Fight For You

by Pixel_Spark

Rating: mature
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Romance, Drama, Other, Ahuizotl, Sex
Length: 24818

After nearly seeing Caballeron die, Ahuizotl is forced to re-evaluate just what the doctor means to him...

When Dr. Caballeron is faced with the choice of leaving behind an artefact and protecting his home OR stealing it and doing his job, he tells himself he's prepared to take whatever punishment an angry Ahuizotl will give. What he doesnt expect....?

Well that could fill a second book (if he ever wrote it).

Published 2017-02-14 15:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-02-23 18:55:27 UTC

His Precious Doctor

Author's Note

Hi guys~ Thanks to all who have favourited and followed this. I didnt expect it to get much attention, so to see how many of you have given it a home on your lists, makes me really happy! ^_^ Enjoy~

His Precious Doctor

Caballeron woke an hour or so later. In the back of his mind he noticed a faint, dull ache, but ignored it for now as he grew more aware. He stirred a little, uttering a sleepy groan. He heard snuffling, heavy breathing close by and blinked sleepily. Slowly his memory came back, and he felt his face burn red. Sweet Celestia, he'd let his boss screw him.

But….he bit his lip at the thought, it HAD felt good. Recollections of his boss-

He stopped there, shaking his head violently to dispel the image before he got worked up again. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down...

He doubted it meant anything to Ahuizotl, it was probably just a fantasy, spurred on by that necklace. He didn't strike Caballeron as the type to feel anything akin to steady affection or love. Why he'd chosen him, Caballeron, baffled the pony. What was so enticing about HIS plot?

--Probably just because he can..-- he mused, sighing softly. Just a way to show he was the one in control. Then Ahuizotl stirred and Caballeron went tense, awaiting a response. He expected to be turfed out on his ass now he'd been...well, used up?

Ahuizotl awoke to see the Doctor was already awake, he was staring into space and looking oddly pensive. Did he hurt?

"Feel well, Doctor?" he asked, brushing the pony’s lips with his own as Caballeron turned to look at him. Caballeron went red by means of an answer. So Ahuizotl used his tail-hand to gently caress the pony’s ass. Caballeron let out a squeak of surprise, but blushed in the most tempting manner possible. An obvious indicator he'd enjoyed it when coupled with the "don't tease me" glower he pulled.

At last Caballeron recalled the question he'd been asked and nodded, but that same uncertainty still lingered in his eyes. Ahuizotl understood at last, did the Doctor think he had just screwed him for the hell of it?

"Do not be foolish, Doctor and assume I merely wished to use you. You are not a trinket, a mere relic that I store on a shelf!" there was a touch of anger to his voice. Caballeron looked frightened a moment, as if he'd been rumbled. Ahuizotl squeezed that gorgeous rear again in admonishment, a lot more firmly this time, making Caballeron moan softly.

Ahuizotl framed the pony's face gently with his paws, sitting up and angling his body so he was peering down at him now.

His piercing gaze made Caballeron's pulse race. Was he being serious, was this....?

"I did you because I admire you. Your tenacity, your guile. You’re an intriguing creature, one I felt a long dormant attraction to when I was confronted by the fact you could have died right in front of me." Ahuizotl grinned at the surprised Doctor "I took the liberty of admiring that sumptuous rear end of yours when you stalked out of here with your nose in the air, after one of our trades."

"I was not sticking my nose in the air-!" Caballeron cut off as Ahuizotl began to laugh again and blunted the pony’s anger by kissing him.

"And I wasn’t admiring your ass. We are both worthless liars, my dear Doctor." the creature laughed.

Caballeron grumbled under his breath, cheeks burning red. How was Ahuizotl getting under his skin so effortlessly? A warm paw gripped his chin gently, tilting their faces so their eyes met. The seductive way his boss looked at him now made him flush anew.

"Now my dear Doctor, I believe we both require a wash. Although I aim to keep your scent on me as long as possible, YOUR coat needs a good bathing."

Caballeron blinked, following his boss' eyes down to his belly, and brushed his coat with a hoof. He encountered dried, sticky patches on his fur. Of course, he'd been lying on his stomach...

He was gently ushered off the recliner, that thought left to wait. He felt his legs wobble as he took a few tentative steps on the hard ground. Small zig-zags of pain emanated from his lower back. He uttered a soft obscenity, shifting how he walked so it wasn’t so bad.

He felt oddly heavy still, and plodded along slower then he would normally, as he trailed after Ahuizotl.

He was keenly aware of Ahuizotl's eyes on him, and felt his face redden again. He studied the rocky floor underhoof as they walked, feeling oddly...nervous? What was he nervous about? He couldn’t pin it down.

But one thing was for certain, it felt strange being under someone else’s sway. But he'd be lying to himself if he denied how good he felt...how much he'd enjoyed it.

His eyebrows rose as he seen the hot-spring. Ahuizotl nudged him towards the water and Caballeron was happy to oblige. He took off the by now VERY rumpled shirt he wore, the neckerchief discarded earlier on back in the other room. He set it aside, aware of the smell of sweat and whatever else soaked into it.

He clambered in, sighing in relief.

"That feels good..." he let his forelegs and head rest atop the edge of the pool, feeling the hot water soak into his coat.

"I will leave you to yourself. Enjoy~" Ahuizotl's voice was as smug and sure as ever, yet there was another tone beneath it. One that made Caballeron blush.

Then he left as promised.

Caballeron took a deep breath before submerging himself under the water. The water flooded into his ears, blocking out everything but his beating heart. In this comforting silence he thought one simple thought over and over.

He'd slept with his BOSS. And enjoyed it.

He surfaced with a gasp, hair flattened to his neck. He recalled Ahuizotl gently tugging on his mane as they’d had sex, and allowed himslef a small smile. It'd felt very good.

--What am I getting into?-- he pondered. Was Ahuizotl serious, DID he desire a simple pony? Let alone a failed archaeologist turned relic hunter.

But there was no denying he felt so satisfied. Nopony he'd grudgingly allowed to mount him had ever made him climax that hard and heavy, let alone fall asleep feeling so content.

At last he decided to get out, and realised his shirt was gone. He blinked cluelessly, he was sure he'd dropped it right here? Puzzled, he dried himself off as best he could and left the room.

He ambled down the hall, ears pricking as the sound of raised voices reached his ears, and they were getting closer. He ducked into a small raised outcropping of the cave wall. Between the jagged edges, he seen the guards dragging some familiar figures out into the dimly lit hall. It was Sureshot and the cronies that’d mercilessly beaten him to the point of almost blacking out.

Sureshot was screaming he'd make Ahuizotl pay for this, him and that bastard Caballeron! The subject of the abuse held his breath and flattened himself behind the rock as he heard the ponies being thrown out, their voices getting dimmer. He stared into the shifting shadows that concealed him, heart racing. What’d just happened? What....had Ahuizotl done?

He closed his eyes, one hoof pressed over his heart. begging it to slow. He'd been in dangerous situations before, his fights against Daring Do and various other obstacles had been more life threatening than this. But there was something so personal about Sureshot's attack on him. How helpless he'd been, not being as fit as those younger stallions, it had left him unable to get away. He knew he'd gotten soft from years of cushy living and having goons do the hard work for him. Seeing Sureshot's smug grin, knowing he had Caballeron pinned, helpless...

"Doctor.". Ahuizotl's voice startled the heck out of him, and he gave a strangled gasp as he bolted forward out of his hiding spot. He almost tripped on his own hooves as he tried to stand properly and was grabbed around the middle by Ahuizotl's tail-hand. Having resigned himself to being caught, he relaxed as he was carried to the bedroom. He was set atop the bed, as the once more full-sized mythical creature settled on the bed beside him.

"I assume you enjoyed the bath?" was the first question.

Caballeron nodded, his mouth was bone dry, head spinning. What had happened with Sureshot?

"I did not think you would finish so quickly, Doctor. The guards finally told me those fools had returned, so I seen fit to deal with them while you rested yourself."

"That was.." Caballeron's throat went dry. A warm palm brushed his cheek, and against his will, his eyes fluttered shut and he flashed back to the scents of the night before. His heart raced still, but now in a much nicer way.

Satisfied Caballeron was calmer, Ahuizotl let his paw settle back on the bed, and Caballeron focused on him once more.

"Sureshot and his goons, yes. I made it clear I would not stand for their treachery. That arrogant little fool has been grating on my nerves for some time. He thinks he can fool me with his pretences. Also, I have suspicions he is withholding some of the spoils of the tasks I send him on."

Caballeron nodded.

"So I told him I would not tolerate his presence around here again. And that he would live a lot longer if he stayed away from my trusted associates. Your worth far exceeds his, mistakes and all. He made some crass threats detailing what he'd do to you, so I told him to shut his mouth before I broke it."

Caballeron blinked, had he just said-?

"Yes, I felt that fool deserved punishment for attempting to besmirch you, Doctor. Rest assured, he has reaped what he sowed."

Ahuizotl seen surprise in Caballeron's eyes, and a flicker of gratitude too. He toyed with a lock of the pony’s mane, peering into those deep green eyes. He teased the Doctor with a light kiss, feeling the pony press against him. He grinned inside, knowing he'd hooked the stallion. Now to keep him by his side...and in his bed.

For now he settled for kissing the pony until he was breathless.

"Ah.." Caballeron cleared his throat as he was let go, lips tingling from the kissing "W-where is....have you seen my shirt?"

Ahuizotl raised an eyebrow. "Oh, that? It was in need of a clean, so I took the liberty of having one of the guards take care of it, along with the bedsheets from the night before." He nipped at Caballeron's neck gently and added "While they seen to that, I erased all evidence from the recliner while you bathed. Nobody will be any the wiser."

Caballeron actually found himself smiling faintly at the idea that Sureshot and those goons had been yelled at, and torn a new one figuratively speaking, in the same room where the same recliner sat. Where they’d had mind blowing sex not long ago. Ahuizotl read the amusement in the Doctor's eyes and smirked.

"Exactly, my dear Doctor. I took my own sincere gratification in knowing I’d made you mine, while they tried to lie their way out of the situation."

--You should feel proud, Doctor. Nobody’s honour besides mine has ever spurred me this way.--

He looked at the stallion, admiring how good he looked, his coat still damp, hair wet and curling down his neck. He looked downright screwable. But he reminded himself of how their little romp on the couch had exhausted Caballeron already, and realised the pony probably couldn’t take another round right away. The way he'd walked, as if this was a new sensation, told him Caballeron had never been claimed by one of Ahuizotl's...stature, before.

So he pushed all thoughts of a sexual nature aside. It would all come in time.

Outside, the trio of ponies fumed. Sureshot was livid with rage, he could barely speak he was so angry. As Ahuizotl had yelled at them for their numerous screw-ups, Sureshot had been staring intently at a crumpled piece of red fabric discarded casually on the floor.

Just visible beneath the rug had rested a neck-tie he recognised so well...

"Boss?" he heard one of his goons ask "now what do we do?"

"Oh I know what we'll do." Sureshot raged. He pulled the rumpled piece of fabric from his saddlebag. He'd stolen it while Ahuizotl had been looking away, lost in his grandiose rant.

Now he glared at it, at what it represented.

"That bastard, Caballeron. He was always so cocky, and now it makes sense. He's been Ahuizotl's little screw-toy this whole time. You want to know what we're going to do? We're going to make that washed up old fool regret rutting his way to the top!"

"How, we don’t know where he is?" The other goon said.

Sureshot rolled his eyes and turned to face them, holding up the fabric "This is Caballeron's. It was lying on the floor of that room. I can tell it reeks of sweat and sex, that clueless bastard."

"He's still in there." the first goon looked back in the direction of the cave.

"Exactly," Sureshot snarled "So we need to act fast.."

"What I don’t get is how they...ya know, do it.." The other guard said "I mean, the old boss was a big thing."

"No doubt one of those priceless relics grants him whatever he wants, and that something is that pathetic Doctor." Sureshot sneered. What was so special about that fool?

He wanted to make Caballeron suffer.

He had a few favours to call in first, however. He left the goons to watch the cave entrance and follow the Doctor if he should leave. He'd be back shortly...

With Ahuizotl off attending to something in the inner chambers, the ones that held priceless relics, Caballeron had the rest of the evening to spend in the library.

He found some paper and a pen, and set about translating the book.

The guard-doctor came by and checked the injured leg, frowning as he remarked Caballeron was putting too much weight on it, he shouldn’t be careless.

Caballeron thought about what he'd been doing so far since waking up here and felt himself want to blush. But he kept his face impassive, giving nothing away.

If the guard-doctor suspected anything, he kept it to himself. Caballeron was aware sleeping with the higher-ups made somepony like him look like a desperate case. Resorting to screwing someone in exchange for attention.

No, he told himself. --Stop right there. He initiated it with YOU. Yes, you gave in and, quite happily I might add, let him do you. But you never expected it.--

That was the honest truth. He had never expected his boss might look at him that way, let alone find him attractive. Surely he could have anypony, so why was he interested in an old fool like Caballeron? At first he'd tried to convince himself it was just out of pity, or amusement on Ahuizotl's part. But Ahuizotl had put a halt to that, stating he'd wanted to screw Caballeron because he admired him. He'd found him a worthy subject of his advances...

--Do I believe him?-- Caballeron pondered. It wasn’t just the sex, there was the fact that Ahuizotl had taken punishing those that had nearly killed Caballeron so seriously. He'd defended him, essentially.

He felt an uncharacteristic ache in his chest, and with a jab of panic he realised he didn’t want it to end. He was enjoying the attention, that feeling that he mattered so much, that he was....desirable, to someone. He'd fallen into a pattern of one night stands, acting like he didn’t care, telling himself he just wanted sexual release, not love or anything along those lines.

He uttered a deep sigh, hearing it echo around the vaulted cavern. He pushed the thoughts aside for now and went back to work.

Hours later...

Caballeron sat in the massive library, eyes flicking from book to paper, scribbling away.

When Ahuizotl came to find him, he paused a moment to observe Caballeron as he entered the room. The pony was surrounded on three sides by a fort of books. He was lying on his stomach, a pencil held in his mouth. He looked up at the book and studied it a moment, then bent his head and proceeded to write a few more sentences.

What caught Ahuizotl's attention was the gleam in his eyes. He looked lively, enthusiastic. Most of the time when he'd seen the Doctor he looked tired, strung out, and on a few occasions, drunk/hungover. But now he looked less burdened, and he had the feeling this was how Caballeron had been years before he'd started giving in to bribes and being accosted by Daring Do.

It was amusing and oddly endearing, how these ponies could write using the pencil stuck in their mouth. He snuck over as quietly as he could and brushed a paw up Caballeron's back. The pony yelped, the pencil clattering to the floor, but he relaxed when he realised who it was.

"Time to get some rest Doctor, it's late," Ahuizotl chuckled and peered at the translated notes by Caballeron's hooves "interesting. You have been hard at work."

"It’ll take awhile before it's all complete.." Caballeron raised an eyebrow and heaved a sigh at the sheer size of the volume. Ahuizotl chuckled faintly.

"Well, you are free to take loan of any tome you require, there are others in that language and I will require your talent for some time to come. You will of course be rewarded handsomely for your efforts."

This reminded Caballeron he WAS starting to run out of money. He'd been going through it so fast recently...

A gentle reminder in the form of a tap on his rear made him snap back to the present. He set the book down and put the notes aside. He stretched, hearing his back click faintly.

