“Caramel, my friend, if this place doesn’t get you some action, nothing will,” Shining Armor grinned as he clinked beer bottles with his old schoolmate.

“If you say so…” Caramel said, glancing around and biting his lip.

All around them, Appleloosa’s newest club thrummed. A swirling combination of magic and enchanted crystal floated above the dance floor, occasionally taking the shape of three pulsing cacti. Lasers shot out over the dancers, slamming into large crystals set into the walls. With every impact, the crystals erupted in blasts of color.

Honestly, it was crazy to think they were in Appleloosa and not Manehattan.

What’s more, the place was packed with ponies. Dancing, laughing, drinking… and most of the mares. Not a bad crowd for a Wednesday night.

And that meant more chances to find one for Caramel.

Shining Armor took a pull from his bottle, glanced up to the third floor and smiled. A few silhouettes were visible in the Spring Rooms above the dance floor, doing all sorts of fun things. That was for later, though.

“Shining, this isn’t going to work!” Caramel focused on the lines of bottles behind the bar. “Seriously. I know you’re trying to help me get out of this dry spell, I’ve tried a dozen times in this place!”

“Wasn’t the first place you scored something just like this in Downtown Canterlot?” Shining grinned and patted him on the back. “Give it a chance. It’s a different scene with different company. Exactly what you need!”

Caramel muttered something Shining couldn’t hear and sighed, turning back to his drink. Shining Armor looked Caramel over, again figuring out what he had to work with. Dressed in a yellow polo, a pair of jeans and cowmare boots, his old friend didn’t exactly scream sexy. The wilted ears, drooping dark brown tail and hunched expression didn’t help either.

“Can I get you two gentlestallions anything more?” said a soft pink mare with an easy smile from the other side of the bar.

“Two whiskies, neat.” Shining slipped over a few bits.

The mare glanced at Caramel, who just waved in apathetic agreement. She rolled her eyes at him, winked at Shining and headed off to get their drinks. Meanwhile, somepony slipped in to Shining’s left.

“Buy you a drink, gorgeous?” said a tall gray mare in a slinky black dress that was just barely keeping her chest in.

Shining grinned up at her. “I’m good, but my friend could use a new one.”

The mare followed his gaze to Caramel, who decided to freeze the moment she caught his eye.

“I think I’ll pass. But if you get thirsty, just let me know.”

She booped Shining on the nose and sauntered off. Shining tried not to stare at those hips. He failed.

“Number eight,” Caramel groaned and buried his head in his arms. “Why in Tartarus do you get to be so perfect and I get to be so me?”

“Okay, seriously, is it just me or is every mare in this place about to bust out of their top?” Shining asked, ignoring Caramel’s fatalism. “I mean, I know fashion’s going for the ‘flaunt it’ look, but this is crazy…”

“You didn’t hear?” Caramel snorted, then drained the rest of his beer. “They’re calling it the High Heat! The highest sex drive mares have shown in over a century. Happening right now! This very Spring! In this club! And I’m still hopeless.”

“I… uh…” Shining blinked a few times and shook his head. “No. Hadn’t heard that.”

“Probably because you’re too busy knocking up the Princess of Love herself, if the papers are telling the truth.” Caramel snickered as the pink bartender returned with their drinks. She gave Caramel another look, then vanished before he even noticed her. “Yeah, like you actually...”

Caramel stared at Shining, probably because Shining had actually blushed. It was usually obvious, considering his white coat. And he adjusted the collar of his silk shirt in the most awkward way possible.

“You… you did?”

“We’re starting a herd,” Shining whispered. “Keep it quiet though! We don’t want just anypony to find out!”

Caramel nearly fell off his barstool. “The most popular theory on the High Heat is Cadance is up to something… If you knocked her up and…”

Shining grabbed Caramel by the shoulder and yanked him closer just before he could snatch his whiskey.

“Okay, yes!” he hissed in his friend’s ear. “Cadance is connected to all love throughout Equestria. Every kind of love. And all love is connected to her. So, yes, it’s probably because of us. And if you breathe a word of it to anypony, you’re on your own.”

“Come on!” Caramel cried, shoving him off and knocking back half of his whiskey in a single gulp. He shuddered. “You’ve got to get me one night in a Spring Room, now!”

“Well, the usual methods aren’t working!” Shining snapped, eager move away from the fact that Cadance and he had maybe caused Equestria’s mares to go mad with mating lust. He spun on his barstool and sipped his whiskey, eyeing the floor. “And this is the third night we’ve tried those methods. Time for plan C.”

“Plan D.”

“Whatever.”

The problem was that poor stallion wanted something semi-real. He wanted to feel… well, wanted. Not in some emotional way—though that wouldn’t hurt—but physically. However, Caramel managed Appleoosa's biggest bank. It wasn’t a job that built mighty physiques. And since that’s what mares seemed to be after this Spring…

“What to do…” Shining muttered into his tumbler, eyeing half-naked mares dancing and shivering on the dance floor. “Come on… think…”

“Cadance is really okay with this?” Caramel asked.

“She said I couldn’t have too much fun on my own…” Shining said distractedly as he caught a glimpse of a pair of white mares. “Not without you getting the same.”

“This is hopeless,” Caramel muttered, slamming back the rest of his drink. He was barely audible over the sound of the music. “We should just go.”

That was an option, but there was a problem with it. Namely, after being pawed at, flirted with and teased by half the mares in this place, Shining desperately needed some relief. He doubted he could stand up properly. Tartarus, even the bartender had made eyes at him!

“It’s only ten forty-five!” Shining coughed as he adjusted his slacks. “We’re not done yet.”

