Subs and Sandwiches

“WRONG!” Glossy Print jumped at the loud voice and the slam of the door that accompanied it. A trio of stallions burst through the door, rushing to put away various makeup supplies and props, calling out to one another when they needed something. Two mares set down lighting equipment and rushed over to close the door that the shouting mare had opened.

The older journalists and photographers in the office of Frolic were used to the noise, and scurried about in a desperate attempt to have everything prepared exactly the way the demanding sky-blue mare preferred it. Print, however, had no idea how to respond. Her legs shook as she wheeled around to find her mentor striding up to her. She bit her lip and stood at attention in the center of the room, wincing as Photo Finish stepped up to her, striking a dramatic pose.

“EVERYZING IZ WRONG! ZE NEXT ISSUE IS DUE IN TWO DAYS. GLOSSY PRINT, LOOK AT ZHIS. DISASTER!” Photo threw a folder down in front of her quivering intern. A dozen photos spilled out at Print’s hooves, who picked them up and sighed.

“I d-don’t know, I thought these ones of the slave pits were pretty good, and that picture Second Glance got of those two spa pets was cute enough for the front page insert…” She winced as Photo Finish slammed a hoof down, knocking the pictures out of her intern’s hoof.

“ENOUGH. ZHERE IZ NO PASSION IN ZHESE. LOOK AT ZHEM!” Photo Finish fished out the photo of the two pets. “ZHEY LOOK LIKE WILTED FLOWERZ. ZHERE IZ NOTHING ZHERE ZAT CAPTUREZ MY ATTENTION. IT IZ A RELIEF ZAT I, PHOTO FINISH, AM HERE TO SHOW YOU HOW TO CAPTURE… DA MAGICZ.” She frowned at her intern.

Print tried to choke back her tears as she pawed at what she felt were her best attempts, but one still escaped down her cheek. She tried to turn her head away so her mentor wouldn’t see it, but was stopped by a sky blue hoof. Photo Finish tenderly wiped the tear off her cheek and lifted Print’s chin.

“NO MORE CRYINK. CRYINK IZ TIME WHERE YOU ARE NOT MAKINK YOURSELF BETTER. NOW GO. GO!” Photo Finish turned and pointed at two of the assistant ponies, who darted around the room to fetch their supplies. She helped her intern to her feet.

“PRINT, FETCH MY MASK. NO! NOT ZE SPARKLE ONE. IT WILL CATCH ZE LIGHT OF ZE RESEARCH LABZ INCORRECTLY. NO! ZAT ONE IZ TOO- YES! ZAT ONE. GET YOUR COLLAR, WE NEED TO HURRY IF WE ARE GOINK TO REPLACE ZE PHOTOS IN TIME FOR ZE RELEASE.”

Photo Finish set down her fashionable glasses and slipped on the mask Glossy Print had practically thrown at her in her rush. The black mask molded perfectly to her face, and the gold accents surrounded the lenses of her trademark magenta glasses. Print returned, stumbling over her hooves, a matching black collar adorning her neck.

“EVERYPONY READY?” Photo Finish tilted her head towards Print, who nodded shakily, her saddlebags full of kinky props. Print took a deep breath, looked up at her mentor, and responded in a voice that was much less confident than she wanted it to sound.

“We go!”

And off they went, to take the Clocktower by storm.

Lily Lace sighed as she slouched in her pet box. The day had gone, like, totally wrong. She had been told that if she sat in a dumb box that said “Need Home”, she’d get played with, but she had been there literally forever, and nopony had so much as looked at her.

Maybe the brochure had been wrong, and being a pet wasn’t all wonderful, and, like, she should spend her time doing something more, like, fun. She pouted down at her chic pink kitty booties. Perhaps she was doing it all wrong, and the plush kitten ears and makeup weren’t necessary.

