Like Raw Sewage and Orange Juice
Rainbow hissed; the agony streaking across her back nearly matched the newly-introduced burning in her throat. Nearly.
"Rarity, this 'tea' tastes like dirt water."
"Mm."
"I'm not kidding."
"I'm not laughing."
The pegasus stared ahead, eyes half-lidded, brows slanted into a frown. A steaming white mug warmed her right cheek; the kitchen table chilled her left. "It seriously tastes like... like reheated coffee and salt."
The pressure on her back increased momentarily, squeezing out a grunt from behind her clenched teeth. "You get used to it." A long silence ensued, broken at last by a sigh. "They're getting deeper."
Rainbow shrugged, ignoring the sharp sting and irritated huff that followed. "Are you almost done?"
"No. Hold still."
Rainbow rolled her eyes, letting them wander about the kitchen. The tea kettle rested on a lacy potholder on the counter. An open, unlabeled bottle stood beside it. Rainbow wasn't sure what it contained, but it gave off a strong odor reminiscent of her time spent in the hospital; even from her seat at the table, the scent of sterilizer attacked her nostrils, though it was still marginally more appetizing than the tea. Stubby blue flames licked the air nearby, producing a faint, soothing warmth that washed over the room. Rarity had forgotten to turn off the stove.
"I know you're the expert on tea, Rares, but fire and alcohol really don't mix. Take my word for it." She felt the motions of her friend cease, and after a few seconds in silence, Rarity let out a loud gasp. A blue aura hurriedly wrenched the knob to 'OFF', and the flames dissipated. The cap of the open bottle snapped shut. Almost immediately, the faint prodding against Rainbow's back resumed.
"Last one. Stop fidgeting."
A few short minutes found Rarity making her way around the table, and she took a seat opposite Rainbow. Held aloft in her magic, a small roll of white cloth floated over to the counter, where she set it down noiselessly.
The two friends sat in silence for long enough that Rainbow took another anxious sip of tea, gagging at the taste. "Eugh. Really, Rares, how can you stomach this?"
"You haven't told her." Rainbow blinked, meeting Rarity's level gaze. Calm, but slightly questioning. Rainbow shook her head.
"I told you I wouldn't."
"I know." Rarity's mouth pressed into a thin line. "Remind me of your logic in making that decision, Rainbow Dash."
"I love her."
"I gathered." Rarity's expression remained unchanged. "You are, after all, in a public relationship."
"Got that right," Rainbow confirmed. Nod, grin. Sip, wince.
Rarity stared at her, unblinking.
"What do you want me to say?" Rainbow demanded, her voice rising. "That I'm scared of her? Well, I'm not!" She could feel the fur on the back of her neck begin to rise, and she took a slow drink to relax her nerves.
A short spasm overtook her as she swallowed the putrid stuff. "Woof. I dunno how you can stand to drink this crap, Rares," she coughed. Rarity merely watched as Rainbow set the mug down and continued. "I'm a grown mare, Rarity. I'm me; you know I can tough it out. I love her more than anything, and a few scrapes and bruises are the price? Big whoop!" Receiving nothing more than a quirked eyebrow, the pegasus flared her wings, slowly rising from her seat. "Don't give me that look. You know she isn't some friggin'..." She trailed off, waving her hooves as she fumbled for words. "Sadist, or abuser, or whatever. She only does it because she likes it and she thinks I like it."
"And do you?"
Rainbow snorted. "Hay, no." She plopped back down in her chair, resting her head on a forehoof. "But I know she does, a lot. And, I mean... she was so excited to try, and she had such a great time, I couldn't tell her I wasn't into it." She sighed, letting her foreleg slip out from under her; there was a dull thunk as her head connected with the table. "If she's happy, then I'm happy. And she's happy if she thinks I'm happy, so... it's fine."
