Murky and the Rocket Sixty-Nine
The sun shone brightly through the patchy cloud cover, spreading warmth, light and life throughout a land that hadn't seen or felt such a thing in many, many years. The air was pleasantly warm, a gentle crossbreeze whipping up tiny wisps of dust and sand, causing small pieces of old street signs and train signals to sway lightly, metallic creaks adding to the quiet, omnipresent sound of wind howling through the valley.
The Wasteland, while it's seen major changes in the past few months, was still a quiet, desolate place. No train would ever run on these tracks, at least not until they were reforged. The streets would never be repaired, rescued from their cracked, sunbleached state, not until carriages could be rebuilt, and asphalt could be mixed and paved. Though, for one pegasus stallion, he hoped that those changes could one day happen. Gentle clip-clops of hooves could be heard over the howling wind as a small, somewhat lanky green pegasus traveled along the broken road, goggles clipped over his eyes, his blonde mane whipping slightly in - what he thought to be - the late spring breeze.
His name was Murky. He didn't know if his name had more to it than that, but it was better than the number he'd been given during his old life. Only one thing mattered to him now, regarding that unfortunate, torturous existence he'd led. His friends. Somewhere, out in the vastness of Old Equestria, his friends were making a life for themselves, moving on from the hell they'd escaped from months earlier. Murky was determined to find them, and he'd told his story across the wastes, from Tenpony to Las Pegasus, in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, somepony would contact him or his friends, and try and bring them together once again.
Sadly, though, he'd yet to receive such news. His old PipBuck, a damaged, ugly thing but held together with love and ingenuity - a gift from an old friend - hadn't picked up any signals from anyone claiming to be his friends, and the ones who did claim to be his 'friends' were from rather untrustworthy sources. He may not have been educated in Red Eye's schools (indoctrination camps, more like, he mentally sneered) - in fact, most of his education came from reading just about any book he could come across that was still legible - but he was more than certain that his friends wouldn't be referring to him as a 'slavecolt'.
Now, he traveled along the old roads and railways of Equestria, stopping by towns, asking around for information, doing odd jobs for caps on the side, and making himself scarce for the most part. At times, he regretted the decision to tell his story; it put a metaphorical bounty on his head, slavers from across Equestria, old, new, and most distressingly, some who were formerly under his old owner's payroll. He felt his withers shiver as his mind was temporarily cast back to his imprisonment. He shook his head. He'd nothing to fear from him anymore, at least not directly.
He squinted through his goggles as, he thought, a few buildings appeared through the hazed and the ripple-y heat rising from the dirt. The old train station was just another hour away, he reckoned. Good, it'd be nice to get out of the sun and get something to eat; living off of spare rations he'd nicked from a slaver's caravan while the greasy bastard was taking a leak was starting to get old. FancyBuck Snack Cakes start to grate on one's tastebuds after one had been doing nothing but eating them for quick bursts of energy.
At least he also had the satisfaction of knowing, at least from the shouts and sounds of rattling chains being used as whips, that his 'stock' had other plans for the slaver and kept him... delayed while Murky made his getaway.
Taking a sip from his canteen, Murky continued his relaxed pace towards the old train station.
~*~
The locals called it 'Railroad 69'. Murky, while he wasn't much experienced in that particular field, had to groan at the pun they'd made of the line's route number.
Railroad 69, formerly known as Rail 96 Waystation, was a small, cozy settlement. Due to the line that ran through the town, with the train station itself acting as both a hotel and town hall, it had somewhat regular trade with other settlements. 'Follow the rail line' was all the advice caravans needed, apparently, to bring their goods up to stock the general store and bar. As for the settlement's namesake, a fairly large brothel was situated in what looked to be an actual old motel, situated right next door to the bar, though heavily renovated with all the trappings of the whorehouses in Las Pegasus. Triple X neon signs, alongside depictions of mares in scandalous positions - some of which Murky may or may not have sketched out in significantly more detail in his journal - hung from the darkened windows of the establishment. If one couldn't tell, sex was the major trade of Railroad 69, the town's mayor even boasting that it had 'the best damn mares n' stallions in the Wastes'.
Murky may have been tempted, just a little, to take a peek inside that brothel once he'd made himself at home for the next couple days.
He shook the lustful urge from his mind. Room first, then food, then carnal indulgence.
As he strode through the town, his overly sensitive ears were alert, swiveling to and fro. He'd always tried to keep himself from being the center of attention; when one was a slave, usually getting attention wasn't the sort of thing you wanted. It did help pick out certain ponies from a crowd, whether they were curious about the pegasus within their midst, or were mercenaries out to pick an actual bounty off of his head, or slavers looking to snag the pegasus slavecolt from Filly to have as their own property. He had to smirk a little at some memories. The shackles on his cutie mark were open for a reason.
Here, though, he found only scant curious murmurs from passersby. His ears picked up on one particular mare - a mother, he presumed - who quietly fretted about the 'poor colt' wandering in from the wastes. His face lit up with a tiny blush out of embarrassment. He was glad he'd found his mother just a few weeks ago, and little remarks like that reminded him of her. It kept him going, kept him searching for his friends.
Slipping inside the train station, his ears folded slightly as he heard ponies, griffons and even the odd hippogriff speaking in casual conversation, some even commenting on the tiny stallion who'd strode in with that confident pegasus strut. He'd caught more than a few 'cute' comments from the mares, and even - he felt his face heat up - some stallions.
'At this point, I'm starting to think Glim's been spreading rumors on the radio,' he thought.
He caught himself admiring the relative cleanliness of the place. Furniture had been restored, the floor, walls and ceiling had been dusted thoroughly, and the reception desk had been restored to a surprising quality. It seemed that, despite the adult nature of Railroad's main export, it paid big bags of caps for the town. He remembered something another friend of his had said, something about prostitution being the oldest profession for a reason.
He smiled, unconsciously feeling the weight of that friend's revolver in his saddlebag.
Murky laced his forehooves on the counter, pulling himself up to meet the receptionist - an older, sandy-coated mare - and ringing the service bell, causing the mare to perk up from her papers. And immediately make doe-eyes at the stallion.
