> Sunset's Submission.
>  by Aprion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: Paid in Full.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1: Paid in full.



It was a nice sunny day in early fall, but for Sunset Shimmer it may as well have been the middle of the frozen winter with the way she felt. She tried to blend into the background as much as humanly possible as she quietly made her way from her locker to her next class.

It had been just under two weeks since the fall formal, and the night she had lost everything. Her status and  power, as well as the respect, and fear, of the other students. Now she was just a pariah; an outcast that nobody wanted around. Sure, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Rainbow Dash tried to include her in their activities and general social circle; like they promised Princess Twilight they would. But they were the only ones. And the time she spent with them was rife with awkward silences, except when she was with Pinkie. That girl never stayed quiet for more than a few seconds.

The rest of the school either shunned her or outright ridiculed her. Wherever she went she was followed by angry glares, looks of mistrust, or open displays of loathing. 

Sunset couldn’t say she didn’t deserve it though. Not after the two and a half years of crap she put them all through, only to top it off by turning them all into mindless zombie slaves. But knowing why didn’t make it hurt any less, nor did it make her feel less alone. 

Truth be told, she’d felt alone ever since she left Equestria. But until now she had been able to bury those feelings beneath her schemes, her anger and her ambitions. Without those she was like an exposed nerve; all raw, vulnerable and sensitive. 

As the final bell of the day rang, she was eager to get out of class and make her way home. Luckily she didn’t have detention today. Aside from having to help rebuild the damage to the school she was to serve detention three times a week for the next two months. Somehow that just seemed insignificant in the greater scope of things.

She quickly went to her locker, grabbed her helmet and all but ran outside to the parking lot. She was in such a rush she didn't pay attention as she rounded the corner of the school, and ran smack dab into someone, sending the both of them sprawling.

“Sorry, sorry.” she mumbled as she scraped herself up off the floor, only to come face to face with Trixie.

“O-oh… hey, Trixie.”

“The heck is your problem, Shimmer?” Trixie all but snarled as she climbed to her feet.

“I’m sorry, it was an accident.”

Trixie scoffed, “Yeah, I’m sure it was. Just get the heck out of Trixie’s way.”

“I said I was sorry.” she said with a scowl.

“Yeah? Well newsflash for you, Sunset. Sorry isn’t good enough.”

“It was just an accident.” She said, her temper starting to rise.

“Sure, just like bullying Fluttershy was an ‘accident’. Or blackmailing students. Or that time you sabotaged my grand performance for the talent week. All just accidents, right? Just piss off, Sunset, nobody wants you here. If you really want to do us all a favor, go away and never return.” She sneered, poking Sunset in the chest before spinning round and marching away.

Sunset stared at Trixie’s back for a moment; the snappy retort she’d wanted to throw at her died in her throat. She feared Trixie was right, nobody wanted her around. Even if Twilight’s friends tried to include her, she secretly suspected they really didn’t want her around either.

With a sigh she put on her helmet, climbed on top of her trusty V Star 250, revved the engine and pulled out onto the road. She hated how the helmet smushed her hair, but she wouldn’t risk her safety by not wearing one over something that trivial. 

Riding always made her feel better. At least it usually did. The rumble of the engine beneath her, the wind in her face; it gave her a rush that let her forget her worries, if only for a moment. She suspected this was how pegasi felt when they zoomed through the air back home. 

Home….

Lately her favorite past time had been less and less effective at clearing her head. But she pushed on. With no real destination in mind, she took a random turn and opened the throttle a little more. Cruising along in the early evening light. It may have been autumn, but the weather was still nice and warm. The last remnants of the summer still lingered, but it wouldn’t last for much longer, she knew. Soon the weather would turn chilly, then really cold. The first leaves were already falling in preparation for winter.

Her route had taken her to the old industrial section of town. Many an abandoned factory or warehouse littered this side of the city. There had been some plans for rezoning, bud budget cuts had put those plans on ice, and the buildings were left to slowly rot and crumble to dust. The bleak and mostly grey surroundings seemed to match her mood perfectly.

Suddenly the engine on her bike began to stutter, and a grinding noise reached her ears. She began to lose speed rapidly.

“No, nononono, fuck!” She groaned as she rolled to a complete stop.

“Come on, don’t do this to me now, not now!” She begged her ride as she tried the starter repeatedly. Try as she might, her bike refused to start again.

“Great! Just fucking great; exactly what I needed today!”

With a yell she tore off her helmet and threw it into the dirt beside the road. So deep was her frustration, she barely heard the rumble of another motorcycle pulling up. 

“Having trouble there, miss?” the rider asked. His voice was guttural and deep, like sandpaper. 

Sunset looked up, and she instantly liked what she saw.

He was tall and well built with thick arms that were left bare by the leather vest he wore, and she liked his deep bronzed tan with a hint of red. He had a little bit of a gut, but she suspected it was more muscle than fat, judging by the rest of him.

He had a chiseled face and rocked an epic white beard that hid most of his jaw and throat, but no mustache. His hair was a spiky mullet of the same color, and she liked how rugged it made him look.

Biting back the angry retort that had been on her lips she let out a sigh instead before answering,  “I dunno what’s wrong. She just.. gave out on me.”

“Mind if I take a look?” the stranger asked.

She shrugged. “Sure, I’m not having much luck.”

As he stepped off his bike, she noticed the logo on the back of his vest. ‘Goats of Tartarus’ it said in bold embroidered letters above the image of a flaming goat’s skull.

“Name’s Tirek by the way.” He said, offering his hand, which she shook.

“Sunset Shimmer.”

Tirek looked the bike over. Trying to start her electrically first. When that produced no results he tried the kick starter. On the fifth try the engine rumbled, wheezed, and then died with a cough.

“Well, Sunset, you have a problem. When’s the last time you serviced this girl?”

“I dunno, It’s been a while. I bought her cheap from some guy, he said he just had her done, so I paid it no mind.”

Tirek reached inside his vest, fished out a cell phone and dialed a number. “Hey, Will, yeah its me. Listen, can you bring the truck to my location….. yeah we got a dead hoss here. Thanks man, we’re just off the overpass behind the old Berry Brewery plant.

“What are you doing?” Sunset asked, mildly perplexed.

“Helping you, what does it look like?” He said, giving her just the barest hint of a smirk.

“I get that, but why?”

He said nothing for a moment, seeming to think it over before turning to her with a grin, “Chalk it up as my good deed for this month.”

Sunset gave a snort of amusement but said nothing more. They waited in companionable silence until a small flatbed truck pulled up about fifteen minutes later.

The guy who jumped out was tall as a tree. He was dressed in deep blue dungarees, almost knee high biker boots, and no shirt. He had a square jaw, thick brows, and had a large septum piercing in the form of a golden ring. His features reminded her of a bull.

“Sunset Shimmer, meet Iron Will. Iron Will, Sunset Shimmer.” Tirek introduced them.

“Just call me Will.” he said as he shook her hand, pumping her arm vigorously.

“Sunset, and that’s one heck of a grip you got there, Will” she replied as she shook her hand once he released it. He had a grip like solid granite.

“That’s because Iron Will is a pro wrestler.” he said whilst striking a pose.

“Really? To be honest, I’ve never heard of you before.”

“Well... that is to say, Iron Will will be a pro wrestler, as soon as Iron Will’s agent gets him an actual match.” He said with a hint of embarrassment. “Now then, where’s the patient?”

“Right here.” Said Tirek, gesturing to Sunset’s bike.

“Lets get her loaded up.” Said Will as he produced some clamping straps and tighteners from the truck.

“Uhm, where exactly are we going?” Sunset asked, starting to question the wisdom of going with two strangers.

“Our garage and clubhouse aren’t far from here. We can take your bike there and hopefully fix her up. If not, you can call someone to pick you up, or a cab if that’s your preference.” Said Tirek. 

“Alright.” Sunset said with only a hint of hesitation.

Between the two of them, Tirek and Iron Will had her bike up and secured on the back of the truck in no time.

“Alright, let's get out of here.” Tirek said as he kicked the starter of his bike. The engine roared to life with a satisfying deep rumble. 

“You can ride in the truck with Will.” He told her.

With a nod, Sunset climbed into the passenger's seat. The ride to the garage took little time. Soon they pulled up to a medium sized, two storey building. The ground floor had two large roll-up garage doors. The building had its own small parking lot, surrounded by a chain-link fence. A trio of motorcycles were currently parked out front.

The building itself had clearly seen better days. The plaster on the outer walls was broken and cracked in places, revealing the brickwork underneath. The interior however, what she could see of it through the open doors, was well cared for. 

“Alright, we’re here.” Said Will.

“Nice.. place.” Sunset replied as she hopped out of the cabin.

“It may look ugly as sin from the outside, but it’s ours.” Said Tirek as he hopped off his bike, “Now let’s get your ride off the truck and see what ails the poor thing.”

"Picking up strays again, Tirek?" Said a voice from behind them as they carefully pulled the bike down off the truck.

Sunset turned to find a tall woman with olive skin leaning against one of the door frames. Her hair was like a mixture between a faux hawk and a pixie cut. She had dyed it a deep rose color with streaks of  magenta. She had a long, thin scar over her right eye that made Sunset wonder how she got it, but she thought better than to ask when the woman stared back with hard, opal colored eyes. There was an intensity there that made her swallow nervously.

“Don’t let Tempest intimidate you, she’s not as mean as she looks.” Said Tirek.

