Paradigm Shift

“It’s fine - you’re fine,” Silver chuckled.

Hesitantly taking her forehoof away from her mane, the same mane that had been styled only a few hours prior, Snowy scrunched her snout. “Is it always this much of a hassle to go out - like, is this normal?”

Silver shook her head as she applied a bit of blush to the kirin’s cheeks. “Not for simple stuff like going to the store or out to run errands, but tonight is special!”

Staving off the temptation to complain, Snowy kept her eyes closed and held still - well, as still as she could for having sat in the same place for nearly half an hour straight. As the pegasus worked her craft, applying makeup to her face, her mind dwelled on how she’d gotten roped into this mess. When she’d initially told Silver that she was willing to do almost anything to get some rest and relaxation, she hadn’t expected this.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaand there,” the maid merrily said, stepping back and away from her. “Ok, give yourself a look.”

She anxiously cracked open an eye, peered out at her reflection, and nearly gasped. “H…holy cow!”

“Right?!?” Silver laughed, moving behind her to rub her foreleg. “Not to toot my own horn, but I think I did a pretty good job!”

Slowly turning her head from side to side, she marveled at herself. In a word, she looked stunning. Her mane had been trimmed ever so slightly and cascaded over her shoulders, while the cosmetics on her face amplified her marish features. Unable to tear her eyes off the mirror, she got to her hooves and spun around in a little circle.

Silver had done a phenomenal job with her makeup and mane, but the dress she wore tied everything together. True to her word, Rarity had finished the qipao and summoned her a mere four days after she’d made the order - sure, she’d nearly choked when she saw what the final price was, but the not inconsiderable hit to her savings had definitely been worth it. As she faced away from the mirror and peeked at her backside, she couldn’t help but crack a smile.

Just a shade lighter than her mane and traced with golden, almost oriental designs the garment was a work of art. While she’d initially been reluctant to have and wear the thing, she was gradually coming to rethink her stance on dresses. Not only was the garment functional, having been enchanted to resist temperatures far greater than anything her body could output, but it was actually remarkably light, comfortable, and modest!

“Wait,” Silver blurted, shaking her from her thoughts. “Hold still…”

Doing as asked, she stood motionless as the pegasus corrected some imperceptible flaw with her mascara. “Thanks.”

Dismissively waving a wing, Silver gently pushed her aside to start putting on her own makeup. “If you really want to thank me, let me teach you how to do this yourself. You’ll have to learn how to do this stuff sooner or later.”

“Yeah…” she sighed, trotting over to and carefully seating herself in a chair.

For a little over a week, she’d been weathering her estrus as best she could - worse still, there was no sign of it relenting anytime soon. She did have occasional respites from the hormonal maelstrom that was her heat, primarily when she was sleeping, yet being in season had been yet another reminder that she may be stuck as a mare for quite some time. Several months ago, she would have charged off to find Rainshine and demand a cure - now things were different.

Simply put, she was feeling torn. There were a great many things that she genuinely liked about being a kirin, such as her enhanced senses and how she actually fit in with everypony, yet there were a number of drawbacks as well. Her manhood and her past were gone, she’d yet to divulge her condition to anypony save for Celestia and Silver, and she was still adjusting to her body. Living as Snowy was a big, messy, mixed bag, but she could definitely say that she was getting used to and actually enjoying it - well, most of it.

Shifting and feeling the fabric of her bra caress her nipples, she softly hissed. “Are these stupid things always so sensitive?” she lamented, leaning back and caressing her bosoms.

“Most mares say they get more sensitive when they’re in heat - that or when they’re pregnant,” Silver matter-of-factly replied as she anointed herself with some eyeliner.

She grimaced down at her treacherous hoof and willed herself not to rub her teats more. “And you’re still not going to tell me where we’re going?”

“Nope!” the pegasus laughed, finishing with her makeup. “A couple of our coworkers and their friends are going to be meeting us in - shoot.”

Following the mare’s gaze up and over to a clock, she pursed her lips. “Don’t tell me we’re late…”

Silver shook her head while she briskly trotted to the door. “Nah, we got time. Ok, you have everything?”

