The Herd

Chapter 4

The final departing glow of the sun faded from the horizon, and the brightest of the stars were beginning to appear in the clear night sky. A lone wind stirred through the otherwise still air, plucking a few leaves from the orchard of Sweet Apple Acres before gusting across the simple path leading up to the Apple family homestead. The breeze kicked up a puff of dust as it cut over the trail, ghosted across the short cropped grass, and slipped in through the half open door of the barn. Inside it danced by the short, bright flame of the single lantern that hung from a post, causing flickering shadows to play across the walls.

Big Macintosh glanced up at the disturbance for an absent second, then back down at his work. He was kneeling beside one of the many twin wheeled carts they used for hauling stuff around with, usually apples, or barrels containing apples, or various baked goods…containing apples. One of the wooden wheels was cracked, the split running nearly to the hub.

Mac paused for a moment, giving some consideration to dealing with the repair tomorrow. It was late, he was tired and hungry, and it wasn’t exactly vital to get this one cart fixed tonight. He could put it off, go get changed, clean up, and see what Granny Smith had worked up for dinner. He could…

With a resigned sigh, Mac took hold of the offending wheel in both hands and began to twist and pull, working it bit by bit off the axle. Leaving a job unfinished just didn’t sit right with him, even if it did mean putting off clean clothes and good food.

He did wish another breeze would find its way on by. It had been a warm day, and the night was heavy and muggy. Even with the door half open, it was just a bit too warm in the barn. Enough so to make him pause in his labor to strip off his shirt.

“Oooooo…” a voice cooed, and Mac nearly fell over in shock. He spun around to find Pinkie Pie sitting atop a stack of hay bales, elbows on knees, chin in hand. She gave giggle at his reaction, rocking back and forth slightly as her eyes made a visible journey down and up his body.

“Pinkie,” Mac breathed in exasperation. He was about to ask her how long she’d been watching him when he noticed she wasn’t alone. Rainbow Dash leaned against the side of the bale stack, eying him just as blatantly, and displaying her interest even more overtly. There was almost a predatory intensity in the way she seemed to be evaluating him.

Further back, halfway between the barn doors and the bales, Twilight Sparkle stood, only partially illuminated by the lantern light. She seemed to be busy looking everywhere but at him. Her eyes flicked up, scanning over him for a brief instant, and then back at the floor. Her shoulders hunched just a bit, and she shifted from one foot to the other nervously.

“Uh, howdy ladies…” Mac said, more out of reflex than anything else. The simple labor of the repair had let his mind wander freely, and it was taking a moment to hurry back to its post. “Can I help you?”

The question brought a rather inappropriate sounding giggle out Pinkie, and Dash was suddenly busy stifling her own laughter with a hand.

Mac sighed and folded his arms to wait for them to compose themselves. He wanted to put his shirt back on, but that would probably ruin the patiently stoic effect he was trying to hide his nervousness behind. He glanced over at Twilight, who hadn’t joined in the laughter, but rather seemed even more intently focused on the floor.

He turned his gaze back, and found Pinkie about three inches away from him. He started in surprise, but at least managed not to give into the sudden instinct to step back. She grinned up at him brightly.

“We’re coming along nicely,” she informed him. “Dashy and Twilight are on-board.”

Mac blinked at her for a second, then comprehension sunk in. He glanced over Pinkie at Dash, and then over at Twilight. Comprehension brought a whole host of thoughts along with it. This was really happening. Somehow it had seemed just a bit too surreal, a bit too unbelievable when it had just been Pinkie talking about forming a herd with him and her friends. It had been easy to dismiss it all as just Pinkie being Pinkie, and to hope she’d just forget about it all in a few days.

Only now he had Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle standing before him, apparently ready and willing to actually take part in this plan, to help make Pinkie’s should-be-crazy idea a reality. And given the looks they were giving him, they weren’t just signing up for the sake of their friendship with Pinkie.

