A Stud about Ponyville
Chapter 4: A Matter of Trust

"Catch me daddy!" called a flitting shadow, darting around Big Macintosh's legs with an impressive display of agility, "catch me! Catch me!"

"No, come sit with me papa," pleaded another shimmering mirage, lounging in the shade of a nearby apple tree, "mama said you would join me and my dollies for tea."

Even though the world around him shifted in and out of focus hectically, Big Macintosh knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that these frolicking specters were his children. The tiny acrobat appeared to be a light red earth colt with a dirty blonde mane and energetic baby blue eyes, and the prone unicorn filly resembled a debutante with her snow white coat, ringlet-filled golden blonde mane, and the most beautiful emerald green eyes he’d ever seen.

Big Macintosh also knew he was in the eastern section of the orchard near his family's ancestral farmhouse, and the rows upon rows of healthy and hardy apple trees only served to strengthen the sense of tranquility he was feeling. He smiled as the foalish wisps continued to laugh and play in his presence, and their manner of speaking sounded so familiar he was almost certain he could guess who each of their mothers were.

Big Macintosh’s chest couldn't help but swell with pride at the thought of becoming a father, and the approach of what appeared to be more mares and foals in the distance, all as subtly indistinguishable as the two who were already near him, hinted that he had managed to sire quite the herd. Still, the unnatural haze and psychedelic edge of this idyllic landscape signified that it most assuredly was a dream, and the approach of familiar hoofsteps from over his right shoulder soon confirmed this observation to be true.

"I have visited many dreams over the course of my lifetime, Macintosh," said Luna softly, walking forward to wrap her arms around his waist, "but this one is perhaps the most heartwarming I have observed in a millennia."

“Eeyup,” replied Big Macintosh contently, grasping Luna’s hands with his own, “I think it's mighty swell myself.”

“I never asked you this during your stay in Canterlot,” began Luna, nuzzling against his neck affectionately, “but why did you so readily agree to take part in my sister’s plan? Many stallions voiced their desire to abstain from her…machinations, the next morning, yet you acquiesced after only a moment’s hesitation that very same night. Why, pray tell?”

“Well, I can’t say that ya two weren’t mighty convincin’,” admitted Big Macintosh with a blush, leaning his head against hers, “but frankly I, well, somethin’ like what yar seein’ now entered my head after a spell. I kept thinkin’ about Celestia mentionin’ foals at tha assembly, and ain’t nothin’ more important than family to an Apple.”

“Family,” repeated Luna tentatively, thinking of her own sister before donning a small smile, “indeed, blood bonds are quite powerful, but I wonder if this is how you used to envision yourself building them.”

“No, not this particular way, I reckon,” claimed Big Macintosh, his features contorting into a distraught expression, “I always thought I’d settle down with a nice mare and we’d raise a mess of foals on Sweet Apple Acres together. I suppose that particular scenario ain’t in tha cards no more though.”

“Does that vex you, Macintosh?” inquired Luna tenderly, stepping in front of the large stallion so she could look into his eyes, “for it does not trouble me that you have lain with other mares, but perhaps I am not the best counsel to heed on this matter. Prior to my banishment, it was not uncommon for virile stallions such as you to attract many mates.”

“I ain’t sure about Pinkie Pie, but I don’t think Rarity is the sharin' type,” explained Big Macintosh sullenly, “and Applejack is a whole other can of worms. It’s only a matter of time till she figures out what’s been happenin’, especially since her friends will start to show before too long. I ain’t lookin’ forward to that conversation.”

“You sound so certain of your potency,” chided Luna teasingly, pressing her breasts against his chest, “and would it not thrill your sister to be surrounded by a plethora of beautiful nieces and charming nephews?”

“Are ya kiddin’? AJ would spoil those foals rotten,” stated Big Macintosh cheerfully, running a hand through his dark sovereign's ethereal mane, “and I know deep down she’d forgive and forget after tossing a black eye or two my way. As ta yar other quip, I ain’t naive enough ta think that bedding a mare in heat don't have consequences, but that don't mean I regret what I've done neither. Celestia already gave me a good talkin’ to on account of that, and I ain’t interested in finding out what she does ta a student that needs ta repeat a lesson.”

“Then why do you fret so?” asked Luna imploringly while placing a small kiss on his chin, “you have several mares who adore you, and several more who will assuredly feel the same way in the near future. Does their love and the prospect of children not serve as a great comfort to you?”

Big Macintosh broke eye contact with the princess of the night to look at the ghostlike outlines galloping to and fro in the distance. He couldn’t help but smile as the smaller shapes sprinted around in circles with one another, occasionally stopping to draw the attention of their respective mothers with an act of silliness or civility. Big Macintosh felt a strong longing to rush towards the apparitions and scoop them up in his arms, even though he knew his hands would slip through their air-like forms. It was almost too much to bear.

“I just…I want ta make sure I do right by them,” explained Big Macintosh, looking down at Luna with an expression of absolute sincerity, “and do right by their mothers too. I don’t want no pony of mine ta be wantin’ for nothin’ while I’m around. Y'all are startin’ ta mean so much ta me…I just don’t want ta let any of ya down.”

This asseveration struck Luna speechless. She knew her sister had a keen eye for spotting talented individuals, as evidenced by Big Macintosh's strength of character, handsome features, and stoic bravado…he would definitely fit the archetypal mold of the conventional stallion if not for his persistent habit of self-effacement.

However, she knew it was that very element of humbleness that she found so irresistibly charming about him. Luna suspected the other mares he'd wooed had, at least on some level, recognized the value of that quality as well, and though she didn't think it possible, her affection for the gentlecolt earth pony was renewed tenfold.

He will make an excellent patriarch, thought Luna happily, moving one of her hands to rest on her belly, of that I am sure.

“You are fortunate I came to deliver a message before this dream ran its course,” whispered Luna huskily, her face flushed from the blood coursing through her veins, “for I am finding myself hard-pressed, imaginary audience or not, to contain my longing for you at this moment.”

“And what, um, message,” repeated Big Macintosh inquisitively, not failing to notice the lustful twinkle in Luna’s eyes, “do ya need ta tell me? Is it about tha next mare? Because usually Celestia sends a letter or, well, she cast this magick…”

“I am well aware of the memory enchantment my sister cast on thee,” interrupted Luna, placing a finger on Big Macintosh’s lips to silence him, “perhaps saying I have come with a warning would better describe my purpose.”

“That don’t sound too good,” said Big Macintosh tersely, not liking this unexpected turn of events, “did somethin’ happen in Canterlot? I can be there in two shakes of a lamb’s tail if ya need me…”

“Celestia and I are safe and sound, my anxious paramour,” stated Luna soothingly, smiling at the big stallion’s penchant for worrying, “you, on the other hand, may not be so fortunate in the coming days. My sister did not want to cause you undue worry until she could confirm her suspicions, but I could not in good conscience let you precede without informing you of the potential perils you may shortly encounter.”

“Now that definitely don’t sound good at all,” said Big Macintosh, hoping Luna was embellishing the direness of his situation, “what has got ya so riled up? I know this whole plan ain’t normal by any stretch of tha imagination, but I’m managin’ ta, well, kinda make it work, I reckon.”

“Neither my sister nor I have any doubts about your competency or...prowess,” explained Luna with a smirk, stepping back to rest against the trunk of a nearby tree, “but I am afraid the comet is reaching the apex of its approach. The mares you deal with from this point onward will exhibit more...eccentric behavior. Thus, you must be on guard for the unexpected.”

"For some reason," replied Big Macintosh anxiously, furrowing his brow, "when ya say tha word eccentric, it sounds like somethin' a mite bit worse than what I usually imagine it ta mean."

"You have already seen firsthand how two mares can be radically different from one another," continued Luna intently, fixing her gaze onto Big Macintosh, "hence, it is impossible to predict how the comet will affect the other courtesans Celestia has in mind for you. And even though she says that in centuries past nopony did anything too troublesome, I feel as if the additional factors amplifying our celestial visitor's presence warranted a measure of caution."

"Well, I appreciate the thought yar highness," exclaimed Big Macintosh, grasping one of Luna's hands so he could bestow a kiss upon it, "and I promise I'll be on tha lookout for anythin' too out of the ordinary."

"This is no joking matter...please be wary Macintosh," asserted Luna once more, relishing, even though it was just a dream, the touch of his lips on her skin, "I wish for you to be of sound mind and body when next we meet."

"Eeyup," affirmed Big Macintosh, embracing the dusky princess in an effort to ease her distress, "I sure do miss ya Luna."

"And I you," admitted Luna, returning his embrace with vigor, "but soon all of this absurdity will come to an end, and when it does, I am confident our...corporeal reunion, will be all the sweeter for it."

After relishing the sensation of holding one another for a long, silent moment, the two unlikely lovers turned their heads and noticed that the dreamscape was dissolving, just as the conjured-up tower had done the night before. The leaves and branches of the apple trees drifted upwards until they suddenly vanished into thin air, and soon the surrounding earth and grass was doing the same. Even the wraith-like forms of the foals and mares were dissolving into puffs of smoke that dissipated on an unseen wind into nothingness.

"It appears that you will soon awaken, Macintosh," observed Luna, standing up on the tips of her hooves to kiss his forehead, "but heed my advice...everypony has a persona they keep hidden from others, and if this comet is as powerful as Celestia suspects then we all will..."

"...find a way ta trump it," finished Big Macintosh, giving Luna's bottom a playful pinch, "I'm sure ya two will keep Equestria from fallin' ta pieces, and I'm always just a letter away if ya need me. Or a memory. Or heck, even another dream I suppo..."

Big Macintosh disappeared before he could finish his witty retort, leaving Luna in the nebulas limbo that existed between dreams. However, as she began to travel towards the nearest exit from the metaphysical plane, her small smile curled into a wickedly mischievous grin.

Only a dream away, thought the ruler of the night deviously, licking her lips as her walk evolved into a strut, you will sleep again come this evening my brawny thrall, and I will be sure to make it...memorable.

Although Luna was aware of the sinisterly kinky emotions welling up inside her, the lack of a reflective surface prevented her from seeing the drastic effect they had on her physical appearance. For the briefest of moments, her skin turned as black as obsidian, and her mane flared out wildly, twinkling with the light of a thousand luminous stars. Any onlookers familiar with the ancient history of Equestria would be stunned to see one of the darkest figures from its past manifested once more, but in the blink of an eye her normal visage returned. Still, the deep, throaty laugh she unleashed, so potent that it echoed throughout the endless void of the dream realm, signified that perhaps darker days were indeed impending.

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Midmorning sunlight streamed through the east-facing window of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' recently renovated clubhouse, falling on Big Macintosh's eyes and causing him to stir. Despite the indignant loathing he immediately felt towards his solar awakening, a rather pleasant sensation was rapidly working its way towards the forefront of his brain. After groggily wondering if Pinkie Pie was still asleep, Big Macintosh managed to lift his head just enough to look down at the quilt he'd draped over them late last night. However, the steady bobbing motion of the fabric near his waist readily answered his initial question, and after few seconds of fumbling with the hem of the sheet, he finally managed to toss it aside and behold a most invigorating sight.

Pinkie Pie was slowly moving her pursed lips up and down his morningwood, cooing and moaning softly as she swirled her tongue gently around his shaft. She looked up at him with a half-lidded stare of pleasure after she noticed her cover had been removed, and she tantalizingly retracted his length before taking a breath to speak.

"Morning Big Mac!" said Pinkie Pie cheerfully, nuzzling his shaft, "I am super sorry that I woke you up. Well, I'm actually not that sorry that I woke you up because that was what I kinda wanted to happen, but I know sometimes the bed feels so extra comfortable and snuggly that you don't want to wake up at all..."

"Ain't nothin' ta fret about Pinkie," replied Big Macintosh with a grin, enjoying the sensation of her skin against his own, "especially since I get ta see such a pretty mare."

"Aw, Macky," uttered Pinkie Pie happily as a very noticeable blush worked its way across her cheeks, "you always say the super sweetest things to me. Well, just sit back and relax big guy because I'm gonna return the favor for last night!"

