> Ut Ametur Iris
>  by Jazzaman
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> =Great Southern land=
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



The heart of the sunburnt country. A land of sand oceans and baked trees. Out where the river broke, with the bloodwood and the desert oak. Holden wrecks and boiling diesels, steamed in forty five degree heat. Out here, nothing changes. Not in a hurry anyway.

        The endless plains stretched to the horizon. Loneliness, for a thousand kilometres in every direction. 

 A single, dusty Holden ute tore down a wide dirt road. The faded white, paint job was caked with red dust around the wheel arches. A long crack ran through the windscreen and the open tray wasn’t far off being a sandpit.



The sheer remoteness of the location allowed the car’s single occupant to blare music through a rolled down window. He sung loudly to himself, not that anyone was there to hear him.
        
“You know they don’t have a chooooice! Boys will be boys!” Andrew sang, as the faithful ute roared down the barren road.

The solitary human had been given a work vehicle to drive into the dead centre of the country. He worked as a prospector for a huge mining firm. The company mainly dealt with iron ore, but were now interested in the absolutely massive uranium deposits scattered all over the red centre. Andrew had been sent out to meet with fellow colleagues to discuss where the most cost effective location would be.

After much debate, it had been decided that a forgotten dirt road called Warrego road, that branched off the stuart highway, straight through the country’s middle was the best place.

While good for mining, it was impossibly boring driving for hours on end. The trip was only made interesting when the huge road trains careened past the small ute in the opposite direction. The first time he’d seen one, he’d very nearly drove under it.

While working for the mines was good pay, great pay in fact,the downside was that the hours were long. Sometimes, the human would go days without seeing home, and in turn, his soon to be wife and their daughter.

It wasn’t so bad since his fiancee was on maternity leave to look after little Jessica, but when she got older, Andrew was seriously going to have to consider other employment.

But for the moment, getting them financially secure was top priority. Mortgages didn’t pay themselves.

Eventually, the abused ute pulled up to a small shack on the side of the road. The loose rocks and dirt crunched under the car’s tyres as it slowed to a halt.

Andrew stepped out, stretching his back as the car ticked in the heat behind him. The sun was starting to go down and the company didn’t want him driving on a dark road by himself.

They needed the car afterall.

As a result, a small hut had been purchased off the side of the highway for his use. He was nowhere near his destination yet, and there were no motels for hundreds of kilometres in all directions.

Sighing, the lonely human walked up to the ramshackle building. It wasn’t much, a single room with an old fashioned outhouse some metres behind it. The heavy, faded wooden door groaned open. The quality of the house showing as one corner dragged along the unsanded hardwood floors, that more or less resembled railway sleepers than actual flooring.

Strangely, it was nicely furnished. Nicely for the outback anyway. The standard wall decor of rusty rabbit traps and old dual saws were bolted to the walls. An old cooktop that look like it had been ripped straight from last century sat in the corner collecting dust.

A rusted, rounded edge fridge, bearing the letters SMEG along the freezer door filled the space in the other corner. While charmingly rustic, Andrew knew better than to open it. All sorts of diseases could be caught from ancient fridges.

Opposite the ‘kitchen’ was a single, scratched dresser, desperately in need of a varnish, and an old iron bed, complete with a lumpy mattress. Its only saving grace was that of a slightly browned sheep’s skin that was draped over it.

Andrew briefly considered taking it with him for use in his own house, but decided it would be more needed here.

Kicking off his steel toed caps, he walked over to the bed, and unceremoniously fell into it. A cloud of red dust puffed up around him, earning a groan from the man.

‘That’s going to stain isn’t it?’ he asked himself, wondering how much of the dust filled bed he was laying in would find its way into his hair while he slept.

Turning over to get the dust out of his nostrils, he looked up at the ceiling. To his joy, he realized that there was infact no ceiling, and could see straight through the rafters to the rusted corrugated iron roof.

A rather large gap in between two sheets of the roof, gave way to the quickly darkening sky above him. The view would be pleasant, as long as it didn’t rain.

Having done the slightly illegal act of eating and drinking at the wheel on the way, there was no reason to try and cook anything. The fact that the cooker looked about as safe as playing chicken with a propeller plane deterred him even more.

Andrew let himself space out as he lay there, staring out through the hole in the roof. Occasionally debating to himself on going back to the car, however it being a ute, meant the seats couldn’t fold flat, which wouldn’t be any more comfortable than his current situation.

Still, it could be worse. He was only here for one night, then he would be on his way. Driving huge distances was not as common as one would think in Australia, so thankfully Andrew did not have to do this often.

“Just a few more days,” he mumbled to himself.



	

Andrew woke with a snort. The small shack was shuddering around him. The sound of rolling thunder and gusting wind echoed around the hut. In his just awoken state, he very nearly chalked it up to a passing train.

That was until he remembered that the closest railway line was hundreds of kilometres to the west, and abandoned. 

The shuddering intensified, cancelling the notion that it might have been a passing truck. A few forks on the top of the kitchen countertop began to jump around, before clattering to the floor.

Andrew jumped out of bed, a quick glance upwards caused him to let out a grunt of pain and bring an arm up to shield his eyes from a blinding light that pierced through the ceiling. The shaking grew by magnitudes, nearly taking the man down.

The light above him moved around and began to engulf the sides of the shack. The strange light then began to pierce through the gaps in the timber walls. Andrew’s breathing quickened. If there was one thing he didn’t like, it was not knowing what was going on.

A particularly strong quake finally toppled the human. A floorboard on the opposite end of the room snapped in half and poked upwards. The light became more invasive through the cracks in the walls.

The noise had changed into a strange, deafening hum. Fear struck Andrew. He’d seen close encounters of the third kind, and he was not keen on probing,especially when it could be happening to him soon.

Glancing over to the front door, he noticed it was but a few feet away. He’d fallen asleep with the keys in his pocket, hopefully the car was still outside.

Just as he reached for them, the light exploded into the room. A deafening crack rung through the night air. It was as if a million whips and lighting strikes had hit the same point.

The shockwave blasted across the outback, a ring of dust expanding from where a small wooden shack had once stood.



	

Ponyville was in chaos.

Despite Discord being out of town, he would have been very proud to see the utter shambles that it was in right now. Ponies were rapidly, and fiercely nailing heavy planks of woods over their small thatched roofed cottages windows. All the local stores had been ransacked in the blink of an eye. Freak storms weren't unheard of in Equestria, but they certainly weren't common, and Ponyville was one of the only towns with experience.

A war raged in the sky above them, dozens upon dozens of tiny multicolour dots fighting a much larger, more threatening wall of black storm clouds. Punch after punch and countless kicks battered and assaulted the encroaching storm, but for every piece of cloud the pegasi busted another five would loom out of the thunder in its place.

A losing battle. But one Rainbow Dash was determined to win. She'd beat clouds into submission even before she could flap her wings in synch, but this storm was testing her. 

"Take that!" she growled as she delivered a flying roundhouse kick into the wall, to which her hoof simply poofed through the cloud. The spongey mass of the cloud quickly grabbed at the ponies hoof, the sudden stop doing her no favours.

"Ouch," she hissed, pulling her leg out. This cloud front wasn't only doing battle with her physically, but it was also tearing her brain apart. She'd fought countless rouge storms that drifted in from the Everfree, but this one was different. 

Different in the fact that, while it had all the ferocity of a wild Everfree storm, it didn't actually come from anywhere near the cursed forest.

And the size too. No storm, not even the largest, Monsoon class storms pumped out by the weather factory were this big. This storm was otherworldly.

The fur along Rainbow's back suddenly tingled before standing ramrod stiff. A telltale of an incoming lightning strike no doubt. Every pegasus knew what that was. And by the way her fur was buzzing she could tell that this was gonna be one big motherbucker.

Instincts took over and a flood of pegasi suddenly dived towards the terrain. The lightning was building. Thunder grumbled deeply within the cloud as the smaller lightning arced all over. Then, in a sudden chilling moment, everything went quite.

The light was intense. Even behind closed eyelids the light still invaded the ponies eyes. It was as if the sun itself was born out of that storm. 

And the noise. Unlike any thunderclap, this was deafening. The sound akin to a glacier cracking along with the noise of a million trains slamming into each other echoed around the country. The sound echoed across the fields and shuddered the mountains that Canterlot stood upon, the noise trampled over trees and shook windows with the anger of tornado. A great gust of wind kicked ponies down, leaving them breathless, when in reality it wasn't the wind but the sheer force of the soundwave alone.

And then, nothing.

The huge cloud front that had gathered began to quickly dissipate even faster than it had materialized. Within a few minutes, the sun was back to shining and the only remaining evidence was all the shook up trees and fortified houses.

That and the crater left by the mother of all lightning strikes. Trees and grass for almost one hundred meters around it were charred, thankfully it contacted in a field to the north of any properties. The crater itself wasn't much. A small dugout about ten body lengths across, the dirt in its walls a charred black smooth rock. 

Glass.

And finally, in the centre was the most remarkable thing. Among a twisted half of an old bed frame, some rotting untreated timbers and part of a woollen rug, was one bizarre creature, knocked out cold.

Still clutching onto a ring of keys.

	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
> =Point of no return=
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“They’ll never accept me, you know,” the human grunted, sighing dejectedly.

“Andrew come on now, they might be a bit apprehensive of you right now, but they’ll come around," Twilight urged, putting a supporting hoof on his leg.

“I’m not banking on it Twilight,” he said, resting his head in his hands. Twilight sighed, filling both their cups of tea, she looked across the small breakfast table at her otherworldly visitor.

Andrew. A human, male, twenty seven years old and, well...

Severely depressed.

Three months ago, a freak storm had rolled through Ponyville. Completely catching the weather ponies off guard. What made it worse was the sheer power it contained, enough that had brought them this other worldy visitor. Three months of this new being alternating between crippling anxiety attacks and trying to fit in with the locals.

Neither of which were good. 

“I’m sorry that that’s how you think we see you Andrew." Twilight said softly, but once you show them that your kind and you just want to fit in they’ll come around, I know they will!”

“Twilight,” he started, his voice tired "They're all terrified of me. I came here in a storm that blew apart some poor sods home, I blinded one of those pegasi for crying out loud!”

“Andrew” twilight said sternly “You know that wasn’t your fault. That storm was a cosmic anomaly, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, as was that pegasus.”

“Twilight, no one is going to chalk this up to a freak accident. They think im some kind of omen. They all want me gone.”

“Nopony said we don’t want you here-”

“But I can’t go home can I?” Andrew pushed.

Twilight squirmed in her seat, looking into her cup of tea. “Well... We’ve been through this Andrew, that storm was like nothing we've ever seen before. It had enough power to transport your entire mass from a different planet. Even the princesses power combined doesn’t have the power to do that. The only thing that can send you home is another storm.”

“Yeah. Just like Back to the Future,” the man sighed.

“What?” twilight asked.

“Nevermind.”

“Besides, we wouldn’t turn you away. Do you think Applejack would have taken you in had that been the case? Hmm?”

Andrew did smile at that, if only a little. “Well, it was real sweet of her to let me crash under her roof. I guess the payment is dealing with her sister though,” he smiled.

“Twilight giggled, glad she got some positivity out of Andrew. With everything that he’d been going through as of late, it was blessedly rare to hear him laugh.

“Yes she can be quite the hooffull,” Twilight added.

Before Andrew could comment on how strange that butchering of ‘handful’ was, (as he always did) a knock came from the front of the library door.

“Come in!” Twilight called out, and in swooped Rainbow Dash.

“Hi Andrew!" she cheered, ever upbeat. "I got some sweet new moves I want to practice and i need your help to help co-ordinate, you down?”

“I suppose,” Andrew groaned, but all could tell that he was grateful. Twilight company was nice and all, but Rainbow Dash seemed to be the pony he connected the best with. Twilight speculated that this might have something to do with the fact that when he came to after his incident, she was the first pony he saw.

“Awesome! Catch ya later Twi, come on Andrew, i was working on this stunt all night and i think you’ll be impressed.”

“Lead the way Dash,” he gestured, and with that she streaked off out of the library, leaving Andrew to play catchup. Twilight smiled as she watched from the door, watching the two run down the street.

“She’ll be good for him,” Twilight spoke idly to herself as she watched the pair play fight as they shrunk into the distance.



> =Loneliness is a sickness=
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I’m gonna hang here and read to him a bit. That little guy can never get to sleep without a good bedtime story.”

The young winter air blew across Ponyville in the dead of night, its fresh crispness having just come from Cloudsdale made its cold bite into a ponies fur just a little bit harder.

Rainbow Dash was no exception. Curled up into a tight ball and wound up in her purple dressing gown, the mare kicked anxiously in her restless slumber.

It wasn’t uncommon for Rainbow Dash to have restless nights. Being the high-octane mare that she was, if she didn’t use up all her energy in the day, she found it difficult to stay asleep at night.

At times, she would reach out across the wide expanse of her large cloud bed and snatch up her little tortoise in her hooves. The feeling of his shell against her chest, while cold, did wonders to soothe her back to sleep.

However, tonight when she reached across her bedspread, as she had done so many times before, all she grabbed was the cold air.

Her eyes snapped open. In a fleeting moment of post-waking fuzziness she drearily called out for her pet.

“Tank?”

No answer. Not even the plod of four small slow tortoise feet across the clouds or the gentle whir of an enchanted propellor was heard.

Feeling foolish, Rainbow laid her head back down in her hooves with a thump. Tank wasn’t here, of course he wasn’t.

Buried under the foot of a random old tree in the middle of Ponyville park. With nothing but the snow above him and the soil beneath him. A cold, barren dark hole.

A grave, for lack of a better word.

Rainbow rubbed her eyes before they could water. She was over it, he was hibernating. It was natural, he would come out a few months later, full of energy and raring to return to her.

Months later.

Rainbow felt her stomach twist and her breathing hitch. Being all alone for Winter, the coldest and most bitter season. She didn’t want him to be alone.

She didn’t want to be alone.

Rainbow sat up on her bed. In the darkness all she could hear was...

Nothing. Not a sound. Cloud houses don’t even creak, only serving to remind her how big and empty her home truly was.

And how small and alone she felt right now.

Rainbow clasped her hooves over her ears, she had to think of something, anything else.

She remembered something that Andrew had told her, after he have had one of this episodes. After he had cried and shouted and hollered and lashed out, he was very quiet. Unnervingly so.

He sat slumped against the outside wall on Applejack’s barn, doing nothing but thinking to himself, and how alone he was. “Hi Rainbow,” he had said to her, in a groggy yet tired, defeated voice. 

They talked for a while. Mainly about how Andrew could start to move on from his old life. The life that he had been taken away from, when he said this.

“Loneliness is a sickness, that leads to death.”

The words had never sat right with Rainbow, they just didn’t add up to her. Old age, disease and war caused death, but not loneliness. It didn’t make sense.

Not until tonight at least.

She couldn’t do it anymore, she couldn’t be alone. It was eating away at her from the inside. Rainbow’s breathing faltered and her tears returned, she sniffed but she couldn’t fight the tears.

“I don’t want to be alone!” she cried into her pillow.

Rainbow Dash lay there, crying her eyes out, thoughts of forever being alone flooded her mind. Growing old with nopony to ever share her world with her. To be forever alone.

Just like Andrew.

Rainbow’s mind cleared for a moment as this thought entered. Andrew, the only one of his kind in the whole world, maybe even the whole dimension. He was more alone that Rainbow could have ever imagined.

He was truly alone. She was terrified of being alone.

Maybe they could find the solution in each other.

Rainbow’s tears stopped, and with one last sniffle, she smiled. Maybe things would turn out alright after all.






> =Hook, line and sinker=
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The soft sound of of a baited lure was heard as it flew from the end of the fishing rod and into the serene waters.

It was a regular Saturday morning for Andrew. Every week, he gathered his fishing gear and made his way to the small pond in the middle of Ponyville’s residential district. Despite it being a fairly high traffic spot, the abundance of fish that could be found in the small waterhole was quite surprising.

Adding to Andrew’s surprise, it turned out that fishing was legal in Ponyville. Despite their mostly vegetarian diet, the ponies here were able to eat fish. That didn't mean that all of them liked it though, meaning that the fishing spot was more often than not, deserted.

The old windmill that stood tall on the bank creaked low and long in the early morning sun. Despite its age and redundancy in the more industrialized parts of Equestria, it was still charmingly rustic.

Andrew was thankful that he had been speaking to Rarity a few days back. After telling her he was a fan of the relaxing hobby, she told him that her father was also invested in the act of catching fish.

Being the ever generous soul that she was, she managed to persuade her father to let Andrew borrow some of his older stuff, on indefinite loan. A welcome gift, seeing as the small amount of pocket money he received from here and there wasn’t enough to make a living out of it, let alone buy stuff for hobbies.

Andrew grumbled as he reeled in the line. As much as he hated mooching off from Applejack, he really had no other choice. It wasn’t as if the local businesses were exactly keen on hiring the town’s resident “monster”.

