Though Hell Should Bar the Way

Late that night, Applejack was finally ready to sleep. She’d carefully checked all the packs for the morning, making sure they had anything useful. They’d taken down the shelter to reuse the netting, gathered the knives, canteens, pieces of rope and scraps of fabric. Everything was ready for the ponies to leave tomorrow, to make their way towards Bayou and safety, or the disappointment and uncertainty of a future they’d have to build.

Applejack was tired in a way she didn’t think sleep would cure, but she knew that without it tomorrow would be even worse. Her hopes for a rest at the end of this road seemed far away right now, so she figured that she’d need all of her strength of body and spirit to face what they found at the town.

Twilight and Dash were already asleep at either side of the blanket and Applejack took her spot in the middle. She felt the worry of the day leave her, and muscles she didn’t know had been tense suddenly ached with the release. A glance towards Dash tempted her with thoughts of a warm body to snuggle against, to relieve some of that ache and calm her mind, but Applejack just took her hat off and closed her eyes.

“AJ.” She heard Dash whisper moments later.

She opened her eyes, and saw Dash sitting herself up.

“AJ… come here,” Dash whispered, motioning to the other side of the blanket.

Applejack moved over and sat down next to her. “What’s-- mmph!” she was cut off as Dash kissed her hard on the lips. Applejack pulled away in surprise.

“Dash… do you-- do you wanna talk?”

“No.” Dash was smiling; in the moonlight she looked more like her old self than she had since the caribou came.

But Applejack wasn’t sure she believed it. Feelings were funny things. “Sugarcube… there’s stuff we oughta talk about. I don’t want ya’ to feel--”

“Pressured? Crazy? Like I owe you? Like I need you?” Dash cut her off. The smile fell away, replaced by a plain, straightforward expression. “I don’t wanna feel any of that either, but that’s how I feel sometimes, and I can’t stop it. But you didn’t make me feel like that. You make me feel free, and good, and like my old self. So, I don’t wanna talk about it. I’m gonna be crazy sometimes, but I want to be with you anyway.” Dash leaned in and kissed Applejack’s neck.

Applejack felt a tingle up her spine, bringing energy back to her tired body. She couldn’t stop herself from wrapping her arms around Dash’s body, or burying her muzzle in Dash’s rainbow hair. Even so, she mumbled, “This ain’t healthy.”

“Compared to what?” Dash breathed against her skin. “The rest of Equestria?”

“You got me there.”

Applejack closed her eyes as Dash’s mouth pressed against her collarbone, biting lightly. Dash pulled up the bottom of Applejack’s shirt and ran her hands up her bare back, massaging the muscles. Applejack reached up and unbuttoned the shirt in the front, giving Dash access to more of her body.

Dash dove right in, kissing and nuzzling down Applejack’s chest, between her breasts, pushing her back into the blanket. Confusion and desire tumbled through Applejack’s mind. She wanted this so badly, but she wanted to know that Dash was okay, that this wouldn’t hurt her more.

But she knew she wasn’t going to get that answer tonight. What she was getting was Dash’s passion and devotion, full force. After a year of having her body treated like a toy, Dash’s hot kisses seemed to appreciate every inch of her, and wake up a desire she wasn’t sure she’d felt in her life. Dash’s mouth traveled over Applejack’s breasts, her tongue caressing each nipple, tracing the rounded bottoms. Her hands moved over Applejack, tracing muscles and curves.

Applejack’s body was burning for more; her hands moved to untie the rope belt holding her pants up. She felt greedy for letting Dash do this when they should be talking about where their relationship was, and guilty for enjoying this while so many mares across the world were still living through that hell. But this felt so right, and it had been so long, and she wanted Rainbow Dash so badly that Dash’s hands plunging into her pants just made her buck her hips towards the pegasus and gasp, “Oh hell yeah.”

