Smoke

by Distant Gaze

Rating: mature
Tags: Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Porn, Sex
Length: 186616

Sombra wasn't destroyed cleanly. When some of his power is inherited, how many ponies will fall under its control?

Sombra's destruction may have been permanent this time around, but merely breaking a container doesn't safely dispose of the contents. When Sombra's malevolent power is inherited by a pony susceptible to corruption, will ruling from the shadows of Manehatten's seedy side suffice, or will he follow in dark hoofsteps and go for it all?

WARNING: Expect mind control, corruption, rape, and as things progress, bizarre fetishes. Expect no gore, ever.

Editing provided by Fable_Wright from "The Scenographer" on.

Published 2013-06-09 10:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-11-07 19:49:45 UTC

The New Girl

All night, my dreams were the same. Meeting after meeting, news from my secretary about new deals, ponies who wanted my blessing to set up shop in town, families coming to me, hats in hoof to beg for a little more time on some payment; ponies with the bits looking to grow it even more, and always a mare or two on my arm—pretty birds who came to light on the best branch. All of it was mine. Businesses grew or collapsed on my say-so, families settled happy or packed up on my call, and the wealthiest the city had to offer doubled their fortunes or lost them, based on whether they did me right or double-crossed. From the time my head hit the pillow, I was in my own little slice of heaven.

Opening my eyes the next morning was a rude shock, though. The unfamiliar room had me on edge, all pink and lace and doilies. I rubbed my eyes, and the night before came back in a rush. That shiny mare, Jade—she’d been in bed the night before. Now I was alone. Topping it off, I felt hollow, empty inside, like she’d walked off with part of me, and I wanted it back. That smoke inside me from the night before was in there; I knew that somehow, but there was room for so much more. I scowled and got up out of bed, glaring at the frilly sheets like they were the ones who’d done me wrong. Figuring I might as well check the place for her flipped my lid, I headed out of the bedroom for a look.

Bathroom, kitchen, sitting room, den—no sign of the mare. I grumbled as I walked around. This had to be the most girly place I’d ever seen—if it wasn’t pink, it was frilly, if it wasn’t frilly, it sparkled. My head hurt just looking around. In the den I came across a wall of pictures in frames. Dead center, there was Jade with some crystal stallion, smiling for all she was worth. I yanked it off the wall and tossed it in a nearby bin—she wouldn’t need that anymore.

I was ticked enough that I was clenching my jaw and feeling heat around my neck when I heard the door. About time. I marched myself over to the front of the house like I owned the joint, and there Bright Jade was, looking nervous. She piped up as soon as she saw me, but her head was hung, and her tail drooped.

“Look, you’re going to have to leave. Last night… I don’t know what I was thinking. I can’t believe I did any of that, but it’s never happening again, so just—just go.” Jade’s flicked an ear, but otherwise just stood, waiting for me to leave or talk. I don’t know what she was expecting, but when I left, I meant for her to come along. “Get out” was not on the menu.

I closed the distance sporting a frown on my muzzle. Jade couldn’t assume I was anything but angry just then, and if she guessed I was on my way out, I fixed that double time. “I’m going, but you’re coming along, Jade. Got a job for you in my cabaret, and you’re not saying no. Got it?”

At first, Jade did nothing but blink. She hadn’t seen it coming, and seeing her all balled up put a smirk on my face. The feisty mare took it right off again, though.

“Just who do you think you are? You make all kinds of trouble for me, you do those… things to me in that awful place, and now you’re in my house, telling me what to do? Get out!” Jade’s ears were laid back, and she was yelling fit to bug the neighbors.

Who did I think I was? Who’d she think she was? She was mine, and I was taking her back to Manehatten with me. “No,” was all I said.

Jade stared wide-eyed. Maybe she didn’t expect a fight, but the filly belonged to me—I’d taken her the night before, and I wasn’t giving her back. She opened her mouth to protest, and that was my cue—if I could do it once, I could do it again. I leaned forward, and Jade leaned back, remembering the night before, maybe. I reached a hoof behind her head and yanked it forward, pulling her muzzle right to mine, and just like last time, started to kiss. Just like last time, she struggled. This time, though, no smoke came. Instead, I felt it inside me, reaching out for whatever I’d pumped into Jade the night before—it wanted to come together! Jade’s wide eyes got wider, and instead of moving away, she opened her mouth wide. Then it happened.

All the smoke, all the weird darkness from the cave that I’d poured into Jade’s body came rushing back into mine. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t do anything as it all just rushed from Jade’s mouth into that emptiness I’d felt. My shock faded quickly. Jade had had what was missing after all! I relaxed, and more and more flowed from her; her body as eager to be rid of it as it had been to take it in the night before. Unable to do anything but watch her face, I saw her wide eyes roll back to stare at the ceiling. I think I saw tears. For some reason, that vaguely irritated me, and I looked away, at her stomach which was finally deflating. At the drips that fell to the floor from beneath her tail.

I wanted to smirk at that, but black spots started forming in my vision. The rush of power was getting to be too much—I couldn’t even breathe anymore! Nothing but that smoke from the cave was getting in, and still I couldn’t move. The last of the stuff slipped past my lips just as my vision went completely dark. As I hit the floor, I heard Jade fall too. My last thought before I blacked out was, “Serves her right.”

I woke later, lying on my back, with a fantastic, warm, wet feeling coming from my cock. Startled, I opened my eyes to find Bright Jade riding it frantically. She was panting, her tongue hung halfway from her mouth, and sweat both glued her dark mane to her brilliant green face,and dripped from her body onto mine. She was far to busy fucking herself with my shaft to even realize my eyes were open. I tried to ask just what in Tartarus was going on, but the words wouldn’t come out as Jade rode me to orgasm, clamping down and pushing her pussy clear to my balls. I tried anyway.

“Wh-what the hell? First it’s ‘never again,’ now you’re rutting with me on the f-floor?”

Finally she noticed. She stopped bouncing, but her warm, soft insides kept squeezing and relaxing around my cock, keeping me in the afterglow while she answered. She seemed nervous, speaking in bursts. “I don’t know what happened! When I woke up, I was wet, and you were hard! You seemed to want it last night, and… I should give it to you. I’m your mare, right? I did what you wanted?”

I stared in shock. Jade, that bitch, went from throwing me out out the door to fucking me while I’m passed out because she mine? Because I wanted it? I was out cold a minute ago, woke up to a gorgeous emerald crystal mare riding me passionately, and had her tell me she was mine. Way too much at once.

Jade hung her head. “I did something wrong?”

When I didn’t answer right away, Jade started slowly getting off of me, ears down, looking fit to die. Not what I had in mind, but if she felt that strongly about it, I wanted to see how far I could push it. As I fell out of her, along with a mess I must’ve shot while out, I had my idea.

“You tried to kick me out. That was wrong. This wasn’t a bad start, but if you want me to forget about it, clean me up with your tongue, Jade.”

I thought she’d break her neck, she whipped her head up so fast. She nodded maniacally, slinging drops of sweat all around, and loosening some of her mane where it stuck to her brow. “I’ll do it! I’ll get you nice and clean, so don’t be mad!”

Bright Jade moved around beside me and lay down on her stomach, lowering her pretty face to my dick, still messy from the fun she’d been having while I was out. With no hesitation at all, Jade licked from the tip down to my nutsack, running her velvet tongue all over, making sure to lap up any of our fluids that had run down and gotten into my fur. Satisfied, she went back to the shaft itself, taking licks from bottom to top, coaxing out beads of cum that hadn’t found their way out. She gently swiped her tongue across the tip of my dick to get those up each time. Hooves behind my head on the rug, I watched her throat move as she swallowed it all down, never with any hint of disgust. She lowered her face to my cock over and over, putting her warm, slender tongue to use each time, not leaving any of our mess behind, but as wet as she was getting my rod, it wasn’t getting any cleaner. Between her hot breath, tongue, and soft lips, though, I was bound to come again anyway, so what did it matter?

She started spending more time around the tip, kissing around the outside and licking toward the center, slowly. I tensed up. “Take it in your mouth and swallow!”

Bright Jade did just that, lowering her mouth over the tip of my penis and and wrapping her lips tight, just as I came, sending torrents of semen right down her throat. When I finally slowed, Jade lifted her head and pulled in the air she’d been missing as she lapped up what little cum she’d lost. I just lay panting, staring up at the ceiling until she spoke.

“So… you forgive me?”

I gave her a crooked grin and answered while I was still gasping for air. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll let it go. Just mind yourself from now on, savvy?”

Jade nodded with a weird, innocent look on her face that nearly made me laugh. “I promise! I’m your mare, so I’ll do what you say! I’m sorry I couldn’t figure it out before!”

I looked Jade over from my spot on the floor. Her mane was still stuck to her face with sweat. Drops of cum speckled her muzzle, and from her vagina to the middle of her stomach, seed was splattered all over. Her tail was a huge mess of it. I couldn’t help but take some measure of pride in all that. “Go get a bath ready. We both need it.”

Jade nodded seriously and rose to her hooves. “Right away, uh… um. I don’t know your name!”

I frowned. Couldn’t be helped; it’s not like I’d introduce myself to a tour guide, and last night wasn’t exactly a “pleased to meet you,” sort of affair. “I’m Done Deal, a businesspony. You’re working for me from now on, so to you, it’s either “Mr. Deal,” or “sir.”

Another bob of her head. “Yes sir! I’ll go start that bath!” Off Jade went in a hurry, leaving me to think while I waited for my hot bath. Something big happened to me in that cave. Something amazing. I just had to figure out where to go from here, and I wouldn’t just run a nightclub—I’d run Manehatten.

I spent the rest of the day recovering. That emptiness was gone, but Jade had worn me right out while I wasn’t even conscious. I relaxed and thought about how to expand. Who to move up, who to buy out, who to force out. Every time I looked around, there was Bright Jade. A drink, a snack, a massage, her warm, wet mouth—always ready seconds after I asked. Not a single “no” out of her. Use that right, and nothing would keep me from ruling the city. I was chomping at the bit to get started.

As the sun set, I decided I couldn’t wait. “Jade! Pack a bag; we’re leaving on the next train.”

Bright Jade rushed from the room, and I could hear the clatter of things being tossed around as she got ready to go. I polished off the sandwich she’d been so eager to make me and waited.

“Eh-ee oo oh, fir!” Jade stepped from her bedroom, suitcase handle in her mouth, Sunday best on her back, and went straight to the door.

“Ah, screw my bags at the hotel. C’mon, Jade. I’ll buy you dinner on the train.” I opened the door and stepped out into sunset in the Crystal Empire.

“Thank you sir!” Bright Jade shut the door, and took her place behind me. As we walked away from the house, she didn’t once glance back at what I had made her give up.

Learning the Ropes

The last train back south from the Crystal Empire was nearly abandoned. Sure, there were tourists, but the vast majority of ponies just coming up to see the sights made schedules that would get them home before midnight. Between that and my spending a bit extra, Jade and I had a private, luxury car on the train, with no pony to hassle us. Crimson plush seats, shining brass trimming and light fixtures, the works. Jade just sat looking at the scenery through the window. I mainly looked at her. Bright Jade was definitely going to draw in business at the club, but I needed to know how to use her.

“Hey, Jade.”

Jade turned from the window to look back at me with those big, sincere eyes of hers and set her hooves in her lap like an attentive school filly. “Yes sir?”

“I need to figure out just what to have you do when I get you back to the city.” I scratched idly at my muzzle. “You ever danced before?”

“No sir. We were all shut away for so long, and I was a slave before that. I wasn’t very old when Sombra took over the Crystal Empire.” Jade’s tone was somehow both apologetic and energetic. “I’ve done lots of manual labor, and the tour guide job. But I’ll learn to dance if you want, sir!”

I sighed and leaned back in the plush fabric of my seat. Of course not. That would’ve made her too perfect, and the only things that are ever too perfect are traps. “We’ll see. I was thinking dancer, but if you don’t know how, you’ll have to do something else while you learn. Not a big deal. You’re a pretty face; I can put you to work somewhere.”

A smile turned up Jade’s lips when I called her pretty. “Thank you, sir!”

“Yeah… you’re welcome.” I folded my forelegs and mused a bit. Ever since we both passed out, she’d been nothing but agreeable. Not just never unpleasant; Jade was eager to please, upset to disappoint, and practically nothing else. That’s all there was to her. I was getting worried that I’d broken her somehow. She’d do fine working for me, but if this was how it was always going to be, whatever this power was wouldn’t be nearly so useful. Not to mention being surrounded by so many chipper mares would drive me up a damn wall. I was going to have to see just what I could and couldn’t manage, and Jade couldn’t help with that. I needed somepony fresh to try things on.

“Sir? Is everything okay?”

Jade was looking at me with her brow just a bit furrowed. She could do cute, not just beautiful. If I could get her trained right, she’d absolutely be the Tall Tail’s star attraction. I needed to figure out what was going on between those perky green ears of hers.

“Yeah, Jade. So, why’d you come around? You were throwing me out, now you’re all mine. What’s the deal?” I expected some sort of reaction out of her. Offense at my lack of trust maybe. I got total deadpan.

“I don’t know. When I woke up, I just knew. Before, all kinds of things mattered. I had a new job, we were all free, I had Marquise Cut dating me… lots of things, and they all seemed super important! Then I woke up, and I just knew I was your mare. None of the rest of it mattered because you didn’t say it did.”

I felt a bit of a twinge at the mention of her boyfriend. It passed in a hurry; after all, I’d thrown out his picture just hours before. But the twinge still happened. What was that about? I decided to deal with one problem at a time.

“So you don’t care about anything unless I say to? Is that it?”

Jade nodded seriously, bobbing her mane around. “I’m yours. Other stuff just gets in the way. Are you sure nothing’s wrong, sir?” Jade cocked her head and furrowed her brow again.

“Yeah, fine. Still just trying to figure out where to use you when we get back.” Definitely broken. I clenched my jaw. If this was how things were going to work every time, I’d have to scrap my expansion plans. A dozen mares acting like that after talking to me? Nothing suspicious there at all.

An attendant slipped into our car just then, notepad at the ready. Owning a nightclub gives a stallion an eye for mares. This one wasn’t anything special, but she had nothing to be ashamed of, either. Short cut lavender mane on a blue coat, slim, wearing the bright red side cap all the attendants wore. No wings, no horn. “Plainly pretty,” I’d say, but her bored expression might’ve been costing her points. Her approach was quick, but apathetic.

“Can I get your orders for dinner?” The mare hadn’t even looked either of us in the eye. No greeting, no manners. She wouldn’t last five seconds at the Tall Tail. I was about to take her to task over it, but Bright Jade opened her mouth first.

“I’d like a daisy sandwich, please.”

The attendant scribbled in her notebook. “Daisy sandwich. Right. And you?” Still, the mare hadn’t looked up from her pad. She was just here to get paid, precisely the kind of employee I hated most.

I unclenched my teeth long enough to answer. I wanted to be rid of her. “Garden salad.” The rude attendant didn’t even acknowledge me before flipping her pad closed and walking back the way she came. I glared fit to set her tail on fire.

When she left, I turned to Jade. “Now something’s wrong. That service is unacceptable for what we paid! I’ve got half a mind to go find her boss.”

Jade nodded calmly. “She’s not very good at her job.” I nodded my agreement and sat fuming while we waited. Jade went back to looking out the window. At least she wasn’t so chatty anymore. Maybe whatever went wrong in her head was worth that.

We sat in silence while we waited for our meals. Fortunately, it was a short wait. Unfortunately, I could see from my seat that the order was botched—a pair of garden salads were headed toward us. The attendant pushed her cart up, gave both to me, and turned to walk away with a mumbled, “Enjoy.”

Beside me, Jade made a face. “Aww… this isn’t what I ordered!”

The attendant halted, turned, and failed to offer any apology at all. “Yeah. The sandwich fell off the cart.”

I’d had it, and I felt the smoke in me churn. Glaring at the mare as she turned to leave again, I realized I’d found that test subject. Before I could rise to grab her though, I noticed the smoke forming on my body and seeping away! I pushed aside my shock, and went back to glaring at the mare’s retreating plot. The smoke slithered from my body across the floor, like a black mist rolling in. It snaked its way toward her, just fast enough to slink up a leg, across the mare’s back, and to her head before she got out of our car. I faintly made out a strangled gasp from her direction.

Jade was looking back and forth between the mare and me, wide-eyed and confused. “S-sir?”

I leaned back into my soft seat again, smiling more broadly than I had since boarding. I didn’t know for sure how this would work, but I was sure the attendant would be getting a lesson in manners. The excitement I felt had every muscle in my body tense.

“Come back here.”

The attendant turned around and walked back, stopping directly adjacent to my seat. That’s when I saw it. The smoke had slipped into her ears and nose. Her eyes lacked their shine, and her mouth hung slack. If she was still in there, she wasn’t showing it.

“Why didn’t you get Jade another sandwich instead of just grabbing whatever?” I wanted an explanation.

The attendant spoke as if she were half asleep and the words were being pulled out of her. It was oddly erotic, and I started to stiffen. “Too much trouble… didn’t want… to go back to the dining car…”

“Too much trouble” is the single least acceptable reason for poor customer service. I snapped. “Customers who pay for first class, deserve first class service!” My voice was scarcely less than a shout, and it finally dragged Jade’s attention away from the smoke tethering me to our third-rate attendant. To my surprise, though, the attendant just nodded.

“First class… service.” Her tone was as strange as before, and hard to hear over the rattling of the train, but it was still getting me hard. I wanted to see just how far my control would stretch.

I got up and stepped around beside the attendant, then looked back to Bright Jade, where she sat stunned at what was happening right before her eyes. “Jade, sit in my seat, and put that salad on your lap.” If this smoke was doing what it looked like, I was in for some amusement.

Jade obeyed, setting my salad in her seat. “Sir? I don’t understand. What’s going on?” I didn’t actually care to explain; Jade’s surprise would make it all the more amusing.

I sat in the aisle and got comfortable. “Don’t worry about it. Just cooperate. This lousy worker is going to give you better customer service than she’s ever imagined.” Jade didn’t seem particularly reassured, but she did as she was told. I turned back to my guinea pig.

“You’re going to give Jade the first class customer service she deserves. You’re going to feed her that salad, one bite at a time. With your mouth.”

The attendant stepped forward. “Customer… service.” She leaned down and picked up several leaves of lettuce with her lips, then looked up to Jade, who was staring in shock.

“Come on, Jade. Open your mouth for her.” I smirked. There was something erotic about this, but Jade’s dismay made it all the better.

“I… yes sir.” Jade opened her mouth, and the attendant leaned forward, carefully placing the leaves into Jade’s mouth. One slipped and fell back into the bowl, and I poked the attendant with a hoof.

“Not good enough. Get that salad into her mouth. If you have to touch, then you have to touch. You can’t be afraid if you’re going to give good service!”

Smoke still trailing into her ears and nostrils, the attendant nodded and lowered her head back to the bowl. “I’ll use… my lips.” She was speaking more clearly, though she still sounded far away. Either it was working better, or she was breaking loose. As she took a cherry tomato between her lips and raised her head, I bet on the former. Without hesitation, she pressed the tomato against Jade’s lips, using her tongue to push it in. Jade’s cheeks lit bright red, but she saw me smiling and kept quiet.

The attendant lowered her head once more, and came up with another bite of salad. Again, she pressed her muzzle to Jade’s as I watched from the side. Bite by bite, kiss by kiss, the salad disappeared. Her task done, the attendant stood silently. I got an evil idea, and decided to take this further.

“Jade needs dessert. Let her eat your pie.”

Jade looked to the cart, confused. There were no deserts, pie or otherwise. The attendant softly mumbled, “I have… no pie.”

Grinning ear to ear, I reached a hoof forward and flipped the attendant’s tail over her back, then patted at her sex. To my surprise and pleasure, it was already wet. “This pie. Let her eat it.”

For the first time, the attendant stalled, but I noticed the smoke entering her grow thicker. She nodded, turned, and backed toward Jade. “Please, enjoy the pie.”

Jade looked at me, horrified, her ears laid back. “Sir! I… I want to do what I’m told, but that’s… I can’t! I just ca—aah…” Jade’s voice trailed off as I lifted a smoky hoof to her head. The swirling darkness slipped right into her ears, and Jade relaxed silently in her seat.

“Eat the pie, Jade.”

My lovely crystal mare nodded and leaned forward, nuzzling at the attendant’s sex for a moment before sticking out her tongue. Jade began to lick, and I stroked her mane, the smoke swirling around her head as I did. “Good girl. How is it?”

Jade’s voice was as distant as the attendant’s. “It’s… awful.” Well that was no fun.

“No, Jade. That’s the most delicious thing you’ve ever tasted. You love that pie. It’s making you greedy for more.”

“Aah… ahhh…” Jade’s resistance faltered as the smoke began to slide into her nostrils as well. Her licking got rougher, and I could see the juices flowing from the attendant’s pussy. “…so good…” Jade pressed her muzzle into the attendant’s folds, and despite my control, the train worker moaned.

“Good girl, Jade. You love it. Keep going.” I pressed Jade’s face into the wet sex before it, and she licked loudly, rubbing at it with her muzzle. “Little bites, Jade. Don’t hurt, now.” Jade’s lips pulled back, and she gently took the attendant’s nether lips between her teeth, tugging a bit. I turned my attention back to the attendant.

“This is good customer service. Giving a customer your delicious pie when you’ve made a mistake is only natural.” She nodded. “You’re going to give good customer service from now on, aren’t you? That’s what you’re for. Serving.” The mare nodded again, her lavender mane slipping forward a bit.

As Jade continued to nibble, lick, and tug in back, I lifted my other hoof and turned the attendant’s head to face me. The lack of light in her eyes made me harder than ever. “You gave me bad service, too. You never looked me in the eye. From now on, you’re going to give the very best service. Do you understand?”

The attendant nodded, her chin in my hoof. “Good. From now on, you look customers in the eye, and you do anything they ask.”

The mare adjusted her glance ever so slightly, to look me straight in the eye. “Anything… you say. Anything…”

I smiled and gestured to my stiff dick. “Anything. Suck me off.”

The attendant lowered her head and took in half of my shaft at once, immediately beginning to bob on it. Still moaning from Jade’s ministrations in the back, she slipped more in, allowing me to feel the vibrations. I wasn’t going to last long. The show had been too much, and this was more than icing on the cake. I bucked my hips, watching the expressionless stare on the attendant’s face as I shoved further in. Her tongue worked my shaft, and I held her head, sliding in and out as Jade continued to bury her muzzle in my plaything’s pussy. A few more thrusts and another moan, and I could take no more. I held the mare’s head to me and poured my seed down her throat. Reeling in the afterglow, I lay back, still holding her lips to my cock as I continued to shoot. I was reminded of the cave, and how I’d filled Jade completely. I just kept cumming, and the attendant’s stomach began to visibly fill as I gasped on the ground.

The attendant moaned even louder as Jade finally got her off, my cock still in her throat. Finally, I finished and released her head. “Lick your lips, and go wipe off your pussy. Remember to give good service from now on.

“Yes. Good service.” My smoke receded from the attendant’s face, but as she came to herself she gave no sign that anything was out of the ordinary.

“Sorry about before sir. I hope I made up for it, and that your friend enjoyed her pie. Please enjoy the rest of your trip.” With that, she turned and walked away.

I looked to Jade, still under the effects of the smoke. “You enjoyed that.” Jade nodded, and satisfied, I let the smoke recede.

Jade looked down at me, still reclined on the floor. “I’m glad she tried to fix things, sir. Here, let me give you back your seat.”

Jade scooted back to her own seat, and passed me my salad as I sat. At long last, I dug in. It was absolutely the best salad I’d ever tasted.

The Secretary

It was quite late when our train finally arrived in Manehatten. Morning, but sunrise was hours away. With Bright Jade in tow and looking all around as we walked, I quickly navigated the city’s streets, taking us straight to The Tall Tail. I had no place else to put Jade, so I was just bringing her with me for the night, to my place over the club. The success of the business allowed me the luxury of owning the floors above as well, and while I could’ve gone for more room, or a nicer part of town, the classy stage and bar of my cabaret were my real home; leaving for the day had never really suited me. Unlocking the door, I ushered Jade in and locked it back behind us.

To my surprise, we’d no sooner entered than we were greeted by a rather nervous Pirouette, hurrying down the stairs from the office and my suites. Orange, with a dark red mane, a ballerina’s cutie mark, and the signs of encroaching age, she was the club’s choreographer and general manager. And she didn’t really have any reason to be there at this hour—the cabaret closed at midnight during the week.

Answers could wait until morning. I didn’t want to give any for the strange crystal pony standing next to me just then, and waiting on demanding explanations from Pirouette would let me just get to bed. The train ride had left me tired, but what I’d done with that attendant had really taken it out of me. “Pirouette? What’re you still doing here? It’s late. Go home.”

Pirouette’s laugh was nervous, and the former ballerina shook her head. “It’s not that late, Done! I, uh, was just planning out a new act for the girls! I needed to be up on stage to sort out the steps, that’s all!” Pirouette took a few light steps and gave a twirl, demonstrating. I wasn’t buying it.

“Well, you’ve managed that. You came down from the office, not the stage. So you can head home now.” I started walking toward the back. Really, after an exhausting train ride, all I wanted was to sleep, maybe have Jade get me off. I didn’t need mystery so late at night.

Pirouette moved to get in my way. “Ah, wouldn’t you like a drink, Done? You know, relax a bit after the long ride. It’s no good to hop in bed stiff and sore, you know!” She gently pushed me toward the bar. “Come on, I’ll rub your withers!”

I sighed. This was not going to plan, and the more Pirouette talked, the less I bought her story. She was a hard enough worker to stay late on her own, but the only times she’d offered offered a massage before were when she needed me buttered up for bad news. Something was coming. I let Pirouette lead me to the bar, Jade still in tow. Pirouette had worked for me for years; I considered her a friend more than a hireling. The thought crossed my mind to try bringing up my smoke again, but if anypony was safe from that, it was Pirouette. She did good work and treated me well. Why fix what wasn’t broken?

Pirouette sat me on a stool at the bar and headed behind it, disappearing below to come back up with a bottle in her mouth and a mug in her forehooves. As she sat the mug down and began to pour, she spoke around the bottle. “Ah shee ya mae a frien’ up ‘ere! Wassh ‘er ‘ame, issh?” I propped my forehead on a hoof and leaned against the bar. This was exactly what I didn’t want to deal with tonight.

“I’m Bright Jade. Mr. Deal said he’s going to find me some kind of work here.” Jade hadn’t taken a seat. If I wasn’t getting around this, then I wasn’t getting around this. I patted the stool next to me, and she took it.

“Some kind? So no real experience?” Pirouette had set the empty bottle down and pushed the mug toward me as she spoke with my mare. “He must’ve seen something in you. He never hires anypony who can’t do the job.”

I wasn’t enjoying being spoken of as if I weren’t there. Pirouette was back to her usual manager self, which was a relief, but she was still hiding something. And, I noticed belatedly, she’d changed her manestyle—one eye was covered by bangs. “She’s a looker, and no place else in all of Manehatten, maybe all of Equestria, has a crystal pony performing, Pirouette. I figured she could wait tables or tend the bar while you see if she’s got what it takes for the stage. If not, well, a pretty waitress never hurt business.”

I saw Pirouette’s lips draw for just a moment. She was getting past the age of being looked at, and it bothered her. New girls tended to make her feel threatened, despite how much she obviously loved working with them. Mares. “I like what you’ve done with your mane, by the way. Nice and mysterious.” I downed my cider in a single long pull.

Pirouette’s visible eye widened and she looked away, suddenly nervous again. I’d hit on what she was hiding, or come close. “Thanks, Done… ah… oh, right! Your wither rub!” Hurriedly, Pirouette came around the bar and laid her hooves on my back, starting gently. This pony was up to something.

I let her work for a moment as Jade watched quietly. As much as I enjoyed the massage, I wanted my pillow. Unless Pirouette were willing to continue up there… I banished the thought. She was a friend; I wasn’t going to do that to her, but this little charade had gone on long enough. As Pirouette worked my withers, I spoke without turning. “Alright, Pirouette. Spill it. We’ve been friends almost as long as I’ve been your boss, but you don’t rub my back unless you want something. Right now, it looks like you want me down here instead of in bed. Spill it.”

Pirouette increased the pressure on my withers, coaxing a groan out of me as she hit an especially tense spot. “Whatd’ya mean, Done? I’ve given you the odd massage before!” I didn’t have to face her to know that she’d been looking at the floor as she said that. My fillies knew my tells, but I knew theirs, too.

“Yeah. Like the time a drunk ruined a big show while I was upstairs. Or the time a new waitress spilled beer in the mayor’s lap. Or when our star dancer quit. Ow!” Pirouette had suddenly pushed far too hard, and quit massaging altogether. “So that’s it; somepony’s quitting. Somepony allowed into my—Day Planner!”

I bounced from my stool and dashed for the stairs. Day Planner was the best secretary I’d ever had. I’d given her two raises in the last six months, and I made sure she never had to work late. How dare that ingrate walk out on me while I was on vacation? How dare she use Pirouette to try to cover for her! As my hooves thundered up the steps, they didn’t quite drown out Pirouette’s resigned, “Oh, ponyfeathers.”

I didn’t pause at the landing waiting area—my office door was wide open and I moved through without slowing down to find a harrowed looking unicorn arranging papers in the air. She’d been distracted enough not to hear me coming, but set the papers on my hardwood desk and turned to face me as I entered. I didn’t give her the chance to speak.

“You wanna explain to me why you’re quitting while I’m supposed to be on vacation, Day Planner? And why you talked Pirouette into trying to distract me?” I could feel the smoke roiling in me as I approached. Day Planner backed up a step, but didn’t look afraid. Instead, she just sighed.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Deal, but this just isn’t where I want to be. I should’ve waited for you to get back. I should’ve put in my notice. I just wanted to avoid this conversation.” Day planner brushed a strand of her black, bob-cut mane away from her eyes, and gestured toward my desk. “I was here late to get everything organized and easy to pick up for whoever you hire to replace me. It’s all very clear; I’m sure anypony can take over without causing you any trouble.”

The frown on my muzzle was deep enough I could feel it as I walked past Day Planner and sat at my desk. I forced myself to be calm. There were going to be repercussions, but I wanted to keep Day Planner, not have a shouting match. With a deep breath and hooves steepled in front of my face, I responded, the very picture of angry calm. “I see. I appreciate that you took the time to make sure I wouldn’t have any trouble, but replacing you at all is trouble, Day Planner. Another raise is out of the question; I’ve given you all I can justify right now. But I don’t think this is about the bits. So talk to me. What’s got you so eager to leave? I’m willing to make some adjustments; you’re a great secretary.”

Day Planner shook her head, the black of her mane and white of her face making a momentary gray blur. “That’s just it, Mr. Deal. I don’t want to be a secretary. I know I’m good at it. It’s definitely what I’m best at. But it’s not what I want to be.”

One of my steepled hooves dropped to my desk, and the other smashed into my face in frustration. So it was this again, then. “Day, we’ve been over this. You’ve got everything I need in a dancer except a sense of balance. If Pirouette tells me you’re just not improving, no matter how much she drills you, what am I supposed to do? Put my best girls on stage with somepony who can’t keep stay on her hooves? The song and dance numbers are our bread and butter. You know that.” We’d been over this at least once every few months as long as Day Planner had been with me. I had absolutely no problem with letting her try—mares who really want to dance in stage acts are few and far between—but she had no talent for it. It wasn’t an option.

“And I keep saying I respectfully disagree with her, Mr. Deal. It’s a moot point. The door to the career I want isn’t open here, so I’m leaving. Goodbye, Mr. Deal.” Day Planner turned to walk away.

I grit my teeth, narrowed my eyes, and felt the smoke swirling more chaotically in my heart. Fine. If that’s what it took to keep her, I was willing. The smoke formed on my coat, and I released it to sink to the ground and swirl toward Day’s retreating tail. Nopony walked out on me without permission! The tendrils of smoke coiled up each of Day Planner’s hind legs, dark against her pale coat, and from there up her flanks and back. The calendar cutie mark she bore was slashed through by a wispy, dark line. It had moved faster this time, and by the time the streaks of darkness reached Day Planner’s ears, she’d taken only a few steps. She took no more.

Rising from my seat behind my desk, I walked around to stand beside Day Planner in the middle of my office. Coils of smoke ringed her hind legs, torso and neck. If the smoke weren’t still flowing, worming its way from me up her body and into her ears and nose, she might almost have been mistaken for a zebra. She made no move as I stopped beside her; she merely stared forward and allowing the smoke to enter her body. The sight of my power, whatever form it took, seeping into the pretty white mare’s face began to stiffen me.

I didn’t want to give orders. I wanted to change a whole way of thinking. “What are you, Day Planner?”

Day answered, her clouded eyes unblinking. “A… pony.”

I shook my head, and physically turned hers to face me. “Try again.”

“A… mare?” Whatever was going on in her mind, enough was left for confusion. Good. This was supposed to be a learning experience, after all.

“No. What are you, Day Planner?”

Third time was the charm. As drowsily as before, Day Planner answered, “A secretary.”

“Good.” I walked around to Day Planner’s other side, the trails of smoke connecting us never coming apart. “Whose secretary, Day?”

“Yours…” Day remained expressionless, but I smiled. Progress.

“That’s right. You’re mine. And what does a secretary do, Day Planner?”

“Keeps… her boss… efficient.”

“Excellent. That’s right. You’re a secretary. You’re mine. You keep me efficient. What happens to that efficiency if I have to hunt for a replacement, Day?”

Day Planner seemed to be struggling with the more complex question. The smoke must’ve made reasoning difficult, but that was as much its power as its weakness. “It goes… down.”

I turned Day Planner’s head to face me again. “That’s right, Day Planner. You’re my secretary. Your purpose is to keep me efficient. But if you go, my efficiency goes down. If my efficiency goes down, and it’s your job to keep it up, what did you do, Day?”

“I… failed?” I smiled again. That was a better answer than I’d hoped for. I ran with it.

“That’s right, Day Planner. And somepony who fails is a failure. Would you rather be a failure, or a secretary?”

“…I… but…” I narrowed my eyes, and the smoke pouring off of me darkened. “A… a secretary.”

“That’s right, Day. You want to be a secretary. You want to be my secretary. But you failed. Do you want another chance?”

I could see hints of sadness in Day Planner’s eyes, clouded or not. “Please… I don’t want… to be a failure.”

By this point, my rod was fully extended. Holding Day Planner’s mind in my hooves was as much a turn on as anything in my life ever had been, and I could feel pre beginning to leak. “If I give you another chance, what will you do to keep me efficient, Day Planner?”

“Anything. Have to keep you… efficient.”

“If I’m horny, and it’s making it hard to work, what’s your responsibility?”

“I… you need to… come. I have… to help.”

I stepped behind Day Planner. “I’m horny, Day. You’re going to fix that, aren’t you?”

Day Planner nodded again. “Please… use me.”

I obliged, mounting Day Planner unceremoniously, and sliding my cock right into her slit. She was already wet, just as Jade and the mare on the train had been. That was a side effect I could live with. My shaft met no resistance at all, and I began to thrust with no prelude. Day moaned softly through her addled state.

“Ah, ah, ah, Day Planner. If you enjoy this, you can’t focus on getting me off, can you? That’s not efficient.”

Day actually blinked, and I pushed harder on the smoke again. I could actually see her nostrils flare now—her body wanted more; it was actually pulling the smoke into her as fast as it came.

“No. I shouldn’t… enjoy it. I… need to be efficient… make you come.” Day’s moaning ceased, and her vaginal muscles began to work my shaft harder. The smoke left Day Planner’s face slack and distant, but the slightest hints of concentration were visible in her expression nonetheless as she tried to work my cock.

To my amazement, she took initiative. “Please… sit. If you wear out… resting wastes time.”

Both eyebrows raised, I pulled my shaft out of Day, dripping her on the floor as I moved to my desk chair and turned it. Day Planner followed, lifting my dick with her magic as she gave another instruction. “Please… spread your legs.”

I did as Day Planner asked, and she magically guided my cock back into her soft folds, easing herself down into my lap. I gripped her flanks more for my own enjoyment than anything else, and she began to rock back and forth, taking me in deeply, then moving away again, all the while squeezing me inside with near-mechanical precision. She made no sound herself, but the sticky noises of her penetration filled the office as she moved with more and more intensity, and squeezed more and more tightly inside. I released her from the smoke, and it dissipated into thin air, but Day Planner continued stabbing herself with my dick, completely dispassionately.

As she rose one last time and squeezed my flare near her entrance, I moaned and squeezed her flanks, coming hard into her waiting tunnel. Free from my control and able to think more quickly, Day backed herself against me swiftly, sliding all the way to my balls. “Please come inside, Mr. Deal. A mess would waste time on cleanup.” It was all I could do not to laugh while I ejaculated. When the flow stopped, Day magically lifted her precision-cut tail, wrapping it tightly around what little of my dick wasn’t inside of her, and pulled it tight against her lips as she stepped away, wiping any drippings off of my rod and into her or her tail. Like that, I was nearly clean.

As I sat enjoying the afterglow and the power rush, Day Planner turned to face me. “If you’ll excuse me sir, I should clean up. May I spend the night at the office? If I use the dancer’s shower, I can be on time in the morning, despite the late hour.” Not a single thing in her expression or demeanor suggested the sex had meant a thing to her. It was part of her job, no more, no less.

I leaned back in the chair, putting my forehooves behind my head. “Sure. And I’ll let you keep that last raise. I don’t imagine you still want to quit, do you?”

“No, Mr. Deal. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m your secretary.”

“Very good, Day. Go ahead and clean up. I’ll let you use a bed in my suites. If you’re stiff from sleeping on the office floor, you’ll be slower tomorrow.”

Day Planner nodded and turned to head downstairs, to the dancers’ dressing room. “A good point Mr. Deal. Thank you.”

In a much better mood, I followed her down to find Bright Jade alone—Pirouette had left for the night. “Come on up. The guest bed’s spoken for tonight, so you’re sleeping with me.”

Bright Jade voiced no complaint as she followed me to my rooms above the office, swaying her pretty green tail as if nothing were out of the ordinary, an appearance that never wavered as she climbed into bed with me, perfectly content.

The Manager

I woke the next morning from dreams of maps and routes. Not maps from here to there, but from here to power. Plans and ideas formed as I slept, notions of how to expand my businesses and my control along with them. As sunlight filtered through my fourth story windows, illuminating a bedroom decorated with mementos of my business accomplishments, I noticed a familiar warm, wet feeling from below. I felt Jade still asleep beside me, so I looked down, perplexed to find Day Planner sitting on her stomach, holding my softening cock between her hooves as she licked it clean.

Day Planner paused from her licking long enough to acknowledge my confused expression. “Sorry if I was presumptuous, Mr. Deal, but as I passed your room on my way down to the office, it occurred to me that morning wood would only slow you down. It’s been dealt with; just give me another moment and you’ll be cleaned up.” As if that were the most normal explanation in the world, Day Planner resumed licking up any remaining traces of cum from my crotch.

The conversation had awakened Bright Jade, who blinked in confusion at the mare between my legs, addressing Day with a disappointed tone. “I was going to do that… I want to be useful too!” She turned to me with a pout, as if I were somehow supposed to get morning wood all over again, just for her.

Day Planner gave my penis one last careful inspection before rising and getting off the bed. “It’s my responsibility to make sure Mr. Deal stays on top of his game, Ms… well, I don’t know your name, but if you’re here tomorrow, I’ll likely just be arriving to work at this time. If you’ve dealt with Mr. Deal’s morning condition, that will free me up to prepare his coffee.” Without asking Jade’s name, Day Planner left the room.

I smirked at Jade’s pouting. “Relax, Jade. I’ll make you useful. I didn’t bring you all the way from the Frozen North for nothing.”

Jade’s unhappy expression vanished, and she nodded, climbing out of bed ahead of me. She trotted toward the door, calling out over her shoulder, “Pirouette told me to be early this morning so she can see how I am. I’ll go wait for her.”

Before I could tell Jade that Pirouette wouldn’t be in for another couple of hours, she was gone. I sat up in bed, mulling over the events of the day before and the wee hours of this morning. That I could really do something with this power was unquestionable, but smart businessponies hedge their bets. I needed to learn what I was really capable of, and soon, but The Tall Tail wouldn’t run itself, and it was the cabaret that put food on the table. It was time to get to work.

A quick shower later, and I stepped into my office, eager to see just how the first day with Jade around, and with Day Planner’s new attitude, would go. I’d no sooner sat down and looked at my desk than I realized the downside of an efficiency obsessed secretary: Papers and proposals were organized left to right, near to far, in the order they demanded attention. Bills, supply orders, payroll, a couple of job applications, business proposals, and a stack of general mail were placed in that order, shattering any illusions of a slow, pleasant morning. Day Planner came trotting in from the floor below, my coffee floating in the air ahead of her. At least that comfort wasn’t denied me.

“Good morning again, Mr. Deal,” she began as I reached for the first sip of my desperately needed caffeine. “I’ve arranged the paperwork as efficiently as possible. Should anything demand your attention before you finish, the most critical tasks will already have been handled. If you’ll simply place things in your outbox as you finish, I’ll see to addressing them and getting them sent. In the meantime, I’ll get to work re-organizing our records. I suspect we could reduce costs if we had a better idea of where our money went.”

I halted with my coffee just a hair from my lips, staring. I’d either ensured the financial success of The Tall Tail for years to come, or created a monster. It was too early to say which. I took a drink and hoped for the best.

Two mind-numbing hours later, the paperwork was handled, and it felt precisely the same as being let out of class had as a colt. I dropped the last sheets into the outbox and sprung up from my chair, eager to stretch, walk the floor, check on Jade, or do anything but more paperwork. I practically bolted for the office door, only to be stopped by Day’s voice.

“Mr. Deal?” My blood ran cold.

“Yes, Day?”

“Excellent work, sir. I’ll let you know if anything needs your attention.” Flashing me an honest smile I hadn’t been sure she was still capable of, Day returned to her record keeping. Relieved, I slipped out the door.

I had always loved stepping onto the show floor of The Tall Tail. From the very first day of business, I’d felt like a king surveying his realm as I stepped down from on high. Despite the usual implications of a cabaret, The Tall Tail fairly shone with class and polish. The same expensive wood paneling lined the walls down here as in my office, the bar was beautiful mahogany polished to a shine, the stage was well-lit, and whether customers were seated at one of the circular tables or one of the half-booths surrounding them, their view of the show was carefully unobstructed. There were plenty of places in Manehatten to get a drink. The Tall Tail was one of very few where a pony on a normal salary could enjoy something truly classy.

Neither Jade nor Pirouette were in sight. I slipped through the performers-only door beside the stage, and carefully avoided tripping over props, scenery, and other bric a brac associated with running a stage event, making my way toward the dressing rooms. As I approached, Pirouette’s voice floated to me.

“No, Jade, you can’t stay on three hooves for that step. You need to lift your left fore and right hind…” I’d known my choreographer long enough to recognize the tone. Jade might not be hopeless, but she wouldn’t be on stage anytime soon. Well, whatever. She was mine; I’d use her where I wanted. Pouring drinks for a while wouldn’t hurt her, and if she flirted like she had back on the cavern tour, the stallions would buy us out of every bottle.

I poked my head in the door. “How’s it coming?”

Pirouette gave Jade a quick “Catch your breath, hun,” before turning to me. With Jade wandering over to a seat, Pirouette spoke freely. “Honestly? Done, it may be a year or two before I can put her on stage. She’s not as bad as Day, but she’s got no experience at all. We’re talking the basics of the basics here.”

I nodded. “Keep it up. It’d be a waste not to use her, but I won’t spoil your shows for it. She can shine almost as bright behind the bar.”

Pirouette offered a relieved smile. “That’s why I like you, Done. You don’t cut corners for a bit of flash. The filly’s a bit weird, honestly, but she’s nice enough, seems to really want to make you proud. Give me time, I’ll get her there.”

I patted Pirouette’s withers and returned her smile. “And that’s why I like you. You always put on a great show for my customers, even when I make it hard on you.” I was still a bit annoyed with Pirouette about last night’s deception—covering for somepony trying to bail on me was asking for it—but there was enough history between us to let that slide once. I turned to go check the floor before opening in a few hours, but she called me back.

“Hey, Done… about last night. I’m glad you talked Day into sticking around, and I’m sorry for playing dumb. I just… I can understand wanting to be on stage bad enough to give up everything. You know?” Pirouette’s head was hung low.

I patted Pirouette’s back again. “You miss it, don’t you?” She nodded.

“For years, I was ‘the one.’ I was going to be the famous ballerina in Canterlot. I missed one audition, and it all… I’m sorry, Done, you’ve heard all this before.” Pirouette turned to check on Jade, but it was my turn to call her back.

I’d had enough mystery the night before, and one remained. “Hey, Pirouette. I meant it last night about your mane. It looks great on you. But what’s the story? You got jumpy when I mentioned it.”

Pirouette sighed and trotted back, then brushed the long bangs aside with a hoof, revealing swelling and a bandage. “While you were out, we had our monthly bad drunk. When I told him to go… back of his hoof. Said an old nag like me should just pour drinks and let him watch the fillies.”

I startled Piroutte with an angry growl. “Who? Nopony touches my girls!” I felt the smoke rising, but with no pony to punish, forced it back down. Pirouette smiled and let her mane fall back into place.

“Oh, hun. I know you take care of us, but relax. It’s over, and knowing you it’ll be years before you’re on vacation again. You’ll be here next time. Thanks, though. It’s nice you care so much when I’m off the stage these days.” She turned and headed toward Jade again, sighing and muttering about ages and stages.

I worked myself back to calmness and let her go. She knew as well as anypony that age ended careers on the chorus line. All she could do now was put together the best shows in town; her days in the spotlight were over. And put on the best shows she did—that night, like every almost other at The Tall Tail, her girls received a standing ovation.

A week passed, with each night illustrated in vibrant colors, all depicting my little empire of businesses growing, smaller entrepreneurs coming under my umbrella, and ever more direct methods employed in my rise to power. Waking, little changed day to day. Day Planner buried me in hours of paperwork before I went to check on Pirouette and her girls, shows went on, and money came in. I was getting restless, though, snapping from time to time. The dreams of grandeur weren’t moving into reality, and each night made waiting that much harder. Finally, during yet another morning of paperwork, I was given an opportunity.

“Day, what’s this catalog?” The cover displayed a mare in a provocative pose, in an outfit meant to titillate. Not the sort of stuff our shows used, but it wasn’t exactly tasteless.

Day Planner turned from her work to look at what I was holding up. “Oh, that. Pirouette threw it away unopened. If I may, sir, I think we have a little room to draw more attention without crossing the line. If the girls on stage appealed a bit more, we could bring in more bits with the same number of shows.”

I flipped through a few pages. These were definitely not our standard fare, but they weren’t vulgar or tacky. So the girls drew a bit more attention to their flanks, thighs, and tails. Where was the harm?

“Good idea, Day. I’ll sell her on it.”

Day nodded graciously and returned to her work. “Thank you, Mr. Deal. Good luck.”

I headed down the stairs, not expecting to need any. After all, it was an obviously good idea.

Pirouette scowled, and her dancing girls looked back and forth between us, confused. Arguments between management and the ownership were rare at The Tall Tail, and never public. “Done, since when do we dress our girls up like that? Taste and restraint has always been the name of the game here!”

I was no less annoyed. These outfits, maybe a new act or two, and The Tall Tail would bring in more business than ever. I was sure of it. And since when did the manager get to argue with the owner in front of staff? “They’re hardly outrageous, Pirouette! If they bring in a few extra bits and the girls don’t have to work any harder, what’s the harm? You’re being unreasonable.”

“Unreasonable! Done Deal, I have managed your acts for eight of the ten years you’ve run this club, and I have never once been unreasonable!” Pirouette stabbed at a page angrily, crinkling the paper. “Just look at this outfit! It draws a stallion’s eyes right to a mare’s thighs!”

Before I could snap a reply, one of the chorus girls surrounding us quietly interjected. “I think it’s kinda cute…” Another, younger mare nodded from her perch on a makeup table. “It’s not that bad. I wouldn’t mind it.”

I grabbed the catalog back from Pirouette, a victorious smile on my face. “It’s settled then. I’m placing the order, Pirouette.”

Pirouette turned on the girls who’d spoken up for me. “I can’t believe you two! Why would you want to wear something like that?”

Angry that Pirouette was still putting up a fight when I’d said the matter was settled, I took a parting shot as I left the room. “Because they’re not jealous that age keeps them out of the spotlight, Pirouette.”

I could hear the gasps as I left the room, but I didn’t turn around. Not even when I heard Pirouette begin to cry.

The show went on as normal that night, and as usual, I watched from a table near the back. It was good, but it was definitely a bit off. The events in the dressing room had left the performers feeling uncertain. During a routine with a pair of mares singing a duet with no accompaniment, Bright Jade approached me, looking worried. I’d calmed down from hours before, but seeing Jade upset was one more reminder that there were problems I’d have to sort out. That she was bringing them right to me during the night’s best routine only made things worse. I took a deep breath and evened out my temper. This wasn’t Jade’s fault.

Speaking quietly, so as not to disrupt the song, I simply asked, “Yes?”

Jade lowered her tone to match. “Sir, Pirouette said she wants to talk to you in your office. Right now.”

I frowned. Pirouette knew I hated being interrupted during the show, but that could only mean it was serious. With a sigh, I remembered that I’d made her cry. She’d been a fool and out of line, but she was still a friend. “All right. Back to work, Jade; I’ll go sort this out.”

Jade nodded and hurried away to tend to a customer who was holding out an empty glass, and I quietly found a path around the outside of the large hall, avoiding blocking anypony’s view on my way to the stairs. I paused on the landing, resolved to be patient, and pushed open the door.

Pirouette stood in front of a mirror on the wall, staring at herself. Her visible eye was puffy and red, and her cheeks were still damp. Had she only just stopped crying? She turned when she heard me enter, and the tone she took was new to me—half mother hen, half betrayed friend.

“Done… what’s gotten into you? You’ve always been a good boss, and a good friend, but since you came back… I don’t know what to think. You came back early, with a mare in tow who acts like satisfying you is all that matters. You talked Day into staying, but now if she’s on the clock, she works like a mare possessed. You’re as protective of the girls as ever, but you’ve been snapping, and now today… you’ve never asked me to compromise on my work, Done! And those outfits! And worst of all, what you said!” Pirouette’s voice cracked as she struggled not to cry again. “What is it, Done? What’s wrong? What’s gotten into you?”

I could actually hear the anguish in Pirouette’s voice. Eight years of working side by side with her, and I’d never heard her so miserable before. I lowered my head, ashamed. Of all the ponies I’d ever met, none had stood side by side with me through thick and thin like this mare. She hadn’t deserved the insult, and I could’ve brought up the outfits in my office, where she didn’t have an audience that looked up to her. I needed to fix this.

“Close your eyes, Pirouette.”

Pirouette looked at me, confused and I thought, mistrustfully. Had I hurt her that badly? “Done… I don’t understand.”

I walked over to her slowly, and gently pushed her mane back, away from her hurt cheek. To my surprise, Pirouette pressed her muzzle against my hoof. Affection? “I know. And that’s my fault.” I spoke as softly as I could. “Just trust me on this. Please?”

Pirouette gave me an appraising look, but finally nodded and shut her eyes. I stepped back and pulled the smoke up from inside of me, my first time calling it out when it wasn’t boiling on its own. I was a little relieved to see the dark mist begin to swirl around my body. Glad it had come when called, I looked toward Pirouette, and the smoke began to writhe from me along the ground, twisting up all four legs, around her torso, down her tail and up her neck. When it coiled gently around her muzzle, I willed it to stop, and it did, safely outside. My most trusted friend deserved to know my big secret.

“Okay, Pirouette. You can open them.” I offered a reassuring, heartfelt smile.

Pirouette’s eyes opened, and she looked at me. When she saw the smoke wafting around my body, her eyes bulged. When she saw the lines of it stretching to her, and looked in the mirror, her jaw worked, terrified, but not a sound came out. I sighed. I should’ve expected it would scare her at first.

I raised a hoof, trying to placate Pirouette. “It’s alright! It doesn’t hurt. You don’t need to be afraid. I should’ve told you about this before, but it’s pretty hard to explain.”

At last, Pirouette found her voice. She spoke in a mix of frenzy and pleading. “Done! What are you doing? Stop! This isn’t right! Please!” She looked at her legs and stood stock still, perhaps afraid of moving them while they were coiled in smoke.

I frowned. “Pirouette, calm down! It’s alright. You’re my friend; I won’t do anything to you.” Pirouette of all ponies understood me. I just had to lay it out the right way. “I’m not sure what it is, but since this smoke came into me, ponies do what I want. Day was going to quit, but she stayed. Jade… I’m not sure what happened there, but you’ve seen how she is. She’s mine. And there was an awful pony on the train I sorted out. Just think of what we can do! The restaurant next door that wouldn’t sell, that pack of hoodlums that make trouble every so often, the dance school that said all those awful things about us! Naturally, we’ll keep taking good care of your girls; they’re the heart of this whole thing. They deserve the very best. Finally, I’m going places, Pirouette. I’m sorry for what I said earlier, honestly. You’re my best friend, and I want you with me, every step of the way, just like always.”

My frown had turned to a smile while I spoke. The things I’d accomplish, and Pirouette beside me all the while, the one pony in the world I could tell anything. The idea was heaven itself. Then she spoke.

“No! Done, get a hold of yourself! Listen to yourself! Don’t you hear what you’re saying? This is evil! You just made Day stay? You ‘sorted out’ some pony on the train? You don’t even know what happened to Jade, and it doesn’t bother you at all! Making me cry is the least of it! Done, you’re better than this! Come back! You don’t need this… stuff! This isn’t you. I want my sweet, kind Done back! The one who made his bits making ponies happy! Please!”

Pirouette’s tears had resumed, and my own were forming in my eyes as she spoke. I had trusted her. I had showed her everything, told her everything. I had been sure she would understand! We were going to stand side by side, at the top of Manehatten’s high society… and now this. I could feel my tail droop, and my head sank to stare at my own hooves. The first teardrop landed directly between them, a perfect bead on my beautiful hardwood floor.

Pirouette’s voice was encouraging, despite her tears. “That’s it, Done! I know you can do it! We’ll take you to Canterlot; I’m sure the princesses can fix—”

The words died in her throat as I raised my head and flicked my mane back. Maybe my sad smile told her everything. They often say a lot more than words. “It’s okay, Pirouette. I’m not angry with you. You just don’t see… but I can fix that.”

Horror washed over Pirouette’s face. “…Done? W-what do you mean?” I didn’t answer. “Done, please… listen to me!”

I wiped a tear from Pirouette’s cheek. Even approaching middle age, it was easy to see she’d been a beauty once. I hated seeing beautiful mares cry. “We’ll still be good friends.”

I stepped back, and the smoke stopped moving around her, instead closing tight against her body. Pirouette opened her mouth, but nothing escaped, not even a gasp. As the smoke pressed itself into her flesh, Pirouette thrashed, dropping to her side on the floor. The skin around her eyes tightened up, some of the sheen of youth returned to her coat, and her mane and hooves regained gloss I hadn’t seen from them in years, if ever. The thrashing slowed as the smoke sank further, disappearing completely into her body. As the last wisps vanished, Pirouette shuddered, her body wracked by orgasms. She lay panting on the ground, pupils dilated, staring into space. Though unfocused, this was entirely different from Day and the mare on the train. Somehow, I wasn’t afraid for her.

I sat next to Pirouette’s head, and stroked her mane, smiling down at her gently. “Hey in there. You’re okay, right? You’re gonna get up and manage the girls like always. The costumes are fine. You want the girls to get ahead. You want to get ahead, right? We’re going to do this together, just like always.”

Pirouette blinked at last. When her eyes focused on my smiling face, she returned that smile, with interest. “Yeah. Together. Help me up? I’m a little woozy…”

I rose and offered Pirouette a hoof up. As she stood, she caught sight of herself in the mirror, and her jaw dropped. She saw what I had seen happening—a good fifteen years of the clock wound back. “Did you… did your… that stuff?”

I nodded, amused at her inability to speak. “Yeah. Just call it smoke; I don’t think it has a name.”

In a flash, forelegs were wrapped around my neck, squeezing tightly. “Oh, Done, thank you! I can dance again!”

I returned the hug, smiling, though Pirouette couldn’t see. I had no idea how I’d given her back her youth, but as long as she was happy, I didn’t care. All was right with the world.

After more apologies in each direction, Pirouette headed down to her girls backstage. I followed just far enough back not to meddle as I listened in. The exclamations ranged from, “You look like a million bits, Pirouette!” to “Woah, Mr. Deal must really know how to kiss flank when he messes up!” I let the latter slide—a good businesspony knows which misunderstandings to correct, and which to let stand.

(PC) Lightning Dust

Things had been fairly calm around The Tall Tail after I got Pirouette to see things my way. Granted, it had only been a few days, but the new outfits had arrived, and with Pirouette coaxing the girls and even wearing one herself, even the more reluctant mares had gotten back into the swing of things. Day was continuing her work at saving us money, Jade was alternately pouring drinks and working on her dance steps (with the help of a few of the dancers who wanted to get in good with the mare the boss brought home…), and I was spending time considering how to expand the business. It almost felt like the days before my visit to the Crystal Empire.

Which of course meant that I was getting restless to see just what I could do with the smoke inside of me.

My opportunity came in the early evening. We had just opened for drinks and no entertainment was due to start for a couple of hours yet, when Bright Jade came rushing into my office, nervous. I looked up from my planning, surprised. Jade was always so concerned with satisfying me that if she came to me with a problem instead of resolving it with the bartender on duty or Pirouette, I was ready to assume it was trouble. Rather than wait for her to spit it out, I saved her the trouble.

“What is it, Jade? You never bother me in here.” I set aside the paperwork Day Planner had dropped on me before leaving for the night. As much as she’d sped things up in the office, I had the time to spare.

“Well… it’s just that somepony is making a scene and won’t go away. She keeps challenging ponies to bets, and hassling them if they just want to drink in peace. We all tried getting rid of her. Pirouette was going to send for guard ponies, but she wanted you to try first.”

I sighed. It looked like we had scored ourselves an extra drunk that month. I rose from my seat and walked around to the door, Jade trailing behind, unsure of what she should be doing. I wasn’t even halfway down the stairs before I heard the ruckus. If it was carrying this far, they’d done right to get me.

“Hah! I’m tellin’ you, the only reason you won’t try me is because you know you’ll lose!”

“Dammit, I didn’t come here for this! Why won’t you let me drink in peace?”

I quickened my pace. If this pest was chasing off customers, I needed to get her dealt with. Approaching the bar, I saw the source of the trouble: A mint green pegasus with a streaky golden mane.

Attempt number one was simple customer service. “Miss, is there a problem? I’m starting to get complaints about the noise, so if there’s something we can set right, I’d like to.”

The pegasus just scoffed. “The only problem I see is that everypony in this dive is too yellow to take me on!”

I stiffened at the word “dive.” The Tall Tail wasn’t the most exclusive club in Manehatten, but we were among the best your average pony could afford, and I took pride in that. Attempt two was just to chase her off. “Miss, if you don’t either stop bothering my patrons, or leave, I’m going to have to remove you. It’s your choice.

The mare prodded my chest with her hoof. “You couldn’t if you tried! I’m faster than you, I’m stronger than you, I’m just better than you.” Apparently writing me off, she turned back to hassle the customer she’d been yelling at when I came down.

That was it. Attempt three was to see just what new tricks the smoke had to offer. First though, to get her out of sight of my customers. “You know, you’re not so hot. I bet you couldn’t even make it to my office up those stairs before me.”

That got her attention. The obnoxious pegasus turned back to me with a look of total incredulity on her face. “Are you kidding? That’s stupid. It’s not even worth my time.”

I wasn’t giving up that easily. “Fifty bits.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

With a derisive snort, the pegasus snapped her wings out and took to the air. “Fine, you’re on. Just don’t forget all these ponies saw you make the bet.”

I didn’t care who saw me make the bet. Most of my customers would thank me for removing the pest, and if any did care about the fifty bits, it was well worth paying up to get this pegasus out of their manes. I took a starting position beside my problem customer and counted a start. “On three. One, two, three!”

She was gone before I’d taken more than three steps. The race was never the point, but I didn’t like losing so badly. As I told Jade she could get back to work and cantered up the stairs, I decided that my embarrassment would just be one more thing she paid for.

By the time I arrived though, she had already put two more black marks on her tally: she was sitting in my chair, and had her hooves up on my expensive desk. Aggravated, I shut the door behind me and turned to my new friend. “Well, you win after all. Let me get you your bits.”

The pegasus smirked as I approached, and put her forehooves back behind her head. “I’ve won some easy bets, but this one takes the cake. I really am smarter than you.”

I’d had enough, and so had the churning smoke inside. I rushed over to my desk, and before the aggravating mare could even speak, I let the smoke loose. She was too startled to move, making it that much easier for the smoke to glide up her body and into her ears and nose. Whatever taunt she’d been preparing never came. Her jaw dropped, and her eyes clouded over. I was coming to enjoy that look on mares, but in this case, it was a special pleasure.

I walked back to the center of the room, trailing smoke between myself and my victim. “Get over here.” Without a word, the pegasus complied.

Fixing her with a glare I realized she wouldn’t know was there, I decided to get answers before punishing the pest. “Alright, who are you, and why are you making such a nuisance of yourself in my club?”

Her answer came sluggishly. “Lightning Dust. I got kicked… out of training.”

I facehoofed in disbelief. All this, because she was an immature brat? “So what? You decided to come be a tough pony to make yourself feel better?”

When Lightning Dust nodded I shook my head. I knew just what to do with her. I lightened up a bit on the smoke, but didn’t let her out of my power. “Alright, Lightning. You think you’re the best, don’t you?”

With the smoke not affecting her as strongly, Lightning Dust nodded aggressively. “I know I am.”

I walked back over to my desk and readied a leg to hoof wrestle. “Then hoofwrestle me.” I pushed harder on the smoke for just a moment as I added, “After all, you can never turn down a challenge.”

Lightning Dust slowly made her way to the desk. “Never… turn down.” I eased back off of her mind, and she propped a leg on the desk against mine.

“Go.” As soon as Lightning Dust pushed on my hoof, I pushed on the smoke, shoving more into her again. Her nostrils had begun to twitch, drawing it in the way Day Planner’s had. There was no question she was mine. As she went slack again, I easily shoved her leg to the table and eased up on the smoke once more.

“Huh? I… I lost?” Lightning Dust’s eyes were nearly clear, I was using so little power, and the dismay reflected in them was delicious. I got the feeling losing was an experience Lightning Dust needed a lot more of to learn her lesson, and jacked up the smoke again.

“You lost. You always lose, Lightning Dust. Your heyday is behind you. You’ll never quit trying, and you’ll never quit losing, either.” I withdrew my leg and took a seat in my chair. “And every time you lose, you’ll realize all over again that you’re not that great. That you’re not anypony at all.”

“I’m… a nopony…”

I crossed my forelegs and relaxed the smoke again. It was time to push on Lightning Dust directly. “Well, that might be a bit harsh. Want a rematch?”

Lightning Dust nodded and readied her leg for another go, determination plain on her face. I placed my hoof against hers, and called the start again. Without even using the smoke, her hoof went down easily—she was so convinced she’d never win again that it had become her reality.

Lightning Dust’s ears drooped, and she pulled her hoof from the desk, dejected. She muttered, “I really am a nopony,” and dropped to her haunches right there. Again, I intensified the smoke.

“Aww. I’m sure there’s one thing you’re still good at, Lightning Dust. Or at least, for.”

Even through the heavier smoke, the hint of hope in Lightning Dust’s eyes was almost enough for me to reconsider—but then I remembered her hooves propped up on my desk. “Sure. You’re a mare, and you’re in decent shape. You could still be good for sex.”

Lightning struggled to consider that, and I pushed a bit harder. Her eyes lost a bit more focus, and she nodded. “I… could be good at sex.” I watched, aroused, as Lightning Dust’s breath grew heavier, drawing the smoke in faster still. She’d accepted the idea easily enough, so I did away with the smoke all together, allowing her the chance to act on her own. Her ears perked back up, and she stared me right in the eye. As expected, she wasn’t about to stop without beating me at something.

“Fine! Okay, so I can’t hoofwrestle like you. I know what I can beat you at, though!” Lightning Dust’s cheeks colored a bit. Talking the talk was easy enough, but it looked as if the idea of actually competing sexually still embarrassed her. Uninvited, she flapped up and over my desk, landing with her nose right in my face. “First one to, uh, to come, loses!” Before I could answer either way, she prodded me with a hoof. “Or don’t you think you’re up to it?”

Now things were getting interesting. I leaned back in my chair, crossing my forelegs arrogantly. “Really? Why bother? You know you’ll lose. Or do you just want me inside you that badly?”

Lightning Dust’s reaction to my taunting was as predictable as it was perfect; she went from competitive to furious in a heartbeat. “You—! We’ll see if you’re so smug when you’re panting and begging for more!” With an angry huff, she turned away from me and flipped her tail up over her back. “Go on! I’ll show you you don’t stand a chance, old timer!”

Old timer? At most, I was ten years older than she was! Insulted myself, I got out of my chair and shoved it back with a hind leg, snapping, “You don’t even have me hard! You expect to win like this?”

Lightning Dust turned back to face me, rolling her eyes. She stomped over to stand side by side, and slipped a wing underneath me, sliding it back and forth on my dick. She had hardly any sense of technique, but just getting it up was no challenge. Her soft feathers tickled, but it was enough—the halfassed wing job had me hard in moments. Naturally, Lightning took that as proof of her skill.

“You see? This’ll be over before it even starts. Now quit wasting time!” Her minor success at getting me up seemed to have eased her temper a bit, but she hadn’t given up on the bet. She wasted no time moving back in front of me and assuming the position. This time, I obliged.

It was impossible not to notice the difference between Lightning Dust’s body and the other mares I’d been enjoying lately. As soon as I got up on her, I could feel the tone of her muscles—where Jade and Day Planner had been soft, Lightning Dust’s body hardly gave at all. As I slid into her, I copped a feel of her plot.

“Hah! You couldn’t resist, could you?” Lightning Dust taunted me over her shoulder, but her blush was obvious; this was well outside her comfort zone. I could feel myself blush, too: her accusation was on the money.

I had more interesting things on my mind, though, and embarrassment was quickly forgotten as I pushed farther into Lightning Dust. She was nearly dry, but my cock’s intrusion was changing that in a hurry. Though it must’ve been uncomfortable, before I began to thrust on my own Lightning tightened herself around my shaft and began to move. I gasped at the new sensation. Day always just seemed to be ready for me, and if I had Jade entertain me at night, there was enough foreplay to get her wet. A dry fuck was new.

With Lightning Dust moving back and forth, and her wetness starting to cover my dick, I got a better grip on her flanks and pulled myself deeper, scraping a wall of Lightning’s vagina with my tip and causing her to gasp, just as I had. I smirked and taunted her while I continued to thrust. “One to one.”

I only had a moment to enjoy Lightning Dust’s frown before she flapped her wings, lifting herself an inch or two from the ground, with me still on top. Before I could get a grip on the suddenly airborne mare, she twisted underneath me, and kept flapping, taking us a couple of feet up! I scrambled to get hold of her tightly enough not to fall, but she’d already wrapped her legs around me and used them to pull me deeper inside of her marehood.

With a smirk, Lightning Dust taunted me right back, her earlier sliver of modesty lost in competitive trash talk. “You should thank me! Not many earth ponies get a chance to have sex in midair.” She pulled me tighter against her body and squeezed me inside as she began to buck upward. It felt incredible—I was deeper than I realized I could ever get, and her bucking was bringing me to the edge quickly—but it was all entirely on Lightning Dust’s terms. I had nothing I could push against to move out, and shaking my hips while floating in the air hardly moved me at all. She had me, and she knew it.

Lightning let herself drop suddenly, sliding down my dick for just a heartbeat before she flapped again, catching herself and driving my shaft into her body with my full weight. She gasped, and I grunted as the my flare ground her insides. Every time I tried to push, she’d drop a little altitude, sliding me back to her entrance, then rise suddenly once more, lifting me with her hard athlete’s body, and pushing her one truly soft spot back up to my balls. We both began to pant, and she tightened her tunnel around my cock, adding that much more friction and warmth to our mid-air bobbing. Finally, I managed to adjust my hold on Lightning Dust enough to pull her hips tight against me, and enjoyed the feeling of my sack against her ass, but she just laughed, held me tighter, and flipped us both before she folded her wings and let us drop.

We fell the foot or two together, and Lightning Dust was impaled on my cock by the fall, ramming my dick into her back wall, hard. She winced a little, and I shot my load as deep in her body as possible, and lay gasping for breath as the torrent of cum ran back out through her lips.

“Who’s a nopony now, old timer? You didn’t stand a chance!” Lightning Dust’s smirk was maddening, and even as the last of my seed squirted inside of her, a voice in the back of my head reminded me that this was my own fault. For her part, Lightning seemed to have forgotten entirely that this was all she was good at. Either she was honestly satisfied, or her memory was short enough she’d forgotten how she’d felt just minutes before. I wanted to wipe that satisfied grin off her face.

“Fine. You may be crap at everything else, but you’re good at sex.” With Lightning Dust still triumphantly riding my cock, I let smoke form low on my body and snake up her back, where she couldn’t see it. It slipped into her ears and nose, and she was mine again. I hid a vicious grin behind a hoof, acting as if I were pondering something. “Of course, that’d mean you’re no different from a dog in heat.”

I didn’t even have to try to push more smoke into her. Still high on her victory over me, she wasn’t about to give up her one hope of success. “I’m a… dog. In heat…”

Her misinterpretation startled me—it was a first. I opted to run with it though. “That’s right, Lightning Dust. You’re just a faithful dog, eager for sex, aren’t you?”

When Lightning Dust didn’t nod, but let her tongue hang out and swished her tail back and forth, I decided she was finished and released her. I’d no sooner done it than she bounced up off my dick and over to my face, panting. She started licking at my cheek, and the irritation of having her so completely dominate me vanished in an instant.

I got up from the floor and scratched Lightning Dust’s ears, much to her delight. When I stopped, she whimpered and pushed her nose against my hoof. Apparently even this obnoxious mare could be cute; she just needed her personality taken away, that was all. I gave her a couple of pats on the flank, and her tail began swishing again, reminding me as I got a view of her messy pussy that we both needed to clean up.

Lightning Dust was perfectly happy to follow me upstairs, bounding along right on my tail, practically underhoof the whole time. Some of my amusement slipped as I realized she was dripping behind her. I rushed straight to the bathroom and filled the tub. Getting her to understand that she should get in was a bit of a challenge; she kept trying to drink from the faucet. Eventually though, I got her in and soaped up. Judging from her wet tail waving back and forth awkwardly, she enjoyed having her teats and crotch washed every bit as much as I enjoyed washing them.

She wasn’t the only one in need of a bath, though. Once she was cleaned up, it was my turn. I drained the tub, started the shower, and hopped in with “puppy,” who complicated matters by licking and trying to play while I bathed. Showering properly was out of the question. Between Lightning wanting to horse around, and my growing arousal at her licks, I settled for cleaning my messy and once again stiff junk and tried to get out, only to have Lightning Dust whine and present herself, right there in the shower.

I paused for a moment, but my boner was unbearable, Jade was busy on the floor of the club, and and Day Planner had gone home. That left what was right in front of me. I gave up and leaned forward, pressing the tip of my stallionhood to Lightning Dust’s vagina. She immediately resumed her poor imitation of wagging, and I struggled to line my cock up properly, but the feeling of her soft, soaked lips swiping against my tip was a decent consolation. At last I managed to hold her still enough to slide my shaft inside, enjoying the feeling of deep penetration once more.

I was surprised Lightning held still submissively, but assumed that she was still imitating a bitch and started pumping her. The wagging started again, but with me inside it was just one more source of pleasure. I saw no point in technique on a beast that knew no better, and started fucking away as fast as I could while Dust panted underneath me. Even in the shower, her drool was visible dripping from her panting tongue. I shoved into her more roughly, and the wagging sped up. The rougher pushing brought me to the back of her tunnel again, and I stopped a moment to grind my tip against her wall, enjoying the sensation. It was enough. I came deep inside my new pet.

Relieved, I pulled out, cleaned us both up again, and dried Lightning Dust off. As I dried myself, I heard her trot away and rushed, afraid for what would happen to my possessions if she were left unattended in this state, but when she heard me call, she hurried back. I couldn’t help but laugh at the pair of slippers in her mouth. She set them on the floor, and out of sheer amusement, I slipped my hind hooves in.

“Good girl, Lightning Dust. That’s a good, good girl.” Lightning Dust accepted my praise happily, lapping at my hoof again as I patted her side. I wished my mother were still alive, just so I could ask, “Can I keep her?” I doubted, though, that my dear, sainted ma would’ve appreciated a family pet so eager to have my dick inside of her.

With matters tended to, I headed back out to the office and looked around until I found an old dowel I used to prop a loose window open a few inches. Lightning Dust became nearly as excited as she’d been for the stick between my legs when she saw the stick in my hoof. I laughed again as she danced in place, waiting for me to toss it. After two fake throws sent Lightning rushing across the office excitedly for absolutely no reward, I relented and tossed the small rod. Lightning Dust jumped up, snatching the stick from the air and running it straight back. Seeing the same mare who’d given my customers such trouble earlier in the day bounding back and forth like an exuberant golden retriever was a real joy, and I forgot to take note of the time until I heard music filtering up from the show downstairs.

“Ah, horseapples.” Disappointed, I took the stick one last time, and tossed it up the stairs to my suites, shutting Lightning Dust where she wouldn’t be seen.

Jade had initially looked unhappy about another pony in bed with us, fearing she’d steal the show the way Day Planner had, but there was little enough to be concerned with. Once allowed up, Lightning Dust simply curled up at our hooves and was asleep before we were. I suppose it had been a pretty full day for her.

The next morning, though, I woke to lapping at my balls as the still in heat “dog” begged for a very specific kind of attention. Bright Jade frowned and turned to me as Lightning Dust continued to lick my rapidly inflating member, asking, “Am I useful, sir? It feels like somepony else is in here every morning.”

Though it was difficult to talk with a hyper and horny pegasus messily slurping the pre-cum off my dick, I managed an answer anyway. “Don’t sweat it, Jade. I brought you down here to work in the club. Pirouette says you’re doing great with the customers, and it looks that way to me, too. You’re useful.”

Jade smiled and rolled out of bed, mollified. “As long as I’m useful to you, sir! I’ll see you downstairs!”

I turned my attention back to Lightning Dust’s clumsy ministrations and increasing whimpering. “All right, all right already!” I had just enough time for a quickie before Day Planner showed up to put me to work anyway. I shooed Lightning Dust off the bed and gave the mare what she wanted. With some of the novelty gone and Lightning adding nothing to the fuck herself, I made it quick, spilling my seed inside her as fast as possible. Sex with Day Planner may have lacked passion, but she more than made up for it in technique. I finished inside Lightning Dust again, and led her up the staircase from my upper floor to the roof. Fun was fun, but I could do better than a dog.

The orange sunrise caused my smoke to stand out even more as it snaked its way into Lightning Dust’s face, as thick and dark as I could make it—I wanted the farewell to stick. I sat on a deck chair I’d placed up there, and said my goodbyes.

“You’re a pony after all, despite only being good at sex. If anypony ever beats you at sex, though, whoever it was will be as much your owner as I was until you get off again. You never actually set hoof inside the cabaret, and we never met.” I got up and walked to the door, a bit sad to give up the first pet I’d had in years. Shutting the door behind me and releasing the smoke, I went to clean up for work, and resolved to find myself another pet—one capable of speech.

Author's Note

Update: The original version of this chapter lacked much time with LD before the pet stuff began. I felt like I shortchanged one of the contest winners, so I fixed it. Oddly, this also resulted in more time with dog Lightning Dust. Yay?

The first "pure clop" chapter's victim and circumstances were chosen in a contest to submit the idea I liked best. Of the submissions, only Lightning Dust got more than one entry, and since they were compatible, I combined them. The reader who submitted the self-esteem break for Lightning Dust wishes to remain anonymous, but Zevski suggested pet play. I might've taken that just a little farther than intended...

A Problem to Fix

“Mr. Deal? Mr. Deal.” I looked up with a start as I realized Day Planner was trying to get my attention. This was the third time today, and she’d gone from annoyed to concerned. I rubbed my face with a hoof and sighed. This was going to be a long day.

Day got up from her desk and crossed my office, magically sliding my work out of reach as she approached. Standing in front of my desk, she gave me an appraising look. “Mr. Deal, is something the matter? Each time you speak with Pirouette, you come back more distracted than the time before. If I’m to keep you completing tasks as quickly as possible, I need you focused. What’s the problem?”

One thing that hadn’t been taken care of when I fixed Pirouette was the mark under her eye where an unruly patron had hit her. Though she’d taken to including herself in the upcoming acts, until her eye mended, Pirouette was keeping herself offstage, and her mane over her cheek. Every time I saw her with her face half hidden, I had to stop myself from grinding my teeth. The style was attractive, nice and mysterious, but I knew what was underneath, and I knew that one of my customers had caused it. It was eating me.

“Day, were you here when that drunk hit Pirouette? That’s what’s doing it. I keep my staff safe, and that goes double for the mares putting on our entertainment. Nopony messes with my girls. They bring in the bits, I take care of them. That’s how it works.”

Day Planner nodded her understanding, and slid my paperwork back in front of me. “You were on vacation, Mr. Deal. You weren’t here. Pirouette knows you would’ve tossed anypony who lifted a hoof against her out on his ear. You’re back now. There’s no reason to brood over what you can stop from happening in the future. Please focus on your work, or let me know if you need to be relaxed.”

With a professional smile, Day returned to her desk, leaving me to my business. She was right, of course. I couldn’t take care of Pirouette while I was away, but that was in the past. What mattered at the moment was dealing with the work in front of me and keeping The Tall Tail running. If trouble cropped up again, I’d handle it.

That night was the debut of the new costumes. One of the dancers had put up a bit of a fuss, or so Pirouette had told me, but in the end she’d gotten all of her girls to agree. What was good for The Tall Tail was good for them, after all, and the outfits really weren’t that provocative. I was watching from my usual seat near the back, and if the girls were nervous or uncomfortable in their new wardrobe, they certainly weren’t showing it. Their performance was spectacular, every note perfectly hit, every step in flawless time. Pirouette had outdone herself with the choreography, but the mares on stage deserved just as much praise for their execution. As the stallions in the audience stamped their hooves in boisterous approval, I sat back and smiled. With performances like these, The Tall Tail would need more seating before long.

I had completely forgotten about my frustration from earlier in the day when Pirouette slipped up beside me, shouting in my ear to be heard over the applause. She didn’t need to speak more than a few words before the tension came rushing back, though. “Done? That stallion over at the bar, the one arguing with Jade? That’s the one who backhoofed me while you were away. I don’t think Jade’s cut out for our troublemaker.”

I nodded, glad Pirouette’s protective nature included more than just her dancers. “She’s not. I’ll take care of this.”

My best business face was on as I weaved between tables to cross the floor as quickly as possible. The occasional pony frowned when I blocked their view as I passed, but the show would be disrupted far worse if this weren’t handled quickly. I got close enough to more clearly see the stallion talking to Jade in the dim lighting and frowned: he was already so sloshed his wings were hanging loosely at his sides, and he lacked the age to handle his drunkenness well. Past him, Jade was looking upset. Before I was close enough to be heard over fading applause from the last act, I allowed myself a soft curse. This was absolutely my least favorite part of running a nightclub.

“Aw, c’mon, shishter! You’re mush too priddy to work behin’ a bar! I can show you a real good time!” The drunk stallion’s slurred speech was obvious as I approached, as was Bright Jade’s discomfort. Her relief when she saw me was obvious enough for the stallion to notice, turn, and scowl at me.

Before I even opened my mouth, the drunk pegasus started in on me. “Hey, why don’ you go fin’ some other filly, pal? Thish one’s shpoken for.” As he finished his warning, he set one hoof between his legs on the stool and leaned toward me, narrowing his eyes.

He could’ve been squinting to focus vision impaired by hard cider, and it was difficult to tell if he was actually leaning forward aggressively or just drunkenly. It didn’t matter which; this was the bastard who’d hit one of my girls, and he had the nerve to come back and mess with another. I could feel the smoke roiling inside me, eager to be used, but I forced it down angrily—dim lighting or not, there were too many eyes in the club.

Jaw set, I handled this the old-fashioned way. “Yeah, she is spoken for. By me. You need to leave, ‘pal.’ Now.” I kept my voice low, not wanting to disturb the show anymore than necessary. He didn’t return the favor.

“Yeah? Well I shay I’m stayin’ right here!” The drunk slid down off his barstool and onto his hooves, shoving me roughly when he continued. “Who d’you think you are, tellin’ me what to do?” Nearby ponies quit watching the new act on stage to stare at the pair of us. There was no question anymore; this was a worst case scenario. A fight was brewing.

Furious at this drunk punk pegasus for ruining the show, for hitting Pirouette, and now for forcing me to keep control over the smoke boiling wildly in my heart, my response was an outright snarl. “I’m the owner of this establishment. Get out, or get thrown out.”

The troublemaker didn’t shove this time. He just reached for his glass. “That sho?” was all he said as he let it slip from his hoof to shatter on the floor. Enough was enough.

I barked, “That’s it!” grabbed his neck in my forehooves, and backed up on my hind legs, dragging him toward the door. The show was ruined. Subtlety was pointless now, and this bastard was getting tossed bodily out the door before I’d even try to do any damage control. I had him about halfway there, with him spewing profanity the whole time when he slipped free. I did my best to catch him, but soused or not, his wings got him up and out of my reach.

Practically frothing at the mouth, he shouted “Nopony fucks with me!” before driving himself downward with a flap of his wings, plowing a hoof right into my muzzle. I dropped like a rock, and he landed on me, buffeting my forelegs as I covered my face on the ground. Struggling to get loose just got me hit, but at last I managed to toss him off for a moment and did something the dignity of The Tall Tail had never before had to endure: I grabbed a nearby chair, and brought it down over his head with all the force I could muster. It cracked, and the drunk collapsed.

Reeling from the blows he’d landed before I got loose, I collapsed to my haunches as a handful of mares in the audience screamed and were ushered out of the building by coltfriends, several of whom cast angry glares in my direction as they left. Even the guests who hadn’t been frightened began to shuffle out. There was no question: my beautiful cabaret was closed for the night. Damage control was pointless now.

Bright Jade and Pirouette forced their way through the departing audience, one calling out “Done!” and the other “Sir!” in the same worried tone. Jade reached me first and took a napkin from one of the nearby tables, blotting gently at my muzzle where it bled. I winced, as much for my expensive cloth napkin getting bloodstained as from the pain. Jade apologized and began dabbing even more carefully, upset enough for tears to form in her eyes. It was one more sin for that lousy drunk to pay for.

Pirouette pushed her way through the last of the exiting crowd and sat beside me, opposite Jade. With Jade handling the bleeding, Pirouette tried to calm me down, patting my shoulder, asking if I was going to be okay or if she should get a doctor. Calming wasn’t working. I humored a few of her questions, then asked the ones on my mind.

“I told you, I’ll be alright, Pirouette. Where’s Shot Glass? Why in Tartarus did it get to this point?”

My tone offered no room for the questions to be deflected, and Pirouette looked past me in the direction I’d dragged the drunk. “He’s behind the bar, still. Fidgeting.”

I ground my teeth and spoke through them, my jaw clenched. “Get him over here. Now.”

Pirouette nodded and hurried away. She’d never been afraid to push back when it was called for, but she also knew when it was time to do what she was told. I didn’t bother looking when I heard a hushed argument from the bar. Did Shot Glass really think he could hide? He stalled long enough for the hall to completely empty of patrons, and for the dancers to crowd around to check on their hurt boss, but eventually Pirouette shoved a reluctant gray unicorn through the ring of worried mares and stood him in front of me. If she’d been calm when she left, she wasn’t now. Her ears were laid back, and her glare shot daggers at the pony she’d forced over.

Keeping myself from shouting was the best I could manage in the way of civility, and the furiously roiling smoke within made my temper that much shorter. I addressed Shot Glass with a clipped tone. “Would you care to explain to me just why a customer was allowed enough to drink that this happened? Or would you rather explain why, when he was that drunk, I had to personally come handle it? Or perhaps you’d be so kind as to explain why, with me bleeding over here, Pirouette had to argue with you to get you to come when your boss called?”

Shot Glass shuffled his hooves nervously, trapped between Pirouette’s glare and my own, and withering under the stares of the entire dancing troupe. He began to make excuses. “I didn’t realize he was that bad, Mr. Deal! You came over before I noticed, and anyway, Jade was pouring his drinks!”

I narrowed my eyes as Shot Glass tried to dig out of his hole. When he mentioned Jade, she dropped her bloody napkin and glared up angrily. “Hey! I poured him his first drink! After that, he kept talking to me, trying to get me to go with him, and you kept sliding him more!”

My head was reeling from both fury and the beating it had taken, or I’d have been right in Shot Glass’ face, staring the liar down. My tone dripped with enough rage to make him back up a step nonetheless. “You’re the one I put in charge of the bar. If things get out of hand, that’s on you. You didn’t cut him off, you didn’t watch out for a new employee, and when I stepped in to clean up your mess, you didn’t lift a hoof. You’re fired. Get out of my club.”

Protest was on Shot Glass’ lips as he lifted a hoof, but it dropped along with his ears when I roared, “Now!” Several dancers’ jaws dropped. None had ever heard me raise my voice, but I’d never been left bleeding on the floor of my own business before, either. Head hung, my lone male employee slinked out the door, looking back only once. I finally calmed a bit.

Pirouette broke the awkward silence left in Shot Glass’ wake. “I’m sorry, Done. I know you hate firing anypony, but you did the right thing. This is twice in one month one of us was in harm’s way, and both times he didn’t cut that pegasus off.” Pirouette thrust an accusing hoof at the still-unconscious offender. “You did what you promised us, hon. You kept your girls safe.” Somehow, Pirouette managed to smile down at me after all the night’s trouble. I called the dancers in closer.

“Listen to me, everypony. We’re shut for the night. But Pirouette’s right; I keep my girls safe. I keep them happy. You support me, I support you. That’s the way it’s always been here, and it’s not changing. I’m hiring a bouncer ASAP. Take the night off with pay. Go on, shoo.” A few dancers wandered off with worried expressions, but most offered smiles or stepped up to pat my withers and offer a word or two of consolation. This was my place, and these were my mares. Nopony was going to take this away from me.

Finally I managed to take to my hooves again, and walked back to the bar, leaving the injured pegasus on the ground where he belonged. Pirouette walked ahead, pouring me a drink as Jade kept me steady despite my shaky hooves. I sat and turned up my glass, trying not to think of anything but the flavor of the hard cider while dancers filed backstage and Pirouette offered another reassuring smile.

Jade was less comforting. “I’m sorry, sir! I’m so sorry! I’ll make it up to you, I promise!” I let her babble long enough to finish my drink, but set the glass down on the bar with a heavy enough thud to stop her mid-word.

I spoke grudgingly. I’d already had more than enough of the night, and didn’t want to have to deal with anything else. “That’s enough, Jade. This isn’t your fault. It’s Shot Glass’ fault, and it’s that guy’s fault.” I jerked a hoof back toward the site of the brawl. “You’ve been doing fine. You got the mixed drinks memorized yet?”

Bright Jade furrowed her brow, confused by the change of direction. “Um… yes, sir? I mean, I haven’t made all of them yet, but I study them when it’s slow, and I’m pretty sure I could make any—”

“Good enough.” Leaning on the bar while I nursed another cider was comforting. Handling staff was not. “Pirouette, you’ve seen her on the floor as much as I have. Think she could take over for Shot Glass? It’s early, but I don’t want to find a bouncer and a bartender.”

An appraising glance at Bright Jade prefaced Pirouette’s reply. “Yeah. We’ll need to polish her up a bit, but that crystal coat shines better than any gown. Maybe just some practice with fancy pouring.”

I nodded and set the glass down again, more gently this time. “You hear that, Jade? You’re promoted. We’ll find you some help back there, but it’s gonna be busy for a while.” I didn’t voice my fear that the fight would keep things slow.

Jade nodded, eyes wide with surprise. “Yes sir! Thank you sir! I’ll do my very best for you, I promise!”

As awful as the night had been, her exuberance was too exhausting. Guard ponies pushing open the front door saved me from having to deal with her, but I was out of the frying pan and into the fire. I sighed. The worst was over, but the night had plenty of aggravation left in store.

Over the next few hours, statements were given, notes were taken, and a dazed but recovering drunk was hauled off to be checked out at a hospital and checked in at the local station’s drunk tank. Jade swept up broken glass and mopped where our “guest” had dropped his drink, and Pirouette did away with the broken chair and bloody napkin. As for me, I endured a long lecture from the guards about how The Tall Tail had always been the one part of Manehatten’s nightlife to give them no grief, and how they hoped this wasn’t a sign of things to come. When they left, I crossed my forelegs on the bar and rested my head on them, thinking dark thoughts and cursing the worst night my beautiful club had in its ten long years.

With cleanup finished, Jade and Pirouette coaxed me off my stool and up the stairs. I’d heard them talking while I brooded down below, but had paid no attention. My mind had been on other things, and the bantering of mares was not a priority. When Pirouette departed at the door to my suites, winking at Jade as she turned, though, I wondered just what I’d missed. To my surprise, Jade took the lead, slightly nervously, and drew me straight to my bedroom.

I dropped myself onto the bed, stomach down, and muttered into my pillow. “Not tonight, Jade. I’m not in the mood.”

She didn’t argue, but a moment later I felt her legs on either side of my flanks, followed by hooves gently rubbing at my withers. Before I could raise any objection, she began to press and knead, and a groan escaped my lips. I let her go. There was no denying my tension, and a good massage might get me to sleep faster and put the night behind me. Jade continued kneading, working lower on my back as she went, gently enough to relax me nearly to dozing, and forcefully enough to work out the tension. I smiled into my pillow despite myself.

“Is this helping, sir?” Jade’s voice was quiet and gentle, almost as relaxing as her hooves.

I nodded. It was helping more than I’d imagined possible, and though I just wanted to get to sleep, Jade deserved a reward. I finally loosed the smoke that had been pushing to get out all night, slipping it up Jade’s body and into her once again. The massage dwindled and died.

I turned my head to look up at her from the corner of one eye, and enjoyed her lovely, expressionless face. “You’ve been a good mare, Jade.” Jade absently mumbled a thank you, and I continued. “I want to sleep, but you’ve earned a little something. Make love to me gently, quietly, so I can sleep. Just like you would if I were your coltfriend back home.” I rolled over, leaving the smoke flowing into Jade. Her distant gaze and distracted voice were just how I wanted her.

Jade leaned forward, softly planting her lips on mine, kissing as she caressed both sides of my face. She licked my lips and slid her tongue between them. Her mouth half open, I blew smoke in, and her lungs accepted it without hesitation, even eagerly. I felt her sex moisten on my lap as my shaft grew underneath her. She never broke the kiss, never stopped inhaling as she reached back, raised herself up, and slid my shaft into her wetness. Just lowering herself onto it had her moaning feebly into my mouth, and when my flare pressed against her depths, she shuddered and gasped, drawing the smoke into her mouth faster still.

Jade’s first, light orgasm tightened her around my rod, and I returned her moan, lowering my forehooves to pull her ass down, pushing harder against her back wall. When she slowly raised herself, I didn’t prevent it, enjoying the slick feel of her folds as she pulled back, and the softness of her lips as they continued to caress mine. When I was nearly out of her, Bright Jade tightened herself again and tilted her hips, scraping my shaft against an inner wall as she slowly brought our sexes together. Back and forth she rocked, slow and agonizing, but building up each time she dropped her hips. She wrapped her forelegs around my head, holding me tightly in our unending kiss as she sped her motions, scraping my cock against one wall and then another, moaning, shaking more and more, and practically breathing the smoke straight from my lungs. I’d meant to lie back and be gently fucked to sleep, but as the emerald mare on top of me moved faster and faster, sleep was less and less on my mind.

Our tongues played in each others’ mouths, and Jade’s light, quick rises and falls pulled me past my limit. I came hard, and Jade dropped her flanks, sealing my full length inside when she felt me burst. We both trembled and shook with our orgasms, costing me the flow of smoke that still poured into Jade’s ears and nose, but she made up the difference, greedily pulling it from my mouth. I filled Bright Jade from both ends, one with smoke and the other with seed, and neither flow stopped. Just as in the cave the night I first took her, I poured more into her than should have been possible. Just as in the cave, I felt more than my cum pouring out of me, and even more than in the cave, Jade swelled with it, her body lifting from mine by one inch and another as she filled. At last it stopped, and I broke the kiss.

Jade lay on top of me, still twitching with orgasms well after she’d stopped moving. Her eyes stared into the distance, pupils wide. Her tongue hung from her mouth, with its lips turned up in a truly ecstatic smile. I smiled, content with the reward I’d given my loyal mare. Jade was completely gone, but I knew she’d be there when I wanted her again.

I felt the smoke within me as strongly as ever, but it had finally quit seething. On the worst night of my life, I drifted off to sleep as peacefully as ever.

The Fixer

I woke the next morning from the same dreams of power and expansion, but with a new addition, and I didn’t need a special talent in psychology or dream analysis to know it was the drunk from the day before who had caused the change. In addition to the usual ponies pleading for my good graces or serving my ends, I dreamed of opposition, of ponies in the way, and of crushing them. After all, that’s what opposition is: an impediment to be flattened.

I also woke to a strange tickling feeling on my neck. Blinking away the sleep, I turned my head, wincing a bit at sun streaming in the window and bruises on my face, to find Bright Jade’s muzzle all but pressed against me, sniffing. That explained part of it. I wasn’t angry, but I was more than a little confused. “Jade, what are you doing?”

Jade looked up at me slowly, her eyes not quite focused. She spoke sluggishly, as if it were difficult. “Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to wake you, but… you smell nice. Sort of like the smell when you had me last night. Smoky and… nice. I don’t know how I never noticed before.” Jade sounded half drunk, which was a turn-on all its own.

Raising an eyebrow, I sniffed my foreleg. I certainly didn’t smell it, but as long as it didn’t get in the way of Jade’s work, there were worse things than having her affectionate and dreamy in bed. For the moment, though, work mattered more. Muttering about getting up before noon when I ran a nightclub, I slid away from Jade and to my hooves, ignoring her sigh.

“There’s work to do, and you just got promoted. You want to be useful, right?” I already knew the answer. Bright Jade was easily spurred to work.

