I lived in happy sorrow for two months before Queen Chrysalis came for a visit. It really was amazing how rare noteworthy encounters were out here. What was even more amazing was the fact that she had come with only three apparently female changelings. If I didn't know any better I would think there was hint of actual pity before it abruptly disappeared behind an indifferent regal mask.

"Good afternoon, Prince Jackson", she greeted with a bow as I settled into my throne.

"Same to you, Queen Chrysalis", I nodded.

"I heard of your misfortune and on behalf of the changeling nation I offer my deepest sympathy and wish you a speedy recovery", she replied almost warmly before she smirked. "I anxiously await your recovery. I have never found another opponent as worthy of my prowess in combat as you."

"Perhaps there won't have to be a next time", I grinned pointedly.

"Your verbal jousting is sufficient, at least", she smiled.

"Yeah, you're an asshole too, Your Majesty."

"Oh", she gasped, momentarily taken aback but chuckled and nodded. "I can see why my hardheaded daughter would want to serve you. You will be a strong leader indeed."

She approached the throne and knelt before me.

"If I may, your Highness, I would like a word with my daughter."

"If she'll speak to you, then yes", I nodded.

The two trotted off slowly and I tried not to listen in but I did hear something about the marriage. I shrugged it off as possibly evil girl talk and I honestly didn't care. My life had become pain and pleasure in often quite unequal proportions. I was getting bored with being a prince. The only things that were enjoyable in life were my time with my dysfunctional family and sitting on the balcony overlooking the southern forest.

I had discovered that I could still fly but landing was such an awkward and demeaning process that I refused to fly anymore. The inability to take more than ten steps was still infuriating. I didn't understand how I wasn't better when I did everything the therapist said.

The sound of hooves trotting through the hall brought me from my brief reflection as Cindra trotted in the door with her head held high. She took her place by my side and stood placidly for the remainder of the court session. Zecora had stopped by to rhyme with me about a certain plant that grew in a certain clearing near a certain castle.

She asked for permission to harvest two plants for medicinal reasons and I agreed. She bowed and turned her eyes to Shadow, commenting how our son was growing so quickly. Shadow was only approximately seven months along and she was showing quite profusely.

"Considering this is the Prince of Chaos who fathered the son, I would say it's about time for the fun to have begun", the zebra smiled.

Almost as if on cue our foal kicked and Shadow squeezed her eyes shut. I caught a glimpse of red just before her eyelids closed. I apologized but had to cut the visit short. She bowed and left as I reached over to Shadow. She clasped my hand and sent me an orange stare. I called out to the guards that court was over for the day and we began to make our way to our chambers. We passed Silver Lance who sent a worried stare at Shadow and saluted as we went.

After we reached our chambers I jotted down a note to mom explaining what was going on and how far along she was. Almost instantly I received a note back but it wasn't rolled up.

GET HER HERE NOW!

I wrapped my arms around both ponies and flashed directly to the medical wing. There were only a few startled gasps and to my surprise I wasn't rushed by guards as I crumpled to the floor. In my haste to get Shadow here I forgot to poof my chair.

"What happened to him this time", Nurse Redheart called out.

"He isn't injured this time", Cindra giggled "He just forgot his wheelchair."

"Fuck you", I groaned as an orderly lifted me into a spare wheelchair. "Not you, the changeling."

He laughed awkwardly and left me in the hallway as Shadow told the little nurse that she was the one that was here to be seen. She flinched when mom popped into existence right in front of her staring into her eyes.

"How far along are you", mom asked.

"Seven months", Shadow replied.

"Are you sure you felt him kick", she asked.

"Yeah, the little buzzard almost broke something."

"Are you sure you didn't conceive in Flower's Bloom of last year?"

"I'm positive", she replied. "Jackson was my first."

"I remember the blood", mom shuddered.

The sweet nurse ushered us to into an exam room and within thirty minutes the blood samples yielded results and the ultrasound showed a fully formed alicorn filly! The news was quite astounding and the doctor voiced this sentiment before he turned to Nurse Redheart.

"I would like to have you attend Princess Shadow", he said seriously. "This foal will be coming in less than two months."

"Understood", the little nurse nodded.

The remainder of the checkup went well and before the night was done I poofed the three of us and the little nurse to Castle Everfree. We made our way to our bedchambers after I summoned my wheelchair. As we entered the antechamber I pointed out the room Nurse Redheart would be staying in.

