The Wonderbolt Academy

Chapters

Wonderbolt Academy...
After-pie
Closing Ceremony
After-party

Wonderbolt Academy...

The busy day was slowly beginning to wind down as the latest group of Wonderbolt recruits began to pack up and prepare to leave the academy. For most, this would be the last opportunity they would ever have to walk the hallowed halls of their barracks... It was a bittersweet feeling, really; the experiences they had there would undoubtedly be some of the best memories they would ever make. After all, very few ponies get the opportunity to spend eight weeks at the Wonderbolt Academy.

For the recruits, this day was the worst part of the whole experience. Not knowing if they would be invited back to the next phase of training took its toll on everypony. The results of the selection process would not be announced until the closing ceremony, which is always scheduled for 19:00 on the final day of the training session. The feeling of nervousness and anticipation hung like a dark cloud over their minds throughout most of the day. Of course there are those select few recruits who shine above the rest... and they usually know who they are.

After all the pomp and circumstance of the closing ceremony, the recruits and instructors finally get the chance to decompress and relax at the final banquet and after party. The ponies responsible for orchestrating the event are charged with the all-important task of providing some much-needed relief from the turbulent nature of the whole experience.

It is always the most anticipated event of the year for the training staff and recruits alike, as it gives them all a chance to interact outside of the strict training environment. It also helps to prevent the elevated stress levels of the intense training from causing some of the less stable recruits to snap in a violent manner; it wouldn't be the first time in the many centuries of Wonderbolt Academy history that such a tragedy has occurred...

***

Spitfire trotted down the main corridor which held the recruit barracks and looked upon all the young ponies bustling about the hallway. She couldn't escape the feeling of nostalgia creeping its way into her mind and found herself getting lost in the memories of her time spent in their position. She and Soarin were in the same flight team and shared a room together in this very same hall...

Needless to say, there were some shenanigans that took place in the little room they called home for those eight weeks... It's a small miracle they were never caught by their drill instructors, but being the top fliers in their class had some advantages.

The soundproofing spell they bribed that cute little unicorn intern to cast probably helped, too... And inviting her along for some of the fun was a mutually beneficial method of payment.

While Spitfire was caught in her musings of the past, she was almost blown over as a rainbow-colored blur zipped through the airspace just over her head. In its wake, a small shockwave blew a cloud of debris all about the room and sent anything not anchored firmly to the floor tumbling down the hallway.

“Watch it, recruit!" she shouted as she regained her balance, but couldn't help the little smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth as she said to herself, "Rainbow Dash, now there's a filly who can give me a run for my money!"

With a powerful thrust of her wings, she took to the air and glided a short distance down the hall. You know... I'll have to make sure to hit the showers with her after the initiation ceremony, she thought to herself with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Spitfire landed and made her way to the end of the barren gray hallway as a group of recruits in the process of recovering a pile of gear from the floor hurriedly made a path for her. She turned the corner, still thinking of a dripping wet rainbow-colored mare in a hot steamy shower as she approached the entrance to the staff area. She came to a stop at the threshold and then blasted the tall double doors with a gust of wind from her wings. They slowly and silently swung open to reveal an impressive sight, even by the standards of the wealthiest of nobleponies.

The staff area was, needless to say, far more luxurious than the recruit barracks. The walls were made of the finest white cloudsteel that bits could buy, their flat surface polished to a perfect sheen. A striking blue and gold thunderbolt banner hung from the vaulted dome ceiling and in the background was a mural of historical battles being fought by battalions of armored pegasi. The floor was covered in a posh carpeting of midnight blue, and pictures of her predecessors adorned the walls, all framed in gold trim.

The many pieces of furniture were upholstered with fine Bitalian silk, their meticulously crafted bodies of exotic hardwood intricately carved and inlaid with silver. There was a life-size statue of Commander Hurricane standing proudly with wings flared, set upon a marble pedestal, which held its place as the centerpiece of the room.

This was a particularly interesting item, one that held a great deal of historical significance to the pegasus race. It dated back to the pre-Nightmare Moon era, and was made of lunar steel crafted by Princess Luna herself as a gift to the warriors of Cloudsdale. It was later moved to the Wonderbolt Academy upon its founding, to stand tribute to the legendary feats of the pegasus warriors that had been recorded throughout history. Its presence was one of many ways in which the Wonderbolt wing of the Royal Air Guard held firm to the roots of their beginnings, and followed the long-standing military traditions of the pegasi.

Spitfire walked through the doors, still plotting Rainbow Dash's unofficial initiation in the Wonderbolts’ shower room. She made her way to the center of the room, giving a respectful nod of her head to the likeness of Commander Hurricane as she passed by. Seeing the stallion on the pedestal brought her back from her musings, and she decided to go to the staff lounge to look for Soarin.

She made her way through the vast lobby, then trotted down the hallway which led to their personal barracks. As she made her way to the common room, she saw him hovering over an apple pie, holding a little note card... A note card bearing a familiar stamp, which had a distinct resemblance to the cutie mark of a certain apple mare she remembered from last year's Gala. Heh, Soarin always was a sucker for some nice hot pie. Come to think of it, so am I... she thought to herself as the tantalizing smell of fresh apple pie wafted across her nostrils.

It was then that she decided to capitalize on Soarin's weakness for a completely different type of pie...

She silently glided toward him, his attention completely devoted to reading the note in his hooves. She quickly darted up next to him and loudly said: "Whatcha' readin' there, big guy?" A lopsided grin formed on her face as she bumped her flank against his.

He jumped back and dropped to the floor with a bit of a blush creeping its way onto his face. "Ahh, uhh, n-nothing!" he stammered as he quickly tucked the note under a wing and shuffled it back into his saddlebags.

"Aww, come on, big guy... no need to be embarrassed!" she said as she turned around and flicked her tail across his muzzle, then walked to the table to inspect the pie.. "You still got a thing for that cute little apple filly we met at the Gala?"

Regaining a bit of composure, Soarin returned her smirk with one of his own and replied, "Hmm... Yeah, maybe I do! You know you liked her too... I saw the way you were looking at that flank." He waggled his eyebrows for suggestive emphasis and continued "I bet you wouldn't say no if I invited you along for some of the action..."

Spitfire chuckled and said "Guess you know what I like, don't you, stud?" She sidled up next to him and slowly ran her wingtip down his barrel, tickling his soft underbelly and eliciting a slight shudder from his wings. She whispered breathily into his ear, "...And I know exactly what you like."

She moved back slightly and looked into his eyes with her most sultry and demanding look... She had him right where she wanted.

As his wings began to rise on their own accord, she moved closer and brushed her lips against his, barely making contact. He could feel the warmth of her breath against his skin and the soft touch of her lips against his.

She moved closer and gently nuzzled his cheek, letting her tongue flick lightly against the velvety fur along the edge of his ear, then began nibbling down his neck. She caught a glimpse of his wings slowly rising to full mast, and moved her head down to the base of his left wing to begin gently teasing the soft, downy feathers.

She could feel Soarin shudder under her touch as she gently nipped and tugged at the sensitive area between his wings. Soarin leaned into her and let out a deep, throaty moan.

