//------------------------------//
// 9 - Downtime 
// Story: Universal Language 
// by David Silver 
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Cindy stood behind Applejack, fingers kneading the alien's flesh as she worked at a knotted muscle, her own muscles relaxing as she tried to work the tension out of the body she was rubbing. Applejack was the one relaxed in that moment, making soft contented sounds as Cindy continued the impromptu physical therapy.

Applejack looked over her shoulder. "You are remarkably, mmm, good at this, considerin' neither of us knows the other's body all that well."

Cindy traced the contour of Applejack's spine as she looked at the equine back with a critical eye. "I've had plenty of practice. And I've always liked this sort of thing. You have a few knots, and it'll take a bit to get you properly straightened out, but you seem to be in good health, I think?"

Sure, she was working on an alien, but they were alive, and they made noises of delight or discomfort as she went, guiding her towards the better spots as she went. "I'm glad they let me say hi to you again. I was worried they'd keep you away forever."

"Forever's a long time. Specially when ah ain't done nothin' wrong here. Jus' here to be friends." She stretched out as Cindy pushed on one of the tight muscles, coaxing it to relax under her hand. She flopped to the side, stretching out her legs with a gentle whickering sigh. "Watch it though, getting close to a sensitive spot."

Cindy wrenched her hand away as if she had been touching a hot stove. She had been on Applejack's rump, a perfectly fine spot on a normal horse, but Applejack wasn't a horse. What made it any more or less sensitive, she could only guess, but she went back up to Applejack's spine and worked along it. "Sorry. Say, do you have any books on this? A diagram of what's where?"

Applejack nodded with a groan. "They made me draw one out fer them. Humans and ponies ain't exactly the same on a lotta levels." She shifted herself into a better position. "Poke right there, that knot's driving me nuts." She groaned with a few clicks as Cindy began working out the tension, leaving her a delighted puddle of alien. "Yer the best. Um, but yeah, drew one out fer 'em. Ask 'em for a copy?"

Cindy wasn't sure about her odds of getting alien anatomy charts from the government was. It felt like a very impossib- She stopped herself mid-thought, chastising herself with a reminder that it was indeed possible now, as she had an alien sitting right in front of her. "Sure. I'll try my luck." Aliens weren't secret. They were all over the news! Maybe it wasn't that big of a deal to ask about. "Maybe I can get even better for next time."

"Ah wanna turn." Applejack sat up, shuffling to face Cindy. "Ain't fair if only you get to do it. 'Sides! Ah like the idea of makin' a friend feel nice." She flicked her tail, looking at Cindy with those wide, innocent eyes. "Ponies don't just take, ya know?"

Cindy relented to those big green eyes staring back at her, just melting into a puddle of agreement to let Applejack do as she wished. "Okay, fine." She flopped onto her stomach. "I'm in your hooves."

Applejack seemed surprised at that as she moved herself into position to return the favor, sitting down next to Cindy. "Thanks fer the trust." She set her soft, almost fleshy hooves on Cindy and proved they could become quite firm when she wanted them to be. It was like her hooves were entirely under her control. She could harden and shift those, what, bones? around as she pleased. They looked clumsy, but they proved to be quite adept in pressing in even the smallest point or over wide areas as she explored Cindy just as eagerly as she had been explored.

"I can't believe how much we don't know about you. Oh!" She pressed her hoof into a knot in Cindy's back, carefully releasing it as she felt the flesh give way under the pressure. "We really don't have a clue. Still, this is sure a fun way to find out." She gently tapped at Cindy a moment before moving along, her hooves working whole areas at the same time. "Ah can feel you enjoyin' it. Am ah gettin' it right?"

Cindy groaned happily as her muscles were turned into mush by the alien's magical hooves. "You are." Her words slurred with delight. "Never knew I could feel so relaxed." She adjusted herself a little as she was worked over. Without thinking about it, she flopped over onto her back to get her other side done. She realized her error swiftly. She had a lot more bumps and worrisome spots on her front.

But Applejack just tilted her head, giving Cindy a curious look. "Is that right? Eh, close enough." She lowered herself and shifted her body, those curious green eyes sweeping along Cindy's skin. She moved one hoof to explore along the woman's leg, starting at her calf. The legs were fine to work on, but as Applejack drew closer to more dangerous areas, Cindy gently swatted her away. "No?" Applejack skipped along. "Mind if ah ask why?"