Big Macintosh watched as Pinkie Pie gripped the base of his stallionhood in one hand and began to enticingly drag her tongue along its underside, stopping when she reached the top to give its tip a playful peck. After tossing him a sly wink, she parted her lips and took the first few inches of it into her mouth, moaning loudly at the erotic tang seeping into her taste buds. After establishing a steady rhythm, Pinkie Pie let her free hand wander down her stomach towards her aching marehood, using her fingers to tease the length of her slit before plunging several of them past her folds. She mewled as her digits curled and flexed inside her, and Big Macintosh relished the reverberation it sent through his rigid flesh.

Pinkie Pie never went past the midway point of his phallus, choosing instead to intensify her efforts near its head. Big Macintosh marveled at her technique, hissing in pleasure as her tongue darted forwards and backwards before rapidly circling his shaft in a wild, unpredictable manner. The airtight seal she made with her mouth was stimulating every nerve ending her lips slid past, and before long he found himself weaving his hands through her curly pink mane as his climax drew nearer.

"Pinkie..." said Big Macintosh eagerly, now thrusting his hips upward to match her descent, "I'm real close, darlin'..."

Pinkie Pie's eyes reflexively shot wide open when she heard those words leave his mouth, and she moaned encouragingly before doubling her current pace. Big Macintosh threw his head back in response, letting loose a loud grunt of satisfaction as he felt himself approaching the point of no return.

After almost another minute of frantic movement from both parties, Big Macintosh held Pinkie Pie's head in place as his shaft began spurting a torrent of hot liquid down her throat. He finally managed to raise his head enough to look down at her, and was greeted with the sensual sight of her staring directly back at him, refusing to break eye contact as she swallowed every drop. His orgasm soon subsided, but Pinkie Pie refused to release him until she felt his member completely soften in her mouth.

"That was really yummy," declared Pinkie Pie sensually, laying her head against Big Macintosh's stomach, "I don't know if you know this, but you taste just like apples. Have you ever tasted yourself Big Mac? You're delicious!"

"Uh, nnope," replied Big Macintosh wryly, laying his head down against the floor to collect himself, "where did ya learn ta do all that though Pinkie?"

"Well, I do eat a lot of lollipops, silly," explained Pinkie Pie, standing up and walking towards the nearest window, "Wowee, it is such a pretty day outside! Let's open the window for some fresh air."

Pinkie Pie easily unlocked the latch at the top of the frame, but the rest of the apparatus refused to budge when she tried to lift it. Growling in frustration, she bent over further for more leverage before once again trying to open it, her struggles drawing the attention of Big Macintosh. Tilting his head backwards, the spectacle his eyes beheld caused his jaw to slacken and pupils to dilate.

On the few rare occasions he'd found himself engaged in a conversation with the younger Ponyville stallions, their chatting usually drifted towards the subject of attractive mares before too long. Pinkie Pie was mentioned only a handful of times due to her kookiness, but there was one thing about her that all the pining males could agree upon: she had one of the plumpest, if not the plumpest, flanks in all of Equestria.

Once Big Macintosh's brain restored its ability to send impulses to his muscles, he quickly stood up and walked towards Pinkie Pie, pressing his body against hers while reaching down to grasp the rail. The pink mare yelped in surprise at his unexpected arrival, but after noticing his rock-hard girth was nestled between her luscious cheeks, she started to fuss pleadingly and shimmy her hips back and forth.

"Allow me," whispered Big Macintosh into Pinkie Pie's ear, using his monumental might to open the window effortlessly, "now place yar hands on tha sill like a good girl..."

"Oh, I-I'm a super duper g-good girl," assured Pinkie Pie vehemently, overwhelmed by Big Macintosh's commanding presence, "y-you seem really, re-really excited Big M-ah! Ah!"

Big Macintosh had slinked down Pinkie Pie's back while she spoke, kneeling on the floor behind her glorious plot before grasping it firmly with his hands. After kneading her supple flesh for a few seconds, he spread her cheeks and caught a inviting glimpse of her glistening inner thighs and marehood.

Remembering how delicious she had tasted the night before, Big Macintosh hungrily dove in, plunging his tongue past her folds as far as it would reach. Pinkie Pie's mind went blank as Big Macintosh's thick, dexterous organ wriggled wildly inside her. She felt her knees buckle and falter as he continued his relentless onslaught, and soon the upper half of her body was hanging outside the treehouse in the crisp, spring air as loud moans of pleasure escaped her lips.

True to form, Pinkie Pie's first orgasm came quickly, but unlike last time, Big Macintosh was prepared. He felt the bubble gum colored mare tensing around his tongue, and when her own flood of delectable nectar began to flow, he lapped at it covetously, gulping down mouthfuls of the stimulating brew. Now feeling fully rejuvenated, Big Macintosh rose up swiftly and positioned his erect girth against Pinkie Pie's awaiting sex, teasing it open before sliding his entire length into her hot, wet passage.

His tempo was intense to begin with, but before too long Big Macintosh found himself plunging in and out of Pinkie Pie with reckless abandon. The way her bouncy butt cushioned each one of his thrusts felt incredible, but there was something else driving him onward that he couldn't identify so readily. It was a need...a yearning rooted in the back of his mind, so small at first that it was almost imperceptible. However, the heartening whisper was morphing...growing into a tumultuous roar of unbridled zeal, and Big Macintosh felt every muscle in his body flex and contract as he turned the giddy mare underneath him into a quivering mass of moans at its beck and call.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie had lost count of her orgasms after the first four racked her body with mind-numbing pleasure. They rolled over Ponyville's premiere party pony like waves on a shore now...usually several smaller ones in succession followed by a tsunami that reset her to a mental blank just as she was recovering her ability for higher functioning. Nevertheless, she was cognizant enough to know that the breeze blowing across her face and breasts meant that her head and chest were on display for the whole world to see. Being embarrassed was the least of Pinkie Pie's concerns at that moment though...in fact, the thrill of getting caught spurred her to new heights of ecstasy, and soon she was belting out gasps and impassioned exclamations that were attracting the confused attention of a few local fauna.

"D-don't, ah, stop Macky!" entreated Pinkie Pie, at last managing to look over her shoulder at the domineering hulk, "a really, r-really big, ah, mmm, b-big one is coming, ah! The big-biggest, ah, one ever!"

"I ain't," stated Big Macintosh candidly, his nostrils flaring as his own climax drew close, "not till I give ya yar reward."

"Oh, ah, oh y-yes please!" begged Pinkie Pie, squeezing Big Macintosh as hard as she possibly could, "I've be-been a really, ah, good girl! Give m-me, ah, a present!"

Never one to refuse a mare's request, especially when she asked so nicely, Big Macintosh grabbed Pinkie Pie's hips and hilted himself, erupting inside her with a rumble of satisfaction. He could feel his phallus expanding inside her as each spurt worked its way up his shaft, but his reaction, while still impressive, was quite tame compared to her much more animated response.

Pinkie Pie was blissfully flailing. She had bucked her legs backwards the moment she felt the first few drops of Big Macintosh's warm seed seep into her womb, and his subsequent surges drove her to dig her fingernails deeply into the window's casing. Despite the firm grip Big Macintosh had on her waist, Pinkie Pie's orgasmic gyrations were so erratic she almost did fall fifteen feet to the turf below the clubhouse. Thankfully, the large scarlet stallion was able to reel her in safely at the last second, and after stumbling a few steps away from the open aperture, he collapsed onto the floorboards, using his body to cushion the panting mare's landing as best he could. When Pinkie Pie's breathing finally slowed to a normal rate, she turned her head towards Big Macintosh to give him a playful smooch before nuzzling against his neck.

"Wowee zowee Macky," said Pinkie Pie softly, stretching her body against his muscular form rapturously, "you were so sweet last night, but you said and did such naughty things today. You keep surprising me, but I really, really love surprises..."

"I ain't sure what came over me ta be honest," explained Big Macintosh, running a hand through his blonde mane while he organized his thoughts, "it felt like someone was eggin' me on ta go faster and faster."

"Whoever it was gave you the very best advice ever then!" stated Pinkie Pie with a grin, biting her lower lip as she felt Big Macintosh sliding out of her, "oh, mmm...I'm so glad the bakery is opening late today because of the party, it means we...hey, do you hear something? Because I hear something, and it sounds like..."

"Oh no," muttered Big Macintosh, a feeling of dread descending over him, "its the weekend, which means there ain't no school. And if there ain't no school, that means..."

Big Macintosh's ears perked up as the high-pitched voices of three young fillies could now be heard in the distance, and they were growing louder with each passing second. He turned towards Pinkie Pie in a panic, but was astounded to see she was already up and dressed, moving towards the open window with a purposeful stride.

"How did ya, nevermind, we gotta..." stammered Big Macintosh, "wait Pinkie, what are ya..."

"Don't worry Macky," responded Pinkie Pie, straightening her dress and socks while fluffing her disheveled hair, "I know you know that Apple Bloom and her friends don't need to know about what happened in their clubhouse, so I'll go down and lead them away! That should give you plenty of time to clean up all the romantic thingies and puddles! Oh, oh, I want to see you again real soon though, so come by Sugarcube Corner when you can!"

Big Macintosh watched as the pink party pony blew him a kiss before gingerly slipping outside, and by the time he got to the window she had completely vanished. Deciding it was best to not waste any more time on figuring out Pinkie Pie's seemingly supernatural abilities, he hurriedly put on his own clothes and began gathering all the materials from last night's rendezvous. He prayed that Pinkie Pie would come up with a way to draw away the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but took solace in the fact that if anypony could do it, she would be the one...

_______________________________________________

"Come on y'all" said Apple Bloom, walking down the long rows of apple trees towards the headquarters of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, "we're already runnin' way behind schedule for gettin' our croquet playin' cutie marks."

"Well we wouldn't be late if Sweetie Belle hadn't made Rarity so angry," scoffed Scootaloo, looking at the young unicorn, "what exactly did you do to make her yell at you all morning?"

"I already told you I don't know!" shouted Sweetie Belle, donning a pout and crossing her arms, "she kept telling our parents that I went to the Hearts and Hooves Day party Pinkie Pie hosted last night, but I was asleep. My mom even read me a bedtime story and tucked me in!"

"Girls, girls," interjected Apple Bloom, draping a comforting arm over each of her friends' shoulders, "there ain't no reason ta be fightin' like this, especially since we need ta act like ladies when we meet Princess Celestia in Canterlot."

"Are you sure your brother can introduce us to the princess?" asked Scootaloo, raising one of her eyebrows quizzically, "I mean Big Macintosh is cool and all, but why would Princess Celestia hang out with a farmer from Ponyville?"

"My brother ain't just a farmer from Ponyville," stated Apple Bloom, raising her chin haughtily, "he's now tha official apple growing expert for all of Equestria, and a personal friend of tha royal family."

"Yeah, yeah, you've been saying that for days now,” chided Scootaloo, giving the young Apple a playful shove before flapping her small wings in anticipation, "still, how cool it would be to get our cutie marks right when we hit the very last stake? I bet Celestia would clap and...hey, which one of you left the window open?"

"It wasn't me," claimed Sweetie Belle, raising her hands in a gesture of innocence, "I haven’t touched them since the last time we helped you practice flying maneuvers by jumping out of the clubhouse."

"But I need to practice!" asserted Scootaloo, her wings extending in agitation, "Rainbow Dash said I gotta use my wings every day to make them stronger! And anyways, I always remember to shut them after I finish, which means it must have been Apple Bloom."

"Ain't none of us been out here since two days ago, and we all double-checked ta make sure everythin' was closed up before we left," observed Apple Bloom matter-of-factly, rubbing her chin in speculation, "wait an apple-pickin' minute...ain't that the window that's been stuck since we tried ta get our glue-making cutie marks?"

"Hey, you're right," agreed Scootaloo, turning to stare at her fellow crusaders, "and if none of us could open that window, than that means..."

"...someone else did!" finished Sweetie Belle, jumping into the air excitedly, "and they might still be there! Maybe we should go get Applejack or Rarity to come out here and..."

