''Did you hear that?''
''Hear what?''
''That.''
''Oh yes, that is a precise description.''
''You both shut up, I heard it too. Around the corner.''
With a light sing, the blade slid out of its holster on Sweetie Belle's waist. She held it close to her leg and felt how the Tonfa weighed her arm down. The weapon had the shape of a branch; a straight blade, a little longer than her forearm, and a wooden handle on the top side, vertically on the blade, was wrapped with a red cord.
She heard her heartbeat in her head, how it pounded. It was this moment when she was most excited, the moment before the fighting, the calm before the storm.
Sweetie Belle reached with her free hand to the small bag on the side of her upper leg, and felt the outlines of its content beneath the rough surface of the fabric. They were still there and ready for use. Brushing away a strain of curly light pink hair, that was hanging before her one eye, she took a deep breath and pulled the zipper to her chin for the last time.
She wore a jumpsuit of black and gray polyester and carbon fiber. Her shoulders, elbows, waist and knees were covered with protectors of a lighter but more resistant version of carbon shells. The zipper started at her belly button and ended close beneath her chin. A pair of sunglasses, fixed with a rubber band to the back of her head, and lots of small pockets strapped all over her body completed her skin-tight gear.
''Alright, I'm going to move in first. Then Spike follows while you and Rarity give us cover,'' she whispered and took a quick peek around the corner.
The corridor they were moving along to the first turn was pitch black, and she could just so see her companions. They were somewhere in the outskirts of a suburb of Detrot, a mansion near a small forrest. It was so insignificant that it was only marked on a handful of maps, which was one reason they had arrived there by sundown. Now the sun was down and the dim orange light had vanished to solid blackness.
As soon as they had broken the lock at the front door, they had felt that something was wrong. Just the piece of evidence they had needed to know that they were right. The mansion possessed a labyrinth of small rooms on the first floor, connected by corridors, three major halls, and another maze of rooms in the upper stories. The group was now assembled above the center hall and yet they still were to encounter a single soul. It was like the whole house was empty. Local records stated that the owner neither passed away nor that he was out of town though.
Several paintings hung on the walls, displaying scenes from a stormy sea, a meadow at sunset, mountains heavily covered in snow and other scenes showcasing Mother Nature. A long carpet ran along the floor and swallowed the small noises they made while moving.
The house was old, presumably built half a century ago, or longer. The stairs had creaked with every step they took on them, causing them to curse quietly under their breath, thankful for every time they left a staircase. And still, they hadn't come to a single living person.
''No, it's too dangerous. What if we are right and they really are huddled together around the next corner?'' asked Twilight. She tried her best to keep her tune down, but it still sounded so loud in the silence all around them.
Spike smirked and leaned in closer. ''Then we do what we always do: slice them up and send our regards to the princess,'' he boasted and winked at her.
Twilight frowned and shot him a scolding look. ''Spike, this really isn't the time to be joking. They grow in numbers with every new mission. Rarity, could you please support me here?''
''I am sorry, Twilight, darling,” the white-coated mare replied. “But I can't seem to see why this would be a bad plan. It is uncouth and not very ladylike, but it works very well.''
Twilight sighed and shook her head. ''Fine. But if anyone gets hurt, you have yourselves to blame. Let's move out.''
Sweetie Belle shot the dragon a grin and he answered with one of his own. They got into launching position, Sweetie Belle with the weapon on her left, and her right on the floor. Spike focused on a point on the opposite wall and she could almost feel the heat through her armored clothing as he flexed his muscles as a warm-up.
Keeping his gaze fixed, he nodded rhythmically. By the third time, they both jolted forwards. Sweetie Belle rolled over her shoulder, came to her feet, let her blade whirl on her side, and drew one of the shurikens out the bag on her leg, ready to throw.
Spike jumped straight at the wall, clawed into it and took two quick jumps, before he whirled into a wild flip, rocketing straight at his opponent.
Had there been an opponent to rocket at.
The end of the corridor lay out of sight, it was too dark. Rarity and Twilight turned around the corner, Twilight already aiming with the crossbow on her wrist, and four of Rarity's handle-less, tear-shaped blades circling her torso in x-shape while she held two others in between her middle and index finger and her thumb.
A moment passed and they all loosened up.
