Illusions of Love
Jet hated Mondays.
Twelve hours it'd been. Twelve!
How hard was it to test a thaumomax turbofan jet engine? Why couldn't anypony make reasonable, executive decisions without needing him? It was frustrating. There were times Jet had doubts about his staff. Were they worth the (rather high) wages he paid them? A part of him wanted to say 'no', but he knew better. There was immense talent at work within his company. Amazing engineers and scientists.
But it was hard not to get upset when things go wrong.
Jet understood these kinds of troubles existed. Companies grow larger, and the bigger they get, the bigger the problems get. How did the saying go? More money, more problems. At one time in his life, Jet thought this was a lazy excuse for incompetent ponies. It was absurd. Money didn't cause problems; It solved them.
Where would his company be without its profits? EquestriAero helped stimulate the tech market of Las Pegasus and put it on the map. Not to mention all the jobs he'd created. Las Pegasus became a real, legitimate business destination, not just a sleazy gambling town.
Then there was his home. There was Apogee. Being a single parent was a challenge he'd never wanted. From the rigors of managing his company to the stress of being a public figure in the business sphere, he had enough to worry about. If not for the success of his company, he couldn't have provided for Apogee; not in the way she deserved. It was money that made it possible. So he should be happy, right? Money solved all his problems...
But never the ones that truly seemed to matter.
The thought of once again coming home to a disappointed Apogee was… disconcerting. There were few terrors more real than coming home to an empty house. No trace of Apogee other than the obvious signs of her leaving late at night.
It had been an eye opener for him. Yes, he was mad, but mostly he'd been relieved when she came home. After a long talk he'd made promises. Again. He desperately hoped he'd be able to keep those promises to himself… and to Apogee.
He loved her. Failing her was a heartache he couldn't stand to endure each and every week.
Jet exhaled his anxieties as the elevator carried him up to his condo, to home–to Apogee. It wasn't Tuesday yet, so everything was fine. There was nothing to panic over. No disappointed Apogee was waiting for him at home. He had to be strong... he had to be confident. Like a whisper in the wind, Jet pushed his insecurities to the back of his mind and stared at the elevator floor counter as it slowly ticked up.
Think about something positive, Jet thought.
In his mind's eye, Jet saw the face of Apogee beaming at him. Jet's lips curled into a smile at the image. After long days like today, he was becoming reliant on the energetic, lively attentions of his daughter. Her sweet smile and boundless love were a panacea, sustaining him through the toughest days.
Bing!
He'd arrived. Jet took a long step off the elevator and into the hallway. Soon he'd be home and this hellish day would be over. Wincing from his tired legs, he trotted toward the door at the end of the hall and fumbled around for keys.
Maybe a drink would take the edge off? Yeah, definitely a drink. That bottle of vintage whiskey he'd been saving sounded really good right now.
With a turn of the key, Jet unlocked his condo and swung the door open. Stepping inside, his nostrils were assaulted by the smells of home and he inhaled deeply. Pivoting his head around, he sniffed the air searchingly. The musk of his daughter wasn't quite as thick in the air as he'd expected. Was she even home?
Jet trotted toward the kitchen—stopping momentarily to remove his jacket and tie before tossing them over the backrest of the living room couch—and looked around for signs of her.
"Apogee?" he called. His ears pivoted around, searching for the beautiful clamour of Apogee's hooves. When no answer came back he felt a little more of the life drain out of him. Sighing, Jet continued past the kitchen table toward the alcohol cabinet.
Must've went to Diz's house.
Turning his attention back to the rich, mahogany cabinets, Jet opened them wide and spent some time to admire his collection. There were several dozen spirits of all kinds, neatly organized in his own special way: expensive alcohols to the front, cheap to the back. It made sense to him, anyway. Was it bad he wanted his guests to see all the expensive stuff front and center? He didn't think so.
Thanks to the organization, it took him no time at all to find the unopened, vintage whiskey. Retrieving it from the back of the cabinet, he set it down on the nearby countertop. Next to the mahogany alcohol cabinet were the freshly painted and recently installed glassware cabinetry. Opening them, he grabbed one of the many crystal shot glasses from inside and set it next to the whiskey. His eyes were drawn back to the bottle of rich, brown liquid.
Fifty years to age, years spent absorbing the flavor of oak, bottled expertly by the legendary 'Pony Porter Brewing Company', and only a few seconds to uncork and ruin the value of forever. Some connoisseur of spirits is rolling in his grave right now, Jet thought. Snorting with amusement, Jet uncorked the bottle with the nearby corker mounted to the countertops. The fifty year old whiskey yelped as ancient gases mixed with fresh air. It wasn't the most expensive alcohol in his cabinet, not even close, but it'd been a gift from a friend.
Jet, the elderly friend had said, I want you to open this on a day when you're feeling down. When life is beating you to the ground and you need something to lift you back up.
Did today qualify for that? Hell, Jet didn't know for sure, but it seemed as good a day as any. Work was driving him insane, and Apogee wasn't here to 'lift him back up'. More's the pity.
Jet poured a sizable quantity of the brown-gold liquid into the shot glass and swiftly brought it to his lips. After tossing it into his mouth he swirled it around to enjoy the flavor before swallowing it.
"Wow!" Jet exclaimed. It burned really good the whole way down. He wiped traces of the aged alcohol from his lips and exhaled hotly. "Yep, tastes like whiskey," he concluded. Another, smaller shot was poured and consumed like the first.
As the old whiskey settled in his stomach, Jet looked down into the shot glass. Good stuff, he thought. He paced slowly to the sink and placed the glassware inside. Watching it roll in the metal basin, Jet gave a long, tired sigh. But, you're a poor substitute for the warmth of my daughter.
"Dad?"
Startled, Jet jumped an inch above the ground. Wheeling around on his hooves, he turned to face the sound of the voice. In an instant his heart melted.
An adorable yellow pegasus stood next to the kitchen table. She was wearing her school jacket and had a smile that could bring a legion of colts to their knees, begging. Two lovely wings sprung out of the slits in her jacket, elevated above her a few inches. Each was ever so slightly unfurled from their usual stowed posture and showed off her developing wingspan. But what really caught Jet's attention were her eyes—so much like her mother's!—which stared back at him intensely.
It was Apogee, the light of his life.
"Sweetheart! I didn't hear you when I came in," he said. He took a step toward his daughter as his own smile widened. He paused when Apogee's tentative and anxious posture became obvious to him. "Apogee? You okay?"
Was she mad about him coming home late? She was at least smiling, so that was a good sign.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine dad," Apogee said. She hesitated momentarily, then ran toward him with the biggest smile he'd ever seen. Their collision was disorienting, but Jet managed to avoid falling backward. Arms were thrown about him and rampant nuzzles ran along his neck and cheek. "I really missed you. I was so disappointed when you didn't come home on time, but… Well, you're here now, so it's all better again!"
So, it was him being late that made her anxious. A flood of regret filled him as his daughter's gentle nuzzles continued. It left him in awe at how eternally loving she could be… especially when he felt like he didn't always deserve it.
Ignoring his own self-pity, Jet wrapped an arm and wing around his daughter's neck and pulled her in closer. The scent of her sweat and feather down filled his lungs as he breathed in deeply. "Yeah, I'm here sweetie," Jet assured.
The anxieties he'd experienced earlier resurfaced as he held Apogee near. He felt the need to justify his delay in returning home. Feeling defensive like this was becoming distressingly common, but he tried to remind himself she needed his attention and assurances more than ever. "It was just one of those days, you know? Everything went all wrong and nopony seemed to have any answers about anything, and-"
"D-Daddy?" Apogee interrupted.
Jet's words ran dry; and so did his mouth. Reminding himself that Apogee wasn't angry or biting his head off, he swallowed hard and said, "Yeah sweetie?"
