From Behind Crimson Curtains

Linen whimpered as he managed to get out into the cool breeze of the night. True to her word, the pink mare's promises on how her specially-made baked good would be able to keep a stallion going had been fulfilled, even as he exited the Town Hall. His loins still throbbed, his own member still ready to jump to attention at the sight of another mare. He hated it.

Walking through the dead night of town, he immediately made for his home, stopping to rest at times when as his blood raged through his own body. He fought to keep down his urges, to stop him from going into the nearest set of bushes and relieve himself. Celestia - no, he shouldn't think of any mares, not even the Princess - knew that any still unattended would immediately jump him if they were to hear himself let loose unreservedly.

The night still echoed with the moans of those that had not been attended to by his own self. Such a noise immediately stirred his lower parts, and he mentally cursed, cried, and lamented over how things had turned out. He would most likely be jailed or thrown out of town in short order when they returned to sanity. The fact that he couldn't free himself from the grasp of dozens of mares gave him the feeling of inadequacy... any other stallion would surely have escaped, but not him.

He stalked his way down the street where his home sat on, taking cover behind lampposts and building corners. If he had truly satisfied as many mares as he thought he did, then perhaps the chance of meeting one in the street was minimal, but he wasn't about to risk it. He double-checked his bags, having grabbed them in his hurried escape from the room full of sleeping mares, and was relieved to find his keys still within, not stolen or lost.

Using his magic, his face glowed faintly with a yellow color, as he levitated the keys to the lock.

"Come on... come on..." He fumbled around several times and managed to get the key into the lock.

"Hey, there, you stud." His mane stood up on end, as he slowly turned to meet whoever had trailed him back home.

"Um... uh, h-hello, Miss... Colgate..." he whispered.

"I woke up and I was wondering where you went," she said, nuzzling him and eliciting a sharp gasp. "You didn't really think we were done, were you?"

"I... Miss C-Colgate... I have to ask that you please stop what you're doing..."

"Aww, you're so cute when you're trying to be nice..." She raised her muzzle slightly, putting her lips right next to his ear, feeling the heat radiating off of his nervous body. "I... love... the shy ones."

"P-please, just... just think about what you're d-doing... I - I don't want any trouble, a-and I've already d-done enough t-today... please... just please let me go."

"When you talk like that, it only makes me hornier, you know..." she said, giggling. "How about... I take you back to my place... and we can talk it over there?"

"I... I have to refuse, Miss Colgate!" In his single act of bravado for the entire night, he pushed her back with a firm grip from his hoof. "You're... you're not yourself right now. Please, j-just go home and rest."

"You're being so nice, even after everything the mares have done to you... I love it..." She kissed him on the cheek. "We're so lucky that you came to town today... I don't know what it would have been like if you hadn't shown up to... relieve all of us."

"Then... c-could you please return the f-favor, and l-leave me alone... um... forever, p-preferably?"

"Aww..." she cooed understandingly. "I understand what you're going through... my poor, sweet, kind Linen... you feel like you're too inadequate for us mares and you're trying to put yourself out of the market, right?"

"I... that's not..." He paused; her words did hold some semblance of truth.

"See, I'm right, aren't I?" she said, pulling her face away and looking into his eyes. Suddenly, she levitated him into the air with magic. "Don't put yourself down, Linen... you're a very good lover. Now let's head back to my place and we can have all the fun we want..."

"O-okay..." Linen managed to squeak out, and silently cried to himself. He was too scared to say otherwise.

Linen's eyes shot open in a scene that had unfolded many times before. Groaning, he sat up in his bed, and took a deep sigh. Even when fatigue took him to sleep, the dreams still showed up, but this one had been... surprisingly pleasant, despite the completely negative feeling he had drawn from it. He pondered about wondering why, but like anyone in the morning, he was just too sleepy to care.

