They soon arrive at her work, the mare once again under the wing of the griffon after the wind picked up.
"Here it is!" She announces as they come to the storefront. With the lights off, even the large windows don't reveal what lies inside. All the can be seen is the name of the place above the door: Silk's Select.
He looks upon it, and only one sentence comes to mind. “Yep, collar and leash.”
"Yeah... can you see how that might intimidate some?" She motions to it.
He nods, leaning against her. “I assume you want to keep the name...”
She doesn't seem to mind. "Yes please, I have a bit of brand recognition that I'd like to keep."
“Gotcha.” He glances over his shoulder at some burgeoning teenagers behind them, all staring at the mare. “...should I be jealous you have admirers?”
"Admirers?" She turns curiously, seeing them all out of the corner of her eye. "I don't recall having those."
He shrugs slightly. “They’re each staring at a part of you... didn’t know ponies that young were interested in wings... or maybe he’s looking at your cute little fangs?”
The mare is quiet as she shuffles her wings, simply watching. After a small pause, she turns to the door. "Would you like to see the inside?"
“Sure.” He turns to her and smiles softly. “I’m interested in what you have for sale, this time.”
She simply nods, taking a key and unlocking the door, opening it for him.
He steps through, tail trailing along her thigh as he glances around. “...is that a guard costume set?”
"Well... sort of." She flicks on the lights, revealing quite the sight.
The basics of a clothing store are all present: mannequins displaying various examples of what is sold, a few racks of accessories sprinkled about to complement clothing, mirrors, and window-side advertising. However, the clothing itself is not one most would think of first, since almost everything is either intimate, lingerie, or sexy to some degree that most would blush to even think of wearing it in public.
He blinks, tilting his head to one side. “...you did all of this by yourself? How long did that take?”
"This amount of stock took a while, but I hire help sometimes if I need a lot of something." She smiles as she looks around, making sure everything is as she left it.
He thinks about this a moment, then pulls her back against his side, smiling softly at her. “You know, I may be able to help more often. I’m currently off work due to my wing, so...”
"You sure you can handle delicate work?" She eyes him.
He scratches his cheek, blushing softly. “...I could always learn...”
"I'll keep that in mind." She nods, going behind the counter. "Do you think any of this can give you inspiration for the sign?"
“Maybe.” He looks around the store, poking at a few pieces. “Might help if I could get an idea of what they look like on a pony.” He looks up as he thinks. “...have you worn any of these?”
"Mmm... probably about half of them. The ponnequins give you an idea of what they look like on the rest." She gestures at a plain-faced pony figure looking like she's in the middle of strutting her new set of lacy lingerie.
He blinks, staring at the plastic model, then over to her, his expression as blank as the ponnequin’s face.
"And occasionally I have a friend over to help me see how they look while moving."
He looks at her, curious. “...I was mostly trying to picture you in it... who’s this friend?”
"Don't worry about it. Maybe I'll introduce you." She smiles, adopting the ponnequin pose for just a second before giggling and standing normally.
Silence reigns as a dark red shade slowly overtakes his face.
She walks over, whispering into his ear. "You're funny, and you thought you could handle the full thing. That's still a basic outfit."
“...you realize you’re in front of a mirror?” He points behind her with a shaky talon. “And... you swing your tail when you pose...”
"..." She actually blushes now, clearing her throat and adjusting her wings. "Well, these sort of things happen when you don't wear clothes."
“Right, but...” He thinks for a bit. “...actually, isn’t it easier for mares? You know, to hide that stuff?”
"In some ways, but wind, angles, and various other things happen." She straightens up.
“Ah, that makes sense...” He awkwardly clears his throat. “So, uh, could I see you in one of these? Please?”
She raises an eyebrow at him. "So forward... you want to see a lady in her unmentionables?"
He stays silent for a while, emotions conflicting on his face, before finally sighing. “...yes, I do. But only to help you out.”
"Perhaps you can elaborate more on that while I set up the store." She offers, pulling out a few things.
“It’s pretty simple, I think.” He rubs his chin. “I’d need to get a feel for how someone would react to your outfits on a personal level.” He waves at the plastic ponies. “Those just aren’t personal enough for me.”
