Spinnaker
No Magic Required!
A hoof pokes you in the side as you try to straighten your posture. “Darling, if you keep making a fuss I’ll only end up giving you more holes than you came in here with”
“Sorry Rarity, you know how I am with getting dressed up like this.” You offer a white mare a sheepish smile as you again try to remain as still as possible.
Rarity levitates a pair of scissors as she snips off a thread she was stitching your pants with. “I know darling, nobody likes being still for so long. You should see Rainbow when I have to get her dressed up for events with the Princess. It is literally the only situation where Pinkie is calmer than her.”
You laugh a little as you look around Rarity’s workshop. Apart from the rest of the boutique, her workroom was fairly simple. It was made for function rather than form and was extremely well organized. The only spot on the walls that was not storage space or corkboard laced with designs was a decent-sized drawing of Rarity and her sister Sweetie Belle.
“My, it has been quite some time since you made that for us darling. Considering how much Sweetie has grown I would have to admit I would love a commission from you. After your important business in Canterlot of course. Now hold still I am almost done...”
Ah yes, that was the reason why you had to dress up in the first place. You are an artist extraordinaire, one with the talent and skill to capture ponies on paper. Ponies everywhere were commissioning you to draw life-like images of them and their loved ones. In fact, you had an art gallery showing off some of your best works. You were considered one of the greatest artisian of this generation of ponies.
You of course were a human, and really you were only a cartoonist.
When you first mysteriously arrived here you thought your were dreaming. Everything in Equestria was as if taken right out of a show for kids. Even your own body was a bit cartoonish in a way that was hard to see. Sometimes you’d swear you saw lighter skin tone outlines on you out of the corner of your eye. Ponies didn’t see you any differently than them however, which made you think that through your eyes you seemed normal and through a pony’s eyes you were a cartoon like them. Somehow this never backfired on you, everything must have been really close.
However in this cartoon world of cartoon horses, being a cartoonist meant that you captured ponies in what they describe as “photo-realistic images captured in ink”. You only made the connection between your job on Earth and your “amazing talent” when you drew images for Twilight when she interviewed you upon your unexpected arrival. You drew a few images of Earth inventions, then a few sketches of Twilight and her dragon assistant Spike. After Twilight sent off the drawings to Celestia, you were brought forth to Canterlot to discuss your role in Equestria. The benevolent and powerful alicorn encouraged you to keep on your ‘job’ as a way to help cope with being in a new world and to make a few bits. Something familiar from Earth to keep your mind occupied and to not stress the royal treasury.
At first you were overwhelmed when ponies were fawning over your drawings. To you they were just simple cartoon images. Alas, the age-old saying of beauty being in the eye of the beholder rang true and you became quite sought-after. A few months in Equestria and you already made huge waves.
Now you were hosting your own art showing at the Royal Gallery of Canterlot. A huge party with your best on show for huge amounts of money. Quite frankly you would probably sell what you drew for twenty bucks on the internet to some kid who wanted his character drawn by a person who knew what they were doing. Over here though you could charge a hundred bits and ponies would ask you why it was so cheap.
“Voila! I am done! See for yourself!” Rarity said while clapping her hooves and magiking a mirror over to you.
She did a fantastic job. Your suit was perfectly tailored as usual and was absolutely divine. If anyone doubted your place in this museum, they only had to look at your exquisite formal suit. “This is amazing Rarity, I know I got you tickets to my showing but is there any other way I can repay you? Bits don’t seem quite enough.”
She tittered as she started to put her things away. “Nonsense my dear, though I will never deny a free commission from you of course. Jewelry is always nice as a present, I am fond of earrings, chokers and necklaces.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, see you soon!” You say as you pick up your suitcase that held your bits, paper and inks.
As you walk out the door into the summer day, you make your way to the train station. Tonight was going to be a long night and you hoped that the elite of Canterlot wouldn’t be too much of a pain in the ass. When you visited Celestia for the first time you spent a few days talking to her in between her meetings with the other nobles. You noticed right away that they had their heads shoved so far up their asses they could eat their breakfast twice. Secondly they were almost exclusively unicorns and did they ever always seem on the borderline of being racist.
After being called a monster a few times before everypony knew who you were, you found out they they also weren’t the brightest. Being fed from a silver spoon for their entire lives made them very gullible. You may have also told them that your brothers were Walt Disney and Bill Watterson, and that you were a greater artist than any of them. Of course in the end that only helped your business grow in the end.
Not like they could check anyways.
So eventually you got to the train station, you took out a few bits and handed them to the ticket mare. You also slipped an autographed quick sketch of the cute mare as well and gave her a wink. You swore you could see hearts in her eyes.
After a few minutes wait, you were on the train in your compartment and ready to pass out until you were in Canterlot. It was very neat how the express train from Ponyville to Canterlot seemed like those old fashioned western trains you always heard about in the Wild American West. The passenger carts all had a small hallway that lead to private compartments. As you were nodding off you heard a loud impact come from outside your compartment as well as a muffled voice.
Figuring that putting off your nap for a few minutes wouldn’t hurt, you opened your door to see what the commotion was about. Upon glancing into the hallway, you saw a grey mare struggle with what seemed to be a large instrument case. You didn’t know too much about instruments but you would guess that it was a cello or something, the container was too large to be a guitar. The mare however you did know, at least you saw her walking around Ponyville from time to time.
She of course had the grey coat you saw as you opened your door, and her black mane was neatly taken care of. She was also wearing a cute little pink bow tie that matched her eyes which reminded you of a mulberry or darkened magenta. You knew she had a treble clef cutie mark, so you assumed that her talent must have been music.
“Hey, you mind if I gave you some help with that?” You offer the annoyed mare as she tried to straighten the case.
“Yes it would be ever so nice for you to-”, the mare cut herself off as she actually turned her head to see who was talking to her.
