Smoke

“Jade, enough. I swear, you’re as bad as Pirouette lately.” I ruffled Jade’s bangs, and caught her sniffing at my foreleg before I pulled my hoof back. There was no mare I couldn’t distract when it suited me. Except Pirouette. And Day Planner. And Desert Rose. My sense of triumph vanished quickly, and I silently thanked Jade for being Jade. “I’m much better today. I got out of bed without help, didn’t I? No Bruises, no leaning on the wall on the way to the kitchen. I can manage alone today.”

Jade nodded, her eyes a bit glassy still from the buzz she got sniffing me. “Okay…” My left ear twitched a bit as I wondered if that wasn’t just a bit too distracted. Still, with Jade smiling and taking a seat, it was my chance to end the fussing over my back and get down to the office. I turned, wincing just a bit at a minor twinge—nothing compared to what I’d dealt with for the last month—and started down the steps. A little tooth gritting was a small price to pay not to feel like an invalid again. By the halfway point, I was smiling, twinges or not.

And then I wasn’t, as an imaginary knife sent very real pain shooting up my back. My foreleg gave out just as I put weight on it, and suddenly I was tumbling headfirst down the stairs. Light, dark, ow, light, dark, ow, light, dark, door—ow. I landed on my head, hind legs rolled over nearly far enough to kick myself in the muzzle, and on top of pain from every part of my body, my own tail was tickling my face. A scream came from the top of the stairs, and Jade rushed down after me, tears in her eyes. She didn’t make it first, though. The door opened to reveal Day Planner, unmoved as she glanced down at my face, half obscured by my own ass.

“What’s the saying, Mr. Deal? Pride cometh before a—”

I might actually have thrown something at her if I could’ve reached anything. Or moved. “Don’t say it, Day.”

“—fall, I believe.”

“You’re fired, Day.”

“Reschedule the doctor’s appointment you skipped? Right away, Mr. Deal.” Day trotted away, not smirking, but her nose was just a hair higher than usual.

I keeled over onto my side with a groan.

Though I was sprawled out instead of rolled up when Day returned, I hadn’t actually bothered getting off the floor. Two attempts, each of which had caused me to scream, were enough to convince me that hardwood really was rather comfortable in certain circumstances. Poor Jade had run back upstairs, nearly tripping over the pillows and ice pack she brought on her way back down. That was how Day found me when she returned: sprawled across the floor as if I’d been killed, except for the pillow-and-ice-sandwich my head had become. I thought I saw the corners of her mouth turn up, just the slightest bit.

“I managed to get you an appointment for ‘as soon as I can haul your carcass there,’ Mr. Deal. It seems Dr. String was rather agitated that you’ve put this off for so long. In fact…” Day’s hint of a smile grew ear to ear and her horn lit.

“Uhh… Day? Why are you—” My tail floated up between my legs, and I was dragged across the floor toward the door, with Bright Jade trotting alongside, frowning at my treatment. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” I tried to twist and get away, only to curl in pain as my back objected.

“Doctor’s orders. ‘Drag him by the tail if you have to.’ Bruises isn’t here, and I could barely lift your back half with Deep’s help, so I have to.” Day’s voice was absolutely calm. This wasn’t bothering her in the slightest. She pushed open the door and trotted through proudly, towing me magically—closer and closer to the stairs.

Jade ran around in front of us, standing at the top of the stairs wide-eyed, and shaking her head frantically. “You can’t! The stairs will hurt him! He fell down one flight already, Day!” I sighed. Day had always enjoyed tormenting me a bit, but there was no chance she’d actually drag me down a flight of stairs. With Jade being so completely sincere, though, Day didn’t drop the act.

“The doctor wants him there immediately, Jade. You know I never miss appointments. There’s no other way.” Day took another step forward, and Jade put her hooves against the railing, blocking the staircase entirely.

I groaned, not about my back, but at Jade’s gullibility. “Run fast, Jade. If you can get back with Bruises fast enough, Day will wait. I’m sure.”

Jade didn’t even nod. She spun and took off down the stairs, three at a time, making nearly as much noise as Bruises herself would’ve on the cast iron. Day stifled a laugh. “It’s just as well. I really don’t want any further delays, and I really can’t just drag you down the street.”

“But dragging me down a cast iron staircase is fine?” I crossed my front legs across my chest.

“You’ve got pillows.” Day trotted back into the office without a backward glance and shut the door, leaving me lying at the top of the stairs to wait for help. I lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling and plotting my revenge until I heard the door open and ponies panting below. I didn’t need to see them to know they’d run full tilt the whole way. I couldn’t imagine Bruises would let anything keep her from saving me from being dragged down the stairs—or that she’d even question it if anypony told her it was happening.

“I’m up here, you two. Don’t run; Day was joking.”

Bruises didn’t even bother with the stairs. From the bottom, she floated me down and onto her back, bringing the pillows with me and holding me in place as if her back were a bed. She wasted no time. “Hospital, right, boss?”

I sighed. “Dr. String, Bruises. Private practice, just a couple blocks up Main, then left on—woah!” We were already out the door, with Bright Jade trailing behind, yelling at us to wait for her.

We reached the doctor’s office in no time, and it was just what I’d expected. Interrogation, poking, prodding, X-rays. It was no wonder stallions went to so much effort to avoid seeing doctors, and I’d made the mistake of picking mine based on a pretty, friendly receptionist—who quit before my second appointment, leaving me with one of Manehatten’s sternest, least patient doctors, and a bad case of buyer’s remorse. Dr. String knew his work, though, and as rarely as I visited, I’d never seen the point in wasting time finding a new doctor. As I lay face down in his office, he made me regret that decision, thoroughly.

