“Y-you’re one of them, aren’t you? Trying to gossip about High Brass?” Spearmint shouted, pointing a hoof at Alto. Her eyes stabbed hard as the mare prepared to defend High Brass.
Alto was already beginning to regret his choice, but the unicorn didn’t possess the power to rewind time. So he pressed forward. “Now relax,” Alto reassured, holding up his hooves. “It’s not what you think it is.”
“Then respond quickly! I have already lost a friend because he was possessed with a stupid rumor about High Brass! And I don’t want to lose you to it, either!” Spearmint fanned out her wings, making herself seem larger and more intimidating. But Alto could tell Spearmint was scared, afraid that she had just shared her emotions with the wrong pony.
“I have not succumbed to saying anything about High Brass at all,” Alto argued. “If fact, I complimented him face-to-face about making Harp Hearts happy, and proclaimed it onstage.” He shook his head, “I haven’t told anypony, not even those who even asked me if I was High Brass’ ‘victim’ anything. And not once have I tried to pry Harp Hearts off of him, either.”
Half of the mare’s intimidation evaporated, though it didn’t frighten him as much as his own words. “Okay, I will agree that you have not said any sort of gossiping nonsense.” Alto had to keep his eyes from rolling. If only you knew it was truthful nonsense. “But was that song really for her?”
“Of course it was,” Alto nodded, his voice exclaiming a little louder than he would have liked. “She was the mare who helped me change my terrible ways.”
“What ways?” Spearmint sat close to the stallion, not falling into his arms, but close enough that their hips touched.
Alto felt he had no need to defend himself anymore and can now ventilate. “Before Harp Hearts came into my world, I used to abuse myself whenever I played a bad note, or whenever something I did was not perfect.”
“So it’s true…” Spearmint frowned.
Snapping his neck at the pegasus, Alto scrunched his brows. “What do you mean by that?”
“High Brass pulled me aside and told me he was worried about Harp Hearts being friends with you because of your past behavior.”
“But I have changed!” Alto countered. “Doesn’t that count for something?”
“Of course it does,” she nodded.
“Does he have an issue with me?” Not that I am surprised by that. Alto thought back to when he and High Brass were alone earlier. High Brass said something on the lines of him not understanding why Harp Hearts cares about Alto. Spearmint’s statement confirmed Alto’s suspicions that the rich pony indeed does have some form of a gripe against him. However, the mint-green mare revealed much more than she realized. There was more of an intention for High Brass’ to act against Alto.
“He is just worried about Harp Hearts. That’s all.”
Alto frowned, “Do you think I am a dangerous pony?”
Spearmint sat for a moment in silence, staring at the stairs. “After everything you have done for me just now…” She faced him and gave Alto a nice grin. “...I can honestly say that you are not.”
“Good.” The unicorn let out a sigh, resting his hoof on his forehead. “I wonder if Harp Hearts thinks I am dangerous…” The thought of him showing aggression toward Harp Hearts slowly poisoned Alto’s mind. “Geeze, just when I thought I couldn’t feel any worse…”
Seeing the pain she had brought upon the unicorn, Spearmint quickly moved into Alto, wrapping an arm around him. “I didn’t mean to upset you…” she said, her tone speaking the truth more than the actual words themselves.
“I know,” Alto mumbled, allowing the offer of affection. “It’s just-” Don’t say the truth. It will only make matters worse. Alto remembered how Spearmint reacted when he said Harp Hearts’ name. Who knows how she will respond if the pegasus heard what really happened? “First, I was seconds late before High Brass st- asked her to the dance. Then, I had to watch the mare I love be with some other stallion. Here at the formal, both danced right in front of me, as if to taunt me.” ‘As if.’ You know exactly well how High Brass looked at you when they kissed. Alto winced at the memory of the rich pony kissing Harp Hearts. “And now here we are, unearthing the fact that High Brass doesn’t think Harp is safe around me, which by the way, makes me hate myself even more.” Alto gave Spearmint a stern look. “And no, I won’t hit myself because I have inner anger against me.”
“Alto, I’m-” Spearmint cut herself short and took her free arm and wrapped Alto into it. “I’m sorry I’m not helping.”
“At least you don’t view me as hurtful.” Alto wasn’t watching Spearmint and was taken by surprise when she kissed him on the cheek. The touch made him gasp and flush.
“I hope that was enough to cheer you up,” she mumbled, her cheeks red with blush. Spearmint’s eyes shined in the dim light she and Alto shared. “Again, I will reassure that I see nothing wrong with you.” Both ends of her lips rose toward her eyes. “In fact, I find you as a kind, sweet, and handsome stallion.”
