Chapter 2: Give Her a Poke

The next week dragged on for Cup as she waited for the test results. The store should have been a good distraction, but so much was riding on the results that it was difficult for her to concentrate. The day after the doctor's visit, she cooked a cherry pie instead of a blueberry pie, wasting precious ingredients and forcing the customer to wait twice as long for his order. Pinkie might have stopped it, but she had been so engrossed in baking a batch of chocolate chip muffins that she hadn't seen Cup make her error.

After the customer walked off with his pie muttering to himself, Carrot went into the kitchen and asked Cup what was wrong. Cup froze, cursing herself for her carelessness before quickly coming up with an excuse.

"I guess I'm feeling tired," she said, "and the day's just getting to me. I didn't sleep well last night."

"I noticed you tossing and turning in the middle of the night." Carrot placed his hooves on her shoulders and gazed into her eyes. "Look, I know that trying to have a baby is stressful, but there's only so much we're in control of here. But we have to remember that the customer comes first, so I need you to get focused." Carrot tried to give her a reassuring smile.

Pinkie Pie jumped in with her typical overly cheerful banter. "Cheer up, Mrs. Cake. I'm sure you'll have a beautiful bouncing baby in no time!"

"I appreciate the thought, Pinkie," Cup said. "I guess the stress has been getting to me. I'm sorry." She lowered her head. Carrot lifted it back up gently.

"There's no need to apologize," Carrot said. "I'm anxious, too. But it's like you said. We'll just have to keep trying until it happens. It's out of our hooves." Carrot gave Cup what he hoped was a reassuring smile. Cup smiled in return.

"Thank you, honey," she said.

After that, she no longer bumbled any orders, but that didn't stop the looming thoughts from weighing on her mind. At night, she did all she could to keep from worrying about it, but with nothing to distract her, she was unable to fall asleep. Carrot noticed this, too, and he responded by kissing her softly on the cheek and looking at her lovingly.

"You're always there to help me to sleep," he said. "Allow me to return the favor."

"What do you mean?" Cup asked, looking at him warily. He leaned forward and gave her a warm kiss on the lips as a way of expressing his compassion. Cup quickly responded to the affection, even sticking her tongue into his mouth. They kissed with more fervor, Carrot rubbing a hoof through Cup's mane. Cup wrapped her hooves around his neck and pulled him close to her.

Soon Carrot's lips parted and he nibbled at her neck. Cup lifted her head as she relished the sensation, exposing more of her neck to him. She knew now what was coming next.

"Carrot, please," she implored him, breathing deeply. Carrot gently kissed her chest and gradually made his way lower down her body. Cup felt a warmth in every spot Carrot kissed as if his lips had been seared with heat. She imagined what it would feel like in the most intimate place of her body and moaned.

Carrot, wasting no time, kissed her folds gently. Cup felt as though her loins were on fire. It had been so long since Carrot had done this for her that she'd almost forgotten what it felt like to have his slick tongue probing inside her. His tongue breached her and lapped on her clit, and a wave of pleasure rode through her like the tide on the beach.

"Yes, yes..." she whispered as Carrot nibbled on her. She remembered the first night he did this to her. He had been sloppier then, but here he was more controlled and more efficient, gradually warming her body and making her gasp with every move he made. He stroked her thigh as he delved deeper inside her, moving her clit in a circle with his tongue.

Cup panted when he took her nub gently in his teeth and pulled on it. That was a new one, and as soon as he did it she wished he would do it every time. He worked more quickly, sucking in the juices that were now spraying into his mouth. He'd gotten so good at breathing through his nose that he didn't have to come up for air.

Cup thrust her hips forward, and Carrot withdrew his teeth so as not to bite her. He wrapped his lips around her nub and suckled on it. Cup felt her whole body heating up in the muggy summer air, and her nerves tingled as she came close to her climax.

"Carrot! Oh, yes! Yes!" she cried out, bucking her hips wildly as her body rocked in ecstasy. Rippling waves of pleasure coursed through her nerves and her thoughts were blinded by pleasure. She panted and gasped as the energy overcame her. She pressed down on Carrot's head with her hooves to drive him in deeper. The intensity lasted for a good thirty seconds before it finally subsided.

Cup panted heavily as Carrot withdrew his mouth. His muzzle was moist with her fluids, but Cup happily kissed him and licked him clean. Her own taste of cake frosting always made her excited. When she pulled away from Carrot she yawned.

"Thank you so much, honey," she said, closing her eyes and smiling as she put her head on her pillow.

"Good night," Carrot whispered before turning over and shutting his eyes as well.

This became the arrangement throughout the week, so that Cup's incessant worrying became more dormant behind the anticipation for the next time Carrot would orally pleasure her. It made her calmer in the kitchen and on the counter as well; she was no longer botching orders and she treated the customers more kindly.