“This was incredibly foolish, Mr. Deal. Back injuries are not to be treated lightly! You’re badly strained here and here.” Dr. String stabbed roughly at spots on either side of my spine, as if I didn’t already know where it hurt worst, and as if I needed to be poked there. It was all I could do not to yell for him to keep his damn hooves to himself, but I was afraid that if Bruises heard, she’d burst in from the waiting room to save me.

Dr. String tossed aside the clipboard he’d been levitating and looked at me directly. “Just what did you do to cause this?” I couldn’t very well explain that my masseuse had decided to try to kill me or paralyze me or some damn thing.

“I’d rather not go into that, Doc.” I was mumbling, my jaw blocked by the doctor’s bed he had me lying on. It just made me sound that much more helpless, something I was truly getting sick of.

“Of course you wouldn’t. Of course. You’d rather mess around for months, re-injuring yourself over and over—you do understand that those pains mean ‘stop that,’ right?—instead of getting your idiot plot in here to solve the problem.”

I kept myself from grumbling, and also from responding to what he’d actually said. It wouldn’t go well. “So, what now? Surgery? Traction? What?”

Dr. String covered the grumbling for me. “Impatient, stubborn, senseless… how can you even feel it with so little sense in that head of yours, Mr. Deal? Certainly, I could have you in traction for about a week, evaluate, put you through physical therapy to strengthen muscles you couldn’t move. Or you could get massage therapy, three times a week, until I say you’re done. As long as the therapist thinks you need, but I’m recommending a lot—two hours. Don’t even try to argue. Your secretary, that poor mare, made clear that you live directly above your business. You can afford the time; you’re not exactly trotting all over town. And speaking of that, once you get back on your hooves, I want you exercising! It’s only a couple of pounds now, but at your age, that’s one hoof on a slippery slope, Mr. Deal.”

I tuned him out. When I got back on my hooves, I was planning on celebrating with so many of my girls I’d burn off every ounce I’d put on while hurt and more. The massage therapy wasn’t going to be a tough sell either; an excuse for several massages a week almost made the pain worth it.

“—ecommending Light Touch or Brick Wall, but any licensed massage therapist will do. Are you listening, Mr. Deal?”

“Yeah, three long massages a week. Licensed therapist. I’ll do it, Doc, don’t worry.” Dr. String frowned down his nose at me, unconvinced.

“See that you do. I will see you again in two weeks.” Dr. String marched to the door and called out to Bruises. “You can get him out of here.”

As Bruises trotted into the room, I rolled onto my side, gasping at the sudden agony. “Hey, Doc, about the pain?”

He didn’t even look back as he trotted out of the room. “You made it this long. Get something at the drug store; it’s obviously not so bad you need a prescription, or you’d have come in.”

Bright Jade winced more than once at my choice words about Dr. String on the way back to The Tall Tail.

* * * * *

At my insistence, Bruises had put me down at my desk instead of in bed. I needed to take a look at the therapy plans Dr. String had sent me back with, and I had a firm rule against paperwork where I relax. Unfortunately, that meant that Day Planner jumped out of her skin when I saw the prices and screamed. I didn’t even give her a chance to lecture. “What is this? Double? Triple Deep’s price? I wouldn’t pay myself that much for an hour’s work!”

Day Planner glared as she left her desk to see what had me so upset, but when she saw the numbers, her own eyes popped wide open, too. “That’s… not economical. Surely it’s for a hou—no housecalls. For any of them!” Day frowned deeply, her usually stern expression even more so. “It’s been long enough, don’t you think, Mr. Deal? Deep’s been taking it poorly, and she’d absolutely—”

“No.” I slid the papers back and acted like I was poring over the details. I’d wanted to give Deep a few days of silent treatment, but when my back really went out, the pain had kept me angry. Day frowned even more deeply, but kept quiet for a moment before taking the papers away from me.

“Let me take care of it, sir. I’ll find you somepony cheaper. You really do need to get this done, and you can’t do the legwork right now.” I sighed, but she was right.

“Fine. I can’t keep this up forever. But I don’t want to see Deep again until after my back is fixed.” I turned to other papers on my desk. My workload was reduced with my back out, but Day still had papers waiting for me, and I hadn’t had the chance to deal with them while lying on the floor that morning.

Day Planner nodded and took the medical papers with her as she returned to her desk. “I understand, sir. She’ll… be glad to hear there’s an end in sight.”

I winced. That’s how it was, though: as long as I couldn’t even walk around comfortably, just seeing Deep Tissue was off the table.

Bruises hadn’t left after setting me down, but she was starting to look uncomfortable. I’d tried explaining to her, but it just went over her head. Deep was sorry and I wanted massages, and that was as far as anything mattered to her. Even without the big mare’s unhappy expression, the mood in the room had gone south. I struggled to my hooves, and Bruises’ mood jumped to worry as she wrapped me in magic again, holding me still.

Ears back and eyes pleading, she whined at me to behave. “Boooooss! You’re supposed to stay still! Doctor said!”

He hadn’t, not in so many words, but if pain meant “stop that,” then I’d been told to knock it off about five times as I stood. I offered Bruises a smile and patted the side of her neck, wincing my leg hurt the from the fall. “You’re right. But I can’t stand paperwork right now. Help me go see what the girls are doing downstairs?”

Upset just a moment before, Bruises’ eyes lit up at the idea of being helpful, and she gently lifted me onto her back again. “Sure!” Bruises lowered her voice, but not nearly enough to keep Day Planner from hearing. “Um, she’s not going to get mad is she?” Exasperated, I buried my face in Bruises’ mane and waited for the sarcasm. It didn’t come.

Day Planner didn’t even turn from her work. “It’s fine, Parapet. Mr. Deal is in no condition to sit at a desk for long periods. Take him down.”

Bruises nodded cheerfully and started for the door, opening it as she approached, but until Day Planner was out of view, my eyes were on her back. She’d said almost nothing about Deep since the night at Primavera, but it must’ve been bothering her more than she let on. The door closed behind us, and as we reached the bottom of the stairs, my head turned toward Shimmer’s voice at a table on the show floor.