At least he knew his way around a tool or two. Renovating run-down houses or helping Rarity go mining for gems seemed to take up most of his time and supply him with his income.

He had lost count of how many rotted, warped or waterlogged rafters he had replaced in moist-ridden attics. These ponies might be great at a lot of things but waterproofing their thatch roofs still seemed beyond them.

His stint with Rarity began after the fashionista had seen him dig out an irrigation trench on Applejack’s farm. She had begged him to come help her gem hunting after that. It was backbreaking work but at least it paid well.

“Oh come now dear, I can’t expect you to do all that work and let you go unrewarded now can I?”


Good mare that Rarity.

His thoughts continued to be preoccupied as he continued to fish. With the length of the fishing rod that he was given and the lake’s relatively small size meant that Andrew could get a good arc on it even from sitting down. The human’s two legs were dangled over the edge of the short wooden pier, his long trousers bundled up around his knees.

The cool water on the skin of his legs was a nice contrast to the warm sun on his back. It was only about eight thirty in the morning, combined with the weekend sleep in and the small pond became a haven of tranquility.

That was until the pier’s population doubled.

“Hiya, Andrew!” Rainbow Dash called happily from down the pier.

Andrew smiled as he turned to address the pegasus. “Oh, hey Dash. How ya goin’?”

Rainbow grinned at his silly saying. His accent was so... awesome, the way he pronounced his words was so powerful and full of confidence. Just hearing him talk gave her this weird feeling that crept all over her body.

“Nothing much, I got the day off today so I figured I’d come and spend some time chilling with my friends. You’re the only pony who’s not busy... or sleeping.” she added as she plopped down next to him.

        “Not a pony, Dash. Even you should be able to see that,” she chuckled, turning back to his cast.

        “Hey, if you’re not going to use the right words then why should I?”

        “Because everybody and everyone work just as well,” he said as he reeled in yet another empty hook.

        Rainbow shifted next to him, moving so that she was sitting on her rump with her hind legs over the side and her forehooves between them. The mare’s tail twisted around her body to dip into the water, much like Andrew’s two legs were, lazily swishing it around.

        “You should totally catch that fish, Andrew,” she joked.

        Andrew sighed. “Yep, I’ll get right on that, Dash.”

        Rainbow giggled quietly before catching herself. Giggling was so not awesome. She looked away, silently contemplating something in her head.

        It always happened. Whenever she was around him she always did something embarrassing or girly, it was mortifying! Especially when she was in the presence of the coolest male she knew.

        But Andrew never commented, or at least, never noticed when she let slip some of her uncoolness. Maybe thats why she liked him so much, he didn’t turn out to be a jerk like most of the stallions she knew.

        Of course not all stallions were bad, she just seemed to have terrible luck with them. The few good ones she did meet were normally such polar opposites of her or unbelievably boring. But Andrew wasn’t.

        He respected her, and most of all he cared about her. Every time she was near him that strange tingle ran over her whole body. She didn’t know what it was, but she did know she wanted a lot more of it.

        “You know you can go if you want, Dash. I can’t imagine that fishing is your cuppa tea,” Andrew commented, flicking the rod in another long cast.

        Rainbow shrugged “Nah, it’s alright, I do like to slow down once in a while ya know.”

        Andrew gasped, “Shock, horror.”

        Rainbow tsked as Andrew began to chuckle to himself. She was about to retort when a small splash over near the windmill caught attention.

        “Did you see that?” she asked, pointing a hoof.

        “Huh?”

        “Over there,” she said, pointing across his body. “A fish!”

        “Where?” Andrew asked, trying and failing to follow where her hoof was.

        “There! Look!” Rainbow insisted, moving closer until she was standing over him.

        She continued to point out where she had seen the splash, but the reason for their sudden closeness was a far more selfish one. From this position, Rainbow was practically standing over his lap, her right wing touching his shirt. 

        What she enjoyed most though was that from this distance she could smell his intoxicating scent. It was addictive, ever since they had first met she had taken a liking to his scent. Maybe that’s why she grew so close to him, he already had one tick in her checklist.

        “Dash, there’s no fish there,” Andrew finally said after almost a minute of scouring for the illusive gilled animal. 

        “You can get off me anytime now, Rainbow,” he urged, trying to push her off. She didn’t budge, for some strange reason, her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily through her nostrils.

        A wicked thought crossed Andrew’s mind. Setting the rod down beside him, he brought both hands up to her side.

        *SHOVE*

        Rainbow screamed as she toppled sideways into the lake. Andrew guffawed upon hearing the splash.

        “How’s the water, Dash?” he called out to the flailing pony, putting his hand behind his hear to clearly hear her response.

He was met only by the sound of frantic splashing and spluttering.

        “I can’t- *gakk* -I can’t *splutter* swim!”

        Rainbow’s wings and hooves thrashed violently under the water. Instinct kicked in and her wings went into overdrive, beating fearsomely trying to fly out. Unfortunately they were having the opposite effect of catching the water and pulling her further under.Her body remained submerged for only a few seconds though, when the water turned white with a flurry of bubbles.

        The underwater shock wave hit her at the same time two strong arms latched around her thrashing body and immediately pulled her up into the air. Rainbow gasped and spluttered, shivering in shock after almost drowning.

        It took her a few moments to register that Andrew was speaking.

        “-rry Dash, I didn’t know,” Andrew pleaded as he carried her to the bank. Gently, he set the drenched, shivering mare down.

        “Are you alright, Rainbow?” he asked cautiously, waiting for her to lash out at him.

        Her verbal backlash never came, she simply gave a shaky nod after a few moments. Thankfully, the water at the end of the pier was fairly shallow, meaning that Andrew landed on his feet when he had jumped in, allowing most of his shirt to stay dry.

        Rainbow watched silently as he took his shirt off and began to ring the moisture out of it, before bringing it to her. With utmost care, he began to gently towel around the shocked mare, making sure that her mane and wings were dried first, before the rest of her body.

Andrew gently towled around her face. Making sure that his touch both dried and soothed her. Rainbow was glad that his shirt blocked his vision of her face. The smell of his shirt and the feel of his hand carrasing her face instantly calmed her into an almost drowsy stupor.

        Once the shirt had soaked up all the chilling water that it could, Andrew tossed it aside, now kneeling shirtless over the mare.

        “Um, I’m so sorry Rainbow, I just kinda assumed you could swim,” he said bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck.

        Rainbow growled before snapping at him, the anger that Andrew had predicted finally coming to, the shock of being dumped in the lake leaving her. “What makes you think I could swim!”

        Andrew shrugged, all higher thought gone. “I dunno." he offered.

"where I come from we all learn to swim when were like five.”

        Rainbow paused her retort, now curious. Andrew rarely talked about his previous home, any snippet of information he let spill about it was always interesting to hear.

        “Really? Everypony? At that age?” she asked.

        ‘“Yeah, I mean, not the whole world. Just most of my country. Hell, I learned to swim when I was three.”

        “Why?”

        “Well in my country it gets really hot. Like blisters on the bottom of your feet hot. Swimming is a great way to cool down. Not to mention like, two-thirds of where i lived population was on the coast. Swimming is a given.”

        “That’s awesome! Imagine all those human guys swimming together!” Rainbow cheered, the incident with the lake completely forgotten.

        “Yeah alright Dash it’s not that special, it’s just how were raised. There are a lot of other countries back home that don’t teach anyone to swim, even adults.”

        “So it’s kinda like here?” Rainbow asked.

        “Maybe... Hang on, I’ve seen Pinkie swim,” Andrew pointed out.

        “Yeah she learnt how to swim. Spike can swim too, and I think Rarity can as well. But, most pegasi can’t,” the mare responded almost glumly.

        “I hate not being able to do things," she pouted, crossing her forehooves.

        Andrew hummed in thought. “Well Dash. What if I taught you?”

        Rainbow’s eyes lit up like fireworks. “Really? You’d do that?”

        “Sure, I mean it can’t be too hard right? If toddlers can do it, so can you.”

        “Alright!” Rainbow said with a hoof pump. “Time and place!?”

        “How ‘bout right now?” he smiled, pointing back at the lake, causing Rainbow’s smile to falter.

        “N-now?”

        “Why not? We’re both wet anyway.”

        “I- um, okay,” Rainbow said as Andrew retreated into the lake, her usual confidence in her abilities lacking.

        The cool water danced around Andrew’s ankles as he turned back to face the mare on the shoreline. “Come on, Dash. No tricks this time, I promise.”

        An unmistakable air of truthfulness came with his words. That soft, caring smile on his chiseled face beckoned her to come closer, the strange tingle now echoing through Rainbow’s body.

        Cautiously, she approached the water which gently lapped at the rocky bank. She noted her worried expression in her reflection as she raised her left forehoof. The hard tip at the leading edge of her blue hoof dipped below the water, testing the temperature.

        Not that she needed to, having already been soaked, more so to stall for time. It wasn’t that Rainbow Dash was scared of water, she just wasn’t particularly fond of it. She didn’t mind getting wet, after all that’s what baths and working on the weather team were about, but she very much disliked going under.

        A quick glance up at the human showed that he still retained the supporting expression, patiently waiting for her to enter the water on her own accord. She was thankful for that, if their roles had been reversed Rainbow would have been impatiently tapping her hoof.

        Eventually, Rainbow pushed her way into the water, breathing in sharply as the cold water touch her underbelly. She silently wished she was human for a moment, those long legs keeping her body out of the water.

        Once Rainbow had waded out to Andrew, the water was already licking at her shoulders. It was plain to see that her breathing had become rapid.

        “Calm down Dash,” Andrew said softly, moving to rub her neck. A gesture he had discovered that she seemed to love. “You’ll never be able to swim if you’re scared of the water.”

        “I’m not scared!” the retorted, pouting up at him.

        “Dash, I’m not here to make fun of you. No one’s going to see you,” he said as he knelt into the water to put himself closer to her eye level.

        Rainbow immediately calmed. Andrew’s radiant blue eyes staring into her own magenta ones. For a moment, she lost herself in them. Those eyes that had seen so many stories. She felt her own eyes become half lidded, hot breaths blowing out of her nose.

        She knew what this was. One part of her begged her to snap out of it, while the other, much louder part egged her on. Slowly, she took a step forward to met his own lips with hers.

        As she did so however, Andrew’s brow furrowed, “You alright, Dash?”

        The sound of his voice was so sudden that Rainbow snapped back into reality like a rubberband. “I uh yeah, I just, um...”

        Rainbow’s addled brain attempted to form a coherent sentence was suddenly ended, when a warm hand sloshed through the water and landed on her withers.

        The mare squeaked as she was pulled forward and pushed against Andrew’s bare chest.

        “What are you doing?” she asked quickly, their sudden closeness exciting her.

        “We're going out deeper. Can’t expect you to swim where your hooves are touching the ground can I?” Andrew chuckled as he waded backwards deeper into the water.

        The water quickly swarmed them, rising up both their bodies. As soon as Rainbow’s wings were submerged she began to instinctively flap them. She cried out suddenly when she felt herself pull away from the safety of Andrew’s hold, into the deep water.

        “Whoa, Dash,” Andrew said as he grabbed her and pulled her in close. “Your wings aren’t going to help you underwater. Keep them at your side. I know you're impatient, but I’d rather you didn’t drown on the first lesson,” he chuckled.

        Rainbow knitted her brow at him but pulled her wings in regardless. Instantly, she felt the drag against them drop. Within a few moments, Andrew had carried her to where the water came up to his elbows. More than enough to go well over Rainbow’s head. The faint feeling of shivering could be felt coming from the pegasus.

        “You alright, Rainbow?” Andrew inquired.

        “Shut up, it’s cold!” she snapped back, her rear hooves kicking beneath the surface. Andrew smirked, doing that strange laugh where he blew air from his nostrils.

        Suddenly, Andrew pitched backwards, falling into the water and taking Rainbow with him. The mare squealed as she was rudely pulled out of the water and onto Andrew’s chest.

        “First thing you’ve got to learn is how to float. If you can float then you won’t drown,” Andrew said as he lazily swung his arms beneath the surface.

        Peering over the side of his body, she noted that he was in fact ‘laying’ on top of the water. “How are you doing that?” she asked, puzzled.

        Andrew grinned. “It’s all about spreading your weight. Your wings might actually help you if you spread them while floating...” he trailed off as he looked at the mare.

        The pegasus had rested her head on his sternum, and allowed a forehoof to drop off the side into the water. Her tail flick and curled as it streamed behind them, occasionally wrapping around one of Andrew’s legs.

        “How are you holding up?”

        “I’m...fine,” she replied dreamily. “I wish I could stay like this forever.”

        Andrew sighed, he actually wanted to teach her more but seeing her blissful face stopped him from doing so. He shook his head in defeat and let himself lie floating on the surface of the pond, relaxing the best he could into the water. “Yeah... I think that’s enough lessons for today.”

They never caught that fish. Instead, they caught a moment of something deeper between them. Even if neither realized it just yet.
	

> Always and Forever. Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 1: Always and Forever

        The streets were abuzz in Ponyville. The towns resident ponies attacking the settlements vanity stores in droves. If Rarity’s sewing machine could talk it would be screaming in pain as it’s needle begged for mercy from the relentless demand of garments it was forced to produce.

        The reason for the blatant haberdashery abuse was a simple one. Ponyvilles annual ball was closing in fast from the horizon, and nopony wanted to miss out of the gathering. Annual however wasn’t the best word to describe the event. Despite being officially titled as ‘The Annual Ponyville Ball’, the occasion had a bad habit of only being hosted every ‘other’ year. A term that normally coincided with whenever the town’s treasury allowed it.

        This being the case, the unusual schedule proved to inject far more life into the town than most other events. While Nightmare Night and Hearth’s Warming eve were incredibly relaxed, family holidays, the Ponyville Ball was a extravagant setting for those who wished to try and climb the (relatively short) social ladder of the small town.

        “Oh, sorry!” A mare apologized sweetly over her shoulder as she barreled past the resident human. Andrew simply snorted, it wasn’t the first time he’d nearly been knocked over by a pony tearing down the streets at full tilt that day. In the few short hours he’d been outside today, he learned that coming within a good few body lengths of any shopfront doorway was a good method to keep out of harm’s way.

        Andrew shook his head in disbelief. While the ball was good and all, he couldn’t imagine why the mayor had announced it two days before it was supposed to happen. That was a recipe for a legendary Ponyville disaster.

        Unlike most ponies, there wasn’t a single modicum of Andrew’s body that felt a need to attend. Pinkie Pie’s parties were more than enough group gatherings than he’d ever need.

        He inwardly sighed. He knew that he really shouldn’t be having these anti-social thoughts. He was actually happy when his shrink had told him he was making good headway into adjusting to ‘normal’ life. That was all however turned on its head when recent events made themselves known.

Not only was the ball a blatant waste of money he didn’t have. Money that was far better spent on his upcoming investment on his own house, but it was also only another problem thrown on top of the single largest, most glaring issue that was nagging on his thoughts.        

Rainbow Dash.

A spectrum of varying emotions and thoughts were kicked up around that name alone. Normally, the name of his greatest friend in Equestria didn’t throw up so much internal debate. That was until certain pieces of the puzzle he had been oblivious to pick up on had finally penetrated into his thick skull.

That rainbow mare had the hots for him. It was so obvious now that he looked back at it, the increasing frequency of hugs, spending the night ‘sleeping over’ with Applejack, only to wake up in his room, all the little quips and quirks she seemed to have developed recently.

They all pointed one big, metaphorical finger at Rainbow wanted to elevate their relationship from friends to...

Andrew paused, he hadn’t actually considered what the correct terms for such a relationship were. Marefriend and boyfriend? A couple?

‘What was it that they were all talking about on Hearts and Hooves day? Special ponies, or somethi-’

“Guess who?” interrupted an extremely familiar voice as Andrew’s vision immediately went dark.

“You're putting your gross feet in my eyes, Dash,” Andrew deadpanned.

The light suddenly returned to his vision as Rainbow swooped around in front of him. “Uh, incase you hadn’t noticed, I don’t have feet. And like you actually care about getting dirty, I’ve seen you covered in mud when you were digging out AJ’s irrigation!” 

“What can I say, I’m a child at hea... Dash?”

“Uh.. yeah!” Rainbow snapped to attention from a far off gaze. Day dreaming about less than foal friendly things, involving mud and a very distinct lack of Andrew’s clothing.

“So what brings you to this neck of the woods? You getting ready for the ball or something?”

“What!? Nah, I never saw myself being all prim and proper. Besides, I’ve got nopony that I could go with. Sure, AJ and Rares are coming but knowing them, they’re just going to be for business. Talk about being boring on top of boring, y’know?

Andrew quirked an eyebrow. “Twi, Pinks and Shy ain’t coming?”