“They…want to join?” Mac asked, some part of him just unwilling to accept things.

“How about you ask us?” Dash spoke up before Pinkie could answer. “If we’re going to be part of the same herd, you should talk to us directly, not through Pinkie.”

“She’s got a point,” Pinkie said thoughtfully, and slipped off to one side as Dash strode forward, planting herself before Mac. She crossed her arms in a belligerent fashion, her wings spread wide behind her, and glared up at him. Everything about her stance was a challenge directed right at him.

“Rainbow Dash…” Mac started, but his words faltered. It was silly really, looking down at her trying, and somewhat succeeding, in intimidating him. She was so short, barely reaching his sternum. And that didn’t faze her in the slightest. Tiny, but fierce.

And a woman. As much as he knew that intellectually, Mac realized he had never really seen Dash as a woman emotionally, or aesthetically. She pulled off the boisterous tomboy routine so well that he had just simply failed to really notice her feminine traits. But they stood up and slapped him in the face right then and there.

For a panicked second, Mac felt himself being paralyzed by the realization. Dash was a very attractive young mare; that she did nothing to highlight or draw attention to her looks only made the sudden awareness of her appeal hit harder. Her beauty was a subtle one, partly hidden by her athletic build, at least until he truly noticed it. Once his mind applied the feminine traits he had been overlooking to the whole image, he realized just how well the smooth, firm tone of her arms and legs added to her appearance.

The realization didn’t do his nerves any favors, and he felt his mouth going dry, and an unpleasant tingling dancing down his arms until his fingers twitched. Anxiety about what he was about to do, about to say, threatened to choke his words off entirely.

He welcomed the feeling.

Mac’s mouth didn’t run near as fast or free as Applejack’s, so it wasn’t as obvious that he had inherited his own share of stubborn pride and unwavering determination. It was there, a bit more buried and patient than his sister’s, but no less potent. And it did its best work when he was feeling the pressure.

“Rainbow Dash,” Mac repeated, the words coming out with simple but earnest strength, and he let himself just give his mouth free reign. “I have always admired your strength and fearlessness. You never back down, and you never settle for less than the best you can manage. You speak you mind, bluntly at times, but always truthfully. I would be honored and blessed if you would consent to bring your strength, bravery, and honesty into the family that Pinkie and I are beginning.”

Dash just stared at him, eyes gone a bit wide, mouth just starting to hang open. Pinkie likewise was goggling, and though he couldn’t see her, Mac could feel Twilight’s gaze upon him as well. The moment hung in the air, stretching slowly out, until…

“Uh, yeah,” Dash said, the customary brashness gone from her voice. “I…I’d like that.”

“Then welcome, we’re glad to have you,” Mac said, stepping forward and embracing Dash. She stiffened at first, but gradually the tension went out of her, and wrapped her own arms as far around his broad chest as they would manage, returning the hug.

“Okay, okay,” Dash said after a moment, gently pushing against him, and Mac let her free. She spun away from him, but not so swiftly that he missed the flush of color on her face.

“Twilight Sparkle,” Mac spoke up, turning towards her, confidence in his chosen direction solidifying. His steps fell into the same steady rhythm of his words as he approached her. “Your gift for magic, and the things you are able to do with it, leave me in awe. Yet more amazing is how often and readily you use it to help others, and you never let the power you wield make you proud or condescending.” He came to a stop before her. “I can’t imagine what you’d see in a simple farmhand like me, but I would be humbled to have you, your magic, and your fine judgment join this herd.”

“I…I would…” Twilight half stammered. Then she seemed to take hold of herself, squaring her shoulders and standing up straight, looking him right in the eyes. Her voice adapted a tone suitable for addressing a gathered crowd. “Big Macintosh, you give me too much credit. If anything, I stand in awe of you. Your kindness, your compassion, the unwavering support you give your family. You are a good man, you are dependable, and I would consider myself fortunate to be part of the same herd with such a rare find.”

