Gentleman in Training

by Denim_Blue

Chapter Eight: The Mare Behind the Mask- Part Two

Platinum Corona lifted a glass of water with her magic as she looked to me expectantly. I’m assuming it was an expectant expression, since I couldn’t very well see behind that ballroom mask of hers, aside from her mouth.

“Where… where do you want me to start?” I asked. “That’s a pretty general question, if you don’t mind me saying. Asking me to tell you a bit about myself could very well take a few hours…” I gave her a lopsided grin. “Is there anything in particular you are interested in?”

“You can probably save the reasons why you joined us for later,” Platinum replied as she took a sip of her water. “Silky gave me your portfolio and I’ve read over it a bit.” She set down the glass on a coaster as she continued. “How about your reasons for coming to Equestria? Silky mentioned you came here to study the Everfree Forest’s wildlife. Is that true?”

“Ah,” I leaned into the chair a bit, getting comfortable as I collected my thoughts. “Well, to be honest, I really just wanted to see what your world is like. I mean, the chances of having a perfectly hospitable environment on a planet is insane. I mean, they’re still finding other possible planets that could host life, but to encounter a planet with life like that on Earth?” I shook my head. “It’s been… what, almost a decade since our worlds made contact?” Platinum nodded. “The scientific community is still baffled by just how crazy the odds were of that portal leading to a world with environments similar to Earth’s. I hate to imagine what would have happened if Princess Twilight’s planet had a different atmosphere than Earth’s. She and that Rainbow Dash could have died. I’m no physicist or expert on interdimensional portals, but I imagine some bad stuff could have happened for both our planets.”

“Yes,” Platinum frowned a bit. “Princess Twilight is a brilliant mare, I will not argue that. Though, I’ve heard that she… gets a bit carried away with her research when she’s on the brink of discovering something. Oddly enough, the Neo Equinenox incident was a fluke. She just happened to make a stable portal while working on a teleportation spell of sorts, and your scientists and our own have managed to keep it stable for all these years.”

“Exactly. Our species can interact with almost no harmful side effects, aside from possible allergies.” I waved a hand. “Sorry, as I was saying, when I was offered the chance to work on a project that studied life that’s similar to Earth’s but still very different… well, what choice did I have?”

The candle glow let me see a smile cross Platinum’s face. She gave me an understanding nod as she hummed in agreement. “I always admire those who have a passion for what they do. I take it you also have a passion for social interaction between different cultures?”

“To a slightly lesser extent, yeah, I guess you could say that. I’m learning stuff about Equestria every day, and while I still love Earth… I would like to stay here for a bit longer… maybe even longer than that.” I shrugged. “There’s… I don’t want to call it an innocence, but maybe there’s a purity to this land that you don’t see so much of on Earth. Not to say that Earth is lesser of a planet, far from it. Earth has some of the most beautiful scenery you could hope to find, and there’s so much it still has to show us.”

“Humanity is indeed a race that’s not content with the status quo when it comes to discovering things.” Platinum let out a soft giggle. “You’re an intriguing man, Darren.”

I laughed and shook my head. “That’s nice of you to say, but I’m far from the most brilliant mind when it comes to the world of science.”

“Well, regardless of what you might think, I can see what Silky saw in you.”

Platinum poured me a glass of water and offered it to me. As I took a long swig, I could feel her studying me. She watched my movements with a silent yet intense curiosity.

“So, you’re in a relationship with another mare, correct?”

I nodded.

“How is that going for you?”

I smiled. “Wonderfully. Full Bloom—that’s her name—is awesome, smart, and she’s open-minded. She’s a little nerdy at times, but gorgeous and not afraid to speak her mind. It’s kind of scary how comfortable I am around her when we’ve only been dating for less than a month.”

“I can imagine,” Platinum chuckled. “She sounds nice, though. Did you have any issues when you first became a couple?”

Part of me pondered on whether these personal questions were really relevant to my work, but I honestly didn’t mind talking to Platinum about this. She sounded genuinely interested, and not just trying to cross examine me and my qualifications.

“Would you believe me if I said that I never gave it too much thought? Honestly, she asked if I wanted to date her, and I said yes after a moment of thought.” I shrugged. “She was interested in me, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel the same after our little night out together.”

“I’m happy to hear that, Darren. I wish the best for you and your marefriend.”

“Thanks.” I stretched a bit and rolled my shoulders.

“If you don’t mind me asking more personal questions… what things do you look for in a special somepony… or significant other, if we’re going to generalize?” Platinum asked softly.

I grinned. “Is this your way of asking what kind of clients I’d be compatible with?”

Platinum shook her head a little. “No, not necessarily. A Gentleman is expected to be flexible, and that includes who he’s tending to. However… it does help us know if you have any particular skills that you can offer us.”

“Skills? We haven’t really covered anything like that yet. I’m supposed to be having my first ‘date’ with Ambrosia next—”

“I realize that,” Platinum said, gently cutting me off with a raised hoof. “Just give me some ideas. A list of thing that might you find interesting.”

“Are… are you asking me what turns me on?”

“In a roundabout way, yes, you could say that.”

I took a long sip of my water. “Excuse me for being frank, but you have no shame, do you?”

That got a laugh out of her. “I’ve been called a task master, a sadist, a deviant, a pervert, and many other things of varying implications. I’m beyond being flustered by sexual preferences and interests, Darren. I’m not here to judge, trust me when I say this.”

I cleared my throat, and said softly. “Who… who will be privy to this?”

“Only those who need to know, and I promise you that Silky will not judge either. She’s an educated mare, and understands that we all have our own likes and dislikes.”

“Okay…” I set down my glass. “I guess I like a girl—or mare, as it were—who’s strong-willed. Someone who has a love for learning for the sake of merely knowing and understanding. Not just the natural sciences, either. Music, history, literature… I like someone who’s got brains but a playful side to them. I had a girlfriend who was all that, and even though we’re not dating anymore, we’re still both good friends.”

“Mm, I don’t think you’d have much trouble finding a passionate mare in Equestria.” She cocked her head to the side a bit. “Care to elaborate more?”

“Well, let’s see. I guess I’m not afraid of someone who’s a bit of a dominant type.”

“Oh?”

“Not necessarily going into the whole BDSM stuff, though I suppose I wouldn’t knock it before trying it, depending on the mare. I’d have to trust that person or pony.”

“Of course,” Platinum said with a smile. She produced a clipboard with a flash of magic, and began to jot things down on a sheet of paper. “Do you mind if I take notes?”

I shook my head. "Not at all, go ahead." Then, I continued, “But, yeah, intelligence with looks is a major thing for me. It’s part of why I think I fell for Full Bloom so easily. She’s a botanist, and I have yet to meet a person or pony with more knowledge on the Everfree’s plant life than her.”

