Hmm? What is that? Somebody knocking?

I open my eyes and clear my throat, finding myself once again awake in the guest bedroom. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem too early or too late for once, as I gaze around wishing there was a digital clock around here. An alarm would probably do me some good, but I doubt they have those here.

There’s another knock at the door downstairs. I guess if no one’s gonna answer it, I might as well. I sit up and casually brush the blanket off of me before standing up and calling downstairs

“Who is it?”

“Why don’t ya come on down and find out?”

I didn’t need more than a second to identify it as that lovable farming pony Applejack. What I’d like to know is what she’s doing here, though. Disregarding a suitable outfit to meet her downstairs, I respond, keeping up the friendly pretense.

“Sure, be down in a second!”

Not wanting to keep her waiting too long, I’m already down the stairs and at the stable door in seconds, ready to swing it open and greet her. At least Applejack doesn’t spring anything big on me, so I should have nothing to fear talking to her right now. Still, what could she be here for?

Making sure she wasn’t in the way, I open the stable door in her direction and hold a smile on my face as she does the same (hers being more earnest, considering she’s probably used to waking up earlier than I am) and speaks.

“Mornin’ pardner.”

“Good morning, AJ. What’s going on?”

“Ah hear ya need an escort up to Canterlot, so ah’m here to give ya a lift over.”

Escort? Oh, right! When I was talking to Luna last night, I asked her to get me an escort to Canterlot today. I didn’t think it’d be Applejack though. I mean, I don’t have any problems with Applejack, but why her of all peo- I mean, ponies?

“Heh, ah take it yer not quite ready yet?”

I snap back to reality as AJ looks towards me with a smirk, correctly assuming that I must have just woken up. To be fair, I wasn’t exactly expecting someone to show up at the door and rush me out as soon as I awoke. Chuckling in response, I reply to her and remain casual as I speak.

“Yeah, not exactly. Do you mind if I just get changed real quick?”

“Not at all. Ah’ll be here when yer good to go.”

“Right, back in a flash.”

I leave AJ standing in the doorway, waiting patiently like the kind-hearted mare that she is, as I head back upstairs to find a few things I can throw on. Apparently, the outfit I was wearing on my first day in Ponyville lies cleaned on my bed, as well as the past few days’ clothing. They manage to bring back a few memories of my first experiences, including my first meeting with Derpy and the two unicorns that have overcomplicated my life, not to mention the two princesses that…yeah.

Once again, I find myself thinking about those two unicorns as I get changed. Rarity hates my guts, and Twilight’s asleep in her room after I, regrettably, had sex with her to get her to stop acting so ridiculous. The thing that bothers me most is that I won’t know until she wakes up. Deciding to go see for myself how she is, I walk over to Twilight’s room and peer inside to see her still sleeping with a blissful smile on her face and her hooves dangling over the blanket I tucked over her last night.

I can only hope for the best, I suppose. I just thought she was better after I talked to her, but now all I can do is wait and see if I’m right. I’ve never heard of a solution being to fuck your problems away, but there’s a time and place for everything, I guess. Seeing Spike asleep in a small basket next to her bed with a smaller blanket makes me crack a smile as well. Thankfully, the young dragon didn’t seem to be home last night when the event took place, so I think it’d be best if I just pretend like nothing happened.

Heading back downstairs, I see that AJ is no longer standing in the doorway, and when I finally reach it I’m shocked to find an even BIGGER carriage directly outside the library. Purple and lined with royal insignias along the top and bottom, it clashes with the relaxed and village-like nature of the surrounding Ponyville.

Before I know it, the door swings open and inside is Applejack, lifting her Stetson hat with a hoof and motioning over for me to hitch a ride while she calls out.

“Hop in! Ah reckon ya don’ wanna be late!”

Smiling back, I shut the door behind me and take a few steps toward the carriage, quickly adding a nod to the armored Pegasi attached to it. You’re right, Applejack; I don’t want to be late for my surprise meeting with the one and only Princess Celestia.

Flying over the landscape in a carriage is something that I still don’t think I’ll ever get used to. For the first few minutes of our ride, both Applejack and I sit in somewhat uncomfortable silence. Even though we’re sitting across from each other, she doesn’t make much eye contact; only occasionally glancing at me in between fiddling with her hat and rubbing her neck with her hoof in a familiar gesture.

I can tell that she has something on her mind, which is only supported by a drawn-out sigh before, finally, she speaks up.

“Can I ask you some’in, Marcus?...What in tarnation are you up to?”

“Huh?”

Without any clarification, that question comes straight out of nowhere. What does she mean by that, exactly? What am I ‘up to?’

“Ah’m talkin’ about you goin’ round havin’ you-know-what with mah friends.”

Oh right…that. Applejack lets out another sigh, following it with a quieter tone of voice as she explains.

“Ah heard about what happened between you and Rarity, and then I catch you and Fluttershy…together, and ah just don’t wanna see somepony get their heart broken; especially not mah friends!”

“Whoa, you got me all wrong, Applejack. I don’t want anyone to get hurt, and if I ever did hurt anyone, the guilt would kill me.”

It’s true; I only ended up in situations like when I was with Fluttershy because of the way I acted.

“Then how do y’all explain what ya did to Rarity? She tol’ me that you said some in’erestin’ thangs.”

“…I don’t have any excuse for my behavior. I know I hurt her, and I tried to apologize but…you saw what happened.”

I’d prefer not to think about it, honestly, but I guess I have no choice in the matter, now, Rarity’s words from yesterday echo in the back of my head:
“Am I just a game to you?”
“Just get out of here!”
I don’t know what I can say for myself, at this point. I end up sighing myself as I try to push the thoughts away to speak.

“Applejack, can I show you something?”

“Uhh, sure.”

Feeling my balance shift as I stand, I turn my back to AJ and take a deep breath. Slowly, I reach down and pull off my shirt, leaving it discarded on my seat and revealing my back to the noticeable surprised orange pony. Even though I can’t see my back, I can still feel that there is a mark on it. This magic thing is really hard to explain.

“Rarity’s cutie mark showed up on my back after I had you-know-what with her. Honestly, I don’t really know how to feel about it, other than guilty.”

“Err, Marcus…Rarity’s cutie mark ain’t the only one on yer back.”