Eventually, as it always does, time passed and it was time for Cup to go back to the doctor's office. Saddle pack on her back, she told Carrot that she was going out for lunch again. Carrot smiled at her.

"Enjoy," he said, giving her a peck on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Cup said, making her feel slightly guilty for lying to him. She waved goodbye to Pinkie at the counter as she walked out of the store.

The walk to the office seemed to take forever as Cup lost herself in her own assumptions and fears. She remembered a time in her foalhood when she found her parents' book of baby names and pored through it, imagining someday when she would have her own. That dream had seemed so close to realization when she married Carrot, and it was terrifying to think she would just fall short.

Take it easy, Cup told herself. You don't know what the doctor's going to say. Maybe nothing's wrong and we've just been unlucky. But after months of not conceiving, her gut told her that things were not going to be fine. When this gut feeling overtook her, she stopped debating whether or not she could conceive and instead wondered which one of them was infertile. A morbid feeling of melancholy loomed over her like a raincloud when she finally stepped into the doctor's office.

Now she was sitting in the waiting room, and with nothing to do except read a trashy magazine, Cup's depressing thoughts overwhelmed her. She was convinced something was wrong, maybe even with both of them! Her frantic mind imagined telling Carrot the bad news and how it would all go wrong.

"Honey," Cup said, "I just got back from the doctor."

"The doctor?" Carrot asked, a look of confusion on his face. "I thought you were going out to lunch."

"I lied. I went and got both of us tested." Carrot's brow furrowed and he ground his teeth.

"So you went behind my back after I explicitly told you not to see a doctor. Why did you lie to me?"

"Honey, I just had to see for myself—"

"There was nothing to see! You knew I was going to be embarrassed by it and you did it anyway! So what, you tested yourself and..."

"Well, not just me..." Cup said carefully.

"Oh, Celestia, are you serious?" Carrot yelled. Some of the customers looked their way. "You mean you brought a sample of my sperm? That's disgusting! How did you even manage that?"

"I don't think you want to know..."

"Oh, no," Carrot said dangerously. "No, now you've got me curious. How the fuck did you manage to take my semen to the doctor without me knowing?"

"Why are you doing this?" Cup asked, tears starting to come to her eyes.

"Maybe so it won't happen again. You're my wife, Cup. You're not supposed to be lying to me!"

"Honey, the customers are starting to stare—"

"Do you think I give a shit? Just answer the question!"

"Fine! I gave you a blowjob and didn't swallow! I went to the bathroom and spat it out in a plastic container! There, are you happy now?" At Cup's words, the customers slowly filed out of the store.

"Disgusting," one of them shouted. "I'm going to tell everypony I know never to eat here again!" There was nothing Cup could say to make them come back. She stared at her husband as he shook his head.

"I don't believe this, I don't fucking believe this..." he said. He rubbed his temple with his hoof. "Well, I guess it's too late now. You might as well tell me what the doctor told you."

"I don't...I don't want to."

"Then why did you even bring it up?" Carrot cried.

"Okay, fine!" she shouted. "We're both sterile! We can never have a foal of our own! Satisfied?" Cup started to cry when she saw the anguish in her husband's face. Cup stared at him pleadingly, wishing for him to say something consoling.

"I can't do this anymore," he said. "We're finished!" He walked out of the kitchen and left the bakery, the bell tinkling on his way out. Cup began to cry, burying her face in her hoof. She looked up at Pinkie, only to find her glaring at her.

"You lied to your husband," Pinkie said coldly. "That wasn't a very nice thing to do." Normally Pinkie's childish words wouldn't affect her, but right now it was just adding insult to injury.

"I didn't mean..." Cup sputtered. "I just wanted to..."

Cup heard the nurse call her name, snapping her out of her reverie. Her stomach did backflips as the nurse led her to Stethoscope's office. They entered, and Cup sat down on the table.

"The doctor will be in shortly," the nurse said.

"Th-thank you," Cup choked, watching the nurse leave and the door shut. She continued to grapple with herself until Stethoscope came in. He had a grim look on his face. Cup's heart sank.

"Is it...can we not...?" Cup asked, but she couldn't bring herself to say any more.

"I understand you're anxious about the results," he said. "I won't waste any more of your time."

"Okay," Cup whispered. Stethoscope took out a folder with his magic and opened it before taking some papers out of it.

"Cup, your blood tests came out well," Stethoscope said. Cup allowed herself a small moment of hope. "All of your hormones are at normal levels, showing me that you are perfectly capable of bearing a foal." Stethoscope stopped speaking, shuffling the papers. His serious expression sucked all hope out of Cup as quickly as it had come.

"Carrot's sperm count is low," Stethoscope said. "What he does have only survives for about a day, and under a microscope it was revealed that the sperm is morphed, or shaped incorrectly, making it a statistical impossibility for your husband could produce any sperm that would live long enough to fertilize an egg. We concluded that he's sterile. I'm very sorry."