''So much for that. What now?'' asked Spike. He sounded unnerved.
''Well, the way I see it, we move on,'' replied Twilight. ''There are four doors ahead of us, and any is as good as the next.'' She shrugged. The fact they still hadn't made contact made her suspicious too.
Sweetie Belle walked on to the first door on the right and turned the knob. It was locked. ''There goes your theory about this one being as good as the next.'' Suddenly, her gaze shot downwards and she lifted her foot.
Twilight grunted and waved in a general direction. ''Then try the next one.''
Instead, Sweetie Belle raised her arm and positioned the tip of the Tonfa between the lock and the door frame. She pushed in gently and with a yank to the side, broke the door open. She slowly opened it wide enough to see into the room behind, then quickly pulled back.
Twilight tilted her head. ''Sweetie, why did you-''
''Because there is blood on the floor.''
Immediately, the group stood by her side and readied their gear again. Pushing the door wider open, Sweetie Bell held up three fingers and counted down. When the last finger fell, then so did the door.
Sweetie teleported a short distance and sunk her blade into the sinewy neck of the first ghoul. She yanked it out quickly and dodged the flailing arms from the two others that tried to get her into their embrace, where they would flex until her backbone broke. She rolled to the side, swiped a pair of legs from the ground, and stuck her Tonfa straight through the chest of the fallen ghoul. A moment later, it burst into gray ashes.
The room was bigger than it had looked from outside. It was empty except for the pieces of furniture that lay broken on the walls, remnants of a table and some chairs. A crowd of growling, tottering and reeling figures looked straight at the door. Their fur showed bare parts, where the skin shimmered through, and they had dark rings around their eyes. Many had wounds, scratches, bruises and what else.
Seeing herself surrounded by five opponents, she took the second tonfa from its place on her side and started rotating them slowly along her hips. She reached into her pocket with her magic and grasped the four shurikens, letting them spin around at chest height. They were around the size of her hand and had the shape of three leaves connected in the center, a black and silver ornament on each edge.
Two of the ghouls closed in from opposite sides, swaying and faltering. Sweetie Belle retracted the blades to her arms. She ducked under one arm of the enemy in front of her and sliced his side open with a sudden strike. The ghoul turned and made his upper body vulnerable, and Sweetie Bell landed an uppercut from his crotch to his neck. A sound like rustling leaves and the ghoul was gone.
She heard a sound like a moan from behind and saw the other stumbling towards her, the remaining three following suit. She concentrated and sent the shuriken flying. Two borrowed themselves in the heads of the duo behind the foremost ghoul, and they burst into dust. Sweetie Belle teleported again and stood right before the last of the trio. Her blades snapped around, and the long part was now an extension of her arm. She rammed the tip into the gut of the opponent in front of her and shoved it upwards until they exited his body on the back and sliced him up. From the weight of his arms, the two parts that were severed sunk down and before he touched the ground, the body of the ghoul was already gone.
Sweetie Belle turned around to the last of the squad and let her neck bones crack. She assumed a boxing stance and moved her finger, provoking her enemy to come get her. He willingly took the invite and staggered towards her. Sweetie waited until the ghoul reached out with one arm to strike, evaded at the last moment, drew her leg upwards in a spin-kick and caught the arm. Following in the motion, she pierced the ghoul’s chest with her tonfa, battling to keep her balance, while directing the shuriken to swarm around him, ripping his clothes, as well as flesh, apart. Like confetti, pieces of flesh flew around and burned up just like sparklers on a morbid birthday cake.
Shooting her work an approving smile, Sweetie turned around to see how her teammates were doing. Just at that moment, she watched Spike lift a ghoul up by his shoulders and then rip him into two. The two halves formed a puddle on the floor and trembled in small spasms afterward.
Rarity reached over her shoulder and drew another knife from there, threw it and hit an opponent right in the eye. He, like the others, turned to ashes.
Meanwhile, Twilight was with her back to the wall and shot bolt after bolt from her crossbow. She had taken down a good handful already, but when she tried to shoot a ghoul that was uncomfortably close, the string loosened no arrow. Her eyes went wide and she quickly pulled the magazine off her left wrist, dropped it to the ground and reached to the bag on the small of her back. It was too late, though. The ghoul had reached her, his arm grasped Twilight's shoulder. He pulled her in and she stumbled.
