Chapter 19

Main Square, Ponyville

The citizens of Ponyville had long grown accustomed to unexpected, and often chaotic events that seemed to occur on an alarmingly regular basis. Bugbear attacks, egomaniacal magicians influenced by forbidden artifacts, Breezie migrations, corrupted princesses, and cotton candy clouds to name a few. Therefore, when it was announced that a foreign leader was going to visit their sleepy little town, most people took the news in stride and went about their daily lives.

Having known Princess Twilight’s number one assistant for many years, the townsfolk were surprised to hear of Spike’s ascension to Dragon Lord and welcomed his return with jubilation. Everyone was also eager to meet his companions because they came from an isolated, near-mythical culture that had remained an enigma to Equestrian scholars for centuries.

Like the rest of the nation, they were well aware of Princess Luna’s royal decree, and just assumed that it was meant to foster good will and establish diplomatic relations between the Wyvertii and Equestria. This was because the decree did not specifically state what cultural practices and customs were under its protection.

Upon reading the document for the first time, Princess Celestia had immediately thrown it into the nearest waste basket. This was because she recognized all of the hallmarks of her sister’s particular brand of humor interjected within the decree. Luna had purposely kept the terms vague as practical joke of sorts, but it appeared as though she was serious about keeping Spike’s best interests at heart.

After taking some time to read Spike’s most recent correspondence, she reluctantly uncrumpled the decree and pondered on the matter further. He had discovered a greater purpose for himself and a place where he felt that he truly belonged. There was no doubt that Celestia was quite proud of her son for taking on the mantle of Dragon Lord. And even though he often expressed doubt over whether or not he was worthy of serving his people, she had the utmost confidence that Spike would eventually mature into the wise and benevolent leader he strived to be.

Despite her misgivings, the solar princess wanted nothing more than to protect her son’s happiness. She knew full well that his decision to embrace his people’s traditional way of life would cause an uproar amongst the nobility and the more conservative elements of the populace. But approving the decree would be the best course of action towards achieving her goal. With a quick flick of her pen, the degree officially became law.

If nothing else, the it would put the principals of tolerance, friendship, and respect that Equestria had been founded on to the test. And Celestia was curious to see if her subjects held those values in as high a regard as they claimed they did. Unfortunately, this meant that the vast majority of Equestria’s citizenry still remained ignorant of the fact that the concept of ‘nakedness’ was entirely alien to the Wyvertii. Their society had developed and prospered without the need of textiles for thousands of years and would likely continue to do so well into the future.

The Wyvertii found nothing inherently shameful about their bodies, so the thought of covering up never even crossed their minds. Nudity was as natural to them as a Manehattenite taking a stroll through Central Park. But no matter how many times Princess Twilight attempted to explain that to each passerby, most were either too shocked or embarrassed to try and strike up a conversation with the sky-clad entourage.

Spike kicked a pebble across the cobblestones while they made their way towards the market stalls. “You can say ‘I told you so’.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“C’mon, Twi. You know exactly what I’m talking about! With Aunt Luna’s decree, it shouldn’t be a big deal if the three of us continue to live the same way we did back in Brimstone but it turns out that you were right. I just thought that everyone in town would be—I dunno—be a bit more open-minded?”

Twilight offered her brother a sympathetic smile. “Spike, you have to understand that it’s not every day that your average citizen comes across such a… unique group of people hailing from a foreign land. Especially when they’re being escorted by the likes of a Princess.”

“I’m considered a foreigner now, huh? Well, that’s just fantastic! I guess living in Ponyville for most of my life and helping to save Equestria on numerous occasions counts for nothing then.” Spike bitterly complained.

Before Twilight reassure her brother, a middle-aged woman dressed in an expensive pantsuit marched right up to Spike, placed her hands on her hips, and practically jabbed her pointy nose into his face. The sudden invasion of his personal space caught Spike off-guard and caused him to stumble backwards onto the hard cobblestones below.

Spike grunted in pain as he stood up and brushed off the grit from his poor, bruised bottom. When he finally managed to regain his bearings, he happened to notice a very flustered Diamond Tiara standing directly behind the irate woman. Only then did he connect the dots and realize that he was dealing with Ponyville’s undisputed alpha bitch, Spoiled Rich.

“What in Celestia’s name do you think you’re doing?!”

“Councilwoman Rich, I assure you that—” Twilight began to explain before being cut off.

“With all due respect your Highness, I would prefer to hear your adoptive brother speak for himself and his concubines regarding this matter.”

Spike closed his eyes and took in a deep breath through his nostrils. Even though he counted to ten just like Cadence taught him, it did little to quell the growing sense of irritation he felt towards Diamond’s mother. Given everyone’s less than encouraging reactions thus far, he knew for certain that an entitled elitist like her would have a difficult time coming to terms with certain aspects of Wyvertii culture. But he had to at least try.

