Cupcake Chronicles: Learning To Laugh Again

Chapters

Cider and Sex Toys (Clop)
Rich Yet Poor
Learning To Laugh Again Part 1
Learning To Laugh Again Part 2
Learning To Laugh Again Part 3
Learning To Laugh Again Part 4
Learning To Laugh Again Part 5 (Clop)
Learning To Laugh Again Part 6
Learning To Laugh Again Part 7
Learning To Laugh Again Part 9 (Clop)
Learning To Laugh Again Part 10
Learning To Laugh Again Part 11
Learning To Laugh Again Part 12
Cupcake Chronicles Timeline
Learning To Laugh Again Part 8

Cider and Sex Toys (Clop)

Cider and Sex Toys

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story

by milesprower06

The bright lights of the city of Los Pegasus lit up the night for miles, as ponies of all kinds enjoyed some of the best nightlife in Equestria. Exotic carriages of all manner of shapes were pulled up and down the bustling streets. Unicorns performed parlor tricks on almost every corner. Ponies handed out leaflets for their new show or act. This city was one that never slept, and was also one of the very few Pegasi-founded locales that was on the ground.

It also served as the setting for the final performance of the Wonderbolts' latest show, 'The Rainbow After The Storm'. Their newest member, Rainbow Dash, helped choreograph the whole show, as they wanted to tell the story of how Rainbow had gone from victim to victor in vanquishing an evil spirit from Ponyville. It was one of their biggest smash hits of the current roster's career, mainly because of how much of a change it was. The Rainbow After The Storm was the first air show to have unicorn-provided special effects, and the first to feature an earth pony in a lead role. Their season came to an end last night with a sold out crowd at the Horseshoe Arena. Then after a good night's sleep, the team set out to celebrate, except the special effects coordinator, Twilight Sparkle, who caught the overnight express train back to Ponyville. Everypony else had opted to stay in town for the day to unwind. Rarity, the Lead Costume Designer and Special Effects Assistant, was no doubt spending her time in one of the many luxurious spas dotted around the city. Soarin' had to be off somewhere at an eating contest. Completing a show always gave him an appetite. As for the two lead roles, they had spent a day on the town.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash had spent the last six months touring around Equestria with the Wonderbolts. After making one of the hardest choices she's made, choosing a tour with the Wonderbolts over staying on the farm with Applejack, Rainbow had convinced the team to give her friends roles in the show as well, except for Fluttershy, who had to care for her animals on a daily basis. Practicing and performing together had allowed Rainbow and AJ to continue to develop their new relationship, that had begun through Rainbow's recovery. So tonight, after practicing and performing for nearly over a year; six months of planning the show, and another six months of touring with it, they were finally ready for some relaxation. They had earned it, for sure. So today, they had gone to all the best buffets, went to see some shows, and now, were ready to retire to their hotel suite.

And while they both had a good idea of what they wanted to do tonight, Applejack had a little...surprise in store for her Wonderbolt.

The pair came through the rotary door out of the chilly night air that was sweeping through the city. The lobby was a bustle of activity. Ponies checking in, leaving, or just relaxing in the chairs. The pair of them made their way past the crowds to the elevators. They were lucky to be the only two ponies on theirs after this busy day, and they gave each other bedroom eyes. The elevator arrived at their floor, and they stepped out, and walked down the hallway several doors, leaning into each other.

Entering into their room, Rainbow met Applejack in a kiss as the door clicked shut. They reared up on their back hooves, and Applejack pressed Rainbow against the wall and embraced each other as they explored each others mouths.

When they finally came apart for air, Rainbow turned toward the large bed in the middle of the room, and noticed a box on the floor in front of the bed, and she was pretty sure it wasn't there before.

“Hey, what's that?” she asked as Applejack nibbled at her neck. AJ stopped, and returned to all fours, followed shortly by Rainbow. AJ glanced over at the simple cardboard parcel, tied with twine. Rainbow thought for a moment that Applejack was looking at it with a hint of...uncertainty?

“Well?” she asked the farmer. She was a bit taken back when Applejack returned to looking at her with a look of annoyance.

“What is it with all these questions, hmm?” Applejack asked, her tone suddenly and inexplicably becoming very aggressive, as Rainbow took a step back towards the bed.

“I-”

“You're more curious than a cat. Do you know what curiosity did to the cat?”

As Rainbow continued to take steps back, she felt her back legs bump against the bed. Her brain panicked for a split-second as she was caught between a rock and a hard place. Then Applejack made her move. She bent down slightly, raised her front hooves to where Rainbow's front legs met her chest, then swiftly lifted her up and shoved her onto the bed, quickly jumping on top of her, taking a sitting position on her chest. Rainbow tried to fight back for a moment, before Applejack placed a hoof on her neck.

“Do you know what I do to mares who ask too many questions?? she asked, sliding up a bit.

“I put them in their place.” Applejack continued, sliding up a bit more with each sentence.

“I break them. I make them mine.”

Rainbow's eyes widened, and her wings slowly unfurled from beneath her, until they were fully spread across the comforter, the pink barbs on the tip of each feather pointing outwards. Rainbow drew in a quiet breath. Did she...was Appejack...?

Her mind flashed back to three months ago, when she made a certain...request...of Applejack...

It was after their tour was over in Baltimare, and they had retired to their hotel room in a very similar fashion to tonight...

“Hey, Applejack...I was wondering if we could do something a little...different, tonight.”

“Different how, sugarcube?”

“I...I want you to dominate me.”

“You want me to what?”

“It's...something some ponies do sometimes. I want you to treat me like I'm nothing, just something to be fucked. Break me. Make me yours.”

Of course, Applejack, completely unfamiliar with what Rainbow was asking, shied away from her marefriend's request. Rainbow tried to hide her disappointment, saying it was 'no big deal', but Applejack saw right through her. She didn't know why, but this was something Rainbow really wanted to try. So the next opportunity she had, she got some alone time with Twilight.

“Listen, Twi. I figure if anypony knows anything about what I'm about to ask, it'd be you. I know this isn't something you go around asking anypony, and since you helped me out before, I'd like your advice again.”

“Sure thing, Applejack. What can I help you with.”

“A few nights ago, Rainbow and I were in our room, and Rainbow asked me to...dominate her. I was really surprised. It almost sounded like she wanted me to treat her like some kind of...of...”

“Sex slave?” Twilight finished, when AJ couldn't being herself to say it. The farmer simply nodded, affirming Twilight's correct guess.

“It's something called Dominance and Submission, and some couples do it when they want to get...kinky. To make things interesting.”

“So she asked me to do that because she's...bored in bed?”

“No, not necessarily. But if she asked you, I'd say that's quite brave of her.”

“And I said no...I saw how disappointed she was. Why would she want me to treat her like that?”

“There could be any number of reasons, AJ. Sexual fetishes are very hard to pinpoint and explain sometimes. But in the case of this one, a lot of the time it has to do with trust.”

“But what if I push it too far? What if I hurt her?”

“Some submissives get their thrill that way. By pushing boundaries, enduring some pain. I'd be willing to bet that that's partly what Rainbow sees in it. She trusts you to push her to her limits, and maybe a little past them. She loves you enough for you to let her do these things to her.”

Twilight could see that Applejack was barely wrapping her mind around all of this.

“Think of it this way...if she asked you, then she's probably got some fantasies in the back of her head somewhere. And if you can bring yourself to try it, and end up fulfilling those for her, I promise you won't regret it. Who knows, you even may end up enjoying it yourself.”

“But...where do 'ah even begin to think about starting?”

Twilight saw how overwhelmed Applejack was, and she certainly didn't need this on her mind when they were in the middle of a tour. She came up and put a hoof around her shoulder.

“Don't worry, Applejack. We can't have you worrying about this during our season. I'll see if I can find some books for you so you can start reading up on it, and get a better picture of what Rainbow wants.”

Applejack smiled. “Thanks Twilight. I had a feeling coming to you with this was the right idea.”

So that's exactly what Applejack did. Rainbow didn't bring it up again after that initial rejection, and when she was out with the other Wonderbolts, Applejack secretly read up on Dominance and Submission. She still harbored plenty of doubts in her head, and she still didn't have a clue as to how Rainbow got these desires in the first place, but for her, she was willing to try.

And now here she was, restraining Rainbow on the bed. Applejack knew that the green flag was out. If she turned back now, Rainbow's disappointment would almost certainly be much more disheartening than it was that night.

Applejack could tell exactly what was on Rainbow's mind right now.

“I know what you're thinking, now that the cat's out of the bag: What could I possibly have in that box, hmm? Well, there's only one way to find out.”

Applejack slid forward one last time, and her marehood was now directly in Rainbow's face.

“Well, what are you waiting for? A written invitation? Get to work!” she chastised.

Rainbow fought through her stupor, and eagerly went to work. Applejack's initial doubts were slowly burned away as Rainbow's lips and tongue lit a fire in her belly. She let out a stifled moan through her lips.

“Mmmm...that's good. Maybe you'll be good enough to keep.” Applejack said, half-convincingly. Twilight had given her a warning that she'd probably have to do and say some things that might be out of her comfort zone, and that had been the first true test of that. Rainbow was the mare AJ cared about most in this world. Speaking to her in such a demeaning manner...it took guts for her. As she got wetter, she could begin to hear slurping sounds from Rainbow below her. Now those were sounds she liked. But this night was only beginning, and Rainbow had a habit of being proud of how fast she could make AJ cum.

She got off of Rainbow; a string of her juices momentarily connecting her to Rainbow's tongue. She got down off the bed, and undid the twine on the box. Rainbow began to get up to look.

“Did I say you could move? Lay your flank back down.” Applejack halted Rainbow's curiosity from going any further, and Rainbow laid back down, getting wetter between her legs without any physical stimulation so far. She heard Applejack rummage through the box, and saw her stand up, and work something around her legs. She heard the clipping of a plastic three-pronged fastener, and felt the bed move as Applejack got back up on the bed. Rainbow audibly gasped when she saw what Applejack had on. A black silicone strap-on stallion toy. Rainbow's mouth hung open as she stared at the replica of an unflared, slightly-above average stallionhood. And upon studying it closer, it was more intricate than upon first inspection. The undergarment that the dildo was attached to looked to have a built-in vibrator, so the giver was also getting some pleasure. Lastly, along the right side, was a thin tube that ran to a hose with a squeezable syringe bulb that allowed the flow of fluids into the toy. The hose went to a bag that was most likely in the box, as Rainbow had no idea where the tube went once it dropped off the bed. But she knew an ejaculating dildo when she saw one, and she couldn't wait to try it. Applejack returned to her place sitting on top of the overwhelmed and overjoyed pegasus.

“Wow, Applejack...it's-”

“Did 'ah say mah' Wonderbolt could talk?” AJ asked, resting the tip of the dildo on Rainbow's chin. “How are ya gonna work for your favorite treat if you're talkin'?” she asked, giving the bulb a gentle squeeze, causing a small amount of liquid to squirt out onto Rainbow's nose and mouth. Her tongue tasting it, Rainbow quickly realized that AJ had filled the toy with her family's famous cider.

“So have at it. Show me how much you want that precious drink you love so very very much.” Applejack said, and Rainbow went to town. She opened her mouth and began lubricating the dildo with her tongue, sliding it in and out of her mouth.

For Applejack, she was also becoming very satisfied with her purchase. She spared no expense with this toy, it was one of the most expensive on the market. While deceptively simple on the outside, there were inner mechanics at work; one of the most pleasing was whatever pressure or moisture that was applied to the dildo was transferred in some way to the vibrator pressed against the wearer's marehood, so the dom would be well rewarded for a sub who was performing superbly. As Rainbow continued sucking, she looked up into AJ's stern gaze. The dom-in-training decided it was time to take another step.

“Why don't ya know it's never appropriate to look your master in the eyes?” Applejack asked, pulling out from Rainbow's mouth and squirting a bit of cider in Rainbow's face to avert her gaze. “But don't worry. Ah' think ah' have the perfect solution.” she finished, getting off the bed and going to the box on the floor, and coming back with a simple black bandanna. She quickly folded it, and put it over Rainbow's eyes, and tied it around her head.

“That should help you to mind your business.” Applejack said, not giving Rainbow any time to adjust to the lack of vision and immediately shoved the toy back into Rainbow's mouth and began thrusting again.

The sucking, licking, slurping, and gagging sounds Rainbow's full mouth was making made Applejack seriously heated, and it was further amplified by the vibrator on her marehood. The pleasure aside, Applejack had to keep fighting back her discomfort. This was the mare she cared about most in her life, and here she was, pinning her to the bed, shoving a sex toy down her throat, and had now blindfolded her. She had to keep reminding herself that Rainbow had only showed mild signs of discomfort, and was otherwise just taking it as it came. She was the one who wanted this, and had asked for this. What pushed Applejack to finally do this was remembering the look of disappointment on Rainbow's face when AJ had backed away from her initial request for role play three months ago. Lastly, she had to admit, seeing Rainbow, a normally cocky and overconfident mare, like this, submissive and dominated, was stimulating to the farmer. She wasn't quite sure how Rainbow got any pleasure from being taken down to this level, but she was becoming more confident of one thing; being in complete control like this...she liked it, and she was liking it more and more with each passing second.

Applejack began giving a little more force to her thrusts; Rainbow's tongue doing wonders to her vibrator. She was slowly becoming more confident in this role play, so she thrust hard into Rainbow, nearly hilting the toy in Rainbow's mouth, as the head pressed against the back of her throat, cutting off her air supply. Rainbow's gag reflex did wonders to Applejack's vibrator, and she felt Rainbow's forearms and chest tense up. She held it there for several seconds, until Rainbow just began to shake, then pulled up just enough for her to take a breath through her nose, then shoved it to the back of her throat again. Applejack was very careful here, paying very close attention to the contractions and tensing of the chest and arms she was sitting on and pinning, making sure Rainbow got enough air in between deepthroats.

Applejack slowly opened up Rainbow's airway again, and let her take in several breaths through her nostrils as she untied the blindfold. Applejack couldn't help but smirk when she lifted the bandanna from Rainbow's face, and saw that the Pegasus' eyes were already averted upon being allowed sight again. She glared down at Rainbow, daring her eyes to meet her own, as she pressed the toy to the back of her throat, once again denying the pegasus her precious air. She heard Rainbow gag, and held it for just a tad longer than usual, and saw her eyes begin to roll up to the back of her head.

As she finally brought the dildo out of the back of Rainbow's throat to allow her lover to breathe again, Applejack believed she finally understood. It wasn't about being uncomfortable, control, or lack thereof. It was about trust, just as Twilight said. Rainbow wanted to be out of her element; wanted Applejack to break her, for her to be completely in the farmer's control. Because that was how far Rainbow's trust and love for AJ extended. She was willing to let Applejack do anything to her. And if it turned her on, all the better. AJ wasn't one to argue.

Applejack nearly unsheathed from Rainbow's mouth, until just the head of the dildo remained, and Applejack took the bulb and squeezed, and Rainbow was finally rewarded with her favorite treat. The Apple Family cider sprayed onto the roof of her mouth and tongue, flowing to the back of her throat where she eagerly swallowed the drink she loved so much. Rainbow didn't have so much as a second to breathe through her nostrils as Applejack squeezed the bulb again and again, squirting shot after shot of cider into Rainbow's wanting mouth. Gulp after gulp, until Rainbow couldn't keep up, and she drew her head back so that the dildo left her mouth, and Applejack's last shot sprayed over her face, as she gasped, relishing the cider lingering on her taste buds.

“Well now look what you've done...you've gone and wasted some of my precious cider.” Applejack said, gyrating her hips just enough so the dildo's head flopped softly on Rainbow's chin. Applejack began to slide down her body, as the tip of the dildo, still dripping with cider, made it's way down Rainbow's neck and chest. The dominant farmer slowly crawled off of Rainbow, as the dildo made it's way down Rainbow's stomach to between her legs. But the sensation of penetration she was waiting for never came. Rainbow peered down her body at Applejack with a quizzical look, but kept in mind not to make eye contact.

“Well don't think I'm gonna fuck you like that, Wonderbolt. Get up and show me how badly you want it.” Applejack ordered, stroking the strap-on slowly with her right front hoof. As Rainbow began to get up, she noticed Applejack detach the tube from wherever she had hidden the bag of cider, and then reached around, and attached another tube. As she got to her hooves, Rainbow couldn't help but wonder what was in this one. She bent down, her chin now nearly resting on the bed, and then stretched her rear legs, raising her rump, and arched her tail up, revealing her marehood to Applejack. It was the most direct manner in which a mare could ask to be mounted.

Applejack took in the sight before her. The way Rainbow had arched her tail, the tip of it had brushed against her vagina, and had gotten wet in the process. AJ knew Rainbow was more than ready, if the arousal dripping down her thighs was any indication. But still, Rainbow had wanted this, and she had enjoyed it so far, so AJ was going to turn it up a notch, and not let her get off so easily. She was very glad she had spared no expense with this toy; the low vibrations against her own marehood kept her arousal constant too. Now she just had to make Rainbow want it, and bad.

She placed her front hooves on Rainbow's lower back, just above her cutie marks, and mounted her, positioning the toy directly at her entrance. Her breathing became noticeably more labored as Applejack teased her by gliding the very top up and down the edge of her lips. She did this for the most agonizing 30 seconds of Rainbow's night so far.

“Please Applejack...please fu-AH!”

Rainbow's plea was cut short with a yelp as Applejack gave her a sharp smack on her right flank, just behind her cutie mark.

“What did 'ah say about talkin'?”

Rainbow let out a shuddering breath, and Applejack noticed her increased arousal as more leaked down her legs.

“That was punishment, and this...” Applejack got another gasp out of Rainbow as she slapped her opposite flank. “...is to remind you.” she finished. AJ resumed her teasing, but was even slower than before Rainbow's outburst. She tortured Rainbow further by giving her tail a few tugs. Rainbow tried to make her body resist going after the sexual gratification teasing her lower lips, but it was to no avail. Sure enough, the instant Applejack noticed Rainbow's back hooves take a step back, she broke the toy's contact with Rainbow's soaked flower. Dash's lack of self control earned her another two swats on each of her flanks, and these hurt. As the sting from Applejack's punishment lingered, Rainbow found her self going more and more mad with desire.

“Don't you dare force me inside.” AJ scolded. Rainbow's back legs quivered with lust. “I think you need to be reminded of your place.”

With that, Applejack dismounted from the pegasus, whose wings were fully erect, to the point where each individual barb was standing at attention.

“Don't you move.” Applejack ordered as she reached for an item beside the bed. A few moments later, Rainbow felt a thin piece of leather gently graze across her flank.

A strap. Rainbow's wing muscles began to ache.

“Hmm, I wonder how many you deserve for actin' up....” Applejack said as she repeated the graze across Rainbow's posterior. The pegasus, for a split second, considered suggesting a number, but quickly decided against it, and made a continuous effort to keep her self control in check. She didn't dare open her mouth. When AJ realized that Rainbow was indeed learning, she ceased the gentle brushes with the strap, and a moment later, brought it down hard on her left flank. There was a sharp snap as the strap made contact, and it left a satisfying red mark.

