“How do you feel about pet play?” Capper asked Tempest from the other side of one of the Platinum Teahouse’s green tables. While he awaited her reply, he took a sip of the potent black coffee in his cup.
“I haven’t really tried it, to be honest.” Tempest shrugged, her ever-present shoulder armor rattling a bit with the movement. “Not as a sub, at any rate. There was this one griffon, out at Clocktower Aerie? Subby little bitch, sweet as a kitten once you were finished beating the feathers off him. Not really my thing, but if my partner’s into it, I’m game.”
“We’ll put that down as a maybe then.” Capper nodded and sat his cup down. He picked up his Firelight deck, sifting through the cards idly while Tempest sipped her tea, an earthy Zebrican brew. “I’ve played it both ways. As long as nobody wants me using a litter box or living on kibble again, it’s fun.”
“What do you like about it?” Tempest asked him, cocking her head slightly. “Being the pet?”
Capper sat his deck back down, drumming his fingertips on the back of the cards as he thought about how to describe it.
“Capper-kitty doesn’t have to worry about what other people think about him,” he explained. “Doesn’t have to worry about taking care of anycreature, about who’s going to care if they catch him sleeping in their shacks, or who’s going to turn up and get pissed off that he’s not sleeping there alone. Capper-pup -”
“You play more than one type of pet?”
“It depends on my mood, really,” Capper shrugged, kicking back and putting his feet up on the table, ignoring the scowl from behind the bar. “Everybody expects the cat. It’s fun sometimes, but I’m still supposed to be independent, picky, arrogant - everything people expect Abyssinians to be at our worst. But everybody expects it, and it’s hard to turn down being pampered and doted on for a few hours. But when I’m playing the pup, I get to be a bit bumbling, just have fun without worrying about what everybody thinks, except for whoever’s holding my leash. The cat gets pampered, but the pup just gets to enjoy life. Everything’s taken care of, I know I don’t have to worry where my next meal’s coming from, somebody’s going to protect me. I won’t be eating kibble unless I screw something up. It’s safe. That’s what I like about it, anyway.” The Abyssinian sighed and drained his coffee.
“You know, I don’t think we ever have compared notes on what happened to us before the Princess barrelled into our lives. It sounds like you had it pretty rough.”
“Let’s just say moving to Klugetown was a step up for me.” Capper wrinkled his muzzle in that distinctive way felines had to show their distaste with the failures of the world around them. “I’d meant to keep on stepping up, but… things didn’t go the way I’d planned.”
“They never do,” Tempest agreed. She moved her chair over to Capper’s side of the table and leaned up against him. She hoped it came across the right way, despite her armor pressing into his shoulder. “So,” she continued before they could get too deeply into the silence that followed, “that’s what you like about subbing?”
“The pet play part of it, anyway.” He turned, giving her cheek a playful lick. “The rest… well, I need to save a few secrets for when I can talk you into being in charge.”
“You know, I could just have Sparkler compare our profiles. It’s not as much fun, but it gets things done sooner.”
“And here I was under the impression you liked me to take my time!” Capper smirked, taking his feet down and signalling to the bar for a refill on his coffee. The waitress brought out an earthen jug and poured him a fresh cup. Almost as soon as she’d finished, he heaped in two large spoonfuls of sugar, leaving the cup just short of brim-full. He picked the cup up by the rim, ignoring the handle to take the first sip.
Tempest watched the expressions that crossed his face with some amusement. She was learning that the Abyssinian had an entire vocabulary that could pass silently and apparently without his awareness. The first cup, he’d been pleasantly surprised with, but this one seemed to be a disappointment somehow, judging by the extra wrinkle of his prominent eyebrows, the faint hint of a snarl around his lips as he put the cup down and reached for the sugar bowl again.
“Well, somebody here knows how to make half of a proper coffee at least,” he grumbled. “Should have known they wouldn’t make a proper brew when I realized they used pre-ground beans. Good Abyssinian stock, at least.”
“What’s a proper brew like?” Tempest asked him curiously, leaning over to pull her teacup across the table.
“Home,” Capper sighed, leaning back to finish the disappointing cup. “It’s hard to find a proper buna outside of Abyssinia, though I’ve met some merchants passing through Klugetown who knew what they were doing, or at least how to appreciate it. Probably easier to show you, some time, if I can find someone who’s willing to host it.”
“Would you need supplies you don’t have here?”
“No, but it’s not really.....” Capper frowned, trying to think about how to explain it. “The buna is the right of the head of the home. It’s an invitation to come in to chat, share a drink, visit a while, to say nothing of the cost of coffee and the time to prepare it, and so it’s not really appropriate to hold unless you actually have a home to be the head of. Or if you’re doing it as your business, of course, but that’s your space again. It’s like the cooking, the cleaning, the wash… all those things I’ve had to do, but never been able to just do.”
“Mare’s work?” Tempest asked him, her tone even as she sipped her tea.
“Only if she’s the one in charge of the home, and somebody else is in charge of the business.” Capper rolled his eyes slightly. “Abyssinia’s cutthroat, not sexist. There’s just a different between keeping the home and earning the coin. Ponies blend the two so often, sometimes I don’t know how you ever aren’t working.”
“Breaking out into random musical numbers and semi-mandatory holiday celebrations any time the mood starts getting too serious seems to be the general solution.” Tempest allowed herself a faint smirk. “But to be fair, some of us really never stop working, unless we’re somewhere like this.”
“And how often have you hosted a peaceful get-together with friends and neighbors?”
“Point. So, you’re not really comfortable holding it until you have a home that’s yours, and somebody to share it with?”
“Pretty much.” Capper nodded. “And I don’t see that happening any time soon. Almost happened once, but…” He made a motion with his hand like a bird flying away, then shrugged and went back to his coffee.
“I’m sorry about the assumption, by the way. Between spending some time in Minos and the Storm King’s crew, I’ve learned not to expect too much respect outside of Equestria and its closer neighbors,” Tempest explained, trying to decide where to take the conversation next. Quiet was the enemy tonight, time to think about what they’d had and lost in the past. She was the one who’d gotten Capper thinking about it; that made it her job to find a new distraction.
”Gee, Tempest,” she thought to herself as she rolled her eyes, ”if only you were in a massive kink playground where the two of you could find somepony to fuck into a puddle by going downstairs and tossing a rock into a random crowd! But what could you possibly find to do for the evening here, of all places in Equestria?”
In all seriousness though, that was the question. Sure, they could find a playmate down in the Slave Pens. Or they could head down to the Borderlands, lure some pretty thing down into the Underdark.