“Everything?” Snowy parroted.

“ID, keys, a few bits - you know, all the stuff you’re supposed to keep in your purse,” the maid noted.

Looking over to the sofa and a handbag that rested upon it, she scowled. “Do I have to bring a purse? I look marish enough without trotting around with a stupid purse…”

“Don’t be a big baby,” Silver chuckled. “You said that it was more convenient than one of those wallet things.”

She lifted a hoof to argue, prepared to defend what little male pride she had left, but remained silent. Like so many other things since her metamorphosis, she’d had a change of heart about marish accessories. Even if she’d had the use of hands, having access to a bag to store and carry her belongings in on a day to day basis would have been nicer than a wallet, though she regretted mentioning that to her friend. Petulantly spinning around, she stomped over to the couch, grabbed the purse, and slung it over her neck.

“Anything else?” she pressed, trotting over to the pegasus’ side.

Pulling the door open, she waved to the corridor just outside. “I think we’re good. On the off chance that you did forget something, the mares and I will cover for you - after all, it’s not like we don’t know where you work or anything!”

“Ha ha ha -” she grumbled, strolling into the hallway, “very funny.”

One of the best things about living and working in the Canterlot castle was that the palace had all the amenities of home. Aside from the gym, cafeteria, and a top-tier lounge for employees, the maid’s had a small facility all for themselves. It only made sense that the servants had space to change, mend their equipment, and coordinate their efforts, but she was still shocked that their area had a small salon for them to use.

As Silver trotted out and past her, taking the lead, she followed her companion. “Any hints?”

“Nope!” Silver chirped. “Just trust me, you’re gonna love it.”

“And do you and the mares do this sort of thing regularly?” she inquired.

Glancing over her shoulder, the pegasus grinned. “Not too often - maybe a few times a year, but tonight is special. They may not have said anything to you about it, but a few of the maids have been wanting to get to know you better.”

“Really?” Snowy coughed. “Why didn’t they ever just talk to me?”

“No offense, but you can be a little intimidating,” Silver explained. “Before you ask, because I know you’re about to ask, it’s due to a few things. You talk with Celestia like you’ve known her for years, it’s not like any of them have ever been around kirin before, and then there’s…”

Snowy groaned and rolled her eyes, having some idea what the mare had been about to say. “The stories - right, yeah, I got it.”

“In everypony’s defense, a cantering, flaming mare who throws herself in a fountain while wearing lingerie isn’t something that happens every day,” Silver guffawed.

Reminded of the unsavory, mortifying incident, she cast her eyes to the floor and trotted onward. Nopony had said anything to her directly, but she had noticed a distinct shift with some of her coworkers after her heated accident - heck, even Aegis had blushed and tripped over his words more than usual when chatting with her afterwards. Dwelling on the guard’s handsome face and adonic body, she smirked.

She hadn’t talked with him all that much recently, but that made bumping into him while they were tending to their duties all the more magical. More often than not, they’d exchange pleasantries, awkwardly comment about goings-on in the castle, and part ways. While she couldn’t speak for him, merely being in his presence was enough to be a crippling distraction.

“Snowy!” Silver shouted.

Starting and looking around herself, she came to a stop and spotted the pegasus rushing up next to her. “Sorry, I was -”

“Thinking about a certain somepony,” the maid teased, playfully elbowing her side. “It’s ok, we’ve all been there - actually, it’s more than ok. You’re like me when I had my first crush!”

“Really?” she pouted, following the pegasus in the proper direction.

Folding a wing over her back, Silver nodded. “Yeah, pretty much. Seriously though, you should talk to him! He’s single, good looking, and I’ve heard he’s in line for a promotion!”

Once again, for the umpteenth time over the last few months, Snowy found herself wracked with indecision. There was something about Aegis that resonated with her - in fact, there were several somethings about him which kept him in her thoughts. Other than his stunningly good looks and impeccable skills in bed, he was genuinely a good stallion and had a kind heart. She wanted to say that he felt the same way about her, but she had no way to know - regardless, it would only be a matter of time until things came to a head.

