Chapter 1: The Mares We Love
"Hey, guys! Here comes another one, " said Dusk in a deep tone.
The three stallions turned their heads down towards their own books, which were laying on the ground. One by one, each of them glanced up at the mare that was walking by. She was like any other mare you would see at Pony University: golden blonde mane, dark blue skin, smile on her face... but that was not what the stallions were looking for. The stallions' eyes were fixed on the plot that was attached to her. The mare quickly gave a glance back at the stallions. All three heads quickly looked down at the books, pretending that they were so interested in the exciting novel they were reading. After standing still for a few seconds with a confused look, the mare decided to keep trotting along. Once she was out of their sight, the three stallions looked at each other and grinned. This time, Dusk decided to ask the question. "So what do you say, boys? What's the rating on that one?"
"I would have to give it a six out of ten," said Flint, "She had a nice walk to show it off, but it wasn't the type I was looking for. I like the ones that are... bigger."
Comet nodded his head and said, "I see what you mean. I, on the other hand, would give it a nine out of ten. It's firm, beautiful, and a good size, but not the "perfect" one to give it a ten." Dusk giggled at the thought. "Then what is your perfect kind of flank?"
"Eh, you know. The ones like in the magazines." Flint raised one eyebrow and said, "And you think you will ever get the chance to meet a professional model, Comet?" Comet pretended to frown and said, "A stallion can dream, Flint!" The three burst out in laughter, but then were interrupted by Flint.
"Why are we rating mares' plots anyways? Don't you two have a very special somepony?"
Dusk chuckled. "Yeah. So? They are okay with us checking out other mares' plots."
"Are you sure you asked them? It doesn't make sense for them to say it is okay."
Dusk squinted at Flint and smiled. "How would you know? You've never had a marefriend." Flint shrugged his shoulders and replied, "So? That doesn't mean I don't know how a relationship is supposed to work." Comet quickly interrupted the conversation with, "Here comes another mare!"
The three put their books on the ground and turned to a random page. When they were able to see the mare coming around the corner, they quickly looked down at their books. Dusk quickly looked up with the realization of who the mare was.
"Relax, guys. It's just my marefriend, Raindrop."
The pink mare trotted over to Dusk and hugged him. "Hey, sweetie," said Raindrop. Flint rolled his eyes at the situation and turned his head away from the couple. Suddenly, Comet yelled out, "Wait, how come I can't see anything? Who is covering my eyes!?" The familiar voice from the mare covering his eyes said, "I don't know? Who do you think it is?" Comet smiled at this familiar voice. He quickly removed the hooves from his eyes and looked behind him. There, he saw Breezy, his marefriend.
"Breezy!"
Breezy giggled at Comet's reaction and exclaimed, "Hey!" Comet and Breezy nuzzled each other and giggled. Flint coughed and made a loud, "Ugh," sound. Everyone stopped flirting with each other and looked at Flint.
"Is there something wrong, Flint," asked Raindrop.
"Oh, it's nothing really," replied Flint in a sarcastic tone.
"He's just mad that he doesn't have a marefriend yet," replied Dusk.
Flint turned red and said, "I'm not mad! I just... don't like it." He put his front hooves on his face and slouched.
"Awwww. Don't worry, Flint. You'll find that very special somepony someday," said Breezy.
Dusk interrupted saying, "Um, it's marefriend. "Very special somepony" was the term everypony used when they were in elementary. This is the university now, so "marefriend" is a lot... "cooler" at this age. Flint chuckled at Dusk's statement.
"Cooler? You are willing to go through life following what other ponies are doing just so you can be "cooler"?"
Dusk frowned and scrunched up his face.
"Well, who cares!? You don't even have a marefriend yet, so you don't know what it feels like to be loved by a mare!!!"
Flint froze at the next statement that Dusk made. After a brief moment, Flint said, "I'll get one someday. I'm going into town to get some things. I'll be back in time for the next class." Flint strapped on his saddlebag and started flying away, but was quickly stopped by Dusk.
Dusk said, "Look. I'm sorry about all of this. I know what you are going through." Dusk put a hoof on Flint's shoulder. "I bet you'll have a marefrie... err... "special somepony" soon."
The rest of the group caught up with Flint and Dusk. Raindrop, while catching her breath, said, "He's right. About 48% of all stallions and mares meet their soulmate at university level."
"But that's 48%. Who says that percent is me? Anyways, I have to go get some things before our next class starts. Thanks for the encouragement though." Flint adjusted his saddlebag, opened his wings, and flew away.
