Celestia's sun has just set. The last bit of pinkish light is fading over the horizon, and ponies everywhere are lighting lamps outside their homes and closing up shops.

Twilight feels like she's been floating in clouds all day. She trots down one of Ponyville's roads, humming tunelessly, smiling. Everything is wonderful – every meal a feast, every pony her friend, every book the best she's ever read. She'd dragged herself home early that morning – Haha yes Spike, Rarity and I just had a little sleepover, yes I know you wish you had been there – and collapsed in bed for hours. She woke up feeling like a new pony.

The previous night has been replaying in her head over and over again. She never imagined it would all feel so good. And she hadn't even had anything done to her, really. It made the solo act look like the pale imitation it was, something lame and hobbled. A last resort. Maybe it didn't get her any closer to Luna, exactly, but it's obviously worth learning about.

Luna!

A giddy thrill rises through her chest for the hundredth time that day. What it must be like to do... that... with the Princess of the Night! Twilight sighs and looks dreamily up at the sky. Last night plays in her head again but it's the Princess in place of Rarity, swishing her mane in Twilight's face, lifting her haunches, inviting her to...

Rope it in, you silly filly. Until you get home, anyway.

That particular scene has quickly taken top place in her mental list of fantasies, jockeying for first with the actual memories of the previous night. She's already trying to decide which one to focus on later, when she gets home. Well, why not... both?

Why not... lying in bed, moonlight pouring in the window. Luna is snuggling Twilight in her forelegs, kissing her head and cheek. She looks down and Rarity is nuzzling her thighs, licking gently at her...

She shakes her head.

Public! Walking in public. Plenty of time for that later.

She finally arrives at her destination: a slightly grubby fried food stand, one of the only places in Ponyville open all night. Of course, there's a line at the window, and she happily waits.

She remembers the look Spike had given her when she announced where she was going. She snickers quietly to herself. He had asked her if she was alright, said she was acting way too "chill." She laughs again. Chill.

Why shouldn't they get a bunch of greasy take out? Who cares what day of the week it is, or how late? Sex is a thing, and it is amazing, and life is wonderful.

She reaches the front of the line, and abandons all restraint. A deluxe fried daffodil sandwich, please. Extra cheese. Like, way extra. Several sandwiches' worth of cheese. And a large order of hay fries – extra crispy, just the way Spike likes them. And smoothies! Smoothies for all!

She stands nearby, waiting for her order. The stars are coming out. She can't wait to get home with her food, can't wait to see the look on Spike's face. She really should treat him to stuff like this more often. He can stay up late tonight, she decides. And then she can settle in for some good reading, all night.

It sounds just perfect.

Unless Rarity's not busy...

She gets a devious smile, hearing Rarity's moaning breath in her ears. They hadn't talked much in the morning. Rarity seemed eager to get to work, just a little...

Cold?

No, just busy. Brusque. She gets like that. When she's busy.

Just for us...

She can almost feel her friend's embrace, sighing as she remembers falling asleep in another pony's arms. She tries to picture herself nestled against Princess Luna, feeling her heavenly breath against the back of her neck... and feels strangely guilty.

How could you?

What? How could I... do what?

Cheat on her like that!

Which one?

It's fine. Rarity's my friend. Just my friend. Luna asked me to do this.

She stares down at her hooves, still feeling a weirdly sourceless pang of remorse.

She asked you to do this. And it felt AMAZING.

The pang disappears. Her sneaky smile returns.

I can't wait to do that again! It felt so GOOD...

"Well hey there!"

She jumps and turns to see a yellow stallion beaming at her.

"Braeburn?"

"Evenin' Twilight."

He looks tired but fresh, like he just showered up after a long day. In fact, that must be it. His mane is still wet.

"Hi! I didn't know you were still around," she says.

"Train leaves first thing tomorrow," he says.

"Oh. So what are you up to?"

"Just thought I'd pick up some food 'fore I ship outta town. AJ and Big Mac keep sayin' this stand here makes the best darn hay fries in Equestria. Thought I'd see for myself."

"You walked all the way out here alone?"

"Yeah, well, the family's mostly fussin' over Mac still. AJ almost walked out with me but she passed. I don't much blame her, we put in a lotta work today."

"Is Macintosh okay?"

"Aw, of course he is. 'Scuse me for a moment? I'm powerful hungry." Braeburn walks away and gets in line.

Twilight puzzles over this new development.

I wonder what it would be like to...

She blinks a few times, a little shaken by where she knows her mind was about to wander.

Well why not? I mean...

Step one: Find a nice stallion.

And what do we have here?

She stares at Braeburn as he waits in line, trying to not be too obvious about it. He is kind of dashing. It wasn't something she'd really considered, least of all back when they first met. But she does find him kind of cute, now that she is thinking about it, with his jaunty cowboy hat and flowing locks. He seems nice enough. He is part of the Apple family, after all.

Step two?

Flirt with him! But how?

Okay, just... just talk. I can do this. Twilight Sparkle, we are go for step two.

Braeburn places his order and joins her. He smiles at her as he walks over, sending warm fuzzy feelings through her chest. They trigger a swell of nervousness in their wake. It's almost as frightening as it is thrilling.

Okay, he IS cute.

She smiles back, hoping to return the effect.

"Hoo boy, doesn't that smell just make your stomach growl?" he says.

"What's the matter, you don't have hay fries in Appleloosa?" Twilight asks.

"Not to speak of. You come here often?" he says.

"Not really. Not here. It is good, though." Twilight tries to downplay how often she does order out, hopefully veering the conversation away from any mention of cooking.

"It looks good. I tell ya, I do miss the late night eatery. Seems like everything in Appleloosa closes at six sharp."

"Well, it's not like Ponyville is a bustling metropolis. This is pretty much the only option at night. I miss that about Canterlot sometimes."

"You've been to Canterlot?!" He gawks at her.

Twilight folds her ears down a little. She usually tries not to drop that bit of info, out of fear of bragging. It just slipped out. "...I grew up there," she says.

