At The Mid Hour Of Night, I Fly

Rainbow, feeling light headed,  glanced at her clock as she'd sat naked on the edge of her bed, surprised that the digital readout said it was four fifteen in the afternoon. She stifled a yawn, stretching her arms and legs as did so. Rubbing her sore wrists where her bindings had bitten into her blue skin Rainbow instinctively flexed her right wing, wincing at the stabbing pain that lanced through her muscles from her shallow wound. Shaking her head to clear her daze Rainbow realised how tired she was.

‘Doc Grumpy did say I'd get tired easier from any exertions’ she thought to herself with a wry grin, and what her and Fluttershy had just done certainly qualified as an exertion. This realisation bought home her physical condition to Rainbow, she'd never gotten this tired this quickly before the accident. Gone was the athlete who could fly for eight hours and not break a sweat.

Rainbow watched her Mistress getting dressed, a worried thought crossed her mind. Mistress wanted to go out, for a picnic with the others. The blue pegasus seriously doubted she could make it, given her current fatigue. She'd have to say something, she only hoped her Mistress would understand.

Having gotten herself dressed, Fluttershy turned to her Pet, she'd couldn't help but be slightly disappointed to see her still sitting naked on the edge of the bed. “Aren't you getting dressed?” Fighting back a blush she added, “I don't mind you going naked though.”

Hesitantly Rainbow met her girlfriend's blue eyes as she nervously fingered the blue collar around her neck. “Um…Shy, I mean, Mistress…can - can we do it another day please?” A second yawn escaped her, “sorry I – I’m really tired.”

“Of course we can sweetie, it's no trouble. I'll go call the girls and explain what's up.” Halfway through the bedroom door Fluttershy had an afterthought. “You can take the collar off you know.” She added with a smile.

Rainbow blushed a little, her cheeks glowing red as she looked at the floor uncertainly. “Can I keep it on please Mistress?”

“Sure you can, if you want to. You know Dashie, you don't have to call me Mistress all the time. You never expected it from me all the while.”

“I know, but I  kinda like it. It suits you, and…I guess I sorta like being your Pet, it's way cool.”

Fluttershy flashed her a smile. “I'm a lucky Mistress to have such an awesome Pet. You want some help getting into bed?” Rainbow was about to lie down where she was before she was stopped. “No. My Pet sleeps in my bed, understand?”

“Yes Mistress.” Rainbow Dash grinned as she hopped off the bed, landing on her feet with an uncertain wobble. Immediately Fluttershy was at her side, supporting her in her arms.

“I gotcha sweetie.” Fluttershy scooped her up, cradling Rainbow like a foal as she flapped her wings gently, carrying them both to their bedroom. Dashie nestled her head into the crook of her girlfriend’s arm, snuggling comfortably into the hold.

By the time Fluttershy had covered the short distance to the bedroom her Dashie was snoring gently in her arms. Carefully she laid her sleeping girlfriend in the bed, pulling the duvet over her. Rainbow stirred a little as she rolled over, but didn't fully wake herself.

An idea came to Fluttershy as she watched Rainbow get herself comfortable under the covers. “I'm going out for a bit, okay Dashie?”

A muffled “hmmm” was her only reply, before being replaced by more snores from the Rainbow shaped lump under the duvet.

Retrieving her phone from her jacket pocket she flipped it open and hurriedly tapped off a text message to her waiting friends, quickly explaining the change of plan and asking them to meet her at Twilight’s castle in an hours time. Fluttershy had her answer in the affirmative before she had time to reach her front door. Smiling she checked her watch, noting the time of four thirty.

Quickening her pace she hurried towards the open air market in Ponyville, she only had thirty minutes before the shops closed and she wanted to pay a visit to the pet stall…

~

“Fluttershy, that has to be the single most crazy idea I've ever heard!” Twilight Sparkle stood stunned before the yellow pegasus, eyes wide and wings flared, rubbing her ear to make sure she had heard right. Unfortunately she had.

“Ah hate to say it sugarcube, but ah think Twi’s right, it sure sounds crazy alright.” Applejack sat fanning herself with her stetson, looking at Fluttershy as if she had sprouted three heads.

