Tied Wings and Strained Leaders
The clouds slowly floated through the morning sky above the Wonderbolt academy as a gentle breeze ruffled the feathers of the assembled pegasi, the newest additions to sport the blue and gold fatigues of the Equestrian air force. The mares and stallions stood proudly before the stage as the drill sergeant strode up the steps, flanked by two senior officers. Reaching the podium, she reared up to place her forehooves to either side of the microphone, clearing her throat in the process.
"Mares! Gentlecolts! You know I'm a pony of few words; I've always found actions speak far louder. Today I see before me the ponies that have proven their worth, and that have gained my trust to support my fellow Wonderbolts. You each have demonstrated teamwork, bravery, agility and leadership in these past two weeks; skills you will use as a Wonderbolt," Spitfire announced before pulling her sunglasses off and giving a smug grin to the gathered officers and guests. "So it is with great pride that I give you the newest additions to the Wonderbolts!"
Each of the recruits placed a hoof to their goggles in a salute as a great cry went up from the guests. But none cheered louder than the five mares gathered beside the stage. The rainbow maned recruit near them blushed before Spitfire and her fellow officers returned the salute. Pulling their goggles off, the recruits threw them up in celebration as one of the five mares broke from the group and tackled the blushing mare to the ground.
"I'm just so happy for you Dashie!" Pinkie cried joyfully while wrapping the pegasus in a hug.
"Pinkie, I can't bre-," Rainbow Dash managed to say before the other mares smothered her in a pony-pile.
"We're so proud of you sugarcube!" Applejack congratulated.
"You look simply stunning in your fatigues," Rarity said before giving the outfit a double-take, "perhaps it should be more breathable though..."
"I told you those how-to books would help," Twilight said.
"Um... Excuse me... Rainbow isn't," Fluttershy murmured from beside the group, pointing at the gasping receiver of their congratulations. Fluttershy continued her flustered attempts to get everypony off Dash, before a shadow loomed over her. She turned slowly to meet Spitfire's stern gaze, following it shortly with a nervous gulp.
"Alright you lot, I need to talk to Rainbow Dash," she ordered, getting the ponies to quickly part to reveal the disoriented recruit. Pulling Rainbow back to her hooves and brushing some of the dust off, Spitfire gave her a cursory look before giving an approving nod. "I'll need you to stay for awhile after the fanfare dies down Dash. See your friends off and report to my office when your effects are in order." Giving a curt salute, she turned and walked off with her officers in tow, navigating their way through the celebrating ponies.
The six watched them leave before Rainbow gave her friends an excited hug. "Guess we'll have to hold off the celebration until later. Duty calls!" The balloons that Pinkie had pulled out of her mane gave a sad wheeze after the announcement, until Rainbow tousled her mane with a defeated sigh. "It just means you'll have to set up the party in Ponyville," Pinkie's mood quickly brightened as she looked at her friend with starry eyes, "...and invite everypony." The words had hardly left her lips before Pinkie started to hop around their little herd as she squeed loudly. They watched her for a while before they all had a good-natured laugh at her display of pure joy.
Giving each of her friends one last hug, and asking Twilight to have Spike check on her tortoise, Tank, she escorted them to Pinkie's balloon for the journey home. Even as the balloon pulled away, she could hear the party mare listing off possible party favors between the multiple goodbyes. Feeling pumped by all the fanfare, and even having Spitfire personally ask to see her, Rainbow quickly overtook the other recruits as they headed to the barracks, hoping she’d be finished in time for one of Pinkie's famous parties. It would look bad if the mare of honor was late for her own party, after all.
It took her little time to dismantle her temporary quarters, discreetly placing her Daring Do novel at the bottom of the saddlebag with her belongings on top, before flying off to the academy's command post. Entering the building, she made sure her uniform was in order before knocking on her commander's door. There was a shuffling of paperwork from behind the door before she heard Spitfire call out. "Enter!" Opening the door wide, Rainbow walked into the office, taking note of the two gold and one silver badge sitting on the desk.
"Rainbow Dash reporting in ma'am," Rainbow curtly replied with a salute.
"At ease," Spitfire said, "now I'm sure you're wondering why I wanted to speak to you in private." The blue pegasus felt taken aback by the blunt question. She'd been so caught up in everything that she hadn't given it much thought. "I know you just graduated, but your stats stood out above and beyond that of your fellow recruits, along with your exceptional leadership skills. From the way you and your friends were going on earlier, I'm sure you're eager to go," Spitfire said as she held up one of the two gold badges, "but I'd like to request your participation in a lead pony drill with me and some of the senior Wonderbolts."
