Author's Note

So begins another story, this time about young fillies discovering a part of themselves...and their friends' parts too.

Estrus Sucks...

Contains: Young mares in their first estruses, talking about estrus, implied thoughts of foalcon, explicit thoughts of sex, as well as discussion of sex and sex toys by fillies.

~ ~ ~

Apple Bloom stared at the blackboard and the math equations on it, but her focus was elsewhere; her own lemon-yellow hoof, the cute little filly sitting next to her, and of course the scent of sweat and half-a-dozen fillies' and a grown mare's arousal and pheromones mixing with her own in the warm Ponyville single-room schoolhouse. Most of the class were in their Spring estruses and the scent of their fertility-telling musk was thickly saturating the room, even with the windows all opened. Some of the fillies were also in their very first one, just like Apple Bloom was.

As Apple Bloom felt a rather intense burst of heat from her lower belly and radiating out through her as she sat in her seat, with her rear involuntarily saturated with a puddle of her own sexual fluids, she used a hoof to wipe her forehead and brushed her matted bright-red mane aside as she did. As she felt her clitoris slowly winking into the smooth wood, Apple Bloom winced and shuddered, with the same 'wink', and teasing inkling of pleasure, having happened involuntarily a few times every minute since she'd woken up the previous morning.

Apple Bloom thought, wincing again as the nagging thoughts of cute colts or fillies danced in her mind, which one seemingly at random; each filly licking or rubbing her needing slit with her hooves, or in the case of the colts, mounting her like Applejack said they would if she let them, but to not let them, no matter how much either wanted them to. Her thoughts were especially drawn to the adorable colt Tender Taps, the pony she'd met and helped get his Cutie Mark. A colt she felt a certain fondness for, amplified by her estrus.

As her bright-red tail flicked behind her in her arousal and irritation, Apple Bloom found she was having to force herself to focus on finishing her arithmetic despite the maddening itching and burning in her lower belly, <Ah take that back. Th' worst thing is bein' in heat and having to do long division during it!>

As Cheerilee noticed her class's focus drifting from their math, she tapped the blackboard with a hoof, the soft 'clop' sound getting the attention of the other fillies who were acting much the same way as Apple Bloom was; many were looking over to the nearby house where the colts were being schooled during the mating seasons to prevent any...problems or distractions occurring from horny pubescent colts and in-estrus fillies being in the same room. Preventing what nature so wanted to occur, but these children weren't ready for.

"Now girls, I know that many of you are in your first estruses right now and it's hard to concentrate over that new burning in your bottoms, knowing there's a way to stop it so nearby, but..." Cheerilee shook her head hard, snapping herself out of her thoughts as she too looked over to the colts' schoolhouse; "b-BUT today's only a half-day given it's the...mating season. Please finish your math worksheets, and you're welcome to leave for the weekend." she hastily finished, even her usually bright and cheery tone dimmed by her own raging hormones.

"...and...fillies? I see many of you looking over to where the colts are being schooled during the estrus season. May I give you all a word of personal advice? Don't act on your instincts without protection, and only have sex with ponies you trust. Remember what you learned in sexual education about safe sex, and think about what you're doing before you make a possible mistake with a stallion or colt that could change the rest of your life. Trust me, you're not ready for foals yet; you're much too young, and having unprotected sex during your most fertile time...the relief's not worth the risk of getting pregnant. Be strong, my little ponies, and you'll get through this." she said, hearing a few disappointed sighs as her words seemed to sink in and many of the fillies looking out the window returned to their work.

Cheerliee then sighed herself, glancing at a picture frame on her desk containing a picture of Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom's older brother, whom she'd been dating for quite a while now. As she did, she had flashes of previous times they'd had sex during her estrus with a 'no-foal' spell cast on her, and this time she planned to do the exact same thing.

After Cheerilee's speech, many of the fillies peeled themselves off of their fluids-soaked seats, bringing their finished papers to the teacher's desk then leaving.

"Have a nice weekend!"

"Bye, Miss Cheerilee!"

"See you Monday!"

As Apple Bloom finished her sheet and turned it in, knowing she'd probably gotten most of it wrong in her haze, she saw Sweetie Belle already standing by the door, with the small white unicorn filly – her curly pink-and-purple mane atop her head, and matching tail flagged to the side – looking like she felt as miserable as Apple Bloom did. She, too, carried the scent of a fertile young mare, and felt the burn of her very first estrus, it starting only this morning for her, a small puddle of her arousal between her legs as she stood dripping it there against her will.