Rainbow let out a short cry of pain, and hoped that it didn't count as talking. Applejack reared back her front hoof holding the strap, and kept it there, letting Rainbow shiver in anticipation. After a few seconds, Applejack brought it down again, this time on her right flank. She didn't keep the alternating pattern; instead opting to further assault Rainbow's mind by making her wonder which side the next blow would land. Each one was answered by a yelp of pain, and the occasional flap of wings; not that Rainbow would be going anywhere in her aroused state.

Some blows were separated by agonizingly long pauses; others were followed up immediately by another, harder blow. After two dozen hits, Rainbow, fighting back tears, heard the strap land on the carpet below. Then Applejack leaned in, and softly blew on Rainbow's dripping sex. The pegasus buried her face in the comforter, forcing herself not to object. AJ did this for 10 seconds, at which point she stopped, and the fur on the Wonderbolt's inner thighs were soaked with her own love.

“Alright, let's try that again.” Applejack stated, once again mounting her. She was now completely in character; she knew exactly what Rainbow's deepest desire was tonight, and she'd get her there, but she was going to have to fight for it.

So AJ began again, gliding the very tip of the toy up and down the slit of Rainbow's love canal. The Wonderbolt's mind wouldn't let her not voice her pleas, but instead of speech, Rainbow's begging came in the form of whimpers, and Applejack was immensely satisfied with this. The rubbing, teasing, and tail-pulling continued for five minutes, until Applejack heard Rainbow give in; her pathetic whimpers giving off echoes of submission and defeat.

There it was. She was broken. Rainbow was now nothing more than applesauce in her hooves.

Applejack made one last downward glide, and then, putting all her weight into one swift thrust, hilted the toy in her lover.

Rainbow felt like her lower body was going to explode. She let out a primal, ecstatic moan of pleasure as Applejack slowly pulled out, only to slam back in again. No matter how much her vaginal walls tried to squeeze and keep the toy inside her, the amount of natural lubrication she had secreted made that a hopeless endeavor, and it took Applejack next to no effort to pull out as she rutted her partner. It continued like this for several minutes, hard thrusts followed by a slow exit. Rainbow's pleasure had increased tenfold, yet her body wanted more. But Applejack's tempo was slow enough to deny the pegasus her final climax, and she was certain the workhorse knew it.

Nearly pulling all the way out again, Applejack paused just long enough to spark Rainbow's curiosity, and gave her another hard swat on her right flank. Rainbow gasped, and AJ resumed her penetrating at a slowly increasing tempo.

Both of them knew it wouldn't be long now, and Applejack got the squeeze bulb ready as she continued to pound into Rainbow without mercy. The squeezing, her own vibrator, not to mention the wet sounds Rainbow's vag was producing, was also pushing Applejack closer to the edge.

At long last, Rainbow's body tensed up, and Applejack was ready. She leaned forward, took hold of her blue and purple locks in her teeth, and pulled. Hard. Rainbow arched her neck back, and Applejack hilted the toy, and gave the bulb a hard squeeze, sending a load of thick, hot goo into Rainbow, who let out an erotic scream as she finally climaxed. Applejack pulled nearly all the way out, and immediately slammed back in, shooting another load into Rainbow upon hilting, keeping her on her climactic high.

Rainbow's eyes were screwed shut as Applejack assaulted her love hole, shooting load after load of...whatever she was pumping into her. She lost all traces of coherent thought as she fell into an orgasmic bliss. After 10 seconds, she was more full that she had ever felt before, and yet Applejack continued, keeping Dash in her climax so that it wasn't so much of a peak as it was a mesa. Her tongue hung out of her mouth, as she heard whatever goop AJ was filling her with hit the already soaked comforter as she overflowed.

Rainbow had no idea how long it lasted, as her perception of time disappeared along with everything else. She had never experienced an orgasm like this. Applejack proved her endurance as she continued this insanely fast-paced rutting for nearly two minutes, until the vibrator over her snatch finally pushed her past her limit, and she hilted into Rainbow one last time, shooting several more loads into her, and Rainbow collapsed in a sweaty, satisfied heap.

Applejack, coming down from her own peak, gave a few more gentle thrusts, and then slowly unsheathed from her best friend and lover. As she unbuckled and slid out of the strap-on toy, she looked down at Rainbow, motionless, save from the rising and falling of her chest as she panted, teetering on the brink of unconsciousness. Now out of the rubber thong harness, Applejack let it fall to the floor and slid up next to her marefriend, her chest and stomach nestling into Rainbow's back, wrapping her hooves around her.

“You can talk now, hun. You alright?” she said, just in case Rainbow was still in the role play.

“That...that...hah...” Rainbow had to continue catching her breath as her lungs returned to some semblance of normalcy. Rainbow took deep breaths for a minute, before finally getting it under control.

“That...there are no words, AJ. Thank you so much...you went farther than I thought you would.” Rainbow said gratefully.

“Too far?” Applejack asked?

“No, no not at all. I was kinda afraid you wouldn't go far enough, that you were afraid you'd hurt me.”

“I figured you could take it, sugarcube.”

“I'm thrilled you thought that way.”

A question came to Rainbow as more of the goop dripped out of her.

“By the way, what is that stuff? You sure loaded me with it.” she asked. Applejack chuckled, nuzzling Rainbow's neck for a moment before answering.

“You know those apples that don't make the cut for cider season?”

Rainbow laughed.

“Nah, no way. Really?”

“I had Big Mac grind'em up, extract the sugar, thicken it a bit, then I warmed it up, and, well, pretty convincing, eh?”

“That was just...unreal. It was..indescribable. Bet it doesn't taste bad either, hehe.”

Without saying anything, Applejack reached one of her front hooves down, and gently ran it along Rainbow's slit, getting another shudder from Rainbow, and collected a decent amount of the combination of mediocre cider and Rainbow's love nectar, brought it back up and put it front of Rainbow's lips.

“Only one way to find out.” Applejack offered.

Rainbow accepted, putting her lips on the tip of Applejack's hoof, and proceeded to suck and lick tenderly on it.

“Not bad at all” was Rainbow's verdict.

“It'll be our own secret recipe.”

Rainbow snuggled closer into Applejack's embrace.

“Thanks so much for doing this, AJ. I was wondering if you'd forgotten about it. I thought it just freaked you out when you didn't bring it up again.”

“I'll be honest, it did at first. I guess I just needed a little bit to wrap my mind around it, and then a little longer to make the preparations to surprise you. And now that I've done it, I'll be honest, I enjoyed it too. I ignored my discomfort because you wanted this; and I love that you trusted me to do these things to you. I love you, and I'll take you along with all your quirks and fetishes and sexual fantasies. We all have'em, and they don't always have an explanation to go along with'em. Make no mistake...” Applejack paused, tightening her embrace, and nibbled on her neck momentarily.

“You're mine, Rainbow Dash, and I'm never letting go of you.”

Those were the most comforting words Rainbow had heard all night.

“So ah' guess you'll be wanting your turn next time.” Applejack assumed.

“Oh no no, not at all Applejack. I mean, uh, unless you want to. This was just what I wanted. I didn't do this just so I'd have a turn with you. This is just my own...um...'twisted' way of showing you how much I trust you.”

“Ah, well, I'll have to think about it, and in the meantime, you can be my little obedient partner from time to time. With a little disobedience thrown in for good measure, of course; gotta make use of that strap and all. But I don't think it'll stay interesting unless you get a turn sometimes too.”

Rainbow smiled up at her, and gave her a kiss.

“Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I'm just glad that our season is over, and that we're not doing anything tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“Because I'm definitely gonna be sore in the morning.”

Rich Yet Poor

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story

by milesprower06

The late morning sun shone over the hills and meadows of central Equestria, the wind gently breezed through the grass and trees, creating a serene atmosphere. Birds sang songs composed of various whistles and chirps.

For Stinkin' Rich, this was proving to be quite the change in his usual routine. The young farmhand normally worked his days away up on a farm dozens of miles away, where he had lived for most of his life. It was hard, satisfying work, but he had always felt that he was destined for something more. He had been saving up all the bits he could for years. He enjoyed work on the farm because he enjoyed getting ponies the things they needed in everyday life. But if he had his way, he'd be more along the lines of supplying, not harvesting. He would rather have a more direct way of interacting with the ponies that the crops would be feeding. That's partly why he had taken his weekend to travel down here; to mingle with others that were making even longer journeys to try some exotic food. Nothing like it had been found in Equestria before.

Needless to say, Rich was looking forward to the ambitious railroad project finally being completed, so travel between the spread-out towns would be easier, rather than taking this week-long journey here. But if Equestrians from all corners of the nation were making treks longer than he was...this must be some treat he was in for. He was excited at first when the path became a little more crowded, and then forming into a line. He figured he had finally arrived. What followed was over three hours of standing in line, and going over four more hills. When he finally saw the top of a barn over the next hill, it was high noon, and his straw hat was the only thing keeping him from baking in the sun. The next 45 minutes were spent moving over the next hill, to where Stinkin' finally saw what was being sold. It was apparently a rainbow in a jar. He had every intention of inquiring further when he got to the vendor stand, which finally came at one o'clock.

“Well, howdy-do, there, stranger! Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres. Name's Granny Smith!”

Stinkin' initially stumbled in his introduction, honestly humored by the name of the white-haired farm girl currently attending the stand, giving a soft chuckle.

“Howdy yourself, ma'am. Quite a name you got there.”

“Yep, Ma and Pa had a sense of humor, I suppose. But I'm proud to have the namesake of one of the most popular apples, not to mention of the easier to grow. Besides, it'll become more appropriate with age.” Granny Smith said with a snicker of her own, clearly having encounters like this before.

“So what do you have here that's attracting these enormous crowds?” he asked. Somewhat surprised that he didn't hear anything while standing in line, Granny Smith ducked under the stand and came back up with a jar with the rainbow substance in it.

“Behold, our original Zap Apple Jam. Compliments of the Everfree Forest.”

Well that certainly explained it. The Everfree Forest was infamous for it's dangers, and it's self-sustaining life. Manticores, dragons, and timber wolves were only some of the local residents. The only connection it had with the rest of Equestria was the ancient castle, from which Celestia and Luna ruled before Canterlot was built. It was also the location of the duel between the two Royal Sisters, where Luna was defeated after refusing to end the night, and was imprisoned in the moon. That had been well over 900 years ago. To this day, the moon had the unicorn silhouette on it, though by now it had become more of a myth than actual history.

Rich dug out the asking price of 10 bits for the jar, and immediately unscrewed the lid upon walking away from the stand. Even before getting to taste it, he relished the sweet scent it produced. He dipped the tip of a hoof into it, and gave it a lick. His taste buds were immediately perplexed by this new, exotic spread.

Not too far away from the main gate to the Acres, Stinkin' noticed another stand, operated by a simple farm worker like himself. Upon reading the sign, this was a baker, selling two slices of bread for a bit. Quite the capitalist, to have thought of such a thing. He stood in the, thankfully much shorter line, and was at the stand within a matter of minutes.

“Well good day to you, traveler! Name's Sponge Cake. The Apples have graciously given me use of their oven to make toast for this amazing jam they're selling. I've been thinking long and hard about opening a bakery. Based on the compliments I've gotten on my bread, why I think I might pursue that.”

Sliding two bits to Sponge, Rich was eager to talk up another new friendly face.

“Goin' into business for yourself is never easy. Sure you're up to taking the risk?”

“Well, I figure, why not? The Apples risked a mighty lot by coming to settle here. Once this jam is gone, what have they got for the rest of the year? Baking has always been a passion of mine, and judging from your clothes, I'd say we have two very similar professions. Workin' our days away on new farmland, eh?”

Stinkin' Rich nodded.

“It's good money, but I aspire to be something more. Like you, I've always wanted to own my own business. But I'm more along the lines of logistics, supply and demand, that sort of thing.”

“Well, how'd you feel about putting stakes down here?” Sponge Cake suggested.

Rich was caught off guard by this suggestion.

“Well, I had planned on spending a few days in the area, but...really? Moving here?”

“Think about it. You want to run a store, from the sound of it. We've all really been taking in the beauty of this region. A few of us have been talking about staying and starting a life out here together. Begin a new community and all. I sure can't think of a better opportunity to start a business of your own.”

The possibilities began running through Stinkin's mind.

“I can see your point. I can't think of a better opportunity, but...what can I sell first? I know I'll eventually set up orders with all the farms around here, but I don't have enough money to build up a store just yet. I think maybe I could afford a stand like yours here for now.”

“Well, I'll give you a helping hint. This jam? It's made from apples that grow on magical trees. If they aren't picked fast enough, they vanish. At least that's what Granny Smith told me. So if they made as much as they possibly could, they're probably gonna have some surplus. You could buy what they have left, and sell it. You can absolutely justify a bit of a higher price if it's not in season.”

Rich gave this young entrepreneur a smile.

“Thanks, friend. That's really something to think about.”

Taking his jar of jam and toast, Rich found a spot on the grass not too far away, and spread a generous amount of zap apple jam onto one piece and took a bite.

Needless to say, he was done thinking.

SEVENTY YEARS LATER

Filthy Rich could not remember the last time he departed from work early. But this afternoon, he had an excuse. The business tycoon spent most of his life getting Barnyard Bargains to where it was today. Unfortunately, it had cost him his marriage, but he had moved on. 'Every success story has a price' he told himself. But just an hour ago, he found out that his focus on his business had also hampered the upbringing of his daughter, which the message he received from Ms. Cheerilee proved. He had told Mrs Cheerilee to let Diamond Tiara walk home after detention, and he had spent the next thirty minutes wondering how he was going to approach this.

He walked slowly past town hall, as he closed in on his home, one of the largest cottages in Ponyville, which was set within the center circle of homes surrounding town hall. His trot was slow as he began to cross the street. He was determined to set his daughter straight, but he was unsure of how to go about that at the moment. But he had never backed away from an uncertainty, and he was not going to start now. Any hesitation would've proved that he wasn't prepared to nip this situation in the bud.

He put a hoof on the door, pushed it open, and stepped inside his home. He set his suitcase at the door, and walked from the foyer to the living area, where Diamond Tiara was on the couch, reading a magazine. Either she knew it wasn't going to do much good hiding in her room, or she wasn't expecting him home early.

“H-hey Dad. How was work?” she asked, her tone suggesting that it was the latter. Reading her father's stern expression, she immediately knew what brought him home early.

“Well? Anything to say for yourself?” he asked her, the disappointment and anger apparent in his voice. When she didn't answer after nearly ten seconds, he decided to carry on.

“What, do you think that just because you're rich and wealthy, you can say whatever you want with no repercussions? There is a difference between riches and wealth, Diamond Tiara, and you have neither. I have the wealth, and I earned every cent of it. Being my daughter entitles you to nothing. You have taken the privileges I've given you for granted, so that's going to change. The hooficures and mane appointments are gone. Starting now, you're going to eat meals that only a pony on minimum wage can afford, and you'll do chores every day to earn them.”

“Dad, that's not fair!” Tiara protested, as her free ride came screeching to a halt.

“As long as you live under my roof and eat my food, I will decide what is and is not fair. Do I make myself clear?”

“Dad, you're actually defending what they do with-”

“AM I?!!” Filthy asked rhetorically, screaming so loudly at his filly that it made her flinch, cutting her off mid-sentence. Diamond Tiara gasped at her father's sudden loss in temper, afraid that he was going to lash out and hit her.

“Yes. I am! Because it is not my place to judge anypony else, and I don't know what in CELESTIA'S NAME makes you think it is yours! How DARE you!! You truly have NO comprehension of how PISSED I am that you brought shame on this family because YOU think it's okay to make comments like that. Did you even THINK before opening your mouth? That those dozens of ponies picketing the front of the Feed 'n' Seed are angry at those exact types of comments? I'd say your damned lucky that Scootaloo held Applebloom back, because if not, you'd probably have a black eye and some missing teeth, and that's exactly what you deserve.”

Filthy Rish paced the living room a few times while Diamond Tiara fought back tears. He had never spoken that way to her in her life.

“Go to your room.” he said flatly.

“But...what about dinner?”

Filthy had to do a quick mental double take at what he just heard.

“You don't get it. You are not the least bit sorry for what you said today. You're lucky to have a roof to sleep under tonight. Now GO!”

Diamond Tiara got up and left the room, finally breaking down. Filthy heard her run up the stairs and slam her bedroom door. The hurt and confusion from his daughter's actions today caused him to sit in silence for nearly 10 minutes before walking outside into the late afternoon. There was another pony he had to see.

He was about to set out for the west side of town towards the Acres, but his impeccable timing brought Applejack across his path in the center of town square as she was heading home from the schoolhouse.

“Applejack!” he called out, trotting over to the farm pony.

“Evening, Filthy.”

“Applejack...I'm so sorry for the way Diamond Tiara acted in school today. There's no excuse.”

“Well now, Filthy, we can't watch over our kids every second of every day.”

“I'm just...really concerned that what she said today is gonna blow up in my face just like it did with Marty today.”

Applejack put an empathetic hoof on the business tycoon's shoulder.

“Ah don't think it'll come to that, Filthy. Marty blatantly exposed us and opposes what Rainbow and I have, not to mention making even more of a scene of it after Rainbow broke his window. Diamond Tiara just made a comment and caused a scuffle. It's not as serious as what Marty did. Besides, and no offense, but it's not exactly a secret that she can be an opinionated brat.”

Filthy nodded. “Well, I guess that settles it...I've focused too much on my business and not enough on raising my daughter. She's...she's not even sorry for what she said.”

“Filthy, she's just a filly.”

“I don't care how old she is; she shouldn't be judging others like that, and there has to be consequences, especially for something like this. After I finally hit the big time with the family business in Ponyville, I could've packed up and moved to Canterlot. I know I could've made it there. But I stayed because I'm proud of the heritage I have in Ponyville. Thanks to Granny Smith and her Zap Apple Jam, my great grandfather found his pot of gold. Then, to find out that my daughter denounced you and your family like she did today...you'd better believe I'm gonna do my best to set her straight...I'm just trying to figure out the best way to go about it. I doubt it's gonna be as simple as disciplining an employee. I can't exactly cut her hours back, ya know? Applejack...you help run a farm, and you've also taken up the responsibility of being Applebloom's surrogate mother. So...I guess I'm asking for help. What do I do?”

“Well, what have ya done so far?”

“Sent her to her room without dinner, put a stop to her hooficures and mane treatments, and given her chores to be done daily to earn her meals, which aren't gonna be above what somepony on minimum wage can afford.”

Applejack had to admit, she was a bit impressed. “Well, Filthy, it's a good start, but like you said, she's not sorry. The punishment has to fit the crime, yes, but then how is she going to learn from her mistakes?”

“What are you suggesting?”

“Doing household chores might get the job done, but how about some farm labor? It's a good, honest day's work. We're always looking for extra help around the farm, and it may get her some respect for more rustic lifestyles.”

Filthy Rich thought over this for a moment.

“When would you like us?”

“Us?”

“This is as much my fault as it is hers. I've spent half my life going over checklists and balancing budgets. It's been so long since I've had a good hard day of physical labor. I think it would help her along if I shared in the punishment. She got like this from lack of parenting and hanging out with the wrong ponies. I might as well change that starting now. Not to mention, it'll be an excellent way of honoring where my family came from.”

Applejack smiled.

“Since you put it that way, crack of dawn around six should be good.” she said.

“We'll be there.” Filthy said with a smile, and a polite nod. He watched Applejack trot off into the setting sun, then made his way home. He paused by the Feed 'n' Seed, as the protestors finally started to disperse for the night, staring at the scene with worry. Trying to find solace in what AJ told him, he did his best to reassure himself that it wouldn't come to this.

