Obsession and Regression

3

The day had finally come!

Rainbow Dash had presented her note to her boss the week before. Upon opening it and reading its golden scribed contents, he imeadately told RD that she would be switching with Thunderlane for the next day... no if, ands, or buts about. Thunderlane weasn't happy, since he requested the night off a month before, but there were no other ponies who could do night shift to take her place. Rainbow thought it was weird, but this was the first date she'd ever had with a rich pony... maybe she just had that type of power, and it seemed cool to be able to do that type of stuff whenever you wanted.

The entire Mane 6 heard about this date Rainbow had with the rich pony from Rainbow herself (as well as Rarity in private). Together they gave the excited Pegasus some meaningful advice before she left:

"Be careful, Rainbow," said Twilight. "I've got a bad feeling about this..."

"Just remember we're your friends if you need us." Said Apple Jack.

"My Pinkie sense is telling me something's up, but I don't know what... it could be good or it could be bad. Be careful Dashie!"

"Do be careful, darling, and remember what I said..."

"If you get nervous just listen to your body! It's what I tell my animal friends... if something looks scary or feels scary, get away!"

"Don't be silly, girls!" Rainbow non-nonchalantly replied. "I can take care of myself! Thanks though!"

They all hoped that would not be the last they ever saw of her...

* * *

The cyan Pegasu landed in front of the old, renovated farm house in the outskirts of Ponyville. She didn't even have to walk all the way onto the property when the old butler Ironhoof came out:

"Welcome Miss Dash. The Mistress has been expecting you. Come in!"

Rainbow Dash followed him in, down the hall and towards the entrance of the living room. Again, she saw the small portrait of the foal and asked:

"What is this about?" Pointing at it with her hoof.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss the Mistress's possessions, Miss Dash, other than to say that is her foal."

"It looks a lot like me though!"

"Yes, there is a striking resemblance between you two... perhaps the stallion whom she made the foal with also resembled you? I do not know. Forgive me, I've been forbidden to discuss any more than general facts with guests." He opened the large living room door. "Please be seated... the mistress will join you momentarily."

Once inside, the door slammed shut. Rainbow Dash was now alone in the large room with the large couch in the middle. She walked up to the big luxurious piece of furniture and sat, noticing a small coffee table to the left... aside from that, the room was sparely decorated. 12 foot high white walls full of nothing... Nothing. Not a book case, not a portrait, not even a nick-nack or souvenir. It was empty.

"Hello Rainbow," said Buttercup, coming out of the back room with an old tea kettle and two cups on a platter balancing on her back. "I take it you flew here?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Replied the cyan Pegasus, nervously scratching her head.

"Please! Call me Buttercup."

"Yes, Miss Buttercup..."

"No, just Buttercup, silly!"

She approached Rainbow with the items balancing on her back, looking back at them once they were within a few feet of each other. Rainbow took the cue and removed the platter from her hostess's back, setting it on the coffee table. Buttercup filled two cups with the dark tea:

"I know I've got Ironhoof to do things for me, but I find every once and a while doing something for yourself just... feels good. Don't you agree?"

"Yeah."

Buttercup began filling the little teacups, looking up at Rainbow, who blushed when their gaze met.

"It's not as good as doing for others, though. Tea?"

Rainbow nodded, taking one of the little cups she began sipping on it. It was wonderful and she made sure Buttercup knew it:

"It tastes just like honey," said Rainbow.

"It's a secret family recipe... I'll have another one for you to try soon enough." Buttercup took a sip of her own tea. "Of all the luxurious things I have or could get myself, I could never go without my family's tea recipe."

"What's in it?"

"Oh, you silly filly... if I told you that it wouldn't be a secret!" Buttercup put her free arm around the cyan Pegasus. "I like you Rainbow... you're just the right mixture of cute and foolish. Plus you're very pretty, if you don't mind me saying so." Rainbow blushed when she said that. "Ah, I thought you might be... you're a filly-fooler, aren't you?"

"Yeah..."

"It's perfectly fine," Buttercup kissed Rainbow's forehead. "I like the mares, too, and I've taken a liking to you."

"But I thought you had a foal..."

The once mellow, almost bedroom eyes of Buttercup became wide saucers for a fraction of a second. She looked as though she could cry, but then... suddenly it vanished.

"My baby died."

There was a long pause between the two. Rainbow Dash looked into the yellow mare's eyes.

"I'm sorry Buttercup," Rainbow said, giving her a big hug. "That must've been terrible."