"This sucks." Sweetie said flatly when Apple Bloom trotted up to her, with her squeaky little voice lacking its usual mirthfulness. Apple Bloom simply nodded. "I mean, I heard from other mares that being in estrus sucks, but being in estrus SUCKS! Not only do you feel awful and hot, and all of your muscles and belly hurt and cramp up, but it itches so bad in your belly and...b-between your legs, and you drip all over the place!"

"Hay-yeah, ya don't gotta tell me. Ah don't think Ah've ever felt somethin' so darn uncomfortable or naggin' in mah whole life! It feels like somepony poured a whole lotta hot coals in mah lower belly an' just lef' em there smolderin', then made me leak like a spigot an' think about colts climbin' on mah back all th' darn time! It's right unhygienic is what it is, but Ah can't help it! Not t' mention bein' so darn sensitive t' bein' touched! Ah mean Applejack accidentally touched mah rump earlier t'day and Ah though mah tail'd go right through th' dern roof!" Apple Bloom ranted and groused, wiping a thick sheen of sweat off of her forehead, before looking over to Scootaloo.

The last member of the original Cutiemark Crusaders, and one of the last students still there working on their paper, Scootaloo, was watched by her two friends. Her small light-gambroge-orange wing fluttered in frustration as she held her pencil in her mouth, writing something down, likely finishing her math. Her two friends saw her own brand of liquid lust trailing down the side of the seat and dripping off onto the floor; "We jus' gotta wait for Scoots t' finish up, then we can go do...somethin'. Somethin' involvin'...really cold stuff ideally."

Sweetie nodded eagerly, "Oooo, OO~OO, that sounds gre~at! Maybe we could go to Sweety Freeze's Ice Cream Parlor and get some ice cre~am! It's always really, rea~lly cold in there in spring and summer, and the first part of autumn too!" she squeaked, some of her mirth returning at that idea, making her voice crack throughout in her excitement. She watched Apple Bloom's eyes lid at the thought of sitting in a nice, cold ice-cream parlor with a nice, cold and sweet sundae or milkshake instead of the stifling schoolroom they were in now.

"Yeah, ice cream sure sounds real good right 'bout now..." Apple Bloom said, then watching as Scootaloo finally set down her pencil, presented her paper to Cheerilee, and wished her a good weekend before trotting to the door and joining her friends at the exit, all three then filing out and into the overcast Spring day.

As the last fillies filed out, Cheerilee locked the door and galloped off like her rump was on fire. In truth it actually was in a manner of speaking...and she knew just the fire-hose to put her fire out. Cheerilee also more than passively wondered if Big Mac was ready to have foals yet, as this would be quite the ideal time to make them. They'd been dating for so long after all...and talking about marriage, and him wanting a large family with lots of foals one day...she'd have to ask him.

As Apple Bloom accidentally bumped into Scootaloo, the young pegasus's wings and tail shot up and she shivered heavily, an unpleasant wave of sensations going through her at even such a simple touch. "HEY, watch it!" Scoots snapped, before immediately tucking her tail between her legs to soak up her increased wetness, looking remorseful for her outburst, and sighing; "Ugh, sorry Apple Bloom...it's just that this dang estrus makes me so sensitive to everything."

"...and irritable!" Sweetie piped in cheerily.

Scoots huffed, giving Sweetie a soft glare. "Yeah, and irritable too. Ugh, feels so muggy out here," Scootaloo said in her lightly-scratchy voice, her tone clearly stating her displeasure. She raised a hoof to wipe her sweat-moistened forehead, brushing her cerise-pink mane aside as she did, "Uuuuugh, why did we all have to go into our first heats at the same time? This weekend is gonna suuuck! I don't get how mares can go through this for up to seven days every month during the three breeding seasons every year! How the hay do they even do anything when they're this... this aroused?!"

"Well to th' first bit, it seems we're goin' through everythin' together fer some reason, good and bad. Ta how mares deal wit' this, Ah don't rightly know, but Ah don't think complain' about it's gonna fix nothin'," Apple Bloom said, "An' finally, we got another...well, long time'a this left in our lives 'fore it stops, accordin' t' Granny Smith and Applejack, so we better get used t' it."

"Yeah-yeah, you're right..."

"Anyhow, Sweetie here and Ah were thinkin' of goin' down ta Sweet Freeze's an' gettin' somethin' cold and sweet. Y'in?" Apple Bloom asked, seeing her friend perk up a bit at that.