Rainbow couldn't believe her ears; not only had she just become a Wonderbolt, but Spitfire was personally asking her to take part in a drill. As a lead pony! She wanted to fly above the clouds and shout her joy to all of Equestria, but the firm gaze of her commander made her think twice. Instead, she tried not to faint from excitement as Spitfire placed the badge in her outstretched hoof.
"It-it's an honor," Rainbow managed to choke out as she held the badge reverently.
"... Are you going to stare at it all day, or are you going to put it on." Spitfire demanded as she pinned the other gold badge to her outfit, tucking the silver one into her front pocket. Startled, Rainbow hurriedly attached it to her front, managing not to stab herself on the second attempt, before hurrying after Spitfire.
She practically brimmed with questions as she trotted behind the fiery maned mare. What would she be doing? Could she get an autograph from another famous Wonderbolt? ...And why were they heading to a secluded warehouse on the border of the airfield?
"Uhm. Spit-I mean, Captain! Wouldn't the aerial maneuvers be easier outdoors?" she asked as Spitfire started to open a side door.
"We always have these drills indoors, it adds some privacy and helps keep the recruits out of trouble." Spitfire stated bluntly as they entered. An odd smell seemed to permeate the buildings interior, something Rainbow was sure she had smelt before.
"I get it," Rainbow commented, feeling a little smug, "you didn't want the others hurting themselves doing dangerous tric..." The words caught in her throat as they left the short hallway and entered the main part of the warehouse. Now Rainbow remembered what that smell reminded her of. It was the smell of sweaty ponies, massage lotion, and pheromones; the kind usually bringing couples ‘closer' during the spring.
"Captain on deck!" one of the five stallions shouted, giving Rainbow a wink as they lined up to make a path. The sixth member tried to rise, between heavy pants and pushing the loose locks of amber hair from her eyes. Seeing Spitfire she started to salute, before staring at Rainbow in shock. The blue pegasus returned the look as she recognized the pony.
"Lightning Dust!" Rainbow finally blurted out, shocked by the other mare's appearance. She still had the familiar arrogance around her; but the leather straps around her wings, the stained recruit uniform and the smudged marks on her face made her seem like a different pony. "What happened... How did you?"
"She begged for another chance to be a Wonderbolt, so I decided you would be needed as a participant," Spitfire explained as she strode past the stallions. Lifting Lightning to her hooves, she pulled the silver badge from her pocket and pinned it to the front of the mare’s uniform, "This ‘recruit' already meets the criteria to be a Wonderbolt, but she needs to learn to follow orders."
"You want me to do what!? I...I..." Rainbow was at a loss for words.
"Dammit!" Throwing the quill against the wall, I angrily eyed the subject of my ire. After days writing and proofreading, the paper filled with carefully selected words still made me want to tear pieces of my mane out. Granted I didn't have much experience, but the concept of an S&M clopfic with the three mares of the Wonderbolt academy had seemed like a good gift for Twilight Clopple on her birthday. At the time.
"Hydra?" Just hearing the voice told me who was entering my impromptu writer's nook as I turned around in my seat. The celestial mare opened the door slowly with her foreleg to make sure she had room to maneuver, especially now that her pregnancy had begun to show. "Is everything alright? I heard you yelling."
"It's alright Eclipse; I- I just can't stand it. After all the time and effort to create a story, it still sounds like a seedy clop. The beginning seems fine, but when I get to the graphic parts... I just draw a blank. The transitions becomes mechanical and dull. The story becomes something unnatural. And I can't find a way to make the characters conform to the type of story I'm writing." Laying my muzzle on the tabletop, I blew on the corner of the story's draft, hoping it would fly away and never trouble me again. Much to my disappointment, and embarrassment, the paper only made it a foot in the air before landing on top of my muzzle.
She must have guessed how depressed it made me, because she decided to lift it off my face and place a comforting hoof on my shoulder. "It doesn't seem too bad... not really my cup of tea though," she said with a cursory look, obviously uncomfortable after reading the more graphic parts. "Haven't you... you know. Written something like this before with that other author?"
"What do you mean?" I asked as her magic encased a scroll from the shelf and placed it on the table.
"Drunk like always. You just don't know how to stop you dirty filly,” the navy alicorn snickered as he video chatted with a new mare he'd found online. “Looks like Berry Punch has been replaced as 'Equestria's Drunk.' Wonder what she'll say when she finds out?"
Behind his back, a unicorn with an azure coat pretended to gag herself before he shot her a dangerous look. "If you don't go back to practising your magic tricks. I’ll break your horn off and use it for something useful, like keeping little Trixie’s mouth shut. Permanently," he threatened. From the speakers she heard this, Echidna he’d met, drunkenly giggle.