Already much more alert, Jade’s reply was immediate. “Yes sir!”

“Then get to it. You’ll be lying next to me again tonight.” Jade’s eagerness as she rushed out of the bedroom to prepare for work earned her retreating tail an approving nod, and I set about getting ready for the day myself. First order of business: finding something to take for the pain in my battered face.

When I stepped through the door into my office, Day Planner was arranging paperwork on my desk as usual. One glance at me, though, and the papers were reorganized, with some taken from my desk entirely, replaced by a handful of what looked like resumes, right in the top priority position.

Day answered the question before I could ask it; she was getting eerily good at reading my mind. “Next month’s budget can wait for tomorrow, sir. Pirouette stopped me on the way in to warn me about the brouhaha that took place last night, as if I hadn’t heard a dozen rumors as I walked here. I hadn’t expected you to be in such rough condition, though. Clearly finding some security for the club needs to be your first task for the day. Your only task, if need be.”

I frowned as Day Planner started to walk back to her desk, and gently ran a hoof along the side of my swollen face, wincing at the sudden pain. “Do I really look that bad, Day?” Taking a seat as Day Planner answered, I began to skim what was in front of me.

“Worse, Mr. Deal. If finding us a bouncer weren’t so clearly important right now, I would honestly recommend you take the day off.” I was surprised by the plain concern in Day’s expression. She’d been so business-like since my return from the Crystal Empire that I was sometimes surprised when she was anything else.

I ignored the papers a moment longer to offer Day Planner a reassuring smile. “But if I took a day off, I’d fall behind, and you’d end up bringing me my paperwork in bed!”

For the first time since I’d convinced her to stay, I heard Day Planner laugh. “Keep teasing, Mr. Deal, and I’ll show you just how efficiently I can make you work, hurt or not!”

She returned to her work, and I returned to what she’d left before me. “Just how did you get these together so quickly, Day? It can’t have been more than an hour or two since you got in, and the fight was just last night.”

Without looking up from whatever she was writing, Day explained. “If you notice, Mr. Deal, each candidate has a recent, but minor, run-in with the law. I simply checked the last few days of newspapers. I suppose that in this instance, it’s just as well you forgot to throw them out when I reminded you. I pulled together whatever facts I could; you’ll need to get real details by meeting them. In any case, all four of them will have some motivation to work well for you. Finding employment will be slightly more difficult for them right now, making any offer enticing, and you’ve displayed an uncanny knack for getting your way of late, the roughhousing last night notwithstanding.”

I looked back over the papers in my hooves. Day was right; each had been in some trouble lately. I frowned. “Day, I’m trying to reassure the girls. I want somepony now, but criminals?” Laying the papers down, I looked over at Day Planner. “I’m not sure that’s a good plan.” I could force them to play nice, of course, fill their heads too full of smoke to even think of making trouble. Nothing would be easier. But my girls deserved better.

Day stopped working to answer. “If I may, sir, I don’t believe the issue is as big as you think. Also consider the PR benefits. The day after being savagely attacked by a drunk in your very own establishment, you set out not only to find protection for your employees, but to help somepony turn his life around. I believe Mr. And Mrs. Orange are due for their monthly visit soon; you know how they love looking philanthropic. They’d eat it up, Mr. Deal.”

Twisting my mouth into a displeased expression hurt, but I knew Day was right. I’d have Pirouette reassure the girls, and send any who balked to me for extra convincing. Showing off for old money like the Oranges was always worth the trouble. A grunt of something like concession was my only reply as I turned back to the files, the first of which I discarded immediately. Violent offense, and the stallion had used a knife. Absolutely out of the question. The second candidate was certainly more plausible, but the third was another instant reject; I had no use for an embezzler. It was the fourth that caught my eye.

Lifting the sheet to eye level, I leaned back and read aloud. “Parapet, a.k.a ‘Bruises.’ Unicorn mare. Got in trouble for tossing a brick through a wall on her last job, accidentally striking somepony on the other side. Not deliberate, no serious injury. Quit a string of construction jobs, attitude problems. Extremely adept with magical telekinesis, used for her construction work.” Attitude problems were something I could fix, and if she lived up to Day’s note on her magic, she could shut down a fight before it started. I figured it’d be easier to calm down the dancers over a mare with a reputation problem than a stallion, too.

I tossed the paper back on top of the others and stood. “Looks like this one’s a keeper. Any idea why she’s called ‘Bruises,’ Day? Your notes don’t mention fighting.”

Day Planner dropped her quill, and I could see her blush clear to her ears from behind. “I… I can’t believe I didn’t think the photograph would be relevant! I’m sorry, Mr. Deal; the photo should’ve been in the notes. ‘Bruises’ just refers to her coloration—her coat is very dark gray, and her mane is navy blue. You may wish to save her for last, sir; she’s got a court date coming up yet.”

I shook my head as I walked toward the door and the stairs. “Nothin’ doin’, Day. By your logic, a new boss showing up beside his troubled employee will be good press. Not to mention I think Pirouette’s girls will be more comfortable with a mare.” With a wave of my hoof, I grabbed my fedora from the rack and headed out the door for the address in the file.

Living in Manehatten my entire life, I’d seen a few blocks here and there that left things to be desired. This was one of them. I imagine it wasn’t actually a particularly dangerous place to live, but in a city where everypony’s looking for his share of the bits, there are only so many to go around. My upcoming hire’s neighborhood was for the ponies who never quite got their shares. Cracks marred brick buildings, litter lay ignored in the street, and few of the ponies I passed met my gaze, much less offered a greeting. As I approached the ratty building that matched the address Day had given me, I started considering this ‘Bruises’ mare an investment. She’d need enough for a place closer to The Tall Tail, a decent place. No mare of mine was going to live in that part of town.

Inside the building, I was relieved to find the condition of the place at least marginally better than it had been outside, and set to climbing stairs to reach Parapet’s apartment. Halfway down a poorly lit hall, I finally found the door I was after, and knocked politely. The response was immediate, and shouted from the other side.

“Who in Tartarus is knocking on my door? If you’re another bill collector, I swear on Celestia’s salty snatch, I will shove your tail so far down your throat that taking a shit’ll be the fastest way ta get it back where it started!”

I blinked at the door, and nervously looked up and down the hall. I’d expected Parapet to be in a bad mood, but this was not a good start. I cleared my throat to introduce myself through the door, but before I could speak it was flung open. On the far side stood a charcoal gray mare with the navy blue mane Day Planner had mentioned, flaring her nostrils angrily. That she was only average size, perhaps even a bit short, was a surprise to me considering her work in construction, but Day had mentioned a talent for telekinesis, after all. I made out a patch of red on her flank before shouting brought my eyes back to hers.

“Whatdya want? Whatever it is, I don’t have it!” Parapet was only slightly quieter for having no door between us.

I clenched and quickly unclenched my teeth, already tired of being abused. Reminding myself why I was there, and that I had the power to straighten out this mare’s attitude, I forced myself to reply politely. “My name is Done Deal. I’m actually here to help you with those bill collectors you were complaining about, Parapet.” I removed my hat to bow, tossing it back onto my head afterward. “Let’s talk.”

Parapet immediately rolled her eyes and snorted. “Great, another conpony. Beat it, Deal. Your face is lumpy enough without getting on my bad side.” Before I could respond, she began to shut the door.

I could feel my irritation swelling, and the smoke within me swirled, but I forced both down and blocked the door with a hoof. “I’m no conpony, Parapet; I’m here to offer you a job.”

Parapet quit pushing on the door and narrowed her eyes, suspicious, but she lowered her voice at least. “Why?”

Reminding myself that progress was progress, I spoke with patience I didn’t feel. “Because you need a job, I need to hire today, and we can both help each other’s reputations.” With Parapet right in front of me, looking at her colors, it was difficult not to call her Bruises, but a good businesspony doesn’t get familiar with somepony before they’ve got a feel for them. “Talk with me; let’s help each other out.”

Parapet didn’t budge, either from her half closed door or from her suspicion. “I don’t trust you. Nopony just walks into this parta town with handouts, an’ nopony in any good parta town even knows my name unless they heard rumors ‘bout the mare who walked off every construction job in Manehatten. So what’s your game, Deal?”

Restraint was becoming more difficult as this ill-tempered mare badmouthed me over and over. I managed to remain calm, but spoke tersely. “No game. I own The Tall Tail, downtown. After a scuffle last I need a little security, and you—”

Parapet shouted as loudly as she had through the door moments before. “A bouncer? Ya want me ta work in some lousy bar? I knew y’were no good! Get lost!” Without another word, the door was slammed in my face.

I’d had far more than enough. I had come out to that forsaken part of town with an offer to turn a failure of a life around. I could get her into a decent place, make her somepony. What I got was abuse, insults, threats, a slammed door, and worst of all, she’d called the Tall Tail a “lousy bar.” The smoke boiled as wildly as it had the night before, and I reared up, slamming my forehooves against the door, and sending it flying wide open.

Eyes wide with shock, Parapet spun to face me. I opened my mouth, ready to tear into her as ferociously as she’d done to me, but before I could say a word, smoke blacker than I’d ever dredged up rushed like a wave from my entire body. Parapet twisted aside, but the black mass twisted with her, and engulfed the entire mare while I wobbled on unsteady hooves. Spots flashed before my eyes, and my forelegs gave out, making me dimly aware of my sudden, raging erection as it scraped the floor. With effort, I forced myself back up and stepped into the dingy apartment, just aware enough to nudge the door shut behind me as I did.

Parapet was struggling on the carpet, completely cocooned in smoke so thick the mare herself wasn’t visible at all. A kicked table scooted several inches as she thrashed, helpless to get free. I took a seat, feeling strangely calm about the scene before me. Parapet was getting what she deserved; and the show was going a long way toward soothing my temper.

At last, the struggling slowed and stopped. Far more smoke than had wrapped Pirouette engulfed Parapet, and though it began to sink into Parapet’s body, it was also pushing itself into every opening she had—mouth, nose, ears, even flowing into her vagina and ass. I simply watched, intrigued, as the mare’s body bulged and stretched to contain what was entering her. The bulging didn’t stop, though. Intrigue turned to amazement as I saw the pony on the ground in front of me ripple and grow. Her legs lengthened, her torso swelled, her neck grew thick, and her head large. Ordinary flanks swelled with muscle, and legs lanky from their sudden growth became thick and powerful. Parapet’s hooves, on the small side moments before, stretched as if malleable and held their new form, heavy enough to crush cinder blocks. I simply sat, stunned.

A groan came from the massive mare in front of me, and I rose feebly to walk over. When she groaned a second time and barely moved, I arrogantly prodded her with a hoof. “Don’t ever piss me off.”

Slowly, Parapet’s eyes opened, bloodshot and unfocused. They fell on me, and I sneered down at her, waiting for fear or confusion to show on her face. Neither did. What I saw instead, as Parapet lifted herself from the floor, was hunger. Her eyes fell on my still hard shaft, and she licked her lips. Suddenly concerned, I backed up one step, and then another. Parapet didn’t bother to follow; she just watched.

I was halfway to the door when the colossal mare’s horn lit up, and I was lifted, then dropped to the ground on my back unceremoniously. I struggled against the glow of magic holding me in place but it just made my dick wave in the air, attracting Parapet’s attention. She stepped over me and lowered her front half, pushing my forelegs to the side and holding them down with her own, effortlessly. Parapet released the magic, and I tried struggling again, only to find myself even more firmly held than before.

She began to lick at my neck and I tensed, torn between dismay and my own arousal. The licking felt no worse for Parapet’s size, and the heat of her breath fueled my erection, but the creature holding me down had to weigh four times what I did. When I saw the glow of magic around Parapet’s horn again and felt my cock move under its control, I stammered, afraid.

“W-wait! Stop, Parapet! Just let me go!” Again I struggled, but Parapet’s hard body didn’t give at all. Without a word, Parapet cut me off with a kiss. Even Parapet’s tongue was powerful as it slipped between my lips and drowned out my protests. Silenced, I could only wait as Parapet’s magic forced my hind legs wide, making room for her to drop down on my rod.

I inhaled deeply through my nose, startled at the softness encasing my dick. Though nearly everything else might as well have been made of stone, Parapet’s pussy was as soft as any other. As she raised her haunches, I relaxed in spite of myself. Her hips dropped again, and I moaned into Parapet’s mouth, helpless to do anything but enjoy the sensations she forced on me. Though I was pinned by muscle and magic, Parapet’s body was surprisingly light each time it slid down. Within seconds, I began to push back up, no longer caring who was in control.

My bucking encouraged Parapet, and her motions became faster and stronger. She tightened herself around my shaft, and all I could do was moan in delight as she fucked me and lapped again at my neck. Each push from her haunches came faster, stronger than the one before, and each time she tightened further. For all my dismay at Parapet’s size, I was in heaven. The increasing force and tightness just kept going, better and better, and I began returning Parapet’s affection, kissing her mane as she licked.

The ramping passion didn’t plateau however. As I released inside of her, Parapet became more frenzied still, slamming herself down, and squeezing my shaft so tightly that when she rose, I was lifted. I let her go for a moment, but before long my tail struck the floor hard enough to hurt.

“Ow! Parapet! No, stop!” I struggled again; my tail, hind legs, and cock all were increasingly hurt by Parapet’s pounding. At last I managed to raise my head from the floor when Parapet lifted her head for a breath, but I saw in her wild eyes that she was lost to the world. She roughly forced my head back down with a kiss, slamming it against the floor with enough power that the world went dark. As everything faded away, I wished to Celestia that I’d had time to pick a safeword.

My own groaning woke me. I had been moved onto soft cushions, and opened my eyes to stare at the ceiling, realizing quickly the pain in the back of my head, and all around my groin and tail. With a deep sigh, I settled into the couch I was on. There was no point trying to move; I knew it could only end badly.

Parapet’s unhappy voice came from out of sight beside me. “Uh. I’m really sorry.”

I turned my head to find her, no smaller than before, seated on the floor next to me, tapping her hooves and staring down guiltily. Not at all what I’d expected. “So now what? I can’t get away. Just standing up is probably more than I can handle now.”

Parapet didn’t look up, but she sounded even more upset. “I know. I dunno what happened. I just… what didja do ta me? I got all big, and then I… I had to! It’s like just had ta have, you know… you.” Parapet continued at a mumble. “I don’t even like stallions.”

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to make sense of the mare beside me. This was nothing like the pony who’d “greeted” me at the door. “I can’t explain it. But what’s with you? You were yelling, threatening me, throwing insults, and now here you are, tapping your hooves like a little filly. You asked what my game is. What’s yours?”

Parapet quit tapping her hooves and looked at me before returning her gaze to floor. “I can trust you, right? Because we had… I can trust you?”

Any other day, I might’ve laughed at the huge pony next to me acting so shy. I wasn’t in a laughing mood, though, after being held down and fucked so hard I didn’t dare sit up. Just what kind of trust the mare was after, I didn’t know, but I could offer some decency, even after what she’d put me through. “I can keep a secret, if that’s good enough.”

Parapet nodded and mumbled at the floor. “I… you’re different now. I dunno why. I don’t like—I like mares, y’know? But now… why’s this so hard?” Parapet punched the floor in frustration, leaving a deep indentation where carpet tucked into a new hole underneath. I actually felt like some mercy was in order.

“Relax, Parapet. Slow and steady.”

She nodded and continued, actually looking at me while she spoke for once. “You’re different now. I dunno why; you’re a stallion, but I… kinda want you still.” She paused, but continued before I felt the need to press. “I’m sorry for before. Not just for… ya know. For at the door, too. Ponies always make things hard on me. Call me “Bruises,” pick on me for being such dark colors, make fun ‘cause I can’t do any magic ‘cept movin’ stuff around. So I get mad. I yell, and I curse, and ponies leave me alone.” Parapet lowered her eyes again. “And it’s better that way.”

Half of me wanted to throw the pillow under my head at Parapet for acting like such a textbook angsty filly, but even if she was giving over-emotional mares everywhere a bad name, it wouldn’t help. Besides, after what she’d done to the back of my head, I needed the padding. More importantly, if she was talking like this, I was out of trouble for now.

“Alright, so you’ve had it rough. You just want to be left alone? I don’t know how you plan on paying the rent like that, but now that you’re being civil, if you want, I can just walk away. Well, in a few hours, maybe. I can find somepony else.” Parapet’s ears drooped, and she didn’t answer.

I sized up the mountain of mare next to me though, and the dreams from that morning came back to mind. With this pony on my side, I’d have the force to back things up if starting my little empire went wrong. As much as we’d had gotten off on the wrong hoof, Parapet was the key to getting things started. “Or, we can talk about that job.” Parapet’s ears and head snapped up, and her jaw dropped as I continued. “My place isn’t ‘some bar.’ It’s a classy club. Nopony on my staff will give you trouble. I’m the boss; I can promise that. I can get you out of this part of town. If things go right, one day I could even fix this part of town, make it shine. With a body like yours, I can start really doing things. Just one rule: you do exactly what I tell you, every time. You in?”

Parapet stared at me for a moment, then bobbed her huge head excitedly. “You’ll still hire me?” Her cheeks flushed as she added, “I… I could see you more?”

I winced inside at the thought of another round, but there ways to handle that, and it gave me leverage. “You’d have to see me, every day. But I don’t take no for an answer. You want to ask questions, fine. You have a problem and want to see if something else is okay, fine. But if I put my hoof down and you say no, you’re gone. I’m the boss.”

Smiling for the first time, Parapet stood up quickly, knocking over a table in the process. She didn’t even look back; she just echoed me. “You’re the boss!”

With a serious tone, I gave one last warning. I didn’t think she’d refuse. “This is bigger than just a bouncer job now. I might tell you to hurt ponies who are in my way. You sure you’re in?”

Parapet nodded again, and bucked the air behind her for emphasis, her hooves landing with a loud thud. “Whatever ya say, boss!”

I smiled back at my new hire, pleased things had worked out after all, and confident it had been worth the pain. “You’re hired. First job: Find me a taxi. I really don’t want to try to walk home.”

“Um, boss? I could just take you back. I’m pretty sure you’re light, and taxis don’t really come this way…” That sheepish, hoof tapping expression was back on Parapet’s face, but I didn’t remember seeing any taxis on the way, so whatever ulterior motive she might’ve had, I suspected she was telling the truth.

“Fine. Just be gentle. I really hurt.” I tried to get off the sofa, only to be stymied by shooting pain from my flanks. With a small scream I froze halfway before tilting to fall to the floor.

“Boss!” Parapet’s huge hoof was under me in a heartbeat, holding me up. “I’m really, really sorry, boss. Here, stay put.” Parapet’s horn glowed, and I was lifted into the air with a pillow, landing gently on her broad back, the pillow under my injured junk. “I’ll just walk you home this way, okay? I can keep you up there; you won’t fall.”

Embarrassing as it was, I didn’t see an alternative other than healing up in that dingy apartment. “Alright. Let’s get going, Bruises; my staff’s going to get worried soon.” When Parapet didn’t take a step, I realized that I’d slipped and used her nickname—the one she’d just mentioned upsetting her.

I couldn’t see Parapet’s face, but she didn’t sound happy anymore. “Boss… I don’t like that name.”

I patted her side, sure I could make lemonade from this. “I like it. Fits your new job, and it’s sorta cute.” Once again, I saw the tips of Parapet’s ears turn pink.

“W-well… just you. Nopony else?”

I nodded. “Nopony else. But if they mess up, you tell me, no yelling.” I stroked Bruises’ side soothingly and she nodded back silently. My new mare was hard as a rock, but pretty soft inside.

As we left her apartment, Bruises spoke up again. “Hey, boss? Do you think mares will like me better now? I’m all big and strong. I don’t look like a mare anymore.”

I didn’t have the heart to point out that she wasn’t exactly what most mares had in mind. “You still look like a mare, Bruises. You’re a big one, but nopony’s going to mistake you for a stallion. Tell you what. You do a good job, and I’ll find you a fillyfriend.” I felt the the tiny remnants of my smoke growing inside me again. After what it had done to Bruises it might take a while, but she was one of mine now, and I meant to look after her, same as any of my other mares.

Her excitement was obvious, even without the twitching ear. “Boss, if you find me a pretty fillyfriend, I swear I’ll do anything for you!” I knew she would anyway, but she didn’t need to know that.

As we reached the edge of the dilapidated part of town, a trio of stallions stepped away from the wall of a nearby building. The bandage on the pegasus’ head gave him away before he spoke. “You really blew it, old man. You fucked with the wrong pony, then you headed into our part of town. Now, it looks like you can’t even walk.” The three punks fanned out around us as the now sober troublemaker kept talking. “We’re gonna pay you back for what you did to me last night. When we’re done, you’ll be so wrecked your whores won’t even know who you are.” He turned his eye toward Bruises and made a shooing gesture with one hoof. “This isn’t your problem. Just drop him and beat it.”

With Bruises under me and the area mercifully empty of witnesses, I was less worried than annoyed. “Glad to see the guards are doing such a wonderful job keeping menaces like you off the street. Bruises, the one with the bandage is the one who left my face like this.”

The words were no sooner out of my mouth than Bruises’ horn glowed, and the nearest pony was tossed back into the wall the three had been leaning on, bouncing to the ground. The bandaged pegasus and his remaining friend charged. Bruises reared, her magic keeping me tight against her back, and brought a hoof down on the head of her second victim. The glancing hit was more than enough to drop him, and I was relieved she went no further.

The pegasus, however, flapped out from under Bruises’ other falling hoof, and up over my back, foreleg pulled back to strike. He managed only the word “now” before Bruises’ horn glowed again and tossed him to the ground, face first. He rolled to his back quickly, afraid of a followup, but she just held him in place again.

Bruises raised a colossal hoof over his head, ready to bring it down on a moment’s notice. “Boss? What do you want me to do with him?” The anger in her tone was surprising; I was relieved she stopped to ask.

I leaned to the side for a look. The pest was struggling just as I had earlier, and with as much success. Nasty scrapes and abrasions marked his face, and his muzzle bled as badly from impact with the street as he’d made mine. He stared up at Bruises’ hoof, eyes wide and trembling. “That’s enough, Bruises. That toss did about as much as his hooves did to me. I just don’t ever want to see him in my club again.”

Bruises brought her hoof down with devastating force on the cobblestones beside the pegasus’ head, shattering them, and released her magic. Whimpering, the pegasus skittered away, never taking his eyes from my new enforcer.

“Not bad, Bruises.” I patted her side again. “When you’re bouncing, don’t be so rough, but if ponies are picking fights, this is just what I want. Knock ‘em around. Make ‘em never want to start anything again, and then let them go.”

All of the anger was gone from her voice when Bruises spoke; with the conflict behind her, it might as well never have happened. “Thanks, boss. Which way again?”

I pointed the way with a hoof, and was on my way back home with my newest employee.

Executive Roundtable

“Yeah, this is the spot. We’re here, Bruises.” She had come to a stop in front of The Tall Tail and looked it over, clearly impressed. Despite the persistent, if diminishing pain in my hips, I smiled. My club was my pride and joy, and seeing it make an impression was always a nice ego boost.

“Ya really own this, boss? Like, it’s all yours?” She stared wide-eyed through the glass front at the posh trimmings inside. Bruises’ incredulity was sort of endearing, but it wasn’t getting me in and back to work—or just as likely, to bed to continue recovering from the rough time earlier.

From Bruises’ back, I did my best to make a sweeping gesture she could see. “That’s right. All mine. Which means we can go inside now.” I could feel her jump just a bit beneath me as she realized that was a hint, and restrained a laugh at her expense.

“Right! I was just… let’s go in, boss.” I figured she was trying to hide a blush when she lowered her head and let her mane fall forward. Before I had to prod again, though, in she went, and her head came right back up to look around at the show floor. Her jaw hung a bit slack, and I grinned as she walked aimlessly, like a country girl’s first time in the big city. When I realized that meant she’d never seen anyplace this nice, my grin at her expression slipped. The Tall Tail was classy, but not so high end it should be out of anypony’s reach once in a while. They say a rising tide lifts all ships. I decided to lift the rest of Manehattan with me.

Bruises and I were both jarred out of our thoughts when a scream came from the stage. “Mr. Deal! Oh no, oh no! Pirouette! Pirouette! Bright Jade! Day Planner! Somepony, help!” One of the showmares had taken the stage alone for early rehearsal, and stood dancing in place nervously at the sight of her beaten boss. I waved a hoof, trying to calm her, just in time for Pirouette, Day, and Jade all to stick their heads out, see me, and join the screaming. Poor, spooked Bruises had backed right up against a wall. I buried my face in her mane and silently begged Celestia to make the noise stop before my head split.

My bedroom was an odd scene. Day, Pirouette, and Bruises had all been let into my apartment by Jade, as if it were completely natural. I lay on my back, a pillow under my aching head, with Pirouette and Day Planner on one side, and Bruises and Jade on the other. I’d refused any explanations until I was comfortable, but now that I was, I was also cornered. None of the mares were willing to leave until they knew what had happened, and as little as I wanted to recount being screwed unconscious, these three mares in particular deserved answers. Bruises, already knew of course, and simply didn’t seem to want to leave. Though all four were waiting quietly, somehow I wanted to wriggle out from under their stares.

No point delaying any further. I began to explain. “Alright. Day, you sent me out to get a bouncer. I picked Parapet. You know that. When I got to her place, she was… well…”

“A jerk.” I looked over at Bruises, whose ears were laid flat. Her head hung clear below her shoulders, and she still stood inches higher than Bright Jade beside her. I smiled at her from my bed.

“Head up, Bruises. Ears too. You’re one of mine now, so we’ll just leave that in the past. Got it?”

Bruises’ head and ears jerked up immediately, and her over-enthusiastic “Yes, sir!” came with a comedic, sharp salute. Mother hen Pirouette gave Bruises an encouraging smile, for which I was grateful—especially since she’d run up to Bruises with a broom in her mouth earlier, and started hitting her with it. My new hire’s welcome had left rather a lot to be desired; I could scarcely blame her for being easily upset.

“As I was saying,” I continued, “She was hostile. One insult after another, and I lost my temper. Then… well.” I gestured at Bruises. “Pirouette, it’s like what my smoke did to you, but out of control.”

To my left, Jade shuddered at the mention of the smoke, and from opposite sides of my bed, Day Planner and Bruises echoed each other. “Smoke?”

Pirouette cocked her head and looked back and forth between the two who’d had to ask. “You mean you two don’t know?”

I facehoofed. “Did you have to say it like that, Pirouette?” At least she had the decency to look embarrassed. Before I could continue, Jade spoke up, her expression uncomfortable, and her tone reluctant.

“Sometimes smoke comes out of Mr. Deal, and it goes into other ponies. Once it’s in them, they do what he says. I guess he can change them, too. I saw it on the train here.” Not the most eloquent explanation, but it saved me having to think of one. I patted the side of her neck, and she seemed to relax a bit.

Bruises just looked confused. Day Planner, on the other hoof, was fairly clearly running things through that sharp mind of hers, and sat quietly. I gave her time to think, and turned back to Jade. “What’s the matter?”

It’d been quite some time since I’d seen Bright Jade this uncomfortable—probably not since I’d used the smoke on that lazy train attendant, weeks ago. “Your smoke… It reminds me a little of King Sombra, sir.” Suddenly Jade panicked, and waved her forehooves in the air frantically. “Not that you’re anything like Sombra! You’re kind and encouraging, and a little strict, but never ever mean, and… oh, please don’t be mad, sir! It’s just what the smoke looks like! I didn’t mean to say you’re like King Sombra! The smoke’s actually kind of nice, it’s just before it’s in and, and—”

I sighed heavily, and let my head sink back into my pillow. I’d never once regretted making Jade one of mine, but she certainly was exhausting sometimes. “Jade. Relax. I’m all beat up, and you’re wearing me out! I’m not mad. What do you mean it reminds you of him? Reminds you how?”

Jade fidgeted as she spoke. Well… the princesses turned him into smoke, and sent him away for hundreds of years. When he came back, he was a huge pillar of just smoke at first! At the end, right before he was destroyed, it’s like he was riding on the smoke! And you… with yours… But it’s totally different! You gave me a job, and made me yours, and Pirouette can dance now, and Day Planner stayed, and it smells nice…” Jade slipped back into frantic denials of my being anything like Sombra, and I just let her go. I had the part I wanted to hear.

At last, Day Planner finished looked up. “Mr. Deal, did you use this ‘smoke’ to make me choose to stay?” I’m sure she wasn’t trying to be, but somehow that razor sharp stare of hers, with me laid up in bed, was profoundly intimidating. I had no reason to lie anyway; she wasn’t so foolish she’d fall for anything I thought up on the spot. She’d caught me out more times than I could count in her first month on the job.

“Yeah. You were walking out, and you’re the best secretary I’ve ever had. I wasn’t about to let the mare who keeps this place ticking just wander away, you know?” The answer was surprisingly easy to give. And why wouldn’t it be, after all? She was mine; all I’d done was keep her.

Day Planner just nodded, and walked over to sniff at one of my forelegs. “I thought I’d smelled something a bit smoky when helping you relax during the day, Mr. Deal. Interesting. And very efficient, if I do say so. Certainly far faster than continuing to try to talk me out of going would’ve been.”

“Glad you see it my way, Day.” I was, too. If she’d turned and walked, I wasn’t sure my smoke had recovered enough just then do anything about it. I relaxed a little on my bed. This whole bizarre meeting was going a great deal better than I expected.

Day Planner smiled down at me, and adjusted my crooked pillow. “Of course, Mr. Deal. I’m your secretary, after all. My entire point is to keep you achieving your goals. What they are isn’t really important. Not from my position.”

It was Pirouette’s turn to ask. “So, we know how Parapet got the way she is. How’d you end up like that?” I could see it in her eyes. Pirouette already knew the answer to her question, and was just twisting the knife a bit, but with Day Planner and Jade chiming in that they were curious too, there would be no putting it off. Any relaxation I’d felt a moment before went out the window as Bruises’ and my cheeks lit up.

Bruises protested immediately. “Ya don’t really wanna know that! I uh, he fell down the stairs as we were walkin’ back! That’s all! Nothin’ excitin’ there!” Celestia bless her, Bruises tried to get us out of it.

Day Planner shook her head. “He’s only hurt around his hips, tail, and the back of his head, Ms. Parapet. There’s no way he fell down stairs.”

Pirouette nodded, grinning ear to ear, and looking me right in the eyes as she spoke. “I’m pretty sure it was more interesting than that! C’mon, hun, tell us!”

Bruises looked at me pleadingly, but what was I supposed to do? I sighed and shrugged. “Sorry, Bruises. Good try, but Pirouette’s already figured it out anyway.” With emphasis, I reminded Pirouette just how lucky she was to be a close friend before I continued. Bruises looked ready to die of embarrassment.

“After that out of control change, Bruises was kind of… randy. She more or less pounced on me, and… she’s a lot of mare.” I crossed my forelegs over my chest. That was all the more they were getting. Jade’s jaw hung open, and the ever prim Day Planner covered her muzzle with a hoof to avoid snickering. Pirouette avoided nothing, and laughed openly. Hunched over, Bruises walked over to sit right next to my head with her ears down, looking horribly unhappy, and I frowned.

“That’s enough. Bruises had it rough, and doesn’t need to be laughed at. No teasing her until she’s comfortable around here, got it? And while we’re at it, no pony calls her Bruises but me. She’s gonna protect The Tall Tail, but we’re going to make sure she’s finally happy somewhere. Understood?” Pirouette hadn’t meant anything by her teasing, but it’d still upset Bruises, and I’d given my word.

“Hey, Parapet—sorry, hun.” Pirouette circled the bed to stand next to Bruises, who shrank away in response. “Aw. Here.” With no more warning than that, Piroutte wrapped Bruises in a hug. Bruises blinked in surprise, and carefully wrapped a foreleg around Pirouette.

I smiled and patted Bruises’ side, unable to reach her head from the bed. “Pirouette’s a good friend, Bruises. It was friendly teasing, but you’re gonna need time for that kind of thing. I promised you a safe place, and you’re gonna get one.” Bruises looked on the verge of tears, and threw both forelegs around Pirouette, far too tightly if Pirouette’s strangled gasp was any indication. I smirked as she did her best not to look uncomfortable in Bruises’ embrace. She’d earned that. Though Pirouette gasped for air when Bruises released her, she stayed close, and smiled up at the skittish unicorn. Pirouette always had made friends in an instant.

Scooting up a bit in my bed, I tried to draw the awkward staff meeting to a close, now that everypony’s fears for my health were dealt with, and Bruises had been introduced less dramatically. “Alright, alright. Poor injured boss needs some rest, and I’m pretty sure everypony but Bruises here has work to be doing. So get to it!” Jade and Day Planner nodded, wished me well, and headed back to the club below.

Bruises remained at my side. Pirouette patted her on the shoulder and jerked her head toward the door. “C’mon, Parapet. I’ll show you around.”

Reluctant, Bruises looked to me, then back to Pirouette. “Hey, can I have a few minutes with the boss? It’s kinda my fault he’s in bed, ya know?” Her sheepish expression still seemed totally out of place on such a massive, powerful body.

Pirouette shrugged and looked at me. “His call. If he’s okay with it, I’ll go straighten out my girls. They’re probably all chatting like a bunch of fillies about how you came in when they ought to be rehearsing.”

I tried to stretch nonchalantly in bed, and ended up yelping instead. After a sigh at my own physical condition, I agreed. “I don’t mind. You’ll probably station her in here until we open anyway, just to make sure I don’t try to get up.”

Pirouette laughed as she left the room, calling back over her shoulder, “You know me so well! Come down when you’re done in there, Parapet.”

As soon as Pirouette as gone, Bruises turned to me, practically dancing in place. I winced at the thought of those massive hooves tap dancing on my beautiful hardwood. “Boss! She hugged me! And she let me hug her, too! D’ya think she could be my fillyfriend?”

Bruises’ enthusiasm made me smile, but I shook my head. Watching her smile fall wilted my own. “Sorry, Bruises. I need to find you a mare who doesn’t work here. It’ll take a bit, and I need to get back on my hooves first, but a promise is a promise. You’ll have a fillyfriend. A pretty one, and you’ll be happy together. But I need my girls focused at work, not flirting. Got it?”

Bruises nodded, and I didn’t see a hint of disappointment left in her face. “Got it, boss. But… hugs are okay, right?”

Celestia help me; I laughed. “Hugs are fine, Bruises. The Tall Tail’s a family, and we take care of each other. Just be careful; you’re strong enough you might hurt if you’re not gentle!”

Again, Bruises nodded. “Uh… about that. I’m real sorry. I hurt you, boss. C-can I make it up to you?” Just as she had back in her dingy apartment, Bruises tapped her hooves together nervously. On a normal mare, I’d have called it adorable, but on Bruises, I had no idea what to call it. There was no question that she was sincere, though.

Slightly afraid of her answer, I asked the obvious question. “Make it up to me how?” I felt my left ear flick, an old nervous habit that hadn’t shown itself in years.

“W-with my mouth.” Bruises was talking to the floor, but the red in her face was no less visible. I was more than a little surprised—she’d said she didn’t like stallions, and now this?

Concerned that she was doing it out of guilt, I reached up to pat her side again. “Bruises, I thought you only liked the fillies. You don’t have to do this to make up for anything. Really.”

My attempt to dissuade her didn’t pan out at all, but it did get her to look at me when she spoke. “It’s not like that, boss! Like I said back in my apartment, you’re different now. I don’t know why. C-can I?”

I’d cornered myself. If I refused, she’d feel rejected, which was precisely what I didn’t want her to feel. If I accepted… well, it was the better option, and I could always just close my eyes and ignore the muscle. “Sure. If that’s really what you want.”

I pushed down the sheets, and Bruises stared at my lower half, trembling a bit. She must’ve come to some final decision, because suddenly her head lowered, and she more or less engulfed… everything. Though I wasn’t erect, I could feel myself growing in her mouth, and having even my balls in there left me gasping for breath, both from pleasure and surprise. Bruises looked at me sidelong, and my expression must’ve given me away; she began licking at my stiffening stallionhood with considerably more confidence, lifting her head as it hardened. Lifted or not, no part of my dick ever slid from her mouth. What I had imagined would be disconcerting was its own pleasure: Bruises’ size allowed her to take my full length in her mouth, easily, and slide her tongue to my balls, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. I lay back and sighed again, happily this time.

As enjoyable as it was, Bruises’ lack of experience began to show. It felt great, but I wasn’t going to get off. Shutting my eyes, I felt for the trickle of smoke inside me that had reappeared. Not much, but it was there. Bruises couldn’t help but see it snake toward her, but as I opened my eyes again, if anything, she seemed excited. It slipped gently into her ears, unnoticeable against her dark coat. With such a thin trickle, Bruises’ eyelids barely even sagged, but there was no question there was an effect. It was enough.

I didn’t need to change Bruises; just ease her into this.

“Relax, and use your tongue more. You did this because you wanted me to feel good, didn’t you? Your tongue feels wonderful.” Commands that should’ve embarrassed Bruises, she followed easily, and her blush had largely faded. With the smoke in her ears, this wasn’t difficult for her at all. I coached, and Bruises began to caress my cock with her lips, panting hot breath on it as her horn lit to magically toy with my balls. Finally, I had her begin bobbing her head like any other mare, letting my shaft slide in and out between her pressed lips as she sucked. “Like that, Bruises. Keep doing what you’re doing.”

As I lay back with a massive mare contentedly fellating, I thought back to Jade’s words. “Like Sombra,” she’d said. If I’d somehow picked up power from the dead Crystal King, there were going to be changes. I was nothing like that monster. Tales of ponies in chains were nearly endless. It’s no wonder such brutality was thrown down. No, I’d use my power to quietly make ponies’ lives better. Naturally, I’d have to practice, get a better grasp on how the smoke worked, and what I could do with it. What I could get ponies to do thanks to it.

I finally released into Bruises’ waiting mouth, shooting seed all over the large tongue that had gone to such lengths. The smoke continued to trickle into Bruises’ head. Even a thin wisp grew into a cloud over time, and while Bruises swallowed attentively, her expression was more slack than before. “You enjoyed that quite a lot. It was delicious, and I deserved it—after all, I’m the boss.” Bruises nodded, a slight smile forming on her lips.

Well, maybe one small change. She was mine, after all.

Author's Note

Perhaps not the best way to return after a two month hiatus, but it sets up a fair bit of what's to come. Thanks for your patience, everyone.

Tender Loving Care

“Mr. Deal, this is why Pirouette and I sent you on vacation in the first place. Honestly, the cabaret can survive another day of you in bed.”

My ever-efficient secretary had spotted me before I was even fully through the office door, and had efficiently begun trying to chase me back up the stairs. No amount of protest that I was fit to work swayed Day Planner. Briefly, I considered forcing the matter, but was halted with my mouth open by one word: masseuse.

“A masseuse?” If I had a weakness, it was for a proper massage. Running a business was not the least stressful way to earn a living, and my withers were perpetually knotted. The events of the day before—both being pinned by Bruises, and the fight on the worse side of town hadn’t left me relaxed.

“Yes, Mr. Deal. I think we can justifiably pay the fee out of petty cash this time. You had quite a day yesterday, and you are right of course that the club runs best with you at work. Getting you back to work quickly is preferable; we simply can’t be reckless about your health. Take another day; I’ll make the arrangements and send the masseuse up.”

I frowned. Worrying about my health was one thing, and I had no problem with my staff arguing their case, but I wasn’t about to roll over just because my secretary ordered me to. Done Deal ran The Tall Tail, and nopony else. I set my hooves and refused to move as Day gently pushed me toward the stairs. “Now see here, Day. I could probably use a massage, and maybe another day off my hooves won’t kill me, but it’s my call to make. If I say I’m fine, then I’m fine.”

Trotting past Day Planner as she rolled her eyes, I saw Bruises sitting just out of sight of the office door—and suddenly I saw the door again, as Bruises lifted me magically, and spun me back the way I’d come, floating me up the stairs as she trailed behind. I swear Day Planner smirked as I floated past, too dismayed to object.

“Sorry boss,” came Bruises voice from behind. “Ya said my job’s ta keep everypony here safe. Day Planner said it’s not safe for you to work. Told me ta put ya back in bed if ya wouldn’t listen.” I slumped in Bruises’ magical grip, suddenly too exhausted to care.

About an hour later, as I was lying in bed, put out and considering another attempt at heading to the office, a knock came at the door. Wincing at the prospect of further lecturing from Day Planner, I called out, “Come on in.”

The mare who stepped into my bedroom, however, was not Day Planner. She shared Day’s white coat and horn, but her cyan mane and tail were long and lovely, especially compared to the stylish simplicity of Day Planner’s bob. Suddenly far more interested in the new arrival, I sat up in bed, grimacing at the pangs in my back and hips as I did.

“Stop, stop! Your secretary said you should move as little as possible, Mr. Deal!” Looking surprisingly relieved when I lay back down, the masseuse smiled warmly. “And here she said you were uncooperative.”

I stared at the ceiling to avoid staring at the masseuse. “I can be cooperative when it suits me, miss. Day Planner’s just upset because what suits me is to get back to work.”

The teasing tone of voice in the mare’s response was unmistakable. “And yet it suited you just fine to lay back down when I asked you to, Mr. Deal. Now why is that, I wonder?”

I allowed myself a smile and to look at the newcomer. Such a pale pony, but beautiful. The darkest colors on her body were in her cutie mark of hooves kneading a back, but rather than being disruptive, the effect of the splash of color was just to draw my eyes to her flank. “Perhaps because you’re here to make me feel better, instead of hurting my head.”

She had noticed my wandering eye, apparently. “Oh, is that why, Mr. Deal? And here I thought something in my tail was making you cooperative.” An ear to ear grin was revealed as she brushed her mane back from her eyes; she was having fun with me. “I’m Deep Tissue, Mr. Deal. A pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise. Even if you do seem to enjoy mocking the injured.” I gave Deep Tissue my best mock-offended expression. She didn’t miss a beat.

“I’m not allowed? Well then, why don’t we see about un-injuring you, Mr. Deal, so I can get back to my fun.” I liked this mare more and more every minute.

Deep Tissue gave a playful wink and stepped closer, rearing up and gently laying her hooves on my chest. Practically the instant she touched, I felt tension start sliping away. The mare was good. “Now, from what your secretary told me, your pelvis and the sacral portion of your back are what hurt worst, but loosening up the chest helps you relax, so it’ll be of benefit regardless.”

Deep’s teasing hadn’t embarrassed me at all. You can’t work with a club full of young mares and not get used to the occasional flirtatious jibe. Not knowing what she was talking about was another matter, and I blushed slightly as I asked, “My what portion?”

That ear to ear grin got just a bit toothier as Deep Tissue moved a hoof from my chest, where it’d just begun to rub, to my back, sliding it under me with an “accidental-on-purpose” rub at my plot on the way. Her voice was innocence itself, though, as she said, “Why, right here, Mr. Deal. Your back, between your pelvis and tail.”

“Playful” wouldn’t begin to describe Deep Tissue’s behavior, and as startled as I was by her flirtatious attitude, a grin of my own was forming. She wasn’t the only one who could be playful, and while the smoke within me was still rebuilding, all that meant was that I’d have to play it careful—and Deep Tissue’s flirting was going to make it that much easier.

I feigned shock, and lifted my rear away from Deep’s hoof, wincing in honest pain. Deep quickly removed the hoof and gently pressed down, looking me in the eye as she admonished me for moving. “Please, Mr. Deal, you must remain still! I’m a professional, after all.” Her smile was simultaneously reassuring and predatory. If she only knew.

Smoke formed around my hind legs as Deep Tissue delivered her gentle rebuke, and gently swirled up her foreleg, around her neck, and found its home in her ears. Wispy and insubstantial, the smoke wasn’t what it had been in the past. I just didn’t have it in me to make any shocking demands. Nonetheless, I could see the change in her expression and the dimming of the light in her eyes. There was a slightly distracted tone to her voice. I just had to make what I wanted seem reasonable.

“I’m sorry, Deep Tissue; you startled me, that’s all. I’ll let you get to work making me feel good.” If the slight emphasis I placed on the last two words seemed out of place to her, she gave no sign of it, and smiled back at me calmly.

“Yes. I’ll get started here.” Deep slid her left hoof from where it had pressed me into the bed back to my chest, never noticing the smoke coiled around it. Her gentle rubbing didn’t live up to her name, but while I enjoyed a good massage, I knew far too little to correct a professional. I simply closed my eyes and enjoyed her work—for a bit.

“Ah, that feels lovely, Deep Tissue… but I guess I’m a little nervous. My hind legs have gone tense.” I looked away as I spoke, as if ashamed. If she had fun teasing and toying with her clients, where was the harm in letting her think she had me where she wanted me? She took the bait just as I’d hoped.

“Poor dear. I was just about done with your torso anyway. Why don’t I slide on down and work that out before we roll you over, hm?” As tantalizingly as she possibly could, Deep Tissue slid her hooves from my chest, past my waist, and to my upper thighs, where she began to knead. The mare was a professional of course, and knew honest tension when she felt it. “Mr. Deal… you wouldn’t be clenching muscles just because you want your thighs rubbed, now would you?” There was no hint of annoyance in Deep Tissue’s voice. Either the smoke was keeping her content, or she truly didn’t mind. Either way, I was happy. It put me that much closer to what I wanted.

I continued to look away. “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Deep Tissue’s hooves made whatever she touched feel fantastic. If I could get her to touch what I wanted, I was more than content to let her play her little games, especially since she didn’t realize I was cheating.

The smile in Deep Tissue’s voice was clear; I didn’t need to be looking at her to know it was there. “I’m sure you don’t, Mr. Deal.” She still thought she was toying with me, and that suited me fine—right up until my shaft started to stiffen, and I felt Deep Tissue pause in surprise.

For the first time, Deep Tissue’s voice didn’t sound so catty. “Ah!” I struggled to eek out just a bit more smoke, to make it just a touch denser. The last thing I wanted was for Deep Tissue to get spooked and walk away. The smoke snaking up her foreleg and into her ears darkened just a shade, far less than I wanted, and I wasn’t remotely confident it would be as much as I needed. “Well, somepony’s enjoying my work…” Deep Tissue started to rub my thighs again, and I breathed a sigh of relief. It had been enough.

I allowed myself a peek at Deep Tissue’s face. The blush against her pale coat made her even more attractive than she’d been a moment before, but she didn’t actually look embarrassed—Deep Tissue was getting turned on. “You did say you were going to make me feel good.”

The extra smoke I’d struggled to use slowed Deep Tissue just a tiny bit. The playfulness had returned to her voice, but she seemed to be just a bit drowsy. Not enough to even notice, really, if not for how chipper she’d been initially. “I did indeed, Mr. Deal.” Deep leaned a bit farther over my legs, and her long, cyan mane brushed gently over my growing shaft, tickling it with an unbearable lightness. I gasped despite myself, but with my face still turned away, I smiled. That had to have been the smoke. If I used a light touch with her, I’d get what I wanted.

Deep Tissue was making a point of moving her head, dragging strands of her mane over my dick and balls. “Now then, time to work on the problem at the source, Mr. Deal.” Suddenly, Deep lifted her head, and the pleasure, light as it was, ended instantly. “Roll over, please.”

I was too shocked to keep up my shy act and looked at her in disbelief. Deep Tissue had the toothiest, most sinister smile I’d ever seen on a pony’s face, and somehow she looked all the more enticing for it. Smoke or no smoke, the mare was toying with me! There was no way I could force her hoof yet; I didn’t have the power for it. Resigned, I rolled over, wincing at the hurts in my back as I did.

My fully engorged shaft got in the way, acting like a tripod, and Deep Tissue giggled at my expense before calmly reaching forward and pulling it back, to rest between my legs as I lay down. “More sudden stiffness. Well, that’s just going to have to wait, Mr. Deal. We’ve delayed your poor back too long already.” I groaned into my pillow, and it was most certainly not because of the massage Deep was beginning on my aching back.

“Now then… I wouldn’t have to do this with a proper massage table, Mr. Deal, but your bed doesn’t really give me the leverage I need. Please just relax.” With no more warning than that, Deep Tissue crawled up onto the bed, straddling my lower back! “Don’t worry, I won’t put any pressure down here.” She flicked her tail, running it across my lower back and my own tail. Without even thinking about it, I pulled my tail out of the way, allowing hers to touch my ass, and even a bit of my still-hard penis if she moved her tail again—and she did.

“I’m going to start high and work my way down, Mr. Deal. This is where the real massage begins, so let me know if I’m too rough, but it is a therapeutic massage; if I’m too gentle, it’s not going to help.” I nodded into my pillow, and Deep Tissue’s hooves went from the light touch of a pegasus’ wing to the heavy weight of an earth pony’s hoof in an instant. I groaned. Deep Tissue sounded satisfied. “That sounds like the right amount of pressure.”

Deep kneaded the stiffness and ache out of my withers, all the while teasing my ass and cock with her tail as if it were part of the job. The real pain was much lower, but despite her heavy hooves and my groaning, she was working absolute magic on my back, and I was in no mood to rush her. That the teasing of my shaft with her tail had gotten more deliberate might have have helped my willingness to take it slow. With her straddling my back, I couldn’t really look, but the mental image of the bright white mare straddling my back was erotic enough. Having that beautiful cyan mane dangling down near enough to smell the lavender from her shampoo made that willingness to go slow a battle between desire and caution. I’ve said it already, but the mare knew what she was doing.

The swishing of her tail over my shaft continued, and covered more and more of it as she worked her way down my back, her mane lightly stroking my spine as she moved. At last, she came to the hurt areas in my lower back, and had to get off of me to tend them. Rather than move to either side, Deep Tissue slid my hind legs apart, and gently lowered herself directly onto my hard shaft! Lying as I was, I didn’t enter her, but her soft, and to my delight, wet sex pressed against my dick, kissing it softly with her lower lips. I inhaled sharply with surprise and pleasure, but she continued to play her game with aplomb.

“Yes, a good massage really does feel nice, doesn’t it?” A good massage nothing! Each time Deep Tissue leaned forward to apply pressure to my back, her pussy slid up my rod, making me tremble, and each time she moved back, her lips spread around my girth, slid toward my tip and I gasped. Deep was methodically sliding me closer and closer to the edge each time she worked out a bit of tension in my back. As my arousal grew, the room began to smell of hers, reminding me that I wasn’t the only one enjoying this.

I was far too distracted to keep playing the shy client. Putty under her hooves, I groaned, “You really love making me feel good, don’t you?”

“Love… making you feel… Of course I do, Mr. Deal! It is my job and my pleasure.” Deep Tissue pressed her sex against mine a bit more firmly and began to slide faster, despite being out of time with her massage. After another startled gasp of pleasure I remembered: the effect was very light, but the smoke was still flowing into her. The distant, hazy start of her reply was probably that. I reveled in the pleasure her soaked sex was causing with each movement of her body, and the near-painful pleasure of the massage was an amazing balance. Torn between gasping and moaning, I lay helpless beneath the beautiful mare, who was herself at least partially helpless under the smoke. She rubbed lower on my back, not stopping where the pain did, but kneading my ass as she ground against my rod, pushing me farther and farther into the bliss of pleasure and torment of denied release.

As I approached my limit, despite never entering the mare, Deep’s voice poked through the haze into which she’d put me. “This… needs a gentler touch.” As I struggled to get my thoughts together enough to figure out what she meant, I felt my tail brushed aside, and something press against my ass, directly below the tail—immediately before something warm, wet, and soft brushed against my asshole itself.

Startled, I pushed myself up just a bit, only to have Deep Tissue press down on my back. “Please relax, Mr. Deal. It’s alright. I love making you feel good.” Her voice came from right where I thought she was, and before I could object, her tongue brushed against my asshole once again, just teasing the rim. No longer in any position to slide along my cock, Deep Tissue used both hooves to keep it hard as she buried her muzzle under my tail and teased me with the lightest of licks, swirling her tongue where I’d never even thought to feel pleasure before. I sank back into my bed and let Deep Tissue continue. With my stallionhood lubricated by her juices, her hooves slid up and down easily, each stroke shooting waves of pleasure up the shaft, while her tongue kept me gasping into my pillow from new sensations all together.

As startled as I’d been when she licked at my pucker in the first place, I was even more surprised when the teasing stopped, and Deep Tissue pressed her tongue firmly against my anus—and in. The slow jerking of my cock never stopped and the pleasure never flagged, but all I could think of was the shock of Deep Tissue’s tongue, soft and firm, moving around inside me. I grasped my pillow tight, and began to moan feebly, as one of my legs started to twitch of its own accord. After a few seconds, Deep Tissue began thrusting her tongue into me in time with the motion of her hooves on my cock. I trembled with pleasure, and my penis began to twitch, ready to blow. She stopped.

Gasping for breath, Deep Tissue came up from her position, and for once, her voice wasn’t teasing. “Mr. Deal… I… please roll back over. I need it too!” The mare had me at her mercy, but getting me there had been Pyrrhic. I had half a thought to egg her on, but before I knew it, I was rolling underneath her as she once again straddled me, this time face up. I needed release far too badly to delay or tease, and mercifully, Deep was no less eager. Straddling high above me, she turned away, lowering herself onto my shaft, with her gorgeous flanks facing me. I groaned and shuddered as I sank deep inside of her long since ready tunnel, and clutched both of her flanks eagerly as she began to rock.

Slowly at first, Deep Tissue rode my rod, only letting an inch slide in and out, greedily keeping as much of me inside of her as she could. Her sweet voice betrayed pleasure I couldn’t see from behind, though, and only the first few thrusts were so timid. Before long, Deep Tissue was slipping halfway up my rod before dropping hastily back down, positively splashing her wetness each time, but always mindful of my still tender pelvis. She grew steadily louder as she accelerated, biting her lip to keep her pleasured cries from reaching down to my office, and slowly she leaned back, turning her thrusts horizontal as she lay her head on my shoulder. I began to fuck her back, thrusting up into her vagina, prodding at the back wall, and earning gasps of pleasure from the mare who’d caused me so many already. With her flat against my chest, I wrapped my forelegs around her, holding her tight, and she lifted hers around the back of my head in an awkward embrace.

Tangled, the sex lost its coordination, making up for it with passion and force. Deep’s mane bounced all around and I bit gently at her ears, and licked at her neck, pushing her past where trying to stay quiet made any difference. As Deep Tissue tightened her backward embrace, pulling us cheek to cheek, she slammed down roughly, my pelvis be damned, and screamed her pleasure. My seed poured into her in gouts, and I panted, running my forelegs up and down Deep Tissue’s chest and stomach, holding her tight against me. We lay together, panting, smiling, and even gently rubbing cheeks, until exhaustion claimed us both.

I awoke with a groan to the sound of Day Planner’s voice and the orange afternoon sunlight filtering through my window. Deep Tissue was gone, but not as if she’d never been there. My body was covered in the evidence of our pleasure, and exposed plainly for all to see: Day Planner with obvious amusement, and Bright Jade and Bruises with wistful sidelong glances—the same expression I might have for a business opportunity I’d missed. None of the three mares looked accusing, though, and I forced myself to relax, reminding myself that all three of those mares had seen everything, and had everything, before.

Day Planner spoke first, a hint of a smile on her prim face. “Feeling better, I assume, Mr. Deal?” For a mare so obsessed with efficiency, Day Planner had a soft spot for rhetorical questions. Bright Jade was too busy silently discouraging Bruises from reaching for my still-deflating stallionhood to speak.

“I would say so, Day. I feel like a million bits. I’ve got to admit, I needed this, and you got me somepony fantastic for the massage. Why don’t you put her on a weekly schedule if she’s interested? Maybe keep the stress down and the energy up.”

Day nodded, her smile shifting into a bit more of a smirk. “That won’t be a problem, sir. Actually, she’s in need of regular work in town, and I seem to recall you wanting to expand. What would you say about opening a small massage parlor, a few blocks from here? Deep Tissue was… released from employment in Hoofington for being a bit flirtatious with the customers, but I don’t see that as a problem here. I’ve already checked the accounts. Opening the parlor would be a reasonably large investment, but not unmanageable.”

I raised an eyebrow and peered at Day Planner as Bruises gently swatted a hoof Jade had begun to put toward my junk. “Day, you’re being almost as catty as that masseuse! This is a bit beyond efficient, even for you. I don’t mind you presenting opportunities, but entire new businesses is just a bit above your pay scale, don’t you think? What aren’t you telling me?”

Day Planner clopped a hoof on the ground twice, and Deep Tissue trotted back into the room, freshened up and smiling brilliantly. “You’ll have to forgive her, Mr. Deal. Day Planner’s far more serious than I am, especially the last few weeks, but she still likes to play once in a while. Runs in the family, you know.”

I looked back to Day Planner, blinking in surprise. Calm as could be, and a perfect mirror of Deep Tissue’s feigned innocence earlier, Day gestured to Deep Tissue. “Mr. Deal, I’d like to introduce my little sister.”

I sank back into the pillow, hoof on face, completely defeated. A massage parlor opened down the street, two weeks later.

Author's Note

The next thing I post won't be part of Smoke, but rather will be an MC themed, sexual fairy tale! Watch my blog for the announcement; I mean to have it up sooner than later--but with me, that means little.

Nine Stitches

“Mr. Deal, there’s a mare downstairs to see you.”

I shook the sleep from my head quickly, hoping Day Planner hadn’t noticed. One day’s bed rest, and I was dozing on the job. There were reasons I avoided vacations, and slipping into laziness was high on that list. The gray light of a rainy day seeping through the office windows hadn’t helped any. I’d been having another of those vivid dreams when Day woke me. That morning, it had been sitting smugly while those who threatened my authority broke themselves on the impenetrable empire I had built. My citizens within went about the work I gave them, completely unconcerned for their safety. And why should they be concerned? I was handling it, after all. I didn’t need to be Princess Luna to understand this one—having Bruises on my side had reassured me.

I set aside a paper I had yet to touch as though I were marking where to pick back up, and hoped Day Planner wouldn’t catch on, then rose from my seat. “Did she say what it’s about?”

Day nodded, but her lips drew back in a slight grimace. “About the day before yesterday. She didn’t say anything more, and given the scuffle you were in that day with Ms. Parapet, it seemed likely to require your attention.”

“No doubt. Thank you, Day. I’ll go talk to her.” Frowning, I walked past Day Planner and toward the door. It occurred to me as I reached for the handle that Day had had to know I was asleep if she had handled somepony downstairs—it meant walking right past my desk. If she had no quip about my work ethic or efficiency, I had a bad feeling this was going to be unpleasant. On the way down the stairs, I rather wished I’d had Bruises stay in a guest bedroom. The clank of those huge hooves on the cast-iron staircase behind me would’ve been reassuring.

Standing at the bar and tapping a hoof impatiently was a sand colored mare, with almost no difference in color between her coat and short but loose hanging mane. A loose vest hung open on her withers, and a quick look revealed a lock and key cutie mark. On any other day, I’d assume a locksmith. Right now, I was leaning toward a burglar. I got to within a couple of feet of my bar with her just staring daggers before she spoke, but when she did, pleasantries were well off the agenda.

“Ya wrecked three o’ our boys day before last, mate.” I blinked, surprised. Lovely voice, Trottingham accent so thick you could cut it with a knife. Not what I had in mind. “One brought the other two in, then took off like a hare. Skipped town, ‘e did. ‘Is mates ‘e brought back ‘avent woke up yet. Boss figgers you owe us.”

I scowled for just an instant before clapping a hoof to my face. Everypony knew Manehattan had more organized crime than any other city in Equestria, give or take Las Pegasus—in fact in The Tall Tail’s first couple of years, I’d had to pay “protection,” so I knew the game—but to be this brash was just stupid.

“Really? You come into my club, talk with a secretary who can identify you, hang around to talk to me, and then try your hoof at extortion? Are you new at this, or just incredibly slow?” The tables for watching the show were to my right, and the doors were past those. The mare wasn’t a pegasus. If she thought she’d just slip out after that sort of threat, she had another thing coming.

Stupid or not, her expression turned dark when I called her out. “Right. Payment in damages, then. You ‘ave a good one, mate. Tomorrow, things get ugly.”

The mare reared and twisted to leave at a run, but I reached out and caught her vest. Slowed her down for all of 10 seconds, most of that sneering after I let go, bleeding from a cut just above the hoof. There was a knife in her mouth that hadn’t been there before, and a glare in her eyes that seemed somehow out of place with the rest of her expression. I stared in disbelief at my cut as she mocked me, forming words around the knife. “Tighter ya hold a rose, deeper the thorns go. Be glad you let loose quick, mate.” Again, she turned to bolt, but this time I just let her go.

* * * * *

My cut had been shallow, easily cleaned and bandaged. In fact, I’d gotten back to work after letting the mares in the building know that until problems were sorted, nopony but Bruises or I were to open the doors. It really was just a scratch. I could even walk on it fine, though running was a bit of a stretch. Pirouette and Jade hadn’t seen it the same way, of course. Each wanted me looked at by a proper doctor. It was Bruises, though, who was most upset. Bruises was livid. I’d had to tell her twice not to stomp on my hardwood floors, as strong as she was.

I sat at the bar before opening, nursing a cider, while Bruises paced back and forth angrily. “I can’t believe she cut you, Boss! When I find her, I’ll stomp her so flat… they’ll… they’ll… I don’t know, but she’ll be really flat!”

I just smiled and shook my head as I sipped my drink. I’d already agreed to let her stay at the cabaret until matters were settled. There wasn’t a lot more I could do but wait right now.

“We should go after ‘em, boss! I’ll show ‘em not to mess with you!” Rocked back on her haunches, Bruises thrust her massive hooves in some seriously dangerous punches. I’ve no doubt her imaginary enemy regretted ever meeting my angry bouncer. I opened my mouth to calm her, but it was Day Planner’s voice I heard first, coming from the stairs.

“She has a point, Mr. Deal. If you can end this early, it behooves everypony. And really, between her physical force and your… unique gift, I doubt you’ve much to fear.” Day Planner continued down the stairs, a stylish but understated hat on her head, and a warm jacket on her back.

“Pride cometh, blah, blah, blah, Day. You have a safe trip home.” Dealing with Bruises was one thing. The excitable mare was amusing. If Day Planner disagreed with me, I’d be lucky to escape without her drawing up graphs to demonstrate why she was right. To my dismay, Day Planner halted.

“You’re dealing with street thugs, Mr. Deal, not Queen Chrysalis. I of all ponies would advise caution if I thought it were necessary.” Day stared at me, inviting dissent. I didn’t dare.

I leaned back against the bar, exasperated. “Suppose I agree. How am I supposed to find her? Manehattan’s a big city; I can’t just go picking fights with ponies who look at me funny.”

Bruises walked around between Day Planner and me. “She’s Desert Rose.”

In unison, Day Planner and I asked, “What?”

Bruises shrugged. “Desert Rose. Everypony knows who she is in my part of town. Well, my old part of town. She’s… like Day Planner! Except for a pony with lots of ponies from Trottingham, making trouble.”

Day Planner sniffed. “I am not an errand girl.” Her wounded expression was amusing, but I wasn’t done being amazed that Bruises know the mare who cut me.

“Bruises, how’s she like Day Planner, and how do we find her?” I rubbed my furrowed brow with a hoof. This still seemed like an awful idea, but it never hurt to know what I was up against.

Bruises sat in front of me and pointed back the direction we’d come when I’d first hired her. “She’s the smart one in the Trottingham ponies that boss everyone around back there. She’s pretty easy to find, I guess. If her boss doesn’t send her places, she’s usually just a block or two from where I lived. Ponies go to her at the old hotel and pay, so they get left alone.”

I sighed. Dealing with this head on was a terrible idea. Dealing with it the way I was planning to was even stupider.

The last of my cider went down in one pull. “Alright. We’ll handle it first thing in the morning. Hit them before they hit us, right?”

Day Planner nodded, and finally opened the door. “I’ll have your work prepared for you after lunch, then, Mr. Deal.” With an approving smile, she was out the door and gone.

With no competition for my attention, Bruises patted my back hard enough to stagger me off my stool. “Yeah! We’ll show ‘em, boss! I’ll pound her flatter than… oh! A pancake!”

Shaking my head and trying not to laugh at poor, earnest Bruises, I set my glass on the bar for Jade to deal with when the club opened. “Hop to it, Bruises. First night on the job with me around to fuss at you.” I made a mental note to have some kind of dress made to suit her before long. As big as she was, she threw off the vibe a bit, but I wasn’t going to tell her that.

Nodding effusively, Bruises trotted to the door. “I won’t give you any reason to fuss, boss!”

I marched up the stairs, back to my office and apartment and called back, “Good girl, Bruises.” It was hard not to feel a bit guilty. She was there at the door, eager to work, determined I’d have no complaints—and I was getting ready to give her every reason to complain at me.

* * * * *

I navigated the seedy side of Manehattan, doing my best to stay in the pitch dark. It was certainly harder to see, but making it hard to be seen was critical. Waiting for tomorrow wasn’t an option. If we left early and missed them in passing, The Tall Tail would be a ruin when we got back. If Bruises rebuffed them, I couldn’t count on Desert Rose still being where Bruises said she’d be. And as risky as this was, I wasn’t about to leave Pirouette, Jade, and the girls unguarded tonight. This really was the worst idea.

I headed back down dirty streets, past broken porches and the occasional mare or stallion on guard for their own well being. So far, so good. My heart thumped in my chest fit to give me away in the shadow of Bruises’ old building, and for some reason breathing seemed more difficult than normal, but I kept going, looking around non-stop for anypony that might make trouble. A single one, and I’d have to dash for the shadows, and probably forget the whole idea. As I twisted my ankle on a loose cobblestone, I held down a curse, and wished badly for my private table in the back of my beautiful cabaret.

How ponies lived in this part of town, I didn’t know. What I did know was that when I was through with Manehattan, places like this would be a bad memory. But first, I had to track down the ponies who were putting my dreams in danger. Trying weight on my ankle hurt a bit, but didn’t warrant crying out, so I forced myself not to limp, relieved that the twist and the cut from Desert Rose weren’t on the same leg. If somepony did see me out here, an appearance of weakness was the last thing I needed—after having my cabaret trashed, anyway.

Since passing Bruises’ building, I’d kept an even closer watch out for any signs of trouble, and actually felt a small bit of pride when approaching voices sent me deeper into shadows before I was close enough to be at risk. Pride was forgotten quickly however when I heard what the approaching ponies were saying.

“Bloody Manehattan git. You lot trot about like yer arses smell ‘o roses. You wait. The boss won’t last forever, an’ then it’ll be our turn on top!” The unicorn speaking seemed, for everything he said, to have a lot more he didn’t dare say.

The earth pony taking the abuse wasn’t impressed. “Hah, horseapples. You think just because Rose is from Trottingham she’s stupid enough to tear the crew apart just because she talks like you? She barely even remembers Trottingham. If our ‘arses’ smell like Rose, it’s because she’s got her muzzle up them.”

“Motherbucker!” The unicorn snapped, and knocked his so called ally out of the moonlight and into a shadow cast by a nearby abandoned warehouse. Couldn’t blame him, really; it was nothing to do with me, and I still wanted to knock the bastard’s smug muzzle off his face. I slipped out of shadow long enough to run past where those goons had been wandering (patrolling?) and into new darkness far ahead. My mind was moving twice as fast as my hooves, though. A schism in the ranks was something I could use.

One shadow led to another, and my mind drifted back to the cabaret again. I wondered if Pirouette had noticed me missing yet, and if Bruises was handling it well—the girls treated her well, but one nasty customer without me to encourage her… the space between pleasant customer and somepony to toss out the door was broad, and it worried me. I belonged back there, making sure my girls were doing alright, and my baby was safe.

I sighed in the darkness of a high wall’s shadow. I was keeping my baby safe, and making sure my girls did alright. That’s why I was out here in the dark.

“Oy! ‘Oo’s there?”

Ponyfeathers. All this, and a sigh gave me away? I ran away from the voice, not checking for more shadows to hide in. No time for it. Given two hurt legs, I was fairly pleased with how quickly the voice behind me faded into the distance. I smiled as I ducked my head to avoid a low tree branch—which suddenly glowed yellow and ducked itself. I ran face first into a thick branch, twisted my already-twisted ankle trying to recover, and ended up rolling to a halt on the cobblestones. It only took a second for me to recover my bearings, but getting to my hooves again was another matter. I was halfway there when a yellow unicorn mare and a brown earth pony stallion caught up, the first holding a knife in a magical grip, and the second facing away, ready to buck me into next week. Cutie marks in woodworking and… dear Celestia, I hadn’t even realized there were cutie marks in kicking. I lay back down.

“Right, wot’ve we got ‘ere, mate?” The unicorn was the one who’d called out when she heard my sigh, and spoke first, looking more than a little proud of her catch.

“Buck if I know, but ‘at’s a posh li’l cap ‘e’s got, innit?”

I sighed and forced myself to relax. There was no way to take charge of this situation, but if I got lucky and played my cards right, they could keep control and still leave me coming out on top. I tossed my hat to Brown, sighing internally about having to buy two fedoras in a week. At this rate, I’d have to talk with Day Planner about adding a “hats” line to our budget.

I managed to keep my voice even, despite the knife and hooves ready to disappear me. “Peace offering. I’m here to talk business. I want to see Desert Rose.” First rule of being at a disadvantage is don’t act like it.

Both ponies blinked in surprise, looked to each other and back to me. The knife lowered, but wasn’t put away. Brown had sat down to adjust his new hat with both forehooves. If the unicorn wasn’t in charge, she was certainly the talkative one. “So you wanna see Rose. An’ wot says she wants to see you, chum? Girl’s got a busy schedule; no time in it for some bloody berk runnin’ about in the dark.”

I held up the leg Rose had cut earlier. The bandage hadn’t been changed, and between the moonlight and the glow of the unicorn’s horn, seeing a line of crimson on it wasn’t difficult. “She gave me this. I’ve got an offer that’ll more than settle things, if she’s willing to put a little effort into it.”

The unicorn scowled, but put away her knife and turned back the way I’d come, tossing her short mane disdainfully. “Effort’s Rose’s middle name, bloke. You’d best hope she thinks yer worth putting a bit in. She don’t like waking this time o’ night.”

I managed to relax further as a relieved sigh escaped my lips, and I forced myself up, no longer able to avoid a slight limp. The walk wasn’t long—the building by which I’d been discovered was an old hotel, Rose’s base of operations. So close. I was led inside past only a couple of hostile glares. Most of the gang was asleep or out on “business,” I guessed. The inside of the building was hardly any better than the outside: dated, and falling apart on top of that. At last, Yellow stopped in front of a nondescript door and banged her hoof against it. Desert Rose may have had respect and authority, but as far as I could tell, she had none of the trappings of them.

“Oy, Rose! You up? Caught some fool in the dark, said ‘e ‘as business with ya.”

The voice on the other side of the door was groggy, annoyed, and not even a little receptive. “Buck, Whittle, it’s two in the mornin’! I got business with nopony this time o’ night!”

The knife was back out in an instant, and as preoccupied as Brown had been with my fedora, he was on alert again now. “Bad news, mate. Looks like you lost yer gamble. Now how’re we gonna play this?”

Nothing to lose now. I didn’t really care to lay bare my offer this way, but it beat having my organs laid bare. “Desert Rose, are you saying you’re alright with how your Trottingham crew gets treated? A little work, a deal, and I think we could fix things for you… uh, ‘lot.’” I wanted to facehoof. Of all the bad times for my silly habit of adopting slang to rear its head.

Silence. Whittle’s grin got nastier, but then a bolt was thrown, and Desert Rose stuck her head out, disheveled and blinking. Her praise was groggy and grudging. “Ya got brass ones, mate, sayin’ that shit here. Lucky you, I only keep me Trotties this close. Get yer arse in here. You as well, Whittle. New boy, watch the door.”

I stepped into Desert Rose’s room, Whittle right behind me, and the door shut. The mix of girly and tidy against deadly and deteriorating was bizarre. Carefully arranged knives lay on a clean doily on a table missing a leg. A painting of a countryside, expertly done, was framed in rotting oak, hung from a cracked wall. These were opportunities for me.

“Right, Done. You ‘ad your chance yesterday, today we smash. Why should I ‘ear you out, mm?” Desert sat on her bed, leaving me to stand in the center of the small room, Whittle to my side, toying with her knife. As much as possible in this meager room, she was putting me at a disadvantage. No wonder she was the gang’s “Day Planner.”

I couldn’t use the smoke with both mares in the room. One would knife me before I got anywhere. Straight sell, then. My left ear twitched. “You know those two who didn’t wake up after messing with me? Whittle here can tell you I couldn’t swing that. She heard me, and I was off like a rabbit.”

Whittle laughed and leaned up against the wall on her hind legs. “An’ into a tree branch, like an idiot.”

I bit my tongue. Patience was beyond necessary. “Pretty much. I’m a businesspony. My job is to pay ponies to do my job. The one who smashed the pu—ponies who attacked me is my bouncer, Parapet. I hear you’re number two here. Why? It didn’t even take me a day to hear you’re the one who keeps things going right in this gang. Call off the attack on my cabaret, make a mutually beneficial deal with me, and I can give you what you need to change the balance. Or are you happy with cracked walls and broken tables, Desert Rose? Your doilies say you’re not.”

Rose actually flushed at my accusation and narrowed her eyes. “You wouldn’t know a ‘orseapple from apple pie, but on the off chance that addled pate ‘o yours can churn out something we can use, let me educate you, ‘gov.’”

Desert Rose got up and pulled out a list of some sort from her dresser. Lots of names, some in blue ink, some in red. I guessed some sixty percent were red. “That’s our roster. Red is Maneys. Locals. Blue is Trotties. Me mates. Born Leader brings in just as many new Maneys as ‘e ‘as to to keep the balance against us. Now ‘ere’s the fun part, so keep sharp, mate. This gang was ten Maneys just twenty years back. Born and his boys grow this crew one way: Trottingham orphans. We’re taught pickpocketing and petty theft ‘fore we even ‘ave cutie marks. The ‘good’ ones join the crew once we’re too old for the guard to let us off light. Not that anything really changes—the Maneys still get the best, and we get wot’s left.”

Sharp eyes stared me down as she put the list away. “Right then. Give us yer wonderful plan, mate, because I’ve been way too friendly tonight, and if it’s no good, it’s more’n your club you’ll be missin’ today.

I’ll admit it. I swallowed hard. “So you’re outnumbered. Even when Born Leader kicks it, you stay number two, if you’re lucky. Am I right? What if you add a variable? Say Parapet and I get rid of Born Leader. I’m a ‘Maney,’ born and bred. What would happen?”

Desert Rose laughed. “You really think you an’ your girl can pull that off? Let’s suppose you did, berk. There’d be a split. Some o’ the Maneys would call you boss, some would want one they know on top, an’ nuts to you; and some would likely come to me. It don’t help anything; it just makes a mess.”

I shook my head. “You’ve seen The Tall Tail. This isn’t my style. If one in six join you, you’ve got even numbers, even ignoring my slice. And if I tell my slice I’m just in it for the business, and that you’re the one who brought me in…”

Rose’s eyes got wide. “I’d ‘ave enough to take over proper!” Sharp as the knives on her table, though, her eyes narrowed right back down. “First, ‘ow do I know you can manage? Second, wot’s innis fer you, mate?”

I stretched, much more comfortable with those questions than I’d have been before explaining the schism. “I can manage one pony, at least if I know what I’m into. Parapet can manage all the rest on her own. Especially since more than expected are going to be on business tomorrow.”

Desert Rose frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means, I don’t want my cabaret torn apart. I don’t even want a hint of trouble in my part of town; it’s bad for business. You get yours to get in the way of any Maneys headed out. Keeps my place safe, and thins out any ponies I have to deal with to handle Born Leader. Celestia, that can’t be his real name.”

Rose laughed, a single derisive snort. “It’s all ‘e’s gone by since ‘e kidnapped me twenty back. Don’t doubt you’re right though; even as a filly it wasn’t ‘im holding this together, just callin’ the shots. Suppose I’m in. That’s still gonna be a good… ten Maneys ‘angin’ about his place, and three or four Trotties. Plus me.”

I shrugged. “Parapet can handle ten. And you can call off your three when you see I’m right.”

Desert Rose sat back on her bed and folded her forelegs, thinking. “It ‘as to be you, beats the boss down. An’ ‘e can’t get up again. Sure you can handle that? Your flunkie beats the boss down, it makes you look bad. Whole thing could sour.”

I nodded. “I’ve got demands too.” Whittle glared but held her place against the wall. “You want better than this for you and yours, right? I’ll give that to you, but it’s gonna take time. I want Manehattan to shine. The whole thing, no bad side of town. I can’t have that if gangs are making too much trouble. So the deal is this: You mop up and keep down any Maneys that didn’t take your side. I start opening businesses on the edge of the rough part. You keep ‘em safe and sound, and I guarantee you and yours real jobs. You can keep the ‘family’ together if that’s what it is; I don’t mind that. You try to start a protection racket, and we have a problem. Who knows, maybe in five years that part of town will be called the Trottie Quarter. Months pass, money flows, I open more businesses. You want to open shops or something, be my guest. I want this area to shine. You in?”

Desert Rose started at me like I was insane, and I could practically feel Whittle’s knife cut my throat. But then Rose rolled onto her bed, laughing her ass off. “Deal, Deal. I must be bloody insane, but you dream big, and ‘at’s what I’ve been missin’ in me crew. You bring us a better life, an’ I don’t care if I’m queen o’ this part o’ town, I’ll bow right down.”

Whittle looked back and forth between her boss and me, incredulous. “Rose, are you sure? We don’t even know this berk, and you’re castin’ in with him like that?

Desert Rose nodded. “’ow do ya think Born Leader got there, Whittle? It wasn’t talent. It was a big dream, the balls to try it, an’ the money to get those wot could make it happen. I’m bettin’ Deal ‘ere’s got all that.”

Whittle sighed at the floor, then looked up at Rose. “You’ve been watchin’ over me since I was six, Rose. You say he’s good, then he’s good.”

Desert Rose smiled at Whittle. “Atta girl. See ‘im ‘ome safe, an’ show ‘im the boss’s place on a map. Sleep quick, Deal. You’re any later’n nine in the mornin’, and everything’s off—likely as not, both our heads, as well.”

I turned to leave, but Rose called me back, one of the three knives on her table now trapped between her teeth. She flicked it at me, so slowly I caught it in my forehooves without much trouble. “For luck. Get goin’.”

* * * * *

Pirouette was livid, and Bruises cried with relief when she saw me limp up to the door of the Tall Tail at first light. I’d had to sit them both down and explain as quickly as possible while Whittle worked on a bottle of cider and played with her knife. Bruises had excitedly accepted, eager to “fix ‘em for messin’ with Boss!” Pirouette was substantially less enthused. And Day Planner, in ungodly early for some reason, muttered that I had over complicated the process, and that starting the next day, she was scheduling time for me to experiment with my smoke, since if I’d done that in the first place, I could perhaps have prevented all of this. When Whittle asked what the buck that supposed to mean, I evaded the question. No sense complicating it even further.

All of that seemed like a pleasant dream as I stared down an old two story house in the middle of the worst part of Manehattan. It was time. Bruises was honestly excited next to me, the silly mare. I felt guilty. She’d be doing all of the work. “It’s time, Bruises. Those two at the front door? Just flatten ‘em, and keep going. Anypony who picks a fight, drop ‘em however you want, but keep moving. Their boss is upstairs. I have to deal with him alone. Try to keep everypony from seeing. I’m asking a lot Bruises. Will you be alright?”

The huge mare nodded, smiled, and took off for the door without waiting, leaving me limping behind to catch up. By the time I’d reached the door, its guards lay on the ground, unmoving, and Bruises was dealing with three more inside. Guilty as I felt about it, I hung back. She seemed to be managing alright, her huge hooves swatting aside baseball bats with ease, and I had to be at my meager best for what was ahead.

A bat finally landed a blow on Bruises’ back, and I winced, but Bruises simply blinked in surprise, ripped the bat from the hooves of the mare who’d swung it at her, and used it to knock her clean across the room. I winced again, this time at the body count—something I’d forgotten to think about beyond Born Leader. In seconds, Bruises was finished, and I entered the room. Unlike what I’d seen of Desert Rose’s headquarters, this house was in perfect repair indoors. Expensive furniture provided a classy look that would’ve been at home in a VIP lounge at The Tall Tail, if I had one, and crystal ornaments dotted one wall. The weathered look outside was a ruse; Born Leader lived as well as I did. Gently, I patted the spot Bruises had taken a hit. “You okay, there?”

She looked surprised I’d asked. “Huh? Oh, the bat. It was pretty annoying. I’m okay though, Boss!” I smiled, grateful for her endurance and cheer.

I heard Rose’s voice upstairs shouting “’round the boss! Form a wall! No pony gets through!” The notion that she’d double-crossed me came to mind, but I pushed it down. If she had, Bruises would see to her, too. No telling what would come of The Tall Tail in that case, but Desert Rose would certainly pay for it. I forced the thought aside. I couldn’t change anything now, and finding out was simple.

“Up we go, Bruises. Remember, don’t hit anypony who doesn’t try to hit us. And… if you can, try to keep eyes off me.” I wanted to make as few explanations as I possibly could. “Let’s go.”

The words were no sooner out of my mouth than Bruises was bounding up a spiral staircase with me limping up behind. The scene at the top was about what I’d expected: ten ponies, mixed between species, armed with bats, knives, and even one old guard’s spear. Whittle was there in the formation, just left of center, her face betraying nothing. They had formed an arc, curved away from us and toward Rose and an older stallion unicorn who had to be Born Leader, seated at a desk nearly as nice as mine. The picture window behind him nagged at me a bit—all of the windows at The Tall Tail showed only other buildings nearby. His had a view of a park, dilapidated though it was.

“That’s one hell of a ace up your sleeve, boy.” Born Leader rose slowly, levitating a machete from the surface of his desk. “Do you really think she can handle all twelve of us at once, though? I’ve been doing this a while. You’re not the first pony to come for me. Even the city guard gave up. I’ll spoil the ending for you. “You’re fucked.”

With Bruises between me and the small army ahead, I allowed myself to close my eyes and take a deep breath. If the guard was allowing Manehattan to fall apart over here this way, I’d have to deal with that, too. I felt like Day Planner had just dropped a thick stack of paperwork on my desk, and sighed. “Every day, if I get the chance. Bruises, go!”

As soon as Bruises rushed forward, Whittle and two other ponies broke ranks, running to stand with Desert Rose, weapons drawn, all four of them with their backs to a corner. Bruises charged into the gap they’d created, batting ponies around like a cat with a ball of yarn, but taking hits herself, as well. I held my position, looking for a way through the melee, but the melee found me: Born Leader, gray mane or not, bounded onto his desk, and used Bruises’ back as a stepping stone to get at me!

Bruises turned to look back at me where I backed up, startled. “Hey! I’m not for jumping on!” I winced as a bat hit Bruises in the back of the head while she was distracted. “Ow! Which one of you—ow I said!” Before I turned my focus on Born Leader, one of the two ponies to land telling hits on Bruises sailed through the room, landing motionless at the top of the stairs. I had no more attention to spare for anypony but myself.

Remembering what I’d asked of her, I yelled, “Bruises! Eyes!” and turned my undivided focus on Born Leader just in time to duck a slash from that floating machete. My hurt ankle ached, slowing me down, and I was no fighter to start with. Once again I reminded myself that this really was the worst plan ever. Another slash, narrowly sidestepped, and a third that would’ve cut my hat, had I not given it up the night before. I didn’t have much time to wait. If Bruises didn’t do something soon, I was in trouble. At least I could choose for the trouble not to be deadly.

“Aaaaaaaragh!” Past Born Leader’s head, I saw Bruises jump up, lift herself to the roof with her magic, and bolster her stomp by tossing herself at the floor. As soon as those devastating hooves struck, the sound of cracking wood filled the house, and Bruises dropped through the floor, taking the entire mob with her—only the Trotties, safe in their corner, remained. The Trotties, Born Leader, and myself.

Completely dismissive of me, Born Leader looked over his shoulder and shook his head. “You played your ace too early.” With a lunge, Born Leader tackled me, and brought the machete up to bring me down.

Desert Rose’s voice came from the back of the office, blocked from helping by the gaping hole. “Shite.”

With a stomp on my shoulder, Born Leader growled, “You’re next, Rose. And after everything I’ve done for you.”

I remembered the dilapidated accommodations Rose and her crew lived in. I remembered that Whittle had been kidnapped and made to steal from age six. I remembered the hopeless looks on ponies’ faces the day I’d gone to meet Bruises. “Done for her? Hey, Born. If somepony plays their ace early, it’s because they’ve got a trump.” I pushed all the smoke I could possibly grasp from every inch of my body, a pony sized black smoke bomb in an enclosed space, and bit at the handle of the knife Rose had given me, strapped to a leg by the bandage her cut had forced on me the day before. Without a second’s hesitation, I thrust it up while Born Leader coughed. The machete dropped next to my head, and I heard glass shatter from the direction of the Trotties.

I pushed the gasping unicorn off of me as the smoke cleared, wafting out the shattered picture window, and stood over him as he bled from a cut to the neck. It would do the job, given time. Staring down at him, I wondered if he were the whole cause of the bad part of Manehattan. “Hey, Rose.”

Rose waved away wisps of smoke with a hoof, opening her eyes at last to see me over her bleeding boss. “Yeah?”

“You said he can’t get up, no matter what, right?”

With the deed about to happen right in front of her, Desert Rose was no longer quite so glib. “Yeah. No option.”

I raised my uninjured foreleg over Born Leader’s throat. Manehattan was going to shine again, all of it. Because it was mine. My hoof fell.

* * * * *

Ponies rushed in and out of the house, carrying news and orders and responses to and from all over Manehattan, but somehow Desert Rose made coordinating her takeover look easy. Day Planner of the gang, indeed. Early in the groups of ponies brought upstairs were Day Planner herself, and Pirouette, both looking a bit put out at being held at knifepoint.

After shaking my head, I told Rose, “Those two are mine. Leave them be.”

Rose simply nodded and went back to her tasks, with Whittle handling the work of getting the captors to “shove off,” as she put it.

“What in Celestia’s name are you two doing here?” I asked incredulously. They were certainly welcome sights, but neither of them belonged in this part of town, much less here.

“You know, Mr. Deal, not long after you left, it occurred to me: I’ve never seen a gang war. I’d have been here sooner, but Pirouette didn’t want to come. It took far too long to convince her that her dancers actually could train for an hour or two alone.

Pirouette glared at Day Planner. “Convince nothing! You dragged me by the tail, right up until you… you dragged me by the tail!”

Day Planner smiled innocently. “Right up until I told her that if she didn’t come, she might never see you again, Mr. Deal. From that point on, it was difficult to keep up with her.”

Pirouette blushed. I couldn’t resist rubbing it in a bit. “Aww… you’re such a sweetheart, Pirouette.” Grinning ear to ear, I gave Pirouette a hug. She blushed further, but remained silent.

Rose chose that moment to look up during a pause in her runners. “Oy, Deal. That thing you did, with all the smoke. Just wot in Tartarus was all that?”

Pirouette and Day Planner spoke over each other. “Trade secret.” “Sleight of hoof!”

Rose frowned, but I shook my head. “That one’s mine, Rose. Maybe one day you’ll find out.”

She didn’t seem mollified, but Desert Rose let it go, turning her attention to the next runner.

The heat of the moment had kept me from thinking of her, and with the heat past, cautious monitoring of Rose’s thugs, but with Day Planner and Pirouette present, the obvious question revealed itself, and worried me. I walked to the edge of the hole in the floor and looked down. Sure enough, there was Bruises, a pile of ponies underneath her. I hoped they were part of the group that would’ve rejected Rose; none moved at all. “Hey down there! Are you alright, Bruises?”

My brave, sensitive bouncer looked up at me with tears in the corners of her eyes. “I’m okay, Boss.”

I frowned. “You should come up here then, with me.”

Bruises lowered her head and laid flat her ears. “…don’t wanna.”

Scarcely able to restrain her laughter, despite my worried expression, Day Planner explained. “Mr. Deal, we checked on her before we were caught. Parapet landed on a unicorn, with her whole weight. The wrong way.”

Her secret out, Bruises looked up and cried. “Boss, my plot hurts!”

I nearly fell down the hole.

Author's Note

Wait, what? No clop?! How can this be?! Relax, the next few chapters are plenty cloppy.

My sincere apologies to anyone with a real grasp of cockney slang, for whom my Trottingham dialect must be about as pleasant as a sandpaper Q-tip in the ear.

(PC) "Frosting" Indeed

With a relieved sigh, I signed off on the last of the inventory checks and orders for The Tall Tail. Having me experiment wasn’t causing Day Planner to reduce my workload, that was for certain. Not that she ought to. Work wasn’t going to do itself, and a taskmistress secretary certainly beat being confined to bed. Still, I was glad to be done. The real joy of running my club was walking the floor, and since the mess with Born Leader, I’d been enjoying it more than ever. I rose to enjoy it again.

“Finished, Mr. Deal? I’m impressed; your efficiency is steadily improving.” Day Planner turned at her desk to face me, a genuinely pleased smile on her muzzle.

Day Planner had been true to her word, and pushed for “experimentation” every day after I’d finished the most pressing tasks. So far, the experiments had been simple things done in my office. Could I make rings? (Sort of.) Could I slip it through a keyhole? (Easily.) Could I keep it from being blown away? (Not t all.) I assumed a similar suggestion would be coming, and braced myself. It turns out, there are things for which you just can’t prepare.

“You know, Mr. Deal, Jade’s a rather chatty mare, if you approach her the right way. Nothing seems to be off limits with her. Including the bedroom.” I blinked. “She said that, twice now, you’ve filled her to overflowing. She said when you first had your way with her, you filled everything. She said it happened on the train, too, with that rude attendant. Yet, you use me anytime you’re ‘distracted’ from work, and it’s never happened.”

I blushed, but of course Day was blunt; beating around the bush was inefficient. Whenever it worked, she took the direct approach. Still, there were limits! And it could’ve been my imagination, but I swear I heard a touch of jealousy in her voice.

“I dunno why it happens, Day! A couple of times now, it just kept on flowing! How would I know?” Hoping for a quick escape, I tossed my new fedora onto my head and trotted for the door, but Day trotted right along with me.

She stopped beside the door, not blocking my path, but making clear that she wanted another word before I went through. “You should try to find out, Mr. Deal.”

I sighed, but didn’t try to push past. Day was arguably my most productive employee, and after I’d ‘convinced’ her to stay, she’d never asked for a thing. I could at least hear her out. “Just how am I supposed to do that, Day? I mean, I’m curious too. I’m a stallion after all, we kinda take pride in… nevermind.” I shook my head, not wanting to admit anything I didn’t have to. “What am I supposed to do, rut any mare I see and take notes?”

Day Planner rolled her eyes and sighed back. “No, Mr. Deal, of course not. Think about the circumstances when it happened. Try to remember how you felt, and put yourself in situations that make you feel similarly. You’re a clever stallion, Mr. Deal. You couldn’t have built this place from nothing otherwise.”

I smiled ruefully and shook my head as I stepped past Day and out onto the landing of the stairs. Leave it to her to both compliment me, and make failure proof that I’m slipping. Clever mare. Her advice made sense, and I rolled it around in my head as I stepped down the stairs to the cabaret’s floor, but I hardly remembered how I’d felt with Bright Jade the first time. On the train, I’d been furious with the attendant for her lousy service. The second time I’d filled Jade up was the night that lousy drunk made a scene. I reached the bottom of the stairs and just kept walking, toward and out the door. I was more likely to find a reason out in the big city than my comfortable club.

Hours later, with the sun on the opposite side of the sky, I returned to The Tall Tail. After a completely pleasant day out on the town (for which I had no doubt Pirouette would lecture me at the first opportunity), I was thoroughly angry not to have managed to come up with an idea. In my foul mood, my smoke roiled inside of me. I should have been soothed a bit by the gleam of my club’s glass doors, but the sound of sobs caught my attention as I moved to push them open. I strained my ears to make out the crying in the din of afternoon noises, only to have the mystery solved as the weeping mare trampled me, sending me to the ground in an instant.

A blonde mane with streaks of pink appeared among the stars in my vision, surrounding a tear-soaked pink face. “Oh Celestia! I’m sorry, I wasn’t watching and—are you alright?”

I blinked away the stars before nodding. Concern seemed to have distracted the mare for now, but years of running a business full of them had taught me enough to know she was far from done with her tears. “I’m fine. Little scuffed, but it’s not like I was shiny and new anyway.” I sat up, and the pink mare seemed to relax a little. “More importantly, are you alright?”

With a deep breath, she put on a calm expression and nodded as my face came level to her own. “I-I’m fine. Thank you for asking.” Her voice shook, and a tear dropped from her muzzle where the fur could hold no more. I had seen it bead, and extended a hoof, catching it.

“This says you’re not, miss. You wanna step inside? We don’t open for another hour. You can let it out without being stared at. Have a drink if you want one. Or keep on your way; I don’t mean be pushy.” I shrugged. Nothing cuts pressure like indifference.

“I… um, yeah.” Her head bobbed, and I held the door open for her before she could change her mind.

I followed her in, shaking my head at Pirouette as she walked over to see what was going on. As soon as the mare spotted the bar, she made a beeline, and I frowned at her back. Nopony walks to a bar that purposefully unless their only goal in life is to shut it out. I crossed the floor, passing tables where an audience would be enjoying a stage show in just an hour. The best and worst part of running a nightclub was ponies like this one: winning a smile, or failing to. I took a seat beside “Pink” and called for Jade, whose crystalline head popped up cheerfully from behind the bar.

“Sir?” Before I’d given an instruction, Jade had a glass in front of the sniffling mare beside me. She was getting good at this.

“Whatever she wants, Jade, on the house. If she’s still in a state when customers start coming in, let her in the back so she won’t get stared at.” I patted the mare’s shoulder and rose to leave her in peace. “Bright Jade will take good care of you, miss.”

Jade nodded enthusiastically, but our guest snagged my hoof and looked up at me pleadingly. “You won’t sit?”

Alarms went off in my head. When a crying, soon to be soused mare wants the company of a stallion she doesn’t even know, things never stay simple. I was about to give in anyway when Pirouette, having watched from across the room, decided for me. “Of course he will. Won’t he?”

I sighed, resolving to put up a sign to remind my employees that they were my employees. Mother hen was right though. There was no way I could leave this soaked-faced mare alone if she wanted me there. I sat, and she relaxed. “Done Deal. If we’re drinking together, we ought to know each other’s names, don’t you think?”

“Strawberry Frosting.” She looked to Jade. “Applejack. The strong stuff.”

Those alarms were back. Eighty proof. “Up, Jade.” Jade nodded, and I watched her strain the ice and serve, and wondered just what was ahead. Three drinks later, I had my answer: more tears.

