Applejack stood across the desk from the mare, her head hung in shame. The room was a bright and tasteful office with white walls, orange curtains, and not a hint of the type of business conducted.

Marmalade just smiled kindly. “AJ, I'm afraid you might not be suited to the work.”

Marmalade matched the office, she was an earth pony mare with a light beige coat, and her deep orange mane was styled with sophistication. And she didn't look at all like the madam of an escort service.

Applejack took a deep breath, and steeled herself. “I gotta be. We need the money.”

“Well, you certainly don't look like you like the idea of it,” Marmalade said, raising an eyebrow. “And you didn't act like you liked it much, either, at least not to the stallions I sent you to.”

“I'm so sorry 'bout that,” Applejack said quickly and earnestly. She really did feel bad for running out on her jobs, if for no other reason than the harm to Marmalade's business. “Did ya' send 'em the baskets of apples I sent?”

“I did. There's no harm done. But we offer a service here, AJ. If you can't do it, I can't keep you on, family or not.” Marmalade gave her a pitying smile, and Applejack closed her eyes as worries about the farm crept back in.

“I understand. I just-” Applejack thought carefully about her next words. While she felt low and dirty having to sell her body to make ends meet, Marmalade was her cousin, and she'd known for a while now what business she was in. Mar always seemed so cheerful and put together, it didn't feel right to think of her as anything but a high-class business mare. “I don't get how ya' do it, Mar.”

“The peg goes in the hole.” Mar said with a smirk. Then she chuckled, “Sorry, professional humor. But really, AJ, I thought you of all ponies would understand. I've always thought you'd be good at this.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow, “Um, thanks. . . I think?”

“It's a compliment. You're kind, dependable, and confident. And you're cute, in a filly-next-door kind of way. You don't seem like the type to be hung up on love, you've seen enough farm animals to know that sex is just pressing bodies together.”

“I guess I always thought I was better than a farm animal,” Applejack said, feeling dirtier than ever.

Marmalade frowned, looking almost hurt. “You think this is all about sex, honey? Believe me, there are mares out there who will rut a pony for a lot less than what we cost.”

“I didn't mean it that way!” Applejack said, but Marmalade went on.

“My business is about trust, AJ. Ponies trust me and my girls to be clean and discreet, at the very least. But I have ponies who call me because they've been insecure all their lives, and they just want a nice mare they know won't laugh at them, who will make them feel like a stallion. I have ponies who haven't met that special somepony yet, who just want to be close to another pony for a while. I have ponies who want perfectly harmless things in bed that they feel like they can't tell anypony else. But they can tell me, and they can trust me and my girls to make them happy for a little while. I thought I could count on you to do that for a pony.”

“I understand, Mar. I'm sorry I messed this up.” Applejack nodded sadly and turned to go. Failure was always hard for her, but to have failed at whoring, and let down both her family back home and her cousin, left shame in her heart she didn’t think was ever going away.

“Wait, AJ. I was going to give you another shot, if you want it. But only one more. I run a business here, I can't get a reputation for sending out inexperienced mares who can't follow through.”

Applejack looked up, surprised and hopeful. “Thank ya', Mar! I really do appreciate it. I'll do whatever I gotta do so I don't let ya’ down.”

“I know. Now, I'm pulling some strings here. I really do want to help you folks at Sweet Apple Acres. We don't have many mares for clients, but this one is a regular.” Applejack felt a wave of relief wash over her that showed plainly on her face, and Marmalade went on with a smile. “I thought that might be part of it. Maybe this will be easier. Now, like I said, she's a regular, every other week. So if you make her happy, you should have the money for those taxes by the time they're due.”

Marmalade picked up a pencil in her teeth and started to write down some information on a card. Applejack just grinned. Even though Marmalade’s trust in her meant that she was headed to a hotel room where she'd have sex with a pony she'd never met, it also meant that there was still a chance she could come through for her family and her farm, and show Marmalade she could count on Applejack to do a job right.

“I'll make her real happy. She'll be beggin' for me, I promise.” Marmalade offered Applejack the card, who slid it into the band inside her hat for safe keeping. “Thank ya’ again.”

“You're welcome, AJ. She'll love you. Have fun!”

Applejack left the office, and trotted through the darkening streets of Canterlot looking for the hotel. As she did, the euphoria of having another chance started to wear off, replaced by nerves. She avoided the eyes of ponies around her, and pulled her hat low in hopes that nopony recognized her. She knew that even if they did, it was hardly wrong to be looking for a hotel in Canterlot, and that anything a pony might look down on her for was strictly between herself, Marmalade, and the pony she was about to meet.

