“Mmm… Deep, as much as I enjoy this, I’m pretty sure it’s not fixing my back.”

Deep Tissue’s bright azure mane dangled all around my face like a curtain. Her head was resting on top of mine, and her body was draped over me like a blanket as I lay face down on her massage table. It’d taken her only days to move from being a bad memory to as welcome as ever, and I was back to visiting her massage parlor’s VIP room.

“Shh… Done, honey, I’ve got two hours with you, and I only need one to work out your back enough for today. So we’re starting with getting the tension out.” Deep Tissue nibbled playfully on my ear. “And you can’t tell me it’s not working.”

I flicked my ear, tickling her nose and making her jump slightly. “Does it count as getting the stiffness out if you’re just putting it someplace else?”

Giggling, Deep lowered her head back on top of mine. “It does if I get it out of there in the end too. And it’s more fun to work the stiffness out of this.” Day’s tail swished gently over my shaft, as if I needed any kind of explanation of what “this” had meant. Deep settled in a little more heavily on my back, but made sure not to press too hard on the injury.

“You should’ve heard Day last night, Done. Apparently Shimmer gave her a comic book—Day, a comic book—for Hearth’s Warming. Day’s been putting it off and putting it off, but after Shimmer’s help, she felt bad and actually sat down and read it. I swear to Celestia, Done, I fell over laughing, right in the middle of the room. ‘Career Killer Secretaries!’ Secretaries, Done! Working as hitmen!” Deep’s laughter was shaking me, but I’d heard so little of it for so long, I just smiled where she couldn’t see. “Who comes up with this stuff? And who would read it?”

I sighed. Shimmering Scales was absolutely an asset to The Tall Tail. If it involved how ponies looked at something, she could tweak it for the better, every time. Turnout for shows was up, customers had been commenting on little touches to the decor—the whole place was one big stage to her. But get her started on comic books and you’d never believe it was the same mare. From determined professionalism to a kind of adorable excitement, almost instantly. She had her hooves on almost everything, constantly finding ways to be useful—or strange.

“Shimmer herself, probably. You know she’s helping Jade with that new camera? She’s modeling when they’re both free. Honestly, I think she just wants to show off the snake pattern.”

Deep tensed at the mention of modeling, but immediately snuggled back down when I craned my neck up at her. “I’ll model for her too, if it means there are pictures of me in your apartment you know. Maybe even with Shimmer, if she can keep up. Wouldn’t hurt to make friends. Day likes her more than she lets on. She even got Shimmer a bottle of that expensive champagne Primavera sells, to thank her for helping fix Primavera.”

I groaned. “I know. She came to me just yesterday, all excited, practically begging me to change it like I did the stuff Primavera drank, because she wanted to ‘try some stuff.’ I refused, and she made puppy eyes, and worse, your sister started on me about learning how it worked if I’m going to use it efficiently, and side effects, and so on.”

Deep’s cheek rubbed against mine. “You gave in, didn’t you?”

“With rules!” I immediately made a face at how defensive I sounded. “She can’t use it on just anypony, only ponies she at least sort of knows, and only in private, with me close enough to clean up if it goes wrong.”

Deep nibbled at my ear again. “Yep. Gave in.”

I was eager for a change of subject. “How’d you get your mane and coat back to normal so fast, anyway?”

Deep lifted some of her mane away from my face. I couldn’t see her expression the way she was lying on me, but she sounded put out. “Done, you would not believe how hard it is to find dye that matches my mane! I could wash the black out; that’s just cheap rinse-out stuff, but I had to bleach my mane and tail like crazy to get them white, and now they’re pure white! If I went out in the snow, you’d never see me!”

“And that,” I chuckled, “would be a tragedy. Can’t go losing such a beautiful mare right after getting her back!”

Deep swished her tail over my shaft again, making it twitch. “I think somepony wants to see what’s next!”

Sure enough, an hour later, Deep had me too relaxed to move, with plenty of time to work on my back. We agreed not to tell Dr. String her methods.

* * * * *

I didn’t get to stay relaxed as long as I’d have liked, though. I’d no sooner pushed open the door to The Tall Tail than I heard yelling coming from the door to Primavera. Specifically, from Primavera herself, at some far quieter pony. Frowning, I slipped through the door between the cabaret and restaurant, ready to smoke both Primavera and whoever the other pony was, if she’d somehow managed to yell at staff again. My one comfort was that the restaurant wasn’t open yet, so this shouting wasn’t going to hurt business.