Strawberry Frosting had begun to cry again while I nursed my cider on the rocks. She started softly, but only moments later was sobbing as hard as she’d been when she ran me down. She was going to need more than a couple drinks, and customers were going to start turning up before much longer. “Hey, Strawberry. You can keep quiet if you want, but drinking works best if you let out what’s buggin’ you.” That was all the invitation she needed.

Strawberry turned from her drink to face me, and her sob story poured out easily. Drunkenly, she started with tales of how happy they’d been—they meaning Strawberry Frosting and her beau and employer, Chocolate. Stories of the good times, how sweet he was, just kept pouring out. I didn’t need to wait for the the other shoe to know where the tears came from. It was over between them; the only question was how. The smoke roiling from my pointless day out hadn’t really settled in the first place, but it was stirring on its own again. I’d heard enough crying mares to tell victims from fakes, and this poor mare was one of the good ones. As she latched onto me drunkenly, I gritted my teeth, angry as hell at this “Chocolate” stallion I’d never met.

Strawberry rambled on for a good ten minutes before sobbing, “And then I foun’ ‘im with ‘er! In our special booth, in our favorite res’a’ront!”

The smoke rushed around, battering at whatever it was in me that kept it inside. The whole room seemed a shade darker as I worked to keep the smoke in check, and a bolt from the blue hit me—rushing smoke was the the common thread Day wanted. I struggled not to let the stray thought distract me from anger at Strawberry’s ex, and made up my mind to get Strawberry her revenge, and Day Planner her answer. With Strawberry burying her face in my chest, and nopony else but Jade to see, I let the smoke loose, and it flowed thick over my body, over Strawberry Frosting’s mane, into her ears and nose. I felt her sag a bit in my forelegs as Jade cocked her head curiously.

“Hey, Strawberry. He really hurt you didn’t he?” I wrapped a foreleg around her reassuringly, and tilted her muzzle up to look me in the eye. The smoke flowing into Strawberry was darker and thicker than usual, but I let it go however it was going to.

Her expression half-blank, Strawberry nodded. “Hurt me… broken heart…” Something about the vulnerability of her slack expression turned me on, but also showed off her innocence, stoking my anger at Chocolate.

“You want to get him back, don’t you? Make him hurt like you do.” Something in the back of my mind frowned. I ignored it.

“Hurt? …no… I want,” Strawberry worked to get out her intentions. I cut her off.

“You want fair. Fair is good, right? Fair is what he did to you, happening to him. You want him to see you happy with somepony else, don’t you?”

Confusion reigned on Strawberry’s face for just a moment, but after a second, she nodded slowly. “Fair… want to be happy. Want him to see…”

I nodded, and stroked her mane comfortingly. “A photo shoot, Strawberry. You, with another stallion. Enjoying everything. And showing him you don’t need him. That you never did.”

Strawberry nodded slowly, any resistance lost in the clouds of smoke wrapping her thoughts and streams of alcohol diluting them. With effort, I thinned down the smoke, and some awareness returned to her eyes. She didn’t let me go. “Why don’t you go home and rest tonight, Strawberry? You can come back tomorrow, looking fresh and pretty. Jade over there can take the photos.”

With the resistance already drowned out, and awareness returned, Strawberry Frosting nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll do it!”

I cut the smoke off completely, and it dissipated to nothing. “Good girl,” I told her with a smile. “I’ve got a cabaret to run, but I’ll see you tomorrow, say around two. Hang around for the show if you like. You’re a little tipsy.”

“Thank you so much, Done Deal.” With a grateful smile, Strawberry Frosting moved to a table.

As the smoke continued to roil inside me, I returned the smile, and considered how I’d kill two birds with one stone.

* * * * *

“And she agreed to this?”

The next morning, I told Day Planner about the common thread I found, and that I had a test. She’d been pleased that I found the common thread, but found it hard to believe Strawberry Frosting had agreed to let me buck her while Jade took photos.

“Sort of. I used the smoke on her.”

“Oh.” Day Planner considered for a moment, then just nodded. “You’d have had to to test out the theory anyway. Best to get it done with.” With no more objection than that, Day Planner returned to her work, and I continued dealing with the papers she’d set out for me, until the office door opened and Bright Jade led in Strawberry Frosting.

It looked as though Strawberry had taken my instruction to look fresh and pretty as law. The pink mare from the night before was only recognizable by the her streaked mane, now neatly brushed into place. Where she’d seemed haggard the night before, she was a vision of loveliness. A crimson dress perfectly complimented her pink coat and highlighted her blue eyes, and a simple gold chain adorned her slender neck. I smiled, and Strawberry returned the smile with a warmth that hadn’t been there the night before.

I rose from my desk and opened the door in the back of the office, leading to my apartment. “All set, Strawberry?”

She nodded, but moved toward the door hesitantly. “I think so. I’m a little nervous, though. Do you really think it’ll… you know.” Strawberry fidgeted a little, and I gestured toward the door. Chocolate deserved this, and he was going to get it. At the recollection of Strawberry’s ex, the smoke began swirling again.

“I’m sure, Strawberry. Relax, it’ll get easier once we get started.” I gestured once more. Nopony but Strawberry, Jade, and Day were around to see, but I didn’t want to use the smoke to nudge Strawberry along. I wanted that swirling and building inside me.

Jade gently pushed Strawberry toward the door, and offered a reassuring smile. “Mr. Deal’s just trying to help. You should go.”

That was enough. Strawberry gave a determined nod at Jade, and walked up the stairs into my apartment. Jade and I followed, though at the top of the stairs, Strawberry realized she didn’t know where she was going, and offered an apologetic smile. I led her to my bedroom, thinking the whole time of how brokenhearted Strawberry had been the night before, and letting the smoke churn and boil.

When Strawberry reached the bedroom, she spotted the camera pointed at the bed, and something sank in. She turned to me, jaw dropped. “Ah… um, Mr. Deal! Done, I mean! I, uh… I thought this would be more like pictures cuddling on a couch, or having dinner together! Y-you know. Not… thi-”

Strawberry had turned to wave a hoof at the bed, but turned back to find my lips pressed against hers. Shock opened her mouth, and I let smoke in, just as I had Bright Jade, back in the cave. Shock turned to calm, and in only a moment, Strawberry Frosting was returning the kiss, tangling her tongue with my own. From the corner of my eye, I looked to Jade and found her preparing the camera, just as discussed.

I led Strawberry, now pliant, to the bed, and she lay on her side in front of the camera, just as I guided her. Like Jade, the kiss alone had her ready and eager. When my hoof reached up her dress, caressing between her hind legs, she moaned in seconds, and craned her neck to kiss again. I obliged, and the clicks of the camera began.

Jade continued shooting frame after frame, and Strawberry Frosting writhed on my hoof, sliding around on the bed, its fabric catching on the skirt and hiking it higher and higher, until Jade was taking clear shots of my hoof stroking Strawberry’s lower lips, as our mouths caressed each other, breaking only for breath or by accident. I had grown hard, and placed my shaft between Strawberry’s hind legs, using her thighs to drive myself toward climax. The smoke within me rushed, egged on by domination. I contained it, but let it grow, the experiment still on the edge of my mind.

Strawberry reached down and began to stroke my shaft, already panting each time our lips separated, and ran a hoof from my flare to my balls and back, causing me to shudder and pull her tight against my body. The sudden movement made her gasp in surprise just as the shutter clicked, a perfectly wanton expression on her lovely face. The sight of Strawberry Frosting writhing around my cock as her face spelled out desire pushed me to do more with her, and I began to thrust, sliding up so my dick rubbed at Strawberry’s crotch with each motion, moving my hoof to play with her bead.

This was more than Strawberry Frosting could bear, and she clamped her hind legs tight, making the rubbing that much more intense for both of us. She moaned loudly, still stroking my rod with her hooves as it pushed between her legs. The smoke flared in me struggling for release, and I burst, flinging cum into the air. As I pumped, the spray continued, covering Strawberry’s hooves in no time, and getting all over her stomach where my shaft was pointed. Spurred on by the sight of my cum painting the pink mare, I thrust harder still, shooting erratically.

Strawberry, suddenly, had changed her demeanor. Still panting with arousal, she looked at her hoof in confusion, and her nose wrinkled. Something was wrong. Before a problem could develop, I pulled up some of the thrashing smoke, even darker than it had been the night before, and it slid into her ear, erasing any hint of disgust on her face—arousal alone shone through. Jade halted her photography.

Caught up in the temptation of coating her, I panted dirty instructions as I kept thrusting and soaking Strawberry’s lower body. “You’re not bothered by that, Strawberry. You love it, how it feels, everything about what we’re doing! The more that’s on you, the more it’ll put Chocolate in his place. You want pictures with as much as possible!”

I released the wispy tether between myself and Strawberry Frosting, and as Jade resumed snapping photographs, Strawberry aimed my dick at herself, taking shots all over her torso. At last, though the smoke still whirled inside me, I stopped ejaculating. I remembered the cave though, and how I’d filled Jade completely. I rolled onto my back, letting my rod free of Strawberry’s thighs.

I looked over at Strawberry Frosting, and found her smearing my seed in her fur, and breathing in shudders. “Strawberry, stand over me, and use your mouth. We’re not done yet!”

Strawberry blinked with surprise, and quickly stood up on the bed, lowering her face over my shaft, and her soaked slit over my muzzle. I didn’t have to give any further instructions; she knew what she wanted, and eagerly fit the flare into her mouth, bearing down as far as she could. Moaning, I pulled her hindquarters to my face, and returned the favor, licking, sucking, and gently rubbing at her clitoris, as Jade quickly changed film and continued taking picture after picture of the messy mare above me. I scraped lightly at her lips with my teeth, and Strawberry gave a muffled cry, straining to take my cock deeper. Struggling to stay upright on three legs, with me weakening the rear ones badly, Strawberry raised a foreleg slick with semen, and began sliding it up and down my shaft, using the slippery, coated fur to please me.

I shuddered with pleasure and moved my face further between Strawberry’s legs, finding that one of her teats hadn’t been covered in my seed. Swirling my tongue around it, I sent a new pleasure up Strawberry’s spine, nearly causing her to fall over. Rather than falling, though, she retaliated, raising her head, and sucking at the tip alone, sliding soft lips across its width each time suction broke, until at last I sprayed my jizz again. Strawberry clamped her mouth over the hole, and greedily drank down one shot after another, pressing my stallionhood clear to her throat when she couldn’t keep up with the flow. I have no idea how much I came, but as it wound down, I made a point of remembering Strawberry’s tears the night before, and that son of a diamond dog Chocolate. As soon as I did, the torrent resumed, and looking up between her legs, I saw Strawberry’s stomach bulge and fill with my warm cum. Full at last, Strawberry pulled her mouth from my prick and took loads on her face and in her mane, joyously soaking herself.

Jade stopped taking pictures and I panted for breath, crawling out from under Strawberry on my messy bed. I watched her as I moved: Completely lost to bliss, Strawberry Frosting was happily smelling her semen soaked mane and sighing in delight. As she reveled in her mess, I moved around behind, not bothering with a warning—between her own juices and mine all over, she was as ready as she’d ever need to be. Jade readied herself while Strawberry absentmindedly enjoyed the feel of being coated. I slid into her from behind, filling her entirely in one motion.

Strawberry Frosting gasped, clamped her vagina down around my dick, and slammed her flank backward, taking me as deep as she possibly could, no instruction necessary. In her state of crazed arousal, she climaxed hard on that one rough thrust. As Strawberry’s forelegs gave out, I pumped her from behind, rubbing her messy muzzle against the blankets with every hump. Jade snapped shot after shot as I plowed Strawberry from behind, her eyes rolled back and a blissful smile on her half open muzzle, tongue lolling to the side.

I thrust deeper, and Strawberry slowly came around, struggling back to all four legs to push back against my thrusts. Pure luck had allowed an ear to remain unsoiled, and as I fucked her from behind, I leaned forward, nibbling on that ear gently. Strawberry Frosting came again, staggering, but remaining upright this time. Apparently, she remembered her purpose: in all her messy glory, Strawberry stared right at the camera and smiled as I unloaded inside of her. Her vaginal walls squeezed tight, making thrusting a challenge, but I kept going anyway, earning gasps and squeals of pleasure from the mare beneath me. At last, she overflowed, seed seeping out around my cock. Strawberry ground her tail against my hips, getting as much overflow in the hairs as she could.

I was far too spent for another round, but with one hole to go, I couldn’t quit. Still squirting, I pulled my stallionhood from Strawberry’s vagina, and pressed it against her ass. When I met resistance, I leaned forward and kissed the surprised mare once more, trying to ignore what I tasted on her lips. She relaxed just as she had at first, and I sank as deeply as possible into her back door, soaking even there with my cum, and again I saw her gradually bulge as she filled, her insides flushed with my seed, filled to stretching.

At last, both of us keeled over, and the only sounds in the room were our heavy breathing and the clicking of the camera as Bright Jade took the final shots. On my bed, the floor around it, the walls, even here and there in Jade’s mane, my jizz lay. I was utterly spent, and the smoke within me had died back down to usual. There was no question I was done. Strawberry Frosting, meanwhile, lay panting spreadeagled, her inflated stomach giving testimony to just how extreme we’d been—as if the semen coating nearly every inch of her body, and the rumpled, stained dress didn’t. The beauty who’d stepped into the office when the madness began was still there—but utterly buried in the proof of our act, idly sniffing at herself, and lapping up drops from her fur.

Slowly, though, Strawberry’s eyes refocused, and after a blink or two to clear away cobwebs, she stared at herself in a new light, blushing deeply at once, but even more deeply as she suddenly bounded to all four legs, wobbling unsteadily on the bed, and pressing a hoof to her mouth to keep everything down.

“Oh Celestia! What a mess! It’s everywhere! All over you and me, Done! Oh, no, no…”

Slightly worried, I struggled to my hooves and off the bed, only to have Strawberry Frosting gasp. “Wait! You’ll track it around! Um… Bright Jade, could you please go? You’re almost clean, no sense getting you dirty too!”

Jade looked at me for directions, and I shrugged. “Go on. You can go back to the bar now.”

With a nod, Jade slipped away, taking the camera and film with her. I looked back to Strawberry.

“Are… you alright, Strawberry?” I began to hold a particularly messy leg away from me, as I realized just how badly I’d been caught in the mess.

Strawberry shook her head, her nose fiercely wrinkled. “Ugh, no… so messy! Done, you have a shower, right?”

I pointed to a door outside the bedroom, and Strawberry nodded. “Right. I need to fix this mess! So I’m sorry, but please wait here!”

Without another word, Strawberry bit into the blankets and sheets of the bed, and dragged them with her, clean side down, to the bathroom. Bewildered, I could only watch and wait as water ran and I heard Strawberry fuss through the door. Eventually she returned, wet, but clean, and without the bedding. The first words from her mouth were to ask where she could dry things. I pointed her to the rooftop stairs, and off she went again while I merely watched, returning with bedding she took to hang on top of the building. I found myself grateful for having had the sense to put a large sign on the roof. It hid her literal airing of my dirty laundry.

Finally she trotted back down again, while I still stood in place. While I expected her to take her leave, instead she marched me to the bathroom! At my protest that I could wash myself, Strawberry simply said that after everything we’d done, there was no point worrying about it, and she’d get me cleaner. Baffled, I allowed it, and found myself scrubbed clean by the pretty, damp mare.

As I toweled off and wondered just what was going on, Strawberry Frosting trotted back to the bedroom. I followed just in time to see her wipe up the last of my semen from the hardwood floor—but not without a deep sniff and long, contented sigh. Rather than ask, I simply headed downstairs.

Pirouette was in the office, speaking with Jade and Day Planner about just what had been going on upstairs. As I sat at my desk, Pirouette clopped over noisily, brow furrowed and a frown on her face. As she opened her mouth to complain, though, Strawberry poked her head into the room. Pirouette shut her mouth, tactfully saving it for later.

“Um…” Clean, but no longer in a dress, a bit of the beauty was gone from Strawberry Frosting, but she remained cute, and she’d managed to get enough semen out of her body to return to her old figure. Her nervous demeanor suited the simple cuteness perfectly. “Done—I mean, Mr. Deal. Do you… need a maid?”

I blinked. “A maid? I cook and clean for myself. I can’t imagine why I’d…” The words died in my throat as I saw Pirouette’s glare.

Strawberry continued when my objection died. “Well… it’s just that even besides the mess, while I was cleaning, I noticed some awfully dusty spots. And some trash that missed the can. You know. That sort of thing.” Without a word, Strawberry ran a hoof along a wooden panel in my office, and came up with dust on her pink hoof. “Here too. Um… Do—Mr. Deal, if you look close, it’s not all that clean in here.” Strawberry trotted over to the filing cabinet and swiped again.

“If you really don’t need a maid, that’s okay. It’s just, I’m out of work, and… I think I might like it here.”

I scratched behind an ear, utterly baffled at the turn of events. Why in the world would she want to be a maid? Her cutie mark outed her as a baker or something. I just didn’t get it. “I dunno. I mean, I appreciate the offer, but…” I paused as Strawberry’s ears sank against her head, and tears formed in her eyes.

Pirouette, scowling, pushed open the door to my apartment, and bodily dragged me inside, ignoring Day Planner and Jade’s shocked expressions. She quickly popped her head back out to offer Strawberry Frosting a bright smile. “Don’t you go anywhere, hun. Done’s a good guy, but not so great at hiring, you know?”

In contrast to her cheery expression, Pirouette slammed the door and turned on me, her new expression dark as a thunderhead, and half as comforting. “Done Deal, how you run this place is your business, but you will not turn that mare out onto the street! You’re better than that! Getting a girl drunk, and having your way with her while she’s on the rebound! You’ve thrown out customers for as much! You ought to be ashamed.”

So she said, and just like that, I was. I blinked and thought about it. The poor girl had trusted me to comfort her, and I had… sort of. I’d also done whatever I wanted with her. I sighed. “You’re right, Pirouette. I suppose she’s one of mine now, huh?”

Instantly smiling her approval, Pirouette nodded. “That’s more like it. She’s not a fish; you don’t catch and release!”

I stifled a laugh, and pushed open the door. “I’m sorry, Strawberry, there was a little confusion. I probably could use a maid—but you’re wearing the cute outfit.”

Strawberry Frosting nodded effusively. “I’d love to!”

I blinked. That had been meant as a joke. “Er, well. Interested in more? I mean, you found dust in here, too. Keep the whole place clean, and I can probably swing enough for you to live on.”

Turning away from the activity and back to her work, Day Planner affirmed it. “You can. In fact, with Shot Glass still not replaced, you’ve got budget for…” Day flipped a few pages in a ledger, “four staff, and two entertainers.”

“I’ll take it!” Strawberry’s voice was so high and excited as she accepted, I thought her head would nod right off.

I managed not to laugh. “You don’t need to be that excited! It’s just maid work!”

“I… like cleaning things. It’s kind of a thing. Can’t stand dirt.” Strawberry blushed a bit as she spoke, as if it were some sort of confession.

I shrugged and nodded. So she was a bit obsessive about cleaning. “Sounds like we’ve got a deal. Why don’t you get to work on the rest of my apartment while Day and I write up the papers?”

As she practically bounced past my desk, toward the door, Strawberry stopped just long enough to whisper in my ear. “In the shower next time…”

Just like that, she was through the door and gone.

Author's Note

This chapter's mare comes courtesy of FiMFiction user StrawberryFrosting. Though it's a pure clop chapter, Strawberry will continue to make little, low impact appearances here and there, because her creator wanted to give her a permanent job at The Tall Tail! In keeping with the point of PC chapters, she'll not be a part of the plot, but will serve to flesh out the rather skeletal staff of the cabaret. Thanks for participating, StrawberryFrosting! Your mare will be well cared for!

(PC) Therapeutic

Vinyl had suggested it, and I’d written it off as financially impossible, but when Day Planner advised me to look into the purchase of Starlight, I decided to take it seriously. Even if I got the most attractive loans I could imagine, Starlight was well and truly out of reach, but Day Planner had a knack for planning the long game that I had to respect. And, as she’d pointed out when I balked, Main Event was still in the Manehattan Institute for the Mentally Unstable—or the asylum, as ponies in town called it. I don’t generally kick a pony when he’s down, but in Main Event’s case, an exception was warranted—the asylum was for the dangerous head cases, not the “lay down on the couch and talk about your feelings” type. If he’d been moved there, even just for initial diagnosis, he’d really flipped out.

As it turns out, I nearly missed him. Past a security gate and a frighteningly well guarded door, Main Event leaned on the high counter of the admittance desk, chatting up a pegasus orderly on the far side. He was his usual, sleazy self, and the orderly was visibly annoyed. To my dismay, there was also a unicorn flanked by rather large orderlies, watching from a hall leading farther in. Sort of peach, with a ruddy mane and tail, something bolted around his horn, and a lit match on his flank. A patient?

“Babe, it was a little breakdown from a stressful show. You saw the stories. For the chaos, I’d say I handled things pretty well.” Main Event ran a hoof through that long indigo mane of his, as he always did when he thought he was making a good impression. I hadn’t been noticed yet, and frowned. Did he really think that made a good impression on anypony? For all the world, it was like stroking his mane was the cherry on top of his presentation.

Scowling, the orderly stuffed a pencil into her bun for safe keeping, lifted a clipboard, and turned to leave as she replied. “Sir, you were sent to the most secure mental facility in Equestria for lashing out at guards. Even if I were interested, there’s a strict policy of not fraternizing with patients. It simply isn’t a possibility.” Her laid back ears said that this wasn’t a simple procedural affair to her.

Main smiled that obnoxious smile again. “Enough money’ll sort that out. I make a few donations, indiscretions are forgotten, y’know?”

The orderly flicked her tail in irritation, and visibly grit her teeth. How was Main Event not seeing this? As the orderly turned, ready to bark something Main might make her regret, I piped up, eager to put an end to it. “Main, hey, great show! Thank you so much for the invite! Hey, I hear you were considering selling the venue.”

The orderly looked between us, clearly relieved by my interruption, not sure she could sneak away just yet. Up close, I could see why Main Event was interested—she was certainly cute enough, between her short cropped red mane and bright green eyes. Not that it excused the sleazy come ons. Main Event, my indigo “friend,” however, seemed less pleased. The warmth died immediately, and he scowled as darkly as if I’ve ever seen any pony do.

Slipping down from where he’d been leaning on the counter, he replied. “Maybe, Deal, but we both know it’s well outside your range. So why not buck off, hm?” Main’s icy tone practically dropped the temperature in the room. Though Main Event couldn’t see her, facing me as he was, the orderly had begun inching toward the alarm bell, an act that got the attention of the unicorn watching from the hall. I guessed Main had already established himself as a handful. The smile that grew on my lips should’ve looked sinister I suppose, but I did my best to twist it around to friendly.

“Hey, hey, let’s keep it civil, Main. Vinyl offered to open for me if I got a venue, you know, so loans aren’t really out of the question. If you’re looking to sell, it can’t hurt to give me a price.”

I enjoyed Main’s expression thoroughly as I mentioned Vinyl Scratch. Somewhere between anger, jealousy, and horror. I’m not interested in ruining anypony’s day ordinarily, but Main Event just begs for it. After rolling it around in his head for a moment, Main Event sighed, and lit his horn to scribble a number on a nearby piece of paper before tossing it in my face. As I’d figured, there were two zeros more than I could hope to dredge up. I sighed.

Main Event snorted derisively. “What were you expecting? Starlight is a full blown concert hall, the newest and most modern in Equestria! No small timer like you has a shot.” Though the patient had grown bored at discussion business, his ears perked at the insult, and he looked to me expectantly.

I didn’t know what the resident nut wanted from me, and I’d been going to keep it above the belt, but if Main wanted to go cheap, I was willing to accommodate him. “One last question, Main, and I’ll get out of your way. What did that donkey taste like, anyway?”

Finally, the patient chimed in. “Mm… hoof lickin’ good, huh? Wait, it wasn’t hooves you were licking, was it?”

Main Event gasped, then sat and clasped his hooves over his mouth, looking deeply nauseated. I struggled not to laugh as orderlies tried to push the patient down the hall, his tongue lapping wildly at the air. I’m not sure what Main Event began screaming after that, really—it wasn’t intelligible, and the sobs weren’t making things any easier. Grateful a moment before, the orderly ringing the bell to get help to the front now offered me an annoyed glare, and the hysterical cackling of the patient echoed back up the hall down which he’d been pulled.

* * * * *

I stepped out of the asylum’s security office twenty minutes later, annoyed. How could I have known that one little jab would get Main Event committed for further evaluation? I stalked down the hallway toward the exit, grumbling about wastes of time, and pointless endeavors, and blaming others for their problems, more than a bit anxious to reach the door and be back with the sane ponies in Manehattan. I was nearly there when a particularly fresh-faced stallion called me to a stop. Coloration nearly saw me mistake him for Main Event as I turned, but aside from having a darker coat, this pony’s mane was lighter than his body, and he lacked a horn. Oh, and he didn’t look at all like a smug, intolerable jackass.

Adjusting my hat as I turned, hoping he’d take the hint that I was on the way out, I turned. “Yes, Doctor…” I squinted at the name on his badge, “Torchbearer? Do you need something?”

Torchbearer’s smile was friendly as he shook his head. “Not a thing, but you seemed extremely angry just now. It’s not my place, but if you don’t mind my saying, I can direct you to anger management groups and other preventative offerings, if you think they’d be of any use to you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. This pony was so unbelievably sincere and eager to help it made me wonder if he was fresh in from one of Equestria’s sleepy little burgs. I shook my head and threw out the first excuse to mind. I still wanted to get out of that place. “Ah, forget about it; I’m okay. Some troubles with the wife, that’s all.”

I turned to leave, but Torchbearer’s hoof came down on my shoulder. I looked back, and his expression was far more serious than just a moment before. “Please don’t let that simmer. Marital trouble can be emotionally devastating.”

I blinked in disbelief. “Look, I appreciate your concern, doctor, but I’ll manage. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I was on my way out.” Good natured is one thing, but it’s important to know when to quit. This pony seemed not to have the knack for it. More quickly than before, I turned and headed for the exit, but I didn’t make it more than three steps before I heard the doctor behind me again.

“No charge—marriage counseling isn’t my expertise, but I’ve got some grounding in relationships, and general experience in counseling. I’ll do it myself for you, mister…”

I stopped dead, not turning. On one hoof, the guy seriously needed a clue. On the other, I wasn’t sure I’d ever met a pony so determined to help. I didn’t want a city full of nagging pests, but ponies looking out for each other was something Manehattan needed. I couldn’t do everything, after all. I couldn’t decide between punishing the doctor or rewarding his kindness. An idea struck, and I settled on both.

“Done Deal.” I turned to face Dr. Torchbearer one last time, to settle the when and where before leaving at last, looking forward to my next visit.

* * * * *

The walk back across town gave me time to consider just how to play things out. My first inclination was Bright Jade, but I rejected that in an instant. She was mine, and I wasn’t about to just pass her off. That meant I’d have to find somepony new. As I passed Deep Tissue’s massage parlor, I decided to drop in. Her business dealt with customers far more personally than The Tall Tail did. New or not, she might have ideas.

I’d hardly stepped through the door when Deep dashed up to me, nuzzling a cheek and winning us surprised stares from clients and staff alike. She’d gotten me to blush last time; I was determined not to let her win twice. I gave her a quick kiss, assuming she wouldn’t be prepared for escalation, but the damn mare just cooed happily.

“Why Done,” Deep purred as she trotted back to where she’d been working on some geezer’s back, “I didn’t think you liked me at all! Not one visit since… then.” She was really laying it on thick. Anypony in the room who didn’t realize what “then” meant was either too innocent to be there, or too stupid to live. Any leverage I might’ve had when she rode me weeks before was obviously gone now.

“You know, most of my employees call me ‘Mr. Deal,’ Deep Tissue.” I wasn’t angry, but Deep needed to know her place. Pirouette alone had earned that kind of familiarity. Deep was one of mine as far as I was concerned, but she had a long way to go to be special.

Deep Tissue pouted, but didn’t push her luck. “Aww. Well, a hello kiss is a start. Not to be rude to my employer, Mr. Deal, but if it’s not urgent could you wait in the office? This fella’s got a good twenty minutes left, plus a bit as an apology for trotting off like I did.” Deep pushed down hard, and I heard something in the old stallion’s back click, making him wince. “Assuming I don’t break the poor thing!” The stallion laughed with a wheeze, obviously unperturbed.

“Of course, Deep. Business first. Wouldn’t have it any other way.” I trotted off to the office and sat. Precisely thirty minutes later, Deep Tissue slipped through the door and began nibbling my ear, her hot breath making me shudder before I could get a word in. Sweet Celestia, she enjoyed pushing buttons.

“As much as I’d love to continue this, Deep—and I swear I’m going to regret this later—I’m after something much less interesting.” Despite myself, I lifted a hoof to stroke at Deep Tissue’s long, cyan mane.

“I’m enjoying myself, Done… you just keep talking; I’ll keep making you feel good. We can have it both ways.” Deep Tissue began stroking my chest while she talked, and I sighed happily, somehow not caring about the familiar address this time.

“I’m looking for a mare for a specific stallion. Young doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist… something like that. Works at the asylum across town. I want a stallioneater, Deep, one in it for the sex. Good looking, if possible.” Deep ran the tip of her tongue around the edge of my ear, and slid her hoof lower on my torso. By this point, she had me at full attention. “Besides you.”

Deep Tissue laughed, keeping her voice soft and lovely in my ear, rather than loud. “I’d only eat you, Done. Honest. I know just the mare, and she’s coming in today… but I’m not handling her, and she won’t be in and done for a good two hours.” She slid her hoof to my erect shaft, gently. “What do you say I help you kill some time?”

* * * * *

Two hours later, at my request, Deep Tissue’s candidate was sent into the office for a “free prize,” where I waited for her. As soon as the door shut behind her, smoke streamed from me, thick and dark as I could make it—I had some whoppers to tell, and I wanted this mare to bite. When I saw her ears lean back a bit, and her lavender withers droop, I stepped around in front of her. A tall, slender, stylish pegasus, practically oozing sex appeal, the vacant mare Deep had sent was exactly what I was looking for, at least physically.

Now to get to work. “What’s your name?”

A lock the mare’s dark purple mane fell between her eyes and went unnoticed. She spoke as if asleep, the smoke floating into her ears and nostrils doing its job perfectly. “Downdraft.”

I nodded, not that Downdraft seemed to know it. The name was a perfect fit for her. “What kind of stallions do you go for?”

I struggled to make out her words, Downdraft mumbled so badly. “…young… easy to… push around… inex… perienced…”

“Why?”

“…fun. Get my way… move on when… they get dull…”

I nodded again. Deep Tissue’s pick was perfect. “Listen to me, Downdraft. I’m your husband. We’ve been married three months, and you’re bored to death. You were sure a ring would get me under your hoof, but it didn’t, and you want a new toy. We’re going to go to marriage counseling tomorrow, and the councilor is going to be perfect for you…”

* * * * *

It took me nearly an hour to get Downdraft convinced. The lies I needed her to accept were too far from the truth for her to bite, even going full force. By the time I finished, I was so exhausted Deep Tissue had insisted I stay with her overnight, and I hadn’t had it in me to argue. Somehow, she had been just as happy to massage me into the deepest sleep I’ve ever had as to have sex. I was extremely grateful for it the next morning, when Downdraft exhausted me, whining the entire way to the Manehattan Institute for the Mentally Unstable about the pointlessness of it, and how a divorce would be far faster. When she saw the security in front of the asylum, I actually had to physically push her to keep her moving, but in the end, I got her there on time and didn’t strangle her at all.

Doctor Torchbearer met us in the lobby, all smiles and reassurance, and the necessary introductions were made. I needed just a moment with him alone, or the plan would fail. With a sudden rush of panic, I realized I’d never tried to control a stallion. Nervously, I bit my lip as Torchbearer led us down the hall, past orderlies, trying to ignore the occasional scream or shout.

“Thank you for coming, both of you. Marriages are much, much too important to let unravel without doing everything possible to save it.” Torchbearer was just as insistent as he’d been the day before, and Downdraft was torn between rolling her eyes and locking them on Torchbearer’s dark purple flank.

At last, we were led into a large office, complete with the usual, or what I imagined was usual: books on psychology, framed degrees, a large desk, and seating for several ponies, arranged in a circle. A door to the side of the room looked far better secured than anything else I’d seen at the asylum, and I nodded toward it.

“Doc, do you mind if I have a word with you? Just a sec? It’d help my nerves, I think.” I did my best impression of a nervous colt, and while Downdraft gave an exasperated sigh, Torchbearer swallowed the bait, hook, line, and sinker.

“Sure, Mr. Deal. Let’s be brief, though, it’s not fair to leave Downdraft alone.” Torchbearer dealt with the lock, and held open the door, twisting to face my ersatz bride. “We’ll just be a second.” He followed me into the sparsely appointed interview room, and turned to shut the door.

Before he could turn back, I raised as much smoke as I could, and poured it into him, realizing only too late that if it didn’t work, he’d see everything. When I saw Torchbearer’s withers slump and he didn’t turn around, I nearly collapsed in relief, then blinked in dismay at Torchbearer’s growing stallionhood. That effect was certainly more subtle on mares, but it was just one more thing to deal with. The smoke was as dense as I’d used on Downdraft the night before, but I had minutes at most, and struggled to produce still more. There was no time to waste, though. I had to start and hope it was enough.

Five minutes later, we stepped out of the interview chamber, with Torchbearer’s shaft waving between his hind legs, to his great embarrassment. As far as he knew, it’d happened while hearing about Downdraft’s “interests.” Though Downdraft opened her mouth to complain, it died on her tongue the instant she saw the doctor’s endowment crying out for attention. Her wings snapped wide open, she licked her lips, and I sighed, playing the put upon husband as I took a seat.

“Well, doctor… maybe I came for a reason after all.” I’d no sooner taken my seat than Downdraft was up and advancing on the startled psychiatrist like a timberwolf. He started backing up just a moment too late, and found a manicured hoof stroking his cheek.

“M-miss Downdraft, I don’t want to be discouraging, but I need you to take a seat, so we can begin…” As soon as Downdraft’s hoof touched his face, Torchbearer stopped dead in spite of himself, and his dick jumped a bit—much to Downdraft’s delight.

“No, I think that’s not what you need at all, doctor. What you need is…” Downdraft leaned forward and whispered to Torchbearer, her muzzle brushing his ear unnecessarily. Already flushed from coming out with his shaft on display, Torchbearer blushed much more darkly, and his eyes shot wide open.

“That’s not true!” Torchbearer shook his head frantically. “We’re here to work through your ma—mph!”

Downdraft had locked her lips over Torchbearer’s, cutting him off. As shocked as he looked, he made no move to stop my “wife.” I let the horrible exhaustion of bending Torchbearer so heavily and so fast do the acting, my fatigue making me look every bit the resigned, cuckolded husband. Tired as I was though, I was relieved to see Torchbearer acting as planned. He wouldn’t let me just leave in peace, and now he couldn’t—Downdraft’s advances were beyond his ability to refuse.

As Torchbearer looked around for somepony to rescue him, Downdraft stretched her spread wings, gently caressing her prey’s face as she continued the long kiss. Were I not so exhausted, I’m sure I’d have begun to feel aroused just watching.

Torchbearer’s muffled protests fell on deaf ears. When Downdraft at last broke her kiss, it was only to kiss down his neck, planting warm, wet spots from Torchbearer’s jaw down. When she reached a leg, Downdraft stopped, cupping Torchbearer’s face in her wings. Though what she said wasn’t meant for my ears, I was able to make out, “Sit, boy.” Torchbearer hesitated only a second before his haunches dropped, leaving his stiff cock to wave proudly between his front legs.

If either pony remembered I was still in the room, neither showed any sign of it. Downdraft leaned, just brushing her lips against Torchbearer’s, and lowered her spread wings to brush his rod. I made a mental note to find a pegasus for myself and see what that felt like. Judging from Torchbearer’s ragged gasp, and wide-eyed stare at the mare working him over, the answer was “amazing.” A few seconds of this and Torchbearer tried again to get the situation under control, but only had his haunches an inch or two from the ground before Downdraft pulled away her wings, and grabbed his dick tightly in one hoof. From my vantage point, I couldn’t tell if it was a gentle warning or a firm rebuke, but Torchbearer’s startled squeak made clear that it had been effective.

Her lips still brushing his, Downdraft only said, “No,” and Torchbearer’s haunches slowly lowered back to the floor. With Torchbearer having done as he was told, Downdraft returned her wings to their task of teasing the distressed doctor and giggled merrily. I’d told her Torchbearer was the one she’d want to keep, and it looked like she was coming to that conclusion herself.

“B-but… your marriage! The counseling!” Torchbearer raised his forelegs to get something between Downdraft and her prey, but she just pushed each back down, eliciting a helpless whine from Torchbearer. Downdraft penalized his resistance by moving behind him, where she could nibble an earlobe and still keep her spread wings just barely stroking Torchbearer’s cock.

She wrapped her forelegs around his neck possessively, never laying off his ear as she spoke. “Who cares? I found something much, much more fun. Now, be a good boy and stand up just a tiny bit for me…”

Torchbearer did as he was told, and Downdraft moved one hoof directly under his balls. “And back down now.” Torchbearer tried to crane his neck to look at Downdraft, but a nudge of her muzzle pointed his face away again, and he sat. Downdraft wasted no time gently caressing the sack just placed right in her hoof.

At last, Torchbearer’s protests gave way to moaning under the assaults on his stallionhood, ear, and balls, and Downdraft smiled ear to ear. “See, doctor? Much nicer to just let me have my way, isn’t it?” She spoke slowly and seductively. Really, I doubt Torchbearer even realized it when he nodded in agreement. Downdraft, however, certainly did. Her wings finally slid down Torchbearer’s cock in earnest, not just the tips of her primaries, and his wordless cry of pleasure earned him a slightly rougher bite at his ear.

“Downdraft, I’m going to—ah!” Torchbearer was cut off by a firm grip near the head of his shaft, and the lavender wings halted.

“Not yet… I’m still having fun. We’ve got lots of time, don’t we, doctor?” Downdraft’s voice didn’t have even a slight trace of malice or cruelty; this really was all in good fun to her—even with her “husband” right there watching. Despite himself, Torchbearer seemed to be finding enjoyment in it as well. I, on the other hoof, was now the one embarrassed to be erect for no useful purpose. Between last minute realizations that I wasn’t sure my power would work on stallions, and now this, I was getting annoyed at how poorly I’d thought this cunning plan through.

Downdraft pulled Torchbearer backwards, and moved to lower herself over him, stroking his shaft with just her wing tips once again. “If you want more, doctor, you’re going to have to work for it!” The sing-song gaiety in her tone was maddening, and I wasn’t even the one getting a teasing wing job. Torchbearer turned his head away, trying to look anywhere but at the wet lips inches from his face, but Downdraft was having none of it, and brushed her tail back and forth on Torchbearer’s head, taunting him, all the while keeping up that maddening caressing. My mind drifted to the pegasus Main Event had been hitting on at admission, and I sighed: I was far too exhausted to pull up any more smoke. Like Torchbearer, I could only wait this out.

Extending just the tip of her tongue, Downdraft ran it along Torchbearer’s flare, slowly—unbelievably slowly. I couldn’t see Torchbearer’s face anymore underneath Downdraft’s long tail, but the whimper was unmistakable. “Come on, doctor… you’re not telling me I’m unattractive, are you?” The pegasus’ voice sounded heartbroken, but I could still see the ear-to-ear grin that was hidden from Torchbearer.

“No! No, it’s just… I… oh Celestia!” At last, Torchbearer sat up a little, burying his muzzle in Downdraft with a resolve I hadn’t been sure he had in him, and Downdraft positively squealed with delight. There was no way she could’ve climaxed yet, but that wasn’t what she’d been waiting for anyway: Downdraft’s delight came the second she knew Torchbearer was broken.

Her wings flapped then stayed wide as she sank her head down on Torchbearer’s cock and he moaned, muffled, into her wet folds. For all he’d had to go through to get his reward, as I sat there stiff and exhausted beyond belief, I envied him horribly. Torchbearer brought up his legs, pulling Downdraft’s flanks toward him, and the giddy, delighted pegasus fairly danced in place as she bobbed her head up and down. A moment later, though, and Downdraft regained her poise, lifting her head to lick gently along the shaft instead. I could’ve sworn I heard a muffled, frustrated profanity come from between her legs.

Panting now, Downdraft used a hoof to toy with Torchbearer’s dick as she spoke. “Ahh, good, doctor! Keep that up, and you’ll get your reward, I promise.” Downdraft kissed Torchbearer’s tip and gently rubbed her nether region against her half-willing victim. “Don’t get lazy though…” Without warning, she let go of Torchbearer’s cock entirely, leaving it waving alone in the air.

She’d no sooner spoken than Torchbearer gave a desperate cry from below and began working so franticly it jostled Downdraft’s hindquarters. Her eyes went wide with surprise, and she laughed. “No, no, don’t get rough back there! What a good boy I’ve found.” For the first time, her eyes locked on me. “So much more fun than you ever were. Bringing me to him was the only thing you ever got right.”

Finished with her insult, she began stroking Torchbearer’s inner thighs with her hooves while her wingtips resumed teasing his shaft. “That’s a good boy, doctor… just a little more now…” At last, Downdraft’s voice had turned sweet; she wasn’t far from finishing. She lowered her head to Torchbearer’s flare again, and sank as low on the shaft as she could manage, moaning as she did, and bobbed up and down once more as she ground her hips on Torchbearer. His moans joined hers, and he gripped her flanks tighter. Downdraft squirmed, gasped, and at last, her wings and head both shot up as she screamed her delight, bearing down hard on the stallion below her.

Panting and unstable, Downdraft stood and stepped away from Torchbearer, who looked around frantically, horrified that everything had ended so suddenly. The look on his face sent Downdraft into nearly maniacal laughter. “Oh, dear, dear Torchbearer, your face! You sweet thing. Here.” Before Torchbearer could stand, or even roll off his back, Downdraft had a hoof on his balls, kneading them, and shoving his shaft flat against Torchbearer’s stomach. She rubbed it back and forth and side to side, using Torchbearer’s own belly for stimulation as he whimpered and writhed beneath her. Gasping for breath, Torchbearer finally came all over his own stomach, and Downdraft let his shaft up, only to place a hoof on the flare and toy with it further, smiling gleefully as Torchbearer gasped at the handling of his oversensitive member.

Downdraft smiled down at the exhausted, messy psychiatrist, but her tone held no sunshine or love. “Done, we’re through. I’ve got a much better toy. I think I’m keeping this one. Don’t worry your little head; I won’t make trouble for you. You’re not worth the time. Little Torchy here, however…” Downdraft played with Torchbearer’s dick again, pushing it around with her hoof on top, like working a lever of some kind.

I shrugged. “Fine. As long as you keep out of my life, we’ll have a nice, clean break. I’ll take care of the paperwork; you were always trash at that kind of thing anyway. Goodbye, you two. I hope you both get what you deserve.” Without another word, I levered myself up off the seat and out into the hall, grateful for the cool air deflating me as I staggered away, still completely exhausted and still desperately aroused. There was no chance Bright Jade would feel useless when I got back. I headed back home, musing on my last words. They’d already gotten what they deserved. I smiled and realized that what I actually hoped was that they’d both enjoy it.

Author's Note

Thanks to Doomunicron for the use of his OCs, Dr. Torchbearer and Matchstick ("the patient"). I hope he enjoys their cameos! Also, that this chapter doesn't suck, given how much time it took with my mood this month.

See Ask Torchbearer at http://ask-torchbearer.tumblr.com, but be aware that it's grimdark, even though my work is not.

(PC) Gracious

“Mind locking up for me, Pirouette?” It had been an unusually busy (and profitable) night at The Tall Tail. So much so that as soon as last call finished, I had chased Bright Jade out from behind the bar and sent her home with one of the dancers who’d been putting extra effort into getting to know her. As much as I enjoyed Jade’s “I’m yours” attitude, she needed to connect with other ponies, or she’d draw suspicion sooner or later. With Jade gone, checking the stock against sales fell to me, and if I quit, I’d lose count.

“Sure thing, Done.” Pirouette trotted over as she shook her red mane loose from her face, still breathing heavily from her performance. Since making her return to the stage, she’d left no doubt just how badly she’d missed it: every night she was exhausted from giving it her all and then some. Frankly, I credited our uptick in business just as much to Pirouette’s performances as Bright Jade, the new outfits, or anything else. “Parapet still upstairs trying to wriggle outta her dress?”

I snickered despite myself as Pirouette took the key and headed for the large glass door across the performance hall. “I imagine. She fussed the whole time she was getting measured about how she didn’t feel right in a dress, and how she’d just make a mess of it if something came up and she had to deal with a drunk… but after she tried it on, she almost wore it out of the shop. So proud, just because I bought her something nice to work in.” I couldn’t help wondering what sort of mare Bruises would’ve been if she hadn’t gone hard under other ponies’ abuse.

Pirouette spat the key into her hoof before locking the door. “You laugh, Done, but when you’re from a rough part of town and finally make good in life, it’s a big deal! Not that I’d know, but I’d bet a quarter of my girls could tell you just how much it means to them to live in a safe, comfortable place since starting here.” It was Pirouette’s turn to laugh. “Two this year have asked why no mare’s tied you down yet when you take such good care of everypony.”

I looked up from behind the polished bar, amused. “And just what’d you tell them, Pirouette?”

Pirouette’s smirk spoiled that she was about to have some fun at my expense. “Why, I told them that you’re—oh sweet Celestia! Done!”

On the far side of the door, standing in the bright light cast from inside The Tall Tail was a panting, exhausted pegasus, her sides heaving. When she saw that not only was the building still lit, but ponies were in view, she fairly pounded on the door. “Please, let me in!”

Pirouette glanced back at me, though she didn’t need to. My approval was automatic. “Let her in, Pirouette.”

Pirouette turned the key the opposite direction, never even having pulled it from the lock, as the lavender pegasus outside looked back over her shoulder. Having opened the door and ushered the relieved mare through in one motion, Pirouette turned to lock it back, only to be pushed backward onto her haunches with an indignant squawk as the door was forced wide once more. Uninvited, and obviously on the tail of the mare Pirouette had just let in, came a pair of rough looking pegasi, blue and green.

I scowled and looked between Pirouette and the mare we’d let in. Pirouette looked annoyed, not hurt, and in company and the light, our newcomer seemed to be calming herself amazingly quickly. I opened my mouth, but unsurprisingly, Pirouette got the first word, voice raised.

“Just who in Equestria do you think you are? We’re closed, and you two certainly weren’t—ow!” Pirouette’s angry shouting was cut off by a cobalt hoof to the cheek from the closer pegasus as his partner marched past. Pirouette gingerly touched where she’d been struck, but the blow had done what it was supposed to. She held her tongue.

I hopped the bar, livid, and marched on the intruders without a second thought. In some distant part of my mind, I recognized that I was growling, scarcely even sounding like a pony I was so furious. That part of my mind held no weight with the rest of me; it was drowned in the smoke suddenly thrashing within me. If only that purple mare weren’t there! “You know what happened to the last stallion to hit a mare in my club? He didn’t wake up. He’s still in the hospital.”

The mare we’d let in sighed and laid her ears flat. Perhaps comforted by numbers, she seemed tired more than anything else. “Do you really want to do this where ponies will see? My former husband can’t do anything for you now, so why?” The tone of voice she used for the word “husband” left no illusion that it was an amicable split.

The green pegasus, with a rock cutie mark and a vicious glare, stepped forward and struck my muzzle in response. The world swam, and I staggered and dropped, hooves staying where they were, the rest of me sliding backwards and down—the perfect picture of pathetic. I grit my teeth and cursed under my breath as I blinked away the flashing lights. What was with troublesome ponies always hitting like trucks?

The hoof to my face wasn’t all he had to say. “You and your bastard kid ruined a lot of ponies lives, not just your husband’s. A lot of ponies had a lot riding on him. Ponyville’s too small, but show up in Manehattan, and you’re just a face in a crowd.” Eyes narrowed, he stepped toward the mare. Her calm could only mean faith in us, or long experience. Either way, it’d gone more than far enough.

I reached for the leg of the nearest barstool and clumsily flung it at the advancing stallion’s head. Missed by a mile, but it convinced him to deal with me first. I staggered to my hooves as the green and blue stallions both approached slowly, never once considering me a threat. Every ounce of bravado I had went into taking them both out without another scratch—into yelling, “Bruises! Double time!”

The cacophony of Bruises’ massive hooves on the wrought iron staircase was nearly deafening, and more than enough to draw the attention of everypony in the room. I winced as I saw the metal actually warp under the impact when Bruises was too hurried to be careful. The huge unicorn nearly stumbled down the staircase never meant for anypony her size, but made it to the bottom safely, her ripped black cocktail dress connecting her to the bent metal where it’d hung. She didn’t even notice.

Far more concerned with Bruises than they’d ever been with Pirouette or me, the thugs spread out a bit, eyes locked on their new problem. Bruises scanned the room, her eyes falling on Pirouette and missing me altogether. She rushed right past both pegasi, lifting Pirouette to her hooves magically as she approached, leaving the assailants glancing at each other in confusion.

“Pirouette! Are you okay? Bruises tossed her forelegs around Pirouette in a quick hug, still not quite realizing the gravity of the situation, but her eyes turned to me and my bleeding snout when Pirouette jerked her head in my direction.

“Boss!” Bruises dropped Pirouette in a panic, not noticing the out of place, adorable squeak behind her as she wheeled toward me, leaving Pirouette to plop back onto her plot. I was similarly lifted and hugged as the three other ponies in the hall stared in disbelief. As usual, Bruises had completely ruined the tension. “Boss! Who did this to you? I’ll t—”

I pressed a hoof over Bruises’ mouth and she shut up immediately. The intruding stallions were cautiously turning their attention back to the mare we’d let in. They had to be handled. “Bruises, I might have had you gently show these two out. But then they hit Pirouette. Then me. I bet they’ll really hurt this pretty lady if you don’t get rid of ‘em quick.”

Bruises’ eyes widened again, and she dropped me, too, though I managed not to squeak as I fell. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. Bruises was extremely protective of everypony at The Tall Tail—of “the ones who are nice to me,” as she called us—but this was her first time actually bouncing anypony from the cabaret. She turned, and her eyes were narrowed with all the anger the green stallion’s had held just a moment before, and more. The stallions edged backward, but made no motion toward the door.

“You hurt the boss! You hurt Pirouette!” It was Bruises’ turn for a slow, menacing advance, but the stallions gave up no more ground. The blue one took to the air for an advantage, only to find himself caught in Bruises’ magic and slammed to the ground. I involuntarily winced as Bruises raised a hoof over an awkwardly fanned wing and brought it down. I couldn’t hear the snap over the slam of the hoof, but the scream was unmistakable. Even the weak, forward kick Bruises followed up with was enough to slide the thug halfway across the hall. He made no attempt to stand.

The remaining pegasus was apparently a hair smarter and pulled a knife from under a wing, but that only made Bruises angrier. The stool I’d poorly thrown earlier popped up from the ground, surrounded in the navy glow of Bruises’ magic. He dodged swings once, twice… and then stumbled over the extended hoof of the mare this whole fight was about, and took the third swing right in the side of the head, tossing him feet away. The mare finally spoke again. “Oh, how clumsy of me. I’ve spoiled your little dance, miss.” The smirk on her face was unmistakable.

Bruises stared at the mare, missing the joke entirely. With an eventual shrug, she turned to check on me—only to finally realize her dress was torn, mere tatters still on her, with a wisp on the floor and almost half dangling from the damaged railing. “Boss! Boss, it’s ruined!” Bruises ran over and sat in front of me, holding a shred of her tattered dress in her hooves, clearly on the verge of tears. “My new dress! It was made just for me!” As if I didn’t know that, having bought it for her. Marvelous, my head hurt for two reasons. I nodded Pirouette toward our “guest” who was glaring at one of the intruders on the ground. She nodded back, locked the door at last, and headed toward the pegasus as I tried to calm my huge crybaby of a bouncer.

“Don’t worry, Bruises. I’ll get you a new one. I promise. It’ll look just as good on you as this one did.”

Pouting, Bruises hung her head, still staring at the scrap of fabric held in her great hooves. “This one was special! My first nice one! And I’ll just ruin a new one, too!”

My head throbbed. Bruises was seriously blaming herself for the ruined dress. “What about… a tux? It’s not very girly, but the dancers have used tuxedo-style costumes here before. They can look pretty cute. And the fabric stays away from your hooves, so it won’t get caught…”

For all my attempts at enticing her, Bruises just stared at the scrap in her hooves, mourning the loss. “…mares love a guy in a tux, you know.”

That got her attention. “B—but I’m not a guy…” I silently begged Bruises to cut me some slack, and my left ear twitched.

“Of course you’re not. But you want a fillyfriend, right?”

Bruises nodded, hope slowly replacing despair in those big, expressive eyes. “…will it be nice, like my dress?”

“I’ll make sure of it, Bruises.”

Bruises looked between the fabric and me several times before finally nodding. “Then it’s okay. Can I go home now? I kinda wanna calm down.”

I reached up to pat Bruises’ withers and nodded, relieved she wasn’t going to insist on being taken out for ice cream. “Go on. You did a great job tonight. Just… dump those two with a guard on the way, will you?” Between the staircase, Pirouette’s cheek and my muzzle, the shattered stool, and the knife, which I noticed had a feather stuck to it, I was comfortable the guards would buy our story.

Bruises nodded again and turned toward her first bounce-ees. “Okay boss!” The injured pegasi groaned as they floated into the air. “Tuxedo tomorrow?”

I nodded. “Just the fitting. It’ll be special made, like the dress, so a few days. I’ll come get you before work.”

Finally cheerful again, Bruises trotted out the employee door in the back, taking the trash with her.

I rubbed gingerly at my hurt muzzle as I turned to Pirouette and the remaining pegasus. “What a handful. Are you alright, miss?”

The pegasus nodded and offered a remarkably warm smile, and used a wing to brush her golden blond mane back away from her eyes. “I am, thank you. My name is Flying Grace. I apologize for the mess I’ve caused you. I don’t know if you saved my life, or just spared me a beating, but I’m grateful either way.”

Getting my first good look at her, Flying Grace was quite a pretty thing. Slim and on the petite side, even for a pegasus, and while I imagine she must’ve been halfway through her forties, the worst I could say was that she was in the far end of her prime years. If she had an actual flaw, I didn’t see it.

I returned the smile and gestured Grace over to a table. At Pirouette’s encouragement, she took a seat, and after I grabbed glasses and a soft cider, we joined her. “Name’s Done Deal. I’m the owner. I don’t want to pry, but do you mind telling me what the hay that was all about? I don’t usually get that kind of excitement in here unless drinks are in play. Speaking of which, here. Kid’s stuff, but it’s soothing.” I poured drinks for each of the ladies and myself.

Flying Grace laughed gently and smiled again. “An upscale club in Manehattan, and the proprietor sooths a poor lady with drinks for a foal. What’s Equestria coming to?”

I blushed and got up again to find something classier. Pirouette shot Flying Grace a sidelong glance, which only seemed to amuse Grace more. She stretched out a wing and laid it on my leg. “Relax, Done. I’m teasing you.”

I sighed, sat back down, and took a drink. “No rest for the wicked, I suppose.”

Grace smiled again. “I don’t think the wicked would’ve taken a punch for a total stranger, Done. I didn’t answer your question, though. From what they said, I suppose they were some sort of associates of my former husband. I don’t want to talk about it, but he was a vile stallion, and his fall from grace ruffled the feathers of similarly vile ponies. I’m truly sorry to have brought trouble to your door. I was in town looking for a fit dancing instructor for my daughter. One of them must’ve recognized me.”

I gestured to the stage. “Dance, huh? We have shows six nights a week, dancing in all of them. What sort of thing are you looking for?”

Grace blinked, then stifled a laugh. “Done, my daughter is a filly! I can’t have her dancing like a showmare!”

I suddenly regretted choosing the soft cider; my aching head just wasn’t catching a break. “Oh come on, you can’t think that’s what I meant! Pirouette’s a classically trained ballerina! It’s her special talent; it’s right on her flank!”

Pirouette blinked and frowned at me. “Done, I’m worked to the bone as it is, dancing, managing your dancers and choreographing shows! I’m not taking on a filly for private lessons so you can look good in front of a pretty mare!”

Exasperated beyond words, I let my head drop to the table, not even bothering to reduce the impact, and immediately regretted it as I gained my fourth reason for a headache that night. “Augh! Are you mares trying to drive me insane? Pirouette, you trained with what, four different teachers? You know ponies, and they know ponies! All I’m saying is you can—you know, I’m going to bed, it’s been a hell of a night. Show Flying Grace out when you two finish your drinks.”

I stalked away, leaving my drink behind unfinished. Jade could deal with it the next day if Pirouette didn’t. The mangled staircase, with Bruises’ dress still dangling from it, aggravated me further on my way to bed. I’m fairly sure I heard Pirouette’s voice call out apologetically as I clanked up the wobbly stairs, but at that point I didn’t care.

* * * * *

Twenty minutes later I still hadn’t gone to bed, and had only just calmed the swirling smoke inside. I was nursing a cider from my private stock—that one as potent as they come—when there was a rap on the door to the office. Grumbling that Pirouette could wait until morning if she wanted to apologize, I jerked it open to find Flying Grace there instead. Initial surprise very quickly gave way to aggravation: Pirouette absolutely knew better than to let somepony into the office. I opened my mouth to say as much, but Flying Grace’s wing covered my lips almost immediately.

She must’ve read me like a book. “Don’t be angry, Done. I practically had to beg her to let me up here. I just wanted to thank you again, and to apologize for being so difficult earlier. I’m playful, and not easily shaken. It didn’t occur to me that you were in no mood for teasing. Pirouette said it’s pretty hard to get you to stomp off like that, but I suppose it was a pretty lousy night for you.”

I gently pushed her wing away and sighed, most of the anger dissipated by Grace’s gentle tone. Looking her over again, I still couldn’t find any issue with her looks, apart from being at least ten years older than me, but she wore it so well it hardly mattered. I was tired, cranky, hurting, and a pretty pegasus was inches away. I let the smoke start to coil around my hooves, advancing it along the floor where Flying Grace couldn’t notice with her eyes on my face. “One of those nights. I run a respectable place, but it’s not the first time I’ve taken a hit. You just pushed the wrong button on the wrong night. It happens.” By this point, the smoke had wound up her legs to her chest, utterly unnoticed.

“I really am sorry.” Grace laid her ears back unhappily. “I’d hate for you to think I’m ungrateful, after you protected me, and Pirouette gave me several places closer to home to try for excellent dance lessons for my little girl. You’ve been a sweetheart, Done, and I just wanted to let you know how… grateful I… am.” The smoke had reached Flying Grace’s ears and nose, and she trailed off, staring ahead.

I’d made the smoke fairly thick, my patience for the night long since spent. “It’s late. If you want to show how grateful you are, you’re going to need time to do that, aren’t you? You should stay here tonight, so you have time. You don’t want to rush.”

Flying Grace blinked, slowly, as if her eyelids were difficult to move. “Time? Take my… time. Rushed thank yous… are rude.”

Grace stepped over the threshold from office to apartment, and I led her up the stairs slowly. “That’s right. And you’re not a rude mare. Just playful.”

Grace nodded blankly as she followed, as if talking and climbing stairs at once was too complex. “And you can thank me anyway at all, Grace. A little fling in Manehattan won’t hurt your family. Our little secret.”

We’d reached the top of the stairs and stood in my living room when Grace stopped following. “Family… I…”

I sighed and took the smoke further. She was already breathing it in eagerly, just as every mare had, but at that hour, my patience was in short supply.

“It’s fine, Grace. A generous, heartfelt thank you. We’ll make sure nopony gets hurt.” I stroked Grace’s mane with a smoke wrapped hoof, and as it neared her face, Flying Grace turned her head toward it absently and took a long sniff of the smoke, as if smelling a bouquet. She smiled.

“Thank you… Done." She slowly leaned to kiss me, still dazed by the smoke. I let it go, and accepted Flying Grace’s deep, sincere kiss as she meant to offer it.

Grace could certainly teach Day Planner a thing or two about kissing. Slow or not, her gentle use of her soft lips as the kiss broke and restarted was certainly efficient at getting me stiff. Though I had far too much sense and tact to say it aloud, I considered that there might be advantages to mares who’d done more living. Again I stroked Flying Grace’s mane, and she smiled, breaking the kiss to press her forehead against mine.

Her voice was soft when she spoke; even if we hadn’t been alone, nopony else would’ve heard. “It’s very late. Would you mind terribly if I gave you the rest of your thank you in bed?”

I smiled and gestured toward the bedroom. “Not in the slightest, Flying Grace.” With a swish of her golden tail and a brush of one wing under my chin, Grace stepped past me and down the hall. I followed that swishing tail, my mood finally leveling out for the first time since those goons had showed up.

“I didn’t think it’d upset you too much,” Grace called over her shoulder as she led me to my own bed. I reached my bedroom door just in time to see Flying Grace live up to her name, going from the floor to an alluring pose on the bed with a single flap of her wings, scarcely even disturbing the sheets when she landed. Her warm smile grew just a bit impish as I caught up and joined her on the bed.

“Now, whatever can I do to thank you? Three foals already, and I’m fairly sure my husband prefers being the one to make them… and your poor muzzle is still all swollen and painful looking. I just don’t know, Done. However shall I thank you?” Grace’s right wing was at odds with her mouth as she spoke. For all her teasing, she’d made me gasp twice in the seconds since I got onto the bed, brushing gently at my balls with her feathers. “Playful” was right.

I lay down on my side, head propped on a hoof, shaft toward Flying Grace. “You seem like the creative type. Surely you can think of something. And if not…” I leaned forward and enjoyed another long kiss, Grace’s lips seductively brushing mine again, “I think I could provide a hint or two.”

Grace looked amused, and the impish grin widened. “Could you now? I’d love to hear them.”

Resting my head on my pillow, I played along. “Oh… let’s see. I like what you’re doing with your wing. Why not go a little farther with that?”

Grace rose and turned her whole body to face my stiff cock before looking back my way, wide-eyed and innocent. She stretched both wings then and began sliding them up and down my shaft, separations in her feathers causing them to touch all the way around. I took a deep breath and relaxed as the heavenly sensation washed over me. “Like this, Done? Is this a good thank you?”

There’s no way Flying Grace could’ve missed that pleasure had already practically incapacitated me. Three or four slow strokes, and my breath was ragged. My body had practically gone limp on the sheets, and replying took effort. “That’s about right, Grace.”

“About right? Oh, that won’t do!” Grace began massaging my balls with a hoof while she kept up her work with her wings. “I’m much too grateful for ‘about’ right, Done! You’ll have to help me do better!”

I wanted to tease back. Celestia help me, I wanted to tell Flying Grace I wasn’t sure she could manage—but those wings! I might’ve managed some sort of choked sound before I popped my cork all over Grace’s waiting feathers. She blinked, probably surprised at how fast I’d been, then inspected a messy wing and laughed. “Oh my, Done! ‘About’ right? If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were teasing me!”

I blushed. No stallion wants to be too quick with a pretty mare, even if it is a one night stand. Before I could make an excuse though, Grace smiled and patted my cheek, her tone much more gentle suddenly. “First time with a pegasus, Done?”

Grace’s reassuring tone soothed me enough to at least make eye contact. “First time with one who’s acting like one, anyway.”

Grace nodded, still smiling that amazingly reassuring smile of hers. I wondered if that smile was because of years, motherhood, or just who Flying Grace was. “Our wings can be a bit much. Teen pegasi have far more fun discovering themselves than I should admit.”

Embarrassed or not, I cracked up, and Grace’s smile went from reassuring to relieved. I rolled onto my back to look up at her where she’d moved. “Fortunately, I recover quickly, too.”

Quick as that, Grace’s expression turned playful once more. “Oh you do, do you? That wouldn’t be a boast would it, Done? I ought to shower, get my wings nice and clean again. You’ve got that long.”

I knew that would be more than enough, and pointed Grace toward the bathroom, but got a pout in response. “You’re going to leave me lonely, when I’m trying so hard to thank you? Come on, Done.”

Flying Grace gently closed her mouth over an ear and began to pull. I moved quickly, neither wanting her to stop, nor get bitten by mistake, but I couldn’t resist a mock complaint. “What am I, a one of your foals?”

Laughing around my ear tickled, causing it to twitch in her mouth, which earned more laughter still, but Grace didn’t let me go and didn’t answer until I was in the bathroom with her. “Of course not. As if I’d do this with my son!” Once again, Grace caught me in one of her kisses, stepping away and leaving it to me to move with her. I was dimly aware that we were in the shower, and that her long wings were reaching around me, when I heard a sudden squeak and jumped in surprise at the hot water pouring from the shower head. Grace broke the kiss to giggle at my reaction.

“Honestly, Done, you’re an awful lot of fun to ‘thank.’” Grace held her wings under the water, waiting patiently as my semen slowly rinsed away.

I brushed Grace’s long, suddenly wet, golden mane from her face. “I thought you seemed to be having fun.”

Rubbing against me more than strictly necessary in the shower stall, Grace moved to get more water. “Of course! What lady wouldn’t enjoy thanking her knight in shining armor? Well. I suppose it was that unicorn who did the saving, but you let me in and did get hurt on my account. ‘Bruises,’ was it? She’d never have had a chance to help if you hadn’t stuck your neck out.”

Simply watching Flying Grace lather up was enjoyable on its own. The mare’s every motion was either sensual or elegant, depending on whether she was doing it for my benefit or simply to bathe. There was no motion wasted, but it wasn’t simple efficiency, there was more, and it had gotten me stiff again already. And then, uncharacteristically, Flying Grace dropped the soap.

Head down, tail up—inviting as it was, all I could do was raise an eyebrow. Grace held the position, but laughed. “Too obvious, Done? And here you look ready to go, just like you promised. Ah well. Can’t risk a foal any—Done? What are you—Oh, wait, I’m—mmph? Mm…”

There was more than one way to enjoy myself under Grace’s tail. While she teased, I had lifted her tail, to which she didn’t object. Her confusion came when I mounted her regardless and pressed my tip against her ass. Leaning forward, I interrupted her with a kiss and blew just a little smoke into her mouth. Grace’s personality was a pleasure; I didn’t want to silence her, just get in. If taking it easy with the kiss made sliding my cock into her any more difficult than it had been with Jade, it wasn’t so much that it troubled either of us. If anything, the slower penetration seemed to be every bit to Grace’s liking. She moaned immediately, and slowly pressed back, confusion dispelled by sensations she hadn’t expected.

I was only halfway in, and already Grace’s wings were wide open, her legs wobbling. “Done… wait! Let me—Oh Celestia! Let me move my legs!” Grace raised her forelegs, bracing herself against the front of the shower, but her head hung between them, not worth the exertion of keeping it lifted. “Alright, Done, now!”

Flying Grace didn’t have to tell me twice. With her ass not as “welcoming” as Jade’s had been, I moved slowly, but I pressed my length in without holding back, shuddering in pleasure along with Grace at the magnificent tightness. I drew my hips back just a bit, winning another moan from Grace—and a startled cry when I shoved it back in. I paused. “Too rough?”

Grace craned her neck to look back at me. She was biting her lip, but shook her head. “N-not at all!”

As if to convince me, she pulled away, sliding off of me farther than I’d pulled out moments before, and roughly shoved herself back, stifling a scream as I was plunged back in. I laughed and rubbed her back. “Nothing’s open, and nopony else on the block lives over their business, Grace. You can let it go.”

I pulled further again, didn’t hesitate in shoving my cock clear in, hard, and Flying Grace took me up on my invitation to shout, her cries of pleasure made even louder in the small space of the bathroom. However much Flying Grace was enjoying it, her ability to stay up was outpaced by her desire, and she began sliding down the front wall of the shower. No matter how much she slid, though, each time I pulled a few inches from her ass, she shoved them right back in, until at last she lay on the floor of the shower, wings twitching as she came, and still she craned her head to smile back at me and tell me to keep going.

The sight of the elegant mare lying soaked on the floor of my shower as water poured down on us both spurred me on, and I thrust faster as Grace fairly sang my praises from below. I felt my smoke swirling in excitement at the state I’d put Grace in, and difficult as it was, struggled to calm it as I reached my limit. The motions were easier now, smoke or not, and when I finally poured my cum into her, the torrent was still beyond any sort of normal. The final thrust left me balls deep, and slid Flying Grace forward where she lay, mouth half open in a sloppy smile to gasp for breath. I made no effort to pull out, and sank to the floor of the shower with her.

Moments passed, with the water raining down on us as we smiled at each other and caught our breath. Grace was the first to speak. “How awful… I was almost clean, and now look what you’ve done!” The twinkle in her eyes told me she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I suppose we’ll just have to shower all over again, won’t we, Grace?”

Grace laughed. “I suppose we will. And somepony is going to have to behave this time! Which of us, I’m not sure!”

I joined Grace in her laughter and very gently pulled out, causing Grace to draw a long, slow breath and exhale as the mess poured out of her stretched ass. After getting to my hooves, I helped Grace to hers, and kicked the water on the shower floor toward the drain to get it some semblance of sanitary. Though Grace was unsteady, she was sharp enough to laugh at me. “Done, I’m a mother. I’m not that squeamish.”

“Probably not, but you’re too elegant to stand in that.” I shrugged, but Grace laughed even harder.

“Done Deal, you may be the only stallion in all of Equestria to call a mare elegant after all that!” Grace set about cleaning herself again, and I stood silently, unable to retort without kissing flank or taking back my compliment.

* * * * *

Clean, toweled off, and once again in bed, I lay with a hoof over Flying Grace, nuzzling her neck through her mane as she faced away from me. After the shower, we were both starting to yawn and making proper use of the bed sounded like just the thing. Or so I’d thought. I’d barely begun to doze when Flying Grace’s wings brushed my dick once again. I assumed it was an accident and relaxed again—Grace’s breathing was deep and even; she was almost certainly asleep. I laid my muzzle against her neck again, and again, her wings brushed my shaft. I chalked it up to coincidence, shifted a bit to deal with my rising member, and before I could relax, Grace’s wings brushed me third time, leaving me at full attention. “Playful” and then some!

I nuzzled her neck once more before beginning to kiss up and down her neck. A moment of that, and and a very sleepy and slightly annoyed voice floated back to me. “Done… I thought we were going to sleep.”

I blinked. I’d have been perfectly happy to sleep moments before, when she wasn’t toying with my dick! As tired as Grace sounded though, I didn’t doubt she was serious. “So did I! And then you started on me with your wings again!”

Grace sounded confused. “I… what?” She moved her wings experimentally, sliding them on my rod again and masking me gasp. When she realized what was going on, she buried her face in her pillow to laugh, hard enough that her slender body shook. Eventually, she pulled back her wings, and rolled to face me. “First time actually sharing a bed with a pegasus, Done?”

“I’m afraid so. Why? Do all pegasus mares tease stallions in their sleep?”

As dark as the room was, I could barely make out the silhouette of Flying Grace’s head, shaking slightly on the pillow. “I wasn’t teasing, Done. We just move our wings, same as other ponies move their legs in their sleep. Here, this should be better.”

Grace stretched her free wing out over me like a blanket. “There. Goodnight again, Done.” Leaning in the dark, she offered me one last kiss goodnight, and lay her head to rest on its pillow.

I had been content just minutes before, ready for sleep, and for Grace to go on her way the next morning, but now I was left hard as a rock as she drifted off again. That wasn’t satisfactory. In the dark of my bedroom, I pulled up tendrils of smoke that in the light would have been plain as day to Flying Grace, and sent them toward her. Even in that dark, though, I could tell that the sudden sag in her body and relaxation of the wing on me weren’t a return to sleep. I stroked her cheek, then rolled onto my back.

Grace and I were both tired. There was no reason to convince her of anything. I remembered back to the attendant on the train, what felt like ages ago, and opted for simple orders. “No, Grace. You can’t leave me hard. Use your wings and swallow so you don’t get messy.”

Almost immediately, she moved to get under the covers entirely, wiggling her way between my hind legs, and holding my stallionhood in place with her hooves. “Take care of it… swallow.”

A moment later, I felt the softness of her wings slide down my shaft before Grace’s mouth closed over the flare. I sighed contentedly as Grace slid her wings up and down, licking periodically around the head. Two orgasms already that night left me holding out better than I had the first time her wings worked my cock, and I relaxed, enjoying the feeling. Before I came, though, I wanted more.

I hadn’t released the smoke; it still floated into Grace’s ears, and she was still inhaling it. She wouldn’t resist. I pushed my hips up, driving my cock between Grace’s wings and up into her mouth. Without kissing her like before, I didn’t expect her to take me in her throat, but that was fine. As if nothing were at all out of the ordinary, Flying Grace continued to work my stallionhood with her wings while I eagerly bucked her mouth. Reveling in the sensations, warm and wet, soft and dry, as the beautiful pegasus between my legs helplessly served, I came, filling Grace’s mouth and pouring down her throat. She lowered her head to get as much as possible, and I sank into the mattress, utterly relaxed.

When the semen stopped flowing, I had Grace clean me off and return to her place in bed beside me, again using her wing as a blanket. I stroked Grace’s cheek once more as she returned to sleep, and considered keeping her. I could. I knew I wanted a pegasus, and Grace, a decade older or not, was an amazing mare. I tugged her wing a little tighter against me and sighed. My own mom was long gone, and it had wrecked me as a foal.

“If you’re ever alone in Manehattan again, Grace, drop in for fun. Our secret.” I let the smoke go.

* * * * *

Grace had left bright and early, due to head home and check ballet instructors closer to Ponyville. My rooftop access had been a relief to her: as unlikely as it was that the trouble from last night would still be around, there was no chance they’d be in the air. For Flying Grace, that made the roof a perfect exit. No farewell kiss, no teasing; the thank you had been given, and gracious as she was, it was time to leave. I saw her off with a wave, and headed back inside and down to the show floor to find Pirouette instructing workers for the repair of the staircase. As soon as I was off it, they moved to get to work, and Pirouette moved to speak.

“Late rising this morning, Done? Just how late did she stay?” Pirouette sounded curious, and maybe a hair more. I couldn’t place it.

I took a seat at the bar, too tired from the night’s debauchery to stand unnecessarily. “Grace? She just left. Why?”

Pirouette sighed and shook her head, walking glumly toward the stage, probably to start preparing for the night’s show. “No reason, Done. Nevermind.”

I wasn’t sure what had Pirouette in a mood. Aggravated, I’d understand; she’d been hit just the night before. Thinking back on the evening reminded me, she’d been just about to poke some fun at me, and I brought it back up, hoping it’d get a smile. “Hey, Pirouette—last night you’d been just about to tell me what you tell the girls when they ask why I’m not taken. What do you tell them?”

The reaction I got was all wrong. Pirouette sighed at the floor, then looked me straight in the eye. “I tell them you’re not done sowing your wild oats, Done.” While I scratched my head, confused at her tone, she turned and headed backstage, leaving me to wonder what I’d done.

Author's Note

Flying Grace and her image come courtesy of OminousBrony, a collaborator on The Risks of Braving a Storm, which I read as a reference. As you can see, Done was a bit reluctant to let her go--older mare or not, she's his type! Thanks for the use of your mare, OminousBrony!

...but Verify

It had taken way too much explaining to convince the three brand new businessponies in the room that I could deliver. Desert Rose herself had actually been easy. All I’d had to tell her was that I’d been at Vinyl’s last Manehattan show and that she owed me a big favor. Rose filled in the blanks for herself, leaving Whittle to scowl in confusion. I’d had to concede that I was going to need a loan after all the investment money I’d been sliding the Trotties, but not even Whittle seemed to think I couldn’t pull that off.

When I rose to leave, telling everypony I meant to check out the old theater before I headed back to the better part of town, Rose insisted on an escort. “Can’t risk me golden goose, can I?” she’d said. I had been going to protest, but when Rose told Whittle to stay put, I decided I’d deal. My approach to the theater had Peach Pit and Bruises on either side of me, and the stallion who’d shoved her earlier leading the way. Without Whittle around, I didn’t even have time to think about the unwelcome stallion up front: Peach Pit’s jaw never stopped moving.

“I’m so glad I got to meet you, Mr. Deal! If you ask me, you’re the best thing to ever happen to us Trotties! No more Born Leader, the Maneys aren’t pushing anypony around, new stores, a Vinyl Scratch concert right here! Celestia herself couldn’t do better! I bet you’ll get to meet her one day! I heard she likes to meet ponies who make Equestria a better place. Getting rid of Born Leader? Definitely makes this a better place. Oh! And thanks for letting me stay for the meeting! Seeing Whittle get yelled at? Opportunity of a lifetime! I feel like I should kiss your hooves!” Peach’s wings had been unfolding slowly as she got more and more excited. Perfect wingspan, just a little long for her size. Even if she was a bit plain otherwise, with her short mop of a mane, she had something big going for her. She twirled excitedly as if punctuating her sentence, and her wing brushed my flank. She never even noticed.

Finally, she seemed to need a breath, and I took my chance. “So, Peach Pit… what gives? You’re related to Whittle, you call yourself a Trottie… but no accent?”

Peach didn’t miss a beat, and seemed delighted at my interest in her. “None! I’m the only Trottie who’s not actually from Trottingham! Turns out, Whittle got grabbed like normal. Mom was here on vacation, back before I was born, and Whittle got grabbed. Whittle’s dad went hunting for her of course, but… well, the gang didn’t really like him poking around. He kinda… got disappeared.” I couldn’t help but find Peach’s comfort with the story a bit disconcerting, considering. I just let her continue.

“So Whittle’s gone, Whittle’s dad’s gone, Mom’s pretty much losing her mind… and in steps a unicorn, promising he can at least find Whittle. So Mom listens, goes with him to the bad side of town, and he has some guy bring in Whittle! Whittle says Mom figured it out right away, and she just started crying, and hugging Whittle, and asking what it was gonna take to keep her little girl. And guess what the unicorn says!”

I kept my gaze straight ahead as I answered. “Her.”

Peach Pit’s head bobbed excitedly. “You really are quick, Mr. Deal! So anyway, Mom hates it, but she agrees. Then, after six years with that unicorn, she has me. And now she’s got two fillies, and so she tries to run away, back to Trottingham, but she got caught! Whittle says they only hit Mom once, and she just spat on Da—on the unicorn. So he really punished her. He kicked her out of the house, and Whittle too—and kept me! He still wouldn’t let her leave though. When I was like… ten I guess? She gave up and tried to run away with just Whittle, and got caught again.” I winced. There was no way this story was ending happily, even if Peach Pit made it sound like she was talking about a book she once read.

Peach Pit’s wings had dropped back to her sides, and the bounce was out of her step. Even the cheerful tone faded as she continued. “So now Mom’s old, I guess; I never got to meet her and Da—the unicorn—just doesn’t care anymore and she ‘disappears’ too. Or that’s what Whittle said. I know I got a bunch of her stuff when that happened. One of the guys just came in and said, ‘This is all yours now.’ After you got rid of Born Leader, I went to live with the Trotties, and I gave it all to Whittle when Rose introduced us.” Peach lowered her head just a hair, and her volume with it. “But she still hates me. Calls me ‘Pity.’ I’m a Maney to her, and I lived with Da—with Born Lead… aw. I was going to have you guess.”

We’d been standing outside the theater for a few seconds while Peach finished up. The stallion who’d shoved her had been conspicuously pretending to ignore us the whole time, but the look of disgust when Peach said she went to live with the Trotties, and when she slipped at the end gave it away: Peach Pit was no Trottie, not to them. I opened my mouth to console her, then shut it again. How in Tartarus could I make her feel better about this?

Bruises leaned down and whispered in my ear. I could hear the big softie’s voice cracking as she whispered her idea. Before she could move her head away, I planted a quick kiss on her nose, making the sniffling mare blush, and Peach Pit blink.

“Come on, Peach Pit, let’s look inside.” Peach Pit brightened, but only a hair, and we slipped in through a broken window, the Trottie stallion right behind.

Bruises stepped in front of him and he gulped, but didn’t back down. “Rose said to see you to the streetlamps again, an’ I mean to do just that.”

I grit my teeth, but forced a smile. “It’s fine, Bruises. Just make sure nopony else shows up and goes backstage.”

Bruises nodded, and fell in again as we wandered past rows of dusty, broken seats, Peach Pit a bit off the ground to see better. The new sights seemed to distract her a bit, especially when she flew up to perch for just a second on a balcony, but that wasn’t the final goal. As I headed down the slanted floor toward the orchestra pit, sailed over the stage, looking around for something.

“Mr. Deal, I don’t really see a way up for you!” Landing on the creaking stage as I reached it, she spread her wings and offered me her forelegs. I managed half an objection before she leaned down, grabbed me, and in a flurry of wing beats, pulled me up onto the stage.

Peach Pit regained her smile as I regained my hooves from where I’d staggered. I tried to keep the smile bright with a compliment as I straightened my hat. “You’ve got some real strength in those wings!”

The smile slipped again. “Whenever heavy things need moving, Whittle makes me fly them around.” I cursed silently and tried to move on.

“Let’s look backstage. Maybe there are some old costumes or something.” I knew what I was looking for, and it wasn’t moth-eaten old clothes. Peach followed me as I pushed through the worn out stage curtain, and the stallion did as well, with Bruises taking her usual bouncer pose on stage. A little wandering was all it took, and I found it: a dressing room, mostly intact. I led Peach inside, and again the stallion followed. No privacy at all. I scowled just a bit, but in the end, it didn’t matter.

Peach’s smile hadn’t returned, but she was distracting herself with the dressing room mirror, extending a wing and tsking at some feathers that looked out of place. Plain face or not, there was nothing wrong with Peach Pit, and those slightly-longer-than-they-ought-to-be wings… having her excited about me was good for my ego.

“Hey, Peach, you really think I’m the best thing to happen to the Trotties?” Embarrassing as it was, nothing else was working. Back to her favorite topic. She whirled immediately, bobbing her head and trotting over to stand with me. I almost laughed at how excited she suddenly got.

“You bet! Like I said, you got rid of Born Leader, you’re helping us start our own stores, you’re throwing so much into it! I can’t even imagine how much this is costing you! And even though Rose cut you! You’re like… you should be mayor or something!” My stallion escort was rolling his eyes at Peach Pit’s sudden return to cheer, and turned his back to us.

Peach Pit’s wings had half unfolded again, and at last her smile was back. I knew just how to put her out of reach of her sister’s hurts, and put an even bigger smile on her face. I patted her head playfully. “Easy there, Peach! I’m just a stallion.” As expected, Peach took the bait.

“No way! Do you know how much happier all the Trotties are already? I mean, only a few really give you the credit you deserve, but they’re all saying how much better it is already, with the Maneys off our backs! I wasn’t even with them until a few weeks ago; I was with… you know. But they’re all relaxed now! Well, not when you’re around, but usually!”

The stallion stomped a slightly closer to the door. It was my turn to roll my eyes and I added a shake of my head, getting a giggle out of Peach. “Tell you what, Peach. I think I can trust you. Wanna hear a secret even Rose doesn’t know?” Our “chaperone” perked his ears, but stayed facing away, and Peach Pit’s eyes got wide. She glanced toward the third wheel and back at me before nodding.

I gathered smoke around a hoof, sending it snaking as quickly as I could toward the stallion, preferring he not get a chance to turn. My eyes were on Peach as she went from confused to clapping a hoof over her mouth in shock. She watched wide-eyed, her wings fanned, as the smoke crawled up the unwelcome Trottie and into his ears. He slumped, and let out a slow breath, and Peach lowered her hoof, glancing back and forth between the stallion and me again. There was no question she was spooked, but rather than screaming, she extended a wing and prodded the stallion’s flank.

“Will he be okay?” Peach was genuinely concerned about the pony who’d mistreated her just hours before. I smiled and nodded.

“He’ll be fine. It doesn’t hurt any, but he’ll quit being such a pain for a whi—oh dammit!” In the middle of reassuring Peach, I noticed the growing erection between the legs of our guest. Following my view, Peach Pit did too.

“Pfff—oh Celestia, look at that!” I relaxed a bit as Peach’s laughter forced a smile on my face, glad she hadn’t taken it any other way. “What happened? Is that a side effect?” Peach was struggling to speak through gales of laughter, and hadn’t yet taken her eyes off of him.

I made a point of looking directly at Peach Pit while I answered. “That’s… yes.” I sighed. “Right now, he’d do whatever I tell him. Or I could convince him of things, and change what he thinks, even after it’s done. Make him quit hassling you, for example.” The risk of just telling her how things worked was huge, but Peach believed in me like nopony but Pirouette ever had. I wanted her, sure, but I wanted to believe in her, too. I wanted to smoke her, but even more, I wanted just one mare I didn’t need to smoke.

“That’s…” Peach Pit seemed to be working through what she’d just heard, but then her head snapped up, eyes wide. “You could fix Whittle! I could finally have family that acts like it!” Her wings were spread wide, even trembling.

Peach’s expectant stare almost hurt. I brought her back here to make her feel better, and then that. “I’d need to get her alone, Peach, or Rose would knife me. And if I fixed her, ponies would wonder why she’s nice to you suddenly…” Peach’s wings drooped, and she looked at her hooves. I felt like a bastard. “I promise, though, if I ever can without it backfiring…”

Peach sighed and shook her head. “I get it, Mr. Deal. You really do wanna help, right? But ponies would be scared of… that.” Peach Pit pointed a wing at the stream of smoke trailing from my hoof to the other stallion. “You’re doing so much good here! You can’t blow it for me.” Peach lifted her head to smile at me. “I wish I worked for you, Mr. Deal. I mean, you get your hooves dirty, unlike Rose; you’re nice to your bodyguard, you’re nice to me, Whittle’s not nice to anypony; you spend a fortune trying to make things… can I go home?”

I was losing my chance, so I just spat it out. “Bruises told me that to cheer you up, I should make you one of my girls, Peach. That you were lonely. I can’t fix Whittle yet, but how about joining my family?”

Peach’s jaw dropped. “I… but… they won’t just let me leave! I mean, I’m nobody, but you don’t just go! How?”

I let out a deep breath I’d never meant to hold. “You’d stay with the Trotties, so they wouldn’t be after you. You’d be there to let me know if Whittle’s making trouble, if they’re wasting my money, if somepony’s trying to take Rose’s place. You’d be my eyes over there. But when you can sneak out… Pirouette’s like a mother hen, always fussing over everypony. Day’s a taskmistress, but she means well. She’s good for advice, too, as long as it’s not emotional stuff. You met Bruises. Big as she is, she’s everypony’s little sister. All she wants is to be liked. Jade likes anypony who helps me. And my dancers… those mares will chat with anypony about anything. You wanna gossip? Celestia, you’ll never shut ‘em up. Though they might try to take you shopping or—mph!”

For the first time since we’d left the Trottie’s base, I hadn’t had my eye on Peach Pit, and she’d slammed her mouth over mine. She broke the kiss almost immediately, nodding her head off. “Yes! Mr. Deal, please! I’ll be really careful; they’ll never know! I’ll try to get Rose to like me so she’ll tell me stuff and—wait, he can’t hear me, right?” Peach pointed at the still-smoked stallion.

“Don’t worry about him. I actually don’t know if he can hear you, but I can make sure it won’t matter.” Peach was bouncing up and down, wings spread in excitement again. I had one of the things I wanted—now for the other. “There’s just one catch, Peach. Every mare I really trust…” I raised my hoof, smoke still streaming into the ears of the Trottie stallion. The meaning was obvious. “Bruises and Jade actually like it. Looks like that guy does, too.”

Peach’s excitement dropped. “Um… w-what happens?” Peach’s eyes were locked on the smoke wafting around my hoof. She was torn; eager but scared. I was relieved she didn’t ask the better question: “If you trust them, then why?” I had a reason for everypony else so far. For Peach Pit, I could only think of excuses.

“I don’t really get it myself. You could say it lets me make you think things.” Business 101: They don’t always need the details. Peach looked a little less concerned, and more curious. She prodded the stream of smoke with her wing, and kept looking at it as she spoke.

“So… you could make sure I don’t feel bad about helping you?” Peach snapped her head to look at me. “I mean, not that I would! I meant all those things I said! You’re helping so many ponies! It’s just… weird.” Peach waved at the smoke, disrupting it; it reformed before the stallion came to his senses.

I nodded at her. “Something like that. It’s also kind of… a sign I want you around. Means I chose you.” That got her attention. Peach’s expression went from curious to determined—like suddenly the idea of not getting the smoke was the scarier thought. One last question, though.

“And… the side effect?” Peach’s eyes were again drawn to the stallion’s erect shaft.

I shook my head. “Can’t be helped.”

Peach Pit bit ler lip for a second before responding. “Then…”

I smiled. “If you want.” Of course she would want.

Peach Pit paused, for a moment I was afraid I’d have to do things the hard way. The point of no return was long since passed. I was relieved when she nodded again. “Just… it’s my first time, so…”

“I’ll be careful.”

Peach shook her head abruptly, and color rose in her cheeks. “That’s not what I meant! I mean… I don’t know what you’ll like.”

I could feel myself getting stiff, without Peach Pit doing a thing—she might’ve been fairly plain, but the innocence was adorable. “Just relax. It’ll be fine.”

Out of it or not, I didn’t want the third wheel hanging around, and taking Peach could’ve distracted me enough to slip up. “Hey, stallion. We’re boring you, this dressing room is dull, and it’s not like we can go anywhere anyway. You want to go back out on stage and look around.” He slowly nodded, and I released the smoke. After a moment of looking incredibly bored, he sighed and walked away, grumbling about wasting his time. Peach watched, fascinated.

Peach Pit turned back to me and sat, head held high. “No wonder you get so much done! I’m ready, Mr. Deal. I wanna help you make this place great again!”

Smiling at her exuberance, I gathered up smoke around my hooves, and let it snake toward her across the floor. She watched so intently that I couldn’t resist toying with her a little, and wound the smoke around her side. Peach craned her neck, struggling to watch. I kept winding it around, until she had to rise and turn to follow, finally realizing she was being played with. “Mr. Deal! I’m nervous enough already!”

Laughing a bit, I stopped and let her turn to face the smoke where it rested on the ground. When Peach poked at it, I coiled it up her hoof, just a bit, and she brought it to her muzzle. “What does it smell… like…” With a sniff at her hoof, Peach Pit had given herself to me. As her body relaxed and hoof sank back to the ground, I kept the smoke entering her, and let more climb her body to slide into her ears. She looked up at me slowly, with half closed eyes, and I stepped forward, standing face to face with her. Somehow, she didn’t seem nearly so plain anymore, and my stallionhood finished unsheathing in a hurry. I lifted a smoky hoof to her muzzle and tilted her head to look me in the eye.

“You really mean all the things you said about me, Peach?” I wanted to hear her say it one more time, helplessly. My shaft twitched.

The slow, distracted intonation I was used to from Jade came from Peach Pit, and my excitement grew. “Yeah… you’re trying so… hard… to make Manehattan good. To help every…pony…”

I stroked her cheek as she stroked my ego, and she inhaled deeply while my hoof was close enough to her nose. “You idolize me, Peach Pit.”

“Idol…ize?” Peach’s head tilted just a hair.

“Yes. More than anypony else, you think I’m amazing. You said it yourself, that I should be mayor. Really, it’s more than that, though. You want whatever I want, because you know it’s to help everypony. Because whatever I want is best.” My other girls never fawned over me. What could it hurt to have one do it, especially when she practically already was?

Peach Pit nodded without hesitation. Even Day Planner had been harder—this mare was happy to accept what I was saying; there was no conflict in her mind at all. I sat, my stallionhood standing at attention right in front of Peach. “Everything about me is perfect?”

She nodded slowly, and I gently lowered her head to put it in front of my dick. “Then this is perfect too.”

Peach just nodded blankly, but that was all I needed. Arousal had the better of me. “It’s amazing, and wonderful. You adore it, don’t you, Peach?”

The nod came a hair more more slowly this time, but it came. I paused a second, wondering just how far to take this, how far I could take it before having to put even a little effort into it. I pressed her muzzle against my rod, and the faintest hint of a smile formed on her lips. I didn’t need to take it farther. I needed to give her a little something.

“You’re happy, Peach Pit. You know I need you with the Trotties for now—but I need you. Your hero needs you. You’re special now, and part of a family. You’re mine, you belong, and you matter.” The smile wasn’t a hint anymore—I actually looked to make sure I hadn’t let the smoke go, she smiled so broadly. I let the smoke go anyway. I was done.

When Peach Pit came to her senses with her muzzle still against my dick, she blushed and pulled away, startled for just a moment. She looked back down at it, then up at me. “I guess that means… I’m allowed?” I nodded, and moved to sit on the dressing room’s old velvet couch, gently, to avoid kicking up the years of dust. Peach Pit followed close behind, walking uncomfortably. “I can’t believe I’m so wet!” I looked back at where she’d been sitting and bit my tongue. I’d never seen any of my girls make a puddle like that, but I wasn’t about to say that to a virgin.

Peach Pit leaned in and pressed her muzzle against my shaft, recreating how she’d been when I let her go a moment earlier. I gently put a hoof on her head, just a bit of encouragement, and she gave my rod a tiny kiss. Nervous was an understatement. I decided to calm her down.

“Let’s start a little slower, Peach. It is your first time, after all.” I patted with the hoof on her head, and she looked up at me, obviously relieved.

“Thanks, Mr. Deal. I mean… it’s gorgeous, and I’m so—ah it’s embarrassing! I want to; I’m dying to, but I don’t know how!” Peach stomped both forehooves in frustration. I got up from the couch and gestured at it for her to take my place. She climbed up carefully, and looked to me for what to do next.

“You were fussing at your wing in the mirror earlier. Stick it out for me.” I’d have all of her soon enough, but those wings had been taunting me!

Peach Pit blinked, startled, and protested for the first time. “Ah! I… oh Celestia! I couldn’t sleep because I was excited about meeting you… and then I overslept and almost didn’t get to go, so… my wings are a mess, Mr. Deal! I didn’t get to preen them!”

I grinned and took a wingtip in my mouth and pulled it out playfully, mumbling around the feathers. “Gimme.” Peach’s confusion was adorable as she let me extend her wing. I doubt she even realized her wings were a turn on. She adjusted herself to rest on her stomach, and kept the wing out when I let go. I smoothed out feathers, doing a rotten job, I’m sure, before just holding the wing to my cheek, nuzzling at the soft feathers, and kissing where they met Peach Pit’s body. She squeaked when I kissed, and I nearly laughed.

