> House of the Rising Sun
>  by Rocinante
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Walkabout
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“What’s that place?” I asked, pointing across the street. Part manicured garden, part ionic temple, I had seen the massive complex from the castle, but this was the first time I had been outside the palace walls; in a lucid state anyway.

“The House of the Rising Sun, biggest stable in Equestria,” the stallion next to me said.

“Okay, you’re going to have to explain what a stable is, because that word means something different in my world,” I said

“Humans don’t have stables?” Key Peg asked.

“Well, yes, but that’s what we call a barn made to keep horses in,” I said

“You call houses stables?” he asked.

“No, remember, my world only has one sapient species, humans. We live in houses, horses live in stables.”

“Sorry, still hard to imagine a world with only one intelligent race,” Key Peg said. 

“So explain what a stable is, and why Canterlot has a huge fancy one,” I said, trying to get my friend back on track.

“A stable is a place where mares pay bits for time with a stallion. They keep breeding records too; some mares are really picky about their sires. And it’s big and fancy, because it’s the royal stable of Canterlot. Commissioned by the crown for the betterment of the nation.” He said, his voice slipping into the tone he used on duty, for the last part. 

“It’s a national breeding farm!?”

“Not really,” He said.

“You’re killing me, Peg.”

“Yea, yea. Come on. Let’s get to the market, and see if we can get you a job you can enjoy,” Key Peg said. He had been excited about this for days. We finally had a weekend off together, and he was going to show the city, and find me a new job in the process too. 

“I appreciate that you’re trying to help me get my cutie mark, but I don’t think that’s possible,” I said, and I meant that in more ways than one. 

Key Peg rested a hoof on my knee. It was a little tell that meant he was trying to be serious. “You’re more than welcome to keep working with the guard, but it’s not your calling. I think you’d have a better chance of finding your talent outside the castle walls.”

He was right, I could at least find something less boring to do. Being a castle go-for was mind-numbing work. Two months ago it was a sheltered place to adjust to my new homeworld, and a job to keep me busy and feeling useful. 

“Peg, are you breaking up with me?” I asked, laying a hand gently on his withers, digging my fingers between his shoulder blades just a bit. 

*PUNCH*

“Ouch! Geez dude, not in the hip, okay?” I said, limping towards a lamp post so I could lean against it. “Our flanks can’t take a hit like yours can.”

“Sorry. You okay?”

“Shoulder,” I said, patting my delt. “That’s our thick spot.”

*PUNCH*

“Peg, I’m about to ride you like the pony that you are.” 

The grin spreading across Peg’s face meant nothing but trouble for me. I had known him for only a few months now, but he was as close to a brother as I've ever had.


- - - 


“JUNIOR STATE RODEO CHAMP!” I yelled between laughs. He was bucking as hard as any horse I had ever ridden, but his small barrell let me get my legs locked tight. 

Key Peg still had that devil’s grin, even as he reared up. “Yea, just keep laughing when I put you in that tree over there!”

A few ponies stopped in the street to watch out impromptu rodeo. I feared they thought I was attacking Key Peg, but when he gave me a solid shimmy-buck combo, that nearly did launch me, my tenacity to stick to his back was rewarded with a round of cheers and stomps.

We probably would have gathered a pretty good crowed, if we had kept going, but it finally it occurred to Peg to roll on the ground. The guy has to weigh two hundred pounds, so that ended the horse play pretty fast. Our audience disappeared just as fast, though not before a few bits were placed on the ground near us. 

Key Peg was helping me back on my feet when I noticed one of our onlookers was still watching us, or rather me.

“You’re new... and interesting,” she said when our eyes met. 

“Uhm, hi?” I waved to the mare as she approached me. She was one of the more monochrome earth ponies, coat and mane the same color of dove’s blood red, green eye the only other color on her. 

Key Peg for his part, just made a strangling sound. Even I would call the mare pretty, but I could tell by Peg’s reaction, that by pony standards, she was sex incarnate. 

She circled me once before speaking again. “I’m Ruby Heart. I run the House. Why don’t you come to my office for tea.” Turning back towards the stable, she didn’t look to see if I was following. 

Key Peg gave me the most intense ‘DUDE!’ stare I have ever seen. When I shrugged and shook my head, he promptly started pushing me across the street with his head. “You do not turn this down,” he hissed behind me.

I got the impression this was the equivalent to being invited to the Playboy mansion. “Ruby Heart, is it okay if my friend comes too? He’s my guide; I’m still learning how things work around here.” She answered by waving a hoof for us to follow, not breaking stride as she did so.

Following Ruby across the lawn and into the marble building, we passed through a breezeway and entered an inner courtyard. Here there were stallions from all three tribes engaging in various exercises and activities. A few mares stood in one corner of the gymnasium, watching the stallions exercise and compete in friendly games. Occasionally one mare would whisper to another and point into the herd of stallions.

I could have easily sat there and played Jane Goodall. But our trek was a short one. Soon I was in a large, but rather conventional looking office. 

“Have a seat.” Ruby Heart gestured to some thick cushions on the floor. “Would you like tea or coffee?” she asked as we took our seats on the offered cushions. She watched me intently as I sat cross-legged on the cushion. I was used to that by now. Ponies had a hard time imagining that I could fold up like that. 

“Coffee, black,” I answered. 

“Tea with cream, please,” Key Peg said.

A moment later Ruby Heart brought our requested drinks back from another room, and sat them on the low table near us. “Forgive me, I did not ask your names,” she said, taking a seat across from me.

“Shane, and this is my friend Key Peg.”

She nodded to us and took a sip of her own coffee. “I have never seen your kind before. You look of satyr and minotaur, but are neither.”

I took her curiosity as an excuse to launch into my (well practiced) account of the human homeworld, my poor little ultralight, and how it came to be tangled in the rigging of an Equestrian airship. Key Peg took up the story of what happened after I was taken to the castle, and how he got put on foal-sitting detail.   
 
“So, there’s no way for you to go home?” Ruby Heart asked. 

“Celestia herself said as much,” Key Peg said.

Ruby’s posture slipped at Peg’s words. “I’m so sorry,” she said, stepping forward to give me a hug. This was a common reaction from ponies. It creeped me out at first, but I was used to it, now.

“It’s okay. Only child, parents died years ago, wasn’t even dating anyone.”

“Still,” Ruby said, giving me a squeeze before stepping back.

“Meh, I’m here now, may as well make a home of it.” My answer seemed to be just what she wanted to here.

“Good. I am sorry that you have been stranded so far from your homeland. But that’s a healthy attitude,” she said, refilling all our cups. “Now, I brought you here because I feel the House is in need of something exotic. And I think you-”

“Wait,” I said, putting my hands up. “I thought you were just, I don’t know... curious about me.”

Ruby Heart waved a hoof in dismissal of my protest, “Well, yes, I am. And I want to offer you a stall. If your biology matches well enough, that is.”

“My what?”

Ruby looked to Key Peg for help, something was getting lost in the culture barrier, hopefully he could translate.

“I’ve never seen him with his cloths off, but he cracked a dick joke in the locker room once, so I assumed he had one,” Key peg said with a shrug.

“Uh, yea. I’m a mammal. I'm nowhere near as long as you guys, but I think the girth is about the same...”

“That could work. Come on, let’s go out to the gym, I want to see you with your cloths off,” Ruby said, taking a last sip of her coffee before rising.

‘I’m being interviewed to be a whore.’ I thought. I’d learned not to make assumptions no matter what since I got here, but I had finally run out of plausible deniability. Looking to my friend, I’m not sure what I expected, but casual smile was not it. I looked over to Ruby as she held the door to the plaza open for us. “You’re wanting to hire me to have sex with ponies?” I asked.

“Well, yea,” Key Peg answered.

“If you look good enough with those clothes off, and our parts can line up, yes,” Ruby added

“But, I thought this was a breeding stable?”

Ruby closed the door with a sigh, and sat back next to me. “Yes, that is our commission; to provide every mare to the most desirable sire possible. But, this is also a place for mares to blow off steam. You may not have noticed, but mares outnumber stallions five to one. It’s hard for a girl to get a date: we help. And I think, you could offer a little exotic flavor that we’ve been missing.”

“Oh.”

“So, are you interested?” Ruby asked. “Do you even find us attractive enough to mate with? I understand cross-species attraction isn’t always there. I’ll take no offense if you say no. But I must tell you that I think the mares will find you interesting. I do.”

I thought Key Peg was going to punch me again, but he just rested a hoof on my arm. “Can he take a day or two to think about it?” he asked for me.

“If he’s interested at all, I’m in no hurry.”

“I think you are a cute, and frequently pretty race. I could even see getting in a relationship with one of you. But I’m not sure I like the idea of losing my pony-virginity in a... stable.” 

“Virginity?” Ruby said the work like it was the first she had ever heard of it. “What’s that?” she asked, looking to Key Peg again for a translation. He only shrugged that he didn’t know either.

I’d had similar lost-in-transition situations in the past months. While, what ever magic allowed me to speak and understand their language worked wonderfully well, some word-ideas got jumbled when context was fuzzy. So story time always ensued. 

“If you’ve never had sex, you’re a virgin. You know, pure” I explained, hoping the context would allow them to understand me.

“Oh, you mean inexperienced,” Ruby said. “But what do you mean by pure?”

I waved my hands as if physically trying to grasp the idea, “Pure from the taint of sex, or carnal desire,” I finally said.

“Still not following you,” Ruby said

Key Peg laughed a little, “Hay, this is better than when he had to explain what fah-lay means.” He paused just a moment, before holding a hoof up at Ruby. “Never ask him about that by the way. You don’t want to know.”

“Right...” Ruby said, then turned back to me. “So what it going to be?” she asked, getting back to the core of the matter.

“I need to think about this. But I’ll come back by tomorrow evening and tell you either way. Is that okay?” I asked.

“That will work. But I do hope you decide to let me look you over,” Ruby said, again standing to show us out.




> Diners and Dives
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Ruby bid us farewell, we continued on the path we had set out on that morning. Except now, I was lost in thought, and Key Peg was hot and bothered, which was kinda funny to watch.

“So, how easy is it for a stallion to get some action?” I asked.

“Huh? You mean sex?” he asked, a little startled at my question. “Guy can find a willing mare most any night, if he’s willing to put up with going to a bar,” he continued.

“Take it you’ll be doing that tonight?” I asked with a grin.

“Yea. Need to get it out of my system before I go back on duty.”

“Is there a bar near the castle you like?”

“Yea, why?”

“I’d like to go with you, but I need to be close enough that I can walk back by myself, even if I have a few. Don’t want to be a third wheel.”

Key Peg thought pretty hard about that one. “Alright, yea... We’ll go drinking tonight. I’m warning you though, there will be mares that hit on you.” 

“Right, don’t leave my drink unattended,” I said. 

“Why-” whatever he was about to say was interrupted by his own thoughts as we turned a corner. “Here we are!” he said. His half-formed question forgotten. 

The glass-fronted stores of the shopping district gave way to a bustling port-side bazaar. The mountain here rose on either side of us, creating a wind shelter, and the sheer cliff made for a perfect port for the flying boats. Dozens of the airships were moored along the docks, feeding the craftsmen and wholesalers that took up residence on this terrace of the mountain.

Despite living on one of the airships for a few days, I really hadn’t looked at them very well. Key Peg must have noticed me staring at them. “We’ll tour the port first. Maybe North Star’s ship is in,” he said, starting off down the road.

“Who’s North Star?”

Peg seemed insulted for a moment, before smiling. “That’s right, you couldn’t understand Equestrian. North Star is the captain of the ship that you crashed into.”

“Oh! That’s his name. I called him Star Buck.” 

“That’s a cool name actually, but why did you call him that?”

“His cutie mark, looks like he’s kicking a star. Also there is a literary character in my world by that name. Though, it’s not the luckiest of names.” 

“Please don’t tell him that. Even other airponies call him superstitious,” Key Peg said, shaking his head. 

Walking the line of ships, I got to see them up close in their full glory. Getting a gig as a dock worker didn’t seem too bad of an idea, at first. Watching the earth ponies hauling, with ease, more than I could move, quickly dampened that idea though. I probably could make myself an asset on board the ships as a member of the crew. That could be pretty fun actually, I’d get to see a lot of this new world. I’d get to fly too, maybe I could rebuild my ultralight...

“You want me see if you can get on as a airpony?” Key Peg asked.

Snapping out of my daydream, I looked down at Key Peg. He had a kind of sad smile. “No, I’ve traveled enough for a while. Need a home to come back to first.”

I’d like to mention that ponies are very emotional creatures. Even the toughest of them are still pretty squishy on the inside. 

It turned out North Star’s ship, The Magnolia, was out to sky; and they didn’t expect them back for several weeks. We spent the rest of the afternoon touring the industrial quarter. I had to laugh a bit at the title. The ponies are as pre-industrial as you get. But then, they have no need for more advanced production, and I think they’re happier for it.  

My little job hunt had no luck with the wholesalers, but I did find an interesting place among the craftsmen, err... ponies. A little glass-blowing shop caught my attention. There were several glass shops in this corner of the district, but this one caught my attention. It was a fanciful kind of shop, focusing on little decorative trays, vases, and figurines. It was those little glass figurines that caught my attention. 

Lampwork they call it. 

There was a guy that traveled with the ren-fair, back home. He would make little glass dragons and unicorns at his booth. I loved watching him, it was that same hypnotic magic you got from watching Bob Ross. Years later, the old man had left enough of an impression on me, that I jumped at the chance to take a semester of glass blowing in college. I only got to take the intro-class, before my college career was derailed, so all I had really learned was how to not hurt myself. 

Key Peg took my interest as a declaration of intent, and promptly introduced me to the shop master. Turns out the guy was looking to take an apprentice soon, but not till fall when demand spiked. He asked me to make something, so I made a little shallow bowl with frilly edges. It looked like hell, but the form was there. He seemed pleased regardless, and told me to came back at the end of the next month. Since I didn’t have a cutie mark in glass, he couldn’t promise me the spot. Apparently when foals get their mark they’re placed with the first master that can take them, but he said the spot was mine if that didn’t happen.

So I had a job offer. Something a bit more normal than being a stud. With that out of the way, Key Peg and I were both pretty hungry. Being my first time outside the palace, I was curious what food outside the castle looked like. I was explaining what a greasy-spoon diner was, when Key Peg broke out into one of those smiles of his.

“I know just where we’re eating lunch,” he said.
 
I followed Key Peg to the far side of the docks, where a wide road lead around the mountain, to where I was told the train station was. The steady stream of overloaded carts along the road forced us to walk the narrow foot path between the road and the mountain. We were outside the city proper here, where only a few small buildings littered the mountain side.

There was far more air-traffic here than foot, and the few griffons soaring above kept me on edge - genetic memories would not let me ignore a bird of prey large enough to eat me. There were a fair number of the Nocturne pegasus flying around here as well. My first encounter with them had been... unfortunate. But since then, I made friends with a several of them. 

“I hope you like this place,” Key Peg said, pulling my eyes back to the ground. He was walking towards what could only be called a roadhouse, albeit settled on the cliff side like some watchtower; its majestic perch a sharp contrast to the ramshackle building.

I think I heard a record skip when we walked in. The place had a dozen griffons in it, with not a pony in site. I had seen several griffons since my arrival here. Star Buck had one in his crew, every now and then one would be in the castle, and quite a few had been mulling around the port and bazaar. But now I was in a hive of them.

Griffons are intimidating, let me just make that clear. So it was a bit strange when the one behind the bar, called out Key Peg by name and pointed us to a table. To my relief, the rest of the room took that as a cue to resume their food and drink.

At our table the barkeep came over to greet us “Who’s your friend?” he asked in a thick accent. 

“He’s what got tangled up in the Magnolia,” Key Peg answered. 

“Ahh, Monsoon told me about you. I’m Clipper, pleasure to meet you,” he said, picking up a menu from among the napkins, and placing it in front of me. 

“The usual for me,” Key Peg said, as I read the little menu card.

This was... creole cooking, with meat! Well, seafood, but I’ll take it. I had been living without meat for three months now. “Blackened fish, and your herb broiled oysters, please.” I said, almost bouncing in my chair.

“You don’t let this boy out much, do you?” Clipper said, elbowing Key Peg.

“He’s had permission to go where he pleases for weeks now,” Key Peg said in defense. “Wanted me to give him a tour first.”

As the old griffon disappeared into the back I realized Peg was laughing at me. “What? And by the way, what do you eat here often enough that they know you?” I asked.

“You’re the first friend I’ve brought here that didn’t gross out at the menu,” he said laughing at my sudden bubbly mood. “And I get the crayfish stew.”

Though they called it stew, Peg’s meal was most definitely gumbo, pretty good too. The blackened fish was spot on, and I got the pleasure of teaching Key Peg how to eat oysters. Apparently he had passed on them before because ,“They looked slimy.”

Our lunch enjoyed, and a slow stroll back home, we found ourselves back at the apartment. After a midday nap to prepare for the night out, I got to see my friend’s “going out” ritual. Key Peg’s a sergeant for the royal guard, and has most the twitches I associate with military guys at that level, so I was a bit curious what his idea of cleaning up looked like. Turns out to the difference between his normal obsessive personal care and date night, was a good curring; something about shedding on a mare being bad form. 

I had to take pity on Key Peg after watching him trying to use the comb on himself. He said he was fine, and did this all the time, but it was just painful to watch. Like watching someone desperately trying to lick their own back. Finally, with some more protest, I took the comb from him and told him to stand still. 

“You’re... really good at this,” Key Peg said.

“I’ve curried more horses than I can count,” I said, laying into him no differently that if he had been one of my horses.

“You should have taken the stud gig. The mares would pay extra for this.” Peg’s voice was a bit sleepy sounding.

“Peg, we’re making out right now, aren’t we?”

“Yea.”

“Thanks for the heads up.”

Key Peg looked back at me with a grin. “I tried to tell you.”

”Just shut up and keep your hooves to yourself.” 

Our grooming completed, and the moon risen, we left the little apartment within the palace grounds. The Wall definitely fit the bill for being close, as the back of the building was the palace wall. Inside it was something of a pub, and something of an officer’s club. It was familiar enough that habit kicked in, and I made for a corner booth.  

“Where you going?” Key peg asked. 

I just pointed dumbly to the booth.

“No, no,” he said, shaking his head, almost laughing. “We’re sitting at the bar tonight.”

“Right. We’re on display. What’s the guy code about taking mares home. I don’t want to cock block you.”

Key Peg blanked out for a moment. I obviously asked him something he had never actually thought about. “Ugh... Not on the carpet?” 

We blinked at each other for a moment, before the spark of understanding lit Key Peg up. “Oh! I know what you meant. If you’re coming home second, wait an hour before coming in the house.”

I’m sure there were more social subtleties he was forgetting, but that was a good start. With my etiquette lesson out of the way, I decided to sit back and play wallflower. We ordered a little food, and some coffee. I got introduced to a few regulars that Peg knew by name. 

Then it happened, about thirty minutes into being there, the bartender handed him a drink, with the message of “from the lady,” and pointing to a yellow unicorn in a booth with several others. I’d seen this, I’d seen this hundreds of times, from the booth. And sure enough it played out the same. Peg gave the mare a smile of thanks, a while later she came over and sat next to him, then he went over to their booth, and about two hours after the ritual had begun the two slipped out the door. 

I made a point to check the clock. I wasn’t in a hurry to get back, but I didn’t want to interrupt that. In his whirlwind of schmoozing, Key Peg had introduced me to half the bar, including the table of mares that was now missing the yellow unicorn. I think he was trying to get one of the girls to take a liking to me, but I shot that down.

I was chatting up a young stallion when somepony plopped down on the other side of me, with the distinct sound of a glass being sat on the bar. Turning to the new pony I found a pegasus rather poised and looking at me. Before I could say anything, she pushed a tumbler towards me.

I had a choice here, refuse the drink, and risk insulting her, or take the drink and be an ass for not having any interest in her. For whatever reason, I took the drink. It was a decent rye whiskey, for what it was worth.

“Hi, I’m Blue Sky,” she said. 

“Shane,” I said in return. “You’ll have to forgive me, I’m very new around here.” Blue jay wings, amethyst mane, gold eyes, she was certainly pretty. I couldn't help but admire the spectrum of glossy blues in her wings.

She didn’t miss my attention to her wings, and let her primaries fan a bit against her side. “So I’ve heard,” she said with a smirk.

I decide that was good cue to take another sip of my drink. “Oh really?”

Sky laughed, “My sister was the one that drug you out of your flying machine, and got you to the deck.”

“Oh... Tell her sorry for me when you see her next. I didn’t know...”

“It’s alright, she’s a tough old bird. You were scared. That machine of yours, though, tell me about it.”

“My ultralight?” I asked.

“The little thing you crashed into the rigging,” she said scooting up next to me at the bar.

Once again I launched into my story about the hours leading up to my crash. Only this time I skipped the human culture part, for a more detailed explanation of my plane and how it works. We shared a few more drinks after my story. That I had survived inside a thunderhead in the little contraption fascinated her, and after a while we started trading stories about flying and other idle banter. Turns out she worked on another ship, and they had been on leave for the past few weeks, but were heading back out tomorrow afternoon. 

I realized I was getting a bit cuddly with Sky about the same time I realized I had finished five drinks. “I should probably head home, it been an hour yet?” I asked looking for the clock.

“Hour since when?” Blue Sky asked.

Finding said clock, I was shocked to see that it was nearly midnight. “Oh, it’s late,” I said, standing up from the bar. Standing is always the test for how much you’ve had to drink. Fortunately, I was only tipsy, not properly drunk. Blue Sky stood with me, and she seemed a bit more sober than I felt. She didn’t say anything, or act like she would follow me, but she was definitely expecting something.

“I ugh... If... Do you want to come home with me?” I asked. I kinda felt bad. She was shipping out tomorrow, and I had taken all her time tonight. It was the least I could do, offer. I mean, I had seriously thought about working a stable earlier in the day. I needed to start assimilating into the culture here.

“Lets go,” Sky said with a warm smile, leaving a little stack of bits on the bar.

It wasn’t until I reached the apartment that I realized a flaw in my plan. “I don’t have any condoms,” I said before opening the door.

Sky tilted her head at my comment. “I’m not in heat.”

My mind raced around her response. They had heat cycles. That was an interesting new bit of knowledge. “Ahh, sorry, I’m still learning this stuff,” I said, opening the door, and ushering her through. In the back of my head I was a bit worried about STI’s, but the odds of something being cross-species transmittable, seemed pretty rare in my alcohol haze. 

The apartment was quiet, leaving me to assume that Key Peg and his date had fallen asleep, or that she’d already gone home. Sky patiently followed me to my own room.  I had just closed the door when Sky reared up on her back hooves, and pinned me to the wall in a kiss.

It was... nice. I hadn’t been kissed like that in a long time. It was easy to forget the biology differences, with that kind of passion leveled at you. When my hands found her wings, she took it as a signal to flip us over onto the bed. She started nibbling on my neck once we landed on the bed, which again was nice, but the illusion had been broken. More importantly I was suddenly very curious about something. My distraction did not go unnoticed.

“Something wrong?” she asked. There was a careful tone to her voice.

“No, I was just wondering, can I touch your wings?”

My question got a girlish smile out of Sky. With a nod, she tucked her legs underneath her, so she could let her wings hang limp. Sitting up, I moved around to sit cross legged by her flank, and gently ran a hand up her spine, till I found the connecting joint. Letting my fingers explore the tissue there, I laid my other hand on the wing’s elbow. 

Sky cooed as I rocked the joints and felt out the bone and muscle of the wing. The connecting joint felt to be a saddle joint on the inferior medial aspect of the scapula. The muscle under the wing was thick and stringy. She obviously liked it when I rubbed there, so I gave up my probing for a moment to massage around her shoulder blades. I was rewarded by her unfurling her wings loosely to their full span; draped out like that, they covered most of my bed.  At the same time she reached out a foreleg and pulled one of my feet out to hold. 

As my hands worked under the wing, my eyes traced the fine details of her feathers. The color and structure were fantasizing. Eventually I found my self tracing the larger feathers with my fingers, and straightening out the ones that had become tangled. 

My curiosity satisfied, I leaned over her wing and brushed her cheek. “You feel like-” she was sound asleep. Apparently I had been more soothing than erotic. Reaching over to the lamp I twisted the little crystal inside it, and sent to room into darkness. I was trying to figure out how to lay down without waking her, when I got seized by two forelegs and a wing. Pinned between the wall and Blue Sky, I was trapped till she woke up. 

Being cuddled by a pegasus is one of the more pleasant ways to sleep.  






> Firsts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I’m not sure if it was the morning sun or the sound of coffee being made that woke us up. Either way, Sky and I found ourselves waking up at the same time. 

“Sorry... I fell asleep,” she said, sitting up. “That was really soothing.”

“As long as I didn’t come off as a tease,” I said, sliding out of bed and standing up.

“A little, but I’m not complaining. You're comfortable to sleep on,” she said smiling, with a little shrug. “Besides.” Her hoof reached forward and caressed the hard bulge in my pants, causing me to stammer back a step. “Looks like you're a morning pony too,” she said.

My mind spooled up an explanation of morning wood, but it never made it to my lips. She had unbuttoned and pantsed me with her mouth before I could speak. It was rather impressive.

So was the look on Key Pegs face when he opened my door. “Breakfast is-” He blinked, looking from me to Sky. I waved. Sky ignored him, still trying to figure out how my underwear was tied on. Slowly, without a sound, he pulled his head back through the door and closed it. 

A sudden draft told me my underwear had been undone. The curious “Hmm...” Sky gave me at that point, was less than ego boosting.

“This going to work?” I asked. 

“It comes out at a funny angle ... Oh! I want to try something!” she said pushing me towards the bed. “Lay down, face up.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the surreal bizarreness. I had been ready to hook up with her last night, and nothing had really changed. While the fuzzy alcohol logic had faded, my penis was still hogging more than its fair share of blood. I’m a fairly sexual guy, that didn’t change just because I slipped into pony-OZ. Yesterday’s encounter with the stable only reinforced the fact that I was going to have to continue adapting to, and accepting, my new world.

I’ve always appreciated eager girls, and Sky was definitely hitting that button as she playfully pushed me to the bed. I traced my fingers over the contours of her body, as she climbed onto the bed, and over me. “I’ve never been with a pony,”

Sky paused. Flashing a grin, she lowered her muzzle inches from my face. Her hot breath and impish smile made me want to pull her into a kiss. “Well, guess I’ll have to leave a good impression,” she said. 

Grabbing a handful of mane, I pulled her to me. Lips and tongues tangled, both of us exploiting our alien lover. Last night had been booze-fueled lust and loneliness. Now curiosity and desire to please took control. Sky’s tongue seemed fascinated with my teeth, while I explored her nimble lips. I’ve seen Ponies write with their mouth with better penmanship than I have with my hand. 

Being quite pinned to the bed was all well and good, but I was starting to feel like I was a dead fish. I could only move my arms so much, so I used what little mobility I had to caress her neck and thigh. 

Pulling away from the kiss, Sky stood straight legged over me. “Guide it in,” she said before proceeding to lower her hips. I was a little startled by her declaration, but reflexively I grabbed myself and pointed it where it needed to go.

And that’s when I learned a little more about pony anatomy; mares feel pretty much the same as humans down there. I’m not sure if I was relieved or disappointed about that. 

“You okay there?” Sky asked me. I jolted a bit at the question. 

Sitting on my lap, with her forelegs locked straight and planted on either side of me, Sky worked her hips around me. It pretty nice, though I still felt like I should be doing more. “Anything you want me to do?” I asked. My hands listlessly petting where I could reach. 

“Just enjoy the-” Her voice hitched when my fingers found her clitoral nub. “-ride,” she finished the sentence. “Doing that is also good.”

Normally I have a pretty short fuse if I haven’t gotten any in a month or two, but watching her made for a wonderful distraction. I left the one hand to toy with her clit, while my other hand wandered wherever it could reach.

Sky’s grinding and thrusts became more frantic as her back started to arch, and with it her wings slowly stretched out. The azure canopy was almost too distracting, but her hot sex working against against my groin eventually began to reach its conclusion. 

The pulsing clutching of her walls made it hard to hold back. Fortunately, an enraptured grimace on her face told me she was close as well. Switching from gentle circles around her nub, to a frantic waggle, I shoved her over her plateau, into full orgasm. She made a little squeaking sound as her body shook and shuddered. Her unconscious thrusting sent me over the edge as well, my free hand pulled her hips tight to mine, as I orgasmed into her.

I wrapped my arms around her as she collapsed to my chest. Both panting, we laid there in post-coital bliss. It was good sex, little strange, but good. I’m not quite sure why, but the encounter reminded me of my college days. I think... it was the under-furnished and overly-warm room, and knowing my roomie could hear me.

“That... was fun,”  Sky said, flopping over beside me on the bed. “I’m hungry.”  

Standing up, I opened the closet door for a towel. “Want one?” I asked, holding one towards her. 

She had a contemplative look before looking between her own legs. “No actually,” she said standing up. “That’s kinda nice, you don’t produce much.”

“Really? Back home my girlfriends all said I was messy,” I said, giving myself a quick toweling down; I could take a shower later. My encounter with the stable came to mind while I was getting my clothing back on. Sky seemed fascinated with the process, so I took the opportunity to ask her about it. “I got offered a job as a stud at the stable. Think I should take it?”

“Yes.”

Well that was less of a conversation than I had hoped for. Opening my door the sounds and smells of cooking reminded me that my dinner last night had been bar food. Delicious though they were, fried onions only went so far. “Hay Peg, what ya cook-” Key Peg wasn’t cooking anything at all, he was giving me a smirk from over top of a newspaper. 

My date beat me to looking in to the kitchen. Sky’s head cocked to one side in a expression of curiosity, before she sat on the floor in a slump. “Butter Cream, I have to eat your cooking for the next three months. Don’t tell me it’s going to be my last meal before getting on the boat too.”

“Be nice, or I’ll break your yolks,” a voice in the kitchen answered.

“I knew it! You do that to me on purpose!” Sky said, pointing through the doorway.

Key Peg and I shared an uneasy glance, not sure what to make of the situation. A silence hung for just a moment, then laughter shattered it. 

“You know each other?” I asked, following Sky into the kitchen, after the two mares had pressed necks.

Breakfast ended up being a strange sort of double date. Turns out our dates worked on the same ship. Key Peg’s being the cook, and mine a rigger.  Their ship left at noon that day, so they didn’t have any time to spare. After eating, we walked them to the docks. They invited us on board for a quick tour, before they had to get to work. We hung around the dock till they set sail, so we could wave them off.

It was really cool. Watching the airships under sail was fascinating. Sky said she wanted to see me again when she got back. I got to eat at the griffon place again, had the gumbo this time. The only thing I wasn't looking forward to was swinging by to tell Ruby Heart I had gotten another job, but I owed it to her. 

We took the long way round from the docks to the House. Key Peg was determined to show me as much of the city as possible before he went back on shift the next morning. It was in the commercial district that I found fate again. 

While they have plenty of main-street style shops, they have a lot of open-air market booths, too. It was in one of these little stalls that I found a collection of glass figures that looked to be from the shop I’d interviewed at, so I had to stop and look. There were a few ponies browsing the stall when I approached; they gave me only a moments notice before deciding I was civil enough to ignore.

Or so I had thought. Apparently a unicorn foal hadn’t noticed me join the crowd, as she was purchasing something. What it was, was a blue and rainbow-colored pegasus figurine. And I got to watch it fall to the ground when the filly jumped at seeing me.

Well, I felt like a heel, to say the least. The poor thing was on the edge of tears looking down at the shattered glass; I’d already been forgotten. Bending down, I scooped up the shards, in hopes of buying a new one for her, but something in her eyes stopped me from standing. She was looking the the broken figure in my hand, with an expression I can not put into words.

I held very still when her horn lit up, more so when the glass in my hands began to sparkle. Even when a yellow-hot bit of glass brushed my thumb, I held still in fascination. Parts lined up, melted together, then smoothed out. The idea of magic had lost a lot of meaning to me recently, but this took my breath away.

When the repaired figure floated away from me, I got to see a second treat. Everyone nearby winced when a white flash came from the filly. But none seemed surprised, except the filly herself; rather they gave a round of cheering and stomping. It took me a second to notice the cutie mark that had not been there just a moment ago.

She noticed it about the same time that I did, promptly dropping the figurine again as she jumped for joy, fortunately I caught it this time. After an impromptu little celebration, I got a hug from the filly, and gave her the figure back.  Everyone went their separate ways after a few minutes, her to share the news with her family, and me to figure out what to do now that I had lost the opportunity at the job.

Was I disappointed? A little, but you can’t be too sad after seeing something like that. 

“You okay?” Key Peg asked.

“Yea. That’s a big deal to you ponies, isn’t it?”

“Getting our mark? Yea, that’s when know your purpose, it’s the rest of your life..”

“Must be nice, having your destiny printed on your sleeve like that.”

Key Peg just nodded. 

I found myself back in Ruby Heart’s office before I had even realized we had left the market.

“So what’s your decision, Shane?” she asked me.

I opened my mouth to recite my practiced lines, but realized they no longer applied. I could still just say no, but I didn’t want to. I kinda liked the idea of being a stud, actually, but it scared me, too. 

Why did it scare me?

Key Peg was about to explode next to me. I half expected him to shuck my clothes off me and start chasing me around the courtyard like he did his recruits. His excitement was palpable, and a bit contagious. Closing my eyes, I thought out my situation. If this was home, I’d probably jump at the chance, if only to do it for a year. My biggest hang up was they looked like ponies. Except that hadn’t phased me with Sky. Even before that, I had known that the similarities between ponies, and Ponies, ended with the vague cosmetic likeness. 

So what else was holding me back? Well, brothels didn’t have the best reputation for treating their workers well. But Sgt. Key Peg of the Equestrian Royal Guard was sitting next to me and seemed to think I had hit the lottery.

“Pay, living space, and contract rules?” I asked.

“Studs get paid pretty well, from what I’ve seen.” Key peg said.

“Your pay is based on a bidding system. You only have one session a day, four days a week. Some weeks, you may have a sleepover. Those sessions end at noon the next day, and you'll be free for the day after they go home. Mares bid for the slots, so the more popular you are, the more expensive you become and the more you make. Our lowest-demand studs make about the same bits as a unranked guard does.

“As for housing, you’re given a stall. I’ll show you an empty one, if you like. Our employment contract is the standard one that every employer uses.”

“Okay, I’ll bite,” I said

“Please don’t,” Ruby said, pulling away from me a bit.

Key Peg laughed. “He means that he’ll give it a try.”

“Oh,” Ruby said, a smile spreading across her face. “Excellent!”

> Displays
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

So when they say stall, they mean furnished luxury apartment. The two room apartment had two master bedrooms, though one was kinda hidden. Apparently, most studs have a personal bedroom that clients never go in, then a working bedroom. It also had a monster of a living room that opened up to a patio and private garden. I couldn't even guess what this place would cost back home. We hadn’t been the place five minutes, and Key Peg was already planning a housewarming party.

From there I was shown the bathhouses, both the working one, and the one just for the studs. I would have called them spas, but they called them bathhouses.

Then we were back at the gymnasium. And Ruby and Key Peg were just silently staring at me.

I’d like to mention that ponies have a strange concept of personal space. I’ve had ponies I barely knew lay their head in my lap. But they do have a knack for giving you space when you need it.

“So, naked in public,” I said aloud to no one.

“If it helps, everypony at the palace thinks it’s strange you always wear so much clothing,” Key Peg said, trying to be helpful. Which I guess it was.

Shirt first, then shoes and socks. I took time to fold my hoof-made clothing up, and place it somewhere safe. I’m still amazed at how well they can make clothing for something so alien to them. The only thing they could never master was my underwear. Thankfully, back when I went through my “survivalist” phase, I had learned how to wrap fabric to make a fundoshi loincloth. I liked them over the european style because they fit more like briefs, though the thong aspect took a bit of getting used to.

Taking off my pants, and adding them to the folded pile, I now found myself in nothing but said fundoshi. “Umm...” I drawled, looking at my riveted audience. “I’m leaving this on while I... exercise, or whatever. Things flap a bit too much to be comfortable. I can take it off, but it’ll have to go back on.”

Ruby’s eyes traced my body for a moment before she spoke. “No, that’s fine, makes you look more exotic anyway; stirs curiosity, that’s what we’re looking for. Later we’ll get you a red one.”

Walking out into the courtyard, several of the stallions gave me a curious look, but they all seemed to follow what was going on. At the edge of the field I did a few warm ups. The last thing I needed was to hurt myself here. It also gave me time to calm my nerves. I was being told to go play with the neighbor kids and put up on display at a meat market at the same time.

‘Now or never,’ I thought. Pull-ups struck me as the most uniquely human exercise I could do, so I made my way to something that resembled a pull-up bar and used it as such. Despite being considered a gym bunny by my friends back home, I’ve never been too good at those, so I just did a few for show.

