>The walk into town was quiet if a bit tense >You had let your lil' sis fill you in on every little detail as the two of you left the farm >Mares were complaining about their stallions' change in attitude >Her and the girls went to see what the hubbub was about >They came on a little too strong and made the stallions upset >The colts kicked them and Anon out of the gym and the guard had to be called >On paper something like this didn't seem like all that big of a deal >All the colts needed was some ice cream and a few gentle words and all would be better >But, from the way that your sister walked, the way that her eyes darted around, the tone of her voice, the ugly red marks that she still had on her legs from those bands, you knew that this was bad >What was going on couldn't be solved with a bit of ice cream >Not this time >Though you hadn't been in town all that much recently you HAD seen your fellow stallions' "transformation" >You had seen their muscles and their new shirts and how loud and aggressive they were in strutting their stuff around like it was the thing to do >It was nonsense, and just like when you first saw it you couldn't help but shake your head >You had nothing against going to a gym to lose a couple of pounds >You personally knew a good many of your cousins that went there to do everything from socializing to getting away from their kids to lifting away their stress >But that wasn't what most of these stallions had gone to the gym for >Sure, maybe it was at first, but now?... >You shook your head, feeling a headache coming on >You knew that Caramel and some of those boys were a bit... excitable but destroying a gym and trying to start a gender war? >That was stupidity to the tenth degree >... >Why hadn't one of those other knuckleheads stepped up and said something?! >Grumbling under your breath, you looked toward town just as the wind began to pick up >Even though you and Applejack were at the edge of town you could hear one heck of a commotion going on >You could hear screaming, things being broken, and, most disconcerting of all, laughing >... >You paused for a moment, turning and giving your sister a look >She winced, looking down at the ground >"...I know that me an' the girls shouldn't a' went bargin' in Anon's gym like we owned the place..." "Eeyup." >"We shoulda just talked ta the colts one by one. Maybe talked to Anon or somethin' like that." "Eeyup." >"But mares were right scared about their stal--" "Nope." >"But--" "Nope." >"I know that a stallion can have a hobby, Mac, but--" "Nope." >"Gosh darnit don't keep--" "Nope." >Your sister's green eyes flashed with annoyance >She opened her mouth to argue some more, puffing her chest out and taking a step forward >You just stared at her calmly, slowly raising an eyebrow >And just like that the hot air left her >"...Yer right," she grumbled, kicking at the dirt as she once again looked at the ground. "Ma and pa raise me better 'an that." >A small smile graced your lips as you reached over and gave her a reassuring pat on the head >Your lil' sis might have been a bit thick-headed at times but you knew that she had her heart in the right place >She was a knucklehead >But she was YOUR knucklehead >Flicking your head in the direction of town you both once again began walking >There were a lot of knuckleheads running around today that needed to be sorted out it seemed >And, while you didn't consider yourself a stallion that had the right to speak up on any subject other than apples and farming, you were going to do your best to keep the town from ripping itself apart >... >Or at least keeping Anon from ripping the town apart... >... >Or ripping any ponies apart... >With each step you took the sounds coming in the center of town became louder and louder >You could hear mares and stallions screaming, yelling, shouting insults, pleas >Heavy things were being thrown, wood was being broken and splintered, and you could even hear windows being shattered >The sharp, nearly buzzing sound of metal hitting metal made your ears go flat against your skull >... >This was going to be a mess >You could feel it... >Your eyes flicked up to the sky >Though the sun was still out in full force the sky seemed darker for some reason >The sun was dimmer and the blue sky seemed a deeper blue that it had been a hour ago >There was also chill in the air that made your fur stand on end >... >Yep >Your horse apples sense was a'tingling >This was gonna be bad >"MARE DOWN! MARE DOWN!" >"STOP HITTING ME! OWOWOWOWO STOP!" >"BUCK THE SYSTEM!" >"HIT 'EM HARD GIRLS! HIT 'EM HARD!" >"MUH COURAGE ON THE BATTLEFIELD!" >Applejack began to increase her pace, worry as clear as day on her features >Just as she was about to pass you you stuck out a hoof to block her >When she looked over at you you just shook your head >The two of you couldn't go running into this willy-nilly >You had to be calm and collected >The two of you needed-- >As the two of you passed the last house and into the market district your jaws dropped >"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" >The scene before you could only be described as a battlefield >Guards and stallions were running around, fighting and kicking and biting and wrestling and swinging their weapons >All around you could see ponies slumped to the ground, whimpering and crying and kicking at the air whilst they nursed various bobo's >... >What the hay?... >Your gaze swept the market >You took in every damaged stand, every broken window >Every single building in the market was damaged >Windows had been broken, things had been put into walls >Nearly every cart had been broken in some way >Bits of them were missing, some had been splintered into a million pieces, and just like the buildings it looked like flames had been at them >The road itself looked no better >Covered in bodies and various... fluids it looked like somepony had taken a pickaxe to the whole street >There was a cart, its wheels missing, on fire near the town foundation where two donkeys seemed to be roasting marshmallows >Near the flower sister's stand you could see a stallion lying on his side in the fetal position >Just like everypony else you could see his shirt was ripped and he looked bruised and battered, but unlike everypony else he.. >... >He... had something INSIDE of him >A pool noodle if you weren't mistaken >... >How did they even-- >"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" >Your gaze flicked away from the poor stallion, who was probably going to need some therapy after all of this was over, to the center of this chaos >There, holding a blood-nosed and black-eyed Caramel high above his head, was a bloody, dirty, sweaty Anonymous >The human was completely naked you noticed >From a hundred feet away you could see that every muscle on that great big, sweat-covered body of his was bulging >His cock, out for all to see, was completely erect, slapping wetly against his stomach each time his belly heaved >There were a group of stallions around him >Unlike everypony else that you saw theses stallions didn't look too worse for wear >What they did look though was absolutely and completely terrified >You could see each and every one of them shaking in their horseshoes as they stood there, nervously poking at Anon with the butt of their barbells >Most of their half-hearted thrusts didn't even connect, but the ones that did didn't even seem to faze him >"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" >Both him and Caramel were looking into each other's eyes, one set filled with unspeakable rage and the other set filled with bed-wetting fear, as they screamed at the top of their lungs >... >They weren't doing anything else >Caramel wasn't trying to get out of Anon's grasp and Anon wasn't trying to throttle him >They were just shouting >... "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" >... >"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" >... >"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" >Alright >Enough of that >As your sister stood there, gobsmacked, you began walking forward >You bucked as a wooden box flew over your head >You walked around a group of guards and stallions that were having one heck of a slap fight >For a few moments you stood by the... impaled stallion to see if he was alive >He was, he groaned and everything, but you were positive that he'd never be the same >Never >So you then stood over him and payed your respects >"Oh, hello Big Macintosh." >You stopped, looking to your left >To your surprise there was a couch sitting not five feet away from you >Upon closer inspection of said couch you saw that it had seen better days >The back of it had been snapped cleanly in half and you could see black burn marks on its sides and its front >One of it's arms had been ripped off and you could see that somepony had pierced it clean through with what looked like a ruined street lamp >And on that battered, broken couch was Princess Celestia herself, who was smiling pleasantly at you, along with Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie, none of whom were smiling even a little bit >"You wouldn't happen to be here for the romp, would you Macintosh?" Princess Celestia asked, cocking her head to the side >Your eye twitched slightly when she produced a bottle of lube >"Because if you are I'm more than happy to get you ready for the occasion." >... >Just ignore that >Just ignore the fact that the ruler of your country just offered to lube you up in the same tone one might have when talking about the weather >... >Also ignore the fact that the couch and the ponies sitting on it smell like they've just been part of an orgy >You had enough horse apples to deal with "Nope," you said as politely as you could, shaking your head >A slight pout came to the alicorn's face >"Alright," she said, sounding a bit put out as she placed the lube in her lap. "If you're sure..." >You nodded resolutely "Eeyup." >Turning away from the princess, you looked around all every single pony, donkey, and human in attendance "Ahem," you said, loudly clearing your throat >You waited for a few moments, your nose scrunching up "A-HEM." >This time your voice carried over the sounds of screaming and yelling and the rest of the hullabaloo >You