Suddenly, the chest of the ghoul bulged and he threw his head back. Then, he was lifted off the ground as Spike held him up. His hand was buried in the back of the ghoul up to the elbow and he held him up even higher until his arm was fully extended. The ghoul squirmed and flailed, but Spike opened his jaws and released a stream of emerald fire that burned the ghoul around his arm, and he dropped to the ground as the flesh that held him up melted away.
''Thank you,'' Twilight sighed in exasperation, and Spike nodded with a toothy smirk.
When there was no movement anymore, the group gathered in the center of the room. Sweetie Belle, Rarity and Spike were breathing heavily.
''Alright, good job everyone. Twilight, how many did you count?'' asked Spike, his arms in his hips.
Twilight's eyes shot from one corner to the other. ''Sweetie Belle got seven, I got thirteen, Rarity took down twelve and you neutralized fifteen. That makes forty-seven,'' she replied and looked gravely at him. ''Ten more than the last time.''
Sweetie Belle scratched her cheek. ''So what does that mean?''
Twilight looked at her and thought about it for a second. ''That there's something bigger on the way to us.''
''Very well then,'' Rarity clapped her hands together. ''Then let's get back home, I don't intend to stay here any longer than I need to be.''
''She's right, you guys,'' Spike agreed, and grabbed Rarity's waist, spinning her around and pulling her into a wild kiss.
Twilight and Sweetie looked demonstratively into different directions, but when they took longer than five seconds, Sweetie snorted. ''Oh, come on, get a room for yourselves!''
Rarity and Spike broke off, both chuckling. ''We will, don't worry. As soon as we are home,'' Spike grinned and planted another kiss on Rarity's mouth, who gave a little squeal.
Twilight sighed. ''You know, it's fine that you are dating and stuff, but for Sweetie Belle and me it's still a little odd.'' Sweetie Belle nodded.
Yeah, 'stuff', especially, she thought, trying to block out her upcoming vivid imagination as to what kind of stuff.
Annoyed, Rarity and Spike parted. ''Party poopers,'' grumbled Spike, and they left the house.
The key slipped into the lock, and clicked when Sweetie Belle turned. Pushing down the knob and entering her home, she closed out the setting sun, that slowly descended beneath the horizon. It had been a tough day in late summer, for her body and nerves equally. Her shoulders and arms felt twice as heavy, her feet and knees were sore, her back ached, and so did her head. She picked up the two bags with groceries she had brought and dragged them into the kitchen. Placing them on the table, she allowed herself a moment of rest.
Early this morning, the squad had met with Luna and given her their reports. The princess had folded her hands before her mouth and propped her chin on her thumbs. The four of them had stood there, exchanging looks and waiting for the princess' response. ''Alright, good work as always,'' she had told them. “I am getting the feeling that these are no longer the random encounters we are used to.”
Twilight had spoken up. “Exactly my thoughts.” She had taken a scroll from out of her back pack, and unfurled it to a map. “The last three raids we were assigned to happened here-” she pointed at a small red dot she had marked on the paper “-here, and there. Do you see what they have in common?” Twilight had asked.
Luna had squinted and examined the map closely. “They all appeared in a radius of one hundred kilometers?” she asked, and Twilight nodded.
“We need to collect more information, see where the next cases are, which time frame they are appearing, how many targets, and so on. Maybe we can find a pattern. We are dealing with someone who follows a system. The first incident occured three months ago, near Appaloosa with thirteen targets. The second report came from Manehatten, two months ago and twenty nine ghouls to be taken down. The third raid took place in a village between Manehatten and Detrot, with forty ghouls. This last one happened exactly one month later.”
Luna had sat on that for another good few moments, locking her gaze on a point before their feet, periodically squinting in thought. She then had leaned back and massaged her forehead with one hand. “Twilight, I want you to stay with me, the others can go.” Luna had waved her hand at them. “Oh, and before I forget: Rarity, you might want to pay Black Smith a visit. He told me he has a new 'toy' for you. He said something about accentuating your gracefulness, or something like that.”
Rarity's eyes had shimmered with anticipation and curiosity. She had turned to Spike, grabbed his hand and taken off to the forge.