Unfortunately, Ember was still very much a work in progress when it came to keeping her more passionate emotions in check. When she overheard Spoiled refer to her as a concubine, the huntress’s muscles tensed and she let out a low growl that wouldn’t have sounded out of place had it come from the throat of a panther.

“Please excuse us for a moment, Councilwoman Rich.” Spike said while he pulled his mate aside.

Ember’s growl was frightening enough that Spike felt his scrotum involuntarily shrink towards his stomach as it tried to avoid the perceived threat. But he had enough wherewithal to recognize that he needed to diffuse the situation quickly and delicately, lest it become violent. After screwing up his courage, he gently took hold of her shoulders, and looked directly into her eyes.

“Ember, you really shouldn’t let your temper get the best of you.”

The tomboy stomped her foot in frustration. “I trying my best, alright! I’ve even been doing all those stupid breathing exercises you taught me too. Do you know how degrading it is to be referred to as a concubine? And that arrogant tone she was using just—ARRAGH!”

“What she said may have been a bit… insensitive, but you can’t blame her for not understanding how a three-way relationship works. Equestrians aren’t familiar with how we do things back in Brimstone, so it’s important for us to make a good impression and educate them. Do you think you can do that for me?”

Even though Ember was still very upset about being labeling as one of the Dragon Lord’s personal whores, she begrudgingly nodded her head in agreement. Now satisfied that Ember wasn’t going to punch anyone’s teeth out, Spike gave his lover a quick peck to the lips and led her back to where Spoiled Rich and Diamond Tiara were standing.

“My apologies, Councilwoman Rich. I had to clear up a slight misunderstanding with my mate.”

Spoiled tilted her head slightly. “Your ‘mate’, you say?”

“Yes, ma’am. Her name is Ember, and she’s the daughter of Dragon Lord Torch. The woman with white hair you see standing beside her is Delmira. The three of us are in a relationship together.”

The Councilwoman crinkled her nose in disgust. “It would seem that polygyny is as endemic amongst the Wyvertii as it is with the Zebricans. I must say that I am not all surprised to hear of this development.”

“What makes you say that?”

Spoiled began filing her fingernails. “Based on what I have witnessed thus far, it is quite clear to me that your kind lack even the slightest modicum of decency. And yes, if you must know, I do realize that the Crown has permitted you to practice your… native customs openly. Allow me be perfectly frank with you, young man. I cannot bring myself to condone wanton displays of public nudity even if it is in the spirit of fostering foreign relations.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not sure I understand exactly what the problem is. It’s not like we’re not doing anything indecent.”

Spoiled sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Very well then. If it is an explanation you desire, then I shall just have to spell it out for you. All of that time you spent living amongst the savages has clearly caused you to forget what it means to be civilized. Please take a moment to observe my daughter, Lord Spike. Tell me what you see.”

Spike was slightly confused at the sudden change in the Councilwoman’s tone, but he obliged her request and shifted his attention towards Diamond Tiara. The poor teenager’s face was visibly flushed and her entire body squirmed with nervous excitement now that she was the sole focus of the Dragon Lord’s attention.

Like most men, Spike’s ability to pick up on female body language was sometimes hit or miss, even though he’d been surrounded by them his entire life. Yet, a sudden sense of déjà vu swept over him while he glanced over at Diamond Tiara. It took a few moments for his brain to process everything, but Spike eventually realized that her reaction was strikingly similar to what he had experienced during the early days of his tenure in Brimstone.

The Dragon Lord silently cursed himself for not appreciating how difficult the whole situation must be for Diamond. He strongly suspected that this was the first time she’d ever witnessed certain parts of the male anatomy in the flesh before. And to make matters worse, she also happened to be good friends with the male whom the anatomy belonged to.

Being a teenager himself, Spike empathized with Diamond’s plight. He knew all too well how overwhelming and confusing the influence of hormones could be sometimes. Spike didn’t want to cause her any further discomfort or embarrassment, but he knew that if he didn’t provide some kind of an answer soon, things could quickly get out of hand.

“I think she’s trying her best to remain polite during, shall we say, unusual circumstances?” Spike hesitantly offered.

“Hmph! You and I both know that’s a festering pile of horse manure, young man. Try again.”

“Mother, can’t you see that you’re making him uncomfortable?”

Spoiled’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Excuse me? I’m the one making HIM uncomfortable?! No, my dear. Those three must be made to understand that their decision to walk around in public without properly covering themselves is entirely inappropriate.”

“Fine. I’ll admit that our reunion’s been awkward and more than a little distracting because of Spike’s willingness to go full native. But I’m more upset that you just immediately assumed the worst of him because of it! Why must you always insist on being difficult with people who don’t share your narrow-mined view of the world?”

