The mare sobbed uncontrollably. She clung to him desperately. Sought Touch held her, letting her rock as monumental sobs wracked her entire body. He patted her on the back, letting her know he was there. And thus she cried, letting out at least years if not decades of piled feelings. Sought Touch felt his back growing wet. It was gross, but he did nothing; nothing a shower couldn't fix. Speaking of which, he definitely needed one. Her too. Shame about their time -- if the first phases hadn't taken so long, he'd be suggesting that they hop in together very soon as a matter of fact. She clung to his back and hung her head over his shoulder. Despite being larger than him, she was curled up into a compact mass of tears. It wasn't a sexy cry, this was genuine sobbing. She was trembling, tensed up like a spring. Even though he was holding her, she seemed to be more curled up than leaning on him.

He brushed her mane. "Tempest, it's okay, let it all out. I'm here. Nopony's going to hurt you." Tempest relaxed a bit. Her arms formed a complete ring around his upper back, and she pulled them taught to bring them close. He felt her breasts pressing into his chest. He couldn't do much but let her cry it out. And that was what he did. It was on the fading end of late twilight when the mare let loose her torrent of tears. Sought Touch held the mass of stormy emotions and frayed nerves, whispering in her ear, "Tempest... I'm here for you... It's okay... I got you... You can hold me... You've been very brave..." He kissed her cheek. It was extremely salty. She blew out her nose.

Tempest Shadow said nothing for a very long time. She cried like she had a lifetime of pain bursting through at long last.

Sought Touch kept coaxing her with words and caresses for a very long time. He let it all flood from her. There was nothing else he could do but let her cry and cry and cry and cling.

And cry.

And cry.

She needed this. She needed this even more than she needed his body. The orgasm had been just a prelude to the real release. For the first time in who knew how long, Tempest Shadow was genuinely safe. She cried, releasing pain she didn't even know she had. For comrades she had forgotten had ever lived and died. For her maiming. For the surgeries and spells that could never more than mask damage she would bear every day until she died. For kills long faded into a wall of nameless dead faces that haunted her dreams. For villages she had seen burned to the ground with gunfire cutting down the inhabitants as they died either in fight or in flight or while pleading. For rivers turned red with blood, thick with viscera and corpses. For sleepless nights she prayed to gods she had never believed in that the enemy wouldn't cut her throat. For tanks she saw burned out with ruined corpses blackened to char as they tried to escape in their last despair. For every fearful look her own countryponies had given her when she returned. For every whisper and slight she had endured through almost all her life for being an unwanted, maimed freak. For every second of dread in enemy territory. For every false lover who had used her like a toy or even just meat. For every blow, bullet, and blade that had struck her body. For every shelling that lasted forever. For every bloody day she swore would never end. For every friend fallen. Untold years of hardship and pain bled out through Tempest's eyes for hours. A whole lifetime at war -- a lifetime she had convinced herself would have to be painful and lonely. For the mind blowing sex and fantastic orgasm she had just had. She cried until her throat was raw and her eyes hurt and her cheeks were burned with the salt.

She eventually could barely speak, but she let out a few words. "It's not you."

"I know."

"It's not me, it's the booze."

"Tempest, you don't have to-"

"Let me save some face!"

"Okay, tough gal."

She nuzzled his neck, wiping her snot and tears on him. Then she cried some more, but it was reduced to near silent coughs of sadness with slowly streaming tears and fewer wads of snot. Crying like a child was ugly as could be, but it wasn't bad. In her case, it was actually beautiful, beautiful because it was so surprising that she could let it happen. This lasted a long time, and she let him hold her through it all. When she at last did stop crying, she looked him in the eyes. "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it."

"Really, I mean it. Thank you so much. I really can't express just how much I needed to see you. You and me, holding me, the sex, was all just so amazing and I really needed it."

"It's as I said, it's all okay, Tempest." It was the escort's job to handle clients, and while crying wasn't sexy or pleasant, it wasn't all that bad as far as strong reactions from went. Dusk had passed. It was night.

She gave a huge snort and then addressed him in a slightly more quavery version of her regular voice. "How am I for time?"

"You still got some." Maybe enough for him to sprint to the shower, very quickly freshen up, make his exit, and then let his agency know he hadn't been murdered by the monster mulberry mare. They understood that sometimes things ran longer and that occasionally escorts had other things on their mind instead of checking in exactly on the dot. Maybe go home, grab a shower, have a drink, light up a smoke, talk with somepony, not announce in public they'd just been with a client...