With a lot of free time at her hands, Sweetie Belle had chosen to spend it in the training fields with the other guards and men-at-arms. She could always learn some more. Although she was training over a decade now, there was still so many techniques to be learned, styles to be mastered, skills to be acquired.
In hindsight, that might have been a poor decision. Instead of the usual run of warm up, stretching and then freestyle sparring, the routine of this day had consisted of push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and other exercises for building up strength. No lectures about pressure points, anatomy and leverages on the body, but all the more lunges, squats and Jumping Jacks. Sweetie Belle dreaded these kinds of days, because they usually left here with the worst case of sore everything the morning after.
Today though, the ache in her muscles had already set in by the late afternoon. When she had left the training grounds, she had been soaked in sweat, and her legs almost gave out under her. After the relaxing shower, which didn't help soothe her muscles the way she hoped it would, she had taken a peak at Rarity, trying out her new weapon.
It was a long red cord the length of twice her height, and had a blade at the end, the length of her hand. Rarity had wrapped one end of the rope around one hand and swung it in wide circles along her body. Then she quickly turned around, and the cord winded around her belly, hips and one leg, and when she spun into another turn, it unfurled and struck in the wooden dummy in front of her, burying itself halfway into it.
Rarity's natural grace and elegance always woke a little jealousy in Sweetie Belle, but she would never admit that openly. They were sisters after all, and even though rivalry between siblings was common, she loved her more than she envied her. That was a good thing, she supposed. Sweetie Belle knew, whenever she had a problem, she could trust Rarity with it, and the same applied to her.
Letting out a deep sigh, she sunk into the pillows of the couch, draped a few strands of hair over her eyes and lay there. Sweetie Belle breathed deeply and was at the brink of falling asleep, when she felt how something hopped onto her belly. Flinging her eyes open, she looked at the mid section of her body and saw a gray cat with black stripes, gaunt head and filigree paws, sitting there, looking at her.
Sweetie Belle smiled and grasped around the cat's chest, hugging her to her chest and nuzzling the back of its neck. “Hello, Vocal, I'm happy to see you too,” she whispered into her ear. Vocal started purring and rubbed her face against Sweetie Belle's chin. The two of them lay there, Vocal as a fuzzy ball of fur on Sweetie Belle's chest, relaxing and almost napping.
Suddenly, Sweetie Belle heard how the front door was opened once more. She heard three quick steps, then silence, and finally, a tall grown stallion with mane like chestnut and a coat of the color of rusted copper peaked his head into the living room. “Sweetie, you home already?”
Sweetie Belle chuckled. “Sure am!” she exclaimed happily as she saw who had entered her house. Vocal gave a displeased grumbling as she sullenly glided from Sweetie Belle's lap and onto the armrest of the sofa. Raising up with a swinging step, Sweetie Belle walked around the couch, closed the distance to the stallion and planted a welcoming kiss on his mouth.
”Always my favorite part of the day,” he said, hugging her a little tighter.
”What, end of work?”
”Nope, coming home.”
Another kiss was exchanged between them, until Sweetie felt Vocal brushing against her leg and scratch the back of her knees, which caused her to slightly buckle. Reaching down with a hand and stroking over her head, Sweetie purred at her cat. “Oh, Vocal, I am so sorry I didn't make your dinner.”
Looking up she asked the stallion, “I've put the groceries on the table in the kitchen. Would you be a dear and put them where they belong, Button?”
Button nodded with a bright smile on his face and made his way into the kitchen. Sweetie Belle quickly followed after, setting the cat down and opening the fridge, where she pulled out the can containing the cat food. With a spoon she loaded a generous portion of the meat mix on a small plate and sat it down before Vocal.
”Um, Sweetie,” Button began. “I was wondering, would you like to go out? There is this neat restaurant that just recently opened, down at the Ponyville Market.” He wrapped two loafs of bread in paper and stored them in a cupboard above the fridge.
Sweetie Belle looked suspiciously at her coltfriend. She had learned from past events that whenever Button was inviting her on a night out, there was a catch. Cocking one of her eyebrows, she asked him icily, “Just the two of us?”
Button bit down on his lower lip and tried to avoid looking directly into Sweetie Belle's eyes. She knew what was up and running. He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and attempted a reply, smiling sheepishly. “Well, not exactly, but-”
”But?” interrupted Sweetie Belle, hands on her hips and shooting daggers.