He pulled himself out of bed and went through his daily morning routine. Looking at the clock, it was several hours past his normal waking time, and just about to hit mid-morning. His face and mane looked as unkempt as ever, and he decided that a shower would do him some good, if not to clear his mind with the pleasing sound of running water.

The hot water poured down his face and body frame, cleansing every inch with soothing water. He liked taking his time in the shower to think... and that dream he just had left him with a lot of questions, most of which pertained to himself. That sickening and dreaded feeling he had from all the other times he'd seen that dream sequence was still there, but why was it less now? Why were things different this time around? What caused that change, and what factors were involved?

Thinking about it led nowhere, and only frustrated him as it meant that he had to replay the events in his head, something less than enjoyable for Linen. He quickly stopped the shower and stepped out, only to hear the faint sound of banging on wood.

"Hey! Linen! Are you in there?! You're still alive, aren't you?! Please say something!" he heard Davenport shout from his window. Another round of hard knocking on his door commenced.

Linen quickly dried himself off and ran downstairs, opening the door with neutral face. "Good morning, Davenport."

"Oh, thank goodness. I thought you'd gone and... well, let's not talk about that." Davenport pulled out a bag with a plethora of foodstuffs. "Here, take this. Even though you might be off, I can't forget about your food, can I?"

"Uh..." Linen said, levitating it into his home. He gently placed it behind him against the wall. "...thank you, for everything."

"No need to thank me, Linen," Davenport said. Linen's gaze drifted to a pair of mares passing by his house, and momentarily forgot about the conversation as he watched them converse between themselves. Yes, he recognized... they were there during the 'incident'... just like every single other mare he'd seen in town.

This time was different, however: both mares, lost in their conversation, turned their heads and met Linen's gaze. They definitely seemed to know who he was, as they immediately went wide-eyed and turned away from him, blushing and quickly whispering to each other about things he could only imagine.

"...uh, Linen? Are you okay?" Davenport waved a hoof in front of his face.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine..."

Davenport sighed. "You're still out of it. Please consider seeing a therapist... I don't mean to step on your tail by saying this, but I won't be around forever. You're going to have to learn how to do all these things yourself some day, and I don't want you to end up in a bad place by not being able to do so."

"I... I might consider it... just... I don't really feel like doing it... right now..."

"Alright, then. Stay safe, Linen, and be careful. I'll see you next week, okay?"

"Of course, sir."

"You're not on the clock, you don't have to be so formal... just Davenport will do fine."

"Of course... Davenport."

Davenport smiled. "There we go. Take little steps at a time. See you, Linen!" He had only just turned around when he heard the door slam shut behind him. "Well, it was a little bit too much to hope he'd go for a walk..."

Another hour passed by uneventfully. Around when the long hand struck a quarter past eleven, Linen realized that he had completely forgotten that he had a mailbox, and carefully ventured out when nopony was around to watch him and quickly brought his day's mail inside. Within were standard fare: some advertisements, his monthly subscription to Thread and Needle Monthly, and, of course, mail from his parents in Canterlot.

He opened his parents' letter, reading off the contents as he sat down at his kitchen table to enjoy an early lunch for the day. It touched off on their repeated concerns for his mental well-being, but soon shifted into asking how he was settling into life in Ponyville. Again, there was the question of finding a mare...

Linen sighed. "Really, is it always the same thing every time...?" They had expressed their desire for him to start a family multiple times, as both a way to bring him out of his shell and to... well, get married. He had no intentions of doing so, however, and figured that he wouldn't make a good spouse, nor a good coltfriend. The anxiety practically reeled off of him in any situation, and any mare willing to put up with that would simply be better off with a stallion who could actually care for her.

At least, that's what he thought. His thoughts of mental self-kicking were ejected from his mind as he made his way to his work room. He walked over to the desk and took a look at his brainstorming paper. Oh, yes, that was correct: he was set to make new things today. It pleased him to know that he was at least still producing his own creations; he didn't know what he would do otherwise.