“You know how Shy is around other ponies, so she’s out. Twilight’s doing one of her omega nerd study sessions again so we won’t be seeing her tonight, or probably this month if she can help it. As for Pinkie, let’s just say she’s not allowed to go back to the ball, not after the polka fiasco last year.”

“Polka fiasco?” now both of his eyebrows were raised.

“Don’t ask.” replied the pegasus, her deadpan voice telling Andrew to drop the matter.

Suddenly she flew up and poked Andrew on the chest.“But enough of us lonely mares, aren’t you interested in going?

“Sure, if I wanted to stick out like a sore thumb,” snarked Andrew.  “Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if my presence there would make me the unwilling attraction for the night.”

“Andrew, you know that’s not true! Most ponies here think you’re awesome, I don’t know what you’re worried about,” Rainbow responded.

“I was talking to Rares, Dash,” Andrew said. “More ponies attend this ball than the ones who live here. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want ponies rocking up to our town just to point their hooves and laugh!”

“There is no point in going. It’s too much money that I don’t want to spend, and it’s pointless to go alone. See what I mean Dash? What would I even do there? Sit in the corner and watch all the cold shoulders I get?!” he grumbled, his words being accompanied by vicious hand movements.

Feeling a familiar rage building inside himself once more, he decided to walk away before he went off into another pity rant to the poor mare. But before he could take three steps, he heard a tiny voice call out to him.

“...I wouldn't mind if you went out with me.”

“What was that, Dash?” 

“ I said that I wouldn’t mind if you went out with me,” said Dash with conviction. “Look buster, just because that you don’t look like us doesn’t mean that you can’t hang out with the rest of the gang. The girls and I know what you’re really like: you’re cool and fun to be around, even if you’re a bit on the grumpy side.”

 Rainbow smiled, before continuing “So what if others thinks that you’re a freaky looking giant? Buck ‘em! That shouldn’t stop you from trying to have fun! If me having to go to this stupid ball is what it takes for you to get out of that shell, then it’s a price I’d pay!”

 “Wow Dash, that was... a hell of a speech. But um... thank you,” Andrew stammered out

“Don’t thank me yet, mister. We still have a ball to prepare for,” countered Dash. “Seeing as I’ve roped myself into doing this, I should probably go and get started. You should probably do the same, you know. Let’s meetup here by around eight pm, ok? 

Before Andrew was to answer her though, she was already gone. Her quickly retreating figure obscured by the flurry of ponies going about their everyday lives.

“Just when you think you already know a girl…” chuckled out Andrew. With a agenda now set, he returned to AJ's to see if he still had that old suit lying around. 



A blue, multicolored blur of giggling glee soared through the air, a small puffy cloud pottering around the small stone well in the middle of town became its target. Drilling into the middle of the cloud, Rainbow Dash rolled over onto her back, kicking her hind legs as she giggled cutely.

“Oh my gosh, I- me and Andrew! At the ball!” Rainbow beamed, squirming around inside the cloud with a dopey expression of affection as she fantasized about the upcoming event.

Dreamy images floated around in her head. Visions of a mist-covered dance floor hiding their ankles as they gently danced around each other on the opalescent platforms of the Pantheon. Columns of purely smooth clouds stretching into the infinity above them, the moonlight bathing them both in its milky white light.

The dress she wore flowed perfectly from behind her, its unmatchable beauty and the mare it was draped over becoming the talk of the century. None of that mattered to her though, all that she needed was to feel his strong arms around her. Memories of Andrew’s warmth and the alluring scent of his body began to invade her thoughts as she envisioned his two strong hands resting on the small of her back, keeping her close to him.

‘Oh Andrew,’ she muttered dreamily into his chest, unknowingly also muttering it into the real world from inside her cloud. One of his big, strong, wonderful hands moved from her back, sliding up to the back of her head, cupping her soft mane.

She was lost in her own imagination now. All she could think of was him, her eyes glossy and distant, thoughts focused solely on his face.

‘Rainbow,’ he said ever so slowly, ‘I just freeze everytime I see you.’

Little by little, the two began to drift towards one another, the star-crossed lovers finding themselves pulled towards one another.

‘Rainbow Dash... will you be my special somepony?’

“Oh yes, yes, yes a thousand times yes! Make me yours, Andrew!” she salivated to herself. Unbeknownst to her, her monologue caught the the attention of three young fillies who were nearby.

“Did you hear that?” said Scootaloo, “Rainbow Dash is going to the Ponyville ball with Andrew!”

“Andrew?” questioned Sweetie Belle, “You mean your long term guest who’s been sulking around Applejack’s barn?”

“Ah told you already, Andrew’s not moping around anymore!”  exclaimed Applebloom.  “He’s rather sweet when you actually get to know him.”

“Whatever, what’s important is that Rainbow is going off on a date! She’s all sappy about it too, like she had a crush on him.”

Right after Scootaloo said that, the three of them froze as they came into a realization.

“Hey girls, are you thinking what I’m thinking? asked Scootaloo.

“I think I do, but didn’t we already try this? We didn’t get our cutie marks on matchmaking when we tried to get Cheerilee and Big Macintosh together,” said Sweetie Belle

“But that’s because we didn’t know it was a love poison rather than a love potion!” retorted Scootaloo. “This time there’s every chance that it would work, I mean look at her!”

The fillies took another quick glance at the lovesick pegasus, who was busy rolling around on her cloud, while randomly squealing every now and then.

“Ah say we go for it,” suggested Applebloom, “It’s not everyday we get a chance at making a human and a pony to fall for each other.”

Before Applebloom and Sweetie Belle could do their trademark warcry however, Scootaloo covered their mouths. “Let’s not let Rainbow know what we’re up to, so we’ll do this one quietly, got it?.”

 “Cutie Mark Crusader Interspecies Matchmakers, yay!”

With a somewhat terrifying act of stealth from the three destructive fillies, the trio sped away to their ‘secret’ clubhouse to plan the perfect date.

Meanwhile, Rainbow continued to sigh happily inside her cloud of girlish fantasies whereas Andrew rummaged for his suit, both unaware of the coming storm that was to befall them, and the events that would forever change both their lives.








> Always and Forever. Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Andrew whistled to himself as he admired his fresh if oldish suit. The almost human-friendly full length mirror in Applejack’s spare bedroom providing a good reflection of the human.

“Damn, I clean up good,” Andrew grinned, slicking his hair back with a hand. Tightening his purple tie before tucking it under the silver-grey vest. Aligning the pristine white handkerchief in his top coat pocket, he picked up the comb on his bedside dresser.

As he tackled the fun-loving heap of hair on top of his head into a more manageable, far sexier do, the door to his bedroom opened and in waltzed Applejack.

“Well poke me with a tail and call me a donkey! I don’t think I've ever seen you in a suit!” she whistled, admiring his form up and down, tracing him with her eyes.

“Easy AJ, or else you’re gonna have to fight against Dash for this piece of work,” he smiled, fiddling with the cuffs of the sleeves.

“Speaking of which, whats this I hear ‘bout Dash getting all purdied up on you?” Applejack asked, the idea that her pegasi friend had been the one to ask Andrew to come to the ball piping her curiosity.

“Well, lets just say I’ve got a theory,” the human replied, still warring with the cuffs.

Applejack rolled her eyes before trotting over and overtaking the man’s fumblings.

“And this theory of yers is?” she asked, leaving the question hanging as she straightened his sleeves.

“Well, from what I’ve put together from recent events, and from what Scootaloo has told me, I might be having a little ‘come to jesus’ meeting with her tonight.”

“Come again?”

“I’ve got some questions for that girl. And if my assumptions are bang up then she’s got a pretty big one for me too,” Andrew explained.

“You’re avoiding the question, Andrew,” Applejack tsked.

“Well yeah,I guess I am. The less people who know about this the better, in case it all blows up in my face,” he shrugged.

“Let’s just say tonight is going to change a lot of things. And it’s probably going to have the words, ‘sompony’ and ‘special’ tossed around a lot. Not particularly in that order.”

Applejack finished up, releasing Andrew’s arm. “Ah just hope you don’t ruin what you have with her.”

“...you know, you cotton on a lot faster than you give yourself credit for.”

“Come on Andrew, it was plain as day to see that RD is head over hooves for you,” Applejack stated.

Andrew turned his head away. “...I know,” he said noncommittally, sporting a look of incredibly deep inner turmoil.

“Andrew,” Applejack started sternly. “Has Dash ever told you about her previous relationships?”

Andrew turned to look at her, the strength of her voice holding a no bullshit tone. “No, not really.”

Applejack sighed. “Well it’s her business to tell you, but I’ll say that she’s been dealt some bad cards. I do not want to see her go down that road again,” Applejack glowered.

“Just... I know I can’t make this decision for you. But please don’t break ‘er heart.”

Andrew sighed, looking at the setting sun acting as a cosmic timer, counting down the hours left until he had to face the music.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”






Insects buzzed around the enchanted candle lit lamps of the Ponyville upper-end suburb. The cobbled streets that were bordered by expensive grandiose mansions was filled with a river of multi-colored party goers. 

In droves, pony after pony marched down the streets towards the large hall where the ball was being hosted. Some ponies walked in pairs, leisurely enjoying the early night air. Others walked in groups, mainly friends with their dates eagerly chatting about the fantastic night ahead.

And then there were those who walked all on their lonesome, much like Andrew was doing right at this moment. Applejack had left for the ball much earlier, having to set up the catering long before the ball kicked off. The man clad in his fine three piece suit slowly meandered around, lagging behind the main throng of ponies, obviously in no rush. 

There was too much on his mind to bother keeping up with the mass. Not that they minded anyways, there was still more than a few ponies who crossed the street when he walked by. That wasn’t what irked him tonight though.

Aside from Applejack, there was only one other pony in town who knew about Andrew’s dilemma with Rainbow’s affections.It was his shrink, Doctor Clear Sight. A funny name considering the size of the glasses the poor stallion had to wear.

 Andrew remembered the day when he had put two and two together about what Rainbow was hinting at. Coincidentally,that realization had occurred on one of his appointments with the physiatrist.

To say that the psychiatrist was surprised would be a bold faced lie. After treating an extra-dimensional traveller as a patient, hearing that he was having trouble with mares didn’t register too high on his ‘weird-o-meter.’

Despite this, Clear Sight had been an immense help. The day Andrew had gone in to explain what he had discovered he had been vehemently opposed to the idea of an inter-species relationship.

Now though, after all the gentle persuasion of the shrink, it actually felt... good. A relationship would do him well, someone to get him through the tougher, colder, lonelier nights. But even though he felt like saying yes, the age old antagonist of doubt still resided in the pit of his gut.

Andrew just couldn’t shake the feeling. He was certain that tonight was the night it was all coming out, but when it all boiled down to that yes or no question, could he make the right choice?

He didn’t want to ruin what he had with Rainbow. She was truly a legendary friend. But after tonight Andrew wasn’t certain they could keep that bond. When it all came down to it, could he love Dash?

The ballroom came into view, a sort of greenhouse looking structure. Silver-white metal struts and frames held the large starlit windows that made up most of the roof and the walls. A smaller, actual stone building was affixed to the back, likely where all the catering took place. The entire structure was accentuated with snaking vines growing along the lattice work around the glass house.

With a deep breath and one final straightening tug of his tie, Andrew set forth to find his ‘date’.






An hour earlier, in Ponyvilles only resistant cloudhouse, Rainbow Dash was also pulling her mane out, although for a very different reason.

“Ow! Stupid brush! How does Rarity put up with you things?” Rainbow grumbled, standing in front of her bathroom mirror, trying to force her spectrum of colors into their designated locks.

Steam still floated around inside the bathroom from the scaldingly hot shower she had just taken. It wasn’t often Rainbow went all out like this, especially for a stallion. But this was Andrew, A man so great it had prompted the mare into buying the top shelf shampoo and conditioner on the off chance that he might stroke her mane.

Rainbow paused, letting herself fall into a memory. The first time Andrew had ran his fingers through her mane. It had been a tuesday, the week had barely started and already it had it out for the mare. Tired, bruised and generally feeling pretty crumby, she found herself at Applejacks, more specifically in Andrew’s room. They didn’t do much, she just wanted to spend time with her crush she had been on the cusp of nodding off when he did it.

And by Celestia did she melt. It was indescribable, she actually moaned a little when he did it. The mighty Rainbow Dash! Moaning from being petted! Thankfully Andrew didn’t notice nor cared, but he only did it a few times before stopping, and Rainbow was damn sure she wanted a whole lot more of that.

Finally giving up on the brush, she moved to her wings. The show piece of any pegasus, the cleaner, nicer and more gorgeous a mare’s wings were, the sexier they were deemed. Of course, that wasn’t why Rainbow normally preened them, she kept them sleek, strong and functional. No point in trying to make them look nice when no one could see them moving at near the speed of sound.

But tonight, she put her all into them. Perfectly straightened, not a single feather out of place. Her primaries shined with the rather expensive preening oil she had purchased. The small silvery-gold clips she delicately placed on their tips added to their majesty, much like an earring did.

Rainbow paused. Rummaging around in the countertop drawer, she found one of about three pairs of earrings she owned. She didn’t like to wear them much. After all, those kinds of accessories were unnecessary when pulling her stunts, but tonight was different.

Carefully, she adorned the large, frankly oversized earrings to her. They were uncomfortable, but it was nothing she couldn’t handle.

Once satisfied, she spread her plumage to show herself in the mirror. What reflected was an image of perfect symmetry; every feather shining and pointing where it should. Rainbow smiled, blushing to herself ever so slightly. She never thought of herself as beautiful, but even she had to admit that she did look stunning.

‘Only the best for him,’ she thought.

Making her way to the bedroom, she quickly donned the dress that Rarity had ‘persuaded’ her to have. It was fairly simple compared to the others she had, it was a long flowing night sky black dress that was ever so slightly see-through. Much like her Gala dress from a few years ago, the bottom of the dress was lined with a cloud-like border, matching that one that was around her neck. The dress became awfully narrow in her midsection, exposing her belly with just a small amount of fabric between there and the wing holes. Lastly, the shoes were laced up around each front leg with black crosses.

In all honesty, to Rainbow it looked more like pyjamas. 

Looking over at the clock, she noted that there was less that half an hour till eight. The ball didn’t technically start until quarter to nine but she knew the festivities would kick off long before then.

Looking out her bedroom window, the high vantage point gave her a view of the shining glass house. She could already see ponies arriving early, probably to snag a good table.

Looking behind herself, she looked at the dress she was wearing. Despite being made for a pegasus it really didn’t look like it would hold up to the speeds Dash liked to move at, nor would her mane in its current styling.

With a sigh, she left early. Hoping that she could at least walk quickly without the dress getting in a tither.






‘Plop. Plop. Plop’

“Sweetie! Can’t you go any faster?!” Scootaloo half whispered, half shouted at the filly unicorn.

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to walk up a wall? These suction cups are too strong!” Sweetie Belle squeaked, grunting as she pulled one of her rear hooves off of the glass wall.

“Girls keep it down, there are ponies arriving!” Applebloom spoke up from the lowest position, her eyes on the door that the guests were now coming through.

“Faster!”

“Ugh, why do I have to be at the top?” Sweetie Belle groaned.

With a final heave, the trio collapsed onto the roof, making sure they were hidden from view behind the frame work. “Scootaloo, your tail is on the glass!”

The orange pegasus quickly retracted her tail, tucking it up along herself, keeping her profile as low as possible.

“Why did this thing have to be held in the one building that’s all glass!” Scootaloo grumbled.

“It’s not all glass, theres a kitchen area out the back. We need to sneak over there and find our way in the back!” Applebloom explained.

“Wait, if we’re just gonna use the backdoor,then why did we climb on the roof?!” Sweetie exclaimed, throwing her hooves out.

“I, uh well… it’s for a vantage point, yeah! Ok, new plan, we wait till we see Andrew and Dash come in and sit down. That way we know where they are.”

“I, uh that actually makes sense,” Scootaloo said, looking awfully perplexed.

“Hey that looks like Dash!” Sweetie Belle pointed out, hunkering down to the glass.

“No way! Rainbow would never dress up like... Wow that really is her!” Scootaloo exclaimed, her little wings buzzing.

“Ah don’t think i’ve ever seen her so dolled up. Not even when she went to the Gala,” Applebloom added.

“Alright crusaders, the plan has been set in motion. Keep an eye out for Andrew. Operation Cupid is a go!” Sweetie hoof pumped.

“Ugh, why did we choose such an icky name?” Scootaloo moaned.





The ballroom was already filled with quiet chatter when Andrew entered. Much to his relief, his presence only caught a few eyeballs, not the room silencing entrance he had been expecting.

Suddenly feeling a whole lot better about the evening, he kept a lookout for Rainbow Dash. Slowly walking around the perimeter, he noted that there were tables lining the outside wall, giving a good view of the gardens outside. In the middle of the room was a gleamingly polished hardwood floor for dancing. Soft music was playing, but it wasn’t anything you could dance to, more like the stuff they play before a movie starts in a cinema.

