A Cloudborn's Restless Spirit

by TacticalRainboom

Rating: mature
Tags: Thunderlane, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Flitter and Cloudchaser, Rainbow Dash, Romance
Length: 15148

Flitter's happy to have her sister in town, but the town might not be ready for Cloudchaser.

The first pegasus, the story goes, was born when the north wind first kissed the clouds. Embraced by sun, moon, and sky, she soared over the world never knowing what it was to be bound to the earth. Some say that her love of freedom lives on in the hearts of her descendants.

This story is about two sisters, one with a soul of wind and flame, the other with the peaceful heart of an earthbound.

Love, according an old proverb, is delicate enough to bottle the sweet morning breeze and powerful enough to harness raw lightning. The old proverbs don't say whether love is gentle enough to heal the ailing heart... or whether love is persistent enough to tame a soul made of wind and flame.

Worldbuilding, slice-of-life, drama, and clop, with a touch of side-fic.

Image by MrWhooper.

Published 2012-08-03 19:04:03 UTC
Last updated 2012-08-21 04:20:42 UTC

1: Partly Cloudy

“Are you serious, Chaser? He has a marefriend!” Flitter hissed. She kept her head down, as if ducking low would help her to avoid drawing attention. In reality, it just made her look like she was doing something secretive, not that any of the other guests cared terribly much. They only spared a brief glance before going back to the punch bowl or the snack table. Most were too busy talking about their unlikely success with Monday’s tornado to care about a little argument between sisters.

“So what?” Cloudchaser replied, rolling her eyes. “It’s not like she gave him her wings. Don’t you ever have fun?” Cloudchaser didn’t even look at Flitter while she talked; her eyes were aimed at a spot ten feet above the ground, where her target reclined on one of the clouds that had been brought down for the party. At the moment, he was at work chugging a can of juice from the drink cooler. Thunderlane had a beautiful charcoal-grey coat and was a lot of fun, if a bit gruff. He was also memorable for being one of the losers who’d called in sick on tornado day. She’d have to be sure to tease him a little for that.

“How do you know?” Flitter snapped, her nasal tone piercing Cloudchaser’s little reverie. “You’re going to cause trouble again! Don’t you think she’ll get jealous?”

“I know the marefriend won't get jealous,” Chaser said, her nonchalance turning to cockiness, “because of how much she enjoyed my company on Thursday.”

Words failed Flitter. She resorted to an openmouthed gape.

Chaser seized the opportunity. “What, you want some too? Why don’t you see if she’s free sometime? Blossomforth’s a real sweetie, I think you’d like her. And you should see how far back she can bend her--”

"Fine!" Flitter huffed. “If Thunderlane wants to have bodysex with a reckless, wild-”

“Let’s hope he does!” Chaser stuck her tongue out at Flitter as she took flight, headed for Thunderlane's cloud. Flitter stuck her tongue right back, then turned tail and headed for the refreshment table. “Like arguing with the wind,” she muttered.

Bodysex, Chaser thought on her way up, was a wonderfully descriptive word. Just body and no wings meant no commitment and relatively few risks. That meant there was no problem (again, relatively) with propositioning a taken stallion. Including Thunderlane. Gruff, straight-edged, earnest Thunderlane with his cute pride and his incrediblebody. Chaser couldn’t imagine being an Earther, with their “cycles” and their rules, guarding their bodies like fortresses and needing all kinds of precautions to keep from getting pregnant. Many Earthers and Unis harbored an unfortunate stereotype of Pegs as being flighty and impulsive, and Cloudchaser had long ago taken it upon herself to prove them all completely right.

Thunderlane didn’t even turn his head as Chaser landed delicately on the crest of his pillowlike cloud, throwing a long shadow over his face. “Somepony’s in my light,” he grumbled, once he’d taken the can of juice out of his mouth. “Sit somewhere else, this cloud’s mine.”

“And what if I’d rather stay right here?”

Thunder tilted his head until he could see the mare perched above him. He didn’t look amused. “You got a problem?”

“Problem? What’re you talking about?” Chaser cocked her head sideways in mock confusion. “Maybe I just like the view from up here.”

Thunderlane and Cloudchaser held a brief staring match, which Chaser soon lost not by blinking, but by getting distracted by the ‘view’ she’d come for. Thunderlane had been splayed out in a reclining position, but as he rolled over onto all fours, his muscled body and equally powerful wings came into full view. Chaser was reminded immediately of the reason she had been so keen on going after him.

There was no grace to his figure; he was all power, from flanks to neck to demeanor. Chaser had to admit she was a little envious of his mare. Cloudchaser had taken a liking to Thunder during training season, mainly because the boy had the guts to back up the promises made by his powerful body. No matter how many times Rainbow Dash picked on him in front of the team--poor baby--he just kept soldiering on without complaint, at least until he was well and truly incapacitated by his flu. He had also managed to take half the team out with him, so maybe it would be better not to taunt him about it after all. No need to rub it in.

“Blossom told me all about you,” Thunderlane said as he found his balance on the cushiony cloud.

“Yeah? What did she say?” Chaser's smile grew. "No, wait, don’t tell me. I bet she told you about how--”

Thunderlane wasn’t smiling. “She said you were crazy.”

“Seemed to me like she didn’t mind that...” Chaser glanced over at the partygoers below with a distant smile. Some of the crazier things she'd done with Thunder’s marefriend were going to be cherished memories for quite some time. The sun warming them both while they took a low-altitude lap over the lake after lunch... That adorable little gasp as she snatched Blossom and forced her into a climb, nuzzling her the whole way up, until...

“She also said that you gave her an in-flight.” Thunderlane was definitely frowning now. Whoops.

Cloudchaser’s grin wavered. “W-what? You want one too?”

Thunder wasn’t amused. “What do you think? What if one of you had gotten hurt?”

“Yeah, right.” Chaser suddenly hopped a few inches into the air, then brought her forehooves down hard on the cloud, shattering it into wisps of fluff. With a shout of surprise, Thunder toppled off the fragments of vapor and dropped a few feet before catching himself and stabilizing.

Chaser, meanwhile, was balanced on her forehooves on one of the remaining puffs of cloud, body extended straight upward. She had her wings reaching forwards over her head, which helped a little with balance, but more importantly, showed that she wasn’t cheating by flapping them. “I’m good at this stuff.” Her smile returned in full force.

“I don’t care how good you think you are,” Thunderlane said, floating back up to Chaser’s level. “You should be more careful. That's both of your safety we're talking about, and--”

The wisp she'd been balancing on dispersed as Chaser hopped off and righted herself in the air. “You know that everyone exaggerates how dangerous it is to do it airborne, right? It's totally easy to keep things under control, especially if you're both strong fliers. I may be hot shit, but I didn't fuck her wings clean off or anyth-”

Thunder's expression soured.

Cloudchaser felt a shock of guilt as she hurriedly corrected the implication. “It's just an expression! I never went near her wings, I swear on the sun an' moon!”

Thunderlane rolled his eyes. “You do know that ponies have already told me that you're trouble, right? Even though you've only been down here since training season?”

“I'm only going to be as much trouble as you want me to be.” Chaser hovered closer, slowly and steadily so as to be able to edge forward and murmur in his ear. “I can carry us both if you think aren’t strong enough for an in-flight.” She was close enough to feel his body heat—close enough to start wondering what it would be like with that muscle-bound form.

“You...” Thunderlane's nostrils flared. “You really know how to get a rise out of a pony, you know that?” He didn’t pull away, though. If anything, he edged closer.

Interesting choice of words, Chaser thought. “Are you up for some fun or not?” she asked, leaning away from him to address him properly, like she had been doing before. “My next choice was gonna be the team leader.” That last part wasn't meant as a taunt. Ponyville’s weather crew supervisor was a technicolor-maned powerhouse with a wicked smirk, a heart of gold, and the most gorgeous maroon eyes... Maybe next Friday, once they were done with work, both amped up from a hard day of flying...

“Rainbow Dash? Don't get me started. You’re thinking about going for that arrogant cloudhumper?” The epithet rolled off his tongue like it was nothing. Chaser was slightly taken aback, but she didn't let it show. Nothing wrong with a dirty mouth.

“What? Think you've got her beat in the bodysexing department?” She'd hit a sore spot without meaning to, but Thunderlane was a big boy. He could handle bit more riffing. All right, Chaser thought. Let's see you flare those wings. “Seems to me if she can double your wingpower, then--”

“My dick's bigger than hers. Want proof?” Thunderlane's expression was predatory. For a moment, Chaser was unsettled by the fact that he was well and truly ready to fuck her just to prove a point. That feeling soon passed once she remembered the fact that she’d just gone through considerable effort to drag out that exact reaction. Stallions and their pride really were fun to mess with.

“Yes. Took you long enough.” Chaser started to backpedal in the air, forelegs spread in a “come and get it” stance while drifting up and away. “Tell you what. If I beat you to the cloud-bank above us...” She took a moment to think about what she wanted to wager on the race, which gave Thunderlane time to stretch his wings and shoot off in a vertical climb.

“Cheating son-of-a-mule!” Chaser yelled after him as she took off in pursuit. She flapped hard to keep up, somewhat encouraged by the view from below. She wasn't too much slower than him, but she couldn't quite manage the vertical and had to spiral slightly as she climbed, causing her to rapidly lose ground.

Thunderlane hit the clouds quite a few lengths ahead of Cloudchaser. When she made it herself, several frustratingly long beats later, he was already on his hooves, waiting. He turned to face her once he saw her breach the surface, and cloud-trotted closer while she floated to a stop.

“Cheater! Jackass!” she yelled out as he approached, laughing and raising her muzzle in mock indignation. “You took a false start!”