Time seemed to slow down to a crawl as Spike watched the councilwoman begin to raise her arm. He could practically sense Spoiled’s aggression as she drew back her hand and prepared to strike her daughter across the face. Whether or not Diamond’s perceived offence against her mother’s sensibilities warranted such a violent response was irrelevant to Spike.

He had no intention of allowing anyone to harm his friends. Especially, now that he possessed the power and strength to protect them on his own. With reflexes honed from many months of unarmed combat training, he quickly positioned himself between the two of them and grabbed hold of the older woman’s wrist joint before she could complete the blow.

Spoiled let out an indignant squawk as she struggled in vain to break Spike’s grip. “Unhand me this instant, you uncivilized brute!”

“Only if you promise me that you won’t ever try to hurt Diamond like that again.” Spike warned.

“You would dare lecture me on how to appropriately discipline my own child?! By Celestia’s grace, I swear that today’s youth have become little more than a rabble of unappreciative, disrespectful ingrates! Princess Twilight, you speak with the full authority of the Crown, do you not? Command him to release me!”

Twilight shook her head. “I’m afraid that I can’t compel him to do anything, Councilwoman Rich. Dragon Lord Spike has been officially recognized as the sovereign leader of the Wyvertii. Technically speaking, he’s not obligated to adhere to any of our laws or customs if he doesn’t want to.”

This only seemed to incense Spoiled Rich even further. She shrieked in frustration and began to repeatedly pound her remaining fist against Spike’s chest. The Dragon Lord wasn’t so much concerned about the blows he was receiving, they barely registered as a minor discomfort to him. No, he was more worried at how much of a scene Spoiled was causing and didn’t want everyone to get the wrong impression. Or worse yet, have the town gendarme summoned to intervene on her behalf.

Luckily, Twilight sensed how quickly the situation was deteriorating and took immediate action to calm things down. With a wave her hand, she cast a wave of raspberry-hued magic over Spoiled’s entire body. The woman’s movements became increasingly more sluggish as the seconds passed by, until she finally slumped into Spike’s arms, fast asleep.

“The tranquilizer spell shouldn’t last any more than three hours. However, make sure to give her some aspirin once she wakes up because the spell’s notorious for causing nasty headaches once it wears off.”

Spike carefully laid the unconscious woman on a nearby bench and frowned. “I’m sorry, Diamond. I didn’t mean for things to wind up like this. But there was no way in Tartarus I was going to just stand by and allow you to get hurt! Especially when this whole mess probably started because of us in the first place.”

Diamond let out a frustrated sigh. “I appreciate the apology, Spike but my mother really should have known better than to treat the three of you like that. Even if she disapproved of how blasé you all are about baring your bodies in public.”

“I thought she was acting that way because she considered us backwards and uncultured?”

“Yes, her attitude towards other cultures certainly needs to be adre—oh who am I kidding? Mother can be a real bitch sometimes. Still… she loves me and I don't think she’s too keen on the idea of her only daughter looking at potential 'suitors' just yet. Certainly not ones attired such as yourself,”

Coughing into her hand, Diamond leaned towards Spike and whispered, "So tell me, Spike. Is it true that your people are more comfortable expressing themselves intimately in public?"

Spike rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I wouldn’t necessarily say that’s untrue but it’s not like we’re going at it ‘round the clock like a bunch of horny rabbits…”

Given her lack of participation in the drama that had ensued earlier, Delmira decided it was high time to contribute towards the discussion. Especially, when the topic at hand concerned one of her favorite pastimes. This Spoiled Rich character was loud, haughty, and painfully ignorant about a great many things but Delmira noticed that the shrew was at least perceptive enough to recognize her daughter’s infatuation with Spike.

The signs were fairly subtle, but identifiable if one took the time to observe them. The ever-present blush coloring her cheeks, the way she nervously twiddled her fingers while speaking, or how she would furtively sneak a glance at his manhood whenever she thought he wasn’t paying attention.

The goddess chuckled to herself in amusement. She could certainly understand why the girl was so interested in her mate. Spike was a strong, healthy male in the prime of his virility. The potent cocktail of pheromones that intermingled with his naturally pleasant-smelling scent practically screamed: “come get your fill of my delicious baby batter!” to any interested female who happened to catch wind of it.

Were it not for Celestia’s stern warning and her mates’ bashfulness when it came to ‘preforming’ in front of an audience, Delmira might have enjoyed having a bit of naughty fun with the two of them right then and there, in the middle of the town square. Unfortunately, it was out of the question at this point. She would simply have to put off scratching that particular itch until she scoped out a location that could provide the level of privacy they preferred.

