> A Pinch of Paprika > by Doldrum of Despair > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Bananas > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainstream’s hoof stopped inches from the door. She pressed harder, but it did little more than shake. Should she do this? Could she do this? A chill ran up her leg, and Rain looked back over her shoulder at Dragomena. The gray pegasus let out an amused snort as a smirk crossed her face. “You act like you’ve never been to a bar before.” Rainstream tried to respond, but her throat locked up, and she instead made a strained face. Dragomena knew why she was nervous. She let her hoof fall and stepped back from the door, glancing up at the sign on the front. It wasn’t really much of a sign, just the silhouette of a sideways barrel nailed to the trunk of a really big tree. The tree in question was actually the bar itself. The door sat between two of the roots of the tree. There weren’t any windows, so it was impossible to see inside. It was just as well. The thought of heading inside sent needles into every one of Rainstream’s limbs. It was a gargantuan effort just to lift one of her forelegs toward the door again, and she eventually gave up. Dragomena rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Come on, mate. She’s alright. You’ll love her once you meet her. Come on.” Dragomena pushed open the door, revealing… a room made of wood. As obvious as that would seem, there was really no other way to describe it. The two of them stepped into a carved out wooden room, with several wooden barrels scattered about to serve as tables, each of which was surrounded by three or four wooden stools. In the back, there was a wooden countertop, behind which sat a wooden rack with more wooden barrels on it. Everything was even the same shade of color. It made Rainstream want to cry, seeing such an unimaginative color scheme. She quickly turned her eyes to Dragomena’s fuchsia mane, drinking in its bright hue. The door slammed shut behind them, at which Rainstream’s chest clenched up and sent a dagger through her heart. Her lungs suddenly felt very small. “Crikey, mate. You look like you’ve seen Lucie.” Rain’s gaze snapped to Dragomena’s eyes, which were also brilliantly pink. She also had a pink ascot. Her color scheme was rather unimaginative. Dragomena was still staring at her, with a raised eyebrow. “You alright, mate? You said you wanted to do this.” Rainstream shook her head and gulped back a breath. “I know, I know I just— ugh, this is not easy for me, okay?” she hunched over and wheezed in a quiet voice. “You know how I get around unicorns.” Her friend let out a sigh. “Well, there’s no unicorns in here right now—funny enough.” Rainstream blinked. “What?!” She quickly scanned the room as she fought to control her fluttering heartbeat. Wings—wings—griffon—no wings… She squinted toward the pony at the bar with his back to them. As he finished off an enormous mug of frothy cider, his head tilted far enough back that Rainstream could see his smooth forehead. No horn either. Rain took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling the tightness in her chest relax. Once more, and at last she could breathe easily. “There you go. Now you’re looking like yourself again.” Dragomena tapped her with a wing, and began trotting toward the bar. “Yeah, usually there’s quite a few unicorn patrons in here. It’s quite odd, actually.” The pony behind the bar slid the earth pony what looked like his 15th mug of cider, then looked up at them. “Oh, hey Drago, what’s up?” Both of her hooves were busy cleaning one of Cidergut Mctrottingham’s used mugs, so she flared one of her wings in a substitute wave. Dragomena waved back with a half folded wing as Rainstream ducked to avoid getting hit. “Hey Cloud. I’m just stopping by to visit a friend. Have you seen Cay?” She hopped up onto a stool and tapped the one next to her with a hoof. Rainstream climbed up and stared blankly at the pegasus behind the counter. Her orange coat seemed dull next to the dark brown of the wood, but her crimson mane complemented it well, and her eyes were a stunning emerald green. She set the mug in her hooves down behind her and picked up another one. “Oh, yeah, she was just in here before,” said the pony behind the counter “She had an appointment with a client, I think.” “Ah, that explains it. Well, we shouldn’t bother her.” Dragomena tapped Rainstream again with her wing. “How about a drink, mate? On me. I don’t normally drink, but this seems like a fine occasion. We’ll head back over to the shipping labs when we’re done.” Rainstream looked over at Dragomena, who smiled back enthusiastically. Rain closed her mouth, just realizing it had been open, and swallowed to spread some saliva over her dry tongue. It had been a decent flight from the lab, to the hilltop, to the cloud, and back down here. Rainstream glanced around the room again. Still no unicorns, and Cidergut Mctrottingham’s head rested on the counter as he lazily gazed up at his half finished… 23rd mug of cider! “I suppose,” she turned back to Cloud, “what have you got?” Cloud quickly set down two more clean mugs on the rack behind her and turned around to face Rain and Dragomena. “Well, I’ll have to roll up another barrel of cider in a minute, but I’ve got some nice cherry brandy in the little keg at the end if you want to try it.” She pointed toward the other end of the bar to their right, where a small barrel half the size of the others sat on the shelf with a waxed cork in the end. “Just in last night from Dodge junction, up north.” Rain’s eyes lit up at the mention of cherries. “Ooh, I’ve never gotten to try Cherry Jubilee’s famous brandy! Visited a few times, but never stopped for a drink.” “So, will that be two rounds of brandy?” Dragomena shook her head. “Just tap off the cider for me; I’m not a brandy kind of mare.” ~ ~ ~ After an hour of sipping brandy and exchanging tales from around /Pony/ville, Rainstream had relaxed considerably. Many stories involved a mysterious metal mare she had never heard of. She even found herself laughing as Drags told her about the time Blazing Star had gotten far too drunk at this very same bar. “Okay, I think it’s time to go, mate.” Drags tapped Rain on the shoulder and made a quick swiping motion toward the door with her hoof. Rainstream nodded—a little too enthusiastically—and slid (ever so smoothly) off of the stool, nearly knocking over her three mugs in the process. “Whoa, that stool is pretty tall,” Rain blurted out through a few giggles, as her hooves hit the deck. It tickled, somewhat like the tingle that ran through her hooves whenever she built a lightning storm. Actually, standing up was similar to cloudwalking. Rainstream blinked, and looked back at Cloud. “This is some goooood brandy, hehe. Remind me to get it next time we’re in here.” Cloud smiled briefly in response, and Rain turned back to Drags. “But don’t let me drink this much next time. I make really bad rainclouds when I’m drunk.” “Noted.” Dragomena opened up one of her enormous, super feathery wings and wrapped it around Rainstream as the two of them hobbled toward the door. Well, more Rainstream than Drago. Dragomena had only had the one mug of cider, while Rainstream had had… she’d lost count, but brandy seemed to be stronger than cider; Rain could hold her cider pretty well. Just before they got to the door, it opened, and a pretty white mare with a golden sun for a mane… and a long pointy horn on her head… walked in. “Astra! Hey, mate. Funny seeing you here,” Dragomena called to the newcomer. The unicorn—who had been walking right past them completely unaware of their presence—stopped and looked back at Drags… and Rainstream. Her eyes and mouth opened in surprise. “Dragsy, hello there! Brought a new friend in I see.” Her face narrowed into a very suspicious looking grin. Rainstream’s rump collided with the table behind her, and she was forced to allow her personal bubble to be violently popped by Astra’s horn. “Oh, look, she’s already prepped and ready. I love it when they’re drunk.” A vice clamped around Rainstream’s lungs and throat as the offending horn rubbed her cheek. As she strolled past, Rain’s tormentor flicked her tail up to bop Rainstream in the nose, then turned on her hoof and made a wide circle around. Rainstream almost didn’t feel it, but it still made her squeak and collapse onto the floor as her legs failed her. “Oy, knock it off, mate! You’re scaring her!” Rainstream’s view was obscured as a curly pink tail swiftly slid in between her and Astra, which she might have been tempted to brush if she weren’t so focused on trying to melt into the floor. “Whoops. Sorry. Didn’t realize she was such a filly~” came the voice from behind Rain’s fluffy pink shield. “Well, now you know. Look, she gets nervous around unicorns, okay?