No. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be happening.

“Sea Swirl,” I called, wiping the water out of my face. Then, I pushed the table away from my stinging legs and gave them a good rub while I looked around. I saw a lot of eyes on me; the ponies murmured amongst themselves; the humans were either looking on confused or staring at me with incredulity.

I paused for a moment before I ran out.

I went through a crowd as they moved towards the falls; it was another day of swimming. I may have bumped into a few people, pushed a few of them away roughly, but I didn’t really pay attention. I concentrated on wading through the crowd, trying to chase down Sea Swirl. I was too late. Once I was in the clear, I saw children—foals, cubs and kids—laughing. I saw people, ponies and griffins chatting.

I didn’t see her.

I spent the next few moments looking around, searching for her. Nothing. I couldn't find her. There was a point when I thought I did, but it was actually a stallion with a somewhat similar colored coat. And unless Sea Swirl magically changed to a stallion, that wasn’t her. There was no trace of Sea Swirl anywhere. In the end, I just went back to my room, staring out my window.

Where had it gone all wrong?

There was a knock on the door. I ignored it.

“Harry, open the damn door,” Thomas said through the barrier.

I looked at the entrance for the moment. I sighed, got on my feet, and opened the door.

“Finally,” Thomas muttered as he entered. He walked towards armchair but didn’t sit. “What the hell is going on?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, tiredly.

“I just came from the reception,” Thomas replied. “There’s a pegasus there asking—no, demanding to get the room number of a Harry Wingman.”

“White pegasus?”

“Yup.”

“Lightning Bolt,” I muttered with a sigh. “I guess Sea Swirl told them.”

Thomas placed his hand on his cheek, fingers rubbing his eyebrows. “She found out.” It wasn’t a question.

I nodded, walking towards the bed. “Wonderbolts are here. Spitfire saw me and called me by my work name. She introduced me as her Gentleman to Soarin’ and Rainbow Streak.”

“Rainbow Dash,” Thomas corrected immediately as I sat down.

“Whatever,” I said. “Anyway, I guess Sea Swirl was in the crowd or something. She brought it up at lunch before she threw water in my face.”

“Damn. Of all the things, it had to be a customer that would give you away. And honestly, you got lucky it was just water.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” Thomas replied. “That pegasus downstairs? I overheard her talking with her earth pony friend, on how she was going to buck you repeatedly, and that she has no problems hitting stallions. Scarily enough, I believe her.”

“Great, that’s two pegasi having problems with me,” I muttered, groaning as I fell onto the bed. “I’m half-tempted to go down there.”

“And what, show the world that you’re stupid?” Thomas asked.

I sat up. “To see if I can apologize,” I replied, giving him my best irritated glare. It didn’t even faze him.

“Dude, the only thing you’re going to get is a bucking to the face,” Thomas said.

Before I could answer, there was another knock on the door. I got up, but Thomas raised a hand, stopping me. Moving towards the door, he took a peek in the upper peephole. He looked at me for a moment, confusion written in his face.

“Yes?” he asked. “Who is this?”

“Is Harry in there?”

I blinked. I recognized the voice.

“Sorry, lady, you have the wrong room,” Thomas replied.

“Tell Harry this is Nadia. I have something to tell him, please.”

“Look, I’m sorry, lady, but you have the wron—”

I walked forward. “Thomas, let her in.”

He gave me a questioning look. “You sure?”

I nodded.

Thomas hesitated for a moment before he turned the knob. On the other side of the door was Nadia, hair done on a bun, dressed in yellow and white sundress. She looked at me, lips thinned while her eyes narrowed but only for a second. She turned to Thomas afterwards, her eyebrows rising.

“Are you also a Gentleman?” Nadia asked, her tone surprisingly neutral. Before Thomas could answer, she shook her head. “You know what, never mind.” She looked at me. Her expression made me expect something rude. She opened her mouth, shook her head, and said, “You are quite a guy.”

I didn’t know how to take that. I looked at Thomas and he was crossing his arms across his chest.

“Just yesterday, you were the most talked about and probably the most liked human in the conversation,” Nadia continued. “Sea Swirl even asked us if she could invite you over for dinner later... and introduce you as her coltfriend.”

Wait, what? “Coltfriend?” I whispered.

Nadia produced a necklace from her hand. It was of simple construct—chain metal that held a small vial filled with viscous liquid that glowed in light-blue color.

Thomas was the first to react. He palmed his face, muttering “Fucking knew it.”

I said nothing, approaching Nadia slowly, my eyes staring at the chain, at the vial. The liquid was condensed magic, which had various of uses, especially on recharging ‘consumable’ items like Firegems or Dragonfire Crystals. Usually, it would be taken from multiple unicorns, purified to remove most of the impurities. The process leaves the liquid clear and colorless that only shines when shaken. However, the one in front of me was meant for something else.

The constant glow and color indicated that this was Sea Swirl’s pure and unadulterated magic. It would still be usable, but that was not its point; for a unicorn, to give that to someone indicated something pretty intimate. The magic inside the vial represented a part of Sea Swirl. And she planned to give that part to me.

It wasn’t exactly like an engagement ring back on Earth, but it was definitely a request to enter and pursue a relationship. Sea Swirl was planning to ask me to be her coltfriend.

This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.

“Who gave you this?” Thomas asked.

“I can’t say...” Nadia replied, looking at him. She looked back at me. “Just someone close to her. She’s the one that gave me your room number too. She, uh, spotted you and Sea Swirl enter here a couple of times.”

Thomas sighed. “Right.” He looked at me. “I think its best you get out of here, Harry. Stallion-bucking pegasus may be on her way up.”

I ignored him. “What room are they staying in?” I asked Nadia.

Thomas’s gaze sharpened. “What?”

Nadia blinked. Then her eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“I’m going to go to Sea Swirl, and see if I can fix this,” I replied.

Thomas shook his head. “Uh-uh, I don’t recommend it.”

“Why not?” I challenged.

“Because both of you are still wired from earlier,” Thomas said. “And both of you are running on high emotions. To confront her now would just make the hurt resurface. She’s not going to listen to you or accept any apology.”

I looked at Nadia questioningly. She shrugged.

“I don’t know. Me, I’d apologize,” she said. She looked at Thomas. “But your friend is kinda right. Sea Swirl’s... a bit livid right now. She wouldn’t talk to me or Tara, which has Tara a bit miffed. I think you better avoid both of them.”