But Capper was talking about a home. Thinking about having one. And that gave her an idea, once she thought about it.
“You know what? Let’s try it.”
Capper was just taking the last sip of his coffee when Tempest spoke up, and he promptly choked on it when she said that. He started hacking and coughing, pounding his chest while Tempest moved to pound his back with a forehoof. Finally, a wad of coffee-scented fur and phlegm came up, and he spat it into his cup, burying it in a napkin so it could be disposed of once he could breathe again.
“Try what?” He asked while he caught his breath.
“Going down to Pet Town,” Tempest clarified. “What did you think I meant?”
“Well, the last thing we were talking about was me trying to start a household!” He glared back at her. Tempest shook her head, chuckling ruefully.
“Okay, you’re right, but that is definitely not in either of our plans right now. But it got me thinking about trying to keep a pet. Are you all right?”
“I will be.” He got up, emptying the hairball into the garbage and coming back to wipe out his cup. “Give me some context, the next time you’re going to say something like that?”
“Will do. So, how does it sound?”
“Pet Town? I’m game, but I thought you weren’t sure. Change your mind about subbing for the night?”
“Well, I said I’d give it a try some time. Tonight’s some time, isn’t it?” Tempest smiled at him awkwardly. “And actually, I was thinking maybe you could show me the ropes? I’ve never tried being a dog before.”
“Oh? Sure you wouldn’t be a feisty little kitten instead?” Capper teased her, leaning forward again to rest his elbows on the table. “A spoiled, pampered little so and so?”
“If anybody wants me to be their pampered little kitten, I’m going to need claws to shred the drapes with. Besides, I know the last time I paid Clocktower West’s version a visit, not every pet had a master with them.”
“I’ll chew broken glass before I play at being a stray.” Capper shuddered. “Too close to home for me. Besides, I can show you the ropes without having to sub myself.”
“It just seemed like tonight might be a good ‘forget about everything’ night for you, too.” Tempest shrugged. “So, we go down and see what sort of pet you’ve found yourself?”
“Oh, I already have a few ideas,” he grinned back at her. “I’ll meet you down at the Little Big Sphinx, after you’ve had a chance to go drop off your clothes? After all, I don’t think even the Royal Guard kit their dogs out like you are now.”
“Heh… I guess you’re right,” Tempest chuckled awkwardly. “So, uhm… I’ll meet you downstairs?”
“Unless you’d rather I wait for you,” he offered. “But I figured that you’d rather skip the part where I’m showing you off on the way to Pet Crescent on your first trip, and it’ll give me a chance to make a couple of purchases to help you get into character.”
“Sure,” she nodded, just a bit too quickly for Capper’s tastes. “So, I’ll meet you there!”
“Tempest….” He stood up, leaning down over her before she could leave. Taking her jaw in one paw, he tipped her face up towards his.
“You don’t have to do this if you aren’t comfortable with it,” he reminded her.
“And as soon as I’m not, I’ll be sure to let you know,” she promised him easily. She stood up and pushed his paw away with a wink. “Just remember, if you stand me up at the Sphinx, I will wear my mask the next time I come find you in the Borderlands!”
“Threaten me with a good time, why don’t you!” Capper smirked, and the two of them each turned to go their separate ways and set up for the evening.
Some ponies were creatures of habit, as far as their wardrobe was concerned. For example, if one were to find Applejack without her hat it would make for a rather odd day. Without it, the farm pony often traded her honest brashness for an almost awkward shyness, as though she felt naked without it. Fizzlepop Berrytwist was much the same, and in her case she literally was naked. She had returned to the locker rooms and stripped off her armor and body stocking. Now, she made her way towards the Café outside of Pet Town.
It was almost impossible to believe that this was the same pony who had almost single-hoofedly conquered Canterlot, unless you saw her horn. Her tail was tucked tightly down behind her legs to conceal herself from onlookers, the magenta tip twisted up in a futile attempt to conceal at least one of her two cutie marks, a glass soda bottle with a medley of berries bursting out of it on each flank. She reached up to touch her Society badge, jingling the bangles on her hoof-cuffs deliberately.
”Stupid foal,” Fizzlepop chided herself. ”He’ll still be interested in you!”
She just hoped he wasn’t expecting much fight out of her. It just felt wrong like this, like she’d left her attitude behind with her gear. Getting in a fight would be weird in Pet Town, but she’d heard rumors about some of the deeper levels. He wouldn’t ask that of her on their first visit, though.
Would he?
He’d play-raped her into a whimpering, quivering mess the first time they’d been together. How could you tell where the lines were after that?
It was hard to know where somebody who considered play-raping you stupid to be a fun first date drew their lines.
Before she could spook herself any worse, she hurried through Pet Crescent and to the outskirts of Pet Town, and the Little Big Sphinx Café just outside of it with the same comforting green décor of the tea shop above.
Well, mostly the same green décor. Beyond the Platinum Tea Shop’s areas for Doms and subs to each take their seats, the Café had a second area for subs right by the entrance here that Fizzlepop was still trying to figure out. The only difference she could make out was the red statues on the occupied tables, rather than the green ones further in with other collared subs.
“Sparkler,” she whispered, flipping her badge up so she could see her PipSub’s display. “Little Big Sphinx Café, importance of statues?”
Her badge chimed happily, then began to scroll a brief explanation. Green statues for trained pets, red for untrained ferals, statues represent preferred pet type… simple enough.
Of course, if Capper had been seated in with the Doms, it would have been a lot easier. Still, he apparently hadn’t made it back from his little ‘shopping trip’ yet. Wonderful.
She made her way over to an empty table in the feral’s section, and looked around to try and figure out how the statue system even worked. Surely they didn’t all bring them down with them, especially given that every creature there was naked except for collar and cuffs.
“Kiosk near the bar,” a nearby lavender-grey pegasus mare with a number of stacked bird statues told her, indicating with a wing.
“Uhm, thank you…?”
“Cloudkicker. And relax, nopony’s going to laugh at you down here.” She gave Fizzlepop a reassuring smile. “If they do,” she added with a wink, “and you don’t like it, just pee on their horseshoes!”
“Oh, I do not want to make one of you pegasi mad, then!” Fizzlepop laughed, relaxing for the first time since she’d undressed as Cloudkicker joined in her mirth.
“Hard limit for most of us,” Cloudkicker promised. She gave a parting wave with a wing as Fizzlepop go off to slot her badge into the kiosk and run through the options.
It looked like she could stack as many of the statues as she wanted, from what she least wanted to be up to most. The selection was frankly mind-boggling, including a brief description of the animal, a picture of the statue, and a helpful picture of both the male and female genitalia.