watched as the fighting slowly but surely began to stop >Ponies began lowering their weapons and stepping away from each other >Even Anon and Caramel stopped their yelling, though Anon didn't release his grip of the earth pony >Over two hundred sets of eyes snapped over to you as the last of the fighting stopped >For a few moments you shied away from the attention, taking a few steps backward >You weren't much for attention; you never had been >It made you uncomfortable, nervous, never a little bit scared >You managed two steps before an invisible force stopped your retreat >Looking back you saw Princess Celestia staring back at you >"Don't be shy dear," she cooed. "If you have something to say then go ahead and say it. We'll all be happy to listen." >Though her little pep talk was slightly ruined by the fact that she pouring some of her lube on her belly it was more than enough to help shake off your bout of shyness >Puffing your chest out, you raised your head up high and looked around >You DID have something important to say; something that everypony here needed to hear >This whole nonsense wasn't because of stallion's rights or sexist >A few mares got worried about their herdmates and they asked your sister and her friends to see what was going on >Should they have done that? Maybe not >They probably should have just let the stallions alone with their gym equipment >But just because Princess Twilight tried asking a few questions didn't mean that they had a right to act like they did >They had acted like a bunch of fussing colts, babies more like, and because of it they ended up destroying another stallion's place of business >And instead of sucking it up and admitted that they had messed up they had tried to turn the blame on somepony else >It was the mares' fault >They're trying to force us back in the kitchen >They're trying to make us lesser, inferior >If your daddy would have been alive right now he would have shaken his head >He had taught you that stallions WERE treated differently >Sometimes they weren't taken as seriously as mares, they had difficulties getting onto certain jobs >A stallion had to look like this, eat this, act like that >But he had also taught you that none of that mattered >Not the being looked down on, not being treated like a piece of meat >None of it >It didn't matter what gender, what race >It didn't matter how you looked or how you talked or how you did things >What mattered was that you woke up every morning with the intent to be better than you were the day before >So what if you had a few roadblocks along the way? >One of the greatest mages in history was a stallion >The pony that drew up the designs for the first train, a genius by all accounts, was a stallion >In Canterlot, at this very moment, their were stallions working with and against the nobility to make Equestria a greater place >None of these stallions were just doing this for "the fellas" or the "brotherhood" >They didn't slave night and day, forging metal and practicing spells and braving the great, scary unknown and unexplored just because it would make mares look bad >They did what they did for everypony >They knew, just like a simple farmer like yourself knew, that fighting for the sake of fighting wasn't gonna help anypony >Life was short; you only had a couple of years on this little patch of dirt before you were put in it >You couldn't, shouldn't, waste that little time spitting hate and blaming each other for every little thing >You needed togetherness >You needed love >You needed hard work and understanding and just a little bit of compassion >So, with all of that in mind, with hope and love flowing through your vines, you opened your mouth to deliver the speech of your life "Nope." >The effect was almost immediate >The anger and outrage seemed to drain from everypony's faces, mare and stallion alike >"...What the hay are we doing here, guys?" a stallion asked, looking down at the bend and chipped barbell in his hooves. "We're better than this!" >To your left you could see a stallion sniffle >"My herd was probably worried sick about me. Junebug... Jet Stream..." >A murmur ran through the stallions >You could hear fear and sadness in their tones >They knew that they were in trouble, that what they had done today was going to have very real consequences >Hopefully nopony would get any jail time but their was sure to be fines that needed to be paid, and you bet your bottom bit that they were going to be looking at a lot of community service >In the midst of their murmurs, somepony dropped their barbell >This caused a chain reaction >Stallions began dropping dumbbells and plates and throwing off their headbands and t-shirts >The guards, still looking a bit leery, began to round up the stallions and remove their weapons >You sighed, smiling a bit as you rolled your withers >You did good, Big Mac >You did--" >"FUCK THAT BULLSHIT!" >Your ears perked up >Before could turn your head you found Caramel flying toward you >Ohmuhapplz! >With a yelp you kissed the dirt as Caramel let out a shrill scream, covering his face with his hooves >You could feel his belly gaze