I grunted angrily, turning away from both of them, and walked towards my bed. I looked out the window, the sun bright and the sky blue. I didn't want that. For some reason, I wanted rain, thunder, and lightning.

“What do you want me to do, then?” I demanded. “I can’t just... leave it like that!”

“Write her a letter,” Thomas replied, deceptively calm. His hands went up as my mouth opened to protest. “Look, it’s the best option right now. The timing sucks since they are leaving tomorrow, and I know you want to do this now, but trust me, it’s better if both of you calm down before you confront each other again. Best thing I can think of is writing her a letter next week. Unless you fancy visiting Sea Swirl in her hometown, I guess.”

I looked at him for a moment then shook my head. “She mentioned a few places...”

“You have her name, and you know her Cutie Mark. I’m pretty sure we can get an address,” Thomas said. He looked at his watch and sighed. “Okay, look, I’m meeting with the, uh”—he looked at Nadia—“guys.”

Nadia looked at him. “Other Gentlemen?”

“Friends, guys,” Thomas muttered, shrugging. He looked at me. “Look, let’s talk later, okay? Don’t... don’t do anything stupid.”

Thomas quickly exited the room leaving me and Nadia in silence. The woman looked at where Thomas had gone and then back to me. Her lips parted for just a second before she shook her head and made her way towards the armchair and sat down.

“So,” Nadia began, “you’re a Gentleman.”

I looked at her for a moment, gauging her facial expression. It was absolutely still. I shrugged. “Yeah. On leave.”

For some reason, her eyes narrowed. “Since when?”

“Since I arrived here,” I replied. “Hell of a vacation, huh?” I gave a half-hearted chuckle as I sat down on my bed. “Why are you asking?”

“I’ve heard Lightning Bolt talking about how you were planning on seducing Sea Swirl, make her addicted to you so she’d become a customer.”

“That sounds ridi—”

“Ridiculous,” Nadia finished. “Yeah, I know.”

“Why tell me then?” I asked.

Nadia steepled her fingers, her eyes darting towards the left. “Because if you’re going to apologize, you need to know that you’re in for quite a reception.” I stared at her. “Five-eighteen. That’s the room they are staying in.”

Five-eighteen? That’s a floor above me. I unconsciously looked at my ceiling. I knew their room wasn’t directly above me (or maybe it was, depending on the floorplanning), but to know I was just a stairway away from Sea Swirl...

I was going to owe Thomas an apology, but this had to be done.

Nadia let herself out, talking about meeting with Tara. That probably meant I was on my own, which was fine. I thanked her and afterwards, rummaged around my bag, thinking about what to wear. I decided to forgo the suit. I didn’t want to bring up my job anymore than I had to. Instead, I went for a simple tee and shorts combination, something nice and simple with neutral basic colors.

I took a deep breath as I walked out my room. Took the moment to check my surroundings, my eyes actually looking out for Thomas. The coast was clear. With heavy steps, I began to travel up the staircase.

I’d never pass for a ninja; my footsteps squeaked slightly with every step. It was particularly eerie since, other than my steps, I was accompanied by absolute silence. It made me a bit nervous. I should have heard something by now. It seriously gave me the chills, as if I was walking in an abandoned building. Did the the hotel builders build the walls thick here, or were they charmed or magicked to silence?

Maybe that would explain why no one seemed bothered by all the noises Sea Swirl and I made during the late hours.

Thinking of her brought me back to my current predicament. I was on my way to a metaphorical lion’s den. Maybe even worse, because at least if a lion ripped me apart, it wouldn’t be personal. Plus lions didn’t have magic to keep me in place, just in case I decided to run.

Then I also remembered Sea Swirl had two friends, a weather pegasus that claimed she wasn’t above hitting males, and an earth pony who could probably crush my head like a tin can.

I hummed the first few stanzas of Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, if only to reassure myself. The more I traveled forward, the more nervous I felt , not unlike the feeling of dread when I first entered Ponyville’s school to meet with Cheerilee.

“Don’t worry, ‘bout a thing,” I began singing, trying to keep the accent authentic. “Cause every little thing, gonna be alright.”

My voice echoed around the hall, giving me enough courage to speed my pace. Even if I was to face three angry Equestrian Ponies, I had to do this. Sea Swirl deserved an apology.

Five-eighteen—the gilded numbers at the door shone out, glaring at me. I took a deep breath, hesitated for a second before knocking on the door. It took a few moments before the door opened, revealing Lightning Bolt wearing a neutral expression. That lasted only for a second. Then her mouth twisted in rage as her wings flapped just strong enough to lift her, leveling her eyes dead set to mine.

“You!” she seethed.

“Lightning Bolt,” I greeted, very neutrally. I did not want to set her off now. “May I see Sea—”

I didn’t get to finish. Her wings flapped once, and before I knew it, I was slammed at the wall on the other side, both her front hooves pinning my shoulders in place. Her eyes narrowed dangerously, cheeks shaking with rage.

So much for not setting her off.

“How dare you show your face around here?” Lightning Bolt demanded through clenched teeth.

I heard a noise coming from behind the pegasus. All I saw was a light mulberry blur shoving Lightning Bolt down and aside. First thing I noted on the pony on top of her was the strawberry-and-grape Cutie Mark.

“Berry Punch! Let go of me!” Lightning Bolt demanded, struggling against her earth pony friend.

“Not until you stop acting like an angry griffin,” Berry Punch replied. Lightning Bolt replied by trying to sit up, only to be lightly slammed back down the floor. “Lighty, if you don’t stop struggling, I’m not going to show you Mr. Hummie.”

Lightning Bolt immediately stopped, frown on her face. “That’s unfair.”

I finally stopped hugging the wall. I think I also regained my breath. Standing a little straighter, I watched as Lightning Bolt calmed down enough for Berry Punch. The earth pony moved away from her, letting the pegasus stand. The latter looked at me hatefully but said nothing more.

“Thank you,” I said towards the earth pony. Berry Punch looked at me, expression almost similar to the one Lightning Bolt was giving me.

“Don’t thank me,” she replied, sniffing. “Why are you here?”

“I came to see Sea Swirl.”

“What if she doesn’t want to see you?” Berry Punch asked. “Why would we even let you see her?”

