All Aboard

“Oh wow,” Anon breathed, getting his first good look at their room.

Celestia beamed over at the man, as he surveyed their little suite. “You know I’m not one for luxuries, but I wanted your first trip to the Crystal Empire to be special.”

After she’d passed his armor off to the train staff, so the cumbersome suit could be stored in one of the luggage cars, she saw him to their room. The relatively short trip through the locomotive took a bit of time and patience, as she stopped to warmy chat with passengers and employees alike. She didn’t mind the delay because, as Anon had noted, they’d likely be seated for several hours. Finally, having worked their way through seven cars, they reached their destination.

Though she usually traveled larger distances by teleportation or, on rare occasions, flight, she truly did want her lover to get a scenic view of the countryside. The train’s course wound over plains, crossed a hooffull of chasms and rivers, and ultimately weaved through the foothills of the northlands. It was an exceptionally charming way of travel and one she hadn’t treated herself to in several centuries - as such, she thought it would be a splendid experience for Anon.

His reaction to the cabin was priceless. While the room was by no means large, it could easily accommodate her and Anon for their trip. Equipped with a full sized bed, a loveseat, and a chest of drawers, their accommodations took up nearly a third of a rail car. Seeing himself in and sitting his duffel on the foot of the mattress, he turned to face her.

“This is going to be great,” he chuckled, walking over and closing the door behind her. “I have so been looking forward to this.”

“Oh?” she quipped. The excitement on his face was infectious, causing her to grin. “Anything in particular you’re eager to see or do?”

“Everything! I’ve been meaning to visit the Crystal Empire for some time, I still hadn’t had the chance to meet Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, or Flurry Heart, and I’ve only ever been on a train once before,” he explained. “And those aren’t even the best parts about all this.”

She cocked her head and studied him for a moment, hoping he’d continue, but he kept quiet. He simply stepped forward, hooked a finger under her chin, and lifted her face towards himself. As her eyes met his, he leaned in and softly kissed her on the lips. His touch was electrifying, sending a shiver down her spine and causing her hair to stand on end - then, as soon as it began, he departed.

“You’re the best part,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. “You have no idea how long I’ve dreamt of being able to spend time with you - well, spend time with you without staff or townsponies or guards pestering you for this or that.”

Celestia simply nodded, suddenly finding it difficult to speak. Truthfully, she felt the same way. She pined for time alone with him, away from her duties and the concerns of anypony else, yet freedom was a rare commodity for her. There was no way she could simply abandon her responsibilities - at least, not for any protracted length of time - which was exactly why her little vacation was more valuable to her than all the bits in the royal coffers.

“Thank you for all this,” he murmured, as his hands steadily moved down her neck. “I promise, I’ll make it up to you someday.”

His fingers danced over her coat, his hot breath teased her face, his scent filled her nostrils, and his words rang in her ears. Despite being humble and heartfelt, his mere presence was more thrilling than anything she could remember. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt herself beginning to blush, yet those sensations paled compared to a subtle feeling in her abdomen. An insidious warmth crept through her, almost too faint to notice, causing her to stiffen.

“It’s a gift, Anon,” she snickered, playfully pushing him away. “If you’re truly looking for some way to repay me, you could fetch me a ginger-peach fruit punch from the dining car.”

“Not a bad idea - having something to sip on would be pretty nice,” he thought aloud.

“Just so. You should have a few minutes before the train pulls out of the station, but I’d hurry,” she urged, sorcerously opening the door behind him. She needed a minute to think, without him present, so sending him on the errand seemed to be the only reasonable option that wouldn’t raise his suspicions.

Rushing to his bag and digging out a few coins, he hurried by her, stopped himself, then leaned back to give her a peck on the cheek. “I’ll be right back,” he noted, shooting her a wink and disappearing into the hallway outside.