Instead, she refocused her attention back towards Spike’s affluent acquaintance. Why not teach this girl what genuine Wyvertii intimacy was all about? Grinning like a wolf on the prowl, Delmira sauntered over towards her unsuspecting mate and wrapped her arms around Spike’s waist. Once she had him firmly in her grasp, the temptress playfully nibbled on his ear and whispered: “Even underneath all of those clothes, I can tell that your friend cuts a fine figure. And she’s been checking you out ever since we began our grand tour of your old stomping grounds. Trust me, Ember and I can tell when other females have taken an interest in our man~”

Spike rolled his eyes. “What exactly are you getting at, Delmira?”

“If she were to voluntarily offer herself to you, would you fuck her?”

“W-what?! No! I couldn’t possibly take away her virginity! Di should experience her first time with someone special that she loves.” Spike hissed.

“What makes you think that she hasn’t considered YOU as a contender, hmm?”

“We’ve been close friends for a couple of years and there’s a mutual sense of trust shared between us, but our relationship has never… crossed that line.”

“I fail to understand why you’re being so cagey about this if the two of you trust one another. I’m sure that you’d be gentle, attentive, and make her cum just as hard as we do~”

Spike let out an exasperated sigh. “Look, it’s not as though I dislike the idea of having Diamond or Sweetie Belle as my partner. They’re both really fun to hang out with, intelligent, and well…. I happen to find them attractive. But it would be completely inappropriate for me to have sex with either of them, even if it was consensual. They’re just not… old enough yet.”

Delmira and Ember exchanged a confused look with their mate. “Not old enough? It is quite typical for many of our younglings to start exploring their preferences by the time they reach their eleventh summer. Are you telling me that Equestrian females take longer to mature?”

Spike realized that neither of them had a clear understanding of what he had been referring to. It had little to do with whether or not the minors in question were biologically capable of having sex. Any lewd activities willingly shared between adults and minors in Equestria was not only against the law but considered an extreme social taboo.

The Dragon Lord found himself at a loss for words. He just couldn’t find a suitable way to explain the Equestrian concept of what a ‘legal adult’ was to his mates. The Wyvertii tended to classify adulthood more along the lines of physical development and a person’s responsibilities within the tribe, rather than what age they had reached. Unfortunately for Spike, Delmira interpreted his silent ruminations as a confirmation of her proposed theory.

“Ah, so that’s how it is,” Delmira mused. She then slipped her hand underneath the crook of Spike’s legs and began teasing the delicate orbs that hung in-between. “These poor little fellas must’ve been aching for relief with all of that pent-up cum trapped inside! Not to worry though, my most handsome and noble Lord. Ember and I are more than happy to help you with that from now on~”

What had been intended to be a private conversation shared amongst mates, quickly morphed into an embarrassing public spectacle due to Delmira’s apparent disregard for everyone else present. Even though the Dragon Lord had long grown accustom to her antics, he wasn’t particularly pleased with the way she was behaving in front of Twilight and Diamond.

Spike felt his skin flush with heat as a cacophony of emotions assaulted his beleaguered brain all at once: frustration, anger, embarrassment, and even a slight amount of arousal. He was still a teenaged male, after all. It was practically impossible for him not to feel some level of excitement when he could feel every curve of Delmira’s svelte form while she was pressed up against him.

As the seconds ticked by, it became increasingly difficult for Spike to stay upset with his mate. Mostly because he recognized the folly of provoking the ire a goddess who, at the moment, quite literally had him by the balls. Not… that he didn’t enjoy all the attention they were currently receiving. Her ministrations went a long way towards dissipating any tension that remained.

Twilight frantically teleported herself in front of Diamond, hoping against all hope that the teenager hadn’t noticed what Spike’s girlfriend was up to. “I don’t know about you, but I sure could go for a nice, refreshing beverage right about now! How’s about we get a couple of Sugar Cube Corner’s famous malted milkshakes? My treat.”

“I… suppose so. But what about my mother?”

Twilight waved her hand dismissively. “Pshaw, she’ll be fine! It’s not like she’ll be going anywhere for the next two hours. The worst thing that’ll happen is she’ll wake up with a headache and some soreness.”

“Perhaps we could also buy some aspirin while we’re—”

Twilight grabbed Diamond by the wrist and started hurrying her along before the poor girl could even finish her sentence. “Great! Nowletsgetgoing!”

Spike eventually concluded that it wasn’t fair to scold Delmira for not knowing what Equestrians considered appropriate social etiquette. She had spent the vast majority of her millennia-long existence living within the borders of the Lost Continent. Leaving the comforts of her homeland behind just to learn about how other societies functioned wasn’t something that the dragoness had ever deemed a priority before. Until she fell in love with an aspirant Dragon Lord, that is.

Even so, it still bothered him that she hadn’t shown any interest in literature related to Equestrian culture like Ember had during their long voyage aboard the HMS Silver Shadow. Of course, that was assuming Delmira already knew how to read Equestrian text in the first place. If she didn’t, it certainly would explain why she always clammed up during their evening reading sessions.

