“Oh, come on! Why are your feathers all over the place?” I was looking at the disaster that used to be my well-kept living room. Well, now that Fluffy and I were mates, it was technically our living room, but come on, I had spent so long alone that it was hard thinking of it as anything other than mine.

The living room was a complete disaster, with piles of unsorted items strewn everywhere. Everything from clothes, to treasures she had collected over the years, to some of my own things she had either taken out and failed to put back or what she wanted me to take on the trip to her parents. And amongst all of it were at least two dozen of her fleecy, ochre feathers.

I could somewhat handle the living room being a disaster. After having Fluffy living in my den for the last few months, I had gotten used to how quickly everything started to turn into a disaster. While I didn't like it, it wasn't as much of a problem for me now as it had been at the start. The feathers, while a welcome part of Fluffy, occasionally came off when we had our fun, but never in this amount. So seeing them covering most everything in the room was concerning as it would mean just another thing I would need to clean up with Fluffy around.

But what really set me off was when my gaze crossed over the half-eaten bowl of food just sitting on top of one of my favorite wooden tables. “Seriously? I worked so hard on breakfast and you barely even touched it!”

While I had learned some time ago that she tended to pick at her food rather than just eating it all at once as I did, It was still frustrating to see. I had even gone out of my way to convert a sizeable portion of my garden into fruits and vegetables for her. That was partially due to my wanting to save time when it came to getting her food, but mostly due to her not appreciating the way I usually got her food. I’ll tell you, ponies are so sensitive when it comes to using your strength to just take what you want.

Anyways, the half-eaten bowl of food mostly set me off since it had been my first attempt at making pony food using what I had been able to grow in the garden, and I was rather proud of the results. So seeing it treated like any other meal felt like an insult. Had she not been my mare friend, I would have had a serious growl with whoever insulted my efforts like that.

“I know my overgrown lizard, but you know I’d rather savor your cooking. And besides, I still have to get ready for our trip.” Fluffy yelled back at me from the bedroom, doing Fortuna knows what. “And about the feathers. I’m molting now, so I’m going to be losing my feathers for a while.”

“Wait a second.” I was reaching for the bowl when she said this, and I was glad I hadn’t grabbed it yet since I probably would have dropped it after hearing this. “You're losing your feather! Are you sick, should I take you to the doctor, are they going to come back?”

My head was spinning and my mind was going a kilometer a second at the implications of this molt. Since this was the first time she had done this since I had met her, and I knew next to nothing about what ponies or pegasi were like, I was panicking. While Fluffy didn’t sound too worried about this, molt as she called it, the possibility of her permanently losing those playful and soft feathers of hers was horrifying to me.

When Fluffy came out of our bedroom carrying some pillows and saw me panicking, I could make out a smile forming on her muzzle. “No, you silly lizard, I’m not sick. And yes, my feathers will come back. Pegasi just lose our old feathers twice a year so we can get new, softer feathers.” She had made it over to me as she said this, and when she got to the last part, she brushed her wing against my side as she passed.

I calmed down immensely after hearing this. And hearing that her feathers were only going to come back softer and more playful just helped to turn the revelation from bad to amazing. I could definitely handle her feathers being strewn around the lair if it meant that I would get to experience them at their most pleasurable.

Fluffy seemed to notice the lust-filled grin that had formed on my muzzle and swatted me with her tail as she began looking over the things she had brought out. “I know what you're thinking about you naughty dragon, and I hope you didn’t forget about your promise to me."

I growled at her mentioning that. She had told me that she was hesitant to get naughty when she was back at her parent's house, so if we were to do something, it would have to be rather tame. So in other words, not as fun. I was at least grateful that I wouldn’t have to go the full three days without having any fun times as she had originally wanted. I was glad that I was able to convince her that we could still attempt to have some fun. But that was mostly because I reminded her about how often she was in the mood as of late when she got up.

Fluffy chuckled at hearing my frustration. “Don’t be so grouchy, it's only for a few days, after that, we can go back to our regular activities. Now come help me figure out what we should bring. I don't want to get to my parents and find out I forgot something.”

Looking over the mass or disorganized items strewn around the living room, I couldn’t help but doubt that her not bringing something would be avoidable. But nevertheless, I did my best to help her go through everything to find what she wanted to bring. I was sorting through my stuff, mostly to start putting them back where they belonged as I refused to take more than I would need, when Fluffy stopped her lovely humming to say something.