“You’re a deceiver,” Lightning Bolt muttered. I shuddered. For some reason, the soft tremble of her voice felt far more uncomfortable than her screams. “Sea Swirl already suffered more than enough.”

I took a deep breath. I gave them both a nod. “Look, I just want to apologize to her,” I said.

“I can tell you where you can shove your apologies!” Lightning Bolt snarled.

Before I could say anything, Berry Punch extended her foreleg, as if to block Lightning Bolt, and nodded. “Okay.”

Lightning Bolt immediately stared at Berry Punch. “What?”

Berry Punch ignored her. “Sea Swirl’s inside, but we’re going to ask her if she wants to see you. If she says no, you leave. If you insist on staying, you’ll have to deal with both of us. Got it?”

I swallowed, then nodded. The earth pony stared at me one last time before she led Lightning Bolt (whose eyes were still on me) back inside the room. Before they closed the doors, I heard Lightning Bolt demanding something from Berry Punch but I couldn’t get the details. Once the door closed, I was left alone in silence once more.

Okay, maybe the walls and doors did block sounds.

With nothing else to do, I leaned back against the wall, staring at the glinting numbers of the door, waiting almost impatiently for the doors to open. I tapped my foot against the floor, licked my lips, and swallowed to ease my dry throat. The wait wasn’t long, but damn sure felt like it.

The door finally opened, revealing Berry Punch. She gave me a solemn nod, and widened the passageway. I shrugged my shoulders, taking a few deep breaths before I nodded. I let myself in, passing by Berry Punch. I could hear her closing the door behind her. I was a bit relieved when I didn’t hear any tell-tale sounds of the door being locked, and made my way towards the bedroom.

Their room was bigger than mine, but only slightly. The entry gave way to a bedroom with three single-sized beds in front of me, just big enough for a pony to lie rather comfortably, arranged in three neat rows. There was a veranda on the left, looking out towards the falls. On the right, the bathroom door was ajar.

I stared back at the beds. On the right most was Sea Swirl, sitting down on her haunches. The white of her eyes were tinged with red and unwiped moisture was present at the bottom of her eyes. Her mane was a bit of a mess. Judging by the downward curve of her lips, she didn’t look too happy to see me.

“We’ll leave you two alone,” Berry Punch whispered. I didn’t look at her, even when I heard Lightning Bolt groan and complain.

“Hey, let go of my mane!”

Berry Punch grunted. "Like I said, we're leaving these two along. So come on.”

“But what if—”

“Mr. Hummie’s in the bathroom.”

There was a slight pause before Lightning Bolt sighed and said, “You suck.”

I heard the bathroom door close, but not completely. I guess they were taking precautions in case things went wrong, but I put that out of my head. My concentration was on the mare before me, studying her face one more time, trying to gauge her reaction. All I could think was that she had spent a good amount of time crying.

“H-hey Sea Swirl,” I began. I made a gesture of pointing towards the adjacent bed. “May I—?”

“No.”

Okay, this was going to be easy, I could tell. Sighing, I just stood in place, looking at the unicorn for a moment, wondering how I was going to start. I opened my mouth twice, but nothing came out. Sea Swirl herself didn’t even seem to mind. All she did was watch me stay silent.

From the bathroom, I could hear muffled voices, but still loud and clear enough to understand.

“They aren’t talking,” Lightning Bolt said.

“Will you get your ear away from the door?” Berry Punch replied, her voice softer than the pegasus’.

“I was really hoping to hear Sea Swirl give that jerky-jerk a piece of her—is that Mr. Hummie?”

“Yup,” Berry Punch said. I could hear the smile on her voice. “Pretty cool, eh?”

“So... that’s anatomically correct? Are they really curved upwards?”

“I was told this is from an actual mold. The tip probably gives a bit of an extra length, probably to make up it up for being a bit thinner than stallions.”

“Where’s the pump?” Lightning Bolt asked.

“No pump... but check this out!”

I heard grinding gears.

“Celestia! The whole thing is wriggling!”

My cheeks were on fire. I looked at Sea Swirl, and she too shifted uncomfortably. “Want to talk somewhere else? Somewhere with more privacy?”

Her discomfort vanished immediately. Her eyes turned hard as she glared at me. “What for? Isn’t this more of your scene, Mister Gentleman?” she asked, with the last word growling out. “Why don’t you go in there, show them what a real Mr. Hummie looks like?”

“Sea Swirl, come on, that’s not fair,” I replied.

“Fair? Why would a damn liar like you talk about fair?” Sea Swirl demanded. Her expression changed slightly, just enough to show mockery as her horn glowed, lifting a coin purse from her bedside. “Oh, I get it. You need to be paid to show your goods, right? How many bits are we talking here?”

I glared at her for a second, my chest heating up. How dare she? Anger rose like a fire within me, but I took a deep breath to calm it down. I reminded myself that she was just angry. It helped, if only a little though.

“Sea Swirl, please,” I said.

“Don’t ‘please’ me!” Sea Swirl shouted. She jumped off the bed, landing in front of me. Before I could do anything, she pointed an accusing hoof in my direction. “You deceived me! You lied to me!”

“I didn’t mean to,” I replied, my voice going softer than what I wanted. She scoffed.

“Didn’t mean to get caught you mean?” Sea Swirl growled. “I should have known. You knew about Hard Cider. You were too good in...” she went silent. “New to Equestria? Hah! You led me on!”

“Sea Swirl, I didn’t lead you on,” I replied. “I’m on leave, on vacation. Look, I may have lied that I was new in Equestria, and maybe didn’t tell you that I was a Gentleman, but that doesn’t change what we had.”

“We had nothing! Why would I have something with someone as disgusting as you?”

I closed my eyes for a moment, exhaling a sharp breath. “Don’t say that, Sea Swirl. I like you. A lot. You’re passionate and an amazing mare. And when I realized you were—” I sighed. “I just wanted to show you that you deserved more.”

“Deserved more?” she demanded. “You used me.”

I swallowed. “I didn’t,” I replied weakly.

“I opened up to you!” Sea Swirl continued. “I told you... things! I really thought... Tartarus take me, I thought...!”

She trailed off, tears forming in her eyes. I bit my lips. I fished the chain Nadia gave me out of my pocket. The glow attracted the unicorn’s gaze, and she gasped as she realized what I was holding.

