Five Star Service - A Gentleman for Mares Tale
Chapter 17: Part 16: Q&A with Gentlemen for Mares
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By Five Stars of Manehattan
Special to the New York Life and Manehattan Post Magazines
September 21 issues
—Why would you prefer ponies over people? Isn’t that bestiality?
“People ask me all the time why I would choose to screw a horse instead of a human. My answer is very simple: I don’t. I make love to ladies no less lovely or lively than the ones here. Mares are just as smart, savvy and pretty as any human women… and have far fewer hang-ups for it. ‘Bestiality’ implies that they’re mere animals, which is utterly insulting to them. As Five Stars herself has said, can you truly reduce a race that raised cities, wields magic and opens portals to other worlds to mere beasts just because they walk on all fours?”
—How did you end up a Gentleman?
“I didn’t go to Equestria with the intention of sleeping with ponies, let alone becoming a Gentlemen. I was a tech worker who volunteered to help set up the telephone system there and ended up falling for my pony liaison. She was curious about me, she treated me well… she even seemed flattered by my interest, clumsy though it was. We started seeing each other after hours, and in time an old story played out—we were lonely, we got drunk and ended up in bed together. In time, that liaison became my G4M handler, and we’ve maintained our relationship ever since…”
—What was your first time with a pony like?
“In all honesty, not well… due to our mutual drunkenness and unfamiliarity. Neither of us knew what we were doing. But she didn’t judge me, she didn’t wake up the next day and decide she regretted it or use the fact that we’d both had alcohol to claim I’d raped her, as happened to a former frat brother.
“Once we got over the hangover and awkwardness, we tried again a few days later, and it went far better—I consider that our true first time. As the weeks went by, we learned from each other, figured out how each other worked, and before long… I didn’t see her as a pony, I saw her as lover and my, well, marefriend, one I couldn’t live without. And the feeling was mutual—she loved the fact that I’d treat and dote on her, that I’d see to her needs instead of just my own… that I made the effort to listen and do what she wanted.”
—What’s the difference between ponies and people?
“Ponies are people no less than us. But the biggest difference between the mares and women I’ve known is that the mares reciprocate. My marefriend doesn’t demand her needs be met first; our relationship isn’t all on me. She listens to me, she respects me, she doesn’t make unreasonable demands of me and then come down on me or go crying to her friends when I can’t meet them. Instead, she takes responsibility for herself and her side of the relationship… unlike most of the girlfriends I had on earth.”
—But isn’t the fact your marefriend and clients are ponies part of the attraction?
“Yes, the fact that we’re different species and therefore exotic to each other is part of the attraction, and certainly adds some spice to things. But ultimately, I was attracted to my handler as a person, not as a pony.”
—Do you prefer Equestria to Earth?
“Yes. At this point, I’d much rather be in Equestria. I’m funny in that I’d rather be in a place where I’m appreciated and loved, and not denounced and ridiculed for my chosen profession or told I’m somehow less of a man or anti-woman for it. A place where I get as much out of my work as my clients do. And that’s why I’m here to announce… that despite the fact that I’m no longer anonymous, I’m returning to that life, if Gentleman for Mares will still have me.”
—Levi “Postman” Jackson, ex-Gentleman, Gentleman for Mares, Equestria
Well, readers… these were some highlights of the ‘talk show’ interview with one of our exposed Gentlemen, whose name is apparently now the talk of both worlds. Every employee at our Manehattan G4M Headquarters piled into our building’s ground floor nightclub lounge and watched the whole thing on a ‘projector’ hooked up to my tablet, once a copy of the video had made it across the portal. The cheers were repeated and raucous, especially when he fought back against one self-described ‘feminist’ who told him his profession and mares in general were ‘setting back women a hundred years’.
I had to have ‘feminism’ defined for me, and I have to say, for a movement that’s supposedly grounded in the idea of gender equality, there seems to be an awful lot of man-blaming and shaming, and promotion of a culture of victimization where women are never responsible for anything and men are always at fault. Perhaps I’m just getting one side of the story from our Gentlemen, but it seems to be a common theme with the men I’ve known. If the idea of a movement, or at least its self-described leadership is to demonize and emasculate an entire gender, how is that ‘equality’ in any sense of the word?