"Oh, goodness! What's a li'l thing like you doin' out on your lonesome, hon? Ya got family around?"
He immediately picked up on her tone. Oh come on, he wasn't that young!
"Uh... no. N-no, miss. I'm on my own, just looking for a place to rest up for a couple days before I get back on the trail." Murky said, stuttering somewhat at first. His confidence may have been boosted by his experiences and his newfound freedom, but he still had a long way to go, he knew that much.
The mare giggled sweetly, reaching forward to- yep, she was gently ruffling his mane. If Murky had to be honest, in the friendlier towns, his small frame was both a boon and a curse. “Well, hon, if you’re on your own, a couple nights stay shouldn’t be too expensive for ya. Fifteen caps a night, but-” she leaned in, whispering conspiratorially to the stallion, “on account of y’all bein’ so cute, I can bump that down to ten. That sound good, hon?”
Murky shuffled through his mental checklist, trying to remember how many caps he had on hoof, before deciding it may be a good idea to check his PipBuck. With a quick glance, he had his balance. Five-hundred-twenty-two. Plenty of caps for food and supplies, too, and he could probably do a couple things around the settlement for extra on the side. He smiled. “That’d be nice, miss.”
The receptionist smiled, returning to her papers, her horn glowing as a pencil levitated into view. “Lovely. What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Murky.”
“Ooh, you’re that Murky, huh? Heard about ya on the radio here n’ there. You’re in good hooves at the Railroad; slavers ain’t welcome to nothin’ but lead here.”
Well. That was direct. But it calmed his nerves somewhat, and after a few extra questions, the receptionist levitated a key onto the desk, a tag slid onto the keyring. “Room number nineteen, on the second floor. Enjoy your stay at the Railroad, hon!”
“Thank you, miss!”
~*~
According to his PipBuck, it was around six-thirty in the evening. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon when Murky stepped out of the general store, waving to the cashier, a few caps and bullets richer. “G’night, missus Moonbeam! You too, mister Wildcat!”
An older stallion poked his head out of the corner store, waving back to the pegasus as he strode down the street. “Thanks for the help around the store, Murk! Don’t be a stranger now!” he said, before flipping the ‘OPEN’ sign to ‘CLOSED’ and slipping back into the store. Murky smiled, a light bounce in his trot as he headed toward the train station. The couple that owned the general store - Moonbeam’s Goods and Wildcat’s Cartridges - were quite the nice ponies. Again, he was surprised by the level of, dare he say, wholesomeness that the small settlement displayed. Everypony was kind, as far as he knew, and he’d yet to hear any sort of mugging or gunfire take place. It was a peaceful little town; if his friends were with him, he could probably make an argument for making it a home.
As he trotted, he felt his belly rumble, a pang of hunger lancing through his body. He hadn’t eaten since lunch, and that had been prepared for him by miss Moonbeam. She may have been a good cook, but grilled brahmin cheese sandwiches weren’t exactly the most filling things. Maybe he could find something at the hotel-
A sudden uproar of laughter grabbed Murky’s attention, his ear swiveling in the direction of the restaurant that dominated the other side of the tracks. His stomach growled once more, and his wing unconsciously unfurled to grasp at his midsection. Ooh, he could smell steamed radscorpion from the building… The tempting treat was enough to cause Murky to cross the tracks and enter the restaurant in a near trance-like state.
As he entered, the waterfall of conversation nearly bowled the stallion over,, and his ears instinctively flattened to try and make the noise bearable. A sizeable bar occupied the center of the room, several tables and booths occupying the space, with a sizable number of creatures - ponies, griffons, hippogriffs, and his eyes nearly bugged out of his skull when he spotted an alicorn - making merry throughout the floorspace. Wrecked TVs hung above the bar, and a group of stallions were by a well-lit pool table, just beside a curtained-off room with a blinking triple X neon sign hung above the doorway.
Murky blinked. He partook in the drink occasionally - his first actual birthday celebration being the first time he imbibed - but he felt as though maybe alcohol shouldn’t be so close to… whatever was on the other side of that curtain. Though, given the heavyset stallion in an old hoofball helmet and armed with a bat, that wouldn’t be much of an issue. Shrugging, he returned to his pegasus strut, confidently walking toward…
Toward…
...where exactly?
Most of the time, when Murky was at a settlement, food was served to him by his generous hosts, or he’d walk directly to the bar and order something. But here, with the bar full and there being many more ponies than he was used to milling about, there must’ve been some way the restaurant had to keep up business. He stood in the middle of the open floor, awkwardly looking around him, trying to figure out what exactly he was supposed to do, but the noise, the ponies, it was too much, too much at once-
“Hey, pegasus!”
Murky let out a sudden, decidedly un-stallion-like yelp at the shout, whipping about with frenzied eyes landing on-
A party of three stallions, two mares and a griffoness, the griffoness being the one who’d caught his attention. “C’mon, little guy! Hop up here, before ya get trampled!” she called with a smile on her beak. A stallion scooted over in the booth, patting the faux-leather seat, inviting him to take his place amongst the party. Murky debated with himself, mulling the offer around before deciding that, after a hippogriff nearly tripped over him, it might be a good idea to take the space.
Quickly trotting over and climbing up onto the seat, he managed to get himself into a comfortable position, only to shrink back shyly as the two mares cooed and ‘d’aww’ed at him. One of them, a pretty apricot coat and wavey blonde mane, opened up her verbal assault by squee-ing at the sight of the pegasus. “Ohmygosh, he’s adorable, Steelfeather! You sure you’re not lookin’ for a herd, cus goodness I’d just wanna pick him up and squeeze him and-”
The mare clutched at her chest, letting out another squee as Murky, stunned by the sudden blast of flattery, just stared wide-eyed at the mare with a light blush already beginning to form across his nose. The griffoness - Steelfeather, he presumed - laughed as the other mare tried to calm her friend down. “Firecracker, you’re about the most bipolar mare I’ve met. Wasn’t it just two days ago you were fraggin’ raiders out by White Sands Pass? How can you go from screamin’ about ‘giving raiders an express ticket to Tartarus’ to gushing about a tiny pegasus?” she rolled her eyes, turning back to Murky. “Sorry about her gushing. Firecracker’s a bit of a screwball sometimes.”