Spitfire moved her muzzle back up to his ear and whispered, "You gonna give me what I want, big boy? ...Or am I gonna have to take it?"

He responded by nibbling at the nape of her neck, which sent shivers down her spine...

She recognized the familiar sensation of her own wings beginning to tingle and push away from her sides. She could feel his hot breath against her cheek as he made his way up to her ear, which further increased the sensation already threatening to coax her wings to spring out to their full length.

Soarin capitalized on the opportunity presented by her steadily rising wings, and trailed a hoof along the crest of her wing down to the base, then hooked it underneath to reach one of the most sensitive areas of the pegasus anatomy... especially hers.

Spitfire felt waves of pleasure pulsing through her nerves, and she let out a sharp gasp as her wing muscles tensed, resulting in a soft *Pomf* as her wings shot out to their full extension.

Soarin then planted a gentle kiss behind her ear and whispered, "Anything you want, Spits..." He moved away and looked upon her with a playful gleam in his eye, as a dashing smile spread across his face.

Spitfire leaned in just a bit closer and made contact with his muzzle. She stared deeply into his eyes, and let out a slight moan of pleasure... Then she bopped her nose against his, smiled and said, "How about some of that pie?"

After-pie

*** Two Hours Later ***

Spitfire and Soarin lounged on the bed in Soarin's personal quarters, happily replenishing some much needed calories with a delicious Sweet Apple Acres pie. "Mmmf vish pie ish sho good!" commented Spitfire, still munching on a mouthful of pie.

"Not as good as your pie," Soarin replied with a cheeky grin. "And nowhere near as good as your blowj—" Soarin was cut off as Spitfire crammed a hoofful of pie into his open mouth, timing it perfectly with the o.

"What's that? I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am!"

Soarin rolled his eyes and swallowed the pie, then mumbled, "In bed..."

Spitfire grinned and buffed a hoof on her chest. "Dang right I am, and I'm even better when there's a nice, tight-flanked filly along for the ride..." She sighed and stared off into space with a dreamy look in her eyes. "Especially one with a rainbow-colored lightning bolt on her ass!"

Soarin chuckled and responded, "You always go after the ones with lightning-butts... It's no wonder you and I get along so well."

Spitfire shrugged and said, "It's not my fault all the most awesome fillies have lightning cutie marks. Hay, all the most awesome ponies have a lightning cutie mark." She turned around and waved her butt beside Soarin's face, then zeroed in on his flank with a predatory grin. "Like mine!" she said, as she flicked her tail across his eyes, raised her hoof and brought it down squarely upon his cutie mark with a resounding *smack*." See? Lightning flanks even sound cooler than anything else!"

Soarin yelped in surprise before biting down on her cutie mark, growling as he gently tugged on the flesh between his teeth.

Spitfire giggled in response and lightly whipped the side of his face with the tip of her tail.

He looked back at her and said, "Sometimes I think you only love me for my ass..."

She turned around, snuggled up next to him, and nuzzled his cheek. Then she draped her wing across his back, gently trailing her primaries along his cutie mark in the process. "No, I love you because you're almost as awesome as me... Almost. It's all those stallions who like you 'cause they want a piece of that nice, tight, lightning-streaked ass!"

Soarin once again felt a familiar heat rising to his cheeks. "I told you I'm not really into stallions! It was just that one time..."

"Yeah, that's what you said the last three times I walked into your bedroom and saw you snuggling up to that sexy coltfriend of yours! What's his name, Thunderdong?"

"Thunderlane? He is not my coltfriend! ...We just hang out a lot, that's all. Besides, you're the one drooling over Rainbow Dash like a little school filly!"

"Oh Soarin, quit trying to change the subject. You just don't want to admit that you like the taste of Thunderlane's big, fat, co— oof!"

It was Spitfire's turn to get cut off as Soarin smacked her in the face with the closest available object. Stray tufts of cloud splattered all over the room, leaving her head covered in the loosely packed remnants of a once luxurious pillow. Spitfire shook her head free of the clingy substance and gave Soarin a smug grin.

"Hey, it's no big deal, I'm not judging... I like Rainbow-butt, and you like Thunder-dong. I can't blame you, he's really cute! Ha, and from the looks of your... *ahem* relationswith him, it seems like I'm not the only one who's into lightning flanks."

"Grrr, I told you I don't like stallions!" Spitfire's only response was a bemused, deadpan glare. " ...Whatever. The closing ceremony starts soon and we both need to get ready; full dress uniform takes a while to get into." Soarin smirked and added, "Besides, I know you need a nice, hot shower after that epic pounding you just took."

"Meh, I’ve had better. But it was totally worth the effort just to hear you scream 'Oh, Thunderlane!' right before you blew it!"

Soarin's mirthful grin quickly deteriorated to a look of doubt as Spitfire winked and shot out of the room in a gold-tinted blur, making him suddenly question his mid-coitus outbursts. "Dammit Spits!" he shouted down the hall after her, then sighed. "How does she always do that?" He flew across the room, hovered up to a cabinet, and rummaged around in one of his cupboards. After a short search, he emerged carrying a finely-crafted wooden box with a green wax seal shaped like a sliced-in-half apple on the top.

He untied the golden ribbon that secured the lid and removed it with a small pop, a sign that the temporary enchantment placed upon the box had been broken. Cold, misty vapor rolled out around the edges of the top. He looked upon the contents with a devilish smile, then removed a large jug and shook the golden amber liquid inside. Warm air hit the cold glass, and a light frost slowly crept up the sides. After the churning bubbles began clear out and to rise to the top, he looked closely and saw a fine line of them come to rest at the surface, leaving the rest of the liquid perfectly clear. He smiled at the quality of the Apple Family Reserve he held in his hooves and muttered, "Well Spits, tonight is going to get very interesting..."

***

Spitfire emerged from the steamy shower room, feeling completely refreshed and thoroughly relieved to have had a bit of time to relax before the night's main event. She snagged a towel with her wing and quickly dried off. On her way out of the bathroom door, she looked back at her reflected image and swung her tail side to side. The well-practiced motion accentuated the peak of each swing just enough to expose the golden treasure beneath. "Yeah, I'd do me..." She grinned at her reflection and flexed her wings. "Now, time to get this show rolling!" She glanced at the uniform draped across her bed and sighed. "Right after I put on this goddess forsaken uniform." Fifteen minutes later, she was fully dressed and ready to go. Spitfire emerged from her room and began walking down the staff hallway. She only got a few steps down the hall, before she was stopped by the event coordinator, Cloud Burst.

He saluted the Wonderbolt captain and said, “The preparations for the closing ceremony are all set. I just need your verification that everything is up to spec on the banquet and after-party.”

She sighed, thinking well it was nice to relax while I had the chance. “Walk with me, Sergeant. Let’s hash out the details so we can get this done before it’s too late.” They began walking down the hall toward the common area.

“What’s the situation, Sergeant? Has the shipment we ordered from Typhoon gotten here yet?” It better have; we paid a small fortune to get that stuff here on time.

“Yes Ma’am. It took three days by air to get here, but it arrived right on schedule. That time-stasis chariot you ordered worked perfectly.”