If and when she was returned to her original, human form, Snowy would cease to exist. It would be easy enough to convince everypony in the castle what had happened to the quirky little kirin, explaining that she’d returned to her homeland and her family, but that didn’t sit well with her. Even if Aegis didn’t have romantic feelings for her, she’d be hard pressed to look at him the way she used to - back when she’d been a guy.

Gradually making their way downstairs, through the cavernous foyer, and out into the cool air of the bailey, she turned her head upward. There were a great many things in Equestria that were captivating, but the night sky was one of the most magical. Like an endless sea of diamonds scattered over black silk, the stars shone brightly and without the slightest hint of light pollution.

“Here she is, mares!” Silver exclaimed, tearing her back to the present and bringing her to a sudden halt. “Snowy, I’d like you to meet Radiance, Beryl, and Alata,” she continued, motioning to an earth pony, unicorn, and changeling in order.

Snowy had seen the trio before, but she couldn’t say she’d ever had a meaningful or prolonged conversation with any of them. Each of the three was done up in a similar fashion to herself and Silver, wearing dresses or skirts, and they all looked more than eager for a night out on the town. As she looked them up and down, impressed with their outfits, a timid smile crept across her muzzle.

“H…hey,” she croaked, lifting and waving a forehoof.

“Real quick ~” Beryl began, stepping forward, “is that a Hoity design or a Rarity design?”

“I - uh…” Snowy uneasily muttered as she looked down at herself. “Rarity made it.”

“Hah!” Radiance laughed. “I knew it was one of Rarity’s! You owe me five bits, Beryl!”

Digging into her purse, the unicorn levitated out a hoofful of coins. “You just got lucky!”

While the two bantered, joking and teasing one another about bets won or lost in the past, the changeling inched closer to her. “Don’t mind them - they bicker like an old married couple.”

“We do not!” the duo bleated in unison.

A brief silence fell over the quintet, before Silver burst into laughter. The mirth was infectious, spreading from one creature to the next, until they were all giggling and making light of the situation. Despite her initial misgivings, Snowy chuckled and shook her head. If the rest of the night was anything like this, she might just be in for a good time.

Seeing herself into the middle of the group, Silver used her wings and one foreleg to separate everypony. “Alright, alright - can’t we wait until after we’re having a good time to make a ruckus?”

The question, while simple and relatively innocuous, evoked a series of cheers from all the mares - all the mares save one. Peaking a brow and looking at her newfound associates, Snowy gave Silver a curious look. The pegasus locked eyes with her and gave a knowing smirk, compounding her confusion and making her hair stand on end. Something was about to happen, though she couldn’t fathom what in the world it was.

“So is everypony ready?” Silver asked.

Replying in almost perfect tandem, the trio of maids whooped and cheered. “To Haymakers!”

Holding back while the mismatched threesome began trotting away, Snowy cocked her head. “Do I even want to know?”

Hugging herself to her side, the pegasus snickered. “You’ll find out soon enough…”

Snowy strolled along beside Silver, caught up with their companions, and quickly had her suspicions confirmed. Canterlot was a big city, one of the largest on the continent, so it only made sense that there were places she hadn’t discovered while out and about. Slowing and peering up at a brightly lit sign on an innocuous, brick building, she smirked.

“So it’s just a bar,” she noted.

“Yup, it’s just a bar,” Silver hummed as she led the way to the entrance. Stopping at the door, she flashed her ID to the doorstallion. “I’ll grab us drinks if you want to get us a table,” she added, looking back at her before disappearing inside.

Digging into her purse and getting her ID, she strolled over to the imposing bouncer. “Here ya go.”

The titan didn’t say a word as he eyed her card, stepped aside, and waved her in. While she’d assumed that a mares’ night involved drinking and chatting, having her hunch confirmed was a relief. Human women sometimes went out and socialized together, occasionally having alcohol involved, so it stood to reason that Equestrians periodically did the same. With a smile on her face and more optimistic than ever, she trotted through the door and froze.