Platinum nodded. “So, brains are a must.”

“Not… not a must, but it helps when I would have a conversation. Not necessarily a scientific background, but I guess someone who’s got an education, or at the very least isn’t close-minded.”

“What do you think you could offer to our clients, Darren? I can say with confidence that you’ll meet mares that fit your preferences, but what about yourself? What do you think will set you aside from the others?”

“I’ve got experience, for starters. Probably not as much as some of the other guys who started working for you, but I’m not going in without any idea of what to do.”

“Yes, but that is to be expected with our Gentleman by the time they start,” Platinum replied. “Think for a moment; what makes you different? If I were to advertise your name to our clientele, what would you ask me to say?”

I pondered that for a moment. “Does it have to involve just sex?”

“No, but feel free to tell me about that, too.”

“Alright,” I exhaled. “I’m a lover of nature. I’m not afraid of getting a bit of dirt on my knees, and I love cracking jokes, most of them corny but still worth a laugh. Mares with a love for fantasy and fictional novels would get along well with me, too. I’m trying to familiarize myself with Equestrian literature and I have to say, I find the reversal of gender roles interesting.”

“How so?” Platinum asked, setting down her clipboard.

“It’s… it’s just cool, reading about some valiant mare who’s on a quest to save a stallion. A strong female protagonist is always cool. I grew up most of my life not really being exposed to many heroines, so I’ve come to appreciate stories that do a female lead justice without trying to make it seem like a big deal in the first place.”

“Hm…” Platinum lifted up her clipboard, and jotted something down before nodding for me to continue. That mysterious smile on her lips left me pondering what had her so amused, but before I could ponder over it, she continued. “What else?”

“I’ve been told by Pizzelle and my marefriend that I’m good at preening and brushing.”

“There we go,” Platinum nodded. “The details are what we like to know about. You’d be surprised how many mares like to be pampered and have personal attention given to them. Sometimes it’s nice just to feel like you’re special.”

“I’m still working out the technical stuff, but Pizzelle will work with me on it, and I’ll have plenty of opportunities to work on my grooming, too.”

“Yes, Pizzelle. You lucked out on getting her as an instructor.”

I chuckled. “I’ve enjoyed my time with her so far. If I’m going to be honest, I sort of like that tough love act she’s got going for her. She’s strong, and she knows it, and she not afraid to take control of things.” I shrugged as Platinum gave me an amused smile. “It’s sexy.”

“I see… so you like a mare who’s not afraid to be in control, hm?”

I watched her as she jotted something down on the clipboard. I quirked an eyebrow, but she waved a hoof, urging me to continue.

“So, yeah. I suppose clients who have a love for nature, outdoors, fictional works, and… well, nerdy things, I guess… that’d definitely fit into my niche. Though, I’m just as welcoming of anyone who’s willing to try things out. The personality is the main factor for me.”

“As it should be.” Platinum lifted her glass and took a long sip. “So… in your experience, would you say that there are particular physical traits that you find most attractive when you look at a mare?”

“Traits? You mean like, ears, flanks, and such?” She nodded. “I… don’t really have any preferences, I guess. I mean, sometimes things stand out a bit to me, but it’s not like a lack of something means I find a mare or woman unattractive.”

“Could you tell me about anything that stands out to you, then, when you meet a mare?”

“...this isn’t one of those loaded questions that’s implying I’m shallow, is it? Because I’m—”

“Darren, I can assure you, this is an honest question. For what it’s worth, I like stallions with large chests, strong necks, and soft eyes, and I’m not ashamed to admit that it’s one of the first things I look at when I meet a stallion.” Platinum gestured to me with a hoof. “It’s equine nature, and human nature as well. You shouldn’t be ashamed of it.”

“I… may have a bit of a thing for muscular legs… still trying to figure out a few things about you mares, but… strong legs are a plus with me.”

“There we go,” Platinum replied with an encouraging nod. “Go on.”

“Well, I suppose I could blame Pizzelle, but that athletic look is kind of hot, you know? The strong flight muscles, the barrels, and the chest area by the shoulders… don’t… don’t tell Pizzelle this, but she’s definitely got a nice body to her.”

“I daresay she’d like to hear that,” Platinum said with a giggle.

“Yeah, but she’d probably make me run laps and do power sets for hours if she heard I said it.”

“She can be a touch temperamental, I suppose. You still seem to enjoy having her as your teacher.”

“Of course I do. She does care, she’s shown that much. That doesn’t mean she’s not going to push me to improve, which I will admit is something that I can always stand to do more of. Complacency leads to stagnation, some would say.” I cleared my throat. “Sorry, going off topic a bit. But yeah, a mare with a build like Pizzelle’s is attractive in my eyes. Though, Full Bloom’s a very attractive mare as well, and she’s nothing like Pizzelle.”

Platinum jotted down some more notes on another sheet of paper, then looked up. “So… wings, musculature… anything else that strikes your fancy? What about Full Bloom?”

“Well, at first I didn’t think much of it, but I blame you ponies for my appreciation of the neck area.”

“Ahh,” Platinum nodded in understanding, amusement in her voice as she made a quick note. “Fallen to the wiles of us mares, have you? I take it your marefriend has an attractive neck, then?”

“Yeah, Full Bloom’s really opened my eyes up to that area. She’s got very beautiful eyes, too. Actually, most ponies seem to have very attractive eyes, in my opinion.”

“What about them?”

I waved a hand, trying to find my words. “They’re… expressive. Equestrian eyes are larger than humans, but still so similar to human eyes. That and they’re a lot more colorful than human eyes. Violet, orange, green, yellow, red… they’re as colorful as your coats.”

“I could say that humans have a wide variety of eye colors, too.”

“Not to the same degree that ponies have. Humans aren’t the most vibrant of creatures when it comes to coloration. We’re varied, sure, but within a more limited spectrum of color, I guess. That’s why we wear clothing, along with other reasons.”

Platinum gave a nod of understanding. “You make a fair point, Darren. So, colors and eyes are attractive to you?”

“Yes, but, again—”

“Personality is the main factor?” Platinum asked, her smile growing a bit.

“Y-yeah.”

She said nothing for a few moments, instead returning to her clipboard as she wrote down a few lines of notes on her paper. When her pen clicked and she set down the clipboard once more, she nodded. “That’s enough of the question and answer session, don’t you think?” She tilted her head, just enough to show her neck.

Oh, now she’s doing it on purpose. Haha, you got me good, Platinum.

“Alright,” I said with a nonchalant shrug.

“From what I gather, you’re a very sensitive young man, Darren. We have plenty of Gentlemen like that, but your love for sciences and learning are definitely a unique thing to offer.” She cleared her throat, then added in a softer tone. “You’ve avoided talking too much about your sexual experience, but I have a feeling that such a thing is personal to you.”