Her real ears flicked as she heard a rustle and scampering to her left. Maybe this was it! Maybe somepony had finally come to save her from her totally boring waiting. Lily looked up shyly, hoping she’d see a loving owner, or at least somepony with a big--

She squeaked, nearly falling over as a flash bulb went off in her face. A quartet of fashionable looking ponies swarmed her. One stallion touching up her makeup while another stylistically mussed her mane. Lily sneezed at the powder puff shoved in her face before turning to face the remaining two mares. “Wait, you’re Photo Finish! What are you-”

“STOP!” The two stallions froze in the middle of their ministrations before rushing back to Photo Finish’s side. The mare next to Photo Finish waved at Lily sheepishly, and Lily couldn’t help but smile and wave back. A photo shoot wasn’t exactly what she had been fishing for, but there was no way she’d turn it down, especially if it was THE Photo Finish who was taking the photos! She posed like an excited kitty in the box, much to the photographer’s apparent delight.

“YES, GOOD, YOU ARE ABANDONED ON ZE STREET NEXT TO ZE PARK. A LARGE, VIRILE DOG IZ BEHIND YOU. OH NO, HE LOOKS LIKE HE WILL POUNCE ANY SECOND! ARE YOU AFRAID? OF COURSE YOU ARE! NOW, YOU TRY TO JUMP OUT OF ZE BOX. NO! DON’T MOVE! HOLD ZAT POSE!”

Photo Finish grinned behind her camera, draping herself over her intern’s back to balance. Meanwhile, Lily wobbled as she tried to stay still while balancing on one hoof as she leaned out of the box in apparent terror. She felt totally ridiculous, but she must have looked better than she felt since Photo was snapping so many photos. A few ponies walking past paused to watch, but most just shook their heads.

“ENOUGH!”

Photo Finish elbowed her assistant, who gulped and whispered, “We go,” before the four of them stampeded to some other corner of the Clocktower.

Lily beamed, wondering if she’d be totally famous, before finally losing her balance and toppling over into a graceless barrel roll. As she recovered, a shadow loomed over her, and two pairs of front hooves lingered in front of the dirt where she’d faceplanted. She looked up, coughing, and smiled back at the two stallions leering down at her. Perhaps today wasn’t a total waste after all.

Peppercorn held his breath as he hid behind a wall. He couldn’t afford to make a sound. If he so much as gasped or squeaked, he’d be discovered. He had expected his pursuers to be deftly lost, but the one time he shook them off his tail, they found him again when his route to freedom turned out to be a dead end.

Pepper flipped his scarlet mane and cocked his head. It was silent. Too silent. Maybe the doms who had been pursuing him had lost his trail? That didn’t make sense, there wasn’t anywhere else for him to be hiding. So why was it so quiet?

He cautiously peeked out behind the wall. Yup. They were still there, but they weren’t looking at him. Instead their attention was focused on a point above his head. Pepper frowned. While it could be a trick, he didn’t think they’d look so genuinely astounded if they were trying to divert his attention to pounce on him. He looked up… and his jaw dropped.

Somehow, wedged between the two upper floors of a crumbling building were a posse of ponies, including a sky-blue mare with a camera. Photo something or other. An uncomfortable-looking mare was squished underneath her. Pepper wheeled around at the sound of a click. Two stallions held up lights, illuminating the darker corner of the maze. He squinted at them, then turned back to Photo something, who seemed to be in charge. “How… how long have you been up there?”

The squashed mare beneath to her sighed. “Two hours and fort-”

“NO TIME TO TALK! ZHERE IZ ONLY TIME FOR DA MAGICS! WE START… NOW!” The sky blue mare whipped out a camera from Celestia knows where and began taking photos, blinding him with the flash. The one under to her gave him a shaky little wave before struggling back out from under the other mare, gently cajoling Photo out of the ruins as the photographer giddily snapped picture after picture.

Pepper stepped back as the mares squirmed out from their hiding place. “No, really, I’m a bit confused, and-”

“YES, YESSS, MORE CONFUSED. LIKE A LITTLE FOAL LOST IN ZE WOODS!” Peppercorn blinked up at her, barely cmprehending what was happening. “AND YOU" She pointed to one of the doms huddled in the shadows. "POSE BEHIND HIM!"

The dom gave a very un-dommy squeak, but did as she commanded, posing as ferociously as he could muster while trembling like a kitten. That photographer mare was demanding, sure, but the big scary dom that had been chasing him looked downright intimidated.

