John Sampson's Story

Celestia was falling off her chair laughing, “Oh, John. Even the youngest Equestrian born stallion with his balls just dropped would have recognized what was going on. But my super stud had never seen a pony estrus and didn’t know. That’s what mares do before their season. They start gathering stallions and making sure that they have the best sire available ready to cover them.”

“Ya don’t say. Really? You know, you could have said then and saved me a lot of paranoia and soul searching.”

“What, and lose my chance at a super stud? Never going to happen. I am a super mare, you know.

I glanced through the binder. It seemed a pretty ordinary grant request with lots of documentation and detailed studies. But my stomach was on the clock and reminded me that there was a gathering I couldn’t miss.

I collected my band and opened the door from the kitchen to the courtyard. There were already tables set up and a few ponies stirring. AJ said, “Come here you two.” and gave us two apple pies each. We located the dessert table and set them down.

Steel came over to see what was going on and exclaimed, “What are you doing? This is your party, AJ.”

“Steel, this is Applejack of the Apple herd on the Sweet Apple Acres farm, developers and growers of the finest Apples in all of Equestria. You are not going to get her near a crowd without showing off her apples. Just accept that.” I explained.

That got several laughs. I got a beer and found a place to sit. Steel joined me.

“Steel, I have a powerful need for some stallion advice. Sometime soon we might slip into my office for a private moment or two.”

“John, I simply cannot believe that you would have any sort of stallion problem. Let’s get a spare beer and go there right now. This has got to be one for the record books.”

So we did and did and after I made sure the doors were locked we settled in for discussion.

“Steel, this must remain absolutely confidential. I mean burn before reading secret.”

“Now you are worrying me, John. Yes I will keep your secrets. No matter how serious the failing.”

“Oh, Steel, would that it was a failing. That private audience with Celestia this morning, it was regarding Royal Privilege.”

Steel stood and came over to me. “John! Let me be the first to hoof bump you. That’s great. . . . Isn’t it?”

Something in my face must have clued him.

“John, which one is it?”

“Twilight. The problem is that it’s my technology that turns her on, not me or my love.”

“So? She has done a pretty good job of bringing up Spike. You know she has raised him from an egg, right? And any foal sired by you out of the strongest magician of our time will be incredible. I’ll even bet good money that your mares will deliver you to her if requested.”

“Actually, she would have to share me with them. It’s in the modern rules. We would probably just move in with her for the week.”

“John, you know that there are a lot of spells? Stamina spells. Enhancement spells. Fertility spells. Anti-fertility spells. And Twilight knows every single one of them. You have just been offered every stallion’s dream of heaven. The only possible way it could get better is if Luna or Celestia made it.”

“I know all that but I have some misgivings. She wants more and not sure I can just walk away from a foal. I would really like to talk to Shining Armor about life as a Consort but I can’t see traveling halfway across the world to do it.”

Steel grinned big, “Well me laddie, you are in luck. In a couple of weeks Cadance will be here preparing for heat week. Where Cadance goes, Shining Armor goes. Do you think you can control yourself until then?”

“Hey, is it my fault the mare goes into standing heat looking at me?”

“Are you serious, John?”

“Twice now.”

“I’ll make sure Shining sees you as soon as he gets here. By the way, you know that Shining is Twilight’s big brother, right?”

When we got back outside Twilight was there and getting lost in apple pie. I mingled a while and told jokes universal to Services everywhere. Finally, I got a moment with Twilight.

“Twilight, could you spare me a moment? I have a question or three and we could step into my office for some private time to discuss it.”

“Sure, John. Though if it gets too complicated we may have to continue it tomorrow.”

“Not a problem. Follow me.”

She got comfortable and I closed the door.

“Has AJ mentioned her experience with my alter ego?”

“She said something about your ‘inner pony’ but seemed unable to go into detail.”

“I’ve had my ‘inner pony’ since my Oath. He seems to be getting stronger but so am I. I’ve found I can use my magic in some interesting ways like keeping warm and I have become very pony in some respects. I loved pulling a plow on AJ’s farm. My greatest happiness is grooming my mares. I don’t get sexually stimulated in situations that would drive a human wild. And then a shrill whinny in the night drove me to capture and cover AJ. It would have been simple enough to explain but I had a sheath and a flare. I flehmened. I had four hooves. And AJ felt all of these things just like I did. But it was still me. I lasted for a human length of time and I have the memories to prove it. Explanations?”

Twilight took a deep breath then, “The obvious explanation is that as you increasingly apply your magic to your body, your subconscious gains similar access. If you learn to control it, you could become the foundation of another tribe. Or you could just be creating a really good illusion. I don’t any way to know that answer without actually watching you do it.”

“Twilight, it wouldn’t bother me a bit to move into the pony body and stay there. He’s quite a stallion. But when I was him, I was much more instinctual. My intellect was mostly just along for the ride. That worries me.”

“John, I’d still need to either observe him directly or have full access into your mind to find him.”

“You know I can’t do that, Twilight. You’ve only seen the smallest hint of some of the demons that live in there and it freaked you out. I will not be an agent of harm to you.

“On a related note, I have been told that you want something from me. You will only get it with my consent. To obtain my consent you must ask explicitly and offer terms. Ask AJ to detail the kind of agreement that we have and take it as an example. Don’t waste too much time though.”

“John, what are you suggesting?”

“Do you want a foal?”

“I want you, John.”

“No you don’t. You want my database. You can’t have it. You could have a foal.”

“Are you offering me a place in your band?”

“No. You can have complete friendship with loyalty. You can have inheritance. You can have economic merger. And you can have foals. You cannot have the band.”

Dammit. She’s going to cry.

“Could I ever have a chance? Is there something I could do?”

“No. I am very sorry but a choice I made has closed that door forever.”

Yep, waterworks fully engaged. And I’m a sucker for it. So I pick her up and sit back on my beanbag with her wrapped in my arms and bawling on my shoulder. We rock for a while.

“John, why not?”

“Twilight, put your ear against my chest and tell me what you hear. I’ll give you a clue, the doctor heard it.”

“I know you are heartbonded, John.”

“Good. Now how many mares do you think I could support?”

“I don’t know that there is a theoretical limit. Practically, with a few other stallions to help, about forty or fifty.”

“I calculated thirty. But remember that all my band heartbonds. Now, Twilight, how long do Alicorns live?”

“Alicorns are functionally immortal.”

“So you want to go through eternity with twenty nine thirtieths of your heart ripped out by the roots?”

Waterworks into hyperdrive. It took a while this time.

“I’m sorry Twilight. So very, very sorry. All I can do is seek a solution. I will for as long as I am able.”

“Thank you, John. I was so focused on what I wanted that I never thought it through.”

“Twilight, I’m sorry. . . .”

“No, John. I’m an Alicorn. It’s my fate. I will talk to AJ about contracts and foals. It may not be this year but some day I will bear your foals. You are far too great a stallion to leave unused.