Then she stepped forward and hugged him before he could react.

“Oh sure, show me up will you?” Dash grumbled, only the have Pinkie give her a playful nudge as Mac returned Twilight’s embrace.

She didn’t push Mac away like Dash, but merely let her hold loosen, and he took the cue to release her. She was however as flush faced as Dash had been, though she didn’t try to hide it.

“Hey, what about me!” Pinkie demanded after a second, hip checking Twilight aside as she bounced enthusiastically in front of Mac. “How come I didn’t get asked like that?”

“Because you asked me, remember?” Mac pointed out.

“Well yeah, but…pleeeaaaase?” Pinkie begged, and Mac had to smile.

“Pinkie Pie…” he began, taking a brief pause to consider his words. “You bring joy and happiness with you wherever you go, and you share it freely and enthusiastically with anyone and everyone. I can’t imagine anyone being able to be unhappy when you’re around…”

Dash gave a slight cough of incredulity, but if anyone heard it, they ignored her.

“…I would be thrilled to have you as part of this herd,” Mac finished.

“I accept,” Pinkie said formally. And then she leaped upon him, arms looping around his neck, and slammed home a fierce kiss. Her legs wrapped around his waist as she pressed fully into the kiss, and it took his suddenly addled mind several seconds to consider putting his arms under her to help support her weight.

Pinkie gave an appreciative giggle as his hands cupped her backside, the sound muffled through the kiss. Her legs squeezed tighter, and her whole body rocked into him, making Mac wish she had latched on a few inches lower.

When she finally let him up for air they were both breathing hard. Pinkie rested her forehead against his, her eyes very bright and eager.

Then something touched Mac’s shoulder, and he glanced over to find Rainbow Dash hovering beside him. Her fingers dug into his shoulder, and her other hand reached out to take his chin. She half leaned in, half pulled him to her, and placed a light kiss on his mouth.

She pulled back, and though her face was still tinted red, there wasn’t any bashfulness in her expression. It was considering, evaluating. It was predatory, hungry. It was eager, excited.

She ducked back in, kissing him again, harder this time. Their lips parted for a second, and she lunged back into at once, her hands wrapping around his face as she explored his mouth with ferocious thoroughness that blasted all but the most base thoughts and desires out of Mac’s head.

At some point Dash managed to squeeze herself in between him and Pinkie. Now it was Dash’s arms about his neck, with Pinkie holding the pegasus pressed up to her chest, giving the earth mare easy access to Dash’s neck, which she gladly helped herself to.

Dash gave a delightful gasp as Pinkie’s teeth pressed gently into the sensitive curve of her neck. As delectable as the sound was, Mac silenced any further outbursts by kissing her again, and she responded with nearly desperate enthusiasm, her moans of pleasure vibrating through his jaw as she worked to force her tongue halfway down his throat.

“You going to join in Twilight?” Pinkie’s voice just barely registered through the Dash delivered daze, but Twilight’s name managed to get through enough for Mac to remember there was a third mare present.

“Uh, that’s okay,” came the nervous reply. “I think I’m just going to sit here and watch.”

“Watch huh?” Dash gasped as she finally pried her lips free. “I never would have taken you for the voyeur type.”

“Voyeur!” Twilight exclaimed in protest.

“You really are a dirtier girl than I would have guessed,” Dash teased.

“Dashy,” Pinkie interrupted. “There are better things you could be doing with that mouth.” She twisted Dash’s head around, kissing her silent.

The pair squirmed in Mac’s arms, and he had to pry some of his attention away from the lovely sight in order not to drop them both. He managed to turn the potential fall into more of a slide as they writhed and slipped out of his arms, setting them both on their feet.

Pinkie shoved Dash back into his chest, pressing up against her until the pegasus was pinned between them. The earth mare shameless indulged herself of the trapped Dash, raining down kisses and licks and nips across her face, lips, and neck. She pressed in so aggressively that Mac had to shuffle back to keep from over balancing, until she managed to back him right up to one of the hay bales.