The sound of the Apple Family’s cart clattering against the cobblestone street instantly broke Spike out of his reverie. Applejack and Big Mac were still in the process of securing their remaining stock of apple whiskey before heading back to the Acres, but they couldn’t help taking a gander at the motely group assembled before them.

AJ approached the trio and tipped her Stetson. “Howdy, y’all! It’s great ta see ya again, Spike. But if it ain’t too much trouble, do ya mind explainin’ what the heck is goin’ on here?”

“Nice to see you too, AJ. It’s kind of a long story, actually.”

The farmer arched her brow. “Really? Well, it just so happens that Mac and Ah finished meetin’ our sales quota fer the day, so I’ve got plenty o’ time ta chew the fat.”

“I’m not sure where I should start.”

AJ gestured towards the unconscious body of Spoiled Rich. “Ah reckon the good Councilwoman didn’t just suddenly wake up this mornin’ and git the inklin’ ta become a vagabond. It ain’t normal fer a highfalutin gal like her ta be sleepin’ on a park bench. Why don’t ya start there?”

Spike managed to give a brief summary of the confrontation that had occurred earlier but when he finally finished talking, Applejack merely shook her head and scoffed. Clearly expecting his friend to say more, he patiently waited for Applejack to offer some colorful remarks on the matter, until she walked over to the cart and took a few gulps of water from a canteen instead.

“I’ve gotta be honest with you, AJ: I thought you were going to have much a stronger reaction to this whole situation and the three of us, for that matter.”

Applejack shrugged her shoulders. “Nah. With all the crazy stuff that goes on ‘round this town, a posse o’ buck-nekkid foreigners droppin’ by fer a tour ain’t somethin’ worth gettin’ riled up over. ‘Sides, Mrs. Rich reacted to y’all exactly the way Ah would’ve expected her to. Uhh… no offence.”

“None taken. I know that our nudity can be a bit jarring for some people. Creator knows, I had a rough time getting used to whole village worth of it when I first started living in Brimstone…”

Applejack slapped her knee and laughed. “Well, butter mah biscuits! Ya sure don’t seem all that bothered by it right now. Iffn’ that pretty little lady fiddlin’ with yer twig n’ berries is anythin’ ta go by.”

It was only then that Spike realized, or rather felt, what Delmira was doing. She had shifted her attention from his balls to his now tumescent manhood, which she was casually massaging with the tips of her fingers. Spike’s eyes widened in horror. The last thing he wanted right now was to humiliate himself yet again by getting a full-fledged erection in front of his friends. To that effect, he tugged on the corner of Delmira’s ear hard enough to get her to stop.

“Ow! What was that for?! I thought you liked having your cock massaged.”

Spike nearly choked on his own spit. “Normally, I do but—ugh—just not right at the moment! Can’t you see that I’m trying to have a conversation here?”

“So? Who says we can’t do a little multitasking?”

“You never read a single one of those books on Equestrian social etiquette, did you?”

Delmira promptly humphed “For your information, I never lear—neeeh—I mean, they were entirely too boring! Yeah, that’s it! I don’t know how either of you could stand reading them. The authors should’ve at least included a few pictures to break up the monotony...”

“Liar,” Spike muttered while shaking his head, “You always rub your big toes together whenever you’re not telling the truth. I know you have your pride as a goddess, but there’s no shame in admitting that you don’t know how to do something. I’m sure that my sister would be more than happy to teach you how to read Equestrian if you asked her nicely enough.”

Delmira blushed so hard that the rosy hue colored her cheeks all the way down to the top of her breasts. Which was made all the more apparent due to the creamy-white complexion of her skin. Her embarrassment was only further compounded by a loud gurgling noise that arose from her tummy, reminding the goddess that she was long overdue for a lunch break. Spike and Ember’s stomachs echoed in kind with the exact same sentiment shortly thereafter.

Applejack chuckled after she observed the trio’s sheepish expressions. “Why don’t y’all come join us fer some good ole-fashioned BBQ back at the Acres? Apple Bloom put a couple o’ hogs in the roastin’ pit early this mornin’. Ah guarantee that the meat’ll be so tender and juicy that you’ll barely even have ta chew it. Whaddya say, y’all?”

Their embarrassment from only a moment ago quickly forgotten, the girls crowded in front of Spike and stared at him with the most pathetic, puppy-dog eyes that they could possibly muster. The two of them even went so far as to strategically position his shoulders in the crook of their cleavage while they begged. Just in case their mate needed a little bit of extra persuasion.