The bright eyes of his daughter sparkled. "It's okay daddy, I'm not mad, I promise. I know you work really hard… for both of us." Jet watched as Apogee hung her head lower, her ears folding cutely against the sides of her head. "But, um… What about Tuesday?"
The lump that formed in Jet's throat at hearing the mere utterance of 'Tuesday' was almost unbearable. Immediately, he wrapped both his arms around Apogee as he came to a sit on his haunches. With every ounce of strength and conviction he could muster, Jet held her tight and reassured her. "Apogee, I want you to understand that nothing, nothing is going to keep me from being with you tomorrow." Jet pulled back from Apogee and looked her straight in the eyes. She seemed almost awed, shocked. Desperate to see the return of her smile, Jet continued explaining, "I've done everything I possibly could to ensure, beyond all reason, that I'll be here tomorrow. I've scheduled a half day so I can come home early–Diamond wasn't too thrilled about it but… well, too damn bad. I also worked with my secretary all last week to ensure that absolutely nothing major is scheduled for tomorrow: no meetings, no visits, no audits, no test runs or R&D mishaps… nothing!"
Forcing himself to smile, Jet focused on the lovely face of his daughter as he waited for her reaction. He'd genuinely done everything he could to ensure tomorrow would be uninterrupted. He wanted Apogee to believe it; he needed her to believe in him again.
As he sat there holding his lovely daughter, his breathing labored from the powerful anxiety that gripped him, he saw her expression change at last. Her face broke. Misty eyes on the verge of tears, lips that tried to smile but couldn't because of quivering, she looked miserable. Jet caught his breath. Was it too late?!
Just as he was beginning to lose his mind, certain Apogee was upset, Jet saw her expression for what it really was: she was holding back tears of joy. And as Apogee buried her face into his powerful chest and hugged him with all her might, he knew everything was going to be okay.
"You did all of that for me? You're the best dad in the world!" She trembled faintly from her excitement, prompting Jet to stroke her hair and neck with a hoof.
"I can hardly wait," Jet said. Warmth spread through his extremities as he shared his happiness with her. But her trembling had him concerned and, reluctantly, he pulled himself away to ask about it. "You okay sweetie? Are you cold?"
Her shaking subsided slightly. "Y-Yeah, I've been kinda chilly today so I wore my jacket." A smirk on her lips told Jet that everything was fine. "Maybe if you didn't keep the thermostat so low all the time!" Watching her stick her tongue out at him was as delightful as it was cheeky. Jet grinned.
"Not this again. You know I like it cool in here. But let's not argue about that, yeah?" He tilted his head and flicked his ears hoping to get his point across. They had a good thing going, so why ruin it?
Apogee seemed to agree when she nodded and smiled radiantly. "Sure dad. No fights about the freezing, arctic temperatures."
Irreverent to the last. He loved her so much.
Now separated from their death grip of nuzzles and hugs, Apogee trotted away a short distance so that her posterior was facing back to Jet. She looked over her shoulder at him. Her eyes half lidded, her mouth grinning hungrily, the longing on her face was obvious. "Well, you can make it up to me by keeping me warm on the couch! C'mon, we can just hang out and watch something dumb on TV or, you know… Whatever!"
It took some effort for Jet to tear his eyes off of Apogee's exposed teenage folds–that perfect little hint of pink. Look her in the eyes you horny idiot, Jet thought. He did so.
"Hmm, well, I was thinking about taking a shower first, but…"
"Aww, don't worry about that!" Apogee exclaimed. She bounced a few energetic steps toward the living room and swished her tail invitingly from side to side. "Besides, I like the way you smell after work: so rugged!"
Why was she so wonderful?
"You aren't going to take 'no' for an answer, are you?" Jet asked, his smile widening.
"Nope! Definitely not! Nuh uh!"
He thought as much. When Apogee got it in her head that she wanted something, it was all but impossible to change her mind. He'd have more luck moving the sun and moon. Impossible. But he couldn't imagine anything better than spending some much needed time with his daughter.
After seeing that Jet was moving toward the living room, Apogee squealed with glee and ran ahead of him. She leapt over the back of the couch and landed on the cream-colored cushions, then turned to face him. Adorable as ever, her eyes followed each labored step he made toward the couch. His hooves were killing him and Apogee soon took notice of his slight limp, causing her to frown.
"Did you hurt your leg dad?" The sinking of her ears and the look of concern on her face was one example in a million of how much she cared about him.
"Not exactly." Jet assured. "I just spent way more time running around today than I have in a while." It also didn't help that he agreed to wear a step tracker for the company 'fitness incentive competition'. The executive staff always performed abysmally, but he'd certainly pulled his weight today. But seriously, how were you suppose to outstep the stallions who worked in logistics and warehousing? Madness!
Once he'd reached the couch, Jet stood in front of it and tossed himself backwards, landing with an airy whump. He kicked up his rear hooves onto the coffee table and slouched back into the cushions.
A rumbling, throaty groan of pleasure found its way from his mouth as he closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of the couch. "That feels so damn good," he murmured. Every screaming joint in his body took a well-deserved rest as he sank further into his bliss. The alcohol was also kicking in, further massaging his sore muscles with its effects.
But something better than all of that, in the shape of a teenage filly, pressed against his body. Her warmth, so pleasant, forced an easy smile from him. Opening his eyes again, he found them drawn down to his daughter.
Apogee was snuggling comfortably to his body and the top of her head was pressing up against his chin. While looking down, he could just make out the bridge of her nose as it lead to the rest of her muzzle. Movement caught his attention, and he noticed Apogee's hoof moving toward his chest where it rested a moment later.
She was rather affectionate tonight. Well, she was often cuddly, especially in recent weeks. It reminded him how much she'd been needing him lately. Once again, Jet silently vowed to ensure tomorrow would be dedicated to her at all costs.
"Hey dad?"
Apogee's voice jostled him from his rumination. "Yeah?" he asked.
"About tomorrow, um…" The indecision in her voice was sobering. "We're still gonna… do it… right?" She tilted her head back to look up at him.
"O-Of course we will," he said, his voice low. Talking about sex with Apogee was still rather difficult for him to deal with. Even Apogee seemed a little subdued and uncertain about it. "I know it doesn't feel like it at times, but I really do look forward to our Tuesdays together." To make sure Apogee understood how serious he was, Jet twisted himself to face her and ran a stroking, tender hoof down her cheek as their gazes fell upon each other.
Folded ears and an averting of her eyes spoke to Apogee's doubt. "You do?" she asked timidly, her head tilting down. Jet could just make out the tops of Apogee's rose eyes from behind her bangs. "You really look forward to, u-um, fucking me?" Her forehooves idly tapped together after laying this small bombshell.
Obviously he looked forward to it! More than basically anything else in his life. His receptionist even noticed how distracted and daydreamy he'd been lately, lost in thoughts of being with her. It consumed a significant portion of his time anymore. And that was as wonderful as it was frightening.
But he hadn't really been telling her that, had he? He wasn't showing her how important she was; how important she'd always been. It was difficult talking to his daughter about his budding, romantic attraction to her. Imagine that? But he needed her to know how he felt, and she needed to hear it from him.
His heart began to pound in his chest. A deep breath prepared him to speak. "Yes, Apogee. I do look forward to… having sex with you. A lot. But even more than that, I look forward to spending time with you sweetheart. Being together with you." Jet placed a tender kiss on the crown of Apogee's head and resumed stroking her now blushing cheek.
The look of joy on his daughter's face was a priceless treasure.
"Daddy, that's so sweet! It feels wonderful hearing you say that… You're the best dad a filly could ever have!" She giggled and threw herself against him once again, nuzzling her head in the crook of his neck between his chin and chest.
