Outlier

Chapters

Freedom
You left who guarding him?!?!
Amends
Shopping
Comfort
Forgiveness
Happy Flaps
Preparing
Terms and Conditions

Freedom

The heavy sigh of a lone mare filled one of the many corridors of Canterlot Castle. The time was nearing the later part of the evening and as per usual for the last few weeks, the mare was just coming back from the guest wing of the castle. Pushing open the large door to the throne room, the green-coated guard could make out Luna’s brilliant form sitting upon her throne. In her company was a brown-coated mare sporting a pristine white lab coat and clipboard held in her magic. The two were deep in conversation before a quick glance from the princess pulled their conversation to an end.

“Yes princess. We will have all of the results tomorrow,” the mare replied before bowing politely and taking her leave. Seeing this as her chance, the guard made her way towards the throne in the room before giving a quick bow of respect.

“Princess,” the guarded said, her tone firm and respectful.

“At ease Skylight. There is no such need to be formal when it is just us,” Luna stated. Skylight took this as her chance to relax her posture into a more comfortable position, while also shedding the helmet that kept her short, black-mane hidden from general view.

“Thank you princess. I am just here to give my report on our guest.” Luna’s full attention was quickly situated on the mare, hoping for at least a bit of good news about their newest arrival at the castle. However, just from the body-language of the guard, Luna could tell that the situation hadn’t improved since last night, or even from a week prior.

“I take it there hasn’t been a positive change in his demeanour?” Luna questioned, though already she knew the answer.

“I am sorry princess, but no. We had the doctors take a look at him again this morning and everything seemed to be fine physically. What worries me is what we can’t see,” she relayed with a bit of a frown.

“I understand, though the situation can’t be helped. I do not wish to mislead him with any false information until we have all of the facts straight. You, as well as I know that this is an opportunity we cannot afford to waste.” The guard nodded her head in agreement, though still held a frown of guilt on her face.

“I just wish I could tell him something. When he first came here, he was just so full of questions. But for the last week or so, he hasn’t said a word to me or most of the doctors that were sent to check up on him. Honestly princess, I think he just sort of gave up since you ordered us not to answer anything. And keeping him confined to a guest room under lock and key isn’t doing well to boost his morale or trust in us either.” Luna sighed as the guard voiced her frustrations of the situation. Deep down she knew her guard was right. The longer she kept her guest under lockdown, the more he would likely come to resent them, especially when he finds out that she held a part in bringing him here. Though that talk could wait until later.

“I will admit, I agree with you that we haven’t done our best to keep his spirits high. Though given the situation, I hope you understand why I am so cautious as to let him roam around or answer any of his questions.” Skylight responded with a nod of her head, followed by another sigh of her own.

“I do understand princess. But can I at least take him around the castle or something? He has been in that room for over three weeks without so much of a chance to stretch his legs or to properly interact with anypony. Trust me princess, when you keep a guard in the barracks for an extended period of time, they begin to go stir-crazy and tend to do things they know they shouldn’t.” Luna raised an eyebrow at the statement, a hint of worry plaguing her features.

“You don’t suppose that he would try something, do you?” The guard took a moment to respond, thinking heavily upon the question. Though after a minute or so, the mare concluded that there just was not enough information to confirm or deny such a possibility.

“I do not know princess. From the limited interactions I have had with him, there just isn’t enough information to say yes or no.” Silence soon found its way between the two parties, with the princess seemingly in thought.

“I see. I suppose if it helps boost his morale, we can allow him free reign of the castle, but only with an escort of your most trusted guards. One is the minimum when inside our walls and two if he should venture outside into the gardens. Is that understood?” Skylight beamed a happy smile towards the princess with a righted posture and salute.

“Yes princess. Should I inform him now of your decision?” With a quick glance outside the window of the setting sun and darkening sky, Luna shook her head.

“Perhaps you should wait until morning Major. It is supposed to storm something fierce tonight and I would rather not have him venturing around during it.”

“Very well princess. Is there anything else you require of me today?” the mare asked.

“Not that I can think of at the moment. I only wish for you to make a list of the guards that will have escort privileges of him and to have it on my desk first thing in the morning. Besides that, you are dismissed for the day.” With another attentive salute, the mare responded as per any guard would before venturing off to her office for a bit of paperwork. Once out of sight from the princess, Luna let out another exhausted sigh before turning her head towards the window of the room. Black clouds and lighting were already starting to accumulate over the city as rain began to pour. Finding this as good as time as any, Luna stood from her spot on the throne, raising her arms high into the air with an audible crack of her back and wings before pulling them back to her side.

“I suppose I should find myself something to eat. I wonder what sort of confectionaries the chef has baked for me today?” With a bit more energy and a smile on her face, the princess was quickly off to the kitchen to see exactly what sort of sweets she was going to gorge herself on before dinner.

Morning was soon upon the residents of Canterlot as pockets of dark clouds lingered high in the air. To most, it would have been a comforting way to wake up to the soft drizzle of rain outside their homes as they indulged themselves in the lack of blinding sunlight and blissful welcome of warm covers. However, that was not the case for everypony.

Stirring from a restless slumber, the sound of shuffling covers followed by a yawn filled the air of the guest room in Canterlot Castle. It had been a particularly bad night for the stallion in bed, more so to do with the sensations of his newly acquired enhanced hearing. He had woken up several times during the night, tossing and turning as he fought desperately to find a comfortable position to the let the sweet embrace of sleep take him. But the torrent of rain and thunder kept him wide awake for most of the night and into the early hours of the morning. He had only been asleep for a few hours before waking up again and lying in bed, staring at the stone ceiling in front of him as he resigned himself to his fate of yet another early morning.

“Might as well take a shower,” the stallion mumbled to himself before rolling his body out of bed. It had been like this for the last few days, with the stallion unable to motivate himself to do much of anything besides, eating, sleeping, and the usual day-to-day activities of personal hygiene. Being confined to any room for an extended period of time tended to have this effect on him, though he could only wonder how much longer he could stand it. Pushing the thought out of his mind for the moment, he stood up from the king-size bed before shuffling his way across the cold-stone floor. Luckily, a new addition to his body helped mitigate heat loss from his feet, a fact he was more than happy about.

Pushing open the door to the bathroom, the equine easily found the lightswitch. Closing his eyes for a moment, he flipped on the switch before groaning softly from the intrusive light. Slowly, he adjusted to the new lighting conditions, able to open his eyes in a squint as he made his way over to the sink. Reaching for the red knob, the water flowed out before the stallion cupped his hands under the faucet and splashed his face with the refreshing liquid.

His face, he thought solemnly as he used a towel to dry off the excess water before locking eyes with his reflection in the mirror. Instead of the figure he was so used to seeing, a new figure stared right back. A tall, charcoal-grey equine with a deep-blue mane and tail replaced the vision of the former human. An elongated snout accented with a pair of yellow eyes and sharp fangs accompanied the image along with a pair of ears sporting extra fluff near the tips. A set of leathery wings rested along his back, though most of the time, they remained in their place. The only thing he was truly grateful for in this new form, was the familiarity of his hands and feet, along with a decent set of chompers to consume meat.

After staring at his reflection for another minute or so, the thestral let out a heavy sigh before pushing himself away from the sink and towards the marble embedded shower. Turning on the hot water, the stallion stripped down to his naked self, hesitating slightly every time he removed his boxers. On Earth, the former human was able to humbly call himself average when it came to a certain department. Though the new tool between his legs would put any man to shame when compared. Granted, they were no longer the same species, but it had been the little, positive things that helped him keep his spirits from faltering into a state of utter depression.

Quickly shaking his mind of his recently dirty thoughts, the stallion entered the warm cascade of water. The familiar feeling helped to relax his muscles and alleviate a small amount of stress he had accumulated since finding himself in this new world. Opening an eye to glance around the shower once again, the stallion still couldn’t believe how large it was, easily spanning the area of nine king-sized beds. The design was also simple, a walk-in type shower that somehow was able to retain heat better than most.

Using the abundance of extra space in the shower, the thestral soon sprawled out his body along the warm surface of stone before undoing his wings with his hands. A soft coo of delight emitted from him as the stiffness near his unused wing joints began to soften. Resting his head on his arms, the equine soon drifted off to sleep for just a while longer.

Only an hour had passed by since the early morning shower. To his surprise, the thestral had fallen asleep for much longer than he anticipated, but was feeling completely rejuvenated, including a bit more of his attitude. However, a sharp knock on his door quickly reminded him of the situation, souring his mood once again. Not even bothering with a response, the thestral threw on a pair of loose fitting pants with minimal struggle. He was getting much better minding his new tail, though the next part would take considerable patience.

“Good morning Devin,” a chipper voice sounded from the other side of the room. Looking towards the mare in question, Devin let out a long sigh before grabbing his shirt and making his way to the edge of the bed.

“Do you need help with your shirt again?” the mare asked, a gentle yet curious smile on her face. Without a word, the thestral held up his shirt for the mare with a look of annoyance etched across his features. He didn’t like asking for help when it came to these sorts of things, but getting his noncompliant wings through the slots of his shirt was a near impossible task. Luckily, the maid that came in every morning to check on him was more than happy to help, and Devin suspected she enjoyed ‘accidently’ feeling him up when helping him.

“You know, you are going to need to figure out how to do this by yourself at some point. As much as I enjoy helping you, it wouldn’t bode well for me to keep spoiling you like this,” the maid teased, trying to elicit a response. All she received was a snort before she threw the shirt over his body, careful as to mind his sensitive wings. The process took less than ten seconds, which was still nine seconds too long for the thestral. However, he was still grateful for the mare helping him, even if he didn’t really show it.

“Thank you,” Devin replied softly, earning him another warm smile from the maid.

“You are very welcome Devin. I am just here to tidy up your room and change out your towels,” The mare added. The statement quickly caught Devin off-guard. Usually, the mare was there to delivery his morning breakfast, but noting the lack of a food cart, he could see this wasn’t the case this morning.

Great. First they lock me in this room and now they are going to starve me to death, he thought with a frustrated sigh. It was only when a second set of knocks and turning handle pulled Devin out of his thoughts.

“You taking care of our guest here Lemon Scent?” Skylight asked playfully, walking through the door with a smile. The thestral became deathly quiet once again as he eyed the mare with a neutral expression.

“Of course I am. Though he is probably a bit peckish, so you best get a move on,” Lemon Scent happily replied before venturing into the bathroom to gather the dirty towels. This left the two other occupants in a bout of silence as Skylight tried her best to appear as friendly as she could.

“So, you want to come get something to eat at the dining hall?” Skylight piped up, breaking the silence with a hopeful tone. Devin could only raise an eyebrow at the mare, wondering if her words were true. Though from the lack of the food cart this morning, he was willing to bet that it was.

“Are you just going to come lock me up in this room again when we are done?” he questioned. Skylight could sense the spite in his tone, even though his voice was never raised. With a sigh, the mare shook her head.

“It is up to you really. I have been instructed to let you have free reign of the castle, provided you have a guard escort with you at all times.” Devin could only offer a scoff before standing from his position on the bed and walking past the mare. Skylight let out another sigh before following after the stallion. She knew she was going to be in for a rough day, but at least a nice cup of coffee from the dining hall would help ease her along the way.
The trip towards the dining hall took less than fifteen minutes for the duo. This was mostly due to the fact that the thestral was taking his leisurely time, much to the annoyance of Skylight, though she tried her best to hide it. It wasn’t until the two finally walked through the main entrance that Skylight was approached by another one of her subordinates.

“Major, Princess Luna is requesting your presence in her private study. She has instructed me to watch over our guest until you have returned,” an all too familiar, cream-colored guard stated. Skylight turned towards her subordinate with a questioning gaze before looking at the thestral.

“It seems I am being summoned. Sergeant, please look after our guest until I return. He is to be given free reign of the castle within reason, though I hope to be back before he is finished,” Skylight stated. With a practiced salute, Skylight made her way out of the dining hall and towards the private study of the princess. She didn’t particularly know why she was being summoned, though assumed it had something to do with the thestral. With an exhausted sigh, a single thought shot through the mare’s mind.

I still didn’t get my cup of coffee.

Author's Note

Hey everyone. This is just a story that's been on mind for a bit. Not sure if i'm going to continue it or not, though I might update here and there. Don't forget to leave a comment and tell me what you think. And for everyone going to back to school, good luck! I start classes again Monday.

You left who guarding him?!?!