“She your girlfriend?” Sunset asked, to which Tirek let out a barking laugh.

“He’d wish.” Tempest said with a grin, her voice sounding both sultry and dangerous at the same time. 

“Hey, Tempest, is Caramel still around?” Will shouted.

“He left like five minutes ago, said something about a date.” She said as she sauntered past them towards one of the parked motorcycles; A dark purple Honda Shadow Phantom. “You lot stay out of trouble, I’m out of here too.”

As she moved past her, Sunset noticed there was something slightly off about the way Tempest walked, but thought better than to mention it. Instead she turned back around and started pushing her bike into the shop. As she moved her bike through the doors, Tempest pulled out of the lot, and vanished down the road. The rumble of her ride’s engine fading into the distance.

“She seems… nice.” She said neutrally.

“Don’t let that tough exterior fool you. On the inside she’s a very sweet person.” Said Iron Will. “Oh sure she’ll kick your ass at the drop of a hat, but that’s just her way of showing she cares.”

“Is.. that how she ended up with that scar?”

“If you wanna know the scar story, you will have to ask her, it’s not Iron Will’s place to tell.” he replied as they rolled her bike onto a lift table.

The inside of the workshop was moderately clean. There was a distinct smell to the place. An odd mixture of petrol, tire rubber, brake fluid and old oil mixed in with the smells of cleaner, dusty brickwork and a hint of ozone. The back wall was dominated by a large banner displaying the flaming skull logo of the Goats of Tartarus.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Said Tirek as he caught her staring at it. “You’re thinking: Are these guys a biker gang? Are they maybe involved in something shady? Why else would they have a rundown clubhouse in the middle of an abandoned industrial area. Am I close?”

“I wasn’t, really.” Sunset said hurriedly, but Tirek just smiled.

“Relax, I get it, I really do. The scary logo, the intimidating apparel. The place that looks like it will fall apart, and smells half as nice as a dump. But let me be straight with you, just so there's no misconceptions. We are a legitimate motorcycle club, we are not a gang. We have but few rules. We don’t cause trouble unless it comes looking for us. And we don’t involve ourselves in illegal activity. That isn’t to say that everyone here has a spotless past, but that is all it is, the past. In this place, we don’t care who you are or what you did, as long as you’re trying to be better, stick to the rules and don’t get in trouble with the law. All we want is to work on our bikes and ride them, alone or together, and have a good time while doing so.”

“I wasn’t judging.” She replied, but it sounded hollow, even to her.

“Of course you were. But that’s perfectly fine, it’s to be expected since motorcycle clubs get a bad rep in the news, and why I set the record straight. So there will be no misunderstandings down the road.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. Now lets see about fixing your little hoss.” 

They brought out the tools and started taking apart her engine. Sunset knew little about the mechanics of motorcycles, or combustion engines in general. Equestria only had steam engines, and they were used primarily for trains and the largest airships.

“Here, you clean these.” Iron Will said as he handed her a cleaning rag and the spark plugs from her bike.

While she got to work cleaning those, Tirek and Iron Will took care of the rest of her bike. Eventually Iron Will had to excuse himself, he too had a prior engagement that couldn’t wait. So it was left to Tirek to finish the repairs. As he worked on putting the engine back together, Sunset hovered nearby, observing and handing him whatever tools he asked for. 

“Alright, now just pass me that screwdriver, no the Phillips head.” he said, and she passed it on swiftly. “Now you make sure this engine is properly maintained from now on, one faulty bit can cause the whole thing to grind to a halt.”

“Much like my life apparently.” she mumbled.

“What was that now?”

“Nothing, forget I said anything.” She replied as she stared out into the dark with a frown. The sun had just Sunk below the horizon, and what few rays remained were barely enough to outline the buildings outside.

“Hmmm, you're much too pretty to be looking so glum.”

“Is that your professional opinion?” She asked a bit hotly.

“Just saying you should try and smile more, if you keep frowning like that, you’ll ruin your good looks, sweetheart.” he answered casually

“Yeah well, keep that nonsense to yourself. My looks have nothing to do with how I should be allowed to feel. And don’t call me sweetheart.”

“Meow, did I hit a sore spot? No need to get all catty about me calling you sweetheart, miss Shimmer.”

Sunset wanted to be mad for that sexist remark, but she found herself fighting a grin. There was just something about him.

“You realise you’re being a sexist pig right.”

“True, but I know when to knock it off. My momma didn’t raise no fool.”

“Just a pig.” she smirked good naturedly, and they shared a laugh.

“It’s getting a bit late, maybe you should call someone, let them know where you are.” Tirek said.

“I don’t really have anyone to call.”

“What about your folks?”

“They... are overseas, for work.” she lied.

“Okay, so… maybe your boyfriend?”

“I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Really? A nice girl like you?”

“Not that nice.” Sunset mumbled, yet in the silence of the garage he heard her perfectly.

“You seem nice enough.” He said casually.

“You wouldn’t say that if you really knew me. Knew the things I did.” She said, looking away.

He briefly looked up from his work. “Try me.”

She let out a sigh. “Where do I even begin.”

“At the start would be good. Number thirteen wrench please.” He said, holding out his hand.

The start. Where did it all begin? Her descent into darkness. Was it with the mirror? No, it had started before all that, she reflected as she handed him the wrench.

“I guess it all started with my desire for perfection.” she began quietly.

“I was selected to attend the very best school back where I used to live. I pushed myself to be top of my class. I excelled in,” magic, “everything my mentor asked of me. She said I had great potential. She took me under her wing,” literally, “and I reveled in the extra attention. I wanted to prove to her I was her best.”

She sighed.

“I guess that’s when my desire for perfection became a lust for power instead. Being my mentors top pupil had its perks. It opened all kinds of doors for me, and soon I didn’t care anymore who I trampled over to make it to the top.”

“I became conceited and cruel, snapping at my peers as if they were beneath me. I had everything, but always wanted more.” I wanted to become an Alicorn, “My mentor told me I wasn’t ready for more. She wanted me to slow down, to take my time and make some new friends. But I didn’t listen. I threw her advice aside, thinking I knew better. I was enraged that she denied me what I believed was rightfully mine. And when she finally confronted me I spat in her face, uhm, not literally mind you.”

She took a moment to collect her thoughts.

“After our confrontation, she sent me away, ‘for my own good’ she said. I hated her. I hated her so much I ran away from everything I knew. To plot my revenge.”

“Revenge?“ He said with a questioning look.

“I was really spiteful back then. I wanted to hurt her. To prove her wrong, still believing I knew better. I came here to Canterlot City to work out my plans to get back at her. But first I needed to establish a… a powerbase for myself. So I lied, manipulated and blackmailed my way back to the social top. I even stole a priceless object that I believed would be the key to my success, but proved to be my downfall instead.”

“I was all set to put my plans into motion, and then I was confronted by a small group of friends, together with my former mentors new pupil. They showed me the error of my ways. They made me see the darkness... the monster I had become, and then pulled me back into the light. They even went so far as to forgive me without question, and be my friends.”

“So it turned out alright in the end.” He said with a grunt as he tightened the last bolt, then wiped his hands on a piece of cloth.

“But it’s not alright.” she said pulling her arms tighter around herself.

“I can hear people whisper behind my back. ‘There goes that bitch, Sunset.’ They all think I just got away with it, that I haven’t changed at all, and they are just waiting for me to step out of line again to prove them right.”

“And is that what you’re planning?”

“NO! No, I…. I just want to start over with a clean slate.” 

“What’s stopping you from doing just that?” He asked as he put the tools away.

“Because…. my slate isn’t clean.”

“Sounds to me like you’re struggling with guilt.”

“I guess I am.” she said with a shuddering breath. She felt cold, despite the warm evening air. “I don’t even know how to start making amends with everyone. My head is all garbled noise, I can’t think, and I feel... tainted.”

“Maybe it's penance that you seek. It’s clear that you’re really bothered by the situation.” He said as he sat down opposite from her. “Would it be fair to say you feel like you have not been suitably punished for your infractions?”

Sunset stared at the floor, suddenly feeling rather self conscious. “Yes.” she whispered.

“Why?”

‘Why? Whaddya mean why?’ She thought to herself.

“Because I was awful! I’ve done so many things I now deeply regret, and I worry that I’m beyond help. That I’m... beyond forgiveness. Part of me knows that’s not true, but for some reason I just can’t bring myself to accept that.”

“You said they already forgave you, at least some of them. So what’s the problem.”

“That is the problem.” she all but shouted. “Yes they forgave me, but mostly because they were asked to. And that’s what makes it worse! I don’t feel like I deserve it. I haven’t earned it.” she finished with a sigh.

“All my life I had to work hard to get what I wanted. I had to earn everything that I had and have. To simply be handed something, just like that; my mind can't seem to cope with the idea. It makes me feel like… like a fraud.” 

He could see how much this was eating away at her. He rubbed a hand over his face. ’this will either turn out really well, or I’m about to be punched in the face.’ he thought as he sat up straight. He wouldn’t normally do things this way, but something about her made him risk it.

“Sunset,” She looked up at the serious tone of his voice, “Do you want to be punished?”

“I…”

She was silent for the longest time. It was such a simple question, but the ramifications of her answer…

He just sat there, silently, patiently. Waiting for her to speak. She couldn’t look him in the eye. She was so torn on the inside, where the strangest battle took place between her head and her heart. Between cold hard logic, and unreasoning emotion. Finally, her mouth moved.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” he asked, unable to hear her first answer.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. Her breath came out in a shuddering whisper. 