“I started one second before you and beat you by ten. Now, what did you say I'd get if I won?” There was that look again. It was in his stance, his eyes, the way he lowered his head and stared her down as he approached. This time, she didn't mind. The boy didn't mean any harm, except in the fun kind of way.

“You didn't give me a chance to say. Maybe there wasn't a prize involved.” Oh, but there had been a prize for a while now, and she was about to claim it. She landed facing away from him and swished her tail slowly from side to side, giving him a nice view of what he was going to get.

“I think I've got a pretty good idea of what I want as a prize.” His voice was almost a growl, and it was from very close behind her. He wasn't wasting time.

Chaser backed up a little, and sure enough, there was Thunderlane’s head in her peripheral vision. She nuzzled him enthusiastically, letting out a satisfied little whinny. “I knew you’d come around.”

“You,” he grumbled softly, “are crazy.”

“You like it,” she accused.

“Lucky for you.”

“Didn't I tell you luck has nothing to-” she cut herself off as she felt his weight against her back. He clutched her hard with his forelegs as his head disappeared from sight. He didn't squeeze forcefully enough to cause discomfort, just enough to let her know what she had coming.

“Blossomforth told me a little about you, too.” She turned her head to give Thunder a sidelong look. Now there was a sight: Thunderlane mounting her, dark storm clouds atop a dusky sky. She flicked him playfully with her tail, and this time her smile was different from before—softer, kinder.

“She told me how much you love her. That you've got a soft heart under the gravel coat. And that you know how to give her a damn good time.” She winked the eye that was facing him. Her last words were spoken softly, beyond a doubt the most earnest thing she’d yet said to him: “She's the one who's lucky.”

By way of a response, Thunderlane prodded her between her rear legs.

Yes. That light touch of intimate contact was all it took. She bent her forehooves to raise her rear slightly, offering herself. She was already flared for him and starting to moisten. She wanted this--wanted him. When she felt the head of his pride touch her again, it sent a visible shiver through her body.

That shiver didn’t go unnoticed. Chaser felt Thunder’s warm breath against her neck as he bent down to nip her just above the shoulder, and then she felt a more insistent nudge against her swollen, inviting entrance. Yes.He squeezed her with his forelegs just a little as he pressed forward, forcing his blunt tip into her by an inch. She could feel the restrained strength in the hot breath of arousal that he exhaled into her mane.

Oh yes. She squirmed slightly in his grip as she winked at him with another body part entirely. She distinctly felt her lower lips open around the now fully solid member parting them and then close on it again. Truth be told, Thunderlane was merely average in the dick department, but considering how it felt to have the boy she’d had her eye on for weeks slide bit by throbbing bit into her, that was a negligible detail. She exhaled an extended, lust-soaked “yes,” starting to lean her hindquarters back, aching to take more of her prize.

She needn’t have bothered. Without warning, Thunderlane thrust into her with a smooth forward motion, plunging into her with a borderline dangerous amount of length. Cloudchaser’s next “yes” came out as a vocal shudder instead of an intelligible word. Let the groundbound monogamists say what they would; Chaser felt certain there was nothing in earth and sky that would make her jaded to that feeling, that first push of poorly lubricated flesh dragging against her own wetness...

Her clenched jaw turned to openmouthed ecstasy as Thunderlane leaned forward on her back and let her have it. He didn't stretch her, but he also didn't hold back from pounding her, nudging her forward with every pump of his hips. The muscles Chaser liked so much tensed and rippled, and she heard him snort with effort—or was it simple pleasure? With every backswing, Thunderlane nearly slipped out of his target's opening, the better to let his swollen flare glide through her with the next stroke. Blossomforth hadn't been exaggerating—he was good.

Even with tongue hanging out, forelegs quivering, and eyes fixated on the cloud's surface, Chaser still managed to let a distracting idea sneak into her willfully emptied mind. She wanted to do better than just letting him get off on her. The prospect of further fun was already ruining the moment, so right now was as good a time as any to make a move. As Thunderlane pulled back for another go, Chaser abruptly dipped her rear downwards, away from him. His cock slipped out and landed wetly on his stomach.

“What was that for?” he muttered, annoyance tinging his voice.

Cloudchaser didn't even bother answering. She bucked her hips violently, popping his flanks and hind legs into the air, and with a shout of effort—she chose to believe it was a kiai—did the same to his entire weight with her forelegs. Then she twisted an entire half-turn under him, grabbed and rolled him in the air, and drove him forcefully down onto his back. The cloud gave under the impact like a springy bed, and she kissed him full on the mouth before he even realized what had just happened. He responded with a muffled “whuh?”

“What’s wrong?” She murmured, the teasing tone returning momentarily as she laid her hooves on his shoulders. “Thought you’d just mount up and hump until you were done?” Thunder looked like he wanted to answer, but instead he inhaled sharply as Chaser spread her legs wide, straddling him with Blossomforth-like flexibility, and rubbed lust-slicked mareflesh across his still solid shaft. “Waste of talent, I say.”

She leaned forward over him, fully blocking his view of the sky with her body. Her belly and breasts brushed against his chest as she carefully angled and shifted her rear until... There. She propped herself up on her forehooves and raised her rear off of his body just a little. Along with her flanks went the head of Thunderlane's dick, its tip wedged into Chaser's warm vag.

Chaser wished she could permanently capture the look on Thunderlane's face as she shifted her rear legs against the cloud they were on, then lowered her body onto his length, agonizingly slowly. She couldn't take him as deep from this position, but getting to watch him the whole time made it worth it. She lowered onto him again, and felt his breath quicken. She bent down to nip him on the ear, and he let out an audible whimper. It was all Chaser could do to keep from ruffling his mane and laughing.

She raised herself again, and allowed herself a sigh of satisfaction before taking a deep breath and letting him have it. His eyes opened wide as she suddenly and rapidly let him slide almost as far into her as when he'd mounted her, in a single sudden drop. While he was catching his breath, she rose again, and dropped again. Up again. Down. Up. Chaser enjoyed showing off her agility almost as much as she enjoyed watching Thunder squirm and pant. She contracted around him without realizing it, and he let out a low moan. She felt him twitch inside her.

Not yet, she thought. Hold that for just... one... minute. Thunder blinked as his rider suddenly stopped her frantic movements while he was still lodged inside her. Slowly, deliberately, she laid her body against his as if giving a strange kind of horizontal hug...

He saw what was coming only when she stretched her wings with an audible pomf of feathers and air. “Wait a minute,” he sputtered, a moment before she lifted him off the cloud, rising straight up in the air with four hooves wrapped firmly around him. He half-opened his wings, then closed them again; some pegasi were skilled enough to fly with their stomachs facing the sun, but Chaser could tell from the fear in Thunderlane's eyes that he wasn't one.

“You're crazy,” he gasped as she contracted around his member again. “This... is...” In only a few moments, they were high above the low cloud cover and surrounded by wispy cirrus. Still supporting his entire weight, she kissed him like she had before, playing at his lips and tongue with genuine passion. He returned it, still breathing shallowly. The poor boy was too scared of falling to think about much else, she thought. Pity. She’d wanted him to enjoy, like she always did, how the glaring high-altitude sun brought out the thin trails of cloud, trailing like white brushstrokes across the firmament...

Without breaking the contact, she pressed Thunderlane deep into her by clutching him closer. There was that moan again, halfway between the growl of passion from before and a whimper of fear. She twisted her hips and rotated around him. She wanted to give him pleasure that would make him forget the fact that he was dangling a thousand feet in the air. Well, no: She wanted him to be afraid, actually. She wanted his heartbeat to quicken from the loss of control, the danger, even while...

His head jerked back and he writhed in her grip, almost causing Chaser to drop him after all, as his cock gave a firm twitch and shot the sweet release Chaser had been waiting for. She crooned happily, nuzzling against Thunder's anguished face as he pumped out the last of his stallion-juice. His hips twitched, his position shifted, and a splash of their combined pleasure flowed down Chaser's rear, falling like rain onto Ponyville below. Somepony down there was in for a surprise, Chaser thought.

Lowering Thunderlane to safety was in many ways harder than lifting him. First of all, there was no way for him to withdraw from her while he was hanging helplessly, and second, she had to descend all the way down to the cloud-bank again; simply releasing him would result in him plummeting, picking up a dangerous amount of momentum before having the chance to catch himself with a glide.

When she was finally able to drop him onto a soft bed of vapor, he didn't roll to his feet immediately. Instead, he just flopped onto his side and rested there for a minute. Chaser landed next to him and daintily folded her legs, leaning over to nuzzle him again.

“Had fun?”

He grumbled a sleepy noncommittal of agreement. His chest rose and fell in deep, sleepy breaths. Stallions were funny like that. It took quite a bit more to melt a mare.

“Still think I'm crazy?” she said sweetly.

“The hell do you think?” he grunted.

“I think you had fun.”

A pause. More than a beat; an entire measure. And then: “Yeah.”

3: Honor and Discipline

Even Twilight Sparkle, for all her procedures and checklists, was capable of an egregious mistake once in a while. In fairness to her, she did keep close track of exactly what was wrong with every single unsuccessful version of the magic bit, she did record and catalogue each rejection, and as the iterations progressed, she did destroy each failure for safety reasons. So meticulously did she keep her records that she even left herself a note reminding her about the one time she broke from the procedure. Imagine, then, her frustration when this one anomaly out of dozens turned out to have dire consequences.

The note she'd left for herself had been painstakingly clear: Model 2.3.3 failure: Functioning and safe, but unacceptable B, C, and Y values. NOTE: Reserved for further study. She'd attached the note to the item and tucked it into her saddlebag, thinking to take it with her while collecting components for the next round of iterations. Eager to suspend her work and take a few hours of rest, she left a copy of the note on her workbench and then went to sleep.