I’m down on stallions at times, yes, but not because I believe they’re inherently bad or part of a ‘patriarchy’ that exists to suppress my gender—another term I had to have defined. I come from a culture where males were once mere property, pampered and protected at best or enslaved as breeding stock and workhorses at worst. It seems to me that some women that subscribe to this movement would see that ugly chapter of Equestrian history brought to earth, and then blame the men for it anyway. The only word I have for that: disgusting.
I said this in the first Q&A session, so I’ll say it again here: Stallions can learn something from men on treatment of mares, and I daresay women can learn a few things from mares on how to treat and keep a male as well. It disgusted me further to see some of the vitriol directed at our Gentleman by a few women in the audience, and I thought it was more than a little unfair for the host to spring his parents on him mid-interview just to make him squirm. To his credit, he handled it well, telling his father that “You told me to treat girls right, and that’s what I always do,” adding “it isn’t a sin to help others, even in the realm of sex,” when his mother questioned him on the ‘immorality’ of his work.
When someone in the back shouted that he wasn’t helping others, he was just helping himself to ‘lonely pony girls’ who were somehow unable to say no, he brought his own surprise guest out—his handler. She then stood up for her stallion like any good mare, facing down the hostile host and proceeding to lecture the audience, recounting their first encounters and all he had ultimately done for her—breaking her out of an unhappy situation, showing her the life of love and pleasure she could have, giving her the courage to make the break with her herd and seek out fulfillment elsewhere—with him.
“What he did for me is something he’s done for many a mare now. Mares make the choice to seek out a Gentleman because they’re lonely, yes, just as I was. He answered the call of my heart and was everything I could ever dream of in a male. He set me free and showed me sides of myself I never knew I had, and I love him for it!” she told the shocked audience, daring them to tell her to her face she was a ‘dumb animal’ who couldn’t really offer consent, making her point clear by rearing up to kiss him.
The entire hourlong interview was hard to watch at times, but I daresay Postman did more for G4M in one sitting than all my articles have done over the past eight months.
That may be true. But none of it would happened without your articles, Five Stars! –Platinum
Thanks, but… can’t you let me pretend to be humble just this once, Platinum?
Well, I daresay I speak for everyone at G4M when I say that ‘humble’ is not in your vocabulary, darling!
Point taken.
Well, if nothing else, I hope this makes clear it’s NOT all about me, and never was. It’s about our Gentlemen, the mares they serve, and what it means for two societies, both of which have some growing to do. It pleases me greatly to now see that G4M is indeed a catalyst for that growth.
And after that interlude… let’s get to the questions! In a change, we’ve decided that we will allow our Gentlemen to identify themselves using their call signs, if desired. Not all have chosen to do so, but that doesn’t imply shame so much as simple humbleness or a desire for privacy.
Let’s open with this little gem:
Q: So, Gentlemen, what’s wrong, you’re so ugly and nerdy you couldn’t score with chicks, so now you bang alien animals? —A Real Man
And people wonder why we prefer Equestria.
To begin with, Gentlemen in fact come from all walks of life, military and civilian, everything from computer programmers and bank clerks to ex-soldiers and MMA fighters. Some were married, some divorced, some have kids, many had earth girlfriends and found more fulfilling relationships with mares.
Speaking for myself, in all honesty, I was one of those nerdy guys who couldn’t score. No longer—becoming a Gentleman has done wonders for my confidence, my body, and my self-esteem. I’ve visited Earth a few times since I became one, to spend the holidays with my family and friends. I’ve never told them what I do, but all have remarked about the change in me, both physical and mental. I’ve even been able to attract and bed a few human girls since I started ‘banging’ mares, and I have to say—I honestly prefer the average mare to the average woman. They may have the appearance of animals to the ignorant and uninformed, but believe me, they’ve got as much spirit and personality—and generally far fewer emotional or physical hang-ups—than the typical human girl I’ve known.
If you’re saying it’s laughable what I do, the joke’s on you, pal. I sleep with beautiful ladies for a living, wine and dine them on the company dime, help them expand their horizons and leave them with a smile on their face after a night to remember.
Can you say the same, ‘real man’?
—“Cavalier”
Ouch. That should leave a mark!
Q: Dear Five Stars—How many men approximately would you say come to Equestria looking to be Gentlemen rather than falling into it out of necessity?
