Girls and Bridle Ch. 03

"Five meters! ... FOUR ... THREE! ... TWO METERS! COME ON! ONE!"

"AAAAAAMMMPH!"

"STOP Stop! Stop! You did it... Calm, CALM! Come here, come here..."

Moonlight's body was flooded with level adrenaline and pain that she never came close from experiencing before. She couldn't breathe enough air anymore and was extremely confused. Her anxiety skyrocketed, her whole body was shaking, and she didn't know what to do to make it stop. Sophie had seen this before, so she rushed to the panicked pony and wrapped her into a hug.

"It's all good... Calm... You're good. shhhh... Breathe... breathe... shhhh. Come on... You're good. Kneel for me, okay? Good girl! Just calm down with me."

Moonlight fell on her knees and pressed her face against Sophie's warm belly. The soothing words made her close her eyes too. It felt as if her eyeballs were trying to look in every direction at once.

From afar, Morning Star was baffled. She had just witnessed an unofficial world record. Pulling seven blocks on such a distance had never happened before. Moonlight didn't look like it, didn't know about it either, but she was the strongest pony on Earth.

***

In the ward next to the operation room at the central hospital, two beautiful blonde girls were lying down on two side by side beds. As the anesthetic effects were wearing off, they started chatting with each other using a low voice.

"Hemlock? Are... Are you awake?"

"Yes... and I feel like shit."

"My... My boobs hurt."

"No kidding! So are mine. I wonder why."

"Sorry... I didn't mean to..."

"Mean to what? To go one size above what they recommended?"

"Are... are you mad at me?"

"Nah! I'll never be mad at you, Nightshade. I'm just worried. Our new boobs won't make you any more confident. I hope you'll believe me next time when I say you are gorgeous."

"I' m... I'm sure you'll still like playing with my bigger breasts."

"Hehe... Probably... I hope mine will feel good too. They say we have to take it easy for the first two weeks, though."

"Aaanh!"

"Nightshade? What are you... Are you masturbating right now?"

"Mmmm... maybe."

***

The next day after the sled and concrete fun, Sophie and Moonlight were back at the store, Pony Exchange, to get what they needed for Moonlight's first amateur race. Right now, they were trying on a latex suit.

"It feels so weird! Remind me why I need to wear this again?"

"I told you, the rulebook says you have to wear one. It helps the commentators identify you on the track. It won't impede any of your movements. On top of that, latex will stick to your body more than anything else and follow all your curves. That way, your harness won't slide around and burn you. Plus, black suits you."

"It still feels strange... And it doesn't look as good as the ones I saw on Hemlock and Nightshade when their fans were molesting them."

"Hehe. That was funny. But yes, it needs to be polished. We will do that at home."

"But even Morning Star's suit didn't look as good as Hemlock and Nightshade's one."

"Aaah, it makes me puke to say that about her, but Brittany is probably the best at making her ponies look stunning. She has some secret tricks that I don't know about. Don't compare us to them. Okay, this one fits you great. We will buy it."

"Okay, I'll take it off now."

"Nooo... We need to get you a body harness first. Stop being so impatient."

Being a ponygirl was still very new to Moonlight. She never considered having anything to do with pony races until she met Tiantang and Xiuying. Even then, it was not something that interested her. On that aspect, she was different from every other ponygirl out there.

Spending the past few weeks under Sophie's care had changed things a little bit, though. Her life was filling up with small successes, something she had never experienced in her previous miserable life. So playing pony was slowly growing on her, and that made things way more fun than anticipated.

Despite that, she didn't feel like a real ponygirl most of the time. She wasn't like Morning Star, who was way more bestial and instinctive. When observing her, occasionally, she couldn't tell there was a human under that bridle.

Moonlight couldn't help but wonder if Sophie expected the same thing from her.

"Alright, let me try this harness on you."

"Hey... Sophie? What if I don't want to be a ponygirl?"

"What do you mean? You have a lot of fun with us, no?"

"Oh, yes. It's not what I meant. What if I don't want to act like a pony?... Like Morning Star does."

"Aaah, I see what you mean. Let me ask you this. How would you describe my personality?"

Answering a question by a question was a bit odd, and it was rather off-topic. As the straps tightened snuggly around her body, Moonlight decided to attempt an answer anyway.