“Aww come on you guys it sounds super duper fun! I can bring my party cannon, I'll load it with all my best streamers and balloons and noise makers and…”

Rarity silenced Pinkie Pie with a delicately manicured white hand across her mouth before the party planner could get into full flow. “Darling, whilst I can certainly appreciate the romance of the gesture, it does seem a little…foolhardy, does it not?”

Fluttershy sat across from her friends in the common room of the crystal tree castle, listening to all their objections. She had expected them. She herself thought her idea was at the least dangerous, at the most if it went wrong it would mean a hospital stay. Typically Pinkie thought the idea was a brilliant excuse or a party. Then again to Pinkie, anything was an excuse for a party.

Ignoring their protests the pegasus addressed Twilight directly. “I know it's risky Twilight, but can you do it?”

Recovering from her earlier shock the princess sat in her own chair, mulling Fluttershy’s request over in her head, muttering calculations and formulae under her breath as she completed a series of complex mathematical equations. Eyes bright she finally answered. “Well, it's certainly achievable, I won't deny it, but are you sure you want to try it? Not to be insulting, but your maximum wingpower at best is only two point five Fluttershy, for what you want to do I’d have to increase it to at least sixteen. That means multiplying by a factor of seven.”

“That's alright Twilight, I trust you to do this.” Fluttershy was pleased she sounded calmer about it than she really felt. “Can't you trust my abilities?”

“It's not a question of trust Fluttershy, I can do it certainly, I'm more worried about you…” Twilight closed her book and levitated it onto the table.

“Me? You're worried about me?”

“Well, yes. Your body hasn't experienced these kinds of speeds before. Who knows the damage you could do to yourself in flight, not to mention if you should…you know, have an, an accident.”

All five of the girls went quiet at the thought, the implications clearly etched on each face. None of them wanted another Rainbow Dash incident.

“Everything will be just fine Twilight, I want to do this, for Rainbow. Will you help me, please?” A nod from the princess brought a smile to her face. “Now, Rarity, can you handle the sign writing?”

"I most certainly can. As long as Pinkie here explodes her cannon as you fly over I can manipulate what shoots out to spell what you require.”

Pinkie nodded furiously as she began bouncing around the room on a balloon she seemingly pulled from nowhere. “Gonna be sooooo much fuuuuuun!” She sang out as she bounced happily.

Fluttershy glanced over at Applejack, “and you're okay doing the food for the picnic Applejack?”

“Sure am sugar, when are you wantin’ it for?”

“Um, is two days from now at midday by the Everfree lake alright with all of you?”

A chorus of yes’ brought another smile to Fluttershy’s face as she stood up gathering her shopping bags in her hands. “I'm going to get back, I've left Dashie on her own long enough.” Sure enough it was getting dark outside the castle, Fluttershy had only intended to be out for a couple of hours, now it was at least eight in the late evening. Still if she knew her Pet at all she'd still be asleep.

“Hey Shy,” Applejack called after her as she made to leave the castle, “tell Rainbow we all said ‘hi’ wontcha?”

~

“Rainbow Dash! Are you ready yet?”

"Almost...Mistress..." Came a muffled cry from the bathroom upstairs.

"Hurry up! We need to be leaving in fifteen minutes!" Fluttershy huffed about in the living room. She couldn't ever remember her Pet taking this long over anything, least of all getting ready. It was only a friendly picnic, they weren't exactly meeting the princesses. ‘She's stalling I bet…’ The pegasus thought to herself. Well, Mistress knew how to hurry her along.

Grabbing a brown paper bag from a kitchen drawer Fluttershy hurried up the stairs. Pushing open the bathroom door she found a fully clothed Rainbow huddled on the floor, knees drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped around them and shaking as she rocked back and forth.

Kneeling beside her Fluttershy put a hand on her shoulder “Rainbow, sweetie what's wrong?”

“I - I'm scared Mistress. What if they don't forgive me? I don't want them to hate me.” Her shoulders slumped with the admission.

‘Stand up!” The stark order brought Rainbow to her senses. Quickly she obeyed, standing before Fluttershy with a questioning look on her face.

“Good Pet. I have something for you, but first take off that collar and give it here!” Fluttershy held out her hand with the expectation her order would be carried out.

“M – my collar? Why?”

"I said I had something for you. Now, give. The collar. To me…Pet.”