Making his way home, he came in quietly, and found his daughter's bedroom door still closed, with light escaping from the bottom into the darkened hallway. He returned downstairs and made himself a simple daisy sandwich for dinner. Afterward, he had to double take when he almost set his suit out for tomorrow. Knowing that he'd need plenty of rest for tomorrow, he set his alarm for 5AM, and climbed into bed.

He was nearly asleep when he felt the bed vibrate. Just as the possibilities were starting to register, the entire bedroom shook violently with a bang as the shaking increased tenfold. Filthy jumped out of bed, fully alarmed, but unsure what to do. His clarity and priorities snapped back into place when he heard his daughter scream from upstairs.

“Diamond Tiara???” he yelled as he stumbled out of his room, various picture frames and shelved items crashing to the floor.

“Daddy??” she called back from the stairs. He motioned for her to come down the stairs. Losing her balance a bit, she leaned against the railing, and made her way down to her father. Doing his best to shield his daughter from falling debris as they ran for the kitchen, and took cover underneath the dining table.

The freak earthquake lasted another 10 minutes. When the shaking finally came to a halt, the two ponies under the table didn't move for nearly half a minute, wanting to make sure it was over. Filthy's front legs were wrapped securely around his quivering daughter, who had become quite frightened by the ordeal.

“Are you okay?” he asked, releasing her from his grasp. She nodded, tears rolling down her cheeks. He hugged her one more time, then they crawled out from under the table, and surveyed the damage. First looking around the kitchen, there seemed to be nothing more than a few broken dishes. The two of them headed outside, and Filthy was relieved to not see any structural damage to his home. He took in the scene around him. Dozens of confused ponies were headed in all directions, either to get help or offer it. Some structures didn't fare as well as his. Town Hall had several splintered supports, but fortunately, didn't look like it was in any immediate danger of falling.

“Dad, how can we help?” Diamond Tiara asked. Filthy looked down at his filly, a bit surprised at her. She had also been looking at the mild chaos around the area. He snapped out of his shock.

“Come on, this way.” he told her, and they headed to the marketplace. Several owners were here checking to assess any damage to their businesses. Thankfully, there didn't seem to be any apparent damage to Barnyard Bargains as Filthy unlocked the door. He quickly headed down the bedding aisle and came back with a pull cart full of blankets.

“Here. You take half, I'll take half. Give them out to anyone who's stuck out in this cold night air. Free of charge.” Filthy instructed, draping a dozen fleece blankets over her back.. Diamond Tiara nodded, and headed off towards the east side of town while her father took the west. As he began handing out blankets to ponies too wary to go back into their homes, he noticed Marty come out of the Feed 'n' Seed with bottles of water, handing them out to citizens helping each other through this crisis.

It was at this moment where he felt all his concerns and worries melt away. This was what made him so proud to be a part of this town, and for his family to have roots in the history of it. Marty had done wrong, but he was doing his part in the town's time of need. Filthy hoped he would get out of this crisis a redeemed stallion.

As immediate recovery efforts got underway, it would seem that the excitement was not over. While Filthy wasn't present in the area, he heard that there was a 'confrontation' of sorts near Sugarcube Corner and the memorial fountain, which he heard had been completely decimated in the quake. Reports were mixed, and it seems that every eyewitness had a different story, probably because of how quickly everything happened. Something...supernatural had occurred. Some ponies claimed they saw Pinkie Pie, the Cupcake Killer, who was pronounced dead at the scene of her crimes weeks ago. Twilight's assistant dragon burned a book in the remains of the fountain, and after that, those present claimed that pony spirits rose up from the rubble for just a few moments and then vanished. Shortly after, Rainbow Dash was taken to Ponyville Urgent Care. Deciding that they had quite enough of an adventure for one night, Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara retired back to their home to finally get some rest.

Filthy's plans with Applejack were clearly postponed while cleanup efforts began. Good thing, too. In his anger, he didn't make sure there would be managers to cover for him whenever he was at Sweet Apple Acres. Now he could make such plans. The longest part of this task would be the building inspections, to make sure every structure in Ponyville was safe to inhabit. In anticipation, Filthy went to Barnyard Bargains, and marked all lumber 50% off. Customers coming in to take advantage of the sale were constantly talking about the events of last night, and how Rainbow Dash had miraculously gotten her wings back from the supernatural occurrence.

It was another three weeks before Filthy had heard anything from the Apple Family again. He was having his morning coffee, just getting Diamond Tiara her breakfast, when there was a knock at the door. Going to answer it, he was greeted by the muscle of the Acres, Big Macintosh.

“Howdy there, Mr. Rich. I'm just headed into the square with the cart to start sellin' today, and mah sister wanted me to stop by and ask if your arrangement with her was still on, and was wondering if she could alter it a bit.”

“Absolutely, please explain.” Filthy replied.

“Apparently, she's gotten an invitation from the Wonderbolts to participate in their next tour of performances with Rainbow Dash. It's six months training and another six months performing around Equestria. She knows it's too much to ask for an entire year of farming, but she wants you to come by whenever you have some free time. We're calling in favors from all over the family to keep things running in her absence.”

Filthy smiled. “Thanks for asking me for help, Big Mac. I'll be available as soon as this afternoon.”

With a nod, Big Mac headed off for the market square.

When he closed the door and came back into the kitchen to his coffee, it was apparent that Diamond Tiara overheard.

“Farming? My dad is going to work on a farm???” she asked.

“What makes you think it's just going to be me?” Filthy retorted. Diamond Tiara's eyes widened.

“But...but-”

“Did you honestly think I forgot about your little stunt at school? I highly doubt one freak earthquake magically put your priorities in order and taught you to respect those that don't live and think exactly like you.” Filthy said with a smirk.

His daughter pouted over her cereal. Filthy sat down to his coffee and paper.

“Look. I know I haven't been the best father in recent years. Your mouth in school is evidence of that. My successful business cost me my relationship with your mother, and I'm not about it to let it cost me my relationship with you. I love you, Diamond Tiara. You're more important to me than any profit margin or expense report. You know that, right?”

Diamond's gaze made it's way from her cereal to her father's sincere eyes.

“Yeah” she replied with a mutter.

“Good. You know, I never really did discuss with you where we came from. So I think I'll take this time over Saturday morning breakfast, to tell you about your great grandfather, Stinkin' Rich...”

Learning To Laugh Again Part 1

Learning To Laugh Again

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story Series

by milesprower06

Part 1

The young filly's eyes and smile went wider as the ink-covered hoof made it's way down and firmly stamped a hoofprint on the Wonderbolts poster. The fight suit-clad rainbow-maned pony quickly wiped her hoof from the ink and handed the poster to the eager young fan with a wink.

“This is so awesome, thanks a bunch!” the filly exclaimed as she scampered away, her newest treasure rolled neatly into her saddlebag, Rainbow Dash leaned back into her chair and stretched, glad for the brief reprieve now that the line had finally ended, for now, as Wonderbolt fans mingled with one another. There were easily over 50 ponies in the convention hall, and the dozen Wonderbolts who had performed this year were seated at tables that encompassed the hall. Spitfire and Soarin were sitting at the table to the left of the rear center, and Rainbow sat at the one on the right, directly next to theirs.

Applejack sat next to her, in her black 'mystery' suit that she performed in, sans mask. This was the last Wonderbolts Meet and Greet session of the season. Their last performance was here in Las Pegasus two nights ago. After this, there would be a month off before they got together in Cloudsdale and began planning next year's show. It had been close to a year since they had been back in Ponyville, and to Rainbow, it had felt like forever. She had just begun patching things up with her parents before they had left on the nationwide tour. The life of a Wonderbolt was frantic and fast-paced, which is particularly why Rainbow thrived in it. Still, there was no place like home.

Applejack glanced over and saw Rainbow sitting back, stretching her legs. She smirked at her marefriend.

“More than 100 shows, and yer' fans are the ones that wear you out?” she asked. Rainbow smiled back.

“These meet and greets are fun and all, but there's a reason we only do one of these at each destination. It gets exhausting after a couple of hours.”

Applejack had to agree there. She also wasn't without her adoring fans, being the very first Earth pony to have a central role in a Wonderbolts performance. Whenever they were at a ground-based location, Applejack was nearly overwhelmed by fans. She was grateful for the attention, especially today, because it kept her mind off of something she had been wanting to tell Rainbow for several weeks now. As always, she wanted to be straightforward and honest about it, but she was trying to figure out away to tell her lightly.

“Listen, Rainbow, I've been meanin' to-”

“Ohmygosh ohmygosh!” came a female voice of another excited fan. Both ponies turned their heads to see their approaching admirer.

She was a pearl white Pegasus with purple eyes, and a rich blonde mane and tail, both wildly poofy. She came hopping up to their table, wings fluttering excitedly. Rainbow noticed the lanyard around her neck, and more importantly the navy blue and gold badge attached to it. That was a VIP badge, and the Wonderbolts only sold a small handful of those to each event, and they certainly cost a beautiful bit. It entitled the purchaser to the best seats in the venue for the performance, as well as free access to all after parties and events. Rainbow sat up, eager to make sure this dedicated fan got her money's worth. Only when the ecstatic fan was mere feet from their table, did Rainbow and AJ both notice, that aside from the color of her coat, mane, and tail, that she was the spitting image of Pinkie.

“I'm so thrilled to finally meet you Rainbow Dash!” the pearl-coated Pegasus greeted.

Wanting to be absolutely sure she wasn't seeing a different-colored double, Applejack stole a glance at the fan's flank, and saw a purple party hat and single balloon for a cutie mark.

“Hey there. What might your name be?” Rainbow asked casually, remembering to bring her professionalism forward and keep the bewilderment in check.

“Oh I'm so sorry. My name's Surprise. I've been a huge fan of yours ever since I read what the Wonderbolts show was gonna be about this year. I think your story of perseverance is simply awe inspiring!”

“Well, that's awesome, glad to hear you've enjoyed it.” Rainbow replied, getting out a considerably bigger poster to not only stamp with her hoof, but also sign.

“You're amazing too, Applejack! The first earth pony ever to perform with the Wonderbolts! So I supposed you're supposed to represent her significant other?” Surprise asked.

Applejack blinked, followed by a nervous chuckle. The question had honestly never come up. She assumed that most fans either knew of their relationship, or didn't think much of it. Her suit was meant to promote gender neutrality in the romantic part of the show, but obviously, with Applejack not wearing her mask...

“I am her significant other, sugarcube. That's the main reason I'm performing with the Wonderbolts this year.”

Surprise's eyes widened, and then her expression showed that her heart had melted.

“That is sooo romantic!” she exclaimed, met with light blushes and smiles from both Rainbow and Applejack.

“So what about you, hun? Where are you from?” Applejack asked, as Rainbow passed the poster over to her to stamp and sign.

“I'm from up north in Seaddle. But I didn't have enough saved up when you guys performed there. I figure if I missed the Seaddle performance, that I should just save up all the bits I could and come see you guys in style. I finally had enough saved up by the time you got here to Las Pegasus.”

“City girl, eh? Your family from up there?” Applejack asked as she wiped her hoof off and got the quill and ink ready.

Surprise's face took on a brief look of sadness, and Rainbow got the feeling that AJ had touched a nerve.

“I...I don't have any family. I lived in the Seaddle Orphanage for as long as I can remember. The doctors said I had underdeveloped primary feathers and a pretty bad case of amnesia. I don't even remember how I got my cutie mark. But I know that I really enjoy making sure everypony has what they need for fantastic parties.”

“Sorry to hear about your feathers and amnesia.”

“That's alright. You didn't know, and there's no harm in asking!”

“So that's what you do for a living, I'm guessing?” Rainbow asked as Applejack signed her poster.

“Yep! I've worked in a party supply shop ever since I was old enough to work, and I've loved every minute of it. Now that I've got enough saved up, I've left the orphanage, and I'm moving to open my own store.”

“That's awesome. Where are ya moving to?”

“To the central valleys, to a cozy little town called Ponyville!”

“Get outta town! I mean, um, not literally, sorry. We're both from Ponyville.”

“Sweeterific! How is it like living there?”

“Nice enough town, to be sure. We haven't been there in nearly a year, touring and all. We're quite anxious to get back.” Applejack said, finishing up her signature and rolled up the poster, sliding it over to Surprise.

“Well I'm glad you've been enjoying yourself here. Maybe we'll be seeing more of ya.” Rainbow said.

“I certainly hope so. See you guys around!”

With that, Surprise took her poster and headed over to Spitfire and Soarin's table, and after that, over to Twilight and Rarity's table. After she got it signed by everypony, she disappeared back into the crowd. After another half hour of greeting fans and signing merchandise, the convention hall was finally closed, allowing the crew to pack up supplies and be on their way. As this was the very last event of this year's season, the Wonderbolts and crew would be going their separate ways from here. Most of the crew already had their bags packed, so all they had to do was go across the street to the hotel and be on their way. It was the same for Rainbow, Applejack, Twilight, and Rarity, as they gathered their luggage up, and took a short carriage ride to the train station for the next train eastbound. It had been a thrilling six months. Rainbow and Applejack loved performing together, Rarity loved the attention her outfits got, not to mention the bits she got from each performance, and Twilight loved mesmerizing each audience with her special effects. It was a Wonderbolts season for the history books, but everypony was still anxious to kick back and relax at home.

By the time everyone had their tickets, boarded the train, and got their luggage stowed, and got comfortable in the bunks, the sun had sunk below the horizon, and everypony was set for a comfortable night train ride to Ponyville. Everyone had their own bunk, save for Rainbow and Applejack, who shared the private car in the rear.

“Hey Rainbow, there's something ah've been meanin' to tell ya” Applejack said, snuggled in close to Rainbow under the covers.

“What's up, AJ? Is...is it about the other night?” Rainbow asked, wondering if AJ had held back some reservations about their first dominance session two nights ago.

“No, no it's not that. I've been thinking about what the Wonderbolts are gonna do next season. Judging from the mail I've got from home over the past year, it hasn't been easy covering for me at the farm. Granny had ta' call in all kinds of favors to make sure everything kept moving, what with Big Mac running the apple carts at all these shows, and with me bein' away. It's just...even if the 'Bolts wanted me to come back for the next season, I'm not sure I'd want to put my family and friends through that hassle again. So I guess what I'm sayin' is...”

“That you don't want to come back next year.” Rainbow finished her marefriend's sentence. Applejack's silence was her confirmation.

“It's not a big deal, AJ. I figured this was a one time thing, and that next season the Wonderbolts would return to something more traditional.”

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thanks for understandin', sweetheart. Now let's try and get some sleep. We'll be in Ponyville by morning. It'll be great to be home.”

Applejack wrapped her legs around Rainbow, and drifted off to sleep. Rainbow stared out the window as the starry desert night loomed overhead. This past year was some of the most fun she had ever had, and she was afraid that this month off was going to go by even quicker. She wanted to enjoy this time off to the fullest extent.

Especially if AJ wasn't going to be there next season...

Learning To Laugh Again Part 2

Learning To Laugh Again

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story Series

by milesprower06

Part 2

Rainbow awoke in Applejack's embrace as the train whistle blew, signaling their arrival at their final destination. Applejack, roused as well, got up and made sure they had all their luggage and went to the others who were waiting to get off the train.

“Oh I can't wait to reopen my shop. I hope Opal has been having a good time at Fluttershy's.” Rarity commented. Being on tour with the Wonderbolts as costume designer and maintainer netted her a profit considerably higher than what she made at Carousel Boutique. Nevertheless, she was eager to get her business back up and running, and most likely take a trip to the spa as well.

“I'm sure Fluttershy's been doing a terrific job of taking care of Opal, Gummy, and Spike,” Twilight reassured, adding “they might not want to leave.”

The train doors slid open, and the passengers disembarked, trotting through hissing stream onto the dock. For Rainbow and the others, the haze gave way to a welcoming party.

“WELCOME BACK!” was simultaneously shouted by a half dozen ponies. Standing at the station were friends and family of the group that had left on tour. Big Mac, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Stormcloud, Firefly, Spike, Fluttershy, and the pets she had been watching.

Rainbow rushed forward and embraced her mom and dad, whom she had not seen since departing Cloudsdale after the first performance of their tour. She knew that a month wasn't going to be enough for rebuilding their relationship with each other after it had crumbled four years ago.

“How's my little Wonderbolt doing?” Firefly asked, releasing her daughter from the hug.

“Awesome, it's so great to be back.”

“Well we're gonna let all you guys go and unpack, but first, we've got a little surprise for you, Rainbow.” Stormcloud told them. On cue, Rarity magically tied a blindfold around Rainbow's head.

With gentle guiding from her father, Rainbow turned and walked down from the station into town. The entire group walked through town for about two minutes. Rainbow, who had no trouble walking blind, tried to figure out where they were taking her. She had lived in town for many years, but as most of her job was up in the sky, she was having a hard time pinpointing where they were. The increasing volume of the hustle and bustle clued her in, as they had to be walking through the marketplace.

Sure enough, they came to a stop 30 seconds later, and the blindfold was lifted from her eyes, and Rainbow's breath was taken away. There in front of her, was a brand new fountain memorial.

When she had left, the destroyed fountain had still not been cleaned up from the freak earthquake. She figured that with all the work that went into it, that it would eventually be replaced...but she never imagined anything like this.

All the rubble had been cleared away, and the fountain had been rebuilt from the ground up. The circumference of the bottom level had been increased by nearly half. The names of the victims had again been expertly chiseled into the side, but now, joining them, on top of the second bowl, were statues of them, about one foot in height. Each of them held an urn, which poured out the familiar rainbow-colored, sparkling water into the bottom level pool. It was more beautiful than before, which was saying something.

Rainbow didn't know what to say. She simply stared at the new fountain with a stunned, open-mouth smile on her face, as she slowly walked around, looking at it from all angles. As she completed one lap around, she gave her mom and dad a hug, as thanks for surprising her like this.

“It was pretty hard to keep it a secret all this time, but we knew it'd be worth it when you saw it for the very first time.” Firefly told her daughter.

“I...I just don't know what to say, it's amazing.” Rainbow replied.

“Well, we know you're all probably looking forward to your time off. We'll let you go and unpack. Rainbow, when you're settled in, could you meet me at home? There's something I would like to talk to you about, and I have something to give you.” Stormcloud said.

“Sure. It shouldn't take that long. I did pack light, after all.” Rainbow replied, her curiosity now peaked. Truth be told, Rainbow had packed light. She brought almost nothing personal along with her on tour, just the Wonderbolt hoodie Rarity had made for her, which was folded neatly inside the saddlebags she now wore. Applejack was the same way. Big Mac pulled a medium cart of a few suitcases and a couple barrels of left over apples from selling at all the performances.

“I'm lookin' forward to seeing how the place has kept up without me.” Applejack said.

“'Ah don't want t'say that it's like you never left, but...” Big Mac began.

“So don't. Nopony's better at bucking those trees than me.”

“Maybe so, but we've managed. It took callin' in plenty of favors, but we managed.”

Applejack gave a “hmph” as they continued over the hill that separated the outlying farms from the main area of town. Within a matter of minutes they were through the main gates of Sweet Apple Acres. Big Mac pulled the wagon around to the back door, where he and Apple Bloom began to unload it. Applejack and Rainbow Dash went inside to their bedroom and dropped their saddlebags by the bed. Rainbow seemed a bit anxious as she slid hers off of her back, as it landed on the floor with a soft thud.

