“I hate ‘er.”

Rainbow Dash almost felt sorry for the nearby tree as Applejack slammed her boot into its side, sending apples pouring down from above as violent tremors rocked the enormous plant down to its roots.

“C’mon, you only met her once, there’s no way-.”

“I. HATE. HER.”

The tree lurched under the force of another brutal strike, Dash’s eyes now fixating on the point at which sole had met wood, wondering if she could make out the faint shape of AJ’s heel in the increasingly wounded bark.

“You say that every time she starts dating.”

“No I don’t!”

Applejack laid one final blow into the tree’s trunk, collecting the stragglers as they fell to earth before hefting an enormous bucket of fruit over one broad shoulder and leading Dash towards her next victim.

The tree was definitely dented.

Though she was loath to admit it Dash was always a bit jealous of Applejack’s strength. She was more muscular, and a little taller too, though practically everyone was taller than Dash. Even through her work clothes she could see clear as day the definition in her back and her spacious hips as she dropped the container and prepared to resume her assault.

“The last girl wasn’t funny enough.”

“Yeah, well-.”

“Before her it was the one who was ‘low energy’.”

“She needs someone who kin’ keep up with’er!”

“And then there was the girl who didn’t have enough of a sweet tooth.”

“Watchin’ Pinkie eat salad was creepy and you know it.”

Dash plucked an apple from mid air as their deluge continued, taking a chunk out of it as she effortlessly flitted in and out of the path of the downpour.

“All I’m saying is you can be a bit…overprotective.” Dash replied through another mouthful of fruit.

“You weren’t there Dash, she was pushin’ Pinkie around, embarassin’ her, treatin’ her like a – like a-.”

Applejack’s attention seemed to shift abruptly from her task, now focused instead on the woman hovering a couple of metres away. Dash did her best to look away, ignoring the fire burning behind her cheeks, hoping Applejack couldn’t tell.

“You can’t be serious.”

“What‽” Dash played with a errant strand of her short, prismatic hair, avoiding eye contact but feeling the green eyes still very much upon her. “I was just thinking Soarin might be willing to do something similar for a certain girlfriend’s birthday of she asked in just the right way.”

The blonde farmer scowled.

“Come on AJ. It sounds like they’re having fun, just let them be.”

“Would you be sayin’ that if someone was treatin’ Fluttershy that way?”

“Absolutely.” Dash took another bite, somehow hoping the action would camouflage her absolutely pathetic lie. “All I’m saying is if she seems happy then that should be all that matters right?”

“I guess…”

“Besides, if you’re really that concerned you should just talk-.” The airborne athlete felt her words catch in her throat, stopping herself cold as if she were about to engage in some kind of horrible slander.

“You should-.” It was like they were being dragged back. With each attempt she was less sure of advice that had felt almost too obvious only moments earlier.

“You should give her some space…?”

Applejack pulled back mid strike, turning, incredulous, to her friend. “What?”

“You might have really insulted her and her girlfriend AJ.” She felt more sure with each passing syllable. “Pinkie is nice but even she has her limits.”

“You’re kiddin’ right?”

“Even if she isn’t -.” The words felt right at an almost primal level now, flowing freely in stark contrast to the grueling effort of seconds before. “It seems like everybody has their own stuff to deal with, they probably don’t need the stress.”

“Rarity has bin’ a bit outta’ sorts I guess, and Twilight’s bin' workin' non-stop on some special project…”

“Exactly.” She replied, now almost without thinking. “If you’re right we’ll know soon enough, and if you’re wrong, better to just keep it to yourself.”

“Yeah…”

“Just relax, things are fine.” Dash began to ascend, the distance between the pair slowly growing. “I’ve got an early morning tomorrow so I gotta go, but try not to worry so much kay?”

Without even waiting for a reply Dash was off, a streak of rainbow light trailing behind her, the farm fading into the distance along with Applejack.

Dash could already see Fluttershy waiting by the gym entrance as she approached, proving difficult to miss even at a distance. She was a tree among saplings, standing head and shoulders over most people, even edging out Rarity, albeit just barely, to be the tallest member of their circle of friends.

She was a perfect contrast to Dash, sharing the same sun-kissed complexion but virtually nothing else. Her thin, delicate features, left unspoiled by a life of compassion and patience were the polar opposite of Dash’s own, defined by muscle and a few thin scars, earned from a lifetime of determination, of chances taken and limitations exceeded. The string of piercings that ran the length of her ears and the several that were…less visible, looking artificial when placed next to Fluttershy’s naturalist beauty.

“HI SHY!” Her voice cut through the early morning quiet like a chainsaw, drawing a visibly startled Fluttershy’s attention just in time to lock her into an absolutely crushing embrace.

“M-morning Dash.” Came a slightly winded reply as Dash tightened her grip on the pink haired woman, lifting her off the ground in her moment of enthusiasm.