“I know,” I muttered. I offered it back to her. “I know you were going to ask. That’s why I wanted to see you now, before you leave. I couldn’t leave it like this.”

I saw a magic aura surround the necklace. I thought she was going to take it, but it stayed in place, the light blue glow around the metal links fading to nothingness.

“I just wanted to say that I don’t deserve this,” I continued. “Not from you.”

I saw her eyes, still moist, staring at me for a moment, her lips a thin line before it transformed to a snarl. I felt the chain yanked from my hands, shooting towards her, leaving a faint blue-silver streak.

“That’s right,” she whispered. “You don’t deserve this. A fraud like you doesn’t deserve anyone.”

The chain glowed bright blue, pulling it to one side, while the vial was pulled the other. I could hear her grunting as she put effort in her casting, the sound of metal creaking before the chain snapped into two, separating the vial. She threw it on the floor before she stomped it hard with her hoof, the glass smashing to bits. I spotted the liquid magic, now tinged with red, spreading out underneath her hoof before I winced as she threw the chain back at me.

“You’re a nobody, inconsequential,” she began.

“Sea Swirl, please don’t—”

“You will go through life, mare after mare. You will lie with them. You will lie to them. Because you are nothing!” Sea Swirl shouted.

I stared at her, shaking my head. “Sea Swirl—”

“You’re nothing but a well-dressed comfort human, paid to give temporary intimacy. And that’s all you’ll ever be. You won’t be anything real to us. You have a fake name. You have a fake life!”

“Don’t go there, please,” I muttered through gritted teeth.

“If you told me the truth about the earth girls passing you, I finally realized why.”

“I didn’t—”

“And when you grow old, when you are useless, you’ll realize that!” Sea Swirl shouted. “You’re going to be alone for the rest of your miserable life! That is what you deserve, faker! You hear me, you deceiver, you liar!? In the end, you’re going to be alone!”

Before I could stop myself, I snarled out these words: “A misborn would know, wouldn’t she?”

Her head snapped back, as if she had been hit. Her eyes widened momentarily, before narrowing as her expression turned even more caustic. I didn’t care. I matched her glare with my own.

“Get out,” Sea Swirl muttered. Her horn began to glow, its intensity increasing with every passing second.

The more reasonable part of me was practically screaming at me to get out. You wouldn’t dare grab a roaring tiger by its tail, right? However, in the state I was in, I just said nothing. I didn’t even move. I wanted—no—dared her to try something, anything.

“I said get! Out!” Sea Swirl shouted, sparks flying out of her horn.

Before I could tell her off, I felt something warm and sharp bite my wrist. I turned my head immediately only to see Berry Punch biting onto me, her expression clearly asking me to comply. I looked below her snout and saw my fist closed. Even with her clamped on my arm, I was shaking. I took a breath before I walked out.

I heard Lightning Bolt talking to Sea Swirl, trying to calm and sooth the unicorn who was breaking down, probably for the second time today. I heard her crying, sniffing. I didn’t care. All I felt was... fire.

Berry Punch led me out of room. I looked at her blankly. Before she closed the door, she shook her head, whispering, “Maybe it was better if I left it alone.”

The doorway was sealed with a small, final click as I was left alone in the hallway. Making my way back to my room, I shut the door behind me. My eyes moistened. I looked at my clenched hand, slowly opening it. The chain that she threw at me was still there, its loops making deep red marks on my palm.

I threw it in the garbage.

There was nothing really left to say. I went to bed until it was dinner time, where I did nothing but mechanically eat whatever was placed in front of me. Food lost its flavor, and I just ate because I was hungry, gulping down spoonful after spoonful. Then, I just went back to my room and slept.

Neighgra lost its charm. Oh, the morning was still bright and sunny, and the visitors and tourists were still happily smiling. However, I wasn’t one of them. I tried, though. I went swimming after lunch, but even the cold water felt unusually heavy. Later, I tried to check out the bars and got nothing but a headache for my troubles. Dinner was as uneventful as yesterday’s.

I was still up in my bed when I realized that I had enough of the place.

I packed my things and went down, towards the reception area. I told the nice young mare my name and that I was checking out. She smiled blankly.

“Um, sir, we have you registered to stay for another day,” she replied.

“I know,” I replied neutrally. There was probably something in my expression, though, because she immediately nodded.

“Alright, sir,” she declared. Her horn glowed, and a notebook floated beside her. It laid flat open on the marble counter in front of me, a pen in the center. “Sign here, and here,” she said, indicating where I should sign. She hesitated. “Uh, sir, just to remind you, Water Inn won’t refund—”

I gave her a gentle smile, no teeth. “I know. Thank you." I bent down a bit and signed my name. "Also, can you contact Chariot Skies?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I’m sorry sir, but Chariot Skies do not travel this late at night.”

I checked the wall clock above the receptionist. It indicated it was nine o’clock, and that the receptionist was quite right. No flying chariots for me then, which left the train. I sighed.

I couldn’t go home. Orangefair, the town where I lived, could only be reached by air or road; and night travel via roads was pretty risky, considering the ongoing raids of the diamond dogs. Bad timing, I guess. I could have probably told the receptionist that I changed my mind, that I’d stay one more day, but I didn’t want to.

I wanted out as fast as possible.

Nodding towards the receptionist, I grabbed my bags and made my way out. There was still one place I could stay. Exiting the Water’s Inn, I walked through soft-glowing roads, illuminated by warm street lights. I passed a few figures, humans or otherwise, as I made my way to the train station. With a ticket to Manehattan bought, I waited for ten minutes until the train arrived and made myself comfortable. The coach was practically empty, so I got the window seat all for myself.

It was a thirty minute ride. A boring ride, actually. Even passing through a mountain tunnel, nothing really happened. An earth pony mare pushing a trolley cart was probably the only companion I had. Normally, I’d have joked and asked for Chocolate Frogs, but I really wasn’t into doing any jokes or references now. Besides, the mare probably wouldn’t get it.

I was treated to the bright city lights as I exited the Manehattan station. Cooler than the warm lights of Neighagra, I felt a bit at home as I walked towards a tram station and rode a pony-tram that made its way towards the heart of Manehattan.