“Sup. I’m not gonna eat you, been living in Ponyville for a while. Can we totally get over the ‘meeting the alien for the first time’ bit? I kinda wanna nap and that will come after I help you”
She quickly recovered and shook her head. “Oh no! I know who you are I just didn’t expect you on this train. I haven’t made your acquaintance yet so I am unfamiliar with your voice. You only startled me a little, it is no trouble.”
You smiled at her as you raised your eyebrow. Sweet Lucifer she had a slight English accent and it was absolutely adorable. “So. The instrument case?”
She was confused for a second before nodding. “Yes please, I would love some help. It is such a pain to get my cello to Canterlot. Usually I have the unicorns in luggage to take care of it, but after their treatment last time I decided it was best to keep it with me.”
So it was a cello. Neat.
“Yeah I know how you feel, airports always treated my suitcase like shit.” You joke as you grab the handle, this mare was fortunately one that didn’t slobber over everything she carried with her mouth.
“I beg your pardon? What is an airport?”
“Oh sorry, human thing. Also sorry for the swearing. What compartment are you in?” You could easily lift the case with one hand and you put it over your shoulder.
“Oh! I am in C-4. Don’t worry about cussing, I am quite used to it from my roommate. Considering the boring company I will have to endure in Canterlot it is a nice reprieve.” The grey mare waved her hoof dismissively.
So far this mare seemed like as if Rarity took her ‘ladylike’ mannerisms down just a few notches. Classy and elegant, yet down to earth, or was it down to Equestria? You actually never heard anypony say that yet. God, you could use a pony like her at your Gallery reception.
“That is my compartment. You can… C-4 yourself!” You laugh at your absolutely shitty joke as you stretch your free hand to invite her into your train cabin.
She groaned and rolled her eyes at you. “You and my roommate would get along well with jokes like that.”
You carefully place the cello against the wall and use a strap to keep the instrument there. “So, mind if I ask you your name since we will be in here for the trip?”
“My name is Octavia Melody, it is a pleasure to meet you.” She offered you her hoof and you grasped it in your hand and shook as you told her your name.
“Well I really don’t wish to upset you, but unfortunately I have had a terrible sleep last night and I was hoping to get some sleep on the train. I don’t want to appear as bad company but I have to play tonight and I want to be as prepared as possible.” Octavia apologetically told you as she went to lay down across the seat as one side of the cabin.
“Well Octavia, I’ll take you up on that offer. I was looking to get a little shut-eye myself. I got a party to host and I feel like if I get enough sleep here, I’ll be too awake to be drowsy when the Canterlot Elite talk.” You recline as best as you can across your side.
“I concur, may Luna watch over your dreams.” She politely said to you.
“And may a Drowzee abstain from consuming yours.” You reply back.
“Human thing?”
“Human thing.”
--ooOOoo--
A loud steam whistle woke you up from your nap as the train starts to slow its speed. Groggily sitting up in the relatively small compartment you stretched and shook off the drowsiness from your mind. Looking across from you, Octavia was doing the same. Somehow she was gripping the hairbrush as she tended to her mane. Looking out the window you could see the massive city of Canterlot in the distance.
“Union Station in five minutes. Canterlot Union Station arrival in five minutes.”
Shrugging, you stand up and stretch. “Welp I guess that is us. You need any help with that cello?”
You don’t hear an answer from the mare and you look down at her as you hold your arms out full stretch. Octavia’s mouth was slightly open and her eyes were on your hands that were nearly touching the ceiling. Her breath was quickening and her pupils were starting to shrink. You could see small shivers on her flank.
You had seen this behaviour before in other ponies. Even though they obviously were highly evolved creatures, they still had prey animal instincts. It probably helped out a lot to keep the peace in the long run but a few other instincts were there as well. Now you knew how predators acted in both Earth and Equestria and they often exhibited one behaviour consistently:
They made themselves seem as big as possible over their prey.
So here you were standing over Octavia, arms almost outstretched to full length and towering over her like a bear. You were also in a small, enclosed space on a moving train with virtually no escape routes whatsoever. You are a member of an apex predator species and she barely came up over your waist. You were probably on the verge of literally scaring the piss out of her.
You done fucked up son. That and you weren’t into water sports.
Immediately you sit down on your side of the cabin and made yourself seem as small as possible. “Octavia, I need you to calm down. I am friendly. I am not going to eat you. Princess Celestia knows me. I am not going to eat you. I am a friend. We shared this cabin and nothing happened. Calm down. Breath deep.”
Her breaths started to slow down and her pupils returned to the normal size for a marshmallow equine. “I-I… I’m okay. I am I am not going to make a fuss. You just…”. She took a deep breath and exhaled, “you are just so big!”
That’s what she said.
Your hand rubs the back of your head and you cough. “Yeah, I tend to forget that. I am really sorry. Growing up among humans you tend to keep a few things that are apparently a social faux-pas here. Obviously being part of a predator species I forget how being tall can be a bad thing when being around ponies.”
“Why yes, I can definitely see that.” Octavia chuckled a bit, clearly relieved.
“Well hopefully I haven’t caused you too much distress! That nap was supposed to relax you, not cause nervous tension!”
She laughed and waved her hoof dismissively. “It is absolutely no trouble, the tension I am under isn’t nerves, I can admit to that fully! You don’t have to worry about me. I can relieve my… tension before the show! Yes. It is fine.”
You held your hand out for her to put her hoof into. “Human thing then. Place your hoof in my hand and we shake declaring that we are both in agreement that what just happened was completely fine and that we will laugh about it whenever we meet again.”
She tentatively placed her hoof in your palm before you wrapped your fingers around the outer wall of her hoof. Shaking it lightly twice you let go and smile. “There we go, no harm done.”
Octavia giggled lightly and nodded. “I have to say that I like that ‘human thing’ very much.”
The train slowed to a stop as you stood up again, this time with her. “Well we humans have a lot to share. Maybe we can meet up again in Ponyville and we can talk again. I would love to hear you play.”