"Hold that thought Sweetie Belle," interrupted Scootaloo, raising her right hand in a halting gesture, "let's think about this for a moment. If there is an intruder, and we manage to catch him, her, or it single-handedly using the trapdoor we just installed...we might discover we have a talent for capturing burglars."

"And if we discover we have a talent for capturing burglurs using traps," continued Apple Bloom, her eyes growing wide with giddiness, "that means we'll get our trapsmith cutie marks! Oh girls, this is the chance we've been waitin' for! And ya'll thought I was crazy for sayin' we should build one in tha first place."

"I guess that makes sense," affirmed Sweetie Belle, looking at the treehouse with a mixture of trepidation and eagerness, "but how are we going to make them step on the secret spot? And who is going to throw the release switch?"

"That's gonna be easy," stated Scootaloo, her mouth twisting into a smirk of confidence, "first, we'll need a distraction, that's where you come in Sweetie Belle, and then we'll..."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders' strategy meeting quickly died down to hushed whispers and sudden bursts of shrill snickering as their formulating began in earnest. They were initially unconcerned with being in such close proximity to potential danger, but soon a dark shadow fell across their little pow-wow, causing all three fillies to go quiet and shake in terror. Their minds began to race with images of the clubhouse prowler getting the drop on them, but nopony wanted to be the first to turn and face their assailant. After a few tense moments, a hand finally descended to settle on Apple Bloom's shoulder, causing Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to scream deafeningly while the now captured yellow filly slipped into a catatonic state.

"Hiya girls!" shouted Pinkie Pie, poking her head right into the middle of the huddled fillies, "what are you up to...hey, why are you screaming? Can I scream too? Ahhh!"

“Pinkie Pie!” yelled Scotaloo and Sweetie Belle in unison, their looks of abject terror transforming into ones of pure confusion.

“That’s me!” replied Pinkie Pie, flashing the flabbergasted fillies a grin, “oh, oh, look at Apple Bloom! She must want to have a staring contest because she hasn’t blinked or said anything yet. Well, challenge accepted little missy!”

“I don’t think she wants to play Pinkie,” observed Sweetie Belle, moving between the bubbly mare and the unresponsive filly, “you really, really scared us. See, we were trying to capture the intruder in the clubhouse, but then you showed up and we thought you were the intruder, so when you put your hand on Apple Bloom’s shoulder…”

“I turned an Apple into a vegetable!” interjected Pinkie Pie, giggling at her own joke before scrunching her face into an expression of concern, “oh, but how do we fix her? Oh! I bet if I scream just right she’ll snap out of it! Now let’s see, should I start with a high pitch and then go low, or low then go high…”

“No! No, just…wait a second Pinkie,” pleaded Scootaloo, covering the pink mare's mouth, "I think I know how to snap her out of it. Well, here goes nothing...Apple Bloom! I think you just got your cutie mark!"

"Wha-what! I did!" shouted Apple Bloom ecstatically, lifting the hem of her sundress to look at her hip, "I can't believe it finally happened! What does it look like Scoota...wait a cotton pickin' minute...there's nothin' there! I'm gonna pluck yar feathers out ya no-good lying varmint..."

"Whoa, easy there partner," replied Scootaloo consolingly, gesturing towards the still silently staring Pinkie Pie, "it was the only way I could get you to come back to Equestria after Pinkie turned you into a mute."

“Well what in tha world are ya doin’ out here in tha first place Pinkie Pie,” asked a now frowning Apple Bloom, “we got a big situation brewin’ and we were just about ta catch tha…wait, it’s awfully suspicious that yar out here right now. Care ta explain?”

“Suspicious? Me? Never! Well, maybe sometimes, but definitely not this time,” responded Pinkie Pie innocently before pointing towards the treehouse, “also, what open window are you talking about? I don’t see an open window, but maybe you guys can see things that I can’t see. Oh, oh, can you? That would be so cool?”

“What are ya talkin’ about Pinkie,” retorted Apple Bloom, turning to look over her shoulder, “ya can clearly see it's open...hey! The window is closed! What…how…when…”

“Ghosts!” shouted Sweetie Belle, jumping onto Scootaloo’s back in excitement, “The clubhouse is haunted by a poltergeist! Maybe we need to go to the library and get Twilight, she’ll know what to do. ”

“What’s Twilight gonna to do to a ghost,” questioned Scootaloo while trying to not topple over, “I mean, I know her magic is really strong, but does she know how to perform exorcisms or something?

“Oh, oh, that’s a great idea!” complimented Pinkie Pie, now starting to move in the direction of Ponyville, “and you know, I bet if you guys help Twilight figure out how to perform an exorcism, you might find out you have a super special knack for getting rid of spooky specters.”

“And that means we might get our exorcism cutie marks!” stated Apple Bloom hopefully, turning to look at her fellow crusaders, “well it ain’t what we planned on doin’ today, but when opportunity knocks ya don’t just not answer the door girls.”
“Cutie Mark Crusader exorcists, yay!” said all three fillies together, now following Pinkie Pie towards Golden Oaks Library.

The bubble gum pink mare smiled as the crusaders fell into a single-file line behind her, feeling a great deal of pride in how well she’d drawn their attention away from the treehouse so Big Macintosh could stealthily close the window in question. And surely by the time they returned with Twilight he’d have the place cleaned up too, which meant nopony would be the wiser about their lovey-dovey date. And maybe, just maybe, Big Macintosh would stop by Sugarcube Corner later, which meant that she needed to prepare something special for them to eat.

But what to bake, thought Pinkie Pie, searching for the perfect pastry, I already made him a super tasty cake, so I definitely need to try something new this time…oh, oh, that’s it!

Doing her best to stifle a coquettish giggle, Pinkie Pie bounced forward with her trademark flourish, her mind already working through all the cream-filled pie recipes she knew.

_______________________________________________

Big Macintosh kept peering out from the corner of the window long after Pinkie Pie and the Cutie Mark Crusaders disappeared from his sight, not making so much as a single sound to betray his presence. However, he eventually breathed a sigh of relief when he was absolutely sure they wouldn't be returning any time soon, and set about picking up the various romantic odds and ends scattered around the room. After half an hour of moving the gramphone, quilts, and most of the candles back to their respective places, Big Macintosh finally had the last load of goods bundled up in his arms. Just as he was walking towards the clubhouse’s open doorway, he noticed a peculiar outline on the floor that the quilt had covered the night before. When he bent over to examine the odd woodwork, one of the larger candles slipped from his grasp and rolled towards the wall closest to the door, bumping into an oddly-shaped knot jutting outwards from the baseboard.

The sensation of freefalling wasn’t a novel experience for Big Macintosh by this point, and for the first second or so the weightlessness he experienced was actually quite enjoyable. However, once gravity fully exerted its dominance, his descent and eventual rough impact onto the hard ground below knocked the wind from his lungs and caused stars to flash before his eyes. It took almost a minute for him to fully recover, as well as realize he’d fallen through two trapdoors in less than twenty-four hours. A flash of grey feathers and blonde mane soon brought the world back into focus though, and he looked up to see Ditzy Doo staring at him with a mixture of confusion and concern.

“Golly Big Mac,” said Ditzy Doo admiringly, kneeling down on the grass next to him, “you are always doing the most interesting things when I come to deliver the mail. Well, the last time was the most interesting thing so far, but this one was pretty interesting too. Um, are you okay?”

“I reckon I will be,” replied Big Macintosh with a shrug, sitting up slowly, “and I imagine ya got another letter for me Ditzy?”

“Yep!” affirmed Ditzy Doo gleefully, reaching into her mailbag, “say Big Mac, um, I was wondering if you like muffins. Because if you do like muffins, I was thinking next time I bring you a letter I could bring you some muffins too. If you want me to, that is.”

“That, uh, sounds might fine Ditzy,” answered Big Macintosh, reaching over to take the letter, “I do enjoy a good muffin.”

“Great!” shouted Ditzy Doo ecstatically, lifting off the ground into a hover, “that makes me really happy. And don’t worry about me seeing you naked the other day. I only told Berry Punch about it, but I made her promise not to tell anypony else. Well, I got a lot more letters to deliver, so I’ll see ya around Big Mac!”

“Wait, what?” questioned Big Macintosh, standing up just as Ditzy Doo took off, “Ditzy wait! Aw, fiddlesticks…well, suppose there ain’t no helpin’ that now. Best just see what Celestia has to say I suppose.”

Big Macintosh had grown quite accustomed to opening letters as of late, so much so that he had the envelope opened and parchment unfolded in the blink of an eye. Leaning back against the trunk of a large apple tree, he began to scan over the sun princess’s latest missive:

Dearest Macintosh,

I am afraid this letter must be rather brief, for I am dealing with a bit of unruliness in Canterlot. Nopony has been hurt, but the comet’s influence is exceeding my expectations and I must focus on maintaining order. Even more worrisome is the fact that Luna has been acting strange as of late, so I have to keep an eye on her as well. I am not sure when I will be able to write you again my little stallion. Thus, I will tell you the names of the next two mares I had in mind for you.

I am sure you have already noticed the trend in my choices, so it should come as no surprise that Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are candidates. I have already contacted Fluttershy and asked her to host an event that should put you two in the same place at the same time, but Rainbow Dash has been much harder to reach. As always, I am confident you will find a way to succeed, but wish you good luck nonetheless.

With my warmest regards and love,

Celestia

Big Macintosh wasn’t surprised that the solar princess had selected Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy for potential mates, but the news that Canterlot was experiencing a state of civil unrest was a bit troubling. Of course, Ponyville was nowhere near the size of Equestria’s capital city, but that didn’t mean their cosmic passerby couldn’t also affect the rural hamlet’s population in strange ways too. Even more troublesome was that he’d have absolutely no help in wooing the rainbow-maned speedster, his sister’s most competitive and boisterous friend.

Ain’t gonna do me no good ta get down on myself before I even try, ruminated Big Macintosh, dusting off his clothes, I’ve come this far already, and I ain’t gonna let Celestia down.

Reaffirming his commitment to his monarch’s increasingly complex quagmire of a plan, Big Macintosh raced up the clubhouse’s steps to retrieve the wayward candle that slipped from his grasp before making sure that everything was right where he had found it last evening.

However, right as Big Macintosh exited through the door, a drop of water fell on the top of his head, causing him to stare up at the sky in confusion. It was a perfectly calm, sunny day, with very little wind and absolutely no storm clouds in sight. Shrugging off the unexpected droplet as just another one of nature’s many mysteries, he began to briskly trot towards the farmhouse, paying no mind to the tiny cumulus cloud perched directly over the clubhouse’s doorway.

_______________________________________________

This is not good, thought Rainbow Dash, unable to control her fingers for the fifth time that morning, this is definitely not good.

Her day had started off so well too. She only had to break-up a few pesky stratocumulus formations over the north end of Ponyville before she’d been able to sneak away for, at least in her mind, a much deserved nap. Of course, the only place she’d consider taking a snooze break over was Sweet Apple Acres, especially since the budding apple flowers and dew-covered earth smelled so awesome during the early spring months. Thus, after arriving in ten seconds flat and bunching up the perfect bed from a few stray wisps of water mass, she settled in, poised to let another boring day in Ponyville slip by unnoticed.

Then, the unexpected happened. At first she’d chalked up the noises to her dream-addled brain, imagining that a few of her more passionate fans were cheering their heads off after she’d managed to pull off a triple sonic rainboom during her debut Wonderbolt performance. The reality of the situation became readily apparent after she finished rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Two ponies were getting hot and heavy in the Apple family’s old clubhouse, and Rainbow Dash, feeling her own arousal growing, couldn’t resist the urge to peek. Peering over the edge of her cloud-bed ever so slightly, what, or more specifically who, she saw going at it absolutely dumbfounded her.

For the next hour or so she watched as her good friend Pinkie Pie and Applejack’s big brother did almost everything a mare and a stallion could do to pleasure one another, so intently in fact that she didn't even remember when she'd removed her leggings and started to tease her own body. Now her inner thighs and marehood were overflowing from her excitement, and she cursed her heat for coming on so strongly this year. She'd even sought out her usual companion for some much needed relief the last few nights, but their lovemaking only ended with both of them feeling more frustrated then when they started. After seeing Big Macintosh in action though...

