Rarity and Atchmon trotted around Ponyville's town center.

Rarity watched with amusement as he admired the architecture of their town hall tower.

Atchmon couldn't help but notice the unique oblong and parallelogram shapes found in every building and house. The town hall was more circular, and showed the highest quality of craftsmanship; by his observation.

Unlike the rest of the town, the tower was perfectly symmetrical.

Rarity was thankful the town was able to finish some much needed repairs. Any flaw caused a pinch to form in her brain, since she desired to give Atchmon the best impression of her home.

"Hey, I jus' thought of somethin'." He turned to her.

"What's that, darling?" Rarity asked.

"My teeth are feelin' kinda gritty from that ice-cream, made me think we oughta get me set up with a toothbrush and other stuff, unless you don't mind sharin' yours with me." He grinned.

She suspected he might catch the shopping bug as they browsed around, but he was right about that.

"Yes dear, that's an excellent idea; we may as well stop here and get everything you need." She trotted ahead and waited by a set of double barn doors, the top-half was pane glass.

Atchmon looked up and could barely make out 'Barnyard Bargains' on the sign.

Outside the big store were wagons ranging from foal-sized, to a deluxe apartment on wheels. Rows of seeds, fertilizers, plants and those vintage grass clippers also sat outside the large building.

And lacking any sort of security to prevent a theif from trotting off with anything they want, Atchmon mentally noted. Like the thick cable wire he'd normally see.

Unlike the rest of the businesses nearby, the building reminded Atchmon of the big box, brick and mortar stores from his world. Except without the actual brick and mortar. At least it followed the same half-timber style of the town.

It didn't really blend with the rest of the shopping center's motif; with circus-like tents, tarps, and awnings covering the other sellers wares.

He went up and held the door that Rarity was already holding for him.

She did a double take between him and where his hoof reached far above and behind herself.

Her heart throbbed when he gestured with a nod of his head for her to go in ahead of himself.

Rarity's cheeks blushed. She hadn't felt small next to him like this in some time; and only now did she truly admire his size.

She gladly accepted his kind gesture. It felt wrong, but exciting for her to have a stallion dashing away typical gender roles so casually.

'Don't read too much into it, Rarity; where he's from, the colts take care of the mares.' Despite her own caution, she couldn't help grinning from ear-to-ear at the special treatment.

Atchmon followed after her. Inside was a very familiar setting. Rows of aisles full of various goods.

A filly with a red mane and cream coat was stocking some produce near the door. "Welthcome tho Barnyard Bargainsth, leth me know ifth you need any help findthing anything." She greeted cheerily with a thick lisp.

Rarity paid her no mind, but Atchmon gave them a friendly smile and nod in return.

The filly quickly looked away with a blush, and pretended to fluff some cantaloupe, before sneaking a better look at the handsome stallion, then felt a pang of jealousy and indignation from seeing him with such a drab-looking mare.

Atchmon caught the look of another filly--this one with a two-tone gold, blonde mane, and seafoam green coat-- behind the counter, giving her a friendly smile as well. Her attention was divided between glancing at him, and listening to the slow, slurred speech of another mare.

"Uh... do the tomatoes belong in the vegetable section, or the fruit? What about strawberries?"

He followed behind Rarity as she floated a basket ahead of her and filled it with products he would need. His attention was torn between watching her shop and looking at all the pony products.

It was amusing seeing so many horse-themed items, labels, and advertising.

"What do you think of this, dear, does it fit?" She gave him a oval-shaped wooden brush with a rope attached to it. The bristles were coarse, yet had some give.

Atchmon figured out the notch made on the side was to hold the rope, after it was tied to his hoof, and there was a convex shape that must insert into the shap of his hoof.

Try as he might, there wasn't enough slack for him to wrap it around his hoof; plus the wooden platform was about 3 sizes too small.

"That's okay, we'll special order you a larger one at the counter." Rarity levitated and placed the brush back in the pile with the others.

Atchmon did a double-take, and licked around his teeth and lips, trying not to imagine how many other pony's mouths must've been on that brush.

He was hesitant to take the next one from her. A long handled one that must've been for the back.

Rarity stood there contemplating. "Well, go on, see if you can reach your flanks." She told him.

