A Gentleman in Training

by Denim_Blue

Chapter Four: Dinner for Two

The morning greeted me with the pleasant theme music of Sir Alonnefrom my smartphone. I grunted as I quickly leaned over to my left, only to find my nightstand not there, much to my dismay. Without the expected weight of my small nightstand to prop my arm against, I found myself helpless against the cruel force of gravity, and promptly fell to the floor, face first. Thankfully, the floor was carpeted.

“Ow…” I mumbled, opening my eyes and finding my pants haphazardly lying on the ground of what I quickly realized was not my room.

Memories came back at once as I fished out my phone from my pants and turned it off and blinked away the sleep from my eyes.

Full Bloom.

The two of us had enjoyed a night out at the bars, and things had gone off in an unexpected, but rather pleasant, direction.

The window was cracked open, but the blinds had been drawn to provide me with some privacy and shelter from the sunlight while letting in fresh air.

I looked over to the other side of the bed to see it was empty, and frowned.

Did she leave? Maybe she had to take care of an errand?

Did she wake up shocked or disgusted? A small part of my mind asked. I squashed the thoughts before they could take root. No, I may have had a few drinks, but I could tell that Full Bloom, despite her inebriation, had been serious about what had transpired last night.

The sound of pans clattering in the kitchen got my attention, and my frown deepened for an entirely different reason.

She better not be making breakfast after I called dibs…

After putting on my boxers and pants, I walked into the kitchen, greeted to the sight of Full Bloom standing in front of her stove, humming quietly to herself as she cracked an egg into a pan. I had to admit, she kept a pretty tight ship in her kitchen space; not a single crumb or food stain on the counter space could be seen, and she had more utensils, cutlery, and cupboards than I think would be necessary for a four person family, let alone a single mare. A small rack hung on the far wall of the kitchen, holding various spices and seasonings as well as some dried herbs. It was like I had walked in on a studio of a celebrity chef back on Earth with how much there was to take in.

She must have sensed my presence, because she stopped whatever she had been doing and looked over her shoulder towards my direction. Her face brightened up with a cheery grin as we made eye contact.

“Good morning!” she chirped. “I know you said you wanted to make breakfast, but you looked so comfortable that I just couldn’t stand the idea of waking you up.” She smiled as I gave her a pout, and held up an egg in her magic. “I’m making omelettes…”

“With onions?”

“Uh… would that be a problem?”

I shook my head and smiled. “Nope, just curious. I love green peppers, onions, and cheese in my omelettes. I’d ask for ham as well, but…”

“I can see if there’s some ham at that one griffin deli down the road. I’m not really that bothered by meat, to be honest, so…”

I shook my head again, this time lifting up my hands urgently. “No, that’s alright. I’m fine with what you’re making.” I walked over to her side and without thinking ran a hand through her bedhead of a mane. “By the way, I love the ‘just got out of bed’ look you’re sporting.”

She continued to cook her eggs, but her face scrunched up a bit as a glow of green light surrounded a few stray locks of her mane in a futile attempt to fix them.

“I was being sincere. It’s cute… and a bit funny. Mostly cute, though.”

To her credit, Full Bloom never lost her focus over working the pan and eggs with her magic as I began to use my nails to scratch a little harder. She hummed and her tail swished a bit as she smiled, clearly enjoying the attention my fingers were giving her. “Okay, it’s settled; you’re going to give me a massage later.”

“You’re not planning on giving me a choice, are you?” I laughed as she absentmindedly lifted a back leg when my nails reached a particular spot that required their attention.

“Ohhhh, sweet Celestia, that’s...unnf…” She rolled her neck a bit and eventually had to lift a hoof to stop me. “Okay, if you don’t stop now, I’m going to end up burning these eggs and pulling you onto the couch.”

I chuckled. “I’m not sure if I’m up for another round so quickly. Honestly, I’m still a little boggled that we ended up going at it last night.”

She arched an eyebrow, a small frown forming on her lips. “Is… that a bad thing?”

“No, just different. I mean, sure, humans can have casual sex after just meeting each other, but every relationship I’ve had didn’t involve any sex until probably at least a month after dating.”

Her tail stopped swishing, and she pawed the floor. “Do… do you want to hold off on it until we’re more comfortable?”

There was a part of me was a little unsure of this relationship, at least the dynamics involving the bedroom. It was a bit sudden for me, but I had no real objections to it other than that.

“I would like to take you on a proper date before we do that again, but I’m not against it, Full Bloom. It was great, and I really enjoyed it.”

She visibly relaxed upon hearing that. “O-oh, good, heh. You seemed a bit wary for a moment there.”

I just grinned, and was happy to see she didn’t mind. “No, but there is one thing I want to ask.”

“Okay, what?” She took the eggs off the pan and placed them on a plate, then handed it to me with two slices of rye toast with some jam.

“Oh, thanks,” I said, taking a bite or two before continuing. “You’re sure that you don’t mind me working for Gentleman for Mares?”

“I don’t mind,” she said with a smile. “It’s a legit business, and honestly, it’s probably doing more good than bad for Equestria, despite what a lot of the media is saying. Just a few uptight ponies and humans are blowing hot air over it. Aside from them, I think the vast majority isn’t all that riled up about it.”

“Okay, well, as long as you’re sure it’s okay. I…” I cleared my throat, and said softly. “I’m not sure exactly on the norms with Equestrians, but I know mares traditionally like to have a say on who the male is seeing and looking at including in a herd…”

Full Bloom clucked her tongue and gave me a gentle nudge with a foreleg. “Yeah, but we’re not a herd, Darren. We’re dating. To be in a herd is a much, much more committed relationship.” She then added in a softer tone, “If I felt like taking that step, you’d know beforehand. Trust me, I’m not going to just drop that on your lap out of the blue.”

I gave her a final, grateful scratch with my free hand before the two of us sat down at the table and enjoyed our breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Full Bloom had a stock of hot sauce in her ice box, and dropped a generous portion of it on my omelette. I had to hand it to her, she really knew how to make a mean omelette. Better than anything I’d ever done, to say the least.

“So, got any plans for today?” she asked as we cleaned our plates off at the sink after finishing breakfast.

“Not really. I was thinking of maybe stopping by and seeing how Mel is doing and if she’s got any places in mind for work. She has a nicer apartment, so I’m worried she won’t be able to continue paying her rent without a job.”

Full Bloom gave a hum of agreement. “Yeah, she seemed a bit bent out of shape over the whole thing. I bumped into her yesterday, and she said she has some places lined up for possible jobs, but I’m worried she’s going to have trouble getting hired.”

After we finished cleaning the plates and cookware, I got dressed and the two of us made our way to my own place so I could get a fresh pair of clothes on. My jeans and shirt smelled just a little too much like a night of steamy sex, and I’m sure Mel wouldn’t enjoy that smell getting into her own place.

I showered up and got changed while Full Bloom sat in my living room, looking over my small collection of things that I had been allowed to bring over from Earth. I had sold a large portion of my things for money to bring upon arriving in Equestria, but I had kept a few of my electronics and books, along with clothes and the like. Mostly necessities with a little bit of luxury splashed into the mix.

After cleaning up and putting on some fresh clothes, I walked into my small livingroom to see Full Bloom poking around my laptop with mild curiosity.

“Want me to show you how it works?”

“Mel showed me hers a few times. These computers are really cool, but I’m not sure I’ll ever get the hang of them.

I turned it on for her and decided to give her a little sample of what it could do. The basic internet allowed me to do some degree of web browsing, but since the pony-net was a completely separate entity from the internet back on Earth that I was familiar with, it was still limited in actual material. Probably a couple hundred noteworthy sites at best, if I had to guess. I wagered that number would increase exponentially in the very near future, though. I already had a few websites on my bookmarks, including a subscription to the Trottingham Gazette Online, one of the few newspapers that didn’t have a strong political bias and tried to keep its readers interested with a plethora of different topics.