Well, it was the Clocktower.
”Alligators, armadillos, bats, birds, birds, more birds, even more birds, bunnies, what the hay is a capybara, cats, chinchillas… here we go, dog. Keep it simple.” She made the selection, but then out of idle curiosity, flipped a few more screens in.
Three screens and the “echidna, spiny” illustrations later, a red-faced Fizzlepop was hurrying back over with a red dog statue in one hoof.
“Sit with me?” Cloudkicker invited, pushing a spare stack of cushions out for her to sit on.
“Sure, thank you.”
“So far nopony’s willing to take the risk of taming me, so I’ve got a little time to talk.” Cloudkicker smiled. “And you look a little out of your depth.”
“That obvious, huh?” Fizzlepop winced, carefully standing her statue on the table and balancing it by hoof.
“Well, I pointed out the kiosk without you saying a word about not knowing where it was, so….”
“Ask a stupid question, I suppose.” A waitress came by in the universally scandalous short skirt of a Clocktower Maid, but accepted Fizzlepop waving her off without comment.
“I already had some tea upstairs, I’m just waiting for my date to show,” she explained to Cloudkicker. “Any tips for somepony on her first trip down?”
“Yeah. Chill! We’re here to let go of the pony, remember? Raging egomaniac of a boss who doesn’t get that you’re practically doing three jobs because she and your supervisor are both off playing Wonderbolt? Pets don’t care. Your sister’s rutting her boyfriend on every surface in the apartment that washes and some that don’t? Pets don’t care! Got an itch you just can’t reach to scratch, externally or otherwise? Pets care, but get a lot more leeway about nagging somepony to scratch it for them. Preferably repeatedly, and with something long, thick, and well-lubed!” Cloudkicker grinned wickedly as Fizzlepop laughed.
“How about ‘you and your date are both borderline basketcases and you’re terrified he’s going to realize how much baggage you’ve really got or that his is going to get in the way?” The unicorn asked weakly.
“Pets. Don’t. Care.” Cloudkicker smiled at her, reaching over with a wing to lightly stroke a shoulder. “Especially since he’s got to already know who you are, Commander Shadow. Nopony… well, I won’t say nopony cares, but nopony who matters does. Anypony who doesn’t matter?”
“Pee on their horseshoes?”
“Bingo. Or just let one of the Ponyville pegasi know. We know who doesn’t have that hard limit.”
“Egh, no! And it’s definitely not Commander Anything, any more, but when I’m naked like this, it’s not Tempest Shadow either, really.”
“I get that. Well, why don’t we swap PipSub data, then I’ll know what I should call you, and you can get hold of me if you’ve got any trouble? I might not be much of a dog, but I’ve been around the block a few times down here. Know how to spot when the Pound is out on the prowl, can help you avoid them. Or not, as you prefer!”
Fizzlepop nodded, taking her badge and tapping the back of it to Cloudkicker’s.
“Sparkler, contact data exchange,” she ordered, getting the cheerful chimes back to say it had completed the task.
“Now, if I’m not mistaken, I think your date just caught up with you - ooof, mare, you’ve found yourself a spender!” Cloudkicker grinned, indicating the entrance.
Capper was looking around, a Pampered Pony Pets branded paper bag in each hand, as he entered the Café.
“There you are,” he smiled as he noticed the two mares, making his way over and folding his legs under himself to take a seat on some of the cushions there.
“So, do I need to warn everyone to keep an eye out at the bird baths tonight?” Cloudkicker teased the Abyssinian.
“No, I’ll be holding the leash tonight, not slipping it,” Capper smirked. “Not that you or the others were complaining much the last time I did go hunting.”
“No, not at all, not until you didn’t do anything to the poor silver studs! Watch out, puppy, your owner here gets off on leaving us mares wet and wanting!” The pegasus pouted cutely, then all three of them started laughing.
“Well, we’ve got a scene to plan, so we’ll leave you be,” Capper offered, starting to get up.
“Nope!” Cloudkicker smirked. “I’ve officially adopted her until I push her out of the nest, so spill. I have to make sure our poor little puppy isn’t going to be mistreated by the big mean pussycat!”
“Don’t I get any say in this?” Fizzlepop asked her tablemates.
“Not really,” they both winked at her.
“If you don’t want to go over this in public, we’ll leave,” Capper added more seriously. “But I’m okay either way. Never hurts to have a second perspective, if you have any questions.”
“As long as you didn’t buy a pet tentacle plant, I think we’ll be okay.”
“Well, I’ll have to take this bag back.” Capper grumbled, pushing one of them to the side. Then he laughed, shaking his head and reaching in to pull out a long, flat box.
“You said you were thinking about trying out being a dog, so I looked for some of the basic props to help get you into character.” He sliced the box open with his claws, revealing black canine paw-stockings, black pointed canine ears made out of some rubbery substance, and a faux-fur tail in brown and black.
“I thought you’d be a perfect guard dog, so that’s the look I picked out,” he explained, pulling out the picture inside of one of the models “protecting” a charge against some raiders in the Borderlands, with the ears, tail, and paws giving the appearance of an alsatian. It was a much more… Tempest appearance. Not that she could blame him; they’d never talked about how much different she felt like this. Maybe she could use it though. Treat the costume like her armor and clothes. Find the attitude he was expecting from her.
“And I’ve seen just as many of these dogs being gigantic goofballs for their owners as terrifying guard dogs. You find the dog in you, not force yourself into the dog. Okay?”
“Thanks,” she nodded, poking at one of the paw mitts with her hoof. “So, are these just the gloves?”
“Mostly,” he nodded. “Full feedback, so you can feel through them, just like the ears and tail, but I thought it would be best if you didn’t have to worry about all the bells and whistles when we don’t even know if you’ll like it.”
“Sounds reasonable. What’s in the other bag?”
“Some toys and treats,” he smiled. “Got to keep my pup entertained, right?”
“He’s got to get you to be his pup first,” Cloudkicker stage-whispered. “You have every right to make him work for it.”
“I know I do, but I don’t think that’s the plan for tonight,” Fizzlepop smiled. “So… care to help me put them on?” She held a hoof out towards Capper, who chuckled and shook his head.
“Not here. I want to dress you outside the green zone,” he purred throatily, packing the costume back up. “Come on, let’s head for the Park. Cloudkicker, thank you for keeping an eye on my sub, and good luck finding somepony crazy enough to try taming you again!”
“If nobody shows up in another ten, fifteen minutes, I’ll just go put myself up for sale for the night,” she shrugged. “Usually does the trick. You two have fun!”