And now to seal the deal.
"I love you, Apogee, more than anything."
Jet felt a slight tremor from Apogee because of his words. A wispy, pleasured sigh escaped her lips as they continued cuddling. "I love you too dad." His heart sang. Gently, he nuzzled her head with his own, losing himself to her with every moment they spent together.
And why did she smell so damn good?
Feeling Apogee pressed against him, inhaling her scent, stroking her fur… perhaps it was just the alcohol working its way through him, but there was something so enchanting about Apogee tonight. Jet was constantly reminded how lucky he was whenever they spent time together. Not only was he the proud father of the most loving, friendly, kind and wonderful pony he knew, but he had the singular honor to be her lover as well as her mentor, protector and provider.
But he hadn't always felt that way.
Back when all this wonderful insanity began, Jet had a lot of misgivings about it. He was scared, anxious, exhilarated… twenty different conflicting emotions all vied for control of him.
And was it so wrong to love his daughter so completely? Not only in mind and spirit, but also in body?
Jet didn't have all the answers.
But looking down at the beautiful, budding mare now nestled against him… he knew all he needed to know. He loved her with all his heart. He'd leave the unanswered moral dilemmas for the philosophers and lawyers.
"So, daddy…"
A swirling hoof tip tracing circles on his now unbuttoned dress shirt (when did that happen?) dragged him out of his thoughts. "Hmm?"
There went her tapping forehooves and folded ears again. She looked so cute when she was shy. "I was thinking maybe we could—and hear me out first! Maybe we could, you know, cheat a little… just for tonight? I figured because-"
"S-Sweetie, c'mon now," he interrupted. "Tomorrow is our special Tuesday. We're not-"
"Wait! I said hear me out, okay?" Jet sighed. He didn't have the heart, or the energy, to interrupt her again. "I just thought because you were so tired from work that..."
And just on time, there was the hoof rubbing his inner thigh. No amount of willpower could stop him from looking down at his daughter's cute hooves. He watched her stroking back and forth from his hocks to just inches short of his sheath. In a surprisingly sultry but shy voice she finished her proposition. "… you could really use a little special attention?"
Gods how good it would feel if she-
Damnit Jet, get ahold of yourself!
"Apogee, we…"
Can't. We can't!
"… Shouldn't."
And in that instant, Jet knew he'd lost.
"Awww, c'mon dad! It's like, what, nine o clock by now? It'll be Tuesday in three hours anyway. What's the big deal about three little hours?"
Now Apogee's head was in his lap and she looked up at him with a sexy, alluring grin. And the hoof… it wouldn't stop stroking. Jet could feel his loins heating up, betraying whatever point he'd hoped to make before he could even make it. "Apogee, I…" His voice caught in his throat.
Apogee's attention became fixed on the thick slab of flesh that made its presence known from between his legs. By inches she got closer to it with her muzzle before stopping to look back up at him. That cheeky grin was back.
"You're saying no, but your body is saying yes!"
And it was. With each second that passed, Jet watched his own erection growing toward its full, immense potential while Apogee's muzzle lingered inches away. Seeing her hopeful eyes looking up at him, her rosy cheeks, her wetted lips, how could he say no? All he had to do was say 'yes'. One little word. One little concession. He knew she'd work tirelessly to make all his stress and anxiety melt away… Was he so wrong for wanting that?
"Please?" Apogee asked. Her sexy pout was unbearable. The tantalizing hoof tip she stroked from the top of his flare to the base of his engorged balls was even moreso. "Please, daddy? I just want you to feel good… Let me help?"
He swallowed hard. His heart was drumming in his chest as it powered the throbbing and complete erection he now had. Every little touch of Apogee's hoof sent shocks through his member which begged for more.
"But," Jet whimpered, "I…"
He watched Apogee bury her face in his groin. The soft fur of her cheek rubbed his balls… and then he felt something wet at the base of his cock–Apogee was flicking her tongue over his burning, needy flesh. She paused her licking only long enough to whimper hotly and say, "Dad, you're so big and hard already! "
He couldn't resist.
"F-Fuck!" Jet exclaimed. Apogee's eyes went wide in delight; she knew she'd won. And just to prove her right, Jet's hips thrusted weakly forward toward his daughter's face. "D-Do it, Apogee!"
Without hesitation, she was sitting upright and nuzzling her soft fur against the underside of his flare. Gasping, Jet watched his daughter shower kisses over his sensitive tip before letting her mouth open wide, threatening to swallow it whole. Streamers of her saliva fell down and slickened his trembling cock for just a moment before she started lowering her head. She never took her eyes—so much like her mother's!—off of him the entire time she closed the distance between them…
Warmth enveloped Jet's very being. Watching his flare disappear into his own daughter's willing mouth as she looked at him longingly was the most beautiful thing he could ever imagine seeing.
"Ah~! Apogee, you don't have to go so fast," he said. Jet rested a hoof on her withers, creating another connection of intimacy between them as he gently pet her. Encouraged her. He wasn't in hurry to finish, but the enthusiastic way she slathered her tongue all over his tip seemed so urgent. Needy. It was a reminder that she was still a young teen, full of hormones. She didn't just want this, she needed it. He couldn't deny her.
"Unless you want to go fast," he added. That earned him a giggle from Apogee, which felt amazing as it vibrated down his shaft. Then she showed him exactly what she wanted by sucking him more fully into her muzzle. Feeling himself slide further into Apogee's tight, hot mouth forced his eyes shut from the pleasure. While lavishing attention on his sensitive flare, she pumped his throbbing, stiff erection from the base of his balls up to her lips.
In the back of his mind he marveled at Apogee's growing skill. The way her head corkscrewed around as her tongue trashed mercilessly… every inch of his swollen member was being enveloped by it, aggressively massaged by it. The powerful strokes of that soft, wet muscle were quickly sending Jet into a near frenzy.
"It… It's too much--!"
Then she was bouncing her head up and down. The tip of his cock was being swallowed into the back of her throat with each eager undulation she made. Overwhelmed with his need for release, Jet started to thrust up into his daughter’s throat. He hadn't intended to do it, but every nerve in his body demanded it. And It was so damn tight! The slick-wet flesh of her throat wrapped around him fully with it's velvety texture.
Then he was lost to his passions. Nothing else in the room seemed real to him anymore. All his senses were focused on the tender stroking of Apogee's hooves and the constricting flesh of her throat. At some point his rear hooves fell off the coffee table and tightened closer toward his body.
But even that wasn't enough, and he needed more; he had to be closer to his lover. His hooves pulled at her, trying to grab ahold of Apogee's yellow fur to bring her nearer. And her eyes, those sweet, loving eyes, never looking away from his own. From her soft moans and flushed cheeks he knew she was enjoying this every bit as much as he was. To have such a doting and wonderful daughter was a fortune, but to have a lover so devoted to his pleasure that she took so much joy in what she was doing was a blessing.
Now he was gasping for air. "Apogee, I'm… I'm gonna--!"
As sound of Apogee's sloppy sucking and the wet squelching of his thrusts filled the condo, he could hear a passionate whimpering. Was it Apogee's moans of pleasure or his own? He didn't know anymore. Soon all he could perceive was the immense pressure that was growing inside him. It started in his balls and pulsed up his shaft. Then it spread to every part of his body.
As the pressure built to the point of explosive release, Jet cried out. He screamed Apogee's name, proclaimed his ending love and begged her not to stop.
Then she stopped.
Jet threw his head back and gasped for air. Apogee released his cock from her prison of unending warmth and pleasure and did the same.
Both father and daughter were panting, filling their burning lungs with life giving oxygen. When some time had passed and Jet's wits returned to him he resumed stroking his daughter's cheek. "Apogee, are you alright? Did I hurt you?"