Murky, now having recovered from the assault of compliments - again, due to his perceived ‘cuteness’ - turned to Steelfeather, a deadpan expression on his face. “Oh, really, I hadn’t noticed.” He then smiled, a sincere expression replacing the bored, somewhat serious one he’d had just a moment ago. “Thank you for offering a seat, Miss Steelfeather. I’m pretty sure I looked pretty silly over there, huh?”
“Think nothin’ of it, kid. You looked like you never set hoof into a place like this; I’d hate to see what you’d look like in the club.”
Club? Like a clubhouse? Murky’s head tilted slightly in response to Steelfeather’s anecdote, but before he could ask anything, he got the sudden, distinct feeling somepony was to his-
“Howdy, y’all, welcome to Rocket Sixty-Nine!”
Murky’s heart nearly leapt into his throat when a mare spoke up to his left, clad in a simple white sleeveless shirt, holding a notepad and a pen in her magic. He had to admit, the level of restored or still-functioning items in this town was starting to surprise him. She was a tall, surprisingly graceful-looking mare, a cream coat and dark brown short mane framing a sincere smile and wide baby blue eyes.
“Name’s Coffee Cream, I’ll be your server for tonight; what can I start y’all off with?”
Start them off? What was she-
Steelfeather cut him off, looking up from a small slip of paper. “I’ll have a Wild Pegasus Whiskey, ma’am; whole bottle if ya would?”
Oh! Murky’s mind made the connection rather quickly, peering at his neighbor’s drink menu in search of something that he could treat himself to, his ears twitching for every order made and giving him just a little bit of nerve before he finally spotted something.
“And for your little guest here?”
The pegasus squeaked a little, shyly turning to the waitress. “Oh! Um… Sparkle-Cola Cherry, if you have it?”
Coffee smiled, scribbling down the name of the soft drink before returning her gaze to the party. “Alrighty, and are you ready to order your entreés?”
Murky’s head tilted again, just slightly. What the heck is an ‘aunt-tray’? He sat for a moment, trying to parse the meaning of the alien-sounding word before realizing, with a growing level of embarrassment, that meant food.
Murky had ordered his food by pointing a hoof at the steamed radscorpion option from behind his wings.
~*~
About an hour or so later, the table was strewn with old plates, empty glasses, bits of food and, importantly, shot glasses. Everypony at the table was, to put it mildly, plastered. Even Murky, a comparable lightweight, was sociable, giggly and just a little slow from the amount of alcohol he’d consumed… which, in comparison to the rest of the table, was only four shots. In that time, the impromptu party had shared stories of their escapades, Murky telling of his escape from Filly with just a tad more embellishment than usual thanks to the liquid social lubrication swirling through his body. Even as he began slurring and hiccupping, he continued to spin his tale.
“...s-so -hic- oh Goddesses- I started- started to flap m’ wings, right? N’ the whole time, slavers’re shootin’ at me and stuff, n’ I jus’ thought ‘no, you assholes aren’t keeping me here’ -hic- n’ I just start flappin’ harder n’ harder until, hey, holy crap I’m flyin’. I flyyyy up, above the clouds, I see the frickin’ moon and I just start shoutin’ ‘I’m out, I’m out!’”
...it may not have been an entirely accurate retelling, but as far as Murky’s drunken mind was concerned, it was the most accurate, and the best retelling. His new friends cheered at the end of his tale, clinking their glasses together and imbibing themselves in more of the liquid courage. Steelfeather rose her glass to Murky, a light blush visible through her feathers as she began to speak. “Hell yeah, little guy! Y’know, your whole story got me thinkin’- you get any from your Glimmerlight friend? I mean, come on, you had to be a little interested.”
Murky blushed - more heavily than just the alcohol-infused flush - sipping from the last of his soda before he spoke. “Uh, g-get any? N-no, no, Glim-Glim and I aren’t -hic- like that at all. We’re kinda… brother n’ sister, I guess?”
“Kinky.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
Steelfeather laughed. “Heh… what about your marefriend, huh? Unity?”
Murky twiddled his hooves for a moment, a forlorn expression on his face, the question sobering him for just a moment. “We… we might have. At some point. I don’t know, it-it’s a long story. Besides,” he sighed, his ears pinning themselves to his skull in despondence. “I don’t know if she remembers me.”
The griffoness frowned, the tiny pegasus’ sorrow plucking at her heartstrings more than she’d care to admit. Slamming back another shot, she smiled. “Hey, guys. I think our little buddy needs some cheering up. Any suggestions? C’mon, long as it ain’t anything too crazy for ‘im!”
The party cheered in agreement, even a few others who’d listened to Murky spin his tale, while the green pegasus himself found his cola glass far more interesting than anything else in the room, a bright blush burning on his face. For a moment, the excitement sobered him up somewhat. Just what were these people suggesting? His eyes glanced up, beyond the crowd and toward the curtained-off doorway, that neon sign blinking every so often, dim blue, green and purple lights shining through the tiny cracks above and below the curtain. Hard rock music flowed from that half of the building, muffled somewhat by the wall and the curtain itself, and combined with the sound of excited whoops and hollers of stallions and mares alike.
The pegasus let out a yelp as one of his companions slapped a hoof on his shoulder just a bit too hard, returning Murky’s gaze back to the table. “Hey, Steelfeather!” his companion slurred, “I think Murk’s found what he wants; he was lookin’ pretty hard at the tack club next door, maybe we should escort him, huh?”
The griffoness turned to her friend, a cheeky smirk growing on her beak. “Yeah, that sounds like a good plan, Dust. Why don’t you do the escorting; I’m not quite as interested in mares as you two are, after all!” She laughed, drunkenly kissing the stallion to her right, much to Murky’s increasing embarrassment. The stallion beside him - Dusty - chuckled at the display of drunken affection, before turning to Murky with a somewhat glassy-eyed smile. “C’mon, little guy, let’s get you some eye candy; maybe one of ‘em’ll take you upstairs, yeah?”
Murky could only squeak in response, the sudden interest in his sex life causing him no end of grief, but in the end, his curiosity, and the alcohol in his blood, won out.