“NO NO NO, NOT LIKE ZAT! TOWER OVER HIM, HIGHER, HIGHER!” The dom had to dig his hoof into Pepper’s flank to keep his balance as he loomed over him, his expression flickering between tough-as-nails and terrified-bunny-rabbit.

“ENOUGH!” The camera-mare shouted, stomping a hoof. The stallions who had been holding up the lights clicked them off and scooted out of the cracks in the building they’d been wedged in.

The mare next to Photo gave Pepper an unenthusiastic half-smile before mumbling, “We go,” cueing the four of them to take off into the maze… away from where he had been heading. Hm. That probably meant he had been going the wrong way after all.

The dom behind Pepper huffed as the four ponies raced away, looking as though he had about as much remaining dignity as a sheared sheep, which made Pepper snicker. The dom’s attention snapped back to Pepper, who gulped and raced off deeper into the maze, the gang of doms giving chase. The hunt was back on.

Coco wasn’t entirely sure how she got herself talked into these sort of messes.

It certainly was a mess. Her normally tan coat was dripping with the cum of mares and stallions alike. It wasn’t her idea to be in the stocks, sorry, pillory, and she wouldn’t have ever considered it if her Mistress hadn’t placed her there rather… persuasively. On top of that, her Mistress had drawn something on her, but she couldn't tell what, and it was driving her nuts.

She wished she could see the state of her tail, or what her mane looked like, but both had been used as a cumrag after the doms had finished with her. It was fairly quiet right now, which was nice. It was the perfect time to reflect on her true place, serving her Master and Mistress, and… what was that? Were more ponies coming to use her? Or…

“PERFECT, HOLD ZAT POSE!”

That was the voice of Photo Finish. Only one mare could command so much attention with one shout, though Coco couldn’t figure out what she was doing here… or why she was photographing her backside. She could hear flashbulbs going off behind her, and a crowd gathering. Oh no, were they going to rut her poor defenseless body until she cried out or... Wait, the noises she made probably wouldn’t show up on camera. But somepony must have been enjoying themselves, because Photo Finish was still shouting orders.

“YES, JUST LIKE ZAT! LIKE YOUR CUM IS ZE ONLY ZING ZAT WILL SAVE ZIS POOR MARE FROM CATCHING ON FIRE! OH NO, ZIS MARE IS ON FIRE! QUICK, YOU MUST DOUSE ZE FLAMES! NO, NOT SO FAST! YOU MUST BE PATIENT! GRACEFUL! ZIS IS WHAT WILL HELP ZE MARE BECOME ALL ZAT SHE IS MEANT TO BE! WHAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN, ZIS IS NOT HELPINK? OF COURSE IT IS! NOW SAVE ZE MARE, YES, JUST LIKE ZAT!”

Coco heard the passionate grunts of a stallion before she felt the warmth of his cum on her back. She closed her eyes, lost in thought. This was where she belonged, used as a cumrag for anypony who happened to be walking along. And the photos- she hoped her Master and Mistress would get to see them. She hoped they’d be proud of them. Maybe they’d make an album for all the nice, embarrassing photos of her.

A polite cough startled her from her reverie. A rather flustered mare stood in front of Coco, and seemed to be looking everywhere but at the bound mare. The lull in conversation stretched awkwardly, and Coco almost thought she should offer to help this stranger get off somehow when the other mare spoke.

“J-just making sure you’re okay and all. We got this really good picture of one of the doms getting off… um, and thought you should know, the cum on your back makes a heart. It’s pretty c-cute…” She trailed off, biting her lip.

The poor mare seemed at a loss for what to say. Coco smiled at her gently. “Oh, thank you, that sounds lovely, miss…?”

“Oh, my name is-” the mare started, before a cyan hoof reached out from behind the pillory and pulled her away.

“GLOSSY PRINT, WE HAVE ZE PICTURES, WE MUST BE GOINK. WHAT DO WE SAY?” Came the energetic voice of Photo Finish. That poor dear must be her intern or something. Coco shuddered at the memory of being an intern, and hoped this mare had it better.