"Hay yeah I'm in! Let's go, I've got my scooter and the wagon around the corner." Scoots said, nodding to the back of the schoolhouse.

~

After traveling to the ice-cream parlor, Sweetie, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo ate two milkshakes each, the cold treats helping to sate how hot they'd been feeling all day...if just a bit. They also quickly learned why this place, and most others, were always kept so unusually cold during the warmer months of what they'd learned was the breeding seasons, with most of the mares or fillies there holding the same desperate expressions as they undoubtedly did, the overwhelming scent of mare-musk and puddles under them confirming their own fertility.

An hour later, the trio of heated fillies finally braced themselves to leave the lovely, cold, and extremely packed building, their treats done and a whole weekend ahead of them. The three friends traveled out into the hot, overcast, and muggy Spring day with a shared groan. "Well, at least the sun's not out!" Sweetie squeaked, ever the optimist.

A short while later Apple Bloom and Sweetie were both packed into the wagon, with all that could be heard down the deserted streets being the quiet buzz of the motorized scooter as Scootaloo drove it. "Where is everypony?" Sweetie asked, knowing that Ponyville wasn't usually this deserted, "Is it... ZOMPONIES?!"

Apple Bloom tensed up at the suggestion, while Scootaloo simply gave a chuff and waved that idea off with a sway of the hoof. "Well, given it's the first heat season of the year, which I've heard is the worst, mares tend to keep inside where it's nice and cool...and to 'tend their heats' with their special someponies or by themselves. That's not to mention the scheduled storm that's coming, which Rainbow Dash said is going to be a downpour to make up for the weather crew having to postpone a storm last week for that thing with the mayor," Scootaloo answered, before looking up to see Sweet Apple Acre's huge red farm-house as she crested a hill, her having apparently gone there on auto-pilot given how often she took the path. "Hey gals, wanna go to the clubhouse?" she sheepishly asked after the fact, giving a cheesy smile, with both of the other fillies groaning slightly and Apple Bloom face-hoofing.

"Well, since we're here already and ain't got nothin' better to do, may as well," Apple Bloom answered, with them going off of the main path and out into the secluded apple grove where the Cutiemark Crusaders clubhouse was located. Suddenly her face lit up as she'd remembered something. "Hey gals, Ah have a present for both'a y'all in the clubhouse! Ah got us a way t' maybe help our heats...almost forgot Ah bought'em!"

Scootaloo stopped her scooter dead with a screech as she looked back at her friend in the wagon, and Sweetie looked over to the little farm filly too, both staring at her intensely. "Miss Cheerilee said the only way to ease your heats is to drink a special herbal tea to relax your muscles and numb your bits, or have a unicorn cast a spell to help dull the sensations, or another one to prevent you from having a foal when you...'mate' with a stallion or colt." Scootaloo cleared her throat, then continued, "Then, the only way to totally end estrus is to have sex with a stallion or colt and let him...'inseminate and impregnate' you, meaning he squirts his 'semen' in you and gets you pregnant, which will almost always happen if he's not wearing a 'condom', you don't have that special no-foal spell cast on you, or you don't use a potion for either that prevents it. It also helps for a while if he 'orgasms and ejaculates semen into your vagina' even if you don't get pregnant, but only for a day or so."

After her lecture, Scoots then turned to Apple Bloom. "Say, uh, I don't suppose you do happen to have three cute little colts hiding out waiting for us there, do you? Or even one...right?" Scootaloo asked almost too eagerly, feeling herself wink under her tail at just the thought of colts, especially Rumble, a cute young Pegasus colt she'd always had eyes for...even if she didn't want to admit it. "Ugh, it's a good thing the boys are separated from fillies during Spring and Summer classes, or I may have pounced Rum...I-I mean one of the colts right then and there during class just to end this Tartarus-darned thing! Stupid heat!"

"Oh look't you, actin' all smart cuz y' got t' go to sex ed while Sweetie an' Ah were out with hay fever! Stupid Rumble, gettin' us sick..." Apple Bloom mumbled, before shaking her head and smirking a bit, missing the sour look Scootaloo gave her at Rumble being talked about badly. "Anyhow Scoots, ain't there another way to help yer heat ya didn't mention b'fore?"

Scootaloo's expression changed to one of thought then, before the realization struck her. "Wait, you mean..."

"Mmmmmmhm." Apple Bloom said with lidded eyes, Scootaloo starting the scooter again and setting her little wings buzzing like a hummingbird's, very eager to get to the clubhouse at the promise of what she hoped Apple Bloom was talking about.