Closing the door behind him, Celestia grit her teeth. Something wasn’t right, although she was unsure what in Equestria it was. She always looked forward to her time with him, and she’d fantasized about him more times than she cared to admit, but she shouldn’t be getting worked up that easily. For goodness sake, the only other time she’d felt a thrill like that was…

She gulped, wondering if she’d somehow lost track of the date. As impossible as the notion was, it almost felt as though her heat was coming on. Pacing the room, she paused by a small desk beside the window. There was simply no way she was about to go in season; not only was she several years ahead of such a happening but there’d had none of the regular signs of an impending estrus.

Her biology, while being almost entirely the same as any other mare’s, functioned slightly differently. The immense magical power afforded to her ilk came with a few physiological effects, amongst which included an increased size and preternaturally retarded aging. Maturing at a far slower rate than their pegasi, unicorn, and earth pony kin, alicorns were blessed or cursed with a lifespan which lasted for millennia - as such, some of their internal processes were affected.

Normally, for the last eight-hundred years or so, she’d entered estrus every decade or so. While being in season wasn’t normally an issue, since she usually had plenty of time to prepare for it beforehoof, the situation was less than ideal. She was alone with her lover, they’d spent two very passionate evenings together, and her dear sister wasn’t available to intervene - moreover, it didn’t make any sense. Why in Equestria would her body betray her at such a…

“Discord,” she hissed to herself.

At the mere mention of his name, she swore she could hear him cackling somewhere off in the distance. There were only a hoofful of creatures in existence powerful and foolish enough to play such a cruelly insensible joke on her; the chances of it being Twilight or Cadance were next to none, and Luna wouldn’t dare do something so brazen, leaving the mischievous Lord of Chaos as the prime suspect.

There was a very slight chance that she was getting ahead of herself. Given the fact that she was practically head over hooves for Anon, and finding herself becoming more and more attached to him by the day, she may have just been exhilarated to spend some time with him. Peering over at his opened bag, seeing his garments within, she sighed. There was one particular way to test if she really was entering her cycle, although she was loath to carry it out.

Moving to his duffel and levitating one of his spare shirts to the air, she glanced to the door. She’d simply die if somepony walked in on her, let alone her trusted knight, so she’d have to act fast. Lifting the garment to her face, she buried her snout in the cotton fabric and deeply inhaled through her nose.

Though the article was clean, his scent lingered. As her nostrils filled with his aroma, a singular and distinctly masculine perfume, she suppressed a shudder. Sweet stars above, he smelled absolutely heavenly. In all her many, many years, she couldn’t say she’d ever encountered a fragrance like his. Strong, but not as overpowering as a stallion, earthy and exotic, his bouquet was as captivating as the first warm breeze of spring.

“Oh man, these things are great!” Anon announced, letting himself into their compartment and shaking her from her stupor.

Scrambling in place, dropping his shirt from her ensorceled grasp, she wheeled around to face him. There was no doubt about it, something was definitely wrong with her. Simply smelling a laundered article of his had been enough to cause her mind to wander. She hadn’t suffered a mental lapse of that magnitude since she was a hormonally charged youth! Doing what she could to shoo away the unwanted and wholly uncouth thoughts dancing around in her head, she surreptitiously kicked his blouse back into his bag.

“I told you they were good!” she laughed, stepping over to retrieve her drink.

Plucking her beverage from his grasp, she took a sip and dwelled on the situation. She couldn’t excuse herself without a valid reason, especially after Anon had admitted to looking forward to spending time with her, and she wasn’t sure if she would be able to ignore any inappropriate thoughts throughout the train ride. One small consolation was that her condition was still in the budding phase, though that wouldn’t last for longer than a day or two. Assuring herself that she’d be able to hold out until they reached their destination, she set her resolve.

“You’d mentioned they have smoothies where you’re from?” she asked, cocking her head.

She recalled him having mentioned the fruity beverages before, which was exactly the point. So long as she could keep herself distracted, ensuring she wouldn’t be taunted and teased by immoral musings, she’d be fine - as such, creating idle chatter would be the simplest way to while away the hours. Remaining standing, she motioned towards the couch.