“Three weeks in a row! I’m so, so, proud of you Shy!”

“That’s-.” She coughed, still struggling to take a full breath. “That’s great Dash but – but could you please let me down, I - I can’t-.”

“Oh right.” As quickly as she had taken hold Dash released her captive, letting Fluttershy return to her feet and catch her breath. “Sorry, got a little over excited I guess.”

“I don’t think – I mean its not that big of a deal.” She replied, speaking to her shoes rather than to the woman floating directly before her. “It still hasn’t even been a month yet.”

“Bah!” Dash touched down to the ground, her magenta eyes looking up into Fluttershy’s turquoise. “Progress is progress no matter how small! Every little step gets you closer to being an even awesome-er you than you already are!”

Dash could see a slight smile break across Fluttershy’s lips, a glint of confidence igniting in eyes that were so often clouded with doubt.

“Now c’mon, lets get in there before the good spots are taken.”

Regardless of what Fluttershy said Dash knew how significant this really was for her.

Twice a week, every week, they had gotten together to do yoga at Fluttershy’s cabin. It was supposed to help her relax, to make her a little less anxious, and to be fair it did help a bit, but it was never quite enough.

It had been two years.

In those two years they had learned together, Dash had watched Fluttershy grow from a total amateur to a paragon of poise. She had watched her try and fail and try again, never ever giving up, but despite all her progress Fluttershy still hadn’t been able to bring herself to go to classes in public.

No matter what Dash did or said Fluttershy just couldn’t stand the thought of people watching her, taking note of her every little mistake, and laughing at the giant freak who could barely balance on her own two feet.

It broke Dash’s heart when she talked about herself that way.

Every now and then they’d make an attempt. Dash would stand outside at the entrance with Fluttershy, sometimes for five minutes, sometimes for thirty, watching others pass by, never entering themselves, but eventually they always wound up back at the cottage.

Then suddenly, just a few weeks ago, something changed.

One day, unprompted, Fluttershy announced that their next session would be at the local gym, without any of Dash’s usual poking and prodding. When they arrived, she passed through doors that had only days earlier formed an impenetrable barrier as if they were made of smoke, and when they left, she declared that they would return again in only a few short days.

It wasn’t just that she was going to the classes either.

Dash couldn’t help but notice the change in how she dressed. The loose-fitting sweatpants and t-shirt that had defined her outfits in their previous sessions had disappeared, replaced with a pair of dark green leggings and a sports bra. Her bare torso, previously uncharted territory, was now on clear display, framed from above and below by fabric that clung so tightly to her slender figure that it appeared almost painted on.

Dash wore the same thing, though in black, seizing on any opportunity to show off the body she worked so hard to maintain, but Fluttershy was different. Her wardrobe was awash with long dresses and heavy sweaters, and yet now each week brought with it something smaller, something tighter, the only consistent feature being the long pink ponytail that stretched well below her waist.

Fluttershy soon took a seat on a mat at the centre of the room, with Dash following suit on one next to her, each crossing their legs instinctively as they sat. Dash was always surprised at the popularity of these classes. There were at least two dozen people in the room excluding themselves, the relatively modest accommodation reaching full capacity long before instruction even began.

Dash turned to her friend, an aura of nervous energy radiating off of her in all directions. “Still feeling okay?”

“I think so.” Fluttershy whispered back, the faintest trace of self doubt still lingering in her voice.

The shorter woman flashed her the widest smile she could manage. “Everything’s going to be fine, just do your best.”

“A-Alright”

“Namaste class.”

“Namaste.” The words left Dash’s mouth the instant she heard the greeting, not so much spoken as recited. Her head turned and she stared straight ahead to the front of the room where their teacher stood, her posture suddenly straight and rigid, despite relaxation suffusing her entire body.

Their teacher was more or less what she expected: a very thin man, with a faint whisper of facial hair. He had a calm, soft spoken way about him and seemed to know what he was talking about. Dash guessed that he was some kind of big deal outside of Ponyville, the way he drew in scores of strange faces without a single flier or advertisement. She sometimes wondered how he managed to rent out the gym considering how little he charged the two of them to attend the classes, but never really dwelled on the thought.

“I see a number of new faces today.” He explained while pacing the front of the room. “And also, a couple of more experienced ones.”

“I think its important to show you what can be achieved with just a bit of patience and practice.” Without breaking stride, he gestured towards Fluttershy, who leapt to her feet with uncharacteristic enthusiasm, rushing to the front of the class, long fuchsia hair trailing gently behind her.

“Fluttershy is one of my two best students.” He said to the group, as a streak of scarlet blossomed across his volunteer’s face. “Why don’t you demonstrate to these people some of the things they can expect to accomplish if they stick with this.”

Without another word the tanned beauty adopted her favoured position. Her left leg stretched out behind her, bending up towards the ceiling, her foot cresting just slightly above her head. The matching arm was extended after it, its hand gripping her ankle, tensed muscles tethering her in place, arching her back and leaving her staring rigidly forward.