When Apogee shook her head and returned a smile Jet felt the weight of the world lifted from him. He breathed a sigh of relief. Concerned about how he'd lost control, Jet wondered what sort of madness was gripping him tonight. He couldn't recall a recent time when he'd so thoroughly lost himself to his lust.
"I'm fine daddy! Don't worry," she proclaimed, sounding giddy and exhilarated. Her entire face was flushed red at this point and her wings were flared out at half mast from the excitement. Deep, shuddering breaths filled her lungs and Jet couldn't help wonder at her exhaustion.
"You sure seem to be having fun," he said. A quick swipe of his hoof brushed Apogee's bangs aside and cleared the beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She giggled and tossed her head from side to side, whipping her short, dampened hair through the air. Jet lived to hear her giggles. What was he worried about before? Work? Something about a Jet Engine? No, none of that was important. It was forgotten. Washed away.
Only she mattered now.
"Heck yeah, dad! This is so much fun!" Apogee said. Her composure seemed to be returning. "But you shouldn't tire yourself out so much. Lay back and relax? Let me take care of everything."
He loved her so, so much.
"O-Okay sweetheart," he said breathless.
Then she was pulling on his legs, trying to reposition him. He allowed her to move him into whatever position pleased her. After a little bit of shuffling he was lying lengthwise across the cushions while his upper torso was propped upright against the arm of the couch. Apogee sat between his rear legs and mounted his shaft with her body, pressing his whole cock against her stomach and chest fluff. Subtle shifts of her body grinded him against her downy fur. It wasn't quite enough to get his orgasm building again, but it was keeping him painfully close.
"Comfortable dad?"
"You've made me feel better than I have in months, honey." It was a little cheesy, but that was the kind of sappy stuff that love made you say. Of course, Apogee was all too quick to smile. He adored her ability to do it so quickly and easily.
"I'm so happy I can do that for you dad! See, didn't I tell you how great this would be?"
"You did," Jet conceded. But he was still a little concerned about bending the rules. How long would it be before Apogee begged to start 'Tuesday' at eight o clock? Six? Jet knew where this was headed, and he wasn't sure he liked it.
Yet here he was, letting her do it anyway. He was loving it. Why does this have to be so difficult? he wondered tiredly.
Before Jet could make himself feel any worse, Apogee grabbed his attention (and his cock) with her hooves. She pressed his aching member firmly against her body and started stroking him in long, slow pumps.
What had he been thinking about before that? It didn't matter now. Only the sweet loving of his daughter occupied his mind once again.
"That feels incredible," Jet whispered.
"You like it, dad?"
He softly grunted his approval. "When did you get so good at this?" he asked. It was by far the best blowjob she'd given him yet. Though he realized she'd been getter better each time they had done it. Her enthusiasm to improve was… well… kind of hot. But also sweet.
"Just wait," Apogee said. The sexy grin that followed made his heart start hammering in his chest. "It's gonna get even better!"
How could it get any better than this? Jet didn't have to wait long to see how. The return of Apogee's lips and tongue to his flare brought him back to where they were a minute ago. It took conscious effort not to start bucking his hips greedily into his daughter's mouth.
Okay, calm down Jet… Don't you dare… Let her do it her own way.
Her skilled mouth was more than enough to get his loins burning again. After playing around with his tip with her tongue for a while, he watched Apogee crawl backwards along the couch so she could bring her head down to the base of his dick. While peering around his massive tower of an erection he saw Apogee open her mouth and go for his cum-filled orbs.
He tensed. More than a few times he'd been hurt by an overeager mare. But he reminded himself that it was Apogee who, if anything, would probably be overly cautious.
He was glad to be so wrong.
Apogee practically swallowed them, but there was no pain. All he could feel was the heat… the wetness of her mouth… and her tongue. He couldn't see what Apogee was doing from around his throbbing rod but it was making him go crazy. Her wet, pink muscle felt like it was completely coiled around his entire sack, kneading and massaging the seed-filled organs inside.
A glob of pre-cum, coaxed out by the immense pressure from Apogee's sucking, spurted from the tip of his cock. Soon after, a steady stream of clear fluid began pouring out and drizzling down the length of his shaft. Jet snorted hotly and rolled his eyes back into his head. He felt ready to explode like he hadn't in months.
"Apogee, please!" he whined. A furious blush erupted on his cheeks and spread to his eartips.
He couldn't believe he'd just begged like that! It was very unlike him, but his daughter was being far more dominant than usual. When Apogee released his balls from her mouth, she sprang back up to her original position. Again she pulled him against her fur, eyeing the oozing pre that endlessly flowed from his trembling cock.
Licking her lips hungrily, she met his eyes and giggle playfully. "Wow, I haven't seen you this excited in forever." Her wet nose tenderly booped the head of his dick while her eyes crossed to look down at it.
For a brief moment, Jet felt a hint of guilt that he'd made her wait so long for this. It was no wonder it seemed like 'forever' to her. Her young, teenage hormones were ravaging her body and making her so hungry and desperate for love and sex. Maybe this really was the right thing to do after all? Or maybe his own desperation to cum was clouding his judgement.
Jet didn't have long to think about it before Apogee's tongue returned to his aching flesh. It started about half way down his shaft and worked up to the tip, lapping up all the pre he'd gushed. After she finished vigorously cleaning his pre-stained rod, she gave a brief suck to draw out a little more. Jet drew air through his teeth harshly.
Their eyes met. For just a moment, Jet thought he saw something there. Having his daughter's gorgeous, rose colored eyes staring at him… the way she teased and pleasured him… it was a reminder of 'her': the mare he'd lost.
He shoved the idea from his mind aggressively. He dared not compare the two. That would only lead to sorrow. This wasn't Delta. It was Apogee!
Yet the feeling of familiarity remained.
"Come on daddy, cum for me!" Apogee pleaded.
Jolted from his thoughts, he processed his daughter's question. There was no need to answer her. The desperation in his breathing, the shaking in his body, it all spoke to his need. A need which Apogee was determined to fulfill.
The entirety of his flare, and extra inches to spare, vanished into Apogee's mouth once again. Jet shouted something unintelligible as his brain was set on fire. The fervor that she now sucked him begged belief. Her entire body came crashing down upon him. Her tongue did things he didn't think possible, her throat squeezed around him, her body and hooves enveloped his entire shaft… every part of her was devoted to his orgasm.
And it was quickly approaching.
Jet felt a wave of pressure explode outward from his loins. From his balls—now straining and contracting—out to the tips of his ears and hooves and wings he felt it. A pulsing pleasure that ripped through every aching, tired muscle in his body. He could feel himself trembling as spasms wracked through him… and Apogee never relented. She moaned and whimpered for it, begging with her eyes for him to give her everything he had.
And he didn't keep her waiting long. When he came, Jet let out a silent scream. He fixed his eyes intensely on his daughter, not daring to break contact with her. She swallowed hard, humming with delight in-between faint grunts.
And he still kept cumming.
Finally Apogee had to break her grip on his cock to gasp for air. As soon as she pulled her head back, a thick rope of cum shot accross her face. It was followed by two more: one landed on her folded ear while the other arced up and fell onto her left wing.
The look of raw pleasure on Apogee's face was both erotic and beautiful as she watched the eruption coming out of him. "Buck yes!" she exclaimed. "That's it Jumbo Jet, give me all your fucking cum!" Jet gasped. It took several seconds before he stopped ejaculating,and by the end of it, Apogee's face, jacket, and chest were covered.
But it was her look of complete euphoria that Jet focused on. She was trembling from head to hoof tips, face flushed hot and red. It was almost as though she'd orgasmed along with him. The thought of making his daughter get off just from giving him head was an intoxicating one, but it just seemed… off. But why?
