A Stud about Ponyville
Chapter 2 - Simply Marvelous

Several rays of sunlight snaked their way through the luxurious curtain-lined windows of Princess Celestia's personal bedroom, illuminating a large four-poster and its still slumbering occupants. One of the errant beams slowly crawled its way across the bed, settling on the face of a large red stallion who had, for the last three days and nights, been an intimate guest of the royal family. Big Macintosh stirred the moment he felt the warming ray settle on his face, sitting up effortlessly while rubbing the sleep from his eyes and unleashing a prodigious yawn. Years of living and working on a farm had conditioned him to be alert and attentive when the dawn arrived, but even his astute cowpony instincts couldn't shake the lingering suspicion that last night, just like the two before it, was just a dream he had yet to wake from.

Of course, Celestia's beautiful form was nowhere in sight, having most certainly slipped out of the sheets hours ago in order to fulfill her stately obligations. Luna, on the other hand, was not much of a morning pony, and Big Macintosh felt her arms tighten around his waist in unconscious protest of his movement. Despite her firm avowal that she would have nothing more to do with either him or her sister for the remainder of his visit, she had almost become his second shadow at this point. He smiled as she shifted under the covers, mewling cutely at the bright intruders before settling once again into a deep sleep, her rhythmic breathing causing the covers to rise and fall gracefully. Big Macintosh had to admit that he had grown mighty fond of the dark-haired princess, and thinking about the many intimate deeds they had engaged in over the stint of his trip still brought a sheepish grin to his face.

After some very fancy maneuvering, Big Macintosh finally managed to untangle himself from Luna's grasp without waking her, a feat that had taken two mornings worth of practice to master. Standing up slowly so as not to disturb her, he began to track down the assorted pieces of his clothing that had been hurriedly strewn around the room after last night's light supper of fruits and cream. At first Big Macintosh didn't quite remember why the strawberries in particular had riled up Celestia and Luna so much, but then he recalled how his white sovereign had insisted on him diligently lapping up any trace of juice or cream that remained on their delicate fingers as they fed him.

Definitely another one a Celestia's lessons, thought Big Macintosh with an easygoing smirk. I might have ta use that little bit a wisdom soon.

True to her word, Celestia had been using their time together not only for satisfaction, but also to instruct him on the finer points of wooing and pleasuring mares, making especially sure that he had a plethora of tips and tactics to use during his special assignment. He still had a heap of reservations about being singled out for something so important, but she had assured him numerous times that he was the perfect stallion for the job.

I reckon thar is only one special group of mares in Ponyville though, thought Big Macintosh tentatively, before shaking his head to banish such a ludicrous idea. Surely it ain't those gals...Applejack would tan my hide...

After finding his shirt draped atop a bust of Starswirl the Bearded, Big Macintosh buttoned it swiftly and headed towards the foyer, now awash in the alluring smells of the hot breakfast that awaited him. He arrived to find Celestia, clothed in a modest gown of billowing gold cotton, instructing a group of maids on where to place several large platters loaded with spiced hay, warm bread, and, his personal favorite, fresh apples. The uniformed mares broke into small fits of bubbly laughter and shot fertive glances, just as they had for the last two days, at him as he strode towards the table. This caused him to blush copiously, and Celestia to roll her eyes mirthfully. Big Macintosh knew they probably gossiped for quite a spell after they excused themselves, and he would be lying if he said that didn't make him anxious. Both Luna and Celestia had no qualms about being...very vocal, when the hay-rolling started, and if word got around to the rest of the castle staff, it might slip out into the streets of Canterlot, and then find its way back to Ponyville...

The sobering image of Applejack waiting for him at the train station with a pile of rope and a skinning knife caused his ears to flatten and face to visibly pale, enough so that it prompted Celestia to move behind him and envelope his muscular frame in a comforting embrace.

"Bit for your thoughts," said Celestia, squeezing her newest protégé a little tighter, "my little stallion."

The maids redoubled their giggling efforts when they heard Celestia refer to him using the nickname of her own invention, and she glanced at them with a chiding smile before speaking.

"Come now ladies," exclaimed Celestia, laying her head over Big Macintosh's right shoulder, "surely you have other duties to attend to?"

"Indeed, your majesty," replied one of the maids, a very beautiful pink unicorn with a lime green mane, "come now girls, her highness must have some important matters to...discuss, with her handsome guest."

The tittering laughter reached a new level of volume with that remark, and Big Macintosh watched as the group of black and white clothed mares whispered to one another frantically in the hallway before the chamber doors completely sealed with a low thump.

"You look as pale as a ghost," observed Celestia, using her left hand to turn Big Macintosh's face towards her, "and the maids never upset you this much before...what is troubling you?"

"I, um, was thinkin' about," started Big Macintosh, swallowing a nervous gulp of air, "what other ponies might say about all this. I dun want to cause ya'll or any other pony trouble..."

"Macintosh," stated Celestia flatly, staring straight into his emerald green eyes, "are you ashamed of the time you've spent with my sister and I?"

"No ma'am!" answered Big Macintosh loudly, making sure to lower his tone before continued, "no ma'am not one bit. This...I still ain't certain that I'm not back in Ponyville asleep on my own bed, dreamin' up all the mighty fine things we've done together. I sure as hay don't wanna wake up if I am..."

A pleased smile graced Celestia's lips before she pressed them against his own, initiating a breathtaking kiss that left her weak in the knees and him gasping for air when it ended.

"You've become quite the kisser, my little stallion," whispered Celestia huskily, "and I think you're ready to learn your final lesson."

Big Macintosh couldn't imagine what passionate act or position they hadn't tried over the course of his stay, but he was completely taken back when Celestia simply motioned for him to take the seat across from her at the food-laden table. He sat down smoothly, and she signaled it was okay for him to start eating while she spoke.

"The last, and undeniably most important, thing you have to learn is to rid yourself of the doubt you just exhibited," explained Celestia, her eyes shining with mesmerizing intensity, "my sister and I are quite old enough to make our own decisions when it comes to matters of the heart and body, as are the mares you'll be attending to in Ponyville during the comet's visit. Making love is one of the most innate acts two living beings can engage in with one another, and wallowing in self-pity at the mere thought of what others might think or say about such a consensual coupling dispels its magic greatly."