Dash’s hands groped their way over her ass and thighs, brushing her cutie mark, before making their way to the front, stroking her mound. Despite everything, Dash paused for a split second and an eyebrow twitched, questioningly. As much as the question obviously didn’t need to be asked, Applejack’s heart melted and she closed her eyes in bliss as she nodded.

Applejack felt Dash’s hand press more firmly, parting her folds. She blushed a little and whispered, “Gentle. I need a light touch, Dash...”

“Oh, I know,” Dash whispered back with a smirk, one finger delving into AJ’s wet slit. “I remember that night in the barn. I barely had to touch you to make you lose your mind.”

The tip of Dash’s finger played over her clit, earning a cry that was louder than Applejack intended, “Aaah! Oh Dash…”

“It’s the sorta thing that sticks in your mind. The big, tough cowgirl…” the length of the finger lightly brushed along Applejack’s clit. “...has her soft spots.”

Applejack shuddered as Dash’s fingers continued to tease, brushing her bud, gliding over her hole, inserting the tip of one finger and wiggling it back and forth. Applejack’s breath came heavy and it was all she could do to keep her voice down. “Oh yeah… please… Oh Rainbow Dash, please…”

“So. Hot.” Dash whispered in her ear as her finger probed deeper inside. Her thumb continued a grazing against the sensitive nub outside, and her finger worked its way deeper, rubbing firmly against Applejack’s inner walls until the pressure hit a spot that made Applejack gasp.

“There Dash… Mmmmm!” Applejack let out a whimper.

Dash lightly bit her ear as she slowly worked her finger against the spot. With her other hand she cradled one of Applejack’s breasts, stroking the nipple with her thumb.

Every nerve in Applejack’s body felt alive, screaming in pleasure that she hadn’t imagined in so long. She was trying to keep quiet, Twilight was asleep across the blanket, but there was no way to avoid the soft moans and grunts of pleasure that escaped. As the wave built within her, she looked up at Dash’s grinning face. They locked eyes, and without breaking the look Rainbow leaned down and kissed her.

The tender feeling of Dash’s lips on hers was enough to send Applejack over the edge, her mind reeling between all of the sensations in her body and the love and care they offered with each stroke and press and kiss. She had no idea how long she rode her orgasm, it seemed like it would never end and Dash seemed determined to make sure of that.

Dash didn’t stop her attentions until Applejack’s body relaxed, limp against the blanket. Then she carefully removed her fingers from her sex, and stopped the movement of her thumb against her breast. Only then did Dash part the kiss, smiling down at Applejack.

“That was amazin’,” Applejack sighed with a smile.

Dash’s smile grew to a grin. “I’ve still got it, huh?”

Applejack tried to catch her breath. “That’s the first time a pony made me come since before the caribou came…”

“Really?”

“Yeah…” Applejack nodded. “I faked it a lot to get ‘em off my back… whenever they’d start tryin’ to make me come, it just hurt. But none of ‘em ever bothered to touch me gentle, and I sure wasn’t about to tell them.” She leaned up and kissed Dash. “So, thank you.”

“Any time you need it,” Dash said as they parted.

Applejack reached up and ran her fingers through Dash’s hair, pulling her face to Applejack’s again. After the next kiss, she held her there and whispered, “What about you?”

Dash squirmed against her, grinning. “You'd better believe I need it.”

Applejack grinned back and threw her weight to the side, rolling both of the ponies over so that Applejack looked down at Dash. She shifted so that she was crouched over the smaller pegasus, and leaned down to kiss her again. “You got it, sugarcube.”

Kissing back, Dash hurried to unbutton her shirt and shimmy out of her pants. Applejack nearly chuckled at her eager lover, but she managed to hold it to a smirking smile and she brushed a hand down Dash’s exposed body.

“Mmm… more, AJ.”

At that Applejack did chuckle, but she obliged, her hands exploring Dash’s torso and opening her shirt more to reveal her lithe, toned body and small, firm breasts. “You are one fine lookin’ pony.”