Eventually, though, the virgin mare got it. “That’s what I wanted to do to your—Mr. Deal! You get off on wings?” All of Peach Pit’s confusion had turned to astonishment, and I realized that I’d never actually said it aloud, myself. Suddenly, I was the embarrassed one. With my face buried in her extended wing, I confessed.

It was as if the tension had never been. Peach Pit began laughing hysterically, and sat up on the couch so she faced me, stretching each of her wings out on either side, caressing my face and neck. I couldn’t be embarrassed with such warm laughter and soft wings, and my erection stood even stiffer. Nuzzling my face shamelessly against those wings, I just let her laugh until she pulled me in and wrapped them around me.

“I have the Mr. Done Deal wrapped up right here in my wings! I’m the luckiest mare in Manehattan!” We were practically muzzle to muzzle, but now the ice was broken. We both leaned in, and pressed our lips together. Virgin or not, Peach Pit wasn’t settling. Faster than I would’ve, she licked my lips, and the kisses turned deep and long, muzzles bumping roughly each time we broke one and started the next. I joined her on the sofa, guiding her onto her back and carefully keeping her wings unfolded and out from underneath her, then knelt over her, my stallionhood resting on her soft belly as she wrapped me in her wings again, and pulled my head down for another kiss.

Peach was all smiles as she pulled away. “I am so happy right now, Mr. Deal! I wanna make you happy too! What do I do? What do you like?” Her hooves gently ran over my dick between us and she panted excitedly. “Oh, Celestia, you’re incredible!” She lifted her head to peek down between us at it. “This is so perfect! It looks so much nicer than Whittle’s stupid toy!” Leaning up, she kissed me again while reaching down to explore my balls, wet from sitting against her own soaking bits. “Mmm, these feel nice too…”

I gasped as Peach Pit pushed herself up, nuzzling my neck and gently rubbing my cock between us. “I’m glad you like my wings, Mr. Deal… I wish I had more for you.” Peach sank back onto the couch, pulling me with her, and I thought of Pirouette, how the smoke had given her back her youth, and of how the smoke had changed Bruises. I looked down at Peach Pit, my expression serious.

“Are you sure about that?”

Peach blinked, but wasn’t taken out of the moment. “Sure about what?”

Looking down at Peach Pit, her face framed by her mop of mane, framed by the fading crimson of the sofa, I hesitated. She looked so innocent. She pressed against me, gentle pressure on my cock again, and my doubts melted into pleasure. I told Peach about Pirouette and Bruises.

She seemed curious more than anything else. “So… more smoke?” I was surprised at how calmly she took the idea, but kept that to myself.

“Right. Just some little change, so you feel like—”

“I’ll do it!” Peach Pit’s determined expression was back, the one she’d shown when she realized the smoke meant she was one of mine. “For us…” Peach Pit’s expression softened, and she went back to nuzzling.

I gathered smoke around my body, and Peach Pit pulled back to watch. I tensed up slightly, realizing that if I changed her too much, the Trotties would want to know what happened—and that I’d never actually controlled changes over anypony’s body. I shut my eyes and did my best to imagine Peach with just minor changes—ones we could hide or explain. Just keeping the image in my mind was harder than I imagined—not thinking of something is always harder than thinking of it.

I felt the smoke separate on my body, half going toward my tail, and half toward my head, tethering to me as it wafted farther, and stretching out toward Peach Pit. I wondered if feeling the smoke this way was because my eyes were closed, or if I’d just never noticed in the excitement I usually felt. I realized my thoughts were wandering, and slamming the image of Peach back into my mind.

Her voice came from below me, and I struggled to ignore it and keep focusing. “Mr. Deal? Are you alri—oh, my mane? Wha—aah! Oh, my, that feels so strange, but n-ni-naaaah! Down th-ere? My t-ohhh!” Peach’s wings and forelegs wrapped tight around me, nearly breaking my concentration as she trembled, and I could feel an absolute stream from her pussy, washing down my balls. The smell of sex competed with dust, and my concentration competed with more different things than I’d ever noticed all at once before. The feeling of soft hair tickling my foreleg as Peach Pit shuddered told me the first half had worked. Soft skin puffing around my cock, rubbing each side as it rose and stroking it as she shook verified the second. Again, I nearly lost my train of thought in the pleasure of Peach Pit’s soft, newly swollen teats on my stallionhood. After a moment feeling more of each, I let the smoke dissipate and opened my eyes.

The first thing I noticed were Peach’s, rolled back, but I was sure she was fine. A gentle shake and a soft bite on the neck, and Peach reacted sluggishly, blinking and panting as her eyes focused on me. When they did, she smiled brilliantly and feebly pulled me into her deepest kiss yet, grinding against me again, and moaning into my mouth. I didn’t have to guess at the difference; it felt better for me, too, for the same reason. A large drop of pre-cum soaked a patch on Peach Pit’s stomach.

At last, she broke the kiss and held still, save for wings caressing my back. “I don’t even know how to describe that, Mr. Deal! Even with my wings, it never fe… uh, I mean… Oh, that was amazing.” I snickered a little, and Peach began to inspect her mane. “It’s long now… really long!”

I nodded, smiling appreciatively at the long orange hair. It could use a trim, but it suited her—and me. “I figure you could just tell them I found you a unicorn manestylist with a growth spell or something.” I rubbed my shaft around on Peach Pit’s stomach a bit sighing happily at the sensation—and making her moan again.

“M-Mr. Deal… can I see?” Between gasping with the pleasure and a little trepidation, Peach Pit was stuttering cutely, and I wanted to tease, but I wanted to see too. I pushed myself up, and we both looked down between our bodies. On either side of my shaft, where her normal, tiny teats had been were soft, small swells. They looked just right—and then I realized that if she stood, they’d hang an inch or two. I winced at having overdone it.

Peach didn’t notice my face, and laughed. “I heard some of the stallions at the hotel talk about liking how teats get puffy when a mare is carrying! You too, huh?” She pulled me back down to her, all smiles, and kissed my face. “Thank you so much, Mr. Deal. I really am yours now!”

I supposed that they weren’t THAT much bigger than a new mother’s, but that wasn’t the only problem. I was worried. “Yeah… um, hiding them…”

Peach caught on, and ground against me again, cutting me off. “I’ll just wear skirts. I used to all the time. I like how the long ones flutter when I fly, but Whittle made fun. I don’t care if she makes fun anymore!” She pressed her muzzle to my ear and whispered. “It’ll be our secret.” With a hoof stroking my shaft again, she added, “I wouldn’t mind if I really were carrying yours though. Please? I want it even more since the second smoke.”

I nodded and rose so Peach could roll over underneath me. I brushed dust off her coat as best I could, and gently guided her into a workable position. “Legs apart a little, tail up… there you go. Oh. Wings out, Peach.” She giggled and spread her wings as best she could with the sofa back in the way, and I mounted her, pressing my flare against her still soaking entrance. I made a mental note to buy her a drink later. I pushed in gently, parting tight, hot flesh as I entered. Peach winced, and I paused to let her adjust. “When you’re ready again, let me know.” I wasn’t even deep enough for her maidenhead; just shoving it in was no good.

A moment later, after fidgeting underneath me a little, she nodded. “Okay. Try again, Mr. Deal.” I did, and again she winced. She looked back at me unhappily. “Maybe… just ignore me and go ahead?” I sighed. There was no way I was going to do that to her. I formed smoke once again, this time around my cock, still inside her. I imagined a slightly better fit.

Peach gasped again, in pleasure this time, and struggled to stay up as my rod slid into her so suddenly that her barrier tore unnoticed. With my stallionhood at last balls deep inside of her, Peach Pit looked back, smiling despite tears in her eyes. She’d noticed, even if I hadn’t, but she smiled as brightly as the sun. “You fixed it! You’re really—we’re really—thank you.” I balanced on three hooves to wipe the tears from her eyes, and began to move gently.

Peach began to moan immediately, pushing back to take more of me when I tried to stay shallow for her sake. She looked back over her withers to insist on more. “I want all of it, Mr. Deal! I—hah—love it! Oh, Celestia! Is it always this—ah!—good?”

Peach’s praise and panting fluffed my ego. “Only with me, Peach!” I drove deeper, scraping her insides and earning a squeal. “Only with me!” The wet sounds where we joined echoed in the abandoned halls, and the smell of sex overtook the dust completely. Peach’s long wings fluttered a bit with each thrust. It was beautiful, and spurred me to move even faster. Peach started trying to muffle her cries by propping her forelegs on the arm of the couch and biting one. I played dirty and leaned on her for balance while I reached underneath her to play with one of her new teats. She screamed into her foreleg, and I played and bucked harder, earning a second and third scream before Peach put her powerful wings to use, flapping hard to pull herself almost completely away, only to set her hooves with my flare barely still inside and jump backward, slamming home so hard that I toppled onto my back, grabbing hold of her out of surprise, and bringing her with me, her full weight driving my cock clear to her womb as she came to rest sitting on it.

I burst, pouring every drop I had into Peach while she stiffened in an orgasm of her own. Long, lovely wings stretched as wide as they could above me, and Peach’s beautiful new mane lashed in the air while she screamed. Right then, the mare I’d thought of as plain all day was the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen.

…and then she came crashing down on top of me. Luckily, as light as pegasi are, it earned nothing more than an “oof,” but the moment was destroyed in a cloud of dust, causing us both to cough. Peach cracked up, laughing between coughing fits, and I couldn’t help but join her. The dust slowly settled, and so did we, with Peach Pit lying on her back, my shaft still inside. Juices poured out of her onto a sofa nopony had used in years, and never would again.

Peach slowly composed herself, but didn’t try to move. I stroked at her mane, and she guided my other hoof to rest on a soft teat, while her free hoof rested over her womb. Even from beneath, the smile on her face was visible. “Mr. Deal? I feel a little dirty saying this, but… what a wonderful way to start this old theater over. I love you.” Startled as I was, I just leaned up and kissed my new mare’s neck.

The PR Lady

“Sorry, boss! I really thought he’d go for it!” Bruises had been pacing and apologizing ever since I came back from my pointless visit to her last boss. No amount of cajoling had convinced him to bank his company on restoring an abandoned old theater, and his office had been too full to force the matter. Not that I could blame him; anypony sensible would balk at investing their whole workforce on what had to look like a complete fool’s errand, but until I found contractors willing to do the work, I couldn’t move on a loan. Banks never put the cart before the pony. Still, first try. Plenty of others in Manehattan.

“Relax, Bruises. He didn’t want in. That’s fine. His loss.” I took a pull from my cider as Pirouette directed her girls around the stage in final rehearsals for the night’s show. “I’ll find somepony.”

“I still don’t get why you didn’t bring me though.” Bruises looked hurt. I sighed and put the cider down. I’d been dancing around it the whole time; she hated remembering what she was like before. If she wouldn’t let it go, though…

“Think about how you acted last time you saw him, Bruises. Were you nice to him?” Bruises blinked, then hung her huge head like a scolded filly.

“No, sir…” Wonderful. She’d gone from vaguely hurt to depressed.

I rose to cheer her up, only to hear an indignant squawk from the stage. “There! There, Ms. P, didja see it that time?” One of the dancers was pointing angrily out the picture window at nothing at all, but the tired look on Pirouette’s face told me that whatever it was, this wasn’t a new complaint.

“C’mon, Bruises. Looks like the girls are spooked. Who’s gonna make them feel safe if their big, tough bouncer is pouting?” Blushing just a bit, Bruises raised her head and fell in behind me as I walked to the stage.

“What’s the fuss, Pirouette?” If something was spooking my girls while they were getting ready for a show, it needed fixing, and pronto. A bad show was never an option; distractions during rehearsal were forbidden. Pirouette turned to me with a completely serious expression, and I realized the dancers must’ve been seriously on edge.

“Done, I’ve been trying to leave you be about it, since you’ve got so much on your plate with those… uh, ‘investments’ of yours, but for weeks now girls have been seeing something white outside. Peeking in windows, overhead as they come in—two said they even saw flashes of light right before the white thing took off! I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s got the girls upset, and that’s got me upset.” Pirouette’s demeanor changed, and she leaned close, giving me her sweetest smile. “You always say you’ll take care of anything for us, right? Be a sweetheart and find out what’s going on, hmm?” A few of the dancers snickered or whispered behind raised hooves. Giddy as fillies. One moment screaming, the next all giggles.

I patted Pirouette on the head, suppressing a smile as hers suddenly vanished. “Sure thing, Pirouette. Come on, Bruises; time to play detective.” Bruises bounced to her hooves from where she’d plopped herself beside me, and offered a sharp salute. “Detectives, Bruises, not sol—you know, nevermind. That was kinda cute.”

Bruises blushed again, and Pirouette laid her ears back for some reason as I headed for the front door. Out of the corner of my eye, I could swear I saw a couple of the dancers facehoofing. I let it go. They’d change their tunes when I got rid of the problem.

Outside Tall Tail, Bruises and I started looking around. I’m sure she was completely serious, but anypony else would’ve thought Bruises was making a mockery of our hunt—her nose was so close to the ground I was worried she’d snort a stray pebble and need a hospital trip.

“Easy, Bruises. Whatever’s going on, it wouldn’t leave tracks on a sidewalk. You can search normally, honest.” If there was a clue to be found, it wouldn’t be that small. Besides, Bruises attracted enough attention with her size alone; we didn’t need her bloodhound act attracting any more.

Bruises nodded and resumed walking along more normally while I looked over the window our nuisance had been at moments before. My search was interrupted by a hoof right in front of my muzzle, holding up a candy wrapper, and an excited voice. “Is this a clue, boss?”

I had to look over at Bruises, hoping something in her expression would imply that it was just a joke. Nope. Nothing. Earnest as ever, there was no doubt that the question was serious. I stifled a sigh and gestured at a wastebasket near the street corner. “No, Bruises. That’s just a piece of litter. Toss it, would you? Trash out front is bad for business.”

Completely unfazed, Bruises lit her horn and levitated the crumpled junk off to the garbage. She resumed her hunt, and so did I—only to have an unusually brightly colored pebble float suddenly into my line of sight. Bruises’ voice came with it, of course. “What about this?”

Wondering if perhaps I should’ve called Jade from her dusting behind the bar instead of bringing my bouncer, I shook my head. “Nope. Just a pebble, Bruises. We’re looking for something to lead us to whatever was outside the window just a minute ago, remember?”

Bruises nodded vigorously. “Right!” For some reason, the pebble stayed her in magical grip. I didn’t ask.

I gave up examining the window. If there was anything like a clue there, it was beyond me. Bruises had no such trouble coming up with “possibilities,” though. A flyer, a piece of broken glass (both of which joined the candy wrapper), and other junk were hoisted my way, and Bruises’ enthusiasm dropped a hair as I had her discard them all. I was ready to call it hopeless, and Bruises looked afraid to ask as she held up one more thing—a feather.

I snatched it from Bruises’ hoof. “Where did you find that?” Any feather right there couldn’t have been for long—it was a breezy enough day for our tails to flutter a bit in the wind, a feather would’ve moved along if it’d been there more than a few minutes. And, it was white.

Bruises mood bounced back instantly. “It was caught on the window sill, up here, boss!” Bruises pointed to a spot well above my head, and I clapped a hoof over my face. White feather, quick disappearance, clue up out of my view—the girls were acting like they’d seen a ghost, when it was nothing but a pegasus. Why one was snooping around my club, however, I didn’t know. As I removed my hoof, I let my head fall backwards in exasperation at such an obvious answer, and saw it: a bit of white hanging over the edge of the roof.

“He’s still up there! Doubletime, Bruises!” Startled, Bruises lagged behind a few paces, but had no trouble making it up as we stormed back through The Tall Tail’s main hall, earning more than a few startled glances as we did. I winced at the racket we made running up the iron staircase, and almost stopped to check for damage as we went from first floor to second. Day Planner squawked indignantly as we tore through the office and up into my apartment above. Finally, we burst onto the roof and looked around frantically. Nothing.

“Damnit! Look around, Bruises. Other rooftops, up, anything.” We both craned our necks, looking for any white in the sky that wasn’t a cloud, but nothing turned up. I grumbled and panted, annoyed at having lost whoever was making trouble. Doubly annoyed at being winded for nothing.

Bruises just sounded disappointed. “He got away, boss.” Annoyed as I was, I nearly snapped at her for stating the obvious, but held my tongue. Catching my breath gave a perfectly good excuse for not answering.

I sat to rest a moment on the rooftop before heading back down, but as soon as my rear hit the roof, there was a click, a flash, and a clatter as the table I kept up there was knocked to the side by an uninvited guest. The damned white pegasus!

I shouted, “Bruises! Grab him!” Startled again, she took a second longer than she should’ve, and the pegasus spiraled into the air and away—only to be snagged by Bruises’ magic, yanked down, and shoved roughly against the brick wall of the passage back into the club.

“Ow!”

That voice was much too high. With the pegasus held in place, I finally got a proper look and frowned. Small and feminine, with a camera around her neck and rolls of film on her flank, we’d caught our troublemaker, and she was nothing but a shutterbug filly. All this fuss over nothing. Detectives my flank. “Hey, kid, don’t you think you’re a little young to be trying to peep at a cabaret? We don’t run that kind of show anyway.”

Still pinned to the wall, the angry filly thrashed helplessly and spat an awfully foul set of profanities at me, protesting that she was an adult. I let that go; before Bruises, I was the one bouncing the occasional underage pony from The Tall Tail, and at least half of them tried the “no, really, I’m all grown up!” line. It was nothing new. Until it was.

“You’re gonna be in so much trouble, Deal! I’ve got photos! You sneaking out of Vinyl’s show! You sneaking into that old hotel! You with Whittle, and some of Desert Rose’s other goons! The guard might not be making anything stick, but I know they’re no good, and you’re right there with ‘em! It’s gonna be all over the front page of the Manehattan Times!” Not once through her tirade did she quit thrashing. I was starting to get worried she’d hurt herself, and Bruises was looking unhappy, but if she even knew about the Vinyl concert and the meetings with the Trotties, she was trouble, much less if she had photos.

“Look, kid—”

She shouted loudly enough to hurt my ears, “I’m not a filly, you stupid motherbucker! I’m Exposé, and I’m a staff photojournalist at the Manehattan Times!”

I’ll be honest. My blood ran cold. I’d never met her, but a few of The Tall Tail’s events had attracted the paper in the past, and I’d heard of Exposé. Tiny, touchy about it, but able to get scoops nopony else could crack, and always with more than enough photos to prove her stories. Hell to work with, but when she had news, everypony from the editor-in-chief on down let her have her way. It fit better than I wanted to admit.

“Never been caught before, have you?” Exposé’s tirade continued while I spoke quietly. “Telling me what you had was really, really stupid. I was ready to just tell you not to come back. Now I have to do something about you.” Bruises frowned, looking even more unhappy, and I didn’t blame her. I felt like some awful comic book villain, something out of that inane “Power Ponies” franchise, but facts were facts. I couldn’t let news like that break before I was ready for it. Horseapples.

Exposé, at least, had shut up and was taking me seriously. The thrashing was gone; now she was trembling. “Y-you wouldn’t. Born Leader… that was you?” Exposé went pale. Well, more pale. With Desert Rose still calling the shots with the Trotties, I guess she hadn’t figured that part out.

I wasn’t about to offer anything she didn’t already know. “Give me the camera.”

Exposé was wide-eyed now, but her reputation for being tough wasn’t all talk. “N-no.” Her eyes narrowed, and her tone went cold. I’d gone from suspicious troublemaker to murderer. She went from afraid to hateful. “You’re going to jail, Deal. You don’t know where my photos are, and if you do anything to me, somepony will find out.”

The day had started so nicely. I reached out and grabbed the camera strap. When I moved to pull it over her head, though, Exposé twisted and bit, hard, clamping teeth down on my leg.

I screamed and recoiled, scraping flesh against teeth and making it hurt even more. Bruises gasped and turned to me, looking at my hurt leg and forgetting all about Exposé, who was up and into the air—with her camera—in a heartbeat. Forcefully pointing Bruises’ huge head skyward by her chin, I pointed at the fleeing pegasus and yelled “Catch her!”

Again Bruises lit her horn, managing to snag only Exposé’s tail, an instant before she was too far to grasp. Exposé struggled and cursed, but Bruises reeled her in inch by inch until she could get a proper grip. My leg was bleeding, and Bruises was much less bothered by being rough. Expose was slammed to the rooftop, hard enough to knock the wind from her lungs, and Bruises moved to pin her physically.

Limping on my hurt leg, I followed and sat next to Bruises’ and Exposé’s heads. There was only one way to handle a threat like this: make it an asset. And I had a promise to keep, to boot. “Like her, Bruises?”

Confused, the big mare blinked, but didn’t move even her head this time. Exposé was not going to slip away twice. “Huh? No way, boss! Look at you! You’re bleeding, and it’s all her fault! And she wants to put you in jail!”

I shook my head, smiling. Of course Bruises wouldn’t get it if I asked like that. “Forget about all that. Look at her. What do you think of her looks?”

Bruises blushed a little as she struggled to look at more than Exposé’s head the way she held her down. “Well, she’s cute. Tiny, but… that’s cute too. She’s like a big doll.”

Exposé was gradually coming to her senses, but Bruises’ evaluation of her snapped her back to reality in an instant. “Doll? I’ll doll you! Get off me! What are you, a draft horse? Get off!” Exposé kicked ferociously at Bruises’ belly, but if Bruises even noticed, I couldn’t tell. I smiled and patted my bouncer on her big head.

“That, Bruises, is your new fillyfriend. Go on, give her a kiss! Or whatever it is you’d like to do, I guess. Put her in a little doll outfit, maybe?”

Bruises stared down at Exposé, obviously baffled, and even the noisy reporter was speechless for a change. Bruises looked at me sidelong. She wanted to, I could tell, but had pretty understandable doubts. “Boss… I don’t think she likes me.”

There were no doubts in Exposé’s head. “Don’t like? Of course I don’t like you, you… you big ox! Get offa me!” Exposé sensed things were very quickly getting worse for her, I suppose. She redoubled her attempts to kick Bruises off, but had no more luck than before.

“You’re not going to?” I had no intention of just having Bruises hold Exposé down and have her way. I was going to take care of that. All I wanted was to see the look on Exposé’s face when Bruises’ big mouth practically covered hers. Bruises had the same reluctance any decent pony would, though, if they didn’t realize I was going to fix things. I sighed.

Bruises spoke without looking at me. “Boss…” It was obvious enough that Bruises would love the mare beneath her, but wasn’t putting two and two together fast enough to get things done. I didn’t want to spoil the fun of seeing Exposé’s expression, so I couldn’t just smoke them both. Suddenly, I had an idea.

With no explanation, I grabbed Bruises’ chin and pulled her into a kiss with me instead of the kicking pegasus below. Startled, Bruises opened her mouth, probably to ask what the buck was going on—and I blew her full of smoke where Exposé couldn’t see. Bruises went only a little slack. I blew more. She relaxed more, but after the initial failure, I just kept blowing more and more into her, concerned that her massive size was making it less effective when it didn’t go in through the ears or something.

“What the buck is going on?!” Exposé stole Bruises’ line, and I laughed just a bit as I broke the kiss. Cloudy eyed and absent looking, there was no doubt Bruises was in exactly the right state… but I frowned as I caught a glance of a wisp of smoke trailing from her mouth. That had never happened before, and I didn’t know what consequences it might bring. No turning back now, though.

“Go on, Bruises. Do whatever you’d like.” The trail of wetness crawling down her back leg left no doubt what that kiss had put her in the mood for. Exposé thrashed harder, seeing the strange look in Bruises’ eyes, but couldn’t get out from under the weight. At this point, I was wary enough that even if she started to, I’d have smoke in her ears in an instant.

Looking back down at Exposé in a daze, Bruises mumbled, “’kay,” before lowering her lips. Finally, Exposé shrieked, but it was muffled by Bruises’ mouth. Wide-eyed, horrified, and furious—that was how Exposé looked—but only for a second or two. Before I moved to make the experience a pleasant, even wonderful one for her, her eyes half closed and grew distant. The scream trailed off as if forgotten halfway, and of all things, Exposé returned Bruises’ kiss! I didn’t get it. Then a wisp of smoke wafted free as Bruises moved her face away for just a moment. I’d filled her so full of smoke she leaked or something! Jade had never done that.

I frowned. I’d thought I was beginning to understand how the smoke worked, but this was new. Worrying, I forgot to do what I needed with Exposé, until I got a reminder that she was even there, when Bruises magically lifted the troublesome reporter’s nether regions to her own and started to rub, making both moan distractedly.

I laughed and shook my head. The smoke’s weird behavior was something for another time. Right now there were two mares in front of me, tribbing. One giant, one miniscule, one pinning one pinned, both more arousing than I’d expected them to be. I looked around in the air for any stray pegasi, and was relieved to find none. I let smoke trail from my nearest hoof to Exposé’s ears. A smoky kiss wouldn’t hold forever. Something more lasting was required. Something absolute—between the threat of Exposé and the risk of Bruises’ heart breaking, there was no room for error. I made the smoke as thick as I possibly could, nearly opaque.

“You love this, Exposé.” I looked back, where they ground against each other. It was impossible to tell who was wetter anymore, the liquids were so completely mingled, and both were so soaked. Exposé’s moaning made it obvious she was enjoying herself greatly anyway. “Tiny as you are, as much as you can’t stand being mistaken for a filly, you love how Bruises dwarfs you, how she dominates you. It’s embarrassing to be mistaken for a filly, but you’re really getting off feeling helpless as one.”

Exposé moaned more loudly in response. “There aren’t many like Bruises, you know. So huge, so powerful. Think of what you’ll miss out on at night, making you feel like a doll. Embarrassing, but thrilling, don’t you think?” Exposé shuddered. I couldn’t be sure it was the idea I was putting in her head. It could’ve been Bruises’ lips grinding against hers, for all I know. But there was no hint of objection, and that’s what I cared about. No, what I cared most about came next.

“So, you’re going to be Bruises’ fillyfriend, and she’s mine. That means you won’t be making any trouble for me. That’d just make trouble for Bruises, after all. She might leave you. Alone, and tiny, and helpless.” Her legs were still pinned, but Exposé cried out suddenly, and flung her wings around Bruises’ head, holding the only thing she could. I wondered for a moment if maybe a little of what I was etching into Exposé was already true. “Help me, and you help her. Help me, and I’ll make sure you’re her little doll forever.” Exposé shuddered hard. It didn’t matter whether it was what I was telling her, or whether it was Bruises’ doing. She’d never leave.

* * * * *

I sat in my living room after the show that night, enjoying a cold cider, and content that the problem was solved. I even managed to keep the sighs to a minimum. I’d turned down a pegasus, after all, and when her foul mouth was shut, Exposé was cute. Tall or tiny, mares were most attractive at extremes. I couldn’t be too upset, though. After all, Peach Pit was practically made to order. My mood was as high as it’d been in days.

The knock at my door was unexpected, but at that hour it could only be Jade, done cleaning up the bar and ready for bed. She’d lost her key once before, and I got up to let her in, muttering that it had better not be becoming a habit. I was more than a little surprised to find Exposé on the other side, in a long, frilly dress, mane in spiral curls all around her face—just like a little doll. Behind her sat Bruises, sheepishly tapping her hooves together and looking everywhere but at me. Both mares faces were stained with a deep blush.

“Why Exposé! You look adorable! To what do I owe the pleasure?” Exposé blushed deeper and muttered what I’m sure would’ve been a curse if it’d been audible. I’ll be honest—after that afternoon, I savored that reaction.

“M-miss Parapet said she wanted to thank you. She said I had it all wrong, that you’re trying to clean up Manehattan, and the proper authorities just can’t get things done. That… that you’re really nice.” Exposé was practically choking on each and every word. This was not easy for her. I loved it.

“Miss Parapet, huh?” I grinned at Bruises, who ever so carefully studied the floor. “Which of you settled on that, I wonder.” Bruises quit tapping her hooves long enough to timidly raise one. “Aww, Bruises, that’s adorable. You found somepony you can be firm with! Well, without me telling you to, anyway.” The mares looked at each other, then away, sharply. My mood was getting better and better.

“You really don’t need to thank me, though, Bruises. I promised you a fillyfriend if you’d work for me, and you’ve been a great employee. I’m glad you two are ha—” I was cut off abruptly by a hoof on my mouth. Not rough, but there was no question the owner wanted me to shut up. On the other end was Exposé, practically shaking.

“Don’t make fun of me.” She wasn’t yelling or cursing, but it wasn’t a request, either. “Please.” Still not a request. So the manners were mostly to keep out of trouble. I could be nice; I’d had my fun.

“Sorry, Exposé. I like to tease a bit, but I wasn’t trying to make anypony angry.” That was true, honestly. Not that I minded getting under Exposé’s skin a little. “Anyway, I meant it. You two don’t need to thank me.”

“Miss Parapet wants to, Mr. Deal. And I… I want to apologize.” Exposé wasn’t looking me in the eye, and made a point not to when Bruises patted her head. “Look, just… let us in, please?”

I shrugged. It was late, but not so late I’d chase away an employee who wanted to talk for a bit. I stepped back from the door, and Bruises and Exposé walked past. “Up the stairs, to the left at the first landing.” The mares headed up, Bruises first, and I followed, enjoying the view of Exposé’s small plot swaying under the dress as she climbed.

At the landing, Exposé looked around and shook her head. “You don’t get it? The bedroom, Mr. Deal. Miss Parapet said that’s the kind of… thank you and apology you’d like best.”

I sighed. I could make Exposé want it, and I’d think about it if I had to, but as far as I was concerned, she belonged to Bruises. Toying with her head wasn’t my first choice anymore. “You really don’t ha—” Exposé covered my mouth again, but didn’t speak. I made a mental note to talk to Bruises about that. I understood, but I couldn’t have her doing that in public.

It was Bruises who spoke, though, not Exposé. “We talked about it already, boss. I really want to with you… at least once… and Exposé said… uh…”

Exposé burst. “I said if she’s going to have you, I don’t want to be left out!” Looking away again, Exposé stamped a hoof and said nothing else.

“…that.” Bruises gestured at Exposé with a hoof big enough to hide the mare’s whole face. So that’s how it was. She wanted it, but she didn’t want to admit it. I struggled not to laugh.

“Alright then, ladies. Down the hall, door on the end.” I had no idea what was in store for me, but I’d put Bruises off over and over. There was no way to do it now, not without hurting her, and I’d already made my peace with giving her a chance sooner or later. Exposé flapped her wings once, and came to rest on Bruises’ back as they headed down the hall. I followed, stiffening a bit at the idea in spite of my reservations about my hulking bouncer.

In the bedroom, I found myself floating through the air, hat flying to its rack as Bruises lifted me onto the bed. Still blushing horribly, she crawled up beside me, leaving hardly any room, and rolled onto her back, legs as spread as they’d go. It… wasn’t terribly erotic, to be honest. Before I could think of how I ought to react, though, I felt a tongue on my barely unsheathed shaft, a tiny one. Looking down, I found Exposé lapping at the tip like a kitten at a saucer of milk, and gasped. THAT was erotic—hardly any bigger than a filly, done up like a doll, and lapping like she was cautious of the growing member between her hooves, Exposé was getting me stiff in a hurry. I laid back, eyes closed, and sighed happily. After a minute or two, though it suddenly stopped. I opened my eyes to find that Bruises looked almost as pleased as I had, as Exposé had been gently tending to her with a hoof the whole time.

“She’s ready, Mr. Deal.” Exposé nodded toward Bruises, and I nodded. The little pegasus had gotten me excited enough that suddenly Bruises waiting lips didn’t look bad at all—either pair. I moved to climb up between her legs, and Bruises lifted me easily, lowering me to just the right point, and I slid in, holding her hind legs apart myself. Just as I remembered from the day she’d pounced on me, this one part of Bruises was soft as silk. I pushed in the rest of the way, not reaching her depths before I ran out of dick. With any other mare I’d have been embarrassed, but before I could even think of anything like that, Bruises clasped her insides around me, almost as tightly as Peach Pit, and I moaned.

“You can move, boss. I’m good. Exposé will take care of us both.” Bruises was leaning up to look at me as she spoke, heat in her eyes. I nodded and smiled, leaning forward to plant a kiss as close to her head as I could—I got maybe halfway up her belly. She was rock hard beneath my lips, but there was that feminine scent in my nostrils again. I smiled at the big mare and began to thrust, doubts forgotten. Bruises let out the tiniest little squeak as I started to move, squeezing me tighter. Close my eyes, and she could be any other mare. Her size didn’t matter at all.

I was only a few thrusts in when it was my turn to squeak. A tiny mouth was clamped gently over one of my balls, following it as I moved and swirling it around with a tongue. It was enough to throw me off me rhythm, and Bruises looked up, instantly worried. I smiled back a her and pushed in as far as I could, earning a happy moan. Exposé’s mouth was busy, but the wing on my flank told me she hadn’t missed it. I did my best to put the wing out of my mind. This was about Bruises right now. I steadied myself to push harder, my hoof sliding up Bruises’ leg to her powerful inner thigh, and I pumped away, wildly.

That had been what Bruises was waiting for, no doubt about it. Huge, muscular forelegs reached down and pulled me tight against her body, and silky insides clamped so tightly I could barely move. Under my hoof, I felt the sinew in Bruises hind legs tense and get harder still as the mare struggled to push back against me from her awkward position. All she really succeeded in doing was grinding my balls against Expose’s face. If Exposé minded at all, she gave no sign. Her soft tongue and tiny hooves ran all over my sack and around, right to the point that I entered her new fillyfriend. I groaned loudly, and licked at the bend of Bruises’ gigantic hind leg, confused at my growing arousal.

I put my back into it, and rammed Bruises hard, despite her tight grip on my cock. Her forelegs pressed me tighter against her body, away from the leg I’d been licking. Bruises screamed, and with one eye I was able to look up and see her face—I doubt she’d ever looked so happy in her life.

A little too happy, perhaps. Suddenly, Bruises flopped over, taking me with her, and I was underneath, pressed tightly between her hard underside and the bed’s soft mattress. She bucked ferociously, but without the madness that had driven her back in her dingy apartment, and I pushed back for all I was worth. Exposé moved, and began to lick around Bruises lips again, making me shudder when her tongue slipped onto me. I was close to my limit, but not hitting it. Not until Bruises wrapped her forelegs around me, completely trapping me in her massive arms, and I realized—all that muscle, all that power—wanted to please me, more than anything else. I burst at last, letting it flow, riling the smoke inside me on purpose to pour and pour until even Bruises’ massive insides were completely full and overflowing. Exposé squeaked as seed poured out onto her muzzle, but neither Bruises nor I even noticed at the time. We were gone.

* * * * *

I lay recovering, with Bruises strong leg still holding me close. She’d moved, making it easier for me to breathe, but hadn’t been willing to give me any space yet. I didn’t mind. Just as I began to doze, though, I felt a washcloth on my softening shaft, and looked up to see Exposé, muzzle clean once more, washing me off.

She caught my confused glance and answered the question I hadn’t asked. “My turn, Mr. Deal.”

I blinked and looked over at Bruises, who was still humming happily at having been really accepted—that was what had mattered most to her, after all. “Are you okay with that, Bruises? She’s your fillyfriend, not mine.”

Bruises just shrugged. I wasn’t even sure she understood the question until she mumbled, “If it’s you, I don’t mind, boss.” I smiled. My seed was still pouring out of her, but to her, I was still “boss.”

Exposé poked Bruises’ leg. “You too, Miss Parapet. You promised.” It wasn’t a plaintive whine. Expose didn’t do those. It was a reminder of a fact. She might’ve been playing the doll, but Exposé was no shrinking violet.

Bruises nodded, still smiling dreamily. “I didn’t forget. But he’s soft again.” Expose sighed, and moved her muzzle under my soft cock, lifting it with her face a few inches and making Bruises laugh. Exposé sighed, and began running her soft tongue back and forth, nuzzling as she did. I sighed and petted her on the head, earning an annoyed growl.

“Uh, boss? Only I get to do that, I think.” Bruises looked a little guilty, as if denying me anything was a sin she didn’t want to commit, but I just pulled back my hand and nodded. Exposé’s licks had turned to gentle sucking at the head of a shaft that barely fit her mouth at all. I groaned and let her work. She had me hard again in no time at all.

Without warning, Bruises lifted Exposé into the air, hind legs splayed, forelegs and wings held tight against her body, and lowered her gently onto my shaft, face to face. Unlike Bruises, I bottomed out in Exposé with inches to spare. The pegasus writhed in my lap, gasping and moaning as she tried to get more of me into her, but it wasn’t happening.

“She said she wanted to be really, really d—um… domi—darn. Exposé?”

“Augh! Domin—aah!—dominated! And you didn’t have to tell him that!” Exposé looked like she wanted to glare at Bruises, but didn’t dare. I got the idea, though, and wrapped my forelegs around her, holding her physically while Bruises kept her still magically. The timid whimper from Exposé was perfect. I started moving slowly, concerned about hurting such a small mare, and Exposé gasped and twisted on my shaft, crying out right into my face. I muffled her with a kiss, and continued pushing gently in and out of the helpless mare.

Exposé continued to twist desperately on my shaft, grinding the bead of her clit against me. Bruises held us that tightly together, and I loved it. Little bites at Expose’s ears and neck made her scream—right up until the door opened. She snapped her head to the side to see, and screamed altogther differently. There stood Jade, Exposé’s camera in hoof, already working to focus the lens on us. Exposé squawked incoherently as I suddenly bucked harder, to prrevent her objection.

I looked over to Bruises. “You said she wanted to be dominated…” I held up a hoof behind Exposé’s head, wreathed in smoke. “What do you think?

Bruises eyes widened, and she smiled. I’d forgotten how much she enjoyed the smoke these days. “I think she’ll like it!”

Exposé was having none of it. “Like what? I don’t want my piiii…” The smoke slid into Exposé’s ear, and she slid into silence, slumping as much as she could in Bruises’ magical hold. I took my chance and patted her on the head.

“It’s fine, Jade. Go ahead and take pictures. Bruises, turn her so she’s facing Jade, okay?” Bruises nodded, and Exposé lifted and spun on my shaft. I groaned, almost losing it right there. Exposé settled back down on my rod, and I moved my hoof so the smoke wouldn’t be obvious in the photos.

The flash went off, and I began to thrust again, Exposé gasping softly, impaled on my stallionhood, as I did. The smoke flowing into her ear was a much thinner trickle; I wanted her aware for this. I wanted her to feel like it was true and accept it, not carve it into her. Into the same ear the smoke flowed, I whispered, “You love this.” The flash went off again as I fucked Exposé slowly. “You’re Bruises’ little dolly, after all, why wouldn’t you like when she plays with you with friends? We’re taking pictures because you’re such a pretty, precious little doll for her. That’s what you want, right? To be owned, played with, enjoyed.”

Exposé moaned, but the slight smile on her lips was an affirmative. I reached around in front, and rubbed at her clitoris while I slid in and out. To my side, Bruises was rubbing at her own with a huge hoof. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

Exposé struggled against the stupor of the smoke and managed to nod her head. “Riiiight…”

I smiled and licked her neck as the flash went off again. She moaned, convulsing on my dick as she quietly orgasmed. “Good girl. You’re Bruises fillyfriend and doll. You like having your picture taken like this. They’re important keepsakes of you with your new owners, after all.”

Exposé shuddered again, much harder, the squeezing bringing me to my own orgasm as I lewdly licked at her face, to which she only smiled blankly. Gout after gout of seed flooded into Exposé, as much as I’d poured into Bruises, though the petite mare was far less equipped to hold it. The flash went off over and over as Exposé’s stomach swelled and seed poured out.

* * * * *

“So that’s how it is. Expect to see her around a lot, Pirouette. She’ll be helping us with positive press, making sure nothing troublesome sees ink. With a reputation like hers, no pony will think twice if she says there’s no story. In fact, she’s going to switch her scoop on me to a story about all the good I’m doing in this town. I wrapped up my explanation and sat happily near my—Bruises’—new mare.

Pirouette frowned at Exposé, who didn’t give an inch. “I can’t believe this is what’s been scaring my girls. A filly.”

Exposé growled for half a second before shouting, her loud voice filling the Tall Tail’s main room during afternoon rehearsal. “I’m not a filly, damn it!”

Author's Note

As mentioned in a blog post made just before this chapter went up, I wrote this while sitting on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. today. I figured, what better place to do a chapter on a member of the press coming to serve a corrupt power than the home of corrupt power? Turns out that the site wasn't quite as inspiring as I'd hoped. I had to do battle repeatedly with SUPER TINY red bugs of some kind that kept landing on my screen and keyboard, occasional screeching children, and some noisy Christian event on the opposite side with bad singing, out of sync dancing, and some guy loudly proclaiming that they were wasting their time seeing sights in D.C., because Jesus something something. (To be clear, I don't generally have problems with Christians when they're not using an amplifier to tell passersby that they should quit enjoying the sights and get right with God.)

Oh well. At least I got to eat at my favorite burger joint in Union Station.

Catch Me a Catch

I’ll admit it: my fuse was short in the first place. My legs were tired, my head hurt, my nose was stuffed, and by mid-afternoon, I hadn’t yet had a thing to eat. All because, apparently, not one contractor in all of Manehattan had any balls. I’d hiked all over town, and every last one of them was afraid of working just a few blocks past where the city started going south. I couldn’t very well tell anypony that the usual suspects were on my side. “Oh, right, I’ll be rebuilding a theater in gang territory, but it’s okay; they like me!” Half-truth aside, that’d just make it even harder to get them interested, and without a willing contractor, it wasn’t even worth trying for the loan. I’d nearly used the smoke on one, but the long view on that was awful. Subordinates asking questions, wondering if their boss had lost his mind, refusing to work there—if I couldn’t predict what somepony would have to answer for, too much change would just come back to bite me. The limitations of what my power could do were starting to get rubbed in my face.

So there I sat, frustrated, angry, hurting, and ready to snap at anypony who looked at me funny while I tried to handle the club’s paperwork, with Day Planner replacing it as quickly as I got it off my plate. I wanted to scream. Remembering I owned the place, I went ahead and did, causing Day Planner to jump nearly out of her skin. Before I could even laugh, the lecturing started.

“Mr. Deal,” Day began, with her ears flat, “I understand your day has been frustrating, but I don’t appreciate being startled like that! If you can’t focus, you know I’m willing to help you blow off steam, but say so, don’t shout like some maniac!”

If I told her to right then, I’m sure Day would’ve gotten under my desk and started licking, just like she said, but her angry glare killed any interest I had in her then. So tack “stomaching a justified lecture from a subordinate” on the list of things ruining my day. And biting back a reminder of who was in at The Tall Tail. “Dammit. Sorry, Day. I’ve had about all I can take for today.”

I explained to her how I’d marched all over the city, missing cabs three times, getting turned down almost instantly by four contracting firms and laughed out of the office by a fifth. How I’d skipped lunch to get the parade of failure over sooner, and how the changing weather had left me completely unable to breathe through my nose after all that marching around.

In true Day Planner style, she just turned away and lifted her tail. At least her tone was soft, the closest Day ever came to sympathy. “Mr. Deal, please either put me to use, or give up on paperwork for today. I’ve had to correct at least one thing on a third of what you’ve handled. If you can’t calm down, you’ll only make things worse.”

I sighed and rose to round my desk and approach Day Planner. Speaking softly, and in that pose, she was quite a lot more inviting than she’d seemed just minutes before. I’d no sooner stretched out a hoof to warm her up, though, than I heard the unmistakable crash and tinkle of shattered glass—loudly. “Son of a diamond dog! What did Jade break—the entire damned wine rack?”

Day Planner was entirely forgotten as I stomped out the office door and down the stairs. I was only halfway down when I saw it, and thoughts of replacing a little wine vanished from my mind: fragments of my beautiful picture window lay all over the floor, surrounding a flat rock about two hooves wide. On the far side what remained of the window sat three horrified looking fillies. One with a bow had a hoof clapped over her mouth. A short-maned pegasus sat staring at the damage, covering her ears, a girly looking unicorn with a bicolor mane and tail covered her eyes as she screamed shrilly—probably the reason the pegasus had her hooves in her ears.

I grit my teeth, laid back my ears and bit back some profanity so vile that had Pirouette heard me use it, she’d have shoved an entire bar of soap in my mouth. This was hours more work for me, over a thousand bits of damage, and would cost us several nights’ revenue while we closed for repairs. The chill that had clogged my nose wasn’t going to be welcome blowing through the club after dark; there was no way we could run shows like this! All because these three little brats didn’t know how to behave. I stomped past Pirouette, her dancers, and their interrupted rehearsal. I’d really had it, and was ready to let these fillies have it, too, when I spotted a purple mare running my way, smiling flowers on her flanks.

“Girls! Where have you been? I’ve been—” The newcomer’s eyes widened when she saw the damage to my window, and maybe I’m flattering myself, but I could swear the look on my face caused her to wince. She was obviously in charge of the little monsters. That suited me; I didn’t need to be seen shouting at fillies.

“Perhaps you’d like to tell me why these three just destroyed an expensive picture window.” My tone was cold. I wanted to make clear that I was in no mood for niceties, that I was not up for tolerating excuses, but I may have taken it too far. The mare seemed to shrink in place a bit, and all three fillies rushed behind her, though the pegasus did poke her head back out to glare at me, as if she weren’t the one destroying my property.

“I’d like to, but I didn’t see them do it, so the girls will have to explain for themselves. I think they owe you an apology anyway.” Though she still looked uncomfortable, the mare was making eye contact, and wasn’t trying to talk her way out of it. That simple fact calmed me more than I expected it to: she was reasonable.

I let my ears up, and dropped the chilly tone, but I was still all business. Until that was settled, those ponies had no right to expect anything else from me. “They’re going to owe me a lot more than an apology, or somepony is, miss. This window didn’t come cheap, and I’m going to lose money while it’s being replaced. Are you the mother of any of them?”

The pegasus looked at me as if I were crazy, but the one with the bow shook her head seriously. “My ma’d have some kinda apple fer a cutie mark, mister. All us Apples do!” I might’ve found the obvious family pride in her voice endearing, if she hadn’t just smashed my window. Her own flank was blank. I bit back a remark about exceptions to the rule.

The cold breeze blew as the mare gestured for “Ms. Apple” to stay quiet. “I’m afraid not. My name is Cheerilee; I’m their school teacher. We’re on a field trip, and these three seem to have gotten separated from the group while horsing around.” Cheerilee shot the three girls a look as she said that before turning back to me. “Under the circumstances, I suppose I really shouldn’t be asking for anything from you, but may we come in to deal with this? That wind is cold, and I imagine I’ll need to sign some papers or something.”

I nodded. The teacher was handling this exactly right. Not wasting my time, no manic defense of the “little angels,” and her only request so far was perfectly reasonable. It wasn’t going to improve my day any, but perhaps it wouldn’t be as infuriating as I’d imagined.

“I’m Done Deal, and I own this business. Come around to the door, and I’ll let you in. No point stepping in the glass.” All of us walked toward the door on our own sides of the wall. I unlocked the ornate glass doors centered on the long wall of the club’s hall and Cheerilee stepped in, fillies in tow. As they entered, I couldn’t resist a cheap shot. “At least they left the glass door intact.”

The unicorn filly hung her head and made a hurt sound, the pegasus glared angrily, and Ms. Apple and her teacher turned their heads head to frown at me. The first thing to mind was, “If you don’t like it, don’t break things,” but Pirouette had overheard and was menacing me silently from the stage. I sighed and pointed the fillies and their teacher up the stairs. I had to work with Pirouette; aggravating her over these fillies wasn’t worth it.

As they climbed the steps, the fillies seemed to be craning their necks, taking in as much as they could, especially the unicorn with the easily hurt feelings. Suddenly she stopped dead. “Hey, what kind of pla—oof!” The pegasus filly had plowed directly into her little friend’s tail while looking down at the stage. They began to squabble, and I rubbed at my eyes with a hoof in exasperation. Fortunately, Cheerilee had had enough as well, and pushed them both up the last steps to the landing with a meaningful expression. All three fillies sat politely without so much as a glance at each other. So they could behave. Just not for long.

“It’s a cabaret.” I stepped past my “guests” and pushed open the office door, gesturing them inside. “Ponies come to watch dancers and sometimes other acts, and have a few drinks at night. It’s a place to relax. Usually.” Cheerilee’s lips tightened a bit at my description. Great. A teetotaler. I decided it would be best to get the fillies out of there as quickly as possible, before I ended up hearing another lecture. I walked across the room to a filing cabinet near Day Planner, who was staring at the new ponies disrupting her peaceful workplace, and pulled out one of the oldest folders inside, carrying it back to my desk in my teeth, taking a seat across my desk from them.

Cheerilee and the fillies waited while I found the paper I was after and placed it toward them on my desktop. “Ten years ago, that window cost me fourteen hundred bits, custom made.” Cheerilee blanched a bit, and the fillies’ eyes widened. “Do you see why I was so angry now, girls? On top of that, I’m going to lose thousands in business while a new window is made. I can’t put on shows with a cold draft blowing through! It’s a big de—oh, Celestia, don’t start that!”

The unicorn filly with the bicolor mane had begun crying at my reprimand, so shrilly I almost feared for the office window, and somehow her friends had plugged their ears in advance. My headache from before returned, worse than ever, and I grit my teeth, but filly or not, if I have a weakness, it’s crying ladies. I grabbed a handkerchief from my drawer, trotted around my desk quickly, and started dabbing at the unicorn’s eyes. “C’mon, please? Don’t cry; I can’t handle that! Ugh, my head…” I looked to Cheerilee for help, but instead found her smiling at me for the first time. I facehoofed. In just one moment, I’d lost the tough businessman advantage.

Day Planner had had her fill of the noise, and after placing a note on my desk, quickly rushed out of the office and down the stairs. I desperately wanted to beg her to take me with her.

Cheerilee walked over to where I sat trying to comfort one of the kids who caused all this trouble and patted the bawling filly’s head. “Calm down now, Sweetie Belle. See? He’s nicer than he seems. He’s just upset because some rambunctious little fillies made a mess and still haven’t said sorry!”

I was upset about a lot more than that, but could only blink in surprise at the three fillies whose, “We’re sorry!” came in absolutely perfect unison. How often must they have had to apologize together to pull that off? I rubbed at my aching head, gave Sweetie Belle my handkerchief, and retreated to the safety of my side of the desk. Putting something between myself and the still-sniffling unicorn was far more comforting than I wanted to admit, and Cheerilee continuing to smile at me was simply embarrassing.

Pirouette opening the door felt like salvation. Her head peeked inside the office, tight bun resting on top. “Done, there’s a pegasus named Raindrops here. She says she’s a chaperone for the same field trip—Done Deal, did you make this filly cry?”

My jaw dropped. Those fillies broke my picture window, and I was getting yelled at? I gave up, and my face hit my desk, landing right on Day’s note. I spoke without raising my head. “Yes. Yes, I did, Pirouette. Please just kill me now and get it over with.”

Cheerilee laughed. “Don’t be angry, miss. He didn’t shout; he didn’t try to scare her. He was just telling us what that window cost. Girls, why don’t you go with Miss Raindrops? I’ll stay here and sort this out. It might take a little while.”

“Yes, Miss Cheerilee!” All three girls spoke in unison again and rushed for the door, but Sweetie Belle stopped to say, “Um. We’re really, really sorry. Please don’t be mad at Miss Cheerilee.” With that, the fillies were gone, but I could hear their voices fade as they peppered Pirouette with questions on the way down the stairs.

“They’re gone, Mr. Deal. Your dance instructor, too. You can come out now.”

I looked up at Cheerilee, and Day’s note stuck. Cheerilee laughed again, while I groaned. “You know, this really does fit my whole day, Cheerilee. I peeled the paper from my muzzle and looked. In Day’s precise, clear hoofwriting were the words, “Smoke practice.” I nearly dropped the page, and quickly slipped it into a drawer, out of sight.

Cheerilee cocked her head, but didn’t ask. “I hope your secretary wasn’t too angry. She seemed very annoyed.” I sighed. I really had lost the whole angry businessman edge, if Cheerilee was making friendly chit chat. Day’s suggestion wasn’t terrible, but I wanted business handled first. Using the smoke to get Cheerilee to just pay up would be efficient, and very like Day, but for all I knew I could put Cheerilee out of her house doing that. Not acceptable. Even if I was stiffening just a bit under my desk at the notion.

“She’s very no nonsense. Having anypony in here who’s not an employee bothers her. As for me, I just don’t handle crying girls well. So. Do you have any notions of how this is going to be paid for, Cheerilee? It’s been ten years; getting a new picture window will cost more than fourteen hundred, I’m sure of it. I don’t want to play the villain here, but somepony is going to reimburse me, and obviously three little fillies don’t have that kind of money.”

Cheerilee calmly took a seat across my desk as I got down to business. “I understand why your first concern is your business, Mr. Deal. It’s your living, and your employees’. But my main concern is my students. I know I don’t have any real grounds to ask favors, but you seem more reasonable than I thought. Can I have your word that if you’re paid for the window, you’re not going to make any trouble for the girls? No charges, no surprise bills, or anything like that?”

I blinked. Cheerilee was sharper than I’d given her credit for. Fortunately for us both, I didn’t care about those fillies as long as my window was paid for, but plenty of businessmen would’ve tried to milk the situation. Still, legitimate concern or not, it was a bit insulting, and more than a bit presumptuous when she hadn’t even discussed dealing with the window. I felt the smoke swirl a bit at my annoyance.

“Provided the cost of replacing the picture window is covered in full, Cheerilee, your students are going to be the last thing on my mind. If it’s not, then I’ll have to look at how to proceed, but I’m hoping we can get this sorted out and all go on our separate ways. The tricky part is that I don’t have an estimate yet, and I can’t claim insurance without naming the girls.”

Cheerilee nodded. “Can you get estimates done before shops close? I could come back tonight, since you said you’ll have to cancel shows anyway.”

The last thing I wanted after all my running around earlier that day was to run around more to visit glass shops, but the sooner the problem was sorted, the sooner I could reopen, and dealing with bills would be that much harder after Cheerilee had gone back to… wherever she was from. “Yeah. I’m pretty sure I can handle that. When will you be back?”

It was Cheerilee’s turn to sigh. “As soon as I get the girls in bed. Those three are the most ‘lively’ of my class, but there are plenty more, and only two have been to Manehattan before. Calming them last night took far too long.”

I frowned. I wanted a time, and that was all she could offer? “Can you promise to be no later than three in the morning, Cheerilee? I’m used to late nights running this business, but past that, I’m going to start getting pretty annoyed.”

Cheerilee’s eyes widened. “Mr. Deal, I won’t be awake at three in the morning myself! If any of the girls are, I’ll tie them to their beds!”

I couldn’t help a slight laugh, which was just what I needed at the moment. I offered Cheerilee a much more honest smile than I could’ve imagined I would when I saw my broken window. “Sounds like a plan, then. I’ll see you tonight, Cheerilee.”

* * * * *

It was quarter of midnight when Cheerilee finally arrived. I opened the office door for her, to find her staring wide-eyed down the stairs. Day never had come back to the office, so when I finished the paperwork that had stopped growing in her absence, I spent the rest of the evening calming down and thinking of just how I’d use the smoke on her. I’d never been one for teacher fantasies; most of my teachers had rubbed me the wrong way as a colt. But with one in my hooves… I shook it off and asked Cheerilee if she was alright.

“Who in Equestria was that? In the dark, I didn’t see her at all until she spoke, and I’ve never seen any pony so big! Not even Big Macintosh!” Cheerilee still hadn’t gotten over her shock as I ushered her into my office. I smiled, pleased not to be the one getting thrown off this time, and offered her a seat at my desk.

“That was Parapet, my bouncer. She’s very protective of me, and I live upstairs. When she saw the broken window, she insisted on spending the night playing watchdog. Don’t worry; she’s a sweetheart to anypony who’s nice to her.” Walking around to my side, I pulled out a small stack of papers—the estimates I’d gotten—and set them in front of Cheerilee like before.

“Those are the estimates, Cheerilee. They’re not inflated; I brought the shops a photograph of the front of the club to show them exactly what I wanted made. Ten years, Manehattan getting more expensive in general, and no pony offering any discounts makes it more than I would’ve expected.”

Cheerilee looked at the first estimate and winced, her ears lying back. Shuffling the papers, she looked at the second, third, and fourth, and seemed more and more distressed. I wasn’t surprised. I’d put the lowest estimate on top, and that had come to just over two thousand bits. The worst estimate was almost two thousand eight hundred. Watching the her set the papers on my desk again, I think I saw her hoof shaking slightly.

“Those are really the cheapest, Mr. Deal?” The worry was evident in her tone, and honestly made me feel guilty. Still, I assumed the fillies’ parents would end up splitting the cost, so I wasn’t sure what she was so upset about.

I nodded. “They are. In fact, the lowest offer came from a shop that just opened. He couldn’t give a discount, but he was very eager for the work. I’m sure he’s not trying to stiff me. Are you alright, Cheerilee? You look upset, but they’re not your girls. Won’t you just be passing the news along?”

Cheerilee shook her head. “Applebloom’s family runs an orchard, Sweet Apple Acres, on a pretty thin margin. If word of this got out, they’d insist on paying their share in full, and I don’t know what that would do to them. I was planning on giving the girls the world’s biggest lecture, but… well, I was going to tell them you decided to let it go, and I’d just cut corners at school. Cut my salary, pass on new textbooks, call in favors for repairing the playground. But there’s just not two thousand bits of wiggle room in the budget! Ponyville is a simple, tiny town.”

I frowned. I was alright with it coming out of school funds. The girls had been on a class trip, after all, and were supposed to be monitored by chaperones, not playing street hockey with a big rock. I was not at all comfortable ruining the school, though. “Cheerilee, I can report this for insurance still. It’ll be rough on the girls, and their families are probably going to have to pay something, but the school won’t be touched.”

Cheerilee shook her head, long mane shuffling around her neck. “I know Applebloom’s family. They’d be up here with their share of the money in no time. They’re good ponies! But I can’t just risk costing them the farm!”

I pulled the estimates back to me and threw the more expensive ones in the trash. I had no intention of using them; they were only to convince Cheerilee that two thousand was on the level. She was convinced, and I had her over the barrel, but the idea of demanding sex to let her off the hook disgusted me. I rubbed at my eyes with a hoof, and looked up at Cheerilee. “If you sign papers so we can continue this later, I can drop it for now. You could go home, talk it over with your husband, see if he’s got any ideas.” I was spending too much on the Trotties to let a couple thousand bits just go, especially with all the big plans ahead, but I could float the expense in the short term.

Cheerilee shook her head again, with a slightly frustrated smile on her muzzle. “I might ask to take you up on that, Mr. Deal, and maybe talk to Mayor Mare about a fundraiser or something, but I don’t have a special somepony.”

I nodded and offered a friendly smile. As long as it wasn’t about money, there was no reason for me not to be friendly. It might even help work something out. “Never found the right pony? That’s not too uncommon with my girls here.”

Cheerilee laughed and shook her head, more open about the topic than I’d have expected. “No, no. I’ve found just the right pony, but he’s painfully shy, and a certain… incident with the same three fillies you met this morning made it even harder to treat him as anything but a friend.” She sighed. She might have seen the humor in it, but there was no question the situation bothered her.

“Do you think he feels the same?” This was a story I’d heard more than once here, both from my girls and from customers when I filled in behind the bar. It always bothered me. I never found the right mare, never had a real shot at that lasting, perfect marriage. When ponies who did just let their chance sit, it drove me up the wall.

“I’m certain he does! But a stallion as shy as he is? If I invite him to a picnic, he’s happy to join me. If I were to invite him on a date, he’d bury himself under mountains of apples needing hauling before I could finish the sentence!”

I smiled much more broadly than before. Cheerilee had just given me the answer to how I was going to play with her—and I’d have laid odds that I’d get her her special somepony in return. The business could wait. I got a sheet of paper out and quickly scratched out a very simple agreement, just enough to ensure somepony was going to have to take responsibility for my window. It wouldn’t have held up in court, but I didn’t see that becoming a problem.

I turned the paper and slid it toward Cheerilee. “Here. This just acknowledges that the girls broke my window under your custody, and that we’re agreeing to figure out compensation at a later date. I’ll send a letter in a month. If you haven’t figured out how to pay by then, I’ll take a trip to Ponyville and we’ll have the hard talk then. Sound good?”

Like the smart mare she was, Cheerilee skimmed the paper for traps, but as soon as she was satisfied, she practically pounced on the quill I held out. “Thank you so much, Mr. Deal! I’ll talk with Mayor Mare, see if something in the town budget will do the job! I’m sure she won’t let either the school or our orchard suffer!” She slid the signed paper back, and I put it in the drawer, just on top of Day’s note. That note was due to be taken care of.

Cheerilee rose and after another thank you, she excused herself to get back to her students. Before she was halfway to the door, however, a slim, dark trail of smoke had caught up to her and slipped into her ear. She stopped. For all our talking, I hadn’t had much opportunity to actually check her out earlier. Between the fillies presence and Cheerilee being focused on me, ogling would’ve been noticed in a heartbeat. Finally getting a good look at her, however, revealed a body nice enough to match that pretty face of hers. If she’d been a local, I’d have offered her part time work at the cabaret to settle the window.

I kept the smoke thick; I suspected that if she weren’t heavily affected, she’d never agree to my plans. No orders, though. Once the stage was set, I wanted to let the smoke go, and have Cheerilee run with it.

I moved to stand next to Cheerilee, face to face. “You know, I’ve lost four of my dancers over the years because they figured out how to land their shy stallion.” It was true. I was happy for each of them, but the problem with stage dancers is that if they want a stallion, they’ll have him locked down and retire within the month. It’d caused me staffing issues a few times. Putting my girl’s tricks to use for my benefit, and Cheerilee’s eventually, was a nice change of pace.

“The trick is not to give him a say in the matter. If he’s shy and really does want you, push hard, but not rough, until he feels trapped. Then make that trap something he never wants out of. You follow?” I loved the blank expression on Cheerilee’s face. That was becoming more and more exciting to me, and I was getting hard fast as I waited for her to get her reply out.

The smoke was dense enough that the words were difficult for her to form, but gradually, they came. “I couldn’t… not that kind… of mare…” She even managed a gentle shake of her head.

I smiled gently. She’d cooperate; there was no reason to get bothered over a little resistance. “Nonsense. You love him, right? There’s nothing wrong with it then. You just need a little practice. Snare me like my dancers snared their stallions, and you’ll have no trouble going home and landing the one you really want. I won’t be any different from an ex-coltfriend. It makes perfect sense.”

Cheerilee furrowed her brow just a bit, maybe trying to figure out where her objections went, because when she responded, it was to nod her head slowly and agree. “Perfect sense. Trap you…”

I nodded at her, smiling happily. Just one thing left. “Just remember, Cheerilee: come on too strong and you’ll scare him. Not strong enough, and you won’t hook him. So make sure to do what I say. I’ve seen my girls do this over and over, after all. This time, I’m the teacher.”

Cheerilee nodded again. “I’ll… learn.” The scent in my office told me Cheerilee was ready just as much as her agreement had.

I released the smoke. Aside from a blink or two, Cheerilee seemed exactly the same as before… That is, until she got so close I could feel her warmth, and she tossed her tail over my flank, letting it slowly slide back down.

I played the part of the startled beau-to-be, staring wide eyed. “Ch-Cheerilee?”

She smiled up at me. “Done… do I have to go? My hotel’s a long walk, and it’s gotten awfully chilly.”

If that stallion of hers was as shy as Cheerilee said, he wouldn’t just invite her in. “Well… let’s check the dressing room downstairs, Cheerilee. Maybe one of the dancers left behind something warm we could borrow.” I held open the door for her, and she stepped out—halfway.

With the most patient smile I’ve ever seen, she turned and shook her head. “I don’t want to go out in the cold, Done.” Cheerilee stood half a head shorter than me, but as she stepped into me gently, I fell back a few inches before I’d even realized it. Almost perfect.

I offered my first instructions. “If you’re shorter than he is, nuzzle under his chin when you’re trying to stop a getaway.” It broke the moment, but Cheerilee was back to bedroom eyes in a heartbeat, her muzzle running along my jaw.

“Pleeease?” Cheerilee’s tail swayed gently behind her, and she pecked my cheek before drawing back just a bit and making puppy eyes. I was getting harder, but that wasn’t the right move. As little as I wanted an interruption, I shook my head.

“Keep up the pressure, Cheerilee. Gentle, but firm. The ‘please’ is fine, but don’t wait for an answer.”

Cheerilee nodded so seriously that I found myself wondering in the back of my mind just what kind of a student she’d been. “I understand. It’s like keeping after a student you know can do better. Give them any slack, and they’ll just quit trying again.”

I wasn’t so sure I liked being compared to a lazy student, even if I was just playing a role, but the gentle headbutt on my chest took my mind off of it, and the big, green eyes staring up at me when I looked down didn’t remind me of any teacher I’d ever had.

Cheerilee slipped her muzzle under my jaw again and murmured pitifully, “Nights are lonesome. Can’t we put it off for a little while, and stay together?”

Her tone was so sad I almost forgot my coaching and what I was after, both. The line was perfect. She played to sympathy, made it sound like just a little request, and asked to be “together,” nothing more. My stammer was still an act, but it wasn’t hard to come by at all.

“U-um… I suppose it won’t hurt anything.” Cheerilee stayed almost underhoof as I shut the door heading down and crossed to the private door heading up. I pushed it open, and was rewarded with another peck, on the neck. She was taking to heart the instruction to keep up the pressure.

Cheerilee weaseled her way past me at the base of the stairs, her tail brushing under my chin. I sniffed, and there was nothing—a missed opportunity. “Find out if he has a favorite scent, and have that in your mane and tail. Makes it harder for a stallion to think straight. You don’t want him doing that until it’s all over.”

Cheerilee thought a second. “This is awfully sneaky. But… it’s kind of fun!” With that, she was back in character, trotting up the stairs in front of me, tail held high, but dangling so her sweet spot was out of view. I smirked while she wasn’t looking. Yeah, it was fun.

At the top of the stairs, Cheerilee turned and urged me up with another misdirection. “Won’t you show me around? I’ve never seen your apartment before!” I nodded and headed up after her, silently praising another good choice of words. The instant I was at the top, there she was again, offering no breathing room. “This looks like a pretty classy place. Full marks for good taste.” She was buttering me up, maintaining the pressure, but giving me a chance get comfortable with it. I wondered if the real problem as that she was shyer than she seemed. Her stallion would’ve been in the bag if she’d behaved this way already.

I quickly trotted to a shelf a few feet away, to force her to adapt, and acted relieved. “Thanks! I, uh… don’t get many ladies in here.” Now that was a difficult line.

Cheerilee wasted no time, and made up for my short escape by standing withers to withers, flank to flank, and nuzzling again. To prevent me from stepping away again, she pointed at a framed photo on the shelf in front of us. It was me, surrounded by four lovely young mares—a decade ago. “Who are they? They all look so happy.” Cheerilee sounded just the slightest bit displeased.

Another excellent choice of distraction. A hint of vulnerability that most stallions would want to reassure, a chance to talk about “good old days” that most stallions would take, and more time spent in contact, so the next step wouldn’t be such a jump.

Still, a pretty mare with the length of her body against a shy stallion? Some stuttering was called for again. “Th-those? They’re the first girls I hired, the day we opened. They were happy. Keeping my girls happy is important to me. Always was.”

Cheerilee was a quick learner. Half a second of looking down, then a hoof on my cheek, pulling me into a long, gentle, but not at all timid kiss. I was hard and ready when she broke it and looked up at me with pleading eyes. She was going for the kill.

Her muzzle was still so close she could’ve licked my lips. “I want you to make me happy, Done. I don’t want to go home alone at night anymore.” Cheerilee leaned forward and threw her forelegs around my neck. “I’m sure you’re the one for me! Don’t send me away.”

My breath was short, even knowing that Cheerilee was still “practicing.” She’d nailed it. My whole body went as stiff as the rod hanging beneath me, a textbook panic reaction, and exactly what I had her aiming for. She just had to spring the trap. “Cheerilee…?” Her answer was to release my neck, and slide her cheek along my side and underneath, licking a few inches of my shaft in the same motion. I gasped at the pleasure, and just barely stayed in character. “W-wait!”

She did nothing of the sort. Friendly, gentle teacher Cheerilee wrapped her lips around a ball, and toyed gently with the other, making it harder and harder to stand. The sweet breathiness in her voice said this wasn’t a calm study session for her, either. “Just relax. I want this. You. To be with you from now on. No silly potions, no meddling.” I had no idea what in Tartarus that meant, and it would’ve pulled me out of the moment again, if Cheerilee hadn’t moved to press her wet pussy up against my stallionhood. Was she even going to practice that?

She remained breathy as she asked, “How was that? Do you think it’ll work?”

Tartarus take me, I nearly fell down on her.

She sounded like stopping had been a challenge. I had no intention of it. Smoke formed almost before I thought of it, and rushed from my body to her ears and nose in an instant. The pressure of her sex against my dick faded a bit as Cheerilee drooped, but it wouldn’t be gone long. “If he loves you back, I’m certain it will work, Cheerilee. But you’re not done yet. You didn’t spring the trap. Practice isn’t over.”

Cheerilee’s muddled sounding voice came from below. “Practice… sex?” The pressure against my dick returned, and I could feel her lips part as my flare spread them open.

I forced myself not to push, but churned up the smoke, pouring it into her blacker than before . “You don’t want to be unprepared! How humiliating if you go so far, for nothing! Practice makes perfect, Cheerilee.”

Cheerilee pushed back, sliding herself over my rod. She felt it, even under the smoke, and moaned her reply. “I want to be… perfect… Big Mac…”

Aroused as I was, I smiled a little. That wasn’t my doing. The stallion she was after was really missing out. “Then practice, Cheerilee.”

Cheerilee craned her neck beneath me and licked at my chest as she tightened her soft walls and slid forward. A panted “Yes, teacher,” was all I heard. Tightening and relaxing, she did all the work while I struggled to stay upright above her. She sped up, and I wobbled slightly. I lowered my front half, pressing hers into the floor, and began to pump her. Pinned and unable to move, Cheerilee moaned and pressed her face up against my chest. Her breath in my coat was erotic: a caress from a mare helpless underneath me. Eager to make her mine, I thrust deep and hard, forcing a cry of pleasure from her—then remembered myself at the last second and jumped up to pull out, spraying her hindquarters and the wooden floor.

I stood over Cheerilee, gasping for breath and frustrated, but a stranger’s foal would ruin everything. Cheerilee looked up, so affected by the smoke still sinking into her that this must’ve felt like interrupting practice. I lay beside her on the floor, and pulled her sluggish form into a spoon, caressing her mane like a satisfied lover. “He might not be ready for foals. Practice showing him that’s okay too.”

Cheerilee nodded blankly, and reached back slowly to pull me into a kiss. While our tongues played, her other hoof reached down to my shaft, not yet deflated, and pulled it up against her stomach, and her soft, tiny teats. Without ever halting the kiss, she clamped her thighs around my slick, messy shaft and curled just a bit, smearing her thighs, teats, and stomach with my cum, and offering me enough pleasure to stay hard against her. I began to rock too, and she squeezed tighter.

I stroked her face happily and wrapped my forelegs around Cheerilee as she rocked on my shaft cuddling obscenely on my living room floor. Her shy stallion was missing out on the world. I released the smoke, but blew it into the kiss, and Cheerilee stiffened, the smoke making the difference between simple pleasure in her teats and orgasm. I bucked more roughly, and she moved so I rubbed her lips. Slowly we sped up, gasping and moaning in our mess on the floor, lips never parting, until the pleasure was more than I could take and I came, painting Cheerilee from chest to chin.

* * * * *

I hadn’t had to smoke Cheerilee again to get her home. When the afterglow faded, she smiled up at me and asked, with a twinkle in her eye, if I thought she’d studied enough to pass. I led her into the shower, joking about grading her own paper, and we cleaned up before I walked her to her hotel, wrapped in a coat one of my dancers had left behind.

There was a spring in my step on the way home, despite feeling a bit self-conscious about carrying a mare’s coat without a mare in sight. The evening had gone better than I’d hoped, despite delaying payment for the window. Bright Jade had apparently managed to secretly take quite a few photos while Cheerilee was smoked and I was preoccupied. She practically danced when I told her she’d done a great job.

Only two weeks later, a letter arrived with photos of Cheerilee in a lovely white dress, next to a powerfully built red stallion in a tux, looking almost as astonished as he was happy. As much charm as the photos from Ponyville had, I liked Jade’s more.

Author's Note

This may seem like a PC chapter right now, but it sets things up for Ponyville Week, and provides a little background on how things are going for Done and The Tall Tail right now. And yes, Cheerilee x Big Mac is canon for this story now. Don't say I never gave you any sweet ships!

The Scenographer

I sighed as I climbed down the stairs to the Nightmare Night party already in full swing below. Equestria was full of so many amazing, scary creatures and awe inspiring legends, but almost half of the mares’ costumes seemed to be straight out of “Power Ponies,” and more than one stallion was jumping the gap to dress that way too. Apparently sending dancers with invitations for random ponies meant they’d thought they had the day off to spend at the comic convention last week. I made my way past one gaudy outfit after another, smiling and refusing to roll my eyes as I schmoozed my way through the crowd to make sure everypony was having a good time. I was relieved to see that none of my regulars in attendance seemed bothered by the colorful “armor” and costumes adorning more of my dancers than I cared to admit. Honestly, I felt like the only pony in all of Manehattan who had no use for comic books. At least the decorations were nice, traditional Nightmare Night things.

Pirouette had already seen to it that my costume was discarded. I’d planned on a little fun, and had found a half decent looking dragon costume to wear. Common? Sure. But not everypony could puff smoke out of theirs on command. I’d figured it was an opportunity to get away with using the smoke in the open, but I’d only been halfway through explaining the idea to Day Planner when Pirouette bit my ear and dragged me through the door to my apartment for a scolding. I nodded to some pretty mare whose costume was actually doing a fair bit of justice to Celestia and settled in at the bar for a cider to start the evening. In hindsight, Pirouette’s face had been worth the loss of my costume, though the business collar and tie I’d ended up in were far from fun.

I pulled slowly at my cider as pony after pony turned up for the evening, and comic characters thinned out a bit as new arrivals showed a little less fandom and a little more variety, if not too much creativity. A naughty looking Nightmare Moon, a rather fetching nurse with a pink mane and nice blue eyes, and Deep Tissue, using her pale, cool colors to really make a windigo costume work. Strawberry Frosting was off for the night, like the rest of my employees, but was getting more attention than she’d bargained for on one side of the room. Her own fault for insisting on staying in that maid uniform around young stallions, but nonetheless, I gave Bruises a meaningful look and a nod, and she left the party game she was losing to gently remind my guests that even pretty maids need room to breathe. Okay, so she picked one up and set him down three feet away. The effect was achieved, and the laughs and light applause assured me no feelings were hurt. Apart from my plans for fun, the party was going just as well as I could hope.

I nodded with satisfaction and raised my mug for another pull, only to have some oaf trying to ogle that Nightmare Moon back into my leg, splashing the drink all over me and my tie. My mouth opened to curse, but I clamped it shut before I said anything that might ruin the mood.

The offending stallion spun quickly, his cape snaring my hoof, and sending the unspilled portion of my drink into my face. Snickers and laughs spread through the room as ponies turned to the source of the sputtering they heard—me—but quickly died as the dancers and some of my regulars realized it was their host wearing his drink, and guests picked up on the sudden hush. For his part, the cause of the problem at least managed to grab a bar towel and start trying to save a little face. I forced myself to calm down and gestured him away. I was mad, but he couldn’t fix that, and I’d save face myself by playing the gracious, unflappable host—and break the awful silence.

As he bashfully walked away, another Power Pony laughed, “Way to be in character!” and clapped the cape wearer on the back, earning laughs all around. I finally took a closer look. Black mask, red cape, gloves… Dum Dum? Was that it? And did he actually come to the party with that bucket on one hoof? Aside from the bucket, the costume was actually amazingly well made, at least in terms of quality. Not like I knew of it was actually right at all.

The laughter, with the bucket’s help, was contagious. I cracked a smile despite still dripping and called out, “No hard feelings. Mind yourself backing up, and enjoy the party. If you’ll all excuse me, I suddenly need a shower and a change. If it’s not my window getting smashed lately, it’s my dashing image.” I left the glass for Jade—who was off duty as well, but insisted on working—and headed back toward the stairs I’d only just come down, followed by better natured laughter and a cheer or two. And a coughed “horseapples!” from a certain manager, if I wasn’t mistaken.

I shook my head and headed up, letting the noise of the party fade behind me as I entered my office. The night wasn’t ruined, and I’d scored a few points with guests and employees alike, but the odds of having any fun myself seemed to be slipping. I didn’t have to have a mare for a fun night—as many as the last several months had brought my way, I could handle a break. Being surrounded by comic book characters, though, and having my drink spilled all over me, and having my costume unceremoniously seized… but then again, Pirouette’s face! Alright, the last part wasn’t a total loss.

Alone in my apartment, I muttered anyway and tossed my cider stained businesswear aside before slipping into the shower. I didn’t need a mare for the night, but it wouldn’t hurt, either. I made it quick, and dried as fast as I could. Taking time to enjoy the hot water was being a bad host. I trotted from the shower to my closet, pushed hangers around looking for anything appropriate, and muttered far more loudly than before. My only remaining outfit was my tuxedo—meant only for nights dealing with high society. This didn’t qualify, but wandering around with nothing seemed worse. Suddenly, I wasn’t feeling nearly as forgiving of Dum Dum down there. I gave up and grabbed the hanger.

Dressed in my very best, I headed back to the party, tossing my fedora on the office hat rack as I passed. I’d told myself in the mirror that it looked fine with a tux. I’d lied. At the top of the stairs, I nudged my mane into something more orderly and sighed again. The variety I’d been glad to see earlier had been partly sabotaged while I was changing. More ponies from the comic convention, no doubt. More ridiculous outfits, more garish colors, more shimmering, long trains on evening gowns. I blinked.

The unicorn in the green, sequined gown had to be some sort of comic character herself. A dress that exaggerated wasn’t evening wear; it was a costume. And I could’ve sworn it slithered behind her! Comic or not, this mare worked her monster or villain or whatever the way Deep Tissue had been working the windigo. What could’ve been gaudy and tasteless was the most eye catching thing in the room. I watched her the whole way down the stairs, along with half the other stallions in the room. I was amused that she didn’t seem to notice, until she smiled at one of my less adventurous dancers and scored an instant blush. Then, I was impressed—it wasn’t that she didn’t know the whole room was watching her. It was that she was right at home with that.

Or so I thought, until she scooted to a table and grabbed a waiting drink before any of the three stallions closing in on her could make it. Bold or nervous? She didn’t seem to know any better than I did. I scanned the room for Pirouette, and found her cheerfully chatting with a grown mare in a ballerina outfit. I couldn’t have asked for a better distraction. There was going to be a mare in my near future after all. And my bed.

I trotted through the hall, smiling and nodding at an employee or two as they greeted me and joked with a regular customer about the dancer he was chatting up turning into a pumpkin at midnight, but my goal was the table with the mare in sparkling green. As close as I was, I could see detail in her dress that I couldn’t make out from the stairs—every sequin was not only shining, not only layered perfectly, but shaped! The dress was an artificial snake skin, and the only flaw I could see was that no real snake skin would shine like that when shed. The club owner in me groaned in shame—I was paying thousands of bits every year for the best costumes The Tall Tail could afford, and not one had ever come close to this one night a year costume dress! She’d even managed to bundle the thing around her hind legs, keeping it from tripping anypony and making herself look coiled. The effect was amazing.

The dress wasn’t the only thing I noticed, though the way it shined, it was the first. The iridescent “scales” of her dress seemed blue at certain angles, matching either of the two shades of blue in her mane as I approached, making it hard to tell where one began and the other ended in the club’s dim light. With green leggings separated from the dress itself, and her own coat green to boot, she looked every inch a giant snake-pony fusion of some kind. I was back to being impressed—very impressed. If this look was from a comic of some kind, she’d done what nopony else had, and carried it from “doesn’t belong in reality” all the way to “I hope I never meet one of those in a dark alley.” Her face, on the other hoof, was pretty enough I’d be fairly happy to see it anywhere. Her slightly thin horn was the imperfection that improved the whole. Never especially interested in horns, I was surprised my eyes lingered there at all.

I seated myself across from her with a smile and asked the obligatory host question. “Enjoying yourself?”

The mare’s smile didn’t falter, but for just a hearbeat as I sat, she looked away nervously. It was out of place in that snake outfit of hers, but cute nonetheless. That lasted only a blink of an eye though, and another blink or two while she looked me over before she turned that seductive smile on me. I handled it a bit better than my shy dancer had. “So far, so far…” She wasn’t hissing her Ses, but there was a hint of a lisp on them that implied a hiss without going over the top. I was as amused, but even more curious about this strange party guest.

“Glad to hear it. I was afraid I’d drown in a sea of Power Ponies tonight. Didn’t even get to wear the costume I bought.”

The mare’s expression sat halfway between a frown and a pout. “Those Power Ponies are a constant nuisance…” She trailed off as she appraised me more openly, but seemed to have a heartbeat’s hesitation again before her gaze came back to my eyes. And it might’ve been my imagination, but I could swear the seductive smile had slipped a bit into a more excited, happy look. She wore seductive well, but this seemed more natural.

I took the slight pause as an opportunity to scan the room for any trouble that might be starting. It was a bit rude, and I hated to split my attention, but I was hosting everypony. That slight lisp on her Ses hooked my attention again, tough, yanking my eyes back to hers well before I finished looking around. “It seems your costume was no great loss… I’d say the look of importance suits you nicely.” I liked her. She clearly had good taste. As much as I enjoyed the compliment, I felt a bit out of place in something so formal. The wacky, colorful superheroes milling around made matters even worse.

“Thanks. It’s a bit awkward, though. It’s a costume party, and this is basically my home. Apartment upstairs and everything. Awfully formal for that.” As I spoke, I lay my forelegs on the table, relaxing a bit. The mare was a bit odd, but she didn’t seem to be frosty at all.

When I mentioned my apartment though, her eyes widened, and the seductive look vanished entirely. Her reaction was practically a gasp. “You’re the own—ah!” Just like that, the practiced look was back, along with the faint lisp. “This is all yours?” She replaced her question with a version sporting more Ses, and I caught on. She was trying to stay in character! I savored an imaginary taunt at Pirouette for all the times she’d called me slow.

If she wanted to play, I was game. I put on a broad smile and acted a little more casual, as if attractive mares with snake tails were completely ordinary. Not as if I were bored, but as if I had no reason to be excited, as if anything in the building were mine if I wanted it. Precisely the way Pirouette would hound me over if she were to see. “That’s right. I’ve run The Tall Tail for a decade now. We have a few parties like this each year. I want happy employees. The girls who work for me are worth every bit.” I gestured at a couple of my prettier dancers who were cheerfully trying to pin a tail on a rather poorly drawn donkey. I hoped I’d managed to sound generous instead of smug.

When I looked back at the green mare across the table, the seductive smile seemed to be battling with an excited expression, and her eyes were positively shining. I must’ve gotten something right. I noticed my guest had finished her drink and rose to my hooves, smiling wider than before. “Can I get you anything? No charge for anypony tonight, of course.” It was true: I determined the number of ponies to invite each year by what I could afford in the way of free drinks. With the recent expenses, this was actually only half the usual party, but Ms. Snake didn’t know that, and her eyes widened a bit—again, only for a heartbeat.

“So generous to those who serve you… I’m a little envious.” It wasn’t just the lisp; her habit of trailing sentences off sold the snake vibe just as much. How she was pulling it off without it standing out was beyond me. Rather than accept my offer, though, the mare rose with me.

“With your consent… I would rather dance. Is there music?” She held out a hoof to me, waiting for me to play gentlecolt, and I obliged, thoroughly relieved I’d sprung for a string quartet for the night. I gestured to Bright Jade with my free hoof, who came rushing over immediately.

Jade was her usual eager self, at my side in a hearbeat. “Sir?”

“This young lady and I would like to dance. Do me a favor and tell the musicians there’s an extra twenty bits for each of them if they start now.” Unlike my staff, the quartet was here to work. Twenty bits each to start twenty minutes early seemed more than fair.

Jade rushed off again, with my dance partner glancing at her from the corner of her eyes as she spoke to me. “So serious… well trained indeed.”

I bit back a laugh. If this mare had any idea what a mouthful she’d just said… Jade stuck her head out from the door behind the bar where the musicians were waiting and nodded energetically. As the violinist walked past her to take his place on the stage, I slanted my head toward the center of the floor. “Shall we?”

The mare took back her hoof to walk, and looked like she was on cloud nine. “We shall… I do hope you can lead.”

I didn’t answer as ponies parted to make way on either side for the host and his apparent date. Could I lead? As if a dancer like Pirouette would ever have taken work with me if I couldn’t. I was a bit concerned about doing it with my partner’s train, longer than she was, unwinding and slithering behind her again, though.

In the center of the room, I raised my voice, and was pleased at how quickly attention fell on me. “Mares and gentlecolts, thank you for attending, and I hope you’re having as much fun tonight as I am. By special request, we’ll be beginning the dancing a bit early tonight. Find a partner, and don’t worry if you need to sit this out—my girls are here to enjoy themselves tonight, but they’ve all agreed to make the rounds. Nopony will be alone the whole time, I promise.” The cheers from a few of the… less dignified looking comic fans made me wince a little. Nopony should be so hard up that a single dance with a pretty mare feels like a luxury.

I nodded toward the string quartet now assembled on stage, and the music began. A waltz, rhythmically simple, but as elegant as music comes. And heavy on opportunities for tripping over a certain mare’s gown. I’d manage.

My partner and I began to step, centered in the hall as various heroes, villains, and monsters found their matches for the first dance and began moving with us. I was more and more concerned with each step, just waiting for somepony to step on the long train and tear it or trip, but kept my eyes on hers. It was difficult not to, as intently as she was looking into mine. I was so focused on her face that I never even noticed as she stepped just inside of the traditional spacing, until the reason became obvious: her train wasn’t being stepped on, because she was lifting it to wrap around the two of us! I hadn’t even noticed her horn glow! Held high enough not to trip us as we moved, I could only smile, impressed again. The glow of her horn was so faint, and I had been so pre-occupied with her eyes that I’d never noticed magic was in play—and she’d never glanced at what she was doing. A perfect snake tail, moving as naturally as you please, kept us dancing just the slightest bit closer than normal. It seemed everything this unicorn did was carefully orchestrated, and I was torn between wanting to see her next trick, and wanting to impress her again.

My dancing may have, actually. She looked like she was having a fantastic time, at least, which was all I wanted—for the moment. After our third dance, though, some Power Pony or another politely tapped my partner’s shoulder, and asked to cut in, nodding at me. Another instant-long break in character later, the mare of the evening sighed and acted put upon. “I suppose it would be indecorous for me to refuse… very well. For now.”

I was surprised at how disappointed I was when when that long, shimmering “tail” unwound itself from us and slithered away behind its owner. I danced at every party I threw, and only rarely got hooked on one partner, but that night, dancing with anypony else was manners and good form, nothing more.

Halfway through the the dance with the mare in purple who’d cut in, I broke down and asked. “So, just what character was she playing? I’m not really a comic reader myself.”

Unsurprisingly, my new partner wasn’t delighted with the question, and spun it her own way as we moved to a more sensual tango than I really felt fit that mare. “Oh, that? That’s Madame Lamia.” Her tone told me precisely what she thought of that particular character. “She’s a long running villain, a total thorn in the side for my character, Radiance. Radiance is all about beauty and perfection. Lamia is too, I guess, but so creepy! Like, extra strength creepy. She’s always trying to get the attention of the wealthiest hero in the series, the Sterling Stallion—well, he used to be called that when he was a hero. He switched sides though, when Lamia captured Radiance and did something to her head for him. Made her do… well. Let’s just say they didn’t draw all of it, and that issue still caused a fuss!” My Radiance sighed, more annoyed than anypony should be over some comic. “I mean, Radiance got away, and the Sterling—I mean, Silver Slicer now, only Lamia still uses his old name—won’t ever be trusted again, but still! They should’ve had Mistress Mare-velous turn him into the Golden Gelding, if you ask me!” My partner laughed at her witticism while I winced at the thought of gelding harem guards in ancient Saddle Arabia. I was more than a little relieved when a new song began, and before I could find a partner, I felt sequins brush my neck.

The new song was a minuet, though, and I frowned a bit—I knew how to handle it, and my dancers would thanks to Pirouette, but nopony did minuets anymore. I saw my dancers quickly trying to instruct their partners while in motion, and “Madame Lamia’s” face turned uncertain. I hoped she was a quick study. Shoulder to shoulder, we advanced down the line, with me giving instructions under my breath, and the unicorn in the green gown struggling to keep pace. The song was drawing to a close. I warned her, “At the end, split, opposite directions. Meet me by the stairs.” As we came to the end of the line, I was relieved she’d only stumbled twice, and we parted ways. I politely declined one of my dancers with a promise of first dance at our next party, and moved for the nurse with the pink mane and white coat who’d caught my eye earlier, as quickly as I could without being obvious. Radiance had given me a headache, but also a plan.

The nurse had just parted with her last partner as a foxtrot started. Not perfect, but we’d be stepping with each other the whole time. I extended my hoof with a smile, and was rewarded with a nod and smile in return as we joined the ponies in motion on the floor.

“That’s a very authentic cap, miss. I’m glad you joined us tonight, and offered a little variety in all these heroes.” A little small talk got the ball rolling, and I inched a hair closer.

The nurse laughed. “It’s authentic because it’s real! I was in town for a seminar, and volunteered a bit this afternoon, when an invitation turned up out of the blue! It seemed like a fun way to pass the evening. My name’s Redheart.”

I nodded, pleased she wasn’t as uptight as her bun implied. Perhaps it was an on-duty thing. “Done Deal. And has it been?”

The mare nodded as we closed our legs on the quick steps. “A little tamer than I expected from a Manehattan party though. We hear so much about the big city back home!”

I bit back a laugh. She couldn’t have offered a better set up. Leaning forward and nearly cheek to cheek despite the dance, I whispered. “We could liven it up a bit.” Smoke slipped from my cheek into her ear, a gap maybe half an inch, and basically unnoticeable. Redheart slowed, unable to keep up as the smoke took effect, and I eased to a stop, looking for all the world like a gentlecolt sharing a secret with his dance partner. The smoke was as thick as I could gather so quickly, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Redheart’s nearly close.

Still whispering too low to be heard more than inches away over the music, I said, “It’s Nightmare Night, wild fun and games. There’s nothing wrong with going too far. On this one night, anything goes, and everything is forgiven.” Redheart nodded slowly, to my relief. I definitely didn’t have time for reinforcing anything in the middle of the dance floor. “When the mare in the long green dress speaks to you, you won’t be able to resist playing along—because it’s Nightmare Night, and kinky costumed fun is just what you’re looking for.”

Redheart nodded again, and I released the smoke, stepping back to a more normal distance. We picked up the dance again quickly, and Redheart offered an embarrassed apology for losing the rhythm.

Offering her a reassuring smile, I said, “Nothing to worry about. You just focus on having fun tonight.”

Redheart smiled back. “Thanks.”

Again, the music changed, but instead of looking for another dance partner, I headed for the stairs, where a curious looking unicorn was waiting for me, tail unfurled again.

I kept my voice low, speaking only when I was close. “So, Madame Lamia… how far would you like to take tonight’s fun?”

Lamia’s ears perked and her eyes widened when I used her character’s name, but again she slipped back into her role quickly. “That depends… are there limits?”

I assumed the question was as much out of character as in, but as close as her face suddenly was to mine, and with that seductive tone of voice, it was hard to be sure. I took advantage of that closeness and the darkness around the stairs where nopony but staff belonged, and wound a stream of smoke into Lamia’s ear. “You can be completely, one hundred percent Madame Lamia tonight. The mare I was dancing with, the nurse—she’ll play along just as much. Live it all tonight.”

I let the smoke go, and after just a second, Lamia’s demeanor shifted. Still seductive, still in character—but a line she wasn’t crossing before was gone. With a hoof placed gently on my chest, she leaned in and whispered, “Sterling, sweetheart… let me show you how serious I am. If you’ll wait upstairs… I’ll bring you something nice.”

It was getting harder and harder all the time for mares to get me to blush. Side effect of my “good fortune” with them lately. Lamia, however, made it look easy. Her tone, seductive before, was dripping with lust now, and her expression sold it completely. I’d never read the comics. I had no idea how her fantasy villain was supposed to act. Blushing and naive wasn’t it, though, I was sure. “Alright, Lamia. Show me what you can do for me.” I did my best to sound like a stern villain offering an opportunity.

It must’ve been close enough. Lamia smiled and licked my lips. “See you soon…” With that, she worked her way through the dancers as they hunted for partners again, declining a stallion or two on her way to Redheart. I hiked up the stairs more quickly than I meant to—getting hard in front of everypony was an embarrassment I didn’t want. The cider bath had been plenty.

In my moonlit office, I paced, trying to be every bit the impatient superior. Moments later, the door opened again, and in stepped Nurse Redheart, her expression impressively blank—she was playing along beautifully. Lamia followed close behind, her tail completely unfurled and shimmering. When it was most of the way through the door, it moved on its own—rather, Lamia pulled it so naturally you’d never have guessed—and she gently closed the door behind her.

I looked from Lamia to Redheart, standing expressionless in the middle of my office. “Pretty.” Couldn’t offer too much praise too early Lamia was supposed to be after me.

Lamia only looked proud, completely confident in herself. She came to stand beside Redheart, tail slithering around her “catch” with only the very faintest glow around her horn to give it away. The tip caressed Redheart’s cheek, but Lamia looked only at me. “Isn’t she lovely, Sterling? I can give her to you. Any beauty you like, if you’ll just accept me!”

Stepping forward quickly, Lamia again lay a hoof on my chest. “Let me serve you, sweetheart! Those Power Ponies will never offer forgiveness… but you simply bide your time! You’re worthy of so much more! Worthy of power. Of perfection. Of me! Rise to your place, Sterling, and let me serve you! Whatever you want is yours. I swear it!”

It seemed like this Madame Lamia character had one amazingly unhealthy fixation on the Sterling Stallion. Though, if she had offered anything like this in the comics, I could understand the hero switching sides! I felt the smoke beginning to swirl in anticipation. I was excited, and the mock villainy of the situation stirred the smoke as much as it aroused me. Lamia leaned in for a kiss. I didn’t reject it, but she did the kissing. “Why, Lamia? I’ve made my bed. You’ve got power of your own. Why serve anypony?”

Lamia stroked my cheek. “You, sweetheart. You were always worthy. Always perfect. Always so, so distant. But now, we can be together! For that, I’ll serve you!” Lamia looked toward Redheart. “And so will any mare you desire! Slave! Please Sterling!”