Walking towards the back corner, the quietest and somehow strangely more intimate area of the ball room, he saw the glass wall meet the stone one of the backroom, its ugly walls being hidden behind a thick velvet curtain.

“Hey Andrew,” a familiar voice said, it’s tone strangely husky, if a little shaky. Taking a deep breath, Andrew turned to address Rainbow Dash.


Andrew blinked, not believing the mare before him was the same Rainbow he knew. “I- uh wow Dash, you look really beautiful,” he spoke before registering what he said.

Rainbow smiled, a confident almost sultry grin, on the inside however, she felt like a filly getting her first kiss. “Thanks, you’re not too bad yourself. Come on, I found us a seat.”

Andrew followed almost as if he were on a trance. His eyes completely fixated on the amazing dress the pegasus was wearing and the way her hind legs were visible through the sparkling fabric. There was a certain grace to the way she was walking. Each hoof step seemed planned, confident and designed to show off her body in the perfect way.

Each step of her rear hooves carried with it the gentle sway of her haunches. Her much larger than usual tail bounced and the light from overhead shined on its newly acquired gloss. Taking his eyes away from the mares hindquarters, he instead turned them to her mane.

Rainbow’s mane shined with a luscious radiance that the man had never seen before. It still boasted its carefree, sporty look and that one little stray lock of red hair, but it had more length, more curves. It moved with little effort, as if it was being directed by a breeze Dash was controlling. All in all Andrew couldn’t help but admit it. Rainbow Dash was hot.

Finding their table, a small two seater in the far corner complete with rose red candles, Rainbow patiently waited beside her seat. Taking that as his cue, Andrew wordlessly moved behind it, pulling her chair out for her. Rainbow smiled, taking her seat as Andrew sat down.

Andrew couldn’t quite place whether or not Rainbow was doing this because of the high class event, or if she really was trying to be gracious. The earrings were a good example. In all the time he’d know the mare he’d never seen her wear them. He didn’t even think her ears were pierced.

“Gotta say Rainbow, and I think I speak for both of us here. I feel really outta place here,” Andrew joked, cracking another one of his alluring grins that always caused a shiver through Rainbow’s wings.

“Heh, yeah. I think we’re both a little underdressed,” Rainbow half joked, half stated looking down at her dress.

“More like underpaid, you were right when you said we would have ponies who came from out of town,” Andrew responded, gesturing to all the stiff upper-lipped type ponies mingling around.

“For what its worth though Dash, I think you look amazing,” he smiled, his voice full of obvious sincerity to which Rainbow felt immediate gratitude towards.

“What about you? I’ve never seen that suit before,” Rainbow Dash commented, pointing at Andrews suit. 

“Actually, that’s a bit of a story. Ages ago, Rarity wanted to make me a suit, but seeing as I didn’t really need one I told her to stop. I actually had to go over there and throw together all the samples she made. I’m just glad it was all the same color,” he grinned, leaning back in his chair.

“She just had grey and purple suit pieces lying around?”

“Dash, this is Rarity we’re talking about. I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t have a whole ensemble made for each of us.”

“Oh I’m afraid I had to abandon that project months ago,” a refined voice came from behind.

“Speak of the devil and she shall appear,” Andrew said in disbelief.

“Hey Rares, when did you get here?” Rainbow asked.

“Oh just a few moments ago. You know what they say about being fashionably late. But as soon as I spotted you two, I simply had to come over and greet you on your fine choice in clothing.

“Rarity, you made mine,” Andrew deadpanned.

“And you picked mine out,” Dash added.

“Exactly, you don’t think I would have forgotten a detail like that?” Rarity smiled slyly, obviously enjoying her little self-ego prod.

“Well incase I don’t see you two again tonight, I hope you two enjoy yourselves. I hear that they're planning to play the most romantic music-” Rarity halted when she saw Rainbow waving her hoof in front of her neck, the universal sign for ‘ex-nay’.

Andrew turned back to Dash to see what had prompted Rarity’s sudden button up, only to see Rainbow sitting there sweetly, an innocent smile on her face.

Silently, Rarity began plotting. “Hmm, Rainbow Dash dear, could you come with me for a moment? I wouldn’t wish to embarrass you but your dress seems to be a droopy around the wings.”

Rainbow looked at Rarity oddly, “Uh, alright. I’ll be back in a sec Andrew.”

Guiding the pegasus away from the table out of earshot, Rarity began to uselessly fumble with Rainbow’s dress. “I’m truly sorry Dash but there really isn’t anything wrong with your dress- which looks amazing on you by the way- it’s just that I wanted to see how you were holding up.”

Rainbow blushed, chewing her lip as she mulled over whether or not to tell her. “Well, for starters he said I looked beautiful and amazing.”

“Oh how delightful!” Rarity giggled.

“But, he doesn’t seem nervous. I don’t know how he does it! I’ve never been this shaky in my entire life! What if he doesn’t think this is a date? Like he thinks this is just another night out?” Rainbow fretted, dancing on her hooves a little.

“Well from what I know of Andrew is that he always tries to hide it with a smile. If I know him at all I can say that he is just as nervous about tonight as you are.”

“Really?” Rainbow enquired hopefully.

“I would eat my tail if I was wrong,” Rarity said firmly, finally letting Rainbow’s dress go.

“Now then,” she began as she led Rainbow back to her seat. “All I can say is good luck darling.”

As Rainbow retook her place, Andrew spoke up “Sooo do you know when’s the food gonna get dished out?”

“I’m not certain, It couldn’t be too far away. Perhaps I might go and speak to Applejack, I am feeling rather peckish after all,” Rarity admitted, moving past them

“I’ll be back soon, ta ta!”

“What was that all about, Dash?” Andrew asked, looking past her towards the receding form of Rarity.

“Oh, you know, just making a few adjustments. Don’t want to trip up on my dress when we're dancing,” Rainbow said before realizing the words she had allowed to slip out. Unfortunately, Andrew picked up on it.

“Dancing ey? Didn’t think you were the type,” he teased. Rainbow looked away, not believing that she had allowed such a sappy fantasy to just slip out. She had to be careful, tonight everything was on the line, and one false step could see her trying to mend another broken heart.

“Well, I’m up for it.”

Rainbow whipped her head back around, staring wide eyed at Andrew. That was certainly the last thing she had expected to ever come out of his mouth, let alone with the sincerity that it held. She tried to find any hint of mischief of desire in his eyes, trying to find the prank that was surely there.

But, she couldn’t find it. His soft smile, those caring blue eyes, she couldn’t see anything other than complete honesty. Glancing out over to the wooden dance floor, she could see that a few couples had already taken to a slow dance. She gulped, Dancing really wasn’t her thing.

Suddenly, she felt the soft ghosting touch of Andrew’s hand on her hoof. Looking down at it, then quickly back to him, she wrestled with her inner self to not just spill everything right then and there. Slowly, Andrew moved his thumb back and forth over the short fur of her hoof. “We don’t have to dance if you don’t want to Dash.”

The soothing feeling of Andrew’s thumb caressing her hoof helped the mare come to an answer.Taking a breath, she responded in a voice that was almost afraid of being heard. “Yes. I want to.”

With Andrew’s smile and his guiding hand on her back giving her the courage she so desperately needed, the pair headed off into the ballroom floor.

As the mismatched couple went their way into the dancing crowd, A soft melody began to wander from the musicians on stage. Ears perked around the room and slowly the dance floor began to crowd with increasing numbers of dancing couples.

Before Andrew could think too much about it, they were already at the center of the dance floor, staring into each other’s eyes. Silence reigned over the ballroom floor as the band was preparing their next song, further compounding their nervousness. 

However, when the first few lyrics of the song was sung, everything else was lost in the moment as Andrew threw caution to the wind. “Screw the consequences,” he thought.

Offering his outstretched hand to the one mare that has stood beside him through thick and thin. He asked the first question in the long line of questions that he would have never had thought he’d say. 

“Rainbow Dash, may I have this dance?”

With an intense blush, Rainbow’s ears folded back against her head of their own accord. A nervous giggle escaped her, before she raised her hoof to meet Andrew’s awaiting hand.

Taking Andrew’s hand, Rainbow Dash willed herself to stand on her hind legs, wobbling slightly as she did so. Her free forehoof kicked slightly as she reared, trying to balance herself. 

Trying to use her wings to stabilize herself, she was stopped by Andrew placing his other hand on her back. She put up a questioning gaze at his actions but all she got in return was a reassuring, winning smile and his kind,soft eyes. While there was no conversation shared among them, the message was clear: “Trust in me.” 

With this simple gesture, the pegasus felt her nervousness and inhibitions melt away in the magic of the moment and she finally let herself go, to enjoy the dance as it is. Regaining her confidence, she started to dance with Andrew,their gazes finding each other and letting her worries get lost as she put her all into this dance.

To Andrew’s surprise, doing a slow dance with a pony was not quite a unique prospect as he first thought it would be. Once they got past the initial awkwardness from trying to dance in her hind legs,it was as if he was dancing with another human. He then began to silently guide Dash into doing slow turns by exerting pressure into her back so as to avoid bumping into nearby couples. However, any other attempts to do any semblance to a slow dance disappeared when he found himself staring into Dash’s amethyst eyes. 

The magnificent irises that gazed back at him held a sparkle, one he had never before seen before. There was something dwelling just under their surface, a hidden emotion that was desperately being fought over within the pegasus.

Half of her just wanted to tackle him into a flurry of sweet kisses. The other, much more realistic half kept her grounded, keeping her dancing slowly in time with him, all the while battling within her own head.

She wanted him. She needed his touch, it was driving her mad the way she had to take things slowly. After all, slow just wasn't Rainbow Dash’s style. Perfection was all that was on her mind, everything needed to go off without a hitch.

Unfortunately, the amount of thought she was putting into her plans was taking some of the effort away from her dancing, which only came to her attention when she slightly stumbled over her wobbly rear hooves.

“Whoa,” she gasped suddenly, her left hoof getting tangled with her right, forcing her sideways into Andrews supporting arms. Thankfully, the long appendages easily kept her upright, all the while maintaining most of her dignity.

A hand slowly snaked up from where it had been resting on her lower back to the back of her head, just underneath her mane, sending an electric shiver through Rainbow from the unexpected intimacy.

“You alright Dash?” Andrew asked quietly, staring into Rainbow’s own eyes whilst he caressed the soft hair of her mane. Much to Rainbow’s dismay and a tiny bit of delight, she drew in a shaky breath as Andrews amazing fingers toiled with her hair. She very nearly let out an embarrassing squeal of pleasure.

“I’m fine,” Rainbow responded rather cooly. Or at least what she hoped sounded cool, which actually came off more like a dreamy mumble. Which was only heightened by the tightening of her hooves around Andrews waist. “Just... Let’s keep dancing. Please.”

Andrew let out a soft chuckle, rubbing the back off her head some more. “‘Course Rainbow.”

Rainbow sighed happily, leaning her head into Andrew’s chest. She was glad for his suit jacket being there, it helped to absorb her gentle tears of joy. The moonlight shone through the ceiling of the glasshouse down onto the pair as they melted into one another. For a single moment, nothing could tear them apart.





























> Always and Forever. Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow leaned gently against Andrew’s hip as they slowly made their way off the dance floor. Her lacy black dress slid soundlessly against the fabric of his pants, but the feeling of warmth was easily picked up by her soft wings.

Her tail waved around lazily, more often than not trying to reach Andrew’s leg in an attempt to coil around it but lacking the length to do so. Abandoning her rough attitude for the time being, she sighed. Closing her eyes in enjoyment, she leaned her head as best she could against the biped’s waist, letting him guide her back to their seat.

A hand found its way to the crown of her head, nestling in the soft nest of color that sprouted there. Slowly, it slithered down her mane and around her neck until it came to rest on the underside of her jaw, his thumb rubbing her cheek afterwards.

Ponies glanced their way, but no sneers or looks of judgement followed. Whatever remained of their fear was extinguished, having found peace at the fact that they were accepted here.

Making their way back to their seats at the edge of the hall, the pair sat down without a word. The faintest buzz of a blush shone like heated toaster wires in Rainbow’s cheeks as she gazed into Andrew’s eyes from across the table.

The human’s hand moved across the table, wrapping around the mare’s much smaller, and -as much as she hated to admit it--daintier furred hoof.

“I... um, thank you Andrew. I’ve never really done that with anypony,” Rainbow admitted.

“Well, I’ve never done that with anypony either. You could say we were each other’s firsts,” he smiled.

A strange, almost inaudible moan left Rainbow’s throat as his provocative words entered her ears. Her skin bristled with pricks of heat and her mind conjured some very alluring images that would fuel her dreams for weeks to come.

“Yeah I uh, we... yeah,” she finally settled on, recovering from her sudden scramble.

Andrew tilted his head, adopting a concerned look, “You alright, Dash?”

Rainbow blushed hard, eyes darting anywhere but to him. “Yeah,” she squeaked, coughing cutely into her free hoof, cheeks burning from having her voice crack, “Y-yeah.”

Andrew shrugged, grabbing at his collar. “Well I don’t know about you, but that dancing made me hot. You want a drink? My treat,” he smiled kindly.

“Just a water please... Drewy,” she squeaked.

“Beg pardon?”

“J-just a water thanks.”

“Of course,” he responded, rubbing his thumb over her hoof slowly before standing.

As Andrew wandered his way over to the bar, the mare slumped back into her chair, letting loose a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Rubbing her eyes, she took a moment to look at her hoof. The appendage quaked ever so slightly, her whole body shaking and teetering on the verge of becoming a stressed out wreck.

A strangled gasp left her throat. The disbelief of what she was seeing. For a mare that had fought countless enemies and faced serious injury for the joy of flying it came as a shock for nerves to find their way into her, and at a place like this!

“Psst, Rainbow,” A voice sounded from somewhere close.

Rainbows ears shot upright in alarm, swivelling around like security cameras on high alert. A small orange hoof grabbed at the hem of her lacy dress, directing her attention to under the table.

With a quick flick of her wing, the soft red linen tablecloth lifted revealing the smiling face of three little fillies.

“Scootaloo!? What in the name of Luna’s moon are you doing here!?” Rainbow half whispered, half shouted, in only the way that a girl can do.

“We’ve come to help you out!” Scootaloo beamed back, Applebloom and Sweetie backing her up with smiling nods.

“Girls, you can’t be here! This is an adults only thing!”

“Hey, we are adults! I’ve even been through Estrus!” Sweetie retorted, drawing a ‘did not need to know that’ grimace from Dash.

“Girls, I don’t have time for this! Go home! Andrew is gonna be back any second and if you get caught, we’re gonna get kicked out for sure!”

“That’s just it though! We’re here to help you win Andrew’s heart!” Scootaloo explained.

“Um, are you sure you're alright Scootaloo? Andrew and I are just friends,” Rainbow played off smoothly.

“Rainbow, we’re sisters! I can tell when you're acting weird ever since you’d started taking Andrew to your ‘private viewing airshows,’” she added in air quotes, “it wasn’t hard to figure out what was going on.” Scootaloo smiled almost smugly, chin high in a very victorious pose.

“Okay, okay! I admit, I do have the hots for him alright?! Geez, you’re too perceptive for your own good, squirt.”

“Yes! So does that mean you’ll let us help you?” Sweetie asked.

“Whoa whoa whoa, I never said anything like that. Besides, what would you three know about dating anyway?”

“It’s not what we know, it’s how we can help! Three extra sets of hooves working behind the scenes to make this the best night ever? It can’t go wrong!”

Opening her mouth to tell the fillies off, the tablecloth quickly fell back to the floor when the sound of approaching footsteps made their way over. Andrew had come back with the drinks, placing them on the table as he sat down. “Here you go, Rainbow,” he said, smiling politely at her.

“Um, hey Andrew,” Rainbow started, trying to steer his attention away from under the table. “I’m getting pretty hungry, do you think you could go and find AJ and ask her what's taking so long? Please?” 

Andrew blinked before snorting with a smile. “Yeah, alright Dash. I know you hate waiting for anything,” he smiled as he stood up.

As soon as her crush walked out of sight, Rainbow was immediately under the table.

“Listen,” the slightly panicked, but more-so pissed off pegasus whispered sternly, “I need you three to leave, now. If anything goes wrong with this date, I swear to Celestia I’ll-”

Rainbow blinked. The only one of the three little demons remaining under the table was Sweetie Belle. She smiled, flashing the older mare a hooves-up.

“You’re doing good, Rainbow Dash!” she assured her. “Just make sure that if you order a wiener, you don’t get anything on your face, because it’s really hard to get the juice out of your fur. I know because I read it in Rarity’s diary, and Rarity knows all about-”

Rainbow immediately bolted upward, eyes darting frantically around the room as she searched for signs of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

Out of nowhere, a warm hand suddenly brushed over her shoulders, causing Rainbow to jump just a little. Whipping her head around, she was slightly calmed at the sight of her mega-crush behind her while managing to hide her stress over finding the missing fillies.

