Dash glided through the window into the barn, tapping a remaining board on the loft with her hoof as she passed. She looked around, catching sight of red fur against yellowed hay. Mac was sprawled out, lines of tears etched across his cheeks despite the existing sweat.

"Mac?" She asked, and he visibly jumped, looking up at her with a rather violent flick of his head.

"Ya came back." He said, as if not believing his own statement.

Dash walked over, offering him a hoof. "It's not too fair of me to end things over something so pointless." She said, as he grasped her hoof and sat up, nervously keeping his hooves planted on the ground in between his legs.

"Did ya see what Ah've got?" He asked, disbelief plastered over his face. "Because it kinda outshines the rest of my whole performance."

Dash laughed, and Mac frowned. "Look, you should be glad I saw everything. It's not as if you need to explain why you're trapped in a barn for a week, or why you had that smell about you, or why you looked like you were getting sick. I mean, I was worried about you, and while I'm sure there was a better way for me to find out that you…" She trailed off. "It was at a rather good sequence of events, alright?"

"Yeah, but Ah mean- Is this the end?"

"Of what?" Dash asked.

"Our coltfriend marefriend thing." Mac replied, gesturing between them. His voice shook ever so slightly, although she could tell by his eyes that he was feeling far worse. He barely got the next words out. "Because Ah really don't want it to end."

The blue mare smiled, leaning forwards to wrap her hooves around him. "I don't give up that easily, alright? Besides, I said it was a good time for a reason." She felt his hooves join the hug, and she grinned. She would smell like heat after this, but that didn't matter. She was surprisingly okay with this whole thing, at least at the moment. Dash pushed herself back from the hug, keeping her eyes locked with Mac's.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah, of course." Dash murmured back, nuzzling against his cheek. A long silence ensued.

"Ya can ask me about it, if'n ya want. It's not like Ah get to talk about it ever, and we may as well get everything out there."

"You sure? It seems a little… private." Dash replied, biting her lip. "And I don't want to push you anywhere, especially since I'm not even sure how fast I want to move this relationship along. It's not like I want to ignore this, but more like I don't want it to affect us in a way that we're going to regret."

"Ah just meant general stuff." He replied. His shoulder twitched.

Ask him how it all works. "Well, isn't it hard to be around me? Doesn't that make you go crazy with, like, lust and stuff?" Playing it safe was okay too, she supposed.

"It's not that bad." Mac said, leaning back against his bale. "It's only really terrible when Ah'm alone."

"How come?" Dash asked. He shifted uncomfortably. Like it wasn't bad. She knew how it was.

"Well, Ah just sit around, thinkin' about ya and tryin' ta keep the heat bearable." He sighed. "But the worst part- Actually, look." He shook his head. "Ah don't want ya ta think of me differently."

"Well yeah, you're still Mac, and-"

"Exactly. Ah'm a stallion. Ah act like one, feel like one, and just happen to have that on mah backside."

"I wasn't planning on acting differently. Besides, of course, with the heat part."

He paused. "Fair enough. Anyway, it's only really bad because Ah smell like a mare in heat and the stallion part of me loves that."

Dash cringed. "Oooh…" She stretched out an arm, still surprised with the ease she felt. “So, like, when I’m around, are you just-“

“Ah guess it’s not- Ah’m not in danger of pouncin’ on ya.”

Dash laughed. “You seem to have a lot more control with this than I would.”

“Well, is bein’ around other mares hard while you’re in heat?” He asked, and Dash let out a quiet ‘ah’.

“Can’t say it is.” She replied. “But that begs the question, have you ever been around a stallion during this whole thing? What was that like?”

“Let me just say that Ah’m really glad Ah haven’t.” He adjusted himself into a more comfortable position, grinding his thighs into one another. He let out a shiver of pleasure and need. “Ah’m deathly afraid Ah’d do somethin’ that ah’d regret. That’s part of the ground rule from earlier, by the way.”

“The thing about treating you like a stallion?”

“Yeah. Ah’m straight as an arrow. Promise. Heat likes to tell me Ah’m not.”

“You seemed to be keeping me in your mind alright.” Dash replied, smirking.

“First time Ah’ve successfully done that.”

“Did it help?” She asked, leaning forwards to press her nose against his. “Because you looked like you were having fun.”