Reaching below the table, he reached around for several heavy rolls of thread, ones that he crafted on his own spindle. He unfurled a length and checked the material: yes, this would do. Humming to himself, he looked around his shelf for where he'd left his previous batch of pre-cut cloth.

What would he make today? He had always stuck to his standard fare and could weave a variety of basic home necessities like towels, curtains, blankets, pillows, and other things, but he'd become too proficient at it. Perhaps a change of pace with something new could work... like... clothing. He could get a two-for-one by getting experience with making clothing and giving himself a chance to look dapper at the same time.

Except for the part where he'd probably never wear such extravagant clothing outside of his own home... still, it was worth a try anyway. Maybe if Davenport ever needed an extra suit or a dozen, he could make something for him, or any other stallion in town... if he knew any. He'd seen a few, but only a glance from distance, usually on his way back home from work.

"Gah... my needles, where did I leave them...?" He searched his tabletop; he was sure that he'd only left them there yesterday...

There was a knock on the door. Linen immediately responded by stopping his search and froze mid-turn, his gaze glued to the hall beyond the doorway. Another set of knocks continued... it definitely wasn't Davenport. Linen had told Davenport to always announce his arrival, as embarrassing as they seemed, but it did well in letting Linen know who was a wanted guest and who wasn't.

He held his breath, hoping that whoever it was would leave after receiving no response. Eventually, he worked up the nerve to investigate the door.

Parting the red curtains on his front door only slightly, he gazed outside to the real world, and breathed a sigh of relief. There was nopony there... and only a few were walking, just across the street from his home. Maybe it was just a door-to-door salespony.

Then, out of the side of his vision, he saw it: that same pink-wrapped box, neatly tied with a red bow with a note attached to it. The mystery pony had been leaving this every single day since he had moved in... he wondered who it was and what they wanted with him. If they were this persistent... then perhaps it would be worth it to see what they had to say.

Linen swiped the box off of his doorstep, quickly closing and locking his door before anypony could see. To make sure, he spied outside from through the curtains again, and made sure nopony had seen him. There were none around, though he actually wondered if anypony was aware of his existence here in Ponyville, on this quiet street not far from the center of town.

Placing the parcel on the dining room table, the first thing he did was open the note:

I'm sorry.

Two simple words, which only left Linen even more confused than he had been before, with no trace of nervousness. He thought the gift was merely something left as an insult - despite all odds, he was still paranoid like that - or a 'welcome to the town' sort of affair. There was nothing that anypony could apologize for, except...

Except if it were related to the incident.

He swallowed hard: at least being without stress for a moment was enjoyable, at least. This meant that not only Colgate knew where he lived, somepony else in town did, too. Or... waging a dangerous thought, did that mean by extension that every mare knew he lived here? He always knew that mares loved to gossip, and when the whole female population of the town ruts a male, it wouldn't be surprising for them to want to know where he lived...

The clues were there, though... he knew Ponyville had a bakery in town, and from Davenport had told him, one 'Pinkie Pie' was the mare who helped around the shop, was hyperactive to no tomorrow... and liked cupcakes. As she was also the one who captured and brought him to the mercy of the mares, it made sense that she wanted to apologize for her hormone-induced madness.

The cupcake floated over to him as he examined it: a fairly plain-looking cupcake with a nice heap of pink frosting. He took a bite out of it and was surprised to find that it actually wasn't that bad, even if he wasn't one to eat sweets often.

A few minutes earlier...

Pinkie observed from behind a bush as she saw the door crack open a inch, and the stallion's hoof quickly grabbing the box and pulling it inside. Her smile grew and she felt the need to squeal happily, but repressed it; after all, she didn't want to blow her cover already, and she was just outside his home!

She dearly hoped to Celestia that he would actually bother reading the note. What she had done - literally delivering the poor stallion from the frying pan into the fire - ate away at her for days after the estrus cycle had ended. When she brought up to Twilight and several of her other friends, they expressed the same sentiments. They were kind and honest ponies, and the fact that they seemingly scarred the poor stallion for life was an awkward topic to discuss.