Spitfire snorted, “Good. We paid enough bits for that bucking thing to buy a small house. Do you have any idea how hard it was to find a unicorn that could cast a time-stasis enchantment? Apparently there aren’t that many... So, what about the rest of the stuff?”

“The chefs are preparing the food as we speak and they just received the shipment of Pegasopolan-style mead that you ordered, all twelve casks. Heck, that stuff cost almost as much as the food. It had better be the best damn brew we’ve ever had, for that price. Twelve casks should be more than enough for the party though.”

“Trust me, Sergeant: nopony will be disappointed with the mead. I personally taste-tested every variety that they had and out of the thirty they had in-store, this was by far the best. Sure it was expensive, but once it hits your tongue... Well, you’ll see for yourself soon enough why I insisted on that particular batch.” Instant mouthgasm, that’s why. “What about the setup for the after-party?”

“It’s all ready to go. We stowed it at the west end of the training field so the sun will set behind it. I wanted to make damn sure it wouldn’t be seen by prying eyes until the time was right. Once the sun sets completely, nopony will even know it exists until we fire it up. I am curious, though... It seems you’re going all out this year. I’ve never seen you sink this many bits into the banquet and after-party. Any particular reason you are making the event so big this time around?

Spitfire waved a dismissive hoof and said, “The Wonderbolts had a good year. You know we all busted our flanks to put on shows and win all those flight competitions. Hay, this event is as much for the staff as it is for the recruits. Might as well make it as awesome as possible for all of us.” She looked at Sergeant Cloud with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. “You got a problem with that, Sergent? “

He smiled and responded, “No Ma’am, you’re in charge here. As far as I’m concerned, you can blow as many bits as you want on the party. After all, I think it’s safe to say that this is everypony’s favorite event of the year.”

Spitfire nodded as he said this and thought, I’m sure that has absolutely nothing to do with all the sexually frustrated ex-recruits being fair game. “Good, I didn’t think you would take issue with it. That settles it, then. Tell the chefs to have the food ready to serve by 19:30. That way, we will have time to get the closing ceremony out of the way and everypony seated just before it is served. As for the after-party setup, just make sure that Vinyl is ready on time. That mare is notorious for being late, and we paid damn good bits to have her set up and on stage by 21:00.” Besides, she still owes me for getting her laid last time.

“Okay Captain, I’ll send word out for the chefs to get everything prepared and make sure we have it all ready on time. Anything else you need me to take care of before I head out?”

Spitfire shook her head and replied, “No, that pretty much covers all the bases. You’re dismissed, Sergeant. I appreciate your assistance.”

She continued walking down the hallway toward the staff lounge, stopping when she reached the entrance to Soarin's quarters. The door was unlatched and easily swung open with a gentle nudge. Spitfire walked in to hear the sound of a squeaky faucet handle and a slowly fading stream of water. She smiled widely and thought, Well, I'd hate to let an opportunity like this go to waste. She walked up to the bathroom and looked through the door that was left standing wide open. Wait for it... Wait for it... "Hey there, stud!"

Soarin looked up, smiled at Spitfire, and replied, "Enjoying the view?" His coat was still dripping wet and his mane was hanging limply against his neck. His wings were slightly extended, their gently ruffled feathers glistened in the light. The warm, soothing, feeling of the hot water had left him rather... exposed. Indeed, Spitfire was enjoying every second of it.

She glanced between his hind legs and giggled. "As a matter of fact, I am... I'd ask why you weren't ready yet, but It's totally worth the wait to catch you like this!"

"Well, since you seem to be enjoying yourself so much, I might just have to go out there like this... What do you think, Captain?"

"I think the stallions would love it!" She waggled her eyebrows and blew him a raspberry, eliciting a groan of annoyance from him.

"You're still going on about that? You know what, I don't even care anymore. Yeah, I'm sure all the stallions out there would love to see me all half-hard and soaking wet... I'm a sexy beast, what can I say?"

"See, now that's the right attitude! I knew one day you would finally poke your head out of the closet and admit you like stallions too. It's okay, big guy, I'm here for you!"

Soarin rolled his eyes in response and shook himself off, making sure to sway his hips and accentuate the pendulum-effect as he did so. He grabbed a towel and casually slung it over his back. "So, you gonna stand there and gawk at me all day, or are you gonna help me get this bucking dress uniform on? You know it goes a lot faster with some help."

She smiled mischievously as she stole another glance at his swinging stallionhood. "Sure, but only if I get to help you dry off first."

"C'mon Spits, that might not be such a good idea... I really don't want to go out there all full mast. There's no way I would be able to keep the fillies off--"

He was interrupted by Spitfire who fake-coughed, "Stallions!" then snickered and said, "Whoops, my bad. You were saying?"

He gave her a blank look and cleared his throat. "Yes, like I was saying... I don't think it would be such a great idea to get all hot and heavy right before the biggest event of the year for the academy. We obviously wouldn't have time to finish what you want to start. Besides, we can come back and hit the showers after... I've got a special surprise for the party tonight!"

"Does it involve taking shots off of Rainbow Dash's tight little flank?"

After a moment's pause, Soarin gave her a thoughtful look and said, "Maybe... I guess you'll just have to wait and find out, huh? Now, come help me get dressed; we need to be on the field soon." He quickly started drying himself off before Spitfire could get too hoovsey. She had a certain proclivity for teasing him at the most inconvenient times. At the moment, he wanted to avoid that if at all possible.

She sighed and watched him as he toweled off. "You're no fun sometimes, you know that? But hey, as long as we get to have a little bit of fun tonight, and I know we will, then I can wait. Besides you've piqued my curiosity; now I have something special to look forward to this evening."

With Spitfire's help, it only took Soarin about ten minutes to get dressed in full uniform. They gave each other a thorough inspection and made sure nothing was out of place. When they both decided that their dress uniforms were properly squared away, they headed out to the parade field of the training arena.

Soarin clopped her on the back and said, "You ready for this, Spits? Time to put your game-face on!"

Closing Ceremony

Wonderbolt Academy: Closing Ceremony

Spitfire and Soarin finished their journey through the hallways of the academy, arriving at the Cloudosseum just in time to oversee the ceremony.

“Looks like the recruits are all present and accounted for,” Soarin observed as they walked out onto the parade field. “And they look about ready to go off the deep end.”

“It really has been a tough couple of months...” replied Spits. “We probably worked the recruits harder this year than we ever have. I know the stress has been wearing on me too. I have been in drill-instructor mode for so long, I can’t even remember the last time I had a day to relax. Hay, this was the first time all summer you and I have been able to spend any time together.”

Soarin nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I know. I’ve been wound up tight all summer long. It was really nice to have the chance to decompress for a few hours today. I can’t wait for the party tonight; that is gonna be just the thing to help us all unwind after the ceremony. Thankfully, it won’t take too long, I’m starving! I hope you arranged something good for the banquet tonight.”

Spitfire bumped her flank against his. “It’s gonna be the most epic banquet yet, I made sure of that. I’m not gonna spoil the surprise, but I had to go through a mountain of paperwork to make sure we were well taken care of. It will be worth it tonight, though. We’re all gonna have a good time. The party accommodations this year are sure to blow everypony’s mind. Again, totally worth all the red tape I had to tear through to get it.”