I decided to check out the site for anything noteworthy, and found nothing that really stood out, aside from one particular front page article. The date of its publication was about a week old, but it still caught my attention. Not sure how I missed it before, but it had been a while since I last read anything from the site.

Changeling Corpse Found in Dodge Junction

I paused, and Full Bloom looked over the headline before letting out a gasp. “Changelings? They found one?”

“Mm,” I looked over the article. It was a very small article, given the news. Nothing more than stating the cause of death had likely been a murder, seeing as the neck was snapped. A few comments from some of the locals, as well as a brief statement from the local law enforcement were all that had been given, otherwise. “That’s… hm…”

“What?” Full Bloom asked.

“Well, if I remember right, changelings have the ability to transform and change shape, right? Practically flawless if I remember reading the stories on the the wedding between Princess Cadance and Shining Armor.”

“Yeah,” Full Bloom gave a nod of agreement. “That Queen… she almost captured Canterlot. She even defeated Celestia.” She shuddered. “Who knows what would have happened if she had won…”

“I’m sure our worlds never would have met. I believe it was Princess Twilight Sparkle who opened up that portal, right?” A nod from Full Bloom. “Well, if things had gone in favor of the changeling queen, then I’m sure Canterlot, as well as the rest of Equestria, would be nothing more than a farming ground…”

“Yeah…” Full Bloom frowned. “I remember watching some magical feed on the wedding in the town square. When she appeared… it was terrifying.”

“I can imagine…though, honestly, I’m wondering just how popular that move might have been with the rest of the changelings.”

Full Bloom gave me a weird look. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I don’t think it’s too crazy to say that changelings are as intelligent as the other races of Equestria. I mean, as powerful as the changeling queen was, I doubt she managed to pull off everything all by herself. There had to be other changelings that were involved in setting up that attempted invasion.”

“That’s… possible, I guess.” Full Bloom gave me an uncertain look. “I heard about reports from ponies after Canterlot had been invaded. The reports said things like friends and loved ones just up and vanished on them. A lot of them found notes left behind telling them that their friends and family were changelings in disguise, and that they were sorry, but didn’t want to risk getting caught or having their loved ones getting in trouble because of them.”

“Oh wow…” I said, shaking my head. “I can’t imagine… being in a relationship with someone for years, then finding out that they were…that must have hurt.”

“I… had a friend in Manehatten who found out one of her herd mates was a changeling. They had been together with their stallion for more than ten years.”

“I’m sure more than a few changelings probably were broken up over it, too.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Well, yeah. Changelings feed off of love, right?” A nod from Full Bloom. “That’s what the reports said, at least. I doubt that there was any love gained for the changelings after that mess in Canterlot, even if the vast majority would have rather just gone about their lives without that incident. I mean, think about what you just said. A changeling had been in a relationship for over a decade. A decade!”

Full Bloom frowned. “What are you getting at?”

“I’m saying that with the stunt that their queen pulled, most changelings were probably forced to up and abandon their lives they had made for themselves out of fear of being imprisoned, or worse. I’d be a little pissed if that happened, especially if I was in a relationship with someone. You don’t spend ten years being with someone like that and not end up caring for them. Feeding on love or not, I find it hard to believe that an intelligent race isn’t able to feel emotions on some level that allows them to bond with ponies.”

Full Bloom’s frown slowly curled into a smile, and she sighed. “You’re such a doofus.”

“Can’t blame me for trying to see the other side, can you?” I defended. “Violence breeds violence, and I’m sure a lot of changelings paid for what happened in Canterlot all those years ago, even if they had no part in it.” I let out a sigh. “It’s a good thing that attempted invasion didn’t lead to a declaration of war or something like that. Trust me when I say humans know all too well what conflict can do to a civilization. I’m just glad it never got to that point between you ponies and the changelings.”

“No, no, I understand. That’s a good point. You just don’t hear anyone really sympathizing with a group who did something like trying to take over Equestria that much, you know?” She smirked. “You’re an odd one, Darren.”

I laughed as I closed out of the internet, “Well, I’ll tell you what, the next time I get a chance to talk to a changeling, I’ll ask them for their thoughts on the matter and tell you what they think.”

“With that big heart of yours, they probably wouldn’t let you leave,” she joked. “I bet they love guys like you.”

“You think so?” I chuckled as I got up from my chair and turned off the laptop. “There’s got to be a few perks to having a changeling lover, right?”

“Hm,” Full Bloom thought it over, then grinned in amusement. “Maybe they’ll transform into any pony you want? Maybe Sapphire Shores?”

“As long as they don’t sing her music, I could probably endure it.”

“Oh, careful, you might end up servicing Sapphire Shores someday,” Full Bloom teased. “Me? I’d ask them to turn into one of the Wonderbolts.”

“Lemme guess… Fleetfoot?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t complain who it was. They all look sexy to me,” Full Bloom replied.

“So, the Wonderbolts? Is that my competition for your affection, then?” I asked with a feigned sigh.

“Who says I wouldn’t keep you as well?” She asked with a grin.

I snickered as she bumped my leg with her rump. “I think I’m starting to like this part of you.”

“Mm.” She titled her head slightly, an open invitation for me to scratch behind her ears. She sighed as I hit a sweet spot. “Ugghhh… how did I ever survive without your fingers?”

“The same way I probably managed to survive without your magic.”

In response to that remark, her horn lit up for a moment and I felt light slap on my rear. I jumped in surprise, and looked down to see her giving me an innocent smile, horn still glowing.

I chuckled, “Wow, feisty much?”

“Rawr…” was her only reply.

Mel’s place was on the northern portion of the river going through Hoofington. The apartments there were a little nicer, and thus a little more expensive. Still, Mel’s mother and father were both well off, and had given her a healthy chunk of change before she left Earth. As such, she could afford the extra expenses. Like a state-of-the-art air conditioning from Earth.

“Say, Mel, you think you can hook me up with one of those?”

Mel laughed as she brought in glasses of cranberry juice for Full Bloom and I. Mel was three years my senior, and stood about five inches shorter than me, which was funny if you met the rest of her family. Both her mother and father were rather tall, and her uncles, aunts, and cousins all shared similar traits. Only she and her grandmother on her mother’s side were below the five feet and nine inches line. Aside from height, she had pale blonde hair and brown eyes, and a noticeable amount of muscle to her frame that she gained from years of working out in the field and hiking. The girl could carry almost as much as Alex did whenever we went on field assignments.

“I thought you liked your old death machine back at your apartment,” she joked.

“That frost crystal box is a piece of junk. I should really just recycle it. I hear the city pays decent money to take old machinery off your hands.”

“Actually, it’s the other way around. I think you have to pay the city to have them take if off your hands and recycle it,” Full Bloom said after taking a sip of her juice.

“Well, crap. Nevermind, then.” Deciding to get to the reason I had come over, I asked her, “So… how are you doing?”

Mel’s smile wavered. “Eh, I’m doing about as well as I can be. I have a few places in mind, but I might have to move out to Fillydelphia. I’m not a fan of the idea, but my savings won’t last forever without an income.”

“Hemlock was considering leaving after he heard that you four were being let go.” Full Bloom rubbed a temple. “I had to calm him down and remind him that he’s helping raise two fillies and a colt with his two herd mates right now, and he shut up after that. Poor guy was not happy about you four losing your jobs.”

“What about you?” Mel asked me. “You have any possible jobs lined up?”

“Uh…” I looked to Full Bloom, and she sat a little straighter, and nodded reassuringly. “Y-yeah…”

“Really?” Mel laughed. “That was fast. Where are you working, then?”