Three loud knocks resonated on the ornate, wooden door of the private study. A moment or two passed before a voice from the other side welcomed Skylight in. Opening the door and shuffling inside, the mare was expecting the site of her princess. What caught her off-guard was the fact that she wasn't alone. The same doctor from yesterday was also present with a large clipboard and file in her magical grasp. The two were patiently waiting for the guard at the main table while Luna slowly sipped her cup of coffee, making Skylight grumble a bit in jealousy.

“Skylight, glad you could make it,” Luna jested with a smile as she set down her cup. Skylight did her usual routine of saluting her princess, though Luna waved a dismissive hand.

“Please Skylight, our company does not warrant such actions. She is also a friend, so there is no need to act differently,” Luna added. Skylight paused for but a moment, looking at the doctor who was intently reading over the piece of parchment on the clipboard before taking her seat at the table.

“Would you like a something to drink Skylight?” Luna asked.

“Yes please. Coffee, one sugar two creams,” the mare quickly responded, earning her a small giggle from the princess. Within seconds a cup of coffee had appeared before the mare. Taking the cup in her hands, Skylight gave a satisfied hum of approval as she took a sip of the hot beverage.

“Thank you princess. I really needed this,” Skylight said before setting down the cup.

“We are glad you enjoy it. Though if you don’t mind me asking, how is our guest this morning?” Luna questioned. Skylight slowly brought the cup to her lips once again before taking a long drink and setting the near empty cup down.

“Honestly princess, not very well. Despite the fact that we allowed him outside of his room, he hasn’t really said anything to me.” Luna gave a small frown though nodded her head in understanding.

“I can understand why he would do such a thing. Still, we should try to mend this relationship as soon as possible. I do not want him to hate us for taking such precautions. I only wish for him to understand the dire situation we are in and the role he can play in helping us.” As if on cue, the doctor levitated the clipboard she had been reading in front of Skylight.

“What is this princess?” Skylight questioned as she picked up the clipboard before reading the document. She at least knew it was a medical form from the amount of times she has had a physical checkup, a routine required by all guards once a year. Though she didn’t understand what this had to do with the thestral.

“If you would allow me princess, may I answer this question?” The brown-coated mare piped up. Nodding her head in consent, the doctor’s face grew a wide grin as she began to explain the details of the form.

“I know you don’t really care about most of his blood work and things, so let me just get into the interesting parts. As you can tell, this is a standard medical form we compiled of the thestral shortly after being admitted to castle. Though it was difficult to get some samples from him, we did and ended up finding out something unusual about the stallion. Tell me, do you know how foals are typically made?” The doctor asked. Skylight nodded her head as if she had just been asked a stupid question.

“Of course I do. When two mares agree that it is time to have a foal, they go to a specialist. This specialist then magically induces a pregnancy in one of the mares from the DNA of the other. After about a year, the foal is born.”

“Exactly. This has been the usual practice for around two hundred years. Now tell me, do you know how they used to do it?” The doctor questioned again. This time, Skylight’s cheeks grew a tint of red as she nodded her head.

“Yes. Before, a stallion would often mate with a mare. This would involve him using his tool to impregnate the mare with a sample of his DNA. After about a year, the foal would be born if the seed took root,” Skylight finished. The doctor could only nod her head at the answer provided, her grin still wide on her face.

“Indeed. That is how they used to do it, though it is very rare nowadays. Ever since the incident involving the Fallen Princess, the number of stallions has decreased exponentially. To make matters worse, almost all of the stallions who made it through the whole ordeal were left sterile, unable to produce any foals or if they did, a filly.” Skylight nodded her head along with Luna, before the princess decided to chime in.

“And this is where our new guest comes into play. Tell me Skylight, do you know how many stallions currently reside in Canterlot?” Luna questioned. Skylight thought for a few seconds before shaking her head.

“Not really princess. Though from what I understand there are more stallions here than in other cities across Equestria.”

“Yes, that is correct. As of right now, Canterlot holds a total of seven-hundred and sixty-three stallions, of which only nineteen are fertile.” Both Skylight and the doctor nodded their heads as the princess made her point.

“Does that include the thestral as well princess?” Skylight questioned, promptly receiving a shake of the mare’s head.

“No it does not. Including our guest, the total would be seven-hundred and sixty-four stallions, of which twenty of them are fertile,” she responded with a smile.

“Wait, so you are telling me that our guest can actually produce foals with mares?” Skylight questioned.

“That is exactly what I am saying, though he is a bit different from the other fertile stallions. In most cases of pregnancy, the chance of producing a stallion foal is around a million to one odds. Suffice to say, it is a very rare occurrence, which is why the last stallion foal to be born was almost thirty years ago. However, our guest is quite abnormal in this category. After doing several tests multiple times, we have to come to the conclusion that this does not apply to our guest. It seems that his seed has the ability to produce a stallion about eighty percent of the time when mated with a female egg. Though we have yet to confirm this with definitive proof, all of the tests have a high degree of accuracy.” The room quickly descended into a bout of silence as it took Skylight a few moments to process this new information. She new that a colt being born was a very rare occurrence, but to have a stallion with even a one percent chance of bearing a son would have been a gift from the gods. But to have one with about an eighty percent chance, it left the mare speechless.

“I understand that this information is a lot to take in, though I also ask you to keep this to yourself. I will speak with our guest later tonight and fill him in about everything. I just hope he will not hold any animosity towards you for following orders. Until then, I ask that you keep an eye on our guest. You are dismissed,” Luna finished. It took another moment, though Skylight soon composed herself before standing from her spot at the table and venturing out of the study.

Hundreds of thoughts soon began to assault the mare as she made her way back to the dining hall. The first and foremost, would be what would happen to the stallion if this new information was leaked to the public. She assumed that he would never be safe from the likes of greedy noblemares trying to use him for their own personal gain. It was true that if a stallion and mare were to bear a colt, they would instantly become celebrities, more so with the stallion. In the past there were even instances of mares abducting and raping a fertile stallion, though the last instance of that happening was over a hundred years ago.

Shaking away some of the negative thoughts, the mare pushed opened the main door to the dining hall. She was quickly surprised when she didn’t find the thestral eating his morning breakfast, seeing as she had been gone for about a half an hour. Watching as one of the servers walked back, Skylight quickly pulled her into conversation.

“Excuse me, do you know where the thestral is?” She asked with a tone laced with necessity. The maid was startled slightly with the forcefulness of the guard, though nodded her head.

“Y-yes. He left a few minutes after he got here. Though I don’t really know where he went, the guard he was with did mention something about the barracks on site. That is all that I know,” the maid replied. A cold chill soon ran down Skylight’s spine as she quickly made her way out of the dining hall and to the barracks. She knew there was a possibility that some of her subordinates would try almost anything to talk their way into the stallion’s pants, regardless if he could produce a foal. And from the interactions earlier this morning, the thestral might do it just to spite her. But after the information she just learned, it was imperative that she find him and stop him or her subordinates from doing something they would regret. She just hoped she would make it in time.

Author's Note

Hey everyone. Just a short chapter explaining a bit more about the circumstances involving the new thestral. Hope you all enjoy!

Amends

Skylight quickened her pace down one of the many winding corridors of the castle and towards the guard barracks located on the castle grounds. It was times like this that she regretted not knowing how to use teleportation spells, though those thoughts could wait. Her main priority at the moment was hopefully stopping a mistake either the thestral or one of her more provocative subordinates would make. Turning down one last hallway and hurrying down a set of steps, the guard was soon at the entrance to the barracks used to house the royal guard responsible for patrols and security of the castle. Unfortunately, she was unable to locate her target at a first glance, prompting the mare to grit her teeth in annoyance.

“Damn it, where could he be?” Skylight muttered to herself as she tried to hunt down anypony that may have seen them. Luckily, a pair of guards readying themselves for patrol took notice of the officer scanning the room, before giving respectful salutes to their senior.

“Good morning major,” one of the guards stated as Skylight made her way towards the two.

“Morning corporal. I apologize for sounding rushed, but have you seen a male thestral here?” Skylight questioned both guards. Almost instantly both mare’s nodded their heads with flushed cheeks.

“Yes major. He arrived in the guard barracks about twenty minutes ago with sergeant Streamline before heading into the mess hall. There were also several guards with him,” the mare responded. Skylight let out a sigh of relief before nodding her head towards the guard.

“Thank you for the information corporal,” Skylight said before offering a salute and heading off towards the mess hall. She was rather relieved to know that the stallion hadn’t been given a private tour of the barracks by any of the promiscuous mares in the guard. Still, she knew it was going to be a very interesting scene when she got to mess hall, which was later confirmed when she finally ended up at her destination. Sitting at one of the long tables, sergeant Streamline and several other ranking members of the guard were all hovering around the table, no doubt bothering the stallion. Surprisingly though, he didn’t seem to mind that much as Skylight caught view of him talking to a multitude of mares with a small smile gracing his lips from time to time. Though the smile soon faded as he took notice of Skylight making her way over towards the table.

“I see you are making some new friends,” Skylight teased in a friendly manner. The thestral offered a small nod of his, but nothing more. The situation soon turned awkward for everypony before Skylight cleared her throat and took a seat.

“So Devin, how are you liking your food?” the mare questioned as she took a glance at his nearly empty plate.

“It’s fine I guess,” he responded neutrally, only intensifying the awkwardness of the situation.

“Well that’s good. If you are finished here, is there anywhere you want to go around the castle?” Skylight questioned. Looking over to his left, Skylight noticed Devin make a quick glance at his escort before she nodded her head.

“Yes actually. Sergeant Streamline is going to show me around the barracks. I assume that means you are going to be tagging along as well?” The question was laced with a condescending attitude as Skylight let out a small sigh and nod of her head. Without another word between the two, the three of them rose from the table before beginning the thestral’s tour of the barracks.

Hours had passed as the time of the day soon reached evening, if the descending sun and rising moon was anything to go by. Devin for the most part, occupied himself with his new escort as they toured the barracks on site as well as most of the castle. Skylight had been with them most of the time, silently following the two like an awkward third wheel during a date, but departed an hour before the sun was lowered.

“And here we are, back at the main dining hall,” Streamline said with a smile. Devin offered a smile of his own as he took a seat in one of the many chairs around the decorate table.

“Wow. This place is freaking massive. I can’t believe you actually know the layout of it,” Devin stated with awe. During the tour, the thestral’s attitude had lightened up to the point where he was actually enjoying himself, especially in the last hour without Skylight breathing down his neck. It was during that time he asked Streamline a few simple questions, which she happily answered, giving the former human a much needed insight into exactly where he fell in this new world. However, the two equines enjoyed a small break and moment of silence before a magical scroll poofed into existence in front of the mare, while simultaneously scaring the hell out of the stallion.

“Holy shit, where the fuck did that come from?” Devin yelled in surprise, eliciting a giggle from his guide before she opened the letter and read it.

“It seems it came from her royal majesty, princess Luna. She wants to meet with you in her private quarters,” Streamline said nonchalantly. Devin however, grew a sour mood at the mention of the princess before morphing into one of slight concern.

“Hey Streamline. She wouldn’t be calling me there, to you know…” Devin paused, before lifting his hands up and doing the universal gesture for sex. Streamline’s cheeks quickly grew a faint hint of red against her light blue coat. Her yellow tail began to wag from side to side with a few twitches of her wings before she quickly regained her composure from the question.

“N-No Devin. I do not think she would be calling you there for that. I assume she wishes to discuss some things with you.” Devin let out a sigh of relief from the mare’s response.

“That’s great. Honestly, I do not wish to be forced into a situation like that, or even worse,” he added before growing a small frown. The gender ratio was one of the few tidbits of information the thestral was able to obtain from Streamline, which honestly shocked him. Never in his wildest dreams would he ever dream that the ratio of males to females could be so skewed. At the same time though, it did shed a little light into his current situation and as to one of the possibilities of why he was brought to this world. And he was certain that the all mighty princess of the moon would be able to tell him more about it.

“Alright Streamline, lead the way. The sooner I get through with this, the better.” With a single nod from the mare, both equines were soon on their way to the princess’s chambers.

About ten minutes had passed before the two equines arrived in front of a moon emblemed door. The walk was made in relative silence before the two equines turned towards one another.

“Well, I guess I will be seeing you around?” Devin questioned. Streamline held a small smile with a nod of her head before responding.

“Yeah, you will. Let me know when you can go into the city. I would love to give you a tour,” the mare said with an added hint of playful seductiveness. Devin’s cheeks soon grew a soft tint of red, though he responded with a smile of his own.