“You know, now that I think about it, I really should have put my hoof down about taking an airship. I knew I was going to start molting now so this is just going to make things more difficult.”

I had to stifle a growl at that. Fluffy had wanted to take an airship to get to her parents but I was adamant that we fly there with our own wings. I was not exactly the friendly type, so spending a day around other creatures would have resulted in me either burning the ship or converting a section of the ship into a temporary lair. One that only Fluffy would be allowed to enter. I had briefly considered putting my reservations aside for the potential of meeting more pegasi and their fluffy wings, but it was only briefly. When I thought about it, why would a pegasus ever use an airship when they could just fly there themselves? If the only creatures I found pleasant were not going to be on the airship, I saw no point in taking one.

“I’ve told you this dozens of times, both of us have wings, I see no point in us spending gold on something we could do ourselves.”

“I know, but with me losing feathers I can’t fly nearly as well.”

I couldn't help but snicker at that before turning my head to face her. “Are you sure it's the feathers? Because you are carrying our child in you.” I internally cringed at saying that. I still hadn’t fully gotten used to the idea of pregnancy. I mean seriously, that's strange stuff!

Rather than immediately responding, Fluffy put down the clothes she was going through and began to flap her wings to take off. Only, she didn’t take off right away. She kept flapping her wings faster and faster, harder and harder until her wings were almost a blur, at which point she was finally airborne. She flew up to my muzzle, already breathing heavily from the strain of flying.

‘Yeah, I’m sure.” Fluffy almost seemed to have been forcing the words before she slowed her wingbeats and returned to whatever it was that she was doing. “So unless we want to help me deliver the baby before we get to my parents' house, I would suggest you finish what you're doing and help me pack.”

I just rolled my eyes at that. Fluffy had already told me that ponies were pregnant for almost a year, so we had more than enough time to get to her parents’ house. But still, I picked up my pace and began helping her pack as I did so.

“Still, it’s too bad it's a little too late to buy airship tickets. We could have gotten to my parents in only a day. After that little impromptu demonstration, I have a feeling it might take us a week to get there.” Fluffy’s tone was a little defeated but quickly changed to a more humorous one. “Well, that is unless some big strong dragon lets me ride on his back as he flies there.”

“No. Not going to happen. I’m not your pet you can’t ride on whenever you please.” My tone was a little harsher than I would have liked, but even if she was only joking, I really did not want to do something so demeaning.

But not wanting to let my last comment linger in the air and spoil our good mood, I decided to change the topic. “But, I can think of someplace I would rather have you ride.” I snaked my muzzle between her wing joints and began to softly nibble. I knew that doing this always drove her crazy and put her in the mood for having some fun in the bedroom, or wherever really. It didn't hurt that she had been smelling a lot better as of late. I couldn't put my claw on just why that was, but I didn't really care.

For this, Fluffy extended her right wing and quickly flapped it up, slapping me in the muzzle and causing me to instinctively pull back. It didn't hurt me so much as surprise me due to my scales. “Not now you horny reptile, we're not even close to being finished.”

I gave a quick exhale out of frustration. This would happen occasionally with her. She would decide on doing something and no matter what I did or said she would refuse and just keep doing what it was she wanted. It wasn't like anything was going to go anywhere, I hardly think a temporary distraction would ruin her plans.

But before I could get back to work, Fluffy turned around and began to nuzzle my neck where it met my torso. “I know it was hard, but thanks for agreeing to not be too friendly while we’re at my parents.”

I was surprised that she thought I was frustrated about that, well, I was, but that wasn't why I had just exhaled. Fluffy didn't know how her parents would react to her having me as a mate, so she had me agree to control myself while I was there. It had been a blow to my draconic pride that I hadn’t been able to negotiate for something in exchange for playing the nice, well-behaved dragon, but for Fluffy, that was a price I would be willing to pay. I would also have to face the indignity of being called Big Softy the entire time there. I absolutely refused to let her parents call me by my real name, and Fluffy insisted I not use the name I had chosen for myself as she said it might scare her parents. I, unfortunately, had to settle for being called Big Softy by her and her family.

Fluffy’s show of affection seemed to become more assertive as she began to nuzzle me a little more forcefully while audibly breathing in through her nose more. “You know, you have been smelling a lot better lately.” This comment was punctuated by a slow sigh as Fluffy finally stopped nuzzling me and instead moved to my right side and lovingly leaned up against my side with her head resting against my neck. “Have you been changing how you wash your scales to prepare for meeting my parents?”