Soarin grinned and returned the flank-bump. “Knowing you, it’s gonna be awesome. I don’t know how you’re able to talk the high-brass into tossing all those bits your way. One day you’re gonna have to tell me your secret.”

Spitfire shrugged in response. “No secret, really. I simply informed them that we are the ones who bust our flanks to be the best. Our flight shows earn their bits and if they don’t want to accommodate us for our extra efforts, then we can take our talents elsewhere. They aren’t going to risk losing their star fliers over a few thousand bits.”

Soarin gawked at her for a moment. “A few thousand? You weren’t kidding, thisis gonna be an epic night.” He scanned the horizon and motioned toward a pair of ponies who were laughing and chasing each other around, a stark contrast to the rest of the recruits. “Looks like Rainbow Dash and Cloud Kicker are in high spirits. That’s not surprising, really; it’s been pretty obvious from the start that they are the best in their group. Honestly, nopony else could even come close.”

Spitfire slugged his shoulder and winked at him. “Kinda reminds me of us, wouldn’t you say?”

He smirked at her and replied, “Yeah, we were the best back then too, huh? Well, now we get to teach other ponies to be just as awesome as us... Let’s get this ceremony over with so we can eat some food and get our party on! I’m tired of playing drill instructor, it’s time to relax!”

Spitfire laughed and responded, ”I couldn’t agree more.” She prompted Soarin to follow her, then took to the air. He lifted off and trailed behind her. They set a course for the small stage which had been set up specifically for the ceremony.

As soon as they landed in front of the platform, Soarin nudged Spitfire and whispered, “You got the whole speech memorized?”

She rolled her eyes and gave him a sarcastic response, “Nah, I’m just gonna wing it. It’s not like I’ve done this before or anything.”

He shot her a deadpan look. “Of course you did... Well, it’s all on you then. Lead the way, Captain!”

"Look alive, recruits. Officers on cloud!"

“SIR YES SIR!” The row of twenty recruits immediately fell into formation and snapped to attention upon hearing the order. They performed a perfectly timed salute and held their position, waiting for their commanding officers to respond in kind.

The two Wonderbolts returned the salute to their subordinates, then approached the stage. Spitfire took her place at the podium and began her opening speech.

"Congratulations, recruits. If you are standing here today it means that you have survived all eight weeks of training. This is no small accomplishment and you should all be proud. There have been many recruits in the past who did not make it this far. Some were lucky enough to suffer debilitating injuries. Others, I'm afraid, were not so fortunate." Spitfire paused for a moment to let the words sink in.

"The training you received here will undoubtedly be of great service to you in the years to come, I trust that you will use it to the best of your abilities. For most of you, this will be the last time you ever set hooves on the clouds of this facility. I urge you not to be discouraged by this. Instead, let the time you spent here motivate you to achieve greatness. I believe it is well within your grasp." Spitfire took a moment to pace back and forth, giving all of her recruits a meaningful gaze as she did so.

"If you were not exceptionally talented and capable, then you would never have been allowed to pass through the gates of the Cloudosseum. Use this experience to your advantage and take with you what you have learned here. Many opportunities await you outside of these walls. The responsibility falls upon you to seize them before they pass you by." As her small speech came to a close, she stepped back from the podium and made her way to Soarin, flashing him a slight smirk as she turned her back to the crowd. Spitfire actually had memorized the speech, word for word, straight from the book. As always, she followed procedure to the letter.

As she passed, Soarin nodded to Spitfire, ignoring her smug look. He approached the microphone and addressed the group of recruits. "Congratulations, recruits. You have done well to make it this far. As you all are aware, only two teams among your ranks have been chosen to continue training beyond this point.” Soarin paused and looked upon all of the recruits, his intense green eyes seeming to peer into their very souls.

“Team one: Rainbow Dash, Cloud Kicker! Team Two: Lightning Bolt, Dust Devil! Front and center!”

The two flight-teams responded, “YES SIR!” and stepped out of formation to approach the podium, standing at attention once they reached their destination.

Soarin continued, “You have shown exceptional skill and proven yourselves in the classrooms, as well as the skies. We believe that you have what it takes to be members of our team... And your performances were good enough to earn the right to try.” Soarin removed four golden medallions emblazoned with the Wonderbolt insignia from the podium, two with blue ribbons and two with white. He and Spitfire wing-jumped to land in front of the graduates. He concluded his speech with, "These medals signify your hard work and dedication to your training and to each other as teammates.”

Soarin placed one of the blue silken ribbons holding the medallions around Cloud Kicker's neck. Spitfire placed the other around Rainbow Dash's neck, making brief eye contact with her. She nodded to Dash and took a few steps back, stopping when she reached Soarin. The two Wonderbolts simultaneously saluted the recruits, who responded in kind, then moved on to the next flight team and issued the remaining medallions.

Soarin and Spitfire returned to the stage, then Spitfire approached the podium and began performing the final portion of the closing ceremony. "As of today, you are no longer recruits. From this moment, until the day you graduate or you are no longer with us, you are Wonderbolts-in-training. Congratulations!"

Soarin and Spitfire began clopping their hooves and the rest of the recruits followed suit. With the results announced and the ceremony officially out of the way, the feeling of relief was almost instantaneous. Some of the recruits were obviously disappointed, but at least now they all knew where they stood. Once the small ovation came to an end, Soarin took the microphone and addressed the crowd.

"Now that the closing ceremony has ended, this year’s training camp is officially over. We are no longer your instructors and you are no longer our recruits. As of this moment, you are all official guests of the Wonderbolts. We expect the best and we give the best! Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starving... let's eat!"

The crowd cheered and the horde of hungry pegasi took off toward the barracks, eager to get out of their dress uniforms and prepare for the evening’s feast.

***

As Spitfire glided closer to the banquet area, she could see the results of the event staff’s hard work. The field had been carefully groomed, a large Wonderbolt insignia etched into the floor, and an intricately carved column of gold and blue cloudsteel had been erected in the center. She especially liked the multi-colored flame spouting from the opening in the top. That really sets the mood... I’m gonna have to make sure these guys get a good vacation this year. She found Rainbow Dash mid-flight and sped up to match her pace. “Hey Dash, you wanna join me for dinner?”

Rainbow Dash looked back at Spitfire with a huge grin plastered on her face. Gotta stay cool,Dash. “Sure thing Captain. You buyin’?”

Spitfire laughed and replied, “Yeah, this one’s on me.”

They arrived at the dining area and took their seats, surveying the large ring of tables surrounding the multi-colored torch. The crowd of ponies included recruits and staff alike. Anypony who played a role in the training camp was invited to join in the feast.

A few moments after Dash and Spitfire took their seats, Soarin touched down behind them. “Wow, that smells good!” He took a seat next to Spitfire, who was in the process of pouring a tankard of mead for Rainbow Dash.

The Wonderbolt captain looked up at him and said, “Dang right it does! I had fresh, ocean-caught salmon shipped in all the way from Typhoon!”