“Um… well, I’m working for a company that provides personal services for clients. Most of them are mares, I guess…”

“Personal services…?” Mel quirked an eyebrow, then looked to Full Bloom. When Full Bloom gave her a nod, Mel’s eyes widened a bit. “Wait, seriously?”

“Yep,” Full Bloom said with a nod.

“Huh… well, looks like you’ll be a lot busier from now on,” Mel said with a grin. “Never considered you someone that would be a Gentleman.”

I set down my glass and cleared my throat. “Was it that obvious?”

Mel shrugged. “The 'personal services' part kind of gave it away… that and mentioning most of your clients are mares.” She gave me an amused smile. “Still, Gentleman for Mares?”

“Yeah. It was a bit of a surprise. I went to the interview without a clue what I was getting into.” I gave Mel a wary smile. “I’m surprised you’re not more… bothered by it.”

Mel waved a hand. “There’s better things to stress over, and honestly, what’s the harm? It’s a legitimate business in this world. Though, I recommend you be careful. Not everyone’s a fan of the establishment.”

“I’m good at being discreet,” I replied.

“I’ll be keeping a watch over him, too,” Full Bloom added, placing a hoof over one of my hands and squeezed it gently. The gesture didn’t go unnoticed by Mel, and again her eyes widened a fraction, this time with a smile.

Mel let out an amused chuckle. “About time, Full Bloom. Did he act all surprised and confused when you asked him out?”

“He was actually pretty enthusiastic about it,” the mare answered with a giggle.

“I’m right here, you know,” I added with a hint of annoyance.

“Well, good for you two,” Mel grinned. “He’s pretty good about staying out of trouble, though, so you should be okay.”

“Says the girl who lost a bet against Henry sophomore year and had to go skinny-dipping in the lake off campus.”

Mel’s face flushed a deep red as Full Bloom burst out laughing. The unicorn took in a few breaths and while still giggling, asked, “Okay, what is this about? How come you never told me this, Mel?”

“Later, Full Bloom,” Mel answered, running a hand across her face. “And thanks for reminding me of that night, Darren. Seeing Henry’s hairy ass is the last image I need in my mind right now.”

“Is… Henry a pet or something?”

“No, he just had a very hairy back and didn’t care much for getting a haircut,” I answered. “Look up the word ‘hippie’ some time on the pony-net. It’ll help give you an idea.”

We chatted for a bit longer, Mel telling me a bit of what she’d heard about Gentleman for Mares, both from word of mouth and what she had read. “Yeah, and there’s a series of articles in the Manehatten Post and New York Life magazines that’s been ongoing for awhile. Apparently one of the mares responsible for training Gentleman has been sharing her life story and trying to bring across the point of having a place like Gentleman for Mares. It’s pretty well written stuff, if not explicit.”

“I heard about that,” Full Bloom said with a frown. “I give the mare credit for writing that, but she’s been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism, and some groups are pretty ticked off about the articles being published. Though… I’m sure she knew what she was getting herself into.”

“That’s because they’re afraid that the articles might destroy their society’s perfect image,” Mel said with no lack of sarcasm in her tone. “I think her name was Five Stars, or something. She sounds like a pretty awesome mare.”

“Well, whatever the case, my training will be in town.” I thought it over a moment, then added. “I… would appreciate if you kept this hush-hush, I guess.”

“No problem,” Mel said with a smirk. “Honestly, you’re going to have your work cut out for you, but I wish you the best of luck.”

“Thanks.”

Eventually, Full Bloom and I left, wishing Mel good luck in her job hunt and promising we’d tell her if we heard of any openings for someone with her experience. We made our way through downtown Hoofington, enjoying the mild, sunny midday. A few vendors were out, selling wares, produce, and trinkets to passerby. All in all, it was a typical weekend in the summer for Hoofington.

“Huh, what do you suppose is going on over there?”

Full Bloom pointed in the direction of a particularly brightly colored wagon that had folded out into a small performance stage of sorts. Standing in the center was a blue unicorn mare with a bi-colored mane and tail of paler blue hue. She wore a purple magician’s hat and cape that had glittering stars embroidered into the fabric.

“Come one, come all! Hear the most harrowing of stories, as told by the Great and Powerful Trixie!” The showpony stood up on her hind legs and a few firecrackers and magical sparks shot off from behind her. Young fillies and colts were already gathering around her in awe as the mare stood back on all four legs with a swish of her cape. “That’s right, my little fans, today, you shall all witness a show like none other. Trixie shall tell you a tale of heroic deeds, terrifying foes, and good versus evil!”

“Is it one about Starswirl the Bearded?” asked a filly.

“Neigh, my little filly, it is not a tale about ponies!”

I grinned, watching as ‘The Great and Powerful’ Trixie smiled down at the little pony. This mare obviously loved her work, or at least loved entertaining the little ones. Despite her haughty airs, it was clear as day that she was in her element with the youngsters.

“Is it a story about the gwiffins?” asked a younger colt.

“A fair guess, but no!”

By now, the foals’ parents had gathered around the stage as well, watching with interest as Trixie continued to entertain the young ponies.

I looked to Full Bloom, and gave her a nod towards the show. She smiled, rolling her eyes. “I suppose. Why not?”

We took a seat on a bench nearby. Trixie must have cast a spell to amplify her voice for those further away, because I could still hear her clearly over the buzz of the midday crowd.

“Today, I bring to Hoofington a tale from Earth! Trixie has been told that this is a classical story that many young humans are familiar with. Trixie had the privilege of reading this story, and she now wishes to bring it to all of you!”

I noticed a few of the adult ponies’ faces frown upon hearing that, and they began to usher their foals away from the stage. If Trixie noticed, she paid them no mind, instead, continuing without missing a beat. I was happy to see that the vast majority of ponies were still listening. Even a few humans and griffins who had been milling around were taking seats and watching now.

“The tale I bring you is one of fantasy and mystical wonder! It is one about a folk similar to humans, but not quite the same. It is a tale that shows that, even when the world seems bleak, there is still hope. It is a tale of a good against evil. A tale of a land similar to our dimensional neighbors’ own world, yet so very different.”

It was at this point that Trixie’s horn lit up, and somehow managed to darken the area around her stage. She walked to the left portion of the stage, and continued, her magic creating a single, glowing circle of golden light. The light took on a more detailed form, and I had to hold back a cheer as I saw a set of familiar characters form along the entirety of the circle.

“What?” Full Bloom asked with a hint of amusement.

“Just… wait and see. If she’s about to tell the story I think she’s about to tell…” I said, holding back a chuckle.

“It is a story that takes place in a land of magic unlike ours. For this magic is subtle, but powerful in its own right. They call this land… Middle Earth.”

I noticed a few of the humans, and even a few ponies, grin as she continued.

“Though, this is a story from our human neighbors, it is not a story that only talks about humans. One particular character in this story, in fact, is not a human, but of a different race. In this story, he finds himself cast into a dangerous and thrilling adventure. One where he discovers the wide world around him, makes friends and enemies, and learns valuable lessons about himself.”

At this point, Trixie had paused dramatically, enjoying the attention she had gained from her audience.

“Fillies and gentlecolts. Humans, griffins, and ponies of all ages… I present to you… The Hobbit!”

It was well into the evening when Trixie neared the end of the tale. She had embellished a few details, and while she had not recited it line for line—and honestly, I wouldn’t expect anyone to do such a thing without the book in hand—she had done a phenomenal job at telling the tale. She even had the sense to explicitly state that, unlike the dragons living in Tellus, Smaug was a dragon created from evil, darkness, and fire, and more cruel than any true dragon in Tellus would ever wish to be.

I had to admire her for that. I never met any dragons in Equestria myself, but I knew not all of them were bad, despite the horrible things some folks said about them. Clearly, Trixie knew enough not to turn the story into an issue about species so much as a story about a particularly evil dragon with a short temper.