I passed by the pristine and brightly lit shops. All of them were closed, but an overhead light displayed their goods through a clear glass window—brightly glistening jewels, foal toys and trinkets for the human kids to try, and human toys like walkie-talkies and remote controlled cars for the foals.

I always felt they were a bit too gaudy, but I guess that was the point. These shops were for tourists. The shinier, the better.

Going further downtown, the tourist shops gave way to the more regular shops. Saddlebuck’s Coffee along with their friendly rival, Hoofer’s Best, spread around here and there. The tea shop equivalents, Amitea and Emphatea, came in between. Pizza parlors dominated the next area, some housing the last few patrons. I could smell the toasted garlic and cheese in the air.

The deeper I went, the brighter the lights and the livelier the streets. I got off at the corner of 42nd Street and 7th Avenue. There, the shops were still open with ponies and humans alike chatting amongst themselves. I ignored them all as I made my way down 7th Avenue and turned left onto 40th Street. I was greeted by a small unassuming building made of washed-out red bricks and white-framed windows. There was a large sign written in the face of the porte-cochère that simply said ‘Gentlemen for Mares’ in bold white letters over a black background.

I avoided the front entrance. That was mostly for walk-in customers, those that weren’t comfortable hiring Gentlemen for the full service, but still curious enough to experience companionship with a human. They’d come inside, go towards the large bar that looked like a set from Casablanca. It was the perfect place to sell Gentlemen and give customers a good time.

I remembered spending a month here during the final phase of my training, and also during the months I couldn’t nab a customer. Those were the times.

I moved towards the side-entrance, covering my mouth as I yawned. Opening the door, I made a... sound when I spotted Eve right in front of me, like an apparition that just appeared out of nowhere.

“That was an interesting scream,” Eve declared, giving me a smile. “Who knew you could hit the high notes.”

No, she didn’t mean I had a girlish scream. It was a manly scream.

“Holy crap, you scared the shit out of me,” I replied, clutching my chest with my free hand.

“Not really hard to do, honestly,” Eve said, giggling a bit.

I shook my head and gave her a smile of my own. It was good to see a friendly face, but I was also a bit suspicious. Around this time, Eve should have been at home. Yet here she was, sitting on her haunches, moved a bit towards the left of the entry to not block anyone. Her saddlebags were on her side, and her cat-eye rimmed spectacles daintily perched on top of her snout.

“Were you waiting for me?” I ventured.

Eve nodded solemnly. “I received a call from Thomas earlier.”

I rolled my eyes. “So you did send him to watch over me,” I accused.

“Please,” Eve replied, sniffing gently. “He had a job there. I’m actually ticked off at him.”

I blinked. “Why?”

“Like I said, he had a job there. And his job was to take care of the rich client that hired three of my Gentlemen,” Eve replied. She raised one of her eyebrows. “Instead, he spent his time worrying about you. He called me half-hour ago, telling me about your early departure.”

I frowned. “What else did he tell you?” I asked, softly.

“That you were an idiot,” Eve replied with a small smile. “I think that one’s obvious, though.”

“Oh, ha, ha,” I replied. I stuck my tongue out to her. She answered with the same. We both laughed afterwards, which felt good... really good.

“Well, now that you’re here, we can finally go,” Eve declared as she magically lifted her saddlebags and placed it over her back.

“Go where?” I asked.

“My place,” Eve replied. She raised an eyebrow again. “You weren’t seriously thinking I was going to let you bunk here, are you?”

I shook my head. “Eve, you don’t have to—”

Eve cut me off. “Yes I do,” she said. “Now, follow me, or I’ll magically leash you and float you around for all people to see—in your underwear.”

I snorted. “Boss from hell,” I declared.

She walked by me, still smiling. “You like it better that way.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” I replied as I followed suit.

We took another pony-tram ride, and five minutes later, we both got off in a quiet neighborhood, in front of a tall dark-green rectangular building.

“I haven’t been here in a while,” I muttered as Eve magically fished out her keyring from her saddlebags.

“A while?” Eve snorted. “You ran away, never looking back.” Eve turned the key to unlock the door. She grunted as she pushed forward with her shoulders. I helped, pushing the doorway with my free hand. With both of us exerting force, the door easily gave way and we entered.

“Ran away?” I asked as I closed the door.

Eve nodded. “Once you finally got two steady clients, you were practically packing your bags,” she replied. She lifted her right foreleg over her head, reminiscent of another white unicorn I met in Ponyville. “Was I that much of a terrible host that you couldn’t wait to get out from under my hooves?”

“Oh, quiet you,” I said, walking past her and towards the lift, sliding the metallic gate open. I hunched my back as I walked in, and Eve chuckled as she walked in after me. She stood on her hind legs to push a hoof-sized button that had the number six beside it. I heard the sound of gears turning as the lift slowly began to move upwards, picking up speed until it moved at a steady pace a few seconds afterwards.

The lift stopped with a small ding. I opened the gate and let Eve leave first. She went towards her apartment, floated her keyring once more, and opened the door for me.

As I entered, my hand automatically reached towards my left. I felt for the light button indent and pushed it in, bathing the place in warm yellow colors.

The place hadn’t changed at all.

I walked through the receiving area. In front of me was the living room. From where I stood, I could see the large open space and carpeted floors. A rectangular coffee table sat solidly in the center, surrounded by a three-cushion couch, a loveseat, and two single-seaters.

On my left, there was a door that led to Eve’s fully furnished kitchen. Its presence was something I always found funny because, while I wouldn’t say it out loud, Eve was a terrible cook. Worse than I was, and that said something.

On the right was the dining area, complete with a (relatively unused) dining table, tall chairs, and display plates that were stacked on top of each other, gilded spoons and forks shining in silver spread about. On top of the table was a light fixture that had strung gemstones hanging from the ceiling, refracting the light into multiple colors.

I walked towards the living room, revealing more of the area. Everything was as I remembered it, still in place and impeccably clean. Paintings hung from the walls, accenting the tastefully placed wooden furniture that helped frame the room. Some bookshelves displayed her hardbounds, all arranged in alphabetical order by author name. Others were counters that displayed plaques and awards of all sorts, some even given by Princess Celestia herself. And of course, a place dedicated to one of Eve’s few hobbies: touristy collectibles.