Her heart plummeted as she went into shock. Everything she feared had been realized, but the reality was too much to take in. Stethoscope looked at her worriedly. Her eyes had drifted to stare at the wall and her mouth hung open.

"Mrs. Cake," he said firmly. Cup didn't respond. "Mrs. Cake," he said again. "Cup!" She startled and looked back at Stethoscope, blinking rapidly.

"Again, I am sorry," he said. "I wish I had better news." He returned the papers to the folder and set the folder down on the desk. He took a deep breath and continued to address her.

"Now, the best way for you to raise a foal is to look into adoption. In the larger cities of Equestria especially, there are many foals in need of a good home, foals in foster care or at the orphanage, wards of the state. Each of the major cities has an office you can visit to apply to adopt a foal. The process is hard, but many couples find it very rewarding...Mrs. Cake?" he asked, because she had started to sob and buried her head in her hooves. Stethoscope walked over to the table and patted her on the back in an attempt to soothe her. Cup sniffled and choked on her tears.

"It's all right, Cup, just let it all out," he said, coaching her through it. Cup sobbed and breathed heavily, as it was difficult to take in oxygen. Stethoscope levitated over to her a box of tissues. Cup looked up at them and took a large bundle in her hooves. She blew her nose loudly, then flipped the tissues over and wiped her eyes. She was calmer now, more in control, but tears continued to fall as she addressed her doctor.

"I'm sorry," she said. "This is all so much to take in."

"I know, and you don't have to apologize. All of my patients take the news hard. Take all the time you need to grieve, and then I suggest you seriously consider looking into adoption. It's the best way to—"

"Do you know how badly I've wanted to bear a foal of my own?" Cup asked, the hurt evident in her voice. "I've seen good friends of mine here in Ponyville that were pregnant, and it just made them so happy. They were glowing, they had a positive energy that lifted the spirits of everyone around them. A foal of their own. They daydreamed about raising them, caring for them, loving them. They couldn't wait to bring their little one out into the world. I'm sorry, but adoption will never feel the same."

"I never said it would," Stethoscope said, "but it's the best option you've got."

"But you're a unicorn," Cup said, staring at him pleadingly. "You have magic, right? Isn't there something you can do? I want to have the experience so badly." Cup leaned forward on the table, clinging on to a desperate hope. Stethoscope took a deep breath.

"Well, magical insemination has been theorized, but I have no idea if it's actually been done before. I'm certainly not the doctor to ask about it." Cup's hope sank again. Stethoscope patted her on the leg. He then stepped away from her and opened the folder again, levitating some papers over to her.

"These are a copy of your results. You should discuss them with your husband when you get home." Cup took the papers and placed them in her saddle pack.

"Thank you," she said hollowly as she walked out the door. She stopped in the hall and took the papers out of her pack. She glanced over her results, and then stared at his. The word "STERILE" was printed on the bottom in a box. After staring at it long enough, a rage overtook her sadness. She took the papers in her teeth and tore them to shreds. The ripping sound gave her a cathartic satisfaction. Once the papers had been torn beyond repair, she threw them in the nearest trash can and marched out of the doctor's office.

There was nothing keeping her from returning to the store at this point, but she couldn't bear the thought of going back there and facing her husband, not with the terrible knowledge hiding in her head. Her mind raced, thinking of some way to change her fate, to defy Stethoscope and find a way to get pregnant. She passed by the Golden Oaks library when an idea lighted her way toward a distant hope. She trotted quickly over to the tree and entered the library.

Twilight and Spike were playing cards on one of the couches. Up to this point, it had been a very slow day at the library. When Twilight heard the door open she jumped out of the couch and eagerly over to Cup with a smile on her face.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Cake. How can I help you?" Twilight's eyes sparkled at the prospect of a patron.

"I'm not looking for any books today," Cup said, subduing Twilight's happiness. "However, I did come here to ask you a question."

"Oh? What about?" Twilight asked, regaining some of her eagerness. Answering questions was almost as fun as suggesting books.

"Well, it's a bit personal," Cup said, shuffling her hooves. "I hope you don't mind."

"Exactly how personal is it?" Twilight and Cup sat down on some couches.

"It'll make sense when I tell you." Cup allowed a moment to compose herself. "Um...maybe I shouldn't say anything in front of Spike."

"Oh, okay," Twilight said before turning to the dragon. "Spike..." He grumbled, muttering to himself.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Nothing. I'm going..." he said as he dragged himself up the stairs to Twilight's room. Twilight returned her gaze to Cup, who was now looking more nervous than ever.

"So what is this about?" Twilight asked, hoping she was being reassuring.

"Well," she said, "Carrot and I have been trying for a baby for months now, ever since we got married."

"Oh?"