I nodded.

“That’s nothing to be ashamed of. Just know that you’ll have clients who will expect sex at some point. The key to you making it enjoyable for both you and your client is finding a way to bond with them during your time with them. You strike me as a person who is all about forming ties with someone he shares such an intimate moment with, even if it’s fleeting.” She sighed softly. “I’d go as far as to say you’re a bit of a romantic, minus the suave charm.”

“Hey, I can be charming,” I countered, perhaps sounding a tad more offended than I was.

“I have no doubt, Darren. What I mean to say is that you’re more… subtle. Perhaps… hm, you’re not like Mr. Einsworth. You don’t openly hit on every pretty face you see.”

“Gabe doesn’t do that, either. He can be a bit of a flirt, but he’s a good, honest man.” I folded my arms, only to pause and sigh. “S-sorry. I… Gabe’s taken a lot of crap for that kind of stuff, and he earned a bit of a reputation among women that doesn't paint him him in the best of ways..”

“Forgive me,” Platinum said, her ears falling back a bit. “I didn’t mean it that way. I found Gabe’s personality enjoyable, if not a touch…”

“Grating?” I offered.

To Platinum’s credit, she shook her head and chuckled. “No, no, perhaps ‘shameless’ is a better word, or simply flirtatious. I can tell he doesn’t mean anything other than to flatter with his words, but they still have an affect on a mare.”

“... what did he say to you?”

“Nothing too crass, I assure you. He was every bit a Gentleman when I spoke to him.” She studied me as I let out a sigh. “You seem to care greatly for Gabe. I take it you and him are good friends?”

“Yeah, Gabe and Alex are close friends of mine, along with another friend that used to work at the same place as me. Full Bloom’s a part of that circle too, now.” I smiled. “But yeah, I try to keep an eye on Gabe. He’s a good man, but he can get himself into dumb situations.”

“It’s good that you three have each other. I sometimes wish more of our Gentleman had such close ties with one another, especially with how things have been as of late.” Platinum exhaled deeply. “A fair amount of you already have dealt with enough as it is before you came to Equestria.”

“That’s probably why a lot of us decided to come to Equestria in the first place; to seek out a fresh start.”

Platinum paused at that. She looked at a clock on the wall, its face barely visible in the soft candlelight.

“Time’s up?” I asked, giving her a soft grin when she looked to me.

“No, no. I just… it’s amazing how time passes by when you’re talking with someone.”

I chanced a peek at the clock, only to do a double take as I read the time. “It’s already four thirty? Huh…you’re weren’t joking, Platinum.”

“I hope I’m not keeping you from anything,” she said, her tone growing a touch concerned. “I’ll be here tomorrow if you wish to speak to me more.”

“Well, my brother and a friend from the Gryphon Kingdom should be arriving later today, but I still have some time.”

Platinum’s posture straightened, and her voice took on a lighter. “That’s right, Silky mentioned you have family here on Tellus. He’s… your older brother, yes?”

“Yeah, he’s four years older than me, and he was over in the Gryphon Kingdom until recently.”

“Mind if I ask why he’s over there?”

My smile widened a bit as thoughts turned to my brother. “Riley is a Navy Corpsman and was serving with a group of marines during the Cloven attacks. I… a part of me may have come to Equestria so I could be a bit closer to him, I guess.”

“You two sound close,” Platinum noted fondly.

“We are, though we used to get into the nastiest fights growing up. He won most of them, of course, but as we got older he started to pick on me less. Eventually, he started watching out for me in school, and always gave me advice, even if I didn’t want it.” I sighed. “I never really was as good at sports as him, but I was better in classes. He always joked and said he got the brawn while I got the brains as far as genes go.”

“I’m happy to hear you’ll be able to see him again.”

“Yeah. It’s been a long time since I got to see him face to face. He’s been helping train griffin medics, and… for a while he wasn’t returning any letters I sent from across the portal when I was still on Earth. I was worried that he might have gotten killed in the fighting with the Cloven. Turns out he was just so caught up with helping the injured and staying alive out there that it slipped his mind for a while.” I laughed. “The knucklehead sent me a long apology letter and promised that he’d make it up to me when we see each other next. I guess that today he’ll have a chance to do that.”

“That’s wonderful, Darren.” She gracefully got up from her seat and gave a nod while picking up her clipboard in her magic. “Well, I think we had a nice chat, don’t you?”

“Y-you’re sure? I mean, I’ve got plenty of time before Riley’s train arrives. It was running late, the last I heard.”

“I think I got plenty of information on you. Besides, we’ll be seeing each other a bit more over the next few days.”

“Well, you’re the boss,” I said with a shrug.

“It’s been nice speaking with you,” Platinum said, holding out a hoof.

Wait, she’s not… I arched an eyebrow as I took her hoof in my hand. I paused for a moment, but let a grin spread across my face as she tilted her head at me expectantly.

“It has been a pleasure,” I said in a soft voice. I placed my thumb gently over the top of her hoof and gently caressed it.

She seemed amused by this. “Five Stars was right; you take the Noble Greeting far too serious for a fresh recruit.”

“Hey, if I’m going to be kissing hooves, then I plan on following through with what that implies, Miss Corona.” I gave her a wink as I gently let go of her hoof. “I’m not the kind of person to tease a mare with empty promises. It’d be rude of me if I had done so.”

“If you say so,” she chuckled. “Your marefriend is lucky to have such a charming male such as yourself.”

“Oh, so now I’m charming?” I joked, earning another giggle from her.

We walked out of the room, only to be greeted by an empty lobby. Five Stars and Silky were nowhere to be seen.

“That’s… hm, now where did those two…” Platinum stopped midsentence as her gaze darted to a direction to our right, leading towards the front portion of the building. Without a word, she briskly made her way down the hall, leaving me to try and catch up with her.

I didn’t need to ask what the problem was, for a moment or two later I could hear the distinct sound of crying. Alarm bells began going off in my head, and I began to pick up my pace, settling for a jog as Platinum continued towards the front lobby of the building.

We made our way through the door leading into the front lobby, and I immediately noticed five familiar faces. A sobbing Silver Spanner was sitting on a couch, leaning against Silky while Five Stars sat on Spanner’s other side. Alex and Sugar Sweet sat off to the side a little while remaining close to provide the distraught mare comfort if needed.

Five Stars was gently rubbing a hoof across Silver Spanner’s back. “I’m so sorry, Spanner. That’s…” She shook her head. “I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but you’re better off without those two jerks.”

“M-maybe…” Silver Spanner said with a weak stammer. “Still… I guess since we had planned on forming a herd, it makes some sense to—”

“Stop right there,” Silky said in a gentle tone. “What they said to you was thoughtless and far from right. Gear Grinder, or whatever his name is, had no right to go and kick you out without apology. The fact that Drizzle Drops wouldn’t even speak up for you says just as much.”