She had snowglobes for Canterlot, Vanhoover, Fillydelphia, Las Pegasus, Cloudsdale, Ponyville and The Crystal Empire. I could also spot miniaturized models of Appleloosa and Dodge City as well. Then there were collectibles from human cities, miniatures of the Statue of Liberty, the Space Needle, Mount Rushmore, the White House, and Big Ben.

“Well, make yourself at home,” Eve said as she closed the front door. “You can put your bags in your old room.”

“Don’t want me running away again?” I asked, and made my exit before she could reply.

I remembered walking here the first time around, realizing how similar it was compared to Five Star’s apartment. It didn’t take long for me to make my way to Eve’s guest room—my old room.

Opening the door gave me that tingling feeling of nostalgia, to the time when I bummed inside her apartment. Not my proudest moment, but fortunately, I was able to recover from it after a few months.

The room was still the same—a double-sized bed, a modest closet, a small mirror hanging on the wall, and a window big enough to let the moonlight in. It was a modest room, but during those months, it was my sanctuary and a bit of a personal hell. This room reminded me of the failure I was years ago. Yet, it was also a reminder of a friend who never gave up on me.

I put my bag gently at the side of the bed and walked back towards the living room area, only to see Eve lifting up a pair of whiskey glasses and a clear tall decanter filled with golden amber liquid.

“That whiskey?” I asked as I sat down on one of the loveseats.

Eve simply nodded. She concentrated on pouring the liquid in the whiskey glasses, and floated one to me, which I immediately grabbed. She slowly placed the decanter on the table as I took a sip from my glass. My mouth warmed up instantly. The whiskey was nice and dry with a bit of a salty aftertaste.

I leaned back into the loveseat, closing my eyes and relaxing as the whiskey hit the right spots. I couldn’t stop the groan of pleasure that escaped my lips; it got Eve chuckling. I opened my eyes and saw her sitting on the couch, beside the loveseat, taking a sip from her glass. Her face flushed before she took a sharp breath out.

“Very nice,” Eve muttered. “Should have tried this earlier. This is my first time drinking this.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Lagavulin,” Eve replied, taking another sip. I whistled.

“That’s a bit expensive, isn’t it?”

“Yes, well, a celebration isn’t really worth celebrating without something good-tasting and expensive drink to share around,” Eve replied with a wide smile.

“And what are we celebrating?” I asked.

“The return of the prodigal son.”

I snorted, which slowly turned to a chuckle. I took another sip and shook my head. “Been reading the Good Book?”

“Ever since I read that article with that horrible senator,” Eve confirmed. “After reading through the Bible, I was forced to conclude that he was talking out of his rear.” She looked at me, a somewhat naughty smile appearing in her face. “And I wouldn’t worry about your soul. Even if you are selling your body, you are one of the most decent guys I’ve met, pony or human.”

“Yeah, well, I have three ponies, and maybe two humans, who disagree.”

Eve opened her mouth for a moment, but closed it immediately. For a moment, we both just sat in silence, sipping the strong liquid. After her third sip, she placed her glass on the coffee table and asked, “Want to talk about it?”

I emptied the glass too quickly. The fire burned my throat and it took me a moment to recover. I stared at Eve for a moment, and motioned my glass. “Give me a bit more, and I’ll think about it.”

The last bit was a lie. As she poured me another glass, I quickly began to tell her what happened. I told her of my meeting with Sea Swirl, that drunken night (minus the details, of course), and the next few days of dates ending with a shouting match at the very end. Eve listened thoughtfully, not raising any questions. She just let me talk, let me spill everything it out. Between her attention and the whisky, the words came out so easily that I finished my tale before I knew it.

“Ah,” was all Eve said. She took another sip. “Thomas was a bit confused on why you left all the sudden. He thought something came up, asked if I called you back.”

“How did he know I left?” I asked.

“Well, he saw you carrying your bag and walking towards the train station,” Eve replied. “Didn’t take a genius to figure out where you’d be going. I mean, where else can you bunk relatively near your place?”

“I could have gone to Hollow Shades,” I countered. “Slept there instead.”

Eve shrugged. “True. And just in case, I was going to give you an hour to appear, then I’d have gone home afterwards. The point is, my deduction was right. I know you pretty well.” She smiled and wiggled her eyebrows. “There’s nothing, no little dirty secret, that you can hide from my gaze, Harry. You are completely mine.”

I stuck my tongue out at her, and we both laughed once more, and we both clinked our glasses together before we took another sip. The whiskey was really working on me. After everything, it felt nice to finally just... relax.

“Okay,” I began, “since you know me so well, and knowing what I just told you, what do you think of the whole thing?”

“Honestly?” Eve asked. I gave her a nod. “You sure?”

I nodded at her again.

“Okay,” Eve paused, and took another sip. I followed suit, steeling myself for something sharp. She didn’t disappoint. “If I have to be frank, I think both of you were being idiotic.”

“Hah!” I exclaimed, smiling a bit. “Knew it,” I mumbled. I paused, and realized what she said. “Wait, both of us? You mean Thomas and I?”

“No.” Eve rolled her eyes. “You and Sea Swirl.”

I blinked. “Why Sea Swirl? I caused the damage. I lied.”

“Yes you did,” Eve replied. “But honestly, the problems you two had were mostly because she was mis-blaming you for Equestria’s problems.” She swirled the whiskey around her glass. “She’s a product of ponydom’s stubbornness to change. It’s inherent in our culture. If you think the donkeys can be hard-headed, they are nothing compared to us.

“For almost a hundred years, we’ve stagnated, culturally and technologically. We hate changes. Pretty open minded when it comes to friendship and harmony, but that friendship and harmony doesn’t extend to you once you’re found out to be a colt-cuddler or a misborn mare like Sea Swirl.”

Eve sighed. “It’s one of the things I hate about Equestria, honestly. Traditional to a fault. I mean, I understand Sea Swirl’s situation, and I’m sure you do too.”

I nodded solemnly. “She’s probably led a very lonely life. She’d have met a few stallions, maybe a few herds, but once she’s been found to be misborn... they’d reject her outright, without leniency or sympathy.”

Eve just nodded.

“She tried hard,” I whispered, “very hard to get my interest.”