"Doesn't that beat all. Must really be somethin'. AJ told me a few bits about it, but I can't imagine what the real thing is like."

"Where are you from? Before Appleloosa, I mean."

"My pa's farm outside Fillydelphia. Way out, deep in the sticks. Never spent any time in a city, honestly. Ponyville's one of the bigger places I've seen."

A gruff pony at the stand calls out both their numbers. They pay for their food, and Twilight levitates several paper bags into a satchel on her back.

"That's, uh... you must have quite an appetite for such a little filly," Braeburn says, looking at her order compared to his one bag. He winces at his own sentence. "I mean...! Uh... that is to say..." he stammers.

Aww, he's nervous, too!

"I'm bringing some home for Spike. You remember my dragon?" she says.

"The little purple fella?"

"That's the one."

"He's your... pet, or somethin', right?"

"Assistant."

"Huh." Braeburn just stands there. Clearly, magical dragon assistants are something beyond his realm of experience.

"Are you going to walk those fries all the way back to Sweet Apple Acres?" Twilight asks.

"I guess so." Braeburn looks around. There aren't any tables or anywhere to sit nearby. "Thought I might just go sit in the park or something."

"Why don't you come back to the library with me?"

Braeburn smiles again, an honest, foalish kind of grin. "That sounds nice. Thank ya kindly, Twilight."

Well, that was easy.

For some reason she had thought flirting with guys would be awkward and difficult.

Is that really what's happening here? Flirting?

She can't really tell. It's not at all like those dumb romance novels, or that awful date. They're just talking. It all seems so natural. Like she's just hanging out with one of her friends.

She leads the way. Braeburn keeps stride with her, holding a brown paper bag in his mouth, the bottom of the bag slowly getting dark with grease.

"So... you were working at Sweet Apple Acres today?"

"Hmmf bmmmg," Braeburn says around the bag. Twilight opens her satchel with her magic and takes his food, stuffing it on top of her own.

"Thanks." He flexes his mouth, sticking his tongue out. "I'm mighty jealous of you unicorns sometimes. Carrying everything in your mouth isn't the tastiest thing to do."

"Well, there are lots of things earth ponies can do that I... hey!" She feels her bag being pulled away, sliding over her head before she can react. Braeburn has the strap in his teeth, and he expertly slings it over his back in one smooth motion. Twilight just stares at him, a little shocked by the sudden invasion of personal space. Braeburn notices her stare and smiles sheepishly.

"What kind of colt would I be if I let a pretty filly like you carry her own bag?" he says.

"That's a little old fashioned," she says, still not sure if she liked that.

"Well, you know the Apple family."

She fires up her horn, floating the bag off his shoulders and back onto her own. "Thanks, but I can carry it. I'm not big on that traditional mushy romance stuff."

"I was just mindin' manners. Who said anything about romance?" He cocks an eyebrow at her.

She blushes.

Darn, he got me... no, wait – he called me pretty before!

She looks at him and indeed, he's grinning at her, like he's read her mind.

"Sorry. It was a nice gesture." She pauses, not sure if she should divulge the next part. "I'm a little wary of stallions right now, I guess. I had a really awful date last night."

"Awful date? You, uh, are you... seeing someone?" Braeburn asks.

"Not him, that's for sure," she says. She sees Braeburn sigh and relax a little. She can tell he's trying to hide it, but she notices, and it gives her a little thrill.

Hey, this IS kind of fun!

"He didn't try anything... untoward, did he?" Braeburn says.

"No, not really. He said some untoward things. Definitely not old fashioned."

Braeburn snorts and glares.

"Not that it's really any of your business," Twilight says with a wry smile.

"No, I know. But..." he trails off, snorting again. "Makes me madder than a rattlesnake in an apple barrel. Colts not treatin' fillies with respect. Ain't right."

Twilight smiles harder. Coming from anypony else those words would make her eyes roll right out of her head. As if all mares need a male to protect them! But for some reason she finds it adorable this time.

"...You're cute," she says quietly.

"Huh?"

"And we're here!" she says before Braeburn can sort out her last words.

"You live in a tree?" Braeburn stares openly.

"Welcome to the Ponyville Library!" Twilight opens the door, leading him inside.

Twilight chews absent-mindedly at what's left of her sandwich. It's cold, and the cheese has congealed into a solid, plastic-y chunk.

Might have overdone it on the cheese.

She drops the last bit of food back in the bag and pushes it away, turning back to the mess of papers in front of her.

Braeburn is still talking. She's only half-listening at this point, reviewing her notes. He certainly does go on. Not that that's a bad thing. All she has to do is push him along with a question now and then and he's off, ranging far and wide.

By now Twilight has enough notes to send revisions to four flora and fauna associations in Canterlot, as well as a rough outline for what could become a definitive history of Appleloosa and the Westward Expansion. Not to mention a good start on known buffalo tribes, with notes on customs and language.

It's like being in school again. Except this stuff is new, as far as she knows. She could get books published from Braeburn's ramblings. Unfortunately, it had taken her a while to get him going. He had been all too eager to ask her about Canterlot, the incident with Nightmare Moon, all about her. She had let Spike explain most of that. Before the little guy fell asleep, anyway.

"...So anyway, that's how my second cousin started the Sierra Neighvada gold rush," Braeburn says.

"You mean Cortland?" Twilight asks.

"That's the one."

She checks her sketched out Apple family tree. The name is correctly placed. Sorting that particular puzzle out has been a delightful challenge. She knew Applejack's family was prolific, but still.

"Twilight?"

"Mmm-hmm?" She doesn't even look up.

"You... uh... I ain't boring you or nothin', am I?"

She looks at him, still levitating several stacks of paper. "What?" she says.

"I've never seen someone take notes on what I was saying," he says. He looks a little confused, like he hadn't noticed before.

"You talk almost as much as Pinkie Pie. Except what you say isn't complete nonsense."

"Pinkie Pie... your friend who did the song and dance number?"

"Yes." Twilight groans at that memory.