She could barely make out an almost silent whisper of “We go.” before the hoofsteps faded, leaving Coco confused, slightly more sticky, and... Surrounded by a crowd of eager masters and mistresses ready to remind her where her place was once again. She hummed as she felt a stallion lining himself up against one of her back holes. A heart… how nice of Mistress to draw a target on her back.

Glossy Print sighed as she trotted tiredly beside Photo Finish. They had been all over the Clocktower that day, from the lowest, most depraved research labs to the lewdest viewing galleries, and her hooves were wobbling from all the running about. Thankfully, they had gotten enough diverse photos for this issue of Frolic.

As she trudged along, Print’s mind echoed with the memories of all the ponies they took pictures of. Their results were wonderful, there was no denying that, but the methods her mentor used to catch ponies at their best moments made Print rather uncomfortable. Perhaps Photo Finish could ignore the comments of spectators, but Print heard them all.

When they had burst into a semi-private suite, for example, Photo Finish had been focused on taking pictures of the mare about to be collared to her mistress, but Photo didn’t even seem to notice the whispers of the mistress’s other pets. Some of them were curious, wondering how on earth they procured a key to get into there, but many of them were frustrated that the photographer and her crew had ruined their moment.

Then there was the defeated looks the doms gave Photo when she had taken pictures of that rather flustered dom and sub in the maze… they haunted her. She considered working with Photo Finish the highest honor, but she couldn’t ignore the spectacles they caused.

And on top of that, she’d been proud of the pictures Photo Finish had scoffed at.

“Photo Finish? If you have a minute, I think we need to talk…” she started, pulling her mentor aside.

“TALK? ABOUT WHAT? ZESE PICTURES ARE BRILLIANT! EVERYPONY WHO IZ ANYPONY WILL LOVE ZEM!” Photo Finish flicked her tail and grinned at Print.

“No, I mean, I don’t know if-”

“I ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH PHOTOS TO FILL TWO ISSUES, AND WE DIDN’T EVEN GO TO EVERY PLACE IN ZE CLOCKTOWER! WE DIDN’T EVEN NEED TO PREPARE MOST OF ZEM! ALL WE HAD TO DO IZ POINT AND SHOOT, AND ZEY POSED LIKE STATUES!” Photo Finish went through a few of the various poses she had made her ‘darlink subjects’ do, from the crouched stance of the pet to the intimidating pose of the dom in the Labyrinth. Minus the terrified look, of course.

“That’s not what I’m talking about, I’m just not sure that-”

“ZERE IZ NOZINK TO BE NERVOUS ABOUT. EVERYPONY WILL LOVE WHAT WE HAVE DONE TODAY.” She bounced in place, her mask barely staying on as she gleefully pranced.

“Photo Finish! I really want to tell you that-”

“WHAT? WHAT IZ IT? SPEAK UP! YOU ARE BEINK QUIETER ZAN FLOOTERSHY!” She brushed back Print’s mane so she could see her face better.

“I don’t know if I can be a photographer like you.”

Photo Finish froze, a frown twitching on her lips. It wasn’t her usual frown of disapproval or dramatic horror.She looked as though she was on the verge of panicking, before her expression settled into one of surprise. “WHY WOULD YOU SAY ZAT? YOU ARE A NATURAL PHOTOGRAPHER, AND YOU HAVE A KEEN EYE FOR ANGLES ZAT MOST PONIES DO NOT SEE. WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO CLIMB STORIES ABOVE ZE GROUND? WHO WAS IT WHO BARKED AT ZE WINDOW DISPLAY PETS TO GET ZEM TO LOOK PERFECTLY STARTLED?”

Print sighed and scuffed her hoof, looking anywhere but her mentor, her hero. “It’s just… I can’t just ignore the stares and comments like you do. They hurt. And those pictures we had to replace? I liked those… I was really proud of those, and you threw them on the ground like they were nothing. I just...”

She took a deep breath and looked Photo Finish in the eye, as best as she could through the shades. “I just don’t think I have what it takes to be a great photographer. I was honored when a few months ago you said you’d take me under your wing, but I’m not sure if this is going to work.”

Photo Finish sighed and pulled off her mask-glasses, her purple eyes betraying how tired she was, more tired than Print had ever seen her. Dark circles were under Photo’s eyes, the result of hours of lost sleep. Her shoulders sagged with exhaustion, and for the first time Print saw just how much the opinions of others weighed on her mentor.

