The Best Man

by Alaborn

Chapter 4: The Bachelor Party

The Best Man

By Alaborn

Standard disclaimer: This is a not for profit fan work. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is copyright Hasbro, Inc. I make no claim to any copyrighted material mentioned herein.

Chapter 4: The Bachelor Party

---

Thursday, June 25, 2020
Ponyville, Principality of Equestria

Evan awoke just before first light, and again witnessed Equestria’s abrupt transition between night and day. He also noticed that his pegasus body was feeling more and more natural to him.

The castle was quiet as he walked out the door. Outside, the town was surprisingly active, with pegasi clearing the skies of clouds and earth ponies pulling wagons full of produce.

Evan took to the sky. He recalled seeing the gym on his earlier tour of the town, and thought he remembered what it looked like from the sky, but it took a few false starts before he found it.

Walking inside, he found a gym both familiar and unfamiliar. The equipment was similar, but with less variety, and all distinctly no-frills. It was far quieter, with no television for background noise, and all of the machinery being nonelectric. The floor was filled with stallions, about evenly split between pegasi and earth ponies. All had rather impressive physiques.

Great, a musclehead gym, he thought.

He was approached by the most extreme example of a musclehead, a white-coated, blond-maned stallion whose appearance screamed “years of steroid abuse”. He first thought he was an earth pony, but then Evan spotted a pair of unusually small wings.

Guess steroids shrink something else in this world, Evan thought.

“I’m Bulk Biceps. Welcome to my gym,” the pegasus said. “You new to town?”

“Just visiting,” Evan replied.

“You lift? Run?”

“I’m mostly looking to use the weights. It’s been a couple of days since I’ve had the chance, and I’ve been feeling antsy.”

“All right. I’ll spot you, bro.”

Evan looked to the bench, where a barbell was set with a number of weights. It looked like what he could lift, but that was before considering his new body. Ready to give it a try, he lay back on the bench, but the stallion held the bar down with a hoof.

“Whoa, whoa! Wait, are you one of those humans?” Bulk Biceps said.

“Yes, but how did you know?” Evan said.

“You didn’t put on your grips,” he explained.

Looking at another weightlifter, Evan noticed something on his front hooves. He looked at his own bare hooves.

“Let’s see, you’re not shod, so these should work,” Bulk Biceps said. He picked up something, giving it to Evan. They looked like thick rubber slippers, hoof-shaped, with a concave indentation. “Put these on, and I’ll show you how to lift safely.”

Evan squished his hoof into the rubber slippers, tightening them with his teeth. Bulk Biceps then had him lay down, and positioned his forelegs under the barbell. Evan’s hooves were at an angle, not much different from the way he would position his hands, and the bar fit into the indentations of the grips. He instinctively tried to grip the bar; his hooves did bend slightly, exactly in alignment with the grip.

Bulk Biceps spotted Evan as he lifted. Once the issue with using his hooves was resolved, lifting was just like back home. His forelegs had the same mobility as his arms. The barbell had just enough weight to challenge his muscles, and Evan felt the burn.

After several reps, Evan went to another machine, with weights on pulleys, to exercise his hind legs. Again, it felt like working out his leg muscles back home.

“Ready to work your wings next?” Bulk Biceps said.

“I’ll pass. Not much sense in working out a body part I won’t have three days from now.”

---

After finishing his workout, Evan headed back to the castle, looking forward to hitting the shower. He hadn’t thought to bring his brushes to the gym, and besides, the bathroom at the castle was much nicer. But before he got there, two familiar stallions came up to him.

“You ready for tonight?” Rock Crusher said.

“Yeah, but I’m not sure how to get the others out of the castle,” he replied.

“Say something came up about the wedding or something,” Digger suggested.

Evan shrugged. “I’ll think of something. So you’re not working?”

“Off today and tomorrow, in preparation for the wedding,” Rock Crusher said. “We’re going to the farrier now. Want to come?”

“The what?”

“He’s never been to the farrier!” Digger said to Rock Crusher. He turned to Evan. “That’s it, you’re coming.”

Evan was dragged by the two ponies to a stone building, with a large chimney belching smoke. Even before they stepped inside, he could feel the heat coming from within the building.

“So, a blacksmith?” Evan said.

“Not quite,” Rock Crusher said.

