this is nice. Whatever that dream was about, it's all okay now.

 

Wait a second...

 

What about the changeling attack? Queen Chrysalis? It all felt so real! Something is very wrong here. You shake Book awake so he can put your fears to rest. You explain what you're feeling, and Book just gives you a deadpan stare. That's not right, Book would be concerned for you. You ask him if you're dreaming right now.

 

His reply comes in an unnaturally flat tone. It sounds like Book, but it's definitely not the real Book. "You're right, this is a dream. Remember what I told you about these?"

 

What did he tell you about these? The memories feel hazy right now. Happy dreams, something about musicals, and, of course, the changeling transformation. He said it took a while for anything bad to happen, but you didn't think to ask how long.

 

You've got to find some way to wake up before the changelings steal your love forever.

 

Okay, time for a little trial and error. You take the scariest-looking weapon from the cowboy outfit and impale yourself on it.

 

You wake up in an even more familiar place. Wait, is this your childhood bedroom? What the fuck? Looks like suicide won't snap you out of this dream. The changeling goo must be some strong shit.

 

You shout a plea to anyone that would listen. Celestia, Luna, Ron Paul, Ghostler, Book, every other name you can think of. Nothing happens. You're all alone inside your head.

 

Oh well, you should go see what's downstairs. After all, it's not like you get to visit your family in real life. Your whole family's there waiting for you. There's a meal waiting on the table, everypony's chatting and getting along, and they seem happy to see you. This isn't anything like your family. Fuck it, you'll see if some trauma will get you out of here. You pull a knife out of a kitchen drawer and throw it through your mom's eye.

 

Your sisters run out of the room, screaming for help. Dear old dad just sits there and gives you a look of pure hate. Hey, that's more like the house you remember! It's weird how easily you can turn these happy dreams around.

 

Hey, you know a thing about lucid dreaming. Maybe that would work in here. You already know you're dreaming, so the next step would be to do crazy dream shit. With a thought, you summon a slice of pizza in your hoof. Now we're getting somewhere!

 

You know what this dream needs? Dictators. You summon Hitler to get his advice on the matter. He just freaked out and asked why a horse was talking to him. Stupid Nazi asshole.

 

You try summoning movie stars and idiot celebrities, trying to find some clue to your escape. Or at least to entertain yourself. After you spend hours forcing DSP to play Spelunky, you remember what you're supposed to be doing. Shit, how much time do you have left? Certainly not a lot. Time to focus on an escape plan.

 

Hey, maybe tricking yourself would work! You imagine yourself in a dark room with a changeling pod. Inside is your own comatose body. You rip it open and free your real self. The dream begins to fade away. Hey, maybe it worked!

 

You gasp for air as Book pulls you from the remains of a changeling pod. It's over! You throw your hooves around your hero and kiss him. He doesn't seem to care that you're covered in goo. All that matters to Book is that you're safe.

 

On your way back into town, he gives you his account of the whole battle. He and Twilight worked together to capture the Queen. After that, the battle was won. It didn't take long to find the cave where they hid you. It's all wonderful news. You had expected the worst when you awoke, but Book really did come through for you. It makes you so happy to be here with him. It's just like a dream come true!

 

Wait, maybe you're still in a dream. You try pinching yourself and summoning more things, but it seems legitimate this time. Still, you feel as if something's wrong.

 

Days pass by, and the town has been almost entirely repaired. You and Book are treated like heroes. Ponies are even coming by your apartment to thank you for saving Ponyville. It's nice and all, but you don't get much time alone with Book. You find yourself growing increasingly apathetic over time. You just can't shake the feeling that none of this is real.

 

There's no harm in being absolutely sure. You ask Book what it's like to turn into another pony. He describes it as just becoming somepony, not thinking too hard about it. You give that a shot. Let's try Twilight Sparkle.

 

You stand in the center of your apartment and take a deep breath. A strange feeling runs through your whole body. Everything flashes green for a split second. Book stares at you, speechless. Oh shit, this can't be happening. You storm into the bathroom and look in the mirror. It's Twilight. You're Twilight.