Chapter 36

My eyes kept scanning the outside as we rode the train home. Five days. Five days in the big city and so much crazy shit happens in a short amount of time. I glanced over to Diamond as she played with Nala and Mr. Rich read the newspaper. I was glad to finally be returning home after being away for so long. I could only imagine what the others would say to me, especially Moon. I missed her not being with me, and I wished she could’ve come along. But I had to respect her wishes to stay since she wasn’t exactly ready to be in a place that had dozens of people passing by per minute.

“Looking forward to returning home, Axel?” Rich asked me.

“More than you know,” I answered. “It’s been…an eventful five days in the big city, let me tell you.”

“I concur,” Rich agreed. “But I will say it was also quite fortuitous, considering we’re about to revolutionize the entire transportation system.”

“Now that, I can say I too am looking forward to seeing how that pans out,” I said.

“We’re home!” Diamond cheered as she and Nala looked out the window.

I looked back out the window as well to see the friendly town of Ponyville come into view. I smiled with a wide grin, happy to see the place still looking as vibrant as ever. As the train eventually pulled up to the platform, my grin only managed to widen when all of my friends and even Moon were there to greet me. The girls and Moon all waved at me and I waved back. Once the train made a complete stop, Mr. Rich, Diamond, and I gathered our bags and stepped off the train car.

“Axy!” Pinkie chirped.

Before I could say anything to greet her and the others, Moon flapped her wings and jumped into my arms before planting her lips against mine. I responded by dropping my bags and wrapped my arms around my girlfriend to return the kiss before we broke apart and she smiled lovingly at me.

“Welcome home, my dear sweet Axel,” Moon said as I cupped her cheek.

“Glad to be home, Moon,” I said back.

We shared another kiss before I let her down and I took turns hugging Twilight and the girls.

“About time you came back,” Rainbow said. “I’ve been meaning to test out some new flying moves with you.”

“I look forward to it,” I said with a nod. It was then I noticed there was someone missing from the group. Someone who, like me, was also a freak of nature with unnatural powers.

“Say, where’s Orion?” I asked. “Didn’t he get back before me?”

“Unfortunately not, Ax,” AJ said. “Last we heard; he was supposed to catch the train before yours but we ain’t seen him yet.”

“I see…” I said. His trip with Doo must be taking longer than expected.

“Merow!” Nama meowed.

“Hi, Nala!” Twilight cooed and knelt down to scratch her chin. “Did you have fun, you little runaway?”

“Ah, so my suspicions were accurate?” I spoke.

“I’m sorry, Axel,” Moon apologized. “One moment she was sitting on the sofa while I was reading, the next she just flew out the window and after your train.”

“Eh, no biggie,” I shrugged it off. “We had fun in Manehatten anyway.”

“I shall be off to my home now, Axel,” Rich said. “I’ll see you tomorrow for our regular business together.”

“Bye, big brother Axel!” Diamond said and hugged me. “I had the best time ever with you!”

I hugged her back before the two of them left for home. Nala then started to paw at my leg, which was a sign that she was hungry.

“Hmm…seems like I need to help train you to hunt on your own,” I surmised. “Perhaps a trip to Everfree will help with that.”

“Everfree?” Moon perked up. “You’re already heading out when you just got back?”

“Hey, little Nala here can’t live off human food forever,” I shrugged. “Even though she’s my little companion, she’s still considered a wild animal.”

“Axel’s right,” Fluttershy spoke. “Manticore’s are one of the most capable and ferocious apex predators. I support the idea of Nala needing to get used to hunt for her own food.”

“And Everfree is where she’ll learn,” I said. “I’ll be back at the library as soon as we’re done with a field test.”

My trek to Everfree was short and I soon found myself standing in the thick foliage of trees. Nala looked around with her scorpion tail wagging lazily behind her as she looked up at me curiously.

“I meant what I said, Nala,” I said to the manticore cub. “You gotta learn to fend for yourself. Human food can’t be your only diet.” Nala meowed at me as if she agreed with me somewhat. “Now, go off and see if you can hunt down some critters. I’ll wait here.”

Nala meowed at me and obeyed my orders. She flapped her little bat wings and flew off deeper into the woods. I stood by a tree and waited patiently for her to return. After about ten minutes, I heard some rustling in the bushes and she came back with a surprise. The manticore cub had what looked like a gopher in her maw and it just hung loosely in her maw.

“Well, shit! That was fast!” I grinned. “Good girl, Nala! Guess you didn’t lose any of your animalistic instincts after all! I was worried you’d be too domesticated.”

Grrrrrr!

From some nearby bushes the sound of multiple growls could be heard. I quickly turned to see what was approaching.

From the bushes Timberwolves slowly crept out. First there were five, then ten, and within seconds thirty.

They were larger than normal wolves, their green eyes glowing menacingly at me and the manticore cub.

“Oh shit…” I said nervously and Nala hissed at them. Probably to protect her kill she wanted to feast on. “Hmph. Ain’t got any time for you stupid lumps of wood.” I opened and closed my hand as tiny sparks of electricity crackled.

Just as the pack was about to pounce, a new presence from behind Axel made itself known.

“Rrrrrraaaawwwwhhhhh!”

A deep and ominous roar filled the entire forest, making the trees shake, and all who heard it tremble. As if a horrific demon was now glaring down at the Timberwolves.

In an almost demonic voice Axel heard. “Begone, or I shall devour your corpses.”

Just as the Timberwolves scurried away like frightened pups, Nala and I slowly turned around to see none other than Orion himself. The guy must’ve had an easy five or so inches on me in height as Orion almost immediately changed his attitude and smiled that big goofy smile at me.

“You son of a bitch…!” I laughed as we dapped up on each other by clasping our hands together.

“Glad to see you are well, my friend,” Orion said with a smile as he pulled me into a hug and patted my back. “How long have you been in town?”

“Just got in,” I replied.

“Merow!” Nala meowed loudly and jumped on Orion’s chest.

Orion caught the little cub, and smiled, his hand moving to stroke her fur and scratch under her chin. “Well, hey there little lady, have you been keeping this numbskull out of trouble?”

“Hey!” I chastised.

“Merow!” Nala meowed again and Orion took notice of her grown size.

“My goodness you are growing up fast, pretty soon it will be hard to carry you around.” Despite his statement, Orion looked just as strong since I last saw him. But something did seem different about him, though I couldn’t put my finger on it. “So, what brings you to the Everfree forest? If you just got here, I would have figured you’d be in town catching up with the others.”

“Well, I was helping Nala hunt on her own since she can’t live off human food forever,” I said. “She surprised me by hunting that critter over there.”

Orion looked to see the gopher and nodded. “Very good, keeping her instincts sharp, I can respect that.” Orion looked to Nala and pointed to the gopher. “I suggest you go eat your meal then, sweetie. The most important rule of the hunt is as follows. Hunt to eat, and only eat what you hunt.”

Nala didn’t need to be told twice and got to chow down on her meal.

“So, what’s new with you, Orion?” I said as I leaned against a tree. “I see you got a growth spurt. How’d it go with Doo?”

There was a brief pause as Orion’s cheeks turned a dark shade of red, and he turned his face away coughing slightly. “Ahem, things went well, we managed to find two more talismans, and I managed to convince her to let me hang on to them. That’s about it.”