“Um, AJ...I don't mean to drop my things and run...but...”

“Rainbow, 'ah can read ya like a book. You've been dyin' to catch up with 'yer mom and dad since we left on tour. So go on, now. Have fun.” Applejack told the eager pegasus with a smile. Rainbow gave her marefriend a quick hug, ran down the hallway, and out the front door.

As Rainbow walked down the front path, Applejack made her way through the kitchen to the back of the house to help her brother and sister unload.

“Hey what's in this one? It's got a heart on the side of it.” she heard Apple Bloom say, causing her to nearly choke on the sudden lump in her throat as she broke into a sudden gallop and burst out the back door, where her two siblings were unloading the cart.

“Whoa there, sis. That one looks a little heavy for ya, so I'll take it off your hooves.” Applejack hastily said, quickly placing the box on her back and trotting quickly into the house.

“But it's not that...heavy?” Apple Bloom said, watching her sister hurry inside with the box.

Around at the other side of the house, Rainbow hadn't even gotten to the front gate when she heard a crackling noise in front of her, and with a bright, unexpected flash, Twilight Sparkle materialized in front of her.

“Gah! Twi, can't you transport in a...gentler manner?” Rainbow asked, undoubtedly startled by Twilight's sudden winking to the farm.

“Sorry. Glad I caught you, looks like you're going somewhere.”

“Yeah, up to Cloudsdale to visit with my dad.”

“Ah, well I hope you have a good time. I just stopped by to give you this. I got here as quick as I can, because it's urgent.”

Twilight's horn glowed, and her saddlebag opened, and a scroll levitated out.

“That's why I came here so fast; a letter from Princess Celestia, to be personally delivered to you immediately.” Twilight told her, moving the scroll towards Rainbow, and breaking the royal seal. The scroll unrolled, and Rainbow read silently to herself as Twilight kept the letter afloat in her magical grasp.

To my most loyal subject Rainbow Dash,

It is my sincere hope that you have enjoyed your Wonderbolts tour around Equestria. I know you must be looking forward to your time at home with Applejack and the rest of your friends, but I would also like to ask for some of your time. At your absolute earliest convenience, I would like an audience with you in my throne room in Canterlot. Come whenever you are able. My guards are expecting you.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

“Well, looks like my traveling isn't quite done yet.” Rainbow said, as Twilight rolled up the scroll and returned it to her saddlebag.

“What does she want?” Twilight asked.

“To see me as soon as I have the time. Cloudsdale is pretty much halfway there anyway, so I suppose I can swing by after my visit at home.”

“Um, Rainbow, you don't 'swing by' for an audience with the Princess.” Twilight said, a bit irked at Rainbow's lack of formality.

“Yeah yeah. I'll remember to act all proper and everything, don't worry. After all, I am the loyalest friend of 'her most faithful student', right?” Rainbow said with a snicker. Twilight groaned.

“See ya later, Twi!” Rainbow said as she took off into the sky.

Today was going to be an interesting day, to be sure.

Learning To Laugh Again Part 3

Learning To Laugh Again

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story Series

by milesprower06

Part 3

Stormcloud relaxed with the Saturday edition of the High Times, leaning back in his comfy Cobblecloud recliner, made of high-quality cumulus. It had felt good being back in his home for the past year. When they had given up on searching for Rainbow, and Firefly had decided to separate, he had opted to get a small apartment closer to the Weather Factory, and let Firefly stay in their home. After that, he hadn't spoken to his wife in over two years. But fate would have it that he promoted Ponyville's Weather Manager, whom Rainbow had been working under ever since running away. Coming to Firefly with that news had taken a lot off of his shoulders. But it took them several more months to get up the courage to go see her. When they were turned away, Princess Celestia had to advise them to wait a bit longer; that they would eventually know when the time was right to finally reunite.

That time came with Rainbow's Wonderbolts debut eight months ago. The first show of their tour was in Cloudsdale, and Stormcloud and Firefly had gotten front row seats. Having arranged with Princess Celestia to go backstage after the performance, the long-awaited and tearful reunion finally took place. Unfortunately, they didn't have long at all to talk. Rainbow and the Wonderbolts had fans to greet, autographs to sign. They weren't able to go on tour with them, as both he and Firefly had jobs at the Weather Factory. It had been a very hectic year for all of them. Needless to say, he was looking forward to seeing his daughter again and have some true bonding time.

As if on cue, the front doorbell rang. Getting to his hooves, Stormcloud's eyes glanced towards the clock on the wall. Eleven in the morning. Rainbow had always been fast. He set the paper on the coffee table and walked to the foyer. There, he opened the door and was greeted by the smiling face of Rainbow.

“H-hey dad. Told ya I wouldn't be long,” Rainbow greeted with a stutter. Stormcloud's silence all but confirmed that they were feeling the same elation. This was the first time she had been home in years. The last time Stormcloud saw her here, she was on the doorstep moments before taking off into the night sky.

Rainbow came forward and they embraced each other.

“Welcome home, sweetheart,” Stormcloud replied, squeezing his daughter softly.

“Happy to be home.”

They released each other at last, and Stormcloud stepped off to the side to allow his daughter to come in.

“With how quickly you got up here, I'm guessing you didn't have any breakfast. Would you like something to eat?” Stormcloud offered.

“Nah I didn't, but yeah, breakfast would be great. Yesterday was pretty nuts with the Meet n' Greet. I haven't had a decent meal since the show a couple days ago.”

“Alright, I'll get some breakfast started. Come and make yourself comfortable.”

Following her dad through the house to the kitchen, Rainbow looked at all the pictures on the wall, and took note of how none had been rearranged, or taken down.

“Where's mom?”

“She decided to take a Saturday shift at the factory. She'll be home later tonight.” Stormcloud answered, getting out 4 bagels and began to slice them in half, and buttered them. Meanwhile, Rainbow took a seat at the dining room table.

“So, it hasn't changed much around here,” Rainbow observed. Stormcloud dropped the sliced buttered bagels into the frying pan, and they responded with a sizzle.

“No, I guess not. After...after you ran off everything just kinda got put on hold.”

Stormcloud dropped scalloped potatoes, hay fries, and shredded cheese over the bagels. He then went over to the fridge, got out a pitcher of fresh orange juice, and poured two glasses as the food continued to cook.

A few good smells and minutes later, Rainbow's favorite childhood breakfast was set down in front of her.

“There ya go, kiddo. Dad's famous Cheesy Has n Hay Bagel, just like you remember.”

The glass of orange juice joined Rainbow's plate on the table moments later, and Stormcloud sat across from her with his own plate. Rainbow took a bite, and immediately smiled as the nostalgia met her taste buds.

“So I was wondering if you wanted your Building Cloud back. I knew you had it all returned to the factory after...after, well, anyways, I'm ready to have it all shipped back down to Ponyville,” Stormcloud offered, as he took his first bite of breakfast.

“Thanks dad. I appreciate the offer, but...I'm enjoying living on the farm with Applejack.”

He nodded, understanding her reasoning.

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” she asked, taking a gulp of orange juice.

“Well, actually, that is what I wanted to talk to you about; Applejack.”

Rainbow stared at her father for a few seconds, and her uncertainty made him unsure of how to proceed.

“What about her?” she asked, not really offering any sort of hint as to what her expectations were regarding the subject of this conversation. Stormcloud sighed softly.

“Hmm, how to go about this...” he mused, but his external thought process was beginning to become misinterpreted by his daughter.

“Dad...are you...not okay with me...me and AJ...”

“No no no, it's not that at all, sweetheart,” Stormcloud quickly cleared the air, mentally kicking himself for giving Rainbow that idea.

“Did I ever tell you about my days in the Royal Guard?” he asked. Rainbow shook her head.

“I wasn't aware that you were even in the Guard.”

“I don't really talk about it all that much. From the minute those recruiters came to my flight school, I was sure that serving Princess Celestia was what I wanted to do with my life, and for the first six months, it remained that way. Military service goes back as far as my family history is traced. I was very proud to continue that legacy.”

“So, what happened?” Rainbow asked, taking a bite of her food.

“Well, then, I met your mother. It was during shore leave, coincidentally the night before I was set to re-enlist for another tour. But there was just something about her...something that began to tell me that I didn't have to live my entire life in the military to fulfill a dream or continue a legacy. Just as my family had been involved in the military, her family had a deep history in the weather. So I figured that if I had lived up to my family's legacy, I could help your mom continue hers. I ended up loving weather as much as she did. From a Cloudsdale weather team member, all the way up to assistant manager at the Weather Factory.”

“I thought you were the full manager.”

“I got there...after your mom and I split up after you ran away. The only way I could cope for those years was to put my entire soul into my work. I know that was a mistake now. It was my work habits that kept me from being the husband and father I should have been.”

“So what does this have to do with me and Applejack?” Rainbow asked.

“During some of our days off, your mother and I went down to help with the work at Sweet Apple Acres. I know that Applejack has told you that she doesn't want to go on tour next year. With Applejack performing, and Big Mac running the apple stand at the Wonderbolt events, their family had to call in a lot of favors to keep things running smoothly, and when they ran out of favors, they had to hire extra hooves, which in turn cut into their profits. I just want you to think very carefully about whether or not you want to stay on for another tour.”

“But being a Wonderbolt is my dream!” Rainbow protested.

“I know, I know. Being in the Guard was my dream too. Until the love of my life came along. I can imagine how much you and Applejack care for each other. In my view, love like that deserves better than a long-distance relationship.”

Rainbow didn't respond right away. Her dad had a point; she hadn't given much thought to what it would be like on tour without Applejack. She couldn't remember the last time they had been apart for more than a day.

“You don't need to decide now. I just wanted to make sure to bring it up. I don't want you to go out there and miss her for most of the year. If you decide you want to stay, you can have your old job back.”

“Just like that?”

“I've already been over it with Thunderlane. He'll gladly give it back to you.”

“Thanks, dad. I will think about it.”

With that, they had finished their bagels. It wasn't exactly farm fresh food, but Rainbow did appreciate one of her childhood favorites. They put the dishes in the sink, and Stormcloud turned to his daughter.

“Mmm, that was just what I needed before a meeting with the Princess.”

“You have a meeting with the Princess?” he asked. Rainbow nodded.

“Twilight delivered a letter to me right before I left to come here.

“Well, I don't want to keep her waiting on you too long, but there's one more thing, Rainbow,” he began, walking to the living area, followed by the cyan pegasus. She sat down on the couch, while Stormcloud cleared his throat.

“I've been keeping something, that I think you're ready to have.” Stormcloud said, going over to a chest. Opening it, he reached inside, closed it, and came back to the couch with a polished oak hinged box. It was square-shaped, wider than it was tall. He sat down next to his daughter, setting the box on the table with care.

“This has been in the family for a millennium, passed down from generation to generation. Now I'm ready to pass it down to you.”

He slowly opened the box, and sitting on red velvet cushioning, was a tarnished silver leg band with a round turquoise gem set in the center.

“What is it?” Rainbow asked, peering at the ancient piece of jewelry.

“This is a royal Night Watch insignia band. It belonged to our ancestor, Orion. He was the captain of Luna's royal guards right before she was banished to the moon.”

Rainbow took on a look of perplexity.

“That's our family legacy? We're the descendants of a traitor?”

Stormcloud smiled gently at his daughter's naivety.

“Quite the contrary, Rainbow. The story has been passed down every time this band has. Just hours before the battle, Orion defected to the Solars. He gave Princess Celestia and her troops the information necessary to ensure that minimal losses occurred. He cared about his troops, and he knew that they had nothing to do with what Luna had done. You see, Rainbow...his son was born barely a day after Luna refused to lower the moon. Orion did what he did because he wanted his foal to grow up in peace.”

“So what happened?”

“Well, he didn't survive the battle, so there are a few variations of the story. Personally, I like the one where it's said that Nightmare Moon herself had to attack him, and that he died with a smile on his face. Maybe Celestia can tell you more; she was at the battle, and legend says that he convinced her to spare as many lives as she could.”

Rainbow leaned forward, and carefully picked up the box to have a closer look. The band indeed looked more than 1,000 years old. No restoration had been performed at all, which, in Rainbow's opinion, added to the sentimental value of it, not to mention the story that went along with it.

“You're sure you want me to have this right now?” she asked. Her dad nodded.

“I think it'll help you put things into the right perspective for this month off. You and Applejack love each other, that's clear to me. We all have to make sacrifices for love sometimes. I did, and Orion did. There are choices in life that aren't the easiest to make. You have to make the decision of what you're willing to sacrifice.”

Rainbow very carefully closed the lid of the box.

“Can I keep this here for now? I'll be back for it later, but I just don't want to fly to Canterlot with it.”

“Absolutely. Now go and see what the Princess wants. There will be plenty of time for us to catch up later.”

Rainbow hugged her dad, and he saw her to the front door, where she went to the doorstep, and took off into the sky.

This time, under infinitely better circumstances.

Learning To Laugh Again Part 4

Learning To Laugh Again

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story Series

by milesprower06

Part 4

Rainbow realized that she had not yet had a relaxing time in Canterlot. She had only been here twice: once for the Grand Galloping Gala, which had been nothing like she imagined, and then again four months ago for the stop on their nationwide tour. It was one of their quicker stops with minimal downtime, so she and Applejack didn't have any time to see the attractions, which to be honest, even on a Wonderbolt stunt flier's salary, much of it was too pricey. Now that she was answering a summons from Princess Celestia, she was fairly confident that the third time wasn't going to be the charm.

Still, she was hoping that sometime during this time off, she and AJ could take the train up here and go to one of the nicer restaurants. They had been together for a year now, and they had spent plenty of time together, but being Wonderbolt performers, they had to constantly schedule around their tour. They didn't have any special time together for their birthdays or anniversary because of the performances and meet and greet sessions. Now here she was on the first day of vacation, getting summoned to the castle.

As she flew closer to the single mountaintop breaking through the cloud cover, Rainbow descended through the cool January air towards Canterlot, paying mind to land before entering the restricted airspace around the city. She landed just on the far side of the drawbridge, quickly trotting across into the city. She headed directly for the castle, but also kept an eye out for restaurants she thought she and AJ would like.

Celestia's letter was true to her word. The guards barely glanced at her before letting her through the front gates into the Grand Hall. It had been some time since her first and only visit here, so she had to ask for directions to the throne room. Upon arriving, the unicorn guards used their magic to open the gigantic doors and allowed Rainbow to enter. She walked down the red carpet of the elongated hall to the throne, where Princess Celestia was busy with a parchment with an assistant standing by. Once she saw Rainbow approaching, she rolled up the scroll, levitated it to her assistant, and dismissed her and the two guards at the throne. The pegasus approached the steps and gave a bow.

“Good day, Rainbow Dash. Thank you for coming so soon. How have you been?” Celestia asked.

“Very well Your Highness, thank you. I'm looking forward to spending some time relaxing.”

“Seems like a good idea right now, in fact. Have you ever been to the castle courtyard?”

Rainbow shook her head.

“I think once during a class field trip. I don't really remember it.”

“Then maybe it's time for a refresher course,” Celestia said, smiling.

She walked down from the throne, beckoning Rainbow to follow. It was a short walk out to the courtyard, which was decorated with all manner of flora, flags, and statues.

“So what did you want to discuss with me? Seems kind of...lighthearted to talk about it on a relaxing walk through a garden.” Rainbow commented. Celestia gave a light chuckle at the Pegasus.

“That's what I've always liked about you, Rainbow. You're never afraid to speak your mind. No, the task I have for you is really quite important, but I don't believe it would have the same weight if I just told you in correspondence, or brought you up here and just told you to go do it. No, it will be much more meaningful if presented in the proper way.”

The pair of ponies turned the south corner of the hedge maze. Here, there were fewer statues, but they were of a slightly higher quality than the decorative ones dotted everywhere else throughout the courtyard. A pair of guards stood at each entrance of this portion of the maze.

“What's special about this place? Those are the first guards I've seen in here.” Rainbow inquired as they passed and entered the guarded area.

“Don't jump to conclusions so quickly, Rainbow Dash. This place is not being guarded, it is being respected. This is the Avenue of Fallen Heroes. Each statue here commemorates a pony who gave their life in a time of extraordinary crisis.”

Rainbow panned around the Avenue. She counted a total of fourteen statues.

“Only fourteen? What about the founders of Equestria? That part of history class I do remember.”

“Yes, the first settlers of this area, the likes of Clover the Clever, Smart Cookie, and Private Pansy...ponies who convinced their leaders to set their hate aside. But they lived long and full lives after their situations passed. I created this garden nearly 1,000 years ago to honor those greatest heroes who did not live to see the fruits of their efforts...and this was the very first one.”

Rainbow looked up at the statue that Celestia had stopped in front of. It was a Pegasus stallion, clad in armor. He looked boldly to the horizon, with a hint of concern on his face that the sculptor had captured perfectly. Rainbow's gaze descended to the plaque on the base of the statue.

ORION

“My...ancestor?” Rainbow asked, bewildered. Her dad had never said anything about a statue in the castle courtyard. Celestia nodded, pointing to the rest of the plaque.

Rainbow read the inscription below the name aloud.

“He walked proudly into the darkness so that others could see the light.”

“I presided over his funeral service. It seemed like the most appropriate eulogy.”

“My dad just gave me the family heirloom; one of his insignia bands.”

“The very same band I presented to his wife, who then passed it down to their firstborn son when he was of age. He was born into Nightmare Moon's eternal night. Because of Orion's actions, his son, and all of Equestria, saw daylight again.”

“Dad said you might be able to tell me what happened? You know, at the battle?”

Celestia nodded solemnly.

“It was roughly six days time since Luna had usurped the throne and kept the moon high in the sky. In that time, I had traveled throughout Equestria, doing my best to keep order and keep tensions as low as I could, while gathering up all the forces I could to take back the castle. When I returned, I had amassed a force five times greater than Luna's standing forces. I knew how defensible the castle was; I was ready to raze the entire area with bombing runs if that's what it took to get the sun back into the sky.”

Celestia looked up into the eyes of the statue.

“But in the last hour before the attack, Orion had left the castle to seek me out. He desired a solution where the fewest lives would be lost. The Night Watch had no more to do with Luna's coup than anypony else, so I took his request to heart. Orion did his best to disorient as many of his troops as he could, keeping them from the fighting. Unfortunately, I was forced to use a single bombing run in the final push.”

Rainbow continued studying the statue, putting a single hoof up onto the base.

“How did he die?”

“By Nightmare Moon herself. In keeping his troops at bay with flash and smoke powder, he had gained the attention of his bloodthirsty second-in-command, who was still loyal to Nightmare Moon. After dealing with her, Nightmare had begun to personally participate in the conflict. He took a lance of magical energy through his neck and left wing. In his uncontrollable descent, he crashed through the bridge connecting the forest to the castle.”

Rainbow turned and looked up at Celestia, eyes wide.

“You mean...”

Celestia nodded.

“The same bridge you reconnected so that your friends could cross and enter the castle. He was hit just moments before I confronted Nightmare Moon in the throne room. Miraculously, the impact did not kill him. He must have lived long enough to see the moon begin to move again, because when they found his body, there was a clear smile on his face. ”

Celestia took a few steps forward, standing next to Rainbow before continuing.