Until recently, very few. We recruited most our Gentlemen right off the street. Now, after eight months worth of articles, G4M has gotten enough notoriety that we do indeed get some men soliciting us to become Gentlemen, and we’ve had to put some procedures in place for dealing with that. In truth, to this point we haven’t accepted many that have come to us, since they tend to have more selfish motives—just looking to get themselves laid as opposed to help mares. The job is first and foremost about the mares, and those who are in it for themselves don’t make it past the initial screen.
Seriously, guys. You don’t have to be a Gentleman if you’re just looking to lay a mare. You can accomplish that in just about any bar or club in Equestria. But I’d strongly encourage you not to come here just for that. A Gentleman is something more, because mares ultimately need something more than a cheap lay or impersonal rut. If you’ve learned nothing else from all these articles of mine, I hope you’ve learned that.
Here’s one of the more unusual solicitations I’ve received:
Q: Dear Five Stars, I would like to know if it is possible to receive Gentleman training, I mean, I don’t want to become a Gentleman, but I would like to learn how to please a mare, because of a bad experience I had with one once, lets just say I wasn’t able to please her, which left my self esteem very low and kind of depressed for a while (its painful for men if our partner tell us how bad we are in bed in our face); if its possible, how much would it cost, I’m willing to pay for the training, and I’m sure that other men would so as well, thanks in advance.
Well. I don’t think we’ve ever had a request like this before!
I’m surprised and saddened to hear you had a bad experience with a mare, which are usually quite forgiving of first-time humans, particularly ones who are trying their best. Just goes to show that what holds for groups does not hold for the individual, and I’m very sorry you encountered one who put you down like that. I know how much that hurts, but I’d encourage you to try again and not let one bad experience discourage you—there are plenty of other mares out there who would be willing to give you all the help and training you need—you don’t need to come to G4M for that!
As for G4M training men in sex for reasons aside than becoming Gentlemen… though I could certainly see some business opportunity in such a thing—men paying us to train them?—I think I can guess what Platinum’s answer would be.
Actually, I think that’s a VERY interesting idea, and one we’ll have to discuss later… it would certainly be a way to expand our brand and help more mares and men in the process! —Platinum
Well, then… stand by!
Q: Is there such a thing as a part-time Gentleman?
Increasingly, there is. It certainly wasn’t this way to start, but by this point we do have a few Gentlemen who specialize in certain things and are only used for that purpose, and yes, even a few Gentlemen who only entertain select clients. We’ve had one or two instances of Gentlemen leaving the company to settle down with a single mare, but staying on call for certain other mares they knew. Such Gentlemen do not accept new clients, but remain there for their old ones.
It doesn’t always work out that way, though. We’ve had cases of Gentlemen burning out on the job and needing to leave the life entirely. It’s not for everyone, and we’ve learned to give our Gentlemen ample vacation time and breaks between clients now, to physically and emotionally recharge.
Q: To Five Stars and the Gentlemen: With the amount of sex you’re all having, aren’t you afraid of catching some sort of STD? Just curious.
Once again, I had to ask a Gentleman what this meant. STD stands for “Sexually Transmitted Disease”, of which I understand there are some decidedly nasty ones on Earth.
Well, all humans who pass through the portal get a security and health screening, and there’s in fact a fairly lengthy list of conditions that disqualify you from portal passage in either direction, anything from Cutie Pox to something called “Mad Cow Disease”. You literally can’t pass the portal if you have any of these diseases; the enchantments wouldn’t allow it even if you tried.
In any event, I’m told that given differences in our body temperatures, pH levels, blood composition, etc, it’s actually very hard—but not impossible—to pass diseases between ponies and humans. I haven’t heard of any STDs so far, but even if one should pop up, I’m reasonably certain that our medical magic would find a way to contain or cure it pretty quickly.
I’m not so sure that’s true, Five Stars. Ponies are very good with magical ailments, yes, but not so much with regular physical ones. Ponies still get colds, for example, and I seem to recall the Feather Flu is a yearly visitor with Pegasi. That’s part of the reason humanity was so careful about crossing over when the portal was first opened—we didn’t know whether we’d be introducing any new diseases you had no resistance to, and vice-versa. Even today, there’s still no guarantee it can’t happen.
—“The Doctor”
I stand corrected, Doctor. Trust a former human MD to set me straight on that one. Another example that our Gentlemen come from all walks of life, though I’ve never gotten some of the jokes that seem to revolve around his call sign. This one actually serves double-duty as both a Gentleman and a doctor to them—hence his alias.
Next, a rather snarky question for one of my most hard-won and special Gentlemen. Don’t hold back!