“....No, yes… I don’t know.” she said hesitantly. “I mean.. I don’t exactly want to but…. “ she bit her lip, “I don’t know what to think. When I look at myself, all I feel is self loathing. I never used to feel guilty about what I did before. But ever since the fall formal… all I feel is guilt, like an anvil that’s resting on my chest, like it’s going to crush me at any moment. And maybe….. maybe I deserve to be crushed.”

She swallowed, her mouth feeling dry.

“Maybe I should just let it crush me and get it over with.” Her voice sounded tiny.

Tirek stood.

“Come with me.” he said, then walked out the door in the back.

She followed after a moment's hesitation. Coming to a flight of stairs, they ascended to the first floor. There was a long hallway with several doors, one of which led into a sort of lounge area or breakroom. There were a pair of old leather couches that had seen better days. A small kitchen area with a table and mismatched couple of chairs. A small fridge with a microwave set on top and not much else. The walls were covered in a rough layer of plaster. As sunset followed him in, he closed the door behind her before turning to face her.

“Here’s what’s going to happen.” He said in a calm and authoritative voice, “You, Sunset, are going to stand in that corner over there and think about the things you’ve done wrong. Once I feel like you’ve had enough time to think, you’re going to get a good old fashioned spanking until I’m convinced you’ve learned your lesson. You’re not going to like it, and yes it’s going to hurt quite a bit, but you will be safe. Nothing untoward is going to happen, and believe it or not, but you will feel better afterwards.”

Sunset blanched. She’d done a lot of reading and research during her first few months on earth, and she knew perfectly well what a spanking was, and how it was usually... administered. Her cheeks flushed and she opened her mouth to protest.

“You must be crazy if you think I…”

“Sunset Shimmer!” Tirek cut her off with a growl, “By your own admission you both deserve and desire punishment, correct?”

“Y-yes b-but..”

“But nothing. Tonight I intend to give you what you need, for your own good. And until this is over you will address me as Sir. Do you understand?”

She wanted to protest, but she couldn’t find the willpower. Something in his voice made her weak in the knees, made her want to obey. She swallowed hard. Her insides felt like jello. “Yes.” she finally managed to say.

“Yes what?” 

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good. If you understand, then get your nose in that corner.”

Sunset shuffled over to the corner, feeling like a prisoner about to face execution.

“Nose all the way in the corner and hands behind your back.” he told her sternly, and her body moved to obey as if on autopilot. 

She stared at the plaster covered walls, her nose so close to them it made her go cross-eyed. Her stomach was doing flip flops and her heart felt like it was assaulting her ribs and sternum with a sledgehammer. Perhaps most disturbing of all was the tingling sensation between her legs. Like someone had shoved a handful of electric butterflies into her pants. 

Why was she doing this? Why didn’t she just walk away. Part of her mind was screaming for her to get out, yet something made her stay.

She felt like she was in that corner for hours, but in reality it was only for about fifteen minutes. She nervously shifted from foot to foot, trying to breathe calmly. 

“Are you thinking about what you did wrong, miss Shimmer?”

She almost jumped out of her skin. She had been so lost in thought she’d almost forgotten he was there.

“Y-yes Sir.” She finally managed.

“Come over here.”

She slowly turned around. He was sitting on one of the armless chairs next to the table. He motioned her over to his right side, and she slowly shuffled forward. Her legs refusing to take more than the smallest of steps. She didn’t dare look him in the eye. 

The moment she was close enough, Tirek grabbed her carefully but firmly by the wrist, and guided her across his lap.

“Please, Sir. I’ve never… never...”

“Never been spanked before Miss Shimmer?”

She shook her head. “No, Sir.” Ponies didn’t spank their foals after all. Hooves weren’t made for such activity.

“Then this will be quite the novel experience for you.”

The first smack landing on her jean clad bottom took her completely off guard, making her yelp in surprise rather than pain. It stung and left her cheek feeling tingly, but it wasn’t as bad as she’d feared. But as she soon learned, that was just the beginning.

She couldn’t decide what was more humiliating. Having her bum smacked by him, or her defeat at the fall formal in front of the entire school. At least this time there was nobody around to witness her humiliation. Her stomach lurched at the thought of any of them ever finding out about this, and her face heated up in shame. 

Tirek started off slow. Taking his time between each smack to let the initial pain fade, and the first tingles of heat start to build. By her own admission she had a lot to atone for, so he would take his time and made sure she got exactly what she needed. 

The only sounds in the room for a while were the loud SMACK’s of open palm meeting bouncy bottom, and the sounds of her reaction to each one of those impacts.

Slow and steady they rained down on her posterior. Each one bringing with it a stinging impact, followed by a warmth that was starting to build into small flames. With every smack she sucked in a breath, biting through the pain. She wished he would hurry up and get it over with. But he kept up that agonisingly slow pace. Building the flames into a real fire. And as the heat began to spread further, she started to pant lightly.

She thought it was over when Tirek suddenly stopped and rumbled, “Get up.”

She hurried to comply, but when she tried to step away he stopped her, and instead started unbuttoning her jeans.

“What are you doing?” Sunset asked in surprise. Her voice refusing to go above a whisper.

“Getting you ready for the rest of your punishment.” He grunted as he tugged her jeans down her legs.

‘The rest of my punishment?’ she thought in growing panic as she was pulled back over his legs, ‘how much more is there?’

Her spanking resumed, and without the additional protection of her jeans, she felt each smack that much more clearly. The heat in her bottom soon blazed into a bonfire. Her bottom wasn’t the only thing burning though. Her eyes burned with unshed tears. She was fighting to keep them back, but it was a lost cause. She felt utterly humiliated right now. Lying over his lap with her butt in the air, protected only by the thin fabric of her panties.

“Everything you’ve ever done wrong since you were a little girl, every bad thing, every lie you ever told, no matter how small, you’re paying for tonight.” Tirek said in a calm stern voice.

‘Everything?!’ she thought. Her mind flashed with images. Every time she lost her temper at someone. Every insult she ever threw, all the ponies she’d run roughshod over in her desire to be made an alicorn. When her thoughts turned to her final confrontation with Celestia, and the harsh words they had exchanged, she lost her composure. The regret she felt, the crushing guilt, combined with the stinging, hot pain in her bottom made the first tears fall, and a quiet sob escaped her throat.

’Dammit, don’t cry. I don’t want him to see me cry.’ She angrily thought. 

The spanking resumed, faster than before. And though it felt a lot worse without the jeans, Tirek wasn’t spanking her any harder than he’d done previously. And yet most shockingly, in spite of the pain and humiliation, she felt herself getting wet. It made her feel even more ashamed and confused. This was supposed to be a punishment. How could her body possibly find this sort of treatment arousing?

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt his fingers starting to pull down her panties, her right hand instantly shot back to try and grab them, but Tireks other hand intercepted hers. Pulling her arm into the small of her back.

“Hands off, Miss Shimmer.” He growled. His voice was like a bolt of electricity that shot from her ears down her spine, directly to her crotch.

“Please, Sir.” she begged with a shaky breath, “Don’t take down my panties.”

Sunset wasn’t body shy like most humans. What with her originally being a pony and all, and used to going about in the buff. But something about this situation made the loss of that final layer of flimsy protection embarrassing in the extreme. Worse than if some random pony came up to her and asked her to lift her tail so he could give her a good sniff. The fact that she knew her panties were damp didn’t help the matter either.

Unfortunately for her, Tirek ignored her pleas and her panties joined her jeans somewhere around her ankles, much to her distress. The whine that escaped her throat sounding a lot like a childish ‘Nooo.’

As he slid them down, he noticed they were more than just a little damp, which did not surprise him, and he gave no indication he’d noticed anything out of the ordinary.

 With her bottom now completely unobstructed, he resumed her punishment. The next couple of smacks landing on her bare flesh with a meaty twack that echoed through the room.

‘My but she does have quite the attractive rear. Nice and firm with just the right bit of bounce to it.’ He thought to himself.

Sunset grit her teeth. This was so, SO much worse. Her ass had already been on fire. Now she felt like he was taking a branding iron to her rump. How could his bare hand possibly hurt that much?

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” she whimpered at first, but those whimpers soon turned into full on shouts.

“I-I’m s-sorry, I’m sorry!”

“What are you sorry for, Miss Shimmer?” Tirek asked without letting up. His meaty palm delivering smack after smack to her bouncy bottom, which had really started to gain some color now.

“E-everything,” she sobbed, “I’m OW, sorry for everything.”

“Be specific Miss Shimmer.”

“Owww, yes sir! I’m s-sorry for being, OW, being such a b-bitch, a-and for giving everyone a hard time, OW. Please, please stop.”

“Not until you’re done. What else are you sorry for?” He said as he gave her a particularly hard smack to the sit spots. 

“Aiie, I’m sorry for b-being such a spoiled brat. A-and thinking myself b-better, OUCH, better than everypo..uhm, everyone e-else. OWW!”

“And you’re not going to go back to your old ways, are you?” He said, followed by another hard smack across her cheeks. It wasn’t a question.

“No sir. NO SIR! Please, please stop, please, Sir!”

“Not yet.” he said dispassionately. Much to sunsets dismay.

She yelled, she begged and pleaded, and made every promise she could think of; and still he did not relent. She squirmed and bucked; twisted and turned, all the while kicking her legs. None of it helped. The spanks just kept coming. Finally she had no fight left in her, slumping bonelessly over his lap, sobbing quietly  as he peppered her backside with spank after spank.