“It would be my pleasure. Nice to meet you face-to-face finally. I will see you soon!” Octavia waved for a unicorn worker in the hallway to assist her with her luggage as you went in the opposite direction with your suitcase and art supplies bag.
Leaving the train behind you stepped off into the big city. It was getting close to about five in the afternoon and you decided to hit up an old favourite food joint of yours. Walking through the semi-familiar streets of the pony capital you drew quite a few stares. A few of them were the standard ‘the fuck is that’ glances of ponies who have never seen you before. Since you have been an artist for quite some time a lot of the looks and admiration was from being somewhat of a celebrity.
Fortunately nopony had the testicular fortitude to come up and approach you. Maybe it was because you were so imposing. It could have been your good looks as well, you were told by a few mares you were good eye candy. However you believed the reason why nopony talked to you much was because you were headed straight for Pony Joe’s as if your life depended on it.
Getting to the swinging 50’s style diner doors you walked into the donut joint. With it being dinner time in an elitist city, Joe’s was decently empty. Only a few ponies were sitting in their booths, mostly younger colts and fillies eating donuts and splitting milkshakes.
Sitting down at the bar you knocked on the counter in a rhythm only two ponies know. One of those two were obviously Pinkie Pie since you did the same at Sugarcube Corner.
Shave and a haircut…
A yellow coat pony with a brown mane popped out from behind a swinging double door and slid over to you whilst singing “Two bits!”
“Hey Joe, the usual.” You said as you settled down in your chair.
“Yeah I know. That’s why I said two bits.”
“Oh I thought-” You blinked a few times before you slid over two bits. “Nevermind.”
“Yes it is also because of that reason and yes, I’ll nevermind. Now what brings Equestria's one and only human around these parts?” Joe filled up a cup of coffee and pushed a chocolate donut your way.
Joe always knew everyone’s order as they came in. When you were in Canterlot to see the Princesses, you were treated to Joe’s unique hospitality. He had a very good memory and always knew your ‘regular’. Then again you assumed that when everypony is unique in colour and cutie mark it would be a bit easier. Considering how it has been about three months since you last walked in here it was impressive enough that he remembered your order, even if you were the only human.
“I got an art gallery showing up in the Cloud District.” You say as you take a bite out of your donut.
“Ah really? Got the old unicorns all up in a tizzy because your drawings are better than a unicorns?” Joe asked as he took your bits and threw them into the register.
“Well they just don’t have the magic touch of my lovely fingers.”
“Friend, if those unicorns had the touch of your fingers their wives wouldn’t hate them so much.”
You both laugh before you take a sip of coffee. As usual it was delicious, fresh from the pot and not burnt in the slightest. Joe was a savant at making coffee, you wondered how he was still only in this one coffee shop and not serving royals. Then again you knew how he felt about the upper crust of Canterlot.
“I swear to Celestia you’d be able to get coffee from a banana easier than a good conversation out of those stuffy airheads.” Joe said as he moved another pot under the coffee maker.
You were beginning to think he was a mind reader at this point.
“Well I have to make bits Joe, you know how it is. Money makes the world go round.”
“Ain’t that the truth. You coming back before you leave?” Joe saw a few ponies come into his store and turned to leave you to your snack.
“I’ll be back tonight Joe. You don’t worry about that. Twilight would kill me if I didn’t bring back a couple of your donuts.”
“Good to know that little filly grew up. Wasn’t too long ago she was drinking shakes where you sit right now.”
“Well hopefully the chair brings good luck.”
With him giving you a wink and a nod, he turned to see his other customers. Enjoying the taste of your brew and the remains of the chocolate donut you think back a little. That mare on the train was quite a cute one. Her slight british accent was definitely new, and quite welcoming over most ponies. She also seemed to be like you in a small way; one who would wear a mask to those who needed it. She did seem like a pony that would be around the more elite of Canterlot, but there was that side of her that seemed to prefer how regular ponies live.
She was high class yet grounded. One who could live in luxury but prefers the simpler things. Although she could easily eat in the fancier restaurants, she probably would love you asking her to accompany you to Pony Joe’s instead. Octavia reminded you a lot of Rarity but she didn’t seem so full of herself.
Fuck it, if you saw her tonight somehow, you were going to ask her to come here. If you saw her in Ponyville, you were going to take her to Sugarcube corner. Coffee was a great way to get to know someone who had a little bit of class. Maybe you could get Joe to pull out some jazz or something.
Unfortunately for you, a very wealthy portion of Canterlot had claim on you for this evening. You sat up, waved to Joe and left his diner. Walking through Canterlot you saw the high dining restaurants and the ponies who frequented them. It was no secret that it was mostly unicorns who claimed such expenses. You chuckled to yourself, all these ponies had old money and too much time.
Coming across a very large building you realized that you had indeed come across your destination. It was a very spacious three-storey building and the architecture reminded you of the New York Library. The first two floors were dedicated to various exhibits and discoveries that ponykind has developed and acquired over the years.
The third floor was made to host various events such as the art gallery you have going on tonight. You walked past the two stone dragon statues and entered the main foyer proper. A few signs guided everyone on their way to your presentation. You headed up to the third floor where the event was taking place.
Upon entering the upper floor, you noticed a room that was open. Taking your suitcase and bag, you entered what seemed to be a storage room. There were a few boxes in the back and the curtains were closed, making the only light available com from the bottom of the curtains and the outside hallway.
You decided that this was probably the best place to slip into your formal wear. You didn’t want a pony to stumble into you in the bathroom or something. Rarity did her absolute best to pack away your suit as nicely as possible. She even included the tie already made, all you had to do was slip it on.
Leaving your casual clothes in your suitcase, you picked up your bags and looked around for somepony to help you.
A blue pony unicorn spotted you soon enough. “Ah! there you are sir! I have been instructed to bring you to the back so that we can begin the showing momentarily.”
Time for you to put on the mask.
“Thank you. I trust that all my works have been delivered and set up as per my instructions?”
The pony bowed his head slightly. “Yes indeed my good sir. All work has been counted and accounted for.”
