The Greenhouse

International Estrus Healthcare

Heats & Ruts handled safely and sanely.

The pale blue walls of the building interior matched well with the darker blue carpet, and from where she stood beside her locker in the staff changing room, the grey-furred, white-maned kirin mare could hear the faint chatter of the tour group outside in the waiting area.

The group of six she was going to lead on a tour of the facility had shown up rather abruptly, and one of her co-workers had rushed to her, asking her to handle the situation. Walk-ins weren’t uncommon, and by the time she had made it to the changing rooms to don her dark blue jumpsuit uniform, the group of mares waiting for their tour were still in the middle of filling out the extensive paperwork necessary to continue into the building, their manes still slightly damp from the showers they all had as per regulations.

The kirin herself took her time getting dressed, combed her fluffy mane to be as neat as she could get it, secured her communicator and utility belt, and slipped on the set of shoes by the door on her way out.

The waiting room, as was most of the public areas of the building, were decorated in calming shades of blue, chairs adorned with cream-coloured cushions, and pictures of picturesque landscapes dotted the wall.

And scattered around the room, all in the plain grey jumpsuits they’d been given at reception, were the six mares that were her spontaneous tour group for the afternoon.

It was rather strange to be hosting some of Equestria’s national heroes, but it explained the rush everyone had been in to accommodate them.

Fates help them if the princesses ever showed up, everyone would be about as useful as headless chickens.

She cleared her throat.

“You’re all here for the basic tour?” she asked, and six pairs of eyes were quickly focused on her.

The one in the seat closest to her spoke up, Twilight Sparkle from what she remembered from the news articles from a couple months back. “Oh, um yes! That’s us!” the unicorn was nervous, the pencil held in her magical grip spinning in mid-air in a nervous fidget.

The pink earth pony sitting by the door that led to reception excitedly waved a hoof.

“Hi Floret!”

She was caught off-guard, momentarily forgetting that Pinkie was also among the ragtag group of heroes that defeated Discord, but nodded politely nonetheless. “Pinkie.”

Floret turned her attention back to the group. “My name is Oat Floret, and I will be your tour guide this afternoon.” She eyed the gathering of mares. “Is everyone done with their paperwork?”

“Hey, why do we have to fill out all this stuff anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked as she hovered in the air, tugging at the neck of her jumpsuit, paperwork in a messy pile on her chair. “And what’s with these uniforms?”

Floret blinked at her, the answer rolling off her tongue with practiced ease. The amount of work required to enter the facility often confused most newcomers, and she enjoyed leading them through the reasoning behind how things worked at the facility as much as she did handling these tours.

It was fun, to be the informative one.

“Safety, given the nature of what we do here at The International Estrus Healthcare Facility, everyone that wishes to make use of the services we provide must pass both a reading comprehension test, medical test, and wear our industry standard uniform for the duration of your stay.” She explained.

“Yes well,” Rarity began, and Floret internally sighed. “I would have thought the uniforms would be less…drab.”

Floret snorted. “What, you expecting maid outfits or lace?” Several mares blushed at the suggestion, Pinkie looked unfazed by the choice of working, Rainbow snickered at the idea, and the orange earth pony with a cowpony hat, Applejack, chuckled good-naturedly. Floret smirked. “What you’re wearing is to prevent any unnecessary leakage and to maintain our code of hygiene.”

Now almost everyone was blushing. Floret heard a quiet “Oh my...” from the quietest member of the group.

Pinkie laughed. “Come on girls! You wouldn’t want somepony to slip on anything,” this caused those blushing to become even redder at that mental image. “I mean, why else would they make these with detachable underwear?”

“Pinkie!” Rarity hissed from her seat beside Applejack. “There is no need to be so crass.”

“This isn’t a tea party Rarity,” Pinkie replied and grinned mischievously. “This is a rutting, fuckfest extravaganza!”

Rarity sighed in exasperation.

Floret continued to explain as she motioned for them to head to the double doors that led to the rest of the facility. “The forms are there to make sure we can safely cater to your needs, and to prevent those that are underage from wandering in here accidently. This is an adult-only space.”

The Greenhouse was a series of rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that housed the large Mossbeasts that chose to work there. Several of the windows were covered by metal plating to obscure the surrounding rooms. The air within was crisp as each room resembled a small swath of forest, trees, ferns, and small plants scattered about, with the large, moss-covered creature curled up in the middle of the room.

Floret led the ponies inside and the creature raised their round, bulb-shaped head to watch their guests. Mossbeasts varied in shape, but all had a fine coating of leaves, moss, grass, or other plant matter instead of fur, feathers, or scales, and all were telepathic.

Her tour group milled around the entrance, Twilight watched in fascination, Pinkie’s grin was knowing as she giggled, and Fluttershy was looking about the room in quiet wonder as Rainbow hovered in the air beside her.

Applejack whistled in appreciation. “Got some good-lookin’ plants and healthy soil in here, quite the set-up you’ve got.”

“As nice as this is, why are we here?” Rarity asked as she looked to be eyeing the dirt with disdain.

Floret trotted up the giant being in the centre of the artificial clearing.

“Hey Herbert.” Floret greeted.

“Afternoon.” Herbert rumbled.

There were gasps of wonder from the gathered group of mares. Herbert chuckled and adjusted to lie more comfortably in the loamy soil.