That moment when she gave up fighting and accepted that there was no escape, where she completely surrendered herself to the situation, that was what he had been waiting for. He kept going for about a minute more, then with a final slap across the center of her butt, it was over.

Sunset was exhausted. Her throat felt raw from all the screaming she’d done, her eyes stung from all the tears, and her bottom, goddess her bottom felt like it had been dipped in molten steel. Then suddenly she felt his strong arms gently pull her upright, before turning her over to sit in his lap.

Still sobbing like a child, all she could do was cling to him while he held his arms around her and gently rocked her back and forth in his lap. Had she been in her former state of mind she would have balked at being coddled. But right now, all she wanted was for someone to show her some love. To show her they cared.

Tirek gently ran one hand through her hair. “That’s it, just let it all out.”

“I’m sorry.” she hiccuped. Barely able to get the words out.

“Shh, it's okay, you’ve paid your dues. it's over now. You’re a good girl, Sunset. You just made some bad choices and mistakes. But at the heart, where it counts, you’re a good girl.” He rumbled quietly in her ear.

‘You’re a good girl’ hearing those words brought forth a fresh wave of tears. But these were tears of relief. It had been so very long since anyone had called her good; since she had received any kind of praise that didn’t sound like meaningless platitudes. Hearing it out loud was like a salve for her soul. She buried her face into his chest and allowed herself to relax for the first time in what felt like ages.

This whole thing had been very intense for her, and yet she felt liberated. Cleansed. As if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders, even though her buttocks currently felt like she was sitting on a hotplate.

She sat like that for some time, until her sobs started to subside and she felt more in control of herself. Part of her felt embarrassed, wanting to get up to pull up her panties and jeans. But it was overruled by the part of her that enjoyed the feeling of his arm around her. It felt safe and relaxing, as did his fingers combing gently through her hair. Her bottom burned and throbbed, but not as intense as before. And most importantly, she did feel better, just like he said she would. The guilt was still there, but it no longer felt like this unbearable weight that would crush the very life from her. Now… now it felt manageable.

Alas all good things come to an end.

“Ready to get up, Sunset?” Tirek’s asked at long last.

‘No, I wanna stay here forever.’ said her mind, but her mouth responded with a tired, “Yes, Sir.”

Tirek chuckled. “You’re not being punished anymore, Sunset. You can just call me Tirek again.”

She nodded but said nothing, carefully sliding off his lap. Her legs felt slightly unsteady. She quickly turned away from him and reached down to yank her panties back up, hissing as the fabric slid over her bottom. It felt as if they were made of sandpaper instead of cotton.

“If you would like to inspect the damage and freshen up a bit, there’s a bathroom down the hall on the right.”

She hurriedly pulled up her jeans to just below her bottom so she could walk without hobbling, then quickly made her way to the bathroom. She was glad there was nobody else around to see her short walk of shame. Once safely inside the bathroom she quickly locked the door and pulled her panties back down. She gently rubbed her sore cheeks, surprised at the amount of heat radiating from them. She twisted and bend to try and get a good look at her own posterior, but couldn’t quite see. Finally she decided to climb up and stand on the toilet so she could get a look in the small mirror over the sink.

She quietly gasped at the sight of herself. Her cheeks were a hot magenta, with darker splotches bordering on red, but there was no bruising. She couldn't help but feel intrigued at the sight of herself. She gently brushed a hand over her cheeks. It stung but not as fiercely as before. She carefully pushed her fingers into the flesh of her cheeks, dragging them sideways, watching the trail of skin change color before popping back as she released her grip. Part of her thought it looked sorta pretty, even sexy. She blushed and felt her vaginal walls contracting, causing her juices to leak out, and a single droplet trickled down her inner thigh.

The heat from her ass was spreading all through her lower abdomen, culminating in her groin. She anxiously rubbed her legs together, feeling another surge of moisture in her vagina. While she didn’t exactly enjoy the pain of her punishment as it happened, the heat and dull throb she felt in her cheeks right now felt strangely pleasant. And her pussy ached with need.

She briefly wondered if the element of magic had left her brain damaged. What other explanation was there for feeling this way after getting her hide tanned by a stranger.

‘What is wrong with me? How can I be so turned on by this?’

Hesitantly she brought a hand down to her throbbing sex. ‘I shouldn’t do this, not here in this bathroom. But oh sweet Celestia, my pussy is soaked.’ She thought as she ran a finger through her gleaming labia.

Throwing caution to the wind she gave in to her growing desire for release and plunged two fingers into her velvet depths. She barely managed to stifle the moan that tried to claw its way passed her lips, while she sank her fingers deep into her sweltering heat. She was no stranger to masturbation, having thoroughly explored her own body in the first few weeks on earth. Even now she regularly played with herself. A young woman has needs after all.

Her legs wobbled and she clumsily climbed down to sit on the toilet. Hissing through her teeth as her sore cheeks made contact with the cold hard seat. She wasted no time, pumping her fingers in and out of her silken folds while her other hand gently rubbed her aching clit. She bit her tongue, desperately trying to stay quiet. Her heart pounded in her ears as her fingers plundered her depths. Drops of liquid lust quietly splashed into the toilet.

The single greatest advantage of being human in Sunsets opinion, was their superior ability to pleasure themselves. Hooves were fine for many tasks, but masturbation wasn’t one of them. And it was impossible to use magic when a sudden surge of pleasure would make your horn fizzle out.

She sat there for several minutes. Her eyes closed as her fingers tended to her needy sex. Her skin glistened with sweat, she was getting close. She could feel it building in her lower belly. A tiny flame that rapidly built into an inferno. She raked her fingers over her inner walls, trying to find her G-spot. To her dismay, it eluded her, so she redoubled her efforts on her pulsing clit. Rubbing it faster and faster in her desperate need for release. She lost track of everything around her. The entirety of her universe reduced to that sensitive little spot between her legs. So close, so very very close. Just a little… bit ...more.

She could feel her velvety walls contract around her fingers. Her entire abdomen tensed up all at once, and then sweet release.

It was like a bolt of lightning down her spine, making her back arch. Her limbs locking up as wave after wave of orgasmic bliss blasted through her. She covered her mouth with her arm, biting down on her sleeve to keep herself from screaming. All that escaped her throat was an animalistic growl that seemed to end in a distinctly equine nicker. A splash of fluids hit the toilet below her, some of it spilling over the edge. Never before had she cum so hard it actually made her squirt. She sagged down limply as she rode out the aftershocks of her orgasm, her belly lightly spasming with each jolt. Right then she felt the most relaxed she’d ever been. Her head was awash with a haze of bliss that had swept away all her worries and concerns. Even the pain in her bottom had been reduced to little more than a pleasant heat.  

Eventually she came back to her senses as the endorphin high died down. Feeling more than just a little bit embarrassed about what she’d just done. She quickly cleaned herself with some toilet paper. Trying hard not to touch her still sensitive clit. No amount of toilet paper was going to save her panties though. They were just soaked. With a sigh, she pulled them back up. Shivering slightly at the cold wetness. As she carefully slid her jeans over her bottom, she regretted just how tight they really were. She washed her hands and splashed a bit of water onto her face.The cold sting of the water helped her clear the fog from her brain. 

With a deep calming breath she gathered her courage and left the bathroom. 

Though Tirek didn’t say anything, he knew exactly what she had been up to in there. When he took off her panties during her spanking, they were more than a little damp. Frankly they were wet as a dishrag. And he had gotten a full whiff of her excitement while she sat in his lap. She wasn’t the first girl whose body got turned on from being punished, and she wouldn’t be the last.

“You okay now?” he asked as she nervously shuffled back into the room, avoiding his eyes.

Sunset nodded. Her face still slightly flushed. “I… uhm…. Thankyou.” she stammered.

“You’re welcome, Sunset, anytime.”

He could tell she was still rather embarrassed, so he changed the subject.

“Shall we go see if your Bike will start?”

“Yes!” she all but squeaked, “Uhm, I mean... let’s do that.” she nodded.

The two of them descended the stairs and entered the garage once more. After getting her Bike down off the lift they rolled it out into the parking lot to give her a try. Sunset tenderly climbed on, a hiss escaping her lips as her posterior made contact with her saddle. The ride home would prove to be an interesting experience. She took a breath to steady herself, and pressed the ignition. With a rumble the engine sprang back to life.

Sunset smiled as she ran a hand over the gas tank. “Welcome back baby.”

“I’d say that counts as a job well done.” Tirek grinned.

“How much do I owe you?” Sunset asked as she cut the engine.

“No charge, this time.”

“I couldn’t possibly…”

“Don’t you think you’ve done enough paying tonight, Sunset?” he said with a smirk.

Sunset felt her face heat up again at his words. It was mirrored by the heat at the other end of her body.

“W-well then, I… best get home.”

“Don’t be a stranger.” said Tirek.

Sunset nodded before she put her helmet on. With a press of her thumb, the engine roared to life again. She slightly wiggled her butt in the saddle, trying to get at least somewhat comfortable. The ride home was going to be interesting indeed.

With one final wave goodbye, she pulled out into the street, and vanished into the night.
> Chapter 2: I’ll give you what you need.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 2: I’ll give you what you need.