“All I’m saying is, if he likes pictures of pretty mares, he’ll like them even more if you’re better at taking them. Maybe a class. Or even just practice! I wouldn’t mind a photo or two of myself like this, if you took extras.” Shimmer and Jade were sitting together before the dancers and customers arrived for the night’s show. Shimmer’s “scales” were on full display, as usual when she could get away with it, and Jade… just looked confused.

“But he didn’t tell me to.” I sighed as Bruises walked us closer. Loyalty was great, but sooner or later Jade was going to cause questions if she didn’t learn to act more normally. Shimmer sighed too and looked back at me as we approached.

“Mr. Deal, you’d like it if Jade practiced and took better pictures, right?”

I nodded, still on Bruises’ back. As ridiculous as I looked, it had become a common sight. “Sure. I’d also like it if you didn’t discuss just what kind of pictures she takes for me. Pirouette would level the block.”

Ignoring my last comment, Shimmering Scales turned back to Jade triumphantly. “See? He’d like you to practice! You can take some pictures of me, since you weren’t upstairs when we…” Shimmer blushed a little at the memory. “Well, you know.”

It was true: Jade had missed a golden opportunity that night. Just as I was wondering if I should get somepony to play Redheart’s part, Jade’s head cocked and she argued, confused. “But I was! You were all asleep!”

Shimmer and I blinked, surprised. “What?” Bruises laughed at us saying the same thing at once, but it was only natural.

Jade, however, only looked even more confused. “Didn’t I show you? I’ll go get them!” Before I could tell her it wasn’t necessary right that minute, Jade was halfway up the stairs. I shook my head, smiling.

“Not a bad idea having her practice photography, Shimmer.” I could swear I saw Shimmer puff up proudly.

Pirouette had been adjusting curtains on the stage, absorbed in her work, but Jade’s rush up the stairs drew her attention, and she joined us at the table. “Having her practice anything would be a good idea, Done. She’s a good girl, but dancing isn’t really her destiny. With me back on stage, I don’t have the time to try and drill her anymore.”

I nodded, hoping Pirouette would shoo before Jade got back. “She’s been messing with my camera, and does a decent job. I’ll just give it to her. When was the last time I used it?”

Pirouette scoffed, sitting and folding her front legs as her ears leaned back. “More importantly, when was the last time you gave her anything?”

Bruises turned to let me face Pirouette properly. “I try! I’ve offered her clothes, jewelry, books, sweets, you name it! She never wants anything!” I craned my neck to face Shimmer as best I could. “Hey, Shimmer, you seem to get along well with Day. She’s upset, probably because I’m still on the outs with her sister. Could you talk to her, see if there’s a solution?” Pirouette was about to start on me; I didn’t want it to happen in front of Shimmer, and I did want Day’s mood improved. I wasn’t angry with her, after all.

Shimmer nodded and headed upstairs as Pirouette frowned. “Done Deal, don’t you change the subject. That mare works her tail off for you. If she likes taking pictures, you can do better than giving her your old camera.” I blinked. I’d expected much worse.

“That’s reasonable. Hey, Bruises, you think Exposé would mind recommending—oh no.”

Pirouette turned, following my eyes. Jade was standing at the bottom of the stairs, with a nice, large print of me held in her mouth. I was sound asleep, but tangled in Shimmer’s snake tail dress, my dick deep inside her, with Redheart clinging to me from behind.

Pirouette’s jaw dropped, and I knew that I wasn’t going to be let off easy again. As Pirouette slowly turned back to me, I swatted Bruises’ side. “Run, Bruises! As fast as you can!”

Not even Bruises had trouble understanding the look on Pirouette’s face. “You got it, boss!” We were out the door and half a block away before Pirouette even had time to yell.

* * * * *

Exposé had fussed and almost started yelling—right in front of the reception desk of the Manehattan Times, no less. “I am not a photography instructor! What do I care which camera you get some mare? I don’t even know her!”

I rolled my eyes. I knew she’d do it eventually. She just wanted to be begged, but I had other ideas. Since we weren’t moving and Bruises wasn’t holding me in place, I just slipped off, right in front of Exposé. That left me lying on the ground in far more real pain than I’d hoped for, but it got what I wanted. Bruises panicked, and Exposé showed her true colors, running over to check on me. I cheated.

“Please, ow, Exposé? As a personal favor?” Propped on one leg, it looked like a dying stallion in the reception of her office, giving a last wish, and Bruises turned from me to give Exposé puppy dog eyes, while her coworkers stared at the scene in a mix of amusement and confusion.

Exposé looked back and forth between us, then noticed the growing crowd, and let out an amazing wordless shriek of frustration, wings spread. “Fine! Fine, I’ll teach her, when I have time!” She grabbed a paper from the receptionist’s desk, ignoring protests, and scribbled something on it. “Buy her those, and go away! And don’t get cheap; I’m not teaching somepony to use junk!”

* * * * *

Hours had passed when Bruises and I headed back to The Tall Tail, an offensively expensive bag from a photography shop floating beside us in Bruises’ grip as we stepped inside, minutes before Bruises was due to take her position at the door. As she walked me toward the stairs, Pirouette glared at us from the stage. I lifted the camera out of the bag, which probably wasn’t the best idea considering the photo she’d seen. Pirouette just sighed and got back to work though, and Bruises and I were able to head up without being attacked.

Day Planner practically pounced as we entered the office. “Mr. Deal, there you are! I found one. There’s a zebra practicing massage therapy, not in the best part of town, but her recommendations are stellar. My guess is that she only recently set up shop, and couldn’t afford a nicer location.”

I frowned. “If she’s just moved in and not in a good location, how are her recommendations stellar?”

