Well, I’ve stayed in nicer places… Stronghooves thought to himself.

The cell in which he was staying was just as bleak and horrible as the ones at the guard barracks. On several occasions, Stronghooves had at least suggested putting in some nice paintings or other decorations. While his requests had fallen upon deaf ears as far as the accounting department was concerned, a few guards had lauded him as being full of nice, if unorthodox ideas.

He trotted up to the bars, tapping them experimentally with his hoof. They were wrought from an interesting metal, probably capable of withstanding a very angry stallion with his enhancements. Of course, since they’d been taken away from him, the matter was essentially moot.

Stronghooves poked his white muzzle out from between the bars, glancing left and right. The detention centre was quite deserted, save for one mare in dark glasses trotting up and down the corridor.

“Pardon me, miss!” He called out, wrapping his forehooves around the bars and giving them a shake. It was important to keep up appearances after all.

“What do you want?” The Operative asked, trotting over to his cell and peering at him over her glasses.

Stronghooves was about to speak, but he found himself a little distracted, eyes roaming over her body and taking in her form. She wasn’t bad looking, by any means. Of course, all the Operatives were physically fit, but she was shapely and quite pretty.

“I don’t have time for this.” The mare huffed, pushing her shades back up her muzzle and making her way towards the exit.

“No, wait!” Stronghooves held out a hoof. “I was...I apologise, I was just kind of...well...struck by you, that’s all.”

“Uh-huh.” The mare paused, looking around at him and raising her eyebrows. “How many times has that line worked? I’m curious.”

“Ah, never. I guess I’m a little bit goofy sometimes.” Stronghooves chuckled, sitting back and grinning sheepishly. “I’m...not much good at talking to mares.”

The Operative couldn’t help but smile a little at the “goofy” comment, or the way that one of Stronghooves’s ears flopped down sideways when he cocked his head. She rolled her eyes, giving a long-suffering sigh as she sat down in front of the bars.

“You know, it’s not too hard to talk to mares. They’re no different from stallions in a lot of ways.” She smiled a little wider.

“I guess you’re right there…” Stronghooves chuckled, looking down at his forehooves and going a little pink. “I just...kinda have a problem with shyness. I get really worried about ponies not liking me, that’s all.”

“Not everypony’s gonna like you.” The mare shrugged. “I mean, you seem nice enough, and that ought to be good enough for most ponies.” She tilted her head slightly. “What’s your name, anyway?”

“Oh, I’m Captain Stronghooves of the Royal Guard.” He replied, nervously meeting her gaze. “I...erm...I’m usually better dressed than this. What’s yours?”

“My name’s Daybreak.” The mare smiled. There was something so charming about that poor shy little stallion. “I...well...I work here.”

Stronghooves nodded. “I...I like your sunglasses.” He fiddled with his hooves, glancing down at the floor again. “Er...sorry, that was a bit lame…”

“No, no, it’s okay.” Daybreak giggled, pulling her sunglasses off and clipping them onto her breastplate lapel. She had pretty nice amber eyes that regarded him with a certain curiosity, almost as if she was trying to work out his intentions.

Stronghooves hid his face behind one heavy forehoof as he caught her eye. “Oh my, erm...you look...pretty…” He whimpered, bright red with embarrassment.

“Oh wow, you really do have a problem talking to mares, huh?” Daybreak giggled. “How’d a pony like you end up in a place like this, anyway?”

He peeked out from behind his hoof, eyeing her with more than a little worry. “Um...you really want to know that?”

“Sure! I mean, you’re kind of the only inmate we’ve got around here, and since I’m gonna be guarding you for a while, I guess I should at least know what you’re in for.” Daybreak nodded enthusiastically.

“Well...if you’ve really got to know...erm...I got thrown in here for trying to stop Silver Tongue from executing my little sister.”

Daybreak’s eyes widened. “That’s terrible! Did he say why?”

“I found out that he was trying to frame her for stealing the crystals that...well...give the Operatives their power. She was the fall pony.” He sighed. “I tried to protect her from the assassins he sent after her. Well, you can see how well that worked out.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Is...is she okay?”

“Yeah, she got away. Of course, I don’t know whether or not he’s caught up to her since then. She could be dead by now for all I know.” He bowed his head. “Um...sorry, I don’t mean to be a downer.”

“I think you could be forgiven.” Daybreak smiled uneasily, reaching through the bars and putting a soft forehoof on his shoulder. “Are...are you going to be all right?”