Sunset leaned back in her chair, blissfully chewing on an apple whilst staring out the cafeteria window. The midday sun was bright and so was her mood. Even the constant sneers and jibes of the other students seemed largely insignificant now. They still stung, but without the crushing weight of her own guilt choking the life from her, she was able to take them in stride. It was still there, of course, but it was manageable now. Her improved mood didn’t go unnoticed either. 

“You look positively chipper today, Sunny.” Said an energetic Pinkie Pie as she plopped down next to her at the cafeteria table Sunset had been occupying.

“Uh, thanks?” She replied, her thought bubble well and properly popped by the peppy pink-haired teen.

“I agree darling,” said Rarity, who appeared on her other side, “Your posture has much improved over the last week or two, and you aren't as skittish anymore.”

It was true, she had been acting almost like Fluttershy since the fall formal. Trying to blend in and hide from the world whilst wallowing in her own guilt. But not anymore. Things had improved quite a bit since the night of her penance, as she had come to think of it.

“I guess you’re right.” she said with a soft smile, feeling just the faintest hint of a blush on her cheeks.

“So what brought on this change?” Asked Rarity.

“W-what makes you think anything caused it?” Sunset asked, feeling her face heat up in earnest as her mind immediately flashed back to that evening.

“Please darling, give me some credit. You’ve been mopey and demure for weeks, and then suddenly poof, you came out of your shell. Something good must have happened to bring about such change.”

“It’s nothing, really. Just something someone said.” Sunset said lamely.

“Oh? Someone is it? Anyone we know?” Rarity said with a coo, batting her eyes.

“N-no.” Sunset replied, taken off guard.

“Waaaaait a second…” said Pinkie, “did you make a new friend?”

“No, and I’d appreciate it if we could drop this topic altogether.”

“What are we talking about?” asked Fluttershy as she sat down at the table, swiftly followed by Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

“Sunset’s new friend.” Pinkie blurted enthusiastically.

“What new friend?” Asked AJ.

“He’s not my friend.”

“Oh, he is it?” asked Rarity with an odd glint in her eye. “Is he handsome?”

“Wait, are we talking friend friend, or just regular friend?” said Dash whilst making air quotes.

“It’s nothing like that!” Sunset all but shouted, her face growing hot.

“Is that why you keep spacing out from time to time, and disappearing on us whenever we have a free period?” Asked Pinkie.

“What? N-no, not at all. I just have stuff to catch up on.” Sunset said quickly.

She couldn’t possibly tell them she kept sneaking off to the bathroom to rub one out whenever she could. She had been doing so frequently ever since that night, because her mind kept dragging her thoughts back into the gutter, which led to her soaking her panties. It had gotten to the point where she kept an extra pair of underwear in her backpack at all times because the ones she put on in the morning no longer survived past lunchtime.

She did feel more than a little conflicted, even downright confused about her feelings on the matter. Was it normal for a person to feel horny after getting their ass spanked? She’d gone through heat cycles back in Equestria that left her with less powerful cravings for sex than this experience had.

“Clearly someone is protesting too much.” Said Rarity, shattering her thought bubble.

“Ugh!” Sunset groaned as she face-planted the table in frustration.

“Alright y’all, that's enough, give the girl some space.” Applejack cut in.

“But darling... juicy details.” Rarity complained with a whine, pulling a sad face.

“Y’all just gonna have to get yer gossip somewhere else.” AJ stated, earning her a grateful smile from Sunset.

“Well I think it's nice that you made a new friend, Sunset.” Said Fluttershy.

“And I keep telling you all, it's nothing like that. I had a short conversation with a stranger, and it made me feel better about myself. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“But…” Pinkie started.

“But nothing.” Sunset cut her off, but Pinkie, in typical fashion, ignored her.

“My granny Pie always said ‘A stranger is a friend you just haven’t met yet.’ But now you’ve met them, so they are your friend.”

“I’m pretty sure that ain't exactly how it works.” Dash said offhandedly.

“Why are we still on this topic?” Sunset groaned.

“Pardon us if we seem overly nosey, darling. We’re simply trying to get to know you better.” said Rarity.

“You’ve known me for nearly three years.” 

“That was the old you, dear. We understand now that it was just a facade you put up in order to get your way. But now that you no longer need to hide behind that veneer of nastiness, we’re just trying to get to know you. The real you.”

Sunset’s eyes grew wide. Somehow, Rarity’s words made her chest feel warm. She’d been afraid their interest in her was just lip service to Princess Twilight. But something in Rarity’s voice made her realise they were sincere. What a fool she’d been.

“Sunset? Are you alright?” A soft voice intruded upon her thoughts. She turned to the source, coming face to face with Fluttershy. 

“What?” she asked.

“Are you okay?” The soft spoken girl asked, “You’re crying.”

Sunset touched her face with a hand, feeling a streak of wetness on her cheek.

“I’m okay… these are happy tears.” she managed to say. “To be honest, I’m not even sure what the real me is like. I’m trying my hardest to be better though, because I don’t want to go back to the way things were.”

“And they won’t, because you have us now.” Pinkie said cheerfully. Her exuberance more than strong enough to dispel any lingering traces of gloom.

“Thanks girls.” Sunset said with a smile.

“You’re welcome sugarcube.” Said AJ as she gave her a one armed hug. “Whaddya all say we eat the rest of our lunch outside. It's way too nice out to be spending it cooped up indoors all day.”

“Yeah, that sounds nice.”



…..



Sunset glared at the clock. Only ten more minutes until the end of the school day. Ten minutes, they may as well be ten hours. All she wanted right then was to go home and give her needy sex some attention. Once again she’d been horny all afternoon, her mind kept dragging her thoughts away from her math problems, and right into the gutter; resulting in the current state of her underwear; soaked and stuck to her aching pussy. 

She bit her lip as another minute ticked away on the clock and tried to focus on her work, but all she achieved was grinding her pencil into the paper until the tip snapped. When she was about ready to toss her math book across the classroom, the bell finally rang.

“Oh thank Celestia.” she groaned as she slammed her textbook shut and crammed it into her backpack.

Out of seemingly nowhere, Pinkie Pie appeared behind her. “Hey, Sunny, you wanna come hang out at sugarcube corner with us?”

“Oh, uhhh, as much as I’d love that, I really have to be somewhere. Can I take a raincheck?”

Pinkie’s face fell a little “Aww, are you sure?”

“Positive. But I'll definitely be there next time, okay?”

“Promise?”

“Of course, absolutely. Next time. See you tomorrow.” She assured as she hurried out of the classroom.

The trip home felt like the longest ride in the history of long rides, but Sunset finally made it home. Once she closed the door to her studio apartment she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. It felt good to finally be home.

Wasting no time, she kicked off her boots, tossed her backpack onto the couch and made her way up to her bedroom loft. In record time she stripped down to her underwear and hopped onto her king sized bed. 

She slid off her panties, kicking them to the floor, then rolled onto her side. She brought her right hand back and ran her fingers over her bottom. Her skin felt silky smooth. Nibbling her bottom lip she raised her hand and brought it down hard across her right cheek. The impact sounded insanely loud in the quiet of her apartment. 

The smack left behind a light pink handprint and Sunset felt her pussy contract. She raised her hand again and gave her other cheek a smack. The angle was awkward and she couldn’t quite reach far enough.

“You’ve been a bad girl, Sunset.” she whispered to herself, then felt her face flush in embarrassment. 

‘Celestia, I sound like a right idiot when saying it out loud.’ she thought to herself.

Keeping quiet she continued to smack her own bottom as best she could for several minutes, before her need for release became too great and her hands found their way to her pussy and aching clit. With a needy growl she began to rub her stiff love nub, while her other hand explored her sopping folds. It took several minutes before she managed to reach orgasm, but it wasn't anywhere near as intense as the one she had that night. 

Wanting more, she began again. Slowly rubbing her clit in circular motions. Her free hand smacked her bottom several more times, then she slowly rubbed her cheeks. She let her fingers glide across her skin, up and down. Gently raking across she still tingling hotspots. It was a pleasant sensation.

She slowly let her fingers slide to her crack, and lightly brushed across her sensitive rosebud, sending a shiver of delight through her spine. Ponies weren’t known for indulging in anal sex. Humans on the other hand seemed more than willing to do so. Sunset found the idea intriguing, and deliciously naughty, but she had yet to find the courage to do more than tease herself a little. So she stuck to just rubbing her pucker, slick from the juices that had leaked from her gushing sex and down her crack; whilst simultaneously stimulating her swollen clit. 

It took some time, but finally her second orgasm sent her off on a wave of bliss, a wave that ended all too soon. She moaned in needy frustration. This wouldn’t do at all, she needed more, she realized. What she needed was Tirek’s firm hand giving her backside a proper pummeling.

‘Celestia’s teats, I must be out of my mind.’ she thought with a groan of embarrassment as she hid her face in her hands. Her fingers smelled like her juices.

She looked out the window. The sun was almost completely gone. She’d been masturbating a lot longer than she realized. With a snort of frustration she made a decision. She got up, took a quick shower and slipped on a fresh pair of underwear. She dressed in a pair of loose jeans and threw on her jacket before running down the stairs two or three steps at a time. Sweeping out the main door of the building she threw her helmet on and jumped on her bike.

She rode through the last rays of sunlight as she made her way to the old industrial side of town. The closer she got to her destination, the worse the butterflies in her stomach became. 

