Smoke

After her explanation, Shimmering Scales had herded me back into my apartment to get my tux. I grabbed it and left the room, avoiding Deep helping her sister remember how to walk straight. I dressed in my living room on the way back down, not ready to deal further with that particular problem. In short, we were going to be mobsters that night. Not Manehattan’s loose, scruffy gangsters—Detrot style, established and professional. Bruises was to be my enforcer, with Deep and Shimmer there to make me look powerful. I was to play the menacing big boss, paying a visit to “explain” how Primavera was upsetting my dear, trusted staff, tell her how very unhappy I was, show off the smoke so she’s scared half to death. Apparently we were going to have dinner over there, too. I was doing my best not to think about it, but between Deep’s fit and the upcoming act, I was getting a headache.

As the players in the night’s unofficial show made their way to my office, it only got worse. Shimmer had found a navy blue dress, still sequined, in the dancer’s wardrobe. It clung to her form perfectly, unquestionably just a hair too small, in the best possible way. It was distracting, and that was the best of it. Day and Deep made their way back down long after, Day in crimson and Deep in a near match for Shimmer’s. Deep sat uncomfortably, not looking my direction and raising the tension in the room enough for Shimmer to begin looking anxious despite her enthusiasm. Day Planner, still working on walking straight again, added completely out of place humor. The wait for Bruises couldn’t have been any more awkward, and nopony said a thing. We just sat gathered around my desk in silence.

At last, Shimmer timidly asked, “Mr. Deal… did something happen?”

Deep Tissue looked up nervously, opened her mouth and raised a hoof, but kept silent when I beat her to an answer. “There was some drama upstairs, Shimmer. Some loyalty questions. They’re behind us for now, but the timing could’ve been better.”

Deep Tissue’s ears sank guiltily and she studied the floor. Seductress worked for her. Nervous worked for her. Guilty and… afraid? That was not a look that suited her at all. I wished it were time to put the attack behind me, but I still felt twinges of pain if I twisted at all. Deep would just have to cook a little longer. Looking at her for the first time since I’d left my bedroom, I put the question to her straight, without any effort at easing the implications. “Deep Tissue, is tonight going to be an issue? Shimmer alone would be a better choice than bringing you both if you’re not up to this.”

Day interrupted her wobbly pacing in front of my desk to answer for her sister. “Sir, she’ll get through it. She regrets what she did. Badly.” Day Planner didn’t glare at Deep, but there was no doubt her glance was meant to push a certain response.

It worked. “Done…” Deep Tissue paused, then finally raised her eyes. “I’ve draped myself on you every chance I got since I met you. I like it. No, more than that. It’s… like home. I’ll make it work. Maybe it’ll help. As for the rest of it… Day’s made clear we’re going to have a talk as soon as we get home.”

Day Planner nodded. “A long one, I think.” Deep sighed and nodded.

I was satisfied. “Good.” No praise, no comfort. Not while my back still hurt. That could come when things were resolved. Deep Tissue’s ears sank a bit when I didn’t continue.

Finally, the door opened and Bruises’ massive head poked in, blinking in surprise at the crowd. “Hey, boss! Uh? Meeting boss? Am I late, or interrupt—oh, it’s the snake lady! Hi again!”

Shimmer’s head popped up and she blinked at Bruises in surprise. “I thought you were using an illusion for Nightmare Night!” Her head whipped around to face me. “She’s always like that?”

Having her physique called out by somepony she’d barely met sent Bruises ears back and her head down. I smiled anyway. If anypony could be relied on to fix the mood, it was Bruises, whether she meant to or not. I gestured at Bruises. “That’s how Parapet is, and she’s a very sensitive mare, Shimmer. She doesn’t like being treated differently. I think you owe her a hug.”

Shimmering Scales looked back and forth between Bruises and me for a moment, startled, but then trotted over and half cautiously wrapped her legs around Bruises as best she could. Bruises didn’t look too comforted. I suppose a mandatory hug didn’t count. “You know, you two have something in common. I only changed Shimmer’s coat, but she’s different now too.”

Bingo. Bruises’ ears popped back up at the idea of a mare like her in any way. “Boss changed your coat? I don’t see anything.” Shimmer took a step back and turned to sit, facing away from Bruises as she unzipped the back of her dress with pride, lifted her long mane, and revealed the iridescent scales beneath. Eyes wide as saucers, Bruises cautiously reached a hoof out to touch before pulling it back cautiously.

Shimmer smiled back over her shoulder, probably happy to show off her coat to a pony who didn’t immediately fuss. “It’s fine! Go ahead!”

Bruises’ massive hoof slowly touched Shimmering Scales’ exposed back, and gently stroked. “It’s fur! It’s just like normal fur! That’s so cool! He made me all big and strong like this.” Bruises shifted to stand as tall as she could, just as proudly as Shimmer had revealed her own change—in a safe environment, Bruises was a completely different mare.

At the sound of a loud thud, I whipped my head to the left to see Deep Tissue agape on the floor, having toppled from her seat. Ponyfeathers. I’d forgotten that Deep hadn’t seen Shimmer out of her dress, much less known about Bruises’ change. This was one more shock for her to swallow, at least as big as the last.