Even without the distinct pleasure of being sandwiched in-between four mounds of pillowy soft female flesh, Spike knew it would be downright foolish to refuse the legendary hospitality of the Apple Family. The Wyvertii also considered pork to be somewhat of a delicacy, since it was more difficult to come by on the Lost Continent. It therefore made perfect sense why the girls were so eager to satisfy their carnivorous cravings.

Spike nodded. “The girls and I would love to take you up on your offer, AJ. But—ah—what about Spoiled? We can’t just leave her on the bench…”

“Hey, Mac! Do ya mind stickin’ around fer Twi and Diamond while Ah take the cart and our distinguished guests back ta the Acres?”

“Eenope. Y’all go on ahead.”

Applejack cracked her knuckles. “Welp, it looks like mah brother’s got things pretty well taken care of on this end. Let’s get movin’!”

Delmira and Ember were practically drooling by the time everyone arrived at the front gate of Sweet Apple Acres. Not that Spike could honestly blame them. The smoky-sweet tang of BBQ pork that pervaded the air smelled absolutely divine, along with the rest of the country-style fixings. Out of the corner of his eye, Spike spotted Apple Bloom tending one of the firepits where the beans and cornbread were being prepared.

It was summertime in Equestria, so it made perfect sense that she would be dressed in accordance to what the temperature was like outside. Doubly so because she had to contend with the extra heat generated by the cooking fire. She wore a bandana that kept her ruby-red hair tied back, a pair of tattered daisy dukes, khaki work boots, and one of Big Mac’s old flannel shirts tied loosely around her breasts to serve as a top. Otherwise, the rest of her tanned, freckled skin was bare.

Apple Bloom was covered from head to toe in soot and sweat but that didn’t detract from her beauty whatsoever. Spike could easily tell that she had transformed from a gangly teenager into a burgeoning young woman during the time he was gone. It wouldn’t be much longer until the rest of her figure filled in, making Apple Bloom into near spitting image of her older sister. Which probably made her family quite wary of any potential male suitors who happened to look her way. While Delmira and Ember scampered off to explore the farmhouse, Applejack wrapped her arm around Spike’s shoulder and drew him close.

“Don’t think fer a second that Ah didn’t notice ya eye-ballin’ mah little sister.”

Spike felt his throat go dry. “I swear, I wasn’t trying to cause any trouble!”

“Confound it, Spike! Ya don’t have ta go and apologize just fer lookin’ at her! ‘Bloom’s practically an adult now. It’s only natural fer a gal her age ta be receivin’ that sort o’ attention. Heck, Ah know fer certain that she’ll have a hard time tryin’ not ta stare at the magnum barrel hanging’ in-between yer legs too.”

Spike coughed awkwardly. “Uh… do you really think my—"

“Don’t git me wrong, I’m glad that ya ain’t full o’ yerself over it. But the heat yer packin’ there is pretty darned impressive if Ah do say so mahself! Mind ya, that’s just the polite way o’ referrin’ ta it. Ah typically call ‘em ‘peckers’ or ‘twangers’. Never been one fer flowery words though. That’s more Twilight’s thing.”

“Gaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!”

Applejack blinked owlishly. “What? That there’s the honest truth. If ya weren’t already spoken fer, Ah would’ve gladly snogged ya the first chance Ah got. Ermm… with yer consent o’ course. Celestia knows Ah could sure use some proper stress relief. Do you know how tough it is ta get a half-decent orgasm started up when yer plum-tuckered from workin’ on the farm all day long?

“Sorry, Ah went on a bit o’ a tangent there. All I’m sayin’ is: try yer best to be considerate towards the Crusaders. They’re still in the process of figurin’ out what they fancy and dealin’ with all o’ them teenage hormones n’ whatnot.”

Spike slowly nodded in agreement, despite the awkward atmosphere that Applejack had inadvertently created between them. The young Dragon Lord took the lessons he’d learned from dealing with Diamond Tiara earlier to heart, and had no desire to repeat the same disastrous scenario all over again with Apple Bloom or any of the other Crusaders.

“I’ll be frank with ya, Spike: havin’ a good-lookin’ fella such as yerself traipsin’ ‘round town wearin’ nothin’ but a smile is bound ta tempt the gals somethin’ fierce. Yet… Ah know you’ve got a good heart nestled in that burly chest o’ yers, so Ah trust that ya won’t take advantage of their attempts ta flirt with ya.”

Spike gave Applejack a big hug, which she returned in kind without a shred of hesitation. “Thanks, AJ. It means a lot that you’ve placed so much trust in me. I promise that I’ll do my best to live up to it.”

“Yer welcome, sugarcube. Now let’s quit dwellin’ on all o’ this sappy stuff and git some grub!”