Haymakers was indeed a club of sorts, having a bar sat to one side of the spacious interior, booths lining three of the four walls, a number of tables scattered about on the floor, and even a small area for dancing, yet there was one thing that instantaneously set her nerves on edge. Splitting the spacious chamber almost directly in half was a raised catwalk that ended with a large, circular platform. The good news was that nopony was using the runway or dais - the bad news was that she’d bet a solid chunk of bits that it wasn’t going to stay empty for long.

“Snowy,” somepony yelled, catching her ear, “we’re over here!”

She numbly turned and spotted Radiance and Beryl waving to her from a table right next to the stage. Her best guess was that Alata, like Silver, was off getting drinks, but it was impossible for her to know for certain. Even with the relatively early hour, there was a steady trickle of mares coming in and claiming seats or booths for themselves.

Weaving past several tables and over to her associates, she sat down and did her best not to look anxious. “So I’m guessing you two come here a lot?”

“Only for the shows,” Beryl merrily responded. “If I just wanted to have a drink or two, I’d do it at home with friends.”

Feeling a nervous bead of sweat form on her brow, she gulped. The mention of shows and nights like tonight did nothing to calm her fraying nerves. “Maybe we should have pre-gamed…”

“Right?!?” Radiance practically shouted. “I keep telling ponies that they should knock a few back before they go out for a night like this.”

Snowy nodded and idly tapped her hooves on the table. She really wasn’t that much of a drinker, but she’d be darned if she couldn’t go for a shot or two of liquid courage. Looking back and toward the bar, she noticed Silver and Alata headed over in their direction. Regardless of what ended up happening, she made a mental note to pay the pegasus back for what was likely an overpriced, watered down cocktail.

Having carefully placed a serving tray down on the table, Silver proudly held a wing to her chest. “I didn’t know what everypony wanted, so I thought I’d cover all the bases. A pitcher of cider and a bottle of Ball Lightning to share - plus I got a shot of Gilded Grace for everypony to kick things off.”

“Jeez -” Snowy gasped, taken aback with the extraordinarily generous amount of hooch. “Silver, you didn’t have to do all this!”

“Pfffft - don’t mention it,” the pegasus dismissively clucked. “The bartender and I go way, way back, but don’t tell anypony that.”

Peering down at the five shot glasses filled with opalescent, slightly fluorescing fluid, she peaked a brow. Equestrian food and drink wasn’t that dissimilar to Earth’s, though there were still occasions when she’d be surprised with something new and exotic - for instance, when she’d had her sex and species changed by some infernal concoction. As she reached out, grabbed the bottle and brought it over to herself, Alata laughed.

“They don’t have that in the kirin homelands ~ do they?” the drone asked.

“Can’t say they do,” she replied while reading over the label. “So this is some sort of cinnamon spirit?”

“It’s the cinnamon spirit,” Radiance cheerfully corrected. “Seriously though, you need to be careful with that stuff; it has a way of sneaking up on you.”

Putting the bottle back down, she turned her attention back to the shots. “And these?”

“They’re a toast, you goof!” Silver mirthfully answered. Snatching up one of the shots, she waited until her companions had followed suit and lifted their glasses into the air. “Here’s to good friends, the Princesses, and -”

“And seeing some top-tier studs!” Beryl interrupted.

Not to be outdone, Radiance gently shoved her friend. “You can look at them all you want - as for me, I’m hoping to get lucky!”

The quartet broke into another spontaneous fit of laughter, teasing one another while shamelessly joking about how nice it would be to get laid. For a second time in short order, Snowy joined them in their merriment. Maybe this had been what she needed to unwind - maybe things really were going to work out smoothly that night.

Collecting herself, she held her glass high. “More than anything, here’s to new friends.”

“I’ll cheer to that,” Alata whooped.

Refiling her shot glass with a measure of Ball Lightning, having downed what was supposed to be a toast at some point, Radiance beamed. “Same here!”

Snowy leaned over the table, tapped glasses with the maids, and threw her drink down in a single gulp. The liquor, whatever the heck it was, was staggeringly smooth, floral, and only the slightest bit sweet, making her wish she’d savored it. Sitting and enjoying her company, content to listen to the endless chatter between Beryl and Radiance, she started when the lights began to dim.