Day Planner sighed and helped her sister up. “Honestly… Deep, back into the apartment. Mr. Deal, do get Parapet up to speed, or we’ll never get this started.”

I nodded and turned back to Bruises and Shimmer as Day shuffled her sister through the door behind me. Whether or not Deep could swallow this without another freak out weighed on me, but Day was right. We needed to be in position before Primavera left. Something that wasn’t being facilitated by Bruises hugging Shimmer so she couldn’t breathe, or by Shimmer excitedly looking at what the smoke had done to another pony. Still, I’d take those problems over Day’s any day.

“Okay, Bruises, let her fix herself up again. We’ve got something important to do tonight. We’re going to give the mare who owns the restaurant next door a big scare. She needs to be afraid she’s really going to get hurt.” I rose as I spoke and circled my desk to stand with Bruises and fix the zipper on Shimmer’s dress, unicorn or not. Shimmer offered me a smile, Bruises a frown.

The big mare’s ears lay halfway back as she complained. “Boss… why? That sounds awful mean. I’ll fix ponies who mess with you, but I don’t wanna hurt nice ponies.”

I sighed and shook my head. “She made Pirouette cry, Bruises.”

Bruises eyes widened, then narrowed. “What’d she do?” Bruises was incredibly protective of anypony who was kind to her. I was suddenly glad not to be Primavera. Well, more glad.

I repeated the story for Bruises, admitting my own role. That earned me a lecture from a huge, disapproving mare on the importance of apologies when you do bad things, but a promise to apologize when we got Primavera to got me off the hook, “because you’re the boss.” When I explained that Primavera had also hurt Day enough that Day wouldn’t talk about it, the big mare snorted angrily. Bruises was fired up, and rocked back on her haunches, punching at the air again.

“I’ll fix her! Making Pirouette cry, and doing something really bad to Day Planner! She’s in so much trouble!” Bruises had gone from reluctant to angry enough to fight in just a couple of minutes. Shimmer backed away from the punching and frowned unhappily. I couldn’t blame her; injuring Primavera wasn’t the plan.

“Easy, Bruises.” I patted her side. “We’re not going to hurt her. We’re going to scare her so she apologizes to Pirouette and Day. We’re gonna get her restaurant, too, and have it cook for our customers. She can still work there, but we’re going to make her quit being mean.”

With one hoof still extended in a punch, Bruises froze, looking at me sideways. “They’ll cook for us?”

I was suddenly extremely tired. “Yeah, Bruises. We’re going to be one business. I’ll be running the show, but I don’t really know the restau—”

Bruises was on all fours again, excited. “Can I have their pasta? One of the dancers shared some with me, and it’s really good, but they won’t let me in because…” Suddenly Bruises’ face fell. “Because I’m too big. Their door is little, and—”

I put a hoof on Bruises mouth. “I’ll make sure the door we put in our wall fits you easily, Bruises. But try to focus tonight, please. Made Pirouette cry?”

Bruises blinked. “Right! I’ll… I’m not supposed to hurt her. Hold her down?”

“And keep her quiet. No screaming.” The comedy act wasn’t what I had in mind when I’d hoped for Bruises to fix the mood, but with Bruises back under control, Shimmer was smiling and excited again. I’d take what I could get. “Anyway, the plan is simple, Bruises. When she opens the back door to leave, grab her, hold her mouth closed, and take her inside. After that, all you have to do is look scary. The rest is up to us.”

“This is so exciting!” Shimmering Scales’ enthusiasm was back as she envisioned her plan going down. “And to think, you can even do something like this!” Shimmer ran a hoof along Bruises’ foreleg, practically vibrating again. Bruises didn’t mind anymore, but as for me…

“Don’t say it.” Shimmer clapped a hoof over her mouth and nodded, straining to suppress excitement that nearly had her quivering. Bruises’ mind had snapped to food in just a heartbeat. Day and Deep still weren’t back from my apartment. Pirouette had signed off on the plan only because she didn’t know what it was. Bruises’ reaction to Shimmer’s scale pattern had relieved my headache, but as I surveyed the actual situation it came roaring back. What the buck were we thinking?

* * * * *

Deep and Day had come back out eventually, with Deep Tissue still looking more stunned than apprehensive. That was a reaction I could deal with. Day’s impatience, however, was just as clear as Deep Tissue’s amazement, and far more in line with my own mood. This was no raid on a criminal who wouldn’t be missed; we were about to force our way into an upscale restaurant in a classy part of town and threaten the owner—a mare I’d guess had as much money as I did before things with the Trotties got out of hand and nearly as much clout with other business owners in the area. If anything went wrong, it would go very wrong. Every second that passed was another that this wasn’t behind me, and another opportunity to call it off lost. My left ear twitched. So why did I feel the smoke starting to stir in me?

Day Planner cleared her throat and did what I should have—or shouldn’t have, perhaps. “Alright, everypony. We’ve wasted enough time, and if we waste anymore, Primavera will go home without being put in her place. I am not interested in that outcome. Mr. Deal?”

