Chapter 21
The garden was looking far different from when Caleb, Willow, and Vex had first started fixing it up. Gone was any hint of the weed-infested unkempt yard. Flower beds were in full bloom, hedge plants neatly trimmed, and the lawn looked green and healthy. However, it took some regular work to keep it looking that good or make improvements. Therefore, at least some time each weekend was devoted to yard maintenance by all three. Today, Caleb was building a trellis arch over the entry path in order to train some climbing plants. He smiled and put down his tools when Vex came over with a mug of tea for him.
“Thanks,” the man said before taking a sip of his beverage. “This is thirsty work.”
“I figured you’d need it,” the changeling unicorn replied. “Besides, I’d like a word with you while Willow is preparing the new vegetable bed.”
“Oh? What did you want to talk about?”
“You’ve been pretty quiet and preoccupied since the poker game last night. I was wondering if anything is wrong.”
“Nothing drastic – I’ve just been given a lot to think about. You should know from your emotion-sensing thing that I’m not upset though.”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t mean I can read your mind. Wanna talk about it?”
Caleb shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I initially thought that it was Princess Cadance’s attempt to push a romantic relationship with Willow. However, I realize that it was far more than that. It’s how I relate to all beings that I meet and interact with. I’m particularly impressed with how Prince Mark adopted a griffon and those two obviously have a close relationship. And Gallus in turn has taken a dragoness for a mate. The whole family seems to be species-blind. All the other examples just reinforce this perception. They were showing me that I don’t need other humans to have a happy and successful relationship with others.”
Vex frowned. “If you understood all that, why are you still hesitant? Willow would like more from you, and you know what I want.”
The man chuckled. “Because I’m a human with all the baggage that comes with it. I still find it strange to deal with other species as sapient beings. Mark had the benefit of being changed into one from the start and could more readily empathize with ponies and other creatures, but even he didn’t get married until much time had passed. Gallus and Smolder are pretty much what I would compare to high school sweethearts back on Earth. All the other guys last night have had the benefit of growing up in a multi-species society while I haven’t. I just… need more time to adjust to it.”
“Which is why you’ve been thoughtful rather than upset,” Vex nodded in understanding. “I heard Willow mention patience last night. Do you think she was referring to you or her?”
“Both of us, I reckon,” Caleb replied. He took another swig of his tea before adding, “Maybe you too, although I think you’re already resigned to that.”
The unicorn changeling gave him a half-smile. “Yeah. I’m confident about the outcome but not when it will happen.”
“It’s the uncertainty that gets to me. I like Willow and if she was a woman, I could see myself dating her. But while she’s a very attractive mare, my monkey brain just hasn’t made the same emotional connection yet. And, frankly, I don’t think it has for her either. Not that I think it’s a species thing for reasons I’ve already stated. Something is holding her back. While she has told me that she feels secure in my arms, it’s not the same thing as being in a relationship with me.”
“Yes, I’ve sensed that conflict in both of you. And yet, I’ve met pony couples who were less comfortable with each other than you two.”
Caleb snorted. “Weird, isn’t it? As I said, if she was a human, I’d be really into her. Ah well, patience was prescribed and patient we’ll have to be. I suppose we all need to learn more about each other before we make a commitment, whatever form that commitment may take.” He finished off the rest of the tea in a few gulps before handing the mug back to Vex. “I guess it’s time to get back to work. Trellises don’t build themselves.”
The following Monday, Caleb pulled Nikos aside before classes started. “So… something interesting happened at the gaming tournament over the weekend. I’m hoping you can clear up what it meant.”
The hulking minotaur huffed. “Ask.”
“I defeated a minotaur heifer at a board game, and when I tried to shake her hand, she pulled mine up to her lips and kissed it.”
Nikos’ eyes bugged out and he stifled a snort with a hand to his lips. When he refrained from saying any more, Caleb continued. “Later, Prince Mark’s daughter Pearl Belle did the same thing. What does that mean in the minotaur culture when a female does that?”
All the muscles on the minotaur’s face quivered until he burst out laughing. He only stopped long enough to look at Caleb and then laugh some more. He was still chuckling when he walked away from his boss.