—” “Wh—” “—Don’t ask. Just be a little gentler next time you see her, alright? It’s my bad. We were just off to see Tangy and the others. You can stop by later.” The room appeared to get smaller, and larger at the same time, as the white unicorn who had no sense of personal space or manners stepped out from behind Drags, and stared at Rain under the table with eyes just as creepy as they’d been before. Rain could feel her heart pumping out of control as it struggled to squeeze blood through her constricted veins. “Fine. I’ll come say hi… later~” She winked and licked her lips, then turned and trotted over to the counter, swinging her tail and wiggling her rump quite a bit as she did. The table above her moved aside, and Rainstream quickly scrambled backward to escape her new attacker. The vice keeping her throat shut loosened a bit as she realized it was just Drags standing over her, looking more than a little worried. “You alright, mate?” Rainstream whimpered and nodded her head slowly. It was a lie, but what else does one say to that question? She glanced at the spot she’d been a moment before and noticed it was wet. She wiped a few tears from her cheeks. Wonderful. Now she was crying in public. Damn unicorns. They always ruined everything. Drags moved slowly over to her side and slid a hoof under her. Rainstream could also feel one of Dragomena’s wings across her back. “Sorry about that, mate. I forgot about the whole unicorn thing. Let’s get you up and back to Tangy’s. I’m sure she’s got something that will cheer you up.” ~ ~ ~ “Bananas!” exclaimed an orange pony with a curly orange mane from across the room as the door opened. Indeed, next to the orange pony, placed conveniently in front of a large camera (or was that intentional?) was a stack of bananas that reached all the way to the ceiling. The room itself was not very large. Just your average size living room, with another door on the other side, and a small computer sitting on a short desk on the left wall, with large camera jutting out above it right in front of the… actually yellow pony and her pile of bananas. Her mane was still orange though. On the right side wall there was a large blue banner with a picture of a bluer pony, and the moon. Next to it was a little square with an orange circle and some writing Rainstream couldn’t quite make out. “Whoa. What’s with the bananas, mate?” Rainstream shuffled in next to Dragon. She had regained some stability on their long walk, but still needed her friend’s wing for support. The actually yellow pony turned and waved at them. “Dragsy! Hi. We’re shipping fruit. Look, don’t these two make such a cute couple?” She held out two bananas, one of which had a tie painted onto it. “Crikey,” Dragomena exclaimed as the two of them stumbled over to it. Well, Dragon stumbled over to it. Without her fine feathered friend as a stabilizer, Rainstream’s sense of balance went out the window. Somewhere between the door and the… floor… Rainstream took a look around at the room again. Note to self, watch where you’re going if you need another pony to keep you upright as is. “Oh, cripes I’m sorry, mate!” Dragomena was at Rainstream’s side in an instant, nudging a hoof underneath her. “Ow,” Rain murmured. The floor didn’t actually hurt that much, but it seemed like the right thing to say. As Dragomena and Tangy helped her up—wait—Rainstream blinked as the realization of whose hoof she was touching hit her. The room vanished, and Rainstream’s vision honed in on the actually yellow face smiling inches away from her own. The room. The camera. The bananas. There was no mistaking it. She closed her mouth, swallowing the drool that had been threatening to escape her lower lip. Words found their way to her throat, and at last she spoke. “Y-you’re that shipping pony from the cookie vlog!” A brief look of confusion crossed the actually yellow pony who could only be the one and only Tangerine Cookie, the shipping master’s face. Then she smiled and nodded. “Yep, that’s me. Heehee, most ponies just call me Tangy. Nice to meet you.” Rainstream made no further attempt to stand up, lying on her back on the floor as Drags and Tangy struggled to lift her. Maybe I could lay off the doughnuts a bit, Rainstream thought. She exhaled slowly, and reached out a sweaty hoof toward Tangy’s orange mane. There was one particular curl that always seemed to dangle lower than the others. She swatted it with her hoof before Tangy could realize what was going on. “Heehee~” Tangy cookie didn’t seem to mind the mane swatting, but she looked over to Drago after a moment. “She had a bit much to drink, mate. We were waiting for Cay and I bought her a drink. I don’t think she’s had cherry brandy before.” “Ooh, the stuff from that cherry farm up north?” “That would be the one.” “That stuff is goooooood.” Tangy’s grin looked so silly to Rainstream until she realized she was wearing one just like it. A thought occurred to Rain. She scrambled to get to her hooves. After several failed attempts—all of which she blamed on the same offending banana—her hooves found the floor and her mouth found words. She grasped the actually yellow mare in front of her with surprisingly well coordinated hooves and held her close until their noses touched, then breathed the words her heart wished to scream: “Hey, could you ship me with somepony?” The orange eyes in front of her stared blankly for a moment, then blinked. Rainstream put her hooves down… and then lowered herself onto the floor. She glanced back at her wings, which seemed to be flapping of their own accord. After folding them neatly against her side, Rainstream turned back to the pony in front of her. “Hmm, well, it’d be best if you filled out the shipping form first. The whole point of it is so we can get an idea of your personality and interests and figure out who best to ship you with…Hang on just one second.” She turned around and pulled open a drawer. Rainstream squinted and leaned forward over her shoulder, but couldn’t make out anything in the drawer beyond a few stray bananas. “Got it. Here.” Tangy pulled out a sheet of parchment and a quill and slid it across the desktop. Rainstream leaned back just a bit from the actually yellow mare’s over exuberant smile, craning her neck to read the parchment. It was a simple questionnaire, but the questions hardly seemed in depth. Rainstream puzzled for a moment over the answers. “Hmm, how would my special somepony describe me? That’s a weird question. I don’t have a special somepony, but I guess they’d probably mention how much I love the rain.” Tangy was processing everything as Rainstream mentioned it. “Hmm, I guess we could ship you with Rainy. She’s a pegasus too, and you both like rain. Perfect!” Just then, the opposite door flung open to reveal a robotic equine figure standing juxtaposed against the setting sun. Rainstream stared wide-eyed at the spectacle for a few seconds, then the figure strolled into the room. As it moved into the light, Rainstream noticed a set of very real looking eyes behind its faceplate, yet there was nothing else organic about its equine body. Even the horn—oh geez it has a horn—on its forehead was made of crystal. Rainstream’s wings opened slightly and her eyes shifted between the crystal horn and the door. Then, with a series of mechanical whirs and squeaks, the perplexing metal mare’s plates slid inside themselves, folding over each other until it just… vanished. Rainstream blinked. Surely it couldn’t just vanish? But she would not get an answer, for standing where the metal mare had been was a blue unicorn! “Hey guys,” it said, waving a very non metallic hoof. The room slid forward, carrying the blue mare away from Rainstream, and at the same time Dragomena and Tangy materialized in front of her. The sudden movement made it feel like her head wasn’t keeping up with her body, like she was swimming in something. Dragomena and Tangy let out a cry of surprise. Then Drags seemed to realize the cause of Rain’s plight. She smiled forcefully and turned toward the newcomer. “Oh, hey there, Cobalt. Um, think you could remove your horn for a moment?” The blue unicorn blinked, then looked up at its horn as though just noticing it were there. “Huh? Well, sure, I suppose.” She reached up and pressed both hooves into it, then twisted. There was an audible click, and then the blue pony began—Rainstream’s heart stopped—sliding the horn out of her head, and it just kept coming! At the base of the horn was a long, thin shaft that extended further into the blue mare’s skull, and judging by the length of it, it went right to the center of the brain. Finally, all ten inches of it was removed, and the mare held it in her hoof. She shook her head, blinked, then smiled at Rain and the others. “Whoo. Been awhile since I’ve had that off, don’tcha know? So, who’s our new guest?” With her horn removed—Rainstream shuddered at the idea—Cobalt looked a lot more welcoming. The hole in the front of her skull was a bit discomforting, but it was better than a real horn. After stepping out from behind Tangy and Drags, Rain noticed the horn was actually a cobalt crystal. Go figure. The aptly named mare had a mane and tail that matched the look and texture of her artificial horn, as well as its color. Everything about her except for her eyes was a stunning cobalt blue. After scanning the rest of the… not unicorn(?)