She woke up the next morning at her usual 7 o'clock sharp to see Trixie wearing her saddlebags, unpacking a load of groceries and spell components. Frantically searching the bottom of the bags revealed nothing. Interrogating Trixie succeeded only in getting Twilight upset and putting Trixie into a state of quivering faux terror, begging to be punished by her Mistress. This, in turn, got Twilight more upset, and made her determined all-day tour of every walkway in town even more stressful.

Mane disheveled from the day's frantic running around, nerves frayed to their limit, and too distraught to safely make any more attempts at bit debugging for the night, Twilight scrawled an addendum to her little note in large, angry letters: LOST AND UNACCOUNTED FOR.

The Model 2.3 would remain "lost and unaccounted for" for many more weeks. Even Twilight Sparkle eventually forgot about the Model 2.3 thanks to the storm raised by the successful Mark Two and Mark Three. As such, it was as much Twilight's fault as anypony else's that when Cloudchaser chose the border of the Everfree for her Sunday morning warmup one fateful morning, a glint of metal caught her eye. Chaser had no way of knowing exactly what she was looking at, until she bent down to pick it up. The wind-tossed libertine's reaction to what she saw as a result could most accurately be described as barely controlled hilarity followed by completely uncontrolled excitement.

“Dear Mother of Earth, what the rutting fuck is THAT?”

Flitter didn't often swear, Chaser thought to herself.

“Seriously! I don't—what the holy flying—how did that happen? Did anypony see you on your way over?”

“Only evr'pone! Shweet flamin' shpit, think 'f the pers-bil'ties! 'Ave you ev'r 'ad one o' these 'tween yer legsh t' play wit' b'fore? bet yeh 'aven't!”

“That's because it's unnatural! Spit that out, you aren't even talking properly with it in your mouth! Dear Mother, that's horrifying!”

“'Nn-nat'ral mah arse! Thing'sh f'ckin' mm-azin'! Izz to'ally got feelin' too! She reared, staring down at her new toy--well, the results of her new toy--with a huge grin around the item clamped in her mouth. For being a mare, she was fairly respectable down under. Not exactly a slutbuster, but perfectly useable and holy crap totally functional and somehow made of her own flesh and ready to go.

“I'm serious! Spit it out! Stop it stop it stop it!”

Chaser dropped back to all fours, released the bit the into her right hoof, and balanced it there, holding it towards Flitter. Her face visibly twitched at the sensation of the bit's effects reverting back to her body's proper shape, but that didn't even slow her down. “You wanna try?”

“No! Holy seasons no!” Flitter reeled, the horror on her face only getting worse.

Chaser hurriedly set the magic toy down at her feet. “What's with all the Earther language? It's just a toy, except amazing! Wait 'till I get to try it out on somepony!”

“That is not sexy! That is terrifying!”

“Says you! Wait until I show Skywishes!” Chaser quickly pulled her pre-packed saddlebags off the hallway shelf and slid them over her back.

“Where did you get that? What if it's cursed? I'm not the only one who's going to think it's freaky! Take it to Twilight Sparkle or something!”

“Twilight Sparkle's a unicorn! You know, a groundbound? The other day you were worried about me going after Blossom!”

Flitter somehow managed to look yet more shocked. “That is not what I meant!”

Chaser wasn't listening. “I could even try giving it to a stallion!” Her wings fluttered open and shut several times as increasingly creative ideas for playing with her new toy spun through her head. “All right, I'll get out of your mane. Let me know how your work goes today; I'm off to see exactly how this thing works!” She gingerly picked the bit up by its end--she giggled as even that amount of contact made its affected zone tingle--and tossed it into the outside pouch of one of her saddlebags.

Once Chaser was outside, Flitter simply shut the door and went back about her business. Her sister was probably worried about her, Chaser reflected. Flitter was just sweet that way.

Flitter finished up her morning ritual with a sulky grimace. Oh, Chaser didn't mean any harm to anypony, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to cause any. Her stories of flight school rule-breaking and such were one thing, but almost everyone who knew, especially Flitter, started to get a little concerned when they heard about Chaser doing in-flights. At least she hadn't done anything like the episode with the spreader bars lately... or at least not that Flitter had heard of.

And now this. Flitter let out a small sigh as she double-knotted her bow, tightened the straps on her vest, and pulled her goggles over her eyes. Did Chaser really think that she could fuck her way through half her weather team with a magic dong and not expect any consequences?

Whatever; it wouldn't do to worry like this while out at work, what with the big day the survey corps had planned for her. Chaser was a big pony and the fact that she had somehow managed to survive this long probably meant she’d be okay for a few more hours.

Meanwhile, just the thought of today's plans brought a smile to Flitter's face. They'd given her a special task and bonus pay for today's assignment. Getting paid for what you loved to do wasn't too rare of a situation in Ponyville, but extra-perfect days like this one were still a treat.

A few of the team were already assembled on the roof of Ponyville's Wing Corps office when Chaser arrived, and the rest showed up within a few minutes, punctual as always. Squadron Leader Moondancer arrived last of all, plummeting from the clouds and landing with a thump in front of the assembled troops at seven o'clock on the dot: the exact check-in time.

Despite her dramatic entrance, Moondancer's mane was as tightly knotted as always. Her spotless aquamarine fur and hard midnight eyes made the squad stand at attention just as rapidly as her strict, formal tone.

“Squad!”

“Aye!” The squad straightened with a coordinated thumping of hooves.

“We're out on a special patrol today. Monday's successful tornado was unusual in its long duration, so Cloudsdale command has deployed us for a thorough sweep of its effects on nearby Lake Clearsight.” Even when she raised her voice to give orders, the Squadron Leader had a smooth tenor-baritone, low enough that some ponies who heard her voice without seeing her face would stop and look for the stallion who'd spoken. “Each of you will be fitted with a Type Four and assigned an individual sector to sweep thoroughly. Understood?”

“Aye!” the squad answered. Unfortunately, Flitter hated Type Fours. She remembered asking why she had to drag around such a bulky, awkward machine when just a camera would do, and she remembered how her eyes had glazed over at the technical explanation.

“Flitter and I will take Type Nines and sweep the lake proper.”

Flitter did all she could to keep from visibly brightening at this news. Type Nines were, comparatively, a joy to fly with. Moondancer herself equally so. Moondancer had been transferred to this chapter only last year and was only leader by default, being that she was officially a Wing Corps officer and nopony else on the squad was. Still, she had commanded respect from her first day in Ponyville.

“Questions?”

“Ma'am.” The voice came from somewhere at the far end of the line.

“Wisp?”

“Um—” Wisp's professional manner faltered. To be fair, almost none of the Wing Corps' commanders demanded quite the kind of rigor Moondancer did. “What exactly... what kind of effects should we be expecting to see? I mean, pegasus waterspouts are highly contained events.”

“Were you there on the day of the waterspout, Wisp?” Moondancer's deep voice was perfectly suited for intimidation. Pegasi were known for poor volume control, acoustics being what they were, but Moondancer was an artist at being loud.

“Of course I—I mean, I flew in the tornado, ma'am!”

“Then you remember how the tornado only reached a full eight hundred when Captain Dash put the team through a second attempt, against regulations. Am I correct?” A few in the squad liked to say it, because it never stopped being true—they would all hate to meet the one who trained Moondancer.

“Aye, ma'am!” Wisp's military manner came back as a defense mechanism.

“And have you been made aware of the effects of a failed pegasus waterspout on the surrounding ecosystem?”

“Uh, no, ma'am!”

“Then you will find out today, and you will not do a half job on your sector just because you don’t know what you’re looking for! Do I make myself clear?”

“Aye, ma’am!” Wisp’s face and posture remained stiff.

Moondancer broke off from Wisp to address her unit. “When we break, the squad will head directly to the quartermaster, inside. Everypony needs to be saddled up for an eight o'clock flight time if we're going to end early like I projected. You will polish your lenses, you will fasten your goggles, and you will report to the roof at seven forty-five. Understood?”

“Aye!” barked Flitter along with the rest.

“Break!” The assembled team filed down the roof access stairs and into the offices.

Forty-five minutes later, they assembled in formation on the roof and leapt skyward as one, rising as a single body with one enormous wingbeat. As the rest fanned themselves out over the surrounding wood, Flitter and Moondancer kept a straight course for the lake. The other surveyors tugged their Type Fours—miniature carts bristling with lenses and barometric probes—while Flitter and her leader were strapped into harnesses with a wide-angle fisheye lens on each flank, and one on the chest.

“I'll take the south end!” Moondancer boomed, falling back a bit to match Flitter's speed. “When we meet in the middle, just come with me back to the offices! We'll probably be the last to finish, so keep up a steady pace!”

“Aye!” Flitter shouted back. With that, Moondancer banked left, leaving Flitter to set about her task. Flitter flapped hard to build speed as she approached the surface of the lake. Once she was cruising over the treetops fast enough to feel the wind press her goggles into her face, she took a deep breath and snapped her wings shut.

With four limbs extended, Flitter briefly shot forward like a torpedo before keeling forward and dropping into a swan dive. Moments before she would've plunged into the water, she spread her wings and pulled herself forcefully into a horizontal glide. Then she allowed herself to exhale. She'd never been professional flier material, but this...?

She flapped once, keeping herself at a steady altitude. The cameras on her chest and flanks clicked rhythmically. From this close to the water, she could see the lake's surface shimmer faintly from the effects of her wake. The air was cool and the water smelled like fresh rain. Flitter had never been professional flyer material, but she had been born to do this.