“She says that soup’s on in about ten minutes. She did mention that there was some finger food around here though,” Andrew shrugged, not noticing the human term he had let slip.

“Oh, that’s good. I might go get something to eat... Um do you want anything?” Rainbow said, still stealthily scanning around the room.

“Nah, I can wait. You better go get something to tide you over, you look like you can’t sit still,” the man chuckled.

“Yeah, you know me, empty stomach and all, hehe,” she played off before turning away.

Carefully, and more importantly, as nonchalantly as she possibly could , the pegasus scanned every hiding space where two fillies could squeeze themselves into, earning her more than a few curious glances when some other couples noticed the odd mare who was gazing intently at a curtain.

Eventually, she made her way over to the snack food table. Despite finding the fillies being priority numero uno, she couldn’t help but feel just a tiny bit peckish. Eyeing up a particularly appetizing daisy sandwich, she let her mind slip. Loading more than a few onto her plate, she made to return to her table when she noticed a crystal vase.

Eight fully bloomed roses sprouted from within the vase, their petals perfectly shaped. With a cautionary glance to check for any possible witnesses, Rainbow quickly leant up and snagged one, clipping the head off swiftly before sliding it into her mane, just behind her ear.

Searching for a mirror to see how she looked, she smiled when the vase became of use to her again. Sticking her tongue out cutely, she turned her head side to side, checking if the rose was locked in place. She stopped dead however, when she noticed two little brightly-colored blobs that were visible in its reflection.

Whipping her head around, she watched in horror as Scootaloo helped pull Applebloom up onto a ledge that overlooked the room. The little earth filly seemed to lose her grip for a moment, slipping a few inches off the ledge before Scootaloo quickly readjusted her hold on her. The poor yellow pony’s hind legs kicked for dear life, coming quite close to knocking off an elderly stallion’s tophat.

 Everybody, including the owner of the ridiculously tall hat, seemed to be okay. Rainbow, however, nearly had a heart attack at how dangerously close this night was to being ruined. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that one of them seemed to have knocked something off from the ledge, the small projectile heading straight for the oblivious old gentlestallion.

 She held out a hoof as if preparing to dart forward: “Scoot-!” she began to shout, until she felt the eyes of the entire room upon her. Desperate to escape the awkward stares she was receiving, she quickly thought of a way to exit the scene.

 “Uh, scoot!” she ordered a mare standing in front of her, eliciting an angry gasp as she shoved past her. “I need to use the mare’s room!”

 Pretending the odd stares she was getting weren’t actually happening, and hoping that Andrew hadn’t witnessed that little outburst, she quickly trotted off to the little mares room, noting on the way that the fillies had once again vanished. Barging inside, she rudely pushed past a mare coming out of one of the stalls. Forcing her way in, Rainbow quickly spun the latch, locking herself inside.

“Urgh,” she groaned, rubbing her eyes with her hooves, trying to think her way out of this mess. Not a moment later, the sound of the ladies door opening alerted Rainbow to a new visitor.

“Rainbow Dash dear, I thought you had at least some modicum of class. That was no way to act!” Rarity’s voice sounded, her chastising tone forever prevalent.

Rainbow groaned in realization, pushing her face into her hooves. “I know, Rarity. Just believe me when I say that the alternative would have been way worse.”

Rarity paused. “...You don’t have the runs do you?”

“Ew, Rarity!”

“Well I’m sorry, but if you’re not willing to tell me you could at least come back out. I’m sure Andrew is getting worried about you.”

Rainbow grinned to herself. ‘Yeah, he does care, doesn’t he?’

While Dash was silently stewing in her girlish fantasies, Rarity finally turned away. “Well they’re going to be serving in five minutes, Rainbow. I suggest making sure you get out there before it gets cold.

The door closed softly, and Rainbow waited a few moments until she was sure Rarity was more than a good distance from the bathroom, she stepped out of the stall. Taking a moment to fix herself up in the mirror, she took one last cautionary glance around to see if any rambunctious crusaders were in here with her, before stepping out.

Andrew smiled when he saw his pseudo-date return, silently noting the very off-character rose behind her ear. Deciding to keep his mouth shut as she sat down, he reached over to caress her hoof.

The flurry of faces that flew over Rainbow’s face from the gesture was painfully adorable to say the least. First the ears perked, the the eyes grew, her smiled wavered into an uneasy grin, one that was beginning to dawn into a happy squeal.

Her eyes clicked upwards to look at his, looking wide-eyed and hopeful. “Hey Dash, I’ve got a question.”

“Uh-huh,” she acknowledged absently, too focused on those fingers wrapped around her hoof.

“Have you ever had a boyfriend-”

SCREECH.

A collective groan, and clamping of ears to heads went on around the ballroom, the bands amplifier letting out a horrific feedback scream. The faintest hint of a indigo tail slipping behind a bass case made Rainbow’s blood boil.

‘Scoots, you are so going to get it!’

The band quickly solved the issue, offering a quick apology to everyone before glossing over it with a soothing piece.

Andrew turned away from them back to Dash, shaking his head with a laugh. “I swear, you ponies can’t go one hour without something happening,” he mused.

Rainbow gave a uncommitted nod, eyes still darting all over. Soon after, the doors to the kitchen swung open, and a platoon of waiters rolled out, each demonstrating impressive balancing skills. Boiling hot soup sitting on their backs as if they were bolted down.

One quickly served up the duo, placing the tantalizing dish before them. The volume of steam pouring off of the meal kept Rainbow’s ravenous hunger at bay for the moment, lest she make even more of a fool of herself tonight by burning her mouth.

As she waited, Andrew decided to keep conversation going, this time talking about his patent. Rainbow listened in half rapt attention. Loving his voice, trying to be interested in the subject matter. Trains weren’t really her thing.

Suddenly, something dropped from above. Pinging off of Rainbow’s mane, a slip of folded paper landed square on the table. Hoping Andrew didn’t notice, she quickly swatted it away. After another minute of chatting, another note fell, strangely bigger, bouncing off her shoulder before falling right off. Rainbow continued to ignore them, using the tried and tested ‘ignorance is bliss’ approach to the raining notes. 

Suddenly without warning, what equated to a tome fell from the rafters, the heavy note fell with the grace of a cinder block, and its trajectory put it straight into Rainbow’s soup.

The room seemed deathly silent. Andrew could only watch on in horror as the soup continued to drip from Rainbow’s face, down onto her dress staining it with harsh dark splotches. A strangled gasp left her, looking down in disbelief at her ruined clothing, then back to the aghast expression of her crush. A heavy, shaky breath left her. What this night could have been, what hopes she had for a perfect date with Andrew...

…they were now shattered.

With a small sniffle that threatened to become a choking sob, she leapt from her seat, bolting towards the staff exit at the rear of the kitchen, almost bowling over a waiter in her wake.

“Dash, wait!” Andrew called after her, standing up so quickly the table nearly toppled over. A quick glance around showed that the little event hadn’t gone unnoticed by the other patrons, who were either staring at the standing human, or trying to ignore the embarrassing debacle as best they possibly could.

Andrew paid them no mind however as he swiftly followed suit in the direction Rainbow had galloped off.





It didn’t take long to find her.

The rear of the glass house backed onto a large meadow, with a short stone patio to overlook the garden. However being in the dead of night and a distinct chill in the air made for a very empty scene, aside from one near-sobbing mare.

Letting out a breath as if he was releasing his nerves, Andrew made his way over to Rainbow. The sound of his footsteps made her ears swivel towards him briefly before flattening against her head.

“Rainbow?” he asked softly.

Rainbow just sniffed, turning her head further away.

Dropping to a knee, he placed a hand on her left shoulder, despite being a simple gesture, he felt the weight on it increase by how she ever so gently leant into it. 

“Hey, come on now. Don’t let a little spill ruin our fun. I don’t know about you but I’d much rather be in there then out here, but not without you.”

Rainbow whimpered, still turned away. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“It's all ruined,” she moaned, her voice carrying an unmissable tone of hopelessness.

“The dress or the party?”

“Everything...”

Andrew, shook his head, placing her other hand on her right cheek feeling the cold soup in her fur. “Dash... Please look at me, Rainbow,” he asked gently.

Reluctantly,the mare turned to face her object of infatuation, silently hating herself for letting him see her big puffy red eyes. Andrew simply smiled a sad smile all the while, reaching into his top pocket to pull out that weird handkerchief thing.

With soft, gentle strokes, he slowly cleaned away the patches of soup on Rainbow’s fur, picking off the occasional piece of vegetable. Moving his other hand behind her ear, he began to rub the area gently.

“I don’t think the night’s ruined, Rainbow. Sure, we had some hiccups, but that’s all. It’s not like you to break down over something like this,” he commented, putting her handkerchief away, letting his hands be devoted to caressing Rainbow’s face.

Moving his thumb to rub her cheek, he continued. “You're the rough and tumble Rainbow Dash. A little spill would never faze you this much, unless something else is going on.”

All cards on the table, Andrew spoke. “Is there anything you wanna tell me Rainbow? Something about us?”

Rainbow’s eyes flicked straight towards his, locking on and widening. Her shocked expression lasted only but a moment however until she let out an unsteady shuddering breath, and the ghosts of tears built at the base of her eyes.

“Y-you know?”

Andrew simply nodded his head.

“How long?” Rainbow squeaked.

“A few days,” he replied. “It was after you started to do all those private airshows. It took me a while but I eventually put two and two together. But all the evidence in the world isn’t as good as hearing a confession.”

“If you wanna say it Dash... just go for it.”

Rainbow visibly gulped, staring up at Andrew with her big eyes. Slowly, she closed them as she went over what to say in her head. Finally, she moved, pushing her head forward into Andrew’s chest, so that he didn’t have to see the look on her face when he turned her down.

“Andrew,” she whispered. “Will you be... my special somepony?”

The feeling of a hand caressing her back of her head lured her out of his chest, making her look up at him with the most hopeful looking eyes. He smiled back, stroking her ear just next to where she had put the rose in.

“That’s a beautiful flower, Rainbow,” he said, moving his face closer to hers, stroking her mane as she gazed back, her expression one part hopeful, two parts terrified.

“Just like you,” he whispered sincerely, before kissing the top of her head softly, making the mare gasp gently.

“Rainbow Dash,” he pulled back, seeing the small pony fighting through so many emotions. “I would love to be your special somepony.”

Andrew released her, revealing a ecstatic Rainbow, she squeaked helplessly, mouth curling upwards into one of those adorable grins only she could pull off. Without any warning, she threw herself into Andrew’s arms, squealing and giggling all the while, happy tears now flowing.

Andrew couldn’t help but be infected by her happiness. Picking her up, he twirled her around in his arms, holding her close under the moonlight.

From the doorway, three fillies started out back at the new couple. They all sighed happily, grateful that their plan had (in a way) worked. They stayed silent for a moment before Sweetie Belle spoke up.

“You owe me five bits, Applebloom.”


> Let's all go to the lobby!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	
~Note: This chapter take place before the events of Home.~


“You absolute asswip-Ow! You sonuvabitc-”

“Andrew?” The Athletic mare called out from the door to her new boyfriend’s outdoor shed. She and Andrew had started dating roughly a month ago and thankfully, things were looking positive. A pleasant change from most of Rainbow’s previous relationships.

“Hey Rainbow, how’s it goin’?” Andrew responded, turning his attention away from the contraption he was working on, wiping some grease from his hand with a rag.

“Awesome, as usual. What are you complaining about now?”

“I was talking to Tonka about improving the power of Equestrian locomotives, but she wanted to see a prototype of the gear I mentioned. And it’s being a massive S.O.B,” Andrew grumbled.

“What is it?” Rainbow asked, gesturing to the complicated mess of metal.

“Aside from being a colossal pain in my ass? It basically doubles an engine's power, but I can’t get the timing right,” He replied glumly.

“I’m sure you’ll work it out tomorrow, but we gotta get going now!” Rainbow cried joyfully, flying up and grabbing andrews’ shirt collar between her teeth.

“Whoa hold up Dash, we got ages before it starts. Gimme a chance to get changed first at least,” He chuckled, drawing attention to his filthy ‘tinkering’ overalls.

“Ugh, you’re more clothes obsessed than Rarity! I swear it a lot easier if you take her advice and ditch them all together.”

“Wow Dash, I know your fast-paced and all, but we only starting dating a month ago and you’re already trying to get me out of my clothes,” He chided.

Dash’s face immediately flushed, her mouth opening and closing uselessly as she tried to form a response.

“I’m joking Dash,” He laughed, using a finger to close her mouth. “I’ll be ready in a minute,” He chuckled as he headed back into the house.



	

“I still can’t believe they made Daring Doo into a film!” Rainbow squeed as she flew alongside her human towards the cinema.

“I’m quite surprised you ponies have films at all. Seeing as you still use quill and ink to write with,” Andrew replied casually.

“Well it is fairly new. Cinema’s weren’t around when I was a foal,” Rainbow replied.

“Hmm? well I’m thankful for that.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because who knows what you’d be like now if you’d had movies to warp your little filly mind,” Andrew smirked.

“Oh ha-ha,” Rainbow replied sarcastically, whipping him over the back of his head with her tail.

“Well I suppose I can’t really laugh. After all, I grew up watching Mad Max,” Andrew admitted with a bittersweet smile as he remembered his childhood.

“What’s Mad Max?” 

“I’ll tell you later... When there's a paper bag handy.”

“Oh come on! It can’t be that bad!” Rainbow cried, throwing her hooves out for emphasis.

Andrew simply chuckled in response. He knew how ponies handled gore. Rainbow was better than most at handling it, but seeing her squeem was just too good to pass up.

Which was mostly the reason why he didn’t expect much from this film. While he respected the ponies for their efforts, he didn’t really have high hopes for it.

But to see the look of absolute joy on Rainbows' face that he had grown to love, was enough. He would gladly sit through any movie just to make her happy. Plus the fact that she had literally begged, him to come with her helped her cause massively.

Of course, Andrew was going to come along regardless. But he couldn’t pass up the chance to egg her on.

Eventually, their trek through the early, Ponyville night ended as Andrew pushed open the fancy double doors to the cinema, and was graced with the familiar aroma of cooking popcorn.

Sadly, the cinema was less like an old fashioned American cinema, with the ticket booth out the front, and more like a more modern one with all its amenities within the building itself.

However it was still fairly simplistic, sporting only two theaters. Giving it a rather quaint and friendly appearance from outside, rather than the massive, behemoth Cinemas back on Earth.

Standing behind the counter, was a rather bored looking teenage colt wearing a dull grey vest. His coat was a light green while his mane was just a few shades darker, with a thin red stripe cutting through it.

“Welcome to Embers Theater, I take it you two are here to see the new Daring Doo?” He said knowingly.

“Yep!” Rainbow replied sharply.

“Uh huh, fourteen bits, cinema one,” He replied with rehearsed ease.

Andrew silently handed over the money, never once taking his eyes off of the stallions name badge.

“Um, can I help you sir?” the colt asked.

“Uh, do... Do you make soft drinks per chance?” Andrew asked randomly.

“Uh no i’m actually a painter, this is just to make some money.” The pony said.

“Huh... Okay thanks anyway,” Andrew said slowly as he and Rainbow moved off to the theater.

Once the two had rounded the corner, Andrew promptly burst out laughing, unable to contain his mirth.

“Okay what the hay was that all about!” Rainbow questioned.

Through the giggles, Andrew managed to squeeze out a reply.

“H-his name was- was Mountain Dew!” Andrew stated, bursting into a new wave of guffaws upon hearing it aloud.

“Why’s that funny?” Rainbow asked, obviously not understanding the humour.

“Nothing, nothing,” Andrew said wiping a tear from his eye. “I’ll tell you later.”

“Right..,” Rainbow added as they made their way into the dark theater.

“Pfft-Haha! The colours even matched!”



	

Much to Andrews surprise, the movie was actually fairly decent. Not a match for the legendary Indiana Jones movies but he found it best to keep that tidbit to himself.

His assumptions on the movies more mature themes proved to be correct however. The ‘teen’ rating seemed to a bit much, to Andrew at least. The movie played more like a kids show.

During a lapse in the action, where Doo was getting chewed out for several of her recent escapades, Andrew slipped out to grab some popcorn, as well as have another cackle at the anomalous pony.

upon returning to the theater, he quietly made his way up to the very back of the cinema. Because of Andrews huge stature, they had to sit right up against the back wall. Not that Rainbow minded, she quite enjoyed being over top of everypony else.

Once Andrew had comfortable melded back into his seat, Rainbow gently laid her head against his alluring shoulder, this took Andrew by surprise.

Even though he had been dating Rainbow for a few weeks now, and had known her since he came to Equestria, this was strangely affectionate for the young mare. Andrew didn’t say anything though, after all, he didn’t mind it one bit.

Cautiously, the human slowly unravelled his arm from the popcorn box and laid it across the back of Rainbows’ neck, resting it on her far shoulder.