After several seconds, the man turned to Willow and Sky. He didn’t have to ask the obvious question.
The anthro mare shrugged. “Sorry. A comprehensive understanding of minotaur customs was not in my training regimen at the Hive or as a guard."
Willow was just as much help. “All I can do is guess, Caleb. You naturally make a much better impression on females than you realize.”
The changeling turned to the earth mare. “And without any effort! Such a special stallion.”
Willow nodded. “Indeed. Trouble just finds him.”
Sky showed her teeth. “Let’s just hope it’s not more than he can handle.”
Caleb facepalmed and sighed. “Somehow, Marigold trying to set fire to the school doesn’t seem like such a problem anymore. I’m off to see my students.”
Another month passed quietly with the status quo not changing much. Then, as Caleb’s students were finishing up for the day, one of them approached him.
“Have you got any plans for the upcoming two-week break, Teach?” Marigold asked.
Caleb looked at the kirin with a raised eyebrow. “Not really – why do you want to know?”
“Just curious. I’m looking forward to going back home to visit my family, but I know you can’t do that.”
“I’ve been thinking of spending a few days on Earth. It depends on whether I can get Willow interested in joining me.” He nodded in the direction of the mare who was currently getting out of her protective clothing.
Marigold’s eyes widened. “I hear that anypony going to that world is turned into a human too. Is that right?”
“There’s an adaptation spell on the mirror that changes you,” Caleb confirmed. “Are you interested in going there?”
“Yep! Sounds like fun!”
The man chuckled. “Sorry, but travel there is strictly controlled. Maybe someday I’ll persuade Prince Mark to allow a few visitors.”
“Aw. Okay! I can wait.” The kirin pranced away, her spirits barely dimmed by the disappointment.
Caleb mulled over the idea a bit before shrugging. “Can’t put off asking much longer,” he said to himself.
As he, Willow, and Sky were walking home, the man decided it was time to pose the question. “Hey, Willow, would you be interested in joining me on a visit to Earth?”
The mare stopped to look at him, her head tilted and an eyebrow raised. “Wouldn’t I have to be turned into a human to do that?”
“Of course, but you’d get to experience a lot of what my world is like.”
“I’ve seen plenty of what it’s like from those movies you’ve shown me,” she replied before resuming her walk.
Caleb rolled his eyes. “You get a pretty skewed idea of Earth if that’s all you get to judge it by.”
The mare didn’t respond for a while. When she did, she gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry, but I don’t really want to be a human.”
“It’s just for a few days.”
Willow stopped again and gave him a frown. “Would you be prepared to spend the same number of days here as a pony?”
“It’s not the same thing,” he replied.
“Answer the question,” the mare insisted.
Caleb sighed. “No, I suppose not.”
“There’s nothing stopping you and Vicky going,” Willow pointed out.
“I kind of wanted all three of us to spend a few days there together.”
“Sorry, Caleb. I’m not ready to do that,” she replied a little irritably.
The man had been afraid that that would be the case and he could tell that she wasn’t in the mood to discuss it further. “Okay – let me know if you change your mind.”
However, there was no hint of any second thoughts before they went to bed that night.
Caleb woke to a persistent pressure on his neck and the side of his face. Lifting and turning his head, he saw Willow in the dim pre-dawn light coming through the window. She had been nuzzling him and she lifted her head to continue to do so.
“What are you doing, Willow?” the man asked.
“You smell soooo good,” she replied.
“Umm, thanks. You smell fine yourself, but did you need to wake me for it?”
“Mmm-hmmmm,” the mare replied, redoubling her efforts.
OK. Being polite hadn’t worked. Time for Plan B. “Knock it off! What’s got into you?”
“She’s gone into heat,” came Butterfly’s response from behind him.
Caleb turned to look at the pegasus changeling. “My memory might be playing tricks on me, but wasn’t I told that Mating Season is months away yet?”