Mac shook his head, grinning, though she could tell it was probably not helping be coquettish at a time like this. “Ya know, the last mare found out ‘bout me ended things pretty quick, and here you are just trying to flirt.” There it was.

“Well, I guess I’m happy that I feel like I actually know you.” Dash replied, looking away.

“Did ya not before?” Mac asked, an eyebrow moving up his forehead.

“Whenever I tried to think of something to do with you, I just came up blank because of how much of a mystery you were. The fact that I got anything you liked together was kind of a miracle.”

“And I’m guessing everything makes a little more sense now?” He paused, grabbing some of his sister’s lie enablers. “Orange?”

Dash laughed, finally allowing the humor to escape over such a random plan. “Your handiwork?”

“I figured you wouldn’t take it well this early. It’s only been a few days, after all.” He reminded. “Speaking of, why are ya so accepting of this in the first place? What’s going on in that head of yers?”

“Well, I saw you, called it impossible, broke a few planks and fled. So you’re caught up there. But look, I don’t have a lot of trouble with this for a few reasons, but most of that has to do with the amount of work it’s taken to get this far. And like I said, it’s still you. I’m glad you just want to be treated like a guy, because that makes things really easy. You’ve still got those parts, anyway.”

“Ah do.”

“But like, can you have a foal? I mean, it’s actually impossible to get one both ways, right?”

He scratched his head, his hoof twitching as he lifted it away. “Wanna test it?” Mac asked with a grin, before sobering again. “Ah’ve got a doctor, because at some point Ah’m going to need one for… something. Anyway, you’re partially right. It’s impossible to have a full set of everything, or at least, as far as he’s ever heard.”

“So you’re stuck without kids?” Dash asked, feeling a pit form in her stomach. She couldn’t even imagine not being able to-

“He didn’t say that. Evidently Ah lean towards the male side, and there’s a good chance Ah’ll be able to… impregnate a mare. Might take a little longer or something, maybe a bit of outside help, but it’s still a possibility.” He sighed.

“You seem to be pretty okay with those odds.” Dash noted. “I mean, if I was in the same situation, I- well, I don’t know what I’d do.”

“Well, Ah never thought Ah’d get the chance.” He shrugged.

“How does that even work?” Dash asked. “Like, you’re in heat, and you’re saying that you could impregnate a mare, but that’s- wouldn’t that mean that you’re fertile?”

“Ah don’t know if Ah like how that sounds." Mac replied with a dry chuckle. "Ah think it’s been at least a few years of testing, because Ah want ta know everything Ah’m stuck with, good or bad. There’s a partially formed ovary up there somewhere, although after the doc pulled a sample of that he basically ruled that out. None of that stuff is anywhere near developed enough to actually become something new.”

“Yeah, but you’re still in heat.”

“Half of them still grow and trigger hormones, so every year it’s fifty-fifty whether or not Ah’ll go into heat, or so, even though Ah’m missing a working womb. Ah’m totally barren either way. That’s one of the things that makes me extra rare, though, besides the fact that Ah’ve got most of two balls along with the ovary. Doctor thought Ah was joking when ah said Ah'd been through heat.”

“Did you do any testing with your… testicles?” Dash asked, and he nodded. That sentence only sounded partially retarded. Good job brain.

“’Lot easier ta get a sample with that. Most of my sperm work, minus a few that he says don’t have tails, which come from the one that’s partially formed Ah guess. Either way, it’s a good chance that Ah could have a foal, and ah’m glad that ah have two lumps in the sack, even if one can’t do much, or anything.” Mac sighed. “The fact that the rest of me works is a miracle, really.”

“Or that you looked normal down there.”

“Do Ah?” He asked, moving his hoof away from himself so that he could look. Dash wasn't sure if it annoyed her that he kept the hoof in between himself and her. “Ah wouldn’t know.”

“Well, from what I saw… Look, the next most pressing question is, why go into heat now? It’s weeks after the mares.”

“Pfft.” Mac said. “Ah went into heat in the middle of fall before. Might not even be fifty fifty, ah don’t know. Ah could be runnin’ through eggs all the time, or something, but only a few decide to act up. Either way, Ah don’t get a choice. Every other year is just a good average, so we assumed.” He paused, letting a small grin grace his face.. “Anyway, that’s how Ah work to the best of mah knowledge. Up to yer standards?”