The air over the lake held no surprises; it rarely did. As such, the flight was smooth, calm, and perfect. At one point, Flitter even closed her eyes and simply floated in perfect harmony with the lake around her, a spirit borne on the morning breeze.

When Flitter landed, she headed straight for the quartermaster’s to drop off her Type Nine, then trotted down the steps to the break room. Sure enough, most of her squad was there helping themselves to snacks and juice from the baskets of refreshments placed on folding tables. Flitter noted that, disappointingly, Moondancer wasn’t in the room. She also noticed that she was exhausted. The rush of low skimming had worn off, and her wings and core were about to dissolve into runny marmalade.

She flopped into a chair between Suntail and Bluemoon, breathing deeply. Her training told her that allowing herself to relax was only going to give her muscles a chance to shut down and go into recovery mode. Her training could leave her alone for now, thank you very much.

“Tough run, Flitty?” Suntail said, looking up from her plate of cookies.

“Yeah,” Flitter monotoned. “Was nice though. The lake’s always a nice view.”

“Jus’ the lake or something else, too?” Wisp snorted. “I saw that grin when she said you were gonna have some personal time with her.”

“The lake had a nice view.” Flitter shook her head slowly from side to side. “Are we really going through this again?”

Bluemoon let out a “hm” with a thoughtful look on his face. “They only jus' sent her down a year ago. Less, actually. But tha's long enough to 've seen some o' the crazy crap that’s happened in this town. I like her too.”

“Like I just said, can we please not go through this again?” Flitter complained. “Moondancer’s a really good leader, and--”

“Nothin’ wrong with Flitty's little crush.” Suntail leaned forward lazily on the table, sliding the cup of juice between her lips along with her. “We’re not actually in the Guard, you know. Not the same rules. Even if Prime Spearhead General Moondancer wants to pretend otherwise.”

“Just Commander Moondancer, actually,” said a chesty voice from the doorway, “And may I remind you that my squad is a three-time Efficiency Award winner thanks to my rules?”

Twelve heads turned towards the entrance to the room. Even a few who weren’t in Chaser’s squad took notice. She was smiling, which still wasn’t very comforting. Most of those who’d looked up turned towards the ground, or towards the snacks they’d picked out. Flitter was one of them. How much had Moondancer heard?

“Besides, all the whippings seem to have paid off today. I just spoke to Airwave down in communications and he said everypony’s footage was looking good. And we’re going to have a repeat performance with tomorrow’s weather swoop, right?”

“Aye,” the table murmured in agreement.

The conversation devolved into weather and gossip and lunch, and even Moondancer had a few comments about overcasting techniques and correct breeze procedure and such. One by one, the break room started to empty out. Flitter had to admit that she respected her leader’s ability to flow between her usual rigor and a more break-room manner without losing any of her presence.

As Flitter stood to leave, though, Moondancer stopped her. “Hold up, Flitter. Do you have a few minutes?”

Flitter felt a shock of apprehension in her gut, but she answered with as casual of a flow as she could manage. “Sure,” she said, perfectly normally. “What do you need?”

“Just wanted to talk about today’s survey. And a few other things. If you don’t mind, of course.” Deference didn’t suit Moondancer, Flitter thought.

“All right.” Flitter stopped in the doorway and turned around.

“We should go for a walk for this. Come on, then.” Flitter thought she heard a wolf whistle. When she turned her head, though, nopony was showing any sign of being interested in Flitter's business.

Moondancer led the way out the door, and Flitter fell into step behind her, mind racing with terrible possibilities. Her leader had heard the whole conversation, and now she was going to get some kind of gentle reminder that she was being inappropriate. Flitter took a deep breath, trying to let it cleanse some of her irritation. Fucking Wisp.

Flitter was led around the building and off to a quiet side-street. Despite her displeasure at the whole situation, she had to admit it was pleasant. The walkway was lined with trees, their leaves rustling in a steady breeze. Moondancer's cutie mark was an oddly abstract one: A sideways golden V, like a chevron turned on its side.

“How are you feeling after today’s flight?”

“Actually, I feel fantastic,” Flitter said. It wasn’t really a lie. Yes, her sides and back protested with every single step she took, and she had a feeling her wings wouldn’t feel too much better should she decide to float instead, but the bliss and freedom of low gliding over the water usually stayed with her for a long time. “I mean... I always enjoy work, but today just felt really good.” She pulled up and walked alongside her Leader past the neighborhood’s flower gardens and patios.

Without breaking pace, Moondancer shot Flitter a sidelong glance, the kind that was actually straight-on eye contact with her left eye. “That’s surprising; I’m exhausted. You’re tougher than you look, Flitty.”

Flitter couldn’t tell, but she had a feeling that a blush was turning her from lavender to ruby.

“No offense, of course.”

“Um, none taken, ma’am.” Wisp must’ve felt something like this, thought Flitter, but under a different kind of pressure.

“Titles are for telegrams and summary reports, not strolling through my neighborhood after work. Tight-assedness isn't like you, Flitty.” Moondancer had never called her that before. Neither of those things, actually.

“I... don't think of myself as tight-assed.” She had to bite back the ma'am, and she was sure that Moondancer could tell.

Moondancer chuckled at a personal joke that she didn't share. “Well, try not to be, anyway. Being your squad leader doesn't mean I can't be your friend, too.”

They walked a few more paces in silence. The sky was starting to turn golden—it was getting late, and Flitter wanted to get home on time, but maybe just once she could let Chaser take care of things. Flitter finally spoke up: “Why did you ask me to join you?”

“What do you mean?” Moondancer furrowed her brow, but only for a moment before she let out a most un-Moondancerly giggle, a strange but not entirely unattractive sound in her stallionish pitch. “Oh, you thought I needed to talk to you about something! No, I just wanted to invite you out for a walk.”

“Oh.” Flitter didn't know what else to say. Just 'oh.'

Another pause, shorter this time, and then: “How's your sister?”

"Oh yes!” Flitter spoke up too quickly, relieved by the avenue of conversation. “It's wonderful to have her in town.”

“She flew very well in the tornado,” Moondancer replied with a nod. “You close to her?”

“Always have been. She's adopted, you know.”

“You must be buckin' with me. You two could be twins.”

It was Flitter's turn to giggle. “We get that a lot. Our parents chose her specifically because of her color, so that we wouldn't be reminded all the time that we aren't really blood. Too bad rhey didn't know that our personalities were going to be such opposites.”

Moondancer seemed to think about that for a moment. “Well, that's enough about her. You've lived in Ponyville for a long time, if I'm remembering right. Six years?”

“Seven. Long enough to officially be a groundbound.”

“Mm. But you've still got the heart of a cloud-native, I bet.”

“I guess so.” Flitter hated that question; she never had a good answer to it. Was she still a cloud-native even though she hadn't really acted like one for the better part of a decade?

“Hmm.” Again Moondancer seemingly needed a moment to mull this over. “There's a reason I asked that. Wisp wasn't just being a jackass—she had a point, right? Sorry, I don't mean to pry, you don't have to tell me.” She didn't sound sorry.

This time Flitter felt an actual burn in her cheeks and ears from the blood rushing to those places. “I... well, she was messing with me, but...” She couldn't continue. Should she be happy for this exchange? Of course she should. So why did she feel like she was being held up for something that she'd done wrong?

“Hey.” Moondancer nudged Flitter with her head. “Stop being like that. I don't want to think I'm quite that scary.”

You are, thought Flitter. “You're not,” she said.

“That's good.”

The pauses Moondancer was adding to this conversation were not helping.

Flitter tried to say something to break the pause in the conversation. Her mouth was already open when Moondancer spoke over her. “I don't tell this to everyone,” she intoned, looking straight ahead again, “but sometimes it's hard, moving around like I do. You wouldn't know that, though, being in the local chapter.”

“I guess I never thought of that,” Flitter admitted.

“I try to make the most of it.” If this was a sad story for Moondancer, she was hiding it well. “New places means new ponies to meet. I still keep in touch with a few friends from Hooveston, Mountecristo, Canterlot. I try to get close to new friends even if it hurts. Otherwise, I might never end up getting close to anypony.”

Is that what you're doing now? Flitter wanted to ask. Getting close to somepony? “I left behind a lot of friends in Cirrus Crossing,” she said, though as soon as she said it she felt a little guilty about pretending that her separation was the same as Moondancer's.

“Cirrus Crossing is beautiful,” Moondancer said, sounding genuinely happy to remember. “I’m gonna go back there someday... I’d love to see Kiter again. I celebrated my birthday in Canterlot just last year, so maybe I’ll go to Cirrus Crossing for Hearthwarming.”

Like a leaf in a gale, Flitter thought. She’d known plenty of pegs like that--in her class or her squad one day and gone the next. That was one of the main reasons she’d been so keen on joining the local Ponyville chapter; tiny Cirrus Crossing didn’t have one, and besides, she had already grown fond of Ponyville after a few years down here.

“Well, this is where we part ways,” Moondancer said. Flitter blinked. They were standing in front of an empty lot.

“Where exactly do you live?” Flitter asked, confused.

Moondancer chuckled “Didn’t your mom ever teach you to look up once in a while?”

Flitter looked up, and what she’d assumed to be a bit of overcast obscuring the sun turned out to be a low-hanging cloud house, spacious enough but simpler than the ornate designs she’d seen so many of in Cloudsdale. “Guess I’ll head home,” Flitter said.

Flitter turned tail, but before she could start walking, Moondancer spoke. “You could come inside for a little while, if you like. It’s late enough for a drink.”