Q: To the so-called ‘Gentlemen’: What do your family/friends back on Earth think of your job? I mean, aren’t you basically just dressed-up prostitutes? Why would you choose to do this?
I do this because Gentlemen For Mares saved me, and I’m able to save others in turn.
My life had been turned upside down before I met Five Stars—in case you were wondering, yes, she did recruit me—and I was very close to giving up, permanently. I know that and so does my family. So I guess you can imagine that they are very happy I found a place that gave me purpose again. The only one that still has a hang up about it is my brother, but he’d feel that way about sex with anyone. I’ll admit my parents were hesitant to begin with, but I think I was more stubborn than them.
Star didn’t offer me a job, not at first. She showed me a good night, and not in a romantic way either—she lead me around Manehatten in that stubborn way of hers, dead-set on me having a good time. In the end, she won. She convinced me to stay in the city for awhile instead of going back to Earth. It took her three months of casual goading to convince me to finally go to G4M, and another two months before I finally put on my first Tux. So unlike some Gentlemen I could mention, I put up an actual fight!
I was still uneasy at my first job. It didn’t help that my client for the evening was fairly distant. When we got to her apartment I was doing my best not to look the way I felt, which was a wreck. Inside her apartment I found a disordered home. It was uncared for and uncleaned like it belonged to someone who’d given up. She went to take a shower, and while she was there I found a photo of my client embracing a griffin. Apparently, he was her husband and she lost him in the Second Cloven War. She was bent, and her friends knew she didn’t mind other species so they convinced her to try G4M’s services to make her feel better. Obviously, she wasn’t ready. She caught me looking at the picture, and I’d wager she would have thrown me out if she hadn’t broken down at that moment.
People want to talk about the sex, because we’re obsessed with sex. It’s natural, yet profane. It can be the most selfish or selfless thing one can give or take. But as Five Stars and Platinum have noted repeatedly, sex is NOT what G4M is about. Do I have sex with my clients? Yes, if they really want it. However, there have been plenty times where I’ve just been an ear for listening, an accessory to combat loneliness, or a shoulder to cry on.
Gentlemen are NOT sex-obsessed deviants trying to satisfy some kink. We, as Gentlemen, are companions. We’re friends. We’re that person that gently lifts you out of that hole you’ve fallen into and helps you back onto your feet, or in our case hooves. We cure pain and treat loneliness. Who wouldn’t choose to do that if they could? You ask why I do what I do? It’s because in a small way I know what it feels like to have your center ripped out of you making you feel lost. I also know what it’s like for someone, or somepony, to show you the way back.
Such was the case with my first client. I didn’t have sex with her, but I did spend the night holding her and letting her release all that pent-up heartache. I offered myself up as a cushion for her pain. After she finished crying, she finally felt like talking, and that’s all we did that night until I had to leave. We talked about everything; her pain, my pain. She helped me as much as I helped her. When I left that morning she was smiling, and so was I.
My parents know what I do. I feel no shame in telling them about the mares I’ve helped back up, and they’re proud of me for it. If that’s not enough to convince you they’re okay with it—that I’m okay with it—then consider this: my brother’s idea of an occupation is throwing himself off of a cliff for an energy drink company. Out of the two of us, who do you think keeps my parents awake at night?
And Five Stars? I know I never really said this before, but… thank you for saving me and being so persistent about it. As stubborn and lost as I was, it was the only way you were going to get through to me back then.
—“Nightlife”
You’re very welcome, Nightlife. I consider you one of my greatest achievements, and I don’t mind saying that you’re one of the Gentlemen I’d consider settling down with if the time ever came. Thanks for a very thoughtful but direct response. Nothing I can add to it.
I have plenty to say about this next letter, though…
Q: Dear Five Stars,
Last Christmas, our son brought home a mare and announced to the whole family that he was in a ‘relationship’ with her. The rest of the family did not take this well and by the end of dinner my husband and my son were practically screaming in each other’s faces, saying things so horrible that I dare not repeat them. We haven’t seen nor heard from our son since that night. I have no idea what’s become him and not one member of my family seems to care, not even his father who now refuses to even say his name.
So my question to you, Miss Five Stars, is why you seem to have little to no empathy for the shattered families who have to deal with the heart-breaking reality that their sons have chosen to have relations with something that isn’t human?