"Oh." Braeburn drops his eyes, looking disappointed. Twilight winces and puts the papers down. He speaks again before she can think of anything to say.

"I know I got a bit of a motormouth. Folks are always tellin' me to can it in. Shoot, every day I've been in Ponyville, AJ's asked me why I can't be more like Big Mac." He looks at the papers all around Twilight. "Yer really that interested in what I'm jawin' on about?"

"Sure I am. It's interesting stuff," she says.

"Huh. Doesn't that just take the apple cake. Not sure anyone's ever told me that before." Braeburn stares into space, chewing it over.

Twilight looks around the library. Between her notes and the leftovers from their take out, the place is a bit of a mess. Spike is passed out on a thick cushion, snoring every now and then. She refuses to look at the clock. It's been hours, easily. If she doesn't know what time it is, they don't have to bring it up, and he won't have to leave, before...

She sweeps her papers to the side, consciously trying to disengage from study/interview mode. She'd fallen into it as they talked, knowing it was happening but mostly powerless to resist. The whole time, in the back of her mind, a voice was reminding her that Braeburn could probably help her with a different kind of research. She steels herself and hits him with what she hopes is a seductive smile.

"Oh shoot, look at the time. I gotta be on that darn train at six," Braeburn says.

Nooooooooo!

"Oh... leaving so soon?" she says, still smiling.

Is it working? This is how Rarity does it, right?

She has no idea what she looks like, and figures she probably just looks goofy.

"Well, it is after midnight. I'm mighty sorry to keep you up so late," Braeburn says, standing up. Twilight gets up as well, sidling nearer to him.

"No, it's no problem, this was fun. I was really glad to have you over," she says, staring into his eyes.

Come on, take the hint already. Am I hinting enough? How do I hint more?

"I'd love to have you out to Appleloosa again some time," he says, smiling too. Is he nervous?

He looks nervous again.

Is that good?

"Well, it's not exactly close," she says. "Is that it? This is goodbye?" She steps closer to him.

"'Fraid so. For a while, anyway."

"But I don't know when I'll see you again."

She fixes his eyes with her own, and he freezes.

Aha! That's how it's done!

His smile fades, she can see the gears turning in his head. He shifts on his hooves. Suddenly he looks determined. He looks her right in the eye, leans forward...

This is it!

...and halts, pulling back. He grins, blushing a little.

Oh, for Celestia's sake!

Without thinking, she darts forward and quickly kisses him on the lips. His jaw drops, and he stares at her in surprise. She's surprised, too.

What was that? I did that? Who is this crazy mare, whose body I'm stuck in?

"Shucks, Twilight. That was, uh, I mean... not, uh..." Braeburn stammers.

"Not old fashioned?" she says.

"Yeah, I suppose." He chuckles.

"Well you chickened out," she says.

"What?!"

"You wanted to kiss me but you chickened out," she says smugly.

"An Apple stallion don't chicken out from anything!" Braeburn scoffs.

"Chickened. Out." She emphasizes both words.

"I'll show you chickened out..."

He lunges forward, locking lips with her, and a heady rush of adrenaline courses through her body. He slides his tongue against hers. It's bigger and rougher than Rarity's, and he moves it around clumsily, compared to her friend. The brim of his hat nudges against her horn, rubbing the fluting, and her haunches twitch at the contact.

Something makes a grumbling noise to her left. They both jump and break away from each other. Spike is rolling on his cushion, making weird snorting noises.

"Rar... Rarity... mmm," the little dragon mutters, not opening his eyes. Braeburn looks at Twilight with a cocked eyebrow.

"Rarity? Ain't she another friend of yours?" he whispers.

"Long story," she says quietly.

She looks back and forth from Spike to Braeburn.

Well, this isn't gonna work.

Braeburn is just standing there with hope in his eyes. She swears she can feel how badly he wants her. It's a strange new feeling – she had done her best to ignore male attention in the past. But here, now, it's exciting her.

Just go for it. Do it. This is your chance!

"Come with me," she says. She walks past him, watching him over her shoulder. His face is a mask of dumb shock, mouth hanging open. He obeys her silently. She leads him up the stairs. Both of them tread softly on the wooden steps. He's probably staring at her flanks. But that's okay.

They enter her bedroom. She closes the door softly, and turns on a few lights with her magic. Just a few. Not all.

"Gosh, you don't have enough books downstairs?" Braeburn is gawking at the shelves all around him.

"This is my private collection," she says. She nods towards another, smaller set of stairs. They climb up into her bedroom proper. Between the starlight filtering in through the window and the lamps downstairs, the room is bathed in dim light. Twilight breathes a sigh of relief that Spike cleaned up and made the bed earlier.

"So... uh... this is a pretty fancy place you got here." Braeburn shifts on his hooves, looking deeply uncomfortable.

She magicks his hat off, floating it over to a dresser. She walks up to him and quickly kisses him on the cheek, brushing her snout through his mane. The hair, like his tongue, is rougher than Rarity's, and it tickles her nose.

She smiles at him, again with a look that she hopes is enticing. He stares back, smiling... uneasily? Is she doing something wrong here? She can still feel his desire, see it in his eyes. What's holding him back?

"Something wrong?" she asks.

"No! No... I mean... you sure this ain't a little... fast?" he says.

She can't help a voice in her head making an awww noise. He's straight out of one of Rarity's books.

Fortunately for him, I'm not.

"Maybe it is. But we won't see each other again for... I don't even know. It's now or possibly never," she lies. It wouldn't be all that hard to go out to Appleloosa again.

"I don't wanna be takin' advantage of anypony," he says, stepping closer to her.

"You're not. I want this." She steps in too, their lips almost touching. His face changes completely, all apprehension gone. He grins eagerly at her and then she closes her eyes out of instinct as he closes in. He kisses her hungrily, pushing her back onto her rump.

He's more aggressive than Rarity. And he doesn't smell as nice. But it's still exhilarating. Twilight wonders how doing the same thing can feel so different. Braeburn is holding her tightly in his arms, clumsily rubbing his tongue along hers, not letting her tongue in at all.