“What!? But-…What else is there!?”

“Fluttershy’s and Twilight’s too.”

Oh crap, I should have known this would happen! I feel my hand along the skin on my back, feeling the outlines of butterflies and sparkles as a strange sensation tickles my fingertips. Great, now I have more constant reminders of the ponies I’ve slept with. Because that’s all anyone wants from me, isn’t it? That’s all that I need to know, huh?

“Does that mean that you and Twilight went at it, too?”

“…Yeah, it does. Look, Applejack, I’m sorry I-“

“No no, don’t go apologizin’ now. So long as yer tellin’ the truth and don’t lie to my face, it’s fine. What’s done is done.”

Applejack seems like the type to value the truth above all else, no matter how painful (or, in my case, embarrassing) the truth may be. Retrieving my shirt, I conceal the three marks once more and turn back to look at Applejack before I sit down. Even though I told her that I’ve basically been sleeping around her with her friends, she’s smiling and looking straight into my eyes with her own piercing green stare. Hesitantly, she opens her mouth to speak, but I interrupt her to toss the last of my thoughts on the matter out in the open.

“I don’t really know why, but things like this just kind of happen. Sometimes I wish they didn’t and sometimes I embrace it, but I just wanna say that, even though it’s mostly out of my control…I want to try to change things.”

The chuckle that she seems fond of slips out once more. What was funny about that? Applejack addresses me with a calm, soothing tone through her southern drawl.

“I ain’t gonna pretend like ah understand you, Marcus, but I know a good-natured feller when ah see one.”

‘Good-natured?’ Me? She continues, speaking to me directly from her own heart while trying to get through to mine.

“Yer heart’s in the right place; yer head’s just fiddlin' with the details. Don’t get yerself too wrapped up in what’s already been done.”

Hopping out of her seat, she chooses to sit next to me, placing a hoof on my shoulder as I rise from my slump. Is what she’s saying true?

“It only matters what ya do now. At least ya know that ya made some friends, right?”

Friends…All this time, I’ve been thinking about it like I’ve been giving in to some unstoppable force that only wants me to have sex. Like it was out of my control this entire time and I just had to go along with it for my own good. Maybe it’s not just about that after all.

I mean, I admitted that I loved Rarity and I meant every single word. I needed some help from a friend and went a little overboard doing what I felt like with Fluttershy, but I don’t regret it. With Twilight, I knew something was wrong and helped her the only way I could after she refused to talk it out. Maybe I have been thinking about this the wrong way.

“I love Rarity, and I’m gonna make it up to her somehow. I don’t need to worry if I’m moving forward and setting my own pace, right?”

Applejack’s smile widens, something that instantly warms my heart, and her hoof wraps around my neck and rests on my shoulder while she pulls me to her side in a friendly hug.

“Exactly! That’s the spirit!”

“Err, excuse me, sir?”

I look to my right to spot a dark gray pegasus peer in through the carriage door. Awkwardly, he stares at us hugging and we part our physical contact, choosing not to let the moment linger. Sharing in my embarrassment, we both chuckle light heartedly at one another as a slight blush appears on our faces. The armored pony lifts his helmet, revealing some short gray hair and cool hazel eyes before he speaks up again.

“We’re here.”

“Art thou alright, Marcus?”

“I’m fi- I mean, I’ll be fine.”

It’s only been a few days since I was last faced with the door to Celestia’s bedroom, but it feels like a lifetime to me now. Luna pardoned us when we were stopped by guards at the entrance of the castle and now stands to my left as I contemplate entering. This princess brought me here of her own volition and I’ve run into so many new experiences, to say the least. I'll just be rational, and stay focused on the task at hand.

Taking a step forward, I allow my hand to reach out and push the door slightly open, revealing the inside of the bedroom to the three of us. Directly in front, relaxing on the large bed is none other than Celestia herself. It looks like the regal princess is catching up on a pile of letters and scrolls in a small collection at her side.

Noticing my (rather rude, now that I stop to think about it) entrance, Celestia turns to face her intruders. Instead of responding with a start, she smiles gracefully, almost as if she’s expecting me. The letter currently floating next to her via glowing yellow magic returns to the pile while she rights herself, sitting up in bed on her particularly thick flanks. She’s putting on quite a welcoming show of her relaxed body for her guests (one of which being her sister). As she addresses us, Luna and Applejack look confusedly at Celestia’s movements while I hold an unchanging bemused glare.

“Oh, Marcus! What a pleasant surprise! And I see you’ve gotten to know Applejack here as well.”

Giving me a knowing wink, I can tell that she isn’t against teasing me even after I burst into her room unannounced. I hear Celestia prod me telepathically, once again taking advantage of her abilities to mess with me.

(“I’m sure you two entertained each other on the way over here, hmm?”)

No, we didn’t. Now, get out of my head and get serious, for once. I blush, only slightly, following her assumption that I would do something like that (okay, to be honest, I may have thought about it) as the Princess now wears a fairly bothered scowl at my refusal to play along with her games.

“Might I suggest that you speak to me alone, Marcus?”

Luna bows her head dejectedly, seemingly used to Celestia sending her away for some reason, but I stop her from turning away as I interject.

“No. If you’re hiding something from me than I want all of us to hear it.”

I turn to Luna, who blushes modestly at my confident stare while nodding affirmatively. Then, turning to Applejack, I see that she returns my nod with a tip of her Stetson hat. Finally, all eyes are drawn back to the princess herself as she sighs and speaks in a condescending tone.

“Really, Marcus, I expected better from you. After all I’ve done for you, you repay me by barging and accusing me of keeping secrets?”

I take a defiant step forward as I counter, growing more confident as I close the distance between me and the ruler of Equestria.

“And just what is it that you’ve done for me? Kidnapped me and left me to flop around aimlessly?”

“Why I never-…I’ve given you shelter, a chance to make new friends, and I- I personally saw to it that your wounds were healed!”

“What?”

She clasps a hoof over her mouth at the slip of this information as I take in what she said. So she did heal me after I fell! There’s no way a bunch of regular ponies could’ve fixed me up after that fall. Well, that’s just another fact to back up my accusation of her withholding info from me.

