//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 - Nothing Hidden // Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds // by Kamahido //------------------------------// Arc and Rarity sit down to a nice supper together. Catching up on what’s been going on in the interim as they eat. Finishing, they do the dishes together. Rarity giggles as Arc looks over to her. “What’s so funny?” “Us working together like this.” “I don’t get it.” “It’s like we’re married!” “Oh! I guess.” She batts her eyelashes at him suggestively. “In any case… why don’t we go upstairs and get cleaned up?” “Good idea. I want to be clean before heading out tomorrow.” “Right this way.” Rarity leads him into her bathroom and pulls back the shower curtain. Turning the water on she sets the temperature before looking to him. “Arc?” “Yes?” “I was just wondering if… maybe… you and I could…?” “You want to shower with me?” Rarity nods as she blushes slightly. “I understand that you and Twilight were in a bathtub filled with scented water, so she couldn’t see anything. But a shower is all I have here.” “That’s fine.” “If it’s asking too much, I’d understand if you want to keep your shorts on.” Arc shakes his head. “No, no. I was okay with it last time. Let’s take a shower together.” Rarity turns to grab two towels which she hangs up on the railing next to the tub. She turns back to Arc just in time to see his trousers fall to the tile floor. Looking at his… you know… for a few moments, she eventually is able to bring herself to say something. “Oh my! You ARE excited!” Arc raises an eyebrow. “Um… not really sure what you mean, Rarity.” “Your stallionhood is out of its sheath!” Arc looks down at his nether regions. “Um… humans don’t have sheathes.” “So it just… dangles there?” “Pretty much. Does that bother you?” Rarity shakes her head. “Not at all! I’m just…!” She sighs and hangs her head. “I’m just a bit… nervous. After all, it’s my first time showering with a stallion. Well… other than when I burned you, that is.” “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, Rarity.” Rarity looks at his… you know, again before responding. “Oh, I want to. Really!” “Okay then. Let’s get in.” Arc allows Rarity to step over the small ledge and into the stream of water. Her back hoof catches the ledge sending her crashing face first into the tile floor. “You okay?” Rarity sighs. “Yes. Fine. Like I said, I’m just a bit nervous.” Arc smiles and steps into the shower with her. Kneeling down, he helps her sit up. Grabbing the shower nozzle from overhead with his magic Arc pulls it to his hand as he sits down behind Rarity. “Would you be okay with me bathing you?” “I suppose, but… would you be averse to me… bathing you first?” Arc nods. “Sure.” Taking a washcloth in her hoof, Rarity gets a lather going. “Let’s start at the top and work down, shall we.” “Fine with me.” Rarity carefully washes Arc’s face before moving down to his neck and chest. Stepping around him, she washes his back. Arc sighs contentedly. “This feels nice.” “I’m glad you think so.” “Sorry I’m so big.” Rarity blushes. “Wha-what?” “There’s a lot more of me to wash.” “Oh… right. Well, I for one am enjoying this experience. Now then, please stretch your legs out so I can clean them too.” Arc nods and does so. Rarity starts with his feet and works up his calves to his thighs. As she comes to his genitals she nervously pulls back. “I… think I’ll stop there.” “Okay. It’s understandable if you don’t want to do that part.” “No, I really do! But… I might hurt you!” “As long as you don’t squeeze too hard, probably not. But I won’t be offended if you’re worried about it.” Rarity takes a deep breath before looking Arc in the eye. “I’d… like to wash… everything.” “Go ahead.” Blushing, Rarity carefully cleans between Arc’s legs. She unconsciously begins to smile. A minute later Arc clears his throat loudly. “Um… Rarity? I… think they’re clean now.” “Oh! Right!” Blushing profusely, Rarity squeezes out the washcloth and tosses it into the hamper. “Sorry about that.” Arc chuckles. “Don’t be. Judging by the look on your face you were really enjoying yourself.” Rarity giggles as she covers her face with her hooves. “Yes, I was!” “Ready for me to wash you now?” “Please.” Turning around, Rarity sits down on the tile floor and wait expectantly as Arc lathers up the soap for her on a clean washcloth. Arc chuckles as he works. “What’s so funny?” “It’s like you said before. Feels like we’re married.” “We could be someday, you know.” “It would be nice to settle down, yes.” Rarity sighs. “But I understand that you have things to do still.” “Sorry.” “No, no. It’s not your fault. After all, you aren’t the one causing these problems. The princess and Decimus are!” “Easy there, Rarity. For all we know Princess Celestia may very well be just another victim here. She’s emotionally fragile right now.” Rarity grits her teeth. “She sure didn’t sound that way during her speech the other day!” “I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt for now. After all, she must be somewhat in her right mind.” “How so?” “She made Twilight a princess.” Rarity sighs. “That… worries me.” “It does?” Rarity nods. “The timing just seems… wrong. With all that’s going on in the country, along with Princess Cadance and Princess Luna’s departure, to unilaterally declare somepony a princess