She's waiting for an opening, but every kiss leads to a new kiss. He keeps chaining them together, pausing only to press his mouth into her again, almost stern. She goes along with it for a while. It's not bad, but that pressure is starting to wind up in her again, and she's eager to act.

She pushes his chest with her hooves, breaking his latest kiss. A thin strand of saliva connects their lips, and Braeburn bashfully wipes his mouth with a hoof, breathing heavily. He looks like he's about to apologize for the spit, so Twilight starts kissing his cheek, brushing her face into his thick strands of mane, savoring the feeling. She moves down, kissing along his neck, and he moans, hugging her tightly with his forelegs.

She feels him nuzzling the side of her head, feels his lips searching for something before they close around the edge of her ear. His teeth clamp around the cartilage and she gasps.

Wow, that is lovely!

She lets him chew on her ear while she nuzzles his neck. Every nerve in her body is tingling, and every small hair of his coat brushing against her is heaven. She feels that lustful blur start to overtake her thoughts again, her efforts to observe and analyze slowly fading away.

He releases her ear, and she shudders as she feels his hot breath drawing away. She grabs the collar of his vest with magic and, with a sly grin, drags him over to her bed. He sits on the edge, looking at her with something like wonder. She props her hooves up on his knees then leans into him, kissing him while she unbuttons his vest and slides it off his arms.

She doesn't use magic on purpose – she drags her hooves over his broad chest and thick arms, feeling the firm muscles there. She drops the vest over the side of the bed and pushes him down, lying on top of him. She rests her arms on him, their noses inches away.

She stares into his bright green eyes. He lies there, panting, nostrils flaring, focused entirely on her, waiting. She feels amazing, beautiful, powerful. She knows he's complete putty in her hooves, he'd do anything for her right now, and she's never felt anything like it.

She leans forward to kiss him and pulls back at the last second. He tries to raise his head but can't get high enough with her arms pinning his chest. She giggles, but he wraps his arms around her back and rolls over, pinning her under him.

Maybe I was getting a little ahead of myself there...

He looks down at her with a smug grin and kisses her hard, pressing her head into the blankets. Her arms are pinned between their chests. She can't really move, all she can do is squirm and flick her tail and kick her legs a little as he kisses her again and again, then runs his tongue up her neck. She moans and feels herself getting wetter every second.

She can feel him too, something hard and hot resting on her belly. She thinks it feels big, but it grows as she squirms against it, sliding along her coat, pulsing with his heartbeat.

Oh dear Princess, that thing is supposed to go inside me?

He bucks his hips against her, grinding their bodies together, and it grows even more.

She finally squeezes her arms out from under his chest and wraps them in his mane, pulling him down. It's so thick, it's amazing, it feels like rope bunched up in her hooves. She rubs her face in it and bites on a hunk of light brown hair, her whole body shuddering under his delightful weight. He replies by nibbling on her neck, choking out a moan while she pulls his hair. She suddenly feels sticky wetness rubbing into her coat high on her belly.

He sits up, snorting and stomping one hoof. His eyes are wild, almost feral, and he motions up with his snout, like he wants her to do something.

Is this it? Am I supposed to just turn around now?

She looks down and can barely see his exposed self. It's hard to make out detail in the dim light.

"Wait." She props her hooves against his chest, holding him.

Braeburn shakes his head, the feral intensity fading away a bit. "What?" he pants out.

"Can I see it? It's my first time."

"What?"

"Just hold on one second." She lights up her horn, turning on a lamp next to the bed. Braeburn squints in the new light.

"Wait wait wait." Braeburn doesn't move, her hips are still pinned to the bed. "You've never done this before?"

"No." She smiles at him. Not with a stallion, she doesn't say.

"But you're so... so..." He hangs on the last word, then changes his mind. "Really?"

"What were you going to say?"

"Uh... enthusiastic? Good? I'm just surprised, is all. In a good way, mind you."

"You've done this before?" she asks him.

Of course he has, why did you say that?

"Uhhh... well, yeah," Braeburn says, glancing away from her. She suddenly remembers the question Rarity had brought up before.

"Oh! Oh gosh, I'm not... coming between you and anyone. Am I?"

"No, no, nothin' like that. We split up," Braeburn says.

"Oh. I'm sorry," she says, automatically.

"It's fine. She didn't much like the idea of movin' out into a desert, is all."

They both pause, averting their eyes.

Wait a minute... this was really hot a second ago.

Did I kill the mood?

Do something, quick, before it gets awkward!

She grabs his face and kisses him quickly, softly biting his lower lip as she pulls away. She instantly feels him twitch against her belly, and when she opens her eyes that wild intensity is creeping back onto his face.

"Her loss," Twilight says.

"Wow," he says, grinning madly. "You are quite the filly."

She grins back and her horn glows, pulling him up into the air.

"Whoa. Whoa now!" He flails his limbs around helplessly before she puts him down, sitting at the head of her bed. She pulls his head and chest up and spreads his back legs, holding him in a somewhat awkward position.

And there it finally is. For all the suggestive positions in Dash's magazines, they never actually showed genitals. Now the mystery organ is right in front of her, and she scoots closer, eyes fixed on it. She moves her head side to side, contemplating it from different angles.

Her eyes rest on a heavy pair of balls, pulled tight against his body. Then her gaze climbs up the shaft. There are obvious veins pulsing against the skin, she wasn't expecting that. She examines the flat head, gasping a little at how much it flares out, wondering what that will feel like going in.

"Why is it wet?" she asks. The head is slick with something.

"It does that. When you're ready to... uh... do the deed."

"Huh," she says, a hoof to her chin. Rarity's books had all shied away from that kind of detail. She reaches a hoof out and tentatively pokes it. It wobbles like a stick on a spring, quivering. Braeburn's whole body twitches at the contact, she can feel it in her horn.

"You uh... you gonna start takin' notes?" he says, chuckling.