“We will,” Fizzlepop grinned, standing to follow her Master out. As soon as they left the Café, she sped up to take a spot as his hip, trying to remember the last time she’d seen somebody out with a real dog and how they’d walked them. She kept her tail tucked down, but not as tightly as before.
Capper shifted the two bags over to one hand, using his now-free one to reach down and give her a light scratch on the top of the head as they crossed over to the Play Park and found a more secluded corner to get started in.
“Okay, we’re not doing the whole taming and training routine tonight, but I still like to take a little time to help get a pet into character,” he explained as he pulled out her costume and opened it up again, kneeling in the grass. “I’ll just need you to do one thing for me.”
“What’s that?” Fizzlepop asked as she sat down in front of him.
“Remember that you’re safe here.” He smiled, leaning forward to kiss her gently. “If you want me to slow down, just say so. If you want to stop, you can just tell me, or you can safeword if you need to. I’m not going to play at anything more than getting you into it tonight. If you enjoy it, we’ll see about proper training then. Deal?”
“Deal,” she smiled, kissing him back.
Capper picked up the ear-sheaths first, splitting them open and fixing them over her ears, the materials adjusting to seal comfortably. They were mostly cosmetic, but once they’d sealed they allowed the sounds outside through without any difficulty. Capper scratched her gently at the base, and Fizzlepop’s eyes rolled back at the enhanced sensation she received through them.
“I like these,” she murmured, pressing up into his touch.
“I thought you would,” Capper grinned. “But could a dog tell me that?”
Fizzlepop rolled her eyes more deliberately and stuck her tongue out.
“Bow wow.”
“Oh, you are going to be a treat to train, aren’t you?” Capper purred, picking up the front two paw-mittens. “Hoof.”
Fizzlepop lifted one hoof, surprised when Capper took it in his paw and kissed it gently, starting to groom the hoof and fetlock with his tongue. She shivered as he nipped at her hock, trailing his raspy tongue along the sensitive tendons running through it, down to the frog of her hoof.
“These are mine tonight,” the Abyssinian purred, slipping the first spit-shined hoof into the mit and rubbing his face against her leg. “Paw, hoof, leg, and everything attached.”
As the mit’s magic took hold, he worked the paw’s false toes and padded base with his fingers. Alien sensation spread up Fizzlepop’s leg, particularly when he gently pressed between the stitched-together toes. She bit her lip, whining and trying to remember not to say anything as he switched hooves, starting to put the second mit on and give it the same workout.
“So weird,” she muttered under her breath as he finished and started turning her around.
“Do you want me to stop?” He asked her, his paw wrapped around her dock.
“No, it’s weird, not bad,” she explained. “Is it like this for you?”
“I’m used to fingers and toes, and I don’t wear half this stuff unless I have a dom who wants me to for puppy nights,” Capper smirked. “The tail is a little weird to get used to though. You might have an easier time of it, since you don’t have quite as much control back there. But if you don’t want me to stop….”
“Arf,” Fizzlepop deadpanned.
“Are you always this much of a brat?” He teased her, folding the thick, powerful canine dock-sheath around her tail, letting it bind her deeply colored fur and magenta hair inside while he replaced her crystal safety bell.
She felt sensation extending all the way down, as though hair were being replaced with muscle and bone. She tried wagging it experimentally, and found it responded faster, more of a slapping motion than flicking.
It was almost a more alien feeling than suddenly having paws instead of hooves, particularly without the tongue-bathing beforehand to get her ready for the higher sensitivity. She experimented with it a bit while Capper lavished attention on her hind hooves, putting them in their respective mits while she figured out how to balance properly with her stiffer tail.
“Good pup. Take a few steps, get used to walking around like that,” Capper encouraged her, standing up and packing up the box and bag so that there was only one parcel to carry later.
It didn’t take Fizzlepop long to get used to moving around with the new gear on. The main thing she had to adjust to was not having her hooves to protect her feet any more, and the feeling of grass prickling against them was a little alien. She could see the benefits of the tail though; being stiffer for more of its length, it gave her a little more control over how she balanced out.
“Now… how about a name for you,” Capper mused. “How about… Fluffy?”
Fizzlepop stopped where she stood, turning to look at him expressly so she could roll her eyes.
“Well, you’re clearly not a Rover or Spot… Luvkins? Maybe Fluffy Luvkins?”
”Now I understand Cloudkicker’s advice about peeing on shoes,” Fizzlepop mused. She growled deep in her chest, hoping her opinion was suitably clear without resorting to full-on bodily-fluid-based vandalism.
“Okay, okay, I’ll be serious. How about… Dirrissa? It means thunder,” he added when Fizzlepop cocked her head. She considered it, but shook her head.
“Gaaddissa? That’s shadow.”
Fizzlepop wrinkled her nose a bit. Why complicate things? But how to say that without talking….
She was starting to understand some of the appeal, she thought. It was certainly a mental puzzle, particularly without resorting to some sort of sign language that she wouldn’t really have access to if she were a dog.
She barked, actually tried to bark this time, rather than her earlier playing around, and made a motion with one ‘paw’ like she wanted to move to the next one.
“Next… the other one? Just stick with Shadow?” Capper guessed, and got an approving bark for an answer.
“All right, we’ll keep it Equestrian,” he chuckled. “Come here, Shadow.”
‘Shadow’ trotted over, and got a thorough scratching between the ears.
“Good girl. Now, here are the ground rules for tonight. First off, have fun. If you want to go play with some other pets, go ahead and let me know, just remember….” He tapped the silver studs on her collar with a smirk. “There are pets and Owners down here who’ll notice these. Especially if you decide to be a naughty pup and leave the Park. Got that?”
Shadow barked, nodding her head. Capper stood up and clipped a leash to her collar, picking up his bag and starting to walk her through the park, back towards the more populated parts of it, where other groups were visible.
A deep blue unicorn let his cream-coated “dog” off leash, the earth pony mare’s messy purple mane streaming through the air as she ran to a nearby tree and started sniffing at it. Pegasi were splashing in the pony-sized bird baths scattered around, some of them singing in the trees like birds afterwards. A big black-panther griffon with a crow’s head cawed down at she and Capper, watching the Abyssinian closely.
“I’m not on the prowl tonight, promise!” Capper tipped an imaginary hat towards the griffon, who cawed out a few more times before taking off and looking for a different roost.
“Capper! It’s been a while since I’ve seen you down here!” Another owner, a moderate blue pegasus stallion with an actual whippet on his leash, walked over with a grin for the Abyssinian. “Is your new pup friendly?”
