Salvation

Chapters

Reminiscent
The gang's all here
Lowered inhibitions
The price of loyalty
The vast dark ocean of the night
Realizations
Epilogue: The greatest treasure
Author's notes and a confession
Prologue: A chance meeting

Reminiscent

Through her train car's window, Rainbow Dash could see the bright autumn landscape speeding by in a riot of reds, yellows and oranges. Sugar maples the color of ripe watermelons dotted the woods, competing with the still-green oaks and evergreen pines for her attention. In a few more weeks they would begin to brown, and it would be time for the Running of the Leaves Festival. She sighed quietly, lost in the memories the thought provoked. Had it really been nine full years since that race?

She was still reminiscing when the train pulled into the Ponyville station, announcing its arrival with a cheerful blast of its horn. Ponies crowded onto the platform to welcome the new arrivals, and within minutes the train had emptied. Dash waited for the rush to subside and then stepped outside.

No one was waiting for Rainbow Dash, but then, it would have surprised her if anypony had. She hadn't told anypony her plans except Rarity, and the unicorn wasn't due back in Ponyville until later today at the earliest. A few ponies, mostly younger pegasi, recognized her and pointed or waved. She put on a smile and waved back. Rainbow Dash the Wonderbolt had to be polite to her fans.

So, Ponyville. She took a deep breath and looked around. Not much had changed in the year or so since her last visit. Maybe a few more ponies filled the street, maybe a few more buildings on the edge of town, where farmland once stood. On a hill in the distance, she could see the bright red barn that was Sweet Apple Acre's trademark, and around it vast orchards of apple trees now yellowing with autumn's touch.

It was time to meet some old friends. She hopped off the platform and trotted down the crowded street.

* * *

A bell rang as she pushed open the door to Sugarcube Corner, surprising her with its silver tinkle. Had that always been there? She had some very clear memories of sneaking into this shop in the past, and there had never been a bell to give her away. She looked up at it curiously, then shrugged and stepped into the bakery. As always, the smell of baking bread and frosting assaulted her, setting her mouth watering with anticipation. Perhaps a snack wouldn't be out of the question.

“Just a moment!” a male voice called from inside the kitchen. True to his word, a moment later Mr. Cake appeared behind the counter. As soon as he spied her, his face broke into a grin.

“Well, if it isn't Rainbow Dash! How you been, kiddo?” He stepped around the counter and held out a hoof. She shook it automatically—a habit gained from a hundred shows and appearances with the Bolts. He looked the same as she remembered; perhaps a bit older, but then, having twins could do that to a stallion. She wondered absently where Carrot and Pound were.

“Hey, Mr. Cake,” she said. “Great, now that summer's over. Busiest time of the year for the Bolts.”

“I can imagine.” He started to say something, then stopped abruptly. When he spoke again his voice was quieter. “By the way, I'm sorry about what happened. We all are.”

She gave him a small nod. The first thousand times ponies had told her they were sorry for what happened, sorry for her loss, sorry for whatever, she'd gotten choked up. Now it barely warranted an emotional response. The words were sincere, she knew, but the well of her appreciation had run dry long ago.

“Thank you.” She paused to clear her throat. The air must have been dryer in Ponyville than Fillydelphia. “Is Pinkie here? I was hoping to say 'hi' and see—”

“Dashie!” There was a pink blur, and somehow Rainbow Dash found herself on the floor, wrapped in a giggling mass of mane and earth pony. It was good to see that Pinkie Pie hadn't lost any of her enthusiasm or joy. Also, she was fairly sure her ribs were now bruised.

“Pinkie,” she wheezed. “Little air?”

“Oh, sorry!” Pinkie sat back on her haunches, looking down at Dash with the world's largest grin. “I was just so excited when I heard my name! And then I realized it was you—” she reached out and poked Dash in the chest—“I just couldn't help myself! It's been ages since you were here!”

“I was here last year, Pinkie.” Still, Dash couldn't help the smile that broke out on her face. Some friends were impossible to not be happy around.

“I know! A whole year!” Pinkie gasped. “Do you know what this means?”

Dash was pretty sure she did. “A par—”

“A party!” Pinkie continued, rolling right over Dash's answer. “A Welcome-Back-To-Ponyville-Rainbow-Dash Party!”

Now it was Dash's turn to grin. “Actually, Pinkie, that name won't work at all.”

Pinkie blinked at her. The tips of her ears seemed to wilt. “It won't? But, why?”

“Because Rarity's coming back tomorrow, too.”

A remarkable transformation overcame Pinkie Pie, one that would have shocked any pony not already accustomed to her eccentricities. Her eyes slowly widened as the full realization settled in. Her mane somehow grew poofier. She began to inhale, and she didn't stop.

This was going to be loud, Rainbow Dash realized. Totally worth it, though.

“YIPPEE!” Pinkie's shout of joy could be heard clear across town.

* * *

It took a while, but Rainbow Dash eventually managed to extricate herself from Pinkie Pie and the Cakes (including Carrot and Pound, who had shown up and insisted on riding “auntie Dash” around the room until Mrs. Cake could finally corral them for nap time). They loaded up a sack with every kind of doughnut and pastry and cookie and honey-slathered treat she could imagine, and made her promise to return for more when those were done.

Such friends. She couldn't get the smile to leave her face.

It was a bit of a hike from the center of Ponyville to Sweet Apple Acres, but the air was crisp and pleasant against her coat. The warm sun offset the gentle bite of the wind, and for a while she simply enjoyed the rustle of leaves overhead, the crunch of dirt beneath her hooves, and the soft earthen scent of autumn.

I should have come back long ago.

The Bolts wouldn't have liked that, though. They had a schedule. They had appearances. They had fans who wanted to see The Rainbow Dash posing for pictures and signing autographs on posters and snapshots and Official Wonder Bolts Hoofball Caps, only 15 bits in the gift store, limit five per customer.

Screw the Bolts.

She winced. That was unfair – the Bolts had given her everything. Even the things she'd lost, she never would have had in the first place without them. Without them, she'd be just another weather team pegasus, plowing the skies all the year round.

A small footbridge arched over the stream separating Sweet Apple Acres property from the rest of Ponyville. She stepped onto it and paused to look over the edge at the water below. Minnows darted beneath the surface, swimming away from the shadow she cast onto the water. She crumbled up the remains of a pastry and tossed it in, and then returned to the path.

Countless apple trees extended in rows on either side. She knew they were countless because she tried counting them and gave up after fifty-seven. Counting trees was boring.

Eventually, the countless rows ended, and she stepped into the wide clearing surrounding the Apple Family farm. The same old arched gate, always open, welcomed visitors to the one part of Ponyville that never changed. As the Acres were, so would the Acres always be; only the ponies changed.

Dash could hear ponies at work in the barn. She looked between it and the house for a few seconds, then shrugged and trotted toward the barn. Knowing Applejack and her brother, they would still be hard at work this early in the day, carrying out the dozens of chores that, to Rainbow Dash, seemed like far more effort than they were worth.

But then, Rainbow Dash didn't have a barn. Maybe the Apples were on to something.

“Hello?” She stuck her head into the open doorway. Slanting rays of light pierced the darkness of the barn from windows above, bouncing from a million motes of dust floating in the still, hot air. “Anypony home?”

There was a loud *thunk*, as of something large and metal being set down on the wood floor, followed by heavy hoofsteps that could only belong to one pony. Sure enough, within moments Big Macintosh trotted out from behind a stack of barrels (filled, she assumed, with apples). He stopped as soon as he saw her, grinned, and trotted to the entrance.

“Well, ah'll be. Hello Rainbow Dash.” He looked no different than the last time she had seen him – as big as any three of her friends put together. His mane was matted with sweat, and his normally bright red coat was dusted with tiny bits of hay and dirt. The wages of hard work, she could only assume, as hard work was something she generally tried to avoid. It was a pegasus tradition.

Still, she didn't mind the dirt, and she stepped forward to give him a quick hug. He returned it with the same gentleness that always managed to surprise her.

“Hey man, long time. How you been?”

“Eyyup. Good, thanks.” He looked it. Big Macintosh had always been rather laid back for a pony. Laconic, as Rainbow Dash's Word-a-Day calendar might have said. But now he seemed truly happy, somehow so satisfied with life that he radiated contentment.

Married life must be working out for him, she mused.

“One sec, let me get Applejack,” he said. He took a breath, then yelled. “Hey, Applejack! Yer friend's here!”

Applejack's voice returned from outside the barn, a few seconds later: “Tell Pinkie ah'm busy!”

“It ain't Pinkie!”

“Tell Twilight...” The voice trailed off. There was a pause. Eventually, they heard footsteps approaching from the far side of the barn's interior, and a perplexed-looking Applejack poked her head around the same pile of barrels Big Macintosh had emerged from.

“Rainbow Dash?” Applejack's face broke into a wide grin as she trotted forward. “Why, what a surprise! When did you get to Ponyville?” She leaned forward to give Dash a hug that was much, much firmer than her brother's.

“Heh, good to see you too, AJ.” She gave Applejack a friendly chuck on the shoulder as soon as she was free. “Just got in. Pinkie's already planning the party.”

Applejack had an odd look on her face. Very different from the surprised grin she had just worn. “Are you doin' okay, sug? You felt a bit tense, there.”

“Pff, me?” She made a dismissive gesture with her hoof. “I'm fine, AJ. Just training, is all. Gotta be in shape if you're gonna be a Wonder Bolt.”

Applejack didn't respond. She just looked up and down Dash's frame. If it were any other pony, Dash might've suspected they were checking her out. Fat chance with Applejack, though. She was just about the last pony that—

“Mhm. And how've you been?” Big Macintosh asked. They both started and turned to him in surprise – for such a big pony, he was very easy to forget about sometimes. “Haven't seen you in a bit. Not since the funeral.”

The funeral. She was hearing that a lot, lately. Eventually, she supposed, she would finally run out of friends to hear it from, and they could go back to marking the time with something more normal than funerals. Another sign, perhaps, that she should have returned to Ponyville long ago.

“Like I said, I'm doing fine.” She smiled at them. “Been doing some travel, now that the season is over. Things have been really great. Really, really great.”

One thing she liked about Applejack was that her emotions were always plain as day upon her face. You could read her like a book, and right now she looked dubious. Dash was about to make another attempt at calming their concerns when Big Macintosh spoke again.

“You know who'd love to see you again? Fluttershy. C'mon, she's in the house gettin' ready for dinner.”

* * *

Fluttershy's face lit up like the sun the moment Dash walked through the door. She barely made it another step into the room before Fluttershy had her wrapped in a hug. For a long minute they simply held each other.

I should have come back long ago.

Should have, could have. She gave the pegasus another squeeze, then stepped away, blinking back tears. “Hey Fluttershy.”

“Hello Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy gave her a smile that, while not as large as Pinkie's, somehow conveyed a level of joy that could only be described as transcendent. “Welcome home.”

Home.

Did she even have a home anymore? The Bolts spent most of the year in the air, flying from one city to the next. Since joining the team, she'd spent more nights in hotel rooms than her place in Cloudsdale, and when she was home it was usually to collapse in bed the moment after walking in the door. Half her stuff was still sitting in boxes in the spare room, waiting to be unpacked.

She looked around the room. This was a home. Every inch of space was filled with some personal treasure, every wall covered with pictures and portraits of family. The furniture was sturdy but well worn, almost as familiar as old friends themselves. Ponies lived here.

“Thanks. It's good to be back.” Her voice was a little rougher than normal. Damn dry air. “How have you been? You're looking pretty good...” She trailed off. Fluttershy was looking a little too good. She smiled with her entire face, looking more serenely happy than Dash could ever remember. But she seemed a little heavier than usual, and her belly was definitely a bit on the swollen side...

“No way.” Dash grinned a silly grin. “Are you...”

“Yes. Almost five months, now.” She brushed her belly with a hoof. “The doctor says it's probably a pegasus.”

“Wow. That's, just... wow!” Dash reached over and gave Big Macintosh a punch on the shoulder. It was a bit like hitting a tree. “Congrats, big guy!”

“Aw, shucks.” He ducked his head. “She's doin' all the work.”

“Yeah, but... wow!” She sounded foolish, she knew. But it didn't matter. To think: Fluttershy would be the first one of her friends with a foal. Dash had always though it would be Pinkie.

“Well, why don't you two catch up for a bit,” Applejack broke in. “Big Mac and I need to get washed up.” Despite the dust covering her from a long day of work, she stopped to give Fluttershy a quick nuzzle as she passed. She whispered something Dash couldn't quite make out, and then she was dragging her brother back outside.

Dinner turned out to be roasted apples with corn-on-the-cob, pumpkin baked with butter and marshmallows, lightly seared squash garnished with fresh grass clippings, and toasted oats. Fluttershy, it seemed, had developed a talent for cooking at some point after Rainbow Dash left Ponyville.

They quickly pulled up a fourth chair for Dash, and Fluttershy started setting down plates laden with food. Applejack got up to whisper something in Fluttershy's ear again, and when Fluttershy returned to the table she set an extra plate of veggies in front of Dash. She had more food even than Big Macintosh.

Huh.

They made small talk, mostly focusing on Fluttershy and Big Macintosh's plans for the foal. Big Mac, predictably, was hoping for a colt. Applejack wanted a filly. Fluttershy said she'd be happy as long as it had either four or six limbs.

The traditional Apple Family whiskey was out of the question, what with Fluttershy's condition. Instead they finished dinner with a round of ciders pulled from the cellar. They were as frothy and delicious as Dash had come to love all those years ago.

By the time they finished the sun had long since set, and only a sliver of moon remained low in the sky. A few dark clouds blotted out the stars in passing, a sign, Dash knew, that the weather would soon be changing. The comfortable, balmy door of autumn was beginning to close.

“Hey, uh, it's dark outside,” she said. Best to state the obvious up front. “Too dark to walk back to town. Would it be alright if I stayed here tonight?”

Silence answered her. Applejack and Fluttershy glanced at her in surprise, then at each other. Big Macintosh just raised an eyebrow.

“Well, of course, sug,” Applejack said. Her drawl was a bit slower than usual, as though she were carefully selecting her words. “If you'd rather not fly back, there's a room upstairs you can use. Already has a bed and everything.”

Fluttershy rose to her hooves. “I'll take her,” she said to Applejack. “Come on, Dash.”

They trotted up the stairs together. Down below, Dash could hear Applejack and her brother engaged in muted conversation. Even from a floor away, Big Mac's bass seemed to shake the floorboards. Fluttershy opened the first door in the dark hallway, and Dash stepped in. Only the faint light of the moon showed her path around the bed.

Wait... “Hey, is this Grannie Smith's old room?”

Fluttershy's mane bobbed in the dark. “Yes. Is that a problem?”

“No... I mean, is it?”

Fluttershy moved, and suddenly her cheek was pressed against Dash's. Her mane smelled like wildflowers. “It's not, Dash,” Fluttershy whispered in her ear. “Four generations of the Apple Family have lived in this house, now. Someday, when I am gone, my great-grandfoals will sleep in this room. We're all just guests.”

Oh. Dash let out a shaky breath. How could Rainbow Dash, who slept in a different city every night and hadn't even unpacked half her belongings, possibly conceive of such a thing? Of such a home, shared by generation upon generation? When she didn't even have one pony to share it with?

She blinked rapidly. Her eyes were threatening to water. “Hey... Fluttershy?”

“Yes?”

“What... what's it like? You know?” She reached out to lightly brush her hoof along Fluttershy's abdomen.

Fluttershy was silent for a while. When she finally spoke, it was with more conviction than Dash had ever heard in a pony's voice.

“Oh, Dash. It's wonderful.”

* * *

The bed was already made. It was almost like they expected somepony to move into the empty room at any time. Dash climbed aboard and settled down on top of the covers with a sigh.

So, Ponyville. Rarity was right – it was good to see her friends again. And tomorrow, Rarity would be back, and together they could drag Twilight out of the library and off to wherever Pinkie was planning their party, which by now was probably well on its way to being one of the largest of the year. The Elements of Harmony Reunion Party. She chuckled quietly.

The bed was soft, and when sleep snuck up to seize her, she surrendered without protest.

* * *

“Not bad, lieutenant. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you actually practiced for that last stunt.”

Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder with a smirk. She stood, holding her legs stiff, and angled a wing in mocking salute. “Sir, a Wonder Bolt practices for every maneuver!”

“Now I know you're lying.” Soarin reached out with a wingtip to swat her; she ducked it easily, then danced away before he could try again. “Still, good job out there.”

She shrugged. “It was a good crowd. We should come here more often.” Her eyes followed him as he disappeared behind the partition that separated the mares' changing area from the stallions'. When he emerged a few minutes later, he had ditched his flightsuit and goggles and looked for all the world like any pegasus on the street. Larger, perhaps, with toned muscles that came from hard flying, but nothing that screamed “Wonder Bolt.” She lingered on those muscles for a bit longer, and nearly missed his next question.

“Have you been to Fillydelphia before?” Soarin asked. He walked to the edge of the cloud their team had borrowed and peered over the edge at the city below. Fillydelphia stretched out for miles in all directions, a concrete and steel dream filled with hundreds of thousands of ponies. Above, a smaller cloud city mirrored the conglomeration on the ground, home to the pegasi of Fillydelphia.

She walked up beside him. Her front hooves balanced on the edge of the cloud, above the thousand foot drop to the city below. “No, never had the chance. I've only been to a few of the cities we've stopped at this season.”

“Hm.” He nodded, his gaze fixed on the city. Lights were beginning to come on as the sun neared the horizon. Its golden glow filled the western sky with fire and gave his bluish-gray coat a rosy tinge.

They were silent for a while. The aftermath of a show was a hectic thing, filled with fans and autographs and more hooves than she could shake in a lifetime. Moments like this, alone and quiet, had become precious things to her since joining the team.

“Hey,” he said. “Are you tired?”

She considered the question before answering. Her wings were a bit sore, but no more than after a normal practice session. “Nah, not really. Why?”

He gave a little shrug, then leaned forward and tipped over the edge of the cloud. His wings spread as he fell, and he soared away from her without answer.

Huh. She stared after him. Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her, and she jumped off the cloud as well.

* * *

“Well?”

He glanced over at her, a vague smile on his face. Their wingtips were just inches apart as they soared through the evening sky. “Well, what?” he asked.

She scowled. “Well, this?” she had to raise her voice over the sound of the air rushing past.

“Just a leisurely flight.” He flipped over onto his back and stretched his legs. His course didn't deviate by an inch.

“Since when do you do leisurely flights? I thought naps were more your speed!”

“It's too late for a nap.” He flipped back over and angled his wings slightly, banking around a plump cloud. She followed his lead unconsciously. “Besides, I thought you enjoyed flying.”

Dash rolled her eyes. Soarin had a gift for needling ponies, as Spitfire had assured her the day she joined the team. “I enjoy it more than you!” she countered.

“Mhm.” He beat his wings, pulling away from her as they banked around another cloud. When she completed the turn, he was dozens of yards ahead.

She caught up with him effortlessly. The wind was louder now, to the point that they'd have to scream at each other to be heard. Her wings found a nice rhythm, and she felt herself relaxing, the strains of the day melting away.

Soarin glanced over his shoulder at her. His wings beat faster, and once again she found herself in his wash.

Oh, are we racing? Her heart beat faster at the mere thought, and she zoomed forward, a wicked grin on her face. It. Is. On!

She leaned forward, her wings blurring out of sight as she picked up speed. Within seconds she caught him again. They traded positions a few more times, faster and faster, until the clouds became white streaks zipping by their sides. Soon they were flying faster than any show, so fast that the wind was like a hammer in her face. Her bones vibrated from the force of cutting through the air, and she stretched her hooves out in front of her. A cone began to form at the tips of her hooves as the air piled up, unable to escape, waiting for her to break it apart.

And just like that, Soarin was gone. She angled her wings and banked around, eventually spotting him atop a cloud near the edge of the city. Leisurely now, she flew toward him, and when she landed he gave her his trademark grin.

“Okay, okay, you're faster,” he said. “But there's more to flying than speed.”

She smirked at him. “That sounds like something a slow pony would say. What else is there?”

“Maneuverability, for one.”

“Ha! You think you're more maneuverable than me? Than The Rainbow Dash?” Her breathing had nearly slowed back to its normal pace.

“One way to find out!” He reached out with a hoof and booped her on the nose. “Tag!” With that he jumped into the air and flipped backward over the edge of the cloud, disappearing into the air below.

For a full second, Rainbow Dash stood unmoving. Stunned.

Did he just...?

Yes, he did. She stomped a hoof, then charged over the edge of the cloud in pursuit.

* * *

Rainbow Dash was not accustomed to being humiliated in flight.

In Ponyville, she had always been the best flyer. Bar none. Not even a contest. None of the other pegasi were in her league when it came to aerobatics. Even as a filly, they had whispered the words “Wonder Bolt” when watching her fly.

When she finally donned that prestigious uniform, she was still the fastest. The other Bolts were fast, sure, but speed was her thing. She became The Rainbow Dash, the fastest pegasus in Equestria, the only one in decades to master the Sonic Rainboom. Her ego, never inconsiderable, only grew as cheering crowds chanted her name at each show.

And so it was rather frustrating to be outflown in a game of tag by a pegasus nearly twice her size. Every time she used her superior speed to catch up with him, right as she was about to reach out and thwack him with her hoof, his huge wings would extend, cup the air like it was something physical to grasp, and zoom away in a completely different direction, leaving her to soar onward, her wings flapping furiously as she tried to adjust.

“Stop that!” she shouted as her latest pass missed by a hair. Soarin laughed in response, already cartwheeling through the air. He was as fluid as water.

“Are you sure you're The Rainbow Dash?” he called. “And not some imposter? She's supposed to be a good flyer!” His wings snapped down as she zoomed toward him, and he shot upwards, well above her flailing hooves.

“Stop dodging!” Alas, he wasn't taking orders from her. She missed again, and he vanished behind a small cloud. It was a gray mass seen in the dimming evening light. When she circled around, he was gone.

“Soarin?” No response. She hovered in place, scanning the sky for his light blue form. He might have been slippery, but he had to be around somewhere – he wasn't a ghost.

“Tag!” The voice came from behind her. She turned toward the cloud just in time for his hoof to break through the fluff and boop her on the nose. A moment later he exploded out the top of the cloud and soared away again.

I... what... he! Argh! Two could play at this game. She shot after him in pursuit, but waited until he flew within a few wingspans of a cloud. Instead of flying straight at him, as she had for the past several minutes, she banked her wings and turned, until the cloud was between them. Assuming he maintained his heading and speed... Yes, right there.

Rainbow Dash dove into the cloud, punching through it effortlessly. Her vision was lost in an endless whiteness, and a moment later she broke through the other side, just feet away from Soarin. He barely had time to start turning in her direction when she plowed into him at full speed. Their combined momentum sent them sailing across the sky in a ballistic arc untroubled by feathers or wings, eventually terminating when they crashed onto the top of a large, flat mesa cloud. Twin fountains of white vapor shot out to either side as they skidded across the cloud's surface, still wrapped around each other.

“Ha!” Dash rose to her hooves a bit shakily. She looked down at Soarin, who groaned quietly as he rubbed his head with a hoof. “HA! Tag! Now you're it!” She rapped his snout with her hoof to emphasize each word.

He knocked her hoof away and raised an eyebrow. “So, that's how you want to play, is it?”

Uh-oh. She leaned back and started to step away when he moved. His wings flexed to push him away from the cloud, and he tugged her leg to the side, spinning her around effortlessly. She was still trying to figure out what was going on when he slammed her face down onto the cloud with one of her forelegs somehow bent behind her.

“Didn't have any brothers, did you?” He chuckled in her ear. “Never had to learn how to wrestle?” His chest, slick with sweat from their competition, pressed against her back and trapped her against the cloud.

She took a quick breath. Her lungs burned, her heart felt like it was about to burst from her chest, and various other sensations were toying with the lower half of her body. Sensations that insisted being trapped like this was a good thing. Powerful sensations, but not quite enough to overcome her competitive drive.

“Yeah, but you're forgetting something,” she said. It was difficult to talk with his weight on her like this. “I was a weather pony, once.”

The cloud beneath her was solid to pegasi, unlike other ponies who would plunge through it like the water vapor it was (most likely screaming all the way). Weather ponies, however, learned to manipulate the clouds, bending them this way or that, sometimes creating them out of thin air, other times dissolving them with a kick. It was the same magic as all pegasi were born with but honed to an expert edge.

And Rainbow Dash was one of the best weather ponies. With a thought, the cloud beneath her dissolved into mist, and she fell into the gap it left, kicking out with her now-free legs to spin in Soarin's grip. Before he could react, she had freed herself and was clinging to his back, her forelegs wrapped around his shoulders and neck in a vice-like grip.

“Oh, that's cute,” he said, sounding a bit strained as her forelegs squeezed his neck. Unfortunately, unlike him, she was was not large enough to pin her opponent to the cloud. He stood, easily lifting both their weights, then rolled onto his back, trapping her again.

Again! Dammit! Dash wiggled from beneath him and nearly escaped off the edge of the cloud when he grabbed her around the waist. She flapped her wings, dragging them a few feet toward the edge, and then he had her pinned again. Clearly, wrestling was a skill she should have invested some time in.

She tried reasoning with him. “Leggo!”

“Ha! Make me!”

Fine! She elbowed him in the snout, then used the brief moment when his grip relaxed to crane her neck around and lock her teeth on his mane. A vicious tug drew an angry growl from his throat and sent them both rolling across the cloud—

—and suddenly they were in freefall. The edge of the cloud receded into the sky high above as they plummeted toward the ground. Her left wing snapped open reflexively, but her right wing was crushed against Soarin's chest.

Soarin had the same reaction. His wings both opened, and their fall became a glide. With mane still snagged in her teeth and his head twisted around as a result, their flight was an erratic experience.

Oh ho, what's this? One of his wings was right in front of her. She reached out with her free hoof and snagged it with her ankle. Their glide became a fall again.

“Gah, let go!” She could barely hear him over the rush of the air.

She spat out his mane to talk. “Make me!”

“We're falling!”

Yes, that was certainly the case. She tried to estimate how far the ground was as they tumbled through space. About two thousand feet, she guessed. Plenty of time.

“You first!” she shouted back.

A pause. She could practically hear the wheels in his head turning. “No, you first!”

“You!” Fifteen hundred feet, now.

She felt him sigh. “This is silly,” he shouted. “We'll both let go on three, okay?”

It wasn't okay, but the ground was starting to get uncomfortably close. “Fine. One.”

“Two.” She saw his lips move, but couldn't hear him over the rush of air.

“Three!” They let go and pushed away simultaneously, their wings snapping open to arrest their fall. Neither said a word as they glided through the sky, landing on a cloud as the last rays of the sun vanished beneath the horizon.

They stood a few feet apart, both panting, their wings still flared. Dash's body shook with the aftereffects of adrenaline, the rush of falling, and of course the wrestling match. Her pulse pounded in her ears.

And she was really, really turned on.

Soarin stared at her, his sides heaving as he tried to catch his breath. A thin trickle of blood ran down his snout. She remembered elbowing him and felt bad for a moment. Then she remembered being pinned to the cloud, his body crushing hers, and the feeling went away.

“So, you hate losing, huh?” he asked. He took a step toward her. A certain feral light filled his eyes, visible even in the twilight.

“Heh. Yeah, you could say that.” She stepped to the side, circling him. “Sorry about your nose.”

“It happens.” He took another step forward, then another and another, until he was just inches away. Sweat glistened on his coat, and she could see his whole body vibrating with the same excitement she felt. He lifted a hoof toward her, then paused suddenly, an uncertain look on his face.

Stallions – damn chickens, every one of them. She closed the distance between them and pressed her mouth against his, her tongue thrusting aggressively past his lips and teeth. For a moment he was too stunned to respond.

Fortunately, it was only for a moment. He pushed forward with enough strength to shove her down to her haunches, and his tongue came alive against hers. The kiss became a form of combat, each of them striving to wrestle the other's tongue into submission. She felt his hoof reach up to her mane and grasp a clump of hair, twisting until it hurt.

Yup, definitely turned on now.

She moaned quietly, the sound lost between their mouths. In the back of her mind, the part of Rainbow Dash that remained rational considered simply surrendering to his lead, letting him twist and pull and bite her until she was a shivering wreck, begging him to take her. She imagined him pinning her to the cloud like he had before, and her helpless to resist, able only to cry out in pleasure as he mounted her.

The thought had a certain appeal. A lot of appeal, actually – she felt herself growing wetter just envisioning it. Unfortunately, though, it wasn't her style.

