>You are speedy starbutt, fastest unicorn in Equestria, but most ponies call you Comet Tail.
>Probably because that’s your name.
>There are some ponies though that would call you “cheater” instead; just because you own a lot of your speed to your magic.
>You’d like to see any of them try to perfect a speed-enhancing spell!
>Well… Maybe “perfect” isn’t quite accurate… You’ve got the speed part down; slowing down or stopping still has a few… Kinks.
>But you’re not in the right state of mind to care about any of that at the moment.
>You’re, well, “pissed off” would be the best way to put it.
>Some time ago, some jerk-off though it would be positively /hilarious/ to joke around about you speed, in bed that is.
>Jokes became rumors, which made it’s way into gossip.
>By this point, you should start calling yourself Blue Balls instead.
>A deep sigh escapes your lips as the anger fades to sadness, your head hanging low as you regard the dirt path of the park under your hooves.
>The sun is shining brightly, its warm light reflecting off of the clear, blue surface of the small lake. Birds are serenading each other, the rustling of leaves as soft breezes pass through the trees the only sound besides their songs, aside from the occasional distant laughter and chatting of other ponies.
>The peaceful environment is wasted on your sour mood though as you continue your slow walk along the path.
>You had come here hoping to ease you mind; that’s usually why you came to this park, to think.
>But this time, thinking didn’t help, it just made you focus all the more on what’s bothering you.
>A couple walks past you in the opposite direction, their eyes seeing nothing but each other as they smile at the bliss of their own little world.
>Another sigh escapes you.
>Okay, so you admit that mares weren’t exactly throwing themselves at you even before the rumors, and your sex-life wasn’t anything remarkable. A dry spell wasn’t anything new to you.

>But nowadays, they won’t even give you a chance, even those who don’t outright mock you for it still can’t get the thought out of their heads and you eventually get so annoyed that you just give up and leave.
>You’re not asking for much; it’s not like you’re out to get laid by a different mare every night, just somepony to spend your time with.
>A little love, you know?
>You’re about to go three for three with yet another sigh, when something further down the path catches your attention.
>Sitting on a bench is that minotaur looking creature, the… um… Human! That’s what she was.
>It definitively was a ‘she’, of that much you were certain, judging by those teats, about the same size as a mare’s, pushing lightly against the fabric of her clothes.
>She was very tall, even taller than any stallion when standing upright. Even sitting down, her long, slender legs easily reach over the edge of the seat all the way down to the ground, her feet planted firmly against the soil.
>You haven’t seen much of her in town, which kinda perplexes you considering how unique she is, she shouldn’t be that hard to spot, but most of the times you’ve seen her, it was usually during the afternoon or the weekends; you can’t recall ever seeing her during the day or late at night.
>Maybe she works most of the day and goes to sleep early? Or maybe she just doesn’t care much for the nightlife?
>As you get closer, your eyes cannot help but wander over her exotic figure.
>She is wearing a simple, light green summer dress, leaving her arms bare, the skirt ending halfway down her thighs, showing off a patch of the smooth, pink, hairless skin of her legs before being covered once more by a pair of knee-length, white socks.
>She lifts one of her legs and drapes it over her knee so her foot is now lazily dangling in the air, causing her skirt to hike a little further up.
>Did it just get a little warmer?

>A pair of simple sneakers adorn her feet, giving a very casual contrast to the alluring socks and the teasing peek of her thighs.
>Her hair hangs loose, just barely reaching down to her shoulders and framing the soft features of her face. You can’t make out her eyes very well at this distance, but she seems to be wistfully gazing out over the lake, a wide, warm smile on her little lips.
>Following her gaze as best as you can, your turn your eyes to the crystal blue waters. Way out in the middle of the lake, you spot a boat floating in the stillness. Squinting a little, you notice two ponies in the boat, a mare and a stallion, hooves draped around each other and leaning close together.
>The stallion looks to be whispering something into her ear, probably sweet nothings or something, and she visibly giggles, giving a little playful bat against his chest with her hoof before planting her lips against his.
>You turn your eyes forwards again and grumble to yourself as you feel the familiar jealousy rise inside of you.
>It fades quickly though as you once again let your sight take in the human mare on the bench, regarding the dreamy eyes she is giving the couple.
>Maybe... she’s also looking for the same thing as you?
>You can’t deny that she has a very exotic quality about her, very unlike a pony, and you’ve always had a thing for tall mares, ever since you saw that two-page spread of Fleur Dis Lee.
>Also, as you get closer, you have to admit she’s very cute, with the soft features of her face and that adorable little button nose.
>...
>Well… Maybe it couldn’t hurt to try?

>You’ve switched gender.
>No wait, false alarm, you’re just Femanon now, best 14 year old human in Equestria!
>Well, you’re the only human actually, at least as far as you know.
>You’ve never met another human so far though.
>Maybe they live someplace far, far away?
>Wherever that place is, you know it isn’t where you are right now, which is in the Ponyville park.

>You’re so happy that you don’t have to go to school today, a beautiful day like this would be a waste to spend sitting in your classroom.
>Sorry Cheerilee, nothing personal.
>You take a deep breath through your nose as a soft breeze brushes against your skin, breathing in the warm scent of grass and leaves, all while being thankful for the way it cools your body under the toasty heat of the sun.
>Celestia’s sun is great and all, but you’d rather not get all sweaty if you can help it.
>Rocking your leg hanging over your knee lazily up and down, you hum to yourself as you look at the lovebirds out on the lake again.
>The smile on your lips grow and you can feel your cheeks growing a little warm from something else than the sun.
>It’s so romantic! That mare is so lucky to have a stallion who loves her.
>You wonder if you’ll ever find a colt who will treat you just as good.
>Having lunches together, going for long walks in the park, maybe getting into a boat of your own out on the lake, where the two of you can be alone and he would hold your hand.
>M-maybe you’ll even… kiss!
>You almost squee out loud, fidgeting in your seat as you cup your own warm cheeks in your hands and close your eyes, visualizing your fantasies in your head.
>’It would be so wonderful’, you think to yourself, letting out a long, dreamy sigh.
>Calming down enough to stop squirming around on the bench, you keep your eyes shut and your thin fingers draped over your cheeks for the moment, allowing yourself to hold onto your dreams for a little longer.
>Maybe one day, the colt of your dreams will walk up to you and say-
>”Excuse me, miss?”
>You’re startled from your daydreaming by an unfamiliar voice, making you jump a little with a yelp as your eyes flutter open.

>Turning your head to the side, you see a stallion standing next to you, a unicorn with a yellow coat, dark grayish-blue mane and tail, and a cutie mark of a shooting star. He looks familiar, but you can’t place where you might have seen him before.
>Seeing your reaction, he jerks his head back in surprise before giving you an apologetic look, his dark blue eyes scanning your face.
>”I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
>His face softens and the edges of his lips turn upwards into a charming smile, parting just enough for you to see a hint of his white teeth. You blink a few times and just keep staring into his eyes.
>”I was just wondering if it would be alright with you,” he motions a hoof next to you on the bench, “if I would join you?”

>You stare silently at the stallion, you had been so wrapped up in your fantasy that you had failed to even notice him walk up to you.
>The heat on your cheeks is still present, having been caught daydreaming by this stranger.
>You swear you’ve seen him somewhere before though, but where?
>He’s got a nice smile though, and the way he’s looking at you, warm and disarming, but with a small hint of mystery behind those eyes. It reminds you about some of those novels you found in the library once; the ones about handsome, mysterious strangers wooing young mares with their charms.
>Wow, your chest is feeling a little warmer as well now.
>Wait, didn’t he say something to you?
>Blinking, you quietly clear your throat as realize that you’ve just been staring at him in silence, giving him a sheepish smile and lowering your face to look up at his face.
>He tilts his head slightly, but his gentle smile still remains on his lips, his eyes silently studying you.
>Oh, darn! You still haven’t answered him!
“U-Um, sure! Go right ahead.”
>You stutter, hands on your laps and twiddling your fingers nervously, feeling so silly for how you’re acting. He’s just a friendly stranger, probably just looking for someone to talk to for a moment, no need to be acting so flustered about it.
>His smile grows a little, making you feel a bit more comfortable again, glad to have not accidentally weirded him out, before he moves to take a seat next to you.
>As he turns to props himself up on the bench, your eyes drift towards the shooting star of his cutie mark, again trying to place where you might have seen him before.
>Quickly, you avert your eyes to his face as he settles into his seat, realizing that you’re practically ogling his flank and fearing to get caught in the act. Not that you were really looking at his butt anyway!
>Although, it was a pretty good looking butt…

>The stallion leans back on the bench, eyes closed as he raises his head and taking a deep breath through his nose as a soft breeze passes by you, his hair swaying in the wind.
>Your treacherous eyes make their way downwards again. Lightly biting your lower lip, you can make out the hints of muscle on his flank under the yellow coat of thin fur. He must work out.
>Noticing his head move, your eyes snap back up just in time to meet his as he turns to face you.
>Giving him a totally confidant and not-a-all guilty-looking smile, you hope he didn’t notice your wandering gaze.
>He gives you a smirk, raising one of his eyebrows.
>Yeah, he totally bought it!
>”You’re the human, right? I’ve seen you around town. What’s your name?”
>Oh gosh, a stallion is showing interest in you? Wait… Don’t get carried away, Fem. Remember that he probably just wants to have a friendly chat.
“Yep, I’m a human! My name’s Femanon, but most ponies just call me Fem.”
>You proudly puff out your chest as you introduce yourself. You’re not quite sure why, but it seems to really catch his attention, giving you an approving look up and down before meeting your eyes again, so you figure you must have done something right.
>”Nice to meet you, Fem. My name is Comet Tail.”
>Comet… Tail… Oh! Now you remember! You grin widely as you lean closer to him, catching him a little by surprise.
“I thought I recognized you! You’re the fast guy!”
>At your words he averts his eyes, turning his face downwards.
>Aww, he’s shy!

Comet Tail
>Dammit, she’s already heard the rumors about you as well! Of course she has...
>You knew it was a long shot, but you were starting to get your hopes up; the way she was checking you out and then showing off her teats, she was clearly showing interest.
>But now, there’s no way she’d want anything to do with-
>”That’s super cool!”
>Huh?

>Lifting your head, you’re met with the beaming smile of Fem, still leaning close to you.
>Dumbstruck, you just stare at her, not knowing what to say.
>”I remember now! I saw you using your speed spell and raced some pegasus once. You left him completely in the dust! You must the fastest pony ever!”
>You blink a few times.
>Wait… So she wasn’t talking about… M-maybe she doesn’t know.
>Feeling your confidence returning, you immediately straighten yourself up, puffing out your chest and your best “smooth guy”-smile returning to your face.
“S-sure! Or, the fastest unicorn at least.”
>Better not overdo it, girls appreciate confidence, but you don’t want to seem like a braggart.
>Fem turns her body in her seat so she’s sitting sideways, facing you. One of her legs now resting on the bench, exposing more of the inside of her thigh, flaunting the smooth skin while still having her skirt leave much to the imagination.
>You swallow a small lump in your throat, the tips of your ears burning with heat. Not wanting to get to excited, you fight to keep your eyes from wandering over her creamy skin.
>She has to be teasing you. Well, two can play that game, missy.
“So, you like speedsters? You enjoy a good race, or do you just like to check out the runners?”
>You cap it off by giving her a half-lidded stare and a smile.
>She looks at you for a few seconds, long enough for you to think you might have been a little too forward, then a hint of pink makes its way across her cheeks, the edges of her lips curving upwards.
>Giving a titter, which she quickly stifles, she turns her face away from you.
>”H-How naughty!” she manages to squeak out before giggling quietly, her eyes darting back and forth between the ground and you, a tiny smile on her blushing face. You’d feel bad for putting her in such a state, if it didn’t make her look so cute.

>Eventually though, you can’t stop a chuckle from leaving you before trying to give her comforting look, leaning lazily against the bench and shaking you head.
“I’m sorry about teasing you, I just couldn’t help myself.”
>Her eyes finally settles on you, some of the pink leaving her cheeks and her brow furrowing slightly in what you think is supposed to be a frown, but it’s hampered by the wide smile on her lips, clearly holding back another giggle.
>”Bad boy~” She coos, “do you make a habit out of teasing girls?”
“Only the cute ones.”
>You give her a playful wink and she laughs. It is a sweet sound, very dainty yet also completely genuine, giving it a very youthful, musical quality. You’re glad that she seems to like your stumbling attempts at being flirty, you’re kinda rusty at this.
>You just look at her as she laughs, gazing at her face, taking note of the cute little dimples forming on her face, how she bashfully twirls the ends of her hair around her finger as her laughter starts to die down, using her other hand to gingerly rub a tear from her eye.
>Once she calms down and looks at you again, your eyes lock and you peer deeply into each other for a moment. Her breath seems to hitch, but then she smiles again, turning away to look out over the lake.
>You admire her profile in comfortable silence, watching the sunlight reflect on her eyes and dark, silky hair.
>You'd be lying if you said you weren't taking a glance at her chest too. Upon getting a closer look, especially after how she had puffed herself up, proudly displaying her breast, you have realized that she was a bit bigger in that department than you had initially guessed.
>You were not that far off, they weren't obscenely large in any way, but you're certain that her teats could rival that of most pregnant mares in size.
>Not a bad start, Comet. Not bad at all.

Fem
>Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygooosh!
>He just straight up called you cute!
>He’s certainly nothing like those silly colts at school, most of them still think that girls have cooties or other nonsense.
>You playfully twiddle with your hair, curling a lock of it around your finger as the dirt road holds your attention.
>Comet doesn’t say anything more, but you can feel his eyes on you, how they roam over your features. The heat on your cheeks have spread from ear to ear and you try to think of something to say.
>Words fail you though and you stay silent. You find it doesn’t bother you however, the silence is almost comforting in a way. It’s certainly preferable over whatever stupid things would leave your mouth if you tried to talk right now.
>A quick glance at him shows his dark blue eyes still focused on you before you stare at the ground again, your smile growing a little on your lips.
>Deciding to just enjoy the moment, you bask in the attention he gives you, enjoying the feeling of his gaze. No one has ever looked at you like that before, so intently. And that smile…
>It was a little embarrassing, but more than that, it sent butterflies fluttering in the pit of your stomach, making it hard for you to not start giggling like a doofus.
>These new silly feelings, they are making your heart pound like crazy with nervousness, yet you feel strangely comfortable, even happy.

>Keep it together, Fem. Don’t make this weird. I-it’s probably just the heat getting to you. Y-yeah! Nothing strange about all this, just a normal day at the park… Sitting on a bench… With a nice stallion… Who c-called you c-c-cute.
>Okay, maybe not such a normal day then.
>Taking a deep breath, you try to collect your thoughts and calm your nerves. What does it matter that you’re sitting here, talking to a stallion? He seems like a nice guy, so there’s no need to be so nervous.
>Seeking to clear your head a little, you lift your eyes to look out over the lake again, watching the sunlight dance in the small ripples of the of the surface.
>The couple is still out on the boat, the mare leaning close against her stallion, her face buried in the crook of his neck. A dreamy sigh passes between your lips at the sight of them both.
>”Watching the lovebirds, are we?”
>Comet’s voice startles you a bit as it brings the comfortable silence to a stop.
>Turning your head to face him, you see him also looking in the direction of the ponies on the lake, a warm yet wistful smile adorning his face before he turns his attention back to you, meeting your eyes.
>”Do you know them?”
>Smiling a little sheepishly, you give a quick shake of your head.
“No. I know it’s rude to stare, but they just look so cute together, don’t you think?”
>He glances out at the couple again, pursing his lips and raising an eyebrow as if he was scrutinizing a painting. Giving a thoughtful hum, he rubs his chin with a hoof before his eyes drift back to you again, his lips turning up into that warm smile again.
>”It is a little romantic, I suppose.” he speaks in mock disinterest.
“A little?” you raise your voice a little, but can’t help your own smile from growing, “it’s super romantic!”