Redheart didn’t so much as blink. “Yes, Madame.” She raised a hoof to my muzzle and pulled it to hers, kissing with far more passion than her mock-trance suggested she’d use. I started stiffening down below, and pulled Redheart’s mane out of its bun. “Sterling” was sold.

Lamia smiled and patted Redheart’s neck. “You see, sweetheart? Anything you desire. Anypony you desire. All I ask is to serve you, to see you rise as you deserve… and your love.”

Lamia pushed Redheart’s head aside with her tail, and kissed me herself, not pausing at all before she slipped her tongue between my lips. I relaxed and returned the kiss. It was acceptance, and what Lamia had been waiting for. She pulled me into an embrace, her expression delighted. I closed my eyes and let her have her moment.

“Wh-what’s happening? Where am I?” My eyes snapped open and saw Nurse Redheart looking around in confusion. The smoke had never left anypony with a reaction like that. It was still a game.

Lamia’s eyes opened too, and she turned on Redheart, acting annoyed at the interruption. More quickly than I’d have imagined possible in that long dress, she was between Redheart and the door. “You’re right where you belong, dear. And you’re going to do whatever you’re told.” Lamia pulled herself up using the hat rack, appearing to be supported by her tail, and nearly as tall as Bruises—except for the giveaway of her forelegs rather obviously holding her up. Can’t ad lib everything a snake can do, I suppose. Much more believable was the train of her dress. What wasn’t directly underneath Lamia was being pulled magically again, this time coiling around Redheart’s throat, reeling her in, and when close enough, pulling her up. Redheart stood on her hind legs, playing along beautifully. My swirling smoke was quickly getting out of hoof at the show, however corny it was. I calmed it as best I could.

“No! Help!” Redheart’s cries would’ve been a real problem if she hadn’t been trying to make herself sound strangled. Nopony downstairs would hear.

“I was pressed for time before… but now you will stay subservient!” Lamia had pulled Redheart muzzle to muzzle, and if I focused on their faces, and not Lamia supporting herself with a hat rack, or Redheart wobbling on her hind legs, the effect was perfectly menacing. Both mares were completely in character, Lamia staring wide-eyed, Redheart looking panicked. “Stare, little one. Stare into my gaze, and serve your Madame!”

Redheart couldn’t look away, not with the dress around her neck, and looked right at Lamia’s eyes as if she couldn’t help it. “No! I won’t! I… I…” Redheart’s ears lay back, and her eyelids sagged. I was developing a fairly horrible erection watching it, even if it was a little cheesy.

Lamia smiled. “You will serve, little one. Obedience is your purpose! I, Madame Lamia command it!”

I’ll admit to choking down a laugh. Redheart, however, showed no sign that it wasn’t real. The fear that she’d shown a moment before was gone, with no expression taking its place. “Yes, Madame. I obey.”

Lamia patted Redheart’s mane. “I know you do. Now, come. Prove my worth to Sterling!”

“Yes, Madame.” Lamia let herself down from the hat rack, and both mares crossed back to stand in front of me. Moonlight from outside played on the sequins of the long gown as it snaked back through the air and around me.

“I do believe you might make an interesting minion after all!” Just as I was wondering if the word ‘minion’ was being too absurd, I was interrupted by the pleasure of a tongue on my hard shaft. Redheart was moving way faster than expected! Lamia seized on the distraction to kiss me deeply. I wobbled backwards, my rear stopped by my desk.

“Shh, sweetheart. Let me serve you. Love me, and I’ll obey as eagerly as she does. Nopony else deserves you. I’ll place you on the seat of power, and rest at your side!” The cloth tail pulled me back into another kiss, tightly. I ran a hoof through Lamia’s blue mane and finally kissed back, encouraging Lamia to tighten her dress around us both. Redheart’s tongue circled my flare before she sank my eager cock as far down her throat as she could manage. Thrusting a bit into Redheart’s mouth, I broke the kiss, and panted with excitement. Lamia’s giggle was surprisingly girlish to still be so sexy.

“This is only a start, Sterling! Give me your heart, and any mare you choose will serve! We’ll rule Maretropolis, surrounded by all the most beautiful objets d’art, artifacts, and servants!” My breath came in ragged gasps, and it was all I could do not to smoke both mares and take them where they stood. Not since Bruises had I been so close to losing control. The mock villainy was insanely exciting.

Without so much as a glance, I addressed Redheart. “You. Faster.” She sped up below me, the wet sounds echoing in my office as I pulled Lamia into a kiss myself, and she threw both forelegs around me. Her horn glowed a bit brighter to spin her tail around the pair of us completely, tightly enough that I couldn’t possibly move without damaging the dress. In Lamia’s double embrace, with Nurse Redheart bobbing on my shaft, I saw no reason to try.

“At last… at last, sweetheart!” Lamia’s tongue glided along my neck, sending shivers down my spine as Redheart’s tongue sent them up. I staggered under the pressure of the pleasure, and Lamia giggled again. Her smile was still seductive, but as soon as I’d pulled her in, it became joyous. Whether Lamia or the mare playing her was the truly happy one, I didn’t know, but the smile suited her face perfectly. She saw me wobble and pulled away, loosening her tail.

“Not yet, sweetheart, not yet! There are more suitable ways, and you can savor her mouth whenever you wish! Slave! Cease!” Redheart stopped sucking my stallionhood and stepped away obediently, but her cheeks were flushed with excitement too. Lamia hoisted herself onto my desk, reclined on her side, and parted her hind legs just enough for a muzzle, keeping them closed at the ankle to do as little harm to the snake image as possible. The train of her dress looped once around blank-faced Redheart’s neck, pulling her muzzle to Lamia’s soaking lips. The remaining length gently guided me to stand behind Redheart. The implication was obvious.

“Serve me, little one… Your lips aren’t worthy of my Sterling sweetheart! Your most precious place is his!” Lamia smiled at me over Redheart’s back, and pulled me closer. I mounted the nurse, smoke thrashing inside as Redheart flipped her tail up for me.

“Yes, Madame,” Redheart intoned, and she began to lap at Lamia. I slid my shaft into the very wet mare beneath me and nearly whimpered—she was incredibly ready. Not just wet and slick, but so hot inside it was almost unbearable. I reached to the very end of her, with Lamia’s magically controlled dress pulling me forward.

Lamia looked down at Redheart between us and stared wide-eyed again. Redheart’s licking slowed, and she locked eyes with the unicorn. “Savor this, little one. This is your nirvana. Pleasing both master and Madame. There is no greater honor, no greater pleasure. Give yourself to us!” Lamia used a hoof to bury Redheart’s muzzle in her pussy, and pulled me so my tip rubbed against Redheart’s depths. The nurse moaned into Lamia, and the twitching around my cock was unmistakable. With just this, she’d climaxed.

Smiling, Lamia looked up at me. “Enjoy the first of many, sweetheart. Claim me when we sleep.”

I didn’t need to be told twice. The dress raised from my hindquarters, where it had held me in our “victim,” to my shoulders. Freed up, I pulled out and shoved myself back in, roughly. With smoke raging inside me and my own excitement through the roof, I couldn’t have held back any more if I wanted to. I slammed Redheart’s hindquarters, driving her muzzle against Lamia’s gash, over and over. There was no art, no tenderness. I was overcome with lust, and I fucked Redheart for all I was worth. She began twitching again and wobbled slightly before I was done, but I didn’t have much left either. With a blinding rush of pleasure, I poured myself into the pretty white mare, smoke bringing me to fill her entirely in just seconds. As it began to pour down Redheart’s legs, I forced myself to calm down the sliver I could, and the torrent of cum slowed. I staggered and fell to the office floor, taking Redheart with me. Our mess spilled onto the hardwood floor of the office, but I was relieved to see that I’d gotten it under better control than I thought.

Lamia scowled on my desk and used her tail to pull Redheart’s head to face her. “Celebrate, little one. I’m unsatisfied, but sweet Sterling seems pleased… Clean yourself and the floor, and join us. Earn forgiveness.”

Redheart, still panting beside me, nodded emotionlessly at the command. “Yes, Madame.” Without another word, the dignified nurse rolled backwards, lowering her nethers over her mouth to lick them clean, and leave me stunned. Nopony had suggested that! What other talents did that mare have?

Before I could stop staring, Lamia stepped down from my desk and walked around me, wrapping me gently once more as she crouched to whisper in my ear. “Sterling, my love, only you can truly satisfy me… haven’t I done well? Don’t I deserve you?” For the first time, Lamia’s expression wasn’t seductive at all. It was pleading. I could only guess at the content of the issue that the Radiance from before had mentioned.

Comics aside, though, this mare had more than earned it, and I had wanted to give it to her from the start. I opened my mouth, remembering at the very last second that I had a role to play too. I did my best to look authoritative with a shrinking dick dangling. “You have. Come to bed, and you can serve me yourself—and be rewarded.” I couldn’t help but feel ridiculous. Really, how do ponies read comics? Lamia smiled even more broadly than before, though. That was what counted.

“My sweet Sterling… Put the past behind you, and look to our glorious future!” I could swear there were tears in Lamia’s eyes, sparkling in the moonlight. Just how into this could she get?

I silently opened the door to my apartment. Lamia passed me, stroking my cheek with that magically lifted gown of hers, and headed up the stairs. I followed, careful not to step on the train and ruin the effect. At the top, I kissed her, a pause before leading her to my bedroom. With the bed in sight, she gestured me to it, smiling… benevolently, of all things. I followed her lead, and she followed me.

On the bed, she pressed her lips to mine, far more gently than she had before, and writhed her way underneath me on her back, lifting her hips to allow her gown to coil around us again, from hips to chest. Pressed belly to belly, it wrapped several times, pulling me onto her. Ensnared again, she wrapped her forelegs around me as well, pulling my muzzle to her neck. I kissed up and down, from her jaw to her chest and back, her gown tightening around us as she murmured happily. Though I’d gone soft downstairs, kissing her was warming me up again, and to be honest, so was being so wrapped up.

That wasn’t fast enough for her, though. As Redheart walked into the room, tracking our noises, Lamia looked over my shoulder. “At last… warm him up, slave. I shall wait no more!”

I couldn’t look, coiled as I was, but Redheart’s flat, “Yes, Madame,” told me all I needed to know about her state. I twisted just a bit to kiss lower on Lamia’s chest, and was rewarded with long, slow licks at my ear. When I felt Redheart’s tongue on my balls seconds later, I wasn’t sure it was even necessary, but I wasn’t interested in stopping her. I gasped into Lamia’s neck when Redheart licked a particularly sensitive spot, and she pressed my muzzle against her throat, holding me there as if my panting breath were somehow enjoyable itself.

“He’s hard, Madame.” Redheart’s emotionless tone was out of place in the bedroom’s growing heat, but somehow raised it anyway. I gently bit at Lamia’s neck, and she cooed happily. Suddenly, I saw the faint glow of light from Lamia’s horn,and felt my stallionhood being pulled into position. The coiled gown loosened, our hips pulled apart for just a moment, and Lamia slid me into her with the most contented sigh you could ask of a villain.

No sooner was my tip in than the gown tightened swiftly, pulling me in to the balls as Lamia cried out happily. I could hardly move, but that seemed to be precisely what she wanted. She tilted her head up to look me in the eye, and there were those tears again, sparkling in the moonlight filtering through my bedroom window. “Sweetheart, ever since I became… this… nopony has trusted me. My tail has terrified, but you kiss me in its embrace! Surely no stallion but you will ever understand… my cold blood, ponies’ cold hearts… please, Sterling, fill me with your warmth!”

I still couldn’t move, but it wasn’t needed. Lamia spoke again. “Slave! Please him! I will not have him pull out tonight! Not when he’s at last in my coils!”

Redheart offered another obedient “Yes, Madame,” and set to work lapping at my balls while Lamia squeezed and teased my cock inside of her. Motionlessly, my pleasure rose farther and farther, but slowly. Without thrusting, I seemed to teeter on the edge, never tipping over, until at last Lamia leaned up again and and placed her lips on mine, twirling our tongues and brushing our lips against each other, her hot breath always so close, but beyond me in my tight wrap. It was the missing push. Though the smoke had dwindled after Redheart, it was still swirling. I overflowed Lamia’s depths, the seed alone bringing her to a gentle climax below me. As we came down and enjoyed the afterglow, I kissed away the tears on Lamia’s cheeks. No fall from grace could rob a hero of that much.

* * * * *

I woke to the smell of breakfast wafting into the bedroom, but the first to wake was Redheart. I blinked at strands of pink in my eyes, turning my head to track them to the nurse, propped on elbows and smiling down at us. “You weren’t kidding about livening things up, were you?” She blushed a bit. “You were right that this was what I was looking for! I feel five years younger, and I doubt very much if anypony back home would believe me if I told them what I was up to last night! It certainly was fun, though! Perhaps, in the future, I won’t have to play the damsel in distress…” Redheart’s tone seemed to be holding something out for me. I bit.

“You’re guaranteed an invitation next year. And consider yourself welcome at The Tall Tail anytime, Redheart. You’re great fun.” I tried to roll and blinked as a squeak came from under me. Bleary-eyed and groggy, I’d noticed Redheart’s mane, but not the mare I was still trapped with—and inside!

“Lamia—I mean… actually, I don’t know your name, but let me get off of you!” I tried to move again, but the sparkling dress just tightened further.

“Hm-mm.” The mare below me slowly opened her eyes and stretched her forelegs, dropping them onto my back. “This is nice.” Her reply was mumbled and drowsy. Not really awake yet. Well, if she was happy, it could wait.

Redheart laughed beside me. “’Madame Lamia’ seems to have gotten her stallion in the end!” She turned to get up and saw the clock on the wall—and bounced to her hooves in a flash. “I’ll never get to the hotel in time to shower and catch my train! I’ll have to skip breakfast! Oh, ponyfeathers! I let it all hang out one night, and look what happens!”

I called after her as she started to run from the bedroom. “Shower’s down the hall, on the left; tell the maid I said to give you my breakfast!”

Redheart stopped and sighed with relief. “You just saved me a huge headache. See you next year. Maybe before!”

Unable to wave, I nodded a farewell and looked back down at “Lamia.” That name really wasn’t going to do. There was only one thing I could manage: I rubbed at her face with mine. “Hey. Wake up, really. This is kind of nice, but I’m stiff!”

Still groggy, she replied in the most unladylike way imaginable. “No you’re not. You’re squishy now.” At last, though, her eyes opened wider, and she saw the face inches from hers. “Oh my Celestia! It wasn’t a dream! you’re real! Oh my Celestia!” I laughed. It was progress.

“Can you let me go, miss? Last night was a lot of fun, but I really am stiff, and my masseuse will pout if she has to massage me while I’m still inside you.”

That did it. The mare below blushed horribly and lit her horn, unwrapping us so suddenly that I was rolled right off of her without trying. She looked all around, wide-eyed and shocked. I just lay on my side, making no effort to rush or to calm her. That could start when she was ready to listen.

“Oh. My. Celestia!” The gaps between words were unusually long. Probably making up for the total lack of pause as she began to ramble so fast I could barely understand. “ That was just like the Unbelievable Power Ponies Hearts and Hooves Day Heartbreak Special Issue! I can’t believe I stayed in character through all tha—” Suddenly, she cut off and renewed the pink in her cheeks. “I… um. I mean… that was just like a comic book I read once, and… oh Celestia.” The unicorn’s ears drooped. “Um. Sorry. I get carried away, and…” She pulled a sheet we’d ignored last night over her head.

I stifled a laugh. “Relax, it’s cute. And besides, I had more fun last night than in the last month. Maybe more.” Definitely more. “Why don’t you start with your name? I can’t call you Lamia forever.”

My bedmate peeked back out, ears returning to normal. She looked more than a little relieved, but that changed to excitement again as she spoke faster and faster. “Shimmering Scales. Sorry, it’s just… oh, why even hide it? We’re in bed! Last night was a dream come true! I was my favorite villain, catching my favorite hero—ex-hero, I mean, and the wild…” Shimmering Scales coughed. “It was wonderful. Like living a comic. And oh, what a great villain you were! Let me work for you!”

I stared in disbelief. One night of comic themed sex, and she wanted to work for me? “Shimmering, I’m not really a villain! And I don’t even know what you do!”

I hadn’t actually asked, but Shimmering Scales was on a roll. “I work in effects for theaters! Props, costumes, makeup, you name it! I made my tail—I mean, dress! And I’m sure you are! Or you could be! So commanding at the party! And so calm in the office, even with two mares! You’d be great!”

I rolled onto my back and laughed. “I’ll bite. Why would I of all ponies make a great villain? I’m working to clean up an old theater in the bad part of town, and running a nightclub, not flying around and knocking over buildings!”

Shimmering laughed. “That’s just what the crazy ones do, nopony is really like that! But you’ve got all these mares working for you, right? And a super classy club with a private office. And if you’re renovating the Celestia’s Light theater, you’ve got to be in good with the Trotties!”

I sat up far too quickly and coughed up a lung. Struggling for air as a startled Shimmering Scales patted my back, I bluffed. “What in Equestria makes you say that?”

“Mr. Deal, everypony who studied theater knows about the Celestia’s Light theater! Celestia herself visited three times, before gangs ruined it! At least a half dozen of the most famous stage actors and actresses of all time started there, but nopony’s even tried to fix it, because it’s right in the middle of gangland! No way could you fix it if they weren’t on your side!”

I could swear the temperature in my bedroom was rising insanely fast. “I… didn’t name the theater.”

Shimmering Scales smiled. “You wouldn’t say that if I weren’t right. I’ll do anything you need! I could really help your shows! And when you’re ready to start the real work, I know just how to make you look like a pony nopony wants to cross! Or like somepony too squeaky clean to worry about! Think how much help that would be!”

I rubbed at my eyes. I’d really blown it. Shimmering didn’t have anything solid, but I certainly didn’t want anypony knowing about the Trotties. I’d had to tell every contractor I spoke with that I’d be hiring security, to avoid admitting they were in on the deal! Now this, all because this mare knew her theater history. She’d be less risk in than out. And that dress was perfect. None of our costumes held a candle to it. Plus props and makeup? “There really is a… respect problem.”

I forced myself to look at her. “Say I hire you. You’re not going to run around calling me a villain are you? If Pirouette hears that, she’ll call it proof, not to mention if somepony not in the know hears. I need you doing what you’re told, and making my shows shine. We can worry about… image issues later. Can you do that?”

Shimmering Scales bounced to all four hooves on the bed. “I will! And so much more, Mr. Deal! I’m sure you’ll be rising in no time!”

I made a snap decision. If this sometimes excitable, sometimes mousy mare could turn herself into that sultry snakepony just for fun, she could do me even more good if she were in the know about all of it. That sultry snakepony… “Close your eyes, Shimmer.”

Shimmer obeyed without a moment’s hesitation. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’d just hired her in part to cut risks, and now I was about to tack on a new one. I pulled up smoke, lots of it, and wrapped it around her body like I had Pirouette. Like I had with Peach Pit, I did my best to imagine what I wanted… and began. Shimmering Scales gasped and flopped onto the bed, eyes wide, thrashing and moaning with pleasure she’d never imagined as the smoke sank in. Shimmer’s body didn’t bulge or twist, though. That wasn’t the idea.

The thrashing slowed and stopped, and Shimmering Scales opened her eyes, looking at me hungrily. Without a word, she crawled over me, her dress still trailing behind, and kissed me right back against my pillow. My cock, half hard from watching Shimmer thrash, started to rise further, but I lifted a hoof to stop her, and she broke the kiss reluctantly.

“Take off the dress, Shimmer.” Confusion was written all over her face, but she slipped the chest loose—and froze wide-eyed as she saw her own coat. A snake scale pattern mottled her fur now, and it shone as brightly as the dress had moments before. Outside of looks, the coat was exactly the same as before, but from a few feet away, Shimmering Scales’ name had new meaning, at least below the neck.

I knew I should’ve been worrying far, far more than I was, even then… but that had stopped while I watched Shimmer writhing on the bed. Right that moment, all I felt was cocky. “You’ll need to wear dresses from now on I suppose… but that seemed like a nice signing bonus for a new minion. Why don’t you show me how eager you are to serve?”

Shimmer’s smile was the same joyous, seductive mix it had been last night, when “Sterling” accepted “Madame Lamia.” I only saw it for a moment, though. An instant later, Shimmer’s muzzle was buried in my balls, with her tongue doing the slithering.

Author's Note

Congratulations to Fable_Wright for Shimmering Scales win at the polls! Employment at The Tall Tail was never part of the contest. I can't offer a permanent place in the story based on a vote--a character that doesn't fit could win. But Shimmering Scales' talents make her a perfect fit, not only for the cabaret, but for Done's future aspirations. Who better to manage your image than a pony who's made her living making viewers believe the actors they're watching are who they portray?

Corrections

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?

(PC) Plumbing

“No, you go sit down, Mr. Deal.”

“I’ve got it, Mr. D! Thanks, though!”

“Aww, just relax.”

“Done, if you don’t stay put, I’m going to have Parapet hold you in the air. Now go rest!”

And so I sat alone at a table, sulking, while the dancers, Pirouette, Day, Bruises, and even Primavera, as far from Day as possible, set up the stage for The Tall Tail’s annual Hearth’s Warming Eve pageant. Shimmer was backstage, working on some special effect surprise in back. If the girls had been fawning over me, I’d have been a lot happier, but no. I was banned from the stage thanks to Deep Tissue’s fit. Twinges here and there had kept me irritated with her, but when my back popped bucking Day and didn’t get any better, irritation had changed to anger. Pirouette’s teasing about Day being too much mare for me hadn’t helped any. In short, I couldn’t help because I couldn’t help—my back was out, and everything I wanted to do would’ve made it worse. Deep was around, wisely avoiding me, and Jade took regular breaks to rub my back, which were the only things going my way.

So there I sat, staring unhappily out into the blowing snow that’d kept up long after it should’ve dwindled, and threatened to trap everypony at The Tall Tail overnight. The way they were laughing over on the stage, you’d think they were looking forward to the forced sleepover. My ears perked as a pair of dancers placed bets on who’d spend it in my bed, and sank flat as Pirouette scolded them for encouraging me. These parties were one of my favorite parts of running a cabaret, and as I lay my head on the table, ignored, the flare of extra pain in my back reminded me of just why it was ruined this year.

I sighed, just about ready to pick myself up and go lie in bed, where Day and Pirouette insisted I belonged anyway, when I saw snow moving opposite the wind. I squinted to see splashes of red and pink floating on the other side of the street. A unicorn, body nearly invisible against the snow, peered through the glass of the coffee shop opposite The Tall Tail. It was dark inside, closed, of course. The mare slumped and her pink and red mane dropped around her face. Most of this part of town was a little too upscale to open on holidays, and the few that had tried had changed their minds in a hurry when the weather didn’t give up like it was supposed to. I sighed at the ceiling, wondering what the pegasi were thinking with a surprise winter storm on Hearth’s Warming Eve. Wondering wasn’t going to help the mare out there though, so I pushed myself up, cursing softly at my back and headed toward the door. Day trotted over to put me back where I belonged, but saw the mare through the picture window and suddenly smiled.

“Why not take her upstairs, Mr. Deal? You can amuse yourself enough to keep from getting hurt. Maybe the release will help. I’ll talk Pirouette out of fussing.” I opened my mouth, looking past Day at the stage, but she cut me off. “You can’t help anyway, and you’ve been chased off seven—no, eight—times now. Also, it’s a private affair, nopony to spread rumours. Only a handful of Primavera’s staff came, and they’re still over there, working on the snacks and buffet.”

I hadn’t actually been planning on taking the mare across the street upstairs, but it did sound like fun. If it kept kept me from being shooed again… I nodded at Day. “Wandering out there in the snow, she could probably stand to have some fun, too. Just make sure Pirouette really doesn’t fuss. I’m in enough pain already.”

“You’ll be in more if she hears you say that, Mr. Deal. Now go on. I’ll have that witch Primavera quit decorating and make the two of you something nice while you’re up there. She’s much easier to deal with when a frown sends her running.”

I shook my head, chuckling a bit. Nearly two months hadn’t improved Day’s opinion of Primavera, but she’d learned to enjoy the situation without being actively vicious, and it’d taught Primavera to come to me to be praised. It was good boss/bad boss, but using her mouth seemed to have stuck with Primavera, so playing good boss had perks. The mare outside started trotting away, and I pushed aside memories of Primavera’s head bobbing in my lap to rush outside—and nearly screamed between the sudden cold and pain in my back.

Gritting my teeth and making a point of not looking as pitiful as I felt, I picked up my pace, hoping my smile didn’t look like a grimace as I approached the mare, who was peering into another window. “Hey! Are you alright, miss? There’s nothing open for blocks.”

By way of answer, she jumped, shrieked, and landed facing my direction, panting as she tried to calm down. Most ponies would smile and gently admonish me for scaring them. This one, snow starting to stick almost invisibly on her white coat, offered a worried frown, and no greeting at all. “Nothing? What am I going to eat? I was sure a city this big would have things open!”

As if she had no interest in me at all, she looked farther down the street, seemingly expecting me to be wrong, and a nice meal to be just ahead. As close as I was, I could see her shiver now though, warmed only by a scarf as pale as she was. She needed warmth as much as food, even if she was preoccupied. She was cute enough, but looked like she hadn’t smiled in ages. Well, I’d fix that. “That’s right. Head twenty or thirty blocks down and you’ll find something, I’m sure, but this part of town is basically abandoned.”

The mare turned back to me, red eyes surprisingly piercing for such an uncomfortable expression on the rest of her face. “You’re here…”

If she wanted to ask something, she wasn’t letting herself. I didn’t get it. Was I grimacing after all? “Yep. I run the club over there. We’re having a private party, but I can’t just leave you out here cold and hungry. C’mon. Primavera herself is cooking for us. You won’t find better for under a hundred bits a plate today.” Not that Primavera was nearly that pricy, but anything of any quality open on Hearth’s Warming Eve would be.

The mare gasped, shocked, and frowned more deeply. “I don’t have that kind of money!” I couldn’t help but laugh, though I stopped when the shivering lady’s ears dropped in displeasure.

“You don’t need it. Like I said, I can’t leave you out here cold and hungry. You’re a guest. No charge. Let’s get you inside, miss…”

The mare kept her frown and looked back at The Tall Tail without taking the hint at an introduction. A couple of dancers had come to the window to watch their boss in the snow and waved at us as we looked their direction. My chilly companion looked at me, to the window, and back again. “I dunno…”

The cold was not easing the pain in my back any, and the mare was becoming a pain in my neck. “Trust me. Free food, warmth, some company, a nice pageant tonight. It beats standing out here, eating snow. I’m Done Deal. Don’t stay out here shivering, miss…” I really didn’t want to ask point blank what her name was, but I’d do it if I had to.

“Righty Tighty. That’s… a lot of mares.” Righty actually took a half step back. Not a social mare, obviously. While Righty stared, Pirouette shooed my girls from the window, and I sighed with relief. I couldn’t believe it, but I was stuck resorting to drastic measures to get somepony to thaw out and not starve. With nopony at the window and nopony else in the street, I lifted a hoof to Righty’s ear and a slender trickle of smoke slipped in. Righty’s tail and eyes drooped to the position I’d come to find strangely erotic and her ears… well, they hadn’t been up for a while anyway.

“It is a lot of mares. But you’re so hungry, and so cold, it’s worth it. Besides, I’ll take you upstairs, away from the noise. Soft chairs, warm room, nice hot meal. You want all of those things, especially after being out in the cold so long.” I half expected her to resist despite the smoke, but whatever was holding her back, she really did want food and warmth.

Righty nodded slowly. “Hungry…” I released the smoke.

“Right, of course you are. Come on. Let’s see what Primavera made us.” I trotted toward The Tall Tail without waiting—if she was still intent on freezing, she could do it. I heard the snow crunch behind me as Righty fell into line, though, and didn’t risk slowing down and giving her the opportunity to change her mind.

Righty Tighty cooperated as far as just inside the door. Friendly waves from a few of the mares working on the stage caused her to back up a step again and look to me, as if I were supposed to make them go away. I gestured toward the stairs on the far side of the show floor, and as she looked that way and away from me, I rolled my eyes. There was no question I could get what I wanted from her with the smoke, but I didn’t work with a bunch of mares because I disliked them. I was hoping to get to know Righty a bit, not just get her upstairs and stick it in, but the way things were going, it would’ve fit the day if I needed to smoke her to taste whatever Primavera cooked up.

“Head on up. It’ll be quieter there, and you can eat in peace. Primavera will bring it up, or send somepony.” For the first time, Righty didn’t require any encouragement, and headed for the stairs at a fast trot—a bit too fast to be polite to the ponies who watched her leave without so much as a hello. I shrugged at Pirouette, who was frowning at Righty from the stage, and headed after the skittish thing. Following her up the stairs made clear one thing: Righty’s best feature was clearly her plot. Still in view of Pirouette and the dancers, I kept my glance short.

It took Righty a few more seconds to decide that yes, she really would walk through my office, and as I held open the door for her to go up to the next floor, I had enough time to wonder if my back was going to give out before Righty got climbing. Finally she did, with occasional glances the way she’d come. At the top of the stairs, she blinked. “This looks like an apartment.”

It dawned on me that I’d only ever said “upstairs,” and this awkward mare probably wasn’t delighted by the idea of being alone with a strange stallion in his home. I was right. Still at the top of the stairs, Righty turned to head back down, but trapped me halfway up in the process. Stairs were not my back’s favorite thing right then, and I was running out of patience. Alone, I didn’t have to worry so much. It was time to quit beating around the bush. “No?” I asked. “Well, here, let me past so you can get back down, I guess.”

For once, Righty didn’t hesitate and she stepped to the side to allow me past, but as soon as she stepped back toward the stairs, facing away, I had tendrils of smoke wafting to her ears. She got only one hoof down a step before stopping in her tracks, smoke invading each ear and winding its way to her nostrils. Her eyelids sagged, and I smiled. She’d get a good meal and a warm place to wait out the storm, and we’d both have some fun in the process.

I gestured toward a window, visible from the top of the stairs. “Look out there, Righty.” Unable to help herself with smoke still flowing, Righty glanced outside. “That snow is awful. Bitter cold, your coat is already wet, no place to get any food.” Righty’s near constant frown deepened a bit. “You don’t want to be in that. This may be a little uncomfortable for you, but you really do want to stay here, warm and dry, until it’s over. You really want that hot meal I promised you. And I might not be your first choice, but alone on Hearth’s Warming Eve doesn’t sound nice either.” Righty’s brow furrowed, and I increased the smoke flowing into her just a bit, enough to smooth the worry. “However much you might not like strange ponies, you don’t want to be alone today.”

It took a second with the still light touch I was using, but Righty’s head sank and rose in a slow nod. “I don’t want… lonely…” I smiled. I could probably just push as hard as I could and spend a few hours making Righty into a total party mare, but that’d wear me out, she might have local family who’d ask what happened, and it felt like a wasted opportunity. If every little thing was going to be a hill to climb, then I’d just amuse myself nudging her over each one. I wondered if Righty was a blusher. Bright red cheeks on her snow-white coat, against the red of her eyes and streaks in her mane sounded like something I’d like to see.

Right then, though, my poor back had had its fill. I released the smoke and staggered to the sofa, collapsing, stomach up and groaned as I sank into the soft fabric. “Make yourself at home, Righty. My back’s out, so I can’t really host as well as I should.” I suppressed a frown when Righty suddenly looked more comfortable knowing my back was out. Just the barest sliver, and it could’ve been my imagination, but I wasn’t happy to see it. “If you’d like a towel to dry off faster, just head down the hall a bit; there’s a linen closet.

Preferring to stay and preferring my company to solitude hadn’t really made Righty much chattier. She nodded and said, “Okay,” before trotting out of my sight. I took the opportunity to sigh and shut my eyes, remembering Righty’s plot from the stairs. She was cute all around, but her flanks in particular were nice—on par with any of my dancers, to be sure. Quickly, I banished the image again. I didn’t need to be getting stiff when Righty came back; that’d scare her off for certain.

“I hung my scarf with the towel, Done Deal. It was wet.” I craned my neck to see Righty return, upside down from my perspective. She avoided my glance.

“That’s fine, Righty. Have a seat, warm up.” I was taking up most of the space on the couch due to my back, not that I expected Righty to sit with me anyway. As expected, she took a chair on the far side of my coffee table. Just as well; dragging Righty inside had been enough for my back. A table between us when Primavera showed up meant we wouldn’t have to move to eat.

Awkward silence, however, was less to my liking. “So, visiting for the holidays? Most locals wouldn’t have been out in that.”

Righty’s cheeks colored ever so slightly. “Y-yeah. Working though.”

I blinked. Seasonal work would’ve been mostly retail, and not something anypony would visit for. “Working? On what?”

Righty looked out the window, but gestured to a flank. Her coat was white as the snow outside, but a pitch black wrench was there. I’d been a little too focused on shape to notice what the black mark was before. She spoke after a short pause. “I’m helping for the orange drop.”

I blinked. The New Year’s orange drop was a big deal in Manehattan, even if it was entirely Mr. and Mrs. Orange’s marketing money at work. On one of Mr. Orange’s infrequent visits to The Tall Tail, I’d asked him about it, and he’d laughed as merrily as I’d ever seen him. He knew it was all about selling his products, but ponies loved it, and it was too important to him to let amateurs get involved. If Righty was, then she was quite the mechanic. “Nice, Righty! Mr. Orange only hires the best.”

Righty’s glance flickered my direction as she blushed just a bit more, but quickly bounced back to the snow outside. If anything, it’d gotten worse. I sighed at the idea of shoveling the roof after this, then winced at another pang from my back, and decided to treat Bruises to any dish on Primavera’s menu to take care of it for me.

Righty frowned at my sigh, and actually looked at me again. “Is… something wrong?”

I shook my head and smiled at her, happy to finally see something like normal conversation without having to pry it out of her. “Just my back. Shovelling this won’t be fun. I’m probably going to talk my bouncer into it; she could have it done in no time.”

Righty nodded. “Okay.”

…so much for conversation. Mercifully, I heard the door open and hooves on the steps. Food was coming, and Righty would have an excuse for silence. I couldn’t see it yet, but I recognized the smell of pasta primavera wafting up the stairs. Predictable, maybe, but it was her signature dish, and delicious. I wasn’t about to complain. A tray with the plates came floating up moments ahead of Day Planner… and Pirouette.

Day floated the tray to the coffee table. “I suppose this wasn’t something I had to do personally, but her ears drooped when I took the food. I’m sure you’ll cheer her up before too long.” The food delivered, Day planner turned and headed back down the stairs while Pirouette rolled her eyes at Day’s implication.

“I’m sure he will. And you behave yourself, Done Deal. If your back weren’t out, I wouldn’t leave you up here.” Pirouette turned and headed down behind Day Planner, apparently satisfied by the seating that I wasn’t up to anything.

I thanked Celestia that her choice of words hadn’t been more incriminating, but Righty stared after Pirouette, her fork floating halfway between plate and mouth. She obviously wanted an explanation. I sighed and gave it, or my version of it: “She’s the choreographer, manages the dancers, and these days is our star dancer on top of it. She’s also a mother hen, and wouldn’t normally let me sit around while the girls put together the pageant.”

Righty nodded. “Oh.” The fork traveled the rest of the way to her mouth, and Righty’s eyes widened in the first emotion other than worry I’d seen—surprise. The fork found its way back to the plate far faster than it had gone the other direction, and I smiled. When Primavera herself did the cooking, nopony ever complained, but it seemed like I hadn’t needed smoke to convince Righty she was hungry. I even caught a hint of a smile for a moment before she blushed and slowed down, realizing I was watching. My own meal went untouched. I’d leaned to grab the fork, and pain sent me right back. Deep’s attack had left me truly jealous of unicorns for the first time in my life.

Nearly finished with her own plate, Righty frowned at mine. “Not hungry, Done?” I’d have smiled, if my back weren’t forcing me to struggle to keep a straight face. Using my first name was progress.

“I am, but I don’t have the benefit of a horn, and laying down’s left me needing help to get up again for the last week.” I stopped myself from grumbling in front of Righty. Really, Day Planner should’ve realized what would happen and set the plate on the sofa with me; Bruises had actually carried me down from my apartment that morning when I couldn’t sit up without Jade’s help. I was irritated, and my food was getting cold.

Righty looked a bit disappointed, but floated my plate over to me before studying the snow outside again. I guessed she was hoping for a double portion. With her looking away, I smiled a bit. With the fun I had in mind, if she wanted more pasta, she wouldn’t have any trouble talking me into getting it for her. My difficulty had given me an idea, though. While Righty stared out the window, I snaked smoke across the floor, up her back, and once again into her ears. She still stared at the snow out the window, but now she looked as if the swirling flakes were putting her to sleep.

“We’re sharing a classy meal alone together in my apartment on Hearth’s Warming Eve, Righty, sheltering from a storm. It’s romantic, even if it’s accidental. You feel like playing that up. You want to capitalize on the situation.”

Righty’s brow furrowed again, she frowned, and her head slowly turned side to side. I let a bit more smoke go, and gave Righty a few seconds to soak it in. I could see her breathing deeply through her nose; her body wanted the smoke like anypony else’s. She was just stubbornly shy or something. As her furrowed brow smoothed, I pushed again. “You do. A Hearth’s Warming Eve date, just for fun. You want to come over and feed me.”

My guest made a small noise, like a fussy foal. Instead of pouring on more smoke, I tried something else. “Come feed me, Righty.” Nopony had ever rejected a direct command with smoke flowing into them, and Righty was no different. As she floated a fork full of pasta to my mouth, I released the smoke. I wanted to see how she’d handle it, considering that she’d weakened a bit under the smoke, but hadn’t caved.

Righty blinked and the glow around the handle of the fork vanished. Fortunately, it was already in my mouth and didn’t fall. To cover for her odd behavior, she accepted what I’d told her moments before. “I… I thought it might be fun after all…” Her blush was so bright I was surprised I didn’t feel the warmth from it where I sat, but the fork floated away from me and picked up more as I chewed. Righty stared at the floor, confused… but scooted just the tiniest bit closer to her “date.” I smiled. The pasta was cooler than ideal, but having it fed to me by a blushing mare did great things for the flavor.

As I chewed the last bite, I reached forward and stroked Righty’s mane. Unsurprisingly, she jumped a bit and began to pull away, but smoke was in her ears before her head was out from under my hoof. I’d planned on getting her used to that before going any farther, but the pain in my back from holding out a hoof put the kibosh on that in a hurry. I scooted toward the edge of the sofa and rolled to my side, creating room behind me. “Hearth’s Warming Eve dates always have cuddling, Righty. And you’re still kind of chilly from outside.”

I was hardly surprised when Righty didn’t move, but instead of piling on the smoke, I kept it consistent and tried a different tactic. “So cold, Righty. How long were you out there, anyway? You only just missed the blizzard starting in earnest, and all you had on was a snow covered scarf. A hot meal was only the beginning of what you need. You’re so cold that… that’s right.”

I stopped and released the smoke as Righty sluggishly lifted a hoof to climb up with me, even through the smoke. She stepped over me carefully, but it wasn’t hard to see her shiver as she did. I wasn’t sure if the smoke was wearing her down, or if I’d just overdone it convincing her she was cold, but Righty wasn’t being standoffish in the least, this time. She curled up behind me, pressing her length against my back, and trembling with the cold she was sure she felt. I didn’t feel cold, but I did feel a bit bad; I hadn’t actually wanted to make her miserable. I waited for Righty to settle in behind me and leaned back just a bit, so her muzzle was in my mane. The poor thing actually pressed her nose against the back of my neck. I suppose it made sense; noses always do feel the coldest.

For all of her shivering, she wasn’t touching me, not with her hooves. With her muzzle buried in my mane, I formed smoke right at her nose and let it in. The shivering slowed, then stopped. Righty was where I wanted her, and it was time for the shivering to stop. “This is helping a lot, Righty, isn’t it? I’m nice and warm, and you’re getting comfortable. The cuddling on our fun date is nice after all.” There was no sound of objection, and though it was hard to tell with such tiny motions against the back of my neck, I thought I felt a nod. I released the smoke again.

Righty didn’t move, either away or to cuddle more. She did seem to get a bit stiff, though, and I could feel her nose on the back of my neck getting warmer. She was blushing again. I smiled, imagining Righty turning red and trying to figure out what she was supposed to do. I reached back, gritting my teeth at the pain in my back to find one of Righty’s hooves and pull it over my side, holding it against my chest. She seemed to tremble a bit again, though not from the cold. She didn’t pull back her leg. Lying against my back like that, holding me probably seemed reasonable, if scary. Poor thing. I let her lie there in peace for half an hour, just stroking her leg. It took nearly that long for her to quit trembling and get used to it. With all the smoke and cuddling, Righty’s scent was becoming noticeable.

“Having a nice time, Righty?” I honestly was curious. Having trouble coming to terms with a situation and hating it weren’t the same, after all.

“I…” Righty paused. “I don’t know. It’s… weird.” That beat a no, and she didn’t pull her muzzle out of my mane before answering, tickling me and making me smile. It also left her open to the smoke, yet again. It was time to leave the baby steps behind.

With smoke pouring into her nostrils more quickly than she’d had so far, I slid the hoof I was holding down to my still-sheathed stallionhood, stroking from there to my balls and back. “The food was lovely, and the cuddling was sweet. It’s time to move on to the more exciting parts of our “date,” Righty. You want to get me as excited as you are.” Her scent had been in the air for a while at that point. Strange for her or not, nopony took much smoke without getting aroused, and while this was the first time I’d put much effort into smoking Righty Tighty, the frequent trickles had added up. When Righty’s hoof moved lazily on its own, I let the smoke go, and she buried her face in my mane even further—but kept stroking.

“Getting in the mood?” I didn’t bother twisting to face her; it would only hurt my back, and make it harder for her to answer.

“N-no? I… maybe. A little?” Righty’s hoof never stopped moving as my cock began to push from its sheathe, but it did slide up to stroke the newly exposed portion. Between the smoke and Righty’s own arousal, whether she wanted it or not, she was having a hard time even trying to back out. I rolled onto my back again, and smiled at her. She looked away immediately, and sat up on the couch. By this time, her face was as red as her eyes, and my shaft was full length. Moving had put her in an easy position to smoke again. The way she was going, she’d get me off with her hoof, which wasn’t what I wanted. Those flanks of hers floated into my mind’s eye again. That was the destination, but I wanted to enjoy the trip, too.

I heard a sticky sound, and the pleasure stopped. Righty was frowning at her hoof where precum had gotten rubbed. Apparently her own arousal wouldn’t carry her through that. Smoke floated up Righty’s back to her ears, which sank with her eyelids. I went back to the light touch. “You were rubbing me to get me ready for you, weren’t you? You wanted to get me horny. Just lick that off; that’ll help. Stallions like seeing that.” I released the smoke, and Righty raised her hoof to her muzzle, tentatively lapping at the sticky stuff. Her ears drooped a bit without the smoke’s help, but she licked her hoof clean and reached for my balls, away from the precum.

I still didn’t want to get off that way, though. “I’m ready, Righty. What about you? You don’t want to be left out, do you?” I hadn’t used the smoke. I wanted to see how she’d handle it.

Righty swallowed hard and nodded, standing on the sofa and straddling me. I’d expected objection, but when she dripped on me as she moved, it made more sense. However awkward it was for her, she wanted it badly. I reached down and angled my shaft for her to lower herself onto. As her hind lips kissed my flare at last, she halted. “I… I don’t know! M-maybe a little later?”

I had to admit, I was surprised. Even if she could stop though, I needed it, and I had another idea. I quit aiming my shaft and moved my hoof between Righty’s hind legs, gently kneading her puffy, hot sex. Righty gasped with pleasure and her legs wobbled, but stayed up. While she was distracted, I wound smoke from my side up one of her hind legs—but not to her head. This time, the smoke crept into Righty’s pucker unfelt and unnoticed. I kept rubbing at her lips, and Righty’s front legs gave out, bringing us muzzle to muzzle. On her next cute little “Ahn!” I closed my lips over hers, and slid in my tongue.

I was gentle enough, but Righty was right on the edge and didn’t have any resistance left in her. I closed my eyes and concentrated on what I wanted as I aimed my shaft farther back with my free hoof. The smoke flowing in Righty’s ass reacted, changing the walls as it poured into them, making them looser, slicker, and as sensitive as I could imagine. Righty shuddered hard on my chest as she climaxed under the smoke’s effect. Her hind legs collapsed too then, with my hard cock sliding easily into the bud that would never have taken it seconds before. Inches sliding in gave Righty new reasons to climax, and she shook violently on top of me, mindlessly shoving her hindquarters down on both my stallionhood buried impossibly deep inside of her, and the hoof trapped between her pussy and myself.

My other hoof wasn’t needed to aim anymore, and reached to hold Righty in our kiss. The blush reached clear to the tips of her ears now, but she didn’t look embarrassed anymore—she looked lost to the world. With my rod buried in Righty’s ass, her orgasm didn’t stop. Each time she bore down on me, she shuddered again. With my back out, all I could do was let her go, but that turned out not to be a problem. Righty ground and pushed against my shaft over and over, even as her eyes crossed and she moaned into the sofa cushion. I let her, and stroked her soft flanks, breathing shallowly as Righty’s ass pushed me closer and closer to my own orgasm. Pushing in, it was silky smooth the whole length of my shaft, but whenever she managed to inch up, it was as if her walls wanted to hold me inside. The pleasure would’ve been enough on its own, but Righty’s face, cross-eyed and with her mouth hanging open, was what pushed me over the edge. The pleasure she’d been so reluctant to take had left her completely incoherent. As I came in Righty’s ass, she finally dropped, laying flat on top of me and gasping slightly whenever another load splashed inside of her.

When I stroked Righty’s mane then, the worn out mare made no attempt to move away. Minutes passed with no sound but our breath and the wind outside, until the quiet was interrupted by the office door opening. The sound of heavy hooves on the staircase was a relief. Bruises could actually be useful; Pirouette would’ve been a nightmare if she caught me underneath Righty, with Righty’s ass still stretched around my cock. Righty still didn’t react as Bruises cleared the stairwell and looked around, finding us on the sofa. When Bruises did find us, it was her turn to blush and look away.

“Oh, wow… uh, sorry boss! I didn’t mean to, uh, I mean… you probably want to be alone, huh?” I smiled and shook my head.

“Actually, Bruises, you’re just the pony I need right now. I couldn’t get up, even if I didn’t have Righty on me, and Righty’s still… recovering. Think you could draw us a nice warm bath and drop us in? Gently, of course.”

Bruises nodded enthusiastically. “Sure thing, boss!” I stroked Righty’s mane, amused by her still bewildered expression, as Bruises headed off down the hall. Even with Bruises passing through, Righty didn’t stir. In fact, as I stroked, her eyes fluttered closed, and within a few seconds, that mistrustful frown was back on her lips. I twitched my dick inside of her, and watched the frown vanish while she gasped, but she didn’t wake. I wrapped my forelegs around the exhausted thing and waited for Bruises to return.

The wait wasn’t long, but Bruises didn’t actually return, either. Up we went into the air, but Righty remained asleep. As we floated down the hall, toward Bruises’ head, where it stuck out the bathroom door, I hoped that lying in the bath with a mare wasn’t going to hurt more than it was worth, but we did need it, and when the porcelain tub came into view, it looked like we’d be alright.

As we floated over the warm water, I whispered to Bruises. “Easy. She fell asleep. And not a word to Pirouette!”

Bruises nodded, eyes wide and sincere. “She’d get mad. I dunno why. The smoke is nice. And I bet she’s havin’ lots of fun.”

I smiled. Bruises got it. As she lowered me into the water, I gestured her closer and gave the big mare a quick peck on the nose. “That’s what I like to hear. Go on, tell Pirouette we’re okay.” Smiling ear to ear at the little kiss, Bruises trotted away, and the warm water rushed over us. I was just settling in, wincing in pain and trying to find a comfortable way to rest my back and keep Righty’s head above the water when she woke—and did she ever wake.

“Water! Drowning? Pipe rupture? What’s going on, where are my tools, why can’t I mo—” Righty’s panic cut off and wobbled as I pushed my dick deeper into her rear again. She couldn’t move because my legs were holding her in place, but that only kept her from getting up, not from kicking in every possible direction trying to, and bruising me in the process. The sudden pleasure in her ass caused her to splash back down on top of me, and I grunted in pain. I wanted to give the smoke a little rest, honestly, but I didn’t think any explanation for how we got from the sofa to the bath without separating would satisfy a mare who had reservations about coming in out of the snow. Before she could try to push up again, I wound the smoke into her ears, and Righty’s body relaxed on top of me.

“It’s fine, Righty. We’re just in the bath. You want to be nice and clean, and as much as you enjoyed our romp on the couch, it was a bit messy. So let’s wash each other off.”

Righty frowned and I sighed. It was my own fault for doing everything bit by bit, but I was tired of so much resistance, especially after freezing myself to get her fed, hurting my back while she dawdled, and getting kicked in the bath. I wanted to relax. Easing her over things could wait. I poured more smoke into Righty and lay back for a bit, watching her breathe it in. When even her usual frown faded, I tried again. “You’re going to wash me Righty, and you’re going to let me wash you. You can’t quit thinking about how it felt on the couch, and wondering what’s coming.” I specifically didn’t tell her how she felt. I wanted her to cooperate for a bit, but I still wanted to see how she’d handle it.

Righty’s blush returned almost as quickly as the smoke faded. Without a word, she levitated a wash cloth over and dunked it in the water before using it to scrub at my face—the place that least needed cleaning. My face was followed by my neck, and what she could reach of my withers, as she did everything she could to put off where we were actually messy. And, I noticed with a smirk, she was being awfully still. I twitched my dick inside her, and Righty squeaked, dropping the cloth. I gave her my most innocent expression, the one that never worked on Pirouette, and she lifted the wash cloth a second time, studying it awfully closely. No glare or reproachful glance. Unless it was just my imagination though, Righty had started squeezing me inside of her as she went back to work.

Eventually, she worked her way low enough that she had no choice but to pull off of me. I sighed with the pleasure as I slid out, and Righty gasped over and over, pausing inch by inch as she rose until at last I slipped out, mess and all, and Right gasped, dropping back onto me. She turned slowly, laying her ears back against her dripping mane as she lifted shaft magically, keeping her distance as best she could.

Keeping away from it, however, moved her rear closer to me, and I reached for another nearby cloth. Where Righty hesitated each time she touched me, I had no reservations and reached up, ignoring my back, to pull her haunches down over my face. Righty squeaked again at the sudden motion. “Please don’t just jerk me around…”

“Sorry, Righty.” I actually meant it—the squeak was funny, but on the edge as she was, I should’ve been encouraging, not making trouble. Her only response was a disbelieving “Hmm…” as she moved to finally wash my dick itself. She was staring at it with a dreamy look I expect she’d never have admitted, but certainly wasn’t trying to turn me on as she cleaned me up. As she finished, I reached up again, scrubbing gently at Righty’s flanks. When I moved inward and cleaned away our mess, Righty shook and moaned. I couldn’t resist playing a bit, and used a gentler touch, long, slow strokes, circling her pucker. The shaking stopped, but the moans only turned to whimpers. The smoke had left her sensitive to any stimulation in her rear, no matter how gentle. Putting a bit more pressure into the last motion brought the mare to her knees, right over my muzzle.

I wiped Righty’s lips clean of the juices that were still flowing, then braced myself for my back to hurt as I leaned up and ran my tongue along their length. Righty dropped her washcloth again, gasping in more than just surprise, but I didn’t let up. Long licks gave way to kisses, and Righty panted and moaned her body’s approval at the very least. She didn’t join in, but I hadn’t expected her to. While she was looking away, embarrassed, smoke once again trailed its way into Righty’s mind. Her moans got quieter, but didn’t die entirely.

“Return the favor, Righty.”

Sluggishly, with smoke still seeping in, Righty pulled my half erect shaft toward herself, and began to inexpertly run her tongue along its length. I pressed my tongue as deep into Righty as I could, and smoke or not, she gasped aloud, but that just meant hot breath on my cock. With the smoke flowing, she was helplessly obedient. I smiled and nibbled gently at tender flesh, tasting the juices I’d just wiped away moments before. Righty slid her tongue down my stallionhood, nibbling gently at my sack, very literally returning the favor. The beautiful plot in front of me was exactly what I’d wanted most from Righty as I’d brought her in, and I greatly enjoyed running my hooves over it as I lapped between her legs. Righty’s hooves found their way under my flanks, squeezing and kneading almost in time with my own as she offered up the same pleasure she received. I couldn’t hold out long. The dripping mare above me was serving me too well, and having her completely smoked aroused me more than I’d thought. I pressed my tongue deep again, and gently prodded Righty’s bud with a hoof, pushing her over the edge, but as she shook with another orgasm, her mouth never left my shaft.

I pulled my muzzle away just enough to speak. “Take in as much as you can, lick, and use your hooves.”

Righty did as she was told. Her mouth couldn’t compare to Primavera’s, but she was more than adequate, swirling around my flare and prodding at the hole with her tongue. As her hooves slipped up and down my shaft, slick from Righty’s saliva, I had another idea. “Take it in your mouth, Righty—but only swallow if you want me turned on. If you want our ‘date’ to keep going.”

I lay back as Righty continued to work my cock, but I’d been at my limit for a while. Just watching her blankly comply did the job. I released the smoke, and poured into Righty’s mouth. I made sure to keep things under control—mostly—and waited to see how Righty would react. A second passed after the last shot, and Righty’s head stayed unmoving, eyes closed, with her lips on my shaft. Finally, as she sat up, her throat rose and fell several times. Ears laid back, face red, eyes averted: Righty wanted more; she just wasn’t ready to admit it.

I let Righty’s flanks go after one last playful poke at her ass, just to hear her gasp. “My back still hurts. Help me out, and let’s dry off. Then we can see what sort of fun we can have between now and the pageant.”

Righty almost stopped averting her eyes, managing to look at me sidelong. “…okay.”

As Righty toweled off and I waited for a hoof, I smiled. Progress was progress. I rinsed Righty’s juices off of my muzzle before she finished, and managed not to splash back into the bath as she used her magic to help me get back to my hooves. The hot water had helped with the stiffness, as always, but the awkwardness of both of us lying in the tub had left me no better off than I’d started. Righty frowned at me as I hobbled toward the bathroom door, before opening it from behind me.

I sighed. “Thanks. I’m perfectly happy as an earth pony, but telekinesis would help a lot until my back heals.”

Righty nodded, but as when she followed me back out into the hall, she stopped. “Maybe you should rest. I’m warm now, and dinner was nice.” Righty looked back toward the living room and the way out. “I don’t need to… I mean… I’m good.” I smiled at the back of Righty’s head, then reached forward and pushed a bit on her asshole. Righty’s hind legs trembled and went out from under her, dropping her into a sitting position as she bit her lip to stifle a cry. Over her shoulder, she frowned at me again. “Or, I could go in there. I guess…” Righty was looking past me to the bedroom.

I continued to smile as I said, “After you,” and swept a leg toward the bedroom in a grand gesture—ruined by the back pain the motion caused, and nearly sending my front half to the floor as suddenly as Righty’s rear had landed there. Righty kept frowning as she walked past me toward the bedroom. It might’ve been my imagination, but I could’ve sworn that her frown was aimed at my back, not my face.

When I caught up, Righty was sitting beside the bed, staring at it. As I entered, she watched me cross the floor and climb up, but otherwise could’ve been a statue. I got myself onto the bed with some difficulty, piled the pillows against the headboard and leaned back, almost sitting up straight. I spread my hind legs, and patted the bed between them, smiling encouragingly at Righty. “Come on up. We can’t do anything if you’re down there.”

Once again, Righty glanced back toward the living room, but this time she turned back toward me on her own and climbed up far more easily than I had. Sitting herself between my legs seemed to be a real challenge for her, but she did it, turning to lean back on me—even if her ears did lay back at the same time. I gently ran my tongue along her ear, causing them to spring right back up again, and wrapped a leg around her. Righty didn’t tremble the way she had on the sofa, but she was unbelievably tense, even after everything we’d already done.

I wriggled up a little more snugly and started planting little kisses on Righty’s neck. Both an “ah” and a more plaintive noise came together, and I gave her a little squeeze. It fit what I’d learned about her perfectly: she had wants like anypony else, but just didn’t want to get close. When she couldn’t help but get close, her enjoyment and frustration came hoof in hoof. I was sorely tempted to just force her to forget about her inhibitions, but I didn’t want the possible complications—or the likely back strain. I could just imagine an uninhibited Righty pinning me like Bruises had.

The mental image made me snicker a bit, and Righty’s ears laid back again. “What’s funny?”

I nibbled her ear and whispered, “Nothing’s funny. You’re cute.” Cliché, but as flustered as Righty was, she didn’t think to question it.

“No I’m naaah!” When Righty began to protest, I moved the nibbling to her neck, and to my surprise, the most fidgety mare I’d ever met just melted. I’d found her weak spot! Well, the one I hadn’t created myself.

Righty tried to lean forward, but I leaned with her, ignoring the sharp pain in my back to pepper the side of Righty’s pale neck with tiny kisses. One after another, with just the tiniest little tug on her skin, and she slumped back against me with a sigh, and a tiny hint of a smile on her muzzle. I ran just the tip of my tongue up her neck, and my hoof down her torso as Righty’s breathing became shallow, and I smiled myself. Righty came off as chilly as the snow from which I’d pulled her, but if you could keep her still, she melted almost as easily.

I squeezed Righty with one hoof and continued running my lips over her neck, and Righty leaned back her head in spite of herself, cooing when I stroked her just right. With her eyes shut and her mind miles away, she was completely unprepared when my other hoof began to toy with her sex again. She gasped softly, but didn’t even try to stop me as I toyed with her moistening lips. Righty panted feebly as I kissed my way up her jaw, and my rod stiffened, pushing aside her tail between us. When my lips brushed the side of her muzzle, Righty turned enough to press her lips to mine, self-control and inhibition lost in the moment. Between her legs, Righty was slick and wet. Tweaks at her clit made Righty shake and moan in my mouth before I broke the kiss.

“Ready this time?” Righty bit her lip apprehensively, but she nodded. I smiled and caressed her cheek encouragingly. “Go ahead. However you want it. I’ll do as much as I can.” For the millionth time that day, I cursed my back. Righty lifted herself up, and her horn lit as she grasped my cock, lining it up and turning to face me before slowly pressing herself against it. She hesitated again and swallowed hard—then pushed my dick backwards and sank down, sliding my cock into the wonderful heat of her ass again at the last second. Righty lowered herself slowly, either savoring it or scared—or both. Her tight ring squeezed lower and lower, finally coming to rest just above my balls, and Righty leaned forward onto me and let out a deep sigh, her strength gone. Whether it was pleasure or resignation I couldn’t tell; Righty’s chin was on my shoulder. Either way, she didn’t take long before she began to rock, sliding up and down my stiff member just a bit as she ground the head of it against her depths.

Breaths came shallowly for both of us, and Righty shook unsteadily after only a few moments. As long as it had taken claim her, though, I wasn’t ready for her to finish so soon. With her chin still on my shoulder, using the smoke unnoticed was simple, and her slowed movement on my cock was all the proof I needed that it had worked. I opened my mouth to speak, but Bright Jade’s head poked into the room, camera on its tripod in her mouth. Righty couldn’t see, but I raised a hoof to my lips for silence, and nodded. Jade quickly moved to the side of the bed and set up while I stroked Righty’s mane and she slowly rubbed against me.

I darkened the smoke as much as I could. Righty would push herself over this cliff; going step by step now was a waste of time. “You want your picture taken, Righty. Each shot makes you come that much closer, but the real climax comes when you hear the word ‘cheese!’ All the pleasure from all day, balled up at once! Jade won’t say it until you give her a good, happy photo!” Jade nodded in understanding, and I flashed her a smile before releasing the smoke.

Righty didn’t seem to react at all; she just kept rocking, her head hidden from Jade on the far side of mine. The shutter snapped, and Righty gasped, dropping down faster suddenly. Jade moved the tripod a bit and the shutter flashed again. Righty wrapped her forelegs tightly around me, burying her face in my neck, but the grinding had changed to bucking, her legs working to move inches of me in and out with each pump. Jade snatched up the tripod and moved to the foot of the bed, taking a shot of Righty from behind where the penetration was obvious, and in spite of herself, Righty pulled her head free, practically mashing her lips against mine as her bucking sped up more. I slid my tongue into her mouth, and held her head in the kiss, and Righty returned it with just as much energy, whimpering a bit as the kiss broke accidentally.

With Righty’s face in the open, Jade came back to the side of the bed and dropped the camera into place, snapping two photos in quick succession. Righty’s hips moved roughly now, nearly hurting my back each time she slammed them down, and the forelegs she’d wrapped around me were trembling—but no orgasm.

At last, Righty looked sideways, facing Jade, and offered a broad smile. Jade snapped one shot, adjusted for another, and cheerfully called out, “Cheese!”

Righty slammed down one last time, her walls holding my stallionhood tightly inside as her eyes rolled back and she shuddered hard in my lap. Each shudder was a tease on my sensitive flare, pushing me closer and closer to my own limit. Panting, I pulled her into a sloppy, open mouthed kiss as she shook, finally letting myself go with both my tongue and cock pushed into Righty. Seed poured from Righty’s rear as I overfilled her, but I kept things calm, at least by my standards.

* * * * *

Righty had been a little reluctant to go back down for the pageant when she came to her senses, but after cleaning up again (which she seemed more than a little relieved I suggested we do separately), she’d reluctantly agreed to head back downstairs. That was nearly spoiled by the dancers who’d been placing bets earlier—each wanted to know precisely what we’d done, where we’d sat, what I had talked with her about. Pirouette, of all ponies, had saved the day, chasing them back to the stage and insisting that I’d behaved myself for once. As grateful as I was for the reprieve, I could’ve done without the “for once,” and for that matter, without the girls laughing hysterically at the idea that I’d behaved.

Righty stuck close to me as we took our seats, though the way she kept shooting glances around the room, rather than enjoying company, I suspected that I was just the evil she knew. I passed the time waiting for the pageant looking at the decorations instead of talking with Righty, and there was no question Shimmer’s touch had put things a cut above last year’s pageant, but it was still the same story I’d heard every year since I was a foal, and despite myself, my mind wandered. My eyes were on the ceiling, wondering about the pattern of tinsel, why it was braided so thickly, and why it ran to the door, when the pageant reached its climax.

“Windigoes!” cried a sackcloth covered unicorn from the stage—and then everypony not in the pageant that year screamed. The twisted tinsel running overhead had pulled open the front and back doors of both The Tall Tail and Primavera, as well as the door between, blasting everypony in the audience with very real icy wind! Staff with dates huddled together, and not even Righty refused to scoot close while we waited for the show on stage to conclude.

“And together,” read a visibly embarrassed Bruises, “They named their new land: Equestria!” Though the doors had closed several lines before, applause was somewhat muted as ponies shivered. I had to wonder just how Shimmer had sold Pirouette on the trick, but I had to agree that anything shaking up the tired old pageant was welcome.

As Righty moved back to claim a little space, Primavera walked over with a tray of hors d'oeuvres. “Done, would you and your date care for a treat? I got in some wonderful cheese, and—”

Primavera’s jaw dropped as Righty began to gasp and blush. I blinked. There was no way! It hit me, then: …when you hear the word ‘cheese!’

It took me the rest of the night to talk Righty out of my apartment.

Author's Note

Phew. With my December mood, getting this done nearly killed me (I finished by pulling an all nighter), but here she is, finally, Datte's OC, Righty! The trigger word isn't something I'll be doing a lot of in Smoke, as it leaves a loose end, but I'm a little less strict with OC chapters. As long as it doesn't wreck the story, a character, or just plain not fit in Smoke, I like to accommodate the OC owner's requests. And besides, it was an accident!

Poor, poor Righty.

Art of Righty in this chapter is by Datte himself.

Business as Usual

“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.”

The Ol' Bubbly

“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

Venture Capital

I lay in bed, letting Jade enjoy her sniffing while I stroked her mane. Morning sunlight filtered in through the windows, forcing me to squint, and making Jade’s beautiful crystal coat sparkle as she moved around in her happy daze. I wondered for a moment how much sleep she actually ended up getting—she was always awake when I opened my eyes, or as awake as you could call anypony as out of it as Jade. Her smile was broad, though, always. It was the one time she seemed completely happy without doing anything for me, and I wasn’t in any hurry to tell her to stop. Besides, I needed the time to get my own head on straight.

The invitation I’d sent had been accepted promptly, much faster than I’d expected, in fact. Mr. Orange had always loved The Tall Tail, even before I’d polished the experience to one of the best shows in town. It’d actually been Mrs. Orange who’d brought him in one night, tired from a day long shopping spree and looking for a seat and a drink. She hadn’t realized what she’d walked into until it was too late, and let’s just say Mr. Orange enjoyed it a great deal more than the missus. For three years, they’d come back at least monthly, and I always made sure to take care of them personally. It was a miracle they came to a place like mine; I was going to give them the very best. Serving them had always been an honor for me as a young businesspony, but the real pleasure had been seeing Mrs. Orange, as beautiful as anypony on my stage herself, come to understand The Tall Tail: the dancers were there because they wanted to dance, they were safe, they were happy, they were well paid. We reached a point where the two of us would talk arts in the city while Mr. Orange… stared.

It was the staring that had been the beginning of the end. Once Mrs. Orange understood my business, her frowns had vanished, but after a year or two, they were back. She hadn’t had a problem with me, my girls, or my club. She still didn’t have any when she told me that they’d seen their last show, not with me. Her husband, however, had gone from staring at my girls and going home frisky to losing interest in mares not on my stage. When she’d put her hoof down and forbade any more trips, he’d had little choice but to accept; the money was actually on her side of the family. Staying away hadn’t helped. Word around town was that without the cabaret’s rules to keep him behaved, he’d grown flirty over the years since their last visit, always walking the line, never quite crossing it, and that Mrs. Orange was sick to death of the charade. She’d banned both herself and her husband from The Tall Tail to save their marriage. I was bringing them back to end it.

I stretched and tickled Jade’s ear, turning a sniff into a snort and chuckling as she looked up with her mane disheveled and eyes half closed, and blinked. “Take your time, Jade. It’s still early.” If she’d been alert, she’d have wanted to know why I was awake already, what was wrong, and how she could fix it for me. As she was, she just nodded and buried her nose in my belly. I had my own reasons for wanting Mrs. Orange free from her stallion of course, but she’d be a happier mare for it, and it’d been far too long since anypony had seen a smile other than a polite smile on that pretty muzzle. My plans aside, I wanted that, too.

I leaned back into my pillow as Jade wore a bright smile of her own at the smell of smoke on my body. It was going to be a good day.

* * * * *

The house lights had dimmed with no sign of the Oranges, and to be honest, I was beginning to get nervous. Bruises had very explicit instructions to escort them directly to me, even if it meant leaving the door for a moment and holding up the line, but at this point, with the show about to start, there was no line—anypony showing up after the show started was an oddity, not part of a queue. I took a sip of my cider and scanned the audience for any sign of a light orange mane in a classy updo, but came up empty. Despite the buzz of the crowd, there weren’t so many tables that I could miss noticing Manehattan’s most famous heiress. Swirling my cider restlessly, I began considering a plan B. Nopony would consider me a pauper, but the Oranges were the absolute upper crust; if they wouldn’t come to me, getting to them would be difficult.

“Boss? Hey, boss.” The audience’s noise had died and Bruises’ whisper carried farther than I’d have liked on any other night, but I was so lost in thought that it still barely reached me.

I turned with a frown, ready to chastise her, but on either side of Bruises, as if she were a convenient divider, stood Mr. and Mrs. Orange, the first all smiles, the second scowling darkly. I frowned, hoping I hadn’t misjudged. With them there, if I still needed a plan B, it was going to be even harder than if they’d never shown. I jumped to my hooves, but kept my voice low enough to avoid disturbing patrons—the show would start any moment. “Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Orange! I’m so glad you could make it. I was beginning to think it wouldn’t work out tonight.”

Mrs. Orange just sighed and looked toward the bar. Fatigued. More than any other word, that described her. She ought to have been radiant. Age had been kind to her, and despite being my age, not a trace of crow’s feet marred her eyes, and there was no tinge of grey in her mane. The light green sundress she wore was a perfect compliment to her still glossy coat, and her gold necklace was in perfect taste. And despite it all, beautiful, lovely, chic, all were distant runners up to “fatigued.” Mr. Orange, however, was animated as ever, and all smiles, aside from the glare he shot his wife, of course. His jacket may have been sporty, and his watch simple, but any pony who’d ever walked down Manehattan’s East Avenue and looked in the windows of the sparkling boutiques could tell you each cost more than most ponies made in years.

Mr. Orange offered an apologetic smile as he shook my hoof. “Terribly sorry about that, Done, dreadfully sorry in fact. My dear wife had a touch of the vapors at the last minute, you see. Could barely get her out the door, but she wouldn’t hear of staying home. And then when we got here… well. This was not what we were expecting to see!” He gestured toward Bruises, whose ears immediately drooped. “I must say though, she wears that tuxedo marvelously. She may be no dancer, but she looks every bit her part. Excellent hire, Done, excellent.” Bruises ears’ were back up long before my guest was finished speaking. I silently thanked Bruises for being so easily cheered up.

Less silently, I thanked Bruises for bringing the Oranges over, and sent her back to work before gesturing to the table. “Have a seat, please.” Mr. Orange sat, eyes turning to the stage as Pirouette came out to warm up the audience, and bit my tongue as I pulled out a chair for another stallion’s wife. Mrs. Orange sat, glancing again at the bar, and I gestured for Jade as I took my seat with the Oranges.

Before Jade could even get out from behind the bar, Mr. Orange had nudged me and gestured toward the stage. “Done, is she new? She looks a smidgeon older than most of your dancers, if I remember right, but she is a lovely one. Stern looking with that bun, but not unapproachable.” I was glad Mr. Orange had the sense to keep his voice to hushed whispers. His excitement was plain, and while I trusted him to behave, he’d never gotten so animated over my girls in the past, and Pirouette was still alone on stage, welcoming the audience. I glanced over at Mrs. Orange, whose lips were drawn tight, just shy of a grimace. I imagined the look on my face was little different, and was glad the house lights were down.

“That’s Pirouette. Last time you were here, she was managing and choreographing, but she made a return to the stage recently. She’s not as young as she looks, actually, but she’s an amazing dancer.” If Mr. Orange heard me, he gave no sign, and continued staring at the stage. This wasn’t how I remembered him, but it was explaining a lot about the rumors.

Jade finished weaving her way through the tables to mine in the back and stood beside me, her crystal coat refracting the room’s dim light. Quietly, she asked, “Sir? Drinks for everypony?”

Mrs. Orange looked relieved at last, but for alcohol to be such a relief to her was a new worry. Her mouth was open to order in a flash, but Mr. Orange cut her off with another appraisal. “Heavens, Done! Even your bar staff is lovely now! I’ve missed out on so much over the last several years!”

“Apfel schnapps.” Mrs. Orange’s tone was grim, and the relief she’d shown just a moment before was gone. Jade nodded cheerfully as I stifled a sigh. That was a hell of a strong drink for a mare Mrs. Orange’s size. I needed tonight to work. Her husband wasn’t the only thing ruining her life, I was afraid.

For the first time, Mr. Orange glanced his wife’s way—sidelong, and disapprovingly. “Don’t create a scene, dear. It’s been ages since we’ve gone anywhere so enjoyable. Don’t spoil it for me.” It was unmistakable: Mrs. Orange was doing everything in her power not to create a scene, and it meant grinding her molars to dust. I’d planned on getting her alone, but not so quickly. Mares had begun to twirl and leap to music on stage, which meant even more for Mr. Orange to gawk at. Change of plans.

“Mrs. Orange, would you rather join me in Primavera while your husband enjoys the show? I’ve really missed our conversations about the arts in Manehattan, and we can speak above a whisper there.”

Mr. Orange nodded enthusiastically. “Why don’t you, dear? The shows never were your favorite part of our trips here, and you were just complaining last week that the city’s museums were going downhill.”

Mrs. Orange looked between her husband and me with a frown on her muzzle, but as she made up her mind, she nodded firmly, and I got to see her old smile return—albeit with a vengeful twist I’d never seen before. I wondered if she’d go for my plan without the smoke. “You know, I think I would.” Mrs. Orange rose from her seat as I did and stood a little closer than appropriate. She turned toward Jade. “I’ll take my drink over there, miss.”

Not that I objected to the wealthiest mare in Manehattan practically leaning on me, but I didn’t need to become part of that rumor mill. “Just take Mr. Orange’s order, Jade, and have the apfel schnapps ready at the bar. I’ll send somepony to bring it to our table.”

With the decisions made, I gestured to the restaurant door at the back of the show floor and led Mrs. Orange through. The gentle lighting and quiet murmur of dinner conversation replaced the dark and music of my nightclub, and an exhausted expression replaced Mrs. Orange’s smile. Primavera’s maître d' was in front of us in a heartbeat, his tuxedo as perfect as the rest of the scenery.

“Mr. Deal! Always a pleasure, but during a—! Ah, but of course, with a guest of such importance, anypony would attend to her personally.” The maître d's shocked reaction lasted not even a half-second, and was neatly covered up. I grinned at the poor stallion’s shock, but Mrs. Orange looked like she just wanted a seat and her schnapps.

“That’s right, Tall Order. She’s had a difficult day, and would like to be seated immediately, and discreetly. She has a drink waiting for her at my bar, as well, which needs to be fetched equally discreetly. Primavera’s wine list doesn’t have what my guest wants.”

Tall Order practically stood at attention, straight as the bangs on his brown mane as I gave instructions. “Of course, sir, madam. Will your private table suffice, sir?”

“That’s perfect. I’ll seat us, handle the lady’s drink personally, would you? I don’t want to distract the staff with a celebrity, and Mrs. Orange is rather tired.”

With a sharp nod, the maître d' lit his horn and floated his guest list to another waiter before turning and heading past me, wasting no time at all. “If you’d follow me, Mrs. Orange.”

She nodded, and fell in behind me as we walked on soft carpet past candle-lit tables, set with silver and crystal, under gorgeous chandeliers. Whatever faults Primavera had, taste in decor was not one of them. My “private table” had been entirely her idea. She was getting better about it, but in her initial rush to ensure that I never so much as frowned at her again, she’d had dividers placed around a table in a corner, fit with one way mirrors, and a silk curtain to shut out unwanted glances while she… made up for whatever she’d done wrong. Plenty of room, too, just in case. I held the curtain open, and Mrs. Orange entered slowly, glancing around at the bare table a darkened view of the diners outside. She sat with a sigh.

As I took my place opposite her, she finally let go what she’d been stifling since she saw me. “Why, Done? You know why we stopped coming. And I know you pay enough attention to the rumors in town to realize I’m unhappy without adding this. So why? And don’t tell me you wanted to talk about art.”

The maître d’ poked his head in before I could answer, floating a crisp tablecloth and two settings onto the table between us before setting the apfel schnapps in front of Mrs. Orange without so much as disturbing the liquid. Turning to me Tall Order asked, “Will you have the pasta primavera tonight, sir? Primavera herself is eager to prepare your and Mrs. Orange’s orders tonight naturally, and I’ve taken the liberty of bringing the bottle back with me, should Mrs. Orange desire another glass.” Tactfully, he chose not to address just what Mrs. Orange was drinking—or the fact that her glass was already half empty. The bottle floated to the table gently.

“Thank you, Tall Order, I will. A glass of whichever white Primavera thinks suits it best, please.” I turned to Mrs. Orange. “Would you like to see a—”

“Just order for me.” I was cut off, and Mrs. Orange’s tone had turned hostile. I needed to turn this in my favor before any more interruptions.

Ignoring the tone of Mrs. Orange’s voice, I nodded to Tall Order. “Mrs. Orange will have the same. It’s Primavera’s signature dish for a reason. And… we need a few minutes to discuss certain matters, Tall. Tell Primavera not to rush. And to serve it personally, please.” If it came to smoke, Primavera was already in the know.

“Of course, Mr. Deal.” Wisely choosing not to address my guest, Tall Order offered her a nod and slipped out through the curtain again.

I looked toward Mrs. Orange who had at least slowed her drinking slightly. “I am aware, Mrs. Orange, and actually I would love to talk art with you, but first… if you could be free of your husband, without the rumors, the slander, and the… financial loss, would you want to?” I’d intended to be far, far more subtle in my approach, but with Mrs. Orange getting more irritated by the moment, and with her obviously disgusted with her husband, the direct approach seemed wiser. Smoke coiled around my hooves underneath the table, just in case.

The shock on Mrs. Orange’s face was actually a welcome change from the dour expression it replaced. “You can’t be serious! I’d be ruined in polite society; there’s no way around that! I’d lose a fortune settling a divorce, I’d—”

“—be free, Mrs. Orange. I have a way around all of those problems. Mr. Orange was a good customer to me, but five minutes tonight were all anypony needed to see that he’s a terrible husband to you.”

Mrs. Orange threw back the rest of her schnapps in one swallow. “Yes, Done, anypony can see that. Anypony does, and I hear about it often, sometimes in the pages of gossip columns. Thank you so very much for telling me!”

I kept the wince off of my muzzle, barely. I hadn’t thought she’d react so badly, and perhaps I’d have been right if she weren’t drinking alcohol I thought was too strong at breakneck speed.

“What’s your angle, Done? Swoop in and marry me, catapult yourself to Manehattan’s upper crust overnight? Bang Manehattan’s most desirable debutante? Fifteen years late, but maybe I’m just on your bucket list. Or maybe it’s not about me at all, and maybe you just want want Mosely back in your damn nightclub! Well? What is it, Done? I’ve heard them all!” Mrs. Orange slammed the glass to the table roughly, and I inched smoke to her hooves.

It took effort not to be angry. I did have an ulterior motive, absolutely, but there would be other ways to achieve those goals. I truly did want Mrs. Orange smiling again, dropping by to chat about the art scene in the city like she used to while her husband enjoyed the show. A sharp answer wasn’t going to help, though, and the truth… was just the thing to appeal to her.

“I want your help to restore the Celestia’s Light Theater, Mrs. Orange. I’ve got the ‘undesirables’ in that part of town convinced that going straight and running shops in the vicinity is worth more than their stupid gangs. I can clean up that street and at least a few blocks around it with a word. What I can’t do is buy the thing and restore it. We always talked about how the city’s artists need patrons. Real ones, who enable them, not just vain sacks of cash who want avant-garde portraits of their cats. We can make this happen, Mrs. Orange.” I refilled her glass while she tried to pick her jaw up off the floor.

Mrs. Orange was looking at her glass when she replied, not me, and her tone was soft, halting. “You’re insane. Mosely would never let me just give you that kind of money. The risk! He’d—”

“He’d be too busy with salvaging his reputation and with the mare who finally pushed him across the line, Mrs. Orange. The playboy survives scandal better than the faithless wife; you know that. He’s got enough money that’s entirely his to make a new fortune out of it; you know that, too. And it’ll be public enough he won’t have a chance at denial.”

“Y-you’re talking about ruining my husband, Done! I don’t know how you mean to do it, but I can’t just sit here and listen to… this…” Mrs. Orange’s objections quieted as the smoke that had crawled up her back wafted into her ears, causing them to sink. I kept it light. Her eyes had glossed over, and the lids sank a little anyway. I was sure it would be enough. Compared to snapping at me to order, her objections now were half-hearted. I only had one chance at this, though, and I couldn’t risk her walking out.

“What do you want, Mrs. Orange? Forget about your husband, high society, even me. What do you want most?”

Unfocused or not, Mrs. Orange’s eyes grew wet as she answered. “To be desired… again. Not a trophy. Not… a meal ticket. A mare… A friend.”

I knew it. It’d been a good guess from the rumors, but the fact that she came with her husband, the fact that she was suddenly all smiles—only around him—when it came to dinner with another stallion, and the fact that she was drinking herself into an early grave while still making herself beautiful every day spelled it out.

“You’re a beautiful mare, Mrs. Orange, with an eye for art and fashion that’s second to none. I always liked talking to you, when you were a customer and off-limits, and other ponies will too. If you let me set you free, you will find somepony who wants you for who you are.” Keeping my front hooves resting on the table, I gently slid a hoof up the inside of Mrs. Orange’s leg to the thigh. She gasped, but made way for it immediately, and I pushed farther. “And in the meantime, you just need to say the word, and I’ll “desire” you silly.”

Glossy eyed and slow, but aware, Mrs. Orange took a swallow of schnapps, hesitated, and with the most determined look she could manage in her state, pulled my hoof against her moist lips. “So… so long since Mosely t-ah-ouched me…”

I smiled and caressed Mrs. Orange’s cheek across the table. “As long as we don’t risk rumors that ruin it all, I’ll touch you all you like, Mrs. Orange. We need to make sure you’re getting the better side of this breakup, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make you feel like a fresh young mare again.”

Mrs. Orange sniffed and brushed away the tears that had been forming. She was using my hoof to rub her lips, and breathing heavily. The smoke had her moist and sensitive, and she was taking her time, enjoying pleasure she’d missed for years. I was happy to indulge her. Around my age, and looking five years younger, it was far, far too early for her to give up on the pleasures of the flesh. Reminding her of them was a privilege. I watched her as thin trails of smoke slipped into her ears, smiling at her unintentionally erotic expression. Between the smoke and my hoof slipping between her folds, she looked as lustful as any common mare, despite all the trappings of urban nobility. Just watching her pant, with one front leg under the table guiding my hoof, was more than enough to have my rod pressed against the bottom of the table.

I heard a cart outside my booth and quickly thickened the smoke. If Mrs. Orange was alert enough to take a drink, she might still react badly to a witness to our quiet debauchery. Primavera pulled open the curtain, caught a glimpse, and rushed through with the cart, hurriedly closing the curtain behind her. Understandably, she had more trouble recovering from her shock than Tall Order had. Primavera set the steaming plates of creamy pasta in front of each of us, but her eyes were locked on Mrs. Orange the whole time. As she set a wine glass in front of me and filled it, Mrs. Orange began to make the tiniest whimpers imaginable, and pulled as much of my hoof as she could fit in, getting what stimulation she could on her clitoris—for just a moment. The poor mare had been without so long she was denying herself climax to make it last.

I nodded at Primavera. “I’m sure she’ll have an excellent evening. Thank you, Primavera.”

Primavera glanced at me, then turned her eyes back to Mrs. Orange and whispered, “C-could you bring her here again?”

I couldn’t even be annoyed. Having an Orange dine at Primavera was a huge deal. “I’m sure she’ll be back. Oh, and Primavera? No interruptions unless I call for dessert. And… meet me in my office tonight.” Primavera nodded, smiling nervously. That wasn’t the way I spoke when she misstepped and she knew it. I was wasting a fierce erection while I watched Mrs. Orange; Primavera was going to help me unwind that night.

Primavera pushed the cart out of my booth, quickly closing the curtain behind her again. I heard her politely discourage a curious customer and turned back to Mrs. Orange and returned the smoke to the thin trickle it had been. My hoof was no doubt soaked; I could feel her juices on my fetlock. She pulled what she could into herself again. “You can… really reopen the theater?” Mrs. Orange, lover of the arts that she was, remembered that even through the smoke and lust clouding her mind. I couldn’t ask for anypony better to help bring Celestia’s Light back to life.

I nodded. “With your help, Mrs. Orange. We can renew the theater, and your life.”

Mrs. Orange shuddered and pushed my hoof nearly inside of her as she quietly climaxed with just a mirror separating her from unsuspecting diners.

Mrs. Orange slumped in her seat and panted, “I’ll… do it.”

I released the smoke and smiled warmly at her, my hoof still caught between her wet thighs. “I’m relieved. You won’t regret it, Mrs. Orange.”

After a brief struggle to pull herself out of her slouch, Mrs. Orange reached across the table and pulled me into a long, warm kiss. “Make sure I don’t. And call me Citrus Zest, Done. I never did want to take his name.”

With a friendly smile, I gestured to the plate in front of her. “Your pasta’s getting cold, Citrus. I guarantee you it’s delicious.”

Smiling back, Citrus grabbed her fork, and as she lifted the first bite to her lips, quipped, “I do seem to have built up an appetite.”

Being escorted back to her husband later that night put Citrus right back into the foul mood she’d had on arrival, but she understood the need to keep up appearances. We couldn’t very well risk being seen sneaking up to my apartment, or out to a waiting taxi, but we’d both gotten what we needed from the evening. For Citrus, a glimmer of hope, and for me, an invitation to the Oranges’ next private party. Mr. Orange had even placed a condition: that he and his wife visit the Tall Tail again soon. I didn’t mind that at all.

* * * * *

The Manehattan night was on the cool side, with a soft breeze blowing behind us as the unicorns made the rounds lighting old fashioned magical lanterns in the manor district. I was grateful for the chill—tonight was another huge gamble, and without the cool weather, the heavy tux I had on would’ve been stifling. If Shimmer felt anything but excitement as she walked beside me, she didn’t show it. At least, not until she blurted out, “I still wish I’d had more time! Just a little longer, and I’d have had it working!”

I took a deep breath to avoid snapping at her. I was pulled taut, and would be until the night’s escapade was over. Distractions were no help at all. “Shimmer, it’s a great idea. When you get it working, we’ll talk about it, make all kinds of plans, the works. But right now, we don’t need the champagne sealed. Your machine can wait. I do need you to focus, though. Can you please do that?”

I hadn’t quite avoided snapping after all, and Shimmer’s ears drooped for just a second before she gave me a determined nod. “Yes sir! Focus on tonight, play the servant, get in, set fireworks, get out! I just wish I could watch.” Her tone was more than a little wistful, and I sighed. On some level, I couldn’t blame her. At its heart, the plan was basically a prank, and what fun is a prank you don’t get to watch unfold? She was the one handling the champagne though, the one without an invitation—the one with her coat and mane dark, muddy red, to keep anypony from recognizing her if they met on the street. I could spend the night dancing and mingling if I wanted; every moment Shimmer was in the building was a risk. I’d wanted Amber’s acting skills, but Shimmer was right: Amber couldn’t handle it if she got thrown a curve. Shimmer could. Amber had not liked that decision.

“Sorry, Shimmer. Too risky. I guarantee you, though, it’ll be in every paper tomorrow.” With a final sigh and a nod, Shimmer picked up her pace. We parted company blocks away from the Oranges’ lavish apartment building. We couldn’t be seen together, and I couldn’t be seen arriving on hoof. Stopping at a restaurant that easily rivaled Primavera, I hailed a cab, and made the rest of the trip in silence.

At the base of a tall building, somehow both classic and avant-garde in its design, the cab came to a stop. The slight sneer of the doorstallion, nearly as fancy in his red and gold uniform as I was in my tux, told me plainly that a cab may have been better than arriving on hoof, but not by much. He gestured me through though, and once out of sight I tugged at my collar. Looking around at a gold-leaf lobby, lit by crystal chandeliers, with a half dozen uniformed staff scurrying to and from a stoic concierge, the collar suddenly felt awfully tight.

I took a deep breath that I hoped nopony noticed, and headed for the elevator. The more anxious I got, the more I felt the smoke churning inside of me. It was a distraction I didn’t need. I scarcely noticed the elevator attendant as I asked for the penthouse. I have no doubt that the elevator car was every bit as luxurious as the lobby had been, but my attention was gone, spent on tamping down smoke or reminding myself to stay cool. I wasn’t doing either very effectively. The cheerful ding of the elevator bell as the doors slid open sounded like a knell somehow. Taking Bruises to deal with the Maneys had been far less taxing. That could’ve gone right or wrong. There were a thousand ways to ruin myself in front of Manehattan’s wealthy, even if the plan went off perfectly, and if I did, well. I tried not to think about it.

The penthouse floor was as brilliantly lit and even better appointed than the lobby, if that was possible, with fine foreign objets d’art from Neighpon to Germaney in cases lining the walls on each side of the penthouse door. You couldn’t even enter the Oranges’ party without a clear, striking reminder that they were cut from other cloth entirely. I desperately wished I could just deal with them privately, without the nerve wracking of the eyes of dozens of other ponies who made me look like a pauper, but that wasn’t in the cards.

At the door itself was a butler whose own tuxedo probably cost twice what mine did, attempting to shoo away a pretty, pleading young mare. She was dressed in all the right ways—long silk gown, a rich purple in contrast to her bright yellow; wide-brimmed hat with a long, ornamental feather; and a beautiful silver necklace set with a large sapphire. All were in perfect taste, all suited her beautifully, and none if it did her any good without an invitation.

The yellow mare peeked up at the butler from under her hat as I approached, batting long, dark lashes and tried the flirtatious approach. “Pleeease? Surely an important pony like you could make one little exception, couldn’t you?”

I actually stopped my hoof from coming up to my face halfway. This mare would fit right in behind those doors, right up until she opened her mouth. Any mare who belonged in there would be outraged, threatening the butler and dropping names—names they could actually call on. Not even Bruises would fall for such obvious begging. Well, not anymore.

I approached the butler and mare, pulled my invitation from a pocket and tapped the brim of the mare’s hat with it while I offered the butler an apologetic grin. “Excuse us for just a moment, would you?” With a meaningful look at the mare, I jerked my head toward a room that had been set up for checking coats and hats and walked away, slipping from the butler’s view, my heart pounding and the smoke swirling. It was only seconds later before the out-of-place mare joined me.

She was all smiles from the very beginning. If I’d wanted her gone, I wouldn’t have bothered calling her away, and she knew it. We could both get what we needed with a little cooperation. “Darling, it’s so good of you to hear a poor girl out! That butler is being an absolute brute!”

Tense as I was, I couldn’t help but chuckle. The mare was playing far too nicely for who she was pretending to be. “Your hat’s crooked, dear. Allow me.” Without waiting for a response, I rocked back on my haunches, and reached each front hoof to either side of her head and lifted her hat just a bit. While her eyes were on me, I hurriedly released smoke, pouring it into the mare’s ears as quickly and as thickly as I could. I nearly sighed with relief as smoke billowed from my front legs, traveling only a short distance before disappearing into the suddenly slumping, quiet mare, and dwindling a bit in me.

“Tell me, miss. What’s your name?” Had to start somewhere.

“Lemony… gem.” Her eyes were still on mine, though as close to closed as they were, I wondered how much she actually saw. With more time, I wouldn’t have pushed the smoke so hard.

“Lemony, how badly do you want in there?” With her hat up, I could see her gorgeous light blue mane. Perhaps this wasn’t her scene, but with a little work, she could fit in as a model, easily.

Smoke still flooded Lemony’s ears and nose, and her head had begun to droop. “More than… anything… desperate.” If it hadn’t already been settled, it would’ve been there.

“My name is Done Deal. You’re going to join me at the party as my date. You want to make a good impression on everypony, and since I have an invitation and you don’t, that means making me look good. You want to be witty, charming. You’re not interested in flirting. Standing out too much would ruin your chances. Do you understand?”

Lemony nodded slowly, but without hesitation. “Yes… thank you. Really… owe you.”

I smiled. I always enjoyed it when a mare seemed to like her deal. Unfortunately, using the smoke had left me with an uncomfortable erection in plain sight that I didn’t have time to wait on. “You can pay me back a little right now. I can’t go in like this. Help me.” I put Lemony’s hat back on her head, and shoved a full coat rack into place, giving us a little privacy, as long as no pony left the party.

Lemony’s eyes cleared and she winked me before lowering her lips to my rod. In one smooth motion, she took me deep, to the back of her throat, and pressed my shaft head against it firmly, gagging slightly before she raised her head again. The wide brim of her hat brushed my stomach as she moved, blocking my view completely, and her hot breath tickled as she traced a vein the length of my shaft with her tongue. Her voice was breathy as she said, “Can’t spend too long in here, Done…” I agreed of course, but before I realized what she meant, her cool, hard hoof reached under my haunches where I sat, and prodded at my asshole gently.

I was a little shocked; no pony had touched that since Deep Tissue rimmed me out, but as that blue maned mare ran wet, pursed lips up and down the side of my shaft, I was reminded of Deep’s tongue where Lemony was gently kneading, and my cock twitched. I gasped, startled to be on the edge so quickly, and Lemony took the cue perfectly. Brushing her gown to either side, she wrapped herself around me, her dry, soft teats pressed against my shaft, and used the slight tug of her tiny swells to finish me off—grabbing a shawl from the coat rack as she did, to catch my jizz. I came hard, holding onto a wickedly grinning Lemony as I poured a massive load into the shawl. It was barely enough; Lemony snickered as the shawl ended up completely soaked, and stifled a laugh as she dropped it aside with a lewd splat. Grabbing the sleeve of some poor stallion’s dinner jacket, she wiped my cock down and milked out what was left over.

“That should do it, Done! And by Celestia you’re a messy one!” Lemony whispered, but it was clear that maintaining her composure was a real challenge. “I’d say you owe me now, but tell you what: we can find each other another day and settle up.” Another wink. She didn’t have Deep’s looks, but Lemony was just as happy to fool around, it seemed. I wondered if she’d have played along without the smoke.

“Sounds like a plan. For now, we have a party to attend.” I sorted out my clothing, and helped Lemony keep her dress from brushing the squishy shawl on the floor, then pushed aside the coat rack and led my newfound date to the door.

“Miss Gem will be accompanying me,” I informed the butler as I offered my invitation. His sigh was long-suffering, but he made no complaint, and simply let us in with a nod.

For all the opulence outside the Oranges’ penthouse, the inside was even more incredible. The greatroom-cum-ballroom we’d entered was probably worth more than the entire building The Tall Tail and Primavera shared. I knew they were the wealthiest couple in Manehattan, but it was hard to really understand just what that meant without actually seeing it. Dwarfed by columns in neat rows down each side of the room, I genuinely felt poor, and Lemony Gem’s jaw had actually dropped. Her own outfit was unquestionably expensive, but I suddenly wondered if she’d bet it all on this one evening. A mare who could afford the necklace she had on shouldn’t have been so stunned. I nudged her gently. “Poise, dear.”

To my relief, Lemony snapped out of it in an instant, without so much as a hint of a blush. “Of course. Be a sweetheart and help me break some ice, would you?”

I nodded. With the help behind us, for Lemony to act sweet was entirely fitting—with her feigned wealth, if not her name. “Of course. This way.”

The Oranges would normally have been the most out of reach at the party, the ones I’d least dare to approach. But as the hosts, and with one a co-conspirator, there was no such problem. Citrus was in the center of the room, graciously welcoming guests as they arrived. Off to one side, near a glass door to a balcony, stood Mr. Orange, graciously helping his wife by keeping a small crowd of young mares from bothering her. I forced myself not to roll my eyes, and led Lemony to Mrs. Orange.

