“Soooo… how was it?”

“You know, you ask that every single time.”

Fade chuckled and gave a shrug as he watched her from on the bed. “What, is it so wrong for a stallion to hear how he brought a mare to rapture and back?”

“And what makes you think that you did something like that?”

“Bit of a big mouth, yeah?” He smirked lazily as she snatched some perfume from the vanity and sprayed it on her. She didn’t seem like the type for such products, but it was probably more for masking his scent on her. “Lots of, ah… ‘interesting’ words coming out of it when you’re all worked up. It’s fucking sexy, yeah?”

“Yeah, yeah – whatever.”

He didn’t miss the amused grin that crossed her face as she turned to face the vanity again. She gave her wings a small flex, and his gaze went from her rump to the appendages.

“Faust damn, girl – those wings are something else.”

“Like ‘em?”

“Love ‘em,” Fade nodded as he hopped off the bed and gave a little stretch. “Nngh! Seriously, what sort of wingpower do you get?”

“Uh… 16.3 last time I measured.”

“And you’re working in a brothel?” Fade lifted one eyebrow in disbelief. “Shit, you could probably get into the Wonderbolts like that, yeah?”

“…”

Fade’s mirth waned faster than the temperature in the room plummeted. She had her back to him and was blocking her own reflection, but when you were around mares like Veil and Ebony, you just knew when shit was about to hit the fan.

Damn it! And she was his favourite; a Faust damn athlete with smoking hot muscles and powerful wings that put the other dolled-up workers to shame.

He had to make this right.

“Ah, but whatever rocks your boat, yeah?” Fade laughed, kept the nervousness out of his voice pretty well, too. “Brothel, opera, academy – it’s a free world, yeah? Plus, they’re not that great, trust me; they have fuck all sense of humour, and don’t know a good flyer when they see one,” She still wasn’t talking and he gulped. “You know I applied for one, yeah? I did, but they kicked me out over some… crap about cooperation and-”

“They kicked you out, too, huh?”

“-sportsmanship and… Uh, yeah? Wait… are you saying…?”

“Believe it or not, selling my body to make bits wasn’t my first career choice.”

She finally turned and trotted over, visibly upset but not at him, thankfully. Even so, he kept his mouth shut as she sat down at the foot of the bed, huffing.

“I was all set to be a full-fledged member, but then some bitch had to go and tell Spitfire on me.”

“Oh yeah, Spitfire’s a hardass.”

“True, but it was all Rainbow Dash’s fault!”

Fade blinked in surprise. “Rainbow Dash? As in… the pegasus with rainbow colours? The one with the Element of Harmony?”

“Unless you know another pony by that name.”

“Shit, it’s a small world!” He chuckled, which was probably a bad idea in retrospect because now she was glaring at him. “Oh, I mean… we totally had her under lock and key back in the castle. At least until she and the princesses escaped.”

“Heard about that. There’s a rumour that the Empress got fucked up when they escaped.”

Fade almost flinched and ducked his head, half-certain that Nightmare Moon would hear that through their shared mental connection. Obviously, she couldn’t have – he hoped – because otherwise she would have said something during those other times Fade walked by somepony mouthing off.

Anyway, Nightmare Moon wouldn’t have continued listening in while he was getting his mojo on; she and Veil were similar in their distaste towards anything to do with sex.

Crazy, but it was a real thing, apparently.

“Hmm… things got… ‘hot’ for a second,” Fade’s heard his Inner Miasma sigh. “But she’s doing alright now. Still as scary and angry as ever, yeah?”

“Heh… But anyway, if it wasn’t for Rainbow Dash, I would have gotten into the Wonderbolts instead of having to do… this. I mean… some mares do it and they’re fine with it, and that’s cool, but me? I could be doing a lot more flying in the air than getting down and presenting to random dudes.”

“Uh, still here, you know.”

“Oh, don’t be a baby; I know you better than other stallions, but it’s not like we’re a couple or anything. If it makes you feel better, then you’re the best fuck I’ve had yet.”

That did make him feel better. And important. And big.

“Shit, that sucks…” Fade scratched the back of his neck. He could sympathize with her; after all, joining the Wonderbolts had been his dream, and he was still pretty bitter about it. Not as much as he had been back in Manehatten, but if anypony really wanted to get on his nerves, then it was probably the best thing to bring up.

“Understatement of the year…”

She turned away, looking angry and morose.

‘Huh… wonder if…?’

He cast another look at her body, and tried his hardest to actually look instead of admiring.

She was definitely a pegasus well-suited for the aerial acrobatics and feats of physical prowess that went beyond merely flying in a straight line from point A to point B: she was lean and toned with wiry muscle, her wings were strong and large, and he knew from their trysts that she had stamina.

Faust, did she have stamina.

…

After regaining his train of thought, Fade cleared his throat to catch her attention, having made his decision. It probably wouldn’t lead anywhere, and would probably get shot down by the Empress, but he had to try at the very least.

He figured that, if nothing else, he was good at picking out a pegasus that could handle some hard labour.

“So, hey… I might know a job offering, but don’t get your hopes up because it might end with a hoof up both our asses. And if you’re willing to hear me out, then… yeah?”

She turned to face him, suspicious but also intrigued.

“Yeah?”

Author's Notes:

Note 1: Female pegasi are more likely to have higher wingpower and greater strength and endurance than males. Pegasi evolved to make their homes in the clouds, and though they are naturally able to walk upon them and build infrastructures, the looming threat of predators, weather anomalies, and other unforeseen circumstances meant that they also had to be capable of flying at a moment's notice.

Therefore, female pegasi evolved so that they would always - barring sickness or other complications - be able to fly even during the late stages of pregnancy.

A common joke amongst pegasi is that it is unwise to get into a competition with a mare who is expecting, for they would be both faster and angrier than you could ever be.