Atchmon reeled a bit and tried to turn his neck to reach, but that was too short also. So back on the hanger it went.

They passed by some shampoo, a bottle labeled 'Mane & Tail' immediately stood out to him. The bottle in this world was even colored the same.

"Hey look!" He pointed at it, smiling with glee at something familiar.

"Oh no, darling, you want a product for each your mane and tail; and the right conditioner for both." Rarity grabbed four bottles from the shelf.

Atchmon saw a stallion on the label for the Mane shampoo. He was doing that 'lip curl' thing stallions do, at the viewer, and had some luscious hair. He grimaced at it and moved on.

The tooth brushes were comically larger than he remembered them being in his world. A good thing, because Atchmon was certain his teeth were the size of subway tile. There were also large metal files for floating a pony's teeth at home.

Rarity placed those in the basket. They didn't have much variety beyond colors for boys and girls, sizes for yearlings, and grown ponies.

The next aisle had personal care for Stallions and Mares.

Rarity picked up a box of cotton swabs.

Atchmon sighed in relief. "Awe man, I can't wait to use those; that was the number one thing I missed havin': clean ears." He chuckled.

Rarity looked conflicted to tell him the truth for a moment. "Oh, these aren't for your ears, dear, these are meant for your, ahem," she pointed at his chest.

Atchmon looked down in confusion at his forelegs, before connecting the dots. "Oh right, for the beans, yeah?" He asked curiously.

Rarity raised a hoof to her mouth and shushed him, while looking around to see if anypony overheard. Thankfully the cashier filly was busy with a customer at the counter, but the look she gave her wasn't reassuring.

"Darling, I know you've much to learn about being a pony; but surely you already know it's embarrassing to mention anything to do with your genital hygiene in public." She whispered.

"I'm not embarrassed, you're embarrassed," Atchmon said playfully, then looked confused. "Wait, why would you be embarrassed, I thought since ya'll are naked all the time, it wouldn't be a big deal, and don't only stallions get beans, wait, do girl ponies get beans too?" He questioned, and looked surprised as Rarity waved her hooves at him to get him to stop.

"Yes, mares get them too; but I wouldn't know anything about it, because I clean myself regularly." She whispered at him in a rushed voice.

Atchmon looked disappointed. "Oh, I wish you'd've told me that when we were in the forest, I woulda helped ya out back there." He said genuinely.

Rarity's face was red in equal parts embarrassment and affection.

Her only response was to turn and start trotting away.

She couldn't believe it. He was acting and offering help like they were a long married couple. No borders, nor shame, existed between them.

She wasn't expecting such attentiveness, much less was she ready to uphold that level of familiarity.

'I would say there's nothing he has that I haven't seen already; but that would be completely untrue.' Rarity was so distracted by her thoughts, she didn't realize how close they were to the family planning section.

"Hey, hey; what're these for?" She heard Atchmon call behind her again, in a salacious voice. "Is this somethin' I'm gonna need later?" He teased playfully.

Rarity uttered a high-pitched gasp, before snapping quietly at him. "Put those back!"

He guffawed trying to hold back a big belly laugh at her reaction, and did as she said, placing the box of 'Elephant-sized XXXL rubber collection sleeves' back on the shelf.

The label boasted about having less of a cleanup after mating, with a cartoon stallion and mare happily showing off their sparkling clean behinds.

Rarity trotted briskly to the mare's section. Even if he meant it as a joke, she was still terrified at the implication he would need something that size.

Rarity wasn't sure what was about to expire, or what she was short on at home. There were contraceptives like Moon Tea, and absorption pads for mares who suffered from heavy estrus flows; or if they had trouble holding in other fluids and wanted to avoid embarrassing themselves in public.

Things Rarity never considered buying before, since she never had a stallion in her life. The pain of that truth still stung. But it was magnitudes far less noticeable now that Atchmon was in her life.

Or adjacent to it, at least.

But Rarity already invited the chance for more, and she wasn't sure if her resolve to wait and see how things progress was stronger than her desire for a relationship.

And now Rarity was questioning if she was ready for one at all.

She waited until Atchmon was distracted with looking at something else, before quickly swiping some items off the shelf to fall in her basket, before moving on.

Atchmon had to ask a few questions here and there, after finding some deodorizing powder. "Hey, is this somethin' I need?"