Day gave me a flat look, the one reserved for me when something was my own fault. “I sent poor Pirouette. After seeing that photograph Jade rushed through with, she needed it before the show tonight.”

Groaning, I shook my head. “Is she going to make Shimmer play more pranks on me?”

Day Planner shrugged. “If I have anything to do with your comeuppance, Mr. Deal, it’d be to schedule it when it won’t interfere with your work, nothing more.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I assume you made an appointment? The sooner this is done with the better—for my business, and for Deep.”

Day’s lips tightened ever so slightly when I mentioned her sister. I was about to apologize when she nodded. “Yes, sir. She’s going to be delighted.”

I nodded. “Let me down, Bruises. I’ve been toted around far too much for one day.” With a nod of her own, Bruises lowered me to my desk chair, and I turned back to Day. “So, when? Tomorrow morning, I hope.”

Day shook her head and floated over a page torn from her notebook. “Ansaza, massage therapy, zebra style. Day, this is three days out!” I frowned at Day. Her task was difficult; massage therapy wasn’t cheap, but I’d hoped for a good price sooner.

“I’m sorry, sir, but Light Touch actually raised her price when I tried to talk her down, and Brick Wall… you don’t want him, sir. I can try again tomorrow if—”

“No, don’t bother, Day. Considering all the trotting around you must’ve done while I was out, if this is all you found, anything else would just take longer. Honestly, I’m impressed you went as far as you did in just a few hours.” The address on the card was a good half hour each way, at least. Day must’ve been hustling; she deserved some praise. “Thank you, Day. You did good work as always. I’m just in a bad mood.”

Day turned and lifted her saddlebags over her back. It was after her quitting time, after all. “Were you sir? I’d never have guessed.”

There was the Day Planner I knew so well. “Have a good night, Day. Tell Deep it won’t be too much longer.”

Day smiled just a bit, happy for her sister I guessed. “Indeed. Try to get some rest, sir.”

Bruises headed down to her place at the door while I waited in my office for Jade to finish for the night, a small pile of presents for her on my desk.

* * * * *

The next two days saw me not leaving my apartment unless it was on Bruises’ back. I was confident it wasn’t necessary, but after falling down the stairs, the pressure from basically everypony to take things easy was mounting. So for two days, I lay there, bored to tears while Jade spent the time figuring out the basics of her new camera, surprisingly quickly. Whatever Jade was missing, it wasn’t determination. Shimmer however was far busier than expected with “things,” and so instead of a pretty model, Jade’s pictures were of me or furniture. I don’t think I’d ever been that bored before or since.

Finally, the day of my appointment rolled around. The pain from my fall was all but gone, and getting a nice, long massage was exactly what I wanted after two solid days on my back. Jade was practically begging me to slow down and be careful as I got up, ate, and—very, very carefully—climbed down the stairs to the office. Day Planner was waiting in the office, but in front of the stairs, and I stopped dead.

“What’s wrong, Day?” Something had to be, if she wasn’t at her desk. She shook her head, though, and levitated my fedora from the hat rack to my head.

“Nothing is wrong, Mr. Deal. Where’s Jade? I was going to send her with you,” Day responded calmly. “You’ve ridden around on Bruises too much lately, Mr. Deal. Limber up a little on the way. I won’t send you alone, but Jade should be fine. It’ll give her a chance to take pictures of something besides your apartment.”

I didn’t have so much time before my appointment that I could walk to Bruises’ place if she wasn’t already at the club. “Whatever, Day. She should be in the living room; I’ll just yell—”

“My ears don’t need that, Mr. Deal. I’ll get her.” Day ignored my frown and trotted calmly past me and up into my apartment, coming down a later with Jade, camera around her neck, saddlebags full on either side. They’d only taken three times longer than necessary.

“Sorry for making you wait, sir!” Jade trotted straight to my side and leaned against me, propping me up the way she had when I’d wobbled getting out of bed, and Day finally got to work at her desk. “It took a bit to get my camera stuff into the saddlebags.” I sighed.

“It’s alright, Jade. Do you really need all of it, though? We’ll only be out for three hours or so.” It wasn’t Jade’s doing, but I couldn’t help being annoyed—and those were expensive lenses to drag around for nothing.

“She won’t learn if she’s not using them, Mr. Deal.” Day was back to working without looking my way, same as usual, and the clock was ticking. I gave up, and just hoped Jade wouldn’t lose anything important.

“Just be careful with it, Jade. It’s expensive.” Jade nodded sharply, and tightened the belt on her saddlebags enough to look uncomfortable.

“You don’t—never mind. Let’s get going.”

“Yes sir!” Jade rushed ahead, getting the door for me and carefully leading me down the stairs. And I’d thought walking would make me feel less like a geriatric case. It was far too early for any employees on the cabaret side of the building, other than Strawberry who waved cheerfully as we left. I sighed and tried to focus on what was coming to me. If anything would brighten my mood again, it was thinking about a massage.

And in fact, it did. By the time we started approaching slightly more rundown buildings, I was nearly up to a canter, even if I was wincing every other step or so. Jade fussed and fretted and asked me to slow down, but with my massage in sight, that was out of the question. Jade ended up circling me almost non-stop, pushing against any leaning she saw (or thought she saw) for the last half mile or so. It was so ridiculous, I couldn’t even be bothered to tell her to stop.

Finally, the building was in sight. I couldn’t help but frown as I realized it was residential—just an apartment building. I wasn’t expecting fancy, not in that part of town, but I did expect better than working out of their home. I sighed and felt myself deflate a bit. Jade looked up at me, worried, and I shook my head. “It’s fine, Jade. What matters is whether or not this ‘Ansaza’ can give the massage therapy I need.” Jade pushed the door open, and we stepped in.