“Yeah, they’ve got all sorts of smoothies on Earth, but I never really tried many of them. I’ve always been more of a milkshake sort of guy,” he replied, trotting around her and seating himself on the sofa.

Tracking him with her body, lest he get a peek at her backside, she nodded thoughtfully. The last thing she needed would be to inadvertently tempt him or, heaven forbid, let him see her moistened entrance. As shameless as it was, the dull ache in her marehood told her that she was already a bit wet at the thought of him and his divine carnal prowess. As he continued chattering about various sorts of libation, she found herself watching his mouth. Remembering all too well what delights his full, pouting lips could afford, she tore her eyes away.

Creating some distance between them, she hopped back onto the bed and laid down. With her legs folded beneath her, and her wings resting on her back, she made herself comfortable. “Milkshakes are quite good, although I prefer them as a dessert. During the day, smoothies tend to be more refreshing and leave you a bit less lethargic,” she replied. “As Luna would be quick to tell you, I have a weakness with sweets.”

“So you have a sweet-tooth, so what? It’s not like you struggle with your weight,” he chuckled.

“You don’t have to humor me, I of all ponies know that the royal flank is a bit on the large side,” she lamented, peering down at her lower half.

It was true, she was the largest and heaviest between the quartet of Princesses. It wasn’t like she was portly, not by any means, yet if compared to her sister she was taller and substantially more curvy. As much as she would like to chock it up to her age, she knew that wasn’t the case; she’d struggled with confections and treats ever since she was a little filly.

“You don’t seriously think you’re overweight, do you?” Anon countered, drawing her attention.

“It’s a...sensitive subject. You have to admit, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight are far leaner than I,” she halfheartedly complained.

The man simply sat there for a second, stood, and stepped over to her. “There’s just one problem with that,” he grunted, easing himself down beside her. “Those other mare’s aren’t as enchanting as you either.”

The compliment was immediately followed by the soft, affectionate sensation of his palm gliding up her back. His touch was beyond reproach, kind and warm on her fur, leaving her to exhale contentedly. As he reached her shoulder blades, he arched his fingers and lovingly scratched the frustratingly hard to reach area between her wings. The spot was almost impossible to get to, without magic or assistance, so his efforts were well appreciated.

“Like that?” he softly asked, turning to better face her.

Her eyes drifted closed, savoring his ministrations. “Mmmhmm…”

His one hand was quickly followed by his second, as he sank his fingers into her coat. His strong and dexterous digits dug into the flesh over her back, working the stiffness from her muscles and drawing the lightest groan from her. Even the most skilled unicorn would be hard pressed to give her treatment of his caliber!

Focusing on the awe-inspiring massage, she shifted closer to him. She could feel herself becoming putty in his hands, while he manually rubbed the stress out of her body. As he reached the midway point of her back, he abruptly halted and retreated. Cracking an eye and and gazing up at him, she noticed him repositioning himself.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t stop,” he grunted, knitting his brow in frustration. “I’m just trying to figure out the best way to do this. It’s not like I’ve ever given a pony a massage before,” he nervously laughed.

“You could…” she cut herself off, a heartbeat before saying something she may have regretted.

Tilting his head, he looked to her face. “Could what?”

The idea which came to Celestia wasn’t exactly orthodox, nor was it something she’d be comfortable doing with anypony, yet she found it compelling. Anon wasn’t a pony, he was a man. His long, relatively slender legs could easily straddle her back and allow him to continue where he’d left off - that being said, the mere thought of having his weight upon her was wildly thrilling.

“Not gonna tell me?” he inquired, leaning over and bringing his face towards her blurry, unfocused eyes.

Though she’d somehow managed to down nearly half of her smoothie, she felt downright parched. “If I were to say you could sit on my back, would you think less of me?”