“But… Silky, they—”

“Is… something wrong?” Platinum asked, shaking the three from their thoughts.

Silky took note of the two of us, and frowned. “O-oh, Platinum…” She noticed Silver Spanner’s eyes widening with what almost looked to be fear, and pulled her close. “Spanner, come on, you don’t have to be afraid.”

“I-I know, it’s just… I’m an instructor, and…”

“And what happened doesn’t change the fact that you are still a beautiful mare who deserves to be just as happy as the next mare,” Silky stated.

“I-I… I can’t have any foals, though, so—” Spanner weakly protested.

“Spanner, repeat after me,” Silky began, her tone growing a little more firm, yet remaining gentle.

“Silky…”

“Repeat after me, ‘I am Silver Spanner.’”

“...I-I am Silver Spanner.”

“Good…” Silky continued. “‘I am a wonderful, loving mare, and I deserve to be happy’. Go on…”

“I am… a wonderful, loving mare, and I… I deserve to be happy.”

Silky kept her gaze locked with Silver Spanner as she draped a wing over her back. “Don’t forget that, okay? Never forget that. You are a beautiful pony, and any stallion, mare, human, griffin, or anyone else for that matter, would be lucky to have you.”

Silver’s gaze dropped to the floor. “I won’t forget…”

“She’s right, Spanner…” Five Stars said, drawing the unicorn’s attention to her. “Take it from somepony who’s dealt with depression when I say that there’s always hope and a brighter tomorrow to look towards. You just have to pick yourself up and believe that you are worth it… and it helps to have good friends, like Silky, for instance.” She smiled as Spanner gave a wet sniffle. “Alex and Sugar Sweet care about you… Silky and the girls here care about you. I care about you. Heck, even Big Pink over there cares about you.” She gave a nod to Platinum.

“Big… Pink…?” Platinum echoed, earning a chuckle from the group, Silver Spanner included.

“Oi, I care, too,” I said quietly. Spanner looked up and gave me a teary smile.

“Thanks, Darren,” she said with a weak laugh.

“See?” Five Stars chuckled as Spanner let the smile grow on her lips. “You’re not alone here. We’ll be here to help you however we can, and I think I speak for Silky and everyone here when I say we’d hate to see you leave because of something that a bunch of insensitive plotheads said to you. Believe me; moving away won’t solve this. You have to hold your head high and stand your ground.”

Spanner nodded. “You’re right.”

“It’s their loss, Spanner,” Silky continued. “You’re talented with repairing just about anything, given enough time, and you’re gorgeous. Hey, I mean it, don’t go snorting at that. Or did you forget how quick I was to recruit you when you came in for an interview?”

“That interview took only five minutes, tops,” Spanner chuckled.

“There, see?” Silky gave her a soft smile. “Now, I’m not saying you don’t have any reason to be upset, because you do, but you can’t let this break you. Alex and Sugar were quick to help find a place to keep your belongings safe, and Sugar’s even given you a place to stay. You’re in good hooves.”

Platinum decided to approach the group at that point. “Silver Spanner… please, tell me what’s wrong. What happened?”

I listened as Spanner told of her recent discovery of being barren at her mandatory physical, followed by her two herdmates’ reactions and more or less ousting her from their home. I couldn’t see her expression that well, but judging by the way her tail flicked rapidly and the way her ears pressed against her head a bit, Platinum didn’t seem pleased to hear about Spanner’s situation.

“I see…” Platinum’s tone softened. “I wish you had told me of this sooner, Silver Spanner.”

“I… I didn’t come in until about an hour ago. Sorry…”

“That’s fine. I just wish I had known about this so I could talk to you about it.” Platinum lowered her head a bit and wrapped a foreleg around the mare, who returned the embrace after a moment of surprise passed. “Five Stars and Silky speak the truth though. Nopony deserves to be tossed aside like that. A herd is more than just a means of bringing foals into this world, and it angers me to know that some don’t see that.” She separated from Silver Spanner after a final, gentle squeeze before pulling away. “Do you need some time off?”

“No, no, I… I think it’d be best if I try to keep myself busy for now.” She fidgeted a bit, then said. “I was thinking of maybe starting a support group for others in my situation. It… maybe that will help other mares, too, like me? I don’t know, I mean, there has got to be some clients or staff members who are going through this as well.” Spanner wiped away some tears. “I… I think… maybe with time, I could find a way to reach out to them.”

“Spanner…” Silky said, her smile growing as she wrapped both forelegs around the mare. “See? What’d I say? You’re such a loving mare.”

“That’s very noble of you, Silver Spanner,” Platinum said with a smile. “I can help you go about spreading word and helping set it up whenever you wish”

“Not just for mares, but eaglesses, jennies, zebra mares, and even women, maybe,” Spanner added. “Heck, even stallions and other males could help. Married couples go through this stuff too, eventually.”

Platinum nodded. “Again, that’s a noble thing to do, and I support that idea. Just get in touch with me whenever you wish to start going about setting up things, and I’ll do what I can.”

Eventually, I bid the group farewell and made my way through town towards the Hoofington train station. By the time I had found a bench to sit on, it was going onto a quarter after five. I didn’t actually know for sure when I told Platinum that the train was running late, but experience told me it would be. The Friendship Express afternoon train always arrived late to Hoofington. Whether it was something about bad weather management in Las Pegasus, some rails needing repairs out west, or something weird happening in Ponyville, the trains coming to Hoofington in the afternoon were always an hour or so behind.

So, it was no surprise when I heard a whistle in the distance after twenty minutes more of waiting. I let out a sigh of relief; I wasn’t sure how much more I could take of hearing the old mares next to me natter on about their grandcolts who were going to Canterlot for school.

I stood up from my seat, only for my phone to chime, indicating I had gotten a text. Such things were rare, even with the hardware I had installed to keep magic interference to a low level with the electronics. I swiped the screen and read one line of text.

Brother! It’s been too long!

I groaned while fighting back a smile and shaking my head. Only Riley would greet me with obscure video game references after not seeing me for a few years.

The train let out a loud hiss of steam and came to a gradual stop. I kept an eye out for my brother as the passenger cars opened up. Dozens of ponies stepped out of the train, along with a fair number of griffins and even a few humans. I was starting to grow worried when most of the passengers had gotten off the train. Had Riley’s text had been delayed? Did he send it earlier today, and some magical interference had affected its delivery?

My worries disappeared when I watched as a man a few inches taller than me stepped off the train, followed by a griffin eagless. Both had large duffle bags on their backs that were clearly military issued.

I raised a hand and waved to the two. The man noticed me first, and his lips split into a wide grin.

I walked towards him, only to be pulled into a bearhug and then promptly put into a playful headlock. “Goddamn, Darren, look at you!” He laughed. “Did you slim down on me while I was away?”