... Rain’s attention snapped back to the fake horn. It may not be a real horn, but she wasn’t letting that thing out of her sight anytime soon. When Rain was silent for a moment, Dragomena spoke up for her. “This is Rainstream. She’s a weatherpony from Applewood whom I’ve been writing to every now and again. She’s on vacation right now and I told her I’d introduce her to the Cookie Sisters. She’s a big fan of the vlog. Apparently you’re pretty popular.” Cobalt’s eyes widened at the mention of the vlog, and she took a step closer to Rainstream. “Oh, a fan. Nice to meet Y—” As soon as Cobalt’s hoof hit the ground, Rain’s hooves skirted her around behind Dragomena and Tangy again. She peered out warily from behind Dragomena’s mane. Horn or no, this was going to be a little difficult. “She’s also really shy around unicorns.” Drago said with a wince. Cobalt stopped. “Unicorns, huh? Is it the magic? I don’t have any y’know?” Rainstream’s eyebrows nearly hit the roof. “Wait, really?” No Magic? She scooted out from behind Tangy and Dragomena, but moving still seemed to make her head swim. In fact, Rain almost had to lean on Drags as she walked around to face the now hornless unicorn. “Well, sorta. I still produce magic, but without my horn I can’t use it. The crystal is just a reactor that transforms it into useable energy so it doesn’t blow my brains out after a week or so.” She held out the crystal reactor toward Rainstream. It didn’t appear so menacing not being attached to her head, but it still made her stomach queasy. In her attempt to move closer, however, Rainstream realized she was more drunk than she’d thought as she nearly toppled over just stepping around Dragomena. She never made it to Cobalt, either, because the door opened once again, and in her attempt to look, Rain forgot where she was placing her hooves. “Whoa!” The newcomer took a moment to survey the room, gave a nod to Cobalt, and trotted further into the room. Rainstream made no attempt to get up, content to lay on her back with her wings spread out. The bristles of the carpet tickled her feathers, and if she wriggled just right, she could scratch that one spot on her back that she could never seem to reach. “Good evening, girls. Shipping fruits, I see.” She glanced down at Rainstream as she walked past, then lit up her—horn! Rainstream’s wings snapped to her sides and she scooted herself away from the intruding unicorn. A banana lifted itself from the stack and followed the unicorn as she came to a stop in the middle of the room, right next to Cobalt. “And who, might I ask, is our fine feathery friend here? I can’t say I’m complaining about the expression on her face, but I do like to know who it is I’ve terrified with my very presence, and why.” Rainstream’s breathing came in rapid, ragged breaths. She had told herself she could do this. Tangy and Dragomena cast worried looks at her as she continued to scoot backward along the floor. Her head bumped into the wall behind her, cutting off her retreat. She scrubbed her hooves along the floor, but to no avail. Tears rolled off her cheeks and mixed with the sweat running through her coat. As if reading her thoughts, and disregarding them completely, the unicorn set down her banana and trotted directly toward Rainstream, who squealed and tried to become part of the wall behind her. “Oh, now do stop that crying, dear. I must say I’m used to the squeals, but tears are most unbecoming of a lady. Allow me to introduce myself, I’m—oh?” Dragomena had come to her rescue. She tapped the newcomer on the shoulder, distracting her for a moment while Rainstream made a break for the door. She made it about as far as the opposite wall before she collided with it and fell over clutching her head. “Ow!” “This is my friend Rainstream,” Dragomena explained behind her. “She’s visiting from Applewood, and is a big fan of your cousins’ vlog. She’s the pony I mentioned to you last week?” “You mean the one who likes—” “Yes, and the one who’s VERY uncomfortable around unicorns.” There was a pause. “Ah, I guess that would explain why Cobalt’s horn is removed...” The room grew silent. Rainstream focused on the pain in her head to block out… everything else. She knew she was drunk, and hurt, and crying on the floor. And she didn’t care. As long as that thing didn’t come anywhere near her. “Ooh. I almost forgot!” Somepony grabbed Rainstream from behind and lifted her into the air. “Waitwhat? Putmedown!” Rainstream kicked her legs frantically as she found herself facing the two unicorns in the room. “Nonononono STOOOOP!” Attempting to retreat into her own skull earned Rainstream little more than a headache as she was thrust toward Cobalt completely against her will. Her wings did little to impede her flight as she had a brief image of a blushing blue face and wide blue eyes before the two of them crashed to the floor in a very compromising position. “I promised I would ship you with somepony. Um… Rainstream struggled to keep up with her lungs, and the pony beneath her seemed to be getting less blue by the second. To call the silence in the room awkward was an understatement, as it made Rainstream’s heart rate just as loud as her breathing—which was beginning to sound a lot more like wheezing. Rainstream’s eyelids got really heavy after that. Actually, the room was just turning black. She collapsed onto the pillowy pony beneath her, forgetting all about… yeah, she’d forgotten. Rain blacked out with the biggest, stupidest grin she’d had in a while. > Paprika > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “I’m really sorry. I totally thought she would go for it. This is so going to ruin her opinion of Tangy’s Shipping labs. Oh this is just awful.” “Relax, mate. It was an accident. We just introduced her to one too many unicorns at once. Look, she’s waking up.” “Oh I sure hope she’s alright.” Rainstream’s headache had only gotten worse while she’d been unconscious. She reached up to rub her forehead, which did little to relieve the agony in her cranium. She gave her lips a lick, and tasted something lumpy and bitter. Great. She’d puked again. She opened her eyes to see where her friends had propped her up, and as usual, regretted the decision. “Nnnnng, where am I?” “Glad you’re feeling better mate,” Dragsy’s voice echoed throughout the room. “You’re in Tangy’s bathroom.” Of course. The bathroom. No wonder the lights were so bright. It made sense, but somehow it surprised her every time. “You’ve been out about five minutes. Don’t worry.” Rain tried opening her eyes again, very slowly this time. The first thing she noticed was Dragomena’s big pink eyes staring at her with worry. Then she realized she was leaning sideways against the toilet with one of her hooves draped across it. Thankfully,the bowl was empty, but there was still some food on the lip. “Are you feeling alright?” Tangy poked her head out from behind Drags. The two of them blocked the light from the other room nicely. Rainstream leaned her head back against the wall behind her. “Yeah, I’m fine now.” She looked down at the tiles between her hooves. She finally met the ponies behind her favorite vlog and what did she do? Show up hammered, black out, and then puke in their toilet. Super. She closed her eyes and tried not to cry. A hoof brushed against her cheek. Rain opened her eyes to see Dragomena’s face just inches from her own. “Hey, it’s alright, mate. It’s my fault, really. I let you drink too much brandy.” Drags smiled, then lurched forward suddenly. Her lips meeting Rain’s. Both of their eyes opened to their fullest extent, meanwhile heat spread across Rain’s face. “OTP!” came Tangy’s voice from behind Drags. Both ponies frantically scrubbed their hooves against the tile floor. “I promised I’d ship you with somepony, and you two make the perfect pair.” There was a loud *pomf* as two pairs of feathery limbs involuntarily snapped open. Propelled by her traitorous wings, Rainstream shot out away from the wall behind her, knocking out Dragomena’s legs so that the gray mare fell right on top of her as the two slid across the slick tile floor and out into the main hallway. There was a horrifyingly familiar clicking sound, and a small piece of paper landed on Rainstream’s face. “You two look so cute together.” Drags and Rainstream struggled to untangle themselves for a few awkward moments. Eventually, Drags was able to roll herself off while Rainstream grabbed at the square sheet of photograph that had landed on her face. All of the heat returned to her face upon seeing it. Nopony back home could ever see this. Rainstream took some small comfort in watching Dragomena’s cheeks turn as pink as her mane. A giggle threatened to escape Rain’s lips. “Heehee. Dragsy, we look so silly.” Dragomena blinked, then smiled. “Yeah, we do.” There was a moment of silence, then the two of them fell over laughing. Another click of the camera, and Tangy joined them. Rainstream’s heart was still racing, but the vice had unclamped from around her throat, and she could breathe easily. After a few minutes of laughing together in a pile, the girls rolled over and smiled at each other. “Feeling better?” Tangy asked, sweat running down her forehead. Rain couldn’t help but smile. “Yes,” She said. “I don’t even know what I was so upset about. I’m funny when I’m drunk. Heehee.” Both Dragomena and Tangy laughed, then Tangy stood up and waved at somepony behind her. “Think you’re ready to finally meet the pony you came here to meet?” Dragomena asked. The laughter died in Rainstream’s throat, crushed by the tightness returning to her chest. Last time hadn’t gone so well. Was she strong enough? She looked over at Tangy, who was nodding vigorously and wore a smile too wide for her mouth. Then her gaze shifted to Dragsy, with her warm smile and bright pink eyes that somehow managed to drown out the dull grays of her coat… Rain could feel her cheeks growing hot again, then shut her mouth, smiled, and nodded slowly. Tangy stepped aside, revealing the same unicorn from earlier. Rainstream instantly tensed up, but the unicorn made no attempt to approach her, or to levitate her with magic. She just stood there, looking oddly sad. “I do hope I didn’t upset you too much, darling. I had heard from Dragomena that you were visiting and I got a little overexcited. Do please forgive me.” Rainstream’s skin grew hot as