“Why would I think less of you for that?” he rebuked, stunned by the odd question. “I’d be hard pressed to think less of you for anything - besides, it’s not like we didn’t go on that little aerial adventure.”

“Right,” she replied, reminiscing fondly on their flight and the subsequent and extremely impassioned moments which followed it. As she slowly extended her wings, so he could more easily access the entirety of her back, she fought back her growing excitement. “Well then, please, be my guest.”

Eager to oblige her, Anon pushed himself up and carefully swung a leg over her broad hips. Settling on her, he wiggled in place and got himself comfortable. As she’d suspected, having him resting atop her gave her goosebumps, but there was more than that; even through his trousers, the heat of groin permeated to and through her delicate coat. Sure enough, as soon as he was adjusted, he continued to gently squeeze and stroke her shoulders.

Had she known he was capable of delivering massages she would have asked him for one ages ago. Under his caring hands, her tension bled away - still, she couldn’t help but assume he was taking it a bit easy on her. She’d seen how strong he was, lifting or moving objects which even the most stout stallion would struggle with, yet it seemed like he was being overly gentle with her. Yearning for more, hoping to have the deeper tissue around her wings loosened, she rested her head to the side and peeked back at him.

“Harder,” she faintly sighed.

“Just tell me if I’m being too rough,” he whispered. Leaning over her, adding his weight to his efforts, he applied more pressure.

As his thumbs bored into the brawn under her feathered appendages, a shuddering breath escaped her. Her wings trembled, instinctively enveloped him, while he serviced her like nopony ever had. Down her neck, over her withers, and moving towards her lower back, he meticulously sought to relax her.

Laying there, basking in his sublime attention, her mind began to wander. Imaginings of them sharing a bed, pressed chest to chest with his strong arms wrapped around her, caused her pulse to quicken. It was only when she felt her tail starting to flag did she realize she’d been ensnared once again by her carnal wants, but it didn’t end there. The unmistakable warmth of her engorged marehood was a testament to her arousal.

“You alright?” he quietly urged, slowing to a halt. “You look kind of flushed.”

“I...I’m just feeling a bit toasty. Is it stuffy in here to you?” she sputtered, deflecting his question.

It wasn’t exactly a lie, seeing as how she did feel a bit feverish. Not only was she finding it increasingly difficult to quell her lustful thoughts, but her body was reacting in a very unbecoming way to his virtuous attention. Sadly, her comment was met with an unforeseen outcome, as the man unseated himself from her.

Stepping from the bed and moving to the side of the car, he cracked the window to allow in a small draft. Either he hadn’t put the pieces together, wholly ignorant of the signs that she was getting turned on, or he was being an upstanding gentleman and intentionally abstaining from exacerbating the situation. She was inclined to believe it was the latter option, although it paradoxically set her heart fluttering.

A breeze drifted through the room, accompanied by the steady sound of the locomotive’s engine, as he returned to the bed and laid down beside her. “Better?”

Gazing into his eyes, Celestia lost herself. He really was a singular spirit - not just because he was one of a kind, but because of how cordial and grounded he was. Being a stranger to their world, having been ignorant of their traditions and culture, he was a blank slate - as such, he was one of the very few who viewed her for who she truly was. Had she not been a Princess or alicorn, she had no doubt that he would have thought no less of her.

Throughout all their time together, a friendship and mutual respect for one another had blossomed into something - something which she’d never truly felt. They found comfort with each other, sharing a uniqueness which was hard or impossible to find, and they’d grown closer due to it. Putting aside the differences of their species, title, and age, it was as if their very souls were entwined.

Staring at his loving face, seeing that quirky little smile of his, her heart swelled. He was her stallion, in all but name, just as she was his mare. As he reached out to gently pet her side, the breath hitched in her throat. The two previous times they’d become intimate had been mutual, albeit somewhat spur of the moment - now, resting on the mattress with him, she wanted something more.