I stared at him for a good ten minutes before it clicked.

“…oh, no the hell you didn’t,” I tried desperately to suppress a laugh.

His cheeks burned red, and he did his best to not look my way. “Let it go, man, I’m warning you, alright?” He said through gritted teeth.

“Puh…HAHAHAHAHAHA!” I laughed out loud and held my gut. “Oh my god, dude! Seriously?! I mean, she’s hot, I can admit that, but really?! We only knew her for a fuckn’ day! What the hell did you do for a week?!”

I was dying of laughter that I didn't notice him raising his arm up. His hand making a chop pose.

“ORION CHOP!!” Then I felt him slam his hand down on my head.

“GAAHHH!” I yelled and held my head, already feeling a huge-ass bump growing. “…ow.” Orion glared down at me with a fury of a thousand suns. “Okay, but it’s still hilarious.” I rubbed my head a little more before standing up straight. Meanwhile, Orion was still trying to calm his blushing. “Why don’t you start from the beginning?”

“Maybe later, for now let’s head back to town, I have some business to attend to, and I want to check in on Applejack,” Orion said.

I nodded and we both made our way back to town. Nala had just finished her meal and trotted next to us.

“So…Doo?” I asked with a smirk and he just looked away. “I’m just curious, man. How the fresh fuck did you manage that?”

“You know, I didn’t use more than 5% strength on that last chop. Keep talking, and I’ll show you what 20% looks and feels like.” Orion added coldly, glaring me down.

“Okay, then lemme tone down the smartassness and ask a simple question,” I said. “Are you two official, and does this mean you’re gonna do that joint relationship thing?”

His glare softened and his expression became more stoic. “That’s what I’m gonna ask AJ about. According to the tradition of this joint relationship, the lead woman must decide if any newcomers are allowed to join.”

“Y’know, I’m a little surprised,” I said as we made it out of the tree line. “I always figured you’d ask Shy or Rares out.” He looked at me like I was talking crazy. “What? Moon told me about your little spa trip with them. And I kinda got the vibe off them and their view of you to boot.”

His face went bright red, almost hot enough to be set on fire. His mouth opened and closed but no words came out. Clearly he didn't have the foggiest idea about.

“Dude, seriously?” I said with an arched brow. “I’m a dumbass, I’ll own that, but I’m not dense. You clearly made a good impression on them so it’s not surprising that they too would start to have a thing for you.”

He said nothing but turned away, but after a moment of silence he finally said his peace. “The idea of having more than one love is still a new concept to me. While it’s true having more to love is a good thing, it can also be a curse.” His tone was serious.

“Well…I mean, I guess I can understand why you’d say that,” I shrugged as we neared the town. Just then, Celestia popped into my mind and a brief image of me, Moon, and her came to mind. The thought made me smile a little. “But who can say? Maybe for some, it’s a whole new experience compared to just being with one woman.”

“Be forewarned, my friend. Dividing your heart could lead to it getting shattered faster,” Orion added in a sort of sagely voice.

I simply shrugged again just as we made it into town. Suddenly, a familiar sound of a pair of feet sprinting towards us was heard in the distance. Unsurprisingly, AJ was hot on her feet as she was in a full sprint right at us, specifically Orion. All Nala and I did was take a step back to rewatch a similar situation that has happened before, and will most likely happen whenever Orion and his girlfriend are away for a certain amount of time.

“Remember to center yourself, bro,” I said.

I saw him nod and that he was sweating bullets. “This is gonna hurt a lot,” he said in a slightly froggy voice. I watched as he dug his feet into the ground and prepared his body.

AJ wasted no time and jumped in the air with a big grin before crashing into Orion. Orion was able to catch his girlfriend but not without having the wind knocked out of him as she wrapped her arms around his chest and hugged him tight.

“‘Bout time ya showed up, ya big lug!” AJ said with glee.

Orion let out a weak weeze before looking down at his girlfriend. “Missed you too, AJ, but you really need to stop tackling me like this,” he said in a hoarse voice, his body almost going pale from the impact.

“Shut it!” AJ giggled and planted a wet kiss on his lips.

It was then that the rest of the girls, plus Moon, managed to catch up and meet with us.

“Yo, girls,” I said.

“Is that Orion?!” Rarity asked.

“He’s back!” Shy squealed.

“And getting busy already,” Rainbow smirked.

Orion’s face went back to being bright red, but I don’t think it was because of Rainbow’s remark. He avoided looking at Rarity and Fluttershy, trying not to stare at them for too long. No doubt because of what I had said earlier. When AJ broke the kiss, Orion couldn’t help but chuckle at AJ and wrapped his arms around her. AJ did the same and nuzzled her face in his chest.

“Yeah…” AJ sighed. “Nothin’ beats this, I’ll tell ya what.”

“Well, I can think of one thing.” In a smooth and fluent motion, Orion scooped up Applejack holding her like a princess, before wiggling his eyebrows at her.

“Ah! Hahahaha!” AJ giggled and nuzzled Orion more.

“Aw, well, ain’t that precious?” I said, wrapping my arm around Moon’s hip.

“Indeed. They truly love each other,” Moon said.

“Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” We all looked up to see Derpy fly towards us and pull out a newspaper and handed it to Rainbow Dash.

At that moment I noticed that Orion went a little bit pale, and slowly put Applejack down, before trying to sneak away.

“What the HECK?!” Rainbow gasped while reading the paper. “ORION!”

“Oh, this should be good,” I rolled my eyes.

I watched as Orion’s body went stiff and he slowly turned to look at Dash. “Who…me?” He asked dripping bullets as he seemed worried.

“Yeah, you!” Dash said and showed us the newspaper. “You met Spitfire and the Wonderbolts?!”

I was honestly surprised by the headliner. Random Civilian rescue Wonderbolts! in bold captions, with a picture of Orion shaking hands with Spitfire.

“Now, hold on, Dash, I can explain. Just relax,” Orion added, trying to defuse the situation before it could escalate.

“You can start by explaining this!” Rainbow demanded.

“Guess there was a lot more that happened on your trip than what you told me, bro,” I smirked.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” AJ wondered.

“Axel, if you ever want to have kids, I suggest you keep your mouth closed.” Orion shot me a death glare as his hand was in a chopping pose, however given where he was aiming, I quickly decided to shut up.

Clearing his throat Orion spoke up. “I was on my way back from my last exploration with D- I mean, A.K Yearling, for her book. We were passing through an area where the Wonderbolts were performing and wanted to catch the show from one of the viewing buildings. I didn’t see what happened, but I saw that two of them had been injured and were falling.”

“Falling? The Wonderbolts?” Twilight asked. “That’s rare.”

“What happened?! How did you save them?! Can I meet them?! Did you get their autograph?!” Rainbow bleated as she shook Orion like a rag doll while gripping his shirt collar.

“Will…you…stop…shaking…me!?” Orion shouted as his body was pulled back and forth.

This got Dash to stop, but she wasn’t definitely still eager to hear what happened. “All I did was run off one building to jump and grab them, before landing on the next building.”

“What are you, the Hulk?” I asked jokingly. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. “He’s…it’s just a…never mind…”

“That must’ve been quite a shock for them,” Fluttershy said.

“I know that would’ve shocked me! Wowie!” Pinkie chirped.