“Don’t act like bringing you here (and having some fun) was a bad idea! Look at the joy you’ve brought. You’ve blended in so well, I didn’t think you would have so much of a problem with being here.”

She throws in a telepathic aside as she tries to convince me that she did the right thing, but I’m not buying it for a second.

(“I only wanted what’s best for you, you know.”)

That’s it. That’s the last straw! I stomp once, silencing everything to make room for my booming voice. It reverberates off the walls, only amplifying the effect that I intend.

“I don’t want you making decisions for me! I never wanted what you want, okay!? I may not be able to do everything on my own sometimes, but I’m not gonna be used just to get what you expect out of me!”

Celestia breaks eye contact and lowers her head, slowly getting out of her bed as if she feels defeated. Beside me, Luna wears a slight frown as well, probably not enjoying my yelling at her sister. Applejack, on my other side, looks dumbfounded at me and lifts a hoof to block off the sound to Celestia as she whispers to me.

“Uhh, what’re y’all talkin’ about, here?”

Regardless of whether or not she wanted Celestia to hear her or not, the Princess did anyway. The less than intimidating white form slowly makes its way over to me as she answers AJ.

“Marcus is referring to what I tasked him with upon his arrival. I’ll admit it was rude of me, but now I want to know something. Tell me, Marcus; as a human, what have you learned about your species in Ponyville?”

“Huh? Uhh, not much, really. I’ve been treated almost like I’m one of them. Err, ponies, I mean.”

“So, you see that we are not so different. What may have happened before you arrived has no bearing on what you’re capable of doing now. What you choose to do will determine who you are, not your species.”

I-…I guess she’s right. I can’t really let the past govern my present. But, that makes me wonder…

“…What exactly happened to the humans?”

A collective sigh drifting out from both princesses lets me know that neither really wants to talk about this particular topic. Fortunately, Celestia is the first to speak as she brings her eyes up to face mine.

“I was afraid it would come to this, but if you must know, then I will tell you.”

“Some time ago, humans shared a peaceful existence with ponies. We were very similar; there was no question of equality between our species. However, once it was discovered that we could bond with each other…things changed. Eventually, the tensions between what was desired from one another grew to a point where humans wanted to distance themselves from us. One pony had the power to do so; to send them away where nopony could reach them, with magic or otherwise. He was one of Equestria’s greatest wizards, and the only one who would willingly risk life in the dungeon for the human race than his own kind…Starswirl the Bearded. He created a world for them using a type of portal magic that sealed off so that nopony could ever activate it. After sending them away, some riots may have broken out, but time healed all wounds…except for the ones left in my sister and I. Fortunately for us ponies, time passed and they seemed to never have existed in the first place. We pretended as if ponies always acted as they do now, and time forgot the humans as Starswirl wished. I had assumed that love drove him to do what he did, but even in his final years, he still would not tell me.”

…Wow. So, a pony wizard gave humans a world to live in away from the ponies to stop them from getting all greedy? I guess that explains why no one knew or was too bothered by what I was. Still, I’m not through with Celestia’s explanation quite yet, and question her once more.

“What about the human, err…’semen’s’ effect on ponies? You mentioned that last time I was here as the reason you brought me.”

AJ whips her head around to look at me with a wildly surprised face and accompanying blush at my wording. Naturally, she wouldn’t know anything about this, but Celestia quickly picks up on that fact.

“Well, I may have exaggerated about drinking it, but the part about bonding with humans during intercourse was true.”

Something tells me Applejack isn’t going to look at the princess the same way ever again. Confused, I speak up again to get her to elaborate.

“So, the whole submissiveness and ‘stronger and faster’ thing was a lie?”

“It was misinformation, yes...”

“What about the ‘addicting’ thing? Ponies don’t actually get addicted to it, do they?”

“It doesn’t directly cause that, no.”

Sheesh, someone just loves making stuff up, doesn’t she? Great, so then all I’ve been worried about has been one big lie. I didn’t mess with anybody! Wait, except for…

“Hold on a minute. Then, what happened to Twilight? She went all crazy and practically forced herself on me!”

Celestia chuckles half-heartedly, somewhat ashamed as she turns away and answers me nervously.

“That was actually my doing. Being one of the elements of harmony as well as my dear and most faithful student, I wanted to at least see what would happen…and ensure that you bonded with one of them, if anything were to go wrong.”

“What!? You did something to make Twilight act like that?”

“It was an advanced form of a simple ‘Want it, Need it’ spell. It affects the psyche more than one’s immediate desire. I assure you, Marcus, it’s only temporary; it only lasts until you’ve satisfied her, so to speak. I placed the spell on her a few days ago, after she informed me of her morning antics as per my request. She’s always been quite the determined little pony.”

She followed that last remark with a giggle, unbefitting of her admittance of turning her ‘dear student’ into a lust-filled maniac for 2 days straight.

“But she’ll be alright now, right?”

“Correct. Twilight will take some time to recover, but the spell has been broken. She will be just fine. Rest assured, you’ve done no long-term harm to anypony, Marcus.”

I think I have to Rarity. I ran from her yesterday instead of standing up for myself and apologizing. I’m a damn coward.

“Marcus, we both know you’re stronger than that. You can’t give up on Rarity so easily, can you? How do you really feel about her?”

I…I love her. She lives and breathes elegance, she’s generous enough to do anything for her friends, and above all she’s drop-dead gorgeous. Chuckling again, I can assume Celestia heard my feelings for Rarity as she speaks.

“Then nothing else matters. Tell her how you feel and she will forgive you.”

For all she’s done, I can’t help myself but hug Celestia gently. She’s not as bad as she once seemed, after all, and I can’t help it when my emotions get the best of me. Surprised (and most likely blushing) by my action, she raises a hoof and pats me on the back assuredly.

“Thanks for your help, Princess.”

The moment, while nice, doesn’t last long before I feel another hoof grasp my shoulder and turn to see Applejack smiling at me.

“Ah think we oughta skedaddle, pardner. Ya know what ya need to do, now.”

I nod and release Celestia, allowing a smile to cross my lips as I feel much better about her than I did before. Luna nods as well, motioning over to the door as she thanks me for my visit.

“It has been a pleasure having you, Marcus, but now thou must go and follow thine own sense of purpose.”

“Heh, thank you too, Luna.”