She kicked out with her leg, catching his knee with just enough force to fold it and send him down to the cloud. He rolled onto his back and yelped with what she imagined was considerable surprise, but before he could respond she was on top of him, her legs planted on either side of his body and her mouth fastened back against his. This time the kiss lasted nearly a minute before they broke for air.

“Okay, first off,” he said, panting. His chest heaved beneath hers, and she found she rather enjoyed the sensation. “We don't kick other ponies, Rainbow Dash.”

“Meh.” She shrugged. The shoulds and should-nots of polite society had never troubled her too much. Besides, he didn't seem upset. She ground her hips against his.

No, he certainly didn't feel upset. She grinned at his reaction.

“Second,” he continued after a brief pause. “I like to be on top.”

“Really?” She could feel his cock straining against his belly. She rubbed herself against it for a leisurely moment, enjoying the feel of the smooth shaft against her crotch. “That's funny. I like to be on top, too.”

“Then we seem to have a problem.”

“No, you seem to have a problem,” she corrected him. “I'm doing just fine.” To emphasize her point, she leaned down and kissed him again. Kissing was better than talking.

They stayed unmoving for a while, him lying on his back, her perched atop him, both joined at the lips. She could feel him twitching beneath her, and she imagined the desperate passions playing out in his mind. Eager to have her, to take her. She couldn't help but grin at the thought. Around them it was getting difficult to see in the gathering darkness; already color had fled the world, leaving mute gray shapes where ponies had been before.

The long kiss finally broke. “So, it's like that?” he asked.

“Mhm.”

“Okay. Just remember, you wanted it this way.” His body tensed beneath her, all the warning she had before he exploded upward, his wings shoving back against the cloud with enough strength to lift them both into the air. His legs caught hers and twisted faster than she could react, and when they hit the cloud an instant later he easily shoved her face-down into the soft, cottony fluff.

Hey, I've been here before. How did she escape last time? Oh, right – she swung a leg around, trying to smack him in the snout. He was better prepared this time and caught the blow with his shoulder. Well, shoot.

His bulk crushed her against the cloud, helpless. Her body shook as he chuckled, and he leaned his head down next to her ear to whisper. “Not so smug now, hm? Anything to say for—WHOA!” He jerked his head back just in time to avoid her teeth, which clacked together loudly on empty air. She craned her head around and snapped at him again, and again just barely missed. She was about to try a third time when his hoof pressed against her neck and shoved her head against the cloud.

She took stock. Okay, my wings are trapped. He weighs twice as much as me and has me pinned down. I can't hit him or bite him. I think he wins this round.

Of course, winning was a relative term. She flicked her tail up at him, brushing it against his shaft. The catch of breath and shiver it provoked from him were priceless. Maybe we can both win.

The hoof against her neck relaxed and lifted away, replaced a moment later by his lips. He nibbled gently at her neck, then fastened his teeth around her ear with a bit more pressure than was strictly necessary, pulling a long, low moan from her throat. His other hoof traced its way lightly down her side, across her belly and between her legs. When it finally brushed against her lips, she thought for a moment the sun had somehow miraculously risen anew.

She ground herself against his hoof. All thoughts of fighting him, of flipping him onto his back and mounting him, had fled from her mind. This, this right here, this was good enough. Besides, he beat her fair and square – next time she would come out on top.

He tormented her with his hoof, sliding it up and down her lips, then pressing against that wonderful spot right at the top where they met. Another wave of pleasure wracked her body, and she wanted more.

She licked her lips. “Soarin?”

He paused, his hoof ceasing its tiny motions. “Yes?”

She threw down the gauntlet. “Are you going to tease me or fuck me?”

For a long second, he simply froze. Even his breathing, formerly hot and heavy in her ears, ceased. It was like being held by a statue – a hot, desperately aroused statue stuck in the process of bringing her to a climax, but a statue nevertheless.

When at last he moved, it was slow and deliberate. He planted his rear hooves on either side of her hips, and the head of his cock pressed between her legs. She crouched as best she could to receive him, her tail angled up and away to remove the last barrier between them.

He thrust, and as he penetrated her, his teeth bit down on the flesh where her neck and shoulder met. Not a little nip like his play before – a real, honest-to-Celestia bite that was going to leave a mark for days. The dual sensations of pain and utter pleasure drew a wail from throat, slowly dying away as her breath escaped into the night.

When she recovered her senses, he was fully buried inside her. He had stopped biting her, and instead was showering her neck and the side of her face with tiny kisses, almost as if in apology. She choked back a laugh and wriggled her hips.

He took the hint. Still peppering her with kisses, he began slowly pulling out until only the tip of his shaft was left in her, followed by a quick thrust that shook her whole body. He set an even pace, following the cues her body gave him, eliciting tiny, girlish gasps that would have appalled her, had she been thinking straight. She squeezed her eyes shut as the pressure built inside her, increasing with each stroke. The pressure became too much to resist, and a wave of pleasure burst within her like a thunderstorm sweeping across the plains, leaving all in its path battered and sodden and still.

He didn't last much longer. Egged on by the frantic spasms in her pelvis, he thrust one last time, harder and deeper and stronger than ever before. She felt another burst of heat deep within her, and then they both lay gasping and panting on the cloud.

She opened her eyes to see his face, just inches from hers. They stared at each other for a while, almost invisible in the darkness, with only the moon to light their forms. His mouth moved, and she edged closer to hear—

* * *

Rainbow Dash woke with a gasp and shot upright on the bed. A faint silver glow from the moon through the window cast shadowed squares on the quilted bed top. The moon had barely moved outside – she'd slept for less than an hour, she guessed.

She felt cold, and realized she was drenched in sweat. Sweat, and other things. She snarled in frustration and jumped off the bed to tear the soaked covers away. Hopefully the Apples wouldn't mind the sheets, nor would they ask any questions. Shivers set in as she climbed back into the bed.

Rarity gets back tomorrow. We'll get everypony together and have a party. It will be just like old times. She repeated the sentences over and over in her mind until they became a mantra, and eventually the shivering subsided as the sweat on her coat dried. Her heart slowed, her breathing relaxed, and sleep crept up on her again.

There were no such things as ghosts, Twilight Sparkle would have said.

But ponies could be haunted nonetheless.

* * * * * * * * *

Next: A reunion, a party, and some more answers. Rarity gets to relax, and realizes something about herself.

The gang's all here

Ah, trains. Is there a more glamorous method of travel?

Rarity hummed quietly in her seat as she inspected her hooves. They were still polished from her last visit to Pamper!, Fillydelphia's trendiest spa and midtown resort, but their edges had already begun to dull from the wear of walking along the city's cobblestoned roads. She gave them a small frown, then shrugged. No one in Ponyville would care – if they noticed at all.

Outside, also unnoticed, the riotous forest sped by in a kaleidoscope of autumn hues. Rarity had pulled the window shades down as soon as she found her seat.

Her morning had begun with the usual awkward elisions that followed an evening of casual sex. Bright Mark had been a complete gentlepony, of course, even letting her use the shower first, but there was no disguising the hurry with which she retreated home. Important business, she'd said. Catching a train and all. It was even true.

She had not promised him another date. Well, technically she had. But she hadn't meant it, and she was fairly sure he understood it was just politeness speaking. One of those little social lies ponies used to lubricate their interactions.

Yes, you know all about lying, don't you?

Rarity let out a breath and turned back to her magazine. It included a photo shoot of her summer dress line, and she spent nearly an hour pouring over the pictures, flipping back and forth between the pages to see how the models looked wearing her art. They were fabulous, of course; it was their job, and they were as good at it as she was with hers. Still, she scribbled a few critical notes in the margins, little ideas to improve her dresses for the next season.

Bright Mark was a good pony. He liked you. Maybe it's time you stop and think about what you really want in life.

She snorted at the thought. Her, settle? No, Rarity never settled. She set goals, and then she sped toward them like an arrow. Some goals just took more time than others.

The pitch of the engine changed, and a few minutes later the train's whistle shrieked its warning to the ponies waiting at the station outside. She waited for the train to stop, then began gathering her luggage.

She'd packed light. Only five suitcases this time.

* * *

Ponyville had grown while Rarity was gone. New homes and business sprouted on every street, and more ponies than she had ever seen filled its streets.

It was still just a shadow of Fillydelphia, but undeniably more urbane than the Ponyville she left. She could almost imagine herself living here again. It would be slower than the big city, but friendlier, with fewer cares and more friends. It would be like old times...

She shook her head. There would be time to daydream later, after she dropped off this luggage. As gifted as she was with magic, it was still a lot of dresses and accessories and shoes and makeup to carry around.

Carousel Studios was where she had left it, near the center of town. Now it was part of a line of buildings, all fancifully built to advertize their wares: a massive birdhouse that sold, she imagined, regular-sized birdhouses; a small greenhouse bursting with brilliant flowers abutted a terraced garden filled with vine-covered trellises and the sound of flowing water. She gave the new businesses an appreciative glance, then trotted up to the Carousel's door.

This part was a bit of a gamble – there hadn't been time to write her sister before grabbing a train. With any luck, there was still a guest bedroom upstairs. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

“Coming!” a musical voice sang from within. The faint sound of hooves descending stairs followed, and a moment later the door swung inward, revealing a white unicorn with a pink and lavender mane. “Rarity!” Sweetie Belle rushed forward and wrapped her sister in a hug.

“Hello, Sweetie Belle. Sorry for showing up unannounced.” Rarity returned the hug, amazed once again at how her sister had grown. Sweetie Belle was nearly as tall as her now, with the lean, slender grace that spoke of a mare on the cusp of adulthood. Her mane had lost most of its curls, and flowed down her neck and shoulders in a cascade of thick waves that danced absently between hues. Sweetie Belle would soon be turning stallions' heads – if she wasn't already. The thought made Rarity freeze for just a moment.

“It's your house, Rarity. You know you're always welcome here,” her sister replied, quickly backing into the doorway and pulling Rarity with her. She glanced outside at the mound of luggage. “Only here for a few nights?”

“Up to a week, perhaps. Is that a problem?”

“Nope!” Sweetie vanished through the door and reappeared a few seconds later with Rarity's collection of baggage in tow. “Do you mind staying in my old room? I, uh, I kinda moved into yours.”

“Oh, that's not a problem, darling.” Rarity followed her sister up the stairs. “Why, I expected to sleep on the couch.”

“I'd sleep on the couch before I let you do that.” Sweetie Belle pushed open the door to her old room and trotted through. It was still decorated with all of her old things – pictures of the Crusaders, macaroni art from Cheerilee's class, awards from singing competitions. A wave of nostalgia washed over Rarity at the sight, and she blinked rapidly.

Things used to be so simple.

“This will do just fine, Sweetie,” she said. “Just drop those anywhere, I'll unpack later.” She paused, searching for the best way to proceed. “You're sure I'm not imposing by staying here? I'd hate to be a drag on your social life.”

“Is that a Big Sister way of asking if I'm dating anypony?” Sweetie raised an eyebrow at her. She seemed to be suppressing a grin.

Rarity coughed politely. “Well, yes. I suppose it is.” She paused, then leaned forward. “So, are you?”

“How about we talk over lunch.”

* * *

They ate at an upscale salad bar that had opened after Rarity left Ponyville, and spent more than an hour catching up on each others' lives. Sweetie was impressed with Rarity's success in Fillydelphia, while Rarity couldn't help but envy the simple joy that Sweetie seemed to draw from her life here.

Sweetie, it turned out, was dating, but despite all her wheedling, Rarity was unable to draw so much as a name from her sister. “You'll find out later,” was all Sweetie said. After a few more attempts to pry out the salacious details, Rarity pouted and moved on, and the rest of their chatter dealt with the more mundane details of life.

By the time they finished the deli was nearly empty, and the sun had begun to creep across the sky into mid-afternoon. They exchanged a long hug, and promised to speak more over dinner.

Until then, Rarity had some ponies to meet. She trotted away from the deli toward the center of town, passing by the Town Hall on the way to the library. The massive oak still held its leaves despite the encroaching autumn, and looked little changed from what Rarity remembered from her last visit. She wondered, absently, if the same could be said for the pony inside.

She knocked and then pushed the door open without waiting for a reply. It was a public library, after all. The interior was just as she remembered: warmly lit bookshelves stuffed with knowledge surrounded her, rising high up the tree's living walls. Isolated reading tables dotted the wide room, covered with runnels of wax from Twilight's late-night studies. She'd even kept the odd circular table with the horse head sculpture.

“Hello?” she called. “Spike? Twilight?”

There was a rustle from above, and Twilight's head poked over the railing separating her quarters from the library proper. She gave a little gasp as the sight of her guest, and suddenly there was a bright purple flash. When Rarity could see again, Twilight was standing in front of her, bouncing from hoof to hoof with an exuberant grin on her face.

“Rarity!” Twilight leaned forward to touch noses, one of the fashionable greetings Rarity had taught her that were popular in such urbane locales as Fillydelphia. “Dash was right! You did come back!”

“Of course I came back, darling. You know I could never abandon Ponyville.” She smiled at Twilight and gave the mare a quick once-over. Not much different from the last time they'd met, almost a year ago now. A bit taller, perhaps, and she'd finally done something with her mane. Her bangs were now elegantly swept to the side, just barely exposing the root of her horn. A rather daring statement for such a bookish mare. Rarity felt herself nodding in approval. Then the rest of Twilight's sentence hit her.

“Is Dash back already?” she asked. Rarity couldn't have said why, but for some reason it was very important that Rainbow Dash be in Ponyville.

“Supposedly. I haven't seen her yet, but Pinkie came by earlier and said she was back.” Twilight's horn glowed, and a pair of sitting cushions zipped across the room toward them. She took a seat on one before continuing. “She said you'd both be visiting for a bit.”

Rarity gratefully accepted the other pillow. Although she spent most of her day on her hooves back in Fillydelphia, she wasn't used to so much walking. “About a week or so, I'd venture. Enough to catch up on all the latest gossip.”

“Well, you heard about Fluttershy?”

“Oh, I have!” She clapped her hooves together. “Sweetie Belle told me earlier. Can you imagine, Twilight! Fluttershy, our Fluttershy, about to be a mother?”

“I know.” Twilight's eyes lost their focus for a moment, a dreamy smile on her face. “She's so excited. You should see her and Big Mac together. I've never seen two ponies look so happy.”

The smile froze on Rarity's face. So happy. Neat how that works, isn't it? You find the pony you're meant for, and live happily ever after.

“Yes, I can imagine,” Rarity said without missing a beat. “They seem perfect for each other.”

“As perfect as a couple can be.” Twilight turned her head, giving Rarity a sidelong glance. “And what about you? Still looking for your prince?”

Bitch! She clamped down on the words that threatened to pour from her mouth, instantly ashamed. Twilight had no way of knowing her particular... troubles... in that regard. Twilight was just being a friend – catching up on the very same gossip Rarity had expressed an interest in. She smiled, knowing from years of practice that it would look perfectly genuine, and waved a hoof dismissively.

“Oh Twilight, you and your jokes.” The word “jokes” came out with a bit more stress than she'd intended. “No, I'm afraid I'm too busy these days with my shop to be looking for love.”

You're getting good at lying.

“That's too bad.” Twilight gave her a little smile. “I still feel like that sometimes, when I spend the whole day cooped up with these books.”

“Mm? I thought you and that one fellow were seeing each other.” Rarity rubbed her chin with a hoof. What was that stallion's name? Doctor something. “That doctor?”

“Oh, yes.” Twilight suddenly blushed furiously. “We, ah, we are still seeing each other, in fact. You know, casually. As friends.”

“Yes, good friends.” Rarity leaned forward. “You'll have to tell me more about him, one of these nights. And just how 'friendly' you two are with each other. Just between us girls.”

“Aha, yes, just between us girls.” Twilight glanced around the room as if searching for something. “So, ah, I heard you saw Dash in Fillydelphia.”

Oh yes, Rainbow Dash. The whole reason for her impromptu visit. The sudden change in mood was like a bucket of ice-water poured on her head.

“Yes, I did.” Rarity looked down at her hooves. When she continued, her voice was low and quiet. “She didn't look good, Twilight. Almost like she hasn't been eating enough. Truthfully, the whole reason I asked her to come to Ponyville was because I thought she needed help.”

Twilight listened in silence. Her brows drew together, and a tiny frown tugged down her lips. “It's been six months. Do you think she's still, you know... grieving?”

“I don't know what else it could be.” Rarity sighed. “I worry we didn't do enough for her. We could have asked her to stay with us for a while. Any of us could have.”

“She wanted to get back to the Wonder Bolts,” Twilight pointed out. “She insisted on it, remember? Said it's what he'd want.”

“Well, it's not working.” Twilight drew back from the snap in Rarity's words. “She's hurting, Twilight, and we need to help her. She'll be here for a week, maybe longer if we can convince her to stay. The Bolts can do without her, even if she doesn't think so.”

Wow, that sounded genuinely caring. Who are you and what have you done with Rarity?

Rarity scowled, then quickly willed her face into it's usual smug, impassive mask before Twilight could notice. She needn't have worried – Twilight was studying her hooves, a pained look on her face.

“I don't know, Rarity. I haven't seen her in a while, not since the funeral,” Twilight finally said. She took a deep breath before continuing. “But if you're right, then we need to try something. Count me in.”

A previously unfelt tension in Rarity's gut relaxed at Twilight's statement. Twilight was the smartest of them, and if anypony could help, it was her. She smiled at the librarian.

“Thank you, Twilight,” she said. “Anyway, I suppose there's already a party being planned for tonight?”

* * *

There was a party, and it was incredible.

Pinkie Pie had always been legendary for her parties, but as she grew into adulthood she graduated from small, confetti-strewn celebrations that occupied a single room or house into massive events, the kind of party that ground the entire town to a stop and laid up most of its adult population for the next day as well. Parties that ponies remembered for years. More than one relationship owed its existence to her parties, and a few foals besides.

The transition took place right around the same time Pinkie was old enough to drink alcohol. Twilight Sparkle had once speculated (ruefully, in a bathroom with Rarity rubbing her back while she vomited) that those facts might be related in some way.

In sum, Rarity was already expecting a lavish party when she arrived at the town hall that evening. She dressed casually, selecting a simple black saddle with smooth lines and no frills. It had a matching bridle, but she elected to leave it at home – this wasn't going to be that kind of party. Sweetie Belle hadn't wanted to wear anything special, but Rarity successfully badgered her into at least bringing a scarf. Scarves were already coming back into fashion with the slow dawning of autumn and its colder weather.

Ponyville's entire central square had been cordoned off with streamers for the party. Hundreds of paper lanterns, each painted with some pony's cutie mark, were suspended in the air by a network of crisscrossing lines just above their heads. The candles within them cast overlapping circles of light on the ground below. Dozens of tables had been set up in a rough circle around the dance floor, and—

Rarity blinked and looked again. Yes, there really was a dance floor. In the middle of the town square.

“How long has Pinkie been setting this up?” she asked Sweetie. Around them, dozens of ponies milled about, with more arriving every minute.

“Several hours, at least,” Sweetie said. “She's been planning it since yesterday. Oh, look! There's your lantern!” She pointed her horn at a white lantern a few yards away emblazoned with a trio of blue diamonds.

Rarity wanted to go inspect it more closely, but a commotion on the Town Hall's patio grabbed her eye. Pinkie Pie and a white unicorn with an electric blue mane were pushing a pair of huge speakers to the fore. They connected some wires to the back, and then dashed off.

“And she got a DJ,” Rarity said. “Is there a cover for this party?”

“No, the town budgets for a certain number of these every year. Something about the historical—“

“HELLO EVERYPONY. CAN YOU HEAR ME?” Pinkie's voice, deafeningly loud, blasted from the speakers. There was a short pause while those nearest to the stage shouted at the DJ's table. Rarity could see the DJ adjusting something on her control board.

“Sorry, how about now?” Pinkie's voice returned, still loud but no longer painful. “Great! Welcome to the First Annual Elements of Harmony Reunion and Commemoration Party! Can you believe it's been...” She trailed off for a few moments. “Nine years, three months and twelve days since we rediscovered the Elements of Harmony and rescued Princess Luna, right here in Ponyville?”

And... no. Rarity couldn't. Nine years? A crippling sense of age nearly overwhelmed her. It had seemed like just yesterday that she was meeting Twilight for the first time in her boutique, and now she was an old, single mare on the verge of—

“Oh, stop that.” Sweetie gave her a rough poke in the side. Rarity could barely hear her over the cheering crowd and Pinkie's continuing discourse on how old she was. “You're not old. You're not even our parents' age when they married.”

Rarity coughed. “Erm, sorry dear. Was it that obvious?”

“Blindingly.”

Rarity opened her mouth to respond when a spotlight swung across the crowd and pinned her in place. She froze, barely able to see, as Pinkie's voice returned over the loudspeakers.

“And last but certainly not least, Rarity! Say hello, Rarity!”

Most ponies would have panicked at suddenly being thrust before a crowd, spotlighted and put on the spot. She hadn't even heard most of Pinkie's speech. Beside her, Sweetie Belle edge away from the spotlight's glare.

Fortunately, Rarity was used to the limelight. She reflexively struck a pose, her head raised high and tilted imperiously as she touched a hoof to her chest. “Hello, Ponyville! I hope you're all feeling fabulous tonight!” she cried, her voice as clear and ringing as a bell. The crowd answered with cheers.

“Oh, you.” Sweetie gave her another tap as the spotlight swung away. “Most ponies would just wave.”

Yes, yes they would. Rarity felt a smug little grin on her face and didn't bother bother to hide it. “Well, we can't all be glamorous, darling.” She leaned down and gave Sweetie a quick smooch on the cheek. “Now then, I need to go find the girls. Will you be alright here?”

Sweetie's eyes darted off to the side, then back to Rarity. If Rarity hadn't been watching for it, she wouldn't missed it. “Uh, sure. I think I saw some friends... I'll just go hang out with them.” She gave Rarity a grin, then trotted off toward the mass of ponies, gaining speed with every step she took away from her sister. Within moments she was lost in the crowd.

Indeed. Rarity scanned the crowd, wondering which colt it could possibly be. There weren't many here her sister's age, but then, she might be dating up a few years. Another mystery to consider.

* * *

Rarity wandered the square without aim as the party warmed up. She wasn't in a hurry to find her friends just yet, and the warm glow of socializing was just starting to settle in. Everywhere she stepped, ponies both familiar and unknown stopped and welcomed her back to town. She found herself smiling after a while, and wasn't able to stop.

You should have come home long ago.

Maybe. She didn't let the thought bring her down. This was a party, and parties were for happy ponies. And more importantly, she had to find some way to help Rainbow Dash. Moping wouldn't accomplish that.

You wouldn't have to mope if you'd stayed here. What has Fillydelphia gotten you?

She found Applejack at one of the tables, surrounded by another small crowd of well-wishers. The earth pony hadn't dressed up for the party, instead wearing her usual Stetson hat and nothing else. Rarity sighed quietly, then sidled up beside her. “Hello, Applejack.”

“Rarity! How you been, girl?” Applejack wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug. “Gosh, I haven't seen you since, uh...”

Right. Since the funeral. Rarity wondered if Rainbow Dash ever got tired of hearing that. She gave Applejack a polite nuzzle and pushed forward with the conversation, to get it off that shaky ground. “I've been wonderful, darling. And how are you? I hear you're expecting a niece.”

“A niece or a nephew.” Applejack released her grip and settled back onto her hooves. “Mac and I have a bet going. If it's a filly, I get to name her.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “I see... have you told Fluttershy about this little bet?”

“Heh.” Applejack rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof. “Well, I get to suggest a name, anyway.”

“Mhm. On another note, then.” She took a seat beside Applejack and lowered her voice. The music booming from the speakers was loud enough to render her almost mute from more than a few feet away. “I heard Rainbow Dash stayed at your farm last night.”

Applejack's face grew serious. “Yup, she did. And she didn't look so good. You did the right thing, asking her to come back here.”

Rarity blushed and ducked her head to hide it. How long has it been since anypony said you did the right thing? She coughed into her hoof.

“Well, yes. Thank you. Did she come out here with you?”

Applejack nodded at her, then turned to peer at the crowd. “We walked together, but she wandered off somewhere after Pinkie's introductions. Honestly, I'd check the bar.”

Something about that nagged at the back of Rarity's mind. Not the bar part – the Wonder Bolts were all famous drinkers, and Rainbow Dash had developed a particularly outsized reputation for putting full grown stallions under the table. She puzzled over it for a moment, then filed it away for later.

“I think I'll do that,” she said. “We'll chat more later, hm?” She gave Applejack another nuzzle, then stepped back into the crowd.

* * *

The bar was crowded, but not with anypony resembling Rainbow Dash. Rarity sighed and pushed her way forward anyway. She could use a drink.

“Cosmopolitan, please,” she told the bartender. He gave her a short nod and turned to grab the requisite spirits, and a few moments of deft mixology later slid the drink across the counter to her. She pushed a few bits across the bar toward him, and was surprised when he pushed them back.

“On the house, ma'am. It's your party, after all.”

“Oh, thank you, darling.” She gave him a smokey smile, and floated the bits into his tip cup instead. “I'm looking for a mare, Rainbow Dash. Blue coat, colorful mane. Do you know her?”

“Hard not to know her,” he said. He was silent for a moment as he collected empty glasses from the counter and dropped them somewhere below the bar. “Was here a few minutes ago. Got two drinks when I told her they were free.”

Now, that was a tempting idea. She took a sip from the Cosmo and immediately reconsidered – this one had enough alcohol for two drinks all by itself. That earned the bartender another sultry smile, and she turned back to the crowd. She wandered for a while, sipping at her drink and keeping an eye open for a garish rainbow mane. If she was around here, the pastel crowd was hiding her well.

Eventually, Rarity's wanderings took her back to the center, and she found and open seat at one of the tables. The other ponies there welcomed her warmly, and she made small talk with a younger pegasus mare about the benefits of living in a city like Fillydelphia while she finished her drink.

A few couples were already taking advantage of the dance floor. Rarity watched them silently from the sidelines. Hm, her dress is too tight. And toile? I really should have a talk with that mare. None of the dancing ponies seemed too interested in fashion at the moment, though. When the song ended, one of the couples bowed away and sat in the concealing darkness beneath a nearby tree, their sides pressed against each other, heads low as they whispered, the party forgotten.

Rarity sighed at the sight. She was about to get another drink when Twilight Sparkle sidled up beside her.

“Hey, Rarity,” she said. Her horn glowed with its faint purple light as she levitated a pair of drinks, one for herself and one for her friend. “Everything alright?”

“Oh, Twilight, you’re such a dear.” Rarity took the offered drink and drew a long sip from the convoluted neon green straw. A Manehattan, and not a bad one. “I was just watching those young couples. They don’t realize how blessed they are. Do you know what the rarest thing in the world is, Twilight?”

Twilight was silent for a while. She lowered her head in thought, then looked up with a cautious expression on her face. “Polonium?”

“Love, Twilight,” Rarity continued as though the librarian hadn’t spoken. “True love! And when we have it, we are so blinded by its brilliance that we do not realize what a treasure it is.”

“Oh, right, love.” Twilight took a sip from her drink, then mumbled something under her breath. Rarity thought she heard the word “metaphor.” They sat silently for a while, watching the dancing crowd.

“You haven't seen Rainbow Dash, have you?” Rarity asked, once her drink was nearly gone.

“Did you try the bar?”

“Yes. I suppose I could just station myself there until she returns.” Rarity finished her drink off with a frown. “Or I could wander some more.”

Twilight got to her hooves. “I'll start looking too. If I find her, we'll come get you.”

“Mm, and where shall we meet?”

Twilight glanced at her drink. It was almost empty. “How about the bar?”

“Sounds good to me.” Rarity stood and stretched. She gave her friend a quick nuzzle, and then vanished into the crowd again.

* * *

She didn't have to search much longer. Rainbow Dash was sitting just a few tables away, surrounded by ponies yet somehow managing to look entirely alone. She was looking up at something, and when Rarity followed her gaze she saw a light blue paper lantern decorated with a rainbow lightning bolt.

“Hey,” Dash said as she approached, her eyes never leaving the lantern. She seemed as thin and wiry as before, but at least she'd styled her mane into something other than its usual bird's nest.

“Er, hello dear.” Rarity took a seat beside her and gave an apologetic smile ponies she crowded out of the way. When they saw who she was they smiled back and made room. “I'm glad you were able to make it. How are you feeling?”

“Great. Doing great.” She tilted her head at the lantern. “Did you know Apple Bloom made these? Nearly three thousand of them. It took her an entire school year.”

Rarity blinked. She hadn't realized there were that many ponies in Ponyville. “No, Sweetie didn't mention that. Did you see Apple Bloom last night?”

Rarity shook her head, finally looking away from the lantern. “Nah, spent the night at the farm, though. AJ mentioned it when we got here.”