“O-okay.”
Nodding approvingly, Dusty motioned for the smaller stallion to hop out of the booth, which Murky reluctantly did, his wings flaring just a little before he landed on his hooves. Hopping out beside him, and swaying a little, Dusty slurred a quick ‘follow me’ to Murky, before the two began weaving through the crowd. On the way to the door, Murky’s mind was awash with both worry and anticipation. On one hoof, Unity was the most kind, warmhearted mare he’d met in that pit of a city. She was the one who gave him the strength to keep going, keep fighting for his freedom. On the other hoof… he remembered that moment. The moments before she’d left with his friends. If she was still somehow in there, maybe she’d forgive him when he saw her again. Maybe she’d understand?
His mental rambling came to an abrupt halt when he bumped into a surprisingly warm, furry support beam - or, rather, the security stallion standing next to the doorway into the club. “Dusty,” he said, a low, bassy tone to his voice matching his muscles-on-muscles stature, “This kid old enough to head in?”
Again with the ‘kid’ thing? Murky opened his mouth to offer a retort, only for Dusty to speak up before him. “Yeah, he’s old enough. Think he said he was eighteen back at the table, and he’s not one to lie unless it gets a slaver hurt. Ain’t that right, Murk?”
The guard’s eyes widened, looking down at the pegasus before looking back at Dusty. “Murk? As in, Murky, that kid on the radio? The one who escaped fucking Filly? Hot damn, why didn’t ya say so?” Brushing the curtain aside just a little, the guard gestured to Murky with a hoof. “Head on in, bud. If anyone’s earned a show from the Railroad’s mares, it’s you.”
Oh, well, okay then. Murky gave the guard a somewhat puzzled look, wondering when his namesake got him this many favors from little towns like this. Usually wastelanders wouldn’t give a pegasus, much less one that looks like him - small, weak and not very threatening - the time of day, and here he was getting favors for being… him? Swallowing his anxiety, Murky stepped beyond the curtain, into the tack club and holycrapit’sloud.
Music blared harshly from restored speakers mounted in damn near every spot that could fit them. Blue, green and purple lights blazed from above, and Murky’s eyes - and wings - went wide as he finally took notice of just what exactly went on in this half of the establishment. Stages were set up, at least six judging from the amount of floor-to-ceiling poles that rose from the stages, warm-colored lights bathing each stage in a surprisingly intimate shade of red.
And on each of those poles stood a mare. Mares in very, very accentuating outfits.
It didn’t take long for Murky’s face to erupt in a new blush, a spike of fear growing in his barrel, fear that the town wasn’t quite as innocent in regards to slave markets, only for that cold spike to melt when he realized that the mares seemed to be enjoying themselves, piles of caps having found their way onto their respective stages, a reward for what Murky could only describe as art. In the same way his drawings in his journal took form, these mares danced with an elegance not too dissimilar to his artstyle. Though, he had to admit, the aim of their art was far, far more into the business of eroticism, and - he shuffled on his hooves when he realized he was staring a bit too long at one of the mares - they seemed to emphasize on curves way more than he ever did.
The mare he stared at gave him a quick, fleeting expression of adoration, before returning to her dancing, her schoolfilly skirt - something Murky remembered from Glimmerlight’s own personal wishlist for when they got out of Filly - twirling in the air and just barely flashing a pair of silken undergarments to her personal audience, earning a roar of applause - and earning Murky both a blush that burned to the tips of his ears. He let out a yelp of surprise when Dusty bumped his shoulder, shaking his head in disappointment. “Sorry, kid, that stage is full. Shame, she looked like she liked ya; maybe we could - holy sweet Goddesses above.”
Murky’s stunned expression was broken by Dusty’s own stunned remark, turning towards the stallion’s gaze to see what - oh sweet Goddesses above indeed.
Though a twinge of fear laced Murky’s mental agreement with Dusty, it was overpowered by an intense feeling of stunned arousal. He felt his wings flap instinctively, unconsciously trying to gain the attention of what his lizardbrain saw as a prospective mate. For the mare the two of them had spotted was no mere mare.
Her coat was a dark, navy blue, as dark as the night sky, while a light, baby-blue mane framed her square-rimmed glasses. A long pointed horn jutted from her massively long mane, her half-lidded yellow eyes having locked with his as a smirk grew on her muzzle. Her wings spread, teasing him with her own little ‘mating display’ as her long, flowing tail swished behind her pencil skirt-clad hips, dancing between her fishnet stocking adorned hindlegs.
An alicorn.
A tall, elegant creation, made in the image of the Goddesses, Murky knew them as the former servants of Red Eye, though he learned of the full extent of their existence when he’d ventured to Tenpony Tower. He remembered when he was first exposed to their deadly grace and power, the fear and horror having, understandably, kept him from truly studying their beauty.
And this one had decided she had an interest in him.
She trotted, slowly, gracefully towards the two stallions, stopping before them and leaning down to speak with them at their height. For whatever reason, Murky found his eyes drifting to the tuft of chestfur that peeked out from the half-unbuttoned blouse top, the sight trapping his gaze before he snapped back to the alicorn’s eyes when she began to giggle.
“Now,” she breathed, husky and low and sending tingles across the pegasus’ skin, “What’s a little buck like you doing in a place like this? Feeling a little hot for teacher, hm?” From the corner of his eyes, Murky saw his companion nodding vigorously, while he fought to compose himself, swallowing thickly as his wide, dilated eyes stared blankly at the alicorn. She laughed, a sound that he could only describe as devilishly sexy, before her horn lit, Murky suddenly finding himself aloft and held to her eye level, though he still stared, his mouth trying to find the right words to respond to the mare.
“Awh…” she cooed, Murky’s eyes now having a sudden interest in her muzzle, those plump lips pouting cutely at him and causing his mind to shut down once again. “Did I break the poor little pegasus already? C’mon, sugar, I won’t bite; you can talk to me!” She giggled once more, sending a twinge of bliss through his ears. “What’s your name, hon?”
