She could still feel strands of party streamers and bits of confetti in her mane, she was sure, as well as the distinct taste of pear and apples on her tongue. Last night's festivities had left more than the memories of hopping onto one of the tables and shamefully roaring a few verses of Sweet Home Appleoosa with Applejack.

Rarity groaned miserably and turned over in her bed, saying a silent prayer to Luna upon noticing the drawn curtains and dim lighting in the bedroom. At least there was nopony here to see her in her doubtlessly dishevelled state. Then again, it also meant the opportunity to take a hoofful of the bedclothes and draw them up under her chin, snuggling into them.

Well, it hadn't been all bad; the way her hips bumped against Applejack's, the swish and sway of her mane, the laughter and delight shared with her and indeed all of her friends. Rarity rubbed her hind legs together, allowing a giggle to creep into her sleep-addled muttering. No, it was important to make time for oneself and those one loved so dearly.

Turning onto her back, Rarity gasped and shivered. Something had gotten caught in the sheets and now pointedly poked out from under the bedclothes. Another bulge appeared as the mare shifted her hoof under the covers, trailing downwards towards the first until, with a grunt, she hit her target. The thing was stiff as a rod of tempered steel and had left a rather large damp patch on the sheets underneath.

Yet, all the same, she couldn't stop herself from grinning. A little twist of her hoof and an utterly unladylike whimper escaped from those ivory lips; either she had been dreaming or this was going to be one of those mornings. The kind where she would swing her hind legs out of bed only to be confronted by a certain appendage that would not be denied affection.

Crossing her hind legs and letting out another, giddy, giggle, Rarity undulated her hips back and forth. The one great joy of mornings where the day ahead was clear of orders was that it permitted her the chance to show herself a little love. Hooves rubbing together at a quickening pace, Rarity grabbed the edge of her pillow and stuffed it into her mouth; it certainly wouldn't do to have that uncouth groaning heard by anypony.

Body shaking from excitement, the mare slowly pushed the bedclothes down over herself and exposed her aching member to the air. The head glistened, thick gobs of fluid having been smeared against the sheets and against her skin. Jet black and throbbing gently, it would only take a little push of her hips...

"Mmmm," Rarity moaned sweetly, kissing the tip and sending a wave of tingling delight cascading down through it and up her spine.

Oh how long had it been since an opportunity like this had presented itself? How many mornings had she had to stifle her excitement and set about tending to orders or ensuring her sister was properly taken care of? Thick walls meant proper insulation and as much as Rarity knew snow would still be heavily falling outside, it felt as warm and cosy as a warm summer's day in her bedroom. The mare permitted herself a blissful sigh and stretched out, watching eagerly as a drop of precum formed at the tip of her member and languidly fell to her chest.

It would be terrible to let any more of that get on the sheets, the headboard or--heaven forbid--the wall. And while the prospect of simply supping on her warm milk did feel quite inviting, this morning's gift of time alone begged for something more special than that.

Resolving to find some way to enjoy herself properly, Rarity swung her hind legs off the bed and sat on its edge. A blush suddenly rose to her cheeks as her member rose up along her body; the thick tresses of her mane fell around her cheeks and neck as she tilted forward, ever so gently pulling back her upper lip and touching the tip of her teeth against the head of her penis.

The sudden sensation drove another little glob of fluid from her and the mare eagerly lapped it clean, delighting in the odd but no less palatable mix of salty maleness and spicy feminine flavours.

Getting down onto all fours sent the organ slapping against her stomach and chest and--shamefully--a few blobs of pre falling to the wooden floor with a gentle pattering. Legs feeling just as stiff, Rarity plodded out of her room--quickly scanning the hallways to be sure Sweetie hadn’t made a surprise visit--and made a break for the bathroom.

Blue and white tiles lined the walls and to one side stood a bath large enough for two ponies to sit side-by-side. But Rarity’s attention was fixed on the shelves of lotions and oils next the long mirror. The room had that ever-present scent of mare who took care of herself - a cross between petrichor and something akin to rose. Light streamed through a long frosted glass window that stretched from the ceiling to the floor.