Mrs. Orange clearly saw us approach, but to my relief just continued her conversation with the couple in front of us—a borough alderpony and his wife, if I wasn’t mistaken—her long tail had been a trademark look for years, a graying reminder of her youth. I waited patiently for them to walk away, then stepped forward. Citrus’ smile slipped just a bit at the sight of Lemony standing close enough to me for her dress to brush my legs. “Ah, Done. Good of you to come. My husband is on the other side of the room; do let him know you’ve arrived. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to make your friend’s acquaintance. There are a few ponies here I would like to discuss the new sculpture unveiled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last week. Should you find yourself wanting a little company, do come find me.”

I nodded, and she turned to her next guests. The meaning was crystal clear: I was welcome, or as welcome as a less important guest could be, but Lemony was an eyesore. It certainly served to keep me from being conspicuous, though Lemony’s dejected expression stung a bit. Plans were shaping up, though, and if I could manage, Lemony would be a much happier mare by the end of the night, and Citrus Zest too—not that she’d be showing it right away. Lemony and I crossed the room, and I started to relax at last. Nothing had gone wrong, and nothing would. And then Lemony stepped right on the alderpony’s wife’s tail.

The older mare reared and let out a completely undignified whinny, drawing every eye in the room at once. Lemony jumped back immediately, getting the tail out from underhoof, sending her hat to the floor, and her plot right into my side. I staggered and caught myself just short of ramming some debutante with my own, earning a dirty look and an upturned nose. Lemony was getting far worse, though: a lesson in how the offended wealthy actually behave. I closed my eyes and grimaced as the old nag lit into Lemony about grace, common sense, and respect for her elders and betters, all while the whole room stared or snickered. Making a good impression was only ever a bonus for the night’s plan, but becoming a laughing stock in “polite society” was absolutely not on the agenda. As the screeching rant turned to threats of ruination in that same “polite” society, I took a deep breath and forced my eyes open, just in time to see Mr. Orange place himself between Lemony and the angry old mare.

“Come now, Mrs. Street, I’m sure it was an accident. It was, wasn’t it, miss?” Every bit the suave gentlecolt he liked to be seen as, Mr. Orange pulled strings I couldn’t even reach. Had I tried the same, I’d only have become another target. Lemony nodded vigorously, genuine tears in her eyes and ears flat against her head, a frightened innocent. “You see? She didn’t mean to, and she’s dreadfully sorry. Surely you can find it in your heart to forgive, Mrs. Street. A little tug on the tail never killed anypony.”

Mrs. Street, the alderpony’s wife, was neatly trapped. As a guest, and herself addressing “her betters” suddenly, arguing wasn’t an option. The entire room would turn on her in an instant. The glare she shot Lemony before responding to Mr. Orange gave away her truce as fake. “Of course, Mr. Orange. It would be callous of me to forget that we were all young once… and foolish.”

Lemony shrank from the barb, ears still flat against her head. Mr. Orange sighed and shook his head, allowing it. “Try to enjoy the rest of your evening, Mrs. Street. The hors d’oeuvres are especially delectable tonight, if I do say so myself.”

Mrs. Street nodded, regaining her composure at last. “I’m sure they’re divine, Mr. Orange. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go give them a try.” Wheeling abruptly gave away her actual sentiments, but the scene ended, and after another second or two of silence, conversation resumed. I patted Lemony on the withers. Whatever happened now happened, and I had nothing to gain from leaving her in the lurch. She smiled up at me nervously, tears still in the corners of her eyes. Before she tried to speak though, a hoof that wasn’t mine wiped away those tears.

“Done, lovely of you to come!” Mr. Orange addressed me while he stared straight at wide-eyed Lemony. “Your poor date. What an awful way to begin an evening.” Mr. Orange finally turned to me. “I’m sure you won’t mind if I give her a bit of my time this evening, will you?”

I blinked in surprise. I’d heard all the rumors of course, knew Citrus wanted out, but to be so blatant! It fit my plans perfectly, but to just walk up and call “dibs?” I tamped down my annoyance and picked up Lemony’s hat. “Of course not. She was so eager to come along. Who better to show her around than the host himself?” I set the hat on Lemony’s head gently. It wasn’t her fault I was irritated. Honestly, I didn’t understand myself.

“Marvelous, Done. Do enjoy yourself tonight!” With a wave, Mr. Orange wandered away, Lemony dazed and in tow. I felt my left ear twitch, and wished I had my hat on to hide it. I didn’t have the whole room’s attention, but those nearby were staring now with mixes of amusement, disdain, and even a bit of pity here and there. To the regulars of these parties, I doubted this was a wholly unfamiliar occurrence. I sighed, and scanned the room for Citrus or Shimmer. Shimmer should’ve gotten in by now, and suddenly schmoozing didn’t seem like it was worth the time. I couldn’t just vanish, either, though, and I wanted to be there when the trap sprung, more than ever. When I spotted Mrs. Orange, she was the one with the small crowd around her, mostly slightly over the hill mares consoling her on her cad of a husband. I gritted my teeth and made my way over. If Shimmer wasn’t around, my options were Mrs. Orange or standing around awkwardly—these ponies were the ones whose tails tickled my nose in the rat race; the poorest among them was clearly ahead of me.

I drew disapproving glances before I even reached the outside of the group, and one matronly mare openly challenged me. “Haven’t you made enough trouble for Mrs. Orange tonight? Who are you, anyway? I don’t recognize you, and I assure you, I recognize everypony worth knowing in Manehattan or Canterlot.” I felt the smoke kick back up inside me as my annoyance became harder to set aside.

I offered a bow to make clear that I at least knew my place. “Done Deal, madam, local businesspony, nothing more. Mrs. Orange saw fit to include me this evening, for which I’m quite grateful.” I turned to Mrs. Orange before the frowning old lady could reply. “My apologies for the commotion a moment ago, Mrs. Orange. I believe you told me to seek you out if I found myself unaccompanied.”

Aloof and a little fatigued, Citrus nodded. “Indeed. Ladies, I have high hopes for Mr. Deal here. I believe that with his help, I can revitalize the arts in Manehattan, bring back the the golden years our parents told us about as fillies. A stallion of modest means, but rather exceptional talents, I’m convinced.”

A younger, less cynical, and surprisingly beautiful mare in the group cocked her head, sending navy curls sliding across her azure withers. “Can you? The city’s really in a state these days. Practically every part of it is in need of… well, nothing short of a renaissance!” Her voice was high, girlish. No horn or wings on her, but something about the strange mix of presence and innocence made her stand out. In the group of mares surrounding Citrus, only this one seemed to be on the same level as the hostess. She was the one to win over.

“I could retire tomorrow if I wanted, not in opulence like this of course, after starting with nothing just a decade ago. With resources, I can do more. I’ve been pouring my own into groundwork, but with Mrs. Orange’s backing, the real work can begin.” It was a conversation, not a pitch, and if any pony in the room learned what I had in mind, I wasn’t even sure Mrs. Orange’s clout could’ve kept me from becoming a laughingstock.

The old crank snorted. “I very much doubt you will be the savior of this city’s art community, sir. I’d wager you don’t know the first thing about fine art.”

Citrus frowned slightly. “Hyacinth, honestly. Do remember that it’s my judgment you’re insulting as well. And Done, I believe I asked you to call me Citrus.”

The gasps were audible from every single mare present—except the mysterious blue one. She only raised an eyebrow, giving nothing away but… interest?

Hyacinth gave no ground, despite being admonished. “I am sorry, Mrs. Orange, but it’s no secret you’re going through,” she glared at Mr. Orange where he sat on the balcony with Lemony, “difficult times. I’m simply concerned that one of the city’s many leeches may have found its way to you.”

“A test then.” It was the blue mare again, staring directly at me, smiling mischievously. “Hyacinth, what’s your favorite contemporary artist displayed at the Metropolitan Museum?”

Hyacinth was visibly confused, but responded. “Brush Stroke. He did—”

The blue mare’s dark eyes were sparkling. “Ah, ah, ah! No! The rest is Mr. Deal’s job. Mr. Deal? What did he do, and what can you tell us about him?” Every other mare save Citrus practically leaned in, waiting for me to fail. Citrus smiled confidently, no doubt remembering our old chats. The blue mare’s anticipation was unbelievably intense. I felt like a toy in her hooves, but I was just as confident as our hostess.

“Brush Stroke has five pieces on display right now. ‘Equestrian Gothic,’ ‘The Shout,’ ‘Number 30,’ ‘Divergence,’ and ‘Whiner’ or ‘Outside the Candy Store.’ All five pieces were presented six months ago, and taken museum to museum, never staying in place for more than a day or two before finding a home here in the city. His styles are incredibly diverse, to the point that he’s attracted critics who insist he can’t possibly be a single artist, and demanding to know who’s doing the art he presents, but he hasn’t yet broken into the mainstream so the fuss just isn’t that big yet.” I was on a roll, and didn’t hold back. “Frankly, I think he’s a fraud. No pony does such good work without having some kind of trend in their style.” I’d minored in art before switching to theater, but it was Pirouette insisting I look at “something besides tail once in a while” to which I owed this. I made a note to do something very nice for her, and soon.

Hyacinth practically hissed, her eyes narrowing sharply, while the blue mare actually clapped her hooves and giggled. Hyacinth glared at her for an instant before marching into my personal space. “And that proves you’re unfit to restore the arts here or anywhere! Brush Stroke is a genius, unmatched in all of history!”

The blue mare’s tone was faux comforting. “Actually, Hyacinth… I came straight here from the museum. That’s why I was late, remember? They took down all of his work this afternoon. Apparently he had a nervous breakdown and admitted everything, right in the middle of an exhibit!” Comforting flipped to gloating. “How mortifying!”

Hyacinth staggered back as if I’d punched her, working her mouth like a goldfish. “Blue” ignored her, walking between us to Citrus. “Citrus, won’t you introduce me to your friend? I don’t think he’s nearly as boring as poor Hyacinth thought.”

Hyacinth excused herself before dashing away, obviously ready to cry. The other mares appeared to look at me with new eyes, and Hyacinth was ignored completely. No, not completely—Citrus’ mouth turned up just a hair at the corners. “Done, this is Platinum Pendant, heiress of—”

My shock overcame my good manners. “Of almost every jewelry business in Manehattan!”

Platinum laughed. “And growing fast in Canterlot, too. I think Citrus might just be right about you, Done. Something tells me you’re going to make this a much, much more interesting city. Oh, I’m excited.” Platinum offered me another smile, much like her first, but after the display with Hyacinth, it felt off. I returned it for a heartbeat before bowing to hide my expression. Platinum giggled.

Mrs. Orange glanced conspicuously to the side at a red colored servant entering the ballroom with a magically lifted tray. Shimmer, at last. “If you’ll excuse me, ladies, I’m a bit parched. Anything for either of you?”

Platinum shook her head.“Ah, I’ve had two flutes already this evening, but thank you.”

Citrus nodded. “I’m feeling unusually celebratory, Done. I’ll have a flute.”

With a nod to the ladies, I turned and caught up with Shimmer. As if she didn’t recognize me at all, she asked, “Sir? A refreshment? The champagne is excellent, I believe.”

I took a saucer from a nearby table and spoke around the plate. “Two please. Mrs. Orange’s throat is a bit dry as well.”

Shimmer’s eyes bulged for half a second. “Ah, of course! Would she prefer the… private label?”

I shook my head. “No, the usual will do nicely, miss.” I looked over my shoulder at the balcony, where Mr. Orange was still regaling my date. The plate hurt my mouth a bit as I scowled. “Mr. Orange and the young lady out there would enjoy it, though, I’m sure. Nothing but the finest.” Excitement showed on Shimmer’s face at the code word for serving the smoked champagne undiluted. “And do come over when you’ve served them—the ladies I’m with might want to send you for a snack.”

Shimmer’s excitement turned to glee at the invitation not to clear out after all. I could’ve sworn I actually heard her hooves tapping as she struggled to be still, but I cleared my throat and she regained her composure. “Of course, sir.” Two flutes floated to the saucer in my mouth, and Shimmer turned toward the balcony. Beneath her servant’s dress, where nopony could see it, the same deft magic that had manipulated her “tail” on Nightmare Night poured two flutes of a darker wine, which traded places with the normal stuff as she walked behind a column.

I turned toward Mrs. Orange and Platinum with the drinks, forcing myself to walk at a normal speed, and praying I didn’t look as nervous as I suddenly felt. Citrus took her drink with a nod and a smile, and I placed the saucer on a nearby table to claim my own, hoping the alcohol would calm my nerves just a bit as I watched Shimmer through the glass door offering the drinks to Lemony and Mr. Orange. Mr. Orange held his flute up in the sunlight, examining the color with confusion. I swallowed wrong, and ended up hacking up a lung.

“Come now, Done, you serve stronger stuff.” Citrus chided me.

Platinum giggled and thumped me on the back. “Poor old man.”

Before I could retort, Mr. Orange nodded at Shimmer and offered Lemony a toast. The flutes rose, kissed, and came back down to each pony’s lips. The dark amber liquid vanished.

Half a second of confusion showed on each pony’s face before the flutes were dropped, and the table was knocked aside. As ponies in the ballroom turned to watch, Mr. Orange pulled Lemony into a tight embrace and a deep kiss, which she did nothing to discourage. Moans could be heard through the glass of the balcony door in practically no time, but only for a moment before cries of “By Celestia!” “Good heavens!” and “I never!” drowned them out. For her part, Shimmer acted horrified and rushed back inside, clear across the room to stand only feet away from me.

At some point, it dawned on the sudden lovers that they were being watched, and Lemony burst through the balcony door, Mr. Orange right on her tail, to rush out the door through which we’d entered—and to the left, in the direction of the coat room.

I recovered from my non-existent surprise first. “Citrus, I’m so sorry.”

Citrus played her part well, head lowered, voice quiet. “I… excuse me!” Without another word, she broke for another door and out of sight.

Platinum waved Shimmer over and turned to me. “You know, I think I’ll have a little more after all. How exciting!” Her gaze turned piercing, and she finished too quietly for the other mares who’d been crowded around Citrus to hear. “I don’t think you’re going to be boring at all.”

* * * * *

It was all over the papers the next day. I sat at the breakfast table with Shimmer, looking over the society section, nervous while Strawberry happily prepared the fruit. The butler had insisted nopony else could’ve been responsible for Hyacinth’s soaked shawl, no doubt after a little instruction from Citrus. I sighed. That had been sloppy.

Shimmer was nearly vibrating in her seat, red washed out and scale-fur shining brightly. “Relax, Mr. Deal! I snatched the flutes they dropped, and even tossed some that had had normal champagne before I ran. There’s no way they noticed, and now no pony ever will! Not a drop of the special stuff left behind. It was a little messy, but our first real plot worked out fine! Oh, how exciting!”

I winced at the choice of words—the same as Platinum’s. She was sharp as a tack, and she suspected something. She couldn’t possibly know, but she’d want to change that. A mare like her…

My reverie was interrupted as Shimmer pointed at the paper and laughed. “Mr. Deal, listen to this! ‘When told of the soiled shawl, Mrs. Orange sighed, covered her eyes, and opined that Mr. Orange had always been a very potent stallion. Mr. Orange, present at the time, vehemently insisted he was quite impotent before groaning and muttering something we can’t print.’”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. Shimmer was right; it had worked out. And whatever Platinum meant for my plans, she was right too: With Citrus’ money behind me, things were about to get very exciting.

Negotiations

I’d gotten up excited. Weeks of paperwork, permits, signatures, hoofshakes and more were finally coming to an end—at last, I was due to close on the theater. It didn’t take long for my excitement to become the wrong kind entirely. My breakfast was only half eaten when Primavera came dashing into my kitchen unannounced. She was obviously panicking, her wavy green mane bouncing as she practically tap-danced beside the table, startling Strawberry Frosting as the poor maid tried to refill my juice.

“Trouble! Oh, big, big trouble, Done! Gangsters! Here! Downstairs! Oh, what do we do, what do we do?” Primavera was an excellent chef and a clever businesspony, but brave she was not. The Trotties showed up periodically, making reports on how their businesses were going and usually asking for more investment money to fix their mistakes. Once in a while, the promising ones even got some. In any case, I wasn’t expecting anypony, much less so early, and they had no business with Primavera. If they disrupted her business while her staff was preparing for their lunch crowd…

“They’re not on your side of the building, are they?” Priorities.

It was Day Planner’s voice that answered. “No, sir. One of the kitchen staff saw them through the picture window as she came in, told her, and she panicked. I was going to tell you, but she pushed me aside when I unlocked the door to come up.” Primavera had been nodding and pointing to Day as Day spoke, only to suddenly look even more panicked as Day Planner reminded her what she’d done. It was going to be one of those visits.

“Day, get one of the dancers, a pegasus, to fly out and bring back Bruises in case this gets unpleasant. Assuming any are in yet. Primavera, you can stay up here if you’ll feel safer.” Primavera nodded and let out a breath I doubt she’d known she was holding. There was no value in putting her through walking past the Trotties a second time; she was too spooked to run a kitchen. I was surprised she’d gotten up here in the first place.

“That’s why I wasn’t right on her tail, sir. Pirouette was in the office, telling me which dancers needed their reviews when this nonsense started. I sent her down the fire escape and looked down to check on Jade. She’s stalling them at the bar. The dancers aren’t in yet; it’s too early for warm up.”

I’d have preferred a pegasus, but it’d do. Pirouette was an athletic mare, and I’d moved Bruises into the closest apartment building I could find. “Good job, Day. Primavera, relax; I’ll handle it. And don’t panic next time. I thought I’d gotten them sorted enough to come in the back, and to schedule. I’ll just remind them.”

Primavera nodded, and I gave her withers a reassuring pat as I abandoned my breakfast. “Somepony finish that; it won’t be good by the time I’m back.” It wouldn’t be Day; my secretary was right on my tail as I headed down the stairs.

“I’m going to have to have another meeting with Desert Rose; her ponies can’t just show up whenever they want. That’s not how business works.” I stepped into the office and held the door for Day. Her eyes were rolling.

“What do you expect from ponies whose idea of a good time is shaking somepony down for their last bit, Mr. Deal? Ponies don’t change.” Suddenly, her grin got a little wicked. “Unless you change them, of course.”

I opened the door down to the show floor and paused to look back at Day as she returned to her desk. “Tempting, Day, but the last thing I need is Rose figuring out what my trump card is. I’ve already given her too much.” I still couldn’t think of the raid on Born Leader’s place without grimacing about having to use the smoke in front of ponies. She knew it’d been necessary, and why keeping secrets was too.

Day nodded and I headed down, planning just what I’d say to the “businessponies” who were showing up unannounced for another handout. As I reached the floor and turned, those plans vanished. These weren’t the usual pack of ponies trying to go straight; these were toughs, and they were going out of their way to make it obvious. One was chatting up Jade, bringing to mind the drunk whose removal had started this whole mess with the Trotties. I gritted my teeth and hoped Bruises turned up soon, but I couldn’t afford to look afraid while I waited. I took a step forward, and the apparent leader noticed me and slid from the barstool to head my direction. His goons flanked him on either side, each face marred with scars. The leader of the pack was a cut above, though: dark red coat, nicked ears, scars, and a bleached mane under a beat up bowler all screamed that he wasn’t to be messed with. Neither was I, though, if Rose wanted the money to flow, and the little string of shops I’d financed were doing better each month, even without the theater. Outwardly calm, I stepped forward and hoped that Bruises would show up in time to give me more than financial bargaining power. As my perspective changed, I caught a flash of bright orange behind the thugs. It caught a flash of me, too, and waved. Peach Pit! Her mane was nearly to her hooves now, even longer than I’d left it, and she wore a yellow dress that closed around her hind legs, hiding everything else I’d given her.

No sooner had I noticed her than the stallion to the leader’s left scowled and shoved her. Peach glared as she was forced back a step. “Hey! I’m part of this group too!”

“You’re ‘ere coz yer Whittle’s ‘widdle’ sister, an’ nuffin’ else, Pity. Don’t go puttin’ on airs.” The stallion who’d shoved her grinned at what he apparently took for wit while his counterpart on the leader’s other side rolled his eyes. Peach Pit glared angrily, but bit her tongue. I wondered how much of that abuse the poor thing had to take among her so-called “mates.”

The leader acted as if he and I were the only ones in the room, confident to the point of boredom. “Oy. You Deal?”

“That’s me. I’m sure you know what happened the last time one of your boys hassled Jade. I really don’t care for punks shoving mares in here, either. Call it a house rule.” There was a fine line between acting unintimidated and showing off for Peach Pit. To be honest, I didn’t know which side of the line I was coming down on.

Peach grinned at the pony who’d shoved her, gloating a bit, but he ignored her, trotting right up to get in my face.

The leader frowned slightly and kept his eyes on me as he addressed his out-of-line backup. “Home Run.”

Home Run acted like he didn’t hear, too busy trying to stare me down. “An’ just wotd’ya plan ta do ‘bout it, mate?”

The leader repeated himself, an edge of irritation in his tone. “Home Run.”

I didn’t give up an inch. From where I stood, I could see Pirouette climbing down off Bruises’ back. Pirouette gestured to Bruises to be quiet as she gently pushed open the glass door. I shrugged. “Do about it? Show you the door. I’m not sure I can keep investing in the future of ponies with no manners. Business relationships are built on trust and mutual respect, after all.”

Home Run bristled at being taken lightly. I could see Jade behind the bar, worry written all over her face, and Peach wincing as I added fuel to the fire.

Snarling, Home Run spat at my hooves. “’Ere’s yer respect, mate! Wot now?”

“Eight ball, corner pocket.”

The obnoxious stallion glowed dark blue suddenly as Bruises’ horn lit him up from where she stood just inside the door. Home Run had just enough time for a startled, “Wha?” before hurtling head first through the door behind Jade to bounce off the wall, and land with a dull thud. It’d be a bit before he woke, and with Bruises around, it wouldn’t matter much when he did. Pirouette’s wince might’ve been a little funny under better circumstances.

Peach watched the pony who’d been hassling her sail overhead, wide-eyed while the other goon readied for a fight, tossing his head to get his unruly mane out of his eyes. The one in charge, though, just sat on his haunches and clapped slowly. “Bloody nice show that. I’d ‘erd ya ‘ad some spine to ya. Nice to see it’s true. Bloody sick of knockin’ over ol’ ladies ‘n’ like.”

I kept an even expression, but was sorely tempted to have Bruises toss this lout across the room, too. “If you’re so sick of it, maybe try not doing that. I’m sure the old ladies would appreciate it quite a bit.”

The leader of the group cracked a smile while his other wingman settled down, apparently realizing I didn’t actually want a fight. “S’why I’m ‘ere, mate. I’m one’a th’ lot wot wants to go straight. But ya get swiped as a foal ‘n’ raised on Mane’attan’s mean streets, well. It don’t exactly suit ya to it, do it?”

I nodded. I didn’t have to like a pony to deal with them. Sometimes not liking one actually made it easier; I didn’t have to feel bad if I couldn’t help. If this pony was serious about wanting to go straight, then scars and nicked ears or not, there was common ground. “I’d imagine not. But if you’re here about going straight, there’s a right way and a wrong way. Schedule a meeting, pitch your business. We’ll talk.”

Scars shook his head, but kept the even tone. “Done the talkin’, I ‘ave. With Whittle ‘n’ Rose. Plan’s already made, mate. But yer draggin yer ‘ooves, an’ ‘at’s keepin’ me from movin’ mine. I’m ‘ere, Mr. Done Deal, ‘coz all I know’s fightin’. Only clean use fer ‘at’s playin’ at cop or th’ like. Ain’t much call for ‘at while you ain’t got the theater, though, mate. Whittle got tired of ‘earin’ me, sent me your way. Told me, ‘make an impression.’ Am I making an impression, mate?” Unlike the rest of the conversation, the question dripped with malice. I sighed. So much for common ground. Bruises’ eyes had narrowed, Pirouette looked angry, and Peach simply looked confused

“You most certainly are, Mister…?”

“Toss. ‘At’s wot they call me.”

“Mister Toss. The problem is that you’re making a poor one. These things take time. I’ve got good news for you, and bad news.” Toss frowned, and I tensed up, but kept an outward calm. “The good news is that I’ve got the funding. Rose ought to know that; I sent word back the last time one of you showed up—with an appointment, I might add. She should also know that today’s the big day. That was part of the message. So I’m wondering why you’re actually here. I’ve got some ideas, but I’d rather hear it from you. Care to explain? And spare me the cop bit; that’s the bad news. This city’s got enough corrupt guards already.”

Toss glared, and the punk on his right smirked. I heard Bruises snort angrily, and Pirouette said something in a worried tone, but I couldn’t afford to pay attention. I’d gone a step too far, and Toss was pissed.

“Oy, Done. Wot ‘appened to respect, eh? You just another rich ass’ole, thinks ‘e can mouth off ‘n’ get away with it?” I couldn’t help tensing up. Bruises was right there, but the mare was all power, no speed. If this went wrong, I’d at least get hit in the face. Toss didn’t look interested in apologies, though. Tense or not, I was all in.

“Mutual respect, Toss. You showed up unannounced, interrupted my breakfast, scared one of my girls, let one of your boys spit on my nice, clean floor. I showed enough respect to come down here and talk. When do I get some res—”

I was cut off when Toss’ hat shifted, revealing a bit of horn—and a flash of metal. Before I could even think to react, Peach Pit screamed “Look out!” and pounced on Toss whose knife barely flew wide, landing somewhere behind me. Pirouette’s scream came only a second later. I hate to admit it, but I blanked entirely. When Toss bucked Peach in the gut, though, sending her sprawling between him and his goon, I snapped out of it in a hurry.

“Jump shot! Bruises, jump shot, now!”

Just before Peach took another kick, Toss glowed, was lifted nearly to the ceiling, and slammed down on his tagalong thug. I ignored them both, rushing to Peach’s side as Jade, Bruises, and Pirouette crossed the floor to join me. I propped Peach Pit up as she coughed and gasped for air. “Jade, a glass of water!” Jade immediately spun to rush back for water, and I brushed Peach’s long mane away from her eyes. “Are you alright, Peach? I can get you to a doctor if you need it.”

Peach coughed again and finally caught her breath before smiling up at me. “I’m good. He just knocked the wind out of me. Glad he didn’t kick farther back, though! You’re okay, right?”

Knowing that Peach was alright was the last thing I needed for the tension to pour out of me, and my legs just gave out. Pirouette and Peach each squawked and moved to hold me up. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m fine, ladies, I’m fine. The knife missed me by a mile.” A lie if I’d ever told one; even with Peach’s distraction, I was sure I’d felt the breeze. “Bruises, would you—oh. Good job!” Bruises’ furious expression shifted instantly to a proud smile from where she loomed over Toss and his crony at the bar. Their groans and weakly muttered profanity were music to my ears. “Knock his hat off. If you see his horn glow, even a little, knock that off, too.” Bruises kicked Toss’ hat far more viciously than it deserved, and left her massive hoof hovering over Trot’s head. We all ignored his cursing.

Jade arrived with Peach’s water, and I handed it to Pirouette. When she realized I was alright, she’d begun crowding to check on Peach Pit anyway. “Would you take care of her for a minute, Pirouette? Introductions will have to wait. I asked Mister Toss a question, and right now, I think I need that answer more than ever.” I turned to address the pile of punks a couple of feet away, and Pirouette stepped right in.

Peach objected as I walked away. “I’m fine, honest, Mr. Deal! I don’t—mmph?”

“Now you just hush, sweetie. That was a nasty kick, and even if you think you’re fine…” I smirked as Piroutte began her mother hen routine. There was no pony who could stop her if she thought fussing was in order. And frankly, after the kick Peach had taken, I thought it was in order.

“Alright, Toss. Let’s try this again. Why are you here? And now that I’ve had a knife thrown at me—oh, hey, Jade, go see if you can find that for me—now that I’ve had a knife thrown at me, and a pretty mare shoved and and kicked in my club, you should probably know that I’m finished playing nice, and Bruises’ hooves are extremely heavy.” Jade trotted off to hunt for the knife, and I pulled over a stool to sit next to Bruises and tower over the trouble on the floor. “And I hope your answer doesn’t make things any worse.”

“Y’think Rose’ll jus’ letcha get away wi’vis? Y’think you won’t be dead tomorrow?” Toss was still defiant, but his eyes were on Bruises’ hoof, not me. His unwilling cushion glared up angrily, but kept his mouth shut. I didn’t want to be on Rose’s bad side, but I’d put a lot of money into her outfit, and they were finally starting to make it on their own. I was confident she had the sense not to jeopardize things this way—and even more confident that if anypony over there had actually called for causing me trouble, that Peach wouldn’t have waited for Toss to attack to tell me.

“Bruises? His… no. It doesn’t need to be like that.” Born Leader was one thing. If I had to do it again, I’d do it, but there was no point then. I turned to Peach and Pirouette who shared similarly relieved expressions. “Peach. Do you know anything? Why did Rose send these clowns?”

Peach Pit finally managed to push Pirouette and the glass of water aside and stood up. “I don’t think she did. Whittle was saying she wanted to make sure we didn’t get cut out of any deals, and Rose just said you didn’t have the… uh, that you’d never do that.” Peach’s muzzle scrunched up as she looked off to the side. Nice, Rose. “I think Whittle decided on her own, and sent these jerks. Rose told me to tag along so somepony calmer would be here when she found out. I had to fly to catch up!”

“And Rose didn’t just tell you to send them back?” Toss opened his mouth to say something, only to have Bruises hold it shut magically.

Peach shook her head. “Would’ve made Whittle look bad, Mr. Deal. She likes Whittle.” Peach glared at the ponies on the floor. “Besides, they wouldn’t listen to me no matter what I said.” Her dejected tone made me wish I could just pull her out of the gang, but she was all I had on the inside, and smoking any other Trottie to advocate for me would raise questions.

“Thanks, Peach. You just saved Rose and Whittle—and me, for that matter—a huge headache.” Peach Pit nodded, smiling again. I frowned down at the thugs. “You two are lucky. Since Whittle was stupid on her own, and you just went and made things worse, I don’t want to blow things out of proportion with Rose. But you get to explain to her why you two are bruised up, and why Home Run needs a doctor. I don’t think I need to tell you that the city guard will take my side if you claim we savagely beat you for nothing. Now go on. Get out of my club, and take your friend with you. Let ‘em up, Bruises. And if you see even a hint of a glow from Toss’ horn, I still want you to break it. He doesn’t get another chance.”

Toss and his flunky glared furiously as they got to their hooves, but neither seemed willing to say a word anymore. Bruises was watching them like a hawk, so while they carried Home Run out the front door on their backs, I turned to check on Peach Pit and Pirouette. Peach had sat down, and both were struggling to get dirty hoofprints off of her dress. If that was the worst damage to come from the kick she’d received, then the day was still salvageable. Peach’s expression said she might not agree, but I knew how to fix that. “Pirouette, are any of the dancers about Peach’s size? If so, let’s lend her a costume dress and take her out to find something nice. Can’t have the Trotties’ representative look dingy with a multi-million bit real estate deal on the line, now can we?”

Peach’s eyes bulged out of her head. I’d thought Pirouette would object, but as soon as she saw the look on Peach’s face, she gave me one of her “You did good,” smiles and nodded. I couldn’t help it; earning one of those always made me smile back.

“I-I get to go with you?” Peach had forgotten all about the kick and stared at me as if I’d promised her the world. At the very least, I’d made her day.

“Whittle wanted somepony there, so let’s give her somepony there. Hardly your fault she chose a pack of idiots, but now you’re the only Trottie around, and I’m not hiking to that slum to ask for another. Especially if Rose is so sure I don’t have the… guts… to try anything.”

Peach’s wings popped open cheerfully, but as soon as I’d said “Trottie,” Pirouette was looking at her and frowning. It didn’t take long for Peach to notice Pirouette’s disapproving look and panic.

“It’s not like that, miss… uh, I’m sorry, I know Mr. Deal just said it, but there’s a lot going on! Look, I’m not like that! The whole reason I love Mr. Deal is because he’s gonna make the city so much better! No more gangs, no more run down wrecks of buildings!”

Pirouette’s disapproving look shifted to me, with an eyebrow raised for good measure. It stayed there as she replied to Peach. “We’ll sort that out in a bit. Come with me; we’ll find you something nice that’s not too ‘showmare.’ I know we’ve got something.” Pirouette trotted away with Peach in tow. Peach looked back at me for guidance, but I just shrugged. I was the one Pirouette would let have it, not her. With Jade on stage looking for Toss’ knife, and Pirouette and Peach backstage, the floor was nearly empty again, but one last pony deserved some praise.

I never thought I’d have to thank Bruises for insisting I come up with “code words,” but she hadn’t let up. She’d gotten the idea from one of Exposé’s articles, and had demanded we spend hours making them up and practicing. The only choice I’d had was using terms from pool. I sighed and beckoned her over. Maybe I didn’t have to thank her for the code words. Maybe I could avoid that part. “Good work, Bruises. If you hadn’t been here, it wouldn’t have mattered if Peach jumped in or not. You saved everypony’s plot today. Even theirs.” I nodded toward the door the thugs had walked out of. Corrupt guards or not, a triple murder downtown gets a response.

Bruises nodded effusively. “Good work to you too, boss! You remembered! I knew just what you wanted, and they never even saw it coming! So glad Exposé told me about ‘em!”

“Me too, Bruises.” I barely managed to say it.

Jade trotted back with the thrown knife clenched in her teeth—blade in her mouth. “’Oun’ i’, ‘ir!”

My heart nearly stopped. “Jade! Spit that out! Carefully!” Jade did as she was told, and the knife clattered to the floor. It had become a very long day already, and I hadn’t even left yet.

* * * * *

Peach Pit had fairly danced her way between the racks and display cases of the nicest department store between The Tall Tail and Mrs. Orange’s lawyers’ office. Before I could even suggest one, Pirouette had steered the conversation, and the three of us, to Milk’s. The owner was pale white from the tip of her nose to the end of her tail, with a white hat cutie mark that was easily missed. “Milk” was just a nickname, but when she’d opened Milk’s Silks as a ladies’ apparel shop, she ran with it, dropping the word “silks” as her business grew. Cheap it was not, but as Pirouette had (very pointedly) told Peach, I could swing it for a special occasion.

Peach finally had several options picked out and slipped into a dressing room, with Pirouette smiling and waving as if she were actually going someplace. The instant the door shut, though, Pirouette’s smiles were gone, and she wheeled angrily, pressing her muzzle against mine. “Alright, Done, what’s the big idea? She’s hardly more than a filly!”

I told Pirouette how Peach had been excited to meet me, how glad she was that things were better for the Trotties, how her half-sister hated her, how it’d been so bad that even though I’d killed her father, she still thought the world of me. Pirouette gasped when she realized that that meant Born Leader was Peach’s dad, and her expression turned sad and sympathetic—up until I mentioned the evening in the old theater’s dressing room.

With a hoof pressed to her forehead as if she were staving off the mother of all headaches, Pirouette laid it out. “Done Deal, that poor filly—taking advantage—oh, what am I going to do with you?”

Peach Pit had poked her head out unnoticed, and in a single flap of her long wings got between Pirouette and me. She almost looked fit for one of the Oranges’ parties in a cardinal red dress and amethyst necklace that matched her eyes, but her posture was more cat fight than catty. Even Pirouette was taken aback. “I can make my own decisions, thank you very much! Mr. Deal is wonderful, and I’m proud to be helping him!”

Pirouette just blinked, and I was torn between laughing and worrying about the scene Peach was creating in the store. The solution to all of it was to calm Peach down of course, so I reached out and gently set a hoof on her back. “Peach, Pirouette’s known me for years. She’s my oldest and best friend. You can relax, honest.” Peach’s ears drooped, either embarrassed or unhappy that I hadn’t taken her side. I gestured at the dress she was wearing. “Settled on this?”

Peach had been thrown off balance, and paused. “I… let me try another necklace.” To Pirouette, with her head slightly lowered, she mumbled an apology—and, “I am eighteen, now.” Without another word, she disappeared into the changing room again.

Calling the silence awkward would’ve been putting it mildly. At last, Pirouette said what we were both thinking: “Now?”

I facehoofed. “I… oh, go ahead.” There was no point making an excuse.

Pirouette trotted up to me calmly, removed my fedora, and whacked me on top of the head. “You made your bed, Done. I shouldn’t be surprised. You know what? I’m not even going to get angry. Because you are going to make that girl happy. Aren’t you?” It wasn’t actually a question.

“I absolutely intend to, Pirouette. But that’s going to take more than just me—the promise I made her was that she’d be part of the Tall Tail family. I need her over there, but I want her to get to know you, Bruises, Jade, Shimmer—you know, all of them. I can’t do that while she’s over there, and yanking her out would cause everypony problems, even her.” It was awkward being so serious with Pirouette for so long, and talking about Peach with her barely out of earshot wasn’t helping.

Pirouette was unmoved. “Then do the best you can, Done. You ca—no.” Pirouette blinked, and the corners of her mouth slowly crept upward. “I know just the thing. Remember how you said you owed me big after the party with the Oranges? Don’t make any plans for Sunday night, Done Deal. You’re booked.”

I raised a hoof and opened my mouth to ask just what she meant, but the dressing room door popped open and I bit my tongue. Peach stepped back out, still in the red dress and amethyst necklace, ears still drooped. “Mr. Deal… I’m sorry for yelling at your—wha?” Before Peach knew what was happening, Pirouette was behind her, shoving her toward me.

“That’s been sorted out, Peach. I don’t really like it, but I can’t undo it, so I’m going to make sure Done does a better job taking care of you from now on. You are not getting left alone for months again!” Pirouette left no room for argument from either of us as she gave Peach a final shove, squishing her muzzle against my neck. “And keep your Sunday night open. And stop calling him ‘Mr. Deal.’ You get to call him Done.”

I had no idea what Pirouette was up to, but “keep Peach happy” was a big step up, even if she was being pushy. Peach looked back and forth between us, obviously completely bewildered. I patted her head and smiled. “You heard the lady.”

Peach looked up at me, still utterly baffled at what changed while she was in the dressing room. But… I like calling you Mr. Deal. It’s like… you’re that important, and you’re spending time with me!”

Pirouette practically snorted with laughter. “No wonder he’s gotten such a big head lately! You stick with me, Peach, I’ll show you how to handle him.”

The idea of Peach pushing me around like Pirouette brought to mind images of me, forcibly married to the most adoring, most henpecking pegasus in existence. I couldn’t help but shudder. “Come on, ladies. Not much time left before the closing, and I still need to pay!”

I ignored Pirouette as she snarked, “You certainly will!”

Still confused, Peach paused as we headed to the cashier. “Don’t you mean ‘he does?’”

I kept walking and answered without looking back. “I’m sure she means exactly what she said.”

* * * * *

Pirouette had walked with Peach and me to the law offices of Gavel & Co., making sure to tell Peach Pit as many embarrassing stories about me as she could along the way. I suspect she was hoping to prove I was just another pony and take some of the shine off, but as much as Peach laughed at my past humiliations, her frequent nudges, winks, and (when she thought Pirouette wasn’t looking) pecks on the cheek said Pirouette was just endearing me to Peach. I could deal with that. She’d been cute, but nothing special when I met her months ago. With a long, silky mane, a classy red dress, and just the right jewelry, though, the imperfections in her face that stopped her at “cute” were attractive in their own right—little flaws that highlighted everything else that was right about her. If she wanted to steal kisses, I wasn’t going to complain. At least, not until we reached the lawyer’s office.

A block from the law offices in uptown Manehattan, I paused. It was a clean, orderly neighborhood, a world away from the part of town the theater was in, and for that matter, the part that Peach was from. “Okay, Peach. No more affectionate stuff. You don’t have to act like a street tough—not that you could pull it off in that dress—but if you’re too friendly with me, the lawyer’s going to wonder. The Trotties aren’t really known for playing nicely with anypony, and it’s going to be strange enough to them that you don’t have an accent.”

“Wot d’ya mean I got no accent, mate? Right propa’ Trottie am, ‘n’ who says, I ain’t?” Peach’s wings were spread proudly, as they ought to have been—the impression was flawless. “I’ve been practicing! I started before I met you. Moving in with the Trotties wasn’t easy, and I wanted to try to fit in. It… didn’t really go over well. They thought I was making fun of them.” Peach sighed. “Got smacked around a bit for that. I kept practicing when you asked me to keep an eye on things though! I thought it might be useful! I’m… not really an actress though, so maybe try to do the talking?”

I looked around with a wince at how openly Peach Pit was discussing things. Ponies rushed back and forth all around us, to and from place to place. Coincidence or not, the wrong pony hearing the wrong thing would mean trouble, and standing in front of a coffee shop like we were, I couldn’t just smoke problems away. “Shh! We don’t want anypony asking questions!”

Peach clapped a hoof over her mouth and her wings slumped. “Sorry. I’ll do as much of the talking as I can, and your accent was perfect. I just don’t want to risk giving anything away, and we don’t know these ponies. Got it?”

Peach nodded, and she folded her wings back. “Got it. Sorry, I’m not used to this! And… more ‘affectionate stuff’ later? Please?”

I chuckled and nodded. “I live on the top floor of the building you came to this morning. As long as I’m not working, you’re welcome.”

Peach’s huge smile was a bit of a reward even without whatever she had in mind for later. “Come on. There’s no more time, we need to get where we’re going.”

We walked the rest of the way in silence, Peach’s nervous and mine focused. It was the biggest deal of my life, and it was only an hour or so away from being final. After the usual pleasantries and introductions, the receptionist showed us in with a smile as professional as her suit jacket, neatly cropped brown mane, and wireframe glasses. Her desk was clear of any clutter, and the pictures along the hall to the conference room were all neatly framed, even, and utterly bland. In short, it was a lawyer’s office. So it came as something of a shock when she opened the door to let us in, and I heard a heated argument abruptly die. The only ponies in the room were Citrus, looking as beautiful as ever, but thoroughly annoyed, and a reedy, sixty-something stallion, hoof still mid-gesture over some paper that clearly wasn’t to his liking.

The receptionist nodded a silent greeting to Gavel and introduced Peach and me. “Mr. Gavel. Done Deal, and one Ms. Pit… the latter isn’t on the schedule, but represents the… party of concern.” I forced myself not to frown. So that was it. Citrus had made up her mind to support me, and her lawyer was talking her out of it. There was no way in hell I would let that stand, not with so much on the line. The receptionist showed me to my place at the table, and quickly left the room—there was no chair for Peach Pit, and no offer of one. I didn’t bother holding back the frown.

Gavel spoke first. “Mr. Deal, thank you for coming. I understand you were expecting this to be a formality, but I have a number of reservations about the arrangement. There doesn’t seem to be sufficient collateral, even including your businesses, to cover Mrs. Orange’s—”

“Ms. Zest’s.” Citrus interrupted her lawyer, looking even more irate than she had a moment before.

Unfazed, Gavel contradicted her. “The divorce negotiations have scarcely begun, Mrs. Orange. There’s no question that the money involved here is yours; this was not your joint account. But making an… investment… of this magnitude without his agreement will seriously complicate matters.” Gavel turned back to me. “As I was saying. Insufficient collateral, an extremely high risk venture even if it weren’t in a dreadful part of town, your inexperience both with ventures this size and with entertainment of this nature—a cabaret does not qualify—and, frankly, the presence of,” Gavel gestured at Peach Pit, “them. Rather nice of you to dress her appropriately, Mr. Deal, but such riff raff are nothing but trouble, and not only degrade the value of the real estate in question, but endanger the entire operation. Frankly, it draws you into question to even have a relationship of some kind with them. As I’m sure you’re aware, a lawyer is required for real estate transactions in this city, and while the city itself has rubberstamped this foolilshness for the sake of offloading toxic assets, I will not.”

I’d been irritated from the moment nopony offered to get Peach Pit a seat. I’d been grinding my teeth since the son of a diamond dog had the gall to “correct” Citrus on her own name. By the time he finished his tirade, I was struggling desperately to keep the smoke under control, I was so angry. Shaking, I could not prevent. “Mr. Gavel. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you work for Citrus, don’t you? As a lawyer, not a real estate broker, not a financier, not an investment guru. What gives you the right to interfere when she’s made up her mind, if you don’t mind my asking?” Peach and Citrus both blinked, and Gavel’s eyes narrowed. I must have sounded far angrier than I intended, but I didn’t seem to be able to back that down.

Gavel steepled his hooves and glared at me over them. “I do mind, Mr. Deal, but I’ll answer anyway. I work for the Oranges, and have for more than twenty years—for Mosely’s father. Mrs. Orange is a client, and so is her husband. This arrangement is in neither of their best interests, and so I’ll put the kibosh on it any way I can. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s serious business that needs attention today, and this disaster should never have come as close to completion as it did.” Gavel rose to leave, and Citrus and I both opened our mouths to speak. Neither of us got the chance.

“’ow dare you?” Peach Pit’s voice was shrill and furious, and tears had drawn lines in the fur of her cheeks. “We been bustin’ our plots fer momfs workin’ on ‘at street! We got shops, an’ a cafe, an’ we fixed the streetlights wot the city didn’t give two bits about, on our own! ‘at feater’s a chance fer us all ta start over it is, an’ yer sayin we ain’t worth it? That we’re jus’ trash?”

Smoke flared. Reaching out to pull Peach Pit into a hug gave me enough to focus on that it didn’t burst free, but it wouldn’t take much more. I was shaking, and I swore I saw a tendril of smoke waft from my hoof as it wrapped around Peach.

I couldn’t see Gavel, but his tone was pure ice. “You are not worth it. And you are just—” One more word. One more, and I was certain I would lose it right there.

“—fired.”

My head whipped around to see Citrus, her chair knocked over behind her, ready to burst as surely as I was. “You are fired, Gavel, effective immediately. I’ll get the paperwork from your secretary, and so help me Celestia, if you make the slightest move to hinder me, I will ruin you so utterly you won’t be able to argue in front of a small claims court in Hayverbrook! I’ll find another lawyer, and have this finished by the end of the day. Done, is your lawyer looking for a client? If Mosely was right about anything, it’s that you hire quality.”

Gavel had the nerve to raise his voice. “You’ve no right! I’m not just your lawyer; I work for your whole family! Mosely will—”

Citrus hoof slammed the table. “Who do you think bought your practice when you bucked up five years ago, Gavel? It wasn’t Mosely, and it wasn’t 'the Oranges!' It was me. I saved your plot! Mosely was ready to let you fail and go to Docket and Docket. I’m the reason you still have a job! I will liquidate your practice, throw you out on the street, and sue you for malfeasance so fast the papers will be on your desk before you have time to vacate! Done, Ms. Pit, c’mon!”

Shoving the door open with a bang, Citrus stormed out of the room while the rest of us sat dumbfounded. I was too stunned to be angry anymore, and the smoke inside me dwindled like I’d sprung a leak. Unsteadily, I guided Peach Pit out the door, with Gavel behind us, calling for Citrus to wait. We chased Citrus through the lobby and outside, where she stood still fuming, a society lady in a black rage. When she saw us, though, she forced herself back to relative calm. On the sidewalk, with ponies glancing our way from time to time, she apologized. “I can’t believe I let loose like that. And you, Ms. Pit, not given a chair and made to cry. What a dreadful day!”

Peach Pit just stared at Citrus for a moment. “…what happened?” was all she could manage, accent free.

Citrus looked at me, suddenly suspicious. “A fake?”

“Not at all. It’s a long story, but the Trotties used to be under Maneys’ hooves. Peach picked my side when I got involved.”

A handkerchief materialized from Citrus’ dress’ sleeve, and she dabbed at Peach Pit’s eyes, suddenly more gentle than I’d seen her before. “You’ve got good taste, Ms. Pit. Glad I’m not the only mare in town who thinks he’s a winner.”

“You going to be alright sorting this out, Citrus?” I stroked Peach’s mane to calm her, but I was worried about the fallout. The setback of ditching a lawyer could be serious, and if the morning showed me anything, it’s that not every Trottie was interested in playing nice.

“There’s nothing to sort, Done. You’re going to give me the address of your lawyer. You’re going to find that lawyer, and have them ready to act as a notary and handle a real estate transaction. I am going to go back in there and get my paperwork, and meet you at your lawyer’s office in three hours.”

I blinked. “But Gavel won’t just—”

Citrus’ smile was toothier than I’d ever seen it, and far from pleasant. “He upset me, Done. You can get away with a bit. I like you. But don’t ever, ever upset Citrus Zest. I am finished taking it.”

* * * * *

I plopped onto the couch, worn out. The day hadn’t been busy exactly, but eventful sold it short. The Celestia’s Light theater was mine. I had the deed, and I had money backing me; all that was left was to find a contractor. A smile formed as I rolled onto my back. They’d had no interest in hopes and dreams, but with money on my side, I was certain somepony would take the job, and soon. Bed was calling to me, but at the moment, the sofa’s soft fabric was just as loud. It would do.

Had the tapping started any later, I doubt I’d have heard it. Already asleep, I wasn’t deep enough to stay there with any unexpected noise, and the tapping on my third story window definitely wasn’t expected. With an irritated groan, I forced myself to sit up and rub at my tired eyes, only to groan again when I realized that the noise wasn’t coming from anywhere I could see. Grumbling about the cruelty of age and how a closing a deal like a historic theater would’ve had me excited for hours just a few years before, I shuffled down the hall to the bedroom. Jade was down below; the tapping wasn’t her. As I made it through the doorway and looked toward the window, with its scenic view of the alley beyond the club, I tripped over my own hooves and forgot my fatigue entirely: Peach Pit flapped slowly just outside—with a mischievous grin on her muzzle, her dress lifted, and her puffy teats pressed against the glass. I lay on my stomach, staring in shock as Peach laughed. I pushed myself back to my hooves in a hurry, frantic to get the crazy mare inside where nopony could see her pull such a stunt, and maybe got four or five steps ahead before clapping a hoof over my mouth in disbelief: Shining on each teat was was a a golden ring, too big to miss!

While I stared like an idiot, Peach Pit dropped her dress and waved, beaming ear to ear as she fought to get her laughter under control. Just like that, the fatigue was back, though certainly a little different than before. Peach’s dress was back where it belonged, at least. I must’ve looked very tired indeed as I undid the lock and let the crazy mare in. Her wide smile was gone, replaced by a tiny frown and a slightly furrowed brow. She lit on the floor and looked up at me, her long, loose mane hanging all to one side. “You don’t like them?”

I gave Peach Pit a tired smile and shut the window behind her. “I nearly had a heart attack, Peach! What if somepony saw you? I don’t even know if I like them or not. One minute I was asleep, the next a mare has her teats pressed against my window! I know I don’t mind the idea, but,” I failed miserably at stifling a yawn, and felt my cheeks flush, “oh, dammit, see? Old geezers like me can’t handle so much excitement in one day!”

Peach’s frown softened a bit as I yawned, and melted as I griped about my age. Her smile was back, to my relief. With a flap of her wings, Peach Pit went from looking up at me to looking down, and gently pushed on my shoulders to point me toward the door. “I finally have you to myself; you can’t sleep now. I know how to wake you up, Mr. Deal! First step: get you away from any beds!” I could’ve set my hooves when she started pushing me toward the door, and I was more in the mood to invite Peach to my bed than walk away from it, but she was a sweetheart. I could humor her a bit. I allowed myself a wistful glance, though, only to have Peach fly over me, grab my cheeks, and pull me along facing forward. “Nope! This way! I promise you won’t regret it!

She’d never been in my apartment before, and I watched calmly as Peach flapped backwards, not quite dragging me by the face. “How do you know where you’re going, anyway?” I knew what was coming, but she was completely oblivious as she backed into a hanging lamp, squawked in surprise, and dropped into my waiting legs. A blush spread across her muzzle as she looked to see what she’d hit and then back to me. When Peach saw my crooked grin, she let out an exaggerated huff and crossed her front legs, but made no effort to get out of mine.

“Mr. Deal, I don’t know whether to call you a gentlecolt for catching me, or a scoundrel for letting me fly into that!” The red in Peach’s cheeks had nothing to do with anger; her tone made that clear enough, as if there had been any doubt. I set her down gently and patted her on the head.

“I’m pretty sure you were trying to keep me away from bed just so I could be a scoundrel, weren’t you?” I was still exhausted, and fighting back a yawn every moment, but if I was going to be awake, I figured I might as well have fun with it.

Peach laughed happily and pressed her lips against mine, swirling her tongue in my mouth for just a moment. I felt myself slide a bit from my sheathe. When she broke the kiss, she spoke much more softly, and the playfulness was gone. “You really are perfect, Mr. Deal… it’s been months. I tried and tried to find excuses to come, to bring you news, but today was the first time they let me, and… and I don’t care if you’re a gentlecolt, a scoundrel, or both at once! I’ve missed you so much!” I wanted to remind her that we’d only ever spent a couple of afternoons together, but the cute young mare in front of me was so happy—so obviously overjoyed, I couldn’t do it. When a long wing stretched between my legs and brushed my peeking flare, I forgot I’d even wanted to. Her violet eyes were locked on my rod. “I missed this, too.” Peach turned her eyes up toward mine again, pleading completely unnecessarily. “Please, Mr. Deal?” I was still exhausted, but she was right. I didn’t regret letting her pull me away from my bed at all.

“Tell you what, Peach. If you let me walk in front, so I can take care of any bad lamps that try to attack you, I’ll think about it.” I walked past the facehoofing mare, toward the living room. “Come on. Make me not regret skipping a nap.”

Just like that, Peach’s tail and head were held high and she fell in behind me as if she were a duckling. Out of the corner of her eye, as we entered the living room, Peach Pit spotted the shelf displaying my photos. The Tall Tail’s grand opening, our original dancers, Pirouette and I celebrating the day I’d paid off the business loan—and underneath, a dozen of Jade’s photos. Peach’s jaw dropped, and she walked to the case slowly, ears drooping a bit. She pointed at the case with a wing. “W… what are these?” She wasn’t asking about the old photos.

I could feel my temperature rise. Peach knew about the smoke, knew it had been used on her and my other mares, but had no reason to assume there were so many, or I’d been with all of them. It was all I could do not to facehoof. Peach had managed to stay surprisingly innocent about some things. She respected me, practically worshiped me, and then this. My mind raced, and the smoke sprung up, but I liked Peach as she was, and she did love me. There was a better way. “Most of them are actually that family I told you that you were part of now, Peach.”

Peach Pit blinked and looked back and forth between me and the shelf of debauched mares. “…what?”

I sat next to her. What she’d always wanted and never had was family. This was a strange family, but I was its center, and if their photo was up on that shelf, they were mine, and I cared about them. I pointed. “Cheerilee is married in Ponyville now. I helped her get her stallion. This is Strawberry Frosting. She got dumped, and found a new home here, as my maid.” Peach Pit clapped a hoof over her mouth at the sloppy pink mare in the photo. “Uh, try to ignore the mess. This is Shimmer on Nightmare Night; she’s my scenographer now, and that’s Redheart on the other side of me. She’s a nurse in Ponyville, but if she ever needed help, or wanted a job in town, I’d take care of her. You met Bruises earlier. That’s Exposé, her fillyfriend. I got them together. Primavera runs the restaurant next door. It was a takeover, really, but she’s part of the family now too, even if there’s still some friction there. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her. I need every one of these ponies, and they rely on me, too. They’re helping me change the city, Peach.”

Peach Pit looked at me a little dubiously, and I tried to explain. “I’m one stallion. Even with the smoke, do you think I could handle everything alone?”

Peach Pit turned back to the photos. “…do you love all of them?”

I scratched my ear, not sure the truth would help, but certain she’d hear a lie. “I care deeply about all of them, and I mean that. Even Primavera, though that’s still kind of a process. Bruises is like a little sister to me. I’d call Cheerilee and Redheart friends. Shimmering Scales is an employee, but I couldn’t have landed the theater without her, and she’s so excitable, it’s hard not to like her.”

Peach Pit faced me, and I couldn’t read her expression at all. “But you don’t love them all.” It wasn’t a question.

I wasn’t sure what Peach Pit was getting at, only that she was definitely fishing for something. I was getting nervous. When mares start fishing, you’ve only got so long to figure them out, and the way Peach felt about me, it’d hurt her badly if I didn’t. I let the smoke build, preparing for the worst, and pointed at the photo of Deep Tissue as a zebra. “Well, she’s said she loves mmph?!”

Peach’s hoof was in my mouth, her eyes were wet, and a much less pleasant pleading look was on her face. It was my last chance. “Do you love them?” At that moment, Peach was dead wrong that I wouldn’t regret staying up.

Peach Pit removed her hoof. “I… like family at most. Romantically? No. I’ve never said mmph!” Again with the hoof!

“I’ll make you say it!” Peach wiped her eyes with one quick swipe. “I’ll be part of this family, Mr. Deal, but I’ll be the one you love back! Just you wait!” Peach began pushing me away from the shelves, toward the sofa where I’d been lying earlier. “You’ll have more pictures of me than anypony else! Everypony put together, if that’s what it takes!”

Bewildered, I let myself be shoved to the sofa, and Peach hopped into the air, flapping while she undid her dress and let it fall right on my head. “I have to leave that here anyway, too many questions if I take it with me!”

I pulled the dress aside, ignoring Peach’s scent on the warm fabric. I’d heard her land on the coffee table, and with the dress away from my eyes, I found her facing away, hind legs spread and tail up, smiling confidently over her shoulder. Her teats were once again on display, hanging a few inches below below her body, with the golden rings shining in the summer evening’s light streaming through the windows. It was a challenge, and invitation, and a request, all in one. I couldn’t help staring, again. Peach’s teats were already two or three times larger than any mare without foal would have. Without the dress, they couldn’t be missed. With the rings in, though, I could scarcely look away. Gold, and not quite an inch wide, the rings were big enough to be obvious without looking gaudy. Strange, exotic, appealing… painful? Peach’s teats were unbelievably enticing. Vaguely, I was aware that I was getting stiff again, after having cooled off when Peach saw the photos. A giggle from above brought me back to reality.

“And I was afraid you wouldn’t like them.” Reading Peach’s expression now was much easier: pride.

I nodded. “They’re definitely sexy, Peach, but don’t they hurt?” I didn’t mind my girls trying to catch my eye, but I didn’t want them hurting themselves to do it. After her display just a moment before, I was concerned about the lengths Peach Pit might go to to “make” me say I loved her.

“You’ve got no idea, Mr. Deal. But not anymore! Still, they’re why I was glad Toss didn’t kick any farther back. If you’re gentle, you can even play with them a little.” Peach lowered her front half, jutting her rear, rings and all, toward my face. “They were Rose’s idea, actually. She’s nicer than she seems, really. She said it’d prove how serious I am.” Peach’s tone got a bit sweeter. “That stallions like that kind of thing.”

It’d be a lie to say they weren’t a turn on, but I wasn’t as sure Rose was being nice. What was done was done though. She went through it for me, whether her eyes were open or she was tricked. I leaned a forward and gently took a nipple, ring and all into my mouth. Peach happily sighed, and I tried carefully pushing at the ring with my tongue. “Be gentle, but you don’t have to be afraid, Mr. Deal. It doesn’t—ah—hurt. I’ve waited for months to see what your mouth would feel like…” I swirled my tongue around the ring. “Oh, it’s nice.” Peach Pit’s breathing got a bit heavier and she pressed her soft flesh against my muzzle. “Haaah… not enough alone, but oh, it’s a good way to start, Mr. Deal.” I couldn’t see Peach’s face, but it wasn’t hard to imagine her eyes half closed, as if smoke were sliding into her. My hanging rod bumped the coffee table, and I forced myself to be patient. The ring in my mouth was a reminder that Peach had more than earned a little TLC. It wasn’t like I had to worry she wouldn’t return the favor. I slowly pulled my mouth away, using my lips to give her nipple the slightest hint of a tug.

“Done already?” Peach sounded a little disappointed, but it didn’t last. I blew gently on the wet skin and she shuddered at the sudden change in sensation, but before she said another word, it was back in my warm mouth. That “ah” was longer, sweeter, and came with the scent of her moistening slit inches away. She swished her tail restlessly, and I lifted a hoof to tease her other nipple lightly. “I don’t know if you’re really good at that, or if I’ve just been dreaming about you for so long anything would feel wonderful.”

As much as I was enjoying myself, I wanted to take Peach farther, and it’d take more than a little toying with her teats to get her there. I pressed my whole tongue against her soft mound one last time, and made one long, wide lick from there up to her wet lips, tracing up one side and down the other as Peach wobbled and gasped, startled. “Mr. Deal!”

Keeping my lips just barely brushing against hers, I replied softly. “You put these rings in to excite me, right? Well, I’m excited.” I kissed her near her swelling clit, but only the lightest peck. That would come later. Peach’s head snapped around to look back over her withers, mouth hanging wide. She hadn’t seen this coming, which made it that much more fun for me. I paused a moment before lowering my muzzle again to slide only the tip of my tongue along the opening of her lips, tracing the whole way on each side. Peach pulled away for just a moment, worrying me, but it only lasted long enough for her to kneel with her front legs. The poor mare couldn’t stay standing. With a smile, I returned to her opening, which was soaked soaked and sending Peach’s scent through the whole room.

I kissed next to Peach’s clit again, this time tracing my tongue to and around it, but never quite touching it. Peach whimpered and writhed just a bit under my muzzle and I paused, just long enough for her to wonder. When I heard a confused noise from her, I pushed my tongue in between her folds, pressing one between my tongue and lip, sliding its length, waiting a breath, and repeating on the other side. Peach Pit half spread her wings and began pushing backwards, trying to get more from me. I grinned. She’d get what she was asking for.

I licked once more, the full length of Peach’s slit, and caressed a teat, then covered her clit with my mouth, letting nothing but warm breath touch it. My tongue slipped toward it, just touching, once, twice, three times, and Peach’s whimpers became noisier. Visibly tense, she wiggled as if trying to fit more into my mouth, shuddering suddenly as I pushed back with my tongue, directly over her bud. A hind leg slipped, and Peach dropped awkwardly to the surface of the coffee table. I spared it only a half second of consideration. After all, she was a pegasus, far too light to do real damage. Kneeling on the floor, I didn’t let up. Very gently, I sucked at Peach’s button, alternating with quick licks as she writhed around on her stomach.

“Ahh, Mr. Deal! Mm-more! I’m so close!” Tempted as I was to pause and tease her, I obliged, using the tip of my tongue to prod gently at her clit, while the hoof she trapped under a teat when she fell began to knead more firmly. Peach tried to press herself flat against the table, for all the pressure she could get. Her breath was shallow, coming in pants, and her hind legs couldn’t keep still. It was all I could do not to laugh at the poor thing when her tail started swishing restlessly and tickling my ears. Struggling to support myself so low to the ground with one hoof already trapped, I raised my other front leg to gently stroke the length of Peach’s pussy not covered by my mouth, and she nearly screamed.

“Th-that! Both! Oh, Celestia! Oh, oh Celeeeeh!” Peach never finished the word as she shuddered hard, twitching on the table. Her wings shot to a beautiful full spread before collapsing limply with the rest of her. I kept the attention up as she came, licking, sucking, and stroking, doing everything I could to light up Peach Pit’s hindquarters. Peach reached out and grabbed the sides of the table, crying out wordlessly she shook. As she slowly came down, I gave one last lick and sat up—as much as I could with a mare still lying on a hoof.

Peach smiled at to nothing, her eyes still unfocused. I waited patiently for a while; after all, a cute pegasus smiling happily on my coffee table was certainly a pleasant view. My erection was maddening, though and I wanted my turn. I wiggled my trapped hoof. “Can I have this back?”

Smiling wider, Peach Pit waved her tail over my trapped leg. “No. Mine now.”

I patted her flank with my free front leg. “They’re not so big I can’t pull my leg free, you know.”

“Then make them bigger. Or my mane even longer. Or my wings.” Peach was still smiling as she struggled to her hooves and freed me, but her tone, however soft, was completely serious. With effort, she turned herself around on the table and noticed my cock hanging stiff below me. For a moment, her eyes locked on it instead of me. “Oh, it’s just as perfect as I remember.” Peach turned her violet eyes back to me and leaned forward to kiss me, pressing her soft tongue into my mouth. I stroked her mane, returning the kiss. Peach pulled away, giggling. “That’s what I taste like?” Her soft-serious tone returned. “I mean it, Mr. Deal. I want you to love me back. You like my wings. You can make them longer. My teats, my mane, my legs? My flanks, maybe?” Peach wrapped a leg around my neck and leaned down from her coffee table perch to whisper into my ear. “Make me what you want, Mr. Deal… just want me.”

I couldn’t help blinking in shock. I tried to hide it and dodged the moment. “Right now, Peach, I seem to want you plenty just as you are.”

Peach nuzzled her cheek against mine as she let me go. “Then take me, Mr. Deal. That’s why I came back, after all. I never expected you to do all… that.” Peach Pit blushed at the memory and looked away, but her smile was huge. I wanted to—wanted her—but something about Peach Pit’s attitude was worrying me. I hesitated just a moment. Peach misunderstood the pause, hopping down from the coffee table and poking her head underneath me, lapping an unnoticed dollop of precum from my tip while I just stood like a fool.

She licked down the length of my shaft to the balls, and it was my turn to wobble a bit. “It’s so gorgeous, Mr. Deal. I’ve been dying for it since that evening in the theater.” Peach Pit pulled her head out from under me and wrapped her long, strong wings around my neck. As feathers caressed my neck and Peach’s lips drew close, whatever I’d been worrying about vanished. “Oh, I can’t wait for it to be like new again! I wanna do it again, in the same room, with it looking all beautiful! But for tonight…” Peach Pit pulled away, flapping back up onto the table, hind legs parted and wings spread wide. She looked back at me as she said, “I wanna make a new memory, here.”

With an invitation like that, I was sold. I roughly shoved the coffee table aside, and Peach flapped once and landed gently, still waiting for me. I didn’t keep her waiting anymore. I reared up, and as quickly as she flicked her tail over her back, I mounted her and pressed my tip to her opening. As soon as the head touched her, I heard the familiar click of a shutter, and Jade squeaked in surprise. I craned my neck to see Jade, using the back of the sofa as a tripod. Peach Pit was more than a little shocked, and tried to turn, forcing me to waddle along with her. “Who’s that?!”

If I didn’t need my legs where they were, I’d have facehoofed. “That’s Bright Jade, Peach. She handles all kinds of things, including the photos you saw.” The conversation was extremely awkward to have with my tip poised at Peach’s opening.

Peach looked to the shelf of mares, and the wings that had fallen to the floor started to rise again. “…she’s how I get over there?”

More than anything in all of Equestria, I wanted that discussion to end, and was grateful when Jade answered for me. “Mr. Deal likes pretty mares. So I take pictures for him, and his favorites go up there.”

Peach’s wings rose further, and the same defiant look she’d had when she insisted she’d win my heart returned. “Take lots, then!” Peach pushed back, and her folds parted to let just the tip of my head in.

“Still se-sensitive! Go ahead, Mr. Deal, I don’t want to wait another second!” I pushed in, drawing a ragged breath as I slid deep in a single push. When I bottomed out the instant my cock was fully buried, I remembered: I’d used the smoke to make her a perfect fit. When Peach Pit’s walls clenched around me, I moaned softly. As many mares as I’d had, it was hard to compare to a tunnel sized exactly for me. I leaned forward and grabbed Peach’s sides just under her wings, grinding my flare against her depths while my groin rubbed her lips. Peach staggered a little, but the inches I slid out were quickly reclaimed. A few shallow thrusts, only inches, and I drew out, leaving only the head of my cock inside. The soaked skin of her sex rubbed my rod, streaking her juices up and down its length, as more spilled onto the floor. I built up a rhythm and Peach matched it, her wings occasionally shaking with either excitement or pleasure. By then, the entire room smelled of us, rich and musky. I panted for breath, drawing it in, and stretched to press my muzzle to Peach’s neck, adding her to the smell instead of just the scent of rutting. Peach squeezed my cock inside her body, her warmth and pressure edging me toward my climax. Smoke swirled in me, and I batted it back down, far more interested in enjoying the rippling slide of Peach Pit’s channel than the ever-present smoke. As I picked up the pace, Jade’s camera snapped again, and Peach turned to face it, trying to smile, but looking more than a little dazed by the cock sliding in and out of her. The look was unquestionably hot, though, and Jade snapped another shot before moving around behind us. I shut my eyes, licked Peach’s neck, and focused on the pleasure building the whole length of my cock. Peach began pushing back hard, gasping every time my balls slapped her flanks, and I felt the feathers of her wings shift erratically, tickling my front legs where I held her tight.

I pulled far enough back for Peach’s soft lips to kiss my flare, shifting my hooves to her flanks for long, deep final thrusts, loving the feel of each near re-penetration as I stopped just shy of slipping out. My hindlegs trembled as the flood of pleasure washed through my cock, and I staggered backwards, spraying my cum like a hose over Peach’s body as I fell to the floor. Too startled to calm the smoke and quell the orgasm, it landed in her mane, her back, her tail, and more than anyplace else, all over her beautiful wings. Jade snapped one shot after another as Peach blinked in surprise before her muzzle twisted into an amused grin. “You did that on purpose!”

I hadn’t, but the sight of Peach Pit, snickering at me on the floor while my seed soaked into her fur was too ridiculous and I cracked up. “I wish I could say I had! Jade definitely got some great shots out of that!”

I was about to get back to my hooves when Peach pushed me back down with a hoof before glancing back at the photos of the other mares. “I’ll give her some more.” Peach sat on the floor in front of me and delicately extended a messy wing—then craned her neck and ran feathers through her mouth, pulling them back into place as she licked the cum from her own wings. I could only stare as Peach repeated the process, carefully lining up her feathers and stretching out her pink tongue to get every drop off of them. I felt myself stiffening again, quickly, as Peach Pit smiled far too innocently for the show she was putting on. Jade’s camera snapped again while Peach was mid-lick, my cum clearly on both her tongue and wing. Fanning that wing out as much as much as she could, Peach carefully cleaned a long, bright orange pinion, then plucked it from her wing with a wince and used her mouth to run it along my flare. “You wanted to go to bed so badly, Mr. Deal… I think we should.”

At half mast and growing, I could hardly argue.

* * * * *

Peach Pit’s tongue wandered lazily in my mouth for the millionth kiss of the night, and the walls of her full pussy held my softening rod in place as she cuddled. At last, she broke the kiss and looked up at me, lit by moonlight through the same window she’d come in. Her voice was a little slurred; she’d ended up as worn out as I was after insisting that Jade use all the film in the apartment. “Have you ever used satin sheets, Mr. Deal?”

I shook my head as she buried her face under my chin and lay a wing over me. “No. Why?”

“Born Leader had them. They’re wonderful. Slippery, and smooth, and they feel nice. Cool, too. It would be amazing to do this on them.” I wasn’t sure which “this” she meant. The sex, the foreplay, the photography, or the cuddling with my shaft still holding my seed inside of her.

I brushed Peach’s mane away from her mostly closed eyes. “I’ll look into them.”

Peach lifted a long wing and stroked my muzzle, forcing a smile to my lips. “Is Pirouette always like that? Nice and pushy at once?”

I laughed. “Yeah. That’s her in a nutshell. She cares about everypony and works herself to the bone for me. She was very clear that I have to be nice to you.”

Peach Pit smiled brightly pulled one of my front legs down to a teat, using my hoof to play idly with one of her rings. “I like her. I wish somepony were like that in the Trotties. What about Mrs. Orange?”

“Don’t call her that, even when she’s not there. She’s smart, educated, obviously very rich. Loves the arts. Today was the first time I ever saw her blow up like that. Wouldn’t have expected her to blot your tears for you though.”

A moment of silence passed, and I was sure she’d fallen asleep. Maybe she had. Maybe she didn’t wake up despite mumbling. “Mr. Deal?”

I answered as softly as I could, just in case. “Yeah?”

Peach Pit was hard to understand as she mumbled, “Make me what you want. Wanna wake up… like that.”

That again. I kissed Peach on the forehead and she smiled, but I didn’t answer otherwise. I knew what I was to her. She’d made that clear when she saw the photos: a husband who just didn’t know it yet. She’d made it clear when she turned up with pierced nipples: a stallion she was willing to suffer for. She’d made it clear on the way to the theater, months ago: her hero. What was she to me, though? I liked her. She was cheerful, affectionate, obviously dedicated. A friend with benefits? A lover? I knew I didn’t see her as a bride; I didn’t see anypony that way.

Peach Pit snuggled in closer and bore down a little on my rod. She’d been delighted when I agreed to let her sleep that way, mess be damned. The wing stretched over me twitched just a bit, and she mumbled again. “Little… bigger. For you.”

I turned my head and brushed my muzzle against Peach’s wing. Smoke coiled around both of her wings, paused, and sank in. Longer would be noticed. Peach’s feathers seemed to ripple for a moment while Peach clung to me and trembled. It was over. Every feather the perfect length, lying neatly with every other, and a just-preened sheen that would never fade. Nothing more obvious than a new manestyle. She didn’t need the longest wings. Just the best.

That’s what she was: “For me.” Maybe something else one day. Maybe she’d even get her wish; she was a charming filly. But right then, what she was to me was… mine.

Ladies' Night

“You really don’t have to help out with this, Tall Order. This is my burden to bear. Probably penance for some sin or another.”

Pirouette, from her stool at the bar, crossed her front legs and gave me a look. “If it’s penance, Done Deal, we’ll have to make it a weekly affair to keep up.” The sparkle in her eyes gave her away, though. Ever since I’d told her that the ladies’ night she demanded was actually a great idea, she’d been in a good mood. When I told her I’d have Primavera cater it, she’d been absolutely delighted. And when I griped all day about hauling tables around, the expense of the drinks I was chilling for everypony, and how cleanup would be a nightmare, she’d either let me go or joked along. When my back started to ache, she’d even rubbed it for me—before putting me back to work, of course.

Tall Order just gave his professional maître d’ smile and shook his head. “I’m happy to help, Mr. Deal. Primavera can be… difficult, but she’s no easier on herself than she is any of us. Since you stepped in, she’s no less exacting, but far… easier to endure. She herself doesn’t get that benefit. An evening to relax and be appreciated will do her good.” Tall Order was the rare case of Primavera’s demands working out. To a maître d’, they were less unreasonable, and he seemed to thrive under them. Anypony who could handle Primavera day in and day out and want to help her was a cut above. I just hoped having Primavera in the same room with Day Planner wouldn’t spoil the fun for both.

Tall Order and I carried our chafing dishes to a long serving table off to the side. The bar stools would be removed when we were done; sitting at a bar while I tended apparently wasn’t classy enough. I held still while Tall Order pushed the dish off my back and onto the table. As I did the same for him, I glanced over at my unusually idle choreographer. “Remind me again why I had to move all the tables up onto the stage?”

Pirouette sighed and recited the reason she’d given the last two times I’d asked. “Because you kept calling us a family, especially with Peach Pit, and families don’t all sit at separate tables.”

I pointed at the floor where several rectangular tables had been pushed together into a single, large square. It’d taken a bed sheet to serve as a tablecloth; neither Primavera nor The Tall Tail dealt in tables for more than five or six ponies in a party. “And I had to push all those together because…”

“Honestly…” Pirouette shook her head. “Because a long banquet table means ponies on the far ends can’t talk to each other!”

I smiled. “Aaaaand?”

“Done Deal, so help me!” Pirouette was laughing despite her exasperation, but we were just getting to the important part. “And because if anypony gets to sit at the head of a table with all these mares, it’s you, and if you can’t, then nopony can. Happy now?”

I puffed my chest and acted as if Pirouette’s admission had made my day. I wasn’t that petty, but if the ladies got to have fun on my account, I wasn’t going to do without any of my own. “Very. Come on, Tall Order, let’s go taste the stuff that goes in these trays.

“Oh no you don’t!” Pirouette snatched a towel from the bar and flung it at my head from across the room, draping it squarely across my muzzle somehow.

Utterly poised and serious, Tall Order shook his head. “No, Mr. Deal, towels are worn around the neck, and even then only at lower class establishments. On the muzzle won’t do at all.”

* * * * *

Bruises sat wide-eyed next to Shimmering Scales as Shimmer recounted getting into the Oranges’ party. I had to admit, it was a good story. “So I was stuck in a closet, holding my breath while they counted the wine flutes a third time. Finally, they gave up and left to find more, so I got out of the closet and tried to figure out which way led to the ballroom, when who showed up but the head chef! Before I could think of an excuse, he dropped three big sacks of oats on my back and told me to get them to the prep station and start them soaking, immediately! So I struggled my way over under these heavy sacks—”

“Aw, I would’ve helped you!” Bruises loved stories, but she was not the best listener. Shimmer scarcely managed to get three sentences in before being interrupted, over and over. Fortunately, Shimmer’s excitement in reliving her first real escapade kept her willing to continue.

On the far side of Shimmer from Bruises, Amber blinked in disbelief. “You weren’t there. How were you going to help?”

“Oh. Right.” Slightly dejected, Bruises quieted down.

I passed by, setting plates at each seat and envying Bruises and Shimmer their horns. Some tasks really were just easier when you could use magic. “Don’t feel bad, Bruises. You’re a great bouncer; you’re just not very sneaky.”

Amber cocked her head, evaluating the huge mare. “She might be. At night, if you gave her fluffy slippers. She would be very surprising.”

I wanted to beg Amber not to give Shimmer ideas, but a glance told me it was too late—Shimmer was already looking at Bruises in a new light. A stealthy, nocturnal siege engine. The idea was terrifying.

I sighed and moved on. Nopony else had arrived yet. Shimmer and Amber were early because it was a chance for Shimmer to show off her “scales.” Bruises was just too excited to stay home, even leaving Exposé behind to arrive early. In fact, Bright Jade was still upstairs. The idea that she couldn’t do the setup work I was handling hadn’t sat well with her; I’d ended up distracting her by asking her to make sure all of her camera equipment was perfect for the big night. Pirouette had balked at the idea of Jade doing anything at all, but relented when Jade’s ears drooped at the idea of just sitting all night without being useful. In the end, I’d made her promise to try to sit and relax for at least five minutes between photos.

As I reached the last setting, Day Planner and Deep Tissue stepped in, shopping bags floating in the air beside them. Deep immediately dropped hers and trotted her way around the table and under my chin, planting a pair of quick kisses on my jaw before whispering in my ear, “I could show you a better time if you sneak away.”

I laughed and shook my head. Pirouette would never forgive me, and the more I thought about it, the more I really did like her idea. I made a note to hold a similar night in the near future for the dancers. Pirouette would kill me if I laid a hoof on them, but they were as responsible for my happiness and success as anypony else, at least as a group. “Sorry, Deep. Tonight’s for all of you mares; I don’t get to have a good time.”

Deep’s disappointment turned into a pleased coo as I copped a feel of her flank. “Tomorrow, though, at the parlor…” Deep trotted back to her sister, smiling, and Day rolled her eyes.

“Even tonight, Mr. Deal?” Day’s usual deadpan somehow seemed less accusing. It wasn’t an invitation to goof off, exactly, but it seemed that hosting the girls didn’t count as “work” to her at least. That was a relief. Slightly less of a relief was Amber’s piercing stare as she watched Deep Tissue and Day Planner take seats to themselves. I was vaguely concerned whether or not things would be alright.

Worry vanished pretty quickly though, as Deep waved to Shimmer and Amber. “Thank you both again, so much! You have no idea how worried I was! I thought Done would never forgive me!”

Day Planner nodded calmly. “Yes, thank you. You have no idea what a child she was being at ho—ouch.” I snickered along with Shimmer and Amber as Day was kicked under the table.

Shimmer smiled. “You’re welcome. Everypony got something, and it was fun.”

Amber took off her glasses wiping them on a handkerchief as she chimed in, “Un-got something, too. The bugs quit coming in, now that there’s no gap in the window pane. Thanks.”

I hid a sigh and wondered if the renovations were going to be enough, or if I’d be moving Amber closer to the club too. “We’re still waiting on ponies to get here, but if any of you want a drink, I’d be happy to get that started. Primavera and her staff will be bringing the food a little later.”

Day Planner wrinkled her nose at the mention of Primavera and I didn’t bother hiding the sigh. “C’mon, Day. You don’t have to like her, you don’t have to forgive her, but you made her one of the girls. At least be civil.”

“I suppose even I make mistakes sometimes. Don’t worry, Mr. Deal. I’ll behave. Everypony has been looking forward to tonight; especially Pirouette. I won’t ruin it. I will have a glass of sherry, though.”

Of course she’d pick one of the wines I brought over from Primavera. “Coming up! Anypony else? Remember, on the house tonight. You girls have earned it.”

Amber shook her head. “Somepony else can drink first.” Shimmer and I couldn’t help but snicker, and even Day’s lips turned up a bit at the corners.

“I’ll wait too, Mr. Deal. I’d rather be drinking late than early.” Shimmer turned to continue her story for Bruises, almost getting hit in the muzzle by the big mare’s thick leg as it waved.

Completely oblivious as Shimmer blinked and checked to make her her nose was still on her face, Bruises chimed in, “I want cider, Boss!”

“Good stuff?” I knew what Bruises wanted, but Pirouette never told me I couldn’t have a little fun.

“Yeah!” Bruises nodded eagerly as I headed behind the counter and poured drinks. With drinks poured and on a tray, I headed around the large, makeshift table. Day lifted her drink as I passed, offering a nod of acknowledgement. As I approached Bruises, her mug quickly flew from the tray straight to her lips. You’d have thought she was dying of thirst as quickly as she poured half the cider down her throat—and then gagged.

Laughing, I clapped the big mare on the back as she coughed and sputtered. “Booooss! I said good stuff!”

Deep Tissue hid a grin behind those dainty hooves pressed to her muzzle, I was sure, and I’m sure Shimmer thought it was an amateurish trick, but she looked at least vaguely amused. To be fair, though, she could’ve been amused by Bruises rather than my prank. Bruises quit coughing and I cut the laughter down to a grin. “But that is the good stuff, Bruises! The rest is too weak!”

“Noooo! The stuff that tastes good!” Bruises was starting to look put upon; it was time for the teasing to stop.

“Ohh, I see! You should’ve said so in the first place!”

Amber calmly pointed a wing at Bruises’ glass. “See? I knew it.” I took the mug back and turned to retreat to the counter to get Bruises what she was after, to find Pirouette quietly staring me down. Despite herself, she was obviously trying not to laugh.

“I can’t leave you alone for five minutes, can I, Done?” Pirouette walked around to stand between Bruises and me. “Parapet, you just wait, he’ll get you some soft cider right away.” Without looking, Pirouette kicked backward with one leg, nailing me in the right flank. “Won’t he?”

“Yes ma’am! Right away, ma’am!” I played along. If Pirouette had actually been angry, she’d have kicked a lot harder, as I knew from long experience. As long as she was content to play the wet blanket, I was content to let her—and to play the chastised colt.

I headed back to the counter while Pirouette reminded Bruises that I wouldn’t have played a trick if I didn’t like her. It was completely true. As everypony said, Bruises was like a little sister to me, and as much as I’d loved my sister when we were foals, I’d always been completely rotten to her. Bruises was no different: she got both the fondness and the teasing. I poured a fresh drink and pondered just how Bruises—Parapet—would’ve turned out if she’d had a big brother like me teasing and looking after her in equal parts. Would she have been the mean thing I found in that Manehattan slum?

Asking Bruises about her family had to wait; as I was rounding the end of the bar again, Primavera came through the door between her restaurant and The Tall Tail—and the conversations at the table died. Primavera’s ears drooped and she stood for a moment, unsure whether to take a seat or—from the looks of it—turn and run. I grabbed the tray with Bruises’ soft cider in my mouth and trotted back to the table, heading around the side toward Primavera, pushed a chair back with a hoof, and gestured. With the tray in my mouth, it was about all I could do. Primavera nervously took the seat, and I continued toward Bruises. She was more cautious the second time, floating her drink to her nose and sniffing it suspiciously. I left Bruises to decide how she’d handle it, and turned back to Primavera.

“Thanks for coming, Primavera. I know you weren’t sure about this, and I know we’re still getting to know you, but you are part of this group now. I mean that.” My eyes were locked on Day and Deep as I said the last. Both sighed, but nodded too, and a little tension went out of Primavera, to my relief. I patted her withers and spoke to her instead of the group. “There’s work still to do, but you’ve been working hard for me. That matters. Tonight’s for you just as much as anypony else.

Primavera nodded her head and gave me a slight smile. “I hope everypony enjoys the food tonight. The kitchen staff isn’t used to catering, but they’re doing their very best.”

“The cream puffs are especially good.”

Heads turned to face Amber, and Shimmer’s brow furrowed a bit in confusion. “Wait, when did—you said you were going to help clean up for a few minutes!”

Amber nodded soberly. “I cleaned up seven or eight of them.”

Shimmer facehoofed as Pirouette and I tried not to laugh. I almost managed until I saw how distraught Primavera looked over a few cream puffs, but the horror in her expression was too much. Still standing next to her, I patted her withers soothingly. “Easy, Primavera. Knowing you, you had them make twice as many as we’d need, just in case. Right?” There was no way I wasn’t right. Primavera nodded. “See? Everything’s fine. Relax. Want a drink?”

Primavera took a deep breath and managed a smile. I doubted it was a real one, but not going to pieces over a problem in her kitchen was progress. “A bit later, Done, thanks. After I’m sure the food is all perfect.”

I shook my head. “Denied. You’re here to enjoy the evening, not make dinner. Your staff will do just fine.”

“But—”

Pirouette backed me up, smiling at Primavera across the table. “No buts. Done’s job tonight is to throw us all a nice little party. For you, too.

Primavera fidgeted, but nodded, and the nervous smile was back. Nervous, but not fake. I’d take it.

That was the first of the evening’s scares out of the way. Day and Deep were talking with each other on the far end of the table from Primavera, behaving themselves if not being overly friendly. I couldn’t blame them. With the history there, I was lucky they all showed up. Still, I was hoping somepony would talk with Primavera besides me. She really was trying.

While I was worrying over whether or not Primavera would ever fit in, Jade and Strawberry Frosting appeared on the stairs, the former with her camera bag in her mouth, and the latter with a large cake balanced precariously on her back. Shimmer waved and called for Jade to join her and Amber. Jade trotted over, leaving Strawberry to pick a seat alone. I gestured toward the still empty side of the table, closest to the bar, and Strawberry took a seat as I got the cake off of her back and onto the table. Primavera eyed it as suspiciously as Bruises did hungrily.

As I set the cake on the table I asked, “Did you bake this, Strawberry?”

Strawberry Frosting nodded proudly, and I couldn’t blame her. The cake was as professional any I’d ever seen, with frosting evenly applied and delicately piped on around artfully sliced strawberries. Primavera was probably worried about being upstaged. Strawberry gestured at her work. “I haven’t really done any baking since I moved in here, but I missed it so much! There just wasn’t time; from scratch isn’t easy.”

The cake was making my mouth water just looking at it. “It looks great, Strawberry. We’ll save that for last; I want to make sure everypony gets a piece.”

Primavera turned to Strawberry and grudgingly admitted, “The icing is exceptional, miss.”

Strawberry Frosting beamed, and I couldn’t blame her—praise from a chef like Primavera meant a lot. “Thank you! I was a pastry chef before I became Done’s maid.”

Thank Celestia. “Hey, Strawberry, why don’t you two talk shop? Primavera doesn’t know most of the girls very well.” I walked away smiling as Strawberry moved to sit with the worried Primavera. The poor thing was almost cute. Tough as nails in her kitchen, probably a bear anywhere else, too, but still so concerned about not losing her restaurant that dealing with any of my girls terrified her. My smile died in a heartbeat as that sank in. I decided to talk to Pirouette about that; she seemed to be over the hard feelings, and wasn’t there when we scared Primavera half to death.

It was hardly a surprise that Exposé hadn’t shown up yet; Bruises had had to whine to get her to agree in the first place. Stubborn mare. I was more disappointed not to see Peach Pit. Given how pushed around she was with the Trotties, and given what had happened with Whittle’s goon just days before, if she didn’t show, I’d have to worry that she’d gotten in trouble. Normal city sounds outside gave way to shouting, but before I got to the door to chase away whoever it was, flashes of white and orange wing through the glass door gave away the latecomers. I broke into a run, muttering under my breath as I rushed for the doors and gave them a rough shove, knocking the scrapping pegasi to the ground. I sat with my front legs folded in the open door and glared down at Exposé and Peach Pit where they lay on the sidewalk, blinking.

“Really, you two? I invite you to a party, and you show up fighting?” It was their night, and I didn’t mean to lecture too much, but for Celestia’s sake!

In unison, both pegasi yelled, “She called me a foal!” I’m not sure any hoof has ever struck a face as hard as mine did then. Mares and stallions on both sides of the street had stopped to watch the fight, and I could feel the warmth as I blushed at the undesired attention.

“Get in here, you two; ponies are staring!” Peach had the decency to look chastised for a moment at least, but both of them walked past me glaring at the other, wings fluffed up. Exposé spotted Bruises and took to the air immediately, landing next to her giant fillyfriend and glaring back at Peach. Deep Tissue wasn’t glaring, but her eyes were certainly on the newcomer, and the only mare there with a mane longer than hers. Peach stayed at my side as I walked back toward the table. She kept following past it, and I looked down at her. “Something wrong?”

Peach smoothed out her sun dress with a wing, looking a bit uncomfortable, something I’d never seen from her before. “Well… I don’t really know anypony, except Pirouette and Br—er, Parapet.” Of course. I pulled a chair out for Peach on the side of the table Strawberry had emptied, and she sat alone.

“Come on, everypony. Musical chairs. Except no music. Shimmer’s side is stuffed, this side is empty, and Peach should get to know more of you.” Pirouette smiled at Peach and trotted over to sit next to her. I snickered. “Not a bad pairing. Colors sorta match, and it’s got this spring and autumn thi—oof!”

Pirouette’s smile was dangerous—not that the hoof that’d whacked me upside the head wasn’t. “Done Deal, you’re supposed to behave tonight, remember?”

As I rubbed my head, Peach giggled. “Autumn? You don’t look older than anypony else here.”

Pirouette sighed. “Now see what you’ve started, Done? That’s… Done’s little gift to me, sweetie. Like Parapet’s muscles.” Exposé frowned.

Peach Pit caught on. “Oh! Or like my… uh, my mane.”

I bit my tongue, but Pirouette caught my expression and raised an eyebrow. I was glad Shimmer didn’t give her time to ask.

“Or my coat!” Shimmer stood proudly, showing off the sparkling snakeskin pattern on her body. Peach’s eyes got wide, and mine darted to the window, but I relaxed when I saw the blind in place. Shimmer sighed contentedly as she sat back down. “I don’t get to show these off as often as a mane.”

Exposé crossed her front legs and frowned. “It’s not like he cares more about the ponies he changes, you know.” So that was it.

“Come on, everypony, spread out. Pirouette made me set up tables so everypony could see everypony else. Like Exposé said, no favorites.”

Peach murmured, “Yet…” It was meant only for me, but Deep caught it and both eyebrows shot up.

“Peach, was it? Don’t get too cocky. You’re not the only mare with wings, and you’re hardly more than a girl.”

I groaned and walked back to where Peach sat, meaning to calm her down, but she didn’t waste any time on her retort. “If I am, that means I’ll be just right when you’re too old!” Deep’s eyes bulged.

Considering Pirouette’s actual age, I didn’t think she’d object when I lifted a hoof and brought it down on Peach’s head. Peach yelped, startled more than hurt, and raised a hoof to her head. Deep Tissue smirked, and opened her mouth to make things worse, but behind her, Day was mirroring me, and as the first sound escaped Deep’s lips, it was cut off with a dull thunk. Day hadn’t been as nice as I had.

Deep spun to stare at her sister, shocked. “Ow! Day, whose side are you on, anyway?”

Amber piped up from across the table. “Probably Done’s.”

I couldn’t help but snicker, and even Shimmer and Pirouette grinned. Deep’s cheeks turned pink and she quieted down.

“Also, that suit you made me buy.” Day Planner was as calm as ever. “That’s another reason.”

Deep covered Day’s muzzle with both hooves and hissed a “Shhhh!” When she realized that everypony but Strawberry was trying not to giggle, her pink cheeks went red, and she hung her head, letting her mane hide her face.

Finally, ponies moved, evening out the mares around each side of the table. I took a spot at the bar and raised my voice while Jade worked to set up her camera behind Shimmer. “Alright! Everypony is present and accounted for! Before we go any farther, I want to offer a toast to all of you! But Day’s the only one with a drink!” Bruises turned her empty mug upside down and shook it, proving my point. “Everything is on me tonight, but Primavera generously had her kitchen staff cater, and they’ll be by in about half an hour with all sorts of delicious stuff. So! Who wants what?”

I pointed at each mare in turn, honestly rushing their drinks. I wanted something in everypony’s hoof to grease the wheels and get the night going. My best work could come later. A margarita for Deep, A gin and tonic for Pirouette, and Primavera had a daisy cutter, making me wonder if she was trying a little too hard to loosen up. Shimmer called for an amaretto sour, Amber a soft cider, and Exposé an applejack on the rocks. Day claimed a second sherry, more cider for Bruises, and Peach and Jade took some of the ginger ale I usually used for mixing. Peach’s relief at not being alone on the soft stuff was plain, even if she and Exposé did trade sneers. With each drink in a mare’s hoof, I headed back to the bar and lifted a cider of my own.

“I’m glad everypony came tonight. You’ve all been a huge help to me, some directly, others indirectly, but even if I’m not always great at showing it, you ladies are profoundly important to me, professionally and even more, personally. I’m proud to know all of you, and I’m happy for the opportunity to throw you this party, just to celebrate you. I look forward to the next one. You all keep it up, and I’ll make these nights a regular thing. It’s a done deal. To each and every one of you.” Jade’s camera snapped. There had been a little cheering and applause as I mentioned things important to each of the mares at the table, but when I lifted my cider to them, the “hear, hear!” was in almost perfect unison—but for Pirouette, who couldn’t quit laughing.

“A ‘done deal?’ Oh, Celestia, Done, I thought you’d retired that kitsch five years ago!” Pirouette was laying it on thick, struggling to keep upright, and her laughter was contagious. My poor toast ended in gales of laughter, while I tried to shrink behind the bar.

“Oh… shut up, Pirouette!” I wasn’t angry, but seeing every mare at the table at least snickering at me was embarrassing!

I was saved, at last, by Strawberry Frosting politely clearing her throat to try to get attention. “Excuse me… you girls said Done ‘gave’ you things.” Strawberry looked from Pirouette to Peach to Bruises as my relief vanished. “Youth, mane, muscles. What did you mean by that?”