Wow. There is so much wrong with this I don’t even know where to begin. I don’t usually get angry over hate mail, but this one made me so mad I wanted to smash something.
First of all… exactly how is your ‘shattered family’ MY fault? YOU were the ones who chose to reject and disown your own son simply because he found happiness and love in a place you didn’t expect, and then you act surprised that you haven’t heard from him since? Instead of making an effort to understand his choice or get to know his new marefriend, you attack him—and me—for breaking YOUR heart? How dare you.
You are correct on one point—I have zero empathy for you after what you did to him and what I can only imagine is his equally shattered marefriend. I can only pray they’re still together and you didn’t drive them apart, or worse, to suicide. But the line that infuriated me the most was your final one—that your son ’chose to have relations with something that isn’t even human’?
I’m a very direct pony, so I’m not going to mince words: If you look at a pony and all you can see is an animal, the problem is with you. If you can do that to your own son and only think about your poor suffering selves afterwards, the problem is with you. If you cannot see that love all too easily crosses the species boundary and is not wrong for it, THE PROBLEM IS WITH YOU. What is truly heartbreaking here is your own reaction and blaming of everyone except yourselves, and my heart goes out to your son and his chosen mate for it. I can only pray you’ll someday come to accept him and he finds it in himself to forgive you. Because right now I sure as Tartarus can’t.
Having gotten that out of my system, I’d best move on to something a little less anger-inducing…
Q: I know this might be a little backwards but, Five-star by chance would you be willing to train mares to come to earth and be… Mistresses for lonely virgin males?
I’d say most mares need little training for that! No, that’s not fair. There are cultural differences in both directions, and just as humans need to understand us, mares need to understand the general human male mindset and what they find attractive.
A Gentlemen reminds me upon reading that paragraph that humans aren’t any more monolithic than ponies; difficult cultures like different things and have different standards of beauty, some healthy and some not. Perhaps, but there does seem to be an obsession on the part of many males I’ve known with overly-skinny or ‘big-busted’’ women, for example. I don’t get the former, but I do get the latter—for an upright race, you’d want your assets displayed front and center where they can attract the most attention, and larger ones would naturally get more attention.
And now, a question for one of my favorite Gentlemen, the same one who’s been reading over my shoulder for the past ten minutes:
Q: To the Gentlemen: are your clients just clients, or do you ever form attachments to them? How about your trainers and handlers? And does it make your work more difficult or easier if you do?
You would choose this for me, wouldn’t you?
Personally, I like my regulars, and I get along well with new clients. It helps that most of them are pretty friendly. I don’t know how close I am to them, though. I am sure there’s some sort of separation between us, but that line can get blurry at times.
One time, I was hired to be a NSR(*) escort for a client’s little sister. We spent the day watching human movies, mostly musicals as she loved music. The fact that she trusted me to look after a family member, trusted me enough to put her sister’s safety in my hands, was very humbling.
Of course, it’s pretty different with other Gentlemen. I have a friend who prefers mares in heat. He likes to have very minimal attachment to his clients. I also have another friend who is regularly hanging out with clients because they share his passion for stunts and flights.
As for trainers and handlers, well, that really depends. I have gotten along pretty well with my trainers, and my handler has been a very dependable friend. I probably feel more attached to them than most of my clients, probably because I see them almost everyday.
— [call sign withheld]
I think you’re being a little too modest, Mister Call-Sign-Withheld. You connect to your clients better than any Gentleman I’ve ever seen, and they love you for it—as do I! You have a gift that cannot be taught—that of simple empathy. It’s a talent for which you should be very proud.
Oh, and for casual readers: (*) NSR means “Non-Sexual Request”—this is mostly used by clients who just want to experience a date with humans in a personal but platonic manner, and not in a bar scene like in G4M Headquarters. There are many reasons for this, but the usual one is that some clients simply aren’t ready to jump into bed with humans on a first date and prefer to test the proverbial waters first. We’ve had an instance where a mare tried four different Gentlemen this way before finally settling on one.
Next, we’ve gotten several questions along the following lines:
Q: Dear Five Stars—how often do non-pony clientele request a gentleman for the day? That is, e.g. griffons, diamond dogs, or maybe dragons?
Q: Do you train gentlemen for other races? What works for a pony might not work for the others.
We currently only train Gentlemen for ponies, though that now encompasses not just the standard earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi, but thestrels and zebras as well. There’s a lot of difference in attitude and anatomy just in those five subspecies, and it takes a while to master them all. Occasionally donkeys or mules will also request a Gentleman, but that’s unusual.