Big Macintosh affirmed her declaration with a single, stoic nod before he resumed chewing the delicious bite of apple he'd taken, silently vowing to never doubt himself, no matter what happened, over the course of the next week. Her words did indeed make perfect sense when he really stopped to think about all the wonderful sensations he'd experienced with the two gorgeous princesses. The rush that overwhelmed him when their bare bodies touched for the very first time. The exhilaration he felt when he fused with them in the most intimate of ways. The bliss that shook him to his core when they reached climax together.

It felt natural.

It felt good.

It felt right.

However, his chewing came to an abrupt halt when he felt something gliding up his left leg, and a quick look at the mischievous expression spreading across Celestia's face gave him a good idea what that something was. Her hoof was lightly working its way past his knee and up his thigh, and the unexpected sensation had caught him completely off-guard.

"You seem to have found your resolve," noted Celestia with a wink, her hoof now gently resting against his stiffening length, "still...I wonder if you've truly been paying attention during your physical exams..."

Big Macintosh only hesitated for a split second before he returned her challenging gaze with one of his own, standing up from the table abruptly while clearing the plates and platters cluttering its surface with a sweeping flourish of his arm. Celestia stood up as well, quickly undoing the few simple ties that held her dress in place. After letting it unceremoniously drop to the floor, exposing the ravishing naked form that it had concealed, she climbed atop the table to meet the now unclothed Big Macintosh in a heated embrace.

Luna awoke groggily as a cacophony of falling china and silverware, not to mention loud, throaty moans, assailed her ears. Nevertheless, she was unable to overcome her baser nature as the princess of the night, and thus decided her best recourse was to obdurately bury her head under a pillow and resume the naughty dream she was having about a certain crimson gentlecolt.

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The Canterlot train station was a nexus of activity during the early hours of the morning, filled to the brim with stallions, mares, and foals either just arriving or preparing for departure to locales near and far. Some ponies had set up small carts or shops along the inside of its glass-lined walls, peddling their wares and foodstuffs to anypony and everypony who passed by. Big Macintosh and Celestia, accompanied by a small honor guard of soldiers, caused quite a commotion as they made their way towards the boarding platform, but the large red stallion took it all in stride when he remembered his guru's pep talk. He was walking with one of the most, if not the most, beautiful mares in all of Equestria, and all the gawkers and elbow-nudgers in the world couldn't diminish the strong sense of pride that filled his chest because of that. As waves of onlookers parted around them like water yielding to a majestic ship, Big Macintosh managed to catch Celestia's eye and flash her a small smile, one which she immediately reciprocated before taking hold of his hand, and giving it a firm, yet affectionate, squeeze.

Two of the guards moved forward in synch to open a set of glass doors that lead to the station's boarding platform, so that the most unlikely of couples could walk through them to bask in the brightness and warmth of a perfect spring morning. Big Macintosh turned to look at the large, ornate clock situated directly above him, noticing how its hands crept closer and closer to the scheduled moment of his exodus from paradise. The possibility that this had all been a wonderful, yet very intense, dream still haunted the recesses of his mind, and the image of himself sitting up promptly in his bed, covered in a cold sweat, when the clock hands arrived at their final positions brought a wry smile to his face.

"Honestly Macintosh," said Celestia chidingly, leaning in closer after noticing how lost in thought he was, "you spend too much time brooding in that head of yours. What's a mare to think when the handsome stallion next to her has other things on his mind besides her?"

"I-I, um, sorry, yar majesty," replied Big Macintosh apologetically, before clasping both his hands over her own, "I'm tryin' to think about how happy ya'll have made me, but I can't rightly find tha words to explain it."

"Hmm, there is only one way you could possibly express your gratitude that I would accept at this point," stated Celestia matter-of-factly, capturing his eyes with a commanding stare.

"Anythin' ya want ma'am," answered Big Macintosh determinedly, "I dun even care if all these ponies guffaw about it, I...I'll give 'em something ta guffaw about!"

"Oh my, how brazen," exclaimed Celestia, feigning a look of utter alarm, "have I created a lustful monster with no sense of deceny?"

"No!" refuted Big Macintosh, his tone completely taken aback, "I didn't...I mean I'd never..."

"Shush, my little stallion," said Celestia playfully, placing her free hand against his cheek, "it is much too easy to tease you...but I do enjoy it so. Now, if you want to truly thank me for everything...call me by my name."

Those last few words threw Big Macintosh for the biggest loop of his life. Despite all the promiscuous things they'd done to one another, he had never found the gumption to say his sovereign's given name. It had always been your majesty, or your highness, or with the honorific princess...just the thought of saying it on its own made his mouth feel like it was full of cotton.

"Well," implored Celestia, pressing her chest against his body, "let me hear it..."

"Thank ya kindly, Cele...Celestia," stuttered Big Macintosh, trying desperately to restore even an iota of moisture to his throat, "I ain't never gonna forget any of this, and I sure as hay ain't ever gonna forget how much ya shiver when I kiss yar collarbone."

That last remark had taken the usually prepared-for-everything Celestia completely by surprise, and for the first time in quite a long while she felt a giddy blush grace her cheeks.

"Say it again," requested Celestia, her voice containing a hint of meek expectancy.

"Celestia," repeated Big Macintosh sweetly, before donning a jesting smirk, "or did ya mean tha part about me kissin' yar collarbone..."

"Oh ho," retorted Celestia, using one of her wings to give him a lighthearted shove, "you've become quite the charmer...maybe I should keep you here after all. I know Luna would be beside herself with glee."

"I, uh, about that," said Big Macintosh, tightening his grip on her hand, "I...can't leave my kin and my farm, and sure as rain I know I can't quit ya two gals either. Not after all this. I ain't ever been so conflicted...I'm afraid I'd say yes on the spot if ya asked me ta stay."

"You certainly know how to make a girl feel special," asserted Celestia, brushing a stray blonde lock away from his face, "but don't think for a second that we'll never meet again. Luna and I have become quite smitten with you..."

And with that final affirmation Celestia pressed her lips against his, drawing the low whistles and astonished stares of every pony within eyesight of, by the standards of the last few days, their innocent-looking kiss. One mother in particular had her hands full trying to contain her three fillies from excitedly bouncing off the walls after seeing such a romantic spectacle, but Big Macintosh was more thankful they hadn't noticed the very rough squeeze Celestia had stealthily given his flank. The call of the conductor and a gust of pressurized steam from the train's engine signaled it was time to go though, and the solar princess reluctantly ended their embrace so he could board.