“And so ends the tale of Bilbo Baggins…” She bowed deeply as the sounds of stomping and clopping hooves and clapping hands and claws filled the air. Some of the foals had fallen asleep, but the vast majority of them were wide awake and cheering.

“That… was an interesting story,” Full Bloom said as we got stood up. “Is that really a story from Earth?”

“Would you believe it’s only a prelude to an even longer series of stories?” I asked, and Full Bloom’s jaw went slack.

“That Tolkien person must have a lot of fans…” Full Bloom commented with a smile.

“Well, there are many fans of the book series, but J.R.R. Tolkien died a few decades ago.”

Full Bloom sighed, “That’s a shame. That always seems to be the case with great authors and artists.”

We made our way to the stage where several foals and a few humans were complimenting the showmare as she signed the occasional autograph. Full Bloom and I waited until the crowd cleared a bit, and I approached the stage, which she was now clearing of glitter and confetti.

“That was a pretty impressive show, Ms. Trixie,” I said. “The first time I’ve seen an Equestrian version of The Hobbit.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, and smiled. “Well, Trixie is one of the greatest traveling magicians in Equestria, if not the greatest. It would only make sense that she be the one to tell such a tale.”

Okay, she definitely had a bit of an ego, but hey, what person in show biz didn’t? “So, have you read the other three books that follow The Hobbit?”

Trixie chuckled. “Trixie has been rather busy, but she is halfway through The Fellowship of the Ring. I have a… a human friend who said I should read Mr. Tolkien’s stories, and recommended I start with The Hobbit.” She smiled, looking to the foals following their parents home. “I am glad I listened to Wingm—” She cleared her throat suddenly, and continued. “Ah, excuse me, my throat must be sore from talking for so long. As I was saying, I am glad I listened to my friend… it is a very fun story to tell the youngsters.”

“Well, I hope that you’ll come out this way when you decide to tell the rest of the story to everyone,” Full Bloom said. “That’s the second human story I’ve heard, and it was great.”

Trixie gave a bow to the two of us. “Trixie is always happy to gain fans.” She looked back to her stage, and gave a small nod. “If you’ll excuse me, I must clear stage before it gets to be too dark.”

As she turned back to her stage, I noticed a silk, black hat that you might find on the head of a magician lying on the edge of the stage. It was upside down, and on the brim was taped a note that said in a stylized horn writing ‘Tips are welcome, thank you!’.

I dug into my pocket and pulled out a handful of bits. Full Bloom gave me a look, and I just shrugged before dropping them in. “What? She did a great job. I’d definitely like to see her tell other stories from Earth in the future.”

I noticed Trixie pause, and just barely look over her shoulder, one ear swiveled to listen in. Full Bloom noticed as well, and sighed. “I guess you’re right. You don’t see a lot of performances like that in town these days…” She grinned, lifting a few bits with her magic and tossing them into the hat as well. “It was… refreshing.”

Trixie returned to clearing the stage, and Full Bloom and I made our way back to her apartment. We spent the remainder of the night indoors, listening to some late night radio programs and enjoying each other’s company. By the time it was midnight, we had made ourselves comfortable on her bed.

Full Bloom had fallen asleep first, leaving me awake with an arm draped over her. Occasionally she would mumble something and move around in her sleep. At one point she had managed to locate me, and she quickly rolled closer to me, exhaling softly through her nose and draping a leg over mine.

I could get used to this… I thought, running a hand through her mane. A soft smile spread across her lips, and she moved even closer, nestling her head on my shoulder while mumbling what may or may not have been my name.

Closing my eyes, I let the comforting feeling of Full Bloom’s body rising and falling with mine lull me to sleep.

Yeah… I could definitely get used to this.

Morning came with me awakening to an empty bed, again. I sat up slowly, yawning as I took in my surroundings, recognizing Full Bloom’s room after two nights of sleeping there.

I got up slowly and stretched, walking out of the room, only to find the rest of the apartment empty. I did, however, find a note taped to the front door of her apartment with her horn writing on it.

Darren,

Sorry to leave you alone this morning, but I had to take care of a few errands and get some things in town. I should be back around one o’clock in the afternoon, so feel free to help yourself to anything in the pantry or ice box. If you go anywhere, could you leave me a note so I know if you’ll be back or at your place? I was hoping we might be able to have dinner again tonight; my treat!

Thank you!

Love,

Full Bloom

P.S. - I don’t want to come off as weird, but I left a spare key to my apartment for you, taped to the note. Mel has one of my spares, and I trust you enough to keep one as well. I know it’s a bit odd for you, but we don’t typically worry about locking doors in this part of town. Even so, if you ever need to get here while I’m not around, feel free to use this key if the door is locked.

I made my way into the kitchen and looked around for something to make for myself. Full Bloom, being a single mare, had about as much food as one would expect for one pony to live off of. Some fruits, some vegetables, leftovers from previous meals, a half-carton of milk, eggs, some juice, and not much else. Her pantry had lots of spices, a bag of flour, boxes of instant mixes for cakes and other desserts, bread, and more bags of instant ramen than I would ever dream of.

Huh, never took her to be a fan of the stuff. Go figure.

I continued searching around, eventually settling on a box of Twilight Sparkle Bursts cereal (with real, honey-glazed star shaped oats in every bite!), and poured it into a bowl with some milk. I turned on the radio, eventually settling on a news station that wasn’t saturated with political talk. I got enough of that from the newspapers, thank you very much.

“... see, now I can understand her point there, believe me, I do. It is hard being a mare in a world with so few stallions, but this Five Stars is going too far with the promotion of such graphic topics in her articles! This Gentleman For Mares company is gaining an alarming amount of popularity, and I am concerned for the well-being of our young fillies! What will they think when they are adults and begin discovering themselves? Will they just assume that it’s normal to find a male human and… and ruthim?”

“Miss Dewdrop, have you considered that there’s nothing wrong with being attracted to a male of a different, sapient species? That it might even be considered fairly normal?”

“Normal? Normal? No! It is as far from normal as one can get! You cannot seriously believe that nature intended for us to want to commit such atrocities that do nothing to bring healthy foals into the world!”

“Alright, thank you, Miss Dewdrop.” At that point I heard what sounded like a telephone line being hung up. “When we return from a short break, we’ll discuss with a mare on the opposite side of the spectrum about her thoughts on Gentlemen For Mares, and what she believes they are bringing to Equestria.”

I continued to eat my admittedly tastier than I had expected bowl of cereal as a little jingle for some dress shop in Ponyville played.

“Carousel Boutique~! Where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique~! Now providing dressmaking, tailoring, and fashion accessory design services to human clientele! Visit today!”

“Heh, cute.” I thought to myself aloud. I’d have to keep that place in mind for the future. No doubt I’d need a few dress suits if I planned on doing well with my job… that and Full Bloom deserved to have someone who could look halfway decent on a date.

“And welcome back, with us now is a mare who has served in the Canterlot political scene for some time, and has been a long supporter of the arts in Equestria, Miss Royal Ribbon. Thank you for joining us!”

“Oh, the pleasure’s all mine, I assure you. I’m happy to be here.”

I paused in mid-chew. Royal Ribbon… why did that name seem to ring a bell with me?

“Now, Miss Ribbon, you’ve actually retired from the political scene about three years ago, correct?”

“Yes, various personal reasons mainly.”

“Among them being a reason related to the topic of today’s show, from what you’ve told me.”

“Yes, that is correct. I am an advocate of Gentlemen For Mares.”

“Now, while I admire your bravery in doing this, Miss Ribbon, aren’t you worried about harassment from those who are opposed to Gentlemen For Mares? The recent events revolving around the magazine articles by Five Stars, as well as the protests in Las Pegasus and New York City, would have me concerned.”