I sighed. Mr. Deal instead of Shimmer. It was her plan, but it happened or not at my word. “Primavera’s closing. We’re not. That means customers can see us as we come down. It means that if somepony sees us at this, we’ve got the entire cabaret as witnesses that we all went downstairs, headed to the back at once, and didn’t come back. There’s no good way to say this, so here: ‘No pony buck up.’ Everypony down the stairs, not a sound, around the bar, and out the back.” That sobered the group up immediately, with even Day Planner suddenly looking concerned.

Shimmer shook her head. “Mr. Deal, we shouldn’t all go out at once. Day Planner, Deep Tissue and I can go out like we’re off work. Parapet can go act like she’s doing her job, and once the show gets going, poke her head out and stomp off away from Primavera, like somepony’s making trouble just past where ponies can see. She can come around the far side of the building, right?” I nodded. “Good! You… you should really go watch the show, but we need you to make this work, so how about pretend to help at the bar for a couple of minutes, then slip out the back?”

I frowned. “In my tux? I never wear clothes around here.”

Shimmering Scales scratched her head. “Fire escape?”

I sighed, but it was the best way, and she was right about a train of ponies sneaking out in formalwear. “You heard the mare. Good thinking, Shimmer.” For a new hire, she was certainly earning her keep.

The first three filed past me and out of the office. I dropped a hoof on Deep’s withers as she passed. “Last chance, Deep. Are you certain you’re up to this?”

Deep Tissue smiled at me and moved to nuzzle my raised hoof. “Done, honey, relax. The worried look really doesn’t suit you.” As angry as she had been not that long before, I had no doubt it was an act, but before I could call her on it, or tell her to address me properly, she was gone, the last of the group to go. I closed my eyes and sighed. An act was fine, but I wasn’t sure she could keep it up. So why was I more bothered by the lingering warmth from her cheek?

Looking to the hat rack to grab my fedora, I slapped the ruined hat across the room in frustration: Shimmer’s pole climbing act the night before had crushed it beyond repair.

Once Bruises was out and the door was shut behind her, I opened the window and lowered the fire escape, cursing under my breath at every sound. Shutting the window behind me felt like a big deal for some reason, but if this worked, I wouldn’t be going back in that way, and if it didn’t… it might be a very long time before I saw The Tall Tail again.

I met up with the smaller mares behind The Tall Tail and waited for Bruises. We were shivering a bit in the chilly Manehattan night, loitering in a back alley and dressed as if for fine dining or high society. No such bright lights for us that night. Past the uncollected garbage, both ours and Primavera’s, we slunk like common thieves, and I was glad that Primavera and The Tall Tail shared a wall. No alley between the buildings meant one less spot somepony could sight us. We lined up under a kitchen window to wait for the last light to go out and Primavera to open the door: Bruises, Shimmering Scales, Deep Tissue, myself, and finally Day Planner.

Day had tried to assure me that Primavera’s lack of faith in her employees meant she was always the last out, and never until she’d double checked the cleanup with nopony around to make excuses. Nothing should go wrong. I wasn’t assured. The wait was wreaking havoc on my nerves, but the smoke was swirling still, eagerly. Against my better judgment, I distracted myself by tapping Deep’s flank. “Hey, what exactly did Primavera do to Day, anyway?”

Deep turned enough to face me and started to whisper, “Well, Day was working here to—” but got no farther before being cut off by a hiss from Day.

“Deep!” Before Day could complain, though, the last light went off, and all of us went dead silent. The door swung open and out stepped a mare my age, as classy as I tended to be laid back, her rippled light green mane running halfway down a neck the color of her pasta. Halfway is precisely as far out the door as she got before she was clamped in the dark blue glow of Bruises’ magic and was yanked back into her restaurant. We poured in, and Day locked the door behind us.

Primavera tried to scream, but with Bruises magic keeping her mouth closed, the noise wouldn’t have left the kitchen, much less the building. I lit one of the lanterns and quietly took a deep breath to slow the smoke spinning in me. It was time to set the stage for Day, and I needed to focus. Shimmer’s eyes locked on me didn’t help.

“Primavera, you caused quite an upset this morning.” I stepped forward from the pack of mares, flanked half a step back by Deep Tissue and Shimmer, just as Shimmer had said we should. The effect was perfect, in my tux and surrounded by mares, I looked every bit the ladies’ stallion. Day alone hung back, nearly out of sight.

Pots and pans, shelves and refrigerators were everywhere, all gleaming clean in the lantern light. I walked over to a knife block and examined the cutlery while I continued. From the corner of my eye, I saw Primavera’s eyes go wide. Nopony was going to get hurt, but she didn’t know that.

“Pirouette was in tears this morning thanks to you, you know.” Bruises eyes narrowed menacingly. I trusted her to stick to the plan, but were I floating in the air the way Primavera was, I’d have started thrashing to get loose too. Bruises’ magical hold was as strong as her muscles, though, part of her talent before I’d even met her. The nasty restaurateur was going nowhere.

I turned back to Primavera, stroking Shimmer’s mane as if the whole scene were completely cozy to me. My hoof shook ever so slightly. I wasn’t sure whether it was nerves, excitement, or the smoke—the more the scene played out, the more of it there seemed to be. I took another deep breath and hoped Primavera saw it as part of the lecture. “My girls are very important to me, Primavera. From the newest hire on up to the one who’s seen me through thick and thin for years. The one you treated like something you’d like to scrape off your hoof and be done with. I hate it when they cry. When it’s my fault, I make it up to them. What am I supposed to do when somepony else makes them cry, Primavera? Just tell them it’ll all be okay? Not to listen to the big meanie?”