“If you beautiful mares are ready to have a great night, make some noise!!” some unseen announcer boomed, evoking cheers from the throng. “I said, if you mares are ready to have a great night, make some noise!” he repeated, whipping the crowd up. “Now I hope you mares are all sitting down, because our lineup tonight is sure to knock you off your hooves! First up, from the mysterious jungles of Zebrica, it’s Olori!”

A drumbeat cut through the air, fog poured out from around the runway, and a curtain on the far wall flung open to reveal a silhouette. As a tall, muscular, steely-eyed zebra stallion strutted out and into view, the place practically exploded. Mares waved and pawed at the beefy titan as he passed, doing everything they could to catch his eye, but there was one amongst them who sat still and utterly silent.

Snowy knew it - she just bucking knew it! What she’d hoped would be a simple outing with her coworkers to relax was anything but. Surrounded by bawdy, raucous mares from all about Canterlot, she found herself trapped in the midst of a depraved, self-indulgent exhibition. Hastily pouring a shot of Ball Lightning and knocking it back, she kept her eyes on the table to avoid looking at the big, hunky stud mere feet away from her.

“C’mere, big colt!” Radiance howled. “Mama’s got some bits for you.”

As her curiosity got the better of her, Snowy peeked up and watched the earth pony waving a pair of gold bits up at the zebra. She’d known that there were such exotic shows in the world, but finding herself at one while as a mare in heat hadn’t been on her to-do list. The stallion took the proffered coins, dipped his muzzle to Radiance’s ear, and whispered something. What he’d said was anypony’s guess, but the mare visibly swooned and started fanning herself while he withdrew.

Sliding closer to her, Silver waggled her eyebrows. “So…?”

“So?” Snowy repeated, uncertain of what to make of the vague question.

“Isn’t he the hottest slab of zebra you’ve ever seen?!?” Radiance whooped, almost seeming offended by her disinterest. “Just look at the size of him!”

Peering up at the stud, Snowy watched him dance and gyrate around the small stage. He was pretty graceful for his size, she’d give him that, and kind of handsome, and his hindquarters looked like they’d been chiseled from granite, and his sheath looked pretty hefty. Lost to her thoughts, she flinched and looked away when he turned his emerald eyes upon her.

“Can you imagine how good he’d be in the sack?” Radiance continued, unabashedly waxing poetic about the stud only a few feet away. “Hey, hot cakes, if you want to get a real earth pony experience, hit me up after your performance!”

Snowy had seen all sorts of wild stuff over the years, but the sheer brazenness of the mare was both inspiring and a bit disconcerting - yeah, strippers were probably used to being propositioned by passionate patrons, but she almost felt bad for the stud. Musing on what she should say or do, if there was anything to be said at all, she glanced to her opposite side as Alata motioned her over.

“She’s always like this,” the drone hissed. “Us mares like to say she’s got striped fever.”

“Really?” she quipped.

Alata flashed her fangs and winked. “I’ll give you the details later, but don’t let her bother you. If there’s one of us who ends up making trouble or getting out of hoof, it’s always her.”

“Thanks,” she sighed. Turning toward Silver, she tapped the pegasus’ forehoof. “Where’s the little mare’s room?”

“Over in that corner,” Silver responded and pointed off to one side. “It’s through there and down the hall.”

Unseating herself, Snowy wandered away from the table. She didn’t really need to use the restroom, but giving herself a few minutes to collect herself felt necessary. After only a minute or two of watching a stallion strutting his stuff on stage, she could already feel the beast that was her primal urges rattling its cage.

The irony wasn’t lost on her - there she was at a strip club, surrounded by mares who’d knowingly and intentionally come to see some skin, though she felt off - not physically, but mentally. A part of her wanted to enjoy herself, go give in and cheer and catcall and wolf whistle at the striped, hunky stud, yet that same part served as a constant reminder of what she now was.

