Context

Day 52½

“So, she went off on how humans defile everything they touch and went on to say that you were less than animals...” Verde finished telling Jason what just happend.

Verde’s time with Tan had shocked her into realizing the town might actually dislike humans. Maybe she spent too much time painting over the years to notice or she just never bothered to listen, but she was stunned that her oldest friend found the prospect of Jason by himself offencive.

“Not going to lie Verde, thats kinda what I have come to expect...” Jason trailed off, pouring her another glass of water.

“Can you explain it to me? Maybe I am missing somthing...” Verde asked Jason, taking a sip of the water.

"Wait, you never noticed the lack of humans in town or the rather blatant hate?" Jason inquisitively looked at Verde.

Verde did notice it, but she really never cared OR thought it was as bad as Tan had laid it out to her. In between working on her art and her hunt for a herd the last two years since she left school, she thought it was more just an abstract concept that she never stared in the face. Now it was staring at her in the face. She never asked herself why humans and ponies never tried to pair off here, unlike the stories she read about star crossed lovers taking on griffin and minotaur mates, then she realized all the authors came from the middle regions of Equestria, Canterlot, Las Pegasus, and Fillydelphia. She started to go over the times her friend Tan would make off color jokes about humans. Then she started remembering even her own mother had made a joke about how many humans it took to replace a candle.

“Well for one thing, we are pretty far from the core of Equestrian civilization. It’s going to have different perspective on a few things at least.” Jason spoke, seeing that she was silent, just looking straight into a wall.

“When we first came here, the company I work for tried to get us a office in the middle of Trottington, but your city council passed a law banning any human owned cooperation from buying land. Then we tried to implement a system of solar powered wireless broadband stations, but yet again, the city banned their use because of the ‘solar powered’ part, apparently, we were mocking the sun goddess by using her light for anything other than illuminating the world. So, we moved to getting the standard system of wires being run from here to a local town that was connected, and they stopped us yet again by making it illegal for any human company to rent the right to run datalines underneath the town. Thats when we got the Equestrian Government involved. They came in and now, we can run our wires though unincorporated Trottington. Right at the edge, we were given permission from the national government to set up our compound and right now, we are using line of sight lasers to communicate with the essential government buildings that we were commissioned to get internet to. But the locals lost, and have been raw about it ever since.” Jason finished explaining.

“But, I don’t understand, why they would not want you guys here in the first place?” Verde questioned.

“It might just be the local customs, notice there isn't any other race here besides ponies? Even Appleloosa has Bison and Diamond Dog traders. Not here...” Jason trailed off.

“So, the humans did nothing wrong?” Verde asked

“If we did, I am unaware of it. Though, we were really the first humans this far out in Equestria, we might be the first these ponies have ever seen of a bipedal hairless ape.” Jason said, scratching his chin.

“Trust me, everywhere else I’ve seen, ponies and humans work together like there isn't a problem, shit we got ponies from Canterlot at the compound to serve as advisors and representatives to the city, and they don’t seem to have a problem with it. If anything, they get more stressed working with the locals then us... now do you see why I want to leave? I made the distinct error of renting this human house far away from the compound assuming that a walk through town each day might be fucking awesome since I get to see an entire culture I didn't know existed until a few years ago...” Jason mellowly finished

“You were that surprised?” Verde inquired

“The Land of Friendship and Magic is what the brochure said” Jason replied.

Verde laid next to Jason and put her head on his lap.

“I think she hates me now...” Verde whimpered. Jason, catching the tone, started stroking her to try and comfort her.

“I think I’ve made my decision... I’m coming with you...”She crunched out of her own lungs.

“To Earth?” Jason inquired.

“Yeah.” Verde spoke, nuzzling Jason’s hand.

“Alright, well you still have Monday if you change your mind. No reason to lock us in before you had a few nights to sleep it over.” Jason said, comforting Verde

“I don’t want you to make this decision based on a nasty friend.” he finished

“Jason, I knew, even during the period of time that we were confused at where we were, that our relationship was going to have problems. I just never thought that the town I grew up in was going to be a bigger problem than say, a pony accessible oven.” Verde confessed.

“Verde, have I done anything that you can’t stand? That disgusts you?” Jason honesty asked.

“Meat, I know that its your culture’s thing but, really its just the meat.” Verde spoke plainly.

“And yet, you’re still here.” Jason scratched Verde’s side.

“But, for a first time stallion? You’re okay” Verde smiled.

Verde and Jason, didn't move for a very long time. For Verde, this was more of what she was really expecting in a herd, just that she was getting a lot of attention. More than any other point in her mom’s herd that she can remember. Looking up at Jason, she could feel the flame stroke within her.

“Jason, do you know what the sampling is?” she asked her mate.

“No, is it a pony thing?” he replied.

“Yes, when a mare courts a herd, the sampling is when the mare and at least the stallion rut during her infertile times of the month so that they can gauge each other... No mare wants a stallion that can't give his seed and no stallion wants a mare that is a bad lover. And their congress is the only real required ones... through the more mare leaning mares will sometimes join in or sample the courted mares themselves on their own time. We call it the sampling because its a sample of both parties and how they respond and how good they are in the long run for rutting. A herd that is awkward with it might have a problem with an obsessive herd member, a courting mare who has a problem with it, depending on their age, may be too young or might have a problem that she isn't telling the herd” Verde told Jason, getting up on her forelegs.

“You and I never got to sample each other... rutting in heat isn't sampling...” Verde willowy whispered, kissing Jason on the lips.

“Let me show you what it’s like to rut a mare who isn't flooded with carnal desire and who only wants to get closer to the mate that has chosen her...” she continued, kissing Jason.

“Come, show me that you humans are more like ponies then I dared even imagine...” Verde said, getting up, moving towards the bedroom, swaying her hips at Jason.