"While I can appreciate your noble charm, Rainbow," Rarity's voice cut through her mind, "with all due respect, this isn't healthy. No relationship can thrive upon lies, especially regarding such a serious matter." Rainbow raised her head, meeting Rarity's stern gaze. "And of course, the more obvious effects: the injury, the bodily harm inflicted upon you every night, old gashes covered by new--"
"It's not every night," Rainbow cut in, eyes glinting dangerously. "Some nights we play. Others, we just take it easy. Just like a workout routine. She may not be a fancy priss like you, but that doesn't make her stupid."
"Of course it doesn't," Rarity replied, steely gaze boring into her own. "But a mere night of tenderness cannot heal wounds like these."
"So, what then?" Rainbow stood suddenly, the chair sliding back a few feet. She planted her hooves on the table and leaned in close to the mare across from her. "Two nights? Three?" Rarity's shoulders sagged.
"That's not the point--"
"You know what, Rarity? Save it." Rainbow fell back into her chair with a heavy thump, but her seething gaze did not falter. She snatched up the mug that sat before her, squeezing it tightly in her hoof. "Whatever your point is, we both know it's one I'm not gonna like."
The pegasus took a noisy slurp of her tea, after which she quite nearly hurled the offensive beverage across the room. "Celestia's ass, Rarity, did you just boil rubber and dump it in a cup?!" She shuddered, her face contorting into a sour grimace. Rarity said nothing, just continued giving her that sad look. Rainbow tried to imagine that look in a pair of forest green eyes, and she felt another shiver pass through her.
"I'm s... sorry." The words were past her mouth before she even thought to say them.
Rarity watched her for what felt like a long time. Rainbow waited anxiously for some response, but none came. After some time, her nervousness began to fade as her eyelids drooped. She gazed blearily down into the deep brown liquid under her nose.
"There we go, nice an' snug." Rainbow's ear twitched, but she didn't lift her head. She couldn't quite identify the voice. It was... muffled.
"Won't be gettin' away so easily this time, partner." That voice... and she felt... heavy. Immobile. Frozen.
"Feelin' good, hon?" She looked around, searching for the source of the noise, but she could barely see a thing through the brownish fog enveloping her. She tried to walk, but couldn't find the strength to even lift a hoof. Where was... anything? She squinted into the blinding cloud, and at last, a fuzzy figure began to come into focus. Rainbow opened her mouth to call out to it.
"Ergh! Mm-mf!" She couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. The pegasus thrashed wildly, fighting with every ounce of power to slough through the thick, choking haze.
"Good ta hear," the voice cooed. It was getting clearer. Rainbow's struggles calmed somewhat. She focused her gaze on the alien blob of... light brown. Orange? Rainbow eyed it cautiously as it drew nearer. It was... a pony. A mare. A mare! Rainbow's ears perked forward as it--she began to speak once more.
"Ah hope ya don't have nothin' planned fer tomorrow." Rainbow blinked. The voice. It was her! She felt a budding sense of relief and excitement as the strange mare reached out, pulling Rainbow against her. The pegasus grinned as she took in the blonde mane, chiseled physique and deep emerald eyes she'd come to know so well.
As the farmer leaned in close, Rainbow's smile faltered. Where's her hat? She blinked rapidly. The trademark Stetson was nowhere in sight. Rainbow tore her eyes from the smirking face of her marefriend and let her eyes roam down her body. Tight, formfitting latex covered much of her upper half. When Rainbow's nervous gaze reached her lover's forehooves, she felt her blood run cold.
A switch.
"Cuz once ah'm through with ya," came Applejack's smooth drawl, "you won't be walkin' for a week." Rainbow squeaked. She reached out a pleading hoof, only for both her front legs to raise before her eyes, a thick rope binding them tightly together. Straining to look herself over, she found her rear legs tied flat against her belly and her wings bound tightly to her sides.
"Dash?" Rainbow's head snapped up. She stared deep into those lush green orbs, swallowing nervously. Applejack's eyes flashed. "Are y'all alright, sugar?"
Rainbow watched in horror as that beautiful face warped into a mask of fear and concern. "R-Rainbow?" Applejack's lip quivered. No! Stop that! Rainbow's ears splayed back and she nodded vigorously, a surge of relief rushing through her as Applejack's face melted into a smile.