Floret felt the familiar spark of energy, the joy of sharing and teaching as she gestured a hoof at Herbert. “For centuries, Mossbeasts have lived in harmony with various other intelligent races in a symbiotic relationship.” She explained, lips twitching into a smirk. “In return for providing a stable, and safe environment for their eggs to incubate, Mossbeasts provide society with herbs, magical plants, and fruit that are used as medicine all over the world.”

“Medicine?” Twilight asked and Floret was pleased that someone was taking interest.

“Their leaves are used as a painkiller, a substitute for those that have an allergic reaction to penicillin, some of their herbs interact with the brain to level hormones and ease heats or ruts. Others act as contraceptive--”

She was expecting the inevitable interruption. Rainbow was the first to butt in.

“Wait, I thought ponies come here to get rutted, not prevent it?”

“Gosh darnit Dash…” Applejack said and looked over at Floret apologetically before looking up at Rainbow. “Not everypony has an easy time during the season.”

“Yeah, but kind of weird that ponies would go to a place like this for heat suppressants.” Rainbow replied.

Floret looked at Rainbow and kept her voice calm as she explained. “And why wouldn’t someone have the right to take suppressants at a healthcare facility?” she said. “Some, regardless of species, experience heats or ruts with detrimental, and oftentimes painful symptoms. These symptoms are best treated with hormone-based contraceptives, whether or not the individual is sexually active.”

She levelled a flat stare the Pegasus. “But no, heat suppressants mean they are having sex, my mistake…”

It was a bit of a sore spot for her, and unfortunately the topic of contraceptive, suppressants, and hormone treatments in general were a topic many felt strongly on. Usually associating the act of taking such medication with being sexually active, and Floret was so very tired of this opinion.

Fluttershy spoke up, genuine curiosity in her voice. “It sounds like you speak from experience.”

“Been on the pill since my first heat, keeps the headaches manageable.” She explained clinically.

Twilight winced in sympathy. “Magic overflow during heats…yeah, not fun.”

“So that’s why you get extra cranky during your cycle.” Rainbow exclaimed and Twilight shot her a look. “eheh…sorry.”

“Enough about that,” Applejack said, deterring the conversation back on track. “You mentioned incubation for the big fella’s eggs? I’m guessing you mean living incubators?”

“Living?!” Fluttershy squeaked, face as red as a tomato.

Pinkie’s grin got wider.

The reactions were amusing to watch as Twilight looked at Herbert wide-eyed and Rarity spluttered.

“If you’re not comfortable with seeing genitals—and everyone has limits and boundaries with that sort of thing, I can skip the visual aspects of this section of the tour,” she stated.

No one objected.

“Right, Mossbeasts reproduce via self-fertilized eggs. These eggs are implanted into a willing host, which then absorb the host's genetic material, and are fertilized by the mossbeast afterwards.” She remained clinical, curt, but she could see that the cut-and-dry explanation was going over some of their heads. “Herbert…” she deadpanned.

Amusement danced in her mind as her reply and Herbert sat up, underbelly covered in brown, bark-like scales.

And the pulsing, pale green tentacle-like organ that protruded from the swollen sheath between his hind legs. The head of which was shaped like a flower bud. It remained erect as all eyes in the room were drawn to it.

Floret punctuated the silence in the room with a few simple words.

“Tentacle dick,” she said.

She reached out to pat Herbert fondly on the leg. “They vary in size, shape, and technically their dick is an ovipositor. But generally, mares in heat can choose to be incubators for these guys,” she said. “The first round of sex is to get the eggs in you, closer to seed pods than eggs, but anyway, the second round is you know, sperm, or at least their equivalent of it.”

Tailwind was the one in charge of Mossbeast bookings. With the thought in mind, held her comm in her magic and set it to the right channel.

“Got a tour group here in Herbert’s room, any adjacent public sessions I can use for a demonstration?”

“One sec,” The radio crackled slightly, and the sound of rustling paper could be heard. “Got a client with Rex that’s in the middle of her session, have at it.”

“Thanks dude.”

“Enjoy the show.”

With her comm turned off, she clipped it back onto the little holster sewn onto the neck of her uniform and walked over to one of the covered windows. Attached to the metal window frame was a switch.

A flick of the switch sent the metal panel upwards, back into the ceiling. The room on the other side had large rocks scattered about, and what looked to be the opening of a den dug into the earthen floor.

Within the middle of the room was a mare. Her legs spread wide to hold her weight as a wolf-like mossbeast, covered in dense grass instead of fur, loomed over her.

The front half of his body rested on her back, head resting atop hers as his own hind legs dug into the ground for purchase. He was still, unmoving as his vine-like penis moved with a will of its own. It writhed, it thrust into the mare beneath him, in such a way that it was mesmerizing to watch move in and out of the mare’s depths, slick with her arousal.

Floret could appreciate the show, the scene before her, it was arousing, not because of the participants involved, but the act itself held a certain allure. The idea of being in the mare’s place, the sensation of act, was certainly added to the effect of the visual stimulus before her.

A slight warmth that wasn’t there before, an awareness of the beginnings of arousal, and a desire of sorts, mild though it was, that could be explored further, if she wanted.

But that did not distract her from her job, an idea was merely an idea, and her own limit was keeping it as simply just that, an idea.