Spotting a medicine ball on the ground, I walked over and picked it up. A pegasus hovering not far from me had been one of the more curious stallions, so I gave him a smile, and yelled, “Catch,” lobbing the ball at his chest.  

He caught the ball in his forelegs, and grinned. It wasn’t a malicious grin, but a genuine one - he seemed rather interested in the idea of having an alien workout partner. We passed the weight back and forth, ‘till I had a hard time getting it up to him. When one throw barely got to him, he  landed beside me.

“Let me show you around,” he said, gesturing for me to follow him deeper into the workout area.

Once I got into it, it was nice to work out again. I hadn’t had the chance since the crash. Spinner turned out to be a pretty cool guy, too. As we took turns spotting for each other, or doing team workouts, I forgot about my watchers. For the next hour, it was just a gym day for me, my near nakedness losing meaning in the summer weather and ionic architecture. It helped that Spinner’s talent was something akin to being a personal trainer. Which made sense, he had the energy of a toddler, and a can-do attitude that could wilt any self-help guru.

As I was regaining my breath from some wind sprints, Spinner tapped me on the shoulder. “Ruby wants you,” he said, pointing to one corner of the plaza. “I need to go, too. Got a gig in an hour, need to wash up. See ya ‘round.”

As Spinner flew off, I took a survey of my surroundings again. Key Peg and Ruby Heart waited for me in one corner. On the other side of the plaza several mares stood where I had seen them earlier, a few hoofs pointed at Spinner as he flew off, but I caught more than one glance myself.

With my stage shyness back in full, I walked quickly back to my clothing.

“I’m going to run an errand, but I’ll be back in an hour. Okay?” Key Peg told me as soon as I had picked up my stack of clothing.

“Uh, okay,” I said

“See ya in a bit,” he said, giving me a wink and leaving.

Now alone with Ruby, I found the silence awkward. “How’d I... look?”

“Good,” she answered absently, though she was smiling. “But I was mostly watching the mares’ reactions to you.”

“Oh, and how’d that go?”

“Two mares have already tried to bid on you.”

“Really? So am I hired?” I asked

“We’re about to find out. Come on back to the office.”

I shrugged, not even bothering to dress before following her. I couldn’t believe I was really signing up for this. But then again, why not. Three months ago I couldn’t believe my luck when I survived getting sucked up into a thunderhead’s updraft. Then I crashed into a airship full of sapient ponies. I guess it’s only normal that things get more interesting from there.

Speaking of getting things, I had a question that needed to be asked. “Umm... Ruby Heart, culture thing here. But, do ponies have sexually transmitted diseases?” 

“Yea, it happens. Why?”

I really didn’t know how to respond to such a casual statement. I just kind of froze in place for a second. “In my world, sexually transmitted diseases can kill you...”

“Oh stars!” Ruby said, stopping in place. She seemed truly shocked by the idea. “No. Other than the flue, the worse you can get is the sleeping sickness, or... paralice.” Ruby shuddered a little, shaking her head like she was trying the jar a memory out of it. “But we keep zapp-apple butter on site to cure that as soon as we see them, and sleeping sickness cures itself in a week or two, as long as you have somepony to take care of you.”

So mono and crabs were the worst I had to fear, that seemed pretty tame. If I can trust anypony to know about STIs, it would the manager of the national brothel. “And the House handles my medical treatment for anything I might get?”

“Of course!” Ruby said with a smile, resuming the walk back to her office. 

As I entered Ruby’s office again, she sniffed me. “You smell like onions,” she said.

“Sorry, they had fried onions at the bar last night, I love those things, but the smell comes out of my pores the next day. I’ll go shower,” I said, already turning to go to the spa.

“No, that’s okay. Didn’t mean it was a bad thing. Wild onion is a nice smell.”

“Really? Well, win for me, then.” No really, that was great news. I reek of onions if I eat more than a bite of them. “So now what?” I asked.

“If you need to go to the bathroom, it’s through there,” she said, pointing towards a hallway.

“Actually, I do,” I said, leaving my cloths on the coffee table and venturing down the hall.

Normalcy faded again when I returned to her office. The blinds had all been shut, closing the room off from the outside world, only lamps lit the room now. All the sitting cushions had been pulled into one place too, and Ruby was sitting in the center of the makeshift bed.

“So... how so do we start this?” I asked. I’m pretty sure I looked like a deer caught in headlights. I knew the answer; it was the only thing that made sense. After all, that was what I was being hired for.

“First, lets see what you look like down there,” she said, pointing to my waist.

Yesterday, I probably would have choked at this point. But then I went and had a one night stand with a pegasus. So taking a deep breath, I fully embraced the idea of “why the hell not”. Untying the knot on the side of my underwear, I flung it to the side and walked towards her, stopping at just the edge of the bedding.

“Hmm, no sheath?” she said.

“No, and we don’t have a baculum, either,” I answered. I figured I’d get the anatomy lesson out of the way as fast as possible. “It gets hard by blood pressure alone, and we have little conscious control over the process.”

“Oh, so it’s strictly an arousal reflex?” she asked, motioning for me to lay next to her on the cushions. “No faking it?”

“Not really,” I said, sitting down. “How do you want to start?”

“Your call. I want to see what your instincts are.”

“Alright, can’t go wrong with a back rub, so tuck your legs under,” I said.

As she did so, I straddled her back, but kept my weight on my knees, instead of her. Putting a hand on side of her withers, I began kneading the thick flesh. I was rewarded with a near purr as she laid her chin on the bedding. From their, I worked down to her shoulder blades, then back up her neck. I was leaning pretty far forward by the time I reached her jawline, so I took the chance to nibble at her ear. Fortunately that seems to be a universal erogenous zone, as her back arched a bit when my lips found them.

Little cooes and twitches told me I was doing pretty well, and I was finally starting to get in the mood too. So I decided to start getting a little more intimate. She whined a bit when I got off her back, to sit next to her, but the protest died as my fingers ran through the fur of her cutie mark.   

Now, the only reason I thought to do this was a number of crass jokes I’d overheard in the guard’s locker room. But dirty jokes have to have some truth, or they wouldn’t be funny. I’m still not sure why this is an erogenous zone for them; I think it’s more social than physical, but I can only guess. Either way it had the effect I wanted. I didn’t need jokes to tell me what a flagging tail meant.

While one hand continued massaging the flank, the other traced its way around to her back side. Curiosity compelled me to move a little faster than I probably should have. With a little teasing, though none was needed since she was wet already, I eased my thumb into her and felt for the little hard spot on the ridge of the pubic bone. And there it was; the g-spot. A nicker hinted that it was similarly sensitive. Stretching out my index finger, I began rubbing her clit and g-spot at the same time. All the while still massaging her flanks.

Nickers turned to moans, and twitching turned to thrashing as the stimulation began to build. I had to give up grooming with my off hand, just to hang on. When her vaginal walls clenched almost hard enough to push my thumb out, I knew she was close. She had flopped on her side by now and I no longer needed the other hand to keep a grip, so I reached back and tugged on a handful of main at the back of her neck; another wild guess from another dirty joke.

Some women, you can barely tell when they orgasm; others shake like they’re being electrocuted. I didn’t know what was normal for mares, but Ruby fell deeply into the latter category.

As the aftershocks of the orgasm faded, I spooned up against her, and ran my fingers through her coat. I was wound up tight by this point, but I needed to see what she was expecting before I started anything else.

“What was that?” she finally asked.

“Foreplay?” I answered.

“That’s your idea of foreplay?” She asked, raising her head to look at me.

I wasn’t sure how to take that. “Uhm, sorry?”

“No no no. That was amazing. I normally have to use toys to hit those spots.” Rolling over to face me, she looked down and examined my erect member with a hoof. “But we still haven’t seen how this lines up.”

“You game for more?” I asked.

Ruby chuckled, and rose to her feet. “Just rut me this time. I’m good, believe me,” she said, turning to present her back to me.

There’s a lot of thing I find attractive in a woman, and a few in mares, but my universal turn on is eagerness. 

Moving behind her, I got on my knees to make our heights lineup. I was a near perfect height like this, so shuffling forward I grabbed her stifles. She gave a rewarding little gasp when I took hold of her thighs like that. Leaning my hips in, I watched myself near her swollen wetness. Taking a moment to tease her, I traced the edges of her sex. Then I tightened my grip on her stifles, and slid myself in.

She moaned a little when I made my first thrust. She was far more comfortable to take from behind than I was used to. I’d never been a fan of doggy style, always seemed awkward. But with Ruby, it seemed the natural way. Which I suppose it was. 

The second act was less interesting than the first. What reactions I got from her, I think were more for my benefit than hers. But she did seem to enjoy it; I certainly did. After I came, I really just wanted to spoon up to Ruby, and take a nap. But she had other plans, so the post courtial snuggling only lasted a few minutes.

“You still want the stall?” she asked, getting back up.

“Yes, I think I do.”

“It’s yours, then,” she said, offering me a hoof to help me up.

“The paperwork will be ready for you by tomorrow afternoon. Come by that evening, or the next day, and we’ll get you moved in.”

“Okay,” I said, a little turned off by the sudden change to business. Walking across the room, I began to gather my clothing. “I’ll have to give some kind of notice with the palace.”

“Of course. A month is normal notice, but it can be shorter if you both agree to it.” 

I appreciated Ruby explaining that without me asking. Turning around, I found her staring at me with that smile again. It occurred to me, I had no idea what her talent was. He namesake cutie mark didn’t give many hints. 

“Welcome to the House of the Rising Sun,” Ruby said warmly, with a little bow. “Go clean up in the bathhouse. Enjoy it, and if Key Peg wants to join you in there, he’s welcome to; I’ll point him your way. Guests are not allowed in working areas, and must be escorted in restricted areas, but otherwise our only rule about bringing friends to the House is do not disrupt the client’s experience. Also, you can only have eight ponies in your stall, but that’s the fire marshal's rule, not ours.”

Pretty relaxed rules, the old college dorm was stricter than this. “Thank you,” I said, returning her bow. I had to laugh at the silliness of the moment. Ruby seemed pleased I was in good spirits, and laugh along with me, though I’m not so sure what she found funny. Then again, laughter is just contagious sometimes. 

I started to dress before leaving her office, but it suddenly seemed a lot less important. So butt-naked I traipsed over to the stud’s spa.
> Mail Call
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Plodding into the bathhouse I found myself rather alone. It must have been an odd time of day to be in here. Stuffing my belongings into a cubby, I marched my naked ass past the pool, hot tub, and saunas, till I found the showers. A massive communal shower with a colorful mosaic floor and more showerheads than I could count. Snatching up a bottle of coat-wash from a little soap rack, I turned on one of the shower heads and fiddled with it till I had a pleasantly-hot shower going. 

I had a face full of suds from shampoo, when hoof beats echoed through the shower room. I hoped it was Key Peg.

“Hello?” A strange voice asked.

Hurrying up to get the soap off my face, I wiped my eyes, to see who was there. “Hi, I’m Shane, just started,” I said to the burly earth pony who was eying me from the doorway. The chestnut stallion was massive, he looked like a highland pony that Schwarzenegger had taken as a personal project.

“Oh! I heard about you. I’m Plowshare.” His stern look flipped to a friendly one. Walking up next to me, he turned on and tuned in two shower heads with practiced ease. “I was hoping somepony would be in here,” he said as he began soaping up.

“Why is it so empty in here anyway?”

“All the guys are either off or about to start a session this time of day. Unless you have an early appointment like I did. You need me to wash your back?” He picked up a scrub brush and looked ready to wash me down at a nod.

I wonder if there are talking deer in this world too. I should probably go live with them since I’m getting my deer-in-headlights look down pat.

Plowshare, deciding I hadn’t understood him, waggled the brush in imitation of scrubbing, then did his best to touch his own spine.

Big McLargehuge was not on my list of ponies I wanted to make a social faux pas with, so I decided to just roll with it. “Sure ...” I said, taking a knee so he could reach me. “Is this why you all like using the communal shower over your private ones?” 

Plowshare laid into my back with a solid scrubbing, neither harsh nor delicate. I probably would have enjoyed it, if I had let myself.

“Yea, and gossip,” he finally answered after I had been thoroughly scrubbed. Setting the brush next to me, he stood back from the shower’s spray, legs straight and head lowered; this was obviously a reciprocal favor. 

I relaxed a bit as I put a little soap on the brush and began scrubbing along his back. This was more familiar to me than the other way around. “So, what’s the good gossip?”

“You.”

“Is that bad?”

He didn’t say anything till I had finished the favor, and had hung the brush back up, but finally answered me when he stepped back under the water to rinse off. “Na, everypony seems to like you. We’re taking bets on what’ll happen when you get a mare in heat.”

I thought about that while we rinsed off. I had assumed there'd be no genetic compatibility, but I didn’t know that. The world was rife with chimeras, and didn’t seem too worried about sticking to the laws of science I knew. “Good question,” I mused aloud, as I turned off my shower. 

“We’ll find out soon enough,” Plowshare said, turning his showers off too. “Lets go hit the hot tub.” 

“That sounds wonderful.”

I had barely stepped out of the shower room, when I heard Key Peg’s familiar voice. “Hay! Finally decided to lose the clothing I see,” he called, trotting up to us. 

After a quick introduction, I shooed the two over to the hot tub. Being naked in a bathhouse was one thing, idle banter in the cold air was another. Plowshare only soaked with us for a few minutes. Any longer would have been “bad for sperm count” which is true, but again, not something I’m used to thinking about. Not that I’m going to have to start thinking about it either, I hope.

We stayed a bit after Plowshare left, but finally decided it was time to head home. It had been a hectic weekend, and we both liked the idea of a quiet evening with a good book. We opted to have dinner in the mess hall that night, which I kinda regretted; daisy-burger was on the menu. Daisy-burgers are edible in only the strictest sense, and only with hot sauce. 

Key Peg was already on shift by the time I woke up the next morning. I had to be on duty myself soon, so breakfast was dry cereal. Their breakfast cereal is delicious, one of the few things I honestly prefer over what I used to eat.

A few minutes later, I was walking into the castle proper, ready to start my day of walking laps around the palace delivering letters and packages. I’d have to turn in my notice today too. I really was dreading that. You see, my job was by special appointment, by Celestia. That meant there was only one pony that could accept my resignation. Well, two, but Luna scares the shit out of me. 

I had a set pattern for the first few hours of the day; letters to here, packages to there. The random note swapping from one side of the castle to the other. I was a one man post office for the castle. I had endeared myself with the real postal service by gathering all the out-going mail into one place at the end of every day. But that was later, now I just passed notes. 

It never failed, sometime before lunch I would always end up with a box or scroll addressed to “Celestia’s study”, and today was no exception. I had rather hoped for it actually, since my other option was to make an appointment with her court.

The door guards began our little ritual as soon as I rounded the corner. They pretended not to see me till I was directly in front of them. Then I announced myself, while presenting the two scrolls and a box, that I had collected from the south wing. They “inspected” them, and then allowed me to approach the door.

Giving the door my customary knock, I counted down.
4
3
2
1
“Come in, Ambassador Shane,” Celestia said from inside.

Ambassador, it was a title only a few ponies knew about, and even fewer used. Some old law required all friendly civilizations to have an ambassador. It gave me exactly no privileges, other than being considered an Equestrian citizen; I always wanted a dual citizenship...

Celestia was behind her desk reading something. Again I followed my ritual. I placed the delivery on the corner of her desk, then gave her a polite bow. The same one my sensei drilled into me in kenpo class, fifteen years ago. 

In public, or when Luna was around, I would bow by taking a knee, but in private Celestia seemed annoyed when I, or anypony, bowed with more than quick nod. That I had picked up on this seemed to endear me to her. 

“I hear you have a new job,” Celestia said. Her words hung in the air for a moment, before she added, “at my stable."

That was a strong declaration. Not the stable, or Canterlot’s stable, but her stable. Celesta rarely spoke of things possessively, only her subjects were held that close to her. She had been drinking from the same teacup since before the Magna Carta was written, and she only deemed that, the cup. Did I mention I take great pains to not touch anything in her office?

“Yes, Princess. I was about to ask you how I should resign my duties here.”

Celestia’s stern look cracked at my own seriousness. She didn’t laugh, but her voice teetered on a giggle. “Of all the things I imagined you doing, this was not something I had thought about. I honestly didn’t know what to say when Ruby Heart asked me about you the other day.”

The mention of Ruby Heart perked my curiosity; she hadn’t mentioned anything about Celestia.

“Ruby Heart was worried she had overstepped her bounds when she invited you to ... interview. She came to me for permission after you left that first day.” Celestia answered my unvoiced question.

“And you’re okay with this?”

“It is a little outside my stable’s commision, but I see where she’s coming from. As long as you make my ponies happy, I will consent to it.”

There it was again, “my stable” I had to ask. “Forgive me princess, but you’re not one to call many things ‘mine’, why has that stable earned such a title?”

Celestia flashed a curious look at me before the giggle hiding in the thought finally came out. Looking me square in the eyes she said. “Because that was built for me as a gift, to hold my harem of stallions.”

Her words jolted me, and I think I made a funny sound too, because it made her actually laugh. Holding up a hoof, she gathered herself. “Oh, I am sorry, but the look on your face was worth it. Those were very different times, my stable serves to strengthen all of Equestria now.”

 “I’m still reading up on your history. It’s pretty thick reading,” I said changing the subject. A look form Celestia told me she knew I was doing as much. “How should I turn in my notice then?” I asked.

“This is good enough. The castle has become spoiled to having an in-house mailpony, so I’m recruiting a pony from the mail service to replace you. He will report to you tomorrow, and shadow you till you believe he has the hang of things. You are free to leave at your discretion after that.”

“Thank you for everything, Princess,” I said, bowing again. Picking up the neatly stacked pile of outgoing mail, I took a step back to leave. Celestia returned my gesture with a nod, and went back to reading.

Formally dismissed, I turned to leave. My hand had just touched the door when she spoke up again. “I will miss our conversations. Perhaps I’ll come visit sometime. For ... conversation.”

I just bowed once more, and tucked out of the room. Outside, the two guards were doing a very good job of not looking like they had been listening to the conversation, but a strangled snicker from one gave them away. I decided keep my mouth shut and sort through Celestia’s mail before adding it to my bag. There were a few to go to the post office, but most were for me to deliver in-house. One was even to Luna.

Not my favorite place to deliver, but I always leave Luna’s mail with her guards. Maybe Strawberry was on shift, I still owed him five bits anyway.

So off I went, delivering my mail within the castle walls. I had to put off Luna’s delivery till the end of my day; her office didn’t open till right before my shift ended. Otherwise, I would have run it over immediately, hoping she was still asleep. I’m told neither of the sisters sleep very long, but it’s pretty rare to see Luna before three.

I was in luck when I got there—Strawberry was on shift, but I didn’t recognize the other guard. “Mail call, and I have your bits too,” I called. “And I thought that was supposed to be strawberry wine, not strawberry moonshine. I think that stuff gave me liver damage.”

“I can’t help it if you’re a lightweight,” Strawberry said, taking a step forward to meet me. With one leathery wing, he formally took the package, while I slipped the bits into his other wing.

I had to laugh—the wine had been really good. I probably should have figured out how strong it was before drinking a second glass. I’ll be nursing on the rest of the bottle for a week or two.

Strawberry looked at the box for a moment before handing it right back to me. “That seal means it’s for Princess Luna’s hooves only. You’ll have to be the one to give it to her”

The othe guard rapped twice on the door with no further prompt.

Crap ... Celestia set me up.

“Enter,” Luna bellowed from the other side of the door.

My stomach dropped at her voice. I really wanted to be anywhere else but here right now. I had promised to do a job; there was nothing to do about it now.  Strawberry gave me a sympathetic look as he opened to door for me. Walking into the dragon’s den, I did my best to swallow my fear. ‘I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer ...’ I chanted to myself.

Stepping into the vestibule, I surveyed the room. While Celestia’s office had a very collegiate feel to it, Luna’s could best be called a lounge; mahogany and silver seemed her favorite materials. If I’d learned she had poker with the girls in here while a stallion sang jazz, I wouldn’t have been surprised. Luna had her back to the door when I entered, something I’d never known Celestia to do. She was bent over a table, working on something, a model perhaps.

I didn’t wait for her to turn and see me. Not getting further from the door than I felt necessary, I bowed, taking a knee, and held the package out and up. “Package for you, your highness.”

“Rise,” she said, as the package lifted from my hand. I did as I was told, favoring the leg I had knelt on, allowing me to sneak a step closer to the door. Luna gave me an annoyed look; I wasn’t as sneaky as I thought, apparently.

“Do you still fear me that much?” she asked, the box still floating above her.

The idea of honesty is very different here; it's much more absolute. You tell the truth, or you do not, motivation behind the lie is meaningless. As ignoring the question was not an option, I found the best truth I was willing to tell her.

“Yes.” Well, that wasn’t quite as poetic as I had hoped for.

Luna’s expression wilted a bit. It was the first time I had seen her relax in any way. Her ‘clockwork empress’ mask crumbled as she floated the package to the ground, and met my eyes with something of a wounded puppy look. “I am sorry I yelled at you, but when you proclaimed me the ‘evil sister’ with such fervor as you laid upon me ... it opened old wounds.”

So I should mention how I met Luna. It was right after I had been taken off the airship, and brought to the castle, where I was pretty sure I was in Oz at that point, and Celestia was the good witch. So when Luna and her guards showed up, moments after Celestia cast the babble-fish spell on me, I kinda made a scene ...

“As my nocturne have forgiven you for calling them hideous flying monkies, I will forgive you for dumping a bucket of water on me while chanting ‘melt, evil enchantress, melt’.” The look on her face told me she was trying to find the humor in the situation, but failing.

Okay, so maybe I made a really big scene. I felt bad about that, especially after Luna’s history had been explained to me. I could only be thankful that the word witch had no real translation in Equestrian. “I am very sorry, Princess Luna, I was not in a sound state of mind.”

“I of all ponies should be willing to forgive that. I appreciated the letter of apology you sent. I should have responded.”

This was good. This was the first time I've ever been near Luna without feeling like she was restraining herself from flinging me out the nearest window.

“So let us quit apologizing, and see what my sister has used to send you here,” she said, her magic returning to the little box, this time tearing it open. She gave the contents a curious look before floating them out so I could see. Four beautiful shoes came out of the box, all apparently carved from ruby.

I had to snicker. Apparently, Celestia had related the story of Oz to Luna as well, since my snicker seemed to give her permission to let loose a laugh that she had been holding back. We both laughed till we cried. The best kind of therapy really. We talked a bit more after the fact. Luna intended to regift the shoes to someone named Cadance, as both an inside joke, and an honest gift she would enjoy.

Luna showed me what she had been working on. It was the engine from my ultralight. I couldn’t believe The Baron had survived; I had assumed he had been lost overboard at some point. Turns out he had gotten stuck in the rigging deep enough that it had taken quite a bit of work to get him out. After that, Luna had taken it to study, and currently had it stowed not far from where I’d almost gotten the glass job. She said she would give it back whenever I wanted it; I really couldn’t thank her enough. It was going to be a while before I could see how much damage he actually took, but with a little luck I’d get him up again. After all, I had a whole new world of tools and materials at my disposal now. Just needed the bits to get them.

My mood seemed contagious to Luna, and she had me teach her about the little engine. I spent the better part of the evening teaching her basic engine repair. She found the technology strange and of little use, but seemed intent on learning about it just for the sake of learning.

Key Peg had a good laugh at me when I finally got home. Falling victim to one of Celestia’s kiss-and-make-up schemes officially christened me as a castle regular.   






> Intermission: The Little Red Baron.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cracking of wood snapped The Baron out of his slumber. The canvas blanket over him took on a glow as sunlight entered the barn. Hope sparked within him, but he held it in check. He listened as one side of the great double doors was opened, then the other. Only Pilot opened both doors. His canvas blanket shifted as Pilot pulled it off him. Cool morning air and a bright blue sky waited for them just outside. 

His wires flickered warm as Pilot connected him to the battery. Moments later five gallons of precious fuel filled his tank. It was the good stuff today; aviation grade. Then began Pilot’s slow ritual. His hands caressed every edge and surface, every wire and bolt was tested, each instrument checked and adjusted. Only when Pilot was satisfied would the chucks be pulled away from his wheels. Pilot knew The Baron better than anyone; better than The Baron himself. He had built The Baron with care and love. His first memories were of Pilot’s thoughtful touch. The Baron had known Pilot before he had known the sky.

The chucks slid away from his wheels, and Pilot’s touch pushed him into the sun. A few of the big animals that carried Pilot sometimes were near, but they would flee once his engine started. Stepping up onto his wing, Pilot slid into place. Pilot latched the belts around himself, he and The Baron were one now: the five point harness would not let them part till Pilot chose to undo it. Now The Baron could truly let himself get excited, this was going to be a flying day.

Pilot touched the radio, setting it ready to call out its 1200 squawk. Plugging in his headset he spoke to the radio. Sometimes he’d talk to other Pilots in the air, but it was rare for one to respond while they were still on the ground.

“Allright Baron, you ready to fly?” Pilot asked him. 

Of course he was, and he answered pilot when the ignition key twisted. His reincarnated engine roared with all its might at Pilot’s command. Once it had powered a car called a beetle, but it was The Baron’s now. He was a young plane with an old soul, a Fokker biplane built in the twenty-first century. 

The large animals fled from them as they taxied to the long flat spot on the lower side of the field. The Baron’s flaps wiggled and his engine revved in one last ritual before Pilot loosed his brakes, and they began barreling down the field. Pilot forced his elevator hard against gravity’s pull, not letting off till the air pulled his wheels from the earth. The Baron climbed into the sky at Pilots command with everything he had. Only when they were above the clouds did Pilot ease the throttle back. 

They played among the clouds for a while, before gaining a bit more altitude. Here they played their favorite game against each other; Pilot would try to stall him out, while he would fight to stay flying. Pilot usually got him to stall after a short struggle, but The Baron would always recover immediately. After a few rounds of this, they took a lazy flight over the neighboring farms, occasionally taking time to make a orbit around a silo. 

It was in the middle of one of these tight turns that the weather turned on them. The blue sky vanished behind angry clouds that had been white and sparse moments ago.  

“That’s a thunderhead, we gotta get home,” Pilot told him. 

The Baron raced his engine as Pilot pushed the throttle in. He wanted to be sad about their day being cut short, but something told him they were in real danger. A strange calm unnerved him, and he could tell Pilot felt it too: the wind was too still, it had no life here. 

He only had a moment to think about this before the calm became a fury. It was neither a wind nor a gust. It was an updraft, but like nothing he had ever experienced. This was not the friendly air that gave him free lift, this was a clutching, rasping force that made him fall into the sky. For all his might, The Baron could not break free of its grasp; for all his skill, Pilot could not show The Baron where to go. His altimeter spun as they were sucked into the dark mountain of cloud: six thousand, eight thousand, eleven thousand feet. Engine and control surfaces struggled to escape the rising plume of air, but neither propeller nor flap could overcome the unnatural force. Pilot set the radio’s squawk to 7700 and spoke into it, no answer, no other Pilots to help.

The Baron winced as something struck him. He didn’t have time to think about it before a dozen more strikes assaulted him, punching holes in his fabric skin. Pilot yelped in pain, he could feel him trying to curl up and hide from the assault, but the harness held him in place. 

It was ice. Not snow, but balls of ice that tore at him. Twenty thousand feet, and the ice assault only intensified. Pilot shielded his head with the clipboard he kept under the seat, leaving The Baron to fly himself, it was a responsibility he took very seriously. Twenty-eight thousand feet— this was too high. The Baron never thought he would be too high, but he was. The ice had gone away, but the air was cold and thin, his propeller could barely grab air, and his engine struggled for oxygen. 

Forty eight thousand feet, Pilot wasn’t moving. The Baron had to help him. He screamed in frustration. Anemic engine and tattered wings refused to save his Pilot; his friend. Sixty thousand feet. 

White light seared The Baron’s skin, an explosion shook his frame. Lighting scared The Baron, it was a force that he knew could destroy him. He waited for a second strike, but it did not come. The air the had been attacking him stopped, replaced by tranquil stillness. The inky cloud still covered him, but now he could act, now he could save Pilot. 

Down, The Baron tipped. He could not move the throttle from where Pilot had set it, but he could let his wing fail to hold the air. His altimeter spun with a whizzing sound; he was falling, but not that fast. Thick cloud gave way to thin fog, and The Baron again forced his wings to hold air. Pilot still wasn’t moving. He was alive, he had to be. The Baron didn’t know where he was. Water stretched from horizon to horizon, and his fuel was down to the last gallon. 

Something called to The Baron. Not by voice or radio, but something called; another child of the sky. He’d seen other aircraft, been near several on both the ground and air, but they were not like him; they did not know their Pilot, they did not know themselves. 

The Baron leaned towards the voice. “Help me! my Pilot is damaged!” he called to the voice. He had no voice, he spoke no words, but called all the same.

“This way,” the voice answered.

Following the wordless voice, The Baron plowed through the sky. It had to be near; he did not have the gas to go far, soon he would truly be falling from the sky. His will was strong, but he could not run his engine without it. 

A shadow in the fog caught his attention. “I will catch you,” the voice told him. He had never seen such a flying machine before. It was bigger than a barn, with great webs of rope stretching between its sections. He knew what he had to do. Aiming for the webbing, he slammed into the other flying machine. He forced his propeller to spin far longer than it wanted to, tangling it into yards of the rope. 

The world went black to The Baron. A soft voice woke him back up. “You are safe, you are both safe,” it sang to him. This machine had many Pilots, he could see them looking up at him with both fear and curiosity. They looked like the large animals Pilot rode, but much smaller. One lept into the air like a bird, and landed on his wing. Her feet tore his abused fabric even more, but she was reaching for Pilot. He would suffer far worse, if she could save Pilot.

She pulled at him, but the harness held him tight. She fumbled with the clasp, it took far too long for her to solve the puzzle, but the eventual click of its release was music to The Baron. 

“Sleep now. He is safe,” the voice said. Her words soothed his tattered frame. Gentle blackness washed over him as he watched Pilot lowered to the strange ship’s floor.

> Celestia knows, I'm one
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day a lanky earth pony in a postal uniform was waiting for me at work. “Hi, I’m Long Stride,” he greeted me.

“I’m Shane. I take it you’re my replacement.” Picking up my mailbag, I slung it over my shoulder. “Hope your talent is walking, because that’s ninety percent of this gig.”

“It is!” he said, a little bubbly that I had guessed his talent.

“Oh, okay. Lets get going then. So what did you do before this?”

“I pulled the cross-town mail wagon in Baltimare. Five miles each way,” Stride said, trotting up beside me.

His hoof steps made a different sound than I was used to. Looking at his one of his toes, he was wearing horseshoes. Not the decorative things the princesses wore, but plain old horseshoes.

“Well, this is kinda similar,” I said, carefully watching his gait. “Except it’s a big circle you make four times a day, and there's no wagon. The post office is our start and stop. Mail runs at two; you probably know that. But most of what we’ll be handling is interdepartmental.”

It was nice having someone to talk with while I wandered the halls and courtyards of the palace. Stride educated me about horseshoes. They were considered uncomfortable by most; keeping them from using their strange hoof-grip, but necessary for any heavy labor, or endurance walking. 

Which, by the way, is thought to be anything over five miles. I forget the humans are endurance walkers. While any foal can trounce me in a sprint, only the most athletic pony can go ten miles before giving out. Pegasus being a major exception there, when they’re flying.

I got to have a little fun with Stride when it came time to make Celestia’s delivery. He handled it pretty well, I managed to get him to not throw himself on the floor. Really most the day was spent teaching him the small talk, introducing him to all the offices, and slipping him into the gossip.

On the second day, we were in the Ministry of Festivals when we picked up a package for Luna. Apparently there was a festival coming up they called Mid-Summer Lights, and Luna was the presiding host for Canterlot’s celebration.

“Normally you leave Luna’s mail with her guards.” I told Stride, as we neared the lunar office.

“Nocturne?” Stride asked, slowing in his steps. There was a touch of fear in his voice.

“Normally. Why, what’s up?”

“I’ve never met a nocturne.” Strode said looking around, then beckoning me to bend down so he could whisper something. I rolled my eyes, but did as he wanted. “They eat meat ... raw meat.” 

Ponies love gossip: I’ve said that right?

“Long Stride, that’s silly. I’m friends with several of them. I’ve never seen anything of the like. Come on, I’ll introduce you to them.”

Strawberry was on post again when we go there; he’s not the best pony for first impressions, but certainly not the worst.

“Hi, Strawberry,” I called with a wave. “This is my replacement Long Stride.”

Strawberry gave me a confused look. “You’re leaving?”

“Yea, the House of the Rising Sun hired me as a stud”

I’ll be honest, I expected him to laugh at me, but instead I got a dumb look. “You?” he asked.

“For novelty factor, I’m told.”

Strawberry stroked his chin, giving me an appraising look. “I suppose I could see that.”

That was about as much approval as I could expect for Strawberry. “Here’s something from the Ministry of Festivals,” I said handing him the packet.

He gave it a look over, before setting it on a table behind him. “Thanks. Don’t be a stranger. I’m not working the festival; we should hang out.”

“That’d be great,” I said, turning to leave with Stride. “See Long Stride, they’re perfectly nice ponies.”

Long Stride gave me a sheepish grin, then nodded to the guards. “Pleasure to meet you,” he said, looking a little more comfortable than he had a moment ago.

I made a point to tell Stride a few stories about the nocturne and how they'd been rather forgiving of my original meeting. He got a few good laughs at my expense, and by the time we got back the to postoffice, he seemed much more comfortable about the idea of working around the nocturne.

The work day over, and a good deed done, I headed home. I’d decided tomorrow was going to be my last day, so I visited the house and left a message for Ruby that I’d be moving in soon.


- - -


I was a little sad to hang my bag on its hook for the last time. Long Stride was a sharp fellow, and after three days, I saw no need in coming back here. 

“I’m heading home,” Long Stride’s voice snapped me from my melancholy.

“Be safe. I’m sure I’ll see you around,” I said waving to him.

Picking up a few little personal items, I started for the door myself; only to be blocked by a mare.

“I know you’re off duty and all ... But could you please take this over to the commissary for me?” Mrs. Hooves asked me, trying her best to lay the cute act on a thick as possible.

“Yea, no problem. Heading that direction anyway,” I said, taking the box from her.

The halls were mostly empty as I ventured across the palace grounds. It was the awkward time of day, Celestia’s court not quite over, Luna’s still a few hours away. But today something just felt off as I opened the door to the lunchroom.

“SURPRISE!” a dozen ponies yelled at me. I should have seen this coming, but I didn’t. Which is why I screamed like a girl. 

I stood in the doorway and gawked for a moment. Strawberry and Key Peg had put together a nice going-away party for me. It’s the kind of celebration that ponies throw at the drop of a hat: a few decorations, punch bowl, pastries, some vegetable snacks. I’d seen a dozen little parties just like this, even attended a few. Short Bread’s maternity party had been far more fun that any baby shower I’d ever seen, but this was the first one I’d had held in my honor. 

Guess I’d stood in the door a bit too long, as I found Long Stride’s head planted in my backside, pushing me into the waiting host of ponies. Turns out he’d been tasked with shadowing me, making sure I didn’t wander off. I only had to be forced the first few steps, before I came to my senses and happily waded into the group of awaiting ponies. The first round of hugs had barely started when everyone suddenly looked behind me, and bowed: spinning, I followed suit.

“Arise and relax. I am here for the punch,” Luna said, sounding like she needed coffee over fruit punch. Skirting the edge of the little herd, she poured herself a cup of punch, before raiding the vegetable tray. Sitting by the nearest unoccupied table, she took a sip of the prize, then looked quizzically into the cup. 

“Strawberry, may I have a bottle of that wine you keep on you?” Luna asked looking to her guard.

“Ugh...” Strawberry drawled. I’m not sure if he was embarrassed for being called on having it at work, or simply because a princess had asked him for his wine. Either way, he quickly pulled a bottle from his mane.

That’s another trick I haven’t figured out yet. When I ask them about it, they just give me a dumb look like I’d asked them how to pee.

With the bottle now in Luna’s grasp, she magicked the cork out, and emptied the bottle into the punch bowl. Filling a fresh cup, Luna again tested it. “Much better,” she said with a smile. 

Luna only stayed with us for a moment, before wishing me well and telling me she had a small gift for me, that would be delivered later. Excusing herself to the night court, Luna took a second glass of punch with her, and left us as we were.

Grabbing my own plate of food and cup of spiked punch, which was really good, I made a point to speak to everyone that had showed up. I was made, more than once, to promise to come back and visit regularly. Eventually Key Peg had me sit down and open my little housewarming gifts.