As disappointing as the outside was, the inside at least looked professional, welcoming, and surprisingly well appointed, if not exactly expensive. A pegasus, golden-orange with a slightly out of place blue mane and big, round glasses smiled from behind a desk as we entered. “Mr. Deal, right?” I nodded, and the mare checked off something on a clipboard. “Ansaza’s getting some scented candles ready, and you’re not due for another five minutes, so would you mind waiting? I can get you some tea if you’d like.”

I shook my head. “No thank you, miss—”

“Amber. Amber Glow.”

I managed not to make the obvious comment about her name matching her coat. “Thank you, but I’ll just wait.” I took one of the plush seats.

Amber nodded. “Now, just so you’re aware, Ansaza… well, she can’t speak. She’ll understand you just fine if you say you don’t like something, or that what she’s doing helps, but the poor thing is mute. Born that way.”

That certainly wasn’t something I was expecting. I preferred to be able to communicate with the people working for me, even if they weren’t employees, but it couldn’t be helped, and certainly wasn’t Ansaza’s fault. “Thanks for the warning. It would’ve been awkward trying to get a response from her.”

Amber nodded, and a zebra appeared from around a corner. Her mane stood tall, like zebras’ do, but was exaggerated—it stood taller, arching nearly to her muzzle, and was obviously the product of a mane kept long and a lot of hair spray. It didn’t look bad on her, but I had to imagine it took hours of work. The zebra gestured around the corner from which she’d come.

“Ansaza is ready, Mr. Deal. Your secretary told us what kind of injuries you have, so just go ahead and lie down on the massage table, face down. She’ll take care of the rest, and if she needs you to roll, she’ll tap on your side. Enjoy, and thank you for choosing us for your therapy!”

I gave Amber a smile as Jade helped me back to my hooves, and followed Ansaza back around the corner. I caught myself glancing at her flanks, but for nothing: Her entire rear half was covered in a sort of wrap, decorated in colorful zig-zags. Only the end of her striped tail protruded. With Jade’s help, I struggled up onto the massage table, and lowered my muzzle into the space for it.

“All set, Ansaza. I’ve been hurting for months; let’s see what you can do.” I settled in a little better, and Ansaza took her place beside me, hooves starting with gentle rubbing along my back, just over where Deep had savaged me months before. I winced, half legitimately and half by reflex, but Ansaza’s touch was as light as could be, and the pain was hardly a problem. Ansaza’s hooves jerked away instantly, though.

“It’s alright, Ansaza. I’m going to wince. I’m kind of in rough shape. Fell down the stairs because of this the day my secretary contacted you, in fact. Just do what’s going to fix me; I’ll suck it up.”

I heard the zebra gasp, then sigh, and her hooves returned to my back. Normally, such a light touch would’ve lulled me to sleep in minutes, especially the way I’d been waking up every time I rolled wrong. There was no chance of it in Ansaza’s massage parlor though, with each gentle touch bringing up the aches I usually only felt moving. I distracted myself by looking around as best I could, studying the room.

Every wall was bright white, obvious even in the corner, in which Ansaza worked by the light of colorful candles, reflecting from bright mirrors. I hadn’t noticed it when I came in, but the scent of fresh paint was still just barely noticeable behind all the candles. A few more decorations stood out here: zebra masks, wicker baskets, and brightly colored, unlabled jars. Glancing sideways at one of the mirrors used to reflect candlelight, I could see Ansaza herself, white and gray striped, with a dark black tip to her muzzle, and equally dark streaks in her mane and tail, which swished side to side in frustration as she worked. Not exactly the friendliest body language.

“Yeah. I’m annoyed too. Would you believe it was a massage that actually did all this damage in the first place? Haven’t talked to her since that night. Hurts too much, keeps making me angry all over again. Feel bad for her, though. Apparently she’s pretty torn up about it.”

Ansaza stopped and took a deep breath before resuming. The feather-light touch she’d been using was replaced by gentle, but firm pressure working out the knots in a small portion of my back. The pain was much worse, and I gasped between words as I continued. “You’re actually really good at this. If you’re willing to work for somepony else, have your assistant get in touch with my secretary. I own a parlor in a nicer part of town. I’m sure we can find work for her, too, of course. The mare who did this to me runs the place. She’s normally amazing. Too good to let go, even after this.”

Some of the strength went out of Ansaza’s hooves. “I’m sorry. It’s an unpleasant story. Am I upsetting you? I’m used to just talking with her while she—”

“I’m sorry!” The words rolled off of Ansaza’s “mute” tongue with no trouble, and no zebra accent. And with the tremble of a sob.

I twisted on the table, trying to face the fake zebra, but screamed in agony at the sudden motion and collapsed face down on the table. Jade rushed to my side, trying to push me back where I belonged, while Ansaza gasped and cried out, “Don’t move! Please, you’ll hurt yourself!”

As Jade shoved me back into place, and “Ansaza” struggled to keep my back straight, I clenched my jaw. A whole sentence was enough: I knew the voice. “Deep Tissue. What the buck is going on here?”

She didn’t reply. Deep Tissue flopped down over my withers, her black and white mane dangling over my face as she shook with tears. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, Done! Celestia, I’ll do anything, just please, stop keeping me away!” I looked at her from the corner of my eye. Her black tipped muzzle was streaked, black drops falling to the floor.

“Roll me over. Carefully. So this is how Day found somepony with a sane price.” Deep scrambled off of me and she and Jade slowly turned me so I never twisted. The location in a freshly painted apartment suddenly made sense. I rubbed at my eyes with a hoof and wondered just how much of the wait for my appointment was to set up the sham, and whose apartment had been converted. I was no sooner on my back than Deep Tissue was holding me, begging again. Ordinarily, crying like that would break me in no time, but besides the trickery, I just didn’t get this. Deep wasn’t really swimming in trust since injuring my back, and she was definitely a bit manipulative. If this was an act…

“Why, Deep? Why the waterworks? Day’s said you want back into my good graces, but I barely touched you with the—”I glanced toward the corner where I assumed Amber still sat, probably wondering what in Tartarus she’d been rooked into, and lowered my voice. “—with the smoke. I definitely didn’t do anything to have you sobbing like this.”