A quick inspection of her soaked lower folds definitely indicated that a shower was needed before she did anything else, but after that, she'd definitely be heading back to Sweet Apple Acres. Just to see if her good buddy Applejack needed help with anything on the farm, of course.

____________________________________________________

"Dagnabbit Big Macintosh," said Applejack in frustration, using her free hand to give him a knock on his noggin, "if ya don't stop yawnin' we ain't never gonna get done patchin' this here roof. Why are ya so tired anyways? I let ya sleep in till lunchtime..."

Big Macintosh rubbed the impact spot on his head soothingly, trying his best to stifle another yawn before it slipped out of his throat.

"Sorry AJ," replied Big Macintosh, nodding his head in drowsy agreement, "guess I didn't sleep well is all."

"Don't tell me yar gettin' sick now too," continued Applejack exasperatedly, fanning her face with her hat, "I'm not feelin' too well myself, and it ain't gonna be good if we're both holed up in bed."

"Hold on now AJ," interjected Big Macintosh, perking up at his sister's admission of weakness, "it ain't like ya ta tell anypony yar getting' sick. Is it bad? Do we need ta get Nurse Redheart ta come..."

"It ain't none of yar business what's wrong with me," interrupted Applejack, her face growing more flushed by the second, "and I don't need Nurse Redheart ta look me over. I know exactly what's wrong and how ta take care of it. Now quit yar worryin' and get back ta hammerin' down these shingles."

Applejack watched as Big Macintosh reluctantly turned around to continue repairing the farmhouse’s roof, and visibly deflated when she was absolutely positive he wouldn’t notice her posture. Standing on top of a building with the sun bearing down on her was partially to blame for her current condition, but the gnawing fire in her stomach was definitely the bigger culprit. She’d had a few powerful heat cycles before, but never one that made her consider taking a day off from working. This one though, just like everything else around Ponyville as of late, was wild and unpredictable.

She still couldn’t believe some of the things she’d seen some of the mares and stallions in town doing to one another, in broad daylight no less. Kissing, cuddling, and fondling...of course some of them would stop when they noticed other ponies looking, but there were a choice few individuals that carried on unabashed, either not noticing or not caring about the stares they drew.

However, just as Applejack was about to renew her mental tirade against the indecency of some ponies, a very familiar whistling sound in the distance caused her ears to perk up at attention. Only one thing moved fast enough to make that particular noise, so she wasn't surprised to see a cyan-colored blur heading directly towards the Apple Family's home. She was, however, quite curious as to why her speedster friend forsook her usual naptime to pay her a visit.

"Well, well, well," said Rainbow Dash with a grin, landing perfectly next to Applejack, "what do we have here? Looks like two ponies boring themselves to death with work to me. I think opening a barrel of cider could raise your fun levels a bit."

"Ain't nopony going nowhere till this roof is patched," replied Applejack obstinately, reaching down to pick up the empty bucket they'd been using to hold their work supplies, "but if ya want ta help, I'd be mighty appreciative if ya flew down ta tha barn and picked up some more nails. We just ran out of 'em."

"Me, do work? You gotta be..." protested Rainbow Dash at first, but fell silent for the briefest of seconds before continuing, "well, what the hay. I don't have any more clouds to bust up. Nothing but clear skies till late tomorrow afternoon. Then me and the other weather ponies are gonna bring on the rain!"

"Well that's too ba...wait, what?" questioned Applejack, unsure if she heard her friend correctly, "ya want ta help us work on tha roof?"

"Yeah, so?" answered Rainbow Dash brashly, crossing her arms and stretching her wings, "what's the big deal? I don't mind helping out a friend with a few chores."

"Uh, nothin' I suppose," stated Applejack, raising one of her eyebrows in astonishment, "I learned there ain't nothin' wrong with acceptin' help when it's offered, but are ya sure yar feelin' alright sugar cube?"

"Jeez AJ, I said I'm fine," repeated Rainbow Dash glibly, reaching down to pick up the empty pail, "now where did you say those nails where?"

"Fly right on down ta tha barn's front door," explained Applejack, gripping the hammer she'd looped through her belt, "and look ta yar right after ya get inside. Ya should see a big box on a shelf. Can't miss 'em if ya tried."

"Gotcha," affirmed Rainbow Dash, flapping her wings and rising into a hover, "I'll be back in a flash!"

Applejack watched as Rainbow Dash took off, making it to the barn and back again with the nails just as she knelt down to align the next replacement shingle that needed securing. This arrangement continued on for almost half an hour, the Apple siblings working across the roof in a flurry of productive activity due in large part to the new gopher they'd found in the swift pegasus.

However, Applejack began to notice that Rainbow Dash would spend an awfully long time on her return trips staring at Big Macintosh. In fact, the last time she looked over at the cyan pegasus, she could have sworn Dash was biting her lower lip with a longing gleam present in her eyes. Applejack certainly didn't want to accuse her friend of plotting something bawdy without asking her directly first, but just as she opened her mouth to speak, a throbbing pang of pleasure pulsed through her abdomen. Caught completely unprepared, Applejack stumbled forward and fell to her knees, catching herself with her hands before she slid off the roof. Her vision began to blur, but she could still make out the shapes of Big Macintosh and Rainbow Dash rushing to her side.

"AJ," shouted Big Macintosh, almost falling off the farmhouse in his haste to reach her, "what's wrong, AJ? Say somethin' to me!"

"Hold on girl," added Rainbow Dash consolingly, reaching Applejack first and cradling her as she slumped down further, "I gotcha. She's burning up Big Mac."

"Let me see," responded Big Macintosh, laying his hand across her forehead, "eeyup. Ya darn fool. I thought we got past ya workin' yarself ta death."

"I...I ain't overworked," stammered Applejack, finally catching her breath enough to speak, "but I do need ta get off this roof. Help me get down and inta tha house ya'll. I'll be fine after I rest up in my room for a spell."

Big Macintosh picked up Applejack effortlessly, cradling her in his arms as if she weighed no more than one of Fluttershy's small critters. Rainbow Dash helped steady Big Macintosh's descent down the ladder, and after about a minute of shuffling through doorways and walking up stairs, they arrived at Applejack's bedroom.

"Thank ya'll for tha help," stated Applejack, draping her hat on the bed's headboard before falling down into the mattress, "but I can take it from here. Go on and finish hammerin' down the last of those shingles Big Mac. I'll send Dash out ta help ya in a bit."

"Eeyu...hold on now," replied Big Macintosh, leaning over her reclining form protectively, "if ya need somethin' I can get it for ya AJ..."

"What I need is ta talk ta Dash about somethin' for mare's ears only," explained Applejack, thumping Big Macintosh on the nose, "and for ya ta finish up tha roof before tha rain she was talkin' about rolls in tomorrow. Now scat, ya hear?"

After watching Big Macintosh slink out of the room like a chastised puppy, Applejack set her sights on Rainbow Dash. Unsurprisingly, she noticed that the rainbow-maned pegasus was once again ogling her big brother on his way out.

"Ahem," said Applejack loudly, causing Rainbow Dash to snap out of her stupor, "I don't mean ta interrupt yar sightseein' Rainbow, but I want ya ta be honest with me. Are ya in heat, and if ya are, what are ya plannin' on doin' ta Macintosh?"

"Hey! I wasn't...I mean, I was, but I'm not..." faltered Rainbow Dash, caught completely off-guard by Applejack's bluntness, "alright, fine, you got me. But you're in heat too! Don't even try to deny it after that little exhibition on the rooftop!"

"I never said I wasn't," retorted Applejack, adjusting her head to a more comfortable position on her pillow, "and if it's hittin' ya as hard as it's hittin' me, than we both got some difficult days ahead of us. But don't think that Macintosh is gonna help ya through it. Heck, as far as I know he's only made it ta second base."

"Ha, looked like a grand slam to me..." mumbled Rainbow Dash, conjuring up the sights and sounds she witnessed at the clubhouse.

"What was that, sugarcube?" asked Applejack coldly, her eyes narrowing with suspicion, "didn't quite catch that last bit."

"Nothing, nothing," replied Rainbow Dash, alternating her gaze between the ceiling and the floor, "well, I better let you rest up. Besides, I bet Big Mac is getting pretty lonely by now."

"I'm serious Rainbow," asserted Applejack, sitting up from her bed before another wave of pleasure-tinged nausea forced her back down, "I don't want Macintosh gettin' hurt over tha fact that ya can't control yarself. He won't know what ta make of tha situation. Besides, don't ya and ya-know-who help each other out during this time of year?"

"Believe me...we tried," stated Rainbow Dash, flexing her wings in frustration, "and don't think I've forgotten how frisky you can get after a few glasses of hard cider and a swig of moonshine, Applejack. Say, maybe you and I can try to help each other out..."

"No ma'am," refused Applejack outright, yet still growing a bit sheepish from Rainbow Dash's reminder, "I ain't in no mood ta drink, and ya'd have ta get me pretty tipsy for that ta happen again."

"You weren't even buzzed the last time we were together," said Rainbow Dash with a smirk, "but that's fine. Still, who better to show Big Mac the ropes than good old dependable Rainbow Dash. Why I bet he'd..."

"Enough Dash," interrupted Applejack, her tone signaling the time for discussion was over, "now promise me ya ain't gonna try ta seduce my brother."

"Oh come on AJ!" pleaded Rainbow Dash, placing her hands on the edge of Applejack's bed, "maybe Big Mac will surprise you with how well he handles it. You can't keep going all mother hen on him when things like this happen."

"I ain't no mother hen," stated Applejack flatly, extending her hand towards dash, "and I want ya ta shake on that promise too."

"Ugh...alright, fine," agreed Rainbow Dash finally, grasping Applejack's open hand with one of her own, "I won't do anything to Big Macintosh today. I promise."

"Good," said Applejack satisfactorily, not ending the handshake just yet though, "and ya can stop crossin' yar fingers on yar other hand Dash. I ain't gonna let ya get away with any sly tricks this time."

"Ugh!" groaned Rainbow Dash once more, moving her other hand from behind her back for Applejack to see, "you know me too well Applejack. Fine, I'll say it again. I promise not to put the moves on your big brother today. Are you happy now?"

"Very," answered Applejack with a small grin, burrowing down into the comfort of her bed, "now if ya would be so kind as ta help Macintosh finish patchin' tha roof, I'll make sure a few extra glasses of cider make it yar way this year."

"Nice! Sounds good to me," stated Rainbow Dash, walking towards the door before donning a teasing visage, "now don't get too loud in here. We wouldn't want poor Macky Wacky to hear something naughty waughty."

"Get on out of here ya featherbrain," ordered Applejack with wry grin, tossing a throw pillow at the pegasus's head, "and make sure tha roof is patched tight, ya hear? I don't want ta drown in my bed during that big storm ya'll were talkin' about."

"I'm on it boss," replied Rainbow Dash with a salute, closing Applejack's bedroom door while stepping out into the second floor hall.

Okay, Applejack did make me promise not to try anything funny with Big Macintosh, thought Rainbow Dash, walking downstairs towards the nearest exit, but I did say I wouldn't try anything funny for just today, right? Besides, I had the tips of my wings crossed the whole time. That counts for something...ugh, this is a tough one.

As the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash was feeling extremely conflicted about the two ideas battling for control in her brain. On the one hand, Applejack was one of her irreplaceable friends, and she couldn't stomach the thought of losing her. Conversely, Big Macintosh was a few years older than them, so for Applejack to regard him as nothing more than an innocent colt in stallion's clothing, especially after what she'd witnessed earlier that morning, was way too controlling in her opinion. Walking outside into the sun, she took off and circled around lazily towards the roof, preparing to help Big Macintosh finish the tedious work she had regretfully committed to. What she saw waiting for her eliminated any doubt from her mind about her future course of action.

Big Macintosh was unbuttoning his workshirt, cursing quietly to himself about pesky nails and torn fabric. Rainbow Dash had seen him without a shirt on before, but for some reason this time was different. She wasn't sure whether it was her heat, the light sheen of sweat on his skin, his chiseled physique, or all of the above, but he looked...cool. That was the only word that came to her mind. Really, really cool.