"Yes. We haven't had very much luck. Between you and me, he doesn't even know I'm here, so I would appreciate if you didn't tell anypony about this."

"I won't," Twilight said hesitantly. Cup caught the hesitation in her voice and decided it was best to omit part of the truth.

"I don't know if it's one of us or both of us, but if the problem is him, is there some way to use magic to impregnate a mare?"

"You mean like magical insemination?" Twilight asked, puzzled. Cup was glad she hadn't used that phrase, as it might have revealed that she'd already talked to a doctor about it.

"I guess so. I've just always wanted to be pregnant, to bask in the glow of expectant motherhood. You understand, right?"

"That's every mare's dream, isn't it?" Twilight asked. "I understand, but unfortunately I can't help you. Perhaps you should go see a doctor."

"Oh heavens no, it's much too embarrassing." Cup gave Twilight a pleading look as she rocked back and forth on the couch. "Are you sure you can't find a way? Ponies around town say that you're one of the most powerful unicorns in all of Equestria."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Twilight said, blushing.

"You're too modest, dear, if the stories I've heard are true. Surely there's some book you can look up to help you."

"Well, let me check the section on maternity," Twilight said, rising from the couch and using her magic to levitate a stack of books from the shelf. She glanced at the titles quickly, and when she found something promising she opened the book and skimmed the pages. Cup looked over her shoulder, trying to help her search, but Twilight was such a fast reader that she couldn't keep up. Soon the pile of books had been exhausted, and Twilight looked at Cup sadly, holding the last book in her aura.

"I couldn't find anything in any of these books," Twilight said. "Besides, doing such complex magic on that small a scale would entail working with a team of unicorns. Life is a very difficult thing to produce magically, and above that of simple bacteria it simply hasn't been done." She frowned at the tome she was currently holding and set it down. "Have you considered adoption?"

"I might have to," Cup said noncommittally. "Well, thanks anyway, Twilight. Carrot's expecting me back at the store by now. I told him I was going out for lunch."

"Do you need some food? I could whip up a daisy sandwich for you."

"It's all right, dear. I'll manage." Cup was eager to leave the library as quickly as possible. She walked toward the door briskly.

"Mrs. Cake!" Twilight called. She turned around.

"Yes?"

"I'm going to continue looking into this, I can't promise anything, but I'm going to try my best." She frowned. "Sorry I couldn't help."

"Don't worry about it. You were very helpful."

Twilight shrugged. "Well, I appreciate you saying that."

Cup left the library and made her way back to the store. She moved as quickly as she could, hoping the business of running the store would keep her mind occupied and away from her despairing thoughts. She was unsuccessful. I'll never have a foal, never know the joy of watching her first steps or hearing her first word. Why is life so unfair? It's all Carrot and I ever wanted. She was so lost in thought that she was surprised when she arrived at the door of Sugarcube Corner. A line of ponies was stretching around the side of the building.

"Oh my," she said. She squeezed her way into the store and passed through the throng of ponies to the counter.

"Oh, Cup, thank Celestia," Carrot shouted over the noise of the customers. "You wouldn't believe the rush we're having."

"I can see it for myself, honey," Cup said. "Where do you need me?"

"In the kitchen. Pinkie's working herself to death handling all these orders and she could really use the help."

"On it." Cup entered the kitchen and saw Pinkie mixing batter with one hoof, rolling dough with another, and trying to crack eggs in a bowl with a third. The yolk of the egg oozed down her hoof when she accidentally smashed it into the counter.

"Yay, Mrs. Cake!" she said when she saw her, making to bound over to her and give her a hug but almost slipping on her yolk-covered hoof. She slid to an awkward stop in front of her.

"No time for chit-chat," Cup said. "We need to get to work. What do you need me to make?"

"Derpy ordered two dozen muffins of all different flavors! Blueberry, Strawberry, Kiwi..."

"Understood," Cup said, not even stopping to think about the third flavor Pinkie had mentioned.

Strangely enough, the rush only got worse as the afternoon rolled by. The extra work in the kitchen stressed Cup and pushed her to the limit. It didn't help that she was feeling the early signs of estrus, the warmth of the bakery irritating the feeling in her loins. As unpleasant as the work was, however, it did succeed in taking her mind off the baby situation, if only for a few hours. She managed to keep up with Pinkie at baking, which was a feat in itself. As time wore on her back began to spasm and her hooves felt sore from standing on the hard tile. At one point, pain seared through Cup when she overreached for a measuring cup, and she paused, rubbing her back in an attempt to soothe it.

"Oh, Mrs. Cake, here," Pinkie said, reaching into a drawer and pulling out a bottle of pain pills. "Take two of these."

"Pinkie, you know I don't like taking those."

"You need it, though! It's the final rush, and we can't quit now. Just take them!"