Dash recognized it as the ‘Dancer’s Pose’, one of Fluttershy’s favourites. The moment she took it on, any apprehension appeared to vanish entirely, her face a portrait of tranquility even as impressed murmurs and wide eyes swept across her audience.

“You see what can be achieved with just a little bit of perseverance?”

Concern slowly edged its way into Dash’s mind as she surveyed the range of stares drilling their way into her friend from a distance, but any worry stayed with her only briefly. Her breathing felt almost sedative, each exhale taking with it every negative emotion she had, soon replacing them with utter serenity, however briefly.

For Fluttershy it seemed to come easily now, standing in front of total strangers, completely indifferent, managing to face down her demons in a way that appeared to Dash to be almost effortless. Dash wasn’t nearly as skilled. Even in the brief moments when she did manage to find her rhythm and calm herself, it was always supplanted soon after by any number of other thoughts and emotions.

Still, it did her heart good to watch Fluttershy succeed, and she had never seen her friend so calm, clear and focused

“See how she keeps her hips aligned?” He asked as he placed hands on either side of her waist, running them along their slight curves as the ostensible statue remained rigid in place.

One hand shifted upward onto her rear. “The curve of her back here is excellent as well.” Dash heard Fluttershy inhale sharply as his fingers disappeared between her legs, the soft, dark fabric of her leggings easily giving way to his ambitious digits before they reappeared, tracing a line gently along the length of her spine.

Still she barely moved an inch, Dash knew her friend could handle this.

“Now why don’t a few of you come up here and see what true dedication looks like.”

Three men swiftly made their way to the front, enthusiastically testing Fluttershy’s resolve, appreciating her skill and her diligence in much the same way their teacher had only moments earlier.

Dash had been worried sick when on their first day Fluttershy had been asked to demonstrate for the class, but now she knew better. A placid calm had overtaken her friend as the first man began to finger her slit through her tights. The jade fabric turned darker with arousal at his touch, spreading downward along the leg that remained planted on the ground, but to Dash’s delight she held firm.

Her heart swelled when the second man pulled Fluttershy towards him, burying his tongue in the taller woman’s mouth. She tilted downward, her upraised leg angling still further upward as she met her scrutineer at his level, reciprocating the kiss but maintaining the same air of practiced poise that had earned their fellow student’s respect.

“Of course, I didn’t forget about our other star student.”

Dash’s focus turned from Fluttershy to her instructor, now looking directly to her from his post at front of the room.

“Rainbow Dash would you like to show the others what you can do?”

“Sure thing teach!”

The well muscled wonderbolt glided over to a spot only a few metres away from Fluttershy, briefly glancing over to see a third man grinding up against her planted leg. She rocked back and forth from the attention she was increasingly receiving from all angles, but despite this she remained in prime shape, refusing to budge more than was purely necessary.

For her part Dash already had a small crowd gathering nearby, eager to see just how awesome she really was.

“So what should I show em’ first teach?”

“Hmmm, let me think….”

Applejack’s butt hurt.

She was relieved at first to find the boutique closed when she arrived. She had told Rarity again and again that nobody needed a dress at seven in the morning, that even the most severe ‘fashion emergency’ could probably wait an extra hour or two while she got a proper nights sleep, but that never stopped Rarity from being there, ‘just in case’.

It was only after going into town to run a few errands and returning to find the door still locked that relief began to give way to curiosity, not worry, curiosity.

So, she sat herself down on the hard concrete of the stoop and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

The sound of the door unlocking practically scared the freckled farmer out of her skin. The sun had long since passed overhead, now making its way westward, and Applejack may have dozed off while waiting, but the sheer duration of the wait was more than a little exhausting.

“Oh, good morning Applejack.” The words tumbled out of the entrance as Rarity emerged, devoid of the usual honeyed sweetness that coloured her speech.

“M-mornin’? Rare its gotta be nearly two in the afternoon, are you- are you doin’ ok?” The question felt unnecessary the moment it passed from her lips. There were tiny creases under Rarity’s eyes, her hair hung down loosely, just slightly askew, and then there were her clothes.

The sight was almost surreal, Rarity was wearing the same clothes she had worn only days before on their trip to the spa. This was the same woman who had more than once barricaded herself in her workshop to craft an entire new ensemble rather than suffer the indignity of being seen in the same outfit twice. Yet there she stood, the same low-cut blouse, the same tight black skirt, everything was identical, as if she hadn’t even cared when she got dressed that morning.

“Oh, I’m fine darling, just a little… a little tired.”

“Late night?”

Rarity’s voice turned dreamy for just a moment as she stepped outdoors, taking the ‘closed’ sign underarm and replacing it with one from inside the shop.

“No, no, just…tired.”