“I know!” Dash moaned. “Touch me already!”

Applejack couldn’t hold back her laughter. “You bossy lil’ thing. I can’t do this right when I’m laughin’.”

Dash smirked with a devilish gleam in her eye. “It’s not my fault you forgot how to do this.”

“Oh I forgot, did I?” Applejack said, raising an eyebrow. “There’s no damn way I forgot how to love you.”

“Then prove-- oooooh!” Dash’s taunt was cut off as both of Applejack’s hands landed on her breasts, toying with her nipples. Her fingers didn’t let up as Applejack quickly leaned over and peppered Dash’s body with kisses, between her breasts, across her stomach, down to where the soft mound rose up between her legs.

Dash’s hips thrust up as she let out a desperate groan. Applejack slid her hands down Dash’s sides to cup her bottom, spreading Dash’s legs wider. She looked down at the dewey slit, then gave a light lick over it.

“Come on, AJ!” Dash insisted with a thrust of her hips.

“Oh, ya’ want this?” Applejack paused and smirked up at Dash.

Dash slammed a hand down against the blanket. “Yes!”

Applejack gave her a teasing lick, “Nah… I probably don’t even remember how to do it.”

“Urgh!” Dash grunted. “No! You’ve totally got this, now give it to me!”

“Don’t mind if I do.” Applejack said, parting Dash’s lower lips with her muzzle, deeply breathing in Dash’s scent and tasting her juices. Applejack lapped eagerly at the full length as Dash’s hips thrust faster.

“Yeah, AJ… deeper… more… gosh yes…” Dash panted with each movement.

Applejack forced herself to focus, letting her tongue explore Dash’s marehood, looking for the right spots and angles. As she searched, she noticed a spot that felt different, just to the right of Dash’s clit. Applejack fought the urge to cringe or cry, and carefully kept her attention on giving Dash pleasure. Dash deserved pleasure without thinking of that pain, something so good that for a little while she didn’t even remember the scar was there, and Applejack planned to give it to her.

“Applejack!” Dash demanded.

With a flurry of tight, controlled licks Applejack focused on Dash’s nub, making the pegasus squirm and squeal in pleasure. Dash’s legs wrapped over her shoulders, holding herself firmly to Applejack’s face. Lifting up a little, Applejack shifted down slightly, using her tongue to probe into Dash’s hole, while her lips worked in large sucking kisses that caught Dash’s clit each time.

“Mmm! AJ, I’m close… so close…”

Applejack drove her muzzle in farther, her tongue digging deeply, catching the sensitive edges of Dash’s tunnel and working in the twitching confines as Dash’s moans grew louder. Finally she rewarded Applejack with a fresh gush of juices and her legs clamping hard across Applejack’s shoulders as she thrust her hips wildly.

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Uuunh!” Dash screamed, thrashing her head, lost in her orgasm.

Dash trailed off eventually, releasing Applejack and crashing against the blanket.

Applejack crawled back up to lay next to the exhausted pegasus. “Guess I picked that back up pretty quick, huh?”

Dash smirked and wrapped her arms around Applejack. “You could use practice… a lot of practice… like, every night I think.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t mind workin’ on that too much,” Applejack said with a chuckle, leaning her head on Dash’s shoulder.

The two lay in silence for a moment, then Dash said quietly, “I’ve been worried, AJ. I was scared that when we did it, it would feel like-- but it didn’t, at all. It was like the opposite of getting raped. So good… you’re so good. I love you.”

“I love ya’ too.” Applejack said with a nuzzle. “I know just what you mean. They didn’t break us. Not really. We can still feel that.”

Applejack lay with her arms around Dash, her hands stroking the always disheveled rainbow hair. There was a sense of… not peace, but rest. A few moments of right in the world, a break in the rain.