Deep looked up at me, eyes starting to turn red from the crying. “I know! You said that, and Day kept telling me you wouldn’t lie about it. Done, I’m miserable because I love you!”

I’ll admit it, I was lost. I didn’t do that to her. I hadn’t taken her anywhere romantic, hadn’t made any kind of promises. I was friendly, and let her get away with flirting. I’d trusted her, and treated her like any other pony working for me… aside from a bit more sex, I suppose. I didn’t get it. “Why, Deep? I’ve been good to you, but as a boss, not a coltfriend.”

Deep looked crushed, and I forced myself not to wince. Anger at her or not, mistrust or not, the whole crying mare thing was starting to get to me. I forced myself not to back down, and waited for Deep’s answer.

She sniffed gracelessly before speaking, and looked down as she began. “You make me happy. Every time I touch you, every time I rub my cheek against yours. Just now, when I started crying, I was happy! You were here, and not out of reach anymore. When we buck… no, it quit being that. When I make love to you, and I know you’re feeling it, I’m happy! You did do that to me; you made me love making you feel good, Done,” Deep sniffed again, looked up, and held me tighter, “but what do you think is going to happen to a girl who’s always happy when a certain somepony’s around? Maybe being younger would’ve spoiled it before, but you treat me and Day right, all the time. You take care of us. You’re a better stallion than I’ve ever met that way, and I’m happy all the time around you! Of course I’m going to fall in love! You didn’t make me, but it’s your fault. And all this crying is mine, because I didn’t trust you!” Deep lowered her face to my chest, crying quietly, and I tilted my muzzle to avoid getting hit by her styled mane. I’d had enough of this. She certainly had.

I lifted a hoof to stroke her dyed mane, gasping slightly at pain from the motion. Deep’s crying quieted a bit almost instantly, and she looked up at me again. “Please, Done, please! Let me come back. I’ll do anything! You can… you can use that stuff if you have to, Done.”

“Come here, Deep.” She was already holding me, soaking my coat and staining it with whatever she had used to dye the tip of her muzzle, but her hind legs were still on the floor. I pushed on her side, and she hurriedly climbed up, laying on top of me, but supporting almost all of her own weight. I lifted my front legs to wrap them around her, and made a face at her huge mane.

Deep laughed, despite tears still flowing. “I was sure you were going to see through that awful thing.”

“I’m not as bright as you think.” With the hat gone, I resumed stroking her mane. “Do you want me to smoke you, Deep? It’d put all of this behind us, right now.”

Deep Tissue shook her head. “I… I don’t. Day’s happy, and you used it to give that bitch Primavera what she deserved, and… I guess if your mares are happy, who cares? But that’s what I want. To be one of your happy mares. I don’t really want that. Want the smoke stuff.”

I nodded. “I get it. You’ve been through enough, I think. I might be pretty demanding of you for a bit, but no more chasing you off. Massages in my apartment instead of coming to you. Maybe take advantage of the privacy.”

Deep forgot about my back, pressing herself against me tightly and sobbing again suddenly. “Thank you! Thank you!”

Smoke coiled around my hoof nearest Deep’s ears and snaked across her mane, crossing the lines of black and white streaks. It reached her ear and… I cut it off. The smoke blew away without a trace.

It was no sooner gone than a flash went off in the dim room, startling both Deep and me. I looked to the side, and Jade was fiddling with a lens on her camera. “It seemed important, sir. Could you go back to just holding her? I’m not sure I got a good shot.”

* * * * *

Day Planner turned from the work on her desk to address me. “Actually, Mr. Deal, it was entirely Shimmering Scales’ idea. You sent her up here to try to cheer me up, and she did. She was out the last two days, treating some rundown apartment like a stage, and bleaching or dying Deep’s coat and mane as needed.”

I sank into my chair, groaning. Of course. Day Planner had the skills and authority to find the right ponies and make it happen, not to do it herself, or to come up with the specifics. The whole act had Shimmering Scales’ name written all over it.

Jade tried to push me back into a proper posture, and grudgingly, I allowed it. Deep was in the room too, and if I slouched too long, she’d get involved.

“Why Jade though? I’m not buying that you wanted me to limber up.” Tricking me had worked out, but I couldn’t pretend I wasn’t annoyed when I’d been so clear.

Day Planner let a hint of a smile creep across her muzzle. “Bruises would’ve been more likely to let it slip, that’s all, Mr. Deal. Aside from her obsession with being useful to you, Jade’s a smart mare. Perhaps smarter than her boss.” Raking Day Planner over the coals would’ve been a lot more satisfying if she weren’t so icy the coals just froze.

I shot a look at Jade, who immediately looked concerned. “Did I do something wrong, sir? I just thought it would be good to get your back fixed, and getting you back to work seemed like a good idea! I’ll never do it again! I’ll do what you say and—” It would’ve been funny, if the most innocent pony in the room weren’t so obviously upset.

“Jade, stop. You’re not in trouble. These two,” I gestured at Day Planner and Deep still in her zebra get-up, “I might think up some kind of atonement for these two, but you’re fine. In fact, I think you’ve earned a reward.”

Jade’s astonishment was hard not to laugh at. “But you just gave me a camera! A really nice one, sir!”

I smiled and got to my hooves, wincing far less than usual thanks to Deep’s work, but that didn’t stop Jade from dancing all around me, trying to make sure I was steady. “That’s not the kind of reward I meant, and this is for doing such a good job taking care of me for months, Jade.”

Jade caught on and protested as I thought she would. “But your back!”