"Hmm... I can see that." She nods at this. "I think I can slip into one, but we'll do it in the back room just so nopony is staring."
He gives her a little salute. “As you wish, Miss.”
"Good." She opens a door behind her, turning the lights on inside and turning the lights off in the main room. "Come on."
He quickly follows after her, beaming brightly.
The back is revealed to a smaller room, likely used for fittings. A raised dais is at one end surrounded by mirrors, and supplies are on the other sides, with small cubbies of materials.
Silk walks over, looking through and picking out a folded bit of material. "This will do."
He tears his gaze away from the surroundings, focusing on her with slightly unfocused eyes. “What will?”
The mare stays turned away as she slips on a soft light purple negligee. Since it's see through, it actually covers nothing, but it does tint the bits of her body you can see through it. The length goes halfway down her cutie mark and has holes for her wings. As she turns, it flutters. "Well?"
He blinks, blushing once more. “...how do you look more attractive in that? I didn’t think it was possible...” He steps closer, brushing a claw along the fabric. “So soft...”
She giggles. "Why thank you, I made it myself."
He traces the opening around her wing, leaning close to get a good look. “...how did you figure those out? The right placement, I mean?”
"Because I have wings." She answers, tail swishing as she watches him.
“...oh. Yeah, that makes sense.” He reaches up and traces the edge of the one closest to him, thoughtful.
Her wing shivers a bit at his touch, reigned in after a moment.
He moves down her body, feeling the fabric before reaching the edge. He promptly realizes that his claw is practically gripping her cutie mark, freezing in place.
She casts an eye to him. "Anypony ever tell you your wandering claws are very touchy?"
“...my boss does, but that’s because I’m massaging her.” He starts kneading the slightly yielding flesh beneath his claw to prove his point.
"You know how to massage?" She hums happily, arching her back a bit.
“Yep.” He guides her to lay down, slowly working her hips as he sits behind her. “Would you like a free session?”
Cheeks pink, she pulls away, quickly strippign the lingerie off. "That sounds like a lovely way to start the day, but let me get this off first so I don't forget."
He pulls her into a sitting position, sliding up behind her to get a better angle. He presses on her shoulders first, figuring a seamstress would have some tension there.
He's right, and she quickly rolls her shoulders under his touch, sighing with relief.
He smiles softly, leaning in to nuzzle her cheek as he digs the blunt tips of his talons in to get the knots out of the deep muscle tissue. He has just moved to her wings when he opens his eyes and sees pink in the mirror.
"Hey there!" Pinkie shouts, sending Silk to the ceiling, wings outstretched to keep her flying.
Flick, unable to keep a grip, falls off her back and onto the floor. “...hey. Next time, try not to startle us, okay?” He rolls onto his stomach. “Need an outfit or something?”
The words practically fall from her mouth. "No, I just saw some ponies outside and thought 'I wonder what's up?' and then I found this neato griffon feather, and I knew it was you but I didn't think you knew about this place so I looked inside but the lights were off and now I'm here!"
He blinks, slowly turning to look at one of his outstretched wings. “...am I really losing that many feathers?”
"That's what you got out of that?" Silk scoffs as she comes back down.
He just shrugs. “Didn’t know what else to say.”
"So... what's going on?" Pinkie quickly starts looking around.
“I’m helping Silk here to relax.” He reaches over and squeezes the mare in question’s shoulder.
She leans closer to him as Pinkie tilts her head. "Oh... I guess you would rather be alone, huh?"
He thinks for a bit, then coaxes Silk into a prone position, gesturing for the party pony to come over. "She didn't say it was a private session. What did you want to talk about, Pinkie?"
"I already talked with Twilight, I was actually just looking for something to do." She bounces idly in place.
He hums quietly, talons skillfully working another moan from Silk’s lips. “Well, maybe we can do something together after I’m done here?” He glances at the mare beneath his grip. “All of us?”
Silk lays down a bit, stretching her wings out. "Sorry hun... I have a business to run."
He frowns a bit, then gives Pinkie a sheepish smile as he eases a knot out of the thestral’s upper back. “The two of us?”