"Okay," Cup snipped, snatching the bottle and taking two pills. Pinkie handed her a glass of water, which she gulped down.

"Alright, back to work," Cup said.

It was remarkably how quickly closing time came. The busier you are, the faster time goes, as Cup's grandmother Rhubarb once told her. It turned out she had been right, because Cup couldn't believe it when Carrot came in to say that the store had closed and all the customers had finally left. They smiled at each other, thinking about the kind of money they had made this afternoon. Pinkie bounded over and pulled them in for a group hug.

"Now we just have to clean up..." Cup said, looking around the kitchen. It looked like Rainbow Dash had torn through it. The sink was overflowing with dishes, there was batter dripping all over the counters, and the cabinets were half-open, their contents completely disheveled. The three ponies drew a collective sigh before beginning to tackle the project.

It took them forty-five minutes to return the kitchen to its pristine state, but then they had to deal with the front of the store. There were crumbs all over the floor, the chairs and tables had been thrown about, and the counter was in disarray. They cleaned this as well, and though it didn't take quite as long, it was more grueling because of the energy they had already expended cleaning the kitchen.

By the time the whole store was in tip-top shape, even Pinkie was showing signs of weariness. Cup, her defenses down and the work done, felt a black despair creeping into her again. Eager to try to escape it, she came up with a solution that she would usually never think of.

"Honey," Cup said to Carrot, "do you want to go to the bar and get a drink?" Carrot looked at her quizzically.

"We never go to the bar," he said, "but, as tempting as that idea is, I'm too exhausted to even think about going out. I'm going upstairs to pass out."

"I'll go!" Pinkie chirped.

"Pinkie," Carrot said, "you're not even allowed in bars anymore, remember? After that night with Rainbow Dash?"

"Oh yeah," Pinkie said, deflating a bit, "but how was I supposed to know unicorn horns could break?" There was an awkward silence. "Oh well, guess you're on your own, Mrs. Cake."

"That's all right," Cup said. "Don't wait up."

"I won't," Carrot said with a grin. Cup returned the smile and left the store.

She was starting to get used to the creeping thoughts whenever she walked through Ponyville. She realized bitterly that yesterday she'd wanted more than anything to figure out the problem. Now she just wanted to forget.

The sign for Lucky's was coming up in the distance. She trudged there slowly, wallowing in her sorrow. She stopped just outside the door, put a hoof to her chest, and allowed herself a moment of grief. She resolved to tell Carrot in the morning, but now was not the time to think of such things. She shook herself and stepped inside.

It was a weeknight, so the bar wasn't all that crowded, which was a relief. The music was a bit too loud, though, but there was nothing for it. She took a seat at the bar and caught sight of a purple mare cleaning a glass with a rag. The mare looked up and walked over to her.

"Mrs. Cake? I've never seen you here," she said. Cup recognized the voice.

"Berry Punch?" she asked. Her eyes widened with realization. "It is you! What happened to Shot Glass?"

"He moved out to Trottingham about six months ago. I guess you haven't been here in a while."

"Not since before the wedding. So you've been here for six months?" Cup asked. Berry nodded.

"Yeah, as soon as I heard Shot Glass had left I jumped at the chance to work here. I like talking to all the ponies, but the best part of the job is free drinks when I'm off duty."

"Oh, that must be fun," Cup said, laughing. Berry chuckled as well.

"So, what's your poison?" she asked.

"Do you have any hard cider?"

"From Sweet Apple Acres?"

Cup laughed. "Is there any other kind?" she asked. Berry Punch smiled.

"Not around these parts, there isn't," she said.

"I'll have a bottle of that."

"No problem!" Berry said, reaching down into the large fridge and pulling out a cold bottle. She popped the cap with her teeth and set the open bottle in front of Cup. Cup took it and started swigging. Berry had learned not to pass judgment on how much a pony was drinking; it wasn't good for business. She returned to cleaning the glasses. When Cup set the half-empty bottle down, Berry came back over.

"Rough day?" she asked, making Cup cringe.

"I don't really want to talk about it." She turned away and sighed.

"That's fine," Berry said before leaving again. Cup quickly downed the remainder of the bottle and started looking around the bar. Most of the stallions here were chatting up some mare or another, or were here on a date. Cup frowned, remembering a time in her youth when the stallions of Canterlot would hit on her. She never got that kind of attention now, especially now that she was married. I shouldn't even be thinking about that. Nevertheless, being here triggered those kinds of memories, and they only made her feel worse.

Cup was now starting to feel a little tipsy. Guess I'm more of a lightweight than I thought. Still, for tonight, tipsy wasn't good enough. She was about to ask for another bottle when a stallion took a seat next to her. She was startled by his sudden appearance, then even more surprised when she didn't recognize him. He had a blue coat the color of a dark sky and a wispy white mane that reminded Cup of a cloud. But she was immediately drawn to his hazel eyes, a color which she rarely saw on anypony. Only Rainbow Dash's magenta eyes had struck her as stranger. Cup felt a powerful heat between her haunches which only intensified when he turned to her and gave her a debonair smile. She flushed with embarrassment, but couldn't bring herself to look away. The dashing unicorn opened his mouth and spoke.