"Feeling a bit stiff, dear Doctor?" Ahuizotl looked amused, and more than a little smug.

Caballeron coughed and affected an air of annoyance "nothing I cant handle." he said boldly.

--Oh I don’t doubt that, you proved very accommodating on the couch, Doctor.-- Ahuizotl thought. He pondered how long he'd be able to hold out before giving in to temptation and seducing Caballeron again?

Stretching over with, Caballeron hit a snag. He glanced around, expression shifting. Where was he supposed to sleep-? Oh right, back in the room with the recliner again-

He was scooped up by the tail-hand again and set atop Ahuizotl's broad back as the bigger creature padded towards the bedroom. He could’ve just objected, but instead he found himself wriggling further up, closer to Ahuizotl's head, so he could hear what he was saying. That was his excuse. No other reason he would willingly clamber all over the bigger creature like an over excitable schoolchild.

"Amuse me, doctor, and bed with ME." Ahuizotl sounded sure of himself, that the Doctor wouldn’t be able to refuse, and he was right.

The vibrations of the creature's voice sent shivers up Caballeron's back and made that teasing heat unfurl in his stomach. The bedroom soon came into view and Ahuizotl strode over to the bed. He dipped his head, so the pony lounging atop his head was rolled off and onto the bed. He landed in a sprawling fashion, tail flicked up between his legs. It looked beyond tantalizing...

The necklace read what the wearer wanted and gleamed faintly, and once more the mythical being was the same proportions as he'd been when they done it on the couch. Caballeron felt a little pulse in his stomach, was this a hint for another round? He still felt a dull ache from that first time. Even in his smaller form, Ahuizotl was still vastly different to any of Caballeron's other bed partners. Well, one night drunken flings was more accurate...

"Fret not Doctor, I will not be taxing you again so soon. All you need to do is lie on your back-" the being grinned knowingly "-and don’t muffle your voice. The guards are all at the other end of the cave, they will not hear us."

He grinned, licking his lips eagerly.

Caballeron flushed as he realised what his boss wanted to do to him. Seeing his expression, knowing the pony understood, Ahuizotl kissed Caballeron. This made any resistance the Doctor may have had go down the drain, and he was helpless to resist when Ahuizotl whispered;

"Now, move that cute little tail of yours out of the way."

Caballeron made his tail move, and was rewarded by a nuzzle to his stomach.

"Good Doctor, now...lets taste you.."

And with those words, he began. His longer-than-a-pony's tongue teasingly licked the doctor's shaft, making him squirm. Caballeron groaned softly, it sent such a delicious jolt up his back. Ahuizotl grinned, then went down on him completely, taking the Doctor into his mouth entirely.

“Ah, t-that's….” Caballeron panted. The heat of the creature's mouth, and that extremely agile tongue- it wrapped around him again, squeezing gently. The pony seen his partners throat constrict as he swallowed the initial reward he'd teased from Caballeron's member. This only made Caballeron even more aroused.

Abruptly, Ahuizotl released the stallion from his mouth, and met the pony's eyes.

“That’s just the start Doctor, I’ve been thinking about this all day. Wondering how long I can make you wait before you climax.”

Caballeron blushed once more, Ahuizotl really was-

Then his thought was cut off as Ahuizotl did as promised, and went beyond what he'd just been doing. He settled into a pleasurable rhythm, ravishing the equine shaft in his mouth. One paw slid under the doctor's rear, teasing and touching his partner. He grinned inside as this movement made Caballeron moan even louder, increasing the pre-finale pumps of fluid.

Two paws now gripped Caballeron's hips, and Ahuizotl briefly released the doctor's shaft from his mouth, to use his tongue on the lower part of his stallions package. Caballeron made a desperate mewling sound, this felt too good. He couldn’t-

Then his Boss' phrase about seeing how long Caballeron could last flashed into his head, and he resolved to hold on until the pleasure become all-encompassing..

So with an extreme effort, he clamped down on his desire to finish, his body trembling at the task.

Ahuizotl picked up on a shift in the Doctor's body language, and realised what he was up to.

--Lets see how much you can take then, Doctor, it'll make you all the sweeter when I make you release.-- he grinned.

So he upped the sensual assault of the Doctor's member, slow, teasing caresses with his tongue, gripping the base of it with his tail-hand.

“You know, it's possible to keep you going for awhile, yet with my hand here, you wont be allowed to finish. Did you know that?” the creature teased.

“Ahui- N-no I didn’t-!” Caballeron panted, heart racing.

“It's cute hearing you say my name like that, but I’m going to make you beg, dear Doctor.”

He continued his teasing and sucking, all the while maintaining that tormenting grip. Caballeron gasped and moaned, bucking his hips eagerly, as best he could with Ahuizotl holding him in place with his paws.

He held out as best he could, even though the words to beg Ahuizotl to let him finish were on the tip of his tongue, he let himself fall deep into the pleasure setting his whole body alight with desire.

--Mmm, well met my dear Doctor. But you wont be able to resist THIS..--

He teased a finger around the Doctor's entrance, then, as Caballeron moaned eagerly, he pushed a finger into him. Caballeron's whole body nearly went rigid from the sensation, and he finally broke his silence;

“Ahui...p-please….Please!”

“As you wish, Doctor.” Ahuizotl released the pony's shaft and removed his fingers, going back to using just his mouth. It didn’t take long to bring the Doctor over the edge, and he was rewarded with a heavy load hitting the back of his throat, where he happily swallowed it, savouring the taste. A few more teasing strokes made a final few bursts line his throat, then the Doctor was spent.

He released the pleasured pony, and Caballeron collapsed onto the soft covers, breathing rapidly.

"Delicious, my precious Doctor." Ahuizotl complimented the exhausted pony as he licked his lips. Caballeron blinked sluggishly up at him, looking pretty damn cute. His black mane, streaked with the occasional grey strand, curled sexily around the base of his ears and clung to his neck.

Ahuizotl did as he'd done before, and wrapped his body around Caballeron's in an almost protective manner. The Doctor snuggled up to his side, uttering a faint, contented sigh. His scent after climax was almost addictive, a sweet, heady smell.

As he'd laid into those unfortunate fools that’d beaten Caballeron nearly to death and no doubt set that snake on him, Ahuizotl had been aware of the still lingering scent of the passionate sex in the room. The ponies wouldn’t pick it up, but HE did. It'd made the punishment of those buffoons all the sweeter, then he'd had them thrown out. Caballeron had seemingly stumbled out of the bath right about then, because he'd picked up on the freshly washed smell of him, hiding behind a rock.

He was loathe to let the Doctor go, but knew he'd have to release him eventually. For now he just let himself relax, the pleasing warmth of the Doctor's body right beside him lulling him to sleep.

He let Caballeron sleep on as he got up the next morning, going in search of something...

The dozy archaeologist groaned as he rolled over and realised where he was, again. Another night in his boss' bed...

This was, by far, the craziest thing he'd ever gotten involved in, and given he'd had some weird encounters with ancient artefacts and monsters, that was saying something!

Just as he was stretching and easing the stiffness out of his muscles, he heard footsteps. He looked round, seeing his boss standing in the doorway.

"Looking for this?" Ahuizotl strode over, producing something from behind his back. It was Caballeron's shirt.

"Perhaps a bath, before you attend breakfast?" he suggested.

It felt surreal, this creatures old fashioned mannerisms. His requests felt like part demand, part question, like he was trying to be nice. A funny pang jabbed Caballeron's heart and as he prepared to dismount from the bed, he paused to quickly steal a kiss, then he was off and trotting causally out of the room, shirt draped across his back.

Behind him, in the room, Ahuizotl allowed himself a smile. That was the first time the Doctor had exhibited such unprompted affection. Although there was no denying he'd enjoyed all the attention Ahuizotl had lavished on him, he'd been quite shy about showing it in return, seeming to fear possible falsehoods in Ahuizotl's actions and words. So what had changed today?

Whatever it was, he liked it.

Caballeron was sitting in the room with the recliner, when Ahuizotl found him next. With his freshly cleaned short on, he looked back to his usual self. The doctor guard was summoned to once more check the snake bite. It was healing well, there would be a minor set of scars but nothing noticeable. A fresh bandage and the two were left alone to eat.

But as they enjoyed their breakfast, trouble was brewing..

Sureshot had gathered a sizeable gang of ponies, and now stood in front of the motley crew of mercenaries.

"Keep that big buffoon diverted, and steal whatever you fancy. Knock the guards out and tie them up. But none of you, I repeat NONE, are to touch Caballeron. That fool is MINE. Me and the boys need to have a talk with him."

The others nodded. They didn’t care about Caballeron, they wanted a fight and whatever they could steal as their wage. Sureshot had some kind of vendetta against this Caballeron guy, but they didn’t give a damn.

"Let's go." Sureshot said, casting a glance up at the cave entrance and smirking.

--You’ll regret this you old fool..--

Ahuizotl left his precious bed partner to his own devices in the library and ventured deeper into the cave to look over some of his more recent acquisitions. Caballeron made several more pages of progress translating the same book, when he heard the first noise. His ears twitched, and he frowned.

He set the pencil down and crept towards the door. That was when he realised it sounded like a fight! He heard a guard scream in the distance, and backed up. Someone was attacking?!

He hurriedly pushed a bookshelf in front of the door, his back aching by the end. There had to be something he could fight with? And even if he could get out of here, he couldn’t just LEAVE Ahuizotl, he had to locate the lower caves...

There were thundering hoof-steps coming down the rocky corridor and seconds later he heard the bookshelf shake.

"In here!" a male voice bellowed. Caballeron felt panic punch him in the gut, and he dove into the stack of books, pushing them over, looking for something, ANYTHING to fight with.

With a thudding crash the bookshelf fell forward, and a trio of heavyset ponies blocked the door. Caballeron flattened himself back against the shelf behind him.

The ponies advanced, grinning evilly.

"Boss sent us to find you, so you may as well come quietly." the lead pony mocked. Caballeron snarled, feeling behind him for a book. His hoof closed around a heavy hardback.

He told the trio to buck off in his native tongue and lobbed the book like a missile. He ran for them, ducking and feinting as the other two grabbed for him. He threw his weight against the one he'd hit with the book and leapt over his fallen body. He'd have made it too, but for one mistake. He'd let his tail grow lately, normally he kept it cropped short for the sheer reason it could get in the way. But lately he just hadn’t cared.

This was his downfall, as it meant the one he'd knocked over recovered in time to grab Caballeron's tail with his teeth and yank back. Caballeron yelped as the wind was knocked from his lungs, dropping him to the floor.

In seconds they were on him, tying his legs together and slinging him across the back of the biggest goon.

Caballeron panicked...had Ahuizotl heard the attack? Where was he..?

Sureshot looked around the room, noting several expensive pieces of art in here alone. This was the room Ahuizotl had always greeted them in, done any business in. And where he'd no doubt been screwing that loathsome-

There was a scuffle in the doorway, and something was thrown to the floor.

"Found him boss, he’s all yours.." the merc grinned, one hoof keeping Caballeron pinned to the floor "me and the boys are going to go raid the place. We held up our end of the deal."

"Fine, whatever you can carry is yours." Sureshot shrugged dismissively and the merc's grinned, before running away into the caves.

Caballeron tried to stand but a hefty punch to the jaw stunned him, followed by a kick to the ribs.

"You know how much trouble you’ve caused me, old man?" Sureshot spat, kicking Caballeron in the ribs. Caballeron coughed and gasped, barely able to speak.

He dragged him over to the other two, cut the ropes and ordered them to hold his forelegs down.

"What-" Caballeron managed to croak, the coppery taste of his blood making him gag "are you doing?!"

"What do you think?" Sureshot grinned evilly "My merc's are taking the buffoons stash of artefacts, and I'm going take his precious little slut-pony."

Seeing Caballeron's shocked expression he laughed even harder "that's right, I know you’ve been screwing him, you really shouldn’t leave your clothes lying around." he pulled the neckerchief out from his saddlebag, waving it at the doctor.

"I seen this when that brainless brute decided to blame US for kicking your sorry ass. In fact..."

He tied the length of fabric over Caballeron's eyes, laughing.

"I'd gag you but it’ll be more rewarding to hear you scream..."

"Get off me!" Caballeron struggled and kicked, but to no avail.

"It's too late to plead now, Doctor. You brought this on yourself by getting in my way."

He set his hooves on Caballeron's hips, making him think he was about to do the unthinkable. He was going to make this pony BEG.

"Can you understand what I’m going to do.." he cackled, this was quite entertaining. He'd been plotting the Doctor's downfall for awhile now. It was quite...exciting.

Caballeron had been relatively calm until now, but as soon as he realised what he thought was going to happen, he began freaking out.

"No, let me go!" he panicked.

"Oh hush now Doctor, you like this.." Sureshot mocked, drawing the torment out. He wasn't even started and the Doctor was a wreck..

The two that were pinning Caballeron down were starting to have second thoughts now. They thought the boss was just going to play with the Doc a little, make him think he was going to do something so abhorrent. But the boss was already making it clear he was going to force himself upon the other pony, who was gasping and struggling. They could feel every ounce of strength in his body being poured into the legs they were pinning down.

"Don’t you two DARE let go now." Sureshot hissed, glaring at them "I’ll find you if you do, and you know what I can do."

"This is a bit far, aint it?" the first said, glancing at his co-worker.

"Ridiculous," Sureshot spat "he's that freak Ahuizotl's little screw-toy. He has to pay for the trouble he's caused!"

Sureshot turned his attention back to the captive Doctor beneath him. Caballeron had stopped begging and pleading, and was drawing in shaky, terrified hiccup breaths now.

"You’ve grown too lazy, Doctor. Perhaps lying on your back too much has made you soft?" he laughed at his own crude humour.

Caballeron couldn’t speak, he felt about to be sick. He felt numb, body locked by terror.

Sureshot grinned "time to begin, Doctor!" he cackled-

Caballeron recovered his voice, crying out desperately. He thought he felt pressure on one hoof lift just a little-

Then there was an earth shaking roar, a sound that would haunt Sureshot for the rest of his days. There was the sound of a door being ripped from its hinges and something sharp dug into his neck. In a split second he was torn away from the pony he'd been poised over. He hit the floor, coughing heavily.

He heard two more screams and his two henchponies soon joined him. They scrambled back, pulling each other up. A bloodied, furious shape was crouching over the blindfolded Caballeron, protecting him. It took them a second to realise; it was Ahuizotl.

"Cowards!!" the mythical creature roared, eyes blazing red. There was an odd looking amulet around his neck, as well as a delicate looking chain.

Lying on the floor, trapped in darkness by the blindfold, Caballeron recognised that voice.

"Ahui.." he croaked, his throat sore from screaming. He tried to reach out for him, but he was too shaken and it took him several seconds to realise he could remove the blindfold now...

He heard Ahuizotl shouting to somepony, and the next second he was helped up onto shuddering legs. He lashed out, panicking-

"Its me, the doc!" the voice WAS familiar, and a second later the blindfold was removed. Caballeron seen the familiar features of the doc, and his heart began pounding a little less rapidly. He looked around, but he couldn’t see Ahuizotl.

"He's chasing those scum bags," the guard-doctor informed him. He took in the terrified Caballeron's injuries and noticed two rapidly bruising patches at his hips. He quickly surmised what those thugs had been about to do, Caballeron looked shocked and scared, on the verge of breaking down.

The doc checked him over, finding a bruised rib and another bruise on his jaw. Other than that, he was in good health. He tried to ask if that pony had DONE anything, but Caballeron refused to say a word, just huddling over and closing his eyes.