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow and said, “The Typhoon? Like, the biggest and most expensive pegasus city in Equestria? That’s a solid three day flight from here! How did you manage that?”

Spitfire shot her a winning smile and replied, “Yep! The one and only Typhoon City, home of the best fish in all of Equestria. You know, only the best for our future teammates...” She nudged Rainbow with her wing for emphasis and continued, “I special ordered a time-stasis chariot just for the shipment. It cost a fortune, but it was worth it to have a meal like this. Now we can keep anything we need in there. I know it will be put to good use for all of our shows.”

Soarin grinned at Spitfire’s chummy behavior and chimed in, “Dang Spits, I’ve never seen you go all-out for a training camp like this... It’s almost like you’re trying to impress somepony.”

It was Spitfire’s turn to blush a bit. “W-Well, we all busted our flanks and worked hard this year. I figured we should do something good to celebrate. Everypony here deserves to have a bit of fun, after all.”

Rainbow Dash noticed Spitfire’s change in demeanor, but decided not to comment. Instead, she just changed the subject. “I can’t wait to try it! I’ve heard about Typhoon salmon, but never had the chance to actually taste it. Hay, I’ve only had salmon a couple of times... It was farm raised, but it was still really good. I bet Typhoon salmon is bucking awesome!” She proceeded to take a swig of mead from her tankard. “And this mead stuff you got is incredible! Where did you even find this? It’s almost better than Sweet Apple Acres cider! Big Mac would probably love to get his hooves on some of this.”

Soarin choked mid-gulp on his own mead, his face flushed red. “Big Mac?”

Rainbow responded, “Yeah, he’s one of my best friends’ brother. You know Applejack, right? She was at the Gala, you got one of her pies. You know, the one that I totally saved from getting splattered all over the floor? Yeah, I’m awesome... Anyway, do you know him?”

Soarin cleared his throat and ran a hoof through his mane, “Uhh, no I don’t think so... Maybe I have heard the name before, somewhere.”

Spitfire noticed his nervousness at Rainbow’s line of questioning and decided to capitalize on the opportunity to turn the tides. “Soarin here has a crush on your friend Applejack. I saw him eyeing those flanks at the gala. He’s apparently been getting notes from her too...”

Rainbow snorted in amusement and said, “Mac might not like like that too much. But hay, I think you should hook up with AJ... That filly needs to get laid. She is pretty uptight about sex, or at least she has been with me. Besides, I’ve always wondered about Big Mac. That stallion must be huge down there... If somepony was keeping Applejack distracted, I could totally put the moves on him. Come to think of it, nopony has ever even seen him with a filly. Aside from his sisters, of course.”

Soarin’s cheeks had become considerably redder by the time Rainbow Dash finished the last sentence. He just cleared his throat and changed the subject. “I’m about to starve to death. Where’s that food?”

As if on cue, the servers made their entrance and brought out the feast. The smell was even more incredible up close and the crowd murmured their approval as the silver platters set on each table were uncovered. Within moments of the food’s arrival, the entire group of ponies fell completely silent, save for the clatter of forks hitting plates. After several minutes of silence while the evening’s meal magically vanished, the conversation started to pick back up.

Once everypony had cleared most of the food from their plates, Dash was the first to rekindle the conversation. “That fish was AWESOME! I never knew what I was missing out on! I’m gonna have to see if I can get Twi to make me one of those time-stasis things so I can keep some fish at home. So Captain, what’s next for the night?”

“First we’re gonna finish this mead.” Spitfire sloshed her tankard around for emphasis. “We have a nice surprise planned for the evening, too... You like to party?” Spitfire smirked and waited for a response.

“Hay yeah, I like to party... my friend Pinkie Pie has me spoiled. That filly throws the best parties in Equestria!” Dash gave her a smirk and a raised eyebrow. “You think you can do better than Pinks?”

Spitfire smiled and replied, “I guess you’ll have to wait ‘til it starts before you can judge. I’d be willing to bet it would give anypony a run for their money. Alright, we still have a good bit of this mead left in the bottle. Wanna go somewhere a bit less crowded and polish it off?”

Dash cocked an eyebrow and glanced back and forth between her and Soarin. Ohmygosh! Is she inviting me back to her place... with Soarin? Best. Night. Ever!

“You got someplace in mind... Captain?”

Spitfire made eye contact with Soarin and he shrugged in response. “Let’s go back to Soarin’s quarters. I gave the event staff orders to kick the party off at 2130. With that going on, I don’t think anypony will miss us too much. What do you say, big guy? Wanna take this back to your place?”

Soarin grinned and replied, “I don’t see why not. Besides, I have a nice surprise waiting for us when we get there.”

Spitfire snagged a couple bottles of mead and tossed them into her saddlebags. “Alright then, I guess it’s settled. Let’s jet!” At that, she blasted off with a powerful thrust of her wings.

Dash was still a bit lost in the moment and she regarded Soarin with a look of uncertainty. “So, I guess it’s that way?”

He smiled grandly in response and swept his hoof in the general direction of Spitfire’s path. “After you, Private.”

They both took off at full speed, trying to make up the distance between themselves and Spitfire. A few moments later, they caught up to her and together they made their way to the back to the barracks. They walked through the many corridors leading back to the staff quarters, most of which Rainbow Dash had never seen.

“This place is way bigger than it looks... Almost like it’s bigger on the inside. So, now that me and Cloud are officially Wonderbolts in training, where will we be staying?”

Spitfire looked back at her and said, “You will get a room in the staff wing with us. Not as nice as ours of course, but still a big improvement on the recruit barracks. You two will need to get used to being a part of the team and there is no better way to test your ability to get along with the rest of us than making you live in the same barracks. I’m sure you won’t have any trouble with that, though; from what I’ve seen, you and Cloud will get on just fine.”

After another minute or so, they reached the big double-doors leading into to the staff wing. Soarin wing-blasted the doors and they silently swung open, allowing Dash her first glimpse into the living quarters of the Wonderbolts.

Holy hay, this place is awesome! Gotta keep my cool,though...“Pretty nice setup. I dig the statue.”

Soarin walked up to the likeness of Commander Hurricane and rested a hoof on the golden placard embedded in its base. “This is one of the most important historical artifacts in pegasus history. Not very many ponies know it even exists, let alone actually getting the chance to see it in real life.”

“What makes it so special? I’ve seen statues of Commander Hurricane in just about every pegasus city I’ve been to.”

“Every statue you have seen was modeled after this. It’s the first one ever made. Come on, check it out.”

Dash walked closer and stood next to Soarin. She read the inscription on the placard and her jaw dropped. “This was made by Princess Luna, before Nightmare Moon? How did it even survive?”

Soarin gently stroked the base of the statue with his hoof and said, “Lunar steel is nearly indestructible, not to mention all of the enchantments she used. She and the commander were very close friends so she made this in his memory after he died. I suppose she wanted it to last through eternity, even though the stallion himself could no longer be with her. This serves as a reminder to all of us about who we are and where we come from. Having him here is a great honor and we all pay our respects every time we pass through this room.” Soarin saluted the statue, Spitfire stepped up and joined him, then Dash followed their lead.