Momentarily distracted by Big Macintosh, the cyan pegasus stumbled backwards over her own hooves as she landed, an embarrassing feat for a pony that prided herself on her athleticism. Not failing to notice a falling mare when he saw one, the large scarlet stallion shot his arm out to catch her, pulling her back to an upright position.

"Ya alright Rainbow Dash?" asked Big Macintosh, holding his shirt in one hand and her in the other, "I can help ya get into an open bed too if ya ain't feelin' well."

"Oh yeah...I mean, um, no, I'm fine, never better," corrected Rainbow Dash as inconspicuously as possible, trying to dismiss the image of them alone in a bedroom, "I, uh, I'm gonna help you finish. Help you finish the roof, that is. Applejack asked me to help you."

"That sounds mighty...helpful," replied Big Macintosh, pressing his shirt into her free hand, "would ya do me a quick favor and put this in tha house? I done snagged it on a nail and ripped open one of the sleeves."

"Sure, no problem," answered Rainbow Dash, taking the shirt and jumping off the roof into a glide, "no problem at all..."

Rainbow Dash quickly landed on the Apple family's front porch, turning her head from side-to-side to make sure nopony discovered her odd addiction. Bunching up the fabric of the shirt into a tight ball, she brought it to her nose and breathed deeply, savoring the scent of Big Macintosh. True to his family's name, his sweat certainly smelled of apples, but there were also undertones of earth, wood, and soap mixed together with the aromatic fruit. It was potent, masculine, and oh so very cool. Rainbow Dash blushed profusely as she inhaled once more, reveling in one of her biggest fetishes. The rainbow-maned pegasus didn't remember exactly when sweat had become such a potent aphrodisiac for her, but she did know years of training and competing in athletic events were to blame.

Rainbow Dash's wings fluttered excitedly, her mind now made up about what she needed to do. Patience wasn't one of her strongest qualities, but she could practice a few aerial tricks while she waited for midnight to roll around. Of course, she needed to figure out a nonchalant way to ask Big Macintosh which window was connected to his bedroom...

____________________________________________________

Meanwhile, Applejack waited patiently until she heard the sound of a hammer earnestly pounding down nails before she slipped out of her clothes underneath her covers, gasping slightly when the fabric of her bra brushed against her incredibly sensitive breasts. She moved her hands around to grasp the swollen orbs, tentatively brushing her thumbs over her nipples after only a moment’s hesitation.

The orange mare cried out in ecstasy, arching her back upwards from the intense pleasure that crashed over her body. She quickly bit her lower lip to stifle the rest of her moans, whimpering quietly as she struggled to maintain her composure. Granny Smith was napping downstairs in her own room, and even though Apple Bloom had left the house hours ago to play with the other two Cutie Mark Crusaders, one could never predict when or where those three fillies would crop up. And as if potentially being discovered by one of those two wasn’t bad enough, her big brother and close friend were literally only fifteen feet above her. A cursory glance at her bedroom window revealed it was firmly shut and latched, a small condolence that put her a little more at ease with continuing.

After taking a few deep breaths, Applejack began to knead her breasts in earnest, cooing and mewling as she massaged her ample bust. She knew for a fact that she had the second largest breasts amongst the Elements of Harmony, as well as, and she’d been told this by a few of the bolder local stallions, the longest, most shapely legs in Ponyville. She was certainly one of the tallest, if not the tallest, mare in town, and years of bucking apple trees during harvest season offered the side benefit of toning muscles exquisitely. She slid her long limbs back and forth over the soft cotton of her worn bed sheets, enjoying its soothing sensation coupled with the more arousing maneuverings of her wandering hands.

One of which had indeed moseyed southward, moving past her stomach and towards the pair of simple white hipsters she still had on. Rarity had tried on numerous occasions to get Applejack to wear something a bit flashier or risqué, but the obstinate earth pony had always outright refused to put on, as she put it, a pair of strings tied together. Besides, it was what the cloth covered that Applejack cared about most right now, and after sliding her fingers under the taut waistband, she began to caress her reddening folds in a gentle circular motion.

Applejack cried out after only a few seconds of gentle probing, burying her head into her pillow to try and muffle the lewd noises escaping her throat. This was unlike any estrus cycle she'd ever experienced since reaching maturity. It was so unchecked and overpowering, and Applejack buried finger after finger inside herself at its behest. However, even after sheathing three digits to the knuckle, she didn't feel full.

That can't be, thought Applejack fearfully, I...I ain't ever been able ta do more than two before, so how is this not enough?

She decided to redouble her efforts, using all her adroitness coupled with the most-personal knowledge of her bodily likes to bring herself to the peak of delight. But no matter how much she moved or spread her fingers within her body, she never felt completely content.

This is what I've always done, reflected Applejack, her panic rising to new levels, why ain't this enough? Wha-what's happening to me?

And even after her first two orgasms washed over her body in rapid succession, she didn't feel satiated. It was depressing! It was infuriating!

Applejack continued pleasuring herself for almost an hour, reaching climax again and again, soaking the sheets of her bed with sweat and arousal...but it still wasn't enough! Her level of frustration at this point was astronomically high, but soon exhaustion, coupled with the fatigue from morning chores, caught up with her. Biting the edge of her old quilt between her teeth as one more phenomenal orgasm rocked her body, Applejack collapsed onto her mattress in a heap of drenched blonde hair and sore, tingly muscles. Her breathing soon slowed to a crawl, but her eyes still fluttered open tenaciously, staving off sleep for a few more seconds so she could bask in the afterglow that permeated every fiber of her being. Finally, Applejack yawned loudly and rubbed her legs together one last time, closing her eyes to descend into a state of blissful unconsciousness.

_______________________________________________

Big Macintosh had just finished helping Apple Bloom wash and towel off the dishes from tonight’s dinner, and was now walking up the stairs towards Applejack’s room to check on her. She’d refused to eat with the family earlier citing that she wasn’t feeling well enough to sit at the table, so he was bringing her a glass of water and a gala apple sliced into uniform little wedges. After knocking several times and receiving no response, Big Macintosh shuffled his cargo around so he could open the door. Stepping into Applejack’s dark quarters with only the light from the hall to guide him, the scarlet stallion made his way over to her side, carefully setting the food on a small bedside table. Then, grabbing the small stool his sister kept in the corner of the room, he placed it next to the bed and sat down, running his hand over her forehead and through her hair. She did feel a bit feverish, but more distressing was how utterly primal she looked in her sleep. Her long blonde hair, usually kept in a very tight ponytail, snaked off in every direction, framing her flushed face like a headdress made of the finest yellow silks. Her arms and legs were each splayed in their own unique direction, and Big Macintosh couldn’t help but think she looked unequivocally…beautiful.

Noticing his sister was beginning to stir, he quickly banished those awkward observations and donned a more brotherly appearance, directing a comforting smile at her as she opened her eyes to look up at him. She groaned unhappily at being disturbed, but a quick glance at the awaiting victuals her brother had brought her eased those feelings of annoyance.

“Thought ya might like somethin’ ta eat,” said Big Macintosh, gripping the nearby cup of water, “and drink, of course. Ya been in here a while.”

“How long was I out?” asked Applejack, taking the glass from him gratefully. She took several long sips, savoring how the cool liquid traveled down her throat.

“About four hours, I reckon,” answered Big Macintosh, tilting his head towards the plate of apple wedges, “which is why ya need ta eat. Look, I even took out tha seeds for ya.”

“My hero,” stated Applejack drolly, grabbing a slice and devouring it ravenously, “I can’t remember tha last time I was this famished. It has been a day of firsts though…”

“Eeyup,” replied Big Macintosh, remembering his sister’s peculiar behavior, “the last time ya took a day off from work was…well, I can’t rightly remember when.”

“Cause I ain’t ever taken a day off,” claimed Applejack, finishing off the last few bites of her food, “and if I ain't well by tomorrow mornin', ya'll are gonna have ta chaperone Apple Bloom's field trip in my place.”

"Eeyup...wait, come again?" queried Big Macintosh, this being the first time he'd heard about any excursion, "Apple Bloom said somethin' big was happenin' at school tomorrow, but she didn't mention no field trip."

"That's cause it's supposed ta be a surprise," explained Applejack, looking towards the doorway to make sure Apple Bloom wasn't in earshot, "Princess Celestia asked Fluttershy ta lead a little nature walk ta teach tha kids about the local wildlife, and Cheerilee is supposed ta bring them out ta see Zecora so they can participate in a bit of...now what did Twilight call it, oh right, cultural exchange."

"Oh, I see," acknowledged Big Macintosh quietly, "well, that actually sounds mighty swell."

"I know Apple Bloom will have a grand ole time," continued Applejack, laying back down against her pillow, "and I think ya will too if I end up not bein' able ta go. Cheerilee always asks about ya when yar not working tha apple cart with me. I reckon she still has a little of that love poison in her system."

"That ain't funny AJ," grumbled Big Macintosh, thinking back on last year’s Hearts and Hooves Day debacle, "and I'm sure she's just bein' neighborly."

"Well, all I know is she keeps inquiring about what yar doin'," observed Applejack, snuggling down into her warm blankets, "especially since she hasn't seen ya since yar Canterlot trip. Maybe I'll be a nice little sister and let ya go in my stead anyways."

"Only thing ya need ta worry about little sister," retorted Big Macintosh, tussling her hair playfully, "is gettin' better. I'm gonna go read a bit before hittin' tha hay, but if ya need anythin' at all, just holler."

"Will do Dr. Macintosh," affirmed Applejack dryly, tossing him a small wink, "now let me rest ya big lug."

Big Macintosh stood up, moved the stool back to its original place while stepping out into the hallway, and closed the door behind him. He walked the few paces it took him to get to his own room and promptly collapsed onto his mattress, its springs creaking under his bulky frame. He opened a nearby drawer and retrieved his worn copy of Flora and Fauna of the Everfree Forest, thumbing through its pages to brush up on the strange and most often dangerous plants and creatures that lurked in the darkness of the local foliage. Manticores, Poison Joke, and Timber Wolves…the Everfree Forest was certainly an interesting choice of locale for a field trip, but he supposed the journey from Fluttershy’s cottage to Zecora’s home would be safe enough under the supervision of alert adults. After all, the path was well-worn at this point, and as long as none of the colts and fillies strayed off on their own…and with that thought, he made a mental note to never let Apple Bloom and her friends leave his sight.

Still, he knew that Celestia organizing this little excursion, just like Pinkie Pie’s party, was her way of giving him a chance to get close to the shy yellow pegasus. He’d always enjoyed the rare instances when he was in Fluttershy’s company, especially when she was surrounded by all the critters she took care of. They helped put her at ease…well, enough to make small talk anyways. However, the fact that he hadn’t made any progress with Rainbow Dash, even after spending most of the afternoon with her, was overwhelmingly depressing. They had joked and played around for a bit while they were working together, but it had seemed more jovial than flirtatious, no matter how much he tried to work his charm.

Yawning loudly as he finished speculating over the day’s odd happenings, Big Macintosh returned the book to its usual resting spot, extinguished the light he’d been using, and hunkered down into his mattress. Falling asleep had never been a problem for him, especially after reading, and the freshly laundered sheets his grandmother had made his bed with felt so wonderful that not even a minute had passed before he was snoring away contently.

Several hours had passed since that moment, and the moon, as well as the comet, filled the night sky with their bizarre mixture of light, illuminating the black-clothed form hovering outside Big Macintosh’s bedroom window. It placed its hands on the upper rail, slowly lifting it upwards to its fully open position. Then, grasping the sill with dexterous fingers, it slipped inside the dark interior of the house, slowly prowling towards the room’s occupant like a cat stalking a hapless mouse.

The stealthy predator hadn’t expected it to be quite this easy, but that initial assessment soon changed upon entering the immediate vicinity of its target. Two arms shot out from under the covers, one grasping the intruder’s arm while the other clamped down firmly over what Big Macintosh assumed was his or her mouth. He drew the unknown assailant towards him, pinning its much smaller form between his prodigious physique and the springy mattress.