A nearby basket was full of canteloupe. I tossed one casually in the air, and Bruises crushed it, releasing Primavera’s muzzle. By this point, she was far too frightened to scream, and just stammered, “W-wait! I’ll apologize! I’ll make it up to her! I promise!” Her mane flicked side to side as she shook her head, panicked.

I nodded. “I’m glad to hear that, Primavera. This isn’t any fun for me, you know.” It was half true. Primavera was far prettier smiling, and I’d rather see her that way. My nerves were so rattled I was amazed words were coming out right. I was terrified of this going wrong. But with the smoke thrashing as much as Primavera, it finally sank in: just like the night before with Shimmer and Redheart, playing the villain was far more exciting than I’d ever imagined.

“There’s another problem, though.” I gestured to the shadows by the door, and Day stepped forward calmly, her face completely unreadable. “Do you remember her, Primavera? She’s one of mine now, too.”

Primavera’s eyes widened as they fell on Day Planner. She remembered. Day’s voice was frigid. I was doing my best acting, but Day wasn’t playing at anything; I was certain of it. “Hello, Primavera. I’m glad you remember me. I hate wasting time. Do you remember why I was working for you? What I was saving for?”

Primavera shook her head, wide eyes beginning to shine wet. I winced, unhappy to see that. Something in the back of my head was relieved. Not that Primavera was breaking easily, but at my reaction. I shut and opened my eyes, focusing on Day Planner as she continued, pacing back and forth until she stopped, back to Primavera. “I wanted to dance, Primavera. I was going to go to a dance school, the best I could get into.”

With no warning, Day Planner snatched up a pan, her horn glowing brightly, and sent it whistling past Primavera’s head. The glow hadn’t faded until the pan was past, but Primavera didn’t realize that. Shimmer jumped next to me as the pan clattered against the wall and fell, slipping out of character as worry lined her brow. Primavera was too terrified to notice that, too. Day was cutting it close. Deep Tissue didn’t share Shimmer’s concern. She leaned into me, like cuddling on a couch, her eyes locked on Primavera. She was enjoying this.

Day continued, her voice very slightly louder, but still icy. “Remember now, Primavera? I poked my head out of your office while you were yelling out here, just as you flung a pan. I bled quite a bit. Head injuries do. I can walk again, obviously, but I can’t spin. I can’t balance. I hate wasting time, but when I was just twenty-two, it looked like my whole life would be a waste of time. And you got off because half the kitchen staff was scared enough to lie for you.”

I’ll admit it: my jaw dropped. Day’s poor balance wasn’t new to me. I’d seen Pirouette show her one exercise after another, and every time Day needed more than one hoof off the ground, she wobbled. Sometimes even one was too much. Had she had potential before? My jaw clenched, and my eyes narrowed. The clincher when I’d hired Day Planner was her desire to dance—the prospect of her pretty, prim face on stage for serious and sad acts and a straight mare for comedy routines. I wanted to just let the smoke go like I had with Bruises and at Starlight, leaving Primavera to her fate. Day couldn’t dance when I found her. I hadn’t taken anything. The mare floating in Bruises’ grip in front of me had robbed Day of her time on the stage, the spotlight that I could’ve given her. I’d lost my temper when I met Bruises. Having my girls there was all that kept that from happening again.

Deep still seemed to be enjoying things, but Shimmer kept glancing at the pan on the floor, concerned. Between Pirouette in tears and what she’d taken from Day, the calm act was getting to be a strain. I wanted to let her have it, but I grit my teeth. There were better options.

I stepped forward as Primavera really began to cry. “This one’s a little harder to make up for, Primavera. What do you think we should do about it? Fair would be bouncing that pan off of your head.” Shimmer put a hoof on my leg, frowning openly now, and Primavera let out a choked sob. I barely managed not to wince—that small voice was there, furious as I was. I wanted nothing more than to flood her with the smoke then and there, but I’d promised Day writhing.

“That’s not going to make anypony happy, though.” Primavera’s head snapped up, hope in her eyes. Her muzzle was as soaked as Pirouette’s had been, marked by trails of mascara. A crying mare. My rage petered, but the smoke didn’t, and I was still excited.

“Here’s the deal, Primavera. The buyout I offered you over and over? Off the table. There’s going to be a merger. I get half ownership of this place. You get half ownership of mine. We open a door, happy customers all around. But I call the shots. You manage your restaurant, don’t bother me about it—but if I say jump, you ask how high. If I want my hooves kissed, you run over. Day came to me hoping to dance one day. That’s in the past now, but I’ll take just as much from you as you took from her.”

I grabbed another cantaloupe and tossed it as if I were calm. As if controlling the smoke didn’t have me taut as a guitar string. “Gonna take that deal, Primavera, or do we need to come up with something else?”

Primavera shook her head frantically, still bobbing in Bruises’ grip. “I’ll do it! I’ll do it! I’ll sign something! Please, don’t hurt me!” Day Planner’s smile in reaction was as gratifying as it was unsettling.