Soarin broke the salute and smiled at Dash. “That is your first lesson on Wonderbolt etiquette. There are a lot of unspoken rules that we follow, this being one of the most important.” He turned and began walking past the statue and said, “Come on. Let’s go check out the staff lounge, then we can head to my room.”

Rainbow Dash and Spitfire followed along with Soarin. Spitfire nudged Dash and said, “This place is always a bit overwhelming when you first see it, but after a few days you get used to it. Pretty nice accommodations; being a member of Equestria’s best flight team has its advantages. Let’s grab a few mugs from the lounge while we’re there.”

They got to the lounge and requisitioned the supplies they needed for their private party, then made their short journey down the hall to Soarin’s personal quarters. Soarin, in a show of military chivalry, opened the door and allowed the two mares to enter the room first.

Oh. My. Gosh. I’m in Soarin’s room! There’s no telling how many times I’ve dreamed about this! Stay cool, Dash. You’ve made it this far, don’t wanna mess up now. She walked over to a massive couch, jumped onto it, and reclined in her usual nonchalant manner. “So Spits, we gonna finish that mead or what?”

Spitfire reached back and pulled a bottle of mead from her saddlebag. “You read my mind, Private!” She walked over to sit on the couch next to Dash, who sat up and scooted over to make room for her. Soarin jumped up and landed on the other side of the rainbow-maned pegasus, who seemed to be the center of attention. Spitfire set the bottle on the table in front of them, along with the three mugs she borrowed from the staff lounge, and filled them up with the delicious honey brew. They all began drinking at the same time. Of course, Dash, being the competitive pegasus she is, couldn’t resist finishing first.

Spitfire laughed at her and said, “Slow down, you don’t wanna get too smashed this early in the night. We’ve still got a party to attend.”

Soarin jumped up and hovered in front of them both. “I almost forgot, I ordered something special just for tonight!” He flew up to his cupboard and pulled out the big glass jar of Apple Family Reserve. “Recognize this, Dash?”

Rainbow looked at the jar, trying to remember why it looked so familiar. Then she saw the mark on the side. It looked exactly like Big Mac’s cutie mark. “That... Where did you get that? I’ve only seen that once before and it was at Applejack’s twenty-first birthday party. It was bucking AMAZING!”

Soarin smiled and said, “I have my ways... You going to stand there and interrogate me all night, or do you wanna take a shot of this?” He produced three small jiggers from the same cupboard, sat them on the table, and filled them to the brim with the amber liquid.

Spitfire and Dash took their jiggers and raised them in a toast. Soarin followed suit and all three gently tapped the containers together before downing them in a quick gulp. The cool liquid went down like water, leaving behind a subtle warming sensation that slowly increased to a pleasant burn. All three ponies took a moment to savor the sensation as a warm tingling feeling spread across their faces.

“I think that’s enough for now... What do you two think.”

Dash and Spitfire murmured their agreement and the three sat there for a few moments as the the effects of the powerful liquor slowly intensified. After a short period of comfortable silence, the conversation started to pick back up.

Rainbow Dash was the first to speak up. “You know, this is a really nice place. Pretty big room for just one pony. I can’t say too much, though. I live in a massive cloud mansion. Comes in really handy for pegasus parties and teaching Scootaloo how to... fly.”

Soarin smiled at that, saying, “That’s the little filly with the tiny wings, right? Cute kid, hope her wings develop fully... It would be a shame if she was never able to fly.”

Dash nodded in agreement and smiled back at Soarin, “I’m sure she’ll be fine. That girl is as tough as I was at that age. She’s almost like my little sister in a way. Gets into a lot of trouble, too... One time I had to save her from falling down a massive waterfall, in the middle of the woods at, like, midnight. My superhero senses kicked in, kinda like that time at the best young fliers compe—Wait a minute, how do you know Scootaloo? You’ve never been to Ponyville, have you?”

Soarin was at a loss for words. He sat there for a moment with a distant look in his eyes. Busted... How am I gonna explain this one?

Of course, Spitfire immediately jumped on his mistake. “Yeah Soarin, how do you know a little filly from Ponyville? I’ve never met Scootaloo and I’ve been to ponyville before. Something tells me you’ve been a few times yourself...” she trailed off, perking her ears and giving him her trademark half-smirk.

“I might have been there a time or two... Why does it matter? Where I fly on my free time is my business. I don’t question what you do when you’re on leave...”

Spitfire’s smirk spread a bit wider. “Oh no, it’s not a big deal Soarin... I just didn’t know you had any reason to go to Ponyville is all...”

Dash chimed in at that, “Have you been seeing Applejack?” With the effects of the alcohol coursing through her veins and her passion for the Wonderbolts, she got a bit carried away in her own train of thought. She jumped to the other side of the table and began pacing back and forth. “There’s no way! She totally would have told me if she was hanging out with a Wonderbolt! I mean, she knows how much I fantasize over you and Spitfire! I’d kill her if she didn’t introduce me to... you.” Rainbow blushed heavily, her ears drooping as she dropped to her haunches and looked up at Soarin. The realization of what she had just said hit her like a ton of bricks.

Soarin and Spitfire shared a knowing look at that. Spitfire’s smirk grew into a full-blown face-splitting grin. “What was that, Dash? Did you just say what I think you said?” She sauntered over to Rainbow Dash and began circling her, surveying her features carefully. “I’m sure we can do something about that.”

Rainbow stood up and turned to face her, ears perking, her blush fading slightly. “Y-You don’t think I’m a freak for saying that?”

Spitfire looked her in the eyes and replied, “I think we’re about to find out just how much of a freak you are...”

Do not click this link unless you are a dirty clopper... You have been warned.Several minutes later...

Dash pulled away from Soarin and plopped down beside Spitfire. She panted heavily, trying to catch her breath and recover from the intense waves of pleasure. She turned her head to see Soarin stumble over to his bed and dive in, tucking his head under a pillow and passing out almost immediately.

Rainbow Dash looked over at Spitfire and asked, “Really?”

Spitfire rolled her eyes and responded, “He does that... Stallions.”

Rainbow giggled at that and snuggled closer to Spitfire, laying her head on the orange mare’s chest and nuzzling against it. “I don’t wanna get up...” she said, after glancing at the clock on the wall.

Spitfire looked down at Dash, all nestled up against her. She smiled and looked into her eyes, then gently kissed her on the lips and whispered, “You don’t have to, we've got plenty of time.”

They laid together in each other’s embrace, accompanied by the gentle sound of their slow, steady breathing. Dash had fallen asleep shortly after the kiss. Spitfire glanced down at her once more. She sighed happily as sleep slowly began to take hold of her as well, then placed a gentle kiss on the rainbow-maned filly’s forehead. “Sweet dreams Dash...” she gently whispered as she closed her eyes and allowed sleep to carry her away.

After-party

Thump. Thump. Thump thump thump.

Dash groaned and snuggled closer to her warm, fuzzy pillow, not wanting to wake from the best nap she’d had since arriving at the academy. She felt something shift beneath her, then remembered exactly where she was. Oh, yeah... I’m laying on Spitfire. Her eyes shot open as the realization hit her. I just banged Soarin and Spitfire. A face-splitting grin spread across her muzzle as she opened her eyes to see Spitfire’s smiling face looking back at her.