She located the hotel not far from the train station, towards the edge of the city. It was a simple, clean place, the kind of place she or Mac would stay if they came to town on farm business. She walked in and glanced at the desk clerk, and looked away quickly. Asking where the room was would be a totally innocent question, but she could just imagine him leering at her as though he could read her mind. With another quick glance at the totally oblivious clerk, she walked down the first hallway of rooms as if she knew exactly where she was going.

Once she determined the pattern of the room numbers, it was easy enough to find the one she was looking for. She double checked the number against the one on her card, then smoothed her always-rumpled mane with her hoof. It annoyed her that she had actually brushed it before she left home, and not three hours later it was a mess again. But that couldn't be helped. At least her coat was clean, and she'd even put on some perfume that Rarity gave her for her birthday. She chuckled a little, wondering if Rarity would like the idea that this was the only thing she was ever going to use it for.

Applejack stared at the door for a moment, preparing herself. There was a pony in there who needed some ‘help’, and she was going to. . . ‘help’ them. That was all. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. While she waited she quickly swept her hat in hoof and held it against herself. Good manners were important, after all.

The door opened, revealing an unmistakable rainbow-maned pony.

The door immediately slammed shut, but Applejack only heard the sound behind her as she darted down the hall and around the corner, blushing furiously. She stopped in the next hallway, trying to calm her panic.

Of all the wrong doors to knock on! How the hay was she supposed to explain this to Rainbow Dash? She took a few deep breaths, reminding herself that Dash didn't know that she was whoring, she just needed an excuse for knocking on a hotel door in Canterlot on a Friday night.

She was making an apple delivery. That's right, a surprise apple delivery. . . for a party! And she was supposed to drop them off at the hotel, and got the wrong room. Applejack smiled a little, proud of herself that it sounded almost believable. In her head it did, at least. She frowned again, knowing that as soon as it came out of her mouth, Dash would ask for the truth.

What was Dash doing in a hotel room in Canterlot, in the first place? Wasn’t Friday the night she went to visit her aunt in Cloudsdale? As soon as AJ thought that, she looked at the card again, peeking around the corner to look at the numbers on the doors. She gasped as she realized that she hadn't knocked on the wrong door. Dash had been lying to them so she could sneak off to Canterlot and-

Applejack's thoughts cut off and her eyes went wide as she realized that Dash wasn't just waiting for a call mare. Dash was waiting for her. The desire to walk away and never, ever mention this again was almost overwhelming. But then Dash would complain to Marmalade, and AJ would never find a way to earn that much money in the little spare time she had.

She bit her lip and stood up, forcing herself to put one hoof in front of the other as she walked back to the doorway. There was nothing else for it, she would have to tell Dash. Dash wouldn't want to have sex with her, she was sure of that, but maybe they could work something out so AJ didn't lose her job.

“Rainbow Dash. I know you're in there,” Applejack called as she knocked on the door. It opened a crack and Dash peeked out.

“AJ, I can totally explain later. But, I'm kinda waiting for somepony now, and it's kinda my own business, so-”

“You're waitin' for a girl. I know.” Applejack looked down, blushing furiously, completely unable to meet Dash's eyes. “Marmalade sent me.”

“What?” Dash blinked. Then her eyes went wide and the door flew open. “What?! You're a whore?! I mean, um, call mare?”

“Thanks, Dash. I wanted all of Canterlot to know it.” Applejack glared at the dumbstruck pegasus, then she sighed. “Just lemme in, I'll explain.”

Dash stepped aside, her mouth hanging open. AJ walked into the room and shut the door behind her.

It was a normal hotel room, nothing fancy. There was a bed big enough for two ponies, a bland picture of flowers on the wall, and two sitting-pillows on the floor. AJ took a seat on one, still avoiding Dash's eyes.

Dash just took off, hovering a few feet in the air and staring at her nervously. “So, um, what's going on here? You're a call mare now? Did this come up at some picnic I missed?”

“I ain't told anypony. Nopony knows I'm here but Mac.”

Dash's looked shocked. “Mac knows? Mac is okay with this? He didn't talk you into this, did he?”

“No! He'd never do that!” Applejack said forcefully. Then she calmed herself and went on. “Listen, we needed money for the farm. They raised the taxes on us, and we don't have time to make it up. Marmalade's our second cousin, on the Orange side of the family, and everypony knows what she does for a livin’. So I told Mac I was gonna come to Canterlot to see her. He ain't any happier with it than I am, but he knows somethin' had to be done.”

Dash landed on the other pillow and looked at AJ, confused. “Why didn't you tell us? We all would've helped.”