“The only reason I covered yar yapper was so ya don’t wake my family,” explained Big Macintosh coldly, glowering at the masked figure, “I don’t know what a robber hoped ta get from a bunch of farmers, but I can tell ya yar wastin’ yar time and mine.”

He could now make out the vagrant’s magenta eyes glaring right back at him, and upon closer inspection he noticed a few strands of red, orange, and yellow hair poking out through the vision slit in the mask…

“…Rainbow Dash?” asked Big Macintosh unsurely, using one of his hands to remove the garment, “sweet sassafras it is you. Why are ya here? And why are ya wearing that getup?”

“It’s an old Nightmare Night costume,” retorted Rainbow Dash, trying to squirm out from the large stallion, "you got a problem with ninjas?"

"I, uh, nnope," replied Big Macintosh, growing more perplexed by the second, "but that still don't answer my first question."

"I-I was just flying around," stammered Rainbow Dash, breaking eye contact with the scarlet stallion, "and I, uh, wanted to surprise Applejack. Yeah, it was gonna be a really cool prank. I musta mixed up her room and yours though."

"Eeyup," affirmed Big Macintosh, realizing what was actually happening, “which is why ya kept asking me this afternoon whose room ya were standing over when we were working on tha roof. I think ya asked twice about mine…”

“That is, well, I swear I was just…” deflected Rainbow Dash adamantly, sighing once she knew she was caught, “fine! Fine! I knew it was your room the whole time. There, I said it. Happy now?”

“Eeyup,” answered Big Macintosh, sitting up on his knees so Rainbow Dash could sit up as well, “but that still…”

“…doesn’t answer your first question, right?” finished Rainbow Dash, taking a deep, steadying breath, “okay, fine, I’ll level with you Mac. I saw you earlier today.”

“I, uh, remember seein’ ya too,” stated Big Macintosh, very unsure of where the conversation was going, “we worked on tha roof together…”

“No, that isn’t what I’m talking about,” said Rainbow Dash flatly, leaning towards him, her face mere inches away from his own, “I saw you in the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse with Pinkie Pie this morning buster, and let me tell you, I saw everything…and I mean everything!”

It was now Big Macintosh’s turn to scramble for answers.

Maybe I could…no she’d never believe that in a million years, plotted Big Macintosh, desperately trying to craft a convincing excuse, if I explain that…no, that is even stupider than the first idea.

“Fine, ya got me dead to rights,” confessed Big Macintosh, deciding there wasn’t any point in trying to fib, “I don’t know how it’s yar business, but Pinkie and I were, well, doing what ya saw us doing.”

“Well duh…anypony who isn’t blind and or deaf would know what you two were doing,” quipped Rainbow Dash, enjoying her newfound control of the situation, “and it’s my business because Pinkie Pie is my friend, and as the Element of Loyalty, well, I need to make sure that my friends are, well...not gonna get hurt, got it?”

“Fair enough,” acknowledged Big Macintosh, grinning at the growing absurdity of the present state of affairs, “and ya had ta tell me this after midnight because…”

It was now Rainbow Dash’s turn to squirm under scrutiny, realizing that she too would have to come clean with her real motives.

“Don’t play dumb Mac,” asserted Rainbow Dash, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks, “why else would a mare come to a stallion’s room late at night? I don’t know if you and Pinkie are seeing each other, but if it was just a li-little fling, I wouldn’t mind if you and I, well…ugh! Don’t make me say it. This is already starting to turn into an uncool disaster.”

“Ya mean, ya want to, uh, with me…” stuttered Big Macintosh, unprepared for this fortuitous occurrence, “but earlier ya didn’t seem at all interested. Heck, we spent more time exchanging stories about Applejack than flirtin’ with one another.”
“Hey, I’m not a bubbly, giggly kind of girl,” stated Rainbow Dash firmly, pressing her index finger into his chest, “joking like that is my idea of a good time. Besides, I-I thought you looked kinda cool without a shirt on. Don’t get cocky though. I’m still the coolest thing in Ponyville by far.”

Big Macintosh smiled at her offbeat compliment, but the warm finger she placed on his chest made him conscious of how chilly the room had gotten. As if reading his mind, Rainbow Dash looked at his torso as well, and both their eyes kept traveling downwards until one remembered something about himself, while the other learned something new: Big Macintosh slept in the nude.

Rainbow Dash reacted first, pulling her hand back and drawing her legs to her chest, her eyes transfixed on the flaccid, yet still impressive, length lying against the bed. Big Macintosh almost made a similar knee-jerk reaction to cover his body, but the past week of sexual experiences and training gave him a capital idea. Moving towards Rainbow Dash, Big Macintosh pressed his body against her compact form, leaning over to speak into one of her very upright and attentive ears.

“Ya know Dash, we may have started off on the wrong hoof,” whispered Big Macintosh, nipping at the very tip of her ear before resuming, “but that don’t mean we can’t turn things around for the better.”

“Ye-yeah, sure,” replied Rainbow Dash hoarsely, trying to regain her equanimity, “I, ah, I think we can, ah! Mmph!”

Big Macintosh had enjoyed pecking Rainbow Dash's neck while she was trying to speak, but the kiss they were sharing now was even better. Her lips parted welcomingly for his invading tongue, and she let go of her legs to wrap her arms around his shoulders. They sparred this way for quite a while, rolling back and forth across the bed as they sought out new angles to lounge in and unexplored regions to press against. Big Macintosh found the flimsy ties for Rainbow Dash's costume soon enough, and after removing the black keikogi, long pants, and sports bra she had on, he sat back to admire her body in the moonlight.

Her breasts were smaller than Rarity's by quite a bit, but they were pert and shapely. What really caught his eye though was how beautifully toned her entire body was. She wasn't bulky by any stretch of the imagination, but her arms, legs, and torso rippled with a sinewy grace that was mesmerizing. Her stomach was exquisitely chiseled as well, and he ran his fingers along the outline of her pectoral muscles, tracing them with the lightest of touches.

"Are y-you gonna tickle me all night?" questioned Rainbow Dash challengingly, managing to catch her breath enough to speak, "or are we, ah, ha, gonna get down to business?"

"Yes ma'am," said Big Macintosh, making a mock salute with one of his hands, "right away ma'am."

"Ha, cut it out Mac," laughed Rainbow Dash, grinning at his comedic antics, "I want you to make me feel good in another, non-joke kinda way..."

Being rather quick on the uptake with the sexual wants of mares as of late, Big Macintosh flashed Rainbow Dash a grin before hooking his thumbs under the sides of the black boy short panties she had on. He slid them down her legs slowly, making sure to press the tips of fingers against her thighs and calves as he went.

“You look mighty fine in black Dash.” observed Big Macintosh, placing his hands on her knees, “but I bet tha other ninja ponies tell ya that all tha time.”

Rainbow Dash shot him a scolding look before spreading apart her legs, completely exposing her marehood to him. Of course, the first thing Big Macintosh noticed was the small tuft of rainbow colored hair above her folds, confirming for himself, at least, one of the most speculated about rumors for the male population of Ponyville. However, the fact that she was dripping wet was also readily apparent, prompting Big Macintosh to press his muzzle against her slit and run his tongue from its base to the tiny bundle of nerves at its top. Rainbow Dash cried out loudly, causing both ponies to instantly freeze and listen for the stirring of hooves.

“I know it ain’t gonna be easy,” stated Big Macintosh, kissing her right thigh in reassurance, “but yar gonna have ta try and keep quiet.”

“G-give me some warning next time,” replied Rainbow Dash, winding her fingers through his blonde mane, “don’t just dive in like tha-ah! Mmph.”

Big Macintosh did dive back in though, but Rainbow Dash, being a bit more prepared this time, was able to stifle most of her moans. He continued to look up at her face while his tongue and fingers explored her lower folds, enjoying the silent film quality of her erotic reactions.

The scarlet stallion steadily increased the probing depth of his appendages, reaching further into her body in search of the most erogenous zones. His fingers grazed a spot towards the front of her warm walls that elicited the desired reaction, which was Rainbow Dash's wide-eyed, open-mouth stare of supreme pleasure. Zeroing in on that trigger, along with the circling and pressing motions of his tongue around her clitoris, Big Macintosh brought the cyan pegasus to a silent orgasm. Rainbow Dash arched her back in pleasure, her wings stretching out as she tried her best to stifle the yelps of ecstasy trying to escape her throat. Big Macintosh sat up to embrace her, capturing her lips with a kiss to aid in her silence-preserving endeavor, relishing the feeling of her breath and his mingling as she worked through the throes of her climax.

Rainbow Dash's body eventually went slack, and without exchanging so much as a word she pushed Big Macintosh back down onto the bed, rotating her body to face away from him as she straddled his face. He felt his member, now fully erect, rise up to rest against one of her cheeks. She nuzzled it affectionately before showering in several small kisses, paying close attention to the flared and throbbing head of his staff. Although he couldn't exactly see what Rainbow Dash was doing, he suspected that her hot breath flowing from the top of his member to its base signaled that she had opened her mouth to devour him. The warm, wet feeling of her throat and tight seal of her pursed lips confirmed this to be true, and his quiet grunt of pleasure stirred the pegasus to take more of him into her mouth.

Big Macintosh wasn't the kind of stallion that enjoyed remaining idle for long, and the incessant wiggling of Rainbow Dash's hips informed him that she would very much enjoy some reciprocation of her oral stimulation. Placing his hands on her very toned flanks, he placed the tip of his tongue against the entrance of her marehood, slowly pressing it into her quivering body. She responded by moaning loudly against his phallus, a sonic assault which caused Big Macintosh to lift his hips up reflexively in approval.

The two of them continued this back and forth battle for almost half an hour, each pushing the other's buttons to escalate the ante. Big Macintosh was confident that he'd score an easy victory, but Rainbow Dash surprised him not only with her resilience, but also the creative tactics she employed. Her mouth and tongue never stopped moving, and her hands were either massaging his thighs or cradling his swollen orbs, applying just enough pressure to coax a hiss of pleasure from him.

He soon found himself teetering on the edge, and Rainbow Dash’s finishing move of biting down ever so gently on the head of his stallionhood pushed him over the precipice. Big Macintosh’s hips shot upwards, and the cyan pegasus’s head moved downwards to meet his lunge, her throat vigorously working to swallow the copious amounts of white seed gushing from his member. After the last few shots left his body, he slid out from under Rainbow Dash and prodded his member against her lower lips, reinvigorating it to its completely rigid state.

“Ya ready Dash,” asked Big Macintosh, using his free hand to trace the line of her spine, “cause I’m feelin’ mighty ready myself.”

“I, uh, sure…of course,” replied Rainbow Dash, growing more antsy by the second, “why wouldn’t I be ready? I-I’ve done this ple-plenty of times.”

“Alright…” continued Big Macintosh, not failing to notice the panicked look in her eyes, “I’ll just go nice and slow.”

“Co-cool,” stated Rainbow Dash feebly, now starting to visibly shake, “slo-slow is cool. Real cool.”

Big Macintosh couldn’t believe his ears. Rainbow Dash claiming that going slow was good? He was more than certain now that something was amiss, but he decided to test the waters, pushing the first inch of his rod into her warm passage. She clamped down on him hard, tensing up so much that he couldn’t go a fraction of an inch further. The blue speedster was frantic at this point, her wings flaring out while she violently shook her head in every direction possible.

“I-I can’t,” claimed Rainbow Dash, crawling forward on the bed away from Big Macintosh, “I thought I-I was over it, but I’m not.”

“What’s wrong Dash?” queried Big Macintosh, completely shocked by her behavior, “did I do somethin’ wrong? What do ya mean yar not over it?”

“No, no, no,” answered Rainbow Dash, a few tears rolling down her cheeks, “I-I just can’t do it. So-sorry Mac, but I gotta go.”

Rainbow Dash stood up and began gathering her clothes, moving towards the open bedroom window with all due haste. Big Macintosh got to his hooves and intercepted her though, grasping her shoulders so he could get a good look at her face. She was trying her best to stymie her tears, but a few slipped down her cheeks, dropping to the floorboards with enough volume to be heard in the total silence that surrounded them.