She turned her gaze over to the other mares to find them watching with tails flagging high and transfixed on the sex happening in the other room.

With the reveal of the deed itself going well, she resumed watching the live performance.

Rainbow groaned in frustration, tugging once more at her jumpsuit. “This thing makes it so hard to enjoy this!”

“You get used to it.” Pinkie replied, eyeing the way Rex moved to adjust himself inside his partner, the mare crying out and almost buckling as the prehensile dick changed pace, moving slower, but evidently deeper with the way she clenched around it.

The base of the tentacle rippled, one final thrust left only a small portion of it outside the mare as it buried itself within her. Several small bulges travelled up through the ovipositor and disappearing into her, each one squeezing its way in as she thrashed her head back, mouth open in ecstasy, and she left a spattering of her own juices on the floor and trailing down Rex’s crotch. Time crawled around them as the eggs made their way into their host, the motion hypnotic as it was erotic.

“How do they all fit?” Twilight asked.

“They start out fairly small,” Floret explained as Rex removed himself from his partner, the pony in question moving on wobbly legs to lie down in a patch of grass, folding her legs under her. “Once they’re fertilized, they’ll grow a bit, and the body pushes them out naturally. After these two are done, she’ll be taken to a room to rest up and lay the eggs in peace.”

Rex was on full display, his member was thicker than Herbert’s, the tip partly open and leaking a golden slimy fluid. As seconds passed, it shifted from almost languid movement, to curving slightly, stiffening and throbbing as the flower-like head twitched and released more of the golden lubricant.

The mare looked behind her to see the change. Her face was flushed red and sweat made her mane stick to her forehead, but she gave Rex a sultry look and raised her tail high.

“Round two everypony.” Applejack drawled.

“Round two is more inline with what you’d expect,” Floret confirmed as Rex padded over and mounted the mare, pushing in slowly. “Here the ovipositor stiffens and swells as a regular penis would, the flexibility for egg implanting no longer needed at this stage.”

He hilted her and began to move, slow, deep thrusts, careful movements, and the mare rolled her body in tandem.

The kirin turned away and waved a hoof to get the attention of the group. “We have more to see.”

“What, we can’t watch the whole thing?” Rainbow practically whined.

“They’ll be at it for about another hour or so,” she replied. “The second phase is more of a slow burn to allow the recipient and the eggs to adjust, and to prevent injury.”

Rarity was fanning herself with a hoof. “A whole hour of that…goodness.”

“You’re free to book a session with any of the Mossbeasts at a later date,” Floret reminded them. “Mossbeasts aren’t the only beings working here.”

The Theatre

View Online

“So, Floret…what would you recommend?” Rarity asked as the tour group made their way into the glass elevator. “As the one who’s obviously seen the most this place has to offer, what would be your top pick for heat treatments? Pinkie’s told us all about those employee discounts.”

Floret just looked at her.

“Aside from contraceptives, of course.” Rarity tacked on.

“Hard to say,” Floret mused as she made sure everyone was in before pressing the polished gold button for their floor. She’d heard her fair share of gossip from the others that worked here, everyone had their favourites, and—

“Floret doesn’t really use the discount for when she’s in heat,” Pinkie replied. “Heck, I’ve only seen her use it at the café.”

Thank you Pinkie, she thought and was grateful for the excuse to not explain herself to the group of curious mares. She could do her job perfectly fine without getting “hooves on” with the services on display as some were want to do.

Some liked it, others didn’t. Doing so wasn’t a requirement of the job or anything.

“Kinda weird since she knows a buncha stuff about sex and stuff.” Pinkie added.

Gee, thanks…

She bit back the sarcastic remark and pushed the familiar, almost weary frustration aside, Pinkie was a friend, a well-meaning one, but that didn’t stop the kirin from feeling irritated by the comment.

It didn’t stop the whispers, the assumptions, the teasing, and questions from those that knew her. Knowing Pinkie didn’t mean any harm by her statement did nothing to stop the sense of alienation beneath her skin.

She smiled, forced by the way Pinkie looked at her confusedly, and replied in a polite tone she often used to get a tour back on track.

“What I know is merely what’s needed for the job, and a fair amount of trivia about attraction.”

Before the conversation could be steered toward her again, the lift shuddered to a stop and dinged. Floret faced the gaggle of ponies with a calm demeanour as the doors opened.

“Welcome, to The Hive.”

The cavern above their heads was so high it stretched into darkness, the place supported by natural pillars of earth that dwarfed even the tallest tower known to ponydom, and crystals the size of houses protruded from the rockface, glowing with ethereal magelight.

Floret heard the soft sound of her group’s hoofsteps upon the dirt as they followed her out of the lift and into the underground. Noises of delight and awe came from the ponies as they took in the sight before them.

While the ceiling loomed above, ahead of them was a town in harmony with nature itself.

Floret led the way down the road and into the main plaza. Bioluminescent flowers of every colour and kind bloomed in every corner of space not taken up by the plaza, roads, or buildings. The surrounding grass was equally thick and vibrant, and the buildings themselves were made of hollow trees, their branches adorned with jewels attached to thick rope.

The sight and sounds of lush wilderness surrounded the enchanting, idyllic sector of the facility.