“Luna and I were given our power because of our willingness to accept the burden of ruling an entire nation after overthrowing Discord. In our uprising, we had discovered the Elements of Harmony. Back then they were just stone spheres. Even now, I don't know where they came from. Then, some time later, a unicorn king by the name of Sombra enslaved his entire kingdom, forcing them to harvest the mysterious magical crystals of the arctic north. When news of this reached us in Canterlot, we again had to take a stand, as the Elements were the only magic stronger than the dark magic Sombra was tapping into from the crystals. After all this time, I am not sure how the Elements work. What I do know is they take a lot of energy. When Luna and I stood against Discord and Sombra, we used three each, and each time it was exhausting.”

Rainbow knew this to be true. After coming to in the castle after stripping away Luna's dark magic, she definitely felt a bit winded. She recovered quickly, but there was no denying the momentary drain the Element of Loyalty had on her body.

“But when I was forced to use all six Elements against Nightmare Moon, it nearly killed me. I couldn't move for hours, and I had to lay there in the throne room just to gather enough energy to raise the sun the next morning.”

Rainbow had a guess as to why she was being told this.

'I want you to keep my necklace Rainbow. Keep it until you find somepony else who laughs their troubles away.'

“The Element of Laughter has been entrusted to you for a time, and I would prefer if that time is kept as brief as possible. If Equestria is attacked in a manner in which the Elements are required as a means of defense, I do not want to put you at any more risk than is absolutely necessary. So the task I have for you is this; find a pony that you deem worthy to wield the Element of Laughter. You are an excellent judge of character, Rainbow Dash, and I believe the Element will trust whatever decision you make, if it is pure of heart.”

With that, the Princess lowered her head, and knighted the pegasus with her horn.

“I'm supposed to find another pony...just like that?”

“I certainly don't expect it to be 'just like that', but I do want you to keep an eye out. It won't be entirely on you, either. The Elements have power beyond our understanding. I'm sure they'll help you in this search in ways you won't even notice. So don't let it distract you from your time off. They'll let you know when the time has come.”

Rainbow looked up again at the statue of her ancestor, the Night Watch Captain who sacrificed everything so the sun would rise. She now understood her dad's pride in their family's military legacy.

“I don't wish to keep you any longer than necessary. Is there anything else?” Celestia asked.

Rainbow pondered for a moment, and nodded.

“Yeah, actually there is.”

Learning To Laugh Again Part 5 (Clop)

Learning To Laugh Again

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story Series

by milesprower06

Part 5

Regardless of the fact that she was on vacation, Applejack simply couldn't resist the temptation. She missed farm chores terribly. She even learned from Apple Bloom that Filthy Rich had actually brought Diamond Tiara along for several days of helping out.

“And how did that go?” she had asked her younger sister.

“A lot better than I thought it would.” Apple Bloom told her.

So feeling the farm labor itch that she had gotten from being home, she took some baskets out to the north fields and harvested some of the remaining berries. The Ponyville region was due for a late winter, so she only had a couple more days before the snowfall began.

Since the temperatures were in the low 50's, Applejack was able to work a lot faster because she wouldn't be getting overheated. By the time she had come back to the house and gotten a bite to eat, everypony else was already in their rooms. When she walked down the hall to her room that she now shared with Rainbow, she found the Pegasus had returned while she was out working. She was laying on the bed, reading a book. She dropped her saddlebags and made a quick stop to the closet before coming over to the bed to see what Rainbow was preoccupied with.

“The Battle of Eternal Night: A Historical Chronicle” Applejack read the title aloud, finally getting Rainbow's attention out of the book. “Where'd you get that? Never took you for a reader.”

“After I finished meeting with the Princess, I got permission to make a quick stop in the Canterlot Archives. It's about the battle between Celestia and Nightmare Moon 1,000 years ago. My dad got the family heirloom today, an insignia band of my ancestor. Celestia told me he played a pivotal role in this battle.”

“Ah, so I suppose that's what you've got in that little chest there,” Applejack motioned towards the oak box on the floor next to the night stand. “So what'd the Princess want?”

“She...had a task for me to focus on...but not focus too much on that I forget to relax during my time off...it was rather confusing.”

“Uh-huh, so...one of those 'it'll happen at the right time' deals?”

“Something like that, yeah.”

“Couldn't she have said that to you in the letter?”

“Well, if she did that, then I wouldn't have gotten the lesson in family history. Besides, I'm glad she brought me up there to tell me. Any other way...and I don't think I would've liked it. I still don't think I like it yet...” Rainbow said, closing the book and setting it on the night stand.

“Well, why don't we snuggle up, and you can tell me all about it.” Applejack said, climbing into bed next to her marefriend.

“Well, when I first got there, I- hey what the-?”

In the span of three seconds, Rainbow found herself forcibly rolled onto her back, pinned, and had a red rubber ball gag forced between her jaws.

“On second thought, you talk too much.” Applejack said, her tone and demeanor instantly becoming much more aggressive and authoritative. As she fastened the strap around the back of her head, Rainbow instantly knew it was time to play. Rainbow mumbled incomprehensibly through the gag as Applejack quickly and expertly bound her front legs together with rope.

“You hush up.” Applejack sternly told her, rolling her over on her stomach. She gave her a quick barehoof smack on the flank.

“Present, my pet. It's time for a test.”

Rainbow did as she was told. Keeping her front bound legs tucked underneath her chest, she raised her flank up by bringing her back legs to a standing position, flicking her tail with anticipation.

“Tonight will be a test of endurance. As your mistress it is my place to train you. My first requirement of my pet is self control, something I remember you lacking during our first session. So you're going to improve.” AJ instructed, gliding the tip of her hoof up Rainbow's slit, eliciting a muffled moan from the Pegasus, bringing her wings to attention.

“It's so cute how you quiver at my touch, sugarcube. It's perfectly okay to love and enjoy your mistress pleasuring you, but it's not okay to orgasm without my expressed permission. If you want to cum, you have to earn it. Doing so without my permission will have consequences, understood?”

Rainbow nodded. As she felt Applejack sit down, tucking herself between her legs, wrapping her front legs around her flanks, she shuddered as she felt her hot breath on her swelling marehood, having a good idea of what was coming next.

She felt the farmer's tongue prod her flower, starting at the bottom, drawing up to the top. Rainbow whimpered through the gag as Applejack took her time in tasting her, not going deep enough fast enough. But she remembered her punishment in Las Pegasus when she tried to preempt her mistress, so she tried her best to relieve her tension through her whimpers.

'You belong to your mistress.' she told herself, immersing herself as deep as she could in her submissive mindset. Another whimper escaped from around the gag, as AJ licked up her slit again, not going any noticeably deeper, and teasingly avoiding the clit.

“Mmmm, my pet tastes good tonight.” Applejack said softly, after withdrawing her tongue. She sensually rubbed Rainbow's cutie marks within her grasp, kissing her inner thighs. “This is a treat best enjoyed slowly.” she added, putting another soft kiss directly on her clit, adding more fuel to the fire in Rainbow's stomach. That last kiss made Rainbow squirm, but she did not her legs, nor did she grind her hips into Applejack's light caresses and kisses.

Being ordered not to cum when being teased so slowly by somepony you loved so deeply was a tall order, but it was not as tall as Rainbow was being led to believe. Between their night at the hotel in Las Pegasus, and right here in her bed, Applejack had discovered one of her newest and biggest turn-ons.

Making Rainbow squirm.

It wasn't just that, either. It was the sounds too. Unable to speak with a dildo or gag in her mouth, the only way she could make her pleasure known was through muffled whines and whimpers. Knowing it was her own touch and tongue that prompted those sounds...she liked that.

Impressed with how Rainbow was enduring so far, AJ decided it was time for a curve ball. She wrapped her lips around Rainbow's clit and gave a short vigorous suck with a flick of the tongue.

That turned out to be a mistake. Rainbow jolted, her wings fluttering as she squealed into her gag, and Applejack got a hint of the undeniable taste of climax.

“What did I say abut cumming, pet?”

Rainbow simply panted through her gag, drool dripping off the bottom onto the sheets.

“Guess I'll have to show you that there are dire consequences for disobeying your mistress.” Applejack said sternly. Moments later, Rainbow felt something press against her marehood. Fresh from her climax, there was no resistance as AJ pressed the wired object into her. Judging by the shape she felt her sex clenching around, Rainbow concluded that AJ had just put an egg vibrator in her. With the control laying on the bed next to her left leg, AJ flicked it to low, which did little more than tease Rainbow, and make her want more.

Rainbow saw the tip of a hazel switch come into her gaze. She felt her flanks ache in anticipation. Switches cut through the air like nothing else, and the sound they made did not carry very far, no matter how hard they made contact. Lastly, their near-silence spoke nothing of the lingering sting they left. It wasn't as quite as effective as the leather strap she had used during their first session, but with the switch, Applejack could punish the gagged Rainbow as severely as she wanted, and the rest of the house would be none the wiser.

“Cut fresh just this evening, because I know how new you are to this, and I was sure you'd need some correcting. Twenty for cumming without permission, and keep presenting through all twenty.”

Rainbow did as instructed. Positioning her bound front legs underneath her chest, she rose her flank in the air again, head resting on the bed. She flicked her tail up, so it was off to the side, brushing against her left cutie mark, out of Applejack's way.

As much as she tried to anticipate it, she was not mentally prepared for the sting of the first swat. She gave out a muffled yelp, and her back left leg dropped to a knee.

“Add five for breaking posture. Get back into position, now.”

Rainbow immediately returned her leg to its standing posture, and was now more prepared for the pain as she endured hits two through six of the new total of 25, giving out little more than short cries that were effectively muffled by the ball gag.

Applejack understood the yelps; the switch left quite an impression. What surprised her were the brief moans of pleasure between each hit, vibrator or not. Rainbow's marehood was glistening with fresh arousal, and each new lash brought out another few drops down her thighs. AJ couldn't wait to be done with this and snuggle up next to her love for the night. But she needed to complete the punishment; a mistress mustn't appear soft. But on the tenth hit, Rainbow's right leg gave out ever so briefly before she corrected her posture again.

“Five more.” Applejack stated moments before coming down for the eleventh blow, as twenty-five became thirty.

As she worked through the high teens, Rainbow's rear was beginning to bruise. When she hit twenty-five, the light red marks had joined to form splotches of dark red, contrasting frighteningly against Rainbow's cyan coat. On twenty-five, she faltered in the home stretch, and her moans were increasing right along with the yelps. Eying her swollen vagina, AJ knew that Rainbow was getting close again. As she broke into the low 30's, her lover's entire body was quivering. Sure enough, on the thirty-fifth and final blow, Rainbow squealed into her gag, as the walls of her marehood convulsed, and she actually managed to ejaculate, squirting her juice onto the sheets in front of AJ as she came a second time.

Without any assistance from Applejack in maintaining her high, Rainbow descended from her peak rather quickly. After switching the vibrator off, Applejack walked around to where she could see Rainbow's face, and the panting Pegasus' gaze immediately held firm to the sheets in front of her.

“You know you deserve another set of twenty for that. But you know you have a very loving and merciful mistress, isn't that right?”

Rainbow nodded, tears flowing from her eyes.

“You love your mistress so much that you even get off on her punishing you. I know you're still learning. You're not going to be perfect overnight. You nearly doubled your initial punishment because you couldn't hold still, yet you managed to keep presenting even as you came all over my bed. You seem to have learned the importance of holding your posture.”

Rainbow sniffled from the tears, and shuddered in the aftermath of the orgasm.

“Besides, if I gave you what you deserve on top of those bruises, they probably wouldn't disappear by morning, and then everypony would know what a bad pet you are and how hard of a time you have with following instructions. Everypony makes mistakes, and overall, you have pleased your mistress. So now before bed, you're going to please me one more time.”

With that, Applejack walked behind Rainbow, and climbed atop the presenting mare. Positioning her own slit against the base of Rainbow's tail, she began to grind herself against her backside.

Applejack was much quieter in her lovemaking than Rainbow was overall, gagged or not. She was already quite heated, and she knew that this wouldn't take long at all. Rainbow merely rode it out, as Applejack ground her marehood against Rainbow's tailbone. Only her breathing increased as she neared climax. Rainbow wondered how she remained so controlled. Sure enough, as eating Rainbow out then punishing her to a second climax had already pushed her close, it only took a minute of grinding against the Pegasus to send her over the edge. With a gasp, Applejack suddenly increased the pace and pressure of her thrusts, alternating between fast and slow to prolong her orgasm as long as she could. She felt Rainbow shudder underneath her as her climax seeped down around the base of her tail, rolling down her flanks. Then with one final thrust, she collapsed on top of Rainbow, wrapping her legs around her and pulling her down into a laying position.

“Very good, Rainbow. Very good. Sooner or later you have to tell me why you enjoy that so much.”

AJ didn't get an answer, and the steady rising and falling of Rainbow's chest was a sign that her dreams had already taken her, as she steadily breathed through her nostrils. She was always a heavy sleeper, so she didn't wake up as Applejack gently unfastened the ball gag, and very slowly pulled the vibrator out. She decided to leave her front hooves tied up, so Rainbow could have an instant reminder of the fun they had the night before. Rainbow kept sleeping as she got a soft kiss on the cheek. But for AJ, her mind kept her up for several more minutes. Rainbow achieving a second climax just from being hit was certainly the biggest surprise of the night. She knew that she enjoyed being a dom, no doubt about it. Controlling a brash, egotistical pony like Rainbow, making her squirm...yes, she liked that very much. As she read it more about it, she believed she was getting better with every session she and Rainbow had.

But there was that hint of curiosity. She wanted to know what made Rainbow enjoy it. The book that Twilight lent her offered her little in the way of specific answers:

Subs get their thrill in a variety of ways. Some like being controlled. Some like testing limits and rules; being disobedient and subsequently punished. Some enjoy just being nothing more than a bucktoy. No two subs are exactly the same. The more you know your sub, and the more time you spend with them in sessions, you will inevitably learn what makes them tick.

Tonight was their second session, and Applejack had gotten only one obvious answer: that Rainbow was enjoying it immensely.

Well, there was always the next session, or the next chapter of Twilight's book.

Learning To Laugh Again Part 6

Learning To Laugh Again

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story Series

by milesprower06

Part 6

Rainbow Dash was roused by the rope around her front hooves being loosened. Once it was loose enough, AJ gently tugged on it, and it snaked away from her legs. Rainbow stretched her wings and body, the warmth of satisfaction still lingering from last night. Once AJ had the rope completely removed, she leaned in for a soft kiss.

“Mmm....morning, AJ.” she said upon their lips parting.

Her hooves untied, Applejack bundled the rope up and put it back in the box, and slid it back into the closet before shutting the door.

“Well, here's to day two of vacation. Hopefully the Princess doesn't summon you anywhere this time and you can actually relax.” Applejack said, as her marefriend got out of bed, giving her mane a quick brush in front of the mirror.

After breakfast, Rainbow made her way out to the swimming hole, to check up on a certain someone. She had gotten a letter from Granny Smith telling her where they had made their new abode. Sure enough, Rainbow spotted the gator hole off to the right of the dock.

“Well, you seem to have made yourself comfortable, eh Gummy?” Rainbow greeted, coming out onto the dock so she could see the home the alligator had made for himself.

A scaly green snout poked out from the hidden den, no doubt containing damp soil that had shade almost all day. The two-year-old gator crawled out into the swimming hole, and Rainbow followed shortly after, diving into the pond.

Though she had taken up swimming after her traumatic experience in the basement of Sugar Cube Corner, she enjoyed it even more with wings, as they served as another set of appendages to propel her through the water. She didn't do any acrobatic moves this morning; she had come out here to relax and think...mainly about the task Princess Celestia had given her.

Replacing Pinkie. Rainbow didn't want to think about it like that, but that was the first thing her mind thought of when Celestia told her to find another pony to hold the Element of Laughter. Pinkie was gone, Rainbow had accepted that. But she was taking a bit longer on accepting that she was now supposed to find another pony with traits that seemingly made Pinkie unique. How was she supposed to go about it? Find another prankster? The next pony that partied the hardest? And if it happened according to how Celestia said it would, just how would the Elements let her know when she found the right one? On one hoof, knowing that they would help in her search made it easier. On the other hoof, she wanted to be absolutely sure it would be the right choice...somepony who could live up to Pinkie's high-on-life legacy.

It would happen when it would happen. Right now, she was intent on enjoying her morning swim.

“Approaching next stop, Ponyville. Arriving at Ponyville in five minutes! Five minutes, Ponyville! Five minutes!”

The conductor's bellowing announcement as he strolled down the aisle roused Surprise from her slumber. She opened her eyes to the sun rising over the rolling hills that made up Equestria's central valleys. The train rolled past farmland, forests, and finally signaled its approach to the Ponyville platform. The steam billowed out from the brakes, and the doors slid open to bid departure to the passengers.

Surprise's only luggage was a light set of saddlebags. If she had scheduled everything correctly, everything else had arrived ahead of her. She filed out of the train car, watched as other passengers either went on their way immediately, or were greeted by family and friends on the platform. She knew where she was going; she had been here on a very quick trip a few days earlier, just to scout out the building she had leased. It was perfect; a small store on the edge of the market square. She had spent the last couple years saving up from various jobs, and she wanted to be sure of what she was purchasing 2,000 miles away. It had been a very fast 36 hours, taking the express train to Ponyville then back to Seaddle. She had only spent about two hours in town, and hadn't had the time to find any familiar faces, namely Rainbow Dash and Applejack, whom she last saw in Las Pegasus six days ago. She was looking forward to seeing them again. But there were things to tend to first, like her new store that she came trotting up to.

She always dreamed of running her own business. Throughout all her life at the orphanage, she loved helping out at all the birthday parties. The older she got, the more responsibilities she was given. She helped choose decorations, assisted in the decorating, helped cook and bake; pretty much if it had to do with the party, she helped in one way or another. Now that she was finally out on her own, she was confident in her ability to plan and host parties, but a party planner wasn't a very profitable position by itself, not enough to support oneself. But if she could sell party supplies too, that would prove to be a stable income, seeing as how Ponyville didn't have any dedicated party supply stores. She had enough saved up to hopefully give her enough time to make a name for herself here in town, and get sustainable business.

Compared to the rest of the surrounding marketplace, her new store was somewhat plain. But she was confident that with a few days, she would be able to spruce it up quite a bit. That's what some of the contents in the crates outside the store waiting for her were for, that had indeed arrived in town ahead of her.

The eight crates had been neatly dropped off by the storefront window, stacked in a cube, two high and two deep. Within was everything she believed she would need to get started, mainly products and promotion signage.

“It's been awhile since we've had a new business in town.”

Surprise turned to see a light brown stallion walking up to her and her new store.

“Hi there!” she greeted.

“How do you do, young lady. I'm Filthy Rich. Owner of Barnyard Bargains.”

He wore a collar and necktie. His black mane was slicked back neatly, curling up slightly on the back of his neck. His cutie mark was three tied bit bags.

“I do just fine, thank you. Sizing up the new competition?” Surprise replied, shaking the business manager's offered hoof.

“Why, competition just means better things for the customer. But I'm just here to welcome Ponyville's newest entrepreneur. This small place has been vacant for quite some time. I hope you have nothing but the best of luck in getting it up and running. You spend awhile scouting out for where you wanted?”