"Tell Luna not to fret none," yelled Big Macintosh over the steadily rising noise of the train yard, "I tried to wake 'er a dozen times before we left, but she wouldn't budge an inch…I don't want 'er to be cross with me."

"I will," replied Celestia, waving farewell and shooting him a small wink, "do be mindful of your dreams though. You might see her sooner than you think."

Big Macintosh paused to wonder what Celestia meant about Luna and his dreams, but the conductor's shrill cry of "all aboard" brought him back to his senses at the very moment the train started moving. He leapt onto the caboose's vestibule with a flourish, and after watching Celestia blow him a kiss, much to the delight of the three now ecstatic fillies, he settled into an empty chair for the long ride back to Ponyville.

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Big Macintosh's journey home went by in a blur of barely-touched dining car food and yearning daydreams about the lovely mares he was leaving in Canterlot. In fact, he barely noticed when Ponyville appeared on the horizon, and the conductor had to shake him a few times after the train came to a halt to rouse him from his stupor. His clarity of thought now restored, Big Macintosh stood up and made for the car's exit, completely unprepared for what, or more precisely, who, was waiting for him on the platform.

Applejack was standing a few feet in front of him, her arms akimbo and her Stetson hat tilted downward, blocking the upper half of her face from sight. Sitting in a neat pile between the two of them was a long, thick rope and a pair of shiny, sharp shears, as well as other carpentry tools and two sacks of who knows what. Any enduring fantasies about the time he spent in the country's capital were swept away when he saw the sunlight reflect off the razor-thin edge of the clippers, and the nightmarish vision of his sister hog-tying and gelding him immediately came to the forefront of his brain. She knew. Somehow she had found out what he had been up to, and now she'd come to met out a harsh punishment for his licentious transgressions.

"Ya got a lot of nerve showing yar hide around here after just up and disappearin' like that," said Applejack, not raising her head even an inch to look at him while walking forward, "just up an' tell Apple Bloom ya got some fancy business to attend to in Canterlot before skipping out tha door. Well...I only got one thing ta say ta ya big brother."

"Wait AJ, just wait!," stammered Big Macintosh, raising his arms and spreading his palms in a halting gesture, "I-I can explain. It ain't all that bad. No reason ta do anythin' drastic..."

Applejack was less than a foot away from him at this point, the rim of her hat pressing against his chin. Big Macintosh steeled himself for the imminent tongue-lashing that was to proceed his pitiful rope-and-shear filled future, but was at a loss for words we he noticed Applejack grinning from ear to ear at him.

"I ain't ever been more proud of ya big brother," stated Applejack happily, giving Big Macintosh a begrudging punch to his shoulder, "I never knew ya had it in ya ta take that kinda initiative, but helping tha royal family out and earnin' some bits doin' it is mighty impressive."

Big Macintosh stood as still as a scarecrow while his brain hysterically tried to process what he'd just heard. Maybe it was some kind of test. Maybe Applejack was seeing if he'd come clean and fess up to his knavish antics. Still...what if she didn't know anything? Big Macintosh decided that some open-ended questions might clue him in to the extent of his sister's awareness.

"Uh, eeyup!" replied Big Macintosh, brandishing the most confident grin he could muster and praying that Applejack didn't see the rivulet of sweat making its way down the side of his forehead, "what have ya'll been hearin' out on tha farm about my, um, my work?"

"Well, Princess Celestia sent us a fancy lookin' letter apologizin' for needin' ya so suddenly," explained Applejack, removing a folded piece of parchment from her back pocket, "but sayin' that she required a stallion of yar expertise ta help Equestria. There was some parts about spreadin' the joy of companionship and new life, but I didn't quite puzzle out what she meant by that. Kinda sounded like malarky at that point...do ya know what she was going on about?"

"Oh, I...I reckon she was talkin' about, um," said Big Macintosh falteringly, his mind racing to come up with a believable tale, "she meant...tha new apple orchards! Tha new apple orchards she wants ta plant ta help ponies movin' out ta tha frontier! She was mighty interested in knowin' if we had any more trees like Bloomberg we could donate to tha cause."

"It took ya three days of talkin' to tell her whether we had some transplant-ready trees?" asked Applejack, her face scrunching into an incredulous expression, "Shoot Big Mac, I coulda had Twilight send a letter through Spike in tha blink of an eye. Don't make no sense for ya to go all the way to Canterlot by train..."

"It wasn't just for that AJ," continued Big Macintosh, knowing he'd better make his next words count if he wanted to convince her, "it was a big meetin' with a lot of young, um, smart fellas. She, uh, she wanted to talk about soils, and watering, an loads of other stuff. Heck, the two of them barely let me get any sleep...ah, cause we were talkin' about farmin' and all so much."

This was it. Applejack surely knew something was up after his little slip of the tongue. Her eyes narrowed drastically, locking onto Big Macintosh with a probing stare so potent he swore she was boring a hole clean through him. However, after letting out a sigh, her features visibly softened, and she patted a bag of bits looped around her belt that he hadn't even noticed.

"I know I ain't got no reason ta get riled up at ya," stated Applejack, jingling the coin purse with a smile, "specially not after ya got paid a good salary for yar services. I bought all these things to replace the old rusted ones we got stored up in the barn, and I still got bits left over for some paint and nails."

"Oh, right, my pay," affirmed Big Macintosh with a touch of uncertainty, wondering what exactly she was talking about, "I, uh, I'm glad ya put it ta good use already. Looks like we'll have to update tha ledger when we get home."

"Darn tootin' sugarcube," replied Applejack happily, reaching into her back pocket to pull out an unopened piece of mail, "I almost forget about this one. Ditzy came by about a day ago with it, said it was for yar eyes only. Don't worry none, I didn't peek at it."

Big Macintosh took the letter, instantly recognizing the handwriting of the address as Celestia's penmanship. He wanted to shred the envelope into tiny pieces and read what was inside, but he couldn't risk doing that in front of Applejack. Things would go downhill faster than that grease-covered sled Apple Bloom and her friends made last winter if she got curious about its content.

"I reckon we'd better get on gettin' back home," suggested Applejack, placing the loose odds and ends of her shopping spree into one of the sacks, "we can stop by tha hardware store and pick up some things ta fix those rickety shutters."