“I’ve just started training her, so I’d be careful,” Capper warned him. “But she hasn’t really given me any trouble yet. Shadow, this is Open Skies,” he said while the pegasus offered her his hoof to sniff.
Shadow obliged, more interested in the unusual sight of an actual pet being on leash down here. The dog cautiously stretched out, sniffing towards Shadow, letting its tags dangle. She understood when she saw the distinctive Firehive badge attached to the padlock, and started sniffing back, hoping that taking the more experienced pet’s lead would be a good indicator of how to behave. The whippet started to circle around behind Shadow, sniffing the whole way as their masters talked, Shadow craned her head around, trying to follow where the dog was going until -
“Aip!”
A cold nose planted itself squarely between Shadow’s buttocks, not on anything directly, but more than close enough to startle her. Her tail slapped down, clipping the dog’s nose on the way to protect herself.
“Devo, be nice!” Skies chided, tugging on his pet’s leash. “Cheeky pup.” The whippet trotted back over with what could only be described as a grin, sitting at heel and making a show of taking on a nigh-on saintly demeanor.
“She still chasing your cat everywhere?” Capper asked knowingly, reaching down to pet Shadow’s head gently.
“Oh, if she had the chance I’m sure she would,” Skies sighed. “He’s mostly an outdoor cat these days, wouldn’t be surprised if he’s found some other place to stay.”
“Well, you know cats, we wander back whenever we feel like it,” Capper shrugged. “Whether we talk or not.”
“Why don’t we catch up for a little while?” Open Skies suggested. “Devo’s probably just being a little brat because she hasn’t been off-leash yet, and your pup looks like the energetic kind too.”
“Mmm… and you’d rather have another dog with yours because then there’s a chance she won’t end up in the Pound before the night’s out, huh?” Capper teased. He gave Shadow a light scratch between the ears.
“How’s it sound, girl? A run with your new friend?”
Shadow considered it. It would be a chance to practice for a bit, and maybe once they were on their own, she could ask for a few tips. She barked, what she hoped was excitedly, and wagged her tail a bit. Devo hopped up onto all fours and bounced excitedly until Open Skies got a wing around her.
“Down, girl, behave!” He laughed, unclipping her leash. Capper did the same for Shadow, and the two took off towards one of the open play areas, leaving their masters to catch up.
Devo quickly sped up to a run, glancing back to see if Shadow was following her. Shadow grinned, pouncing for the whippet, only to have the scrawny, brindled dog dart under her.
As Shadow landed and spun around, Devo pounced this time, only to find that her wrestling partner was far harder to knock over than she’d hoped. Devo reeled in place, stunned and rubbing her nose with a paw.
“You okay?” Fizzlepop asked, breaking character to check on her playmate.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Y’know, usually you’re supposed to play along if you wanna roughhouse,” Devo pointed out.
“Still getting used to this,” Shadow admitted. “And deciding if it’s really my ‘thing’ or not.”
“Ah, not just new to your Owner, total newbie.” Devo grinned and rolled over onto her back, wriggling around in the grass a bit. “Name’s Devora, Devo for short, polymorphic pup play professional! I’ve got the snuggles to prove it.” She rolled back onto all fours, wagging her tail in the grass.
“So, first time being a pet… you’ve been an Owner before? You seem like a switch to me,” Devo explained. Fizzlepop nodded, settling down in the grass.
“I’ve been down with one-off pets a few times, but never really tried anything longer term. I don’t know if this might last longer or not, but even if it’s something I only do once in a while, I’d like to do it right for him.”
“Has he told you what that means to him?”
“I… no, no he hasn’t,” Fizzlepop admitted. “I didn’t ask though. We’ve only met up here a couple times before. He told me what he likes about being a pet. Relaxing, not having to focus on everything that can go wrong, letting the responsibilities go. It sounds nice.”
“But you’re worrying about relaxing right, which means you’re not really relaxing, right?” Devo barked a laugh. Fizzlepop blushed, folding back her sheathed ears. That much was normal, at any rate.
“It’s okay. Main tip for you? Sign up for CS-0314’s Inner Pet Care classes. She’s a pet, a Den Mother, and works with one of the Society’s approved counselors. She’s really good at helping you find your breed, and what you’re most comfortable being. Second tip? Don’t get wound up in the ‘right way’ to do things. The only wrong way to be a pet is the way that makes you not want to be one. Sure, some pets will say that I’m being horrible talking to you right now. I say when they can have actual puppies, we can talk about who isn’t being immersive enough.
”There are some pets who pull on mittens, get leashed, and go out for walkies. Some of us just like to get pet and groomed all day long. Some of us, even non-’lings, will go to the trouble of getting turned into the right animal for the weekend, sometimes because we want to forget our real troubles, sometimes because, deep down inside, we’re kinky and like the idea, or our Masters do. Some of us? Some of us go full-animal. Me, I like indoor plumbing, but I’ve gotta admit that Pet Town has some of the best gardens in the Clocktower!”
“Okay, that was information I didn’t need.” Fizzlepop shuddered at the idea.
“Better you find out now, than when you’ve decided to be a bad girl and dig up someone’s roses! The point is, you don’t have to immerse yourself in things entirely. You just need to find what you enjoy, and what your Owner does. Same as when you’re in the City or the Borderlands.” Devo reached out with a paw, scratching at one of the bangles on Fizzlepop’s cuffs.
“Oh, I am the wrong pony to talk to about having boundaries there!” The unicorn smirked. “But I get it. Not everyone plays at the same level. So, since I haven’t gone to those classes you mentioned… what should I be doing? I get the feeling that talking this much isn’t on the list.”
“Eh, like I said, talking’s a personal thing. Most of us don’t talk when we’re around ‘people,’ just other pets. So right now we’re fine. If one of our owners comes over, then we go back to barks. As for what you do? You need to answer that yourself. I’d recommend a little wrestling, maybe fetch with your Master, chase some cats or squirrels. What sort of things do you normally do to relax?”
“Mostly things that wear me out so much I don’t have the strength to be wound up any more,” Fizzlepop explained. “Fighting, fucking, getting worked over by a good sadist.”
The whippet sitting across from her blinked for a few moments, then crawled around to snuggle up next to her.
“You have got to take those classes I recommended, if you’re going to try to stick with pet play. It almost sounds like you don’t relax. Not the way Capper does, when he’s playing the part.”
“It sounds like you’ve played with him before too,” Fizzlepop observed, trying not to think too hard about the fact that a dog was feeling sorry for her.
“Who do you think the cat I chased around the house was?” Devo chuckled. “Been a while, but he indulges me. Right up until he doesn’t,” she admitted, pawing at her nose.