I tossed Shimmer the cantaloupe and a smile, both for the act and to calm her down. The plan wasn’t changing. Nopony was getting brained. “We can worry about paperwork tomorrow, Primavera. Why don’t we have a drink and calm down?” Primavera forced a smile and nodded. “Shimmer, find a bottle that sounds good.” Nopony was getting brained, but that didn’t mean I was finished with Primavera.

Shimmering Scales trotted off, and I played the gentlecolt, dabbing tears and mascara from Primavera’s eyes and muzzle with my very best silk handkerchief. Of course, still being held in the air by Bruises left Primavera clear on just where she stood. Shimmer trotted back with a bottle that looked expensive and a pair of champagne flutes, setting them on a counter near Primavera. A quick kiss and a nod to the rear sent Shimmer back to the background while I poured drinks for my new employee—unofficial or not—and myself.

I took a seat by the counter, next to Primavera. “Let her go, Bruises.”

Bruises nodded. “Sure thing, boss.” Primavera dropped the couple of inches to the floor and took a seat with me, nervously smiling, trying her best to look like everything was fine.

I lifted my flute and hoisted it halfway to a toast. Primavera followed suit, the wine in her glass trembling slightly with her hoof. “To a profitable future collaboration, Primavera!” I hoisted my glass, but as she followed suit, I clapped my forehead with a hoof and Primavera froze. “How silly of me! Just one second.”

I’d forgotten to show off the smoke. I had no clue whether or not my idea would work, but with the tears behind me, what Primavera had done to my girls was front and center in my mind. She had this coming, and Shimmer would love it. I leaned forward and pursed my lips, blowing smoke into Primavera’s flute. Shocked, she dropped it, but the glow of Day Planner’s magic caught it quickly enough next to nothing spilled. Smoke didn’t just deflect on the surface of the wine. As I’d hoped, the champagne changed, darkening quickly. Only a couple of seconds and the pale golden color in Primavera’s glass was the dark, opaque brown of unpasteurized cider. Primavera stared back and forth between the drink and me.

Over Primavera’s shoulder, I saw Day Planner smile approvingly, and Shimmer suddenly leaned forward, that excitement shining in her eyes again. I smiled and repeated the toast. “To a profitable future collaboration!” I had to admit, the champagne was better than I expected.

Primavera hesitantly took the flute back from Day Planner and more hesitantly raised it to her lips, halting without turning up the glass. I let my smile slowly fade as I set the flute back on the counter, never looking away from Primavera. Just before the corners of my mouth turned downward, she decided the wine was the lesser risk and sipped. Then blinked in surprise and drank a swallow. Then the rest, all in one pull.

Day Planner floated the flute away as Primavera’s nervous smile returned, a bit wider than before, and she licked her lips. A gasp as though her other lips had been licked was all the warning I had before Primavera’s forelegs were wrapped around me and her tongue was on my neck. Deep Tissue and Shimmer stared, one in shock the other in excitement, and Day Planner lifted an eyebrow.

The “assault” only lasted a moment before Bruises floated her off of me, but Primavera didn’t go quietly. “Ahh! My ton—ohh… wh-wha! L-lemme—ahh!”

Still in the air courtesy of Bruises, Primavera began to writhe altogether differently, simply from trying to speak. One hoof reached between her hind legs, and she rubbed frantically, but only for a moment before moaning with her second orgasm. The other hoof was stretched out toward me.

Day Planner alone remained composed enough to reach forward and poke Primavera’s side. More moaning, and Primavera’s thighs began to drip on the floor. Deep Tissue covered her muzzle and tried not to laugh. Bruises looked hopelessly lost, and Shimmer just as excited.

“Mr. Deal, I do hope this isn’t permanent, or revenue streams will be a relatively small concern.” Day Planner’s practicality stopped me cold.

“Relax, Day. The ponies who were at Starlight all went back to normal quickly. She probably just needs the alcohol out of her system.”

Day Planner nodded as Shimmer and Deep gasped at the mention of Starlight, but mercifully left it at that. “No sense worrying about that now, anyway. I assume you’ll smoke her properly when she calms down.”

I nodded. “I don’t plan on taking any chances. Shimmer, I’m not sure she’s actually in any state to make us dinner. Might have to nix that… part?”

I trailed off, confused, as Shimmer’s ears perked and she ran around the kitchen gathering a weird assortment of food. Lighting her horn as she moved, she pushed an empty dessert cart next to Bruises, barely slowing as she told the big mare to lay Primavera on it. We all watched in disbelief as she gathered lettuce, cherries, and who knew what else before running back to us and quietly setting about placing food on the squirming mare on the cart. Despite her condition and her situation, Primavera squawked. It was a strange mix of indignity and arousal and the smirk on Day Planner’s face said that this counted as revenge, too.

“N-no more! I’ll…” That was as far as Primavera got before smoke entered her ears and she quieted down, still panting in subdued pleasure as Shimmer lay lettuce on her chest, quickly slicing tomato and carrot to decorate Primavera. Shimmer drew a necklace in chocolate mousse, set with a strawberry and grapes, and each teat was topped with whipped cream and a cherry. Vanilla frosting covered Primavera’s nether lips, and Shimmer slid a celery stalk inside, making the “table” moan, smoke or not. Primavera lay trembling with pleasure, looking half dressed with her edible jewelry, and lettuce camisole.