Within twenty minutes, Big Mac and Twilight finally arrived at the farmstead and seated themselves across from Spike and his mates. A quick blessing of thanks was said and everyone promptly dug into the feast arrayed before them. The biggest surprise came not from the girls’ appetite for Apple Family cooking, but Delmira’s affection for Winona. Spike never pegged her as a dog person, yet she was more than happy to spoil the border collie with nuzzles, scratches, belly rubs, and the occasional table scrap.

Ember belched loudly after finishing the last bite of her apple rhubarb pie slice ala mode. “That was some of the best pie I’ve ever tasted! My complements to the chef!”

Apple Bloom smiled at the praise. “Thank ya kindly, Miss Ember. I’ve been workin’ real hard on perfectin’ the recipe with mah granny fer the last month or so. Glad ta hear that ya enjoyed it so much. Umm… Ah hope Ah don’t sound rude fer askin’ but how’s come y’all are prancin’ ‘round without a stitch o’ clothin’ on?”

“Because the Wyvertii simply have no need for them. Bah! I’m getting sick and tired of having to justify our traditional way of life to practically every person we meet in this land! Do YOU have a problem with us choosing to remain as we were born? If so, speak your piece.”

Apple Bloom’s cheeks flushed while she fidgeted with her bandana. “N-No! Ah don’t have anythin’ against how y’all wanna go ‘bout yer daily lives. It’s just that I’ve never seen anybody act so comfortable with bein’ nekkid all the time before. Ah dunno if Ah quite understand how y’all can get used ta such a thing…”

Sensing the growing tension at the picnic table, Delmira rose from her seat and plopped Winona onto Ember’s lap. The collie looked up at her new companion with a bright, cheerful expression, clearly expecting some kind of attention to be lavished upon her. Unable to resist Winona’s adorable puppy-dog eyes, Ember quickly dismissed the irritation she felt with Apple Bloom and started scratching behind the dog’s ears. To which the canine responded with a single, appreciative bark and started tickling Ember’s legs while her tail wagged back and forth.

Delmira stood behind Apple Bloom’s chair and gently rubbed her shoulders. “If you truly wish to gain a better understanding of how we live, then why not start by trying it out for yourself?”

“Ah umm—that’s not exactly what Ah meant…”

Big Mac took a long swig of cider from his mug. “What Ms. Delmira is suggestin’ seems pretty straightforward ta me, ‘Bloom.”

“C’mon, Applejack! Tell Mac what he’s sayin’ is ridiculous. Y’all can’t expect me ta just walk ‘round the farm in mah birthday suit. It ain’t right!”

“Is it though? We’ve all gone skinny dippin’ down by the creek plenty o’ times before, so it’s not like we’re gonna be seein’ anythin’ we haven’t seen already at this point. Besides, ya know as well as Ah do that the Acres is private property. Ain’t like we’ve got a bunch o’ perverts hidin’ in the bushes waitin’ ta jump ya the first chance they git.”

Apple Bloom’s gaze shifted over to Spike. “All o’ that might very well be true, but Ah ain’t too keen on the idea of—”

Applejack clicked her tongue. “Yer embarrassed ‘bout Spike gettin’ ta see everythin’, aren’t ya? Although, the way Ah see it, fair’s fair. Half o’ the people sittin’ at this here table are already nekkid. Addin’ one more ta the fray ain’t gonna hurt nothin’.”

“F-Fine! But y’all better not laugh or say anythin’ mean or I’ll—I’ll start throwin’ punches or somethin’…”

Apple Bloom rose from her chair, untied her work boots, and kicked them off into the grass. While she was loosening the knot that held her shirt in place, she mentally thanked Celestia that Granny Smith was currently in Las Pegasus with the Golden Girls. As much as she loved her grandmother, the Apple Family Matriarch was exceptionally raunchy for an eighty-five-year-old woman and often spoke at length about a variety of topics relating to sex. Which included a lifetime’s worth of sordid tales recollected from her youth that her grandchildren never wanted or needed to learn about.

Apple Bloom resisted the urge to cover up her chest as her breasts slipped free of their flannel prison. If both of Spike’s girlfriends could be that self-assured about their own bodies, then why couldn’t she be too? The teenager was all too aware that her… assets were noticeably fuller than most of the girls around her age, a fact that was not lost on the folks in town.

As Applejack put it: ‘These puppies came from the finest genes the Apple Family has ta offer. Always hold yer head high with pride and shake what yer momma gave ya, lil’ sister!’. Still… it was one thing to say that you had confidence, but another matter entirely to feel confident enough to willingly expose your bare breasts in front of others.

She hesitated a moment before unbuttoning the fly of her daisy dukes. The single article of work-worn, tattered denim was the only thing preserving her modesty. A lot of girls tended to wear panties and bras to make themselves feel… well, girly. But Apple Bloom, just like her tomboyish sister, had long grown accustomed to going without them.

Undergarments just weren’t very practical for life on the farm, since they quickly became uncomfortable once soaked with sweat. They were delicate too. Not exactly a desirable trait for clothing while you were out performing physical labor for a good part of the day.

