//------------------------------//
// Inhale, Exhale 
// Story: Flowers, Blossom! 
// by Monsieur Bleu 
//------------------------------//

It hadn’t occurred to me until ah started growin some more, how small unicorns are.  Sweetie is an awful small li’l thang; ah noticed it when we was cuddling a while back in the hideout.  She just seemed small, but lord almighty she ain’t that light.  More than once when we was campin she’d end up rolled on top a me.  Mah sista said it’s cause them unicorns gotta have thick bones for they magical horns; same reason that Scoots is so light, gotta be light te fly.  When we was all just foals the differences weren’t so big. Now ah’m almost half a head taller than her, and ah ain’t done growin yet. 

“Ah told the mastas that Sweetie’s gonna stay with us for the night.” 
“Does her sista know?”
Ah shrugged. 
“Ah don’t know how fond her sista’s gonna be with her sleepin in our shack.”

There was a knock on the door. 

“Come in.” 

The door opened. 

“Miss Rarity, Sweetie,” mah sista said, nearly bowin.  

“Oh Jackie, no need.”  

Oh these poor creatures, I can’t believe that Sweetie wants to stay the night here—she could sleep in the house at least.  She could certainly bring her friend, I’m sure Rainbow wouldn’t mind at all. 

“My sister said she would like to sleepover with little Apple Bloom and Scoots… if that is alright with you?”
“Of course Miss Rarity.”
“Wonderful, I will be in the house, please don’t hesitate.  Bye Sweetie, behave for Miss Jackie.” 
“I will.” 

Rarity walked to the house, into the autumn night.  

“Com’on Sweetie—down in the fruit cellar we got some good cider!”
“Scoot’s commin?”
“She’ll be here in a little bit.”

~*~

Only because the professor can’t keep up with the affairs of her dirt ponies that leaves all the actual maintenance to Miss Dash; if all the pecans and peaches in the world would only cost half as much as this house fritters away!  Cross of the damned for what these red-letter books read, allowed.  

This is the specter of the lands, the houses on the lands, the homes in the houses, and the foals in the homes.  It comes up to laugh at the living and make timely notes of their wants, and their unfed desires. 

Accursed thee, accursed these!  The flowers of generations, seeded though the land, and returned.  Ashes to ashes!  A shroud and a golden fleece, adorn those little dancing virtues, a pirouette of the damned. 

I felt Rainbow’s breathing next to me.  She seemed calm, but had a vexed look on her face.  

“Dashie?” I nudged her. 
“Humm… what?”
“Nothing.” 
She smiled at me, “Love you, Twi.”
I nuzzled her, “Love you.”  

She fell back asleep, I walked over towards the widows.  There was a thin layer of snow that covered our fields, colder than usual.  Back to work tomorrow, back to the school.  Hearthswarming never lasts long enough.   

I am reluctant to sleep, not ill dreams per say, just ill feelings.  It has been a long time since I felt warm in my own flesh.  And the heat of another barely covers the cold.  

Twirl! Open the mind’s eye, stretch out, grab it, and hold it. 

~*~

The first time ah had sex with Sweetie wasn’t much fancy, course we didn’t know no betta.  We was really nothin' more than a couple a bunnies buckin.  It was really Sweetie’s idea, though ah had been thinkin' bout it fer some time.  We each had plenty a cider, even though Scoots was with us she had already taken te passin' out—she had already had some wine over at the mastas’ house, so she already was tipsy when she got to the shack. 

Miss Rarity an the mistress had asked Applejack to come over to the mansion fer the evenin'.  We ended up sleepin' in the fruit cellar.  Sweetie had the most adorable look on her face; she levitated up her glass a cider to mah lips, an ah took a sip.  

She stroked my breast with her hoof.  Dirt ponies are strong and built, feelin' good and firm against the soft, supple unicorn.  Our bosoms—our loins, our lips locked.  There was a perfume about her, sweet tastes lingerin' on her tongue.  

All of the forces in the universe—pulse! 

We laid there fer a while, brethin real heavy.  She curled right up next to me; she didn’t speak.  She wrapped herself around me, as did ah her.  She levitated a blanket over top a Scoots, and then another on us.  Ah fell asleep sometime after that. 

Ah woke up when the birds started chirpin'.  Sun wasn’t all the way up quite yet.  I woke up Scoots and Sweetie.  Groggy all, ah fired up some dandelions.  

~*~

So, finally, it happened.  I suppose that it was inevitable, really.  I pretended to act surprised.  

“Well, Dr. Fluttershy, I am not sure if the other faculty will be as accommodating to this idea as I am.”

She sat across from me, absolutely beaming.  

“Well Professor, I am quite sure that they will find her to be not only enlightened but a great opportunity for our students to—“
“I do not doubt you, or her for that matter, but to have an earth pony give a lecture at this school, even an educated one, is just not… not something I think that the faculty or students will be able to digest.”
“You know as I do that it is only a matter of time before it starts to become common place.  Why this year Oberlin is gonna graduate four earthgros!”
“What Oberlin does and what we do here are very different—“
“Look, Professor, you don’t want your students to graduate from some backwards ass school.  Your reputation is mud outside of Dixie—you know what your Harvard classmates think of you—“
“Dr. Fluttershy!” I almost never raise my voice, “my reputation is not—“
“Then fine!” she retorted, now hovering above me.

I inhaled, in and out, in and out… just like Professore Cadenza said. 

“Listen, Flutters—sit down,” I gestured back towards the chair across from me.  I took out a bottle of Scoltch and poured myself a drink. “I think that you make a valid point; this school needs to modernize.  Write your former student, and see what she thinks.  I am open.”

Dearest Pinkie,

…I have spoken with Professor Sparkle, and she is very interested in having you give a lecture at our school… make sure that you have your papers on you…