To Evan’s eyes, the building looked like a smithy, resembling the one he saw in the living history museum he visited when he was younger. There was definitely a forge here, and all sorts of metal tools on the wall. One pony worked here, a light blue earth pony mare. Her cutie mark was a pair of linked horseshoes. She was poking at the fire in the forge.

“Morning, Shoeshine,” Rock Crusher said.

Shoeshine turned and smiled. “Morning, gentlecolts. Ready to get your shoes pulled?” She looked at Evan. “I didn’t know you were bringing a third.”

“Nah, that’s Evan. He’s one of those humans, and he’s never been to the farrier,” Digger said.

“From what Princess Twilight Sparkle said, there’s probably nothing you need from me,” Shoeshine said to Evan. She turned to Rock Crusher. “You first?”

“Might as well,” he replied.

Rock Crusher stepped up and twisted his foreleg, putting it into some wooden construct. It resulted in him standing with that hoof raised, its bottom surface exposed, revealing a thick horseshoe of dark iron.

Suddenly, Evan remembered what a farrier was.

Shoeshine took a tool in mouth and started to dig into Rock Crusher’s hoof. She worked until the head of a nail was exposed. Another tool served to pry the nail from the hoof.

Evan winced as he watched the mare work. He thought back to the time he got a splinter in his big toe. That was the worst feeling; relative to the actual damage caused, it hurt far more than it should. And yet these ponies had nails driven into their hooves, and could talk casually about the day’s events while they were being pulled.

Shoeshine continued to work until all the nails were pulled. She pulled off the shoe, and stored it and the nails in a small wooden box.

“Do you want your hooves trimmed now, or when you get the shoes replaced?”

“Let’s do it now. I want smooth hooves for tonight,” Rock Crusher said.

At first, the trimming didn’t look bad. Shoeshine was using some tools, a pick and a stiff brush, on the soft underside of the hoof. But then, she pulled out something larger. Evan could actually see slivers of hoof falling to the ground as Shoeshine filed Rock Crusher’s hoof.

“You know, I don’t think I can take any more of this,” Evan said.

Digger chuckled. “Suit yourself. But you better be ready to stallion up tonight.

---

Evan had the day mostly to himself. The only wedding-related activity concerned getting some of the decorations ready. Ponies from the community brought in ribbons and bouquets that would be used to decorate the park.

“This is common in Equestrian weddings. It symbolizes the strength of the community, and calls back to ancient herd life,” Twilight Sparkle explained.

Following dinner, Evan went out for a brief flight. Being able to fly under his own power was growing on him, and he wanted to take advantage of this ability while he could. But at that moment, he needed to get out of the castle, in order for his plan to work.

Evan returned just before 8:00, and fortunately found Jason and John by themselves. “Hey,” Jason said.

“Glad I found you,” Evan said. “I just ran into Rarity, and she said she had some inspiration for the tuxedos that simply could not wait. Can you come?”

“Sure,” John said, with Jason nodding.

Evan led the others out of the castle right on time. They had only just started walking when Digger and Rock Crusher approached.

“Hey, are you coming to Rarity’s too?” Jason said.

The two earth ponies just smiled as they walked alongside Jason, using their size to box him in. “No, we’re going somewhere else.” They turned and started walking in a different direction.

John looked to Evan. “You know what’s going on, don’t you?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” he replied.

“I haven’t attended a wedding since I was a child,” John said.

“And you wouldn’t have seen this as a child.”

“What? Oh. Ohhhh,” John said.

The group walked to a part of town Evan hadn’t seen, somewhere near the train station. Their destination was a nondescript building, identified only by a sign with a picture, showing some mixed fruits. But once they opened the door, Evan recognized the place.

He never imagined that these cute ponies would have bars.

Granted, everything he had read said these ponies had a society much like humans, eerily so in most cases. But still, a bar?

The bar was more of a dive bar, its design a lot more familiar to Evan than the kind of buildings he had seen, with architecture that tended toward the cute or the whimsical. It had simple wood paneling on the walls, a dart board, a pool table, and an actual bar with actual bar stools, on which ponies could somehow sit comfortably. A plum earth pony mare with a shaggy mane was behind the bar; Evan noticed her cutie mark matched the sign outside.

“Hey there, Digger, Crusher,” she said with a wave. “Party’s set up in the back room.”