”But you won't notice the others as soon as the game's over.” Another apologetic grin followed.
”Button, again?” Sweetie Belle asked, disappointment tainting her voice. Her shoulders sagged down and she tilted her head.
Button sighed heavily and walked over to her, trying to pull Sweetie Belle into a hug, but she evaded him. He could tell from her look that she was upset. “Look, Sweetie,” he began. “It's the finale of the regional championship. Thousands of ponies will be watching the streams. I have already made arrangements for Snips, Snails, and Spike, and I thought that maybe this way we could spend some time together. Also at the same time we could be doing something I really really like.” Button gave her the puppy-look he had practiced for moments like these.
Sweetie Belle pulled a pout and thought about it. Finally, she sat on the kitchen counter and propped her chin on her fist. “You know, Button,” Sweetie Belle said without looking at him, “it's always you and your games. What's it called, League of Heroes? I seriously don't know what you guys are getting so excited over, it's only a game!”
That woke the spirit in Button. “No, it's not!” he exclaimed passionately. “League of Heroes is a Massive Online Battle Arena, where two teams á five members strategically lay siege to the opposing team’s base! There's the tanky top laner, the agile jungler, the mid laner, usually a mage or an assassin, the marksman and his support. All of them have different skills and abilities to contribute to their team's victory, and there are also the objectives, like towers, dragons and-”
”Button, honey,” Sweetie Belle interrupted him. “You are getting off topic.”
Button cleared his throat and continued. “Anyways, League of Heroes has evolved past a simple 'game'-” Button signed quotation marks with his fingers “- and is now an official sport. We've got everything an official sport has: We have the players, the coaches, the huge crowd, the announcers and, most important of all, the prize money. Please, Sweetie Belle, let's go there, I promise, it'll be fun! You know Snips and Snails, and it'll be over before you know it. Afterward we have all the time we want to ourselves.”
When Sweetie Belle still didn't seem to be fully convinced, he added, “I'll even go to the spa with you and the other girls.” His ears flopped down at the thought of the three former Crusaders having fun with each other, and himself going to be dragged along like spare luggage. But if it convinced Sweetie Belle to come with him...
At the notion of the spa, Sweetie Belle's face lit up. Shooting him a shy smile, she finally slid from the counter and gladly accepted his embrace. Sweetie Belle kissed him on the cheek and nestled her cheek at his chest. “You are the best,” she said lovingly and stayed there for a while. Button rested his head on hers and hugged her a little tighter. Sweetie Belle backed away and gave a sigh of defeat. “So, when's it going to be?”
”Thursday at six, I asked the commissioner for a day off, and he said,-” he let his voice drop into a raspy tone like one of an old man- ”’Button, you have done excellent police work back there when we captured that thief-on-the-run. You deserve more than one day-”
”Button, cut the act.”
Button's stature collapsed like a house of cards. “Fine. I promised I'd stay some more hours next week. Sorry.”
The corners of Sweetie Belle's mouth went downward once more. “Honey, we have so little time together, the only time we see each other is after work in the evening.” When he kept silent, Sweetie Belle lifted his face with a tender stroke. “How many hours?”
”I won't be able to come home before ten or eleven, that's why you simply had to come with me to the finale,” he muttered, unable to look Sweetie Belle in the eye. “I'm really sorry, Sweetie, it's just... The winners of the match secure themselves a seat for the Equestrian Championship, and my favorite team is one of the competitors. It's a one-time-chance. And I wanted you to be there, too… ‘Cause I love you...”
Button's caramel eyes darted up to meet with Sweetie Belle's, true rue in them and begging for her forgiveness. Sweetie Belle could see how much this meant to him, it had always been a part of him, and it was always going to be a part of him. Come to think about it, it was probably the closest he was ever going to come to romance, and if it was so much fun for him, then who was she to deny him having her with him at this oh so important event.
Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to let him know about her decision, when an awful reminder sprung up from her brain. The next Thursday was set as an appointment for further investigations on the ghoul-case at hand. Twilight and Luna had proposed this date as a crucial part in the preparations for their next mission, impossible for her to skip it.
Reluctantly she drew away from him, crossing her arms and focusing on a swirl in the parquet. “I,” she began, “I can't, I have something to do.” Wriggling free out of his arms, Sweetie Belle backed off and went back to sit on the counter.