“Yes, well, they were just happy to have come out unharmed. Afterwards, I would find out that they were testing out some new flight suits. Problem is that these newer versions were actually putting a strain on the base of the wings, that’s why they fell,” Orion explained while showing where on the wing that was the problem.

“Well, kudos to you, man,” I said.

“That’s so cool! And so unfair!” Rainbow said. “You both got to meet my heroes and made a good impression! When am I gonna get my chance?”

“I could introduce you, you know,” I said. “I still got Spitz’s card.”

“Oh, that reminds me.” Orion reached into his shirt, where I guess he has a pocket, and pulled out an envelope. “I did get this from Spitfire.”

“What’s that?” Rainbow wondered. “An autographed letter?! Gimme!”

Like a cat, she jumped at the envelope but Orion moved his hand out of the way. We watched them play cat and mouse as Rainbow kept swiping at the envelope to grab it.

“Now, calm down Dash, this is an invite for one the next Wonderbolts try out,” Orion said calmly.

“But how come she gave it to you?!” Rainbow accused. “No offense, Orion, but you don’t even have wings! At least Ax has an excuse since he technically does have wings thanks to his weird magic!”

“If I had a bit for every time I had to say that my powers aren’t magic, I’d have my own private yacht on standby,” I deadpanned.

“She gave it to me because I asked,” Orion quickly added. “She seemed grateful enough for me saving her, that she said yes.”

“Care to explain why?” I asked.

“I’m also curious,” AJ wondered.

“This is Spitfire, we’re talking about!” Rainbow pointed out. “She wouldn’t give such a precious thing to just anyone! She’d only do it for the best of the best fliers!”

At this Orion looked at Dash, he gave her a knowing look. “And you think that you are one of them?” He asked in a serious tone.

“Well, sure I am! I’m the best flier in all of Ponyville!” Rainbow boasted. “Ax may have had a lucky chance to race the Wonderbolts but I would’ve done just as well if it were me!”

Orion kept a serious look on his face, like he was cooking up a plan of some kind. “Alright Dash, time to put your bits where your mouth is, since you are the best one here.” Orion held up the letter. “If you can beat me in a competition of your choosing, I will hand this over to you.”

“Really?” Rainbow said with sparkles in her eyes. Orion promised by doing the traditional pinkie promise.

“Pinkie promise.” Everyone gasped. “Now then, I hope you won’t be so rude as to choose a competition only you can participate in.”

“How about a race?” Rainbow suggested.

“Hello?” I spoke, gesturing to Orion’s lack of wings. “Seems a bit unfair, if you ask me.”

“She would be at more of an advantage if they were to race each other,” Rarity agreed.

“I accept,” Orion quickly agreed, making everyone look at him, like he had lost his damn mind. Which I was thinking right now.

“Hang on a sec.” I walked behind Orion and started touching his back. He was a bit put off by it until I then looked into his ear. “Hello! Anything in there! I’m looking for what should be my friend’s brain! If there’s a brain in there, knock twice!”

“I know what I’m doing, Axel.” Orion swiped my hand away as he looked back at Dash. “So, when, and where Dash? I hope you won’t try and suggest a place where I can’t run.”

“Easy! Ghastly Gorge!” Rainbow challenged.

“Again? But you almost broke your wing last time,” Twilight said out of concern.

“But she got her pet Tank out of it!” Pinkie chirped.

“Someone wanna fill me in? Who’s Tank?” I asked.

“My pet tortoise,” Rainbow answered.

“That only makes less sense and more questions,” I deadpanned.

“Easy!” Dash quickly flew off before just as quickly coming back with a map and marker. “We’ll start at the edge of Ponyville and make our way to Rambling Rock Ridge.” She drew out the route for everyone to see. “Then around the Everfree Forest, and eventually through Ghastly Gorge, until finally coming back around to the edge of Ponyville.”

“That’s a long ways around,” I commented.

“It’s my daily route!” Rainbow boasted.

“You sure you can handle that, bro?” I asked Orion. “How can you be so sure you’ll win?”

Orion said nothing, but I did watch as he examined the route that dash drew up. “Alright, and it’s memorized,” Orion said with a smile. “So, Dash, we have the where, now what about the when?”

“Tomorrow at dawn!” Rainbow proclaimed. “I’m gonna go practice right now!”

And with that, she sped off with a rainbow streak in her wake.

“And…she’s done,” I sighed. “Why do I get the feeling you have some ulterior motive in all this?”

“Heh, well let’s just say I’m full of surprises.” I saw a look of dread start to take over Orion’s face all of a sudden. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go chat with my girlfriend.”

I could tell he was feeling anxious, and I moved to pat his back to comfort him. “Want some support, man?” I asked out of concern.

Orion sighed and shook his head. “Nope I got this. I just need to bite the bullet and deal with it.” He let out a groan as he made his way to Applejack. “I’m gonna be sore in the morning.”

Later That Evening

After Orion and Rainbow’s declaration for a race, me, Moon, and Twilight decided to head back to the library. In the back of my mind, I knew I had to talk to Moon about what happened in Manehatten. Although, I was not looking forward to how she’d react after all is said and done. The worst she’d do is never forgive me and dump me on the spot. Or she’ll most likely send me to the moon…which I probably still wouldn’t blame her for.

“I’m gonna hit the sack,” Spike said before yawning. “All this excitement makes me sleepy. And there’s more to come tomorrow!”

“I agree,” Twilight said. “I’m just gonna do some light reading before bed.”

While Spike and Twilight retreated to their rooms, Moon and I went to ours and I closed the door behind us.

“Hey…uh, Moon?” I said nervously. “Can we talk? I gotta get something off my chest.”

“Oh? What troubles you, dear Axel?” She asked while seating herself as I took a deep breath.

I sat on the edge of our bed and pulled off my beanie.

“It’s about what happened in Manehatten,” I said. “Dante…did some things with my body while he was in control.”

“Did he now?” Moon’s voice became a mix of concern and suspicion as she waited for me to explain.

“So…I’m assuming you read the news?” I asked. “And heard it on the radio? About somebody named the Red Hawk?”

“Yes, Sir Marshall has declared to track down that vigilante since his appearance. I dare say he’s loving the chase.” Moon seemed to show admiration for my alter ego with a smirk.

“It is Dante…” I confessed.

“Pardon?” Moon perked up.

“The Red Hawk,” I spoke slowly. “Dante is the vigilante the Red Hawk. The one responsible for the massacre at the hotel.”

Silence fell upon our room as Moon contemplated my confession. I could tell there was a mix of emotions beginning to swirl within her mind as she looked down for a moment before looking at me and back to the floor. All the while, I was bracing myself for what she’d say next.

“Wait, so that means…essentially YOU are The Red Hawk!” Moon gasped after putting the pieces together and even felt a little dizzy as she tried to process the information. “Why tell me this?”

“Because I don’t want to keep anything from you anymore,” I said. “After last time, it scared the hell out of me when you left because I wasn’t honest. I just want you to trust me still.” A wave of guilt suddenly washed over me, and I turned away. “Unfortunately…it doesn’t stop there”.

“Oh dear, something tells me we’re going to need drinks after this,” Moon sighed.