“Print,” Print blinked. She had never heard her mentor speak so gently and, well, normally. “Precious Print, do you zink I, Photo Finish, do not hear my critics as well? Zere are days where even I start to believe zem. But greatness does not happen overnight, and how can you shine if you give up on dayz you are not your brightest?” She rubbed Print’s back more gently than anypony else would have expected from her.

Print sniffled and leaned into Photo Finish’s embrace. “I just wanted to impress you, and show you that I had what it takes. I guess I just need to wait until I’m good enough to take on so much work at once.”

Her mentor scowled, hugging Print close before pulling her back to gaze into her teary eyes. Her gaze was determined, filled with the take-no-shit intensity that Print adored her Mistress-Mentor for. “NO. ZAT IZ NOT ACCEPTABLE. WE STILL DO NOT HAVE ZE RIGHT PHOTO FOR ZE COVER PAGE, AND WE NEED TO FINISH ZE JOB.”

Print blinked. “I thought you decided that the one of that pet pony was the best for-”

But the photographer’s mind was made up, and she dragged Print off towards one of Frolic’s empty studio rooms. “IT IZ NOT RIGHT. NOT ENOUGH PASSION. AND ZERE IZ ONLY ONE PONY WHO CAN POSE WIZ ENOUGH PASSION IN TIME.”

Print squeaked meekly, reaching out and grabbing Photo Finish’s mask as they trotted past it. She had a feeling she’d need it.

“YES, NOW DO IT AGAIN, FASTER,” Photo Finish- no, Print’s Mistress- shouted, one hoof tapping against the floor impatiently. Print nodded and ran through her basic modeling positions a second time, as fast as she could. She knew what Photo Finish liked, and she performed perfectly, but it still didn’t seem to please her. Even the lewder poses weren’t satisfying Mistress like they usually did- like curling up on her back, alluringly spreading her hind legs with her forehooves. Print looked up to see her Mistress peering down through the lenses of her mask, and blushed.

“Did I do okay, Mistress?” she mumbled, trying to read her Mistress’s expression, but to no avail. She knew the answer, but this sort of conversation was all part of the game they played.

A game that Photo Finish always won.

“ZAT WAS BARELY ACCEPTABLE. I KNOW YOU CAN DO BETTER. SHOW PHOTO FINISH SOMEZING SPECTACULAR!” Her Mistress posed dramatically while setting up her camera to capture her sub’s kinky antics.

Print blushed and stretched, before starting again. It just didn’t feel like enough this time, and it hurt that her poses weren’t enough today. Just like her photos. It stung, probably more than it should, but she tried to shrug it off and not concentrate on that. How did her mentor do it? It felt next to impossible to ignore every rejection.

Print ran through as many poses as she could think of, trying desperately to come up with some new angle for her Mistress to enjoy, but her thoughts kept returning to the judging stares and angry comments she had heard throughout the day. The thought that someday she might cause such a ruckus too made her heart hurt. She didn’t want to be a bother to anypony or get in the way! She loved how the photos turned out, but she hated the stares and glares of the other ponies.

It felt like too much to bare. How did Photo Finish do it, how did she push past the venomous comments of bystanders? Did she just not see what a fuss she caused? Print frowned as she went through the motions of posing, lost in thought. Was this what she would turn into? She loved her mentor, but could she ever become a “great” photographer like that and not lose her mind? Print balanced on two hooves for one of the final poses, wobbling precariously, before falling over into a sniffling heap.

Photo Finish looked agast. “WHAT IS ZAT? IS ZAT A NEW FORM OF MODELING? I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT FLOOTERSHY’S NEW SHTYLE IS POPULAR IN ZE HIGHER RANKZ OF CANTERLOT, BUT-” The photographer’s monologue was abruptly cut off by her sub’s voice, sounding more certain than she had the whole night.

“Towertop, Mistress.” Print said, enunciating clearly before breaking down into quiet little sobs. The effect of the safeword was immediate. Photo Finish quickly set down her camera and rushed to her assistant’s side. Print flinched away, feeling slightly ashamed that she had to safeword, but her Mistress only brushed a hoof against her cheek, looking into her eyes through her mask.