‘What are you doing, Sunset? Are you seriously driving to the most rundown part of town, after dark, hoping to find a guy you’ve met once?’ her own mind questioned. ’And once you find him, then what? You’re just gonna walk up and say, “Hey, I’m horny, smack my ass so I can get off.” is that the plan?’ 

Ignoring the mocking tone of her own doubts she drove on. The sun had all but disappeared below the horizon now. Leaving the skies mostly a deep purple with just the barest hints of orange and red. 

Then the building came into view. The lights were still on. Someone was there. She couldn't make up her mind if that was good or bad. She rolled to a stop alongside the parking lot fence, and stared at the building. The butterflies in her stomach were going into a frenzy.

‘What am I doing here, this was a mistake. I shouldn’t be here. I… I should just go home.’

Just as she was about to pull away, one of the garage doors opened, bathing her in fluorescent light.

“I thought I heard an engine rumbling out there, guess I was right.” Said a familiar gravelly voice.

Sunset felt like a deer caught in the headlights. Part of her wanted to speed away, but the rest of her was frozen.

“Well, if it isn’t Miss Shimmer. Something wrong with your bike again?”

“N-no, no she’s been purring like a kitten.”

“Well that’s good.” Tirek said. “Then what brings you here?”

“I..uhm, I was just in the neighborhood.” Sunset lied.

“And you decided to stop on by, guess it’s my lucky night. Well since you’re here, care for something to drink?”

‘Just say no, just say no.’ her mind said, but her mouth said, “Sure.” instead.

‘Traitor.` her mind scowled at her mouth as she parked her bike in the parking lot and took off her helmet, shaking her head to loosen her hair.

Sunset slowly walked into the garage. The familiar banner on the back wall greeted her with its fiery stare. The scents of oil and tire rubber tickled her nostrils. 

“Are you here alone?” She asked as Tirek came over with two cans of pop.

“Yeah, I usually stay late to tinker and lock up. Most of the others leave just before sundown, unless they are working on a project, we have a meeting or host a barbecue or something.”

“You guys do that a lot? Host a barbecue I mean?”

“When the weather is good, sure. Got an old grill in the back. We just roll it out into the lot, pull up some chairs and crates to sit on, and everyone brings something to cook. You should join us next time. We could use more pretty ladies in the group.” he said as he sat on an empty crate, offering her the lone foldable chair in the downstairs shop.

“Maybe I will.” she said as she took a seat and sipped from her soda. “No beer?”

“We don’t drink and drive.” Tirek said seriously. “Besides, aren’t you under age to drink?”

“I wasn’t implying anything.” she hastily answered.

“I know, so tell me... why are you so anxious?”

“I… I don’t know what you mean.”

“Sunset, I’m not an idiot, you’re more nervous than a small nun at a penguin shoot.”

“How could you possibly tell? Also, that’s horrible.” She said with a small chuckle, a smirk tugging at her lips.

“Got you to smile at least. And I can tell because your posture is all stiff and you keep avoiding eye contact. You didn’t have a problem looking me in the eye the last time you were here. And if you hold that pop can any tighter you’re gonna crush it and spill your drink all over yourself.”

She instantly released her death grip on her soda when she realised he was right.

“So what really brought you here, Sunset? Are you in some kind of trouble?”

She didn’t look his way as she twirled a lock of her hair around her finger. “It’s nothing like that. C-can't I just be visiting a friend?”

“True, you could, but you could have done that in the afternoon when it was still sunny out. Or at any time really. Instead, you waited until the last possible moment. Which makes me wonder why.”

That was a lie. He had a very clear idea just exactly why she was there at such a late hour, it was all but written over her face, but he wanted her to say it.

“You were hoping to catch me alone, weren’t you?”

Sunset squirmed in her seat. The butterflies in her stomach felt more like a swarm of killer bees. More than once she opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come out. The silence stretched on as she struggled to find her voice. Tirek decided to push her a little. 

“Well, if you can’t speak up you might as well get out.” He grunted.

“I’m trying damnit!” Sunset snapped as her frustration grew.

That gave him an opening. He carefully leaned forward, looking her in the eyes.

“Mind that tone, Miss Shimmer, or I might have to teach you a lesson.” he rumbled darkly.

Sunset let out a muffled girlish squeal, rubbing her legs together anxiously. She could practically feel her pussy spasming at his threat. Her face felt hot.

“Or is that perhaps why you’re here?”

Sunset screwed her eyes shut. Her face felt like an oven. Her lips moved.

“Im sorry, what did you say?” 

“M-maybe.” she stammered.

“Miss Shimmer… Sunset, look at me.” he said, his voice taking on a more gentle tone.

Ever so slowly she opened her eyes and raised her head to face him. She was trembling all over.

“Do you want another spanking?

Such a simple question. Yet hearing it made her heart skip a beat. She could feel it pounding in her chest, which felt constricted. And she felt hot... so very hot. Sweat was running down her neck and her breath came out in short gasps as she struggled to answer.

“Yes.” she all but whispered, feeling lightheaded.

“Have you been bad?” he asked. 

“N-no, I’ve been good actually.” she managed to say clearly.

“Then why do you want this spanking?”

She couldn’t look at him any longer. Her face felt so hot she was sure it would burst into flames at any second.

“Please, don’t make me say it.” she all but squeaked as she hid her face in her hands. 

Tirek decided to take pity on her, for the moment. Standing up slowly he said, “Come along then.”

Sunset barely managed to stand, let alone follow him. Her legs felt like jello and her heart was competing with her stomach to see who could leap out of her throat first. As they moved up the stairway, she could feel her nerves grow worse, even as her panties were growing more and more moist with every step.

As she stepped inside, the door to the lounge area thumped closed behind her with a sense of finality.

“Alright then, Miss Shimmer, you’ve been here before so you know what to do. Take of your jacket and get in the corner.” Tirek rumbled.

With shaking hands Sunset undid her jacket, leaving it on the couch before she shuffled over to the corner and stuck her nose in it. Tirek took a seat on said couch, watching her closely.

“Hands behind your back.” He said, which she did, albeit slowly.

He sat there silently for a few minutes as he let her steam in the corner with nought but her own thoughts. She was trembling and squirming, fighting to stay still. From the way she shifted her weight from foot to foot he could tell she was trying to rub her thighs together to get at least some stimulation.

‘She must be really steaming.’ he thought with a predatory grin.

Finally after about ten or so minutes he spoke. 

“So then, Miss Shimmer, if this is not about punishment, then there has to be another reason you’re here.” He said, watching her shiver.

He waited for a response, but when none was forthcoming he continued. “If I had to make a guess, I'd say you’re here for pleasure.”

The jolt that went through her, and the way she went rigid afterwards told him all he needed to know.

“Tell me, Miss Shimmer, do you masturbate?”

Another shudder. “Yes.” she said quietly.

“Yes what?” he growled.

“Yes, Sir.” she breathed heavily, all but hopping from foot to foot, rubbing her thighs together faster. His voice was like a bolt of lightning straight to her crotch. Her pussy was aching, screaming with need.

‘Oh Celestia, why am I so turned on right now. I must be out of my mind.’

“When you masturbate, do you think about your last spanking?”

An anxious moan escaped her throat.

“I don’t hear an answer.”

“Please, don’t make me say it.”

“Now, Miss Shimmer.”

‘Curse him.’ “Yes, Sir, all the time.” she ground out, feeling mortified.

“Have you tried spanking yourself?”

She groaned loudly, wishing he would stop with the questions. “Yes, Sir.”

“Was it satisfying?”

She shook her head slowly. “Not really, Sir.”

“Why not?”

“I couldn’t do it right.” she moaned in frustration as she felt her nethers starting to leak, her panties no longer able to contain it all. 

“When was the last time you did so?”

“Please...”

He was suddenly close behind her, his voice breathing almost directly in her ear. She hadn’t even heard him move. “Answer the question, Miss Shimmer.”

Her hands grasped the hem of her shirt as she struggled for breath. “Be.. before I came here.”

‘Really?’ Tirek thought. “My my, you really are a naughty girl aren’t you, Miss Shimmer?”

She closed her eyes, letting her forehead rest against the wall. “Yes.” she whispered, her voice having gone quieter than Fluttershy.

“Forgetful too, you forgot to call me Sir again. I guess I’ll have to be even stricter with your punishment this time.”

Her eyes flew open as his hand grasped her shoulder, marching her out of the corner towards the table.

“Bend over the table Miss Shimmer.”

She went to comply, her hands trembling as she started to lean forward when his voice stopped her.

“You’re forgetting something.”

She looked back confused. “What’s that, Sir?”

He pointed at the waistband of her jeans. “From now on, when you come here for a spanking you will take your pants down before we start.”

She felt her face heat up with renewed embarrassment when his words struck her. ‘He said ‘From now on’ does that mean there will be more times after this?’

Shakily she  pulled off her boots, lowered her jeans then stepped out of them. She folded them up with trembling hands before putting them on one of the vacant chairs, along with her boots. She slowly shuffled back to the table in nothing but her shirt, panties and socks, then leaned forward, draping herself across the wooden surface. The air felt chilly against her exposed, hypersensitive skin.

Tirek stepped closer, running a hand across her pantyclad bottom which sent a shiver down her spine. She was trembling and holding the edge of the table in a death grip.

“Alright there Miss Shimmer?”

“I’m scared.”

“You can leave if you want to, it’s your choice. I won’t hold it against you, but you’ll simply be running away from your own desire.”

She shook her head. “I… I want this, I want to stay.”

“Then take a deep breath. It’s gonna hurt, but you’ll be safe here.”