Primavera’s back was to me as she yelled at a golden-orange pegasus who seemed more confused than angry, herself. As soon as the blue mane set in, I remembered her from a week before: Amber Glow, “Ansaza’s” assistant. I’d been so busy the past week, catching up on work I could finally sit long enough to focus on, that I’d never thought to ask just who the “extra” in the scene was. She hadn’t noticed me yet, which suited me fine. I sat to hear a bit of what was going on before jumping in.

“No restaurant experience, one lousy personal reference, and she’s a friend you ‘just sorta reconnected with’ lately, big… googly glasses, and you think you’re fit to work at my restaurant?”

I frowned, irritated at Primavera’s behavior. At least the how made sense: she wasn’t yelling at an employee; she was yelling at an applicant. Totally different. At least there was no reason to believe Primavera was “loose,” or going to make any trouble beyond this.

“But that’s dumb. Why would I need references to mop the floor and clean up tables? It’s not like I’m asking to be a chef.”

I blinked in disbelief. Primavera was at least as stunned herself; she stood there with her mouth working, but not a sound came out. I recovered first and cleared my throat to put an end to the scene. “Primavera. A word, please.” I held the door to the cabaret open and waited for her to walk through.

Primavera jumped, and had the decency to look afraid, but apparently didn’t have enough sense to come running this time. “I, uh… Done! H-hello there! I’ll be with you in just a moment; I shouldn’t keep this applicant waiting!” At least she had the sense to wait for my response before resuming the “interview.” It did nothing to change that she knew what I wanted, and had put me off because I hadn’t actually ordered her.

I narrowed my eyes and did my best impression of Day Planner’s icy tone. “Let me rephrase. Get in here immediately, Primavera. Amber, give me a moment.”

Primavera’s eyes bulged when I used Amber’s name. “You know her? Oh no…” I actually felt a breeze as Primavera rushed to do as she’d been told, and nodded at Amber as I stepped back through and let the door close behind me.

Turning to face her, I found Primavera actually trembling as she sat on a bar stool, staring at the floor. I sighed, but didn’t put much effort into soothing her. “Oh, knock it off. I’m not getting rid of you over that, but don’t ever let it happen again. What the buck is wrong with you?”

Still shaking, Primavera explained. “Everything has to be perfect over there, Done! I’ve put so much work into it, so many years! I can’t have some clueless filly step in and cause trouble for my customers!”

Suddenly, I wanted to yell. Who screams at a job applicant for being underqualified? And just how much qualification could mopping and busing tables need? “So what does that have to do with you shouting at her? I heard you as soon as I came in, and when I poked my head in, Amber still wasn’t shouting back. She could’ve done a better job of being polite, but why should she when she obviously wasn’t getting the job, and you were still screaming like a lunatic?”

Primavera shrank, almost trembling, but I was in no mood to let up. “Listen to me, Primavera. High standards I get. I don’t hire ponies who can’t do their jobs. But I don’t expect Jade to be a sommelier, or Bruises to master a martial art. I expect ponies to do the job I pay them for well, and I don’t demand ridiculous experience for it. Just what do you want from somepony who’s mopping floors?”

“T-two years experience, two professional references, and and five p-personal.”

I rubbed my face with my hoof. Her restaurant’s reputation was very good; she could probably get away with that, just for the privilege of putting “Primavera” on an application elsewhere. It didn’t make it any less outrageous. “Do you even know what ‘entry level’ means, Primavera? I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is, I’m still not taking your restaurant or doing anything to you. The bad news? I’m handling this interview now, and if I say she’s hired, she’s hired. I assume there are no objections.”

Primavera shook her head unhappily. “If she’s bad…”

I frowned. “You tell me, and I’ll handle it. Any personnel matters with her, I handle, assuming she gets the job. Next time you interview a pony, maybe you’ll remember to be reasonable about it.”

Primavera nodded. “I understand. Th-thank you for not taking… it…”

I sighed. She meant the restaurant of course. It really was all she had in life. I patted Primavera’s withers. “Head on back to the kitchen; don’t even look at her. Do something you like doing, and try to get on with your day. Fretting about this won’t help, and it’s over.”