Knowing he would really do it, Trixie stumbled backwards. Bad enough that she was no longer welcome in many places after her defeat to... Twilight Sparkle. But having her wagon crushed by the Ursa minor meant she had to live with her step brother on the outskirts of Ponyville again. She gave an angry snort after thinking of the other unicorn, before the biggest downside to this situation frightened her by slamming his hoof on the table while laughing.
"Oh you nasty bitch! Prove it!"
"Watch and learn," a lusty voice said from the speakers. Glancing over, Trixie finally caught a glimpse of the mare her step brother had been, 'wheeling,' as he put it. Deepthroating most of the bottle, the liqueur's label was still viewable from the white mare's moist lips. Her throat bulged in sequence as she swallowed the liquid within the large bottle, while her tongue squirmed behind her cheeks. Finally, with a pant, she used one hoof to slowly remove the empty bottle from her muzzle, letting her tongue roll out to catch the last few drops of the liquor.
A little mesmerised by the spectacle, she didn't notice Cosmic leave his seat until his glowing horn caught her attention. Too quick for her to react, a similar aura surrounded her middle before sending her airborne. Getting tossed against the wall like a rag doll, Trixie curled into a ball before he began to shout at her.
"Do you think I'm playing with you! I wasn't asking; I bucking ordered you to practice!" She hide her face behind her foreleg as he threw an empty cider bottle at the wall above her, showering her with broken glass. Tears stung her eyes as she cowered before widening in fright when he started advancing on her. "If you're not going to use it like I tell you, I'm taking the damn thing and nailing it to my wall." Feeling pressure around her horn, Trixie fought against the magic with her own, her eyes full of fear knowing their difference in power.
The power struggle continued as Cosmic pushed forward, an expression of drunken fury on his face as his step sister fought for her magic. Baring down on her, his magic had almost overpowered hers before a knock on the door interrupted him. "Nosy bastards!" he hissed glancing at the doorway before glaring at Trixie. “If you don’t stay right bucking here until I get back...” Releasing the magic on her horn, he shut the computer off with another angry flash of magic before stomping to the front door.
Terrified of what awaited her, she rushed for the back entrance as soon as Cosmic was out of sight. Bursting through the back door at a gallop, cloak in teeth, she wrapped it around herself so nopony could tell who she was, or see the frightened tears running down the sides of her muzzle as she galloped away. With each hooffall, she imagined Cosmic on her tail, alcohol on his breath and a kitchen knife floating along side him as he gave chase. Even with the vivid mental image, it only took so long before the adrenaline couldn’t overpower her stamina and she finally collapsed in a heap. Her coat was sticky with sweat beneath her cloak and her breathing came in ragged gasps as the shock finally started to sink in. The last thing she saw before her vision faded to black, was a dark, blurred figure approaching her. And she resigned herself to whatever fate had in store for her.
The first thing she noticed when she awoke was that the feeling of cold earth had been replaced by the feathery comfort of a warm blanket and pillow. Remaining still, she peeked out of a partially closed eye. Seeing nopony, she opened her eyes completely before trying to get up. Feeling a cramp form in her hind leg, a quiet grunt escaped her lips while collapsing back to the couch she was lying on. Unable to move, she cursed her misfortune as she grew even more anxious.
“Somepony’s finally awake?” a voice said from behind her. She turned and saw a grey earth stallion, his roughly cut white mane and tail bobbing with each step, enter from what looked like a kitchen. On his back a tray with a jug of water and two glasses were precariously balanced. Part of his cutie mark was blocked by the tray, but it looked similar to the three weird marks on his coat. Seeing the condensation on the jug, her displeasure towards the cramp grew as she struggled to get up. Her struggle ceased though when the stallion placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Just take it slow, you’ve been out for a few hours. Whatever you were running from, you’re alright now.” A moment of silence passed between the two as he slowly removed his hoof and started pouring the water into two glasses.
“The great an- uh. Thank you…” Trixie said quietly after lowering her voice, hoping not to reveal anymore about herself. Taking the stallion’s advice, she slowly got out of the make-shift bed after the cramp started to fade. It proved to be good advice to, feeling how sore her exhausted muscles were. Taking a couple of tentative steps, she struggled to keep her composure when the stallion easily out did the two steps she’d taken and tempted her with one of the glasses of water. “You’re just a little dehydrated miss,” he told her softly, the glass held within easy reach.
“...Couldn’t this wait?” she asked, giving a sheepish smile as she tried to push the leg aside. Nearly collapsing from the shift in support, she yelped when she began to fall, only to come to a stop against his side. Looking at her with a crooked eyebrow, he gave her a stoic look as he once again offered the glass. Leaning on him for support, she grabbed the glass and quickly emptied it before placing it on the floor. “Happy now?” she asked, failing to hide the sharpness in her tone.