He toppled over onto one side as Dash hugged him again, her muzzle planted firmly into his shoulder. “How is it that I’m actually feeling happier to have you after all this?” Dash asked, muffled by his thick, damp fur. She breathed in, the smell of heat filling her nose. What she hadn't noticed until now, however, was the backdrop of his musk. It smelled great, and if it wouldn't have been weird, she could have probably stayed there all day.

“Trust me, the feelin’s more than mutual.” Mac replied, hugging her close. She felt something prod her backside but ignored it. Her wings still rose a little, whether she wanted them to or not. Part of her mind drew up the dream a couple nights prior.

Dash pulled her head back, leaning into a kiss that Mac seemed to decide to start at the exact same instant. The feelings as their lips met and held, surrounded by his warm hooves and chest were exquisite. She could feel his heartbeat through his chest, clear and strong. This whole close encounter may not have been under the circumstances that she had expected, but it felt just as nice.

She stroked her hooves along his back, feeling his find a place in the feathers of her wings. He was trying to keep from hitting anything that would get her excited, which was gentlecoltly of him. Or he didn’t know how to do stuff with wings. But either way, she’d done a good job staying cool, even when that big thing of his was surely inches away.

“Is it sad that this almost feels romantic?” Dash asked, hugging herself a little closer.

“No.” Mac replied, chuckling. “As far as I’m concerned, this is the best day ever. And plus, Ah’ve got just about no ability to do romance.”

“What about that dinner?” Dash asked. “That was the best.” Mac grinned, kissing her on the cheek. “Are you serious about the best day ever thing, by the way?”

“Why wouldn’t Ah be?” He inquired, raising a joking eyebrow. “Yer smart, and ya care, and yer still here, and ya have a body that pleases mah eyeballs, and-“

“Yeah, but like-“ She was grinning ear to ear. “That’s so crazy. I’ve never been a part of a pony’s favorite day before. I love it.” They laid there as time went by, Mac’s occasional uncomfortable movements and grunts the only noise. He ground himself against her, and Dash nearly let out a yelp, but tried to keep herself composed. She knew it hadn't been on purpose.

“I should go.” Dash started, pulling herself away. “I know how heat is. I should give you some time alone.” She spread her wings, working through a little stiffness she may or may not have gotten from his movements. It still surprised her a little that she felt the same towards him, but she was glad. The past… portion of time had been nice, despite the circumstances.

“Wait.” Mac said, pulling himself out of his slouch against the bales of hay. “Stay with me. Just fer tonight. I want to make sure you’re still here when Ah wake up, and that it wasn’t a dream.”

“Well…” Of course she would rather be warm and wrapped in his hooves, even if there was a little sweat involved. It’d be all she would think about if she went back home anyway. But the heat wasn’t him… But he wasn't very affected…

She shoved those thoughts into the back of her head, nearly diving into his arms, toppling them both over for the second time in a day. “But look, you tell me if you get too pent up, alright?” Dash asked, poking a hoof into his chest. "Because I swear to god, if we do anything or you decide to outmuscle me, neither of us is going to live it down."

Mac gulped. “And so goes the terrible part of heat.”

“Hey, if I can help it, next year’ll be awesome.”

“Dash! Stop givin’ me things ta think about!”

“Sorry. But tell me, alright? I know that the fact that I’m not a stallion isn’t changing much. You’re a crappy liar, just like Applejack.” Some of his scent wafted into her nose again, but she ignored it. He couldn't stay cool, so she had to force herself to.

Mac’s cheeks flushed. “Ah thought that was good.”

“Well, you’ve got to work on your poker face. Voice is fine.” She mussed up his mane, pressing her chest neatly against his. They fit together so nicely, and it was one of the best feelings in the world.

“Just so long as ya don’t get worried about me.” He replied.

“Pfft. You’ve got way more control than I do." She giggled. "But like you said, I don’t have to question the hormone targeting too much.”

“And it doesn’t clash.” Mac added. They lapsed into silence.

“Hey, what you said about my body, was it true?” Dash asked, breaking the silence.