“The proper paperwork here for anypony who wishes to take my labours home with them?”
“Yes sir, anypony who wishes to purchase your art will be able to do so.”
“Marvelous, may I ask who is providing the music for the showing?”
“I do believe it is a section of the Canterlot Orchestra. They will play for the first part of the evening as per request, then they too shall be able to browse and select your art if they wish.”
You groaned internally. You were one for some good music, but with these old ponies it was going to be quite boring. However you haven’t had much exposure to whatever ponies called “classical music” but you’d give it a shot.
You sat in the back and killed time going over the list of art you had out in the show room. The gallery had an assortment of your paintings and drawings, ranging from ‘realistic’ to ‘surreal’. Ponies interpreted other cartoon art styles as abstract and alternative art and some really loved it.
You heard some soft music start playing, mainly strings and a piano. It was almost time to start. The event organizer pony showed up briefly to congratulate you on your success and thanking you for choosing the museum as your venue before walking out. You never even got his name.
Thinking that the Canterlot Elite had enough time to brainlessly babble on about their days spending money, you got up and entered the main hallway in front of your gallery.
Finding an earth pony with a tray of champagne on her back, you took a glass as everypony there turned to you. You were right, the majority of the ponies in this room were unicorns. There was about a dozen pegasi and only four or five earth ponies in the mix. Raising your glass you addressed the crowd.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, or rather Mares and Gentlecolts, tonight isn’t about my art or myself. Personally tonight is about me giving back. For over a year now, your kind and magnificent race has given to me a home in an unknown land. You have given me purpose in a space where I felt I had none and a direction when I was lost.
“Tonight is about me giving back. You have all appreciated my art so much that I just had to have a showing for you all to have a piece of it. You have given me my home and I shall give unto you a different view. My kind has taken art as seriously as you magnificent ponies have and now I wish to share a bit of that with you.
“So tonight, I say thank you. I may have had the brush and pencil you make shapes with, but your world has given me wonder to make art from. I thank you, and enjoy the gallery.”
To polite and somewhat enthusiastic hoof-stomps, you opened the doors of the gallery and allowed ponies to step inside.
The next hour was a blur to you. Sure you might have hated talking to rich ponies but you certainly loved talking about cartoons and its history. You also really enjoyed having money.
You moved through the gallery talking to ponies from all over. You explained the fluidity of motion captured in a series of painting that looked like old Walt Disney settings. You had simplistic styles of Jim Davis, set as a ‘slice of life’ set of normal everyday occurrences. Fortunately you could get away with minor captions in the bottom of some drawings that looked as if Gary Larson made them for The Far Side. You had nature settings in all season of ponies in what was described as ‘abstract’, you called it “Watterson-style”.
You always wondered if you could copy Calvin and Hobbes as ponies and make a philosophical comic book about it.
The ponies ate it up of course. Eventually you went from one pony to another and soon enough you said you had to take a break. The music was winding down for everyone to have something to eat. Catering did an absolute wonderful job in your opinion, though the mini-sandwiches could use some ham. The food was set where the ponies stood in the hall before you opened the doors. Apparently the employees of the museum were quick to get seating and tables out while you were showing everyone your works.
You were bored to tears though by this point. You were about to consider politely leaving if it wasn’t for a certain pony in the crowd. With that grey coat and long black mane you knew exactly who it was. You got up from your small seat and moved over to her.
“Now I would have to say that so far the company in Canterlot is indeed quite boring wouldn’t you say Miss Octavia?” You spoke a bit softly, even though everyone else was in their own conversations you didn’t want them overhearing you insult them.
“Why my dear sir it is absolutely not a bor-” Octavia was starting to talk before she turned from the food tray to see you. “Oh! Why it is definitely nice to see you here.”
“Oh good I was hoping you felt the same, care to join me at a table?” You saw her plate with some food and you picked it up for her.
“Oh sweet Celestia, please. If I have to talk about music anymore I will absolutely scream.”
You led her over to a somewhat secluded table. “So I take it you were in the orchestra tonight? I was bogged down with so many ponies I almost had to throw them across the room to get away. Sorry I couldn’t see you.”
She laughed a little. “Well I certainly could see you. Kind of hard not to with the whole ‘human’ and ‘height’ thing going on there.”
“Good point, enjoy the art at least?”
“I did, not so much the realistic paintings. What style were those drawings over on the east side?” She nibbled on a sandwich as you drank some wine.
“Ah, the ‘Chuck Jones’ section. He was a massive influence over my career choice. He was one of the developers of my art style, made famous with a rabbit named Bugs Bunny.” Quite honestly you had no idea if Chuck even made Bugs, you just saw his name on cartoons when you grew up.
“A famous rabbit, now I believe that Fluttershy would certainly enjoy that. Almost as ridiculous as a mouse!”
You started laughing almost too hard at her choice of animal. “Don’t tell me that a mouse was famous too”, Octavia says looking at you with curiosity.
You wiped a tear from your eye. “They were both rival companies. Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny. Both were for comedy so it all worked out in the end and it made thousands of kids laugh for decades.”
She seemed to enjoy that tidbit a lot. You started to talk to her about growing up and watching shows and how you always wanted to do make them. You spent a decent amount of time with Octavia as you discussed your world.
You felt a tap on your shoulder and turned to see that an emerald-maned and light green-coated mare interrupted you. Taking on the role of being the elite you calmly brushed aside your annoyance. “May I help you, miss?”
“Why hello there! I was wondering upon how you have the skill to create such works of art.”
“What do you mean?” You were somewhat confused by this. “My schooling?”
“No I mean your ability! You do not have any magic yourself and seeing as how you aren’t a unicorn I was simply inquiring as to how you could have learned to create such works? Only a unicorn has been able to make such high-quality labours.”
Now not only did she say that, but her voice had that arrogant ‘I am rich and superior so I am talking down to you’ tone. You made a very good effort to look somewhat insulted. “Are you saying ma’am, that I… I am some sort of spinnaker?”