"Of course, now would you like some help reaching the outhouse?" Blushing a deep scarlet, Trixie reflexively held him at hoof length as he chuckled at her reaction. "I hope you can pardon my bluntness, it just seemed like you were in a hurry." Looking conflicted, some embarrassed babble escaped her lips as she tried to decide. Finally, she simply avoided his gaze and gave a slight nod of consent.
Leaning on him with one leg draped over his shoulder, the two made their way through the stallion's small cottage and left through the back door. Matching her pace, he made it easy for her to keep up, even catching her when she almost tripped over her fumbling legs. By the time they reached the small outhouse in the back, she felt ready to burst. With the goal in reach, Trixie grabbed hold of its door and quickly entered before locking it for some privacy. Outside she heard the stallion chuckle again before receding hooffalls were heard from the other side of the door.
A little crude, but quite the gentlecolt, she mused. After relieving herself, she gave a sigh of relief before leaving the outhouse. She cleaned her hooves using a tap and soap waiting beside the door. Maybe it was the stallion's kindness, or just the serenity of the surrounding forest, but she felt much better than she had. Walking back to the cottage's back door, she noticed an unkempt pile of firewood beside it before lightly tapping on the door. It didn't take long before it opened and the stallion reappeared. "Feeling better?" he asked, which she answered with a small nod.
"The- I'd like to thank you for helping me. I really cannot express how much it helped me, and I'm sorry that I burdened you." The words hurt her to accept, but she didn't want his kindness to earn Cosmic's wrath if he came looking for her. "If you could point me in the direction of Ponyville, I'll be on my way…” Finished, she waited for an answer, for him to simply point her in the right direction and forget about her, but his response caught her off guard.
"No.”
"No? Why not?" she asked before he pointed at the low hanging sun.
"It'll be dark shortly, and the forest can be dangerous for a mare to go wandering alone. Even if they're 'The Great and Powerful' Trixie." Flashing her a knowing smile, Trixie felt a knot of fear tighten in her stomach. He must've noticed though, seeing how he flustered to give an explanation. "I just saw your show in Ponyville recently, that's how I know you. I don't blame you for what happened, lots of crazy things happen around here and I really just wanted to help out. And- and- ... um... let's start over. My name is Paradox," he said, offering his hoof to her after he sheepish scratched the base of his mane. "I'm sorta... one of your fans.
Looking at him incredulously, she couldn't help but let her mouth hang open. She still had a fan, and one that even knew about her last show. Like in a trance, she slowly lifted her hoof and mechanically shook his, the knowledge still sinking in. "A pleasure to meet you... so, uh... If going home is a bad idea, would you let Trixie stay for the night, please?" Noticing the third pony slip-up, she blushed as he smiled at her.
"Paradox would be glad, especially when Trixie asks him so politely," he answered, playing along before letting her into the cottage. She felt a growing warmth as she entered, which she expressed by trying to smooth out her mane and tail. Seeing him enter the cottage's kitchen and stir a pot simmering on a wood burning stove, the smell of roast carrot, pumpkin and fragrant onion graced her muzzle, making her swallow in anticipation. As she watched hungrily, the stallion carefully ladled some of the soup into two bowls, then put a straw in each before placing them on a nearby table. Taking a seat on one of the two pillows bordering it, Trixie leaned forward before breathing the scent in deeply. Mouth watering, she blew on the soup to cool it and then guided the straw between her lips. Taking a test sip, she hummed contently as the warm liquid washed over her tongue. It tasted better than it smelled, making it difficult for her not to drain the bowl in only a few gulps.
Looking up to see her host staring at her across the table, she swallowed before raising her muzzle. "Is something wrong?" she asked, her ears drooping instinctively as she returned to her meal, seeing the odd look on his muzzle. The last time she'd seen somepony with that look, Cosmic had thrown a salt shaker at her for using the wrong utensil during dinner.
"No, it's alright. I was just thinking... This is the first time I've invited a mare to dinner." Feeling the soup go down the wrong pipe, Trixie nearly choked as he sheepishly took a sip of his own soup. At a loss for words, she lowered her eyes and continued drinking to hide the flustered look on her face, even though she occasionally peeked to see if he was looking at her again.