Button cocked an eyebrow and tried to draw her in again, but she refused. Hiding his hands in the pockets of his pants, he asked, “Crusading? Or is it something related to your work,which I am not allowed to know about?”
”The latter.”
Button sighed. He had not expected her to jump with joy at the invitation to go watch some games with him and his friends, but suspicion was rising in him that she was using a cheap excuse to escape a night out with three colts and a dragon bawling at a TV screen. Maybe it was not the most romantic way to spend an evening, but Button had assumed that as his girlfriend of more than three years, she would be able to make such a little compromise.
Button started to walk around the kitchen counter and to where the bags with the last remaining groceries lay. Packing a couple packs of butter into the refrigerator, he silently stored the bags in a drawer under the sink.
Sweetie Belle didn't like it when he was quiet like this. Frenetically, she searched for something to say to him, to lighten his mood. It must have been hard to sacrifice what little time they had together, and it was certainly not made better by her turning him down like this. “Button, darling,” she mumbled. “Please don't be cross with me, you knew from the beginning that my job for the princesses is eating up a lot of time.”
In response, Button only murmured something inaudible under his breath, but Sweetie Belle went on.
”Look, it's Friday today. We still have three days until your prolonged shifts, why not make the best of it?” Sweetie asked, positive to lift his spirits. Slowly looking upwards, she caught Button's look and smiled so sweetly at him, that the disappointment dissolved as quickly as it had come.
Tilting his head back, he asked, “And what did you have in mind?”
Closing the distance, Sweetie Belle trod over to her coltfriend, cornering him between the sink and the stove. She leaned onto him, head on his shoulder, and started to draw small circles with her finger on his chest. “Oh, I don't really know, maybe you could figure something out?” She pouted and looked innocently at him.
Button had immediately caught the hint and started to let his hand slip ever downward to her hip and further beneath. “Oh, I might have an idea already,” he cooed into her ear, and with a firm grasp, groped her butt.
Sweetie Belle let him fondle with her behind a little longer before arching her back a little and bending her head sideways, offering him free access to her neck. Button on his side grabbed her and ultimately pulled her to his chest. Placing a tender kiss on her forehead, right next to her horn, he began journeying to her mouth, neck and at last to her collarbone.
Enjoying the pecks, Sweetie Belle ran a hand through her lover's tousled brown mane and nibbled playfully on his ear. A little sigh escaped her mouth when he reached a peculiarly sensitive spot right behind her ear, slightly above her shoulder blades.
While Button gave her his utmost attention in nuzzling her neck up and down, Sweetie Belle started opening the azure blue shirt he always wore when on office duty. Button by button, the piece of cloth came off, revealing his bare chest and parts of his belly. Thanks to the hard physical training he was undergoing at the police academy, Button was in magnificent shape, with lean, although well defined, shoulders and chest, a slim midsection, and sinewy yet muscular arms, which traveled up and down her back.
Pushing him back a bit, she finally managed to get the hindering shirt away from his body, and flung it behind his back. Button bit his lip and smirked mischievously at his marefriend. With a slow, careful stroke, he pulled off Sweetie Belle's T-Shirt and threw it to where his own shirt was already lying. Needless to say, Sweetie Bell was a sight to behold on her own, with narrow, filigree shoulders, slim waist and a beautiful flat belly. She had never been one to compete with Rarity’s ample bosom, instead she wore a playful couple of preppy, firm breasts.
Sweetie Belle had had a feeling this morning that maybe today something like this would be happening, so she had put on her favorite lingerie, the jade green panties and bra that complimented her eyes, with the lavender embroidery that perfectly matched her mane. Unzipping her jeans, Button continued to undress her. When she stood before him in her underwear, he let loose an impressed whistle.
”Were you expecting something?”
”Oh, not really, just my female intuition,” Sweetie winked back.
”You know what they say,” he added up, “if a girl wears matching underwear, then it was not the stallion's choice to have sex tonight.”
”Uh-hu,” came the retort. “And who exactly are 'they'?”
Button pulled his mouth in a scrunch and looked in every direction but Sweetie Belle's. “Oh, nobody, just Snips and Snails.”
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “Must have gone past me that they are experts on women now.” The skepticism in her voice was so plainly obvious that Button immediately felt dumb for bringing it up.