She took a deep breath in, letting it out in a shudder. It didn’t calm her racing heartbeat at all.

“Are you ready?”

‘No!' said her brain. “Yes, Sir.” replied her mouth.

The first slap on her cheek made her yelp. The second made her squirm. And by the time the third one hit she was already panting. His large meaty palm striking her panty clad bottom stung something fierce. So much worse, or was it better than her own hand. Within minutes her bottom cheeks were turned a solid pink color and the heat was starting to build. Each hearty smack to her ass elicited a soft grunt or squeal from her throat, and as the fire started to build up she began to squirm more and more.

“If you don’t keep still, Miss Shimmer I might just have to use my belt on you.” He growled.

Her eyes shot back to locate the item in question. A thick, almost two inch wide leather belt adorned his midsection. Seeing the fearsome leather instrument made her moan loudly as her steaming nethers twitched involuntarily.

“My, someone seems to like the idea. Very well then, the belt for you it is.”

The sound of him unbuckling his belt made her go rigid. She was trembling like a reed.

“Something wrong, Miss Shimmer?”

“I’m afraid, Sir.” she said in a quiet voice.

“And yet you are also aroused. I can smell you from here.”

Sunset crossed her legs at his words, trying to hide her nethers from him. Not that it did her much good in this position.

“None of that now, Miss Shimmer. Uncross your legs.”

“Please Sir, I’ve never… with a belt.” 

“I know, I’ll go easy on you this time. Ten strokes. I expect you to count them.”

Her stomach was trying to jump out of her throat again. Ten strokes may as well have been a hundred. Still somehow she managed to say, “Yes, Sir.” as she slowly uncrossed her legs.

“Good girl.” he rumbled, and she felt her heart leap at that small bit of praise.

“Before we get started however I want you to take off your panties.”

Her eyes went wide at that. “Please, Sir, not my panties. Let me keep them on.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Miss Shimmer. A proper spanking is delivered on the bare. So take em down.”

She shook her head no. “Please, I can’t.”

“I’m going to count to five, if you don’t have them down by the count of five, I'll do it for you, and you get another five extra licks with the belt. ONE.”

“Sir, please…”

“TWO.”

“But…”

“THREE.”

S-sir…”

“FOUR”

Her hands flew back, and in one swift motion she yanked down her panties, all the way to her knees. Having completed her task she fell back down to the table, panting as if she’d just ran a marathon.

“There, that wasn’t so hard was it?”

“Yes, Sir.” she croaked. Her eyes were stinging with unshed tears of shame. He could no doubt see everything from back there. 

Tirek doubled up his belt, snapping it taut. The sound made her jump. When he touched her now bare backside with the leather she almost jumped out of her skin.

“Relax, Miss Shimmer!” he said firmly, “count each stroke loud and clear, understood?”

“Yes Sir.” she replied. Her pussy was dripping. Her juices were running down her inner thighs in rivulets. 

Swish, Twack! 

The first stroke hit her skin, making her jump forward. The table creaked loudly. She sucked in a breath as a line of fire blossomed across her butt. It stung something fierce, but it wasn’t as monstrous as she had been fearing. She panted loudly as she rested her face against the cold wood of the table.

“Count them, Miss Shimmer.” Said Tirek.

“One, Sir.” she said hastily.

“Good girl. Now don’t forget again or we’ll start over.”

Swish, Twack!

“T-two, Sir.” she hissed between her teeth as the second stroke joined her bottom, just half an inch below the first.

Swish, Twack!

“Ow, three, Sir.”

Swish, Twack!!

“Haa,” she sucked in a breath, “f-f-four, Sir.”

Swish, Tack! The next stroke landed in the crevice where her buttocks met her thighs. Her hands flew back to rub away the burning sting.

“Hands in front, Miss Shimmer.”

“I’m sorry, Sir.” she said quietly as she slowly removed her hands.

“You also forgot to count. Guess we’ll have to start over.”

“No, Sir, please. It was five, Sir”

He gazed at her sternly. “Very well, I’ll let you off the hook, this time. But if you forget again or your hands stray back there, we’ll start over from scratch, and you earn five extra licks.”

Her cheeks clenched at his threat. “I won’t, Sir. I promise.”

“We shall see.”

Swish, Twack!!! The belt landed with a bit of extra force.

“Yipe, s-s-six, Sir.” she squealed, gripping the table until her knuckles turned white.

“Relax your bottom, Miss Shimmer.”

Slowly Sunset unclenched her cheeks, her head was swimming with conflicting feelings. She didn’t exactly like the pain, but the heat afterwards left her feeling warm to her very core. She was scared, and yet she felt excited and oh so very aroused. And his voice, sweet Celestia, his voice was making her nipples and clit hard enough to cleave diamonds.

‘Oh stars, what is wrong with me. How could I possibly enjoy this?’ her lust addled mind pondered, even as her love tunnel burned with need. 

She was so caught up in her own thoughts, the next stroke of the belt caught her completely off guard.

TWACK!

“Aiiee, S-six, I mean seven, SEVEN, Sir.” 

He laid the next two strokes on in quick succession. Each one at an angle so they formed an X across the globes of her ass.

“Ow, eight, Sir. YIPE! Nine, Sir.” she answered quickly. Biting through the pain.

“Just one more Sunset. You’re doing very well.”

He made the last stroke a real zinger. Laying it across the center of her ass. As the leather blazed across her bottom, she screwed her eyes shut and bit her lip. A deep growl escaping her throat.

“Ten, thankyou Sir.” she moaned as her body went limp.

She was gushing now. Her bottom was on fire, yet she felt more aroused than she ever had in her life. Her pussy was like a faucet.

“Well done, Miss Shimmer.” his voice rumbled, and she felt a warmth in her chest at his praise.   

“Please.” she moaned needily. 

“Please what, miss shimmer?”

“Please touch me”

“I don't think that's a good idea.”

“Please, Sir. I need…”

“What do you need, Miss Shimmer?”

“Please…. You know what it is, don't make me say it.”

“But I want to hear you say it.”

She moaned in utter embarrassment. ’You bastard.’ “Please sir, I need to cum. Please.” she groaned, face aflame.

Tirek eyed her glazed honeypot. She was gleaming from her lovely tight snatch to her knees with juices. She was an utter horny mess “I have your permission to touch you?”

“Yes, Sir, please.” she begged hoarsely.

His fingers lightly stroking her outer labia was enough to almost send her over the edge. A loud, lewd squeal of delight escaped her mouth as her pussy quivered. The sensation of someone else’s fingers touching her most intimate of places felt so good.

“You’re leaking quite a bit, Miss Shimmer. You have been for a while now.”

‘Oh celestia, don’t say that.’

“It’s quite the puddle you’re making on my floor. I have half a mind to make you kneel and lick up your mess.”

‘Oh please no, I would die.’ even as she thought that, her inner walls contracted strongly, sending another trickle of juices spilling to the floor.

“Your body seems to like the idea.” He chuckled darkly.

She said nothing, she just hid her face in her hands.  

“Spread your legs more.” he commanded, and her body all but leapt to obey.

“Now come for me pet.” he rumbled in her ear as his fingers found her love buzzer, stroking it firmly while his other hand kept up a barrage of light spanks.

And just like that, she was a goner. As if lightning were coursing through her, she went completely rigid, before her arms and legs started to tremble as a powerful orgasm wracked her body. All her jumbled thoughts were obliterated by a wave of pure white bliss. Her snatch contracted powerfully, completely soaking Tireks hand with her juices.

She bonelessly lay across the table, her legs twitching and spasming as she rode out the aftershocks of her orgasm.
 
However, as the haze of bliss started to clear after several minutes, her fears and doubts came rushing back in. She was overcome by a wave of self loathing and started to shiver as tears leaked from her eyes.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Tirek asked gently, but she turned her face away.

“D-don't, don’t look at me.” she sobbed.

“Sunset?”

“I’m such a freak.” she whimpered as she tried to wrap her arms around herself.

“Sunset…”

“You must think I’m disgusting.”

His arms suddenly wrapped around her, pulling her up off the table and close against his chest.

“Sunset, look at me.” he said quietly but firmly.

Slowly she lifted her eyes. Her cheeks wet with tears.

“You’re not a freak, Sunset. And you’re not disgusting.”

“But I…”

“Shhh, it's alright.”

“How? How is it alright for me to be turned on by being humiliated and… and having my ass beat raw? How is that okay?”

“Sunset, we don’t get to choose what does and doesn’t turn us on. I know this is all very new to you, but trust me when I say you’re not the only one. There are hundreds, heck thousands of girls just like you, who enjoy a nice hard spanking.”

“But, its not normal.” she protested weakly. Her voice barely coherent. 

“And just who decides what is and isn’t normal? If you enjoy it, then that’s all there is to it. It is your body and your choice. As long as it doesn’t harm anyone it’s your business and nobody else’s. You don’t need to feel ashamed because you have these feelings and desires.”

“So… you don’t think I’m disgusting?”

He pulled her closer. “Far from it. In fact I think you’re quite attractive. That fiery hair, and those gorgeous eyes. Whoever lands you as his or her girlfriend will be quite lucky.”

“Even if I like getting my butt whooped?”

“I think that only makes you even better.”

“I just feel so conflicted.” she said miserably, letting her face rest against his chest.

“That’s understandable. You’ve only just taken your first steps on the road to discovering and exploring your fetish. Its normal to feel confused, even scared about it. But you're not the only person who's ever gone through this.”