“I don’t care about not finishing,” stated Big Macintosh quietly, trying to be as reassuring as possible, “but I can’t let ya go after seein’ all that. Talk ta me. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!” shouted Rainbow Dash, stamping a hoof down in frustration, “nothing is wron…oh, shoot. Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

But it was already too late. Both the stallion and the pegasus mare heard someone stirring in the room next door, their hooves moving towards the direction of the hallway. Big Macintosh knew who it was too. He and Applejack had been living next to each other all their lives and he knew better than anyone what a light sleeper she was, especially after hearing a bump in the night. She’d never admit to it, but she’d often crawled into his bed after having a nightmare, seeking his reassurance that no boogie ponies existed in her closet or under her bed.

“That’s AJ and she’s comin’ here,” explained Big Macintosh bluntly, motioning towards the window, “hurry and fly ta tha barn’s loft. I’ll meet ya there in ten minutes, I promise.”

“What? No way!” retorted Rainbow Dash vehemently, running the back of her hand across her face, “I’m heading home, I-I don’t want to talk about…”

“Well I do,” said Big Macintosh assertively, helping her up onto the windowsill, “now fly fast. Ya need ta get out of sight before she walks in. I swear I’ll be there Dash. Just wait for me.”

Big Macintosh couldn’t hear and see if she agreed to his proposal after she took off, darting away with a very impressive burst of speed. He propped both of his arms against the frame and watched her fly away until she vanished into the night though, doing his best to mentally record every detail of a beautiful pegasus mare gliding through the sky in the nude.

Big Macintosh could hear Applejack’s hoofsteps outside his door now, and soon she was turning the knob without so much as knocking. That was fine though. In fact, it worked perfectly for what he planned to do next. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself to do possibly the most embarrassing thing of his life.

_______________________________________________

Applejack was furious. She already felt like she’d been run over by a fully-loaded apple cart, but to make matters worse she’d been jarred out of her already fitful sleep by somepony shouting at the top of their lungs in the middle of the night. Applejack knew exactly who that somepony was too, and once she got a hold of that sly, no-good pegasus, she was going to buck her to the moon.

Bursting into Big Macintosh’s bedroom unannounced, she immediately headed for his closet, flinging its sliding doors open in search of her prey.

“Where is she Macintosh,” asked Applejack commandingly, kneeling down to look under his bed after confirming Rainbow Dash wasn’t hiding amongst his clothes, “don’t you fret none, I’m gonna have plenty ta say ta ya too after I’m done tannin’ her hide.”

“Ain’t nobody here but me AJ,” responded Big Macintosh, moving towards his sister warily, "and if ya don't mind, I was doin' somethin' private before ya barged in here..."

"Oh I know what yar were doin' in here," replied Applejack sassily, looking up at him for the first time since entering the room, "and I know who ya were doin' it...with..."

Applejack's voice trailed off when she noticed her brother, wrapping a bed sheet around his bare chest, was standing up in more ways than one. The two siblings were as still as statues, Big Macintosh looking like a sheepish colt who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, while Applejack stared at him in wide-eyed bewilderment, her lower lip moving up and down slowly as she tried to form words.

"Ya two..." muttered Applejack shakily, finally finding her voice, "ya two didn't...didn't already...I can't believe..."

"Ain't nopony done anything to anypony," stated Big Macintosh calmly, trying to keep his voice as level as possible, "the yelp ya heard was me. I had a bit of an accident..."

"Accident," repeated Applejack doubtfully, her eyes narrowing in suspicion, "Macintosh Apple, don't ya dare lie ta me about what ya were doing in here, or who ya were with."

"Do ya really want me ta describe what I was doin' ta myself AJ?" asked Big Macintosh aggressively, trying to put his sister into an uncomfortable position, "besides, I ain't tha only one who isn't decent at the moment..."

"What are ya blabbering on about," interjected Applejack, looking down at the robe she had thrown over her naked form, "I'm as dressed as I need ta be..."

That was when Applejack noticed that the sash of her dressing gown had come loose, most likely during her bloodhound-like inspection of her big brother's bedroom. Her right shoulder and breast were completely bare, as well as most of her right leg, all the way up to where it meet her hip. Adjusting the loose end and cinching the sash tight caused the orange mare to calm down from her fanatic crusade, and when that happened the surge of adrenaline she'd been running on petered out too, leaving her feeling drained and feverish. Any amount of recovery she'd made from her earlier collapse was wiped clean off the slate, and her knees buckled and collapsed inward just from the effort it took her to stand on her own two hooves. Big Macintosh was next to her in the blink of an eye though, pressing his forehead against hers as she labored to catch her breath.

"Yar burnin' up AJ," observed Big Macintosh, gently scooping her up in his arms, "I'm gonna put ya ta bed and tell Granny Smith ta look after ya in the mornin'. Ya ain't gonna be doin' no chores till this passes."

Applejack mumbled a delirious response, and she cradle her head against his shoulder for stability as he maneuvered through his door, down the hallway, and into her room. Big Macintosh placed her shivering form onto her bed, fluffing her pillow and drawing the sheets up to just under her chin. He then bent over and kissed her warm cheek, a single tear falling from his eyes to land on the spot his lips had just touched.

"I'm sorry AJ," apologized Big Macintosh, on the verge of collapsing into a tearful wreck, "I don't mean ta lie ta ya or any of tha family...this whole ordeal has just gotten so complicated. I'm in too deep ta quit, but I ain't even treadin' water no more...just drownin."

Big Macintosh watched his sister twist and turn for a few minutes after finishing his unheard confession, humming an old lullaby their mother used to sing after tucking them in for the night. Her breathing and thrashing immediately settled down upon hearing it, which was a small consolation to the emotionally frayed stallion. He stood up slowly so as not to disturb Applejack further, knowing if he left now he would make it just in time to where Rainbow Dash was hopefully waiting for him. After throwing on a pair of worn jeans and sprinting down the stairs and out the front door as noiselessly as possible, Big Macintosh took off in a dead heat for the barn, intent on getting some answers from the rainbow-maned mare.

_______________________________________________

Besides the hooting of an old owl that made his home in the rafters of the Apple family's barn, the rest of the building was eerily quiet. Big Macintosh slipped his bulky frame through the large alley doors, walking towards the ascension ladder located near the tool shelf. Placing his hands on the top most rung while his hooves stepped onto the lower ones, he swiftly climbed up into the dark loft, illuminated only by a small sliver of moonlight snaking its way through the partially opened loft doors. Big Macintosh looked around for any sign of Rainbow Dash, finally calling out to her in frustration.

"Dash," said Big Macintosh as loud as he dared, scanning the fresh stacks of hay he'd scattered just days before, "I'm here ta talk, just like I promised."

There was no reply. The scarlet stallion tried again several more times, fumbling around in the gloom with no success. Deciding that Rainbow Dash must have flew home just as she claimed she would, he let loose a loud sigh, trudging towards the ladder with his head hung low. However, just as he was about to slide down to the first floor and leave, a voice cried out from a dark corner he'd overlooked.

"I-I'm here," confirmed Rainbow Dash, leaning forward so he could see her, "you're late though."

"Sorry about that," replied Big Macintosh, moving towards her silhouette, "I had ta help AJ back ta bed. She ain't doin' so well."

Rainbow Dash visibly shrank at this declaration, curling her body into the tightest possible ball within the old wool mackinaw she'd found. Big Macintosh recognized the large tattered piece of cloth as the Apple family's stargazing bedding, and he rubbed his arms to stave off the chill settling over him while staring at it longingly.

"Mind sharin' that blanket," asked Big Macintosh, flashing Rainbow Dash a small grin, "I don't think I can focus very well on yar story if I'm freezin' ta death."

Rainbow Dash cut her eyes at him appraisingly, the only things visible, besides her hair, above the cocoon she'd wrapped around herself. Finally, she acquiesced to his request, moving her left arm outward to allow Big Macintosh access. He merely moved against her side, expecting to take hold of the blanket and pull it taut, but the cyan speedster had other plans. She sat up and threw it around his shoulders, plopping down into his lap while leaning back against his chest. Taking the hint, Big Macintosh grabbed either end of the wooly comforter and wrapped it around them both, breathing a sigh of relief as the warmth seeped into his bones. He hadn't failed to notice that Rainbow Dash didn't have a scrap of clothing on either, but he acted like a perfect gentlecolt and waited for her to speak.

"Stroke my hair," requested Rainbow Dash quietly, almost purring when she felt his hand run across her scalp, "...my dad used to do this when I was upset. It always made me feel better."

They sat in silence for a while after that, Big Macintosh running his fingers gently through her rainbow-colored mane, sensing that she was working up the nerve to tell him what had set her off in his bedroom.

"You said Applejack wasn't feeling well," repeated Rainbow Dash, her eyes half-lidded in a melancholy expression, "shouldn't you be checking on her instead of sitting here with me?"

"We both know what AJ is sufferin' from," stated Big Macintosh matter-of-factly, hugging Rainbow Dash reassuringly with his free arm, "and we both know there ain't much I can or should be doin' for her. I want ta know what happened back there though. Ya seemed fine until, well..."

"Wh-who wouldn't be scared during their first time," admitted Rainbow Dash defensively, puffing up her wings against him, "I'm sorry I freaked out, but I've got a good reason."

"Ya...ya were a virgin," said Big Macintosh shakily, his mind unable to reconcile that information, "but I didn't feel nothin' when I...and ya seemed ta know how ta do everythin' else..."

"If you're talking about my hymen, I broke that when I was still a filly," explained Rainbow Dash pensively, thinking back to her younger days, "it was a real bad landing. My butt hit the ground first...I was crying like crazy because of the blood, but my mom sat me down and explained what happened. And I know how to do everything else because I'm, or was I guess, a virgin, not a prude. I may not have went all the way with a stallion before tonight, but that doesn't mean I haven't fooled around with a few boys and girls along the way."

"And there ain't nothin' wrong with that," asserted Big Macintosh, moving his head to try and look at her face, "but what happened ta scare ya so bad?"

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes while inhaling and exhaling a deep, cleansing breath, letting all the anxiousness in her body fade away before she started to tell her tale.

“When I was still living in Cloudsdale, I hung out with an older colt,” recounted Rainbow Dash, rapping her fingers rhythmically against her legs, “he was a real bad boy type, always pulling pranks and getting into fights. That just made him, well, cool, I guess, and we started dating after a while. My parents, and heck, even Fluttershy, kept telling me he was no good though, but I was happy and didn't want to listen to them…”

She paused at that point, and Big Macintosh could feel her muscles tensing up, just as if she was about to jump off a starting block. He realized he’d become so enthralled with listening to her that he’d stopped petting her head, so once he resumed she visibly relaxed, catching her breath before speaking again.

“My dad was really worried, but he never tried to break us up or anything,” continued Rainbow Dash, smiling as she thought about her father, “he just kept saying if I ever felt like something bad was about to happen, I should sock the guy in the nose and fly home as fast as I could. Well, one day something bad did happen, or almost happened…”

Rainbow Dash stopped again, sighing as she mentally prepared herself to tell a secret that only three other ponies in all of Equestria knew.

“One day we were fooling around, the normal routine, you know,” explained Rainbow Dash, feelings of anger and hurt welling up inside her, “but he started to get a little handsy, more than I was comfortable with. First, he just started asking me to go all the way, but then he started to demand it. Eventually he was yelling at me, and I was yelling back at him, and then, well, I did what my dad told me to do when I felt like things were heading south. I punched him in the nose, took off, and booked it home ASAP.”

Big Macintosh felt a few tears fall onto the arm he was holding her with, but he didn't dare say a word for fear of breaking her emotional stride. He just continued to stroke her rainbow-colored mane soothingly and listen.

“At first I was just mad,” stated Rainbow Dash bluntly, balling her fists and slightly flexing her wings, “but after a while, and I don’t remember when exactly, I started crying. Not just boo-hoo crying either, but bawling by the bucket load, you know? Well, my dad was the only one home when I got there, and when he saw me he didn't say a word. He just hugged me and stroked my hair, and let me vent about how much of a jerk the guy was and how right they’d all been.”