Ponyfeathers. The room went silent as it sank in for everypony else that Strawberry alone was not in the know. It hadn’t even occurred to me, and not bringing her into things was something I had taken a bit of pride in. There was no helping it though. “Here, Strawberry. I’ll show you.” I gestured for Strawberry to come to me, and the pink pony hopped up and joined me at the bar. With my hoof right in front of her muzzle, I said, “Watch close,” and quickly formed smoke and slid it into Strawberry Frosting’s nostrils. The reaction in the room was mixed. Day and Deep and Jade didn’t care. Bruises and Peach Pit looked excited. So did Shimmer, but differently. Primavera was apprehensive, as was Exposé, but Pirouette looked resigned. It couldn’t be helped.

While Strawberry stood dumbly in front of me, ears dropped and eyes glassy, sniffing in smoke without hesitation, I stroked her mane. “I can do things to ponies, Strawberry. Change them. You’re not afraid of it, because you’ve been so happy here that you know you can trust me. In fact, you’re a little happy to know, now—it means you’re part of this big family like everypony else.” I couldn’t let Strawberry just wonder, and I couldn’t let her know without making sure she’d handle it well, but I didn’t have to leave the poor thing scared.

A trace of worry carried in Strawberry’s voice, despite being under. “Not… scared?”

I turned up the smoke a little and replied. “No. No reason to be; it’s me. It’s helping me make the city better. But ponies who don’t know me would be scared, and it’d ruin everything, so don’t tell anypony.”

I let the smoke go, and Strawberry gave me a hug. “Thank you for trusting me, sir!” So much for not bringing everypony in on the secret, crisis averted.

“Congratulations!” Bruises actually cheered out loud. Strawberry politely bowed, but scurried back to her seat, blushing, as she realized she’d become the center of attention. It took a moment, but the girls started trying the drinks that had gone untasted when Pirouette cracked up.

Deep was the first to try her drink. “This is great, Done! What’s a girl have to do to get drinks like this more often?” She swirled the drink around in her glass, looking at it from below, as if it would reveal some kind of secret.

Day smiled just a bit. “Nothing you haven’t done already, I’m sure.” As ponies around the table laughed, Deep gave her sister a playful shove.

Pirouette looked up from her gin and tonic, nodding in agreement. “You really haven’t lost it, Done.” I admit it; my chest puffed up a little.

“I had to work the bar here for five years before I could afford to hire anypony but entertainers. You don’t forget how to pour a drink that quickly.”

I took a seat on a stool I’d dragged around behind the bar, and settled in to let the girls enjoy themselves. It was their night, not mine. I was just there to give it to them. I folded my front legs on the bar and just waited to see who’d need their next drink first. My bits were on Exposé, since she seemed to be out to prove something. Not one second after I’d gotten comfortable though—and I’m sure that was no accident—Pirouette shook her head and raised her glass. “Oh no, you don’t get to sit that easily. Come back out here!”

I rolled my eyes as I got off my stool again, but I wasn’t about to turn down a toast from a lovely mare, and as much as she hassled me, Pirouette wouldn’t be on stage if she didn’t catch eyes. When I got to her side, Pirouette ruffled my mane as if I were a foal, then went around the table with her ‘toast.’ “Done may not be the cleverest pony, or the strongest—”

“—or the hardest working.”
“—or the best looking!”
“—or the most successful!”
“—huh?”
“—or the smartest!”
“—or the most chaste.”
Jade just blinked, Strawberry seemed not to be able to come up with anything, and Primavera shook her head, visibly pale. Peach Pit alone protested, “Aww, you guys are so mean to Mr. Deal!”

As the mares who knew me better laughed, I patted Peach on the head. “At least somepony likes me!”

“I like you, Boss!” Silly, sincere Bruises. The poor mare looked confused as the rest of the table laughed again.

I was enjoying myself more than I’d expected to. A table of laughing mares. Sit me at the table with a couple of pizzas instead of expensive booze, and it could’ve been the first night Pirouette choreographed a show. It was the best welcome we could afford for the mare I was sure would launch us from pretender to the real thing, and I’d felt awful about such a lousy party, but none of the girls had cared. They were too busy having fun. Pirouette had had to force me to the table; I was too busy trying to make the party better.

It wasn’t like me to get so contemplative. A gentle whack on the head jerked me back from Memory Lane, and Pirouette grinned up at my from her seat, pointing past me to the door to the restaurant. “You just gonna stand there and let us starve, Done? And here I thought you took care of your girls!”

With a short laugh and a nod, I trotted to get the door. “Gotta keep you girls fed. No pony likes a scrawny mare.”

“There are mares you don’t like?” I’d expected a retort from Pirouette. That’s not where it came from. As I pulled open the door to let the first cart come in, I looked back to see Amber looking at me innocently, while Shimmer and Pirouette smirked, and Day hid her muzzle.

I couldn’t resist a jab at Day. “Still too upset about the comic book thing to smile at Amber’s jokes, Day?”

It was Shimmer’s turn to try to look innocent as Amber “comforted” Day. “Don’t feel bad. Lots of ponies read deviant comics. Especially Shimmer.”

As Day buried her face behind a hoof in frustration at Amber’s… inexorable… remarks, carts of delicious smelling food rolled past me and to the chafing dishes. I couldn’t help wondering if behaving would get me a taste.

* * * * *

I’d been allowed a bit of the buffet after all. Day, of all ponies, had argued on my behalf and won over Pirouette—with the logic that I couldn’t keep working if I were too hungry. Somehow, that didn’t extend into drinks. I sat at the table, quietly tolerating the indignity of having been declared the prize in an impromptu tournament of Dodge Hold ‘em. Pirouette and firmly insisted that nopony be left out, even if they didn’t know how to play, so I was also stuck getting up and advising Jade, Strawberry, and Primavera as they all vied for the honor of taking me home for the night.

The dubious honor, Day had corrected, but she was playing as seriously as anypony else. Exposé had been shooting looks at Peach all night and hadn’t slowed down on the alcohol at all. To everypony’s relief, though, the tiny mare was less aggressive when staying upright took most of her attention. Seeing her wings sprawled loosely behind her was distracting me, but everypony else was as focused on the game as their state of inebriation allowed. Blinds and antes were made, and I dealt out the final hand of the night watching as mares made, or tried not to make, faces. I tossed the burn and dealt the flop.

“Bets, ladies?” Mares pushed chips forward, some confidently, others cautiously.

“Mmm… a whole night with Done. I can taste it already.” Deep was smiling ear to ear as she looked at the pair of cards she held and compared them to the flop.

Amber cocked her head as she addressed Deep. “I tasted it once. I guess it wasn’t too bad.” Shimmer pressed a hoof against her forehead and groaned while Primavera choked and sputtered on her drink, too shocked to swallow properly.

Strawberry Frosting patted Primavera’s back, and Shimmer lay her cards face down. “No peeking. And no doing anything until I get back!”

Exposé frowned and pointed a wing at Shimmer drunkenly. “An’ zhus’ whuddya think yer doin’? Are ya sheeting?”

“I’m getting Primavera a new drink, Exposé, that’s all.” Shimmer turned to trot toward the bar.

“Hey, Shimmer, I’ve got it. Relax; you girls are supposed to take it easy tonight.” By all rights, I was supposed to be handling everypony’s drinks. I didn’t mind Shimmer taking care of it just once, but Pirouette was in third place—close enough that I suspected things were already decided, and didn’t want to pay the price later if she felt like I was slacking off.

Pirouette shook her head, though. “Nope. Go ahead, Shimmer. Done’s dealing; he can’t leave the table right now.” Shimmer nodded and headed away.

Bruises carefully floated her pair of cards to me, face to face, so nopony else could see what she had, opening them for me to see. “Are these good boss?”

I sighed and shook my head. Regardless of whether it was or not, answering would give her hand away. It didn’t matter anymore, though; she and Exposé were doomed, and just not bright enough—or sober enough—to know it. “Sorry, Bruises.”

“Aww.” Pirouette reached across the table and patted Bruises’ hoof. Nopony liked seeing Bruises unhappy.

“Back!” Shimmer trotted back to the table, and set Primavera’s glass in front of her before continuing to her seat.

Primavera took a sip and nodded. “Thank you, Shimmer.”

Exposé’s eyes had fallen on the cake after tracking Shimmer to the bar, and hadn’t left it since. I’d been keeping an eye on her, myself: as drunk as she was, I didn’t trust a fixation, but she hadn’t been making real trouble, either. In fact, if anything, she’d been calmer. Then, of course, the other horseshoe dropped. Haphazardly, Exposé flapped up into the air, and turned toward Strawberry’s cake. “Zhus’ a li’l won’ hurt, right?”

Bruises frowned, and Exposé flapped in place with her tail suddenly glowing dark blue. “Exposé! Strawberry said that’s for later!”

Exposé ignored Bruises and began flapping much harder—I dropped a leg on top of the cards on the table to keep them from blowing away, and anypony close by made sure to hold onto their own, but nopony was actually complaining. We were all far too busy laughing at the tiny, ridiculous pegasus to think twice about the barest hint of a glow from Shimmer’s horn. I figured she was messing with Exposé somehow, and let it go.

After a few seconds of trying even harder, just to prove us wrong, Exposé managed to swat Primavera’s glass with a wing, sending it teetering precariously. Amber’s wing shot out, narrowly managing to balance the glass before it toppled, sparing Primavera an early shower, and Bruises yanked Exposé back, safely away from Primavera’s side of the table and back to her seat.

Primavera heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Amber. I hate it when my fur is wet. I’ll… overlook the cream puffs.”

Amber only replied, “Go fish.”

I was baffled. She’d seemed to know what she was doing, but ‘go fish?’ In a poker game? Everypony else looked as confused as I did. I corrected Amber, despite being certain I’d regret it. “No, Amber this isn’t go fish…”

Amber pointed at the drink she’d kept from spilling just a moment before. “No. ‘Go, fish.’”

We all looked at the glass that was very nearly to Primavera’s lips, and she crossed her eyes to do the same. Swimming unhappily within was a goldfish. Gasps and giggles sprung up around the table, except from the mare holding the cup. Primavera screamed, tossed the cup onto the table, and reeled backwards, sending her chair to the floor while she stood on one hind leg and pinwheeled her front legs frantically, struggling to maintain balance—and in the end, she succeeded! Applause broke out around the table, along with laughter as Primavera dropped herself back to all fours and Shimmer magically righted her chair for her. Primavera reclaimed her seat, blushing and glaring at Amber, but bit her tongue.

As if it were the most normal thing in the world, Amber produced a bottle from her wing and herded the fish inside, with no more explanation than “Back in there.”

One last burst of giggles as Bruises admonished Exposé to behave herself, and Peach Pit, nose in the air at a chance to rub something in Exposé’s face, trotted over to sit by the cake. With a determined smile at her apparent nemesis, Peach settled in. “Don’t worry; I won’t let her get it!

I shook my head at all the silly mares I seemed to have collected. ”Bets.”

With the flop down, bets started in earnest. Day, in particular, nearly doubled her previous bet.

When her turn to bet came around, Shimmer spoke up. “A night of drinking and games reminded me a bit of some parties in art school. Kinda wish I’d thought of the fish myself!”

Amber pushed a few chips forward. “At least I remembered to use a bigger fish this time. Not neons.”

Shimmer’s eyes popped wide open. “That was you? I was vomiting for hours!”

Amber puffed her wings a bit. “You kept stealing my drink. I didn’t think you’d steal it if I filled it with fish!”

Ponies either groaned or laughed, depending on the strength of their stomachs. I was having a pretty hard time with the idea of swallowing fish, myself.

Shimmer sighed. “That was the last time I ever let myself have anything stronger than a mojito. Speaking of… After the game, Done? That amaretto was great.”

I smiled, glad to see conversation returning to something less horrifying. “Sure thing, Shimmer.” I burned another card, and placed the turn on the table. “Bets. And I feel like I should point out there’s only one of me, but I’ll let you girls cash out the chips for… I don’t know. But bet properly; I’ll think of something to do with those chips.” I already knew what, really. None of the girls at the table were the kind to make unreasonable demands. If they came to me with a hoofful of chips and a favor to ask, they’d get it.

Peach Pit pushed every chip she had forward. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I want this!” Peach reached over and squeezed me. “I’m all in!”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, kiddo. I don’t know about your pocket, but I know what’s in mine, and I’ll be rubbing more than Done’s back tonight.” Deep Tissue. Always enticing, sometimes clever… never terribly subtle.

Exposé smirked at Peach Pit. “’sides—doesn’e us’aly get to tell you, ‘I’m all in?’

Peach’s eyes popped wide open, and so did her wings. “Why don’t you—”

That was as far as she got before she realized her wing had hit something. Peach’s head whipped around in time to see Strawberry’s cake toppling from its place on the table. Jade’s camera snapped just in time to catch the cake before it crashed to the floor, scattering icing and sliced strawberries all around.

Both of Peach Pit’s wings covered her mouth. “…oh, no…” As the rest of us winced, Strawberry pawed sadly at what was left of her cake. “I’m so sorry! I don’t even know what to say!”

Peach reached out to touch Strawberry’s withers apologetically, only to have them yanked away. Primavera had pulled Strawberry toward the door suddenly, then turned back to speak. “I can fix this! I—we can fix this! We’re out anyway, right Strawberry?

Bewildered, Strawberry managed a “What?” before Primavera nodded at her and turned back to us.

“Everypony, just… do what you’re doing! I’m borrowing her!”

Before anypony could object, Primavera and Strawberry were through the door and gone.

We stared in silence a few seconds before I shrugged. “Try not to feel bad, Peach. It was an accident, and… well, at least Primavera was finally lively. I guess?” I really had no idea what to make of what had happened, so I pressed on with the game.

Four cards face up, and several mares now had more in their bet than out of it. Pirouette caught me smiling at the piles of chips around the table and leaned back, crossing her front legs and grinning at me. I cleared my throat and put on a poker face of my own. I was not happy to see so many mares bidding on me. Really. I burned one more card and placed the river on the table theatrically, keeping it covered with a hoof.

“Who’s going to win the grand prize tonight, ladies? The grand, amazi—ow!” I pulled my hoof away to reveal the card as Pirouette pulled her own away from my ribs. “The humble, thoroughly remorseful prize.” Shimmer and Pirouette cracked up, and the laughter was infectious. “Last round of bets, ladies.

I went around the table. “Straight, three of a kind… pair. Really, Exposé?”

Exposé waved a wing at me drunkenly while leaning on Bruises to stay upright in her chair. “You… shuddup.”

I looked down to hide my smile and kept going. “Two pair, one pair, straight, three of a kind, fold, fold, flush. Yep, I’m doomed.”

Pirouette smiled viciously as she tapped her pocket cards. With those, she had a full house. As she claimed the pot, it was clear nopony else even came close. Groans from the rest of the mares began, and Peach in particular looked disappointed. Exposé flapped unsteadily above the table, squinting to try to read cards, and blowing them around instead. Pirouette leaned back with a grin on her muzzle. “Don’t worry, ladies. I’ll be sure to teach him some better manners for next time. But in the future, if a lady brings the deck to the party… think twice.”

Embarrassed protests sprang up as the ladies realized they’d been had. I couldn’t blame them, but Pirouette played fairly. She always did. She just almost always won. “Be glad, girls. Last time I played poker with Pirouette, she took a dancer’s wedding gown to keep her from marrying a jerk the next day—and every bit I had on me in the process. You got off lucky, not playing for money.”

Peach looked appalled. “You really took somepony’s wedding dress?” Those gorgeous wings of hers were half fluffed; something about that had really got her going.

The last thing I needed was Peach and Pirouette getting into it, though I suspected Pirouette had more sense. “Imagine you had a filly who was planning to marry Born Leader, Peach. This guy wasn’t that bad, but he’d have ruined her.”

Peach backed down. “But… well… she must’ve been so heartbroken.”

Exposé scoffed. “Whadda—hic—filly!”

Peach glared back, but kept quiet. I gave Shimmer a meaningful glance at the ruined cake and then at Exposé. Shimmer’s horn was barely noticeably glowing as a dollop of icing floated into the air behind all the mares on that side of the table. Everypony who could see pretended not to notice.

Pirouette ignored Exposé’s outburst. “She was. So was I, but she had far too much potential to go and ruin it with that fool. She’d have been better off sleeping with this one.” Pirouette pointed at me. “He’s a lot of things, but uncaring is not on the list. The pony she was going to marry has been in jail for the last two years.”

Exposé opened her mouth to suddenly find icing smeared all over the top of her muzzle. Suddenly confused and busy trying to stretch her tongue, she let Peach speak in peace.

Peach sighed. “I like romantic stories better.”

With the competition out of the way, Deep was a little less combative, though she was propping her chin on her hooves unhappily. “These days, so do I. Done has that effect on mares.”

Day Planner scoffed. “Speak for yourself.”

Again, Exposé tried to speak, but this time icing ran clear up between her slightly unfocused eyes, leaving a trail the whole way. Futilely, she tossed her head, trying to catch the ghost tormenting her.

Deep didn’t even turn around. “Yes, yes, you just want a good bucking once in a while.”

I shook my head, grinning. “Sisterly love at its finest.” Deep and Day smiled. I envied them; my family had never been so close.

Shimmer scooped more icing up in a magical glow, and waited for Exposé to open her mouth again. When she did, the icing dabbed one ear, and as Exposé snapped her head around, snarling, quickly tagged the other.

“Rrrrrraaaaaaaaagh!” In a fit, the drunken newspony flapped a foot or two above her seat, thrashed wildly trying to snag the sugar that mocked her—and slammed onto to her chair on her back, grumbling profanities as she righted herself—only to be gripped in the glow of Bruises’ magic while the big mare used water from Primavera’s abandoned fish cup to wash icing off of her fillyfriend. No amount of wild flapping of her wings got Exposé loose until Bruises was satisfied she’d gotten every bit of the sugary mess.

Shimmer shook with laughter, but kept her mouth shut as everypony else bit their lips. I managed, with effort, to ignore the slapstick routine. “You girls talk amongst yourselves a bit. Shimmer asked for a mojito during the game, and I can do that, but it gave me another idea. I need to run up to my apartment for some stuff I don’t keep at the bar.”

I rose and turned to leave, but was interrupted by Pirouette. “Oh, no. I won you for the night; you’re not running away.” She was obviously teasing, but she was also ruining my idea. I leaned forward and whispered in her ear, and the smile on her muzzle shifted from mischievous to pleased.

“Well… alright, then.

“Thank you so much for allowing me to go do something nice for all of you.” If she got to hassle me, I got to hassle her. That’s how years-old friendships work, after all. I slipped past Pirouette and was jostled forward by the second kick in the flank for the night. The girls laughed as I righted myself. They were having fun, and I was a big enough pain in Pirouette’s plot I could put up with a literal pain in mine. “Sorry, ma’am, going now, ma’am!”

Everypony giggled again, and just as I was wondering if it was the alcohol or if they just liked seeing me kicked in the plot, I heard Peach ask, “You can really teach me to handle him that well?” I ran the rest of the way up the stairs, not wanting to hear Pirouette’s answer.

I didn’t bother turning on the lights in my apartment, letting the fridge light be my guide as I grabbed various fruits I didn’t usually use in drinks and tossed them into a bag. I was just about to shut the door when I spotted a lone bottle of cider. I’d been allowed a few bites at the buffet, but Pirouette had glared when I reached to make myself a drink. I grabbed the cider, popped off the bottle cap, and poured the cold drink down my throat. As long as I was quick, nopony would notice.

“Ah-ha!”

I spat cider everywhere and ended up coughing uncontrollably when the voice came from behind. As quickly as I was able while hacking up a lung, I turned around to see who it was, and Peach Pit was flapping in the air, looking horribly worried. She flew behind me and began thumping my back the way Strawberry had tended to Primavera earlier. “Mr. Deal! Are you okay? I’m sorry, Pirouette said to, and I didn’t think I’d startle you that much!”

I recovered my breath and sighed. “Of course she did. Tell you what, Peach. Let me finish this drink, and I’ll pay you back with a kiss.”

Peach flapped back into the air happily, and I tilted the bottle back a second time.

“Ah-ha!”

After Peach, I wasn’t so startled, and quickly chugged what was left of the drink. I didn’t have to turn again; I knew who was behind me. Pirouette.

“Corrupting this poor girl with your trickery! Don’t you feel bad, Peach. I just wanted to give him enough rope to hang himself, and oh, did he ever. Pick up the bag, Done. Back to work!”

I sighed and grabbed the stuff I’d gathered. Considering it was Pirouette, I was getting off easy. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of saying that out loud.

“Oh, I’ve got all night to make you wish you’d behaved, Done Deal. Now march.” Somehow, Pirouette’s tone wasn’t as chilling as I expected. With an extra sigh for good measure, I headed back down the stairs, with Pirouette right on my tail, and Peach Pit flapping along in front. No escape. Pirouette was humming happily as we headed down the stairs, though the tune seemed out of place for her smile. Halfway down the stairs, I recognized it.

“Funeral March, Pirouette? Really?” Speaking around the bag was a pain, especially trying to make sure I could see past it well enough not to miss a step. Pirouette just kept humming.

As I came into view of the mares still at the table, Shimmer, Amber, Day, and all grinned or stifled laughter, while Deep Tissue and Exposé didn’t even try. “He looks just like a prisoner!” Deep could barely breathe, and Exposé was no better.

“Just like he should!” I couldn’t help but smile as Bruises gently bonked Exposé on the head for that one.

Amber solemnly added, “It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

I wasn’t angry with them, but honestly, would it have killed them to give me a break? “I’m going to put hot sauce in all of your drinks.” I got behind the bar and set down the bag as the mares made threats as idle as mine had been. I’d no sooner started getting things out than Jade came trotting over and set to work unloading the bag for me. Pirouette frowned, but I just shrugged. I hadn’t asked for help.

“Jade, hon, come on back to the table! Done’s making drinks for everypony, surprises. We’re all just sitting on our plots tonight while Done takes care of us.” Pirouette gestured back to Jade’s seat, and Jade looked at me unhappily.

“Please? The card game was fun, but I’m tired of not helping. You didn’t get to have any fun. I’ll make the drinks.” Any other night I’d just let Jade do what she wanted, but throwing the girls a party was my way of showing them they were more important to me than just employees. That included Jade, but she didn’t understand. Perhaps she couldn’t.

“Tell you what, Jade. You go have a seat and let me make the drinks. Before everypony leaves for the night, I’ll go in back, and you get to take a picture with all of them for me, and they have to cooperate for you. Deal, Jade, ladies?” The sudden glint in Peach’s eye and the smirk on Shimmer’s muzzle told me they saw through my plan, but were playing along. Most of the mares at the table shrugged and nodded, but Jade didn’t seem mollified. “You work hard for me every day, Jade. And think of it, how often do you get to take a photo for me with this many pretty mares?”

“Never. But I’m not doing anything for you now, and I’m tired of sitting there!” I was surprised. Jade had never pushed back before, but I’d also never asked her to relax for hours, either.

“Pirouette?” There was no way I was going to make this call on my own.

Pirouette relented. “Done makes the drinks, but you can give him what he needs and serve them up, alright, Jade?”

Bright Jade nodded happily, and Pirouette sighed. “No point in torturing you. If that’s how you have fun, I guess it isn’t hurting anypony. And I can make up for you letting him slack off tonight.” With that little addition, the smile returned to Pirouette’s muzzle and I got to work.

“Highball, Jade.” Jade dutifully trotted to the glasses and slid a highball down the bar to me. I grabbed it and put it where I could work on it out of sight.

“Aw, c’mon! I wanna see you make it!” Peach’s objection was cute, but ignored.

“I wanna see him not do something to it.” Amber’s objection was somewhat less cute, but also ignored.

Pirouette knew the plan already after all, and took my side. “Ladies, let him work. He actually had a good idea for once. It’ll be a nice surprise.”

I got back to work muddling mint leaves and sugar while Jade waited for another instruction. From across the bar, conversation picked up again.

“So how’d you win, Pirouette? Sleight of hoof?” Shimmer leaned forward as if she were expecting some big secret, and Exposé raised an eyebrow—apparently she’d sobered up a bit.

Pirouette clucked her tongue at the accusation. “Of course not! I don’t like talking about it, but The Tall Tail wasn’t my first showmare gig. Best by miles, though. I started out in a casino south of Manehattan. We weren’t treated very nicely, and we were expected to deal or work the tables before shows. I had a knack for poker, and plenty of time to develop it, that’s all. Left that awful place when they kept yanking talented girls offstage because they were “uppity.” Uppity meaning “wanted to get paid.” I was their star act, though, couldn’t fire me.” Pirouette sighed. “Until the wrinkles started. Hint of crow’s feet, and even I got a boot out the door.”

Exposé flapped her wings, landing on the table in front of Pirouette with only a slight wobble. “Whish casino? What city? I shmell a story!” I snickered a little at her fully spread wings and shining—if slightly bloodshot—eyes. The mare should’ve been born a timberwolf, the way she latched onto something and chased it. At least she’d finally sobered up a bit.

“I’d rather not have my name in the papers, hon. That was more than twenty years ago. Anypony hears that and sees me now… well, it’s one thing in face to face. In the papers, it’d make trouble for Done.”

“Anonymous sources are great; ponies eat that up! I can get names from mares who got their pink slips more recently, but there’s no way I’m letting this go!” Expose flapped her way back to Bruises’ side and looked up at her. “I guess something good happened tonight anyway!”

Bruises hugged the tiny pony, causing her to flap her wings and try to get loose. “Not in front of everypony, Parapet!”

Day Planner calmly nodded. “Indeed. Stop it, Parapet.” Bruises ears sank a bit and she let Exposé go. Day Planner continued, deadpan but with a sparkle in her eye, “Everypony turn around so Parapet can hug Exposé properly.”

I looked up from what I was doing to see every mare at the table but Bruises and Exposé turn away grinning. Exposé flapped once, but found her wings pinned to her sides magically as she dropped into Bruises’ waiting front legs, where she was cuddled like a doll. The blushing pegasus had just enough time to yell that that was cheating before being squeezed too tightly to complain anymore. Laughing, I slid the finished mojito to Jade.

“That’s Shimmer’s, Jade.” Jade nodded and trotted away with Shimmer’s mojito on a little plate in her mouth.

I turned to the group and apologized. “I’d like to give everypony her drink at the same time, but the ice will melt. So, one by one. Sorry.”

Exposé had finally quit struggling, but was giving Day an awful look. I decided to take care of hers next, so she’d have something else to do. While I waited for Jade to get back, I measured out coffee liqueur.

To my surprise, Amber started the conversation back up again. “Shimmer told me about most of you, and I know Primavera. But why are you other pegasi here? You’ve been nominated for a Ponitzer Award for your work in the paper. You could spend time with more important ponies.” Still in Bruises’ grasp, Exposé managed to look a little prideful anyway. Amber turned to Peach Pit. “And I don’t know anything about you at all.”

Jade got back behind the counter, and I had her get cream and vodka ready while I prepared more crushed ice.

“Yeah, why are you here? Did Done just decide he wanted more feathers around?” Peach Pit fluffed her feathers again, and I flicked a small piece of ice at Exposé from across the room, nailing her right between the eyes.

Bruises leaned down to whisper to Exposé, and grumbled, “Mr. Deal, I mean.”

Peach flapped once, holding her dress down and, landing to stand on her chair. “I’m a Trottie. I’m from the part of the slums he’s trying to fix, and I’m the one who looks out for him when the Trotties are making plans.”

Exposé laughed. “If you’re a Trottie, I’m Princess Celestia! You don’t even have the accent!” Exposé looked at me, struggling not to laugh harder. “You fell for this? How dumb can you—ow!” Flicking an entire cube at her head got her attention.

“I wonder how many great stories you’ve written off with that attitude, Exposé.” I’d expected to have to lecture her myself, but Pirouette seemed to be handling the job. “I personally saw her come in with three Trottie thugs the other day and save Done’s life. With Parapet’s help, of course.”

Exposé’s jaw dropped. “I… um. Can we let bygones be bygones?”

Peach puffed up even more. “Scared now?” I wanted to facehoof, but focused on shaking the alcohol and cream.

Exposé looked at Peach as if she were crazy. “No! But you just went from some kid to a member of the city’s best known gang! You think it’s easy to score interviews with Trotties?”

I sent Jade out with a cold, frothy white gryphon for Exposé, and off she went, crystal mane sparkling as it bounced with her trot, but not spilling a single drop.

Peach Pit frowned. “Now why would I want to help you?”

Before Exposé answered, Jade pushed the drink in front of her, and Amber cocked her head. “That might be good for her. Six hundred calories to get bigger.” I was surprised; it’s not like nopony had ever heard of a white gryphon before, but Amber didn’t seem the type to go clubbing, or to have had the money for it until recently. Somehow she even knew the calories?

Expose peered at Amber. “That’d make me get bigger the wrong direction…” She picked it up anyway, and sniffed it, though. “Huh. Smells good at least. And because, if I get a good story about how things are looking up for the Trotties, and how you ponies are trying to go straight thanks to him, that’s a lot of good PR for Mr. Deal.” Exposé took a sip of her drink and actually smiled at me. “Hey, this is good! Make me another! Anyway, Peach, good PR for Mr. Deal. If you make him happy…”

Peach Pit’s wings popped open. “You’ve got a deal!”

Bruises sniffed at Exposé’s drink. “Can I try one of these, boss?”

I blinked, astonished that she’d ask for anything but more cider. “I… suppose? It doesn’t go with what I was planning, and you won’t like it, though.”

“Pleeeease?” There was no way she’d like it, and it didn’t fit my theme, but…

“Tell you what, Bruises. Exposé got a white gryphon, to match her coat. I’ll make you a black velvet. It’s not really black, but it keeps you in the game with everypony else, okay?” Not to mention that with all the cider in it, she might not hate it.

“…that has champagne.” Amber eyed Bruises’ massive frame, smiling faintly. “I want to see this.”

I ignored Amber’s assumption that Bruises would end up licking everything in sight, but I was surprised—that was two mixed drinks she’d known. “How do you even know this stuff?”

Amber shrugged. “I read. A lot.”

Day looked perplexed. “About drinks?”

“About everything. Not much else to do when I can’t get an interview. And it’s fun.” Amber adjusted her glasses.

Jade returned again, and we got to work on a drink for Amber. I looked at Deep Tissue while I diced a banana and remarked, “You’ve been unusually quiet tonight, Deep.”

Day Planner smiled. “Competition has her terrified into silence, no doubt.”

Deep gave a mock offended gasp. “I am trying to have some manners, Day! And besides, I have no real competition. Five minutes under my hooves, and Done can’t even speak. So I don’t need to.” Deep Tissue brushed her long mane over her withers, smiling beautifully. She was the best looking mare at the table, and she knew it.

Peach Pit’s wings fluffed a little. “You’ve got competition. I bet you’d need another mare to beat me! Five minutes with you and he can’t talk, but five minutes with me and he’s… we’re…” Peach practically glowed red as she realized what she was saying, and trailed off into silence. The table was split between sympathetic embarrassment and losing battles not to fall from chairs laughing. I dropped ingredients into a blender behind the bar—all I could do for Peach now was make noise and hope ponies moved on. With banana, lime, triple sec, rum, and ice in the blender, I turned it on and let it disrupt whatever jokes might’ve been made. I’d been going to save Peach’s for last, as the youngest and newest member of the group. I’d also been going to make it a virgin, but I suspected she’d had plenty of alcohol with the Trotties already—and that suddenly she could use a drink.

Shimmer eyed Peach for a moment before addressing Deep. “Did you mean that, Peach? I’ll bet Done’s next night off that Deep can win!” Part of me objected intensely to being bet without a word of permission. The part of me between my legs told it to shut the buck up.

Peach groaned. “Why did I…” A glance at Deep’s smirk changed Peach’s tune. “Fine. Fine, I’ll bet!

Shimmer stretched her front legs lazily, without a care in the world. “Hey, Deep? Think you’d have fun playing Done’s royal servant? I could cook up a throne room to die for. Play the part right and he’ll be speechless without a hoof on him. And that’s only a mare and a half, at most.

I dropped the first glass I’d broken in seven years, then, and Peach groaned, “My big mouth!”

Deep, though, looked too excited to go for the kill. “We can do that! He won’t know what hit him!” She looked to Day as if she were asking permission, and when Day nodded, she took off to sit with Shimmer.

Exposé caught it too. “What was that about? That look.”

Deep was already whispering with Shimmer and not paying attention to anypony else. Day shrugged. “I’ve never been the popular one with any group. But Deep started out shy. She’s always worn her mane that long, and when she was a filly, she’d hi—”

“Day!” Deep’s ears had perked halfway through, and she spun so quickly her mane fluttered out and landed on Shimmer’s. While Shimmer blinked and made sure the only mane she was wearing was her own, Deep glared at her sister wordlessly.

I guess Day realized she’d said too much. Calmly, she raised a hoof and sighed. “Alright, I’ll wear the suit.”

Obviously startled, Deep Tissue slowly settled back. “Well… alright, then.”

“What’s the story with this suit, Day? That’s twice you’ve mentioned it tonight.”

Day Planner sighed. “Deep has a deep and abiding love of shopping, Mr. Deal. I get dragged along, and occasionally badgered into buying something. Most of it goes unworn. This suit, though, Deep has insisted I wear to work. And that’s all you’re going to hear about it for now.”

Day’s plain style seldom bothered with clothes, and as much as I felt like the right outfit could make her stand out, I’d never found leverage to talk her into it. Silently, I thanked Deep for making it happen. “That’s fine, Day; I’ll look forward to seeing it. And Deep, I want to hear about this shy filly you used to be,” Deep’s head snapped up from whispering with Shimmer while Amber frowned at the pair of them. “But in private. It can be a secret.”

Deep regained her composure and nodded. “Maybe. If you’re extra nice.”

Pirouette laughed. “Now you’re getting it, Day. This one will fall for any bait.” The table rang with a chorus of “I believe it,” and similar, and I resisted the urge to stick out my tongue like a colt.

I rinsed out the blender while Jade trotted Amber’s drink out. Amber eyed it suspiciously, going as far as to poke the icy daiquiri with her hoof, as if expecting it to attack.

Shimmer rubbed at her forehead. “Amber, just try it. It’s a normal color!”

Amber peered at the drink some more. “He could just be trying to get me drunk again.”

Pirouette looked over her withers to raise an eyebrow at me as I facehoofed. “And what then, Amber? Pirouette has me for the night! If I tried to bring a drunk mare into it, she’d—”

Pirouette cleared her throat and spoke very clearly, crisply even. “Done has no idea what I would do if he tried that. But he doesn’t want to know, either.”

I couldn’t argue with that. Apparently Amber couldn’t either, as she took a sip, blinked, and quieted down happily, cradling the hurricane glass between her hooves like a filly with a juice box.

“He doesn’t only want sex, Amber. Sometimes he honestly wants to make us happy.” I was surprised to hear that coming from Day Planner, and turned to thank her.

“Usually so we’ll have sex.” She didn’t need thanking anyway. And did everypony have to laugh at every joke at my expense?

“As if he needs to butter us up.” Deep sighed at me and made dovey eyes.

Jade trotted back, but excused herself to go to the little fillies’ room, so I set to peeling a peach for Peaches’ drink. I hadn’t gotten very far when a scream came from the mares’ room, and Jade came skittering backwards from the restroom, pointing the direction from which she’d come, and looking more bewildered than frightened. Shimmer’s grin was immediate.

I got back to peeling as I asked, “Not even going to try to deny it, Shimmer?”

Shimmer just shook her head, grinning. “No point when everypony knows it’s me. Kind of disappointing, but at least I don’t have to fight to keep a straight face!”

I sighed and poured lime juice over simple syrup and mint, and got to muddling it. “So what was it, Jade? A giant fake turd with a nametag that says ‘Done Deal?’” Exposé and Deep laughed while Bruises wrinkled her nose and Pirouette and Day rolled their eyes.

“No sir! It was a giant spider! And… it was reading a comic book.” Jade looked very confused, and trotted over to grab her camera by the tripod. “Ah’ll ‘e ‘ight ‘ack!”

If it was interesting enough that Jade thought a picture of it was more useful to me than helping behind the bar, it must’ve been something indeed. I added the rum and club soda to Peach’s drink, stirring it a bit before pureeing the peach and straining some of that in as well. All of it poured into a highball glass with crushed ice, and out to Peach. “Here you go. Virgin peach mojito.”

Peach took a sip, and her eyes popped wide open. To my relief, she had the sense to play along. “Wow! This is really good for a virgin!”

Deep, Day, and Amber all looked at each other, then at me, and said, “Nah.”

Acting overly grateful, I took a bow. “Thank you so much, ladies, for so very graciously sparing me yet another jab. My gratitude is eternal.” I was really hamming it up, but I was getting tired of the constant jokes.

“I’ve understudied for worse.” Amber’s usual deadpan gave nothing away as she returned to sipping her drink.

Shimmer snickered. “That awful production of King Deer you were telling me about?”

Amber nodded, and I went back to the bar. Shimmer, Exposé, Amber, Peach Pit… I started on Bruises’ black velvet, opening the cabinet of expensive stuff for the champagne. I moved quickly. Half cider and half champagne? Not a drink that requires much thought. When Jade came back with a giant, fake spider in her mouth, rigged as if it were reading, it took all my willpower not to laugh and drop the saucer with Bruises’ drink. The thing had clearly been posed to be reading on the toilet, and held in two of its legs was a copy of Career Killer Secretaries—just the same as Shimmer had given Day.

I couldn’t resist. As soon as the saucer was in front of Bruises, while the other mares were laughing, I arranged for extra work the next morning. “Another relative of yours, Day?” I could hear the smack of Day’s facehoof from across the table, as Amber quipped that deviation like that runs in families.

“Shimmer, I am going to get you for this. Just wait.” Day’s voice was flat, unemotional. It would’ve been better for Shimmer if it had been personal, because if Day made it business… god have mercy on Shimmer’s soul. Pranks weren’t Day’s thing, but thorough, unstoppable success? That was.

Shimmer’s eyes absolutely lit up—it was a game to her! Slightly afraid, I headed back to the bar as Jade tossed the spider onto a stool and ran back to get her camera.

“Let’s see… Day and Deep, next. I’ve already done black russian for your mane, and white for your coat, Day…”

Without giving me time to think Day just waved a hoof. “Just a rum and cola, sir. It’ll fit your theme, and get a drink in me before I have to hurt somepony.” Day cast a meaningful glance at the fake spider.

“That feels like cheating, Day, but alright. I’ll make you a nice cocktail after work tomorrow.” Day nodded graciously, and I quickly poured the simple drink and turned Jade around to deliver it as she got back. Deep Tissue, however, wasn’t a mare to settle. I prepared a plate of course sugar, took down a martini glass, grabbed a bit of lime left over from earlier drinks, and swiped the rim.

“I like where this is going already.” Deep couldn’t see me working behind the bar, but there’s no question she saw the martini glass.

Jade trotted back again, and I sent her for bright blue liqueur while I poured cranberry cocktail, lime juice, and citron vodka into a shaker. When Jade set the liqueur on the counter, I added it to the mix and started shaking.

“Parapet, hon, aren’t you going to try your drink?” Pirouette had noticed the big mare toying with her glass, but not one drop was missing.

“Well…” the big mare was stalling, probably trying not to hurt my feelings. “I thought I wanted it… but it smells funny.”

Exposé lowered her head to the table and covered it with her wings. “Parapeeeet! You did this at the bar a couple of weeks ago, too. You remember how much you liked that when you tried it?”

Bruises’ ears laid back at being chastised. “That was red. This isn’t the same.”

Exposé sighed exaggeratedly and flapped her way up to Bruises’ ear to whisper. Bruises eyes bulged, and she hurriedly poured back her black velvet, making an awful face as soon as it hit her tongue. I had been worth a try, but I was hardly surprised. Deep stifled a laugh while Pirouette reached across the table to pat Bruises’ hoof reassuringly, and Amber slumped, probably disappointed Bruises wasn’t licking everything in sight.

“It’s okay, hon. You figure out what that red drink was that you liked, and we’ll have Done mix you up a big one.” I smiled as I poured Deep’s cocktail into its glass. If there was one thing about Pirouette that I really loved, it was her concern for everypony. I just wish I got a little more concern, and a little less being nagged to fix concerns.

“Jade, cider for Bruises, please. A nice big one, to get the taste out.” Jade nodded and grabbed an extra large stein I’d bought just for Bruises after hours. Three bottles of cider disappeared into that thing, but as big as Bruises was, that was what it took. Jade didn’t even get to leave the bar; as soon as the last bottle disappeared, the stein was floating across the room. With no cider to shuttle, Jade picked up Deep’s cocktail and marched it out to her.

Deep smiled as she accepted her drink. “Thanks, Jade. If there’s any mare I can trust alone with Done, it’s you. And probably Pirouette; she’d just make him do chores or something.” I sighed. Pirouette was a lovely mare even in her fifties, before the smoke had wound back the clock, but now she would be nearly as gorgeous as Deep if she weren’t so severe—but Deep was right; what Pirouette wanted out of me was work. Deep locked her eyes on me and stuck her tongue out, lasciviously licking the sugar from a portion of the martini glass’ rim. It was meant for me, but all eyes were on Deep’s performance. I couldn’t help but be turned on, right up until a colossal belch came from the other side of the table, utterly ruining the effect and making Deep freeze with her tongue stuck out, wide-eyed.

Exposé hid her face behind her wings, and Bruises blushed but otherwise everypony, even Deep, was laughing far too hard to care. “Sorry boss! The cider is so good I just drank it too fast.”

I wasn’t the only pony to shake my head and smile. I worried sometimes about what had happened to Bruises’ mind but if anypony I knew could make others like her, it was Bruises. “It’s fine, Bruises. You probably saved Day from having to make fun of her sister again.”

Day shook her head. “Postponed it at best.”

Only one pony was left at the table without a drink: Pirouette. Her striking red mane made it an easy choice. “Last, but most definitely not least, a drink for the mare without whose threats of bodily injury this night would not have been possible, Pirouette.” Several mares actually applauded a bit, and Peach patted Pirouette’s back with a wing. I really was going to have to learn to keep those two separated.

“Done Deal, if you don’t watch your mouth, they’ll be more than threats!” Pirouette’s front legs were crossed as she glared at me, but as long as she didn’t lay her ears back, I was safe. Mostly. While Pirouette threatened, Jade pushed me salt, pepper, ponyradish, and hot sauce and I chopped a celery stalk. When Jade finished measuring and sliding me seasonings, I poured tomato juice, lemon juice, and vodka over over ice, mixed in what Jade had given me—and dropped an extra splash or three of hot sauce into Pirouette’s drink. Jade saw and her eyes widened a bit.

I set the drink on a saucer for Jade to carry out. “Here you go, Jade. Pirouette’s bloody Mary, to match her mane. And her hooves, and my face before tomorrow, probably.”

Mares around the table grinned, and Jade started trotting the drink out as Deep snorted a laugh. “Bloody Mosely, more like.”

I frowned. “Not in The Tall Tail. He earned that hoof in the snout, but once upon a time, he was a good customer here. Let’s not rub it in.”

Pirouette shook her head. “What was he thinking though, grabbing Mrs. Or—Ms. Zest’s tail? When a lady is leaving, you let her go.”

I sighed. The drama I’d started was the talk of the town, but I didn’t want it to be the talk of this party. To my relief, the door to Primavera banged open, and Strawberry and Primavera entered, distracting everypony with a cake at least three times the size of the one that still decorated the floor. I was going to have to deal with that before calling it a night.

Amber flapped up into the air, circling the cake. “This is huge. How did you get it done in time?”

Primavera smiled happily, for the first time I’d ever seen. “She’s a fantastic pastry chef! Done, you’re wasting her! My staff took to her in minutes! The dessert crew isn’t even in this late, but her instructions were so perfect, the regular chefs and even one busgirl pitched in and had prep done in no time! While they got back to work and the cake baked, Strawberry got the frosting ready. I was so worried, Done, but she got it all right, and so fast! There was hardly anything for me to do!”

Strawberry was blushing furiously at all the praise and having the entire table looking at her. Amber’s ears were leaning a bit, but otherwise everypony who knew Primavera was smiling, astonished—and Peach and Exposé seemed to be smiling just as happily at the cake. Even Deep and Day were impressed. Strawberry dusted a bit of flour off of a leg. “It wasn’t that big of a deal. It’s such a nice kitchen, and the nopony made a single mistake!”

I smiled and gestured to the seats Strawberry and Primavera had abandoned so much earlier. “Go ahead and get that on the table, ladies. I’ll have your drinks in just a moment.” Strawberry and Pirouette carefully lifted the cake and lowered it to the table, with mares all around practically drooling. I sighed as I realized that my mouth being shut was the only reason I wasn’t literally drooling over the cake—none of which would come to me.

“Pirouette, you haven’t touched your drink.” Okay, so it was rotten of me, but if I wasn’t getting any of that amazing looking cake, I had to have fun somehow!

Pirouette blinked. “You’re right!” Pirouette tugged the celery out and chomped the end off before taking a swig of the hottest bloody Mary I’d ever mixed. And then she beamed. “Done, you finally got it right!”

“I…” I wanted to say “what,” in disbelief, but caught myself before I gave away my failed prank. “What do you mean, ‘finally?’”

Pirouette took a long pull and licked the tomato from her lips. “Oh, don’t get sore; you’re a great bartender, Done, but I’ve been waiting years for you to make me a bloody Mary that wasn’t so timid! This is just right!”

I stared in disbelief. It’s not like I’d mixed it hot enough to cause screaming or anything, but it should’ve been far too much to drink so easily!

Deep reached across the table. “May I?” I could only watch. A single word, and I’d be giving myself up.

Pirouette nodded. “Just a sip though; he may never make another this good!”

Deep nodded, and took a tiny sip from Pirouette’s glass, smiling at the flavor as she passed it back. It only took another second or two for the heat to burn though, and Deep went gasping for the rest of her cocktail, slamming it back in one toss.

Day Planner facehoofed. “Deep, you always do this. You can’t handle spice, but you have to taste everything spicy! Why?”

While Deep blotted tears from her eyes and stuck out her tongue, blowing on it as if that would help, Amber calmly stated, “See? Deviations run in families.”

I forced myself not to laugh as I told Jade to get things ready for another for Deep. First, though, Primavera and Strawberry. “Primavera, Berry, you weren’t around, but we had a theme going on. A drink based on each mare’s coat or mane color. Except Bruises, really—a black velvet’s not actually black.”

“And it’s not nice at all.” Bruises scrunched mane earned a few laughs, and a sigh from Exposé. “Boss gave me cider instead.”

Primavera’s smile slipped a little. “I’m… not sure what you’ll do with me, then. I’ve never seen a green cocktail I liked, and, well. My coat’s the color of pasta. I’ll be alright.”

I shook my head. “Not a chance, Primavera. You gave up your night off with everypony, both of you, and I’ll be damned if I can’t find some way to include you. Fact is, I don’t even have to try. This is still a day too early, but I meant to try something new, and it looks like you’ll be the taste tester, Primavera. And Strawberry, well. You’re easy as long as you like strawberry daiquiris.”

Primavera cocked her head, curious, but didn’t ask. Strawberry however perked up. “They’re del—”

“The red stuff! That’s what it was! Strawberry dak-ree!” Bruises was on her hooves, pointing at me in excitement as Exposé tugged at her to sit back down. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ingredients for two daquiris, Jade. Double sugar for one. I’ll get started on Primavera’s drink.” Jade saluted for some reason and got to work. As she dealt with measuring out sugar, rum, and triple sec, I fished a bottle out of the bottom of the bag I’d brought from upstairs. Basil-lemongrass rum was hardly a normal choice behind my bar, and it’s a long wait to prepare, but mixed with ginger beer and a little brown sugar… the only question was whether or not the flavor would suit.

“Primavera wasn’t too hard on you while you were making the cake, was she, Strawberry?” Deep locked her eyes on Primavera, whose ears slipped back. It was Day who’d suffered because of Primavera, but Deep had been having more trouble letting go.

Strawberry shook her head. “No. She didn’t give her kitchen staff much time to rest, but she was nice to me.”

Deep Tissue practically recoiled. “Nice?”

Primavera’s voice actually trembled as she spoke. “I… her cake was perfect, even if it was a little plain. And Done’s kitchen is nothing fancy. If she managed that… I thought I could trust her.”

Strawberry Frosting patted Primavera’s withers, and I looked up from what I was doing. “Want a pastry chef, Primavera?”

Primavera nodded. I offered her my best reassuring smile while I muddled lime, sugar, and basil leaves. Ice, the rum and the ginger beer, and it was set. “You’ve got her.”

Strawberry Frosting looked startled. “I miss baking, but I like being your maid, too, sir!” I couldn’t have asked for a better set up than that.

“Then you still are. Forget about cleaning down here; we’ll take care of that like we used to. You just take care of my apartment, and the rest of the day is baking.”

I trotted the drink out to Primavera myself, and set it in front of her. “You managed to trust Strawberry. I’m trusting you not to wear out my maid. I think you can manage.”

Primavera grabbed the glass in front of her and took a longer pull than I’d have liked. She was hoping to steady herself.

Day sighed from the far side of the table. “Learn to treat her right, and we can talk about burying the hatchet, Primavera.”

Deep blinked. “Day, are you sure? After what shmph?”

That it was difficult for Day to offer the olive branch was plain. She wasn’t even looking at Primavera, and Day was not a pony to avoid eye contact. “Mr. Deal said it earlier. She’s part of this now. She needs to learn to be part of it. And we need to let her.”

Pirouette’s smile was as broad as I’d ever seen it. “There you go, Primavera. Think you can do it?”

I’ve never seen an expression as complicated as Primavera’s. I was sure I saw fear, relief, and happiness all in there somewhere. She set down her drink. “I… I want to.”

Amber of all ponies, was the last straw. “If you want to, it’s settled. I’ve never seen anypony so bad at tolerating things she doesn’t want.”

“Amber!” Shimmer frowned at Amber’s backhanded remark, but Primavera cracked a tiny smile.

“I am, aren’t I?” The restaurateur dabbed at an eye with a fetlock for lack of anything else as Strawberry congratulated her without really understanding what had just happened. I trotted back to the bar with a smile on my muzzle, but Primavera’s voice stopped me. “Done… it’s good. A little sweet, though.”

“It’s a tortola mojito. I’ll work on the sweetness.” I trotted back to the bar to get back to work on Bruises’ and Strawberry’s drinks as ponies cautiously started including Primavera in the conversations. No matter what Pirouette did to me later, the night was a success.

Author's Note

This chapter is what Fable asked for for his birthday, ages ago. Accordingly, why I've been working so very hard on getting chapters out of late--today's his birthday! For all of the next six minutes. Happy birthday Fable! We may not see eye to eye on phrasing or humor sometimes, but there's no question that Smoke is drastically more polished thanks to your help.

Lady's Night

I stood behind the bar, smiling at the table of chatty, slightly tipsy mares. I’d been on my hooves all evening, but it did me good to do some real work once in a while, and seeing all of my girls enjoying a night together wasn’t the worst way to spend a night. It was late, though, and yawns were popping up mid-conversation more and more often. Finally, Day Planner rose from her seat and stretched, and the other mares began to follow suit as if on cue.

“Thank you for this evening, Mr. Deal.” Day’s genuine, unsarcastic smile caught me off guard. “Apparently even I can enjoy a party, given proper company. And the opportunity to see you do some work around here.” Day’s smile was gone already. If I didn’t know her, I might not have realized she was teasing me.

One by one, mares sounded off with thanks and the occasional wisecrack until at last Exposé flapped up into the air. “Yeah, good party. Thanks. Gotta get to bed, though. Not everypony gets to stay up partying every night you know.” With her back already to me, and flying toward the door, Exposé waved a hoof. “Later.”

Pirouette rolled her eyes at the ungrateful pegasus as other mares nodded and offered more friendly farewells, but Bright Jade was having none of it. Before Exposé could reach the door, there she was in front of it, on guard. “Wait! Nopony can go yet! I didn’t get my photo for Mr. Deal!” Like a watchdog, Jade blocked the door, not realizing or not caring that Exposé could just fly over—which is precisely what she did.

Jumping as high as she could, Jade caught Exposé’s tail in her teeth, dragging her back down and making her squawk angrily. “Ow! Hey, I never agreed to it! Let go!” Exposé flapped harder and struggled to get loose, but Jade just put that much more work into pulling her away from the door.

“Ish ‘er ‘isher ‘eal! ‘Oo ‘av ‘oo!” Jade’s teeth stayed clamped, making sure Exposé went nowhere. Comical as the scene was, Exposé had already gotten into a fight with Peach Pit, and I wasn’t interested in another. I trotted out from behind the bar as mares crowded around Jade.

“Jade, let her go.” I was matter of fact and clear—knowing exactly what I wanted from her always made Jade smile.

“…’ut…” Exposé’s tail was still clamped in her teeth, and Jade laid her ears back unhappily, shrinking as if I’d yelled. Arguing twice in a night? Had not working for me been that hard on her?

“I didn’t say she could go, just to let go of her tail, Jade. You’ll get your photo.” Immediately Jade’s mouth popped open, and Exposé, still flapping hard, launched up and forward. If she hadn’t gotten her hooves in front of her, she’d have plowed head first into the wall. Spinning to face Jade, Exposé snatched up her tail and scowled.

“No way am I going to now! That hurt! See if you get any pic… ugh. You don’t get to cry! You bit my tail!” Exposé’s feistiness was wavering, to my surprise. I looked down, and sure enough, Jade’s ears were down, and she was blinking up at Exposé, looking even more unhappy than she had just a moment before.

I patted Jade’s withers and frowned up at the stubborn pegasus, but before I could say anything, Peach Pit was in the air next to us. “Look at her! Picking on me is bad enough, but she just wants a photo for Mr. Deal! What’s wrong with you?”

Pirouette was sitting on her haunches, front legs crossed. “Honestly! If you’d cooperate, it would be done by now!”

Guilt started to show on Exposé’s face. “Hey! C’mon, I just—” Exposé was cut off by Strawberry Frosting squeezing through ponies to give Jade a hug, and Exposé a glare.

“She just wants a picture! Why are you making this so hard?” Strawberry’s tone caught me off guard.

Exposé looked frantically around the room for an ally. “Wait, why’s everypony ganging up on me like this? Parapet, help!”

Bruises didn’t sound angry, just disappointed. “You’re not mean like this when we’re alone.”

Exposé’s jaw dropped. “I’m not being mean! She bit my tail!” Exposé’s own ears were down now.

My crystal pony lowered her head and sniffed.

Exposé looked miserable, and I doubt it was a matter of numbers. “…fine. I’ll be in the picture.”

Jade’s ears and head popped right up so suddenly I jumped. “Everypony on the stage, please, and line up so I can see everypony! Mr. Deal?”

I couldn’t help it. I was staring at Jade with my jaw hanging wide. “Jade, you were faking?”

Exposé forgot to flap, nearly hitting the floor before she caught herself. “What?”

Jade nodded. “Day Planner said it was a good way to get you to give me more to do. And Shimmer said it would help you one day, if I could get ponies to do something for you. And it worked!”

There was a sparkle in Shimmer’s eyes as she laughed, a hoof covering her mouth. I doubt she’d expected to be taken in by her own advice. Exposé’s hoof was covering her eyes in disbelief, embarrassment, or both. I covered mine at the notion of Shimmer teaching Jade to trick me.

Mares headed up toward the stage, snickering at Exposé’s misfortune. As Bruises passed, she simply caught her fillyfriend in the glow of her magic and trotted along cheerfully.

With everypony on stage at last, Jade set her tripod on a table and looked down her camera’s viewfinder. With her eye still on the camera, as if it were nothing at all, she called out, “Oh, everypony turn around and lift up your tails. And Peach Pit needs to take off her dress.”

Pirouette’s eyebrow shot up, but it wasn’t Jade she was giving the eye—clearly this was my fault. Primavera looked ready to faint. Peach Pit? Hours earlier, when everypony was a stranger, she’d only mentioned what I did to her mane. As soon as she was certain it was that kind of photo, though, her dress was off and fluttering to the floor as she spread her long wings and struck the most provocative pose she could, teats on full display. I had maybe a heartbeat to worry about getting a boner in front of everypony before I was on the run, Pirouette right on my tail.

“Done Deal, what did you do to that poor filly? Get back here!” Pirouette’s leap from the stage to the show floor was as graceful as her dancing, but I wasn’t about to stay and applaud. I wasn’t exactly sure what I should do, but I was absolutely certain that “getting back there” was nowhere near the top of the list. Peach Pit turned to yell that it was fine, that she was happy like that. She even tried to fly after Pirouette, to come save me, but had already been surrounded by seven of the other eight mares on stage as they crowded to see just what had made Pirouette chase me around the club. Primavera turned to look away, her face as red as I’ve ever seen any mare’s. Honestly, she looked adorable, and I’d have loved to go calm her down, if not for the mare on the rampage right behind me.

As I approached the stage on my third lap, I saw Day’s horn glow, and a moment later, heard Pirouette scream. Against my better judgment, I stopped and turned—to find the toilet spider clinging to Pirouette’s face. She struggled to get it off as Day held it in place magically and everypony watched, biting back their laughter. Peach looked a bit dismayed at losing her audience.

Amber cocked her head. “Steve is friendly.” The mares on stage cracked up, even Primavera.

Amber had no sooner straightened out her head than Shimmer cocked her own. “Steve? Why Steve?”

Amber shrugged. “Because he’s Steve.”

That Amber’s strangeness was becoming endearing was almost as scary as Pirouette. I looked back to Pirouette as Day finally quit rubbing the spider in her face, and was relieved not to have to start running again immediately. “Day Planner! What’s the big idea?” No longer chased, and with the ridiculous giant spider off of Pirouette’s face, I began to worry a bit about the evening’s mood.

Day was completely unflappable, as usual. “You played as hard as anypony else to win him for the night. If you want to play tag, that’s up to you, but Peach says she’s happy. It’s less likely to make trouble than Shimmer’s coat, or even your looks if somepony remembers you from the casino. So why are you so angry?”

Pirouette didn’t answer. Instead, she looked up at Peach on the stage. “You’re really happy with… those?”

In one of my worse ideas that night, I answered for her. “They’d be bigger if I’d done what she sai—hey!” Suddenly Steve was adorning my face.

“Nopony asked you.” Pirouette walked past me and clambered back onto the stage without going around. Face to face with Peach, she asked again. “Well?”

Through fake spider legs, I saw Peach’s expression—I think Pirouette had offended her. “Yes. And he didn’t make me want them, I’m sure of it! He likes them, and that’s enough for me. And… they’re fun to show off. Not that I can, usually…”

Pirouette tried one last time to argue. “But… the rings!”

Peach shook her head. “They were a surprise to him, too! He actually fell down when I pushed them against the window!” Ponies’ jaws dropped, and I wondered if maybe Peach hadn’t gotten just a little too comfortable with everypony.

Day, though, nodded as if the matter were settled. For the moment at least, it was. “There, Pirouette. You can get back to your reverse hard to get act when this photo is done and he’s yours for the night. Places, ponies.” Day yawned. “Not everypony gets to wander into the office whenever they want to.”

Blushing at Day’s ridiculous joke, Pirouette returned to her place on stage, and the rest of the mares shuffled their way over too. Bruises took a place next to Peach, stealing a nervous glance at her teats. “E-exposé would have trouble flying…”

In a heartbeat, Exposé was perched on Bruises’ withers, stomping on the big mare’s head, and not seeming to bother her at all. “I’d be just fine!”

I shook my head, smiling at the tiny mare’s thorns.

“Exposé, just stay on Parapet’s back, please! That’s perfect. Um… Primavera, you’re out of the frame. You need to come closer.” Things were finally back on track, with Jade working to compose the photo.

Primavera was clearly not on board. Honestly, I had no idea why Pirouette wasn’t putting up a bigger fight. Deep took a page from her sister’s book. “You said you wanted to be part of this, Primavera. Not that I mind. Just means Jade can zoom in and make me show up better for Done.” Alright, not quite a page out of Day’s book after all.

Trotting quickly to the rest of the mares on stage, Primavera took her place next to Strawberry, who’d been quietly blushing the whole time, and had yet to flip up her tail. Strawberry patted Primavera’s withers and cheerfully said, “You do like Mr. Deal!”

Primavera laid her ears back halfway and studied the stage. “It’s… complicated.”

Jade saved Primavera from further embarrassment. “Alright everypony! Tails up, look at the camera, and smile!”

I should’ve said something. I know I should have, and Celestia help me, I’ll go to Tartarus because I didn’t. But when Shimmer’s horn lit and Steve floated below eye level, coming to stop and point at Day Planner’s exposed gash with four legs, I just let the shutter go off.

* * * * *

As the last mare slipped out the door, leaving me alone with Pirouette, I had no idea what to expect. Honestly, the way Pirouette had taken to Peach, I half expected her to dump me in Peach’s lap with a warning to behave myself. Without instructions, I got to work cleaning up, but had only gotten two chafing dishes stacked on a cart when Pirouette cleared her throat. I turned and found her, front legs crossed, sitting on her haunches, tail swishing the floor. I consoled myself that it’d just be one night, and hoped Peach’s teats weren’t still ticking her off. I did, however, have the sense to keep my big yap shut for a change.

“Just what do you think you’re doing, Done? I’ll take care of this in the morning. I’m staying here after all.” An opportunity to make me work, and she was passing it up? She wasn’t yelling or crying, so she couldn’t have been too angry. I felt my ears turn opposite directions.

“I’m dead, aren’t I?” She enjoyed our sparring, and I was far too confused to try anything else.

Pirouette smiled mock-viciously and stood, pointing to the stairs. “You are if your hooves aren’t on those stairs in three seconds.”

I really didn’t get it, but if she was content to play around, I wasn’t about to spoil her… whatever kind of mood it was. I took off running, hooves clanking on the cast-iron as I rushed to the top, as if I were fleeing an orange and red dragon. The smirk on Pirouette’s face said I’d played that card right, at least. She started up the stairs behind me, pausing to turn out the house lights, and I rushed straight through the office and the door to my apartment. I considered locking Pirouette out and taunting her a bit through the door, but she was playing some game or another, and she really was more fun when she was feeling playful. Leaving the door unlocked, I waited to hear her enter the office, and noisily scrambled up my apartment’s stairs. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I heard Pirouette chuckle at my antics.

With Pirouette climbing the stairs behind me again, I carefully lifted the sofa in my living room and crawled underneath, lowering it with difficulty onto my back. It was ridiculous of course. That wasn’t a case of a tail sticking out of a cardboard box; the whole couch angled up into the air over my plot. Calling it “hiding” was more than a stretch. Pirouette reached the top of the stairs and burst out laughing. “Done Deal, you get out from under that sofa this minute!” I finally felt myself actually relax. I still didn’t know what Pirouette had in mind, or why she let me out of cleaning up, but the warmth in her laughter was unmistakable. She was in the mood to be my best friend, not a mother hen.

“Nopony under here but us cobwebs!” I didn’t spend nearly enough time just having fun with Pirouette, and wasn’t ready to be serious. I had to seize every non-naggy minute I could get. And with Strawberry as my maid, it wasn’t even dusty down there.

“Oh. Well, I guess I’ll just have a seat then, until Done comes back.” I heard Pirouette’s hoofsteps approach and decided that it was time to come out after all. Quickly, I rolled out from under the sofa and let it fall next to me with a thump. It was too late, though. While I was still on my back, Pirouette dropped her rear right on my stomach and just sat humming while I struggled to breathe. Slender or not, Pirouette was no pegasus, and I felt that weight.

“Help! Help, air!” I thrashed a bit, but didn’t shove Pirouette off. She was still playing, after all.

“Oh, Done! There you are. Some cobweb said you weren’t here.” In no rush, Pirouette got up and I took a few deep breaths… before asking for trouble.

“I think that’s probably the first time I’ve ever gotten a feel of your plot, Pirou—oof!” A hoof landed right on my solar plexus, and Pirouette trotted away with her nose in the air. I rolled again, levering myself up with the coffee table as I coughed and caught my breath for the second time in fewer than thirty seconds.

“Okay, I earned that one.”

Pirouette walked back and whacked my withers while I rubbed my stomach. “Done Deal, if I gave you half of what you earned…” She trailed off with a sigh, and looked at the floor.

“You okay, Pirouette?” The mood had been light just a second ago. I didn’t think I’d done anything to blow it, but I rarely knew when I had anyway.

Pirouette turned to look at me. “Am I just a wet blanket, Done?”

And I thought I’d been confused before! “Pirouette, you just chased me up the stairs and teased me out from under a sofa. In what way is that being a wet blanket?”

Pirouette shook her head. “No, no, not…” With a hoof rubbing her eyes, for a moment Pirouette looked older than she had before I’d wrapped her in smoke. “I mean… you get on so well with all the new girls. I know you’ve used that smoke on them, but they’re all happy with you, and you’re happy with them. And then there’s stuffy old Pirouette, yelling at you to behave yourself. I’m a kill joy. Peach is happy. She said she even likes those… things you gave her. They make her ‘special.’ And there I was, yelling and chasing you. Done, if I’d caught you, I’d have given you such a slap!” Pirouette hung her head.

I was lost. Seriously lost. Right then, though, Pirouette wasn’t a mother hen, and she wasn’t my best friend. She was a really unhappy mare—the bane of my existence. I pushed her gently toward the sofa and sat down beside her, with a leg across her withers. “I don’t know where this came from all of a sudden, Pirouette, but you’re my best friend. You were before I lucked out with the smoke, and you are now. You can be a bit of… a fussbudget, I guess, but you’re just looking out for the girls.”

Pirouette leaned into my side, and I felt her warmth. The smoke swirled just a bit inside me, and I slammed it back down harder than I ever had before. “You remember years ago, Done, when you threw us a party? Not long after you hired me?”

I smiled. “You thought of it too, huh? Pizzas for everypony, the first night you were in charge of the show.” I looked down at Pirouette as she leaned her head against my neck. “It was the best show we’d ever had. Even the mare whose promotion you stole said she’d rather dance for you than try to put together something so good.”

Pirouette swallowed, and her ears lay back. “I’m not nearly drunk enough for this.” I frowned. I’d never once heard Pirouette say she wanted to be drunk before. “That’s why I nag, Done. I’m not trying trying to spoil your fun. I’m not trying to be a prude. I’m not trying to get between you and somepony else. I’m only trying to protect the girls, and… and the Done I knew.”

I felt like the sofa had been yanked out from under me. Pirouette could’ve slapped me, and I wouldn’t have been hit so hard. “What’s that supposed to mean, Pirouette?” I was stung, but Pirouette wasn’t panicking, wasn’t threatening to go to the princesses like she had when I first came back from the Crystal Empire. I didn’t want to take the quick fix this time.

Looking down, Pirouette replied, but I could tell she was forcing herself. “You were never a skirt-chaser, Done. A bit of a flirt sometimes, but you’d been with what, three mares in your life before we met?”

My left ear flicked. It’d only been two. I’d lied when we were becoming friends, to boost my ego. “Uh, something like that.”

“There were eleven mares down there tonight, Done. I’m the only one you haven’t…” Pirouette got up and walked to the shelf with the photos. Her ears dropped when she saw all of the photos that had nothing to do with The Tall Tail itself. I wasn’t sure it was the right move, but joined her. Like Peach Pit just days before, there was no running from it. I really needed to move that shelf into the den.

“Who was the Done you knew, Pirouette? Besides ‘not a skirt-chaser.’” If Pirouette needed me to be something—if I wasn’t treating my girls right, or if I was turning into Mosely Orange—I wanted to know.

“The Done I knew always took care…” Pirouette trailed off, and her eyebrows knitted. “He always had a smile for—I mean, we couldn’t come to work without you… without you…”

Pirouette looked up, red faced. “You’re right here, aren’t you? The Done I knew. It’s just that all these mares you roped in can see it, and… I—oh Celestia, Day Planner was right, wasn’t she?” Pirouette laughed, but it was a humorless laugh, almost bitter. “The real reason I want you to behave is because you don’t do any of this with me!” Pirouette gestured at the photos of debauched mares and me. I fell on my plot with a dull thump.

That earned me a warmer laugh at least. “Pulled the rug out from under you, didn’t I, Done?” Pirouette was trying not to cry, and I desperately hoped she wouldn’t. There was enough I couldn’t handle as it was. “Pulled it out from under me, too.” Pirouette plopped down beside me on the floor. “Done?”

I must’ve been gaping like a fish, but I managed to answer. “Yeah?” Sort of.

“Put me on the list.” Pirouette’s tone was pleading. “I don’t have to be on the top. But put me on the damn list, okay? I don’t want to be the only mare who doesn’t know you.”

I had no idea what I was saying. My mouth moved, and there were words. “You’ve always been on my list, Pirouette. I just had you on the wrong one.” I really had no idea what I was saying. What was that even supposed to mean?

Pirouette looked up at the photos again. “You’re not getting one of those of me.”

“Jade went home with Amber and Shimmer.” I shook my head and wobbled to my hooves. “There’s nopony to take one.”

Pirouette rose too, with a hoof from me. I was as eloquent as ever. “So what now?”

She looked at the wall, and took a second to collect herself. “Bed?”

I took a second myself. “Are you sure, Pirouette? This is really sudden.” I couldn’t believe I’d just questioned whether or not to take an attractive mare to bed, but Pirouette was… Pirouette.

Another nearly bitter, short laugh from Pirouette. “It’s not sudden at all. I’m just as thick as you are, that’s all. Bed. I’m sure.” Pirouette was starting to sound like herself again, which was reassuring. I considered a little teasing to break the tension, and ditched the idea. I didn’t think tension was what would end up getting broken.

“This way, Pirouette.” I gestured back along the wall to the hallway, and Pirouette laughed again, this time without bitterness.

“Really? I thought you’d moved your bed into the den.” Apparently teasing was back on the table after all.

“Alright, alright, you.” I headed down the hall, Pirouette in tow, more painfully aware of her presence than I’d have liked. I had been a long time since I’d been nervous about taking a mare to bed. Naturally, Pirouette noticed.

“I imagined you’d be more dashing, or nonchalant, really. Could it be that Done, the great ladies’ stallion, is scared?” Pirouette’s voice dripped with sarcasm, but it sounded strained. I smiled, just a bit. She was no better.

Climbing onto the bed and lying on my back, I tried my best to deadpan, but a bit of a smirk ended up on my muzzle in spite of myself. “Well, you’ve gotta admit, Pirouette. You are a scary one.”

Pirouette’s jaw dropped—whether she was insulted or just stunned that I could still talk back, I wasn’t sure, but before I had time to worry about it, she was on top of me, front hooves on my chest. “I’ll show you scary, Done Deal!”

And the nervousness was gone. We were in bed, but she was Pirouette, and I was the ever present thorn in her flank. “Oh no! What wimph?!” Pirouette had grabbed Jade’s pillow and was smothering me with it while I thrashed underneath her as if I were about to die. With Pirouette gloating above me, I reached up and broke a cardinal rule: never tickle Pirouette. Her triumphant taunts melted into gales of laughter in a heartbeat, as she helplessly dropped down over my body, sliding her thighs open over mine without meaning to. Thanks to Pirouette squirming on top of me as she giggled, I’d begun to rise, and her new position left my stirring shaft brushing against her soft lips. I was startled, and the tickling died instantly. Although Pirouette couldn’t help a few more giggles as she caught her breath, she turned serious quickly too.

For a heartbeat.

“I thought you said I was scary.” Her smirk as she lowered herself, warming my cock, was frustrating. I reached up to pull her down, meaning to kiss the grin right off her muzzle, but she quickly held my front legs down, and for the first time since we reached the bedroom, her voice was serious. “No. You get your way with everypony up here, I’m sure of it. I won you tonight, Done Deal. My rules.”

My dick had grown hard under Pirouette’s mound, and I could feel moisture starting to run down onto it. Pirouette was all talk. I let her keep me held down, but I mouthed off again. “So business as usual, huh?”

Pirouette grabbed the pillow and buried my face with it again. With my legs free again I seized the moment, copping a feel of Pirouette’s plot with both legs. Not what I wanted to do just then, but there was defiance that would earn a slap on the wrist, and defiance that would ruin the mood. As badly as I wanted to slide into the beautiful, stubborn mare straddling me, I had no interest in spoiling the fun. Pirouette squealed in half-serious indignation and thumped on the pillow my head was under, leaving me laughing as I gave her plot a squeeze.

“Hmph! So that’s how you’re playing this, Done? Fine.” Pirouette ignored my legs on her rear and lay her head on the pillow covering my face. Before I could worry that she was actually angry, Pirouette rocked her hips slowly, sliding her hot flesh along the length of my shaft, spreading her juices, the occasional dry spot catching and getting a gentle tug before falling away. I shivered a bit under Pirouette, anticipating more pleasure as her opening reached my flare, and tensed for it when her soft, soaking folds spread around it—but that was as far as it went. With my tip wrapped by her softness, but kept from sliding in, Pirouette crossed her front legs on the pillow burying my face and lay her chin down on it. Her voice dripped with smugness. “Sure you don’t want to play it my way, Done?”

I was sure I didn’t. Absolutely certain. Right that second, I wanted nothing more than to roll over and slide balls deep into Pirouette while I kneaded her firm, dancer’s flanks. I sighed into the pillow. That wasn’t quite true. Even more than that, I wanted my best friend happy—but it was a really close call. I let my hooves fall back to my sides, and in an instant, Pirouette had them pinned down again. So much for Ms. Nonchalant. I shook my head to knock the pillow aside and saw Pirouette smiling down at me triumphantly, lit by moonlight through the window. I couldn’t help smiling back. She really was a beautiful mare.

“Now that you’ve behaved, Done Deal…” Pirouette lifted her hips, her pleasant heat vanishing from my shaft. While one hoof still held down my leg, the other stroked my shaft’s full length, balls to tip, lifting it to her sex. I trembled again, and this time Pirouette lowered herself just far enough to take in my medial ring, her walls far tighter than I’d expected as they gave way to penetration. “I’m going to move my other hoof now, and you’re going to keep behaving. Aren’t you?” Without waiting for my answer, Pirouette slowly sank down onto my stallionhood, her hot insides leaving the inches not yet inside her feeling ice-cold in comparison. I couldn’t help but shiver and whine embarrassingly. As she sank, she raised her hooves to the back of her head, tugging at the ribbon that held her bun in place. I virtually never saw Pirouette with her long mane down, and as the crimson hair fell around her withers, a reason for that came to mind.

“You keep that up to avoid having every stallion in Manehattan fall for you, don’t you, Pirouette?” It was ridiculous, but right then it had felt honest.

Pirouette’s answer was a laugh, but the color in her cheeks deepened a bit. “No wonder you’ve been getting so much tail lately, you big flatterer.” My last inch slid into Pirouette’s hot, soft tunnel, and the two of us sighed in unison—and bit back the laughter. “Well it’s not going to work. Bad news, tonight you get what you’re given. The good news,” Pirouette looked out the window awkwardly. “Apparently I want to give you a lot more than I thought.” With no more warning, Pirouette’s tunnel clamped down on my rod and she pushed down, hard, grinding my flare against her insides while she squeezed tighter than anypony but Bruises ever had. I gasped, startled at the rough start and sat up a bit to wrap my front legs around Pirouette—only to be shoved back down by a hoof on my nose.

Pirouette shook her head. “I promise you’ll have fun too Done, but you’re my reward. Now be good, or I’ll listen to you whimper and moan through a pillow while I have my fun.” She was still smiling, but she really was serious. I sank back into my pillow reluctantly, and Pirouette began to rock her hips slowly and leaned down, muzzle to muzzle. Her lips brushed mine so lightly that I wasn’t even sure it’d happened. Another brush, and her hips quit moving. Pirouette sat back up, frowning. “Why is a kiss harder than putting you in?” Poor Pirouette had done things backwards, and passed the point of no return without easing herself in. I opened my mouth with a smartass answer, but the frustration on her face silenced me instantly.

“Let me break the ice on that, Pirouette. You can take charge again right away. Promise.” I couldn’t let Pirouette suffer. Besides, when she’d quit moving, she’d left me hanging something awful. Frustration turned wistful in Pirouette’s expression, but she leaned back down, lips the barest distance from mine, her fiery mane cascading all around my face.

“My one chance to put you in your place, and I blew it. If you mess with me right now, D—ah…mm.” Pirouette’s threatening whisper died on her lips as mine touched them, caressing and pressing softly. I had my limits. Pirouette relaxed after a moment, cautiously warming up to the kiss. I wanted to stroke her cheek, or brush her mane. I wanted to squeeze her plot, or a teat. But as Pirouette’s hips began moving again, slow as our kiss, I held myself back. The line had been crossed; the time for teasing had been left behind. The time for words, too, apparently. Pirouette didn’t draw back. In fact, she pushed her hips hight against me, otherwise relaxed, paying far more attention to our lips than anything else. Her hooves came up on either side of my face, and it started to sink in for me that my best friend was cradling my head as our tongues danced. I missed a beat.

Pirouette’s lips pulled away by only millimeters and she whispered, “Oh no you don’t. You got me through it; I’ll get you through it. Dragged by an ear if I have to.” Pirouette’s lips pressed back against a smile. Somehow, seeing her acing like herself made it easier, not harder, and I relaxed. Rewarded by Pirouette tightening around my rod again, I moaned softly into her mouth. It egged her on and she ground against my crotch, still gripping me tightly.

I broke the kiss. “Is this allowed?” Without waiting for her to ask what, I kissed my way from her lips to her throat, and Pirouette angled her whole front half, opening up the rest of her neck and driving herself onto my cock to the base. I continued the length of her neck, small wet kisses cooling spots on the neck that had been so warm on my lips.

As I worked my way back up, Pirouette panted her answer. “Th-that’s allowed.” Dropping her butt to let me kiss had bottomed me out inside of her. With Pirouette running the show, I had managed fine, but with my flare pressing against her deepest point, Pirouette’s voice was starting to sound sweet. It wasn’t a sound I’d ever expected to hear, but I couldn’t help smiling as Pirouette began to buck in earnest, teasing the base of my shaft with her tight hole while the flare dug into her flesh, leaving us both trembling. I brushed aside the brilliant red strands of Pirouette’s mane to lick back down her neck with the tip of my tongue. Pirouette gasped, lifted herself a few inches, and slammed back down on my stallionhood, whimpering and shaking as she hit. I’d found a weakness, and I pressed the advantage. Pirouette pinned my hooves down again, as if I were using them, and bucked roughly, sliding her wetness faster and harder as I breathed in the scent of her mane and took to nibbling a spot where my tongue had earned a near scream. Pirouette did scream then, shoved my head back into my pillow, and dove down. Her tongue pushed into my mouth as she came, riding me hard despite her tunnel convulsing around my cock. Trapped underneath the crazed mare, I returned the kiss with all the passion she offered me, but could only enjoy the ride otherwise. It didn’t take long before the wet heat slipping around and tugging at my shaft was too much. As Pirouette clamped down on both my muzzle and loins, I sprayed inside of her, my own sticky, hot mess joining hers.

For a while, Pirouette simply clung to me, shaking like a leaf while I regained my breath and enjoyed the afterglow. When she spoke, the afterglow rushed away instantly, like a flock of startled birds. “I ruined it, didn’t I, Done?”

I could only blink. A few things came to mind, but none made any sense. The sex was a little vanilla, but not bad. Letting her have her way hadn’t spoiled anything. When I didn’t answer, Pirouette’s ears drooped. “Now I’m just another girl to you.”

I stared, dumbfounded for just a second longer at the lovely red-maned beauty on top of me—and then I cracked up. I couldn’t help myself. It was the stupidest thing I’d ever heard! As Pirouette glared angrily, I pulled my front legs free and wrapped them around her, honestly a bit concerned she’d jump off and storm out of the room. “You will never, never be ‘just’ anything, Pirouette. You’re my best friend, our star dancer, the only pony I let boss me around, and now a lover, too. The only thing that’s changed is that now when I piss you off, you can refuse to put out.”

Pirouette’s jaw dropped at my crass joke, and the next thing I knew my spare pillow was over my face again, with Pirouette pummeling it more viciously than before. “Done Deal, you are a terrible pony to fall in love with. I’m never going to forgive you.” Pirouette stopped pounding on my padded head and rested hers on the pillow with a sigh. “Or quit feeling like this, I bet.”

I moved one leg to pull the pillow out from under Pirouette’s head, and she moved to rest on my chest, head turned to look at at the moon that had lit her so beautifully. “With you every step of the way. That’s what you said the night you made me look young again, Done. Remember?”

I smiled and stroked her mane. The red really was gorgeous out of its bun. “Of course I do. Who else is going to keep me going?”

Pirouette looked up and kissed my chin. “I finally took the steps you’ve been taking without me. Quit walking so fast. I’m old.”

My smile turned impish. I couldn’t resist. With my hoof still gently stroking Pirouette’s mane, I murmured, “You sure are.”

I had expected the pillow again. The same glint was in Pirouette’s eyes, but that’s not what came. Instead, a sad sigh. “Yeah. You may have to finish raising our little colt or filly without me.”

Bolt upright in an instant, heart pounding, I yelled, “What?”

Tossed off of me gracelessly by the catapult I’d become, Pirouette cackled, holding her sides as she laughed. “Done Deal, you idiot!” I stared at her in horror, not understanding how she could laugh at a time like this. It was one thing with the other girls—but a family with Pirouette? What had I been thinking? I stared at my seed pouring from between her legs as if it were my death sentence, and Pirouette just rolled, laughing with tears pouring from her eyes. “Day’s doctor is a fertility specialist! She’s why Day’s never gotten big despite—oh Celestia your face Done; I’m going to die!” It sank in slowly, through the stomach turning horror. Pirouette wouldn’t be birthing my foal.

I grabbed a sheet and yanked it over my body in mock anger as Pirouette struggled to cuddle up while still laughing her fool head off.

“You earned that, Done Deal. And if you think—oh, my sides—that you’re done paying for your rottenness tonight, you’ve got another thing coming.” Pirouette nuzzled my neck gently and kissed my hurt ego better. “But not tonight. Tonight, I’m as big a fool as you are, and in love to boot.” She squeezed me and sighed. “No. No, I think I’m probably a much bigger fool.”

I rolled and wrapped her in my front legs, despite still being a tad sore at her prank. “You’d have to be. Any mare with any sense would run screaming the moment she saw me. A very wise pony once said so. Can’t remember who, though…”

Pirouette smacked me for my trouble, and pushed one of my hooves to her plot. Our relationship wasn’t going to get any simpler. But we’d manage.

Author's Note

"Dee Geeeeeee, where's all the miiiiiiind controooooool? Where's the smooooooooke?"

Yeah, yeah, I know. There's a chapter with VERY heavy smoke on the way, though, and I've slated the next two of the OCs I agreed to include a YEAR ago for the short term. So with any luck, this'll get rolling again. You know, until mid December when I curl up like a ball because reasons.

The Boss

Taking a vacation wasn’t my idea. Taking it in the Crystal Empire sure wasn’t my idea. And hiking through the snow to get to some forsaken cave a couple miles outside of town? That definitely was not my idea. My secretary pushed, though, said I needed to get away for a while, so I swallowed my pride and packed my bags. She’d been good to me; she knew my tells. If she said I needed it, I probably did. So there I was, shivering my tail off because the “wonderful Crystal Empire getaway package” included this hiking tour, and I couldn’t take not getting every bit out of what I paid. Honestly, I was having fun. I truly was glad for a warm jacket, though.

The mare leading my tour group snapped me out of it when she raised her voice suddenly. “Alright, everypony! We’re nearly there! See that dark patch on the mountain ahead? That’s Great Geode, a beautiful cave filled with the most colorful crystals you’ll ever see! Not even King Sombra’s rule marred its beauty! I can’t wait to show you!”

She certainly was easy on the eyes. Bright Jade, she’d said her name was, and she lived up to it. Dark green mane and tail, done up fancy like every mare in the Empire seemed to, and a bright green coat that absolutely sparkled in the sun like a gem. No idea how crystal ponies pull that off, but damn if having one dancing in my cabaret back home wouldn’t be a draw. The Tall Tail could really use a mare like her. I reminded myself to try offering her work before the tour ended, adjusted my fedora, and followed the group, our hooves crunching in snow that shined shined brilliantly in the midday sun. Just how snow was still on the ground in late May was I didn’t know, but it’s called the Frozen North for a reason.

The group trekked along through the barren, snowy plain leading up to the mountain wall, chatting happily about our destination. Everypony seemed eager to get there, but several of the stallions seemed to have my idea—Bright Jade was more interesting than any cave. Even without that crystal coat, she would’ve been at home in the fashion magazines. As a pegasus next to me whispered to his friend and offered a knowing wink, gasps from up ahead caught my attention. We were there.

“What’d I tell you, mares and gentlecolts? Even from out here, there’s no place like it in all of Equestria!” Bright Jade trotted back and forth, selling us on the place instead of taking us in, but you could hear the smile in her voice. I had to admit, it was a bit infectious. I craned my neck to look past the ponies in front of me and stared, struck dumb.

Even from just outside, I could see the cave was special. Amazing, even. Stones of every color and no color at all lined the walls and ceiling, and a clear mountain stream poured in through a hole somewhere in the cave roof. Sunlight hit the water and shined everywhere, and light of every color you could ever want went every which way as it ran deeper into the cave. There was no question. This was everything Jade had said, and then some. Like some country rube, I stared with my jaw hanging, and I didn’t even notice as Jade sneaked up on me.

“Boo!”

“Wha? Hey, what’s the big idea?” I smiled and laughed along with the tour guide, and she offered a mischievous grin as the rest of the group cracked up. I felt my face get hot, but I couldn’t help smiling. Bright Jade was gorgeous, but it was her personality that fit her name best.

“Even our straggler back here was amazed, everypony! You just can’t beat Great Geode!” Jade poked me playfully with a hoof and headed back to the front of the pack to lead us in. The group filed in, and I followed, biting my lip to avoid smiling so much at our guide. You’d think running a nightclub, I’d shrug off pretty mares. You’d think wrong.

Jade trotted front and center again, stopping the group with her cheery voice. “As you can see, this beautiful, clear stream runs well back into the cave! We’ll be following it the whole way. If you think it’s beautiful now, just wait until you see the big room by lantern light! We call it the Vaulted Chamber, because the roof goes up nearly a hundred feet! We’ve got special lanterns and mirrors set up in there for you, so even such a high roof will shine beautifully. Now, if everypony will get out the lanterns I gave you at the start of the tour…”

Jade chirped on about safety as we tugged lanterns out of bags and lifted them. For just a second, I smirked—with a lantern handle in her mouth, even Jade would keep quiet for a bit. My timing was off, though—she caught my grin and thought it was a more honest smile.

“Ah, even our straggler’s smiling again! Wonderful!” I lowered my head, embarrassed—I couldn’t believe I was letting some filly get the best of me like that!

Bright Jade turned to a unicorn stallion near the front of the pack, and gave a flirty smile. “Would you mind holding my lantern, so I can talk, sir? I really do envy you unicorns during this stretch of the tour!” Even in the dim of the cave, you could see him blush as he agreed. Yeah, I wanted Jade working for me.

“Alright, everypony! Onward and downward!” Jade marched on, her increasingly cheery group in tow. I kept to the rear. Even as we went deeper, stones of caught the lantern light and created an amazing display. Our path narrowed to a tunnel, but walls were still covered in every color imaginable, and with Jade farther away, I got to enjoy the view in peace. Attractive or not, I didn’t want to spend the whole tour getting teased.

After several minutes of “oohs,” “aahs,” and the occasional pause to show off some extra shiny bit of rock, we came to a fork in the stream, and the group was held up as somepony just had to know about the other branch.

Bright Jade’s ever-cheerful voice was just a touch apologetic as she explained. “Sorry! As you can see, that branch runs under a low ceiling! For everypony’s safety, we have to stay where we don’t need to duck! You wouldn’t want to hit your noggin, would you? We’re waiting until it warms up further to even send ponies in to map it out, in case they get wet. Don’t worry, though! There’s plenty to see up ahead!” Jade turned and gave a little swish of her tail as she began to march forward. “Onward!”

That little swish upped my signing offer a good fifty bits a week. My establishment was nice and clean, but a little flirting with the clientele never hurt anypony. I followed the pack a few steps before looking back at the branch with its low ceiling and paused. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. The tour group was far too distracted to notice one hanging back, and once they were out of sight, I ducked my head and slipped onto the dark branch.

I was only a few feet in before I had to crawl to keep moving, but my lantern provided plenty of light in front, and I could always take in the sights on the tour proper later. Real entrepreneurs never leave stones unturned, and I could feel the unexplored route calling me.

After just just a hair more crawling with my belly rubbing cold, damp rock than I’d really wanted, the ceiling opened up, and I could stand once more. I raised my lantern high, eager to see what sort of gorgeous cave I was first to set eyes on. What a let down! There were crystals in here, in just as many colors as back behind us, but they were all clouded. My lantern’s light sank in. Nothing shined anywhere. I stepped forward into the large cavern, and noticed some sort of smoke, and a large pool of murky, brackish water where the stream ended. I sniffed the air and wrinkled my nose at the weird, acrid scent—this wasn’t coming from my lantern, and it didn’t smell like any wood or paper I’d ever burned.

I kept walking forward and sniffing, the smoke clinging to my coat and wrapping around my legs. My eyes began to water, and the stuff burned my nose, but I sniffed anyway, trying to place the smell. I stopped and stood, breathing the smoke in, and felt stranger and stranger, but I didn’t move away. Somehow, I wanted it.

“There you are!”

I blinked. Bright Jade’s head was just sticking out of the low tunnel. When had she gotten there? As she bit down on her lantern and wiggled her way into the large chamber, I looked around. The smoke seemed to have cleared down low, but plenty was left up above. I and realized rather suddenly that I had a raging erection.

Bright Jade managed to get to her hooves and stepped forward, stomping toward me angrily. She set her lantern down and resumed yelling. “I have been looking for you for nearly an hour! I had to take the tour group all the way back to the city and come back! What is the matter with—” Suddenly, Jade stopped mid tirade as she caught sight of my engorged shaft. “Oh, sweet Celestia!”

Something in my head clicked. This was her! The mare I wanted earlier. I wanted her to be mine; I wanted to have my way. “Hey, Jade. How about it? Nopony else around.”

Jade’s eyes bulged and her jaw dropped. “Are you out of your mind? Why would I ever? I can’t believe you! Come on, we are leav—mmph!”

I leaned forward suddenly, pressing my lips against hers, kissing hard. She opened her mouth to protest, but I held the kiss tight, moving as she did. I could feel it then, smoke moving from within me, from my mouth into hers. Jade struggled for just a moment as it entered her lungs, then grew strangely calm. When she began to return the kiss, I exhaled, and she took in my smoky breath as if it were pure mountain air. I stepped back.

“Tail up, Jade.”

“O—okay.” With no hesitation, Jade turned away from me and lifted her tail, flipping it over her back. The kiss had left her dripping wet and more than ready. I would get what was mine. Mounting her, I grabbed a mouthful of mane, and slid my flare between her lips, eliciting a startled gasp from the mare below. Her warmth was amazing, almost too hot. Pushing in slowly, I exhaled through clenched teeth, keeping my hold on Jade’s green mane. I was hardly in when I hit a wall. I smiled. One push, and it was final. One push, and Bright Jade was mine. I moved my hips, and the wall gave way to my hard cock. It was tighter than I could’ve imagined, and the deeper I slid my dick, the better the warmth was. I’d taken what nopony else ever would, and that was every bit as exciting as the sensations themselves.

I began to pump, sliding in and out as deeply as possible. Despite her lost virginity, Jade began to moan with each thrust. She started pushing back, and I thrust harder and faster, bringing her from moans to cries to screams as she climaxed to the dick inside her. Her forelegs gave out, and I dropped forward with her, still holding her mane in my teeth, still thrusting, and then it happened. I burst inside her, pouring load after load into her waiting vagina. As I did, I felt something leaving me, beyond cum. It poured into her, but it was replaced in me—I was a conduit. Whatever was in that cavern was flowing through me and into Jade as I came and came. As she filled, she writhed on the ground in ecstasy, her eyes rolling back, and her tongue hanging out.

I kept humping, driven, until she began to leak. I moved around in front of Jade, lifted her front half from the ground, and mounted the wrong end, pressing my dick against her lips. Unbelievably, she began to respond. Her tongue traced my tip just once before her mouth opened wide, accepting as much of my rod as it could. Before I could even begin to move, I came again, pouring seed and something else down her throat at a terrible pace. Shot after shot flowed into her, and I felt more and more of the power in the cave flow through me. I never emptied—whatever left me was replaced squirt for squirt as I fucked Jade’s mouth. Before long, I saw her stomach begin to swell ever so slightly as it filled, and I pulled myself from her mouth, unleashing all over her face before I stopped.

Somehow, I wasn’t empty. The cavern wasn’t empty. As Jade struggled to remain upright, I moved back behind her and pressed my cock under her tail one last time, higher. Carefully, slowly, I pushed into Jade’s ass. I could feel her relax the hole as she pushed back, and my dick was swallowed by her sphincter impossibly easily. Forelegs wrapped around her full stomach, I pulled into her, and she backed up, wrapping her last hole around my shaft as if it were natural. The tightness of her vagina didn’t begin to compare to her virgin ass, but I inched deeper and deeper nonetheless, her tight anus stretched obscenely around my cock. Once more I let loose inside, and again, Jade screamed her incoherent delight into the echoing cave. Once more, I was a duct as something flowed into my mare through me. As Jade’s legs gave out at last, I sprayed the last contents of my balls into Jade’s full body, and pulled out.

Somehow, the murk of the pool no longer bothered me, but the mess did. “Clean us up, Jade.” No response. Jade’s eyes were rolled back, her tongue hung to the side, and her stomach was visibly swollen from my seed. I sighed, pulled her to the edge of the cloudy water, and splashed her with it. “Get it together!”

“Ugh…” Jade moaned as she blinked back to reality. I sat down and repeated myself.

“Straighten us out.”

This time, Jade pushed herself to her hooves, and without a word, waded into the icy mountain water, scrubbing off the stray cum with her hooves. I walked up to the edge, and Jade splashed the frigid, murky water onto my messy cock, earning a scream of shock.

“Hey! Warm it up first!” I scowled at Jade, and she nodded, dunking her mouth into the pool to take its water in. After several seconds of waiting, Jade gently pulled my dick toward her, and slowly let water out of her mouth, pushing our mess off in the flow. Good enough. I ordered Jade out of the water, and up she came, dripping all over. I frowned as she shivered.

“Take my jacket. I can’t have you sick.” I wrapped the warm down around her, and she gave a nervous, grateful smile. That was more like it. I patted her on the back.

“C’mon. We’re going to your place. My hotel is lousy.” As Jade led me from the chamber, I took one look back. Even the smoke up high was gone.