"Come here often?" His voice was like silk. Cup stared at him, forgetting her etiquette. He laughed. "I'm sorry, that was terrible. Bad habits from Manehattan, I suppose. I'm new in town, so I figured I'd mingle with the locals, see if anypony would catch my interest. And I'm happy to say I've certainly found somepony... " Cup giggled. She put her hoof up to her mouth to try to hide it.

"Oh, where are my manners?" he asked. "I haven't even introduced myself. My name's Pokey. And you are...?"

"I'm Cup."

"Cup, Cup... Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Cup." The two ponies shook hooves.

"What's a good way to quench your thirst around here?" Pokey asked. "I want to get a taste of the local Ponyville flavor." He smiled slyly. The double entendre wasn't lost on Cup.

"Oh, you have to try the hard cider from Sweet Apple Acres. It goes down so smoothly," Cup smiled and giggled, feeling like a schoolfilly. Pokey smiled. He knocked his hoof on the counter and Berry came over.

"Two bottles of the cider," he said. Berry glanced at Cup quizzically but shrugged and pulled up two fresh bottles, popping the caps of both of them and setting them on the counter. She had also learned not to judge the company a customer kept, even if said customer was married. Cup and Pokey clinked their bottles together before taking a swig. They both pounded down about half their bottles before slamming them down on the counter.

"You're really putting that away," Pokey said, amused. Cup giggled; the buzz was definitely starting to kick in now.

"I haven't done this in a while," she said, "so I figured I'd make it good."

"Cheers to that!" Pokey said. They clinked bottles again and emptied their bottles.

"That really is smooth," Pokey said. "I like it when things are smooth..."

Cup smiled and scooched herself up in her seat. "So, what brings you to Ponyville?" she asked, resting her head on her leg propped up on the counter. Pokey smiled and cleared his throat.

"I've been a city pony all my life. When I was younger, I used to go clubbing all the time. I drank a lot, danced with a lot of mares, did more than dance with a few of them." He cleared his throat again and chuckled. "But I'm getting older, and it got too fast for me. I couldn't keep up anymore. I was trying to think of a quaint village I could live in, and the first name that came to mind was Ponyville. I've always been drawn to fame, and I knew the Elements of Harmony were all living here, so I was hoping I could meet them."

"Well, I could introduce you to Pinkie Pie," Cup said with a grin, "and she'd be more than happy to take you to meet the rest. She'll also throw you a wild party because you're new here. Just like the old days, right?"

Pokey chuckled. "Not exactly. Manehattan parties were crazy."

"You don't know Pinkie Pie then," Cup said. Pokey laughed and gazed into Cup's eyes. She stared right back, then turned away out of shame. Pokey frowned a bit but took it in stride.

"Do you do shots?" he asked. Cup laughed.

"Ha! Not since I lived in Canterlot as a young mare." Pokey's eyes widened.

"You're from Canterlot?" he asked. Cup nodded. Pokey let out a whistle.

"Wow, all those rich and famous ponies. Plus you were a stone's throw away from Princess Celestia. I'm jealous."

"It wasn't all good," Cup said. "I moved out a long time ago. I just couldn't stand the stuffiness anymore. It wasn't for me."

"Well, if you don't mind me saying it, you must come from some money. Living in Canterlot isn't cheap."

"My family was well-off," Cup understated. "Mother and Father were both lawyers."

"Well, you must have wanted for nothing then," Pokey said.

Cup frowned. "It was so lonely though..." She petered off into silence. Pokey took her hoof in his. The contact made Cup tingle and jump a bit, but she found it was actually quite comfortable.

"I know the feeling," Pokey said, staring at her in earnest. "All those parties, waking up with all those mares, and I still felt like the loneliest pony in Equestria. I guess I still feel that way..." Cup put her hoof on his shoulder.

"You don't have to feel lonely," she said. "You're with me."

"I am?" he asked, and he smiled a toothy grin.

"Well, you're talking to me, aren't you?" Cup teased. Pokey laughed heartily.

"Of course, of course," he said. "What's the barkeep's name?"

"Just call her Berry."

"Berry!" he called, knocking his hoof on the counter. Berry came over again. "How 'bout a couple of shots of vodka for each of us?"

Berry giggled nervously. "Coming right up." She poured them four shots, two for each of them, and set them on the counter.

"Oh, come on, Berry," Pokey whined, "we're thirsty here!"

"Why don't you drink those and see how you feel first?" she suggested.