“If I told you guys, and you couldn't get it all, I woulda been in the same place, but then y'all woulda wondered just where I was gettin' the money. This way, none of y'all needed to know what I’ve been doin'.” Applejack cringed. “Well, 'til now.”

They were both quiet. The blush hadn't faded from AJ's cheeks, she couldn't remember being more embarrassed in her life.

“If it helps, I don’t think you’re a bad pony or anything,” Dash offered.

“You'd better not,” Applejack said with a small smile. “Visitin' your aunt in Cloudsdale, huh?”

Dash smiled guiltily and rubbed the back of her neck. “I, uh, do that every other Friday.”

“That don't exactly make it less weird, Dash,” Applejack said, raising an eyebrow. “Why the hay do ya' hire somepony to have sex with? You're a good lookin' pony, there's gotta be mares throwin' themselves at ya'.”

“There totally are!” Dash said quickly. “I could have any mare in Ponyville!”

“So why don't ya'?”

“I. . .” Rainbow Dash hesitated, and seemed to be considering something. Then she looked away and went on. “Look, I just needed something a while ago, and a guy on the weather patrol mentioned this place. Marmalade got it for me, and I had fun. So when I get my paycheck, I treat myself. It's just easier, and there's no feelings or mushy stuff to deal with.”

“I guess that's fair.” Applejack nodded. “I don’t think you’re a bad pony, neither.”

Dash smiled, but something seemed to be bothering her. Finally, she said, “AJ, you know I can't treat you like a call mare. Just explain things to Marmalade, and tell her I'll come back next week.”

Applejack looked down again. “I can't. See, she's sent me out twice, but I couldn't. . . follow through. This is my last shot, Dash. If I go back there without bits, I'm fired. Then I dunno how I'll ever earn the money.”

“Okay, go ahead and take the bits,” Dash said with a shrug. “I don't need it or anything. Actually, how much do you need?”

“Fifteen hundred.”

Dash smiled. “If you can give me another month, I can get that for you. You don't have to work for Marmalade, I'll just skip a few weeks.”

“I can't do that!” AJ protested. “She's family, it'd be like takin' money outta her pocket. Besides, she might think I'm stealin' you or somethin'.”

“Oh. Yeah, I don't want her to think I'm getting her girls under the table. When you've got enough money, I would like to have some fun again,” Dash said with a guilty smile.

Applejack chuckled. “I never woulda thought it of you.”

Dash blushed. “Anyway! Um. . . we can just hang out for a while, and pretend we're. . . ya' know. Then you take the money to Marmalade, and everypony's happy, right?”

“That don't seem fair to you,” Applejack pointed out.

“Are you kidding?” Dash grinned. “You're my friend. I told you, if you'd asked, I would've just given it to you.”

Applejack smiled. “Well I woulda asked, but you never seem to have much money. I didn't know ya' were blowin' it all on call mares.”

“It's not blowing it! I have fun!”

“I was kiddin', don't get your feathers ruffled.” Applejack settled herself comfortably on the pillow. The blush had finally faded from her cheeks, and she was sitting here with her best friend. For the first time in hours, she felt like she could let her guard down. But another uncomfortable feeling was creeping in, one she couldn't put her hoof on. She knew she shouldn't have teased Dash. Not in this situation, at least.

“This is real sweet of ya', Dash. I can't thank ya' enough.”

“No problem.” Dash smiled, relaxing. “So, you're a call mare but you've never actually gotten to the sex part? Was there something wrong with the other ponies, or did you just chicken out?”

“I. . . I guess I just chickened out,” AJ admitted. “They seemed like nice enough stallions, I even got to liftin' my tail for one of 'em, but when it came time, I just couldn't do it. I mean, I knew havin' sex was the job, but I was just kinda scared.”

“Why?” Dash frowned.

“You really wanna know? It's gonna sound silly.”

Dash nodded. “I really want to know.”

“I was scared they wouldn't like it. I mean, they're payin' me to do a job, but it ain't one I got much practice with. What if I was just plum awful, and they told Marmalade?” Applejack was almost laughing at herself.

Dash tried not to laugh. “AJ, you’re a pretty, fun, nice mare. I bet there are plenty of stallions who’d pay money to show you what to do.”

“That ain’t fair to them. I ain't been with a stallion but once, and. . . whew, that was a bad time for the both of us.” Applejack chuckled. “But I was real relieved when Mar said they had a client who was a mare. That's somethin' I know what to do with- I mean, woulda known, if it wasn't you.”

“Really?” Dash raised her eyebrows. “You've. . . been with a lot of mares?”

“Some.” AJ shrugged. “You knew I was a fillyfooler, didn't ya'?”

“I guessed.” Dash nodded. “So, who have you been with? Anypony I know?”