"You are joyful. You like taking care of us. You are funny. But I also know you like being in control."

"That's right. Now, how would you describe... Let's say... Xiuying?"

"Oh, totally different personality. Xiuying is like all serious and super by the book. But yet, she is such a loving person."

"Who is the better trainer, then? Her or me?"

"You can't ask me that! I didn't spend much time with Xiu, but I'm sure she is an excellent trainer too."

Sophie chuckled as she brought Moonlight exactly where she wanted in order to answer her initial question.

"Et voila. You answered your own question, Moonlight. There is not a right or wrong way to become a good ponygirl. Sure, you have to be willing to wear the boots and harness, but ultimately, the way you feel in them is up to you."

"Really?"

"Yes! You are not Morning Star and will never be. But you know what? Yes, I want you to become more pony-like, it's what will make you shine on the track, believe me on that. When you see the good results, maybe you'll decide to act more like a pony because you know it will bring you good things."

"Is that what happened to Morning Star? That's why she is so into it?"

"God no! Morning Star has been obsessed with pony racing since she was a kid. Let's say she is a natural. I have a picture of her wearing pony boots at 11 years old. Hehe. So cute."

Sophie gave a good tug on the harness.

"So, how does it feel?"

"It... It hurts here, in the middle of my chest."

Sophie examined Moonlight's chest and pressed on it with her fingertip.

"Here?"

"Yes, I always had that little lump there, I don't know what it is."

"Haha. A lump. Cute. That is your xiphoid process, silly. It's a bone. Yours is sticking out a bit more than average. Harnesses with a center ring are not good for you then. I'll make you try a different one."

After trying different models, the duo settled on a beautiful black harness with a diamond pattern. It was not causing any discomfort and was following flawlessly every single curve on Moonlight's body.

The next step was to find a decent bridle. Sophie didn't want to negotiate on that one; she wanted to purchase the exact same one that Morning Star had, the one with the cute leather ears.

"Do the ears serve a purpose?"

"Oh, no! They are just pretty. Hehe. Not all ponygirl items are useful. Hey, see that patch on the forehead? It's detachable."

Sophie pulled on it, and it came off.

"We can have the leatherworker add a symbol to it. Morning Star has a ... well... a white star."

"Can I get a moon? It would fit my name."

"Yeah! That would be awesome! Let's buy everything and go to the leatherworker right away."

***

"Aaaanh! They are so sensitive!"

"We... we are not supposed to play with each other like this. It's not even been a week."

"I know... but... keep sucking on my nipples... So good. Aaaanh!"

"They taste as good as before too. I really like our new size."

Nightshade, all naked, was lying down on her back on the living room couch. Kneeling on the floor next to her was Hemlock, carefully massaging her lover's newly augmented breasts. It was not allowed, but they failed at resisting to explore their new mountainous landscape.

The stretched skins caused by the inserts and the soreness of procedure made the experience a sensitive one. The soft hands rubbing her warm breasts reinforced Nightshade's belief that going through this was a great decision.

"They still feel real. They are just much bigger."

"Aaanh! Don't pinch! Aaaanh! They feel heavier too, but our latex suit will support them well, I'm sure."

"Paul said he was going to buy new suits for us with bigger breast cups that fit better. There is no doubt that all the eyes will be on us from now on."

Looking pretty and sexy was very important to both of them. Being the best-looking ponygirls on top of being among the strongest was such a source of pride. They had so many fans who copied their style and so many girls had dyed their hair blonde and wore a ponytail like them. They were idols, the ones people loved to see on the front page of sports magazines.

Some people would say that they were a bad influence on the young girls, pushing them toward a more superficial set of values, but a lot more supported their efforts to show that it was okay to be both sexy and powerful. It was okay to be sexual, and it was okay to display it in public. Hemlock and Nightshade never forced their specific lifestyle on anyone; they promoted everybody's lifestyle, so people would do whatever they felt was right for themselves, no matter what it was.

This minor surgery was by no means necessary in the grand scheme of things. But, for Nightshade, it was a scream saying, "I would like to look this way, and I can if I want to. So don't tell me what to do or not with my body!" And having Hemlock playing with her new boobs and providing her with such a pleasurable experience comforted her in her choice.