The idea of eating from her as she twitched and moaned was weirdly appealing, and I was hungry. The blush in Primavera’s cheeks settled it. Day Planner however, wrinkled her nose. “I like the idea, but I’d just as soon eat from the floor.” I shrugged and took a bit of lettuce. Primavera gasped softly, pulling smoke in that much faster, as the leaf scraped across her chest.

Shimmer levitated another strawberry, scraping a little vanilla from between Primavera’s legs and some chocolate mousse from her neck. Each time the berry slid over her body, Primavera twitched, pressing against it as much as she could. Whatever the champagne had done to her, it must’ve been huge to twitch and moan that much while she was being smoked. Bruises walked around the cart, hesitantly sticking out her huge tongue for the icing, spreading it as much as getting any. Primavera whimpered and twitched on the cart, eager for more and unable to claim it. I focused a bit and the smoke thickened. Primavera breathed deeper, and her moaning quieted a bit.

I’d expected Deep Tissue to look upset, or at least conflicted, but she was smiling as much as Day. She caught me looking her way as I chewed, and shrugged. “She’s not my sister, and she is a nasty, controlling, ev—” Day Planner’s hoof silenced her sister gently.

“Just eat, sir. Have fun with it.” There was a sparkle in Day Planner’s eye. I recognized it easily; it was the one she had when she was about to pull something. I plucked a cherry from one of Primavera’s teats and licked just the tip bare of whipped cream before turning the cherry around in my lips and circling the exposed nipple with the stem. Primavera managed to whimper as one leg twitched. Deep Tissue caught onto the game I was playing and came to join us, sitting flank to flank with Shimmering Scales. Shimmer used her tongue to push another strawberry around on Primavera’s throat, and Primavera angled her neck instinctively, her body giving Shimmer as much room as possible to extend the cool glide of the fruit across frosting in front of the warm glide of Shimmer’s tongue. When the berry got away from her and Shimmer licked up the length of Primavera’s throat, Primavera swallowed hard, lips trembling. Deep Tissue floated a carrot Shimmer hadn’t cut and the whipped cream, holding each at the ready. Using the carrot as a brush, she painted trim around the lettuce camisole. Primavera shivered as the cream spread across her stomach. I peeled a leaf out of the cool whipped cream, dragging Primavera’s fur with it. Her stomach twitched and she shook from the sensation. The tomato that had been on the leaf slipped off and slid slowly between Primavera’s legs, dragging a soft moan out of her. Deep Tissue silenced her with the wide end of her uncut carrot—Primavera sucked away at it as if it were a thin cock.

Shimmer looked up from licking at the frosting and berries. A smear of vanilla was on her nose. Eyes locked on me, Deep Tissue leaned over and licked the stray frosting off. I knew what Deep was up to, and while it was too early, the show was welcome. As had my fill of lettuce from Primavera’s squirming body, Shimmer seemed to play along, placing a tomato slice on her nose, and licking back as Deep ate it right off her muzzle. I smiled in spite of myself and shook my head at the playful pair, keeping my eyes on them as I lapped up the the frosting and had the strawberries on Primavera’s neck that Shimmer couldn’t reach from her side. While the mare under my tongue trembled and my mouth was full, Day stepped forward, her voice icy again. No pony was done with Primavera.

“You enjoy this, Primavera. It’s exciting being at somepony else’s mercy.” Primavera began breathing more heavily, pulling in even more smoke. “You’ll never raise your voice again. Never throw another tantrum. Your restaurant isn’t yours anymore.”

That one was too much, and Primavera argued through the pleasure and smoke, mumbling so the carrot slipped from her lips. “Nnnooo… my resss…” I didn’t have to push the smoke. Day’s behavior had kicked it up, and it hadn’t truly died down in the first place. A little less control, and the smoke wafted in thick ropes instead of thin streams. Primavera trailed off.

Day continued, her tone even colder. “No. It belongs to Mr. Deal, no matter what’s on the paperwork.” Primavera frowned, but made no sound. “You’ll work for Mr. Deal for the rest of your life, missing what you had, but glad we didn’t take more. The deal is your lifeline. You’re grateful for it, and you’ll keep it, because you don’t want to think of the alternative. You’ll run this place like he says.” Day paused for a second, and I considered releasing the smoke. Before I did though, she tacked on one more. “No matter what Mr. Deal does, what he demands, you’ll take it, just like we always had to.”

Day nodded, and I released the smoke. I’d take care of making sure things stuck later. Day hadn’t been subtle, hadn’t tried to lure Primavera into it, but I’d meant to find out what happened when somepony else talked, and I wasn’t being sparing with the smoke. Day moved away again to watch, followed by her sister who raised a hoof. Day rolled her eyes, but took it, smiling with satisfaction, even if she wasn’t a fan of Deep’s lack of decorum.

Loud moaning returned my attention back to Primavera. Without the smoke, Bruises’ work at getting the last of the chocolate was really making her thrash. She gripped the side of the dessert cart to stay on, though, and didn’t complain like she had moments before. Shimmer had moved down and was enjoying the whipped cream on Primavera’s other teat, when she actually found her head held in place.