As his orgasm-high abated, it occurred to him the way Apogee called him 'Jumbo Jet' wasn't just strange, it was familiar. The intonations, the cadence in her voice: it was just how Delta used to do it.
How did Apogee even know about it?
Something didn't make sense. As Jet collected himself, he looked intensely at Apogee. She looked even more peaked than he was. All her body language during the blow job started to become more apparent to Jet as he had a moment to actually think. It all seemed so familiar somehow, like he'd experienced something like this before...
Wait! It couldn't be?!
After seeing his look of shock and surprise, Apogee's features sank. "I guess I got too excited," she said. "Try to relax, okay?" The mare scooted backwards, putting some distance between them. Her ears pointed back and her wings ruffled, body language that indicated anxiety. Or fear?
A sudden, overwhelming sense of otherness gripped him. As he looked into his daughter's eyes he got a distinct feeling that it wasn't really her. Like she wasn't actually there; she wasn't real. But that was ridiculous. He could see her right in front of him! Yet it felt true. And there was only one thing he knew of that felt like that…
Jet pushed himself away from the thing in front of him, kicking his rear hooves against the cushions until he was sitting upright, poised to jump off the couch at a moment's notice.
Apogee frowned. "I'm sorry," she said earnestly. "You know how it is when I get too hungry and excited. And that? That was fucking amazing, Jet!" She sighed and reclined leisurely on her forehooves...
And then she changed. A violent flicker of green energy suffused the body of his daughter. The eerie light cast shadows all over the condo which looked like small, dancing demons. Then Jet watched, horrified, as the face of his daughter melted away into the hellish fire. He saw every inch of Apogee disintegrate, replaced piece by piece to give birth to the 'other'.
Fur turned to chitin. Her rosy eyes became green, glowing orbs of fire. Feathery wings transformed into a pair of diaphanous, insectile appendages. The hellish green fire consumed everything (including all his cum–so there was that at least) and left a changeling wearing Apogee's jacket in its wake.
But not just any changeling: this was a female 'ling he knew personally. Very personally. The creature grinned and showed her rows of razor teeth–Jet saw the teeth and recalled how his mouth had been inside that death trap thirty seconds ago. He shuddered.
Then the changeling spoke, her voice low and sultry with a hint of a thrumming chitter underneath. "Sup, sexy? How ya been?"
In a flash, Jet leapt off the couch and paced away from her. His eyes bored into the changeling, meeting her gaze. Her look of genuine concern was disconcerting. How could she play at sympathy seconds after making her deceit known?!
But this was no simple deception. She just impersonated his fucking daughter! And he let her suck his stupid, greedy dick. Karma really hadn't wasted any time in punishing him for his weakness, had it? He knew he shouldn't have bent the rules.
But now it was too late, she knew about them. Yet that was the least of his pain. All the words they'd shared… the feelings and the bonding he thought he'd just experienced with his daughter… none of it was real. It was all a fantasy.
Jet didn't think he'd ever felt a betrayal so deeply wounding in his life.
Thrusting a hoof toward the changeling, Jet gave a name to his betrayer. "Mirage! What's the goddamn meaning of this? What are you doing here!?"
Following Jet's example, she jumped off the couch, but also kept a respectable distance from him. "You never call anymore baby," she said. "I missed ya big boy." She chanced a smile, her lip piercing glinting in the dim light. A savoring lick of her incredibly long tongue trailed over the small lip stud as she looked down at his shriveling erection.
Jet shifted his posture to hide his dick. The size of it made that difficult.
"I don't care how much you or Embers missed my money," Jet snapped. "This is trespassing! Not to mention unlawful forgery of an identity!" Now Jet's body was shaking with adrenaline. His wings were flared out and quivering, his fight or flight response keeping him ready for… something. He wasn't thinking clearly enough to know how to proceed.
Mirage stayed calm, though Jet's accusations had noticeably put her on edge.. "Yeah, that's true. I did those things." She had stones the size of bowling balls. "But hear me out, wouldya?"
"Are you kidding me? No!" A snort of hot anger expelled through Jet's nostrils. He knew he needed to calm down. The situation was complicated and he was flying blind. After several calming breaths, Jet stared at her and tried to pick out the details of their earlier interactions.
She seemed rather confident in the way she'd impersonated Apogee. He could find no flaws in her acting and it was unsurprising: Mirage was an expert. That was her job. She was paid to be whomever the client wanted… and she was good at that. Really good. The fact she'd known Apogee on and off for over ten years probably made the assimilation trivial.
Yet there were things she'd said, implications she made, when they were talking earlier… they were leading questions. Almost all of it. She hadn't been certain, but she knew which questions to ask. But how? Unless...
"Mirage, how did you know?" Jet didn't need to be specific. It was obvious.
"Apogee told me."
"Then you were here earlier, before I came home…"
"Yup."
"But why did Apogee tell you about us?!"
Jet had to steady himself against his anger, rubbing a hooftip into his temple. He couldn't be mad at Apogee. A part of him wanted to be, but he knew she wouldn't tell another pony about them. He was sure of that; he trusted his daughter. But why did she tell Mirage?
And then it dawned on him. "You impersonated me! She thought you were me and then said something to tip you off."
She sighed. "Guilty as charged," she said, shrugging helplessly.
The casual way she admitted her fraud was almost enough to send Jet into a rage. The rubbing at his temple quickened. "But why were you impersonating me, and why were you here in the first place?"
The mask of casual confidence she wore was cracking at the edges as Jet pushed for more answers. "I didn't mean to do it at first," she said. "Honestly, Jet." As she took a step closer toward him, her wings gave an anxious flutter. She looked sad. Downcast. It was hard for Jet to be certain: changeling body language was subtly different than a pony's.
She continued.
"I was desperate. Look, give me a chance to explain myself, alright? It's not as bad as it looks." She put on a hopeful smile that seemed a little too strained.
What could she possibly have to say that would justify her actions? The betrayal of trust, the manipulation, he couldn't see a silver lining no matter how hard he tried. It was unforgivable. Were she anyone else, the police would already be on the way. But, she wasn't just anyone. She was Mirage, and he couldn't simply turn her away..
Jet's groan filled the quiet, evening ambience of the condo. Feeling far more charitable than he thought he should be, he nodded to her. And while he didn't believe she could talk her way out of this, there was a part of him that hoped she could. He hated feeling that way. Being so Indecisive. But as he looked across the room at her, the fire in his gut was quenched.
The relief on her face was clear, though it was gone soon enough. He could almost hear the gears in her head turning as she paced towards the television. Confused, he watched her look at something behind it. Then her horn glowed a soft green and a pack of cigarettes lazily floated out from behind the TV.
The hell?
"Sorry," she said sheepishly as she turned to face him. "I didn't want the smell on me while I was… her." With practiced magical dexterity, she extracted a cigarette from the box and brought it to her lips. Jet preemptively flinched before a violent flash of green fire lit the tip of it. Emerald embers smouldered before turning a more normal orange. After inhaling, bluish smoke snaked from her nostrils and lips, forming wispy tendrils in the air. Her calm had returned.
"I mean can you imagine?" Mirage said. A blast of smoke shot from her nostrils as she snorted with amusement at the idea. "You'd have thought she started smoking. Pretty sure that's a conversation neither of us wanted to have."
The thought of it sent shivers down his spine. He'd always worried that Delta's bad habits might rub off on Apogee one day. He banished the thought away with a quick shake of his head. "Gives me nightmares," he admitted somberly. A sympathetic nod from Mirage said she understood.
After clearing his throat, Jet leveled a stare back at her. "Mirage? The story." More wispy smoke drifted from her nostrils as she sighed.