I gently pushed her from the stool toward the door, and followed her as far as that. As she headed to the back, still looking thoroughly cowed, I beckoned to Amber. “Come on. We’ll start your interview over, upstairs. Without the yelling.”

Amber nodded and tucked her papers under a wing before following me. As she caught up, she smiled. “I remember you. Shimmer didn’t tell me you worked here with her, just that you’re important. Must be, for the fake zebra to pay so much to fix up my apartment.”

I laughed. That was just what I needed after dealing with Primavera: a sense of humor. I caught Shimmer peeking out of the bar’s back room as we crossed the show floor and waved. “The fake zebra’s name is Deep Tissue. You and Shimmer friends?”

“We used to be. She came in early to wish me luck, so I think we are again now, but we just kind of stayed in touch with letters for a long time. I’m an actress; we went to school together. She always made me look great, but parts are hard to come by. I’m bad at interviews and auditions. Things were starting to get really rough when she just showed up and said she needed my place, and she knew a guy who could help if I worked out. I guess you’re him.”

We’d reached the landing, and I paused. “I’m her boss, actually. I own this place. They really took over your apartment? I’m sorry about that; I’ll lecture them later. Really, how do you ask an old friend you haven’t seen to just take over their home?”

Amber shook her head. “Please don’t. My place was a pit. I’d be happier sleeping on the floor under one of your tables than I was with my apartment. It’s much nicer now. And you own this place?” Amber looked around. “Must be nice.”

I pushed the office door open and stepped in, ignoring Amber’s comment. A little envy wasn’t a dealbreaker, but she wasn’t exactly demonstrating a lot of tact. I gestured, and Amber walked past me, taking note of Day Planner at her desk as she entered. I walked around my desk to the far side, and nodded at Amber. “Have a seat.”

Amber did, catching my eyes for a second as she spread and refolded her wings. I was about to start the interview when Amber looked toward Day again, then back at me. “Huh. She doesn’t look that scary.” Day stopped her paperwork instantly, and glanced my direction with an eyebrow raised. Amber sat quietly, as if she’d said nothing out of the ordinary. And I… struggled valiantly not to laugh.

“Day’s an excellent secretary, Amber, but she’s quite strict. Normally, she’s pretty quiet. If you say the wrong thing, though, she’ll scare you right back into place!” Day’s ears lay back a bit at the unflattering description, but she bit her tongue, probably waiting for just the right moment to prove me right.

It never came, though. Amber, still looking completely innocent and a little clueless behind her big, round glasses, nodded seriously. “It’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for.”

Day Planner actually dropped her quill at the accusation that ponies had to “watch out” for her, and turned to glare at Amber. “I speak as often as I need to, and then some! And looking at you, you seem like the quiet type yourself!”

Amber blinked at Day Planner, then pointed with a wing right past her. “I don’t read that, though.” I traced a line to Day’s desk, where “Career Killer Secretaries” sat, neatly placed on Day’s personal effects.

Day Planner turned to see where Amber and I were looking. “That’s… I!” She couldn’t manage another word and dropped heavily into her seat, back to us both, but the red in her ears was unmistakable.

I cracked up, struggling to stifle my laughter with a hoof, and earning a glare from Day Planner. It was no wonder Amber had trouble getting work, especially on stage, but thinking about the kind of mischief she’d cause, I almost wanted to hire her for that alone. Something wasn’t quite adding up, though. “Amber, you’ve got a very… ‘distinct’ personality, let’s call it. Why didn’t I see it last week?”

Amber’s almost strangely calm expression changed almost immediately. Suddenly she was warm and friendly looking, smiling as if I were an old friend. She tugged her mane around one side of her neck, fluffed her wings a bit, and spoke. “Ah, Mr. Deal! It’s good to see you again! Ansaza told me after you left that she really enjoyed working on your back.” Suddenly, Amber clapped a hoof over her muzzle. “Ohmigosh… I mean… she didn’t tell me; she can’t speak! But she wrote it down! Oh, I can’t believe I said that!”

I was shocked. I’d met a few actors and actresses; obviously they’re not their characters, but Amber Glow the receptionist was such a far cry from Amber Glow the real pony… I’d never have cast her for the role.