Rarity took the bottle from him, getting closer to him than she had been since they left the forest.

They'd both been trotting around for most of the day. She could smell him, and silently thanked Harmony for keeping his scent the same.

Atchmon's smell was still the same sweet, smokey scent she'd grown familiar with, and fond of. Having the barest hint of spice that tickled her senses, drawing her in, making her want more if that teasing sensation.

'Mmm, such a good musk.' She wanted to harvest, distill, brand, package, and pour that scent all over herself. And she could! All she would have to do is get a little closer, and rub herself all over him-

Atchmon watched as Rarity put a dreamy look on her face, and sniffed at his neck; only to snap back her senses the moment she did.

"Ahem, it- it's not really needed, unless there's a special occasion to put it on." Rarity tried to avoid eye contact; but he wasn't letting her off easy. 'Why did Harmony have to make him so handsome and irresistible!'

"Gettin' familiar with me?" He was grinning ear to ear.

It was easy to tell how embarrassed Rarity was for losing herself like that. But it served to fuel his ego and confidence; plus, he was in a playful mood after having such a good lunch.

Rarity put on an annoyed expression and turned away indignantly to hide her blush.

Although he sensed no danger, Atchmon still followed his stallion instinct to raise his head when the mare turned from him; to avoid an in-coming kick.

It was like a flash-memory, instilled tens of thousands of years back on the ancient plains of Equestria.

He saw it happening, felt it, and reacted on instinct, though no kick would come.

Rarity huffed. "N-no, it's not like that, I was mearly being curious; you had a distinct scent before you were a pony, and I wanted to know if it was a different smell now that you've changed."

"Oh? And what's the verdict?" He asked, before fidgeting on his hooves nervously.

"It's the same." She answered simply.

"Ah... so familiar it is, then?" He teased.

"Let's get checked out." She scoffed while blowing a horsey raspberry, before her lip curled into a smile. "Unless there's something else that you need, that you can think of."

Atchmon wasn't thinking about that. Instead his mind was spinning with what just occured.

He replayed the image of her smoldering look before taking in his scent.

It was so akward, leaving him with conflicting thoughts.

'Whoa, when she talked about "playing" at being a couple; I wasn't expecing this! Should I do somethin' too? Should I smell her back? Is this what Ponies do? Does she want me to? What if she won't let me? What if I creep her out?'

Atchmon remembered the many times Rarity had smelled him before; but he dismissed it as nothing more than what a curious animal does when their human wears a new scent.

He wasn't sure of the social implications of such an act. He knew animals identified each other by smell. But he'd read so much more into the look she gave him.

And she liked his smell, he could tell.

Atchmon had always been an outside observer to what couples do. Never a participant. He wasn't ready for...

Dun dun DUUUN!

Public displays of affection.

This was new, unexplored territory he was trekking into.

Part of him dashed away old taboos, while the other half bade him to stop and do nothing.

He put on that same look she gave him. Or tried to. For all Atchmon knew, he had the horse-equivalent of resting murder face.

Rarity's heart dropped as she felt him hover over her, and his head lowered next to hers.

Atchmon wanted to smell her in the same spot she had on him; but he needed to take a step towards her to get there.

Rarity shifted forward, her heart fluttering as his large form overshadowed her. Her hide tingling at his mere closeness.

Atchmon drew a longer breath than she had, and came back up. Her feminine scent was prevalent over the chemical smell of the Dip and hospital soap; and he could detect a hint of baby powder and make up.

It was the same light, fluffy smell, like powered sugar, he'd grown used to; but now it was many magnitudes more potent with his new horse sense.

He didn't just smell Rarity, he sensed her health, youth, and beauty. His body responded, telling him this mare was a delicate flower that had yet to blossom.
A tightness formed in his groin as his flare engorged.

The two filly coworkers watched the couple having a private moment with wide-eyed disbelief and longing.

Atchmon shifted his hindlegs uncomfortably, in an effort to lessen the feeling, rather than hide the embarrassment.

A pinch formed on his brain, baiting him to make light of the situation; in an effort to make it less awkward.

"I like your stank too." He chuckled awkwardly as he pulled away.

Rarity's body listed towards him, as if pulled by an invisible force; she snapped out of the trance at his less-than-dreamy response, before she came to her senses; and layed her ears at him.