“Anon,” she began, folding one wing around him. Some part of her was fully aware that her urges were in part due to the hormones steadily flooding through her system, yet she cared not. Right then, at that moment, she had only a single desire. “Make love with me.”

He recoiled slightly, doubtlessly caught unawares by her request. “Right here?”

Rolling to her side, presenting him with her belly, she extended a foreleg and pulled him towards herself. “Yes,” she breathed.

“Are...are you feeling alright?” he asked, concern tinging his voice.

By the stars, his consideration for her outshone her licentious advances! He honestly cared for her - so much so that he didn’t immediately fling himself upon her. There had been untold hundreds of stallions who would have leapt at the opportunity to bed her, but not Anon. His apprehension was the sort of thing little fillies dreamt about, fanning the flames of her passion all the more - still, his integrity deserved an honest answer.

“I’m not sure why, but I may be going into season,” she purred. Drawing her hoof up his side and around his back, she drew him ever nearer.

His eyes widened slightly, as he digested her statement. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

Barely restraining herself, she slowly nodded. Though she would give him a detailed explanation, if he asked, she hoped that he would be content with her curt response. There’d be plenty of time for her to go over the finer details of estrus later - after she was sated. Glancing to the door, she evoked her magic.

“Um…” Anon hummed, craning his neck and looking towards the exit. “What are you doing.”

“Barring entry and enacting a noise cancellation spell,” she flippantly mused.

“I mean, I’m not opposed to this,” he remarked, “but it seems rather sudden.”

“Sometimes the best things in life are,” she giggled. Leaning in, she sweetly kissed his collar.

Shifting slightly, yet not shying away, he adjusted himself. Twisting her head, she peered down and quickly discovered the source of his discomfort. Resting at his groin, beneath his tented slacks, the root of his unease lay plane to see. Evidently, despite his reserved and modest reaction, he had taken note of her proposal. Steadily drawing her eyes up his chest and to his face, she grinned.

“Judging from…” she trailed off, glancing down his body and subtly nodding to his crotch, “I don’t think you’d mind indulging me too much…”

Knowing that his interest had been noticed, a redness crept into his cheeks. His mouth opened, if only for a split second, before he shook his head and gently pushed himself away from her. “If we get caught, this was your idea.”

Lifting her foreleg and pulling her wing back, she allowed him to wriggle free. “Anon, I assure you, we’ll be left to our lonesome. Between the enchantments on the room and lock on the door, there isn’t a pony on Equestria who could intrude.”

Choosing to stay silent, he got to his feet and began unbuttoning his shirt. With her eyes practically glued to him, Celestia watched the serene burlesque show; bit by delectable bit of his chest was revealed, until the garment hung from his shoulders. After contorting his arms and freeing his upper half from the garment, his hands moved to his waist.

Despite having viewed his nude form on two separate occasions, there was an undeniable thrill to seeing him strip. Unfastening the button of his pants and unzipping his fly, she was given the first tantalizing peek of the bare flesh of his groin. Her mouth watered, her heart beat ever faster, and she felt her marehood eagerly wink at the display. As he lowered his slacks and underwear, ultimately letting them fall to the floor, he straightened up and smiled at her.

His blush and sheepish grin, as adorable as they were, spurred her to act. If the man was even the slightest bit uncomfortable showing himself to her, she would be remiss for not remedying the situation - as such, she beckoned him over with a wing. She could have complimented him, or perhaps reassured him that there is no shame in bearing one’s self to one’s lover, although she was struck by an idea - why use words when using actions would suffice.

Locking eyes on him, she lifted her hind leg and presented herself. There was no way in the world she would have ever made such a bawdy display to anypony, even while in the throes of a powerful estrus, yet she felt compelled with him. Seeing his eyes wander down her belly, over her teats, and ultimately to her meaty loins, her confidence warred with her embarrassment - that was, until she lowered her gaze. Spying the manhood proudly standing at his groin, her eyes widened. With each noting the enthusiasm of the other, all that was left to determine was who would make the first move...