“It is, but mares go into a minor heat every three months. They get horny like this then, but it’s only during Mating Season that the desire goes through the roof. That’s when the mares and the stallions have to separate for a while unless they want a foal. It takes a huge amount of willpower at that time not to succumb to the need for sex. It’s simpler just to avoid the problem. Ponies make arrangements to spend time with friends or family members of the same gender to take care of their needs. Right now though, she just finds your male scent arousing.” Butterfly shifted a bit closer and sniffed. “Have to agree with her, though. I can still smell garlic and onions on your breath.”
The man glanced at Willow who gazed back with half-lidded eyes. He cringed a little before turning back to Butterfly. “I don’t think brushing my teeth again will help. “What should I do about this?”
The pegasus rolled her eyes. “Do I really need to explain everything to you? Either have sex with her or turn her down. It’s your choice.”
“Just like that?” Caleb queried. “Nothing about taking advantage of a mare under the influence of her hormones?”
“Believe me, hormones or not, she wouldn’t press you for sex if there wasn’t genuine desire behind it.”
The man turned back to the earth pony who had not ceased her efforts. “Nope. I’m not comfortable with that yet.” He then pushed the mare off the side of the bed.
Willow thumped to the floor with a squawk that was a mixture of annoyance and disappointment. She looked up at Caleb and pouted. “That was mean.”
“Go take a shower,” he told her. “We still need to go to work later.”
The mare got to her hooves and sulkily trudged to the bathroom.
Caleb turned back to Butterfly who smiled in amusement and said, “That’s one way of dealing with it.”
“How long is her heat going to last?”
“A week or so. Be a bit cautious around her during that time. Her distraction due to the heat might cause problems for someone like you who is not used to this situation.”
“Okay. What about you?”
“Changelings don’t go into heat,” Butterfly informed him before a flare of green magic fire replaced the pegasus with an anthro pony mare. A fully nude anthro pony mare. “Of course, I wouldn’t say no if sex was what you really wanted from me,” Sky said, putting her hand on Caleb’s cheek.
A moment later, Sky was on the floor. She laughed at the dirty look that Caleb gave her.
“Can’t blame me for trying to make my destined Companion happy.”
“I thought you said that sex wasn’t the point of a bond with you?”
Sky stood up and booped him on the nose. “I said it was a perk, and not just for you. Once we’re fully bonded, you’ll understand.” She changed back to Butterfly. “I might as well get breakfast started.”
As she trotted away, Caleb let his head thump back onto the pillow. “Mares! I’m going to have to put up with this sort of thing for a week or more? Sheesh!”
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a great chapter.
Caleb really needs to be careful the girls are only going to take no for so long before he finds him self on the out side looking in.
They could split the difference and both go anthro.
Sooner or later Caleb is gonna have to sort out his feelings and make that leap of faith to go all in or not. While both have consequences, in the long run it will make his soon to be herd better off.
(Hope your having fun here in the States Goldy. And thank you for another chapter.)
I definitely get Caleb's and Willow's hesitations, but I think they really missed an opportunity with the whole "I'll be a human for a few days if you'll be a pony for a few days" idea. Might be an interesting thread to follow up on.
Caleb... You will be assimilated into the Herd/Swarm.
Resistance is futile!
Once they all
There will be
Caleb will get from
to
And finaly
By the end they all will be
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)
It's probably him as Pony on being Spear presenting 16/7 (after all a Stallion need his beauty sleep
And her being perhaps hesitant because of fear of heights?
Caleb needs to be REAL careful on how he goes about turning Willow down. Mares in heat have a tendency to let stallions KNOW she wants something from them--and they way she'll let him know
sometimesfrequently involves leaving hoofprints on his ribcage!Consider this your Kobayashi Maru test, Caleb. There's no way to win, just succumb gallantly.
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Or change rules
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Story added the following tags: ** Romance **, ** Big Mac ** , ** Major Plot Twist!!!! **
Willow prob rejected it as she assumed she'd be in heat while on Earth
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s3.amazonaws.com/wvmetro-uploads-prod/2016/12/IMG_5848.gif
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wonder if this could have taken the Edge of the Heat?(just asking)
Bluewalling Human confirmed. I guess Lyra give up scoring on Caleb?
Aww man, didn't even take the opportunity for some safe exploration? Whelp, that hurdle will simply have to be stumbled over...