It was a nice evening with friends, I was going to miss seeing them every day. My melancholy thought had not more than surfaced when Celestia walked into the room, as if summoned to stamp out the mood.

“I was told there was cake in here?” Celestia said, sounding like a lost filly looking for a cookie jar. It was an act. We all knew it, but couldn’t help but laugh anyway. Walking through the gathered ponies, Celestia laid a little gift box near me before helping herself to a cupcake.

Picking up the colorful little package, I found a tag labeling it as being from both Luna and Celestia. I took care to keep the tag as a keepsake as I peeled back the paper. The seamless piece of wood I unwrapped confused me for a moment. I fiddled with the puzzle for a bit, before finally pushing on the right spot; sliding its lid ajar. Opening it the rest of the way, I revealed a straight razor. The blade was fine steel, and the handle made from crystal that seemed to sparkle even in the dark. 

“Thank you! Thank you very much,” I said, tucking the razor back into its box. This was quite possibly the best gift I could imagine, I almost jumped up and hugged Celestia’s neck.

Not that I had much to shave, but what spotty little patches I did grow, drove me crazy. I’d found some scissors fine enough to keep my scruff short, but nothing to properly shave with. I’m still not sure how they knew what a straight razor looked like.

Celestia was on her third cup before someone thought to warn her Luna had spiked the punch.
She either already knew or didn’t care, as she finished that cup, and nursed a forth. Which lead me to learn Celestia gets chatty with a few drinks in her. There’s three history books I can return to the library now. It was really interesting to see Celestia relax. She hung out with us till it was time to go home, even helped us clean up before leaving.

The next day was moving day. I hate moving, but then I never had a team of horses to help me move.

Well, ponies, and really Strawberry and Key Peg were overkill for what I had. They were currently out picking up a cart to haul my stuff over, even though the trunk Key Peg gave me at the going-away party was the largest thing I owned. Seems everypony owned a trunk that held their most personal belongings. For now, I could put almost everything I own in it. I’d put my clothing in it last night. Now all I had to pack was the few odd books and baubles I’d collected over the past few months. But first, I was going to put my prized gift to use. Taking up the little box, I headed to the shower. 

Lathering up some soap, I began the zen ritual of shaving with a straight razor. It’d been years since I’d last done this, but there’s not much to remember. It’s one of those things that’s easier than it looks. A hot shower and a fresh shave later, I was ready to move. Key Peg and Strawberry still hadn’t gotten back with the cart, so I took the time to pack my last few possessions into the trunk, and set what didn’t fit in it by the door.

“What’d you do to your face?” were the first words out of Key Peg’s mouth when he got home.

“I finally shaved that moss off my lip. Where’s Strawberry?”

Key Peg studied my face a bit longer before shrugging. “He’s outside with the wagon. That yoke is a pain to get into.”

Not wanting to keep anyone waiting, I latched the trunk, and helped Key peg get it out to the cart. It was a quiet stroll over the the house. Following the cart, my mind was drifting when something occurred to me. “I have no idea how to shop for groceries,” I said aloud. My two movers stopped in their place.

“What?” Strawberry said. “Key, did he not leave his room till last week?”

Key Peg put a hoof to his face. “No, not really.”

Strawberry shook his head, and started the cart rolling again. “Well, I guess we’re going to the grocer’s market today.”

Unpacking was simple enough. Really just dropping the trunk and other junk in the back bedroom, and putting my toiletries into the bathroom. Remind me to explain how their “toilet paper” works sometime.

Coming back into the main room, I found Key Peg rummaging around the kitchen and Strawberry no where in sight, but the door to the garden was wide open.

“What are you two up to?”

“Nice kitchen,” Key Peg answered. “Really dig the hidden wet bar.”

“The hidden what?” I asked looking over Key Peg. Sure enough, there was a tiny bar hidden behind what I had assumed was a pantry door. “Hmm... Guess there’ll be a trip to the liquor store too.”

“Alright, get your saddlebag and bits, we’ll hit the market on the way back,” Strawberry said, walking into the living room from the patio garden; tracking dirt all over my floor in the process. 

“Strawberry ... my floor. What were you doing out there?” Thankfully this place was all hardwood, Strawberry’s mess was nothing a broom and mop couldn’t cure. Still, he could at least use the mat.

“Pulled some weeds,” he answered, continuing right through the apartment. I started to ask if he’d been raised in a barn, but thought better of it. 

Outside, I was helping Strawberry back into the yolk, when Ruby Heart found us. “All moved in?” she asked.

“Yea, we’re taking him to the market to buy food and cleaning supplies.” Key Peg answered for me.  

“Good, will it be okay for me to start scheduling your clients in two weeks?”

“Honestly, I thought I’d have to hit the ground running, so sure.”

Ruby stepped closer to us, shaking her head with a smirk. “We need you up to speed on some things before you start taking clients.” 

I had to mess with Ruby. Reaching out, I scratched the little muscles behind her ear. “Oh, do I get a little personal training form the prettiest mare in town?”

Ruby leaned into my hand with a satisfied smile. “Flattery will get you nowhere, but don’t stop trying. I’m having books sent to your stall. Also, I want you to go on a date or two before you start seeing clients. You boys think you could help him there?” Ruby asked looking at Strawberry and Key Peg. I really didn’t like the smiles they were giving me.

“Ha, fair enough,” I said, getting a pouty look from Ruby as I pulled my hand back. 

Ruby turned to leave, but paused to look back at me “You can start working out in the gymnasium as soon as you like. Remember that’s where you get bid on, so the sooner the better.“ 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” My reply earned me a smile and a tail swish, before she trotted back towards the offices. 

“I’m going to return the cart, I’ll catch up with you two at the market,” Strawberry said before heading trotting down the road.

Grocer’s market, turned out is a giant farmer’s market. This was actually pretty familiar to me. I’d expected something stranger, but I could easily imagine myself back at the weekly market on the square. We’d gotten there a bit late. Everything had been pretty well picked through, but that meant bigger portions for the bits. I’m told bartering is more common in the smaller towns, but here in Canterlot bits are the primary currency. 

Which brings me to their money; bits. I can’t say I’ve really figured them out yet. “Is three bits too much for a quarter-bushel of carrots?” I asked Key Peg.

“You won’t eat the tops, offer two bits and tell him to keep the tops”

Forking over the three bits, I took the quarter as-is. I didn’t mind haggling a bit, but I hated to ask for strange favors. Besides I could give the tops to somepony later.  

Strawberry landed next to me while I was putting away to carrots. I was very proud of myself, I didn’t even jump. “Get the wagon returned?”

“Yep. You been to the wild-fruit booth yet?”

“No. Why? “ 

“Well, come on then,” Strawberry beckoned with his wing. “I’ll introduce you two to my family”

Key Peg and I traded a glance--we had to see this. Following our friend through the market, we ended up on the far edge of the plaza. In a shady corner we stopped at a modest stall with two earth ponies standing behind what looked to be a refrigerated display case. 

Trotting behind the counter, Strawberry pressed necks with the older tan and black mare. “Mom, Sis, this is Key Peg and Shane. Key Peg is a guard, Shane just started working at the House of the Rising Sun.”

Leaning against Key Peg, I scratched my head. “Umm... Hi.”

“Hello,” Key Peg echoed.

The younger pumpkin-colored mare with black mane shrunk behind the counter at my voice, while the mother seemed to regard me with some curiosity.

“I’m Wild Harvest, and this is my daughter Winter Squash. I suppose Strawberry has told you nothing about us.”

Key Peg and I laughed at Wild Harvest’s words, or Strawberry’s scoul, I’m not sure which. 

“I was curious how a nocturine got a mark like that,” Key Peg said.

Wild Harvest threw a foreleg over Strawberry’s neck and hugged him, melting his scowl as he returned the affection. “I raised him like my own. Don’t care who gave him up, he’s my son now.”

Strawberry was adopted, that was interesting. A shrug for Key Peg told me this was news to him too. Walking up to the case, I looked at the selection. Mostly fresh berries, a few odd herbs mixed in the lot. It was pretty odd for a pony to sell more than one type of produce. “So what’s your special talent?” I asked, looking at the older mare.

“Finding wild food. Not everything can be cultivated. Also wild grown versions of domestic plants taste different, they’re harder, denser. Some ponies say wild plants taste funny, but lots like it too.”

“Never thought about vegetables being gamey, but I guess you right. I’ve always like wild blackberries over cultivated ones.”

“What dose gamey mean?” Wild Harvest asked.

“You know, like de-er me I don’t think I can translate that into Equestrian.” Putting on my best dumb look, I eyed my audience: I think they bought it. Key Peg knows about my native eating habits, but few others did, I wanted it to stay that way. Changing topics, I pointed to a colorful pile of berries  “How much for that basket of berries?”

“Two bits,” Winter Squash answered reflexively, but hesitated to reach into the case when our eyes met. I was obviously making her nervous, so I took a step back from the counter. Most ponies adjusted to me pretty fast, but every now and then I’d meet one that just couldn’t shake their instincts. I could only imagine it was the same reaction I had to griffons. 

Strawberry reached into the cooler and pulled out the berries for me. “Hay sis, what are you up to tomorrow night for midsummer lights?” 

“Just seeing the lights. Why?” Winter answered turning towards her brother, but keeping me in the corner of her eye.

Handing over my bits to Wild Harvest, I watched in disbelief as the next words came out of Strawberry’s mouth.

“Shane here needs a date. You should ask him out.”

Yep, that just happened. Winter let out a nervous chuckle, but no one else seemed phased by the comment. 

“I thought he worked at the House?” Wild Harvest asked.

“He hasn’t officially started yet,” Key Peg answered for me.

“Oh, good! You can finally wear that dress.”

“Mom!” 

Well, there was a familiar reaction. “I don’t think she's comfortable around me,” I said, trying to get away from this situation. 

“Nonsense,” Strawberry scoffed. “She has a pet timberwolf. You’re no where near as scary as a timberwolf.”

“Hay, Cedar isn’t scary.”

Wild Harvest shook her head. “Honey, Cedar is terrifying--sweet, but terrifying.”

Winter looked up at me with some reservation. I got the impression she was imagining me to be a timberwolf. “I would like to have somepony to go with... “ she mused.

“”I’d be happy to keep you company, but don’t feel obligated,” I said putting away the berries. 

“Well, if you’d like to, we could have dinner, then see the lights.”

I was rather surprised she actually wanted to go anywhere with me. “Where you want to meet?”

“I can pick you up at seven.”

Hay, a real date. Sort of any way. Still a bit odd having Strawberry throw his sister at me. “It’s a date,” I said smiling at her.


> Intermission 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shane walked into the horse barn, and scratched his head; all the stalls were empty. “Hello...” he called, hoping someone was around. Only the distant crying of cicadas answered him. Closing the gate behind him, he walked between the rows of empty stalls. Maybe someone is in the back. 

There was only neatly stacked hay in the backroom. The overly-clean floor, and unopened bag of sweet feed made the workspace surreal. Wiping the sweat from his face, he looked around again before opening the gate to the field. Outside, a fresh breeze gave him some relief. His eyes traced the horizon, looking for any animal or person. He only found the rusty old fence and waving grass. Heading out across the field, he made his way to the pond. If he was lucky, John had decided it was a fishing day. If not there was always a horse or four hiding in the shade around the pond. He could hop on one, and see if he could find somebody.

He was standing by the pond’s edge a few moments later, neither horse, human, or ripple in sight. He hadn’t even seen any cats or dogs. The old barn caught his attention. Maybe the tractor had broken down, and they were working on it ... again. Walking out to the middle of the pasture, he could see the tractor wasn’t there long before he got to it, and no sign of anyone having been there recently. No one inside, or up in the loft either. His plane was still there, that was some relief. He needed to take a day to put the engine back in ... why had he taken the engine out to begin with? Closing the barn back up, he decided to just head over the the house, maybe someone was home. 

It was a long way from that barn to the house. They were on opposite corners of the property, and he’d have to climb through the fence too. He hated climbing through barbed wire, it was a skill he had never acquired. He had just turned his back on the barn, when a sound caught his attention. 

A lone horse was watching him from the far corner of the barn. Meeting the creature’s eyes, Shane clicked his tongue in greeting to the horse. It perked up at the call, and stepped out into the field, it’s eyes never leaving his. There was a light in the mare’s eyes that told him she was a smart one, beautiful too. He’d never seen this mare before, probably a show horse that someone was boarding with John. 

She was black as oiled ebony, lean, but not skinny. There was something magic about a black horse. He had grown up watching the old Zorro adventures, and Toronado would always be his vision of the perfect horse. He’d tried to get his mother to buy a black horse when he was little. She’d lovingly teased him about his wanting a Zorro-horse to play pretend with. She couldn’t tease too much; her own childhood horse had been the spitting image of Trigger. 

He admired her gait as she approached. She had a warhorse’s stride and confidence, moving like she was going to walk up and start talking to him. Normally he would never ride a boarded horse, but he just couldn’t resist. Stepping to her left side as she approached, he planted his hand on her withers, and hopped onto her back. She froze up and gave a confused nicker, causing him to ready himself to be thrown off, but she neither bucked nor reared. 

“Good girl,” he said, petting her neck. Relaxing into place, he nudged her with hand and foot. 

The mare took a reflexive half step at his prompt, then twisted her head around to look at him. Her eyes and ears expressed ‘Are you serious?’ with an intensity that made him think he’d actually heard the words spoken.

“Afraid I’m going to run you too hard?” he asked laughing and patting her withers. He started to nudge her to run again, but she bolted into a full gallop, almost making him fall off her back. Shane laughed once he righted himself. The mare ran smoothly, and he had little want for stirrups. Leaning forward, he let her run where she liked. 

They had crossed half the pasture, before Shane started steering her towards the house. She resisted at first, but soon enough she started following his lead. He’d take her to the fence, then walk to the house. If it was his horse, he’d go down to the gate, but he would only indulge so much. As the fence line approached, he leaned back and pulled lightly at her mane to stop. As much fun as he was having, he needed to figure out where everyone had gone. 

Horses have tells; little quirks that let you know what they’re thinking, or are about to do. Many of these need no explaining to the observant and the clever. Other tells are plainly seen by those who have been around horses long enough. Then there are those subtle tells that only an experienced rider can feel. 

This mare was going to jump that fence, and there was nothing he could do to stop her. Years of experience took over his body as the mare vaulted the fence. It was an impressive jump. In the little moment of silence between jumping and landing, it occurred to him that she might be a steeplechase horse. 

He regretted not having stirrups on the landing, but he’d taken worse knocks on the rodeo circuit. A dozen yards past the fence he got her to canter to a halt. Sliding off her, he was baffled that she hadn’t broken a sweat, and wasn’t even breathing hard. Petting her muzzle, he looked her over again as if she was an alien creature. Something tingled in his mind. What he was seeing, and what he was looking at didn’t line up. 

It wasn’t just her either. Ever since he walked into the stable the whole world seem strange: too quiet, too still... too lonely. Why had he even gone out to the stable? For that matter why was he even at the farm? 

Turning, he looked for his truck in the driveway. There wasn’t even a road, just fallow fields stretching to a distant tree line. The house was there, but something was off. The mare followed him at a distance as he walked around to the front. Shane stared at the stable he’d grown up in ... no, that’s not right. It was supposed to be a house. Was there a difference? He couldn’t remember. 

His mind swam in confusion as he stepped onto the porch. The door was open, so he entered without knocking. Inside, it smelled of clean hay and cooking. “Hello?” he called.

“In the kitchen,” a familiar voice answered. 

Walking down the line of stalls, he entered the back room. Key Peg was just putting dinner on the table. Celestia already sitting in her chair, had a glass of ice tea at her lips. Setting her glass down, she gave him a smile.

“Welcome home.” Celestia said


- - -


Shane’s eyes flew open. Sitting up in bed, he wiped the sweat from his face. The room was sweltering; he’d forgotten to open a window before going to bed. “What a bonkers dream,” he grumbled to himself.


- - -


Luna stared at her hoof change back to it’s proper form as the dream dissolved around her. “Humans have the strangest dreams...”
> Choices 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

My first night sleeping in my new home was pleasant, if not a little lonely. I’m used to having roommates, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it. At least Key Peg was getting Strawberry to take my room at his place, which made me feel better that I hadn’t left him alone. The herd instinct runs deep in ponies; they don’t like living alone. It’s considered one of the biggest drawbacks to being a stud. 

Ruby dropped off the books she wanted me to read this morning. This included a reproductive anatomy book, a history of the House of the Rising sun, and a small stack of romance novels... 

She also gave me a better rundown of the House’s policies: pretty basic stuff and common courtesy, really. The slightly murky ethics of having relationships outside the stable was the only tricky part. Even that boiled down to keep personal and professional life very separate.

At the end of that lecture Ruby handed me three baskets brimming with strange little packages. Two of them I couldn’t identify, one of them I was sure were condoms. “Birth control?” I asked picking at the stranger products.

“Yes, you’re required to keep three forms of birth control visible at all times, but it is the mares’ responsibility to use them; if they want.”

“Going to show me how they work?” I asked, smirking when she hoofed them over.

“I suppose I could find time this evening. If you haven’t figured them out yourself,” she said feigning to look bored, but her ears were pointed straight at me. 

“I have that practice date tonight,” I said, giving her my best sad look.

Her ears relaxed, but didn’t fold back. “Well, I’m sure you’ll figure it out. I doubt you’ll be using them much anyway.”

Once she left, I put the baskets on my coffee table, and began investigating what they were. This was kinda my profession, I needed to be familiar with this stuff. Reaching for the only familiar looking thing, I peeled it open to see how different it was.

I’d like to introduce you to the most demoralizing thing I’ve ever had the privilege of holding; a pony condom. To my relief I was correct about the girth, but fully unrolled it was almost the length of my forearm. Looks like I was going to have to learn to make the most with what I had. No complaints so far though, that was a good sign

Moving on to the next basket, I picked up what looked like a wrapped candy. Inside was a pellet that stunk of chemicals: I could only assume it was spermicide. The last basket was the real riddle. Neatly packed glass vials, with waxed over stoppers. They had a greenish glow to them and the liquid swirled around inside, whether I was moving the vial or not. An honest-to-god magic potion. Was this for me, or her? Oh well, I’ll figure that out when the time comes. I left the vial sealed, as curious as I was about the enchanted contents, I wasn’t ready to dabble in magic till I’d gotten a little instruction in it first.

Not that I didn’t intend to learn what I could about their magic. What boy didn’t dream of riding dragons, and throwing fireballs? Wait, are their dragons here? Either way, magic—it was real here, and I was going to play with it.

Picking up the books, I pondered which to read first. I’d been reading a lot of history lately, so I sat that book aside. The anatomy book seemed interesting, but dry. After glancing at some of its anatomical panels, I sat that to the side, too. I’d read that in a day or two. 

That left me with the smut—real bodice-ripper stuff by the looks of it, cheesy covers and all:

A Cloud Forgotten. A lonely mare finds a forgotten city populated entirely by immortal pegasus stallions. Think I’m going to pass on that for now; gangbangs aren’t my thing. 

The Apprentice. When Orchid Glow gets a young colt apprentice will she be able to separate pleasure form business? I slid that one over as a maybe. The magic part being more interesting than the romance.  

A Prairie of Our Own. A small herd of earth ponies stake a claim on the edge of... Okay that sounds interesting. Herd dynamic, I need to learn about that.

The last book was also the newest looking one, The Twilight Between Them. Ruby told me she included this one because it was the current best seller. The cover art had some purple alicorn I had never seen, posed between Luna and Celestia. I’d just flipped it over to read the blurb on the back, when someone knocked on my door.

“Be right there!” I called. 

Opening the door I found two mail mares with a little mail cart.  “Shane?” the one not yoked to the wagon asked. 

I nodded. “Yea.”

“Where do you want this?” she asked, pointing to a wood crate on the wagon. “It’s heavy.”

Walking around the cart, I inspected the mailing label; it was from Luna. Setting the book on the ground, I fumbled with the crate to try and peek inside.
 
“Oo! That’s a good one,” the yoked mare said looking at the book. “How far in are you?”

Cracking one of the planks lose, the smell of oil greeted me. “Just picked it up actually.” Peering inside, my suspicions were confirmed; it was the VW engine from my plane. “I was between reading this or A Prairie of Our Own,” I said picking my book back up. “I’ll need help getting this into the back bedroom.”

“Prairie is all drama, no action,” she said slipping out of her yolk. “No problem. Slide it off, and we’ll carry it in.” 

Between the three of us, it was pretty easy getting the crate back to my room. I tipped them a few bits each as they left, then went back to look over the engine, I thought about making a work space in my room to get it running again, but no gasoline made that pointless. I’d figure out what to do with that later. It was almost noon, I needed to get going if I was going to meet Key Peg for lunch when he got off his shift.

Slinging on my backpack, I headed out the door. I really needed to walk around the House a bit and learn the place. Maybe I should host a dinner party and invite some of the studs over. I’ll have to ask Key Peg what’s the pony way of introducing myself to my coworkers and neighbors. 

Plodding out into the road, I was still running good on time, so I ducked into a little shop I’d seen earlier. Heavy Petting, was a colorful little shop across the street from the house. It seemed like a place I should check out, maybe buy a few things from.

A bell announced my entrance as I opened the door. I had to laugh, the place looked like a bad mash up of the Co-op and Victoria’s secrets. 

“Can I help you?” a little unicorn mare asked.

Scanning the shop’s shelves, I found my initial impression even more accurate. Brushes, combs, curries, dresses ... lacy things. Nothing I’d call lewd, though. 

“I need some grooming tack,” I answered after a moment.

“Tack?” She seemed a bit insulted by my choice of words.

“Sorry, Umm...” Walking over to a shelf I picked up a nice looking brush; the bristles were glossy and soft. “One of these, something stiffer, a shedding blade, and a comb.” 

“Oh! You want a mane-a-cure set.” She perked up after my explanation, and trotted over to some shelves. “We have several nice sets over here. What were you looking to spend?”

‘Mane-a-cure’, sure why not. Taking a knee besides the mare, I picked up one of the box sets. It was a nice wooden case, reminded me of what my grandmother kept her silverware in. Inside was everything I’d mentioned, plus a hoof rasp and some things I didn’t recognize. 

“That’s our best set there.” she informed me as I looked over the contents. 

It was a very pretty set, rosewood and silver. Not sure what the bristles were made of, somehow I think horse hair was out of the question. There were a couple of jars in the box too, one labeled coat gloss, the other preening oil. Coat gloss I knew, preening oil I’ll have to figure out. 

“How much?”

“Sixty five bits.”

“Sixty, and deliver it to my stall at the House.”

She blinked at me for a moment, then shrugged. “Deal.”



Waving at the familiar faces, I made my way into the castle. A few hallways later, and I was at our meeting spot. Sitting on a bench, I shuffled through my backpack, and pulled out my copy of Twilight Between Them. Might as well start in on my reading assignment while I waited.

Somewhere in the middle of chapter two, I had the distinct impression that someone was reading over my shoulder. Turning my head, I was greeted by Celestia’s impish smile.

“Why Shane, I never knew you had such fantasies about me.”

“I, Ugh ... it’s homework.”

 “How diligent of you!” Celestia’s eyes sparked with surprise before fading into a more contemplative expression. “My tastes are very different than what is in that book though. Sunburns, gets much closer.”

Time to change the subject. Dog-earing my page, I closed the book. “Is this Twilight Sparkle a real pony too?” I asked, pointing the the purple alicorn on the cover.

“Yes, and never let her see you fold a page like that: for both my sake, and your own,” she answered, her magic opening the book and ironing out the page. A little scrap of paper floated in from somewhere and tucked itself into the book before her magic sealed it again. I could feel a suppressed giggle within Celestia as I sat dazzled from the display of magic. 

“Your friend should be out shortly, the ceremony finished a few minutes ago,” she said. With no other comment, she gave me a parting smile before turning and wandering off into the halls of the castle.

Sure enough, only a minute or two later, I spotted Key Peg sauntering towards me. Sweat-matted fur told me he had just peeled off his uniform. “You ready to eat?” I asked.

“Yea, I need something heavy.”

We ended up at a place called Tender Tuffs. It was a popular little lunch spot; one of the few places I had known about before venturing outside the palace walls. Ms. Hooves would eat here for lunch at least once a week, and she always brought me back one of their famous smoothies. 

Why the concoction of wheat grass and apples was rainbow-striped, I still haven't figured out. The creepy part is that no matter how much you stir it; the colors do not blend! 

Taking a seat inside I looked over the menu. Key Peg was cooing at the selection, but everything sounded like yard clippings to me. 

“How was work?” I asked, browsing the menu, hoping to spot something edible. Hmm, alfalfa sprouts and tofu in red curry, that sounds good. 

Key Peg gave me a pleased smile, “It was Graduation day. That’s always fun.”

“So when do you get a new batch to terrorize?” 

We paused our conversation as the waitress approached. I took a gamble on the curry, Key Peg ordered something that sounded like what I pulled out of the lawn mower. 

After our meal, I got a zap smoothy to-go, and we started our preparations for the night. The streets were already starting to buzz with a festival air. Food carts were popping up on street corners, along with little carts selling paper lanterns. Ponies were stringing up rows of the colorful lanterns between anything they could reach.

“This is really going to be pretty, once the sun sets,” I said watching two pegasus hanging lanterns.

“It’s a celebration for the summer night. You should have come out and joined us last month for the Summer Sun celebration.”

I probably should have gotten out that night. Celestia had seemed disappointed that I had hidden in my room. Next year I’ll make a point to go watch her raise the sun. 

We went back to my place to get ready for our dates. One of the mares on the gardening staff had asked Key Peg out. His date sounded a good bit more serious than mine. Camellia was both the lead gardener in the tea garden, and part of a small earth-pony herd. A good date could land him not one girlfriend, but four.

A shower, nap, and grooming later; and the seven o’clock hour was near. I waved goodbye to a very-glossy Key Peg as he left to meet his date at a nearby tea house. I used more of that coat gloss than I meant to. I thought it made him look plastic, and offered to wash it out, but he seemed to like the effect.

Picking my book back up, I read to pass the time till my date showed up. I’d just finished another chapter when I heard a knocking on my door. Looks like Twilight Sparkle’s love confession to Luna will have to wait till tomorrow.

Winter greeted me with a sheepish grin when I opened the door. “Hi,” she said, fidgeting with the hem of her yellow dress. She had that adorable beauty I associate with prom season.

... actually.

“Winter Squash, how old are you?”

Tilting her head she looked up at me. “Sixteen, why?”

My arm twitched to close the door and go back inside. “I’m twice your age. Exactly twice your age actually.”

“Okay, so?” she answered with a shrug.

I rubbed my eyes for a moment. It’s not like her mother didn’t know where she was, what she was doing, or who she was with. “Sorry, culture shock, again,” I mumbled, stepping outside, and closing the door behind me. 

“So where to first?” I asked. Standing beside her, I offered my arm to her out of habit, before thinking better of it. 

“There’s a midway set up in the park.”

“Lead the way,” I said with a smile. I was suddenly rather self conscious about what I should be doing with my hands, and how couples were supposed to walk together. 

The park was a few blocks away. It was the normal plot of land given to parks and fairgrounds: land that could be used for nothing else. Between the mountain and the castle, it had a beautiful view, and about three hours of sunlight a day.  

With all the activity on the street, I was curious to see what they would have setup in the park. Along the way I watched the other strolling couples that had come out in the late day sun. I really couldn’t find anything to distinguish strolling lovers from friends, save for a few pairs with flowers tucked behind their ears. 

“What’s up with the flowers those two are wearing?” I asked.

Winter looked up at me, then followed the direction I was point to. “They’re each other's special somepony.”

“So... is that like being married, or just a long-term relationship.”

“It means they're not available to anypony outside their herd.”

That was interesting. “There are humans that live on tropical islands, that have a similar custom.” 

Winter perked up at my comment. “Really, are they earth humans like you, or another tribe?”

I had to let that comment soak in for a moment before I got what she was asking. “All humans are the same tribe. The culture just varies a lot from city to city.” Not really the truth, but hell if I could think of a better way to explain it. The skin-color conversation with Key Peg had only left him confused, I didn’t really feel like trying to explain that again. Instead, I explained how human couples would hold hands to her as we continued walking to the park. 

Human couples... God, have I been here long enough that I speaking of my own kind in the third person?

Anyway, she found the idea rather cute. She told me pegasus had a similar habit of laying a wing across their lover’s back as they walked, but it was a bit more intimate than first dates usually went. As touchy-feely as ponies were, I found it odd that they had no real analog to holding hands. Then again, what could they do? They use all four limbs to walk.

Turning the corner, we entered the park and stood looking down the midway. If Norman Rockwell ran a fair, it would look just like this; right down to the ferris wheel in the background. The games were different but the sounds of bells, barkers, and popping balloons were the same. Booths selling funnel cake and candies apples filled the park with the same smell that always pulled my back to my childhood.  Closing my eyes, I let the sound and smell wash over me: I was back in Henry county, for just a moment.

“You okay?” Winter asked. She was looking up at me with a worried expression. 

“Yea. Just a little nostalgia. You want a candied apple?” 

“Sure!”

The line to the candied apple stand was long, but moved quick. In the minute or so it took , I eyed the games and shows; had to get winter explain most of the to me. It was amazing how similar it all felt, despite the difference. The High Riser game summed it up pretty well; same tower, bell, and puck, but the pad was vertical. Ponies were bucking it, instead of swinging a hammer. Looked to have the same gaff too. 

“I worked a midway like this one summer,” I told Winter as we stepped forward again. Only a couple of ponies were between us and the stand now. 

“Really?” she asked seeming rather confused.

“Hurt myself in the rodeo. Couldn’t perform, so I got a gig running a game just like that,” I said pointing to the High Rise game.

Winter cocked her head at me as her ears went at odd angles. “What is your special talent anyway?”

Ahh... This conversation. It could wait till after we got our apples. Stepping up to the window a palomino pony greeted me “What’ll ya have?” she asked as an electric-pink pony darted around the booth dipping and rolling apples in various candies.  

I opened my mouth to order, but Winter propped herself up to the window, and laid down some bits. “You can eat oats, right?” Winter asked me.

“Yea.”

Winter smiled and looked back to the palomino, “Two cracked oats and sorghum apples, please.”

Taking my apple as it was offered, I began to follow Winter away from the line, but paused. “Where did you get your hat?’ I asked the palomino. “I lost my old one.”

“Ugh... Appaloosa Traders?” she answered, already taking bits from the ponies behind me.

“Thanks,” I said, hurrying to catch up to my date. Winter headed over to a bench to nibble on her apple, walking and eating wasn't an option for her. 

Chewing my first bit of apple, I watched her enjoy hers. It was really good: crisp tart apple, sweet gooey candy. I savored the treat, giving me time to pondered how to answer her question.

“We don’t have cutie marks,” I said, pausing my progress with the candied apple. I was only half way through mine, but Winter had almost finished hers. “But, I suppose fixing things has always been my talent.” I had Key Peg to thank for that insight. He’d grilled me about every job I ever had, and hobby I enjoyed till I’d admitted to a talent. 

“Hmm...” Winter hummed, polishing off the apple. “That’s a pretty useful talent”

“Generalist don’t do very well in my world though.”

“They’re rare here, so they always have something to do,” she said, throwing the stick away. “Let's play a few games, I’ll try to win you something.”

“Sounds fun. so, tell me about this pet timber wolf of yours; Cedar.”




> Don't rock the boat. 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shane tucked the over-sized spider plushie under one arm, and held the gate to the ferris wheel’s gondola with the other.

“Thank you,” Winter said, stepping into the gondola. She paused, waiting for him to take a seat before she took hers. The human moved funny, she could never guess just where he was going. As the ride workers latched the door shut, she sat next to her date. He was certainly nice, but a bit quiet. When he did talk, he seemed to be consciously steering to conversation to be about her: which was odd.  

“You’re not going to rock the basket, are you?” he asked, his expression a little grim.

“No...” she said, then pointed a hoof at her chest. “Earth pony.”

“Good,” he said, relaxing against the back of the seat. “This should be a really pretty view.”

“Mmhmm,” she answered, bracing herself as the ride lurched forward, letting the gondola behind them load its passengers. Like most of her tribe, she could pass on heights, but Shane had seemed excited to ride the ferris wheel. Closing her eyes, she rested her chin on Shane’s legs. It was a nice quiet moment, and it distracted her from being off the ground, at least until they were up high enough that looking would be worth it. The wheel lurched once more as the next basket was filled with a giggling group of fillies. 

“You okay?” Shane asked, draping a warm arm across her neck. His fine fingers caressed the muscles between her ears.

“Just resting. That feels really nice.”

She laid there and enjoyed the attention until the ride stopped its jerky movement, and began a smooth continuous turning. Begrudgingly, she sat up, and leaned shoulder to shoulder. Sitting quietly as the wheel made its first lap, they admired the view. The sun was just about to set, they had timed getting on perfectly.

“STOP IT!” a voice yelled from the basket above them, jerking the two out of their daze. 

Looking up, they found a pegasus half-hanging out the gondola. Grinning and laughing, she rocked the basket, while an earth pony clung to the rails. 

Giving the basket another swing, the pegasus chuckled. “Don’t be so scared. There’s no way you could-”

Whatever else she was going to say came out as only a grunt, as two hind hooves launched the mare clean out of the basket. Tumbling in the air, she spread her wings and hovered in place. Rubbing her shoulder, she glared at the gondola that was no longer swinging, and held a laughing earth pony. 

“Is that normal?” Shane asked, laying an arm across her withers.

 Leaning into the embrace, she nodded. “Yeah, pretty much.”

> Night Lights
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With a stuffed spider under my arm, we left the fairgrounds. Sunset was minutes away, and the whole city seemed to be out walking the streets. I wouldn’t really call it a party atmosphere though. More like a crowded tourist trap. There was a certain air of waiting about the crowd.

Resting a hand on Winter, so I wouldn’t lose her, I took advantage of my height to look around. Ponies were gathering on the grassy hills, all with an eye towards the setting sun. They were definitely waiting for something. 

“What happens at sunset?” I asked. “Fireworks?”

“No, fireworks are at midnight. The candle balloons are sent up at sunset. Do you need one?”

“Hmm...” Cultural outsider time again. Looking closer at one of the nearby vendors, I watched them selling colorful little paper lanterns. The patrons would step aside with their purchase, and scribble on it with a provided quill, before scurrying off to their waiting spot. They were pretty obviously sky lantern, but the writing was a mystery.

“What are they writing on the lanterns?” 

Winter jumped at the question. I could tell she had forgotten what an outsider I was. “Sorry. We send lanterns to the dead tonight. You write the names of your passed loved ones on the lantern, and send it up as the sun sets.”

“That’s... really nice. I would like one actually. I’ll be right back.” 

“I’ll find a place to sit,” Winter said walking over to a nearby fountain. 

Mulling through the crowd was awkward. It’s hard to restrain myself from stepping over top them in a normal crowd. It was worse here, with half of them laying down in wait for sunset. They really hate that though, so I behaved myself, and shuffled around the crowd, till I was in line at one of the lantern carts. I watched the ponies in front of me lay a single bit on the cart, and name a color. It was an organized affair, with ponies moving to the side as soon as the folded paper was in their hooves. 

“Red,” I told the stallion as I clicked a bit on the counter. Stepping out of the way, I took the folded lantern from him, and waited my turn for the calligraphy brush. I was a little self conscious of my hand writing when I got the brush. There’s really no excuse for me to have sloppier writing than a pony. 

When I sat back next to Winter, she scrunched her face trying to read what I’d written on the balloon. Funny thing about the babblefish spell, it’s on me, so I can read their writing, but not the other way around. 

“Who is it?” she asked.

“My mother. I was twelve when she died,” I said, as I fiddled with the lantern. “How do you light these?”

“There’s a string in there, you pull that. Can I ask what happened?”

“She hit her head, falling off a horse,” I said out of habit. This was a conversation I had had so many times, it had become automatic. 

“She what?”

Well now I had an awkward explanation on my hands. “In my world, we have animals that look very much like earth ponies, except about the size of Celestia. We keep them as pets, and ride on their backs to travel long distances.” I learned that simple explanations were best. No sense in getting into carriages, or even the fact that cars had made horses nothing more than a hobby. 

“So you could ride Celestia?”

I’m not sure what I choked on, but I found myself coughing rather hard. Winter patted me on my back till I had regained my breath. 

“Sorry,” she said. “I wasn’t implying...”

“No, no. It’s okay. It’s just that she could turn me inside out, so I’m not even entertaining the idea of touching her, let alone throwing a saddle on her.”

This time it was Winter that coughed. She had a bit of a blush too, but I wasn’t going to ask. The shadows were starting to move fast across the ground, so I put an arm around her and watched the sun set. I never really got the romance about sunsets back home, but here they really are something. Getting to sit down with the entire city to watch one was an experience unto itself as well. 

