On Concealing and Masking Decadent Research

There was one thing that utterly delighted Twilight about her role as princess in Ponyville: the entire town was legally under her dominion. While that meant she was required to participate in an ungodly collective of bureaucratic nightmares and paperwork, it also meant she was her own boss. So while archaeological expeditions needed governmental approval if they were located at historical sights, she only needed her own consent.

Her hoofsteps disturbed the dust collected the floors of the Everfree Castle of the Two Sisters. What was it like here a millennium ago? Had the Everfree's strange mixture of black arts and thaumaturgy encroached on the laborious serfs? How far had the various schools of magic progressed, only to have secrets lost and knowledge vaults burned as two sisters battled—

"I know you're excited, but do you need a some napkins for cleanup or something?"

It was even more fascination how Trixie's voice never failed to sound like nails on a chalkboard.

Be calm, Twilight told herself. Starlight was here too, and Twilight didn't want to snap at Starlight's abrasive friend no matter how much she deserved it.

"If you are concerned about being bored, feel free to explore." And get out of her hair.

Bright and early in the morning, Twilight had teleported the three mares into the old castle library for cataloging and exploration. The mortar was still strong enough to fight back against the elements, and old enchantments kept the walls strong. Much inside was still intact and needed to be preserved, a job Twilight had taken upon herself, but the information in a royal archive was worth far more than anything else in the castle.

It was Canterlotian manners and common courtesy to extend the invitation to Starlight. It was an unforeseen and annoying bother to have an additional tagalong who wasn't by strict definition of the invitation not invited.

It pleased her to see Starlight being all awe and smiles upon setting hoof in these hallowed grounds. It was all too much like her first time seeing Celestia raise the sun for the first time. Starlight didn't say much as she picked a hallway and wandered off, her horn providing the only illumination, Trixie, haughty as ever, close to her side. Twilight didn't protest; Trixie was good for her.

Shenevergot to explore the library to her heart's content, but now that she got a good look through the tomes, it looked more like a public library than a private collection. Public documents like land holdings and the then current tax law were dotted among a load of reference materials. It was pages upon pages of mostly already known archived knowledge, but the nuggets buried within were worth so much more. She didn't get to even open a book before she was disturbed.

She took to the air as the large and withered mahogany doors crashed open. "Twilight~!" crooned an annoying voice. Trixie sauntered ahead of Starlight who was holding a bundle covered in rotten cloth.

Chiding words bubbled forth before Starlight's eager face pushed forward. "Look!" she said as she removed the cloth. Twilight expected a withered book falling apart from the ravages of time but was faced with an utterly immaculate text. Other than a collection of dust across the leather bound cover, Twilight couldn't see a wink of damage as her hooves settled to the floor.

"Where did you find this?" she asked breathlessly. "It's rare to find a preserved book from the era."

"Under a bed."

Huh? Her confusion must have been apparent for Trixie added, "The good stuff isn't going to be on a shelf. It is the stuff snooty nobles try to hide."

Starlight offered her the book as she started paging through it, immediately spotting a problem. "This is written in Middle Equestrian." She had a lexicon and translation guide but that would take time. Luna and Celestia could speak it easily enough, but getting a moment alone with either of them with their schedules would take even longer. Both unicorns looked over her shoulder as she paged through it and handed it back to Starlight.

...That smile of Trixie's was kind of uncomfortable.

"Say, Twilicorn, why don't you join the two of us and explore the castle for a few secrets?"

"Yeah," added Starlight. "We already found one."

Twilight was going to shoot down Trixie's recommendation as a distraction, but seeing her student's hopeful gleam was like looking at a begging kitten.

"Well, I had anticipated being in the library for my allotted time, but I don't see how looking elsewhere for material can hurt."

"Great!" exclaimed a discomfortingly cheerful Trixie. She snagged Starlight's discovery, slid it into her bags, and saddled up to her friend, chatting amicably. Oh, she was definitely up to something.

If there was one thing Trixie would know for sure about Twilight if she were a filly and in public school, it was she'd be browbeaten into doing everyone's homework. The cute, bookish alicorn had her moments, but she was unbearably naive at times.