"Aaanh! I'm so happy right now. I hope it's true that you really like them."

"Of course it's true, silly! Night, your new breasts are amazing. All I said was that you didn't have to get them to be happy... but if that's what you really wanted, I'm fine with it. Now sit up, I want to lick your crotch and make you cum, then we will go to bed."

Nightshade's perfect abs contracted to effortlessly bring her to a sitting position on the couch despite her new upper mass, then she slid down a little while opening her legs, inviting Hemlock's long tongue to a feast.

"AAaanh! You started to strong... aAaahh!"

"Mmm... Because I'm more and more attracted to you every passing day."

"I... Aaaah! I love you so much, Hemlock!"

Out of the blue, Brittany irrupted the living room, in a foul mood!

"WOULD YOU STOP having sex for just ten minutes!? Geez... Every single night when you sleep in the house, it's the same thing. If you are not racing, you are fucking! What are you? Machines? Damn! People are trying to sleep here!"

***

"Why didn't you want Morning Star to come to my first race? I would have liked that."

"Seriously, Moonlight, do you think she would have just sat there watching the race after the stunt she pulled in the paddock?"

"No... but... I mean... You have been keeping her locked in her stall for the past week. You only let her out a couple of times per day for walks and light training. She told me she misses reading her sports magazines. Can't you at least let her do that."

"That is my decision as a trainer. I know Morning Star much better than you do. Anyway, stop thinking about her for now, let's put your harness and bridle on, we have to prepare for our race."

Moonlight and Sophie were getting ready in one of the stalls of the Balk Raceway. Every Saturday night, they were hosting amateur races in front of about two thousand people. The dirt track wasn't outstanding quality, but it would do just fine to give Moonlight a first taste of what racing felt like.

This was all new to her. For the past few days, she had been pulling that sled over and over on longer distances, obviously not doing it with seven blocks again; that was a bit too intense. Then finally, yesterday, she got to pull a real cart for the first time. It was like pulling a bag full of feathers; Sophie was so light.

"There! How does it feel?"

"It's snug... I like it."

"Good, so remember, your first race is just to get a feel for it, I don't care if we win or lose. It's just to see how it goes. You HAVE to listen to everything I say, okay?"

"Yes... I'll do my best."

"And I know you have no experience being guided by reins, so try to pay attention and obey. I don't want us to cause an accident. We will stay away from the others at first, so don't try to keep up with them unless I tell you too. I'm the one deciding how fast we are going and where. Not you."

"If I know I can go faster and beat them, how will you know?"

"I will. That's what I do for a living. You run, I drive. You focus on your technique and breathing, and I'll keep an eye on everything else to keep you safe."

Just hearing this question was enough to make Sophie understand that the first race would be a good challenge. She was pretty sure Moonlight wouldn't listen or understand half of her commands, but that was okay. It would be a great learning experience. The only important thing was not to cause trouble.

Sophie placed the bit in Moonlight's mouth and buckled the bridle around her head. She gave her latex suit a quick shine, just for the show, and led her out of the stall, giving her a few more instructions.

"So, you understand that if you pull too hard on your cuffs, they will disconnect, right? So don't do it or else it's an automatic disqualification. Keep your wrist to your waist at all times. It will open up your chest and allow more oxygen in your lungs. It's a 2000 meters race, two laps of a 1000. If you forget to breathe, it's going to be a long race."

Cart number 7 was waiting outside the barn. Sophie led Moonlight to it and attached the small vehicle to her hips before climbing on.

"Walk!"

It was still a funny feeling for Moonlight to pull a cart. It felt so unnatural but kind of fun at the same time. However, it only took a couple of meters before Sophie reprimanded her for the first time.

"You are not even paying attention, Moonlight. You are pulling me and going wherever you want to go. Don't you feel the tugging on your reins? Stop thinking about where YOU want to go, just let ME drive, else we are going to get in trouble."

Moonlight understood the words, but it was not as easy as Sophie made it sound. Her driver asked her to stop thinking and just do whatever the reins told her to. She remembered that Sophie had taught her about trust in the past. When she was obeying, everything went so much better, so she tried to go back to that place in her head, to retrieve this feeling of freedom from when she let things go.

After the inspection, they got on the racetrack, trotting around to warm up and practice the reins commands. The crowd watched the unknown ponygirl, but the thrill was nowhere near the one experienced during the Super Cup.