With a quick step, Button had dashed forward and grabbed around Sweetie Belle's waist, lifting her up on the counter. Pressing passionate kiss on her lips, he silenced her. As the kiss lasted longer, Sweetie Belle crossed her arms behind his neck and her legs around his hips, pulling him closer, feeling his fur on hers, and his arms holding her tight.
When she felt how Button opened his mouth to let his tongue slip into hers, she let him pass willingly, all the while tracing the outlines of the muscles on his back. The two of them let their tongues play around each other, whirling, wrestling, parting. The longer the kiss went on, the hotter she felt, until at last when they parted, Sweetie Belle's cheeks were flushed crimson and her breath had grown heavy.
Lust driven as he was, Button grabbed around Sweetie Belle's back, wrapped his other arm around her legs and carried her to the large sofa back in the living room. Vocal had lain down at the foot end, but got up and running as the two lovers approached.
Button set Sweetie Belle down as gently as he could and started opening his belt before he undid his pants. When he fidgeted with the zipper, Sweetie Belle set her horn aglow and the small piece of metal slid downward, as did his jeans for that matter. Standing there only in his shorts, an idea flashed into his mind. Button angled his arm and flexed his bicep while simultaneously gliding into a lunge, then froze. “Enjoy the show?” he winked at Sweetie Belle.
”Button, deary,” Sweetie Belle snickered, “do you think this is the best way to get me in the mood?”
Overthinking his pose, Button let it fall off and scratched the back of his head. “Maybe not. In retrospect.”
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes and waved him over. “Come here already.”
Gladly accepting the invite, Button climbed over the arms rest of the sofa and snaked from Sweetie Belle's foot end on top of her and pressed his mouth on hers while she moved her hands from his cheeks over Button's chest, down his sides and under the waistband of his boxers.
Button reached around her back, undoing her bra with one hand, while the other grasped around her wrists and gently pulled it away from his remaining piece of underwear. He placed another kiss on Sweetie Belle's mouth and reached around her back, feeling for the hook of her bra. With a swift yank, the piece of clothing came off and revealed her breasts.
In the other three years of their relationship, the sight of Sweetie Belle's playful breasts never ceased to arouse Button and fill him with desire. Positioning his mouth on her collarbone once more, Button moved down to take one nipple into his mouth and gently suckled on it. The attention it got let it stiffen, which lead to Button playfully biting into the sensitive flesh.
All the while, Sweetie Belle had been smiling down on him while Button sucked on her tit, gently stroking through the hair on the back of his head. When he bit her, however, she let out a surprised gasp and grabbed his mane, clawing into it. Her reaction made Button chuckle a little and he proceeded kneading her breasts with his mouth and hand.
When he had had his fun, Button pulled away from Sweetie Belle's chest and traveled her stomach line downwards to her belly button, all along the rift between her abdominal muscles, and ended up in her crotch, where he slowly pulled her green panties away.
”So that's what you're up to,” Sweetie Belle murmured, giving his ear a flick. When Button looked up at her, mischief gleaming in his eyes, she added, “No matter how immature you sometimes are, you definitely know how to treat a lady.”
A devious smile spread the corners of Button's mouth as he stripped Sweetie Belle butt naked and neared his snout to the area of her inner thighs. The smell that wafted towards him only served to boost his lust. Stretching his tongue out just a little, he kissed the inside of her thighs, then the area above her vulva and finally caressed her behind with his searching hands, giving her hips a slight lift.
As his lips touched her mound, Sweetie Belle inhaled sharply and tensed up, clenching her legs together. Button licked at the outer surface again, sending bolts from her midsection up where it tickled in her chest and belly. Slowly, she relaxed and granted Button access to her marehood.
Button meanwhile positioned the tip of his tongue at the base of Sweetie Belle's slit and moved it upward along her lips so very slowly. He took care not to touch her inner folds. When he reached the top of one side, he repeated the action on the other side.
The stimulation brought Sweetie Belle's juices to flow, Button could feel little droplets rolling down towards his chin. He went to lick the sides of Sweetie Belle's marehood once more and as soon as he had reached the top a fourth time, Button pushed the tip of his tongue firmly against the slit until it opened ever so slightly.
