>it's dark in the back of the wagon.
>you feel the rough woodon your hooves as you look around the shady space.
>your name is MS.Paint and in two days time you were going to paint the rare never bloom cactus when it will finally reveal it's flower out in the desert.
>it had been a long train ride to Apple Loosa and from there a longer wagon ride to Shady Sands.
>checking over your supplies you feel the wagon pull to a stop.
>"we're here miss!"
"out in a second"
>hoping out the back of the wagon you hand over your bits to the two gentlecolts pulling the wagon.
>turning towards the small settler town you smile to yourself.
>Shady Sands, you made it.
"thank you ever so much you two, goodbye Speedwagon goodbye Reo"
>"goodbye miss" they both chirp in unison.
>walking into the centre of the tiny town you look around for the tavern where your supposed to meet your desert guide.
>spotting the obvious sign of the tavern you walk towards it.
>the sign is of a gallows with the words "the last drop" carved into the wood.
>stepping walking into the tavern the smell of cheap whiskey and tobacco smoke.
>sitting at the bar nursing her wounds is your guide.
>the grey mare is facing the door with her front hooves in bandages and she's covered in small cuts and abrasions.
>you she's your guide because she's waving at you and shouting your name.
>trotting up to you the grey mare smiles warmly.
>"howdy there Ms.Paint! it's me! Pulp Spike"
>she offers you a bandaged hoof to shake but as you make contact she pulls you into a tight hug.
>"eyy haha, I gotcha like pony grabber"
"a what?"
>your question is met by more friendly squeezing, you swear you can feel her nuzzling you too.
>"ya see a pony grabber is a desert guardian, they disguise themselves as cacti and grab unsuspecting ponies in the desert.
>pulling away from the hug she smiles at you.
>"are ya ready to get goin?"
"as ready as I'll ever be"
>"great! lemme just grab my gear and we'll be off!"
>grabbing a patchwork poncho off her chair and picking up a bindle she slings it over her shoulder.
>"ready!"
>walking out of the tavern with Pulp Spike behind you, you hear a loud crash.
>turning around you see her strugggling in a fight with a potted cactus.
>"I'l get ya, you pesky pony grabber!"
>the ccactus is somehow winning the fight every swing Pulp Spike throws lands her with more cuts on her hooves.
>a large stallion is soon pulling her away from her foe, his dark grey mane billowing in the wind and his boxing glove cutie mark catches your eye.
>"Redgum! lemme go!"
>"ya ain't to be smashing me plants and ya know it lil Pulp!"
>"S-sorry Redgum"
>"Celestia knows I don't want ya gettin' hurt Pulp, why ya gotta go thrashing every cactus ya see?"
>"if I don't smash it I don't know if it's a pony grabber"
>"come on luv, ya know that's an old mares tale"
>the pinned pony just rolls her eyes.
>letting her go Redgum looks you over before walking back into his tavern.it's a saloon but I forgot the word for it
>regaining her composure Pulp trots over to you, her smile returning.
>"j-just a bit of fun between us, he likes to tease me is all"
>her eyes are tearing up slightly.
>"ya ready to head off then?"
>nodding, you follow her lead as she walks away from the small town.
>as she leads you into the desert you see her eyeing up every cactus with a mixture of hatred, distrust and fear.
>as you look back on the town you can see ponies coming out of there houses to watch you go.
"so how long have you been a desert guide?"
>"all ma life, all of the pulps have been guides, cept for my uncle fiction but we don't talk 'bout him much.
"and why don't you talk about him?"
>"no idea, we don't talk about it"
>the journey soon begins as the two of you trot into the desert.
>with the sun midway across the sky the heat soon beomes a nuisance.
>"you okay? not too hot? we can stop for water if you'd like"
>she's looking back at you, herr poncho billowing in the light desert breeze.
"I wouldn't mid a quick stop"
>you manage you speak through pants.
>"great, we'll stop over by that big boulder!"
>she points a good few hundred meters away to a large red rock in the sands.
>"we can eat some food as well so don't you worry"
>a few moments later and you're next to the boulder, the food is cactus
>the cactus actually tastes rather nice, you greedily eat as the cool liquid sloshes down your throat.
"I must say this is very nice"
>Pulp Spike is ignoring you, instead she is slowly sneaking up on a large cactus.
>she pounces.
>she yells
>she gets pricked
>she yells again
"um, are you okay?"
>"I'm fine! did the dam cactus run away?"
"um no... it's still there, you sure you're alright?"
>quickly regaining her composure she trots back over to you.
>"yes I'm fine silly, you ready to get going?"
>following her lead you march away from the rock, passing what you notice might be your own hoof prints in the sand.
>the desesrt heat might be playing tricks on you and you put your faith in Pulp Spike and her abilities.