They threw around reasons, that they couldn't have known that he was in town, that all the other stallions had skipped town when he did not, that it was his fault for walking around town when estrus was clearly in effect. Then they learned through a hushed conversation that Pinkie had with Colgate that he was a new arrival in town; in fact, he had finished moving in the very day that he was... forced to copulate with every mare in town.

Those mares that had their coltfriends or their husbands went with them, but the rest were left to their own devices. So to see a stallion, any stallion, immediately threw their entire minds into haywire. Their logic and reason were intact, yes, but easily overridden by their own body's urges. Applejack seemed to take it the worst, having it go against her own honest beliefs, and suffered the most post-event guilt out of all them. Eventually, they decided to have a conversation on the best course of action to apologize at Twilight's library treehouse.

"So... what is his name, darling?" Rarity asked Pinkie.

"He's... Linen Spool," Pinkie said, no hint of frivolousness in her voice. "He... he lives down at Fifth Round Street."

"I feel so bad for the poor thing," Fluttershy said. Unlike the other mares, Flutteshy's isolated home worked in her favor over the several weeks, as she had not been present during the event. "If what you say is really true... then I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't want to talk to a mare anymore..."

"So what?" Rainbow Dash said brashly. "We needed to blow off some steam, and he was the only one around! I think he should at least be happy that he even got any flank from all of us mares. I know how some of us are real lookers."

"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack said, shocked. "You know full well that it ain't his fault! If what Pinkie told us is true, then the feller's a real shy type, and we took advantage of that! That ain't honest, and it sure isn't loyal... unless you're tellin' me that 'loyalty' only applies to ponies that you know personally."

"I wish I didn't do that..." Pinkie said. "If he came at any other time, I would have thrown him a super-duper totally-amazing welcoming party. But instead, I end up giving him a different kind of party, one that made him scared and sad..." She began bawling. "I'm a horrible pony!"

"We should immediately make reparations with him," Rarity said. "But I fear that if we all approach him at once, the results may be far less than favorable."

"I agree," Twilight said. "We should just have a single pony do it, or even without speaking with him at all, really."

"If he's shy like I am..." Fluttershy said softly. "Then... then it would be best to try to send him a letter..."

"That's a great idea!" Pinkie said, her river of tears disappearing in a flash. "I'll... I'll bake a cupcake for him, and wrap it up in a box, and then write an apology note for him! There's no way anypony can reject that!"

That was several months ago. Linen had turned out to be a very strange pony, as she quickly learned. She knew he saw the package every single day on his doorstep, and always gave it a hard stare before ignoring and returning home. Perhaps his arriving at home during the late evening had something to do with it? Maybe he wasn't the type of pony to eat sweets before bedtime.

It was no trouble for Pinkie, though, her patience could last until the end of time. She would just simply keep trying until he accepted... which, on this momentous day, he actually did. Though she forgot to put her name on it... oh, well, he could probably figure it out himself.

Pinkie forced Colgate to Pinkie promise to secrecy, to never tell anypony else about Linen, or the fact that he lived in Ponyville. It had worked for a while, but it seemed that Linen's daily schedule had seemingly changed, and so he ventured out into Ponyville during more peak times... she saw him run into a couple of mares who knew who he was. It wouldn't be long until the secret was out, though what the other mares would do when they knew, however, was an entirely different matter.

"Hey, Pinkie, did anything happen?" Twilight said, sneaking up next to her. She also had an interest in Linen's wellbeing after participating in her 'data gathering' when she had her turn with him.

"Yes!" Pinkie said. "He took the box today!"

"Really?" Twilight said, peering out between a few branches and observing Linen's front door. "That's good news! Do you think he'd be willing to talk with us?"

"Well, maybe... I was thinking about throwing him a party. An actual one, this time."