“I… think I see the problem now.” It actually stung a bit. Such a waste of talent.

“You do? You see that casting directors aren’t very smart?” Amber was herself again, and cocked her head as if she expected an actual answer. I wasn’t sure how to tell her that that was only half the issue, so I moved on as Day searched her drawer for the bottle of pills she saved for her very worst headaches.

“They’re… certainly not seeing your talent. How’s your work ethic? I’m sorry to say, but there’s not much call for acting if you’re being hired to clean.”

Amber pushed her mane back where she’d had it prior to her little show, not looking at me at all. “I’ll show up. If my job is cleaning, then I’ll clean.”

Suddenly I wanted one of Day’s pills. “Amber… I’m not sure if this is just your personality at play, or if you don’t get it, but when you’re interviewing for a job, it helps if you don’t seem like you don’t care. You know. Act interested and respectful.”

Amber’s eyes suddenly locked on mine. “Act? I need a script. Or a motivation. Or both. Improv is way harder, so… it’s tough to stay in character without lots of details.” Amber continued to look right at me, almost unnervingly, waiting.

No wonder Primavera had been shouting. This was absurd! If she weren’t a friend of Shimmer’s, I’d have sent her on her way myself, but between wanting to do a good employee a favor, and… well, a pair of wings and a cute face, I tried something absurd.

“Let’s try this. Your motivation is desperation. You’re hungry. At night, you’re cold. You’re tired from doing odd job after odd job to stay off the street, and you’re tired of getting turned away and shouted at. You don’t just want this job; you need it. Menial or not, annoying boss or not, this job means food, warmth, rest—for now, it’s the difference between life and giving up. You need this job!” I felt my face flush a little. I might’ve gotten too into selling her on the “part.”

Amber’s jaw dropped for just half a second before she bobbed her head with a determined look on her face and… ran out of my office. Day and I stared at the door in disbelief, then at each other. As if she’d have the answer, I asked Day Planner: “What just happened?”

The door burst in suddenly, and Amber rushed up to my desk, mane in a messy bun, looking like she was ready to cry. “Mr. Deal, please! I swear to you, you won’t regret it! I’ll make the floors sparkle! Customers will see their faces on the tables! But I can’t take it anymore! I’m tired, I’m hungry, I just want it all to stop! Nopony else will hire me, and your manager was going to throw me out! I’m begging you!”

I blinked, then quickly tried to play along. “Will you look ponies in the eye when you’re talking to them?”

Amber nodded, throwing in a sniffle. “I will! I promise!”

I pressed my hooves together in front of my muzzle and gave her a dubious look. “Saying ‘I’ll show up,’ and ‘I’ll clean if that’s my job,’ don’t really sell me on this, you know. It’s like you’re saying you’re better than this, and you’re stuck with it.”

“That’s not it! I’m just worn out from trying to make ends meet. I’m sorry, Mr. Deal, please, give me a chance!” Amber’s front hooves were on my desk, and she was leaning in.

I nodded. “And, scene.” I couldn’t believe I was still playing along. “If you can approach work like that… well, talk to Shimmer about reeling it in a bit, but sort of like that, and you’ll do fine. Think you can manage?”

Amber sat down and pulled her mane out of her its bun. “It’s pretty high energy for every day… but reeling it in like you said could fix that. That means I have the job, right?”

I sighed. As long as she stayed in character around customers, and did good work, it’d do. “Yeah, it does. Why don’t you go tell Shimmer to quit hiding behind the bar and congratulate you?”

“That’s a good idea. She’s always fun when something good happens. Probably won’t have the city guard show up where she works, either.” Amber rose and left the room without another word.

I turned to Day Planner, trying very hard to ignore the last remark. “Well. A bit over the top, but if she takes her work that seriously, it’ll go alright, don’t you think?”

Day looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. “I think there are other things to comment on here! Even if she does her job perfectly, she’ll drive me insane, Mr. Deal! And Strawberry Frosting has been doing just fine keeping the club clean; why would you hire another pony?”

It took me a moment to figure out Day’s misunderstanding. “Oh! I didn’t. She’s not going to work over here; she’s Primavera’s.”