>He gives a chuckle, a sound like the plucking of deep bass notes. It sends a pleasant shiver down your spine.
>”Alright alright, I guess you’re right. Still, I prefer my dates to have a little more activity in them, like going dancing or swimming.”
>You perk up a little at that.
“Swimming? I love swimming!”
>This seems to catch his interest, as his face lights up a little and he turns his body more towards you.
>”Yeah? Are you a good swimmer?”
>You once more puff out your chest as you give him a wide grin.
“I like to think I’m pretty good!”
>Another melodic chuckle escapes him at your bravado. Sure, it’s not like you’re swimming competitively, you mostly just do it for fun, but still, you’d call yourself way above average at least.
>”I’d like to see that sometime. I myself sometimes go for a little swim at this little lake I know of from time to time.”
>He pauses to look at you and seeing your expectant face he continues.
>”It’s not too far away from here, but it’s remote enough that not many other ponies come by it, a great place to just be by myself and take a dip in the water. There are these tiny colorful fish that swim around in it and there’s this beautiful willow tree just a few feet from the shore. When you lie under it, watching the sunlight filter through the leaves, it’s so relaxing, almost mystical, a great place for a nap.”
>As he describes it, you hang on his words, trying to picture the scene in your mind, guessing the colors of the fish and imagining the rays of light peeking through the willow, resting on the soft grass under its shadow.
>His eyes have drifted from you and seem to be looking at his own memories brought on by his descriptions, lost in his fantasy just as you are.
>Another sigh escapes you as you return to the now, reluctantly leaving the serene images of your mind behind.
“It sounds wonderful. I wish I had someplace like that I could go to.”

>Your voice seems to pull him back as well. He looks at you for a moment as his face cracks up into a goofy, almost elated smile before he awkwardly clears his throat, turning away from you and rubbing his neck, his grin growing more sheepish.
>You think you can see some hint of red on his cheeks.
>”W-well… M-maybe I can show it to you sometime?”
>You blink in surprise. Did he just stutter?
>That isn’t what surprised you most though, his words catching you completely off guard. For the next couple of seconds, that feel almost more like minutes, you can just stare at him, mouth slightly agape as you try to find some way to respond.
“R-Really? You… You’d really take me there?”
>He looks at you out of the corner of his eye, but doesn’t turn his head. Lowering his hoof to stop rubbing his neck, with some apparent struggle, he rests it firmly against the bench and straightens himself up a bit.
>”Sure! I’ll take you there, if… you want to, that is…”
>His voice starts out confident, but quickly goes more quiet towards the end.
>You’re silent for a few moments more, still a little bit in a daze, and you notice him swallowing and licking his lips tentatively as he waits for your reply.
>The fluttering in your stomach returns, spreading up to your chest as well. Smile steadily growing on your lips, you lean closer towards him.
“I’d love to.”
>His head snaps in your direction and the moment you eyes meet, your breath hitches in your throat. He stares at you in surprise for a moment, but eventually a tiny smile finds its way across his mouth and you feel yourself mirroring it, peering deeply into those dark blue orbs.
>You feel a small twitch in your fingers and realize something warm and fuzzy is brushing against the palm of your hand.
>As you both lower your eyes downwards, you find your hand resting on top of one of his hooves, clutching his appendage in your slender fingers.

>Quickly pulling you hand away, you cup it with the other and lower your eyes to the ground once more as you turn your body forwards again.
>The heat emanating from your face could cook an egg in record time.
“Sorry.”
>You quickly meep out as you chuckle awkwardly, an action that Comet repeats.
>”Don’t worry about it, I didn’t mind.”
>You trail your fingers against your skin, the feeling of his coat against it still vivid in your mind. The very thought brings a smile to your warm face.
>You have no idea how your hand ended up on his hoof, at least you can’t remember doing it. It must have happened as you leaned closer towards him.
>H-he was really warm…
>Shaking those silly thoughts from your mind, the two of you sit in awkward yet welcome silence for a while.
>As the embarrassment slowly dies down enough for you to raise your head, your eyes find their way back to the boat in the middle of the lake and the couple sitting in it.
>The stallion is leaning back against the boat, his head tipped far back so he’s looking up at the sky. The mare seems to be pushing up against him even more now, nuzzling against his neck.
>Huh, you never noticed that pinkish patch along his stomach before, and the mare… She is rubbing her hoof up and down along it, slowly at first, then her speed picks up for a moment before slowing down once more, her rhythm changing back and forth at random intervals.
>Is she…?
>Oh my gosh! She totally is!
>She’s giving him a bellyrub!
“Awww!”
>You coo as your heart melts at the scene. The sound seems to shake Comet out of his thoughts and he looks at you quizzically. Meeting his eyes, you beam at him and point out over the lake.
“Would you look at that?”

>He follows your hand until his eyes fall on the lovely couple. He seems confused for a moment, then narrows his eyes and leans forward while shielding his eyes from the sun with a hoof laid across his brow.
>Suddenly his eyes shoot open wide and he reels back against the bench. His head snaps to the side and he stares at you, eyes still wide as saucers. You can’t stop a giggle from bubbling out of you, both at the look on his face and the adorable scene on the lake.
>Comet’s jaw drops and his face becomes flushed with red. His lips move as he tries to speak, but nothing comes out, before he eventually turns away, averting his gaze to the ground.
>Aw, he really is shy deep inside! You feel a little bad for him, but take some satisfaction at seeing him like this, gaining some small ounce of revenge after how he teased you earlier.

Comet
>What in Equestria are those two… Right in the middle of the day, in public!
>She’s just straight up jerking him off!
>By Celestia’s great flaming asscheeks!
>...
>Lucky bastard.
>Your jealousy aside, how could they think that they would go unnoticed doing something like that?
>However, you most likely wouldn’t have noticed if it hadn’t been pointed out for you.
>And of course, Fem had to be the one person who noticed.
>Things were going so smoothly too! She seemed to have been enjoying your company. Heck, she even agreed to come visit your little private swimming spot. She even laughed at your dumb joke, which was a victory in itself, you admit.
>The important thing was the she was digging you. The blushing, how she laid her hand over your hoof, puffing out her chest again... Unf.
>Telling her about your little lake, between reminiscing over your own memories of the times you’ve spent there, you couldn’t help but to fantasize about taking her there, just the two of you, alone.
>And then it actually happened, she actually wished to go there with you sometime. You couldn’t believe your luck.
>Now though, the whole situation just feels awkward, all thanks to the lusty lovebirds deciding on taking a one hoof waltz up and down Hard Meat avenue right in front of you.
>Granted, you could really just barely make out the action at this distance, but it was still hard for you not to steal glances at them, while tapping into all the willpower you can muster, as well as pulling your hind legs tighter against your body, to stop yourself from… Unsheathing your sword of piercing.
>Did you really just think that? Moonbutt’s blueberry tits, you’re such an idiot sometimes…
>Racking your brain, you try to think of anything to help save the situation as you clear your throat.
“Y-yeah, that- That’s really something… Some ponies just can’t contain themselves, huh?”

>Yeah, great, draw even more attention to it, Comet. That’ll do the trick.
>’I’m doing my best to play it off, brain! Don’t see you helping in any way.’
>Failing to give a retort, your brain goes back to it’s default setting of comforting silence.
>As you try to figure out some form of damage control on the situation, the sweet sound of Fem’s giggle reaches your ears.
>”Kinda makes you jealous, doesn’t it?”
>Your ears perk up and you blink in surprise, turning your head to stare at her. There is a dreamy expression plastered across her features, cupping her own cheeks in her hands and smiling broadly.
>It takes a few seconds of staring slack jawed and stuttering before words can make their way out of your mouth.
“W- Wuh… What?”
>Well… it was A word… Hey, it still counts!
>Fem gives you a cheeky grin, wiggling her eyebrows.
>”Come on! Don’t tell me you wouldn’t want to be in his place right now?”
>Red warmth spreads across your muzzle, your mind fumbling over itself.
“Y-yeah… I mean, no! Maybe?”
>She tries to hold it back, but her giggling bubbles out of her not matter how she hides her lips behind her hand to stop it. At first you’re a little annoyed at her teasing, but the sound of her laughter slowly lift your mood until you join her, chuckling as the awkwardness washes off of you.
>Seems like she can give as good as she takes. You like it when a girl has a bit of fire in her.
>You were still going to get back at her for all the teasing though.
>A smirk grows on your lips.
“You’re one to talk though. You seem pretty interested yourself.”
>The laughter dies in her throat with a sputter and it is now her time to blush again, averting her eyes to the ground with an embarrassed smile on her lips.
>”W-well… I-I mean… I wouldn’t… mind it.”
>She half speaks, half mumbles the words. You’re a bit surprised, you weren’t expecting her to so readily admit it.
“Really?”

>She lifts her eyes to meet yours for a brief moment, flashing that sheepish smile before averting them again. The fierce blush has only made her face more cute, the contrast of her eyes to the redness of her cheeks almost seems to make them shimmer.
>”I mean… It seems kinda sweet, right?”
>Not the word you would use to describe it. You give a quick glance at the couple. Yup, still going at it, completely unaware --or maybe uncaring-- of their audience.
>Wishing to keep your loins in check, you force your eyes away from the show to focus on Fem again. She is lightly scuffing the ground with one of her feet, the soles of her shoe making a small groove in the dirt. Face still flushed, you notice her sneaking eager glances at the boat on the lake.
>”Maybe It’s just a silly idea, but I think it would be fun,” she finally lifts her gaze to meet yours, “or am I crazy?”
>Your warm smile widens a bit. This girl. Once second she’s teasing you, the next she’s acting like a shy school-filly. You don’t know how much your heart could take from this cuteness.
“Maybe it’s a little crazy, but that kinda makes it a little more exciting, don’t you think?”
>She lifts her head slightly, looking a little more confident again. A thought in the back of your mind wonders if she might be playing up her bashfulness to bait you. If so, she’s more of a flirt than you had been expecting.
>Leaning a little closer to her, you gently grip one of her hands with your hoof, looking deeply into her eyes.
“And I’m certain any stallion would be lucky to have a pretty girl like you lavish them with such attention.”
>She seems a bit caught off guard by your words, blinking in surprise as her eyes widen a little. She doesn’t pull her hand away though, and slowly her smile not only returns but grows as well.
>”You’re just teasing me now.”
>Turnabout is fair play, little lady.
“Just a little.”
>She gives a quick giggle.
>”You’re hopeless.”

“You should see me when I’m really trying,” you say with a smirk, “then I’m outright insufferable, it’s part of my charm.”
>Her giggle grows to quiet laughter, giving a small shake of her head before quieting down.
>”You’re pretty funny.”
“Thank you, that’s good to know. Can’t get by on my good looks alone after all.”
>Looking you up and down quickly, she lowers her eyelids slightly before mirroring your smirk.
>”Meh, 6/10.”
>A snort escapes you. A manly snort and definitely not a stifled giggle. You have to watch what you say to her, she’s a quick one.

Fem
>Nailed it!
>You’d heard some stallions make that joke once. You didn’t quite get it, but they had clearly found it very funny, so you took a gamble.
>And it paid off, judging by how Comet was scrunching his muzzle and making those funny little snorts, trying so hard not to lose it.
>Impressively, he keeps it together, clearing his throat and swallowing hard to bury the laughter deep inside of him.
“Seriously though, I’m sure a mare would appreciate a smooth-talker like you as well.”
>His face relaxes, that warm, friendly smile from before returning to his lips.
>”Now you’re the one teasing me.”
“Just a little.”
>You parrot his words, giving him your best innocent look for good measure. He just regards you silently for moment, his smile never faltering.
>His hoof is still gripping tenderly around your hand, the warmth of his soft coat spreading across your palm. For some reason, it’s making your heart beat a little bit harder and all the blushing is starting to feel like you’ve got a serious case of sunburn on your cheeks.
>”Well, since we’re both apparently such great catches.. mmmaybe you’d like go out together.”
>Your breath hitches in your throat as you are once more taken by surprise.
“Wha- R-really? You and… me?”

>The words sound meek as they leave your mouth. Is he really asking you out? For real? Not colt’s ever asked you out before. The idea makes you a little nervous, but also excited.
>”Yeah, why not? I’m free tomorrow. If you have time, I could show you my secret swimming spot?”
>Biting your lower lip, you suddenly feel kinda giddy. A stallion is asking you to hang out with him!
>Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygooosh!
“Yeah!” you shout out before forcing yourself to calm down, “I- I mean, sure, I don’t have any other plans so… Yeah, I’d love to!”
>His smile grows really wide and his dark blue eyes light up.
>”Great! So, how about we meet up here tomorrow at… Let’s say, 10 o’clock?”
>You nod your head up and down repeatedly, trying to contain your excitement.
“Can we have a little picnic as well?”
>He agrees with your suggestion and you decide that you’ll be making some sandwiches to take with you, while he brings something to drink as well as a blanket for you to sit on.
>It’s getting really hard for you to not outright squee right now.
“So, I should be getting home, need to prepare some things for tomorrow. I’ll see you at ten then?”
>If you didn’t know any better, you’d say he was just as giddy as you, seeing as how he’s slightly squirming around on the bench with a goofy grin on his cute horseface.
>”Yeah, definitely!”
“Great!”
>Standing up from the bench, you lift your arms and stretch, working the stiffness out of your limbs from sitting still for so long. The wooden seat had made your butt fall asleep as well, so you give it a few pats and shakes to get the blood flowing.
>Once you’re satisfied with the amount of feeling returning to your bum, you turn towards Comet. He’s looking distantly in your direction, like he was daydreaming, before his eyes quickly dart up to meet yours, lips parting to give you a toothy smile.

>You bring the tip of your index finger up to your lower lip, stroking it thoughtfully as you lift your face towards the sky, musing to yourself.
“I wonder which swimsuit I should pick… Hmm… If it’s as hot tomorrow as it is today, I should probably go with one of the two piece ones… Maybe a smaller one so I don’t get any weird tan-lines. Maybe the green one, I like that one.. Or maybe.. Ah, I’ll think of something!”
>Turning your attention back to Comet again, he seems to be in deep thought again, staring blankly and a little slackjawed at you.
>You lean forward and wave your hand in front of his face, scanning his face with some concern.
“Comet? Are you okay?”
>With a start, he shakes his head and looks at you dumbfounded for a moment before smiling awkwardly at you.
>”Y-yeah… Yeah! It’s nothing, just… Thinking about tomorrow, heh heh… Can’t wait!”
>His eyes appears to have trouble meeting yours, constantly drifting downwards before darting back up again. Hihi! Probably embarrassed that you caught him drifting off.
>Crossing your arms under your chest, you give him a teasing smirk.
“You sure? You seem a little distracted.”
>His smile grows a little nervous and you think you can spot some beads of sweat on his brow.
>”N-no, I just… Um…”
>With a giggle, your face softens as you straighten up and waving your hand dismissively.
“Relax Comet, I’m just teasing you.”
>He gives a chuckle, but he still seems a little embarrassed, but also relieved.
>”Heh, you’re kinda hopeless yourself.”
>Giving him a wink, you turn towards the path along the river, looking at him over your shoulder.
“Yep! See you tomorrow, Comet~”
>You practically sing the words before making your way down the road, waving farewell to the stallion, and he waves his hoof back at you, huge grin back on his face.