“When I find out one way or another...I’ll be fine.” Stronghooves nodded, reaching up and squeezing her hoof with his own. “For now, I’m just worried...and...and tense...and I’m kind of freaking out because I’m talking to...to a really nice mare...and you’re kinda...kinda...intimidating.” He was shaking like a leaf by this point, clutching her hoof tightly. It almost looked as if he was suppressing tears.

“Hey...hey...it’s okay.” Daybreak pushed her other forehoof through the bars, pushing his chin up so that he could look her in the eye. “I’m not trying to intimidate you, Stronghooves. Actually...you’re kind of cute when you’re nervous.” She smiled softly..

Stronghooves guffawed at the compliment, looking up at her with a terrified, shaky smile. “You’re sweet, Daybreak. I’m sorry...I kind of look pathetic right now. You can probably understand why I’m not exactly at my best.”

“I don’t know anypony in Equestria who’d be at their best if they were going through what you’re going through.” Daybreak shook her head. Her voice grew more gentle as she spoke, smiling as encouragingly as possible. “You seem to be a really brave stallion, and you really seem to love your sister.”

“She’s made some big mistakes in life, I’ll admit.” He nodded. “I still love her, though. I just hope that somehow I can find a way to make it all okay again. I mean, her life’s in danger and all I can do is just sit here. Not...not that I mind the company.” He blushed hotly again, holding eye contact with Daybreak this time.

“Seriously, how did somepony as sweet as you end up in a place like this?” Daybreak beamed, going a little pink herself.

“Well...maybe I was meant to meet you.” Stronghooves giggled. “Oops! Erm...heh heh...I’m getting all silly again.”

“Sssshhhh...shut up, Stronghooves.” Daybreak whispered, putting a hoof to his muzzle. “It’s okay. I like it when you’re silly.”

“You...mean that?” He cocked his head. “Wo...wow. Usually nopony likes my silly side. I mean, I’m a guard captain. It’s all serious, all the time for me.”

“That’s a shame. Maybe you need to embrace your silly side a little more. You know, do more crazy stuff, have a little fun! It’s kinda nice to see you trying.” Daybreak smirked. “I bet it’d be nice to see how spontaneous you can get.”

“Huh...that’s...that’s actually really good advice, Daybreak. Thanks.” Stronghooves smiled. “So how did you end up working this job, anyway?”

“I got picked out of a group of new recruits by the Count.” Daybreak shrugged, putting her forehooves back on the ground. “He hoof-picked me to get transformed into...well...this.” She glanced down at herself, shrugging.

“And you went through with it?” Stronghooves put his own forehooves down, leaning against the bars.

“Well, yeah, obviously.” Daybreak beamed. “I kinda joined the Equestrian Army to protect everypony back home, so I guess I’m just...doing a better job now.”

“See? Now who’s being sweet?” Stronghooves nudged her shoulder through the bars.

“Sweet, my ass. I’ve just got ponies to look out for, that’s all.”

“So where is home for you?” He asked conversationally.

“Ponyville.” Daybreak smiled. “I’ve lived there pretty much all my life. It’s beautiful. So peaceful and quiet, not at all like Canterlot.”

“I’ve never been.” Stronghooves sighed. “I’ve looked over the city walls more than a few times, mind you. I can see it in the distance. Seeing that little town basking under the moonlight’s just...comforting, you know?”

“Exactly!” Daybreak nodded excitedly. “I can always look off into the distance and know that my family and friends are safe, doubly so because of the programme we’re undergoing.”

“I wish I had your faith in it.” Stronghooves shook his head mournfully. “Remember, I joined the programme to protect the ponies I care about, and yet the first one I’m ordered to capture and kill is my own sister. Could you imagine?”

“I didn’t say I trusted the ponies who’re calling the shots right now.” Daybreak shook her head. “I just said that I think I’m doing the right thing by my friends and family.”

“I’d watch out. They stripped me of my powers because I disobeyed Silver’s direct orders.” Stronghooves frowned. “It won’t be long till your own family’s thrown under the carriage as well.”

“I’ll never let that happen.” Daybreak said solidly.

“Nor will I. If I find a way to get my powers back...I’ll see to it that nopony’s family is ever put in danger again.” Stronghooves smiled confidently, nuzzling Daybreak’s nose tentatively.

“Well...heh heh…” Daybreak giggled, blushing again. “You know, I think you’re a pretty nice pony. You’ve definitely got everypony else’s best interests at heart. If you ever find a way...well...count me in.”

“Thanks Daybreak. That means a lot.” He gave her a lopsided smile. “Um...hey…”

“Yeah?”

“Well, remember a few minutes ago when you asked me to be...be more sp...spontaneous?” Stronghooves’s ears flopped down as he grew redder and redder.