"I, uh, I gotta, um, go talk to the mayor AJ," declared Big Macintosh, wanting urgently to put some distance between him and his sister so he could read the letter, "Celestia, I mean, Princess Celestia wanted me ta talk ta tha mayor about some of tha finer details of tha plan."

Applejack looked miffed at first, but after a moment or two she tossed him a look of reluctant acquiescence.

"Suppose there is no helpin' it than," acknowledged Applejack, bending down to retrieve her supplies, "try ta get back as quick as ya can though. We need ta start tackling some of our repair troubles before plantin' time rolls around."

"Eeyup," agreed Big Macintosh, anxiously fumbling with the letter behind his back, "will do AJ."

Applejack nodded once before picking up her cargo and briskly walking down the stairs of the boarding platform. After a couple more strides, she turned and disappeared down one of Ponyville's few major thoroughfares, leaving Big Macintosh alone to examine Celestia's message. He hastily slid his thumb under the envelope's top flap, tearing it clean open along the seam. Celestia had explained to him in Canterlot that she’d keep in touch via missives, but she hadn’t said anything about sending money to him. An ugly, bitter feeling welled up in his chest when he thought about what “job” those bits might be recompense for, but he banished those ruminations instantaneously. What he’d shared with Celestia and Luna was bigger than some petty fling, and a surge of shame overtook him for briefly doubting them in the first place.

Best just ta read tha letter, thought Macintosh, his eyes now scanning from left to right, that’ll make everythin’ as clear as crystal.

Dearest Macintosh,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and home safely from your travels. I am not ashamed to say that I already miss your company, but we’ll see each other again, perhaps even sooner than you expect. Luna's mood has been dour at best, and the castle staff can't stop asking how my handsome prisoner managed to escape my clutches. Nevertheless, you need to completely focus on the next phase of your adventure because things are going to get quite lively from here on out.

Before we talk of that though, I owe you an explanation for the unexpected sum of money, which I will assume you are now aware of, that your family received. If you'll recall, during the assembly I assured everypony that funds from the royal coffers would be made available if a certain set of criteria was meet. I can't say with absolute certainty yet that this is the case, but signs are pointing towards a positive outlook...

Positive outlook? What is tha supposed ta mean? pondered Big Macintosh, pausing in his reading to try and remember what Celestia had specifically said during the late night gathering. I recall somethin' about rearing foals...oh...oh my...she can't be...or Luna...or both!

Big Macintosh had never been so dizzy, and he pressed his back against the train station’s wall for stability before sliding down it into a sitting position. A few ponies passing by asked him if he was well, and after several halfhearted nods and proclamations of assurance assuaged their concerns, they left him to his own devices. Big Macintosh took a deep, cleansing breath, and brought the letter to eye-level once more. Surely there had to be more to it than that.

...that can be addressed at a future date. Thus, please don't confound yourself over its appearance, as you often to do when troubled.

Sweet mercy...suppose I'll just have ta wait ta…ta know if I’m a… ruminated Big Macintosh, combing his fingers through his mane to steady himself before reading the very last paragraph.

As I mentioned earlier, my plan is starting to come together pleasantly. One of the mares I had in mind for you has, in fact, quite readily agreed to participate, and I've told her to expect you no later than noon on the fifth day of the lunar cycle…

Noon on the fifth day of lunar cycle…that’s today! realized Big Macintosh, jumping to his hooves before continuing.

…at the Carousel Boutique in Ponyville. You are ready for this my little stallion. Think on all that I’ve taught you, and I’m sure you’ll sweep her off her hooves.

With all my heart,

Celestia

Big Macintosh’s eyes hovered over the delicately penned letters of his destination in a state of total disbelief. He knew it. He’d known it all along when Celestia kept using the word “special” to describe them, but he’d always ended up convincing himself otherwise every time he started to speculate about his future escapades. Shielding his eyes so he could mark the position of the sun, he estimated there was a little over two hours left before the promised upon deadline. That was plenty of time to freshen up before sauntering over to the Carousel Boutique. He was sure Rarity, of all mares, would appreciate that courtesy.

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Explaining to Applejack why he needed a bath and a fresh set of clothes to talk to Mayor Mare was difficult to say the least, but after reiterating ten times about the need to look professional while on royal business, she seemed to buy it. That conversation had ended over thirty minutes ago, and Big Macintosh had since left Sweet Apple Acres, skirted the south edge of Ponyville, and arrived at the Carousel Boutique.

To say he was nervous would be an understatement, but after pacing back and forth for several minutes, he decided it was time to stallion-up and go for it. All or nothing! Big Macintosh donned his most charming smile, and after knocking three times, a sing-song voice called from within.

"Coming!" said Rarity, using her magic to pop the latch and open the door. "Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every outfit garment is chic, uniqu...oh! Macintosh! How wonderful of you to stop by. I've been expecting you."

"Ya have?" asked Macintosh quizzically, his face faltering from the unexpected reception, "oh, right, I suppose that makes sense. Well, um, I guess ya know why I'm here than, right?"

"Oh of course darling," answered Rarity, walking into a nearby hallway with a hip swaying gait, "I was simply beside myself with grief. I didn't think you would show, but I should have known better. You Apples are nothing if not dependable."

"Sure...right," agreed Big Macintosh, still unsure about how nonchalant she was acting, "well, um, I reckon we...reckon we should get to it than."

"I couldn't agree more!" exclaimed Rarity over what sounded like shuffling boxes, "just let me find...ah, here we are! Perfect! These should be more than long enough."

"Long enough?" echoed Big Macintosh warily, his ears flattening at this unforeseen development, "long enough for what ma'am?"

"Trust me darling!" implored Rarity, her tone as cool as a cucumber, "I know I don't look like the kind of mare who'd do such things, but I've gotten my hands dirty a time or two. You should definitely take that shirt off though. It would be dreadful if it got ruined."

"Alright, I, uh, planned on taking it off anyways," said Big Macintosh unsurely, unbuttoning his shirt with practiced ease, "so...we'll just, uh, do it right here than, at tha front door?"

"That's where it's needed the most" confirmed Rarity matter-of-factly, emerging back into sight with a hammer and nails, "now let's get to it, shall we?"

Big Macintosh knew the word dirty could mean several different things, but he also knew that blunt, heavy objects and sharp, pointy things didn't mix well with soft flesh. Even trying to think about what Rarity had in mind sent shivers of revulsion down his spine.