I just walked past her, toward the staircase. “Come on. I’m sure Deep won’t mind if she needs to redo my massage this evening.” Deep Tissue nodded, smiling ear to ear. “As long as I don’t get hurt badly, it’ll be fine.”

I opened the door, but was interrupted by Day Planner. “Mr. Deal. I know I haven’t exactly been merciful with the teasing since you were hurt, but I haven’t forgotten what you did for me, or that it was my little sister who hurt you, the same night. I owe you a large thank you, and the sooner you’re in condition to accept it, the better.” As if there were nothing more to say, she turned back to her work.

“I do too, Done, and an apology, besides. Maybe Day and I can team up. Make a day of it.” Deep winked conspiratorially, and quietly pointed at Day, whose cheeks were quickly turning pink.

I smirked. “Then you’d better do a good job getting me back on my hooves, Deep.”

I turned, finding the door open thanks to Jade, and started slowly up the steps, with her following behind, making occasional worried sounds, but Bruises wasn’t around to carry me up, and I’d had more than enough of that. We reached the living room and I paused to let my back calm down. Before I moved on, Jade was beside me, rubbing where she’d seen Deep rub earlier, and I laughed.

“I’m fine, Jade. Come on, let’s get in bed.”

“Yes sir!” I headed down the hall with Jade on my tail, climbed into bed with some effort, and… turned back to see Bright Jade setting up her new camera. I scratched my head, perplexed.

“Uh, Jade? It’s just us. You don’t have to take pictures now. Come here.”

I patted the bed next to me, but Jade explained from where she stood. “This camera has a timer, sir! If I do it right, I can make pictures of me for you!” Jade pushed the shutter button and quickly jumped up on the bed, flipping her tail over her back and smiling back at the camera. A second later, the flash went off. “See? Focus is tricky, but you don’t have pictures of me.”

Jade didn’t sound upset about that, but if making a set of pictures of us would make her feel useful, I was all for it. And frankly, Jade was well worth having pictures of. “Sounds like getting you that camera will be worth the bits, Jade.”

Jade smiled and grabbed a ball connected to the camera by a thin tube, before laying down with her muzzle between my legs, tail still flipped. I’d meant to take care of Jade, but objections died as she nuzzled my sheathe, smiling like I hadn’t seen since my back took a turn for the worse. She angled her head away from the camera and her soft tongue poked out, sliding over my still sheathed cock. I sighed happily at the pleasure, and Jade squished the little ball under her hoof, causing the camera to flash suddenly. I smiled at the realization that Jade would be in more than just solo pinups, and reached down to stroke her mane.

“Ahh, that’s nice, Jade. Lick a little harder.” I saw no point in stopping her if she wanted to service me, and the sooner I was out and hard, the sooner it could be less one sided, after all.

“Right away, sir!” Jade didn’t lift her muzzle at all, and hot breath tickled as she spoke. Jade’s tongue pressed as firmly as it could on my sheathe, leaving a slick, warm trail for her lips to slide across. She opened her mouth wide, wrapping my sheath in soft warmth, and sliding her head up and down the short length. From time to time, the camera flashed, usually when the pink of her tongue was stretched as much as possible. I found myself thinking happily about the erotic photos that’d come from this, and began slipping from my sheathe even faster than the heaven between my legs would normally cause. The bright, sparkling green of Jade’s muzzle stood out against the gray fur of my sheathe, and her dark green, carefully styled mane stood out against what she was doing—such a classy style seemed out of place on a mare so happily pressing her muzzle to my rising cock. The scene was even more erotic for the strangeness, and I sighed at not having paid more attention to how arousing my eager crystal mare could be.

With my shaft well out and stiffening each moment, Jade reached around it, cradling my dick to her lips and licking around the flare slowly, snapping shot after shot as her tongue traced it before sliding her mouth over the head entirely and moaning slightly as she squeezed her camera’s ball again and again. It was difficult to stop her and the wonderful pleasure, but I gently pushed her off, causing her to look worried.

I gently patted Jade’s head, smiling down at her. “I want to do something for you, Jade. My back’ll hold out a little while. Is there something you really enjoy?” Her answer was the last thing I expected.

“I’ve dreamed of how you took me ever since you did. In the cave, I mean, when you made me yours. I don’t know why, but it’s something I can’t stop remembering. Could you do that again? Or if it’s too much, just part? I really felt like I belonged to you when you mounted my face, sir.”

I could feel myself blush. Not at the memory; that night in the cave was a great memory for me, but at how composed Jade was about it. Either she’d thought about it a lot, or had no shame left at all for me. And that felt more like her serving me again.

“You sure? I’m happy to, Jade, but I want to reward you. I want you to feel good.”

Bright Jade looked up at me as if I’d said something ridiculous. “If it’s like that night, I will though! After that kiss… everything felt wonderful, sir.”

She certainly had come hard that night, and… what difference would a little more smoke make? The girl was already totally dedicated to me. “Sure, Jade. Let’s do it.” Jade immediately smiled and bounced to her hooves, where she helped me manage standing on the soft bed. It was difficult to manage the balance with my back, but if Jade wanted it, she’d get it.

Once I was settled, Jade moved her camera, refocused, and returned, dropping the ball near my hoof. “I won’t be thinking of much but you, sir, so please step on the ball when you think the picture will be nice.”

“Sure, Jade.”

Looking closer to excited than I’d seen her in months, Jade finally got into position, leaned forward, and kissed me. I almost stroked her mane before remembering that that wasn’t how the cave had gone at all, and pushed my tongue into Jade’s mouth. There was no resistance this time as I blew smoke into her, but as Jade’s eyelids, ears, and tail drooped under the smoke’s power, I could swear she sighed happily. Jade inhaled deeply from my mouth, and seemed to drift off even farther. I stepped on the ball, and the flash went off.