Day Planner’s eyes widened, and the smile that spread across her muzzle sent shivers down my spine. “If you’ll excuse me, Mr. Deal, I need to go talk with Primavera about… our lunch order.” Day Planner was out the door so quickly her chair was still spinning when it closed behind her. I made a mental note to do something nice for Primavera later. She hadn’t earned quite that much suffering.

With the office empty, I finally had a chance to actually do my job, something I was actually still relishing, paperwork or not, after so much time on light duty. Drink orders, a special costume for Pirouette’s role in an upcoming show, investments in the Trotties… I grimaced as I set the last aside to give it more time later. I wasn’t sure if I’d rather get the theater going, finally, or go back in time and not get caught by Rose’s punks, but as time went on and I failed to deliver, I felt less and less clever for partnering with a bunch of thugs.

I moved on, but the paperwork related to the Trotties was a serious downer. Where I’d been moving at a good clip just moments before, I was suddenly sighing and moving through the work lethargically. I’d no sooner laid my chin on my desk, frustrated with my lost good mood than the door popped open again and I jerked upright and tried to look busy—an effort spoiled by the sudden pain in my back. Fortunately, Day Planner wasn’t the one coming in. Shimmering Scales was leading Amber back into the office, with a bucket and a tray holding three flutes floating along beside her. The neck of a bottle stuck out of the bucket—a bottle of champagne.

“You won’t regret hiring her, Mr. Deal. I thought I’d bring up the champagne Day gave me.” All smiles, Shimmer lowered the tray down on the floor, floated the champagne flutes to my desk, and placed the ice bucket on the tray. I saw only one bottle, and the liquid was dark—it was the one I’d tainted for her.

“I’m glad she’s happy, Shimmer, but it’s not like I did her a favor. I just kept Primavera from being unreasonable. You two are friends, why don’t you share it?” My own smoke had never affected me, and I couldn’t smell it like Jade, Day, or Bruises, but after having Primavera pounce on me lapping like a dog, I wasn’t interested in trying my own poison, either.

“You did do me a favor. Nopony’s hired me after an interview before. If I get a job, it’s because they felt like anypony could do it and they didn’t need to worry. The only parts I get are ones where they think it’s ‘cute’ when I show up in character. You found a loophole for the interview for me.” Amber smiled warmly. “You should have some with us.” My escape was spoiled, and I didn’t have the heart to tell her her “interview” hardly counted as one.

Cute face and wings… Shimmer had to know what was about to happen. If I did pounce on somepony, they’d be pouncing too, and if Shimmer wanted to try this on a friend, well, she had to have some reason. I gave her the benefit of the doubt but decided to give her a lecture to go with it later. “Alright, if you insist.”

Amber nodded and took a seat across the desk from me as Shimmer excitedly poured for the three of us and sat by the desk’s short side. “Besides, you’re kind of cute for an older guy.”

Shimmer nearly dropped the bottle; I saw her magic fade and reappear. “Amber! You’re not supposed to comment on ponies’… oh, we’ll talk about it later.” Shimmer’s exasperation and twisted ears took the sting right out of Amber’s remark.

“I think giving the toast is my privilege. You know, as the ‘older guy.’” Shimmer groaned quietly and put a hoof over her eyes, while Amber just nodded sincerely. “To new opportunities, both professional and pleasurable.” I could’ve sworn Shimmer’s lips twisted into a hint of a smile at the end.

“Hear, hear!” Shimmer hoisted her flute between Amber and me.

I lifted mine, and Amber… frowned. “Ponies actually say that?” It was all I could do not to laugh.

Shimmer’s eyes were squeezed shut. “Amber, would you please lift your glass?” The lecture got crossed off the list. Even if I did end up helplessly licking one of them, Shimmer’s frustration at trying to herd her friend through a simple toast was worth the price of admission.

“Oh, right.” Amber lifted her flute at last, and after a cheerful clink we each drank.

Or Amber and I did, at any rate. As I realized with relief that I didn’t even taste anything unusual, Shimmer lowered her still full flute to the desk. I looked at her and she shrugged. “Somepony’s gotta stay… ohh… it did touch my li-ips…”

Amber had thrown the whole thing back, and was blinking strangely. “I… fergot I don’t han’le liq… ah!” And there it was. She covered her muzzle with both hooves, gasping through her nose for a moment as her eyes glazed over slightly. Sticking her tongue out, she just tapped it with a hoof, and wobbled as another gasp escaped. I had just enough time to brace my seat against the wall behind it before Amber’s wings pushed down hard and hurled her over my desk and onto me, where she began long, slow licks at my neck, panting heavily in no time at all.