"Is there anything in particular I should know", Shadow asked nervously.

"No sex", the nurse said flatly.

"Yes ma'am", Shadow nodded.

We listened intently as we were given instructions for Shadow's care, including bed rest. I turned my eyes to the very pregnant mare and sighed softly. After Nurse Redheart finished speaking Shadow and Cindra climbed up onto the bed and stared at me expectantly. I told them I had a few things to work on before going to bed and they nodded before I rolled out of our chambers.

"What am I gonna do", I muttered as I rolled down the hallway. "I have to be able to walk to help take care of Shadow. If only there was something…"

An idea struck me and I summoned parchment and a quill. I scribbled a note asking Twilight to join me with a list of supplies and sent it on its way. Within an hour I was met at the front door by the purple unicorn.

"I'm sorry it took so long, your Highness", she smiled as she bowed.

After telling her to rise I led the way out to the blacksmith's forge around back, struggling several times with the chair's wheels and began unloading the supplies from the wagon she was pulling with my magic. I laid out the strips of leather, metal rods and various fasteners and tools.

"What are we making", Twilight asked curiously.

"I had a bright idea for how to walk again", I grinned.

"Ooh, tell me", she said with glistening eyes.

"I'm making leg braces that we can enchant so that they have a direct link to my brain", I replied. "They're going to support my weight so that I can walk and even run!"

With enthusiasm we set to work and started with the belt. A measuring tape floated up from the table and wrapped around my waist as Twilight's magic lifted me into the air. Twilight read the measurement and scribbled it down on a piece of parchment. She then took a measurement along the outside of my leg and scribbled that down as well before she settled me back in my torture device, floated the parchment and quill to the workbench and turned to me.

"I'm really glad you asked me to help you with something so important", she smiled warmly as she rested a hoof on my forearm. "It means a lot to me."

"Well, you're my best friend", I replied as I smiled back. "Plus, you're the easiest to tolerate."

"Gee, thanks", she replied sarcastically as she nudged me playfully.

"You're welcome", I quipped and dodged away from her swat.

She shook her head and we returned to the task at hand. She used her magic to pull several hinges toward her and eyed my hips and knees. She flexed and extended each of them with a faraway look in her eyes almost as if she was seeing my bones at work.

"This double hinge would be better for the knees, but a triple would be good for the hips", she mumbled as she stared through me. "Take into account the size of the hinges, flex and stretch…"

She continued mumbling as she stared through me and her horn lit up as strips of leather floated toward her. The belt was the first thing she created, adding a metal buckle to the belt. The triple hinges were riveted to the sides of the belt. A metal bar was attached to the bottom of those hinges and the double hinges were fused onto the bottom of those. Two more bars were fused to the bottom of the double hinges.

"Try it on", she mumbled and turned back to her papers. "I'm certain I took the measurements correctly and used the correct math, so it should be a perfect fit."

I pulled the belt around my waist and fastened it tightly laying the metal bars along the outside of my thighs. I told her that the belt fit perfectly but we needed to make the straps to hold the bars to my legs. While Twilight hunted the tape measure she just had I took the belt off and draped the contraption on the workbench.

"There you are", she sighed as she spotted the tape measure. "Where do you want the straps on your legs?"

"Like the middle of my thighs and calves", I shrugged.

A blush crept across her cheeks as she stretched the tape measure out and wrapped it around each calf. I told her to measure a little lower and she did, wrapping the tape just below the bottom of the muscle on each leg before she scribbled the measurements down. Her blush deepened as she nervously looked at me.

"Can you scoot closer to the edge of the chair", she mumbled as she turned her head to the side a little. "I can't measure your legs with the chair in the way."

I slid forward and she wrapped the tape around the middle of my left thigh and scribbled the measurement down. She mumbled something to herself as she pulled the tape around my right thigh and froze. At first I didn't realize why until I actually felt her hoof lightly touching my limp manhood.

"Oh my gosh I am so sorry", she blurted as she dropped the measuring tape. "I didn't mean to!"

"It's okay", I laughed as I tousled her mane. "Accidents happen."

She picked the measuring tape up and took another measurement avoiding any accidental contact. She scribbled the measurement down and quick as a wink she had bands made and buckled around my legs. I nodded but realized that just bracing the outside of my legs would be insufficient.

"This won't be enough", I said as I pointed to my inner legs. "There's no support for the other sides of my legs so I don't think it will be strong enough."