When both of them had their fill, and having insisted on cleaning up as thanks for the meal, she placed the last dry bowl away. Leaning on the counter with both of her forelegs, she stared at the mare reflecting off one of the metal mixing spoons. Turning her head to get different angles, it ended with her head lying atop her hooves. "Who are you kidding Trixie. Just because he's kind, reliable... decent in the kitchen," the last opinion made her giggle into her legs before sighing. "It doesn't mean you love him. It’s just a crush... and he's only a fan." The feeling in her chest turned to a painful knot as she grit her teeth. She silently tried to fight against it with logic and reason, but the feeling stubbornly remained. Lost in her internal strife, she didn't hear the approach of the other pony until a sudden tap on her shoulder made her jerk backwards off the counter and nearly fall on her rump. Seeing Paradox with two towels on his back and a hoof raised guiltily, she gave him a stern look. "Don't go sneaking up on ponies like that! What if I’d blasted you with some defensive magic!?”
"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you. Just wanted to show you something..." he tempted, offering her a towel. Giving it a puzzled look, she floated it onto her back before he motioned for her to follow him. Following hesitantly after him, wondering what he was planning a he guided her out the back door and headed for the surrounding forest. Seeing him enter the forest, she hesitated for a second seeing the sun so low in the sky. Treading carefully, she shuffled closer to him as they ventured further into the shadowy woods, silently enjoying his company.
The deeper they got, the denser the vegetation grew around them as a well-worn path became visible in the underbrush. Finally, the trees thinned as they entered a clearing with three pools of steam covered water, a canopy of intertwined branches and vines dangling towards the water like living curtains. Around the glade, fireflies occasionally lit up as they flew among the vines, their light reflecting of the still water like they were stars in the sky..
Her jaw slowly dropped as she took in the beauty of the hidden glade, her eyes drifting to the stallion stepping into the the largest of the three springs. Placing her towel on an outstretched branch, she walked over and dipped her hoof into the warm water. "Hope you like it, I found this place a few years back during a hike," he proclaimed proudly as she waded into the spring. Letting her muzzle sink just below the surface, she happily blew some bubbles before she was splashed. Looking at Paradox accusingly, he averted his eyes as an impish smile showed on his muzzle. She flashed a smile of her own before she retaliated in kind.
Their laughter filled the small glade as they continued to splash about in the water, occasionally dousing one another. Finally, their water war ended with Trixie standing victoriously over Paradox, a large floating ball of water floating above the both of them as they panted from the exertion. "Using magic is cheating," he said in mock unhappiness, pouting as she smugly smiled down at him.
"Oh really? Well you dunked me at least twice and decided to challenge 'The Great and Powerful' Trixie," she joked, letting the water ball return to the spring. Staring into his warm, steely gray eyes she smiled, feeling the butterflies stop dancing as she pushed a stray part of his mane off his face. Slowly, she leaned forward before kissing him, planting her lips on his as she closed her eyes. In that moment, she wanted to forget about it all; her ruined career, the stepbrother that abused her, even about Twilight Sparkle. But feeling him tense up, her passion turned to guilt.
Opening her eyes, she pulled back and stumbled backward off Paradox as he stared at her in confusion. "I- I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me," she stuttered, tripping as she tried to leave the spring and grab her towel. "It's just... after everything I did to Twilight, I just didn't think anypony would speak to me or even want me to be around them. And I... I'm not even sure of what to feel because of how pathetic I am." The corners of her eyes stung as she stood partway out of the water, biting her lower lip as she imagined his disgust. Hearing him move in the water behind her, she trembled as she imagined what he was going to say.
Feeling his touch, she tensed, before his hoof gently lifted her muzzle from her chest to face him. “You are not pathetic,” he whispered before running a comforting hoof through her mane. She stared tearfully into his eyes before he drew his muzzle close and kissed her passionately. Her eyes widened in surprise before she kissed him in return, savouring his contact. Tentatively raising her forelegs, they tugged on his mane as she held him close.
It felt so unfamiliar, being comforted by another pony. To feel their touch on her coat, to hear the concern in their voice, and to hear to beat of their heart as they embraced her. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She didn’t know if they stemmed from sadness or joy, all she knew was that being with this stallion made her feel special.
"Paradox. I know we hardly know each other but I want... No,” she whispered, taking her legs off his back as she shyly averted her eyes behind her mane. “I need you..." Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks from the daring statement, she peeked out from behind her mane to see a similar blush colouring his cheeks. Seeing him with an embarrassed look on his muzzle, she felt her nervousness fade, glad she wasn’t the only that felt awkward by the confession.
“Well. I’m not… Do you really feel that w-” Silencing him with a hoof, she giggled like a school filly. Staring deep into his eyes, she felt the knot in her chest loosen as they exchanged smiles. “Try not to ruin the moment flusterhoof,” she said before leaning in and giving his nose a teasing lick. Pulling back, she gave a satisfied moan when he intercepted her and stole a kiss. “Guess you’re a little better than a flusterhoof…” she murmured before embracing him.