she tried to process what was going on. Here she was, actually speaking to the one pony who could make all of her fantasies come true. She’d written letters, but to actually speak to her… Rainstream’s breathing increased to the point that she could audibly hear the air rushing in and out of her straining lungs. Dragomena’s eyes widened and darted between the two of them. She started to move toward the other unicorn, but then Rainstream lifted a hoof, and her friend froze. She reached forward, then lowered the hoof to the ground, leaning forward onto it, and bringing her head a few inches closer to her whole reason for being here. She repeated the process, slowly, silently moving toward the pony who would either become her best or worst memory. Another agonizing step, another few inches forward. After what could have been anywhere from a minute to an hour, Rainstream was nearly nose to nose with the unicorn, staring straight up at her horn. She leaned back onto her hind legs, bringing their faces a comfortable distance apart. Nopony moved. Finally, Rainstream spoke. “C— C-cayenne Cookie?” The other mare smiled. “Yes, that’s me. Am I to assume you are the friend Dragomena has told me about, with the deliciously fascinating fantasy?” Rainstream nodded. “Well, I do apologize for my ignorance. I’ve since been informed of your aversion to unicorns, and I’d like to apologize properly, if you don’t mind.” She narrowed her eyes as she said this, but Rainstream didn’t mind. Drool began to form on her lips as she stared into the tantalizing green eyes in front of her. “Can— Can I eat you?” A small squeak escaped her lips as she said it. Cayenne chuckled. “No, but I’ll give you a premium service for free—tonight if you’d like. I’m normally closed at this hour, but I’ll make an exception~” She licked her lips and gazed hungrily at Rainstream, who instinctively took a step back. “O-okay.” It was getting hard for her to breathe again, but Cayenne didn’t seem to notice. “Splendid!” The other mare exclaimed with a devilish grin, as her horn lit up with a green glow. Rainstream backpedalled rapidly, but the further she went, the longer the hallway she was in seemed to grow. Each step somehow brought her closer to the floor, until she was looking up at a gigantic Cayenne Cookie. Oh no. Rainstream’s wings snapped shut and refused to open, so she resorted to her hooves in an attempt to place as much distance between herself and the evil giant unicorn as possible. As she turned to run, an enormous weight pressed down onto her from above. She tried to move, but no use, she was pinned to the floor by her tormentor. Her scream was muffled by the fleshy weight above her. Then she felt an odd suction, as her prison wrapped around her slightly and lifted her off the floor. Wings pinned, legs sticking uselessly into the air, lungs collapsed, Rainstream rushed upward toward the gigantic face of Cayenne Cookie. Once her captor had lifted her to a proper height, Rainstream felt the flesh beneath her release, allowing her to stand up. “Why do you even have a shrinking spell, again?” Tangy’s voice thundered from behind Rainstream. “Due to motives, sweetie. Due to motives.” Rain really didn’t like the look on Cayenne’s face at that moment. It made her deeply regret her decision to trust a unicorn after so much time. If she survived this, she was never talking to Dragomena, or any of the Cookies ever again. Cayenne’s horn lit up again, and Rainstream found herself lifted into the air. Not again! She kicked and flapped her wings but went absolutely nowhere. The mischevious unicorn then turned and headed toward the door, trailing her helplessly along behind through the air. “Now then, let’s be off. The night is still young, and I think you’re going to love what I have in store for you.” ~ ~ ~ A ten minute carriage ride later, the unicorn and her catch were descending the stairs to her dimly lit basement. The door shut silently behind them, shutting out all sounds of the night. There wasn’t much chance to look around before Rainstream was deposited smoothly onto her hooves on the other side. The next few moments were a tradeoff between gulping down air, and keeping a hoof on her heart so it wouldn’t burst through her chest. Blasted unicorns. Never trust a unicorn. Having caught her breath—and released from her chaotic, magical abduction—Rainstream turned to face her captor. Cayenne towered over her, despite her chest being level with the surface Rain was standing on. She grinned down passively at Rainstream, as though waiting for something. Rainstream glanced around and realized. She was in the dungeon. The dungeon, from the vlog! The walls were lined with crimson foam embroidered padding, and every few meters hung a pair of candles, which provided the dim lighting. The only furniture in this room was a large, heart shaped bed with scarlet silk sheets and velvet pillows of the same hue. Turning around, Rainstream found a single vanity mirror behind her. “This is actually happening,” she murmured. The reality of the situation slammed into her like a freight train, and Rainstream found herself on her rump. Heat rose in her chest, spilling out through every pore. She was in Cayenne Cookie’s Dungeon, about to engage in a roleplay that should not be possible. But it was, and she had just enough alcohol left in her system to allow it. All the legwork was done, and now just one last crucial step forward separated her from her greatest fantasy. “H-how much… will it cost?” She called up to the titanic unicorn staring hungrily at her. Rainstream swallowed hard. She had saved up a lot for this vacation, but how much would Cayenne ask for? “50 bits?” That sounded reasonable. The enormous pair of emeralds blinked. Then the cavern beneath them opened in a hearty chuckle. “50 bits is quite a bit less than I usually charge for a service along these lines, dear.” Cayenne lowered her face to Rainstream’s level, so that only her eyes showed above the countertop. A familiar *pomf* signalled Rainstream’s now erect wings. She shivered as the Giantess stared her down. Sweat began to pour down Rainstream’s face as she struggled to make a decision. She had plenty of bits, but… No. Rainstream shook her head. She was never going to get this opportunity again. This had to happen. “100 bits and I’ll…” Her head hurt from thinking so hard. She had to make this deal too sweet to resist. Then an idea struck her. Cayenne definitely wouldn’t say no “I’ll be your maid for six posts?” There. She had to say yes, and Rainstream would be on the vlog. The giantess’s eyes narrowed, and her horn glowed green. Rainstream felt the (all too familiar) grip of magic around her body, and tensed in anticipation. But nothing happened. The magic just tickled… everywhere. Rainstream’s heart rate quickened. Then, everything stopped. Rainstream frowned. Was that it? Her body cried out in disappointment as her captor withdrew, standing up to her full height once again. The sweat on rain’s coat quickly turned cold when Cayenne lifted a hoof above the countertop, and swung it toward her. Oh crap. Rain turned and scrambled away across the countertop, but didn’t get far before Cayenne’s hoof descended upon her again. “I think we have a deal, darling.” The hoof pressed down over her, shutting out both light and oxygen. The soft underside molded to the shape of her body, snuffling Rainstream completely. Then it moved. Continuing to press down over her, Cayenne slid the hoof around on the countertop, rolling Rainstream over and over. No, no no no this was not what she wanted. “STOP!” She quickly folded her wings so they wouldn’t get pinned and snap, then turned her focus toward finding a grip on the countertop. But none could be found. Every time she thought she could stand up, the giant hoof above her would roll her over again. Occasionally she would kick at it, but that did nothing either. “Oh, don’t tell me you aren’t enjoying this, darling. It’s not every day I get a toy sized client to play with.” Cayenne’s voice was still very loud, even beneath the hoof. “NO! Get OFF of me! I said eat, not squash!” Rain fruitlessly laid a barrage of kicks and punches into the underside of Cayenne’s hoof. It stopped moving. “Very well, far be it from me to give a client something they aren’t going to enjoy, but I will get my fun.” The hoof squeezed Rain from above, then lifted, plucking her off the table. Not this again. Cayenne turned her hoof over so that Rainstream could stand on top of it. She brought Rain very close to her face, so that Rainstream could feel the breath from her nostrils. Cayenne’s tongue reached out and traced along the edges of her lips. All of Rainstream’s protests faded behind the heat that was now rising in her cheeks, the strain of her involuntarily erect wings, and the quivering of her knees. “Is this perhaps what you were thinking?” Cayenne opened her mouth wide, letting her tongue stick out so that Rain could see all the way back to her uvula. Her breathing became very heavy as she stared into the dripping maw in front of her. She wanted to just dive in, but somehow her hooves wouldn’t move. It was just like when she was a foal—worse, in fact; she was shrunk now. But somehow this just felt different. This time she wanted to be overpowered. She wanted to be completely helpless as she was smothered by her unicorn captor. This time, her captor cared about her, and would never actually hurt her. This one was okay. Rain leaned forward and closed her eyes. Be gentle. Something