“Please, it’s going to take more than that to get into my pants. You are going to have to wine and dine me sweetie if you ever hope to have a chance,” he responded, causing Streamline to let out a chuckle.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Now in you go, the princess can be rather impatient at times.” Before Devin could respond, the mare opened the door before shoving the thestral inside with another laugh.

“Good luck buddy!” He heard the mare call out before closing the door behind him. After righting himself, the thestral took a quick look around the room. It was mostly like the room he was staying in, with overly decorative furnishing and paintings, though the bed and room itself was much larger. The added Alicorn sipping tea on her balcony was also a difference.

“Ah, sir Devin, a pleasure to finally meet you. Please, have a seat. There is much for us to discuss,” Luna stated casually. Devin to his credit, continued to stare at the mare with skepticism in his eyes. He was still pissed that this was the mare responsible for holding him in the castle against his will, as well as denying any sort of information to him. But he knew that if he was to have any hope of getting information out of the mare, he would have to play along. So with a scowl on his face, the thestral made his way across the room before taking a seat opposite the princess.

“Would you like something to drink? Tea, or perhaps coffee?” Devin offered nothing but silence before the mare set down her own cup with a sigh.

“I see you are still upset about your situation. I apologize for my caution, but rest assured that I did everything for a reason. Aside from that, I would also like to help make amends by answering any questions you may have,” Luna added before locking eyes with her guest.

“Oh, so now you want to answer my questions? Alright then, tell me this princess. Why am I here?” A moment of silence fell between the two before Luna gave her response.

“I believe you already know the answer to that question from your earlier conversations with the Sergeant, though I will still answer it. The reason I brought here was to help populate our race, granted I never imagined your compatibility rating would be so high.”

“And what exactly do you mean by that?” Devin countered with a small growl. Luna took this time to take another sip of her tea before answering the question.

“From the samples we took of your new body, we have concluded that you are in fact able to produce offspring. However, your chance of birthing a colt is exponentially higher than anything we have encountered in the last two hundred years, making you the most valuable asset for our nation,” Luna added before taking the last sip of her tea. Silence soon formed between the parties once again as the thestral calmed himself before giving the mare an icy glare.

“I have just one more question for you then. Is there anyway to return home?”

“No,” Luna quickly responded, facing the stallion’s question with brutal honesty than sweet lies. A low growl erupted from the other side of the table after Luna’s answer, though was quelled after a few moments.

“I’m done,” Devin softly replied as he stared down at the table in front of him. He knew it would be a futile battle to argue with the princess over the events she could no longer change. Though that didn’t stop him from using this time to better position himself for the future. Besides, he figured he wouldn’t be able to return home, let alone his human body after the first week of being in Equestria. It was a fact he was almost sure of, but it still hurt to know he was right.

“I’m sorry, but I do not understand what you mean?” Luna replied, caught off-guard from what she was expecting to be a pissed off thestral.

“I’m done with you princess. I’m done with your meddling and your rules. I may be stuck here, but I will live out my life the way I want. You owe me that much for taking away what you did,” the thestral firmly replied.

“That seems fair, though is that all that you want from me?”

“No. I want a stipend every month that I am here along with the freedom to live outside of the castle without anyone watching over me like I am some child.”

“I am sorry, but I cannot allow that sir Devin. You are too valuable an asset to be left unattended, though it also wouldn’t be right to keep you here in the castle. I will permit you to live in the city with the sole condition that you will have at least one guard with you at all times, as well as living in a place from a selection of my choosings. Is that a fair compromise?” The thestral offered another low growl before standing from his seat at the table. Turning towards the door, Devin made his way across the room before stopping briefly in front of the wooden slab.

“And one last thing princess,” Devin added before his tone grew even colder. “Don’t ever show your face to me again.” And with those final words, the thestral was off.

Shopping

Several days had passed by for the thestral since his meeting with the princess. Most of his time had been spent either walking around the castle or scouring the library for any decent books to read. Luckily, his new body came equipped with the ability to read and speak the native language, an ability his was most thankful for. Aside from that, he also begrudgingly spent some time with Skylight to sort out his arrangement of living off castle grounds. Unfortunately, because of the restriction of always having a guard with him, this narrowed the results to several large mansions in the more upscale part of Canterlot. Despite his objections to such a large living space, the contract was drawn up and Devin was given the deed to the house. All that mattered now, was moving there.

“I fucking hate these shitty roads,” the distorted voice of the thestral complained. Across from him, a smiling Streamline chuckled at the stallion’s misery.

“You get used to them after a while. Besides, would you rather walk there?” the mare questioned. She quickly received the middle finger as a response, causing the mare to just chuckle even more.

“Quit complaining. We're almost there. And if you behave for the rest of the way, I might even give you a treat,” Streamline teased in a seductive voice.

“Psh, please. Knowing you it would be more like a punishment,” Devin countered.

“Only if you’re into that sort of thing. If so, I could punish you all night long.” Devin rolled his eyes at the lewd comment from the mare. It was true that during the last few days he had gotten to know Streamline much better. She was a playful and teasing kind of mare, though very serious when needed. Suffice to say, she had an attitude quite similar to his, making her what he could describe as his first actual friend in this new world.

“Like I said before Streamline, you are going to have to wine and dine me if you ever hope of having a chance to,” the stallion was saying but was cut off by the sudden halting of the carriage. Unfortunately, the stallion’s body lurched forward from the motion, resulting in his snout buried between the legs of his flush-faced friend. It took a few seconds for the stallion to recover, but when he finally did, he noticed the intimate position before quickly pulling himself away from the mare with a crimson blush adorning his features.

“Holy shit, i’m sorry about that Streamline. It was an accident,” Devin tried to apologize. The mare’s wings were slowly twitching along her back as her tail wagged side to side. Her cheeks were obviously red from embarrassment, though she also held a small smirk across her face.

“W-what was that again about having to wine and dine you?” Streamline asked. Silence soon filled the inside of the carriage as Devin and Streamline locked eyes with one another.

“I fucking hate you sometimes,” Devin lamented before the door of the carriage opened. Taking this as his signal to get out of the current situation, the thestral scrambled out of the carriage, followed by a still grinning Streamline.

“We have arrived our destination sir. Is there anything else you require?” Silently musing to himself, the stallion shook his head.

“Nothing I can think of. Thank you for the offer though.” With a simple nod of her head, the mare headed off to store the carriage in the garage area of the complex. Sighing to himself, the stallion took this moment to look at the mansion that now stood in front of him. It was by no means the biggest house or property along the street, though it was still large enough to house him and several guards comfortably. If he was recalling correctly, his new residence sported at least ten bedrooms and baths, along with a communal bathing area, game room, and detached garage for carriage storage.

“So what do you think about the place. Seems pretty cool, right?” Streamline asked. Shrugging his shoulders, the stallion took off towards the entrance with a giddy pegasus in tow.

It took almost a full hour to scout out every room of the mansion. Despite his reluctance at first, Devin did have to admit that it was rather nice, especially the kitchen area. If there was one thing that he missed, it was enjoying the ability to cook for himself whenever he felt like it. He wasn’t able to cook at all when living at the castle, and he knew he would make good use of the kitchen. He was also pleasantly surprised of the master bedroom. Despite the over-the top decorations littering the walls of the mansion, the master bedroom took on a more plain feeling, which the thestral didn’t mind. The master bathroom however, was a completely different story. The entire bathroom was almost as large as one of the many guest rooms. It sported dark, gem-embedded granite countertops, along with a large sized bath and full walk in shower. There was even a small steam room near the back, though he had no urge to use it. All in all, it was nice house, much nicer than anything he would be able to afford back on Earth; though the thought soon ruined his mood.

“What’s wrong Devin. You ok?” The sudden voice quickly snapped the thestral out of his thoughts as he looked up to see a face he wasn’t expecting.

“Lemon-Scent? What are you doing here?” The mare just giggled at the stallion with a smile on her face before responding.

“Well, I’m here to assist you of course. My higher ups thought it would be a good idea to let somepony you actually know keep your new home tidy, versus a complete stranger.” Devin nodded his head in understanding at the mare’s reasoning. It was true that he would feel more comfortable with Lemon-Scent keeping the new house clean, versus some other random maid.

“Alright then. I’ll try not to make much of a mess. Feel free to take any room that you like as well, since I believe you will be staying here with us. My room is the master bedroom, and don’t really know what room Streamline picked. Just go ahead and make yourself at home.” Lemon-Scent quickly pulled the thestral into a tight hug.

“Thank you Devin! I’ll pick out my room before tidying up anything I might find. Oh, and if you need any help with your clothes again, don’t hesitate to ask,” the mare said before hurrying of with few giggles.

“Oh, and what exactly does she mean by that Devin? You already scored some tail before we got here?” the voice of Streamline suddenly accused as she walked into the room. Devin scoffed at the mare’s attempt to tease him, before quickly growing a small grin on his face.

“Why Streamline, you aren’t jealous of Lemon now are you?” Streamline’s cheeks tinted a small shade of red, though she waved her hand to dismiss the accusation.

“Yeah right. I don’t get jealous. But anyways, what did she actually mean by that comment though?”

“It’s a long story, though she did bring up a good point. I have next to no clothing aside from the few outfits I was given. Seeing as I now have a place to store them, is there any place that sells clothes for stallions around in here?” Putting a hand on her chin in thought, the mare nodded her head.

“Yes there is. Actually, there is a mall not too far away from here, though it isn’t as big as the Canterlot Central Mall.”

“That doesn’t really bother me as long as they sell clothes for stallions. I just need something casual to wear, and maybe some jeans and a hoodie. Damn I miss my jeans.” Streamline chuckled at the stallion’s ramblings before swinging an arm around his shoulder.

“Don’t worry Devin. By the time i’m through with you, you’ll be getting all the mare’s,” she teased. Devin responded with a simple eye-roll as he was led out of the house by the chuckling mare.

It took about half an hour for the two to finally arrive at their destination. It would have been much faster taking the carriage, though the thestral insisted on walking due to the lack of good roads and suspension.

“Alright, here we are,” Streamline said. The mare noticed that many of the patrons were staring at the two, or more specifically the stallion.

“They’re staring at us,” Devin chimed in, solidifying the fact.

“Yes they are. It’s probably because not many of them have a chance to see stallions too often, especially one that isn’t with his herd.”

“Wait, you mean that every stallion usually has his entire herd with him when they do something?” a befuddled thestral questioned.

“Yes. It actually has to do with the safety of the stallion more than anything else. When a stallion forms a herd with multiple mares, the number of slots in the herd decreases. Of course, no stallion has a set limit to the amount of mares he can have, but they usually fall around the range of eight. So when a stallion without that many wanders around in public, it’s more of an invitation for them to join if the stallion is interested. And you would be surprised what some mares will do for a chance like that,” Streamline explained. Devin couldn’t believe the response he had just received. He wasn’t so much worried about being jumped by a bunch of mares, seeing as he had Streamline with him, though it would greatly annoy him if he got pestered every minute while he tried to shop.

“Well let’s hope nothing bad will come. Besides, I have you to protect me after all. And if you do a good job, I will buy you a cookie at the food court,” Devin playfully stated. The look in Streamline’s eyes said it all, as the mare pressed her body against Devin’s in a protective fashion.

“You better not be joking about that cookie. Because I swear, I will do terrible things to you if you joke about something like that,” the mare threatened as the two made their way through the front entrance of the mall.

When the two equines entered inside, they were met with a fairly large food court along the left hand side, along with a few stores near the right. Walking past this area, Streamline began to salivate as the smell of fresh baked cookies bombarded both of their senses. Devin had to admit, the smell was divine and that he probably wouldn’t be able to stop himself from picking up a dozen cookies for later. Though he would most likely have to hide them from Streamline if she was being serious about the cookie threat.

“So what stores actually sell male clothing here? I figured there wouldn’t be many seein as how there isn’t a high number of stallions.”

“There are a few stores that I know of down a ways, though it’s mostly the larger department stores that do. We can also stop at any store that interests you. I’m also sure there is a directory somewhere that can tell us every store that sells stallion clothing.” With a simple nod, the two continued their way for a few minutes before walking into one of the many stores. It was rather large compared to some of the smaller, more mainstream stores, but sported a small male section that Streamline happily escorted her charge too.

“Alright, here it is. Doesn’t look like much, but see if you can find anything you like,” Streamline happily stated. It didn’t take long to paw through the many articles of clothing, though the thestral did manage to find a few pairs of jeans in his size and some boxers with the help of Streamline and two very enthusiastic employees. He also managed to snag a new pair of shoes, seeing as how he had been wearing sandals for the last few weeks, along with an assortment of socks. By the time the stallion had finished trying everything on checking out, he had to practically run out of the store to avoid the two mares tailing behind him.