As soon as the moon had jumped to its spot in the sky, ponies began lighting their lanterns. It was an eerily quiet scene; hundreds of ponies in solemn silence, lit by colorful candlelight. I lit my balloon too, holding it just right, so that it would fill with hot air. The first lanterns lifted above the crowd before mine had even began to feel light, but soon enough my lantern joined the growing number of glowing balloons in the night sky. 

You couldn’t see anything but the lanterns for a while, they were everywhere. Then slowly, they began to ascend. Leaning against Winter, we watched the balloons drift into the sky. 

“Tell me about your homeworld, Shane,” Winter asked.

“You’d think it was terribly boring.  There’s no magic, and mine is the only sapient species.”

I spent about an hour telling Winter about the earth I have come from. It was kinda nice actually. I try to avoid the topic with most ponies. By then the street party had gone into full swing. A band near by had prompted a few dozen ponies to turn a crosswalk into a dance floor. 

“Care to dance?” I asked, pointing towards the crowd. 

Winter smiled, and all but jumped to her hooves. “Sure!”

Walking towards the crowd dancing to the slow music, I pondered how I was going to make this work. Ponies were funny to watch dance. Some were good, other’s weren’t. On a whole though, they movements lacked a certain grace that I expect on the dance floor. They were after all quadrupeds.

Occasionally though, I would see one move on just their hind legs. It was a bit of a balancing act, but some could do it for quite a while. I expect it a bit like being able to do a handstand.  Still, It gave me an idea. 

“Care to learn a dance from my world?”

“That would be neat,” she said squaring up to me with a smile.

“Okay, rear up on your hind legs, and put your left hoof here,” I said patting my right shoulder. As soon as she did, I took her other hoof in my right hand, and rested the other on her waist.

Winter fidgeted, trying to find her proper balance against me. “This is kinda awkward...”

“Yea, but you’ll pick it up fast. Now watch my feet, and mirror them.”

The box step is the first dance I ever learned. It’s as simple or complicated as you want to make it. “Back, side, together, forward, side, together,” I chanted as I took her through the moves.  To her credit, she learned it faster than I had back in the third grade. 

A moment later, and we began to move in time with the music. 


- - -


“That was fun!” Winter said, as we strolled back into the streets. “You want to find some food now?”

“Sure. What sounds good to you?” After a bit of me teaching her to dance my way, she talked me into trying to learn one of theirs. I know I had to of looked ridiculous, but it was still fun. It was also exhausting, and I was not starving.

Winter gave me a mischievous smile. “I know a secret restaurant, follow me.”

Well this was different. I hope all mares are this take charge about picking a place to eat. I followed her through the streets, we stopped occasionally to admire the decorations, or a random street performer, but soon I found myself back near the castle. We stopped at a rather bland looking door in the shadow of the castle. It was on the side that had been mostly taken over by businesses catering to the guards.

“We’re friends of Luna,” Winter said to the door after giving it a heavy knock.

The door opened, revealing a rather sceptical looking nocturne. “Can I help you?”

“We’re hoping there's two bare seats open,” Winter said.

The nocturne looked behind him, checking something I could not see. “Come on in,” he said, moving out of our way.

I could only call this place a honky-tonk; just minus the country music. Instead there was a delicate looking nocturne mare playing a stringed instrument of some kind. Passing the tables, we collected our fair share of strange looks.

Finding a few open spots at the bar, we sat down. Winter tapped the shoulder of the nocturne stallion next to her, as soon as she took her seat.

“Hey Brother.”

It was only then that I recognized Strawberry. “What are you two doing here?” he asked giving us a shocked look.

 “Thought I’d treat Shane to some rice”

Strawberry looked around awkwardly for a second. “Does he...”

“Yea,” Winter said, giving him a slap on the shoulder. “Key Peg told me he took him to that griffon place.”

“Umm... what are you two talking about?” I asked.

“Sorry,” Winter said, giving me a sweet smile. “Strawberry introduced me to rice a while back, I thought you might like it too.”

I was pretty sure the translation was breaking down, but I was always up for trying new food. “Sure, Order me something, I’ll give it a try.”

Saddling up to the bar, I made casual conversation with Winter and Strawberry. I ordered a hard cider to nurse on while the food was being prepared. We talked about the date. It was a bit of a breakdown that broke the spell of the evening, but Winter insisted that she had enjoyed the date so far. Apparently I focus the conversation on her too much. A good stallion has interesting stories to tell apparently. Which oddly, is easy enough for me, I just have to break the mindset of focusing on the girl.

A few minutes later, and a nocturne stallion sat a plate in front of each of us. I had to blink a few times.

“I’ll be damned, you do eat raw meat,” I mumbled. Strawberry wilted at the comment, but no one else seemed to hear me.

“I know it looks strange, but try it,” Winter said.

I gave my place a toothy grin. “Oh I will. I thought I’d never get to eat this again.” Reaching down, I picked up one of the sushi, and popped it in my mouth. It was wonderfully fresh. There was a bit of seasoning I didn’t recognize, but all in all, it was very familiar. “I love this stuff,” I said once my mouth was no longer full.

“You’ve had that before?” Strawberry asked. He was giving me a confused look, while Winter was smiling. 

“Yea, it’s a delicacy in my world.”

“You probably shouldn’t mention that to most ponies,” Winter said, taking up a piece from her own plate. 










> Step Right Up.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The apartment just couldn’t get clean enough. 

I had my first appointment showing up in minutes, and the apartment wasn’t ready. I thought getting up at six would give me enough prep time for a noon client, but I was wrong. It didn’t help that I had forgotten to stock the wet bar. Running out to the market to stock it had eaten up an hour of my morning that I could have used to figure out how to make a blanket with crooked edges hang straight on the back of my sofa.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

‘Crap, she’s here.’ Taking a breath, I smiled before speaking. “Be right there.” The smile fell from my face as I ran into the working bedroom. I was going to have to totally rearrange this room tomorrow: nothing lined up, the flow was all wrong. Nudging the night stand a bit to the left, I called it as good as I was getting and darted to the front door. 

‘Deep breath, relax,’ I told myself, pausing a heartbeat before opening the door. I knew she was a unicorn named Lemon Cake, but that was all the information I had been given.

“Hi,” the pastel-yellow and ivory mare said as soon as I opened the door. She looked a good bit older than Winter, but younger than Ms. Hooves. 

Standing aside, I held the door open for her to enter. “Glad you could make it. Come on in.”

Lemon gave me a casual smile, walking past me into the living room.  She seemed at ease with the situation, taking a seat on the sofa like it was her own. 

“Would you like anything to drink?” I asked, closing the door.

“Something cold would be nice,” she said with a pleasant smile. She seemed like a nice pony. I still have difficulty in picking up the subtle differences in what ponies consider attractive, but I think Lemon would be considered plain by most. 

Going into the kitchen, I pulled out the pitcher of tea I had made the night before, and poured two glasses. Taking them back to the living room, I tried to put into practice what Spinner had told me: “Start a session by being familiar, but not intimate. Always ask them what they're looking for today.” 

“Here you go,” I said taking a seat on the couch. She levitated the glass from my hand, and took a sip. Debating the taste of my sweet tea for a moment, she hummed her approval and took a deeper drink. For the record, it took me weeks to be able to recreate the taste of my grandmother's sweet tea using Equestrian ingredients. 

“So, what are you looking for today?”

Leamon took another sip of tea before setting the glass on the coaster I had set out earlier. She looked around the apartment in silence for a moment, making me self-conscious of the little things left unstraightened. 

“I’ve been kinda lonely lately.”

That wasn’t really an answer. “Well, that’s a shame,” I said, setting my glass down to give her my full attention. 

She just kinda shrugged at my response, her happy demeanor cracking to show a sad mare. “My roommate got her dream job, but its hours are opposite of mine. I hardly ever see her anymore. And my big brother had twins a few months back, so I really never get to see him anymore.” 

With a gentle motion, I rested my hand on her knee. “Would you like to go walk around the garden, or would you rather stay inside?” 

“I kinda just wanted some time with you. I want to feel... wanted.”

Well, that something to work with. I was curious about why she had picked me over one of the stallions, but I wasn’t going to ask. Odds are, it was because I’m the cheapest. Sitting properly on the couch, I patted my lap. “Would you like me to rub your back?”

Her ears jumped forward at the question, betraying her otherwise-melancholy mood. “Sure.” 

Lemon draped herself over my legs, then floated a throw pillow under her head as I ran my fingers across her coat. I kept the massage innocent, but affectionate. She shed hair as I scratched; her bright-yellow undercoat needed a curry comb taken to it badly. It was interesting how the white topcoat muted the undercoat into a pastel.

After a few minutes, I thought she had fallen asleep. She had me for the next eight hours, so I figured letting her sleep on me for a little while was as good a way to pass the day as any. 

Being in a grooming mood now, I turned my attention to her ivory mane. It was a bit of a mess, so I used my fingers to comb it out. Over the next half hour, I managed to get most the knots out as she dozed in my lap. I'd done a good job of not waking her up, but she finally stirred when I got to her bangs. 

She moved just enough to give me a lazy smile before nuzzling my arm, then sat up; more or less in my lap. We looked at each other in relative silence for a moment, and then she kissed me. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, just a firm peck on the lips. I was at a bit of a loss as to what I would do, but thankfully she spoke before my lack of action became awkward.

“Thank you. I needed that,” she said, moving off my lap, and sitting beside me. 

A little puff of hair floated past my face, giving me an idea of how to entertain my client. “I have an idea,” I said standing up. “Follow me.”

Lemon stretched before hopping down from the couch and following me into the guest bathroom. She seemed a bit confused, till I pulled the grooming kit out from the cabinet. 

“Ooo, that’s a nice set!” she said. I could tell she was trying not to act eager.

“I haven’t got to really use this yet.” Taking the curry comb out, I motioned towards the shower. “Step into the shower, and we’ll try this out.” The shower in this bathroom was made big enough for two ponies to move around in, so I’d have no trouble grooming Lemon in it.

Lemon smiled, and opened the shower door. Stepping inside, she watched me eagerly. I started to follow her in, but paused. There was no way I wasn’t going to get soaked. “Guess I should take my clothes off.”

“I was wondering,” Lemon said, stifling a chuckle. 

Socks, shirt, and pants were taken off, folded, and placed on a shelf. I took my time as much for myself and for Lemon’s — she seemed fascinated with my unwrapping, and I still haven’t gotten comfortable with the idea of being casually nude. Though now that I’m starting to get desensitized, I think I might have to go stroll the market stark naked, just to see if I get a reaction. 

Taking a breath, I untie my underwear, and laid it on top of everything else.

“No sheath?” she asked.

“Not really,” I said, turning the shower on. “So, what is your special talent?” Getting the water pleasantly hot, I adjusted the shower heads to center on her back.

“Pastries. Most of my family are bakers of some sort.” She made a happy little hum as I scrubbed coat shampoo into her. “That feels wonderful.”

“Is that common; families that share talents?” I asked. “A long time ago, it was common with my kind, but not really anymore.” Picking up the curry, I started in on combing out all that dead hair.

Lemon nickered, her head and neck going straight. “Oh, stars…”  

“You okay?”

“Yeah, definitely okay. You’re really good at that.”

“Glad you like it.” Satisfied that I wasn’t hurting her, I continued my work. I fell into my old rhythm for the work; just on a smaller scale. 

Not that I minded washing quarter horses, but Lemon was much more enjoyable to groom. Her little hums of pleasure, and feminine body, let me forget our physical differences. Kneeling beside her, I let one hand trace her body, while the other worked the curry. The comb was one of the soft kind, so I even took it to her neck, and inner thigh. 

“A family with similar talents isn’t uncommon, but it isn’t the rule,” she told me once my grooming had stopped. Opening her eyes, she looked at the hair collecting on the drain’s hair trap. “Was I that bad?”

“You were a pretty wooly pony.”

Lemon’s expression again faded to a lonely daze. “Sorry.”

‘Nothing to be sorry about.” Setting the comb down, I giving her a hug. I’d hit a nerve, and wanted to make it up before I really put my foot in my mouth. Picking up the mane shampoo, I pondered my next move. “Is it okay if I shampoo your tail?” It only seemed polite to ask first; even as intimate as we already were.

“Sure,” she said, lifting her tail more than just a bit. 

Dobbing out some shampoo, I worked it into her tail. She kept her tail short, the hair only going a bit longer than the tail itself. The bony appendage twitched in my grasp, occasionally making a halfhearted attempt to hold my hand. It had a very different feel from that of the horses I had washed back home. It was a lithe, near-prehensile thing, that only looked clumsy for the fluffy hair around it.

Her tail lathered up, I left it to rinse off on it own as temptation nudged me to mess with her a bit more than I had been. “Close your eyes,” I said before starting in on her mane. I’d been pretty clinical with her tail, but I was going to work a good massage into doing her mane. I also thought it would be good to tease her a bit more. We had a long day ahead of us, I wanted her as wound up as possible for whatever might happen in the evening.

Stepping to one side, I threw my leg across her back, and rested just a little of my weight on her. I could feel her tail flag against the small of my back as her legs stiffened. “This okay?” I asked, massaging a lather into her mane.

She fidgeted a bit under me. I would have worried, but I could see a crooked smile on her muzzle. “You’re a horrible tease,” she said with a laugh, again squirming a bit. “It’s strange, having you on my back, but not behind me, too.”

Running my fingers along her neck and around her ears, I eventually neared the base of her horn. Something I had read in The Twilight Between Them sprang to mind. There had been a rather overly-descriptive scene involving Luna, Twilight, and Celestia.

Creeping my fingers past her ears, I found her horn. It was as hard and bony as I had imagined, feeling more like antler than horn. Where it met her skull, it flared and disappeared under a hard ring of hide. With thumb and forefinger, I caressed the seam between horn and flesh.

“Ugh...” Lemon’s knees buckled beneath me 

I caught her between my legs, keeping her from falling over. “Too much?”

“No, just... didn’t expect it.” Getting her legs back under her, she let one of the shower heads wash over her face. “Where did you learn that?”

“Romance book.”

“Let’s save more of that for when I’m laying down, before I fall and hurt myself.”

This was kind of empowering, and I wanted to see how much of a reaction I could get out of her. A smirk spread across my face. Kneeling by her neck, I snuggled up to where my lips were all but touching her ear. “I think we can arrange that,” I said, tracing my fingers just outside the sensitive spot. 

To her credit, her knees didn’t buckle, but I did get a very rewarding groan out of her. Still grinning, I stood back up and opened the shower door. “Let’s rinse off and dry,” I said fetching the shedding blade.
 
“Yeah... rinse off...,” she said, moving under both nozzles. 

As soon as she was rinsed, she stepped back and let me do the same. Turning the water off, I picked the shedding blade back up, and motioned for her to come closer. “I’ll dry you off.”

“No need.” Yellow magic rolled off her horn and across her body, sending sheets of water cascading to the shower’s floor.

“That’s convenient.”

“Also dries dishes.” Her horn lit again as she took a step towards me. 

My skin prickled as her aura rolled over me, I could hear the water falling off me, but the tickle of the magic made me close my eyes. I opened them just in time to see Lemon give me a devious grin, then take all of my half-erect member into her mouth. 

Her tongue did inhuman things to me. Needless to say, I wasn’t half erect anymore. She looked up to me with a playful smile as she bobbed her head just a bit. A muffled giggle told me she knew she had  me catatonic against the wall. I was about to warn her that I could last much longer, when she stopped all together.

“Now we’re even,” she said with a smirk. Turning around, she left the shower, the sway of her hips inviting me to follow. 

Obliging her, I stepped out onto tile, and put the grooming tools back into their box. “Let’s go to the bed to get you brushed out,” I said picking up the soft brush and coat gloss.

We got comfortable on the bed with her laying on one side, then the other, as I smoothed out her frizzy coat and mane. It was a quiet and intimate few minutes, with a little cuddling mixed in. I was kinda surprised how much her color changed after the grooming. The yellow of her coat had gone from pastel, to a color more akin to her namesake. Her mane had also gone from ivory to snow white. 

The whole time she kept her horn within easy reach, wordlessly begging me to continue what I had started earlier. Once I was satisfied with my grooming job, I couldn’t ignore her pleading eyes anymore. Playing a bit coy, I snuggled against her back, and traced my fingers around her jaw and ears. Finally deciding I had teased enough, I gave her what she wanted. 

Moving to where I could get both hands on her forehead, I put my arms around her. “So this feels good?” I asked, kneading the base of her horn with as many fingers as I could.

“Uuggg...” was all I got out of her. The lulled tongue and rolled eyes, telling me I was doing something right. I was willing to bet she hadn’t had this done to her in a while. It only took a few moments before she started twitching and showing other tells of an impending orgasm. 

Between the earlier teasing and the writhing feminine form in my arms, I could have escalated things a bit more, but I had a whole day on entertaining ahead of me, and another client tomorrow. I had to pace myself as much as possible. 

A yellow aura crackling around her horn numbed my fingers. I hoped that was a good sigh, letting curiosity kept me going. Pressing up against her as tight as I could, I let her cuddle into me as her twitching turned into full spasmes of release; the aura fading away as her body writhed in my arms.

We laid holding each other while she caught her breath. I found myself playing with the sharp end of her horn, feeling the subtle textures and studying its shape. She didn’t seem to notice, and I still found horns fascinating. “What’s it feel like?”

“Like a really good orgasm, but in your brain. Pegasus have something similar with their wings, and earth ponies have their own thing too, but I’ve never heard a good explanation. Something about just being more sensitive.”

“That’s... interesting. But I meant what does it feel like using magic?”

“Oh. Hmm... Depends on what you’re doing. Sometimes you don’t feel anything at all, it just happens. Sometimes it’s like trying to do math in your head. I’m hungry.”

I had to laugh at the sudden declaration. “Alright, what sounds good? You’re all groomed, be a shame not to escort you around town.” Sliding off the bed, I paused to give her a quick kiss. “Give me a second, and I’ll get dressed.”

Lemon followed me back to the bathroom, and watched me get into my underwear. I was getting my pants buttoned, when she stepped a little closer to examine the shirt I had not yet put on.

“Could you not wear this when we go out?”

“I suppose not.” Well, it looks like I get to do my little experiment sooner than I thought. I left the shirt where it was, and followed Lemon out into the main room. 

“I do sunburn easy, so we’ll have to keep to shade when we can,” I said, Opening the toor to the bright summer day.
> In the Garden of...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

So shirtless: compared to what all I’ve gone through in the past few months, it’s pretty tame. Kinda like when I was working on the farm... Actually, lets not think about that. Though, I still need to look up that Appaloosa Traders place, and see if I can get a hat. 

“Can you eat daisy burgers?” Lemon asked.

“No,” I lied. If I never eat another one of those, I’ll be happy. “Lettuce, tofu, bread, pasta, and most fruit are all good.” 

“No grass?”

“I don’t have the teeth to chew it. Sprouts and young wheatgrass are yummy though.” 

‘Hmm...” Lemon pondered a moment. “Okay, I know a place we can go.” 

Walking down the street, I stayed hip to shoulder with Lemon, letting my hand rest on her crest. My job here was to be arm-candy, so I played it up as best I could. We were getting a few looks, nothing special really, but Lemon seemed to be eating the attention up. 

She ended up taking me to a little hummus place. The food was okay, but the total lack of texture left me craving something crunchy. While we waited for our meal, my first instinct was to ask Lemon about her work; to get her talking. Instead I took a lesson from Winter, and told her a story about where I grew up. I felt like I was talking too much, but she seemed to be genuinely interested. That and she made a game of snaking her tail around my thigh, trying make me lose track of what I was saying: which I did several times.

Leaving the restaurant, we headed back to the House, but I wasn’t quite ready to take her back to my room yet. We were both pretty horny by the time we left the restaurant. Sex was going happen pretty much as soon as we were behind closed doors. Not that I had a problem with that, but I wanted to make sure she got her money’s worth out of the day. I figured a quiet stroll alone would be a good way to calm down before going inside and screwing each other's brains out. 

Passing through the gates, I nudged Lemon off the path and towards the sprawling gardens.

Real estate up here on the mountain was a premium, so there wasn’t more than four acres to the property, but careful landscaping made it feel three times that size. You could never really see more than a few yards in any one direction, and the winding paths made you feel like you were always discovering some new little corner of the garden. 

We explored the trails for quite a while. A bit longer than I thought we would actually. The late day was a perfect time to wander around between the trees, shrubs, and flowers. The air was warm, but the sun was low enough that it had lost most of its heat. It made for a perfect place to idly chat and enjoy each other's company. 

It really was a beautiful and expertly designed place for a romantic walk. Rounding a rose-covered fence, we found ourselves in front of a little brook that we had heard for a while, but hadn't seen yet. Thick clover covered the ground here, and mimosa trees heavy with flowers ringed the little clearing.

“Wow, this is pretty,” I said looking around.

“Want to sit down?” Lemon asked, already tucking her legs beneath her. 

“Sure,” I said with a smile. Sitting down, I leaned against her and joined in watching the water brook babble.

After a few moments, Lemon shifted just a bit beside me. Looking down, I was met with a kiss. Not the soft peck of before, this was a deep, searching kiss. I was a bit surprised, but I leaned into it. She moved again and a hoof pulled me to the ground. Oddly enough, the first thing that ran through my mind was thinking how soft the clover was to lay on. 

A nip at my shoulder brought my mind back to the ball of pure lust that I was tangled up in. I relaxed the best I could into the sudden make-out session. Between trying to not roll into the creek, and keeping an ear open for other ponies, I couldn’t completely let myself go. 

Not that I wasn’t getting into it. Rolling around we explored each other's bodies. I got a good gasp out of her when I pressed my knee into the little space between her breasts and pubic bone. Just adolescent dry-humping really, but apparently an advanced technique for ponies. With just a little motion, I could tease both nipples and clitorus. Damp warth told me I would have a wet spot on my pants when we stood back up, but I’d call it a badge for a job well done. 

In the midst of a particularly long kiss, I decided to test something I had read in the romance novel. Reaching down to the base of her tail, I pressed hard on her dock.

Lemon gasped. “Oh stars!” 

I thought I had really messed up for a moment. She peeled away from my embrace as if she couldn’t stand fast enough. I stared on in confusion as she spun in place, and presented her backside to me with her tail lifted. 

“Fuck me. Fuck me now,” she said, looking over her shoulder. There was a look in her eyes that intimidated me just a bit.

Half standing, I looked around to see if anyone was watching. “Shouldn’t we-”

“Please...” Her eyes begged me along with her voice. I was certainly game, but the idea of someone finding us had me nervous. My mixed desire and hesitance must have been obvious. After a second, she gave me a devil’s smile and waggled her hips. “It’s okay, ponies have sex out here all the time.”

Well... what’s the worst trouble I could get into? Peeling out of my clothes in record time, I got behind Lemon, much the same way I had Rose. Lemon tensed with anticipation as I grabbed her stifles, and lined myself up. 

Oddly enough, there was a bit of nostalgia in this. It had been a decade since I had fooled around outside, or in a car for that matter. I hadn't been old enough to drink, the last time I had dropped my pants in a park. Not that is was a regular occurrence in my life back then, but it was one of the few places we could get alone time. I wonder what ever happened to her. Last I heard, she had followed a guy out to Wyoming. 

Enough of my wool gathering, I had a mare to plow. A very eager one too by the feel of things. Her wet and swollen lips let me slide in to the hilt on my first thrust. My mind buzzed with pleasure as I paused inside her. Her sex was hot to the point of nearly being painful, and I could already feel her arousal running down my leg. It was almost too much too fast for me. So balls deep in her, I stayed as still as I could for a moment; letting myself desensitise a bit.  

She seemed content with me simply being in her for now—mumbling incoherently as I scratched my nails across her spine; then cutie mark. Once I had myself under control, I grabbed her hips, and gave a full stroke. 

“Yes!” she hissed, her front legs buckling, leaving her ass up in the air from me. 

Having a bit more room with this new position, I took full advantage of it. She groaned when I placed the palm of one hand on her dock. She squealed when I used the other hand to toy with her clit. I was quickly learning something new about Lemon Cake: she was a screamer.

She ground her hips against me, trying to generate some thrusting action on her own, so I took the hint, and started going at her.

“Harder!” she yelled.

Still holding her by dock and clit, I picked up the pace. Going my full length, I slapped against her as hard as I could, and still stay upright. The groan that came out of her wasn’t a sound I heard a pony make before. It was deep, feral, and kinda exciting. The slap of wet flesh against flesh filled the clearing along with the groans and squeals of Lemon. The good thing about vocal girls, is that it’s really easy to tell what they like. I slowed down my rhythm, but pressed twice as hard when we met. She wasn’t getting much out of the clit play, so I left it to explore her nearby nipples. 

That’s when I learned something else about Lemon: she has really sensitive nipples. When I rolled one between thumb and forefinger, the scream of pleasure rang my ears. Her body went rigid, the trembled in my grasp. I also had a very wet lap all of a sudden.

After the orgasm faded, she toppled over, my erection falling out of her as we tumbled to the ground. “Oh... that was good,” she said between breaths. Cuddling up to me she nuzzled my neck and ran a hoof down my chest. She gave me a worried look when she found me still hard. “You didn’t finish?” she asked.

“It’s okay,” I said, giving her a kiss on the nose. Really it was. Sure, I was horny as hell, but it wasn’t like I would have the chance to fix that either myself, or with a mare tomorrow.  

“Nonsense,” she said, giving me a grin. Rising to her hooves she sat herself back down between my legs. A moment later and she again had me in her mouth. I couldn’t help but groan as she worked her magic. There are things mares and do with their mouth, that no human could even try, and she was doing them all to me right now.

Her eyes smiled up at me as I writhed in pleasure, then her horn lit. I wasn’t in a state of mind to be curious, or I would have asked her what she was doing. The answer came soon enough as I felt a tingling around my butt, then a throbbing pressure against my prostate.

I really couldn’t form coherent thoughts after that. My hips started to rock on their own as my back arched. I could feel the orgasm coming, but it seemed to take forever to get there. The build up had almost turned painful before one last bob of her head sent me careening over the edge. She never stopped working my cock as I ejaculated into her, giving me a happy hum as I orgasmed. 

Once my twitching had stopped, she lifted her head, and smiled at me. “How was that?”

“Holy god...” I panted, still not quite able to think. “You’re good at that.”

She snickered at me, then moved so she could lay her head on my chest. We laid there and cuddled till we were both nodding in and out of sleep. “Well,” Lemon said, standing up. “I should be heading home. Thank you for a wonderful day.”  

Sitting up, I tried to guess the time. The sun was still up, so it couldn’t be much bast six. “You still have a few hours. I can make you a drink, or some tea.”

Smiling, she again nuzzled my neck as I started to stand. “Thank you, but I’m okay. I need to run a few errands before it’s too late.”

“Well, okay,” I said, slipping on my sandals, and picking up my clothes. ‘At least let me walk you to the gate.”

“That would be nice,” she said with a warm smile. 

I was happy to see that sadness for earlier gone. Rolling my pants and underwear up, I held them in one hand, while resting the other on Lemon. 

“Not putting that back on?”

“Na, going to hit the shower in a minute.”

We past a few studs and clients on the way to the gate. They all gave us knowing looks, but they were smiles and friendly snickers. Lemon seemed to take it as a compliment, so I did too. 

Saying goodbye to her at the gate, I waited for her to trot out of sight before making my way to the bathhouse. Passing Rose on the way through the halls, I thought she was going to say something about me being nude, but what ever she was thinking, she kept to herself. 

Behind the main building, some grunting from the working bathhouse told me a session was going on in there... No, something was off, that was not one or even two voices I was hearing. Curiosity got the better of me, I had to look.

Peering around the open door, I was greeted with the sights and smells of a full blown gang bang in progress: one mare, and about five stallions. I tried to duck back out without being seen, but a familiar voice spoke up from behind me.

“Hey Shane,” Spinner said. “Heard your first session went well.” 

“Yeah, I think a lot of ponies heard it,” I said, stepping away from the door. 

Spinner laughed and patted me on the back with a wing. “We all get loud ones every now and then. Poor Clay Shoe, he got an opera singer once.” Spinner shook his head at the memory. “Was def in one ear for a week”

I winced. “Ouch.”

“Yeah ouch. Anyway, I’m going to get in on this breeding party, want to join?”

I again chanced a look at the scene inside. A new stallion was just mounting the mare. She certainly seemed to be enjoying it, so more power to her. “Breeding party?”

“Oh, you haven’t done one yet... forgot. Yeah, they’re optional. It’s part of the house charter though. If a mare wants to get pregnant, she can get one free day at the House a year, while she’s in heat.”

“So it turns into an orgy?”

“Some times,” he said far too chipper.

“Think I’ll pass.”

“No problem. See ya around.” Turing, he practically skipped to join the line behind the mare. 

Leaving that behind me, I finally got to the shower. Several stallions were already in here, chatting and washing themselves. Setting my cloths on a shelf, I walked back to the showers. “Hey guys,” I called, joining their ranks under the water. “Anyone up for hitting a bar after work?”

> Shop Talk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

My first weekend off, and I was ready to have some time to myself. Tonight I was going to hang out with Key, but that wasn’t until near dark. Till then, I had every intention of spending the day working on my plane.   

I had planned on using today to start working on my engine, but when I sat down to fully unbox it last night, I found Luna had returned it to me in better condition than she found it. Only magic explained how she got it so clean, and I have no idea how she made new gaskets.

The only thing left for me to do was attach the carburetor, bolt on an alternator, put in the plugs, and add a touch of wiring. 

Towing a little cart with my engine on it, I set out for the building Luna had told me my plane was kept. If I was lucky, my tool box hadn't fallen out of the plane. If not, I was going to have to go buy some new tools.

It wasn’t that far from The House. I just needed to trek over to the airship docks. The princess kept a warehouse of sorts there for storing things they needed to keep close, but out of the way. It was nice weather for a stroll anyway.

There was one lone, bored looking guard pacing about the building when I got there. “Hey, Shane,” he said to me. The voice sounded familiar, but with his mark covered, I had no idea who he was.

“How’s it going?” I asked, faking it best I could.

“We miss seeing you around. You should stop by more.” 

Now I kinda felt bad. “Things are starting to settle down for me. I should be able to start visiting you guys.”

He gave me a toothy grin before turning back towards the building, and motioning for me to follow. “Take it you’re here for your contraption?”

“Yeah, I need to give him a little love. See if he’ll ever fly again.”

Following him to the far end of the building, we stopped in front of a set of rolling doors. “Here we are,” he said, pulling out a set of keys to unlock them. 

Pushing the doors open, we let the morning light fall on my plane. The fabric skin was ruined, and the cowling was crushed, but for some reason, I had to smile and laugh. We both did actually, it was like a contagious laughter had hit us both at the same time. 

“It’s pretty cool looking in the light,” the guard said, stepping closer to look at my poor plane. 

“You should see him when he’s ready to fly.” Dragging the wagon inside, I dropped it off by the nose, and began checking for damage. “The old war birds... They were as close to magic as my world ever got.”

The guard laughed again. “I’ll leave you to it,” he said, walking back to the front of the building. “Yell for me if you need anything.”

“Thanks!” I called back, picking the prop up off the floor and checking it for cracks. Thankfully, it seemed sound, the rope it had tangled in hadn’t done it any harm. The cowling laying on the floor beside it was another story; that was ruined. I thought about trying to hammer it out, but it would never look the same. Sliding it outside, I made a note to see if I could find a smith to make me a new one. 

Grabbing a nearby step ladder, I slid it under the nose, and climbed up to take a look. Thumping the gas tank, I confirmed my guess that it had been drained. Running my fingers around the engine mounts, I checked for any damage. To my relief, it appeared that Luna’s ponies had actually removed the engine without warping anything. I paused to see what else they had removed, but it seemed like they hadn't touched anything else. No... my seat back was pulled down.

Jumping down, I went to the cockpit, to see what they had done.

A little relief washed over me when I found my tool box in its spot. The lid unlatched, but quick inventory of my tools didn't find anything missing. 

The battery had also been disconnected, but what really got my attention was my backpack tucked into the storage bin. Unlike the other things, it seemed to be untouched. 

I hadn’t brought much with me that day, but I had brought my phone. Just as important, I had brought a charger. Hooking the plane’s battery back up, I was happy to see the voltmeter in the green. A few seconds later, and I was looking at the loading screen.

... And no signal.

What did I expect? 

Setting the phone aside to charge, I shuffled through my bag to see what else I had. Wasn’t much really. My emergency radio was the next thing I reached for. Spinning the dynamo for a few seconds, I then ran the dial through the frequencies: nothing but static.

Letting the multi-function gizmo fall back into the bag, I flip the seat back up, and collapsed into it. 

That was my last hope. With a sigh, I tested the controls. Elevator and ailerons were good. The yaw wouldn't go left. 

"Looks like we're stuck here, Buddy," I said patting Baron's throttle. Maybe something might come up eventually, but I had already been here too long to have a life to go back to. I'd probably been declared dead already—everything I owned sold or thrown away; if not already, then very soon. 

Closing my eyes, I let my mind clear for a bit, before standing back up. "It's more interesting here anyway, isn't it?"

Picking my phone up, I looked it over. It was my only connection to my old life now. Opening my music I set it to shuffle, letting it play whatever it would, then reopened the compartment behind the seat. 

Now with a proper soundtrack, I returned to taking stock of what else had come with me to this world: change of cloths, bag of horse treats, pocket-tool, bottle of water, protein bar, saddle blanket, some rope, and a knife. 

Taking the knife in hand, I gave Baron an apologetic look. “Sorry big guy, but I have to strip you down to the frame.” 

It hurt like hell cutting that fabric off. I’d spent days getting it on, but it was shredded now, and I needed to check the tube steel underneath for hidden damage. 

An hour later, and I was looking at the bare frame of a three-fourths scale Fokker. It’d been a long time since I’d seen him like that, but I wasn’t going to complain. The worst damage had been to the rudder, but I could fix that. 

Some of the strut cables needed replacing too, but everything else had been cosmetic. Little metal work on the tail, new skin, bit of wire, mount the engine, a new cowl, some fuel, and we’d be in the air again.  

The engine...

I’d conned Plowshare into helping me load the thing, but now I had to move it around myself. What I wouldn’t give for an engine lift.

“Hello?” a mare called from outside. “I’m looking for Shane.”

“In here,” I said, moving the cart over to the table.

“Oh wow,” the mare said behind me.

A little voice in the back of my head told me I needed to turn around, and see who exactly had wandered into the building....

Yep, it was a princess. 

“Princess Sparkle,” I said taking a knee.

“No, no. Don’t do that, and just call me Twilight.”

“As you like,” I said standing up, trying to keep a grin off my face. After reading a lengthy book about Twilight, I was kind of excited to actually meet her. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Well yes.” She gave me an awkward smile, then looked to my plane. “I just wanted to meet you, and ask a few questions.”

I was a bit confused, but sure, if the princess wanted to meet the alien, I’d play host. “You want to go somewhere to talk?” I asked, looking behind her for Spike, but she was alone. Which was a shame; I wanted to meet a dragon.

"Here's fine," she said, turning her attention from the plane to me. "I don't want to interrupt you." Then her eyes brightened as she noticed the engine. “Is that the detonation drive Luna told me about?”

Looking down at the engine, I blinked a moment, finally figuring out she meant combustion engine. “Yes, it is.”

“Can I see?” she asked, taking a few steps forward. 

“Sure.” I shrugged and motioned for her to come closer. “I was just trying to figure out how I was going to get it back on my plane.”

Twilight peered at the big lump of metal with a frown. “Looks heavy.”

“Yeah, bit more than I can lift. I think I can use the wagon to-” I jumped back as the engine floated from the cart.

“Sorry,” Twilight said as the engine floated past my head. As much as I’ve seen ponies float things about, it still amazed me to see her move the block of metal like it was a feather. "Where do you need it?" She asked. 

“That works too. Let me go get my tool box.” reaching through Barron’s ribs, I pulled the tool box out, the hurried over to the ladder. “Thanks for the help.”

“No problem,” Twilight said, her head nodding in time with the current song playing from my phone. “What language is this in?” she asked as I returned with the ratchet set.

“It’s from my world. That’s what my language sounds like without the translation spell.” She seemed to like Zeppelin, so I had to give her points for good taste, but I wasn’t about to try and translate The Immigrant Song. Getting up on the ladder, I motioned for her to move the engine into place. 

My mind clicked into it’s trance as I sat bolts in their proper place and began to tighten them. Twilight’s magic flickered a few times, jostling the engine. She mumbled something about interference, but I think the engine just weighed more than she thought. 

“You can let go now,” I said, torquing the last bolt home. 

Sliding down the ladder, I went to get the carburetor, but found Twilight staring at my phone. 

“That’s a really small phonograph.”

She leaned forward to look at it closer, but I picked it up. “This is all I have left of my homeworld. The only human voices I’ll ever hear again are in here.”