Pegasi weigh next to nothing, but “next to nothing” combined with her awkward attempts to find a stable position in my lap were enough to pin me, and all I could do was lean back and enjoy it. Bruises wasn’t around to pull this mare off of me, and as Amber’s wings spread on their own, I leaned back and decided I wouldn’t have wanted her to. The licking didn’t take long to start causing my shaft to rise, but remembering how long Primavera had been affected, I did my best to stay calm and just enjoy Amber’s hot breath on my neck. Staying calm got harder when Amber’s head suddenly glowed and slid down my body, along with the rest of her. She dragged her tongue the whole way down, shuddering as she slid. “H-hello!” was all she said before I felt her tongue lapping at my cock where it was emerging. I reached down and stroked her mane.

Shimmer wrapped her front legs around my neck, supporting herself on my chest, and pressed her lips against mine—literally at first. Rather than kiss, she just pressed harder and harder against my lips until she gasped and moaned with the taste of her own medicine. I wanted to tease, make some remark about falling for her own trick, but she wasn’t even a little interested in letting me have my muzzle back. Slipping my free leg around the back of Shimmer’s neck, I settled on teasing another way, and ran my tongue over Shimmering Scales’ lips. She squealed and struggled to stay on her hind legs. Supporting her with my leg was a strain on my back, but I hardly even noticed with Shimmer panting and dragging her lips across mine while Amber got more and more aggressive with my shaft.

There wasn’t a lot I could do. Shimmer had me pinned to the back of my chair, kissing without a break, and trembling with pleasure even between the orgasms, and Amber had discovered everything the champagne had touched was as sensitive as her tongue, and was struggling to push her head as far down my shaft as she possibly could. Without blowing smoke into her, her body wouldn’t take me like Jade or Primavera had, but the tears in the corners of her eyes weren’t stopping her from pushing her lips to my medial ring. I tried to pull her head up with the hoof I had in her mane, but she just dropped it back, grinding my flare against her throat. It was hard to worry about her with all the pleasure her hot tongue was bringing my shaft, though, and Shimmer’s eager lips were a distraction even from the distraction. I leaned back and enjoyed the mares’ mouths, the smile coming to my lips pushing Shimmer to another orgasm from her own.

I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly, but I was fairly proud of having stayed as collected as I was, with two attractive mares all over me. Thoughts of pride vanished as the door opened again, bringing Day Planner trotting back into the office with a smug grin on her muzzle. The grin didn’t last long. After rolling her eyes and shutting the door behind her, Day Planner marched up to my desk and calmly examined the situation. I couldn’t even protest; Shimmer was oblivious and not removing her lips from mine.

Day’s horn glowed, and Shimmer’s still-full flute floated into the air, where Day peered at it like some form I’d botched. Her eyes never left the dark champagne as she said, “This is a funny sort of paperwork, Mr. Deal.” I released Amber’s head to wave a hoof in protest, lest Day pass sentence without hearing my side of the story, but I never got the chance, and it turned out I didn’t need it. As Amber lifted her head to take a gasping breath, Day calmly tilted it back and poured Shimmer’s helping of the champagne down the pegasus’ throat. “At least she won’t be hurting my head while she’s… ‘training.’”

Amber coughed, but managed to swallow the whole second flute. If she’d been acting tipsy for fun before the pleasure hit her earlier, the act was long past—sparkling wines work faster. I worried about the double dose, but only for a moment before Amber unsteadily stretched out her soft wings to pull my shaft back to her lips, sinking my flare into warmth and wetness again. The sudden return to stimulation was all it took to push me over the edge, and I finally sprayed my seed in Amber’s mouth and deep down her throat. She gasped and pushed her head as far down my shaft as she could, grinding the head of my rod against the back of her throat, and coming herself from the pleasure of the warm, thick stuff sliding down her oversensitive throat. I forced myself to slow down as Amber’s wings rose in surprise and she moved to accommodate her rapidly filling belly. Whether I was satisfied or not, Amber had had two flutes of smoke-altered champagne, and wasn’t done with me. I leaned back again, the way I had before Day returned. If she was content to leave me buried under a pair of mares during business hours, I wasn’t going to argue. I should’ve, though. Shimmer finally lost herself in what she was doing, and crawled onto my lap. The chair that was sturdy enough for an earth pony and a pegasus wasn’t up to an earth pony and a unicorn—with a sharp crack, it snapped and I fell backwards, Shimmer slamming down on top of me.