your back as he flew over you and into the town fo-- CRASH! >... >You looked over your shoulder to see that the stone figure of Princess Celestia had been broken in half >Caramel was floating face down in the pool below it, a leg twitch being the only indication that he was still alive >... >That was gonna leave a mark.... >Uncovering your face, you looked up to see Anon stomping toward you >His gaunt was tight and angry and you could see that his lips were drawn back into a snarl >It looked like you made the big colt mad... >Oh boy... >Scrambling to your hooves, you tried to diffuse the situation "An--" >"SHUT THE FUCK UP, MAC!" "Bu--" >"AFTER ALL OF THE BULLSHIT THAT YOU PUT ME THROUGH THIS ISN'T JUST GOING TO END AS SOME SHITTY FRIENDSHIP LESSON!" >A low growl escaped the human's throat as he looked around >Not surprisingly, there wasn't a stallion that could look him in the eye >"I TOOK ALL OF YOU FUCKERS IN! I SHOWED YOU HOW TO LIFT THE WEIGHT, I SHOWED YOU HOW TO GET THAT FUCKING MUSCLE THAT'S HANGING ON YOUR FUCKING BONES!" >Anon took a few threatening steps toward the stallions, who nervously retreated >"I THOUGHT THAT I TAUGHT YOU TO RESPECT THE WEIGHT AND THE MUSCLE THAT IT GAVE YOU BUT WHAT DO YOU DO?! YOU GIVE A FUCKING KID DRUGS AND YOU TEAR UP MY FUCKING PLACE!" >Anon's pace increased as he zoned in on one of the stallion's, who stood before him frozen in fear >"THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF SHIT THAT GETS SOLVED BY SOME APPLE-KICKER THAT SAYS TWO FUCKING WORDS." >Hey now... >"YOU COCKSUCKING, PIECE OF SHIT, MOTHERFUCKING DICKLESS CUNTS!" >Your eyes widened in alarm as Anon, now nearly foaming at the mouth and his eyes blazing, cocked a fist back >The stallion in front of him, now shaking like a leaf, whimpered quietly as he waited for his good night to come >"I WORKED MY ASS OFF FOR THAT GYM AND YOU TORE IT UP BECAUSE OF SOME STUPID BULLSHIT THAT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER!" >With a snarl, Anon took a big step, ready to throw his punch >The ground cracked as he stomped his foot >Behind the stallion a skeleton appeared, a thick burlap bag in its devious, shooky clutches >"FUCKING BASTARDS!" >OhmuhApplethatcolt'sgonnadie >Thankfully, before the punch could land, a golden glow surrounded Anon's fist >Out of the corner of your eye you could now see that Princess had gotten off of the couch and was standing next to you >"Anonymous, I know that you're upset but there is no need for anymore violence." >You couldn't help but jump a little bit as Anon's head whipped around >"THESE FUCKERS--" >"Surrendered after this fine young stallion spoke his mind, my little human." >The princess tried to touch you with a hoof but you quickly stepped away >You didn't want ANY of her touching you >Faust knows where she's been >"My guard will take them into custody so that the law may prosecute them to the fullest extent," the princess continued, making her way over to him >Anon's mouth twitched as the stallion in front of him was quickly dragged away by a guard >"THEY--" >His fist clutched even harder, causing the bones in his hand to crack as he took a deep breath >"They DESTROYED my fucking gym," he growled >"They did," Celestia agreed. "That and a dozen other crimes that I will personally see they are punished for." >A small smile came to her face as she placed a hoof on Anon's leg >"There is no need to rampage, Anonymous." >Anon's face went through a plethora of emotions as he looked down at the Princess of the Sun >You could still see that he was angry >He wanted to shout >He wanted to hurt somepony >He wanted to make them feel what he was feeling right now >...But he couldn't >... >Well, he COULD >But doing that would only get him in trouble too >The stallions were going to be tried and prosecuted >No doubt that they were going to have to pay for the damages that they caused and then some >Everything was going to be fine; he was going to get everything that he wanted >Snorting, Anon looked away from the princess and at the now thoroughly ashamed colts >You could see in his face what he wanted to say >You could see the hatred and betrayal in his eyes >"Fuck each and every single one of you," he said with a loathing that made you flinch >His eyes flicked to his gym >His broken, ruined gym >You watched as the anger in his eyes was replaced with sadness >The magic around his hand disappeared as his shoulders slumped >His cock, which had been throbbing proudly this whole time, began to wilt >"You're all banned from my gym. And if I ever see and of you fuckers setting so much as a hoof into it you're losing that hoof." >He cast one angry, hateful look around the market >Before any of you could say or do anything he marched over to his gym, opened the door, and slammed the door behind him with so much force that the hinges on the door snapped and the door fell to the ground with a loud bang >"FUCK!" >... >You looked at Princess Celestia >You then looked over at your sister and her friends >Sighing, you sat back on your haunches >Well... >That could have gone a little bit better.. !--!()!