Royal Ribbon chuckled. “I’ve spent the better part of fifteen years working as an Equestrian legislator, Miss True Tone. Harassment, hate mail, and jeering are the least of my worries. I’m also quite capable of defending myself, if need be.”

“Now, I must ask, what got you involved with the company? I understand you have an interest in human fashion and culture, but why an escort service that uses human males?”

“First of all, it’s not just an escort service. It’s a company that focuses on giving lonely mares a chance for male companionship. Whether that may entail a late-night walk, a comfortable dinner or chat by candlelight, a romantic evening in a hotel suite… Gentlemen For Mares adapts to suit the needs of its clients. I would know, being a former client myself.”

“From what you’ve told me before the show, you’ve become more involved in the past year with the company?”

“Yes. I’m actually starting my first full-time job with them. I’m not at liberty to discuss any details relating to my job itself, but my experience with human culture and my work in Canterlot gave me a hoof in the door, so to speak. After I was granted an interview, I was quickly accepted.”

I still couldn’t quite remember where I had heard this mare’s name before, but decided to not dwell on the topic. I’m sure it’d come to me later when I least expected it.

I finished the last of my cereal and placed the bowl in the sink, cleaning it off with some dish soap and drying it off while the radio continued. Not much else was said that really caught my interest; this Royal Ribbon or whatever wasn’t even allowed to talk about where she would be working. Most likely Manehatten or Las Pegasus, which, according to the brochure I had received from Manila, were the two big headquarters for Gentlemen for Mares.

That being said, why did they need an office in a place like Hoofington? It was, for the most part, smack-dab in the middle of Equestria. It was only several dozen miles southwest of Ponyville and right near the western border of the Everfree Forest, and just south of a small chain of hills that join up with the ancient Macintosh Hills. If you were to head further south past the Saddle River, you would find yourself at Ghastly Gorge. Go west from there down the Saddle River and you can find the Whitetail Woods to the north, and Las Pegasus itself nestled to the west.

It made some sense, I suppose, to have a central location for the more administrative work to be taken care of. Even so, Hoofington was an industrial town with some institutions doing work focused on the environment as well. Not exactly a hub for administrative offices.

It could very well be that they just wanted some sort of middle ground for saving money on postage. Wouldn’t be too surprising. Silky had said that until recently, they handled a lot of paperwork. They were at risk of closing down, though due to financial difficulties.

Makes you wonder how much money the overall company was spending…

I got up and turned off the radio. After getting dressed for the day I left a note for Full Bloom, telling her I was going out for a walk. I couldn’t help but smile as I taped my note next to the one she had left on the door for me.

I found some appreciation in the doting tone of her letter. I only hoped it wouldn’t get to the point that she was breathing down my neck, constantly wondering where I was and calling me all hours of the day. I couldn’t really see Full Bloom being like that, but it was still a possibility. I’ve already been down that road with my last girlfriend.

I still owe Mel and the guys for getting me out of that mess of a relationship.

Casting those thoughts aside, I made my way out the door. Sunshine and the smell of flowers greeted me as I stepped out, and I couldn’t help but take in a deep breath and sigh contentedly. For all the industry and steelworking that went on in this town, Hoofington was good about keeping their city clean.

I made my way down the cobblestone road in front of Full Bloom’s apartment, having no particular destination in mind. I didn’t even notice when a half hour had passed and I found myself standing by the southern waterfront of the Saddle River. A few ponies, humans, griffins, and even a diamond dog, were fishing on a railed boardwalk. Several couples apparently had the same idea as me, and were walking along the the trails lining the riverside while enjoying the weather.

It was almost noon when I made my way back to Full Bloom’s apartment. I had stopped by a local sweet shop and picked up a box of chocolates and a bottle of wine with a label written in Aeric. It was, according to the mare who sold me it, a great dessert wine. I had decided it’d be a nice surprise for her after the supposed dinner she had planned for us tonight, but after purchasing the wine, I couldn’t pass up on the box of chocolates.

Yeah, it may be a cliché present, but I was testing the waters here. I’ll get more creative with gifts after I get to know Full Bloom better. When I got back to her apartment, I unlocked the door and was greeted to a still empty apartment.

I headed into the kitchen and set to work, making what I hoped would suffice for a decent lunch. I took stock of Full Bloom’s ice box, and was pleased to see she had a large head of romaine lettuce—it looked like romaine lettuce, at least—along with lots of other fresh greens and vegetables, chilled and ready for eating.

About ten minutes later found me cutting up some tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, and artichoke hearts while two eggs boiled in a small cooking pot. By the time the front door opened fifteen minutes later, I had two large bowls filled to the brim with salad greens and vegetables, ready to be devoured.

“Darren, are you—?” Full Bloom walked through the front door of her apartment, pausing at the entrance when she noticed me sitting at the kitchen table with a salad for each of us, along with some apple juice.

“Welcome back. I hope you don’t mind, but I kind of got hungry, so I made us some salads. Uh… I’ll help you get more groceries if you want, later.”

Full Bloom’s smile was the only reply I needed as she walked over to me and gave me a light nuzzle. “Thanks, that was sweet of you.” She eyed the salad, smiling as she took in everything. “Wow, you really went all out… are those… eggs?”

“Mm. Yeah, I like to cut up hard boiled eggs into slices and put them in. I didn’t know if you’re a fan of them, so if you want I can take them out and—”

“It’s fine,” Full Bloom cut me off while putting a gentle hoof on my shoulder. “Just, I can’t say I ever thought of doing that before.” She took a seat at the table and drizzled some dressing over the lettuce. As she dug in, her eyes closed with contentment. “Mmmmm. Thanks, Darren.”

I grinned, glad she was enjoying the meal. “No problem, I figured you’d be hungry.”

She dabbed her lips with a napkin. “Don’t eat too much, though. I booked us a booth at The Cream of the Crop tonight.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Really? You mean that swanky restaurant down on main street that was opened some time back?” She nodded. “Huh… Hemlock says they have a menu for humans, too. Omnivore menu items and everything.”

“Yep, I have a friend who’s a chef there. They pulled a few strings for us, and I got us a private booth in the omnivore section. So, if you want, you can order a steak or something meaty.”

Meat? Okay, either Full Bloom was joking with me, or she was even cooler than I had thought.

“I know you said you’re alright with having meat being eaten in front of you… are you sure that you don’t mind?” I asked.

Full Bloom gave me a nod. “You’re an omnivore, Darren. Why should I be bothered by that? It’s not like you’re planning to eat me, after all…” She smirked, then added in a sultry voice. “Though… I wouldn’t mind letting you have a taste…”

I grinned. “Careful, Full Bloom. You keep playing this game of seduction with me, and I might end up hooked.”

She winked playfully. “That’s the plan, Mr. Halverson.”

I watched with some amusement as she attempted to subtly run one of her back hooves up my leg, but given pony anatomy, she had to adjust her sitting position, and almost slid out of her chair a few times.

The effort was there, though, and it was rather adorable.

“O-okay, no more playing footsie unless I’m sitting closer to you,” she said with a hint of embarrassment after wobbling in her chair while trying to maintain balance. “Ponies weren’t made for this kind of foreplay.”

“And the score is now biped—one, quadruped—zero. You get points for being cute, though, I won’t argue there.”

She finally reseated herself, and gave me a half-lidded smile. “Really, now?”

A sudden tingling sensation ran up my leg, and could see the telltale glow of green around her horn. Her smile became a grin as I felt a tendril of her magic run along my waistline, then gently dance along my groin before coming to a halt. The electric tingling of her magic was still there, but she had yet do anything further.

“Okay, I walked right into that one” I said, laughing as she lifted a leaf of lettuce with her magic and delicately nibbled on it.

Her eyes never left mine as she continued to chew on her greens. “So,” she said between bites. “What have we learned?”