"Ms. Rarity?" interjected Big Macintosh, deciding it was time to put his hoof down, "I know every pony has their own way of doing things, but I don't right feel comfortable using those...items."

"Nonsense Big Macintosh," chastised Rarity, using her magic to levitate and fold his shirt while placing the tools in front of him, "now be a dear and take them. You've got a lot of work to do, and not much time to do it."

"I-I couldn't," stammered Big Macintosh, looking at the floating hammer and nails in abject terror, "I ain't never done nothing like that before, and I ain't about ta start now, no matter how much ya enjoy it."

"Darling," said Rarity flatly, "what in the world are you going on about? Didn't Applejack explain to you what I needed?"

"Applejack?" repeated Big Macintosh apprehensively, a chill settling into his bones, "AJ don't know nothin' about this, and she don't need ta know nothin' either."

"What are you babbling about?" asked Rarity, using her magic to place the hammer into one of his hands and the nails into the other, "well, nevermind. You're here now, and that's all that matters. As I told Applejack yesterday, one of the columns at the front of my establishment has come loose again, and I'm afraid it's simply too much for me to handle. I asked her to lend you to me, but she said you'd gone out of town on a...business trip, or something like that. She said you'd be back today though, and voila! Here you are! So, if you would be so kind, please repair it with all due haste."

Big Macintosh was speechless. Surely she had to know why he was here. How could she have accepted Celestia's proposal and not...no, none of this made any sense.

"Well, what about my shirt than?" questioned Big Macintosh, watching as she neatly folded it before setting it down on a nearby table, "why'd you ask me ta take it off?"

"Come now darling," chided Rarity, rolling her eyes while donning a wry smirk, "I recognize my own work when I see it. Applejack procured that shirt from moi last fall to give to you as a Hearth's Warming Eve present. It would be a tragedy if you snagged it on a loose nail and ripped it. Just dreadful!"

Utterly dumbfounded. That is the only phrase that could describe Big Macintosh’s current state of mind. Rarity truly didn’t have the slightest inkling why he’d really come to the boutique…did Celestia make a mistake? No. She was far too clever to slip up this badly by accident, which meant…it wasn’t an accident. For whatever reason, she hadn’t revealed to Rarity who was coming today, and that meant…Celestia wanted him, and him alone, to woo the fashionista. Well, if that don’t beat all…

“Now I don’t mean to brag Macintosh,” said Rarity, turning to straighten her mane and check her makeup in a nearby mirror, “but I am expecting a rather important visitor from Canterlot to arrive any minute now. It would be simply smashing if you could finish within the hour. We wouldn’t want me to make a bad first impression, now would we?”

Before Big Macintosh knew it, he had been gingerly pushed out the front door, as clueless as he was shirtless about what to do next. Just as the door was about to close completely, Rarity poked her head out to give him his final instructions.

“I need to tidy up the shop,” stated Rarity, “and freshen up, of course. You’ll find a ladder near the back door, and please, do hurry darling. As I said before, time is of the essence. Ciao!”

The click the door made when it shut was barely audible, but to Big Macintosh it sounded like a cannon had been fired, signifying his total defeat. For a fraction of a second, he entertained the notion of walking back inside and explaining to Rarity that he was the “important visitor” she was so keenly expecting. However, he knew that Celestia had left the posh mare in the dark on purpose. This was a trial by fire. Sink or swim.

After retrieving the ladder and easily identifying the aberrant column, its base and capital obviously out of alignment, he set about fixing it. Big Macintosh knew the exercise would help him refocus his scattered thoughts, as well as buy him a little time to rethink his strategy. Rarity had the upper hand at the moment, but he had a few tricks up his sleeves as well. He just had to wait for the right opportunity to present itself.

__________________________________

Rarity hummed a cheery tune to herself as she spruced up her sewing room, putting loose bolts of fabric and scattered spindles of thread in their rightful places with a series of levitation spells. Stopping to take stock of the progress she'd made so far, she was pleased to note that everything was in order, except for a few smudged panes on a nearby window.

Nothing a little hot water mixed with vinegar and soap can't fix, thought Rarity, using her magic to bring an already filled pail and towel closer. I'm sure my gentlecolt caller will be thrilled to see that the boutique, like Canterlot, is a bastion of civility. He'll feel right at home.

She was absolutely beside herself with giddiness. Just the thought of a tall, dark, and handsome stallion, one cultured in all the niceties and etiquette of upper-class society, coming all the way to Ponyville for little old her…it was simply delicious! Of course, she’d initially been astounded at the bold offer in Princess Celestia’s letter…it was so scandalous, so shameless, so risqué! She almost refused it outright without a second thought, but that same night some very…unladylike sensations assailed her body, much more intensely than any prior time in her glamorous life. That had started her down the slippery slope of incrementally persuading herself, and two more nights of maddening sexual frustration found her speedily scribbling a resounding yes on the first piece of parchment she could find. Rarity’s waiting was almost at an end though. Any moment now, her Prince Charming would burst through the front door, and even though he almost an hour late, she would forgive him.

Rarity used her magic to dip the linen rag into the bucket of lukewarm suds, and then press it against the offending sections of glass, using a firm circular motion to scrub it spotless. However, when she floated the damp cloth higher to reach a spot further up, the sight she beheld through the glass sent a tremor of exhilaration throughout her entire body.

Big Macintosh was atop her ladder, driving home the last few nails he’d been given into the now righted column, his muscular frame glistening with a light sheen of sweat. And what a muscular frame it was…Rarity had never been around Applejack’s brother all that much, and certainly never when he was bare from the waist up. Seeing him in action for the first time, especially like this, caused her heart to skip a beat. The way his bicep flexed as he swung the hammer, the way his chest expanded with each powerful breath, the way his broad shoulders absorbed each impact without so much as a ripple…

Rarity felt like a hearth had been set ablaze at the base of her abdomen, an all too pleasant sensation that caused her thighs to reflexively press together. She bit her lower lip and started to wonder what it would feel like to…

That was when she realized he had noticed her. In fact, he was looking right at her! Big Macintosh had caught her red-handed ogling him while he worked, and the boyish grin that spread across his face only stoked the flames spreading throughout her body. Rarity's levitation spell faltered before fizzling out completely, letting the now forgotten rag drop unceremoniously to the floor. After a brief stint of psychosomatic paralysis, she finally mustered enough willpower to move her limbs. Spinning on her hooves in a 180 degree turn, she marched directly for the nearest hallway, and, once absolutely sure she was hidden from Big Macintosh's sight, sprinted up the staircase to her bedroom. She slammed the door shut after crossing its threshold, and pressed her back against it for stability, trying desperately to slow her racing heartbeat.