>Turning your head forwards, you walk briskly, almost skipping, wanting to get home as fast as you can so you can prepare for tomorrow.
>It’s going to be great!
>Resisting the urge to holler in joy, you realize you should make sure to do your homework tonight so you won’t have to worry about that tomorrow.

Comet
>Wow… That was something…
>You’re certain that she’s intentionally teasing you now.
>When she stood up and started wiggling her butt around, practically right in your face, she knew what she was doing to you.
>Then she started to casually talk about her swimsuits, and you couldn’t resist fantasizing about her in such outfits. She probably knew your mind would go there.
>And when she started needling you about it, she even made sure to heft up her teats with her arms, giving you an eyeful of her cleavage, practically daring you to peek.
>They did look very soft…
>You really know how to pick them, don’t you, Comet?
>Well… At least she agreed to go for a swim tomorrow.
>The realization of that thought suddenly hits you. She said yes!
>Victory hoof pump!
>Maybe things are finally starting to look up for you? You hope…
>You shake those thoughts away, deciding to just be thankful for your good luck for once.
>Leaning back on the bench, you take a deep breath through your nose, feeling very satisfied with yourself.
>Doing so though, your gaze falls once more on the perverts in the boat.
>Maybe you shouldn’t be too harsh… They did involuntarily helped you get a date with that human cutie.
>You wonder if she was really serious about wanting to do the same thing as those two… She could just have been teasing you, but the way she was acting all flustered, it seemed like she may have actually meant it.
>You can feel yourself threatening to spill out of your sheath at the thought.
>Ah, it looks like he’s starting to reach his limits.
>Aaand… There he goes.

>Whoa… That’s… Quite a load… Kinda impressive really…
>N-no homo!
>Y-you should probably head home as well. Don’t want to get caught peeping once they remember that a world exists around them.
>You also need to prepare for tomorrow.
>A twitch in your groin reveals to you that you’ve started to sport a half-chub and you fear it will not stop there.
>Should probably do something about that once you get home as well...


>The next day.

“Crap crap crap crap crap crap CRAP!!!”
>Dirt is kicked up around you in misty plumes as you sprint through the town, your hooves drumming against the ground in quick rhythm.
>Today was the day. You had had trouble falling asleep last night from how excited you were. Even after relieving the… tension in your loins, it took several hours before sleep finally came to you.
>You just couldn’t help it though. You were looking forward to meeting her again, to meet Fem, and go on your date.
>There was just one problem though.
>One teeny tiny little detail.
>You were running late.
“Stupid… Stupid! Why’d I have to oversleep today of all days!”
>You mutter angrily to yourself between your heavy panting, chastising yourself over and over in your head.
>Floating behind you, held aloft and keeping steady pace with you by the dark blue aura of your magic is a small wicker basket and a bundled up blanket.
>In the basket were the refreshments you had purchased once you had bolted out of your home in a panic. The glass bottles jingle against each other as they are disturbed by their rough flight and you try to steady your grip on the basket to make it more smooth.
>There really wasn’t any place that sold alcohol this early in the day, so you ended up stopping by the Apple-family’s stand and bought some of their non-alcoholic cider, filling up the basket as with as much as it could handle and almost threw your bag of bits at the big, red stallion manning the stall.
>He had seemed a bit put off by your stressed behavior but kept silent about it, taking only enough bits to pay for your purchase and making sure you stayed to take the rest back.
>Even though you just wanted to get going, you can’t help but admire the honest business-sense of the Apples, finding comfort in the thought of at least one group of ponies who would never cheat you out of your money.

>Pushing those thought from your mind, you hope that Fem won’t mind your choice of purchase. You don’t really like mixing swimming with drinking yourself, for some reason it tends to make you a little nauseous. It was also a little early for alcohol you thought.
>You really, really hope she won’t mind, but you’re more worried about how upset she’ll be over how late you are.
>You consider using you speed-enhancing spell, but the added strain of your cargo made you hesitate. You had never tried using that spell while levitating something before. Your magic might short out and then you’ll be left with several broken bottles for the picnic instead, not to mention your problems with stopping once you’ve gained speed.
>Maybe just a small burst of speed?
>Catching sight of the town’s clock tower, you glance up towards the clock.
>10:25… You’re almost half an hour late.
“Ah, buck it!”
>Deciding you can’t afford to be any more late, you levitate the basket over to your face and bite down on the handle.
>With the basket now held firmly in your jaws, lessening the burden on your magic, you charge the familiar spell through your horn. Your heartbeat quickens and you can almost hear it in your ears as vigorous energy spreads throughout your limbs.
>In a matter of seconds, your pace increases until you are zipping across the road, speeding towards the park and, hopefully, your date.
>’Please don’t be too mad. Please don’t be too mad.’

>Dashing like mad, you reach the park in about a minute.
>You’d curse at yourself for not doing this sooner instead of playing safe, but you’re too busy keeping a lookout for Fem while dodging ponies on the way.
>You brace yourself for the chance that she might not be so glad to see you after keeping her waiting for almost half an hour.
>As the bench the two of you had shared comes into view, your heart sinks in your chest.
>She’s not there. No one is waiting for you.
>The disappointment and anger at yourself gnaws deeply into your core as you mentally kick yourself and an annoyed growl reverberates in your throat.
>First attention you’ve gotten from the opposite gender in over two months and you blew it, Comet. You blew it real bad.
>Just show up on time, that’s all. Show up on time for your date, it’s dating 101, but you couldn’t even get that right.
>Your mental chastising comes to a halt, unlike yourself who is still running at enhanced speed, charging towards the bench.
>Gritting your teeth, grinding them into the basket, you try to choke out the flow of magic in your horn.
>You feel some of the energy dissipating, but very little changes in your speed. Realizing you're about to drop the blanked still levitating behind you, you tighten your grip on it.
>You just had to try levitating objects while using the speed enhancer, didn't you?
>Trying instead to break by digging your hooves into the soil, you almost tumble over and are now stumbling at high speed instead of running.
>A+ all around today, Comet.
>As the bench comes closer, you realize that there really is no way you'll be able to make any sort of dignified stop. You try to give a grumble, but it just comes out as panicked, muffled mumbling.
>Removing the basket from you mouth and taking it in you magic grasp, you line the objects up as you reach your target.
>Time to make a drive-by touchdown.

>Tilting your weight slightly towards the side, you manage to guide your stumbling so you'll just pass by the bench close enough without crashing into it.
>As the slightly blurry shape of the bench comes up to the side of you, you quickly levitate the basket and blanket onto the seat, following the motion of your movement as best as you can so that you won't drag it with you and tip it over before releasing the levitation spell.
>You brace yourself for the shrill sound of glass being smashed into pieces, but when none reaches you, you breathe a sigh of relief.
>Or you would have, if you weren't, you know, now tumbling towards your painful rendezvous with the ground, thankfully towards the grass instead of the dirt road.
>As your face dips down to take a closer look at the grass, a thought hits you.
>Why do you even care about the picnic supplies if your date's already ruined?
>Why didn’t you dump them and plan for a better way to stop your forward momentum?
>And why can’t you think as fast when you need to instead of when you’ve just realized what a stupid decision you’ve just made?
>Bucking brai-
>Your face makes contact with the ground and you start your merry go round tumble across the grass.
>Thanks to your experience with… “Sudden emergency stops…” You tuck yourself against your body and ride the motion out until you land on your back with a sudden stop.
>The air is a bit knocked out of you, but all in all you’ve had worse crash- I mean, emergency stops.
>Laying on your back for a moment, you stare up at the blue sky. It takes a few seconds for it to stop spinning, but eventually you can take it in without feeling nauseous.
>Hardly a cloud and the warmth of the sun is bearing down on you.
>It would have been a good day for a swim…
>You close your eyes, brow furrowing and jaw clenching as you let out a disappointed huff through your nose.
>Dammit...

>Despite the overwhelming urge to lay in your own self pity until the earth swallows you whole, you force yourself to slowly rise back up to your hooves.
>There really isn’t that much pain. You’d managed to roll with the momentum quite well, combined with the fact that you had only used a fraction of your speed and aside from sore spots you were okay physically.
>And yet it still hurts. The weight of disappointment and anger pulling at your insides, clawing and tugging like an agitated animal. You want to let your anger loose, to vent it in some way.
>Instead, you swallow it down, locking it up inside and try to choke it out.
>With a heavy sigh and even heavier steps, you walk over towards the bench. As you lay your eyes on the basket and folded cloth, a cold numbness settles in your gut and you feel your anger quickly die, only to be replaced with a sudden feeling of depression.
>You pull yourself up on the bench and sit down, slumping down in the seat and staring down at the ground.
>It’s kinda stupid that this would get to you this much. This isn’t the first time a date’s gone wrong for you, after all.
>Actually… That thought doesn’t make you feel any better…
>Anyway, you’d only met the girl yesterday, you hardly knew anything about her, why would you feel so torn up about this?
>Maybe because it’s just the latest in a long list of failures? That you found somepony -or rather someone- not only unaware of the gossip about you, but who actually seemed interested in giving you a shot instead of judging out of hand based on false rumors?
>You lean back, looking up at the clouds, eyeing a few pegasi either napping on one of them or gently soaring across the bright blue sky before you close your eyes, thinking about how you would never get the chance to learn more about her now, the only human in Ponyville, maybe even Equestria. Such a unique and exotic creature and you let her just slip out of your grasp.

>For a moment, you think about how unfair it is, how your bad luck just never seems to let up, but you can’t really blame anyone but yourself for being late. Your old man always said not to pin your mistakes on somepony or something else and to own up to them instead.
>Though he also claimed to have been seduced by a Windigo in his youth and that rainbows are made by having one pegasus of each color of the spectrum line up and do a synchronized magic fart.
>Your father was a complicated stallion.
>You try to shake the thoughts away, when you suddenly feel something smooth against your face, covering your eyes and making you jump slightly with a start.
>You open your eyes, but are only met with darkness.
>”Guess who?”
>A voice comes from behind you, sweet and a bit high-pitched, but behind the jovial tone there was also a hint of nervousness in it.
>Your startled shock shifts into surprise as you recognize the voice as one you thought you wouldn’t get the chance to hear again.
“Fem?”
>Light returns to your vision as she lifts her hands from your face, making you blink as your sight readjusts.
>Twisting around, you look back and see your date standing right there behind the bench, rubbing her arm and shyly making circles in the grass with one of her feet, her head hanging low and her eyes barely able to meet yours.
>”Aww, how come everypony always knows it’s me when I do that?”
>She tries to sound playful, but you can still hear the nervousness in her voice. You stare at her silently for a moment, stunned into dumbfounded silence as you try to find your voice again.
“W-well… You’re the only one in town with hands…”
>You answer her dumbly. You wanted to apologize, to give some excuse but instead those words found their way out your mouth instead.
>She looks down at her hands for a moment before tittering awkwardly, a noticeable blush spreading across her face as she averts her eyes.
>”Oh yeah…” She mumbles.

>You’re not sure how to react. You were expecting her to be angry, or at the very least annoyed with you.
>You certainly weren’t expecting this. She’s fidgeting around and acting bashful, or is it ashamed? Even though she towers over you, the way she’s acting makes her seem so small and frail. You almost blush yourself at how cute she looks, like a child searching for comfort.
>It is then, as you take in her appearance, that you finally take notice of what she’s wearing and you feel your jaw grow slack at the sight.
>A two piece bikini was covering -and you use that term lightly- her teats and crotch, thin blak straps hugging along her hips and shoulders to keep the garments in place. They are colored in shifting shades of green, the pattern reminding you of the outer skin of watermelons.
>Wrapped loosely around her waist is a pareo skirt, tied with a knot and sloping down along her hips in an angle. The deep red and semi-transparent cloth reaches down almost to her ankles, swaying in the wind and giving you tantalizing peeks at her thighs.
>To top it off, she’s wearing a pair of sandals on her feet, a towel draped over her shoulders and a wide-brimmed sunhat is sitting on top of her head, keeping the sun out of her eyes.
>Her outfit leaves a lot of her skin uncovered and you can feel your mouth watering slightly as you drink in the sight of her naked, smooth skin. The soft curves of her hips, the slenderness of her long legs, how her dark hair lays across her bare shoulders and neck.
>The small hint of sweat giving her body a light sheen, highlighting the contours of her cleavage.
>And that tiny little belly button~

>The sound of a throat clearing makes you jump a little and you take a quiet gasp of air, just now realizing that you had been holding your breath.
>Your eyes quickly dart up to Fem’s face, ashamed at how you had oogled her and scared that you had been caught.
>Instead, you find her still staring at the grass right next to her feet, her mouth lightly pursed into a little pout.
>She looks sad. Sad and guilty. You feel your heart ache at the sight, at how wrong it felt, and hoping desperately that it wasn’t because of how late you had been. You couldn’t bare the thought, thinking you’d rather have her mad at you instead of being the cause for any kind of sadness at the gentle-looking angel.
>A little sigh escapes her lips and she closes her eyes.
>You bite your lip, and not being able to see that look on her face anymore, you prepare to speak, to ask her forgiveness as you should have done as soon as you saw her.
>Before you can say anything though, you're interrupted but Fem's voice as she speaks first.
>"Comet..."
>You cringe at her sad tone and feel your ears drooping slightly as you wait for her to voice her disappointment of you.
>"I'm so sorry for being so late..."
>...
>Wha...?

>A few minutes earlier.
“Oh no oh no oh no!”
>You grip the top of your sunhat, pressing it down on your head to stop it from flying away in the draft as you run towards the park.
>You are Femanon and you are late!
“Oooh, you are such a clutz sometimes, Fem.”
>You quietly scold yourself while shifting the weight of the picnic-basket hanging from the crook of your elbow by its handle. Your arm is starting to grow tired from the weight, but you grit your teeth and try not to think about it. You had stopped to catch your breath and give your arm a rest too many times already.
>Peering down at the basket for a split second, a sigh escapes you between the panting.
>And the day had started so good too…
>You woke up a little later than planned, after staying up late making sure you got all your homework done, but you still had more than enough time before you were to meet up with Comet Tail at the park.
>Starting of with a quick breakfast and washing your teeth, you had then taken a shower.
>It might have seemed a little pointless, considering you would be going for a swim later, but you didn’t want to meet Comet all smelly and with a bad case of bed-hair.
>After drying yourself off, you wrapped the towel around your head and went to the kitchen to make the sandwiches for the picnic.
>You hadn’t bothered putting any clothes on, since you had the house all to yourself.
>Bon-Bon, the mare who has raised you, is away in Canterlot with her best friend, Lyra.
>She wanted to show Bon-Bon her hometown, as well as have some fun ‘best-friend-time’ together.
>They’re really good friends, always hugging and whispering at each other. It’s really sweet, but Bon-Bon would always get all flustered whenever you would walk in on them hanging out.