"Uh, Pinkie, have you already forgotten? If you invite all of Ponyville, then that isn't going to end up too well. Mares, remember?"

"Oh... right. Then I need a new plan..."

"I think I have something that might work," Twilight said. "I ran into Linen earlier today... he works at Quills and Sofas for Davenport. Maybe I could try to ask him about it, try to get a feel for what Linen is like?"

"Yeah, you go ahead and do that, Twilight. I'll be here... planning... my plan."

"Away... I have to get away somehow..." Linen muttered to himself, as he quietly exited Colgate's bedroom. He had awoken to her sleeping softly in his arms, and he nearly suffered a panic attack then and there if he didn't have the sense to calm himself down.

Walking downstairs, he noted the simple aesthetics that Colgate had adorning her home. Hmm, perhaps that curtain could use a bit of retouching and - wait, what was he thinking? His first priority now was to get out of town before even more mares found him. The sound of moans on the breeze still indicated that they were still fully in heat. There was no telling when it would subside, and he certainly wasn't going to be staying around to find out.

He headed for the door when he heard the sound of mares talking outside.

"Ugh, where did that stallion get to?"

"I don't know, maybe he escaped when we were all passed out."

"Aww, damn... I wanted to rut him some more... you know, it's really exhilarating to be the mare in charge."

"I know right? Ah, my loins are burning again. Let's see if Colgate wants to play a little..."

The door knocked as Linen jumped into a side room to hide. It was a living room of some sort, and there was a good view of the town out the front window... and a good view of a small garden in the back. Jumping out of the back window seemed so cliche, but Linen wasn't in a position to complain. He tip-hoofed over to the window and slowly undid the locks as he heard the sound of hooves coming down the stairs.

"Huh..? Oh, Roseluck! I didn't know you'd be visiting today!"

"Eh? How come you sound so normal, Colgate?" Roseluck asked. "Sure you're not swirling in your own heart's desire or anything like that? No burning of the loins or insatiable lust from a stallion's member."

"Uh, no, why do you--" She gasped. "Linen!"

"Colgate, you know I'm not into the whole tailoring thing."

"No, I mean the stallion that the whole town bucked last night, Roseluck! I... I brought him home here with me after I found him last night... oh, Celestia, he was such a good lay..."

"Oh, great! Is he still around?" Roseluck asked. "Lily and I have been needing to get in some more... love, if you get my drift. Maybe I should call over Daisy, too! Actually, never mind that, she was already on her way here."

"Uh, yeah, kind of busy!"

Linen immediately slammed open the window and hopped outside, sending his face flying into the dirt as flowers were trampled beneath. He quickly shook himself off, sending dirt and flower bits flying off in every direction, only to stand up and run straight into a mare.

"Oh... a stallion..." she said slowly.

"Hey, Linen, get your cute ass back in here and - oh, hey, Daisy! Roseluck said you would show up," Colgate said, leaning against the windowsill.

Daisy hugged Linen and pulled him tight against her chest. "Oh, I wanted to visit the garden to put my mind off of all of this business, but... you know..." she said, looking into Linen's frightened eyes. "...when life drops a stallion in front of you, it's hard to turn away..." She giggled and kissed him on the cheek, releasing her grasp as he felt himself being pulled by magic back into the house.

"You sure know how to fire up a mare, Linen..." Colgate purred as tossed him on her living room couch. She walked over and positioned herself right on top of him as the other three mares shortly joined them. "We're going to have so much fun... so are you ready for another round, hot stuff?" she said, her eyes half-lidded.

"Oh, oh!" Lily said. "I got some of the cupcakes from Pinkie earlier today!" She stuffed a whole bunch into his mouth and forced them down his throat, making him gag. "See, he's good to go! Now hurry the buck up, Colgate, I want him in me!"

Colgate gave Linen a deep kiss, parting after the longest moment by nuzzling him. "Ready, lover boy? Oh, I'm going to get so many favors by trading you around..."