The complement stimulated Alto’s heart, now suddenly taken aback by Spearmint’s cute smile. Her details in her face were much clearer to him now. Alto just noticed small brown freckles spotting Spearmint’s left cheek. Seeing the twinkle in her eye, Alto wanted to see if he can pursue Spearmint further. He pulled her close to his chest, looking down at the mint-green pegasus, and wondered if he kissed her, she would taste like her name. Alto ran his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
Spearmint moved with his tug, her body leaning up toward him; only her hips remained on the ground. “That is… nice of you to say,” Alto finally spoke. Harp Hearts was slowly leaving his mind, finally freeing him of any stress he had of her. “And I think… you are very cute.”
“Aww…” Spearmint mumbled, raising her neck to touch her snout against Alto’s.
“I hope you are not falling in love with me,” Alto chuckled. “We just met.”
“I know,” she giggled. “But I feel you deserve to be distracted for a little while. Besides, I need somepony right now, too.”
Alto had to fight his animalistic nature to kiss Spearmint right here and now. His hormones screamed at him, and his emotions cried for her attention. But Alto’s current friendship with Spearmint was not as strong as the heat of the moment. “I know what you are thinking and- you know what I am thinking too, right?”
“I do,” Spearmint answered. “Like I have said before, I just can’t help myself with some things.”
“Then, why don’t we… kiss…” Alto’s heart skipped a beat, not sure if those were his own words, or his body demanding physical pleasure. “...and then, when we are finished, let's just be friends. I don’t want things to become awkward between us.”
Alto saw the displeasure in Spearmint’s eyes, but knew it was the right thing to do for her, and himself. “I understand.”
“And as your friend, when we are finished, try not to fall in love with stallions too quickly, okay? Even I don’t want you to get hurt.” Like the speed of a grandfather clock’s hour hand, Alto moved his head slowly toward Spearmint.
“I will… but on one condition…” Spearmint muttered, her eyes closing like a blanket covering a hiding child. “Let’s make this moment last. If I am to truly search for that special somepony that I know I love, then I want to be sure I am filled with your affection.”
Something about that statement makes me uneasy. The top of Alto’s brain began to slightly hurt, but he answered, “Okay, I accept your condition.” The deal was set and the stallion began to close his eyes.
“And I accept yours,” Spearmint muttered before lurching her neck forward, smacking against Alto’s lips.
For his first kiss, Alto was surprised with himself as he naturally opened and closed his mouth, following Spearmint’s tempo. He had never kissed a mare in his life like this, yet somehow knew what to do. Perhaps it was the movies he has watched from before and is now using the knowledge obtained by them.
Spearmint’s hot breath pressed into Alto’s lungs, forcing him to take in her air. But he didn’t mind it. It only made Alto kiss even harder and faster. In a quick movement, Spearmint crawled onto the stallion’s lap before resuming their session. The mare’s lips smacked against Alto’s neck, and the sensation drove him wild. It was warm and her lips tickled his sensitive skin. He squeezed Spearmint against him, demanding more. He opened his eyes to see the mare moving about his neck and the stallion decided it was his turn to return the favor.
Lifting her chin with his hoof, both ponies eye’s met. They looked drunken with emotions, wanting to give more love than the other. Alto first kissed Spearmint’s cheek, then her neck. As he kissed the mare, Alto could hear soft moans escaping Spearmint, causing him to kiss deeper. There were moments where he forgot to breath and had to gasp for air. One long deep kiss under the chin was enough to cause Spearmint to jump onto him.
Now on his back, Alto watched Spearmint pant over him, her mane starting to become a frazzled mess. He wanted to continue, but his head began to pound with an ache. “I… think we should stop.”
Spearmint nodded in agreement, “We should.” She slowly crawled off of him and stood on all fours. The mare assisted Alto to his hooves and the two stood in awkward silence. “I think I should go.”
“Me too.” Both ponies stared at one another, not sure what to make of the sudden flurry of emotions they had just had. It was extremely passionate, yet no emotions other than driven pleasure pulled them together. In their own minds, both Alto and Spearmint agreed their make out session was a mistake.
“I’ll see you around, Alto,” Spearmint spoke before turning around. “Let’s not mention this to the others.”
“Yeah.” It was best for Alto to sweep the memory under the rug as fast as possible.
“And thank you for helping me feel better.”
“Likewise,” Alto replied, wincing at the stabbing headache. The mare left the hallway, leaving the stallion alone. He stared at the tile floor, disgusted with himself. How dare I use another mare for my own pleasure. Alto knew he used Spearmint’s vulnerable emotions for himself and she did the same. Instead of getting angry with her, Alto was more upset with how he allowed it to happen. What’s more, he was still alone, without a date; a pony for himself. Both were at fault.
After everything he and Spearmint did, Alto didn’t feel any better about himself. What Alto had just experienced was not love; it was lust.
At least the two left on good terms, even if it was awkward.