“It’s like stepping into a foalstale!” Rarity said. “It’s hard to believe that this place is a part of heat management.”

The round plaza they stood in was surrounded by tree-buildings. Places of work with large signs both hung from branches and on signboards on ground level by the door. Some had the name of their store or service in red, others in green.

At the end of the opposite road leading out from the plaza, a giant willow tree stood at the end of the path, draping leaves parted invitingly like an open curtain.

“Where is everypony?” Twilight asked, trotting over to Floret as they all milled about, looking at whatever storefront caught their eye.

Floret made sure to speak loud enough so everyone could hear her. “This is the public quarter of The Lovebug Hive. Here, you will find mostly businesses, eateries, and entertainment venues that are open to the clients and staffed by members of the hive,” she explained. “Red signs indicate services to aid and manage heats or ruts, green signs are our designated Calm Zones where those who are overwhelmed, or seeking tame activities to pass the time, can spend their cycle pursuing other interests if carnal activities aren’t what they’re after.”

“Hey! Here’s where I work!” Pinkie exclaimed and all Floret could do was blink as Pinkie all but dragged the others over to Café Heartstopper over on the right side of the plaza.

Floret didn’t bother thinking about how the mare had grabbed five other ponies in varying distances away from her so quickly and depositing them right in front of one of the café’s window displays.

The café had an obvious theme, from cookies shaped like rabbits and eggs, to baked treats garnished with edible flowers. Birds and bees made of fondant decorated cupcakes and pastries, and other baked treats shared this theming in some way.

From what could be seen of the store’s interior, the dark wooden furniture contrasted the natural lighter tones of the tree the building was made from, paintings hung from walls, glass display counters were by the counter, and a glass-doored fridge could be glimpse in one corner, offering a variety of bright and colourful drinks.

The sign above the front door read Café Heartstopper: Peace with Sweets! In an eye-catching shade of green, with emeralds in the shape of leaves on either side.

“Everything looks so adorable!” Fluttershy cooed.

“I know right?!” Pinkie excitedly replied. “Floret makes the cutest little bunny cookies!”

“Oh!” Fluttershy turned to face the kirin in question. “You made those?”

Floret, more used, and suited, to keeping a tour on track, replied awkwardly. “I help out in the morning with baking…”

“You should see the ones she makes for Red Light Restaurant,” Pinkie suggested. “Cookies of rabbits fucking sell like hotcakes.”

“Well, if they taste as good as they look, then what the critters are doing don’t matter much.” Applejack said.

Floret cleared her throat. “While I do make some pretty neat cookies, I’d like everyone to focus your attention on the theatre down the road.”

She really needed to keep things moving if she was to have time left of her afternoon to finish what she’d been doing before a frazzled receptionist had begged her to handle things.

Floret directed them to the willow. “You are more than welcome to browse the other stores in the future, standard business hours apply unless stated at the establishment itself.”

“For now,” she explained as she guided them to the theatre entrance, large black doors to cater to a variety of races awaited them. “You will get to see a glimpse of one of the more ambitious services we offer—”

She paused, lips quirking up as she opened the doors with her magic and led them inside.

The lobby of the theatre was as grand as it was spacious. Sleek black chairs, cushions, and much larger seats were pushed up against the right wall. Posters advertising the various plays and performances were dotted around the lobby, some in stands, and others framed on the wall.

The posters themselves were an eclectic mix of genres. While several featured the leading roles in tastefully censored compromising positions and outfits ranging from sexy to outright bedroom wear (and Floret would never understand why hooved races found socks, of all things, to be sexy), many were the typical, attention-grabbing posters of popular plays found across the world.

A noise of surprise made her turn around to see that her tour group had noticed the ticket booth on the left of the entrance.

“Ah… What is that?” Rarity asked.

Floret held up a hoof just as Pinkie was about to speak. Her friend smiled sheepishly and remained quiet as Floret got everyone’s attention with a wave of her hoof.

“This is Mimi, a Changeling,” She explained primly. “The Lovebug Hive is comprised of changelings that resemble deer, as opposed to those that live near Equestria that bear a closer resemblance to ponies.”

Mimi’s white carapace gleamed in the booth lighting, the deer-shaped being had segmented, insectoid legs, dragonfly wings, and a set of antennae that matched the pale pink of her eyes.

Floret smiled as she caught Mimi and Pinkie waving to each other, the changeling picking up Pinkie’s clear excitement.

“Changelings are a species of Mimic that eat emotional energy from other lifeforms by turning into something that would prompt the right emotional response,” she continued and faced the group once more. “Here at The Hive, Lovebug ‘lings cater to the needs of others to feed on lust and sexual pleasure.”

Floret gave everyone a moment to process and to gauge their reactions. She was pleased to note that Twilight looked to be as fascinated with changelings as she was with the mossbeasts, and Fluttershy looked to be intrigued, if a bit nervous. Rarity’s snout was crinkled as she tried, and failed, to hide her repulsion, and Rainbow was looking at Mimi like she was trying to a puzzle.

“Begging your pardon,” Applejack spoke up. “But eating emotions? That doesn’t hurt anypony right?”

Pinkie was quick to reassure her. “Nope, so long as it’s consensual! And non-con is a huge no-no here…” Pinkie placed a hoof on her chin. “I think it’s against the terms of service.”