Thankfully, Rainbow seemed to appreciate the movement. The absence of an arm in her road allowed her to snuggle into the side of Andrews’ warm chest.

Rainbow was thankful the theater was as dark as it was. She didn’t particularly want anypony to discover the blush on her face. Or her happy, lazy smile, as well as the fact that she had ever so slightly leaned into his chest, taking deep lungfuls of his amazing, musky scent.



	

Lunas’ stars were out in their full glory over Ponyville as Rainbow and Andrew made their way to the field under Rainbows’ home. Being the gentlemen he was, Andrew had politely asked to escort the mare home, as he did every time they went out.

Rainbow appeared to be a little out of it after the film. Her sleepy attempts at conversation, mumbled by Andrews neck as he carried her home piggy-back style.

“Well Rainbow,” Andrew started as the cloud house came into view. “How was it?”

Rainbow lifted her head from the humans neck, looking to the sky for a moment in thought, before resting her chin over his right shoulder and closing her eyes.

“The books were better.”

 



 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	



> First heat (NSFW)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


~Warning! This chapter contains sexual intercourse between a pony and a human! You have been warned!~












        Dust floated in the sunbeams that shone through the spaces between the blinds in Andrew’s bedroom, the piercing sun desperately trying to invade the dim room. Within said room, Two figures lay under the sheets of the large, custom built bed.

        Andrew slept soundly, dreaming of delicious pastries and coffee and other such sweets. Rainbow Dash however, was more than awake. The young mare was sprawled over top of Andrews wide chest, rubbing herself eagerly over him.

        “Hmm,” She moaned, breathlessly, revelling in both the feeling of Andrews warmth against her, and his alluring scent. Even though she quite often snuggled up to him during the morning, she was being particularly touchy today.

        While they had become comfortable sleeping in the same bed a few weeks ago, Rainbow still enjoyed it when he allowed her to stay with him in his small, cozy home, instead of her huge, cold, lonely clouds.

With a happy groan, she moved herself up to chew lovingly on Andrews ear, slipping her tongue into the creases and folds.

“That tickles Rainbow,” Andrew smirked in a groggy voice, while keeping his eyes closed.

Normally, Rainbow would have stopped, blushed, and welcomed him to the waking world with a cheery ‘Good morning!’ But today, she fell out of routine. Instead, intent on continuing her oral ministrations.

In Andrew’s fuzzy state, he didn’t really notice and allowed Rainbow to continue for a few minutes until he decided it was time to emerge from beneath the sheets.

“Dashie, you can stop now. I gotta go to work early today remember?” He reminded her.

Rainbow either didn’t hear or chose to ignore him, only moving her tongue away from his ear down to his neck.

“Dashie,” He said again, a little louder this time.

He was met with the same response, however this time, a frustrated groan came with it.

“Okay Rainbow, time to get up,” He said in a slightly annoyed tone whilst giving her a playful pat on her flank, indicating that it was time to get a move on.

Not waiting for Rainbow to move on her own, Andrew hooked two thumbs under her front legs and lifted her up off of him, causing the covers to slide of her back, revealing her outstretched wings.

Andrew didn’t notice them, instead bringing his face to Rainbows a giving her a quick smooch on the tip of her nose. If Andrew hadn’t been still dazed from waking a few moments ago, he may have noticed the distinct, glossy look in Dash’s eyes.        

When Andrew pulled away from the kiss, Rainbow quickly darted forward, trying to steal another kiss from her boyfriend. Unfortunately, Andrew moved just in time, and she instead ended up sucking on his cheek. Which she seemed to take as a good alternative.

Andrew sighed at his mares antics. She had been acting very much the same way last night, stealing kisses and generally being extremely affectionate. While Andrew didn’t disapprove of it at all, it found it rather jarring for the mare to go from being very fidgety and touch shy that morning to being all over him that afternoon.

Eventually he managed to peel her off of him and navigate to the bathroom to complete the ancient ‘triple S ritual’. 

As he showered, lathering his scalp with shampoo, he could have sworn he heard feminine moans emanating from the behind the door to the bedroom. Shrugging it off as Rainbow doing her morning stretches, he finished his shower to go check on her.

Because he had assumed she was warming up to go for a morning flight as she often did, he was surprised to find her fast asleep in the centre of the bed, and strangely, he mane looking even messier than it had when she woke.

Pushing the thought aside, Andrew quickly made his way downstairs to make the pair breakfast. Unfortunately, he was in a bit of rush, what with a locomotive engineer from Manehatten coming to inspect the his gearing today, so he only had time to make some buttered toast.

With a slice in his mouth and a plate in his hand, he quickly re-entered the bedroom, to find Dash in the same position. He quickly deposited the plate of warm bread on the bedside table, While fiddling with his tie.

With superior multi tasking skills that betrayed his gender, he transferred the food in his mouth to his free hand, and gently prodded Rainbow with the back of the same hand.

“Toasts on the table Dash, I gotta go. I love yo-” He was promptly silenced when dash shot up from the bed and locked lips with him, in an astoundingly passionate kiss.

It was enough to momentarily pause Andrew from his tie, as he returned the kiss lovingly. A tongue forcibly pushed against Andrew’s teeth, begging for entry, to which Andrew shamelessly granted.

While the duo had tongue kissed before, this one was less romance and passionate and more lust filled and desperate. The mare prodded all over the inside of the human’s mouth, exploring all the way from his broad Molares to his narrow Incisors.

The kiss ended early, when Andrew remembered he had somewhere to be. Reluctantly, he pulled away, earning a saddened sigh from Rainbow. The pegasus’ face quickly morphed into a painfully adorable pout. Complete with the little fold of skin on the bridge of her snout that added to the effect tenfold.





“Please come back soon,” She whimpered in the most fragile and saddened voice.

Andrew was certain something was up now. Rainbow was never like this. But, nonetheless he felt his tortured heart melt once more at the hooves of the rainbow mare. Leaning forward, he embraced he in a comforting hug.

“I promise. How bout I swing by the park at noon, and we go for lunch?” he suggested.

        Rainbow seemed to fidget uncomfortably, at the mention of work for some reason Andrew couldn’t place.

        “Uh- uh y-yeah. That sounds good,” she mumbled, but managed to smile sweetly.

        Andrew gave her a critical look, but let it slide. “Alright, bub bye Dashie,” He said as he turned and left.

        When Andrew finally vacated his home, he noticed the air was phenomenally clearer than it had been inside. Not being so dense as to just wave it off as a crisper day, he turned back around and took a whiff of air through the door he had yet to close.

        Sure enough, the air within the house had a definite, musky yet sweet aroma to it. He hadn’t noticed it before, and it definitely didn’t always smell like that. Assuming he had left a pair of sweaty socks lying somewhere near the door, he shrugged it off and left for work.





        Work was... Eventful. To say the least. The stallion from Manehatten had been immensely impressed with the gearing, but still insisted on going through mountains of paperwork and miles of red tape before he would employ it on any actual locomotives.

        So when lunchtime rolled around, and Andrew managed to sneak away to find Dash he was relieved to get out from under the stallions ‘Iron hoof’. That was until he got to the park where Rainbow was supposed to be keeping the clouds clear. Instead of finding his lovely, gorgeous mare he instead got the rest of the weather team.

        Assuming she was simply out of view, Andrew scanned the sky for a minute or two. Unfortunately his efforts went unrewarded.

        “Oh hi Andrew!” Flitter called out from above the human with a wave.

        “Flitter. Where’s Rainbow?” Andrew asked, still looking around.

        “Oh she went home hours ago. I guess she couldn’t handle it,” the mare shrugged.

        “Whoa wait. What? What do you mean she went home? Or ‘couldn’t handle it’?” 

        Flitter looked back in confusion for a moment, before flying down to Andrews eye level.

        “You mean, you don’t know? She didn’t tell you?” She asked.

        “Tell me what!?” He cried.

        “Andrew... She’s in heat.”

If words had mass, Andrew would have been launched through the building behind him. Despite having the processing power of a human mind on his side it took awhile for him to formulate any coherent response. 

“What...”

Of course Andrew knew what heat was. In his time staying with Applejack he’d had to suffer through two of hers, one of Applebloom's and, horrifically, one of granny’s. 

Needless to say, the last two left scars.

Despite popular belief; Estrus did not turn mares into sex crazed, hormonal beasts that would sexual ravage anything remotely phallic. If this had been the case, Andrew would most likely not have survived the ordeal at Sweet Apple Acres.

In reality, Estrus simply made mares more, affection, touchy and... Distracted, around stallions. During Applejacks cycle, she had simply been, more provocative and playful but never sexual. Andrew assumed this was because she had no feelings towards him.

However when a mare was approached, or even near a stallion, or in this case human, that they had feelings for, the ‘sex crazed beast’ stereotype began to hold some water.

This is what worried Andrew. He and Dash had been going out for roughly three months now and it was becoming apparent that she wanted to take it to the next level, constantly steering conversations onto the topic of sex.

The reason that they hadn’t yet was one simple factor that Andrew just couldn’t seem to get past.

He was afraid he wouldn’t be big enough for her.

Not that Andrews ‘size’ was anything to sneeze at, it would have been called, above average by human terms. But he was afraid that he wouldn’t match up with a stallion.

What Andrew failed to take into account however, was that along with horns, wings, speech and magic, ponies were also far smaller than their Earth counterparts, and had lost much of their stature. That included equipment below the belt. For both males and females.

Long story short. Andrew measured up quite comfortably. Unfortunately, he didn’t know that.

He was however quite surprised to learn that Dash had managed to keep herself off of him since her cycle started. Yesterday morning, when she had been very jittery was obviously the start of it and it simply worsened from there until this morning.

But she had been very reluctant to let him leave, almost on the verge of begging for him not to go. He felt a surge of pride for his mare at the fact that she had at least tried to last the day at work.

Truth be told, some mares were bedridden until their heat ended Rarity was one such mare. Or so he had heard. It must have been torture last night for Dash, lying in bed with the one she loved, yet not able to satisfy her urges.

A great sense of guilt washed over Andrew. He knew that if it was bad enough for Dash to call off their lunch together, it must be absolutely agonizing for her. 

He would do anything for her. Alleviating her primal instincts, suddenly became number one priority to the human.

If he was certain of one thing, it was that he was gonna get laid tonight.



	

Since coming to Equestria, Andrew had partook in some odd activities, but standing outside the door to his own house giving himself a pep-talk was definitely up there on the ‘Shit I did not expect to ever do in my life’ list.

Thankfully after explaining the situation to the Engineer stallion, he had been more than understanding, and instantly gave him the rest of the day to ‘tend’ to her. 

‘He’s obviously married,’ Andrew snickered to himself.

Getting back to the task at hand, steeling himself. Andrew took a deep breath, and opened the door. 

The same musky, sweet smell from this morning greeted him upon entry, except this time much stronger. Now that it was the dominant scent in the house, he managed to work out it was somewhere between, a sugary drink, and girl sweat.

Silently, Andrew trekked upstairs till he stood outside of the bedroom door. The sound of frustrated moans and rustling sheets flowing through the door.

“Andrew,” Rainbow mewled from the bedroom, causing said males pants to tighten.

He was sure she hadn’t heard him arrive, and it didn’t sound like she was calling him in. It sounded more like she was lustily whimpering his name out of both pleasure, and frustration.

Bracing, he slowly turned the doorknob and entered.

As soon as he opened the door, the musky smell from downstairs increased in intensity dramatically, like he had just opened the doors to a blast furnace. The wave of intoxicating aroma didn’t wash over him, it attacked him.

The room had suffered the worst though. It was as if a bomb had gone off, with clothes instead of shrapnel. Socks and pants were carelessly thrown around the room, hanging off of furniture and the ceiling fan. Cupboards had their drawers ripped out and dumped onto the floor, spilling more fabric around the room.

Strangely, all Andrews shirts seemed to have found their way to the bed in the rooms centre. Everyone that had button had been opened to its full extent, with patches of saliva around the button-hole. The buttonless T-shirts seemed to have turned into a small, cloth mound in the middle of the bed. 

Sitting upon the mountain of shirts was one very flustered looking blue pegasus. She hadn’t noticed Andrew enter, probably because she was far too preoccupied with one of Andrews long sleeve shirts.

The garment was wrapped around her midsection with the left arm coming up and wrapping around her face. She reveled in the scent that the shirt gave her, furiously trying to burrow her muzzle into its fabric. Rubbing it over herself like one would a towel when the were wet.

Quickly getting over the shock of seeing his room turned into a war-zone, Andrew cleared his throat and shut the door, loud enough for Rainbow to hear.

It definitely got her attention.

She shot up from the pile of clothing and locked eyes with Andrew. He had expected her to say something, or at the very least blush, but no. 

She just stared. Her eyes conveyed no emotion, mostly due to the fact that her pupils had swollen to engulf nearly her entire eye, with only a small ring of magenta and white around the edges.

She didn’t say anything. She didn’t even move, she just continued her creepy stare.

“I’m bac-” He didn’t have time to say anything else, when a blue blur rocketed out from under the shirts and collided with his chest and lips hard enough to push him back against the door, sounding a monstrous bang throughout the house.

Rainbow latched on, and held for dear life. She wasn’t so much kissing Andrew, as trying to suck his face off. Obviously her heat was a bad one.

Andrew briefly wondered why she came here instead of going to her house. Granted she basically spent all her time here but she hadn’t officially moved in just yet. His scent hung over the entire two story home, it would have been detrimental for her to stay.

Eventually, she relented the kiss enough for Andrew to pull her away from him slightly.

“I’ve been waiting,” She cooed in a sultry manner, her tail flicking back and forth irritatedly.

“Rainbow. Why didn’t you tell me,” Andrew questioned. Of course he was still going to help her out, but he needed answers firsts.

“W-what do you mean?” She tried to play it off nonchalantly, as if the mess behind her wasn’t bleedingly obvious.

“Flitter told me Dash. And even if she hadn’t, I would have worked it out by now,” She said flatly, gesturing to the room.

With a sigh, Rainbow started, “It’s just that... We haven’t done, ‘It’ yet. And with me being in heat I thought it might make you want to do it even less.”

“Dash this is obviously driving you mad, I can’t sit by and watch you go insane.”

“You mean?”

“Yes Dash. Let’s make love.” 

As corny as it sounded, it worked. Rainbows face lit up, and she smiled one of those adorable smiles that she only ever used when either the Wonderbolts, or cider were near.

In an action betraying the mare, she timidly bit down on the collar of Andrew’s shirt, and fluttered backwards, leading the human toward the bed.

Deciding to take over, Andrew’s hands shot up around her barrel and twirled her around as he fell onto the bed, causing Rainbow to let out a squeak and land on top of him.

She seemed a tad nervous at being on top. Looking as if she didn’t really know how to progress. Her eyes fell on his work shirt, and a devious smile crossed her face.

Giving once last sultry glance up to her ‘lover’ she bit down on the top button and began to undo them, leaving a small patch of saliva where she worked.

‘Guess that explains the shirts. Practice.’ Andrew thought to himself.

Despite her heat, she took her time undoing the buttons. With an agonising pace that managed to simultaneously turn both of them on, she reached the last button, and worked it through the hole with ease.

The two sides of andrews shirt, fell to the bed, exposing his chest to the small mare. She’d seen him topless plenty of times before, but now that his chest was her plaything, it took on a different light in her eyes.

She darted down and began to greedily lap at Andrews left nipple. Earning a surprised gasp from him. She traced her tongue over his warm flesh between the two bumps, soaking his chest in sloppy mare saliva.

Not wanting to be outdone, Andrew snaked a hand up her back leg, admiring the intimate scenery with his fingertips. His roaming appendage quickly found her cutie mark on her left side and began to massage and knead it the sensitive image. His other hand continued over her body to wrap around the base of her right wing.

“Ooh,” She let slip, causing Andrew to chuckle at the cute sound.

She ignored the laughter directed toward her and instead moved away from the now, thoroughly soaked nipples. He mouth soon found Andrew’s strong neck, taking a moment to admire the way she could see all the muscles under it move, she noticed that Andrews breathing had quickened.

Her hot breath washing over his sensitive neck was slowly driving the man mad. In response to her teasing he moved both hands to the base of her wings and began to rub earnestly.

Now catching on to the little game they were playing, Dash turned her breaths and licks into nips and bites.

“A-Ah!” Andrew gasped.

Rainbow paused her ministrations to smile at her victory, which turned out to be a fatal mistake.

In the moment of clarity, Andrews fingers shot up from under her wings joints, and burrowed them forcibly into the nerves between both wings.

Rainbow cried out in surprise and pleasure as her beautiful, blue wings shot out to their full extension.

Her head left the crook of Andrew’s neck and pointed towards the ceiling. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and closed, while her tongue lolled out.

It was at this moment that Andrew realized that a certain patch of his stomach had been becoming increasingly soaked. Lifting his head from the mattress, he gazed down to where Dash just ‘happened’ to be straddling him.