"Hmm... well, I am planning a small party this afternoon. Want to come?" She beams.
“Oh?” He continues to work, sparing her a glance. “What’s the occasion?”
"I'm trying to welcome a friend of a friend to try and get her to loosen up! Warning: there will be casual pranks." She suddenly looks serious at that last part.
He blinks, holding up a claw. “Hold on, is this that friend that crashed your machine?”
"I mean, yeah, but I think she was just having a bad day." She grins her usual smile. "And parties fix that!"
He sighs, then looks down to the mare laying on the floor. “Rain check on the free massage?”
She looks up at him. "Changing your plans with me already?"
He looks between the two of them, torn, before sighing softly. “...I honestly can’t decide.”
Pinkie tilts her head. "Why decide? It's morning and the party is this afternoon!"
“Oh.” He nods once. “Yeah, let’s do that later, then. I want to make sure she’s satisfied.”
Pinkie nods, bouncing out the door. "See you then!"
He salutes, turning back to Silk with with a suave smile. “Now... where were we?”
She gives him a quiet look before laying on her stomach and letting out a sigh. "On my back, I believe."
As he gets back in position, his claws gently grip her sides so he can work the muscle. “Let me know if anything is wrong... especially considering that sigh.”
"Mmm... don't worry about it. I was just worried you were going to cancel everything."
“I wasn’t going to cancel...” He grips a wing, brushing his palm along the smooth surface. “...just reschedule. I’d feel terrible, otherwise.”
She nods as the wing reflexively extends all the way. "Well, at least you have a good heart."
“I do my best.” He smiles at her, leaning down and rubbing the side of his beak against her wing for a second before he stops, blushing brightly as he realizes his error.
She turns her head so she can see him. "Exactly what kind of massage did you learn?"
“I... read a book on preening.” He grimaces, mollified. “I think it’s part of the spa service, so... yeah...”
"And did you consider for clients with featherless wings?" She asks casually.
“...no...”
"Well, I suppose this is your time to practice." She looks back forward. "Just remember it's thin flesh and nerves, so it's sensitive."
He looks at it skeptically, talons gently squeezing one of the joints. “How about here?”
The other wings comes out as she blushes. "Easy there."
“Oh?” He looks to her, gently gripping her other wing and holding it spread. “I read about this... it means I’m doing a good job.” The griffon beams, rubbing his talons along the leading edge of each wing, the action keeping them spread and to her sides, whether on purpose or by accident.
She shivers, wings straining against him a bit. "Careful... That's some intense stimulation..."
“Hmm?” He looks up at her, claws absently kneading at the base of her wings. “What was that, Silk?”
She opens her mouth, fangs evident as she softly says. "Maybe move on..."
Flick nods, letting go of her wings to rub his claws up and down her sides, digging the base of a couple talons close to her spine in his search for tense spots.
Her wings droop to the floor as she lets out a breath. "Phew..."
As he continues, his eyes find their way back up to her wings. ”...are they really that sensitive?”
She nods, pausing after. "Aren't yours?"
“...I dunno. I’ve never had anyone else touch them.” He shrugs slightly, bending a wing forward to tickle at her own. His claws settle on her haunches, and his brow furrows, kneading at the soft flesh, the bounty of which he hadn’t found on the only other pony he’s practiced on.
She starts wiggling a bit now, giggling. "Having fun?"
He glances at her, then back down to his claws. “While I appreciate a tasteful rump, your cushion makes my job a little hard...” He gives her cheeks another squeeze before trying to knead the tension out.
She lets out a bat-like squeak, glancing back at him with narrowed eyes. "I certainly hope that wasn't a complaint."
“No.” He gives her a look, an eyebrow raised as he rubs her cutie marks. “I swore I said you have a wonderful rear. Did I not?”
She hums in appreciation. "Just making sure."
“...I see.” He turns his attention back to her rump, concentrating as he kneads and rubs, slowly but surely finding the right spots and working out the tension he finds.
One of her hind legs twitches as he works, as does her tail. After a while she sighs. "Well, I can't just sit here and let you do this all day, as much as I want to."