With my focus on Day Planner and the bizarre situation, I had actually managed not to notice: between the smoke and teasing Primavera, I was well out of the sheathe and stiff. With Shimmer and Bruises finishing off the last of the sweets on Primavera, Day noticed first and gestured to my groin.

“You may as well, sir. She’s yours now, and I don’t expect you to be cruel to her forever. You don’t have it in you. Just… please remind her who’s in charge.”

I ran my hoof across Primavera’s tongue as she gasped with Bruises’ final licks and she cried out, held my hoof to her muzzle, and began licking and moaning—where the champagne had been was most sensitive. I smiled and pulled my hoof away, with Primavera reaching after it until I leaned in for a kiss.

Unlike Jade, Primavera’s tongue slipped into my mouth immediately, her hoof behind my head to hold her close. Like Jade, as I blew smoke into the kiss, the return continued, but became distracted. Her reactions to Shimmer’s licking diminished too, until she lay still, kissing and moaning into my mouth.

Primavera was a mess. Muzzle still wet, makeup still in disarray, icing and mousse here and there. The only way I’d consider mounting such a mess in my tux was also a perfect fit for reminding her who was in charge, like Day wanted. I raised my head and stepped over the cart parallel to Primavera, supporting myself with its sides near her hind legs. My flare pressed against her lips, but only for a moment before Primavera’s tongue guided it into her mouth and we competed to see who moaned louder as my shaft slid in. Again like Jade, it was as if her body welcomed penetration, letting me slip deeper than our awkward position should’ve allowed. Having blown it into Primavera seemed to do nothing to reduce the almost uncontrollable smoke battering at my composure.

I slowly pulled my hips up, lifting my cock up and away. Primavera moved drowsily, just as anypony I’d blown smoke into had, but she grabbed at my flanks and tried to pull me back. I gave her what she wanted and drove myself deep, Primavera clumsily angling her head to take cock clear into her throat and still trying to lean up for more. The pleasure of her throat squeezing my shaft made me shudder so hard I nearly lost my balance on the cart. The slip forced me balls deep, awkward angle or not, and Primavera began to shudder helplessly in her most powerful orgasm of the night, gushing messily and causing the dessert cart to rattle underneath us. I ground myself against her muzzle before lifting up enough to allow her air.

As Primavera squirmed underneath me I caught my breath enough to speak again. Shimmer and Bruises were both just standing there, obviously aroused. The smoke rushed, barely contained. Primavera could take a little more. “Don’t just stand there you two. If she’s going to enjoy being put in her place, put her there!” Each mare leaned down and took a teat in her mouth, Shimmer looking toward Primavera to watch the reaction, Bruises just looking happy not to stand there and watch. The effect was immediate. Barely coming down from the orgasm that’d caused her to squirt seconds before, Primavera screamed with pleasure around my dick, making me shudder and drop it back into her throat. There was no attempt to pull my flanks down this time, no clumsy angling of her neck. With my stallionhood buried clear to her oversensitive throat and a mare on each teat, all Primavera was capable of was convulsively shaking beneath me. The pleasure was fantastic. I began to buck her face with long, slow strokes and whimpers escaped the pinned mare.

I built my tempo, pushing into soft mouth and firm throat until I shuddered again myself at a pair of tongues lapping at my balls where they sat on Primavera’s face. Day Planner and Deep Tissue had moved around while I was preoccupied, and were each putting their own mouths to work teasing me. I pulled up once more, and the mares moved with me, their lips chasing my crotch as it moved. Already panting myself, I struggled to maintain rhythm and balance as two mares rolled my balls on their tongues while a third took my bone balls deep. It was a losing battle. All that pleasure, with Shimmer and Bruises nursing at Primavera’s tiny, soft teats in front of me was just more I could take, and I dropped my hips as far as they’d go one last time, spraying Primavera’s insides wildly. The smoke I’d struggled so hard to keep in line was wild as lights flashed in front of my eyes and I wobbled, falling to my knees. Gout after gout poured into Primavera, and driven by the smoke, she swallowed faster than any normal mare could. As her stomach tightened underneath me, I was lifted out, seed spraying Primavera’s face, mane, and neck. Barely able to think straight, I forced down the smoke and let my orgasm dwindle. Over my shoulder, Day Planner and Deep Tissue’s relationship was more obvious than ever: identical impish smiles lit by the yellow glow of their horns. They’d lifted me for one last dose of revenge. It was enough. With Bruises help, I got up and off Primavera.

Despite the mess, with four unicorns working to get the kitchen back in order, cleanup was matter of minutes. The Tall Tail had closed while I was buried in Primavera’s mouth, and we slipped out the back and into my apartment, Primavera still incoherent as she floated in the air behind Bruises. Day and Deep Tissue hadn’t been willing to clean the object of their grudge. She’d been rolled out, still on the dessert cart to control drips as far as The Tall Tail’s back door. Day ran up to get a blanket for Bruises to wrap our new hire in while Shimmer and Deep Tissue took the cart back and cleaned it. A group effort, through and through.