Sweetie Belle just looked blankly at them, but that look of confusion she gave went unnoticed in the other two fillies' excitement.

As they neared the clubhouse, the darkened skies rumbled as the last clouds were set into place by the Pegasus weather crew, the first light drops of rain falling as the trio neared their destination.

~

"Ugh, 'course they had t' pick now of all times to start th' storm..." Apple Bloom huffed, her mane and bow hanging limp as she shook the water out of her coat, spraying her two companions in the process. As if to punctuate her sentence, a loud rumble and crack of thunder sounded out outside, as well as a heavier pattering of rain on their clubhouse's roof, sounding nearly like the rat-a-tat of popping popcorn.

"Hey, at least we got here before it really got going. Rainbow said they'd be going just short of flooding Ponyville to make up for that missed storm," Scootaloo said as she shook her own coat out, flapping her wings to get the water off of her feathers.

The trio of heated young mares had arrived at the clubhouse in record time from where they were prior, both the storm and Apple Bloom offering some relief to their estruses driving Scootaloo to go faster. They'd slammed open the door and cantered inside just as the storm hit full kilter outside.

"Ok, we're here...and soaked...now what were you talking about, 'a way to ease our heats' besides those three things Scootaloo said earlier?" Sweetie Belle asked as she squeezed some water from her sodden mane, clearly confused at why the other two were so eager to reach the clubhouse, "Can't say the coolness of being wet doesn't feel nice, though..."

Apple Bloom passed around the spare towels they kept for when their 'crusades' ended up with them getting soaked, which happened surprisingly often, while Scootaloo nodded to Sweetie. "Right. Sweetie, do you remember that one big, unmarked black building on Mane Street? The one that always has closed shutters and has a sign that it's for 'mares and stallions with Cutie Marks only'?" Scootaloo asked as she dried her short mane with a towel, and Sweetie nodded. "Well, that's a 'sex shop', according to Rainbow Dash. That's where they sell all sorts of special 'sex toys' and stuff to help ponies out with their estruses, or just so they can 'masturbate' alone or with their partners out of their seasons, just cuz it feels good to. She said almost every mare, an' a lotta th' stallions, in Ponyville've been there at least once, and that every town er city in Equestria has their own version of it."

If Sweetie Belle weren't white naturally, she would be now. "W-wait...you mean like fake...stallion-thingies...and...and those kinda things?" she asked, getting nod from her two comrades.

"Yeah! Ah only know cuz Ah snuck there with mah allowance after Applejack told me what 'bein' in heat' was like an' finishin' with tellin' me that Ah, an' probably you two also, would be goin' into our first heats soon. So anyways, th' mare behind the counter almost made me leave cuz Ahm a blank-flank, but when Ah told her Ah was there on account'a mah and possibly mah two best-ever friends' first heats comin' soon, she let me stay. She was sayin' she gets fillies comin' into there for their first time every heat season, an' that it's kinda expected." Apple Bloom said, with Sweetie squirming a bit, whether the mention of her heat or the subject matter of Apple Bloom's story being the cause nopony knew.

"So anyhow the owner of th' shop told me that 'Nopony cares 'bout what y'buy here, how y'use it, er who with so long as both ponies're OK with whatever it is, an' so long as ya keep it ta yerself; that everypony comes an' buys from her an' it's alright t' do so.' Af'er lookin' 'round fer a while an' gettin' plum confused while lookin in th' section with all th' 'stallion masturbater sleeves', Ah told her Ah had no idea what t' get, so she took me t' th' section with all the dildos an' stuff an' helped me choose. She even gave me a discount fer it bein' mah first trip there! Then she kinda showed me how to use it all on a fake vaginer, an' said t' never be shy 'bout comin' back." Apple Bloom recounted, nearly breathless by the end, leaving Sweetie's cheeks tinted with pink while Scootaloo only looked slightly puzzled.

"Um Apple Bloom...did Applejack say she was OK with you visiting a 'sex shop' and buying...sex stuff?" Scootaloo asked, only for Apple Bloom to look away, scuffing at the floor with a hoof and a light blush on her cheeks.

"W-Well uhhhh, not uh...not exactly...but she would have if I had! Ah mean...probably..." Apple Bloom stammered, before wincing as another surge of heat flushed through her whole body. Wanting to get on with what she'd planned, even if she still wasn't to full terms with how to do it, Apple Bloom then reached under a loose floorboard – their 'super-secret compartment' – and pulled out a large, opaque black plastic bag, "...Aaaaanyhow, these are what Ah bought fer us."