--! >... >Everything was ruined >Weights had been thrown everywhere >Plates had been bend and cracked and chipped >Every single bar, be it barbell or curl bell, had been broken or was missing >Your mirrors had been broken into a million pieces >Glass was all over your floor >There was stuffing coming out of your benches >Every single wall had been damaged in some as, as had your ceiling and floor >And your power racks... >Your goddamn power racks... "FUCK!" >With a snarl, you drove your fist through a wall >You didn't even feel the impact as you shut your eyes tightly >All of it was gone >You might have been able to save a few of the plates, maybe a few of the dumbbells if you were lucky, but the rest of it was trashed >Tens of thousands of bits wasted >You'd be able to see the metal for scrap but that was it >You place was a bump >A ruin >The kind of gym that you'd find in the worse part of a bad town... >... >You slowly took your fist out of your poor wall, wincing when you saw the hole that you had just made "All of that time... All of that money..." >You began wading through the carnage, looking down at your still clutched fist >It had a thin film of dust and plaster on it but no blood >Your hands were tough >You had lifters hands >Strong hands >Concrete or metal, it didn't matter >... >Sighing, you walked over and sat down on one of the few benches that had managed to get out of this nonsense in relatively one piece >... >You should have felt angry >You should be as angry as you've ever been >But you didn't feel angry as you looked around >This entire gym, this dream that you had been working your ass off for, had been destroyed >And not only had it been destroyed it had been destroyed right in front of you by ponies that you had thought were your friends >Your gym brothers >Caramel, Thunderlane, all of them had taken what you had given them and destroyed it >They had killed your baby >Killed it and destroyed the remains... >You slumped down a bit as you thought of Rumble >That poor kid was going to be fucked up for MONTHS because of that shit his stupid ass brother had been giving him >His hormones were going to be fucked, he probably wasn't going to eat, sleeping would be hard no doubt >... >You were going to have to go and talk to his parents, make them take the little guy to the hospital >He needed to go see a doctor >Maybe they could help the little guy out... >Sighing, you kicked away a scrap of metal; no doubt a piece of your power rack >You didn't feel angry, you felt sick, hollow, empty >You could feel a weight pulling you down, sapping your strength, making it hard to breath >... >It wasn't supposed to be like this... >You gym was supposed to be a positive establishment in the community >You wanted to help people >You wanted them to leave this gym better than when they had come in >But you just didn't want that >You also wanted this place to be a beacon >You wanted people just like you, the hard core gym weirdos, to hear about this place and come to see what it was about >A bunch of people that ate six meals a day and lifted for three hours at a time >You wanted people that would argue about deadlifting form for hours on end >You wanted to cheer them on when they broke a PR >You wanted people talking and weights hitting the ground and forty-five's slapping together >... >You didn't get that >You didn't get that at all >You were betrayed, spat on >Alone "FUCK!" >Closing your eyes you bent yourself forward, placing your head in your hands >The gym was quiet now; horribly, terribly empty >There was just you, your broken equipment, and that twisting, sickening feeling in the pit of your gut may as well have been a stab wound >For what felt like hours you wallowed in this horribly, all-consuming silence, but then you heard a noise >Hoofsteps; the forceful and purposeful kind >"Oh my goodness will you look at what those RUFFIANS did!" someone dramatically cried >You kept your head in your hands as the someone began to fuss around what was left of your gym floor >"I had thought that many of those stallions were gentlecolts and that they wouldn't partake in outright destruction but it appears that I was wrong." >The pony, a mare, tsked as she made her way over to you >You opened your eyes, and through your fingers you could see a pair of marshmallow white hooves >"Why, if I could bring myself to strike a stallion, Anonymous dear, I would have had a thing or two to say to those urchins!" >Slowly, you picked your head up to look at the pony standing in front of you >That pony had the deepest blue eyes; they almost looked purple in this light >And, while her mane and fur were in disarray, and more than a little dirty, she gave off an aura of sophistication unlike any you've seen >But there wasn't just that; you could also see a compassion in those blue eyes of hers, a concern for your well-being >... >Finding that you didn't have the strength to look up anymore, you began to lean forward once more so that you continue in your wallowing >Rarity, with a quiet huff, quickly placed a hoof under your chin >"Oh come now, darling, there's no need to act so gloomy!" she said, picking your head