The fashionista turned back to the store, seeming to forget all about Applejack in the few seconds that her eyes were off of her. The blonde followed shortly after, passing by a sign that read: “Accepting Special Orders Only” on her way inside, a feeling of uneasiness growing within her as they entered the sprawling studio.

Little details that should have been utterly trivial drew her attention like signal flares, leaving her teetering between feelings of genuine concern and unearned paranoia.

The way Rarity wobbled just slightly in her heels instead of her usual confident strut, the wrinkles that desecrated her normally pristine clothing.

“You bin’ takin’ some time off from the boutique then?”

“Oh no quite the opposite actually, people seem to be coming by all the time lately. It seems like every time I open the shop there’s someone waiting to-.” She paused mid step, the same distant lilt returning to her voice as she stood motionless at the room’s centre for just long enough to make Applejack feel awkward. “- To buy an outfit.”

Rarity wouldn’t lie to her, but something was definitely off. Dust hung faintly in air, passing through the coloured beams of light that poured through the stained-glass windows. The mannequins were vaguely out of place, perhaps just slightly off centre, and the fabric rolls were out of their usual order. Rarity wasn’t quite as fastidious as Twilight, but she was close, and Applejack knew that these things should’ve been driving her up the wall, but instead she just passed them by, either indifferent or unaware.

“Well that’s good… I guess, I uh, I gotcha’ somethin’.”

Applejack handed Rarity a little bag and watched as she pulled a tiny trinket from inside, her face instantly alight as she laid eyes on it, looking like her normal self for the first time since meeting that morning.

“Oh Applejack its lovely!”

“Well I thought it might cheer ya up a bit.”

“It does darling, it does, I absolutely love it.”

Just as quickly as it had taken over, elation began to drain from her ivory complexion once again. Her eyes seemed to fixate on the little bauble as she held it aloft, running her fingers along the inlaid gems and mumbling quietly under her breath, slightly too quietly for Applejack to hear.

“Faux emeralds, imitation gold, roughly 55 bits.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing dear, just… talking to myself I guess. This is just perfect for your price range; I really appreciate it.”

“My price range? What d’you mean-.”

A knock on the door cut Applejack off, followed soon after by the sound of footsteps intruding on their conversation.

“Hello!” Spoke an unfamiliar man as he entered the boutique, his mere presence sending a chill up Applejacks spine. “I’m here to pick up a dress.” His eyes darted to the obvious third wheel. “For my uh, wife.”

“I’m sorry dear I’ve been a bit scattered lately, I’m not sure I remember taking your commission.”

“That’s not a problem.” He replied, taking a scrap of paper from inside his pocket. “I’ve got the order slip right here.”

Rarity’s entire demeanor transformed the moment the sheet of paper changed hands. It was as if an electric current passed between them, her eyes gleaming with new life and energy as they traveled across the little slip.

“Ohhhhh, this was a very special order.” She smirked, tongue running over her lips, her sultry tone throwing Applejack off guard by its sudden appearance. “I’ll have it ready for you in just a moment, but your welcome to wait while I put the finishing touches on it.”

“Would it be easier to get it ready if your assistant there helped out?”

Applejack’s skin crawled as his eyes briefly fell on her, but Rarity clearly didn’t share her revulsion. A beam of light could scarcely fit between them now, her body pressing up against him, a hand absentmindedly passing along his shoulders. If she didn’t know any better Applejack would’ve guessed, she was flirting.

“Actually, she was just about to leave, but I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of.”

“Are you sure? I can pay extra if it means getting a better… dress?”

“No darling, its fine.” She said, turning to face Applejack. “I’m sorry, would you mind leaving so I can work?”

“A-actually Rare, I was hopin’ I could talk ta you bout’ somethin’.”

Rarity pulled away from the customer, but just barely, a hand on Applejack’s shoulder, now ushering her toward the door.

“We can talk later darling, I’m working right now, nothing is more important than getting my job done.”

Before she knew it, Applejack was back on the porch, the door already inching closed and Rarity fading out of sight.

“A-Alright I guess… I’ll talk to ya later then.”

The door shut, the metallic click of the lock making their separation complete. People on the street continued to walk by, but Applejack was utterly alone.

Rainbow Dash gagged as the man’s full length forced its way down her throat, a sputtering cough barely escaping as he retracted, and her desperate lungs filled with air once again.

“Remember your Pranayama Rainbow Dash, Deep breaths” She heard her teacher whisper.

“Inhale.” She followed, taking in oxygen through her nose, her mouth being otherwise occupied, the scent of sweat and arousal overtaking her.

“Hold.” She felt another violent thrust, this time from below, pressing her ahead, her palms slipping forward along the tile floor, her mouth reabsorbing the thick slab that had only moments ago escaped her.

“And exhale.” Finally air flowed outward, taking with it any sense of stress or worry that had previously been dominant in her mind, leaving in it’s place an empty void of calm.