I give Luna a quick hug and feel her flowing mane tickling my neck following a slight giggle. With my business here finished, I share a determined glance at Applejack and depart, leaving the two princesses in Celestia’s bedroom to watch us go. Not exactly the best place for a heart-to-heart, but I won’t complain.

“You comin’, Marcus?”

“Yeah, yeah, in a sec. I’m just thinking.”

Applejack shrugs and enters the carriage, leaving the door wide open as I stare back into the kingdom of Canterlot with a sort of half-smile. I can’t help but think back to Celestia’s words as the bustling crowd of ponies move past me and get on with their lives as mine stands still.

The story about humans having a separate world created for them explains a lot, but what I got stuck on was her question on what I’d learned. If she meant that, then I really wasn’t meant to be some sort of pet project to her. Was I brought here specifically to learn something?

Regardless, I think I’ve taken a step forward in figuring it out, at least. Finally taking a long breath, I almost turn to leave before I’m stopped by a ‘thud’ sound a few yards to my left. I look over and a familiar, yet still surprising, scene appears before me.

A light gray unicorn with a coat matted with several spots of dirt and a disheveled purple mane that I wouldn’t recognize on anyone else was bowing in apology to another unicorn as he passed by. They both force half-hearted smiles as they continue on their way, levitating their dropped items via magic and pretending like the collision didn’t happen. After the other pony left, though, the only one remaining is sulking on the ground, appearing as if she’s sobbing her eyes out.

One of the most hurtful sights I can ever see is happening before me; an emotional collapse. I can’t help but feel reminded of my own breakdown as I walk over to her, bending down on my knees and extending a hand out in front of her. Looking past her bawling, she sees my hand and follows my arm until her gaze lands on my face while I speak.

“Rarity.”

“Ma-…Marcus?”

Her eyes swell even more than before, looking up at me with a mix of emotions. I see the frustration, the despair, the heartbreak, and even a hint of surprise at my sudden appearance. I don’t give her a chance to react, however, instead choosing to wrap my arms around her neck and pull us both into a tight hug. The tears stream down our faces and I hear her whine as she tries to push me away weakly.

“D- Don’t touch me, Marcus!”

“I’m sorry, Rarity. I’m so sorry for everything.”

I can’t help but hold her tighter, my tears rolling off my cheeks and onto her soft fur. I just want to hold her in my arms forever, even though I know I have to let go. Luckily, when I do, I get to stare back into her beautiful, glistening eyes as I continue.

“When I said that I loved you, I meant it…and I’ll always mean it. I love you, Rarity, and I’m sorry about what I did. I didn’t know how to feel, so I locked myself away from my feelings and ended up pushing you away. But I never want that to happen ever again.”

Rarity sniffles as I think she accepts my heartfelt apology. Even though it was hard enough for me to say all that I needed to say, I can tell she’s having a more difficult time than I am, trying not to stammer as she speaks.

“…and I’m s- sorry I went and humiliated you like that. I was not really thinking straight at the time, myself.”

“It’s alright; I’m over it. I just want to know if you’ll forgive me.”

I can understand if she won’t, but I just want to hear it from her own lips. Rarity’s eyes well up once more, only now they’re accompanied by the beginning of a smile. Unexpectedly, she jumps back into my arms and throws her hooves around my neck, letting her face nuzzle into my neck for a moment. She pulls back and kisses me openly, surprising me yet again as the sensation of her lips on mine overwhelms me.

All around, I can feel dozens of eyes on us as we share this moment of forgiveness and intimacy, but I don’t care. My eyes close and I forget about the outside world for just a few seconds. I lean back into her as my hands roam along her back, all the while kissing deeper and reveling in the knowledge that she still cares for me. Finally, I’m released and she hugs me once more, asking casually.

“Does that answer your question?”

“Rarity, do you have some time?”

Rarity backs away and stands back on her own four hooves, looking back up at me with a nervous smile. She appears kind of guilty with that look on her face as she explains.

“Well, I’m afraid that I might have made some brash decisions on my part and scheduled to work in Canterlot until tomorrow night. I, uhm, sort of did it to…avoid you.”

Even at this unfortunate circumstance, I chuckle at her admittance and she raises her head questioningly before she even really gets a chance to bow in apology. It makes sense that she wanted to spend some time getting back to her work and not thinking about me for a little while.

“It’s okay. I’ll be in Ponyville when you’re finished, alright? Just don’t forget about me; that’s all I want.”

“How could I?”

Sharing a final hug, we part our separate ways, both with bright smiles on our faces and eyes glued to each other as we distance ourselves. I almost can’t look away from that beautiful form that immediately reminds me of that day when we shared a bed. When I turn to face the carriage, I find a wide, smirking grin plastered on the orange pony staring back at me from inside. Admittedly, I blush a little, knowing that she saw our whole encounter back there.

“C’mon loverboy, let’s git you back so ya can start getting ready fer yer date.”

She laughs in that hearty voice yet again and backs herself into the carriage before I follow her lead. Canterlot sure seems like a great place for opportunities like that, isn’t it? I’m glad I dropped by today.

The ride back to Ponyville is a bit less quiet than before, and, thankfully, it went by without incident now that Applejack and I seem to fully trust in one another. She really is a sweet girl; being both confident and maintaining pride in her work, and I have to admit that I caught myself admiring her fairly strong physique a few times that she earned through her apple tree bucking duties. I think she may have noticed once or twice, but didn’t say anything to let me know; it must not have bothered her too much.

Now, though, the pegasi descend upon Sweet Apple Acres, acting on Applejack’s request to be dropped off here. As we land and she takes her first few steps out the door, I decide to follow our and let the pegasi up front know that I can just walk back to Twilight’s place from here. I’ve troubled these two enough; they at least deserve a break, considering how actively I see them paddling against the air to fly the carriage back and forth from Ponyville to Canterlot. Before I get to say anything, however, a familiar, very tomboyish voice calls out from ahead of us.

“There you are! I’ve been waiting since like 10 o clock! Oh, hey Marcus.”

“Uhh, hey, Rainbow Dash.”

The self-proclaimed next wonderbolt hovers with her wings a few feet away as she addresses Applejack with annoyance. A nervous chortle sounds out before RD continues on, making accompanying bewildered gestures.