Twilight ignores him. She runs her hoof up its length. It's all smooth skin, no hair at all, just like Rarity's... well, just like other private parts. Braeburn grunts and his cock visibly swells. This piques Twilight's interest and she starts stroking him vigorously, using a hoof on either side, fishing for reactions.

Braeburn doesn't disappoint. He gasps, and his organ pulses under her touch.

"Er, uh... Twilight?" he says.

"Mmhmm?" She doesn't look up, too focused on her experiments.

"Think you could let me go?" He chuckles again.

"Oh! Sorry." She releases her magic and he relaxes a little, holding his sitting position. He reaches a hoof up and strokes her hair. She keeps massaging him, fascinated by the feel of it, but his reactions lessen, and her new toy stops pulsing so much.

Well, that won't do. Got to add more stimulation...

She leans forward and runs her tongue up his shaft, stopping just below the head.

"Oh goddess!" he says. His whole body jerks.

Now that's more like it!

She laps at him with her tongue, feeling Braeburn press his hooves against the back of her head. He's shaking all over. She keeps licking. It's such a simple action, but it's obviously driving him crazy.

What next? She wavers between going higher or lower and randomly settles on higher. She stops licking and looks at it. That sticky substance gives her pause, so she rubs her hoof on it first and licks that. It's thick and salty, not good, but not too offensive either. She gives his head a swift lick, running her tongue across the top.

"Oh you've gotta be kidding me!" Braeburn says. She looks up and he's looking down at her, jaw hanging open.

"What?" she says innocently. "Does that feel good?" she asks, knowing the answer.

"This is heaven. I am dead, and this is heaveeeooooohhhhhmyyyyygodddddddd!" Braeburn says, trailing off into a moan as Twilight goes to work on his head. She licks it clean, then takes it into her mouth, sucking on it. Braeburn grunts again, squeezing his hooves against her head.

She looks up at him and their eyes meet.

Long, loving eye contact, and me with his cock in my mouth. Isn't this just romantic...

Braeburn seems to think so. He's sweating and shuddering, his face contorting, it almost looks like he's in pain.

She feels the head twitching in her mouth, feels his breathing pick up. Is he going to finish already? This is too easy. It's like he has a huge, easily found clitoris.

"Stop! Stop stop oh god stop!" he gasps out.

"Mmm?"

He grunts and pulls her head away. She watches a thick thread of saliva stretch and break, then fall glistening along his shaft.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"I've never... done that..." he says between breaths.

"What, not old fashioned enough?" she says, smiling. He grabs her shoulders and pushes her back, leaning into her.

"Shush. I need you. I need to take you right now." Intense again, his eyes burning. It thrills her. She feels sudden heat in her loins and her heart thumping in her chest. He moves around and mounts her from behind instantly, strong and sure. She sighs as his weight pushes her down. Her tail lifts on its own, pure instinct, and she feels the tip of him pressing against her lips, moistening against her slick crotch.

She feels him nuzzling into her mane and turns to look at him over her shoulder.

"Just... start slow, okay?" she says. Her voice wavers a little more than she would like.

"Of course."

He kisses her ear and pushes slowly. Twilight gasps as he enters her, the head spreading her apart. He pauses, then forges ahead, sliding in another inch or two. It hurts a little, but in a good way, like stretching a muscle. She moans as he stops, then pulls back, leaving just the head inside her.

Wow, this is GREAT!

She feels full, feels a deep instinct sighing in satisfaction, but screaming for more. She squeezes with her crotch muscles, bearing down on him. His head twitches inside her, god it feels good, and he snorts, loudly, right in her ear. He starts to push again and she relaxes, her body inviting him in.

He makes a few slow, short strokes, plunging in and out. She moans loudly and wiggles her hips, brushing her tail against his stomach.

More, come on, I'm ready, I want it!

He thrusts deeper, she feels that delightful stretching deep inside her, it's so...

"Ow!" She cringes, her whole body tightening.

"Ow?" He pauses.

She flexes against him, wriggling her hips around.

Just a little tight... and... there. Better.

"Keep going!" she says through panting breaths.

He grunts and thrusts again, harder and deeper.

"Ow!" She digs her hooves into the bed, gritting her teeth.

...Better?

"You okay?" He stops again, quivering inside her.

Passages from anatomy texts run through her brain, mixed with the steamy pages of Rarity's novels.

I can do this. It gets better.

"I'm fine... keep going!" she pleads. She writhes against him, moaning to spur him on.

He pulls back and thrusts, diving in almost to the hilt now.

"Ow!" It feels like she's being fucked by a glass shard. She feels a sharp tearing in one spot, a few inches in, and everything past that is pain. He keeps thrusting, working it in deeper with each stroke.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" She can't stop gasping in pain with each stroke. She pushes her head down, closing her eyes tightly, and bites the fabric of her sheets.

It's fine, I can do this.

It's supposed to hurt the first time, right?

It still feels a little bit good... I think... maybe.

He slams in all the way, his hips making a dull slap against her rump. She squeals in pain, squeezing tears out of her eyes. Is it over yet?

He pulls back, all the way to the head, and rams it home again. He starts thrusting wildly, picking up speed. Twilight screams through gritted teeth, muffling it with the bed, oh god what if I wake up Spike...

I can't do this.

"Owwww ahhhh Braeburn!" She turns, looking at him over her shoulder again. He's far away, eyes rolling back, mouth hanging open.

"Braeburn!" Twilight gasps out, glaring at him. His eyes focus a little, but he keeps going. Twilight feels panic rising in her chest and breaks out into cold sweat. She was in heaven seconds ago. Now all her nervous fear comes flooding back in.

If he doesn't stop I swear I'll magic his rump across the room...

"BRAEBURN! Stop!" she yells. He halts instantly, his eyes focusing again. She can feel tears running down her cheeks. His chest is heaving, sweat trickling down his temples. He stares at her, his face screwed up in dumb confusion.

"It hurts. A lot," she says.

"What if I just go real slow?" He flexes his hips, pushing just a little further into her.

She gasps in pain, wincing. It was fine there before, but the pain has spread.