“That sounds like him,” Fizzlepop smiled. “And then all Tartarus breaks loose, in the best way.”
“Okay, so you have got to run out some energy before you even start thinking about really relaxing.” Devo got up from the grass and nipped at one sheathed ear playfully. “You can chase me around for a while before we head back to our owners. Need a minute?”
Fizzlepop closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to let go of herself and get back into Shadow’s headspace instead. She didn’t have to worry about the ponies she’d left behind. Didn’t have to atone for her mistakes. Didn’t have to impress anypony, or convince them she’d changed.
How was she supposed to just let all of that go so easily?
Pets didn’t care. Shadow didn’t care.
What did she care about?
Only one way to find out.
Shadow stood up, pushing back doubts and worries. She was just going to go for a run right now. She didn’t need to have all the answers.
Devo barked at her, bouncing in place, then flashed with green fire before taking off through the park as a bright white bunny, blazing a trail across the grass for Shadow to chase after.
So that was how it was going to be?
Shadow took off, chasing after the bounding bunny. She paced herself, focusing more on keeping up than on catching up. Her hooves, wrapped in the sensitive mittens, didn’t grip the soil like she’d want them to, but that might be something to fix with better mits. As it was, when Devo leaped straight up into the air, Shadow scrambled under her to try and reverse course. The rabbit zigged and zagged, darting around trees, keeping away by suddenly changing directions as often as through raw speed.
Shadow didn’t know how long they were running for, but her coat was dripping with sweat when Devo finally dove under a bench, flashing with green fire beneath it as she returned to her whippet form. Shadow scrambled to a stop, only then realizing that she’d been led back to the bench where Open Skies and Capper were waiting.
Devo trotted around the bench, panting happily and plopping her head down on her Master’s thigh. She closed her eyes happily as he started petting her gently, and let out a satisfied canine sigh.
“There you two are,” Capper chuckled, reaching down to give Shadow a light scratching between the ears. “Having fun, girl?”
Shadow barked, still breathing hard from the run. Capper pulled a drinking bottle out of his bag with a green label marking it as clean drinking water. He replaced the cap with a broad, bowl-shaped topper and squeezed some water up into it before holding it down for her.
Shadow leaned down, tipping the bottle discretely with her muzzle so she could drink from the top without having to lap it up entirely, though she did try figuring out the mechanics of it. She could make it splash, but drawing any up into her mouth was trickier. Hardly the most difficult thing she’d figured out though. Using spoons and forks without magic, that had taken work, she… could….
Shadow drew her head back, staring at the water bottle as though she’d just realized something.
“Everything okay, girl?” Capper asked her, frowning slightly, taking a sniff to make sure the bottle had been labelled properly.
Shadow swallowed hard and started to tear up, then leaped up to hug Capper tightly, spilling the bottle and the water in the top all over both of them as the Abyssinian let out a shocked rowl. He hugged her back, accidentally spilling a bit more onto her back as Open Skies and Devo watched.
“Clockface, girl, clockface!” Capper spluttered. “What’s up?”
“Don’t need magic,” Fizzlepop tried to explain.
“Of course you don’t need -”
“No, Capper, it’s normal not to use it like this! Nobody expects it, I’m not broken! It’d be weirder if I did use it down here.” She squeezed him tight, wiping her eyes discretely when she had the chance to. The whim struck her, and she started wagging her canine tail happily. “Thank you.”
“Shhh, it’s all right,” Capper chuckled, scratching her back, wiping off the wet spot. “I’m glad you found something in it.”
“I think Devo and I should be getting on with our walk,” Open Skies suggested, reattaching the leash to his pet and getting up. “You two have fun.” He smiled, and Devo barked happily, giving a canine wave before she trotted off after her master.
“Are you okay, Tempest?” Capper asked her gently, nuzzling into her neck.
“Very okay. Sorry I pounced you like that.”
“Heh… hazard of pet ownership.” Capper smiled, sitting her back down in the grass. “Do you want to keep doing this, or head elsewhere?”
“Well, first….” Fizzlepop grabbed the water bottle in her pastern, squeezing more of the water up and drinking it out of the bowl like a long-based cup. She could see the appeal of this, actually, even just as a day to day tool.
“I do want to play as Shadow some more, but that’s tricky when you can’t pick things up. How you lap up water is beyond me,” she chuckled, letting Capper put the empty bottle back into his bag after drying off the top.
“It’s easier with a tongue like mine, but I’ll show you some time when we’re training,” he promised her. “Clockface?”
“Clockface,” Fizzlepop grinned, letting herself slip back into character. She noticed a bulge in one of Capper’s pockets, and nosed at it curiously, pretty sure she knew what it was.
It certainly wasn’t just that he was happy to see her!
“Want to play fetch, huh?” Capper pulled a ball out of his pocket, tossing it up and down a couple of times.
Shadow barked, bouncing her front half up like Devo had earlier, and took off after the ball as Capper tossed it.
She felt a little silly doing all of this, but that was blown away by the exhilaration of her little epiphany. If barking, playing fetch, chasing rabbits, and not using her hooves meant she could feel like she was normal, she’d take it.
Years of searching for powerful magic. Committing treason trying to get it after she joined the Storm King. Never letting herself settle down, wandering from one legend to another in the vain hopes of fixing herself. Leaving behind creatures she was starting to love before she could decide they were more important than being whole again. Those were pains for Fizzlepop and Tempest to worry about. Mistakes that she’d made as the two of them. None of it had to matter to Shadow. None of it could matter to her, while she stayed in the simple world of a dog who just wanted to chase the ball and bring it back for scritches and praise.
Pets didn’t care.
Probably a dozen times, she ran down the ball and brought it back. Each time, Capper would take it, scruff her mane a bit, and then throw it.
At least until he didn’t.
Shadow had already started running when she realized the trick he’d pulled, but she stopped, turned, and fixed him with the most withering glare she could muster. Capper relented, throwing the ball in a high arc over her head. She ran out after it, leaping up and catching it in her mouth this time.
”If he wants to change the rules, then I can too,” she decided once she was back on the ground. Instead of running it back to him, she took off to settle down next to a tree and rest in the shade for a while. ”Let him walk.”
Settling in, she felt something poking against her barrel. She rolled to her side, pawing around to find the offending bit of metal and drag it up where she could see it. It looked like some sort of collar tag, shaped like the Clocktower’s symbol in bright red enamel. She inspected it curiously, looking for any sign of who might have lost it, turning it over in her hooves. When the open clasp touched her collar, it snapped shut, latching on next to her badge. A moment later, she received an alert chirp from her PipSub, and a message displayed on the back of it.