“That unicorns are dirty cheaters with dirtier minds?”

Her grin remained in place. “Oho, you are so asking for it, aren’t you?” I felt her magic run up my waistline and gently caress my stomach and chest. “I like that, though.” Her magic ran gently along my neck and cheeks. “I might just have to skip dinner tonight and go straight to dessert, won’t I?”

“With those bedroom eyes you’re giving me, you almost manage to negate your corny one-liners.” I laughed as her horn’s aura fizzled out, her cheeks reddening beneath her mulberry fur. She let out a huff and pouted, turning away from me suddenly. “Oh, come on, I like corny pick-up lines.” She continued to pout, but I could already see cracks in her facade. “Full Bloom, I’m serious. You’re teasing is sexy, and pretty cute.” I reached over the table and rested my hand on a hoof. “You’d have to try pretty hard right now for me to not find you attractive. We might have only just become a couple, but I mean that; you’ve got that hot and nerdy vibe going for you.”

She looked back to me with a frown. “Nerdy?”

“You’re an expert at botany, you have all your cooking spices arranged in alphabetical order, and I’m pretty sure the cookbooks nestled in one of your cupboards was arranged by author name.” She shrunk a bit as I gave her a grin. “There’s no need to be ashamed, though. It’s what makes you who you are… and you are pretty damn attractive. So there.”

Her smile returned slowly. “You’re not the smoothest sweet-talker I’ve known, but…” Her horn lit up, and I jumped a bit as I felt a wisp of her magic run down my loins before vanishing. “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t cute, too.”

“I guess we’re both nerds, then, huh?”

“You? Oh, no, you’re an adorable doofus with a big brain that doesn’t know when to work sometimes.” She took a few more bites of her salad, then placed the rest of her meal in my own bowl with her magic. “I grabbed a late breakfast, so you can finish the rest of my salad.”

“I thought you said to save room for dinner?” I asked.

“Mm. I had second thoughts on that. You’re going to need all the strength you have for tonight.”

She headed into her room, putting an extra sway in her steps as I watched her leave.

I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a salad with as much gusto as I did that afternoon.

The evening passed quickly for me. Full Bloom wasn’t kidding when she said her friend had pulled some strings for us. The private booth was curtained off for us, giving the illusion that we were truly the only ones in the establishment. They even placed a soundproofing spell so that the background noise, as well as our own voices, was muted.

The meal, though… wow.

I had asked Full Bloom, for the umpteenth time, if she was seriously alright with me ordering anything that had once been a living animal. Her response was a simple nod and insisting I get whatever I wanted. She also made it a point to remind me that the meal was on her, and I had better not even think of getting out my wallet. While I did feel a bit guilty, I had to remind myself that she had offered to pay and seemed all too eager about the whole thing.

I eventually decided on a pork tenderloin with roasted apples and onions with a butternut squash salad on the side. Full Bloom had ordered a spinach and feta cheese pasta dish for herself. Along with our orders came orders of what the waiter serving us claimed was the best apple cider in all of Equestria, straight from the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres.

The meal went by with idle conversation, mostly just us learning a bit about each other. Full Bloom apparently was the middle child from a family of five sisters and her mother. She only knew her father for a little while, since he had passed away shortly after her youngest sister was born. The age gap between her and her siblings was apparently small, from what I understood.

I told her about my brother, and how we had both left for Equestria when access to the portal was made open to the public. I didn’t have too much to say about my parents, but she didn’t pry, thankfully. Aside from that, we passed the time with comfortable small talk.

“Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever been this hungry before,” I said, stabbing my fork into another slice of pork and apple. “This is probably the best pork tenderloin I’ve ever had, period. You Equestrians really know how to make a good hard cider, too.”

Full Bloom was about halfway through her own meal, and had already polished off most of her glass of cider. “Hey, apples and alfalfa were a major crop for most of Equestria once upon a time. Why do you think we have so many dishes for hay and apples in the first place?”

By the time I was full, my plate had been polished off, and Full Bloom had even offered the remains of her own meal, saying she was already full. The odd thing was that I felt energized instead of stuffed.

“So…” Full Bloom asked, resting a hoof on my hand. “Enjoy the meal?”

I took her hoof in my hand, stroking the soft flesh beneath it with my thumb. “Yeah. Thanks, Full Bloom, this was great.”

“Well…” She stretched her neck out a bit as she drank the last of her cider down. As she set down the glass, she gave me the half-lidded smile that I was becoming more and more acquainted with as of late. “... the night’s still young. I didn’t have anything planned aside from just enjoying each other’s company, so…” Her hoof squeezed my hand gently.

No words were needed, but I didn’t want to rush things quite yet. “What do you say we go for a stroll along the waterfront? There’s not supposed to be many clouds in the sky tonight.”

The sultry look in her eyes diminished a little as it was replaced with genuine cheer. “That sounds like a nice idea, actually.”

After the bill was paid, the two of us made our way out the door and towards the Saddle River. There was a crescent moon hanging in the sky tonight, and just as I had hoped, not a cloud to be seen. It was a little chilly, though, but neither of us really seemed to notice with how close to one another we were as we walked. I eventually found a bench overlooking a splendid view of the river. The moon reflected off the river and a few stars were visible, even with the lamplight lining the streets nearby.

“Darren?”

“Hm?”

“I…” Full Bloom paused for a long moment. After several seconds passed, I turned to my side to look at her. She was looking down to her hooves, a troubled expression on her face.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Do you think I’m coming on too strong? I mean… we had sex before we had a real date. I… I know you said that it’s not a huge deal, but it’s a bit outside the norm for humans, isn’t it?”

“Not necessarily true,” I chuckled, but I ceased when her frown remained in place. “Full Bloom, I’m enjoying this, really. Sure, it was unexpected, but I’m glad you told me that you’re interested. I never would have known, and to be honest, I think I would be missing out on some wonderful things right now.”

“I just don’t want you to think I’m pressuring you into this.”

“Hey, if I wasn’t interested, I could have easily said no,” I pointed out. I gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, and let her rest her head on my shoulder. “You’re a wonderful mare, and to be honest, you’ve kind of opened my eyes up a little.”

She giggled. “Was I that good in the bed?”

“You’ll get no complaints from me there,” I replied with a grin, earning a playful nibble on the neck from her. “But that’s not what I meant… well, not entirely what I meant.”

She looked to me, and I stared into the deep, green pools of her eyes. It was astonishing how similar equine eyes were to humans.

“What… what did you mean, then?” she asked quietly.

“You’ve shown me that physical traits don’t make or break a relationship. I won’t lie, though, the physical portion of the relationship is very nice.” She giggled as I kissed her right ear. “But… I’d say what really makes a relationship is the feelings behind it. Giving and receiving those feelings… that’s what I’ve always wanted from another woman, or mare, as it were…” I frowned. “Did that sound weird to you? I swear it sounded better in my head.”

“No, no, I understand. It’s a thing lots of mares would probably agree with as well.” She nuzzled me briefly before continuing. “You’d be surprised how many mares out there just want a warm body to hold at night, to remind them that they’re not alone.”

“That’s… kind of what Silky told me, too.”

“Silky?” Full Bloom asked.

“Yeah, she’s my future boss. She mentioned that the sex ratio of stallion to mare is really skewed in Equestria, so lots of mares find themselves without someone to be with the way we are right now.”

She hummed. “So you’ll be doing more than just giving them pleasure, then…” She seemed satisfied by that realization. “Good… that’s sort of noble of you, really…”

“You’re not jealous or upset by that? I…know you’ve already said you’re okay with it, but I don’t want this to be an issue. I could try and look for a different job if—”

A hoof pressed softly against my chest, and Full Bloom shook her head. “No, I’m fine with it, trust me. What you’re doing is something that others may not understand, but I mean it when I say it’s a good thing. You’re going to help mares in need of companionship. It might sound a little petty, but sometimes all we want is to be complimented and held. Ponies are social creatures; we seek companionship. Some would say we thrive on it, even. The idea of friendship having a magic of its own has a grain of truth to it, after all. Love, friendship, feelings that come from others that give us a sense of importance and being wanted… you can’t just replace them with cheap sex and pretty words. We can fool ourselves, but deep down, the truth is that only the genuine thing can work.”