She felt a hand run along her side, its gentle touch becoming a welcome contrast to the rough force that pummeled her on either end. “Much better.” He cooed into her ear.

Dash could see him rise and meander away, she guessed to check in on Fluttershy as he just had with her. She was supposed to be demonstrating the ‘Wheel Pose’. It was beyond easy for her, little more than a simple back-bend, but of course the point of the demonstration was to challenge her, to really show what she could do, so naturally things became more complicated when the other students got involved.

The first had taken her from behind, lifting her legs from the ground and briefly throwing her off balance. She had kept her hands planted, maintaining her inverted perspective even as the sound of tearing fabric signaled that her first challenger was determined to make things difficult.

The other man had approached with similar verve, forcing himself into her mouth without ceremony or warning, so suddenly in fact that their instructor had made a point of checking in on her as she briefly faltered in handling them both simultaneously.

A prickle ran up her spine at the thought, the peace of mind so meticulously worked out already dissipating.

She hated that.

It was humiliating having him come over to her, to talk down to her as if she couldn’t take it, as if she didn’t know what she was doing, especially when it was done in front of other people.

The irony wasn’t lost on her of course.

Her biggest complaint about doing yoga with Fluttershy was that it was dull, far too easy when compared to her normal workouts. Yet when she last saw Fluttershy she was taking on four other students simultaneously and barely noticing, meanwhile Dash was scarcely managing to handle two.

She was struggling to ignore the sweat rolling along her body, holding tightly to the hills and valleys of her sculpted stomach, running ‘down’ the slight projection of her chest and onto her face. Shocks of pleasure coursing up through her body made it harder to concentrate, each one like an earthquake, further shaking loose fleeting memories of the tranquility she felt just moments ago.

Losing was never an option. If these two thought they could make a fool out of her they were dead wrong.

Rocking back and forth with each eager thrust, Dash did her best to divide her attention. She took the entire length of the man in front of her, felt his balls press up and rest against her face, her tongue coiling, teasing, stroking, and tasting, running it's stud along every single inch as it sawed in and out of her grasp.

Her legs were wrapped around the other man as he rammed forward, anchoring herself to him, her grip becoming tighter as the thrusts became more and more aggressive.

She was close, but so were they, she could feel it, she could taste it, and she had a plan.

The man at her feet would be first.

When he lunged forward, she tensed, her athletic thighs forcing him towards her.

She was in control.

He would pull back, but only because she let him, and only until she brought him in again, towards her, over and over. She set the pace, she dictated terms, she was going to win. She would feel him try to jerk back and hold him in place for just a split second, just long enough to send a message. When he was removed, she forced him inward again, just a moment before she thought he would be ready, the feeling of dominance and the feeling of his cock buried deep into her competing for status as the thing bringing her the greatest pleasure in the moment.

One final shove sent her over the edge.

Her back arched, her ‘grip’ on the man at her waist intensified, nearly crushing him, she gasped for air and once again came up empty, briefly forgetting that her mouth was busy. Both men, as if sensing her moment of weakness finished within seconds of each other, warmth pouring into her from either end, sending tingles radiating along her body to meet in the middle. The man below her staggered backward out of her grasp while the one ahead remained rooted for several seconds, his load coming in waves as his cock twitched and spasmed, draining itself down her throat.

Pleasure continued to rock her body but met with resolve in greater quantity. As her feet met the ground she returned instantly to her assigned position, not allowing for even a moments appearance of fatigue. The man in front slowly extricated himself, leaving a few long strands to fall warmly along her face, but Dash didn’t let it distract her.

She swallowed down what remained in her mouth, the bitter taste doing nothing to dull the sense of accomplishment that was now welling up inside of her. Soon she was back on her feet, a smug grin spreading along her lips as she stepped around the crumpled form of a man now laying prone on the floor. A man who had thought he could challenge her, the warm, sticky fluid dribbling down her thigh a persistent reminder of her unquestionable superiority.

Dash was glad for the break, though basking in the glow of her success wasn’t really her priority. She didn’t need to look hard to find what she was looking for, Fluttershy, it turned out, wasn’t very far from where she had begun.

She was down on the floor, legs laying flat, a slight tremor rising up the thin arms supporting her upper body, her back arched and her neck craning upward into the crotch of a trembling older woman. The woman’s hips rolled along Fluttershy’s face, hands tangled in strands of silken pink hair, pulling her higher and closer before ultimately collapsing backward. The woman soon lay on the floor a spasmodic mess, hips bucking, eyes rolling, and where once she had stood Flutterhy’s face had emerged. There was a fatigued look to her as she rose to her feet, teetering a little as she brought herself upright before regaining her balance.

A brief pang of worry overtook Dash as she saw her friend stagger, but it was soon buried under a mountain of pride. Fluttershy gave her a weak smile which Dash quickly matched and exceeded with one of her own.

Fluttershy was still here.

She was still trying her best, challenging herself and succeeding, even outperforming Dash herself.