"Now, now Rarity," said the flustered fashionista, placing a hand against her chest, "there is nothing wrong with a little harmless staring...besides, Macintosh probably thought I was just...concerned, yes, of course, just concerned about how he was faring. No reason at all to get so worked up."

Somewhat convinced by her own inducement, she decided the best course of action would be to take a nice, soothing shower. It would help her relax, and besides, she needed to get ready for her now very tardy, yet-surely-having-a-good-excuse-as-to-why, gentlecolt caller. After removing the pinstriped slacks and collared blouse she was wearing, as well as her self-made frilly silk lingerie, Rarity spun the hot tap open, stepped into the tub, and drew the curtain closed. The warm water felt heavenly on her skin, melting the tension away in her muscles splendidly, and her aromatic soaps and shampoos did equally as well at easing her troubled mind. However, despite the copious amounts of water drenching her body, not all of the moisture came from the ornate brass shower head above her. A gasp, followed by a small moan of pleasure, escaped Rarity's mouth as she tentatively ran several fingers over her marehood, and she hoped, quite understandably so, that her suitor wouldn't take too much longer to arrive.

__________________________________

In his greatest hour of need, Lady Luck did not forsake Big Macintosh. To say the situation looked grim would have been an understatement, and as he had started to hammer the last nail home, he knew his preparation time to was almost up. The quandary was that he was still none the wiser about how to approach Rarity without laying all his cards on the table, something he knew Celestia would disapprove of fiercely. Then, a small miracle happened. Out of the corner of his eye Big Macintosh saw a brief flash of movement through the window, and turning out of nothing more than simple curiosity, the glimpse he caught of Rarity's antics signaled that the tide of battle had shifted in his favor.

He couldn't count the number of times he'd seen Luna fussing like that, especially when she didn't think he was looking at her. She'd wring her hands, scooch her legs together, pinch her lower lip between her teeth, roll her hips every so slightly...just thinking about it got his blood boiling. And now he'd just caught Rarity dead to rights exhibiting the same body language...Lady Luck was smiling indeed.

After he heard what sounded like a slamming door and creaking pipes coming from the second story of the boutique, Big Macintosh counted out ten minutes in his head before sauntering through the front entrance towards the staircase. By now, the sound of running water had been replaced by Rarity's leisurely humming, which steadily grew louder as he ascended towards her bedroom door. Once there, Big Macintosh took a deep breath, placed his hand on the doorknob, and boldly stepped into the room. Showtime.

"Ms. Rarity?" called Big Macintosh, making sure his head had been nonchalantly turned to the side before looking forward, "I wanted ta let ya know..."

"Eek!" screeched Rarity, dropping the tube of deep red lipstick she'd just retrieved from her makeup kit to the floor, "Ma-Macintosh, you scared me half to death! Don't you know to knock before entering a girl's private chambers? And shirtless no less!"

"I'm mighty sorry 'bout that ma'am," apologized Big Macintosh, trying to sound as sincere and innocent as possible, "didn't mean ta give ya such a fright, but I wanted to let ya know ya shouldn't have any more problems with that pesky piece of architecture."

"Th-thank you ever so much," said Rarity, making sure the belt on her pink-trimmed robe was firmly cinched, "I'll be sure to com-compensate you later for your troubles, but I really must ask you to leave now. I'm expecting a gentlecolt to arrive any second now..."

"If that don't beat all!" remarked Big Macintosh with a grin, taking a few casual strides towards the now visibly anxious mare, "AJ never told me ya had a special somepony! Do I know tha fella?"

"He-He's not my special somepony," asserted Rarity, turning to face Big Macintosh as he moved closer, "ju-just an upstanding stallion who is paying me a cordial visit."

"Oh, pardon my pryin' ma'am," replied Big Macintosh, closing the distance between them with a few more steps, "I really do seem ta have forgotten all my manners today. After seeing ya through tha window though...well, I couldn't just leave till I knew ya were alright. Ya looked awful bothered by something..."

"I-I'm fine, really," claimed Rarity, her back now against the bedroom's far wall, leaving no more room for a retreat, "it was ju-just a little heat stroke! Yes! From standing at the window too long. It-it's gotten awful warm as of late and..."

"Oh, it didn't look like no heat stroke to me," observed Big Macintosh, projecting a bit more swagger as he came to a stop right in front of her, "least none that I ever saw before...say, why ya trembling like that Ms. Rarity? Yar shaking like a leaf..."

"I-I just caught a bit of a chill from my shower," deflected Rarity once more, her hands trembling as she clenched the front of her robe even tighter together, "my mane is still a little damp, an-and...oh my..."

Her vials of perfume and jars of fragrant lotion had blocked most of Big Macintosh's scent from reaching her when he first entered the room. However, now that he was in such close proximity, his heady aroma was causing her to feel quite tipsy. It smelled of homemade soap mixed with spiced apples and fresh sweat. It was bucolic and powerful and...so raw, so...

"Ple-please," whispered Rarity weakly, turning her head to try and break the glamour he was casting over her, "Yo-you have to go...he'll be here any seco..."

"What if I said I didn't want ta go," countered Big Macintosh, gently cupping her chin in his hand while turning her to face him once more, "what if I said I wanted ta kiss ya..."

"You must...must be joking," declared Rarity, trying unsuccessfully to convince herself that he wasn't as ruggedly handsome as he appeared at that moment, "tha-that isn't happeni...mmph!"

Big Macintosh had developed a penchant for not letting antsy mares finish their sentences, and the indignant look on Rarity's face only spurred him on to double his efforts. She retaliated by rapping her fists against his chest in a last ditch effort of feeble resistance, but soon she lowered them to grip his forearms for anchorage. Striking his pectorals had felt akin to bashing a slab of marble, and the way his thick, sinewy biceps flexed rhythmically under her fingertips...oh, this was bad. Quite bad indeed. Rarity was slowly losing herself to his advances, her eyes glazing over as Big Macintosh continued his relentless assault on her body.