“Did you see Fluttershy?”

“Heh, yeah.” Rainbow Dash smiled. The mere expression seemed to lift years from her frame. “You should see her, Rares. She's starting to blow up.”

Rarity coughed and gave Dash a mock scowl. “It's not polite to mention that, you know.”

“Fluttershy wouldn't mind.” Dash's smile faded, and she looked out at the crowd. The song that had been playing came to an end, and there were a few seconds of silence as the DJ queued up the next. “She's going to make a great mother.”

Yes, she would. Images of Fluttershy, her mane tangled and her coat matted with sweat, cradling a newborn foal flashed before Rarity's eyes. A powerful swell of emotion rushed up from her chest, and she found herself blinking away tears.

“We'll have to come back before the birth,” she managed to say, once her voice had steadied.

Rainbow Dash nodded. If any similar feelings stirred within her breast, she concealed them better than Rarity could. They were silent for a while as the party beat on around them.

“Hey, you wanna dance?”

Rarity blinked. “Dance, together? You and me?”

“Yeah, we'd look silly dancing alone.”

“Well...” Rarity hedged. The song was some sort of techno track, with a heavy repeating base that was perfect for grinding and bouncing alongside one's partner, but not the sort of music she preferred. Classical waltzes, ball room, or even jazz she could easily deal with. The music beloved by socialites the world over. “This isn't really my kind of music, Dash.”

“Hey, no worry.” Dash waved a hoof. “It's no biggie. Not every pony can dance.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “I assure you, Rainbow Dash, I know how to dance. This music is simply more... vulgar... than I normally prefer.”

“That's fine. I'm not judging you.” Dash leaned back against the table, her face a study in non-nonchalance. “Much,” she added, just on the edge of Rarity's hearing.

Ah, so it was like that. Rarity rose to her hooves and stretched elegantly, the kind of stretch more designed to advertise her body and its youthful suppleness than do anything for her muscles. When she opened her eyes Dash was staring at her, along with several nearby stallions (and even a mare or two). She chuckled quietly and brushed against a rust coated stallion as she stepped toward the dance floor, knowing without having to look that he would only be a step or two behind.

A new song started just as she reached the floor, loaded with strings and backed by an aggressive beat in a predictable twelve measure rhythm. She let the music play out for a few bars while her partner sidled up beside her, and then began to dance.

She kept it simple, more for the stallion's sake than her own. It hadn't been a lie when she told Dash she could dance – her shoulders bounced smoothly from beat to beat, her hooves landing with a sharp crack on the floor at the end of each measure. The song added a second bass rhythm, and she flicked her tail and mane in time with it. Every few beats she brushed up against her partner's chest or side, just to keep things interesting. By the time the song ended, she was breathing heavily, and a faint sheen of sweat lent both her and the stallion an attractive glow. She gave him a smile and turned back to Rainbow Dash.

“So, want to dance?” she called. The stallion made a disappointed sound behind her, but soon enough was snatched up by another mare. He'd be fine.

Dash rolled her eyes, but nevertheless trotted out onto the dance floor. Her gait seemed to gain an extra bit of spring the moment she crossed the threshold. “Show off.” She gave Rarity a little jab with her wing.

“What?” Her dancing hadn't been that good. Better than most, perhaps, but nothing that would stand out at one of Pinkie Pie's parties. “That was nothing.”

“Not the dancing, the stallion.” Dash started bouncing in time with the music as a new song began. She slid back and forth, fluid as water, stopping every few measures spin in place with her wings extended. Rarity quickly grasped the timing and stepped away each time to avoid getting thwacked.

“What about him?” She risked a glance away from Dash, trying to find him. He and a crème mare seemed to be having fun a few steps away.

“You just touched him, and he followed you out here like a puppy.” The song switched to a boisterous beat, and Dash switched to a simpler bounce, her wings extended straight up as though to grasp the sky. “You think most mares can do that?” She raised her voice to be heard.

Well, no. But then, she'd had plenty of practice with stallions. The rueful thought twisted her face into a frown, and she almost missed it when the song came to an end. Dash was staring at her from just a few inches away. She wasn't even breathing hard, Rarity noticed.

“Maybe he was just lonely.” Rarity said. He didn't look very lonely at the moment, but that was neither here nor there.

“Whatever.” Dash blew her mane out of her eyes. “Hey, let's get some drinks. We can dance later.

That they could. Rarity followed Dash off the dance floor toward the bar as another song began to play.

* * *

One drink quickly became two drinks, then three and four. When Rarity managed to put all those back without collapsing under the table, Rainbow Dash went back for another round. She returned with a pair of scotches, not the sort of drink Rarity expected from the pegasus. She raised an eyebrow as Dash set them on the table.

“What, I'm not allowed to like scotch?” Dash asked. The alcohol had softened her voice and attitude both, and she gave Rarity a grin as she settled down beside her.

“Mm, no complaints here, darling.” She levitated the glass and gave it a sip. Not top shelf, but still respectable. Certainly not what she expected from one of Pinkie's parties. She had long since developed a pleasing buzz, and leaned against Dash's side as they drank in comfortable silence. Around them the party had begun to wind down, with couples stumbling back to their homes. Above them, many of the lanterns had burned their candles down to stubs, and only tiny embers glowed from within.

“Hey girls,” Twilight's voice came from beside them. The unicorn trotted up, then stopped when she saw the array of empty glasses on their table. “Whoa. You two okay?”

“Mm, just fine, thank you.” Rarity smiled a bit wider than normal and took another sip. “Dash, how... how are you?”

“Mmgood.”

“See? We're fine.” Rarity turned back to Twilight, who was looking at them skeptically. “How are you?”

“Sober.”

“That's too bad,” Rarity said. “Dash, do you remember the first time Twilight got drunk?”

“Yes!” Dash snorted, then lost herself in a fit of giggles. “The look on the mayor's face when she learned we broke into the school...” She ran out of breath and began giggling again.

“Yes, well, you two seem fine.” Twilight said flatly. “I'll be heading back—“

“My telescope! They stole my telescope!” Dash burst out. Rarity snickered beneath her breath.

“Right, leaving now. You two get home safe, alright?” Twilight shook her head and trotted away, muttering quietly. Rarity and Dash waited until she was safely away, then broke down in giggles.

“We'll... we'll have to apologize to her tomorrow.” Rarity managed to say. The alcohol was starting to hit her a bit harder, now. The previously level horizon was beginning to sway, as though they were viewing it from a boat.

“Eh, she'll be fine.” Dash rose to her hooves and took a few careful steps. Her balance seemed steadier than Rarity felt, and she tossed back the last of her scotch before letting out a satisfied sigh. “I think the party's about over, though.”

Rarity looked around the emptying square. The dance floor had long since been abandoned, and the DJ was packing up her table. Clusters of ponies huddled around the tables, chatting quietly as they finished the last of their drinks. Even the bartender seemed ready to pack up for the evening.

“Yes, I think we've shut the place down,” she said. “And Sweetie Belle is nowhere to be seen. I suppose that means it's time to head back to the boutique.”

“You're staying with your sister?” Dash gave her a shoulder to lean on as she stood, then trotted alongside her as they left the square. Within moments the commotion of the party had faded, and they were just two mares walking down an empty, dark street at night.

It was a short walk to the studio, though in Rarity's mind it would forever be her boutique. The carousel design was unchanged – only the sign indicated that some other pony had set up shop here. They stopped a few steps away from the door.

“You're staying here?” Dash asked. She looked up at the structure quietly, her wings fanning a light breeze around her.

“Mhm. I assume you're at your old...” Rarity trailed off. Hadn't someone mentioned that Rainbow Dash stayed with the Apples last night? Why wouldn't she have slept in her cloud house?

“Yeah, ah...” Dash looked down at her hooves for a moment. “I'll probably crash somewhere else tonight. It's too dark to fly home.”

Too dark to fly? Even through the haze of alcohol, that made no sense. Dash flew in the dark all the time. She flew in the dark when Nightmare Moon had returned without breaking a sweat, and that was as a filly.

Her incredulity must have shown on her face. Dash cringed and took a step away.

“So, uh, I'll just see if Pinkie's still up,” she said. “I've stayed at her place plenty of—“

“Nonsense,” Rarity cut her off. “I have a perfectly good spare bedroom. You can, ah, 'crash' here, if you like.”

“I don't wanna be a bother, Rares.” For all her alleged hesitation, the relief on Dash's face was plain to see, even through the alcohol and in the darkness. When Rarity pushed open the door, Dash followed behind her without complaint.

They tiptoed as quietly as two drunk mares could up the stairs, pausing halfway up for a short argument over who was stepping on whose hooves. They made it the rest of the way to the top without further incident, and Rarity ushered Dash into Sweetie's old room. The pegasus seemed to hesitate at the threshold for some reason.

“Is everything alright, darling?”

“Uh, yeah.” Dash stepped slowly into the room, giving it a long inspection in the dim glow of the lights outside. “Hey... has anyone else lived in here? Aside from you?”

“Well, it's Sweetie Belle's room, not mine. No one else has ever lived in it.”

“Right.” For some reason that seemed to put Dash at ease, and she climbed up on the bed without further complaint. “Hey, thanks for letting me stay here.”

“Of course.” She leaned over to give Dash a quick nuzzle, then yawned. The alcohol was finally catching up with her. “I'll see you in the morning, then.” She closed the door behind her as she left, and tiptoed back downstairs to the waiting couch.

So, Dash wasn't staying at her old cloud home. For all Rarity knew, the poor thing might have simply blown away in the years they were gone. Cloud homes weren't like farms or boutiques or libraries, she imagined. Like most things with pegasi, they lacked permanence.

But if that were the case, why not just say so? Why make up something silly about not wanting to fly? It was too much for Rarity's alcohol-numbed mind to deal with so late at night, and she settled onto the couch with a grumble. It was not as nice as her couch in Fillydelphia, but it was good enough for her purposes. She seemed to be saying that a lot about couches, lately.

Not a bad first day back, hm?

Not bad at all. Old friends, family, fun times. All that was missing was her fashion business, moored in the high society of Fillydelphia. And, of course, her prince.

Your prince isn't in Fillydelphia, either.

Perhaps not, but ponies like Bright Mark were. A small smile crept onto her lips as she remembered the previous night's entertainment. She could almost imagine him crowded onto the couch with her, his body pressing against hers, his hooves rough against her coat.

You need to stop pretending. This isn't healthy.

She frowned at the thought. Who was she to judge what's healthy in a pony's relationships? Plenty of mares were choosey about their mates. Better to be picky now than repent for the rest of her life.

You're not being picky, you're being insane. There's no fucking prince!

She rolled onto her back, trying to get comfortable. More memories of the previous night, unbidden but not unwelcome, flooded into her mind. She could have ignored them, certainly, but that would have meant spending all night listening to her own critical thoughts, and there was only so much of that she could stomach before screaming.

Giving in to her imagination had its own drawbacks, though. She bit her lip as the heat began to build between her legs, and she crushed her thighs together with a silent moan, a mere exhale of breath rather than sound. She closed her eyes and felt Bright Mark atop her again, his hoof exploring lower and lower. Yes, right there.

Her own hoof, undirected, began tracing circles over her belly, dipping lower and lower with each orbit. She spread her legs at last, and her hoof brushed teasingly over her lips, pausing for just a moment to press against the tiny nub at their apex. Her hips shuddered at the touch.

And then Bright Mark was... was... she opened her eyes in the darkness. For some reason she could barely remember what he looked like, much less how he made her feel last night. She could remember the sex, of course, but there was nothing to tell it apart from any of the dozen other stallions she had slept with during the past year. She let out a tiny frustrated growl and pressed her hoof against her crotch. Nothing.

Well, shoot.

This wasn't a problem other mares had, she imagined. Rainbow Dash, sleeping just one floor above, would never lack for fantasies to clop to. For all Rarity knew, Dash was up there now, slowly rubbing herself off.

It was a short leap from thought to imagination. She saw Rainbow Dash on the bed, atop the covers. Her garish mane was strewn about haphazardly, her wings twitching spastically in time with the pleasure pulsing through her body. Not one butboth hooves were thrust between her legs and working furiously.

Rarity's hoof moved again, gently mashing her lips. She let out a silent breath as the images played out in her mind. Rainbow Dash rolled onto her back, her legs splayed obscenely wide, hiding absolutely nothing. Thick, clear fluid slathered her crotch and the insides of her thighs. Her hoof was a blur.

Yes, that was the ticket. Rarity twisted her hoof, pressing its edge between her lips. They were already disgustingly wet, and she could smell the tang of her excitement. She imagined leaning over Rainbow Dash's shaking form. What would she smell like? Dash opened her eyes, surprised, as Rarity gently pushed away her hoof, exposing her crotch. Her lips, wet and shining, lay open like the petals on a flower. She moaned as Rarity's muzzle lowered, and her tongue darted out to lap at that beautiful bounty. Dash's hooves wrapped in her mane and forced her head lower.

Rarity inhaled, and it was like breathing pure sex. Her tongue delved deeper between Dash's folds, teasing the loose folds. She took one of the lips between her teeth and tugged lightly, drawing a shuddering moan from the pegasus. Beneath her, her own hooves pressed into her crotch, rubbing her nub so furiously the sensation bordered on pain.

She pulled her head away, drawing a disappointed groan from Dash. Rarity grinned at her friend, then placed a light kiss at the top of her sex, her tongue darting out to flick at the nub hidden there. The firm point of flesh was like a beacon, and she slowly circled with her tongue, suckled at it with her lips. Rarity pressed the tip of her hoof between Dash's lips, opening and penetrating the mare in a single motion. She could feel Dash's heartbeat with her tongue. Wings beat a frantic tattoo against the bed, out of control.

She looked up along the length of Dash's body. Bright scarlet eyes, wide and shining in the darkness, looked back.

Rarity gasped, shockingly loud in the dark and silence of the boutique. Her hoof pressed frantically between her legs, and her eyes shot open as one of the most powerful orgasms she could ever recall having wracked her body. For minutes afterward she lay twitching on the couch, her hoof still between her legs, as though trying to hold in the pleasure she had just experienced. Everything below her waist felt sodden. She would have to find some excuse to clean the couch before the rest of the house woke up.

That could wait, though. She chuckled to herself as she slowly drifted off. The last thing she imagined was Rainbow Dash again, curled up beside her, a satisfied smile on her lips.

And what an odd thought that was.

* * * * * * * * *

Lowered inhibitions

The sun was well over the horizon when Rainbow Dash finally woke.

At first, she didn't know where she was. The bright blue walls were decorated with elegant geometric designs. Some pony had painted a mural of treble clefs and musical staffs filled with notes all along the ceiling. The bed was... well, 'poofy' was the only word she could bring to mind to describe it. No less than a dozen colorful pillows vied for space at its head, and a fluffy matching down comforter covered the rest. It looked like a room Rarity would sleep in.

Not Rarity, she amended. Sweetie Belle. Memories of the previous night slowly came back as she lolled about on the bed. She remembered the party, and dancing, and drinking. Lots and lots of drinking.

There was no rush to get up, so she snuggled back into the comforter. This is really soft. Can you buy them like this?How much would that cost? She mulled over the question absently as she drifted between sleeping and waking. How much time passed in that state of blissful semi-consciousness, she could not have said.

Alas, it did not last forever. The door opened softly and a disheveled Sweetie Belle poked her head in. “Hey sis, are you—whoa! Uh, sorry, sorry.” The head vanished, and the door clicked shut behind her.

Huh. Dash blinked at the door, then yawned and made a face. She needed to brush her teeth and get washed up, preferably in that order. Her tongue tasted like something had died on it.

A few minutes in the washroom got the worst of the taste out of her mouth. She considered her mane in the mirror – it looked like a bird's nest that had somehow survived a paint factory explosion. Not up to regs, Soarin would have said. She scowled at her reflection and ran her hoof under the water, then lightly patted at her mane.

There. She gave her head a shake that splattered the mirror with droplets of water. Perfect.

Sweetie Belle and Rarity were already having breakfast when Dash made her way down the stairs. Rarity managed to look perfect, as though she hadn't spent half the night at a party and the other half passed out. Not a hair in her mane was out of place, her coat wasn't matted on one side like Dash's, and even her makeup was flawless. They had a third place set at the table, and Dash slipped into the seat. Hey, waffles! Nice.

“Good morning, Rainbow Dash!” Sweetie said. She had a huge grin on her face for some reason. “It's great to see you back in Ponyville. And already enjoying my sister's hospitality!”

“Uh, yeah, it's great to be back.” Dash said. Rarity was giving her sister a flat look, and her lips were pursed in that expression she got when something was annoying her but she was too polite to say anything about it but wanted you to know she was irritated anyway so really she wasn't being very polite at all. Dash glanced between the unicorns, wondering what she was missing.

“Rarity was just telling me that she gave you my old room, and she slept downstairs on the couch.” Sweetie Belle paused to take a bite of her waffle and a long sip from her orange juice. “Allegedly,” she added under her breath, giving Rarity a smug look.

“Dash, would you please inform my sister,” the word veritably dripped with acid, “that after we returned from the party, I showed you to your room, and then we parted ways for the evening?”

“Uh... yeah?” Dash couldn't keep the confusion out of her voice. “Wait, you slept on the couch? I thought you had another room.”

“Well, I couldn't let a guest sleep on the couch.” Rarity looked shocked at the notion. Across the table, Sweetie Belle's smug grin faded into a disappointed pout.

That seemed odd to Dash. She made guests sleep on the couch all the time, whenever various Wonder Bolts needed a place to crash. That's what couches were for. She was about to say so when Rarity spoke again.

“Oh, and did you ever find your friend, Sweetie?” Rarity leaned forward over the table. She had a small, dangerous smile on her face. “I was so looking forward to meeting him, too.”

Sweetie Belle blushed, her face turning a brilliant pink that only white-coated ponies could manage. “Oh, uh... well it was very crowded and we weren't able to find you again, and then... hey, let me get those.” Her horn glowed as she stood, and the used plates and empty cups littering the table zipped into the air and followed her as she retreated into the kitchen.

Dash stared after her for a moment. “So, uh, is everything alright between you two?” she asked Rarity.

“Hm?” Rarity seemed surprised at the question. “Oh, of course. I forget, you never had a sister, did you? We needle each other from time to time. It's all in good fun.” She took a sip from her drink. “Except when it's meddling!” she suddenly yelled in the direction of the kitchen. There was a crash, as of a cup being dropped in the sink.

“Er, right,” Dash said. “I don't wanna cause any problems.”

“Oh, darling. Of course you aren't.” Rarity set a hoof on Dash's foreleg. “Believe me, Sweetie is thrilled to see you here. We all are.”

Dash smiled at her. It had been a while since anypony had said that to her. “Hey, thanks.” She fiddled with her drink as she considered her next words. “So, do you have any plans for today? Maybe we could, like, hang out?”

A silence stretched out between them. Rarity blinked, looking like Dash had just proposed to her or something equally absurd. A slithery nervousness twisted Dash's guts, and she was about to open her mouth to rescind the question when Rarity spoke.

“Why Dash, that would be marvelous.” A smile slowly overtook her lips. “In fact, I have just the thing for us.”

Well, that was only slightly foreboding. Nevertheless, Dash stood with Rarity, and together they walked toward the door.

“Oh, Rarity?” she asked.

“Yes Dash?”

“What does 'allegedly' mean?”

* * *

Rarity's plan for the first part of their day began – and ended – just a few blocks from the Carousel Studio. By the time they reached their destination, Rarity was practically bouncing. Dash groaned.

“Rarity, this is a spa.”

“No, Dash, it's not just a spa. It is one of the best spas.” Rarity's face lit up as she described the Lotus Luxury Spa. “Even in Fillydelphia, there are only a few establishments that pamper as well as this!”

“You know I don't like spas.”

“Again, wrong. You think you don't like spas.” Rarity held open the door with her magic, and they trotted into the foyer. The gentle sound of water trickling over stones filled the air, and some subtle scent teased at Dash's nose. Sandalwood, perhaps? “But today you will learn how wonderful they are.”

“You mean how boring they are.”

“Wonderful.”

“Boring!” Dash blew her bangs out of her eyes again. The damn things kept getting in the way. “Besides, I don't like ponies touching my hooves.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. It seemed like a practiced gesture with her. “No pony has to touch your hooves if you don't want, Dash. In fact, we don't have to do this. We can do something else if you'd like.”

Suddenly, the unease was back. “But... you want to do this, don't you?” she asked.

Rarity gave her a small nod. “Yes. And I think you'll enjoy it if you give it a chance.”

What else do you have to do? Dash's days lately were filled with lots of nothing much. Wake up in the morning, watch the Bolts practice, travel with them to their shows, sign autographs. Make up an excuse for the fans who wondered why she hadn't performed. Crash in some upscale hotel. Repeat. And now that the season was over, she didn't even have that. No wonder they'd begged her to travel. “It'll be good for you. Help you move on.”

Yeah, fat chance. She let out a slow breath and looked back at Rarity and her hopeful expression.

“Okay, I'll try it. But no frou-frou stuff!”

The look on Rarity's face alone was worth the trouble this would be. Even if they did touch her hooves.

“You won't regret this, darling.” Rarity gave her a quick nuzzle, then turned to the counter, which was currently unoccupied. She reached out with a hoof and tapped a tiny silver bell, filling the room with a loud, clear ring.

“Coming!” an exotic accent called to them. Sure enough, a moment later the curtain behind the counter parted, and a gorgeous cyan earth pony with a shell pink mane stepped out. She gasped when she saw her customers. “Miss Rarity! Welcome! Eet has been so long!”

Rarity bounced forward, leaning over the counter to exchange a nuzzle with the mare. “Hello, Lotus! I know, I know! Oh, is Aloe here?”

“Oui, oui. You are lucky, we have just opened for the day. Would you and Miss... Dash, is eet? Would you like to be our guests?”

“You have read our minds, darling. We'll take the works!”

* * *

“So, uh, what's the works?”

Rarity's ears perked up at Dash's question. It was the first sound either had made in several minutes, since being escorted into the baths where they were currently simmering. Dash had to admit that the bath, at least, was welcome – her matted coat was now evenly soaked in the hot water, and she could imagine her muscles slowly melting as the heat leached into her body. Her mane was plastered in colorful strings to her head and neck, reminding her just how long she'd allowed it to grow out. Maybe they could fix that here.

“Well, it starts with a nice long soak in the hot tub, as you've probably guessed,” Rarity said. She scooted along the side of the tub until her body was next to Dash's. “Then we'll get a quick splash of cold water to cool us off.”

“That doesn't sound very nice,” Dash said. Rarity's mane was spread out like a fan atop the water, close enough that the silken strands brushed up against Dash's coat. Even waterlogged, she looked beautiful.

“Well, truthfully, it isn't,” Rarity admitted. “But it's very bracing. Trust me, after enough time in this tub, you'll welcome it.”

“Mhm.” Dash doubted that, but whatever. “What next?”

“Then comes the massage, and I suggest you start with light pressure, dear. Much more pleasant.”

“Light pressure, got it.”

“Oh, and then there's the horn filing,” Rarity continued. “Twilight and I used to get that at least once a month. Keeps it nice and smooth, just the way the colts like it.” She giggled and ducked her snout under the water for a few heartbeats.

“Er...” Dash looked up, cross-eyed, at where her horn would be. “Okay. Let's pretend I'm not a unicorn, though.”

She felt a hoof jab her beneath the water. “Yes, yes. Fluttershy usually gets a preening and oiling. You'll probably want that. Finally, there's a hooficure, which you may skip if you so choose.”

And she would so choose, she was pretty sure. The rest didn't sound all that bad, though. “So, what now?”

“Now?” Rarity chuckled and settled back against the edge of the tub. She leaned to the side, just enough to press ever so lightly against Dash's shoulder. “We enjoy each other's company, and soak.”

Easy enough. Dash closed her eyes and rested the back of her head on the tile rim behind her. The warm water seemed to penetrate every sore muscle and tendon, every pore and every bone. The heat seeped in, and slowly, slowly, her cares leaked out. Rarity's soft presence against her side was like a living pillow, soft as any cloud. She worried, absently, that Rarity might not find her as soft.

She lost track of the time as they soaked in the tub. The drip-drip of water echoing in the steamy room and the slow cycle of breath next to her were the only markers of the passing seconds, and eventually they lulled her mind away.

She woke with a start when the door opened, as much from the sound as the rush of cold air that followed it. The steam blew away, and she saw Rarity blinking her eyes beside her.

“Are you ready, Miss Rarity?” Aloe asked. She trotted to the tub with a pair of bathrobes draped over her back.

“Mm, I do believe I am.” Rarity stretched and climbed out of the tub. “I'm starting to get positively pruney, in fact.” Her mane hung across her face like a curtain, framing her huge cyan eyes. She shivered into the offered bathrobe, then gave Dash a glance. “Coming, darling?”

“Er, sorry, yeah.” Dash hopped out of the tub and resisted the urge to shake like a dog. Her wings felt like a pair of huge, sodden mats against her back; the preening and oiling couldn't come too soon. She accepted the bathrobe and struggled into it with significantly less grace than Rarity.

Once Dash was properly clothed, Rarity and Aloe trotted a few steps away to another, smaller tub. Rarity promptly shrugged the bathrobe off, gave it back to Aloe, and jumped into the tub with a loud “Whoop!”

Dash blinked at the spectacle. She wasn't sure which was more amazing: that Rarity would deliberately jump into a pool of frigid water, or that she bothered to wear a bathrobe for the five-step journey to the other tub.

“Your turn, d-dear!” Rarity called. She had climbed out of the cold water and was wriggling back into the bathrobe. And wasn't that a sight.

“Um, can't I skip this part?” Dash asked. That water looked very cold.

“Oh, I suppose you can. I won't judge you for it, and I promise I won't tell the girls you were too... hm, what's the word... ah, prissy. Too prissy.”

So it was like that. Dash narrowed her eyes and shucked the bathrobe off. Prissy my ass! She dipped a hoof in the water, and immediately yanked it out. Cold! “Eee!”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “It's best if you just jump in, darling.” A pause. “Prissy,” she added under her breath.

“Eet is not zat cold, Miss Dash,” Aloe added unhelpfully.

Dash huffed. Clearly there was no avoiding the pool with her ego intact. “Fine. If my heart stops, I'm haunting you, though.” With that she took a breath and jumped in.

She was wrong about the water. It wasn't cold. It was numbing. It was flying through a blizzard at twenty-thousand feet and feeling the ice accumulate in your feathers. It was crashing in the snow on a dark winter night with only the callous moon for company. There should have been a thick layer of ice on the tub. She gasped in shock and clawed her way out as fast as her hooves could carry her.

“Oh, seriously.” Rarity rolled her eyes. “It only feels cold because you were in the hot tub for so long. It's the same temperature as the Ponyville pond.”

That was a lie, Dash was sure. Somehow they had enchanted the water not to freeze. She pulled on the bathrobe and danced in place. “Okay, s-so, what next?”

“Next? Oh, the best part is next. Come along.” Rarity gave her a bump with her flank, and they followed Aloe out of the soaking room.

* * *

Next was the best part. Or, at least, it was better than the baths. Not that the baths were bad.

But this... yeah, this was bliss.

Rainbow Dash exhaled quietly as a pair of firm hooves pressed down on her back, forcing the air from her lungs. Right there, right between her wing joints, that was the best thing ever. The hooves pressed again, shimmying along the tight muscles that powered her flight, and a tiny moan escaped her mouth.

“Enjoying yourself, darling?” Rarity asked. She was prone on another mat just feet away from Dash, her white coat glistening in the dim light as one of the spa ponies – Aloe, maybe? She could never tell – worked a generous slathering of oil all across her body. Her mane was pulled to the side, revealing the long arc of her neck. Half-open eyes sparkling with humor matched the tiny smile on her mouth.

“Uh...” Dash had planned for a longer, more eloquent answer, but Lotus chose that moment to run the edges of her hooves down either side of her spine. The pressure teetered on the brink of pain, but her muscles rejoiced at the touch. Relief she hadn't known was possible washed over her like a wave, leaving a pleasant, warm buzz in her mind. It was like being drunk, but without any of the downsides.

“Uh?” Rarity's smile grew. “Can you be more specific, dear?”

“Um... s'good,” Dash managed. “How about... oh wow, that's good... uh, how about you?”

“Mmm, it makes me wish I'd come back to Ponyville more often.” A few seconds after speaking, Rarity's entire body gave a small jerk, and her eyes shot open. Aloe's hooves stopped moving.

“Oh, Miss Rarity, I am so sorry,” she said. “Was zat too hard?”

Rarity settled down almost immediately, but her eyes stayed open and alarmed for some reason Dash could not fathom. “Oh, no Aloe, of course not. I was just... thinking about something.”