"Oh!" His eyes shoot open wide, and he pulls out of her. She drops her rump and lets out a tense breath. Relief washes over her, but a sore ache remains between her legs. He stands over her, nervously grimacing.

"Gosh, Twilight, I... I didn't mean to..." He raises a hoof, obviously wanting to touch her but unable to bring himself to do it. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." She squeezes her legs closed, sighing slowly as the sharp ache fades to a dull one.

Fine, except that we aren't having sex right now.

Step 5a. Fail completely at a basic biological function that everypony else pulls off without a hitch.

The books never mentioned this part, either.

She curls her limbs against her body, feeling very small and cold without the cover of blankets. She glances up and Braeburn is still hovering over her, looking away, completely mortified.

Hold me, you idiot!

She rolls onto her side as she lights her horn up, dragging Braeburn into spooning against her back.

"Whoa!" He stiffens up. "Twilight, we don't haveta –"

"I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry," she says.

"Sor– you... wha? I'm the one who's sorry." He loosens up and snuggles against her back, hanging a foreleg over her shoulders. He nuzzles against her gently.

She takes some deep breaths, feeling the last of the adrenaline in her veins ebbing away. He starts to lean his chin on her shoulder, to move in close, and she turns away. She can feel water welling up in her eyes, and she hides them against the mattress.

"It's fine, Twilight. Nothin' to be ashamed of," he whispers in her ear.

"I really want to. But it hurts," she says.

"Shucks, Twilight, you did fine. It's your first time, and y'all are little for a mare... heck you showed me some things I ain't never done before." He kisses her cheek.

"Are you still... I mean, I can still do you. Would that be okay?" she says.

"Don't you worry about me. You just relax now." He starts kissing her neck, and she sighs, happy to feel pleasure again.

She turns to look at him over her shoulder. "But aren't you still... erect? I don't want to just leave you –"

He silences her with a kiss.

"Relax," he whispers. He pulls with his arms, rolling her onto her back. She lets him get on top of her – he's proven himself trustworthy. He gives her a long kiss, barely using his tongue. Then he starts kissing all over her face, moving slowly. He kisses her closed eyes, then follows the trail of her tears, then moves down her neck. He kisses gently, brushing his lips along her coat. She feels that now familiar pressure return, eclipsing the pain.

He moves down further still, kissing up and down her chest and sides. Twilight sighs and smiles. It tickles a little. She runs her hooves through his mane again, following his head around. He moves down her belly, and that really tickles. She can't help but giggle as his wet lips caress her stomach.

"You know, in the old days, when a pony got hurt. You know what they would do?" he says, looking up at her. Twilight just looks at him with her eyebrows raised, waiting. He plants a few kisses up the inside of her thigh.

"They would find where it hurt..." he says, moving to her other thigh, nibbling gently. Twilight sighs, somehow feeling wet again.

"And then..."

He drags his tongue up her nether lips, and she gasps. He laps at her slowly, softly. She tightens her hooves around his hair, biting her lip.

THIS is what I was doing to Rarity?!

He keeps stroking upwards, moving from side to side and then diving down the divide, parting her slightly. She closes her legs around his head and squeezes a little, holding in a moan.

"Oh Braeburn," she mutters. Her eyelids droop. The aching fades away – the pleasure is too strong. It feels like he's massaging a strained muscle. She can feel her own flesh relax and loosen, warm relief flowing through her.

He's kissing her folds now, and she squeezes her legs harder. He goes back to licking, moving around in a circle.

"Ah!" she cries out, in joy this time. It aches, somewhere far back in her mind, but it doesn't matter.

"More!" she pants out. He lifts his head.

"It doesn't hurt?"

"Please!" She pushes his head down and he takes the hint, probing into her with his tongue.

This is the BEST.

It's incredible. It's the best thing... just... THE best thing. She can't even think of words, so she stops trying, just letting the pleasure wash over her. His rough tongue is massaging inside of her now, and it's just...

"It's so good!" she moans out.

He glances up at her, smiling like a maniac. Then he dives back in, running his tongue up and down her lips before sticking it between them. He twirls the tip of his tongue around her hole, and her whole body convulses. She moans again, louder, writhing her hips around.

"A little higher," she begs.

"What?"

"Higher!" She pulls his hair, rubbing his snout into the top of her mound. He starts licking obediently, flicking his tongue over that magic button above the slit.

"OH!" she screams, arching her back. Her eyes go wide. She's crushing his head with her thighs.

She was wrong before: This is the best thing.

"Don't stop! Don't stop don't stooooooohhhhhhh..."

He does what she says, rubbing with his tongue as hard as he can. Twilight is sweating all over, gasping for breath. She starts bucking her hips up, rubbing her folds against his chin. It interrupts his licking a little. She doesn't care, there's something inside her pushing, demanding, her hips are moving on their own. He soldiers on, pressing with his tongue.

She relaxes her thighs and yanks his head up, pulling his whole body.

"Whoa!" Braeburn says, wide-eyed. They're face to face now.

"Take me." She looks him right in the eye, panting.

"You sure?"

"Please!" She kisses him desperately. She can taste herself on his lips, it doesn't matter.

He starts panting. She can feel him against her belly again, rock-hard.

"Like this. Right now." She wiggles her hips under him. His face twists up in utter pleasure as he lowers his body onto her, stomach to stomach. He slides into her much more easily this time – she feels bigger somehow. He certainly isn't smaller. He presses in slowly, gingerly, stopping every inch. She feels a miniature version of the tearing pain from before, and winces.

"You okay?" he asks.

"I'm fine."

She is fine. The pain is nothing now, a distant echo. She just wants to feel him inside her, right now.

"Keep going," she says. She kisses his nose. He does.

He slides in to the hilt, and they pause for a moment, bodies pressed together. She closes her eyes and she can feel his breath in his chest, his heartbeat, the eager twitch in his cock as she nuzzles his snout, every motion he makes. He pulls back, and she clenches around him, feeling empty. He slides back in, and it is pure bliss. He strokes slowly and carefully, moving his whole length in and out.