“I don’t really want to think about it right now.”

“Would you like to cum again instead?”

Her face flushed, but she nodded, already feeling a fresh surge of moisture in her vagina. She let him lead her to the couch. 

“Lie back.” he ordered, and she let herself sink into the cushions.

Slowly he spread her legs, exposing her quivering slit. She hid behind her hands as her face tried to copy the color of her ass. Fiery red. She let out a needy moan as his fingers touched her labia, spreading them slowly. She could feel her juices leaking out, trickling down the crack of her ass.

“Please, don’t stare, it's embarrassing.”

“Which only makes you wetter, doesn’t it.” he chuckled darkly. Eliciting a high pitched moan from her.

“Yes.” she admitted grudgingly. He gave her clit a light flick with his finger.

“Manners, Miss Shimmer.”

“Yes, SIR” she ground out between clenched teeth. Her clit was throbbing.

“Good girl. Now lie still.”

She peeked through her fingers as he kneeled between her legs, slowly leaning forward.

‘Oh stars, he’s gonna… gonna...’

His tongue gave her folds an experimental lick, eliciting a loud moan from her. She could feel him lapping slowly at her outer and inner lips, before probing her entrance.

“Hmmm, tangy, salty yet sweet. You are delicious.” he chuckled darkly.

“Uhnn.. d-dont s-say that. It’s embarrassing.” she gasped between moans, enjoying the sensation of his tongue exploring her love tunnel.

One of his hands grabbed her ass, giving her sore cheek a firm squeeze.

“Ow!”

“Do I need to flip you over for a round two reminder, Miss Shimmer?”

“Uhn.. n-no, Sir. I’m sorry.”

“You had best not forget again, or I might just have to tie you down and whip your pussy to make the lesson really stick.”

A shiver of fear and perverse delight ran through her at his words, making her snatch twitch and spasm.

“Does the idea of being tied up excite you? Or is it the thought of this naughty slit getting whipped ‘till its all sore and swollen? Be honest now.” he asked before sucking on her clit.

“Y-yeeeeess, sirrr.” she wailed in pleasure, her hands gripping the couch cushions in a vice like grip. “A-and its b-both, Sir. Oh stars.” She whimpered, hiding her face behind one arm, the other gripping the couch for dear life.

“Both? You really are a kinky girl at heart, aren’t you?” he grinned in between suckles. Her clit was pulsing with the frantic beat of her heart.

“I… I guess so, Sir.” she moaned, barely coherent.

“You guess so?” he said as he slipped one finger into her sopping folds. She was like a furnace on the inside. She rolled her hips fitfully, trying to draw him in deeper. “Sounds to me like you’re not being honest with yourself, Miss Shimmer.”

Her answer was an incoherent series of moans and gasps as his finger gently raked across her velvety insides, searching her anterior wall for that magic spot just below her bladder. Whether through luck or skill he found it, and the pressure he put on it sent her body into a spiral of mind shattering pleasure.

“P-please, im gonna… im gonna.”

“Yes, be a good girl and come for me Sunset.” he cooed, giving the hood of her clit a gentle nibble with his teeth.

Her reply was swallowed in a scream of ecstasy as she rode her second, mind blowing orgasm of the evening. Her head was filled with white noise. A pleasant buzz that drowned out all her worries and insecurities, even as her pussy bathed Tirek’s face in her juices.

She limply fell to her side, her body trembled as she fought to catch her breath. He watched as her pelvis twitched and the petals of her flower spasmed of their own accord. It was quite the lovely sight.

“Thank you.” she moaned through a haze of lustfull bliss. Her voice little more than a raspy croak.

“My pleasure.” he said as he ran a hand across her reddened rump, tracing the marks left by the belt. 

“Can… can I get a hug?” she asked quietly, eyes brimming with uncertainty.

In response he sat down next to her on the couch, and gently pulled her in close. She leaned her face into his warm chest and closed her eyes. This was nice. When his hand started to gently brush through her hair, she shivered in delight.

He let her catch her breath for a bit, enjoying the sensation of her warm body pressed against his.

“So how much have you masturbated since you were here last?” he asked after several minutes.

She felt her cheeks heat up. Not saying a word.

“Not going to answer?” He said with a glint in his eye.

“Why are we back to this topic again?”

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Sunset.”

“I know… I’m just… not used to talking about such things.”

“Well, no time like the present. So how much?”

She let out a tense moan, “I don’t know.”

“Oh come now, surely you...”

“No, I mean, I lost count.”

A smirk tugged at his lips. “That many huh?”

She nodded, her face nearly as red as her hair.

“I had to change panties more than a few times because they kept getting soaked when I was… daydreaming. You have no idea how hard it’s been to focus on anything the last two weeks.”

“When did you start? I mean besides that time you used the bathroom here.”

She gasped. “You knew?”

“I had a pretty good idea what you were up to in there. You’re not the first girl I’ve spanked who got a little hot under the collar and needed some release afterwards.”

“Oh stars.” she moaned into her hands.

He couldn’t suppress the grin that crawled onto his face. She was just so much fun to tease. “Well?” he asked.

“I.. I masturbated that night, right after I got home.”

“Did it feel good?”

She nodded shyly.

“Any other times?”

“Yes.” she said quietly. “I had trouble focusing. I kept getting distracted and thinking of…” she halted.

“Being spanked?”

She nodded with a little whimper that sounded suspiciously like a little whinny.

“And you said you tried spanking yourself?”

Another nod.

“Did you use any implements?”

She shook her head negative. “No, just my hand.”

“Not quite the same, is it?”

“No, not at all. It just lacks… I don’t know.”

“Spice?” he suggested.

“Something like that.” she agreed with a nod.

They sat in silence for a little while, his hand absently stroking her hair.

“Does it…” she started to ask but stopped.

“Does it what, Sunset?”

“Does it, turn you on? Spanking a girl I mean?” she asked, looking away to hide the heat in her face.

“It does.” he said casually.

“Because you… like hurting them?” she asked uncertainly, not wanting to insult him.

“I don’t enjoy hurting people, Sunset. While there is a certain satisfaction, dare I say thrill to be had in hearing them yelp and moan under the kiss if a whip, it is their submission I enjoy most.”

“I’m sorry, it was a stupid question.”

“Stupid? Nah. A little tactless? Maybe. I don’t suppose your old teacher taught you how to be more tactful.”

“I was never the best student when it came to that particular subject. I've always been kinda brash and brazen.”

“Something we can work on.” he said, giving her bottom a firm pat, causing her to jump and blush a little.

Settling back down, she looked up to him. “So where do we go from here?”

“Well, that depends on you.” he said, “This could be a one time deal, no strings. Or, we could keep going and see where it goes. It’s up to you. I’m not asking to go steady or anything ridiculous like that. Just a simple beneficial arrangement between two friends who happen to enjoy the same things.”

She mulled that over for a bit before asking, “If we continue, will you make me your slave? That's… how this stuff works isn't it?”

“A master and slave relationship is rather... involved. I have no desire to pursue one outside of some bedroom games. Besides, would you want to be my slave? Would you give up all your freedom and independence, obeying me without question night and day and only live for my pleasure?”

Thinking it over, Sunset shook her head. She couldn’t honestly see herself in such a position. She looked at him attentively as he spoke. 

“I didn’t think that was for you. When I look into your eyes I see far too much fire inside you to ever agree to such an arrangement. And I wouldn’t want you to. I have no desire to smother that fire. I would rather temper it. So no, I don't want to make you my slave. I do think you would make a good submissive though.”

His hand reached for her face, cupping her cheek as he looked her in the eye.

“Would you like to be my submissive? My naughty little pet?”

“Would I get lots of spankings?” she asked, a bit of that normal boldness she mentioned coming back, even as she leaned into his touch.

“Among other things,” he grinned, “but yes, lots of them.”

Suddenly feeling cheeky she pushed on and asked, “And will you make me cum like you did tonight?”

“When you’ve been a good girl and earned it.” he said as he took hold of her chin with his thumb and index finger, staring into her eyes. His own were like smoldering embers. There was something almost predatory in them that made her heart race.

Her pussy answered for her. Twitching with desire even as a shiver of delight went down her spine.

“I think… I would like that.” she said bashfully.

“Are you absolutely sure?” he asked.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Even with a head full of teenage hormones and thinking with your clit, you must have noticed that I'm quite a bit older than you.”

“I don’t care. I’ve always liked older… men.” she caught herself, almost having said stallions.

“Most girls would prefer younger men. Plus I’m rather rough around the edges.”

“I’m not most girls.” She smirked. “Plus I think you’re ruggedly handsome.”

“Quite the flatterer too.” he grinned.

“Don’t forget beautiful, smart and dead sexy.” she quipped.

“Modest too.”

She didn’t reply, just smiled innocently. Or tried to anyway, but it came out as a cheeky smirk instead..

“Would you like to freshen up a bit?”

“Actually, if it’s alright, I’d like to stay like this for a bit longer.”

“That’s fine with me, Sunset.” He grumbled in approval.

“I wish I’d brought some fresh underwear though. I do not relish putting mine back on, they are completely soaked through.” 

“You don’t have to worry about that, I’m confiscating this pair anyway.”

“W-what? I can’t go home commando!”

“You sure can. Consider it your first lesson in obedience and humility.” He deadpanned with a smirk.

Sunset let out an embarrassed groan. 'Bastard’.