Those words stopped Flitter as surely as if Moondancer had grabbed her by the mane and dragged her around to face her. “I... I would really like that,” she said, totally unable to keep her voice level.

“Come on up, then,” Moondancer replied, floating her way up to the front door. “I think we both deserve a little downtime.”

“Downtime. Yeah.”

4: Captain and Commander

Cloudchaser was having disappointingly little success in her attempts to fuck her way through her weather team. Almost every time she slipped some form of “You free after work today?” she got a disappointing answer. Skywishes and Birdsong were busy, Blossom was planning a date with Thunder and had no interest in a third wheel thank you very much, and as for Spring Showers... well, she was a delicate thing; Chaser would feel bad about shocking her the way she'd shocked Flitter that morning. Besides, much like Flitter, Spring Showers had a shade of groundbound to her.

Redshift didn't like her, she didn't like Tailwind, Sweet Dew wasn't her type, Night Bloom wasn’t into mares, and of course Chaser knew better than to proposition Ditzy Doo. Even as a visitor and a volunteer, it hadn't taken Chaser long to learn about Ditzy, the loveable grey-furred liability. Ditzy was was unbearably pure-hearted, long since mated, and groundbound to the core. That only left Raindrops, who was always bad about keeping promises to “catch up later,” and Glory Seeker, who was shirking work again.

Cloudchaser wasn't so arrogant as to feel insulted at being turned down, but today was supposed to have been a special day for fucking! She understood Blossomforth wanting some alone time, but usually at least Raindrops and Seeker were up for some fun. It looked like nopony on her entire team wanted to...

No, that wasn't true. The pegasus Chaser was thinking of wasn't a member of her own team, but there was one weatherpony out on the job today whom she couldn't resist asking. One cerulean powerhouse of a pegasus with an unforgettable smirk and a seven-colored mane.

“Hey, Captain Dash!” Chaser projected her words towards their target as if tossing a projectile. They struck their mark with unerring accuracy, and a rainbow-maned head perked up from a low-hanging pile of cloud-fluff in response. Chaser hefted her saddlebags and floated down to level with her Team Leader.

“Who the heck still calls me that?” Rainbow Dash wondered out loud. She rolled her eyes when she saw Chaser on approach. “Right. Cloudchaser.” She rolled onto all fours and raised her voice to call back. “I told you, just call me--”

“...Dashie?” Cloudchaser had heard that pet name applied to her Team Leader before, but had never dared use it herself. She'd meant it to be an icebreaker. It didn't work. Rainbow Dash eyed Cloudchaser with what looked awfully like suspicion.

“I sure didn't tell you to call me that.”

“Sorry. Is that strictly a bedroom name, or what?”

Rainbow Dash shied back slightly, one brow raised. She’d gone from suspicious to slightly concerned. She narrowed her eyes, then opened her mouth, and closed it again, before venturing a response. “You... really suck at subtlety, Chaser.”

“Good. Saves us both some bullshit. Are you free today, Captain Dash?” Chaser flashed her favorite kind of smile, the least subtle kind. Wolfish, some would call it.

Before answering either the question or the smile, Rainbow Dash stared off into the distance for a few moments. Chaser didn't recognize the look on Captain Dash's face. Oh no, did she have some kind of obligation? Damn! And this had been such a good idea too!

“I think I have a few hours. Count yourself lucky for the early finish.”

Yes! Chaser hurriedly reached back for the left outside pocket of her bags...

“I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you thought of me. After all-- Whoa!” Rainbow Dash's eyes bugged out when she saw Chaser rearing proudly, magic-induced equipment displayed at full mast. Rainbow looked twice as shocked as Flitter had been. “Where the heck did you get THAT from?”

“C'lestia jus' made me speshial ah guess!” Chaser managed to say despite the bit in her mouth and the huge grin on her face. “That or it'sh thish thing 'tween mah teeth!”

Rainbow Dash snickered, but quickly pulled herself together. “Where did the bit come from?”

“Wuz jus' sittin' in th' grassh! Y'ever seen sumthin' like thish?”

“Sitting in the grass, huh? Lemme have a look.”

Chaser complied, trying not to let Rainbow Dash's strangely serious attitude bring her down. She gingerly dropped the metal rod onto the cloudstuff between them, and Rainbow Dash stopped it with a hoof, too intent on the item itself to notice the way Chaser shuddered at the sensation of her body returning to normal. It was going to take her some time to get used to that.

There was a long slit running lengthwise across the whole thing with a shred of paper stuffed into that slit. Chaser initially wondered how she'd missed that, but the answer was simple: she'd been so excited to play with it that she hadn't given it a proper examination.

Rainbow Dash gingerly pulled the little slip free and uncrumpled it. Chaser fidgeted. What did Rainbow know about this thing that she didn't?

“Oh wow. This is fantastic.” Rainbow's face brightened as she read and re-read the note, until she looked ready to burst with excitement. “I can't believe this!” Rainbow gushed. “You got a reject! An escapee!”

“Wait, are you saying you've seen one of these before? And what do you mean, an escapee?”

“Um... Kind of a long story...”

“I've got time, remember?” Chaser planted her rear on the cloud, like a foal waiting to be told a story.

“Fine.” Rainbow Dash glanced off towards the horizon again, maybe without even realizing she was doing it. What was in that direction? Chaser wondered. Oh. Of course. Sweet Apple Acres. “Dashie” was funny that way—mated to an Earther, but still happy to live it up. Actually, Chaser reflected, maybe that made Dashie's groundbound mate the funny one, for being so seemingly happy with the arrangement.

“I found something just like this a while ago. It turned out to be cursed, so that's why I was worried. This one, though...” Her eyes dropped to the magic bit again. There was that gleam again that Chaser liked so much. “This one's safe. Says so on the note. Have a look.” Rainbow Dash dropped the little yellow piece of paper in front of Chaser.

“Huh.” Chaser, like Rainbow, read then re-read the note. Unlike Rainbow, she didn't quite understand what she was reading. “So it's safe to use, but what does it mean by B value? And who exactly...” She looked up, and promptly let out a high-pitched “Wah!” as she recoiled away from the Rainbow Dong hovering half an inch from her face. Rainbow Dash threw her head back and laughed as Chaser got back to her hooves.

Chaser laughed along, and took the opportunity to size up her good fortune. Thunderlane had been right about Dash’s dick, actually. The grey-furred boy had been merely average, but Rainbow Dash’s magical endowment was just as average. Chaser hated to think she was the type to compare sizes, but anyway, just like with Thunderlane's piece, it was hard to be overly concerned with the equipment when faced with its owner.

“Powerhouse” was more a word for Thunderlane than for Rainbow Dash, Chaser decided. Her leader's body was less like an industrial machine and more like a weapon. Rainbow Dash was honed, tempered, balanced, and battle-tested. She didn't bulge or ripple; she gleamed like blue steel. Oh yeah, and she was equipped with a dick. She had a rock hard, teal length of fuck-meat extending from between her legs. It was bizzare and yet it wasn't; Dash brandished her stallion implement with such confidence that it didn't really look out of place on her toned, perfect body. Chaser did nothing to hide how she felt about having such a body hovering in full display in front of her, penis and all. The idea for today had been to see what it was like to be a stallion with Raindrops or Birdsong, but taking it from a girl-cock was starting to look like an even better idea when Rainbow Dash was introduced to the equation. Chaser licked her lips as she stared, feeling a little flutter of fillyish desire in her chest.

“Ha! Tail raised just fr'm gettin' a good look!” Rainbow Dash was pretty good at talking with the bit in her mouth, Chaser noted.

“Dunno why you're so suprirsed. You're something, Rainbow Dash.” Anypony who knew Cloudchaser would know what it meant when the edge came off of her voice, but Rainbow Dash wasn't really somepony who knew Cloudchaser.

“Yeah? Wha' kinda somethin'? Tell me.” Rainbow Dash taunted, edging closer.

“Aww, are you going to make me beg?” Cloudchaser hummed. Then she yelped as Rainbow Dash swept her forelegs and tackled her, tossing her flat onto her back.

“Maybe I should,” Rainbow Dash said breathily, nearly brushing Chaser's ear with her bared teeth, clamped down on the bit. “I was thinkin’ about taking a nap, but you h’d other ideas for my time.” She ran one hoof slowly through Cloudchaser's mane, then brought that hoof down onto the cloud, pinning Chaser by her blue-white hair.

This was almost too much. Chaser's mouth hung open. “Yes, yes, dear stars yes!” she gasped. She spread her hind legs wide enough to present a fully exposed target, reached for Dash with her forelegs, and let out a little shiver of burning, overwhelming need.

“I d'nno if we sh'd do this aft'r all,” Rainbow Dash said, staring away from Cloudchaser and into the distance with a huge, taunting grin framing the bit in her mouth. She didn't let go of Chaser's mane; if anything, she pressed her hoof down harder. “We're so close to th' ground... Wouldn' want anypony to look up 'n SEE us...” Her solid cock came lightly to a rest on Chaser's belly.

Chaser didn't need any more hints. She begged for it, but wordlessly, with an almost pitiful whimper and wide, pleading eyes. She raised her hips, brushing her desperately wet marehood across Dash's cock. Her lower lips lapped against the firm shaft pressed between them repeatedly.

“Well, since y' asked so nice...” Rainbow Dash backed away slightly, still holding Chaser's head down by the mane. “A'ready spread wide f'r me too. Good thing yer so flexible.” Chaser squirmed a little as she momentarily lost the warmth of body contact. Then she screamed as Rainbow Dash impaled her in a single stroke, and that scream was stifled by a hoof quickly but gently thumping against her mouth. Dash's other forehoof, the one tangled in her mane, kept Chaser's head flat against the cloud while she arched and shook with muffled moaning.