A few crickets were chirping in the long grass by the water while a chorus of distant frogs carried over the nighttime breeze. I smiled at her as she rested her head against me once more. “Wow…”

“Hm?” she asked.

“Corny one-liners and deep and meaningful thoughts.” I leaned down and planted a kiss on her ear again. “Keep it up and you’ll be hard pressed to get rid of me.”

Her horn lit up as she pulled me down slowly by the collar of my shirt, and we shared a kiss. Her tongue darted past her lips and grazed my own, but before I could return the favor, she pulled back and gave me her best seductive smile. Without warning, she hopped off the bench and darted off, turning around and giggling as my eyes followed her.

“Huh-wha?” I remarked intelligently.

“Why don’t we head back to my place. I recall you had a bottle of wine and some chocolates you wanted to share with me for dessert?” Her tail flagged to the side for a moment, and she stuck out her tongue before continuing her canter towards the direction of her apartment.

What I could only guess to be a goofy grin spread across my lips as I chased after her.

I’m not entirely sure how we managed to get into Full Bloom’s apartment. I had managed to catch up to her at some point, though I’m suspecting she let me. Either way, we had become almost inseparable from that point, and the two of us had almost tripped over each other at least twice while walking up the stairs to her apartment, stealing a kiss or a playful nip every few steps.

Did I mention Full Bloom really enjoys having her ears touched? Yeah, I’ll be keeping that information tucked away for later.

By the time Full Bloom (or perhaps it was me, I did bring her spare apartment key with me, after all) managed to open the door to her place, she was already tugging away at my shirt with her magic.

“So, I’m guessing the wine’s not happening?” I chuckled as she herded me over to her bedroom.

“The wine’s not going anywhere, and the chocolate’s are fine.” She gave me a playful smack in the rear. “You’re the dessert I was waiting for tonight, stud.”

I plopped onto her bed, shirtless and pants half-undone, holding up a hand to stop her from pouncing on me. When she gave me a confused look, I grinned. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to give you a little extra attention first.”

Full Bloom’s tail swished from side to side a few times as her eyes brightened. She gave me a nod, and hopped onto the bed. I leaned forward and planted a few gentle kisses along her neck, trailing down slowly until I eventually reached her shoulder. She let out a shuddering breath as I moved over to the other half of her neck as she rolled onto her side.

I planted a few more kisses along her collarbone, even using my teeth a little bit, earning a squeal of delight from her.

“So, teeth are a good thing, then?” I asked as I grinned.

She looked up at me, her chest rising and falling as she smiled. “You surprised me, but… y-yeah, I liked it.”

I closed the gap between our lips and she let out a throaty sigh when I deepened our kiss. Her velvet tongue parted my lips, and I was soon engaged in a bout of tongue wrestling with her. I was completely outmatched, I might add; Equestrian tongues are larger than any human tongue could hope to be.

Not to be dissuaded by this, I trailed a free hand down her belly, and flicked one of her erect teats with a finger. That got a yelp out of her, and I pulled back.

“Oh, shit!” I said. “Too much? I didn’t know if it would be painful, I should-mmph!”

Full Bloom cut off my apology by attacking my lips. She pulled back just long enough to smile and say, “My nerves are on fire right now. You just surprised me again when you did that, so…” She trailed a few kisses my neck, her tongue leaving a thin trail as she made her way to my collarbone. She let out a hot puff of air that washed over my neck, and whispered huskily to me. “I guess I got a little excited…”

With that, she pushed me away gently with both her forelegs so that I could take her in completely. Seeing her like that, gazing up at me with desire and a primal type of hunger dancing in her eyes set me off.

I wasn’t even thinking, instead relying completely on instinct as I lowered my lips to her navel. Full Bloom squirmed and let out pleasant squeaks and mewls as I began to tease her hardened nipples. She even let out a nicker or two when I circled one of them with my tongue. Cute, and reassuring that I was doing good.

Her breathing had picked up as I began to journey lower, taking my time to massage and kiss both of her inner thighs. The musk that was hanging in the air now was unmistakable, and Full Bloom’s words were slowly melding into a string of my name being called out.

I paused along the innermost part of her right thigh and gazed up at her. She had one lust-laden eye open to meet my gaze and grinning like it was going out of style.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” I asked, only realizing a moment later that I had vocalized my thoughts.

The blush that crossed Full Bloom’s face was priceless. “D-Darren…”

I just winked, and without further prompting, turned my attention to the parted lips of her marehood. They were already slick with fluids from her arousal, almost a steady flow if you could believe it. I parted her lips with two fingers, earning a sharp intake of breath from her.

“May I?” I asked, receiving an eager nod from her. I lowered my lips and gently brushed the little nub over her slit with my tongue.

The results were almost immediate. Full Bloom’s legs went rigid as she let out gasp, and I could feel her body shudder beneath me. I gave her a moment to adjust, then continued while picking up the pace.

“O-oh, buck me, y-yeah! Mmmphh!” she said between breaths. “Darren, k-keep—yes, like that! Yes, yes, yes! Ohhh-yeahhh…”

I continued to tease her clit with my tongue, occasionally darting into her winking marehood and causing her to push her hips upward reflexively. If she was moist before, she was sopping wet now.

I’m pretty sure she had yet to orgasm, too.

I placed both my lips over her clit and gently sucked. While tending to her clit with my lips and tongue, I took a free hand and inserted two fingers into her slit, and began to gently pump, sometimes alternating, other times wriggling them slowly with each thrust. Judging by the fact that she was getting even louder, she was getting close. So, feeling emboldened by her words and reactions, I inserted a third finger and began to pump furiously while licking the area around her swollen clit, giving it a quick flick of my tongue every so often.

I had expected her cum soon, but I was was not prepared for her to whinny loudly, nor was I expecting her legs to wrap around my head. Regardless, I held her legs with both hands as entire body shuddered while she cried out my name. Her orgasm hit me square in the chin, and her smell flooded my senses completely as her legs went limp.

Slowly, I rose up, wiping a finger over my chin and inspecting the fluid.

Full Bloom, who was now biting down on a pillow held between her forelegs, looked up at me with a hint of what may have been shame. “I-I’m sorry, I should have warned—”

I pressed a finger against her lips while leaning forward. “Don’t apologize. I enjoyed it.”

That adorable smile of hers resurfaced, and she nodded. “I did, too… a lot.” She let her tongue trail along my chin and cheek. “I can’t remember the last time a stallion gave me oral.”

“Well, I’m not a stallion, hm?” I sucked on her lower lip as she moaned, still riding out the euphoria of her climax and catching her breath. I slowed down my assault on her lips, and let my hands roam across her stomach and rump.

She eventually placed a hoof on my bare chest, and for the first time I felt the suction of her hoof against it. I looked down to her hoof, and when she pulled away, I gave her a curious look and indicated to the limb. She merely nodded and smiled, and held it up for me to study.

“You know… it still amazes me how you ponies have hooves that can grab things the way they do,” I whispered, trailing my fingers over the contours beneath her hoof. Her hoof gently grasped my finger, the supple flesh beneath gripping it softly. “Wow…”

She giggled softly, and took my hand in her hoof to give it a similar study. “We may have hooves… but I’d say fingers are much more appealing.”

“Maybe…but I think I like your hooves more, personally…” I planted a gentle kiss on the skin beneath her hoof, earning a pleasant gasp.