You have to understand that other Tellus races generally have even gender ratios and thus much less need for such a service, both societally and culturally. Now, there have been some rare instances where Gentlemen were unknowingly hired by females of other races… and went through with it anyway. Is it to their credit that in such cases, our Gentlemen proved their adaptability, doing their best to perform and satisfy.
Just last week, as a matter of fact, the former MMA fighter I told you about got hired out by a new client… who turned out to be an eagless working at the Gryphon Consulate here in Manehattan. She was apparently quite struck by the story of how he had stood up for a mare and bested a unicorn stallion, and wanted to have a ‘round’ with him so she could test his fighting ability and worthiness firstpaw. As for what happened… he came back clawed up but strangely happy, and she’s now trying to hire him again. So… it now appears we may have make some provision for other races as well!
Q: To Five Stars: Any plans for a branch office on Earth? Or are there not enough mares there to be viable?
I’d say there’s no need for such a thing, given all the available human males on earth! The biggest reason mares seem to stay over there is for that very reason… though I’ve heard more than a few also say that they’re too much into human technology and culture to come back now.
Oddly enough, we do get a fair number of humans that settle here for the same reasons… a better life and more relationship opportunities. I’ve also heard some humans say that they’ve always wanted more ‘magic’ in their lives, and Equestria affords them the opportunity to have it. I guess the bottom line is that both worlds have things to offer that the other doesn’t, and perhaps we need some of what the other has.
Q: To Miss Five Stars: Have you ever considered crossing the portal and live on the human world? Or at least visit it? Since you very much enjoy the company of humans, I imagine it might have crossed your mind in the past? Also do you plan on ever settling down? —Curious
I would love to visit Terra, but I fear that would be very difficult right now due to all the press attention I’m getting. I think it’ll happen eventually, but probably not until some of the media interest blows over. I know I’d like to visit New York City to see Cayenne and meet the staff of the New York Life magazine, but that’s pretty much impossible right now. Maybe in a year or two.
And would I ever settle down? In due time and with the right person—I’ve said before there are one or two Gentlemen I would definitely consider it with—I imagine I could. For now, though… I’m enjoying my life at G4M too much to give it up.
And actually, that leads to this next question:
Q: Do Gentlemen ever fall for their trainers or… ‘handlers’ I believe is the term?
They do indeed, as our fine former and future Gentleman Postman shows. And it’s often a beautiful thing when it happens, love growing out of familiarity and friendship, becoming something more. To be sure, some handlers indulge in their Gentlemen even without a relationship—there are provisions for that in their employment contracts—but relationships or no, they all care very much about the Gentlemen in their charge.
And speaking of which… here’s one question I’d love for a handler to answer. Take it away, Honey.
Q: This is a less a question for Gentlemen than the stallions and mares who help them… Why do you work for Gentlemen for Mares? What do you get out of it, and how do you answer claims that you’re in the business of helping destroy herds and harmony?
Every mare has their reasons for becoming a trainer or handler. For me it was the tremendous affection I felt for the men who, to this day, continue to unselfishly give themselves to the lonely mares who long only for a kind word and a gentle touch. As to what I get out of it? Well, I suppose the most rewarding part of being a handler of Gentlemen is that I get to work closely with five of the kindest, funniest, most wonderful men a mare could ever hope to know, unruly as they might be at times (yes, I’m talking to YOU, Mr. Chippendales!)
As to the accusation of Gentlemen for Mares being in “the business of helping destroy herds and harmony?” I dare any pony to say that to the countless mares whose experiences with herds have been anything but harmonious.
The way I see it, denouncing the agency for the love and tenderness it provides for these mares is no different than denouncing the charities that provide the orphaned foals of Equestria with soft beds to sleep in and warm food to fill their hungry bellies. The only difference is, we help lovelorn mares fill their hungry hearts.
I am giving Five Stars permission to use my name, in a show of solidarity with our exposed Gentlemen… and to show that I am not ashamed of what I do in the least.
—Honeydew Blossom
Well-said, Honey. And I look forward to hearing more about your recent vacation! Here’s the answer to the same question from another Handler:
Well, for me the answer is pretty complicated. When Platinum approached me on this, her selling point was that humans and ponies needed a little help in getting closer. Most humans had thought of us as nothing more than ‘clever’ animals, while a lot of ponies thought of humans as ‘dangerous and clever’ animals. It wasn’t an obvious thing, but even now, you can see ripples of those thoughts.