Apple Bloom swallowed her hesitation and decided to remove her pants in a single, swift motion. After tossing the garment onto the pile of clothes stacked nearby, she stood before everyone naked as the day she was born. Delmira circled around the teenager a few times with a thoughtful expression on her face. She carefully scrutinized every nook and cranny of Apple Bloom’s bare flesh, humming in approval from time to time. Once she finished her impromptu inspection, Delmira gave Apple Bloom a playful swat on the behind and grinned.

“Now doesn’t it feel a whole lot better to get out of those stuffy clothes? Especially, on such a beautiful summer day like today.”

“Hey w-watch it where yer puttin’ yer hands!” Apple Bloom warned.

“Oh, I’m definitely watching where my hands are going~ I must admit, you have quite an exquisite figure. Firm, bountiful breasts, wide hips, a cute little tuft of hair, and toned legs that go on for days! It’s a wonder that you don’t have all of the males in town slobbering at your feet. Well, there’s at least one male in the room who is.”

Apple Bloom nervously rubbed her legs together. “Really? Ah didn’t think Ah looked particularly girly…”

“Girly? No, my dear. You most assuredly possess the shape and form of a woman. If you require any further evidence, just take a look at how your body has affected Spike.”

Even while seated, Apple Bloom could easily see the tip of Spike’s erection poking out from underneath the picnic table. The poor teenager’s face flushed with embarrassment while her siblings rocked back in their chairs and howled with laughter. Since the preverbal cat was already out of the bag, Apple Bloom didn’t see much point in covering herself up, so she crossed her arms underneath her breasts and hoped that everyone would settle down soon.

Delmira wrapped her arm around Apple Bloom’s shoulder. “That, right there, is the sincerest form of flattery a man can possibly give a woman to let her know that she’s sexy. Don’t you ever forget it.”

“I-I’ll be sure ta keep that in mind from now on, Miss Delmira.”

The goddess smiled sweetly at her mate. “Spike, dearest, would you like me to take care of that erection for you?”

“Delmira, I already told you earlier that we can’t have sex in public!”

Delmira cocked her head innocently. “I seem to recall Applejack mentioning that Sweet Apple Acres was private property. Therefore, we are currently NOT in public at the moment. Am I mistaken about my interpretation?”

“Technically, you’re correct but—”

Delmira skipped over to Spike and grabbed him by the arm. “The matter is settled then! Apple Family, we all appreciate your hospitality but may I ask one teensy, tiny favor?”

Applejack chuckled. “Go on.”

“Do Spike and I have your permission to utilize the barn for the next half hour or so?”

“Don’t see why not. Just make sure ta clean up after yer done utilizin’. Otherwise, y’all go on and have fun.”

The goddess bowed to express her gratitude and before Spike could even mutter a single word of protest, she began dragging him off towards the barn, his erection bobbing along the way. It was apparent to everyone present that Spike wasn’t trying very hard to resist.

Ember sighed and continued ruffling Winona’s coat. “Sorry about that. Between the two of them, I’m not really sure who has less self-control at this point.”

“Nothin’ ta be sorry ‘bout, sugarcube. Creator knows, we’ve used that barn on more than one occasion fer the same exact purpose.”

Big Mac nodded emphatically. “Eeyup.”

True to her word, the goddess showed up at the picnic table with her mate in tow about forty-five minutes later. Numerous hickeys dotted Spike’s neck all the way down to his chest and the head of his penis was shiny and somewhat red. Delmira’s hair was rough, disheveled and covered in stray bits of hay. Her privates looked equally as sore as her partner’s. Yet, the satisfied expressions on their faces clearly indicated that they were still very much enjoying the after-sex glow.

Delmira pulled Spike in and gave him a long, sloppy kiss. “Stars above… you’re going to have to fuck me doggy style more often. You were an absolute ANIMAL! I lost count… how many orgasms I had. Oh… did I say that out loud?”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Apple Bloom crinkled her nose in disgust when she caught a whiff of the odor coming off of Spike and Delmira. “Welp, Ah might as well offer y’all a tour of the southern orchard. Then we can head on over ta the pond for a swim. Ah reckon it’s as good a time as any for skinny-dippin’, seein’ as we’re already nekkid and the weather’s so nice. Besides, I’m sure the two of ya’ll probably wanna freshen up a bit too...”

Author's Notes:

Whew! This chapter took way too long to finally publish. I must've revised this at least five times before I was happy with a version I liked. Apologies for the lengthy delay. Hope everyone enjoys it.

PS: I commissioned a piece of artwork which features Spike, Delmira, and Ember together in the jungle. Check out my user page on Derpibooru to find it (I can't post the picture here directly since it contains explicit nudity).