“Hey there hotshot, have a nice nap?” she asked with a yawn. “Sounds like they got the party cannons fired up out there. Guess it’s time to start making our way back.” Spitfire motioned to Soarin, who was still passed out with his head buried beneath a pillow. “First we gotta get him up, then we can head out. Let’s have a bit of fun, shall we?”

Spitfire hopped up from the couch and made her way over to Soarin with a predatory gleam in her eyes. Dash followed behind her, not sure exactly what she was planning. Spitfire approached his bedside and reached out to brush his exposed flank. She traced a small circle around his cutie mark, gently teasing along its edges. His reaction was almost immediate: he let out a contented sigh and rolled onto his back, leaving him fully exposed. Dash watched from a distance, expecting the worst. She giggled as Spitfire’s hoof slid up his flank and moved in toward his most sensitive areas.

Spitfire leaned over and whispered to Dash, “Hold his legs.” Dash gave her a questioning look, but followed orders and restrained his hind legs. Spitfire nodded in approval and said, “You ready for this?” Dash returned the nod and gulped, not sure how to feel about what she thought she was about to take part in. Spitfire trailed her hoof along Soarin’s soft, velvety underbelly, pausing for a moment right in front of his sheath. She looked back at Dash and winked, then began tickling him. He awoke with a start and struggled to free himself from the grasp of his tormentors, to no avail.

“HAHA.. I’m gonna... HA. I’m.. Gonna... Kill... You! BAHAHA! Evil! EEEVIIILLL!”

Soarin fought back as much as he could between bouts of uncontrollable laughter. He struggled with all his might against Dash, who was trying hard to keep him under control. After several long seconds of being tickle-tortured, Soarin finally broke free from his captors. He blasted off of the bed and hovered above Dash and Spitfire, crossing his forelegs and glaring daggers at them with all his might. Dash and Spits shared a look, then collapsed onto the floor in laughter.

After the worst of the giggle fit had subsided, Spitfire looked up at him and said, “You should have seen the look on your face. It was priceless!”

Soarin did not look amused. After holding his glare for a few moments longer, his ears swiveled toward the deep rumble of a cannon in the distance. He glanced out his window, then turned back to flash the two mares one final frown before saying, “Sounds like the party is getting started out there. I was gonna offer both of you another shot or two of the Apple reserve before we head out. But, somepony decided to be a pain in the flank and wake me up in the worst way possible.” He fixed his disapproving glare upon Spitfire, who had the decency to look somewhat remorseful.

“Oh, come on, Soarin. You know it was all in good fun. How could I resist? You are just too cute not to pick on a little bit… Besides, can you really complain about being tickled by two beautiful young fillies such as ourselves?” She motioned to Dash, who gave him the cheesiest smile she could muster.

Soarin rolled eyes in response and sighed. “You know what? Fine. Let’s have a couple shots before the show. It’ll just make it that much more fun. Besides, watching the two of you being completely drunk will be highly entertaining.” He flew over to his cabinet and pulled out the jug for the second time of the evening. A bit of vapor rose from the cold ceramic as he pulled the cork from the neck. He poured up three more shots of the strong liquor and slid the small glasses to their eagerly awaiting recipients, then held up his glass and raised a toast. “To the new recruits, may they survive their first month of real training.” He looked over at Dash and gave her a charming smile before draining his shot.

“Wait, what?” Soarin’s only reply to the question was a contented sigh. She quirked an eyebrow at Spitfire, then to Soarin, whose only response was an innocent smile. Rainbow shrugged and downed her share of the wondrous apple whiskey. She smacked her lips and exhaled, slowly taking in the feel of the drink working its way into her stomach. She set her shot glass back onto the table and looked at Soarin expectantly.

He looked at the jug, then back at the two mares, the pleading look in their eyes just begging for more. “You girls are gonna drink me dry by the end of the night. Not that it would be all bad…” He winked at Spitfire before pouring up another round. They repeated the process, downing their second glass just as quickly as the first. The three sat in serene silence for a moment, enjoying the lingering feeling of warmth, and letting the effects of the whiskey slowly overtake them. That peaceful silence was shattered by the thunderous sound of a long, sustained bass note.

“That’s our cue, I suppose. Time to get the party started! We’ve got the whole night ahead of us.” Spitfire jumped up off the couch and slightly stumbled into Soarin as she made for the exit. “Of course, we probably need to shower off after all that...”

Spitfire looked back at Dash and said, “I guess now’s the perfect chance to introduce you to the Wonderbolts’ private shower room, arguably one of the best parts of being a Wonderbolt.” She flicked her tail across Soarin’s muzzle and looked back at Dash with a wink. “Now it’s time for your real initiation…”

***

Cloud Kicker looked across the training field toward the bright lights flashing in the distance. She could see a huge stage looming on the opposite end, one which had somehow gone completely unnoticed the entire day. How did they keep that hidden this whole time? She took in the scene as all the ponies of the academy began to flock toward the strobe lights and rumbling bass. A perfectly smooth half-dome wall spanned the width of the arena behind the stage, acting as a massive screen for the visual backdrop. An almost unnecessarily large sound system surrounded the entire stage, complete with an array of laser projectors, and a set of sub-woofers that looked like they were capable of destroying a city block.

“That is bucking awesome! It seems we’re in for one hay of a party tonight...” She looked over to Blossomforth and nudged her with a wing. “Looks like it’s a target rich environment out there. I wonder who the lucky pony’s gonna be tonight?”

Blossom rolled her eyes and responded, “Ugh, is that really all you ever think about? Never mind enjoying the music, or spending time with your best friend who you won’t be seeing for the next nine weeks.” She let out a small sigh at the thought of her friend being gone for so long.

“Aww, come on, Blossom. It’s not like I’ll be gone forever, and we can still write. Besides, who says I’m not thinking about spending time with you tonight?” She waggled her eyebrows and winked at her friend.

Blossom rolled her eyes and waved a dismissive hoof, “Yeah, yeah. We’ve been over this before, Cloudy.”

“You know you want it, Blossom!” she teased. “Nopony can resist my good looks and charm, not to mention my... hard-earned skills. I know how to do things that you can’t even imagine. It would be so intense, you would cry into the night, praying to Luna to make it stop, but never wanting it to end.”

A slight blush formed on Blossomforth’s face and she stared off into the distance. After a few moments of lost time, she snapped out of her dream world, shaking the mental images out of her head. “Umm, yeah…” She looked away and ran a hoof through her mane, “You know what? Let’s just head to the party and find a place to hang out ‘til the music starts.”

Blossomforth jumped up and flew across the massive training field with Cloud Kicker in tow. Cloud saw an unoccupied spot and pointed it out to Blossom. It was conveniently close to a table of refreshments, complete with a keg of hard cider.

Cloud looked over all the ponies as they gathered in front of the stage, waiting for the show to begin. She took a quick survey of all the potential candidates for her own private after-party. There were plenty of good looking stallions to chose from and lots of hot fillies, too many to chose just one.

