Girls and Bridle Ch. 08

"... Whatever! Let's go... Let's try this direction before we roast to death!"

Moonlight's legs were getting heavy, and it was not a small thing considering her usual strength and endurance. But Tiantang Zhi Ma, even if not complaining nearly as much, seemed to struggle as well, which added credibility to her claim of being lost. Nevertheless, she followed Moonlight without judgment despite their dire situation.

The charismatic Asian ponygirl would not help her. Moonlight was lost and needed to find her way. In the name of love, Tiantang placed her life in the hands of the young girl.

***

"I can't wear that!"

"It's perfect! We are buying it!"

"Brittanyyy! Come on!"

From a pile of dusty pony outfits, Brittany found a forest green latex suit. It was of great quality and fitted Cassy perfectly. The downside was that there were no breast cups. Cassy's boobs were fully exposed, something she only had realized after she put the suit on. Wearing an old suit wasn't an issue, but having her chest exposed this way was a bit odd.

"Hemlock and Nightshade will love it. Alright, I also found this old harness. It's bulky, but since you aren't racing, it will do just fine. What do you think about the boots?"

Cassy clip-clopped around the room, testing the worn-out pony boots that Brittany had laced on her feet. The fit was good, but it was as if a thousand feet had visited them before. It wouldn't be something she could be running in unless she wanted to explode one of her ankles; there was no support anymore.

"They are comfy, but they are crap."

"No, they are not. You know nothing! We will work on them later. Let's find you a bridle and a bit, now. What about this one?"

"It's fine. But the bit looks too big. I don't like the big ones. It hurts my jaw."

"We can find a smaller flexible one. Let me check in that pile over there."

The small driver began untangling a bunch of leather straps and metal rings. Some of the bridles were probably sitting on the table for decades. There was no significant market for used ponygirl gears these days as all the brand new stuff was relatively affordable. Usually, stores like this were reserved for broke people, or at the very least, women who weren't sure if they really wanted to be a pony.

But as Brittany was tugging and pulling on the leather mess, Cassy dragged her attention elsewhere.

"Hey, Britt... look at this here."

"What? Where?"

"In the display case here... look. I didn't see it because of all the junk covering it."

Cassy pushed a bunch of harnesses off a small desk and wiped an inch of dust off the glass lid with her hand.

"Ooooooh! Woooow!"

"What is it, Cassy?"

"I don't know... But you better take a look yourself."

Curious, Brittany walked up to the display case and looked through the dirty glass to see what was inside.

"... Are you fucking kidding me!?"

"... Britt? What is it?"

"Something... impossible."

"Uh?"

"Cassy. Grab your stuff... we are leaving."

"Why? I still need a bit."

"We have old ones at the stable. Just change back to your street clothes and grab your stuff."

Not feeling like arguing, Cassy headed to the far corner and began to take off her secondhand pony gears. Meanwhile, using her fingers, Brittany tried to lift the glass lid to access the mysterious object, but it just rattled; it was locked.

Almost immediately, a creepy voice startled her.

"Aaaaah! Yeees! Little miss is indeed a connoisseur. Unfortunately, this piece is not for sale, nooo. It is way too precious."

"... I must have it! State your price."

"Yes, indeed. You must have it... but... the question is whyyy?"

"Because I know exactly what it is. And I also know you shouldn't have it! Maybe I should call the cops?"

"We see! You know the story! Yeees! But the story is sometimes treacherous, little miss. In your possession, such an object could change your life in a way that you would not expect. Yeees."

"... You make no sense! Creep!"

Brittany hadn't managed to take her eyes off the display case, even when the creepy man stood behind her and began rubbing her shoulders in a way that would have made a lover shiver. Something abnormal was going on.

"... Just... just tell me how much you want for it?"

"Aaah! Money! Nooo! Money won't do... What we want is way more valuable... Yes... Something way more precious."

"What is it? Tell me!"

"History! We want history!"

"History?"

"Yeees! See... this object belongs to someone very important... a woman! She must receive this object. Yes."

"What woman? I don't know what you are talking about. Its previous owner is dead. What you say makes no sense!"

"Oooh... no no no! You are wrong... you knooow... You knooow who it belongs to... You fear her... You have feared her since the first time you saw her."

"I... I don't fear anyone!"

"Liiies... Now we know that you know. We can see it in your eyes. Yeees..."