Twilight agreed with me and blushed yet again as she picked up the measuring tape with her magic. I laughed as she cocked her head to the side as she stared at me.

"What", I laughed.

"I'm trying to figure out how to take the measurements without touching… that", she blushed.

"Twilight, just take the measurements", I scoffed and adjusted myself. "See, I even moved the scary penis out of the way."

"Just because it's big doesn't mean it's scary", she muttered as she took the measurements. "Now take the brace off so I can attach the inner braces."

I complied and in a flash she had the improvements completed. She floated the brace over and I fastened the belt around my waist. Twilight set to work fastening the straps around my calves. The strap around my left thigh buckled perfectly but as she tightened the strap on my right thigh I felt a sharp pinch and let out a pained yell.

"Oh my Celestia, what happened", she gasped and jerked her hooves back as I doubled over in the chair.

"You pinched my dick with the strap", I gasped out and massaged my aching penis.

"I'm so sorry", she gasped as she moved closer and rested a hoof on my thigh. "I didn't realize it hung so low! I'm so sorry, Jackson!"

"It's okay", I groaned and waved her away. "Aside from trying to cut my dick off the fit is perfect. Good job."

The purple unicorn smiled and blushed as she rubbed my thigh absently. I looked down to her hoof and back up at her but she didn't get the hint.

"Twilight?"

"Yes Jackson", she smiled slightly.

"Your hoof is in very close proximity to my genitals", I replied flatly. "Either touch it or remove your hoof."

The magical mare blushed furiously and jerked her hoof away as I cackled in mirth. She got a bit defensive but I hugged her and ruffled her mane causing her to laugh and forget her anger. We turned our attention back to the task before us and I admired the unicorn's hoofwork.

"You could probably give Rarity a run for her money", I chuckled as I eyed the contraption that I hoped would be my ticket to walking normally again. "This is some fantastic work."

"Thank you", she smiled as she etched some kind of runes into the leather and metal.

"What are you doing", I asked as I touched on of the runes. "This thing will be under my clothes so I don't need decorations."

"Jackson, these runes are necessary to channel the magic", she explained with a smile.

"Let's try it out", I grinned. "Well, enchant then try."

Twilight's horn lit up as she touched my forehead. I felt a slight pinch in my brain and she touched her horn to the contraption strapped to me. It glowed white for a moment before the glow faded. I checked the straps and slowly stood. To my amazement our plan actually worked!

"Looks good", she smiled as she looked it over. "How does it feel?"

"Amazing", I grinned as I squatted down a few times.

I turned and kicked the six inch thick support beam near me and it exploded in a shower of debris. I asked what the hell Twilight did and she sheepishly admitted to using an amplification spell. I grinned and thanked her profusely as I hugged her. In the middle of the hug I felt her lips brush my cheek and pulled back to see her blushing.

"Uh, Twilight", I asked somewhat nervously. "What was that?"

"I'm sorry", she mumbled as she cutely hid her face behind her hooves. "I don't know what came over me!"

"It's okay", I smiled and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Just try not to do it again, okay?"

"Okay", she whispered tearfully.

"Cool", I smiled as I stood. "Now, would you mind either leaving or turning around so that I can put this thing inside my pants?"

"That sounds so wrong", she blushed as she covered her eyes with a hoof.

I scoffed and sat on an anvil to remove the braces and pants. While I was half naked a guard peeked through the door but ducked back out with a massive blush as he saw the situation inside. I called him back and he sheepishly plodded into the room. He was rather uncomfortable but he relaxed when I explained the situation before sending him on his way.

"That was interesting", Twilight murmured while trying not to peek.

"Apparently everypony thinks I'm a manwhore or something", I sighed.

I finished dressing and wrapped Twilight in another hug while she still had her eyes covered. The startled squeal she let out was rather funny but I hugged her tight and set her on her hooves before waving and darting out of the smithy. I took a running start and launched myself into the air circling the castle before I headed for the chambers I shared with Shadow and Cindra.

"Shadow", I called as I landed on the balcony.

A shadowy figure jumped and turned toward me in the darkness and I caught a glint of silvery light. I realized it was a knife and launched myself at the attacker. A pained grunt slipped from the unknown Pegasus as my amplified body slammed into it. As we rolled into a pool of light I saw that the intruder was barely older than a colt. He snarled at me as he slashed me across the face causing me to jump back.

"Well, fuck."