***

Twilight had considered speaking up when Rainbow called Applejack over. She thought that maybe they were going to have a personal conversation, and it wouldn’t be right to listen in on that. But then Rainbow made it clear they were just going to fuck. Twilight had seen ponies have sex in every way imaginable, and done nearly as much herself, often in public. She saw no reason to bother them by announcing that she was awake.

Now, she almost wished she had. She felt strange; confused, really.

That wasn’t just fucking. She’d never seen two ponies do… that.

In some ways it was a little dull. It was missing a spark of excitement she was used to, the danger of punishment for failure to perform. And neither of them were very creative with positions or toys, and they didn’t even take their clothes all the way off. Not to mention Applejack getting the giggles before she went down on Dash. If it had been two mares putting on a show for their master, Twilight would have had to give them some lessons.

Except… that was the problem. There was no show, at all. Just two ponies having fun… showing that they love each other… making love.

The term seemed archaic, but Twilight knew that only a year ago she would hardly have thought of sex as anything else. She’d never considered what it might mean, that it talked about something different from fucking… being able to please someone else and tell them how to please her; being able to tease and laugh, and just be herself without worrying about punishment.

… feeling love that someone offered back in the same way. The other day she told Applejack that was a foal’s story, but now she had seen it with her own eyes. And with the knowledge that love was real came the painful understanding that she’d never feel love like that. She’d never make love. All she had done for the past year would be all she would ever do, the love she felt for her master, and his approval, was the most she could ever hope for.

Twilight started to cry. She tried to hide it, she muffled her sobs in the crook of her arm, but after a few moments she heard Applejack whisper, “Aw, shit.”

Applejack went on in a normal tone, “Sorry, Twilight. We, uh, didn’t mean to get so loud.”

“Speak for yourself…” Rainbow added, but at that moment Twilight sniffed loudly. “Are you okay?”

Twilight tried to gather herself.

“I’m sorry for listening,” she said in a shaky voice. “I would have said something if you were talking, but I thought it was going to be just sex…”

“Yeah, I suppose that don’t matter much to you,” Applejack said. “But… you sound like there’s something botherin’ you.”

“No. Nothing at all.” Twilight looked away to make sure they couldn’t see her face.

“Are you sure?” Rainbow sounded like she wasn’t buying it. “You aren’t, like, mad because there should be some stallion here we have to get off?”

“No!” Twilight snapped. “What you did was amazing. I’ve never seen anything like that. I’ve seen ponies have sex in thousands of different ways, but-- that was different. I don’t know what that feels like… but it looks beautiful.”

“It is,” Applejack said softly.

“So why are you so upset?” Rainbow pressed.

The tears returned and almost overwhelmed her ability to speak, but she fought them back. “Because I’m never going to feel that! M-master doesn’t-- He doesn’t love me. Not like that. And-- I mean, I love him, but…” She paused to sniff, and her brain fed her the thought before she knew what she was saying, “But Spike is a drooling idiot! And I don’t-- I can’t-- feel like that about him.”

Applejack and Rainbow were staring at her, eyes wide. As Twilight realized what she was saying, her own eyes matched theirs, but she went on in a tiny voice, “I’m never going to feel like that, am I?”

“Probably not while you’re listenin’ to King Dainn,” Applejack said plainly.

“No one gets to feel like that now,” Rainbow pointed out. “I don’t think the stallions can feel like that, under the spell.”

Twilight cringed. “But… it’s so safe… and easy… before I submitted, it hurt so much...”

Applejack moved over towards Twilight, sitting down beside her and putting a strong arm over her shoulders. “What hurt, sugarcube?”

“Everything!” Twilight waved her hand absently. “ I didn’t have Celestia or Luna or Cadance, I didn’t have you or Pinkie or Fluttershy, I didn’t have the elements, and they were stronger and had an army! I didn’t know who to trust, and everyone was looking at me… I was weak, we ponies were weak and it seemed so easy to submit when they were so obviously stronger...”

“How’s it feel now?”