Being a mare was a very mixed bag. Though she would never admit it, and was still struggling with the concept herself, she was beginning to like being Snowy. The world around her had been built for ponies, she liked the way she looked, and she loved just how sensitive her body was - having said that, she felt like she was betraying herself. She was supposed to be trying to get her old body back ~ wasn’t she? She should be ashamed of being able to have multiple orgasms while thinking about a stallion breeding her ~ right?

Clenching her jaw, she drifted through the doorway her companion had pointed out and down a hallway. If there was some magical button she could press to accept being her kirin self, she would have smashed it in a second, but it wasn’t that simple. Silver was one of only a few creatures on the planet who knew what had happened to her, cognizant of what she’d lost, and the fear of moving on from being Anon was all she had keeping her from becoming Snowy permanently.

“Excuse me,” a voice softy stated.

“You’re…” she trailed off when she lifted her gaze and spotted a tall pony calmly trotting over in her direction.

Stopping just out of reach, the tall, lanky stallion studied her for a moment. “Pardon me for being rude, but are you a kirin?”

“I - um…” As simple as the question had been, she couldn’t formulate, much less speak a reply.

Whoever he was - whatever he was, he was bucking beautiful. Taller than Luna and with a slender, athletic build, the stud towered over and tentatively smiled. As if his incredible height hadn’t been striking enough in and of itself, his dulcet tone, gleaming eyes, and wild, shoulder-length mane made him awe-inspiringly gorgeous. Sensing herself starting to drool from both ends, she gulped.

“Y…yeah,” she stammered. “W…what are - sorry, who are you?”

“Saladin,” he responded, giving her a bow. “I hail from Saddle Arabia. This must be a first for both of us.”

Heavens forgive her - she’d actually been considering leaving, politely bowing out and foregoing the ruinous temptation of ogling stallions flaunting their bodies on stage, but this creature, this Saladin, was downright bewitching. Feeling hot under her collar, she fanned the top of her dress in an attempt to cool herself off. He’d said a whopping hoofful of words to her in the mere seconds she’d been in his presence, but she was gripped with a compulsion to know him.

Glancing past her, he grimaced. “My apologies, it seems as though I need to go. It was a pleasure meeting you, miss…?”

“Snowy!” she croaked as she extended a hoof. “I’m Snowy.”

“Well then, miss Snowy,” he purred, taking and tenderly kissing her hoof, “it was a pleasure. I’ll see you soon…”

Dumbfounded, she stood motionless as he turned and trotted down the hallway and away from her. She knew she’d left her friends for something, but she hadn’t the slightest clue what she’d gone for. With the din in the club dying down, only vaguely aware that the zebra’s show must have come to an end, she reeled back. No - there was no bucking way he was…

“Alright, everypony, we have a special guest for you!” the announcer blared.

Her mind went haywire, her temperature spiked, and her heart fluttered madly. Excluding the bouncer, a single bartender, and the announcer, there was only one reasonable explanation for why the saddle arabian was there - sure, he may have been a janitor or worked in the back, but he was too gosh darn pretty to do anything that menial. Whipping around, charging back to her table, and nearly colliding with several patrons in the process, she flung herself into her seat and glued her eyes to the end of the catwalk.

Sensual, middle eastern-esque music cut through the air as the lighting about the place took on a sandy hue. Ignoring her friends and the hush that fell over the club, Snowy sat at the edge of her seat. With the crowd going silent, the curtains at the runway’s end steadily parted.

“Give it up for the one and only Saladin!” the host loudly declared.

Right on cue and with all the poise and grace of a demigod, Saladin strutted out in tune with the melody. His body flowed like water, his every move measured and with unbelievable elegance, and his confidence was a thing of awe. She had no way of knowing how long he’d been an entertainer, but she could immediately tell that he was either a savant, had a great deal of experience, or both.

As he moved closer, nonchalantly peering out to the throng, his eyes settled on her. No sooner did she meet his gaze than her marehood seized upon itself within her panties. With but a look, just a fleeting glance, he tore her reservations asunder. The things she’d do with him - to him, had they been somewhere more private, would have made even the most seasoned whore blush - alas, all she could do was lavish him with praise.