“Yay. Plenty of time for me to get even more wasted on the fact that I’m never going to get a single mare in this town to bed me.” Caramel signaled for another. “They’re all too distracted by you, the perfect stallion.”

“Now, come on… that’s not what’s—”

“Shining, you are tenting so badly it’s a miracle you haven’t torn your pants.” Caramel said flatly.

“Uh…” Shining blushed and scratched his mane. Okay, he needed a solution and he needed it now.

He looked around… and more than a dozen mares looked back. Sleek pegasi, strong earth ponies, svelte unicorns and even a few toned buffalo eyed him. Half of them were licking their straws or playing with their drinks in the lewdest way possible. The other half just smiled and made sure their tops were showing maximum cleavage.

“Okay, seriously, I need to talk with Cadance… if she has any control over this, it’s gotten way out of hand…” Shining muttered.

Still, those looks were getting to him. Badly. Now, they both needed something.

Time to try something different.

He smiled at a pair of snow-white ponies, a pegasus and a unicorn. They could have been sisters. The pegasus wore a low-cut clubbing dress that matched her bright green hair perfectly. The unicorn wore jeans and a crimson blouse at least two sizes too tight that complimented her sultry red hair. Several nearby mares muttered as the white pair approached, obviously annoyed they hadn’t gotten the look.

“How bad do you want it?” Shining hissed as the two mares sauntered forward.

“What?” Caramel murmured, looking up. “What are—”

“As in, one bangs me as the other bangs you, then we swap.”

Caramel paused as that processed through his alcohol-induced stupor. “Hey, if you can make it work…”

Shining grinned as both mares slid up to him. “Good evening, ladies.”

They ignored Caramel entirely.

Both of them smiled. He’d seen less eager smiles on manticores.

“Good evening to you, handsome,” the unicorn said, her hand on her hip. “I’m Flexible Spin and my friend here is Silver Blossom. We’re hoping you’d have some mercy and stop teasing us poor defenseless mares.”

“Poor defenseless mares?” Shining had to laugh at that. “I’ve served in the Royal Guard, my dear. I’m sure you and all of your mare friends could take me in the blink of an eye.”

“I mean, he’s not wrong,” Silver Blossom cooed, leaning forward and almost popping out of her dress. “But why should we take when you can just give?”

Shining swallowed, rather glad the folds of his slacks hid what lay beneath. Caramel eyed him up and down—probably wondering if he had a clue what he was doing.

“Well, that’s the thing,” Shining smiled. “I might be up for giving, but I don’t want to be selfish. My friend here gives just as wonderfully as I.”

The two mares’s big beautiful eyes flicked over to Caramel. They both sighed.

Caramel wilted and Shining’s ear twitched in annoyance. He didn’t let it break his grin.

“So, Flexible—”

“Just call me Flex, sweetie,” whispered the unicorn. “I earned that name.”

He tried again before all the blood left his brain. “How would you feel if you got to watch Silver here have all the fun, but you never got to play? Especially if it had been a while?”

“One problem, stud,” Flex said, booping his nose. “You’re the one getting everypony all nice and toasty. Not him. No offense.”

Caramel just waved halfheartedly before going back to his drink.

“What if I say we’re a packaged deal?” Shining replied, trying to keep himself focused on the mare’s eyes and not on… well, everything else.

Once again, Silver Blossom and Flex looked at one another. Something danced between their eyes in that oh-so-special mare way. Then, they smiled.

“You drive a hard bargain,” Silver Blossom murmured, her wings pomfing just a bit. “I like that. A stallion in control… rare thing, especially during Spring.”

“Oh, I know my place,” Shining said easily. “I just want to make sure my friend gets reminded of his.”

“What’s your name, stud?” Flex whispered.

“Shining Shield.”

Real names might make things awkward down the line. However, Caramel shouldn’t have a problem.

“And him?” Silver asked, nodding at his drunk friend.

“Caramel.”

“Oh, the one who runs the bank… huh…” Silver Blossom eyed him again and shrugged. “Well, if he can keep up…”

Shining Armor kicked Caramel hard under the bar, pulling him from his stupor. “What?” he demanded.

“These lovely ladies are interested in a good time,” Shining said with a meaningful look. “Wake up so you can help!”

“Really?” Caramel gaped for a moment before getting control of himself and smiling. “I mean… yeah, yeah! I’d be happy to help!”

Shining thought she saw a smirk play across both of their lips, but with the flashing lights of the dance floor, it was hard to be sure.

“You know, Silver,” Flex said. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I can wait to go back to our place or theirs.”

“You’re right,” Silver Blossom replied, her voice smooth and silky. “You think the Spring Rooms are still open?”

“Why don’t we all go find out? Icy Night would never close a Spring Room during this High Heat. She’d have couples banging in every corner of her club! Finding one unoccupied, well… maybe we’ll get lucky.”

Flex finally pulled Shining out of his seat, while Silver lifted into the air and fluttered over Caramel. She pulled him from his bar stool and guided him toward the stairs, whispering things in his ear.

However, Flex paused Shining as her hand played along his absurdly tight pants. “You are a big one. We’re going to have fun tonight. All of us.”

“Sounds great,” Shining replied with a grin. “Just between you and me, Caramel’s in a bit of a dry spell. He’ll be very eager.”

“And you?”

“Oh, I… get by.”

“Why don’t we go find out how well?” she giggled and pulled him toward the stairs.

Author's Note

Oooh! Looks like Shining Armor finally pulled it off~! Caramel and him are going to have a great night!

Lemme know if you see any mistakes by PM <3