>You think she just doesn’t like others seeing her being all affectionate. She used to work for the government, before opening up a candy-shop in town, and has always been kinda tough on the outside, even though you know she’s a big softie on the inside that she only lets a few ponies, and yourself, know about.
>She’s never told you exactly what she did at her old job. She didn’t like talking about it, so maybe she didn’t like it there. She did say once that it was thanks to her job that she got to take care of you.
>You’re not sure what she meant by that, but like you said, she doesn’t like to talk about it. She says it best that way.
>She can be a little doting on you. At first, she didn’t want to leave you home alone, but Lyra managed to talk her into it.
>You like Lyra, she’s cool. You hope you’ll one day have a bestest friend just like Bon-Bon and Lyra do.
>Humming to a tune in your head, dancing-or rather shuffling-around the kitchen in your birthday-suit, feeling a few stray droplets sliding down your skin, tickling you slightly, you made a few sandwiches with a bit of this and that you could find in the fridge, giggling to yourself from the excitement over your date.
>You still can’t believe a stallion had actually asked you out on a date!
>Even though you took your time, you finished up in the kitchen quickly, with still plenty of time before meeting up with Comet.
>Packing your little feast into a basket, throwing in a small bag with a few coins from your allowance just in case, and placing it in the hallway, you then made your way back to your bedroom.
>Giving your hair a once-over with a brush, you spent a few moments posing in front of the mirror. You weren’t just goofing off! This was serious business after all.
>You regarded the small patch of hair that had grown between your legs, lightly stroking a finger across the downy hairs, the tingling sensation forcing a little giggle out of you.

>Deciding that you had wasted enough time, you finally went through some of the bathing suits you had prepared the night before.
>It took a minute or two, but you eventually decided on your favorite set, the green two-piece bikini one. To wear on the way, you took a long piece of red, semi-transparent cloth that you wrapped around your hips, tying it together with a firm knot.
>Slapping on some sandals and a sunhat and throwing a towel over your shoulders, you grabbed the basket on the way out the door and made your way into Ponyville.
>It was then, when you had spotted Sugarcube corner in the distance, that an idea struck you. A wonderful idea. A wonderfully delicious idea.
>Taking a quick glance at the town clock, you decided that you had enough time for one stop before heading to the park.
>With a skip in your step and a song on your lips, you had entered the shop and was immediately greeted by Pinkie Pie, the pink party pony and professional pastry-maker of Ponyville.
>Going over their selection of baked goods, you had a little problem deciding on which one you should pick.
>After what you had though at the time to have been just a few minutes, your eyes had finally settled on a very delectable-looking blueberry pie.
>As you told Pinkie what you wanted and handed over a few of your bits, she told you that a fresh batch had just been done and you could get a freshly baked one instead as soon as they had cooled a bit.
>Sweet! Who’s gonna say no to freshly baked pie?
>You bet Comet will just love it!
>While you waited for your delicious price, the two of you talked about various things. You asked her how the store was going, about mr. and mrs. Cake and the twins. She asked you about school, Bon-Bon and how you liked having the house to yourself.
>You’re not sure for exactly how long you two were talking, but you remember that it didn’t feel that long at the time…

>Eventually, Pinkie popped back into the kitchen, returning with one blueberry in her hoof before you could even blink. Covering it with some plastic wrapping to help keep it in one piece, she handed it to you.
>While you were placing it with the rest of the lunch in your basket, Pinkie’s eyes had scanned over it and couldn’t contain her curiosity anymore.
>”So, what’s the special occasion? Are you having a party, or did you just have a hankering for Pinkie’s hot, yummy pie?”
>She smiled brightly at you, excitedly tapping the counter with her forehooves and her bright blue eyes staring gleefully up at you as her tail swished back and forth like a happy little pony puppy.
>”If it’s a party, you would have told me, right? Can I come!? Can I can I can I!?”
>You had waved a hand in front of you, eventually getting her to calm down so you could get a chance to answer her.
“Actually, Pinkie, I’m just going for a swim and a picnic. No party, sorry.”
>”Oh! Well, remember to wait if you eat before swimming!”
>She had then given you a knowing grin, wiggling her eyebrows in a way that was almost mesmerizing in how over the top it had looked.
>”Soo, going with somepony special for this little picnic?”
>A blush had spread immediately across your face and you had stammered a bit before you whisper out the words.
“Y-yeah…”
>”And is this somepony a colt?~”
>She emphasized the word “colt” in a sing-song way. Your voice got stuck in your throat and you turned your eyes to look at your feet as they fidgeted around, before nodding your head.
>Pinkie had made an ecstatic squeeing sound and trotted in place.
>”Hehee! I knew it! SO! Who’s the lucky colt? Is it somepony I know?”
“Pinkie, you know everypony in town, so you probably do.”
>You still couldn’t meet her eyes, keeping your sight aimed down.
>”Well, what’s his name then?”
“H-his name’s Comet…”

>Your voice had trailed off a little, still too embarrassed to talk about it.
>Pinkie stopped her trotting and adopted a thinking stance, rubbing her chin with her hoof.
>”Comet? Hmm… I don’t think I know of any colt named Comet… The only Comet I know of is Comet Tail.”
“Yeah, that’s him. We’re supposed to meet in…”
>It was then, when you had finally managed to tear your eyes from your feet to look at the clock, that you saw it.
>It was twenty minutes past ten!!!
>Oh no. Ohnoohnoohno!
“Oh gosh, I’m late!!!”
>Turning around, you dash towards the door, stopping only to give one last glance back at Pinkie before leaving.
“Thanks for the pie, Pinkie! I’ll see you later!”
>She was looking at you a little oddly, an expression of confusion plastered on her face. As you yelled your goodbye, she just waved at you limply.
>”Bye… Fem?”
>You were too busy to wonder why she was acting the way she did and truth is you hardly even noticed it as panic gripped you.
>Which brings you back to the now, just as you’ve finally reached the park, running along the path that would lead you to the bench the two of you had agreed to meet at.

>The heat of the sun is bearing down on you all the way and by now you can feel sweat starting to cling along parts of your skin, like your chest, forehead and the crooks of your knees.
>So much for that shower…
>Wiping your brow with your forearm, you press on, only slowing down slightly to a brisk jog; never stopping until…
>Until you spot him.
>On the same bench from yesterday, head hanging low and ears drooping down, sits Comet Tail.
>You stay as still as a statue, afraid to make a sound as your eyes take in the depressing sight.
>’Oh Fem,’ you think to yourself, ‘what have you done?’
>Taking notice of the basket sitting next to him, you feel a twinge of pain in your heart and place a hand over it.
>You had feared that you would arrive to find that he had already left, but he had waited for you, even as late as you were, he was still waiting. But judging by the look on his face, he seems to have given up.
>You feel horrible. What must he be thinking? That you had stood him up? That you had just pulled a cruel prank on him?
>Your lower lip trembles slightly and you bite down on it as you are overcome by shame.
>A part of you just wants to run away, just turn around and run back home, just so you won’t have to face him, his disappointment or even his anger.
>You want to, but you can’t.
>Inside your mind, you’re reminded of the one time you had stolen a few of Bon-Bon’s candies from her store when you were younger. She knew you had done something, she was always good at noticing when others were hiding something and you were never any good at lying, especially to her.
>She never said anything, just acted very distant. It wasn’t long before you couldn’t take the crushing feeling of guilt anymore and you came clean.
>Even though she was still disappointed in you, she was glad that you had told the truth; and she was even more glad when you promised never to do it again. You were just happy to finally be free of the guilt.

>That same suffocating feeling is inside you now and you know that you can’t just run away from him, even when though you’re so nervous that your knees are trembling.
>As you will yourself to move towards the lonely stallion, you do so with slow, silent steps, the trepidation over what his reaction would be clamps down on your stomach like a tight knot.
>He hasn’t noticed you, his eyes still glued to the ground in front of the bench. You have to make this up to him. Seeing him like this is breaking your heart.
>You lick you lips tentatively, trying to figure out what you could say or do to perhaps lighten the mood or make this go more smoothly.
>A tiny lightbulb turns on in your head and despite how rotten you still feel, a mischievous smirk spreads across your face.
>Moving onto the grass, you slowly sneak up around the bench until you are directly behind him.
>Holding your breath, you very gently lean down and place your basket down beside the bench.
>As you straighten back up, you twiddle with your fingers for a moment, hesitating.
>You notice some blades of grass stuck in Comet’s mane. Wonder how that got there?
>Pushing the question from your mind, you freeze up for a moment when you hear Comet let out a very long, sad sigh and he leans back against the bench.
>The sound makes you frown as your guilt reminds you of its presence by prodding at your heart again.
>You swallow it down though, as Comet has just put himself in a perfect position for your plan.
>Another, more nervous smile grows on your face as your hands slowly reach out towards him.
>You take a deep, quiet breath and then quickly clasp your hands across his eyes, covering them.
>He jumps slightly in his seat, likely startled, and you can feel his eyelashes brush against the palms of your hands.
>Hehe~ That tickles!
>Not now Fem. Serious face. But not too serious, just mildly serious.
“Guess who?”

>You try to keep your voice jovial, but you’re still so nervous.
>You hadn’t really thought about the next step in this plan, or what you would do in case it backfires.
>While he tries to figure out who this is, you’ll think of something; no prob-
>”Fem?”
>Shoot…
>Taking a step back, you remove your hands from his face.
>As he turns around to look at you, your heart beats rapidly in your chest and you can’t stop yourself from fidgeting around and rub your arm.
>To your relief, he doesn’t look angry, just very surprised; you still have trouble looking him directly in the eyes though.
”Aww, how come everypony always knows it’s me when I do that?”
>It’s still hard for you to keep your voice steady and you try to play it off as playfulness. Though a part of you actually were curious; you never seemed to be able to fool anyone with that.
>He’s very silent for a moment, just looking at you, and you suppress a shiver from traveling down your body.
>”W-well… You’re the only one in town with hands…”
>You blink, not expecting him to actually answer that; in your surprise, all you can do is look down at your hands.
>Oh…
>Heat spreads across your face and you can’t stop a giggle from escaping you.
>’He must think I’m so stupid,’ you somberly think to yourself, averting your eyes to look at the grass instead.
“Oh yeah…”
>Stupid, stupid, stupid!
>As if being late wasn’t bad enough, you had to make a fool out of yourself.
>You almost want to cry, but you lock that feeling deep inside. This wasn’t the time to feel sorry for yourself; you had to “mare up”, as Bon-Bon would say. You’re not a little girl anymore. You’re 14! And you need to take responsibility.
>You stay quiet for a moment though, struggling to find the words, or even the voice, trying to think of how you could fix this whole mess… If you even could…

>Comet has gone silent again, but you can feel his eyes on you, judging you, and you can’t help but shrink a little.
>Why isn’t he shouting at you? As strange as it might sound, you’d rather he just do that and get it all out in the open instead of having him silently chide you.
>If only you hadn’t stopped at Sugarcube Corner.
>If only you hadn’t taken as long to get ready, or if you had woken up earlier.
>If only. If only.
>But there really isn’t any point in thinking about buts and ifs.
>Maybe you’re being overly dramatic, e-even if he was your first date… It’s not the end of the world.
>But thinking about that sad look on his face as he sat there waiting for you… It certainly made you feel horrible…
>Gee, now you feel kinda bad for trying to make it not seem so bad, even if it was just in your head.
>You realize that you’ve just been standing here for a while now.
>Comet’s had many chances to say something now and a quick glance at him shows he’s still just looking at you. It’s strange though, you would’ve expected him to look more angry, or at the very least annoyed.
>Instead, he has this strange expression on his face, distant, almost dreaming, as well as a hint of surprise.
>The uncomfortable silence is not doing anything good for your already frayed nerves and you can’t take it anymore, clearing your throat.
>You notice Comet flinch a little in the corner of your eye, but your focus is on what you need to do instead, what you should have done for a while now.
>A sigh escapes you and you close your eyes, still too nervous to fully face him..
“Comet…”
>You swallow as your voice trails off. Come on, don’t hesitate, just get it over and done with.
“I’m so sorry for being so late…”
>You clench your eyes tighter and brace yourself, waiting for words of disappointment and angry questions.
>But it never comes.

>Peeking out from under your eyelids, you see Comet still staring at you with that strange look on his face, though he seems… confused?
>Okay, what?
>Why isn’t he snapping at you yet?
>Your fidgeting increases, as does your trepidation.
“I- I know we were s-supposed to meet here at 10. B-but I wanted to get a little surprise from Sugarcube Corner! And… And it took longer getting prepared than I thought andIoversleptalittlesopleasepleasepleasedon’tbemad!”
>Closing your eyes shut again, you ramble on, only stopping when your lips are pursed tightly against each other.
>You stand stiffly, fists clenched so hard your arms are trembling slightly as you brace yourself even harder.
>Once again, he says nothing. You’re too scared to look, but there is also a rising feeling of frustration taking root inside you. Why doesn’t he say anything!?
>Suddenly, there is a snort. You flinch, thinking he must be scoffing at your excuses.
>Another snort, more stifled this time. Your worries are replaced by confusion and your body relaxes a bit.
>What the…?
>Your trail of thought is interrupted by the sound of roaring laughter.
>Eyes fluttering open in surprise, the sight that meets you is of Comet clinging desperately to the bench to keep himself from falling off as he’s laughing his flank off.
>You feel your face go flush as you stare at him, slack-jawed.
>Out of all possible reactions you were expecting, this wasn’t one of them.
>Here you had come hoping for his forgiveness and he… he…
>A strange sense of indignation and confusion wells up inside of you; and from that, one question in need of answer.
“Wha- What’s so funny? Why are you laughing!?”
>You squeak out, frowning-definitely not pouting-at this crazy stallion.
>He holds up a hoof, trying to pull himself together. He coughs and clears his throat, only for another wave of laughter to bubble out of him.
>With a huff, you cross your arms and tap your foot impatiently.

>You should be glad that he doesn’t seem to be angry, but you’re just so confused now and would really like to know what the big joke was.
>Comet’s laughter quiets down to a chuckle, peppered with hiccups, as he starts to climb out the bench, legs wobbling slightly under him as he starts to move around it to walk up to you, wiping a tear from his eye.
>As he does though, he doesn’t see the basket you have placed next to the bench. Stumbling over it and already giddy he goes tumbling down into the grass.
>You half-gasp, half-giggle, at once both worried he might have hurt himself and… well, schadenfreude, you guess.
>Flipping over to lay on his back, he spits some grass from his mouth, then the laughter comes back full force.
>Though annoyed that you still haven’t gotten an answer for what causing it, you can’t help but let a smirk start to grow on your lips, as well as a giggle or two.
>Seeing him on his back, waving his hoofsies around while cackling, you just can’t help yourself.
>Annoyance steadily gives way to amusement, and an impish thought makes its way into your mind.
“Alright,” you say, mischief thick in your voice as your crouch down and wiggle your fingers around, “how about I give you something to really laugh about?”
>You then pounce down, landing on your knees beside him. The suddenness of your action makes him snap out of his merriment, but it is too late; before he can react you dig the tips of your fingers into his sides, right below the pits of his forelegs and go to work.
>With a shriek, he once more starts to laugh, squirming frantically on the grass and desperately trying to bat your hands away with his hooves.
>It’s useless though. Something you learned long ago: fingers are excellent for tickling!
>And you’re very good at it, as Comet quickly finds out.