“Yeah!” she bellowed, yielding to her impulses. Bolting from her chair, she stood against the table and flung bits onto the stage. “Shake that money maker!”

She hadn’t been sure of many things in her life, especially as of late, but she was absolutely, positively certain that she wanted him. He was everything any mare could have wanted in a stallion. His height, his cavalier demeanor, just how darn hot he was - each and every little thing about him was simply to die for.

Trotting over to her, he extended a hoof and caressed her cheek. His touch was as devastating as it was divine, making her tingle from hoof to horn and dampening her panties in an instant. As she stroked his foreleg and reached for his, he did the most heartrendingly tempting thing imaginable - he winked and turned away.

Barely able to keep her legs from buckling, she mutely watched him weave about and show himself off. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t hard, his stallionhood hidden within the thick, fleshy folds of his sheath, nor did it matter that he’d only slip the occasional glance at her - for her, the only important thing was that he’d acknowledged her in the first place. She remained where she stood throughout the duration of his show, her eyes never straying from his heavenly physique, until he’d disappeared behind the drapes from whence he’d come.

“And I thought Radiance was bad,” Alata laughed.

Suddenly realizing she wasn’t alone, she looked over to the changeling. “N…no!”

“Admit it, Snows, you’re down bad for that playcolt,” Beryl added, batting a hoof at her.

“It’s n…not like - wait,” she grunted, looking around in confusion. “Where’s Silver?”

“Right here,” the pegasus answered from behind her. “I got something special for you?”

Snowy gradually turned to her friend, saw what could only be a mischievous smirk on the mare’s face, and squinted. “What do you mean?”

“You’ll see,” Silver tittered as she led her away from the table.

Peeking back at the trio of maids, she felt her blood run cold. Each of the mare’s seemed far too amused, whispering and waving at her to go, which only added to her apprehension. She could have left, having time to flee or make a break for the door, but that would only harm the budding friendship she had with her friends and make an even more dubious name for herself - as such, she trotted alongside the pegasus and to a doorway resting by the bar.

Silver stopped just inside what was a short hallway lined with doors. “Second on the left.”

Peering at the closed door, Snowy knit her brow. “What’s in there?”

“You’ll see,” Silver laughed. Wheeling around and trotting away, she waved with a wing. “Don’t have too much fun.”

Snowy should have trusted her gut, but she had to know what her companion had meant. Silver wasn’t a bad pony by any means, and she’d never done a thing to cross her, so the chances were impossibly slim that anything bad was going to happen. Cautiously slinking down the hallway and to the second door on the left, she slowly uneasily exhaled and reached for the knob.

As soon as she pushed the door open, her heart nearly pounded out of her chest. Standing inside, looking just as casual and jaw-droppingly lovely as ever, was none other than Saladin. Silver and her companions must have orchestrated a private meeting with him while she’d been too busy salivating to pay them any mind, but that was a problem she could address later - for now, she had a much bigger issue at hoof to contend with.

“Sit,” he coolly instructed, pointing to a chair.

She moved without thinking, crossing to and seating herself on the large, padded recliner. The moment her tush hit the cushion, he struck. There was no warning, not the slightest hint that he’d do anything other than just talk with her, and he didn’t say a single word - instead, he reared back to his hind legs, placed his forehooves to either side of her head, and rubbed his cheek against her neck.

Stepping over her hind legs, he straddled her and ground his chest against her. “I was hoping I’d get to see you again, sweetheart.”

She tried to say something - anything intelligible to him, yet all she could do was moan and embrace him. The heat of his body against her was a sinful taste of Tartarus itself, his masculine scent made her eyelids flutter, and the thought of him taking her right then and there eclipsed all her worldly needs. Kicking her hind legs out, she locked her fetlocks around his hips and pulled him in.

“You know, there’s a no touching rule for private dances,” he mused, breathing hotly on her ear, “but I could make an exception for such a pretty mare.”

Going to reply, to thank him for the concession, she felt it - something hot and hard rubbing against her nethers. In her haste to snare him in a leglock, her dress had ridden up around her hips and left her lingerie-clad loins exposed and vulnerable. Tilting her head to the side and peering down, seeing his stallionhood pressed to her sopping-wet panties, she bit her lip.