The next store the two visited was more of a success in terms of quality of items and staff. Devin picked out a hoodie and several casual shirts that caught his fancy, along with a few short sleeved button ups in case he need to look somewhat formal. The only problem the thestral encountered was the fact that he was still having trouble getting his wings through the slits on certain shirts, prompting Streamline to go into the changing room and help him out. The mare seemed to enjoy accidentally feeling up his body every time he needed a shirt on or off, while the thestral’s cheeks burned bright red with embarrassment.

“So where to now?” Devin questioned as he and Streamline walked out of the store. Despite only visiting two stores, Devin was content with everything he had purchased, especially his new shoes. He just figured that if he needed to get any more clothes, he would find a store in Canterlot that catered to nothing but stallions.

“Oh, do you mind if I stop at a store real fast? After that we can head on out,” Streamline asked. Of course, Devin nodded his head as it was only fair, though quickly regretted his decision as he wound up in front of the pony equivalent of Victoria Secret. Giving him no time to argue, Streamline grabbed the stallion by the hand before pulling him inside with her. As soon as the two entered the store, every mare’s gaze was upon him before Streamline led him to a bin of panties.

“Do I really need to be here for this? I honestly think you are just teasing me at this point,” Devin whined.

“Well of course i’m doing this to tease you. Besides, I need to figure out what kind of panties you like more. So tell me, these ones or these?” Streamline questioned, holding up two sets of panties. The first set was a striped pink and green pair of boyshorts, while the second set was a hot pink pair of bikini style panties with outer black lacing. Despite the embarrassment he felt, Devin answered honestly as he pointed towards the hot pink pair of panties in her right hand.

“I think I would like those more.” Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Streamline grabbed a few more pairs of the same style, along with two thongs that quickly flustered the stallion. To make matters worse, several mares including employees of the store, kept on brushing up against the stallion as he stood next to Streamline while she shopped. He could swear he even felt one taking in his scent as she leaned a little too close to sort through one of the bins.

“Can we go now Streamline,” Devin asked, obviously uncomfortable with the situation. Seeing the unease of the stallion, Streamline nodded her head before taking her items to the register and checking out.

“Alright Devin, i’m done. All we have to do is get those cookies and then we can head back,” Streamline said as she finished paying for her items. Honestly, he had forgotten about the cookies ever since he had entered the last store. He knew though that Streamline wasn’t going to drop so for the final act of the trip, Devin ordered a dozen different cookies that Streamline was squealing about. Though for payback, Devin made the mare wait until they arrived back at the mansion before she could partake in any of the sweet deliciousness of the cookies. He even went as far as slowly eating one in front of her on the way back, all the while commenting on how amazingly delicious it was. All in all, it was turning out to be a rather good day.

Comfort

Chapter 5

“No,” the stern and frustrated voice of a thestral responded.

“I’m sorry Devin, but you don’t have a choice in the matter. It’s the princess’s orders,” the slightly annoyed voice of Skylight reiterated. She had been having this conversation with the thestral for the past five minutes, and yet he continued to argue with her on the matter.

“I said it multiple times and I will say it again. Fuck no and fuck off. I’m not going to see some fucking shrink because you and your little princess pal think i’m some sort of suicidal case. And even if I was, it’s none of your fucking business. So like I said before the answer is no. Now kindly fuck off Skylight!” Devin yelled, storming away upstairs into the master bedroom. The green coated unicorn let out another frustrated groan as she tried to figure out a way to convey the importance of visiting a psychologist.

“Damn that stallion, he isn’t making my job any easier,” the mare thought. It was true that the stallion had fought her tooth and nail every step of the way, and she logically assumed the attitude would continue. And despite her opposition to forcing the stallion into anything against his will, she knew it would do him good, at least in the long run.

“Maybe you should give him a little bit of space Major. Devin is a good stallion. He will come around, but you can’t force him into these sorts of things. If he wants help he will seek it out, but until then, the best thing we can do for him is to just be there for him and to be his friend.” With a reluctant nod, Skylight took this time to look towards her subordinate. Her words spoke volumes of her observational skills, a useful trait for any guard to have. It was one of the reasons Skylight trusted the pegasus, along with her immaculate service record.

“I know Streamline, I know. If I were in his situation, I would probably be reacting the same way. What happened to him isn’t fair, and I empathize with him. But the princess thinks what’s best is for him to be in therapy,” Skylight countered.

“And what exactly do you think is the best course of action for Devin?” Streamline retorted back. Her question held no sense of disrespect, but an abundance of curiosity. The pegasus knew what she would do in this sort of situation, though without an officer’s rank backing her up, her solution would likely go unheard.

Skylight took a few moments to think over the question. If it were up to her, she would sit down with the thestral and explain the situation to him. No lies, no half-truths, just the honest truth. She would explain how important he was to the survival of the Equestrian race and would make every accommodation she could to help ease the stallion’s transition into their society. Though like anyone else in the military, she had orders from higher up. Granted, her orders came directly from the highest power there was, so she assumed there could be some wiggle room for negotiations. And seeing how Princess Luna is also the mare’s friend.

With a determined nod the mare looked towards the sergeant with her answer.

“Thank you Streamline. I think I've been approaching this situation wrong from the start.” Looking towards the watch on her wrist, the mare noted that it was getting close to evening. With any luck, the Princess would be done with most of her obligations for the day and could make some time to see her.

“Hold down the fort Sergeant, I will be back late this evening. There’s somepony I need to see tonight.” For a brief moment, the mare’s body shimmered in the faint glow of a dark green aura. Long range teleportation was a difficult spell to master, seeing as how any little mistake could send a pony six feet under. Luckily, with the years of practice to and from Canterlot castle, the spell was a cinch for the experienced unicorn. A few more seconds later and the mare vanished from in front of Streamline. To this day it still amazed the pegasus at how fast a talented unicorn could make their way to Canterlot castle. Being of the avian variety, it would take the mare at least a good twenty minutes of flying to reach the same destination as Skylight reached in an instant.

Ruffling the wings on her back, Streamline couldn’t help but shrug. Despite the efficiency of being able to instantaneously transport a pony from point A to point B, the mare still preferred her wings. There was just a calming nature to soaring through the skies without a care in the world. The more the mare thought about her wings, the more she realized a great opportunity arising. Seeing as how her new charge was also capable of flight, she could teach him how to fly. It would be a great experience for the both of them, even allowing the two to bond more. And perhaps if the mare played her cards right, something a little more could come of it. A few lecherous thoughts popped into the mare’s head, mostly involving the mare and stallion having a rather good time on one of the many clouds above Canterlot. It took most of her control, though Streamline was able to withhold her wings from springing out to the side in an obvious display of arousal. Shaking her head free of those thoughts, the mare grabbed her bag from the previous outing before making her way upstairs.

“Foal steps Streamline, foal steps,” the pegasus mumbled, though she couldn’t hide the slight wag of her tail to and fro.

“It was turning out to be such a good day, then this stupid shit happens,” Devin angrily thought. He was rather enjoying his time with Streamline, despite all of the teasing and awkward stares he had received at the mall. He was very grateful for the pegasus friend he had made, though his mood couldn’t help but sour at the thought of the other mare.

“Why the hell can’t she see I don’t need their help? I’m perfectly fine the way I am.” The thestral continued his line of thoughts as he stared up at the ceiling from the comfort of his bed. After the little back and forth with Major Skylight, Devin lost all motivation to do anything else for the day. It had been two hours or so since the altercation, and the stallion still refused to move from his spot. It wasn’t until a few knocks on the door pulled the thestral from his thoughts.

“Devin, it’s Streamline. Can I come in?” the soft and caring voice of the pegasus rang from the other side of the door. Despite the fact that he didn’t really feel in the mood for company, Devin reluctantly sighed before responding.

“Yeah, it’s open.” Although he tried his best effort to conceal his emotions, the tone in his voice did little to convince the mare walking into his room that everything was alright.

“Hey Devin, I just wanted to check up on you and see how you were doing? I know it’s a little late and you haven’t really eaten dinner, so if you’re hungry I can go get you something.” And just like that, the stallion felt even worse than before. Just the caring tone of voice the mare was using was enough for the stallion to sit up in bed against the headboard, taking in the sight in front of him. There was no doubt it was his pegasus friend, though her attire had drastically changed from earlier in the day. A pair of short-black gym shorts rested firmly against the mare’s lower body, defining her shapely toned flank and thighs. A grey, slim fitting shirt accompanied the mare’s top half, accenting her assets and exposing her belly button. Suffice to say, Devin was mesmerized by the appearance of the mare, taking in her athletic beauty as she made her way to the side of his bed.

“T-Thank you Streamline, but i’m fine. I’m actually not really that hungry,” the thestral managed to state. His tone had yet to change and still worried the mare. She knew he had a lot on his mind, and as a good friend, it was her job to be there for him when he wanted to open up. Without wasting another moment, Streamline climbed into the bed with the thestral before resting against the headboard of the bed with a soft sigh.

“Devin, what’s wrong?” the voice was so gentle, Devin almost couldn’t hear it. Luckily with his new and improved sense of hearing, he was able to deduce the question as soon as he heard it.

“You’re not going to let this go if I tell you i’m fine, are you?” he questioned. One look from the mare was all he needed. He wasn’t going to get away with any half-assed answers. And she knew that he wouldn’t lie to her and instead would just prefer to remain silent. And that is exactly what he did.

Minutes rolled by for the pair of ponies with the thestral somehow silently coaxed into a new position. He didn’t really plan for it to happen, though when he went to lie back down in a more comfortable position, he had somehow found his head gently resting in the mare’s lap. For her part, Streamline was more than happy to oblige her friend with a soothing repetition of running her hands gently through his mane. The act was more than enough to comfort the stallion and after about ten minutes, the first question arose.

“Streamline… do you think that i’m broken?” gone was the depressed tone from earlier, replaced by a tone mixed with curiosity and albeit, fear.

“No Devin, I do not think you are broken. You are a good stallion that got the raw end of a deal you had no choice in,” Streamline calmly replied. Devin could only silently nod at the answer, using the next few minutes of silence to sort out his own feelings.

“Do you think I need therapy?” Streamline hesitated for a moment, though decided she should give her two cents.

“Devin, what you experienced is not something that just anyone can relate to. I think therapy could be a very helpful way to sort out your feelings on the whole situation, though I will not force you to go. You are capable of making your own decisions just like I am.” A small laugh soon escaped the thestrals throat, causing the mare to stop her stroking.

“Thank you for that Streamline. That’s all I ever wanted. A choice that I could decide for myself and not be bound by the orders of some Princess.” Devin was quick to sit up from his position before turning around and throwing his arms around the mare. Startled by the sudden affection from the stallion, the mare took a moment before reciprocating the action.

“Think nothing of it Devin. I know you will ask for help when you truly need it.” Streamline replied while still in the grasp of her friend. The hug continued for another minute or so before the thestral’s breath caught in his throat.

“S-Streamline, your hands.” the stallion deadpanned, feeling the mare unslide one of her hands from near the stallion’s cutie mark. Sheepishly pulling away the mare quickly got up from the bed before making her way out of the room with a sway to her hips.

“I don’t know what you are talking about, though you can thank me later,” the mare teased as she made her way out of the room. Despite what had just transpired, Devin couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer audacity and bravado of the mare. The way she always seemed to make him smile was a gift that he would always cherish. It was just then that a jolt of pain struck through the stallion’s abdomen, reminding him of his previously forgotten meal. Shaking his head with another chuckle, the stallion rose from the bed before making his way out of his room and towards the kitchen, where hopefully he could convince Streamline to let him take her up on that offer of food. All-in-all, still a pretty good day.

Forgiveness

Hey everyone. I'm stuck on a 24hr duty shift, so I had some spare time. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I know it was long overdue.

Chapter 7

There had been very few times in Skylight’s life where she had to truly question a decision. Ever since she was a little filly she had demonstrated conviction, determination, and a steadfast attitude that wrought her a successful career in the Royal Guard. However, as Lemon Scent helped her tighten down both of the gloves covering her hands, the mare couldn’t help but waver in her conviction to make amends with Devin. The unicorn was no stranger to boxing, as it was a common tool used to help guards relieve stress with one another. If two guards had issues, a few rounds in the ring was more than enough to settle the dispute and often resulted in the two of them grabbing a drink afterwards. It’s just how things worked. Mares could go from beating the living Tartarus out of each other, to smashing down shots like they had been friends for years. She was no exception and had her spat with a few guards, though it always ended the same. Both mares bloody and bruised, but completely content with the results with no animosity towards each other. After one final check from Lemon Scent, Skylight turned her attention towards the far end of the garage to see Streamline’s uncomfortable expression as she tried one last time to convince Devin of another way to work out their issues. The stallion in question didn’t even respond as Streamline finished tightening his gloves before turning to meet the gaze of his opponent.