Brittany stepped back, in shock, and had a hard time processing what the man just told her. It couldn't be! It just couldn't be!

"No!... It... It can't be her!"

"Aaaah! Little miss... Now that you understand. This object is now yours. Will you do what you must? Yeees?"

"... yes... I will..."

Using an old rusty key that he retrieved from his pocket, he unlocked the glass lid and lifted it, making the seized hinges scream. The object, in pristine condition, rested on a layer of red satin.

Unsure if she would have preferred not to discover it, Brittany stayed still while the man placed it in a small wooden box.

***

It was not fun anymore. Side by side, Moonlight and Tiantang dragged their feet with much difficulty between the sharp rocks and bushes that the extreme heat of the desert had burned. All day, they walked, hoping to find a sign of life. A village? A farm? A camp? Anything that could have helped them figure out where they were. Perhaps, seeing some people who could have helped them. Every bit of their exposed skin hurt, burned, almost bubbling at this point.

"Tiang... I'm... I'm scared..."

"Scared?... Why?"

"We... we won't make it out of this desert alive..."

"S... sure we will... I... I trust you..."

Moonlight slowly turned around to look at an exhausted Tiantang. The Asian woman was definitely struggling to breathe in that heat, yet, she didn't seem overly worried. She still put all her trust into the young ponygirl, who still couldn't understand why this was happening.

"TIANG! Stop saying that! I can't save us! I have no idea where we are. I'm completely exhausted, and there is still no sign of life around. We are done for."

"That's... that's too bad... I... I really thought you could do this."

"Aaaah! You are infuriating! Let's go! We are not dead yet."

All that resolve in her voice didn't translate to her body language. Having trouble supporting her own weight, Moonlight resumed her aimless course painfully, followed by Tiantang, who was ten feet behind. Still, her heart burned with anger for having been put in this situation. Death was too great of a punishment for having left Penny's stable.

Panting heavily, Tiangang still appeared to have a desire for socialization. And here, where nobody would interrupt her, seemed like a good place for this activity.

"You know... Moon. You are... good."

"Shut up, Tiang. Save your breath."

"No no... Haha. I'm telling you... You are very good."

"Sure! Whatever! So good that you are trying to kill me."

"Nah... I told you. I like you a lot... I'm actually trying... to keep you alive."

"Nonsense! You don't keep people alive by dragging them in the middle of the desert without water!"

"Oh, yes. I do... I'm pretty sure I'm right... about you, Moon."

"What now? Right about what?"

"You are the best... by far... the best runner. I knew that since... the first day I met you."

"Yeah. That must be why I got humiliated during my last race."

"Sophie trained you well... but... she can't do everything for you."

"Oh, Tiang! Enlighten me! You too, tell me why it was all my fault! I'm all ears."

"You didn't think you could win. I told you that!"

"Yes, and it still makes no sense."

"You... you are scared, Moon. Because you don't believe... something good can happen to you. You want good things... but you don't believe you can get them."

Moonlight turned around again, very annoyed.

"AND WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!? Magically win everything!?"

Tiang smiled and shuffled her way to the angry pony, ignoring the risk of getting a smack in the head, and placed her hand on her chest.

"Yes."

"..."

"Nobody or nothing can stop you, Moon. You are not like us. You CAN win everything. Even this little excursion of ours."

"NO! I CAN'T!"

Slapping Tiang's hand was not nice, but she didn't want to hear any more of this nonsense. Tired of arguing pointlessly, she resumed her walking. How could this woman put so much faith into her about something she couldn't accomplish.

"Ah... Then we'll die here... That's slightly... unfortunate."

"Exactly!"

"... but I still don't think I'm wrong about you, Moon... haha. You'll save us."

Moonlight rolled her eyes at that last comment and kept going. Perhaps putting some distance between her and her follower would make the useless chit-chat end. But as she quickened her pace, a loud thud came from behind her. She turned around, just to find Tiantang Zhi Ma lying flat on her face.

"... Tiang?"

Moon trotted back to Tiang as fast as her tired legs allowed her to, leaving a trail of fine dust behind, and crouched next to the inanimate woman.

"TIANG? Tiang! Wake up! You can't stop walking... You'll die!"

The older ponygirl's breathing was shallow, and she didn't show any signs of consciousness.