“Now you’re just fishing for compliments.” The Red Stallion chuckled, letting his head fall backwards against the padded ground. “You said all this stuff about ogling me, and Ah swear, there aren’t any mares like ya, Dash. Ah’ve talked with a lot of ponies for business, mostly because Ah have to, and part of that has involved some of the lower Wonderbolts.”

“Seriously?” Dash exclaimed. “Who?!”

“They weren’t important ones, so I’m not sure if you’d know them. Ah’ve forgotten, come to think of it. But the point is, there was a lot of eye candy there. Not a lot of brain power. But you’re strong and smart, which is great.”

“Don’t want a pushover?”

“Ah just don’t want a trophy marefriend.” He replied. “You can think, and you could do a good job against me in any physical- umf- contest. It’s nice to have a drive and a little competition.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking!” Dash exclaimed. “Well, after I managed to get you on a date, that is. Like, I just started trying to pair us in my head, and even though that sounds like something a stalker would do, it… wasn’t, I guess?” She smiled uneasily.

“It’s a real good thing Ah know what yer talkin' about.” Mac gently pushed her off of himself, into a small pile of hay. Dash put on her best pout, which by her view was pretty good. Mac snorted in laughter, but she could tell he was more than a little heated from what contact they’d had. His face was flushed, and she was pretty sure that his thighs were a darker color for a reason. Then, of course, there was his erection. The whole thing made her feel more than a little guilty. There was some awkwardness in there, but it was surprisingly far in the back of her mind.

“Ah need ice.” He said, staring into space.

“It getting bad? Because look, me being here’s just going to make things worse…”

“No, look. Ah’ve got a solution. It worked two years ago when Ah was in heat, and Ah’m sure Ah can get it to work with you.” He gestured, motioning for her to stay. He looked hyper, like he might bounce off a few walls. “Just wait here.” Mac sprinted out the doors, shouldering them open as he disappeared in the direction of his house. She could hear his hoof steps and the slapping of his meat against his stomach disappearing into the distance. She wasn't sure whether she should be aroused or laughing her ass off.

Dash watched him go, wondering if she should be surprised. Well, he’d stayed sane a lot longer than she’d expected, that was for sure, although until now his assurances had made her assume that his heat wasn't as bad as in mares. But there was always that point where it just got to hard to handle. It seemed way hotter in here. How long had her wings been sticking out like that?

Would leaving right now help? Would that be a good idea? She kinda wanted to see the plan and follow through, but she also didn’t want to be around to tempt Mac. He’d said that he wanted her here, but that could just be the heat talking. It'd be really nice if she had a little less of a yearning to stick around. It was weird, and yet it wasn't. She cared about him, not the heat.

Her own emotions made this whole thing really annoying. Alright. Logical thinking. You were supposed to stay away from mares if you were a stallion. But he wasn’t a mare, and he didn’t act like one in heat, to a full extent… Plus, he didn’t even seem to want to push sex…

She bit her lip, her eyes catching the wet hay where Mac had been. Man, she was stuck. Dash wanted nothing more to be wrapped up with Mac, but if she did something stupid while he was a little out of his head, he could end up stopping things as soon as he sobered.

“Aaaah, why is everything so hard?!" Dash let herself fall on the ground, a strong whiff of heat spewing into the air as she hit the hay. Maybe she could have found out in a better way, like if he hadn’t been in heat at the time. But then again, the relief over everything else had made it easier. She was back to being tired, dammit. Too much stress.

“Dash!” Mac yelled, and she rolled over. “If we’re going to get to sleep, it better be in this window of time.” She looked at him and smiled, his fur looking brushed and clean. His mane was wet, and she wondered if he’d showered. There was nothing better than a shower in heat.

“Where’d you go?” She asked, sitting up. He looked like a whole new pony, although she could still tell he was a little bothered. Dash pushed a wing back to her side.

“Ah showered, got a few… out. Broke out mah heat remover.”

“Your what?” That sounded dirty. He held up a bunch of ice packs attached to strings, draping them across his back and sighing. Or not. He reached under himself and tied it on, and she noticed that he didn’t… ahem, have anything hanging out.

“Ah took off the chest ones fer ya, if’n ya’ll stay. Promise Ah’m sane, at least fer a while. Ya don’t have ta worry about puttin’ us somewhere ya’d regret.”