He keeps that gentle rhythm for a few moments. Twilight opens her eyes, and he's looking down at her, watching intently. He looks almost worried.

"Braeburn." She strokes his mane and raises her head. "I'm fine," she whispers into his ear. "Take me."

He snorts and immediately speeds up, pumping into her.

"Augh!" Twilight cries out, hugging her arms tight around his neck. She stares up at the ceiling, then out the window, at the starry sky. It's not quite the soaring heights of ecstasy she felt when he went down on her, but it's still good. She moans into his ear with each stroke. He grunts each time he rams home, their stomachs making a dull slap as they connect.

She feels him inside her, twitching more, pulsing, alive. It can't be long now. He's been hard this whole time.

She whispers into his ear again. "Braeburn?"

He grunts.

"Don't... don't do it inside me, okay?"

He grunts again. She can't tell if he's agreeing or even listening.

"Braeburn..."

"AAH!" He neighs loudly and pulls out of her at the last second. She feels hot, sticky spurts landing on her belly. He holds himself over her awkwardly as he comes, his hind legs shaking. Finally, he spends himself, and falls to his side, groaning in pleasure.

She lies there for a minute or more, catching her breath. Then she looks down, assessing the damage. There's a mess of white streaks up her belly. Strangely, she doesn't fret over it at all – perfectly natural, if a bit messy. She levitates some tissues over from the side of the bed and cleans herself quickly. She sits up, looking further down.

Rarity's books were always talking about a girl's flower. Twilight hadn't seen the connection until now. It never looked like that before. She's really blossomed, with petals and everything.

"Huh," she says quietly. She starts to chew this over when she notices a red streak leaking out of her.

Is that...?

Curiosity turns to concern and then disgust as she sees the mess on her bed sheets. It's just a trickle now, but she must have really bled earlier. There are nasty-looking stains on her sheets in a circle around her rump.

But that meant he licked her while she was...

Eww!

And then she kissed him...

EWW!

She shudders a little. Credit where it's due, though – he must be braver than she thought before. She stares at the ugly mess. She can't remember the last time she did her own laundry, but she would need some kind of excuse. Spike can't see this. Nopony should see this. She doesn't even want to see it.

And her favorite sheets, too. The ones covered in stars and moons.

She hops off the bed, feeling sore between the legs. She rips the sheets off with one quick pull of magic, rolling Braeburn off the bed. He yelps and lands with a thud.

"Sorry," she says, half-heartedly. She's busy scanning the bed, but nothing soaked through.

"What are you... oh." He stands up and sees the sheets. She drops them in a pile and blushes.

"Guess you weren't kiddin' about being a virgin," he says, laughing a little.

"It's not funny," Twilight says, digging around her closet for more blankets.

"Relax, Twilight. You just wash 'em. It's no big deal."

"I might just burn them."

"Hey! Hey now." He climbs onto the bare bed and beckons her. She levitates some more blankets over and pouts at him. He pats the bed next to him, smiling. She grudgingly climbs on next to him, and he immediately hugs her.

She resists at first, but he kisses her nose and she starts to relax.

"For your first time, that was really somethin'. Best lovemakin' I've ever had," he says.

Twilight rolls her eyes. "You're just saying that," she says.

"I mean it." He stares deep into her eyes. His eyes are green, a little lighter than Applejack's but the resemblance is startling. She flashes back, over a year ago, to a night when she was hanging off the edge of a cliff, and a pair of green eyes showed her what trust and honesty really meant. Again, the resemblance is startling.

"You weren't so bad yourself. When you... when you licked me," she sighs. "Oh, it was so good!"

"Well shucks, you gave me the idea." He smiles at her.

She smiles back and they kiss, sinking together into the bed. She hugs him close and snuggles her snout against his chest. He holds her in his strong forelegs, running his snout through her mane.

I think this part might actually be the best thing.

She's suddenly very sleepy. She can feel herself drifting off.

"Goodnight Braeburn," she says, pulling the blankets over them with magic.

"Goodnight," he yawns, "...Twilight."

She smiles as sleep takes her.

"What time is it?!"

Twilight jolts awake. There is movement next to her, and then the bed feels empty.

"Whurbluh huh?" Twilight mutters, her eyes creaking open.

"My train... aw hayseed and a half! Fritter's gonna tan my hide!"

"Oh!" Twilight snaps to attention, lighting a bedside lamp with her horn. Braeburn is on the floor, tangled up in his own vest.

She steals a quick look at the clock on her nightstand and does some math in her head. "You might make it if you run," she says.

"Alright I can do this... Ooof!" Braeburn trips over the pile of sheets on the floor, landing on his chin. He half runs, half crawls to the door. Twilight grabs his hat in her mouth and follows.

He runs downstairs and through the library, dodging around piles of books and paper. He throws the front door open, but stops and turns to Twilight. She floats his hat into place with a glow of her horn.

"Sorry, I gotta –" he says.

"It's fine," she interrupts.

"Write me?"

"I will." She gives him a quick kiss. "Goodbye."

"So long," he says. He hesitates, then kisses her back. He pulls away and looks at her longingly, then kisses her again. She starts to enjoy it but then pushes him towards the door.

"Go, you dumb foal!" she says with a smile.

He smiles back at her one last time and gallops out the door into the early morning light. She watches him go, standing at her open door. After a few seconds he disappears around the corner. Twilight doesn't move.

And... that's it. He's gone.

She wonders if she'll ever see him again. He's a good guy. She'll definitely write to him.

Well... right after I write to Luna, that is.

She snorts quietly. A triumphant smile rises up as she realizes that she truly is one step closer now.

Yes! Can't wait can't wait cannot wait!

She jolts on her hooves.

What about Rarity?

We're just friends.

What about Braeburn?

Are you kidding? He lives hundreds of miles away.

But...

No, that was just... a fling. One of those things normal, sociable ponies do sometimes. Right?

Princess Luna. Eye on the prize. Beautiful, perfect, night-goddess Luna.