"Right," she said. A short trot brought her close to him. Before she started speaking, he watched her pull another cigarette from the box and offered it forward with a smile.
"Mirage, you know I don't smoke," Jet said weakly.
"We both know that's bullshit. C'mon babe, you need it," she said, levitating it a little closer.
He hated that she was right. With a sigh, he grabbed the cigarette with his primary feathers and placed it between his lips. Instinctively, he leaned forward toward the changeling. She craned her head so that the tips of their cigarettes met, sharing the flame.
Orange light flared from their union of vice, illuminating the ebony contours of Mirage's face. Jet met her eyes—eyes he'd gazed into many times—and watched the orange fire dancing amidst the soft, iridescent blues contained within them. His heart was racing.
Abruptly pulling away from her, he inhaled through the filter to feed the flame and looked away, unable to meet her intense gaze. The smoke burned in his lungs, making him lightly cough; he hadn't had a cigarette in several months. Every time, he promised it'd be the last. Yet here he was.
And it felt so, so damn good. Why did she have to be right?
"Anyway, I'll level with you Jet," Mirage started. "Part of it was that I'm kinda broke. Tips haven't been good lately, ya know?" Pausing briefly, she took the pack of cigarettes and tucked it under the frilly garter that was secured over her fishnet stockings. Once done, she frowned, adding, "Thanks for that by the way." Jet narrowed his eyes and glared back at her.
The fucking stones on her.
"Mirage, it's not my job to fund your unsustainable, hedonistic lifestyle."
"No, but it sure helped," she returned. Then she bowed her head, unable to look him in the face. "It's not just the money, Jet. You know it's never about the money."
He knew all too well. It was always about the love–or rather, the love energy that changelings thrived on. Like a moth to the flame she went. She'd do just about anything for it. But that didn't excuse her for what she did. Not by a long shot.
"Anyways," Mirage continued, "I was starving, alright? Business hasn't been great lately."
Jet knew where this was going. Using his primaries, he held his cigarette away from him and exhaled a hot waft of smoke. "So, what, this was a freakin' booty call?" It was so pitiful that he felt a degree of sympathy for her. Until he reminded himself that she'd impersonated him and his daughter to get it. "Unacceptable."
She shrank away, taking a quick step back. Her eyes said there was more, but she kept uncharacteristically silent. "So," Jet said, gathering his thoughts. "You were here for a little fling and I wasn't around. Then what? Why did you trick my daughter?"
Still the silence. Jet could already see the shredded and frayed fibers of her filter poking out from behind those sharp fangs. He'd seen her chew them countless times before. A sure sign of her anxiety.
"It was kind of an accident," she said, finally managing to form words. A whirring, chittery noise, like a motor coming to an abrupt and shaky stop, rumbled from the 'lings throat. "I got scared when Apogee just showed up out of nowhere, bouncing around the house in that adorable way she does."
The paternal part of him was worried about how their meeting had gone. Though in truth, his dealings with Embers were a poorly kept secret. The two already knew each other quite well, though he insisted Mirage should never let Apogee know she was a changeling. Disguised as a pony, he'd let the two interact freely. Hell, he'd left Apogee alone with her countless times. He trusted her.
Feeling a need to call that trust into doubt was distressing.
Mirage grabbed his attention when she jerked her head to the side, tossing her punk-styled hair away from her eyes. "I was feeling the hunger, Jet. Sometimes we don't think straight when the hunger is strong… I panicked, okay? I didn't want to scare Apogee so I panicked and changed form."
"Changed into me, you mean."
"Yeah. I didn't even mean to babe, really… It all happened so fast. I used my key and let myself in like usual, then she showed up out of nowhere and I shapeshifted without thinking. Yours was the safest identity I could mimic that wouldn't startle her. It was instinctual."
Jet was dismayed at how much sense that made. Or maybe he just wanted to believe her, no matter how absurd the story.
"From there it just kinda… happened," Mirage added. A chittery sigh reverberated out of the changelings mouth as she hung her head again. Shame? Embarrassment?
"What happened, Mirage? What did you do to her?!" The words came out more accusatory and hostile than Jet intended, but he stood by the question just the same.
Mirage was quick to pick up on his rising anger. "Nothing bad happened! I'd never hurt Apogee," she said adamantly. Two brisk swishes of her stubby, tattered tail showed her indignation at his outburst. Then she softened, asking, "You know that, don't you?"
Jet backed down, giving a placating nod. He could be sure of at least that much. Satisfied, Mirage continued. "When she saw me, as you, she came sprinting over toward me, and…"
She dragged the sentence out, fumbling for words. After a long pull of his cigarette, Jet found the patience to wait.
"… Well, she just started talking about how excited she was about tomorrow."
Jet figured as much. It was unfortunate, but Apogee wasn't to blame.
The story was taking a noticeable toll on Mirage, though. The smoke wafting around her had stilled: she was holding her breath. As silence filled the room again, Jet's lack of satisfaction became apparent on his face. It wasn't enough, and Mirage could no doubt tell he was waiting for more. She scuffed her hoof on the wood panel flooring, her eyes darting around the condo to look at nothing.
Silence.
She exhaled. "There's more."
"I know," Jet said.
Before she continued speaking, Jet watched as she turned and looked behind her toward the kitchen. After shooting him a quick glance, a faint smile formed at the edge of her lips. She waved him toward her with a hoof, then moved into the kitchen. Jet followed after her.
Once inside the kitchen, Mirage approached the alcohol cabinet, and without so much as asking, reached forward to open it. She scanned the interior. Jet's brow raised. Seriously?
"What are you doing?" he asked.
She turned to face him with a shrug. "What? You had two shots earlier." Satisfied with her explanation, she turned back to look through the cabinet, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
Jet rolled his eyes and then stepped next to the changeling. The scent of ash and Apogee filled his nose again. "Mirage," Jet said, trying to grab her attention. "I'm serious, tell me what happened between you and Apogee."
"I will," she said dismissively. She continued staring at the alcohol until her face scrunched up. With a slow shake of her head she looked back at him from the corner of her eye. "Queen's mercy! You still haven't organized your damn alcohol?"
"Nonsense!" Jet huffed. An indignant nicker and ear flick was given. "It is organized!"
Mirage's lips formed a smirk. "Uh-huh. By price or some shit, right?"
"Right!"
"Useless," she insisted. That toothy grin of hers returned. "I keep telling you: frequency of use and categorized by brand. Everypony knows that." Her brash arrogance was unbearable. And, to Jet's eternal frustration, it was also sexy. It was harder to suppress his own smile than he liked.
The chuckle that rumbled out of her showed she was aware of his stifled amusement. She always knew; that was also unbearably annoying. He rolled his eyes and put on his best scowl. It wasn't difficult when he was still feeling so tense about the situation. Jet rubbed the side of his face and took a final drag of his cigarette before he reached to snuff it out with his hooftip.
Mirage saw this and returned to her search with more urgency than before. Glass clattered noisily as she probed around in the cabinet. Jet's impatience grew. "Will you at least tell me where she is?" A firm step forward punctuated the gravity of his question.
"She left," Mirage said. A soft chitter sat in her throat. Exasperation. "Went to hang out with her friend Diz." The rummaging continued as Jet gave a sigh of relief from the news. A throaty grumble caught his attention and he met her glare. "Where's the damn whiskey you opened?"
"Look more to the left," Jet said, and saw she followed his instructions. Clearing his throat loudly, Jet proceeded, "That's a load off my mind. But when's she coming home?" The last thing he wanted was for Apogee to walk in and interrupt them.
"She's having a sleepover," she said. Then her eyes flashed brilliantly and her face lit up. "Gotcha!" A familiar bottle of whiskey was drawn out of the cabinet.