>”Ahaha! S-sto-haha- Stop! Ehe-ahahaha! P-please!”
>Your fingers dance just below his ribs, digging into his sensitive spots.
“Ready to tell me what’s so funny?”
>He once more waves his hoof in a futile attempt to stop your assault, some tears gathering in his eyes.
>”O- oka-hic- Okay! Hahaha! J-just s-s-stop!”
>Grinning and pleased as punch, you show mercy to the poor little pony and remove your hands. He wraps his hooves around his chest, rubbing the spots you had put most pressure on, as he wheezes and gasps between chuckles, trying to refill his oxygen-deprived lungs.
>You feel a little sorry for him, but only a little, thinking you might have been a bit too rough, but once he’s calmed down he looks at you with a half-lidded gaze, a warm smile on his face. Something in his dark blue eyes makes you heart beat little faster for a few seconds and your face feels a little flushed for some reason.
>”I’ve only been here for little over two minutes.”
>You blink and-as if a light had been turned off-your mind immediately goes blank.
“What?”
>You ask, confusion clear in your voice. His smile goes a bit more sheepish and he rubs the back of his head with a hoof.
>”Yeeeaah… I’d only been sitting here for about two minutes at the most before you showed up.”
>Staring at him silently for a while, your brain finally starts to slowly connect the dots as realization dawns on your face.
“S… So… That means…”

>”...That I was late as well.”
>Comet finishes for you, flashing you an apologetic grin and curling up slightly. If you weren’t so flabbergasted, the fact that he was probably too heavy and that he most likely wouldn’t appreciate it, you would have scooped him up in your arms. Sometimes you can’t understand how ponies can be so unfailingly adorable, even the stallions, though Bon-Bon’s tried to stop you from objectifying ponies as cute. You suppose it is a little bit demeaning to them.
>It quiet for several moments as the two of you just watch each other, the expression on Comet’s face growing more nervous in anticipation of your next move.
“Heh…”
>The corners of your mouth twitch before turning upwards, your lips parting to bare your teeth in a wide, goofy grin. A fluttering, almost liberating feeling rapidly builds up inside of you, rising from your chest and you cannot contain it even if you had wanted to.
>You lose it, a cascade of giggles and bubbling laughter flows out of you, ringing out into the warm summer air.
>All the tension, the fear and worry drains out of you, to be replaced with an overwhelming relief and the realization over the absurdity of the situation.
>The feeling only fuels your laughter; you quickly get a little light-headed and drop to lay down on the grass next to Comet, your sunhat getting knocked off as your head comes to rest on the soft field of green.
>Peering through eyes going misty with tears, you look at the stallion to find him devolving into a similar state as yourself, joining you in laughter.
“I-Hahaha- I thought- I though you’d been waiting f-for-”
>Talking is difficult and you break out into another giggle-fit before you can even finish your sentence.
>”Y-Yeah, I- I thought you’d grown tired of waiting and left,” Comet seems to have an easier time getting words out between every guffaw, “I was... heh… I was going to apologize, b-but then you… you-”
>The words finally fail him, but you understand what he was getting at; now you understood why he was seemed so caught by surprise when you had apologized.

>No more words are spoken, instead the two of you just bask in your shared joyous-and kinda embarrassing-moment. Whether it was because of your relief or just how stupid the whole thing had been, you didn’t care, it felt amazing.
>And so you keep laughing. Laughing and laughing until you clutch your stomach, insides aching, and you gasp for air. As if by some reflex instinct, you reach one hand out and lay it on top of Comet’s chest, feeling the soft coat of his chest against your palm, holding onto him like he was your anchor as you try to calm the emotions rampaging inside you.
>Eventually, it slows down, albeit slowly; and the two of you are left as panting, quietly giggling messes.
>You lay there on your side for a while, eyes closed, neither of you saying anything, preferring the comfortable silence broken only by the sounds of birdsong and distant mumbled chatter of ponies in the background.
>A tired but content sigh escapes between your smiling lips. This was actually pretty nice, just laying there, basking in the warmth of the sun and the glow inside of you.
>’And his coat is really soft…’ you think to yourself, brushing your fingers over the hairs.
>Yes, very soft and…
>A sudden chill goes down your spine and your eyes shoot open. You stare, horrified, at your hand, your treasonous fingers trailing over his chest.
>Glancing upwards, you see Comet looking at you. He doesn’t say anything, but he gives you a lopsided smirk and a wink of his eye.
>Your face goes crimson in an instant and you yank your hand away from him, pulling it close to your chest and gripping it firmly in your other hand.
>For a moment, you can’t meet his eyes, instead looking at your offending appendage. Your brush your fingers against each other, the feeling of his coat still fresh in your mind.
>There is a strange feeling in your heart, like butterflies madly fluttering their wings inside your chest.
>Gingerly, you lift your eyes to meet his again.
“Sorry.”
>The words are just above a whisper. He doesn’t answer you, but his smile softens into an expression that is warm, inviting and comforting. It is all the answer you need and you can’t help but answer his smile with one of your own.
>You quickly avert your eyes again though, feeling the heat in your blushing cheeks grow even warmer.
>You stay like this for a few minutes more, in silence, smiling at the feeling of the butterflies inside you.

>”So, what’s the surprise?”
“Hm?”
>You look at him, unsure, when he finally breaks the silence.
>His hoof is touching the part of his chest where your hand had rested. When you meet his eyes, he turns to his side and props his head up with his other hoof. He is still smiling, but he also raises an inquisitive eyebrow at you.
>”You said you got a surprise from Sugarcube Corner.”
>Giving a quick glance towards your basket, which thankfully hadn’t tipped over after he tripped on it, you then purse your lips together in a wide, cheeky smirk, lowering your eyelids halfway while raising your eyebrows high.
“Mhmmm.”
>You hum, making sure to draw the sound out. His smile drops a little, a hint of surprise in his face, and he scans your-admittedly very pleased-expression.
>”And?”
“Hm?”
>You hum again, more playful than the last. He stays quiet for a few seconds, waiting for you to answer, but when you don’t he finally continues.
>”What is it?”
>Not making any sound this time, you just keep looking at him, your expression unchanging. The only reaction you show is propping your head up with your arm, resting your cheek against the palm of your hand.
>It only takes a second or two before he gives a sigh and looks at you with a tired smile that practically radiates with ‘I give up’.
>”You’re not gonna tell me, are you?”
“Mm-mm.”
>You once more hum and shake your head slowly, all while your smirk grows even bigger.
“You’ll have to wait until we get to the spot, like a good boy.”

>Jerking his head back, he suddenly stares at you with shock.
>”You /can/ still talk!? I thought you might have gone mute!”
>He speaks in mock surprise before his face falls back into a knowing grin. You give a little chuckle, but immediately clutch at your stomach.
“Ow, hehe, don’t make me laugh yet; my tummy still hurts from all that laughing.”
>”No promises,” he says as he drags himself up to a sitting position, glancing around then down at you, “speaking of my spot, how about I finally show it to you?”
>Splaying out flat on your back across the grass, you stretch your limbs, arching you back slightly, which seems to catch Comet’s interest for some reason, before springing up into a sitting position yourself.
>Crossing your legs at the ankles and gripping around them with your hands, you turn your head to face him; who in this position you are almost at eye-level with.
“How far away is this secret spot of yours?”
>His horn lights up and two seconds later your sunhat comes into view, floating and surrounded in a dark blue aura. It flicks around in the air a few times, shaking loose a few blades of grass from it before it’s gently placed on top of your head.
>Grabbing the brim with your fingers, you twist and pull a little on it a little until you’re satisfied with its position and you flash Comet a thankful little smile.
>”It’s about a 5-10 minute walk further into the park. We’ll have to take a forest path too, since it’s right in the middle of a more forested area.”
>He points a hoof down the path, opposite of the direction you had come from.
>Lifting yourself off the ground, you get back on your feet. Tugging at the skirt wrapped around your hips, you straighten it out and also give the back of it a few strokes with your hand to get rid of any potential grass clinging to it.
“Sounds good. I can’t wait to see it for myself.”

>The two of you share a smile. Your eyes drift to his mane, there was still some grass nestled between the hairs.
>You should repay the favor.
>Bending down and reaching a hand out towards him, you start to methodically pick each green blade with your fingers, throwing them down to rejoin their thousands of cousins on the ground.
>He seems a bit surprised by your action at first, eyes drifting downwards and blushing.
>Such a shy stallion he can be. He seemed fine when you touched his chest, but now he can’t even meet your eyes. You can’t help but quietly giggle to yourself.
>Once you’ve finished, he finally lifts his eyes and nods his thanks to you, his smile a little wider than before.
>As he stands up on all fours, his horn once more lights up, this time levitating the baskets, both his and yours, floating towards the two of you.
>When his basket is hanging in the air next to him, he cranes his neck to look up at you again, gesturing his hoof in the same direction as before while holding up your basket to you in his magic grip.
>”Shall we?”
>With a little curtsy, you loop your arm around the handle of your basket, replacing it on its perch in the nook of your elbow, feeling the warmth of his magic against your skin before it dissipates. It makes a shiver go up your spine, but it’s a pleasing one. You’ve always liked the feeling of magic for some reason.
“Let’s.”
>With those words, the two of you step off the grass and onto the dirt road and start walking, side by side, towards your destination.
>A cool breeze caresses your hot skin and you breathe it in deeply, holding it for moment before slowly releasing it.
>You had a good feeling about this. It looked like it would be a disaster for a moment there, but it resolved itself quickly.
>And now you’re on your way to the spot where you would have your first date.
>You’re looking forward to it.
>And you can’t wait to tell Bon-Bon about this!

>You’re finally back to being Comet Tail and you’re currently happy things turned out the way they did.
>Sure, it was pretty awkward for a moment there and you had kinda wanted to slap yourself silly when you thought you had bucked up and missed your date.
>Not to mention the stress as you ran to the park… Or how miserable you had felt, sitting on that bench, alone…
>BUT, aside from that, things had worked out fine!
>In fact, the whole ordeal had been a pretty effective ice breaker, as you now lead Fem towards your private little spot, walking close to her as you make your way down the road.
>The walk is accompanied by moments of comfortable silence as well as pleasant small talk.
>Just simple topics, like the beautiful weather the last weeks, both of you joking over how long it would take for the Weather Team to ruin it with a scheduled rainstorm, to what books you had read lately.
>On a side note, you’ve learned that Fem apparently likes to read comics; you’re not a super huge fan of them yourself, though you’ve been known to enjoy the occasional issue of Power Ponies from time to time, but you like a mare who indulges in some more nerdy things and isn’t afraid to show it.
>Right now, the subject has drifted to you.
>At her urging, you had told her how you worked as an astronomer, studying and cataloging the stars and comets, writing theses on celestial events like meteor showers and so on.

>You gave her pretty broad strokes descriptions of your job, afraid of boring her with details, but she seemed genuinely interested in what you had to say.
>She did take a jab at you by asking if you also wrote horoscopes for the paper as well.
“That, young lady, is astrology, not astronomy.”
>You wag your hoof as you tut at her in a jokingly scolding tone.
“And if any of the professors that I studied under had heard you say that, they would be tearing their manes out at you.”
>The two of you give a chuckle at the mental image of stuffy old teachers getting all flustered, snorting and braying in annoyance.
>”Okay then, but what about the speed spell then? I would’ve guessed that you’d be an athlete with speed like that.”
>You give a small shrug of your shoulders.
“I just like to run. Even though I’m an astronomer, that doesn’t mean I sit around reading dusty old star charts all day.”
>Meeting her eyes, your expression turns a little more serious before you continue.
“A lot of ponies think that unicorns can’t be as athletic as earth ponies or pegasi; we’re either shut-in scholars or snobs. But I’ve always liked physical activities; running, swimming, hoof-ball.”
>She studies you carefully, giving a nod of understanding. Your expression softens and you smile at her.
“It’s not so bad though. The diversity among the races in this town helps prevent such stereotypes between ponies, most of the time. As for those that do however… Well, leaving them in the dust after challenging them to a race tends to make them reconsider underestimating me.”
“It’s still just a hobby though, my true passion will always be astronomy. Ever since I was just a little colt, looking at the stars through my telescope at night. The first time I spotted a comet blazing across the night sky, I knew this was what I wanted. That was also when this appeared, so it just sealed the deal.”

>You point a hoof at your cutie mark, the shooting star adorning your flank. She gives you another nod, a warm, understanding smile on her pink lips.
“Though,” you continue with a chuckle, “there were some times during all those long nights of studying and boring classes with droning professors that I considered just running away before I lose my mind.”
>She gives a giggle at that before looking up at the sky with a nostalgic look in her eyes and sighing deeply.
>”I know what you mean. I stayed up late last night studying just so I’d be free today.”
>You raise an eyebrow in surprise at that. You didn’t know she was studying. Though you hadn’t actually even asked her what she did for a living. Facehoofing internally, you scold yourself for talking so much about yourself and not giving her the same curtesy.
>Real amateur move, Comet. Real smooth.
>At least now you understand why you’ve hardly seen her in town, especially during the night. You remember how much studying can leave you with very little free time.
>Clearing your throat a little awkwardly at your dating faux-pas, you draw her attention back to you.
“So, what are your plans?”
>She looks at you quizzically, tilting her head slightly, like some adorable, featherless, five-and-a-half feet tall bird. You chuckle a little nervously, realizing you probably wasn’t being clear enough.
“A-after your studies are complete, I mean. What is it you want to work with?”
>Silently mouthing an ‘oh’ in understanding, she turns her gaze forwards, staring down the road with an look of deep thought on her face, rubbing a slender finger across her chin.
>She doesn’t say anything for a while and you once more raise an eyebrow, both in curiosity and worry, wondering over her sudden silence.
>Just as you’re about to ask if something is wrong, she finally speaks.

>“I would like to become a zoologist, studying animals. Exotic animals in distant lands. Maybe that way… I’ll find some trace of my species, i-if there are other humans out there…”
>With a heavy, sad sigh that makes your heart bleed, she lowers her head, looking at her feet as her steps become a little bit heavier and her shoulders slumping.
>When she speaks again, her voice is a little more quiet.
>”Or I’ll become a vet for an animal shelter, to help take care of other creatures that are lost and alone from their own kind...”
>A shadow has settled over her head like a dark cloud, and the sadness in her voice and her eyes makes a lump form in your throat at the same time as you feel your heart sink.
>”It’s not like I don’t have friends here and ponies have always been kind to me… I just wish I knew more about where I’m from or where I belong…”
>Y-you hadn’t even considered… She is the only human you had ever heard of, much less seen… Of course she would feel like this. Being the only known member of your entire species… You can’t even imagine how lonely that must feel sometimes.
>Moving in closer, you brush up against her, gently pressing your side into her thigh. Surprised at your touch, she turns her head to look at you, and you meet her eyes, giving her a reassuring smile.
“I can’t begin to understand how you must feel, but I’m sure your friends will be there for you, to help you, no matter what. In fact, I’m certain of it! After all, we’re friends now too, so I should know.”
>She blinks, mouth opening slightly in surprise.
>”R-really?”
>Your smile grows and you give a determined nod of your head.
“Absolutely! You’ll see, you’ll find some answers someday. And even if you don’t, you’ll always have a place where you belong and a home in Ponyville.”