“I am sorry, sir? I am just wondering how a non-unicorn could-”
Non-unicorn? Oh good she was racist… or whatever the term was for looking down on non-unicorns.
You started to stand up and tried not to laugh. “Yes you should be sorry! How dare you insinuate that I am some sort of spinnaker! You think I would just come in here and act like such a person? To even have the gall to call me that... it is of such insult I take much offense to it!”
She was visibly recoiling in fear. “I didn’t.. I didn’t mean…”
“Didn’t mean to associate me with those downtrodden, disgusting spinnakers? How dare you call yourself a lady calling me that. I come into here with nothing but my pure skill and talent as an artist and you accuse me of being one of… those. Good night madam!”
With that you turned your back and sat down in anger as a security pony came up to the distressed mare. “Now, now. We don’t deal with that kind of intolerance in here. Please escort yourself out of the building before we have to.”
The room calmed down and went back to it’s usual banter as you smiled to Octavia. “That boring enough of a party to you?”
“Now I do have to apologize but what in the everloving fuck was that?” Octavia asked in a hushed tone. “That was amazing!”
“I hate being interrupted from good company like that. Seriously wait for the end of the show or catch me earlier. Plus to say I can’t do anything special because I don’t have a horn is just rude. Possibly xenophobic and racist.”
“What is a spinnaker?”
“I haven’t a clue, maybe a sail on a boat?”
“So all of that was to get ponies riled up?”
“Eh, it’ll give them something to talk about for a week. I think I am done here. Want to grab a coffee before the late train home? I have to stop off at Joe’s anyways.”
Octavia brightened up after that. “Certainly, I thought you’d never ask.”
You look around for a second, “We need to get your cello?”
She shook her head. “I got a courier to pick it up for drop off at my place tomorrow. I heard there was going to be rain tonight and I hate carrying it through a downpour.”
“Fair enough, let’s get outta here.”
You lead the cellist out of the Museum, grabbing your bag along the way. Octavia followed close behind you and you two made idle chit-chat as you walked through the deserted Canterlot streets.
Remembering your promise to Twilight, you led Octavia back to Pony Joe’s before the train arrived. Your ticket wasn’t valid for another hour. Keeping a door open for Octavia you both walked into the empty diner. “Oi Joe! You in here?” Octavia yelled out before you did.
“Coming coming, just gimme a second” Joe walked out of the back kitchen. “Oh hey Octavia, I see you brought a pet human with you.”
“Funny Joe, booth and…” You looked down to your mare friend, “...coffee sound good for you?”
“Sure. I don’t feel like sleeping on the train again, my neck hurt for a while.” Octavia said as she tilted her head to emphasize her previous neck pain.
Agreeing with her you both took a seat opposite of one another. “How long have you been playing the cello?”
“Oh going on about ten years now, took it up when I was just a blank flank filly. I had to stand on a chair to even play it! My parents never understood how I could play it as well as a unicorn after a while. Then when I continued I got even better. Went to the Canterlot Academy for music, met my best friend and we have been roomies ever since. I got signed up into the Equestrian Royal Symphony a few years back.”
You relaxed a bit as you listened to her. “So how is it that you can play better than a unicorn? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“Of course I don’t mind you asking, what do you take me for? Some kind of Spinnaker?” You both shared a laugh as Joe gave you two some coffee.
“I heard those Spinnakers make good soup.” You tell her as Joe looked absolutely lost as to what you are saying.
“Yeah but their coffee leads much to be desired. That’s why Joe is still in business.” Octavia added.
“I don’t want to bucking know.” Joe murmured as he walked away.
You two silently sat and smiled while you enjoyed your coffee. Outside a light rain was starting to fall, making the small diner seem a bit more private and cozy. Octavia raised her left hoof and held it out to you. Taking it in your hands you heard her breathe in sharply before letting it out softly. “Notice the ends of my hooves? The little notches?”
Rolling the hoof in the palm of your hand you examine the edges. In small little intervals you noticed there were tiny little grooves. “That is so I can press the strings better. That is the reason why I can play better. A unicorn’s magic is soft, like pressing through a hoof-span’s worth of sponge before touching a hard surface. They have to put a lot of energy into pressing down the strings and even then they can’t do it as fast as my hooves. Their music is a lot softer than mine since they can’t play as fast or as sharply. Hence my sound is different and adds more complexity.”
She used her other hoof to bring your right hand to her so she can examine your hand and fingers. “I take it is somewhat the same for you and your art?”
“That was my theory.” You begin as you watch her blush as she examined your palm. “My fingers are more precise than a unicorn’s magic. Sure Rarity can stitch a shirt together but that has some finesse to it, you can take your time and use as much pressure as you want.
“However for my art I can make sharp turns and fine lines whenever I please, plus I can place a constant pressure with little to no effort, while a unicorn’s might fluctuate because of magic strain or stress. Painting and drawing by hand is a lot different than by magic.” You explained as you both developed your theories.
“That and being an alien helps I bet.” Octavia winked.
“It brings me all the pretty mares!” You countered as she blushed again, letting you have your hand back.
Two things were apparent as you spent more time with this grey mare. First of all you both hit it off really well, conversation and paying attention was really easy. Your combined appreciations of higher taste mixed with relaxed and grounded attitudes worked out for both of you as you shared stories and other interests. The second observation was even easier to make.
Octavia was totally into you.
Ponies weren’t the most complex of creatures when it came to emotions. If spending time with Twilight taught you anything, it was that ponies wore their emotions on their metaphoric sleeves. Octavia was leaning over the table slightly to get closer to you in order to hear every word you said, she had a light blush and her eyes just seemed to light up as you complimented her music or talked about your world. That being said she was incredibly cute, her accent was adorable and enjoyed every single second with her.
You made the decision then and there to ask her out when you dropped her off at her place. Checking your watch, you noticed you had talked your time away and had to leave for the train station back to Ponyville. You motioned to Joe to give you some more donuts and you paid your bill before you both stepped out into the rain, which had started to come down harder.