“And illegal as fuck...” Floret snorted, and Applejack hummed in agreement.

“Darn straight, it’s nice to see everything taken so seriously here,” the farmmare commented. “Heard a few tales from family about pushy folks-- stallions and mares, and it’s comforting to know this place is as good as what Pinkie was sayin’ about it.”

“See, I told you you’d like it here!” Pinkie said and bounced over to wrap a foreleg around Applejack’s shoulders. “There’s something for everypony.”

Rainbow fidgeted in her jumpsuit once more. “…For you guys maybe, I don’t get it,” she motioned a hoof at the place. “Why go to all this trouble, who even finds changelings hot anyway? They look like they came from the moon or something.”

“I’m really sorry about her.” Applejack said immediately.

Floret noticed Fluttershy was shrinking in on herself and trying to hide behind her mane.

“I suppose attractiveness is subjective…” Rarity mused. “But perhaps a bit too exotic for my taste.”

“Sorry about her too.”

Rarity huffed. “There is no pleasing you, is there Applejack?”

“Aw come on Dashie!” Pinkie said, extracting herself from Applejack to bound up to the rainbow-maned pegasus and smiled mischievously. “You’re just too vanilla.”

Rainbow puffed her chest out, eyeing Pinkie as Applejack sighed and muttered “gosh darnit…”

“And so what if I’m vanilla?” Rainbow retorted hotly. “What do you even need all this stuff for? Just fucking find a guy, raise your tail, and let him pound you for a few minutes.”

“A few minutes?”

“Yeah, I'm a busy mare.”

“Uh girls?” Twilight interjected and trotted closer to them.

Floret watched as things began to break down even further despite Twilight’s attempts to calm everyone down. Fluttershy was watching the group with a sad, yet disappointed expression on her face as she shied away from the conflict.

She exhaled sharply, irritation building like a persistent itch. This needed to be resolved now before things got more heated.

Floret sucked in a breath.

“Hey!” she barked, the harshness of her tone and the volume of her voice harkening back to her roots.

The bickering ponies all stopped, wide-eyed, to stare at her in instinctual shock.

“Everyone has different things they enjoy or prefer when it comes to sexual activity,” Floret said and stared them down. “What a person does or does not do to scratch that particular itch is of no one’s concern unless they are putting themselves, or someone else in danger.”

“Shall we keep moving?” Floret suggested sweetly, Rainbow and Pinkie looking abashedly at the floor. Floret resumed her guidance once it was clear that the group had been sufficiently quelled. “Now then, here at the Gracegrown Theatre, plays and shows range from the tame to the sexiest, titillating sexual displays one will ever see.”

“Simply purchase a ticket for your desired show at the booth—green for non-explicit, red for something steamy, and enjoy the show.”

She trotted through the lobby, down the hall, and past a few members of staff, more deer-like changelings, dressed in maid and butler attire. She continued, checking the signs above each door until she found the one she was after.

The Huntress and The Omen. Floret pushed away the disappointment that her own ticket for the day’s show would be rendered useless, but this portion of the tour did allow for her clients to see whatever was on stage as an example of what was available.

Floret mused that she could maybe take the time to inform, and apologize to, Chitin for having to leave in such a hurry, he was more than likely just as annoyed as her about all of this.

And upon opening the door, she was met with… herself.

A kirin with the same thick, plush grey fur, the same white lion’s mane and matching fur on the end of her long tail. Though unlike her, this mirror image of herself was without a uniform, the black scales on her back as visible as the ones that ran down the bridge of her muzzle and around the base of her horn.

A horn of off-white bone, gnarled, twisted with prongs, and had the appearance of a tree branch. A sign of her heritage as a kirin not of the jungles found in the Peaks of Peril, but of the cold, wild forest of Pine Needle Barrens.

This copycat’s purple eyes were decidedly unimpressed as she gazed at Floret and the gathering of mares behind her.

“There are two of you now?” Applejack asked.

It was her double that replied, stern expression sliding over to Applejack as she addressed her. “Since my friend is in the midst of giving you all a tour, I thought it best to demonstrate the shapeshifting capabilities of my kind.”

The amount of purpose, the weight within her doppelganger’s voice just sounded wrong coming from a copy of herself. She never saw herself as particularly self-assured or ambitious. But the other her held her head high and spoke with a measured tone.

“My people can take on the form of any living creature, any object, with such skill that none may know the difference,” she said. “Any fantasy you may have, any desire you wish to fulfil during the throes of the breeding season, so long as it does not break the terms of the contract you signed to gain entry into this place…You may seek out on of many talented changelings to assist you.”

“And just who are you then?” Applejack asked curiously. “Beggin’ your pardon, but you sorta seem like the sort that’s not a regular employee here.”

And here the disguised changeling smirked. In a flash of golden flames, the transformation was reverted, and a majestic insectoid stag took shape before them.

White chitin like the rest of his people, segmented legs ending in golden, cloven hooves that matched the colour of his eyes. A pair of long, dragonfly-like wings rested flat on his back, and instead of antenna, a proud pair of silver antlers reached skyward from the top of his head.

His own lion tail swished behind him as he respectfully dipped his head to those present.

She took note of the way he had changed his true form to be slightly less insectoid, his legs did not end in the clawed feet she was used to seeing, nor were covered in the soft fuzz seen on some species of arachnids.