>the hot, coarse sand rubs agaisnt your hooves as your saddle bag bounces lazily on your back.
>"we'll be there by sundown and it'll bloom in the morning, I hear that only two other pegasi will be there, Dire and Straits, heard of them?"
>you shake your head in response noticing the sand fall out of your mane, you don't like sand, it's coarse and rough and iritating and it gets everywhere.
>you stop shaking your head when you realise that being in front of you means she can't see you... stupid pony.
"I can't say I have, have you?"
>"never met them but I hear Dire is a cut above the rest when it comes to desert flying, they call her the desert rose"
>listening to her talk you notice the slow and lazy swishing of her tail, the slow motion with the heavy desert heat is almost hypnotic.
>"ah hope ya don't mind but we gotta cuddle to share body heat tonight, otherwise you'll be mighty cold"
>the sudden mention of intimacy pulls you to reality and you trot up close to her side.
"I don't mind at all"
>"good, cause I don't wanna freeze toight"
>she slips a hoof around your shoulder, pulling you close.
>"at least if you freeze I still get paid"
>laughing nervously you nod, noticing her smile thou makes you realise that she is of course joking.
>soon the sun is hanging heavy in the sky and several flys begin to appear.
>after another hour of walking the hot desert sand begins to cool quite rappidly as the sun sets.
>stopping to admire the beautiful sight Pulp Spike lets out a slow sigh.
>her breath visisble in the cool night air.
>"the never bloom is just over that ridge, you can even see the light of a campfire look.
>she points a bandaged hoof to the sand dune a short walk away and within minuets the two of you are at the top of it.
>shiverring from the chill you walk towards the campfire where two tents have been set up.
>sitting next to the fire are two pegasi cuddling under a blanket.
>the orange female one with knotted green mane looks up from the fire and waves the two of you over
>"Ms.Paint? I'm Dire and this is my husband Straits"
>the light brown pegasus nods at you, not speaking, his long pale blue mane catches in the wind, fluttering across his face.
>before you can talk Pulp Spike interupts.
>"nice to meet you both, I'm Pulp Spike,"
>eyeing up the bandages both Dire and Straits shake her hoof before motioning the two of you to sit.
>after severl moments in cold silence Straits finally break the emptyness with a gruff voice.
>"we set up a tent for you two, it'll be us causing the rain for the neverbloom, nopony else is coming I think, it's too far to travel for most tourists and the flower is of little scientific importance."
"I know that, I'm here to paint it actually"
>you smile, motioning to the pile of art supplies you brought with you.
>both pegasi just nod.
>"very well, I and Dire will be turning in for the night, don't stay out for long it gets much colder.
>a comfortable silence surrounds the two of you.
>Pulp Spike just sits gazing into the dimming embers of the fire, her eyes twinkling in the low light of the moon.
>after several seconds pass an eye glances over to you staring at her.
>"you alright there?"
>you feel yourself blush as she turns to meet your gaze in full.
"Oh yes I'm fine thank you, just admiring the view"
>"Ain't nothing to look at but me ya kno- oh..."
>her cheeks turn a shade of crimson similar to your own.
>"th-thank you"
>hiding behind a bandaged hoof she smiles before getting up and walking towards the tent.
>"I think it's time we turn in don't you?"
>saunting towards the tent her tale flicks heavily in the dark night.
>with a short gulp you follow, eyes fixed on her swishing tail.
>the inside of the tent is pitch black without the light of the moon or fire.
>trotting inside you take a few seconds to adjust to the lack of light before you notice Pulp Spike.
>before you can ask what she's doing, she pounces, pinning you to the floor of then tent.
>"hello"
"uh, hel-"
>lips pressing against your own cut you off.
>keeping you pinned she continues to kiss you, soon your lips part, allowing her tongue free roam of your mouth.
>pulling back she smile, a thin strand of saliva connecting your lips.
>both of you pant in the gloom of the tent before Pulp brakes the silence.
>"s-sorry"
"don't be"
>you kiss her again, longer this time, you allow yourself to feel the heat of her body pressed against your own.
>moving from the kiss you softly bite her lower lip, Pulp lets out a small whimper in response.
>pulling back from the kiss again she slowly moves to kiss down you neck.
>your whole body shivers in anticipation.
>taking the first opertunity that appears, you move swiftly, rolling over and pinning her down.
>with the power in your hooves you kiss her back, then slowly leave a trail of kisses down her neck in return.
>Pulp puts up no resistance as you kiss down her exposed body.
>before you can go any further her back legs cross and she stuttes an ultimatum.
>"n-no, not tonight okay? we need to rest from the long day"
>she's breathing heavily as her hooves brush through your mane.
>"we can still cuddle, for warmth"