“I checked out a few places. I'd just wanted to get away from Seaddle. Been there most of my life. I chose here because of how relatively new the town is, not even three generations old yet. Maybe it's fate that Rainbow Dash and Applejack live here. I'm huge fans of the Wonderbolts.”

“Yep, it'll be nice to have them back in town for awhile. There have been quite a few ponies helping down at Sweet Apple Acres in Applejack's absence, myself included. She helped me set my filly straight, figured it was the least I owed her. So what do you like doing in your spare time?”

“I like volunteering my time helping out young ponies in need. Back in Seaddle I volunteered at the hospital's kids wing. Doing a little cheering up does wonders to make their stay more enjoyable. I hear the Ponyville Hospital is looking for a volunteer.”

“Quite generous of you, girl. Especially if you're gonna be running your own business. But it's also great that you have something else to do. I've learned that there are consequences for focusing solely on your business. You can't ignore all the other ponies in your life.” Filthy said, grabbing the crowbar resting on the top of the crates, and prying the first one open.

“Why don't I help you get some of this stuff inside?”

Filthy looked inside, and saw what was to be the focus of Surprise's store.

“Party supplies?”

“Yep! I've helped out with countless party's back at the orphanage back in Seaddle, so I knew that's what I wanted to do when I opened my own business.” Surprise answered.

Filthy gave an uncertain smile.

“Well, I hope you have the best of luck getting it off the ground. But you can't exactly do that until we get this all moved indoors.”

Together, they moved the crate into the store, into the back storage room. Filthy peaked inside. Within, was the signage for the front display.

“Heh, clever title, kid.”

Rainbow flew through Ponyville's high late morning breeze. It was nice, not having to report for drills or practices. Being a Wonderbolt wasn't all glamor and stunts. She had been enjoying this time off, to be sure. It was a shame that her vacation was approaching the halfway point, as they had been back in town for a week and a half. But she still thought about what her dad had said. Over the past year, she had missed hanging out with Fluttershy, missed all the ponies in Ponyville she was friends with; regardless of all the fans she had out on tour, they couldn't replace the comforts of home. Especially Applejack. She still couldn't convince herself that she would be alright out there without her for so long. Not after everything that had happened, and not to mention the new, interesting directions their sex lives were taking.

As she passed over the market square, she noticed a new business occupying one of the buildings in the northeast corner. She descended to the ground, and read the sign above the door, written in a lively font.

SURPRISE'S SURPRISES

PARTY PLANNING AND SUPPLIES

She had to be honest, she had completely forgotten about the adoring fan from the Las Pegasus meet and greet who had told them she was moving to Ponyville to start her own business. She really didn't have anything planned today, so what could be wrong with dropping in to say hi? She opened the door with a hoof and stepped inside, a bell sounding her arrival.

“Hello! Welcome to Surprise's Surp-Rainbow Dash! I was wondering when I'd see you around!”

Surprise greeted her from behind the front counter. The rest of the store consisted of six aisles of everything you could want at a party. Cake platters, utensils, cups, party hats, bags of confetti, birthday candles, cards, and an variety of games just to name a few of the store's offerings.

“Hey there Surprise. I see you've already got everything up and running around here. How's business been?”

“Slow, to be completely honest. But I'm willing to suffer through a bit of slow business until things pick up. Maybe nopony has a birthday yet” she answered with a giggle.

She was right. Taking a quick glance around, Rainbow noticed she was the only customer in the store.

“So how is it being home?”

“Fantastic. I'm really enjoying it. To be perfectly honest, I...I don't even know if I want to go back out in two weeks.”

“Really? Not being a Wonderbolt for more than one season?”

“Don't get me wrong, being a Wonderbolt has been very exciting, but I'm just not sure that I can spend that long away from Applejack and my friends. I keep on trying to think what it would be like out there without them and...well, I don't want to think about it.”

“That's very noble of you, Rainbow. You're an amazing friend.”

The entrance bell rang again, and another pegasus walked into the store.

“Hey there Cirrus, how are you doing today?” Rainbow asked. The last time she had seen Scootaloo's mom was quite awhile ago, just after getting out of the hospital, when Scootaloo and the other Crusaders accidentally saw what had happened to her.

“Well, I've been better.”

“Sorry to hear that. How's Scootaloo?”

“Well, that's why I came in here. I was down the street when I saw you come in here. I need your help with Scootaloo. She's been better too...a lot better.”

It didn't matter how many bookstores Twilight came across on tour the past year; nothing beat her own. From her point of view, she had spent the last ten days doing some light reading. According to Spike, she had read half the library.

She was barely into the N's when there was a knock at her door. She set down 'Nightmare Night: A History' and went to answer it. There stood her favorite farmer.

“Hey Applejack. You know, you don't need to knock, this is a public library.”

“I know, I just figured you were probably catching up on your reading.”

“That I am. How's the book I got for you? The one about...you know...”

Applejack blushed lightly.

“It's helped quite well. But...I'm here to get help with something that it hasn't answered.”

“Well, I'm not exactly a sex therapist, AJ.”

“I know, but you've given me some great relationship advice in the past, so I wanted to come to you with this first.”

Twilight smiled, flattered at Applejack's preference for advice.

“I'll do my best to help you out, AJ. What is it?”

“Well, the book says quite a bit about what subs like, you know, what makes them tick. I'm pretty sure I know what makes Rainbow tick...it's being controlled, restrained, punished, talked down to...namely by me. But what I don't know is why. I've known Rainbow for nearly five years, we've been together for just over one, and only in the past six months have I seen her even ask about being submissive. And only in the past ten days have I seen how...turned on it makes her. I just want to know why, and I've got a pretty good feeling that she doesn't want to reveal it.”

“What makes you think that?”

“We had a session on our first night back in town. After we were done, I mentioned that she would have to tell me sooner or later. She fell asleep.”

“That's not odd.”

“For her it is. She's never fallen asleep so quickly afterward...part of me thinks she was just pretending. Then our next session was three days later, and I tried to be just a little more forward. But again, she changed the subject and got tired.”

“Well, it sounds like she's beating around the bush. But part of it may be your timing too. You've asked both times at the end of your session, when her submissive mindset is starting to fade, and her normal mindset begins to come back. If she's in her submissive side completely, it might be a bit easier for her...and more enjoyable.”

“So just make it part of the session?”

“Yeah. Think about it, AJ. You're the dom. Take control. Make her tell you what you want to know. Punish with the pain, tease with the pleasure, and she won't be able to resist spilling the beans to her mistress.”

“This is Rainbow we're talking about, Twi. If she wants to, if she really wants to keep it a secret, she will.”

“Well, maybe there's a way I can help with that.”

Applejack smiled, again blushing at the cheeks.

“Twi, I just...just thank you, really. You've been such a help with the two of us. You've pushed me to break down some barriers that have really helped us love each other. I really wish I could come up with some way to show my appreciation.”

“It's nothing, AJ. Besides, I think with advice like this, the 'thank yous' you been giving me are quite enough appreciation.”

“Heh, maybe you're right. So...thanks.”

“No problem. Come back in a few days, and my 'help' should be ready to go.”

Learning To Laugh Again Part 7

Learning To Laugh Again

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story Series

by milesprower06

Part 7

Rainbow left Surprise's store and went out to the market square with Cirrus. They went to the closest tea shop, and sat down to discuss what was wrong.

“So what's happened with Scootaloo?”

“She had a doctor's appointment today. I was beginning to become concerned with how old she was getting without being able to...well...fly. So we took to get her checked out, and...”

Rainbow was pretty sure she knew what was coming. One in every 500 pegasi were diagnosed with it.

“Underdeveloped primaries?” Rainbow asked. Cirrus gave a sad nod.

“The doctor said that aside from short bursts of low hovering, it's doubtful that she'll fly at any point in her life.”

“Oh, she must be devastated.”

“Yeah...pretty much. So that's why I came here. She really looks up to you. I figured if anypony can help soften this blow a bit, it'd be you.”

“I'll certainly try my best, Cirrus, but...well, I just hope you realize that it could be a bit awkward.”

“I know, but I don't know who else to turn to.”

Scootaloo sat on the edge of the bed in patient room 15 of the Fillies and Colts wing of Ponyville Hospital. She had never before felt so mad at the rest of the world than she did right now. All because of the piece of paper beside her on the bed right now. She glanced at it hatefully, wanting to disintegrate it just by her leer.

“Hey there, squirt.”

The filly turned to see her idol in the doorway. She couldn't even bring herself to smile, or even greet Rainbow.

“I can imagine you're not having the best of days.” she continued, coming into the room.

“Ya think? Mom sent you in here to try and cheer me up, right? Don't bother, Rainbow Dash. It just...wouldn't feel right, to be happy during a time like this.”

“So being bummed out and pouting at the situation is supposed to make everything fine?”

“No, but it's better than pretending that everything is fine. I'm a Pegasus. I'm supposed to fly. But for some reason my body has decided against that. So what am I supposed to do? They don't exactly have special positions for flightless pegasi up in the weather factory.”

“I doubt that the fact that you look up to me is the only reason your mom wanted me to come see you. It wasn't too long ago that I was in the same situation as you. If I recall, you were the first pony that started to help me feel better about a situation that I was angry at, but couldn't do anything about.”

As Rainbow remembered how Scootaloo encouraged her to try swimming to get over her grief, she was hit with inspiration.

“But, ya know...I guess some life lessons you have to learn yourself. So if you think that sitting here being mad at this unfortunate doctor appointment is going to help, then I'll leave you to it. But when you get out of here, I'll be waiting out in the lobby for you. There's somepony I want you to meet, just in case your pouting plan doesn't quite work out.”

With that, Rainbow turned away and exited the room. She returned out to the lobby, where Cirrus was filling out paperwork. She turned to Rainbow when she saw her approach.

“Well, how is she?”

“It's gonna take a little more than a pep talk from me, I'm afraid. But I do have an idea. Any idea when she'll be out of here?”

“They're still waiting on the last set of test results. They're pretty certain that it's UDP, but they need this last test to be absolutely 100% and send us on our way. Shouldn't be more than an hour.”

“Alright, that sounds good, might be just the time I need. I'll be back in awhile.”

With that, Rainbow trotted out of the hospital and went back into town, to find Surprise starting to close up shop for the day.

"Hi there Rainbow. Everything alright with Scootaloo?"

"Not exactly. Listen, I remember something you told me back in Las Pegasus, and I was wondering if I could get your help with something."

Scootaloo waited in the examination room for 50 more minutes. The doctor and her mom signed off on the last form, and she was finally released, with her next check-up scheduled six months from now. Not that she cared in the slightest at the moment. They began to make their way out of the lobby. As the outer double doors parted, Cirrus tried to console her daughter.

"Now sweetheart, I know it feels like it can't get any worse, but things will start to look up, you'll see."

"Oh yeah? Like when?" Scootaloo pouted.

"Well, like now."

They crossed from the building interior to the front walk. Cirrus lifted Scootaloo's chin, and pointed out by one of the benches.

Rainbow Dash waved to her, waiting with a white pegasus with poofy blonde hair. They both stood on scooters, and Rainbow had Scootaloo's waiting next to her by the bench.

"Hey there squirt. Figured it was a beautiful day today, perfect weather for some riding. What d'ya say?"

The filly looked at her scooter, still pouting.

"Rainbow..."

"Oh come on, Scoot. No matter how bad a day you're having, are you seriously saying you're gonna pass up zooming through town with your most favorite pony of all time?" Rainbow asked, nudging her in the side. She didn't smile just yet, but the pout began to leave her face as she looked to her mom.

"Go and have fun. I'll be waiting for you at home."

With that, Rainbow Dash and her companion mounted their scooters, putting on the helmets they were also given along with the rentals.

"By the way, Scootaloo, this is Surprise. Surprise, Scootaloo. She's new in town."

Scootaloo gave a simple "hi" as she got up on her own scooter, donned her helmet, and kicked off the ground. Rainbow and Surprise followed, and Rainbow quickly went ahead of her down the front walk.

"I know you can go faster than that. Now use those wings like you always used to." Rainbow encouraged.

Scootaloo did no such thing, continuing to kick off the ground to gain momentum. Rainbow half-expected this. She came back down the sidewalk, and got behind Scootaloo, pushing the back of her scooter with the front of hers.

"Guess I'm gonna need you to give you some encouragement then, because I know you can do better than that."

Rainbow used her wings to pick up speed, and instead of making a left turn towards down, she made a right, into Whitetail Woods. With Surprise keeping a small pace behind, Rainbow continued to pick up speed, until she got fast enough where she knew Scoots would have to use her wings.

"Rainbow, knock it off!" the filly protested.

"Suit yourself, kid." Rainbow Dash said with a shrug, and backed off just a hair, leaving Scootaloo to her own momentum. The filly began to falter in her balance, and like it or not, she was forced to use her wings to steady herself as they curved into the woods. This close to winter, nearly every tree was bare, and most of the leaves had blown away or rotted back into the ground.

Rainbow came up next to her, matching her speed.

"That's not so bad, is it?" she asked.

"This isn't gonna fix things, Rainbow!" Scootaloo shot back, her wings buzzing behind her.

"What needs fixing? You're doing a great job!"

Barely a half-mile ahead, Scootaloo saw a vacant campsite with logs around a fire pit, and turned her left side of her scooter against her forward momentum, digging her tires into the ground and bringing her self to an expertly braking halt. Rainbow wasn't expecting this, and had to turn around, and completed the trip back just as soon as Surprise also came up to the campsite.

Scootaloo took off her helmet and dropped it to the ground, walking up to Rainbow who was just getting off her scooter.

"My wings aren't meant for riding a scooter. They're meant for flying!" she yelled, before turning her back and sitting on a log, staring at the empty fire pit.

"Listen Scootaloo. I want to show you something. I invited Surprise along for a reason."

Surprise, who left her helmet by her own scooter, came up to Rainbow and Scootaloo, turned to the side, and unfurled her wings. Scootaloo studied them for just a moment, and her eyes widened.

"You too?"

Surprise nodded, folding them back into her side.

"Yep. Ever since I can remember. Not all winged creatures are meant to fly, Scootaloo. I've been enjoying my life here on the ground just fine."

"And you're wicked on that scooter of yours, squirt. I can never be as good as you, or as fast, because my primaries would eventually take me up in the air if I used them hard enough. But you...you can get speed from those things in a way I can't. So what do ya say?"

Rainbow picked up the helmet, and put it in Scootaloo's lap.

"Show us what you can really do. I know you can do it."

Scootaloo, for the first time since beginning this ride, gave a small smirk, and put her helmet back on while Rainbow and Surprise returned to their scooters. The purple-haired pegasus took off first, followed by Surprise, with Rainbow Dash taking up the rear. They began to pick up more and more speed, and they came to the more winding sections of the trail. With every turn, Scootaloo didn't slow down much, leaning into the turns, at times going up on two wheels, leaving dirt and pebbles in her wake. The wind rushed through her hair as the older pegasi had to work to keep up with her.

Up ahead, Scootaloo spotted a low hanging branch that was just the right height for one of her favorite tricks. But she had been tweaking it a bit, and decided to show her two riding partners what she could really do. She leaned forward, buzzing her wings harder than she ever had before, and picked up the most speed she could as she quickly approached the branch. At the last moment, Scootaloo released the handlebars and leapt off of the board, continuing to lean forward and followed it into a forward flip as she vaulted over the tree limb. Once she cleared it, she spotted her scooter still going directly beneath her, and grabbed the handlebars a split second before her back hooves hit the board. The landing forced her to drop to a knee, but she stayed on her scooter and kept her balance as she continued zooming through the forest. She heard Rainbow and Surprise cheering behind her, and she kept her pace just slow enough so they could keep up. Her heart was pounding. She had been practicing that trick for weeks, and she had finally managed to land it! She jumped over rocks and stumps, she grinded against the occasional bench on the side, and took corners faster than she had previously dared. This was such a euphoric high. Due to her high speeds through the forest trails, they came out on the other side in just over 10 minutes. Scootaloo skidded to a halt next to one of the benches, finally out of breath. Surprise and Rainbow came up right behind her.

"That was incredible!" Surprise cheered.

"What did I tell ya, Scoots! You're amazing on that thing!"

The filly smiled, still catching her breath.

"Thanks...Rainbow. Maybe you're right, I don't have to be in the air."

"There's no 'maybe' about it. If you don't believe me, just look at that!"

Rainbow happily pointed down at Scootaloo's back legs. The orange pegasus looked down, and her heart skipped a beat as her mouth hung open.

There, on her flank, was a flaming scooter wheel.

As much as she didn't want to tear her gaze away from it, for fear it would disappear, she looked back up at Rainbow Dash with tears welling up in her eyes. She jumped into her, wrapping her hooves around her neck and broke into sobs of joy.

"Thank you thank you thank you so much!!!" Scootaloo cried happily.

"Congratulations, Scoot." Rainbow replied, returning the hug.

After squeezing her as tight as she could, Scootaloo released her, and then offered Surprise the same, who happily accepted it. Then, soon enough, her tears of joy was replaced by excitement that she didn't know what to do with.

"Oh my gosh, I've...I've gotta go tell mom. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle! Everypony!"

"Well what are ya waiting for? A written invitation? Go on!" Rainbow said with a chuckle.

With that, Scootaloo was off on her scooter with a flash, racing into Ponyville.

"I have to be perfectly honest. I was totally not expecting that. Thank you so much for your help." Rainbow said to Surprise.

"It was nothing." she replied with a smile.

"Are you kidding? That kid's gonna be smiling for days! This wasn't nothing."

Rainbow then offered her own hug to Surprise.

"You're gonna be a great friend, I just know it."

Learning To Laugh Again Part 9 (Clop)

Learning To Laugh Again

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story Series

by milesprower06

Part 8

“Come on, sweetheart. Come on back.”

The grogginess and the fog began to lift away. Rainbow felt like she'd been in a deep sleep for days. She gave out a groan.

“AJ...?”

“At first I was afraid I had given you too much of that potion that Twilight brewed up for me. You were dead weight the entire time I strung you up there.”

Applejack's words made Rainbow shake off more of the potion's lingering effects, and realize what position she was in; suspended in the air.

She was in the center of the apple cellar, hanging by her front hooves from a pulley on the center ceiling rafter. More rope had been wrapped securely around her midsection, restraining her wings firmly in their folded position against her body. Going lower still, she felt the egg vibrator in her, currently off, but nonetheless there. She felt a weight on her tail. Looking down, she saw that Applejack had tied a small sack of apples, that perfectly simulated her tail being pulled. Lastly, her back legs were forced apart with a spreader bar.

“Applejack...what's going on?” she asked, a hint of fear in her voice.

“Relax, hun. You're safe. I just thought that this might be an effective way of getting some answers out of you.”

“Answers?”

“Yup, you ain't been rightly honest with me, Rainbow Dash. I noticed that our first time trying this in Las Pegasus, that you didn't ask for a safe word. When you first asked me to do this with you all those months ago, you knew more about dominance and submission than I did, before Twilight gave me this book to read. Safe words are one of the most common practices in this.” Applejack said, holding up the book that she had acquired all her domination knowledge from.