As usual, he had moulded himself in such a way to better fit the sensibilities of his guests.

“I am Lord Chitin,” he said, his voice carrying a gravelly tone to it. “Lord and leader of this hive.”

He stepped aside to allow them entry to the room before them. “Please, see for yourselves the talent on display.”

The wave of warm air hit her upon entry, invitingly heavy with the scent of musk and arousal, though Floret herself smelt none of it. To her, it was just a warm room.

The ponies however, stood in the doorway, glassy eyed for a brief moment as the haze of sex hit them full force. They entered with flushed faces.

“Woah.” Rainbow said at the sight before them as the others tried to focus and clear their heads.

Through the dim lighting, staff could be seen attending to those seated in the audience, spacious gaps between chairs with some clustered in groups near the back where the tour group currently stood.

The outlines of diamond dogs, griffins, ponies, and dragons on the smaller side, could be seen in the low light, watching the play on stage with rapt attention. And each audience member had a changeling by their side, or between their legs.

From where she stood, Floret could see one maid lying at the feet of a diamond dog, head nestled into his crotch with the canine keeping one massive paw on the back of her head as he watched the show.

In another seat, a griffin hen had her talons clamped firmly over her beak, her eyes glued to the stage as a changeling dove into her folds enthusiastically. The griffin twitching and jerking her hips every now and again.

“Go on, take a seat. We can stay until the end of the act.” Floret nudged them and the six mares stumbled their way to a set of seats to the right. Floret took her own seat in a few rows behind them, a two-seater, and Chitin gracefully slid into the seat next to her.

“Are you sure this is wise?” he asked her quietly.

“You and I both know our plans were shot the moment I got dragged into this mess,” she replied. “Can’t I watch this for a bit, this is my favourite part.”

“You have seen this six times already.” He noted.

“Yeah, and?”

Upon the stage, the interior of a modest wooden hut could be seen, lit by the gentle glow of a crackling fireplace, red curtains drawn shut over the window above the large, yet simple bed.

Coiled on the floor, just small enough to fit in the cramped space, was a black dragon. His wings misshapen masses of flesh and feathers, the multiple horns jutting from his forehead twisted and chipped. His lithe form radiated power despite his deformities.

And across from him, staring into his red eyes fearlessly, was a diamond dog, wolfish in form with sleek fur and deep blue eyes. She stared him down.

“Thou art delusional,” The dragon rumbled. “Far from thy home, from thy people, and what thou ask of me would gain nothing but ridicule and scorn.”

“Ridicule I have already received from merely existing and scorn from those that see me as lesser for being wolf-born,” replied the diamond dog, her gaze pleading for him to understand. “I know I am plain, nothing but a hunter, a farmer, a hound of no renown…but please Morgott, should you wish me gone I will never speak to you, or of our meeting… I just--”

“Foolish dame…” Morgott rumbled, rising to his feet, he towered over her, posture stiff as he warily looked her over. “Are thou not repulsed by my hideousness?”

“I find you fascinating...”

“Foolish indeed…Lupah,” Morgott growled her name and pulled her forward into his embrace. He brushed his snout against hers. “Tell me to leave whilst we both see reason.”

“Do you wish to leave?” Lupah asked kindly.

Floret watched as Dragon Lord Morgott, the Shadow Omen, only held Lupah, the exiled Wolf-Saint of the Shrouded Realm closer to his scaly form.

The tale of mortal enemies becoming stalwart companions and eventual lovers was enthralling, and the heated growl that rose out of Morgott had Floret’s stomach doing flips as warmth and blood rushed southward.

Chitin nudged her to get her attention. “Are you not concerned about your cycle being early?”

She looked over to him just as Morgott guided his lover to the bed. The tip of his penis poked out from the sheath between his legs. Floret pulled her attention away from the happenings on stage to look at Chitin. She could see his concern even in the low lighting.

She answered calmly. “I’ve worked through my heat before, you know that.”

“The first day of it, while on medication yes…” he retorted. “But with the current shortage of medication for your kind, are you not worried about how you will be affected?”

She let out a shaky breath, smiling in reflex as opposed to showing any sort of emotion.

“Absolutely terrified,” she admitted. “I don’t remember my first heat, it was that long ago, and this is the first time I’ve had to go without my medication for it, and the damn thing being a week early won’t help.”

Silence fell between them as onstage, Morgott sat on the bed with Lupah in his lap, a hand wrapped around her waist, and the other between her legs, his fingers deep within her slick, dripping entrance. Lupah’s legs were spread stiff, her eyes shut tight in focus, panting as she was consumed by pleasure. Floret blinked, breath skipping as the scene appealed to her, already attached to the characters involved, and finding Morgott’s appearance aesthetically pleasing because of the difference between their species.

She had always gravitated towards non-kirins.

“…My offer still stands,” Chitin said after another moment. “I want to help you, I do not make such an offer out of obligation, and it will be no bother nor burden for me to assist.”

“I don’t want you to get dragged down by my reputation,” She stated. “I’m Floret Frostwolf, remember?”

The nickname, coined in jest by others, still stung even now.

“Idiots, the lot of them,” Chitin scoffed. “You are as kind, as passionate, as lively as the rest of them regardless of your lack of sexual activity.”