Rainbow Dash spun around to face him at that moment, pressing her nose against his and staring at him with a fierce intensity.

“So that’s why I freaked out earlier,” said Rainbow Dash curtly, preparing to stand up, “and before I do something else embarrassing, I’m gonna fly home and get some sleep. Th-thanks for listening…”

Before Rainbow Dash could utter the last word of her farewell though, Big Macintosh felt his consciousness floating away from the barn, his vision telescoping into the now all too familiar world of his memories…

_______________________________________________

“…good, now take two steps forward,” instructed Celestia, her lyrical voice a much needed panacea at this moment, “and stop right there. Now turn to your left and walk forward three paces.”

Big Macintosh took in the floral scents of the royal botanical garden, noting the especially powerful fragrance of the fresh cut grass and bushes surrounding him. He was in the middle of Celestia's personal hedgerow maze, an extremely private area of the castle that only herself, Luna, and royal guests were permitted to enter. The solar princess had proposed the novel idea of playing a trust game earlier that morning, and Big Macintosh still remembered his surprise when he was stripped and blindfolded. The white alicorn claimed she would guide him through the puzzle from a bird’s eye view, and after making sure he was correctly situated at the entrance, took flight to circle him from above.

“I need ta talk ta ya Celestia,” called out Big Macintosh, making sure to not interrupt her instructions, “things are gettin’ complicated, and, well…I feel like I’m losin’ my way.”

“An apt metaphor for your current situation my little stallion,” responded Celestia from on high, her voice taking on a more serious tone, “I knew as this plan progressed things would grow more complicated. Have you seen any mares in Ponyville acting suspiciously? Perhaps exhibiting aggressive behavior?”

“Nnope, not personally,” answered Big Macintosh, turning right as Celestia commanded him to and walking forward five paces, “but Applejack mentioned somethin’ about seein’ all kinds of bawdy deeds in town during lunch. It don’t sound like anythin’ ta worry about though.”

“I am afraid it is much worse in Canterlot,” stated Celestia, her voice growing morose, “I had hoped my plan would act as bulwark against unruly behavior spilling into the streets, but the exact opposite seems to be happening. The solar and lunar guard have had their hands full breaking up…inappropriate displays of affection. It has grown so bad that I have asked parents to keep their foals indoors for the next few days.”

“Isn’t there a spell ya can cast?” inquired Big Macintosh hopefully, entering the final stretch of the labyrinth under Celestia’s watchful eyes, “letting a weird rock in tha sky rile folks up like this…surely ya and Luna can do somethin’ ta stop it.”

“I have already underestimated the comet once,” explained Celestia wisely, her voice now very close, “I cannot be sure that casting magic to weaken its influence will not have the exact opposite effect. No, I am afraid we must carefully weigh our options at this point Macintosh. A false step at this juncture could be the difference between weeks or months of hardship and recovery.”

Big Macintosh only nodded once in understanding, the spring breeze blowing across his face signaling that he had exited the confines of the shrubbery. He knew Celestia was right in front of him, and the knowledge of what came next was a great comfort after such a depressing conversation. He heard the fabric of the princess’s flowing robes fall to the ground with a soft thud, and the aroma of the rose oil soap she used to bathe herself washed over him.

“Now turn your back to me, my little stallion,” implored Celestia merrily, her voice once again assuming its usual warm, wonderful timbre, “and fall backwards.”

Big Macintosh did exactly as he was ordered, and the electric sensation of his flesh coming into contact with her own sent a shiver of contentment racing up his spine. She clasped his head to her breasts as they fell backwards, her wings flaring out to slow their descent onto a bed of camellia and hollyhock flowers. They laid together like this for what seemed like an eternity, Celestia singing an ancient song from Equestria’s past while gently stroking his mane and back.

“What am I gonna do?” pleaded Big Macintosh as Celestia finished her song, “Dash is waiting for me and I don’t know what ta tell her…”

“Remember what we discussed this afternoon my little stallion,” instructed Celestia, kissing his forehead, “about how trust is the foundation of all good relationships. The comet is rendering our carefully laid plans ineffectual, so perhaps we must change our tactics to compensate. Thus, if you feel it a wise course of action, you should recruit a faithful accomplice to share your burden…”

And with that bit of advice the world grew smaller and smaller around him, shrinking to a microscopic speck before once again ballooning out to show a different, yet equally familiar scene. Big Macintosh prepared himself to do what he hadn't been able to for almost a week now. He was going to tell at least one pony in town the complete, unadulterated truth.

_______________________________________________

“…to me Mac,” continued Rainbow Dash right from where she’d left off before his cognitive departure, “you are the only stallion besides my dad who knows, but don’t let that go to your head. I felt I owed it to you though after tonight. Well, I-I’m gonna head home. Hopefully nopony looks out their window and sees me…”

Just as the cyan pegasus got up to move away, Big Macintosh shot his hand out to grab her wrist, halting her departure.

“Wa-wait, please,” said Big Macintosh quietly, pulling gently on her arm to draw her back, “ya told me somethin’ real important just now, and I-I got somethin’ I’ve been wantin’ ta get off my chest too…”

Rainbow Dash, intrigued by the seriousness in his voice, sat back down, motioning for him to wrap the blanket around her already shivering body. Big Macintosh decided to start from the very beginning, and for almost half an hour he told her everything he’d done since he left Ponyville on the train bound for Canterlot. His couplings with Celestia and Luna, the solar princess taking him under her wing as his guru, the intimate nights he spent with both Rarity and Pinkie Pie…no detail was omitted, no half-truth or fabrication was spoken. Once he finished, Big Macintosh had a cathartic moment, and the sense of liberation that came with it was indescribably awesome. For her part, Rainbow Dash had run a wide gambit of emotions while listening to his tale of political intrigue and secret rendezvous, ranging from disbelief, to anger, to arousal, and finally to acceptance.

“You really are telling the truth,” observed Rainbow Dash, looking squarely into Big Macintosh’s eyes, “you actually did…I mean you, well…jeez Mac, I don’t know what to say.”

“I told ya all this because I need yar help,” stated Big Macintosh directly, grabbing her hands underneath the wool blanket, “please Dash. Celestia told me things are gonna get worse, and I need a pony I can trust.”

“Hey, when it comes to a matter of trust, I’m the most dependable pony there is,” asserted Rainbow Dash proudly, puffing up with vigor, “bu-but this is way too weird. I know I’m the Element of Loyalty, but why not pick Rarity or Pinkie Pie?”

“Because after what ya shared with me, I know yar a pony who doesn't give up secrets lightly,” explained Big Macintosh, thinking about the two recently mentioned mares, “and even though Rarity and Pinkie are wonderful mares, I need somepony who can keep quiet and follow a plan. We both know Rarity likes to gossip, and well, Pinkie Pie can be a bit unpredictable.”

“Tell me about it,” replied Rainbow Dash with a grin, thinking about her two close friends, “okay, fine, I’m in. I don’t think I’d forgive myself if I passed up an adventure this crazy. St-still, we need something more than a handshake to seal this deal…”

“Are ya sayin’ what I think yar sayin’ Dash,” asked Big Macintosh, not wanting to read anything into his new partner’s words, “cause I didn’t think after all that ya’d want ta, well, ya know…”

“Hey, you can’t tell a girl all that stuff and not expect her to get excited,” retorted Rainbow Dash, donning a look of indignation, “I mean come on, sleeping with two smoking hot princesses at one time…and that doesn’t make me weird! Anypony would say they're hot…”

“I didn’t say anythin’ Dash,” responded Big Macintosh slyly, moving behind Rainbow Dash with the hypnotic grace of a snake, “truth be told, talkin’ about it got me excited too…”

“Well y-you better tell me the t-truth Mac,” asserted Rainbow Dash unevenly, her body quivering with anticipation, “after all I’m, ah, yo-your partner now, ah! Mmph! Ah!”

Big Macintosh responded not with words, but with actions, kissing Rainbow Dash’s neck and lips as his hands explored her body. He cupped and teased her breasts, pinching and pulling her nipples gently. No longer bound by the rules of silence imposed in the farmhouse, the cyan pegasus cried out in pleasure, relishing the domineering touch of the large red stallion.

Eventually they found themselves laying on their left sides, Rainbow Dash’s lithe, toned form contouring to the outline of Big Macintosh’s bulky, muscular frame. He placed one of his hands against her marehood, coaxing apart her lower lips to slip a single finger inside her. She arched her back against him in response, her right wing extending completely while her left one tried desperately to do the same. The scarlet earth pony continued pushing his finger deeper into the cyan pegasus, adding another one soon after while moving them both back and forth to make her as wet as possible. Rainbow Dash soon climaxed under Big Macintosh’s barrage, coating his fingers and most of his hand with her sticky nectar. He’d never been with a pegasus before, and the way her right wing flexed open and closed in sync with the waves of her orgasm was quite fascinating to watch. Deciding she was more than ready, Big Macintosh placed his rigid stallionhood against her lower lips and moved his mouth towards her ear.

“Just relax darlin’,” said Big Macintosh soothingly, pressing the first inch of his shaft inside her, “that’s it…nice and easy…”

“Re-relax, ah, he says,” quipped Rainbow Dash, gasping as he moved just the tip of his phallus back and forth inside her, “why, ah, are y-you so big, ah! Ah!”

Big Macintosh kept slowly feeding inch after inch of his rod into Rainbow Dash slowly, allowing her to adjust to his girth and length before pressing more of it home. He stopped shortly after reaching the halfway point of his member, and began to repeatedly drive just that much into her before retracting it for another thrust. The cyan pegasus gritted her teeth as her eyes rolled back into her head, overcome by a series of sensations she never experienced before. Nopony had ever reached this deeply into her body, and soon she felt the approach of a mind-shattering wave of euphoria.

“I-I’m close, Mac,” cried out Rainbow Dash breathlessly, her heart racing at speeds she’d only experienced when flying as fast as she possibly could, “ah, it fe-feels so good, I didn’t kn-know, ah!”

“I ain’t gonna last…much longer either,” rumbled Big Macintosh, intensifying his pace, “I gotta pull out…”

“No, ah, I-I want it inside,” asserted Rainbow Dash, turning to look at him over her shoulder, “I wa-want, ah, you to be t-the first.”

Before Big Macintosh could respond, Rainbow Dash locked her lips over his, pressing her tongue into his mouth just as she began to climax. Big Macintosh grabbed her right leg under the knee and lifted it up, burying himself a little further before joining her, pumping ribbon after ribbon of white liquid into her womb. Seeing her right wing moving about wildly, Big Macintosh rolled Dash onto her belly so her left one could do the same, shooting outwards once it realized it was no longer confined by the straw covered floor. They stayed like this until both their orgasms subsided, the scarlet stallion eventually withdrawing his softening member with a wet pop before lying next to his exhausted mate.

“Well now,” asked Big Macintosh quietly, running his hand over Rainbow Dash’s head comfortingly, “what’s it feel like darlin'?”

“Warm,” whispered Rainbow Dash, her eyes closing gradually as her body wound down, “so warm…”

Big Macintosh reeled her in with his muscular arms, moving away from the damp straw to settle down on a dryer patch while placing the wool blanket on top of them. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day, especially considering the timid nature of the mare he was to bed next. Looking down at his now softly snoring associate though, he took solace in the fact that he wouldn't have to do it alone.

To be continued…

Author's Note

First, let me say that this chapter is a monster. I always go into a chapter with a rough outline of what events I want to take place, but when I start writing I really, really want to flesh out the narrative it seems.

Second, I'm still looking for someone to make a unique image for this story. My idea now is to have it feature just Big Macintosh, Celestia, and Luna, but I'm open to an artist's suggestions on this matter. I don't mind commissioning someone if their prices are reasonable!

Finally, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It was a blast to write about Rainbow Dash, and hopefully I struck a good balance between comedy and drama. I wanted to capture her tough persona tempered with a soft side we see so often in the show, such as Dash sneaking a nuzzle with Tank. Enjoy!