The pegasus, practically enthralled by the sultry alicorn, murmured out his name, a tiny string of drool beginning to flow from the corner of his mouth. “M-murky…”
She smiled, leaning forward to plant a kiss on the stallion’s nose, snapping the stallion out of his trance and causing him to pull his wings around his face, his hooves planting themselves on his wings soon after. The alicorn hummed, leaning in to give a quick nuzzle to his ear, earning her a squeak from the stallion. “Murky, Murky, Murky… such an adorable little pegasus. I don’t think there’s a pony in the wastes that hasn’t heard your story, sugar. I think you might be entitled to a little treat, hm? We’ll get that sorted after a little show, how’s that sound?”
He squeaked once more from behind his wings, but he gave a tiny, excited nod, his heart pounding so hard he could hear the blood rushing through his ears.
With a smile, the alicorn floated the stallion over to the nearest stage, planting him gently in the small half-circle booth, with Dusty piling into the booth soon after. Trotting back into their sight, the alicorn stepped onto the stage, leaning against the pole as she looked down at the pair, smiling softly. “By the way, sweets? Name’s Sapphire. Now, sit back and enjoy the show…”
On cue, a smooth guitar riff - Murky had to guess most of the songs playing were pre-war - began to rip from the speakers. He took notice of Sapphire’s ears perking up, before she began to move. It started slow, gentle swaying as she slowly, sensually allowed her forelegs to climb the pole, allowing her body to stretch languidly like a cat’s. Her tail swung from left to right, like a silky pendulum as she came to a stop, the only sound being the guitar playing a few notes, a pause, then the same few notes once more, punctuated by the artist belting out a yelp of sorts, Sapphire mimicking the gesture before the music kicked back in, twirling around the pole with an elegance matched only by a pegasus in flight.
For what seemed like more than a few minutes, the mare danced, sweat beginning to drip from her body, Murky’s stunned senses picking up the scent of some sort of sweet fruit as he stared at the performance, a heavy blush dominating his face as his wings fluttered and flapped in an attempt to attract the mare onstage. Sapphire gave him a grin, and as the guitar stopped once more, replaced by hoofstomps, she turned, presenting her rear to him, her tail teasingly hiding what laid under her skirt. In time with the hoofstomps, she swung her hips, her tail always just in the way, preventing Murky from getting a peek at the hidden treasures.
He was, however, privy to the fact that she wasn’t wearing anything under that skirt, something that sent his heart racing and his arousal growing at a rapid pace. Sapphire looked back at him, twirling back around in such a manner that sent her mane flowing like it was caught in the breeze, hiding her body for just a moment before it returned to Murky’s view, though now, she was held in a far more compromising position, teasing the little stallion even more. Her hindlegs were held around the pole, her tail wrapping gracefully around the pole, while her barrel was lowered towards the stage, her forelegs cradling her head as she met Murky’s gaze once more… before lowering between his legs.
Murky became acutely aware of a very insistent part of his anatomy making itself known, and immediately, his face turned a cherry red, his forelegs planting themselves in front of him while he lowered his barrel, trying to hide his shame. Before he could belt off a quick ‘sorry!’, Sapphire gave him a sultry smile, winking at the stallion before she returned to her set. After another few minutes - which felt like hours to poor Murky - her set came to an end, the mare pressing a button on the stage which dropped a microphone from the ceiling. Flicking the device on with her wing, the music halted for a moment, Sapphire’s voice now amplified across the club.
“Uh oh, mares n’ bucks! Looks like Miss Sapphire’s got a naughty little student! I think he might be in need of detention!” she practically sang the word, Murky suddenly feeling a few dozen eyes on the back of his head, and yet, for whatever perverse reason, he felt himself growing more aroused from the attention. “Whaddya say, guys? Should I take this little buck upstairs to give him a private lesson?!”
The crowd, and even a few other performers, erupted in cheers and encouragement, Sapphire flicking her microphone off with a wing, returning the music to the club before she gracefully hopped off of her stage, her horn alight as Murky once more found himself in her magical grip. Held aloft and practically paraded, ponies, griffons and zebras all hooted, hollered and whistled at him, filling him with an odd mix of embarrassment and arousal before Sapphire placed him on her back, slipping through a curtain in the back of the club. The music was deafened, only the dull throb of drums and the vibration of electric guitars carrying into the stairwell.
The halls were dimly lit, a warm orange glow permeating throughout the halls. Despite the nature of these rooms, it was deceptively quiet, aside from Sapphire’s soft hoof-falls. Reaching the apex of the stairwell, Sapphire began to speak, softly and kindly, almost like a doting mother, that sultriness still there but to a far lower degree. “Sugar, I can feel your heart goin’ a mile a minute through my back. This your first time?”
Murky, shivering from a cocktail of emotions, could only stutter out a ‘yeah’, the stallion swallowing loudly after, finding his mouth suddenly as dry as the wasteland outside. Sapphire cooed softly, that sultriness returning just a little. “Oh, honey, how could a cute little thing like you go this long without a mare takin’ an interest?” Her tone became more serious, though, and she lifted him up once more, pulling him in for a gentle nuzzle to his cheek. “I hope you find your friends in good health, dear Murky,” she whispered, giving his cheek a tender kiss, “You’ve gone through the worst of hells this world has to offer, sugar; I’d hate to see you lose your friends so soon after getting your happy ending.” She smiled, giving the stallion another nuzzle, her nose brushing against Murky’s withers. “...you’re tense, hon; c’mon, you’ve been on the trail for too long without a real break.”
Slipping out her key from her blouse, Sapphire unlocked her door, leading Murky in first before following in, closing the door behind her with a soft ‘click’. Murky, for his part, found himself in a dimly lit room, a gentle, maroon-hued light blanketing the studio apartment. In what used to be the living room, a large, circular bed took up a majority of the space, whereupon Murky was set by Sapphire. He looked around himself, surprised at just how comfy the bed was. Even the bed in his hotel room wasn’t nearly as cozy as this! How did-?