Rainbow Dash drew back, agonizingly slowly, so that Chaser could feel the flare drag through her insides. She couldn’t help it--she gasped. Chaser had her eyes squeezed shut, but she imagined Rainbow Dash grinning wickedly at the terrible pleasure she was inflicting. Then, before she could even catch her breath, Rainbow Dash bore down on her, pushing so deep that their hips almost met.

With the fraction of a second that there was between Rainbow Dash reaching maximum depth and starting another backswing, Chaser reflected upon the fact that Rainbow Dash was more devastatingly effective with a dick than anypony Chaser could think of who had been born with one. Then the thought was pushed from her mind by the sensation of Dash drawing back and thrusting again, and she screamed again into the hoof muffling her. The sound she let out every time Dash plunged her was somewhere between a primal yell and truly happy laughter. Pinned down on her back, with her marehood awkwardly displayed like a bullseye to be struck, all she could do was let Dash go to work on her. In this position, trapped and oriented all wrong, she could feel every throb and drag. There was a dialogue between them, spoken in sensuous or violent thrusts, and through moans, and squirms, and by hooves tentatively tracing up Rainbow Dash's forelegs and to her shoulders.

Chaser wasn't just blanking her mind in order to enjoy the moment, no—the turquoise pegasus cock gliding through her with impossibly skilled smoothness was putting her in a state of singleminded pleasure. She arched, but because she needed to move, not because she wanted more. She moaned, not to express something, but because the moan came and she needed to let it out. She squirmed, contracted, raised her legs in the air to rest against Rainbow Dash's sides—and came in what felt like no time, her body suddenly stiffening in orgasmic spasms. There was no force to her climax scream; she wailed a deep, shivering cry of pure joy.

As the surge faded and Chaser went from frenzied quaking to long breaths with only the occasional shake, Rainbow Dash graudally relented, drew herself back through Chaser's oozing tunnel one more time, and Dash released her submission hold in order to crawl forward on Chaser's body, resting her cock on Chaser's belly—actually, it reached lower-mid chest rather handily.

Chaser understood the signal, and giggled as she raised her head and gave Dash's magic-induced toy a playful peck, emphasizing the popping sound of her lips. Rainbow Dash nodded, as if to say, Glad you're into that. She crawled up a little further to give Chaser better access, while giving her space to make herself comfortable, shaping the cloud into a makeshift chair. Dash propped her forehooves on the 'head' of the chair, so that Chaser's field of vision was full of Rainbow Dash. Some of the Rainbow Dash was pointed right in Chaser's face, and it was shining wetly with Chaser's own pleasure juice. With another little giggle, Chaser realized that Rainbow Dash had left a wet smear on her belly and chest fur. It smelled good—well, it smelled like sex. It tasted good, too.

Chaser drew a playful lick across the shaft, circling around to the tip to lick off the dab of precum. Sometimes she gently sucked at the length, as if laying on a gentle kiss; other times she teased with the tip of her tongue or wrapped her lips around the circumference far enough so that her teeth brushed flesh. When she was finished lapping her own taste off, she pressed her tongue against the underside and dragged tongue, lips, and face as The fur on Chaser's cheeks and forehead was matted in spots with three kinds of pony fluid when time Rainbow Dash decided that she'd had enough teasing. A hoof came gently to rest on the top of Chaser's head as Dash shifted her hips and probed at Chaser's already parted lips. Chaser obliged immediately, opening wide and wrapping her mouth around the flare.

Like so many other things, Chaser had learned to love the feeling of warm skin sliding over her lips and tongue, the warm smell of arousal and exertion, even the taste of sweat. She breathed deeply, tilting her head in order to slide forward along the shaft. They were low enough to the ground so that the wind couldn't steal voices and sounds away, so Rainbow Dash could probably still hear the occasional tiny crooning hum that vibrated against her cock. With her head nearly touching Rainbow Dash's chest and belly, Chaser was certain she could hear Dash's quickening breath and her scratchy, almost desperate murmurs of pleasure. Rainbow Dash's muscular length throbbed in Chaser's mouth, and every twitch corresponded to a little happy noise coming from Dash's chest. Chaser knew what that meant. She exhaled sensuously, pressing her tongue against the bottom of the shaft and pulling her head back for what she knew would be the last time she needed to.

The first spurt was sudden and explosive. That distinctive, sweet taste coated Chaser's mouth in a single shot. The next spurt left a pool of warm, on Chaser's tongue. She leaned back, gurgling uncomfortably, and accidentally let Rainbow Dash's dick slip her mouth so that the third spurt sprayed against Chaser's lips. She recoiled instinctively, and the fourth hit her cheek, throwing a linear splash across her face. Then it subsided—the fifth jumped weakly onto Chaser's neck, and the rest just dribbled down onto the cloud. Chaser chuckled involuntarily, which was a major mistake that resulted in white ooze dribbling down her chin. Then she licked her lips, swallowed, and let herself sink back into the pillowy cloud.

Rainbow Dash flopped onto the tuft of cloud next to her, reclining lazily and glancing over with that same little smirk of hers. Chaser, meanwhile, was flat on her side in a state of—not quite afterglow—more the kind of unworried bliss that might be expected from, say, a day at the beach. In fact, if not for Dashie's dick and the cum spattered all over Chaser's mouth, chin, and left cheek, the two could have been simply enjoying a relaxing afternoon together. After a few moments of deep breathing and dizzy recuperation, Chaser pulled herself up to her haunches, gathered up an armful of cloud, and used it to clean the fuck-juice off of her face and chest. After making sure she'd done a thorough job, she set the sticky, musty-smelling little tuft adrift and flopped back down, smiling at her Leader.

“What, you're not gonna give me a turn? Ungrateful slut.” Rainbow Dash dropped the insult with the same amount of ceremony that she tossed the bit onto the cloud between them with. Chaser chose to believe that it was because Dash had gotten a feel for Chaser's unique views concerning social inhibitions.

“Oh what the hell!” Chaser snorted, sticking out her lower lip. “You pinned me and fucked me inside out! Then I serviced you and took your load on my--!”

“I'm asking if you're ready for round two with the shoe on the other hoof, new girl.”

That changed Cloudchaser's tone. She let out a long, theatrical yawn of mock indifference as she rolled to her hooves. “Well you should ask more nicely.” Chaser picked up the bit, and her left eye twitched involuntarily as the toy did its work on her nethers. Nope—still not used to it. Maybe eventually. “An' I'm no new girl. Not on th' crew an' not in th' sack either!”

“You're new at using that thing bewteen your legs is what you're new at. Don' worry, I won't laugh if it takes you a few tries to get it right. We can't all be as awesome as me...”

“'Ere's gotta be a firs' time fr' ev’rythin', righ'? Din'tcha say y’wanted a turn?” Chaser's dick twitched... Chaser's fully erect dick, dying to be used. That was going to take maybe even more getting used to; the idea of her dick.

Rainbow Dash nodded. “All right, then... don't hurt yourself, new girl.” She turned her back to Chaser, raised her tail, and wiggled tauntingly. “Five bits if you bullseye it on the first try.” The meat-pole between Chaser's rear legs was permanently hard as per the nature of the magic, she'd learned that the first time she'd picked it up. Of course, had she been an actual stallion, the sight of Rainbow Dash's rump and marehood on display for the taking probably would've brought her to full mast immediately.

“Yer on. Jus' hold still and don' cheat.” Really, Chaser thought as she mounted up, it wasn't so different from back when she used to take Breezie for a ride with a strapon. She braced herself by clutching Dash about the flanks, shifted for position blindly... it was easier, in fact; she could feel where the tip was prodding and sliding at. She inhaled sharply as she felt Dash wink. Flaps of soft mareflesh tickled nerve endings that Chaser hadn't been born with.

There. Chaser's blunt cock-head came to a rest against its target, cradled by warm ponypuss. In another two seconds, Chaser thought, Captain Dash was going to owe her five bits. Cloudchaser tightened her grip on Dash's perfectly sculpted flanks with her forehooves and, after a single deep breath, slid her dick forward between Rainbow Dash's pussy lips.

Rainbow Dash's little cry of ecstacy didn't even register in Chaser's head, because all Chaser had room for in her mind was the slide of soft skin against slick flesh, the friction and the enveloping warm wetness of the very first push. It was like another first time, because it was her first time. This was her first time feeling what it was like to press herself into the inviting folds of a mare... Chaser trembled so hard she nearly fell forward onto Rainbow Dash's back.

Rainbow Dash glanced back as she felt Chaser's hooves slip. “Watch it,” she muttered, though they both knew that Chaser knew better than to touch wings that didn't belong to her. “Mmm,” Rainbow added happily, as Chaser steadied herself for another tentative thrust.

Chaser didn't really have space in her head to be excited or intimidated about fucking Rainbow Dash, either. For the time being, she was too busy basking in amazing, impossible new sensations. She wanted to explore Rainbow Dash with the probe between her legs. She wanted to take this feeling and keep feeling it, which was why she kept pushing deeper in, then pulling back so that she could feel the push forward again. Dimly, she realized that her mouth was hanging wide open and that she was panting. Her wings were as rigid as her cock—when did that happen? Then, unexpectedly, she came.

She gasped through her teeth, and the gasp turned into a moan. She realized that her eyes were squeezed shut and that some kind of guttural sound was coming from her throat. She felt her dick take on a mind of its own, rhythmically squeezing out her release. It only lasted a few seconds, but when it was over, Cloudchaser was ready to simply spit the metal bit onto the cloud and topple lazily off of Dash's flanks. She landed with a loud, fluffy thump.