Huh. Dash watched as Aloe resumed her expert massage. The hooves running along her own back were momentarily forgotten. Odd. Wonder what that was about. She might have pursued that thought further, but at that moment Lotus gently stretched her right wing out to its full extension, and pressed her hooves into knot of muscle just beneath the joint. Oh Celestia! She's not even a pegasus! How does she know to do that?

“Careful Lotus,” she heard Rarity say. “It's her first time.” The spa ponies laughed along with Rarity.

And now Lotus was twisting her hoof, grinding it into the muscle. That was unfair. Dash held her breath as the pressure grew and grew until it was just on the near side of pain, then exhaled shakily as Lotus relented and gently folded her wing back to her side. She only had a moment to catch her breath before it was the left wing's turn.

“So, Dash.” Rarity was watching her again. Aloe straddled her rump, her forehooves slowly sliding up and down the unicorn's back. Thin runnels of oil painted shining streaks down her side. “I meant to ask last night at the party. Is there anypony special in your life?”

Are you dating yet, Dash mentally translated. She swallowed before answering. “Uh, you know, things have been busy with the team. And, well, it just feels kinda soon.”

Rarity gave a tiny nod. “I understand, dear. You should take all the time you need.”

They were quiet for a while. The only sound was their breathing, and the barely audible rustle of hooves sliding over oiled coats. Dash sank deeper and deeper into the mat, almost as if she were melting.

“But,” Rarity said, “it's not good to go without companionship for too long. Mares have needs.”

Oh, we're talking about that. Dash felt herself starting to blush, and glanced back at the spa ponies. They seemed entirely absorbed in their work.

“Don't worry, dear,” Rarity said. “Aloe and Lotus are the souls of discretion. You need never fear that anything we say will go beyond this room.” Both ponies nodded, their eyes wide and earnest.

“Oui, please, pretend we are not here,” Lotus whispered in her ear. “Just enjoy ze massage.”

The second part Dash could do. The first was a bit harder. She swallowed again and took some time to collect her thoughts. Above her, Lotus pressed her hooves into Dash's withers, gently kneading the stiff muscle until all the tightness and tension were wrung out.

“Well, uh...” The blush was coming back. She powered ahead regardless. “There are other ways to... get... that... you know. That thing you said.”

Rarity tittered. “Oh Dash, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you. Forget I asked.”

“I'm not embarrassed!” It was a lie, and she was terrible at lying. Her face felt like it might catch on fire.

“Of course you aren't.” Rarity, apparently, could lie very well. Still, she didn't press the issue, and they were quiet again as the massage continued.

Lotus's hooves slowly worked their way up the side of Dash's neck, rubbing the flesh in little circles. They traced along her jaw and temples, and then they were on her scalp, tugging it this way and that.

“Miss Dash, your mane is so beautiful,” Lotus said. Her breath tickled at Dash's ear. “You should do more with eet.”

“Mm, I've told her that a million times,” Rarity said. Her head was turned away from Dash as Aloe worked on her neck. “Never listens, though.”

“I listen,” Dash said. I just don't care.

After some indeterminate amount of time, Lotus worked her way back to Dash's wings. Her hooves pressed into the long muscles along her spine, starting just above her hips and sliding all the way up to her neck. A moan, long suppressed, threatened to escape from her throat again. The motion repeated a few times, and each time the hooves ventured lower and lower down her back until they pressed down firmly, just above her tail. It felt like her hips would crack from the pressure. It felt incredible. And then...

“Whoa!” She jerked, her wings flaring in alarm. The hooves pressing against her rump instantly pulled away.

“I am sorry, Miss Dash. Do you not like zat?”

Rarity had turned her head to stare. “Oh, darling, it's a full body massage. Trust me, it feels divine.”

“Yeah, but...” No pony had touched her there since... Come on, it doesn't matter. It's just a massage. She settled her wings back to her side and lay her head down on the mat. “Heh, sorry, just startled me.”

“Eet is no problem, Miss Dash. Just relax.” Lotus waited for her to settle back into onto the mat, then pressed the soles of her hooves flat onto her rump and leaned forward, letting all of her weight compress the thick muscles. She held the pressure for several long seconds, long enough for Dash to start to squirm. Just as it began to hurt, the hooves lifted, and the release itself was almost as blissful as those first gentle touches. Lotus slid her hooves down Dash's thighs and pressed again, using slightly less of her weight this time.

Okay, yeah. That's pretty good. She chanced a look over at Rarity, who appeared to be a bit further along in her massage. Aloe carefully rolled Rarity's ankles between her hooves, then began squeezing her way up Rarity's leg. Dash expected Aloe to stop about mid-thigh, but no, the hooves kept moving up and up, until... She blinked. For a moment, Aloe's hooves had been as high up Rarity's leg as physically possible. Dash stared, wide-eyed, as Aloe repeated the movement on Rarity's other leg.

Rarity caught her staring. A tiny smile quirked the edge of her lips. “Relax, Dash. We're all mares here.”

Yeah, but... These spa ponies definitely weren't shy. She'd barely processed that thought when she felt Lotus's hooves begin squeezing their way up either side of her leg.

Massages. Who knew?

* * *

The baths were relaxing. The massage was... well, confusing was probably the best word for that experience. Enjoyable, yes, even blissful, but certainly not the back-rub she'd expected from hearing the girls talk. Definitely something to try again.

“Please lie down, Miss Dash,” Aloe said. The spa ponies had swapped customers after the massage was complete, and now Lotus was laying out a series of files and picks on a tray next to Rarity. Aloe, Rainbow Dash was relieved to see, had only a small brush and a bottle of what looked like oil.

Their new room was brighter and spacious, with room for several ponies and their attendants, rather than the dim cozy confines of the massage room. Apparently this next part wouldn't require as much privacy. That too was a source of relief. She tucked her hooves under her as she settled onto the indicated pad.

“Preening, right? You know how to do that?” Dash asked. Preening was one of the most important hygienic rites for pegasi. Although most of their flying power came from innate magic rather than the flow of air over their wings, flight was impossible unless their feathers were assiduously cared for. “Unhappy as a pegasus with ruffled feathers,” as the saying went. On any given day, Dash would spend up to an hour doing nothing but preening. It was a soothing experience, often shared among close friends, family or lovers.

And, apparently, spa ponies.

“Of course, Miss Dash. Eet is very popular, especially ze oiling.” Aloe indicated the bottle with a hoof, then settled down in front of her, offset just a bit to face her wing. “Please, relax your wing?”

Right, just like with Soarin. Dash sighed quietly at the thought, but extended her wing out to the side as requested. Aloe scooted closer, until her shoulder brushed against Dash's, and she carefully ran a hoof over the wing's leading edge.

“Such strong wings,” she said. “You are a very good flyer, oui?”

“Er, heh. Yeah, you could say that.” Dash put on a grin. Across the room, Rarity suddenly glanced at her. The expression on her face was an inscrutable mixture of emotions, but Dash could swear she seemed surprised. Their eyes locked for a moment, and then both looked away.

Aloe gave her wing another stroke, then leaned down and gently tugged at the feathers with her lips. The tiny covert feathers were still waterlogged from the bath, and Aloe deftly sluiced away the water with subtle motions, careful not to use her teeth. She slowly worked her way down the edge of Dash's wing, then started work on the larger secondary feathers. These she gave a little tug, pulling them back into alignment with their neighbors. The disordered, frazzled mass of feathers slowly smoothed back into a sleek, airworthy foil.

It was incredibly relaxing, even more than the massage. Each little tug on her feathers stimulated the blood vessels in her wing and sent tiny impulses racing along her nerves. A heady buzz slowly filled her chest, and her body reacted instinctively, demanding she lean forward and begin preening her partner as well. She started to dip her head toward Aloe's shoulder...

Except, of course, her partner had no wings. Aloe noticed her sudden hesitation and chuckled. “Eet is okay, Miss Dash,” she whispered. “Every pegasus does zat. I think eet is cute.”

Yeah. Rainbow Dash – cute. She cleared her throat and looked away so Aloe wouldn't see her blush. Her eyes settled on Rarity, who was engaged in some quiet conversation with Lotus while the spa pony ran a thin rasp along the fluting in Rarity's horn. Rarity eventually noticed Dash's gaze and gave her a small smile.

Aloe shifted sides and began preening Dash's other wing, giving each feather such devoted attention that Dash was convinced she'd had a pegasus lover at some point. Where else could an earth pony have learned this? It felt so good! She was still working up the courage to ask, many minutes later, when Aloe backed away to retrieve the bottle of oil and the tiny brush.

Hm, how does this work? She craned her head around as Aloe trotted behind her and took a seat. She set the bottle down at her hooves, uncapped it, dipped the brush in and began carefully painting drops of oil on the shaft of each of Dash's primaries. When each had been similarly touched, Aloe used the brush to work the oil down the feather's length, leaving it glistening like a jewel. By the time Aloe finished, her entire wing sparkled like a waterfall in the sunlight.

“Oh my, that looks simply stunning,” Rarity said from beside her. Apparently she was finished with her horn filing. “It looks beautiful on Fluttershy, of course, but it's just, well... it's so unexpected on you. I hope that's not insulting.”

“Heh, nah.” She gave her wing an experimental flap, setting the towels fluttering. “Feels weird.”

“Weird, bad?”

“No, just different. I'll get used to it.” She folded her wing and waited patiently while Aloe finished the other. “How long does it last?”

“A few days,” Aloe said. She recapped the bottle and set it back on the tray with the brush. “Less if you fly everywhere.”

Rarity gave her a quick glance. Dash pretended not to notice.

“Right. So...” She looked around for a cash register. “How much does all this cost?”

* * *

Rarity, of course, had been scandalized. “So gauche,” she'd said – whatever that meant – and treated Dash to a lengthy sotto voce lecture on the proper etiquette for “remunerating” professional service providers. And then she paid for them both. Dash still wasn't sure how much it cost.

“...but anyway, darling, I hope you enjoyed that little visit,” Rarity finally concluded. Dash tuned in just in time to hear the implied question.

“You know, Rares, it wasn't so bad.” In fact, it had been wonderful, but it was far too soon to admit she was wrong. Maybe in a few days.

“Mm, well, I'm relieved you didn't suffer too much on my behalf,” Rarity said. She had a sly smile on her face.

They walked together through Ponyville. The streets were far more crowded now than when they had first ventured out, filled with ponies shopping and working and simply enjoying the day. More than a few stallions cast glances their way. Dash tried to tell herself it was Rarity they were looking at.

“So, uh, what now?”

“Now?” Rarity tilted her head. Her lush mane bobbed against her neck. “Let's see what Pinkie is doing.”

* * *

First Pinkie Pie, then Twilight Sparkle, and finally Applejack and Fluttershy. They visited all their friends that afternoon, sharing snacks or books or cider or hugs. Rarity's squeal of delight when she saw Fluttershy still echoed in Dash's ears. The unicorn had spent nearly twenty minutes sitting next to Fluttershy, her ear pressed against the pegasus's abdomen as she listened to the tiny foal growing inside. When they finally left that evening, all of their cheeks were streaked with tears of happiness.

Except Applejack's, anyway. She just rolled her eyes at “all that girly stuff.” But that was just how Applejack was, and why they loved her too.

By the time they returned to the Carousel, night had begun to fall, and the sky above was a deep amethyst speckled with a thousand tiny jewels. Shadowed blots of clouds slowly faded into the uniform darkness of the sky, pushed along by a wind that also carried the rustle of autumn leaves and the scent of drying hay. Beside her, Rarity gave a little shiver.

Dinner was waiting for them in the form of a freshly cooked vegetable casserole. Sweetie Belle exchanged a quick nuzzle with her sister, a hug with Dash, and then started setting out plates. After a whisper from Rarity, she added a second helping of the casserole to Dash's plate.

Huh.

“So, how was your first day back?” Sweetie asked after the last bite of dinner had vanished from her plate. For some reason she had picked all the red peppers from her casserole and set them aside, uneaten, while she devoured the rest. Weird.

“Why, it was delightful! As wonderful as a day could be, darling,” Rarity said. “You won't believe what we did first, but Dash actually went to the spa with me! I know, isn't it amazing? I told you I'd get her in there someday, and believe me she actually enjoyed it. She didn't get a hooficure, alas, but as I always say, a mare has to take what she can get. Oh, it's been so long since I've enjoyed a good massage from the Lotus sisters. Yes, yes, the spas in Fillydelphia are quite adequate, I assure you, but there's something simply delightful about going to an establishment where you aren't just a customer, but a dear friend as well. And then! And then we went to visit the girls! I saw most of them yesterday at the party, of course, but we didn't have time to catch up on everything. It was just like old times, everypony was just like I remember... oh, but what am I saying? Fluttershy is pregnant! You knew that, of course, but this is the first time I've seen her. Oh, to think, our Fluttershy is going to be a mommy! Why, I'm getting teary again just thinking about it. She'll be just perfect, of course, I always knew she would be. She's the kindest of us, and she takes such good care of all the animals, and the Apple family has so much experience with foals... you know, sometimes I wonder what they put in the water out there. Every time I come back to visit it seems like some Apple mare or other is pregnant or nursing or there's another foal running around. Maybe it's the stallions? Hm, now isn't that a thought. But anyway, to answer your question, our day was simply delightful.” With that she drew silent, and took a tiny sip from her water.

Sweetie nodded along with Rarity's monologue. “I see. And Rainbow Dash, how was your day?”

“Eh, it was fine.”

“Fine is good.” Sweetie grinned at her answer.

Rarity shot a pout in Dash's direction. “Just fine, darling? Can't you say more than that?”

“Well...” Dash thought for a moment. “All that stuff Rarity said was cool, too.”

“Again, your eloquence stuns me,” Rarity deadpanned. “Let me help you with those, Sweetie.” She and her sister fussed over the dirty plates, each insisting the other allow them to clean up. Eventually they wrestled the china and silverware into the kitchen while Dash watched helplessly.

They spent the next few hours engaged in idle chit-chat in Rarity's old parlor, now redecorated with musical scores, trophies and medals from Sweetie Belle's budding career as a singer. She'd added several bookshelves as well – nowhere near as many as Twilight's library, of course, but nevertheless it was one of the largest private collections of books Dash had seen in Ponyville. She probably had more than Fluttershy.

Scanning the titles while the sisters talked, Dash realized she had a much more literate collection as well. Volumes of poetry, treatises and essays on musical theory, biographies of prominent musicians, all much higher-brow than Fluttershy's romance novels. She pulled a familiar book of poems from the shelf and trotted over to the couch with it in her mouth. From the sound of their discussion, Sweetie and Rarity were keeping themselves entertained.

For most of an hour she flipped through the book, nodding occasionally in time with the conversation or proffering answers to the few questions directed her way, while Sweetie and Rarity caught up on a year spent apart.

Eventually their was a pause in their conversation. Dash looked up to see Rarity and Sweetie looking at her. “Er, sorry. Say again?”

“I said, did you find a Daring Do novel over there?” The ghost of a smile played on her lips.

“Oh, heh, Daring Do...” Dash thought back for a moment to the happy memory of those books. “You know, I haven't read one of those books in years. I dunno if they even still write them.”

“Mm, what's that, then?” Rarity seemed genuinely curious now. She tilted her head at the book cradled in Dash's forelegs.

“Just some poems.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. Sweetie Belle glanced over at the bookshelf Dash had retrieved the collection from, a thoughtful look on her face.

“I didn't know you enjoyed such... cultured pastimes,” Rarity said.

Dash was slow to answer. She ran a hoof over the page. “Soarin' was really into poetry,” she eventually said. “He used to take all kinds of crap for it from the other Bolts, but it never seemed to bother him. Said that poetry was truth, that it could 'express things for which mere words would always find themselves shallow and lacking.'” She looked down at the book and began to read.

“Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,

I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew -

And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod

The high untresspassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hoof and touched the face of God.”

When Dash looked up, both Sweetie Belle and Rarity were staring at her, as if they were seeing an entirely new mare. She fidgeted with her hooves. “What?”

“Sorry, that's just... well, very unexpected,” Rarity said. “You've changed since we left Ponyville. Grown up, if you don't mind my saying.”

She shrugged. “We all have, Rares. That's just life.” She closed the book and walked it back to the bookshelf, putting it back in the hole left by its removal. Wow, what a depressing thought. Way to kill the mood.

The mood wasn't, in fact, killed, but she'd certainly brought the conversation to a close. When she turned back to the room, Sweetie had climbed to her hooves and was yawning.

“Sorry girls,” she said. “Unlike you, I've got to get up at a reasonable hour tomorrow. Don't fight over the couch.” She added the last with a smirk and turned toward the stairs.

“Of course not,” Rarity said. “I shall take the couch. Dash, you sleep upstairs.”

What? No. “I'll take the couch. You slept on it last night.”

“It's my house, darling, and you're the guest. I insist you sleep in the bed.”

“Actually, it's my house,” Sweetie called from the stairs. “But I'd let her take the couch, Dash. She won't stop bothering you otherwise.”

Well, fine. Too generous for her own good, sometimes.

Rarity smirked at her, then trotted over and nudged her toward the stairs. She glanced up at Sweetie's retreating form, then leaned over and whispered, “Don't go to bed just yet. I'll be right up.”

Dash raised an eyebrow, but only got another bump on the flank for her trouble. She shrugged and trotted upstairs, feeling her way by memory through the dark hallway to Sweetie Belle's old room. The streetlights outside cast orange squares on the walls, and made it easy for her to find the bed. She settled onto the covers, her legs tucked under her, and waited.

Less than a minute passed before a gentle knock sounded from the door, and Rarity poked her head in. She saw Dash on the bed, then entered and closed the door behind her. Her horn was glowing with enough light to scatter faint shadows across the room, and a pair of empty glasses floated beside her.

“Hello again, darling. One moment, I know it's in one of these bags...” Rarity opened up one of her suitcases, all of which were still stacked in the room. After a bit of digging she made a delighted “aha!” and trotted over to the bed, followed now by two empty glasses and a tall clear bottle.

Whoa. “Is that what I think it is?” Dash squinted in the darkness at the label.

Rarity tittered. “It is! Grey Pegasus. I'd have opened it downstairs, but Sweetie's a bit too young for this, even if she thinks she's a full grown mare.” She popped the cap off the vodka, then poured a shot for each of them. Her horn glowed brighter for a moment, and an icy blue light surrounded the glasses.

“There. Let it sit for a moment while it chills.” She resealed the bottle and set it by her side, then climbed up on the bed next to Dash. Their sides brushed together, just like in the bath.

“Heh, thanks.” Dash snagged the drink with her hooves and blew on it. A faint tracing of frost built up on the glass where her breath touched it. “Shall we toast?”

“We shall.” Rarity held up her glass. “To dear friends, now and forever?”

Sure, why not. Dash clinked her glass against Rarity's. “To dear friends, now and forever,” she repeated, then tossed back the shot.

Good stuff, Grey Pegasus. She squinted her eyes as the freezing liquid burned its way down her throat, and let out a shaky breath. Beside her, Rarity underwent a similar set of convulsions.

“Oh my, that's stronger than I remember.” She gave another little shake, her coat rubbing against Dash's as she did. “Another?”

Of course. Dash grinned and held her glass out. Rarity topped her off and did that magic-cooling thing, and they clinked their drinks together again. Rather than shooting them back, they sipped at the vodka this time. It was so cold it barely had any taste unless she held it in her mouth until it began to burn. Within minutes she felt the start of a pleasant buzz behind her eyes. Damn, this is strong.

Rarity seemed to be in about the same place. The haughty tilt she normally carried in her head and neck was gone, and in the darkness she looked like a normal – albeit beautiful – mare. She casually sipped at her drink, closing her eyes with each swallow.

“I'm sorry if I offended you earlier, dear,” Rarity said, once their glasses were empty. Without asking she popped the bottle and refilled them both. “About the poems. I didn't mean to imply you weren't literate.”

“Oh, heh. No worries.” Dash couldn't help the grin on her face. It was just like Rarity to worry about something like that. “I never would've thought I'd be into that kinda stuff, back when we lived here.”

They were quiet again as they sipped at their drinks. The alcohol was starting to make her a bit giddy, and she felt herself relaxing, just as she had in the baths that morning. Rarity made a pleased sound and leaned more of her weight against her.

“Poetry was one of the things that made Soarin so great,” she continued. “He was... well, he was incredible.” She swirled the remains of her drink in the glass.

Rarity didn't answer her for some time. Outside, the streetlight finally went out, and the room was plunged into darkness, broken only by the faint glow of Rarity's horn. “He seemed like a wonderful stallion. I'm... I'm sorry I didn't get to know him more.”

“He'd have liked you,” Dash said. She felt her eyes starting to water, and forced the tears back. I will not cry. I will not cry. I am a Wonder Bolt. I will not cry.

“I'm sure.” Rarity gave a quiet sniffle, and took the final sip from her drink. She set the empty glass and the half-full bottle aside. “We were so happy for you. We never... well, I never thought you'd be the first of us to find somepony.”

Yeah, you and me both. Dash downed the last of the vodka, relishing the way it burned. Rarity took it without asking and set it by the others.

“I don't know if anypony told you,” Rarity continued. Her voice had lost its usual society lilt, and was more of a murmur than Dash had ever heard from her. “But afterward, Twilight wanted to ask you to come back and live here for a while. Maybe with her, maybe with Applejack... any of us would have been glad to let you in.”

That was news. Dash blinked a few times and considered the unicorn resting against her side. “Why didn't she?”

There was a pause before she answered. “You were... well, we spoke with Spitfire first. She said it'd be best if you stayed with the Bolts. They'd take care of you, she said.”

And they had. The Bolts had done everything to help her get through the roughest parts. They canceled shows for her. “They did.” She paused to clear her throat. “But I'm glad you wanted to help. I really am.”

Rarity was crying now. Dash couldn't see the tears in the darkness, but the sound was unmistakable. “I just... I just thought you should know.”

I will not cry. I will not cry. I am a Wonder Bolt. I will not cry.

The silence returned, and Dash thought she might have fallen asleep. Her own eyes closed, and she started to drift off as well. The slow-breathing weight by her side was a warm anchor against the night.

“Dash?”

Not asleep after all. Dash yawned and struggled through the cotton in her mind to respond. “Hm?”

“Why... why haven't you been flying?”

Ah. “Ask me tomorrow, Rares.”

There was no answer. The darkness became complete, and she slept.

* * *

A pair of hooves clamped over her eyes. “Guess who?” Soarin's voice said behind her.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. He never got tired of this joke. “Spitfire?”

“Hm, nope, more handsome. Try again!”

“Oh, definitely Cloud Fire, then.” Dash tried to turn around, but he had her in a pretty good grip. She could probably break free, but that would require escalating things to a level of controlled violence that wasn't appropriate just yet. Besides, she was still sleepy, and the bed was very comfortable.

The body wrapped around her scoffed. “What, him? You're kidding.”

“Oh no. He's definitely the most handsome stallion I know.” She grinned. “Such strong muscles, beautiful mane, and that body... oh, that body. Yeah, I'd do that.”

“Well, guess again anyway.”

“Aw. Can you pretend to be Cloud Fire, then? I'm stuck with some loser stallion.”

“You know, you're not helping my feelings of inadequacy here.” The hooves vanished, and she rolled over to come face-to-face with her lover. Soarin gave her a mock wounded look.

“Oh, you're saying you feel inadequate? Not quite performing up to standard?” She ran a hoof over his broad chest, enjoying the feel of firm muscle beneath his coat.

“Well, you have such demanding standards.” He gave her snout a lick. “Oh, and happy birthday.”

Aw, crap. She made a face. “Is it? How do you remember that stuff?”

“A miraculous invention known as a 'calendar.' If you're good, I'll show you how it works one day.”

“Uh huh. If I'm good.” She snuggled a bit closer, a wicked grin on her face, and pushed her hoof lower, down his tight belly and between his legs. He gave a little jerk as she found his balls and fondled them gently. Not too hard – he didn't like that. Something about “horrible pain that only a stallion can know,” as he'd put it after one of their wrestling matches came to an premature end. Her grin grew a bit wider.

“Yes, good. Good and kind,” he added. He breath was coming a bit faster, and she could feel the tension radiating from him.

“When have I ever been unkind?” she purred, then leaned forward for a kiss. Their tongues danced playfully together. His hoof began tracing its way along her side, and she felt his cock slowly emerging from its sheath. She gave his balls a little tug, just for fun, and pushed him onto his back. He didn't resist, and she rolled atop him, never breaking the kiss.

“Well, sometimes you're more kind than others,” he said when their kiss broke.

“Mhm. Well, let me know how I'm doing.” She gave his chin a little nip, then slowly worked her way down his body, placing tiny bites along his neck and shoulders and chest and belly, until her chin bumped against his cock, now fully aroused and demanding her attention.

And who was she to ignore such demands? She glanced up at his face for a moment, grinned, then placed a kiss on the head of his shaft. It jerked against her lips, as though excited to meet her. She nearly burst into laughter at the thought.

“What's so funny?” he asked. His voice sounded strained.

“Nothing,” she lied. Her tongue darted and licked at his head, drawing an arousing series of moans from him. Her tail twitched involuntarily as her own nethers began to grow hot. She opened her mouth and closed her lips around him, rubbing vigorously at his shaft with her tongue.

He seemed to enjoy that, if his gasps were any indication. His hooves ran through her mane, rubbed her ears and neck, and generally tried to distract her from the important business of suckling the tip of his cock. This lasted for a few minutes, as his squirming grew more intense and her crotch grew hotter and wetter.

“Dash!”

“Mm?” She would have said more, but her mouth was preoccupied.

“If you don't... whoa... if you don't stop, you're going to make a mess.”

Hm. She didn't want to make a mess. Yet, anyway. With some reluctance she let his cock slip free. A thin tendril of saliva hung from her lips for a moment before breaking, and she gave him a pout.

“Too kind?” she asked.

“Something like that.” He pushed her off to the side, then rolled over on top of her. The movement wasn't as violent or sudden as some of their wrestling, and she went along willingly. As always, her heart screamed at her to fight him, to bite and kick and punch until she was back on top, but then his teeth found her neck for a tiny nip, and those feelings fled in the face of rapacious desire. The heat pouring from her groin seemed to double, and she could feel the moisture collecting between her lips.

And then he was biting her again, lower and lower. Her chest, her belly, her nipples. She wound her hooves in his mane and tried pushing his head lower, but he would not be rushed. He kissed the inside of her thigh, so close to that desperate spot but ignoring it still. He nuzzled her crotch, teasing her with his nose and chin. A free hoof found her tail and gave it a gentle tug, and her howl was loud enough to be heard several clouds over. Do it! Do it do it do it what are you waiting for do it!

He did. His tongue licked up the length of her slit, pressing with enough force to part her lips and rasp delightfully against her nub. She choked on her own breath as a spike of pleasure shot from her groin straight to her brain. Her entire body jerked, out of her control.

He licked her again. Again. His lips teased her labia, tugging them apart and exposing more of her wet flesh to his tongue. He tugged at her tail again, and at the same moment slid his tongue inside her. The twin sensations tore through her, and she shook with what she hoped would be merely the first climax of the day.

When she recovered her senses, he was above her again. His mouth pressed against hers, and she felt the head of his cock nestled between her lips. She felt him tense, and suddenly he was thrusting, penetrating her. Her lips parted to accept him eagerly, uncomplaining, and the sudden, massive, unrelenting presence inside her nearly sent her over the edge again.

Normally she would have bucked against him, meeting him thrust for thrust. But so soon after her own orgasm, there was little she could do but lie there as he pounded into her. He barely lasted a minute before his thrusts became hurried and uneven, and with a final cry that set her ears ringing spent himself inside her.

They lay there awhile, him atop her, panting. Sweat slowly dried on her coat. He turned his head to place his muzzle against her ear, and whispered—

* * *

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes. The weight against her side was not Soarin, of course, but for a moment she almost imagined he was back. Rarity mumbled something plaintive in her sleep and twitched. Apparently she was given to dreams as well.

It was some time before she slept.

* * * * * * * * *

Next: Flight.

The price of loyalty

Rarity woke feeling warmer and safer than she had in quite some time.

She raised her head slowly, so as not to disturb the pony sleeping next to her. Rainbow Dash was still dead to the world, sprawled out on the bed as though she were trying to cover as much of it with her body as possible. Each of her six limbs somehow pointed in a different direction, and her tongue lolled out of her open mouth. Quiet snores filled the room.

She looks so peaceful. Like the pain that everypony could see around her had fled while she slept. Rarity reached out with a hoof and carefully brushed a few strands of that garish mane away from her face. Dash's ear twitched as her hoof brushed it, but her sleep continued undisturbed.