Jason looked resigned to his fate, John looked nervous, and Digger and Rock Crusher looked eager. Evan found himself more curious than anything else. What would a bachelor party be like for ponies? Would there be strippers? No, of course not. But for ponies, who didn’t wear clothes, what would replace the strippers?

The first thing Evan noticed once they entered the back room was the pole. Clearly, there was some analog to the exotic dancers he’d seen at past bachelor parties. The pole was at the center of a T-shaped stage. Chairs and tables surrounded the runway portion of the stage.

There were perhaps a dozen ponies already present in the crowd, all stallions. A unicorn stallion wearing a collar was mixing drinks in the corner, and several mares worked the crowd. Evan didn’t know much about ponies, but even he could tell these mares were attractive.

The ponies went to an empty table, with Digger lagging behind. The large stallion soon joined them, a tray with bottles of beer balanced on his back. Evan looked at the bottle, looked at his hoof, and shook his head. But after watching Rock Crusher grab a bottle, he tried it himself. His hoof did bend enough to grip the bottle.

And the beer was quite good, a wheat beer with distinct citrus notes and a good hoppiness.

One of the mares, a pegasus, then went on stage. The stallions in the crowd cheered and stomped their hooves in the pony equivalent of applause. The lights were lowered, and a spotlight shined on the mare.

The mare danced. She used the pole much like a human exotic dancer did, at various points highlighting her legs, her barrel, and her rump. She flicked her mane in an alluring manner, much like a woman with long hair, but the mare could also do the same with her tail. She also stretched her wings as she moved, movement Evan found alluring.

Then the mare picked up something in her mouth, something Evan hadn’t noticed her bring to the stage. She put it over one hoof, and then slowly, deliberately, pulled it up her leg.

The pony was stripping in reverse, putting on sheer stockings, and the crowd was loving it. Cheers, whistles, and catcalls came from the gathered ponies. Even Evan found it sexy.

He noticed his wings were up. Then he looked down. The fact that he found the display attractive was plainly evident there too, thanks to his unclothed form. He stole glances at the ponies sharing the table with him. All were similarly aroused. It didn’t seem to bother the native ponies at all.

The mare on stage, now wearing all four stockings, sashayed down the stage, stretching and flicking her tail. At the end of the stage, she stopped, smiling and fluttering her long eyelashes to the crowd. “It’s wonderful to see so many strapping stallions in the audience today,” she said. “But we’re all here to celebrate one stallion in particular, celebrating his last days as an eligible bachelor.” She looked right at Jason. “Time to get your reward, Stone Arch.” She stretched a foreleg to him.

By his reaction, Jason hadn’t attended an Equestrian bachelor party. But Digger and Rock Crusher had, and they eagerly pushed Jason onto the stage. The other mares all swarmed the stage. One had something ropelike in her mouth, and she put it on over Jason’s head. When she was done, Evan could see his little brother was now wearing a bit and bridle.

“Time for the stallion of honor to enjoy what he’s never going to get again.”

The mares danced around the stage, several more donning stockings, and one putting on a lacy saddle. They strutted down the catwalk, teasing Jason as they walked past with sultry looks and flicks of their tails.

After the group display, most of the mares went into the crowd. The one left on stage turned Jason around so that he could face the audience, and then went back to dancing.

One of the mares, a unicorn, came to Evan’s group. “Care for a dance, handsome?”

Rock Crusher was the first to respond. The mare pulled him to his hooves and gave him an intimate show. Then she picked up one of his hooves and ran it over her chest.

“Mmm, smooth,” she said sultrily.

Evan’s eyes widened. “We can touch?” he whispered Digger.

“Yeah, but only as the mares direct. Watch,” Digger said.

During the dance, Rock Crusher’s hooves ran over the mare’s body, and she even brought his muzzle in to caress her. It was quite the shocking display, but Evan could see that it wasn’t anything overtly sexual; it was more akin to heavy petting.

He chuckled. Petting. Every little girl wanted a pony to pet, but not quite like this.

The mare then danced with Digger; Evan and John both declined a dance of their own. But Rock Crusher wasn’t having any of it. He waved a hoof, and another mare came over, this one a pegasus.

The mare came right up to Evan. She flapped her wings slowly. “I know you want a dance,” she said.