“The wonders of magic, sugar,” Sapphire said, already in the process of unbuttoning her blouse, an act that, surprisingly to Murky, drove his anticipation up a wall. “It wasn’t easy; I may have had to make some rather possessive raiders give up their little love shack for that beauty, on top of having to… ugh, disinfect it.” She paused, her magic hanging on her pencil skirt. “I’m surprised Abraxo cleaner could get that thing as clean and soft as it did.” With that, Sapphire dropped her skirt, and the smell of ripe cherries wafted through the room. Or, at least, Murky thought that sweet, somewhat musky scent smelled like. Preserved cherry pies weren’t exactly in large supply, given Murky had only ever eaten one.
Through the dim light, Murky could see Sapphire smile, her tongue slipping from her muzzle to flick at her lips in a way that sent a pleasant shiver up his spine. She purred, climbing onto the bed with a sultry, predatory gaze that filled him with a mix of fear and overwhelming lust. “I can tell you bathed, hon, but lemme tell you, that scent of yours is never going away,” she breathed, overtop of him now, leaning down to gently shove him onto his back with her muzzle, slowly licking up his neck with a low, gentle, predatory growl. “Ooh… I can tell you, Murky, that if Filly didn't smell like death himself, your little mare friends would’ve been all. Over. You.” she whispered, ending her little tease with a gentle nip at his ear, causing the stallion to squeak, a flood of bliss rushing through his body. Every part of him felt hot under the skin, excitement and anxiety and anticipation all running through his body like a cocktail of need.
Sapphire halted in her teasing, laying herself next to the little stallion, a hoof drawing little circles on his belly, each time just barely missing his pride. “Mmm… Murky, hon, I’m going to tell you to keep a few things in mind,” she hummed, nuzzling into his neck before she continued, “what we’re going to do involves a great deal of trust, understand? I would never dream of hurtin’ you, sugar, remember that. If you get scared, though, or you want things to stop, just tell me. Do you trust me, hon?”
Murky whimpered, both out of lust and just a tiny bit of fear, before he spoke. “I… I trust you, miss Sapphire,” he breathed, his heart pounding like a trapped bird as he spoke. He didn’t have any reason to believe Sapphire meant any harm, even if she was… kinda big. And a little scary. She’d held him in her magic thrice now, and all three times, she could’ve crushed him like an egg. Yet, here she was, as gentle as his mother - which was more than a little weird for him - nuzzling into his neck and asking him if he wanted this. Were he not in such an aroused state, he probably would’ve cried.
Sapphire smiled, planting a kiss on his cheek before sliding down his body just a little. “Okay, hon… we have a little code, here, for my kind of play. If you want to stop, just say ‘clear’, got it?” The pegasus nodded, and she smiled, her wings fluttering just a bit in a display of her own hunger. “Good buck…” she breathed, before sliding down to inspect what Murky had in store for her.
Murky, on the other hoof, dreaded this moment, remembering some time ago when a rather nasty raider mare under the Mall’s employ had questioned his ability to even please a bloatsprite. Sure, she may have just been saying that to get under his skin, a final moment of humiliation before-
He gasped, feeling a sudden, gentle grip on him, his entire body launching into a fit of light shuddering as all manner of emotions swept through him like a wave. Sapphire looked up from his hips, smiling softly. “Oh, sugar… you’re just adorable. Such a firm little friend, too…” He tried to speak, only to squeak and shiver uncontrollably as something hot and wet slid up his package, sending an intense wave of euphoria through his body. Sapphire smiled, pulling her tongue away from him for a moment to tease him just a little more. “Mm… you even taste wonderful. Such a perfect size for this kind of play…”
Murky perked, speaking breathily as he looked down at the alicorn with his- urgh. He couldn’t even say what she was doing, lest he embarrass himself further. “Wh… that raider-”
“Wouldn’t know good taste if it bucked her in the ass,” Sapphire interrupted, slipping down to plant a sweet kiss on one of the pegasus’ precious orbs. “A real mare can do anything for any size, and you, sugar, are just the right size for a mare like me,” she whispered, before returning to the top of his length. “Now, relax, sugar…”
How could he relax? The poor stallion was shuddering, every part of his body felt like it was on fire, there’s no way he could - oh sweet Celestia above that feels good…
It was as if his entire body had been wrapped in the warmest, softest, coziest blanket, his wings splayed out across the bed, not even moving as her magic seeped into his muscles, gently massaging every inch of him, rubbing away all the tension and knots in his body as her muzzle pressed against his tip. His head fell back, and he felt her muzzle crease into a smile… then, slowly, he felt her lips slide open, wrapping around his tip. Her soft, warm, wet muzzle only added to the relaxation, and he felt her nicker around him as she continued her descent, her lips sliding down, down, past his medial ring, then finally reaching his base, his medial ring sitting just inside her throat. Murky felt her lips press against his base, and he let out a soft, quiet moan of bliss, only compounded by the massage soaking into and relaxing him into a pleased puddle of a pegasus.
Sapphire smiled around his base, allowing her throat to gently squeeze and massage the upper half of his shaft, while her tongue began to gently flick, squeeze and stroke against his base. She treated the foreplay like the lewdest kiss she could give a pony, her forelegs wrapping around Murky’s hips and causing him to let out a squeak of surprise, before he let loose a sigh of utter euphoria. She felt a little of his pre squirt down her throat, the mare swallowing on instinct before returning to her mouthwork, her tongue now wrapped around his shaft and gently, lovingly squeezing up and down his length.
Biting the inside of his cheek, Murky felt like his mind was stuck in a heavy fog; everything felt slow, warm. He could barely focus, not with the constant growing bliss in his loins, a familiar pressure beginning to build quickly. He couldn’t be done this quickly, he had to hold out for just a little longer, he couldn’t-
Couldn’t-!
Sapphire’s ears perked as Murky let out a gasping, breathy series of whimpering moans, only for her to feel his shaft pulsating rhythmically, his moans and that universal signal connecting in her mind. She pulled back, just slightly, enough to feel his climax. He filled her mouth with seed, the creamy, salty taste filling her senses, and she fought the urge to swallow down his load. She had a much, much more fun idea in mind.