A final shove knocked him into a seat on the bale, and Dash ended up in his lap, her back plastered to his chest as she gasped for air. Pinkie didn’t let up for a second, and proceeded to straddle the both of them. Her hips rocked, and Dash gasped sharply as she felt something firm and hard press against her rear. Mac echoed her sentiment with a grunt as Pinkie ground down on Dash, and through her, him.

“Feels good, doesn’t she?” Pinkie asked Mac, her eyes bright and intense as she glanced over the top of Dash’s head.

“Very nice,” Mac agreed.

“Good,” Pinkie cooed. “I want you to enjoy my friends as much as I do.” She laid her hands against Dash’s shoulders, pressing the pegasus firmly into Mac as her hips rolled and rocked, pulling mirroring sounds of enjoyment from the both of them.

“How about you Dashy?” Pinkie asked, leaning down to nibble on an ear. “How do you like him?”

“So far so good,” Dash panted with a smirk.

“It gets better,” Pinkie promised, giving her a wink before returning her attention to Mac. “So, you want her?”

“Uh,” Mac managed, taken a bit back by the blunt question. He glanced down at Dash, who was plastered so completely against his front that she had to press a cheek against his chest in order to look up at him.

“Yes…” Dash hissed with subtle intensity.

“Ahem, uh, yes…”

Pinkie giggled and slid down off the pair, her hands trailing slowly down Dash. “Pick her up for me.”

They both blinked at that, but then Mac shrugged and leaned back a little, taking hold of Dash where her wings connected with her back.

“Whoa…” Dash squeaked as Mac lifted her straight up without so much as a grunt of effort.

“Thank you,” Pinkie quipped, slipping a pair of fingers inside the waist of Dash’s shorts, and wiggling them off of her. She tossed the clothing aside, and then repeated the procedure with Dash’s panties.

“Just relax Dashy,” Pinkie told her playfully. “He knows how to be gentle.”

“Who says I want gentle?” Dash asked, earning a snorting chuckle from the earth mare as she leaned in closer to reach around Dash, her hands tracing up the front of Mac’s jeans. A button popped, and there was the soft rasp of a zipper slowly parting.

“A little higher please,” Pinkie prompted, leaning back to make room, and Mac raised his arms until Dash’s firm rear floated before his face.

“Oh come on,” Dash said with obvious disbelief. “I know I’m not the biggest mare around, but that’s just freaky strong.”

“I know!” Pinkie squeed, her eyes running along the lines of muscles of Mac’s arms. “Isn’t he awesome?” She dropped down onto her knees as she finished pulling open the front of Mac’s pants, and pulled down the front of his boxers. She made a rather appreciative sound as she did so, before leaning forward to take a long, slow taste.

“Whoa now!” Dash chirped as Mac nearly dropped her on Pinkie’s head in surprise.

“Sorry,” Mac grunted, lifting her back up. It was not easy to focus with the warm, wet embrace of Pinkie’s mouth sliding along his length.

“Mmmm, that is goooooooood,” Pinkie moaned brightly as she let Mac slip free of her lips with a pop.

“So glad you’re enjoying yourself down there,” Dash said dryly, making Pinkie giggle.

“Guess Dashy is feeling impatient,” she said to Mac, brushing aside the pegasus’s rainbow tail in order to look up at him. “How about you give her what she wants? I’ll play lollipop with you later if you still want it.”

Words completely failed Mac at such a comment, and he was saved the trouble of kicking his libido pummeled mind into action by Pinkie taking his silence as consent. She reached up to take hold of Dash’s legs and gave a little tug, and Mac’s arms responded without bothering to check in for permission.

“Ooooooooh,” Dash gasped as Pinkie gently guided her down, lining her up. She sucked in a breath and held it as she felt Mac bump against her, and then start to press inside. “Oh.My.Gosh. Oh my gosh…oh my gosh oh my gosh ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!” He slipped inside her, pressing her apart, filling her up more and more and more and more… “Oh Biiiig Macintosh!”