Warning: Experimental Combined Canine Calmer/Pacifier Tag v 0.0.69. If found, please return to CTRL. Numenary experience restriction in place: Activate?
”Calmer and Pacifier tag, huh?” Shadow thought to herself. Well, it wouldn’t be the first piece of CTRL product she’d tested out before it was ready for wider release, and it was only restricted to Numenary test subjects and above. Sure, she wasn’t wearing the collar she used when she was going down for a test session, but how bad could it be? ”Can’t be worse than testing the new phasers out.”
“Sparkler, activate experimental tag,” she instructed. The tag glowed for a moment, then returned to normal. Shadow looked up, seeing Capper approach, and got up on all fours. She grabbed the ball, and took off with a mischievous wag of her tail.
Capper shouted something incomprehensible as she started running, and a quick glance told her that he was indeed following her.
Every once in a while he called after her, but she couldn’t make out what he was saying. Each time, she glanced back to see if she’d lost him by mistake, but he was always right there. She intentionally lagged just a little bit behind her Master’s running speed, letting him catch up with her.
Finally, he shouted something right behind her.
The fact that she still couldn’t understand him, as much as his catching her, made her stop in her tracks and look back at him quizzically, dropping the ball.
“Are you speaking Abyssinian or something?” Shadow asked him… or tried to ask him, at least. Instead, all she heard was a series of barks, whines, and whimpers. Her eyes widened, focusing in close on her own muzzle.
“I didn’t-” She barked again, not a single word coming out from her mouth.
”What the fuck?”
“Capper -” Bark.
“Why can’t I-” Whines, whimpers.
Capper approached her as she started breathing more quickly. His mouth moved, and Shadow could see that he was speaking Ponish.
She just couldn’t understand a single word coming out of his mouth, his speech blending together into an incomprehensible slurry of meaningless sound.
”Why can’t I bucking talk? What did that tag do to me?” Fizzlepop tore off the mits with her teeth, ignoring the verbal cacophony from Capper in favor of trying to pull the tag loose with her hooves. The clasp resisted, and her hooves scrambled over the enameled surface as she tried to get a grip.
“Esgh ti - clockface, Tempest!” Capper snapped out, suddenly making sense half way through the sentence. The tag glowed again, the clasp coming undone and dropping it off of her collar. Capper snapped it up off the ground, then scooped the purple unicorn into his arms, hugging her close.
“It’s okay, you understand me now?” He asked her. She nodded, trembling as her mind raced.
“Can you under- oh thank Celestia, I can understand myself again! That tag’s got to go back to CTRL!”
“It will, but first, are you all right?” Capper insisted.
“I will be. Stupid, stupid - should have known it wasn’t working if somepony dropped it here!”
Capper took a look at it, setting it down and pulling out his mask so he could take a look at it through the built-in functions. He growled and stuffed it into his pocket, then hugged Fizzlepop again.
“I’m sorry, I should have kept a closer eye on you.” He murmured.
“And I shouldn’t have fiddled with abandoned CTRL toys,” the mare pointed out, still shaking. “Just glad it responded to safe words.”
“If it hadn’t, I’d have skinned whoever designed it,” Capper growled. “Calmers and Pacifiers are all designed to pick up on them, something that combines the two certainly ought to.”
“It… wasn’t malfunctioning, was it? What idiot decided to name it that?”
“Somebody who assumed that everybody reads the pamphlets before trying something out,” Capper sighed. “They’re listed in the pet play manual. They’re also listed as being for numenaries only!”
“Damn it… so was this, but I figured they meant test subject numenaries, not pet play ones.”
“Didn’t know you worked for CTRL,” Capper observed.
“They like having somepony who can safety-test anything that does magical discharges. I don’t do it often, but it’s a handy way to pick up a few tallies. Can we get out of here?”
“Of course,” he nodded, reaching up to take off her ear-sheaths, then helping her get off the rest of her dog getup. “Takes the shine off the first time you end up trying these things, even if you do know what they’re for.” He gave her one last hug before standing up and giving her some space.
“Do you want to head for a safe room?” He offered as they started walking back towards the bench.
“I’d really rather not, not right now. I was being stupid, Capper, I’m not hurt. Just… not really in the mood to go back there.”
“You were not being stupid, Tempest. A little careless, maybe, but not stupid.”
“While we’re still out of play, would you mind calling me by my real name when I’m not in my armor and other gear?”
“Fizzlepop?” He checked, getting a nod from her. “Sure, you could have told me earlier too.”
“It’s not a huge thing. It’s just… Tempest Shadow is a lot tougher than I feel like this. I’d like to keep her that way. Clockface?”
“That makes sense,” Capper nodded. “And clockface. So, you may not want to go to a safe room, but I want to get you relaxed again.” He led her through to one of the shops on the main road through Pet Town and started to lead her back out. “We’ll drop this off, and then I know just the thing to do the trick.”
“Yes, Master,” Fizzlepop agreed automatically, falling into place behind her Master, content to let him take the lead.
“When you said you wanted to get me relaxed, I kind of thought you had something more energetic in mind,” Fizzlepop groused as a massive, immaculately groomed diamond dog mastiff bitch massaged her shoulders with jasmine and lilac scented oils, sandalwood and pine incense smoldering in a copper brazier while Capper supervised her treatment. The two had found their way to the local CTRL posting, and then to a spa on the outskirts of Pet Town.
Inside, the rooms were decorated for either the pampering of pets, or of their Owners, with cushions nestled into the corners for whomever wasn’t undergoing the ministrations of the skilled servants there. Capper had quickly secured one of those private rooms, and the services of their masseuse.
“Would Master Cat like his slave gagged?” The mastiff asked easily. “Pony slave is most ungrateful!”
“Sorry, Flower, I need her to be able to talk,” Capper chuckled. “If she keeps mouthing off, you have my permission to pick a knot and work it out the hard way.”
“Of course, Master Cat!” Flower grinned, making note of several spots to save for later.
“Some of those knots aren’t coming out,” Fizzlepop grumbled.
“Slave will let me be judge of that.” Flower dug the heel of one hand into a cluster of muscles between Fizzlepop’s shoulders, making her cry out as her horn sparked and flared uncontrollably.
“Not my fault if you start a fire trying,” she muttered through clenched teeth.
“Save that one for later, Flower,” Capper suggested. “So, pet, how did you enjoy yourself tonight?”
“Before, or after I had the time to think about the fact that I just spent most of the night running around, barking, and playing fetch?” Fizzlepop winced as Flower pushed down on a knot just above her hips. “I feel kind of ridiculous now, especially since we haven’t done anything for you.”