Slowly, carefully, Rarity crept out of bed. It was a skill she'd had plenty of practice with, though not one she would have bragged about. This time there was no shame, though; no desperate eagerness to escape from a nameless stallion who was nothing to her but a cock and a resemblance to a certain prince.

This time, she simply wanted her friend to enjoy her sleep. When all four hooves were safely on the floor, she smiled to herself and padded to the door.

Now for the second part of her act. She peeked out the bedroom door across the hall. Sweetie Belle's door was still closed. She let out a silent sigh of relief and trotted down the hall and stairs to the parlor. She could catch a few more winks on the couch, and no pony would be the wiser when they finally woke. Assuming, of course, that Dash could keep her mouth shut. She'd have to sneak a quick word with the pegasus before Sweetie had a chance to—

“Good morning, Rarity!” Sweetie Belle's voice was filled with joy. The kind of joy that came from catching one's sister red-hoofed in the act of something embarrassing.

Well, pony feathers.

“Good morning, darling!” Rarity spun in place, her face as serene as ever. Not even the barest hint of evasion could be heard in her words. “Why, I didn't realize you were up already. I was just upstairs checking on Rainbow Dash, to make sure the poor dear is well.”

“Mhm. I was wondering where you were when I came down.” Sweetie glanced at the conspicuously empty couch, a huge, victorious grin on her face. She was sitting at the kitchen table, and had a large spread already laid out for them. Waffles, again. Rarity's figure was in for a bit of a ride, it seemed. “And how is Dash? Awake yet?”

“Ah, she's still asleep, actually. I didn't want to wake her.” Rarity kept her face composed. She could still win this. Ignoring her sister's grin, she took a seat at the table. “Thank you for setting out breakfast, by the way.”

“Oh, it's the least I can do for my guests. But you can imagine my surprise when I came down, and didn't see you on the couch!” Sweetie's eyes went wide. “I was worried. I had no idea where you were!”

Rarity sighed. At least the waffles looked good. She took a dainty bite from one. Not bad at all.

“So you can imagine my relief when you walked down the stairs,” Sweetie continued. Her face twisted into a look of mock confusion. “But, wait a minute! If I was down here, and you were up there, then—“

“Oh, fine,” Rarity said. “I slept upstairs. We both did. And it was harmless. Just two mares sharing a bed.”

“Of course. Harmless.” Sweetie polished off another waffle in three bites. Still at that age when she could eat anything without worrying about her flanks. Rarity sniffed quietly and took another small bite.

“Why, you and Rainbow Dash!” Sweetie continued. “That's just silly.”

“Completely silly,” Rarity agreed. There was nothing between her and Dash but the love of a true friend. So maybe she'd had a few fantasies about the mare, but that was hardly unusual. Dash was such an exotic, athletic specimen of a pegasus; why, it was perfectly natural to imagine a bit of fun with her in bed.

Dash opened her eyes, surprised, as Rarity gently pushed away her hoof, exposing her crotch. Her lips, wet and shining, lay open like the petals on a flower.

Rarity blinked. True, she had never imagined such things about any of her other friends, and she'd certainly never pleasured herself while doing so. Why was her mind filled with such lascivious images of Rainbow Dash? What was it about that crude, crass, obnoxious, egotistical, stubborn, brave, loyal pony that made her think such dirty things? Rainbow Dash rolled onto her back, her legs splayed obscenely wide, hiding absolutely nothing. Thick, clear fluid slathered—

“Rarity?” Sweetie's broke Rarity's reverie. Any hint of smug amusement had fled from her voice.

“Er, yes, dear?” Rarity looked up sharply, her usual smile back on her face.

“You, uh, you looked like you were thinking about something really hard, there.”

“I was just...” Just what, exactly? Sorry, darling, I was just imagining Rainbow Dash panting, my tongue halfway up her— No, that wouldn't do at all. She coughed into her hoof before continuing. “Just thinking about what I should do today. I'm not used to so much free time, you know.”

“Oh.” Sweetie seemed mollified. “Well, we're trying to make Dash feel better, right? Why not let her decide what to do? It sounded like you had the reins yesterday.”

“Hmm... that might work,” Rarity said. “And it would be fair. Oh! Do you think she'll want to go to the spa?”

“Uh, it might be a little too soon for her. But hey, I've been wrong before!”

Rarity was about to reply with a resounding concurrence when hoofsteps caught her ear. They turned to the stairs, which Rainbow Dash was descending in all her disheveled glory. The pegasus saw them and gave a sleepy wave with her wing.

“Uh, hey girls. Ooh, waffles!” Dash sped up her trot to the table, took the third seat and immediately tore into her plate. Rarity could only watch in awe as she seemingly inhaled her food.

“Morning, Dash!” Sweetie said. That accursed grin was back on her face. “Sleep well?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah we slept just fi—” Her mouth closed with an abrupt clack of teeth, and her eyes darted back and forth between Rarity and Sweetie.

“She knows,” Rarity grumbled. “I already told her. I also told her that nothing happened.” She directed the last few words at her sister, who sniffed.

“Heh, yeah.” Dash took another bite and swallowed most of it before continuing. “You and me! Can you imagine?”

Vividly, as it happened.

* * *

“You know, they say you can never go home again,” Rarity said.

She and Rainbow Dash had spent most of the past hour wandering Ponyville's streets, taking turns pointing out the houses, buildings, fountains, streetlights, parks and shops that had appeared in their absence. Just a year had passed since her last visit, and barely five years since she had called this town home, but it had changed almost beyond recognition. They stopped in front of a playground filled with rambunctious foals, all running and shouting and playing with the unrestrained energy of youth. Off to the side, mares and stallions engaged in quiet conversations, occasionally casting a glance at their children.

“Yet here we are,” Dash said.

“But is this really home, anymore?” Rarity looked over at Dash. She wasn't smiling, per se, but the walk through Ponyville seemed to have lifted her spirits.

Dash looked up at the cloudless sky. “Home changed while we were gone, I guess. Still nice to visit, though.”

That it was. Rarity had only been in Ponyville three days, but she was already planning to write her staff in Fillydelphia and tell them not to expect her for at least another week. Sweetie Belle surely wouldn't mind the company, she told herself, and it wasn't like she was moving back in. Just visiting for a little longer than expected. She glanced at Dash and wondered if she might consider the same thing.

They resumed their walk and eventually came to the edge of the town. The Whitetail Woods stretched to the north, its pleasant, sunny confines broken with innumerable meadows and glades. To their left a wide pasture, empty in the autumn morning, beckoned to Rarity. She stepped off the path into the long grasses, not caring if any stuck to her coat or if her hooves got dirty. That would just be another excuse to visit the spa again, she reasoned.

“We don't have spaces like this in Fillydelphia,” she said when Dash caught up. “We have parks, but they're filled with short stubble and a few trees, and they're always so crowded.” She looked around the pasture; the waving grass extended for hundreds of yards in every direction, dotted here and there with late wildflowers. Insects buzzed around them, and in the distance birds filled the air with their cries.

“You miss this?” Dash asked, after some time had passed.

“A little,” she admitted. “Not as much as Applejack or Fluttershy would... but yes, I do miss this.” She lowered her head to consider a wild daisy. It smelled earthy and fresh, and she took it from its stem with a single bite.

“I miss napping outside, on a cloud,” Dash said. She looked up at the clear blue sky. “There's not much time for naps anymore.”

Rarity took her time chewing the daisy while she thought. “I've been meaning to ask you, actually. I don't think I've seen you fly since we got back to Ponyville.”

To her surprise, Dash actually smiled. “Yeah, I don't fly as much anymore.”

Rarity stared at her in shock. She would sooner have expected Twilight to swear off books. “Why?”

“The joy is gone, Rares.” Dash pawed at the earth with her foreleg, exposing the fresh black earth. “I spent years and years trying to be the world's best flyer, and look where it got me.”

Oh Celestia, what do I say? She was finally starting to chip away at Dash's shell, and she had no idea how to continue. Her tongue felt dead in her mouth. Finally, she said the first thing on her mind.

“It got you here. I'm here too.”

Dash looked up at her. Those scarlet eyes had never seemed so deep. A tiny smile tugged up the sides of her mouth.

“Heh, good point. Maybe here's not so bad,” she said.

Rarity dared take a breath. She had no idea where those words had come from. She wasn't even sure what they meant.

“I just needed a break. From the Bolts, from performing, even from flying. It was too much after Soarin died.” Dash sat back on her haunches. “We did everything together, but most of all, we flew together.”

Rarity stepped toward her friend and sat beside her. The amber grasses tickled her rump. “I don't think he'd have liked that.”

To her surprise, Dash nodded. “I know. You're not the first pony to ask. But just because something's right doesn't make it easy.”

Ain't that the truth.

Rarity chose her next words carefully. “Be that as it may, Dash, it's still the right thing. We've all been a bit worried about you, and... well... It would make me very happy to see you fly again, someday.”

Dash didn't answer for a while, and Rarity didn't press her. The noon sun rose high above them, chasing away the autumn chill lurking on the breeze. Insects buzzed around them, curious at the two intruders in the pasture, but nothing disturbed their introspection.

Well, at least she knows we care. A small victory, but better than nothing. Rarity suppressed a sigh and got back on her hooves.

“You know,” Dash said, surprising her. “Maybe it has been too long.” She stood and flexed her wings, her eyes up on the sky.

Rarity blinked. “It's up to you, dear. I think you're ready, though.”

“Right.” Dash glanced around the sky, and Rarity realized she was looking for other pegasi. “Hey, stand back a bit?”

Rarity did as she was told without really knowing why. Dash took off next to them all the time when they lived in Ponyville. Perhaps she was nervous about her style, or being clumsy in the air? Rarity was about to tell her not to worry when Dash's wings rose with blinding speed.

Most pegasi, when they wanted to fly, would give a little hop. More athletic ones might leap into the air off their hind legs. Some just started flapping until they had enough lift to glide along.

Rainbow Dash left the ground like she was shot from a cannon.

There was no intermediate stage between resting and flying. Her wings came down with more force than Rarity could have dreamed was possible, and then there was only a cloud of dust where she had stood. The backwash from her sudden flight nearly knocked Rarity over, and flattened the grass for a dozen yards around.

And there goes my mane. The irreverent thought flashed through Rarity's head as she waved away the dust and fragments of grass drifting around her. She squinted up at the unblemished sky to see the dark speck that was Rainbow Dash soaring through the air. Her wings were held against her side as she tumbled at the top of her arc, and as she fell, only one extended, tipping her into a corkscrew spiral that gracefully augured toward the earth. A hundred feet from the ground, her other wing rose to stabilize her, and she soared above Rarity's head with blistering speed. Her wingtips cut twin vapor trails in the air that slowly dissipated in the breeze.

And then The Rainbow Dash, Wonder Bolts Lead Solo, really began to fly.

At the edge of the pasture she turned into a sweeping bank. A dark contrail appeared behind her, and within seconds she had traced a giant circle in the sky, nearly half a mile across, with Rarity at its center. Dash's wings beat faster as she began another lap, and a strong breeze churned through the grasses, pushing them flat against the ground. Loose leaves lifted into the air all around Rarity, and a rumble like distant thunder, unceasing, sounded from all around her.

Rarity risked a glance away from the pegasus. The overlapping contrails were drawing tighter with each lap, and the whipping winds pushed violently at her. Above her, the loose bits of grass and dirt and branches and anything else not securely held down spiraled up, up, up. A thin, rope-like cloud was starting to appear high above her.

This doesn't seem safe. The funnel cloud above her grew darker as Dash's orbit drew tighter and tighter. The contrails she had traced through the air flowed toward the funnel, turning it angry and black even as its pinnacle soared thousands of feet into the air. The trees lining the pasture began to bow with the wind.

Dash's form vanished in the dark clouds, replaced by a series of prismatic sparks that left pinpoint afterimages in Rarity's eyes. Red, yellow, blue, the flashes grew stronger as she flew ever faster, until they were a solid line of ever-shifting light that lit the clouds from within. A terrible roar, like a train racing by only feet away, filled the pasture. The ground beneath her hooves quaked.

The funnel cloud—no, she mentally amended, the tornado began to dip toward the earth. The wind shrieked around her like something alive. The bright noon sun was gone, eclipsed by clouds as thick and dark as coal. If you're going to do something, Dash, do it now!

Dash couldn't have heard her thoughts, of course, but at that moment she changed her course. The bright rainbow spark dove into the side of the tornado, and an instant later the entire storm exploded in a blinding flash of color. When Rarity opened her eyes several moments later, the sun was back, and not one but a dozen rainbow rings slowly expanded their way across the sky. The highest appeared to be miles above the ground.

There was a loud thud beside her. She turned to see Rainbow Dash, her mane wildly askew, grinning up at the sky.

“Not bad, huh?” she said. “Can you believe the Bolts won't let me do that in shows? I'll probably get in trouble for doing it here, if any of them find out.”

“That was... simply amazing... darling.” Rarity's ears still rang from the storm, and she had to force herself not to yell. The shock of standing directly beneath such a violent storm slowly faded into memory, replaced by a sense of accomplishment. She's smiling. She's smiling!

“Yeah. I call it the Rainbow Torna— whoa, uh...” Dash trailed off, her eyes wide as she looked at Rarity for the first time since landing. “Hey, um, you're mane's a bit... uh...” She made a vague gesture with her hoof in Rarity's direction.

Rarity felt at her mane with a hoof, and what she felt was grim. Her coat, she noticed, was plastered with bits of wet grass and leaves. Her legs were splattered with mud nearly to her belly.

“Yes, so I see,” she said. “As exhilerating as that was to watch, Dash, I think the Bolts may have been onto something about it.”

“Heh... maybe?”

“Anyway, why don't we head back to town,” Rarity said. “I think I could use another bath after that.”

* * *

The Lotus Luxury Spa would, of course, never accept a customer as filthy as Rarity felt at that moment. Friends were friends, but the spa still had standards to uphold. Rarity knew better than to even try knocking at their door.

Fortunately, her other friends had somewhat lower standards.

“Hey girls!” Twilight Sparkle said, even as the door to the Library was still swinging open. “Did you see that incredible storm up north? What an amazing low pressure system! And then the way it dispersed... er... are you alright, Rarity?”

“Just fine, dear,” Rarity said. She wiped her hooves off as best as possible before stepping into the treehouse. “I'm afraid I got caught out in that very storm. Would you mind if I used your washroom for a minute?” Or ten?

“Oh, never. Go right on up.” Twilight smile at Dash and gave her a little nuzzle, then turned and trotted after Rarity. “If you don't mind my asking, though, why do you need my washroom? Don't you have one at the boutique?”

Rarity did, in fact, have an enormous bathroom back at the boutique. Aside from the spa itself, it held the largest bathtub in the entire town. “Oh, well, it's such a long walk back there,” she said before lowering her voice to a whisper. “Dash just had a bit of a breakthrough. I'd rather have somepony she can talk with, rather than sit around waiting for me.”

Twilight nodded. “Got it. Take your time, then.” She turned back to Dash with a chipper smile on her face. “Hey Dash, want me to brew some tea? We'll probably be waiting a while.”

Ha! Et tu, Twilight? Rarity flicked a bit of dirt in Twilight's direction, then trotted up the stairs before she could retaliate. Twilight's bathroom was just as Rarity had remembered it from her previous visits – even the towels appeared to be the same. Rarity gave the whole room a sigh and pledged to help Twilight redecorate at some point. Anyway, let's see how bad the damage is. She trotted to the mirror and scowled at her reflection.

It could have been worse, she supposed. Her mane would have to be completely restyled, but at least there wasn't honey in it, as had happened before during one of Sweetie Belle's adventure's with the Crusaders. Her coat and hooves would be fine once she got them washed off. Her tail was a bit crooked, but it could probably be fixed with a brush. She stuck her tongue out at the mirror, then trotted to the bathtub and began running the tap. Once the water flowing from the faucet was steaming, she held each of her hooves beneath it until the dirt had washed off and down the drain.

While the tub filled, Rarity nosed about the bathroom. She was wrong about it, she realized – there were a few changes. The hyper-organized Twilight had carefully arranged the sink, and now there were two of most items: two toothbrushes, two curry combs, two sets of hoof clippers. Rarity recognized the signs instantly – somepony was sleeping over here fairly often. Well, good for her.

The tub was about halfway full. Rarity twisted the faucet shut and slowly climbed in, hissing and wincing as she lowered herself into the steaming water. Maybe a bit too hot.

How nice that Twilight found somepony. So introverted, but she still found love. Unlike you.

Rarity frowned. Twilight apparently only had generic shampoos and conditioners, rather than the herbal mixtures and combination washes Rarity preferred. She popped the cap on one bottle and gave it a careful sniff. It wasn't even scented!

You know what your problem is? You think you're too good for love. So you make up some ideal mate that doesn't exist and never will, and refuse to settle for less.You'll never find anypony.

Rarity stifled a laugh at her own thought. Her, never find a special somepony? She had the busiest love life of any mare she knew. She could – and did – date the most desirable unicorns in Fillydelphia. She was not alone.

That's not a love life. That's having casual sex with stallions whose names you can barely remember. Is that what you thought you'd be doing in Fillydelphia? Sorry to say, but if all you wanted was cock, you could have gotten that any—

Rarity ducked her head under the water. It wouldn't help her mane any, but frankly her mane was beyond the level of help that could be had in a bathtub. She shook her head vigorously, blew out a rush of bubbles, and surfaced with a gasp.

There was a knock at the bathroom door. Rarity started in surprise, nearly dropping the bottle. “It's open!” she called.

The door opened a crack, and Rainbow Dash stuck her head in. She glanced around the room quickly before her gaze ended on Rarity. “Hey, uh, Twilight wants to know if we can stay for dinner.” A pause. “Oh, and Spike's cooking, not her. She said to mention that.”

Well, as long as it was Spike. “I think that's a wonderful plan. I will if you will.” She realized she was hiding beneath the water and straightened back up. There wasn't much reason to be shy around Dash, especially after their spa trip yesterday.

“Okay, I'll let her know,” Dash said. She stood silent for a moment, her eyes still on Rarity's face, then suddenly added, “Your mane looks really nice like that.”

Rarity had no answer. Dash gave her a weak grin and vanished out the door, which closed behind her.

* * *

Some time later, after the water had begun to cool, Rarity made her way back down the stairs. The light outside had taken the warm glow of early evening, the blue sky beginning to grey and the sun a fat orange orb above the horizon. Rainbow Dash and Twilight were chatting quietly in the library on a pair of pillows. Some blissful smell, earthy and rich and autumnal, filled the tree. Her mouth started to water immediately.

“Hey, Rarity,” Twilight said. Her horn glowed and another pillow zipped across the floor toward them. “You're looking better.”

“Thank you, darling.” Rarity lay on the offered pillow, tucking her hooves under her. She elected not to even try styling her mane, and simply let it hang across her face and neck. Her coat, at least, was scrubbed as clean and white as ever. “Remind me sometime to get you some real shampoo, though. That scentless, generic stuff you have simply isn't fit for a real mare.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight tilted her head. “There should be a full bottle of lavender and sweet pea shampoo up... oh, you must've used his.”

And suddenly Rarity felt dirty again. She tried to keep the scowl off her face.

“Huh? His who?” Dash asked. She looked between them with puzzlement on her face.

“Uh, nothing!” Twilight clamored to her hooves. “Hang on, I need to, uh, check on the food! Spike!” Twilight trotted past them into the kitchen with more speed than was strictly necessary.

Dinner turned out to be pumpkin soup, served in bowls of hollowed-out pumpkins, garnished with sprigs of sorrel and generously flavored with nutmeg. Rarity tried to estimate how many calories it had, but gave up after the first spoonful. Some things were too sumptuous to worry about.

“Spike, this is really quite delicious,” she said, looking up at the dragon. Even sitting on the floor, he was still a head taller than all of the mares. His light purple scales had begun to slowly fade into a darker amethyst, and the spines on his head were now truly worthy of his name.

“Thanks, Rarity,” Spike said. His voice, disconcertingly, was still as high and juvenile as she remembered. “I get a lot of practice. We'd starve if Twilight cooked.”

“Ha ha, mister.” Twilight shot him a scowl, but Rarity could see the amusement in her eyes. “I do well enough when you're not around.”

“That's because you order out every night,” he said.

Dash snickered. Twilight opened her mouth to answer, apparently couldn't come up with anything, and tucked back into her soup instead.

The rest of the meal passed quietly. Dash finished her soup and ate the bowl before either of the unicorns were even half done, and filled the time chatting with Spike. Rarity gave the bowl a few bites before abandoning it as a bridge too far. Her stomach was already pleasantly stuffed.

“Hey, are you going to finish that?” Dash asked, her eyes on Rarity's pumpkin. Rarity chuckled and passed it over.

The pumpkin soup was followed by after-dinner ciders, fresh from Sweet Apple Acres. Spike served a glass to each of the mares, then whispered something in Twilight's ear. She gave him a nod and a sisterly nuzzle on the cheek, and he walked out the door. He nearly had to duck, Rarity noticed.

“Where's Spikey going?” Rarity asked.

“Hm?” Twilight looked up from her cider. “Oh, he doesn't really live here any more. It's more convenient for us both that he has his own place.”

For some reason, that struck a tiny pang in Rarity's chest. Obviously it wasn't any of her business where Spike lived, but he and Twilight had always been an inseparable pair. Twilight and Spike, librarian and assistant. Another sign that the world she had left in Ponyville was gone.

How maudlin. Seriously, try to be happy for once?

Rainbow Dash caught her eye and smiled. “Can't go home again, huh?”

Rarity sighed quietly, covering her mouth with her cup. Alas, Dash was right. Home changed while they were gone.

* * *

The after dinner-ciders were followed by after-dinner wines, which did much more to raise Rarity's spirits. Whoever had run the library before Twilight moved in had kept a well-stocked wine cellar in the basement, and in all their years in Ponyville, the girls had barely managed to dent it. Even by the standards of Fillydelphia, the Riesling they were enjoying was delightful – dry and spicy with just a bit of bite. They huddled together on their pillows, voices low in conversation broken by occasional giggles. Outside, the sun had fallen beneath the horizon, giving way to a crescent moon that dimly lit the night.

“So, Twilight.” Rarity paused to take a sip from her glass, letting the wine sit on her tongue for a moment before swallowing. “I couldn't help but notice all the extra things in your bathroom. Two toothbrushes, two combs, and of course far more shampoo than a single mare could ever need.”

Twilight blushed as fiercely as Fluttershy used to and tried to hide her snout behind her hooves. When that did nothing to stop Dash and Rarity from laughing, she blushed all the more, and took a long drink from her wine glass.

“Yes, it's a bit, ah, more convenient that way,” she finally said. “He has his own drawer, too. I guess that's not uncommon?”

“Oh no, dear, it's a sign of a serious and healthy relationship,” Rarity said. Beside her, Dash nodded. “Are you thinking of moving things a bit further?”

“I think so,” Twilight admitted. She fiddled with her hooves as she spoke, and then took another sip from her glass. “He's just so smart and kind, and he's interested in what I do... He makes me feel so special.”

And there was that pang again. The uncomplicated happiness in Twilight's voice was beautiful for Rarity to hear, but painful as well. It should have been her finding love first, her finding a prince, her living out the fairytale ending. Instead, of all ponies, it was the librarian who found a special somepony. She grimaced, and downed the rest of her wine to hide it.

“That's awesome,” Dash said. She had a small smile on her face, and her eyes were watery in the dim light from the fireplace.

“He sounds like a winner, dear, even if he does go by that odd name.” Seriously, Doctor Hooves? Rarity shook her head absently. “But, enough stalling! Give us details!”

“Uh...” Twilight fidgeted. “Details of what?”

Dash snorted. “C'mon, of him! What's he like?”

“Oh, well, he has a brown coat, and a darker mane, but I think you already knew—”

“No, darling,” Rarity interrupted. “The juicy details.” She and Dash leaned in closer.

“Oh. Oh!” Twilight's blush was back. She tried to take another drink, only to discover her glass was empty. She refilled it hastily and took a healthy swig. “Well, um, he's very gentle, you know? He likes kissing. His ears are sensitive, so its fun to nibble on them until he starts laughing and pushes me off.”

Rarity grinned. This was getting interesting. She finished off her glass and poured herself another before leaning in more. All three of their muzzles were just inches away. “Go on.”

“More?” Twilight's eyes grew wider, and she took a deep breath. “Okay, uh, there's this place on his neck where, if you bite him, he just stops moving until you let go. Sometimes he has to wear a scarf when we're done.”

“Whoa, nice.” Dash nudged Twilight's side with a wing. “You go, girl! What else?”

Twilight tittered, growing more comfortable as she warmed to the topic at hoof. “Well, he really likes it when I...” She glanced around the room, as if searching for eavesdroppers, and then leaned forward to whisper. “When I kiss him. You know, down... down there.”

Rarity gasped in faux shock and hid her mouth behind a hoof, while beside her Dash burst into laughter and pounded her hoof on the floor.

Twilight shrank back from their reactions. “That's...that's not wrong, is it?”

“Oh, not at all, darling,” Rarity said. She gave Twilight a reassuring smile. “It's a perfectly normal act of love. I think Dash and I were just surprised – happily! – to hear you have such a fulfilling sex life. Why, it's hard to imagine...”

Twilight crouched between her lover's legs, slowly running the edge of her hoof up and down the inside of his thigh. Her coat glistened with a light sheen of sweat. He panted beneath her, already exhausted from their previous exertions, and his cock slowly grew harder under the gentle encouragement of her lips and tongue. When he was finally ready, she ran her tongue up the length of his shaft and wrapped her lips around—

Rarity snapped back to the present, blinking. That had actually been very easy to imagine. She coughed into her hoof to disguise the momentary lapse.

“So, is it true what they say about earth ponies?” Dash asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You know, dear,” Rarity said. “They're very well endowed?”

There was a long silence. Twilight blinked at her.

“They have big cocks!” Dash blurted.

“Dash!” Rarity scowled at her. “There's not need to be vulgar.”

“What? That's what they're called! Jeez.” Dash rolled her eyes.

“Ahem!” Twilight was blushing again, but plowed ahead gamely. “I'm afraid I couldn't answer. My sample size is too limited, and anyway it would just be anecdotal. A proper scientific study would require hundreds of measurements and take into account other factors like body size and age.”

“Huh.” Dash got a far-off look in her eyes. “When you say 'hundreds of measurements,' what exactly—”

“Ahem!” Rarity jabbed the pegasus with her hoof. “About how big are we talking here, Twilight?”

“Hm.” Twilight's eyes took on a similarly far-off look, as though she were trying to recall something. Finally, she held her hooves out in front of her, with a wide gap between them. “About this big?”

There was another long silence. Dash and Rarity stared at the space and all it implied.

It implied a lot.

“Whoa,” Dash said. Her voice was nearly a whisper.

“Are you... are you sure about that, darling?” Rarity's imagination threatened to run away with her again.

Twilight tilted her head, moved her hooves a bit, then settled them back where they had started. “Yup, positive. I can check tomorrow if you want.”

“No, that won't be necessary.” Rarity let out a quiet breath and tossed her mane to the other side of her neck. It was starting to get a bit warm in the library. Or perhaps the wine was getting to her. She took another sip to make sure. “Anyway, Rainbow Dash, I have a question for you.”

“Oh yeah?” Dash's wings flared out, and she gave Rarity a wide grin. “Gimme your best shot.”

“Is it true pegasi mate on the wing?”

“I've heard that!” Twilight said. She took a long drink, giggled at something, and then leaned forward with an eager expression on her face.

“Oh, that old thing.” Dash sighed and looked, if anything, disappointed. “Every pegasus tries it at least once, but it's not as great as it sounds.”

“What's that?” Rarity asked. “It sounds exhilarating!” Twilight nodded her enthusiastic agreement.

“Yeah, it sounds fun, but think about it. First off, you're in public, and despite what you may have heard about pegasi, we don't just have sex anywhere.”

“Really? You've never done it on a cloud?” Twilight asked.

“Well... uh, anyway. Second, you have to start pretty high, right? At least ten thousand feet, and it's cold up there. Now, it's not so much a problem for mares, but imagine what that's like for a stallion.”

Rarity did think about it. She might have thought about it for a while longer, but Dash was waiting for an answer. “Yes, that is a bit nippy I suppose. What else?”

“Okay, assuming your stallion can even get it up, you can't fly while you're doing it. You just fall. Do you know how long it takes to fall ten thousand feet?”

“About two hundred seconds,” Twilight said almost immediately.

“Er, yeah.” Dash blinked at her, then continued. “Now, that's not much time, right? Unless I'm really wound up, there's no way I'm going to get off before we hit the ground. Oh, and by the way, you're falling, so while you're having sex you keep worrying that you're going to get stuck together and die, which doesn't really help the mood.

