Salvation

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.