“That’s why pony is here now,” Flower stage-whispered to Fizzlepop. “Master Cat likes when his pets….” She twisted thick, heavy knuckles into that knot, forcing Fizzlepop to moan as her tail fluttered behind her limply. “Like that, yes!” The mastiff grinned, wagging her own tail cheerfully.
“Flower, be good, we’re trying to help my pet relax,” Capper chuckled deeply.
“Fizz, I know it doesn’t seem like you did much for me tonight. But watching you actually relax and enjoy yourself, without having to get beaten up and hurt before you could let yourself do it? That was worth it for me.”
“That part was nice,” she sighed. “But I wanted to help you relax, t-ow!” She yelped, her horn sparking as Flower leaned heavily into the knot between her shoulders. She glared back at the mastiff, who grinned broadly and licked her nose.
“I will get liniment,” she declared, leaving the two alone while she fetched the additional supplies.
“Quick, while she’s gone!” Capper patted his lap, reaching over to take a sandalwood curry comb out of the grooming kit on the counter.
Fizzlepop groaned as she stepped down from the massage table and limped over to her Master, climbing up onto his lap so he could start brushing her out, stirring the firm rubber bristles of the brush into her coat, taking particular care over the knots that Flower had worked on.
“I did relax tonight. Now, if that’s code for you wanting me to fuck your brains out again, I’ll be happy to take you up to my apartment after this. You were beautiful tonight, Treasure,” he murmured, kissing the base of her horn as he continued brushing her out.
“And then I ruined it by being an idiot,” she grumbled.
Capper sighed and sat the comb aside, switching over to a sandalwood comb that he started working through her mane.
“Is it really that hard for you to respect my sub?” He asked her.
“What are you talking about?” She asked, looking up at him. “Is Flower yours?”
“No, not her,” Capper said as he worked the comb through a tangle in her mane, none too gently. “Every time you’ve talked to me about my sub, you’ve called her stupid, claimed she ruined my evening, wanted me to beat the snot out her for things she did moons ago.” He finished brushing out her mane, then traded for a stiff-bristled brush to work through her coat and tail. “Everything you do tells me that you hate her, and don’t plan on stopping any time soon. Just because you are her doesn’t mean you get away with that!” He brushed the scented massage oils through her coat, perhaps a little more roughly than strictly necessary.
“Why - ouch - why does it bother you so much?” Fizzlepop asked, scowling on his lap.
“Because I’ve seen what happens to creatures you don’t like.” He sighed and gathered her up into a hug. “And you don’t deserve that.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She glowered at him as the door started to open..
“I have the - time to wait outside while Master and slave finish their talk,” Flower announced, sticking her head back into the door long enough to see that a delay would be best.
“Thank you, Flower,” Capper nodded towards her as the door closed. He turned back towards the unicorn and sighed, leaning his head back against the wall.
“Fizzlepop… don’t you get tired of hating yourself? Tired of beating yourself up, when there’s more than enough creatures out there willing to do it for you? You’re a beautiful pony. You’re brave, steadfast, and willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish something you believe in. You fight like a devil dog, you’re smarter than you’re willing to admit, and when you believe in something you’re not willing to let it go. You made a mistake. You also helped fix that mistake. You almost died trying to fix it, in case you’ve forgotten.”
“I’ve made a lot more than ‘a’ mistake, Capper. And I only had a chance to fix the biggest one because another pony took the shot I meant for Princess Twilight.”
“And do either of them hold it against you?” He asked her pointedly.
“They should, that’s the point! Just like everyone else I’ve hurt.” Fizzlepop huffed and laid back down over his lap, crossing her hooves. “Which is just about everyone I know.”
“And maybe the fact that they don’t - that we don’t - should suggest something? You do such a good job of beating yourself up, sometimes I wonder why you even bother coming here to have somebody else do it.”
The unicorn in Capper’s lap scowled as Capper scratched the back of her neck.
“I like that hurt better,” she admitted. “Doesn’t mean I don’t deserve the other kind.”
“And I’m not going to convince you otherwise tonight. But if you’ll at least stop insulting my friend, maybe we can move on from there? You have the chance to fix your mistakes, Fizzlepop. Yours, and Tempest’s. It’s a lot harder for some of us to do that.”
“What do you want me to do, Capper? Another pilgrimage, trace my steps back to when I was a foal and try to make up for every mistake I’ve made since I ran away from home?”
Capper thought for a minute, trying to think of how he could give her what she seemed to need, along with what he thought she needed.
“Let me take charge of punishing you,” he decided. “Which I will do. But I’m not going to do it exclusively,” he warned her. “Once in a while, I want to see you have a night more like tonight, before we started this conversation. In exchange, I want you to think about what you feel like you need to do, to make up for it. I’ll probably have some suggestions, but this is supposed to make you feel better. But in the meantime, the first rule would be that I don’t want to hear you cutting yourself down any more outside of scenes.”
“And what happens if I don’t want to do this?” Fizzlepop sighed, though she suspected that she knew the answer.
“Well, it means that I’m going to have to be a lot more careful about anything that happens between us. And I’m probably going to report my concerns to the Den Mothers. There are too many ways around here for you to get hurt worse than you want.”
“I’m a grown mare, Capper, and I’ve been taking care of myself since I was a filly!” She shot back at him. “Been taking care of myself here too, thank you very much!”
“And if you want to keep doing that, all I’m saying is that I want somebody who knows what they’re doing better than I do to say it’s safe. Is that okay?”
“If it’ll make you feel better,” she sighed. “You’re almost as bad as Grubber.”
“How is the little… whatever he is?” Capper asked, grateful for a new topic.
“Professional toadie,” Fizzlepop chuckled. “To me, he’s just Grubber. He’s doing pretty well though. He actually takes the night off when I come here, finally.”
“Well, at least one of us is making progress. So, do you want to try and work with me on this?”
“If I do… what will that make us?”
“How does ‘friends with benefits’ sound?”
“As long as those benefits remain extremely kinky, I think I can take it,” she decided.
“Don’t worry. Next time, we’ll do something a little more your speed. But you are still letting Flower finish your treatment.”
Fizzlepop frowned, letting out a whickering huff.
“You really are a sadist, you know that?”
“And that’s why you put up with me being worried about you,” Capper grinned, rapping on the counter five times to indicate that it was clear for Flower to come back in and finish up.
Author's Note
This story is a sequel to Breaking the Storm, though the kinks are *really* different in that one. Since that story wasn't really needed for this one though, it's posted as an independent piece.
There will eventually be more with these two, but they're working their own way through their damage and relationship, so not sure when it'll be.