As Day’s head whipped around to see what had happened, I moaned through Shimmer’s lips. “…my back.”

Day rose, walked to the door to my apartment, opened it, and shouted up that I was hurt before calmly returning to her desk, without so much as a glance my way. Jade came running with pillows again, and sat by my head, patting it soothingly. Amber continued to lick drunkenly at my cock, cleaning anything left from my orgasm. Finally, Shimmer pulled herself from my muzzle and spoke, occasionally shuddering with the last remnants of pleasure from her minor exposure to the champagne.

“I really am sorry, Mr. Deal! I thought everything out, but I didn’t think just getting it on my lips… wow.” Shimmer shuddered with pleasure again. “Anyway… I thought the champagne could be useful.” Shimmer’s pace picked up, and her aroused trembling with it, but she was too excited to slow down. “You needed to build money, right, because of the Trotties. Just look at how happy she is.” Shimmer gestured to Amber, who certainly did seem content, at the least. “Sell this to the right rich ponies, and that’s a fortune, right there! You’re bound to know a few who don’t behave very well. I dress up, use some powder, maybe washout dye like Deep used, and just let them try a bottle at private party! I’m sure they’ll eat it up. Or in this case, drink it down, but either way, you can charge a fortune per bottle, and you can make as much as you want. It’s like having your own mint!”

I blinked. Honestly, I wasn’t sure where to begin. The trouble that could cause? The danger she’d be in? The fuss it’d make when just one proper mare had a taste at a formal dinner party? I gasped softly as Amber went from licking to taking my shaft to the ring again. That was as good a place to start as any. “What about Amber? Isn’t she your friend? Is this okay with you?”

Shimmer made a motion like something wavy moving into her ear. I would’ve preferred an answer, but I formed smoke around my hips and let it float upward into Amber’s ears, and around to her nose. Her bobbing slowed as the smoke clouded her mind, but if anything the pleasure was even more intense for it. Shimmer nodded her head quickly; she seemed as eager to answer as I was for an explanation. “She’s… kind of a friend. But she really is having trouble. I figured she’s a good actress, and if you get the theater going, that’ll help!”

Jade noticed me staring at Amber’s half spread wing while Shimmer talked, and took it in her mouth, stretched it to my cheek, and rubbed it on my face. I couldn’t help a goofy grin, and with a wing on my face, I began to lose myself in the pleasure of Amber’s bobbing head.

Shimmer hadn’t even noticed, she was so caught up in her explanation. “A little smoke was enough to keep me in character all night, and I’m a backstage mare. You could have Amber so deep into her part she’d be completely living it, right up until we say stop! So…” Shimmer paused and glanced at Amber, crinkling her brow a bit before continuing. “I’m sorry she’s not a unicorn. I mean, between Day, Deep, Bruises, and me, it’s kind of obvious what you like. I promise you she’ll be fun though!”

Nearly forgotten, Day Planner practically snorted from back at her desk. “Look at his face, Shimmer. Perhaps you could’ve found a model or something, but does he look like he has a problem with wings?” Rather than admit embarrassment, I rubbed against Amber’s wing even more, and Jade quickly trotted to pull the other up to my jaw. I sighed happily, back forgotten as wings on each side of my face and a warm mouth sliding up and down my shaft pushed my arousal to its peak.

Shimmer blinked in astonishment. “Oh! I… well, good!” As if she’d meant it all along, she sat up tall and proud. “I thought she’d make a good toy. Give her a role in the bedroom, and let her go. She’ll be whatever you want for an evening!”