"Fine," Pokey said. "Prude," he whispered under his breath, only loud enough for Cup to hear. She laughed far more than she should, burying her muzzle in her leg to stifle it. Pokey grinned proudly and patted her on the back.

"Take it easy there, babe," he said. Cup didn't object to the pet name. He raised one of the glasses and gestured for her to do the same. She picked her's up.

"Cheers," he said, and the two tipped up their heads and downed their drinks. Cup sputtered and started to cough a bit. Pokey patted her on the back again.

"Hooves over your head," he suggested. Cup raised her hooves and after a while, the coughing did subside.

"Thanks," she said, "it worked."

"Nah, it didn't," Pokey said with a devilish smirk. "That doesn't actually do anything."

"Be quiet, yes it does!" Cup objected, punching him in the leg.

"I'm serious, it's an old mare's tale. You only think it works, but it's just coincidence."

"That's not true!" Cup protested, giggling. "My mother always taught me to do that."

"Here's a hint," Pokey said. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Everything she told you was a lie." He grinned and pulled away as Cup started giggling incessantly.

"You're terrible," she said in between gasps.

"Oh you don't know the half of it, babe," he said. Cup was chortling now, unable to contain her laughter. Pokey finally relented and gave her a chance to breathe. Cup took some deep breaths as she clutched her chest with her hoof.

"Okay," she said. "I'm okay now."

"You sure?"

"Yes, just don't say another word!"

"Another word. There, I said it. What are you gonna do about it?" Pokey chuckled. Cup punched him on the leg again.

"You ready for round two?" he asked. Cup didn't even hesitate. She picked up the glass and downed it immediately, leaving Pokey to catch up.

"That's some strong stuff," he said, putting the glass down. "Not as strong as the big city's, but it's got some bite."

"I haven't had vodka in years," Cup said. Her head was starting to swim and her vision began to get hazy. A small voice in the back of her mind told her she had drunk a little too much. It was the same voice telling her to stop talking to Pokey and go home. This voice was quickly drowned out by a primal hunger that made her feel energized. She leaned back in her stool and almost tumbled over. Pokey grabbed her and lifted her back onto the seat.

"Okay, you look like you've had more than enough," he said. "Let me take you home." An alarm rang in Cup's head. No way she wanted to risk Carrot seeing her with this handsome unicorn. He would get the wrong idea.

"I can...I can walk home by...by myself," Cup said, her speech starting to slur. Pokey shook his head.

"No way I'm letting you walk home by yourself," Pokey said. "What if you fall over and get sick on the road? It would be embarrassing, not to mention dangerous."

"Can we...can we go to your place?" Cup asked. Pokey felt a thrill of excitement in his stomach. If she was this drunk and they were going back to his place...there was also that stench of heat on her...

"Then you can walk home in the morning," he said. "Fair enough. Let me just get the tab."

"Oh right, I have to...have to pay for my c-cider," Pokey stopped her from pulling out her purse.

"It's on me tonight," he said. He placed a sizable amount of bits on the table. Berry came over and picked them up. She looked at Cup quizzically.

"Oh," she said, "he's just...he's just gonna w-walk me home."

"Are you sure about this?" Berry asked. "I mean, my relief's coming in about an hour. If you just stuck around, I could take you home..."

"Oh, it's really no t-trouble," Cup stuttered. "I c-can take care of myself."

"Okay then...be safe!" Berry said, waving to them. They waved back and stumbled out of the bar, Cup resting on Pokey's back to keep from falling over. Pokey was feeling a little buzzed himself, but he'd had less to drink and was more used to holding his liquor than Cup. He internally rejoiced in disbelief of his good fortune. Here he'd been, eyeing her from the back of the bar, thinking of the right way to approach her. And now he was taking her home. He knew from experience that something good was going to happen, and it made him feel ecstatic.

It was a short walk to Pokey's place, one of a number of small houses near the town square. With Cup on his back making it hard to use his hoof, he levitated his keys to the house and opened the door. They stumbled inside. The living room was mostly clean, but there were still a few boxes of unpacked belongings strewn around the room. It and the kitchen took up the main area, with hardwood and tile floors. Down the hall was the bathroom and then Pokey's bedroom. He herded cup into the bedroom and did his best to hold her steady as she collapsed on the bed.

"You just go ahead and get comfortable," Pokey said. He slowly lifted his hoof up and started to rub her hind legs. Cup squirmed a little at the sensation.

"What are you doing?" she asked groggily.

"Shh..." Pokey said, "just relax..." He climbed into the bed and sidled up next to her, nibbling at her ear. Cup couldn't help but smile.

"Ever been with a unicorn before?" he asked, trying to steer her in the direction he wanted to go.