“Devin, are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this? Please, if there is any other way to make amends, just tell me and I will do it,” Skylight all but begged. To his credit, Devin remained silent as he made his way to the middle of the garage and into the makeshift ring. The ring was nothing to boast about, but had been created a few days before everypony had moved in. Skylight had the foresight to install it as a means to stay in shape and to train any new guards in hand to hand combat, should they become personal guards of the thestral. Granted, she could have never predicted she would be using it this soon and for such an outlandish reason.

“You asked me what it would take to earn back my trust. To make amends for everything that’s happened between us. This is the way you will earn my trust back,” the thestral stated before rolling his shoulders and limbering up. Skylight knew the stallion was unlike any stallion she had met before. Surprisingly, a tiny part of her was excited to step into the ring with a stallion who claimed to be able to hold his own against her. It took guts to do what he was doing, and given his unique background, maybe she didn’t need to be so worried. However, the instinctual mare in her overruled that tiny part of herself.

“If this is what I must do, then I will do it. I am a mare of my word,” Skylight reluctantly responded, as she made her way into the ring and began to limber up as well. It was another couple of minutes before both challengers finished their warmups and properly locked eyes for the first time.

“Here are the rules. Only body shots. Nothing below the belt if you can help it and no face shots. Timer is set for two minutes. We will go for three rounds,” Devin paused for a moment as he stared Skylight down. “Another thing. There will be no going easy on me or using the excuse that I'm a colt. We give it everything we have and leave it all in the ring. If I think you are pulling your punches or are going easy on me, I will stop the fight and you will never get another chance to gain my trust back. Is that understood?” Devin waited a good few seconds for the mare’s response. Almost every fiber of her being was shouting at her for putting herself in this situation. Her instincts had always told her that she should be protecting stallions, no fighting them. Though this was her only chance to make amends. Her only chance to start off right with the stallion. The only chance to possibly salvage something she had given up so long ago.

“I-I agree to the rules. Sergeant Streamline will be our time keeper. Lemon Scent will be standing by for first aid.” Seemingly satisfied with the mare’s answer, Devin extended a glove towards the mare as a sign of good faith. She couldn’t help but form a small smile on her lips as she lightly tapped his glove with her own before making her way to her corner. It was another twenty seconds later before a loud shout from Streamline initiated the fight.

Making her way slowly out of her corner, the mare raised both hands as a guard as she watched the thestral move about the ring. His movements were nothing fancy, though a bit foreign to her. She chalked it up mostly to the differences in culture of where he is from compared to Equestria. As the gap dwindled between the two, it was the thestral who made the first move. Dashing in towards the mare, Skylight instinctively threw out an intercepting punch, hoping to stop the stallion in his tracks. To her surprise, the thestral’s footwork allowed him to seamlessly dodge the jab before delivering a powerful two-hit combo on the mare’s torso before being forced away with another missed jab of her own. All of the mares in attendance were caught off guard at the sudden attack, though that did little to slow Devin down. Making his way back in, the thestral relied heavily on his footwork and speed to avoid hits from his opponent. Despite the hits not being as forceful as other challengers she has faced, the constant hits were beginning to wear the mare down. She had only managed to land a couple of glancing blows on the stallion’s torso. Though she was getting used to the rhythm of his movements. If being in the guard had taught the mare anything, it was that she needed to always be able to adapt to any situation she might find herself in.

There was only about fifteen seconds left in the first round before the thestral had his first taste of what real damage the mare could do. Relying on his speed once again, Devin dashed in to try and deliver another quick set of hits before retreating out of range of Skylight. Sensing the timing, Skylight was able to intercept the stallion before landing a powerful blow to his chest, sending him reeling back and knocking the air out of him. Normally, Skylight would advance on the staggered opponent, though the mare’s instincts were quick to stop her from advancing on the winded stallion. She just couldn’t help it, though after a few seconds the stallion raised to his feet with a smile on his face. It took Skylight a second to notice the look on his face. It wasn’t one of hate, anger, or pain. No, it was an expression she had seen all too many times from her experience in the ring. He was having fun. Before the two could move again, Streamline was quick to stop the match as the first bout had ended. Both Skylight and Devin made their way over to their respective corners, as a frantic looking Lemon Scent scanned Devin’s body for any reason to stop the fight. Granted, even if she found one, that wouldn’t stop him.

Skylight had finally hit him, and not a gentle hit either. She had put a lot of power into the punch that got him. And for some odd reason, that invigorated the stallion. Maybe it was because this was the first time since he had been in Equestria that he had been treated like a normal pony. No pony was fretting over his mental or physical state, or if he was getting proper nutrition. No, the previous exchange was from an opponent that didn’t see gender, but an opportunity during the fight and she took it. That only caused the stallion to smile even more. Hearing Skylight shout that there was only ten seconds left of the break, both parties stood up from their corners and awaited the pegasus to start the second bout. It didn’t take long before the two were off to the races once again.

This time, it was Devin’s turn to be on the defensive. He knew he couldn’t just blindly rush in and use his speed to dodge the mare’s attack. She had adapted way too quickly to his movements, so he would need another avenue of attack. After wrestling control of her instincts to not to harm her charge, Skylight was ready. She knew Devin wouldn’t rush in like he had before during the first part of the fight. And she wasn’t going to give him a moment to contemplate his next move. Wasting no time, Skylight drove straight towards the thestral as she delivered a quick succession of punches. Luckily, Devin was able to barely dodge most of the hits, while escaping with a couple of glancing blows. Despite it only being glancing blows, the mare still had power behind every punch she threw. It was then that Devin knew what he had to do. He needed to keep distance between the two of them, though still be able to reach the mare without her being able to reach him. Although he didn’t explicitly state it, there was never a rule against what he was about to do. Only that all hits were to remain as body shots.

Backing off a bit more from the mare, the thestral waited for her to make her move. As he predicted, the mare was not about to let Devin gain a moment of reprieve. Though that was quick to change as he delivered a devastating sidekick into the mare’s torso, forcing her back and to a knee. Everypony was quick to cast a glance at the smiling stallion as he reiterated his rules.

“Only body shots. Didn’t say anything about only using your hands,” he playfully added. In most cases, Skylight would have been pissed. Even though it wasn’t explicitly stated, they were under the assumption that it would only be hands. However, she couldn’t fault him for it. He had found a way to stop her advancement and whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was not that well versed in kicking, preferring to use the brute strength of her punches to win fights. This did present a good opportunity to level the playing field though. And as the mare stood to her feet, she began to wear the same smile the thestral had adorned earlier. This change in her behavior was quick to be noticed by Devin, and he returned her smile with one of his own.

Both parties finished off the rest of the bout with a few more bruises and a gash to match. Each pony was breathing heavily, though they seemed to be enjoying every second of it. Every mare was surprised by just how long Devin had managed to sustain himself in the ring. They knew they were both in pain, but to have a stallion able to dish out hits and take them too? Streamline was all too eager to come up with a few… activities the two of them could do to strengthen their friendship and more.

After Lemon Scent confirmed that both parties were still able to fight, Streamline called the two for the final bout. The last bout was nothing like the first two fights the mare’s had witnessed. During the first two bouts, both parties tried their damndest to minimize the damage they had taken. This concept was all but forgotten as both Skylight and Devin collectively decided that this last match was going to be a slugfest. Punches, kicks, and even more punches accompanied both fighters opted for a more offensive approach. However, it was during one of these exchanges that completely ended the fight.

Seeing fit to tank another punch or two from Skylight, mostly due to the adrenaline surging through his body, Devin reared his dominant hand back for a hard-hitting blow. However, as the thestral stepped forward, a patch of sweat caused him to lose his footing and send his face directly into the path of the mare’s glove. He saw it coming like everything was in slow motion, though his body refused to register his movements as he felt his glove connect with the mare before blacking out.

There had been only a few times in which the human turned thestral had blacked out in his life. The first time was his first experience with alcohol. Nobody warned him that some of the vodka at the party tasted like watermelon sprite. Luckily his friends were keeping an eye on him and were gracious enough to throw his body into the bathtub, after they sharpied his face of course.

The second time was when he was going through desert training in his old unit. Due to logistical issues, water was not on the top of the priority list for some strange reason. That was until he passed out from dehydration and a medic had to pump him full of fluids to keep him alive. It was fun though to watch his commander get his ass chewed out for lack of planning.

And finally, the most recent time. Where a small pool of sweat sent the thestral’s face careening straight into the gloved fist of the mare he was fighting. The good news was that the fight had ended and Devin won due to a technicality. The bad news, the repercussions of the fight that he was beginning to feel as he stirred from his unconscious state.

“I knew it, I just bucking knew it. I knew something like this was going to happen. I tried to talk him out of it, but no, he just had to do it. Way to go Streamline, what is everypony going to think when we show up with a battered, bruised, and unconscious stallion at the hospital? They are going to label us stallion beaters and we will be thrown in the dungeons. And the worst part of all, I won’t be able to have cloud sex with Devin!” Streamline ranted to herself. The admission of the pegasus’s fantasy caused Skylight and Lemon Scent to do somewhat of a double take, though their main focus was on the stallion that was beginning to stir.

Groaning from the throbbing headache he had, Devin was able to slowly push himself up from the couch he had been placed on. Skylight and Lemon Scent were quick to offer him some support as he groaned again from the amount of pain he was in.

“Note to self. Get the tag of that truck that just ran me over,” he managed to wheeze out with a chuckle. Upon hearing his voice, Streamline stopped in her tracks before appearing in a flash of blue feathers in front of Devin.

“Devin! Thank the gods. Please tell me you’re alright?” Streamline begged, tears streaming down her cheeks. Noticing the state of his friend, he felt a wave of guilt crash into him. He knew the mare cared about him and that seeing him unconscious must have sent her off into a panic attack.

“H-Hey Streamline. I-I’m fine,” he managed to say with a soft cough. Dashing towards the kitchen, Devin’s sensitive hearing picked up the faint sound of a glass being filled with water as Streamlined chastised the faucet to hurry up. Devin, reflexively pinned his ears towards his head as he knew how much he had worried his friend, and most likely all the mares there.

“How are you feeling?” Skylight questioned, breaking the silence between them.

“Honestly, I feel like shit. Though that is to be expected after I got drilled in the face by your punch,” he stated. He didn’t mean too, though Skylight pinned her ears against her head before looking away from the thestral.

“Devin, I’m so sorry that happened. I swear to you, that I didn’t mean for that to happen,” Skylight added. Looking towards the unicorn, Devin could make out the faint signs of tears. He knew she had reservations about fighting a stallion, though he made her do it. And during the fight, he had gotten injured, even though it was an accident. Mustering a bit more of his strength, Devin managed to sit up fully before reaching towards the downtrodden unicorn and pulling her into a hug.

“Skylight, I’m sorry I forced you to do something you were so uncomfortable with. I just wanted a chance to prove to you all that I’m not some defenseless stallion and that I can fight back and take a hit if needed.” Releasing the hug from the mare, Streamline returned with a glass of water, insisting she help him drink from the glass. After an awkward second or two, Devin finished his drink with a smile.

“Skylight, what happened was an accident and I don’t blame you. You have more than obliged my selfish request. Thank you,” Devin said with a small nod of his head and an extended hand. “Like I said before, we leave everything in the ring. I have forgiven you and I sure hope that punch to the face was forgiveness for me,” Devin tried to joke. Wiping away a few of her tears, Skylight nodded her head with a small laugh as she accepted his handshake. She was gentle and made sure not to shake his hand too hard. With everything seemingly right between the pair of combatants, Streamline used this opportunity to help hoist Devin off the couch and onto his feet.

“O-Ouch! Damn, settle down Streamline. I’m in a lot of pain here,” Devin quietly yelled. It didn’t take long for him to notice the piercing gaze the pegasus was delivering to the thestral.

“Damn right you’re in pain. You’re a bucking idiot with a death wish! Though don’t you worry. You aren’t leaving my sight for the next few days. I’m going to fix you up, good as new. Now wrap your arm around my shoulder. I'm going to help you up the stairs and into bed.” Streamline left no room to protest as both Skylight and Lemon Scent watched Streamline all but drag the stallion up the stairs and into his room.