“And that’s why I think she was being idiotic,” Eve declared evenly. “Harry, she knew you for less than a week. I find her wanting to take the next step a bit incredulous.” She sighed. “I mean, I can understand why she moved fast. She probably grew up thinking that if she got a stallion interested enough, she could convince him to ignore her misborn status. And maybe you were the first to actually ignore that and it made her feel like you were a keeper. However, it doesn’t change the fact that she was judging you because of your job.”

“I gave her false hope,” I countered.

“She gave herself false hope and deluded herself,” Eve replied. “Do you honestly think that she wasn’t suspecting that you were a little deceitful? Especially when she was raving on about how good you were at rutting? Oh, stop blushing, Harry. The thing is, a human new to Equestria would never be that good in sleeping with mares. I mean, for Celestia’s sake, we train Gentlemen for months to actually be decent, and it takes even a week more of constantly servicing customers to get good. And I’d like to believe Sea Swirl is smart enough to know that because the alternative would much more insulting.”

I said nothing. I just looked down on the ground.

“Harry, I’m not saying that its all her fault,” Eve finished. “Both of you made mistakes. However, think of it this way. If she wanted to make the relationship work badly enough, she could have ignored your job. And even if you honestly told her the truth from the beginning, there was no guarantee that she wouldn’t blame you for trying to seduce her with the Noble Greeting. Honestly, I think it was a no-win situation.”

I sighed. Looking at my own glass, I said, “I should have not gotten involved.”

“Truthfully, yeah. You should have just avoided her,” Eve replied. “But then again, you have a soft spot for lonely mares. That's why a lot of clients like you.”

I looked at her, giving her a sad smile. “Until they get a real look at me."

"What do you mean?" Eve asked.

"I got mad at her, Eve. I threw her misborn title to her face.” She winced. I continued, “I’ve never done that to a mare. Intentionally hurt her, I mean.”

“You both got emotional,” she replied. “If what you told me was accurate, she didn’t even try to give you a chance to apologize. She just threw insults at your face, hoping to hurt you.”

“I guess she succeeded.”

“Don’t let it get to you,” Eve said. “More than half of it wasn’t even true.”

“What if it is?” I asked. I felt Eve’s eyes locking on me.

“What do you mean?”

“Sea Swirl was right when she said I was a nobody and a liar,” I muttered. “I’ve been a Gentleman for more than a year. I just go through day after day, just sleeping with mares. And honestly, I thought I was doing a good thing. A service, to lessen the loneliness of Equestria’s mares. We are the answer to stallion shortage, the alternative for mares who don’t want to have relationships with other mares.

“I can say the right things on the job. I can tell a mare that she’s beautiful, that her hobbies were interesting. I can make her scream at the end of the night. But that’s it. It's easy for me to be what they want to be because they are lonely, and because everything lasts only for a short while.” I clenched the glass.

“When Thomas told me he had a marefriend, I was utterly confused. And...” I sighed. “And maybe a bit jealous. I was... curious how it would feel to wake up beside a mare, without the job to tell me I can’t stay in. And it felt good. It felt really good.” I looked at Eve. “You told me once that most mares are lonely creatures.”

Eve nodded.

“I can relate because I’m... kinda lonely too,” I admitted. My eyes watered a bit. “I’ve never had any close, intimate relationships. I’ve had a lot of friends, yeah, but never really anyone close. There was one... but I drove her away.

“I could never really attract women back on earth. Maybe it was because of me. Maybe because of our culture. Or maybe because it was because of the times I grew up in. Whatever the reason, it was something I had to contend with. Hell, my last relationship was nothing more than being a pretty girl’s gopher boy, there to help her with her programming because she was too fucking stupid to do it on her own.”

“Harry—”

“So I just concentrated on my studies. I graduated with an IT degree and dreamt of going to Equestria, to be of service, to show what humans were capable of,” I continued.

“You are,” Eve insisted. “In your own way, you are.”

“Yeah, for now,” I countered. “What happens when I’m old? When I’m done and useless? Will you take me to the back of the shed and shoot me dead, Eve? I’ll never be important to anyone. Everyone I know, I either know from work or they are customers. Of the former, I don’t have a lot of friends. And my customers? They won’t get invested in me. Heck, I lied to my most loyal client. I used my past so she could get help from her father, when I’m not even sure if my own dad would approve of what I do. No. They’ll move on with their lives. They will find someone more appropriate for them. Because in the end, I don’t matter. Not to anyone.”

I didn’t notice Eve move. Or maybe I was too concentrated on myself to have felt her move because the next thing I knew I felt two warm limbs surrounding me, strong enough to pull me towards the side, towards her.

“You’re important to me, Harry,” Eve said, in a particularly strong tone. That got me to hug her back, hard.

I won’t say what passed between us at that moment. Just know that it felt good to hold someone warm. It felt even better when that someone is your friend. I smelled the woody smoky scent of the whiskey, mingling perfectly with the honey-floral scent of her coat. It was lovely. It was perfect.

“I don’t know what the future holds,” Eve continued, “but you’ll get through it. We’ll find something for you in the future. Even if you want to pursue another career, I’ll support you. No matter what. And... don’t worry about relationships. You’ll do fine.”

I chuckled. “Liar.”

“Okay, maybe you do need work,” Eve replied with a chuckle of her own. “Honestly, I just think you need a mare who will challenge you. A mare who will accept you as who you are. And I’m sure that mare’s closer than you think.”

I laughed and squeezed her. “You always seem to say the right things. I am so glad to have a friend like you.”

I felt her forelegs slack around my neck. She whispered, “A friend, huh?”

“The very best,” I replied. “Heck, I’d never have survived Equestria without you. Thank you, Eve.” I paused. “You remind me of her.”

“Who?” Eve asked.

“That good friend back on Earth,” I replied. I squeezed her a little harder. “I... did something stupid. I didn’t treat her as well as I should have and lost her. I learned my lesson.” I sighed. “Long story short, you’re one of the people I am so glad to have met. As long as I have you with me, I feel like I could take on anything.”

Eve and I slowly let each other go. She had a contemplative expression, but she still smiled warmly, if not sadly. She was probably still bothered by my low confidence, but she needn’t worry. I gave her a smile, which she returned a moment later.

“Glad we got that out of the way,” Eve declared. “More fine-tasting and expensive drink on my, uh... how do you humans say it? On my dime?”