“Oh, precious Print, what is ze matter? Was ze setting not right, or ze poses too much?” Photo Finish asked, watching with increasing concern as her sub tried not to bawl. When Print did not answer, the dom hugged Print close, rubbing her back gently, holding her tight as she cried into her shoulder. Print pressed into her Mistress’ embrace, letting herself cry away her anxiety and pain at the commentary they had suffered through.

After her sobs subsided, Print tried to collect her thoughts. “It’s just… I don’t think I can live up to your expectations, Mistress. I’m not sure if I’m strong enough to push past all the negativity. I love working with you and capturing ‘The Magics’, I just… don’t know…” She hung her head, expecting her mentor to scold her, to tell her how disappointed she was.

What she did not expect was for Photo Finish to remove her mask to look Print in the eyes. She met her Mistress’ beautiful lilac eyes, that Print felt expressed more than any photograph ever could, which shined with sympathy and compassion, something nopony but Print ever got to see. Then Photo Finish smiled, and nuzzled her intern.

Print looked up as her Mistress beamed gently down at her. “Precious Print, I, Photo Finish, believe you have what it takes to become a shinink star in zis career, but zat is a choice only you can make. I promise, though, zat I will support you in every attempt you make. Remember zat.”

Print sniffled and nodded, before curling up in front of her Mistress, her hero for Celestia knows how long. She wiped her tears away. “M-maybe you still have one more picture left to take, for consideration for the front page, and then we can go somewhere nice? Maybe the spa? They’ve got a Mistress & Me Massage now, and I heard it’s a relaxing way to spend an evening, assuming you don’t mind that.”

Her Mistress winked before putting her mask back on. “OF COURSE. LET IT BE KNOWN ZAT PHOTO FINISH HAS ZE MOST PRECIOUS SUB OF ALL, AND PRINT SHALL MAKE ZE FRONT PAGE WITH ZE HEADLINES!” Print curled up on her back and giggled cheekily at the camera as the shutter clicked, just once. Photo Finish cooed over the picture before helping her sub to her hooves, nuzzling her profusely.

“NOW, TO ZE SPA FOR SOME MUCH NEEDED AFTERCARE. WHAT DO WE SAY, PRECIOUS?” Photo Finish held out a hoof. Print took it, and found herself swept off her hooves and set on her mentor’s back. She laughed as she rode her Mistress towards the door of the photography studio.

Print hugged her hero, her mentor, her Mistress tight. “WE GO!”

“That’s it?” Misty frowned and slumped in the booth against Ghost. “That’s your favorite memory from the Society? It’s barely kinky! It’s just… pictures of kinky.”

Ghost nudged Misty. “Voyeurism is a kink too, you know. Not everypony is into a ton of hardcore, rough sex. Everypony has different things they get out of play, and it doesn’t take an extreme scene for it to mean a lot.”

Misty shrugged. “Whatever floats your slightly-less-extreme boat, Print. I take it that picture of you being all snuggly made it to the front page?”

Print choked on her poorly-timed sip of jasmine and lavender tea for a moment before nodding, coughing and sputtering through her reply. “Y-yes, it did. In fact, it’s in the upcoming issue, but that’s supposed to be a secret. We’re not supposed to share details so, um, forget that I told you anything, at least until the next issue of Frolic is published!” She blushed behind her teacup and looked at Sandy, who noted this at the bottom of her page.

“Don’t worry, this isn’t going anywhere, it’s just for inspiration. Thanks for sharing that, by the way, I really appreciate it. So, Ghost, are you up for telling your story?” Sandy turned to a new page in her notepad and looking up at the shy mare.

Misty sighed. “Let me guess, it’ll be about some barely-kinky sex and the magic of friendship, ooooh.” She waved her hooves around in a fairly spooky manner.

Ghost smiled weakly and batted her friend’s hooves lightly. “Actually, quite the opposite. It’s certainly kinky, but there’s no sex at all! And yet, it was still wonderful, and just what I needed. It had been a particularly awful day at the cafe, and it was about to get worse…”