Making sure her wagon's door was locked, she put away her hat and cloak and set her saddlebags by the door. She cleared off her dinner table of its usual crap and hodgepodge of magic trick paraphernalia. Next to come out was a bottle of alcoholic cider, the top popping off with a refreshing noise that preceded the spicy aroma that sent a pleasant burn in her lungs. She never practiced magic while under the influence, but alcohol made reading about magic so much easier.

She smirked and took a solid chug. Little did Twilight know, Trixie knew exactly what the volume contained.

With her time perusing old bins and ancient second hand shops in her travels, she picked up on a few things. Mostly she did so in the hopes of collecting some new or unusual magic trick, but while she grudgingly admitted she wasn't as smart as Twilight, she was just as well-read. She recognized the language like Twilight, but unlike the little virgin princess, she could translate pieces of it without a reference guide.

It was an old dialect by the Unicornia Hegemony, only made somewhat incomprehensible because the scribe had chicken scratch in terms of penmanship. Her Middle Equestrian was a little rusty, but the cover spoke of economics and politics. It was comforting to see fake book covers were every bit as old as she thought, because the next page was talking about the filly's exploits and experimentation in sex magic. She flipped to a random page and took another sip.

Oil of Flames

Exotic fragrance. Strong, but effective. Dost invite the little death and cries of passion for even the most morose of crones. Recommended by spinster handmaiden. She dost claim none reason for marriage due to potency of mixture and a scandalous number of conquests as a result.

Sandalwood oil

Honeysuckle

Frankincense

Winter's Tears

Essence of Kambrian Dayflies

Saint Willow's Balm

Blend together in almond oil base and drink prior to coitus. I have partaken many times and could continue well past the candles burning down the flame betwixt mine loins was so severe.

Stop taking extra doses. Mixture makes me too vocal and mine thighs are numb.

Trixie snorted. She wanted copies of this to circulate the modern nobility so much. She flipped to another random page, this one talking about her meeting with woodworkers and stonemasons to better shape materials with her magic. It was all research on what would make the best dildo, of course.

I hath settled on wood over metal or stone as a clean wood finish is pleasing to the eye, and forthwith far more inviting to my nethers than colder elements. Magical golems, while malleable and pleasingly filling, lack the pleasant comfort of a corporeal presence.

Holy hell, this filly was horny. Twilight may value knowledge far more than she should and that was the exact reason Trixie was grateful Twilight didn't get the first crack at the tome. How would the airhead princess react to a book filled with such delicious filth? All purity and virtue and all that garbage. She'd probably set fire to the book out of nervous fear.

However, all Twilight would need was time for translation and Trixie would not have unrestricted access to the book forever. At least she could get ahead of the curve and learn what she needed ahead of Twilight doing something stupid, or tipping off Starlight to her plan. Admittedly part of Trixie wanted the tome so Twilight wouldn't do anything rash. That was Plan A. She was a mare with needs and took no shame in wanting to spice up her time in the sack.

That wasn't the only reason she wanted to read up on the noble's spells. Envy. Desire. There was that little flutter in her chest every time she saw that cute little flank walking the crystal halls of Twilight's castle. Sure, Twilight had some things going for her and all, but Starlight...

Trixie closed the book and downed a burning gulp of booze. Starlight didn't want to ostracize her. Starlight could deal with her instinctual bitchy attitude and magnanimity. Starlight could shut the hell up during her shows and not be a little shit that won't stop heckling her because she's too stupid to realize it was all an act.

She stopped herself from drinking another mouthful; reading was easier when tipsy, not drunk. She didn't like Twilight and made peace with the fact she'd never like her long ago. That didn't matter. If she had a chance at getting a little closer to Starlight, she could suffer Twilight. Trixie had gotten attention for her shows before, but Starlight wanted her for her. Kindness was an odd thing to grow attached to, but now that she had it, Trixie didn't want to let it go.

Heh, she sounded like a lovesick filly nervous about asking out a colt she liked. That was the point of the book. A book would not judge her for asking for dating advice and told no tales when it held a treasure trove of romantic and sexual exploits. There could be nothing more perfect to help her woo Starlight.

Conjure Lovenest

Emergency conjuration when atmosphere and intimacy is immediately necessitated...

All she would need was time.