"Good." Applejack leaned back and raised a hoof into the air. Rainbow followed the motion, eyes widening as the switch seemed to gleam in the dimness of the strange brown void. "Now let's quit yappin'," the farmpony murmured, a devilish grin spreading across her muzzle, "and I'll make you mah mare."
Rainbow's eyes slammed shut as the switch descended upon her, speeding through the air until, with nary a sound to be heard, she felt a light tap on her muzzle.
She opened her eyes in confusion. Rarity withdrew her hoof and sat back in her chair.
"You dozed off again." Rarity's cold, scrutinizing gaze scanned over Rainbow's face. The pegasus shook her head and heaved a deep breath, steadying herself against the table. "Are you getting any sleep?"
"Kind of." Rainbow scratched at the wood grain of the table with a hooftip. She idly traced a light tan streak through the sea of brown. "I'm not really a stomach-sleeper, but I'll... get used to it, I guess."
Rarity was quiet for awhile, allowing Rainbow time to study the vast expanse of wood between them. "Rainbow Dash," she finally murmured, "the sooner you tell her, the less it will hurt both of you." Rainbow's eyes settled on the mug of tea between her forehooves. She peered into its depths, considering the cold sludge pooled at the bottom. She sighed.
"I'll get used to it."
Rarity watched with a frown as Rainbow leaned back, raising her sore limbs in a stretch. "Since you seem to be striking your own well-being from consideration, think of Applejack's feelings. What do you think will happen when she finds out months, years down the road, knowing that for all this time, she... she's been..." Rarity's voice withered away, and she shook her head gently.
"Which is why she won't find out." Rainbow leaned forward in her chair, her furious glare daring the unicorn to challenge her. Rarity stared at the table mutely.
"You need to tell her sometime, darling."
"I'll wait until she and I are both dead and gone, and then I'll wait a bit longer." Rainbow didn't let up, still gazing intently into Rarity's lowered eyes. "And so will you."
"What if she just figures it out? Hm?" Rarity met her gaze again, only for Rainbow to drop hers. "You insisted that she wasn't stupid, and I agree. So what happens when this observant, intelligent mare realizes what she's truly doing to you?"
Rainbow stared blankly at the table. Silence reigned between them; Rainbow had lost count of the times that had happened tonight alone.
"She won't," the pegasus whispered at last. She didn't meet Rarity's eyes; they'd just be sad and concerned and disappointed, like always. Rainbow didn't want to see that.
"Can you take the bandages off now?"
She felt that disbelieving stare bore through her for a few moments before the screeching of a chair announced the unicorn's movement. There was a tug on the nape of her neck, and a peeling sound met her ears as the tugging traced a line down her back. A strip of gauze fluttered onto the table in front of her, littered with blue hairs and stained with blotches of red. Another tug, gentler this time, trailing down her lower back and curving over her flank. A pause.
"Stand up, please." Rainbow stood.
Another tug, below her tail. Rainbow flinched, unable to hold back a choked gasp. She barely registered that the peeling had stopped until she felt the gauze drop to the floor between her rear hooves. She flexed her wings, biting her lip as that all-too-familiar throbbing picked up where it had left off the night prior.
Rainbow turned, locking eyes with Rarity for a moment. She dipped her head. "Thanks. I guess I should, ah... get going." Rarity made no comment. Rainbow observed the tile floor for a few seconds longer, then plodded past her friend, near-inaudible hoofsteps the only noise in the boutique. She cast a glance over her shoulder when she reached the door; Rarity hadn't moved from the kitchen. "See you, uh... next time."
The door opened before her, spilling moonlight through the entryway. She took a step forward, and a firm grip on her chin twisted her head around. Rarity once again fixed her with a stern glare. "Tell her."
Rainbow numbly felt her head bob up and down, just as it had done half a dozen times before. Rarity's expression dulled, and the pressure on Rainbow's chin faded along with the glow around the unicorn's horn. Rarity looked away. "Good night, Rainbow Dash."
"G'night." The pegasus stepped through the door. It clicked shut behind her, leaving her in a world of aching and silence.