Twilight blinked. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“No, it’s okay,” I said interrupting her. Unplugging it from the charger, I sat on the floor with the phone in hand. “I’d actually like to share a few things with you.” I had to laugh at myself. “I’m sorry. I’m being familiar. It just feels like I know you and Spike.”

Twilight sat down next to me, looking intently at the phone as I fiddled with it. “What do you mean?” she asked

“I umm...”

“Oh... You read that book. Didn’t you?” Twilight said, pressing a hoof to her face.

“Sorry?” 

Twilight groaned. "I still can't believe she wrote that."

"You know Butterfly Touch?" I asked. 

"That's not her real name, but yes, she's a very good friend of mine." 

I was going to show her pictures of my world, but taking a gamble that Butterfly had written Twilight true to character, I decided that the calculator function would be a better start. 

Which went over immensely well. I got her to use the soft part of her hoof to use the touch screen, and soon enough she was figuring out the logarithm functions. From there I showed her some pictures, but just a few of the farm. I knew we’d descend into endless questions if I showed her too many. 

“If you go back. You can open up my music, there,” I said, coaching her how to use the phone. 

“How much is in this thing?” she asked scrolling down the list of songs. Backing out of the music, she spotted the book icon, and taped it. “You have books in here too?” She had cast the babelfish spell on herself at some point, so she didn’t need me to translate anything.

“Just a few, maybe a dozen or so. There’s some audio files, where people are reading books, and I have some history lectures too.” Audiobooks, and podcasts really, but I didn’t have a better way of explaining it.

“That’s amazing.”

Taking back over, I opened up the podcasts, and debated on deleting the history lecture. I didn’t know if I really wanted Twilight hearing about some of humanity’s darkest hours. “There’s only one problem,” I said, deciding to leave the files alone. 

“What’s that?”

Leaving Twilight with the phone for a moment, I went to get the wind-up radio and my charger cable. “If the slightest thing happens to it, I’ll lose everything. My backup is in the other world.”

Twilight looked at the phone in her hooves. “Oh...”

“That’s why I want to make a deal with you,” I said sitting the radio and cable in front of her. "If you can duplicate every picture, book, and audio file stored on this phone for me, then I'll gladly give it to you."

“Really!?”

“It’s useless to me here as a phone. I just want my personal stuff, and maybe you can find a use for the phone itself.”

“I’d be honored to help. I don’t know how long it will take, but I’ll do my best.”

“I trust you,” I said. Sitting back down, I showed her how to use the radio’s dynamo to charge the phone, then I walked her through a few more of the phone’s functions. Most importantly, I showed her how not to delete things. 

We hung out for a little longer after that. I showed her the plane, told her about how I had built The Barron over the course of two summers. She gave me great advice on where I could get fabric for a new skin, and where I could even get a good used sewing machine.

It was a fun few hours, very cathartic to talk about home, and share some memories. I really felt like I had made a new friend, too.  

“Well, I need to get back to Ponyville,” Twilight said after a while. 

“No problem, I have plenty of work here to keep me busy.”

Picking up the phone and charger, she tucked them into her saddle bag. “I’m sure I’ll have lots of questions. Is it alright if I write you?”

“Sure,” I said, getting the wrench I needed to reattach the carburetor. “Write or visit me anytime you like.” The words left my mouth before I really thought about it. “To talk,” I added. “Not to... you know. Not to say—”

Twilight laughed, interrupting my foot-in-mouth. “I’m good in that department, but I’ll visit for tea and conversation.”

“Looking forward to it,” I said, waving her goodbye as she wandered back out into the street.



> Dinners and Dives.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ever been beaten in a game of pool by a pony?

Yeah, me neither. 

“Eight ball, side pocket,” I said before making my shot. Tapping the cue ball, I sent it rolling across the table. A second later and the eight ball was tipping over into the pocket.

Sergeant Peytral groaned and set his twenty bits on the table. “I can’t believe you hustled me in pool.”

Sipping at my drink, I took his money. “I can’t believe a species without thumbs plays this game. I’m not even that good at this.”

Key Peg leaned back from his chair to turn my direction. “It’s a game of skill for unicorns. Started as a way to hone your spear work.”

Gold Lance nodded. “It became a point of pride for the other tribes to be able to play it too.” 

Turns out Lance had been the guard at the warehouse. He’d taken up my offer, and joined Key and I for a night out. Stepping up to the bar, I patted him on the back. “What’s your favorite beer?”

Lance scratched at his chin. “Probably Dragon’s Hoard Stout.”

Setting the my winnings on the bartop, I pushed them towards the pony with a stein for a cutie mark. “Barkeep, the good Sergeant Peytral has offered to buy me whisky, and everyone else Dragon’s Hoard Stout.”

The burly earth pony eyed the coins for a heartbeat, before nodding and pulling out a fleet of tankards.


/ / /


Waking up on a pile of moaning ponies should have struck me as strange, but it didn’t. I had drank too much. Not blackout drank too much. Just good old-fashioned, grab-the-grass-to-keep-from-falling-off-the-earth drunk, and I had a nice little hangover as a souvenir to prove it. 

“I’m too old for this,” I moaned, scraping the crust off my eyes. Looking around, I tried to figure out where I was. There were a half dozen stallions and myself laid out on the floor, each using the next as a cushion. Key Peg’s flank had been my pillow, and my legs made a bed for Plowshare. I spotted Gold Lance in the pile of sleeping ponies too.

The memory of bringing the guys back to my place echoed in the back of my mind. The bar had closed, and we weren’t read to go home yet, so I volunteered to host for another hour or two. I also remembered convincing them sleep here, because they were too drunk to drive home. 

It’s the thought that counts, right?

Wiggling a bit, I tried to pull free of the hulking stallion, but I was completely pinned. I recalled him and a few other studs joining our party as we circled the property, trying to find my room. 

“Wake up,” I said, tapping him on the shoulder. “I have to pee.”

The muscled pony groaned, then slowly sat up. “What time is it?”

“I don’t know. I gave the princess my phone.”

“What?” asked another pony. I think it was the guy I hustled for twenty bits at the pool table.

Not bothering to answer, I forced myself to stand up and looked for a clock. “It’s eight.”

Those words had more effect than a bucket of ice water. Amongst mumbling and cursing about clients in an hour or reporting for duty, the room quickly emptied down to just Plowshare, myself, and a still-sleeping Key Peg.

“He okay?” Plowshare asked, poking Key with a hoof. “He looks dead.”

“He’s off today. He’ll wake up when he wants to, and not a moment earlier.”

“Huh...” Plowshare looked around my apartment for a moment. “Well, I don’t have a client till three, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a hangover. Care to get some fried eggs and coffee from the diner down the road?”

“That sound awesome.” Carefully moving, so as to not aggravate my headache, I shoved a pillow under Key’s head, then threw a blanket over him. “Let me use the bathroom first though. Feel free to use the guest bathroom. There’s fresh toothbrushes under the sink.”

Plowshare nodded, only to wince at the motion. “Thanks...” he said, slowly moving towards the guest bathroom.

A few minutes later, and I was feeling decidedly more human. My head still throbbed, but at least I could see, and my breath wasn’t so bad I could smell it myself. 

Stepping into the bustling morning streets, Plowshare and I moved in the smooth steps of one in a hurry, but not wanting to run. The dawn light and noisy traffic where an aggravation, but running to avoid them would have turned the dull ache into a crippling pain. 

“How far is this place?”

Plowshare grunted, and pointed to down the road. I took that to mean it was on this block, so I just kept walking. I let him take the lead as we passed a doughnut shop and it’s sickeningly sweet smells, then turned the corner to find a stairwell leading down below the road. 

No bell rang as we opened the door. The underground diner was dimly lit, and hummed with the tired voices of night shift coming off duty, and morning shift getting read to go in. The place was a dive in the best sense of the word. Clean, if not a little ragged, with high-backed booths lining the walls. An immaculate kitchen stretching along the back wall filled the place with the sounds and smells of cooking breakfast.

“Sit where ya like,” a mare called out to us, with a voice like liquor and cigarettes. Looking from us to the stallion manning the cook line, she barked out a laundry list of short-order slang. 

This was wonderfully familiar. Ignoring the ponies, I could easily pretend I was in my favorite breakfast place back home. Turning towards the line of booths, we walked towards one in the dim corner. We had both thought it was empty, but the last pony I had expected running into was already taking advantage of the obscure spot. 

With coffee in her magic, and a half-eaten omelet sat aside, Luna was hoofing through the morning paper. 

“Oh, morning Princess,” Plow said, completely ruining my attempt to back away in silence.

Looking up from her paper, Luna gave Plowshare an honest smile, which faltered a bit when she saw me. “Plowshare, Shane, you are welcome to share my table.”

There was a casual air to Luna that seemed strange to me. I couldn’t spot any guards, and her crown sat on the table’s edge. It didn’t seem to bother Plow though. With nothing more than a nod, he took a seat across from her. 

Following his lead, I scooted in, and grabbed up a menu. Perhaps princesses went off duty sometimes too.

“Are you two unwell?” Luna asked, giving us both a scrutinizing eye.

“We, umm...” I paused a moment, it really felt like I was confessing something to my mother. “We drank a bit too much last night.”

Luna half snickered. “Do not be embarrassed by a hangover. We have had our fair share of them... Speaking of which. Plowshare, I have reserved you for card night later this week.”

“Card night?” I wasn’t sure if I should be looking at Luna or Plow.

“What do ya want?” the waitress asked, appearing out of nowhere. Ignoring Luna altogether, she looked at us like we were already taking to long to order. 

“Coffee, hash browns with cheese, and three fried eggs,” Plow answered.

Scribbling the order down, the mare then looked to me. “And you?”

Clutching the back of my neck, I tried to ease some of the tension. “Same, but I want a orange juice.” Coffee could come later, I needed to hydrate first. I really wanted some bacon too, but I was out of luck there.

With a shrug, the mare turned to bark out our order to the cook, then wandered off to fill someone’s drink.

“So, card night?” I asked, returning to the topic.

Luna nodded. “Plowshare has a wonderful voice. He sings for us on card night. Barley Mash used to tend the bar, but he retired a few months ago.” 

“Barley Mash is the pony you replaced at The House,” Plow said, answering my question preemptively. “He saved up enough bits to buy a bar in manehattan.”

“Doing quite well, We hear,” Luna added.

“You know,” Plow pointed a hoof towards me, and suddenly I felt my life complicating. “Shane here is pretty good at mixing drinks.”

Luna gave me a skeptical look. “He is?” 

“Yeah, he made some pretty tasty drinks for us last night. Couple of guards were on the floor before they knew what hit them.” 

Apparently ponies aren’t familiar with long island ice tea. I had to shake my head at the memory of three guards sucking down most of a pitcher I had made. 

Taking a bite of her omelette, Luna hummed to herself for a moment. “Would you mind playing barkeep for my friends and I later in the week? It is a casual thing.”

“I certainly wouldn’t mind, but I’ll have to see about my schedule. It doesn't finalize till tonight.”

Luna and Plowshare both laughed. “We’re studs at the royal stable,” Plow said. “The princesses always get first dibs on us.”

Before I could say anything stupid, our drinks were unceremoniously pushed in front of us, and Luna’s coffee topped off. 

It occurred to me that dinners must be some universal constant. From princess to construction worker to alien, everyone received the same curt service. I’d been around Celestia long enough to know she reveled any chance to blend into a crowd. Perhaps this was Luna’s place to go be anonymous. 

“Thank you Carol,” Luna said, giving the mare a nod of thanks before taking a sip of the fresh coffee. “Have you seen to your flying machine yet?” 

Change of subject; I’ll take it. “Yesterday actually, and thank you very much for cleaning the engine,” I said before turning up my orange juice.

Shifting in her seat, Luna folded her newspaper, and tucked it away. “It was a fun puzzle, and We... Celestia and I are interested in seeing you fly it.”

“I just hope I can get fuel.”

Luna scratched at her chin, thinking as she joined us in watching our meals being carried towards our table. “I could have it enchanted, so that it did not need fuel.”

Hmm... Magic. I hadn’t really thought about that. “Thank you, but I’d rather find a way to get it running myself.”

“It would be no trouble,” Luna protested.

I had to squirm a bit. This was difficult to say to the Princess. 

“Speak freely. I am not acting as a princess here,” Luna said, seeing my reluctance.

Closing my eyes, I thought back to the early days of assembling that frame together. My hands moved on their own, mimicking the uncounted hours they had spent with the welder. “Well, it’s just that I don’t like others working on Baron. He’s my baby.” I could feel a sappy smile spread across my face as I remembered the the first time the engine had turned the propeller. “I made every inch of him myself; I want to keep it that way.”

Silence answered me, which worried me a bit. Opening my eyes, I found Plow giving me a rather weary look, while Luna had a sappy smile.

“Ahh... A labor of love. I understand completely,” she said, pulling out a little note pad and scribbling something in it. “I think I know just what you need. I will have some books sent to your room.” Tucking the note away, Luna then tidied her plates before standing and planting her crown crooked on her head. “Now, If you will forgive me, it is near my bed time. We wish you both well, and will see you in a few days.”

Plow and I stood, giving her a bow as she left. “She’s a very different mare, when she’s off duty,” I said, sitting down to finally enjoy my meal.

Plow snickered. “You have no idea.”

> Mondays
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

New week. New clients. My three-day weekend had been nice, but it was back to work now. I had Luna’s poker night for my last gig this week, but my first one was some earth pony named Rag Doll. 

It was a typical morning session. The client folder had a few bits in it for covering lunch, but there were no client notes on her, so this was her first visit to The House. 

Walking into the kitchen, I took the time to straighten a few things, and think about what I would cook for lunch. 

I’d just finished wiping down the wet bar, when a light knock announced my first client for the week had arrived. 

“Be right there,” I called. Pausing a moment, I straightened a few last things in the living room, before going to the door. Back straight, smile on, I opened the door. “Hello...”

I blinked. She blinked back. 

“Are you okay?” She looked like a kitten left in traffic. Questionably young, ribs showing, and a few sores to round out the look. 

“Yea..” she answered.

I’d seen ponies that ranged from skinny to fat, but this was the first time I’d call one malnourished. She needed a hot meal and a nurse's touch, not a rutting. If I’d seen a horse back home in her condition, I would have beat the hell out of the owner, taken the horse home, and dared them to complain about it.

 “Come on in,” I said, opening the door all the way.

She winced at my sudden movement, but then nodded and followed me inside. “Make yourself at home.” Picking up her client sheet, I looked it over again: age nineteen. Well, can’t argue with that. “Would you like something to eat?”

She wasn’t hungry, she was starving: I could see it in her eyes.

“Not... No I’m good. I’ll take something to drink though.”

I watched her from the corner of my eye as I made my way to the kitchen. She was a nervous mare, preferring to sit on the rug, instead of the couch. Opening the icebox, I pulled out some sweet tea and mint sprigs. If she wouldn’t take food, I’d at least get a little sugar and mint in her. Much like the equines back home, I’d yet to meet a pony that would turn down mint. 

“Here you go,” I said, re-joining her in the living room. “Sweet tea, family recipe. Hold on a minute, and I’ll be right back.” Leaving her with the tea, I went back to my bathroom, and fetched the first-aid kit that had come with the place. 

Doll was chewing on the mint, and had downed half the tea when I returned. “What’s that?” she asked, giving me wary look.

“Just a first-aid kit,” I said, sitting next to her. Popping the box open, I gathered a few familiar looking things, then turned to Doll. “You’re going to get an infection if these don’t get cleaned.” 

I’m sure the proper thing to do would be ignore the wounds, and make her feel welcomed as-is, but I had to help her out. She winced a bit at the first touch of peroxide, but relaxed once I started applying ointment. I would have covered them with some gauze too, but odds where we’d end up in the shower at some point, then I’d just be putting fresh one on again. 

“So what ya want too do today?” I asked to fill the awkward silence. 

“Oh... Just, whatever sounds good to you.”

Yet another warning bell went off in my head. This mare had some serious problems in her life. I was going to have to tread lightly here. I had a professional obligation to entertain her for the day, but a moral responsibility to help where I could. 

After Doll goes home tonight, I'm going to ask Rose about how to handle signs of abuse, 

“What’s your special talent?” I asked, moving my attention to a spot by the image of a doll being sewn up.

Turning her head, she gave me an honest smile. “I make stuffed toys for foals.”

"Oh? That sounds fun."

"I think it is," Doll said nodding in agreement. "They're fun to make, and the foals really love them."

We sat in quiet for a moment as I finished cleaning the last wound. There was a certain edge to her that seemed to fade as I doted on her. 

"There, how's that feel?" I asked, sliding the kit under the coffee table. 

Doll stretched a bit. "Feels good." Reaching for her glass, she finished off the tea, then paused to ponder the empty glass. She almost looked confused. 

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Setting the glass back down, she examined a salve -overed wound before looking back to me. "I think I am hungry." Tilting her head, she gave me the most pitiful look. "Would you cook me something?"

It was too cute; I had to laugh. "Sure. I think I know just what to make."

Doll perched herself on a stool by the kitchen's island, and watched my every move. There was a curiosity and hunger that almost felt predatory, but the little withered thing couldn't pass as threatening to anyone. 

What Rag Doll needed was some healing food. That meant grilled cheese and tomato soup. Humming an old tune I'd learned from my grandmother, I pulled out a cast iron skillet, bread, cheese, and butter. Letting the skillet warm, I pondered the soup while slicing the bread—I really miss sliced bread. No canned soup to simply open and warm either, but I did have a jar of canned tomato paste I'd picked up at the farmer's market, and some vegetable broth from the other night. 

A little bit later, and I was grinning like an idiot as I pulled the grilled cheese off the skillet. It smelled wonderful. All my friends got grilled cheese and tomato soup when they were sick. It was a meal I prided myself on. 

"Here you go," I said, sliding a plate in front of Doll. 

Taking the second one off, I sat that on a plate for myself. The soup had come out okay. Pony ingredients had helped the sandwiches, but hindered the soup. 

Taking a bite, Doll hummed. "You put a lot of love into this."

Taking a seat across from her, I sat down my own plate, and her cup of soup. “Yeah, cooking was one of the few things I could do for my friends, even if I was broke.”

We made idle conversation for a while. Slipping into my practice routine of telling some humorous story from back home, I watched her slowly nibbled away at her meal. After a while, it occurred to me that she was favoring her left hoof, but I could tell that wasn’t her dominate side. 

“Your right hoof okay?”

Raising her right foreleg, she moved it back an forth a bit. “Yeah, I... fell on it the other day. It doesn't hurt now, but it’s a bit stiff.”

Fell on it, my ass. This evening is starting to look like it'll end with Key Peg having to bail me out. 
Doll took a breath, as if taking in the best scent in the world. Grabbing her soup bowl, Doll slid it in front of her. “Smells good,” she said, stirring it with a spoon. 

“Yeah, It didn’t come out quite like I wanted. You want me to massage your leg, after you eat?”

Doll’s ears focused on me, but her eyes stayed on the soup. “If you want; that would be nice.”

Finishing off my own sandwich, I mulled over an idea. The working bathhouse had actual massage tables. Not to mention a nice soaking would do Doll good. 

“I’d love to. We could even go out to the bathhouse, and soak for a while first.”

The comment froze Doll, I could feel the dread rolling off her. “Umm... aren’t there going to be other ponies there?”

“Maybe,” I answered, trying to calm her a bit. “If you're not comfortable with it, we can just stay inside.”

Sliding back from the table, Doll nodded. “I’d rather stay inside.”

Okay, that was a bust. Collecting the dirty dishes, I took them to the sink. “I still want to give you a good massage though. Why don’t you get comfortable on the couch, and I’ll join you in a second.”

I feigned being busy in the kitchen for a minute; just enough time for Doll to get comfortable and relax. Once I saw her settle in and get still, I left the kitchen to kneel on the floor beside her. 

“Now, let me see that foreleg,” I said, petting her shoulder with one hand, while taking her hoof in the other. She was a bit shy about it at first, but just like earlier, she relaxed pretty fast. 

There wasn't anything erotic about this massage. I was honestly trying to be therapeutic here. She cooed under the attention all the same, which was a good sign. 

The poor little thing. I really felt bad for whatever she was going through. I wanted to erase as much pain as I could, and let her forget the rest; if only for a day.

I let my mind drift as I stretched and kneaded the surprisingly stiff tissue. I had a timid and agoraphobic mare to entertain for the rest of the day, and I had no idea how to fill the time. 

Shifting a bit, Doll snuggled deeper into the sofa. "Good food, making me sleepy..."

"We could cuddle in the bed. Take a nap if you like."

Doll's ears perked up at that, her head slowly following. "That'd be nice," she said with a drowsy smile. 

With a gentle touch, I helped her back onto her hooves, and lead her into the working bedroom. I made a little show of turning back the sheets for her, then walked over to the window to draw them up the best I could. 

“Be right back,” I said, excusing myself for a moment. I needed to pee, and I wanted to sneak a book by the bed so I could read after she fell asleep. 

Looking back as I left the room, my heart jumped. Curled up on the bed, with a pillow under her head, Doll’s sad eyes locked onto mine with sadness and fear. 

Laughing to break the tension, I smiled at her. “I just need to use the bathroom.” The explanation seemed to calm her, as she nodded before snuggling deeper into the bedcovers.  

A few moments later, and I had a relieved bladder, and a book hidden behind my back. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I tucked the book under the pillow, and pulled my socks off before starting to climb under the covers.

“You sleep with clothes on?” Doll asked, her voice having genuine curiosity in it. 

“Not normally, no,” I said, pausing in place.

Doll gave me a warm smile, waving her hoof in dismissal. “You don’t have to stay dressed up for me all day. You can get comfortable, if you want.” Her face went sad for a moment, as her eyes focused on something far off. “Relax. Be yourself.”

Running my hand through her mane, I smiled at her. I should have probably said something, but nothing came to mind. Instead I watched her close her eyes, and snuggle into the pillow. “They are uncomfortable to sleep in,” I finally said, giving me some excuse to stand, as I began to take off my clothes. 

My previous clients watched me undress, with varying degrees of interest, but I don’t think Doll even opened her eyes. Any impression that she was ignoring me was shattered as soon as I slid under the covers. Before I could even get the pillow under my head, Doll was pressed against my side—clinging to me like she would die of cold if she didn’t. 

Once I was settled in, I put an arm around her as she nuzzled her head into my chest and neck. She was perfectly adorable, cuddled against me, and I couldn’t help but pet her with my free hand. I didn’t know what hardships she faced in her life, but right then, I would protect her as she slept.

It didn’t take long for her breath to even out, the eventually turn into a barely-audible buzzing-squeak of a snore. Reaching back for my book, I managed to get it open with one hand. I’d started on The Apprentice a few days ago, and was rather enjoying the role reversal the young apprentice had pulled on Orchid. 

After a few pages of reading, dim light and the mare sleeping against me began to take it toll. I tried to stay awake, but after nodding off and hitting myself in the face with the book, I gave up. Setting the bookmark back, I pitched the book under the bed, and let myself nod off.
> Learning Something New. 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hot breath on my ear drew me from my nap. The world had a sleepy, silent quality to it as I pulled Doll tighter to me. I could tell she was half awake, but happy to still lay here. Trying not to move more than necessary, I gave her a kiss on the top of her nose. 

Answering with a happy sigh, she ran a hoof along my collarbone before looking up and returned the kiss to my neck. 

“Hi there,” she said through sleepy eyes.

We kissed again, this time her soft lips lingered on my skin after the kiss. Hooves and hands drifted across the other’s body with tender care. Slow pecks became one long kiss that never broke. Not some passioned frenzy, but a continuous, exploring contact. 

Sliding a hand behind her head, I rolled onto my side, pinning her to the pillow with a kiss. Doll’s forelegs pulled my chest tight to hers, while her hind legs beckoned me to lay between them.  

Instinct took over, and I followed her lead. Breaking the kiss, I met her heavy gaze as my hands wandered around her chest. Remembering the there were no breasts here, I let one hand drift down to where they were, while the other played with her neck and ear. 

Little nibbles along my shoulder and up my neck were accompanied with a happy humm that made my ears burn red. Her legs locked around mine, pressing my hips into hers. The baser part of me wanted to take her right then, but I resisted. For now, I aiming myself to the side of the heat between her legs. Running my finger into her mane, I kissed her jaw, then her lips. Mirroring my hold on her, Doll held me tight to a passionate kiss. 

Writhing in each other's grasp, we toyed with one another till I couldn’t resist her subtle pleas for me to enter her. Sliding a hand into the small of her back, I propped up her hips just a bit, letting me go into her to my full length with one slow movement.

A long hiss of pleasure escaping her as her back arched and a smile stretched ear to her. Again letting our eyes meet, I pulled myself half out, then let her legs pull me back in. Relaxing to let more of my weight rest on her, our lips met again with a playful kiss, while our hips found their own slow rhythm. 

Sensual love play stretched on for the better part of an hour, before Doll’s whimpers told me she was near release. I’d been edging myself for a while, so my own climax was just a matter of letting it happen. 

Pushing myself up, I watched Doll twist and moan as I gave her long even thrusts. When her face contorted and legs stiffened, I quickened my pace, sending me over the edge immediately. 

Both our bodies shook with orgasm, but as Doll twitched and clung to me, green fire rolled across her coat, leaving behind something shiny and black. A moment later and I found myself balls deep in a bug.

An extremely cute bug, but definitely a bug. 

“Um...” I really didn’t have words for this.

Doll looked at me in confusion, then down at herself. As expressionless as her new face was, I could feel terror wash over her. “Oh, no...” she whimpered.

Withdrawing myself from her, I sat next to her on the bed. I could tell she wanted to run and hide, ashamed of what I’d seen. Laying my hand on her side, I petted her shiny, albeit hard hide. “Are you okay?”

She stared at me for a moment, then took several long, even breaths. “You’re not scared? You don’t think I’m gross?”

I had to laugh. “No.” Scooting closer, I scooped her into my lap. She was small before, but now I could only call her tiny. “Griffons are scary. You’re adorable.”

“You don’t know what I am, do you?” She said, settling into my embrace.

“Just some kind of shapeshifting pony. Flutter ponies, sea ponies, bat ponies,” I paused to laugh at myself. Strawberry hated that term. “You ponies come in every flavor. I’ll read up on your tribe tomorrow.”

Doll jolted. “No!”  Scrambling out of my lap, green fire rolled across her again, and she again looked like a scrawny earth pony. Pausing a moment, she collected her words. “I mean, you can’t tell anypony. Changelings... They’re not welcome in Canterlot.”

“Not welcome in the city?” Ponies shunning an entire race flew in the face of everything I’d experienced in my time here.

Hanging her head, Doll nodded. “I’d have to move, create a whole new Identity.”

“But why?”

“The hive, where most changelings live, it’s ruled by a queen. She’s not a good pony. She’s hurt a lot of ponies.”

“That’s why you’re on your own?”

Doll gave a sad nod. “There’s quite a few of us outside the hive.”

Running my hand across her cheek, I picked her chin up to look her in the eyes. “Your secret’s safe with me then.”

“Really?” Her eyes shined up at me. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

The little mare lunged forward and hugged me. “Thank you!” 

“But...”

Pulling back from the hug, she gave me a little frown. “What?”

“I need you to be honest with me about something.” Resting my hand on her shoulders, I looked into her eyes.

“Okay,” she said with a solemn nod.

“Has someone been hurting you?”

“What?” Dolls said, her face scrunched up in confusion. “Why would you think that?” 

Looking down at her hoof, I pointed at one of the sores.

“Oh.” Doll chuckled and squirmed a bit, looking embarrassed for some reason. “I was wondering why you were worried about me as soon as we met.” With a flash of green, she was the bug-pony again. “This is just how we look,” she said, holding up a perforated hoof. 

Taking her hoof in hand, I looked it over. As strange as it was, it did look healthy. 

When I let go of her, green fire returned Doll to the earth pony appearance, but this time it was a slower change. I could tell she was concentrating on the magic she was using. 

“I don’t usually get enough food, so my transformations look a bit off,” she said, showing me a now spotless hoof. Stepping down from the bed to the floor, she let out a long sigh. “I... I haven't felt that good in a long time, but I should probably be going now. Thank you.”

“It’s what I’m here for,” I said, standing up. Looking to a clock, I saw it was actually an hour past when her appointment was supposed to end. “You can stay a little longer if you want, have a bit more soup.”

A bright laugh escaped Doll as she made her way to the door. “I’m more full than I’ve been in months. I couldn’t eat another thing.”

I frowned a bit at that, she hadn’t really eaten much. “Well, you’re welcome to schedule with me anytime,” I said, holding the door open for her.

She smiled and nodded. “See you around then.” With that, she turned and walked back to her whatever her regular life held. 

A bit dazed, I stood there in the door for a while. I was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but I also had that euphoric buzz of a good workout or a good deed done. So all in all, I had to smile. Turning to go back inside, a note on my door caught my eye. 

Seems I had a package waiting for me in the office. 

Going back inside, I threw on my pants and sandals. I needed to spend some time in the gym today, both to work out and to draw clients, so I left my shirt behind as I headed off to see what had come in. Hopefully it was the hat I had ordered. 

In the office, I found Ruby scribbling away at some bookkeeping. “How was was your appointment?” she asked, looking up from her work. “You look exhausted.”

“It was... Different, but good.”

Ruby’s expression faded to a worried look. “You know, all your clients rave about how you give them a hundred percent of yourself during the sessions. I appreciate that you’re that kind of stud, but maybe you should take it easy once in awhile. We can cut you back to just three gigs a week if you want. You’ll probably end up making the same bits.”

I had to smile at her concern. Walking over to the desk, I scratched the spot between her ears that she liked. “I really appreciate that, but I’m fine. It’s nothing a cup of coffee and a run won’t cure.” 

Letting her ears hang limp, Ruby leaned into my scratching. “Okay, but let me know if you need your availability changed.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Pulling back my hand, I stepped around the counter to search through the incoming mail. “Have you seen my package?” I asked, shuffling through a stack of mail.

“I sure have,” Ruby said. I looked up just in time to see the grin spread across her face. “It’s a bit short, but the girth is right, and you use it well.”

Shaking my head, I couldn’t even muster a groan. 

Ruby giggled like she’d just invented the dick joke, then pointed towards a basket I hadn’t seen. “It’s in there.”

Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t my hat. The thing weighed a ton too: I almost dropped it picking it up. There was no proper postage on it either, just a note to send it to me from the palace. 

“Question for you; hypothetical of course,” I said, sitting the package on the counter’s edge. 

Pausing at whatever she was writing, Ruby's ears trained on me. "Oh?"

“If I ever get a client, who I think is being abused in their home life, what should I do?”

Ruby shifted in her seat, an expression of concern on her face as she looked up at me. “You think your client is a victim of domestic violence?"

"No, no," I said holding a hand up in protest. "Just, something she said made me realize I didn't know what the policy was." Not exactly the truth, but not a lie ether. 

"If you even suspect abuse, you have to file a report after the session. It's very rare, but we probably see more than most ponies. Two, maybe three a year." Ruby closed her eyes, shaking her head with a sad expression. "Ponies come here to escape; to be the center of someone's world, if only for a few hours."

"And after the report is filed?" I asked.

"The Guard and Equestrian Mental Wellness get involved." Ruby took a breath, letting some of the sadness wash from her face. "They investigate quietly at first, then take action if needed. It's a very effective program, they've helped a lot a stallions, mares, and foals."

Picking up my mystery package, I stepped towards the door. "Good to know. Well, I’m going to go get that coffee, then hit the gym."

Ruby seemed in a funk as I left. I was going to have to do something nice for her tomorrow. Maybe I’d cook her some chocolate oatmeal cookies. Peeling open the package as I walked over to the gymnasium, I found three large books carefully wrapped inside. I was confused for a moment, but then I read the titles.

Introduction to Magic Theory

Enchanting for Non-Unicorns

Golems: a History and Theory 

Holy shit! Someone had sent me books on magic! Peeling away the rest of the wrapping, I found a note with Luna’s seal on it. 

“These books should provide you with the knowledge to get your aircraft working.” 

Clutching the books to my chest, I looked around as if expecting someone to snatch them away. No one was of course. These were probably books right out of the public library. Opening one up, I looked to the back cover; sure enough a checkout pocket was glued to it. “Royal Canterlot Library,” it read. 

So this had come from the library in the college. The campus was rather imposing, and made me feel more out of place than normal. My deliveries had occasionally taken me to the Dean’s office, but I’d never had the nerve to explore the campus. 

I really wanted to go lock myself in my room and read all night, but I really needed to get my gym time in. I didn’t get paid if i didn’t get seen. Walking towards the gym, I spotted one of the studs flirting with a mare in the cafe that overlooked the gymnasium. There were a few that did that. Being charmers more than eye-candy, they knew how to play up their strengths. 

Looking back down at the books in my arms, a random idea struck me. Walking up to the cafe, I took the most visible seat I could find. 

“You need anything, Shane?” the barista asked. 

“Cup of coffee, and that salad I like,” I said, giving Stone Grind a friendly wave. He’d been a stud twenty years ago, but took the manager spot at the cafe as soon as it became open; been here ever since. 

Setting two of the books aside, I opened up, Introduction to Magic Theory. 


- - - 


Two cups of coffee, a salad, and some honeyed pastry later, and I was starting to understand the first chapter. Flipping back a few pages, I took a fourth look at bit about fluid application of will.

“Whatcha studying?” a mare asked beside me.

“Just teaching myself about magic.” 

Looking up, I found a tall, leggy unicorn looking at my collection of books. Her ivory white coat and mane seemed to glow in the evening sun. Eyes of white-speckled blue were hard to look away from, but then so were her legs.

I’ve been here too long...

“You can work magic?” she asked. 

Sliding back, I motioned for her to sit with me. “My world doesn't have any magic. But since I’m here now, I’d like to learn a bit.”

A surprised smile jumped to her face as took my offer to sit beside me. “So you’re teaching yourself?” 

I nodded. “Trying to. This stuff is pretty thick though.”

“Still impressive,” she said, nudging the book with her magic to read the page I was on. “I’m Silver Light, by the way.”

“I’m Shane.” Letting my eyes drift again, I noticed her cutie mark was an open book with a piece of chalk sitting on it. “You’re a teacher?” I asked. 

“Elementary school,” she said nodding with a smile. Turning the page, she pulled the book a bit closer. “How old is this?” Flipping to the front cover, she studied it for a moment before letting out a whistle. “This is eight issues out of date.”

I had to laugh as she sat the book down with a bewildered expression. “I wouldn’t know the difference,” I said, turning back to the page I had been on. “It’s all new to me. I still haven’t figured out what this is supposed to mean,” I said, pointing to a passage.

“Hmm...” Silver studded the page for a moment. “That’s just a loose idea about how the collective consciousness can alter the individual's ability to change the world around them. It’s not that important till you get to the advanced stuff. The current edition doesn't even mention Herd Mind’s Law.”

“Oh, that makes sense, oddly enough.” Sliding closer to Silver, I flipped the page back to where I had been. “Can you explain this to me?”

A smile played across Silver’s muzzle. “Soft body extension? That’s easy. Here, let me show you how I teach it.”

> Intermission, Movie Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight smiled as she opened the door to her castle. She still missed the coziness of the old tree some days, but she wouldn’t trade the castle to have it back. Trotting into the great room, she unloaded her saddlebags, and began unpacking. With both Luna and Celestia coming over tonight, for an officially unofficial visit, she wanted everything to be casually perfect. A few cheap bottles of wine and some fruit floated out of the bag, set aside to be made into sangria later. Snacks followed after that in a parade that ranged from common to exotic. Pausing a moment, Twilight looked around the room. Something was off. 

It was just too quiet.

“Spike?” Twilight called out. 

She had expected him to be home. When no answer came, she scratched at her chin. “Where is he...” Walking through the castle, a faint sound finally caught her ear as she neared the other end of the great room. It was an odd tune drifting up from the basement, something from the device Shane had given her. 

Thanks to Vinyl’s expertise, they were going to have all the audio duplicated in a week or so. Twilight had left her and Spike down stairs this morning. Vinyl had left hours ago; she couldn’t imagine Spike was still working.

“Spike?” she called again over the haunting tune as she walked down the stairs.

“In here,” Spike answered.

Following the music, Twilight found Spike leaning over the phone hooked into Vinyl’s machine. A notebook beside him was filled with his writing, but at the moment he appeared to just be reading something from the device. 

“Find something interesting?” she asked, picking up the neglected notebook and giving it a read. It was covered in in a mix of Equestrian and Shane’s native language. 

“Yeah, actually.” Taking the note book from Twilight’s magic, he added to the illegible script. “I’m starting to be able to read his language without the omniglot spell, and this history book is really interesting.”  

Casting the omniglot spell back on herself, Twilight saw Spike’s notes for what they were: a detailed lexicon of words and notes on grammar.