smooth and slick found its way between her legs. Rain snapped open her eyes. Cayenne’s face was no longer in front of her. A small squeak escaped her lips as whatever was touching her found its target beneath her tail, and trailed all the way up. Her body locked up, completely stiff as what could only be Cayenne’s tongue continued to slide upward along her nether region. There were small bumps on the tongue that rubbed and tickled at her, sending shivers through her whole body. Too soon, it finished its trip along her backside and broke contact. Rain felt herself wink. “Hmm-mm! Dear, you need a pinch of pepper and paprika.” Another long lick trailed its way up Rainstream’s fun zone. “Perhaps some sassafras too.” The tongue came in for another lick, this time trailing under her belly, then reaching around her legs. Rainstream closed her eyes and let Cayenne explore her. And explore she did. The next ten minutes was spent just on a tongue bath. Once or twice Cayenne let her lips close on the tip of Rainstream’s hoof, but never beyond that. Eventually she dropped the hoof and just levitated Rain with her magic, which was a bit nauseating once she got past the frustration of not being able to orient herself properly. As the session continued, Cayenne began to leave her mouth open, allowing Rainstream brief glances into the depths of her desire. Finally, Cayenne’s lips closed around Rainstream’s hind legs, and did not open again. The green glow surrounding her died, and she hung limply from Cayenne’s mouth. From there, the tongue tickled her hooves until she started kicking. A chuckle rattled through Cayenne’s closed lips. Then Rain slowly began sliding inward. She could feel a gentle tug on her hooves as Cayenne’s soft, wet lips snaked their way up her chest, reaching for her neck. The suction stopped, leaving Rainstream’s head the only thing outside Cayenne’s mouth. Then Cayenne’s tongue swirled around and around Rain’s entire body, slathering her with saliva. Rainstream let out a soft whine, looking up at Cayenne, begging her to pull her in all the way. As if in reply, Cayenne gave a brief snort, then snaked her tongue underneath Rainstream’s body. It slithered out between her back and Cayenne’s lower lip, curling up and around to rest on Rain’s forehead. Before Rainstream could fully process the sensation of having a tongue wrapped around her head, she was pulled completely inside Cayenne’s mouth, shutting out the light. Immediately Rainstream felt herself being pressed firmly against the roof of the mouth. The tongue was strange. Soft, wet, and squishy. Yet firm, unyielding, and dominating. The roof of Cayenne’s mouth was even firmer than the tongue, but still felt soft to the touch. Rainstream closed her eyes and allowed herself to be squished. It wasn’t unpleasant, but rather, soothing. She let out a soft moan at the soft caress of Cayenne’s warm, wet tongue, which began to slide around around beneath her. But the real prize would be her throat. Powerful muscles designed to pull food right down. Rainstream was not food, but those same muscles gripping her, wrapping around her, molding perfectly to her every curve as they squeezed her, down, down... Rainstream’s back tightened at the thought of it, and her legs pressed themselves together as a strange but familiar heat grew between them. Rainstream began to search for the throat in her head, trying to guess where it might be. A deep rumble sounded in her ear as Cayenne swirled her tongue around, tossing Rainstream around like a piece of candy. Rainstream tried to remember which direction it came from, but she was sliding around like a ragdoll, aided by the saliva that now coated every inch of her. Occasionally Cayenne would pause to press Rain against the roof of her mouth again, eliciting further moans from the soaked and sweating pegasus. At one point Rainstream brushed up against Cayenne’s teeth, and all motion stopped for a moment. The tongue quivered, as though making up its mind, then pressed firmly against her, while the teeth opened slightly. The tongue brushed her up and down until her wing was forced into the gap, but Rainstream did not object. Her head was buzzing too much to care whether she trusted Cayenne or not. She just couldn’t wait for the big finish. Strong but gentle pressure came down slowly on top of Rainstream’s wing. Not enough to cause pain, but enough to tickle the nerves near the base of her wings. She let out a sharp, loud moan as Cayenne bit down. Rainstream began to kick. Not the sort of kick one would land on an enemy, but the sort intended to get oneself moving. She pushed strongly against the teeth, scraping her hooves over them in a desperate attempt to move away from her current position, but her wing held her firmly in place. Cayenne got bored of tug of war after only a minute, and slackened her grip. Rainstream quickly folded her wing and crawled through the wet walls surrounding her toward where she knew the back of the mouth to be. But Cayenne would have none of it. She pressed her tongue all the more firmly against her teeth, pinning Rainstream in place and letting her hooves slide fruitlessly across the soft gums below the tongue. Rainstream moaned loudly, wiggling furiously to get just an inch closer to her greatest desire. “Please. I want it. I need it. Nnnggg!” The tongue shifted down, forcing Rainstream to slide upward on top of it. Once again Rainstream found herself pinned between two different types of soft, warm flesh. The heat between her legs was burning now. She kicked and screamed furiously. A low rumble rattled and echoed through her fleshy prison, which suddenly became vertical. Rainstream winked. A blast of air assaulted Rainstream’s hindquarters, and a bright light pierced the dark confines of Cayenne’s mouth. Rainstream blinked as she felt the pressure leave her. The tongue peeled back, revealing the interior of Cayenne’s mouth. Sparkling teeth, healthy, pink gums, the soft, quivering tongue she now sat on, and near the back… What had been a low rumble before now transitioned into a high pitched hearty laugh. Cayenne’s tongue was positioned in such a way that it allowed Rainstream to gaze down Cayenne’s throat without letting her slide backward. Rainstream watched as Cayenne’s uvula danced in time with each chortle. Then, so slowly Rainstream almost didn’t notice, the tongue straightened out. Rainstream’s legs pressed together once more in anticipation as she felt her fur sliding along the length of the tongue. Closer and closer, she was sliding down the tongue toward the back of the throat. Her heartbeat pounded on her chest like a drum as ice-cold shots of adrenaline entered her veins. Rainstream impacted onto the uvula, her head rolling forward as the rest of her caught up, leaving her balled up on her back, staring straight down the welcoming esophagus of her oh so willing pred. She let out something between a moan and a squeal. The light grew dimmer as the tongue began to recoil. Darker and darker her new home became. Smaller and smaller was the space she lived in, until at last she was being hugged by the tongue again, and then… it happened. Everything was in slow motion, letting Rainstream catch all of it. At first, there was an immense pressure, like an overstrong bear hug, but everywhere. Then everything shifted. Muscles began sliding past Rainstream’s head as Cayenne’s larynx swallowed her up, sending a ripple of movement all the way back to her feet. Her wings and forelimbs were forcibly pressed against her side and the motion began. It was almost like surfing. That moment when the wave catches up to the surfer, and everything just turns. Then the energy hits them and they start rushing along, pushed by the immense force of the water. Yeah, it was like that. Rainstream felt a sudden surge as she lurched forward, propelled by the unbelievably powerful throat muscles squeezing at her back legs. Meanwhile her snout split apart the soft wet tissue in front of her. It was like a rollercoaster. When you went over the top and there was nothing you could do to stop it, so your stomach would object, but in your heart you knew this was exactly what you wanted and the adrenaline just sent chills through your whole body. Rainstream’s eyes rolled back in their sockets as she accepted the wave of energy rushing her downward like a rocket through the soft, moist walls of Cayenne’s esophagus. A loud thumping rolled past, matching the beat of Rainstream’s own heart. Then, much like a wave reaching shore, the energy stopped as Rainstream passed through a particularly firm part of the fleshy tunnel. She slipped out into a wider passage, escaping the powerful wave that had sent her down with such speed. The walls here were much looser, and Rainstream slid easily to the bottom. “Oh, my,” Cayenne’s muffled voice called loudly from seemingly all around her. “I do hope you enjoyed that as much as I did.” Rainstream looked back up forlornly in the direction of the tube she’d just come through. It had almost ended too soon. She wished she could crawl back up and do it again. Somehow though, Rainstream didn’t want to move. She was still twitching from the orgasm she’d definitely had on the way down. She could smell her own aroma filling what air there was, mixing with the sweat and saliva already coating the stomach walls. “For now, I think I’ll just let you sleep there. I could certainly use some rest myself, but we should definitely do this again sometime.” Cayenne’s voice echoed through the stomach. Rainstream