I laughed slightly at that before unfolding my wing and used it to hold her closer. “No, but I can’t deny that I’ve been thinking the same thing about you.” I curl my neck around and kiss her right on the lips, an act that fortunately went unopposed.

Fluffy eventually broke off the kiss with a smile before gently pushing my wing off of her. “Your naughty habits just gave me an idea. Since you seem to be so opposed to carrying your poor, helpless mate, why don't I sweeten the deal.”

I raised my eyebrows, intrigued at what she was saying. Since me being naughty had given her an idea, I felt I had an idea of where this would be going. A proud grin crept it's way onto my muzzle as I lowered my head to be on eye level with my beautiful mate. “Sex when we stop?” Bear in mind, I had only promised to behave myself while we were at her parents, she never said anything about the trip there.

Fluffy smirked before playfully baping me in the muzzle with a wing. “No, silly. I was thinking I could give you a massage each night before we go to sleep. I know how much you like those.”

Oh, while it might not be sex, it was the next best thing in my book. I hardly needed to think about how good it would be to feel her hooves and soft feathers pass over my scales. Shifting my eyes over the current carpet we had in the living room, I was reminded of the deep crevices my claws had carved into the stone from the last time she had given me a massage that the carpet now hid. Fluffy had already given me a message four times since we had returned from Fortuna’s temple, and a bed, a couch, and two carpets had been the casualties of us learning that I could not control myself under the careful ministrations of her pony magic. While I would normally refuse to receive a massage outside of the lair due to how embarrassing it was as a dragon to be rendered a barely intelligible mass of scales, seeing as Fluffy would likely be the only one to see both that and me carrying her, I felt it would be well worth the embarrassment.

“I think that would be nice.” I leaned down and gently began to nuzzle the area between Fluffy’s wings, I knew nibbling there wouldn’t work as she was still in the middle of packing, but that wouldn’t stop me from taking in that wonderful scent of hers.

Fluffy began to release her cute little purr in response to my affections. While it wasn’t a proper purr like my own, there was just something about it that captured my interest. “Well, since we both seem to be enjoying how each other smells, why don't we add a new scent?”

“Oh, are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?

“I might be.” The suggestive smile on her muzzle only served to confirm my suspicions.

“Weren’t you just saying that we don't have time for such things, that we still needed to pack?”

“I did, but the quicker you help me finish up, the sooner we can start. That is, if we finish before we need to leave.”

~🐲~

The sun was starting to set in front of me behind a range of mountains with giant letters spelling out ’APPLEWOOD’ as I started to look for someplace me and Fluffy could settle down for the night. We had departed from our lair not too long after the two of us had had our fun times and eaten lunch. Fluffy was currently laying on my back just between my wings. Since Fluffy couldn't exactly hold onto what she had packed, it was up to me to hold on to them. Fortunately, I only needed to carry a small bag for myself and a moderately sized bag for Fluffy.

Fluffy seemed to enjoy being carried around as she would hardly stop talking after I took off. That didn't last for long though as she stopped talking around the time we were passing over the South Luna Ocean, mostly since there wasn’t anything to talk about other than the nearly empty skies and the baron sea. She had actually fallen asleep some time ago. I found it rather cute when I looked back and saw her curled up between my wings. Eventually, I saw a cloud that looked large enough that the two of us could sleep there. I made a small dive before quickly returning to the altitude I had been at. I only needed to create enough force to wake Fluffy up.

“Rise and shine, I found us a nice cloud we can sleep on tonight. It's bound to be more comfortable than my back.”

“Aw, but I like your back.” Fluffy seemed to force the words out as she yawned. “It’s so relaxing to just listen to you breath and feel you fly.”

While my immediate thought was that she was just being nice or joking around, the several times I had found her on top of me when I woke up seemed to suggest that she did find something about listening to me breath pleasant. Nevertheless, I carefully flew over to the cloud and dropped our bags onto it and allowed Fluffy to hop off of me. I was about to help her start unpacking what would be our dinner tonight when I remembered seeing a tree below us that looked familiar.

“You get set up, I’m going to check something real quick.”

With that I took off to find out if what I thought I saw was correct. While I wasn’t the most knowledgeable dragon when it came to plants, an only friend, Angorik, had spent enough time in the wilds that he had taught me about a few plants that were edible. When I finally landed, I was relieved to see that I was right, it was an olive tree. Dozens of olives littered the ground while even more looked to be weighing down the branches. Even though we had brought food, it would still be nice to have something else to add some variety. I grabbed two clawfull of the olives and began my flight back to Fluffy.