“Dante’s boss wanted to reward him for his efforts one night after he won a bloody death match,” I began. “You’d think tons of money or treasure would suffice but…it was more than that.” Moon listened intently as I looked back at her dead in the eye. “Moon…he slept with two other women using my body.”

“HE DID WHAT?!?” Moon shrieked at the top of her lungs as her hair flared with anger and now, I felt like I had just confessed to my mother. She then got in my face and glared at me dead in the eye. Although, I somehow felt like she wasn’t exactly glaring at me specifically. “I want him out here right now!! Dante, I know you can hear me, you degenerate!!”

“I-It doesn’t work like that, Moon!” I tried to say as tears began to form in her eyes and her hair flared up on its own. “I can’t force him to switch if he doesn’t want to anymore! And believe me, I tried to make him stop but he…he wouldn’t listen to me!”

“The nerve of that…that.” Moon took a deep breath to calm herself. “Forgive me, I just didn’t expect him to make you experience something so…special.”

The cogs in my mind began to turn when I realized she wasn’t doing something I was expecting her to. I looked down at myself to see that all of my limbs were still attached to my body, my head was still on my shoulders, and my girlfriend, despite her irritated mood, wasn’t directing any of her frustrations towards me.

“Hold up…” I said as I pointed at Moon. “You’re…mad at Dante.” I then pointed at myself. “But you’re not…mad at me?”

“Well, I can’t exactly blame you for the actions of another but what really upsets me is that you never got to share that event with someone close to you,” Moon explained, sounding once more like a mother. “I swear, all these young ones want these days is just sex. There’s no romance, no courtship, not like when I was a girl.”

“I…wow, I did not expect you to not blame me,” I said, feeling both shocked and relieved.

“Axel, I know what it’s like to have a separate entity dwell with the mind. After all, I was an entity dwelling within Luna’s mind,” Moon said. “My actions were my own, and I still blame myself for making Luna suffer. And I surmise that she is also still blaming herself somewhat for what happened a thousand years ago.” Moon sat next to me on the bed and put her hand on mine. “The point is I don’t blame you. You were not in control. As far as I am concerned, you have still yet to do it with anyone, and you still have your virtue.”

I couldn’t help but tear up a little at how unbelievably understanding Moon was being. I was fully convinced that she’d chew me out for something like this and kick me to the curb like a piece of cheating garbage. I immediately hugged her close as she hugged me back and wrapped her wings around me.

“I feel like I don’t really deserve you…” I said softly. “Women back home would never be as understanding as you.”

“Well, most women aren’t me~.” Moon grinned as she squeezed me into her chest and gave a short giggle. “And there’s no way I could stay mad at you.”

I looked into Moon’s beautiful eyes, and my heart started to beat very fast. I could feel her heart also beating fast as we stayed staring at each other for what felt like several minutes. A blush formed across her cheeks and I imagine the same happened to me. I’m not sure why but I felt as though I didn’t want to look away.

“Moon…” I said softly and leaned in.

“Yees~?” Moon cooed, waiting for an answer as she leaned in closer.

“I…” I was barely able to say anything at this point as I closed the gap and kissed her.

LEMON!!!

She wrapped her arms around my neck. I massaged her back while being careful of her wing joins as she poked her tongue into my mouth.

“Mmm, that’s more like it, Axel~.” Moon grinned as we fell to the bed, her beautiful body now on top of me as her wings fanned out making her look like a real angel of the night. “To be honest, I was worried I’d have to make the first move.” Moon confessed while hugging me. “I’ve seen the way you look at me, Axel, the way you stare~.”

“Sorry about that,” I apologized as she undid her top.

“Don’t be sorry, I know you want me, and I want you too~.” Moon then sat back up to reveal her amazing body in all its glory with only her chest concealed by a black laced bra.

“Is that…” I said with a gulp.

“No underwire~.” Moon grinned before clipping it open and letting it fall onto my face. “Now, put those hands to good use and take off the rest of my dress~.”

I pulled the bra aside and my eyes almost bulged out of my skull. Her perfect f-cup breasts were on full display with inverted pink nipples. I swallowed the biggest lump in my throat as the only perfect boobs I ever saw were the ones porn stars had. Not wanting to keep her waiting, I slowly reached up and grabbed the hem of her dress. I slowly pulled it off her, making her giggle at me at how awkward my movements were. I somehow managed to pull her dress all the way off and all she wore were her panties that had a noticeable wet spot.

“Woah…” I breathed out.

With a snap of her fingers, she used her magic to make my clothes disappear and reappear off to the side, so I was wearing only my boxers.

“Now…touch me~,” Moon beckoned while guiding my hands all over her body.

Her skin was so velvety soft at my touch. There were no flaws anywhere on her flat stomach, her toned back, her strong wings, her firm butt, and especially her perfect tits as my hands glided over the supple flesh. Moon moaned while biting her lip as I watched her nipples poke out.

“Mmm, I’ve seen many men have dreams about this~,” she smirked as we shared another kiss. My right hand found its way to her panties while my left squeezed her breast fervently, making her moan into my kiss as her breathing grew more intense.

Our tongues coiled around each other as she held my head with her hands and played with my hair. I felt my fingers touch her pussy lips, making her gasp in my mouth. I then started to gently rub my fingers against her pussy while I pinched her nipple.

“Mmm~! Easy, darling, no need to be so aggressive~, Moon teased while reaching into my boxers. “My, my, seems I’ve found your hidden weapon~.”

I watched my girlfriend scoot down while kissing my body. She kissed my neck, then my chest, my stomach, and even kissed the fabric of my boxers as the sizable tent twitched in anticipation. Moon licked her lips as she grabbed the waistband and pulled it down, revealing my rock hard dick.

“Holy shit…” I breathed out.

“Mmm, what a tasty sausage I found~,” Moon purred, her fangs beginning to show almost like a vampire as she opened wide.

“Uhh w-watch the teeth…” I gulped before feeling her go down all the way as the sensation of her warm throat engulfed my cock.

“H-HOLY!!” I grunted while trying not to finish instantly.

The feeling was indescribable as I watched Moon skillfully bobbed up and down on my cock. Her lips stretched a bit as she suckled on my meat and never broke her gaze from my eyes. I could feel her tongue coiling around me whenever she bottomed out. Moon then let go with an audible pop and gave my dick a long sensual lick from the base to the up while she cupped my balls.

“How…are you so…good at this?” I managed to ask in my daze.

“You’re not the first lover I’ve taken, my dear~." She confessed. “Luna and I had our share of experiences~.” Before I could respond, she spun around and put her royal butt right in my face and sat on me like I was a cushion.

“Feel that~?” She asked as I gave a muffled yes. “This is yours from now on, to do with whatever you please~.” She moaned and began rubbing against me. “As is the rest of me~.”

I felt her go back down on my cock and she slurped and sucked away. I felt something moist on my lips and realized it was her pussy through her panties. I reached up with my hand and managed to pull the thin layer of fabric aside and got a good look at her pussy. Her cameltoe looked quite moist and I could oddly smell the scent of blackberries. I then poked my tongue out from my mouth and gave her pussy a light lick. Her pussy juices tingled my taste buds and she gave a slight moan. I gave her pussy another lick and found myself repeatedly licking her pussy like a lollipop.