up so that you could look at her. "It might look... bad at the moment but we shall rebuild!" >Her other hoof came up to join its sister to cup your face >With a quiet grunt she managed to pick your head up >"In a week or two we shall have this place as good as new! BETTER than new! Ponies all over Equestria will want nothing more than to come in here and work up a sweat!... Or whatever happens in these places..." >You wanted to keep looking up at her, it was only polite since she was talking to you, but once again your gaze settled onto the floor >Another sigh racked your frame >You could rebuild >You could buy new equipment, fix the ceiling and the walls, get the windows and door replaced >But then what? >What if this happened again? >What if everyone was scared off now that a fucking riot had happened in this place? >Your shoulders sagged as you pulled away from Rarity's hooves, feeling absolutely and totally defeated >... >You didn't know what to do >... >You didn't know anything anymore >Right now all you wanted to do was sit here and feel shitty until the sun came down >After that you wanted to do was sit here feel shitty while also being in the dark >Rarity's eyes narrowed as she looked down at you >For a few moments she said nothing, just studying your features, before she took a step forward and leaned down so she could nuzzle your cheek >"Oh look at you," she muttered. "Dirty and Bleeding..." >Her horn glowed, and not a second later you could feel her magic tugging at your hand >"Why don't we get you home and cleaned up, hmm?" >You half-heartedly tried to resist but dress horse would not be denied >She continued to tug on your hand with more and more force until she had yanked you to your feet >"There we are!" she chirped with a happy little bounce >She quickly took up a position next to you, a bright smile on her face "Now come along. If we hurry we can get you home before it gets dark out." >Through a mixture of hand tugs and verbal encourage Rarity managed to lead you out of your gym, bloody and dirty and naked as the day you were born >You should have just stopped and laid down >That's what you wanted to do >Lay down and close your eyes and let the bad feels come rolling in >But, for some reason, your feet wouldn't obey your commands >You let this little horse, a horse that was one-third your size, lead you into the street >"Now, I know that you haven't had a thing to eat yet, darling, so I took the liberty of asking Twilight and Pinkie if they would be so kind as to get us something to eat. I hope you don't mind but we weren't able to procu--" >As she rambled on she began walking closer and closer next to you >It subtle; she moved in a half-inch at a time >You didn't even notice what she was doing until you felt her side rubbing against your leg >"--I know that this pizza parlor might be a little more expensive but I always find that they're more consistent with thei--" >Even though she was just as filthy as you her coat felt silky smooth against your bare thigh >You could almost feel each individual hair with each step you took >It felt... nice, especially now >... >Reaching down, you placed a hand on the center of her back >The fashionista's body twitched slightly at the contact >She looked up and you, her eyes widened just a hair for a few moments before she smiled sweetly >You tried your best to return it, giving her back a little scratch >The walk home should have been a trek, but, with squiggle tail there chatting your ear off, it didn't seem too bad >"Ah, there we are. Home sweet home." >Humming a little tune to herself, Rarity opened the door to your modest home and ushered you inside >Barely stopping to turn on your living room light, she led you up to your bathroom >"My, my. I had assumed that your restroom would be larger than average but LOOK at that bathtub. You could fit half a dozen ponies in it!" >You shrugged >It really wasn't anything special >You got it for half off in from some shady zebra behind the sofa and quills store >Nice mare; you kinda wished that she quit talking about jungle fever so much whenever you saw her... >Rarity nudged your side with her rump, once again turning your attention back to her >"Anonymous, darling, would it be alright if I joined you?" she asked, batted her eyelashes. "I myself seem to be in need of a cleaning and I cannot BARE the thought of leaving you by yourself whilst I go home to freshen up..." >You raised an eyebrow but said nothing >Rarity continued to smile innocently, patiently waiting for your answer >... >You know what? >Fine >You nodded, nudging your head toward the bath >A happy sound escaped squiggle tail's throat >"Oh it had been AGES since I've shared a bath with somepony," she mused, clapping her hooves together >Her horn glowed, and with a simple flick of her horn she turned the faucet on >"Now, let's see what I'm working wi-- oh my goodness! Why on earth would you even THINK of using that conditioner, Anonymous dear?! I know that you're a very... practical stallion but even you should see the benefit of--" >She didn't stop talking even as she walked over and checked the water