“And if that wasn't enough,” she continued, “chances are he's so worried about splattering that he can't get off either, so at around five hundred feet you break apart, and now you're both flying just above the ground, dangling in the breeze, for all the world to see. Then you have to fly back up and try again!”

Wow. That was a lot to process. And imagine. Rarity took another drink from her glass while she did both. It was almost empty, and she debated filling it again. They had all long since passed the state of merely being buzzed into the pleasant stage of drunkeness where thoughts and feelings flowed freely, but intelligent discourse was not yet drowned.

“That was a very detailed account, Dash,” Twilight said. She had a sly grin on her face. “How many tries did it take, exactly?”

Dash actually blushed. “Oh, um... four, I think? We almost gave up, but he kept insisting. And hey, he was right! We both agreed it was too much trouble to try again, though.”

“Hah!” Rarity shook her head in amusement. “I'd have liked to have seen that!”

“Heh, yeah.” Dash gave a sheepish little smile, then suddenly blinked. “Wait, what?”

Oops. They were staring at her. Rarity coughed into her hoof. “Er, just a figure of speech, dear. You know, a colloquialism.”

“Oh, right.” Dash gave a weak little chuckle. “Heh, for a moment there...” she trailed off and took another drink from her glass, finishing off the last of her wine.

Silence followed. Rather than try filling it, Rarity tossed back the last of her own glass. Such a wonderful vintage should have been sipped, savored slowly, but right at that moment she needed something to do other than talk, and so the wine suffered.

It was still pretty good wine, though.

Twilight spoke first. “Well, I hate to be a spoilsport, girls, but I've got to get to bed. Can you two make it back to the Studio, or do you want to stay here?”

The Boutique, Rarity mentally corrected. It would always be her boutique. She was mulling over that point when Dash answered for them both.

“Eh, we're fine,” she said. “It's just a short walk.”

* * *

It was a short walk, but they made the most of it. Little bumps as they walked, perhaps accidental, perhaps not. Giggles as they recounted some of the juicier confessions. A long discourse on whether Twilight was telling the truth about her coltfriend.

“I think she must be exaggerating a bit,” Rarity said. She kept her voice low, though the streets were nearly deserted so late at night. Few ponies would have heard her, even if she yelled.

“What, Twilight? Naw. It's gotta be true.”

“Well, we don't know what she was measuring from.”

“You wanna go back and ask?”

Kind of, yes. Rarity chuckled. “Maybe some other time.”

In short order they reached the boutique, and they snuck upstairs as before. Rarity felt a pang of guilt as she realized Sweetie Belle might have expected them back for dinner, but the thought was rapidly lost as they reached the bedroom. She waited until Dash was nestled on the bed, then tentatively placed a hoof on the covers.

“C'mon,” Dash said. “Who cares what Sweetie thinks? It's just a bed.”

Right. Rarity hopped the rest of the way onto the bed and settled down a few inches away. Dash lifted her wing and draped it over Rarity's body like a blanket, practically inviting her to snuggle a bit closer.

“I didn't say it earlier, but that flight was simply amazing,” Rarity said. She kept her voice to a murmur, practically breathing in Dash's ear. “I was... well, we were all a bit worried that you weren't flying any more.”

There was no answer for some time. Dash's throat bobbed as she swallowed, and she turned her face away. “Yeah, that was something, wasn't it?”

“It was,” Rarity said softly. That old feeling, of treading on thin ice, had returned. “I haven't seen you that happy in some time. It made me happy just to watch.”

Silence again. Dash's ears began to wilt.

No! This was going so well! Rarity bit her lip, looking quickly around the dark room for anything that could salvage the mood. “Didn't it feel good?”

Dash sighed quietly and set her head on the blankets. “It felt really good, Rares. I haven't done more than glide from cloud to cloud since he died. But it also feels like I'm breaking a promise. Like I'm... like I'm trying to forget him.” She gave a little shiver. The haunted look Rarity had first seen in her, back in Fillydelphia, edged into her eyes.

Oh Celestia, what do I say? Rarity had no experience helping ponies through grief. She licked her lips, and lacking any better ideas, said the first thing that came to her mind.

“I think he would want you to be happy,” she whispered. Her mane, still straight and unstyled, draped over Dash's shoulder as she spoke into her ear. “You're allowed to be happy. I don't think he would want you to remember him only in sorrow.”

“No, he wouldn't.” Dash's voice came out as a sob. “He would tell me to move on, and be happy, and find somepony else, because he was a good pony. But I just can't, Rarity. I can't. He loved me, and I can't betray that.”

Loyalty. Such a cruel virtue. Generosity was easy, especially for a pony as wealthy and successful as Rarity. She could give and give and give, without ever feeling the pain that Dash was going through right now. It was easy; she was easy.

You put on such a good show. Ponies think you're being generous, but you're only giving away money, only giving away things. When have you evergiven away something that mattered?

“Shh, shh...” She licked at Dash's mane, the way her parents did for her whenever she had cried in their arms. She had nothing of value to say, so she lied. “It's okay. It's all okay.”

Dash shook her head weakly. Her eyes closed, and tears began leaking from them as she shook. All the happiness Rarity had collected during the day spilled through her hooves like sand.

You hide your heart in a box and say it's for a prince. But you know the prince doesn't exist, and so you keep the box forever. And in that dark airless box your heart will grow impenetrable, unconquorable, invincible. It will never break. It will become like stone.

Oh Celestia, what do I do?

“Dash... Dash, listen to me.” Rarity paused to lick her lips. “Love is not a coin that you spend once and lose forever. We all love you. We all care for you. Be loyal to... be loyal to his wishes, not just his memory.”

If Rainbow Dash heard her, she gave no reply. Rarity wrapped her arms around the shivering mare and held her close.

Sleep was long in coming for them both.

* * * * * * * * *

Next: Rarity realizes something she already knew. Rainbow Dash does not.

The vast dark ocean of the night

It was dark when Rainbow Dash woke.

Not the dark of early morning, the darkness braved by farmers awake an hour before the sun. This was the darkness of night, of pitch black skies blazing with stars. The streetlights outside were dead, and only the sliver of moon perched above the mountains to the west gave the world any shape or form.

Stupid dreams. Dash let out a long breath and tried to remember this time. The images washed away from her mind, fleeing all the faster as she grasped at them. No use – they were gone, and she was left with only the knowledge that she had dreamed of him again.

Gradually, she became aware of her surroundings. The bed, the room, the unicorn whose legs were wrapped around her neck and shoulders. Rarity's chest rose and fell slowly against her cheek. Her white coat was the brightest object in the room, glowing like a ghost in the moonlight. A warm, soft ghost, whose heart beat a rhythmic tattoo in Dash's ear. Her grasp was like a harbor, a refuge and shelter against the vast dark ocean of the night.

“Thank you,” she whispered, quiet so as not to wake the unicorn. “Just... thank you.”

She wasn't quiet enough. Rarity's ears flicked, as though a fly had landed upon them, and a moment later her huge eyes opened. They were, somehow, even more luminous than her coat. She glanced around the dark room, and eventually settled her gaze on Dash's face, just inches away.

“Hey,” she whispered. The word was so casual, so unexpected from Rarity that Dash nearly refused to hear it. Her society accent was gone; here she was just a mare, naked and unassuming. Her unstyled mane, straight and simple and beautiful, only added to the sense that this was the real Rarity: no masks, no pretensions, no artful deception perfected in the highest circles of Fillydelphia's elite. Only Rarity.

Dash's mouth was suddenly dry. She worked her tongue and swallowed nervously. “Hey. Sorry, did I wake you?”

“Yes, but don't be sorry.” Rarity leaned over to lick at Dash's mane again, trying to smooth it into some semblance of order.

Ugh, I didn't even wash after that flight, and then we got drunk. She must think I'm filthy. But that didn't stop her; she continued grooming Dash's mane for several minutes, managing to do more with her tongue than Dash could ever seem to accomplish with a comb and a bottle of hair product. The gentle, repetitive tugs on her scalp eroded her worries away and left her heady, relaxed, and not all that tired.

“You're a good pony, Rares,” she mumbled.

Rarity paused. “That's very kind of you to say, darling.”

“No, I mean it, and it's true.” Dash straightened up, looking Rarity in the eyes. “I was... I wasn't doing so well when we met in Fillydelphia. I didn't have a plan, I didn't have anypony to talk to. Then you showed up.”

Rarity tried to smile. Her lips moved, but her eyes told a different story. “Any of us would have done it, Dash.”

“Yeah, but it was you.” Dash lifted a hoof and lightly pressed it against Rarity's chest. In the dim silver light, it was black against Rarity's glowing coat. “I owe you a lot.”

This time Rarity's smile was real. She gently pushed Dash's hoof away, then leaned forward to place a light kiss on her snout. “No you don't, but thank you.”

That seemed to be the end of their conversation. Dash blushed, fortunately unseen in the darkness, and lowered her head back to her hooves. She was ready to try and sleep again when Rarity spoke.

“Dash?” She spoke so softly Dash thought she might have imagined it.

“Yeah?” Dash turned her head on its side, facing Rarity.

“Soarin was a good pony too, right?”

“Heh, yeah. He was a good pony too.”

Silence stood a moment. “Tell me about him?” Rarity finally asked.

“What about him?”

“Everything.”

Dash blinked. She lifted her head back up from her hooves. “That could take a while.”

Rarity turned to look out the window. Unassailed darkness held full dominion over the night. “We've got time.”

So they did. Dash thought back through their long years together, and began.

* * *

She started with their first meeting, at the Best Young Fliers Competition which, incidentally, had also been Rarity's first meeting with Soarin. Dash, of course, had rescued them all, while Rarity made herself look like a foal with her butterfly wings and prideful antics. Rarity blushed at the memory, but bade Dash to continue.

Then had come the gala, and the disappointing few moments she had spent with the Wonder Bolts that night. Rarity remembered it all too well – her own dreams suffered their first crack when her prince turned out to be nothing of the sort. She sighed along with Dash's recounting.

Next was their first real meeting, when Dash tried out for the Bolts. He was the kind, caring mentor who guided the new recruits through their paces. He was the last one the washouts saw, delivering the bad news. He was the first one to shake her hoof when the selection was over and she earned her flight suit.

She spoke about the first time they made love, on the clouds high above Fillydelphia. She spoke about his weakness for pies, about the way he snored so adorably when he slept on his back. Rarity giggled along with her as she explained how their sex always seemed to devolve into a wrestling match, or how their wrestling matches always seemed to end in sex.

But most of all she described a loving pony, a pony whose element, if he had had one, would have been joy. He was not flawless – no pony was. But he was a good pony.

“...and without him I feel lost,” Dash finished. She was crying, but her cheeks ached from the intensity of the smile they had borne for the past hour. “He made me feel special. Loved. Like a... heh... like a princess, you know.”

Rarity stiffened. For a moment her eyes flashed with anger. It was such a sudden change that Dash shrank away. Just as quickly, the anger was gone, replaced by a grimace and regret.

“I'm sorry, darling,” Rarity said. “I'm not sure what came over me there. He made you feel like a... a princess?”

Dash nodded. She slowly leaned her weight back against Rarity's side, marveling at how much she had missed that soft warmth, even for just a few seconds. “Yeah. You know, like I was the most important thing in the world. He always said he was so lucky to have me.”

“Ah.” Rarity glanced off into the darkness. There was a change in her posture, some subtle stress that hadn't been there before.

Weird. Did that upset her? She's practically a princess already. Beautiful, cultured, successful. Dash opened her mouth to apologize when Rarity abruptly turned back.

“How did you know he was the one for you?” she asked.

“Uh...” Dash floundered. “I dunno. I mean, we'd known each other for a while, and there'd always been some tension, but he was like this idol for so many mares. They'd practically drool over him after our shows. What the hell chance did I have, right?

“But he never seemed to settle for any of them,” she continued. “We would tease each other, and I'd sometimes dream about what he was like. Then, that day in Fillydelphia, we started playing around. One thing led to another and, well... it was a good day.”

Rarity was staring at her with almost troubling intensity. “But just one day. How did you know he was the one?”

How did I know? Dash tried to think back, not to that day in Fillydelphia, but to all the days after. She rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof. “I dunno. I guess I didn't at first, like it was just a one-time thing or a quick hook-up until he found a more beautiful mare. But the next day he still wanted to be with me, and the day after that... you know, I don't even remember when I realized I was in love.”

“Funny how that is,” Rarity said. Her voice was so low Dash had to strain to hear it. “Love makes fools of us all.”

“Heh. You seem to have it together, Rares.”

“Oh, Dash.” Rarity gave her a wry smile. “If only you knew how messed up my love life was.”

Whoa. The statement was so unexpected that Dash could do nothing but stare at her, wondering if she had misheard. Rarity, messed up? Imperfect in some way? She thought back hazily to the other night, to Rarity's restless dreaming. “Buh... wha?”

“We're being honest, aren't we?” Rarity lowered her head. Her mane fell like a veil across half her face. “You know more about love than I do. You've actually felt it. Me? I just pretend.”

“Wait, what?” Dash tried to review everything she knew about Rarity, everything she'd seen from her during the past week. “But you're... you're you!”

Rarity snorted. “Yes, so I am. A wonderful act, isn't it?”

Oh Celestia. There was pain in that voice. Somehow Rarity had been hurting all this time. She, Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty, was utterly oblivious; she was failing her friend. The sudden knowledge was like a kick in the gut.

And her failure continued. Rarity watched her silently, and when no response came, she settled her head on her legs and closed her eyes. Dash watched, stricken, as her body began to shake quietly.

Idiot! Do something! Do anything! Dash hesitated for a moment, then reached her arm across Rarity's shoulders, pulling her closer. “Hey, hey, that's not true,” she whispered into Rarity's ear. “That's... it's just not true.”

Rarity didn't answer. Her legs and shoulders drew tighter against her body, and her ear flicked away from Dash's snout.

You're letting her suffer. You're letting her suffer because all this time you were too wrapped around your own pain to notice hers. A well of panic began to build in her chest. She had no idea what she was doing, no idea how to fix this. “Listen, Rares. Rarity. C'mon, listen.” Those few words took nearly all her breath. She stopped, collected her thoughts, and started again.

“Rarity, please listen,” she said. “I know you've felt love. Sweetie, your parents, the girls... that's love. That's the same thing I felt with Soarin. Well, maybe not the exact same thing, but it's love! I know you can feel it. You're not broken. There's nothing wrong with you.”

She huddled next to Rarity as she spoke. The tiny quakes wracking her shook Dash's body as well. Out of words, and knowing nothing else to do, she snuffled in Rarity's mane and began gently grooming her friend.

It took a while, but then, there was a lot of mane to work with. Rarity's shivering slowly subsided as Dash tugged at her hair, starting between her ears where the amethyst strands were thickest. Her ears twitched whenever Dash's cheek or chin would brush against them.

Rarity's mane was shorter down the back of her neck. Some odd chemical taste stuck to her tongue as she tugged with her teeth, and Dash eventually realized it was the cheap generic shampoo Rarity had complained about. She wondered, for a moment, what her own hair tasted like.

How long has it been since I did this? Years, at least. Before she had first come to Ponyville. Still, it was a bit like preening, and she tried to let instinct be her guide. Beneath her, she felt Rarity grow still in her arms. The sniffles that had filled the dark room faded away.

She took a chance. “Rarity?”

Rarity rolled onto her side, her belly toward Dash. Her eyes were still red-rimmed, but her tears were gone, and a small, weak smile perched on her lips. “Sorry, darling. I didn't mean to break down like that. Thank you.”

The invisible fist squeezing Dash's heart vanished, and she let out a quiet sigh. “Heh... Had me worried there, Rares. I'm supposed to be the one with problems, remember?”

Rarity snorted again, but it was filled with humor this time. “Celestia, look at us. We're both a mess.”

“I don't think you're a mess. You're kind, and generous, and beautiful. You just haven't found the perfect somepony yet.”

“The perfect somepony...” Rarity sighed. “What does that mean, Dash? I thought I had it figured out, once. There was a prince waiting for me, and once we met, my life would be filled with happiness. No struggles with love, no heartbreak, just happiness. Celestia, what a foal I was.”

“Yeah, that was kinda stupid.” The words slipped out before Dash had a chance to consider them. Rarity's eyes narrowed, and her lips pursed in that irritated expression of hers. Dash hurried onward. “But, uh, now you're smart, mature, kind... You're nopony's fool.”

The irritated expression faded somewhat. Rarity's mouth quirked to the side. “Well, thank you, I guess. But I still don't have love figured out, Dash. Not like you do.”

“Heh, I don't have anything figured out, Rares.”

“You do, though.” Rarity looked up, her eyes filled with startling intensity. “What you and Soarin had... we were all so happy for you, Dash, but I was jealous of you. I was too selfish to love. I still am.”

Selfish? Did the word have some weird meaning Dash didn't know? Rarity was the most generous pony alive, she was the freaking Spirit of Generosity. Dash stared at her, dumbfounded.

Rarity watched her for a moment, then turned away with a snort. “I know, it amazes me too, sometimes. Maybe love just isn't for everyone.”

“What? No, stop talking like that.” Dash felt herself getting angry. “Lots of ponies would be thrilled with you. Hell, if I didn't know you were so into stallions, I'd probably take a shot at you.”

Wait, what? Hold on.

But it was too late to reel the words back in. Rarity blinked at her, surprise in her eyes. “You're just saying that.”

She's right. Stop it. You don't know what you're doing. It was like Dash's mind had split into two tracks: the rational one, arguing for sense, and the flesh-and-blood mare sitting beside her friend in the darkness. The rational mind, for better or worse, was promptly shut inside a mental closet and forgotten.

“I'm not, Rares. You're beautiful and smart and generous. You're... well, you're you. And that's awesome.”

Rarity stared up at her with the most vulnerable expression on her face. The pretentious mask she normally wore was shattered. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed timidly.

Well, fine. It's your funeral if you're wrong, though. Dash took a final, nervous breath, then leaned forward and pressed her lips against Rarity's. Their mouths opened the slightest bit, and the tips of their tongues met for a moment. Barely long enough to touch, say hello, and just as quickly retreat. Dash jerked her head away, faster than she meant, and looked in Rarity's eyes.

There was no disgust in them, no pain or fear either. They were wide with surprise, and as Dash watched they slowly filled with a spark of humor. Rarity gave her a wry smile.

“That was a rather timid kiss,” she said. “Not what I expected from The Rainbow Dash.”

Oh, so it's like that? A bit of the old swagger returned. Silly unicorn wanted to kiss, huh? Dash felt a grin on her face, and barely managed to smother it before leaning back in.

It was hard to kiss while smiling, after all.

Rarity responded with surprising enthusiasm. Her hooves reached around Dash's neck and held her close as they kissed. Just with lips at first, enjoying the warm, wet sensation of each other's touch. But soon that wasn't enough, and Dash pressed forward with her tongue. Their saliva mixed as Rarity's tongue met hers, twined with it, wrestled playfully with it.

They broke apart again, panting for breath. Rarity's coat, already glowing white, now sparkled with a faint sheen of sweat. Her chest rubbed pleasantly against Dash's as they held each other.

“So, how was that?” Dash asked.

“Mm, a little better.” Rarity leaned up to lick Dash's snout.

Dash lost track of things after that. They kissed again, much more gently than before. Their tongues caressed each other rather than fighting. Sharp teeth nipped playfully at Dash's lips. The hoof in her mane began slowly sliding up and down her neck.

She's serious. Dash pulled away, eliciting a disappointed sound from Rarity. Before the unicorn could complain, Dash pressed her lips against the soft, supple skin just beneath her jaw. She heard a quiet gasp, and the hooves around her shoulders pulled her closer. She could taste the salt in Rarity's sweat, and licked her way up that graceful neck to her ear. Gently, ever so gently, her teeth closed on the frantically twitching flesh, trapping it. Rarity shuddered beneath her and let out a quiet moan.

Yup, definitely serious. Rarity's hoof found one of Dash's wings and began running along the leading edge. She was gentle with the feathers, careful not to bend or twist them against the grain. For several long moments, she simply played with Dash's wing, while Dash nibbled at her ear. It was calming, it was soothing. It was good.

It was also turning her on. Dash's tail flicked back and forth unconsciously, brushing against Rarity's legs and belly. She could feel Rarity's heart pounding. No, wait; that was her heart. She let Rarity's ear go free and took a deep, shuddering breath. Before she could go back to bite it again, a warm wet tongue played at the side of her neck. She closed her eyes and swallowed a gasp as Rarity nipped at her skin. Not too hard, just enough to set the nerves alight and make her wish for more.

And then she was on her back. Dash opened her eyes in surprise, only to see Rarity perched above her, her forelegs braced on either side of Dash's chest.

“Uh, hey?” Dash squeaked. She had a sudden urge to clap her hooves over her mouth. She never squeaked.

Rarity's lips tightened in a small smile. “Hey, yourself. Relax, I always wanted to do this.”

Do what? Dash was about to ask when Rarity's head descended to her chest. Her tongue painted a broad, wet swath across Dash's breast, followed by a nibble here, a nibble there, a nibble everywhere it seemed. Dash giggled and tried halfheartedly to push Rarity away, but the unicorn would have none of it. She seemed intent on biting every inch of Dash's skin.

The twinges stopped suddenly. Dash opened her eyes to see Rarity staring intently at her wing, so close her breath set the individual feathers fluttering.

“Heh, never see feathers before?”

Rarity's eyes shifted to glance up at Dash's face. “Never this close.” She lowered her weight, letting her chest press against Dash's belly, trapping her. “How do I... you know, like at the spa?”

“Oh, uh...” How to distill years of experience and instinct into a few words? “Just pretend you're brushing them. And don't tug too hard.”

“Hm.” Rarity ran a hoof the length of Dash's outstretched wing, then lowered her muzzle to the soft secondary feathers. Her lips were clumsy compared to the spa pony's, and she was slow, but even so the sensation of being held down by a warm body, her wings being preened, was enough to unleash a flood of warmth in Dash's chest. A pleasant buzz-like state took over her mind, and she closed her eyes to enjoy Rarity's ministrations.

Time passed in that vulnerable position, pressed against the covers with her wings outspread. Rarity grew more confident with her lips, tugging with a bit more force. Still not as good as another pegasus, of course, but better than Dash had enjoyed in months. Better even than in the spa, for there was no self-consciousness or awkwardness, no bits changing hooves. This wasn't for money – it was for love.

The thought made her blink. It's not love, it's friendship. She glanced down at Rarity, who seemed to sense the subtle shift in Dash's posture.

She glanced up at Dash. “Am I doing it right? It's not hurting, is it?”

“Uh, yeah. I mean, no, it's not hurting.” Dash propped herself up on her elbows, trying to organize her thoughts. “It's great. I just, you know, never really expected anything like this... ever.”

Rarity shifted her weight forward until her muzzle was just below Dash's. A foreleg lay gently atop Dash's chest. “Is it too much?”

Was it? She swallowed, but the lump in her throat refused to budge. “It, uh... it feels real good. But we're both kinda vulnerable right now, aren't we?”

Rarity gave her a little nod. Her hoof was tracing light circles on Dash's belly, which wasn't helping with Dash's attempts to stay focused. “I'd say we are, dear. So?”

“Well, I just... I just don't want to hurt you, you know.”

The smile on Rarity's face was small, but it lit her face. “Ah, Dash.” She leaned forward to give Dash a long, deep kiss. “You're a good pony for feeling that way. But I'm a big filly.”

“Ah, heh, okay,” Dash said, once she recovered her poise. She was starting to recognize the taste on her tongue as belonging to Rarity. Salty, sweet, alive. “So... what do we do?”

Rarity considered that for a moment. “Unless you're worried about being hurt... I say we keep going.” She drew her hoof lightly down Dash's side, brushing her ribs and flank before returning to her chest where it waited for a response.

Right. Keep going. She could do that. No problem. She took a deep breath. Then another. Just gotta, you know, keep going.

Rarity's hoof froze, and she tilted her head. “You're not nervous, are you?”

“No.” A pause. “Okay, maybe. Yes.”

Rarity tittered, then buried her muzzle in the short fur covering Dash's belly and laughed, which was all kinds of distracting.

“How about this,” she said once the fit had passed. “We go back to kissing, and if you want any more... well, we'll see what happens, hm?”

Kissing was good. Better than good, actually. Rather than answer, Dash lowered her head to Rarity's muzzle, placing a light peck on the tip of her nose, followed by a warm, wet kiss on her lips. Their tongues danced around each other, and a low, quiet moan filled her ears. Dash honestly couldn't have said which of them it came from. Her tail twitched of its own accord, and she squeezed her thighs together. The warmth between them was starting to grow into a fire.

“Good, good,” Rarity whispered. She kissed her way down Dash's neck and chest, the tip of her horn tracing a tingling line across her coat.

The hoof was back on Dash's belly, rubbing little light circles that slowly moved lower and lower. Her stomach twisted in anticipation, and her legs kicked in the air. Part of her mind screamed at her, begged her to spread her legs and expose herself shamelessly. Between her legs, the burning heat grew slick and wet.

Rarity's hoof traced the outside of Dash's thigh, lingering over her cutie mark. Only its faint shape remained in the darkness, but Rarity caressed it gently. Dash let out a shuddering breath as Rarity's snout brushed against her flat nipples, and a hot, wet tongue darted out to lap at them.

This seems one-sided. Should I be doing something? Probably, but what? Rarity was driving this carriage, and she seemed to have a pretty good idea where she wanted it to go. Dash gasped again as teeth gently gripped a nipple and tugged, sending a sharp jolt of something – half pleasure, half pain – shooting between her legs. Her hips bucked against the mattress and her legs parted. Within moments, the musky scent of her excitement filled the room.

Rarity's head rose, and she stared down at Dash's crotch for much longer than seemed necessary. Her tail, Dash noticed, was twitching frantically back and forth.

“Heh, uh, everything alright?” Dash took another gulp of air.

Rarity started and looked back up. She almost seemed a bit guilty. “Oh, of course, dear, of course. You look exactly like I imagined.”

“Oh, okay.” Wait. Dash blinked. “Er, huh?”

There was a silence as Rarity looked at her, broken by a dainty cough hidden behind her hoof. It was hard to tell, but Rarity seemed to be blushing, hard enough to see even in the faint moonlight.

“Ah, let's pretend I didn't say that, hm?” As if to drive the point home, Rarity ran her hoof up the inside of Dash's thigh, all the way to the junction with her hip. Her hoof ever-so-lightly brushed against Dash's lips, and then it was gone again, moving back down her leg. The brief contact was like an electrode and sent another jolt racing to Dash's brain. Her head fell back against the bed, and she stared up at the ceiling as Rarity replaced her hoof with her mouth, slowly nuzzling and kissing her way up Dash's leg.

This was it. Everything else was just play – the kissing, the fondling, the caresses. But this, this was for real. Rarity's mouth pressed against the inside of Dash's thigh, inches away from the wet, burning ember between her legs. Teeth nipped at her skin. She dug her hooves into the covers and squeezed her eyes shut.

Another pause. She felt Rarity's breath against her lips. Her muzzle could only be an inch away. C'mon, do it! Please! Do it do it do it do it now!

Rarity obliged. She placed a kiss, lighter than a feather, at the top of Dash's lips, right where they came together. The sensation of wet flesh against wetter flesh nearly drove her over the edge, but more than the physical sensation was the sudden knowledge: she just kissed me! She kissed me there! Dash gasped in a sudden breath, her hips bucking, trying to rub herself against the beautiful mare between her legs.

Rarity was too quick for that. She chuckled quietly at Dash's antics and gently pushed her down with a hoof. Then her mouth was back, and Dash felt a hot, wet tongue drag up her slit. It lingered at the top of her lips, lightly brushing her nub, and then it was moving again. Slowly, gently, remorselessly, she lapped at Dash's sex, slicking the wet, sensitive flesh with her saliva. Her tongue grew bolder, pushing her lips left and right. It pushed again, and Dash felt her lips part under the pressure, and Rarity's tongue darted inside her.

She nearly came just from that. Too many months of forced abstinence, even from her own hooves, had left her as primed and ready to explode as a powder keg. Waves of pleasure rolled out from between her legs with each lick, and an irresistible pressure grew in her pelvis. Like a balloon ready to pop, just needing a pin. Her hooves grasped at Rarity's mane, and she ground her hips into that wonderful, flexible tongue.

Teeth nipped at her lips, tugging them further apart. She was fully exposed now, every inch of her spread and subject to Rarity's attention. A sound halfway between a sob and a moan escaped from her throat. Don't stop! Don't stop! Oh Celestia don't stop!