Immediately Rainbow's hands fumbled with the catch before undoing it and placing it in her Mistresses outstretched waiting hand.

"That's better. Now, this is for you.” Smiling Fluttershy handed Rainbow the paper bag. “Open it.”

Rainbow Dash opened the bag her Mistress had given her, looking inside her cerise eyes went wide. Reaching a hand in she removed the butter yellow leather collar and looked at it in awe. “You – you bought this for me, Mistress?”

“I did. Do you like it?”

“Ohmigosh! I love it, Thank you Mistress.” Rainbow squeed as she turned the collar over in her hands, inspecting it. She noticed the tag in the front was shaped like her Mistresses cutie mark.

"Put it on.”

Fluttershy watched eagerly as her newly submissive girlfriend placed the collar around her neck, deftly securing the buckle at the back so the butterfly tag was proudly showing above her white tee shirt. Fluttershy couldn’t help the feeling of pride as Rainbow stood to attention in front of her, head held high to show off the new collar. That was it. With that simple act of exchanging the collars the ownership of Rainbow Dash was complete. Rainbow was more than her girlfriend, she was her Pet, and it was for Fluttershy to look after and take care of her Pet.

Mistress stood on her tip toes to plant a soft kiss on Rainbow’s lips. “Now you're ready. Follow me.” Obediently Rainbow fell into step behind her Mistress, following her down the stairs to the front door. Picking up her pink purse from the worktop counter on her way Fluttershy pushed open the door and stepped on through, only to notice Rainbow hesitate on the threshold of the cottage. “Well, come on!”

Still Rainbow paused, looking outside uncertainly. “I – I dunno…”

“I see.” Fluttershy walked back to the door, fishing something out of her purse as she reached Rainbow. Before she could react the yellow pegasus clipped a matching yellow leash to the collar and gave it a harsh tug. “I said, come on. If you can't walk with me I shall lead you.”

Rainbow took a few stumbling steps out onto the dirt path, hurrying her step so the leash went slack. “Mistress, is the leash necessary?”

Without turning to face her pet Fluttershy answered, “I don't know. Can you behave or not?”

“I – I’ll be good Mistress, I promise.”

Fluttershy turned to face Rainbow, unclipping the leash and folding it in her hand. “Very well then. It comes off, for now.” She then flicked the end of the leash against Rainbow's nose. “Misbehave and it goes back on. Understand?”

“Yes Mistress.”

“That’s better. Now, give me your hand Pet.”

Hand in  they took the next step together, feeling the heat and gentle breeze of the early afternoon wash over them, squinting into the sun they lifted their free hands to shield their eyes as they slowly walked down the small dirt path that lead from their home. They smelled the grass, heard the birds singing in the trees. Reaching the white fence around the cottage’s boundary. Rainbow felt her legs give a little under her. Immediately Fluttershy was there checking on her.

"You alright Dashie?”

"Yeah, I'm fine Mistress, I just haven't walked much lately. How much farther is it?”

“Not very far, about fifteen minutes if we take it steady, there’s a lovely spot on the edge of the Everfree. You'll love it.”

They walked on, Fluttershy slowing her pace to match Rainbow’s, enjoying the comfortable silence as she walked hand in hand with her girlfriend, she knew this was going to be a good day and was determined it was going to be the first of as many as she could share before it was too late. Mistress bent her head to the left, resting it on Dash’s shoulder as they walked, and Dash extended her right wing, wrapping it around Shy’s shoulder and pulled them closer together, their fingers still entwined.

Rounding a bend in the path they were following, they saw the clearing up ahead where the four girls sat on a huge red cloth waiting for them. Dash could see Rarity, Pinkie and Applejack having an animated conversation about something, and Twilight was sat next to them, her own lavender wings folded back as she had her head in a book which she held in her magical aura, only offering the occasional comment here and there.

Dash took hesitant steps as she got closer to them, not at all sure how she was going to be received, even less sure how she deserved to be received. Only the presence of her Mistress at her side stopped her from turning and running away. Dash lowered her wing as they approached the seated group, only for Fluttershy to replace it with her own, stroking Dash’s arm with her outer feathers.