Carefully, she pushed him into the water as they kissed, slowly guiding her hooves over his body until he lay beneath her. Blushing at her own daring, Trixie peeked out of a heavy lidded eye to see a similar blush covering his cheeks. Lowering her flank, she gently grinded against his stomach, eliciting an amorous moan that was silenced by her eager tongue. Her efforts were soon rewarded when he started to move, softly bucking against her flank.
Feeling her teats begin to harden as they rubbed along his wet coat, and her nethers growing even wetter as his forehooves pressed into her back, she broke the kiss with a lewd moan. Looking at him, she could see the desire flashing in his eyes as she continued to pleasure herself with his movements. Panting heatedly, he looked at her with an embarrassed smile before asking, “am I doing it right?”
She couldn’t help but giggle from the innocent question, although it was cut short by another pleasurable gyration of their hips. “You’re doing it perfectly,” she whispered into his ear before leaning back and tracing his jawline with light kisses. Feeling something brush against her tail, she stole a glance as his growing stallionhood pressed against her flank, rubbing aimlessly as he bucked. Teasingly, she nudged it slowly with her marehood, making it twitch in anticipation, before turning herself around to give him a full view of her own lust.
Letting him bask in the scent of her heat, she breathed in the musk of his erection before wrapping a hoof around its base. Running it lightly along the length of the sensitive shaft, she shivered when his hooves caressed her hips, and his muzzle peppered her hindquarters and stomach with kisses. Finally his muzzle came to a stop over her aching teats, his breathe warming them before he suckled on first one, and then the other.
It felt so right she struggled against the inevitable, trying desperately to keep her legs steady as her hoof ran jerkily along his length. Finally, she couldn’t deny the pleasure anymore and her front legs gave out while her hindquarters twitched uncontrollably as he nibbled on her erect nipples. Overcome by his ministrations, she could only close her eyes and bite her lower lip as the waves of pleasure washed over her.
"Mmm," Trixie moaned, feeling wetness run down the inside of her hindquarters as she came. Panting heavily, she opened her violet eyes and gave Paradox a shy smile from between her front legs. Chuckling, he started to say something before a drop of her femcum landed on his muzzle. Seeing his tongue easily engulf the small pearl, she shuddered with pleasure when he noticed the trail running down her leg.
Feeling his tongue press against her, she struggled to rise as her blush deepened. Even as she repositioned herself over Paradox's stiff stallion hood, she felt him trace the trail along the inside of her leg, his tongue gliding over her fur. Not wanting to be outdone, she rubbed his twitching shaft while trying to gauge its girth. This may not fit, she thought as she placed her muzzle at the base and licked his shaft with a single, slow, stroke of her tongue. Reaching his crown, her flanks twitched feeling Paradox's muzzle against her slit. "You're quite the eager stallion," she coyly said before biting her lower lip when his tongue started to explore her depths.
As it wriggled a pattern inside her and over her winking clit, Trixie moaned before sucking the tip of his cock into her mouth. Lost in the haze of her lust, after a particularly pleasurable pattern, she missed the tensing of his legs. With a single buck, she found herself with throat full of cock. Panicking, she tensed and gagged on the unexpected obstruction, before her lover's tongue found her g-spot. With a deep moan, she came for the second time as his tongue lapped up the escaping juices. Along with the sensual release, she managed to draw breath as her throat relaxed. Lost in her thoughts, she reflexively started to suckle on the invading member with a purpose, like a newborn foal nursing from its mother's teat.
Sighing from her efforts, Paradox pulled his muzzle from her plot as her horn started to glow. His balls were soon covered in a similar glow as her hoof rubbed the exposed base of his shaft. "Trixie?" A grunt of pleasure accenting his question when she gently massaged the swollen orbs with her magic.
"Mmh," she moaned in response, bobbing her head faster along his length.
With a regretful shake of his mane, he removed one of his hooves from her flank. Feeling her slow, he slowly pushed the free hoof against her winking sex before plunging it into her depths, making her release his cock with a gasp. Small sparks flew from her horn as her body reflexively pushed against the invading limb, until he pulled it away. Misunderstanding his intention, she hurriedly repositioned herself over his engorged stallionhood, looking over her shoulder as she lined herself up. It wasn't until his hoof came to rest upon her chest that she looked at him.
"I'm sorry, but I can't continue this any further. You will only end up hurting yourself more."
"Wha-what do you mean?" Eyes wide, she tried to think of what she'd done wrong. "I don't mind Paradox. I don't care if I bare you a foal, I truly want to do this with you."
"And I would welcome such a boon..." he said softly, brushing a hoof under one of her eyes, "... but how could I let myself give you that, when tears of doubt run so freely on your face."
Seeing his kind smile, she felt like telling him off for leading her on and using such a poor excuse, but the mare staring up at her from the water’s surface kept the words from coming out.