Spike stopped his writing. Twilight was giving him a smile, and looking at him like she expected to find something hidden on him. “What?” he asked, looking himself over. “Did I spill something on me?”

“No.” Twilight laughed, and gave him a light hug. “I was just half expecting to see a cutie mark on you.” Sitting close to Spike, Twilight looked over his shoulder at the fine text on the screen. “So what have you learned?”

“Well, I’m kinda guessing at the sounds for now. The audio we duplicated helped a bit, but it’s a pretty intricate language. Reminds me of Griffon. I’d really like to meet Shane, get him to teach me how to properly pronounce these characters.”

Twilight nodded. “He mentioned wanting to meet you. I’m sure we could arrange that in a couple weeks. You could deliver his music to him.” Scanning what Spike had been reading, Twilight tilted her head. “Is this a narrative history?”

Eagerly turning back to the phone, Spike nodded his head. “Yeah! It’s pretty dense though. It’s going to take a long time to copy all this.” Looking down at his hand, Spike flexed his fingers as if the mere thought of that much writing had induced a cramp.

Patting Spike on the back, Twilight gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m not going to ask you to write all that out. I’m hiring some ponies from the Canterlot Archives to handle that for us.” 

“Oh good,” Spike said through a chuckle. 

Turning to go back up stairs, Twilight looked back at Spike as he returned to his work. “When you get to the end of the page, unhook it from Vinyl's machine, and bring it up stairs. I’m going to show Celestia and Luna one of the movies on it. You’re more than welcome to watch it with us.”

“Sure thing, Twilight!”  


- - - 


Behind her, Twilight could hear Spike settling in with the bowl of popcorn. Luna said something about sharing, while Celestia grumbled as she broke off another chip off in the bean dip. 

Taking another sip from her sangria, Twilight gave the magnification and sound boosting spells one last tweak. It had taken her a couple tries to get it set up right, but now they could all watch the little device. 

Waving her hoof across the screen, she woke the machine up, and went to the icon leading to the movies it contained. “There’s four on here. Any of them look interesting?” Twilight asked, stepping back so the other’s could see the titles and art that represented the selections.

A flicker of magic from Luna granted both her and her sister the ability to understand the titles. 

Celestia gave her own glass of fruity wine a sip as she studied the choices. “What could a movie about sand dunes be about? Sounds boring.”

“That looks interesting,” Luna said, pointing her hoof at the projection. “I vote for the frozen one.”

“That does stand out from the others,” Celestia agreed.

“It’s all the same to me,” Spike said before throwing a handful of popcorn in his mouth. 

Tapping the icon to play, Twilight slowly backed away to make sure everything was working right.

“Is it a musical?” Luna asked as the human characters sang their jaunty tune.

“Oh look at the little caribou and human colt,” Celestia said with a wide grin. “They’re adorable”


- - -


Spike and Twilight sat in awkward silence, neither sure what they should do. They watched the movie playing out before them, if only to keep from staring at the pile of sobbing princesses on the other end of the sofa. 

Luna stretched her neck to better see the blond-maned princess flee from the castle in a wake of ice. “You fool...” she said, maybe to the ice princess, maybe to herself.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to turn it off?” Twilight asked.

Luna sniffled as Celestia laid a wing over her. “This is beautiful, I need to see how it ends.”

Not taking her tear-stained eyes off the projection, Celestia nodded in agreement as she passed Luna some tissues from her box. She opened her mouth to speak several times, but only a harsh rasping sound came out. 

Silence fell over them again as they watched the story unfold. The sister's tears thankfully faded to content smiles as the red-maned princess began her quest. 


- - - 


Celestia laughed at the human’s antics with the caribou. “He reminds me of Shane.”

A giggle escaped Luna. “If you mean they are both silly and easily flustered, I must agree.”

“Forget the human,” Twilight said, nursing her newest glass of wine. “I want to know if caribou are that hot in real life.”

It was only as the words left her mouth that Twilight realized she’d said them out loud. Slowly, Luna and Celestia turned their heads towards her, both with expressions of first disbelief, and then humor. 

Even in the dim light, Spike could see the blush crawl across Twilight’s face.

“They’re not my cup of tea,” Celestia said with a forced seriousness. 

Luna huffed, nudging her sister in jest. “That is because you like effeminate stallions with delicate bones.”

“I prefer good conversation over broad chests and muscled thighs,” Celestia corrected. “But I will let Cadance know she has a volunteer to be the new ambassador for the caribou.”

Looking over the top of her sister’s back, Luna met Twilight’s eyes with an expression that said she should accept the offer if given the chance.


- - -


As the movie came to a close, the two sisters pried themselves apart to stand. 

Lighting her magic, Celestia began to collect the pile of used tissues on the floor. “That was wonderful; thank you very much, Twilight.” 

“Indeed,” Luna agreed as she attempted to reattach the arm of the sofa, which had been an unfortunate victim of the prince’s betrayal. “Though it has left me rather drained.”

Celestia nodded. “Would it be too much trouble if we slept here tonight?” Tossing the tissues into the trash, she stepped next to her sister to lay a wing over her. “Wine and old heartaches have a way of making one tired and the trip home seem daunting.”

Grinning wide, Twilight nodded with excitement. “Of course you can!” Calming herself down a bit, Twilight thought over what would be needed. “I mean... If you’re okay with sleeping in a normal room. I haven’t had time to convert any to royal suits yet.”

“We have slept on grass under nothing but the sky,” Luna said with an assuring smile. “I’m sure your home will be a fair and warm place to sleep.”

“First room on the right,” Spike said, pointing up the stairs as he plodded off to his own room. “I’ll see you ponies in the morning.”

Scowling at Spike, Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but Celestia’s wingtip stilled her lips. “Goodnight, Twilight. We can see ourselves to bed. No need to fuss.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, as her look of disappointment faded to an easy smile. “See you in the morning?”

“In the morning,” Luna said, giving her a nod as she headed towards the stairs. 

> Beer Run
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wandering about the house, I half-hummed, half-sang some old tune as I opened up the doors to let the morning breeze help me with my sweeping. Luna’s party wasn’t til tonight, so I had the morning to catch up on my house cleaning.

“Hello?” a familiar voice called from my front door. 

“Key! Come on in. How’d your week go?”

“Really good,” Key said, practically bouncing into the room. “Thought I’d see if you wanted to get an early lunch.”

“I take it you’re getting along well with that herd from the garden?”

Key Peg nodded with a toothy grin. “They took me out to dinner last night, then I spent the night at their place.”

“You’ll have to tell me about it over lunch,” I said, trying not to laugh at my friend. “Let me get a few chores done first, though. I need to swing by the liquor store before the party tonight, anyway.”

“For Princess Luna’s party?”

“Yep. Had a healthy bag of bits in my morning paperwork today, with a note to buy anything I thought I would need.” Sweeping a clump of hair and dust out my backdoor, I turned to assault the warren of dust bunnies under the couch. “Picked up some ginger and berries from Wild Harvest this morning, but I’d like to find a few interesting liquors and mixers, too.”

“Hmm...” Key scratched at his chin for a moment. “If I was shopping for a princess, I'd go to Old Canterlot.”

“Where’s that?” I asked, sweeping around Key Peg, who politely moved out of the way. Over the past few weeks, I’d explored a bit, but I still hadn’t seen more than a quarter of Canterlot.

“Over by the train station.” Wandering over to the closet, Key fished out my mop and bucket. “Here, let me help. Nothing moves fast in the Old Town, the earlier we get there the better.” Toting the bucket into the kitchen, he began to fill it with water. “My cadets are in the classroom most of the day, but I’ll need to get back before they’re out.”

We both took to our chores in silence for a few minutes, before I again slipped into the habit of mumbling whatever song popped into my head.

“I thought you said equines couldn’t talk in your world,” Key asked, giving me a strange look.

I paused in confusion for a moment, before laughing at myself. I’d gotten the Mister Ed song stuck in my head. “That’s just a silly song.” I repeated the opening line to Mister Ed, this time making a point to stress the “no one can talk to a horse” part of the song.

Key picked up on my emphasis, but it only seemed to confuse him more. “So this Mister Ed was the only talking horse in your world?”

“No, Mr Ed was just a regular horse in a comedy show. Kinda similar to those serial plays that travel around, like you told me about.” I really wanted to go watch one of those. They sounded fun, but they kept to the smaller towns. From the best I could tell, they were like the old toby shows.

“So could he talk, or not?”

“No, they just put peanut butter under his gums.” Mimicking the act, I stuck a finger between my lip and gums. “Then when the horse wiggled his lips to get at the food, someone off-stage would read his lines. It just looked like he was talking.”

Now Key had a wholly blank expression as he stared at me. “And that’s funny to humans?”

“Well, Mister Ed was actually the straight man. The farmer was the funny one.”

Key shook his head, then went back to his mopping. “I’m just going to stop asking questions now. Living puppets are a bit more than I want to envision.”

Twenty minutes later, I had a spotless apartment again. “Alright, let’s check out Old Canterlot. This sounds interesting.” Grabbing up my backpack and brand new hat, I headed towards the door.

“It’s not that much different,” Key said, following me outside. “It’s just the part of town founded by unicorns, so there's more shops catering to them.”

“Any good eats?”

Key shrugged. “Some fancy, high-bit places, but nothing I can recommend. Wing and Hook is on the way though. We could stop there.”

Mmm... the griffin place; that sounded really good. “Sounds like a plan.”

Closing the door behind me, I followed Key out across the grounds. It was a nice morning, but I could tell it would be a real scorcher by midday. It made me glad to have my new stetson. I’d been sporting a mild sunburn on my neck and nose for almost a month now. There weren’t going to be too many more hot days, though: I’d already heard talk of preparations for fall. 

At the restaurant we were treated like the regulars we’d become. Griffons still put me on edge, but Clipper was a good guy. 

Over appetizers, I got a rough account of Key’s date night and his four new girlfriends. There was another stallion in the group, too. Key said he was a nice guy, but was moving to be closer to family soon. One of the mares was going with him, but the others were staying. There was of course the usual gamut of emotions about the breakup, but as a whole the group were all still friends.  

By the time our meals arrived, we had moved on to our usual banter about work and castle gossip.

“Oh,” Key said with a mouth full of shrimp po-boy. Chewing and collecting his thoughts at the same time, he gave me an apologetic look. “Can I ask a really odd favor?” He said once he’d swallowed.

“Umm... Sure?” I really hoped this wasn’t sex related.

“Some of my cadets were curious if you'd come to drill one day.”

Well, I wasn’t expecting that. “Why?”

A devil's grin spread across Key’s face. “I told them you used to wrestle wild horses. They want to see if they can take you.”

“Gee... Thanks. And I didn’t precisely wrestle horses.” I wrestled calfs, but that translated to beating up children here, so I left that detail out.

“Oh, come on.” Key paused to eat on his sandwich some more. “Our cross-species combat training is pathetic anyway. Just seeing a little light sparring would do them a lot of good.”

Poking at my gumbo, I played with the idea. It could be fun. “I need a week to practice my roping. If you get Celestia or Luna to sign off on it, I’ll play. Also, I’ll need a helmet and rib protection. I don’t bounce as well as I used to.”

Key gave me a toothy smile. “Awesome!” 

“And I’m not as young as I used to be; I can’t play with them all. Pick out three.”

A wicked giggle rolled out of Key. “I’ll make them compete for it.” 

“I’m pretty sure I’ll need to use some vacation time to heal after this...”

“Don’t forget, the title of ambassador gets you in at the royal medical center,” Key said with a solemn nod. “Doctor Stable is the best in Equestria.”

“Right...” Returning to my gumbo, I polished it off in silence as I planned out the rest of my day. Luna’s party didn’t start till seven, though I’d need to get there an hour early to set up. I’d shave and shower beforehand, too. 

“So what kind of liquors are you looking for?” Key asked, snapping me from my thoughts.

“I really don’t know. I got the basics from Copper Kettle, but I want a few bottles of something exotic. Thousand year old rum, aged in a dragon’s den... Or something like that.”

“How about something distilled in the mountains by griffons?” Clipper asked from behind me. As he moved to stand next to the table, I had a hard time reading his expression. Beaks just don’t show very much emotion. I’m told they have very expressive wings, but I’ve yet to pick up on the cues. 

“What’s it made from?” I asked. 

“Nothing but sweet corn,” Clipper said, puffing out a bit with pride. “It’s an old griffon recipe, but a friend of mine makes it out in Appaloosa. The water and corn are top quality out there.” Keeping his eyes on me, he walked behind the restaurant's little bar. “I keep a few jars behind the counter, want to try some?”

“Sure...” Standing up, I walked over to the bar. 

From beneath the counter, Clipper pulled out a jar with a wide mouth. Inside it a crystal-clear liquid shimmered as he unscrewed the lid. 

“Carefull,” Clipper said, pouring my shot. He offered Key one too, but he had to decline; being technically still on duty. 

I knew moonshine when I saw it, and a quick smell only confirmed my suspicion. Tossing back the shot, I was treated to a pleasant corn flavor and cold mouthfeel before the familiar burn lit up my throat.

“That’s good stuff!” Honestly, it really was. I’d had the good and the bad ends of moonshine, and this sat firmly on the good end.

This wasn’t what I was thinking of for Princess Luna’s party, but it reminded me of home. “How much for a jar?” I asked, digging out my own bits.

“For you?” The griffon paused to think for a moment. “Five bits, and say something nice about me to the Princess.”

I had to laugh. “Oh hell, I’ve been drug into politics now.” Reaching into my bits, I sat five coins on the counter, plus what I owed for the meal. “Call it a deal.”

Leaving the Wing and Hook, we headed back down the path leading towards the train station. I thought about teaching Key She’ll be Coming ‘Round the Mountain, but thought better of it. 

I heard the train before I saw it, rounding the last bend to Old Town just as the train was pulling in. It was pretty freaking cool actually. A real steam locomotive. I’d ridden old Klondike Katie around the loop once, but that had been years ago.

“How far does that line go?” I asked, watching the ponies disembark from the pullman cars. 

“Pretty much everywhere,” Key answered. “Even the Crystal Empire.”

“That’s really cool!” I was going to have to get a map with fares next week, maybe plan a few day trips.

Following the crowd, we made our way into the broad streets of Old Town. Looking around, a shop caught my attention: a clothing store advertising custom pieces. May as well hit that up, too, next time I’m down. 

“Tinctures and Tonics, is just up the street,” Key said, reminding me of why I’d ventured out in the first place. “After that we can check out Spirits of Canterlot.”

Catching up to Key, I took in the old town architecture. Things were more spaced out here, with that relaxed oldness I associated with Saint Augustine or New Orleans. The buildings had a delicate whimsy the market district just didn’t have. They’d also preserved little patches of carefully-manicured grass between the buildings; instead of just cramming buildings between the buildings. 

A twisted looking shop caught my attention as we turned a corner. Above the door was a book-shaped sign topped with a wizard’s hat. 

“I want to look in there a moment,” I said, pointing to the bookstore.

Key gave me a pizzled look before shrugging. “Take your time. I’ll be over at Chanfron, Croupiere, and Caparisons. I need to put in an order for a few things.”

“I’ll catch up to you there,” I said, waving to him as I stepped into the store. 

It was a cramped little space in the store; I couldn’t stand fully upright, and the aisles were narrow enough that I wondered how the ponies turned around in them. Well-loved books laid flat on tables, while crisp new one stood on edge in cluttered shelves. I glanced over them before my eyes locked on the back wall. There, heavy shelves of dark wood held up neat rows of ancient tomes behind glass. 

As I neared, my body buzzed from some unseen force contained within the books.

“Looking for a specific title?” an old stallion asked from behind the counter.

Kneeling down, I tried reading the books’ spines through the protective glass case. “Got anything on non-unicorn magic?”

The stallion’s grumpy look vanished, replaced by a grandfatherly smile. “Several.” Leaving the counter, he took a seat next to me, and produced some keys. “I have spellbooks for zebra, minotaur, and griffon magic.” Unlocking a case, he waited for my answer.

“Minotaurs?” I asked with a bit of fright. I hadn’t heard mention of those monsters yet. But then again, some little town south of here had a bugbear problem not too long ago...

“Yes, Sir,” the pony answered, oblivious to my shock. “Very creative magic they have.” 

They were bipedal with hands; if anything had a magic I could mimic, it would be them. “How much?”

“Forty five bits.”

Certainly not cheap, but this could be my indulgent spending for the month. I’d have to return the library books eventually, but this would be the first arcane book of my very own. Nodding in agreement, I stood and went over to the register while he found the book and locked the case back up. 

While I waited, I picked up a colorful coffee table style book on display by the register. “Creatures of Equestria,” it read. Inside, the pages were filled with colorful illustrations and little facts about each of the creatures. Flipping through the pages, one image particularly caught my eye: a wicked looking creature; half pony, half insect. While the form was correct, the creature they had drawn was incomparable to Doll.  

“Changeling, a parasitic creature that feeds on emotions,” the entry below read. It went on to make it very clear that they were dangerous monsters to be feared.

“Would you like that one too?” the stallion asked as he stepped behind the counter. “I’ll take five bits off it, since you’re buying that other book.”

“Sure,” I said, not even looking at the price tag.

The stallion nodded, then bagged my books for me while I counted out the bits. 

Back outside, I made my way up the road. The store Key had mentioned was hard to miss—the wooden carousel horse outside was armored in livery that seemed ready for a joust with King Arthur himself. I’d just reached for the door when Key beat me to it from the other side.

“Oh!” Key nearly tripped over himself, trying not to run me over. “Wasn’t expecting you to be done so fast.” Regaining his footing, he trotted out onto the road. “Ready to stock up your bar?”

Adjusting the backpack, I gave him a smile and a nod. “Lead the way.”
> Girl's Night. Pt1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The five o'clock hour chimed from the belltower, reminding me that I needed to hurry. Tucking my multi-tool into my old backpack, I double checked the bottles and supplies before zipping it up. Both the shops Key had taken me to had ended up being incredibly fun to explore, and after spending almost every bit Luna had given me, I was thoroughly convinced I had the makings of a bar stocked to amuse an alicorn princess. 

Luna’s party didn’t start till seven, but I intended to be there an hour early, which left me just enough time to shower, shave, and get dressed the best I could. I really did need some formal clothes, but I’d have to make do with the change of clothes I’d left in my plane: blue jeans, button-up shirt, and a belt. Honestly, it was my default attire for going on a date, so hopefully Luna wouldn’t think it overly casual.

After a good scrubbing and preening, I dubbed myself as fit as possible to host a Princess, and headed out the door with my backpack of goodies. It was a quiet walk over. Canterlot was always a quiet city in the evening; the nightlife not yet started, and the morning’s business long concluded. 

At the castle I lingered to chat with a few familiar ponies, slowly making my way towards Luna’s private chambers. 

“Hey, Strawberry,” I said, greeting him with a wave. I hadn’t expected him on door duty tonight. “They change your shift?”

Strawberry gave me a somewhat formal nod before relaxing. “I traded shifts. A friend is holding a fish fry next week, so I traded to get the day off.”

“A fish fry!?” I laughed as I spoke. “Oh wow, there’s some memories for me.” 

“Oh really?” Strawberry’s expression brightened as he opened the door for me. “I could probably get you invited.”

“Sure, but don’t be surprised if I help cook.” 

Strawberry rolled his eyes with a smirk, before motioning me to go in. “You’re the first one here. Princess Luna should be in shortly though.”

Inside I found the chambers to be well lit, but unoccupied, and I couldn’t help but feel like I was trespassing. A small raised platform had been brought in since the last time I was in here. A microphone sitting on it told me it would be Plowshare’s stage, which only fueled my curiosity to hear him sing, it wasn’t something I could easily imagine of the hulking stallion. 

Poking around the room, as politely as I could, I eventually recognized a bit of furniture against the back wall as a fold-away bar. It was a beautiful piece, too, mahogany and brass with intricate inlays of silver and jet. Years of regular use gave it a patina that added strength to its otherwise delicate nature.

Carefull not to add any scratches, I rolled it away from the wall and began unfolding the bartop.

I had almost finished stocking the bar, when the click of a door announced someone entering from the room’s other door. Looking up, I confirmed it was Luna. “Princess,” I said, greeting her with a bow.

“At ease. None of that in this room tonight,” Luna said, her magic floating in a bowl of what looked like chex-mix. It also dawned on me the that she was wearing none of her usual regalia. 

Setting the snacks in the middle of the table, Luna then came over to investigate the bottles I had lined up on the bartop. Looking past the wine and liquor, her eyes fell on one of the two packs of beer I had brought. 

“Coffee ale?” she asked, taking a bottle into her magic.

“It’s a dark ale, brewed with coffee. Something similar is popular in my world,” I said, pausing in my chore to give Luna my full attention.

In what seemed a practiced motion, Luna’s magic removed the cap before taking a healthy sip. She pondered the taste a moment, before nodding in approval. “This is good.” 

Taking a second drink, she nodded again, as if affirming the opinion to herself. “There’s an ice bucket hidden behind there,” she said tapping a panel with her hoof. “One of the guards will fetch ice from the kitchen, if you ask.”

Noticing my old backpack on the floor she gave it a sideways look before touching it. “That is a strange material. May I look at it?”

“Sure. It’s made from oil, but I couldn’t tell you how,” I answered. A second later and she was exploring the many zippers and pouches, pausing occasionally to examine whatever was inside.

“Mint: wild, from the smell of it,” she said, rooting around the garnishes and mixers. “Pink salt; from the Crystal Empire, I assume?”

I nodded in response. I’d been rather proud of that find, and hopefully I’d get to use it to introduce margaritas to Equestria. That is assuming that Badlands juice leaf liquor was something like tequila. 

“This all looks quite tempting.” Opening a side pocket, Luna pulled out a plastic bag I didn’t recognize at first.

“What’s this? Something from your world?” she asked. 

It was the bag of horse treats, I had forgotten completely about them. “They’re a candy of sorts. I suppose.” I couldn't find a way to say they’re pet treats for horses.

“Smells delicious.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but couldn’t put together an explanation before she had tossed one in her mouth.

“Mmm...” she hummed, her ears perked up with delight as she chewed.

Setting the bag down, Luna washed down the chewy horse treat with the beer. “Those are delicious. Do you have the recipe?”

Looking at the bag, I saw an ingredient list on it. “Kinda, but it may take a few tries to get it right.” They were just something the mennonites down the road made; couldn’t be that hard to reproduce. 

Luna smiled, giving me a nod. “I would consider it a favor if you would give the recipe to the kitchen.” Standing up, she walked back to the other side of the room with the beer still floating beside her. “I have a few errands to run before the girls start arriving. I will leave you to prepare,” she said before before leaving the way she had entered.

When the door clicked shut behind her, I blinked. That was not the rigid Princess Luna that I had feared for the past several months. I had been getting glimpses behind her stone mask, but this was something altogether different. 

Taking a breath, I returned to my task. Herbs, fruits, tonics, salt, and sugar all found a home inside the bar. Popping open the trick door, I found a silver ice bucket inside. 

Strawberry offered to make the ice run for me, but honestly I was out of things to do, so I got it myself. I needed to make some simple syrup, too, and I didn’t feel like bothering the cooks about it.

I ran into a few familiar faces along the way, familiar colors and marks anyway. There’s probably three ponies I could honestly say I recognize by face alone. Not including the princesses; but they look so vastly different, I’d know them even in the dark.

Anyway, I didn’t pause to chat for long. Having Luna’s party to tend to was excuse enough to keep the conversation short. 

“There you are,” Plowshare greeted me as I walked back into Luna’s chambers. “I knocked on your door, but you’d already left.”

“Wanted to get here early.” I was a little surprised Plowshare hadn’t dressed up for the evening. Nude was the norm for ponies, but they also seemed to enjoy dressing up for special occasions. Then again, if I was as ripped as Plowshare, I might consider shirtless as being dressed up.

Plowshare shrugged. “No problem.” Following me behind the bar, he gave my set up a quick inspection. “Fancy... I don’t even know what most of this is.”

“Mostly me trying to recreate stuff I used to make back home. Plus a few experiments.”

“Hmm... I’ll have to try one or two.” Returning to his makeshift stage, Plowshare picked up a stack of paper, and shuffled through it. “I wanted to ask you something though.”

“Oh? What's that?”

Pulling out a page from the stack, he held it up for me to see. I couldn’t read it from here, but I did recognize it as sheet music. “A friend of mine is helping pull music off some gizmo of yours. She sent me one of the songs she translated. You mind if I sing it later?”

I blinked, then stared blankly at Plowshare. Princess Twilight hadn’t had my phone for a week, and ponies were already circulating sheet music of songs from my phone.

Plowshare wilted a bit, looking from me to the sheet in his hoof. “If you don’t want me to...”

“No, no. It’s cool. I just didn’t expect to hear anything from my phone so soon.”

“Oh!” Plowshare chuckled. “My friend, she’s a regular client, her talent is in electronic music. Princess Twilight hired her to duplicate the music. She’s not supposed to show it to anypony, but when I mentioned you...”

Well that made some sense, I suppose. Actually, the most surprising this was that ponies had eletronic music. “Did she translate it for you?” Last thing I needed was Plowshare to serenade Luna with phonetic reading of “Closer”.

“Yeah.” Plowshare chuckled, turning the page so he could read it. “Princess Twilight thought it was an incantation at first.”

Incantation, ha! I actually knew what he meant by that. “Really? What song— Actually, don’t tell me. I want to be surprised.”






> Girl's Night pt.2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sound of Plowshare practicing his scales greeted Luna as she reached the rear door to her chambers. She paused a moment to appreciate the casual air of his deep, smoky voice. Once she walked into the room, it would take on the formal tone of a professional. 

When his vocal practice faded into casual banter with Shane, Luna opened the door and stepped through, toting the food she had prepared along with her. “Evening,” she greeted the two, floating the bowls and trays of food to their usual places. 

“Luna,” Plowshare said with a little nod.

Shane fidgeted, and likely just barely stopped himself from bowing. “Princess,” he said with a wave of his hand. It occurred to her that Shane was dressed entirely in clothes from his home world. The near skin-tight clothing gave him a sharper, more masculine look than normal. She rather liked his belt’s silver buckle, too. Its carved image of an earth pony reared to fight had a warrior spirit to it, though she had an unnerving suspicion that the belt itself was leather.

“Shane, Plowshare,” Luna greeted them back. “Help yourselves to the food.” Plowshare knew he was as much a guest as the girls, but she wanted to say it for Shane’s sake. Something told her he’d go hungry all night if she didn’t tell him to eat.

Walking over to a cabinet, Luna pulled out a pack of cards and a notebook for the night's game. She had only just written down the five names of tonight’s players, when a knock sounded from the main door.

“Hello,” the rich old voice of Merry Hearth called as she entered the room without prompt. 

“Hey, Merry,” Plowshare answered, trotting over to give her a hug. “Oh! You brought brownies!”

Luna clicked her tongue in mock irritation, but the grin peeking out from around the scowl ruined any appearance of anger. “I told you, you didn’t have to cook tonight.”

“It’s my mark.” Merry grinned, letting Plowshare steal one of the squares. “I’ll bake for my own funeral, if I figure out how.” With long steps that seemed out of place for her age, Merry crossed the room to Shane’s side. “Try one?” she asked the human with all the familiarity she'd give one of her grandfoals.

A shadow flickered across Shane’s face, but only for a heartbeat. “Sure! Thank you.” 

As Shane pulled his square from the pan, Merry hoofed it onto the bar top before moving to her seat at the game table.

Something in Shane’s manner held Luna’s attention. He breathed deep and closed his eyes before taking a bite and chewing slowly. It occurred to her that his mind had left the room entirely. Right now, he was in some far-off place and time. The moment seemed sacred to him, and she expected him to give words for the dead when he opened his eyes. Instead, he gave her a sheepish smile, before busying himself with straightening the already-immaculate bar.

A moment later and there was another knock on the door. Luna looked up to see one of the guards open the door in formal invitation to the Arabian mare on the other side. 

“Desert Spring, glad to have you with us again,” Luna said with a smile. 

She was missing her usual regalia of saddle and bridle, only wearing a delicate saddlebag.

“It is good to be back,” Spring said, giving Luna the slightest nod, then a smile to Plowshare. Halfway to taking her seat by Merry, she paused to look at Shane.

“This is Shane,” Luna said before she could ask. “He is from a very far off place.”

“Oh.” Spring gave him a smile before stepping closer to him. “I am Desert Spring, consort to Jumping Mouse of Saddle Arabia, a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine,” he said, giving her a little bow. His eyes studied her with an academic glow for a moment before speaking again. “Would you like a drink, Desert Spring?” 

There was something lost by the omiglot’s translation, but Luna couldn't put her hoof on just what.  

Spring nodded, smiling like one complimented. She returned Shane’s studying gaze for a moment before speaking. “A drink would be good. Nothing strong.”

Shane launched into action behind the bar while Desert Spring settled into a seat by Merry. 

Idle banter picked up between them as they waited for the last two of their group to show up. Merry had just finished regaling them about her son’s new business when a steaming cup was delivered in front of Spring.

“Coffee?” Luna asked.

Spring smiled at the dark drink, taking in the rich smell of it. “You can make Arabian coffee?” Taking a careful sip, Spring hummed. “This is good. What’s the liquor in it?”

Shane stood a little taller, his expression brightened from the praise. “Cinnamon schnapps.”

Confusion splayed Luna’s ears as she shifted in the seat to look at the human standing behind the bar. “How did you make coffee?”

Shane grinned like he was keeping the best secret in creation. “I brought some Arabian-ground beans with me.” Picking up another cup, he ran his fingers around its rim. A faint aura of cerulean traced behind his fingertips, and the contents started to bubble and steam. “Would you like some?”

Luna laughed. “You have been studying. I am impressed, and yes, I will take a cup, but hold the schnapps.” Boiling water: it was the first spell every zebra foal learned; not long after walking. A useful thing, but one few ponies ever bothered with. 

“I had a tutor for a few hours,” Shane said as he poured the coffee from one cup to another. “She really helped me a lot.”

“Hi!” the cheery voice of Sun Fire called as the pink and yellow mare barrelled through the doorway. “We’re not late, are we?” Sunny’s ever-bubbling energy sent her across the room to land in her seat by Merry. Her messy sun-shine yellow mane still bounced even after the rest of the pink mare went mostly still.

“We would have been here sooner,” Giselle said, flowing into the room with her dancer’s grace. From beak to paws, every motion of the lithe, little griffon seemed choreographed to accent the next move she made. “But Sunny had to save me from a protracted conversation with Blueblood.”

“He’s still chasing you?” Spring asked, her coffee at her lips.

Taking her place by Sunny, Giselle rested her beak on the table. “Yes. Between him and Tung...”

“Oh, hey!” Sunny cheered, waving at Shane—who had taken something of a defensive position behind the bar. “You’re new. Are you the new bartender?”

“Umm... Hi, and yes,” Shane said, snapping his attention from Giselle to Sun Fire.

“Oh good,” Giselle said, sitting up straight with a sigh. “Make me something strong, if you would please.”

Sunny nodded. “Something salty for me.”

“Just some wine for me,” Merry said, standing to get it herself.

Shane gave a sharp nod of acknowledgement. Corking a bottle, he handed it over to Merry before taking to rummaging around the contents of his bar.

Taking the cards in her hooves, Luna shuffled the deck. “Shall we play?”

As Luna began to deal out cards, Plowshare flicked the gramophone to life, and as the tinny instrumental music began to play, Plowshare’s rich voice joined it. Several times she had pondered why the stallion had a mark in farming, and not singing.

“Odd number this time, so no teams. I’ll deal first,” Luna said, giving the deck one last shuffle.

“Sounds good to me,” the griffon answered.

Picking up her notebook, Luna looked to Spring beside her. “Then you get to make the first bid.”

Just as the game had started in earnest, Shane silently deposited the requested drinks. Lifting the cup in her magic, Luna sipped at the steaming coffee. The arabian style wasn’t her preferred coffee, but it was a novel change once in awhile. 

Giselle plucked a bit of mint from her unpleasantly-colored yellow-brown drink. With a flick, she tossed the bit of greenery onto the napkin in front of Sunny. “All yours,” she said, before taking the glass in the talons.

Sunny let out the faintest squeak as she tossed the mint into her mouth and chewed. “Yummy.”

Taking a sip of her drink, Giselle seemed to ponder the taste. “Barley made something like this,” she said, before finishing off most of it in one go. “Pretty good.” Laying down the glass, she picked up the cards dealt to her this round. “What’d you get, Sunny?”

Lowering her nose to the drink, Sunny sniffed the light-green drink with its salt-crusted rim. “Smells good...”

Luna couldn’t help but notice Shane anxiously waiting on a verdict as she picked the glass up.

Pressing it to her lips, she took a sip, then a swallow. “Oh, that’s good!” Turning her head, she licked a bit of the salt from the rim. “What’s in it?”

Shane grinned like a proud father. “Badlands juice-leaf liquor, and some bitter-orange tincture. The rest is just lime juice.”

“Speaking of the Badlands,” Luna hesitated as she straightened some cards. “I received your sister’s report this morning. She should be back within the week.”

“Oh yay!” Sunny clapped her hooves. “And Princess Celestia doesn’t have me leaving for another two weeks.”

“Long deployment this time?” Spring asked.

Sunny shrugged, in that way that said she wasn’t at liberty to say.

“Well...” Giselle winced as Merry’s cards completed the hand she had set up to win on her next turn. “Hopefully you’ll be back in a couple moons.” 

Spring smiled, laying down her play. “I will personally petition Celestia for you to be back for Giselle’s opening night as the lead for Windigo Prince.”

“Oh!” Luna and Sunny echoed each other, both turning towards the petite griffon with bright smiles. 

“You got the lead?” Merry asked.

“Yea...” Giselle croaked out, smothered beneath Sunny’s crushing hug. Even Plowshare paused his song to give her a heart-felt congratulations.

“Shane,” Luna called with a playful command. “A drink for everyone. That includes you and Plowshare.”

“As you wish,” Shane said, stepping back from his bar to look over the contents. “Umm... I hate to ask,” he said, holding out a big piece of ginger and a steel cup. “But would one of you ladies have a spell to juice this?”

Luna opened her mouth to say she’d get it, only to realize Sunny had already rent the root to dry pulp and set the liquid part into the cup.

Shane winced. “Thanks...” he said, going through the motions of counting his fingers before disposing of the pulp.

A few seconds later, and the hiss of a seltzer bottle seemed to announce the last touch to whatever he was making.

“Hopefully this works; I had to substitute the ginger beer for fresh ginger,” he said, handing out the tumblers of spicy-smelling drink. “They’re called ‘dark and stormy’. Probably my favorite drink.”

Looking at the drink, it was an appropriate name. Taking her glass in hoof, she held it on in salute to Giselle. “To my favorite griffon, may your dancing days continue for many years.”

The others echoed her words before lowering their glasses to drink from them. 

Giselle’s wings betrayed her embarrassment, but also her happiness. “Thank you all.”

“I could get into trouble with these...” Plowshare commented, looking at his glass. 

“Yeah,” Merry agreed. “This is sneaky.”

Shane took a sip, but scrunched his face to one side. “It’s okay... The rum is really good, but it’d be better with ginger beer.”

Luna had to agree with Plowshare. It was a sweet and spicy drink, with a lot of subtle flavors that completely hid the alcohol. “If you can make this even better, then I will see to it that there is ginger beer in here for you next time.”


- - -


“Mind if I try a sip?” Luna asked, reaching for Plowshare’s glass of exotic wine that he had just sat on the table. It had been a very long time since she’d had Crystal Berry Wine, but really, it was just an excuse to lean against Plowshare as she reached.

Plowshare smiled, but pretended not to notice the contact. “Sure,” he said, moving the glass a bit closer, but not so close that it meant she didn’t have to lean to reach it.

Not bothering to sit back upright after she had the glass in her hooves, Luna rested against the muscled stallion as she took a careful sip. It was good, much like she remembered it. Though, it was one of those drinks she always thought smelled better than it tasted. Bringing the glass back up, she paused short of setting it to her lips. Instead she enjoyed its rich aroma while half-listening to a story Desert Spring was telling, and inwardly laughing as she watched Shane fussing over Merry; making sure something or another was to her comfort.

The card game had mostly been forgotten by the nine o’clock hour, replaced with rambling stories from whoever had the next tale vaguely tangent to the one before it. Much to Luna’s liking, the human had relaxed by degrees, reaching a point where he would linger at the table between Sunny and Merry; instead of standing rigid behind the bar. The couple of drinks he’d had probably helped, thought it was more the rapport he’d developed with Merry. While Merry Hearth had a great number of ponies she had unofficially adopted as grandfoals, Celestia and herself being among them, this was the first time Luna had seen someone adopt her as a grandmother. 

“-so, three days later, they come back and say.” Spring paused giggling at her own story. “Oh! You were looking for a mule!?”