Evan’s wings popped open.

The mare smiled, and used her wing to guide Evan’s wing to her body. His feathers traced over her curves, a sensation like the lightest touch of a fingertip. He never knew wings could be used like that.

The mare then took one of his hooves, and used it to stroke her chest. The coat there was fluffier than elsewhere. Again, Evan was surprised with what he could feel through his hoof.

The mare circled Evan, allowing him to touch her toned body, and then, she was done. She smiled and walked off to another table.

Evan just stood there until Digger slapped him hard on the withers. “I knew you’d like Misty.”

A short while later, the lights in the room dimmed. The conversation in the room quieted, with ponies murmuring. “Tonight, we have a special guest, all the way from Canterlot,” one of the mares announced. “Please stamp your hooves for Midnight!”

In the darkness, Evan could vaguely see a figure move. He then saw her open her eyes; her yellow-green eyes seemed to gather the light in the room. Then the room was lit again, and Evan could see the figure. At first, he thought the mare was a pegasus, but then he noticed some differences. In particular, she had bat-like wings, rather than feathered wings. Her ears had little tufts of fur, and he was pretty sure he saw fangs poking out of her mouth. She was already wearing stockings, striped purple and black.

Jason, who had been turned back around while the stage was in darkness, was in perfect position to see the newcomer. Were he a pegasus, his wings would have been sticking straight up.

A bass-heavy music track started playing, and Midnight danced, body moving perfectly in time with the music. She teased Jason with every movement. With the thumb claw at the tip of her wing, she traced graceful patterns across Jason’s coat. She ended her dance with a nibble on his ear; Jason shuddered.

Midnight then removed the bit and bridle from Jason. She turned, blew him a kiss, and left the stage.

The ponies in the audience cheered. Digger and Rock Crusher helped Jason off the stage. Evan had never seen his little brother look so flustered.

Midnight’s dance turned out to be the end of the evening’s entertainment. The lights were turned back on, and ponies started leaving. At their table, the ponies were finishing off their beers.

“So what did you think of our special guest?” Rock Crusher said to Jason.

“She was... wow,” he responded. “But how did you know?”

“When we went drinking after the road was finished, you let it slip you had a thing for batponies.” Rock Crusher said.

“And being your good friends, we never forgot,” Digger added.

With that, the wedding party stepped out of the bar. Everypony was walking a bit slower than normal, for obvious reasons; Evan was still having trouble folding his wings.

Jason turned to Evan and John. “You two go back to the castle. I’m going to see Rose.” Without waiting for a response, he trotted off.

“After all that, he’s only thinking of Rose,” Digger said.

“She is one lucky mare,” Rock Crusher added.

Digger placed a hoof on Evan’s withers. “You know, for those of us without special someponies, the bar’s still open,” he said.

Rock Crusher similarly grabbed John. “You in?”

---

Three hours and many rounds of drinks later, Evan and John finally made it back to the castle.

“Remind me never to drink with earth ponies again,” John muttered.

Evan staggered into the foyer. “Ugh. Tell me about it!”

Fortunately, the castle was quiet. There was no disapproving princess waiting up for them.

The two ponies separated, and Evan made his way back to his room. After a night of drinking like this, he’d often collapse on his bed, falling asleep in the clothes he had been wearing. His last thought before falling unconscious was that it was quite convenient that ponies didn’t wear clothes.

Comments

[Neece]

Reverse stripping. That's not something you see every day

[FanOfMostEverything]

Dude, you never skip wing day. Just ask Bulk.

8201111
I've seen dressers in pony fiction several times before, but they always make for a fun reversal of the trend.

[harts fire]

call me super impressed a vary good chapter.
and I can say this is only the second story I know of that has Shoeshine in.

[Alaborn]

8203453 One of my early stories was written based on a particular famous image from Season 1.

And there is a group with Shoeshine stories here, though it doesn't appear to be active.

Admiral Biscuit has a more detailed description of Shoeshine at work here.

[harts fire]

Admiral Biscuit I know this story and to tell the truth I hade forgot about it.
I was thinking of five score a velvet night fall as shoeshine is just coming to this story in the last 2 or 3 chapters.

[Eroraf86]

Niiice.

[BirdsBooksBrownies]

A Dressage club I love little slice of life type stories like this.