“Yet you didn't ask for one. You didn't ask again when we got back to Ponyville for a second time, and I actually managed to spank you to tears that time. If I recall, you actually managed to squirt a little on my bed, not to mention the bruises I left that thankfully faded by morning. When I mentioned that I'd like to know why you enjoy being treated like this, you had fallen asleep...or pretended to.”

Applejack's accusation shined clearly through her words. She opened her book to where the bookmark ribbon separated the pages, and read aloud.

“A safe word is a word or phrase that is given to a sub so he or she may maintain a minimal degree of control. This is not to take power away from the dom, but to ensure that the sub may stop the session at any time, due to feeling unsafe, unsure, hurt, or another mental or physical barrier that may be crossed or broken. Safe words are encouraged and recommended for all but the most experienced couples.”

Applejack closed the book.

“Do we look like an experienced couple?”

When Rainbow didn't offer an answer, AJ's expression became more stern.

“I asked you a question, pet.” Applejack told the restrained Pegasus, making sure she knew her place for this conversation.

“N-no,” Rainbow answered, shaking her head.

“That's right, we're not. We've only done this three times in three weeks. We're very new at this. Don't you think we need a safe word to make sure no one gets hurt?”

Again, Rainbow didn't offer an immediate answer, choosing to mull the question over in her head silently.

Applejack was in no mood for games. She got up, took a step forward and lashed out with the leather strap. It snapped across Rainbow's left flank with a sharp crack. She let out a yelp. With the blizzard howling outside, she knew Applejack wasn't the least bit worried about being heard out here.

“I-I don't know! No, I didn't think we needed one!” she offered, now fully aware that Applejack wasn't happy.

“I don't know why you think we wouldn't, with how inexperienced both of us are at this.”

Applejack tossed the book back to her chair, and began to slowly circle her prisoner, strap in hoof.

“So now the second issue: You haven't told me why you enjoy me treating you like this, and it's pretty obvious that you don't want to tell me.”

“I really enjoy being controlled by y-ah!”

Talking without being asked a direct question earned Rainbow another lash with the strap.

“No, that's what you enjoy, not why. You and I have known each other for five years now. I have never seen you act so submissively until three weeks ago, and doing so makes you wetter than I've ever seen you since we've been with each other. It's not a new development, either; you asked me to do this to you out of the blue six months ago. I want to know where this mindset came from. You know me, Rainbow. I can't stand liars. To me, withholding the truth is every bit as bad as lying. So, are you going to tell me your mistress why you enjoy this?”

For this third time, Rainbow remained silent after a question. Applejack sighed.

“That's alright, sugar cube. I'd be a bit disappointed if I went through the good time and trouble of hanging you up there just to let you down right away. So whad'ya say we get started on our fourth session?”

Applejack looked up at Rainbow, who was still silent, but was beginning to become aroused, which her mistress smirked at. She went to the vibrator control strapped to Rainbow's left inner thigh, and set it to random. She heard the muffled buzzing coming from within her pet's snatch. Rainbow gasped, biting her lip immediately afterward. She let out a short moan of delight when Applejack made sure the sack tied to her tail was secure by giving it a few tugs.

“I know you're gonna enjoy this, pet. So it'll be my job to try and make sure the pleasure isn't as quite as intense as the pain. We'll be using a safe word tonight. Well, words, actually. If at any point you want me to stop, all you have to do is tell me the truth, okay?"

Rainbow stared down at her mistress, carefully avoiding her eyes. She didn't offer any other sign that she understood.

Applejack went behind Rainbow to where the pegasus couldn't see her, and cracked the strap on the concrete floor, making Rainbow jump. Then, she merely stood there for half a minute, watching her marefriend shudder in anticipation, wondering when the first blow would come, and already squirming from the toy inside her.

The first hit landed right above her tail, and she let out a yelp. AJ followed up immediately with a slightly harder hit to her right flank. As the lashes continued, Rainbow's painful cries became injected with ecstasy. Every time Applejack heard that, she increased the strength of her blows, making sure her yelps were more noticeable than her moans. Not even five minutes had passed before Rainbow was struggling to think straight. The immobility, her restrained wings, the toy buzzing inside her, and Applejack's relentless assault on her hindquarters combined to form an attack on her mind unlike anything she had experienced. With her spread legs and being suspended in the air, she was unable to thrust the air to usher her climax forward at a faster rate. Her body and release were completely at Applejack's mercy.

It was only a matter of time, however, and at the 9-minute mark, Rainbow gave out a slightly prolonged cry, as her orgasm finally overcame her, the results dripping out from between her legs down to the concrete floor. Her climax thankfully brought a reprieve, as Applejack came around to the front to inspect the results, running the tip of her hoof across the floor where Rainbow had ejaculated, then bringing it to her mouth to tenderly suck on.

"Mmm. Not bad, if just a tad sooner than I expected."

Rainbow averted her gaze to avoid looking her mistress in the eyes; not so much because of the rule, but because she knew this wasn't over, and looking AJ in the eyes would just make her more heated.

"Well I know there's more where that came from, so let's go for round two."

Applejack reached up to Rainbow's thigh and kicked the vibrator's random pulses up to a greater tempo. Rainbow protested the increase in intensity so soon after an orgasm in the form of a moaning whine, but Applejack paid it no mind, and opted to stay up front for the second set, wondering if Rainbow could maintain the lack of eye contact when she was facing her.

The blows came harder this time, the yelps louder, with more pain evident in them. Still, Rainbow managed to avoid Applejack's gaze by focusing on one part of the cellar. When the strap became too painful to be able to focus, she merely clenched her eyes shut. It was another five minutes before her second climax washed over her, sending more juices dripping down. Applejack came closer and brushed her inner thigh teasingly before backing the vibrator down, giving her a chance to breath, as she was already gasping. This had to be the most severe punishment yet. Rainbow had lost count, but she was confident that in these 15 minutes, they had to be around 90 blows or so, what with how Applejack maddeningly varied the pace, keeping it as unpredictable as possible.

"If...if you keep going...good...good luck on explaining the bruises away...Mistress..." Rainbow managed to say when she had finally caught her breath.

AJ's eyes widened, but she managed to keep her mouth from hanging open. Rainbow had never talked back in her sub mindset.

Doing so earned her a precisely-placed hit on her right udder, just above the nipple. Rainbow screamed out in pain. Being the most severe hit of the night, it finally brought the pegasus to tears.

"Who in tarnation do you think I am?!" Applejack snapped. "Golly, girl. As if I wouldn't have planned for you bein' so difficult."

With that Applejack went back beside the chair, and rummaged through the saddlebag. She came up with a jar of purple sparkling goop.

"Twilight calls it 'Bruise-B-Gone', an enchanted ointment guaranteed to remove any and all bruise marks from the skin and coat. Ya just have to apply it to the affected areas."

Applejack did just that while Rainbow attempted to sniffle her tears away. She twisted the lid off, got a hoof of the sparkling cream, and rubbed it directly onto Rainbow's much-abused flanks. Upon making contact, the cream began to glow, and several seconds later, that magic had done its work, and that section of Rainbow's posterior looks as good as new. She found out that the magical ointment was a visual aid only, because she still felt quite sore.

"This is the first time this punishment has been fitting even outside of a role playing sense. You're acting like such a foal. Like somepony who doesn't want to tell mommy why they drew on the wall. Just tell me the truth, and you're down from there. You and I are inside, together in bed, and out of this blizzard."

Rainbow looked down at her, just off of making eye contact.

"I...I...I just can't..." Rainbow cried, fresh tears running down her cheeks.

AJ let out a soft sigh, looking down at the ground, shaking her head.

"Yes you can. You just don't want to. But that'll change, sooner or later. Now, where were we?"

AJ did a walk around, making sure she got all of Rainbow's affected areas, then ran her hoof around Rainbow's inner thigh. She was amazed at despite what Rainbow had already endured and released, her marehood was still soaked and swollen, ready and wanting more. Applejack couldn't remember a time when she saw Rainbow more aroused.

"I can't help but wonder how long it'll be until your orgasms hurt too."

With that, she flicked the vibrator to its third highest pulse setting, producing more moans from the pegasus. She whipped her fresh flanks even harder, and bruises began to appear even sooner. The apple cellar became a symphony of cries, whines, moans, and cracking leather.

"Just one thing: the truth, and this is all over."

A couple minutes later, faster than before, Rainbow hit her third major peak, and the scream that came with it had more pain in it. Applejack knew that her body was reaching it's limits. But her confidence took a hit as she saw that despite the pain that came with this orgasm, Rainbow had managed to ejaculate more than she did on her second.

Applejack's patience began to wear dangerously thin. The most times she ever remembered Rainbow cumming was four times, out in the orchards right before the freak earthquake that rocked the town. Interrogating her was going to get considerably more difficult if her climaxes started knocking her out; that was something she had not prepared for.

Applejack dropped the 2-foot strap and went back to her saddlebags. Rainbow Dash, her chest heaving, wings straining, and pushing to get free of the rope, looked over at her mistress, and was overcome with dread when she saw her hoof come out of the bag with a full 6-foot whip. The switch was great for enclosed spaces where you would be concerned about noise. The strap was middle ground, increased noise and sting.

This, however...she was shocked that AJ even purchased something like this. A full whip was for the real masochist couples, those who wanted to endure a gauntlet of misery. Loud and deadly accurate in the right hooves, it could make short work of any sub.

"Appl...Applejack...please...no..."

"Don't give me 'please no'. You know exactly what you need to tell me if you don't want me to use this. I'm out of options, you stubborn slut. You've gotten three orgasms from me tonight, so now you're going to give me what I want, or you're going to pass out and wake up there tomorrow morning. Did you expect me to never get curious? That I'd just happily spank and fuck you without wanting to know why? Sure, maybe you're a little ashamed of whatever the reason it. But I'm getting a different vibe from this; a lack of respect. If you truly want me to treat you like a sex slave without ever wondering why in Equestria I'm doing these things to you, well, then I have a really hard time in figuring out just who the slave is in all this. So, one...last...time. Why?"

When Dash offered no answer, nearly vibrating in her binds in terror, Applejack moved no closer, and swung out with the whip.

The resulting sound seemed to take on mass, as the echo washed over Applejack. The sounds continued over the next twenty minutes as she whipped, teased, and tortured Rainbow to a fourth and fifth climax, along with two more applications of the magic ointment. Applejack, with such a deadly instrument of pain in her hoof, spaced the blows much farther apart, letting each one plant itself firmly in Rainbow's mind. Her yelps and cries became more desperate and painful, and Applejack, in her inexperience, was having trouble keeping the scales of pain and pleasure balanced. As her pet was nearing an incredible sixth orgasm, AJ was furious, and close to snapping. For all she knew, she was no closer to getting what she wanted out of Rainbow, whose cries and screams were tortuously close to sounding like the sounds echoing from the basement of Sugar Cube Corner that fateful night. AJ was now having trouble picking out the moans of pleasure, and each blow, each cry and yelp, was chipping away at her dominating demeanor, and also eating away at what little patience she had remaining. Why did Rainbow enjoy this? Why wouldn't she break? Why, why, why, why...

"Grr...just tell me the TRUTH!!!"

With that last word, Applejack swung harder than ever before, bringing the whip down on Rainbow's left cutie mark, and the impact was as loud as a cannon.

There was no pleasure in Rainbow's resulting scream. Applejack reared her front leg back in preparation for a follow up blow, and then paused mid-swing, realizing what she had done. She brought the whip close to her face, and her eyes widened in horror.

The end of the whip was dipped in crimson.

Applejack looked over at Rainbow, and saw that she had broken her skin, as a single drop of blood trickled down from a fresh cut just above her cutie mark.

Applejack's mindset melted away in an instant, and her heart shattered.

Rainbow's mind fought through the pain and pondered what had brought the abrupt pause. She then felt herself give way to gravity as the rope suspending her in midair dropped her to the floor. On the edge of a mind-numbing sixth climax, Rainbow found herself barely able to register a single thought, but pushed herself to look to the crank next to the stairs, where Applejack sat, her back to Rainbow, her entire body trembling.

"A...AJ...?" she barely managed to whisper, her voice hoarse and throat sore from all the crying.

Applejack turned to her, shoulders heaving, and tears flowing from her eyes.

"I...I gave you all my trust for this. At first I didn't care why you enjoyed me hitting you...hurting you. I just did it because I knew you liked it. I'll be honest. I started to like it too. But when I got curious as to why, you beat around the bush every time. You haven't returned my trust, Rainbow. Twilight gave me a truth serum along with that knock-out potion, but I didn't use it. Even if I had to coerce it out of you, I wanted it to be your choice. But for some reason, you obviously don't trust me with the truth. Do you actually think whatever the reason is would change anything between us? That me knowing why you enjoy this would make me love you any less?" the farmer sobbed.

Due to the chaotic mix of main and ecstasy her mind was in, Rainbow could not bring herself to answer.

Heartbroken, Applejack turned and ran up the stairs and out of the cellar out into the raging blizzard, her sobs quickly being overtaken by the storm before the howling winds slammed the door shut.

Rainbow made no move to either remove herself from her restraints, nor finish putting herself past her sixth peak of the night. Her submissive mindset fell to pieces in her head, as the stinging pain from the past hour of punishment continued echoing throughout her body. Regardless of what had just endured, her body would not back down, and her mind and marehood longed for one final release, but Rainbow was too confused, exhausted, sore, and now ashamed, to care. She lost track of the time passing as she faded in and out of consciousness numerous times, as she laid there among traces of her own ejaculate.

She was brought back to a half-conscious state by the sound of the cellar door opening again. She was made slightly more alert by the brief rush of cold air. She didn't have a clue how long she had been laying there. She looked to the stairs, and saw Applejack coming toward her. Rainbow was still restrained, save for her front legs, which she could move, but decided to remain still and see what her marefriend wanted.

Applejack walked up to her, and rolled her onto her back. Just looking at her made Rainbow long for release again. Applejack wordless looked down to Rainbow's longing marehood, laid down between her legs, and gave her just what she was hoping for.

Though her sore and exhausted body tried to protest, her mind would have none of it as she moaned in pleasure as AJ silently ate her out. Due to her time out, the climb back to the peak was slow, the rising and falling pattern of her previous climaxes long since passed. But as Rainbow relaxed and immersed herself in the pleasure after so much torment, her mind began to realize that something was just a bit off. AJ could do it slow and sensual, or fast and intense, depending on the mood the two of them were in. But she was never...sloppy. Judging by her present work, it seemed as if AJ wanted to get this final climax over with and get them off to bed.

Rainbow risked a look at her marefriend that she had upset. AJ was intent on focusing purely on her work, staring right between her legs. That wasn't like her either...she always kept an eye on her face, either to make it hotter during normal times together, or to make sure Rainbow didn't look her in the eyes during role playing.

The way it felt...the way it looked...Rainbow couldn't shake the instinct that something was wrong here.

"AJ...? Applejack...? She asked softly.

The farmer ignored her name being called, and continued her work. As her climax came closer, Rainbow tried to slide away to see what was up, but Applejack responded by grabbing her flanks and holding her in place, ramping up the intensity of her licking. As Rainbow neared the point of no return, she let out a cry as her pussy squeezed Applejack's tongue, and just before going over the edge, she saw her lover's eyes glow green.

Rainbow's mind and body finally became one as they realized what was happening.

'That's not Applejack.' her brain screamed at her.

Forcing her mind to focus through the self-induced orgasm denial, Rainbow forced her rear legs up, overpowering her will to cum, and used the spreader bar still attached to clothesline the intruder. Effectively dazed, Rainbow quickly freed her front hooves from the rope, rolled over to all fours, and gave her a full force buck to the body, smashing her against the cobblestone wall of the cellar. Using the precious seconds she had, she quickly freed her wings from the rope, her back legs from the spreader bar, and her tail from the sack of apples. Now completely free, Rainbow's attention returned to the doppelganger, and was shocked at what she saw.

This...thing, had clearly reverted to its original state; black scaly skin, a horn that curved up and back from the forehead, and teal eyes and wings that looked like they belonged on an insect and not a pony. Lastly, the hooves had holes through them, missing sections that looked disturbingly natural.

'Think Rainbow, think.'

She dragged the unconscious creature to the center of the cellar, and used the rope used on her to restrain the wings and front hooves. Cranking it up into midair, she ran up the stairs into the blizzard, back towards the farmhouse. She ran in the front door, finding everything as she remembered it before AJ told her to drink the drugged cider. Her cup was still on the floor as well. Finding no trace of Applejack in the bedroom, Rainbow ran back through the snow to the cellar, where the creature was now awake and thrashing in the restraints.

"Where is she?" she demanded.

The creature looked at her and simply hissed and snarled.

"Applejack, the farmer you copied. I know you saw her because you looked just like her. Now where is she?!" she repeated, only to be answered by more hissing, and struggling to get free of its restraints. Rainbow had no idea if the creature could speak her language, but she figured if it had the capability to copy the look of a pony, then it was capable of communication, spoken, crude, or otherwise.

And yet it did not motion toward the door, or do anything except lunge angrily at its captor, snarling furiously. Rainbow was in no mood for games. She looked around the cellar for anything that could give this thing some incentive. For all she knew, Applejack was in grave danger, and this creature was the only link. She wasn't going to waste time going for help. It was going to tell her where AJ was, or...

She returned to the center of the cellar, and pressed the tip of a shovel against the creature's neck.

"Where...is...Applejack?"

Learning To Laugh Again Part 10

Learning To Laugh Again

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story Series

by milesprower06

Part 10

Big Mac awoke from what had been an uneasy night of sleep so far. He got out from underneath his covers and stepped out into the hall. He found the house dark, save for a single lamp on out in the living room, where a pair of cups were also set, one on the floor in front of the recliner. Luckily, it was empty.

Wondering what was going on, Big Mac went to the front door, seeing a set of hoofprints in the snow, rapidly disappearing from the snowfall. The tracks went to the apple cellar. Following them, he opened the door, and descended the stairs, and was not prepared for what awaited him there.

In the middle of the cellar, suspended in the air by a rope pulley, was a...creature of some kind. It showed no movement at all, not even breathing. Upon taking a closer look, and with the addition of the bloodstained shovel on the ground beneath it, Big Mac came to the conclusion that whatever it was, it was dead.

Now truly perplexed, he found a saddlebag next to the lone chair in the cellar, with a series of ropes and whips inside. He made his way back up the stairs, where there was a fresher set of tracks pointing out of the Acres, but stopped a few feet out of the cellar, suggesting that if it was Rainbow, that she took off into the air. But where was Applejack? And what in Equestria was that creature hanging in the cellar?

The most bizarre thing yet occurred when a green-tinted meteor shower began overhead in the starry night.

Rainbow descended towards Golden Oaks Library from the starry night sky. At her frantic pace, she had been in the air not even two minutes. She skidded to a halt in front of the door and pounded on it, then burst in before Twilight had a chance to answer.

“Twi...Twilight!”

“Rainbow, what is it? What's going on?” Twilight said, descending the stairs. When she got close enough, she noticed the state Rainbow was in. Out of breath, unkempt mane, and bruises on her flanks. With a sigh, she lit up her horn.

“Ran out of Bruise-B-Gone?” she asked, healing Rainbow's coat.

“No, no. You don't understand. Applejack's missing! And...and...!”

“Rainbow, slow down. Take a deep breath.”

The Pegasus did just that. She wasn't going to be any help to AJ if she was panicking.