“Mmm~.” Moon hummed at my efforts as we serviced each other and basked in each other’s warmth before she gave a short gag on my cock, nearly choking on it as it became stiff as a spear.

“Perfect~.” She huffed before finally getting off my face and rolling me on top of her.

“Take me my darling~.” Moon encouraged me while keeping her legs open and holding up her breasts for me.

“I…I’m not exactly sure what to do,” I confessed. “This is my first time so…maybe help me out?”

Moon giggled as she reached down to spread her folds.

“It’s simple, my dear, take your stiff rod and plunge it into my depths~,” Moon instructed in a most sensual voice and licked her lips like a predator.

“Uh…s-sure,” I said sheepishly and aimed my dick.

I could see a hole in her pussy that told me that’s where I should stick it. I carefully aimed my dick at her pussy and managed to prod her entrance. Moon gazed up at me with a loving smile as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I nodded at her and moved my hips forward. Inch after inch of my dick slowly entered her pussy. I was on cloud nine as the tightness almost overwhelmed me. It was then I realized that Moon looked to be in pain a little. When I looked down, I noticed a thin trickle of blood leaking out of her pussy.

“Is…Is this actually your first time?” I asked nervously.

“H-How careless of me…” Moon said shakily. “I seem to have forgotten that…even though I have shared memories with Luna, my new physical body is my own. I myself have not had sex before.” She cupped my cheek and started to tear up. “But I consider this a blessing in disguise. For we have now officially given each other our first times~.”

“Moon…” I spoke with love and affection.

The two of us shared a more wholesome kiss as our fingers interlocked and we held each other close with Luna giving a few whimpers from each thrust.

“A-am I hurting you?” I asked out of concern.

“Nnng…! Just a little but it’s fading,” Moon reassured me.

I decided to keep my thrusts slow and steady so that she could adjust. I still couldn’t believe that I was actually having sex, and it was with the most beautiful and understanding woman I’ve ever known. Her whimpers soon turned into moans and she held onto my neck for dear life.

“You feel…incredible,” I groaned as I slowly upped my pace.

“Mmm, my darling~,” Moon moaned sensually while gripping the sheets as her legs found their way to my shoulders while giving me a lustful gaze.

“Kiss me~.” Moon panted after finally getting used to my thrusts.

I leaned down and kissed her deep while my thrusts got faster. Our tongues battle for dominance as she wrapped her legs around me tightly. The bed creaked under our lovemaking and our moans filled the room along with the stench of sex. My cock was feeling every inch of her pussy and I think I could feel the tip of my cock kissing what felt like the entrance of her womb.

“Moon!” I called her name. “I love you! I love you so damn much!”

“Mmm~! I love you too~!” Moon cried out as her arms wrapped around me. “I want to do this every night with you~!"

Without thinking, I pinned her to the headboard and began slamming her harder as our combined grunts began filling the room.

“Twilight is not going to like this~,” She giggled while letting me suck on one of her tits.

“She’ll deal with it~,” I said, sounding confident while I suckled on her nipple. “After all, she had to have foreseen this happening at some point~.”

“Mmm, well, one thing is for sure, I’m glad I became your first~,” Moon teased.

“Me too~,” I said and kissed her again.

I thrusted into her more forcefully and she moaned louder than before. I played with her flopping tits with my hands and pinched her nipples in the process. Moon’s tongue hung out of her mouth as her eyes rolled back due to sheer pleasure. Whenever she refocused her eyes, I could swear I saw a pair of pink hearts where her pupils were.

“D-Don’t pull out, I want to feel all of it~!” Moon moaned loudly just as her legs locked firmly around my waist. “Give me everything you have~!”

“Moon!” I called her name as tension built up in my groin. “Moon, I’m…cumming! FUCK!”

I slammed my hips into her one last time before I unleashed my load deep into her pussy. Moon let her jaw hang open while letting out a silent scream as her pussy sprayed my crotch with her juices as she came as well. Our climaxes worked in tandem to send out pulse after pulse of sweet pleasure throughout our bodies for over a minute at least. Once the climax died down, we both were breathing heavily as we basked in the afterglow of our lovemaking. I slowly pulled my softening dick out of her pussy and globs of my cum dripped out onto the mattress. I rolled over on my back as sweat dripped from my whole body while Moon scooted over and rested her head on my chest. I wrapped my arm around her as I stared up at the ceiling. I had done it. In my twenty-five years of living, I had finally cashed in my v-card and became a man!

END OF LEMON!!!

“That was…incredible,” I said with a heavy sigh.

“Mmm, it was wonderful~,” Moon said while twirling her finger around my chest. “But we better clean up this mess before Twilight comes in tomorrow to clean.”

“You’re cute when you worry~,” I said before giving her another kiss.

As we cuddled in the sheets, we failed to notice a certain pair of eyes peeping through the doors looking completely shocked. I paid it no mind as we eventually got up to clean the room. I noticed Moon’s legs wobble a little as she tried to stand up.

“I did good work, huh?” I asked, wiggling my eyebrows at her.

“Hmph,” Moon said with a smirk while turning to clean and since she was now officially my girlfriend, I took this opportunity to give her ass a good smack that made her yelp and give a short moan as she looked at me with bedroom eyes.

“Already marking what’s yours, my love?” Moon asked.

“Why not?” I shrugged as I pulled off the sheets. “I may as well get more confident now that we’ve officially lovers. Plus, you can’t sit there and deny you like the new attention.”

“Mmm, fair enough but warn me next time~,” Moon teased while using her magic to reshelve the books. “Perhaps this will be the start of that little fantasy of yours.”

“W-What fantasy?” I stammered, forgetting she can see into dreams as she raised her brow at me.

“On a later date,” Moon teased me, then looked like she thought of something. “Axel. I have a request if you don’t mind.”

“Sure, what’s up?” I asked as I put the new sheets on the bed.

“I would like to step into your dreams and have a word with Dante,” Moon said.

“Why do I get the feeling there's more to it?” I asked when she gave me an innocent smile but I could sense malice in her voice.

“I just wanna talk to him,” Moon said with a plain expression.

“That’s what they all say…” I said nervously.

I had just finished making the bed and we both stepped into the shower to clean ourselves off. Honestly, I was tempted to take her for another round because she kept teasing me with her body. After managing to clean ourselves properly, we stepped out of the shower and I laid down on the bed with Moon next to me.

“I’m going to cast a sleep spell on you now,” Moon explained. “Once you fall asleep, I will enter your dream.”

“Okay, but I gotta warn you, Dante is a little…immature,” I said while she just rolled her eyes and kissed me.

“I can handle it. Now, time for bed,” Moon said as she held up a finger with a sparkle of magic and tapped it on my forehead.

My eyes immediately became heavy as I fell under her spell and fell asleep. My vision blurred as I closed my eyes and the world around me began to change. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the usual empty bar I always met Dante at.

“Look what the Conduit dragged in.” I turned around to see Dante sitting at the end of the bar sipping a drink. “What brings you here, Rickert? I thought you’d be with your girlfriend in another part of your sleeping mind?”

“Um about that…” I tried to say.

Moon appeared in a flash of light wearing her signature dress while giving Dante a scolding glance.

“That’s twice tonight I’m met with an unexpected visit,” Dante smirked. “To what do I owe the pleasure, oh princess of the night?”