>She looks unsure at first, but eventually a smile starts to ever-so-slowly make its way back on her lips. Reaching down, she places her hand over your withers, stroking the hairs of your coat with her tender touch.
>Seeing her mood steadily lifting, your lips part to flash your teeth in a wide grin now.
“That’s much better! Put that smile back on that pretty little face! Today is a day for fun, swimming and resting in the sun, no place for these kind of sad thoughts!”
>Nodding her head eagerly, her face lights up once more as she straightens herself up, the melancholy seemingly draining away in an instant, returning the bubbly, smiling, energetic young mare from before and you move away from leaning against her to better match her more upbeat steps.
>”You’re right! No moping allowed! We’ve got a picnic at a lake to get to!”
>Letting your eyes trail over her form, you can’t help but smile contently to yourself. With the dark cloud lifted from her and confidence back in her step, you silently admire her exotic features.
>You hadn’t really seen many bipedal creatures in your life, aside from the dragon, Spike, who had moved into town with Twilight Sparkle. Even then, the baby dragon was still short, practically waddling back and forth on his short, young legs.
>Fem though… There was a subtle elegance in the way she moved. Her balance as she kept her long, slender form upright, the subtle sway in her hips with every step.
>The slight bounce of her chest…
>Feeling the tips of your ears growing warmer, you shake the fantasies from your mind.
>There was more to her movements than that though, a sort of carefree youthfulness, her eyes filled with an almost childlike wonderment at the world around her, that you couldn’t help but be attracted to, aside from her exotic uniqueness, which in itself was a big plus in her favor.

>You think back to her touch, both just now and back at the bench, the tenderness of her thin digits digging into your coat, so alien yet so enticing. You felt a strange aching, a longing for that touch again.
>”And Comet…”
>You’re brought out of your thoughts by the sound of Fem’s gentle voice.
>She looks at the ground for a second before meeting your eyes. Her lips are curved into a tender little smile and there is a noticeable glow visible deep in her eyes that takes your breath away and makes your heart skip a beat as you feel yourself get pulled into her eyes.
>”Thank you.”
>So lost are you in her gaze that it takes a moment for her words to really reach you. Finding your way back to your wits, you return her smile, an unidentifiable yet pleasant warmth spreading in your chest.
“Any time.”

>Well, another disaster averted.
>Usually the drama tends to start after the date, not before.
>Okay, that’s was a really pessimistic thought.
>Still, you hope there will be less excitement today.
>Unless it’s the intimate kind…
>Alright, stop right there, brain. None of that. Let’s just enjoy the moment and leave thoughts of gloom and lewd be for now.
>You look over Fem once more, scanning her face.
>Looking at her, smile on her lips as warm and comforting as the sun itself, you’d never know how sad she had seemed less than a minute ago.
>That youthful innocence of hers, in such sharp contrast with her more playful side.
>You really can’t help but let your mind wander towards certain thoughts, despite your attempts to prevent it.
>You knew she probably didn’t mean to when she gave you an eyeful of her glistening cleavage while cleaning your mane, but it can’t have been just pure chance that she picked an outfit that so clearly showed off her unique features.
>Could you really be blamed for having your eyes wander?
>Maybe, but she was definitely worth looking at.
>The thought makes you realize how intently you are staring at her and force yourself to avert your eyes.
>First date in months, Comet, don’t get overeager.
>Peering down the road, you spot a familiar part of the woods along the edge of the park, helping to clear your mind from your distracting thoughts.
>Catching Fem’s eyes, you incline your head in the direction of the trees.
>The path trailing down between the trees is hard to spot unless knowing where to look, partly overgrown at the edge of the forest, but you had passed through here plenty of times and knew it intimately.
>Taking the lead, you walk along the trail, Fem following closely behind you.

>Just a few meters down the path, it widens considerably, the large trees around you becoming further spaced from each other, allowing more sunlight to peer through the canopy of leaves and thick branches; brilliant beams of yellow bathing the path in soft light.
>The mellow sounds of birdsong are even more clear here as well; combined, it gives the forest a sort of mystical feeling. You could almost sense the age of the woods around you, like an ancient, breathing entity.
>It was one of the reasons you liked coming here.
>You suspect that there might have been a time when other ponies used to come here, considering the breadth of the path and how it had managed to keep from being completely overgrown, but at some point it had been forgotten, maybe as other, newer parts of the park became more popular.
>Fem moves to walk by your side again. Glancing at her, you see her eyes slowly take in the surroundings as you pass them by.
>A squirrel, watching you from it’s perch on a branch, catches her attention and they look long at each other, a big smile on her face, before the little critter scampers away, back to wherever its nest is, disappearing among the branches.
>”So cute...”
>You hear her coo softly to herself. You resist the urge to say “just like you”, not wanting to ruin the moment, not to mention embarrassing yourself with such a corny line.
>The rest of the walk is spent in silence, the two of you just enjoying the serene atmosphere and the cool shade provided to you by the trees.
>You like the sun, but you’re grateful for some reprieve from the heat.
>You’re not sure which of you are the most luckiest; you for not having to wear clothes during such a warm day, or her for not having a coat of fur.
>’Don’t start thinking about her skin again, Comet! Once you do, all you can think about is the smooth… soft… texture… and creamy… pink… soo smooth…’
>”Comet? You okay?”

>Quickly retracting your tongue-hanging limply from your mouth-back in its place while making sure there isn’t any drool, a startled stutter escapes you and you try to hide it by clearing your throat.
>A dumb, nervous grin is plastered on your face as you turn your head towards your date.
>She is looking at you with concern in her eyes and you avoid looking straight at them.
“Y-yeah, I’m fine, hehehe, completely fine!”
>Well that sounded completely sincere and not at all suspicious, not one bit.
>Leaning down a little closer, she studies your face intently. The corners of your lips twitch a little as you try to keep that grin on your face.
>”You sure? You seem to be getting a little sweaty.”
>You can definitely feel a few beads of sweat drip down the side of your face. Your ears twitch nervously as a tiny chuckle squeaks out of your throat.
>She suddenly reaches out to you with a hand, and before you can react, her palm is pressed against your forehead.
>H-her fingers brushes against your horn, causing you magic, still holding onto the basket, to briefly falter as your heart jumps into your mouth.
>’Mare, the things you do to me, and that I wish you’d do to me.’
>”Hmm, you’re pretty hot.”
>Y-you too…
>Celestia are you glad you didn’t actually just blurt that out.
>Her wigglers, sorry, fingers massage your forehead before she pulls her hand back.
>You already miss the feeling, but push that thought aside as she worried eyes drill into you again.
>”Are you sure you’re alright?.”
>Another nervous chuckle escapes you as you wave a placating hoof at her.
“I’m fine, I’m fine. It’s probably just the heat, yes, definitely the heat. Don’t worry, once we reach the lake, a cool dip in the water is just what I need.”
>Her lips purse into that cute little frown as she straightens up, looking you over thoughtfully once more.

>With your superior willpower, you finally manage to make your grin a little bit calmer. Not much more reassuring or genuine, but calmer.
>Hey, you’re not a miracle worker!
>The worry in Fem’s features seems to melt away slightly though and she gives a shrug.
>”Okay, if you’re sure…”
“Yeah yeah, I’m sure, no need to worry about me, just… Ah, we’re here!”
>You quietly let out a sigh of relief as the trees finally part and the path comes to an end, the two of you stepping back out into the light of the sun and onto the open field.

>A carpet of green grass spreads out around you, surrounded by rows of trees, and in the center of it, a shimmering, blue body of water.
>The lake is not a large one, about two acres in size at the most, but more than enough for swimming.
>The sunlight is reflected in the small waves across the surface, creating a pattern of sparkling ripples in the otherwise calm waters. It almost looks like the lake is covered in diamonds.
>No matter how many times you see this sight, it always brings a smile to your face.
>Glancing over at Fem, you see it has the same effect on her as she looks expectantly over the lake.
>It also seems like she’s forgotten about the way you were acting just now, thank Celestia.
>Taking the lead once more, you move towards the lake, to a spot you were intimately familiar with.
>The willow tree.
>To you, the tree had almost become like an old friend, your only company on those days that you would visit this spot to be alone, to get away from whatever.
>It stood silently and alone just a few meters away from the shore, its leaves hang like heavy, green shutters, reaching almost all the way to the ground and waving slightly in the weak breeze, creating slits in the foliage for the sunlight to peek through.
>Once you reached the willow, you grip some of the slender branches with your magic, pulling them aside like a curtain and moving to the side.
>Turning towards Fem, you smile at her and motion with your hoof, beckoning her to enter.
>She inclines her head in a courteous nod, with her eyes half-lidded and a smile on her lips before she hunches down and slips in between the branches.
>As she passes by you, you notice her glancing at you with a demure look and you find yourself straightening up and puffing out your chest slightly at her small hint of attention.
>Your eyes drift downwards along her hunched form, until you get an eyeful of her flank through the thin layer of red cloth around her hips.

>The moment is brief, over in less than the blink of an eye, before she disappears behind the leaves, but it is enough for your breath to hitch in your throat.
>You quickly try to shake yourself free from your short stupor, but the image remains deeply engraved into your thoughts.
>Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, you collect yourself, wiping a hoof across your forehead.
>’This human will be the end of me’, you think to yourself before slinking in to join her inside the willow’s curtains.
>You find her standing before the trunk of the tree, slowly spinning around in place, looking around her with that child-like look of wonderment on her face.
>You can understand her; in a way, it’s almost like entering another world. The branches and leaves give the place a pleasant shade, while also letting a generous amount of light in between, the rays dancing in the air and forming various patterns along the ground.
>Along one side of the draping vines encircling you, the leaves part slightly, giving you a good view of the lake and allowing even more of the warm light of the sun in.
>The grass is thinner here, thanks to the smaller amount of sunlight, and the ground is flat and soft enough to sit or lie comfortably on. More than once have you found yourself falling asleep on this very ground.
>There is a stillness here; quiet, calm and private. A place where you can help but feel relaxed.
>Sitting down on your haunches, you silently watch Fem as she is seemingly mesmerized by her surroundings, like a filly finding some secret, hidden world.
>To you, this place is familiar, you know it like the back of your hoof.
>To her though… Your lips curve into a warm, small smile at you continue watching her.
>She seems so happy, so innocent.
>You think you could watch her like this all day.

>This place is so cozy!
>The mix of  the soft shade and and thin beams of sunlight create a cool and pleasant temperature.
>And it feels so private, like a secret hiding spot just for you.
>You’re Femanon, and you’ve finally arrived at Comet’s private spot for your picnic.
>And you’re not disappointed.
>Not that you ever doubted him, but hearing about it and seeing it with your own eyes are two very different things.
>It’s just like you had imagined in your mind.
>You spin around on your heels, watching the light dance between the leaves, and breathe the air deeply, full of a thick, earthy smell, with a small hint of something sweet, like sap.
>Around you, a choir of rustling leaves in the soft breeze, the quiet waves of the lake and the birds continuous song fills your ears.
>Holding your arms out, gripping the basket in your hand, you can feel your lips part in a wide smile as you keep pirouetting slowly in place.
>You don’t know why, but something about this place just makes you a little giddy; maybe because of how secluded it is, away from everyone else, where you could just be yourself.
>You understand why Comet likes to come here.
>Oh right, Comet!
>You had been so caught up in this place that for a moment, you forgot that you weren’t actually alone.
>As the stallion comes into view, you stop in your tracks, almost tripping over yourself by the sudden stop.
>He’s sitting just past where you had entered through the willow’s branches, silently watching you, his eyes half-lidded and his lips curved slightly upwards in a bemused expression.
>His eyebrows rise slightly as you stop, looking expectantly at you and staying silent.
>You’re suddenly a little self-conscious.

>Nibbling lightly on your lower lip, you lower your head and smile bashfully at him, gripping the handle of the basket in both hands and rocking from side to side on your feet.
>Oh my gosh, Fem, you’re such a dork!
>A hearty chuckle escapes Comet before using his magic to pull a blanket out from his basket and moving closer to you.
>Stepping to the side, you watch as he unfolds the bundle of cloth, checkered in blue and white; he pulls it taut in the air before lowering it to the ground right at the base of the tree trunk.
>You see how his magic ripples across the cloth as he smooths it out.
>Satisfied, he finally steps onto the blanket and sits back down on his haunches. His basket floats down to sit with him, on the opposite side of him from where you were standing. The dark blue aura of his magic finally dies down.
>You’ve silently been bracing yourself, waiting for him to make some sort of comment on your day-dreaming stupor.
>He doesn’t though, he just keeps smiling at you with that expectant look in his eyes.
>Releasing a breath you hadn’t even been aware that you were holding, you push the thoughts away from your mind, intent on burying that embarrassing moment instead of letting it interfere with the picnic.
>With that tiny little boost of confidence, you return his smile before lowering yourself to join him on the blanket, sitting down barely a foot away from him and setting your own basket down on the other side of you.
>Splaying your legs slightly to the side, kinda like those mare models do when they pose, you lean a little closer towards him, resting some of your weight on your arm as you press your palm into the soft fabric.
“This is a really nice spot.”
>You say softly as you peer through the branches and leaves, out over the calm waters of the lake.

>”It is, isn’t it?”
>He watches the waters with you for a moment before continuing.
>”I’ve sometimes thought about inviting a group of friends here, maybe have a party or something like that, but… I dunno… If I did, everypony would eventually find out about this place and I just… like the idea of keeping this place to myself, you know?”
“What about me then?”
>Turning back to you, he meets your eyes and winks, a smirk on his lips.
>”Well, your charms won me over.”
>You return his smirk, but you can feel a tiny hint of blush returning to your cheeks.
“So I’m the only one who knows about your secret spot?”
>With a quizzical arch of his eyebrow he looks at you thoughtfully.
>”You’re not planning on snitching on me, right?”
>Tapping a finger against your chin and giving a slow roll of your eyes, your pretend to think it over.
“I don’t know… You think I can charge ponies for an entrance fee?”
>He pulls back and presses a hoof against his chest.
>”You cold-hearted vixen! You were never interested in me, you just wanted my lake, didn’t you?”
>His mock shock is so thick with melodrama you could almost scrape it off and spread it on toast.
“Oh yes, a girl has to make money somehow.”
>The smirk returns to his lips, but a lot more smug.
>”Is that so? Then I suppose you have the thousands of bits you’d have to spend to buy the land, since it’s owned by the town, and the work to restore the path so ponies will be able to find it. Not to mention having the grass mowed.”
>Once more, you pretend to be in deep thought for a moment before meeting his eyes again, giving him you best puppy-dog-eyes.
“You wouldn’t happen to have a few thousand bits I could borrow?”