I drew short breaths as my balls clenched and poured more semen down Amber’s throat. The idea of putting Amber to use as whatever my imagination called for was just too perfect. Amber lapped at the hole as more cum poured into her mouth and smoke poured into her mind. I didn’t even consider whether or not it was a good idea; I wanted it. I darkened the smoke further, pouring it on thick in case Amber was too drunk for it to work properly. “You’re an actress, Amber, to the very core of your soul. Working for Primavera is just an act to pay the bills and pass the time. When Shimmer or I give you a part, there’s no question of falling out of character—you are your character, through and through, until the scene is done. Who you’re playing, what you’re playing doesn’t matter to you at all—the role isn’t important, being in the role is what matters. No matter what, no matter where.” To my surprise, Amber drowsily nodded her head on my stallionhood.

Had she misunderstood? “Even if your role is a loose mare who’ll take it any way at all, from anypony.” Amber nodded slowly again as smoke floated into her head. I scratched my ear. I’d expected some kind of half-hearted resistance. The smoke was thick, but not the most I could raise. I released the smoke and Amber continued to lap at my stallionhood, but slowed down. The poor thing had to be worn out. I looked to Shimmer. “She didn’t object at all.”

Shimmering Scales’ eyes went wide, and she clapped a hoof to her forehead. “That’s right! I wanted to see if it was the champagne that made it work so well on Primavera! I forgot that part what with… my lips.” Shimmer blushed.

“Huh. I’d thought Day might just have been better at it.” I craned my neck to look backwards at Day, completely ignoring the ridiculous scene I made, with wings held to either side of my face and mares all around, with one still licking my dick.

I’m not sure if it was at what I’d said or how I looked, but Day rolled her eyes and her tone would’ve fit a put upon teacher better than a twenty-something secretary. “Don’t be ridiculous. Alcohol makes ponies think poorly. It probably makes it hard for them to think of why they wouldn’t do what you want.”

Shimmer nodded. “Mystery solved!” Her eyes lit up as she remembered the topic from before. “So… about my idea…”

I sighed. “It’s incredibly hard to say no when you brought me a cute mare who’s happily licking away at me, but… not yet. Let me think about it.” I was tempted. Desperately tempted, and I honestly didn’t know why.

To my surprise, Shimmer didn’t argue at all, she just nodded enthusiastically. “I need to think too. Make something to bottle it properly, figure out who I’ll—I know some actors and actresses who’d be all over this stuff, but which? It should be just right, something that really scores big!”

Stroking Amber’s blue mane, I shook my head. “Nope. If we do it, I know exactly who. We’ll be doing his wife a favor, and pinning down funding for the theater.”

Shimmer cocked her head and was about to ask who, I’m sure, when a slurping sound came from Amber and my soft cock slipped from her mouth. She was blushing, but far less than most mares would’ve been, and her eyes were decidedly unfocused. “Sho… I get to act, too?”

Of course. She was still drunk, even if her tongue had finally calmed down enough for her to stop licking. I wondered at what she’d picked up and what she’d missed, but Shimmer nodded. “Don’t worry, Amber. Mr. Deal is really going places, I’m sure of it. It’ll be fun, and you can trust him.”

Amber smacked her lips indelicately. “It’sh… a little late to worry about trusting him. I’m shtill tasting him.”

“Ugh.” Day Planner spun in her chair and got back to work while Shimmer hung her head. I was sure Amber would drive me a little crazy too, but it was going to be worth it, watching everypony else squirm.

Author's Note

Sorry this chapter took so long to get out! And sorry for adding another pegasus, but like Peach Pit, she's minor.

Also, I've put together a survey. I'd appreciate it a LOT if you'd take a few minutes to fill it out--it'll help me understand how to make the story more enjoyable. It's pretty sex-focused, because that's the hardest part for me to write. This is different from the polls I do sometimes. There are all sorts of questions, kind of a lot of them, and lots of opportunities for you to write in answers if you want to say something specific (lots of multiple choice, too, if you don't have a lot to say). Every single question is optional, so it's fine if you want to answer just what's important to you. There's a section about you at the end--SKIP THAT if you're even a tiny bit uncomfortable. I'm not trying to be nosy, but I'd really like to know more about who enjoys Smoke. There's also a general "tell me anything" box right near the end. Naturally, it's anonymous.

Please, if you enjoy Smoke, take the time to fill out at least the stuff you care about. It'll help keep me interested, and give me some insight into what readers enjoy seeing. Authors LOVE feedback. Pretty please?

Survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_1fKC2rTcMalU8uv1z5TreCNiM5hRygPAONG8ecpFuQ/viewform?usp=send_form