Sure enough, droplets of clear, hot liquid had pooled on the skin above the top of his pants, slowly trickling over and down his hips.

Using his thumbs that were still hooked underneath Dash’s wing joints, he slowly pushed upwards on them, tricking her into standing ever so slightly.

With a small airspace between the pair now, it was obvious to see that she was absolutely soaking. An icy spear of guilt shot through Andrews heart, knowing that she had probably been like this all day.

Setting her down so that she was now standing upright,  he stealthily maneuvered a hand away from her wing, around her belly to find itself between her hind legs. The change in temperature was a dead giveaway he was directly over top of her precious flower.

“You know Dash,” Andrew began. “There was a group of people back on my world that thought at the end of every rainbow there was a pot of gold.”

Cupping his hand, he pushed the palm softly against her dripping marehood.

“A-a-ah,” Dash shrieked, through a sharp, yet wobbly gasp.

“I think I found it.”

        Ignoring how lame that pun was, Rainbow slowly began to grind herself against andrews hand, completely lost in lust.

        “Please,” She whimpered, “Stop teasing me.”

        The very out-of-character pleading, signaled to Andrew that it was time to move on from foreplay. With the agility of a cat, and the grace of a walrus, he flipped them both over so that he was kneeling over her and Dash was lying, back first on the mattress.

        “A-Andrew. I’m not sure about doing it this way,” She admitted.

        It was a justifiable concern. Ponies, especially pegasi, didn’t do missionary. Normally the position would just hurt their backs, but with the soft support of Andrews comfy bed, that wasn’t a problem.

        “Shh, Dash. You’re going to enjoy this,” Andrew cooed, as he slid down her body.

        His original intent had been to go to town on Dash’s sex like a ravenous dog, and was still keen to do so. That was however, until he spotted a long, gorgeous blue feather lying beside him on the sheets.

        With a cheshire smile, he grasped the soft feather, and held it like an inverted quill, with the hard bony part in his hand and the soft, tickly part pointing to Rainbow’s slit.

        With the urgency of a glacier, he placed the feather at the very bottom of her pussy, and slowly dragged it upwards.

        The sensation was unlike anything Dash had ever felt before. Of course she had ‘relieved’ herself many times before, even when not in heat, but her wings couldn’t bend behind her.

        The unbelievable softness that Andrew so often commented on was now so obvious to her. The gentle tickling feeling from the miniscule hairs driving her further into desperation.

        The slow, agonizing torture continued for a few moments longer until Andrew decided to change it up.

        Pulling the, now damp, feather from Rainbow’s snatch, he brought it to his face, eyeing it up with a hungry grin before popping the tip in his mouth.

        He was not expecting the mind numbing force of the flavour of Dash. It was like the sweetest, most intoxicating and peculiar drink he’d ever tasted. The vaguely familiar feeling of heat and stress of muscles welled up in his jaw, indicating that he very much liked the flavour.

        For a moment, he completely forgot about helping Dash get over her heat, and instead launched himself at her drooling lips. 

        “Aaaiiieee!!!” Rainbow cried in abandon, her back arching high of the bed, lifted by her stiff wings. Andrew continued to vigorously lap and kiss at her mare parts. Fully intent on drinking her up.

        Dash’s breathing became ragged and punctuated with girlish, moans. Andrews small, narrow tongue couldn’t push very far into her, but it could attack the sensitive flesh with great agility.

        Sensing she was closing in on an orgasm, Andrew pulled back, just enough to reveal his maw, that was now soaked in her juices.  He waited a few seconds, for Rainbow to register than the pleasure had stopped.

        “Wha? ...Why’d you sto-Aaahhh!!!!” Her back launched of the bed again as she squealed to the high heavens, in response to Andrew placing his mouth over her clit and sucking.

        Hard.

        Rolling his lips around the sensitive bud, as if he were chewing on it with his lips, nearly broke Rainbow. Her head slumped back onto the bed, her eyes glazed over and her tongue lolled out.

        The relentless double team attack from Andrew’s lips and mouth, were suddenly reinforced by his sharp teeth. Even with the ability to inflict over one-hundred pounds of biting force, he only ever so slightly nipped at her cute button.

        It was the straw that broke the camels back.

        Dash made the most adorable ‘hhunngg’ before it elevated into a full blown scream of bliss. Her back arched sharply off the messy bed sheets, aided by her wings pushing down forcibly into the mattress.

        She began to convulse wildly. Her neck muscles seemingly giving up, letting her head jerk around uncontrollably. All the while, Andrew never let up from his vicious lapping. Even after he got a stream of hot mare juice shot into his nose.

        Rainbow slumped back down to the bed, with all the elegance of a cinder block. Heavy, shaky breaths were her only indication she still functioned within the realm of the living.

        “That was certainly something,” Andrew remarked as he crawled up next to her face.

        Rainbow responded by blearily focusing on his face, before smiling and beginning to clean of her own juices with her tongue.

        Andrew was a bit taken aback by this, but allowed her to continue. He knew ponies had an old custom that in two lovers would ‘wash’ each other, but he hadn’t expected dash to partake in it. Much less when it involved tasting herself.

        Feeling her tongue on the outside of his mouth was quite odd. it was much longer than his but so much softer, like being brushed with a warm, wet, silk sock.

        Even in her hazy, post-orgasm state, Dash still managed to be a feisty minx. Her tongue was doing such a great job at distracting Andrew, that he failed to notice her tail, slither its way up his leg.

        Andrew gasped sharply when the colorful appendage, began to push against his crotch.

        It only took one look into Rainbow’s eyes to convey what she wanted.

        ‘More.’

        ‘Certainly,’ Came the mental reply. Being careful with the still partially drained, mare, Andrew adjusted her so that she sat on her haunches, and he sat cross legged, facing one another.

        Shifting so that he was sitting on his shins, the bulge in his jeans was quite obvious.

        Dash seemed to perk up at noticing this, and ever so slowly, inched closer, as if it was going to explode.

        Grabbing the small metal zipper, Andrew look a deep breath. He was going to do this for Dash. To hell with whether or not he ‘compared’ with stallions. This was all for her.

Dash bit her bottom lip as he teased the zipper to the bottom of the track. 

‘Ugh,” An annoyed grunt sounded from from Rainbow upon spotting the secondary layer of cloth under his pants that was his underwear. Taking matters into her own hooves, she grabbed the undies in her teeth and swiftly pulled them down.

Andrew’s respectable length bounced out, almost bonking Dash on her nose.

Dash actually recoiled upon seeing it, not out of disgust, but surprise.

Andrew seemed disheartened at the motion. “What’s wrong?” He asked, dejectedly, already knowing the answer.

“I-i didn’t think it be so-”

“Small?”

“Big,” Dash replied, never taking her eyes off the rod.

“What? Come on Dash, I’m nothing compared to a stallion!” He tried to deny her claim, for reason unknown

        “You doofus, ponies are alot smaller than you. I’ve only seen a few this big,” She explained, a small amount of saliva building in the corner of her mouth, as her heat resurfaced.

        “How many have you seen?” 

        “Ever heard of porn?”

        “...Ah.”

        Without warning, Dash surcomed to her needs. Darting forward, she engulfed his member in her warm maw.

        “Ah!” Andrew gasped, nearly falling of the bed, from the sudden forwardness of the action.

        Rainbows motions were sloppy, untrained, yet she put her all into it. Her bobs up and down were inconsistent and rushed, like she was trying to get him to cum as fast as possible.

        Still, Andrew admired her enthusiasm, after all it wasn’t as if it felt bad. His moans testified to that, but this was about making Rainbow feel good, not himself.

        Gentle pushing her off himself, she released his member with a wet ‘pop’, and looked up at him in confusion and irritation.

        “Don’t you like it?” She pouted.

        “I do Dashie. But tonight's all about you, not me,” he smiled.

        A loving smile found its way to Rainbow’s face.

        “Now,” Andrew said, leaning down and whispering in her ear. “Are you gonna let me make you feel good?”

        Rainbow only responded by whipping around and assuming the position.

        Her head and chest, slowly dipped to the bed sheets. Her cute, rump lifted into the air, and her hind legs took a wider stance. Finally, her pretty, prismatic tail shifted away, revealing her puffy lips, and cute, button tailhole.

        Her head turned over her shoulder, an errant lock of hair falling over her face, obscuring one eye, which portrayed an impossibly sexy, ‘come hither’ look.

        Swaying her hips enticingly, she uttered a single sentence.

        “Mount me.”

        Any length that hadn’t previously been completely filled with blood inside andrews dick was now completely full.

        Quickly stripping the rest of his pants off, he quickly crawled up the bed. Placing a hand on each cutie mark, it became apparent that Dash was far more nervous that she appeared.

        Andrews touch seemed to have the profound effect of making her quake ever so slightly with trepidation. Gently, he placed his throbbing head at her entrance.

        “Please be gentle,” She whispered, as if she was silently praying, rather than asking.

        This caused Andrew to pause. “Dash... Are you still a virgin?” 

        Rainbow seemed to shift uncomfortably under him, before nodding quickly.

        “It’s only cause I never let any of my coltfriends get this far before!” She explained, blushing furiously.

        “I wanted to make sure they were right for me.” She admitted.

        Andrew felt his heart swell at the news. Leaning over her he embraced her in a backward hug. 

        “You have no idea how much that means to me Dash,” he whispered lovingly.

        Dash simply whimpered and rubbed her face as best she could against his.

        Returning to his previous position, with new found purpose of making sure Dash’s first time was good, he slowly entered.

        His swollen member, was quickly swallowed by her heated rose. He let loose a manly grunt as his pride was crushed by her extreme tightness. The fact that she was both a pony and a virgin made her impossibly tight.

        He continued his slow trek into her, giving Dash plenty of time to adjust to him. A few throaty moans sounded from Rainbow from the feeling of being filled.

        His expedition into the depths of Rainbow halted, when he hit a wall he knew all about.

        Moving a hand up to the back of her neck, he began to gently massage the area, to calm her for the coming event.

        “Ready Dash? Just say the word and i’ll stop,” He assured her.

        She didn’t respond for a moment, before nodding slowly.

        “I’m ready. Go for it.”

        With her consent, he placed his hands back on her flanks, and forced his way into her unexplored depths.

        “Ahh!” She cried, wings shooting out in shock. Her eyes shut tight, and her teeth gritted.

        A pained murmur, resonated from the mare, breaking Andrew’s heart, knowing that he was the cause of her pain.

        He couldn’t even comfort her properly due to the position. Risking making it worse, he began to thrust back and forth ever so slightly. Hoping the gentle motions would ebb away the pain faster.

        Thankfully, he got it right, and Rainbow began to turn from pain to pleasure. She began to murmur under her breath as she experienced her first ever rutting.

        Andrew was also thoroughly enjoying himself. Not only was she amazingly tight, but the way her ass rippled when he smacked into it was mesmerising.

        He was surprised that the athletic mares rump had that much jiggle, but he wasn’t complaining.

        Picking up the pace, sexy slaps began to sound, only being slightly muffled by Dash’s soft fur.

Dash lifted her head to the ceiling. Adoring the feeling of her heat being sated. Andrew adjusted his angel slightly, it gave him just enough length to attack her second wall.

        “Ah! Mmmpphh!” She moaned, biting her lip. Feeling Andrew crash into her cervix, numbed her brain and blurred her vision.

        She was so far past the point where she would have normally orgasmed, when using her hooves she wasn’t sure how much longer she’d last. It was even more amazing considering her heat, which normally sped things up dramatically.

        Andrew wasn’t faring much better. Her unmatched tightness, was completely new ground for the human, he was definite that he wouldn’t last much longer.
        
        Shifting his hands from her backside to under her wing joints, he began to put more power into each thrust. Increasing the pleasure by magnitudes.

        As it turned out, Dash really couldn’t last much longer. Inexperience, coupled with heat had finally brought her to the verge of bliss. And with Andrew sawing away, the floodgates opened.

        “Aaaaahhhh, AH! Ooooohhhh mmy gooooossSSHHH!!!” She screamed to the high heavens.

        Dash’s insides, clamped down on Andrew’s mass, like brake pads. She became so tight, Andrew could barely move. With one last, mammoth push, he hilted himself deep within her, and let loose a shout of primal lust. 





        “Noisy damned neighbours,” Andrew’s grouchy neighbor, grumbled. Readjusting his newspaper.





        “Ah, ah, ah,” Dash breath heavily, Recovering from the feeling of Andrews molten seed firing its hot globs into her womb.

        Andrew slumped over Dash’s failing form, her legs not having the energy to support the both of them, she collapsed into the mass of shirts.

        Having the energy to still move, Andrew clambered up beside her and pulled her close.

        “Thank you,” She sighed, embracing the hug.

        Andrew angled his head downward to kiss the crown of her head.

        “I’m sorry we didn’t do this earlier, I know how much you wanted it,” He admitted.

        “I’m just happy you finally realized that, I don’t care about how big you are, I love you,” She said sleepily.

        “Thank you Rainbow,” Andrew said, before closing his eyes, intent on falling to sleep.

        “You know i’m still gonna be in heat for like, two weeks right?” Dash added.

        “...Awesome...” 

        

        
        






 






 

> Pictures of you
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Did you find it yet?” Rainbow Dash enquired, looking over from the other side of the bedroom at Andrew, whom was rummaging around in a cardboard box, much like she was. 

Pausing in his search, Andrew stood upright, placing his hands on his back and exhaling as he cracked it. “No. I don’t see why you need it so badly.”

“What are you talking about? If I can’t find my weather schedule, i’m going to have to ask for a new one from Cloudsdale! You’ve got no idea how embarrassing that is! Not to mention how long it takes,” she whined. Being the weather team manager wasn’t easy.

Andrew sighed again, rolling his eyes. One would think if someone needed something that they used weekly, they wouldn’t pack it away in some random box while they moved house. Of course, Rainbow had misplaced the rather weighty document in the bottom of one of her moving boxes, and had lost track of it.

“You sure you don’t have any spares lying around? Don’t the weather ponies give out flyers telling what the weather is going to be like for the week anyway?” Andrew asked.

“Yeah, the week,” Rainbow said, “The schedule had every day for the next three months on it! As well as all the clouds that we were going to ship in! The flyers don’t tell you that stuff!”

“Can’t you ponies just... live, with normal weather for a while?” Andrew asked, earning one of the most flat faced are-you-kidding-me looks a man could receive.

“Right...” he said, turning back to the boxes and starting to rummage through them yet again. Opening a new box, he began to search through its contents, pulling out various knick- knacks and personal effects.

Deciding to search deeper, he pushed his hand down through the clutter, tongue sticking out. As he did so, he felt his fingers brush against the familiar texture of paper. Assuming he had discovered the elusive document, he began to gently pull it out. 

It was only until after it had emerged from the confines of the brown box, did he note that it was only one page, and its contents were far more amusing than a weather schedule.

“Hoo boy,” he whistled, holding the paper right in front of him, admiring the image that was sketched onto it.

“What?” Dash asked, fluttering to him to peer over his shoulder, before her face burnt red with the likeness of a tomato. There, lovingly sketched onto the page, was a drawing that Dash thought she would never see again.



“Didn’t know you were a cheerleader, Dash,” Andrew commented, rotating the picture sideways, like one would admire a centerfold from an erotic magazine .

Rainbow’s mouth opened and closed rapidly as she tried to form words, making an excellent impression of a fish at the same time.

“I- that- I wasn’t!” She finally retorted, pointing a shaking hoof at the drawing.

“I don’t even know how it got in there! Must have fallen out of my old school books!” She said, vaguely remembering finding her high school textbooks and riffling through them as she was packing.

“Man,” Andrew said to himself, before turning to her. “That ponytail is hot!” Scanning the initials on the bottom corner, he commented “Who’s L.T?”

        Rainbow crossed her hooves. “It’s D.J. He was an... old friend...”

        “Colt friend?”

        “...Yeah.”

        “Aw, that’s sweet. So what made him draw this?” Andrew asked, still practically salivating over his lover in panties.

“He was an art student. He said he needed something to draw for a project, and wanted me to pose. I didn’t know the picture was that revealing till after he submitted it. We kinda... broke up after that,” she explained, rubbing the back of her head with a hoof.

        “You broke up... over one picture?” Andrew asked, disbelievingly.

        “No, over a lot of pictures, ‘cause he copied heaps of them and posted them all over the school! He even put in the words ‘look at my fine piece of ass!’” She shouted angrily.

        “Ah... Well if it makes any difference... He was right about that last part,” Andrew winked, giving her a sly smirk.

        “I still can’t get over those panties! Who knew that putting ponies in clothes made them sexier? Hey, if this picture made you break up with this D.J bloke, why did you keep the picture?” 

        “Well... It was still a good picture...” Rainbow said, watching Andrew look back to the paper.

        “Heh... Pony joggers,” he giggled, not noticing Dash move up behind him, before leaning into his ear.