Looks like a good chance for a group session… Speaking of which, I wonder what Rainbow Dash is up to right now. I saw her fly off with Soarin and Spitfire. I bet she’s working on her own ‘group session’. Cloud was pulled from her musings by the welcome feeling of a warm pony snuggling up to her side.

Blossomforth laid her head on Cloud’s shoulder and sighed. “You know Cloudy, I’m gonna miss having you around, especially for nine weeks. Hay, even longer if you decide to stay with the Wonderbolts and travel around doing flight shows. That, and you’ll actually have to join the Royal Air Guard. What is the Ponyville weather squad gonna do without its captain and first lieutenant? Losing you and Dash is going to hit us hard…”

Cloud Kicker leaned into Blossom’s warmth, gently stroking her mane to comfort her. “I’ll miss you too Blossom. But I know you can handle the team while we’re away. You’ve done it before while Dash and I were in the hospital. You won’t have any trouble taking care of business this time around either. For tonight, let’s not think about any of that. Let’s just enjoy each other’s company and have some fun.” She smirked as she looked into her friend’s eyes, “Besides, you can find a nice hot stallion to bang all your troubles away. There are plenty to choose from here. I saw the way you’ve been eyeballing their undercarriage these past few days…”

Blossom couldn’t help but secretly crack a smile at that. It was something she had become quite used to hearing over the past few years of companionship with Cloud Kicker. She turned around and looked at her friend with mock disapproval, then said, “You know I’m not like that, Cloudy. Not everypony is as… open as you are all the time. Besides, who says I’m looking for a stallion to keep me company?” She looked into Cloud Kicker’s eyes and whispered into her ear, “I might just have to drag you off to a stray cloud and keep you all to myself.”

Cloud Kicker quirked an eyebrow at that. “That could be arra–”

She was cut off by an explosion of sound and lights. A deafening bassline rumbled through the stadium, followed by a distinctive female voice.

“Aww yeah, it’s party-time! Who’s ready to get this show started?”

The crowd of ponies roared their approval as the DJ took the stage.

“What’s that? I can’t heeear you!”

The crowd let out an epic warcry, clopping their hooves and shouting with all their might. Ponies started jumping against the cloud surface, causing a ripple effect throughout the whole stadium, like a massive waterbed.

Cloud Kicker leaned up to Blossom’s ear and shouted, “I guess we’ll have to continue this discussion later!”

Blossomforth took a quick survey of the crowd before throwing a foreleg around Cloud’s neck and dragging her toward the chaotic mass of ponies.

“Let’s go, we don’t wanna miss the action!”

Cloud trotted alongside her and yelled her reply, “What’s that? You wanna get some action?”

Blossom shot her a mock glare and kept dragging, not bothering to reply.

Meanwhile, the DJ continued her introduction, “Sounds like everypony’s ready for a good time! Vinyl Scratch is here to drop the bass and bring the rain! Let’s do this!” As she finished her sentence, she smashed her hoof down onto a big red button at the top of her control panel. The effect was awe-inspiring.

A thumping bassline exploded from the speakers. Rumbling tremors shook the floor of cloudisseum, blasting the crowd with crashing waves of sound. A fine mist gathered in the air as the clouds began releasing moisture onto the ponies in the crowd. All the while, lasers lit up the night sky, the mist and raindrops serving as a tapestry to paint the background in brilliant color.

The two mares fought their way through the crowd, looking forward to the show of a lifetime.

Though, a least one of the two mares had other things on her mind. She was checking out all the prospects as she busted out her moves on the dance floor… and the prospects were looking good.

Daaaamn, look at the flank on thatstallion! Ooh, he is definitely on my bang later list. Right after... her. Gotta start with my unconquered favorites, after all.

She was snatched from her musings by Blossomforth, who immediately noticed that her friend’s dance moves had slowed to a stop. Obviously she had gotten lost in her own world… Again. Blossom pulled her friend into an embrace and looked into her eyes.

She leaned in close to Cloud’s ear and said, “Snap out of it, Cloud. We’re here to have fun at the party. You can worry about your little after-party later. Besides, how could you be worrying about all those other ponies when you’ve got me right here?”

She moved her muzzle within a breath of Cloud’s and held her gaze for a moment longer.

“Don’t you want to spend the night with me, Cloudy?”

They shared a moment gazing into each other’s eyes, when suddenly, the music screeched to a halt. A brilliant flash and an explosion of thunder broke their reverie. They regained their sight from the blinding streak of lightning just in time to see a dark chariot descending from the clouds above. A dark chariot being pulled by two of the sexiest creatures alive: Bat ponies.

Cloud Kicker’s jaw dropped as she saw the two stallions land the chariot amongst the parting crowd of ponies. She could see the rippling muscles beneath their rugged stone-grey coats. Their pointed ears and quietly-flapping leathery wings only added to their overall mystique. She instantly felt moist between her hind legs.

It. Is. On!

They unhooked from the lavish velvet-lined harness and shook off the moisture from the misty skies. Cloud wished that moment could be frozen in time, only so she could gaze upon it a moment longer. It was perfect. Their stone grey fur gleamed in the light of the stage behind them. Their handsome, chiseled jawlines and long, flowing manes made her lose herself in fantasy, only to be found moments later by Blossom as she waved her hoof in front of Cloud’s face.

“Well, I can see who you really want to bang tonight… It’s okay, I’ll just go find somepony else to satisfy my lustful desires.”

“Oh, come on, Blossom! Did you see how hot they are? I mean, have you ever banged a bat pony? We should totally try to tag team with them!”

“Seriously, Cloudy? Do you really think that two of Luna’s personal night guard would be so unprofessional that they would abandon their charge and commit acts of debauchery?”

“Um... yes?”

Blossom rolled her eyes. “Really, Cloud? I think your brain is fried from all that high-altitude flying you’ve been doing.”

“Yes seriously, Blossom. Think about it: how many ponies can say that they have spent the night with a lunar stallion? I bet they don’t get to be in a crowd of hot fillies like ourselves every day, either. Odds are on our side when it comes to them being... adventurous tonight. I think we can pull it off with a little bit of effort. What do you say, Blossom? Let’s give it a try. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Cloud, last time you asked me that, you almost got eaten by a hydra.”

“Yeah, but that was a hydra. These are ponies! That was totally different. And they are totally sexy.”

Blossomforth took a long look at the ponies in question. They are pretty sexy… Then, she looked back over to Cloud. And she looks so pitiful. She sighed aloud. How does she always do this to me?

With a final groan of protest, she succumbed to her friend’s pleading. “Okay… I’m in.”

Cloud Kicker raised an eyebrow her way. “You what?”

Blossomforth spoke up louder. “I said, I’m in. Let’s do it.”

Cloud kicker shook her head for a moment to try and clear out the fuzz from the lingering effects of the music. “I’m sorry, did you just say you would?”

Blossom glanced back at the chariot before responding, “Yes! Now let’s get over there before they disappear into the crowd!”

She pushed past Cloud kicker and headed for the chariot. The princess of the night and her two escorts were making their way through the crowd, toward the stage. In an act of sheer willpower, she picked up her pace to pursue them before she changed her mind.

Somehow, I think I’m gonna regret this.