They stopped at the edge of the blanket, saying nothing as the conversation between the four seated friends faded, replaced with a very pregnant silence. Rarity, Pinkie and Applejack looked at Dash and Shy with slightly agape faces, not entirely believing what they were seeing. Only Twilight seemed not to notice, her attention fully focused on the book held in front of her. Her left wing still around Dash’s arm Mistress gave her Pet's hand a squeeze, indicating she should say something. Dash ran her hand through her hair, casting her eyes about. ‘Too late to run now Dashie.’ She thought to herself.

“H - hey guys…” Was all she could come up with, suddenly becoming very interested in the ground at her feet, her cheeks blushing a fierce crimson. A thud told her Twilight had dropped the book, her attention now directed at the two newcomers. Rainbow stood there shuffling her feet, she could feel their stares boring holes into her but she didn't know what to do, her eyes were furiously studying this patch of dirt like it would reveal all the secrets of Equestria to her if she looked hard enough.

After a few minutes that felt like hours Applejack broke the heavy silence. “That's a mighty fine collar you have on there Rainbow,” the farmer nodded at the accessory around her neck, “finally tame her, huh Fluttershy?”

"Oh yes. She's all mine now, aren't you sweetie?” Fluttershy placed a gentle kiss on her girlfriend's cheek.

“Well I must say darling it's taken you long enough. I'm pleased to see you took my advice about the collar. It does suit you Rainbow dear. Won't  you sit and join us?” Rarity offered after she’d composed herself, ever the lady.

Fluttershy let go of Dash’s hand, kneeling on the red blanket and shrugging off her jacket. Rainbow stood there, absently rubbing the back of her neck where the buckle of the collar was, eyes still on the ground.

“I – I don't know...that is, if you want me to……AAAAGGHH!! Pinkie!”

Was all Rainbow managed to utter in shock as she was spear tackled to the ground by a blurring pink ball of energy surrounded by a puffy mane of bright red hair that was Pinkie Pie’s usual way of saying “hello.”

“Oh my gosh Dashie you're back you're here of course you're here I couldn't tackle you if you weren't here I'd be tackling the air and the air can't be tackled and now you're back on your back oh wow it's been ages and ages and I missed you we missed you and now we’re going to have so much fuuuuuun!”

Pinkie finally paused for breath and was about to launch into another verbal assault when the hyper excited girl was surrounded by a lavender bubble, and Twilight used her magic to levitate Pinkie off of Rainbow, allowing her to push herself up to a sitting position.

“Afternoon Rainbow.” Twilight smirked as she set Pinkie down next to the pink party cannon the party planner had bought along. Rainbow clutched her side with a grimace as she sat up, her wince of pain was lost to everyone except her Mistress as the others collapsed in peals of laughter at Pinkie just being Pinkie. Unable to study that really interesting bit of dirt anymore, Rainbow looked around at the girls sat around her. Not really knowing what to say next she figured she’d leap in and well and truly break the ice.

“If you didn't notice guys I'm missing my left wing and I can't fly anymore. It's okay to look and talk about that.”

“About that, ah’m right sorry how ah treated you in the hospital sugarcube, ah should’a been more considerate.” Applejack fiddled with the brim of her hat, a blush on her freckled cheeks.

“It's alright AJ…”

Applejack cut her off, “no it ain't alright! Ah treated you like an old apple tart ah found under the couch! Ah should’a treated mah best friend better than that.” Tears threatened to spill from the farmer, “ah’m just sorry sugar…”

“Yes darling, I feel I must apologise also. When we visited you I simply didn't know what to say, I realise it's no excuse for my behaviour, but what was I to say, hmm? ‘I have a great dress design that only has one wing hole?’” Rarity’s apology was cut short by Rainbow’s snigger and Fluttershy’s giggle. “Yes, well, I should have known you'd be amused by such vulgarity…” Rarity sniffed a little, she really didn't want to cry, her mascara gad taken an age to apply.

“Oh! Oh! My turn, I wanna apologise too!” Pinkie Pie began bouncing on the spot, showering the friends with bright yellow balloons she somehow managed to pull from her pouffy pink hair.

Rainbow and Fluttershy shared a look of disbelief, “Pinkie Pie, what are you apologising for? Your visits were awesome!”

“You know, I just didn't want to be left out!” Pinkie stopped bouncing and started humming to herself, oblivious of the high emotions of her friends, “lalalalala!”