He stayed with him even as the last of the terrified screams of the attackers faded. After an indefinite length of time, he heard Ahuizotl approach.

He stepped forward to intercept him as the big being strode in.

"Are they gone?" he asked and Ahuizotl nodded.

"The last of those cowards have been expunged, and made to regret such foolishness. I suggest you venture out and recruit new guards, I want this place under double protection, understand?" the creature said coldly. The guard-doc nodded, he'd see to it personally.

"Is he...?" Ahuizotl sounded tense.

"He wont say a word," the guard-doctor said softly "I couldn’t confirm if he was assaulted."

"I will tend to him from here on, if he is able to speak, I will inform you." Ahuizotl sounded like he was just about sitting on his fury.

The doctor nodded, and left. He and the rest of the guards were only lightly injured, it had been more of a distraction for robbery then an outright attempt at wiping them out. Some things had been stolen, but he had his suspicions that Sureshot had staged all this to get at Caballeron.

He'd known from that first evening that something had gone on between those two. Why else would the Doctor have been in Ahuizotl's bed for Celestia's sake? He knew that new artefact, the necklace, had a hoof in it somehow. That thing had somehow allowed the big creature to have a sexual relationship with the pony. When he'd been checking the bite wound on Caballeron, he'd noticed the stallion seemed fairly content. At least happier then he'd noted so far, anyway. Most of the times he had seen Caballeron, the pony had looked strung out, tired or irritated.

He hoped no damage had been done...

Caballeron huddled over as he heard Ahuizotl approach. He was gently scooped up in one big strong arm and carried away down the hall. He kept his eyes closed, hearing voices echoing in the distance. Then he was gently set down atop a familiar bed.

"Open your eyes." Ahuizotl asked. Caballeron did so, but wouldn’t look up.

"Doctor..." Ahuizotl paused, then more sternly "Caballeron. Look at me."

Caballeron hesitantly lifted his head, tired, scared eyes fixing on him. Ahuizotl gently caressed the unbruised side of his face. Caballeron uttered a faint, almost inaudible whimper, and it made Ahuizotl furious to see him so hurt.

"They have paid the price, ultimately this time. If I see them again, it will be the last thing they do..." he vowed. Caballeron flinched subtly, but nodded.

"I know you're hurt, my precious Caballeron. But I need to know one thing. Did one of them...hurt you?"

Caballeron shook his head, too freaked out to talk. He gave Ahuizotl such a pleading look the bigger being backed off.

"I will not force you." he murmured, settling down on the bed and gently pulling the stallion into his arms. Caballeron clung to him, finding respite and safety in his hold. He could hear the relaxing pound of Ahuizotl's pulse, and the slower heartbeat helped calm his own. He began to feel drowsy...

"Sleep, Caballeron.." Ahuizotl said softly, rubbing his back "I will remain with you, regardless of what arises."

Assured by this, Caballeron fell into slumber.

He didn’t dream, which was a small mercy. He was blissfully safe in his sleep, unaware that Ahuizotl stayed awake as long as possible to keep watch over him.

For a brief moment when Caballeron awoke, it felt as if none of it had happened. Then the bruises he'd sustained twinged and he made a scared sound in the back of his throat. He sat up in the bed, peering into the gloom surrounding him.

There was a snap of a match, and the lamp was lit. He flinched against the sudden surge of bright light.

"Caballeron." Ahuizotl's sleepy voice met his ears and he relaxed, uttering a muffled hiccup. Ahuizotl sat up, using the necklaces spell to shrink himself down so he was the size he'd been when he'd first made love to Caballeron. He hoped he could comfort the pony better this way...

"Let it out, my dear Caballeron." he said firmly. Caballeron shook his head.

"Doctor." Ahuizotl used the term more sternly now.

"I cant.." Caballeron coughed, shaking his head. He was cradled gently against Ahuizotl's warm muscular chest, the comforting smell of his fur soothing.

"Do not hide anything, Caballeron." Ahuizotl said sternly, whilst gently rubbing the pony’s back "I promise you are safe with me."

Caballeron made a hiccupy, choked sound, like he'd tried to talk but couldn’t get the words out. Then he hit tipping point and Ahuizotl seen tears of shock gathering in the pony's eyes. He brushed them away with the tail-hand, only for more to take their place. The pony buried his face against Ahuizotl's chest and broke down.

Nothing was said as the Doctor's mind processed what had happened. After awhile, he trailed off, gasping, raspy sobs the only sound.

"Relax.." Ahuizotl insisted. Caballeron hiccuped by way of an answer. Ahuizotl titled the pony’s face up and kissed him softly. The kindness of the gesture, as well as the familiarity of it seemed to comfort the frightened pony and he relaxed, his shivering less intense.

"Caballeron." Ahuizotl's face was serious "I need you to tell me...did one of those lowlifes assault you?"

Caballeron's stomach dropped into a bottomless pit. He shook slightly, not wanting to say it. That he'd gotten pinned down and nearly- well he didn’t know what Ahuizotl would think of him. And that mattered more than he'd admit to himself.

Sureshot's words rebounded around his mind. Slut-pony...he flinched and couldn’t make eye contact any more, feeling too sick and ashamed.

Once more, Ahuizotl seen the tell tale signs in Caballeron's face, and spoke firmly.

"Do not be foolish Caballeron. I will not lose what I feel for you because of this. I know what I seen. That monster was attempting to rape you, and I barely refrained form ripping him limb from limb. The guard-doctor needs to know how far he got, then that's the last you’ll hear of it. You have no crime to feel guilt over, I heard your screams as I approached..."

Caballeron nodded, and took a deep breath before finally speaking.

"He.." he coughed "he taunted me, said I deserved it-"

"Stop right there," Ahuizotl intercepted "no-one deserves to be forced into something against their will. I fantasized about you, yes, but I would not have forced you into sex against your will. It brought indescribable amounts of relief to see you respond to me the way you did."

This made the shell-shocked Caballeron feel a little better. He sniffled, head aching. But he understood. He took a deep breath and Ahuizotl waited anxiously.

"He didn’t start," he said in a rush "he was so busy describing what he was going to do that he..."

"Did not achieve anything." Ahuizotl finished. Caballeron nodded.

Even this fact made Ahuizotl's blood boil. He wanted to punish Sureshot until the pony begged for mercy.

"That cretin had best pray I never see him again, I will see him blacklisted by every dealer I have contacts with." Ahuizotl vowed "he'll regret the day he tried to take anything from you or I."

Caballeron just nuzzled into his arms, shutting his eyes. He'd said it, now he just wanted sleep...

Ahuizotl nodded, and laid them both down. he made to extinguish the lamp, but Caballeron asked could he leave it on just a little while more?

He nodded, and rubbed the pony’s back until they both drifted asleep once more.

When they awoke next, it was closer to mid-morning. Caballeron stirred, seeing the other was still his smaller size, but awake.

Ahuizotl greeted him with a kiss, which made him feel like there was a chance things could be normal again...

"Come Caballeron, we need to wash, both of us. And I am loathe to leave your side."

Caballeron smiled just a little, some of his hope cautiously returning. Would everything be OK? Could he start to forget the nightmare of the attack..?

He caught Ahuizotl by surprise, as they bathed in the heated water of the spring. He kissed him tentatively, relieved to still feel that same longing, growing back bit by bit.

He was kissed fiercely in return, and Ahuizotl chanced letting the tail-hand gently rub Caballeron's rear under the water. This made the pony squirm, uttering a soft moan as they kissed.

"Good, my dear Doctor," Ahuizotl purred as they pulled apart "you have no reason to fear. I would never hurt you..."

This, Caballeron knew was the truth. For all his ego and bluster, Ahuizotl had been very gentle with him that first time, and hadn’t pushed him too far. It was only now he realised Ahuizotl was calling him by his name sometimes, instead of just “Doctor”.

"I hope you will allow me to ravish you again, once you have recovered." Ahuizotl murmured, looking genuinely concerned as he snuggled Caballeron's nose. Caballeron blushed, and he had the oddest urge to ask...

"I..." he coughed, blushing.

"Oh?" Ahuizotl chuckled "are you already feeling the urge? Good. You should not be afraid. But I feel we should wait a little longer, to make sure your mind as as ready as your body."

Caballeron looked disappointed, so Ahuizotl kissed him softly and whispered "fret not, Doctor. once you are safe and well in your own head, I will tax that gorgeous body of yours to its limits, leave you gasping for me."

Caballeron flushed at how frank this creature was. But he was starting to feel like himself again. Ahuizotl was right...he couldn't let this destroy him, he WOULDN'T.

Ahuizotl sighed silently in relief as he seen that spark return to Caballeron's eyes, and thanked everything he knew of that the attacking pony hadn’t gone beyond just running his mouth and pinning Caballeron down. Had he even so much as touched him that way- he shook his head.

He seen the darkening bruises at Caballeron's hips and once again promised silently, that that punk would be running in fear for the rest of his life, for attempting to sully his precious Doctor. Caballeron seen his gaze and flushed guiltily, gazing at the far wall.

"Caballeron-" Ahuizotl began.

"I-I’m alright.." Caballeron swallowed the nausea, he couldn’t look at those markings, knowing who had made them. When he'd done it with Ahuizotl, the beings grip, though firm enough to support the pony’s body, had left no mark upon him. At least, none that had hurt like this.

He just wanted this panic to fade away..

Ahuizotl noticed for the rest of that day that Caballeron seemed to have shut down somewhat, retreating into his mind, perhaps to cope with what had happened? It concerned him, but he was no psychologist, he did not know what would help the pony.

He longed to carry him to bed, show him pleasure he'd never dreamed of, but would such a thing truly help Caballeron, or would it hurt him even more?

The mess the intrusion had made was finally tidied up by the days end. In the process of completing this task, one of the guards found something odd. A small piece of torn paper, with what looked like a hoof drawn map on it.

Ahuizotl turned it over in his hands, wondering what the significance was? A spot out in some woods had been circled in red.

Caballeron drifted in at that moment, a hardback book balanced on his back. He seen the map and couldn’t help asking as he set the book on the table;

"New target, boss?"

"Caballeron, you need not use such formalities any more. After all," Ahuizotl smirked knowingly "I think we're far beyond being formal to one another, wouldn’t you agree?"

Caballeron blushed subtly, but nodded in response.

"As for this? The guards found it. No doubt left by our intruders." Ahuizotl motioned the Doctor to sit on the couch with him. Caballeron ran a hoof over the fabric as he settled down. Not that long ago, he and his boss had-

He went even redder.

"You’re a veritable source of entertainment my dear Caballeron. Just watching your thoughts be written so clear over your face is quite endearing."

Caballeron opened his mouth to object to such foolishness. Then he seen the map, and his face went pale.

"Doctor? Are you unwell?" Ahuizotl frowned, seeing the way Caballeron was staring in horror at the map.

"That’s.." The pony jabbed one shaking hoof at the map "that’s my house...."

"Why would they have this map?" Ahuizotl asked.

Caballeron stood up, suddenly panicked. "It was how they found me before. When they ambushed me and dragged me here. They must’ve been staking it out. I have to get there- if they find-" he thought about his home. The maps in it showed locations such as his foster mother's home. If those scum-bags went after HER- his blood boiled.

"Easy, dear Doctor." Ahuizotl, turned the pony’s face towards him, his expression serious "running off half-cocked will not aid you. We will leave shortly. This does not seem to be far."

"We?" Caballeron was surprised.

"Yes, WE." Ahuizotl said sternly "I wish to confront those clowns and make them fear me. If they are headed there, we can catch them and make them regret their actions."

Caballeron nodded. He really didn’t know how to accept this devoted side of Ahuizotl. His boss had never seemed to care about anything besides himself and his treasure. He would defend his own honour, Caballeron understood that....but why his, too? Part of him still struggled to understand why Ahuizotl would want a failed celebrity like him, he wasn’t exactly that good looking-

"Has your mind vacated the premises, Caballeron?" Ahuizotl chuckled softly.

Caballeron shook his head, making a few locks of mussy black mane fall into his eyes.

"No, it hasn’t," he said, staring at the map again "I just have a bad feeling."

"We will leave shortly. I have capable night vision and can get us through these woods easily." Ahuizotl told the worrying Doctor.

He tucked those same stray locks of mane back behind the Doctor's ears. Out of curiosity, he gently rubbed the base of the stallion's right ear with a thumb and forefinger. Caballeron made a soft moaning sound, eyes fluttering closed for a second, then he seemed to realise the noise he'd just made and jolted slightly, turning red.

"So your ears are sensitive? Duly noted." Ahuizotl smirked. Caballeron glared at him through his embarrassment. But Ahuizotl just found him amusing, even when he was cross.

Ahuizotl left it to the good Doctor to pack whatever supplies he thought they’d need, then they left to track down the ones that'd attacked them. They walked through the darkening evening, seeing only wildlife as they trekked.

Soon they reached a rocky path that usually took a considerable time to walk down. Caballeron started towards the regular path, but was grabbed out the air by Ahuizotl's tail-hand and deposited atop the creature's back.

"Hold on, my dear Doctor. It’ll be quicker if I take my personal route. It would be very stressful on a pony body, so I will carry you."

"Right.." Caballeron blinked, wondering what he meant? All the same, he fidgeted up Ahuizotl's back until he could wrap his forelegs around his neck.

"Mmm, that actually feels rather pleasurable, Caballeron, having you rubbing up against me like that-"

"I w-wasn't-" but Caballeron's indignant objections were drowned out by Ahuizotl laughing.

"I am merely teasing you, Doctor. You need to relax. Now, hold on tight!"

With that, he leapt off cliff. Caballeron shrieked in terror, clinging on for dear life. Ahuizotl bounded from rock to rock, using his nimble paws to grip onto shards jutting out of the rock face. His passengers comical hollaring trailed off in favour of some freaked out squeaks as they touched down.

Ahuizotl scooped him off his back and set him down, whereupon the stallion's legs gave way and he plopped down on his rear, blinking mutely.

Caballeron was snapped out of his shock by Ahuizotl leaning down to steal a kiss, jump-starting his heart again. He blinked, returning to his senses as he was released.

"Let us continue." Ahuizotl took off ahead. Caballeron nodded wordlessly, trotting easily after him.

"Tell me doctor, do we traverse close to any settlements on the way?"

“Yes, there’s a small village about 3/4 of the way." Caballeron said "we can get supplies if we need to. Why do you ask?"

“Because it will impede our progress if I am seen in this form. I have an idea." Ahuizotl came to a halt and gripped the magical necklace he still wore. Caballeron blinked, puzzling out what he meant. Was he going to shrink himself, much as he had in order to rut him?

Quite the opposite, as it turned out.

When the light faded, Ahuizotl...was a pony. Caballeron stared. He was a tall, blue unicorn, black mane streaked with lighter blue sections. His eyes were a pale yellow, he had very fluffy, tufty ears, and a longer then average tail.

"What do you think, Caballeron?" Ahuizotl said smugly. Caballeron stared. He looked surprisingly good as a pony.

"That’s astounding," he said at last "what that thing can do." he stared at the necklace as he spoke.

"Yes, its fascinating, isn’t it? You deserve ample reward for bringing this to me, it has more than puled its weight since coming into my possession."

As he spoke, he sauntered up to Caballeron and reached a hoof up to Caballeron's face. Naturally, he couldn’t resist seeing how it felt to kiss Caballeron as a pony.