“You made my precious Axel here engage in a night of debauchery,” Moon stated, crossing her arms in disapproval.

“Well, technically it wasn’t him that did the dirty deed with those women,” Dante shrugged. “But I won’t deny it. My first threesome was a fuckn’ blast~. Ha!”

Suddenly, Moon raised her hand and used her magic to grab onto Dante and slammed him against the bar top.

“Let me be frank. If you EVER make my precious Axel go through such an ordeal again, I will make you my personal pet project! Understood?!” I never thought I’d see Moon so angry and to be honest…it was kinda hot seeing her stick up for me.

“Heh! Hehhehehehaha!” Dante started laughing. “And why the fuck should I give a rat’s dick what you say to me?!” Dante looked at Moon with a grin. “After all, this doesn’t meet with the terms of our agreement.”

“Oh, so that’s how you want to play it, hm?” Moon asked before dragging him over. “Let me put it in terms you can grasp.”

“Uh oh…” was all I said as she raised her right leg and spread Dante’s body.

In one fell swoop, Moon swung her leg forward and slammed her foot right into Dante’s crotch. Dante’s eyes bugged out of his head as the wind was knocked out of him immediately. When Moon flicked her hand to release Dante, he cupped his crotch and fell to knees before falling on his side.

“You…fucking…bitch!” Dante wheezed.

“Next time, I’ll use my old morning star,” Moon threatened as she used her hand to flip her hair before turning back to me with a warm smile.

“Axel, darling, I’ll be waiting for you to wake up. I have a special surprise for you~.” She purred while rolling her shoulder at me with a wink. A cheesy but classic move.

I grinned as she teleported away and looked back at Dante. “Let’s just rule this as a punishment for whenever you decide to bump uglies with another woman, Dante. Don’t know if that’ll even be worth it for you in the end.”

As Dante lay in pain, I exited the bar to meet Moon in the waking world with a smile plastered on my face.

Elsewhere
3rd POV

It has been an unbearable ten minutes since Orion and Applejack returned to the farm. Big Mac, Applebloom, and Granny Smith were still out in the orchards harvesting apples for Equestria. However, on the way back to the farm, Orion had confessed what had happened during his trip. Suffice to say, Applejack was quiet the whole time and continued to say nothing. Now, Orion was sweating bullets as he sat on the sofa while Applejack sat on the chair in front of him with her arms and legs crossed.

Orion looked as pale as a ghost, worried how Applejack would respond. “And that sums up the whole trip with me and Doo.”

Orion had to tell Applejack the truth about who Derring Do was, since he knew she could sniff out a lie.

“How was it?” Applejack smirked, making Orion do a double take at his girlfriend. She didn’t look the slightest bit annoyed, angry, or even disappointed at the fact that her boyfriend was with another girl.

Orion blinked confusingly at his girlfriend’s question but decided to answer truthfully. “Well, um…it was good, but not as good as when I’m with you, love.”

“Well, I’m happy for ya,” Applejack said with a smile. “Ya know, I’m honestly surprised. A strappin’ stud like yourself who looks like he can bench press an apple tree or two. How do ya not have a trail of girls followin’ you everywhere ya go just to get into your pants?”

That comment made Orion’s face flush crimson, as he remembered what his friend Axel said about Fluttershy and Rarity. “W-well about that.” His voice became shaky. “Axel said he might know two others who possibly have their eyes on me.”

“Ya mean Shy and Rarity?” AJ said bluntly. This made steam come out of Orion’s ears, making AJ giggle hysterically. “Aw, don’t be like that, babe! If it’s any consolation, they even told me they fancy ya themselves.”

Orion almost flipped backwards at the statement. He found how she said it so casually shocking. “They did?! What did you say? Are you upset?”

“Orion, breathe,” AJ said, raising her hand. Orion did his best to calm himself while taking a breath. “Now, to answer your question, we were at lunch one day after dealin’ with Bloom and this Cutie Pox fiasco she got herself in. You then came to mind and I wondered about how you’re doing. It was when I mentioned your name did I see it all from them. The dreamy smiles, the glaze in their eyes, and how they wouldn’t shut up about ya. I had to snap them out of it before they realized just how long they were gawkin’ on about ya.”

The man’s face flushed different shades of red, and one could almost see steam billowing off his head. Orion felt almost dizzy just from what Applejack said. “I-I see. Then what happened?”

“Well, I asked them straight out if they liked ya. And they said yes,” AJ affirmed. “So, that begs the question, since it also seems ya beat me to it. Do you wanna start a joint relationship?”

Orion felt confused and even dumbfounded. The weight of the question made him feel he was holding up the tower bell again. He took time to think about it, before giving his response. “I might be willing, but only if I know there is a genuine connection.”

“Then let’s start with Doo,” AJ said as she leaned back. “Tell me the truth, Orion, do you feel a genuine connection with her?”

Orion remained quiet, as he tried to think about the question. He moved a hand over his chest and took a deep breath. Picturing the time he spent with Daring, and how they were together while alone. “I think…”

The Next Morning

Word had apparently spread throughout Ponyville, courtesy of Pinkie Pie, and the whole town had gathered to bear witness the race firsthand. Pinkie Pie was sitting at a table selling coffee and breakfast pastries while Orion and Rainbow stood at the starting line. Rainbow was busying herself by stretching her wings and legs while Orion was…checking his nails for grime.

“Man, I should pay the spa another visit. After last night, I’m gonna be sore ‘till who knows how long when.” Orion sighed as he glanced at Applejack who shot him a flirty wink and was practically glowing. “Glad only one of us is sore.”

Axel downed his third cup of coffee and yawned while Moon munched on a donut.

“You sure you’re okay?” Axel asked Moon. “I mean…our conversation last night was kinda heavy.”

“I’m sure,” Moon reassured her lover. “After all, I was able to throw that alter ego around in your mind. He won’t be switching with you any time soon, and…” Moon leaned against him with a lidded stare. “I’m just glad we were finally able to consummate our love~.”

“Y-Yeah…consummate,” Axel laughed sheepishly.

“Alright everyone, it’s time to get ready!” Twilight who moved to stand in front of both Dash and Orion who stood behind a white like in the ground. “The race is about to begin.” Twilight held up a green flag high over her head. “You both know the route to take, and we will be watching for any cheating. The rules are simple, racers can either run or fly through the course. Now are you two ready?”

“Good luck, Dash!” Pinkie cheered.

“Don’t need luck! Just skill!” Rainbow boasted.

Orion glanced at Fluttershy and Rarity, and both girls waved at Orion. Fluttershy blushed behind her hair and Rarity batted her eyes at Orion before subtly blowing him a kiss. The man blushed and looked at AJ who nodded to him.

“Alright, on your mark…get set!” Twilight raised the flag higher up, before swinging it down. “GO!”

With a single flap of her wings, Rainbow took off into the sky leaving a cloud of dust in her wake. The crowd cheered at her explosive start but some were shocked to see Orion just standing there.

“Uh…Orion?” Axel called out. “The race started. You should get going!”

Orion didn’t say anything. Instead, he turned around and walked over to Fluttershy and Rarity. His cheeks flushed red, not even paying attention to the crowd of people shout at him to start moving. Eventually he stood in front of the two girls.

“Orion?” Fluttershy said. “What’s wrong?”