“You said you were off today, Applejack. We were gonna, you know…hang out.”

“Ah remember. Ah jus’ got called away to help Marcus with somethin’ this morning’.”

“Oh, so you’re not too busy to help Marcus but you can’t help me in my time of need? Hmph, some friend.”

AJ sighs and looks back at me dejectedly while Rainbow folds her forelegs grumpily and turns away. I have no idea what they’re talking about, but it seems like Applejack wants to clear the air for me.

“Rainbow over here sometimes comes ‘round and bothers me ‘bout lendin’ her a hoof in some private matters. She really oughta just git herself a marefriend, already.”

“Hey!”

“Point is, I ain’t doin’ ya no favors right now, RD. Marcus is right there, fer cryin out loud.”

I-…what? Seriously? What do these mares get up to in their spare time? Rainbow Dash and Applejack…what!?

“…Well, he can watch if he wants to. I don’t care.”

“What!?”

Both Applejack and I reply at the same time, obviously befuddled by Rainbow Dash’s suggestion. She seems completely unfazed by our reaction, instead trying to rationalize as if she’s really serious about it.

“Why not? It’ll be fun, and he doesn’t have to do anything.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Not only are they sometimes, uhh, ‘friends with benefits,' but Dash is suggesting that I watch while they…I don’t think this is such a good idea. Feeling my hesitation, she flips over to me and sways her body as she teases me once more.

“Oh come on, Marcus. You’re tellin’ me that you don’t want to see all of this in action?”

She runs her hooves along her body, caressing her own sides and showing off herself like she loves to do. Trying to ignore the attractive sight before me, I look away, but my eyes end up betraying me. I follow as she traces her curves and round flanks before I hear chuckling at my reaction. She then flies over to Applejack and mockingly adds.

“And maybe some of this?”

Just like that, she smacks Applejack’s flank; right on her cutie mark as it makes a loud noise. AJ tenses up and starts blushing, herself, in response.

“Hey!”

“See? He’s up for it!”

“Alright, alright… I suppose it can’t hurt nopony. Let’s just get this over with.”

Well, I guess it’s too difficult to change Rainbow’s mind once she’s set on getting her way. Dash looks at AJ with a wide smirk, clearly in a very teasing mood today.

“Oooh, Applejack, I didn’t know you wanted to do it out here in the fields. You want Big Mac to find us, hmm?”

“Consarn it, Rainbow! Don’t you go puttin’ words in mah mouth!”

“Hehe. Chillax, Applejack, we’ll just go in the barn like we always do.”

A blushing Applejack has got to be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen her as she turns to me. She takes a long, unsure look before following Dash’s lead off towards the bright red barn in the distance.

Don’t I get a say in this? I shouldn’t follow them, right? Although, I admit that they’re both attractive… and I am kinda curious… I take a quick look back to the pegasi leading the carriage and gulp nervously. Having seen what the two mares were talking about, they give me a knowing nod before taking off into the sky and leaving me behind. I guess I’ll be walking back to Twilights pla-

“Woah, Marcus, you did Twilight too!? You dog, you. Hurry up or you’ll miss the show!”

“’Ah told you not to say nothin’!”

Oh boy. This is gonna be something.

The barn door is left cracked open behind me and the small bit of sunlight fills most of the space as I take a look around. Bales of hay and farming equipment made for ponies to operate lie scattered about. When my eyes reach the center of the room, however, I find the two beautiful mares in a fairly unflattering position. Dash is lying on top of Applejack, whispering into her ear and nudging their bodies together seductively. Sheesh, this girl works fast, doesn’t she?

“Marcus! Good to see you join us.”

“Rainbow… can’t ah at least pretend like he ain't here?”

It seems Applejack is just as uncomfortable with me being here as I am, standing awkwardly a few feet away. That is, until Rainbow Dash breathes hot air on AJ’s neck and she shudders in response. Continuing on with her teasing, she whispers back,

“Nope, but while he’s here, let’s give him a show.”

Without being able to retort, Applejack lets Rainbow Dash kiss her softly on the lips; rustling slightly before relaxing under her. Dash continues her passionate assault, letting their lips drag along each other as they share more kisses. I end up squirming slightly as I sit down on a nearby bale while watching these two go at it.

Not only is it a rare opportunity to see Applejack not being confident (as well as hatless, from what I can see) but it’s also, well… just plain hot watching them make out like this. Not content with just kissing, Rainbow Dash runs her hooves along Applejack’s sides, letting her right hoof rest on the curve of her strong thigh as she backs away and remarks to me,

“AJ’s not too bad on the eyes either, isn’t she, Marcus?”

“Rainbow…”

I hear a hint of annoyance in Applejack’s voice. Clearly she isn’t too fond of Dash’s playful attitude, considering she’s being embarrassed before my eyes.

“And watch this. She loves it when you nibble her ears.”

“Ah do nawt!”

Demonstrating her claim, Rainbow uses her teeth to carefully nibble on Applejack’s lobe, which results in a noticeably unfamiliar moan from her. AJ’s body shivers, most likely feeling sensitive while Dash exploits her weak spot. Just hearing her reaction is enough to drive me almost wild. Trying to contain myself, I relax uncomfortably while sitting and Rainbow notices the effect it has on me.

"Hah! I told you he’d like it.”

For a split second, I wonder if this situation feels somehow familiar to me before I catch the blush on Applejack’s face deepen tenfold while looking straight at me. She looks semi-angrily over at Rainbow and stammers as she asks quietly.

“You planned fer this, didn’t you?”

“Watching the two of us? There’s no way he wouldn’t get hard.”

Oh, right. Looking down as if to help confirm her point, I find the reoccurring sight of my tented pants showing my arousal. Throwing out a nervous chuckle, I manage a comment in my defense as Dash gets up and slowly walks over to me with a cheeky smile.

“Well, it’s not really fair. I- I don’t have full control over-“

“Hey, no worries. We’ll lend ya a hoof, right Applejack?”

Somehow losing her drive, Applejack follows rainbow and stands at my side, facing my crotch and saying absolutely nothing. Well, like she said, I’m not really hurting anyone if I…

“Bingo!”