She looked on at her friend’s face, dripping with fresh cum, her breasts free from a top that had been lost in one of who knows how many pose transitions. Her hair was matted with white splotches now discolouring its brink pink hue, the dark green of her leggings in tatters, laying bare her smooth, bronzed flesh.

Dash could not possibly have felt happier or prouder of her at this moment.

Before she could say anything their rendezvous was cut short, their teacher had taken notice of Fluttershy’s accomplishment and was already speaking to her. Without a moment’s hesitation Fluttershy spread her legs wide and folded forward, her hands planted against the floor, hair falling forward, her face only visible through the space between her thighs. Another man was soon stood behind her, anxious to test her resolve anew, but Dash wasn’t worried.

Even as the sound of skin slapping on skin once again began to fill the air there was no distress.

Fluttershy could handle it.

Applejack wasn’t being overprotective.

She wasn’t.

It was a beautiful evening, Big Mac was taking care of most of the farm work today anyway, there was absolutely no reason she couldn’t spend some time outside, relaxing and enjoying the wonderful weather.

The fact that she had chosen to do so across the street from Rarity’s boutique was a coincidence.

If sitting under this tree, basking in the cool shade and the gentle breeze happened to result in her keeping an eye on her friend’s business and the strange people who seemed to be patronizing it, then that was just another happy coincidence and nothing to worry about.

The first man, the one who had more or less evicted her, had spent almost an hour inside by Applejack’s count, and had left empty handed, as had the one who went in shortly after him. For several hours AJ observed a steady flow of people, mostly men she didn’t recognize, work their way in and out of the Carousel Boutique. With the arrival of each new customer Applejack became increasingly convinced that something was off.

They seemed to arrive with clockwork regularity, as if by appointment, lines were uncommon, and those that waited didn’t wait long. On the rare occasion someone Applejack recognized went to the door they found it locked and turned away shortly after, Rarity wasn’t even bothering to speak with them.

It was the same routine, again and again, only slowing, and eventually stopping when the sky finally began to turn dark. After a little over an hour without a visitor Applejack got to her feet, she didn’t care if it was getting dark out, she didn’t care if it was late, they needed to talk. Now.

As she made her way back towards the boutique she caught sight of Rarity, making her way out into the fading daylight almost as if on cue. She was wearing a jacket that reached down to her knees, an ugly brown thing that Applejack could hardly believe was allowed to exist in her home let alone rest on her body.

Without really thinking Applejack raced toward her, powerful legs pushing her forward, boots kicking up dust as she crossed the path and shouted after her friend.

“Rare?”

She didn’t stop, didn’t even break stride, didn’t give any indication that she had heard her name as she continued into the encroaching darkness.

“Rarity?”

The second attempt seemed to register, though just barely, her pace slowing slightly but never fully stopping. It was only when Applejack laid a hand on her that Rarity seemed to fully recognize that someone was trying to get her attention.

An uneasy feeling overtook Applejack the moment Rarity turned around. Looking up at her Applejack felt that something was missing, the shimmering blue eyes that she had expected were glassy and dull, staring directly through her.

“Rare - ity?” The word hit Applejack’s ears with a tone of total unfamiliarity. Rarity spoke her own name like something from a long dead language, barely seeming to recognize it, or that she had ever known it to be hers.

“Oh hi um…” She paused, her lifeless eyes looking down with an odd, uncomprehending gaze “Applejack.” She finally finished.

“Where’re you off to? Sweetie Belle’ll be home from her CMC meetin’ soon.”

“Sweetie…?” Her voice was once again distant. “Oh, I - I left her a sandwich, she’ll be fine.”

What little of Rarity’s outfit Applejack could see convinced her the towering beauty was going somewhere.

The bit of her legs that could be seen were confined to a pair of strap up heels that were tall even by Rarity’s standards. She could make out a pair of ornate bracelets, far nicer, and likely far more expensive than the one she had bought a few days earlier, and a brilliant choker around her neck to match. The only other hint she could glean was from a pair of thin, almost nonexistent straps that plunged from her collar deep into the neckline of the jacket, so deep in fact that Applejack guessed whatever they were attached to, there wasn’t much of it.

“Got’a date?” She guessed, unsure of whether she’d prefer to be right or wrong.

“Hmmm? Oh, something like that I suppose.”

“Somebody I know?”

She sighed. “I doubt it, sorry… Applejack, but I’m running a little late, I’ll talk to you soon.”

Without another word she turned away, walking with the same aura of aloof determination she had given off seconds before long legs carrying her quickly out of view towards a destination unknown.

The duration of this particular lesson was beginning to get to Rainbow Dash.

Aches were beginning to make themselves felt across her body, the constant tension from the myriad positions she had held were slowly taking their toll, and beyond that, parts of her were getting… sore.