"Mmmh..." Caballeron's heart pounded. It felt good, and some VERY explicit thoughts cropped up in his mind. His boss was a pony now. How would it feel to be done by this version of him…?

Ahuizotl grinned inside as Caballeron eagerly returned the kiss. The same thought Caballeron was having, now occurred to him also. It was with that in mind that he studied Caballeron's rear for a few moments as he let the pony go and the Doctor began leading the way to his home.

They trekked for a few hours, had a rest, then woke up in the small hours of the next morning. They continued on, worry gnawing away at Caballeron's gut the longer they walked.

"It's a funny sensation, being a pony," Ahuizotl remarked as he stumbled over a tree root "much closer to the ground for one, and how do you hold things properly?"

“We find ways." Caballeron looked amused.

"Yes, I seen you writing with a pencil in your mouth. Impressive~" there was an underlying curiosity in Ahuizotl's voice. Caballeron blushed, it was no doubt some kind of sexual euphemism.

As they approached where his house was, the sun getting close to setting, Caballeron couldn’t wait any longer. He took off running, heart about to burst in his chest. So intent was he, that he didn’t catch the fading smell on the air. But he seen it's origin soon enough. He charged out of the clearing and stared in horror as he came to a halt, halfway to his house.

Or what was left of it. Small thin tendrils of smoke still drifted from the wreckage, the whole place almost gutted by the fire. It'd collapsed to its foundations, the heat of the flames too much for it...

"No, no.." Caballeron ran over, touching a trembling hoof to the closest piece of wood. It cut into his hoof and he pulled away with a scared cry. This couldn’t be real...

Ahuizotl raised an eyebrow as his precious pony took off running.

--Eager, isn’t he? Must run in his personality-- he thought about that enticing first time, how cute Caballeron was when he- he cut off as he heard the Doctor cry out, voice laden with fear.

"Doctor?" he called, no answer. “Caballeron?”

He ran as fast as he could, catching up to the Doctor as he stood there, and he seen what had terrified him so. The Doctor's home was gone, burnt to the ground.

"My dear Doctor-" he didn’t know what else to say. He placed a hoof on Caballeron's back, he could feel him shivering.

"It's....all of it.." Caballeron's voice was a mere whisper. Abruptly, his legs went numb and he crumpled to the singed grass on his stomach. His vision blurred and he couldn’t hold back any more. He'd lost everything..

First he'd nearly been killed by those punks, now they'd razed his home to the ground.

Ahuizotl watched in concern as Caballeron made a distressed cry of grief, then broke down completely. The pony buried his head in his hooves, giving up..

"Doctor.." Ahuizotl shook his head, looking at the house. He couldn’t believe it, they'd gone this far...

His fury would’ve gotten the better of him, but for the sound of Caballeron's cries. His poor Doctor sounded utterly bereft, and Ahuizotl's anger was replaced by the urge to stop his tears.

"Caballeron." he said gently, sitting down next to him and putting a gentle hoof on his back.

"It's over..I.." Caballeron stared at the smoking wreckage "I’ve lost everything."

"No." Ahuizotl's stern voice pulled him from his grief for a moment. He blinked cluelessly up at him. What was he talking about?

He was scooped up from the ground and held tightly in pony-Ahuizotl's embrace. He was so warm...

"You have not suffered a total loss. You still have me, Caballeron. I have no intention to abandon you. It may not be a replacement for your livelihood. But I will find a way to replace what you’ve lost-"

"Why do you care?!" Caballeron suddenly bolted away, looking confused as his guilt over his boss’ affections got the better of him "I’m just a washed up old fool. I'm getting on in years, I have no fame or treasure. What good am I-"

Ahuizotl had heard enough, he had to stop Caballeron. He was so much better than that, why couldn’t he see it?

A hoof whipped up and Caballeron reeled back as he was (not that roughly, mind) slapped around one ear. He was so surprised, his stopped crying like a switch had been thrown. Tears hovered on his lashes, as he stared at Ahuizotl in shock.

"That’s far enough, Caballeron," the pony-Ahuizotl said "not another word until you let me explain."

Caballeron didn’t say anything, he just blinked, ears drooping back against his head.

"I do not see why you persist in assuming you are so worthless, my dear Doctor. I have kept employing your services because, despite your odd slip up, you have proven to be smart and ruthless. Those are traits I happen to prize highly. Had I not cared, do you think I’d have saved you by sucking out that poison? You seem surprised I would take the chance to have you for myself, to sleep with you the way I did. Why is that?"

Caballeron ducked his head, he couldn’t answer. He didn’t understand...

"Fine, then I will tell you what I seen in you. A clever, ambitious pony with the guts to stand up to me to defend one he cares about. My species? By nature we're loners. We don’t take kindly to others in our territory. But the things we DO keep close, we defend with a fury that all should fear. You were willing to risk my fury to protect this town you mentioned. You gained a big measure of my respect that day, dear Doctor. And as I said before, I had been admiring you from a distance, all that running and treasure hunting has given you quite a handsome body."

Caballeron blinked, feeling a shard of his scared, cold heart begin to melt as hope took root.

"Yet I knew it would be near impossible for me to undertake any sort of sexual relationship with you. As you are aware, our body types are somewhat mismatched. But once I realised what that necklace could do, the first thought that crossed my mind was this; I can finally make that pony mine, if he consents."

Caballeron recalled Ahuizotl making that point very clear. He'd only moved on the Doctor when Caballeron had outright told him to take him. Another small sliver melted..

"And once I had you for myself, I vowed I would find a way to keep you. I have become VERY attached to you, Caballeron. Seeing you hurt by those brutes drove me to fury’s peak. That they would harm you was unthinkable."

He approached the trembling Doctor, brushing the frozen tears away with one hoof as the shocked stallion peered up at him.

"I'm sorry I hurt you, but you were becoming frantic, my precious pony. I hope you will forgive me, in time. I just could not stand to hear you say such things about yourself. I have never considered another worthy of my attention, until YOU. I repeat what I said before; I did not sleep with you only to toss you aside like a discarded book. Your “age” doesn't matter, neither does your standing. What good are those things to me? Do you understand?"

Caballeron nodded, heart aching a little.

"Will you believe me, dear doctor? What will prove to you you are safe? Name it." Ahuizotl said calmly.

Caballeron didn’t have any words, so he just planted a shaken kiss on his boss. He felt Ahuizotl relax, as if his choice brought him immense relief.

"Good pony.." Ahuizotl murmured when the Doctor let him go. "you’re safe with me."

He pulled the pony into his arms (or hooves, he reminded himself), and felt Caballeron burrow into his hold, resting against his chest. His heart ached as he heard Caballeron's tears start anew, but knew better than to stop him. He needed to grieve over what he'd lost.

The scent of his boss' coat made Caballeron's heart hurt a little less, and he fought to get himself under control. But Ahuizotl just rubbed his back, and made no effort to stop him.

They stayed that way, Ahuizotl cradling the Doctor's body to his chest, for several long minutes, until Caballeron was all cried out.

The sight of his destroyed home made his vision blur afresh, and Ahuizotl nuzzled against his cheek, telling him come with him. Standing here would do no good-

Then Caballeron spotted something under all the debris. He began trying to climb over the wreckage, yelping as he stood on a frail piece of brunt wood and it collapsed under him.

"Doctor!" Ahuizotl frowned "what are you doing?"

"Over here!" Caballeron sounded hopeful, so Ahuizotl picked his way after the errant pony. Caballeron was crouching by a trapdoor, he'd pushed aside the remains of the rug covering it.

"It's stuck!" Caballeron grunted, as he tried and failed to move it.

"The metal may have fused shut, hold on."

With a flash, Ahuizotl changed back into his normal self. He gripped the handle to the trapdoor and after putting a lot of force behind it, he was able to rip it out of the ground. Caballeron ducked as it went crashing into the trees bordering the house.

He peered down into the basement, feeling a surge of relief that its contents seemed untouched. The flames must’ve died down before burning all the way through. He stumbled down the steps, burrowing amongst the seemingly mismatched objects.

"Anything of use, Caballeron?" Ahuizotl asked. A map came sailing through the air, landing beside him. Then another. And some books. Each time, Ahuizotl was forced to dodge aside lest he be brained by the flying objects.

"Caballeron," he sighed, and jumped down to land beside him "give me what you need and I’ll carry it up, otherwise I fear you’ll brain me with one of your books."

Caballeron coughed, nodding. He gathered the most vital things from the basement, then he ventured up above ground again. It hurt to see the house he'd bought for himself back when he'd been a bright-eyed young idealist go up in smoke. Just like his career...

"Oh!" Ahuizotl noticed one of the books was written by Caballeron "what’s this?"

“Ah, that? I didn’t mean to grab it, it's nothing!" Caballeron reached for it, but the bigger being held it out of his reach. Caballeron flailed at it ineffectively, like an annoyed child.

"I was unaware you had a book, my dear Doctor! I want to see this."

Caballeron sighed, but gave up trying to get the book off his boss. Ahuizotl read the dedication on the first page; and wondered out loud;

"By any chance, Caballeron, is this the pony you were protecting by refusing to give me the relic I sent you for?"

Caballeron looked up at him, and flushed deeply. Ahuizotl was never going to forget that, was he?

"Yes, she is. She's my foster mother."

"What happened to your family?" Ahuizotl asked.

"There was a sickness in our village, a pandemic. Many perished, my parents among them. Quite a few of us kids were orphaned by the time it passed."

"So that’s why she’s so special," Ahuizotl murmured. Caballeron nodded, thinking about his childhood.

"She’s still raising kids, I-" Caballeron coughed, but carried on anyway "I’ve been bringing her money, I know she always needs it. She can't turn away somepony in dire straits."

"So there's a heart under all that bluster, hm?" Ahuizotl teased, chuckling as Caballeron went red and glared at him. So he finished his sentence with "I admire your dedication."

Caballeron softened a bit and allowed his boss to sneak another kiss from him. It chased away the lingering pain from his loss...

Thoughts of his adoptive mother made the pieces suddenly click into place.

He looked up at Ahuizotl "what if- what if they found my notes?! I kept the map to her home hidden. But if they found the journal amongst my papers, from before I left last time, they could easily find her-"

"It seems they truly want to ruin you.." Ahuizotl scowled "they will be met with the swiftest punishment I can give!"

"We need to get going," Caballeron said softly "I cannot sit here knowing they could be going after her-!"

“Calm down, Caballeron." Ahuizotl scooped him up with his tail-hand, gripping the Doctor's collar gently, and holding the pony in front of him "we’ve been walking for hours, it's getting close to nightfall and you need to rest, not to mention-" he poked the pony's belly "eat."

Right on cue, Caballeron's stomach gurgled. He glared at it, as if it'd betrayed him. Then he sighed, and nodded.

He was set down on the ground, and followed after Ahuizotl over to some trees. With a snap of his fingers, the bigger being had the tent they’d slept in the night before set up and ready.

Caballeron dug through the bags and managed to make something approximating lunch. His mind was elsewhere however, and Ahuizotl had to stop him from nearly burning his hooves on the fire several times.

Caballeron barley tasted anything, he just forced the food down to silence his stomach. He couldn’t stop glancing over at the wreck of the house, even as he became sleepy.

He broke out of his daze when Ahuizotl all but carted him into the tent, before changing into his pony form again and snuggling up next to him. Caballeron burrowed into his hold, closing his eyes as a shield against the reality awaiting outside the tent.

But he woke not long after, images of flames embedding themselves into his brain. He disentangled himself from Ahuizotl's hold and crept outside.

Ahuizotl opened one eye slowly, where was his precious Doctor off to?

Caballeron shivered as he made his way into the trees surrounding his home. There was a little river nearby, and he sat now at its edge, staring at the stars glittering on its surface.

"Caballeron..." Ahuizotl's voice sounded almost scolding. Caballeron jumped, stumbling to his hooves as his boss approached, and he noted he was in his pony form again. The pony-Ahuizotl looked at the stallion's worried face.

"This was not your fault, Caballeron, you couldn’t have known what they would do."

“Maybe...But if I’d just done my job, brought that artefact-"

"Then your foster home would no doubt be in danger, correct?" Ahuizotl said. Caballeron nodded.

"Then that was not your fault. You couldn’t have foreseen that that idiot would take his grudge against you so far."

"He was the one who told you I was gay, wasn’t he?" Caballeron had a sudden burst of realisation. Ahuizotl had mentioned a little bird had told him, but it was more like a PONY, wasn’t it?

"Yes, he was," Ahuizotl said with a shrug "and I am quite pleased he did. I wouldn’t have known what chance I had, were it not for that blabbermouth."

Caballeron smiled weakly.

Ahuizotl studied how the pony looked in the moonlight, the way said light highlighted a glossy, tousled mane and tired but gentle eyes. Urges crept up again, but he reminded himself Caballeron was still mourning the loss of his home.

While Ahuizotl debated with himself, Caballeron seen a glimpse of the others thoughts written across his features, the way Ahuizotl's eyes lingered on him. He blushed, feeling that temptation that’d been brewing since his recovery from the attack rearing up now. He walked towards Ahuizotl in a daze, and surprised the other by kissing him.

Ahuizotl was caught off guard by the Doctor's advances, but couldn’t turn him away. He kissed the pony, letting one hoof run down Caballeron's side to rest over his cutie mark even as his tongue pressed against his lover's lips. Caballeron groaned softly and happily let him.

Ahuizotl lost any resistance when the Doctor only encouraged him even further the next second, by pressing his body against Ahuizotl's.

--This libido is hard to control in this form...-- Ahuizotl thought. He let the Doctor go, seeing how gorgeous Caballeron looked with that gleam in his eyes.

"Caballeron?" Ahuizotl asked. The pony’s ears shivered in anticipation, and Ahuizotl couldn’t resist. He pinned Caballeron to the soft grass of the bank, nuzzling at his ears.

"Mmm, you are too tempting my dear Caballeron.." he whispered in the pony's ear "but, I fear we left one vital supply behind at the cave.."

"I can manage.." Caballeron panted, not wanting him to stop.

“You sure, afterall, like you said, I am rather...large.” the pony-Ahuizotl teased. It was true, even in a pony’s form thanks to this magic, THAT hadn’t changed a bit.

“I need you..” Caballeron said, voice a mere whisper. The look in his eyes only further backed this up. Ahuizotl gently rubbed the stallions belly with one hoof as he thought about whether it would hurt without the lubricant?

A soft pale light made them both stall in their actions. The necklace was glowing softly. As the pair studied it, a soft golden ball formed at its core. It looked like liquid, but floated like a petal as it detached from the necklace. It was big, about the size of a large marble.

It ran down Ahuizotl's foreleg, before moving over Caballeron's stomach and further down. The pony squeaked as it pressed into him, it was still solid, and its rounded size stretched the pony’s body as it pushed into him.

I see, it is doing what these hooves cannot. Impressive..-- Ahuizotl thought, watching the doctor moan, seeing how he didn’t last long before becoming completely aroused.

The orb finally finished preparing the pony and melted into his body as it did. Caballeron gasped, squirming in obvious pleasure at the sensation.

It was pretty enticing, Ahuizotl noted, watching the way the pony fidget as the blob of liquid did its task.

"Looks like our every wish can be facilitated by this thing." Ahuizotl purred. Caballeron nodded.

As he was in pony form, it meant he could experience his lover in a different way...