Rainbow couldn’t help but laugh at Pinkie, “I had this whole speech planned out, what I was going to say to you guys, but…I – I, well you all know I suck with words…” The cyan pegasus felt her Mistress gently kiss the back of her neck then, still holding her tight, giving her the confidence to continue.

Rainbow Dash felt the burning tears form in her eyes. Her friends had never seen her cry, not ever. She was always more concerned about her stupid reputation. ‘First time for everything,’ she thought. Dash brought her hands to her eyes as her shoulders heaved, then through the loud heavy sobs to the stunned audience she managed to drag the simple words from her heart. “I - I’m sorry guys. I’m so sorry…….” She couldn’t say anymore, her voice failed her as she gave way to her tears.

One by one they all moved in for a massive group hug. Nobody said anything, there was nothing to say, but everyone shed more than a few tears that afternoon. Even Applejack wept openly, although she denied it later. They just held Rainbow Dash in their arms, six young ladies reunited as friends and brought together as a family once more.

“So, am I forgiven?” Rainbow asked, a cocky grin threatening to surface on her lips.

“Darling, you were always forgiven, we just wanted you back, before it was too late.”

Rainbow's burgeoning smile faltered then, at the mention of time. She’d have to talk to them about that, but not yet, not today.

“Question is sugarcube, are we forgiven?”

“Well duh! Of course you are hayseed, we’re best friends right?” Rainbow sniggered at the look on Applejack's face, she knew she hated that name, but the farmer smiled all the same.

"So, we gonna eat this here grub or we gonna flap our gums some more?" Applejack brought the groups attention to the huge spread laid out in the blanket, that had gone wholly unnoticed during the reconciliation. Rainbow had to admit it all looked awesome! There were apple pies, fritters, tea cakes, pancakes, muffins, cupcakes, even those super rare rainbow apples that Applejack’s family grew on their farm. As they all started eating, a sly thought popped into Dash’s head. Grinning she looked over at Twilight.

“Hey, egghead.” As Twi looked over at Rainbow about to come back with a witty retort she added, “You didn’t make any of these did ya?”

The Alicorn blinked her eyes twice, she knew she was being baited. “No jocktard I didn’t, and you know how you can tell? Because..”

“THEY’RE ALL EDIBLE!!!!” Chorused the five others in unison before falling about in tears of laughter.

“Sorry, sorry Twi.” They all mumbled through snorts of giggles, even Twilight joined in, seeing the joke.

“You're all diamond dogs and I hate you.” Twilight snickered at them.

“Come now Twilight, we all know Spikey’s real job is to keep you fed on food that won't kill you.” Laughter erupted again at Rarity’s comment, and Rainbow laid back amongst her four friends and her Mistress, she had to admit she felt better than she had for a very long time.

An hour or two later and the last of the picnic had been reduced to crumbs, resulting in six content and very stuffed friends sat against each other on the red blanket, enjoying each other's company in the sunny afternoon. As they laid supporting each other in a rough circle, a thought occurred to Applejack. “So, sugarcube, how did you manage to get this stubborn mare outside?”

Rainbow ran a finger around her new yellow collar, blushing slightly as Fluttershy answered for her; “it was really easy Applejack, you see my Pet didn't want to come, so I just clipped this leash on her collar and made her come out. Didn’t I Pet?”

Rainbow's blush could have rivalled a setting sun. “Yes Mistress…”

“Hey, RD, can I walk you around the orchards sometime?” Applejack asked with a snicker.

Before Rainbow could answer with a snarky comment Fluttershy beat her to it, “of course you may Applejack. In fact, would you like to take her for practice walkies?”

“You can't be serious?

“Hush Rainbow, I'm very serious.” Fluttershy removed the leash from her purse and clipped it to the collar before handing it to Applejack, who gave it a playful tug, much to Rainbow's annoyance. “Now, just to those trees and back, if you don't mind Applejack.”

“Ah gotcha ‘Shy.” The farmer gave a surreptitious wink to Fluttershy, letting her know she was starting her part of their plan, namely distracting Rainbow Dash. Plus, the chance to have her longtime rival on a leash was too good a chance to pass up. “C’mon you, walk nice now.”