“I'd rather not answer that,” Applejack said with a smirk.

Dash smirked back. “I'm paying you to sit here with me so that you don't have to sell your flank. The least you can do is tell me who you've had sex with.”

Applejack blushed, and Dash's face fell right away, but Applejack went on anyway, “Well, I ain't really been out much since we all started hangin' out. But before that I ran 'round with Blossomforth for a bit, and Cloudchaser.”

“You're into pegasi, huh?”

“Yeah.” Applejack smiled. “I like a face full of feathers every now and again. But you oughta see what I can do to a pair of wings. I could get those girls so worked up- you okay?”

Dash was shifting uncomfortably. “What? Yeah, I'm good. Just fine! Um. . .”

“I'm real sorry 'bout this mix up. Here you are, payin' for, um. . . and all you're doin' is listenin' to me go on.” Applejack looked down.

“AJ, this is totally okay. I can live without sex. And if I get the chance to help you out, I'll go without for a while. I mean, you've been without longer than I have.” Dash smirked.

Applejack chuckled. “I reckon it has been a while. I oughta get around to that, one of these days. Would be nice to have somethin' other than my hoof and a feather duster.”

“A. . . feather duster?” Dash started giggling. “Wow, you really are pegasexual, aren't you?”

“Don't you go judgin' me! What works, works. Maybe one day when I got some bits, I'll see if Marmalade can hook me up with a girl with wings. What 'bout you? Marmalade didn't say nothin' bout me bein' an earth pony, so I guess you're okay with that?”

“Yeah, I like earth ponies. I've been out with some pegasi, too. I can't really get into unicorns, the magic kinda freaks me out.”

“I hear that.” Applejack nodded. “It just feels weird, that's got no place in the sack with me. But then, Rarity said once she couldn't date a fella without a horn, so I guess it's okay for some folks.”

“Exactly.”

“Ya' know, it's weird we never really talked 'bout this stuff before. I mean, you're my best friend, and ya' didn't even know I'm into pegasi.”

Dash laughed. “Yeah, I guess there aren't many times when you can just sit around and talk about who you want to have sex with.”

“Speakin' of ponies you wanna be havin' sex with, are call mares better than other ponies?" Applejack nodded to the hotel bed. "Cause of havin' more practice and all?”

“They're. . . um. . . different. So, other than the new job, what else is new?”

Applejack was curious about the question Dash was avoiding, but she let it drop. Dash was doing so much for her, whatever Dash wanted to talk about or not talk about was fine. AJ just relaxed, and gave her a heads up about apple prices rising, then they talked about friends and plans for the weekend. After what seemed like enough time, AJ thanked Dash over and over again, and headed back to Marmalade's office.

Back at the office, Applejack cheerfully placed Dash's bits on the desk. Marmalade grinned and pulled the coins toward her.

“How'd it go?”

“Just fine!” Applejack smiled.

Marmalade carefully counted out her share and gave the rest to Applejack. “Good! I'm proud of you, AJ. A lot of mares just can't do it, like pleasing another pony is beneath them, but I knew you were better than that.”

Applejack kept smiling, but she felt herself start blushing. “Um, yeah.”

“We don't get many ponies like that one you had, you know. Mares that nice don't usually have a problem finding somepony special. But I knew you'd be a special treat for her special treat.” Marmalade gave AJ a wink.

“Heh.” Applejack laughed, trying to look anywhere in the room other than at Marmalade.

“Do you want her again next time? I know she's going to ask.” Marmalade chuckled. “I bet she'll be dripping for the next two weeks, thinking about you.”

One thing Applejack was completely certain of was her inability to sink through the floor, because she was still standing there. “Um. . . Look at the time! I got a train to catch and all. But, yeah, put me down for her next time!”

“Down on her, you mean?” Marmalade grinned.

“Um. . . gotta go! Bye!” Applejack ran out the door at a speed that would've made Dash jealous, and didn't slow down until she got to the train platform.

While she waited for the train, she tried to sort out the various levels of discomfort she had just experienced. There was embarrassment at the suggestion that she had done those things with Dash, and that Dash would have liked it that much. Then there was a tinge of guilt, Dash was paying money to be with a pony who'd do that to her, but instead she got stuck giving money to AJ for nothing. It was hard enough for Applejack to accept help, and she had to admit that this was just plain charity.

On top of that, she was lying to Marmalade. Marmalade gave her another chance, and was so proud of her now, and it was all based on a lie. Applejack hated to think that every time she had to face her cousin, she'd feel her insides twisting the way they always did when she was trying to deceive.

Applejack sighed as the train pulled up. She'd traded one bad situation for three of them, and she wasn't entirely sure she made a good deal.