Yeah, she could see how a stallion might be ready to just roll over and start snoring after that.

“All good, Cloudchaser?” Rainbow Dash asked, hovering a few inches off the cloud.

“Better than good,” Chaser replied sleepily. “And I'm gonna collect on that bet, too.”

“Should work on your endurance first. A weatherpony's gotta be in shape for sustained work.” Chaser wasn't looking, but she could hear the shit-eating grin on Dash's face.

“Shu'up. I bet you came almost as fast on your first time with the thing.”

“Wanna bet? I could have the pony who could settle the debate back here in ten seconds flat.”

“Go home to her,” Chaser yawned. “You're keeping her waiting.”

“Be that way. See you on tomorrow's shift, Cloudchaser!” And just like that, Rainbow sped off towards Sweet Apple Acres, leaving behind her signature prismatic contrail. Chaser often wondered if that trail was subconscious for Rainbow Dash, or if she intentionally put it on just to let everypony know where she was at all times.

Whatever—although Chaser technically had somepony who might be waiting for her as well, Chaser's somepony was out in the skies today, and might not be home until late. Or had Flitter said that today was an early finish?

Meh. Chaser rolled onto her side and fell into a light, dreamless sleep while the sun crawled lower towards the horizon.

“Beautiful,” Flitter said to a sketched portrait of Moondancer. Captured in black and grey, framed in simple wood and glass, the likeness was just as severe and almost as beautiful as the mare it was based on. Moondancer wasn't in the room, so she couldn't have heard Flitter's sigh.

Except that she did. “It's nothing special,” Moondancer said from around the corner. Flitter disagreed strongly with the assessment of 'nothing special,' but didn't trust herself to say a thing any more. Moondancer's dark voice pierced the walls of her house as if they were nothing, which, really, they sort of were. “The rent is low,” Moondancer continued. “I guess that's because there isn't a lot of demand for cloud houses around here.” That, Flitter understood—there were some pegasi who couldn't imagine living in a house made of wood and brick, but most of those pegasi didn't live in Ponyville.

Moondancer appeared, balancing two pints of cider on a tray. Pause. “Cider looks good,” Flitter spat, much too hastily. Pleasantries and niceties. An obligatory social lead-in to make the night's order of business more socially acceptable. Flitter didn't like it. It made the situation more awkward, not less. Or was Moondancer genuinely just being a good host, and the invitation to come inside hadn't held any extra connotations after all? This, thought Flitter, was why ponies should stop dressing everything up with social graces and pretty words!

Dancer set the tray on the coffee table and slid one mug closer to Flitter. The table, actually just a raised flat surface of solidified cloud, was starting to turn a cold yellow color as the sunset faded and artificial light took over. “I hoped you would like it. It's from a couple of seasons ago. I keep it around for guests.” The pungent smell of fermentation filled the room even despite its incorporeal walls. Moondancer cleared her throat. “I'm sorry, I forgot to ask if you drank. I have a jug of fresh, too, if you prefer.”

“That... Yes, I'd rather have the fresh.” She grinned sheepishly. “Sorry...”

Moondancer shook her head, taking Flitter's mug back. “No, no. I'm the one who ought to be sorry. The fresh tastes better anyway; I just like to bring out something special for guests.” She winked and took off for the kitchen again at a quick trot.

Flitter rested her elbows on the table and rubbed her temples with both forehooves. She was no teetotaler, but she knew when she needed control over her faculties—now was no time for her to be taking brain-benders. Also, she was acting like a damn filly. When was the last time she'd treated an attraction like this like a tentative foalhood crush?

“Y'all righ'?” Moondancer asked, from every close by. Flitter's head snapped up and smacked right into what felt like a jaw. “Ow!” Moondancer snapped. A few splashes of cider flew from the mug she was holding between her teeth, but she managed to save most of it-- the rest fell to the ground, where it soaked into the cloud-carpet and was gone.

“Ahh! I'm so sorry!”

“Quit bein' sorry. I'm tougher'n that.” Moondancer set the cider down in front of Flitter. “There.” Then she nudged Flitter with her shoulder. Flitter, embarrassingly, nearly stumbled at the playful little shove.

Moondancer blinked. “Do you need to lie down? I can bring the cider up to the bedroom if you like. Been a hard day of flying for both of us.”

Moondancer wasn't acting like she'd had such a hard day of flying, but there was genuine concern bundled with the lewd suggestion. Flitter was still feeling sore from the lake run, after all. “A little rest sounds nice, actually.”

They didn't actually get a chance to relax. Moondancer led the way, bumping open a hatch in the ceiling with her head that led directly into her bedroom from the living room, balancing a tray in her mouth all the way up. Flitter followed Moondancer up through the floor, then over to the bedside table. Then she stood and waited patiently for Moondancer to put the tray down so that her mouth would be free.

Moondancer turned around and started to say something that would have no doubt been terribly polite and welcoming, and much as Flitter would have loved to listen to her Commander's wonderfully low voice all night, this one time she interrupted Moondancer's words by muffling her with a kiss.

As Moondancer pressed into the kiss, curling one hoof around the back of Flitter's head and guiding them both towards the bed, Flitter felt the restrained power in the tenderness of Moondancer's lips and tongue.

“Well, well.” Moondancer's voice was dark, heavy, and sweet as she pulled away, having backed Flitter up against the bed. That sultry voice, lowered in seduction instead of raised in command, had Flitter's wings standing at attention in no time. “Didn't expect little Flitty to be so forward.”

“I'm not,” Flitter murmurred, climbing backwards onto the bed. Like the rest of the house, it was made of cloud. “You kept me waiting.”

“Ah. Well, I guess I should've been a better hostess...” Moondancer advanced until she was hovering—literally—over Flitter's supinated form. “Never polite to make a guest wait for...”

“Don't.” Flitter wrapped both forelegs around Moondancer's neck and dragged her down so that they could kiss again.

Several times throughout that night, Flitter wondered if the neighbors below could hear what was going on within the cloud-house’s walls, which couldn’t even be counted as paper-thin, really. Moondancer’s bedroom vocabulary was beyond pleasurable and into the realm of impressive; Flitter had never had a toy used on her with such tender, intimate knowledge of exactly what would warm her, what would melt her, and what would shock her into shrieks of uncontrollable lust. She had also never had a mare grab her by the hips and lift her slightly, the better to rub their sex-glazed marehoods against each other.

Moondancer was a blizzard, all too eager to engulf her little Flitty. She worked with sweet, unhurried care as well as brutal, intimidating efficiency. Flitter expected no less of a mare like Moondancer, but that didn't stop her from crying out as Moondancer's well-practiced lips and tongue worked at her most sensitive area. Her cries were rewarded by a warm sigh that felt wonderful against her nethers and a light squeeze from the pair of hindlegs clamping her head. Flitter probed, licked, and drank her fill of Moondancer, trying—though she knew it was impossible—to give pleasure equalling what she was being given. It was especially hard to do her best work while she was quivering so hard from the little shocks Moondancer was sending through her body from the bottom up.

They came almost in unison, or it seemed that way as Flitter's body started to seize up in that familiar sensation of perfect, long-awaited release, driven to the edge and then lifted to the heights of pleasure by Moondancer's expertise. Moondancer's legs squeezed Flitter's head almost painfully, forcing Flitter's muzzle against dripping-wet mare-folds. A low sound, not unlike a growl, vibrated against Flitter's groin, and she let out a desperately lustful wail.

At some point it ended, and Flitter was just laying limp with her head between a hot, sweaty mare's knees. She realized that she was panting. She thought she felt panting against her upturned rear legs, too.

Moondancer's wings were almost too stiff to lift her properly, but she managed to rise up off of Flitter and them set herself gently down on her side, so that the two could face each other again. The night had gone long, and they both smelled of sweat and pleasure. One advantage of a bed of clouds was that, being made of vapor and magic, it took a lot to get one soaked. Cotton sheets would be translucent by now.

“You're staying the night, right?” was the first thing Moondancer said after a few moments spent catching her breath. Flitter just nodded yes, horizontally.

A moment, and then Flitter finally said it: “I love you.” It wasn't a confession so much as a thesis; an offering. She knew it was a mistake, but she had to say it, because that was how she wanted this night to go. She was invited into her amazing, powerful squad leader's house, they'd sipped cider together—or, that had been the idea—and then they'd spent the night with bodies entangled, and now Flitter would tell Moondancer how she felt. That was the way it was supposed to go.

Unfortunately, Flitter's words were just met with that horrible pause again, the same one she'd heard a few times during the afternoon they'd spent walking together. And then, in a flat tone: “Sorry to hear it.”

Moondancer didn't even blink at the drama that played out across Flitter's face in response to that. Flitter didn't respond right away; she didn't trust herself to.

“What?” was all Flitter could think of. She tried not to sound weak or hurt. She wasn't as good at that as she wanted to be.

“Chances are looking good I'll be moving again next year. You deserve more than an absentee lover, Flitty.”

Silence again.

“Flitty, if it helps, I never meant to string you along. I didn't know you felt that way.”

It took a small effort, but Flitter raised her head and kissed Moondancer again. “I know.”

For once, Moondancer didn't seem happy about being kissed. “I mean it. I don't want to feel like I took advantage of your feelings.”

“You didn't,” Flitter hummed. It took almost no effort to keep the sadness out of her voice; no more than it took to push the same sadness from her mind and allow herself to enjoy nuzzling up against kind, powerful Moondancer. How long had it been since she'd slept floating high above the ground, cradled by clouds? Too long, she decided. Maybe when the weekend came around, she'd bring the subject up with Moondancer again, and then... well, then events would have another chance to unfold.

