Three ponies lay on the grass outside the castle, a pregnant Moon shining above them.

It was only cuddling. There hadn't even been any kissing. It made sense to go slow, though. Princess Twilight Sparkle had never been intimate with a stallion... much less two at once.

"Ohh, Flash... er, I mean, Flashes," she corrected, pulling the identical ponies close. One Flash Sentry cuddled her from the right. The other embraced her left flank. They nuzzled against her cheeks and hugged her barrel, warming her physically and emotionally.

"What luck that rainbow-person Flash decided to visit Equestria on the same day [i]our[/i] Flash arrived from the Crystal Kingdom!" bubbled a giddy Twilight. The Flash on her right stifled a laugh. Twilight couldn't remember which one was which. She couldn't even recall how they'd arrived in the courtyard, but none of that mattered now...

Suddenly, Princess Luna's face appeared in the Moon and made direct eye-contact with Twilight. Wide-eyed and blushing, the lunar princess quickly ducked out of sight.

"Luna?" panted Twilight. Neither Flash appeared to notice.

"[i]JustpassingthroughTwilightSparklegoodbyefornowandIsawnoFlashes![/i]" echoed a nervous voice from the sky.

"Oh no. It's a dream," whispered Twilight, as reality began to sink in. "I'm in a sick, perverted dream, and Princess Luna just witnessed it firsthoof."

She paused in thought while the cuddles continued. Luna surely sees much worse than this every evening, Twilight rationalized. The stars above began flickering strangely.

Twilight turned her head and saw an indistinct orange blob where one of the Flash Sentries lay. Her lucidity was fading, even as the crisp sensation of hugging continued.

"Don't leave me!" she begged, embarrassed and confused. A groggy dizziness wrenched hard on her mind, and she woke.

[hr]

Princess Twilight Sparkle lay in her spacious palace bed, the covers pulled down to her flanks. The wonderful hugging sensation remained on both sides. She was afraid to move a muscle.

"It's a hypnopompic state," she whispered, closing her eyes. "If I don't move, the hugging might stay..."

"It's fine, Twilight," said a familiar voice. "We won't let go that easily."

Twilight reopened her eyes and looked to her left. "St-Starlight Glimmer?" she gasped. Her protege was embracing her. Firmly. [i]In her bed.[/i]

A high-pitched giggle resounded from the other side. "We can cuddle as long as you like," teased another all-too familiar voice, followed by a peck on her cheek. It was a very small kiss—but Twilight blushed and her jaw dropped open.

It couldn't be. [i]This was impossible.[/i] Twilight refused to look, but an azure hoof gripped her chin and tugged her muzzle around to face...

Twilight was certain the look on her face was one of absolute horror, yet the unicorn in front of her grinned broadly.

"TRIXIE?" yelped Twilight. Her wings opened, pressing downward against the bedcovers as her hind legs kicked. The action detached her from the collective embrace, forcing her back against the headboard.

"Twilight, are you okay?" asked Starlight Glimmer. She wore a barely-visible smirk.

"But... Starlight? TRIXIE? Why, what... TRIXIE? My bed, this, where, [i]what?[/i] Why!? [i]TRIXIE?!?[/i]" Twilight shook in place, making a knocking sound against the headboard.

"Not [i]quite[/i] how you said Trixie's name last night," noted Trixie. "But the frequency and volume match."

"You're—but you're [i]mares![/i] And, I, well, you're... Trixie!" Twilight began hyperventilating. "This isn't real."

Starlight Glimmer looked concerned. "It's okay, Twilight. New experiences are an important part of life. I learned that from you," she said.

"But how... oh no. [i]Cider season,[/i]" realized Twilight, shaking her head. "I... I need a bath." She flew directly out the bedroom door, avoiding the master bathroom entirely.

[hr]

Both mares waited a minute before breaking into peals of laughter.

"I can't believe you actually [i]kissed[/i] her!" said Starlight Glimmer, eyes wide. "It was tiny, but still!"

"Hay, it was for a good cause!" mock-pouted Trixie.

"It was a risk," grimaced Starlight. "What if she... [i]reciprocated?[/i]"

"That was already a chance! And she hates Trixie," said Trixie, rolling her eyes. "But..."

Starlight Glimmer raised a brow.

"Maybe it wouldn't be [i]totally[/i] awful," whispered Trixie.

Starlight gasped, then bit at her lower lip. "This... it was supposed to be a [i]joke,[/i] Trixie," she said.

Trixie shrugged. "Fine, Trixie admits it. Twilight grows on you. Like [i]mold[/i]. And have you [i]ever[/i] seen a pony that happy?"

"Dear Celestia," sighed Starlight Glimmer. "We're going to tease the poor filly again, aren't we?"

Trixie just smiled and pulled her lover close for a kiss.

(The [i]other[/i] kind of kiss, that is.)