Happy Flaps

Chapter 8

About a week had passed since Devin and Skylight had made amends. The two truly left any animosity towards each other in the ring. Devin would greet Skylight in the mornings with a smile while making small talk as everypony ate their breakfast. There were a lot of interesting facts about the mare that the thestral did not know before. One such interesting fact was that the mare used to play the piano, despite her demeanor. When Devin asked how she started playing, he was told a rather somber fact about the mare. She was an orphan from a very young age. Her main mother had died of some type of medical complication shortly after her birth. Her other mother started drinking as a result of the death, often finding solace in reminding Skylight that she was the one who killed her mother. Suffice to say, CPS was called numerous times before they finally had enough after a drunken night left Skylight in the hospital. Of course, Skylight’s living mother was investigated and found to have been so abusive that it warranted the mare being sent to jail while Skylight got put in the foster care system. It was during her time in foster care that she took up the piano as an outlet to help express her emotions. She had played all throughout her younger years and into highschool. Every now and again she would play some, though it wasn’t something she was actively pursuing. Devin made a mental note to try and get the mare to play him something next time an opportunity arose.

When Devin asked Lemon Scent about her family, the mare seemed a tad reluctant to give away any information about them. Her posture and tone told the stallion all he needed to know about the sort of relationship she had with them. And although Devin’s interest was piqued, he respected the mare’s privacy before moving onto Streamline.

Out of everypony there, Streamline had the rather standard upbringing. Born to two middle class mares in the suburbs, she went to school and enlisted in the Royal Guard right after highschool. And the rest is history. When Devin compared the ages of the mares, he found that Streamline was the youngest of three at the age of twenty three. Lemon Scent was twenty five and Skylight was reaching her twentyninth birthday within a few weeks. Devin made another mental note to get her something before going into a few details about himself.

After a brief discussion and breakfast, Devin was hoisted back upstairs by a very watchful Streamline. She made a threat to be within eyeshot of the thestral at all times during his recovery, and she meant it. The only time he had any solace was when he was in the bathroom to use the latrine or take a shower. Every other time, Streamline was constantly there to check up on him and make sure that the healing process continued smoothly. It was also during this time that Streamline decided to make herself available during the night, in case he needed anything. Though the thestral believed it was just a way to get the two of them to sleep in the same bed. And surprisingly after a few days of the routine, Devin started liking the notion of sharing a bed with someone else. Even if it didn’t involve anything sexual, not that Streamline didn’t try a time or two, he still felt comfortable having the mare around him. Which led to another thought entirely. How did she really feel about him? Or better yet, how did he really feel about her? It was these questions that lingered in the stallion’s mind on his last day of recovery. He knew he would need to talk to Streamline about it, though he didn’t quite know how to breach the subject in conversation. Granted, he was sure that an opportunity would present itself by the end of the day.

“Devin, can you come downstairs for a minute? We need to figure out where we want to go and eat,” the voice of Skylight called up to him. Sitting up from his position in the bathtub, Devin took a moment to close his eyes for another moment of peace before getting out of the tub and drying off. Now that he had recovered enough for his friends not to be labeled a stallion beater, everyone wanted to take him out for something to eat as a celebration of sorts. When he asked what they were celebrating, he received a couple of responses. One, for not dying in the boxing match against Skylight. And two, for starting a clean slate with the mare. Skylight insisted that she would treat everypony to a meal as a show of gratitude, and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Yeah, I heard ya. Be out in a few minutes,” Devin yelled back, as he begrudgingly wiped away the last of the water on his coat. He still wasn’t one hundred percent used to dealing with such a thick coat of fur, or any fur for that matter. It made drying off a rather annoying task, since he needed multiple towels to be able to do so now. Though that was just another thing he would have to get used to.

Throwing on a pair of jeans he had gotten from his previous outing with Streamline, the stallion grabbed his shirt before proceeding downstairs. Making his way into the kitchen area, he saw everypony talking amongst themselves but quickly froze mid conversation as Devin outstretched his hand with the shirt.

“I don’t feel like messing with this thing for the next half an hour, so can you please just help me real quick?” Devin asked. Lemon Scent wasted no time in grabbing the shirt from the thestral before throwing it over his head and gently guiding his wings through the two wing slits on the back.

“Thanks, Lemon. So, where exactly are we going?” Devin asked. Skylight and Streamline were quick to snap out of their stupor before answering his question.

“Well, we have a few places in mind. Since this is mainly as a show of gratitude for you, we all thought that you might like to pick the place we eat, or at least a general idea so we can narrow it down from there,” Skylight replied. The thestral shrugged his shoulders before offering his response.

“Honestly, I don’t really care. Since I don’t really know most of the restaurants around here, you all can pick. Something not formal though. I don’t really have clothes to match that kind of setting. Speaking of which, will I need to get a suit or something?”

“I don’t think you have too, though it would be a good idea if you did. We can take you to a place tomorrow if you want. They should be able to fit you for a couple of suits for when you have to wear them to specific stallion functions.” Devin raised an eyebrow at the last part of that sentence. He didn’t know what a stallion function was, but he assumed he wouldn’t like it.

“And what exactly is a stallion function? Just somewhere stallions can meet and greet with one another?” Skylight took this opportunity to clear her throat, not looking forward to the response she was about to give.

“A stallion function is a function for stallions to interact with mares, mostly the nobility, for the purpose of meeting new potential herdmates or clients if the stallion is into that line of work.”

“So, it’s basically a place where mares can window shop for stallions and then proposition them for sex with money or companionship?” Devin bluntly stated. All three mares looked away from the stallion as he phrased it that way, though they had to agree that is what it was.

“In simple terms, yes. Though they aren’t mandatory, or at least most of them aren’t. Every stallion must attend the summer function since it is close to estrus season for mares, though they aren't required to attend anymore than that. Most stallions only attend one or two a year, unless they are in that type of work,” Skylight answered. Devin let out a sigh and shook his head.

“Great. If I have to attend the summer function, that’s probably going to be in a month or so. So I guess I will need those suits sooner than later. What happens if I don’t attend the summer function?” Skylight began to fidget a bit, knowing the answer but not wanting to upset the stallion.

“The stallion and his herd would have to have an audience with Princess Luna and explain why they were not present for the event, since it is the law. If the Princess deems the answer unsatisfactory, the herd could receive a large fine or some other types of repercussions. Other citizens might shun them as well since it is the duty of the mares in herds to take their stallions to these sorts of events. Though that does rarely happen.” Letting out a grunt of annoyance, he knew good and well that the Princess was expecting him to be at the event. If he failed to show up, his friends might pay the price for it since they all technically work for the Princess. Or worse, she might force him back to the castle, not that he would go without a fight. He decided to push the thought out of his mind for the moment and instead focus on the here and now.

“Despite how stupid that law is, I would prefer not to complicate my life any more than it already is. We can start looking for a suit tomorrow, but for now, let’s just get something to eat. I honestly don’t care where we eat as long as I don’t have to dress up for it. So feel free to pick,” he said. Streamline and Skylight shared a look with each other before silently agreeing on a place.

“Well, there is a place not too far from here. It’s… not the most extravagant place for stallions, but a lot of guards go there and they serve decent food. The patrons shouldn’t bother us too much since Skylight will outrank most of them,” Streamline said.

“Sounds good to me. Lead the way,” Devin added, as the party of four made their way out the door and towards the restaurant.

It was nearing around seven in the evening when the group managed to make it to the restaurant. The walk was uneventful, except for the multiple stares the group had received from other ponies. In the upper district where his home was located, most of the ponies would give a quick glance in their direction, their eyes focused on the stallion and mares for a few seconds before being on their way. Stallions were more of a normal sight around those parts since most of them tended to be herded with nobility or high status ponies. However, once the group started making their way out of their neighborhood and towards the lower part of the city, that is when the stares from other ponies became longer and more awkward. Devin couldn’t fault them for it, even if it did unnerve him slightly. Most ponies probably didn’t expect to see a stallion around their area, or one so exotic as him. As if sensing his unease about the situation, Streamline made it abundantly clear that he would be safe as she and Lemon Scent practically glued themselves on either side of Devin with Skylight taking point.

“It’s just up ahead. Hopefully it won’t be that busy on a weekday. I don’t want to deal with a bunch of inebriated guards,” Skylight said. She proceeded up to the door before holding it open for the group to enter. As soon as the thestral stepped through the door, he was hit with a wave of familiarity as he internally chuckled to himself at where he was at.

“Of course this would be the spot a bunch of guards would frequent,” he mumbled to himself, scanning the room full of box TVs and mares in different colored jerseys. He was in a bar, a sports bar at that, and it seemed that Skylight had guessed wrong on the amount of patrons the establishment was hosting.

“Dammit. I forgot it’s the start of buckball season. This is going to be crowded as hell in an hour,” Skylight said before turning towards Devin.

“Hey, Devin. I sort of bucked up and forgot it was the start of buckball season. This place is about to get crowded. We can find a new place to go if you want,” Skylight said, leaving the decision up to him. Honestly, Devin really couldn’t care less. He hoped that most of the mares there would pay him little mind, and instead be focused more on their sports games being played. That’s how it normally worked in his old world, so he figured he would give them the benefit of the doubt.

“Nah, I'm good. This place is fine. Let’s just grab a booth near the back and try to stay out of the limelight. Besides, I'm interested in the kind of sports you all play,” he said. It was an opportunity to observe a different world’s sports. He wanted to make some mental notes to see exactly how similar, if at all, sports were in Equestria versus where he came from. Nodding her head in understanding, the group quickly made their way to the back of the bar, seating themselves at a booth next to a television for the stallion’s viewing pleasure.

“Good evening, my name is Cherry Twist…” A waitress began to say as she strolled up to the table. It was upon her greeting that she noticed not all of the patrons were mares, catching her off guard as she blatantly stared at the stallion. A harsh sounding cough coming from Streamline was quick to snap the mare out of her thoughts before adorning her customer service smile once again.

“Apologies for that. I wasn’t expecting to see a stallion around here,” She said before taking out a notepad.

“Again, my name is Cherry Twist and I will be your server for this evening. May I get you all something to drink and perhaps some appetizers?” The mare stated as she handed out the menus to everypony. From frequenting the restaurant more times than they cared to admit, Skylight and Streamline ordered the table a set of appetizers, fried mozzarella sticks with chips and salsa, along with drinks for everyone. The mare wrote down the requests on her notepad before quickly scampering away to the back, where the group knew she would be gossiping about a stallion being in their restaurant. Sure enough, Devin noticed a few of the working mares stick their heads through the serving window, trying to catch a glimpse of the stallion to see if their coworker had been pulling her leg.

“So, Skylight, Streamline? You say you have been here a lot. How many times have you seen a stallion here before,” Devin asked.

“Well, I know Skylight has been coming here a bit longer than me. Though I’ve been coming here for around five years and have actually never seen a stallion here before,” Streamline replied.

“I agree. I’ve been coming here for a little bit longer though I have never seen a stallion here either. Granted, most stallions would think of such places beneath their status, or at least their herds would. Most of the normal, working ponies may end up seeing a stallion only a dozen or so times in their lifetime. Interacting with one is such a rare occurrence, that it borders on statistical improbability,” Skylight added. Nodding his head, Devin took a few moments to process his interactions between ponies over the last month. It brought forth some conclusions on the way mares acted around him. He still could hardly grip his mind around the scarcity of stallions, though the constant looks and interactions were slowly desensitizing him to that way of thought. That also brought up another question to mind.

“So, if mares never really get to interact with stallions, why did you all seem rather normal when interacting with me?” he asked. The mares took a moment to think of a response before Lemon Scent broke the silence.

“I have actually had a few interactions with stallions from home, so it wasn’t as big of a shock to me as most.”

“Because of my position in the military and other reasons, I have had multiple dealings with stallions as well,” Skylight agreed. All eyes soon shifted to Streamline, her reddened cheeks tinting her fur as she shook her head.

“Well, Devin was actually my first interaction with a stallion. I didn’t really know how to act, so I sort of just winged it and treated him like I would anypony else,” she admitted. Remembering back to his first interactions with Streamline, he couldn’t help but focus on a particular aspect of her personality.

“Wait, if you were treating me like anypony else, does that mean your default mode is horny? Because damn, you were making a lot of passes at me the first day we met… and even now.” Devin questioned. By this time the drinks had arrived at the table and Skylight had to do her best from choking on her drink because of the comment. Streamline’s wings started twitching along her back as the blush on her cheeks reddened.