just seems… out of place.” “I suppose it does. But at the same time she needs to think of the nation as a whole.” “What do you mean?” “If something were to happen to her again, someone would need to be able to step into her position.” “But there’s still the Order of Succession.” “It could be that she was trying to keep Decimus off her throne. With Twilight legally declared a princess, she would be next in line to rule.” “But then Decimus might just get rid of her too!” “He could, yes. But if she truly is an alicorn he won’t be able to kill her.” Arc reaches for his ring and pulls out the Dagger of Eternal Slumber. “At least not as long as I still have this.” “That’s reassuring. But I still worry for Twilight’s safety, as well as her mental state.” “I see it the other way. It’s nice knowing she’s close to Princess Celestia. It’ll make anything Decimus is planning that much more difficult.” Moving from her hooves, Arc makes his way up her fetlocks to her upper thighs. Stopping short of her genitals, Arc pulls back. “I should probably let you clean back there.” “Oh?” “Behind your tail, that is.” Rarity looks up at him with a small smile. “You let me clean yours. It’s only fair that I let you do the same to me.” “Are you sure? I mean, after what was… done to you back then, you’re probably…” “Arc?” “Yes?” “You can say the word. Back then… I was raped.” “Which is why I stopped.” “And I thank you for being so conscientious of my feelings. That night innumerable stallions used me for their own pleasure. They didn’t care about my thoughts on the matter at the time. Just how many of them could mount me.” Arc puts a hand on her shoulder. Rarity smiles and places her hoof on it before continuing. “But not you, Arc. You’ve gone out of your way to protect and be there for me. I honestly believe with all my heart that you care for me. Love me dearly.” “I do, Rarity.” “It’s for that reason that I… I want you to clean me. All of me.” Nodding, Arc takes the cloth in his hand as Rarity lies down on her side and moves her tail. Arc carefully wipes the soapy cloth over the extremely sensitive skin. Rarity moans lightly as he does so. “That does feel nice.” “I’m trying to be gentle.” Rarity smiles. “I know you are.” Finishing his task, Arc leans back against the tile wall and pulls Rarity into his lap. She presses her body against his and sighs contentedly. “Heavenly.” “Hm?” “That’s how this feels.” Arc smiles contentedly. “It does feel nice, yes.” “We’ll have to do it more often.” “That we will.” “Arc?” “What is it?” “Can I… come with you?” “To the Crystal Empire?” “Yes.” Arc shakes his head. “That probably isn’t a good idea. After all, you’d be in danger the whole time we’re there.” “But you’d keep me safe!” “I’d certainly try, yes. But the safest place right now for you and Sweetie Belle is Ponyville.” Rarity sighs. “That’s true, yes.” “Sorry. I wish you could come too.” Rarity smiles as she nuzzles his chest. “We’ll just have to make the most of the time we do have then.” Arc nods and looks down at Rarity as she raises her head. Putting a hand under her chin, he gently kisses her lips. “I believe we are.” Sometime later they turn off the water and step out of the shower. Arc kneels down and towels Rarity off. “There you go. That’s as dry as I can get you.” Rarity grins. “I did enjoy that immensely.” “Me too.” “Can I dry you off now?” “Sure.” Grabbing a towel with her magic, Rarity gets to work wiping Arc down. She smiles as she works. “Your skin dries much faster than a pony’s.” “Lack of a coat ensures that.” “That it does. Now then, you should get dressed now, Arc. I don’t want you catching a cold.” “The days are getting cooler, I suppose.” Arc pulls some fresh clothes from his ring and lays them on the counter. Rarity watches with rapt attention as he dresses. Finishing the task he picks up a brush. “Going to brush your hair?” “I was actually hoping to brush yours, Rarity.” “Mine?” “Would that be okay?” “Oh yes, of course! Right this way!” She leads him out of the bathroom and across the hall to her room. Hopping up onto the bed, she lies down as Arc sits next to her. Petting her still slightly damp mane for a few moments, he eventually gets to work. “This brings back memories.” Rarity appears confused. “But you’ve never…” “I used to brush my mom’s hair when I was a little boy as we watched television at night.” “Television?” “It’s an Earth thing. Actors perform to create shows that you can watch from your living room.” “I don’t understand.” “You kinda have to be there to get it.” “Maybe one day?” “You want to go to Earth?” Rarity nods. “Yes. If I did that I could become a human mare, right?” “I suppose. But you could do that here too.” “Can you turn me into one?” Arc shakes his head. “Sorry, no. I don’t actually know that spell, as I’m always the target, not the caster.” Rarity looks away. “Oh…” “What’s this about, Rarity?” “It’s just… I want to be like you. Hands and finger… feet and toes… small nose and smaller eyes.” “You think it’ll make us closer?” Rarity nods. “I want to know what it’s like to be held as a human. To look and feel like one. No coat, horn, or mane between us. Just… just skin on skin. So, yes… I’d like to get closer. Is that a possibility?” “Maybe someday.” Rarity smiles as she lays her head on his chest and sighs contentedly. “That’s really all I can ask for.”