I sit with my legs open and briefs around my ankles, revealing myself to the two mares and their completely separate curiosities showing through. RD looks over to Applejack and back to me with her never-ending smirk while AJ just looks up at me with rosy cheeks all the while. I had no idea that she could look so… cute. Taking the initiative (as she always does), the daring light blue Pegasus strokes the side of my shaft and speaks up.

“Look at him; he can barely take it! Here, see if you can make him squirm.”

What? Unheeded by my shocked face, Rainbow nudges my tool closer to Applejack’s side, letting her eyes roam before her light blue hoof is replaced by an orange one. The hint of uncertainty and doubt is still apparent in her voice, however.

“Ah don’t know ‘bout this, Rainbow.”

That devilish grin appears on Dash’s face, an idea popping into her head almost immediately.

“Well, looks like she needs some encouragement, Marcus. Lemme show you what I do best.”

With that comment, she sits directly behind Applejack and out of my vision (except for her obvious protruding wings). AJ looks behind herself, and when we spot two bright blue colored hooves grasp the sides of her luscious rear, I know exactly what she’s doing. I hear another playful giggle before the sound of wet licking becomes prominent. Applejack immediately responds as Rainbow buries her face in the orange behind, leaning forward and ending up bumping her face against my crotch.

Resting awkwardly, AJ gives one final look up at me before giving a long, slow lick along my stiff rod. Determined to do more, her hooves hold my thighs apart as she begins teasing the tip with her tongue. She doesn’t seem entirely pleased with the situation, but with Rainbow Dash skillfully manipulating her arousal, the blushing face tells me that she still likes it. Fearlessly, Applejack opens her mouth and slides the entirety inside in one swift motion. I yelp instantly, feeling her warm mouth engulf me with fervor.

My hand travels through her hair and rubs the top of her head gently, but the moan I expect doesn’t arrive. Instead, pinching her ear results in a low, vibrating moan that rumbles up my shaft as she backs her rear farther into Rainbow’s more than eager mouth. With newfound vigor, she starts sucking on me deeply, causing me to bash up against her throat numerous times. The constricting, pleasant sensation really gets to me, and I find it difficult to hold my orgasm back while her mouth slurps on me. Just the sound of her sucking as well as Rainbow Dash’s own licking is turning me on more than anything. Naturally, I let go of Applejack’s sensitive ears and decide to give her a fair warning.

“Applejack, if you keep doing that any longer, I’ll-“

“Whoa, hold up there, Marcus!”

I look up to find Rainbow Dash now in front of me, hovering slightly above AJ before descending until she sits down next to her and practically pulls AJ’s head off of me.

“Poor Applejack here hasn’t even cum yet.”

Applejack doesn’t get to say anything at all before Rainbow bravely pulls her into a kiss with full tongue. I can only watch as the juices from Applejack mingle with my own precum and their saliva. AJ seems more into it this time, brushing her hair out of the way and leaning into the kiss while letting her tongue explore Rainbow’s mouth.

Damn it, these two are just… I don’t even know. Rainbow is the first to pull away, letting the saliva lazily fall away from their kiss as she speaks seductively.

“What do you wanna do about that, AJ?”

AJ stands up fully from her position and Dash follows afterward, both looking me in the eyes before the orange mare chuckles and kisses me this time. The taste is that of her own privates combined with a hint of my musky scent. Mainly though, it tastes kind of like apples; juicy and delicious. She breaks off quickly, however, and rubs her hoof across my chest, speaking with a sultry look in her eyes.

“You might wanna lie down for this one, pardner.”

I gulp nervously and nod before following her instruction, sliding off the bale of hay and lying down carefully on the floor next to it. The two mares continue to kiss over me as Applejack moves into position, rubbing her wet crotch along mine and shivering through her own arousal. Rainbow Dash breaks away from Applejacks, leaving her once again looking dazed as she eyes the point where we’re making contact once more, and backs up until her sexy ass is directly in front of my face.

“Let’s make it interesting… First one to cum loses!”

With that, she sits backs on my face and moans as her drenched lower lips are shoved onto my tongue. I should’ve known that Rainbow Dash’s competitive nature would show through, here. Unexpectedly, however, I feel my member being thrust into Applejack’s own depths and a loud groan follows before she grits her teeth.

“Y-yer on, RD.”.

What!? Gah! Applejack rises up, clenches down, and quickly slams back down on me roughly, managing a light groan of her own. It doesn’t look like she’s in pain though; more like she’s trying to endure the pleasure, if anything.

Unfortunately, my vision of the strong mare riding my cock is obscured by the round flanks and clean nethers of the one and only Rainbow Dash. Her tail lies forgotten off to the side, twitching slightly in anticipation, most likely. Deciding to go along with their improvised competition, I reach up and massage one of Rainbow’s prized wings while my tongue licks her slick insides. The stimulation quickly becomes too much for her and she lets out her own squeals of pleasure.

“Aah! Take it easy down the- Mmn!”

Applejack silences Dash’s exclamation with another kiss, this time holding it as they swap more than just spit. Both close their eyes and moan into each other’s mouths, enjoying themselves and their respective positions on top of me. While AJ thrusts her waist down on me with all she’s got, Rainbow has taken to grinding her hips in small circles on my face. Finding a middle ground between the two rhythms isn’t easy, but I somehow multitask.

My own thrusts get stronger while my tongue seeks a weak point of Dash’s. Just above the front side of her crotch, I find her small perked up treasure and give it a swift lick, eliciting a muffled whine of surprise from above. I go to town on her arousal, feeling a small amount of her juices coat my mouth while her wetness only demands more.

Applejack, on the other end of this pleasure fest, seems to steadily increase her pace while she grips the sides of my thighs and bounces on top of me. No need for shyness while I’m pumping inside her again and again, I assume. I eke out a groan of my own at the farming pony’s rough ride, enjoying herself probably a little too much.

Unable to tell who’s enjoying this the most, this perfect trifecta of sensation overwhelms me in a matter of minutes. Who could’ve thought that that they would’ve done things like this before? Let alone include me in them! Unfortunately, no matter how long this spectacular three-way goes on for, it has to end eventually. I feel myself nearing that oh so familiar edge of orgasm, briefly wondering how Rainbow Dash convinced us to do this while both mares begin the shake and quicken their paces further. They pull away from their near-constant kissing before the over eager Pegasus exclaims loudly.