Looking around Octavia sighed. “I am going to get absolutely drenched out here.”
You held your donuts in one hand and looked out to the train station. You probably could run there in a minute. Octavia was lower to the ground though, she’d be soaked running through the puddles on the road.
“Hey you mind if I carried you while we ran to the train station?” You suggested.
She looked extremely nervous and apprehensive as you told her the plan. “W-wait! You d-don’t mean that do you? What if somepony s-sees us and we just met and I don’t think thatitisappropriateandIreallylikeyouandwantyoutocarrymebutstill-:
You scooped up the light pony in your arms as she let out an adorable squeak. “I heard that you wanted me to carry you in that run-on sentence so let’s do this!” You exclaimed as you started to sprint.
You heard her cry out in shock as you took off down the street. Living in Equestria has certainly improved your body through a non-processed diet and it was certainly paying off as you sprinted through the streets with a distraught mare. Smiling to yourself you jumped onto the train platform with it waiting for you.
Placing the mare down you examined both of you. Your top was a bit wet, except for an Octavia-shaped dry spot, though a part of your chest seemed wetter than most. You attributed it to catching a bit more rain or something. You were going too fast to notice any extra water hitting you anyways.
Octavia looked a bit shaken but none the worse for wear. Her mane still looked fantastic and she only had a slightly damp coat. She did however have a smile on her face as she ran up to you. “Don’t ever scoop me up without warning, mister!” She laughed as she lightly hit you. “It was a lot of fun though so give me more warning next time you place your hands on me.”
“Going in for a ear scratch.”
Her inquisitive expression turned to a smile as you scratched behind her ear. “Hmmm forgiven. Now let’s get on the train.”
You both got onto the train, which was completely deserted. “Wow, rain and how late it is must have scared away all potential passengers.” Octavia deduced as you both made your way to the middle of the train.
“Hey, absolute privacy. We can be as loud as we want without having to wake anybody up!” You moved into a cabin and she followed suit.
You stored your donuts and bag up onto the top rack and sat down on one of the two soft benches. Octavia laid down opposite of you on her seat. After a few minutes of getting yourselves situated, you felt the train moving as it made it’s way back to Ponyville.
After about ten comfortably silent minutes of you both sitting and relaxing, Octavia sat up to speak. She looked extremely nervous and almost as if she had something important to say and didn’t know how to say it. “Go ahead speak up.”
Your voice shook her out of her apprehension as she smiled. “Now I have a very important thing to ask of you and I was unsure when or how to say it.”
“Well, then how about we do it this way, you tell me what you think you want to say and we can go from there?” You suggest.
“No, it isn’t that it is vague, it is actually straight to the point actually.” She scrunched her face in annoyance as she struggled with herself for a moment. “I have absolutely no idea how to court you.”
“You mean you have no idea how to ask me out?”
She shook her head. “Almost, I don’t know how to do anything in regards to a relationship with you. I really like you, you are handsome, exotic, funny, talented, and you got those exquisite fingers. I just don’t know how to do anything and I am a bit out of my depth here. So instead of being all timid and light I thought since we are both responsible adults we can just talk it out.”
Really? She was asking you out before you got to? Well considering the male-female ratio maybe dating was backwards and the mares asked stallions out. You might as well just play it by ear.
“Well, funnily enough I was going to ask you out when we got home. I guess the feeling is mutual. Only thing is that I don’t have any clue as to how to have a relationship with a pony. You guys have an entirely different social structure than humans and I don’t know where to start.”
She nodded in understanding, “So we both are in the same boat aren’t we?”
“Well I have an idea, how about we just do what feels right? If we start to get too far ahead of ourselves then we just say no and respect those boundaries until we get a more solid understanding as to how we work. We are both adults it can work out. You can then just lead me through the pony stuff when we are in public.”
She raised a hoof to her chin as if she was in deep thought for a few minutes. “That actually makes sense. If we keep ourselves honest and open then we can actually get a lot of our relationship difficulties out of the way. How fast do human relationships progress?”
“As fast as they want to. Honestly dating for humans is really just a few trials to see if you are compatible for a relationship. It does seem like we are a bit past that though.”
She hopped off her side and jumped onto yours. “So if I asked you if I could stay on your lap would you say yes?”
“Sure, and if I could pet you would you mind?” Octavia moved onto your lap and sat down so you both were eye-level.
“I would consent.” She gasped as she felt your fingers dance along her back. “If I was to be forward and ask you for a quick kiss would you be offended?”
You looked deep into her beautiful purple eyes as her muzzle got closer to yours. You could feel her hot breath upon your lips and you swore you could hear her heartbeat over the sounds of the train. You leaned to her as well, your mouth ever so close to hers. “Would you be if I asked more more than just a quick peck?”
Both of you moved towards one another as your lips met. It was very similar to kissing a human female, but slightly different. A hint of exotic flavour along with a bit of fur on your nose as you both held your caresses as long as possible.
Breaking apart you felt very warm, as if her body heat went straight into your chest. She looked at you with a crimson face as she coughed for a brief moment. You both breathed in deep as you took in only as much air as needed before you made contact again.
The second kiss was just as slow-paced as the first and you brought up your hand to bring her into your embrace. You felt her move and she brought her hooves up to find purchase on your shoulders, her barrel resting on your chest. She moaned softly as you pressed your tongue upon her lips. She opened her mouth to give you access.
Your tongues moved across one another as you both explored unknown territory. She slid her tongue over your teeth, shuddering and moaning as she glossed over your canines. You moved your free hand to her flank, giving it a light squeeze as you held the grey mare as close as possible.
Eventually you two broke apart again, smiling as you stared into each other’s eyes. “I have to say I am certainly enjoying this unique take on relationships dear.” Octavia sighed as she laid her head on your shoulder, giving your neck light butterfly kisses.