Wholly preoccupied with the lavish array of kisses being showered upon her lips and neck, Rarity hadn’t noticed that one of Big Macintosh’s hands had found its way to the cinched belt of her robe. A quick tug on one of its loose ends caused the garment to fall away nicely, at last revealing her breasts and marehood to his sight. Rarity’s clarity momentarily returned when she felt her bare chest press against his sweat-drenched torso, but Big Macintosh wasn’t content with just stopping there. He knelt down slightly and placed his left hand behind her knee, lifting her leg and wrapping it around his waist as he stood back up. His right hand descended to knead and tease her breasts, making sure that his now rapidly growing bulge laid flush against her most sensitive bundle of nerves. A steady tempo of motion was soon established, and he was very pleased to see that Rarity was beginning to push against him every time he thrust his hips towards her.

Unsurprisingly, she didn’t last very long. The kissing, the fondling, the grinding…her body, already aroused from her earlier fantasies and days of unquenched frustrations, simply couldn’t handle the multiple stimuli assailing her. The orgasm hit her stomach like a bolt of lightning, and then transformed itself into a great electric eel that went on a rampage inside her, latching its charged fangs onto every fiber and ligament it could find. She felt it in her legs especially, and after weathering the first two large convulsions through dogged determination alone, her right knee buckled inwards when the third came, causing her to collapse against Big Macintosh like a ragdoll. Her cries of ecstasy boomed throughout the room like rolling thunder, but slowly faded into labored breathing and afterglow-tinged mewling when the spasms finally started to subside.

As he cradled her lithe, quivering form in his arms, Big Macintosh was taken aback by how beautiful she truly was. Her breasts were almost as big as Celestia’s majestic orbs, and her slender waist gave way to a perfectly heart-shaped bottom. She possessed an almost flawless hourglass figure, and Big Macintosh felt his length grow painfully harder the longer he looked at her.

“Whoa now little lady,” said Big Macintosh soothingly, holding her body close to his own, “don’t fret none, I gotcha.”

“Yo-you brute,” fumed a breathless Rarity, “no stallion has ever handled me so…so roughly, so crassly, so…eek!”

“They were a buncha colts than if ya ask me, Ms. Rarity,” claimed Big Macintosh confidently, having just dragged his fingers against her swollen nethers, “because I’m just gettin’ started…”

He rose to his full height in an instant, lifting Rarity as if she weighed nothing more than a bag of feathers. She squealed again from the unexpected movement, kicking her legs frantically while once again pounding her fists against his chest.

“Un-unhand me you fiend!” demanded Rarity, “I-I’ll have you know that I didn’t enjoy that at al…mmph! Sto-stop doing that!”

Big Macintosh had given her another quick peck to stop her prattling, flashing her a roguish smile before laying it on thick.

“You sure know how ta hurt a fella’s feelins Ms. Rarity,” said Big Macintosh humbly, trying his best to repress a gleeful smile, “I may not be some fancy prince, but that don’t mean I can’t carry ya like a princess. And it certainly don’t mean that I can’t make ya claw a hole through them bedsheets if ya let me…”

Rarity’s pupils grew as big as saucers after his last little boast of prowess, and Big Macintosh felt the underside of his left forearm grow a little damper where her bottom was resting.

“I-I suppose I could humor you for a while longer,” acquiesced Rarity, biting her lower lip in expectation while her eyes darted between Big Macintosh and the bed they were now approaching, “bu-but on one condition! First, we have to lay out the rose petals. Then, you’ll light the candles while I get the ostrich feathe…”

“What in tarnation are you going on about?” interrupted Big Macintosh, puzzled at how any of those things would help them, “candles? Feathers?”

“Oh, but it would be so romantic darling,” chimed Rarity, perking up before launching into her rather lengthy explanation, “you see I had it all planned out before you, oh, how to say this delicately…came crashing into the picture. I just finished reading this wonderful novella where the heroine and her lover, the prince, are…”

However, something strange happened to Big Macintosh right as Rarity began her tirade on the finer plot points of Lady Lilywine’s passionate affair with Prince Bramblebottom. It was as if he was being pulled away from himself, his sight of her and her bedroom growing smaller and smaller in the distance…

__________________________________

“…Macintosh,” called Celestia, her voice nothing more than a faint whisper at first, but steadily growing louder with each passing second, “Macintosh…wake up, my little stallion.”

Big Macintosh opened his eyes and took in his surroundings, instantaneously recognizing where he was. He was back in Canterlot, in Celestia and Luna’s private quarters…but it was more than that. The sense of déjà vu he felt was stifling, and when he saw how Luna was sleeping next to him, her body still covered in a light sweat from the passionate lovemaking they’d just finished, he not only knew where he was…but when he was.

“Looks like you have some notion of what's happening. Such a clever boy,” said Celestia, the soft glow enveloping her horn now slowly fading away, “memory spells like this are always tricky, but can be so…rewarding, if executed properly.”

Big Macintosh knew exactly what Celestia was referencing. She was straddling him, just as she had been four days ago, dragging her moist marehood teasingly up and down his rigid member. This was how she’d woken him up that night after he and Luna had fallen asleep. This is when she imparted her first lesson onto him.

“It really is a shame you can’t speak,” continued Celestia, now pressing the tip of his stallionhood against her folds, parting them slightly, “but you can listen…and you definitely can feel this…”

Celestia lowered herself onto him, his flared head piercing into her tight wetness. She felt different than any mare he’d ever lain with before. It was as if she could control every atom of her body, making them expand or contract on a whim. Of course, that meant the inside of her marehood squeezed him in ways that were physically impossible for a normal mare, but when Big Macintosh opened his mouth to let out a very vocal rumble of pleasure, not a decibel of sound emerged.

“Oh, yes,” moaned Celestia, her hands now resting against his chest for balance as she made her ascent, “the sound you made that moment was…exhilarating. But you’re here to remember a lesson, so listen well my pupil.”

Celestia had reached the very top of his shaft by then, and just when Big Macintosh felt himself slipping out from inside her, she used all of her weight to drive him back into the depths of her being. Big Macintosh’s hands reflexively reached for her hips, wanting to hold her in place so he could savor the sensation more.

“Every mare or stallion has certain kinks or fetishes that excite them,” claimed Celestia, her voice only wavering slightly as she rose and fell at an increasing rate, “but if he or she becomes too focused on all the extraneous things that can make sex novel and fun, at the expense of sex itself, than they should be reminded of what a skilled partner can accomplish without toys and gimmicks.”