"What?!" Jet stammered. "Apogee's not suppose to have sleepovers on a school day! Why did you tell her she could do that?"
Mirage set the bottle down on the counter and stared back at him. Her brow raised a millimeter. "You let her have weekday sleepovers all the time."
He did. Jet snorted and pinned his ears back. "But she's not suppose to."
"C'mon Jet." Her frayed ears folded down. "Let her have some fun."
"That wasn't your decision to make!"
That one evidently struck a nerve as Mirage bowed her head and nodded. "I know. I also wanted to be sure she wouldn't pop back in while I was still here." Now Jet's ears were burning. Of all the selfish things! Slowly and methodically, he counted to five in his head while waiting for the anger to subside.
Noticing the burning silence, she addressed it, saying, "Besides, we let her have sleepovers all the time when we do our thing." Accent on the 'thing'.
"Not the point," Jet insisted.
A sigh of defeat and a shrug was all Mirage had left to offer on the subject. Rather than dwell on it further, she went to the sink and picked up the shot glass he'd used earlier. While holding it in front of her with magic, he scoffed. "I have a whole shelf full of shot glasses, crystalware, cups and mugs, and you go for the sink?"
Apparently Mirage found this amusing and chuffed. "You really hate your maid, huh?" The shot glass was returned to the sink and she opened the cabinetry to find another. "Still the same mare?"
"Yeah," Jet said, watching as Mirage picked out an identical shot glass and set it next to the whiskey bottle with her magic. "Still comes four days a week." Jet thought he was pretty good about keeping things clean for her. He wasn't a slob… probably. Maybe? He did leave his clothes laying around a lot, though.
"She's pretty cute," Mirage said thoughtfully. Her green magical aura manipulated the bottle of whiskey to pour her a shot. Once the glass was full, she set the whiskey down. As she brought the shot glass to her lips, she glanced back at him and asked casually, "You fucked her yet?"
Un-fucking-believable.
"No. Mirage. We haven't fucked. Our relationship is purely professional… you could learn a thing or two from her." Jet watched as she tossed the golden-brown liquid back and swallowed it quickly. A brief wince, then she licked her lips. After returning her attention to him, she rolled her eyes and shook her head in that 'way' she always did.
"Yeah?" she asked in a snarky voice. "Have you told Embers about all the times we've fucked off the books yet?" Again Jet sneered, but had no reprisal to offer.
The worst part? She was right. Their relationship hadn't always been strictly 'professional'. Or not as professional as Jet knew it should've been. She'd seen him pro bono a lot over the years—and took a little money under the table when she needed the bits—and all he had to do was keep it secret from the agency. Money used to be a big problem. And even after he became more wealthy, it was already a 'thing' by that point.
Jet shrugged helplessly.
Mirage shot back a toothy grin. "Anyway, pretty sure she's into you."
Ignoring her, Jet glared at the empty shot glass floating in the air. Then glared back at her. It was was amazing how distracting she could be. "The story, Mirage. You and Apogee. Explain."
Back to business. She averted her gaze and instead busied herself with pouring another shot. Two for two. Mirage had always liked the match shots with him. Once the second shot was consumed, she set the glass in the sink with the other and walked toward the kitchen table. Pulling a chair out for herself, she took a seat. Her eyes beckoned him to join and he did so, taking a seat next to her.
Jet set his forehooves in front of him on the table, folding one over the other. He waited. Mirage rubbed her hooves together idly and stared past the kitchen island and into the living room.
"Jet," Mirage said, her voice low. Subdued. "I can't explain how wonderful it was. The way she looks at you, the way she feels about you..."
"Well," Jet said, taking a deep, steadying breath. "Try."
After glancing to his left, Jet saw the look of pure concentration on her face. To give linguistic meaning to an experience so emotional and alien was no easy task, but Jet needed to know. He had to give Mirage a chance to explain herself.
In need of chemical support, Mirage withdrew two cigarettes from the pack of cigarettes tucked under her garter. Jet took notice of the second stick. Before he could open his mouth to protest, she sliced through his complaint with a brilliant flash of fire, igniting both cigarette tips at once. One was offered his way and, lacking in the way of willpower tonight, he took it.
Pony and changeling sat quietly for a full minute, filling the kitchen with a blue haze.
Finally, Mirage dispelled the silence. "It was warm, like a hearth in the middle of winter. Pure, clean, brilliant fire. It was sweet, yet bittersweet. It was pleasure. Light. Love." Mirage sighed and shook her head. "Jet, there aren't words that can give justice to what her love for you is like. It's just simply… beautiful." Jet's mouth hung open, but no words came to him. She continued. "It only lasted for a few minutes. She hugged me, whispered in my ear how much she loves you, and… I just... I got lost in it."
Mirage shuddered, then inhaled deeply. Jet was on the ragged edge of his nerves, but still he listened. Watched. The changeling sniffled, looking on the verge of tears. She exhaled slowly, and in an almost inaudible voice, she said, "I couldn't stop."
Jet's lips formed a thin, white line. It took all his effort not to shout. "That love, Mirage... it was meant for me, not you."
"Yes," the changeling admitted somberly.
"And?"
Mirage's lips trembled. "She gave me a kiss." Jet's eyes opened wide and he sucked air through his nostrils. White, blinding fire threatened to fill his vision as he conjured what little reserves of strength he had left. By some miracle he managed to stop himself from strangling Mirage. "... But that's all, Jet. Nothing else happened. She left for Diz's house after that."
A gentle clatter filled the hazy air of the kitchen. It was his hooves, resting on the table, shaking. There was nothing left but the hurt and the rage. The time for patience and understanding was coming to an end, and Jet decided to cut to the chase.
"Why, Mirage!" he demanded. At his wits end, the half-consumed cigarette between his lips was thrown onto the kitchen table. He lifted his hoof up and then crashed it down, smashing the embers to oblivion with a deafening clamour. A few husky, shuddering breaths were needed to give him back his voice. "Why did you impersonate Apogee?!"
Her eyes were fixed on him, not daring to look away. "I had to feel it again." The level tone and blunt, unflappable honesty (if such a thing existed!) spoke volumes about her.
The trembling moved from his hooves to his entire body. Speaking through gritted teeth, he said "Excuse me?"
"I had to feel your love for her." She licked her lips, looking equal parts hungry and melancholy. "The sexual energy between real family, the way that tastes and feels… It's not like pretending to be someone's daughter or son."
A few months ago, Jet might've been appalled that ponies asked her for that kind of fantasy. It was amazing how a little perspective could change you.
"So you got your jollies in the end. Good for you, bitch," Jet spat.
Now Mirage's hooves were shaking, if only slightly. Her lips trembled with a hundred stifled, unspoken words. Then, with a deep drag of her cigarette, she plucked it out and turned it to ash with her magic. After letting the smoke sit in her lungs for a long, calming moment, she exhaled and was ready to speak again. "It's more than that." The expression on her face faltered as she weighed her next words carefully. "I wanted to see you."
With one, final effort, Mirage motioned her hoof across the table toward him.
"I missed you."
The tiny, velvety-textured fuzz of Mirage's hoof brushed gently over the calloused, strong contours of his own. Fresh adrenaline shot through through his already stressed body as mixed signals fired off in his brain. Affection and hate. Sympathy and disgust.
How had he let this mare, this harlot, this deceiver, hold such power over him?
And then she reminded him.
"I don't miss the money, or the sex," she said. "What I missed most…" Her hoof stroked his as she spoke, their eyes locked together, unblinking. In his heart, he already knew the words before she spoke them. "... Is being 'her', Jet."
A tight ball of anguish choked him as tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. He couldn't endure seeing Mirage that way right now, but he knew it was coming. It was in her eyes.