“I think she’s impressed,” Pinkie stage whispered with a smirk. Mac barely managed a grunt of reply, his attention far more focused on the incredible sensation of Dash’s tight embrace. The rainbow haired mare gave a sharp grunt as he bottomed out.

“Sorry,” he muttered, shifting his grip down so he was supporting her by her rather pleasant rear.

“Less apologizing, more action,” Dash told him as she leaned back into his chest, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck. She started to lift herself up, and Mac quickly responded, taking up the slack easily. The casual ease with which he lifted her was incredible, and it left her feeling unusually small and vulnerable. If he hadn’t been such a kind and gentle person, Mac could have been a very scary stallion.

He was kind and gentle however, and the way he held her, the sense of him she got leaning into his chest, made Dash feel safe, protected. There was a comforting sense of security about the big man, that he was willing and more than able to see her taken care of. It was a relaxing, peaceful kind of feeling, as if there was nothing she had to worry about.

That, and he was filling her up inside like no one had ever come close to doing.

“Faster,” she demanded as the rise and fall of her body settled into a sedate rhythm. All that comfort and ease and gentleness was nice and whatever, but that kind of thing was for afterwards. She could enjoy all that when she was laying in his arms, soaked and exhausted and sore. “Faster!”

Pinkie smiled smugly to herself as she sat back, watching as Mac kicked the pace up another notch. She kind of wished he was a bit more aggressive about sex, but at least he took orders well. She’d have to see about getting him to be more forthcoming with what he wanted.

“Speaking of…” Pinkie muttered, turning to glance back at Twilight. The unicorn was watching the coupling couple through her fingers in a mixture of interest, embarrassment, and outright desire. She noticed Pinkie watching her, and flushed furiously as she buried her face in her hands.

The earth mare tried not to smile too much at her friend’s discomfort, but Twilight really was being too cute. She bounced to her feet, skipping on over and plopping down next to her.

“Enjoying the show?” she asked brightly.

“Yes…no! I don’t know!” Twilight said, the words muffled through her palms. “I can’t believe I’m watching this!”

“Well actually you seem to be watching the insides of your hands,” Pinkie pointed out, and Twilight uncovered her face in order subject Pinkie to a glare.

“Might as well enjoy it,” Pinkie said, unfazed. “This is part of being in a herd. We’re going to be doing stuff like this. All. The. Time…” She leaned in towards Twilight bit by bit with the final words.

“I…I know that!” Twilight said in a flustered tone, shrinking away nervously. “But, this just seems so fast. I mean come on, we’ve only officially been a herd for five minutes now.”

“Why wait though?” Pinkie asked.

“Because! Uh…it’s proper…”

“Why?”

“It…I…it just is!” Twilight put her face back in her hands. “That’s a really lame excuse, isn’t it?”

“Maybe a teeny little bit…” Pinkie agreed.

“I don’t know Pinkie. I’m just not ready for this.”

“Twilight,” Pinkie chided gently, sliding an arm around her friend’s shoulders. “No one here is going to make you do anything you don’t want to.”

“I…I know that…but…”

“But?”

“But part of me really wants to go over there and…and…” Twilight’s voice trailed off.

“Get a ride?”

“Pinkie!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Twilight,” Pinkie sighed. “If you can’t even talk about it without getting flustered…”

“I know!” Twilight moaned. “I can’t help it though. Why does this have to be so embarrassing?”

“Because it involves being naked and making some weird faces and noises,” Pinkie supplied. She shrugged. “You just got to go with it. Trust me, it is more than awesome enough to make up for any embarrassment.”

“OH SWEET MOTHER OF CELESTIA YEEEEEEES!” Dash chimed in at that moment.

“See?” Pinkie said, gesturing towards the orgasmic pegasus. “You think Dash is thinking about how embarrassed she should be right now?”

