~ VII ~

The Mare City of Canterlot

"How did you learn to do all of that anyway?" Rainbow Dash said from next to me, our coats touching, hers sun-soaked—mine still chilled from the water. The dragon brushed at my left. More so hanging on like a pirate from a mast. "One second has you like a scaredy-cat. The next, and you're laying down the law."

I coughed in being sandwiched between the friends, warmed by the duo, aiding the recovery from my impromptu bath. I dipped and shook my head with a shrug. "Dunno. It's bullshit, really. Just used to talking out of stuff."

"Pretty alright at it."

My right eye narrowed. "Could be better. Don't think I acted much like that in my previous life—or had the balls to." I exhaled. "It's all talk at the end of the day; we're fucked the second they stop buying it."

Rainbow giggled. Where the fuck was she leading us? I'd let her set the direction as I warmed up. "Was going to say! You're a different breed of guy." Another laugh. "But not the kind to be swinging with your dick. Still. You blew enough mares minds with that."

"Think they'll blow me in return?"

"Not so loud—or else you'll get your wish."

"Shit."

We all came to a stop as the dragon kicked a foot into my barrel, leaping from it, pelting the ground with his feet. Rainbow rounded with him as they both sauntered in-front of me. Looking... like they were looking at some goddamn leader.

"So what do we do next?" Spike squeaked up as he was wrapped in himself; arms hugged around his torso as though in the cold. He peered around for shadows. "You managed to get us outside just fine! But now..."

"Now we've gotta hit this from a new angle with you," Rainbow added with a lowered head. Eyes peered in thought. "I mean. Your grand goal is to get to Canterlot right? Forget about it!"

I shrugged both of my forelegs as though they were arms and, in so doing, fell forward onto my chest. Crashing with an 'oof,' I looked up in contempt. "Why the hell not? That's where Twilight and Celestia and all the crazy princess bitches are at, right?"

"Yeah... but that's your problem right there!" Rainbow said.

"In what way?"

"Because it's nothing but crazy bitches there!" Spike said especially. There was something about the excitement in his innocent tone that would forever stick that phrase in my head. "Only powerful mares are there. No stallion! Few have the privilege of going, but..."

I pushed hard into the ground, so my front jumped up, forehooves crashing into the ground. “But what, dickhead?”

“But stallions get used and abused up there!"

My face imploded into itself and a new one came out in its place. "How the fuck is that? Sucking them quicker than their refractory period?"

Rainbow placed her foreleg on my shoulder. "No no. This is one you'd better take seriously." She turned with a sway of mane, the gleam of rainbows, followed by a raft of raspberry. Despite her coolness, she was also gorgeous, taken to moments of pensiveness in staring far off to the distance. "Up there. The city on the mountain. Can you catch it?"

I looked beyond the city and over the emerald planes, to the base of the mountain and the might of the waterfall before it. That plateau of land it poured from, a gorgeous city, like one in a crystal ball—set with a tease of a castle in the back. "See it."

"The mares who run the world are the ones who live there." Rainbow extended a foreleg toward it as incoming winds threw back her mane. Her leg dropped, and the winds did not stop. "Stallions are not permitted there. Even the visiting few have to be approved by royals—and properly leashed during their stay."

I wanted to throw a joke or an insult but the damn girl's voice was sincere... and I didn't want to ruin that. "I'm guessing it's not the kind where you would walk a stallion like a dog."

Rainbow tried to smile. "You're kinda close." And then she stopped trying. "But it's the unauthorized stallions you would fear being. See it's powerful gals up there. Not the kind wanting to suck off stallion to make him feel better."

Shit clicked when I wished it didn't. "So they have a bunch of stallions working on them?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes and mumbled. "Putin' it lightly. Consider yourself lucky if all you have to do is keep between a mare's legs, eating her out as she cooks dinner. Most of them are sicker than that. Stallions are toys for their amusement up there. Things to stroke their ego. All that power over 'em. What they make 'em do. Can make 'em do.”

I chuckled as there was a white flash from my previous world. Although nothing could be seen inside of it. Feelings contained within it were felt once more. Vague and bubbling knowledge washed across the curves of the brain.

"Stallions are weak no matter what." I said as I stared at that distant city of despair. Where powerful mares would crush a guy like me. Where the ancient bitch controlled the land from—the same place that produced, and now currently has, Twilight Sparkle. "Some mares want to protect and serve them because of that. Others wish to dominate. But no matter the case..."

I looked down at myself. "Their fate is always in the hooves of someone else."

Rainbow shrugged. "Always been like that... until..."

I blinked in looking up. "Until when?"

She didn't have to try to smile this time. “Until you.”

Author's Note

Shorter chapter this time around for the sake of setting things up! We get some backstory to what became of Canterlot and the various views mares hold on stallions. It seems like our crew will need to storm the city to discover what occurred to Twiilight... but they're not strong enough yet.

Anon is weak... but strong as an image.

And who better to make his image stronger than a certain white unicorn?

How has Rarity changed from wanting a prince in this new world?

Don't forget you can cover me for a coffee (triple-triple) or chill with the gang on the Yr. Pals, The Boys Discord.