moaned softly in response, relaxing into the welcoming warmth of her captor’s tummy. Unicorns aren’t so bad. > Sassafras > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The warm summer air of the south Equestrian carried a symphony of good tidings from the upcoming desert wind. It was a good day for flying, and would be all the way to her destination. No rain in the desert, but Rainstream didn’t care. Her mind was buzzing with excitement about her new visit down south. I would be delighted if you paid us a visit, darling. I love self transformation, and would love to learn something new from that book of yours. Perhaps I could try it out on you too~ Besides, I relish the opportunity to smack that sweet flank of yours again~ You simply must come visit. Stop by the Salon when you arrive and let them know I’m expecting you, we can discuss the nature of our session then. I’ll have a room ready. Be ready for some fun yourself, darling. And boy, was she ready. Rainstream’s legs quivered at the very thought of what Miss Cayenne might come up with. She put on as much speed as she could, willing the landscape to move by faster and faster. There was no thought to her flight, beyond a growing need to be in the hooves of the one unicorn in the world she could actually trust. Rainstream reached the desert, and had to fly higher to take advantage of the cool upper air. She could see the Lunar Peninsula to her right, and just at the horizon, her goal: A little town nestled between a cluster of mountains near the sea: The Bastion. Rainstream was practically vibrating as she touched down outside what could only be Cayenne’s Salon, as it was the only hair salon in town. She’d been whisked inside so quickly—and it had been night and she’d been drunk—last time that she’d never really noticed that the building itself seemed to have hair. A black, flowing roof, with bright red trim, and a pink front. An outlined profile silhouette of Miss Cayenne adorned the main overhang, and the doors had been painted with pastel yellows and purples that complemented each other surprisingly well. There was no worded sign announcing the name of the business, but in a small town like this, it probably wasn’t necessary. A bit of steam rolled out through a window. Rainstream could feel humidity coming from the inside, and her fur was drying out quickly in the desert heat. She hurried in, pushing gingerly on the classic double doors. Before she could get a good look at the inside, a floof of bright yellow mane suspiciously close to the color on the door assaulted her vision. “Hello and welcome to Salon Spice!” Rainstream was pulled from behind by an unseen force, and found herself seated in a somewhat comfortable chair before she could blink. “It is so great to work on you today. My name is Glitter Bloom. What can I do to you today?” Rainstream found herself in a barbershop chair, facing a mirror, with a light cerulean unicorn mare standing directly behind her, already rubbing a bright pink bubbly substance into Rainstream’s mane. Rainstream tried to get up but something had fastened her flank in place. The unicorn’s mane was the bright yellow floof that had assaulted her moments ago. Rainstream shrank into her chair. “Aw, so shy. We’re going to have lots of fun with you.” Rainstream nearly jumped out of her skin as a second unicorn mare approached from across the room. This one was lavender with a light crimson mane .There was a mischievous glint in the grin the mare now wore that made Rainstream’s fur stand on end. Needles began pressing on her heart. “Mistress Cayenne is busy right now, but our spa is fully available, and we can give you a lovely new manestyle too, while we’re at it. Just let us know what you’d like, deary.” Rainstream’s throat knotted up, and a small whimper escaped. “My word you’re easy to scare,” the blue one chimed in. “Mistress Cayenne will totally have fun with you. How about a mane cleaning? You look exhausted. Your coat is like, glistening. Happy to see us already?” Rainstream brought her hooves up to her face. The room was spinning. “Oh, come on, I haven’t even started.” The chair Rainstream was sitting in spun around and leaned very far back, giving Rainstream a lovely view of the ceiling. Soft plush pink. A wail rose in Rainstream’s coat, and she fought against the magical restraint. This was not turning out well at all. Hot water splashed into Rainstream’s mane, making her flinch a bit, but then she heard the sound it made. A soft patter, like the rain. The water was very warm, but the sensation was familiar, and if Rainstream closed her eyes and focused, it was almost like standing in the rain. She let out a long sight, and the needles in her heart withdrew, taking with them the tension in her back. Rainstream let out a satisfied groan. “Ah, there we go. Finally. They always relax after you add the hot water. Now, what should we do about that face? Ooh, I know. Gloomy, grab that bottle over there. Yeah, that one. Bring it here.” Rainstream felt a thick paste being applied to her lips, and over her eyelids. Soft hooves pressed into her shoulders and rubbed gently, rubbing tense knots out of them. “Oh, wow. Look at that. I am so jealous of that color.” Hooves moved down to her chest. Rainstream let out a short moan as they pressed down on her sore pectorals. “Oh yeah, that’s more like what I like to hear. Give me more of that.” The hooves on her chest moved even lower, now massaging her teats. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant, but it was such a shock and made Rainstream’s wings feel stiff. She started to squirm in the chair. Then the hooves began moving lower. “Yeah, there we go. Now let’s see— “Ah, Rainstream, darling. There you are.” Miss Cayenne’s voice cut through the mayhem like a lightning bolt in a storm, leaving just the sound of water in her mane. “I only sent that letter a few days ago, It should have arrived just yesterday. You didn’t fly through the night did you?” Rainstream’s eyes snapped open and locked onto Miss Cayenne Cookie, strolling across the room with all the grace and poise of a practiced seductress. Rainstream had expected no less. “She’s certainly wet enough to have come that fast,” one of the unicorns over her snickered. “Gloomy, dear, why didn’t you tell me when she arrived? I did tell you I was expecting a special guest in a few days.” A dejected moan was the response. “And Glitter, dearie, no products in this one’s mane please—or her fur for that matter—unless it’s Cayenne Flower Essence of course. Oh and ease up a bit, won’t you? She’s still not completely comfortable around unicorns.” The pressure against Rainstream’s lower regions subsided, but the growing heat did not. “Hurry up and wash that out of her mane so we can start, Glitter dear.” “But Mistress Cayenne, there’s nothing in her mane. This is like, her natural color.” Cayenne blinked. Rainstream blinked. “But, if that’s true, then… Rainstream, darling, you never told me you dyed your mane.” Rainstream smiled innocently, “Interesting. Well, come along then. Let’s begin. Glitter, Gloom, you two as well.” “But Mistress—” “And I don’t believe I asked for whining just yet. You will keep quiet until I say otherwise.” Glitter opened her mouth to respond, then shut it, and nodded silently. Miss Cayenne’s stern look quickly changed to one of smug superiority, as if to say ‘that’s right, you’re mine.’ “Splendid, well, thank goodness I always have a soundproof room on standby. Right this way, Rain, darling.” The magic holding Rainstream to the chair released, and she lept forward onto her hooves, sliding quickly over next to Miss Cayenne and away from the other two. “Oh, don’t worry dear, they’ll be on their best behavior tonight, I can guarantee it. Now, let’s discuss our next few hours of fun.” They stepped through the open door, turned left, and headed down a narrow set of stairs. “I recall you mentioned wanting to extend your session?” Rainstream nodded. “Splendid. Premium service then, I believe. Will you be exchanging coin, or shall we fit you another maid’s dress now?” Rainstream blanched, and almost stopped walking. “Oh, not to worry, dear. It will fit you just fine. We’ll discuss that later. As for extending, I suppose I could wear a plug, but I worry about the modifications to the spell we’ll need. Perhaps that book of yours can help. You did bring it, darling?” Rainstream nodded, and tapped her saddlebag with a wing. “Wonderful. I can’t wait to try out a few new things. Ah, here we are.” The doors in front of them opened to reveal a room similar to the one Cayenne had brought Rainstream to last time. The walls were thick, and covered in decorative red soft foam. Gloom and Glitter filed in after them, and the door clicked shut. “Excellent. Let’s begin. Let me see that saddlebag of yours, dear.” Rainstream slid out from under her saddlebag and opened it. Inside was the book she’d promised, as well as some powdered spice. She hoped Miss Cayenne would appreciate it. “Is that sassafrass I smell?” Miss Cayenne followed her nose to the saddlebag. “Oh and you brought the paprika as well. Looking to be a particularly scrumptious morsel this time, hmm?” Rainstream blushed. Gloom looked bewildered, but Glitter looked if anything, intrigued. “Well, we’ll just have to see. Ah, here is the delightful book. Dust Mites to Dragons, and everything in between.” Miss Cayenne lifted the book out with her magic and began flipping through the pages. “Oh my, such detail, wherever did you find