February 19th, 993 Domina Solaria

For Doug, waking up today isn’t nearly as disconcerting as it was yesterday, and that’s probably a good thing; it certainly wouldn’t do to be kicked in the crotch (and this morning, like most mornings, there’s a little bit extra to be kicked) by the orange mare snuggling next to him. They managed to stay spooning through the night, his arm casually draping over her barrel, and his hand slowly begins winding its way along the soft hair of her belly.

The mare in his arm grins, especially as his other hand travels to her hatless mane and begins working inside the thick mass. Soon she isn’t content being the pet-ee, spinning around and wrapping a foreleg around his back. She tugs him close, affectionate kiss to his lips, though her smile falters when he pulls her hind leg across his body. A push from his arm meets no resistance and she finds herself rolled to her back, legs spread wide. She spots that uncertain look in his eyes, that questioning of whether or not this is something she wants, especially as his hand strokes her mane from her eyes. She grins as he lays on top of her, leaning forward to kiss him again - much sloppier this time, she can’t help but smirk at the wetness - and rolls her hips to give him better access to her.

“That’s one way to say ‘Mornin’, Sugarcube,’” Applejack breathlessly quips when he finishes, the two still in that unfamiliar position. Ah wonder if it’s normal for humans, much like me standing with him laying on top of me is normal for ponies. Ah sure didn’t mind it, though, not at all. She wriggles back and forth, though he makes no motion to free her from her fleshy cage. Ah sure hope he don’t lose that incentive, though, and still works through the day.

“Sure is,” Doug retorts, glancing to the darkened sky outside. Best way to start the day. His hands casually play with her ears, relishing the softness and the happy moans coming from the mare. “So, AJ, what are we going to do today?”

“The same thing we do every day,” Applejack says with a wide smile.

“Try to take over the world?” Doug says at the same time Applejack continues, “Harvest apples.”

Applejack’s head cocks to the side, giving Doug a slightly confused look. “Didn’t know ya was plannin’ on courtin’ Princess Celestia already.”

“No,” Doug says, shaking his head, before a frown crosses his face. “Wait, that’s a thing?”

“Just ‘cause nopony’s done it in a couple hundred years don’t mean it ain’t possible. Now, about that harvestin’ apples part.” Applejack roughly pokes Doug in the side when he doesn’t move. “We don’t just plow ‘em ‘round here.”

“Oh, right.” Doug slips out of his mare, heading to the bathroom, though he leaves the door open as he washes up. “Hey, speaking of courting, Rainbow Dash and Rarity both asked if I could help with a cooler.” He pokes his head out the bathroom. “You know, for their heats.”

“Ah know why a mare uses a cooler,” Applejack says with a roll of her eyes. “Well, if you feel up for it.” She shrugs, though it looks like it bothers her a little. “Like Ah said, ain’t gonna tie you down or nothin’. But don’t let Rainbow interfere with workin’ the farm, mare can be a bit demandin’.” She hops off the bed, joining Doug in the bathroom and working a brush through her tangle of a mane.

“Here,” Doug says, taking the brush from a reluctant Applejack, though she quickly welcomes the change when his hand helps remove the snarls. “I love your mane,” he says, planting a small kiss on the top of her mane, just before it joins the main ponytail, “almost as much as I love you.”

“Hey, no fair,” Applejack says jovially. Her tail wraps around his leg, pulling him against her flank. “Ah was gonna tell you that Ah love workin’ the orchards with you,” she leans up, planting a kiss just under his jaw, “almost as much as Ah love you.” She grins, tickling his thigh, slowly moving up with her tail.

A loud banging from the other side of the wall interrupts any further mischief on Applejack’s part. “And Ah was gonna tell you,” Granny Smith’s voice belts out, “that some of us’re tryin’ ta sleep! Go feed the chickens if ya got so much energy!”

Applejack gives Doug a sheepish grin, staying quiet as he finishes brushing out her mane and tail. She ties them up, though a hoof stops Doug from leaving. Her voice turns serious. “Doug?”

“Yeah?” he replies, a little worried. He kneels down, now at eye level.

“Ah won’t need help with a cooler,” Applejack takes a deep breath, a slight shake of her head dispelling Doug’s growing smile. “But we ain’t gonna be tryin’ for a foal. Not this year.” She gently caresses his leg, her nuzzle keeping his spirits from dipping too low. “Not with how things are on the farm. Next year, though, should things be lookin’ up?” She grins, his smile matching hers. “Ah think we should start our family then.” Her smile fades just a fraction. “Or at least try.”

“Applejack,” Doug says, caressing her muzzle as he draws her to his chest, “I don’t mind waiting. Not at all.” He rubs her ear, eyes closing as he imagines, well, he’s not sure what kind of kids they’ll have. Maybe little dronkeys, but pony and human? Yeesh. “And I hope it works, no matter the result.”

Applejack returns the hug with a tight squeeze of her own, regretting having to pull away. “Well, Ah better go feed the chickens. Let ‘em know you might be comin’ around some mornings.”

“Sure,” Doug says. “I was going to go for a jog. Work on some cardio, if I’m going to be lifting all day.”

“Alright, Sugarcube,” Applejack says, her nuzzle turning to a soft kiss. “See you at breakfast.”