“I’ll have to agree, though we do have a long train ride ahead of us, at least a few more hours. There must be more questions you are willing to ask me.”
She sat up again, moving her hind legs to straddle your waist. “Maybe…” She coyly leaned forward. “Would you tell me something?”
“Anything my sweet, you know that. Ask me a question.”
“Let me ask you a question, and be honest. Do I make you horny, baby?” She leaned in close to your ear and softly whispered, “Do I… do I make you randy?”
You placed your hands on both sides of her flank and give them a nice squeeze. She had a great ass, firm with a bit of give. “You most certainly do, and you’d be the first mare to do so.”
She moaned and pressed her hips against you, grinding on your lap. “Oh good, I didn’t know if you saw ponies that way or not.”
Kissing her again you placed your hand on her barrel, rubbing it gently. Slowly your hand started to move a bit further south and you broke apart once more. “May I?”
Looking in your eyes with a bit of desperation and a lot of lust she just moaned “Please”.
Holding her close you moved further down her body before you brushed your hands over both her teats. They were certainly small and different from a human’s but that made it all the more hot. You flicked your fingers over both her nipples, feeling them harden under your touch. Her head came to rest on your shoulder as she gasped as you teased and pinched the hardening nubs.
You gave her a nuzzle, which although unfamiliar as an affectionate gesture it still felt pretty nice. You made her moan deeply as your fingers descend further and you traced the outer parts of her marehood. “Sweet Celestia you are making a mess out of me.” She said almost breathlessly into your ear.
“I plan on making more of one too.” You replied as you gathered her arousal on a digit before slowly slipping it into her heated sex.
That certainly got a cry of passion from her, and it continued as you started to explore her depths, finding most of it to be quite familiar as you stroked along her walls. She pushed her face into your shoulder to muffle the sounds she was making and she increased in volume as your thumb slowly started to stroke across her clit.
It was about twenty seconds of slowly finger-fucking her before she suddenly gripped you harder and cried out as she came, and from how she was shaking it was a hard one too. You stopped your finger and thumb as she rode out her orgasm on your lap. Your pants were soon wet with marecum as she settled down.
“Wow either I am really good or you are on a hair-trigger.” You smiled at her as she lifted her head up.
“Wh-what do you mean? Your fingers were amazing but that is only a bit faster than u-usual for m-me… and I’m not q-quick.” she stuttered as she tried to catch her breath.
You kissed her for a brief moment. “Could have fooled me, I was hoping to do a little bit of oral on you before I got you off. Maybe I could taste you from the source next time?”
She looked at you inquisitively as she recovered. “Wait you mean you were willing to do… that with your tongue?”
You raised an eyebrow. “That not normal? That is pretty normal for us. Is it weird for you?”
She shook her head. “No! It is totally fine with me, but usually that is a mare on mare kind of play, only one stallion I was with ever has done that for me. Humans do that normally?”
“I do at least, and quite a few of my friends do too. How quick do stallions get off if you mares last thirty seconds?”
“About the same, thirty to forty seconds.” She said before she looked at you with shock. “Wait how long do humans last?”
“I get pretty embarrassed if it gets under three minutes. I last longer the second time.” You inform her.
Well, from that piece of information she went from surprised to open-mouth shocked. “Oh tartarus the buck yes. You up for it?”
“Only if you are. You want to ride my lap?”
She blushed for a moment before hopping off of you and used her front hooves to prop herself up on the bench across from you. Moving her dark tail and flashing her mare bits at you she winked. “How about something a bit more familiar. You are a p-predator yes? This should b-be pretty f-familiar…” Her voice started to shake and stutter again in nervous tension as she hopped down.
“One, I’m an omnivore. I eat meat and veggies. Two, anything is fine with humans, we love different positions. Last, before we left the train you were freaking out with me being over you, aren’t you scared?”
She turned around only a little bit. “I wasn’t scared, I was aroused. I am surprised you didn’t smell it. I kinda have a thing for predators, the danger and the exotic nature of different species sends a thrill down my spine. Tartarus, after I got off the train I rushed into a bathroom to clop myself silly. I wanted to date a griffon before but their claws would cut into me. That and I heard…” she coughed, “I heard they were on the small side.”
You started to unbutton your pants, your tented boxers getting the attention of the horny mare. “You want to see if I can measure up?”
She moved in close to you and pressed her muzzle against your clothed erection. She surprised you by taking in a large breath, probably to take in your scent. “Well you certainly make me light-headed, that’s a plus.”
Gripping your waistband with her teeth she pulled your underwear down, your erection popping free. “Ohh and you certainly are quite well endowed.”
“Really?” You question her judgement as she lightly poked your throbbing manhood with a hoof before stroking it. “I measure up to a stallion? Aren’t they huge? Ponies on my world are huge.”
She giggled as she stuck out her tongue, making you moan a little as she licked you from base to tip. “Well if what you said is true, we are about one third or fourth the size from your ponies, and take it from me. You. Are. Big.” She accented that last bit by licking your shaft with each word.
Taking her word for it you relaxed and let her work her magic. Her muzzle was definitely enough to take your length in and you moaned softly as she sucked you off. With a content hum and a loud pop she let your member go. “Now I believe that would definitely be enough to get you to slide in easy.”
Propping herself up on her bench she moved her hoof to take off her tie. “Want to show me how long you can last, darling?”
You chuckled to yourself as you lined yourself up to her glistening sex. You teased her a bit as you rubbed your swollen head along her lips, gathering a bit more moisture before slowly sinking yourself into her depths.
She panted heavily as you slowly made your way inside her. She was slick but still incredibly tight, and periodically you felt her walls grip your shafts as if never wanting to let go. Almost painstakingly slow you stopped halfway before feeling a bit too much resistance because of your girth. She whimpered as you started to remove yourself from her. Sliding back inside her you could hear her whisper “Yessssss”
Every single time you pulled out and thrust back in you got a bit deeper inside the hot mare. Placing your hands on the point of her hips to get a better grip, you really started to gain speed. Your hips started to smack against her gorgeous ass as you fucked her from behind. “P-pull my tail!”