Kids Today and Their Music

I woke to the most dreadful morning wood, courtesy of Bright Jade. Ever since I woke to find her sniffing me, it was as if her morning routine included blissing out on a smoky scent only she ever noticed. This time, it seemed like my balls smelled best, and I rolled my eyes.

“Ugh, Jade. It’s hard enough to get out of bed after a late night without you making the morning wood even worse.” My rebuke was half-hearted. Whatever else Bright Jade was, she was beautiful, and I could only work up so much irritation at a beautiful mare with her muzzle between my legs.

Drowsily, the way she always moved when sniffing at me, Jade looked up from my erection and smiled. “G’morning, sir. I’ll fix it.” I eased myself into my pillow as Jade started a slow, skillful blowjob. Hard to get out of bed indeed. I smiled and let her solve the problem, heading down to the office five minutes late, but in a fantastic mood.

Not even the neatly organized piles of paperwork Day Planner had laid about my desk could spoil my attitude. I sat down cheerfully to get to it, nodding to Day at her desk, and wishing her a good morning as I reached for the first envelope. And just like that, my mood was ruined.

“Day Planner, this the return address for Starlight. It’s open. You read it. You know I’m not interested in putting up with Main Event; why would you even put this on my desk?”

Day set aside her work and turned to face me, brushing a lock of her short black mane from her brow. “You’re not interested in spending time with Main Event, Mr. Deal, but that doesn’t mean he’s not useful. You’re experimenting with your power, seeing what that smoke can and can’t accomplish. It’s precisely because you have no desire to deal with Main Event that Starlight is a perfect venue. No matter what havoc you might cause, there’s nothing and nopony to care about there. It’s a perfect place to try going overboard again, like with Ms. Parapet—but preferably with a modicum more control over the process.”

Without responding to Day Planner, I pulled the letter from the envelope for a look. The very first line rubbed me wrong and set me to muttering.

Congratulations, Done! I’ve picked you for an exclusive backstage tour of the newly remodeled Starlight!

“Two sentences, Day. Two sentences, and I’m gritting my teeth. He knows I hate his guts, he hates mine, and he writes this.”

Day Planner offered one of her surprisingly cute smiles and shook her head at my frustration. “And he knows that those two sentences will get right under your skin, Mr. Deal, and you’ve let him. Please try to focus. The opportunity is too good to miss.”

I sighed and continued reading.

There’s no better way to break in a new concert hall than with Equestria’s loudest, most popular DJ, DJ-P0N3, Vinyl Scratch! I’ll take you backstage to meet the mare herself, check out the gear a real musician uses to rock the house! This is a once in a lifetime chance for you, Done. Do yourself a favor, get a taste of the real entertainment biz before you’re too old to know what it is.

I crushed the paper between my hooves, and Day, who had been watching, held up tickets she’d had on her desk, smiling innocently. “And that, Mr. Deal, is why I took the tickets out before I placed the letter on your desk.”

I facehoofed. “Always one step ahead, aren’t you Day Planner?”

She just smiled and levitated the tickets to rest on the corner of my desk. “It’s what you pay me for.” As true as that was, I reserved the right to grumble when it meant she’d gotten her way at my expense.

Day Planner returned to her work, calling back over her shoulder, “With the rougher crowd, perhaps you should take Ms. Parapet with you, Mr. Deal. She’s also quite a fan of Vinyl Scratch; it would be a treat for her.”

Much like the masseuse incident, I was getting railroaded, and I put my hoof down. “Now hold on, Day Planner! I haven’t agreed to this yet! I know you think I should be trying things with my smoke, and you’re right, but dammit, that stallion is the most obnoxious pony in all of Equestria!”

Day didn’t even look up from her work. “And that’s precisely why you’re going to have so much fun experimenting with your smoke at his big event, isn’t it, Mr. Deal?”

I let my whole upper half collapse onto my desk. Would nopony save me from my secretary?

“Oh, and Mr. Deal—the concert’s tonight, so please get back to work, so you can be ready to go on time.”

Mock sobs wracked my chest.

“There, there, Mr. Deal,” said Day Planner, not so much as glancing from her work. “There, there.”

* * * * * *

To say that Bruises was more excited about going to Starlight than I was would’ve been beyond an understatement. She’d been reluctant to take the night off bouncing so soon after being hired, but when I mentioned Vinyl Scratch was headlining, Bruises actually screamed like a little filly—not a sound I’d ever expected to come from a mare her size—and trotted in place as she tried to put together a to do list that, bafflingly, included bleaching streaks in her navy mane. I’m sure Pirouette saved my flank when she told me not to ask why, but I had to draw a line at streaking my own. Bruises was upset with my lack of enthusiasm for maybe fifteen seconds before she started whining at the clock to hurry up. Ultimately, she couldn’t handle it anymore and tossed me onto her back, dashing out of The Tall Tail for Starlight at a full gallop. I managed to get her to put me down and walk (quickly) about a block from the venue, but I was still embarrassed enough to keep my fedora pulled low.

The throngs outside Starlight were impressive, to say the least. The Tall Tail was a decent sized cabaret, but it was no concert hall. A tenth of the crowd here, hours before showtime, would’ve packed my club wall to wall. I didn’t want a big, impersonal venue like this, but the businesspony in me couldn’t deny jealousy at the numbers. Manes, tails and coats of every color, wings, horns, even the occasional donkey and batpony were standing in line, and almost all were as excited as Bruises.

Bruises rushed for a ticket line so fast I had to snap my jaws down on her tail to slow her down. “Hey, hey! We’ve got VIP tickets, Bruises. We don’t go that way!”

Wide-eyed, Bruises yanked her ticket from her saddlebag, dancing in place when she realized I was right. “Boss! Backstage, boss! Oh, Celestia, will we get to meet Vinyl Scratch?”

I really, really wanted to be irritated with Bruises, acting so ridiculously, but I couldn’t manage it. “I suspect so. The owner of this place is a jackass; he’ll probably be dangling Vinyl in front of me like a trophy. Let’s go find our way in.”

Even the excited sea of “DJ-P0N3” fans broke like waves on a jetty to let a mare the size of Bruises through. Convenient. With that edge, it didn’t take long at all to find a backstage door manned by a pair of tough-looking stallions. We approached, passes at the ready, only to have them nearly ignored as both guards stared up at Bruises. I frowned, hoping Bruises wouldn’t get her feelings hurt, and pressed for attention.

“Hey. Is Main Event hiring statues for guards now? VIP passes, personal invitation.” I made a note to reprimand any employee I ever caught acting like this at The Tall Tail, but my jab had been enough, and one of the guards looked over our tickets before nodding.

“Yep, looks good.” He turned to his partner at the door. “Hey, go tell Main Event that club guy is here.” I frowned as the other guard left, soothing myself with the memory of Day Planner encouraging me to make a mess of this place. Our wait wasn’t long. Within a minute or two, the guard on messenger duty came back, an indigo stallion in a ridiculously fancy jacket close behind. I forced myself not to scowl at Main event, with more effort than I cared to admit. His gaudy jacket and gemstone ring around his horn cried out for attention in the most pitiful way.

As the guard retook his position, Main smiled his most winning, most fake smile and played the gregarious host—for a heartbeat. “Done, bro, good to see you again! Been ages, buddy!” He looked to Bruises beside me, and peered at her over the sunglasses he was ostentatiously wearing inside. “And who’s this? Done, bro, she’s built like a brick sh-” Bruises was intelligent enough to know where this was going, and scowled down at the mocking asshole. “-chandelier. A brick chandelier! Like, classy and all, but hard as a rock!”

Bruises blinked in confusion, and I bit back a laugh at what had to be the most awkward save I’d ever heard. “Her name’s Parapet, Main Event, and she’s the bouncer at The Tall Tail. She’s also a huge fan of Vinyl’s, so I brought her along.” I could play nice if I tried. It sure was a lot of effort, though.

“Ah, that’s great of you Done! I’m sure she’ll have a real good time.” Main Event turned to the guard who’d brought him to the door. “Hey, why don’t you show her to her seat, man. Make sure she’s got a good one.”

Bruises blinked again, shocked this time, as the guard nudged her away from the door. I could swear I saw tears at the corner of her eyes, and I was just about to tell her I’d see what I could do when a white horn poked through the door above a pair of weird, gaudy sunglasses. Not that I was a fan, but even I could recognize the short cropped, jagged blue mane. I didn’t even have to make an appeal to her. She was already frowning at Main Event.

“Aww, dude, not cool! Hey, big girl! C’mon back!” Vinyl nodded at me before calling out to Bruises again. “You’re with him, right? I can’t chill with the whole crowd, but I can swing a plus one!” I had to admit, I wasn’t expecting Vinyl Scratch to look out for her fans, not if she played venues owned by ponies like Main Event. Good first impression, to be sure.

Bruises had been looking over her shoulder, heartbroken, when Vinyl appeared, causing the huge mare to stand stock still, and the guard guiding her to bounce off. At the invitation to come back, she whirled so fast the guard trying to guide her away was tossed into the wall. Vinyl and I shared a small snicker as he got to his hooves blushing.

Main Event was less amused, but certainly not willing to talk back to his headline act. “Hey, whatever you want, babe. Just tryin’ to save you from a little riffraff.” He ran a hoof through his long, slicked mane, past his horn, and Vinyl frowned a bit. Bruises was too excited again to realize she’d been called riffraff, which suited me fine. Such a sensitive girl.

Bruises and I followed Main Event and Vinyl backstage, past ponies rushing around to make last minute adjustments to this or that, listening to Main jabber about the remodeled hall’s acoustics, its comfortable seating, its powerful lighting and speakers—and Vinyl yawned. Maybe her music was garbage, but the mare herself was scoring points with me in a hurry.

She turned to Bruises and me. “Who wants to hear braggin’ about a building when there’s subs to check?” Main Event’s annoyance was obvious, but it was like he wasn’t even there. He was loud for attention’s sake. Vinyl’s personality wasn’t for anypony—it was cranked to 11 on its own. Main couldn’t compete. Lowering her shades just enough to show her eyes, she winked at Bruises.

Bruises’ eager, “Me, me! Um, wait, the subs! I meant the subs!” saved me from having to awkwardly ask just what a sub was. Vinyl laughed cheerfully and offered a brohoof. For a moment I was worried for Vinyl’s leg, but Bruises controlled herself. When Vinyl’s small hoof bounced off of hers with a clop, I thought sure Bruises was going to faint.

Main Event tried to salvage his relevance. “Subs, huh? This way!” All of us followed to a large, dark room just offstage. As Main hit the lights, I looked around at speakers as tall as I was all over, and not one connected to anything. Vinyl frowned, and this time it didn’t look like annoyance.

“Dude. The concert is in what, three hours? I gotta check these, man! They’re not even on stage! What in Tartarus?” Vinyl trotted from one speaker to another, peering over, under, and around, looking at parts I couldn’t hope to identify, with Main Event right on her tail, sweating a bit. Her ears flattened against her head as she got steadily more annoyed. Bruises began to look nervous—her wonderful night with Vinyl was falling apart, again.

I had an idea. “Hey, Ms. Scr—no, I bet you prefer Vinyl. Bruises here can lift the biggest of these like its nothing. Why not take her out on stage, show her where stuff goes? I mean, you’ll still have to do your thing, but you’ll be able to start in no time.”

Vinyl Scratch looked up from the… thing she’d been inspecting, and back and forth between it and Bruises, who was suddenly slackjawed. “Hey! Nice thinking there, D! You’re cool with that, right? ‘D?’ ‘Cause I kinda forgot your name.”

I couldn’t say I liked it, but the bigger picture was what mattered. I trotted over and shoved Bruises toward Vinyl, snapping her out of whatever daydream she’d gotten stuck in. “Sure, whatever. Oh, uh, call her Parapet. She doesn’t let anypo—”

“You can call me Bruises, Vinyl!” Bruises had nearly shouted, interrupting me. The boss in me was annoyed, and the stallion a bit hurt at having my special nickname for her shared, but seeing the skittish, sensitive mare so excited was worth a little humility. It’s not like Bruises wouldn’t make it up to me if I asked.

Main Event stepped forward, though, getting between Bruises and Vinyl—not a place I’d have chosen to be for a hundred bits. “Woah, woah, woah, woah, bro. Look, don’t you think you’re getting a bit familiar? Vinyl Scratch is the biggest name in teen music right now. You don’t just make decisions for her. Not in my venue!”

The smoke roared up in an instant, but I bit it back along with an insult. To my delight, I didn’t need one anyway. Vinyl had it covered. “Yo. ‘Your venue’ bucked up the hardware so bad I might not get to start my act on time. If that happens, when I do go out there, everypony in the audience is gonna hear how ‘your venue’ almost screwed them out of a concert. You wanna get in the way? You wanna make sure everypony in Manehattan knows what a dick you are?”

Main Event scowled, but stepped aside, glaring angrily at me, as if I’d called him out. I smiled my most winning smile—but mine wasn’t fake. I watched in total contentment as Vinyl lead a starry-eyed Bruises out the door, only to have that contentment ruined by Main Event as he showed his true colors, standing an inch or two over me even without his horn, and getting right up muzzle to muzzle. “So help me, Done, if that idiot mare of yours so much as scratches a monitor, I’ll ruin her life and yours too.” Without another word, he stamped toward the door.

I’d had enough. No, I’d had enough when I got the damned invitation. Smoke roiled in me, and I decided on my experiment: losing control again, with Main this time. As he walked away, I grit my teeth and let it build higher and higher until I felt fit to burst—and did. Like it had with Bruises, the smoke rushed forth in a wave, bearing down on the source of my ire, but this time it battered against a slammed door at the last possible instant. I wobbled and my legs folded beneath me as I struggled to keep my eyes focused. My mind bounced between two critical questions: the first, “What happens now?” and the second, “Why did I have to forget about how hard this made me?”

The answer to the first came in the form of creaking metal and crackling wood as the speakers and audio equipment in the room warped and twisted. The smoke coiled and wafted throughout the entire room. Flat sides curved, corners grew hooked, sharp edges formed where sides met. I boggled at what I saw, as a dozen perfectly rectangular boxes warped to look like devices from Tartarus itself. I had no idea how I was going to explain this one.

As I lay on the floor, waiting for my breath to return and my shaft to simmer down, Vinyl and Bruises returned. It took all of half a second for Vinyl to peer at the sound hardware over her shades, instantly suspicious—or so I assumed. “Woah! Did these look like this a minute ago? I mean, I know I was pissed off, but this stuff looks incredible! Hey, Bruises, grab those two for our first trip, right?”

Bruises magically hoisted the pony-sized speakers and trotted back out the door, oozing with pride. It was Vinyl who noticed me lying on the floor, winded. She offered a worried glance down at me as she extended a hoof. “You okay, D? That asshole didn’t buck with you, did he? Let’s get you up.”

Instantly remembering my still raging hard-on, I declined as naturally as I could manage. “Next trip? Thanks, but I’d just wobble over again. The indignities of age.”

Vinyl smiled and pushed my fedora down over my eyes. “Hah. You’re not that old, D. But sure, nap time, eh?” Vinyl trotted away the direction Bruises had left. Seeing those slim flanks from down low did nothing to help soften me up, and her playful demeanor had me more interested than I imagined I’d ever be in a purveyor of that “modern music” noise.

* * * * *

Though it left Main Event fuming, Vinyl actually granted me a seat just behind the stage’s curtain, where I could see up close and personal. Bruises had been offered the same, but three mares from Vinyl’s crew who had no part to play during the show itself had latched onto her, and talked her into joining them in the front row. It’d been a terribly hard decision for Bruises, right up until one of the girls gave her a hug.

As such, I was alone in the wings, watching as Vinyl Scratch, DJ-P0N3 herself, walked out onto stage with a friendly shove at my shoulder as she passed. As soon as the spotlights hit her, the crowd went wild. Vinyl didn’t bother with a single word. She simply moved to her… stuff on the stage, flipped a few switches, and began bouncing up and down with a nearly deafening beat. I had no clue what that thing she used was, or how she was making sounds, but after a few moments of loud drums, there was total silence—and then it began.

Bass with the strangest distortion I’d ever heard suddenly poured out of speakers stacked two ponies tall. I jumped up, startled, and nearly fell over before catching myself. Vinyl didn’t miss a beat, but she’d seen out of the corner of her eye and bit back laughter while she continued her set. The throbbing continued, with loops of melody slipping in and repeating. The audience’s cheers died surprisingly quickly as they too jumped around—for a few seconds. Vinyl kept performing, but where I should’ve heard a lively audience, I could swear I was starting to hear gasps and moans. Vinyl herself seemed to be holding her hind legs together, and Celestia help me, I was developing another boner. Curiosity got the better of me, and I peeked out.

The entire audience writhed with the music and with each other. Nopony denied anypony else’s advances. Age, gender, looks, none of it seemed to matter to the mares, stallions, and donkeys below. If they saw a way to take pleasure from somepony else, they did it—and everypony seemed to want it that way. Startled, I looked around for Bruises, and found her enjoying herself with the three mares from Vinyl’s crew, magically holding two of them to her teats while the third sat on her face. I hadn’t even known Strawberry Frosting liked Vinyl, but she must’ve found Bruises in the crowd and gotten together. She had the same blissful, needy expression as everypony else as she licked at Bruises powerful neck while Bruises gently worked between her legs. The scene was similar throughout the entire hall—mares, stallions, donkeys, gryphons, bat ponies—no pony seemed to care who made them feel good, as long as somepony did. I stared as a young mare had her first time with a gryphon twice her age, moaning in pleasure as she rubbed her face on his wings. A pegasus and a bat pony—a guard still in armor, no less—took to the air, lying in the lighting as leathery and feathery wings wrapped each other tight. A timid looking lady usher, her soft pink mane in pigtails, held down a stallion to lap at his cock while two more filled each of her holes. I was stunned, but beyond that, I was breathlessly aroused, and distracted by what I saw, I wandered on stage, my stiff shaft hanging down below. Only one mare was anywhere close.

As Vinyl Scratch kept the “wubz” and “fat beats” going, I moved up behind her. She stood on her hind legs to work her equipment, spreading them for balance. A lick between them caught her attention and earned a gasp. The music faltered. “Keep it going, Vinyl! Everypony’s loving this!” Smoke was out of the question; I’d spent it all on the speakers without realizing what I was doing, but I didn’t need any. Nearly as affected by her music as anypony else, Vinyl just turned back to it and called back, a little dazed sounding, “Forget licking, fuck me, D!” I was more than happy to oblige.

Though she already smelled a bit of sweat from jumping around on stage, something about her energy was immensely hot. I reared up, wrapping my forelegs around her, careful not to interfere with her music, and guided my shaft to her lips, standing taller to drive myself in. My timing was perfect—Vinyl screamed in delight just as the bass thundered, drowning her out. Each of her hops behind the equipment now was a short rub on my cock. I took my strokes long and slow, each one blessed by half a dozen of her little jumps. The dual nature of this weird, public sex drove me mad, and I could scarcely stand. Far more vigorous, Vinyl held herself up with one hoof while working the switches, buttons, and dials even faster with the other.

“Don’t quit on me, D! This is just gettin’ started!” Vinyl flicked her tail, tickling my chest for a heartbeat before jumping high and driving herself down on my cock. I staggered and gasped, then pulled her tight against me and slammed my dick into her back wall as hard as I possibly could, struggling to keep time with that strange reverberation on the bass.

I panted my reply to Vinyl as I pressed my lips against her ear. “Wouldn’t… dream of it!” Held tight, Vinyl ground her ass against my hips, tilting hers so my cock pressed against the front of her canal, and as the music slowed, she lowered herself clear to the base, gasping as she forced the last inch where it wouldn’t fit. I make a point of not forcing things, but if she wanted it rough, who was I to say no?

I lowered one of the forelegs holding onto Vinyl, and began toying with a soft teat. “Ahhhh… s-squeeze!” was Vinyl’s response, along with a tightening of her vagina on my cock. I gently squeezed at her teat, then harder, and Vinyl let her head fall back over her shoulder, tongue hanging out. I blinked in surprise at what I saw, throwing off our whole rhythm, and Vinyl laughed.

“Never seen a tongue stud before? Trust me, D, they got their uses. Maybe I’ll show you one day.” Apparently eager to get me back into the swing of things, Vinyl stretched, and licked at my muzzle. No less eager myself, I returned the favor, and drove her up on my rod to turn it into a kiss. Vinyl moaned in my mouth and shuddered, clamping hard on my cock and adding a sudden high pitched squeal to the music. Somehow, it fit. I turned my attention back to the mare on my shaft, ramping up faster and faster as the high pitched sound became more and more intense. Vinyl never broke our kiss, but each thrust into her too-full pussy brought another squeal of delight, and just as the lone high note became almost too much to bear, it was gone, replaced by a thundering pulsing bass note—the perfect accompaniment as I released deep inside Vinyl, adding white to the puddle on the floor between her legs. The set was over.

I looked out past Vinyl into the audience as it slowly blinked back to normalcy, and spotted somepony I hadn’t seen before: Main Event, struggling to push a middle aged male donkey off of his face.

* * * * *

I managed to convince Bruises that waiting around for Vinyl wasn’t a great idea, as weird as this concert had gotten—that in fact, it could mean trouble for The Tall Tail’s reputation if I were seen there. I was wagering a lot on no pony having paid attention to the stage while I was on it, and Vinyl and my hat blocking the view if they caught glimpses. Reluctantly, we slipped out the back and into the Manehattan late night.

I called Bruises to a halt as we approached a streetlamp with a city guard under it, still close enough to Starlight to be obvious I’d been there. I didn’t want to take a single chance. Bruises could blend into the dark, sure, but my light grey coat was a giveaway even in mere moonlight.

“What do you wanna do, boss? Your hat sorta hides your face.” Bruises was more nervous than I was. Sneaking was not her forte, and it had her on edge. I settled down to consider a longer route, when I felt a flicker of my smoke return. I smiled and patted Bruises’ neck.

“Mind giving me another ride? I have an idea.”

Bruises’ smile was bright in the moonlight. “Boss, you have no idea how much fun I had tonight! I’ll carry you anywhere!” Without even asking to hear the plan, Bruises had me up and on her back. With more effort than usual, I managed to pull out enough smoke to wreathe my whole body, and whispered in Bruises’ ear, “Go! Fast as you can!”

I nearly flew off as Bruises rocketed into the light of the streetlamp and out again, a dark blur carrying another on its back. Difficulties aside, we reached The Tall Tail in record time, and slipped in the back to avoid disrupting the show. Again, I could’ve sworn I saw a flash of white up above as I stepped through the staff door. I headed up for a shower, but Bruises insisted on taking her place at the front door for the hour left in the night.

I came back down as the final patrons were shuffling out the door, clean, relaxed, and ever so smug about the mess I’d made at Starlight, even if it had been accidental. With a broad smile on my muzzle, I practically sauntered to my own bar, where Jade dutifully poured me a cider. I nursed my drink and turned to face the door. Just as Bruises was about to lock up, a white face with an electric blue shock of hair appeared on the other side of the glass, and Bruises dropped the key with a shriek.

Self-assured as ever, Vinyl strolled right in, roadies in tow, while Bruises stared in disbelief. Pirouette rushed out from backstage to see what had Bruises screaming, and stood stunned. Even Bright Jade dropped a glass, though a dive managed to save it. I alone remained calm—it was a little hard to be starstruck by a mare I’d just screwed on stage.

I raised my glass with a smile, but teased. “Sorry ladies, shows are finished for the night, and you just missed last call.” Cool as a cucumber, I took a long pull of my cider.

Vinyl grinned toothily, clearly aware of her effect on everypony else, and slinked over to me, running a hoof across my chest. “Aww. Now is that any way to be, lover?”

I spewed cider everywhere.

Vinyl and her road crew immediately cracked up, with the DJ herself collapsing onto a stool and leaning against the bar for support as tears welled up in her eyes. Bruises screamed again, incoherently, and Pirouette plopped right down onto her ass in the middle of the floor. Jade dropped the glass again—this time it didn’t make it.

While I coughed and sputtered, flushing bright red, Vinyl recovered and started her explanation. “Starlight’s closed down, D. Right after the set, I swear half the Manehattan guard swooped right in!” Vigorous hoof gestures accompanied Vinyl’s every word. Right now, rumor is some kinda poison joke got into the air. Not buyin’ it, but it got me and my crew off the hook, so that’s cool. Whatever it was, that was one hell of a ride, D. Never seen so many ponies buckin’ at one o’ my concerts before! You weren’t half bad, for the classy type, and my girls say Bruises wasn’t bad either.”

Bruises opened her mouth to scream yet again, only to have Vinyl’s roadies cozy up to her, freezing the scream in her throat. Pirouette facehoofed, but her body shook with laughter nonetheless—and Jade dropped the shards of glass she’d just swept up.

I opened my mouth to protest against so much teasing, but Vinyl beat me to it. “Relax, D. I mean it, even if I am havin’ fun buckin’ with you. Again.” Another snicker; this mare never let it go! “Anyway, Main Event apparently ended up heading to the loony bin for the night. Couldn’t have happened to a bigger prick. You should pay him a visit, dude. “Bro” was talkin’ about sellin’ the whole shebang.”

Vinyl looked around The Tall Tail, taking in the ambiance. Polished hardwood floor, mahogany bar, crystal chandelier, velvet curtain on the stage. “Not your style, really. Looks like you’re more an Octi kinda guy, y’know? Small crowd, fancy. But maybe just lease it or somethin’.”

I shook my head, honestly disappointed. “There’s no way, Vinyl. I’d love to, but the bits for a concert hall in Manehattan? I just opened a massage parlor down the street, and that was a big hit on the books. I might be able to open a hall half that size in Hoofington. On the bad side of town.”

Vinyl’s smile faded. “Aww. Shame.” Vinyl swept off the bar stool, and her horn lit, taking her shades and plopping them on my face. “Well, here, D. Souvenir.”

Even surrounded by surprisingly affectionate mares, Bruises’ eyes lit up and she lifted a hoof as the glasses passed from Vinyl to me. I laughed. “You know there’s no way I can do this, right Vinyl? Keep these, with her sitting right there?”

I didn’t wait for Vinyl’s answer. It didn’t really matter. I wasn’t going to miss these big bug-eye sunglasses. I hopped down and headed straight for Bruises, who was nearly trembling with excitement, to the amusement of her hangers on. “Here you go, Bruises.” I plopped them crooked on Bruises nose, and was grinning at how ridiculous the huge, muscular mare looked with that elated expression and cockeyed glasses when a white leg wrapped around my neck from the side.

“What a cool boss. Tell you what, D. You get a venue, I’ll open it for you, guaranteed.” Vinyl patted my far side with her extended leg.

I smiled and shook my head, enjoying the feel of Vinyl against my side. “You’re somethin’ else, Vinyl. I’ll hold you to that.”

Vinyl just gave a wicked grin, her maroon eyes making her look far more feral than she could’ve with her shades. “See that you do. Now, instead of glasses, how about I show you what that tongue stud is good for?”

My hind legs gave out, Bruises’ eyes bulged before she fainted into the hooves of Vinyl’s crew, Pirouette flushed as crimson as her hair… and Bright Jade just cocked her head. “A what?”

Author's Note

Want to see the newspaper the day after this insanity? http://smokefiles.tumblr.com/post/71924423956/failed

Trust...

Author's Note

The Done and Bruises I promised for this chapter is cut, but not for good. As I wrote, it simply felt VASTLY too tacked on, as well as too vanilla. It'll appear in one of the next two chapters, substantially improved over what it would've been here, and with some content that should appeal to those who wouldn't enjoy just Done and Bruises having sex--a threeway with a mare so petite she's often mistaken for a filly.

Trust...

I woke to sudden pleasure, a startled squeak, and a giggle. I didn’t have to open my eyes to realize Jade was at it again. Ever since she’d started smelling smoke on me when I wasn’t using it, she’d been slowly getting more and more clingy in bed. On the rare morning I woke first, I usually found her muzzle just a hair from my face or neck, sniffing deeply with the biggest, most elated smile I could imagine on her lips. One day, I’d ask what she was dreaming about. This wasn’t going to be the day, though—I had things to do. Things I couldn’t do with a crystal pony nuzzling my crotch.

“You know the rules, Jade.” I put my hooves behind my head and waited. Having things to do didn’t mean I had to rush.

“Yes sir!” The exclamation in Jade’s voice as she started to lap up the (significant) mess she’d caused was obvious, but it was still just a bit off, as if Jade were still dreaming. It was like that every morning now—if she’d been smelling the smoke on me while I slept, it took a bit of separation for that weird, sleepy happiness to fade. On one hoof, it was starting to worry me a bit. On the other, having a beauty like Jade act that way for me… I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a turn on. I let it go and turned my attention to the day ahead. Jade’s work took some of the edge off.

I was due to check in with Desert Rose and the Trotties at last. It’d been several weeks since Vinyl’s show, much less since the showdown with Born Leader. Once in a while, a pony showed up from the Trottie’s territory, saying this pony or that pony was starting something, and wanted the investments I’d promised. I was realistic about my returns—they’d be a long way off—but only an fool gives out money without keeping an eye on it. My seeds wouldn’t be growing yet, but I wanted to see how they were being planted. Jade’s tongue did wonders for keeping my stress levels down as I considered the possible headaches meeting with Desert Rose could bring. Power struggles, demands for more money, outright attack. Despite all that, thanks to Bright Jade, I was smiling as I decided to bring Bruises along.

When Jade finally moved away enough for me to get up, I sighed and swiveled my hind legs out of bed, handling my morning tasks with a bright green shadow. Bright Jade had learned to keep out from underhoof, and I’d given up on telling her I really didn’t need anypony to hold the toothpaste. Allowing myself a resigned sigh at the idea of a business meeting with thugs, I headed for the door to the office, and Jade dropped my fedora on my head. As I stepped through the door at the bottom of the stairs, I found that I’d been outpaced by Day Planner once more. In the middle of my office, spreadeagled on her back lay Bruises’ massive form.

I nodded and offered Day Planner a good morning smile as I walked past my bouncer as if she weren’t even there. “Gee, Day. I sure hope Bruises isn’t dead over there. I was gonna take her with me today.” From behind came graceless thumps as Bruises rolled to her side and clambered up on her hooves in a hurry. Day Planner allowed herself only a backward glance and the slightest twitch of a corner of her lips.

“Booooss!” Bruises’ plaintive whine followed her clambering, and I spun and feigned shock at Bruises’ sudden “recovery.” As much as she towered over me, her childlike demeanor only encouraged the teasing.

I narrowly managed to keep a straight face as I staggered backward, deliberately bumping Day Planner at her desk. “Woah, she’s alive again!”

Bruises sighed with exasperation, and Day with frustration. “What do you mean ‘again?’ I was alive the whole time! You just take too long in the morning! It’s boring!” Doing my best to contain a laugh, I reached up and patted Bruises on the withers.

Just as I was about to apologize for teasing, Day’s voice came from behind over the sound of an eraser. She was clearly annoyed. “He can’t get out of bed without getting his rocks off, Parapet. You should ask Bright Jade to move faster.”

Bruises’ eyes widened, and the whining resumed. “Awww! I’da helped!”

Day Planner looked up from her work just long enough to shoot me a far too meaningful glance. “Perhaps I’ll remember that next time, Parapet, and send you up.”

I felt my ears flatten against my head under the hat, and narrowly avoided wincing. “Uh… let’s go, Bruises! Lots to do today, long walk and all!” I scooted myself past Bruises and out the door, double time. I could swear that I heard Day laughing behind me as I did.

* * * * *

“Hey, boss. If you’re tired, I can let you ride on my back.” Bruises was right at my side, maintaining her pace so she didn’t get ahead, but there was an awful lot more energy in her canter than in mine. She was always in a good mood, really, unless something specific interfered with it. Always early for work, always excited to see anypony from the club. But not always trotting so her hooves scarcely touched the ground. Her enthusiasm still hadn’t gotten old, though.

“Thanks, Bruises, but I’m alright. It’s only been a couple of blocks, after all.” We weren’t even out of the entertainment district yet; buildings on each side were theaters, dance halls, upscale restaurants and the like. Even if I were tired already, enough ponies had seen me ride Bruises when she brought me back the day I hired her; I really didn’t need anypony thinking it was a normal occurrence.

Bruises looked just a bit deflated. “Oh. Yeah, we’re not that far yet, huh? ‘Kay, boss.” I gave her a smile, and kept walking along. She meant well, after all, but there was business to attend to. I enjoyed the atmosphere of Manehattan’s entertainment district more than anyplace else I’d ever been. Noisy? Sure. Gaudy? Yeah, but alive like nothing else—moving through it put almost as much spring in my step as Bruises had in hers. As we walked, my vision lingered just a second on a taxi with a cute mare in it, and Bruises pounced.

“Tired now, boss? You don’t need a taxi; I’ll still carry you!” I laughed and patted Bruises’ withers, wondering if she was still on about how great I was for giving her Vinyl’s shades. I couldn’t think of any other reason she’d be so determined to give me a ride. Well, maybe one, but I wasn’t her type. “I’m fine, Bruises! I was looking at the mare inside, not the taxi. I wonder if she can dance at all; she’s got an entirely different—”

“Oh.” Bruises cut me off, and seemed to lose more of her enthusiasm. She never interrupted me unless she was too excited to help it. If anything about her mind was still sharp, it was her ability to pay total attention. I frowned and kept walking, but this time her enthusiasm didn’t return.

“What’s the deal, Bruises? I know you said I’m ‘special,’ but I thought you preferred the mares. If I didn’t know better, I’d think—woah!” I staggered and caught myself after my entire rear half found itself swatted to the side by Bruises’ head. I looked back to find her ears flattened and cheeks flushed. Apparently I’d put my hoof in my mouth again. Maybe this wasn’t the best day to do important talking.

I double checked that the coast was clear, and nudged Bruises off to the side where nopony would bother us. “What did I do this time, Bruises?”

The big mare scowled and lowered her hindquarters to sit with a thump, before looking away. “Nothing.”

I facehoofed, sighed, and groaned all at once. Today was too important for this. “Something’s wrong, Bruises. C’mon.” I moved around to be in the direction she was facing, and she turned her head the other way again. “Quit being such a foal,” came to mind, but I settled on something far more effective—and embarrassing. I tossed my legs around as much of Bruises as I could in a big hug. “Vinyl’s gonna be sad if we don’t get along, you know. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Come on, what did I do?”

At the mention of Vinyl, Bruises’ head snapped back to face me. Sullen wasn’t the right word, but there was no doubt Bruises was forcing herself to talk. “You’re nice. Like… really nice. You gave me Vinyl’s glasses! Just gave them! There’s the smoke, so…” Bruises blushed again and skipped ahead. “It’s okay that you’re not a mare, ‘cause of that, and you’re always nice. So I wanna do… stuff for you, like Jade, and Day, and, uh… Hankie?” I squeezed Bruises as an excuse to bury my face and muffle laughter. If Deep Tissue heard anypony call her “Hankie…”

While Bruises couldn’t see my face, I allowed myself a brief wince. Twice my size and strong enough to throw me around isn’t my type, but how could I say that to a mare who just confessed she wanted me to have her? “Tell you what, Bruises. Sometime soon, if you still want it. You have a fillyfriend coming to you though, so don’t go falling in love with me!” Bruises seemed to miss the jab entirely, and hugged me until I felt bones creak. I couldn’t help notice, smashed into her that way, that huge and hard as rock or not, she smelled as girly as any other mare.

Before she could start embarrassing herself (or me) any further, though, I reminded her we had a task to deal with. Back in a sunny mood, Bruises let me go, and we continued down the sidewalk, past classy businesses with bright signs, street vendors hawking their wares on corners, and restaurants with delicious smells that slowed Bruises down two times out of three. As we got farther from The Tall Tail, though, the signs got less colorful, the hawkers less friendly, and the restaurants were nothing but abandoned husks. The trip was bringing us closer and closer to the part of town I’d pulled Bruises out of, and the deeper we went, the more Bruises’ happy trot changed. Neither of us wanted to show any kind of fear to the hoofful of hopeless looking ponies who still turned up as we walked, but while I managed that by keeping my gait unchanged, Bruises began to practically march. My companion went from childlike exuberance to the alertness of a soldier. I made a mental note to praise her later. After my first “meeting” with the Trotties, it was hard to express just how much better I felt with Bruises beside me.

The disrepair around us was oppressive enough that I was nearly relieved to see Whittle and a half dozen Trotties get up from old, weathered benches a block or so from our destination. Friendly or not, ponies who looked lively and alert were a step up. I offered a friendly nod to my “business partners,” but it wasn’t returned. With Whittle in the middle, half of the Trotties with her stepped to each side of us, only to give us a bit of breathing room when Bruises glared.

Whittle glared right back, but made no move toward us. “Oy, Deal. Wot’s th’ idea, bringin’ your brute out? You lookin’ to pick a fight?” I rolled my eyes at the bluster, ready to blow it off, but Bruises snorted angrily. The fact that the Trotties weren’t exactly friends didn’t make her any less of a sensitive soul, and I didn’t need her making trouble.

“Easy, Bruises. We’re all on the same side here, even if she doesn’t like it.” Bruises didn’t ease up any, but she kept a lid on it. “Your ponies here on both sides of me? That’s why Bruises is here, Whittle. Don’t act like you didn’t come with a small army.”

Whittle scowled deeper and narrowed her eyes, but the truth was the truth, and she was no Desert Rose—without the wit to retort, she wheeled on her hind legs and stomped toward the dilapidated hotel she’d taken me to weeks before. “C’mon then. Sooner ‘is rubbish is done, sooner you lot get out o’ my mane.” I smiled at my tiny victory.

Bruises and I fell in, ignoring the stallions and mares on either side of us, and they pretended to do the same—only to trip over a loose cobblestone or get caught peeking cautiously at us. I couldn’t help but smirk. Seven to two, and they were the ones on edge. All but one: a young pegasus, a peach colored mare with an orange mop of a mane. After the third time I caught her peeking in my direction, I offered her a nod—polite, nothing more. The mare’s face lit up, and she stopped walking to raise a hoof and wave excitedly. The broken tension was welcome, though the stallion behind her sure didn’t agree, and shoved my fan roughly to get her going again.

The waving mare cried, “Woah!” and staggered forward. Startled myself, before I could think, I had a leg out to catch her and keep her face off the cracked cobblestones. She barely touched it; a flap of her wings, and she was righted again. I might’ve been embarrassed at my failed chivalry, if Whittle hadn’t glared back over her shoulder at whatever was going on behind her.

“Knock it off, Pity! Cor, I don’t know why I let you come along. Surprised you didn’t bloody swoon at the sight o’ ‘im.” Grumbling about stupid kids, Whittle turned back toward the decrepit hotel, and the march continued.

I glanced to my right to check on “Pity”, and found her floating in the air with slow flaps of her wings, glaring back at the stallion who’d shoved her. When she realized I was looking, the set upon mare blushed and mouthed a silent thank you. I flashed her a quick smile and a nod, darkening Pity’s blush, and the march continued past the ramshackle and rundown surroundings last few minutes to the Trottie’s headquarters.

The old hotel looked even less appealing during the day. Paint was faded or peeling, signs were missing letters, here and there, I saw gaps in the outer wall, and from the look of it, one corner showed signs of fire damage, as if arson had been tried in the past. It would have to go, the whole building. Every building in sight, really but that goal was a long way off. I sighed and reminded myself to stick to baby steps as Bruises stepped in front of me. We headed in for round two with Rose. I could swear I saw a streak of white out of the corner of my eye as we did. I forced myself to forget about it; anything unexplained was only going to toy with my nerves then.

The ponies escorting us broke off one by one as we headed down different halls than last time, except for Whittle behind me and Pity behind her. It took some effort not to scowl at Whittle as she barked directions from behind, frog marching Bruises and me to our destination, a dirty old conference room on the second floor. I understood why the pack had broken off as soon as I was through the door. Rose had her own ponies in here. She and four large stallions sat around a worn out table These, at least, didn’t look ready for a fight. I silently hoped they were just part of the meeting, and stepped forward, about to offer a greeting when a slam and yelp came from behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Whittle with her back hoof still against the shut door.

Pity’s voice came from the other side of the door. “Ow, c’mon! That was my muzzle, Whittle!” I winced at the thought of a hoof-slammed door coming down on my own nose, and wondered why Pity put up with it.

“You’ve got no business in ‘ere, Pity. G’won, shoo.” The smile on Whittle’s lips gave her away: it wasn’t about business. I added one more item to the list of things that needed to go in the long term, and looked toward Rose, about to ask to let Pity in just to spite Whittle, but Rose was already talking.

“Oy, Whittle, ‘at’s a bit much. Peach Pit’s your sister!” The disapproval was as obvious in Rose’s voice as the sudden irritation was on Whittle’s.

“’alf sister, thank you very much!” Desert Rose shook her head, but tolerated the insubordination. I bumped my opinion of her up a notch for knowing not to quarrel in front of staff, remembering lacking that sense the night I’d used the smoke on Pirouette. I made a point of memorizing what I assumed was the pegasus’ real name, too. Somehow I doubted “Pity” was a friendly nickname.

Bruises was scowling again; either she was getting as sick of Whittle as I was, or she didn’t like seeing the one friendly pony we’d met abused. I opened the door for Peach Pit without bothering to ask permission after all; if it’d keep Bruises calm, it was worth it. Besides, it might be their turf, but at this point, there was a partnership. They needed to learn to make concessions. When Peach Pit saw me jerk my head to gesture her in, she smiled around the hoof she was using to rub her hurt nose and trotted on in, head held high. I could practically hear Whittle grind her teeth.

“You don’t mind, do you, Desert Rose? She’s one of yours after all, and the only friendly one in the welcome party.”

Desert Rose blinked, then frowned. “Whittle, I told you not ta ‘assle ‘im. Wot’s this then?” I faked an itchy muzzle to hide my grin. And here I’d thought Whittle’s crew had left just to keep out of the way of Rose’s ponies.

Whittle was obviously angry, but this time apologized respectfully. “…sorry, Rose. Just tryin’ t’keep safe, y’know?”

Rose sighed and shook her head. “’E’s not one of us, Whittle, but we’re workin’ together. Take it easy on the bloke.” Turning to me, Desert Rose nodded. “I don’t mind ‘er stayin’, Deal, if she keeps quiet. She ‘ardly talks about anything but you, since last time. You got yerself a fan, mate.” Rose nodded toward the stallion on her left. ‘E’s ‘ere if we need a gopher, Deal. These other three gents? They’re the three wot’re doin’ the best business so far. Mostly ‘ere t’listen. Let’s get to it, eh?”

I nodded and sat opposite Rose, at the end of the table. Bruises kept to my right, and Peach Pit flapped herself to my left as confidently as if she’d been invited, one wing brushing my side accidentally. I forced wings out of my mind nodded at Desert Rose. “Let’s. I want to be very clear from the start that I’m not expecting miracles here. I know it takes time to build a business, and you Trotties are at a disadvantage in this part of town. But only an idiot keeps making investments without looking after them. I’d like to know how the ponies who came to me for money are doing.”

Rose nodded. “Fair’s fair. Two up an’ run off with it, sorry to say. Caught one, an’ ‘e won’t be trying something so foolish again for a bit. As for the rest? New boy, give ‘im those papers I ‘ad you fetch.”

An earth stallion got up and snagged a stack of papers from in front of him, walking over to drop them unceremoniously in front of me. As he headed back, I recognized the cutie mark of bucking legs—Whittle’s partner the night she’d caught me. Apparently he’d been moving up since the last time I’d seen him.

Sliding the papers around to see several at once, I winced at the worst record keeping I’d ever seen. Of course it was horrible. These ponies didn’t know business; they knew robbery and assault. Suddenly, I was very grateful I had any information at all. “Right… not a pretty picture, but honestly, could be worse.” Half of the investments were at risk of failure within just a few weeks, but only one was a lost cause, and two were doing well—really well. I pushed those to the right, and the lost cause to the left. “This one’s a goner. I’m not putting any more money into it.” Whittle bristled as if I were betraying the Trotties entirely, so I talked fast. “These two, though—I’d like to double my investment.” One of the three stallions there on business frowned, presumably annoyed at being left out, but Whittle eased back into a sitting position. Rose, however, got to her hooves.

“’at’s all dandy, Deal, but ‘ere’s a problem. See, you promised us you were gonna open shop out ‘ere, an’ so far, neither ‘ide nor ‘air. I been tellin’ me Trotties t’keep to the edge o’ the slums. ‘Ponies wot ‘ave bits won’t come out this far, I tell ‘em.’ An’ they listen, mostly, but we’re just shoppin’ with our mates. Don’t do us no good, ‘avin’ our own bits floatin’ around, and no new comin’ in. You’re losin’ money on this too, mate. Money and patience. ‘It takes time’ is all well an’ good, but it’s gotta start, don’t it? So tell me, Deal. Wot’s your great plan? When are you plannin’ on throwin’ in with us proper?”

I sighed. Rose was sharp as a tack. I’d been hoping to weed out good from bad on small investments, then get the ponies who did well to move to better locations. When they made money, they’d want nicer things close to home, and step up improving the slum, with me taking a dividend on my investment and never risking my bottom line truly opening something up. Busted.

Time to pay the piper. “Got a map, Desert Rose?”

Rose blinked. “A wot?”

“A map, Rose. So I can find a decent spot, preferably close to some of these,” I tapped the large stack of poor performers, “so I drive some business their way.”

Rose nodded at ‘new boy’ again, and he took off at a trot. Rose sat, then turned back to me. “So you’re just gonna look at a map, an’ pick a place? Just like that?”

“No, Rose, but location counts. If there’s a building close to your folks with a good route to a better part of town, it makes sense to see what I could start there.” I sorted the papers in front of me for a good look at their locations, and Rose’s underling returned, unfurling a large, rolled map on the table.

“There ya go, Deal. Do your magic.” Rose leaned back, as if challenging me.

I stood and rounded the table, stifling a smile as Peach Pit’s eyes followed me. With a proper view, I took note of where the businesses worth supporting were. The one of the two I most favored, and number three were both on the same traffic circle, with others scattered around. Not helpful. Not helpful, but…

A few blocks past the traffic circle, in the straight shot past it from better parts of town, was a wedge shaped building. It could’ve been anything, but only one type of building I could think of really needed that shape. “What’s this?” I jabbed a hoof at the wedge.

Whittle answered, the scowl from Peach Pit being let in still on her face. “It’s an old theater. Stage kind, plays, song an’ dance, that rot.”

I cracked a smile. “Abandoned?”

Whittle clearly didn’t see what I was seeing, and what it looked like Desert Rose was slowly catching onto. The disdain in her voice was obvious. “Unless you count rats.”

My smile grew, ear to ear, and I started back toward my seat. I’ll admit it: I was strutting. “Perfect. Bruises, you were in construction. Know any company good for restoration work?”

Bruises opened her mouth to speak, but Whittle stood up faster, snapping, “You’ve gotta be kiddin’! ‘at’s your great plan? Wot the buck does a dusty old theater have to do with—”

Rose’s tone was cold. “Oy, Whittle. I’ve put up with a bit today, but you’re right on me last bloody nerve. Shut it.” I stared in surprise. Granted, I’d have told her to shut up from the start, but Rose had been playing it patient. It looked like as long as she liked what I was saying, Whittle had no real clout. Perfect.

Rose nodded at Bruises. “Go ahead, then.”

“Well… my… fourth to last boss used to live out this way, when he was a colt. He always said he wanted to get rich and fix his mom’s house up out here. Maybe he’d help, boss.” Bruises shrugged, and I shrugged back. The theater’s location was perfect. I couldn’t have it all, and a lead was better than nothing. If it didn’t pan out, I’d find somepony else.

Before worrying about restoration, though, there were other matters that needed settling. “Rose, do you think you could talk your other… entrepreneurs… into moving onto that circle?”

Rose frowned and spoke like I was the novice at this. “Oy, Done, these blokes’ve been doin’ it by the book, like you wanted. Rightfully buyin’ shops and all. You think it’s cheap, settin’ up, tearin’ down in two weeks, and settin’ up again?”

I shook my head, ignoring Rose’s tone of voice. “No, I don’t. I’m betting Born Leader didn’t die a pauper though, and you get your shops on that circle, or between it and that old theater, and you’ll make back what you lend them to move, and have favors to call in, or debts to claim, or however you want to handle it. It’s a smart move.”

Rose’s frown darkened, and Whittle smiled dangerously when she noticed. I was too confident to care. I started back to my place at the end of the table. “Move them, Rose.”

I sat between Bruises and Peach Pit again, still grinning like a fool. Not only was going to keep my word and get the Trotties off of my flank, I was going to put my plans for cleaning up this side of town ahead by months. I crossed my forelegs and gave a slow glance around the table. “Mares and gentlecolts, I’m going to put on a private concert in that theater, starring Vinyl Scratch. And all of you are going to reap the profit of being the businesses nearby.”

Consequences

Stroking Shimmer’s mane as she swallowed the last of my seed was the most peace I got that morning. Redheart had eaten my breakfast as offered, and even if she hadn’t, there were two hungry ponies left in my bed that morning, not one. We needed the kitchen. Without wings, Shimmer wasn’t about to fly off to find food without heading down, and Jade hadn’t taken to dresses, so there was nothing to cover that bright new coat. There were no two ways about it. If Strawberry Frosting was still in the apartment, I was going to have to “fix” the situation, since I’d never explained to her what I was capable of. I’d hoped to take Smoke 101 slowly with Shimmer, but something told me learning that her new favorite “villain” had “special powers” would delight her, not scare her. Convenient, but it hurt my head.

I still didn’t really want to explain to Strawberry. If the smoke frightened her, I could fix that, too, but she wasn’t part of any of my big plans. Her life was still simple: cook, clean, occasionally get very, very messy. Somehow I liked that one of my girls didn’t have anything to hide. I wanted to keep it that way. As we left the bedroom, I told Shimmer to just wait and watch instead of coming into the kitchen with me. Her eyes lit up, and I rubbed mine. It seemed like the slightest hint of subterfuge or misbehavior got her worked up. Had I ever been so excitable?

I’d used up all of my luck the night before, having Shimmer show up to the party: Strawberry was still in the kitchen, working on another breakfast for me. No way around it. Beating around the bush really didn’t suit me anyway. I stepped in to get it over with, heading past Strawberry so she’d turn away from the door. Shimmer’s head wasn’t as hidden as I’d have liked.

Strawberry Frosting was back in one of her maid uniforms. Except when she left to run errands, I hadn’t seen her wear anything else since I hired her. Something to think about at some point. “Morning, Strawberry. Sorry for having you feed my breakfast to somepony else, but she’d have had nothing today otherwise.”

Strawberry smiled, clearly far less bothered than I would’ve been to have to prepare a second breakfast. I hoped she’d still be as chipper when she started work on a third. “It’s alright, sir! She was polite, but in an awful hurry. I didn’t get to talk with her at all! Is she going to be working for you too?”

I stepped close to Strawberry and gave her a friendly peck on the lips. “Not every pretty mare who spends the night ends up staying. And I’m glad she was polite with you. That’s two differences from Exposé, huh?”

Strawberry nodded and huffed slightly. “She didn’t have to be so rude. I’d have made her lighter toast! The yelling was worth it though, when you just frowned, then Bruises frowned and she seemed to shrink even smaller! Oh, don’t tell her I said that!”

I couldn’t help but laugh; it had been hilarious seeing ill-tempered Exposé clam up at a single glance from Bruises. Strawberry nuzzled my jaw and popped a wedge of orange into my mouth from the plate where she’d been arranging my replacement breakfast. As much as I’d have liked to enjoy it, I chewed and swallowed quickly. Strawberry was nice and close. I raised a hoof and brushed a strand of her mane away from an ear, and let the smoke seep in. No sooner had it entered the pretty maid’s head than her smile vanished, and she stood blankly where a moment before she’d been busily working. She was ready.

It was a good thing, too. She couldn’t possibly have seen the smoke from where she was hidden, but the sudden change in Strawberry’s demeanor at my touch was enough to cause Shimmer to give herself away with a loud gasp. I jerked my head to signal her to come in, but hushed her as she opened her mouth to speak. Nopony else had ever spoken while I had somepony smoked. I made a mental note to look into that. Later. Right then I just wanted to ensure Shimmer’s coat wasn’t going to cause a fuss. Oh, and my breakfast.

Shimmer’s jaw was nearly on the floor as she came to stand next to me. The scale pattern on her coat really did look nice, I had to admit. So did Strawberry. “Strawberry, Shimmer here does theater work. One of her specialties is make up. This trick she did with her coat looks great, doesn’t it?”

Strawberry Frosting nodded absently. “Great…” Shimmer looked like she was about three seconds from dancing in place with excitement, and I shot her a stern glare. She forced herself to settle, and I nodded.

“It’s nothing to get excited about. She just likes to look like this. It doesn’t mean anything beyond that.” If I hadn’t just had Shimmer all over me in bed, I’d have been tempted to give Strawberry a very different opinion of Shimmer’s coat. Right then, though, all I wanted was calm. I released the smoke.

Strawberry blinked at my hoof near her ear. “Oh. Thank you, sir. I hate it when my mane slips out from under the little bonnet.”

I smiled and set my hoof down. “No problem. I know how you hate when things are out of place. I don’t suppose I could impose on you for a third breakfast this morning, could I? Shimmering Scales here needs food too, and she is going to be working here. No sense sending her away just to have her double back, right?”

Strawberry nodded and moved the plate she’d been working on from the counter to the table. “This one’s almost done. I’ll just put two pieces of grapefruit on the next plate, and you can both have one from there!” Morning people usually frustrated me, but Strawberry somehow always got away with it.

“Sounds good to me. We’ll just wait for you.” I gestured Shimmer to the table, ignoring that she was practically vibrating.

Completely calm, Strawberry turned back to the counter, cutting another grapefruit and talking around the handle of the knife in her mouth. “That’s a neat look, Ms. Scales! I bet it makes introductions really stand out, with your name matching your coat like that.”

Shimmer wasn’t nearly as calm. Getting an awkward reply out of her took a nudge under the table. “Uh, yeah! I’m sure it wi—does! I mean, it does.”

Strawberry only blinked once at the slip up before getting back to breakfast. With the second plate on the table, she slid dishes into the sink for later, and trotted over to nuzzle my cheek with hers. “I’ll head down and make sure cleanup after the party was good enough, sir. Enjoy! And nice meeting you, Ms. Scales!”

I nodded, and Strawberry saw herself out. Shimmer immediately bounced to her hooves. “Not just my coat! You. Did. That. Powers! You have more powers! I—” Before Shimmer could start on another breathless rush, I pushed a bit of grapefruit into her mouth a little less gently than Strawberry had popped orange into mine.

The sour fruit puckered Shimmer’s lips long enough for me to cut her off. She’d been too excited over her coat to think past it, I guessed, but I had too much to do. “I’ll explain later. But yeah. And you can thank that for last night’s fun, too.”

Shimmer’s jaw dropped. “You’re not just a villain! You’re a supervillain! This is so exciting!” I sighed. Shimmer’s enthusiasm would be much more welcome if it didn’t include calling me a villain.

“I’m not! Everypony had fun. Redheart wanted to come back next year! All I did was tell her to let loose, and you that you could be one hundred percent in character.” I took half my piece of toast in one bite, frustrated.

“Um… I’m sorry.” Shimmering Scales’ ears drooped. I’d said too much, or said it too harshly; her face made that obvious. “I’m just so excited, and… is that what’s bugging you, or…?”

I groaned. I was fairly sure Shimmer wasn’t aiming for my weak spots, but she was sure hitting them. Sad mares are the worst things in all of Equestria. “No. That’s cute, though maybe not at breakfast. The problem is, I’m not a villain! I don’t mind you thinking that way if it makes you happy, but stop calling me one already! I’m mostly a pretty good guy!” I drank my orange juice guiltily, if that’s even possible, but that excited look was back in Shimmer’s eyes. I don’t know what I’d just said, but I’d made things even worse. I pretended not to notice. If she was going to keep it to herself, that was good enough.

At last, Shimmer started on her breakfast quietly, but she was all smiles again. I took the opportunity to calm down and enjoy my own, glad for peace at last. Everything was just as I liked it; no matter how she varied the meal, Strawberry always made sure the eggs were just cooked enough, the toast was just dark enough, and the fruit was fresh and tart. With Shimmer keeping her excitement to herself, I could relax and start my day properly. Having skipped out on the whole party to spend the evening with two of the guests, there was no doubt in my mind that I’d need what little peace I could get. Once Pirouette set into me, peace would be done for the day.

Breakfast and grooming behind us, Shimmer and I headed down the stairs. I stopped at the bottom, door still closed, and looked back at my new hire. “If an orange pony with a red mane starts in on me, let her go. That’s Pirouette. She’s the floor manager, choreographer, and about three other things I forget. As far as I’m concerned, if it’s not the business end of the club, she runs it; I don’t really worry about the titles so much. She’s also your partner in making these shows great, and my best friend. She can get away with stuff I don’t allow from anypony else, so keep that in mind. She’s not your boss, though. You answer to me, even for the show stuff, but I need you two working together. Don’t let it be a her or you situation, because she’s gonna win. Got it?”

Shimmering Scales nodded sharply.

“Good. Now, let’s get started. And expect some fussing. Disappearing like we did was… well, worth it since I have a new scenographer, but still rude. None of the girls are going to be very happy. Except maybe Bruises, since there’s a pretty new mare around to be her friend.”

I pushed open the door to my office and stepped to my desk, as if the snake scaled beauty behind me were a perfectly ordinary thing. For all the more Day Planner reacted, it could’ve been. Paperwork covered my desk, and Day sat at her own, glancing back only once, out of the corner of her eye. The slightest hint of a sigh escaped her lips.

“New hire, Mr. Deal?” It was almost impossible to tell the difference between sarcasm and sincerity with Day Planner, sometimes, so I usually assumed her questions were meant to be answered. It tended to net me fewer responses that were much more clearly sarcastic.

But before I could even answer, Day had a drawer open and a small stack of papers floating from it, wrapped in the glow of her horn. “Yes. Did you offer Redheart a job too, or is that only when a mare comes down with me?”

Day Planner turned, and the papers floated to my desk, facing away from me. I gestured Shimmer toward them as Day answered. “Of course not. What use do you have for a nurse? Well, besides the obvious. She was strangely interested in one spot on the floor before she rushed out.” I stole a glance at the floor where Redheart had leaked the night before, and decided not to imagine how it’d gotten so clean. “I just keep a new hire packet prepared so I don’t have to interrupt what I’m doing to make one if you do take on somepony new. Speaking of interruptions, Mr. Deal, Pirouette’s been up here twice now. She said next time she was just going to stomp into your apartment. I’ll handle any of this mare’s questions; you should go deal with Pirouette.”

I shook my head. “Normally I’d agree, but Shimmer here is a sceneographer. She’s going to be working hoof in hoof with with Pirouette, so I might as well take her with me. Pirouette will yell no matter what; I might as well have Shimmer’s paperwork out of the way first.”

Shimmer’s boundless excitement from moments before had completely vanished before Day and the new hire paperwork. “Um… pleased to meet you, miss…”

Day faced Shimmer, finally acknowledging the scale pattern in Shimmer’s fur. This sigh was a fair bit heavier. “Day Planner. I’m Mr. Deal’s secretary. If you need anything that doesn’t relate to the shows themselves, come to me.” Shimmer was halfway through a nod when Day Planner turned to me. “Honestly, sir, scales? Pirouette will shout you deaf. How do you expect to keep that hidden? Put her in a dress all day every day?”

To my relief, Shimmer interjected before I could say that that was exactly what I’d had in mind. “Makeup is one of my specialties, Ms. Planner. I’ve got some powder used on stage for making ponies’ coats different colors for different roles. Not many popular actors with very dark coats. Sort of like dye, but it washes out far more easily! This… won’t be a problem at all.” Shimmer’s assertiveness had lasted most of the way through that. I’d have to ask her about that later.

Day Planner nodded, apparently satisfied. “If that gets the job done. And please call me Day. I realize I’m a little… terse, but I’m not your boss, so there’s no need for the formality.” Day cracked a smile at last, and Shimmer seemed to relax.

“See, Day? You can smile if you try. Your face won’t crack.” Pirouette was going to give me hell in a few minutes. I wanted to have a little fun first.

Day’s smile vanished and she turned to me. “Perhaps if you didn’t give me so many reasons to scowl, Mr. Deal, I’d smile more often.”

I winced. Again, Day’s deadpan made it hard to tell if she was joking or not. I added “Talk to Deep Tissue” to my list. If Day was unhappy, her sister would know best how to smooth things over. And I suspected Pirouette was going to leave me in need of a massage.

Day floated a quill over to Shimmer and got out the ledger. “Facial expressions aside, Mr. Deal, what do you have in mind for Shimmering’s salary?”

I leaned back in my seat and thought for a moment. Shimmer wouldn’t have to manage anypony, but costumes, scenery, lighting, effects, makeup… she was in for a lot of work. “Take Pirouette’s pay, and knock off all the raises for time with us, good work, that kind of thing. Shimmer and Pirouette are going to be roughly equal I think.”

Day Planner nodded. “Seems a little high, but not so much that it’s unfair. That said, sir, we’re going to be running into issues with funds. Last night’s party didn’t help matters. You can do this, but you need the shows to start bringing in more money, or find a new revenue stream in the short term if you’re going to keep making investments in…”

Day trailed off, glancing at Shimmer. Of course she’d hesitate. “It’s fine, Day. Shimmer doesn’t have all the details yet, but she’s… ‘inner circle’ sounds so corny, but you get the idea.” Day Planner just nodded, but Shimmering Scales got that look in her eye again, and I could’ve sworn she bounced in place for just a second.

“Alright, then. Well, your investments in the Trotties’ honest businesses are doing better since you had the meeting with Desert Rose and refocused a bit, but they’re still not bringing anything in. It’s too soon, but—”

I cut Day off. I didn’t need an explanation of business itself. “It’s too soon for returns; they’re still establishing themselves, but with the club’s expenses, new hires, and trying to rebuild the theater, I’m overextending. I know. How long?”

Day frowned at a graph she’d apparently made without being asked, and floated that over to me. “Months at most, sir. Shimmering Scales’ pay will shave off a little more. After that, you’re either taking a loan to make payroll, or laying somepony off.”

It was my turn to frown. As long as I’d run The Tall Tail, nopony had ever been laid off. Transferred behind the bar if they got a little old for the stage, maybe, but that’d only happened once, and she’d been ready to go part time anyway. Nopony was losing her job if I could help it.

“Got it, Day. Bring in more money. I’ll take care of it.” Day Planner simply nodded, and collected the paperwork Shimmer had completed.

“No doubt you will, Mr. Deal.” She turned to Shimmer and smiled again. “Despite his shortcomings, Mr. Deal really is a reliable employer, Shimmer. At least, when I keep him sufficiently busy.”

I sighed. “Don’t go filling her head with horror stories, Day, please? Pirouette will take care of that.”

Day scoffed and turned back to her work. “You’d be surprised, Mr. Deal. Speaking of Pirouette, now that Shimmering Scales is formally hired, you’d best go introduce them. And do be ready for a lecture. Pirouette had to make excuses for your absence no fewer than seven times last night.”

I winced again. “Come on, Shimmer. Your first day might be a little rough thanks to our first night.”

Her expression nervous again, Shimmer followed me from the office to the show floor, looking around at The Tall Tail in its more normal state as we headed down. That exploring eye saved my face from a flying ballet shoe, as she caught it just an inch or two from my face. Pirouette was yelling before we even reached the bottom of the stairs.

“You have got an awful lot of nerve, Done Deal! If you want to date, that’s your business. If you want to sleep around, you could at least try to be more subtle about it! But if you’re going to leave me holding the bag when you do, you have got another thing coming!” Pirouette’s ears were flat against her head, and her eyes were wet. Strawberry was nowhere to be seen. Pirouette’s mood had probably convinced her to clean in the back first.

This wasn’t going to be a quick fix. I hadn’t really planned on spending the whole night, or even the whole evening upstairs, but telling Pirouette I’d only meant to have a couple of quickies really wasn’t going to do the job. Even if it would’ve, I hated seeing her on the verge of tears. My own ears sank.

“Done, on the way in this morning, that shrew who runs the restaurant next door stopped me. She went on and on about how The Tall Tail was a horrible place, how she’d love to see it knocked down, and you and me out on the street! She’d heard about the party. Done, if you ruin my girls’ reputations… I don’t know what I’ll do!” And there were the tears. Still, she hadn’t threatened to quit. It was fixable, and I was starting to get an idea of how.

“Are the girls upset too, Pirouette?” I wanted to hug her, but it seemed early for that. Better to learn where everything lay. I took the ballet shoe from Shimmer’s magical grip and climbed down the last few stairs to Pirouette. She snatched the shoe back angrily before continuing.

“Oh, they thought it was funny!” Pirouette’s hurt turned to frustration. “The big boss pony who’s always a perfect gentlecolt with them, heading upstairs for a night with two mares he’d never met before! One of them actually thinks you just took them up to look like you’re interested in ladies! I’d laugh if I weren’t so angry!”

Somewhere in the back of my head, I frowned that some of my girls thought I wasn’t interested in the mares, but that was just confusing, not a problem. The problem was in front of me. And still going.

Pirouette jabbed a hoof at Shimmering Scales, who sidled behind me. “And what’s she still doing here? The other had the decency to scoot when I glared at—Done Deal! What did you do to her fur?”

I hoped Redheart wouldn’t take Pirouette’s temper as a cancellation of her invitation for next year. It was honestly a little impressive that Pirouette was so angry she hadn’t noticed Shimmering Scales’ coat. I wished she’d taken a bit longer, though. Noticing now meant I had to deal with that, and not Pirouette’s anger. “She can’t very well go anywhere right now. This is her first day on the job. Pirouette, meet Shimmering Scales.” I sighed in anticipation of what would come after what I was about to say. “She’s your new partner down here. She’s a scenographer.”

Pirouette stepped up an inch from my muzzle, glaring. “Done Deal, have you lost your mind? You sleep with some mare and give her the second most important job on the floor? She’ll ruin the whole damn show!”

Shouting in my face was close to crossing the line, even for Pirouette, but I forced the smoke back down and kept my calm, reminding myself that I’d probably feel the same in Pirouette’s place, at least about the hiring. I didn’t give an inch, though. Chatting with Shimmer in bed was about to pay off.

“Pirouette, do you remember the musical I took you to for your birthday last year? ‘Wretched,’ it was called. You said the stage was amazing. You said you wished we could afford costumes like that for our girls.”

In spite of herself, Pirouette backed off a step and looked between Shimmering Scales and myself. “She worked on that?” The tears slowed way down, to my relief.

I shook my head. “No, she worked on the performance of ‘A Gentlecolt’s Guide to Doves and Girders.’ That musical about romance on a construction site. The one that you wanted to see, but was sold out.”

Pirouette’s eyes widened. “That won a Pony Award!”

Shimmer poked her head forward and timidly offered, “It… actually won several. Including best costumes. That was me.”

Pirouette stared. Step one accomplished: distraction. “She’s a great addition, Pirouette. I’m not going to demand she work for us alone, so she won’t even be here all the time, but think of the shows you could put on with her handling the stage for you!”

Before Pirouette could reply, Shimmer poked my side. “I’d actually like to just work for you. The things you’re into… I’ll just tell offers that I’m taking some time to work on lower key things. My pranks got a little out of hoof on a few shows, so some will probably be relieved, and the ones that aren’t will get it. Working on Pony nominee acts burns a lot of us out.”

Uh-oh. Pirouette wasn’t as star struck as I’d thought; an eyebrow went up the instant Shimmer said “pranks.”

“I won’t have pranks ruining any of my shows, Done!” Pirouette glared at me, but at least the topic was still Shimmer, and not the party. Why was I the one being glared at though? Shimmering Scales was the one mentioning pranks!

She was also the one with an incredibly sincere expression of horror on her face at the mention of ruining a show. “Oh, no, no Pirouette! I’d never! It’s backstage stuff, or a little fun at rehearsal when ponies are getting cranky. I’d never risk the show itself!”

Shimmer sidled closer to me again as Pirouette stared at her appraisingly.

“What about pranks on Done? He’s earned a few.” Pirouette’s tone was icy enough that I suspected what she had in mind would not be the “everypony has a good laugh” type of prank, but if it got me credit toward forgiveness…

Shimmer was looking at me nervously, not sure she wanted to risk my bad side. I sighed. “I have earned a few, and I do have a sense of humor. Usually. Just not in front of customers, or when Day’s riding me to get paperwork done, alright?”

Pirouette wiped at her soaked eyes and muzzle, while Shimmer looked between us, confused. I gestured at Pirouette. “I told you, Shimmer. She’s my best friend. She can afford to pick on me, and when I buck up, she’s the only pony in the world who’s allowed to make me pay for it. If a little revenge is going to smooth things over, you two have your fun. I’ll live.”

Pirouette poked me in the chest, hard. “It might help smooth things over, Done, but I still had to deal with the humiliation from that lousy restaurateur next door. I’m just glad she kept her voice down. Imagine if word got out!”

“What if I got her to apologize to you, Pirouette? Profusely.” I think on some level, Pirouette knew what I had in mind, and wasn’t letting herself think about it.

“You’re going to have to apologize too, Done.” She sat and folded her forelegs, but the discussion was over; the first dancer had just slipped in for rehearsal. I decided showing Shimmer around could wait, and led her back upstairs to plan, sighing at the sound of the dancer below consoling Pirouette over my having made her cry.

Day Planner read my face as soon as Shimmer and I stepped back into the office. “Honestly, Mr. Deal, the time you’d save by not upsetting Pirouette would let you finish your work and take twice as many breaks as you do now.” She wasn’t letting up either. Nothing she said or did implied it, really, but I was pretty convinced that riding me was her way of taking Pirouette’s side.

“Maybe, but she’s an awful lot of fun to harass. This is different. She’s not bothered, she’s angry, and maybe hurt, too. This wasn’t on purpose.” I felt guilty, still. Pirouette in tears was on a short list of things I really couldn’t take.

Day Planner finished scribbling something on a sheet of paper and came to stand beside me, actually pushing away my paperwork. “I should hope not. What are you going to do about it, Mr. Deal? As little as I want delays in the paperwork, particularly with payroll in front of you, I honestly believe allowing this problem to stand is worse.”

Shimmer had been quietly waiting for me to address her since I’d had her wait, and I was grateful for her patience. Anypony not against me felt comforting. When she broke her silence to take my side, though, I wished she hadn’t. “I think he smoothed over a lot of it already, agreeing to have pranks played on him.”

Poor Shimmer, trying to defend her boss from the soft-spoken dragon of the office. Day turned to her, utterly calm, and started advancing on my new hire step by step. “Do you? How many of those pranks have you pulled? Has Pirouette laughed at any of them? Has Pirouette even smiled? Has she received an apology from Primavera yet? Has she even gotten Mr. Deal’s apology?”

I blinked. Nopony had said anything about Primavera or her restaurant. “Day, did Pirouette—”

“Tell me all about it, in full, on both of her trips up here?” Day Planner hadn’t even turned to look at me; her eyes were still on Shimmering Scales, who had begun to back away from Day Planner’s menacing-but-not behavior. If Day wanted to take Pirouette’s side, that was fine, but Pirouette was angry with me, not Shimmer.

“Easy, Day. Don’t scare her off.” This was turning into an extraordinarily tiring day.

Day Planner blinked at me, then looked back at Shimmering Scales, where she sat wide-eyed. “My point is, Mr. Deal’s word is good, but it’s still just talk until he does something. And right now, nopony has done anything.” Day turned back to me. “Mr. Deal, how do you plan on getting an apology out of Primavera? I’m more than familiar with her. Whatever it takes, she deserves, but she won’t apologize easily.”

I pulled back the paper Day had pushed away, and signed off on the dancers’ pay as I spoke, hiding my surprise at Day’s reaction. “The same way I intend to add a revenue stream. She’s refused to sell more than once, and always acted sweet as you please until I was alone with her to talk business, and then the fangs come out. She’s a snake, and now she’s gone and hurt Pirouette.” I thanked my lucky stars that Day chose to ignore the elephant in the room. “She doesn’t get a say anymore. Tonight, she’s going to have a major change of heart.”

Day nodded. “I see. A second revenue stream, at a bargain.”

I shook my head. “More than that. A merger. We’ll cut a door in the wall, and our patrons get access to dining; hers get the attraction of live entertainment if they choose to sit on this side, and a better wine list if they don’t. I’ve seen hers; the mare probably thinks hard water is too strong for drinking.”

Day Planner finally smiled. “Very good. Not only a new revenue stream, but a synergy. And I have no doubt she’ll be willing to apologize by morning.” Day took the payroll authorization from my desk, and scooped up the rest of the day’s work as well. “I’ll stay late and get this boiled down for you for tomorrow, Mr. Deal. You have other planning to do.”

I scratched my ear. “You never stay late, barring emergencies.”

Day’s smile got wider—the widest I’d seen since she introduced Deep Tissue as her little sister. “Pirouette aside, Mr. Deal, I have a personal interest in this. Consider it my amusement for tonight.”

I stared a moment. “What’d she do to you?”

Day’s toothy grin remained as she shook her head. “You weren’t my first employer, Mr. Deal. There are other places in town I could’ve tried to become a dancer. I chose here because it made Primavera so angry when you tried to buy her out. She’s awful to her staff. If I may, sir… I want to see her writhe.”

I blinked, openly startled. “That’s… honest.”

Day just shrugged. “Sugar coating it wastes time.”

* * * * *

I’d brought Shimmer back up to my apartment to plot with me. She’d looked over her shoulder toward the office more than once on the way up the stairs. “She’s… scary.”

I couldn’t help but agree. “She’s an amazing secretary, though, and I’ve never seen her like that. Maybe Primavera has this coming. What do you think of scaring her straight before the smoke?”

Shimmering’s head snapped up. “It’s all about the outfit, and how you’re grouped up! If you do it right, you can play vil—uh… gangster? And she won’t even want to put up a fight! Will your bouncer from last night be around? She’s perfect in her tux, and you in yours… might want to bring a few more ponies. After hours, right? When she’s locking up? Witnesses would be terrible. Oh, and I’ll need an evening gown—a normal one. Think I can borrow one from your outfits? Something’s bound to fit! I’ll just—”

I cut Shimmer off, shaking my head in disbelief. “You’ve got this all planned out already?”

Shimmer nodded so hard she’d have cracked her horn if it’d caught on anything. “Of course! It’s not that different from a Ponysher comic I once read! Well, mixed with Power Ponies, thanks to your smoke stuff. Anyway, I’ve got it all figured out! You just leave it to me!”

That was not what I’d had in mind for “planning,” but hey. I was never one to complain when things worked in my favor. I grabbed myself a snack, and headed back down to the office where, to my amazement, Day Planner was smiling.

I stood in the door and gave Day a suspicious stare. “Either Tartarus has frozen over, or you just won a lifetime supply of three ring binders.”

My blood ran cold when Day actually laughed. Not just her usual snicker, either: a sincere, happy laugh. “Oh, you have no idea, Mr. Deal. Shimmering Scales promised me a front row seat to putting Primavera in her place, and all I have to do is act chilly. Be honest. Is there any way I could fail?”

I shook my head, still staring in disbelief. “Not unless you’re still giddy like this. What in Equestria has gotten into you, Day?”

Day Planner just kept smiling as she moved to return to her work. “Primavera was awful, Mr. Deal. Tartarus is too good for her. I really don’t want to say any more, but I am going to enjoy this.”

I needed to find Shimmering Scales and make sure this plan of hers was going to fly. The mare was getting way ahead of herself. Before I could leave the office though, Day had all the paperwork she’d reclaimed earlier floating back to my desk.

“Since the plans are made, and Shimmering Scales is taking care of them, Mr. Deal, why not get this out of the way? It shouldn’t take as long; I already trimmed it down a fair bit.”

I gave the office door a concerned glance, hoping Shimmer wasn’t making a huge mess of things, but I sat down. Day wasn’t an idiot, and if she was this happy, I didn’t want to change plans for nothing. I just wished I felt as comfortable. There was an easy fix for stress, though. “Day? It’s a bit of a favor, since you wanted to stay, but when you wrap up today’s work, would you mind heading over to your sister’s parlor and telling her I could use a massage over here?”

Day slid papers off to the side and rose immediately. “I’m already working on tomorrow’s while I wait for this evening, and I need to get Deep over here for tonight anyway. She and Shimmer will be escorting you.”

I blinked and opened my mouth to ask just what the the plan was that it called for a masseuse, but Day Planner was already halfway out the door. With a sigh, I turned back my unfinished work, praying to Celestia, Luna, and anypony else who might listen that it wasn’t a huge mistake to trust Shimmering Scales with this when I barely knew her.

* * * * *

I was starting on the next to last pile of paperwork Day had given back when she came back, Deep Tissue in tow, with that sashay she always seemed to use if she knew I was watching. I couldn’t help but smile. Say what you will about modesty and propriety, having a mare show off for you is always a mood lifter—and not many mares could show off like Deep Tissue.

Not even all the way to her desk, Day Planner swept the paperwork from mine, her horn glowing. “I’ll take these back, sir. Why don’t you go with Deep Tissue to your apartment and destress. If you look nervous tonight, it’ll ruin Shimmer’s plan. By the time you’re done, I should have it down to a few signatures needed.”

Day was really looking forward to whatever the plan was, if she was taking that much work off of my plate. “You sure, Day? Efficient or not, you always insist I handle budgetary decisions.”

Day Planner nodded. “Those are your responsibility, sir. Keeping you efficient and taking your responsibilities aren’t the same thing. This is a special circumstance, and I’m sure I can handle it.”

I was sure too, but the farther from normal things shifted in the name of Shimmer’s great plan, the more nervous I got. As I rose and opened the door to my apartment, Day added one more thing.

“Sir, I explained the smoke to Deep. In case you need to use it tonight.”

I actually tripped following Deep up the first stairs, my muzzle squishing a flank before I caught myself. Deep, lascivious as always, cooed as if I’d copped a feel, but I didn’t share her amusement. I turned and stuck my head back into the office. “She’s your sister, and I trust her, but we’ll talk about this later, Day. I decide who knows about that!”

To my surprise, Day Planner actually looked cowed. I’d never seen that from her before, and had no idea how to handle it. Her response was as uncharacteristic. “Of course sir. It seemed unavoidable tonight, and I wanted to save you the time, that’s all.”

I sighed. My thunder was completely stolen. “We’ll discuss it later, Day. And don’t worry too much. Right idea, wrong execution. It’s not a disaster.” Dear Celestia, did I ever need that massage. I shut the door and turned back toward Deep Tissue and her seductive smile.

Deep’s sashay was full on seduction, moving her tail just enough to put on a show as we headed up the stairs. It was laid on thick even for her. I supposed having my muzzle pressed against her rear had gotten her going, and did my best to concentrate on the way up as she chatted out how much more she enjoyed kneading at my body than anypony else’s. By the time I was laying on my bed though, I’d begun to get stiff, concentration or not, and having Deep start by straddling my back led my mind in the wrong direction.

My mind was yanked violently back into the right direction when after a couple of cursory rubs, Deep pushed hard near my spine, and I nearly screamed in pain. I tried to turn to face her, and the pain came again, worse. I bit into my pillow and roared in agony, my hind legs thrashing.

“You’re why. You’re why, aren’t you?” Deep Tissue’s voice was cracking. “Why Day comes home at night and spends even more time planning out tomorrow. Why when I suggested she call in sick and we go have fun, just once, she acted like I’d confessed to murder. Why she says she has sex with you almost every day, but ‘it’s nothing exciting, just keeping Mr. Deal on track!’” Deep pushed on both sides of my spine, hard, and I thrashed, screaming into my pillow.

She already knew. Day’s big mouth had given Deep everything she needed to play judge and jury, and for all the agony she was causing knowing just where to push, I was certain she was up to executioner. Arguing would only make it worse. I gasped for breath, and managed to spit out, “Yes.”

I could’ve sworn I heard a sob and felt a teardrop on my back before the pain started again. I didn’t bother muffling it anymore; I needed help. Any move I made just resulted in more pain than I could take.

“I hate this. Oh, Celestia, I’ve never hated anything so much in my life!” That time I was sure I felt tears falling on me. “I love making you feel good; this is horrible!”

I opened my mouth to try to talk Deep down, but she just pushed again, and all that came out was another scream. When my door burst open and Day Planner rushed in, I’d never been so relieved in my life. Her sister’s appearance seemed to spur Deep Tissue on, though, and she pushed with both hooves, causing me to thrash underneath her again.

Day rushed over and shoved her sister off of my back, leaving me gasping and wiping away a tear or two of my own. Her ears were laid flat against her head, and she was shouting far louder than she ever had at me. “Deep Tissue have you lost your mind? What in Tartarus are you doing?”

Deep Tissue was still in tears, and now that I could turn to look without being tortured, Deep was a mess. Soaked eyes, tears dripping from her muzzle, mane tousled, I guessed from hanging her head while she was making me scream. I had no idea how she’d managed to hide all of that long enough to get me alone, but I definitely didn’t like where this was going.

“No! You’ve lost yours, because of him!” Deep Tissue thrust a hoof at me accusingly, and Day Planner sighed. I took the opportunity to roll onto my back and step onto the floor, wincing at the hurt spots on my back.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Deal. You were right; I shouldn’t have told her about it, obviously. She seemed to handle it awfully well. I suppose you’ll have to smoke her, now.” Day Planner’s tone was purely apologetic. She wasn’t bothered by the idea of my filling her little sister with smoke; she was bothered that she’d messed up and caused me an inconvenience.

Deep Tissue looked at Day Planner in horror. Apparently that was a line she didn’t believe that Day would cross. Smoking Deep was efficient, though; of course Day Planner would suggest it. I was grateful she mentioned it though. It let me play the nice pony.

“It doesn’t have to be like that. Day, you’re not unhappy, are you? You only complain when I give you a reason, not about the work itself.” Despite lingering pain in my back, I sat down and did my best to seem like the reasonable one in the room.

Day Planner didn’t take her eyes off of Deep Tissue. I was grateful for that, too. I needed to come off as still trusting, but frankly, I’d have been a lot more comfortable with Bruises sitting on Deep Tissue just then.

Focused on her sister or not, Day did at least sound surprised. “Why would I be? I’ve got my work, you pay me well, you respect my opinions and my advice, you—”

Deep Tissue angrily cut Day off. “You ride her and she never even feels it! All she thinks about is work!”

“Neither of those is true. I feel every thrust, I just don’t climax. I need to keep focused so he can get back to work. And I think about work quite a bit, but not all the time. We go out every weekend, Deep! And often during the week as well!”

Deep kept frowning, but her tone softened a sliver. Not enough for me to be comfortable, to be sure. She righted herself on the bed from where Day had shoved her, but didn’t pursue me. “Whatever he did messed you up so badly you can’t even come, Day! How is that okay?”

Day Planner and Deep argued back and forth at each other while wheels turned in my head. What had I actually done to Day? I didn’t actually say she couldn’t ever climax. Just that she couldn’t enjoy it while trying to keep me working. If my goal was her pleasure, instead of mine…

“She can come.”

Both mares stared at me, and Day was just as astonished as her sister. If I blew this, I could still smoke Deep. I knew that was the safer choice anyway, but up until Day had spoiled it, Deep was in the same situation as Strawberry. I guess I was trying to keep her halfway there.

“I said she can come. The only reason she can’t is because it’d slow us down in the office. If she wants to, all she has to do is say so. Efficient when the goal is getting her off would mean enjoying it way more. Efficient when the goal is a long, slow, gentle ride would be keeping it at a simmer until the end. Efficient all depends on what you’re trying to accomplish, doesn’t it, Day?”

Was that a trickle I saw running down Day’s thigh? Both mares were staring again, though this time it was a different look in their eyes—Deep looked conflicted, and Day Planner looked more than a little eager.

Deep Tissue sounded dubious. “Just like that? Just because it’s not for you, she’ll finally come?

I sighed. “Deep, I’m not trying to torture anypony. Day’s an amazing secretary.”

“Thanks to you! Maybe you’ll make me a secretary next!” Deep Tissue had certainly overcome her surprise quickly.

Day Planner moved to stand between Deep Tissue and me. “Deep, look at my flank. You’re the one who always told me I needed to be realistic! That dancing was barely a chance before… before.” Day had hesitated there, gotten quieter. “All Mr. Deal did was keep me from quitting and wasting my life breaking my own heart. You even said so, when I had you come back to town! You were thrilled that I was finally going to do what I was best at!”

I rubbed at a still sore spot on my back. “Look, Deep. Yes, I kept her from going. I also made you love massaging me.” Deep Tissue’s eyes bulged. It hadn’t even occurred to her. “For the record, I didn’t make you mount me. The only time I’ve ever touched you with the smoke was to make you enjoy making me feel good. You took that your way. If Day’s really not happy, I’ll find a way to fix that. Some crazy power landed in my lap, but I’m not out to make ponies suffer. Think how happy you’ve been.”

Deep tried to march past Day, who stepped into her way. Blocked, she glared past her sister at me. “You’re messing with our heads! You made my sister like this, Done! You took away her free will!”

Day Planner had had enough. “Are you even listening to yourself, Deep? You know how much I hound him! I’m nopony’s puppet! Like I said just seconds ago, you were thrilled I was finally happy with what I’m best at! He’s given me the best salary, the most trust, the most respect of anypony who’s ever employed me! I don’t even think of dancing anymore! Do you have any idea how much better I sleep at night, not dreaming of things I’ll never be able to do? If anypony short of Celestia can be trusted with this, it’s him!”

Deep Tissue recoiled at Day’s anger. Her brow furrowed, she looked between Day Planner and myself and bit her lip. The uncertain, cute look played just as well with her features as the smoking siren look she wore most of the time. “You can really let her come again?”

I blinked, and Day seemed to rub her hind legs together. “You’re really hung up on that, aren’t you?” Not what I should’ve said, I’m sure.

“You’ve met me right?” Deep Tissue’s tone was exasperated. “I love my work, even when it’s not you, because I get to touch. It’s no different from you; you spend all day looking at beautiful mares. How would you feel if your little sister never got off?”

I damn near said “Relieved,” considering my sister’s coltfriends in school, but managed to bite my tongue. “That’s fair. So, what? I prove that Day can enjoy it anytime, and we forget this ever happened?”

Pacing back and forth, Deep was still conflicted. “You’re really going to get Primavera for her?”

I was losing my patience. Deep Tissue was all over the map. “What does that have to do with—”

Deep stamped a petite hoof as hard as she could. “Just answer!”

“Yes. Nopony’s let me in on the plans, and I don’t know what the grudge is, but I’ll make sure Primavera’s put in her place.”

Deep sighed, and rubbed at her still damp muzzle. “That… would be a very good use of that kind of power.”

I sighed, relieved. “Finally. Forget about the massage; whatever you did is going to need time to heal.” Turning to leave, I said, “C’mon, Day, let’s—”

“Hey! You didn’t keep your promise!” I turned back and saw Deep glaring and pointing at Day Planner. I couldn’t believe it.

“Now?”

Day Planner still had her hind legs pressed together. “I… would very much appreciate it, Mr. Deal.” I don’t think I’d ever seen Day look quite so mousy. From such a stern mare, it was cute, despite the angrily glaring sister.

I walked back over to Day and patted her mane, trying to ignore Deep. “What’s got you so worked up, Day?”

Day Planner looked annoyed at having to explain. “It’s as she says. I haven’t gotten off for months. The very idea of it! I wasn’t interested in other stallions after you.”

Deep Tissue sighed, “I understand that…” I continued to ignore her.

“Sorry, Day. I really didn’t mean to make life hard on you li—” again I was cut off in my own bedroom.

“With all due respect, Mr. Deal… apologize while you’re bucking me.” Day’s expression was all business again. I stifled a snicker.

I gestured for Day to hop up onto the bed, and followed her as she lowered her front and raised her rear, lifting her tail for me. As a warning, I told both mares, “I may need to use the smoke again. I don’t know.”

Day simply nodded, but Deep Tissue marched closer to the bed. “I’m watching you.”

Wonderful. An audience. I stroked Day’s mane as I mounted her, and nibbled on her ear. “We’ve never done it your way, Day. Let me know what you—woah!”

I was out of the sheathe, but still barely stiffening, and Day just slid the whole of me in, her horn shining brightly in front of me as she clamped her insides around my shaft.

“After all this time, Mr. Deal? As rough as you can be!” Deep Tissue staggering forward in shock was a satisfying sight from the corner of my eye. Already inside, and with Day more than ready, I was stiff in no time at all.

Despite Day’s request, I started slowly, not wanting to risk hurting her. A nibble at her ear got it yanked away, though. Day Planner slammed her hindquarters backward, staggering me a bit on the bed. She was in charge, underneath or not, and each word was punctuated by the slam of her body against mine. “That’s! Not! What! I! Want!”

Thoroughly convinced, and not wanting to be bucked off completely, I took hold and began thrusting back, pounding the slender mare far harder than I’d imagined—and she loved it. Day Planner tilted her head back, biting at my neck just barely shy of painfully, and we rocked the bed back and forth hard enough to make it squeak in protest. Smoke swirled as I got rougher in return, and I pressed it down, not wanting an accident.

Day pressed her face against my throat, more scraping than nuzzling. I tried nibbling again, but bit just a tad harder than I’d imagine enjoying. Day Planner didn’t pull away this time, but reached back, clutching the back of my head, and pulling us both down as she let her other leg out from under her. She was driven into the mattress by my weight, and I was driven into her, my cock slamming hard against her depths.

Before I could even worry that she was hurt, Day Planner screamed, “Yes!” and pushed back hard enough to lift me. I scrambled to stand so I could thrust again, and drove her into the bed, hard. Day Planner moaned into the mattress and pushed up again, clamping tightly around my cock, and grinding herself against me, her slit inching closer and closer to my balls, causing me to gasp and moan myself.

That moment of weakness was all Day Planner needed. Holding me tight inside, she rolled us, landing me on my back and her on top, riding. From below, I could see Day’s expression—the tidy, fastidious secretary was completely wanton, her mouth hanging open as she bounced hard on my shaft, wet noises and squeaks from the bed competing to be heard. I bucked up, gripping Day’s flanks to pull her down, and Day threw back her head, short mane sticking to sweat in front as she gasped out an “ahhh” interrupted by our bodies colliding. The smoke was harder and harder to manage as it whirled in response to the rough bucking. I struggled to keep it controlled.

Day threw herself forward, kissing so roughly I winced as her horn poked my forehead. Her tongue pushed through my lips almost as roughly, and muffled “mmm”s joined the squeaking and the sounds of our bodies. Kissing stopped the rough slamming, but Day ground against my shaft the entire time, until at last she broke the kiss, gasping, “It’s not enough! So close, Mr. Deal! Like Jade! Like Strawberry! Tha-that’s what I want!”

I blanked for a second, looked up at her confused, but the instant I made the connection, I let the smoke go and rolled us over again, Day pinned beneath me, and thrust harder still. Day grunted with every thrust, but the smile on her face was unmistakable. I clamped my own mouth over hers, and blew a little of the churning smoke in as I reached my climax, spurting over and over into Day’s squirming, twitching body pinned below. She bulged and overflowed, my cum pouring over her ass and onto her tail below as I broke the kiss and we gasped in each other’s grasp, panting as the seed kept flowing.

Day Planner struggled to speak, half addled by sex and half by the puff of smoke. “Sh… so gud…” I smiled a little at Day’s poor diction, and stroked her cheek before turning my head to Deep Tissue, whose eyes were the size of saucers, and whose jaw was on the floor.

“I… uh…”

I finally quit squirting into Deep Tissue’s sister, and as Day’s head rolled her direction, eyes glassy, expression halfway between elated and ridiculous, Deep managed to speak.

“I… you didn’t do that to her! I was watching! No wispy smoke, no magic sparkles, nothing! That’s what my big sister likes?”

I struggled to catch my breath, still pinning Day Planner, who seemed perfectly content with it. I’d much rather be enjoying the after glow than talking to anypony. “You heard her ask for it. You saw her love it.”

Day Planner obviously still wasn’t thinking clearly as she nuzzled at my leg and murmured, “Ohhh, loved it…”

I laughed and brushed some of Day’s stuck on mane away from her face. “Satisfied now, Deep? Yeah, I’ve got this power. I’m not shy about using it. But I want my girls happy. If Day had said anything, this would’ve happened long ago. Instead, you tried to kill me in my bedroom.” I couldn’t help but scowl at Deep Tissue, remembering the pain she’d had me in.

Deep hung her head. “I really thought you were doing something awful…”

Day was starting to squirm underneath me. I pushed all the way in once more, and with a high pitched noise, she curled her front half around a leg and started nibbling. That didn’t make lecturing Deep Tissue any easier.

“I kept my secretary. Yeah, she works harder now, but have you ever heard her complain? I take care of my girls, Deep. That means you, too. Have you ever had a better job? Better pay? Better boss?”

Deep Tissue sighed. “I’m sorry. I guess if you’re taking care of your girls, and fixing Primavera’s wagon… I trust you.”

That was what I’d wanted to hear, but after the pain, it wasn’t quite enough. None of my girls had ever actually turned on me before. “We’ll figure it out. I’m not happy right now, Deep.” I finally eased out of and off of Day Planner, and headed toward the door. “You two know more about what’s going on tonight than I do. You’re in the know now, Deep. I need to rely on you. Take care of your sister while I clean up.”

I walked out of the room, carefully balancing calm and angry in my stride. Deep’s behavior had been uncalled for, and it had me on edge. I was grateful for Day’s libido and even her tastes; they were the stress relievers Deep Tissue hadn’t been.

* * * * *

“Done, Shimmering is going to work out after all. I didn’t like her recommendation for the show’s scenery, so she explained it. I still didn’t like it, so she tried again. I still didn’t like it, so she just did it while I wasn’t looking! When I finished yelling at her… she was right. The left side of the stage doesn’t look so bright now, but she didn’t touch the lighting! Just a little paint in the right spot!”

I’d managed to get cleaned up and back to looking busy in my office before Shimmer returned from whatever her preparations were. It turned out that she’d found time to impress Pirouette as well.

Shimmer looked quite pleased with herself, and I had to admit, if she’d gotten Pirouette into a better mood she deserved to be. I smiled at her. “Great work, Shimmer.” I made a mental note to praise her better later, but for once, my show was my number two concern. “Did you tell her about tonight?”

Pirouette answered for Shimmer, shaking her head. “I stopped her. When she told me how much Day hates Primavera, I decided to let you do what you want… but let’s just keep me out of it, okay? Except for the apology. I still want that.”

I nodded. “You’ll get it. Better head down and get ready for the show, though. Shimmer still needs to explain the plan to me.” Pirouette nodded and turned to head down. As soon as she was out the door, Shimmer began to explain.

Just what I was afraid of: it was straight out of a comic book.