She wouldn't ask me to do something... wrong.

She frowns and stares out at Ponyville slowly waking up, looking for anything else to think about. She's almost never awake this early. Do her friends actually wake up in the morning? Some of them have real jobs, after all. Applejack must be awake. That farm pony is probably up with Celestia every day.

Twilight spends long seconds just staring at the town. It looks deserted. Birds are singing loudly all around her. The sun is still under the horizon, but there is pale blue light, much different from sunset. A cool breeze blows in through the doorway.

She closes the door. She doesn't feel sleepy in the least. She starts walking back up to her room when a small snore grabs her attention.

Spike is lying on the same floor cushion, one arm hanging off the side. She smiles as she watches him sleep, his little chest rising and falling. She grabs him with her magic, lifting his whole body up slowly and moving him over to a huge, plush reading chair.

"Zzzmmm... huh? Twilight?" Spike opens one eye, stirring as he sinks into the chair.

"Shhhh." She grabs a blanket from a closet nearby and tucks it around her number one assistant. He instantly snuggles into it and starts snoring again.

"There you go," she says. She watches him for a few seconds more before retreating back to her room.

She settles in at her desk, preparing some paper and a quill. She looks over both shoulders quickly before levitating a box out from under her bed. She ignores the books and magazines, pulling some papers out from the side. She quickly leafs through the pile, finding her list. Chewing the tip of her quill, she looks it over.

Twilight's Plan to GET LUNA
Phase One

1. Find nice stallion.
2. Flirt with him – learn how to flirt.
3. Go on some dates. (Requires more research conc. How to date? Where to go?)
4. Fall in love? (See notes page seven and eight)
5. Have sex? (NOTE really?)(ALSO NOTE seriously?)
6. End the relationship (Eye on the prize!)
7. Doesn't that sound a bit shallow? (That's not even a step what are you writing go to sleep)
8. Find statistics on average length of relationships, usual causes for breaking up
9. (Wordless scribbles, heart shape with "TS + L" written inside)
10. GO TO SLEEP CHEERILEE IS BRINGING THE FIELD TRIP TOMORROW

Well, that takes care of one, two, three, five... and probably six, too. Not that her little tryst with Braeburn could really be called a relationship. Could it? Numbers seven and ten are irrelevant now. Number eight was a dead end. She had already checked, and apparently the pony academics of Equestria hadn't found time to do such research. All she could find was anecdotes and guessing. Not good enough. She updates her list.

Twilight's Plan to GET LUNA
Phase One

1. Find nice stallion.
2. Flirt with him – learn how to flirt.
3. Go on some dates. (Requires more research conc. How to date? Where to go?)
4. Fall in love? (See notes page seven and eight)
5. Have sex? (NOTE really?)(ALSO NOTE seriously?)
6. End the relationship (Eye on the prize!)
7. Doesn't that sound a bit shallow? (That's not even a step what are you writing go to sleep)
8. Find statistics on average length of relationships, usual causes for breaking up
9. (wordless scribbles, heart shape with "TS + L" written inside)
10. GO TO SLEEP CHEERILEE IS BRINGING THE FIELD TRIP TOMORROW

Yeah, that looks about right.

Unfortunately, pages seven and eight of her notes are just line after line of her own increasingly angry complaints about romance novels.

So... phase two? She's made love to a mare already, but...

This was special. Just for us.

She can't tell Luna about that.

I'll just have to do it again.

She sets about writing.

Phase Two

1. Find a mare (one who doesn't mind me telling Luna) and go on a date.
2. Have some sex!
3. Tell Luna about said sex.
4. Get some Luna (Yes yes yes!)

She pauses. Is that it? What about love? Well, she loves Luna. But the Princess had made her mission clear...

Twilight floats another paper out from the pile, a blue envelope that glitters slightly as it moves. She holds it to her snout and inhales, her head spinning a little. It smells of evening primrose – she had described it to Fluttershy, who had eventually identified it for her.

It was just sitting on her desk one morning. The letter inside was short, to the point, and made Twilight's heart flutter.

My eager student,

I'm so happy to hear of your findings. I look forward to the night you can show me what you've learned.

Try to not overthink this, my Twilight. Let your emotions and sensations guide you. Do not be afraid to look for love anywhere, even amongst your friends. Is not true friendship just a form of love, after all?

Find love, make love, and be merry. You've taken your first steps into a larger world.

Your Midnight Princess
L

Beneath the initials there is a stain of lipstick on the paper. Twilight rubs the letter against her cheek and shudders, immediately feeling embarrassed for doing such a thing. She puts her notes and the letter away, then draws up a blank piece of paper.

Dearest Princess Luna,

I made love! It was amazing! We had a few... difficulties, but it worked out in the end. I never thought anything could feel so good! My stallion was sweet and kind, and I was so lucky to have found him. It was pure chance, really – we just sort of fell in together. Much less awkward than the formal date I went on.

She pauses. She wants to explain her time with Rarity. It had been... different. Better? She's not sure. Twilight has so many questions. But she can't. She sighs, and continues.

Unfortunately, he lives far away, so it looks like our night together was a one-time thing. I admit, I don't think I love him. I think my crush on you is still keeping me from really falling in love. Sorry? I'll keep trying. Is it possible to be in love with more than one pony at once?

I suppose I'll find out. I'm going to try to find a mare now. I'm really excited about this. I don't know if my love for you makes me think of mares more often, or if I think of you because I like mares. It's a silly question. You are in a class of your own.

Your Eager Student,
Twilight Sparkle

It pains her to lie to the Princess, but it has to be done. She is excited, though. At least that part is honest. She folds the letter into an envelope and focuses on it. Again, the magic flows through her deliciously, touching her mind with just a glimpse of the majesty of a goddess. When she opens her eyes, the letter is gone, and she sighs in the warm afterglow of the spell.

Her mission accomplished for now, sleepiness sneaks back into her eyes. She collapses into bed. It was neat to see dawn for once, but it isn't something she feels the need to hang around for. She is asleep in moments, snoring loudly.