John Sampson's Story

We had some digesting to do after the questions and being pragmatic, we started picking out books while we thought. Twilight was explaining the pony alphabet to me and showing me how to read the titles of the books when something clicked. Pony writing wasn’t a different language, it was different shapes better suited to writing with hooves. Freaking obvious when you think about it.

After we had a fair pile of books, the subject of where to keep them came up. I wanted them in my office where I could use them daily. That meant I needed some bookshelves. In fact, we needed a whole apartment of furniture. So Twilight took us shopping. I’ve got to tell you, shopping with a Princess is a pleasure. The only questions were ‘when’ and ‘where’. My sole disappointment was the total lack of even a concept of ‘executive chair’. But I did get a really sweet desk.

At lunchtime I spotted a very familiar looking fast food place with an orange high peak roof. Twilight wasn’t impressed but I wanted to see what the pony version of an old familiar place was like. It was worth it. They have fish or chicken salad.

We explored the idea of shoes for me with a farrier. Boots are not a problem but the shape eluded him. I will bring my old boots by some day.

I bought Swift some new large saddle bags suitable for traveling and made a note of the fancy bags she looked at three times but didn’t want.

Finally we found the bookstore. There were a couple of foal’s primers and then I found the book of my dreams. It’s Encyclopedia Equestria, twenty two volumes of condensed Equestrian knowledge. I insisted on taking it all home with us.

When we got back to the castle there were some packages in our suite. The note said, “These are few of the easy ones to tide you over. Enjoy. Rarity.”

We decided not to unpack because we would be in our new apartment shortly but we had to look. There were capes and scarfs for both of us. I had some stretch shirts that looked sprayed on and a couple of what looked like pajamas and a couple of more like sweats. I normally went bare at home but I got this feeling that I may like them in winter.

I’d started on one of the learn to read books when an idea hit me. “Swift, could you help me with something? I want to write a letter.”

“Sure, John. Who to?”

“AJ. I want to invite her up here for a date.”

“John, is there a particular human custom on signing letters?”

“No, we do it pretty much the same way.”

“Then let’s read this one through and if you like it, we can sign it,” as she reaches into a drawer.

It was in the traditional form, which is to say rather flowery, and I liked it. We added a note at the bottom to suggest arrival on the noon train to spend the afternoon and evening in Canterlot with meals. Swift signed it with a rather complex mark I didn’t even understand and I signed with my normal signature which confused Swift. I bet AJ saves it for the novelty. The envelope was addressed and sealed to be turned over to the Company Clerk in the morning.

I made a lap. “Swift, baby, come over here, please. We have some things to talk about.”

She climbed up in my lap and leaned against me nosing and licking my chest. “Is this serious talk or is this fun talk?”

“Serious talk I’m afraid, at least for a while.”

“Well, I’m going to amuse myself while you think.” And she started lipping and pulling on my nipple.

“Darling, please remember we promised a Princess that we wouldn’t do that again.”

“I know that. But I want you well and truly teased when we get to where we can.”

Deep breaths. “O. Kay. We have some decisions to make if we are going to invite AJ in. AJ is a major shareholder in a big and profitable farm. The farm is her family so we can’t expect her to walk away from it. Neither can we expect her to allow it to be disbursed among our many foals. If we are going to expect AJ to contribute farm income to our band she has a right to expect us to contribute to the farm. But most of all, a strong Earth pony like AJ would go crazy sitting around while we spent our days on Guard business or traveled on assignment. We could move to AJ’s farm, and nothing would suit me better, but that would mean walking away from duty and maybe even Destiny. There will be lawyers before it is over but be thinking what you want and expect.

So we settled in for a few hours grooming. Logic tells me it must be part of my inner pony but I don’t care. Happiness is defined as carefully nibbling and licking my mare clean.

It was a normal morning right up until we walked in the cafeteria. Colt was waiting. As we ate I explained things to Colt.

“Colt, my mornings are my chance to be casual and normal. We are here this morning because my office is still under construction. When my office is done we will meet there.

What we are going to do is fix a problem with the Surgeons office. Their system for admitting ponies into the office for medical care is so broken that I was married between when I started signing in and when I saw the doctor.”

That had the effect of a small detonation. “Major John! You’re married! You and Captain Swift?”

“Well who better for a stallion have breakfast with than his mare? Now, what you are going to do is sit down with a nurse and this huge mass of forms they want everypony to fill out and reduce it something manageable using Terran methods that I will teach you. When we are done ponies will be able to get medical treatment in half the time. It will be tedious, boring work but when it is done it will save several pony lives a day for many years.

“Colt, It’s great to be the point pony. You get to be a hero smiting the evil whatever and capturing the hearts of mares everywhere. But the reality is that it takes fifty ponies working together to put that point pony out there. Somepony has to mine the ore for another pony to smelt for another pony to forge for the hero pony to carry. Several ponies will move the metal between each step. And several more feed all these ponies while they do their work. And make sure the right amount of the right metal is in the right place when it’s needed.

“We sing songs and tell stories about that hero but he’s really just the guy that was at the right place and time out of a thousand Guardsponies that did their duty and waited for destiny. There is courage in just showing up and doing your job without everypony telling you how wonderful you are. You will know what you accomplished and that must be enough.

“It makes me sound like a recruiter, doesn’t it? I’ll give you one final thought. This is exactly how I got where I am today. Ponies that get the job done are in demand everywhere.”

I won’t bore you with all the details. Colt buckled down and shocked the crap out of Doctor Red. It seems like medical school isn’t the only thing you need to keep ponies healthy. Swift and I got moved in. There were some ‘adjustments’ but we ended up in a nicely furnished apartment with a large common room, enough master bedroom for a bunch of ponies, two guest or whatever rooms, and a decent kitchen. We had an office adjoining with executive in back and secretary in front. The office had a separate hall door and side door from kitchen to back office. The kitchen also had a door opening on a large courtyard common to all of officers row.

Our wardrobe came, and came, and came. So did the books. It has taken many trips to town as we find one more thing we don’t have but we are getting a sweet life together. The courtyard hosts regular gatherings of off duty officers and we seem to be becoming popular there. Several stallions have asked for private advice on lovemaking and Swift tells me that some mares have done the same.

Letters have gone back and forth with AJ. We have understanding and acceptance that we can’t have a conventional marriage. If the guard and the farm weren’t enough of a conflict, we also have the Elements and my Destiny. But we agree that’s all the more reason we need foals to carry our heritage forward and foals need families. We’ll finally have that date soon.