"It's alright, Rainbow... you didn't know. Things've been... quite empty since that event. She was only 9 months old... and it was very sudden, with no discernible explanation. I don't like to talk about it. Fortunately, Ironhoof is wonderful at cheering me up when I think too much about it. Doesn't change what happened, no matter how nice he is to me... he is very kind to me and I am in return very kind to him."

"Let's talk about something more happy..." Said Rainbow, leaving her hoof around Buttercup.

"Okay. I'll start then, Rainbow... what is your favorite..."

The two did the normal dance of boring, getting to know you chatter, while sipping tea. They had similar likes -- both enjoyed the Wonderbolts and Buttercup's eyes lit up when she saw just how excited Dash was when talking about them.

Eventually their tea ran out and Buttercup summoned Ironhoof, who was right outside the door, with a sharp yet pleasant shout.

"Could you please get us some more tea... this is round 2, so bump it up to the special tea." She turned to Dash. "You have to try this tea, Dashie!"

"Hey, only Pinkie Pie calls me that!" Said Rainbow without thinking. "... Not that I mind you calling me that, too, but I'm just surprised."

"You're very cute, Honey," replied Buttercup, giggling. "You're lucky I speak your language."

Dash blushed.

"I've never been this interested in an older mare before," she said. "And I like it when you call me Honey..."

"I'm flatterred you like my name for you, but... Older mare?" Buttercup shook her hoof. "How old do you think I am?"

... 48?"

"I'm a bit younger than that, darling."

"47...?"

"Keep going..."

"... 45?"

"Yup! Now let me guess your age... 20?"

"A lil older...."

"21?"

"Not quite..."

"23?"

"We have a winner! Third time is a charm!"

"And the crowd goes wild..." Buttercup replied, chuckling. "You're not too young for me, though I am old enough to be your mother."

Again, Buttercup gave Rainbow a kiss... this time not on the forehead, but on the cheek.

"Buttercup... I... uh..."

"It's okay, Honey... just go with your feelings."

"Too fast! I think I need to have that tea first!"

"Well, it's just arriving," Buttercup motioned towards the door, where Ironhoof showed up with the tea kettle filled with a steamy beverage. "Give it a minute to cool down... you'll find its effects to be somewhat... soporific."

"Sopo-wha?"

"It means relaxing, dear. Very relaxing... lulling you into a mood where having a bed nearby seems like a good idea. Drink it slow. Savor it!"

"I think I know what you're up to," Dash said as Ironhoof took her cup and filled it. "I'm not so dumb... you'll see."

Rainbow Dash looked down at the sweet smelling liquid and up at Buttercup:

"I bet you I can drink it this hot."

"Oh, please don't try. I wouldn't want you to burn yourself..."

Rainbow opened her mouth, holding the steamy tea cup in front of it.

"Down the hatch..."

Rainbow took a gulp of the incredibly hot beverage. Buttercup looked as though she were concerned, but it was nothing the strong Rainbow Dash couldn't handle... though the initial swallow did burn her insides a bit, it didn't last. She was tough.

"Honey, you're drinking that way too fast!" Said Buttercup, in an almost concerned, authoritative way. "Slow down for your own good..."

"I can handle it," Rainbow said, once the whole cup was gone. She showed it to Buttercup "See? That was awesome tea, by the way."

Buttercup shot Ironhoof a stone-faced look.

All was silent for a brief moment as Buttercup and Ironhoof stared into Rainbow's empty teacup.

* * *

"Did she have too much at once?" Buttercup asked Ironhoof. "Do you need to get the Doctor Bag?"

"Yes, she did have a lot, but she should be alright.... She'll just be out a little longer than expected."

"Out?" Rainbow echoed. "What're you talking about?"

"You're going to take a nap, Rainbow Dash," said Ironhoof, his voice starting to echo. "You will be fine, though. I guarantee it."

Rainbow rose up high from the sofa, her wings beating... beginning to grow weak and uncoordinated already.

"I don't know what you two are up to," she said, angry. "But I... she... it isn't..."

The room began to spin well before Rainbow spun out. She found herself feeling oddly lighter than air, everything around her moving as if it were in a fan or under a strobe light. She knew she'd been drugged, but couldn't process it anymore. She had just enough cognizance to slowly ask:

"What's... going... on?"

"It's what I told you, Miss Dash." Replied Ironhoof, opening his arms below the floating Pegasus as everything began to fade. "Now come down here and go to sleep... you're going to be fine. You just need to rest."

Rest.

Ironhoof seemed to grow as Rainbow made an involuntary descent... she didn't remember a thing after that.