“This is it! Gotta…hold…onnnn- aah!”

“Marcus!”

Muffled under Rainbow Dash’s smooth slit, I can do little else besides grunt as I try to announce my own climax. With the three of us on the verge, I thrust into Applejack once more while feeling as if lightning strikes my body, releasing a torrent of seed inside her. Jet after jet, my thick cum fills her as she simultaneously spills her own evidence of climax all over me. In the same instant, Rainbow Dash’s lack of modesty is shown as she screams out while her tasty love juices flood my mouth. For some reason, I find myself lapping it up as she squirts, clearly having a very powerful orgasm.

White substance drips from Applejack’s entrance as she lifts herself off of my throbbing member and rolls to my left side, resting her exhausted body while curled up next to me. Rainbow Dash falls off of me in a less than graceful manner, lying flat on her belly with a dazed (almost drugged) expression while her stiff wings twitch and shiver every other second or so. AJ is the first to speak, chuckling through some strained pants.

“Hoo whee…you sure do got somethin’ there, Marcus.”

I half smile as I take the compliment, reaching over for Applejack’s Stetson hat and placing it on her head gently which results in another cute chuckle. Rainbow, on the other hand, doesn’t recover as easily and lies sprawled out beside me weakly, not bothering to even sit up. She must be a ‘one and done’ type of girl, by my guess.

“Yeah, but…who lost?”

Not that it really matters to me, but that sure is the question of the day for Dash, here. If I really had to guess, I’d say that it was a tie; we all came at the same time, pretty much. Applejack, seemingly on the same page as I am, answers with a slight grin on her face.

“Ah reckon we all went off at the same time, Rainbow.”

“Heh, maybe next time, then. I’m not done with you yet, Marcus.”

Yeah, I figured I wouldn’t get off so easily with the hot-headed Rainbow Dash. Standing up and grabbing my nearby clothes, I hear a slight gasp from behind me. Twisting my head around, I turn to see Applejack holding a hoof over Dash’s mouth, all the while with an unconvincing smile as I get dressed.

“Y’all should prob’ly be on yer way, Marcus. RD and I got a few thangs to talk about.”

“We do? Uhh, I mean, we do!”

Only semi-believing them, I finish dressing myself as Applejack removes her hoof and nudges Rainbow Dash away roughly. With nothing else to say as I start walking over to the barn entrance, I speak up as the two mares collect themselves.

“Well, this was…uhh…fun. Thanks, Rainbow Dash.”

She giggles at me and I smile back, not exactly fully aware of proper post-threesome etiquette. I agree with Applejack though, and remark back to her with a friendly wave.

“I’ll see you around, AJ!”

“Yeah, see ya!”

Leaving the door cracked open slightly behind me, I end up stopping in my tracks when I hear them start chatting. Silently, I decide to eavesdrop for a little bit before I go.

“Why’d ya hafta go and do that for?”

“Hey, you’re the one who bucked him. Besides, Marcus is a good guy. What’s wrong with throwin’ him a bone? I mean, did you see him back there?”

“Ah like Marcus; ah just didn’t wanna do…that with him.”

“Heh, that’s not what your hips were saying.”

“Rainbow…”

“No worries, we’ll leave him out from now on if you’re not up for it.”

“Ah never said ah wasn’t up for it!”

“Ooh, sounds like somepony’s ready for a little round two action.”

“Ugh.”

Heh, these girls sure are something else.

“Angel can be trouble sometimes, but really he’s a sweet little bunny.”

“I can imagine.”

I make idle chit chat with Fluttershy as I exit her cottage. I figured it would be a good idea to at least pay her a visit after yesterday’s events and to thank her, but I ended up helping feed her many animals instead. It definitely showed me just how much patience and kindness Fluttershy exudes daily, as if I didn’t have enough evidence. Being an animal caretaker is a full-time responsibility, and I’m really impressed at how she’s managed it so far. She even stared down a bear of all things!

With me outside and looking at her staring in the doorway, I still find her rather…well, adorable. However, I’m honestly a little too tired to stick around any longer, and considering that it’s already dusk, I think I should just head back to Twilight’s place.

“I’m heading home for the night, but it was nice seeing you again, Fluttershy.”

She smiles warmly, seemingly happy just to see me off for today.

“You too…Marcus.”

Like that, she moves her head away and closes her stable door as I spot a hint of a blush on the cheek behind her rosy pink hair. Still as shy as ever, I see.

Once again, I find myself in the wide field on the way back into Ponyville. Last time, I ran through this field desperately in tears, but now…I can’t even remotely feel sad as I walk through here briskly. The peace and quiet nature while the wind blows by me is more than pleasant; it’s practically therapeutic.

My eyes roam the land, along the grass and trees before my attention turns to the bright blue sky above. At first, the stationary clouds of Equestria kind of bothered me, but after seeing how well-organized the pegasi that operate them are, I don’t really mind. Among the clouds, however, I see a familiar form flying, carrying a mailbag saddled on its side. By its gray color, blonde hair and bubbles for a cutie mark, I determine it to be Derpy Hooves. It’s always nice talking to her, so I might as well say hi.

“Hey, Derpy! Down here!”

She stops in her place and hooves while looking around, her mouth in a scrunched fashion like she’s confused. Her eyes eventually find me and she dives towards me at a breakneck pace with a ridiculously wide smile.

“Marcus!”

Heh, same ol- Wait, that’s too close! Derpy slams into me and we tumble along the ground a few times harshly before she shifts her weight lying on top of me. I won’t say that I don’t enjoy Derpy’s enthusiastic hugs, but this one might be a bit too much. As she nuzzles her face against mine and flaps her wings happily, I attempt to get a greeting out, myself.

“Hi Derpy. You act like you haven’t seen me in days, heh.”

The cross-eyed mare pulls her head back and droops her ears as her smile weakens in response.

“I was so worried about you! I heard that you ran out of the party after Rarity made you cry yesterday. I tried to look everywhere for you but I couldn’t find you!”

“That’s really sweet of you, Derpy. You don’t remember that you sent me to Fluttershy’s, though?”

“…Oh! Right! I guess I kinda forgot.”