When I returned, she had our dinners out and separated. She had a container of nuts and a small carnation, clover and pansy sandwich. Fluffy had been telling me about how she loved flower sandwiches so I thought I might try my claw at a sweet one for her. I on the other claw had a small assortment of citrin, aquamarine, and ruby, a mix of gems Fluffy liked to call my spicy piña colada, and a container of jerky.

I smiled as Fluffy turned to face me. “I have a surprise for you.” I placed a clawfull of the olives in front of her. “I saw them as we were landing and thought you might enjoy having something else for dinner.”

“Thanks, you Big Softy. I was starting to think you left your defenseless marefriend to visit Las Pegasus.”

I huffed at that, I was too much of a gentledragon to do such a thing. “Never!” I laid down next to her and pulled her close to me with a wing. “I’m too nice to want to do that.”

“Or to horny to risk upsetting me.” Fluffy had a mischievous smile as she said this, punching me in the side before reaching out to try one of the olives I had brought back.

I reached out too and grabbed a few. When I placed them in my mouth and started to chew, careful to avoid the pit, I was surprised by their taste. They tasted alright, but there was a very strong flavor to them that I had never experienced before. I wasn't sure whether I liked these or not as they were nowhere close to the taste of olives I was used to. Fluffy on the other claw seemed to be enjoying them far more than I was, so I subtly moved some of my olives over to her pile.

“You brought up something earlier, some Las Pegasus. Could I find any ponies there with feathers as playful as yours?”

“Maybe, but would you actually go there to find out?”

I just turned my head around and laid it across her back. “Not in my lifetime. Not unless you were there too.”

Fluffy chuckled at that and responded by wrapping a foreleg and her head around my neck. “That was so sappy, but it was nice to hear.” She let me go and we both pulled away from one another. “Now, let’s finish eating. You’ve been flying all day and I would prefer it if you don't arrive at my parents’ house complaining about starving to death.”

“If you insist.” I turned to my dinner and picked up a few rubies and began to eat them.

“If you’re so curious about Las Pegasus, I could always tell you more about it. It wouldn’t be too hard, it’s right over there.” Fluffy lifted a hoof and pointed at a massive congregation of clouds that seemed to be lit up by at least a thousand lights. The sun had hardly set and the place was already brighter than a dozen dragons breathing their fires.

“I think that would be nice.”

So for the next half hour, I listened to Fluffy talk all about how Las Pegasus was a hotbed of gaming and fun, how many of the big businesses there were modeled after famous places from ancient times that she desperately wanted to go to herself. She also explained that there were plenty of stage shows that would go on to just sit down and enjoy oneself. It was actually quite interesting, well, except when she started to bring up cooking and ponies use of eggs. It was horrifying to think that these sweet ponies used an unhatched egg for food.

“I think we should get to sleep now, wouldn’t want you to be too tired tomorrow when you meet my parents.”

Fluffy pushed the wing I had draped over her aside, got up, and began to shape the cloud to better suit as an impromptu bed. When she finished, she wasted no time and immediately jumped into what looked to be the softest area of the newly constructed bed.

I chuckled slightly at seeing this. “Aren’t you selfish. Taking the best spot, especially since I’m bigger and was nice enough to carry you here.”

Fluffy just looked over to me with the biggest eyes and put on the saddest tone she could manage. “But what if some creature drops by and tries to snatch your pegasus away while you sleep?”

“Since you put it that way.” I walked over to the bed and curled around her, placing my head and wing on top of her, completely covering her. “I guess I have no choice other than to protect what’s mine.”

Fluffy began to slowly cuddle up next to me, pressing herself as close as she could to me. I was closing my eyes and was about to start falling asleep when Fluffy suddenly pushed herself up, throwing my head off of her and causing me to start flailing around out of surprise.

“I almost forgot, I still owe you your massage.” Fluffy almost seemed to be panicking as she said this.

“While that would be nice, did you need to scare me like that?” I had finally recovered from being taken by surprise and was giving her an incredulous stare.

“Well, unless you would rather not have a massage, I feel scaring you was justified.”

I closed my eyes and gave a half-hearted sigh before allowing a smug smile to cross over my muzzle. “As long as my wonderful mate is offering such an amazing gift, how could I say no?”

And with that, Fluffy climbed onto my back and proceeded to engage in one of my favorite activities.

Author's Note

And so, the beginning of the editors take on the Dragon And The Pony mythos.