Both ponies were blushing deeply and caught the look of the two fillies, making them separate quickly and feel embarrassed; while looking about as if pretending to not be doing anything.

The employees quickly found something else to do as the pair approached the counter.

"May I have a Seers Catalog, dear?" Rarity requested.

Seafoam added one to her bag, all while avoiding looking at the stallion, more out of fear of being chastised by the intimidating mare. Her bonnet and rhinestone sunglasses made the filly think she were a high-profile celebrity, or other wealthy elite, wanting to keep her identity a secret.

Atchmon watched as Seafoam put the booklet in the paper bag, then smiled at the two retail workers, but his gesture largely went unnoticed. To him, they were like shy little animals, not wanting to challenge him by looking in his eyes.

It made him briefly wonder if maybe there was something about himself that made them afraid. Something he couldn't see for himself.

As the couple left the store, both fillies released a huge sigh of relief.

"Oh my goodnessth!"
"Celestia have mercy!"

The fillies fanned themselves.

"They were all over each other!" Exasperated Seafoam.

"Did you sthee the sizthe of that sthallion'sth ballsth, and histh flare?" Twist gasped in disbelief, turning to her coworker.

"I know, filly, his hips must hurt carrying all that around; he wasn't trying to hide them at all!" Seafoam scoffed in disbelief. "And that mare he was with, who was she?"

"I don't know, but how can a mare like that have a sthtallion that young with her?"

"Young? He looked the same age as my sire!"

"You didn't nothtice, he didn't have a cuthie mark?"

"I was too busy trying not to stare and wet myself; he really didn't?"

"Nope, do you think we'll ever get a good-looking sthallion like that?"

"Not without a mountain of Bits, and bigger rumps."

"Oh Luna, why musth you be stho cruel!" She despaired to the heavens, and looked at her flanks.

"I know, filly; I still can't believe he was with that mare." She shook her head.

"I know, right? She obviousthly musth be doing sthomething right; there'sth no way a sthallion would be stheen in public with a mare who justh got hersthelf The Dip.

"Mare, she musth be loaded with Biths; and even though her coat wasthn't the worsth color, her body was sthill really nice, she definitly keeps in shape, and her flanks were pretty big too, I guessth; definitely not the biggesth in town. "

Seafoam nodded. "Maybe, but even if she isn't, it still gives me some hope; like, even though I have an ugly green coat too, it just means I haven't found the right colt who like it too."

"You're coat isn't that bad, our time will come, but would you really want a sthallion like that, though? Just imagine it: 'oh honey, how do I make a sandwich? What color drapes go with our carpet? But, honey, I don't wanna do the dishes one time this week!'" She mocked in a whiney impression of a stallion. "Like, get back out in the fields, stud, and let a real mare take care of the kitchen." She puffed up like a tough mare.

Seafoam giggled at her impression. "It'd be worth the frustration to cuddle up next to a big stallion like that."

They both sighed dreamily. "Yeah, if he doesthn't have a tummy ache, or sthome other excuse."

Seafoam decried. "Seriously though, what are we doing wrong? We have jobs, we've moved out and have a place of our own, we're mature and responsible mares; what more could a guy want; I mean, we still need to herd up with other mares, but it'd be nice to have a guy to myself for a little while, ya know?"

"Only mares with the Bitsth to buy him anything he wants, and flanksth to pop out foals like a factory have that privilege." said Twist.

"Speaking of huge flanks, better stand to attention, here comes Spoiled Milk." Seafoam warned.

The mare burst through the double doors like she owned the place, which everypony in town questioned despite her marriage to the son of the original owner, whom was still living and was rumored to have yet named a successor.

Spoiled Rich scoffed in disgust. "Ugh, did you see that train-wreck of a mare leaving this store? 'Ponies of Baryard Bargains', indeed; such patronage is bad for my business' image; and you both know how important that is to me." Spoiled Rich said in the snobbiest way that even snobs would have to acknowledge how snobby it was.

"Yes, Mrs. Rich." The fillys responded in unison, like schoolfillys.

Spoiled Rich hummed salaciously. "Her beau, on the other hoof, was quite easy on the eyes, I must admit; don't you agree, fillys?"