I sighed and let out a laugh of my own as I managed to free myself. “Nice to see you two, bastard.”

“It’s not an insult if it’s technically true,” he shot back with a smug grin.

The two of us stared each other down for a few seconds, then let out snorts of laughter as we embraced in a brotherly hug.

“How are you, Riley?”

“I can’t complain,” he answered, releasing me from his arms and taking a few steps back.

Riley took after my mother in looks. He had dark auburn hair and hazel-green eyes, a clear indicator of our family’s Celtic heritage back on Earth. He was clean shaven right now, but I guarantee that he’d let his beard grow back the first chance he got. He was as built as any member of the U.S. military would be. There was, however, one feature on him that I didn’t remember being there before.

“Where the hell did you get that scar?” I asked, pointing to his cheek.

“Huh?” Riley blinked, only to laugh. “Oh, this, well… uh, it was…”

“Riley got that while sparring one of the griffins at the camp we were staying at,” answered the eagless, who stepped forward.

I looked from her to my brother. “You were sparring with a griffin?”

“Y-yeah. I may have shot my mouth off a bit.” He cleared his throat, and shrugged his shoulders. “I did win the spar, though, for what it’s worth.”

“If it had been to first blood you’d have lost within the first thirty seconds, Riley,” the eagless snarked. She turned her gaze back to me and nodded. “You’re Darren, huh?”

“Yep, that’d be me.”

Her gaze softened a touch. “Riley here talked about you all the time. Says you’d love it in the Kingdom.”

“I’ve heard some stories about your country. Lots of farmlands, mountains, and cool cities built into cliffs.” I grinned. “I’m ashamed to admit I’ve missed a few chances to visit, but I’d like to see Gryphon some day.”

She chuckled. “Riley says Arnau reminds him of this Minas Tirith place or whatever. Apparently that’s what a lot of you humans compare it to.”

Riley snickered as he looked to me while thumbing to the griffin eagless. “Darren, this is Mildred. I believe I told you about her in that email I sent.”

I studied the eagless while bumping my fist with her closed claw in greeting. She was a fairly lithe creature, a feature not all that uncommon to griffins. She had a dark gray-blue furred coat covering her body. The feathers covering her wings and head were a lighter shade gray-blue with a dusting of white along her eyes. She had a crest of snow white running along the ridge above her amber-red eyes. In a few ways, she reminded me of the Northern Goshawks that could be found in the northern hemisphere back on Earth.

All in all, she struck an imposing, if not also graceful, figure. Though, the fact that she looked to be puffing out her chest a tad may have contributed to that.

“She’s saved my ass a few times in the past. Apparently, my CO thought it was a good idea for her to go with me on leave. Probably thought she’d keep me out of trouble or something,” Riley said with a smirk.

Mildred decided at that point to nudge him with a staff she had tied around her back. It was made of well-polished wood of some sort, and had a crystal embedded into it at the end.

“Hey,” she said in a mock-warning tone. “Don’t think I won’t use this on you if I have to.”

“Oh no, what are you going to do, summon a pleasant breeze on me?” He snorted as she smacked him on the shoulder with her staff. “Alright, alright, sorry, sorry. No need to be so defensive, Milly.”

“I told you not to call me that, Riley!” she hissed, though she didn’t seem too upset. She was trying to fight back a smile, after all. “Is he like this with everyone?” She asked, casting me an exasperated look.

“If it’ll help, I can give you advice on ways to make him shut up,” I suggested.

Mildred’s eyes took on a impish gleam. “Really?”

“Darren, that’s not cool,” Riley said, his laughter dying down. “Seriously, don’t tell her that.”

“No, no, go on, Darren,” Mildred urged.

I just laughed and gestured for them to follow me. “C’mon, let’s head to my place. With any luck, Full Bloom is there so you can meet her.”

Riley paused. “Full Bloom?”

Shit, okay, didn’t think that through, did I? I smiled. “Y-yeah, she’s…” I cleared my throat. “She’s my marefriend…”

Okay, admittedly, while I wasn’t ashamed of my relationship with Full Bloom, I held Riley’s opinion in very high regard. If he didn’t like the idea of me seeing a mare, that was going to cause problems for me. I wouldn’t be breaking up with Full Bloom for such a reason, but… I’d much rather my brother get along with her.

Riley, for his part, just nodded and smiled. “Cool! She cute?”

“Uh…”

That’s what you get for doubting your brother, Darren.

I gave him a nod. “Yeah, I’d say so. She’s a field researcher for Ecosystems for Equestria. Really smart, and really fun to hang out with once you get to know her. Though, she can get a bit high strung while she’s working. She tends to become hyper-focused on whatever she’s researching, usually to the point where she skips breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

Mildred snickered, “Sounds about right for a pony.”

“Mildred,” Riley said in a warning tone.

“What?” She met his frown with a smirk. “Come on, you know I’m joking. Heck, my family raised me in Equestria. I’m about as equine as you can get for a griffin.” She looked to me and gave me an easy smile. “I wasn’t being too serious. Still, I have a few pony friends of my own. I’m sure you can agree when I say they can be a little crazy at times.”

“Very true,” I laughed. “Anyway, it’s nice to meet you, Mildred. Thanks for keeping my brother alive.”

“Eh, he’s stitched me up once or twice. We’re about even, I think.”

Riley rolled his eyes and gave me a pat on the shoulder. “Well, should we head into town?”

I gave Riley a clap on the back and nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

The smell of cooking wafted through the doorway as we entered my apartment. I couldn’t help but grin. “Looks like Full Bloom is here after all,” I said softly to my brother and Mildred. I cleared my throat, and called into the apartment. “Full Bloom? Hey, I’m home! We got visitors!”

The sound of something clattering against a pot was heard, followed by hooves clopping against linoleum. Full Bloom’s green eyes peeked out from around the corner, lighting up as she saw the two behind me. “Oh, hey, Darren!” She trotted out from the kitchen and gave me an affectionate peck on the cheek as I knelt down to her level. “Hope you like eggplant marinara. I’ve been wanting to try it for months, and I finally found some eggplants down at the market when I was coming back from work.”

“That sounds delicious,” I replied, running a hand through her curly locks of cornflower blue hair.

I was startled from my affectionate ministrations by Riley clearing his throat softly. Full Bloom and I both pulled away from each other and gave him and Mildred apologetic smiles.

“Sorry,” I mumbled. Riley just waved it off with a chuckle while Mildred let a soft smile play at her features. “Right, uh, Full Bloom, this is my brother Riley and his friend Mildred.” I nodded to the two. “Mildred, Riley, this is my marefriend, Full Bloom.”