I chuckle through Derpy’s misunderstanding and common forgetfulness. I hope she doesn’t blame Rarity or anything like that. Clarifying as best as I can, I quickly respond with my newfound confidence.

“Things have gotten better between Rarity and I since then; I’m fine now. Anyway, what are you doing out here, Derpy?”

“As soon as I told my boss that my wing healed up, he put me back on my mail route, today! I’m just happy to get good use out of it again. See?”

Flaring her right wing out proudly, her ears perk up and she smiles once more. My hand moves of its own accord and brushes along the feathers across the very top, resulting in a happy giggle from Derpy. The softness I feel is still surprising, but there’s also a smooth feeling that differs from other pegasi wings I’ve felt.

“That tickles! Quit it, Marcus.”

Her cute reaction only makes me want to touch them more, but I honor her request and pull my hand back, letting her wing retract itself with ease. Derpy’s ticklish, huh? Definitely gonna remember that for later.

After a few moments of silence, I cough a little bit and it alerts Derpy as to how uncomfortable she’s making me by sitting on top of me. She pipes up as she steps off of me and allows both of us to stand up straight.

“Oops, my bad. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Heh, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“Oh! I just remembered something, Marcus!”

She presses a hoof into my chest to grab my attention as she gasps aloud in surprise. I laugh once more at her reaction to recalling things and question her with my unbreakable smile.

“What is it, Derpy?”

“I was talking to Pinkie Pie yesterday and she said that she’s sorry that she missed you yesterday. I think she really wanted to see you.”

“She did? Well, if you see her, can you tell her I’ll see her soon?”

Derpy’s wings flare back out and she nods up and down excitedly before leaping into the air, carrying herself by wings alone and waving to me.

“Will do! Bye, Marcus!”

“Bye, Derpy!”

I call out as she flies away, most likely picking up her pace after taking a small break to talk to me. Pinkie Pie wants to see me? I can make time to head over to Sugarcube Corner tomorrow and drop in on the party-loving pony. Even though I had to split, Pinkie still threw one hell of a party. I’m sure that seeing her again will be just as lively as our first encounter (hopefully without showing off her appetite this time).

Phew, what a day. I always feel better once I finally get back to Twilight’s place because it means that I can rest and relax after whatever troublesome events occurred during the day. If anything, I can definitely say that today was eventful. Closing the stable door, I step inside and hear a somewhat familiar voice exclaim to itself.

“Finally. Whew! Done re-shelving. Twilight would be proud…if she were here, at least.”

“Spike?”

I call into the huge room, trying to find the young, purple dragon that should be easy to spot, considering his noticeably colored scales. Glancing around the floor, I see that it’s now near-spotless and all the books that littered the ground this morning are now neatly arranged onto the many shelves of the library around me. Did he re-shelve all the books Twilight left out all by himself? Wow, this kid’s determined.

“Up here!”

Gazing straight up, I find Spike waving down at me from the very top of an oddly flimsy ladder before starting on his way down to meet me. Thankfully not in any rush, he seems pretty careful as he climbs while I exchange greetings.

“Oh, hi Spike. Did you re-shelve the whole library by yourself?”

“Nah. I tried asking around for some help, but everyone was busy today! It doesn’t help much when Twilight was zonked out in bed and I had to use her old arranging list. She gets dozens of new books every week and I’m stuck guessing where they go…”

Spike mumbles something under his breath, but I can't really hear it. The first question popping into my mind has nothing to do with the state of the library, however.

“Is Twilight okay?”

Spike reaches the bottom of the ladder and turns to face me, eyes widening at the sight of my concern for Twilight. I mean, after all, I did cause her little ‘recovery period’ to break that spell Celestia put on her. I have a right to be worried and check in on her, at least.

“Ah, she woke up and left for Princess Celestia’s castle a few hours ago. It was weird too; she didn’t even say anything…but she looked okay.”

I let out a sigh of relief at this news. So she’s up and moving; that I can be thankful for. Still, should I trust her in Celestia’s hands- err, hooves? Judging by my rendezvous with her today, I can at least trust her to tell me the truth from here on. However, she’s so unpredictable…I have no clue what she’d do with Twilight now. Pushing the thought of any more bothersome Twilight behavior out of my mind, I start off towards the guest bedroom up the stairs.

“Well, as long as we know she’s alright, I won’t worry.”

“Yea, you’re right. If you need anything, let me know. I’m goin’ to bed. G’night, Marcus.”

“Night, Spike.”

I follow his yawn with one of my own as the lights in the house go dark, letting the natural light of the moon above shine through the windows. Thanks to this helpful illumination, finding my way to the bedroom is a simple task. I glance over to my bed and the night stand and notice a familiar book resting there, along with another piece of parchment with a royal seal and a quill in an ink jar.

I guess taking another crack at “Your Human and YOU” can’t kill me; I doubt it could get any more vulgar by this point. For now, though, I lie down in my bed and reach for the paper, thinking of how to summarize my day and...keeping in my mind that I’ve actually learned something.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Of all the things that you have done for me, letting me know that I should stick to my guns (do you have those in Equestria?) and take responsibility for my actions was definitely the most helpful. When you made that comment about what I’ve learned about the humans, I had trouble really answering you properly. Now that I think about it though, I see a deeper meaning behind it. How would I have thought that you did this for my benefit instead of your own gain when you gave me such a weird introduction on the day you brought me here? In any case, sans our little pow wow this morning, I was lucky enough to catch Rarity before I left Canterlot and I let her know how much I really do care about her. No matter what situations I end up finding myself in, what matters is that I love her, and I thank you for helping me realize that. Afterward, I dropped off Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres and spent a bit of time there thanks to a surprise visit by the one and only Rainbow Dash. I won’t say it’s the best decision I’ve made so far, but I can say it was…refreshing, if anything. Now having heard from Derpy again about how Pinkie Pie wants to see me as well as Twilight being in your care as of writing this, I know that I have something to look forward to, tomorrow. I think now, I’ll have another short read of Twilight’s book before getting some much deserved sleep. I look forward to seeing you and Luna again soon.

Signed,

Marcus Rook

Author's Notes:

Original posting date: 7/23/2012

A big chapter with a lot of story reveals and mending/building relationships with Rarity and Applejack, respectively.