The mare’s mane was disheveled and wet, her nostrils flaring as she panted, and tears clinging to the fur beneath her distraught violet eyes. Seeing a drop escape the mare’s fur, it was like a dam breaking when the reflection rippled, knowing he was telling her the truth. All the pent-up fear and anguish surfaced quickly as she began sobbing into his chest, her passion lost in the turmoil. Without a word, he comforted her as she wept, wrapping her in a hug as he shifted his body. Humming a calming tune, he cradled her until she had let the emotions run their course.
Looking down at her, their eyes meet only for a second before she sniffled and rubbed her eyes. “Jerk… making a mare cry after denying her…” Seeing the stallion’s impish smile, she chastised him with a light swat to the muzzle, although blushing and averting her eyes didn’t help get her message across. “... even if you’re right. I, sorta, was acting like a foal as well, not even knowing how I felt.”
“But you are feeling better now?” he asked as she got off him. She was silent as she waded deeper into the spring, a brooding look making up most of her expression.
“I guess it depends,” she said with her back turned. Hearing him move in the water, she wondered if she deserved to ask for something so important, especially after exposing herself so.
“Depends on?”
“Will you promise to be my... my friend.” It took less then a second before she felt his forelegs wrap around her middle as he tackled her deeper into the spring. Gasping and sputtering as she stood, she was greeted by the sight of Paradox laughing merrily as he offered a helping hoof.
“Of course,” he said, bringing a smile to her muzzle before taking hold of his offered hoof and dragging him into the water before plodding to the shore. By the time she’d finished drying off, Paradox had pulled himself ashore, still laughing. Seeing him with his coat dripping water, she couldn’t help but join in his laughter before offering him his towel as a peace offering. He gladly accepted, drying himself off with little trouble before the two of them left the glade, heading back to the cabin. Feeling euphoric, she hardly cared that the Everfree forest had become pitch black with the descent of the sun.
Until a blood curdling growl split the night-time serenity, and a bright flash of navy blue momentarily illuminated the trail in front of her. Even as the light faded, a cold sense of fear wormed its way into her core. That was a timberwolf’s howl, and timberwolves travel in packs. Shocked, she almost missed Paradox bolting down the trail towards the cry, shouting something.
“Wait up,” she called, fear-induced adrenaline making her gallop after him. Branches grazed her ribs and brush swatted her stomach, but she eventually started to gain ground on the stallion, enough that she caught what he was yelling.
“Stop Lupus!” he roared as the two of them charged into the clearing, only to see a familiar alicorn and a timberwolf that was slightly larger than an adult pony fighting.
Another flash of navy illuminated the grove as Cosmic’s horn shot a destructive beam at the beast, the momentary flash making a variety of bleeding scratches and bites visible on his coat. Feeling the level of power her step brother was emitting, she tried to imagine the pack size needed to cause the alicorn such harm before the timberwolf nimbly dodged the blast and rammed Cosmic. Whinnying with pain, he visibly grit his teeth before trying to pierce the beast with his horn. Even at point blank, the beast jumped back with hardly a scratch, growling at the angered alicorn. Watching the two glare at each other from across the clearing, she started to understand why he’d been hurt so badly.
Cosmic was strong, had powerful magic at his disposal, and was as tough as a mule. But he relied too much on his magic to fight for him. This made the quick little target more than a match in a face-to-face fight; at least it did until the stallion next to her ran into the clearing and made his stand between the fighters.
“What is the meaning of this? Why are you attacking Lupus?” he ordered, making Trixie twitch her ear in case she’d heard wrong. Paradox was defending the timberwolf, and had called it Lupus. Even though every fiber of her being told her to cower when her brother was so angry, she strode out of the forest and stood beside her new friend.
“Stop it Cosmic,” she said, hoping he didn’t notice her legs shaking.
Instead, his eyes widened as he recognized her. “Trixie… But I thought that thing...”
…
Leaning back on my cushion, I could feel her eyes appraising my reaction as I looked between the two stories. Guessing what she would say next, I still felt a small glimmer of pride looking over the old story.
“So, do you understand what you were missing in the new story?” Eclipse asked from her makeshift couch of cushions.
“It’s love… that’s what you were trying to remind me of,” I answered. It can be difficult to get a read on the many characters that resided with me, but Eclipse had this visible tell when she was pleased.
Sure enough, a pink aura coated her horn as a smile graced her lips. “Not just any love, you took somepony living in a dark place and let them experience a freedom they would’ve never had using their own power. That is why you struggle to conform to your new story, because you don’t, can’t, write about how a pony needs to be shamed in order to express such a strong emotion.”