Not wanting to leave her waiting you gripped the base of her tail and tugged it as you repeatedly buried yourself into Octavia’s core. “Oh b-buck that is so good…” She said as she threw her head back. “More! Buck me harder!”
You smiled as you rammed yourself with as much ferocity as you can, relishing in her heat as she clenched down on you. She started to cum and you never let her have a chance to recover as she provided more lubrication. Her marehood did its best to milk you of your semen but to no avail. Your stamina won out easily as you let her ride out her orgasm.
Leaning over her you let go of her tail and slid your hand over her barrel, lifting her off of the bench easily.You gripped her body and kept impaling her on your shaft as you fucked her standing up. You could still feel her try to milk you as she came down off her second orgasm, blubbering obscenities that would make Celestia blush as you ravaged her. “Oh b-buck just bucking wr-reck me p-please. M-make me yours I n-need it so b-bad.”
You brought her up enough to bite her ear lightly. “I am only halfway there though.”
She pitifully whimpered before she tilted her head to look at you with half-lidded eyes. “Then you should train me to last longer.”
With her bouncing on your shaft you smiled as you nibbled on her ear again. “Hm? I should train you? Like a pet?”
She weakly smiled before moaning again, her third orgasm coming up rapidly. “I’ll b-be whatever you w-want me to be. As l-long as we g-got each other… I’ll b-be your bitch. Just k-keep bucking me.”
“Wrong species but I love the thought. Now let’s get you off again!”
You spun her around on your manhood so that you were holding her by the back of the neck and just above her tail dock, your pinkie curling under her tail. You kissed her as you both fucked, your orgasm coming along quite rapidly as you felt her start to quiver. She cried out as she soaked you again, her quivering cunt dousing you with her arousal.
“Where d-do you want it?” You asked as you started to use all your energy into fucking her as hard and as fast as you can. “I am not going to last too much longer!”
She was practically limp in your arms as you drove into her again and again. The only real muscles you could feel that still worked was her cunt trying to finally be filled with your seed. Her cries were just taken down to soft moaning as she barely had the energy to speak.
She slowly recovered and stretched her front legs to embrace you, her body close to yours. She shakily brought her lips to yours as you brought yourself to the brink. “Inside. I need it so bad. Seed me. Breed me. Make me your mare.”
With that last bit of encouragement you fell back onto your bench again, pulling her onto your dick as your balls tightened before shooting your seed deep inside her. Your pent up arousal spurted deep within your new marefriend as she softly moaned into your ear. Your last coherent thought was to bite into her neck since she thought of you as a predator. Her cry was your praise and you savoured it.
All you could feel was her sex trying to get as much of you as it could. You could only smell her mane, light lilacs and lavender as you held her close. The only sounds you could hear was her weakly thanking you over and over again as your spurts slowly weakened until there was no more.
Holding her close you both were only kept awake by the train moving along the tracks and a bit of caffeine still left from the coffee. Relishing the afterglow you kept yourself inside her, and she made no move to pull off.
She was the first to move as she kissed your neck. “That was absolutely breathtaking.”
“I’ll agree, best sex I have ever had.” You wrapped your arms around her and embraced her tightly.
Octavia whined a little as you softened enough to slip out of her. “Same here, and it was only our first time. Wait until I can last a bit longer and then we really can have more fun. I like the fact you don’t shoot as much as a stallion; It is still all inside me. I definitely want to do this again.”
“Can’t wait. Maybe dinner first next time?”
She placed both hooves on your chest as she looked into your eyes, full of affection and wonder. “Anything you want dear, anything. I promise I can make you happy.”
“As long as I can too. You know what would really make me happy?”
Octavia giggled before looking at you with sultry eyes. “What would that be dear?”
“If my pet cleaned up after herself, making a mess of my crotch.”
“Gladly… sir” She tested as she gave you a smile. “Though I must request we keep the literal pet name for the bedroom please?”
“That is extremely reasonable... honey.” You teased back a little with a different pet name before pointing to your junk.
She almost made a purring sound as she slid off your lap to come level with your member. She gingerly lapped at your sensitive head, making you twitch as she started to clean her juices off of you. Slowly Octavia took you back within her muzzle, seemingly not minding the combined taste of both of you at all. Her wide, flat tongue made quick work in making sure that you were relatively cleaned off. Finally she made sure to give your drained balls a few tender licks and kisses before she backed off for you to get dressed.
You thanked her with ear rubs and smiled as you got back into your pants. You both cuddled and enjoyed the mutual warmth you both shared as the train traveled down the tracks through the rain. You spent the remaining time savouring one another’s company as the countryside passed by in the darkness outside your window.
Eventually you two got into Ponyville and disembarked from the train. Grabbing your donuts and bag you looked outside the platform. Luckily only Canterlot got any rain and you both were soon on your way through the quiet, sleepy town. After a few minutes of walking she moved in front of you.
“I don’t want to seem too forward but… can I ask one more thing?”
You chuckled as you looked at her with a reassuring smile. “We just fucked on a train after agreeing to a honest relationship with no question unasked. Go ahead.”
Almost as if gathering up some confidence she quickly exclaimed, “I knowitisalotfromjustknowingeachotherbutifIcouldsl-”
You closed her muzzle shut as you clamped your hand down on it. “Calm down, ask.”
She took a few deep breaths before facing you again. “Can I sleep at your place tonight? I don’t want to be alone when I could be with you. Is that asking for too much? Not for sex, I just want to be in the same bed as you.”
“Nah, let’s go to my place, we’ll go on a few more dates before we make any other decisions okay?”
Octavia stepped aside for you to lead. “Agreed, let’s get going then, shall we, dear?”
You were both off, to live and love and to make your way through a relationship that although was peculiar, it certainly was interesting. Sure you sold some art, but as you both enter your home to sleep you knew you found a masterpiece.
You couldn’t wait to see what you two could do.