"Tiang! Tiang! Wake up! Common on! There... There are spiders and snakes around here... you said it yourself. You can't stay here. You have to wake up!"

".... Mmmh..."

"Common! You can't do this to me! You have to help me get back home."

"... I... I don't really... like... spiders..."

"Then stand up... Let's go! If we stop moving... We are dead."

***

"What's in the box?"

"Nothing! And stop asking."

"What's in the box?"

"CASSY!"

"Aaah! I'm just curious, that's all... Your little interaction with the store owner creeped me out. That was the weirdest person I've ever met."

"Whatever! Forget it. We have your new pony gears and I'll put you to work as soon as we get home."

"Pfff... You got me a suit with boob holes, worn-out pony boots, an old leather harness that looks manly, and a rusty bridle..."

"Well, you still seem happy..."

"Yes, because you generously bought me my cowboy hat."

"You didn't leave me a choice. You kept whining and refused to leave the store without it. You can be so annoying."

"So... What's in the box?"

"CASSY! STOP!"

It only took thirty minutes for Brittany and Cassy to return home, but it felt like two hours to the former. It turned out that Stardust's helper was a bit more playful than anticipated. From bad jokes to a finger in the ear, she teased Brittany non-stop, using the fact that she was Stardust's protégé not to fear the little trainer. Being friends with a legend came with some nice perks.

Nevertheless, the two girls made it back to Stardust's stable and parked in the driveway. After getting out of the old pickup truck, Brittany instructed Cassy to collect her new old items and stay outside while she disappeared into the house with her mysterious box.

"Brittany is weird... It must be some sort of collectible or something. But still... weird... I hope we will never have to go back to that creepy store."

Five minutes later, Brittany walked out, carrying a bucket full of pony maintenance products... The same bucket she used when she wanted to give a serious makeover to her ponies.

"Let's go, Cassy. To the stable."

"Are you turning me into a pony right now?"

"Yes. And don't make a fuss about it."

"No, no! I'm looking forward to it. Haha. I haven't worn a pony attire for a good two years. So I kind of miss it."

For Brittany, it was business as usual, but Cassy was happily following, looking forward to trotting around in pony boots, even if they were crappy.

When they entered the stable, unsurprisingly, Hemlock and Nightshade were making out on their haystack. But as soon as they noticed they had visitors, they stood up and headed toward them. But before they could make any good progress, Brittany slammed their stall door close and lowered the latch!

"No! Stay in there! I have work to do. You two keep doing whatever gross things you were doing."

"Brittany! Are you turning Cassy into a pony?"

"Yes!"

"YAY!"

As she walked past the stall door, Cassy waved at her two friends innocently. It was a good day. She had a lot of fun with Brittany, even though it wasn't reciprocal, and now she was going to wear a pony outfit again, something she has always loved to do. Okay, her new gears were ancient and would certainly be uncomfortable, but it was better than nothing.

Brittany entered an empty stall, away from Hemlock and Nightshade's curious gaze, placed her tools on the floor, and went to fetch a little wooden stool.

"Alright. Strip, Cassy."

"Usually, ponies put on their latex suit themselves. It's less embarrassing."

"Don't tell me what to do. I know what I'm doing."

"Just saying!"

"I can't wait until you have a bit in your mouth. I swear."

Obviously, Cassy had no issue taking off her clothes in front of Brittany, but that little nudge was still a fun thing to do. While she folded her clothes neatly and placed them on the dusty shelf, Brittany was already working on the special forest green suit. She had pulled it inside out and was cleaning the surface that would mold around Cassy's body.

Cassy placed her chin on top of Brittany's head.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Hey! Stop it. I'm making sure it's very clean, so it doesn't irritate your skin."

"It's super old. It probably won't be very comfortable to wear."

"No, you are wrong. I bet you didn't even notice why we bought it."

"... Because it had open boobs, and you wanted to humiliate me?"

"Yes, but it's also because it's from the company Cropity Hoof."

"Cropity Hoof? Never heard about that company."

"They closed a long time ago, but their suits were the best. Wait until I finish cleaning it. You'll see what I mean."

It was fascinating to see the latex material slowly regaining its original color under the masterful attention of Brittany. It was going from a dull dark green to a vibrant deep green. It was actually beautiful. Cassy could tell how many impurities were removed from the latex just by looking at all the blackened pads Brittany had tossed aside after use. Her only regret was that she had not realized how gross it was when she put it on at the store earlier.