I can’t speak for the humans, though it’s obvious why they’d think about us that way, but the pony view all came from the fact that humans, unlike any race from Tellus, have no inherent magic. It’s an old belief that magic was the sign that showed if an individual has a soul, something a lot of ponies still believe today. I was actually a believer of that thought until I had the privilege of studying human cultures and histories during the ‘First Contact’ as it was called. It opened my eyes.
Platinum’s plan was pretty simple. Ponies have an overarching culture of friendship, and in a way, intimacy. Her first idea was more of random meet-ups, getting-to-know-each-other type of encounters. The plan was a tried and true procedure of exposing both races with each other. Then, as everyone knows, Lyra came out in the open, declaring publicly her relationship with her human boyfriend. That gave her the idea to revive an old business, using humans instead of stallions. After all, if both can enjoy each other’s company in bed, both can enjoy each other’s company out of it.
Her words, not mine.
To be fair, the initial G4M was more intimate than what we have present, but that changed when in-heat customers discovered the joys of zero-risk sex. It still is a solid idea, something I can stand with. I want ponies and humans to get along, and I think this is one of the best ways to do it.
I can however sympathize with those that think this is harming the herd, and apparently, harming Harmony. Herd Family was ingrained in our culture to help our numbers recover after our war with the Gryphon Kingdom. The loss of the majority of our pegasi stallions took a heavy toll on our gender ratio. However, as the years passed, herd culture became inexplicably tied to Harmony. No one seemed to realize that herd formation was nothing more than a delaying plan of action.
Harmony was born when the three pony races united to serve the common good, when we learned that our squabbles left us cold and hungry. To put simply, it is the strength of the bonds we create. Friendship is magic, as they say.
The idea that Harmony flows from a Perfect Herd is fiction, because there is no such thing as a Perfect Herd. We have countless cases where a mare is dissatisfied with their herds, and those are not even the worst example of the by-products of the herd culture. Misborn hate is something that would have never existed, yet it does.
G4M—or if I may cut to the bone of the issue, humans are not destroying Harmony, or even Herds. The problems we’re seeing had always been there. And now we have someone else, a new race with no inherent magic, to blame for our shortcomings.
You’ll forgive me for signing my response with an alias. I do so not out of shame, but simply because I prefer my privacy.
—“Evening Rain”
Thank you for answering, “Eve”. Very well-written and thoughtful, touching on a lot of points I haven’t even made yet. I know we don’t always get along, but I really do respect you.
Q: I’m curious… what happened to that colt-cuddler who wanted to know if he could hire a Gentleman in the first Q&A session?
Ah yes. In the end, he and other stallions like him (word apparently got around) have been handled off-the-books by a small but select group of willing Gentlemen. After talking it over, we made the determination that for the time being we do not accept stallion clients at G4M. But what Gentlemen do on their own time is their own business…
I can’t officially comment on this since their actions are not officially endorsed by the company. But unofficially, I will simply note that gay stallions can be just as lonely as mares, and I think what these Gentlemen do for them on their own time and dime is very generous and noble.
Q: How are Gentlemen trained? A perfect date is hard to accomplish, so how do the ladies teach the men to act in a public setting before they actually go on a date? Does the company have fake dining rooms for couples to practice in, complete with chefs that make meals to teach Gentlemen what’s normal dining when with a mare?
Well, I couldn’t say that much about our training methods previously—trade secrets and all. But after talking it over with Platinum, I’ve been granted permission to do so:
It surprises many prospective Gentlemen to discover that most of their initial training takes place not in the bedroom, but in a classroom and gym. We put each recruit through an eight-week ‘boot camp’—another human term we’ve borrowed—that consists of a lot of physical conditioning alternating with classroom instruction—anatomy, sociology, and various etiquette courses, including normal dating and dining habits. Strength and stamina are prerequisites for any human that wishes to wear the title of Gentleman, as are extensive knowledge of Equestrian social norms and customs. I would go so far as to say that the latter are in fact more important than lovemaking ability, since they serve to set the scene and provide the environment and foreplay so many mares crave.