this, darling?” she said without looking away from the book. Rainstream just blushed harder. “Oh, just a little filly I know who loves reading about magical theory.” “My dear, this isn’t just theory. This is methods and considerations for… anything! If a mountain had flesh and bones—and I could find a way to bolster the spell—I could probably become one with this book’s instruction.” She looked up and stared wantonly at Rainstream. “I’ll make you a deal. Leave this here with me and you’ll get VIP treatment anytime you come here, for life. No charge.” Rainstream blanched. Her lip trembled for a minute while she pondered the offer. It was an impossible choice and not even hers to make. She let out a whine, then a sigh. “I really want to but… I— I can’t… It’s not mine to give away.” she let her head hang low “Then we’ll just have to try some out tonight. I believe you wanted to stay as long as possible. Splendid. So without further chatter, let’s begin. No magical restraints, of course, but…” She gave a nod, and suddenly two ropes fastened themselves around Rainstream’s rear fetlocks. With a gasp, she was hauled off of her feet and found herself hanging upside down. But not only that, the ropes began to pull apart, putting her marehood on full display for anyone in the room, three lustful looking unicorns. Rainstream gulped. “I did say I was going to have a bit of fun, didn’t I? Hmm, let’s put this spice you brought to good use.” Pink aura enveloped the two cans of spice, and they floated over to Rainstream, specifically between her spread legs. “It’s Equestrian Cuisine tonight, girls. Be sure to baste it well.” Miss Cayenne now upended the containers, and shook them to throw paprika and Sassafras all over Rainstream’s pussy. It burned. Not like how the sun burned your skin, or how a fire caused blisters, but more like an intense and uncomfortable heat. It made her want to rub her legs together, but they were bound and spread apart. Rainstream reached a hoof up to rub herself but it was swatted away. “That won’t be necessary, Rainy,” one of the assistants… Glitter, said. “We’ll take good care of you.” She smirked and pressed her hooves firmly onto Rainstream’s pussy and rubbed in a circle. Rainstream gasped and smacked her head on the ground. Her rear legs pulled tight against the ropes, but made no progress toward each other. Glitter’s hoof did nothing to cool the burning in Rainstream’s nethers, but it sent an incredible tingle throughout her body. “You like that, huh? How about we get those extra hooves out of the way then.” With a nod from Glitter, Gloom tied ropes around Rainstream’s front hooves as well. She was strung out like a… Rainstream couldn’t think of something resembling this situation; her rear hooves were in the air, her head was on the ground, and she was belly up, fully exposed with another mare kneading her burning loins like a roll of bread dough. Miss Cayenne walked up, levitating her book, and dangling a crop in the air next to it. “Now, dear, I did want to have a bit of fun, but before we really begin we need to discuss payment.” As she got to Rainstream, she turned around so that Rainstream had a full view of her own slit, beneath her tail. In an instant, Miss Cayenne’s tail raised and her weight fell onto Rainstream’s face, pussy pressed against her mouth. She smelled strongly of peppers, and gave off a heat worse than the one between Rainstream’s legs. “Allowing me to examine the book covers most of it but this is a very unique service, and if you want to breathe, dear, you’re going to have to start licking soon.” Rainstream’s snout was buried in Miss Cayenne’s pussy, cutting off her air supply. She stuck her tongue out and tasted Miss Cayenne. She was sweet and spicy. The flavor was hot on Rainstream’s tongue, but she needed to breathe, so she continued lapping it up, hoping that Miss Cayenne would get up soon. “Ah, there we go. As I was saying. Not even VIP clients usually get to be this close to me—you’ve certainly been farther inside me than any stallion I’ve been with—so I’ll be needing a bit of extra compensation. In this case, a favor. Breathe, dear.” Miss Cayenne, stood up, and Rainstream, gulped down precious air. The kneading of her pussy had continued, and she could feel the results dripping down onto her teats and burning the skin there. Just as Rainstream got enough oxygen to wonder what Miss Cayenne’s favor was, she sat down again. Rainstream began licking immediately. “Good girl. Now, Tangy is throwing a party on Greylight’s airship tomorrow and I would love to invite you but it’s rather short notice. I didn’t expect you to arrive before the party, you see. But I think if you were to offer your services as an assistant, I could talk Greylight into letting you on. You 'll look so adorable in one of the new Waitress outfits Greylight designed. How about it, dear?” Miss Cayenne stood up again, and Rainstream coughed loudly. This time there was a long pause, and Rainstream was able to catch her breath. Almost. It was still hard to breath with a pony assaulting her pussy with their hooves. She looked up for a moment and noticed Glitter was actually inserted up to the fetlock into her pussy! “I need your answer, dearie.” Rainstream struggled to summon words. “Answer quickly and I’ll bring you in, inside~” Cayenne rubbed her tummy as she said that last word. Rainstream thought about spending an entire day nestled inside Miss Cayenne’s stomach. She half closed her eyes, but then Miss Cayenne sat on her again. “Too slow, dear. Let’s say 50 bits compensation for the service as a courtesy, including activities leading up to your predation. I believe that’s what you wanted last time, yes? And we’ll have you split a shift with someone already on the staff, so you can at least enjoy some of the party afterward. Deal?” Miss Cayenne, stood up again. “I may be enjoying that just a bit too much, but you’re so adorable gasping for air. Just a moment longer and we’ll begin. I need your answer, dearie.” Glitter and Gloom begain flicking and massaging Rainstream’s teats now, and Glitter pulled her hoof away from Rain’s pussy. Rainstream whined at the loss of stimulation, but her thoughts were interrupted by a stinging slap against her left flank. “Will my proposal be sufficient, darling?” Miss Cayenne’s voice came from behind her. Rainstream whimpered and nodded, but received another whip across the opposite flank. “I need to hear you say it, dear.” Rainstream gasped for breath. “Y-y-y-y—” Another smack, right on the pussy. “YES, MISS CAYENNE!” Rainstream shrieked. She lay back, sweat pouring from her face, and her fur soaked and matted in a mix of sweat, herbs, and her own juices. Glitter and Gloom had stopped massaging her. Her pussy twitched and winked, as she slowly caught her breath. Rainstream inhaled sharply as she felt the crop rest gently on her quivering pussy lips. “Yes, what, dear?” Cayenne’s voice sounded dangerous, and Rainstream shivered as she tried to think of what it was Cayenne wanted to hear. “Y-yes… M-m-mmistress.” The crop rubbed her lips gently, tapped once, then lifted. “Ah, such a good girl. I think we’re finally ready to start. Now tell me, you wanted to be preyed upon, but what was it you wanted me to be last time, that I didn’t yet know the spell for?” The ropes tying her legs up vanished, and Rainstream looked up at Mistress Cayenne. She had a frightening smile, and a hungry look in her eye. Rainstream gulped, and her pussy winked. “A-a-a-a snake?” Mistress Cayenne chuckled. “Sorry dear, I still loathe what that does to the organs, but there is one here I’ve been meaning to try for awhile. Why don’t you girls get busy while I study this?” Mistress Cayenne’s horn lit up, and the room seemed to grow larger. She turned around, and Rainstream found herself once again the size of a manebrush. “Enjoy your dinner girls, but don’t swallow her yet. I’ll be back in just a bit.” Rainstream found herself once again at the mercy of unicorns. But these two didn’t look nearly as careful as Mistress Cayenne. “Ooh she’s cute,” Gloom said. “Hey, hold still, Gloom. I’ve always wanted to try this.” Glitter got a very evil look in her eye, and her horn lit up. Rainstream yelped as she was lifted into the air by unicorn magic. No no nononononono NO! Blasted unicorns! “Hey, Gloomy. Ever had an entire pony stuffed up your snuff?” “Huh, Wh—” NO! Rainstream watched as an enormous set of lavender lips sped toward her. Except this time she was small enough to fit inside, which is exactly what happened. Before she could blink, Rainstream was fully engulfed in 360 degrees of Lavender Unicorn pussy. A whining moan vibrated the walls around her.. “You like it, don’t you?” Rainstream’s first instinct was to try to escape, but the problem was that she didn’t know which way was out. Testing the walls resulted in her new prison spasming wildly. “Nnngg, she’s squirming around!” “Oh, shut up, li’l bitch. You know you love it.” Rainstream scrambled, trying to maintain some orientation, but there was just no way to tell which way was up. “Stay still, Gloomy. You’re going to really love this.” “Oka—AHH!” Something prodded Rainstream roughly in the side. Something hard, and pointed. It proceeded to glow, and the walls around Rainstream vibrated violently. A low moan rang through them and slowly grew in volume and pitch. Rainstream felt the familiar tingle of unicorn magic as she was reoriented within the fleshy walls so that her rear lined up with the tip of what could only be Glitter Bloom’s