Rarity bit down on her lip as she approached the sink and felt the stiffness between her legs bump against its edge. It slid up over the tip and sent a few strings of fluid dribbling down into the bowl as she planted her forelegs onto it and scanned the bottles. Wheat germ, aloe, canola, butters… Oh Celestia blast it, maybe she could just put some rosehip oil through her coat and take a trip to the spa.

Of course! She could easily convince the girls to take a little time off after last night’s festivities; then there’d be the small matter of convincing one other to stay a little longer in the sauna and maybe even add a little of their own steam.

A sudden groan left the mare; both at the horrible cliché nature of that thought and the growing insistence of a pleasurable sensation from rubbing up against the sink.

“Now, now, Rarity, you must control yourself!” she chided, stepping off from the sink with only a little reluctance.

A simple levitation spell saw the brown glass bottle emptying its contents onto her hooves and from there she was free to spread it through her coat.

“Oh for… What in all of the heavens am I doing?”

Shower first and then use oils on the coat! Rarity spared a withering stare at the still throbbing appendage between her legs - it was the fault of that thing. Clouding her mind with thoughts of a hoof or two stroking its aching length; maybe a pair of firm lips kissing along the shaft while another mare splayed her hindquarters against the turgid-

“For pony’s sake!” Rarity groused, “one morning without your imposition would be most welcome!”

Her penis merely twitched back in response.

Sighing heavily, the mare set the bottle of oil back on its shelf. It was probably for the best to take care of it before cleaning herself anyway and wasn’t she meant to be enjoying this little time alone? Planting her hooves on the sink, Rarity softened her gaze at the sight of her features screwed up in frustration.

“I’m sorry, darling, you deserve better than this.” Clearing her throat, she spoke again, “you deserve to feel good.”

‘You deserve...’ Her thoughts trailed off as the image came to the fore of her mind. Applejack had slipped the gift to her last night after the others had left and she was making her way home. How the pony had ever managed to conceal it was beyond Rarity but at the least she managed to get it home without incident.

“To be enjoyed by you whenever ya fancy a little alone time,” Applejack whispered to her, “without exactly bein’ alone.”

The words were cryptic but the smile she had worn was anything but. Rarity couldn’t conceal a smile as she trotted out of the bathroom, little squeaks coming from the mare each time her member bounced against her chest; every one sent a greater ripple of pleasure down the shaft than the last.

Shutting her bedroom door behind herself and locking it, Rarity suddenly bit down on her hoof as she spied the package poking out from underneath her bed. She was no stranger to using… Aids to heighten her pleasure but this was so… Large. Surely Applejack didn’t believe she could fit something as big, inside…

“It’s probably not that, you hinny,” Rarity muttered to herself.

Magical grip tenuous, the mare slowly levitated the box onto her bed. It was covered in glossy white wrapping paper and a bow that bore the same shade of purple as her mane. The little card hanging off it still read, “With love, from AJ,” and it still made her smile to read it. A little--figuratively, of course--gift, all for herself from a pony who could be far more thoughtful than most would think of her.

Her member throbbed at the sight of those words and a blush crept onto Rarity’s face upon hearing yet more fluids spattering the floorboards. Rarity delicately undid the bow, watching with wide eyes as the wrapping paper fell apart quickly after. That was only done by unicorns! Whoever could she have gotten to do that?

Setting the question aside, the mare felt the organ between her legs bulge as she reached forward and took off the top of the box. What lay before her was… It defied explanation or even thought.

A long tube-like object, wider at one end and coloured orange. A very particular shade of orange. So particular, in fact, that the pony who purchased it had also, evidently, requested an engraving at the base. “AJ” and beneath it, three apples.

Licking her lips--surely, it had to be what she thought it was--Rarity levitated the object from the box. Indeed, as she suspected and hoped, one end was shaped after the most perfect genitalia of a mare. The material looked slightly rubbery but was as pliable as flesh against her hoof.

This was doubtlessly going to be a most enjoyable morning!