Doug’s jog turns to more of a job as he grabs two long fence boards to replace the ones he and Rainbow Dash broke yesterday. He rolls his shoulders, barely feeling any discomfort, before jogging to the fence. Pinpricks of gold cover the heavens, no clouds or trees restricting his view. He can’t help but gaze up at the dazzling masterpiece. I wonder what it would be like to date someone, or somepony, capable of rearranging the heavens. ...How many ponies does it take to change out a star? Just Meee!!

Doug snorts, his probably blasphemous musings interrupted as a streak of stars wink out, then come back. He leaps backwards towards the cover of the apple trees. Oh shit; did she hear my thoughts? His fears prove unfounded as a change in angle shows the blur to be a mane of many colors, a cerulean pegasus hovering next to him.

“Hey,” greets Rainbow Dash, suppressing her yawn. “Didn’t know you could move that fast.”

“Just now?” Doug glances to the spot where his feet dug divots into the dirt.

“Nah, before that. Almost got up to, like, a quarter bunny.” Rainbow Dash smirks.

“Hey, bunnies are quick little buggers,” Doug retorts. “That’s not bad for a jog.”

“Not the bunnies we have around here,” Rainbow Dash says with a snort. “Fluttershy lets ‘em eat too much, they can barely get to the ‘p’ before their ‘o’ weighs ‘em down.”

Doug’s eye squints. Did she just call me slow, or fat? Or both?

“You know,” Rainbow Dash explains, “their stomachs are the ‘o’? And they can’t hop?”

“Yeah, I got it,” Doug says, carefully neutral. Where did this come from? “So, what are you doing this early?”

“Endurance training, but it’s tough.” Rainbow Dash lands so she can display the full plumage of her wings. “Trying to get better at long distance, but my wings are too efficient. I can’t tire myself out enough, but I’m afraid I’ll tear something if I go too fast for too long.” She glances at Doug, the slightest hint of a smirk on her muzzle. “Got any ideas?”

Don’t say sex don’t say sex don’t say sex. “Well, there’s one thing that comes to mind.”

“Oh?” Rainbow Dash says, turning around and displaying the other side of her wings. I wonder if he’ll get the hint. “What’s that?”

“Well,” Doug says, mind desperately searching for anything as the mare continues exhibiting the full range of motion of her wings, “your legs.”

Rainbow Dash stops, her eyes scrunching up. She wiggles her wings back and forth. Remember these!? “My legs?”

“Yeah,” Doug says, his fingers stretching as he recalls massaging her legs. “If you are running, then you won’t be using your wings.”

“Ugh, but running is so boring!” Rainbow Dash pouts, throwing her head to the sky in exasperation.

“Well,” Doug says, captivated by the flowing strands of her mane reflecting the moonlight. She just needs about a gallon of water to complete the ad. “You could run with me.”

“You?” Rainbow Dash snorts.

“Sure,” Doug says, finally getting around to the task of nailing the boards back in place. “I know I might not look like much, but us humans are built for endurance, not speed. I might surprise you.”

“Forced to go at a human’s pace?” Rainbow Dash eyes Doug cautiously. “Also, if that wasn’t clear, I’m officially replacing all instances of ‘a snail’s pace’ with ‘a human’s pace’.”

Doug closes his eyes, already tired of the petty insults, and takes a deep breath. I want to challenge her, shut that mouth up, but damn would it look bad if I lose. And Applejack would be mad if I hurt something and couldn’t help out around the farm. “Well, maybe we can keep each other accountable, if we aren’t going at the same pace. We’re both trying to improve, right?”

“Well, duh,” Rainbow Dash spits out. “Well, I am. I don’t know if there’s hope for you.”

Damn it, that’s it. “You know,” Doug says, stretching his legs, each motion leaving him a step closer to the pegasus, “humans used to hunt. Not with speed, or ambush - though we’d do that when we can too - but by running our prey to the point where it dropped dead from exhaustion.” He flexes his fingers while leering at her, licking his lips as he crouches down. “Think you can keep away from me without your wings?”

“Well, duh!” Rainbow Dash repeats, sticking her tongue out at Doug. She glances around the orchard. “What kind of ru-”

Rainbow Dash squawks in alarm as Doug sprints towards her, rapidly closing the gap. Her wings flare out, a single gust of wind not propelling her very far as she backpedals. She grunts in frustration as she remembers the ‘no wings’ rule, folding them against her body as she turns to gallop away, only for Doug to slam into her side and tackle her to the ground.

“Hey, no fair!” she exclaims unhappily, trying to shake off the human bear hugging her barrel. “I wasn’t ready! And we didn’t agree on the rules!”

“I warned you about ambushing,” Doug states, smirking. “Also, we don’t fight fair.”

Rainbow Dash just rolls her eyes as she gives up struggling. “Fine. Well, we didn’t agree on a bet, either.” She glares at him as he hoists her up with what better be an exaggerated grunt. And she also doesn’t care at all for the way he raises his eyebrows at her. “Also, I’m not giving you a muzzlejob.”

“Well, normally I would say I eat my prey,” Doug says, though the comment draws a shudder from Rainbow Dash. “But, you look domesticable.” He winks at the pegasus as he adjusts her, now carrying her across his shoulders. “Want to join us for breakfast?”

“As long as you get your endurance training in,” Rainbow Dash says, smiling as Doug pats her flank.

Next Chapter: Ch. 35 - Dreadbeak Estimated time remaining: 11 Hours, 31 Minutes