“Just get over here.” Dash commanded, watching a smile break out on his face. “I know this doesn’t make things easier for you, but it seems romantic that you’d chance the effects just for me. And I can't tell you how annoying it is to have heat come up now of all times.”

“Yeah." He said, pausing. "Ah was thinking’ that ah might let ya go few a while, but then you were against mah chest like that, just layin there, and the heat faded for just a second. It came back just as strong, but… Ah dunno, ah couldn’t bring mahself to turn that down.” He turned, kicking a bale of hay over that spilled into a pile as it came to a stop. “Might as well steer clear of the heat hay.”

Dash put a hoof to her chest, making up a fake posh voice. “You’re too good to me, Mac.” She said, poking at one of the ice packs. “How long do these last? It’s not a bad idea, actually.”

“Actually.” He repeated, laughing. “You sound so surprised. ‘Bout a half hour, so-“

“Let’s get going, right?”

“’Less ya want to go, still.”

“Shush. I think you can stand not to be lonely for a single night in the last year.”

He laid down on his back, and Dash found a spot on his chest, his heartbeat immediately instilling its steady beat. He put his hooves around her, resting them there as she let hers hang around his sides. If there was some moral issue to be had with this, she could worry about it tomorrow. This meant something, having all this go on and still ending up with such a romantic outcome. It made her heart heavy, and the contentment of it all did the same to her eyelids. She wanted to relish the feeling, but before she knew it she’d passed out, a happy resident on Mac’s heater of a chest.

Dash awoke with a start, her dreams fading as they had a couple nights before. She shook her head, trying and failing to get annoyed. Those dreams never really got going, but she was sort of glad that it hadn't. Sure, her wings were stiff and she'd have a bit of explaining to do with the new smells, but seeing the end of the dream just felt like it would spoil things for later. Dash wasn't sure how things would proceed between them, but she was totally sure they would. She felt something for him, empathized more than she thought she could. Maybe she really did love him. Maybe this is what love felt like.

She stared down at his face, tilted backwards with his jaw wide open in slumber. Dash couldn't hold back a slight laugh, though she forced herself to stay quiet. He looked way more peaceful than he had yesterday, and she aimed to keep him asleep as long as possible.

Dash rolled off of his body, her wings providing some resistance. She took a long breath, keeping herself calm. She had weather duty today as usual, trying to make sure that a growing storm didn't move over Ponyville. Dash picked up a piece of paper from on top of the keg of cider, walking over to one wall to pull out a measurement pencil. 'Off to work,' it said, and she stuck it on Mac's chest with a slight grin. He probably wouldn't miss that.

Dash leaned down, giving him a kiss on the cheek. It'd be over soon enough. She had a lot of time to think up something romantic to do at the end anyway.

Something hit her in the side, and Dash was thrown into the nearest wall, the air knocked out of her lungs. She crumpled on the ground, gasping for breath and in pain. She blinked the blur in her eyes away, looking up at Applejack's face. It was literally red with rage.

"Ah don't know what ya think yer doin' here…" She began, her words eerily quiet and measured. "But takin' advantage of mah brother is SO LOW!" She drew back a fore hoof, punching Dash in the gut as she tried to get to her hooves and sending the mare back to the ground.

Dash tried to choke out a response.

"Shut up!!" Applejack raised her hoof again, pointing it at the blue mare's face. "Ah swear, ya have five seconds to get off mah property before yer face and the ground become one thing."

Mac's hoof wrapped around Applejack's hind leg, pulling her backwards with a sudden ferocity that Dash couldn't believe. Applejack thudded onto her back, sliding into a bale of hay.

"Why the fuck are ya punchin' my marefriend!?" He yelled, standing between his sister and Dash. His hind leg twitched, and Dash watched a drop of moisture run down his hoof.

"Look, Mac, Ah know yer not in the right mind at the moment, but she came in here and took advantage-"

"We didn't do anything!" He yelled, and Applejack went silent. "She didn't even want to stay, but since she didn't shun me from her life and run away, Ah wanted to see if she'd still be here in the mornin'. Ah thought maybe ah was dreaming, but clearly Ah'm not!" He took a step towards Applejack, who seemed a little scared by her enraged brother. Like anypony wouldn't be.

"Whether she did or not, ya can't blame me for getting defensive of ya!" Applejack yelled back, not losing an inch. In fact, she took a step towards Mac, pushing her muzzle forwards until it was only inches from his. "Having your first go like this… you know how ya'd feel after?"