Linen said nothing, knowing that any attempt to object would serve no use and let himself be taken yet again.

Linen, in his forgetfulness, hadn't checked who was outside the door before answering it. He slammed the door in Pinkie Pie's face as soon as he met eye contact with her, cutting her off just as she was about to begin her sentence.

"Uh... Mr. Spool?" she nervously asked. "It... it's okay, I just want to talk..." She received no response. "Please... I'm... I'm really sorry about what happened. I know that us mares can get really... rowdy during our mating season, and I really want to apologize for what I did to you."

"Go away," was the muted response.

"I won't do that," she said firmly. "I sincerely want to apologize for what I did. Did you get the package I left for you?"

"...the one you left on my doorstep every day?"

"Yay, so you did take it, then!" Pinkie tried to peer through the door's window, but was blocked by a wall of red curtains. "Can... can I please come in? I'd like to apologize to you, personally."

She waited with bated breath, hoping that he would accept, as she simply stood there as the sun's light bore down on her. Eventually, the door opened, and Linen stood before her. "I hope I'm not making a mistake by doing this..."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Pinkie hopped inside as Linen closed the door behind him. "So, uh..." She turned around and put on her serious face again. "I want to say I'm sorry... for what I did to you that day."

"Don't b-blame yourself," Linen said quietly. "I just... arrived at a bad t-time, and you weren't in your right mind..."

"But that doesn't make it any less our fault! Yes, I know what I was thinking during that time, and when I did, I looked at you and just wanted you so badly, it's what every mare feels like when they put eyes on a stallion during that time, and then I... I knocked you out with my party cannon and totally ruined your day."

"It... it's... okay..."

"See?! There you go again, being all nice when you shouldn't be nice at all!" Pinkie said. "Why aren't you angry with us?!"

"Because... I'm not like that..."

Pinkie felt so empty over the fact that this stallion whom she'd only met by putting him in a situation that made him so uncomfortable, was so forgiving over what had happened. And not only her, it seemed he was willing to forgive the entire town for it. Most stallions would have gotten angry or even openly hostile if such a thing happened to them.

"Did you eat the cupcake?" she blurted out. Linen looked at her, surprised at the sudden random question.

"Uh... yes. It was... really good?" Pinkie was a strange occurrence, bubbling with a strange enthusiasm unseen in any other pony he'd ever met.

"You liked it?! Oh, yippee!" she cheered, hopping up and down as streamers popped out of nowhere behind her. "So, Mister Spool, since you've accepted my apologies, do you think you'd be willing to attend your first introduction party here in Ponyville?"

"I... uh... are the other mares g-going... to be there?"

Pinkie's smile faded. "Um... unfortunately, yes. A party's supposed to be fun, but I guess it won't be really fun if the only thing it would do is make you feel bad."

"I appreciate the thought... b-but I'm not... I don't really want to... sorry..." He stared at the ground, nervously kicking the wood floor as he attempted to think of something else to say.

"Oh, I know!" Pinkie said. "I'll introduce you to one of my friends! I know she'd also like to apologize to you, so if you're fine with it, I'd like you to meet her later this week."

"Um... who... who is she?" he asked, wondering if it was a mare he'd already met.

"Her name is Twilight Sparkle." Oh, it was her. "She runs the Ponyville Library out of the treehouse in town!"

"I... I met her already... she was... uh, really nice..."

"Oh, you've already met Twilight? Yippee! This won't be as bad as I thought it would be!" She opened the door and cartwheeled backwards on to the doorstep. "Don't you worry, Linen, I promise you'll get an apology from every mare in town in no time flat! I'll come look for you later this week, so don't do anything silly, okay?" She cheered and hopped off in the direction towards town, shutting the door behind her.

Linen stood in the hallway, trying to take in everything he'd just seen.

"Oh, no... what have I gotten myself into?" he whispered to himself.