“Course I do! What are you getting at?” Daybreak tilted her head innocently. Still, there was a certain light in her eyes like she knew what was about to happen.

Stronghooves ran his hooves through his mane a couple of times, making a soft whimpering noise as he tried to work up some semblance of courage. Finally, he darted forward, planting a kiss on Daybreak’s lips.

The mare yelped, surprised at Stronghooves’s sudden advances...though she certainly didn’t pull away. When he finally drew away, both ponies grinned stupidly at one another for a time, unable to find the words to talk about what had just happened.

“Um...well...yeah...er...sorry.” Stronghooves said bashfully, shuffling away from the bars and retreating into the corner to stare at the wall. “Um...that might’ve been too spontaneous.”

He sat there in silence, ears perking as if he were listening for her departure.

“Stronghooves?” Daybreak ventured quietly from the other side of the bars.

The massive stallion gritted his teeth, shrugging his shoulders and bowing his head, ashamed. “I’m..sorry, okay? Please don’t hate me!”

Daybreak rolled her eyes, unlocking the cell and pulling the sliding door open. She trotted inside, approaching Stronghooves with all the confidence of a mare who knows what she’s doing, before grabbing him by the mane and pulling his head up.

“Hey, wait, I…” Stronghooves began, totally willing to explain himself. Daybreak, however, wasn’t having any of it, yanking his head up and kissing him fiercely. His horn sparked bright blue as he murmured flustered gibberish into her mouth. It might have been an apology, or possibly an expression of reluctance. In time, however, both of them simply stopped caring.

Stronghooves ran his forehooves up Daybreak’s sides, gently squeezing her shoulders. He tilted his head slightly as he leaned into the kiss himself, pushing his tongue past her lips, lazily playing with her own. He kept his movements slow and gentle, only opening his eyes a little to make sure that she was all right.

Well, I must be doing something right… Stronghooves mused to himself as Daybreak wrapped her hooves around him, lifting him up and tossing him bodily onto the cell bed. He was far too dazed to protest, only able to watch as she clambered on top of him.

“Um...so I assume that I was just spontaneous enough?” He asked weakly.

“Oh, shut up.” Daybreak giggled back, locking lips with him again and pushing him back onto the bed. Stronghooves’s horn sparked again as he shivered under her touch, unconsciously grinding his hips against hers. He gave a soft muffled moan as he closed his eyes again, savouring the taste of her in his mouth, listening to her rapid heavy breathing. She was perfect.

Daybreak pulled herself free of Stronghooves’s shaky grip, beaming down at him with the most fierce hunger he’d ever seen. “Have you ever been with a mare before?”

Stronghooves’s ears splayed back as he started to blush again, tucking his forehooves up under his chin. “Well...erm...not exactly…no…”

She giggled cheekily. “It’s fine. We’ll start out slow, okay?” She shuffled back, glancing down at his unsheathed stallionhood with a grin. “Whoa…”

“Um...sorry...I...can’t exactly help it…”

Daybreak beamed up at Stronghooves. He looked so nervous, such a big stallion reduced to a blushing, shivering wreck by one mare’s advances. In a way, it was flattering. “You’re adorable, you know that?”

“No...no ‘m not…” He murmured. “I’m...big guard...really serious one…”

Daybreak giggled as she patted his fluffy chest with a forehoof. “Don’t lie to me, Captain. Now, let’s see what we can do about this little problem of yours, hmm?” Without waiting for him to answer, she took his cock between her hooves, biting her lower lip as she began to stroke him. Stronghooves, a stallion who was still physically bigger than she was, let out a timid little squeak. He stopped shivering, laying back on the bed and gazing at Daybreak, wide-eyed.

“You...you’re...really beautiful…” He muttered, ears twitching a little as he gave her a lopsided smile.

“Well you’re really handsome, so I guess we’re even.” Daybreak replied evenly, lowering herself down over him and wrapping her lips around the head of his cock. She didn’t give him time to adjust, murring softly as she took more and more of his shaft in her mouth. As she reached the base of his member, she glanced up at him again, gauging his reaction.

“Wo...wow…” He whispered. “Um...what...what happened to ladies first?”

Daybreak gave a muffled giggle before pulling her head up again, deftly stroking his cock as she got her breath back. “You really are a gentlecolt, aren’t you?”

“I...eep...I...erm...I do my best…” He giggled a little himself, holding a hoof over his face to hide his embarrassment.

“You’re such a sweetie.” Daybreak shook her head, grinning. “Tell you what, let’s do it together, shall we?”