Comet, while hugging Breezy, said, "I feel really bad for him. Why do you think mares don't like him?" Raindrop rolled her eyes and said, "Well, some of the reasons are: he is kind of geeky, sometimes awkward to be around, not that great at sports..." Dusk interrupted Raindrop's sentence with, "Okay! We get it!"
A few seconds later, a caramel-colored pony with brown hair quietly said, "Hey everypony." Comet tried imitating the mare by whispering, "Hi," which got him a smack in the back of the head by Raindrop. She smiled at the mare and said, "Hi, Oakland. I am sorry for Comet's witty remark. Did you need something?" Oakland said, "Oh, well... I was just wondering if Flint wanted to work together on homework with me, since it is due later."
Breezy replied with, "I'm sorry, Oakland, but Flint just left to go into town to get some things before next class." Oakland gave a small frown and said, "That's ok. Maybe he would want to hang out later sometime." The mare spread her wings and starting flying away to her next class. Breezy smiled and said, "She seems like a nice mare." Raindrop raised one eyebrow and looked at Breezy.
"Yeah, but she is extremely quiet in class, and she freaks out whenever she has to go speak in front of everypony."
Dusk frowned and said, "...and her plot isn't even that big..."
Everypony else looked at Dusk and yelled, "Dusk!"
Why don't mares like me romantically? They seem to like Comet and Dusk a lot, and those two are almost identical to me. We've all been hanging out together since the beginning of our school careers. Is it about the way I look? Maybe it is my personality. Do I need to work on my social skills? UGH!!! I don't know! I would do anything for a marefriend! ... WHY DO I KEEP SAYING "MAREFRIEND"!?
Flint stopped in the middle of the sidewalk as big flashing lights came up on the screen above him. It was an advertisement for a new hair conditioner, which featured a mare with white skin and a light blue mane winking and holding a bottle of the conditioner in her hoof. Flint stared at the image with his jaw dropped and his pupils dilated. Flint could feel his heart beat increasing in speed. After a few seconds, he snapped out of his trance when he felt his wings spring up from their normal position. Flint desperately tried to put them down, but he became distracted by another advertisement for a broadway play. The new advertisement showed a mare and a stallion kissing with their eyes closed, as if they seem like they were really into the kiss. Flint's hooves got tired from trying to keep the wings down, so he quickly ran into the bookstore, which was his next stop. That way, he couldn't be seen in the streets in that condition.
Phew! That was close. How could any filly know what it's like to be a growing stallion? All of these changes to my thoughts and body are driving me insane.
"Especially you guys!" Flint pointed and glared at his, still straight, wings. "You just keep popping up whenever you feel like it! Just because I see a beautiful mare doesn't mean you have to let my body express it in that way!" Flint paused for a second and looked up. "...and I'm talking to myself again. Aren't I?" Luckily, no one was paying attention to Flint at that moment. Blushing, Flint awkwardly made his way to the magazine rack. While occasionally glancing to the left or to the right, he attempted to scope out the magazine he was looking for.
Well that is strange. Where could it be? They don't have this month's issue of "Model Monthly"?
With a disappointed look on Flint's face, the stallion trotted out of the store. He went from store to store trying to find the next issue, but none of the stores had it.
I looked through every store in town, and none of them have the issue. All... except that one.
Flint's eyes darted towards the store that was sitting where an alley way was supposed to be. He decided to check out the store. When flint entered through the squeaky door, he heard the sound of a bell ring. The place was made out of dark wood. The wood planks and walls squeaked everytime he put a hoof down.
Celestia, this place is creepy. Okay. I just need to look for the magazine, and then I am out of here.
Flint scoped out the place looking through every board, shelf, and cabinet he could find. He wasn't able to find the magazine he wanted. On the bright side, he did find the front desk, which came with a little bell. Flint hit the bell a frequent amount of times before an older pony came out from the backroom.
"What can I do for ya," asked the old pony.
Flint coughed a few times and, in a deeper voice, said, "Aw, yes. Do you happen to have any issues of "Model Magazine? I am looking for an issue for my special somepony, which I do have. Yes..." Flint gave an awkward smile and started perspiring from his forehead. The old pony got out from behind the desk and trotted towards one of the shelving units. The pony picked up a magazine that was laying underneath the shelf. The magazine was covered in dust and cobwebs, but after a couple puffs of air and a rag, it was dust-free.
The pony gave Flint the magazine saying, "Here you go! That will be five bits!" Flint gave the magazine a puzzled expression. "This isn't the new issue. This looks like it was from a hundred moons ago!"