“I’m not sure she’s doing much thinking at all right now,” Twilight replied.

“That’s kind of how sex is,” Pinkie informed her. “You just let go and lose yourself in the moment and enjoy it.”

“I’m not really good at that kind of thing,” Twilight muttered.

“I know,” Pinkie said softly, pulling Twilight into a hug. “But you’ll learn how to. Whatever you need, I’ll help with.”

“Thanks Pinkie,” Twilight said, returning the embrace.

“So, you want to take a turn?” Pinkie asked gently. “I’ll be happy to help along, like I did with Dashy.”

“I…I’m okay,” Twilight said. “I think I just need some time to come to terms with all this.”

“Okie dokie,” Pinkie said, slipping free of the hug and springing to her feet. “You just let me know when and where.” She gave Twilight a wink, and then bounced over towards Mac and Dash. “My turn!” she sing-songed, her clothes going flying off in a near fabric explosion between one hop and the next.

“Aw come on Pinkie,” Dash complained between deep breaths. “Can’t a girl even get five minutes of afterglow time?”

“Awww, but we can all do that together later,” Pinkie whined.

“How about you give the poor guy a moment to recover at least?” Dash insisted, pulling herself in even closer to Mac. “He’s not some kind of sex machine that can be ready for another round just like that…” She paused and glanced up at Mac. “Right? You’re not already good to go again are you, cause I wouldn’t mind if you were to…”

“No,” Mac sighed.

“Right right, just checking,” Dash said lightly, before turning back to Pinkie. “See! Give the poor guy a break already…”

“…alright then…” Pinkie said, her pout turning up into a sly grin. “He gets a break.” She slipped herself back into Dash’s lap, once again straddling the two. “You however…”

“Uh, wait wha-mffp,” Dash was interrupted as Pinkie seized her by the hair and proceeded to find out how far she could force her tongue down her friend’s throat.

Big Macintosh leaned back a little, propped up on his hands, and watched with rather enjoyable interest as Pinkie Pie went after Dash as if the pegasus was coated in chocolate frosting. Still being nestled pleasantly inside of Dash added a truly enjoyable tactile experience to the visual, and it didn’t take more than a few moments of watching and feeling Dash squirm under Pinkie’s roving mouth to find his second wind.

Rainbow Dash certainly didn’t miss it as he began to fill her up again, and her hips began to rock with more rhythm and force…

“Hey hey hey!” Pinkie exclaimed, pulling her lips away from Dash’s chest. “My turn!”

“S-sorry,” Dash half panted. “What’s that? Can’t hear you…”

“Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie growled.

“Pinkie Pie,” Mac broke in. “Come here.”

“But…”

“Up here,” Mac repeated, settling back on his elbows.

Pinkie shot Dash a disapproving stare, but climbed off the pegasus and crawled around her to sit next to Mac’s head.

“She’s being greedy,” Pinkie complained.

“I know,” Mac groaned, trying to keep his focus. “But no fighting.” He laid down completely, and took hold of Pinkie by one arm. “Up here,” He said, pulling gently.

“Ooooo…” Pinkie cooed as she caught on, and threw a leg over Mac until she was kneeling over his face, his hands gripping her strongly by the hips. He turned his head slightly, kissing the inside of her thigh and sending a shiver up her spine. Her breathing became interrupted by a series of irregular gasps as his mouth slowly worked up the inside of one leg, and then the other. His hands slipped gently around her hips, strong fingers squeezing her butt before tracing up her spine and back down.

“Oh yes,” Pinkie gasped as Mac finally ran a long lick up her thigh right to the apex, his tongue brushing smoothly over her opening in a delightfully slippery warmth. He gave her a slow kiss, and began to explore her insides bit by bit. “Yes, yes, no go back to, yes! Right there! Harder! Not that hard! Just like that! Yes!” she moaned, settling down on Mac’s face.