Full Bloom didn’t seem the least bit apprehensive by Riley’s size, nor did she appear intimidated by Mildred’s decidedly raptorial looks. “Welcome to Hoofington. Hope you’ll enjoy it here.” She cast me a look as she continued. “Luckily, despite someone forgetting to remind me, I remembered Darren saying last week that you two would be coming into town today, so I had the foresight to make extra food for two more. That is, unless you don’t like eggplant marinara.” She gave Mildred and Riley curious looks. “I can make something else if you want. Darren… I think you had some chicken in the ice box that you bought a few days ago, right?”

“Yeah, it should be good. Might need to thaw it out a bit, though.”

Riley shook his head. “No worries. I’d love to try some of what you’re making. I’m actually not really that picky of an eater, especially after trying Mildred’s cuisine, so I—oof!”

Mildred smacked Riley lightly across the stomach with her staff before strapping it on her back. “I’m fine with what you’re making, too. It smells great. Better than what they serve at the mess halls back at our camp.”

“That’s right, you’re both in the military, aren’t you?” Full Bloom gave her a intrigued grin.

“Yep. I’m a Magus Knight and Riley here is a Corpsman.”

“Cores… min?” Full Bloom repeated. “Um... ”

“Yep, a Navy Corpsman to be specific. A corps is a subdivision of a military branch that usually does some particular kind of work. A Navy Corpsman usually takes care of pharmacy work for others soldiers or people in a military zone as well as doing hospital assistant work. They also serve as medics on the battlefield, working alongside with troops in combat.” I answered.

“A battlefield medic?” Full Bloom’s eyes widened. “Wow… that sounds intense.”

It was subtle, but I noticed Riley’s expression fall a bit. He nodded. “Yeah. It was…” He shook his head and exhaled. “I’m just glad we were able to stop them from getting into Equestria. No offense to your country, but I’m not sure how you all would have held out if the griffies and our military weren’t able to stop those freaks of nature.”

I’d have to talk to him about it later. For now, though, I’d let Riley and Mildred settle in.

“Well, either way, I’m glad to meet the two of you,” Full Bloom said. “I’m just about finished with the cooking. Darren, you want to help me by getting a salad prepared?”

“Mildred and I can set the table,” Riley offered.

“Sure thing. You can set your bags on the couch for now.” I thumbed over to the far side of my living room as I went on. “I still have my futon, too, so one of you can take the couch if you each want your own separate sleeping space.”

A few minutes later I had a decent salad of greens with tomatoes and onions prepared while Riley and Mildred finished setting the table. I tried a few times to taste the sauce from Full Bloom’s cooking, only to have the wooden spoon taken from my fingertips whenever I lifted it to my lips.

“Not until everyone is seated,” Full Bloom would chastise with a wave of the spoon. If she weren’t so skilled with smacking my fingers with said spoon, I would have found the gesture adorable.

As soon as we were all seated, I dug into the food. I’m not a culinary expert, but I remember once reading that eggplant by itself has a bit of a squash-like flavor. Apparently, depending on whether or not you had a male or female eggplant that you were cooking, the taste varied a bit. Even so, the one thing I definitely remember is that eggplants are excellent at absorbing moisture from oil and such. I tried cooking with them a few times, and had some degree of success.

Full Bloom, though?

“Holy shit, this food is amazing, Full Bloom.”

Riley wasn’t the most eloquent of men when it came to expression through words, but he made a fair point: Full Bloom’s cooking was amazing.

“Well, I dabble a bit with cooking from scratch when I can,” she confessed. “I’m a bit out of practice with making marinara sauce, though, so I had to go into town this time. Next time I’ll see if I can make it myself.”

“It’s worlds better than eating MREs and fingerling trout from a creek after two weeks in the wilderness,” Mildred admitted. “Not bad, Full Bloom. I’ll take this over anything I make any day.”

“Thank you,” Full Bloom was sporting a light blush by now.

“Tell you what, tomorrow morning, I’ll make both of you hashbrowns and eggs.” Riley gave me a look. “You… do have potatoes here, right?”

“Yeah,” I gave a nod into the kitchen. “Bottom shelf of the pantry. There’s about a dozen of them. They’re some kind of Equestrian variety that’s a lot like a Russet.”

“Good enough,” Riley said with a smile as he forked in another mouthful of food.

“So, Full Bloom, what about you?” Mildred asked. “You a biologist like Darren over here? He said you work in the field like he does.”

Full Bloom gave me a look, but made no comment on my current line of work. “Well, if you want to be precise, I’m a botanist. I’m currently working as one of Ecosystems for Equestria’s researchers in the identification and classification of plants found in the Everfree Forest.”

“She’s being modest. She’s the best they have, and I’d daresay the best in central Equestria. I think the only pony who knows more about plants than her might be this zebra mare we’ve corresponded with in the past. She lives somewhere near Ponyville.” I smirked. “Full Bloom’s definitely one of the best, though.”

“Darren, please…” Full Bloom whispered in clear embarrassment. “I… well, okay, I might be a bit of a workaholic, but it’s a healthy obsession.”

“Can’t blame you there. What about you, Darren? You still studying the ecological stuff and the wildlife in the Everfree?” Riley asked.

“Um…” I paused, sharing a look with Full Bloom. “Not… really.”

“Oh?” Riley’s eyebrow quirked. “What, you’re not stuck in the labs all the time, now, are you? I know you always complain about being stuck working with samples when you could be outdoors.”

“No, I…” I took a breath, and exhaled. “I was let go by Ecosystems for Equestria less than a month ago, actually. About a week or two ago, almost.”

Riley blinked. “Oh, damn, really?” He frowned. “Why’d they let you go?”

Full Bloom came to my rescue, thankfully. “It was a decision made by the higher-ups, to be honest. Our immediate supervisor, Professor Wild Call, tried to fight the decision. He wasn’t the only one let go, though. Three others, all human, were let go as well.”

“Huh.” Riley’s frown remained.

“Sounds like some underlying bigotry to me,” Mildred grumbled, stabbing her fork into a chunk of eggplant.

“Mildred, you don’t know that for certain,” Riley said, though he didn’t sound too sure of himself. “So, you weren’t the only one let go?”

“Yeah, the others let go were Alex, Mel, and Gabe,” I added. “I guess I could understand Gabe, Alex, and I if they were looking at financial cuts and such, but Mel?”

Riley’s eyes widened. “They let go of Barkchips? What the hell are they smoking over there?”

Full Bloom and Mildred both gave Riley odd looks.

“Bark… chips…?” Mildred repeated.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, it’s… a bit of a nickname I gave Darren’s old girlfriend Mel when I met her.” He shrugged. “She was working at the campus greenhouse when I visited him last. When I met her, she was covered in bark chip shavings and mulch. It kind of stuck with her during the week that I stayed.”

“Nevermind,” Mildred said with a sigh and a soft laugh. “Figures you’d give her a nickname.”