"Mind if I just talk, or do you have to leave now that we've done it?" She was almost shy again, but it was trying to be innoffensive and convince him to stay rather than not knowing how to handle herself.

The stallion weighed the options in his head. The agency may worry a bit and his boss may get mad, but such things were facts of life at his job. "Sure What about?"

"Can I just tell you about myself and my scars?"

"Absolutely," answered Sought.

"Okay," said Tempest, distancing herself from him for the sake of demonstration. "I just have to get this off my chest and I know we're running out of time, so without delay..." She pointed to her head. "My horn was destroyed when I was a filly, and I got this scar on my face at the same time."

"What happened?" He was genuinely concerned.

"I took an Ursa to the face."

He winced. "Fuuuuuck..."

"Yeeaah. I scared it off, but at a price. The worst thing is I can't do magic right -- I just get sparks, and everypony didn't want to associate with a maimed freak anymore."

"That's really sad."

"I know," she agreed slowly, "I understood from that day that life's not fair or just, all at only seven years old.

He hugged her. "Ow."

"Yup." She hesitated, but then powered on. "Then come my breasts... I got it four times there."

Sought Touch asked, "What're those stories if you want to share?"

She pointed to her enormous keloid. twisting to show how it went from her ribs to the edge of her sternum. "I was hit with a firebrand sword, a very deep cut. I was sixteen. I nearly died that day. Out of all my close shaves, that was the closest." She was trembling. "I relive it in my sleep." He put a hand on her thigh to reassure, saying nothing, just giving her the support to put her trauma into words. She put her hand on it and held tightly. "This hairline scar, just a flesh wound from fragments. Same attack got my ear." He looked up to her head, remembering that her poor ear was missing its upper half and bore some burn marks, too. "This last one, the one that looks like a jagged crack, a bullet tore through the side of my vest..." Sought could tell just how harrowing this was, but the mare would never forgive him if he coddled her. "Ripped out a chunk of my breast. I couldn't get it treated for weeks. It got infected, and they had to remove a lot of the underlying tissue to save my life."

"I'm so sorry."

She hugged him. "It happens." There was a snarl in her attempt at sounding reassuring, but it wasn't directed at him.

"So the implant?"

"Yeah, I got that so I would at least look okay in a shirt. Too bad it can't hide it when I'm like this."

"I don't mind," said Sought Touch. "I think your breasts are lovely."

She smiled and blushed. "Well you're sweet. Many stallions and mares aren't."

"Thanks." Her genuine praise made him smile for real.

"And that brings me to my stomach..." Sought Touch mentally braced in case she started crying again. Tempest Shadow stood up, hugged herself, and then slowly spun around to show him the full extent of the devastation so that he could see before the pale blue light of the TV which had been at the Stable Wars DVD main menu for who know how long. The scar wasn't too bad on her front, just an unsightly patch of bald skin the size of a dinner plate that was mottled white and red. But then when it got to her back, the full horror was revealed. Vast swathes of her corded, muscular back had been maimed. The skin was shiny white and very red. It had never fully healed. Mottled into patterns, in some spots, the flesh looked as if melted like plastic over a candle. "Ten years ago, a year prior to our operation against Equestria, I was in an ambush. While fighting and trying to get our troopers out, someone shot a fuel tank and a vehicle exploded, showering me in flaming gasoline." She sniffled. "It burned through my armor... It hurt so much... I thought I was going to die. And when they finally got my uniform off, my skin came off in their hands, ripping my entire back open like fried chicken skins!" Tempst sobbed, hurling herself once more into the embrace of her escort.

"I got you, Tempest. That's terrible."

"The worst part is we were being torn apart by the Hippogriffs and I couldn't do anything -- my own soldiers being killed right in front of me and I couldn't do anything! Too weak, too much pain!"

"Tempest..."

She shoved her face into his shoulder and held her there for at least fifteen minutes. When her crying stopped, she said, "Grubber saved me."

"Who?"

"My friend -- piggy little fat fucker. He pulled me out with him as he fled the ambush. Don't know why he did it; he's a fucking pussy. I owe him my life, and that's why I put up with him, even though he's annoying." He just nodded and petted her. "I was in the hospital for like six months, and in a ton of pain for all of it. He kept me fed the whole time, granted always with sweets and cakes, but it was nice of him."

"Sounds like a nice guy."