“Darling, you must hurry!” Rarity pleaded. “You’ll fall behind too far and won’t be able to catch up!”

Orion didn't reply right away, instead he bowed his head. “After this race, will you two let me take you out on a date?!” He shouted as if that was the only way he was able to get what was on his mind out.

As if all at once, the entire crowd fell silent. Axel nearly spat out his coffee, and the two girls he had just asked out. The girls in question were blushing a deep red in their cheeks while contemplating his request. Rarity was the first to compose herself as she smiled a big grin. The young woman took Orion’s hand and held it close with both of hers.

“Darling…I would love to,” Rarity said softly.

Fluttershy, however, took all of her willpower she could possibly summon within herself to take a single breath before she too reached out with shaky hands to clasp around Orion’s.

“I-I…I would love to…as w-well,” Fluttershy said with a shaky voice and a gleeful smile.

It was time for Orion to be the one smiling. His heart fluttered as he stepped away from the girls. “Then I better hurry and finish this race then.” He hopped away looking like he was walking on clouds. But in the next instance, he got into a running stance, and in the blink of an eye, took off just as fast as Dash did.

“Damn! He’s almost as fast as me when I use Neon!” Axel gasped. “What the hell was that energy rush?!”

“I…I’m not sure!” Moon said, also completely flabbergasted. “He was here, and then he wasn’t!”

“It’s the power of love!” Pinkie cried happily. “LOVE! Love makes you do incredible things!”

“Love…huh?” I spoke, still reeling from Orion’s sudden burst of speed. “Go figure.”

Meanwhile, Dash was still flying at high speeds through the skies with a confident smile plastered across her face. She glanced behind her shoulder to see no sign of Orion, which only boosted her confidence.

“Ha! Easiest win I ever had!” Rainbow chuckled.

“So, Dash, what do you think about your opponent Orion? Would you say this was a fair race?” A voice asked alongside Dash.

“Fair? Pfft! He should’ve known better than to challenge me!” Rainbow scoffed. “That letter is as good as mine!”

“Right, but what if, say, he suddenly was standing next to you, running as fast as you were fly?” The voice asked curiously.

“Well, that would be impossible!” Rainbow stated. “No earth pony-human could ever be that fast! Well, save for Pinkie. But she zips around so it doesn’t count!”

“Right, well, it seems that I’m now the second earth pony-human to do so.” The voice now moved in front of Dash revealing Orion sporting a smug grin. “Try not to eat my dust.” He taunted playfully before zooming away.

“Wh-I-You-! GET BACK HERE!” Rainbow shrieked and went into overdrive with her flapping.

The rainbow speedster gritted her teeth as she slowly closed the distance between her and Orion. Orion dashed as if he was in the middle of a jog until he glanced over his shoulder to see Dash closing in.

“Well, look who decided to get serious?” Orion spoke in a mocking tone before speeding up, putting some distance between himself and Rainbow Dash.

“Grr! I’ll show you serious!” Dash growled.

The pegasus-human girl flexed all the muscles in her wings and joints and flapped them even harder than before. The wind blew against her face that made her squint a little as she once again closed the gap. Orion was hopping over boulders and weaving past a few trees before glancing up to see Dash had once again caught up to him.

Orion only smiled as he saw that Dash was now motivated and did his best to stay ahead of Dash. He soon made a sharp turn as it was time to cross the river that would lead to Rambling Rock Ridge.

“Hey Rainbow, you better hurry up, it will take me some time to cross the river. That could be your key to getting the lead!” Orion called out.

The girl didn’t relent as she kept up her fast pace. As soon as they reached the river, Orion jumped in the air and did a perfect swan dive into the water before swimming at an unnaturally fast pace. Even while swimming, Rainbow watched Orion swim like a madman and was almost as fast as he was while running. But this didn’t deter Rainbow in the slightest as she was able to pass Orion.

“I got this,” Rainbow said to herself as she kept her breathing in check. “I got this!”

Orion breached the surface for some air and caught a glimpse of Dash passing her. “Nice, very nice,” Orion nodded.

Onion quickly dived down as low as he could, before swimming as fast as he could back up. Like a shark preparing to attack its prey, he launched himself out of the water and towards the shore. The moment his body touched the ground he shifted into a roll, and quickly jumped back onto his feet to chase after Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow glanced over her shoulder to see Orion beginning to close in. Her eyes widened as she tried to pick up the pace again. Her speed caused a slipstream to trail behind her while Orion began to sweat just a little.

“Phew! Still getting used to this,” Orion moved his hand to wipe some sweat off his forehead. He looked up ahead and saw the next leg of their race, Rambling Rock Ridge.

“Oh yeah! This’ll be easy!” Rainbow boasted. “That letter is as good as mine!”

Orion couldn’t help but overhear her boasting and chuckled to himself.

“Well, I think it’s time I really blow her mind. Hey Rainbow Dash!” Orion called out.

Dash feeling confident looked back to see what Orion wanted, only when she did, he was gone?

“What the?! Where’d he go?!” Rainbow wondered and looked around frantically for Orion.

She soon felt a tap on her head and looked up. Her jaw dropped as she saw Orion now flying over her head. “Did I mention I can fly now?” He asked with a smug grin.

“WHAT THE TARTARUS?!” Rainbow yelped.

“Love to stay and chat but I have a race to win.” Orion gave a wave of his hand and zoomed off, leaving Rainbow behind as he flew above the rocky ridges.

Rainbow was visibly shaken at the sight of Orion being able to fly without wings. Any attempt to try and rationalize it made her brain hurt but she didn’t have time to dwell on it. All she could do now is continue flapping her wings as hard as she could until she barely managed to catch up to Orion.

“How…are you…flying?!” Rainbow demanded between breaths. “You have…no wings! And you’re…an earth-pony human!”

“I’ll tell you and the others later after I win the race!” Orion called back in a teasing tone as he zoomed along the trail, ducking and weaving around rocks and boulders.

Rainbow maneuvered along Orion’s path through the terrain and kept her eyes on Orion. His words seemed to strike a chord within her that made her eyes glare at him, and she forced her wings to flap even faster than ever.

“Faster…! Faster! FASTER! FUCKING FASTER!” Rainbow chanted as her wings began to ache. The slipstream behind her grew larger as she eventually caught up to Orion.

The two were neck and neck, as they flew dust and wind kicked up. Both passed Rambling Rock Ridge and were flying around the Everfree forest. “Getting tired there, Dash?” Orion asked as he looked at the multicolored flier.

“Not…even…a little!” Rainbow wheezed as sweat streaked down her face. Her wings were beginning to burn the more she flapped them. “Must…win! Must…meet…Wonderbolts!”

“Seems to me like you aren’t as good as you thought you were, Dash.” As if to torment his opponent further, Orion hovered under Dash and turned to look up at her. “You brag about your skills, but when pitted against an equal or greater opponent, you seem to fall short.”

“You…don’t get…to say that…when you…don’t have wings!” Rainbow countered as she forced herself to keep her speed.

“Who said you need wings to fly?” Orion shot back quickly. You boast about being the fastest flier. Well, here I am flying and giving you a run for your money.” Each word Orion spok cut Rainbow deeply. “So, how do you think you will do against professionals like the Wonderbolts?”

“SHUT…UP!!!” Rainbow screamed.