"It's complicated." She seemed to shrink as she answered, like the idea of explaining something that intimate was overwhelming. It didn't help that she couldn't know for sure how much Applejack understood of human bodies, but it was easy to make the guesses as to what was meant by 'complicated.' "Gross living stuff."

Applejack laughed at that. "Well, pardner, we're both livin', so don't feel so shy, sugarcube. Was ah gettin' close to where somethin' goes in, or comes out maybe?" She was continuing her massage, not seeming bothered by the redirection, but clearly curious.

Cindy blushed a deep red as she processed that. "W-well." She took a slow breath to calm herself. "It's just personal, private. Embarrassing?" She considered the options Applejack had given her. "Technically, both? You're close to both." She swallowed slowly, feeling like her mouth had turned into a desert. "M-maybe it'll be easier to show you."

Applejack set a hoof on Cindy's hand before it could start doing things. "Now ah rightly 'ppreciate you bein' willin', but ah know y'all have a thin' 'bout bein' seen, 'specially by strangers." She inclined her head. "We're bein' watched. Don't think you wanna show them."

Cindy inhaled sharply as she realized she had been about to make that mistake. "Y-yeah. You're right. That'd be a dumb move. Thanks for the save."

Applejack shook her head with a laugh. "What are friends fer?" She swatted at Cindy gently. "All done, how ya feelin'?"

Cindy pressed both her hands into her stomach with a pleased moan. "Like I'm gonna melt. Is that a pony thing? Or did you have training back home?"

Applejack let out a single whistle. "Actually." She extended her arm, displaying her cloven hoof. "This, right here? This ain't natural."

Cindy sat up with wide eyes, blinking. "What?" She reached out to take Applejack's foreleg, stroking it gently. "But it looks so perfect." She traced the pink edge where hoof met skin. It was a very clean line. There was nothing implying there had been surgery, or that it was inorganic somehow. "How's it not natural?"

Applejack brushed the hoof against Cindy's face, petting gently. "They adjusted me, fer space travel. On the ground, flat hooves were fine enough, but in space, havin' a real good grip's a powerful advantage." She snickered gently. "Ah had the option of a grabbin' tentacle, but ah opted out of that." She set her hooves on the ground. "They changed a lotta me, to make sure ah'd make it here safe and whole."

Cindy hugged the pony at that, burying her face into Applejack's side, pressing in close to feel the warmth of the creature as she nuzzled up against it. "They did all that for you?" She smiled at that. "That's amazing, that your people can do that! And that you went through with it, just to come say hello to us." She sat back with a huff. "Did it hurt?"

Applejack waved that concern away with a soft click. "'Course it did, but they give ya all sorts of special medicine for it. They train ya how to move 'round proper again too. Gave me hoof-plated shoes fer goin' out 'n 'bout 'til ah got used to it." She clopped her hooves together. "Feels silly now, all used to 'em. Shoot, wouldn't even wanna go back to the classic models."

Cindy sighed happily at that, thinking about it for a moment as she let her gaze sweep over Applejack's body. The alien had come so far, to do something so great, and they were just willing to welcome her with open arms. "You worked very hard, just to get here." She hugged Applejack gently, amazed she could hug an alien without issues. "Welcome to Earth."

"Mighty happy to be here." She leaned against Cindy, the two sharing warmth in an unspoken token of fondness that didn't need any languages at all. Both were comfortable with the other in their personal space, and they just relaxed for a time, their soft breaths the only sound in the room.

A soft knocking broke the silence. An agent stepped into the room a moment later. "Sorry to intrude, but I need to have a word with Miss Applejack." He made no mention of the position they were in, not reacting to them being pressed together, wrapped in each other's arms. "Please, come along."

Cindy kissed Applejack's cheek before she started to get up, stretching out her still-loose muscles. "I'll be back later. Can't keep a good friend waiting." She went off to handle her own affairs.

Applejack looked at the agent, confused. "What is it? Somethin' break?"

"You have appointments." He held a clipboard full of such things. "I'm to get you to your next one. Are you ready to go?"

Applejack straightened herself and smoothed down her mane. "Ah am now. Who am ah meetin'?" She let the agent lead her away from the room and she followed him to the exit.

He pulled open the door to the outside world, stepping out to head towards the black SUV waiting for them.