temperature >She was still gently chiding you as the tub quickly filled up >By the time the tub was full and she was nudging you into the tub the chiding had changed to an entirely different topic >You knew that she was just trying to fill the silence, trying to keep your mind occupied and focused on her >And you appreciated it >Just the thought that she was going out of her way to try to aleve some of your bad feels made that sick, twisted feeling in your stomach feel not so bad >You still feel shitty >...But a little less so now >You found yourself smiling a little as Rarity dragged your dirty, naked ass into the tub >It was barely a smile really, more like the edges of your mouth just happened to be raised ever so slightly >But... a smile nonetheless >As soon as you were seated in that perfectly temperate water Rarity had hopped in and immediately sat in your lap >And why wouldn't she sit in your lap? >She just wanted to make sure that you cleaned yourself thoroughly >And HEAVEN knows how you'd be able to get your back without her help >The two of you could help each other wash, she had said somewhere in her endless chatter >When she had remarked about it being romantic you had tuned her out, simply enjoying the feeling of her scrubbing your body >She started with your arms, then your chest >When she began to scrub your shoulders you had closed your eyes >Was that a kiss that you just felt on the tip of your nose? >Or ma-- >"Oh Luna above, look at those SPLIT ENDS!" she loudly exclaimed as her hooves frantically mussed with your hair. "Your poor mane! I can practically hear it CRYING darling!" >Wrapping her hooves around your head to support herself, she began to make disconcerned horse noises, saying something about lathering and cocoa butter and scalps >Your lips twitched as you felt her wet , messy fur brush against your face as she pulled your nose into her chest >You could feel the warmth coming off of her little horse body >Sweat and perfume and Rarity's natural horsey smell graced your nostrils with each inhale >You could even feel her muscles shift and tense and relax with each movement >It was... nice >Not having to suffer by yourself >Having someone to take a bath with and talk your ear off about nothing in particular >... >"We'll have to go out and restock this ENTIRE bathroom from the floor up, dear. Shampoo, conditioner, face wash, oh, and we'll have to--" >Rarity paused as you quietly wrapped your arms around her barrel >The mare looked down at you as you closed your eyes, pressing your face a little more firmly against her chest >You felt her hooves wrap around your head >"That gym is going to be rebuild, Anon," you could hear her say >She sighed, resting her chin on top of your head >"While I've always thought that working out was a silly bunch of nonsense I know how much that it means to you." >Her hooves found themselves under your chin, forcing you to look upward into those blue, determined, fiery eyes >"Twilight, Pinkie, all of us know how hard you worked for that little building." >Her eyes narrowed slightly as she leaned down until your noses were touching >"So, even if you are feeling a little disheartened about what happened that little gym of yours it going to be restored." >She poked your chest with a hoof to bring home her point >"It will be restored even if the girls and I have to go and do everything ourselves!" >She poked your chest again, her eyes narrowed down to slits >You just looked up at her >You didn't say anything >You didn't look away from her >You didn't laugh at her admittedly adorable attempts to intimidate you >You just stared for a few moments before nodding "...Alright," you quietly said, giving her barrel a little squeeze >The smile that came to dress horse's face almost seemed to light up the room >"Excellent!" she cried with a happy bounce. "Then the girls and I shall be up with you bright and early to help with the cleaning!" >She pulled you into a hug, rocking you back and forth as she wiggled around happily >"While I can't admit to knowing ANYTHING about what goes on in a gym I DO pride myself on being a very business savvy mare. So, with your permission, I'd like to contact a few of my connects to see if we can find some of your equipment for a little cheaper and--" >You closed your eyes as Rarity began talking about how you and the girls would make your gym better than ever >Pinkie, with her friends all over Equestria, could find you new gym goers >Rarity would be able to get you contractors and suppliers, all the while making every single pony in both Canterlot and Manehatten know that a brand new gym would be reopening soon >Even Twilight, the little sperg that she was, would be able to pull strings and use magic to help you out >Your lips twitched upward a little more until they actually looked like a smile >Your child, your dream, might have been destroyed right in front of you >But now it looked like you'd be able to rebuild >Your little smile widened just a hair as Rarity, still talking away, leaned down and nuzzled your brow >And not only did you had a chance to rebuild you'd have help ~_~_~_~_~_~_