So he teased the flustered stallion by leaving a trail of soft, seductive kisses from his throat down his stomach-

Remembering his earlier teasing, he nipped at Caballeron's ears as he left off kissing the stallions body and pushed gently into him. The good doctor moaned sharply, calling out;

"Ahuizotl-!"

His back arched up, his stomach brushing his partners. A certain musky scent caught Ahuizotl's nose, and he smiled knowingly.

"Yes, my precious Caballeron?" Ahuizotl let up on the ear assault long enough to kiss him and respond to his precious Doctor. Sweet heavens the stallion looked so damn good, lying there in the moonlight. Strands of mane clung to his neck and face, his chest rising and falling rapidly. For Caballeron, every breath highlighted the point where they were so intimately connected.

"Ahh...d-don't hesitate.." the dazed pony blurted.

Ahuizotl chuckled.

"Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it.." he promised as he was finally fully inside him.

"Your heat is astonishing dear Doctor..." he murmured, tracing his partners shaft with one hoof.

"Ahui.." Caballeron moaned, feeling the delicious sensation of his partner filling him so completely.

"For you?" the other mimicked from their first time "of course.."

With those words, he braced his hooves either side of Caballeron's body, pulled back and plunged deeply into him in a repeat of their first time.

"Ah..!" Caballeron gasped in total abandon, relishing in the freedom from his pain this was giving him. Ahuizotl moaned deeply as he felt the Doctor's body squeeze him tightly inside. He drew back and teasingly slowed his pace as he re-entered the pony. Caballeron gripped hold of him tightly, pushing his body down onto pony-Ahuizotl's member as best he could, with a lustful moan.

Pony-Ahuizotl smiled knowingly, then began moving hard and fast, the change in rhythm making the stallion buck his hips eagerly.

Caballeron wrapped his forelegs around pony-Ahuizotl's neck as the pace picked up, fearing he might lose control if he let go of his partners warm, equine body. Ahuizotl had shifted into into a hot, heavy and ravishing rhythm. Caballeron braced himself as much as he could, so each push and thrust hit the sweet spot and he felt the fear and sorrow of the day melt away as pleasure took centre stage. His whole world narrowed to these feelings, and this being.

Mid-thrust, Ahuizotl's eyes met his and a kiss stole the Doctor's breath away a second later.

Animal calls filed the air, mingling with the gasps and moans of the two lovers, the air filled with their combined scent. The moonlight highlighted sweat-slicked coats, body’s entwined as close as could be.

“Ahui….I’m gonna-” Caballeron gasped the words out. Ahuizotl nipped at his ear, making the pony whimper needfully.

“Then come, my dear Caballeron. I want to hear you...”

One more deep thrust and Caballeron hit his orgasm.

“Ahuizotl-!” He cried his lover's name loudly as the pleasure hit him in a wave. He closed his eyes as he felt the thick, heavy flood of fluid fill him quickly, as his own splattered their coats in sticky ropes.

Birds flew up from the trees as the duo enjoyed their final climax.

As the sound of wing-beats faded away, Caballeron felt a kiss press to his forehead. That feeling of being full and content was back as he lay there, forelegs moving to rest atop his stomach. He was exhausted but satisfied..

"Remarkable, my dear Caballeron." Ahuizotl purred. He pulled out as gently as possible, hearing Caballeron make an almost disappointed noise that it had to end. He let his eyes travel down over the pony’s chest and stomach, before leaning down to lap up splatters of sticky fluid from the stallion's coat. Caballeron closed his eyes, indulging in the sensation and knowledge of what Ahuizotl was so hungrily cleaning up...

“You taste damn good, Caballeron.” Ahuizotl praised, catching the Doctor's eyes as he opened them again. Caballeron flushed, but he looked happy.

Ahuizotl lay beside his lover now, heart racing as Caballeron rolled onto his side, smiling so contently at him. Ahuizotl kissed the base of the stallion's left ear and Caballeron shivered nose to tail, echoes of pleasure running through him. Ahuizotl's left hind leg caught in the pony’s tail as he did and tugged it slightly, making Caballeron groan again, nuzzling his muzzle against Ahuizotl's.

"Come on Doctor, let us get back to bed." the pony-Ahuizotl said at last.

The pony wobbled to his hooves, balance offset by his much-stuffed stomach.

“Mm, I’m impressed you take all of it so well,” Ahuizotl couldn’t help as he eyed the pony “my species has a pretty big-”

“Oh I’m aware of that..” Caballeron blushed as he seen his boss admire him in this state. He really had been surprised the first time, just how...plentiful it was. He swore he could hear his gut sloshing like a water balloon-

Ahuizotl changed back into himself and set Caballeron atop his back. Every languid, unhurried step sent further fading echoes through the pony lying on his back. Caballeron groaned contently, that had felt so good. He began to hope maybe he could cope with his loss, if he wasn’t alone?

Back in their tent, he fell asleep in Ahuizotl's arms once more, and this time he slept until morning.

He didn’t say much as they bolted down some breakfast and packed away the tent.

“Even though I licked you clean last night, I think we should wash up just to be safe.” Ahuizotl said, making Caballeron burst out of his trance, and nod.

Caballeron smiled knowingly, and trotted out of the tent. They walked back to the stream, and the stallion's eyes settled on the disturbed patch of grass that'd been host to their passionate coupling last night, and he smiled softly.

Ahuizotl asked did Caballeron know the fastest way to his hometown, and Caballeron nodded, sticking a pencil in his mouth to draw the route on the map.

Ahuizotl marvelled at how well he could co-ordinate his letters, so Caballeron passed a spare pencil and suggested he try. Ahuizotl soon found as that, as a pony, it was hard to write...

When Somebody Loves Somepony...

Author's Note

Wrote this ages ago. Decided to polish it off for Valentines day, to try actually make a holiday on time for once, lol...

14/02/17 - I apologise for the stray grammar mess ups. I'm up to my eyeballs in painkillers for various pains and a cold, so yeah....it's hard to think straight.

When Somebody Loves Somepony...

It was just supposed to be another job. But as soon as he seen where he was headed, Doctor Caballeron knew he was in trouble. His heart sank into his hooves the further he walked. Heavy heat made the air shimmer and he swept his streaked black mane out of his eyes. The strands soon fell back down, barely hiding the bags under the stallion's eyes. His stomach growled and he sighed, muttering at it to shut up.

Hearing voices ahead, he glanced around and quickly hid, holding his breath as hoof steps trotted merrily by. He wasn't quite why he hid, force of habit he supposed. He was on alert for guards or meddling do gooders, such as that pest Daring Do...

Soon as the passing ponies were gone, he emerged again. Putting any thoughts of that meddling Pegasus out of his head, he continued onwards. His back ached, but that was just down to sleeping on rough terrain the trip over...

It was strange to be travelling alone, but he knew this type of task was best accomplished by himself. He'd been over his sources many times, but there was no denying where they led. So he'd left his goons behind, telling them to "take a vacation, why don’t they?"

The reason for his solitude weighed on his mind as he approached the crest of the hill. This was, after-all, the one place he couldn’t hide. The place he called HOME, in his youth.

This was why he'd kept it secret, it would have caused problems too numerous to count if he'd brought his goons with him. Those big lugs would’ve put their hooves in it by revealing who Caballeron was, they weren't exactly the brightest bulbs in the house. And call it sentimentality but he needed to keep it a secret, who he was, from those in this remote village. One in particular...

He was so caught up in his commiserations, he didn’t see who was standing at a stall just ahead. But she seen HIM.

"Caba!" She cried, and he came to an abrupt halt, blinking. That voice-? The next second he was enveloped in a flowery, perfumed hug. He lopped a foreleg around her, hugging her back and feeling his heart lift. The mare released him at last, smiling. He noticed her grey-streaked mane was now tied back in a bun. Last time he'd seen her, it'd been a plait...

"My goodness, you look exhausted!" she chided "you didn’t say you were visiting!"

"Nurse Cherry," Caballeron smiled despite himself. Just seeing her again made him feel younger, happier. This was his foster mother afterall, she knew him better than anypony else. When his parents had fallen ill from that sickness and passed away before they could be given treatment, she'd taken him in and raised him in her crowded, clamouring house of other orphaned kids.

"It's so good to see you." She smiled warmly. Caballeron opened his mouth to speak, but his stomach beat him to it, uttering a loud growl that made the nurse laugh softly. He whistled innocently, a trick that hadn't worked when he was a colt, and wasn't working now. She seen right through him and grinned.

"It can wait until I’ve fed you up!" she decided "come back to the house, you can meet my latest brood, Caba."

"How many have you got now?" He asked as they walked. A few ponies who knew Caballeron waved to him and called out greetings. He returned them with a smile that felt rusty and out of use..when had he last relaxed like this?

"I took in another 3 just last year, shortly after your last visit." She edged this light-hearted statement with a little sadness, and Caballeron winced guiltily.

"I'm sorry, it's-" the words sounded so awkward, coming out of his mouth. She cut him off before he could dig himself in too deep.

"Oh, I’m only teasing!" she brightened again "I know all my chicks must fly the nest eventually. Doesn’t stop me loving you all, even after you’ve left my home. It's good to see you whenever you choose to come by! You still travel?"

Caballeron nodded.

"I still have that book you wrote all that time ago, when you first became an archaeologist." she beamed proudly. Caballeron's stomach churned. If she knew what he'd become now, a hired henchpony at the behest of a mythical creature called Ahuizotl, well, she'd be disappointed he'd resorted to stealing and lying to make ends meet. It was a saving grace that his old home was so remote...

Cherry noticed her precious Caba's downcast eyes, and wondered if he was feeling well?

A few minutes later and they'd reached the house. As they walked its familiar halls, Caballeron heard the nostalgic sound of kids shrieking and playing. He followed Nurse Cherry out to the courtyard of the big house, and she blew a whistle that hung around her neck.

"OK kids, time to get ready for lunch! We have a guest!"

This caught the kids attention, as they took in the dishevelled Caballeron.

"This is Doctor Caballeron, he used to be one of my little ones, much like you! Now he's an archaeologist!"

The kids cooed in curiosity, asking had he been to ancient cities? Modern ones? His gold skull cutie mark looked pretty intriguing, had he unearthed long buried bones too?

"You can ask questions once lunch is ready!" Cherry beamed happily. The kids followed her and Caballeron back inside…

Caballeron looked around the house as he helped Cherry fetch and carry the huge amount of ingredients needed to feed so many little ones from the storehouse to the kitchen.

"It still looks the same." he mused fondly.

She smiled "I never seen any reason to remodel it, it holds so many memories for me and all who pass through its rooms."

That reminded Caballeron of something he'd been waiting to give to her. He retrieved his bag from his room, and set a tightly packed bag of bits down on the kitchen table.

"Caba..!" Cherry’s eyes went wide "this is.."

"Before you worry, I have plenty. I'd like you to take it. You always did right by me, even if I have wandered far from here."

She hugged him tightly, tears of happiness in her eyes. Caballeron felt even guiltier as he returned her hug. That money WAS his, his wages for following Ahuizotl's orders. Its origins would disappoint her, he knew that much for certain. When he'd been given the order, along with his usual hefty fee, he'd decided to give his home-town the bits in a pathetic attempt to assuage his guilt.

Cherry let him go, smiling warmly, eyes a little teary. She was rewarded with a rarely seen smile from Caballeron.

"You always were a gentlecolt," she teased, "this will go a long way to helping feed my bottomless brood!"

Caballeron chuckled, she always had such a perky outlook on life, even when the worst came around.

He relaxed a little at the big lunch, answering the little kids questions about his job. He spoke of his more...honourable exploits, digging up old artefacts and writing a second book (it'd been on hold for years in reality) and the dangers of outdoor camping.

"There’s always a danger you’ll wake up with a bug in your tent that will bite you on the butt, then run off snickering!" he declared grandly, his accent making it sound even more exciting. The kids giggled merrily, and Cherry smiled to see Caba so lively.

Once the kids had been let loose into the neighbourhood, Cherry sat down with her wayward adoptee and asked why he'd come home?

"Something is on your mind, what is it?"

"I’m hunting an artefact, a prospective buyer has sent me on a search for it..."

He trailed off as he seen her suddenly pale slightly, and glance away.

"What is it?" he asked. She fought with her emotions a moment, then asked him to follow her. He did so, wondering what had made her sunny optimism go dull. Had Ahuizotl sent others ahead of him?

She brought him to the Mayor's office and after a long conversation, they were allowed into the office, to await his arrival.

"Ah, nurse, how're the kids?" The Mayor said politely, when he seen who it was.

"No problem Mayor. They’re all growing like weeds.."

“Good, good." the Mayor looked at Caballeron "who’s this?"

"This is one of my older generation, Doctor Caballeron. He's an expert of relics."

"You wrote about it to him?" the Mayor frowned angrily and Cherry opened her mouth to explain, but Caballeron moved between her and the Mayor.

"I came here to visit my foster mother," he said sharply "my work takes me all over Equestria. I'm on a trip to search for historical sites, and diverted from my itinerary to pay a visit."

The Mayor took in the stallions steely gaze, the blunt explanation and no-BS expression. He nodded, assured this was true. Cherry nodded, and he seen pride in her eyes as she glanced at this pony.

"I thought he could identify it, since he's well versed in artefacts and ancient civilizations," Cherry said "you mentioned at the meeting you were concerned it could be dangerous?"

The Mayor nodded, and spoke to Caballeron "I see. We'd be grateful if you could shed some light on this, doctor."

He showed them through to his inner sanctum, to a guarded case. He dismissed the guards and opened the case. Caballeron's eyes widened. There it was, the very THING Ahuizotl sought. Legend went that if placed atop the highest point in the place where it resided, it would protect against those sneaking up on its borders with evil intent. As long as it was in good hooves that was...

"Do you know what it is, Caba?" Cherry asked. Caballeron nodded, and told them the tale.

"Surely those are just stories!" the Mayor scoffed. Caballeron raised an eyebrow, recalling the things he'd seen and the relics he'd handled.

"Dismiss it if you wish, but I can tell you now such things are sought after for a reason. By the worst of villains sometime." Caballeron said truthfully. "and don’t call me Shirley."

Cherry bit back a giggle at Caba's deadpan delivery.

Seeing the Mayor's scepticism, he elaborated "there are many such artefacts in this world. Many were created as a way for those without magic to utilize it. Over time, their owners perished or were killed and thus they became forgotten, languishing in caves, castles and jungles all over Equestria as magic become more modern. Nowadays, while many are sought simply for what they can tell us of our own history, some are desired for what they can do."

"Amazing.." Cherry whispered, always impressed by her son's knowledge.

The Mayor nodded, and said he was grateful for Caballeron clearing things up a little.

Cherry studied Caballeron's drawn expression as they walked down the bustling streets. He didn’t speak a word until they got back to the house. She made him some tea, and waited for him to speak.

"That’s the one." he whispered softly.

She looked at him, worried. "He wont sell it, you know?"

"I know." Caballeron sighed.

"Who's paying you to search for it? Can they not be persuaded otherwise?" she asked.

"It would take a trophy of some magnitude to distract them from my failure, I regret to say."

He seen her concerned face and forced a chuckle "I’m only kidding you, Nurse. It's just some overly wealthy blowhard, he'll get over it. If I find something noteworthy he can boast about owning elsewhere whilst I’m here, it'll mollify him."

She studied his face before finally nodding. She got the sense he was hiding something, but trusted him to not betray her faith in him.

Caballeron barely slept that night, worrying over and over about the artefact. It would be safer here, where it could protect the tiny town. Also, it was his HOME.