KA-BOOM!!

Orion was almost thrown off balance as Rainbow suddenly got a major speed boost and unleashed what could only be described as a sonic boom made of multiple colors, similar to her hair. Rainbow rocketed towards Ponyville as if she was a rainbow-colored comet soaring through the sky.

Orion smiled and quickly flew inside the jetstream Rainbow created, before it disappeared. Within a few moments be eventually started to tail Dash, all be it shakily given the speed they were moving. However, he saw that Dash looked like she was in pain and her wings were no longer flapping in sync.

“I’M NOT SLOW! I’M GONNA WIN!” Rainbow cried as tears dripped from her eyes. “YOU DON’T KNOW ME! YOU DON’T GET TO SAY THINGS LIKE THAT! IT’S MY DREAM! NOT YOURS!”

However, much to Rainbow’s dismay her body couldn’t take much more of the pain, her wings soon gave out. She wouldn’t fly anymore. Soon, her body was about to slam into the ground, and at the speed she was going it was going to cause a lot of damage. She braced herself and prepared for the impact. But soon felt an arm around her back, and another scoop under her legs. Her eyes opened to see Orion had caught her.

“You’re right, Dash, I don’t know you. But I don’t need to know you to show you that you still have room to grow,” Orion said.

“Wha?!” Rainbow spoke. “What’re you doing?! Why’re you carrying me?!”

Orion chuckled as he flew them towards Ponyville after passing Ghostly Gorge. “Did you think I’d let my friend get hurt?” Orion looked down at her and smiled. “That’s not the kind of guy I am.”

“Aren’t we in the middle of a race?” Rainbow asked. “I can still fly, you know! Just give me a few-ow!” Rainbow winced when she tried to move her strained wings.

“Forget it, Dash, you aren’t in any condition to fly, not after that sonic boom,” Orion added as they were nearing the finish line, everyone waiting at the end for them.

“But they’re expecting a winner,” Rainbow protested. “I can’t be seen being carried like this.”

“And they’ll have one, so swallow your pride and calm down,” Orion quickly replied, he didn’t want her to cause herself another injury. He felt guilty as it was for trying to push her past her limits.

“…I was a cocky jerk to you,” Rainbow said softly as she leaned her head against his chest. “Others would just leave me in the dust.”

“Well, I’m not like others, Dash. What I said before was not to hurt your feelings, but to give you a reality check.” Orion was now speaking softly and with a gentle tone. “You’ve been over arrogant because you had no one to compare to properly. Imagine if you had tanked like this in front of the Wonderbolts.”

“They’d never let me in,” Rainbow replied, and Orion nodded with a smile as he landed just about a mile from the finish line.

“Well go on, start walking.” Orion pointed towards the town and saw the confused look on Dash’s face. “You said you didn’t want to be seen being carried right?”

Orion helped her to her feet as the onlookers were shocked to see them on the ground. Rainbow rubbed her arm sheepishly as she looked at Orion as if wondering if it was still ok. Orion smiled as they got right up to the finish line. With a gentle push, Orion forced Dash across the finish line first.

“Welp everyone, you have your winner,” Orion announced with a big smile still plastered across his face.

The crowd was silent at first until they heard clapping. The clapping then turned into cheers as the town congratulated the two of them for such a spectacular display of speed and tenacity.

“Well shit, I didn’t expect this to happen,”Axel said. “Way to be a good sport, Orion.”

Orion pulled the letter with the Wonderbolts stamp out and handed it to Rainbow Dash. “Here, Dash you”ve earned this.”

“Um…did I?” Rainbow asked. Orion rolled his eyes and took her hand and placed it there. Without much choice, Rainbow Dash then carefully opened the letter to read it while swallowing a lump in her throat.

Congratulations, Rainbow Dash.

You’ve been recommended to try out in the Wonderbolts Selection Test. Bring this letter with you to the Wonderbolts HQ for authentication and be prepared show if you have what it takes to be part of the best fliers in Equestria.

Signed,

Spitfire, Captain of the Wonderbolts.

After reading the letter out loud, everyone fell silent, as they waited for Dash’s reaction. Her hand holding the letter trembled, as she slowly looked back to Orion who was smiling.

“W-What is this?” Rainbow asked, unable to process what she had read.

Orion rolled his eyes as he tapped the letter. “It’s a letter of recommendation.” He picked up a copy of the newspaper from before that mentioned the incident with him and the Wonderbolts. “After saving Spitfire and her friends, they asked if I wanted anything in return. So, I asked for a letter of recommendation for my friend.”

Dash’s eyes slowly began to water, as she looked back at the letter then back to Orion. “But why would you do that?” Her voice sounded shakily, trying her best to keep it together.

“Are you serious?” Orion asked, raising an eyebrow. “Because we’re friends, Dash, and friends always look out for each other.”

“No one’s…ever done something like this for me,” Dash said in a shaky voice. “I’ve dreamed of this my whole life. Ever since I was a kid. And now I…have the key to realizing my dream in my hands.” She looked up at Orion with a teary smile as she held the letter close. “Thank you…thank you so much, Orion.”

Still smiling Orion moved his hand to gently pat Rainbow Dash's head. “But of course, Dash, just promise me you’ll train hard and become an official Wonderbolt.”

“I will. I definitely will.” Rainbow said then surprised him by hugging him close and squeezing tight. “You’re my hero, dude.”

For a moment Orion didn't move, before moving his arms around her to hug her back. “Heh, a hero, huh? I like the sound of that.”

“Group hug!” Pinkie cheered as the rest of the girls piled in and hugged each other.

Moon giggled and pulled Axel in with her as they all hugged together as friends.

“Proud of you, man,” Axel said to Orion with a friendly wink.

Orion gave his friend a thumbs up and pulled away from the group to go walk over to Rarity and Fluttershy. “So, ladies, where would you two like to go for our first date?”

“Oh, Orion, there’s so many choices!” Rarity beamed. “I’ve longed for this day for quite some time! Let’s see, there’s a new Bitalian restaurant in Canterlot I wanted to try. Then afterwards we could see a show. Oh! And perhaps we can walk along the park in the center of town!”

“I’d like to see the animal café,” Fluttershy said. “Princess Celestia opened it up last month and I’ve read in the paper that adorable little critters scurry around while you drink a beverage.”

Orion’s cheeks flushed at the idea of dates he was about to go on. “Whatever you two want, I promise to make them the best dates you’ll ever have.”

As Fluttershy and Rarity moved in to hug him, Orion quickly remembered something. “Oh shoot! I forgot I brought everyone souvenirs.”

Taking a few steps back he jumped into the air and hooved for a moment, startling everyone. “I’ll be right back, let’s meet up at the library.”

Then, much like Rainbow Dash, he took off at high speeds towards Sweet Apple Acres.

There was a brief silence for the girls, the rest of the crowd included. Some of which had their eyes twitching. Others who were holding cups with beverages dropped them on the floor due to shock.

“Wh…what the…?” AJ muttered with eyes the size of dinner plates.

“Did…did he just…?” Twilight said, strands of her hair beginning to spring out.

“Motherfucker just flew without wings…” Axel said with a sheepish chuckle. “Huh…so that’s what that feels like.”

Author's Note

Home again and reunited. Bonds reforged, and new relationships bloom.

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…