Big Macintosh knew he was close, and he knew Celestia did as well. Her eyes narrowed. Her pace increased. She moved faster and faster, squeezing him so tightly in so many mind-boggling ways…

Big Macintosh threw his head back and let loose a silent howl, his shaft erupting inside Celestia as she buried herself to the hilt with one final motion. Her left knee dropped to the bed as her right leg shot out in a sporadic fit of orgasmic ecstasy. She felt him filling her womb with copious amounts of his warm seed, and the heat that radiated outward from the deepest point within her sent shockwaves of pleasure rippling out to all her limbs.

“Yes!” screamed Celestia, her nails digging into hard flesh of Big Macintosh’s chest, “yes you magnificient stallion! Give it all to me! Every drop!”

The pleasure was fading though. Big Macintosh felt himself slipping away. The room grew smaller, and Celestia with it. He managed to catch Celestia’s last words before everything faded to darkness once more.

“Now go, my little stallion, and show her how skilled you truly are…”

__________________________________

“…and that is why Lady Lilywine tickled Prince Bramblebottom’s eyelids with the ostrich feather. It symbolized unyielding trust, you see? Macintosh? Macintosh! Have you been listening to a word I’ve said?” asked Rarity, her eyes narrowing in annoyance.

It took a second for Big Macintosh to reorient himself after traveling through the void of time and space, but when he did, he returned her miffed glare with one of smoldering passion.

“Not a word, ma’am,” answered Big Macintosh bluntly, placing Rarity face down on the bed before resting his hands on her succulent hips, “but let me show ya what I’m thinkin’ about…”

“Un-unhand me you scoundrel!” said Rarity fumingly, the deepest blush he’d ever seen on any pony’s face creeping across her cheeks, “a-a lady does not…not in this position…”

“I’m gonna take ya like this Rarity,” stated Big Macintosh assuredly, leaning over so he could nip her ear before continuing, “I’m gonna rut ya until ya can't think straight…until all ya know is tha two of us joined together…”

“Yo-you musn’t say such things,” whispered Rarity timidly, her hips now rocking in ever so slightly as she looked over her shoulder, “I-I’ll lose myself…if you say such indecent words…”

“Yar my mare now Rarity, and if ya want this,” claimed Big Macintosh boldly, letting his trousers drop to the floor, revealing his stallionhood in its full glory, “all ya have to do is say so…I’ll take ya right here and now.”

“Tha-that’s too big,” protested Rarity warily, her eyes growing wide as she watched Big Macintosh place his shaft between her flanks, “I’ve never…it’s so hot, why is it so…ah…hot!”

“Say it Rarity,” urged Big Macintosh passionately, sliding his shaft down to her nethers, rubbing it back and forth teasingly along her slit, “what do ya want me to do? Tell me…”

Rarity had reached the limits of her reason. Never in her life had anypony spoke to her this way. Claiming her as their own, trying to make her say such…such lewd, crass things! But why did those words make her feel so impassioned? It was more than just her heat…it was a thrill she’d never experienced before with her more tame lovers. Not the desire for moonlight trysts and games of coy flirtation…no, it was something much more tangible than that. The unequivocal yearning for the stallion behind her, the large, powerful stallion, so strong that he could fell a tree with a single kick, to take her wildly, frantically, furiously…

“Yes!” shouted Rarity, instinctually lowering her chest to the bed while raising her waist higher. “Yes, you magnificent beast! Take me! Rut me-ah…ah!”

The instant Big Macintosh pressed the tip of his stallionhood into her wet folds, Rarity’s body was racked with a mind-shattering orgasm. She’d tried for days to achieve this kind of release, but all of her efforts only fostered more frustration in the end. This time her fingers didn’t fail her though. This time was different. Her body had known all along what it needed, and that was a stallion…a virile, confident stallion, to claim her, to rut her…to breed her. Rarity’s nails dug into the bedspread as she came, rending small holes in the comforter as she grasped for a shred of stability to stop the world from spinning. Her hips shook in fits of unbridled pleasure, and her eyes rolled back into her head as she let loose several loud, husky moans.

Then Big Macintosh began to move. He smoothly glided the entire length of his shaft into Rarity’s quivering body, holding her waist firmly in place as she writhed and twisted on the bed below him. Once he had sheathed himself completely, he pulled his entire rod out to the head before driving it home once more. He could feel her constantly convulsing around him, multitudes of orgasms, large and small, besetting her body as she accepted his prodigious girth. A few more thrusts and…

“Rarity,” said Big Macintosh intensely, tightening his grip on her hips as he sped up his movements, “I’m…”

“Yes, darling!” shouted Rarity in delight, turning to look over her shoulder with pleading, hungry eyes, “yes! Let it out…it’ll feel marvelous! I-I need it!”

Big Macintosh needed no further encouragement. He felt the head of his stallionhood form a tight seal against the entrance of Rarity’s womb, and once there he unleashed a white geyser that filled her to the brim. Big Macintosh felt each spurt of his orgasm synch up with a matching tremor from Rarity’s shaking form, and he watched as she wriggled her hips from side to side against his groin, savoring every drop he pumped into her.

Big Macintosh pulled his softening member from her marehood with a wet pop, and he watched as rivulets of his seed trickled down her lower lips and inner thighs. A closer inspection of her person revealed that she was still conscious, but simply too exhausted to move at more than a snail’s pace. He smiled softly before scooping her up into his arms, turning down the sheets of her bed and then maneuvering so both of them could fall gently into its embrace. The sun was just starting to set outside, but the day’s bizarre menagerie of events had drained both ponies past the point of exhaustion.

Rarity nestled up against Big Macintosh, her eyes fluttering as she tried to fend off sleep for just a few more seconds.

“You see darling,” whispered Rarity, her eyelids closing at last as she drifted off into a peaceful slumber, “just like I said…simply marvelous…”

Marvelous, huh? thought Big Macintosh, pulling the fashionista closer towards him before kissing her forehead. I couldn’t agree more.

To be continued…

Author's Note

I want to thank all my readers for their great compliments and very constructive criticism. Also, I want to commission an artist to create a custom image for this story, so let me know if you know someone who would be interested. Now, I'm off to work on chapter three!