Rarity didn't. Her tongue played inside Dash for another few moments, then slid back up her slit to the tiny nub hiding between her folds. A brush, a touch and a lick were all it took. The pressure between her legs peaked; the balloon burst; the powder keg exploded. She cried out as the orgasm shook her body, and the dark room filled with a brilliant white light.

* * *

Some time later – seconds, minutes, there was no way to tell – she became aware of tiny butterfly kisses on her cheeks. The mouth leaving them had some odd scent. Not unpleasant. Salty and tangy and a little bit sweet. Her eyes gradually opened to see Rarity's face just inches away. Her muzzle was still stained with Dash's juices.

Eww... eh, whatever. She returned the kiss, lingering for a long moment on Rarity's mouth. Their tongues greeted each other playfully.

“Hey, welcome back,” Rarity said with a smile, once their kiss broke. “I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance there for a moment.”

“Heh, that would've been embarrassing.” Dash took a deep breath and let it out. She felt relaxed to the point of emptiness, like her stomach had simply gone missing. Her pelvis still tingled. Overall, pretty damn good.

“Well, for one of us, anyway.” Rarity nuzzled her neck. “I have no idea what I'm going to tell Sweetie Belle. Maybe she'll just think that was a dream.”

Oh, right. Thin walls and all. Dash blushed, but put the issue out of mind as Rarity snuggled against her side. For a while longer they lay together, and sleep slowly crept back up on her.

Hey, idiot. Forgetting something? Like, maybe her? Dash blinked at the sudden realization, then rolled to face Rarity.

Rarity raised an eyebrow. Her face was as calm as Dash had seen in years, and she slowly smiled. “Yes, dear?”

She didn't answer. Instead she carefully pushed Rarity onto her back, and started kissing the unicorn's chest. Her teeth plucked at the skin, leaving little marks that would take hours to fade.

Rarity murmured a quiet approval, her body shivering beneath Dash's. She waited until Dash was licking at her belly before interrupting. “You don't have to do this, darling. I assure you, I enjoyed that as much as you did.”

“Yeah, well... maybe I want to.”

Rarity chuckled. “By all means, then. Proceed.” She set her head back on a pillow, and spread her legs without the slightest hesitation.

Dash stared at the bounty before her. Rarity's crotch was just like the rest of her – beautiful. A tight stomach met perfectly curved legs, and between them a pair of dainty, perfect lips waited for her. They had started to part as her inner lips swelled, and Dash could see the faint glisten of moisture between them. She felt herself starting to grow hot again just seeing it.

Okay, you can do this. It's just like with Soarin. Except it wasn't. Soarin had a cock, for one. Rarity most certainly did not. Dash lowered her head until her muzzle was just inches away. A tantalizing musky scent teased her brain, egging her on to ravage the sweet, sensitive flesh before her. No, definitely no cock here.

That's fine. Just do what Rarity did. Right. She could do that. Simple. Dash took a breath and blew it out gently. Rarity moaned quietly, and a drop of that clear fluid ran down her lips. C'mon, champ. Now or never.

She started with a kiss, pressing her muzzle lightly against Rarity's lips. Her tongue darted out cautiously, flicking at the moist folds. The taste was... unusual. Salty and sharp, but not unpleasant. She licked at Rarity again, eager for more. The unicorn moaned again, her hips bucking gently against Dash's snout.

Okay, that's not so hard. She kept lapping at Rarity's slit, her tongue pressing deeper with each stroke. She used her hoof to hold Rarity open, exposing more of that wet flesh. Rarity's inner lips spread like the petals on a flower. Dash nibbled at them curiously, and was rewarded with another sharp gasp and buck from Rarity's hips.

This is kinda fun. Dash grinned and slid her tongue deeper between Rarity's folds, teasing at the entrance to her passage. Rarity's hooves grasped at her mane, pressing her snout harder into her crotch. Each brush of Dash's tongue was met with a low moan and a spasm deep inside the unicorn. Her fluids ran freely down Dash's chin, soaking Rarity's tail and the sheets beneath them.

Eventually Rarity's moans faded, and even the most athletic licking did little more than provoke a quiet, satisfied coo. Dash pulled away for a moment, ignoring the disappointed groan, and considered her options. What had Soarin always done next? Oh, duh. Equestria to idiot. With both her hooves, she spread Rarity's lips apart, exposing the shy bud nestled at their peak. It bobbed gently with each breath from the unicorn, almost invisible in the darkness. Slowly, carefully, Dash brushed it with the tip of her tongue. The reaction was everything she hoped for.

“Yes!” Rarity shouted with complete abandon. The hooves in Dash's mane twisted, pulling her closer and tighter, mashing her snout against Rarity's mound.

Now who's waking up Sweetie? Dash rolled her eyes, but kept licking at the tiny nub of firm flesh. Rarity's hips became frantic, bucking against Dash's muzzle like she was a stallion trying to rut. Dash leaned forward to press her against the bed. For such a seemingly unathletic unicorn, Rarity could sure put up a fight.

Ultimately, it didn't matter; each lick seemed to drive her a bit more wild, and only a minute later she let out a final gasp, her hips straining up, her hooves tearing at Dash's mane. The heat pouring from her crotch was like a furnace, soaking and burning Dash's muzzle. Her entire body shuddered, and then she collapsed in a boneless heap. Her chest shuddered with each breath, and her eyes were wide and unfocused in the dark.

Wow. Was that what I looked like? Dash placed a few final kisses on Rarity's lips, as if to bid them temporary farewell, then slowly crawled her way up the unicorn's body. When they were even with each other, she wrapped her arms around the mare's chest.

“Uh, hey,” she whispered in Rarity's ear. “How was that?”

Rarity chuckled quietly, her whole body shaking. She pressed a hoof against her crotch. “That was... that was... well, I think I'm going to be a little sore in the morning. Let's just call it wonderful.”

Wonderful was good. Dash pulled her a bit closer, and felt the first tide of exhaustion rolling over her. The sun would be up in just a few hours, and they hadn't exactly gotten much sleep. She closed her eyes and snuggled up against the soft, warm, beautiful pillow in her arms. Rarity made a quiet satisfied sound and did the same.

Just one more thing, though. “Hey, Rarity?”

“Yes, dear?” Rarity's voice was muzzy with sleep.

“What are we going to tell Sweetie?”

There was a long pause. Eventually, Rarity shook with silent laughter.

“I don't know, dear. We'll figure it out tomorrow.”

That worked. Dash put the last of her worries on her mental bookshelf and turned out the lights.

* * *

The cheerful room was painted in gray when Rainbow Dash woke again. The first light of dawn was a glow beyond the mountains, barely visible through the frosted window panes. Dash blinked slowly and sat up, careful not to disturb Rarity. She stared down at the mare silently.

Oh, Celestia. What the hell did I do?

She slid out of bed without a sound, over to the window. It swung outward, and she hopped up onto the windowsill. A cold breeze swirled the curtains. On the bed, Rarity moaned in her sleep and tucked into a tight ball.

You stupid fucking idiot. Why don't you just go piss on his grave, huh? Then maybe come back and stomp on her heart. She needs a good pony, not a traitor like you.

Dash closed her eyes. It was too late to beg forgiveness, especially from Soarin. She floated out the window, shut it behind her, and flew away into the dawn.

* * * * * * * * *

Next: Rainbow Dash is afraid. Rarity is resigned.

Realizations

There was a chill in the air when Rarity woke.

She yawned and stretched, aware of what a mess she was. Her mane was still straight and unstyled except where Rainbow Dash had mangled it in her well-intentioned attempts at grooming. She smiled at the memory and rolled over to say hello.

Aside from herself, the bed was empty.

That's odd. She's usually the late sleeper. Unfazed, she rolled off the bed. The room was filled with the stale scent of old sex, and she grimaced as she sniffed at herself. Definitely time for a bath.

A half-hour later, Rarity emerged from the bedroom feeling fresher than she had in days. The sun was well above the horizon, and the frost had melted from the window panes. She nudged the window open with a bit of magic. Hopefully the room would air itself out.

Sweetie Belle was already waiting for her downstairs, of course. She had another lavish breakfast spread prepared on the table: melons, strawberries, apple slices drizzled with caramel, and a steaming pot of herbal tea. She watched silently with a grin as Rarity took a seat at the table and poured a cup of tea. Some sort of fruity chai mate. She gave it a sniff, then a tiny sip. Not bad.

Still nothing from her sister. She gave Sweetie a glance, then shrugged and set a few fruit slices on her plate. She had just bitten into a soft wedge of melon when Sweetie spoke.

“So, how was your night?”

Rarity finished the piece of melon, then bit into another one while she thought. “Fine,” she said, once her mouth was clear.

Sweetie raised an eyebrow. “Ah, fine. That's good.”

They returned to breakfast, each polishing off a few more bits of the fruit. Rarity waited for the other horseshoe to drop.

She didn't have to wait long. “I'm glad to hear that. I was a little worried – I heard the oddest sounds last night. Almost like you two were fighting.”

Celestia, why do you punish us with little sisters? Rarity's eyes narrowed over her cup. The grin on Sweetie's face turned into a smirk.

“You shouldn't eavesdrop, dear. It's not polite.”

“Eavesdrop!” Sweetie held a hoof to her chest and gasped. “Why, Rarity! How could you ever think such a thing of me? I did everything I could not to hear those sounds. But no matter how many pillows I held over my ears, those sounds, those... moans and gasps... they were everywhere!”

Rarity felt her face growing warm. “Yes, well, about that. We were talking, and had a bit of a breakthrough. With Dash's emotional issues, that is.”

“With her emotional issues.”

“Indeed. It was very heartwarming.”

Sweetie nodded. “I'm glad to hear that.”

“Yes, we all are.” Rarity took another sip from her tea. This wasn't going so badly after all. Her sister almost never passed up an opportunity to tease.

“It's amazing how all your breakthroughs with her happen at night.”

And there it was. Rarity pursed her lips. “Well, we're at our most vulnerable at night, dear.”

“Yes, most vulnerable. So, should I set out some new sheets?”

Rarity coughed into her cup, spilling a few droplets of hot tea on her lap. She brushed them away, then scowled at her sister. “Sweetie!”

Sweetie grinned and leaned forward to place a light peck on Rarity's cheek. “I'm sorry, sis. I really am happy to see you happy, though.” A pause. “You are happy, right?”

Was she? Rarity tried to gauge her emotions and came up short. Her night with Dash wasn't like her usual dates with stallions who bore an uncanny resemblance to her dreamt-of prince. Dash was a friend, a dear one, and now she might be more. Rarity popped a strawberry in her mouth and thought while she chewed.

“I am, darling. I think I am.”

“Wow.” Sweetie's grin turned into a goofy smile. “You and Dash? That's, uh, not something I'd expect. But hey! That's life, right?”

Sweetie was a very smart young mare. Rarity smiled at her, but in her mind she still turned over that question.Am I happy? Was she ready to give up her prince?

“Anyway,” Sweetie said, “should we go wake Dash up? This breakfast won't last forever.”

Rarity blinked at her sister. “What do you mean? Didn't she already come down?”

Sweetie glanced around in confusion. “Down here? I don't think so. I've been up for hours and I haven't seen her. I assumed she was still in bed.”

Her sister's words were like a bucket of ice water dumped down Rarity's back. She froze, her mind tumbling over the incompatible points of view, and came to the only conclusion possible.

Dash was gone. Dash had snuck away.

She was a fool for not seeing it earlier, of course. How many stallion's beds had she snuck away from, desperate not to wake them and provoke uneasy questions? Questions about when they would see her again, questions about what she was doing next week, questions about what they meant to her. Questions that were much easier to avoid than answer.

Questions Dash apparently preferred to avoid as well.

Sweetie was still staring at her. Rarity shook herself from her stunned reverie and put on a fake smile.

“Oh, she must've gotten up early. Now that I think about it, she mentioned something about meeting the weather team,” she lied. She had plenty of practice lying – mostly with herself, but it was all the same.

“Anyway, I've got a few errands to run,” she continued before Sweetie could break in. “Thank you for the breakfast, dear. I'll be back in a bit. Taa!”

She couldn't get out the door fast enough.

* * * * * * * * *

The world's surface was like a map.

From ten thousand feet in the air, rivers were sparkling blue lines. Forests were a mix of colors depending on the dominant tree species: scarlet and orange for maples, butter for ashes and birch, brown for the dour oaks. Only the mountains, havens for pines and cedars, kept their green mantle this deep into autumn. Roads were like grids, growing denser the closer they approached to the cities. Clouds cast dark shadows on the map, stains where an errant god had spilled her ink.

How many months had it been since Rainbow Dash had looked down at the world from this height? Most of a year, at least. She hadn't stopped flying right away; it had been a gradual thing coupled with the slow realization that flying reminded her of him. And for a while, he was the last thing she wanted on her mind.

So she hadn't flown, and she hoped the dreams and memories would leave her be. Alas, they hadn't.

Didn't stop you from fucking her.

She closed her eyes. A burst of wind tried to knock her off path, but her wings adjusted automatically, dozens of muscles pitching her feathers at just the right angle to stay on course. Even after six months, she was still a natural flyer. The best in the world, they'd once called her.

You're an idiot, you know that? First you betray him, and now you're betraying her. She was really hurting, and instead of helping her you took advantage of her.

That wasn't true. She had tried to help Rarity. Things just got a little out of hoof after that. Then they got a little further out of hoof. A tight stomach met perfectly curved legs, and between them a pair of dainty, perfect lips waited for her. They had started to part as her inner lips swelled, and Dash could see the faint glisten of moisture between them. She felt herself—

Another gust of wind caught her, and she tumbled in the air, too distracted to respond correctly. She scowled and dove a few thousand feet, searching for a less turbulent zone.

She found calmer air. She couldn't find peace of mind.

* * * * * * * * *

Twilight Sparkle opened the Library door after the second set of knocks. Her mane was frazzled from sleep, and the bags under her eyes suggested she had just woken up.

“Rarity,” she said. Rasped, really, but who was counting. “Come in, come in. I've got some coffee brewing.”

“I'm sorry, dear. Did I wake you?” Rarity forced the nervous quiver from her voice. She wasn't nervous at all, in fact. She was just fine. Everything was fine.

“It was time to get up anyway,” Twilight said as they trotted to the kitchen. In other words, yes. “Gimme a moment.”

Rarity took a seat at the table, watching as Twilight did the only thing she could in the kitchen without burning the place down: brew coffee. Within minutes the rich, roasted scent filled the tree, and Twilight trotted to the table, an enormous mug of steaming coffee floating by her side. She sat, took a long gulp from the drink, and let out a contented sigh.

“Better, dear?”

“Yes, much.” Twilight's voice was almost normal. “Now, what brings you by so early?”

Rarity glanced at the clock over the stove. It was nearly ten in the morning. “Didn't you say you had to go to bed early last night?”

“Er, uh, sometimes I stay up reading for a few minutes.” She took another sip. “Or hours. Anyway! How are you?”

“Oh, good, good.” More lies. It was easy with anypony except Applejack. “You haven't seen Rainbow Dash around, have you?”

“Like, while I was sleeping?”

Oh, hm. Rarity frowned. “I suppose not. I apologize, Twilight. I've woken you up, and now I'm bothering you with silly questions.”

Twilight chuckled. “It's okay, Rarity. Like I said, time to get up anyway. And now I have coffee, so everything is fine.”

Ah, would that all of life's problems could be solved by coffee. Rarity sighed wistfully. “Actually, dear, as long as I've got you... do you mind if I ask another question?”

“Not at all.” Twilight set the mug down, looking interested. “What would you like to know?”

“Well, it's about your coltfriend, Dr. Hooves...” Rarity trailed off, trying to order her thoughts.

“Oh, I was thinking about that last night, actually,” Twilight said. “I checked the literature, and the standard for measuring penis length is from the tip of the glans while erect to the base of the scrotum. You're supposed to use a special measuring tape, but I have a length of string that should work just as—”

“Actually, darling, I had a different question.” Though, to be honest, that did sound very interesting and might deserve further consideration at some point. “When did you two fall in love?”

Twilight blinked, her mouth still open. She tilted her head and bit her lip, her eyes turned upward as she thought.

“You know... I'm really not sure. We met at a conference on temporal physics, where he was presenting a theory on the nonlinear nature of time.” She paused to take another sip of coffee. “Which is stupid, by the way. Time flows in one direction. Anyway, we got to arguing over some of his equations, and then we got kicked out of the conference, so we had to go to a coffee shop to keep arguing. Then we agreed to meet for dinner to argue some more. At some point we stopped arguing, and just enjoyed talking with each other, and... heh, you know, I don't really know when I fell in love with him. I just kind of realized it one day. How weird is that?”

Rarity sighed. “Not so weird, I think. Dash said the same thing about her and Soarin.”

Twilight nodded. “Love at first sight is for fairy tales. Real life is messier.”

Much messier. “She said he made her feel like a princess. Rainbow Dash, a princess!”

“Aww...” Twilight smiled down at her cup. “She's right, though. The Doctor makes me feel the same way. Special, you know? Like I'm the most important pony in the world.”

Rarity stiffened. The same flash of anger she had felt when Dash used those words bubbled back to the surface, before just as quickly being suppressed. “Well, not really like a princess, right darling? A real princess would...” Would what? What would a real princess feel like?

Twilight chuckled. “It's just a saying, Rarity. Every filly wants to be a princess, right? Well, I've known a few princesses. It's not all it's cracked up to be. Being in love, though... well, that's amazing.”

That's amazing. Rarity stared at Twilight, lost in thought. Eventually the librarian began to fidget.

“Er, Rarity? You there?”

Rarity started back to reality. “Yes, darling. Sorry, just... something you said there. If you'll excuse me.” She stood, feeling a bit light headed, and trotted out the library. She could vaguely hear Twilight calling something behind her.

A real prince would sweep her off her hooves and make her the most important pony in the world. But she'd met a real prince, and that certainly hadn't happened. And ever since, she'd waited for another prince, a pony who could love her and make her feel like a princess...

But they were all gone. She had kicked out every one. And now the one pony who had seen her pain and loved her anyway was gone. Flown away.

She started galloping.

* * * * * * * * *

The air was calmer a mile above the mountains. As smooth as cream. Dash soared across the sky on still wings, riding from thermal to thermal with the effortless grace that first drew Soarin's eye.

You're an idiot, you know?

Yeah, she knew. It was about the only thing she knew at that moment. Everything else was a confused jumble. She was abandoning her friends to be loyal to a ghost.

“Love is not a coin that you spend once and lose forever.” Rarity's words, dimly remembered, rattled around her mind. Of course, Rarity didn't know anything about love. She'd said so herself a few hours later.

Right before you fucked her.

What would Soarin say? Easy question. He'd want her to be happy. He'd be horrified to see her now, tormenting herself over his memory. He'd beg her to find somepony else to love.

She knew those facts, just as she knew that the air she soared through was a collection of colorless gases whose density depended on the altitude, temperature and humidity. Dry facts that she ignored completely while flying. Instinct and feeling were what made her The Rainbow Dash.

Facts were useless.

“I can't betray you,” she whispered. “I'm sorry, I can't.”

How would he answer that? A week ago, she wouldn't have been sure. Now, after Rarity and her friends had rescued her, would his answer be different? She imagined him flying beside her, just as they used to. It was so easy she didn't even have to close her eyes.

“Silly filly. You don't want to betray our love, so you stop loving all together. But love is never betrayal. You can still love me, even as you find another. Love is not bits to spend. It is far more valuable, and far more abundant.”

“You’re just saying that because you want me to be happy.”

“That’s all I ever wanted, love.”

Huh. Dash wheeled in the air. She was alone again, a blue dot in the middle of the vast blue sky. She was alone again, but she didn't have to stay that way.

She dove toward the earth, racing back to Ponyville.

* * * * * * * * *

Rarity had nowhere in particular to run. The town flashed by, blurred by her tears. Ponies yelped and jumped clear of her path.

Eventually she grew tired, then exhausted. Her gallop became a trot, then a walk, and finally she stumbled to a halt. She gasped for air and raised her head.

She was back in the clearing they had visited yesterday. The grass was still unruly from the storm Dash had generated with her flight. Branches and leaves stripped from the nearby trees littered the field.

She was alone again.

What are you doing? Of course she doesn't want you. She saw what you were last night. Once she gets over her issues, there are thousands of better ponies for her than you.

“Dash?” She raised her voice, crying out to the wind. “Dash, if you're out there, if you can hear me... you... you were right about Soarin.” She sniffled, blinking away tears.

“He really was... he really was your prince.”

Well, you finally get it. It's not bits or fame or royal breeding that make you a prince or princess. It's love. It's love, and you've spent your whole life tossing love away.

“It's love...” she mumbled. Her eyes closed, and she sat in the muddy grass. Her body felt hollow, like all its organs had simply walked away. A hollow pony. Just a shell.

She lay down and wept.

* * * * * * * * *

Eventually, she had to stand. She couldn't live the rest of her life in the field. There were still things to do. She brushed the mud from her coat as best she could and began the long walk back to town.

She avoided the busy streets, sticking to the side roads and alleyways. Years ago there had been no such thing, but now that Ponyville was a true city, there were plenty of streets to get lost on. She stuck to those as she wound her way back to the Boutique.

Studio. It's the Studio now. It belonged to Sweetie. Tomorrow she would leave, head back to Fillydelphia and try to pick up the pieces of her life. She pushed open the door and walked in.

“Sweetie, I'm back. I'll be in the bath if you...” She nearly stumbled. Sweetie was sitting at the table, munching on the remains of a sandwich.

That wasn't what stopped her. Seated across from Sweetie was a nervous Rainbow Dash. The pegasus licked her lips and stood.

“Hey sis, welcome back.” Sweetie's eyes roved over her muddy coat and windblown mane. “I'll just leave you two for a moment and get that bath started, hm?”

Rarity didn't answer. She couldn't answer. Sweetie waited another moment, then chuckled and trotted up the stairs.

Silence. From upstairs came the sound of running water. Dash coughed into her hoof, and broke first.

“Hey, uh... okay, first, I'm sorry about this morning. It was not cool to bail on you like that, especially after all we talked about last night. I'm really, really sorry.”

She waited. Rarity gave her a tiny nod.

“Whew, okay, good,” Dash continued. “Second, I was doing some thinking, and you're right. Love isn't some coin that you just spend once. Love isn't like money at all. You can have as much as you want. I can still love Soarin. I can love Soarin, and maybe love somepony else...” Her voice grew faint, almost inaudible as she finished.

Rarity bobbed her head. The lump in her throat refused to budge, and she swallowed several times before she could speak.

“That's... that's very good to hear, darling. I did some thinking too, about love, and how Soarin made you feel like a princess... well, it made me realize how silly I was to wait for a prince, when there are better ponies. Better ponies, right... right here.”

Dash stepped toward her, until their muzzles were just inches away. “Okay... just so we're clear, when you say 'right here,' you mean, like, in this room?”

Rarity chuckled, and her tears threatened to return. “Yes, Dash. Right here, in this room.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Dash's for a long, gentle kiss.

“Wow, okay, yeah,” Dash said sometime later. “You and me, though... We're a bit different. Can it really work?”

Rarity tilted her head. “You said it took awhile for you and Soarin to realize you were in love, right?” When Dash nodded, she continued. “Well, I'm willing to give it a try, if you are.”

And they did.

* * * * * * * * *

Epilogue: The greatest treasure

Some months later...

Rainbow Dash slipped her goggles over her neck and gave herself a quick once-over in the mirror. Her mane was still unruly despite Rarity's constant effort to get it styled. She looked, perhaps, a little rounder, a little less gaunt. Her muscles and sinews no longer showed so clearly through her coat.

Not bad, all things considered.

She trotted downstairs, where Rarity had laid out breakfast. Fruit again. Rarity was not, Dash had learned, the best cook in the world. She chuckled at the thought and inhaled a few bites, then grabbed the bag lunch Rarity had left on the table. A tiny yellow note, filled with her flowing script, was taped to the top:

Remember Sweetie's recital tonight. Love, -Rarity

Ah, fun. Three hours of listening to ponies trying to sing. Still, it made Rarity happy, and Sweetie would certainly blow them all away again. Why she bothered staying in Ponyville when the whole world wanted to hear her was a mystery to Dash.

She tucked the lunch in her saddlebags and flew out the door to work.

* * *

The skies above Ponyville were filled with clouds. The late winter sun was still low in the sky, adding little warmth to the pegasi laboring around her. A snowstorm was due in a few hours, and they still had an entire high pressure system to push away before the storm could move in. Dash watched the progress of the flight around her, offering a few corrections as the less-experienced pegasi struggled with the thick, heavy clouds.

She heard a subdued *pfft* behind her and turned to see a pegasus who most certainly did not work for the Ponyville Weather Team standing on a cloud, just a few feet away.

Dash gave the newcomer a nod. “Captain Spitfire. Welcome to Ponyville.”

Spitfire shook off her goggles and gave Dash weak smile. “Lieutenant. You don't know how good it is to see you back in the air.”

“Heh, yeah... things are better now.”

“I'm glad to hear that.” Spitfire paused, watching the dozens of pegasi working around them. “You know, since things are better... are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yup. Why, want to talk me out of it?”

“I'd be lying if I said I didn't.” Spitfire sighed, then reached back into her saddlebags and pulled out a small envelope. “Your paperwork is complete. Lieutenant Dash, you are hereby reassigned to the Equestrian Aerial Demonstration Team reserve squad. You will complete at least one training session per month, and attend at least one air show per year. Do you understand these orders?”

“I do.” Dash grinned at her. “And thanks for pushing that through.”

“Eh, you deserve it.” Spitfire passed the envelope to Dash, who stuck it in her saddlebags. “And hey, if you ever change your mind...” She left the rest unsaid.

“Thanks, but, I don't see it happening. Things are... things are really good here.” Dash turned around to watch her team reposition a few more clouds. She'd been running the team for less than two months, but already they responded to her directions like she was an old hand.

“Mhm... You know, I've met Rarity a few times. Forgive me, but she doesn't seem like your type. Are you sure it's going to work out?”

Dash tilted her head. She had asked the same question dozens of times. At night, before she fell asleep in Rarity's arms. In the morning, waking up nestled against her soft coat. When they were together. When they were away. Always, the answer was the same.

“I don't know, Spits. I don't think anypony ever knows. But I haven’t been this happy since before Soarin died.” Saying his name didn't hurt anymore. It was like a scar – always with her, but no longer bleeding. No longer a wound in her psyche.

Spitfire nodded. “Alright, I'll leave you be.” She turned and trotted away, but stopped at the edge of the cloud. “Hey, Dash?”

“Yeah?”

“You could've led the team, someday. You still can. If you change your mind, you could be the greatest Wonder Bolt ever.”

Dash was silent for a moment. She looked over the edge of the cloud, down at the bustling little town below. Somewhere in that mass of buildings, a white unicorn was hard at work on her dresses. In the back of her mind, Dash knew, she would be thinking of a sky blue pegasus with a garish mane.

“Yeah, I could be.” She turned to give Spitfire a smile. “But I'd rather be the happiest pegasus in Ponyville."

And she was.

Author's notes and a confession

Hey folks. First off, thanks for reading Salvation. Writing it was an adventure, some details of which (as well as future ideas) I'll explain below.

Before that, though, a quick confession. As many of you have guessed, SexyBack is not my main account. When Kits announced his contest, I decided it would be an opportunity to write about two things I've avoided so far: shipping and sex. I had no idea how well I would do at this task, or how the contest would turn out, so I played it safe and published it anonymously. Now that it's done and, frankly, the reception was miles beyond what I had expected, I think I can lay claim to this story.

Some of you have already figured it out, but I'm really Cold in Gardez. For those of you who couldn't wait to read more of SexyBack's work, well, there's plenty of it.

Now that that's out of the way, some author's notes.

* * *

One thing I always try to keep in mind when writing is this simple belief: Stories about ponies are stories about people. What's that mean? Basically, if you're an author, don't write about ponies. Write about humans who happen to inhabit the shapes of ponies. Write about human needs, wants, fears and complaints. Write about the little things that make humans tick. Write about the relationships humans have. Write about people.

Humans have romantic relationships. It's an aspect of humanity that, to this point, I've under played in most of my stories. After all, when we think about romance novels, we think about trashy prose, terrible plots, manufactured conflicts and shallow characters. Not very inspiring stuff if you're trying to be a good writer.

But intimate relationships are still an essential part of being human, and I wanted to give it a shot. Not just with a story that included romance, but a story about romance.

And sex.

Sex is also an essential part of being human. It's illicit, fetishized and viewed as sinful by many, but it is an absolutely fundamental part of being human. It's also incredibly complicated, up there with differential calculus and the Higgs Boson. Sex is messy, in more ways than one.

If writing about ponies means writing about humans, and relationships and sex are important parts of being human, then at some point I had to write about relationships and sex.