“What? You have a nickname, too. No need to be jealous.” Riley gave Mildred a gentle nudge.

“Calling me Milly is hardly a fitting nickname. It sounds like a name of someone working at a granary,” she huffed.

“Don’t let it get to you, Mildred,” I said. “Riley gives everyone he cares about a nickname. It helps him identify people better.”

She rolled her eyes, but I noticed the corners of her beaked mouth curve upward a bit--and just how did griffins smile with a beak, anyway?

“So, if you’re not working at that Ecosystems for Equestria anymore, where are you working?” Riley asked. “If you need a job, I could keep an ear to the floor for you.”

“No, I have a job already.” I sat up a little straighter as he perked up upon hearing that. “I’m… working as a Gentleman.”

Riley and Mildred both gave me confused looks. Slowly, understanding crossed Mildred’s face. “Ohhh. I’ve heard about Gentleman for Mares, now that I think about it. Huh.” She smirked a bit. “It’s… an interesting line of work, I guess.”

“Wait…” Riley blinked. “You’re one of those… escort service people that I’ve been hearing about in the news and such?”

“Well, yeah, but… I wouldn’t take everything the media says at face value,” I replied.

“Of course not,” Riley agreed. “It’s the media. Still, I’m… surprised, I guess…” His expression was unreadable, but he was clearly mulling this over. “I never pegged you as someone who’d go for that kind of work, Darren.”

I set down my fork and tried to keep myself from glaring too hard at him. So far he hadn’t said anything overly offensive or rude, so there was no need to get pissy with him. Still, I wanted to make it clear that I was serious. “Riley…”

He held up his hands. “Easy, I’m not gonna lecture you, and I’m not judging. It’s legitimate work, despite what people might say. Anyone who cries foul is just an uptight moron.”

I relaxed at that. I was already regretting doubting his intent. Riley was probably the most influential person in my life in a lot of ways, so I suppose I shouldn’t have been so quick to assume he’d lash out or insult me.

“Sorry. I just…”

“It’s fine, no worries.” He gave me an easy grin. “As long as you’re getting paid well and enjoy the work, that’s all that matters to me.”

I inclined my head and let a small smile slip across my lips. “Thanks…”

“For what it’s worth, Darren’s actually been doing a lot of studying about Equestrian society and culture. The job demands he knows that kind of stuff,” Full Bloom added with a smile. “He’ll probably be more knowledgeable about Equestria than most humans living here right now before he’s done with his training.”

Mildred snickered a bit. “One way to really have fun with that knowledge is to act like a clueless tourist during the summer months; go and mess with some vendors in Neighagra Falls or Las Pegasus and make them think they’ll be able to sell some knock off enchanted gems to you or worthless trinket.”

“I take it you’ve had past experiences doing that?” I asked, arching an eyebrow in interest.

“Definitely. I’m a griffin, sure, but I was born in Equestria, and my parents have lived here most of their life. Aeric is actually a second language for me. It took a while for me to get to the level where I could ask questions like ‘where is the bathroom?’.” Mildred groaned. “Then Riley here showed up with the marines, and they started teaching us all the dirty jokes they could.”

“Hey, you Tellurians should be thankful that we humans brought you the gift of raunchy jokes from Earth.”

Full Bloom grinned at that. “Oh? You’ve got to tell me a few.”

“Alright, let’s see… ah,” Riley chuckled, then looked to me. “You’ll get a kick out of this one, too.” He cleared his throat. “So, a minotaur, a dairy farmer, and Princess Luna walk into creamery…”

I will not lie; Riley’s dirty humor was something that even Gabe would be jealous of. Full Bloom and I got a few laughs out of his jokes, and the stories of his time in Las Pegasus while on leave about a year ago were priceless.

We finished dinner shortly after, and settled into the living room area of my humble apartment. I popped in The Fellowship of the Ring and we all settled onto the couch to enjoy the film.

As I expected, the movie captured their interest immediately. Mildred wasn’t as familiar with the backstory of the Lord of the Rings series and the Hobbit, but she understood enough with Riley and I filling in some blanks for her. Full Bloom already understood the basic premise of what was going on, thanks to Trixie’s show not too long ago.

Before long we had gotten to one of my favorite scenes of the film; the mines of Moria.

I glanced over to Riley, curious to see how he and Mildred were doing on their end of the couch. I was surprised to see Mildred was resting her head against Riley’s shoulder while he had an arm gently wrapped around her frame.

Huh… either their very comfortable with each other, or you’ve been keeping a secret or two from me, Riley.

Smiling, I returned my attention to the screen just in time to see the Balrog make its appearance.

“Oh wow…” Full Bloom murmured. She had commented earlier in the film how amazing the cinematography was, and how beautiful the landscapes were. When I told her that the filming had been done mostly within the country of New Zealand, she had idly commented on wanting to visit there someday. Apparently, ponies had a love for vast landscapes with mountains. Though, judging from the way Mildred’s own eyes took in the scenery, she shared similar sentiments.

“... the dark fire shall not avail you, Flame of Udûn.”

I could feel Full Bloom’s foreleg tighten around my arm as she watched Gandalf stand his ground against the Balrog. When I glanced over to Mildred, she had leaned in a bit, her look intense as she watched one of the most iconic scenes in the film.

I couldn’t hold back the grin as I watched Ian McKellen raise up his staff and sword. “You shall not pass!”

Mildred and Full Bloom both jumped a bit as Gandalf sent out a burst of light upon slamming his staff to the rocky surface of the bridge.

Maybe I should have turned the volume down a bit… I thought to myself as I continued to smile in amusement. Full Bloom’s ears flicked every few seconds while her foreleg continued to hold my arm in a deathgrip.

… then I remembered what was about to happen. I doubt Full Bloom would be too happy to see—if my guessing was correct—her favorite character meet his demise. Without thinking, I placed my free hand behind one of her ears and gently scratched. No doubt she’d be needing a little comfort soon.

Then, just like that, the Balrog’s fiery whip managed to snag Gandalf’s leg as it plummeted to the earthen depths. Gandalf struggled to grab ahold of the rocky surface, his eyes meeting the rest of the fellowship as they called out to him.

“W-why aren’t they going to help him?!” Full Bloom asked aloud, probably not even aware of the fact that she had vocalized her thoughts.

“The bridge isn’t supported on either side now. It’s unstable…” Mildred said softly. I glanced over to her and was surprised to see the faintest signs of moisture in her eyes.

“Fly, you fools!”

“Oh no…” Full Bloom said softly, and a moment passed before Frodo cried out in despair as the old wizard’s grip finally gave out, and he too fell to the shadowy depths.