“Come here,” she commanded, pulling me close and locking lips with me. We spent a few moments like that, just enjoying the rush that came with each caress of lips and brushing of a limb against each other.

Full Bloom eventually drew back from my lips, still giving me that smoldering smile of hers. She nodded to the pillows on her bed, and said softly. “Lie back. It’s my turn now.”

I did as she asked. Despite the fact that we had already had sex before, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of nervous excitement run through my body. Full Bloom slowly backed away from me, her eyes never leaving mine as she did so. She stopped at my knees, and glanced down at my erection, pushing against the fabric of my pants.

“Heh…I get it now…”

I gave her a curious look. “Get what?”

“Hm? Oh, sorry, sorry…” Full Bloom waved a hoof at me. “That human expression I’ve heard… pitching a tent. It makes sense now.” She lowered her snout and bit down on my zipper. Slowly, with deliberate care, she pulled it apart. Her hips swayed slowly from side to side as she began pulling at the hem of my pants. Soon, all that was left was the fabric of my boxers. Instead of removing those right away, though, Full Bloom instead pressed her snout against my length, humming softly and taking in a slow breath.

I couldn’t stop the groan from leaving me. Okay, this shouldn’t have turned me on as much as it was, but the way her hips continued moving as she began to really press into my groin was a lot more pleasurable than I would have thought. Probably because of the anticipation from knowing what would eventually come… no pun intended.

My boxers were becoming rather cumbersome by the time Full Bloom ceased with her rather lewd nuzzling session. I think she noticed this, and mercifully began to pull away at my boxers with her teeth. Her eyes lit up as my length was freed from my boxers, and she grinned. “There we go…”

With a slow and deliberate motion, Full Bloom lowered her mouth over my length, stopping about halfway and slowly dragging her tongue up my shaft. I shuddered as her velvet tongue flicked my head and caused my feet to curl and my hands to grip the fabric.

Okay, this was definitely a new experience. Receiving oral was something I experienced a few times, but goddamn was Full Bloom’s tongue skilled.

She curled her tongue and stroked the bottom half of my length while she enclosed her lips around my length again. She began to bob her head up and down at a steady pace, breathing out of her nose every few seconds and making the sexiest moan that sent wonderful tremors through my loins.

I couldn’t hold back the moan in my throat when she took my length in and held for a few seconds. I let out a shuddering breath as she hummed, closing her eyes and stroking my navel with a hoof.

“F-Full Bloom…” I breathed. At this rate, I was going to last very long.

She opened her eyes, both of her emerald irises shimmering with lust and mirth. She giggled as she sucked hard once more before my erection was freed of her lips. “You like that?” I couldn’t form a verbal reply, instead settling for a rapid nod that made her laugh. She smiled and leaned forward to plant a kiss on my neck. “Good,” she whispered. “I… I haven’t given oral to a male in a long time. It’s good to know I’ve still got some skill.”

I laughed breathlessly as my arms wrapped around her. “I nearly lost it when you went down on me at the end there.”

She grinned, and planted another wet kiss on my neck, slowly gliding her tongue up to my jawline. She let out a purr and nipped at my neck softly. I planted a few kisses along her forehead, around the base of her horn, and her ears. She shuddered each time my lips connected with her fur coat, puffs of her hot breath tickling my skin.

“St-stop…” she breathed, and I did so immediately. I gave her a worried look, but she only gave me a reassuring smile. “It’s okay… I… just… if you keep doing that and I’m going to be a puddy in your hands. I’d rather be coherent enough so you can enjoy this as much as me.”

I smiled as she gave me a tender nuzzle, and drew back a little. She looked down to my erection, and slowly positioned herself over my length. She looked back to me as my tip pressed against her slit. She leaned forward and locked lips with me, then pressed her hips down, taking me in at the same time.

I groaned into her mouth and involuntarily thrusted my hips forward, earning a moan from her. She began to bounce her rump against my hips, letting out heated breaths as she pulled away from my lips. Neither of us was really in sync as we grinded against one another, but we both couldn’t have cared less. The feeling we had of being joined together as we were was far more important to us at the moment.

Full Bloom began to gyrate against my body, rolling her hips in sensual, circular movements. I met her with a slow, deep thrust every few moments, earning a throaty moan each time from her.

“Darren…” She mewled into my neck as she held me tighter. “Cum for me…” She nipped my neck gently. “Please… please…”

It didn’t take much coaxing for me to meet that request. I was already hitting my limit with how fast she was grinding against me. I picked up my pace as she let out a string of ‘yes’ and ‘Darren’ intermittently between kisses. Then, with a final thrust, I felt a white hot jolt of electricity shoot up my spine as I released into her. She let out a weak gasp, and almost collapsed against me right then and there. I pushed myself further into her as her inner walls took in as much of me as they could.

It must have been a few minutes before she carefully lifted herself up from my length. She rested her rump over my groin, and tucked a hoof between her back legs. She began to tease her marehood, looking at me with pleading eyes.

“Need some help?” I offered with a crooked smile.

She let out a desperate whimper and nodded. “Yes…”

I placed a thumb gently over her swollen clit, her hoof resting over the back of my hand. I raised my gaze back up to her, and was happy to see her smiling as I began to tease her.

It was less than a minute before she let out a shaking gasp, and leaned back a bit. Her marehood twitched for a moment, then she came, soaking my stomach in her fluids. She collapsed against me as I began to feel exhaustion hit me hard.

“N-no… nopony has ever… done that with me before…” She said quietly, her heartbeat clearly felt against my own.

“Really?” I murmured, fighting back the drooping of my eyes. “I thought it was cute helping you get off like that…”

“Mmm…” She raised her head up and pressed her lips against my chin. “Most stallions I’ve had were a little weirded out by my request to help me masturbate. Most mares I had sex with would make me orgasm before it got to that point…”

I yawned, and laughed. “So, was I just not that good this time that you didn’t cum right away?”

“No, no…” She shook her head slowly. “I… I just… like it when somepony does it with me.” My eyes had closed by now, but I could still hear her. “Darren… you don’t think that’s weird, do you?”

“Mmmm… not at all. Sex should be fun for everyone involved. What’s so weird about trying to enjoy it?”

She must have approved of my answer, because a second later I felt her hooves slowly wrap around my neck as she planted a kiss on my lips. It was gentler than the previous ones, but the emotions behind it were still there. I returned it in kind, blindly feeling for her neck with my hand and running a hand over it.

“Thanks, Darren…” she hummed.

“No, thank you.” I yawned again. “I’m going to probably crash, if you don’t mind…”

She chuckled, “Same…” I could hear the sound of her magic come to life, and I felt the thin fabric of a bedsheet crawl up and cover us both. “See you in the morning.”

“Mhm… I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight, Full Bloom…” I replied.

A moment passed, and then the blissful blanket of sleep settled upon me.

End of Chapter Four

Author's Note

One has to wonder... would long term exposure to magic cause any side-effects to humans? Would living in a land of magic like Equestria perhaps lead to some genetic mutations in future generations of humans?

...would Equestria become the birthplace of real human magicians? If so, someone needs to get cracking on making that supposed portal to Neo Equinenox. There's got to be some universe out there that has magic, talking ponies, right? Right?

Anyway, that's chapter four. Chapter five will begin Darren and the rest of the guys' training as Gentlemen. Updates will probably be chapter by chapter from here on out, but I am already a few chapters ahead. I just need to do editing and clean-up with them. I also have other stories I intend to work on more now that I got this ball rolling here.

As with the previous chapters, Demon Eyes Laharl, AJ Aficionado, and Firesight deserve a huge thanks for their help with this story. Their editing, suggesting, and in some cases, joking around, was very helpful.

Keep your eyes peeled for future updates, but in the meantime, thanks for reading! Until the next update, keep on keeping on, everyone!