But Ahuizotl...

He'd been more and more demanding of Caballeron lately, calling him to the massive cave he resided in, having him frogmarched by guards who'd blindfold him for most of the trip so he wouldn’t be able to escape if he should happen to anger the boss. He'd been pressuring Caballeron even more lately, to locate the things he wanted. And the pony had been working his flank off to deliver what he was told. He'd learnt after that incident with Daring Do, that rainbow maned sidekick of hers, and the golden band, that he'd do well not to anger Ahuizotl like that again!

Cherry was saddened to hear her Caba was leaving the next day. He hugged her tightly, and apologised.

"If I am to make it back in time after a visit to the dig site, I’m afraid I must go now."

"It's been good to see you," Cherry said sadly "at least let me prepare some food for you?"

And so when Caballeron left, he was carrying a supply of food in his saddlebag, and his head was full of farewells from the kids.

He spent as many days as he could, searching and hunting for anything to appease Ahuizotl with. Although by the end of the third day, he was starting to ready himself for what would no doubt be an extensive punishment. But even so, he added a few extra days past the time limit he'd been given, he was desperate...

But this was about his home. He knew he hadn’t many scruples left, but his home had weathered the storm of his gradual loss of ethics. He knew that artefact could protect the village, if that Mayor used it as Caballeron said…

He literally stumbled upon a potential solution not long afterwards...

The ground up in the heavily wooded hills collapsed at one point, sending him plummeting down into an underground cavern. It turned out to be that the whole hill was hollowed out and consisted of a chamber, with stone monoliths circling it.

At the centre was an odd-looking necklace atop a crude pillar. Caballeron could see no traps after an exhaustive check and circled the base before darting forward and grabbing the item. There was no rumbling, no collapse of the cave. Not even a sound. He did, however, feel a soft cool breeze brush the back of his neck, making him shiver. He examined the item, trying to figure out what it was. It was an interconnected design, seemingly linking back to its heart shaped center.

It was made of delicate rose-coloured gold and seemed to exude an aura of agelessness. Caballeron slipped it over his neck and investigated the rest of the cave.

There was an old journal and some bottles with unusual carvings. He took photos of the site, then packed everything he could into his saddlebags.

He finished off the last of the home made food from his foster mother, and then began the long trek back to where he currently lived, a nice little house in a secluded wooded area.

But as he approached his run-down house, shadows leapt out of the bushes and one punched him hard in the face. He was slammed into the ground, the world spinning, and he tasted blood as his muzzle impacted the dry dirt, coughing raggedly.

The next second, something was slipped over his head and the world went dark. Panic closed in and he passed out.

He drifted awake some hours later and realised what had happened. These had to be Ahuizotl's goons! Humid air brushed his face through holes in the hood he wore, his forelegs and hindlegs were tied...

"He's awake!" the goon carrying Caballeron over his back felt the pony shift, and alerted his cohorts. They stopped, and the tied up captive was dumped on the ground. The hood was ripped off him and Caballeron winced as blinding light seared his vision after the trip in darkness. He snarled as he realised just who was looming over him.

Sureshot was a cocky, bragging idiot unicorn who was as incompetent as he was dimwitted. Somehow he'd managed to get close enough to Ahuizotl for Caballeron to meet him on several occasions. On meeting what he perceived, and Ahuizotl had referenced, to be the creatures top partner, he'd become jealous of Caballeron.

It'd gotten even tenser when Caballeron exposed Sureshot's incompetence on one occasion, and the other stallion had vowed he'd get his own back someday. Since then, Caballeron hadn’t seen him and had assumed he'd been fired. Sadly not, as here he was, smirking down at him.

"Hmph, thought that ambush seemed a bit ridiculous, should've known you were behind it!" Despite the blood dried to his face, Caballeron still managed to smirk.

But it was soon wiped off his face when Sureshot punched him so hard he nearly blacked out again. He coughed, blood spattering the ground.

"I said I’d get my revenge, Doctor," the pony said sarcastically "the boss said to fetch you, but he wont know or care if you happened to say, run into a few punch-ups along the way?"

His two cohorts grinned evilly, and Caballeron seen one was wearing heavy horse shoes branded with some sort of symbol. Oh buck, this was getting out of control now...

He caught Sureshot off guard by shifting his weight to his front hooves, twisting round and landing a nicely aimed kick with his back legs. In the split second where Sureshot's cronies were trying to help their leader up, Caballeron tore his forelegs free from their bonds. He would’ve escaped, had one of them not spotted him. He tackled Caballeron to the floor, pinning him in place as Sureshot got up, wiping blood from his lip.

"You’ll pay for that you old fool," he spat "you’ll pay for all of it!"

At last they backed off of him. Caballeron was, Sureshot noticed with a grin, coughing and retching on his own blood. He'd swallowed a lot of it seemed. It matted the pony's coat from his muzzle to his throat. His ears were flattened down to his head, eyes dulled by a haze of pain. He stepped over to the injured pony, grabbed a hoof-full of his mane and forced Caballeron to look at him.

"Had enough old man?" he cackled to the pony. He swiftly let go as Caballeron tried biting him. The Doctor's shirt was rumpled up, some blood stains on it from the beatings, for Sureshot had told his goons to aim for the chest, where the shirt would cover them. The old fool wouldn’t be stupid enough to blab to Ahuizotl on him, but just to be safe AND fulfil his long desired revenge, he gave the order.

"Get him cleaned up!" he spat, "we return to the boss with him, asap!"

Caballeron was dragged to a lake nearby his house and dumped at its edge, where he was forced to clean up the blood from his attacker's assaults. He seen his reflection, seen how half dead he looked, and closed his eyes. He recalled the warmth of his foster mother, reminded himself this was to protect her, and was thus able to crush the fear and fury brewing in his head. He was hauled back to Sureshot, who instead of the hood, switched to using a blindfold.

Caballeron coughed and winced at every step as he was marched along, sworn at every time he so much as stumbled. His throat hurt from the shouting and cursing, and felt like it'd been lined with blood, the coppery taste making him feel sick. Most of it had been from his nose, and a cut on the inside of his cheek where he'd bitten it during the attack.

As they reached the plateau leading to the cave entrance, the blindfold was finally removed. Caballeron squinted dizzily, stumbling.

"The boss is gonna flay you alive for this failure!" Sureshot cackled. "I'll be his top dog after thi-"

He was distracted from his goading by one of his henchponies shrieking like a little filly and back-pedalling off to his left.

"Snake!" the pony cried. Sureshot rolled his eyes, striding over and peering at the snake. Next, he picked it up with his magic and snorted derisively.

"It's just a harmless snake!" he laughed. He turned to Caballeron, waving the magically trapped snake at him.

"Don’t mind if I use you as a learning aid, do you? See boys, harmless!" he dropped the snake at his nemesis' hooves, and gave it a zap with his magic.

Caballeron tried to run, but the goon babysitting him gave him a shove, thrusting him back into the snakes path. It took him for a threat and launched, sinking its fangs into Caballeron's upper left hind leg as the stallion tried to dance aside. Intense pain jackknifed through the Doctor's body and in an act of desperate self preservation, he grabbed the snake with his teeth and tore its fangs from his leg, but this only widened the wound.

He felt his leg starting to go numb, and heard his tormentors mocking laughter. Sureshot pulled a worn handkerchief from his bag, wiped the bloodied wound clean, then tied said fabric over it to mask it.

"See? Just a stupid harmless snake, now move!" he had his goons frog-march Caballeron, who was limping badly, to the entrance of the cave. The guards there took the dazed and disorientated pony off Sureshot's hoofs, who acted concerned and lied that they’d found him like this, probably the victim of a mugging.

The guards noted this, glancing at Caballeron's clearly untouched saddlebags, but said nothing. He was likely just drunk, given how badly he was slurring his speech.

So, with a shrug between them, they proceeded to simply drag the sickening pony to Ahuizotl.

"Ah, my absentee Doctor, about time you returned. You guards may leave him." Ahuizotl commanded idly, not even looking up from his glass of wine as he heard the guards drag a clearly reluctant Caballeron into the room. He knew that voice, those hoof steps...

Instead of the Doctor's familiar haughty voice however, all he was greeted with was what sounded like a cross between a choked sob and someone about to be sick. He sat himself up, angry that Caballeron was being so...disrespectful.

"Is it beneath you, Doctor, to even explain yourse-" he stopped mid-sentence when he seen the pony, however.

Caballeron was barely able to stand, his left hindleg appeared to have a nasty bleeding wound on it. Ahuizotl could see a poorly tied length of fabric trying in vain to staunch it.

Ahuizotl sniffed the air, quickly recognising the alarming scent of venom. And it was a dangerous one, from a snake rarely seen in these parts, but a serious foe nonetheless. The scent was fresh, therefore the stallion had to have been bitten outside, or else shortly before entering the cave.

There was only one thing that'd save the Doctor from expiring where he stood. Ahuizotl was loathe to lose a pony like Caballeron, after all. He was crafty, smart, and pretty ruthless at times. That they shared a common dislike in Daring Do had forged a reasonable bond between them. Caballeron was at present his most highly trusted, and thus highly paid, partner.

With that in mind, he leapt from the recliner he'd been lying on and scooped the pony up, ripping the shoddy bandage off in a flash. His eyes zeroed in on the dual puncture wounds on Caballeron's thigh, where blood was still trying to pump from the wound. Good, he was in time then.

As a youngling, he'd been taught that the best way to get the poison out for HIS species anyway, was to suck out the poison. Since he'd grown up with the snakes, they didn’t affect him as much. But he'd learnt, after losing a henchpony to them, that they could easily kill the ponies under his command.

Caballeron tried to struggle as his boss set about saving him, thrashing about desperately, but Ahuizotl's hold was too strong. The mythical being ignored the hooves pressing against his chest and neck as Caballeron tried to wriggle free. He was fighting a lot for a pony who was rapidly verging on death, Ahuizotl had to keep a tight grip on the pony as Caballeron arched his back, trying to get free out of instinct and pain, unaware the one holding onto him was trying to save him.

Ahuizotl carefully got to removing the poison from the wound, but it wasn’t a pretty act. The coppery taste of equine blood made him grimace with every mouthful he spat out, but he kept repeating the action until he could no longer taste the tang of the poison. Caballeron had started screaming in pain the moment he'd begun, for the area around the wound was so sensitive and inflamed, it had to be agonising. The sound was chilling...

Now however, Caballeron's screams had derailed into a series of gasping sobs and spasms, he was shaking badly. Blood coated the left hindleg the bite was on and it looked badly inflamed. But he'd live, or at least he stood a higher chance of it now, anyway. He'd gone limp in Ahuizotl's hold, too shocked to struggle.

Ahuizotl picked him up, depositing him gently on the recliner. The Doctor was barley conscious, shaking and staring in shock into space. Some of the poison would have gotten into his bloodstream, but compared to a near lethal dose that would’ve affected him had the poison not been removed, Caballeron was quite fortunate.

Caballeron tried to say something, instead just coughing up blood and lapsing into silence, then passing out a second later. The coughing made Ahuizotl nervous, until he seen Caballeron had bitten his lip in his agonised thrashing.

One of Ahuizotl's guards was a unicorn, a medical doctor. Or at least he had been, before turning to a life of crime. Ahuizotl summoned him now from his post outside, and stood over him as the stallion examined the snake bite.

The guard mentioned he'd seen Caballeron limping, but his friends had said he'd been ambushed, so he assumed it was an injury from that. It wasn’t until later on that Ahuizotl questioned the nature of THAT sentence. For now, he watched imperiously as the guard cleaned and bandaged the wound on Caballeron's leg. As he was doing so, Caballeron began to stir.

The guard seen the pony wince as he struggled to breathe in, and spotted something under the archaeologist's rumpled shirt. He began trying to unbutton it, but Caballeron reacted strangely to the attempt to check him over. He snagged the shirt with one hoof, sloppily holding it closed.

The guard frowned, he'd seen injuries in the scant seconds he'd been able to lift the fabric, why was the stallion hiding them?

Caballeron seemed unaware they were there, curling into a ball and uttering a shaken gasping sound. He lapsed back into sleep a moment later, and the doctor carefully arranged his patients body so he could open the shirt once more.

Behind him, standing stoically the whole time, Ahuizotl frowned. There was a mass of bruising on Caballeron's chest, moving down his stomach.

"Is this an imprint?" the doctor murmured.

"What’s that now?" Ahuizotl demanded. The doctor stepped aside and indicated a stark bruise on Caballeron's chest.

"Looks like a print from a shoe.." he muttered "I could swear it looks familiar?"

Ahuizotl narrowed his eyes. It DID.

"Leave that to me," he said icily "I believe I know the culprit responsible."

Bemused, the guard nodded, pressing against the pony’s chest to check for broken ribs.

"Good news, no broken bones and the bruising will fade with the right medicine and a bit of my magic. I'll fetch some of that specialist medicine from the supplies, with your permission boss?"

"Do it." Ahuizotl said calmly, and the guard nodded, trotting away to fetch it.

Alone with the out cold Caballeron, Ahuizotl studied the bruises on the Doctor's chest. He tapped his paws against the floor, as he plotted how to deal with the ones who'd done this. He used the hand at the end of an extremely agile tail to lift the shirt aside once more. Why had Caballeron attempted to shield this?

What was really going on?

As he pondered this, he seen a necklace around Caballeron's neck and thought that it looked valuable. The doctor had set aside the stallion's saddlebags, they were crammed to the brim with who knew what. Yet Ahuizotl had a feeling it didn’t contain the artefact he'd sent him to search for. He'd started to have suspicions after Caballeron had gone on his own, instead of towing those idiots he normally hired along with him. Then he'd returned so late. Simply put; it added up to something unusual.

The medical doctor returned with the aforementioned medicine. He gave the sick patient an injection along with some healing magic and left the special medicine along with a glass, saying Caballeron needed to drink it asap. It would make him a little delirious, but that’d wear off soon.

With the patients fate assured, Ahuizotl dismissed the guard, saying he'd call if complications arose. The guard-doctor had noted the blood around his Boss' muzzle, on the floor, added that to those screams he heard and correctly deduced he'd removed the poison himself. He was impressed, he hadn’t know the boss knew about stuff like that.

Ahuizotl sighed idly, leaving the out-cold Caballeron to sleep as he went to have a bath. There was a hot springs inside the cave, and he cleaned the blood off his muzzle, watching it stain the water pink as he did. He mused over his initial fear when he'd seen the near-dead Caballeron standing there, looking so fragile.

The pony had a strange allure to him. He was arrogant, egotistical, but he was smarter then most ponies Ahuizotl dealt with. Given he was a doctor of archaeology, it made sense he was intelligent. A wild, untamed appearance plus a seductive exotic accent only added to the mystery.

--He's an agreeable enough fool, and as these strange equines go, he's appealing enough-- Ahuizotl mused. He supposed his reason for saving Caballeron's life was as much his desire not to lose one of what he considered "his" trade partners, but other desires too...

That arrogant little guttersnipe Sureshot had, thinking the information would endear him to his boss, revealed Caballeron was attracted to stallions, after seeing him making out with pony in a bar. Pretty heavy petting kind of make out, nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more.

One occasion, as Caballeron had been striding confidently out of the room with his nose in the air, Ahuizotl had caught a glimpse of the pony’s curved, well-toned flank. Not a bad view, he'd thought at the time.