“M-My default mode is not horny!” she countered, trying her best to save face. Looking back at it, she did realize she made a lot of sexual jokes and innuendos with the stallion. She assumed he didn’t mind it and continued to do so, though now she was beginning to question her actions.

“If your default mode isn’t horny, does that mean you like making those jokes with only me,” Devin teased. It was one of the few times where the stallion had the offensive, and he was going to use every advantage he could to tease the mare for all the teasing she had done to him. Streamline could only grumble out a short response before sipping on her drink, knowing that she was gonna need it if Devin decided to tease her all night. Luckily for the mare, the thestral lessened up on his plans for revenge, as his focus was soon brought to the television. It reminded him of when he was young, with most sports bars back then having box television sets, like a TGI Fridays. The trip down memory lane seemed to somber the stallion, with Lemon Scent being the first to notice.

“Are you alright Devin? You seem… kinda sad,” Lemon Scent stated. Streamline and Skylight turned their attention towards Devin as he nodded his head.

“Yeah, I’m fine. This place just reminds me of a few places back home. It’s… I don’t know how to really describe it. I’m not sad, just sort of taking a trip down memory lane,” he replied. Despite the previous teasing from before, Streamline wanted nothing more than to comfort the stallion next. She used this time to drape a wing along his back, silently reassuring him that she was there for him. The action seemed to work, as Devin relaxed a bit into the wing before becoming engrossed in what the locals called buckball.

A few hours had passed since the group made it to the restaurant. Devin was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere of the bar, seeing as how a majority of the mares were more interested in their sports teams instead of him. He knew that would be a selling point for him to return, not to mention that the food was decent for a bar. They even had fish, an uncommon dish for most ponies besides pegasi. Devin decided to order himself a plank of salmon, and he was not disappointed in the quality. All in all, it was a good trip and a good outing with friends. That thought played on the stallion’s mind the entire time home, as he thought about the conversation he was going to have with Streamline. He had delayed it long enough as it was, and he knew it would be better to just get it over and done with than beating around the bush. So as soon as everypony made it home, Devin retreated upstairs to his room, followed by a rather nervous looking Streamline.

“S-So Devin, what did you want to talk about?” Streamline asked. Devin couldn’t help but notice a slight worry in it, though he pushed the thought away. Taking a moment to close his door, Devin proceeded to the end of the bed before flopping on his back and staring up at the ceiling. He took a deep breath before exhaling, as he stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds. Seeming to take the hint, Streamline joined the stallion on the edge of the bed before flopping down beside him. Another bout of silence permeated the room as the two just layed next to one another before Devin broke that silence.

“Streamline, what are we?” Devin asked, turning his head towards the mare. Seemingly puzzled by his question, Streamline turned to meet the stallion’s gaze with a confused expression.

“I don’t really understand what you mean?” She admitted. Devin let out another sigh before staring back up at the ceiling.

“What I mean is, what are we to each other? How do you see me? Or better yet, how do you really feel about me?” Despite her preparation for this moment, Streamline found it hard to offer her answer. The confident mare that usually showed no signs of hesitation or doubt when offering a rebuttal with her quick wit, took a moment to process her thoughts as best she could.

“I-I think I know what you are getting at. And I think you already know the answer.” Tilting her head towards Devin, Streamline made sure to give the stallion her full attention before answering the question.

“I like you Devin. By the gods, I really like you. You are just… amazing. I’ve never really felt this way about another pony before, mare or stallion. I used to think that there was something wrong with me since I never could relate to other ponies describing what having feelings for another pony was like. But with you, my feelings are different. I can just be myself and not have to worry about offending you or causing drama. I don’t have to hide my, as you called it, horny mode or my jokes. I love the banter the two of us have together. I love spending time with you and all the teasing we do to each other. And, I love being there for you when you need somepony to talk to or advice. That’s how I really feel.” Streamline answered. The mare didn’t hold back or try to say what she thought he might like to hear. It would have been a disservice to Devin if she had. Now all she could do was wait for his response, if he would even offer one. As the seconds ticked by, the mare could only dread the wait before Devin offered his feelings on the matter.

“That’s kinda what I thought,” he said before sitting up from his lying position on the bed. Streamline joined him as he shifted his position to look directly at the mare, knowing that it was time for him to tell her how he really felt.

“Streamline. I don’t really know how to say this, so I just will. Ever since I came to this goddamn world, I have had to deal with a lot of shit. I still feel like I was cheated out of my old life, and I hold a certain animosity because of that. When I was in the castle, I was kept dark about everything, including the purpose I was there for, what happened to me, and if I could return home. And when bad news after bad news continued to come my way, I was starting to think it would be better to just off myself to spite that bitch of a princess. But one of the only saving graces I had was you. I don’t think that Skylight or anypony else really expected us to hit it off like we did, or for us to share the same sense of humor. You didn’t hide anything from me and answered my questions the best you could. You treated me like you would anypony else, something that I desperately needed to keep my sanity.” He paused for a few more seconds, trying to gather his thoughts and express them in a coherent manner.

“And when I thought that I would never be able to be happy again, you went out of your way to make me feel welcomed and valued. But most of all, you made me feel like my own person and didn’t try to dictate my actions. You helped me get my freedom back, which is why I can make decisions on my own now. And I want to make another one right now.” He gave the mare no time to contemplate or argue with what was about to happen. Instead, he pulled Streamline tight against his chest before delivering a soft and gentle kiss upon the mare’s lips. Streamline could only respond with a soft ‘eep’ and fluttered wings, though quickly fell into a trance with the stallion. The kiss lasted less than five seconds, though when the two pulled away from each other, both of their cheeks were blazing red. That still didn’t stop them each from sporting a small smile on their muzzle. No more words needed to be said between the two. Both Devin and Streamline knew what the other had in mind. It was going to be a long night, though neither one was complaining.

Preparing

Oops... my finger slipped

Chapter 9

It had been a little over a month since the fateful day Devin and Streamline became a couple. Everything had been great between the group of ponies. And even though Devin and Streamline were now an item, the stallion was determined to not let it affect his relationships with his other friends like some stallions used to do back in his world.

Most mornings he would spend with Skylight, working on his physique and training. It was true that he had technically won the bout between the two, though he knew it was because of a technicality. He had been in the military for six years before coming to this world. He knew how to fight to a certain extent, though he was no infantry grunt. Skylight had been in the military all her adult life and was very good at what she did. Devin knew there were things he could learn from the mare, and it was a great way to get the two to spend some time together. It would also help him in the future if a situation occurred in which he would have to defend himself from somepony trying to hurt him. So the two ponies continued that routine, with no plans on stopping.

Lemon Scent was a different story. Learning more about the mare, Devin discovered that specific maids actually get some sort of combat and self defense training. This is mainly for maids designated for specialty jobs and V.I.P.s. Sure she wasn’t as experienced as Skylight or Streamline, though she knew how to throw down if push came to shove. She was quick to let the stallion know that she would avoid that at all costs, as she didn’t like to fight others. So instead of physical training, Devin decided to spend time with Lemon Scent another way. Cooking. The stallion loved to cook back when he was a human, and relished the opportunity to do it once again. Lemon Scent was more than happy to be cooking with the stallion, since he brought with him a unique cuisine nopony had ever seen before and vice-versa. Devin was learning a lot from the mare and getting much faster at preparing dishes. He did offer Streamline to come join them one day, though that ended with a frazzled Streamline cursing the pony gods of cooking as she once again burnt water. Both Devin and Lemon Scent were in hysterics at how the mare even performed such a feat. They both chalked it up to the magic of cooking just not agreeing with the mare.

Devin’s relationship with Streamline didn’t end up changing that much over the course of the month. Despite being a couple, Streamline still maintained her own room at the house but would sleep with Devin most nights. She also used the time during the month to teach Devin a very important characteristic about his body. The sessions the two had together would often leave the stallion panting, exhausted, and covered in sweat. And Streamlined enjoyed every moment of it. With each passing day, Devin’s wings became stronger and stronger. He had gotten the basics down in a month, though he wasn’t winning any flying competitions anytime soon. That also meant that Devin was learning the fine motor control skills needed for the use of his wings, much to the disappointment of Lemon Scent. He would no longer need the mare to help him with his shirts. Even if he did, Streamline decided to take over that role for him. However, there was one thing the Earth Pony mare had that neither of the other mare’s possessed. And that was style. Streamline and Skylight were both guards at heart, not particularly caring about what they wore. It was a common trait amongst most guards. Lemon Scent was different. The mare absolutely loved fashion and knew how to dress up anypony to make them stand out in a crowd. This led the stallion into the current predicament he was in.

Devin stood as motionless as he could as a mare in an exquisite looking black suit, examined the handy work she had done when constructing a suit for the stallion.

“Hmm, yes, yes. A perfect fit. Broad shoulders and chest with a flat stomach. No fabric riding too high or too loose. However, something is missing,” the mare said, circling the stallion a few more times with a scrutinizing eye. Lemon Scent was right there next to the mare as she examined Devin up and down as well. The stallion had been fitted in a beautiful navy blue suit with a pink dress shirt. The blue held the more formal aspect of his appearance, yet the pink in his dress shirt signified a fun and outgoing personality. The fitting mare tried to pair a simple blue tie with the shirt, though Lemon Scent was quick to scratch that idea. Instead, she told the mare to fit Devin with a solid red tie hosting three diagonal white lines. Lemon Scent knew it was a perfect addition to the outfit and would help to display the stallion’s mare-like demeanor. Once settled upon the stallion’s neck, the fitting mare did one more once over before declaring the suit complete. Devin was more than happy to hear those words as he carefully got out of his suit, not caring that he was essentially giving all the mares in front of him a nice show. While the fitting mare was more interested in preserving the handiwork of the suit she had made, Lemon Scent, Skylight, and Streamline were all treated to a sight of Devin sliding his pants and shirt back.

“Thank you sir. I will fetch a suit carrier for you and you can meet me up at the front counter with your herd,” the mare responded. This gave Devin no time to correct her on the assumption, not that he would. He noticed it happening a lot when he would go out with all three mares. Everypony just assumed they were a herd. He made the mistake of correcting a mare once before. To his utter dismay, it quickly devolved into him getting solicited by dozens of mares to join his herd, even having a few of them start fist fights over it. Devin was quick to vacate the scene with everypony, not wanting to get caught up in some sort of situation. He wondered if that was how the stallion function worked if two mares were interested in him. He doubted it since he was told most of the ponies attending stallion functions were nobility or very wealthy and influential ponies. Still didn’t stop from groaning in annoyance that he had to participate in one.

“Ugh, I just want to get home and relax. I am not looking forward to this stupid event in a few days,” he bemoaned. Skylight shot the stallion a sympathetic look as they paid for the suit and exited the store. She knew that Devin disliked anything to do with his unique circumstance. But she knew for a fact that rumors were already spreading about a new stallion in town that most of the nobility hadn't seen. It was a good opportunity to let Devin experience what a stallion event would entail, but more importantly it would allow Devin to meet other stallions.

“I know you aren’t Devin. Though I think it might be a good thing. You don’t have to take anypony up on their offer, but I'm sure you are interested in at least meeting other stallions. It will give you a chance to see how a regular stallion acts and why mares have a strong preconceived notion of stallions,” Skylight responded. This only earned another groan from the stallion.

“Yeah, I know. I’ve been curious about that sort of thing. Just wish I didn’t have to get dressed up for the event. Stupid, stuffy, suit,” he quipped. It’s not like he didn’t like suits, and in fact owned a few when he was back on earth. It was just something about the suit combined with his new body that he didn’t like. He guessed it would grow on him in time, and he only had to wear one of these suits a year. He guessed he could suffer through it for one evening.

“Speaking of suits, what are you all going to wear to the event?” Devin asked. Both Skylight and Lemon Scent looked towards Devin for a moment before shaking their heads.

“Well, I'm going to be wearing my dress uniform and Lemon is going to be wearing serving attire. Stallion events require a lot of marepower to assure the safety and comfort of all the ponies there. Since most of the VIPs attend these functions, ponies who are on orders to guard VIPs are recalled to help beef up security. The only ponies allowed to go are ponies in your herd, or in this case Streamline,” Skylight said. Devin was taken a bit aback by the statement, though he understood it made sense. If a bunch of stallions are going to be in one place, you would have to pull all the resources you could to make sure they are safe along with their herds. This left the stallion with another thought before he silently cursed under breath.