Mildred leaned back, letting out a weary sigh. I watched as Riley held her a little tighter as she exhaled from her nostrils and closed her eyes. Sensing a need to give the two a minute to take in what happened—after all, unlike Riley and myself, they had gone into this blind with no previous knowledge of the stories—I paused the movie.

Full Bloom was shedding tears now, something I could relate to, but still found myself surprised to see. She was a strong mare, after all. Clearly she had invested her emotions in Gandalf’s character. Without another thought, I gently stroked her neck as she sniffled quietly.

“If it makes you feel better,” Riley began, “I got choked up when I first saw this in theaters… and I had read the books long before this, so I knew it was coming.”

Full Bloom let out a weak laugh. “That actor playing Gandalf is really good.”

“Yeah, Ian McKellen’s a great actor.” I rested my chin on Full Bloom’s head as she sighed.

“I have to admit… for a non-magic race, you humans are really good at imagining what it would look like.” Mildred inclined her head back so that she could face Riley. “I get why the guys at camp started calling me ‘Mildred the Grey’ after that ambush fiasco with Haleman’s squad.”

Riley hummed in agreement. “You were pretty badass, they weren’t lying when they said that.”

Mildred ducked her head down a bit and smiled. “Yeah…”

After a few minutes of recovering from the loss of Gandalf, we resumed with the movie. By the time we had finished, it was well into the evening.

“You okay, Mildred?” I asked the eagless. She had been quiet ever since the movie finished, and while I didn’t know her too well, she did seem to have something on her mind.

“Hm?” She looked up from her spot on my futon that we had pulled out. “Oh, just thinking. That scene with that man… the one who was being tempted by that ring…”

“Boromir?” I asked.

“Yeah…” She sighed. “It was a little hard, watching him go down like that… but I’m glad he had an honorable death.” She shook her head. “I know it’s just a movie based on a fictional story, but it felt real enough. You humans really know how to make good films.”

I smiled. “We’ve made plenty of horrible movies, too. Trust me on that one.” I took a seat beside her, giving her a good amount of space. “I know what you mean, though. Boromir was definitely a good character, but he was still tempted by evil. I think it was Tolkien’s way of showing that even good people can be tempted by power, thinking they may be able to control it without succumbing to it, you know.? Other times we commit evil because the alternative is being executed, or worse…” I shrugged. “But… yeah, Boromir was an honorable man. He died protecting others.”

“...Boromir reminds me of my elder brother.”

“Oh?”

“Telforde. He was a Fortus Knight, and probably one of the largest earth griffins you’d ever meet.” She was quiet for a long while, but I noticed a fond smile creep across her features. “He had a heart of gold, and would be the first to jump into the fray when others were in danger.”

I didn’t pry for details, and it seemed like she wasn’t willing to say more on the subject. Instead, I simply gave her a soft smile. “Well, I’m guessing that kind of conviction runs in the family, then, huh?”

She glanced up at me. “I’d like to think so. I’m not as strong, but… Telforde would always tell me how I was picking fights with other fledglings back in my youth. Always trying to make a name for myself…”

It was at that point that Riley walked back into the room. He was wearing a white tank top and a pair of boxer shorts now. His hair was still damp from the shower he had just finished, and he was running a towel through it. “Well, I don’t know about you kids, but I’m about ready for bed.” He looked around, then turned back to me. “Where’s Full Bloom?”

“Just missed her; she went to bed. I was just waiting for you to finish, just in case you slipped on a bar of soap.” I offered Riley a smirk as he rolled his eyes.

“One time, Darren. That happened only one damned time. We were both still in elementary school.” He waved a hand when Mildred perked up in interest. “I’ll tell you later,” he added, looking to the eagless.

“Alright, alright.” I got up. “Sleep well, then. If either of you need extra blankets, their in the closet in across from my room.”

Riley and Mildred each bid me a goodnight, and with that, I made my way into my own bedroom. I closed the door quietly, only for a ball of soft green light to form where my bed was.

“I didn’t wake you, did I?” I asked softly.

I was able to make out Full Bloom’s face as she increased the glow of her horn a little. She offered me a gentle smile. “No. Just wanted to give you a little light so you wouldn’t trip over anything.”

I snorted as I made my way into bed, throwing off my pants and shirt as I did so. “Riley is the clumsy one. You need to worry more about him doing that.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” she teased. “So… we have two more movies to watch yet, huh?”

“Yep, and the third one is over three hours long… at least, mine is.” She quirked an eyebrow at that. “I have the extended edition of all movies. There’s extra scenes and such that weren’t in the theaters.”

“Over three hours?” She chuckled. “Ugh, I don’t know if I can sit in one spot for that long.”

“Well, it’ll have to wait until Sunday, at least.” I said as I adjusted my position so she could rest her head on my chest.

She turned her head a bit so she could meet my gaze. “Mm. That’s right, you got that date or whatever in Manehatten tomorrow with one of your instructors, right?”

“Yeah. She’s an earth pony named Ambrosia.”

“Earth pony, huh?” Full Bloom chuckled. “Best of luck, then.”

“Hm?”

She just gave me a loving nuzzle in reply. “Earth ponies have lots of stamina. Just try to remember that.” With that, she gave me a peck on the cheek and cut off the magic of her horn, plunging my room into shadows once more. For a long while the two of us were quiet, letting our breathing be the only noise to fill in the silence of my bedroom.

Then, a stray thought from my earliest conversation with Royal Ribbon, Pizzelle, and Ambrosia came to mind.

“Hey, Full Bloom? Have you ever heard of earth ponies breaking their partners’ pelvises during sex…?”

End of Chapter Eight

Author's Note

And that is the second half of The Mare Behind the Mask mini-arc! Hope you enjoyed it; I know I did. I'm sure a few of you are wondering when I'll be getting to more of the saucy stuff regarding Darren's work. Don't worry, I already have that stuff being worked on; it just needs to be finished and then polished up before I think of posting it. And, to be honest, I like the pony-human interactions outside of clop scenes more in many ways.

A big thanks to Firesight, AJ Aficionado, and Demon Eyes Laharl. All three helped a lot in this chapter with input, and you can all thank Demon Eyes Laharl for helping establish the culture of griffins in this fictional series that Gentleman for Mares takes place.

I'd highly recommend reading his story Feathered Heart if you want a better look at the griffies of this world. It's pretty cool, well written, has a nice dash of comedy, romance, and a good amount of action. It's also tells about the first attacks from the Cloven after contact between Tellus and Earth was made. Seriously, check it out if you have any appreciation for world-building and action. I'm sure you won't regret it.

I'd like to also thank all of you who have been following and reading this story so far. It's just nice to hear it when someone likes my story, or when I get some helpful feedback. Writers write for themselves in many cases, but ultimately it's the readers who make that writing worthwhile in my opinion. So, in short, thanks to everyone reading this and leaving me feedback.

That's all for now. Keep on keeping on, everyone!