"N-nope, but I've always...always been curious..." He swooped in for the kill. He planted a saucy kiss on her lips. He pushed his tongue against her lips, trying to part them. She opened her mouth and he probed her and licked at her tongue. Pokey ran a hoof through her mane and rolled over so he was on top of her. He wrestled with her tongue and touched her face with his hooves. Pokey broke free from the kiss and started to nip playfully at Cup's neck. She breathed heavily and lifted her head back.

Pokey decided to introduce some magic into the foreplay. His horn glowed, and he sent feelers to massage Cup's lower lips. She hissed as she felt the warm tendrils stroke her gently. It was driving her nuts.

Finally unable to take anymore, Cup lifted herself up, stumbling a bit, and then turned, presenting her rump to Pokey. Her pink lips were slick and dripping, and he could smell an overwhelming musk emanate from her inner chambers.

"Rut me," she growled. "Rut me until I can't walk straight."

Pokey was already having a hard time restraining himself at the sight, but the suggestion quickly pushed him over the edge. He was eager to feel her vaginal muscles surround his cock.

He moved up behind her and reared to place his forelegs on her barrel, mounting her like she wanted and aligning his member with her dripping cavern. He pushed up against her lips, feeling her fluid coat his cock and facilitate an easier entry. He slowly pressed against her until he felt his cock get swallowed up into her cavern. Cup felt herself stretch as she took in his impressive length and girth. He thrust into her slowly, allowing her walls to open up to him. Cup thrust her rear back, indicating that she wanted him to go faster. He quickly obliged.

As he humped her harder, he leaned forward and took her mane into his mouth, tugging on it gently. The thick bristles of Cup's mane tasted bitter on his tongue, but it was a move he knew would drive her crazy. Cup began to grunt as she felt her head being pulled back and gasped when he started to pound into her with more fervor. Pokey poured all of his energy into rutting her, even using his magic to apply pressure to her clitoris. That quickly got her to gasp loudly. Pokey wondered if the neighbors could hear, a prospect which only made him more excited.

Before his ministrations sent her rocketing into orgasm, he removed his magical tendrils from her vagina and began kneading her shoulders like they were dough. Cup took a moment to catch her breath, grunting in frustration now that he was holding back, but enjoying the pressure in her shoulders nevertheless. He used his front hooves to stroke at her thighs as well, and that made her nicker and shift her hindquarters back. The added pressure to his dick made his loins tighten up, and he knew he was close.

"I'm almost there..." he whispered into her ear. Experience told him to pull out, and he did so, getting snagged a bit because she was so tight, but he managed. His cum spurted all over the sheets in large puddles. Cup felt her wave of pleasure subside and, after realizing what happened, became enraged. She turned around and glared at him.

"You w-wasted it..." she said with a pout.

"What?" Pokey asked, but then she pinned him against the headboard of his bed with her hooves. She lowered her head down to his waist, wrapping her mouth around his cock. The sensation of her tongue lapping at his tip drove any further questions out of his mind. His softening erection quickly swelled again as she sucked on him with fervor.

Cup was doing a haphazard job of blowing him, being not totally in control of her efforts, but Pokey was enjoying it immensely all the same. He thrust into her mouth, breathing heavily as Cup sucked him even harder. The moist warmth made his loins clench, but he knew that if he held it in as long as possible, the release would be even more satisfying. He strained to hold his load, but Cup's efforts were quickly becoming too much for him to handle. Cup removed her mouth from his cock and turned so that her rump was facing him once again.

"Inside this time, honey," she cooed.

"Um...okay," Pokey said. He rose from the bed and mounted her gently. He used his hoof to push his dick slowly into her cavern. Now properly positioned, he humped her fervently. Once again her tight, slick walls made him grow harder and he felt about ready to burst his load again.

That Cup wanted him to shoot off inside her aroused him greatly. He humped in earnest to bring himself to climax. Cup responded by thrusting backward. His loins tightened more and more and up to the point where he knew he would burst. When he felt it coming he leaned back and thrust forward. His load finally shot into Cup's cavern, the feeling of the fluid entering her driving Cup over the edge as well.

She was about to scream, but she muffled her cry with the blanket. It was good that she did, because the name "Carrot!" came out of her by instinct alone. She felt raw energy bowl her over and paralyze her brain. She rocked harder and harder as she rode the wave of ecstasy. Once Pokey's load had finished spurting, his dick softened. He dismounted her, and semen dripped from the tip of his dick and from her folds onto the sheets. They both came down from the high and laid in bed next to each other, kissing gently.

"Why'd you muffle your screams?" Pokey asked gently. Cup felt a latent dread in her stomach.

"I...d-didn't want to w-wake the neighbors," she said.

"Let them hear you. Let me hear you. It's actually a turn-on for me."

"I'm r-really tired..." Pokey kissed her forehead.

"I know, babe. Me too." Snuggled up against Pokey, Cup closed her eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep. Pokey shut his eyes as well, hoping to dream of the wild mare he'd met at Lucky's that night.