Murky slumped back, breathing heavily as the afterglow washed over him, a sense of disappointment present in his mind. He wasn’t able to hold himself back. Was Sapphire mad? He didn’t betray her trust, did he? His mind raced, soon becoming panicked as the alicorn slid up his body, pinning him to the bed with her weight alone. He let out a squeak, and when he tried to speak up, she leaned forward.., and kissed him, directly on the lips. Murky could taste himself on her lips, and the growing realization that he actually kind of liked the taste only grew faster as her lips parted, her tongue and a small flood of his own essence spilled into his muzzle. His eyes went wide, then rolled back, groaning in bliss as her tongue played with his, gently swishing and swirling his own spunk around his mouth until she pulled away, a mixed string of saliva and semen connecting them like a bridge.
“Go on, sugar,” she whispered huskily, “go ahead and swallow it all…”
The stallion couldn’t help but obey, swallowing his own seed with a loud gulp, gasping lightly and unintentionally allowing Sapphire to see whether he hid any of his essence or not. Satisfied that he followed her order, she broke character for just a moment, leaning down to nuzzle at his cheek. “Did you like that, hon? You didn’t look too upset about it, but Miss Sapphire just wants to see if her student’s comfortable…”
If he could blush anymore, he would have, a small, embarrassed smile creasing his muzzle. “Um… I-I guess I did, Miss Sapphire…”, he mumbled, his ears pinning in a show of submission. He really did enjoy it, to his surprise. He laid back, sighing contentedly… only for a sudden warm, tingly sensation to wrap his length, causing him to squeak in surprise and pleasure as a ring of magic began to stroke his shaft slowly, gently. His shaft, slowly, began to come back to life, Sapphire feeding just a little bit of her magic into the process to get her little stallion-toy up and ready again. Murky felt a warm, tingly sensation in his lower body, and in no time, he felt hot, needy, and absolutely hungry for more attention. He went to grab at his shaft, only for Sapphire to grab at his hooves with her magic.
“Ah-ah, dear,” she tutted playfully, “you’re not touching that. I know you really want to, but for now, that’s my little toy. Mine,” shewhispered, and on cue, Murky felt her magic gently squeeze his length, ripping a tiny whine from him and milking a little of his pre from his member. “If you want it back, sugar, you’re gonna need to do a little somethin’ for me,” she said, releasing his package from her magic before laying onto her side, then rolling onto her back, her hindlegs spread wide. “Get between my legs, hon. I’ll lead you through it.”
Murky, addled by lust and a need for release, obeyed the mare, half-crawling and half-scooting his way over between Sapphire’s hindlegs, the sight of her rear end finally revealed causing him to nearly cum once again. Her flanks were plump, squishing lightly against the bed and each other, barely hiding her perineum, framing her soft, wonderfully sculpted and scented marehood. Her clit winked out at him occasionally, alongside a waft of her natural musk, nearly causing his brain to shut down yet again. Above her marehood, he spotted two plump, almost-black mounds of flesh, tiny nubs poking from the delicate flesh. He’d only ever seen a mare like this in his… reference magazines, but the sight in reality was far, far more enthralling. His ears perked when Sapphire began to snicker breathily.
“My, my… judging from your starin’, sugar, you like what you see, don’t you?” She said, her forelegs reaching down to cup her flanks, properly presenting her hind end to the smaller stallion. “Well, go ahead, hon. Give her a little lick, don’t be shy…”
Lick? Murky mentally balked at the suggestion, and if he wasn’t so sure he’d upset Sapphire, his muzzle would’ve scrunched up at the proposition. Still… he’d tasted his own seed, so, he was certain this shouldn’t taste all that bad, would it? With a little hesitation, Murky leaned forward, stuck his tongue out, and gave a tiny, tentative lick at her netherlips.
Sapphire let out a tiny, giggling gasp, looking down at her little lover. “Mm… that’s it, dear. You like it?”
He pulled back for a moment, smacking his lips and mulling over the taste. “...huh. It’s… kinda sweet?” He tilted his head, before returning for another lick, managing to slip his tongue between her lips and into her marehood, Sapphire letting go of a tiny, pleased sigh. After a few moments, Murky was granted the full brunt of her natural taste… and immediately after, he began licking in earnest, swirling his tongue and going after any sign of her juices. Gasping and finding herself unprepared for his assault, Sapphire relaxed, leaning back against her pillows as Murky eagerly licked up and swallowed her juices, digging into her marehood as if it were the finest of desserts. “That’s it, hon…” she breathed, a foreleg slipping out from under her flanks to gently rest upon Murky’s head, slowly rubbing his mane.
“Mmf… slower, sugar, slower… little circles, that’s it…” Sapphire murmured, her horn lighting up to gently massage Murky’s balls as a little encouragement for his good work. “Okay, hon, try… try givin’ my li’l nub a kiss… trust me, hon, you’ll make your little marefriend squeal on your first night…” she said, breathy moans and sighs escaping her throat as Murky pulled away for just a moment. Little nub? That heart-shaped thing? His head tilted somewhat at the idea, before he mentally shrugged, leaned forward, and gave Sapphire’s clit a gentle, suckling kiss.
“Ffffff-!” Sapphire bit her lip, her magic flaring for just a moment as pleasure tore through her like a lightning bolt, her back arching as that mind-foggingly blissful sensation blew through her in waves. Murky, fearing he’d done something wrong, pulled away, a concerned expression on his face. “A-are you okay? Did I-”
“Murky…” she breathed, looking down at the pegasus with a wide-eyed, messy-maned expression, “If you ever find a mare that doesn’t like that? Do me a favor, and get yourself another mare.”
The pegasus started snickering, nodding playfully to Sapphire before returning, this time incorporating his newfound knowledge into his technique. He’d commit to small, gentle circles, lapping up whatever tasty juices he could get, and every now and then, he’d send another electric shockwave up Sapphire’s spine, kissing and suckling at her love button. The alicorn had to admit, through the blissful mind-fog of his repeated attacks on her clit, that Murky was a quick learner, an absolutely eager to please a mare. Goodness, she had little doubt he’d be able t-to- ohGoddesseshnnf-
Sapphire felt herself clench up, squeezing, trembling across her body as that hungry, needy feeling reached an apex, sending her into the heights of nirvana for a few moments, then soon after, the hunger receded only slightly, leaving behind a pliant, blissful, almost-drunk sensation. Murky, on his end, was privy to a veritable flood of Sapphire’s juices, and out of nothing but greed for the sweet, tangy fluid, he drank it all down, only pulling away when he was certain that her excess juices were cleaned out. A bridge of their combined juices connected the two, and Murky found himself giggling. Now he was on the other side of the bridge!