"Mares were as hot back then as they are now," said the old pony, "Go ahead and give the magazine a peak."
Flint opened the magazine to a random page and looked inside. In a second, his eyes were huge and his heart felt like it was coming out of his chest. Flint grew a huge smile and yelled, "I'll take it!" He took five bits out of his saddlebag and gave them to the old pony.
"I remember when I was a young stallion like you. Don't get too crazy with that magazine now," said the old pony as he winked at Flint. That statement caused Flint's face to turn red in embarrassment. He put the magazine in his saddlebag and hurried back to the university for his next class.
Later that night, the three stallions unlocked the door and entered their dorm room. Comet, with his eyes partially shut, said, "It's been a looooong day today. Did you get all of your homework done for tomorrow?"
"Hopefully. How is the mattress? Does it need more air," asked Dusk. Comet replied, "No, it's good. Remind me why I am sleeping on this air mattress again."
Flint pounced onto his bed saying, "Remember? You wanted to be in the same room as Dusk and I, so we promised the superintendent that we would provide you with the proper necessities each student needs, such as a bed."
Comet fell face down onto the pillow on the mattress. "Well, I guess it's worth staying in the same room with you guys, who are my closest friends."
Dusk smiled and said, "Okay, okay. Let's not get into that whole friendship speech we gave in elementary school."
The three stallions chuckled as they tried to fall asleep. Flint, stealthily, took the magazine, that he got from the store earlier today, out of his saddlebag and turned on the lamp next to his bed. Dusk opened his eyes when he heard the sound of pages turning. He turned his head over his shoulder to see what was going on.
"Flint," said Dusk, "what are you doing?"
"Oh, nothing important," replied Flint.
"Is that another "Model Monthly" magazine?"
"Maybe. Don't you dare judge. I've seen you look at them before too."
Dusk rolled his eyes while smiling. "Hm. You and your mare fantasies, Flint."
"Fantasies!?" exclaimed Flint.
By this time, Dusk and Comet have already fallen into a deep sleep. Flint shook his head and continued to read the magazine. With each new picture of a mare in a fashion outfit, Flint put his hoof over the picture and silently thought a lot to himself.
What if any of these mares were mine? I would be one of the happiest stallions in Equestria. Wait a second. What's this?
Flint looked at one of the last pages in the magazine. It was a page that had an activity on it. The header read, "IMAGINING YOUR OWN MAREFRIEND".
Flint grumbled.
Very special somepony. Not "marefriend". I've got nothing better to do with my love life. Might as well try this out.
The article read:
STEP 1: Close your eyes. Imagine what your partner looks like. Picture her mane, body, and any other physical features. Describe what she looks like silently to yourself.
STEP 2: Choose what her personality is like. Then, choose her interests, or what she likes to do in her spare time.
STEP 3: Choose what her name will be. It can be anything you want it to be.
STEP 4: Picture how you two will spend the time together. The moment can be romantic, or it can be totally chaotic. You get to choose!
That is it. This should help you learn what you are looking for in a mare. Hopefully, you will, one day, find that special somepony you are looking for!
This is so stupid... why am I even doing this? Because I'm desperate?
After a few seconds of thought, Flint rolled his eyes and made a slight groaning sound. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
Okay... so how should she look? She will be a pegasus, just like me. Her skin should be... BLUE! Light blue. No... dark blue. It should be midnight blue, so it will make her seem all mysterious. She will have a long, smooth, black mane with red highlights in it. Her cutie mark... will be something that has to do with having fun, and that is what her personality will be like. She'll be awesome to hang around with. She'll want to spend time with me. We will even have the same interests! I should also mention that her plot will be perfect for a stallion like me!
Flint started smiling and giggling out of joy and excitement.
Hehe... we would have so much fun together. I can picture us doing all sorts of activities, such as going to the movies, flying across Manehattan, and gazing at the stars at night. Her eyes would be sparkling from the moonlight reflecting off of her beautiful mane and body. Her name should be something that is sexy. Sierra! That will be her name! Sierra Crimson, because her mane will have crimson red highlights in it. After this university, she will be walking down the aisle towards me. Flint and Sierra Carol. I would be the happiest stallion alive...
Flint suddenly opened his eyes and frowned. "Too bad that isn't true," said Flint.
"Too bad what isn't true, Flint," asked Dusk.
"Oh, nothing, " replied Flint. With a small grin, he closed the magazine, put it under his bed, and went to sleep.