“But I’m almost done!” The whine could be heard in his voice, even as he massages her thighs.
She peeks back at him, wings shuffling. "What's left?"
“Oh, just this right here.” He turns his gaze away as he grips her dock between two talons, holding still to gauge her reaction to him holding the base of her tail. “That is, if you want to. I saw Touch touch Rarity here before the door closed...”
Silk blushes, trying to pull away. "Now now... I think that was something else. Some ponies can take that the wrong way..."
He looks at her curiously, noticing how she isn’t quite able to escape the hold. “...so the tail is a no go?”
She glances back. "Unless you're planning on mounting someone, yes."
He still doesn’t let go, but she can see the small blush forming on his cheeks as he realizes the position the two of them are in, with him sitting behind her.
She actually giggles, trying to tug away again. "Good thing I took off the lingerie first."
He gains a thoughtful look on his face. “Wait, does that mean Touch and Rarity...?”
Her dock twitches in his grip as she answers. "I don't really know, but it seems likely."
“...huh...” He looks to the front of the store, idly rolling her tail between his digits. “...tough break for Spike...”
She makes a small sound instead of words, one tufted ear twitching.
Brow furrowed, Flick moves to lean over the mare, a claw on the small of her back between her wings for balance. “Silk? You okay?”
Her face red and voice a little shaky, she answers. "M-maybe... we should stop..."
He blinks, tilting his head as he considers her for a moment. “...was the massage too much?” He grimaces, pulling a claw up to his face. “Do I still have that lotion on my claws? I thought I cleaned that off...”
"It's fine... just, let go, please?"
He slowly nods, removing his claw from her dock and setting it on the stage beside her. “Better?”
She lets out a breath, flopping onto one side and giggling. "You certainly know how to work a mare."
He chuckles, pulling her up into a sitting position so he can hug her. “I’m glad I helped you, Silk.”
She gingerly hugs him back, nuzzling him. "I hope that's not the end of your help, hun."
“Did you mean the sign?” He pulls back to look at her, a claw tracing one of her wings. “I could still do that. I just need my paint from home.”
She shivers. "Yes please. Think you have enough inspiration?"
He smiles coyly at her, claw stopping short of the first joint. “I might need to see you in another outfit or two.”
She playfully pushes him with her hooves. "You rascal!"
The griffon laughs, standing up and batting her muzzle with his wing. “You know you like me.”
"True, is the reverse the same?" She titters, standing and flapping her wings a bit to stretch.
His claw gently cups her cheek, his face drawing close to hers as he smiles warmly. “...and if I said yes?”
"I'd be very happy." She flutters her eyes at him.
He chuckles as he closes the distance, kissing her on the forehead. “We’ll just have to see then.” He turns and looks around the store. “Did you have something I can paint on, or did you want me to just paint on the current one?”
"Hmm... what would you recommend, as the artist?" She looks curiously to him.
“I would probably suggest a blank slate, so that you don’t have to worry about my work fading and yours showing through.” He thinks for a bit. “...seriously though, what would you call your most popular item?”
She tilts her head for a moment, thinking. "...undergarments. It's where most start."
“...I’m not putting panties on the sign.” He looks away from the clothes in question, humming quietly. ”...but maybe stockings or socks...”
"Easy enough." She points to racks of them. "Take your pick."
He’s silent for a moment, then turns to her. “For you to wear?”
She rolls her eyes good naturedly. "I meant for the sign, that is what we're talking about, right?"
“I know, but I’ve only seen you in that one outfit, and it had no socks,” he points out.
"Well... I suppose I could slip into some for a moment." She looks thoughtfully at her selection.
He smiles at this, walking over and gently nuzzling at her cheek. “Thank you, Silk.”
"Well, at least you know to be sweet when you're asking a lady to model for you." She pecks his cheek.
He blushes from her action, unable to form a response.
She giggles, walking by him and being sure to rub her side on his as she does so.
Before she gets too far away, his tail does the same, the tuft brushing teasingly along her side and wing.
She lets out a purr, glancing back at him with a lidded gaze before heading to the socks.
He grins, following after her. “This is gonna be good...”