There was a good chance he was still a little tipsy.
Sapphire smiled, her forehoof ruffling the little stallion’s mane before she began to roll back over, sitting up with a little wobble in her legs. “Oofh… you did good, sugar. I got my appetizer, and you got yours; well done!” Still smiling, Sapphire’s horn lit up once more, bringing Murky back to the center of the bed. Laying him down with his wings spread wide - and massaging the bases of his wings just to hear him moan and squirm again - she straddled his hips, her body overshadowing the small pegasus’ easily. Her nethers pressed against his length, her warm lips cradling his aching, pre-soaked length, Murky’s lust returning to the fore as he tried to grind against Sapphire’s entrance.
“Are you ready, Murky?” she breathed, grinding her hips into his, teasing him with the promise of entry. The stallion, thoroughly introduced to the bliss of sex, nodded eagerly, his instincts guiding his desire. With a breathy chuckle, Sapphire lifted herself up, using her magic to steady his length, and then slowly pressed herself onto his tip, gently slipping Murky’s shaft into her marehood. While he wasn’t very large - not as much as the more fully grown stallions she’s had - he was more than a pleasant fit, and, if the blissed-out look on his face told her anything, it was good for him, too!
Only a few times had Murky nearly felt as good as he did now, and it was induced by Med-X. A drug-induced painkiller made him feel pliant, relaxed and not-agonized, but this was an entirely new level of bliss. He could feel the mare’s strong, powerful heartbeat through her tight, warm walls. She gently squeezed up and down his length like… something, something that felt really, really nice. His only response to such a feeling was a tiny whine of pure euphoria, followed up by a series of heavy, aroused, needy breaths. His body wanted something, what it was he didn’t know, but it needed that something yesterday.
Sapphire grinned down at her little lover, the stallion so utterly small that his head barely cleared the length of her spread legs, that happy, uttery lust-drunk smile making her heart bounce with giddiness. He was just too cute! She leaned over him, her forelegs planting themselves on either side of his head as she braced herself, wiggling her rump just right, before her hips began to move.
The first drag upward was enough to take every emotion, every sensation Murky was experiencing and triple it, pulling a happy, blissful whine from the stallion, his mind exploding with fireworks as she pulled up… and dropped her hips, pressing her pert, firm flanks into his hips and causing his eyes to roll back in euphoria, an unsteady, happy grin on his face as his back arched from the combined sensations.
For what seemed like forever for Murky, Sapphire bounced atop him, slowly, intimately, sharing her warmth and a few kisses with the stallion - most of which she unfortunately couldn’t hold for long because of her size. She wanted his first time to be as happy, blissful and comfortable as she could, and Sapphire did her absolute best, even stimulating her button with her magic just to get those wonderful, fitful ripples to milk his length. She gave him little whispers in his ears, breathing hotly, telling him how wonderful of a stallion he was, promising him that he was going to make his special somepony a very, very happy mare when they had each other again.
It didn’t take long for Murky to reach his climax. He grabbed at Sapphire’s hips, and the alicorn, taking the hint, pressed herself down onto his hips, letting herself milk him for every single drop he had to offer. He cried out in that adorable mare-like voice, a sound that made Sapphire’s heart throb, and when his flood abated, she pulled herself off of him, curling around the tired, blissed out stallion. She nestled her muzzle into his mane, nickering softly, whispering to him about how much of a good job he did, how happy he’s going to make his marefriend.
In time, Murky fell asleep, listening to the alicorn’s heartbeat, nestled into her larger body and her warm, silky fur. Her tail curled around him, acting as a blanket, Sapphire slowly following him into slumber with a wing curled around his tiny frame.
~*~
Murky awoke, the early morning light shining through the apartment’s window and onto his face. He went to stretch… only to find himself practically wrapped in a massive blue wing, a silky tail covering his body. Sapphire giggled tiredly, nuzzling into the stallion as he tried to collect himself.
“Wh… what? Wazzat a…?”
Sapphire laughed, a siren song of a sound, tenderly kissing Murky on the cheek before opening her wing, allowing the little pegasus to stretch himself out. “Good morning, sugar. Have a nice night?”
Murky returned his gaze to the alicorn, a blush raging across his face as his mind made the connections to his patchy memory. The hangover wasn’t helping much, either, and he pressed his face into his hooves, groaning in pain and embarrassment. “We… did that, last night, didn’t we?” He said, his voice muffled through his hooves. The alicorn snickered softly, nipping at Murky’s ear, gifting him a little spike of pleasure to help ease the hangover.
“Yessir, Murky, we absolutely did,” she said, pulling herself up into a seated position, a wing half-wrapped around Murky, “and you were a wonderful lover, sugar. You’ll make your mare proud, I promise.”
He looked up, a surprised look in his eyes. “Really, miss Sapphire? You think so?”
She laughed, jostling the little pegasus with a wing. “Hon, if you can please an alicorn, your mare’s gonna be fightin’ off all the other mares in Equestria to keep you for herself. You’ll be fine, sugar. Now,” she grunted, pulling herself up off of the bed, stretching herself out like a cat, spreading and flapping her wings a couple times, “let’s see about gettin’ some breakfast, hon. I’m starvin’!”
~*~
Two days later, Murky was once again on the trail, searching for his friends.
His stay at Railroad 69 had boosted his confidence, and not only did he walk like a pegasus, he damn well felt the inherent pride in that strut. Thanks to a mare who was willing to show him a good time and help him relax, Murky felt encouraged, refreshed. A feeling he was, frankly, in desperate need of before his stay.
When he finds his friends - and he knows he will - the first thing he was going to do was find Unity. If she remembered him, he was going to tell her how much he missed her, how much he loved her, and how much more he loved her after pulling that crazy stunt to get him out of Filly.
And maybe, just maybe, show her how to relax and let loose, too.