"Ah could live with it if it was with Dash." He replied, his voice even. "She didn't even entertain the idea of bedding me. She acted like it was the last thing she wanted ta do."

"So what happened if ya couldn't control yourself? What if ya just took what ya wanted?!"

"Ah had mah heat remover, and ah've got a whole lot more control than ya do!" He hollered back, his face redder than usual.

Applejack finally broke the standoff, taking a step back and beginning to walk away. "Yer right." The farm mare stated. Dash almost fell over in shock. Applejack had conceded a point. "It's your life, and if ya said ya ain't done nothin', ah should damn well believe it. Ah'm sorry for the kicks and the crappy wake up call, 'specially if you did accept him as he is." She said.

"Look, I understand." Dash replied, rubbing at her ribs. Maybe if she hadn't kicked her like she'd meant to kill. "I would… probably do the same thing, I think."

"But it's going to be my fury if you make a move 'fore the end of the week." She muttered, shutting the barn door behind herself. It opened a moment later. "Congratulations on finding 'that mare', Mac. It's about time something went your way." Then she was gone again, and they were left in silence.

"Sorry about her." Mac said, putting an arm around her shoulders. "She can be protective. Ah've got some ice, if you want."

"Pfft, I don't need that. I can walk it off." Maybe she could do weather duty without moving. That'd be nice. "Gotta get to work and all."

"Yeah." He replied, though his mind was clearly somewhere else. "We probably shouldn't do that again. You were right."

"It got worse?" Dash asked, as if it wasn't obvious.

"Ah'd like to have ya visit me, but just- it can't be long. Applejack was right when she said that Ah shouldn't push things."

Dash nodded. "How about you just stick something in the window if it's okay to visit, alright?" She picked up an orange. "Like this, alright? I'll bring a little food, and we can talk, and then I'll leave. Of course, if you just want me to stay away for the rest of the week, that's fine too. Just don't put the orange up there."

Mac blinked, trying his hardest to stay focused. "Can ya bring a few sweets?"

"Candy? Sure, I'll bring some stuff." She took a step forwards, tweaking her side as she tiptoed up to kiss him. He leaned down quickly, sensing her pain and holding her chin up with a gentle hoof. Mac pulled away quickly after their lips met, and she didn't blame him.

"Ya should really get that looked at." He said. "Sis can do a lot of damage, when she wants to."

His face was a perfect expression of guilt. "I'll be fine. Besides, work gives me something to do." Dash assured, spreading her wings and taking off through the window. Her flight muscles pulled on the bruise, and she cringed, trying to fly a straight path. As soon as the streets of Ponyville came into view she landed, another blow to the rapidly developing purple spot. Walking was still easier.

She could handle a little pain. It'd only been the other day she'd thought the same thing, totally willing to swap out the pain in her heart for some of the physical variety. But everything made sense, as far as it was going to by now. She had a coltfriend that was here to stay, and even though their relationship wasn't going on during the best events, she knew that it would survive. What they had was lasting and strong, and maybe it had just taken a little bit of oddity to tell her that. Besides, normal was boring.

Dash sniffed the air, shaking her head with a laugh.

Damn, she needed a shower.

Author's Notes:

Alright. This was somewhat tough to write. I'm saying that more because of explanations, which required a lot of strange research and so on. This stretches the truth a bit, but it still remains within the realm of probability. Whether or not it could happen in real life with a horse, it seems worth mentioning the genetic variation between a unicorn and a pegasus, and the fact that both groups of the population can have children with one another. I'm not sure if that technically applies directly to this, but it implies that the DNA of a pony in this universe is more susceptible to larger mutations and changes, I suppose. Anyway, this is supposed to be a story in which it's as believable as I can make it, and that was the best I could do while still keeping the necessary… traits of Mac. It's not like other fics try to explain this stuff with anything more than "MAGIC!" anyway, so at least I gave it a shot. Hopefully it met a few expectations.

Got past a thousand views. Still amazed this has a following as large as it does. Now, people are inevitably going to ask when the clop starts, at least in their heads. Like, the real clop. SOoOooOOOOOoooooOooOoOOoooOOooon… No, spellcheck, obviously that's a word.