“Applejack and I were in the cellar for...well, you know, you gave her half the stuff. It escalated a bit too far, then when she came back...it wasn't her. It was this...creature. Black scaly skin, teal eyes...”

Twilight gasped, and immediately ran to a bookshelf. She pulled a book down and immediately began flipping through pages. Coming to what she looked for, she trotted back to Rainbow, and showed her the book.

“Is this it?”

Rainbow looked at the book she had pulled. It was a illustration of the creature that she had encountered in the cellar. She confirmed it with a nod.

“I had no idea these things still existed. This is a changeling. And...you have one in the apple cellar?”

“Had...I asked where AJ was, and all it did was snarl at me, and...I got angrier and angrier...I was so worried about AJ, that I...”

Twilight figured what was coming, but she let Rainbow finish.

“I hit it so hard across the head that I snapped it's neck. Now how are we gonna figure out where AJ was taken?”

“...I don't think we have to worry about that...” Twilight said, with a hint of dread as she flipped through the pages of the book.

As if on cue, there was a dull thud outside, followed by another, and another. Their attention turning towards the door, they noticed the crashing noises increase in tempo.

“What's that?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight glanced once more at her book, then dropped it from her telekinetic grip.

“The rest of them.”

Surprise had been helping her new boss with some late night stocking at Barnyard Bargains when there was a series of thuds outside that got her heart racing. Both of them made their way outside to see the sky above Ponyville alive with glowing green meteors that were crashing to the ground.

Then, out of the smoking craters, came creatures as black as the night. They snarled, growled, and hissed with fanged teeth, and as soon as they began to fling sticky green goop in attempts to trap Ponyville citizens, the market square became a war zone as ponies attempted to either retreat, or defend themselves, their loved ones, and their property. The fighting became even more chaotic as some of the creatures began to take the form of the very ponies they were attacking.

“What in Equestria are these things?” Surprise asked, bewildered.

“I haven't the slightest idea, kid, but we'd better get back inside. It's safer.” Filthy replied.

As they turned to head back into the store, there came a menacing laugh from the sky. Another one of the creatures descended, and landed several feet away from where Filthy Rich and Surprise stood.

She was a great deal larger than all the others; on par with Princess Celestia. Her mane was a deep indigo, with several locks of hair draping over her face, almost hiding her fiery green eyes. Her teeth were fanged, as with the rest of the creatures. Her horn and wings were much larger, and she wore a simple saddle-like piece of clothing around her mid-section.

“There you are, my sleeper. At long last, it is time for you to come home.”

Surprise was absolutely clueless, for the invader was looking directly at her as she spoke these words.

“Who are you? What do you want?” she asked, half threateningly, half afraid.

“Do not fear, my child. I am Chrysalis, the ruler of this hive cluster. We are changelings. We move and act as one, and feed off of the most powerful energy of all; love. You were the most integral part to a long-term invasion plan. A plan that has finally come to fruition!”

“What are you talking about?”

“For years, I searched for an opportunity to clandestinely place a sleeper cell behind enemy lines. That chance finally came when a town on the outskirts of Equestria was engulfed in flames. With damaged wings right out of the cocoon, you were a faulty underling, but you still had your uses. I erased your memories, cut you off from our hive mind, and left you unconscious in the disguise of your current form. To not hear the others...to not hear me, I admit, it was a cruel fate for one of our existence. But it was necessary. I left just enough of a connection to see through your eyes, so that I could know what we would face when the time came to attack. This town will serve as an excellent staging ground, and now, my child, it is time to rejoin the hive. You have performed superbly, if unwittingly.”

Surprise could not believe what she was hearing. This...thing...in front of her, was claiming that she was something else entirely?

“No, impossible! I don't care what you say or claim, it has to be a trick!”

“Come now, underling. I know you are confused, but embrace who you are. Do not attempt to defy me. Your limited connection to the hive gives you free will, but do not test my patience. Accept your destiny.”

Surprise looked around, and her resolve only steeled further.

“Never! I don't care what you say I am, or what you're planning. I can't stop you, but I'll have no part of what you're doing!”

“Kid, she's messing with your head. Let's get out of here!”

“So be it. If you will not accept your true colors, you will not hide them any more!”

The Queen's horn glowed an intense green, and a half-second later, a bolt of green energy shot forward towards Surprise. It was fast enough that she was unable to dodge it. Filthy dove out of the way as the bolt hit Surprise directly, pushing her back against the door frame of the store before exploding in a sea of green flames.

In the aftermath of the attack, Chrysalis was forced to break her focus away from Surprise to defend her ground against a small group of attacking unicorns.

Filthy looked over at the entrance to his store. The ground in front of the doors was smoldering, and Surprise slowly got to her feet, clearly hurt, her coat smoking and burnt. He came closer to help, and then gasped at what he saw.

Surprise turned to look at what had stopped Filthy in his tracks, and was horrified when she saw her reflection in the front display window.

Half of her face had been burned away, along with other sections of her coat, and underneath was not weeping, charred flesh, but black, scaly skin, and her right eye had been exposed, and was a fierce teal. A lump formed in her throat and tears pricked her eyes as fear clasped around her heart.

It was true.

'No, no. No! It can't be. I know who I am!'

But she didn't. She had no idea who she was, where she came from, or where she was born. Everything the Queen claimed was true, and the reflection staring back at her confirmed it.

Her mind and sense of self shattered as she ran out of the market square towards the west side of the town at a full gallop, in tears. Chrysalis, having dealt with the distractions that were now trapped in goo that would soon encase them in cocoons, saw Surprise retreating out of town towards the forest. She turned to a group of her underlings.

“After her! Make sure she does not find the farmer!”

As her underlings gave chase, Chrysalis made her way deeper into town. She had to find and seize the Elements of Harmony, just in case they did not need six ponies to be used. This plan had come much too far to be stopped now.

Twilight and Rainbow ran through the chaos, and while they tried to find their friends, they could not ignore the ponies who needed help breaking free of the slime the changelings were entrapping them with. Twilight fired off as many energy spells as she could to daze the invaders as they ran towards the market square. Rarity would be there at her boutique, and they would also be closer to Fluttershy's cottage on that side of town.

Upon arrival, they saw a gathering of unicorns defending the front entrance of Barnyard Bargains, firing off similar energy spells as Filthy Rich ushered others inside for protection.

“Twilight! Rainbow! Over here!” he called. They ran through the line of unicorns and stopped in front of the store owner.

“How long do you think you can hold them off?” Twilight asked.

“I'm not sure. You have a plan in mind?”

“The Elements. We have to try and use them against the changelings. We have to find Applejack.”

“I heard the Queen order her changelings to chase Surprise into the forest, making sure she doesn't 'find the farmer'. Applejack is probably in there somewhere.” Filthy told them. Twilight turned to Rainbow.

“That still only gives us five. Do you think Surprise can do it? Use the Necklace of Laughter?” she asked succinctly.

Rainbow couldn't answer, before Filthy chimed in again.

“Twilight, I don't know how to put this lightly, but...she's one of them.”

“What?!”

“Their leader blasted her and parts of her coat burned away. She looks just like the rest of them. But I don't think she knew. That's why she ran away. She's devastated. They used her so they knew where to strike.”

Rainbow stretched her sore, but functional wings.

“I'm going into the forest. I'll be back with Applejack. Get the Elements ready, Twilight.”

“But...using two Elements puts you at serious risk. What about-”

“I'll find AJ. Just be ready for us.”

“But what about Surp-”

“Damnit Twilight, just do it!”

With that, Rainbow took off into the night sky, flying as fast as she could to the Everfree Forest, hoping she would not be too late.

Learning To Laugh Again Part 11

Cupcake Chronicles Timeline

2008

April 18th

Rainbow runs away from home after refusing to apologize to the flight school for fighting.

April 21st

Applejack discovers Rainbow sleeping in the barn.

April 22nd

Fluttershy and Rainbow reunite. Rainbow moves in with Fluttershy.

May 1st

Rainbow applies for the Ponyville Weather Patrol.

June

Rainbow begins buying and stocking premium building cloud for her own home.

2010

October

Rainbow promoted to Weather Director of Ponyville.

Cloud Chaser promoted to sectional manager in Weather Factory.

2011

May 2nd

Pinkie's Surprise Party (Party of One)

September 30th

Pinkie kidnaps Rainbow Dash. (Cupcakes)

Applejack rescues Rainbow

Rainbow admitted to Ponyville Urgent Care.

October 3rd

Rainbow checked out of Ponyville Urgent Care, and spends half a night at the hotel. She moves in with Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres.

October 7th

Princess Luna discovers Pinkie's journal in her bedroom at Sugar Cube Corner. She withholds it from evidence.

October 12th

Rainbow begins swimming.

October 20th

Rainbow's birthday. She decides to compete in the Running of the Leaves.

October 22nd

Annual Running of the Leaves

October 30th

Rainbow discusses with her friends ways to remember Pinkie and her victims, and Mrs. Cake gives her Gummy to take care of as a way to honor her memory.

November 13th

Ponyville's Memorial Fountain is officially dedicated.

November 15th

Rainbow visits Pinkie's grave at the rock farm.

November 23rd

Applejack lets Rainbow begin to help with farm chores.

Rainbow kisses Applejack on the lakeside dock, they continue in her bedroom.

Princess Luna brings Rainbow Pinkie's journal.

November 24th

Applejack's shipment to the Feed 'n' Seed is refused. Rainbow shatters the proprietor's front display window.

Lyra is supernaturally attacked by Pinkamena.

November 25th

Protests begin outside the Feed 'n' Seed. Rainbow refuses his initial apology, as well as his follow-up that night at Sweet Apple Acres.

Applejack takes Rainbow out to the orchard to share their love with privacy and space, which is interrupted by the spirit of Pinkamena.

An earthquake rocks Ponyville, causing minimal damage, and destroying the memorial fountain.

Pinkamena's spirit is confronted in the basement of Sugar Cube Corner.

Pinkie's journal is burned in the remains of the fountain. Rainbow is fatally stabbed in the chest, and revived by the spirits of Pinkie and Pinkamena's victims.

November 26th

Rainbow awakens in Ponyville Urgent Care. Her wings have been restored.

December 9th

Rainbow receives an invitation to become a full performing members of the Wonderbolts.

Rainbow reconciles with Marty by replacing his window.

December 11th

Rainbow leaves for the Wonderbolts Headquarters in Cloudsdale.

December 12th

Applejack, Twilight, and Rarity travel to Cloudsdale, where Rainbow invites them to be in the next Wonderbolts tour, Rainbow After The Storm.

2012

June 7th

The debut of Rainbow After The Storm in Cloudsdale.

Rainbow reunites with her parents.

2013

January 10th

Last tour performance of Rainbow After The Storm in Las Pegasus.

Applejack and Rainbow's first sub-dom session.

January 12th

Last Meet and Greet in Las Pegasus. Applejack and Rainbow meet Surprise.

January 13th

Applejack, Rainbow, Twilight, and Rarity arrive back in Ponyville for the month off after the Wonderbolts tour.

Princess Celestia tasks Rainbow with finding another pony to wield the Element of Laughter.

January 16th

Surprise opens her store in Ponyville, "Surprise's Surprises: Party Supplies and Planning Services"

January 21st

Scootaloo gets her cutie mark.

Learning To Laugh Again Part 12

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Cupcake Chronicles Timeline

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Learning To Laugh Again Part 8

Learning To Laugh Again

A Cupcake Chronicles Side Story Series

by milesprower06

Part 8

As the sun rose over Ponyville, Surprise's heart was in her stomach as she worked to scrub the spray paint from her front display window. Business had not picked up at all, not even since she had helped Scootaloo get her cutie mark four days ago.

As she dipped the scrub brush into the bucket of soap and water, and returned it to the paint that spelled out 'NO MORE PARTIES!', her heart continued to ache, wondering why this act of vandalism had come out of a town that had been so wonderful to be a part of. Luckily, this was the extent of the damage. The store was not broken into, and nothing had been stolen. Still, this was not how she had wanted to start her morning. She had filed a report with Ponyville law enforcement, but there were absolutely no leads.

"Hey kid. You doing alright?"

She immediately recognized the voice of Filthy Rich. Even as Ponyville's largest business owner and main competitor, he was nothing short of a true gentlecolt. He had been nothing but helpful in her first week of entrepreneurship. Seeing the concerned look on his face finally brought out the tears she had been holding back for the past two hours. He came forward and put a hoof around her shoulders.

"It's gonna be alright." he consoled her.

"Why would somepony do something like this?" Surprise asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Well, I think I have that answer. It's not gonna be the easiest thing in the world for you to hear, but part of me knew I should have told you when you first came to town. I just didn't want to discourage you, that was all. Are you planning on opening today?"

Surprise shook her head.

"This paint has barely come off. I'm probably gonna have to hire a cleaning crew to come get it off. I'm barely gonna be able to afford that."

"Well, alright, come on then. I don't want you to worry about that. I'll pay for the paint removal. Come on, I want to show you something."

Filthy lead the disheartened pegasus deeper into downtown Ponyville, and brought her to the rebuilt memorial fountain.

"I'm assuming you did a bit of research on the town before you decided to start a business here, but I wouldn't be surprised if the town tried to hide what happened. Do you know what this is, Surprise?"

She shook her head. She had passed the fountain multiple times, but wasn't aware of the significance.

"This fountain was built as a memorial to the twelve victims of a serial killing spree that happened back in September a year and a half ago."

Surprise looked at the beautiful statues of the dozen ponies surrounding the fountain.

"Noi, Cotton, Carrot Top, Bon Bon, Sparkler, Blues, Tropical Storm, Cloud Kicker, Colgate, Seafoam, Vanilla Skies...all of them good ponies. One by one, they disappeared without a trace over the course of four months. A lot of townsfolk started getting scared."

Filthy led Surprise back through town to Barnyard Bargains. She followed him through the store until they got to the back, where his office was situated. He invited her to sit at one of the two chairs in front of his desk while he went around to the other side, as he started looking through a binder of newspaper clippings.

"The investigation got nowhere. There were no clues, as if each one of them up and vanished. And then..."

Filthy came to the page he was looking for, laid the binder out on the desk, and turned it around so Surprise could see it. She leaned forward in her chair, and looked at the article.

PONYVILLE SERIAL KILLER DEAD!

Disappearances in Ponyville solved.

Rainbow Dash, latest victim, listed in critical condition at Ponyville Urgent Care.

There was a full color, front page photo of law enforcement surrounding Sugar Cube Corner. In the bottom right corner, was a picture of a bright, happy pink earth pony, a goofy smile adorning her face. Surprise felt a lump in her throat.

Aside from the wild shades of pink in her coat and mane, she was her spitting image.

"They...they did this because I look like her?"

"Pinkie Pie was Ponyville's best party planner and host. When this whole thing went down, brain surgeons determined that she had been suffering from a severe split personality disorder. Evidence down in the basement proved she was performing crude, tortuous surgery on her victims, extracting their organs, and using them as baking ingredients."

Filthy closed the binder and set it back in the drawer he got it from before continuing.

"Your heart is in the right place, Surprise, but this town has been hit awfully hard. The Cupcake Killings are some of the darkest moments for Ponyville, and some folks aren't comfortable with carrying on like nothing happened. Is it wrong what they did to your storefront? Absolutely. I just wanted you to know why they did it."

"Knowing this, it makes part of me want to close up right now. I had no idea..."

"That's what I was afraid of, which is why I didn't say anything to you when I helped you unload your supplies a week ago. I probably should have, but I didn't want to discourage you."

"Business hasn't been picking up at all. At this rate, the last of my life savings is going to be drained away paying my bills."

"It may not come to that. I have a proposition for you."

Surprise sat back in her chair, waiting to hear what the business tycoon had to say.

"Over 70% of Ponyville shops at my store. Even Pinkie bought most of her supplies for her parties here. I'll now be brutally honest. From a business perspective, I'd say the chances your store has aren't good at all. But I've been looking to expand my party supply section here, to help convince Ponyville to move on. They shouldn't stop celebrating joyous occasions just because of the tragedy of one pony. I know you've got the heart for it, and I don't want to see somepony like you out on the streets, or have you move back to Seaddle when Ponyville needs your spirit. I'd like to hire you, Surprise. I want you to spearhead the expansion of my party section, and once it's up and running, you'd be the manager of that area of the store. What do you say?"

Surprise didn't know what to say. This hasn't been how she pictured things. But...since when did things go exactly according to plan? Here was Ponyville's most successful businesspony, offering a struggling entrepreneur a job, and an opportunity to still do what she loved, without leaving the town she was loving more and more by the day. Remodeling and expanding the party section would be like having a store within a store. She wouldn't have to build and maintain customer loyalty over years of extreme financial hardships.

"I...I don't know what to say, Mr. Rich. I mean...well, of course I know what to say. Yes, yes I'll take it!"

"Excellent. Under other circumstances, I'd have you start tomorrow morning, but the Pegasi have one heck of a blizzard coming in tonight, and it'll probably take time to get everything cleared. So let's go two mornings from now, alright?"

"You've got it! Thank you."

Applejack sat in the living room of the farmhouse, with a pitcher of apple cider on the end table next to her. There was an empty glass next to her, with another in her hooves. Sipping at her own cup, she glanced down next to the chair she was sitting in, down at her saddlebags. She recalled what Twilight had told her when she picked up the potions she had promised earlier today.

"Whenever you feel uncomfortable, just take a deep breath and remember why you're doing this. Also keep in mind that she likes this."

Applejack took that deep breath, just as Rainbow was coming in the front door.

"Whew. I've forgotten how fun that can be." she remarked.

"Enjoying volunteering for the weather patrol?" Applejack asked.

"You bet. We're finished preparing the major blizzard that's gonna come through tonight. First major storm of the season."

"Heh, just doesn't seem like a traditional way to spend your vacation."

Rainbow scoffed.

"Yeah, like you haven't set one hoof in those orchards over the past two weeks."

Rainbow had her there. She spotted the pitcher and glass on the end table.

"Aw, sweet. Cider!" Rainbow said, quickly grabbing it and pouring herself a glass. She gulped it down immediately, and just as quickly went for another serving. After she finished pouring, Applejack put a hoof on Rainbow's, keeping her from lifting the cup up.

"Not so fast, pet." she said, reaching down into her saddlebags. She came up with a small corked glass vial. Popping the cork off, she poured it into Rainbow's cup, and then released her hoof.

"There. Now, drink it."

Rainbow gulped, caught just a bit off guard. Every mindset switch so far had taken place in the bedroom, not out here in the middle of the house. Just what was AJ planning?

"AJ, what-"

"I didn't say you could speak. Drink it. Now."

This was definitely a command. Rainbow found her gaze slipping away from Applejack's eyes, down to the waiting cider in her cup.

"I have never had to tell you something three times. Do you really want to see what happens?" AJ threatened.

'Wow she's good at this...' Rainbow thought to herself, feeling truly intimidated by her lover at the moment. Convincing herself that Applejack wasn't going to put her in any real danger, Rainbow brought the glass to her lips and put the contents down her throat, swallowing it all with two gulps.

The effects were almost immediate. With a hiccup, Rainbow swayed, and felt very dizzy. Her vision began to blur, and she sat down in the chair behind her.

"AJ...? Applejack, just what was th...thaa..."

Rainbow slumped out of the chair, her body and the glass she was holding falling to the floor. She was out like a light.

Applejack was amazed at the speed of the potion's intended effect.

She had work to do.