“This isn’t exactly easy for me…” she muttered. She could talk about sex, she could enjoy sexual entertainment, what did it matter if she did anything more. “Why even ask? I’m not...you know I’m different.”

“May I perform a test of sorts, as proof of sorts?” he asked suddenly. “Should you feel uncomfortable I will drop this subject entirely and continue our original plans for the week ahead.”

She had no idea where he was going with this, but she trusted him, and knew that he meant what he said. As soon as she felt uncomfortable, he would sense it and would never bring it up unless she asked him to.

“…Sure.” She settled on after a moment.

His demeanour shifted, gentle concern mixed with the calm, regal gaze of a monarch.

“Look at the stage,” he commanded. “Focus on it.”

She did. Morgott and Lupah had shifted positions, the wolf lying on her back, practically boneless as Morgott was above her on his hands and knees. The dragon’s tail hung off the edge of the bed as he nuzzled into the crook of Lupah’s neck, drinking in her scent.

The bed was angled in such a way that the audience had full view of the Dragon Lord’s engorged dick, covered in fine black scales that swelled into ridges as it throbbed with need, tapered to a point like the tip of a sword and already glistening with his own natural lubricant.

“This will bind us, mark us as per the old laws,” Morgott said, voice strained, body heaving and muscles taut from restraint. He lifted his head up to gaze at Lupah, a hand reaching to caress her cheek. “Thy station, thy holdings, thy own cursed blood matters not to me. Thou art a skilled warrior, a gentler soul than I, and I have grown fond of thee in thy reckless pursuit of justice.”

A breathy laugh escaped Lupah then, breaking off into a hitched gasp as he rubbed the tip of his erection against her sensitive slit.

“Gods, how I’ve dreamed of this…” Lupah breathed.

Chitin’s voice spoke over the scene as Morgott continued to tease the lust-drunk hound, not that Lupah seemed to mind as a groan slipped past her lips and she raised her hips to meet his grinding. Her movements stuttered as his textured girth brushed over her clit.

“See how he holds dominion over her, how he looms over her and still cares for her.”

Floret was mesmerized, she answered quietly, voice barely above a whisper. “Yeah…”

Her pulse quickened as Morgott rutted against his lover slowly, their bodies pressing together yet still not pushing into her. Lupah writhed beneath him, jerkily matching his movements as she sought friction and stimulation.

“See the power and restraint he wields?” Chitin asked. “See the beauty in his own desire for his lover?”

Another almost-whispered reply as Floret felt heat rising to her face, ears burning and pinned against her head in embarrassment as her own loins clenched and fluttered around nothing.

“Yeah…”

She could feel the slowly accumulating slick within her uniform and that only heightened her arousal. Floret felt like her innards were full of butterflies as Morgott ceased rocking against his partner to line himself up.

The two lovers groaned as he slowly worked his way into her, his shaft sinking her depths, and Lupah let out a shaky cry of pleasure that resulted in Morgott thrusting on instinct, jolting them both as he adjusted himself within her.

The dragon stilled his movements, heaving breaths through his nose, content to wait as Lupah grew accustomed to the sensation of him within her.

The wolf, in turn, mustered up her strength to wrap her arms around his neck and draw his face to hers. She nuzzled him, her breath heavy against his scales.

“I’m alright…” she said, clearly having trouble forming words from how lost she was in her own pleasure. “More… please Morgott, give me more.”

She flopped back onto the bed, looking at him with a heated gaze as she panted.

Morgott smirked at her neediness. “If that is thy wish…”

Her pleas were answered as Morgott began to move, sliding himself in until their hips were pressed against one another. He moved at a steady pace, aided by the rivulets of Lupah’s slick that trickled out from her.

Morgott's grunts drowned out Lupah’s mewls as he thrust into her, words failing them both as they gave themselves to chasing their release.

Floret sat in comfortable, heady warmth as she watched their lovemaking, and Chitin spoke up once more.

“Do you not wish that was you beneath the great Shadow Omen?” Chitin asked.

And just like that, the foggy haze of arousal was broken, Floret pulled from the moment as soon as she thought about herself being in the place of the leading lady.

It was like a switch had been flipped, the scene before Floret now went ignored as she turned to look Chitin.

“It’s…” Floret trailed off, trying to find the right words. “…Let me break it down.”

Chitin nodded.

She gestured at the play. “Outside of a heat haze, penetrative sex isn’t my thing, and even then, it’s not just the sex that’s appealing,” she explained. “Sometimes the actions involved are stimulating enough on their own, the idea of performing those things, the fantasy is enough for me.”

“But this is appealing for a different reason,” she said. “Sure, the sex does the job, but that’s not the only reason why I’m interested in this. It’s the characters involved, I’ve gotten to know Morgott as a character, I like the dynamic he has with Lupah, and this is just an addition to their dynamic and I am all for that.”

And she kept talking because she truly needed him to understand. “As much as I strongly dislike the assumption that sex is some ultimate expression of romantic love…if only because people still don’t fucking understand that romantic and sexual attraction are two different things, I don’t see others as sexually desirable unless I already see them as romantic partners.” She resolved to remain on topic, setting her frustrations aside once more. “People are just…people to me, not hot, or attractive, and sure I have a type as far as aesthetics are concerned, but aesthetic attraction is itself distinct from sexual.”