horn. Then the thrusting began. Rainstream had always had reason to hate, despise, and distrust unicorns, and this was it. Pinned in place by magic, against which she was powerless to do anything, Rainstream was thrust forward and backward. Her own tiny pussy was pinned to the tip of the offending horn, forcing her to the brink of orgasm and holding her there, painfully and without release. Every bad memory from her fillyhood returned. The dinner parties, the shouting, the kind stallion who turned out to be not so nice. A high pitched wail rose in her throat, growing into a scream. “Yes, that’s what I love to hear. Cry for me.” Blitter Gloom’s voice called. And cry Rainstream did. This was not fun, and her head was beginning to feel funny. A deep pressure closed in on her skull, meanwhile her lungs had long since given out. Rainstream teetered on the edge of consciousness as she was dragged like a ragdoll through the fleshy confines of one of her unicorn captors. “Uh, Bloom. She stopped squirming.” “Oh, horseapples.” ~ ~ Rainstream could still feel herself slipping away, but then suddenly cold air blasted her. A warm, wet sensation ran up her entire body once, twice, again, and again. Somepony was licking her. Repeatedly. She was outside Blitter Gloom’s vagina. “I think you left her in a little too long.” “Shut up. See? She’s waking up.” Rainstream slowly opened her eyes. She was staring right into Glitter Bloom’s massive eyes. Eyes that looked hungry! Rainstream looked down. She was held in the air by magic. NO! “You taste really good, you know that?” Glitter Bloom grinned wickedly, then opened her mouth wide, and floated Rainstream over to it. Rainstream stared into the back of her captor’s throat, crying out in protest, and yet she found herself reaching a hoof between her legs. “Glitter, dear. I do believe I said no magical restraints.” A deep booming voice filled the room. Rescue! “And I hope you haven't licked all the flavor off her.” The voice was accompanied by a whip-crack across Glitter Bloom’s horn. The unicorn flinched, shutting her eyes, as her magic fizzled and Rainstream dropped from the air. She did not fall very far, before something soft, warm, and wet caught her. Rainstream didn’t have time to take in what was holding her up before it curled up and wrapped around her like a living rope. Rainstream’s limbs were now bound to her body as she was turned to gaze at a large pink dragon with a black mane falling from its head, and scarlet wings extending from its back. From its mouth snaked a long, thin tongue, which Rainstream was currently wrapped in. The dragon smiled, and her horns lit up. Rainstream felt a familiar tingle surrounding her body, and she knew a spell was being cast on her. “Wha-?” Glitter Bloom’s voice called out behind her. Rainstream looked back and saw the other unicorn shrinking, meanwhile the room seemed to grow smaller with her. When she spell ended, Rainstream was normal size again, and the dragon tongue released her. Glitter Bloom, on the other hand, was the size of a hoof brush, and currently scrambling away from Blitter Gloom’s playful hoof. “Oh, don’t act like you didn’t want this, Bloom dear. You’ve always asked me to shrink you for similar nefarious purposes. I’m simply combining your punishment for breaking one rule I gave you with your reward for following the other. Oh, and don’t worry. The irony is not lost on me.” The dragon grinned at Rainstream. “Hold still, dear.” Rainstream yelped as something small was swiftly inserted into her own vagina. Immediately the sensations coming from inside her grew so wild it nearly threw Rainstream over the edge. Whatever was just inserted into her began wiggling and squirming inside. Rainstream twitched erratically as it found her G-spot, and she was unable to stifle the moan that forced its way out. “NNngh!” “Ah, there there, dearie, let me help.” The dragon stepped closer and ran its tongue along the underside of her chin. “Mmmm. You taste divine, dear. I could just eat it you up right now.” She flicked Rainstream across the nose with her dripping tongue. Rainstream's knees wobbled a bit and her eyes fluttered as the tongue explored her like a piece of prey. The tongue slithered down her barrel and tickled her belly fur as it crept closer to her dripping pussy—which was currently being assaulted from the inside by a small squirming… unicorn. Rainstream clenched down hard on the pony in her pussy, emitting something halfway between a moan and a laugh. She was rewarded with even more squirming inside her. She winked several times, completely lost in the sensations coming from her vagina. Then the tongue reached her clit. Rainstream gasped. She hadn't even noticed it massaging her treats until they began to grow cold in its absence. But now all she could feel was sweet, silky dragon tongue on her folds. “Mmhm yes, paprika was definitely the right thing to spice you up.” Rainstream opened her eyes, now realizing they had been closed, as she felt very hot breath on her face. She was nose to nose with Mistress Cayenne. She could count the scales if she wanted to, but Rainstream wasn't looking at the scales. A deep throaty chuckle parted the lips in front of her, giving Rainstream the perfect view of Mistress Cayenne’s draconian throat. “Hmm, not yet, dearie. I need to have my fun first. Let me hear you beg.” The tongue moved against her dripping pussy lips, but istead of the thorough lapping she had expected—or even better, insertion of mistress Cayenne s tongue—all Rainstream felt was a light flicking across the tip of her clit. Rainstream whined, loudly and kicked her legs against the floor. Or she would have if her hooves were near the ground. Somehow without realizing it, Rainstream had become fully supported on her mistress’s giant tongue, which continued its light flicking of her clit. Rainstream's breathing became labored. Her legs rubbed together with an intense need. Glitter Bloom wasn't squirming enough. She had found the end of Rainstream's tunnel and was now kissing her button. “Mistress… ah… please… “ Rainstream panted. “Hmm? What is it, dear? “ Rainstream tried to scoot forward on her mistress’s tongue, worming her way closer to those moist walls. The base of the tongue curled up to block her view. “You're going to need to be specific, dear. What is it you want?” Her voice sounded magically assisted now. Rainstream could hardly breathe. “I… want… “ “Yes, dear? “ The flicks against her clit slowed to a crawl. “Eat… me. “ There was a brief twitch that ran the length of the tongue Rainstream was resting on. “Eat you? Are you sure there's nothing else you'd like? Something that might scratch that little itch in your rear, perhaps?” Just the very tip of the forked tongue came to rest on Rainstream's button, making her gasp. “N-n-n-n-no m-m-mistress. I just w-w—” “Gloom, dearie, could you give us a hoof please? Well, horn really.” Rainstream felt something hard and pointed press up against her soaking lips. She gasped out loud. Breathing was nearly impossible. “Something like this, perhaps? “N-n-n-n-no. I—” The pointed object pressed into her, spreading her lips open. Rainstream struggled to gulp down air fast enough to speak. “I-i-i w—” The horn pressed deeper, spreading her even wider. Rainstream clenched her eyes shut, focusing as hard as she could on just a few words. “I... W-w-w-wa—” Another inch pressed inside of her. “—ant-t-t y—” “Well, spit it out, dear. If you want it so badly just say it.” The horn pressed even further, spreading Rainstream almost to her limit, and dragging a squeak out of her. “M-m-m-Mistress p-p-p-p-please,” Rainstream gasped. “Let up a bit, Gloomy. Let her speak.” The horn pulled out just slightly, letting Rainstream relax around it. The tongue stopped flicking her. “Now, tell me dear. What is it you want? Rainstream gulped down a big breath of air. “Please… eat me.” The horn pulled out even further, scraping the tip across Rainstream's g-spot. “Beg, dear.” “P-please eat me, m-mistress. I want to d-drown in your stomach!” The horn slammed home, drawing a loud squeak from Rainstream and pushing her forward on the tongue, which straightened out to give Rainstream a beautiful view of her destination as she slid toward it. Just as her head entered the moist cavern, the jaws slammed shut, trapping Rainstream in place by her neck. Lips closed around her shoulders, shutting out the light. The horn spreading her open backed almost all of the way out. It tugged against her a few times, like it was holding on somehow. Bitter Gloom's voice called out from outside the mouth. “Um… mistress. I.. I seem to be stuck. I—Mistress what are you—” There was a sudden drop in pressure as everything inside Mistress Cayenne‘s mouth shifted. Rainstream felt a deep sucking feeling just before the lips around her loosened and she slid considerably closer to the back of her mistress's throat, Blitter Gloom's horn stuck to her snatch the whole way. The suction stopped just a bit too soon, and Rainstream was squeezed up against the roof of her mistress's mouth just shy of the uvula. Immediately the mouth was filled with Blitter Gloom's loud protests. But she was silenced as gravity shifted forward, light entered the gloriously moist cavern, and Rainstream could only watch blissfully as she was shoved forward into the awaiting tunnel beyond. Her face pressed against the uvula, which slid up over her head as everything reached forward to grab her and pull her down, down into the depths of her draconic mistress.