Dash’s right leg was positioned straight upward, her left arm coiled behind her head holding it in place, but that was the easy part. What was harder was keeping her balance on a single foot while the man beside her continued to force her backward with each thrust. The woman currently latched onto her chest was doing her no favours either, twisting and turning the thin metal stud in her left nipple while laying slow, lingering kisses on the right.

“Getting tired?” The man asked in an unmistakably mocking tone.

“Pfft dream on, I could do this all dAYYYY!”

Dash felt rows of teeth clamp down on her breast, her eyes shooting downward to see a woman with mischievous eyes staring back, tugging on Dash’s chest while drinking in her discomfort.

“That makes two of us.”

A smug retort grew within her but died in her throat as dueling pleasures radiated from her chest and sex in an almost overwhelming harmony. Her head snapped backward, her left leg turned to jelly, nearly giving way and maintaining its strength only through sheer force of will. The sound of her climax was audible not just by the echoes of her own self-stifled shriek but by the sound of her arousal spilling to the floor and now seeping underfoot, but she wasn’t going to give up.

“Mmmm you really are persistent, aren’t you?”

Dash’s vision was blurred, she felt the man pull out, no doubt satisfied that she would not be cowed, but the woman, apparently, wasn’t quite so sure.

“You know, I’ve been coming here ever since these little…” A wicked smile curled across her lips as she enunciated the next word. “’classes’ began, I’ve noticed you haven’t fallen out of position even once.” The woman was evidently more ambitious, her focus now moving higher, and adopting a softer tack for her second performance.

“It seems like everyone else just dives on in, nobody has bothered to keep you waiting.” Her lips were grazing along Dash’s neck, their softness making for a strange counter to her male counterparts more zealous and forceful thrusts from the recent past. Her hands were distinct as well, gingerly exploring every muscle on Dash’s wiry frame, trailing up along the path of her abs and curling around to her back, circling back down and brushing across her sopping slit, sending a shiver rocketing through her body, but never entering, every second stretching into infinity.

“But I’ve been paying attention, I think I know how badly you want to impress everybody, I just need to find something you want a little bit more.” Her lips came millimetres from Dash’s, the scent of Dash’s own sweat on her proving intoxicating, loosening her grip on her leg by simple proximity.

“I guess the real question is: which is more important? This?” Her nails traced up along the length of Dash’s leg, streaking along the taught muscles and meeting her own hand before drifting back downward. “Or this?” Dash felt her resolve wilt as the woman pressed closer, now nibbling gently on her ear, breasts pressed into her face, hand circling and moving away from the one place she knew it needed to be.

Tremors ran through her entire body, her fingers digging deeper into the upraised appendage, struggling to keep it airborne. Her entire being quaked with every touch, her mettle melting under her own heat.

“Guess what?” Dash groaned as the woman buried herself in the crook of her neck, retreading ground she’d already been, acutely aware that it was fertile. “I think I win.”

All it took was one touch. Dash practically exploded, like a dying star her resolve collapsed in on itself. She felt every muscle in her body liquefy, collapsing forward into the woman’s arms, pleasure mingling with pain as she wrapped arms around the closest thing to her, clinging to her, trying desperately to remain upright, to preserve some shred of her dignity as it splattered down her thighs, soaking into the tattered remains of her leggings.

But she wasn’t done.

Another touch between her legs started the whole thing over again, a new wave crashing into her before the first had even receded. Before she even had the chance to process it Dash was on her knees, at the woman’s feet, hands clinging to her thighs for what little support she could find.

“All it takes is a little bit of patience.”

She felt a hand caressing her matted, prismatic hair, she could almost feel the condescension in its rhythm.

“Buh.” Dash sputtered, barely managing to force herself upward, legs constantly threatening to give out underneath her. “B - best two out of three.”

Dash drew herself, barely, to full height, doing her best to paint a picture of resilience, hoping to, through pure grit, to erase the image of her practically prostrated, a quivering mess only a little earlier.

She steadied herself, preparing to begin again, to redeem herself in the eyes of this total stranger, and then she heard it. A loud thud, somewhere just out of view. Her eyes scanned the dim surroundings, settling on a small group clustered a few metres away, and suddenly her blood ran cold.

Fluttershy lay unmoving, light murmurs escaping from the crowd that had partially surrounded her.

Dash was by her side before the thought even processed in her mind, forcing aside the woman who had up until that point been the sole occupier of her attention with an aggressive indifference, and appearing by her friend like a bolt of lightning.

“SHY?!”

There was a gentle rise and fall to her chest, even breaths, like she had simply fallen asleep on her feet, relief mingling with abject terror in Dash’s heart as she hunched over, desperate to see any kind of response.

“SHY ARE YOU OK?! WAKE UP!” Her voice cracked with emotion as others stood by, either nervous or uncarring.

“DON’T JUST STAND THERE SOMEBODY GET-!.”

“Shhhhh, remember your breathing Dash.”