Enter Kits. If you haven't been over to his page, about a month ago he started a contest for the best romance featuring rare ships. Rarity and Dash was one of the options, and it seemed like the option with the most 'story' potential. If you get a chance, stop by at his page and thank him for running the contest. It was the trigger for Salvation.

The contest required the two ponies to go from friendship to love, and for the story to end happily. Kits suggested that it would take at least 5,000 words.

Heh.

I pitched the concept for Salvation to a few of my co-conspirators (who shall remain nameless), and we roughed out a four-chapter, 15-20k story concept. The (very) basic outline survived in the eight-chapter, 46k story that is now published.

It's not done.

I'm happy with the first several chapters, which established the background for each character (Dash's depression and inability to cope with Soarin's death; Rarity's more general issues involving love). I am mostly happy with the middle of the story, which frames the basic conflict. What I did not have time to do was fully develop the growing relationship between Rarity and Dash (originally envisioned to occupy a whole week, rather than three days), and I had no time at all to write the resolution. The final chapter and epilogue are 3.3k and 700 words apiece. That's because they were written in a frenzy the night before the contest ended. I finished the epilogue 30 minutes before the story was due.

All these things deserve to be fixed. When I get back from Afghanistan and have some free time, expect an 'unabridged' version of Salvation with new chapters and a fuller ending. There are some new rules for revising stories, but hopefully Knighty will cut me some slack and I'll be able to finish this right.

I'll close out with some answers to a few questions people kept asking.

Question: Who is Sweetie dating?

Answer: That's a very good question.

Question: How did Soarin die?

Answer: Ceiling crocodiles.

Question: Will there be a sequel?

Answer: Perhaps. I have quite a few other story ideas in the hopper. Also, there's the whole Afghanistan thing. Got a lot going on in my life at the moment, in other words.

Question: Who is best pony?

Answer: Twilight Sparkle, with Rarity running a close second.

Question: I loved Salvation, but now that it's over my life feels dull and empty. What other romance stories should I read?

Answer: Romance Reports, by SleeplessBrony; Within and Without, by Cloudy Skies; Eternal, by Device Heretic. Those should keep you occupied for a while.

Prologue: A chance meeting

“Excuse me, um, do you need help c-carrying those, m-miss?”

Rarity glanced over her shoulder. The speaker, a young unicorn colt with lanky legs and a face full of acne, was gazing up at her with a look of besotted adoration. He wore a vest embroidered with the store's name, Acclaim!, and the door he was supposed to be holding open for the rest of the fashion outlet's customers had swung shut, nearly striking an older pegasus mare in the face. Rarity couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face. Mm. Still got it.

“Oh, darling, that's quite noble of you.” She batted her eyes at him, then glanced at the packages floating serenely in the air behind her. Truth be told, she wouldn't mind having a personal valet to carry them back to her apartment. Not that she needed the help – it simply meant she could shop even more. She made a show of considering the colt's offer, and just as she was about to accept, a flash of blue outside the wide glass windows caught her eye. Curious, she turned to see what it was.

Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, was standing across the street. She ignored the hustle and bustle of the busy city around her, instead looking at a small bookshop's window display. Her mane, as shockingly bright and garish as Rarity remembered, danced in the light autumn wind.

Rarity nearly dropped her packages in surprise.

“Sorry, maybe next time!” she said to the colt, not even bothering to face him. She pulled the door open and dashed across the street, dodging around one of the light rail carriages that ran all throughout Fillydelphia's uptown district. Rainbow Dash was still looking into the bookstore when Rarity stopped just behind her. Their eyes met in the window display's reflection, and Dash spun around to face her.

“Rarity?” Rainbow Dash looked as surprised as Rarity felt. Her wings flared like she was about to leap into the air. “Ohmigosh... Rarity!”

“It isyou!” Rarity felt herself smiling uncontrollably. “Why, I thought I saw you across the street, and I thought to myself, 'Surely that cannot be Rainbow Dash!' But here you are! What are you doing in Fillydelphia, dear?”

The smile faded from Dash's face, and her wings settled back to her sides. She bit her lip and glanced around the sidewalk before answering.

“Oh, you know, just taking some personal time,” she said. Her voice was as scratchy as ever, though deeper than Rarity remembered from their magical years in Ponyville. “The Bolts wrapped up for the season last week. Good time to travel, right?” The smile reappeared, but tight around the edges. It didn't reach those magenta eyes.

“Well, any time is a good time for travel, I always say!” The pleasantries rolled off Rarity's tongue without effort. Hundreds of nights attending soirees and garden parties hosted by the highest minds in Equestrian fashion had given her countless opportunities to practice the art of speaking without really saying anything, and while she spoke, she studied Rainbow Dash's face and posture.

She didn't like what she saw.

There were still bags beneath Dash's eyes. Her ears never seemed to point in the same direction, always swiveling about, as though a thousand phantom sounds were assailing her. The bright mane that caught Rarity's eye before seemed almost dull, now that she was close enough to count the individual strands.

“So, how have you been?” Rarity asked, as though the answer weren't obvious. She tried to keep the concern out of her voice. “I haven't seen you since the, ah...”

“Funeral,” Dash finished for her. “And I'm good. You know. Getting better.”

Rarity cleared her throat. How long had it been? Almost half a year, she realized. Spring had just begun, and a cold drizzle tinged with sleet had fallen all day long. It was like the weather had shared in their mourning. Knowing the pegasi, perhaps it had. She shook her head to banish the memories.

“Yes, that's good to hear. Very good to hear.” She forced herself to smile again. “Have you seen any of the girls since then?”

“Huh?” Dash jerked slightly – lost in her own memories, apparently. She gave a little scowl at something, then looked back at Rarity, her expression calm once more. “Nah, been... busy. Real busy. With flying, and stuff.” A pause. “And traveling! Yup, been going everywhere. Lots of travel.”

The sidewalk traffic continued to flow around them, and in an unspoken accord they turned and began walking side-by-side down the street. Upscale stores with fanciful displays – here a haberdashery, selling brightly plumed hats; there a glass blower, his window filled with a thousand wondrous creations – passed beside them, barely meriting a glance. Stately maples lined the streets, their leaves blushing red with autumn's late grandeur. Rarity ducked her head to avoid an errant branch.

“Yes, travel. How wonderful.” Rarity considered her next move. It felt like she was walking on thin ice. “Have you considered visiting Ponyville while you're free? I just know the girls would love to see you.”

“Ponyville?” An irritated, almost pained look flashed across Dash's face, though Rarity couldn't for the life of her understand why. Surely Dash didn't blame anything that had happened on Ponyville? That was years ago, and—

“What about you?” Dash interrupted her musing. “When was the last time you went home?”

“Home?” Rarity blinked. “Well, I was just heading back to my apartment... oh! You mean Ponyville, of course. I suppose it's been over a year now.”

“Why don't you go back more often?”

The question brought Rarity up short. She stopped in her tracks, then quickly stepped out of the way of a unicorn stallion and his family. A pair of young fillies toddled by, following in their father's path.

“Well, Dash... I suppose this is home for me, now.” She made a vague gesture with her hoof, encompassing the bustling metropolis all around them. This, she had realized the moment she first stepped in Fillydelphia, all those years ago, was home. The city was everything she had ever hoped for, filled with shops and art and restaurants and ponies, a hundred thousand ponies all clamoring their way up society's ladder.

“Exactly,” Dash said. She nodded, as though she had somehow proven her point. An uncomfortable silence stretched out between them. Rarity felt the ice cracking beneath her hooves.

“But you know,” she gushed. “I was thinking just the other day of visiting Ponyville again! I mean, it's been so long, right? Why, we could visit together, Rainbow Dash. We could... we could get the whole gang back together!” Her worried smile was replaced by a small, hopeful one.

Dash stared at her for a moment, then frowned and looked down at the sidewalk. Her wings flexed one at a time before settling back to her sides. She chewed on her lip for a moment. Finally, she snorted.

“Yeah, Ponyville. I guess that would be cool,” she said, a bit of her old swagger coming back. “We could party with Pinkie, grab some drinks with Applejack... heh, even Twilight would be fun to hang out with again.”

Rarity let out a tiny breath. Success! Her smile relaxed and grew wider. “Wonderful, dear. I have a few things to tie up here, but I can grab a train...” She trailed off. She had been about to say “tonight,” but that wouldn't work.

Some loose ends took more than a day to tie off.

“I can grab a train tomorrow night,” she continued after only a brief lapse. Hopefully not enough for Dash to notice. “Oh, this is going to be fun. I haven't seen Sweetie Belle in months!”

“Right, fun. It's gonna be awesome.” Rainbow Dash nodded, but her gaze was off to the side. Rarity couldn't help the feeling that Dash was trying to convince herself of that truth.

“Well, I'm so glad we ran into each other. Why, this is the best thing that's happened to me all month.” Rarity stepped forward to give her friend a hug. Dash started to flinch, almost as if afraid of the contact, but it was too late to escape. Rarity's forelegs wrapped around Dash's shoulders, and she gave a little squeeze.

Rarity had always been trim, the result of an obsession with her body image that, at times, bordered on the unhealthy. A careful diet, light exercise and an incessant work schedule gave her the perfect form. She was sleek, with just enough curves to catch a suitor's eye and say to them, “Hello, darling. Yes, you. I just wanted you to know that I am emphatically female.”

Rainbow Dash, as Rarity now felt for herself, was beyond trim.

If Rarity had taken one of the wooden clothes horses from her boutique and wrapped it round with iron cords, she could not have more closely emulated the pegasus in her grasp. There was not a scrap of loose flesh on Rainbow Dash's body. Her muscles were taut bands just beneath her hide. It was like hugging a suit of armor.

She gave Dash another squeeze, then stood back.

“You... you're doing okay, right?” she asked in a whisper. The tension she had felt in Dash's body was like a coiled spring, wound far beyond its tolerances and ready to snap.

“I'm fine,” Dash said. “You worry too much, Rares.” She reached out a hoof and poked Rarity in the chest. A friendly gesture; Rarity winced anyway.

“Aha, yes, I suppose I do.” Rarity cleared her throat. “Well, I need to get these packages back to my place, but I can't wait to see you--”

“Hey, you wanna hang out tonight?”

“Tonight? Well...” The question knocked her off balance, and she glanced around, stalling for time For some reason she couldn't meet Dash's eyes. “The thing is, dear, I already have some plans for tonight.”

“Oh. That's cool.” Dash's face was a study in indifference. “No biggie. We'll see each other in Ponyville.”

Plans? Is that what you're calling it now?

“Exactly,” Rarity said. She ignored the nagging voice in her head. “I'm glad you understand.”

Oh, I'm sure she'd understand. She might not want to be your friend anymore, but she'd under—

“Well, I'm afraid I need to get these things back to my apartment,” Rarity continued, rolling right over her own thoughts. “I can't wait to see you, though. Ta ta!” She leaned forward to give Dash a friendly nuzzle followed by a sheepish nod, and then she turned and stepped away.

Her apartment was in the other direction, of course, but it would've been awkward to spend much more time in that conversation. She cut across the next block, and began circling her way back home. Her last sight of Rainbow Dash was a forlorn blue spot in the crowd, quickly subsumed by the bustle of Fillydelphia.

* * *

Rarity's apartment was on the floor above her boutique. It was, in a way, not unlike the arrangement she had when she owned the Carousel Boutique in Ponyville. She could work downstairs during the day and retire upstairs at night. And, of course, go shopping in the finest fashion district in the world whenever she wanted.

Her assistants had already closed up the shop by the time she returned. A neat stack of orders lay on her bookkeeper's desk, and she spent a moment flipping through them in search of anything interesting. Most were for copies of last fall's designs, just now coming back into vogue with the advent of colder weather. She would have to check her stocks of fabric to make sure there was enough for all these orders.

At the bottom of the stack was a request for something new, a bespoke evening gown for a wealthy socialite Rarity had had the fortune to design for in the past. Just reading the description sent her into a moderate tizzy. Autumn foliage in rubies and lace? I can do that. She scribbled a quick note on the order, instructing her assistants to schedule a fitting session as quickly as possible. The quill was already back in its holder when she realized her error and scribbled in another line. Schedule a meeting as soon as possible – after next week.

She gave the rest of the shop a quick glance – the waiting area was pristine as always, with samples of her finest work on display. A few fashion magazines, carefully selected to feature her own wares, sat on the table. The workroom was a bit of a mess, but she let that slide. Having assistants meant making compromises, and the neatness she had so prided herself on back in Ponyville was one. Besides, creative chaos sometimes led to better results.

The apartment upstairs was spacious, nearly as large as her entire boutique back in Ponyville. Custom oak furniture, wrought by some of the best earth pony crafters, decorated each room. The walls and floor were accented in the same blues as her boutique, all of it designed to showcase the room's most precious content.

Her, of course.

She set the pile of packages down in her bedroom and turned to the closet. Calling it a closet was a bit of an understatement – it was almost half as large as the bedroom itself, with multiple aisles and shelves filled with every hat, saddle, shoe, dress or gown a pony could imagine. Each item seemed to call out to her, begging her to select it for the evening.

What to wear, what to wear. A vexing question indeed. Aside from merely impressing her date, she had to consider the environment. Dinner at one of the city's nicest restaurants? Dozens of potential customers would see her. Or later at the theatre, taking in a showing of The Mare and the Night? Hundreds of ponies might see her! She considered a wide-rimmed cerulean hat with an ostrich plume. Too fancy?

Oh, just wear what you always wear.

She scowled at the hat and moved on. A sleek black gown on a hanger beckoned her. Simple, yet sophisticated. Good for any occasion, really.

You already know what you're going to pick. Something slutty.

“No, I don't think so,” she said to the gown. She was still young for the social position she had reached, and she needed something that showed off her youth. Something that showed off her skill, but also reminded ponies who she was. She turned down the next aisle.

The blue dress caught her eye instantly. It was more of a slip, really – rich, dark blue fabric that shimmered in the dim light. She plucked it from its hangar and pranced into her bedroom to stand in front of the mirrors. With a thought and a bit of magic, the dress floated into position, lightly draping itself over her back. She fixed the clasp over her breast and looked up to see the result.

The unicorn in the mirror was stunning. Even with a mane slightly askew from a day of shopping, she would easily be the most beautiful mare in the theater, including the actors up on stage. The deep blue dress matched her eyes and offset her royal purple hair. She really should wear blue more often.

She nodded at her reflection, then floated the dress to a nearby rack to wait. She had a few hours to kill before their dinner reservation, which meant she barely had enough time for a bath.

* * *

“So, does your sister still live in Ponyville?”

Rarity smiled across the table at her date. They had just finished the main course – a sinfully delightful plate of lightly toasted oats garnished with carrot slices and drizzled in honey – and were waiting for the desert to arrive. It was one of the better meals she'd enjoyed in months.

Even better than the food, of course, were the glances from their fellow patrons. The dim, candlelit restaurant was one of the most expensive in the city, and barely a dozen other couples shared the room with them. From the moment they walked in, Rarity had been subject to every stallion's eye. She drank their attention like a flower drinks sunlight.

“She does, she does,” Rarity answered. She paused for a moment while a waiter set their deserts before them. Some sort of carrot cake, she guessed. She gave it a little nibble and had to suppress a moan. So delicious.

“Oh, c’est magnifique,” she continued. “Anyway, Sweetie Belle. I gave her my old boutique to use as a studio. You should hear her sing – I keep telling her she has the talent to make it in a city like this, but she says she wants to stay in Ponyville. Someday I'll get her to change her mind.”

Her date nodded. He was a fine specimen of a unicorn, even by her standards. White coat, just like hers, with a dark blue mane that was stylish in a slightly unkempt manner, as though he had more important things to worry about than his hair. He worked for the crown in one of Celestia's liaison offices at the city center. Fillydelphia sometimes seemed very far away from Canterlot and its courts, and it was easy for most ponies to forget they had a princess. Celestia didn't seem to mind.

He was smart, stylish and handsome. His body was straight out of a fantasy. He was, many mares might have argued, quite the catch.

If only she could remember his name.

It was something to do with marks, she was sure. Feather Mark? No, that's silly. Hardly a name for a stallion. Check Mark, perhaps? Maybe something to do with checks? She disguised her ponderings with another bite of cake.

Oh, like you care about his name, anyway.

“Well, if she's half as talented a singer as you are a dressmaker, she would do well here indeed,” her date said. He tried a bite of the cake and made a pleased sound.

Seems like a nice pony. Better than you deserve. Can't even remember his name, but you'll fuck him as long as he reminds you of—

“Anyway, it's getting a bit late,” she said, suddenly. “We should probably start heading to the theatre. I'd rather not get stuck outside with the crowd.”

He glanced at the grandfather clock standing against the wall. There was plenty of time before the show started, even if they ambled to the theatre at a slow mosey. “I suppose it is. Hopefully this show will be as delightful as the dinner.”

She smiled at him and raised a hoof to beckon their waiter. As always, she paid for both their meals and left a generous tip.

* * *

“How did you get tickets for this, anyway?” her date whispered in her ear. His breath tickled her mane, and she leaned a bit closer against his side.

“Oh, a favor here, a favor there,” she whispered back. The actors on stage were volleying lines at each other loudly enough to cover their quiet conversation. “I made a lovely little dress for one of the actresses – I think we'll get to see it in the final act.”

He hummed quietly in response, and they resumed their silence. It was actually quite a good play so far. Romance, intrigue, villains and heroines. Almost like one of the silly romances she had amused herself with as a younger mare, now brought to life on stage.

The lights overhead dimmed for a change of scene, and when they returned, new set pieces had been rolled onto the stage. The prince slept in his bed beneath a glowing moon high above his roofless room. A shadow darted across the stage and leapt through the prince's window.

“Oh, I've heard about this scene,” Rarity whispered. “Apparently it's a bit, ah, risque.”

“Well, it can't be too bad. Otherwise they wouldn't let foals...” He trailed off and glanced around. There were, in fact, no foals in the audience. Up on stage, the heroine slipped into the prince's bed.

“They don't have plays like this back in Ponyville,” Rarity said. She felt herself starting to blush. Beside her, her date shifted in his seat, and it was all she could do not to grin.

* * *

“Thank you for the evening, Miss Rarity.” Her date leaned forward to place a polite kiss on her cheek. “It was delightful. I hope to see you again soon.”

“It was my pleasure, I assure you.” She smiled and lowered her head demurely, trying not to let her thoughts show on her face. Why didn't he ask? Every stallion always asked. Did she have to beg?

You'd like that, wouldn't you? Begging him in the street? At least then he'd know what you are.

“It's still early though, isn't it?” He paused to clear his throat. “Could I, ah, interest you in a drink?”

And there it was. She let out a little sigh of relief. “That's very nice of you to offer. I think I would love a drink or two.”

And maybe something else besides? But hey, might as well keep up the act. You're still a good pony.

He grinned, looking a bit silly, and held open the door to his apartment. She lightly brushed against him as she entered.

The apartment was dark, with only a single lamp keeping the night at bay. Her date bustled around her to turn on a few others, and the rest of his home came into view. It was tidy–either he was unusually organized for a bachelor or he'd entertained some hopes of this very outcome. Most stallions did. She buried a smirk before he came back around, a tumbler and a pair of glasses hovering in the air beside him.

“Is scotch alright?” he asked. “I'd offer some wine, but I don't have anything chilled.”

“A scotch would be delightful,” she said. She stretched out on the couch, tucking her legs beneath her body. It wasn't as nice a couch as hers, but then, he only had a government salary.

It was a good enough couch, she decided.

He took a similar position on the rug in front of the couch and floated a pair of glasses between them. She carefully grabbed one with her magic. They clinked them together and each took a deep sip. The fiery liquid burned its way down her throat and seemed to settle in her chest, filling her with a deep, soothing warmth.

“Oh my,” she said. “That's good stuff.”

He tilted the bottle in the air, inspecting the label. “It was a gift from a few years back, actually. I've been saving it for a special occasion.”

Aww, he called you special. Good thing he doesn't know he's just a nameless stallion filling a hole in your life. That'd kill the mood, wouldn't it?

She ignored her own thoughts, chasing them away with another sip. Besides, he wasn't nameless. Mark, mark, something mark...

“Bright Mark!” she blurted. It was shockingly loud as it broke the romantic quiet.

He started at the sound of his name and gave her a bewildered glance. “Er, yes?”

“Ahem, sorry. I was, just, ah...” She felt herself blushing and hoped it was too dim for him to notice. “Just surprised you would open such a special gift, just for me.” There, that was appropriately sappy.

It seemed to mollify him. He gave her a smile. “I think you underestimate how special you are.”

This time she didn't mind the blush. She finished off her glass and set it down with a very deliberate air, then lowered her head onto her crossed forelegs. Her eyes were level with his. Come on, take a hint!

He did. He set his glass beside hers, then leaned forward to brush her cheek with his lips. It was more of a nuzzle than a kiss, and she hummed encouragingly in response. She felt him smile, and he leaned forward, pressing his mouth against hers. Lightly at first, then more insistently. His tongue pushed against her lips, and she met it with her own. The kiss stretched out for long seconds.

She broke away with a quiet sigh. He wasn't a bad kisser, at least as far as she could judge such things. Firm, but not crassly aggressive with his tongue like so many stallions. She shifted onto her side and gave him her best “come hither” look.

It worked. He took a breath, then followed her up onto the couch. It was barely large enough for the two of them, even with most of him overlapping her. The poor thing simply hadn't been designed for this sort of activity. She grinned at the thought and lifted her head to steal another kiss.

He rested his forelegs on either side of her body, taking enough of his weight that she felt comfortably pressed rather than crushed. She squirmed beneath him, running her hooves up and down his huge chest while they exchanged more kisses. The bite of scotch on his tongue slowly faded as their saliva mingled.

“Wait,” she said. She pushed him away with her hooves and wriggled out from beneath him enough to free her dress. A quick thought and surge of magic unclasped it and floated it off her body. She folded it, very neatly, and then set it on the arm of a chair safely off to the side.

“Ahem. You may continue.” She drew a hoof along his chest as she settled back down onto the couch. He grinned at her, and they spent the next few minutes in a warm haze. The scotch had settled pleasantly into her brain, banishing for a time the critical thoughts that always seemed to pursue her. She didn't think – she simply enjoyed the feel of his tongue against hers and the delightful weight of his body pinning her to the couch.

The kissing stopped, and she was about to open her eyes to see why when she felt his lips press against the side of her neck. She cooed quietly, then drew in a quick breath as he nipped at her skin. So, that's what he likes, hm?

She tilted her chin back, exposing more of her neck to his questing lips. The familiar warmth had finally started to build between her legs, pulsing with the beat of her heart, and she pushed her hips insistently against him. He let out a shuddering breath, warm and hot against her neck, almost as hot as his tongue as he traced a wet trail up to her jaw and then her ear. Her ear flicked around maddeningly before he captured it with his teeth and nibbled on the firm, sensitive flesh.

Rarity absently regretted that she wasn't the one nibbling on him, but it was getting hard to keep her thoughts straight. She settled for running her hooves through his mane, down his back, along his sides and against his chest. His body was pleasingly toned, hard where she was soft, filled with power and strength that screamed masculinity. She writhed beneath him and moaned as the heat between her legs became an inferno.

And then his hoof was tracing its way down her side. She jerked and gasped as it pressed against her mark, then gasped again as he pushed it between her legs in search of that burning heat which was already filling the room with a musky scent.

Despite her body's clear and open invitation, she tensed, her limbs locking in place around his sides. This was the part she always dreaded, when they felt how wet she was, how shameless she was. His hoof lightly touched her there, between her legs, and the drawn out moan that poured from her throat was equal parts pleasure and fear. If he were a good pony, this was when he would push her away in disgust, order her out of his house and onto the street like the shameless hussy she was.

But he didn't. Instead he returned his mouth to hers for a deep kiss, and his hoof pressed against her lips, parting them ever so slightly. A surge of pleasure shot through her, and when she moaned again it entirely out of lust. The fear, for now, was banished.

Of course he doesn't care. They never care. He always knew you were a slut.

She bit his lip, harder than she intended, drawing a surprised grunt from her lover. He pulled back, his breath hot and ragged. Even in the dim light she could see in his eyes the feral intensity that was beginning to take over. The cuddling and foreplay wouldn't last much longer, she guessed.

“Would you like to go to the bedroom?” she whispered.

He nodded, and just as quickly was off of her. She rolled off the couch onto the floor, and they walked together down the apartment's lone hallway, bumping and nipping playfully at each other the whole way. Their play grew hotter and heavier, and they almost didn't make it to the bedroom.

His room was small, and the bed small as well, but she judged it would be large enough for their purposes. She gave him a final bump with her shoulder, then darted toward the bed, hopping up to plant her forelegs upon the mattress. She turned to look over her shoulder and flicked her tail to the side, giving him a glimpse of her most private of treasures.

It had the desired effect. He stepped forward, ready to mount her, and she slipped away from him up onto the bed. Her tail flicked gently against his snout along the way.

“Tease,” he accused her with a grin. She smiled back and settled onto the bed, her hooves pawing at the sheets beneath her. They had a surprisingly high thread count, she noted.

He hopped up onto the bed, setting the whole thing creaking. She wondered for a moment if it would support the stress they were about to subject it to, and then the thought was driven from her mind as he mounted her, pushing her down with far more weight than before. Her tail strained to the side, entirely of its own accord, exposing her to the world. He nibbled at her neck again, and she let out a shuddering moan.

Shameless.

“Are you ready?” His breath tickled her ear. The head of his cock pressed up against her entrance, and she felt her legs shaking, like she had just run a dozen miles.

Beg him. Show him what you are.

She didn't beg. She didn't need to. A quick, jerky nod was all it took, and his hips pressed forward. Inch by inch he penetrated her, spreading her wet passage apart to accommodate him. He grunted into her ear and pushed again. Her hooves dug into the covers as she gasped. As always there was the slightest sensation of pain as she stretched open, defeated entirely by the animal pleasure that washed through her pelvis. She moaned and pushed back against his hips until he was as deep into her as a stallion could go.

They lay together for a few minutes, unmoving, conjoined, panting. She shifted her hips and felt his head twitching deep within her. The feelings – of being pinned, penetrated, possessed by this stallion, by her prince – could have lasted forever. It was enough for her.

Not enough for him, though. He tugged at her mane with his teeth and began moving his hips, slowly at first, then ever faster. Each thrust sent shudders through her body, accompanied by tiny, unladylike gasps of pleasure that escaped from her mouth. The fullness, the pleasure built with each stroke. She moaned, louder, and turned her head to bite the sheets.

Slut. Whore.

It was over too soon. That was no mark against him – he lasted admirably long. But eventually his thrusts grew faster and harder, less even, like he was out of control. Each stroke rocked her entire body and set the bed swaying. The pressure within her grew higher and higher, almost reaching the peak. She pushed against him with each thrust, utterly shameless.

He thrust one final time, nearly crushing her hips against the bed with his weight. She felt his shaft pulsing, followed by a warm flood against her cervix. She strained, almost at the peak, and reached a hoof down between her legs to help press herself over the edge. A light touch was all it took, and her body shook with ecstasy.

They panted together for a few moments, unmoving. He was still buried within her. She turned her head, and he leaned down to kiss her again. They shared the pose, both satiated, until he slipped out of her and lay down by her side.

Rarity never knew what to say at times like this, so she kept her mouth shut. His foreleg reached across her back to pull her closer, and she settled against his chest with a satisfied sigh.

It wasn't bad, really.

Not bad at all.

They both got what they wanted.

Right. He got you, and you get to pretend for a little while. Seems fair.

His breath tickled her mane, and she felt the rise and fall of his chest grow steady with sleep. Stallions – always the same.

He'd make a nice prince. Except, of course, he isn't one. Just some nameless stallion you wanted to fuck.

Bright Mark was a good pony, she decided. Courteous, thoughtful and generous. She could appreciate that last part more than most.

Right. Rarity: ever so generous. Such a wonderful role model you make for foals. Except the part where you're a slut.

She let out a breath and closed her eyes. Sleep, sleep. Any time now, sleep. Tomorrow would be a busy day, making sure the shop would tide over until she returned from Ponyville. It would be so nice to see the girls again. Especially Rainbow Dash.

Whore.

She didn't mind the thoughts that kept playing out in her head. All ponies were plagued with doubts, after all. Some more than others.

Shameless.

So maybe life hadn't turned out the way she expected. Her prince was still out there, and until then, this would do. She had realized long ago that self-loathing was a small price. She cuddled up against the stallion holding her in his sleep.

Right, keep telling yourself that.

The price of not being alone.

* * * * * * * * *

[Next: Rainbow Dash returns to Ponyville, a few questions are answered, and somepony gets lucky.]