Sweetie Belle shivered and gasped in surprise at the sudden intrusion, furrowed through his mane, pulling him closer to her crotch, all the while sighing in pleasure. When Button started playing with the most delicate part of her sex with his tongue, she let out a squeak and arched her back as Button parted her outer lips and licked playfully at her clit. She had to force herself to not instinctively pull her legs together, and instead pushed her head back into the pillow.
”Oh, Celestia, Button, this feels so good!” Kneading her breast with one hand and clinging tightly to Button’s mane with the other, she felt herself yearningly giving into the electricity Button sparked in her, the feeling of a million little bolts of joy racing through her accumulating in a sensation like a free fall. Ever faster she fell, her muscles tensing and relaxing uncontrollably. SHe was getting so close… So close…
Suddenly, Button withdrew his muzzle and hands, stood up and looked at Sweetie Belle, taking in the sight with a sly smirk.
Sweetie Belle, feeling cheated because of the sudden stop of pleasure, cocked an eyebrow, puzzled. “Wha- Button? Why did you stop?”
Button didn't answer and instead slowly pulled down his pants, revealing his rock hard erection. Slowly, like a predator might come for his prey, he came to Sweetie Belle, taking a place in between her legs and rubbed the head of his manhood against her folds.
Sweetie Belle chewed her lower lip and waited for him to enter her, but Button just kept smearing her juices over his shaft. He might not have been the biggest boy in Equestria, but the way he always moved in perfect rhythm with her, as well as his skills in cunnilingus more than evened out what he lacked in length.
When he rubbed the down side of his boner against her clit, an idea came to Sweetie Belle's mind. “Giving yourself a head start, are we? Is this revenge for last week?” When he quickly looked up and winked at her, she knew she was right.
Giving in to the sweet torment of his member poking at her entrance, she accepted her fate and waited eagerly for the end of the foreplay. Sweetie Belle sat up and supported her weight with her elbows, crossing her legs behind his back and gently pulling him closer to her as he ran the tip of his manhood up, down, and around her dripping slit.
Suddenly, Button pushed his member in, sticking it halfway into Sweetie Belle at once. The shock elicited a surprised squeal from Sweetie Belle and she sank back on the cushion. She watched as Button pushed deeper into her, more slowly this time, then retracted until his pride was almost out, only to slam into her with the same force as before.
Sweetie Belle grabbed the blanket she was lying on and dug her fingers in the soft fabric. Now moaning louder, she watched how Button thrust into her marehood time and time again, giving in to his libido and let herself get rutted. The way he penetrated her tight hole made her shudder and every thrust sent shivers up and down her spine. Her breasts bounced and she could hear herself moan and gasp every time Button entered her.
As time went on, Button bucked faster, he slammed his hip more powerfully and the heavy sound of meat . Sweetie Belle's moans grew louder at an equal rate, and soon she was crying in pleasure as Button rutted her like an animal.
Just when she felt her climax approaching, Sweetie Belle arched her back to allow Button to go even deeper, which he met with doing so. A tingling grew in her stomach and she knew she was so close to her orgasm, as Button groaned, stiffened up and let out his stream into Sweetie Belle's hole.
At the sensation of his semen filling her, Sweetie Belle let go and screamed his name as he gave three last forceful thrusts and collapsed on her. Growing weaker with every second, the waves of her orgasm washed over her, leaving her in an afterglow that made her feel warm and cozy and sleepy. She could still feel Button's member inside her, and how he breathed heavily next to her ear.
Lying his head on her chest, Sweetie Belle tenderly stroked Button's back as he snuggled up against her and wrapped his arms around her body, listening to the beat of her heart. They both lay there, as naked as on the day they were born and enjoyed the moments fleeting by.
Eventually, Sweetie Belle broke the silence. ”Are you still mad at me for not coming with you?”
”I was never mad,” he told her, his breath tickling the fur on her chest, “I was disappointed that you couldn't come along. And honestly, I still am.” He turned his head to kiss her. “But I was never mad. Honestly, I have no idea what your job consists of, and I’ll probably never know.” He paused, then hugged her tightly. “But I understand that it’s something majorly important. I promise, I will never hold a grudge against you, when duty calls. I trust you, even with the thing’s I’ll never know.”
Messing up his mane once again, Sweetie Belle cooed, “I love you too.”