>You bat your eyelashes and do a little pout, a technique you had perfected years ago for those times you needed ice cream, as everyone does from time to time; Bon Bon and Lyra could almost never resist.
>For a split-second, he looks almost pained, and he made this strange sound, like a “hnnnng” as he clutched his chest again.
>You’ve seen other ponies react like this when you used your secret weapon.
>Perhaps it’s more powerful than you thought.
>Quickly though, he shakes the effect off and grins at you.
>”Nice try, little lady. You’re cute, but you’re not that cute.”
“Aww, shucks…”
>A hearty chuckle escapes him; you try to keep up your mask of disappointment, but you fail and let out a tiny giggle.
>”It’s just as well. After all, why would ponies pay to swim in a lake if there are plenty of free ones to choose from?”
“I guess you’re right. Oh well.”
>You say with a sigh before smiling at Comet, which he returns, radiating that welcoming warmth of his.
>”Speaking of swimming, would you like to go for a swim now? Or do you wanna eat first?”
>Glancing down at yourself, you can still see some sweat clinging to your skin.
>Now you kinda regret sitting this close to him.
>Oh Celestia, please don’t let him smell you.
----------------------
>Be Comet Tail.
>Something smells really pleasant.
----------------------
>Right back to Fem.
>Yeah, you really need to take a dip to get cleaned up.
>Smiling sheepishly, you turn your attention back to Comet.
“I think I’d like to go for a swim first. I, um… I got a little sweaty running to the park,” you run a finger down your chest to illustrate, stopping just between your breasts, “and I would like to get washed up as we swim.”
>He stares unblinkingly at your sweaty chest, making you feel very self-conscious about yourself, making you lower your eyes towards the blanket under you instead, suddenly finding the checkered pattern very interesting.
>Ugh, he must thinks you’re so disgusting.

>You are Comet Tail.
>For real this time.
>Can’t brain. Glistening teats.
>Nonono, bad brain, Comet think now.
>Whoa… Were you gawking again? Please don’t say you were gawking again.
>You lift your eyes from your tantalizing view to look at Fem’s face.
>She is staring holes into the blanket, her cheeks colored a deep pink.
>Yeah, you were gawking.
>Dammit!
>Activate damage control. Just play it off.
>Clearing your throat, you try to give your most winning smile.
>Probably looking like a doofus.
“Y-yeah, I actually got a bit sweaty getting to the park as well. A swim sounds great.”
>Please work please work please work.
>She slowly lifts her face...
>Good… Good…
>She’s looking you in the eyes…
>Come oooon…
>A smile returns to her lips.
>Yes!
>You give yourself a mental hoof-bump.

>Looking pleased as punch, she bounces back on her feet, quickly slipping out of her sandals and giving her tiny toes a little wiggle.
>You were never a hooves-stallion, but those appendages of hers makes you just a little bit curious.
>Every other creature you had met had hooves, claws or paws. Not her though; it was yet another thing adding to her exotic appeal.
>Yeah, you’d give those feet a tickle.
>Grabbing her sunhat, she lifts it off of her head and with a flick of her wrist, tosses it at you; it lands on your horn like a game of horseshoes.
>She giggles, a cheeky look spread across her face. You grin back at her, levitating the hat and setting it on the blanket.
>You’re about to make some sort of comment to get back at her, when you suddenly freeze up.
>Quickly undoing the knot of her skirt with her slender fingers, she lets it fall to the ground. Her back is turned to you and you watch as the thin, red cloth brush against her hips and thighs as it almost floats downwards, landing in a pile at her feet.
>The sheer cloth had not given her much cover, being all but see-through, but seeing her in nothing but her bikini, you felt like your eyes were going to pop out of your skull from how much you were staring.
>Her legs, now completely uncovered, look so slender, long and with soft curves.
>The bottom part of her swimsuit covered up her butt, for the most part, but you could see a hint of those firm--yet oh-so-soft looking--spheres of flesh poke out from under the green garment.
>And if it weren’t for the thin straps of her top snaking around her back and neck, a knot between her shoulder-blades holding the flimsy cloth together, you could almost swear that, from this angle, she wasn’t wearing anything on her upper body.
>Unf…
>Tapping into your amazing pool of willpower once more, as well as biting your tongue, you force yourself to not get too excited.

>But, as if just standing there didn’t make her tantalizing enough, she then does something else…
>Slowly, she starts to bend and contort her body.
>Reaching upwards with her arms while slight arching her back.
>Spreading her legs into a wider stance and pivoting her upper body at her waist in circular motions, her hands on her hips.
>Bending over and gripping her ankles, holding that pose, presenting her flanks to you, before once more arching her back and slowly straightening back up, trailing her hands along her smooth legs.
>And on and on she continues.
>She’s really nimble...
>You feel a twitch in your sheath and quickly cross your legs, clamping down to prevent a surprise visit from mr. Thunderhumper.
>’Damn, mare. Why do you enjoy tormenting me so?’
>Despite your efforts, you can’t tear your eyes away from her.
>Only when she does a little bounce on her feet and starts turning towards you do you snap out of it enough to quickly lift your gaze to meet her eyes when she looks at you.
>Silently, you give thanks for not getting caught staring once again.
>She looks you over a little quizzically.
>”You don’t have a swimsuit?”
>Blinking, you finally seem to regain your senses enough, though you need to think about her question a little longer than necessary before you answer.
“Um… Well, no… Most ponies never wear anything when they swim.”
>A thoughtful frown crosses her face for a moment before she smiles again.
>”You’re lucky, must be so convenient to not have to wear clothes.”
>You’re about to blurt out that she doesn’t /have/ to wear clothes either, but manage to stop yourself.
>Considering she doesn’t have any kind of coat on her body, leaving her skin bare, wearing clothes might just be a human thing.
>You don’t want to come of as culturally insensitive.
>Or as a pervert… That too.

>”Hey, you comin’ or what?”
>Fem stands in a broad-legged stance, her hips jutting forward and resting her hands on them. A playful smile is spread across her lips.
>”C’mon, you just gonna sit there? I thought you were supposed to be fast?”
>Quickly turning on her heels, she glances at you over her shoulder, still grinning.
>”Last one diving is a timberwolf’s splintered butt!”
>At the mention of butt, Fem gives a shake of hers while poking out her pink little tongue at you and winking.
>You pause in surprise--and appreciation--and Fem takes full advantage, dashing out between the leaves and branches, leaving you with the bell-like sound of her giggle as she runs towards the lake.
>Grinning, you give chase after her.
>You know there’s no hope of catching up to her; the lake is too close and that little head start of hers was more than enough to leave you in the dust.
>Unless you use your magic… But in this situation, you’d have to agree that is would be kinda unfair. And it would probably fail to impress your date if you did.
>With no real hope for victory, you ran anyway, taking an almost childish glee in this little game of chase, bubbling with laughter.
>Ahead, you watch Fem as her slender legs carry her over the grassy field. Even from this angle, you can just make out the bounce in her chest as her body bobs with every step.
>You’re very tempted to disregard your notion about using magic, just so you could catch a glimpse of that from the front, but you rein yourself in and opt to focus on the fun of the race instead.
>It doesn’t last long however. As you had predicted, Fem quickly reaches the calm, blue waters, her gait slowing down as she starts to wade deeper into the lake, causing loud splashes as the surface is disturbed.
>All the while, she lets out a squeal of victory.

>Once your hooves comes in contact with the water, you expect to see her finally dive fully in the waters.
>Instead, she is just standing there, completely still, arms held close to her chest and silently staring at the rippling surface.
>A little worried, you move towards her. While she can still stand with her feet touching the bottom, you quickly find yourself having to swim the last distance.
>A small whinny escapes you as your scrotum gets submerged in the cool water.
>Slowly paddling to her side, you notice that her jaw is clenched. In fact, her entire face looks a little… tense?
“You alright?”
>You ask her cautiously.
>She visibly shivers for a second before turning towards you, a forced and sheepish smile on her face.
>”I-It’s a little colder than I expected.”
>You stare at her in surprise and just kinda float past her, your eyes glued to her face.
>Then, it clicks in your mind.
>The squealing… It wasn’t a cry of victory at all, you realize as you notice how she is now standing with the water level just past her crotch area.
>You snort, then snicker, then finally start laughing uproariously.
>You almost lose control over your swimming and sink into the water, so you elect to turn over and float on your back as you try and control your laughter.
>That’s what you get for being a tease, sister.
>Fem’s smile grows into a grin and she takes a few steps forward, sinking a little further down until the surface is right below her bellybutton, where she stops again with a little high-pitched ‘meep’.
>”Ha ha, laugh it up. I’m glad you think it’s so funny.”
>She tries to sound annoyed, but she can’t stop her grinning.
>Going back to chuckling, you wipe a tear from your eye with your hoof before stopping to float in place, paddling your hooves under the waters to keep you afloat.
“It just feels cold because it’s such a warm day. You’ll get over it soon.”
>”Yeah? How soon?”

“Very soon. In fact…” you say and start smirking like a super villain, an evil, terribly wonderful thought forming in your mind, “I think I know just the thing to speed up the process.”
>As soon as you’ve said the words, your horn starts to shimmer with magic.
>Fem cocks her head and looks at you quizzically; she’s still hugging her arms close but all her attention is directed at you.
>And in so doing, she fails to notice the bubble of lake water floating up behind her, held aloft in a dark blue aura.
>It hovers above her for a moment.
>And then, you release it.
>A shrill scream that could wake the dead in a neighboring kingdom echoes through the open field, accompanied by the sound of tiny wings flapping as birds leave their perches in fright.
>This time, you laugh so hard that you actually lose control of your limbs, sinking until only your head is sticking out of the water, and you desperately kick with your legs to regain control, your body practically spasming and sapping your strength.
>”You are sooo dead, Comet!”
>The cackling dies a little in your throat and you glance back at Fem.
>Her dark hair, now soaked, is clinging to her face. Her body is hunched over, like a predator ready to pounce.
>And her eyes are filled with a lust for vengeance, a large, manic grin on her face.
>You can’t stop a shriek of surprise from slipping out between your laughter as she launches herself towards you, her arms stroking along the surface and her legs kicking wildly behind her, cutting through the water towards you like a shark tasting blood.
>You quickly turn around and resuming your own paddling, your need to escape returning strength and control to your limbs.
>The combined sounds of your laughter mixes with the loud splashing.
>It seems like the chase is on again.

>Furiously kicking your hooves, you get further away from the shore.
>You can hear Fem following close behind, intent on catching you.
>Nostalgic memories of when you were a foal flood your mind, about how you and the other colts would sometimes tease or annoy the fillies just to get them to chase you.
>The dumb things boys do just to get some attention from the girls.
>Kinda like what you’re doing right now. You suppose it’s true what they say; boys will be boys.
>The childishness of your predicament just makes it all the more fun, and you often have to sputter out the water getting into your mouth as you laugh.
>Coming back from the memories of your foalhood, you suddenly realize that you can’t hear Fem’s own laughter anymore.
>Glancing backwards, you don’t see her behind you anymore; in fact, she is nowhere to be seen.
>Surprised, you stop and turn around, floating in place and looking left and right, searching for your missing human.
>Suddenly, you realize your horrible mistake, the hairs on the back your neck standing up, accompanied by a sinking feeling in your gut and a look of horror on your face.
>Instinctively, you pull your legs as close to your body as you can while still keeping yourself afloat, bracing yourself.
>You know there’s nothing you can do. You slipped up, fell right into the trap, and now the hunter has gotten her prey.
>You can just make out a dark, slender shape under the surface, right before you feel your hunter’s claws sinking into your sides.
>You’re doomed.

>Be Fem, professional swimming pony-hunter and soon-to-be getting revenge.
>Comet had his fun when he dumped that cold water on you, but as you’re chasing him further out in the lake, your mind is brimming with ideas for payback.
>You just have to catch him first.

>Not that you’re in a rush, despite your thirst for vengeance, you’re having a great time.
>Besides, vengeance is best served cold.
>Still, you need to close the gap somehow. While your style of swimming is helping you gain on the traitorous stallion, it’s going way too slow.
>An idea brews in your head. If you can’t outswim him, you need to outthink him and catch him by surprise.
>Taking a large gasp of air, filling your lungs with as much as they can hold, you submerge yourself completely under the surface.
>You keep your sights firmly set on the underside of Comet’s body, watching his adorable little doggy-paddle as you glide through the water.
>You wait for the sign, for him to make a mistake.
>It only takes a second or two, but you notice his hooves slowing down and his body starting to twist around.
>A grin spreads across your lips, your pulse quickening in excitement as you see your opening.
>Kicking your legs faster, you charge him from below.
>For some reason, you keep going “dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-duh” in your head as the form of his body draws increasingly closer in your sight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV8i-pSVMaQ
>He visibly tenses up, trying to guard himself.
>He knows he is caught.
>It is too late. You have him now!
>’Payback time!’ you think to yourself as reach out and strike.
>Even with the surface of the lake separating you, and your hearing muffled by the water, you can hear his desperate cry as you dig your fingers into his coat, just like at the park.
>His hooves clumsily flail around, either trying to bat your hands away or to escape your assault and swim to safety, but your assault is merciless and he’s too occupied trying to keep himself afloat to succeed with either.

>Making sure to look out for his legs so he doesn’t accidentally kick you, your fingers dance along his sides before trailing down to his defenseless tummy, continuing your relentless attack against the soft underside of his body.
>You can feel the convulsions of laughter racking his body through your fingertips, as well as hear the muffled cries above you, along with a few words being shouted that you can’t make out through the water, but you can guess they’re please for you to stop.
>You have to force yourself to not giggle through your wicked grin, needing to preserve your oxygen, though it’s a struggle to.
>A few times, he starts to sink and you press your palm against his stomach to steady him until he can hold himself above water on his own again.
>Not wanting him to sink completely under water, you decide to let up on your assault and take it a little easier on him.
>You’re also starting to feel the burn in your lungs as the need to breathe starts to grow.
>There is one last thing you want to do though.
>Your feet had always been ticklish, as well as around your ankles, and as your hands move away from Comet’s abused belly, causing his body to relax for a moment, you instead trail the tips of your nails, in a featherlike touch, along his fetlocks and the crooks of his hindlegs.
>His body starts to tremble again, yet less than before. You figure he’s had enough, so you better go a little easy on him.
>Don’t want him getting too exhausted, risking to drown and having to drag him back to shore. You just wanted to get back at him for his stunt, not have anything bad happen to him, after all.
>His legs twitch and kick with every tremble and you move your hands a little further up.
>As you do, your eyes fall on something you weren’t expecting.
>Nestled between his legs is some sort of sheath, and behind it hangs a pair of dark, fleshy orbs.
>You freeze up as you eye the strange parts curiously.

>You’re very different from ponies, you know that, but you didn’t think they would look so much more different down there.
>But wait, you remember catching glimpses of Bon Bon when you would bathe together, and you never saw her looking like this.
>Thinking hard about it, you do recall a few adults saying that colts and fillies did supposedly looking different.
>You can’t quite figure out what those globes could be used for though.
>Maybe they're like your lips down there?
>A hand moves down between your own legs, touching yourself through the fabric of your bikini, sending a shiver up your spine and causing your leg to twitch for a second. The sensation makes you lightly bite your cheek.
>You suppose they were kinda round as well, but his were so much bigger!
>Also, there is no hole between them, so how could he pee from there? Maybe he does it from that sheath?
>So, again, what are their purpose?
>Without thinking, your hand slowly makes its way up the inside of Comet’s leg, no longer tickling but rather stroking the soft hairs of his coat.
>As you reach the nook between his thigh and pelvis, you reach out and gently cup one of the spheres in your hand.
>Comet’s entire body jerks with a start, and for a moment, you worry that you might have hurt him. You don’t remove your hand though, too fascinated by the unknown, fleshy body part.
>He tries to cross his hind legs, but when he immediately starts to sink, he uncrosses them again and kicks them stiffly to hold himself above water.
>Holding this… thing in your hand, you try to get a feel for it.
>Unlike the rest of his body, there is no coat covering it, not a single hair. And it’s soft. Very soft.
>Squeezing down a little on it, taking care to be very careful, you also find it very yielding to the touch as you rub your fingers across it, feeling the texture and shifting it around in your palm like a large marble ball.