"I guess..." She added, "I tried to have sex to maybe help get over it once I was released. It happened only once, after months. The guy got grossed out when he saw my scars and called me the ugliest thing he'd ever seen. Cue nine year dry spell. Anyway, It was Grubber's idea I give your agency a call."

"A very nice guy," remarked Sought Touch.

She looked him in the eyes. "So, what do you think of me? Crazy? Ugly?"

"Neither. You've suffered much. I've come to know you very well, Tempest Shadow, over these past few hours, and honestly, you're not a bad mare or a mad mare. You're honestly just a soul in need of some company, compassion, and comprehension. And you know, your smile is pretty. I'm sure if you showed it to more colts, you'd never want for companionship."

She nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." She looked at him one last time, a question on her lips. "Hold me?"

"Gladly."

And so they held each other one last time.

When they broke apart, Sought asked, "Can I shower?"

"Sure." She pointed at it, taciturn like before, but energized.

"Thanks."

Sought Touch walked over with his tied up and filled condom, and his clothes. He had been extremely excited, and Tempest Shadow milking him like crazy had made him cum copiously. As a result, it was very poudly sagging full of his fluids. He threw it in the trash on his way to the shower. He jumped in the shower before turning it on. The shock of initial cold served to bring him back into focus. This had been one hell of a session. He had done some truly amazing work this time, taking a mare from an unloved mass of fucked up to someone who could have easily passed for maybe the survivor of a nasty car wreck with a bit of an attitude. As the water warmed up, he felt a sense of satisfaction, and basked in the steam, letting the hot water blast all over him, washing away the sweats, the musks, the odors, and the juices. He scrubbed himself clean very thoroughly. Cleanliness was part of the job -- mares didn't like it when their professional prince charming reeked like a pig sty and especially loathed when he already reeked like the end result of a massive days' long orgy. Showers were places of reflection and sanctuary for escorts. This little place, this small ritual, was what he needed to call a sesh over to wind down and prepare for what came next in his day. He had been a virgin when Tempest had taken her burns, and had just been starting out the week before the invasion of Canterlot. If he hadn't been at a booking in Manehattan, he would have been right there and seen her in person at the Friendship Festival all those years ago... Anyway, he knew that they were massively over time. And he had been hungry as hell since about when Tempest had been sucking his cock hours ago. He soon felt clean. He shut off the water and toweled off. He got dressed again. An escort should not be seen rerobing after a session; it hurt the impression of the special just-for-you fantasy they strove to create. Now all that was left was to do was secure his envelope containing pay, end the session, and walk out.

When he reemerged from the bathroom, Tempest was back in clothes -- camouflage pants and an unbuttoned camo jacket with no bra. He guessed that was just her style. "I hate to say it, my dear, but we are out of time."

"I know..." Tempest admitted, shuffling her feet. "But thank you so much again, Sought."

"No problem," he said, approaching the counter with both Tempest and his envelope there.

She held the envelope out to him. "You'll be wanting this, no?"

"Thank you," he said to Tempest, hugging her. She returned the hug.

She looked around awkwardly, following him to the door, bumbling, "Sought Touch, um listen, you've been really good to me, and there's one last thing I want to do if it's okay with you?"

"And what's that?" They were right at the door. He was done and under no obligation to do anything at all.

"K-ki-kiss you."

"Sure," he said.

Tempest hugged him and puckered her lips. She brought her face to his and made contact. They were soft and felt good. She pressed their lips together, holding him tight, clenching her arms. If only she didn't have to let him go. So much gratitude, desire, longing, and a million other things were all in this one kiss. She pressed, bending him backwards, asserting her advantage in height and strength. He put tongue into the mix and she sighed happiness into his open mouth. At last they broke apart. "Thank you. Will I ever see you again?"

"I'm just a call away!" Sought answered like a cheery, dapper gentlecolt, and then hugged her once more. He nuzzled her cheek, her neck, and her breasts. The door opened and shut and he was gone.

Tempest Shadow, still blushing, made her way back to her bed to giggle like the little filly she had once been, "Best Hearts and Hooves Day ever!"

Author's Note

Well, here we are at the end! It's long overdue, but thanks so much for reading anyway. All your upvotes, faves, and comments have been great and I am very glad that this story has received such marvelous reception. In 10 days comes the next chapter of Nights In Pink Velvet on March 18'th. If you like character-driven story clop with a side of prostitution, there's plenty more where that came from.

Thank you so much for reading. I love your feedback, and I can't wait to write more stuff for you guys. This is the second time ever I have finished a multiparter, and it would not have been possible without awesome folks like you.

Kalash93

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