Luna snorted. “That reminds me,” she said, still chuckling, her voice only brushed with alcohol slur. She paused a moment to gather her thoughts as Plowshare pulled free from his role as her stalwart leaning post to return to his singing spot. She missed his warmth as soon as he stood, but she did enjoy watching him walk away from her.

Luna blinked, shaking the lurid thought from her mind. “I was in the grand hall when my sister’s court let out for lunch the other day. Apparently Blueblood was rather hungry and tried to make a dash to be first in line.”

Merry giggled, already seeing where this story was going.

“Well...” Luna turned to face Giselle. “Mirror Polish had come through while court was in, and Blue went legs out,” Luna threw out her forelegs in imitation of the fall, “and landed belly first. Took him five minutes to stand.”

Chuckles echoed around the room, Giselle laughing till her eyes watered. 

“Why do you keep that floor that polished?” Shane asked, once the laughter had faded. “Even I have to be careful in there, I have no idea how you ponies even stand.” 

Spring sat down the spicy tomato juice cocktail she had been nursing on. “It forces ponies to walk with their head up, and with slow, careful steps; discourages rushing and pushing.”

“Oh...” Shane replaced Giselle’s empty beer bottle with a full one. “That makes sense.” The flirty flutter of her wings went completely unnoticed by the human.

“Hey Shane...” Sunny pushed her empty cup away from her, the motion sloppy and over-exaggerated. “Make me the strangest drink you know.”

Shane stood, but concern creased his face. “Okay, but I’m cutting you off after this. Anyone else want something?”

Moving to better watch the human work, Luna spoke up. “One las’ drink for me as well; something minty.”

“One naked filly scout, for the princess,” Shane replied. Placing a short glass on the bartop, he poured cream, mint, and a few splashes of liqueur into it. 

“For something strange...” Shane studied his ingredients for a moment before brightening up. Another short glass was set on the table, where he added a shot of something clear, then very carefully poured a second shot of another clear liquor. 

Walking the two glasses and a bottle of something over to the table, Shane first sat down Luna’s drink, then Sunny’s.

“That’s boring,” Sunny said, frowning at the totally clear drink.

Then Shane let a few drops of cream-white liqueur drip from the bottle into the drink.

Every female at the table blinked at the drink, and several blushed. Sunny giggled like a filly telling her first dirty joke. “Looks like you came in my drink,” she said, leaning forward to get a better look.

“You can have another drink yourself, Shane,” Luna said, before taking a taste of her candy-like drink. She was pleased to find it had a bite to it, but wasn’t overly strong. “It will be time to retire soon, you do not need to be our host any longer. Simply relax with us for the remainder of the evening.”

Shane stiffened. She expected him to make some kind of protest, but after taking a moment to straighten the bar, he poured himself a double of the zap-apple brandy. 

“To be honest, I’m pretty lit already. I’ve been tasting everything as I go.” Drink in hand, he sat down between Merry and Sunny.

Luna suppressed a snicker as Shane visibly restrained himself from resting his arms on the ponies beside him. After a moment, he simply held his glass with both hands, seeming to need something for them to do.

Giselle gave Sunny the gentlest of nudges with a wing tip. Sunny’s ears perked scanning towards her best friend with a precise awareness that showed she was nowhere near as tipsy as she was pretending to be. Some little conversation passed between them, but it was a wordless one.

“You too, Plowshare,” Luna said.

The stallion gave her a wink, and trailed off on the song he was singing. “I have something special to sing for my last song,” he said, shuffling his sheet music. “It’s a song from Shane’s world. Princess Twilight translated it. Or rather, her dragon.”

“Oh?” Luna perked up. Shane seemed a bit unsure, but everyone else eagerly awaited to hear the alien lyrics.

“Oh, here it is!” Sitting the page on the music stand, Plowshare changed out the gramophone's record to one with a slow heavy beat and deep bass horns. Draining the last of his drink, Plowshare nodded along with the music for a moment before taking a deep breath.

"I put a spell on you…" the stallion belted out in a drunken slur.  

Luna grinned, meeting Plowshare’s sultry glare as he sang. It was a simple song, but fun in its delivery. Not something that would get stuck in your head, unlike the one from the movie—she had found herself absently humming that ear-worm almost daily since hearing it.

As the song ended, Luna looked around to see the other girls amused by the exotic treat, while Shane had a rather uncomfortable look to him.

“Umm...” Shane adjusted himself on his cushion. “Like it?”

Luna nodded. “I did.” Using a wing, she pulled a spare cushion up next to hers, and patted it for Plowshare to join her.

“Is that a love song, in your world?” Merry asked.

Shane relaxed as he held back a laugh. “No. Not sure what you’d call it, but definitely not a love song.”

“Hey, Spring.” Rising to her hooves, Sun Fire picked up her drink. “Did you bring pictures of your foal?” She asked, walking around the table to sit next to Desert Spring.

Spring smiled. “I did!” Turning in her seat, she began to dig in her saddle bags for the little album she kept there.

Giselle filled the void left by Sunny and slid herself over to sit next to Shane under the guise of looking past him to the album Spring had set on the table. 

After the conversation had drifted away from Spring’s foal, it occurred to Luna that Shane was an affectionate drunk. Not that he was drunk, but certainly inebriated enough that she could tell he was consciously keeping himself from out-and-out petting either Merry or Giselle. 

When Giselle strategically moved so that his hand fell onto her back, he absently dragged his fingers through her pelt for a moment before pulling his hand back. Scooting yet a bit closer, Giselle gave him a playful nudge, encouraging him to continue. 

Nervous tension gave way to a soft smile as he returned his hand to her side. Watching those two pull closer made Luna more aware of the stallion she was leaning against, and prompted her to pull closer herself.

“Well...” Merry Hearth rose to all fours. “I think it’s bedtime for me.”

Spring nodded. “Indeed; tomorrow is a busy day for me. Sun Fire, you’re welcome to sleep in my suite if you do not wish to walk home.” Standing up, she tucked her album away. “Thank you for hosting, Luna; it was a wonderfully relaxing evening with friends.” Turning to face Shane, she gave him a nod. “It was a pleasure to meet you.” 

Joining the others in standing, Luna moved towards the door to see them out. “I am glad you all had a pleasant evening.”

Shane seemed lost or disoriented for a moment, and Luna was about to ask him if he needed to sleep here for the night when Giselle steadied him with a wing.

“Can I walk you home?” the griffon asked.

Looking from her to Giselle, Luna realized he wasn’t drunk, but honestly confused as to what he was supposed to do.

“You are obligated to nothing,” Luna said. “I told you an hour ago that you were no longer acting as a consort of The House.”

“Oh!” Shane brightened up, then looked back down at Giselle. “Sure, I’d like the company.”

Giselle’s wings fluffed a bit in joy as she escorted the human out of the room.

That left only her and Plowshare in the room. Luna dug at her foreleg with the opposite hoof.

“I have no duties tonight. Would you like to join me in my chambers for coffee?”

Plowshare smiled and moved to stand next to her. “That would be nice.”

> After Party
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Giselle’s hips were a hypnotic thing to watch. Her spine and tail snaked with every step, making it completely impossible for me to look away. Feline legs stepped with a criss-cross stride, stirring memories of an adolescent fascination with cat-girls.

Also, I was pretty lit. That crayola brandy hit me like a truck, or at least a four-pony wagon. Not too bad, though; I’d sober up after a walk and a shower.

It occurred to me I really liked Giselle’s tail. It was far more feminine than ponies’ tails. ‘I wonder what the bits under it look like?’

I may have said that out loud, as Giselle looked back at me just as the thought crossed my mind. I’m pretty sure she caught me staring at her, too. Looking over her shoulder, the fuzzy tip of her tail danced to its own rhythm while her eyes darted across me before settling on my crotch. I was about to make a joke about my eyes being up here, but she spoke before I could collect my words.

“Your belt, it’s a trophy?” she asked.

“Huh?” looking down, I remembered I had my old rodeo belt on. “Yeah, actually,” I said smiling. It’d been a pretty big deal to me at the time.

Slowing down, Giselle walked beside me, her eyes studying the belt. “That leather is thick; it must have been a huge beast.”

Leather? Ah crap. “Ugh... The buckle is the trophy, though it did come with the belt. I didn’t kill the animal it came from.”

“Oh.” Giselle seemed a bit disappointed.

“I won the buckle by being the best wild horse rider in my state,” I explained. Not an accurate description, but one that got the idea across. “I hunted deer, though.”

“You rode wild horses, and hunted deer?” she obviously didn’t believe me.

Nodding with more enthusiasm than was appropriate, I paused for her to look at the buckle. “Yeah. See the horse?”.

Giselle moved to better see my buckle, putting her beak either too close or not close enough to my crotch: I couldn’t decide which. “Riding wild horses is a sport in your world?” she asked, seemingly convinced of my claim.

“Yea, but not very popular.”

“No?” she asked, starting to walk again.

“No. I doubt there was a hundred people that competed in my region. And a big crowd at a competition was only a thousand or so.”

“Hmm...” Giselle let her wings hang a bit loose as she walked beside me. “But you were the best in your state?” she pronounced the word “state” rather harshly.

“Yeah, but when I got to the national level, I lost pretty fast.”

“Oh!” Understanding lit up her expression. “That’s still pretty good.”

Silence fell between us as we walked through the abandoned Canterlot night. In the distance, I could hear the bustle of the party district, but where we walked was quiet as a grave.

“You’ve hunted?” she asked after a moment.

“A little,” I answered. “Waking up early wasn’t really worth it though.”

“I’ve never taken prey.” There was a tone of regret in her voice that I found surprising.

“Can’t say I enjoyed it. Not the taking anyway, but the meat I liked.”

Giselle nodded. “I think that’s how it’s supposed to be.”

Crossing a street, I was surprised to find us already at The House. Giselle moved just a little closer to me, her wing brushing my leg with every other step. Walking so close, my hand found her neck by accident. The silky feathers felt nice. Instinct moved my hand to petting her before I thought better of it.

“Sorry,” I said, sticking my hands in my pockets. “I keep wanting to pet you.”

“I noticed.” Giggling, Giselle danced ahead of me. Long legs stepping with a precise rhythm, she made sure I could see exactly what her tail normally hid. The lithe, mercurial dance ended with a come-hither pose and her wings snapping out like war fans.

“Oh wow.” I breathed, the display leaving me stunned.

Wings shimmered, then one reached out to rest a single feather on my nose. A bright laugh left her as she relaxed, my total bewilderment amusing her. “Your eyes are wonderful.” she said looking up at me. Though her beak was as expressionless as ever, I still felt like she was smiling at me.

Shaking my head, I gathered my senses. “My eyes?” I asked.

Giselle moved back to my side. A little nudge got me walking again as she made sure her neck was in easy reach for petting. “They’re predator eyes, but they’re not cold” she answered. “Sharp and forward, but still expressive. Ponies’ eyes are too big and far apart. They never look quite adult.”

“Oh. Well, thank you.”

Walking across The House’s park, we gave a wide berth to a couple cuddling on a blanket as they star-gazed. I think I recognised the stallion as a stud, but it could have been just a random couple. Either way, we gave them their privacy.

“You want to come in?” I asked unlocking my door. “I’m off tomorrow, so I can stay up a bit longer.”

Giselle’s wings shifted forward and out—something I read as eagerness. “Sure,” she answered with a passive, bored tone that didn’t match her body language.

Opening the door, I let her go in first. “Would you like some water or tea? I made some lemonade yesterday too.”

“Lemonade, please,” she answered, looking around as she made her way to the living room. “This is nice.”

“Thank you. I try to keep it nicer than I used to keep my apartments,” I said, kicking off my boots before heading to the fridge.

Taking a seat on my sofa, she settled in with a fluff of her feathers. “Well, professional appearance is important,” she said, preening down a few feathers as I joined her on the sofa, with two big glasses of lemonade.

Glass in hand...talon, she abandoned her grooming to sip at her drink. We sat in silence for a moment, drinking our much needed hydration. After a few moments, Giselle finished hers off with one last gulp.

Setting the empty glass aside, she stood to pace around again.

“You know.” She let the words hang for a moment, the discovery of my working bedroom derailing her thought. “I have this theory that a lot of ponies have a predator fetish.” 

“Really?” Standing up, I went to see what Giselle was doing in the bedroom. “Can’t say I’ve noticed,” I said, stepping through the doorway.

“I may be projecting,” Giselle’s voice giggled from beside me.

Talons latched onto my belt, pulling me onto the bed with force. Flailing, I somehow managed to land straddling her without hurting either of us. “Hi,” I said. Smiling down at the little griffon, her canary-yellow beak filled my vision.

The shiny beak begged to be touched. From a distance, it had a weapon’s gleam, but from inches away it looked more like hard candy. Reaching up, I caressed its edge, surprised to find it warm and pliable: not the cold bone I’d expected. “You know you could have just asked me to pet you more.”

“I thought this would be more fun,” she answered, closing her eyes with delight as my fingers traced where beak met flesh.

Legs wrapped around my waist. Looking down, I watched her dexterous fingers... talons open my shirt. Palms rubbed across my chest, polished claws tracing muscle. 

Cupping her head with one hand, I let the other play with a wing. Kissing was my natural instinct here, but instead I followed Giselle’s cue to press cheeks. We explored each other’s body with panting breath. Giselle gave a small cheer when my shirt finally found its way to the floor. Pushing me back with a tender touch, she studied my chest and arms.

I used the moment to examine her just as well. Her shiny feathers and smooth fur stuck tight to lean muscle.

Reaching for my hand, Giselle twined our fingers together before pulling me back onto her. “Like what you see?” she asked.

“Oh yeah.” I nodded. Reaching down with my free hand, I raked my nails across her inner thigh. “Do you?”

“So far.” Letting go of my hand, she unbuckled my belt with one motion, and my pants with a second. Before I could even offer to help undress myself, her two hind legs had kangaroo-kicked my underware and pants against the far wall; leaving me wearing nothing but socks. A moment later and she’s gotten those of to.

Looking back, I could help but get aroused. “You’re really... flexible.”

“Comes with the job.” As if needing to prove the point, she casually tucked a leg behind her head.

“Impressive.” Rolling onto my side, I took in the full view of her as I traced my fingers down to the wet spot I’d glimpsed earlier. She was very much innie. Her firm, little mounds split with a cute line that begged to be explored.

Giselle hummed, her tail twitching as she scanned my newly exposed flesh.

“So, a predator fetish?” I asked, flashing a toothy grin and meeting her eyes.

Tucking her beak to her chest, Giselle looked up at me with big eyes.“Yeah...”

Lunging forward, I grabbed her wrists, and pinned her to the bed. An animal sound escaped her, the leg that had been behind her head coming forward to rest on my shoulder.

“Oh...” She squirmed, testing my grip on her, but only a little. “Now what are you going to do with me?” she asked, her hips rocking with need.

A wolf’s grin spread across my face. Changing my grip on her, I moved both her wrists to one hand, holding them crossed above her head. “Maybe I’ll eat you,” I said before giving her a playful bite on the leg.

Giselle tensed, giggling while I bit at her leg. Freeing her hands from my grip, she planted them on my head.“If you’re going to eat me, start lower,” she said, pushing me down.

Not fully giving in, I held onto her leg, enjoying every inch of it as I crept from ankle to inner thigh. The long, lean leg was a delight to explore. I took time to touch every inch of her dancer’s leg with my hands, while nipped at the more tender spots with my teeth: giggles and moans rewarding me along the way.  

When my trail of nibbles found dampness, I paused to get a better look. Grabbing her with both hands, I let my thumbs open her. Behind the folds, I found a familiar enough sight, though I suddenly had doubts about fitting in her.

Leaning forward, I licked the tender flesh, then paused to suckle the hard nub. A feline growl rolled out of Giselle, her hands blindly groping for something to hold. As her hips rocked, I alternated between long licks and tender suckles. Pressing two fingers against the base of her heat, I pressed them into her. The wet flesh yielded reluctantly to the intrusion, giving my more doubts about the moving on to full sex. Not stopping with the oral attention, I hooked my fingers to massage the hard spot just inside her. If we couldn’t have sex, I’d at least give her a hell of a time like this.

Above me Giselle writhed, incoherent sounds gurgling out of her as her eyes rolled back. “I’m gonna...” She panted, her hand suddenly appearing to interrupt my work. “Not yet...”

Grabbing my arm, she pulled me back up face to face, but then promptly rolled off the bed at a trot. “Be right back!” she called, disappearing into the living room.

Sitting on the bed, rather horny and confused, I started to tell her the bathroom was in here. Before I could gather the words, Giselle had returned though, a blue vial held in her beak.

“One second,” she said in a hurried tone as she tore the seal away. Pouring the contents down her throat, she sat the empty vial aside before returning to the bed. “No kittens,” she said, laying on her back with her wings laid loose.

“You sure about this?” I asked, leaning back over her.

“Never been more sure.” Giselle's legs wrapped around me, pulling our hips together.

Hot flesh against flesh stirred my blood. I wanted to take her right then, my need to be inside her arched my spine, but I stopped myself. I couldn’t stand the thought of hurting her. “I’m not sure we’re compatible down there,” I said, clutching Giselle to me while trying to calm myself.

Giselle’s hips rocked, her entire body contorting till my tip was pressed into wet heat. “We’re about to find out,” she told me, her heels pressing me into her.

Tightness surrounded my sensitive head, warmth and squirming sending shivers through my body. A hiss escaped my lover, her heels easing in their pressure. Not wanting to force anything, I pulled back every so slightly, using the time to kiss where her beak became feathers.

We rolled like this for a moment, caressing each other while I merely rested against her. Heated petting and rubbing of cheeks fueled our desire. I should have turned my hips aside, but my hormone addled brain insisted on the contact, and Giselle seemed to equally desire the pressure against her. 

Amidst a particularly strong wave of passion, her legs again squeezed at me, urging me into her. Giselle groaned, and with one last nudge, I was truly inside her.

“Oh... that hurts good.” she moaned, grinding against me. “Can you go deeper?”

Unable to speak, I nodded. Relaxing, I allowed my weight to rest on her. Our hips met as I fully sheathed myself in her, bottoming out against her cervix as I finally came to rest.

“Yess!” Giselle growled, her eyes wild.

Seeing what she liked, I pulled back to again drive home. I had to take it slow, pacing myself against Giselle’s moans of “Faster.” I could feel every little nuance within her, and any sudden movement threatened to spoil my intentions of making this last as long as possible.

A beak nudged my neck, prompting me to raise my head. Sharp, steamy eyes met me, drawing me into a gaze I couldn’t look away from. Beak to nose, we swam in each other's eyes. With a mixture of tender touches and desperately clutching each other, we whispered moans and coos, reveling in the shared sensation of each stroke.

Slowly, by degrees, Giselle’s eyes became glassy: staring into me yet unfocused. Smiling, I gave her the speed she’d been asking for.
 
Our eyes still locked, Giselle twitched. Her wings flared out as she somehow became even tighter around me. “Mmm... Shane!” she called, her talons digging into my back, desperately clutching at me as if she couldn’t get us close enough. 

The racking of fingernails down my back was a delicious pain. I hadn’t even realized I missed it so much. Though, I did have the wits to be thankful Giselle’s talons had been polished round. Groaning in ecstasy, I pulled at the handful of feathers I’d unconsciously grabbed.

A sudden spasm of her hips sent Giselle twisting and shaking around me, more than enough to blur my vision as I too fell into orgasm. 

“Giselle...” I whispered back to her, both our bodies contorting in release, both of us seeing nothing but the other’s eyes.

Slowly, as the world came back into focus, I smiled at the warm eyes still looking into mine. We both slumped, letting our bodies go limp and tangle together, only breaking eye contact to again press cheeks. We laid still, breathing hard and holding one another, for a long while, each occasionally twitching from orgasmic aftershock. 

After what felt like an hour, my arm was starting to fall asleep, so I had to roll off her.

“That, was good sex,” I said, being careful to pull out of her slowly. A bit of blood stained both me and the massive wet-spot on the sheets, but nothing to worry about. Being the gentleman that I am, I made sure I was the one to lay on the wet-spot instead of her.

Giselle hummed, moving to curl against me. “So I did good for my first time?”

“You...” Looking down at the little griffon, I blinked. “You were- you’ve never had sex before?”

“Nope.”

“I...” Laying a hand on Giselle, I straightened some of her feathers. “Thank you.”

“For?” she asked, opening one eye.

Reaching to the light switch, I turned it off. “It’s a human thing. Don’t worry about it. And yeah, that was good.”

Snuggling into bed, I put an arm around my lover as she rested her head on my shoulder. A wing draped across me while her talons held me like I might disappear. As exhaustion washed over me, I held her just as tight. The world began to fade into sleep, but a soft sound dragged me back to the waking.

“Giselle, are you purring?”

“Shut up and go to sleep.”

Stifling a laugh, I did just that.

> Good Morning.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The quiet sounds of cooking and the smell of coffee dragged me from my sleep. I was a little disappointed to be alone in my bed, but the thought of Giselle cooking for me more than made up for it. I slid out of bed and stretched for a moment. Other than being a little thirsty and needing to pee rather badly, I felt wonderful. Though, a stickiness in my mouth told me I had weapons-grade morning breath.

In the guest bathroom, wet shower walls and a few moved bottles told me I’d slept through Giselle’s morning routine. With a coed shower off the table this morning, I decided to go ahead and hose off myself too. I commandeered the toothbrush Giselle had opened up. Half way through brushing my teeth, it occurred to me Giselle didn’t have teeth. I suddenly really wanted to see how she brushed out her beak; I’d have to make a point to wake up with her next time.

After an enjoyable, if lonely, shower, my breath was sanitized, and the dried body fluids washed away. I felt completely refreshed and decided to skip clothes altogether to go see what Giselle was up to in the kitchen. 

“Hey, sexy,” she called as I rounded the corner. Her eyes scanned me for a moment before returning to what she was working on. “Good timing. Breakfast is ready.”

I had to smile, Giselle was something out of a pinup poster: her fur and feathers still damp, and a cooking apron tied around her chest as she tended the stove. “So what we having?” I asked sitting down where two cups of coffee were already waiting. 

Leaning forward, I watched her flip something from a skillet to a plate.

“Hash browns with cheese,” she said, handing me a plate, her wings pursued back in what I was coming to know as a smile. “And eggs. Hope you like them over medium.” 

“My favorite, actually.” Taking an offered fork, I tried the hash browns. “That’s good,” I said after chewing. 

“Good!” the feathers around Giselle’s neck fluffed a bit. Coming around the kitchen’s island, she tossed the apron aside before taking a seat beside me.

We sat in comfortable silence for most of the meal, sipping at our coffee and eating the home-cooked breakfast. I could have easily imagined being back home, other than the subtle clicking of Giselle’s beak.

“How ya feeling this morning?” I asked, motioning towards her flank.

Giselle twisted in her seat, testing her body for the answer. “Little sore, but nothing bad. I have to leave for practice here in a bit. I’m sure once I get warmed up, I won’t notice it at all.”

“Good,” I said with a smile. “Thank’s for cooking, by the way. This really is good.”

“It’s the least I could do.” Giselle shrugged. 

Sopping up some yolk with my potatoes, I gathered my courage. “Later in the week, would you like to go get dinner?”

Giselle cut me a sideways glance. “Are you asking me on a date?”

“Yeah.” Chewing in silence, I washed it down with some coffee. “You been to Hook and Claw?”

A laugh jolted out of Giselle. “You’ve been to Hook and Claw?”

“It’s good food,” I said, defending the place. 

“Yes, it is.” Giselle chased the last bits of cheese hash browns with her fork. “But I know a place that’s a bit more first-date appropriate. How about we go there?”

“Sounds good!” I said, gathering the dirty plates. Looking over at my schedule for next week, I saw: evening, morning, morning, sleepover, then my usual days off. Strawberry’s fish fry on Wednesday: Wasn’t going to miss that. I was free today and tomorrow too, but that seemed a little soon, and I had plans to work on Baron. “I’m good Tuesday or Friday night, and anytime next Saturday or Sunday.”

“Let’s do Saturday. We’ll both be more rested.”

I turned to meet Giselle’s eyes and I smiled. “Looking forward to it. I need to dress up?”

“A little, but not formal.” Walking to the center of the living room, Giselle did what looked like warmup exercises while I did the dishes. 

Well, I guess that was another push for me to go get some more clothes made. I’d intended to go buy some fabric for The Baron, I might as well hit up that little custom place and get myself fitted too. “Where you want to meet?”

“Mmm.” Wrapping up her workout, Giselle found a pen and paper to scribble on. “There’s my address. I’ll make the reservation for seven.” She stretched one more time, this one accompanied by a yawn that faded into a slightly wilted look. “I need to get to practice before I’m late.”

“Yeah, I probably need to start on my day too.” I hurried to dry my hands, then went to walk with Giselle to the door and out into the day. 

The House was buzzing this morning. The whole campus seemed filled with laughter and strolling couples, kisses both shy and daring. Giselle moved a little closer to me as we passed, again letting her wings graze my leg as we walked past The House’s grand columns and down its hallways. Resting a hand on her neck, I let my fingers weave through feathers till I was touching the delicate skin underneath. 

Giselle hummed a birdish sound, letting me guide her past the gymnasium and finally out to the road. Once we were near the main road, she stepped a little faster to move ahead of me before turning to face me. “I better hit the sky. I’ll never hear the end of it if I’m late.” Again, her eyes roame over me, reminding me that I was still naked. “Make sure you don’t forget our little appointment, hmm? I know how many pretty mares come knocking at your door every day.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I chuckled. “I’d have a hard time forgetting about my first griffon.”

Her wings fluttered for a heartbeat, then unfurled to their full breath. One flap and she was balanced on her hind legs. Now standing just a head shorter than me, her wings filled my entire field of vision. “How about we add a few notches on both our belts? After dinner, that is.”

I couldn’t help but grin. “See you next Saturday.”

Another flap, and Giselle was in the sky. A hawk’s cry sounded as she disappeared into the city skyline.

“Well I guess that answers that question,” Ruby’s voice said from behind me.

Still grinning, I turned to face her. “What’s that?” 

“I was going to ask if you were comfortable with cross-species clients,” she asked, returning my grin. “Or in your case, females other than ponies. We occasionally get others in here.”

Well, between Rag Doll and Giselle, I suppose saying no sounded silly. “Sure,” I answered, beginning to walking towards some shade. “As long as they’re old enough, I’m game.”

Ruby rolled her eyes. “Well of course we don’t serve minors here,” she said, following me back towards The House. “Also, you’re up for medical. It has to be done by the end of next week.”

Ugh. I really wasn’t looking towards to this. The exam Celestia made me go to when I first arrived had counted for my first month here, but now I was in the exam rotation with all the other stallions. “I’d rather just get this over with. Can I go now?”

“If you want.” Ruby seemed to notice my unease. Slowing her pace, she rested a hoof on my leg as a smirk played across her lips. “We could go back to the office and practice. Play doctor till you’re more comfortable.”

“Thank you,” I said, laughing. “But I’ll be fine.” I turned a corner then headed back to my apartment. My little nudist trek had been harmless and interesting, but I really wanted some pants now.

“You sure?” Rose again walked beside me. “You’d look forward to doctor visits after I’m done with you.”

“I don’t doubt you a bit.” Pausing at my apartment door, I scratched between her ears. She really was a pretty mare. Not just cute, but strikingly beautiful. “Maybe you should schedule me for a job performance review soon. Make sure I’m up to quality.”

This time, Ruby laughed. Turning, she gave me a smokey look. “Don't tempt me,” she said, with a total lack of humor. The stern look faded to a grin as she began to walk back towards the office.

A few minutes later and I was dressed and heading towards the clinic, a bag of bits jingling at my side for some shopping later.

The clinic was mostly here for the clients, a free OBGYN for any mare that needed the service, but it also handled the role of general physician for the studs.

My first and only encounter with a pony doctor had been just a tad traumatic. Then again, I’d have never met Key Peg if he hadn’t been called in to ease me out of the ceiling tiles.

Memories of the not-so-distant past faded away as I neared the clinic doors, and so did my smile. I really didn't want to deal with doctors today, but it was inevitable. I took a breath, then opened the door. 

Thankfully, it was pretty boring inside. I signed in before taking a seat across from two mares. They seemed wholly indifferent to me, so I opted to browse through a stack of magazines. 

“Hey, Shane,” a stallion’s voice greeted me as the door opened. 

I looked up from my issue of Better Grazing to see Spinner trotting towards me. “You up for inspection today too?” I asked.

“Yep!” he said with a smile. Taking a moment to sign in, he then took the seat next to me. “Any new magazines?”

“Umm... That one is speculation on fashion trends Luna may start, now that she’s back.”

Spinned snorted. “I’ve been here three years and have yet to find a magazine less than four years out of date.”

I had to laugh along with him. “It must be some universal constant. Even back home—”

“Shane,” the nurse called.

I took a deep breath before standing up. “Well, guess I’m up. Catch me next week, we’ll workout together some. I need to work on my obliques.” 

“Sure!” he said and waved. “See ya there.”

The stallion was a hell of a workout coach. I probably wouldn’t be able to walk after he was done with me. Waving back at Spinner, I followed the nurse to a little room. 

“Doctor Frost Hooves will be with you in a moment,” the nurse said, closing the door behind her as she left me in the room by myself. 

The familiar crinkle of paper reminded me of the school nurse's office as I sat on the exam table. It was a strange thing, narrow and a little bowled out in the center. Studying the metal bits sticking out of the table’s side made me realize the whole contraption was made for a pony to straddle. The narrowness would let them rest while keeping their hooves on the ground, or rather in the metal stirrups designed to keep their rear spread open.

That puzzle solved, I looked around to see what other oddities I could find to keep boredom at bay. A poster caught my attention, an educational kind of thing. It showed a clinical diagram of a mare’s biology. The words, “Equine chromosome rejection and you” atop the poster peaked my curiosity. I’d read about that in a pamphlet Ruby had given me. Something about fifty percent of mares rejecting male embryos. In double recessive cases, it left the mare completely sterile. 

With nothing better to do, I started to read the poster’s finer print, but a knock on the door announced my doctor.

“Come in,” I answered.

“Hello,” the pastel blue stallion said absently, the clipboard in his magic seeming to be more interesting than me. Which was kinda refreshing 

Once fully in the room, he closed the door for privacy before setting the clipboard down and turning his attention to me. “How are you feeling today?” he asked with honest interest.

“Really good, actually.” 

Nodding, he stepped closer, looking me over with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. “Good to hear. No itching or rashes?”

“Just a mild sunburn on my shoulders.” 

Doctor Frost hopped up onto his hind legs. “Hmm...” he mused, resting against the table.

“Something wrong?”

“Umm... no. It’s just... You’re very tall.”

“Would you like me to lie down?” I asked.

The doctor’s ears perked up. “Would that be okay?”

With a shrug, I lay back on the table. It wasn’t a comfortable thing for me to lie on, but it wasn’t bad either. Now eye to eye with the doctor, he seemed much more confident in what he was doing. 

“I’m going to scan you with magic, is that okay?” he asked, a tone of worry in his voice.

I nodded, but clenched my fists. I hated those things, felt like worms digging into your skin. It suddenly occurred to me I’d never properly apologized to that nurse. I should mail her a card with a few bits...

An odd contraption floated off the shelf. I held my breath as its humming field scanned me with prickly magic. I waited for the static tingle to become an invasive strangeness beneath my skin, but it never came. As the doctor guided the device down my back, I had to laugh. 

“Sorry, is that tickling?” the doctor asked.

“No. I just remember that feeling much stranger. I’m rather relieved.”

“I was reading your notes. You reacted poorly to active magic last time. I’m using passive magic here. Not as good, but good enough.”

“Oh. Well, thank you.”

“No problem.” Putting away the strange device, he pulled out something much more familiar to me. Not waiting to be asked, I tilted my head for him to better look into my ear.

“Hmm...” Walking around me, he looked into the other ear. “Your ears been itching?” he asked, putting the ear scope away.

“A little, I guess. Now that you ask.”

Reaching into a drawer, he pulled out a little bottle. “You have ear mites. Use that three times daily. Come back when the bottle is empty.”

I lifted my head to stare at the little bottle, my face scrunching in disgust. “Eww.” 

My reaction seemed to confuse the doctor. “Never had mites before?”

“No! Can’t you just use your magic to scrape them out? Like, right now.”

The doctor gave me a good-hearted laugh. “It’s not a big deal. Everypony gets ear mites. And yes, we’ll flush out most of them, but the drops keep any eggs from hatching.”

“Oh good.” Suddenly I was very sympathetic to all the horses I’d crammed dewormed into. Actually... “Do I need to worry about intestinal worms? Back in my world, that was a problem for horses.”

“You been eating grass off the root?”

“No.”

Taking a step back, that doctor up to look at me. “Then unless you’re seeing them in your stool, you should be fine. Now, I need you to stand, and take your clothes off.”

“Sure.” I probably should have found this stranger than I did. Sitting up, I began to take my shirt off, but paused. The doctor still staring at me was a bit too much. “Umm, could I get a moment of privacy?”

The doctor seemed rather confused. I thought he was going to ask “why”, but instead he politely turned his back to me.

As I began stripping down, I found my uneasiness of being nude returning. Though it was more a general dislike of letting a doctor probe around where the sun doesn't shine. I took a little extra time to fold my clothes, then steadied myself with a deep breath. “I’m ready,” I said, more to convince myself than to let the doctor know.  

Turning back around, the doctor made the ordeal rather quick and professional. Honestly, it was an easier experience than I’d had at the clinic back home that one time. Heck, his hooves weren’t even cold.

“And, we’re done,” the doctor said, sticking the swab he’d just taken into a little jar. “The nurse will come in to flush your ears, then you’re good to go.”

“Thanks,” I said, already putting my clothes on. 

“We’ll let you know if you test positive for anything.” Opening the door, the doctor left me alone to wait for the nurse. 

The ear flushing ended up being as pleasant as a medical procedures gets. The scary looking pump flushed a rather soothing medicine into my ears with only slightly more pressure than I would call comfortable. A cheap price to know I’d be free of ear mites in a few days. 

Back outside, I stared at the little bottle of eardrops. Different world, different worries. I stuck the bottle in with my bits, then headed off to do a little clothes shopping before going to see The Baron. I fully intended to live in the hangar till sunday night. 




> Fish Fry
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today's client had been a real sweetheart, but I was glad to be off the clock. I gave her one last wave goodbye, then stepped back inside to clean up the bedroom. 

After bagging the linens and setting them out for laundry, I sprayed everything with the mite stuff the pest control pony had given me. Turns out I should have been doing that all along, but no one thought to tell me. He also sprayed the whole apartment down for good measure while catching me up on things they taught ponies in kindergarten. 

A quick shower later and I was dressed and heading out the door. 

“Hey, Shane,” Strawberry called to me as I neared the House’s café. With quick steps he left the table he’d been sitting at. “Ready to go?” Not waiting for an answer, Strawberry tilted his head and led the way. 

Following behind him, I stayed quiet for a moment, waiting for the prickly energy to fade from him. I’d lived around horses most my life, I knew what a spooked pony looked like. After about a block he began to relax back to the grumpy nocturne I was used to. 

“You okay, man?”

Strawberry looked back at me. His confused scowl faded to a sheepish grin. “Yeah. Just a little uncomfortable back there. Too many mares looking at me like I’m meat.”

Huh... hadn’t expected that. “Yeah, they can be a little needy. At least one didn’t nip at your butt.”

A laugh escaped Strawberry. “That would have sent me flying right out of there.”

I laughed along with him, then thought for a moment. “You know, I’ve never actually seen you fly.”

Strawberry stared at me, then unfurled his wings. With a flap he jumped into the air, hovered a moment, then landed. “Tada...”

I shook my head with a grin. “If I had wings and could sleep on clouds, I don’t think my feet would ever touch the ground again.”

“I know some pegasi like that.” Strawberry turned a corner and began leading towards the winding trails that lead up the mountain. “I like weight on my hooves, though.” He touched the edge of someone’s flower bed as he passed it. “Nothing like being cannon deep in rich soil.”

We walked in silence as the steep trail narrowed. The homes we passed were more often flown to than walked. It wasn’t a dangerous path, but I still felt compelled to watch my step. 

“Here we are,” Strawberry said sooner than I expected. We’d stopped in front of a natural opening in the mountain. Calling it a cave was a bit wrong though. Polished wood floored the entrance, and where it narrowed, a door of glass was framed by intricate stone work. 

“Fancy...” 

I followed Strawberry up to the door. He knocked once, then opened it. “Night shift is probably still sleeping,” Strawberry whispered back to me.

I expected to walk into a mine shaft, but instead stepped into something closer to a hobbit’s greeting room. A couple of nocturne nodded a quiet greeting to us. They looked to be winding down or just waking up. Lounging around a little table, they were nibbling on some fruit while reading the paper. 

“This is cozy,” I whispered. A short hallway led into a huge, dimly lit space; a living room of sorts, though with a barrack’s feel. Some scattered toys spoke of children living here though. 