"Yes, Mrs. Rich." They responded again.

"Judging by the mare he was with, I'm certain he was just a hired breeder, what a stud," she said venomously. "Perhaps I should consider hiring one as well, a bit of competition might motivate my husband to get over his "anxiety, and performance" issues; hmmm, maybe I shouldn't even bother giving him my last few good breeding years. Maybe then he'll realize how lucky he is to have me all to himself, or maybe I should pick a profile from the fertility bank; that would really show him... why are you two looking at me like that, speak up!" She snapped at the fillies.

Seafoam and Twist flinched away, hemming and hawing while searching for a response. "Um, well, ah; you see, I don't think..."

Spoiled didn't wait for a response. "Oh why do I bother, you two will never know anything about what's it's like to be this wealthy and successful, or know what it takes to be keep the best prize stud in this backwater town happy; the only thing I envy of you two, is your lack of responsibility."

"B-but it must make things easier to have a sthallion that has his own money and success, right?" Twist suggested.

"Y-yeah, then you know he loves you for you?" Followed Seafoam.

Both actually looked hopeful, only to have that hope squashed.

Spoiled cackled a high pitched laugh; belaying she found the statement genuinely funny. "Oh how foalish, a stallion will always want to be with a wealthier, more successful mare than himself, it's practically in their nature; if you want to keep a high-quality stallion, girls; then you need to be, and stay, a high-quality mare, yourself." She emphasized to make them feel inferior. "It's why I never have to worry about my hubby wandering astray from me with you two under his employ.

"Take it from a mare who lives that life every Celestia-damned day, girls; not many fillys will have the stomach to take what they want, without a care about what others will think of her."

The double doors to the store opened, and in walked two of the least-eligible bachelors in town: Snip and Snails.

Snip was still short, and stocky; having a build like an Ponish Bulldog. Snails was tall and lanky as ever, but now he was built more like a miniature giraffe.

"Ugh, more "Barnyard Bargain" ponies; those two look more your speed, girls; take what you can from them, then broom 'em fast out the door." The crabby old mare raised her nose at them and left.

The two fillies finally relaxed with a sigh. Each of their bodies feeling exhausted from the tension Spoiled Rich creates everywhere she goes.

Seafoam looked defeated. "She's right, we're gonna have to settle with whatever we can get."

"Don't listhen to her, we destherve a chancthe to be happy too!" Twist declared.

The two teen colts giggled immaturely from the family planning section, before trotting up to the counter.

"Yeah, but what can we do to make more Bits in the mean-time?" Seafoam rang up their purchase: melons, several boxes of 'collection sleeves', and lubricant.

The fillys felt dirty just doing their job.

Snip clicked his tongue. "Hello, ladies, I couldn't help overhearing, but there might be a way to make your money problems go away."

Seafoam deadpanned. "This joke is old as an old mare's tale, Snip; you're gonna have us ring up these three specific items, and ask us to be a 'teaser mare' for your lucrative, and illegal, studding services?"

"I'll have you know, and I'm proud to say, I don't need help with that; and I'll have you know, getting a studding license is easier than ever before; Princess Celestia changed the laws making it legal for colts our age to start 'contributing towards Equestria's growth'." Snips hinted.

Snail chuckled in his dopey way. "Yeah, and we get to keep jobs we can actually do without getting fired for being too slow, or not knowin' stuff, or accidentally breakin' things, or forgettin' stuff, or being too slow, or not-"

Twist interjected. "What isth it, Snip; not one of your get rich quick schemes, is it?" She asked skeptically.

"If it's doing 'creative accounting' with the cashier till again; forget it, that's why Mr. Rich terminated you last summer." said Seafoam.

Snips shrugged. "Hey, it's what my cutie mark was telling me; I was doing work I never meant to do, my dashing good looks brought in a lot of hoof traffic; I felt like I should get a cut of those sales."

Both fillys grimaced at the sparse mustaches, and barely growing neck-beards on both colts.

Snips continued. "Have you heard about a new kind of currency called Pony Notes?"

The fillys looked at each other. Twist spoke. "I heard something about that, yeah, what about it?"