All cleaned, he dried himself off and went back to check on his injured associate. Caballeron was curled up in a protective ball, a frown on his sleeping face. He was breathing normally, occasionally mumbling in his sleep.

Ahuizotl fetched a blanket and placed it over him, leaving him to sleep. He retreated to his bedroom, where he opened another bottle of that expensive wine and divulged in the ever present daydream of ruling over this entire place and finally crushing that pest Daring Do underfoot.

His mind idly entertained some other fantasies, involving a haughty, stubborn doctor and booze...

Caballeron woke in a darkened room and panicked. Where was he? The last he recalled was, was..?

He shook his head, trying to marshal his thoughts. His head felt worse than even the most drunken night out.

--What did I drink? A f**king mind wiper?-- he pondered.

He could recall being attacked, then dragged to the cave. Then something had bitten him. Something that’d injected molten fire into his veins...

Caballeron looked down at his left hindleg, seeing it was neatly bandaged up and didn’t hurt so bad now. Where was he?

He squinted in the gloom. Luminous moss on the walls shed a little light, and he spied a lantern on the table by the thing he laid upon. He batted a hoof at it, succeeding in lighting it. Soft golden light filled the cave, and he recognised where he was now. This was the room Ahuizotl used to discuss matters with those that he employed, he'd seen it many times. How had he gotten there?

His memories were scrambled and all he could recall was pain. He spent a good few minutes trying to stand, eventually succeeding in clambering down from the recliner. He shivered in the chill air, stumbling over to the fireplace. But even this movement was asking too much, and he felt ready to collapse.

"Ah, awake at last Doctor.." Caballeron jumped a mile as heard Ahuizotl's voice. He staggered back, almost tripping over his saddlebags. With a flick of his tail-hand, Ahuizotl threw some wood into the fireplace, followed by a lit match.

Caballeron had a LOT of questions, but little energy to voice them all. He did manage to make a yelping noise as that tail-hand grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dumped him back on the recliner.

"What...?" Caballeron croaked with an immense effort "what happened..?" it sounded silly, but he couldn’t recall much beyond the pain.

Ahuizotl didn’t answer at first, instead occupying himself with pouring something from a brown glass battle into the glass next to it. The glass was then set in front of the bewildered Caballeron.

"The doctor's medicine," Ahuizotl said bluntly "I suggest you drink it."

Too confused to deny anything, Caballeron shut up and took his first mouthful of the liquid. It tasted rather strong and he began coughing, making his bruised chest ache.

"Did you encounter Sureshot, Doctor?" Ahuizotl asked brusquely. Instantly, he knew he'd guessed right, as Caballeron went white and looked about to throw up as he lowered the glass. The tail hand flicked forward, tilting the glass so Caballeron had no choice but to finish the medicinal drink. Ahuizotl set the glass back on the table, staring down at the pony, who still looked stunned.

"Sureshot." Ahuizotl mentioned again, seeing Caballeron go pale "he was the one who left those bruises on your chest?"

The fireplace crackled, Ahuizotl spared a brief glance to make sure it wasn’t spitting sparks and heard Caballeron stammer;

"I-it had nothing to do with that fool." Caballeron croaked.

Ahuizotl rounded on him, and the Doctor hunched up on the bed, all bluster gone.

"Do NOT lie to me Doctor,” Ahuizotl snarled “I did not preserve your life so as to be lied to, understand?"

A shaken nod.

"Now, answer me truthfully. Sureshot was the one who attacked you, was he not?"

Caballeron nodded "Y-yes..." he coughed, panic clawing at his throat.

"I thought so. He will be dealt with for his folly." Ahuizotl said in a definitive tone.

Caballeron just blinked.

"Now, on to my most burning question. Where is the artefact I dispatched you to find?"

Caballeron felt his stomach heave, now he was in trouble. He'd been patched up to answer for this, now all hell was going to break loose.

He couldn’t speak.

"Answer me, Doctor!" Ahuizotl roared, grabbing him by his shirt collar in anger, forgetting about the doctors injuries. Caballeron cried out in pain, tears welling up in tired eyes as his bandaged leg was forced to help bear his weight.

Ahuizotl hastily let him go, seeing the pony look on the verge of vomiting as he crumpled to a heap atop the recliner.

He cleared his throat in the silence that followed "my apologies, Doctor."

Caballeron coughed and figured he should just get it over with. If he was going to end here, he may as well go out with defiance.

So he gathered what precious little will he had and Ahuizotl was taken back by the sudden strength in Caballeron's gaze as the pony stood up atop the recliner.

"That artefact was found by the ponies in a small town. It's protecting the villagers. It's Protecting my HOME." Caballeron raised his head to stare his employer of sorts in the eye, reckless determination battling with fear. But he'd been beaten half to death, and had been in a hellish nightmare the last two days. It'd erased what fear he had left to be confronted now...

"So go ahead and dispose of me, I do not regret what I did. We all have somepony we owe everything to, and that town is where that pony lives. It's the last scruple I still have left and it's not dead yet. There are some artefacts in that bag from the surrounding area, even this." he looped the necklace off from around his neck. The one watching him noticed its glow seemed to fade a little after the doctor removed it.

"Removed from an, until now, hidden cavern. I found it when the ground collapsed under me." he let it clatter to the table, not caring if it was magical or otherwise.

It was costing the pony a LOT to stand standing, as his injuries made him feel sick and dizzy, but he stood as tall as he could. He was confused by Ahuizotl not shrieking in fury and swiping for him, instead throwing his head back and laughing uproariously.

"Oh, you never fail to surprise me Doctor Caballeron." the creature chuckled, as he turned and walked over to the fire, giving it a stir to make the flames rise again.

Caballeron stared in surprise, the room spinning around him to the point where he was worried gravity was on the blink.

"I’ve always admired your tenacity and your lack of scruples, as you put it. Yet it doesn’t surprise me you still have one left, do we all not?"

He turned back to the pony, amused by Caballeron's blank expression. He'd been expecting the proverbial firing squad no doubt, not Ahuizotl's amusement.

"Had I not that admiration for you, Doctor, I would not have removed the poison from your body. Can you recall it?"

Caballeron let his mind flash back. Poison? Yes, that was it…

He recalled intense pain, something biting at his leg, the smell of blood. He retched, shuddering as the pain, albeit an echo, rampaged through his head. He huddled over on the recliner, staring into space.

"I will take that as a yes." Ahuizotl said bluntly, sitting down before the pony. The tail-hand lightly brushed the bandage wrapped around the pony’s left thigh "the only way to save you was to suck out the poison. Regrettably, such sharp teeth as mine might make it a little difficult. You ponies are very...delicate."

He gave a wolfish grin that sent shivers down Caballeron's spine. Add in how close he was, the tail hand resting just above his bandaged inner leg and the pony was starting to feel flustered.

Being sat this close, Ahuizotl took a certain amusement in seeing Caballeron go slightly red. He drifted away from the pony, pushing last nights daydreams from his mind. It wasn’t sporting to take advantage of the pony by seducing him, when he was still in such a messy state. No, he wanted Caballeron back to his usual, boisterous self. He kept the amused smirk well hidden, but there was no denying the temptation...

Caballeron wondered what was going to happen to him now?

"Fear not Doctor, I will not kill you. You haven done a remarkable thing and earned my respect these many years. I suggest you lie down, take the weight off that leg. I will have the guard doctor attend to you." with that, he swept out.

Caballeron felt confused. He wasn’t...dead? Was his boss not going to punish him for failing his mission?

He was distracted from his conflicted thoughts by the medical doctor walking in, saying he needed to check his bandages again. Caballeron sat wordlessly through it all, only nodding or shaking his head as needed. He looked like hell, said doctor pointed out and finished by saying he needed to keep himself warm.

Caballeron didn’t leave the room that entire day, spending most of it asleep. At some point the guard doctor had some food sent to him, but the injured archaeologist couldn’t bring himself to eat much. Mostly he just slept, feeling oddly safe despite the phantom threat of punishment still lingering over his head for his screw up.

He drifted in and out of feverish dreams, flashbacks of his childhood, of the recent visit, of that cave he'd fallen into....and of the attack that’d left him so injured.

When he awoke later on, close to night time, he felt freezing. He could see the fire had gone out, but his mind was too addled to light the match and he soon ran through the box. The last match flickered out and he was alone in the dark with the faint scent of burnt wood...

Desperate and disorientated now, he stumbled down cold rocky corridors, coughing heavily. This far into his boss' inner sanctum there weren’t any guards, so he was soon lost in the dimly lit place...

He was scared witless when something grabbed him by the collar of the crumpled shirt and hauled him into a more well lit room. He curled up instinctively, expecting a threat, but was instead placed atop a warm mattress. Blinking in the light, he seen his boss peering down at him.

"You’re like a lost puppy, doctor." Ahuizotl could not hide the amusement in his voice as he regarded the pony "perhaps you need your master to keep an eye on you?"

Caballeron blushed bright red, there was a definite flirty touch to his boss' voice. It sent a funny shiver through his body, yet he tried to remain unruffled.

"I’m not some stray cur!" he retorted, gritting his teeth as he tried to stand, but in the last few seconds alone the sheer softness of the bed made his body reluctant to comply. He collapsed back onto the bed, a shiver caused by many things running from nose to tail.

"I would be inclined to agree, you are much more pedigree than that." Ahuizotl chuckled.

He could see Caballeron was looking at the big comfy bed with obvious longing.

"Make yourself comfortable, Doctor." he said in amusement, then noticed how badly the stallion was shivering. Unable to stop himself, he placed a paw against Caballeron's back, feeling the pony tense up amidst the shivers.

"You’re freezing, Doctor." he stated. Caballeron shook even more, as his fever daze faded, he was starting to feel it.

"Feels like my bones are ice." he said through gritted teeth. He curled up as tightly as he could, trying to keep what little warmth his body had in one place. He knew he should move, this was a highly unorthodox situation. But he was so comfortable atop the bed, the mattress was warmed by body heat already...

He expected to be turfed out, as Ahuizotl's amusement ran out.

But not a moment later and he felt the bed shift as its actual owner settled down atop it, with his larger bulk all but completely curved around Caballeron's smaller body. Caballeron took a sharp intake of breath, his heart speeding up. It was so warm...why was his heart pounding like this?

"Settle down, Doctor." the statement was spoken like a command, and part of Caballeron wanted to shout at him, how dare he treat him like a pet?! But he was getting steadily more drowsy, the warmth of the bed and its owners body lulling him into a sense of safety.

--Everything’s changed, hasn’t it?-- was his last thought before he passed out.

In his feverish state, he accidentally mumbled this out loud. Ahuizotl craned his head to peer down at Caballeron's face, and on realising he was fast asleep, figured he was sleep talking.

"I fear it has for you, Doctor." he murmured back, even though the pony couldn’t hear him.

Ahuizotl protectively curled himself around Caballeron, pulling the blankets over them both. He was becoming more fond of this egotistical pony, in the possessive way he regarded things. When he'd made the decision to save Caballeron's life, he'd realised how important he was.

And he wasn’t one to let a target go once he'd set his eyes on it..

It was a shame, he mused, that the pony’s body was too small to bear up against a creature so much bigger than him, as Ahuizotl was. The idea of keeping Caballeron in his bed and ravishing him until he couldn’t take any more was playing on his mind more and more.

He gave a sleepy yawn and laid his head on the pillow, aware of the intriguing scent of the sleeping pony, as well as the soft murmur of his breathing. Then he fell asleep...

Caballeron groaned, wincing as darts of pain jabbed into his leg on attempting to stretch. He tried to roll onto his back and stretch that way, only to give a gasping wince as he felt his whole body complain.

He seen he was currently submerged under a fluffy warm blanket and for a brief fuzzy moment, thought he was home. But he swiftly realised this was NOT his home, not unless he'd moved into a cave at some point in his life?

--That's right...last night I..? Oh, buck me.-- he pulled the blanket over his head as he recollected the previous night. He'd crawled into his boss BED.

--Well, you didn’t so much crawl as get hauled in...-- his brain tried to ease his embarrassment by reminding him it hadn’t initially been his idea.

But he hadn’t exactly objected. It'd felt so warm against the aches and pains rampaging through his body, he hadn’t been able to resist.

He at last poked his head up above the blanket. He was alone, clearly the beds usual occupant, Ahuizotl, was off doing- well, whatever he did on a daily basis. He pondered that, besides paying others to find artefacts for him, what did the strange creature do most of the time?

The door opened just as he was clambering down from the bed and he yelped, falling on his face in the most inelegant manner possible.

"Ah, you're up." It was the guard-doctor. Caballeron stared blurrily at him.

"Hm, you still seem feverish." the guard-doctor muttered. He sat the other pony upright, and checked the myriad of bruises and cuts littering his chest and sides.

"Looks like you’re healing nicely. Drink this," here he handed the bemused Caballeron a second bottle of that same medicine "it’ll speed things up a little. You may experience some hallucinations or delirium until it wears off."

"Right, yes." Caballeron managed to speak, still confused.

Next up were the bandages around his leg. Caballeron almost gagged as he seen the nasty puncture wounds.

The doctor raised an eyebrow "you got lucky," he remarked "it seems very little of the poison has gotten into your body. Compared to what I’ve heard those snakes can do, you got off virtually scot-free."

A mute nod from a tired Caballeron.

After the gaurd doctor made sure the patient drank the gross tasting medicine, and the next round of magic-aided healing was done, Caballeron was left to wander around on his own. Unsure where else to go, he eventually found his way to the room where he'd last seen his saddlebags.

Ahuizotl was nowhere to be seen, so he crept in. He sat down and started sorting through the contents of his bags. All the odd things he'd taken from the cave were soon scattered on the floor around him.

The necklace still lay on the table where he'd deposited it during his stand against Ahuizotl. He pulled out the ancient looking tome he'd found in the same cave, and began flicking through it. He came across the illustration of the necklace a few pages in. So they were linked?

He went back to the table and set the necklace around his neck. As he stared at the book, the markings seemed to shift and move. His head pounded, and he stared in a trance as they became words.

"Unbelievable." he whispered. The pages spoke of a legend surrounding this necklace. It gave the wearer the capability to achieve their deepest desires. It seemed to focus predominately on love and- Caballeron blushed as he read it.

"Ah, awake again Doctor." Caballeron gave a startled shout as the voice burst his concentrative bubble. A flailing hoof dislodged the necklace from around his neck, whereupon it clattered to the floor. The book followed softly after, with a muffled thud and the stallion scooted back a few feet before reigning his panic in.

"Did I interrupt something?" The mythical creature regarded the flushed Caballeron with amusement. Really, he was quite entertaining, in a curious way.

He picked up the book, as Caballeron sat there, looking blank.

"What is this writing?" Ahuizotl demanded of him "you seemed to be reading it quite fluently."

"The necklace," Caballeron cast a glance over at where it lay innocently, catching the light from the lamp "it's a translator."

Ahuizotl picked it up, and Caballeron was SURE he seen the chain shift and adjust for this bigger creature. He sat silently as his boss settled the necklace around his neck, hoping it would work...

"Hmm, curious.." Ahuizotl mused, as he scooped the book up and read the page Caballeron had been looking so flustered about. He carried on flicking through it, curiosity rising.

"Quite an unusual oddity you’ve found here, Doctor. Maybe we can forget your little...screw up, in light of this." he shut the book, transferring it to his tail-hand, intending to read it further.

Caballeron nodded rapidly, not even objecting. If it meant he survived another day, he was happy to hand it over. Given Ahuizotl wasn’t exactly known for his generosity, this was a rare deal.