Rarity applauded softly as Applejack lead Rainbow towards the nearby trees. “I must say, very well done there darling. I never thought she’d be so well behaved so quickly.”

“Oh, um, you think I’ve gone too far?”

"Hmm? Not at all Fluttershy, if anything dear you should have done this a long time ago. The change definitely suits her.”

“Speaking of ‘doing’, I'm ready if you are Fluttershy.” Twilight interjected, lest Rainbow see what they were planning.

"I'm ready Twilight. Thank you for this…” Fluttershy spread her wings, taking a few practice flaps as Twilight placed her hand on her shoulder.

“Don't thank me yet, I still think this is crazy dangerous you know.” Twilight gave Fluttershy a violet crystal pendant, “put that on, it'll help my magic find you up there. Now, when you take off you'll have thirty seconds to get as high as you can, then I'll start the spells okay?”

“Thirty seconds, got it Twilight.” Fluttershy placed the pendant around her yellow neck, and in a flap of her wings ascended to the sky. She flew and flew, getting ever higher until the ground was a smudge and the details were lost. She was higher than the surrounding clouds, She’d never flown this high before. Steadying herself she waited for the tingly buzz of magic to find her. Twilight had warned her it might take a moment or two to locate her this high up. Fluttershy ran over the plan once more in her head. Now she was actually up in the sky, she was starting to doubt the wisdom of her idea.

Out of the  orner of her eye Rainbow noticed her Mistress take off as she was being lead to the trees, which were now a few paces away. “Hey AJ, where's Mistress goin’?”

Applejack scrunched up her face, “no idea!”

“You're a terrible liar hayseed, what's goin’ on?”

“You’ll see sugarcube.” Applejack started to lead Rainbow back towards the picnic site.

Hovering high above the ground, Fluttershy had managed to ascend a few more hundred feet in altitude. Straining on the very edge of her limit, she felt it, the buzz and the telltale lavender aura. She was ready. Tucking her wings in, she dropped earthward like a yellow bullet. Gathering speed through her descent Fluttershy felt Twilight’s magic course through her body, strengthening her muscles and wings, pushing her wingpower far beyond her natural ability. It was working, the air itself was starting to bend around her outstretched hands. She was close.

On the ground Rainbow could see a streak of yellow shooting their way. In a panic she tried to unclip the leash, to let Applejack know something was wrong. “AJ she’s gonna kill herself!”

Instead of concern the farm girl just laughed and draped an arm over Rainbow's shoulder. “Hush now sugarcube, y’all gonna wanna see this, she’s planned it just for you.”

Dash watched in mounting horror as Fluttershy screamed towards the ground at what she judged were rainboom speeds, but, surely she wouldn't, she couldn't, could she? That was when she noticed Twilight standing utterly still, her eyes and magical aura focused on her Mistress.

At the very last second Fluttershy pulled up, a huge pink explosion the colour of her long hair and tail radiated behind her, not a circular rain-boom, but manipulated magically into the stylised shape of a huge pink heart. As Fluttershy rocketed overhead at the speed of sound Pinkie Pie detonated her party cannon right on cue, multi coloured streamers and balloons filling the afternoon sky with vibrant colour before Rarity caught the streamers in her own magical field and manipulated them with ease to spell out the message her friend had requested.

MARRY ME RAINBOW DASH

Fluttershy landed next to her Rainbow as Applejack and Pinkie supported her, helping her to stand up. Dropping to one knee the yellow pegasus breathlessly asked the question hanging in the air. “Rainbow Dash, will you marry me?”

Swaying slightly, feeling dazed and light headed, Rainbow looked at her girlfriend kneeling before her. She knew her answer. What else could it be?

“Fluttershy, Mistress, I think…the answer’s yes…”

The effort of replying felt like she’d flew a marathon. Rainbow was spent. The tiredness had come upon her more suddenly than she had been expecting, all she wanted to do was lie down and sleep forever.

Fluttershy leapt up to kiss her fiancé’s lips, realising for the first time how fatigued Rainbow was. Her cyan partner offered no resistance as she gently pushed her tongue past Rainbow's lips and took ownership of her mouth in a sensuous kiss. At that point Rainbow’s legs finally gave way, and she blacked out, held up only by Fluttershy’s wings.