Sophie kept reminding Moonlight to relax and not to look at the crowd, which was curiously easy. Moonlight didn't seem intimidated by the crowd at all. She was the kind of ponygirl that didn't care about what people were thinking of her. She had been treated poorly all her life by stupid people, so she learned not to give a shit about people's opinions. Her ability to naturally deflect all pressure effortlessly was a fantastic trait for a pony.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the Balk Raceway! The first race of the night is a two laps, 2000 meters race. We have a line up of seven amazing ponygirls that are ready to give us a good show."

"We will now be calling the teams to the gates."

"Gate 1 ... Cart number 32 ... Silver Sword!"

"Aaah! I know her... She is not bad at all."

"Gate 2 ... Cart number 2 ... Last Moment"

"Never heard of them ... That is a creepy name..."

"Gate 3 ... Cart number 80 ... Lady Wallenstein!"

"She is the one to beat tonight. Look at her blonde hair; she is beautiful. She is like the doll ponygirl that all the teenage girls want."

"Gate 4 ... Cart number 7 ... Moonlight!"

"That's us... Alright, be careful. Take your time and get in the gate. Remember what I taught you. Don't go crazy."

"Gate 5 ... Cart number 99 ... Electra!"

"Gate 6 ... Cart number 71 ... Private Grin!"

"Gate 7 ... Cart number 11 ... Red Pearl!"

"What? Is Red Pearl here too? Well, Moonlight, we have a nice lineup tonight. Alright, place your forehead on the gate, and wait for it to open. Then accelerate as fast as you can until I tell you to pace yourself. Remember, we are not trying to win this one. It's just to get some experience, okay?"

Moonlight was getting anxious. Everything was new to her, and an official race was not something she was familiar with at all. But she wanted to do well; she wanted to win despite what Sophie had explained to her. While observing the other ponygirls entering their gates, she understood that she was probably better than all of them. She had that conviction that she could finish first.

Her hooves were trying to find a comfortable position in the dirt, but it was as if there was none. The rusty white gate in front of her squeaked a bit when she pressed her forehead on it. Her foot was shaking, which didn't escape Sophie's attention.

"Calm down, Moonlight! Take it easy!"

"Ready! IN THREE ... TWO ... ONE..."

As soon as Moonlight heard the number one, she bolted forward with all the strength she had charged in her calves for the past minute. Her astonishing power made Sophie sink in her cart like never before.

But the gate wasn't open yet.

In ponygirl racing, the gates never opened on the number one of the countdown... never. Moonlight knew that ... but forgot. She slammed very hard in the metal doors, which just rattled loudly, making the whole crowd gasp.

Immediately after the severe impact, the gates opened and all the other ponygirls jerked forward and ran, leaving in the dust a confused Moonlight who had fallen to her knees. Sophie quickly tried to communicate with her to provide very specific commands to address the incident.

"Moonlight! Moonlight! Get up! Don't worry, just get up! Get out of the gate and go to the outer edge of the track. It's all good. We are just going to wait for the race to finish, but you have to get up now so they can move the gates out of the way before the racers come back."

Moonlight was in pain, and her soul was screaming humiliation. Her bells were still ringing, but she managed to follow Sophie's directives and limped out of the way.

When she reached the side of the track, all she could hear was the crowd laughing at what had just happened. Sophie jumped off her cart and went to see her.

"Hey!? Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Moonlight's face was red, and her eyes welled up because of the embarrassment. Her first race shouldn't have been like this... everything but this. This was the absolute opposite of winning, what she had wanted the most. This was pure shame...

Sophie grabbed her reins very closely to her chin and told her about the upcoming steps.

"We have to stay here until they finish the race, then we will go back to our stall and have a chat about what happened. Don't worry. Everything is going to be just fine."

***

"So? Where does it hurt?"

"... I'm fine."

"No, you are not. You were limping. It is your foot?"

"... My knee... But it's better now."

"Let me apply some ice, just in case. If you don't feel any better, we will skip the next race."

"We should go home!"

No, Moonlight didn't want to race again tonight. Not after what she had done. She didn't feel ready for this anymore, and her overconfidence had deflated like a birthday balloon bursting under pressure.