For now, Flitter allowed herself to be content; to enjoy the aftermath of this wonderful night. Reluctantly, Moondancer wrapped her forelegs around Flitter. The gesture was a little bit, perhaps, like one a lover might offer after a wild night of passion. Flitter was satisfied with at least that.

2: Sisters at Heart

The day's sunlight was starting to take on the golden tint that signaled the end of “late afternoon” and the beginning of “early evening,” and still Flitter found herself glancing upwards every few minutes, squinting against the afternoon/evening glare. She hadn't seen what her sister had gotten up to after fluttering off to pursue her latest interest, and now both Chaser and her charcoal-furred mark had blown off somewhere and Flitter was regretting not paying attention. No, it wasn't that she distrusted Thunderlane; he was a crewmate and a friend. It was more the fact that the look in Chaser's eyes had said that she was as likely to bodysex Thunder as she was to challenge him to a wrestling match or a game of gravity chicken. Really, Flitter reflected, Blossomforth's ire should have been the least of her worries.

Speaking of which... A mane sporting clashing pinks and greens that could only belong to a certain contortionist was bobbing its way through crowds and around tables, making a beeline for Flitter. Oh no no no. Flitter tried to slip behind a group that was crowding the punch table, but couldn't pretend not to hear somepony distinctly calling her name.

“Hey! Flitter!”

Flitter winced, then sighed as she turned around. “Hey, Blossomforth. How've you been doing?” she said, forcing a smile.

Blossom's inevitable next words made Flitter's heart sink, even though it would've been absurd to expect anything else. "I'm doing fine. Have you seen Thunderlane?”

“Yeah.” Flitter sighed, looking distinctly displeased with the answer she was about to give. “He flew off somewhere with my sister.” She bit her lower lip.

Blossom's reaction was a surprise, but also a bit of a relief—she gave a tittering, genuinely amused little laugh. “Seriously? All right, I guess I'll just go home and wait for him to show up.” She looked up at the clouds, just like Flitter had been doing a minute prior. Unlike Flitter, she smiled at what she didn't see.

“Um.” Flitter licked her lips in the awkward silence. “Sorry, but that's what I saw.”

“No need to be sorry,” Blossom replied cheerfully. “The big softie's had a tough couple weeks. I'm sure he'll tell me all about what kind of crazy adventure she took him on.”

Flitter grimaced unhappily. “I'm sure he will. Glad I was able to help.”

“Mhmm. That's all I wanted to know, thanks!” Blossom nodded to Flitter, turned tail, and trotted back to her friends.

Flitter looked at the half-full plate of crisps sitting on the table next to her, along with her depleted cider mug and untouched salt lick, and decided it would be best if she followed Blossom's lead and just went home to wait for her sister. She downed the rest of her food, except for the salt lick, and took off at a canter. She hadn't had time to catch up with Raindrop or Skywishes, but she saw them all the time anyway. It just wouldn't do for her to stay at this party while as distressed as she was.

She knew that it was silly of her to be so perturbed by Blossomforth's attitude, of course. It was obvious why Chaser liked Blossom so much; in many ways the two were foals of the same season. Despite being a Ponyville native and despite even having a Cutie Mark befitting a groundbound, Blossomforth's heart still belonged to the winds, or so the saying went. By way of a more mundane explanation, her parents were both originally from cloud-cities.

For Flitter at least, Cloudchaser's brand of gleeful polyamory had long since become more of an activity than a way of life. After all, living among the groundbound meant the possibility of a relationship with one of them, which meant following their rules. That hadn't been too hard on Flitter; even before coming to live in Ponyville she'd been, as Chaser sometimes put it, “uptight” about who she wanted to get messy with. So, serial monogamy (again, Chaser's words) suited Flitter just fine.

What had been hard was being apart from her sister. It had been clear from early on that the two would eventually part ways, especially when Chaser went to flight camp while Flitter was doing an internship with the Wing Corps Survey Team. Still, for a few years, Flitter had tried to postpone that reality. Chaser, on the other hand, had been all too happy to fly off into the sunset. It had taken a very long time filled with sadness and resentment, but Flitter understood now that in Chaser’s mind they were sisters from afar just as much as they were in person.

Flitter leapt and glided over a row of houses, landing in the middle of the lane in her neighborhood. The sun would be going down soon, and Flitter couldn't imagine that Chaser would stay out late after such exertion as she was likely going through right now... But then again, since when had her dear adopted sister been fettered by common sense? Their parents might have chosen Cloudchaser based on how similar she looked to her sister, but they couldn't have been more wrong if they'd expected the two to be as similar in spirit as they were in coloration.

Nudge the door open. Kick it shut behind her. Pull her hair-bow out by the end with her teeth and hang it on the hat rack. Move on to the kitchen, glance at herself in the hallway mirror, open the pantry, and stare for a while. The coming-home routine always happened without any need for conscious thought, which was why Flitter nearly hit the roof with her surprised jump when she turned away from the hat rack and found an all too familiar grin half an inch away from her face.

“Chaser! What—you're home already?” she sputtered.

“I just ate an early dinner at the party and then came to wait for you.” Cloudchaser’s expression was worryingly cheerful. “You going to ask me how my day was?”

Flitter rolled her eyes. “Why ask questions I know the answers to?”

Chaser stuck out her lower lip. “But I wanted to tell you all about it!”

“And I wanted to make dinner. Honestly, bragging is unattractive. Now, shall I make some for you as well?” Having Chaser staying with her was wonderful, it really was, but sometimes housing her took some extra effort, both physically and in terms of withstanding dear Chaser's energy level.

“I told you, I already ate. I actually wanted to ask if you wanted to go get some air for a bit.”

“I'm not in the mood.” Every time Chaser got that look in her eye, Flitter thought, it was because she wanted to breeze off on some kind of adventure. “It's been a big day, and--”

“No it hasn't! All you did was drink some punch and eat some chips." Flitter could hear Cloudchaser's eye-roll. "It'll only take a few minutes. Listen, I’ve wanted to do this for a while, but I keep forgetting or not having time...”

Flitter thought she felt a headache coming on. She wasn't actually hungry; in reality the coming-home routine would've been likely to end with her closing the pantry without pulling anything out and picking up her latest book or work assignment. For once, she capitulated. “All right,” she sighed. “Lead the way, I guess.”

Chaser happily trotted out through the front door and waited for Flitter there. As soon as Flitter set foot outside, Chaser took off in a distinctly upward direction. “Told you it'd be quick!”

“Oh for Mother's sake-!” Flitter lifted off, flapping to keep up. Above, the clouds were starting to darken from the sunset's glare. In another minute, Chaser had punched through a low-hanging cloud and was presumably sitting there, waiting for Flitter to catch up. Flitter didn't usually push for altitude like this, so by the time she hit the shrinking gap and emerged next to her sister, she was panting faintly.

Chaser was reclining on a tuft she'd molded into a kind of chair shape, staring off at some amorphous spot on the horizon. “Well?”

Flitter looked off in the same direction, and had to suppress a gasp. From below, the clouds had seemed dulled by the sunset, but here, they had been ignited. Hazy half-shadow clashed with warm gold and the cold cobalt of the firmament. The cloud Chaser had chosen as a vantage point was an island surrounded by hovering mountains of cotton. There were cresting waves, sharp cliffs, rolling hills and plateaus, some of them at eye level, some floating high above. It was as if they'd left Ponyville and entered a world made of light, fire, and magic.

“I see this almost every day,” Cloudchaser said loudly, piercing the moment. “It's still just as amazing every time.”

Flitter shuffled closer to Chaser, trying not to stumble on the soft, uneven surface. The altitude was difficult, but the surrounding beauty took her breath away twice as strongly. Chaser saw that her sister was having trouble, but mercifully didn’t comment.

Flitter folded her legs and settled down next to her sister on the pillowlike blanket of air. “I've never seen anything like this in my life,” she breathed. That wasn't quite true—she had lived in the clouds too, after all—but she hadn’t done anything like this in years, and never with Chaser. Even back when she and Chaser lived with their parents in Cirrus Crossing, Flitter rarely left the sculpted walkways and walls of the town proper for long enough to see the full glory of a sunset. With a twinge of guilt, she wondered if she'd forgotten some of the beauty of the sky, or worse, if she'd never truly appreciated it at all.

“Can't hear you,” Chaser blared again. “Forgot about acoustics already?”

Actually, she had, Flitter realized. “Thank you,” she said, out loud this time. “I'm glad I let you talk me into this.”

“And I'm glad you got to see it!”

They sat there for some time, no longer talking, just watching the cloudscape drift slowly past. The sun's fire gradually faded until it was only a low orange glow lighting dusky blotches of evening violet. As sunset faded into evening, Chaser stood, shot Flitter a smile, and disappeared down through the cloud as if diving to the bottom of a swimming pool.

“Hey!” Flitter managed a laugh as she dropped down in pursuit; she was too happy to be annoyed any more. Chaser was standing at the door to their house when she landed.

“Thanks for coming with me. The whole point was to show you.” For once, Chaser looked serene.

Flitter returned her sister's smile as she nudged her way into the house and waited for Chaser to follow her in. Then she kicked the door shut behind them, stopped at the hat rack, craned her neck for her bow only to remember that it was already hanging in front of her face, giggled at the disheveled state of her mane as she passed the mirror, opened the pantry, and stared for a while. Cloudchaser let out a loud yawn. Flitter didn't turn around, but she knew her sister would be reclining on the rug like a bored cat. Normally she would tut and tell Chaser to stop acting like a bored cat, whereupon Chaser would snort and flop into a chair instead. This time, though, Flitter just rolled her eyes, biting her lip to hide her amusement. "Apple and walnut sound good?"