“And I know you know all of this already because Fate knows how many times I’ve ranted to you about all of this,” she rambled. “But I just don’t want your help with this, not like this…”

“Then what do you want?” Chitin asked gently.

“With you?” Floret asked and he nodded.

She thought about it, her brow furrowed as she focused her thoughts inward. She wasn’t sexually attracted to him, though she didn’t mind his company during the worst of her heats, having him feed off her arousal alleviated the symptoms after all, and they’d known each other for years.

They’d never done anything beyond that, and neither of them minded, they’d spoken about it more than once and this wasn’t the first time he’d offered more hooves-on help.

He was a close friend, dear to her heart and it was always soothing to simply be in the same room as him.

In the darkness of the theatre, her mind wandered to both the near and distant future. It wasn’t fantasies of them having sex that filled her head, not even close.

She was almost surprised at the wants and desires of a domestic, romantic life with him, of what they already had and did but with added knowledge of doing so with romantic intent.

Fuck.

This was far outside her field of experience, mild panic gripped her, but she wasn’t repulsed by the idea, she quite liked the notion of them being a couple, of sharing a home and lives with one another, but now the thought crossed her mind, and it was terrifying in its newness.

She’d only ever been asked out as a joke, she’d always seen romance as something that happened to others, to a fantasy only in fiction, something that never crossed her mind because she just didn’t see people in that way.

She never caught feelings, never had a crush on anyone she knew. Fates help her, she felt like a nervous teen all over again.

“I want—” the words were stuck in Floret’s throat, and she hated herself for being so damn nervous about it. She was tempted to ask him to just read her emotions but knew he would never do so.

Chitin was one that preferred for others to speak their mind, to rely on their own understanding and their own merits. She noticed him waiting for her patiently, understanding that this was not something she took lightly.

This was a very big deal for her, it was no surprise she was reacting in such a way.

Still, this was Chitin, she still trusted him, and took a steadying breath. She threw caution, and her nerves, to the wind.

“I want…us. I want what we already do, you and me, but romantically,” she said. “I want us to keep going to plays, walking in the gardens, spending time in the same room doing our own separate things, going out to lunch, all of that, as romantic partners.”

She squashed her fear of losing him as a friend, pushed her worries and what-ifs aside, and saw Chitin taken aback by her words.

“Romantic…” he echoed, amused, surprised, but not angry or disgusted as she had feared. “I never knew…I make no habit of reading your emotions without your permission, and you never…mentioned any sort of interest.”

“I’m as dense as a fucking rock,” Floret deadpanned. “I didn’t even know I wanted this until I realized it was even an option…I’m just, not opposed to us giving it a go?”

“Some ground rules then?” Chitin suggested, his regal disposition giving way to awkwardness. “I am as inexperienced in this as you are…”

“Well, anything we’re worried about, we talk to one another about it,” Floret said. “We set boundaries, expectations, that sort of thing. I mean, assuming you like me in the same way—we can ignore this whole conversation if you're not okay with it—”

“Floret,” Chitin interjected. “I can assure you that the attraction is mutual.”

Oh, and that is a whole other thing I’m going to panic about later. She decided. “Good, that’s good…I’ll do my best to keep myself in check…Some of my um…fantasies are a bit much even for me right now.”

“We can keep to our usual arrangement with your heat if that is troubling you,” Chitin reassured her. “I am content with feeding while acting and while assisting you as normal.”

“It’s not-not about that, but that is one hell of a relief to hear,” she admitted. “Don’t like the idea of you finding someone else to be with, if that makes sense, and I would never ask you to give up one of the highlights of your work…but anyway, I meant more along the lines of the romantic feelings kind of being a bit much at the moment.”

“And?” he inquired.

“Uh…”

Chitin smirked, fangs glinting in the low light, and leaned over to look her in the eyes, acting every bit the suave male lead of the countless plays under his belt.

“Yes, my dear?” he said sweetly.

“You are evil,” she squeaked, flustered. Then paused. “…Don’t use my types against me!”

He laughed and she broke out into giggles of her own.

“Seriously though, I think it’s a bit too early for me to think about marriage,” Floret said. “As much as my hopeless, demiromantic arse loves that idea, I’m going to need time to get used to this.”

“Agreed,” Chitin added. “This will be a change for the both of us, an adjustment. A conversation after your impromptu shift is over.”

It was clear he was still displeased with her being rushed out to work when she was supposed to have time off. But it was out of their control at this point.

“I need to get back to work…” Floret mused as the play progressed to the two lovers lying together in post-coitus bliss. She stood up, adjusting her jumpsuit as she did. “Fun’s over, time to get everyone cooled off and cleaned up for a trip to the Medical Wing.”

He followed her. “Would you mind if I joined you?”

“An escort?” she clarified, and he nodded. “Would be a huge help…heat could kick in any moment now, none of the pre-heat signs yet, but you never know.”

“And being exposed to sexual stimulus will only hasten the process.” He commented.

“Not a guarantee though,” Floret countered. “Not normally at any rate.”

“You are out of your usual medication, there will not be anything normal about your cycle this time.” Chitin reminded her.

Her snout crinkled in annoyance. “Don’t remind me…”

Welcome to the International Estrus Healthcare Facility

by Dragonfire2lm

The Greenhouse

The Theatre