"Cat got your tongue, Doctor?" the amused Ahuizotl grinned widely, and tilted the Doctor's chin up with one paw-hand, keeping a gentle yet firm grip so the pony couldn’t escape "did you sleep well last night?"

Caballeron's mind flooded with those memories again, only they seemed to be not just from his point of view, but Ahuizotl's. He had a sense of warmth, and how cold and feverish his own body had felt to the other occupant of the bed. Heat bloomed in his stomach and he swallowed nervously.

After a seconds intense staring, Ahuizotl smirked again and released him. Caballeron drew in a shaky breath, his heart hammering.

"Amuse yourself as you wish Doctor, but I’d suggest you do not venture out just yet." with those parting words, Ahuizotl was gone. Caballeron made a wheezing gasp and finally relaxed. He felt his face turn red and told himself to snap out of it.

--He's just toying with you, you’re just another dispensable relic hunter.-- he calmed himself down, rubbing his upset stomach with one hoof in an effort to settle it. So if he'd interpreted the Boss' words correctly, he wasn’t to try leaving the cave. No doubt the guards would have been informed of this by now. So he was essentially a sort-of prisoner. Only he wasn’t, not that he could tell, being punished.

With the book gone, he examined the bottles in his bag. They seemed to have once been used to hold ingredients for a potion. The words were very faded, and without the necklace he couldn’t understand them. He set them out on the table, figuring Ahuizotl would want them, since they were connected with the necklace.

Caballeron set off into the depths of the cave and eventually stumbled upon a library in one of the caves many rooms. His eyes went wide and he rattled off several impressed obscenities in his native language, as he looked at the sheer size of the room.

He picked up a book from the shelf, recognising it was written in his native language. He set himself down and began reading it, marvelling at what it contained. He sat there undisturbed for hours, absorbed in the book. It allowed him to forget the absurd situation he was involved in, as well as reminding him of his much smaller library back home.

He at one point dozed off, head resting atop his forelegs, mind filled with addled dreams about the attack, his foster home and his boss…

Caballeron woke up sharply, shaking his head. With a muted groan, he rubbed at his eyes, sat up, and stretched out the kinks in his back before picking the book up again. He'd probably only have this chance to read them, so he may as well try cramming as much into his head as he could. He set the book atop other books, the pain in his leg becoming a distant memory as he became absorbed in the book once more.

That night, Caballeron slept atop the recliner, and he noticed a plentiful supply of matches had been left beside the bottles on the table. His boss didn't want him to catch cold it seemed...

The next day was the same, as the gaurd doctor told him to take it easy, eat properly, and walk around to get some exercise. Understanding he was still to stay in the cave, Caballeron returned to the library again to absorb himself in the books.

Time passed, unnoticed by the archeologist, as he became lost in the rich history told within the pages...

It was some hours later that his boss came looking for him.

Caballeron FELT the mass of warmth behind him even before Ahuizotl properly sat down. He made himself sit still, instead of jumping like a cat on a hot tin roof like he felt like doing.

"Ah, long has that book eluded me, the language is unknown.." Ahuizotl remarked.

"Its my native language," Caballeron said, for the sake of just SAYING something "I read and speak it fluently."

"Oh really?" Ahuizotl's interest was peaked. His tail-hand flicked round to turn the page. Then it quickly seized a stray lock of Caballeron's mane and tucked it back behind the pony's ear. The gesture was both simplistic yet seductive, and the bigger being couldn’t help but smirk to himself as he seen Caballeron tense up, seeing a little shiver run over him. The pony's scent shifted, indicating he was rather enjoying the sensation even if he wasn’t admitting it.

Nerves jangling, Caballeron began transcribing parts of the book, his accent making the words sound fluid and alive. He read them in their natural language, then translated them.

Doing so distracted him from the tantalising warmth of the body pressing into his back. Why was his pulse going so fast?!

"Interesting, you have hidden talents Doctor." Ahuizotl sounded impressed. Caballeron's stomach gurgled out loud, making the archaeologist want to explode from embarrassment.

"You’ve been in here for hours, join me for an early dinner." it wasn’t a request as far as Caballeron knew, so he got up, setting the book down and following Ahuizotl out into the mass of corridors.

They returned to the room Caballeron had been in earlier, where a blazing fire warmed the room.

Along with some sumptuous food, there was also a glass of wine by the plate. Caballeron had drunk plenty of times before, even gotten so hammered he'd woken up with regrets on occasion. He was quite a fan of expensive wine whenever he could get it, but this one tasted vastly superior to anything he'd tasted.

"I only drink the best," Ahuizotl boasted "it has quite a fruity kick, hasn’t it?"

Caballeron nodded, feeling the alcohol making his cheeks redden as he swallowed another mouthful. He hurriedly began on the food, to balance the alcohol.

He soon felt better as the food warmed his body. With the medicine dulling the bite wound, and his recovery going well, he was starting to get some colour back in his face. The firelight caught off his mane as he succeeded in finishing both the food and the wine, setting the crystal wineglass down. He sighed, sounding almost content.

"I studied that book you recovered, Doctor." Ahuizotl studied the Pony’s face. The wine wasn’t strong, but Caballeron seemed more relaxed, less tense than earlier.

"You were correct, the necklace acts as a translator. Some very interesting information. Seems this thing can help you overcome any obstacle between you and the one you desire. I would guess I now have the answer as to why you were blushing, when I walked in on you reading that book. You read the first few pages, did you not?"

Caballeron fumbled for the words, but his brain wouldn’t come up with anything sensible. All he managed was a series of half-spoken words, more like a babble, as he floundered for an answer. In the time it took to blink, Ahuizotl was suddenly looming over him. One broad, warm paw came to rest on Caballeron's chest and he pushed the doctor back so he was sprawled on the rug. Before Caballeron could ask what was going on, he was kissed hotly.

The same heat from earlier unfurled and took root in his stomach. He gasped sharply, the sound muffled by the warm lips caressing his own. Ahuizotl released him, admiring the pony at his mercy and spoke;

"As you studied that book, I studied mine. I have unlocked what this necklace can do.."

As Caballeron opened his eyes, taking a deep breath, he seen a flash of golden light envelop the creature standing over him, and Ahuizotl was suddenly much more in proportion to Caballeron himself.

"I had thought that I would be stuck with mere fantasies, my dear Doctor. But this amulet of yours, its opened up all sorts of possibilities.”

Caballeron flushed bright red. Was this creature seriously hinting he wanted to have sex with him? He'd be a liar if he didn’t say the thought sent a thrill up his back.

"H-how do you know I-" he cut off, realising his slip up. Ahuizotl chuckled, teasingly brushing Caballeron's lips with his own again.

"Aside from you telling me yourself, Doctor, a little birdie let slip the news a long time ago."

Caballeron blushed, he was trying so hard not to let himself get excited. But the creatures subtle, warm touch was awakening Caballeron's own desires.

--Stop it!!-- he told himself – he's just getting a rise out of you..--

"Mmm, in denial Doctor? Let me fix that.." Ahuizotl nipped at Caballeron's neck, deftly undoing the pony’s trademark neckerchief and nibbling at the curve of his jaw. As he did, one paw moved down Caballeron's stomach, making a few, gentle caresses between the pony's legs.

At last he got the reward he sought after, hearing Caballeron gasp in obvious pleasure and he felt the pent-up pony become fully aroused.

"Good Doctor," he purred, as he ran a finger up along the pony’s shaft "as I said before, do not hide anything from me."

Caballeron was red-faced, his body hot to the touch. Sweat made his mane cling to his face and neck, ears shivering.

"Now tell me the truth, Doctor, does this feel good?" Ahuizotl growled seductively, snaring the pony in a quick kiss. The taste of wine mingled with the individual sweetness of the stallions lips. He heard Caballeron try to speak, and let him go.

"I.." Caballeron trailed off, feeling strangely nervous all of a sudden. What if this was a joke?

"Speak up, Caballeron.." Ahuizotl breathed in the scent of the pony’s body, he had a deliciously musky scent. This sentence only made the captive Caballeron fall even more, the weight behind his own name sending shivers down his back.

Another nip at his neck and he finally spoke.

"Y...yes.." Caballeron gasped, feeling his heartbeat race even more. He'd sobered up fast and this was now nothing to do with the wine. Simply put, he was enjoying Ahuizotl's tormenting, teasing touch and he felt a surge of embarrassment.

"I do not toy with those I do not need, or WANT." Ahuizotl tilted the pony's face so their eyes met. He seen the hesitation and desire on Caballeron's face and it was taking a supreme effort not to take him there and then. But he would not make a move without the pony’s permission. Like the doctor, he still had some scruples left..."And right now doctor, I desire YOU."

Part of Caballeron felt like just shouting for him to cease this torment and start already. But he still hesitated a little. He glanced down, noting that, even in his smaller, more manageable size, the other was still pretty BIG.

"I-I’m not sure my body can take it.." he groaned deeply as he felt a fresh shiver of arousal worm its way up his back. It was almost unbearably good...

"Relax, Doctor, I’ll ease it into you." the subtle euphemism slipped right by Caballeron, who could barely think over the pounding of his pulse. Ahuizotl nibbled at the base of the pony's right ear, and was rewarded with Caballeron moaning in obvious enjoyment. Slipping a paw between the stallion's legs once more, he smirked.

"I'd say your body longs as much for this as your mind, you feel more than accommodating, dear doctor..." Ahuizotl teased. The tail hand, with its more dexterous fingers took the place of the paw, and pushed subtly into Caballeron's body. The pony arched his back, panting rapidly. Ahuizotl ceased toying with the stallions body as he spoke again.

"Mm, so hot, dear Doctor. All you have to do is say so, and I can treat that body of yours to something it has never felt before. What do you say?"

Caballeron caught him off guard by actually kissing him back. The firelight shone on the pony’s being coat, those sharp, brooding eyes full of obvious lust.

"Take what you want..." Caballeron growled seductively, eyes flashing in the firelight. It’d been so long since he'd enjoyed himself, and maybe the attention was going to his head, but he'd made up his mind. He'd started to feel so jaded, so tired. His pulse hadn’t raced this fast in many a year.

He uttered a faint gasp as he was scooped up and set down on his stomach on the recliner. He felt the heat emanating from his boss' body as he positioned himself on the recliner behind him.

"Mm, your scent is quite intoxicating." Ahuizotl mused, as he brushed his paws over the stallions firm rear.

"Y-you can..?" Caballeron's voice hitched a little as his hindquarters were raised up at the perfect angle, thumbs tracing the shape of his bottom..

"I have quite an exceptional sense of smell, dear Doctor, and your scent is as good as any wine..." Ahuizotl finally ceased admiring the pony he was about to claim, and once again the more slender fingers of the tail-hand began preparing the pony, plunging deep inside him. He used his free hands to grasp the stallions hips and hold him in place as he worked, listening to the delicious, eager moans of the doctor.

Caballeron was lost in a haze of desire and pleasure, and this was just the precursor. When he felt those exploring fingers withdraw from him, he bit his hoof to muffle a deep moan.

--Lets begin, dear Doctor..-- Ahuizotl thought. The couch creaked softly as he repositioned himself. Much like the Doctor, it'd been awhile since he'd found someone to enjoy himself with. A LONG time. But he was prepared, and he'd brought a certain little something that’d make it easier for his partner to take him. It was this jar, carefully hidden behind the bottles Caballeron had left on the table by the couch, and he reached for it now...

Caballeron instinctively tensed up as he felt the dominant creature press intimately against him. He'd heard the sound of a jar being opened, and instinctively knew what it was. He felt a funny little jolt at how....considerate, his boss was being. He could easily have just done him without the preparation. This was just be a one night fling, right? So why-

Then all of these thoughts were abandoned as he felt a sizeable, hot mass push into him. He forced himself to breathe deeply, keeping his hind legs braced on the recliner. His stomach was brushing the expensive fabric, he could feel it adhering to his sweaty coat.

"Relax, doctor...." he dimly heard Ahuizotl's voice, somewhere in the distance it felt like. But all he could focus on was the sensation of his body being stretched to accommodate the engorged member slowly sliding into him.

"I'm trying.." he panted. He felt the others movements halt a moment, and tried to wrestle his heartbeat under control. A nuzzle at the back of his neck, followed by a gentle nip at his ear sent a gentle shiver down his back.

Soon his entire length was fully inside, and again Ahuizotl took a moment to admire Caballeron. What had started as an idle fantasy was now becoming a reality...he was about to, what was the term the ponies used, "rut" him?

Then the temptation became irresistible and he could wait no longer. He pulled back, before plunging deep into the stallion, up to the hilt. Caballeron cried out, unable to keep from uttering a ragged gasp of pleasure that was like music to Ahuizotl's ears. The pony's legs shook and it seemed an immense effort for him to keep standing. But he succeeded, his stamina higher then it appeared at first glance.

Ahuizotl tried to keep it slow to start off, let the pony get used to him. But Caballeron's body fit so tightly around him, the feeling so tantalizing, that it wasn’t long before before he started moving faster. He heard the submissive stallion alternate between english and his native language, some words unfamiliar but their translation easy to guess at. With each thrust he felt himself hit that sweet spot in the stallions inner walls, feeling the pony’s body cling to him with every withdrawal.

Soon the pace and rhythm of their act was matched by the pace of their heartbeats. Fast and heavy. Sweat dripped down both their coats, making them shine in the firelight.

"Ahui...." Caballeron moaned, more than a few syllables was too much for him. He couldn’t last much longer, this just felt too good. With every thrust he felt his partners length urge him on...he longed to give in and let it hit HARD.

"For you, doctor, yes.."

As he spoke, Ahuizotl gripped locks of the pony’s mane with his teeth, tugging his head back ever so gently. Hearing the doctor's husky, growling tones echoing around the room was immensely satisfying, that accent of his accentuating every word, every cry of Ahuizotl's name. He could feel how close Caballeron was and decided to give his lover his reward.

With one final, decisive thrust, Ahuizotl could hold back no longer. His growls of satisfaction rolled around the walls of the cavernous room as he climaxed inside the doctor, feeling the thick, heavy fluid, much different in scent and quantity to that of a pony, rush into the stallion he was inside. He heard Caballeron's voice trail off into a wordless cry as reached his own peak.

Silence, mixed with heavy breathing, pervaded the room as both of them rode out the ecstasy of the orgasm. Bestowing an almost tender kiss on the back of the doctor's neck, Ahuizotl pulled slowly out of him, hearing a tiny gasp from the pony as he did. Body too taxed to support him, Caballeron collapsed to the recliner, still breathing heavily. He felt heavy, full...

He curled onto his side, feeling sleepy.

Ahuizotl's warm stomach pressed against his back a moment later and he was guided into his hold, an arm wrapping around him.

"Spectacular, my dear Caballeron..." the other being purred in his ear.

Caballeron was too shagged out, literally, to speak, so he just raised his head and nudged the others muzzle with his own. His reward was a gentle kiss, and then he let his head rest atop his hooves.

Caballeron fell asleep to the sensation of a warm paw caressing his stomach, it felt nice...

Ahuizotl was impressed by the pony's stamina. He'd not expected him to hold out so long, let alone take such a load, but it was worth every second...he swiped up stray droplets of semen as he ran a hand over Caballeron's stomach, allowing himself the discovery of his partners taste as he cleaned him up a little.

He watched the pony sleep, feeling comfortably drowsy himself, then he too dozed off.