“O...okay…” He nodded uncertainly, biting his own lip.

Daybreak shuffled a little closer, still holding his cock between her forehooves. She kept it in place as she positioned herself over the very tip, before slowly, gently lowering herself down onto it. She let out a soft gasp, closing her eyes and shivering a little herself. Stronghooves dug his forehooves into the mattress, panting harder and faster as he felt the most incredible tightness around his cock. He worked hard to control his breathing, pushing his hips against hers and hilting himself inside of her.

“Ho...how’s this?”

“Goo...good…” Daybreak whimpered, placing her forehooves on his chest and starting to grind down on him, taking his cock deep inside her each and every time. Stronghooves let out a low moan, leaning up and licking her under her chin. He was used to being far more proactive than this, and it would perhaps be polite of him to take the lead, considering she’d given him a chance and all.

Placing his forehooves on her flanks to hold her in place, Stronghooves gave her a little squeeze, beginning to thrust into her again and again. She was soaking wet and tight enough that she was squeezing his cock a little too much with every thrust, but he didn’t mind one bit. This was all about making sure that she had a good time.

“The...there we go…” He whispered. “Just hold still. I’ve got this, sweetheart.” As his confidence grew, he started to pick up the pace a little, fucking her just the tiniest bit harder as he watched her face. He paid close attention to her expression and the sounds she made, picking up on what was working and what wasn’t working. In time, he settled into a comfortable pace that left her with her mouth open, tongue hanging out. Daybreak squeaked with each thrust, her ears twitching as she struggled to regulate her breathing.

This is perfect...she’s really going for it, isn’t she?

Daybreak tensed up, digging her forehooves into his chest as she climaxed. “FU...fu….fuuuuck...you...you’re sure you haven’t done this before?”

“Do...do I look like the kind of...of stallion...who gets as lucky as this...all the time?” Stronghooves grinned, avoiding the question. “I think...yo...you just bring out...the best in me…”

Daybreak rolled her eyes, laying down on top of him and running one forehoof over his chest and jacking him off with the other. “You’re the cheesiest stallion ever...but you’re pretty sweet and gentle too. I think I can get used to hanging out with you.”

“We...well...I’m al...always up for…for it…” Stronghooves closed his eyes as she rubbed his stallionhood expertly. She’d clearly been starved of sex for ages. All guards were. “Argh...jeez...if you carry on like this...you’re gonna make me…make me…”

“Make you what, Captain?” Daybreak grinned, gazing down at him with half-lidded eyes.

“Make me...eep…” He wrapped his hooves around the back of her neck, pulling her down on top of him and kissing her fiercely as she finally pushed him over the edge. He let out a very loud moan indeed, muffled enough by Daybreak that nopony else in the facility ought to be able to hear them. For a few wonderful seconds, Stronghooves experienced the most incredible tension, before finally collapsing back onto the bed, breaking the kiss and panting.

“How was that?” Daybreak kissed him on the cheek, running a hoof through his mane to brush it out of his eyes. His horn was still glowing bright blue, and there was a massive scorch mark on the ceiling.

“I...it was...gre…grea…Ithinkwemadeamess…” Stronghooves giggled, dazed.

“I think we did.” Daybreak kissed him on the forehead, grinning.

“Are you...are you gonna let me out now?” He chuckled weakly, looking up into her eyes.

“Well, you have been a very polite little gentlecolt. I think I could see my way to accidentally leaving the key.” Daybreak winked. “One condition, though.”

“Wh...what’s that?”

“You’ve got to take me with you.” She said stoically.

Stronghooves didn’t even need to hesitate. “Done...but I’m going to need my powers back if we’re going to break out of here and save my sister. I’ll need my equipment too.”

“You’ve got it.” Daybreak beamed, leaning down and kissing him again. “You’ve got a wonderful heart, Stronghooves...and you make one hell of a first impression.”

“So I’m told.” He chuckled, trying to clean himself off as the mare hopped off of the bed. “How soon can we leave?”

“As soon as we can get those crystals requisitioned again.” Daybreak frowned. “Maybe if I tell them that my powers are kind of destabilised, they’d let me into the lab to get another blast. That’s when we can slip you in.”

“That sounds perfect.” He beamed, rolling off of the bed and giving her a big hug. “Daybreak, I can’t possibly thank you enough for this.”

“Hey, I know what it’s like to be a family pony.” Daybreak hugged him back, blushing again. “Your sister’s a lucky mare to have somepony like you watching over her.”

“Yeah, she is.” He nodded, closing his eyes and exhaling quietly.

And soon, she’ll see it too.