>They do feel like they’re filled with something though, but you have no idea with what.
>The tips of your fingers brush up behind the ball, where it connects with his pelvis. Lightly digging into the smooth flesh and rubbing slowly along it, you suddenly feel a twitch, making the globe jiggle in your hand.
>Curious, you repeat the motion a few times. At first, there’s nothing, but then there’s another twitch.
>You also notice that Comet’s legs have spread further apart. Maybe this feels nice? You know that you’d feel a strange tingling sensation whenever you touched yourself, almost like a tickle, but you never do it for too long or you’d start to feel like you needed to pee, so you also tend to refrain from doing it.
>Another twitch.
>Huh, it seemed like the twitch came from that strange sheath this time.
>You really hope you’re not making him have to pee…
>You wonder… Maybe…
>Your hand around the ball shifts and you extend your thumb, moving it upwards.
>It inches closer towards the sheath.
>And…
>A pained grunt escapes you, shaking you out of your reverie as your eyes bulge open wide.
>Air!!!

>You think you've died and gone to heaven, so you must be Comet Tail again.
>You had failed to defend yourself against Fem’s assault, not strong enough to stop her as she went in for the kill, her fingers attacking your weak points, digging into your sensitive flesh with those dexterous digits of hers.
>Helpless, and at her mercy.
>You had it coming, you admit that; pull a stunt like you did and there will be Tartarus to pay.
>She was kind enough to make sure you didn’t go under, but turned a deaf ear to your pleas for mercy; if she could even hear you through the water.
>When you felt her hands along your legs, you felt a little relieved, having never been particularly ticklish around your hooves. Though she did manage to find a few spots along the crooks of your knees.
>And then, you had felt her grab you.
>Grab /you/.
>With a choked gasp, the breath had been caught in your throat and it felt like the whole world had crawled to a stop.
>You had tried to block her or pull away at first, startled by the sudden and very forward action, but she had you--quite literally--by the balls.
>As her hand caressed your scrotum though, massaging it tenderly, you felt yourself melt at her touch.
>By the sun, it felt absolutely divine!
>So gentle, yet you could sense the hidden strength behind her grip.
>More than ever, you were completely at her mercy.
>And you loved it.
>So long… It had been so long since you had experienced anything so… Intimate? Perhaps “sensual” was a more fitting word.
>You try to remember the last time a mare had touched you in such a way, but your mind is a pleasurable haze, sparks going off in your head and behind your eyes as shiver after shiver jolts through your body, making it hard to think.
>Hooves have got nothing on these grabby things of hers.
>You try to spot her through the water, but the ripples on the surface distorts her image so all you can make out is the blurry outline of her form.

>Somehow, not being able to see her, only feel her, just seems to enhance the experience, and so you close your eyes, shutting out your other senses except the touch of her skin against yours.
>Every finger strokes along your ball, slowly and meticulously, and a soft moan escapes your lips.
>Subconsciously, you had been trying to hold back, some small hint of pride fighting vainly to not surrender yourself so completely and utterly to this mare’s wiles.
>You weren’t used to girls being so… aggressive.
>But your will is weak. Your legs spread further apart, as much as they can while still keeping you afloat, and you can feel your nethers twitching under her care.
“Don’t stop…”
>You mumble the words between your slow panting breaths and quiet moans. You know she can’t hear you, but pray that your words will somehow reach her.
>You feel the last walls of your resistance start to crumble. Your entire body feels flushed with heat and your dick is starting to stir in its sheath.
>Yes, you really must have died and gone to heaven, because this is out of this world.
>And then, a sudden, cold absence, and an instantly aching longing for a touch that is no longer there as you feel her hand pull away.
>Confusion grips at you, but you don’t have the chance to even question what is happening.
>With a great splash, Fem bursts through the surface, water flying everywhere, including your face.
>Your confusion quickly gives way to annoyance, the thought that this might all have been part of her plan to get back at you causing a frown to form on your lips.
>Then you hear it, a long, desperate gasp for breath, and you notice the slightly panicky look on her face, which also looks a bit more blue than how you remember it.
>Oh…
>She was under there for quite some time, wasn’t she?
>The displeasure you felt drains from your body, suddenly feeling very silly instead for not realizing this sooner.

>You wonder how many stallions could say that a mare almost drowned herself while cupping their balls.
>Your dad would say she’s a keeper.
>You think you’ll hold off on that thought for now though.
>Fem is coughing between big, greedy gulps of air, trying to refill her lungs, but at least her original color is returning to her face.
>Floating up alongside her, you look over her with a worried look in your eye and a few soft pats of your hoof against her back.
“Are you okay?”
>Clearing her throat and pounding a fist against her chest, she gets her coughing under control and her breathing gets a bit more steady, yet still a bit strained.
>She turns her head, meeting your eyes, and her lips curve into a smile. Her dark hair, completely soaked, is clinging along her face, a few bangs falling over her eyes and she brushes them away with a hand.
>Your eyes linger on her fingers as she does, the memory of their touch still fresh in your mind, before returning your focus to her face.
>”Yeah,” her voice is a little coarse and she tries to clear it again before continuing, “just forgot to come up for air.”
“Certainly left me breathless…” you whisper to yourself.
>”What?”
>With a start, you shake your head and wave dismissively with a stupid grin on your face.
“Nothing!”
>Now it’s your time to clear your throat before continuing.
“So, got so into it, did you?”
>She grins back at you, a playful twinkle in her eye.
>”Yeah, got you good, didn’t I? Told you I’d get you!”
>A frown spreads across your face. So it was just her getting payback after all. That’s… really disappointing…
“I know I probably deserved it, but don’t you think that you maybe took it a little too far, towards the end? That’s not very nice.”
>There is a hint of disapproval in your voice. A bit of teasing is all well and good, but there is a line.
>Especially after months of getting blue balled by every mare in Ponyville.

>To her credit, Fem looks properly ashamed, sinking a bit deeper into the lake until the water reaches up to her chin, a pink blush on her cheeks and her eyes cast downwards.
>”I’m sorry… I- I just got so curious… I didn’t think…”
>She turns her face to look at you again, worry in her eyes. As submerged as she is now, you find yourself being the one having to look down to meet her gaze for once; it just makes her soulful, sad-puppy-look on her face even more cute.
>”I… I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
>Despite yourself, you can’t help but smile reassuringly at her, playfully patting her on the head.
“Nah, you didn’t hurt me. Quite the opposite…”
>You speak the last part silently under your breath.
>Fem gives a sigh of relief at that.
>”Good. And… I’m sorry, again… It’s just… I’ve never really seen… before…”
>She trails off, her last words becoming muffled before she goes silent, the pink on her face going deep crimson.
>Never seen… So… She’s never been with another stallion before? Or at least, never gone that far with one.
>You would find that hard to believe, not only based on her actions, but the idea that nopony would have tried to snatch this drop-dead-gorgeous creature before you is just… crazy!
>Either all other stallions were just blind, stupid or needed to broaden their views.
>You also think you’re starting to understand her better, how she can act so innocent yet so lewd at the same time.
>She’s just inexperienced, but she’s got a bit of a dirty mind underneath that insecurity. So she acts like a shameless flirt one moment, only to get all flustered the next.
>It’s kinda cute, actually.

“How can you be so adorable?”
>She blinks in surprise and her face grows a few shades redder. Her eyes dart away from you and you almost suspect her to disappear under the waters completely again.
>”Stop it. I’m not adorable.”
>She says in an adorably pouty tone, which just melts your heart.
“I think you are.”
>You answer her cheekily, smirk growing on your face.
>Lifting her eyes back to meet yours, tiny pout on her lips that you think is supposed to be a frown, but is too cute to actually be one.
>”Am not.”
“Are so”
>She narrows her eyes at you and you calmly meet her gaze, still grinning.
>The both of you stay quiet during your stand-off. You take the time to once more admire her eyes, framed by the wet, dark bangs of her hair hanging around her face. Between them, her tiny button nose is slightly wrinkled by her pouting.
>By Celestia, you know you were just teasing her, but how adorable can you get? It can’t be legal to be that cute and at the same time so hot.
>Her face suddenly softens and an impish smile spreads across it.
>”Oh yeah? Well, guess what,” she splashes some water at you, making you flinch and cover your face with a hoof, “I won!”
>A chuckle reverberates in your throat and you raise an eyebrow at her.
“Did you now?”
>Her expression grows even more smug, radiating with satisfaction as rises a bit out the water, until the surface reaches just above her chest and her head is held high over it.
>”Yep! ‘Last one diving’, remember?”
>Huh, you had actually forgotten about that. You had been a little… distracted, after all.
>”So now you’re a Timberwolf’s butt!”
>She giggles, and you can’t help but chuckle again as you shake your head in defeat.
“Then I guess you must be a splinter, because you can be a real pain in my butt.”
>”Aww, I thought you said I was ‘adorable’?”

>She flashes you a doe-eyed, hurt look, lowering her head and batting her eyelashes at you.
>Ouch, your heart.
“Okay, okay. You’re an adorable pain in the butt.”
>”Better.”
>You give a quick guffaw and splash some water back at her. She gives a little squeal, blows a playful raspberry at you, then turns around and once more glides gracefully along the surface.
>The two of you spend some time just swimming around aimlessly across the lake. No words were spoken, aside from a few laughs here and there as you played around like little ducklings, content with listening to the soft splashes of the water, the trees swaying in the breeze and the birds chirping.
>It was so calm and serene, you quickly forgot about how you had been blue-balled just now, enjoying the moment too much to even care really.
>Sometimes, one of you would splash the other, resulting in a little war of splashing and more laughter before someone would break off and go back to swimming.
>You loved watching her move, the way her limbs cut through the water and pulled her along so effortlessly.
>Most ponies--aside from the ones who were really serious about swimming or even made a career out of it--often used some variation of the doggy paddle to swim, unless backstroking, kicking their hooves around.
>Fem though, she would shift between different styles; one moment she’s paddling her arms while kicking her legs, cutting through the water quickly, then she would make slow, sweeping motions with all her limbs, kinda like a frog, and almost glide along the surface.
>Your favorite though, was when you dove under the surface. While she would often use the frog-like motions here as well, sometimes she would streamline herself, keeping her arms outstretched forward and sorta undulate her body.

>It reminded you of a dolphin, and with her slender body it made her look even more graceful, as she slowly glides through the water, almost like she was flying. It brings to mind the stories of seaponies and sirens you heard about as a foal.
>You will also admit that the way she moves her hips while doing it is a large part of the reason for favoring this style.

>Back underwater again, with Comet joining you this time, you take in the sights around you.
>You love swimming around underwater; it always felt like you were exploring another world.
>The sun breaks through the surface of the water in bright dancing beams, and the lake is shallow and clear enough that you can easily see the bottom and far around you in the soft light.
>You see patches of seaweed swaying like thin trees in the wind, bobbing and twisting around each other.
>Smooth rocks litter the lake floor, the sunlight reflecting off of them, making the ground almost shimmer like glitter.
>A small school of the tiny fish Comet had told you about lazily swim close to you.
>You float alongside the little things, following them as they change go to and fro, changing directions suddenly and at random, yet always staying perfectly in sync with each other and either oblivious to your presence, or they just don’t care.
>Comet wasn’t exaggerating when he said they were colorful, their bodies a striking shade of red that seems almost otherworldly. A few fishies also sport streaks of aqua-blue along their tiny fins.
>You make a mental note to find out what they are called and learn more about them the next time you’re at the library.
>With a giddy smile on your face, you turn and look at the stallion paddling along, easily keeping up with you with his little hooves.
>He meets your eyes and returns your smile.
>So far, this place has been everything he said it was.
>You have to thank him somehow. You have a pretty good idea as to how you should show your appreciation~
>Delicious blueberry pie surprise.
>For now though, you make a loop around him, causing him to stop and float in place, before sliding up close to him, your face a few inches from his.
>He watches you intently as you lean in, draping an arm around him.
>Underwater-(and-slightly-awkward-while-still-trying-to-swim)-hug!

>You make sure to nuzzle against his face, like Bon Bon and Lyra likes it when you hug them, before pulling away again.
>He looks a little surprised and as you once more meet his eyes, you try to show your gratitude through your face.
>He seems to pick up on it quickly and his lips turn upwards into a warm smile.
>The two of you keep on swimming for a while.
>The next time you dive back under, Comet’s horn lights up, the shimmer of his horn spreading across his body, causing the water around him to glow like a dark blue aura around him.
>He then starts to dart around the lake at incredible speed, shooting back and forth through the water, cutting through it like it was nothing and leaving long streaks of his magic after him.
>He spins like a drill, makes wide, arching turns and circle around you while making poses.
>If you weren’t underwater, you’d be clapping and hollering at the show, so you settle for grinning widely instead. Your eyes never leave him, you don’t even blink, not wanting to miss a second of it.
>Diving downwards until he’s almost at the bottom, he sharply turns his body and shoots back up, and he keeps going until he breaches the surface a flies out of the water.
>You stare in rapt amazement as he disappears, the surface rippling from his rapid exit, breaking up the beams of sunlight and making them dance wildly.
>After a second, that feels more like ten, he re-enters the lake with a loud splash, his body streamlined and hooves reaching over his head like a professional diver.
>His horn is no longer glowing, and when he stops he looks at you with a big grin on his face while flexing a foreleg at you.
>You can no longer hold your excitement--and air--in any longer and quickly make your way back to the surface.
>While you refill your lungs, Comet joins you above water, shaking his head back and forth like a dog to get the water out of his face and eyes.
“That was amazing!”

>You cheer loudly, beaming at him. He gives you a cocky grin and slightly inclines his head in a little bow.
>”Thank you, thank you, you’re too kind! I perform at parties and social gatherings. Please make reservations with my agent.”
>You can’t help but laugh a little at his antics, and he readily joins you.
“Must be really convenient to be able to get around so quickly. I’d never walk around at normal speed if I were you.”
>He cranes his neck a little, like he was working out some soreness in it. When he looks at you again, you notice he seems a little more tired than before.
>”It does have its perks, but to be honest, that spell does take a lot out of me.”
>Leaning back, he forgoes paddling in place to instead just float along on his back.
>Thinking about it, the two of you had been swimming for quite a while and you could feel the fatigue starting to build up in your own limbs.
>Your thoughts are broken when you hear a deep rumbling coming from Comet. Looking at him, you see him stroking his tummy with a hoof and smiling sheepishly.
>You grin with mischief, but before you can crack a joke, a similar rumble cries out, this one originating from your own stomach and shutting you up as your expressions switches places with each other.
>”Snack time?”
“Mhm,” you hum in the affirmative, “sounds good.”
>Exchanging one last look, smiles of both of your lips, the two of you begin your slow swim back towards the willow tree.
>Now that your stomach had made you aware of how hungry you were, you just couldn’t wait to stuff something big and tasty in your mouth, and you lick some drool from the corner of your lips.
>You could swallow an entire foot-long in a single gulp right now.
>You’ll settle for some sandwiches and a slice of pie though.