"Buh-bam!" Snips slapped down a piece of paper on the counter. It was a thick, papyrus note with Celestia's face on the left side of the bill; the number 20 emblazoned with complex filigree decorated it's face. On the other side was a printed picture of Canterlot Castle, equally as complex and detailed.

Seafoam looked unsure. "And what are we supposed to do with this?"

Twist shook her head.

"What are you talking about, it's money!" Snips claimed. "You buy stuff with it, like we are; I believe I'm owed some change?" He suggested.

"We are not taking your weird paper money; this establishment takes Bits and bank cheques." Seafoam pushed it back towards him with a wing tip.

"Why would anypony want thisth instead of shiny, clinky gold coin?"

Snips looked put off. "Well, I don't understand all of it; but the two ponies that came up with it: Anon and Themouse came up with this system of trade called Pony Notes, it's all made of paper cotton."

"And how did you get these 'paper monies'?" Seafoam said scandalously.

Snips looked smug. "There's an exchange in town this week, they take our Bit coins, and in exchange we get their worth in Pony Notes!" He finished excitedly.

"What's so exciting about that?" Seafoam raised an eye brow skeptically.

Snips tried to sound convincing. "Think about it, fillies; gold Bits have to be mined out of the ground, which hurts the land and the animals living there; but with Paper money, cotton can be grown in a clean, environmentally friendly way! AND, we get 20 Pony Notes for every Bit of our coins we turn in!"

Twist looked confused. "I don't get it, wouldn't we be right where we started; wouldn't 20 pony notes just equal 1 Bit again?"

Snails drawled. "Nah, Anon and Themouse think this thing called 'inflation' make the wealth between peasants like us, and nobles be more even; and the more paper monies we own, the less valuable their Bits will be worth; Snips says it's genius, and I agree with him on everything; he says I have to." He chuckled, looking as though he saw no problem with that.

Snips looked proud at his friend. "That's right, we can really buck the system in our favor for a change!"

"Yeah, what he said." Followed Snails.

"So what's to stop your Pony Notes from dropping in value when they make more of them?" Twist asked. "I've always been told the value of gold will always go up, because it's harder to find and make into Bits."

Snips looked stumped on that, then sounded indignant. "Um, ah; it's okay if you don't 'get it' new concepts are hard to grasp for older mares, anyway." He turned his nose up at them.

Both fillys looked steamed at that. "We're the same age!" Said Seafoam.

"We were literally in the same class and finished together!" Twist exasperated, losing her lisp.

"Thanks, but no thanks, boys; now I'm gonna have to ask you two to either pay up in Bits, or leave." Seafoam put on a hard expression, meaning she was serious.

Snips paid in Bits and took his things.

"I don't know Snips, maybe they had a point." Drawled Snails.

"Trust me, bro; this is gonna to change our lives for the better." Encouraged Snips. "What do I always tell you?"

"Always listen to Snips." Snails seemed to find comfort in that statement.

Both fillies shook their heads as the colts left.

"It's just so not fair!" Seafoam decried, surprising her coworker. "Boys have it so much easier than us, they can sell off their sperm to the highest bidder, and, like; it's nothing for them to make a living, just find a bunch of mares to take care of them; you think a mare could ever surrogate for a stallion!"

"Not stho loud, do you wanna get usth in trouble!?"

Seafoam looked sad. "Sorry, I'm just... frustrated at the whole thing, you know?"

"Yeah, I know... I don't look old, do I?" Twist asked, sounding self-conscious.

"No, filly, don't listen to those two; you're beautiful, and you have value." Encouraged Seafoam.

Twist sighed, looking grateful. "Thanks."

"I know, we just have to work hard, harder than ever, and one day our effort will pay off big!"

"You really think so?"

"I know stho!" Twist declared with delight; keeping a positive outlook on life.

*whump* *smack* *mare moaning in ecstasy *

"What was that?" Seafoam asked.

Both fillys hearts filled with dread as they continued to hear a mare moaning in the back.

"I think Mr. Rich is making Mrs. Rich very happy right now?" Answered Twist.

Seafoam grimaced in disgust. "Ewe! I don't wanna think about poor Mr. Rich getting bucked in his office by that mean old bag, we sit on those cushions too!"

"I wasn't even sthupposed to be here today." Twist whined.

Author's Note

This is not financial advice.

Probably 3 more chapters of "set up" before things speed up.