* * * * *

I woke the next morning to pleasure between my legs and groaned. No matter how good it felt, it was too early, and I groaned. “Jade? Sniffing’s fine, but let me sleep…”

My eyes shot open when Jade’s voice came from the far side of my bedroom. “Sir? I’m over here.” Jade was behind the camera again, snapping shots as a pale green mane bobbed on my shaft. Shocked as I was, let it continue, leaning back with a hoof on my face.

I’d washed Primavera off and sent her to the guest room the night before. Making sure the smoke had worked had been a waste of time. Either Day was better at using it than I was, or fear worked wonders for driving home a pony’s new rules. With her sucking me off to say “good morning,” there was no doubt: she wanted to be on my good side. I reached down and flipped up Primavera’s tail as Jade snapped shots from behind. The restaurateur blushed as her pussy was caught on film, but didn’t even slow down her service. I took a deep breath and ensured the even the smoke flitting about peacefully at that hour was pushed down and shot my load, holding Primavera’s head in place as she swallowed.

I pulled my hoof away and let Primavera up. It was hard not to smile, but I managed. “Alright, what was that about?”

Primavera’s pale yellow ears drooped. “I… I just want to make sure I keep you happy. I was here, and…” Primavera looked at the sheet, obviously intimidated already. None of the fight she’d had in her when I’d offered buyouts in the past, much less what Day had endured, showed at all. It was a promising start.

I lifted Primavera’s chin with a hoof. “Keeping me happy is a good plan, but let’s get you straightened out. I don’t want you blowing me out of fear. I don’t want you doing anything out of fear, if last night made things clear. You work for me now, but I take care of my girls. That includes you. Do good work, and you’ll keep me happy. Terrorizing you is not part of the long term plan. I want my girls happy.”

Primavera looked up, shocked, and I felt the need to clarify. “Don’t get the wrong idea, Primavera. Day still hates you, and she’s my right hoof. You deserve to lose everything, throwing pans and terrorizing your staff. I’m not giving anything back. But I’m not taking anything else, either, if you do good work. You still have your kitchen, your reputation, and I plan on staying hooves off as long as bits keep coming and I don’t hear any horror stories. When I get hooves on, you do as you’re told, though. Got it?”

Primavera nodded sharply. “Yes, Mr. Deal, sir. Th…thank you. My restaurant is everything. So much work, so many years, I—”

“That’s enough. No sirs, no bowing and scraping. If ponies think the partnership’s not equal, that’s fine. If they think you’re behaving because getting your act together is part of the deal, that’s fine. Unequal partnerships aren’t that odd, and mergers can come with culture changes. If ponies think you’re kissing my hooves, scared silly, or anything else that makes me look dirty, that’s not fine.”

“Today though, there are hooves you need to kiss. You made Pirouette cry yesterday. You’re going to go downstairs and think up the best apology you can. Until she forgives you, I won’t.” I left out that I needed forgiveness just as badly.

Primavera nodded, and I motioned her off my bed. “I need breakfast. Nice work with the camera, by the way, Jade.” Jade smiled happily and fell in beside me to assist with my morning routine as Primavera saw herself out.

Breakfast and the rest of the routine were rushed. I wasn’t worried about Primavera making trouble, especially not today. I was worried about Pirouette getting to the club without me ready to make my apology. Primavera’s apology being delivered without mine would be a mistake I’d hear about for far too long.

Day Planner arrived before Pirouette, to find Primavera and I waiting with soft cider at a table on the show floor to deliver our apologies. She glared at Primavera in passing, but her expression softened a lot when our eyes met. Primavera remained nervous, caught in a mix of fear, relief, and the way she kept touching her glass to her tongue, probably more. Whether or not her restaurant would keep her name was still in the air, but I was having trouble coming up with any reason to hurt her any further.

When Pirouette came in, the glare she shot Primavera was nearly equal to Day’s. Before I could even nudge her, Primavera leapt to he hooves, and from there to her knees. “P-Pirouette! I… I’m horribly sorry. I went much, much too far. I’m a conservative mare, and cabarets are… strange to me, but that doesn’t mean it should be torn down! I look forward to working with you and serving your customers when we open up the wall!

Just like that, Primavera was gone, rushing behind the bar to fetch the breakfast she’d put together for Pirouette—on the same cart we’d abused the night before. As she brought it out, I stood much more calmly.

“Sorry, Pirouette. Primavera will never hassle you again. We merged, in fact. More business, and I promise you she’ll be completely respectful, and will make sure her staff is, too.” I sighed. “As for me, I’ll be much more careful with my libido. I won’t promise to settle down; that’d be a lie. But I won’t let my dick risk your reputation anymore, or your girls’. Forgive me?”

Pirouette sighed. “Sit down, Done.”

A lecture. I could handle that if it made Pirouette feel better. I turned back to my chair and lowered my haunches—and screamed bouncing straight back up again as something in the cushion burst, sending ice cold water all over my hindquarters! Twisting in mid-air, I saw Shimmering Scales trot proudly from the back room, the cushion I’d been on moments before floating in the air along with her. As I tried to wring out my tail, shivering enough to make that a challenge, Pirouette burst into gales of laughter. Shimmer joined her, and the pair knocked their hooves together in triumph. Teeth chattering or not, I couldn’t help but laugh with them. Honestly, Shimmer, I thought. How could such silly ponies ever be villains?