"Alright. That's done. Come here, Cassy. I will give you a quick wipe to clean you up. That way, your dirty body won't nullify my efforts."

"You are going to rub your hands all over me? Sexy!"

"Stop it, dumb pony! Just come here and open your arms."

In the most non-erotic manner possible, Brittany used a damp towel to give Cassy a quick bath. Of course, the ponygirl didn't really need a shower, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Despite the exchanged sarcasm, Brittany knew that Cassy would have to work hard while wearing her suit, and some sand stuck between skin and latex could quickly become quite irritating.

Once that was completed, Brittany helped Cassy in her suit. The gliding sensation on her skin was strikingly different; it was already much easier to put the suit on, and, as Brittany had mentioned, the quality was definitely there.

The legs went in, the suit went up past the hips, the arms slid inside the sleeves, and the boobs found their way through the reinforced chest holes. Brittany zipped it up, and the result was perfect.

"Perfect fit. I like how high the collar goes. You still have a great body for a retired pony."

"I retired early, but Stardust kept me active. I don't think I can race again, though."

"No, you are done. Unless you really want to work harder than everybody else. You can't really stop training for two years in a row and easily come back. I can tell you lost muscle mass and flexibility already. But I'm not sure why you never won anything, though. You are very athletic."

"I suppose I didn't have a very good trainer."

"It's a shame, Cassy. Your body reminds me of Lady Wallenstein's."

"Oh, no! That ponygirl is way better than me. She will end up in the Super Cup league one day."

"You could have too. Alright, let me clean the suit's exterior now. It's gross."

Similar to what she had done to the inside of the suit earlier, Brittany attacked the exposed surface. Once more, the dull green color turned into something vibrant, almost lickable. Making Cassy giggle in the process, she went from her neck to her toes, not missing a single spot with her cleaning pads.

"The exposed boobs are odd, but it's a beautiful suit, Britt. Did you know it was going to look like that?"

"Yes. As I said, it's a Corpity Hoof brand. It's premium stuff and you can't go wrong with it. And this is your harness... I bet you are too dumb to know what it is too."

"Hey! Be nice! But no... I don't know."

"Armando Silverthread. Rings a bell?"

"The fashion designer?"

"Yep... did you know that in the fifties, she produced a handful of those bulky harnesses?"

"I... didn't... Are we rich now?"

"It's definitely worth some good money, but ponygirls don't wear this style of harness anymore. Today's ones are much thinner. But it is still a very very good harness. Let me clean it up first. It's not going to look too good right away, but after weeks of rehydrating the leather, it's probably going to look like new again."

"How come you know all that stuff, Britt?"

"I just like pony gears. That's all. It's a hobby."

Brittany sat on her stool and began conditioning the sad-looking harness under Cassy's increasingly impressed gaze. She had no idea Brittany could be so knowledgeable about pony equipment. Most people these days were simply going to Pony Exchange to buy brand new stuff without even considering the possibility that what was sold in the past could have been better and cheaper. Cassy crouched in front of Brittany to look at her working.

"You are pretty when you work."

"... What!? Shut up, Cassy!"

"My trainer didn't have that passion. You really seem to like what you do. And it makes you look pretty."

"Are you flirting with me? If that's the case, I'll kick you in the teeth."

"Kick me, then. I'm just trying to be nice."

"You annoy me."

Incessantly smiling, Cassy thought it was not that hard to crack Brittany's shell after all, and it was a fun thing to do. But going it too far could cause damage, so instead of pushing the cork into the bottle, she turned back to her remaining pony gears and grabbed one of her used boots.

"So, what about the boots? Are they special too?"

"You can't tell?"

"No... They look flimsy."

"They are made like that. Don't you know what that symbol is?"

"What symbol? Oh... a horseshoe with wings?"

"It's not wings, you idiot. It's fire. That's the Iron Inspire logo."

"Oh! I know that brand. They still sell stuff today."

"Of course, they do, silly. It's the oldest pony wear company. What they crafted in the sixties was their best stuff."

"So, you only got me good gears today, after all."

"I... I just wanted a good price. But since I found those, I got them."

"You like me. You wanted the best for me. I remember seeing cheaper harnesses in the piles."

"Cassy! I swear I'll make you groom the track twice tonight if you don't shut up! Let me work now!"