I chuckled. “Yup. Let us enjoy your fine scotch at your expense,” I replied. She poured more drinks on our glass, and we both clinked them together once more and took deep sips. We both breathed the warmness out of our mouths.

“Whew, that really hits the spot,” Eve said.

“Yeah.” I nodded. I looked at her. “You know, you never really talked to me about your dislike of Equestrian culture.”

“What’s there to talk about?” Eve replied. She took another sip. “We were culturally stagnant until you humans showed up.”

I blinked. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Eve shrugged. “Humanity has the most diverse cultures of any race we’ve met. Plus your progress on technology? I mean, yeah, griffin weapons are impressive and all, and the minotaurs have some pretty cool machines we import, but for convenience, you guys have everything. In smaller, manageable sizes too.”

“Hah, knew it,” I teased. I raised my glass. “Humanity! Fuck yeah!”

Eve raised her glass as well, though confusion was evident in her face. “What does that mean?” she asked.

“It means humans are better than ponies.”

“What!? I’m not toasting to that!” Eve declared. “Besides, that’s not true!”

“Why not? Humans got amazing hands,” I said.

“We got magic, external and internal manifestations,” Eve countered.

“Okay, but humans are exceptional lovers. Because of fingers,” I countered back, waving my hand in front of her in very exaggerated motions.

“Yeah, well, those humans and their fingers need months of training,” Eve giggled. I think she was getting into the game.

“We last longer than stallions!”

Eve sputtered. “What?! Where did you get that? From your rear?”

“Its called bullshit,” I replied, sticking my tongue out to her. “And besides, even if it isn’t true, we humans are the ‘caring lovers’, the ‘monogamous partners’ all mares dream of. That’s why we are better.”

“Please,” Eve said, her tongue sticking out this time. “That’s like saying Griffins are better than ponies because they have a culture that makes them monogamous. And that minotaurs are also better because they know how to make better machines than we do. I say ponies are superior to griffins because we are less warlike and teach friendship stuff, and that we’re better than minotaurs because of magic. And stuff!”

“You have convinced me! Equestrian Ponies! Fuck yeah!” I declared, raising my glass.

“Ponies... uh... yeah,” Eve mumbled.

“Come on, Eve. Its just one word, one syllable.”

“Oh, shut up.”

We both broke down, laughing as we drank once more. Eve looked at me for a moment, her eyes narrowing. “Okay, in all seriousness... do humans actually do that whole shooting in the back of the shed thing? As in, do you do that to your elderly?”

“Nah, its mostly for old pets. And that was like... man, generations ago. But then again, Earth’s big, so I guess there might be a few people who still practice that. However, most would just call a veterinarian to do it painlessly, and only as a last resort.” I paused. I looked at her. “Why? Did you guys shove old stallions in the back of the shed, and shoot them?”

“Psh, no,” Eve replied. “We dose them with large amounts of boosters and milk them for all they’re worth. Then we just leave them in the Everfree Forest. Let nature take its course.”

I stared at her for the moment. “That’s messed up.”

“Ah, don’t worry,” she replied easily. “The boosters would still be active. Plus we do it during timberwolves’ heat phase. They’ll get blisters, but nothing too bad.”

“Who gets the blisters? The old stallions or the timberwolves?”

Eve looked at me, her face composed, but that didn’t last. She broke out to giggles, and we were both laughing once more.

We drank for the better part of the hour, until the decanter was almost empty. Conversation jumped from one random topic to another which ended with a bout of giggles and laughter. When Eve couldn’t make more whiskey appear with just magic, we went on our separate ways. I made my way back to the guest room, and slid into the bed, closing my eyes.

For some reason, I couldn’t sleep. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe something else, but after a while, I opened my eyes and just stared at the ceiling. I shifted sides a few times, half-wondering if I should just turn on the lamp on the nightstand, maybe scrounge around Eve’s living room to see if she had any books I could read.

I haven’t yet finished Eve's favorite book series: The Knight and Stallion. It was probably the most prolific take on Equestrian storytelling of its classical era, complete with evil sorceresses and baroness. The story was exactly what it says on the tin. It revolved around the heroine, a knight, and her partner, a stallion she had rescued and fallen in love with.

Together, they go on adventures!

I always found it funny on how it was the guy playing the damsel in distress while the mare played the big goddamn heroes. Maybe it was a good time to continue where I left off?

Before I could decide, I heard the doorknob turn. I blinked. It opened up, revealing Eve, her white coat reflecting the pale moonlight. She seemed to stare at me for a moment, then cantered towards me.

I immediately closed my eyes.

“Harry? Are you awake?” she asked.

I didn’t reply. I just kept my eyes closed. I didn’t want to bother Eve now, especially this late at night. She probably came in to check up on me. That was really sweet of her. But she had a job tomorrow, and I was still on leave. She needed the rest. So, I said nothing.

I heard her hoofsteps coming closer and closer, until I could smell her. I wondered for a moment why she wasn’t leaving yet.

Then I felt my bed move, the weight distribution going all wrong. Her leg brushed on my side and her scent dominated my senses. I felt her lips touch my cheeks, a kiss, before I felt her settle behind me, the warmth of her body combining with mine. I felt her hooves touch my side, encircling my stomach.

What the hell was she doing?

“Harry,” I heard her whisper then sigh. “I wish I was the mare that would challenge you.”

Huh? Wait a minute...

I felt her kiss me on the nape of my neck and electricity traveled downwards through my spine.

“I wish you could see me more than just a friend,” she continued.

W-what?

What?

… What?

Author's Notes:

There we go. The first Gentleman for Mares chapter without clop. I hope you guys will enjoy it.

Okay, as usual, thank you coandco, shira, Permanent Temporary, grey_conscience, Ponyboy245 for helping me with this fic. Shira went overtime on this too. <.< Wonder what's gotten to him. XD Kidding. Love you man.

Also, some extra thanks as well for others.

Burraku_Pansa for suggesting Sea Swirl and friend's room number. If you guys had a problem with it, he said to freely take it up to him. XD

Obelescence for giving me that perfect song that Harry hummed.

Aquilla for providing material for that interesting conversation topic between Eve and Harry. Granted, it wasn't really meant for that, but thanks all the same. ^_^

Alright, if anyone read my blog, know that there's two more chapters to go. Unless I change my mind, in which case I'll give you guys another heads up.

Back to writing Feathered Heart! Later!