“Have you ever bedded a saddle arabian?” he asked, nibbling her ear.

Shivering uncontrollably, she fought the urge to push him away and tear her undergarment off. “N…no…”

“Would you like me to fix that?” he cooed, lowering his head and kissing her neck.

Her imagination ran rampant and completely unchecked from his question. She was away from prying eyes, nopony would ever know what had happened in the secluded little room, and any noise they made would be drowned out by the crowd and music just outside. This was her chance, she could finally get the satisfaction she so desperately craved, but she hesitated - not because she didn’t want him, but because of an epiphany that cut through her mental haze.

All this time, ever since she’d become Snowy, she’d held herself back. She’d been too scared to enjoy herself, to even consider that her curse was actually a blessing in disguise that she couldn’t accept herself. She liked being a mare, she wanted to have fun and fit in, and she loved her new look ~ so why wasn’t she willing to cut loose?

“Well?” he added, leaning back and running a forehoof down her chest and to her breasts.

Grappling with the existential revelation, she was unable to stop him as he freed himself from her clutches, backed away, and lowered his head. With no hesitation whatsoever, he brought his snout between her thighs, gently bit down on her panties, and pulled them to the side. She hadn’t the slightest bit of doubt about that he was moments from eating her out - that or he just wanted to get a close look at just how turned on she was. She held her breath and teetered on the brink, fully prepared to surrender herself for a quickie with the stud she’d just met.

As his tongue glided between her lower lips and graced her clit, a whimper of delight escaped her. The touch of another was nothing unlike using her hoof on herself - it couldn’t even compare! Snapping her thighs shut against his head, ensuring he couldn’t escape, she watched as he feasted upon her.

On the few occasions she’d gotten blowjobs, back when she’d had a dick, she’d enjoyed watching somepony pleasure her - save for her lack of endowment, nothing had changed about that. Though she was slightly self-conscious from staring down at him, she couldn’t look away. Just like when he’d been on the stage, he took his time and seemed to revel in the attention she freely gave him.

HIs tongue lashing left nothing to be desired, yet that was but one skill in his sensual arsenal. Wrapping his lips around her bulging clit, he nursed upon the sensitive bud of flesh and sent bolts of pleasure surging through her. The bliss he delivered was unimaginable, far beyond anything a penis was capable of, and it made her all the more appreciative for having a marehood.

Alternating techniques and languidly increasing his pace, he pushed her to her limit before snatching a climax from her clutches. As soon as she got close, with her legs trembling and the breath hitching in her throat, his motions slowed. She was putty in his hooves, a plaything to be savored and toyed with, and he absolutely knew it.

Wisps of smoke and an ominous crackling filled the air, making both herself and the stallion yelp in surprise. The chair upon which she sat grew singed, moldering and burning by her superheated state. Instantly realizing that she was about to go full nirik, having lost control of her emotions and sense of self, she jumped up and did everything in her power to regain her composure.

“I…is that normal?” he sputtered.

Nodding vigorously, she apprehensively looked over at him. “Y…yup, it sure is!”

She was lucky that she’d caught herself, lest she end up injuring the poor stallion, but she was doubly thankful that the near-combustion had given her some clarity. Had somepony asked her, it would have been impossible for her to describe how she was feeling. Over the course of a hoofful of minutes, she’d nearly gotten laid and started to be comfortable with who and what she was. Though her thoughts were a jumbled mess of ideas and contradictions, she knew what she had to do.

“Sorry about that,” she sighed as she moved to the exit. “Tell my friends thanks ~ alright?”

“S…sure,” he mumbled.

Leaving him in the dust, she raced down the hallway, through the club, and out into the night. There was a lot she had to do, including reflecting on everything that had just happened, although there was one thing - one pony she needed to speak with. As she charged off to the castle, forsaking her companions and the poor, smooth-talking stripper she’d nearly fried like bacon, she hoped - prayed she wasn’t about to make a mistake…