My shaft was hard as rock remembering the night I’d claimed Jade, and as I pulled my front half up over hers, it slid into her mouth without difficulty. Jade’s tongue swirled dreamily along my shaft as I pulled myself deeper in, letting Jade support as much of my weight as I dared. Like that night in the cave, I went impossibly deep, her throat welcoming my stallionhood as if it belonged, despite the tightness. As my balls reached Jade’s lips, I stepped on the ball again, and the camera snapped once more. I pulled out slowly, leaving just the head of my dick still in Jade’s mouth, and she drowsily moved her head, lapping at it and bobbing just a bit. Another photo. I pulled a hoof back from Bright Jade’s torso, resting it under her throat, and drove my shaft into her mouth, clear to the base, hardening even further as I felt Jade’s throat swell under my hoof. It was far more gentle than the night in the cave, but feeling myself stretch Jade’s willing throat banished my calm. I braced myself and pulled out quickly, barely giving Jade a chance to plant a small kiss on the hole before I thrust back into her mouth.

My bucking picked up speed, taking half strokes as my breath started getting short. Memories of claiming Jade for myself sent the smoke swirling inside me as I bucked her face. Jade moaned around my cock as it slipped down her throat, pushing her head forward to take it deeper, and twisting her neck to run her tongue along the sides of my shaft. Her scent was beginning to fill the room, and I sped up further, roughly thrusting at her face as she continued to slowly respond, always through the smoke-induced haze. Her moaning got louder, and the vibrations around my rod in her throat sent shivers up my spine. It was the last straw, and I poured shot after shot down her throat in a long climax that I made no effort to stop. The camera’s shutter went off again and again. When Jade’s stomach began to swell as it had that night, I pulled out and sprayed her face, just as I had then. Another photo. Panting, and still wearing that blank expression, Jade’s front legs wobbled and she dropped.

Jade was no less beautiful for being messy. If anything, seeing my cum sparkling on her crystalline face turned me on further, but this wasn’t how I’d wanted Jade to be on the receiving end. The pause gave me time to feel the pain in my back, screaming “stop that” again. I smiled.

“Jade, roll onto your back.” Primavera hadn’t deserved the pleasure, and the position hadn’t really made it possible, but I could give Jade her cave memory with a little bonus here on my bed. Jade rolled, eyes still hooded, and I carefully lowered myself, placing my shaft at her lips. Jade welcomed me without hesitation, and I lowered myself further, sliding my cock halfway into her mouth and lowering my head to Jade’s slit. I began rocking my hooves, and Jade took only seconds to moan once more. When I began to lick her already wet, puffy lips, though, the moaning got louder and interrupted itself. I smiled again, and pulled my hips up enough for my stallionhood to be on display for the camera as I pushed the ball again.

Jade’s hind legs were both in the air, on either side of my head as I licked at her. Placing my front legs on the inside, I pushed both down to the sides, as far as I could, and drove my tongue deep inside Jade’s tunnel. Bright Jade screamed in pleasure, and her head shot up, surprised right through her foggy state, driving my shaft back down her throat, and causing me to shudder hard enough to hit the camera’s ball by accident. I gasped and dropped my hips, pushing the mare’s head back to the mattress and my cock balls deep once more. Jade shuddered in the aftershocks of the orgasm that’d caused her to jump so hard, and I struggled to keep myself from shooting in her mouth again so soon—the scream had nearly done me in.

Bending a bit, and ignoring pain in my back, I took one of Jade’s small, soft teats into my mouth, teasing it with my tongue while I stroked her sex. She was mostly still again, like I’d expect a mare full of smoke to be, but every so often she trembled helplessly underneath me as I nipped gently at her sensitive teat and brushed her clitoris with a hoof. I smiled and drove my shaft deeper into Jade’s throat as moans resumed. Having already come once, I was calmer, but the smoke continued to swirl, and Jade of all ponies would have no complaints. I sped up both in her mouth and between her legs, pushing Jade to the edge of a second orgasm, then backing off and starting over with gentle touches and slow licks. Jade began to shudder, and the pleasure of her motion left my breath ragged as I felt my cock swelling to release again. I tugged at Jade’s teat with my lips, and rubbed quickly at her clit, finally giving Jade what I’d been denying her, and my pretty crystal mare screamed again, shaking hard beneath me as I came with her, pouring more into her full stomach until I pushed up, leaving Jade with a pearl necklace, and more mess on her torso. The camera snapped over and over as I covered her. What little presence of mind I had left said that if she wanted to remember being claimed, those pictures would be her favorites.

I rolled off of Jade, wincing and groaning at pain in my back, and we lay there, opposite each other and catching our breath. Jade was a mess, but it looked like some of the fog was starting to lift, and she looked… content? Relieved? Ignoring pain, I wriggled back into the direction the bed was meant for and tugged Jade toward me. Sluggishly, she turned and snuggled up next to me, sniffing at my side and getting me messy. I shook my head and smiled. I was going to need to clean up before I let Deep at my back again anyway.

“Happy, Jade?”

Jade rubbed her muzzle on my side as if in a dream, but she was smiling now, not expressionless. “Yes, sir. I don’t feel very useful compared to your other girls… but you kept me anyway.”

I wasn’t sure what to make of that, but if Jade was happy, that was all I cared about just then. “You’re plenty useful, Jade. Down at the cabaret and up here.”

Jade scooted closer. “I’ll take care of the camera in a few minutes, if that’s okay, sir.”

I laughed. “Even if you want to be useful all the time, Jade, you’re still allowed to enjoy the afterglow.”

Jade’s answer was to nuzzle my side again, making the mess worse. My back was throbbing badly again, but Deep had proven she could get it back under control. As Jade continued to ignore the mess and cuddle, I finally felt relaxed again. “Finally, back to business as usual.”