As we passed through the room, I began to realize what I had taken as a pile of laundry in the corner was actually a dozen ponies sleeping in a lump. Looking around again, I noticed more piles of sleeping ponies in the darker parts of the room. With a little blood and a sprinkling of flies, it would be easy to confuse for a pile of corpses; even the walking dead, if I really wanted to stretch it.

I was a little unnerved, to say the least. Instincts told me I should not be here and most definitely should not wake the sleeping creatures.

“Don’t worry,” Strawberry whispered up to me. “They’re used to ponies walking though the sleeping room.”

I nodded, but made an extra effort to be quiet.

The eerie silence passed as we went through a curtain. Music and voices murmured through a heavy door at the end of a long hallway. 

“Wow...” I flinched stepping back out into the sunlight. As my eyes adjusted, I found myself at the back of an amphitheater. Or at least it had been one at some point. The great crescent carved into the mountain now took the role of a backyard. “This used to be a theater,” I said, stating the obvious.

Strawberry nodded. “The princess gave it to the nocturne after the new one was built.”

I looked to the massive stage, then to the endless sky behind it. “Kinda sad I missed seeing a play here.” I’d taken a couple clients to the new theater, ‘new’ being relative to Canterlot; I’m pretty sure it was at least a hundred. It was a nice place, something like how I imagined an old opera house.

“We clean it up twice a year,” a new, feminine voice said. “Invite ponies in for a Nightmare Night and Hearth's Warming play.”

I didn’t exactly recognize the nocturne. Her mark was familiar, but I couldn’t remember talking to her. 

“I’m Jasmine Breeze,” she said with a little bow.

I returned the nod. “Shane.” 

I noticed her smile grow a bit as she looked to Strawberry. “The fish is on the way, but the beer is already cold. You and your friend want one?”

“Sure,” Strawberry answered. 

There was definitely more sway in Jasmine’s hips than necessary as we followed her to the more crowded side of the amphitheater. It wasn’t for my benefit, but I couldn’t help but watch. Strawberry seemed oblivious though.

Up on the stage a few more nocturne greeted us. A pony I recognized as a night guard struck up a conversation with Strawberry while I followed my nose to the familiar scent of hot oil.

Off to one side I found a few ponies watching over the frier, a table set up neatly beside them with bowls of flouring and trays to let the fish cool. I was just about to go get one of those beers when a mare and a stallion landed with a basket of dressed fish.

“Can I help?” I asked.

A stallion with a ladle for a cutie mark gave me a curious look. “You done this before?”

I grinned. “Lots.”

With a nod, the cook invited me behind the table. “Then help Moonshadow with the breading.”

Moonshadow and I quietly settled into breading the fish while the cook dropped the prepared fish into the grease and another got the plates ready. It was a good little assembly line. I couldn’t help but smile, the sounds and smells taking me back home. Fish Fry had alway been my favorite time of year: the food, the rodeo, and the fair rides.

“How’s that flying machine coming?” Moonshadow asked.

I blinked. “Umm... Good.”

He laughed. “I helped get it out of the rigging. It’s a pretty interesting machine. My uncle works at the airship yard too. He said you came by and bought some fabric for it.”

“Oh,” I gave him a genuine smile. “Thank you for saving Baron.” I flowered the fish in my hand, then got another one. “And yeah, that fabric is great. I think I’ll have him flying again soon.”

We chatted between ourselves and the ponies that came up to grab a plate as the fish started coming out of the oil. Strawberry brought me a beer and hung around to join the conversation after a bit.

Across the room I noticed Jasmine talking with a few other mares. They seemed to be having a good time with their own food and drink. 

I elbowed Strawberry “You should go flirt with Jasmine.”

Strawberry looked at me like I was stupid, then shook his head. “No...”

“Oh? She’s in a relationship already? I got a single vibe off her.”

“Nope.” Moonshadow took a sip of his beer. “She’s single. Was in a small herd, they didn’t follow her when she got transferred from New Pegasus.”

“See!” I grinned at Strawberry and nudged him again. “Single, new to town. Go for it.”

He moved a few steps at my push, but didn’t go any further. “She’s out of my league. We wouldn’t have anything to talk about anyway.”

“Fine,” I sighed. “You finish this then,” I said, pushing what few fish I had left towards Strawberry. 

I washed my hands in a bucket of water that had been brought out for just that, then walked towards the group of mares. Behind me, I could see worry on Strawberry’s face and a smirk on Moonshadow’s.

I waved as Jasmine and her friends noticed my approach. “Having-” 

Fun, was going to be the next word out of my mouth, but instead it was a mix of gibberish and cursing as something tangled my legs. 

As I fell, a whimper distracted me from my own plight. The thing tangling my feet was a foal. With no grace what-so-ever I managed not to land on the little guy as I fell. 

“Enbarr!” Jasmine scolded the colt. “Be more careful!”

With fearful eyes, the colt looked first to Jasmine, then me.

“You okay?” I asked, waving to Jasmine that I was fine.

He nodded, but winced when he put weight on his back leg.

I’d probably kicked him pretty hard. “Come here.” I sat down and patted the ground in front of me. “Let me check that.”

He started to step towards me, but paused. I was strange enough that he waited for another adult to give him a nod of approval. When Jasmine did, he limped a step closer to me. 

I picked him up with one hand. Holding him like I would a cat, I made sure nothing was broken. “How old are you?” I asked to distract him.

“Four,” he answered. Deciding that I wasn’t a threat, he twisted his head to better see Jasmine. “I was almost flying, Sis!” he cheered. “I could feel my hooves getting lighter.”

He seemed to only have a small bruise, so I sat him back on his hooves. “Still learning to fly?” 

Enbarr nodded with a grin.

I couldn’t help but mirror his smile. “I miss flying. Hopefully we’ll both be in the air soon.”

The little colt tilted his head in confusion. “You can fly too?”

“Sort of.” I scruffed Enbarr’s mane and patted his withers before standing. “Your brother?” I asked Jasmine.

She nodded. We both smiled as Enbarr spread his wings and began to run around again, pretending he was flying.

“Anyways.” I collected my thoughts back to my original task of playing wingman for Strawberry. “I was curious. What’s your mark for?”

Jasmine leveled a glare at me. “I grow night flowers, why?”

I had the distinct impression I was treading close to a touchy subject. “Oh, cool.” I pointed across the room to Strawberry who was the very image of deer-in-the-headlight. “My friend planted some pumpkins for me. They’re flowering right now, really pretty.”

Surprise washed over Jasmine. “His mark is in gardening?”

“What else would a patch of vines be for?” I didn’t give her time to answer. “You two should trade notes. I know he was having trouble with the moonflowers he just planted around his mailbox,” I said, motioning her to follow me. 

“Oh?” Jasmine started rambling something about potash as we walked. I nodded but really didn’t follow her. Around us, Enbarr trotted with his wings out wide, tilting his whole body as he turned circles. “Hey, Strawberry,” I called as we came back to the buffet table. “Jasmine here knows what’s wrong with those poor flowers you left to die by the road.”

Before Strawberry could stammer out a protest, I caught Enbarr’s attention. “You want an airplane ride?”

“What’s that!?” he asked excitedly, pausing his pretend flight. 

I picked the little colt up with one hand and held him like an oversized paper plane. He caught on immediately and grinned ear to ear. Leaving Jasmine and Strawberry to talk, I noticed Moonshadow had migrated to a group of stallions not far away. 

With Enbarr held over my head, I jogged over to the other guys. He giggled as I “flew” him up and down. He flapped his wings chaotically at first, but quickly found a smooth rhythm. Halfway there, his wings began to grab the air and I could feel him getting lighter in my hand. 

Slowly, I pushed the colt up, then pulled my hand away. 

He didn’t even notice. Still giggling, he flew right past Moonshadow.

“Hey, Enbarr!” I called out to him. “You’re flying.”

The colt looked back at me wide-eyed, a grin spread ear to ear. Unfortunately, the motion had thrown him completely off balance. Luck was on the colt’s side though, one of the stallions had already moved to catch him as he began to tumble.

“I did it! I was flying!” he cheered the moment his hooves were back on the ground, not phased in the least by the fall.

The stallion that had caught him smiled and patted Enbarr. “Good job. Now you just need to get a bit of practice.”

Moonshadow nodded, then looked back to me. “Hey! You’re pretty good with foals. I’m surprised a mare hasn’t moved you in yet.”

A nervous laugh escaped me. “Yeah... Maybe someday, I don’t know.” The smell of food roused a grumble from my stomach. “Right now though, let’s eat.”

“One step ahead of you,” Jasmine said behind me. I turned to see her and Strawberry with several plates and enough beer to go around.

“Oh, thanks!” I took a few extra plates and bottles off their backs and helped them over to the nearest table. 

The fish was good, and the hushpuppies were amazing. If I closed my eyes, I could imagine myself back home.

“You okay?” Moonshadow asked.

“Yeah. Just... My home town, we threw a big fish fry every year. Thousands of people would come. They even let the kids out of school for the day.”

“Sounds impressive.”

I shrugged. “It was fun.” 

At the other end of the table, Jasmine held Strawberry’s full attention as she talked about flowers. I needed a change of topic, so I ran with it. “They seem to be hitting it off.”

Moonshadow nodded as he chewed.

An odd question popped into my head as I watched the two flirt. “So... Do nocturne always have nocturne foals, or is it a fifty-fifty chance?”

“Depends,” Moonshadow answered. “Normally, the mother’s tribe will breed true, but a pegasus will sometimes foal a nocturne. I think that’s where Strawberry came from.”

“Huh. What about with non-ponies? Do hippogriffs exist?”

“I’ve met a few back when I traveled more. Couldn’t tell you how that works, though.” Moonshadow studied me for a moment. “I’ll be interested to see what you end up siring. Hopefully it’ll look better than a minotaur.”

I picked at my food for a moment, then shrugged. “As long as it’s healthy.” 

Was I actually talking about this? About what my future child would look like. I guess it was inevitable. Eventually I was going to get a client pregnant: accidentally or not. Was I okay with that?

Across the table, Enbarr finished his meal. He noticed I wasn’t eating either, and smiled. “Can we play airplane again?” he asked, fluttering his tiny wings.

I returned the smile. “You bet.”


> Doll House
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I all but danced from my apartment to the makeshift hanger. Yesterday had been fantastically productive. The morning had started with a skeletal Baron, and ended with him almost completely reskinned.

I had been feverishly working well into midnight, but magic was an addictive crutch. The Baron’s new hide looked better than his original, and it’ll have taken me a weekend, not a month. Enchanted sewing machines meant perfect seams every time. Semi-magical silk seemed eager to accept whatever shape I willed, and a simple incantation shrunk the finished skin taut against The Baron’s ribs.

“Morning, Gold Lance,” I said, waving to the guard as I passed.

“Morning,” he answered back. “He’s looking pretty good in there.” Lance nodded his head toward the hanger. “How long till he’s flying?”

“Ehh...” I took my hat off to scratch my head. “I’d have him up next week if I had access to the right fuel and oil. But I don’t, so it all depends on how well magic and the engine play together, and how long it takes me to figure out how to do that. I’ve just been playing with poems so far, carving glyphs and real force-of-will stuff is still a bit intimidating to me.”

Lance gave me a nod. “I’m sure you’ll have him flying before Running of the Leaves.”

I laughed. “Lets hope.”

We chatted a moment longer before I excused myself to go start my project for the day. I gave Lance a parting wave, then wandered down the row of warehouses till I reached my temporary hanger.

The great doors rolled open with ease this morning, letting the morning light flood the warehouse.

“Huh...” I tilted my head. Someone had painted tail art over night. I’d already decided not to put the iron cross back on, but I hadn’t put any thought into what to replace it with.

I kinda wanted to be mad at the uninvited help, but the patch of blue sky over a green field was just too pretty. The single puffy cloud added a day dream feel to the picture that made me miss flying more than I already did.

After a moment I nodded. “It looks good on you,” I said, patting The Baron’s wing. The thump of the strong, drum-tight skin made me smile even wider.

Today’s project was the cowling. It was a purely ornamental peace, and something I’d have to let someone else remake. I had been tempted to just toss it and forget about it, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. He just didn’t look right without it. Besides, I still had the daunting project of enchanting the engine ahead of me. That was going to take weeks, if not months, and I’d only gotten a basic theory going so far.

I had come up with a good test project though. Inspiration had came to me as I swept the floor: hair. Pony fuzz collected under everything and in every corner. I spent a good hour every day sweeping it up. A magical roomba would be a perfect first attempt at magical automation. Daydreams of a little clockwork critter forever cleaning my apartment of hair had filled my head. I could feel it waiting to be built. It was that same prickly energy that had first spurred me to build The Baron.

“I’m going to go get this fixed,” I said, bending down to pick up the crumpled metal. “I’ll be back later to finish up your new fabric.” With the cowling over my shoulder, I patted The Baron’s wing goodbye; only to be rewarded with a massive blue bolt of static.

“Geez, Dude...” I shook my hand to get the feeling back. That’d been about the fifth time he’d done that to me. The silk hadn't been very staticky while I was sowing it, but as soon as I’d started fitting it to his frame, it’d became a crackling storm of little blue sparks.

Maybe if I rub a dryer sheet on him? Do they have those here? When I pick up my new clothes, I’d have to ask that saddle mare if she knew a trick to get the static out of fabric.

With the cowling over my shoulder I ventured towards Canterlot’s commercial terrace. Luna had recommended a shop there caller Tinker & Tin. It was supposed to be the best in Canterlot at making pots, and this really wasn’t anything but a big kettle without a bottom.

I found Tinker & Tin at the edge of where the semi-industrial area met the airship docks; not far from the little glass shop I’d almost got a job at. I’d been in a bit of a haze last time I was here, so after dropping off the cowling I decided to do a bit of sightseeing.

It was an older part of the city—clean and well kept, but without the gilded celebration of age that Old Canterlot had. It was a practical place, but one lovingly kept.

I paused to watch a cooper knock together a barrel, then ventured down an ally lined with wainwrights. Brightly painted wagons and carts made me smile, till a narrow shop between two garages tilted my head in confusion. A simple sign saying, “Doll House,” compelled me to step closer.

The sign was bland, but the mountain of stuffed animals in the window was a carnival of color and variety. Ponies, griffons, dragons, and things I didn’t have names for all smiled at me and seemed to beg to be played with. Inside the little store a familiar little mare held a rather large toy rabbit in her teeth. Rag Doll made the stuffed toy dance and shake for a filly who I could hear laughing even through the store’s window.

Behind the foal, two grinning adults chuckled before setting a few bits on the counter. Doll played a moment longer with the filly, then spoke to the adults as she carefully boxed the toy.

Not wanting to creep out her customers, I stepped away from the window to feign interest in a blue vardo for sale next door. It was a pretty cool wagon actually. The side wall was hinged to allow it to become a stage of sorts. I almost missed the family leaving, but the still giggling filly snapped my out of my investigation.

Back at the window I saw Doll staging a tea party with Celestia and a yack. She was still too skinny, but she did look quite a bit better than the first time I’d seen her. I started to pat on the window, but Doll saw me first.

Eyes bright, she trotted to the door. “Hey!” she said, stepping outside. Now in daylight her eagerness faded to worry. “Everything okay?”

“Just fine,” I nodded with a smile. “I was exploring the town, and found you by accident. Thought I’d say hello.”

Rag Doll bloomed into a smile. “Oh!” She pranced in place for a moment, as if trying to go all directions at once. “You want me to show you around?”

I laughed. She really was a cute little thing. “Na... I’m fine. No need for you to close up shop for me.”

She all-but pouted. “It’s slow. I really don’t mind.”

Old habit moved my hand to pat the sad little thing. I stopped half motion, but Doll moved to put her head into my palm. Seeing the touch bring a smile to her, I let myself pet her.

I laughed, but stopped when a tingle pulled at a little place deep inside me that I’d just begun to know. It was a sensation like magic, but different. “You’re feeding on me, aren’t you?” The book I bought had explained their need to feed off emotions, but not how they did it.

Doll froze. Fear tinged eyes met mine with a nod. “Just what you’re giving off. I’m sorry...”

“No, no...” I sat down to get as close to eye level with her as I could. “I trust you. I just wanted to make sure that’s what I was feeling.”

“You’re not mad?”

“Not at all. Just go a little easier on me than last time. I was sleepy the rest of the day.”

“Sorry,” she said again, but not looking quite as beaten. “Work had been really slow. I was starving.”

“Ah...” The pieces fell together with that comment. She must not be selling toys for the bits, but for the love foals poured into her inanimate stuffed animals.

I scratched between her ears as I stood back up. “Tell you what: I need parts for a project; I’m building a little golem. Want to make a trip to Old Canterlot with me to shop for them?”

“Materials for a golem?” Doll asked, tilting her head.

“Nothing complicated. I kinda figured I’d make it for some scrap, but I want it to have the right feel. The parts need to be interesting in their own right.”

Doll scoffed “Old Canterlot is a rip-off. If you want interesting, you can get it way cheaper around here,” she said, waving her hoof towards a bit of the district I hadn’t explored yet.

“Well... Want to be my guide, then?”

Doll sprung to her hoof tips. “Sure!” In a blur she flipped her shop’s sign to closed and locked the door. “There’s a lot of little market allies around here. They tend to specialize. This alley sells carts, the one over there glass,” she said trotting ahead of me.

“How’d you end up with the wainwrights?” I asked.

She looked back at me with a sad smile. “It belonged to an old stallion that upholstered carriages. I worked for old Quilted Cushion when I first came to canterlot. He knew about me, but left the store to me anyway.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. He sounds like a good guy.”

She was silent for a moment. “He was. Everypony assumed I was his daughter; he never bothered to correct them. I still do upholstery work for the carriages. Toys are more fun to make, but upholstery is where I make my bits.”

“But bits don’t feed you. Why not sell toys full time, get a bigger place?”

Rag Doll stood taller as she walked. “He was the best in canterlot, and I’m his only apprentice.” A playful smile added shine to proud eyes. “Somepony has to keep his legacy going. Wouldn’t want Celestia to ride around in a carriage with puckered stitching”

“I’ve ridden in that carriage,” I chuckled. “You did a good job.”

Rag Doll kept her spirit as she toured me through little market allies. We made a game of grading window displays as we went, praising the best ones and poking fun of the stranger attempts. After about an hour of casual touring, Doll paused at the top of a narrow gap between two huge buildings.

“Here we are, Maneden Alley: imported antiques,” Doll said.

I’d passed this spot before, but had written off the narrow gap between the two buildings as some kind of utility access.

With an excited grin, Doll motioned for me to follow her into the narrow space. “You sure we’re supposed to be here?” I asked. The cobblestone path twisted and descended steeply with nothing but sheer brick walls on both sides.

“You’ll see.”

Just as she spoke, the claustrophobic space opened up into a wide street lined with shops selling potions, powders, and bobbles of an exotic nature even by Canterlot standards. The crowd here was different too. While a few ponies were mulling about, zebras seemed to be the locals here.

It was a little Tokyo by way of West Africa’s version of diagon alley.

I grinned and waded into the bazaar. The cluttered pile of exotic materials stirred my imagination. My golem started to leave my mind’s eye and become physical.

“This is perfect!”

Doll mirrored my smile. “I thought so.”

I fluttered from stall to stall. Past a booth a simmering potions, and hiding among a stall of carved gourds, I found a little fox mask. Sharp featured and brightly painted, it was too small for even a foal. I knew it would become the golem’s head as soon as I touched it.

Yes, a fox, she’d always been a fox. I paid the Zebra behind the table, then wandered deeper into the alley.

Doll and I chatted as I rummaged through one booth, then another. They all held interesting finds, but nothing else that grabbed me.

“No luck?” Doll asked.

“The mask is a great find,” I said, absently feeling its edges as I looked around. “But I was really hoping for...”

Something gleamed from a pile of rugs. A piece of silver trimmed bronze called to me, begging me to come closer.

Impulse moved me through the crowded space to free the supple metal from it's tapestry prison to get a better look.

Doll kicked up on her hind legs to get a closer look at what I was holding. “What is it?” she asked.

“Looks like the neck guard of an old helm,” I answered. Cracked and dented, the criniere was made of a hundred little plates; its fine engraving faded but still beautiful. The articulated armor flowed like water in my hands, its hundred joints denying their age. It had served some warrior long ago, but now it would be reshaped into her body.

“To spot that so quickly, you have a gift,” a stallion zebra said from behind the counter. “Royal armor from before The Rift.”

A smirk on the zebra’s muzzle told me I was going to pay a pretty penny for this. “How much?”

“For the stranger with the discerning eye-”

Beside me Rag Doll cleared her throat.

The zebra’s expression wilted as he looked from me to Doll, then bloomed into an honest smile when he met my eyes again. “Five bits?”

“Sure?” I said, handing over the paltry amount for the silver armor.

I kept my mouth shut till we’d gotten away from the stall. “You have some history with that zebra?”

“He’s not a zebra.”

“Oh!” I laughed. It hadn’t occurred to me we’d run into another changeling. “How many of you are there here?”

“We’re the only two that live here permanently, but sometimes we’ll shelter others that have just escaped the queen.”

“An underground railroad?” I asked, scanning the last few booths on the street. “Well, if you need help, let me know.”

Doll stopped. “Really?”

“Of course.” I motioned for us to head back towards the alley’s entrance. “Thanks for bringing me here, by the way.”

“No problem,” Doll said, trotting to catch up with me. “You do know helping me could bring you more than a little trouble?”

“I figured.” My stomach let out a long whine, reminding me I hadn’t really eaten yet today.

Doll laughed. “Want to get some dinner? There’s a zebra place nearby that’s really good. I’ll buy.”

I looked down at the little mare and grinned. “Deal.”
> Date with a Griffon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I shaded my eyes from the late day summer sun to stare at the address Giselle had written down for me, then up again at the white marble row house. Heavy stone carved into delicate architecture told me money ran deep and old in this neighborhood. I hadn't thought about where she lived, but I wouldn’t have guessed here.

I checked the address two more times before approaching the iron-banded oak door with its heavy bronze knocker cast in the likeness of a horse/bird hybrid. The ancient hippogriff glared at me as I approached, daring me to grab the ring in his mouth.

“Pleasure to meet you, Mister Marley,” I said before using him to give the door two rather satisfying knocks.

The echo hadn’t faded before the door was opened from the other side. A grizzled old stallion with a blank expression and a black suit looked up at me.

He blinked once, then asked, “Were you talking to the knocker?”

“Yeah...”

“His name is Doctor Witherstone.” Opening the door wide, he casually stepped aside. “I assume you’re The Lady’s date. I’ll let her know you’re here. Make yourself comfortable in the parlor.”

I followed the butler’s gesture to a cozy little side room filled with delicate furniture and heavy book shelves. Hands on lap, I was careful not to touch anything or even put my full weight on the chair beneath me—my mother’s voice warning me not to break anything. I did make use of the mirror on the wall, however.

My new clothes had finally come in. Saddle had done a great job with them. There was a distinctly Equestrian touch to them, but I could almost pretend they’d come right off Butler & Harber’s shelf back home.

She’d even managed to kinda reproduce underwear briefs. They were comfortable at least, even if I wasn’t the biggest fan of the design.

I’d just finished straightening my shirt when Giselle’s voice interrupted me. “You look good. Ready?”

“Thanks.” I smiled. She had on a cute summer dress made of cream eyelet fabric. “You look nice, too.”

Her wings made a happy little motion. “Lets go before my dad decides to interview you,” she said curtly.

A bit of teenage dread washed over me at the thought of an old griffon grilling me about, ‘My intentions with his daughter.’

I stood and nodded. “After you,” I said, opening the door for her.

Outside, I let Giselle lead the way. “So, where we going?” I asked.

Giselle slowed her pace till she was beside me, her wing brushing my leg every odd step. “Little hidden place near the palace.”

“Oh?” I tried to think of a place near the palace that wasn’t a bar or a quick service cafe, but nothing came to mind.

I let my hand rest between her wings as we walked.

“How’s work?” Giselle asked.

“Umm...” It wasn’t as if she didn’t know what I did, but it still felt awkward. A coy glance up at me said she was intentionally having fun at my expense. “It went by fast. Kinda boring I guess.”

Giselle wings pursed together, momentarily gripping my hand between them. “Good.”

“How ‘bout you?” I asked.

“Ugh...” her whole body sagged. “Exhausting. I feel like I’m living in the rehearsal hall now.”

I used the rest of the walk to ask about her typical day in the dance hall. It was an athlete's life with carefully scheduled workouts, drills, and even meals. Today’s little outing was burning her week’s cheat day.

To my surprise, we ended up walking not near the palace but right into it. I started to ask again where we were going, but decided to wait and see. Instead, I filled in Giselle about my new golem project and how I was hoping to have The Baron up in the air soon.

“And here we are!” Giselle announced as we came to a small but fanciful arch in the brick wall at the back of the royal garden.

I blinked and looked around. “I had no idea there was anything back here.”

An indigo curtain served as a door, hiding whatever was on the other side. It couldn’t block the smells though. A sudden blast of savory aromas sturred my stomach into a whining grumble.

Giselle’s wing pinched up as she giggled. “I was hoping you hadn’t been here yet.” Turning back, she pushed through the curtain, leaving me alone in the garden.

I grinned and stepped through as well, eager to see where Giselle had brought us.

A moment later and I found myself on a patio that seemed to hang off canterlot mountain in defiance of gravity. An airy decor of gold trimmed white marble somehow made the place feel like a misplaced cloud. It wasn’t a huge space, but not tiny either. More than enough room for the few dozen tables spaced across the patio with an elegant pavilion in the center covering a shining kitchen staffed by pegasi in white coats.

I turned in place to better take in the view. The space had a reclaimed feel to it, like a fancy bar in some old brick factory. The palace wall closed off the patio from the rest of the Canterlot completely, save for the one little door. Which would explain why I was the only one here without wings.

“Thought you’d like it,” Giselle said, then motioned for me to follow her. “Come on, let’s get a table near the edge. The view is awesome.”

I smiled and nodded. “What did that place used to be?”

Giselle settled at a table right next to the edge. A meager hedge seemed to be the only thing keeping anyone from accidently falling over. “Wonderbolts used it for something. But it’s been a pegasus restaurant since before I moved here.”

“Madam, Sir,” A slate gray pegasus stallion greeted us as I took my seat. He gave us each a menu before filling our goblets with ice water.

“Huh...” I mused, looking over the menu. There really wasn’t anything fancy on it, just things like crab salad on mixed greens and quinoa with poached egg. Though, they did of course take the time to explain the quality and providence of all their ingredients. “Kinda expected weird small stuff like over on restaurant row.”

Giselle snickered. “I mean... If you want boiled carrot shavings on wheatgrass pudding, we can leave and head over there.”

“No.” I echoed her laugh. “I’m not a fan of the water overpowering my meal.”

When the waiter returned, I decided to go with ceviche on sprouts, and Gisselle picked the quinoa. The food was good. Something like I’d expect at a summer luncheon. It seems pegasi like quality over form when it comes to food. Also, something about flying after eating too many carbs.

The view, however, was absolutely wonderful: both the airy decor of the restaurant, and the bird’s eye view of the great blue sky stretching across Equestria. There were a few puff-ball clouds drifting around, but for the most part it was a clear sky as far as I could see.

“Can griffons walk on clouds?” I asked.

Giselle perked up at the question. “Of course! We can’t really do weather magic, like the pegasi, but we can move around on them about the same. Even been on one?”

I laughed. “No, they’re no different than air to me. I’m like an earth pony.”

Giselle gave me a dismissive wave. “There’s a spell for that. I see earth ponies on clouds all the time. Heck, I know of a minotaur family that live in Cloudsdale.”

The idea of walking around on a cloud mulled around my brain for a moment. It was equal parts intriguing and terrifying.

“Dessert?” our waiter asked, seeing that we had both polished off our plates.

After a bit of discussion, we settled on splitting an order of baked zap apples.

“You know what sounds nice after this?” Giselle popped another slice of caramelized zap apple into her mouth.

“What’s that?”

Giselle leaned back to stretch, the dusk light beginning to give her lean body a more sensual tone. “A nice hot soak in the hot springs.”

I smiled. The evening air had turned cool, and I couldn’t say I didn’t like the thought of watching her in the water. “I’m game. I know there’s a few on the mountain, but I haven’t seen them.”

Giselle’s wing shifted into a pose that struck me as predatory. “Oh. Then we’re definitely heading to my favorite spot.”

With a stack of bits left on the table, we meandered back into the garden. “So, where we heading?” I asked.

Giselle motioned towards the sheer cliffs above the palace. “Mostly up.” She paused for a moment, not looking much more excited at the stairways ahead of us than I was. “You mind if I just fly us up?”

A younger, more reckless voice in my head cheered at the idea of flying griffon-back. The older part of me that knew I didn’t heal from falls like I used to told me I at least needed a saddle. “You sure I’m not too heavy for you?”

“Yeah! Come on.” Giselle proudly flared out her wings in an invitation for me to sit where they normally covered her back.

“Umm...” I hesitated, trying to decide if this was a good idea or not.

Giselle’s voice took on a teasing tone. “Come on. You’re the one always whining about missing flying.”

The idea bounced around my head for a moment until it sounded like fun. “Okay, but I’m going to haunt your ass if I fall off and die.”

Giselle rolled her eyes. “Ghosts aren’t real. Now come on.”

It took a little longer than Giselle expected for me to get settled where we were both comfortable. “Sure you wouldn’t rather just carry me in your arms?”

“Na, you’re getting a different kind of griffon ride today.” And with that, Giselle launched us into the air.

My butthole puckered hard enough to make a diamond when she first leapt. Then, there was that moment of panic between the end of the leap and when her wings first took our weight.

“You okay?” Giselle asked.

A nervous laugh escaped me. “Yeah.”

It was a lurchy flight. Every wing beat held a tiny moment of falling followed by a violent push upwards. Yet, Giselle seemed confident and in control. I closed my eyes to focus on learning the rhythm of her flight, ignoring the idea we were flying at all and just letting decades of riding experience take over. After that, I dared open my eyes to look around.

“You okay back there?” Giselle asked again.

We were already well above the city’s buildings and heading towards the cliffs above the palace. “Yeah, just needed a second to adjust.”

As we gained speed and altitude, Giselle’s flight smoothed out; her wings shifting into more of a glide. It was a short flight however, and by the time I was truly comfortable Giselle was already lining up for landing. I’ll have to admit the idea of landing inside a cave opening gave me some hesitation. “Need me to lean any specific way?” I asked as we neared the cliffs.

“Just don’t go tumbling off ass-over-head.”

I wouldn’t call it a rough landing, but I definitely needed to mind my balance between touchdown and skidding to a stop.

“Ha!” Giselle cheered. “Bet you’ve never flown like that!?”

I had to laugh. “No, first time flying by feathers.” As my eyes adjusted, I realized just where we were. Gold and silver trimmed furniture arranged around a pair of pristine pools beneath a natural skylight; one pool steaming with inviting warmth, the other still and chilly. It all screamed of Celestia and Luna’s taste in decor. “Giselle, is this the royal bath?”

“Yep!” Giselle chirped. “I have a standing invitation. The guards know me.”

A simple wooden door creaked open in response to our intrusion. Thick steam rolled out of the room behind it, followed by Celestia; her ethereal mane muted and plastered to her neck. Her crown and petral were missing as well, making her seem strangely nude to me.

“Shane, Giselle!” Celestia said with a smile. She turned back into the room for a moment. I could hear her talking to someone else, but I couldn’t make out her words. The mystery was answered immediately, however, when Celestia stepped out a moment later with Ruby behind her.

“Oh, hey!” I turned to give introductions. “Ruby, this is my date, Giselle. Giselle, this is my boss, Ruby.”

“Your boss? Is that all I am to you?” Ruby said, feigning insult, but the smile ruined it.

After a few pleasantries, we learned Ruby and Celestia frequently used the excuse of discussing work to chat in the sauna.

“Who’s up for a soak? Ruby asked, taking advantage of a lull in the small talk.

Taking the invitation, Giselle shed her dress with one motion, tossing it to the safety of a nearby chair, before turning her bright expression towards the steaming pool and leaping in with grace. Her silhouette darted beneath the water as she crossed the pool's length with impressive speed, before popping up on the other side.

Ruby followed, easing into the water with her usual sensual grace as she found a seat where just her head was above water.

“I’m still a bit warm from the sauna,” Celestia said, stretching out on a stone shelf just behind Ruby, but allowing her hooves to dangle into the warm water on either side of her. It was a far more casual and relaxed pose than I had ever seen her in.

It occurred to me that I’d never really thought of Celestia as a sexual creature, but here she had a MILF vibe that was hard to ignore.

Just as I was trying not to ogle the princess, I became aware of the force of three mares’ gazes. Giselle, Ruby, and Celestia were all watching me with expectant expressions.

“Getting in?” Giselle asked.

“Yeah.” I answered with a smile, pulling over a chair to lean against as I took off my socks. I paused for a moment at the thought that I was about to go skinny dipping with my date, boss, and a princess. But this probably wasn’t even the strangest thing I’d do this week, so with a mental shrug I began to disrobe.

“Those are cute,” Giselle said as I folded my jeans.

I looked up to see Giselle eyeing me, her amused gaze locked on my new underwear while Celestia and Ruby were pointedly keeping their attention on the other side of the room.

I decided to be a flirt, and stood to better show my new underwear.

They were fantastically comfortable, but they weren’t something I would have had the courage to wear back home. The fitted, sheer, ivory-white cloth left little to the imagination, and the gold trim gave my butt more definition than it really had. Thankfully, months of hitting the gym with Spinner as a coach had left me in the best shape of my life and given me just enough confidence to wear nothing but a Celestia-themed pair of speedos in front of three mares.

“Like them?” I asked. “I don’t know Equestrian fashion. Ruby, what do you think?”

Giselle nodded as Ruby and Celestia turned to face me. A predatory grin from Ruby told me I was going to get teased about this later. Celestia just gave me a passive smile. “Certainly draws the eye,” Celestia commented.


I mentally shrugged. Part of me had hoped to get a reaction out of the princess, but I suppose Celestia has seen far more interesting things than myself. Not waiting for a second invitation, I stepped naked into the warm water. I half waded half swam over to Giselle to sit next to her. We all chatted as we enjoyed that warm soak, Celestia having rolled into the water shortly after I had settled in. Ruby caught me up on some events that were planned for The House, Giselle bragged about how well the play was coming together, and Celestia even vented a bit about some messy trade relations between Equestria and the Yak nation.

At some point, a comfortable silence had fallen over us. Snuggled against Giselle, I closed my eyes and absently hummed some old tune to myself.

“Sway low, kind chariot,” Celestia’s sang in tune with my humming. “Coming forth to carry me home...”

I blinked, staring at Celestia in confusion.

Celestia tilted her head, mirroring my expression. “Are those not the words?”

I nodded. “Very close. Is that a song here too?”

She gave me a teasing smile. “You used to sing that to yourself in the hallways all the time. I’d guess half the staff knows it.”

I had to laugh. “My grandmother would be happy to know I taught her favorite song to some unicorns. I’ll have to make her chocolate oatmeal cookies for you sometime.”

Celestia perked up. “Luna mentioned you had some sweets from your homeland that were rather good.”

“Yeah,” I tried to not look embarrassed. “Those were actually pet treats. She ate one before I could stop her.”

A snort of laughter escaped all three of them.

We all chatted a little longer before Giselle nudged me. A flirty look told me she was hoping for some alone time. So, leaving Ruby and Celestia to enjoy the spa by themselves, we excused ourselves.

“How about a flight back to my place?” Giselle asked.

“Hmm...” I pretended to debate the offer while admiring the lights of Canterlot below us, casually running my fingers through the feathers on her neck. “Sure, I haven’t snuck past a girl’s dad since I was sixteen.”

Giselle rolled her eyes. “Hop on,” she said, lifting her wings for me to sit on her back again. “Should be a smooth glide all the way to my house.”

I obliged her, and a moment later, she leapt from the balcony. I knew what to expect this time, and let myself relax into Giselle’s rhythm of flight. With no engine and prop roaring a few feet from me, I could really soak in the quiet city lights below me. A fall chill had crept into the night air, leaving the cloudless sky crystal clear. I had to let out a boyish giggle. Peacefully floating between the stars above and the busy lights below, I felt all the world like a wayward Lost Boy.

“What’s so funny?” Giselle asked with a teasing tone.

“This is how I imagined flying when I was a kid.”

Giselle looked over her shoulder at me for a moment before returning her focus to flying. “Would you want to go walking on a cloud next weekend?” She asked.

I imagined myself sitting on a cloud, watching wagons and ponies navigating the city street below me. “Sure,” I answered. “I’d like that. Do I need to buy a potion or something?”

“Giselle again turned one bright eye toward me. “Nah, Leave it to me.”