Across the barn, Twilight Sparkle watched the trio with barely restrained desire. Whatever her mind might be trying to tell her about patience and propriety and proper whatever was being steadily and thoroughly drowned under a wave of blazing need that was starting to become nearly unbearable. She had to literally sit on her own hands to keep them from wandering across her body, and even that was starting to seem a lost cause.

“Focus, find something else to focus on…” Twilight tried to distract herself, but her eyes weren’t having any of that, and would only accept orders to look either at Dash as she bounced with increasing intensity in Mac’s lap, or at Pinkie as she squirmed and writhed across the stallion’s face.

“Ahhh, feels like I’m going to explode…” she gasped, pulling her knees up to her chest and squeezing her legs together in some vain hope of squashing her body’s traitorous sensations. She felt as if some great pressure was building up inside her, and if she couldn’t find some release for it…

She jumped in surprise as she felt the thrum of magic course through her horn; she hadn’t even noticed her control slipping, and now that she had reached for the power, she found it resisting her attempts to cut herself off from it.

Twilight groaned as she tried to focus, but her thoughts were just too jumbled. Her magic was as much a part of her as any bit of her physical body. It was made of her thoughts and feelings, of her desire to influence and direct the world around her, to make her ideas into reality. And right now her ideas and desires were running wild.

She could feel the magic reaching out around her, an odd, non-directional tugging sensation growing at the tip of her horn. There was a searching, hunting feel about it, and she felt it the moment her magic tracked down whatever it was seeking. The spell lashed out, and she barely had time to take in any of the details of what her baser thoughts had put together before the magical construct took effect.

Twilight had to yank her hands out from under herself in order to slap them over her mouth as a squeal came rushing up her throat. A spike of purest physical pleasure had just proceeded to slam home into her body. The enjoyment of it was so complete that she lost connection with all other senses for a length of time she couldn’t even begin to guess at.

As the orgasm started to wind down she was finally able to make some sense of what she was feeling. Something warm, wet, and soft was enthusiastically slipping and sliding in between her legs, while something else; hot, thick, and firm was filling her up until she thought she might burst from it as the sensation pumped fast and hard inside her. And there was another feeling, something enjoyable and yet somehow alien, a pleasurable sense of squeezing tightness that was disconnected from any part of her actual body.

She felt the final components of the spell sliding into place, and braced herself. She wanted to call out a warning, but her mouth might as well have been paralyzed for all the good the effort did.

There was a collective and simultaneous gasp from Pinkie and Dash and Mac as the Sensation Sharing Spell took hold, and the feedback of pleasure blanked out everyone’s senses this time. As one, all four bodies tightened, voices crying out in perfect unison to a pleasure so intense it was nearly pain. They remained locked in that moment as if time had suddenly stopped running.

Then the sensation drained out of them in one fluid rush, and they all dropped as one. Twilight ended up curled on her side, body quivering. Dash fell back on top of Mac in a limp droop. Mac didn’t have anywhere to go, though his arms fell to his side bonelessly. Pinkie toppled forward to land in an ungraceful sprawl.

“Wh-what the hay was that!” Dash exclaimed, bursting out into a brief coughing fit as her burning lungs tried too hard to reclaim the air they had just been forced to expel.

Twilight tried to push herself up, but her shaky arms would barely support her. Shame and embarrassment were flooding in, shoving aside the tingling afterglow of the physical pleasure, and right now she wished to be anywhere else. Her body was too dazed to let her do more than fight her way to an upright seat though.

She looked up, and found all three of her herd mates looking at her in surprise.

“I’m sorry,” she said, the words a hoarse whisper. She cleared her throat. “I’m so sorry,” she repeated, a bit louder. “I didn’t mean to, I really didn’t. It just…I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Pinkie said incredulously, getting to her wobbly feet. “Sorry!” She fell back on her rear and just sat there a second. She giggled, her features turning up in a tired but warm smile. “Don’t be sorry, just tell me you can do that again!”