“Confused. It still feels safe and easy, but there’s so much… wrong.” Twilight went on in a whisper, “It’s wrong, AJ.”

She swallowed, but it stuck in her throat. That was it, the truth she couldn’t say before.

“It’s all wrong, and it’s all my fault,” she repeated. “I’m…I’m scared of them. If we try to stop them, they’ll hurt other ponies. I don’t want ponies to get hurt. I don’t, but I can’t make them stop it. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I just want them to stop hurting ponies.”

“They ain’t gonna, as long as they’re here,” Applejack pointed out. “We gotta get rid of ‘em, cause even if they try to hurt a lot of ponies on their way out, they’re gonna hurt way more if we let ‘em stay here forever. They’ll always be wantin’ to hurt ponies, Twilight, no matter how many mares submit and what they promise ‘em.”

Twilight just stared at Applejack for a moment. “I should have known that. I should have-- I was supposed to be smart, damn it! I was supposed to be the pony who thinks of these things… I was supposed to be a leader… a princess… what happened to me? How am I sitting here with my horn cut off? Why did I believe them?”

“I don’t know, Twilight. I tried…” Rainbow pointed out.

“I don’t know either,” Twilight muttered, before going on at a shout, “I don’t know anything! I tried to keep them from hurting ponies, and I made things a hundred times worse! What am I supposed to do now? I don’t have a horn, I don’t have wings, I don’t have friends, I--”

“Hold up,” Applejack cut in. “You always got friends.”

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah, why do you think we took you?”

“I don’t know. You should hate me even more than I hate myself right now.” Twilight considered that with a frown. ”If that was possible, which it probably isn’t.”

“We should hate you,” Rainbow agreed, “and sometimes we do, but… we can’t really hate you. We have to believe you’re still our friend, and we have to be friends to you. Otherwise, nothing matters.”

“You two matter.” Twilight pointed out. “You’re fighting to keep ponies you love from being hurt, and you have… what I just saw. Love. Real romantic love, and friendship, and… yourselves. You have yourselves, not this stupid, broken puppet that my body is now and this wasteland I made in my mind.” She gestured wildly. “Twilight Sparkle? Who is she? Just a filthy degenerate traitor! I shouldn’t matter to you, or to anyone else. I hope I never matter again.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and crouched down in front of Twilight. “Twilight, I know who you are and I know what you did. What you did to me. And I am still your friend, and you matter to me. Because if I don’t have faith in you and AJ, all I have left is what they made me into.”

Twilight looked away. “They forced you into that position. I begged for it. It’s all I have left. And it’s disgusting.”

“Are you even listening to me?” Rainbow said, waving a hand in Twilight’s face.

“Rainbow Dash…” Applejack said, motioning for her to quit. Then Applejack turned back to Twilight and pulled her into half of a hug.

“Sugarcube, you listen here, and trust me. All you gotta know right now is there’s love in this world, and there’s friendship, and happiness. And if we work together those are gonna be things that anypony can have, includin’ you. Don’t you worry about what got us here, or what we’re gonna do to fix it, there’s time for that later. Right now, just let your friends take care of you, okay?”

“I don’t deserve this.” Twilight whispered, wrapping her arms around Applejack.

Applejack nodded. “Love ain’t somethin’ you just get when you deserve it. It’s gotta be there when ya’ don’t deserve it, too, or it ain’t love.”

Rainbow wrapped an arm around Twilight from the other side, and her friends held her for hours. In the ruins of the country she was supposed to lead, in the arms of ponies she’d tormented, Twilight’s mistakes seemed to burn into her mind. Every mare in chains, every degenerate act she’d encouraged or performed. The desecration of schools and parks, and of bodies and minds. She had been Equestria’s last defense, and she had been as weak and worthless as the caribou claimed she was.

The only hope she could cling to was that somehow, maybe she could borrow strength from Applejack and Rainbow to fix what she'd destroyed. Safe in the warmth of their forgiveness and love, she almost believed that she could.