“Great. With only Streamline there with me, I’m gonna be solicited a shit ton.” Streamline took this opportunity to pull the stallion close to her with a wing while gripping his hand a little firmer.

“Don’t worry Devin. I will be by your side every second. And I fucking dare a mare to try and do anything to you that you don’t want. I will bury them into the marble floor, I swear to the gods,” she fiercely stated. Devin couldn’t help but smile at the assertion of the mare. From his experience with Streamline, he knew the mare was… possessive and protective of him. It was something mares did without thinking. He appreciated the fact and knew that if push came to shove, Streamline would dive head first into a brawl to protect him. He also knew that he would be there right with her, handing out asswhoopings alongside the mare.

“Thanks for the reassurance Streamline, but I just want to get through the event as quickly as possible. Nice to know you will throw down for me though. Having a strong, protective mare throwing out kicks and punches on my behalf is kinda hot,” he teased. He waited a second for a reaction out of the mare, and was soon graced with the sight he hoped for. Streamline’s cheeks turned a slight shade of pink as her wings fluttered for but a second, an indication to the stallion that the mare loved the compliment or her mind was in the gutter again. He quickly turned his attention to Skylight, offering her a small smirk.

“Don’t worry Skylight, I think it’s hot when you’re out there fighting for me too,” he teased. Upon hearing the comment, Skylight almost tripped herself up on the cobblestone pathway, not expecting the stallion to blatantly say something like that. It was true that Devin and Skylight’s friendship had come a long way from a month ago. Both ponies would occasionally offer a quip, comment, or smartass remark to the other from time to time. The same with Lemon Scent.

“Don’t worry Lemon, I haven’t forgotten about you. I much prefer the look of you cooking me a meal than on the front lines.” Lemon had almost been expecting some type of comment from the stallion and was quick to reply with one of her own.

“Don’t worry sweetie, once we get back to the house I will let you make a meal out of me,” she quipped. Devin’s cheeks soon began to match that of his marefriend as he held up his free hand defensively.

“Jesus Lemon, I was joking. You need to take the pot off the stove and simmer down a little.” He was met with a cute giggle from the mare that quickly devolved into a smug look.

“Really? Because I think we need to add a little more heat to the mixture,” She added, brushing up against Devin’s free arm and staring up at him with half lidded eyes. Devin couldn’t help but hang his head in shame from the comment. He knew what he had done and didn’t think about the consequences of his actions until it was too late. Over the last month, Lemon became much better at responding to his comments or sarcastic remarks in a witty way. And the more he continued to tease the mare, the more he began to realize that he was making another Streamline, horny mode and all.

“Alright, alright, you got me Lemon. You need to turn it down a bit or Streamline will manage to burn water again.” Upon hearing the jab at her cooking skills, Streamline ruffled her feathers with a pouty face.

“I burned water two times and you will never let it go,” she grumbled aloud as everypony began to chuckle at the mare’s expense. She knew it was all in good fun, though that wouldn’t stop her from holding it over Devin’s head later that night. It looked like somepony was going to be sleeping on the couch tonight.

Hello everyone, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Wasn't as long as other chapters, but I wanted to get it out to you all as soon as I could. The next chapter is going to be a good one. Devin will experience his first stallion function. What will happen and how will our thestral stallion fare with mares practically throwing themselves at him? Suffice to say, Streamline is going to need a bigger stick.

Terms and Conditions

Hello from the writer everyone. What do we have here? A neglected story getting some love? Well, I just felt like writing today and this was the story that popped out to me. So I chunked out a chapter. I really hope you all enjoy. Feel free to comment or hit me up. Im always down to talk.

Chapter 6

The sun was just beginning to make its way past the horizon as a certain green unicorn spontaneously appeared in her office. It was the destination she set most of the time when teleporting to Canterlot Castle, and today was no exception. Looking down at her watch, the mare read the time as a little past five thirty in the evening. It would be another half hour before court was concluded and Princess Luna would be available. Utilizing the extra half hour, Skylight rummaged through her office for some of her paperwork that still needed to be completed. Seeing as how she was also moving into the new residence of the thestral, she wanted to make the least amount of trips possible. Despite being efficient in the art of teleportation, it still took its toll on the mana reserves of any unicorn. Skylight had been blessed with a large mana capacity, however, it still did not detract from the fact that teleporting used an exuberant amount of mana.

After storing most of her unfinished paperwork in a leather satchel, the mare checked her watch once again. About forty five minutes had passed and now was as good as any time to go talk to the princess about the current predicament of her charge, as well as update her on his current status.

The trip to the princess’s study took less than ten minutes, due to a combination of Skylight’s office location in the castle and the fact she had memorized the most efficient route since she had done it thousands of times. Two guardsmares stood outside the study with stoic expressions. Upon seeing the Major, both ponies saluted while offering the greeting of the day.

“Good evening Ma’am,” they both said in unison. The major returned a quick salute with a small smile.

“Good evening to you as well. Hope there hasn’t been much trouble going on today,” Skylight asked. The guardsmare on the left shook her head before responding.

“Today has been a quiet day, which I am thankful for. Only a couple more hours until we are off, so I hope it stays that way.” Skylight nodded her head with a chuckle, understanding the exact sentiment of wanting nothing to happen on your shift, because it would then become your problem.

“Well I hope all goes well and everything stays quiet for the day. Also, is the princess here by chance?” Skylight asked. Both guardsmares nodded their heads before opening the door to let the major in. Normal protocol would be to knock and to inform the princess of who was seeking an audience. Though both mares had been with the guard long enough to know the relationship between the major and the princess. It also hadn’t been the first time the two had let the mare in before announcing her presence, seeing as how the princess was also expecting her. With a grateful nod from Skylight, the mare walked through the doors and towards the large cushion chair the princess was currently residing in.

Looking towards the door, Princess Luna put down her book as she beckoned her friend over with a smile.

“Skylight, it is good to see you. We assume you brought an update about our friend?” Luna asked. Skylight had to stop herself from recoiling slightly at the word friend, seeing as how Devin was currently not in good standing with either of them. Though that didn’t stop the unicorn from making her way in front of the princess with a nod.

“Yes I do princess. We made it to the new home and he managed to get himself settled in. Sergeant Streamline took him shopping for some clothes to hold him over until he can visit somewhere that caters to stallions,” Skylight stated before pausing briefly.

“I also told him about the therapy you want him to do.” She added before pausing once again.

“And how did he respond to that request?” Luna asked, as she sat up more firmly in her chair. Skylight couldn’t help but sigh and shake her head as she told the princess his response.

“He did not take it well, princess. He was adamant about not attending and used some very choice words to reiterate that he won’t go.” Princess Luna could only nod her head in understanding, seeing as how strong-headed the stallion was.

“I see. Well, I’m sure there will be a way to convince him to go along with it.” It was with that statement from her princess that Skylight was about to do one of the most difficult things she had ever done in her career.

“Princess, permission to speak freely,” Skylight asked. Even though Luna was her friend, she wanted to show the princess that she meant no disrespect from what she was about to say. With a simple nod from the princess, Skylight began to lay out her thoughts on the matter.

“Princess, I know why Devin is so important to us and that every avenue should be made to keep him healthy, both physically and mentally. But… I disagree with the way we have been handling this situation.” Skylight waited a moment to gauge the princess’s reaction. When Luna did not give one, she used it as her chance to continue.

“Every day that we determine what is best for Devin, is another day that he will come to resent us. We are limiting his freedoms. He hates us princess, and I can’t argue against his position. If it were me, I would be acting out the same way. What he needs more than anything right now is for him to make his own decisions, whether they be good or bad. He will learn like we all have. But being coddled and treated like a foal will only continue to build resentment until he is at a breaking point. Of course we will watch out for him and keep him safe, but he has to be able to fail. And when he does, he will have us to help him back up. Right now, we shouldn't be focusing on his ability to produce stallions. That will come with time. Right now, we need to make sure he is happy and that he can build trusting relationships and be able to trust us. I wouldn’t be able to bear the fact that we forced a stallion to do things he doesn’t want, including turning him into a foal maker. Because if we did, we would be no better than her,” Skylight stated.

Silence continued to fill the space of the study as Princess Luna mulled over the thoughts of her friend. It was true that it was hit or miss for her when it came to making incredibly important decisions, and right now she was leaning towards the latter.

“You, are quite right, Skylight,” Luna admitted. “It seems I have been focusing too much on the result of what this stallion can do. And from your opinion, I see how wrong I was on many fronts. With that being said, I have a new order for you,” Luna added, as she watched Skylight straighten up and focus all of her attention on the new order she was about to receive.

“Seeing as how I have approached this situation from the wrong angle, I am appointing you as final authority over Devin. You will determine for yourself what is best for him and act appropriately. You will have any resource you need at your disposal and my full backing. Is that understood?” Luna finished. Skylight acknowledged her princess with a strong salute and resounding ‘Yes ma'am’, before smiling to herself that her gambit paid off. With no further business to attend to with the princess, Luna dismissed Skylight so that she may be able to relay the information to a certain thestral.

Wasting no time, Skylight exited the room before covering herself in her magic and popping out of existence and reappearing in the courtyard of her new residence. Only a couple of hours had passed, though the sun had set a little while ago as the moon began to crest over the horizon and high into the air. Taking a moment to recover from her teleportation spell, Skylight let out a steady breath before making her way inside.

After making her way inside, the major could hear the telltale signs of voices coming from the kitchen. After stepping through the doorway, the mare was surprised as she witnessed the thestral holding his sides in laughter and a pouty looking Streamline holding a burnt pan.

“Stop laughing! I know I'm not the best cook, but cut me some slack here,” she demanded. Devin couldn’t help but continue his laughter as he just stared back at Streamline and the pan.

“Y-You burnt water. WATER!” He said, before bursting out into another fit of laughter. This only angered the pegasus mare more as she fluffed up her wings and puffed out her cheeks to look more intimidating. It was only when the two noticed the additional presence of Skylight that Devin quickly came down from his fit of laughter before adopting a more neutral tone.

“And now the fun is over,” he mumbled before sitting down at the table. Streamline took this as her opportunity to dispose of the pan in the large, double-sided sink before looking towards the mare.

“Hey ma’am, I see you are back from the castle.” Skylight nodded her head before making her way over to the table.

“I am. Took a bit out of me from all the teleporting, but it was a good trip,” she admitted before stopping before the thestral. To his credit, Devin looked up at her with a bored expression as Skylight took this moment to take a seat next to the stallion.

“Devin. I know that you are upset with me, and you have every reason to be. I know you are not particularly fond of me right now, and I deserve that. I destroyed any trust you had in me under the guise of what was best for you. I am truly sorry Devin. It wasn’t fair what happened to you and the way you have been treated. That is why I went and talked with Princess Luna today,” Skylight stated. To her surprise, the thestral’s neutral expression shifted slightly to convey a sense of curiosity.

“I told the princess that I did not believe the way you were being treated was correct. And after some reflection, she agreed. She gave me the order to determine what is best for you and to act as final authority.” A few moments of silence went by as Streamline made her way from one part of the kitchen and next to Devin, offering him support if he should need it.

“And what do you think is best for me, Major Skylight?” His tone held no emotion, which Skylight could only consider a positive. It took the mare a few seconds before she shook her head.

“I don’t know what is best for you Devin. The only thing I do know is that you should have the ability to choose for yourself.”

“And if I choose something that you do not agree with, then what happens?” Devin retorted?

“Then I will accept whatever decision you make and help you to see it through. I don’t want to fight with you Devin, I want to work with you. I want to cooperate and be your friend. I know we got off on the wrong foot when we first met, but I will do my best to earn back your trust. Can you please forgive me?” Devin was at a loss for words in the current situation. It was true that the mare in front of him had been a contributing factor in making his life hell for the first few weeks when he had shown up. But as he thought about it more, he couldn’t help but admit that his anger had been misplaced and targeted at a mare who didn’t deserve it. Sure she was following orders, but those orders came from the true culprit of his whole situation, Princess Luna. And he had been taking out his anger on the mare because she was close to the princess and he couldn’t take it out on the princess herself. Despite this knowledge, his body still couldn’t help but feel a little resentment towards the mare. However, if there was one thing he learned back on Earth and in the military, there was only one way to settle things and start over.

“Fine, I forgive you. But on one condition.” Both mares froze as the stallion relayed his condition. There was nothing they could do to change his mind, and they knew that. This was going to be the first test for Skylight to stand by her word and help the thestral with his decision, even though she did not agree with it. The mare could only utter a prayer under her breath, because she knew he was going to need it.