>Grogette was tired >Understandably so, as she'd spent the last few days toiling over her crystal ball, forming complex and dastardly plots, puzzling over their viability and cruelty towards that wretched stallion Dusk Shine and his friends >Or rather, she would be, if she wasn't being constantly interrupted by one of her three new lackeys >It could be minutes or it could be hours but when one showed up, the other two would soon follow like clockwork >Often times, whatever inane thing each of them was complaining about wasn't even related to what the others had brought up, but it was clear they were all growing restless >It was times like these that made Grogette wonder why she allowed them shelter in her lair >but she saw the signs, hidden as they were. They had a connection, even if they refused to recognize it >Having been caged in Tartarus for so long, Lady Tirek was unnaturally patient >Even as she raged and roared, Grogette had never seen the proud towering centaur seriously raise a fist at the colt's foalish and crude teasing, though she would occasionally enlist the bug's help cowing him for a bit >King Metamorphosis. A name that had once been able to strike fear into the hearts of many, with a powerful visage to match, though he'd fallen fart >He was too proud to ever admit it, but the loss of his hive and his time spent in the Everfree had cost him a great deal of his sanity, and the loneliness was clearly eating him from the inside as his hunger had been >The way Grogette had seen him talk to and eye that piece of wood though, she'd sometimes wondered if he'd be better without it for a while >That left Comfy Glow. Behind those blue curls and scarlet eyes, there was a mind that was beautifully undeniable evil, if a bit crass for her taste >Grogette shivered a little >He was a manipulator to be sure, with a knack for finding linchpins, weaknesses, and dirt on others, or lying like a pro when all else failed >So it was no surprise that when he inevitably realized Tirek was weak to suggestive wordplay, lewd teasing, and other such ilk, he'd lept at the opportunity to test her limits >And test them he had, badgering her about how many bed and bones she'd broken, whether she'd ever crushed fruit with her powerful thighs, even daring to get well within her personal space and literally walk all over her >All of this had only been what Grogette herself had bore witness to, but she loathed to wonder what a decidedly lewd colt like Comfy might do if he had access to even a single of her secrets >Still, Comfy Glow was smart enough not to press Lady Tirek too far, and in doing so, he'd shown his hoof; he craved the little bit of acceptance they gave him >Grogette rose up for a moment then settled back down, letting out a quiet sigh before frowning >"Like clockwork," she mumbled to herself as she sensed the approach of one of her lackeys, squirming in place to get a little more comfortable >The energetic flapping of little wings told her that it was Comfy Glow's turn, the pegasus colt giggling gleefully to himself with a faint uncharacteristic blush >Looking like the cat who had ate the canary, he just floated there, clearly wanting her to start the conversation >Normally, she wouldn't have given him the time of day at this point, but she was feeling particularly to eager to get him to leave, so she indulged him >"What did you do this time?" >"Nothing~!" >His response was a little too sing-songy for her liking, but she felt there was a kernel of truth to his words, as improbable as they were. >"Then why are you wasting my time?" >His grin grew, if that were even possible, as he flew over to her scrying table and stomped his forehooves down, his sudden proximity causing her to freeze >"Metamorphosis got his hoof stuck in Tirek's tight ass." >Grogette laughed. She hadn't meant to allow more than chuckle, but the absurdity... >It struck a cord deep within her, and she couldn't stop herself from letting out a laugh that was decidedly less evil than her preferred villainous cackle >After taking a few breaths to calm herself and contain her errant giggles, she addressed Comfy with her usual stalwart scowl >"I've heard some tall tales, colt, but that takes the cake. Fly along now." >"No, wait! Your crystal ball, you'll see I'm telling the truth without even getting up! Anyway, it all started with Tall, Red, and Angry herself and I minding our own business when Meta showed up and started screaming at Tirek about using his rock as a sex toy, and she was like, I didn't touch your filthy rock and I certainly wouldn't use it for that. So he said, he's not a rock, his name is Steve, and he's the most beautiful piece of petrified wood I've ever met..." >The ewe Mother of Monsters had tuned out his inane rambling moments ago to validate Comfy Glow's ludicrous claim, and was shockingly only somewhat surprised at what she found >She saw the mighty centauress herself laying haphazardly on her stomach, her back ramrod straight as she stared off into space with a blush visible even through her crimson fur, with three chitinous legs and a muzzle all barely poking into frame from under her >Impotent rage and embarrassment etched on her face, Tirek turned to glare at the spot where she evidently sensed her voyeurs >"He took exception to that, and was like, Oh yeah, what if I do this, and, oh, you did what I said. Wasn't that easy?" >She even didn't want to dignify that with a response and instead let out a sigh, closing her eyes and bringing a hoof to her face >"Go get the butter, we'll get them unstuck but I need a moment." >Mercifully, Comfy gave her a mocking salute and flew off >Grogette held her breath a few moments more as she listened for the flapping to fade before placing her forehooves on the table, standing up, and letting out a long steamy breath as something wooden and wet hit the ground >Staring between her legs at 'Steve', she let out another sigh and mumbled to herself >"I need to get laid." >With that, she magically cleaned both herself and her toy, set it in a hidden recess within her table, next to a strange curved red and black cone, and set out clean up her lackeys' mess