That said, we do put our new Gentlemen through a few ‘mock dates’ at our own establishments where trainers play the roles of difficult or needy clients. That requires a certain mindset on the part of Gentlemen and trainer alike, and this is one of the few G4M jobs I don’t do—simply because I find it very hard to be deliberately mean or snooty to a man; especially one who’s only trying to attend me.
We do get a few washouts, some may be surprised to hear. We’re better about this now, but occasionally we encounter a prospective gentlemen who is lazy and inattentive, or only interested in ‘getting laid’ as opposed to doing their job. That’s not what we’re about, and any potential Gentlemen who shows such proclivities doesn’t make it in the company or with clients.
I think I know exactly the Gentleman to answer the next question as well:
Q: A question for Gentlemen: are mares as kinky as some women are? Like, Fifty Shades of Grey kinky? What’s the most unusual request you’ve ever had? And did you find it at all uncomfortable?
Having been company to women and mares alike, I feel comfortable in saying that there is little that separates our two races in our desires. The need in a mare’s eyes are indistinguishable from that of a woman, no matter what country that woman may call home.
That said, Equestria’s mares have their own unique ideas of what is taboo which leads to awkward and somewhat questionable requests—like hunter-on-prey. I can’t say too much as to identify my client, but roleplaying an encounter in which the mare is powerless is something I have had to struggle to overcome. It’s not in my nature to take advantage of the weak, but to use my strength to protect others.
In the end, I reminded myself that while my culture has conditioned me to act a certain way, I am fulfilling the needs of my client and doing so in a way where she is still in control. She was very happy with how she was treated, and relieved to have been able to enjoy a fantasy she had been having for a long time.
Being sensitive to the needs of the client is a big part of what being a gentleman is all about, and overcoming self-imposed limitations—in this case my own social mores—is a big part of why I do what I do. I’ve never turned down a challenge or a chance to improve myself, and consider it my purpose in life to help others do the same.
—“Stuntman”
Very good answer, Stuntman. Have to say, you’re certainly among the most adventurous of our Gentlemen, though considering your proclivity for danger and fun, that’s to the occasional chagrin of your handler… and me.
And saving what I think is the biggest question for last…
Q: This question is for the founder of Gentlemen for Mares herself, Platinum Corona: How did you come up with the idea of G4M? Are you a client yourself? And why is it you rarely give interviews or are seen outside of Manehattan?
Well, then. Guess I couldn’t escape scrutiny forever!
Though I would prefer to let Five Stars tell the story of how G4M was eventually founded, I will say this: as “Eve” touched on, I saw early on the promise and potential of humanity to help solve the shortage of stallions and lack of male love too many mares experience. As for where I got the idea, I would simply say I was there to see the first relationships between men and mare blossom, and when I saw the results firsthoof for myself, I realized that this would be something that could eventually benefit both species.
As to myself… no, I am not a client. It would simply not do for me to indulge in the Gentlemen of my own escort service. For the record, I do have a life outside of G4M, but it is one I prefer to keep secret, both for my own sake and the sake of my loved ones. Over the years I’ve been called everything from a corrupter of ponies to a destroyer of harmony, but the truth is that I am nothing more than a pony with a desire to help others find love, and founding Gentlemen for Mares was one of the ways I’ve chosen to do that.
Believe me, it was not a decision I made lightly, and there were more than a few hiccups along the way, especially early on. But I do not regret forming G4M, or the role I have played in bringing male company and contentment to many a lonely mare. I am happy to say that I’m in fact stunned by our success, and I thank Five Stars from the bottom of my heart for the attention, acceptance and popularity she has brought us.
Thank you, Platinum. But I can’t take all or even most of the responsibility for this. It was you who founded the company, you who recruited me, you who selected me to write these articles, and you who stood by them when things looked bleak. I thank you again from the bottom of my own heart for the opportunity you gave me, both with these articles and the second chance you brought me so long ago. You gave my life new purpose when I had just about given up on it, and I will never forget it as long as I live.
And with that… it’s time to bring down the curtain on the second act of my story. The third one, containing the stories of my final herds, the coming of humanity and the founding of G4M will not begin right away, but instead will wait a few weeks while I take my second break. As for what I’m planning to do… with any luck, this time nopony will know until after the fact.
Until then, thanks again for all the questions, and the continued interest in my story and that of Gentlemen for Mares. I had no idea when I started this series how much fame it would bring me and the company I work for. It is, as Platinum says, a mixed blessing, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying the attention. Not much else to say, except… until next time, dear readers!