Her teacher was behind her now, hand running gentle lines along her side, speaking in the same calming voice that normally put her quickly at ease, though not this time.

“MY BREA-? SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH FLUTTERSHY.”

Long even strokes along the side of her abdomen, fingers dragging across the ridges of her oblique muscles with the purposeful motions of an expert painter.

“I – I shouldn’t have pushed her, I should’ve been more careful. I NEED TO GET HER TO-.”

“Avidya.” He whispered, and suddenly Dash’s vision tunneled. A vacant feeling overtook her as the entire world vanished around her. It wasn’t calm, it was more than that, darker, deeper, total nothingness.

“How are you feeling Dash?”

“I – I don’t know.”

“Is everything ok?”

“I don’t know…”

His hand stopped, resting where her abdomen met her waist. “Take a deep breath for me.”

She obeyed, his fingers trailing up her side in perfect alignment as her chest filled with oxygen, reaching up along her ribs and the stopping just as her lungs were full.

“Ananda” Just as Dash began to exhale the words hit her, his fingers following downward with the long, unbroken exhale, finally once again touching her waist as the air drained out of her entirely.

“Feel better?”

Dash felt a smile spread wide across her face, felt some strange combination of serenity and happiness pervade every part of her being, body and soul, having overtaken any number of other negative emotions that felt to her like memories from decades ago.

“Why don’t you go back to helping the other students while I take care of Fluttershy.”

“Sure thing teach! I’m sure she’s fine.” She chirped, gliding back toward the woman, now joined by another male student, each one with an expectant look now dominating their features.

Dash lay on her back, the cold tile sending shivers all throughout her body as it made contact with her slick flesh, taking an ankle in each hand and spreading herself welcoming and wide in a perfect split. The students were soon on her again, but any stiffness or soreness barely registered, suffocated under still waters of relaxation.

Everything was fine.

Following after Rarity was easier than Applejack had expected.

It wasn’t exactly difficult to keep sight of her, but more than that she in her own little world, eyes fixed to the path she followed, never taking any notice of her surroundings. At first Applejack had kept her distance, taking corners only after she had seen Rarity disappear over the sight line, but her lead seemed so divorced from reality she soon simply trailed behind, at some points only separated by a few metres.

They were passing through an area Applejack was unfamiliar with, over uneven ground and through darkened foliage. Even in heels Rarity navigated the path better than Applejack in her boots, guided by what looked like an intimate familiarity with every root, pebble and branch she passed by.

The faint chatter of strangers eventually told Applejack they were nearing their destination. Stealth once again becoming a priority as she disappeared into the darkness by the side of the path to avoid the eyes of a short line up and the structure’s entrance. From her hiding spot she watched Rarity breeze past them all, the door giving way for her as she disappeared inside.

From there it was mostly just waiting, nearly an hour passed before the queue cleared completely and she was certain she could approach without being seen. She made her way to the door and pressed forward, finding it exactly as solid and unmoving as it had appeared.

Nothing could ever be easy, it seemed.

Still the sound of her attempt soon drew a reaction as a slot opened high in the door’s façade, a pair of dark eyes now starring down at her with a look of boredom and indifference.

“Go away.”

Applejack was unintimidated.

“I’m just tryin’ ta’ see my friend, she just went in.”

“You must be mistaken, no women allowed in.”

Applejack clenched her jaw, refusing to break eye contact. “What are you five?”

“I’m not five, and you’re not getting in, good night.”

With that the rectangular portal closed and once again Applejack was left alone. A series of knocks on the door, each one louder and more violent than the last proved ineffective in restarting their discussion, eventually leaving Applejack to turn back towards home.

She would be back.

She wasn’t giving up that easily.

It was dark when they finally left the gym.

Classes that ran all day were more than a bit of an inconvenience, but the results were worth the effort. even Dash’s most grueling workouts gave nowhere near the satisfaction she got from these excursions.

She could feel the weight of her friend on her back, her long limbs making it a bit of an awkward carry for Dash’s smaller form, even despite the relatively minuscule weight, her gentle breathing ticking the back of Dash's neck.

Fluttershy had fallen asleep during their break and Dash hadn’t had the heart to wake her, preferring to let her rest. She had been trying so hard lately, exhaustion was to be expected, and she deserved a break.

“Same time Tuesday?” Asked the teacher as he followed out closely behind her, turning in the opposite direction.

“You betch’a!” Dash cheered back as she began the long walk back to Fluttershy’s cottage.

Author's Note

1) innovative new developments in the field of porn thats also kinda sad

2) Thanks for waiting, this took way too long

3) double thanks to the wise commenter "Arzoo" who reminded me that this chapter taking forever is a sign of my absolute mastery of suspense rather than my gross incompetence, meaning i dont have to apologize :P

4) please excuse my complete unfamiliarity with yoga and gyms and the people who inhabit them

5) questions, comments, suggestions, always welcome