"Mirage, please…"
And then her shape changed. Green fire kissed every inch of her form, replacing her ebony chitin with the unmistakable blue of his long ago beloved. The red eyes, her smile, all of it… It was her.
Delta Vee stared back at him.
Jet buried his face into his free hoof, unable to look at her.
It was a hard time after the break up. Jet was in grief, and became a single parent. He was devastated. Every day was a struggle. He tried to move on, but he couldn't. Every night when he closed his eyes he could see her. Those beautiful, rosy eyes that once looked upon him with love… gone from his life. In his despair, he turned to Embers.
Mirage was one of the best. A nearly peerless talent under the employ of the escort agency. After spending some time getting to know all she could about his ex, she was able to perform a shockingly effective mimicry of Delta. It was never truly 'perfect', of course. No matter how perfect the imitation, he could never fully accept it. She'd inherited all of Delta's looks and personality, down to the finest detail, but she didn't have her soul. Mirage was not Delta Vee.
But, sometimes he could lose himself in the fantasy… surrender to it… embrace it. He could forget the pain and the heartache. To feel her touch. Feel her lips. Her warmth. For one night... he could be with her again.
It became an obsession. He saw her weekly, often multiple times. Then, when the money got tight, they saw each other off the books. At first, she offered a lower rate. Then she did it for free.
It was a dysfunctional time.
But as the years went on, the true constant in his life filled the void left by his ex. Raising Apogee, the bright and cheerful light of his life, gave him meaning. He had no more need of fantasies.
But he still had moments of weakness, even recently. Whenever his longing for Delta overwhelmed him, Mirage would be there. When he simply needed companionship, Mirage would be there. She had always been there.
But Jet kept her at a distance.
Mirage was not Delta Vee.
"Jet?"
The voice of Delta roused him from his turmoil. Hearing that voice speak his name with such softness and affection knocked the breath out of him. He could barely stand to look at her as she continued to speak. "The way you love her… it's unlike any other I've experienced. The taste, the texture… Just like Apogee's love for you, it's truly beautiful."
Jet forced himself to face her; to look upon eyes that loved him no more. His voice barely above a whisper, he said, "You've gone too far."
"I had to," she said weakly. Guilt had all but silenced her, so she expressed her longing with tender strokes over his withers. Jet begged himself not to cry. "I miss this Jet, in a way no pony could ever understand. But we can still be together."
The choice she offered, real Delta or not, gave him pause. Jet would do anything to be with her again. But no matter how much Mirage looked and acted like her, he reminded himself she wasn't. Like a mantra, he repeated it: Mirage isn't Delta Vee.
Yet as he looked into her rose-colored eyes, the temptation was devastating.
Delta drew closer to him, their bodies now separated by a hair's breadth. He felt the heat of her body; an intimate warmth he'd experienced countless times. Memories of the love he'd shared with this creature overwhelmed him, and he wondered: whom had he loved?
As she sat there next to him, staring with those rosy eyes… he didn't know.
But thoughts of his daughter rushed to the forefront of his mind, and all the pain and hurt he'd felt from Mirage's betrayal, still fresh and raw, roused him from his shock. Shuddering, near to sobbing, Jet shoved Mirage's hoof away and bolted up from his chair. Several backward steps were taken until he felt well out of her influence.
"Forget it, Mirage. You aren't her; you'll never be her."
This simple truth brought reality crashing down upon Mirage. She got off her chair and stepped away from the kitchen table. The fire in her eyes churned. A gutteral click from inside her throat indicated her frustration. Her anger. "No, I'm not her," she agreed. The words seemed painful for her to speak.
With a flicker of green fire, Delta Vee disappeared into smoke and ash, leaving only Mirage. Briefly, she looked toward the door in the living room which lead outside to the balcony. Then back to him again. The pain was etched on her face clearly.
"But for a while... I almost believed I could be."
Jet swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. "You lost that privilege when you wore my daughter's face for a mask."
That had done it. The fire in her eyes ignited into an inferno of green and blue.
"I was starving, Jet!" Mirage slammed her hoof against the tile floor. The piercing crack that followed forced Jet's ears to fold back. "You don't understand what that's like for a changeling!"
Punishing his ears further, Jet jammed his hoof against the floor hard enough to send a painful shockwave up his arm. "I don't care!" he shouted. A threatening step was taken toward her, and Mirage took a defensive step toward the living room. "You came into my home, uninvited, and illegally forged two identities."
Adrenaline, his old friend, had returned. Jet was panting and furious. But most of all, hurt. Wounded.
"You lied to me!"
"I was scared!"
"You kissed my fucking daughter!"
"I didn't mean to," Mirage insisted. She whipped her punk mane away from her eyes and set them on Jet, sneering. "It's not like I fucked her." Her eyes narrowed and burned. "Unlike you."
The world became red. Every nerve in his body simmered as his blood boiled. Yet even as he shouted countless obscenities across the room at her, exhausting his vocabulary of demeaning words, the simple truth remained: she was right. He hated how she was right. And he hated himself for the shame he felt.
"Leave!" Jet demanded. Several paces were taken toward her, causing her to leap away from him with a flutter of her wings. She was close to the balcony door. "I want you out, right fucking now! Never show your face to me again!"
Only through sheer willpower did she hold her composure. "J-Jet," she said. Her crumbling mask of confidence shifted between hurt and sadness and anger. "You… you never want to see me again?"
"After what you've done?" Jet asked. "How can I ever trust you again? What you did to me and Apogee..."
Jet summoned all his pain, held it in his throat, and swallowed it down. Stillness took him. His shaking ceased. He stared back at Mirage and shook his head slowly left to right.
"You're no better than a parasite."
And that was the final twist of the knife that that broke her down.
She was shaken to her core. Her wings hung low and her eyes burned with tears that looked like liquid fire in her glowing eyes. Jet felt a fleeting triumph to have shattered the changeling's mask of confidence, but the ache in his heart made it a pyrrhic victory.
"Easy words for someone like you," Mirage said, stifling a sob. "You've never lived on the streets, starving to death." As she continued speaking, her volume increased. "You can't know what's like to have a hunger that no one can help you sate. To have ponies pity you and toss money at your hooves… knowing it won't help make the hunger go away."
He stood resolute, convinced of his moral outrage. Yet as he listened, no words felt powerful enough to silence her.
She continued, her fury quickly being cooled by confidence and surety.
"How could you understand what it's like," she said. "... to sell your body to lonely ponies?" She looked away from him, pained. Insecure. Jet had never seen her this way before. Never this badly. He wished he never had. "Then you're left with nothing. Just the unsatisfying scraps of their love that were never truly meant for you."
That one hit close to home. In spite of his righteous indignation, Jet couldn't face her anymore and looked down at the ground. He didn't know if he could ever forgive Mirage for what she'd done, yet the sense that he'd wronged her gripped his mind and wouldn't let go.
"Money, Jet," she said, her voice back to a normal volume. The mention of money caught Jet's ear and he looked up to meet her gaze. She was a picture of tempestuous calm. "It doesn't fix everything."
Jet stared, unblinking.
It doesn't, he thought. At least, none of the things that ever seem to matter.
Mirage shifted her wings and grabbed ahold of Apogee's school jacket with a hoof, pulling it off of herself in one, swift motion. With a flourish of her magic, she tossed it in front of him with a dull thud.
Walking up next to it, Jet sat down and picked it up. It smelled like Apogee. Her downy fluff, sweat and musk. He affectionately pressed the garment against his chest, cradling it as he looked at Mirage across the room. She walked up to the door which lead outside and opened it.
The cool night air blew in.
She turned and faced him one more time.
"Money can't buy real love."
The bitter sorrow on her face filled him with regret. He raised a hoof toward her, but it was too late.
She was gone.