Has anypony ever noticed how peering into your own mind can be disconcerting? Well imagine how I felt knowing that such a kindly looking mare had just cross-examined one of my mental blocks like it was of no concern. Then include a sizable bump as a baseball-sized rock is tossed through your window, and boxes you on the ear. Only then will you understand how I felt in the next few seconds.
“Wow Eclipse, that’s just… wow.” Struck dumb, I could only ponder the words of wisdom as she struggled to get to her hooves. Taking some initiative, I got up and helped her cope with the pregnancy weight, carefully pulling her to her hooves with some magic and a hoof to grab hold of. Even as I gave her some room to maneuver in the cramped nook, she gave me a warm smile and a little peck on the cheek as a bonus, before plodding through the doorway. Turning back to the stories, I plopped back into my seat before looking at them again, using the angle she’d explained and seeing how right she was. Trixie had been in something of a broken home and then met somepony that was willing to protect her, but the story with Lightning Dust had her suffering before she attained her goal. Looking at it now, I couldn’t see a scenario where a happy Rainbow Dash would’ve put up with such an act, much less keep silent about it. I would’ve delved deeper, if I hadn’t noticed the creaking of the door stop.
“Oh yes. By the way Hydra, one of your regulars sent an envoy to talk to you.” Having not heard from anypony in awhile, I turned to ask which one, before the window shattered and rained glass down on my table and the two stories. Good news, having turned, I avoided getting glass in my eyes. Bad news, the rock that busted my window still had enough force to knock me off my cushion and sent me sliding across the floor.
Disoriented and hurt, I tried to think of possible enemies that would do such a thing before a familiar voice was heard through the broken window.
“What the fudge is taking you so long Hydra! I’ve been waiting outside for the last half-hour and your little unicorn... pony… blue thing keeps trying to play board games with me!” Jack hollered.
Jack was a pretty reliable character. Strong, independent, a favorite of the ladies (even though being in their presence made him nauseous), and extremely annoying when he was bored.
Rubbing the new goose egg swelling beside my ear, I leaned out the window and stared daggers at the smirking humanoid. “Why. The hell. Did you throw a rock at my house?” I said dangerously, although being a floor above him made strangulation an impossibility.
“I was bored.” Let’s add blunt to the character profile, painstakingly, annoyingly idiotic level of blunt, but only when it could annoy others without personal harm. Jack was as stupid as a fox, and he hid that fact well from people and ponies that didn’t know him.
Biting back an angry retort, I took a deep breath, imagined myself launching him from a cannon, and felt a whole lot better.
“So Jack. What brings you to my neck of the woods? Usually Wario Expert comes by to say hello himself,” and leaves you mindlessly playing the newest video game for Xbox. I added as an unspoken afterthought as he scratched his head.
“Dunno. Something to do with continuing my story. Every time I ask him what he’s going to expect from me, he breaks into a fit of laughter and tells me to practise with a doorknob.” A particularly funny image of a dwarf Moe kissing a doorknob came to mind before chuckling.
“I’ll be right down, just stop throwing stuff at my house, or I’ll sic Scarab on you again.” I could see him shake from a story up after mentioning the residential changeling. She wasn’t only designed to mimic anypony’s most sexual fantasy, she had this draconian charm when she decided to breathe fire.
Ducking back into the room, I hurriedly packed a saddle bag with quills, parchment and ink (not to to mention the jar of correction fluid), before suiting up. “Another day, another job,” I mused aloud before glancing at the writing table and smiling. With the last lines of This Magic of Mine fresh in my mind, I left the room and headed out for my next adventure.
...
As Cosmic flew the two of them through the cold night air, she held tightly to the braided vines hanging from her new necklace. Even as the wind chilled her through her coat, the gift seemed to resonate warmth as she held it to her chest.
“It seems you’ve found yourself quite the new coltfriend, Trix.”
“Yeah,” she answered as a small smile spread on her lips. Looking back the way they came, she easily spotted the small candle resiliently flickering from her new friend’s secluded home. “He’s a pretty special somepony…”
Author's Note
Tied Wings and Strained Leaders was originally meant to be a belated birthday gift for Twilightclopple, so happy really early, or extra late, birthday.
A great deal of thanks goes to the story's two editors MidnightDancer, the innocent JeffCvt* and its proofreader, Fimbulvinter. You three are wonderful and it was fun chatting with you while working on this.
Oc's belong to Cosmic_Guardian (Cosmic), Warioexpert (Jack), and Hydra (Paradox, Lupus, Eclipse, and Scarab)
Sadly the RP that inspired part of this story has vanished so I cannot send you a link of the original content.
*He helped fix the story, but hilarity ensued when he was asked to help with the cloppy parts. May your mind recover from that ordeal bro(ny).