        “You know... I still have that costume...”

        Andrew’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “Oh come here, you sexy mare!” Andrew exclaimed as he reached out to grab her. However, Dash was far faster, and was already at the door to the bathroom,the box containing the costume in hoof.

        “You stay right there,” she whispered sultrily. “I’ll be right back, and I’m going to cheer, all night long for you...”





        They never did find that weather schedule.
	
	



> Meeting the parents. Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        “Stop fidgeting! It’s not gonna be that bad!” Rainbow tried to reason from her spot next to Andrew on the train.

“I still can’t believe you only told me about this yesterday!” Andrew said exasperatedly.

“Well, it may have slipped my mind,” Rainbow admitted sheepishly.

“How does ‘meeting your parents,’ just slip your mind?” 

“I don’t know, maybe it had something to do with how you made me squeal last night,” She whispered into his ear seductively, hoping to change the subject.

“Dashie, as much as I love hearing you say that, this is a big deal! I mean, what if they freak out?”

“Look, my parents have never turned away one of my colt friends before! Except for that one time,” Rainbow trailed off, abruptly turning the conversation away from her leaky memory.

Andrew whipped his head around to look straight at Dash. His eyes bulged almost comically at the new information.

“But, that was because he broke up with me, then came crawling to my house asking for me back!” Rainbow quickly added.

Andrew couldn’t help but let a wise crack slip. His upbringing didn’t allow it to go to waste.

“Did you really have him that whipped Dash?” He chuckled.

Rainbow deadpanned at the snide remark, “You can’t help yourself can you?”

“Hey you know i’ve got a disease,” Andrew reasoned.

“Yeah. What was it? Smart-ass-itis?” 

“That’s the one,” The human chuckled, before being ‘literally’ whipped by Rainbows tail.

“Back to the problem at hand...” Andrew began, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his skull. “Your parents were understanding with your colt friends,” Andrew stated letting Rainbow fill in the blanks.

“Oh come on. They're not racists.”

“That’s not what I mean Dash. Racism applies to the same species, different race. I’m an alien. Not only a different species, I’m alter-dimensional. If it were my daughter i’d sure as hell be worried.”

“Good thing i’m not your daughter then. Cause if I was I wouldn’t be able to do this,” Rainbow ended with a big, sloppy kiss right on her man’s mouth. Drawing a few stares from various ponies in the carriage.

“Besides, we're both adults, i’m not going to stop loving you just because mommy and daddy said so,” Rainbow concluded.

Andrew said nothing other than pulling Dash into a hug, letting her lie on his lap, while he stroked her mane.



	

The rest of the train ride to Cloudsdale was fairly uneventful until they reached the junction at the foot of the Canterlot mountains. Instead of continuing through the mountain tracks to the capitol, the train branched to the left. 

Sadly, this engine had not yet been fitted with Andrews gearing system. (Which was proving to be hugely popular.) So the climb up the slope to was fairly slow going.

However, Andrew noticed that the slow, maximum traction speed was starting to get to Dash. Now she was the one that began to fidget in her seat, and her wings kept ruffling and refolding themselves.

“Getting antsy Dash?”

“Ugh I need to stretch my wings. You don’t mind if I-”

“Go ahead beatiful, its not like i’m going anywhere,” Andrew replied warmly.

Dash sat up from her sitting position across his lap to give him a warm kiss on his cheek.

“Thank You,” She whispered into his ear, before launching herself out the window.

In truth, Andrew did mind. Not that Dash needed to stretch herself out, he expected that from the athlete mare. It was that without her beside him, he once again began to worry about the meeting.

He wasn’t worried they’d have a problem with his personality. The problem lied with getting to that stage.

He couldn’t imagine how a human couple would react if their daughter brought home a huge spider or something. It wouldn’t matter if the damn thing was a Doctor, daddy would still probably go and grab the baseball bat.

Couple that with the fact that Andrew had infact been locked up by Celestia herself probably wouldn't go down well either. Although in all fairness he didn’t really do anything to deserve that.

What also worried Andrew is that Rainbow’s parents still lived in Cloudsdale. One wrong word and Andrew could easily find himself falling through what had just been the living room floor.

Andrew was roused from his thought induced trance by a brilliant, blue pony flying outside. Dash had made sure to fly near the carriage so that Andrew could see her.

Even though she was only working the kinks from her wings, Andrew couldn’t help but be stunned by her absolute beauty. She was absolutely gorgeous, and all those stallions that had given her up couldn’t have been a bigger idiot in his books.

At one point, where Rainbow was at the apex of a lazy loop, with the brilliant morning sun illuminating her from behind, Andrew came to a conclusion.

‘To hell what her parents think of me. All they need to know is that I truly love their daughter.  And if they disagree with that... it’s their loss.’



	

After disembarking the train at the station just near Cloudsdale, the pair quickly ascended via hot air balloon until the cities sidewalk was under the basket.

“Come on Andrew. That cloud walking spell only lasts three days and I don’t want to spend it in a balloon,” Rainbow called back from the clouds to her human who was staring critically at the puffy white surface.

“I think I saw a hole,” Andrew said shakily.

Rainbow simply rolled her eyes, “It’s safe! Twilights done this spell heaps of times!”

Andrew said nothing, and continued to gaze at the white sheets of clouds.

Rainbow huffed impatiently, before flying around behind her boyfriend and giving him a hard shove, easily making him topple out of the basket with a scream.

With his face now buried in the cloud surface, Rainbow  smiled to herself at her victory.

“See? That wasn’t that bad was it?”

Andrew said nothing as he rose, still shaking violently. Which concerned Rainbow a great deal.

“You okay?”

“I just got pushed out of a hot air balloon at fifteen hundred feet, what do you think?” He snapped.

“Sorry,” Dash wilted.

Andrew grumbled to himself and began to move. She knew he had a fear of heights, what in her right mind would make her think it was okay to pull a stunt like that?

Glancing over to his now saddened marefriend, a sense of guilt filled him. Forcing him to pull her into a hug.

“Sorry Dash but... You gotta remember i’m not used to this kinda stuff. You can’t expect me to take it in as fast as other ponies would,” He said as he hugged her tightly.

Dash simply nuzzled into his neck as Andrew began to move along.

“Uh Andrew? You can let go now,” Dash said.

Andrew chuckled nervously, if the spell failed, dash would be his only saving grace. Which meant he was not keen on letting his lifeline go.

“Not a chance.”



	

The walk through Cloudsdale did wonders to take Andrews mind off of the meeting. Pegasi culture was nearly a carbon copy of old greek culture from Earth, except with more clouds.

Even though Andrew grew up in possibly one of the most unlike Greece places in the world, it still felt nice to be able to recognise the architecture, to a degree.

        Pegasi also seemed to be leaders in innovative technology. Like humans, they strived to create and shape, albeit on a less destructive scale. 

        Unfortunately, their time sightseeing had to come to an end. Mainly because Rainbow had seen it all before and insisted that there really wasn’t anything else ‘cool’ to look at.

        Turning away from the city proper, they entered what looked like a typical suburban street, except made of clouds.

        “Relax Andrew, they're gonna love you! Heck my dad was the one who introduced me to Gilda, I don’t think he’ll have a problem with you.”

        “Well that’s... Comforting, but what about mum?”

        Rainbow bit her bottom lip and turned her head away from her lover.

        “Rainbow,” He said sternly. “What about mum?”

        “Mom... Mom will... Oh look there it is!” She cried happily, racing over to an average looking house.

        Andrew was clearly not happy with Rainbows hesitation, but approached the home nonetheless.

        “Wait here,” she gestured for him to stay on the sidewalk, out of view.

        Rainbow quickly flew up to the door and knocked thrice. A few moments later, another mare opened the door.

        She looked alot like Dash, Her coat was a few shades lighter, like a washed out blue, and her mane had less colors in it as well as being thoroughly brushed. She didn’t seem to be a whole lot older than Dash, maybe a few years.

        Rainbows eyes widened. “Masquerade?” She squeaked.

        “Oh Rainy! It’s so good to see you again! How’s my little sister?” Masquerade gushed, sweeping the younger mare up into a hug.

        “What are you doing here?” Dash questioned, clearly not affected by her sisters pathetic attempt at a crushing hug. After all she had Pinkie and Andrew to toughen her to those.

        “Mom said you found yourself a stallion! When I heard I just had to come see him for myself,” She laughed, before looking around.

        “So where is the brute that managed to steal my sisters heart?”

        “Uh he’s here. But I have to warn you Massy, he’s... Not a pony.”

        Masquerade looked genuinely surprised by this. “Oh!... Well, i’m sure he's a nice griffin then,” she smiled sweetly.

        “Not a griffin either.”

        “...A minotaur?” Masquerade said, actually sounding disappointed.

        “No!”

        “Oh please Rainbow, tell me you’re not dating a goat!”

        “What? Ew no! He’s, uh... Andrew can you come here?” She called.

        “Andrew? That’s an interesting nam- whu-ah,” Masquerade blubbered, as all six foot five of Andrew stomped up to the house.

        “Uh, hi,” Andrew stumbled.

        “Dash... what is that?” 

        “I think you mean, ‘hello what is your name?” Dash responded sharply.

        “Uh, what she said,” Masquerade squeaked.

        Noticing her discomfort around him, he kneeled down so that he wasn’t towering over her, Andrew extended a hand. “Names Andrew,” he said sweetly.

        Masquerade looked down to the odd claw, before looking over to her sister, who was motioning a hoof bump with her two forehooves.

        “C-charmed,” She smiled weakly, extending her hoof to meet the gesture.

        “So we just gonna stand out here on the doorstep, or are we gonna come inside?” Dash said.

        “Oh, yes. Come on in i’m sure mom and dad would love to met you Andrew,” Masquerade added as she motioned the pair to enter.

        The house was average in appearance, but average for cloud houses still meant very large. Beyond the front door was a long hallway, that wormed through the centre of the house.

        As they walked, Andrew leaned over to Dash who was flying beside him. “Your sister seems nice,” he smiled genuinely.

        “She’s a whore,” Rainbow responded bluntly, causing Andrew to nearly stumble from how sudden that statement came out.

“That’s a bit harsh Dash.”

“Well its true! I used to love my sis, till she brought home a different stallion every night,” She grumbled.

Andrew pondered this for a moment. Rainbow was the element of loyalty, it only made sense that her sister being disloyal to all those stallions wouldn’t go down well with her.

He felt a smile cross his face when he remembered that he would never have to worry about Dash cheating on him.

The short walk down the hall ended when they entered a large, sunlit living/dining room at the back of the house. The floor was two steps down from the hall, giving the room a sunken, laid back appearance.

Andrew had little time to take in the abode, when a white blur rocketed out from a nearby door, and tackled Rainbow to the ground.

“Ack!” She croaked as she was thrown to the floor.

“Arr dee! Your back! How’s life being a national hero?” The white stallion on top of her chuckled, whilst giving her a playful, yet rough noogie.

“High Ace! Get off me!” Dash shrieked, struggling wildly, trying to escape the torment.

“What? And let my favorite sister hide behind her new stallion? Nuh-uh, i’ve been waiting for this,” He laughed, launching into a new attack of brotherly affection.

“So where is this new guy huh?” He asked as he finally let her go. Andrew was quite amused that he somehow hadn’t been spotted. After all, he didn’t exactly blend in.

“Gid’ay,” Andrew chimed in his ‘Traditional greeting’.

“Whoa, never though Dash was one for sea monsters,” High Ace said, not trying to be malicious.

‘Sea monster? Okay that one’s new,’ Andrew thought to himself.

“Trust me mate, i’m a ground pounder, born and raised.”

“Huh, well nice to meet ya!... Mate,” High Ace responded, throwing on the colloquial tic at the end, thinking Andrew would appreciate it.

He didn’t.

Before Andrew could remark about that slightly racist comment, two more ponies entered.

‘Oh crap.’



	

Awkwardness would best describe the mood inside Rainbow Dash’s family home. After Rainbow parents had entered the room, things got interesting.

Like Dash had predicted, her father, Spectrum blitz (Nicknamed Bifrost, for some odd reason.) had been fairly accepting of Andrew, after some early jitters. As it turned out, Spectrum had worked with Minotaurs at his first job. The fact that Andrew reminded him strongly of one helped immensely.

Andrew had also discovered they had a mutual love for racing. Even if Andrews had originated from an alternate source. The Pegasus rallies weren’t a patch on the V8 supercars as far as the human was concerned.

Unfortunately that was about all the bonding Andrew managed with Dash’s father. The reason being in the form of a pink mare with a blue mane.

Firefly.

Andrew now realized why Dash hadn’t answered his questions about her mother. She was a complete, unmatable, unfathomable, cold hearted, bitch.

Not the obvious, brainless high-schooler type either. A crafty, passive aggressive one. Of course, she pretended to be happy for Dash, but it was obvious to anyone that their was no truth behind it.

“What the buck is that!” had been her first words to Andrew. Not a good start.

After Rainbow had explained who he was, what he was and that he was not going to eat them, she hovered close by the human. He wouldn’t have minded so much if she didn’t constantly badger him with accusing questions, or call him out on every little slip of the tongue, that the previous Australian had been prone to letting out.

It wasn’t his fault he was brought up, using ‘bloody’ like others would use a comma.

It also didn’t help that she constantly talked down to him, like he was a lesser being. Obviously, both Spectrum and Dash noticed these things, yet none did anything about it. The former out of love and the later out of fear.

‘The one pony Dash is afraid of. And it has to be her own mum!’  he shouted to himself.

Though, it did now make sense where Rainbow got her brashness from.

So now, as Andrew sat on the ‘slightly too small lounge’ with a cup of coffee in his hands, (Courtesy of Masquerade.) avoiding eye contact with the unpleasant mare sitting opposite him.

Between Rainbow’s bitchy mum, her obviously, racist older brother, and her ‘getabout’ sister who was still very cautious of him, things were not looking good.

“So. Andrew,” Dash’s mother started. “What are your intentions with our daughter?”

‘Oh god this question? Could you get any less hostile?’ 

“To be the best boyfriend I can. She deserves that after all i’ve heard about her previous relationships,” Andrew said, rather cooly.

“Boyfriend? You mean Coltfriend?” She asked.

“Sorry mom, you’re never gonna get him to use those words. Believe me i’ve tried,” Dash spoke up.

“Hey, everybody, and everyone work just as well,” Andrew commented.

“Hmm,” The older mare hummed. Causing a feeling of trepidation to fill Andrew.

‘Great. How’s she gonna use that one against me?’

“Andrew,” She said sweetly. “Can I speak to you privately for a moment?”

The human felt his blood run cold. He briefly wondered how this scared him more that anything he had ever heard in his life previously.

“Uh, yeah sure,” He said as he stood, causing Massy to shrink into the sofa as he towered over them.

Andrew nervously made his way over to the side room Firefly had motioned for him to come to. Upon entering he found the mare looking at him with a strong gaze.

“So, what did you wan- Mmpf!” Andrew was silenced by the old mare, flying up to him with impressive speed and planting a kiss straight on his mouth.

One word entered Andrew’s mind.

‘Fuck!’




















        



        

        







        

        


















        
	
	
	
	





> Meeting the parents. Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Not much could be said about Andrew’s current chaotic state of mind, but when he felt firefly’s tongue try to force it’s way into his maw, a few more synapses overloaded. Pressed up against the cloud wall, he had no chance to escape the old mare who was now rubbing her lower half on him.

        Finally regaining control of several more vital functions, his diverted all power to his arms. With unexpected speed, his arms coiled, before shooting up under Firefly’s forelegs. Using the sudden moment of shock, he extended his arms to their full reach, locking his elbows.

        “You have exactly ten seconds to explain what that fuck that was before I do something really stupid,” he said harshly.

        “Oh come now, we both know you were enjoying it,” Firefly teased.

        “Eight.”

        “Oh alright! Put me down,” She commanded.

        Reluctantly, Andrew set the mare down, but kept a stern gaze trained on her. Using his full stature to his advantage, he towered over the mare, with a decidedly ‘pissed off’ expression.

        “Spill.”

        Firefly took a moment to look over him before a smile found its way to her face. “Congratulations, I deem you worthy.”

        “What,” Andrew said flatly.

        “I wanted to see how you would have reacted to a sexy mare trying to steal you away from Rainbow,” She beamed, jumping into a ‘striking pose’. Despite not liking her, Andrew couldn’t tell her that she didn’t look as good as she thought she did.

        ‘It’ll be funnier when she learns that herself.’

        “So a test? To prove my affections for Dash, you slobbered all over me? Ever heard of extremists?”

        “Don’t be that way, I did this to every colt Rainbow brought home,” she waved off.

        “What!”

        “Oh yes. We both know just how... Clingy my Dashie can get, if a stallion would drop her for another mare at the tip of a hat, then what was the point of letting her get that close? Neutralize the problem before it started as it were.”

        “You made out with all of Rainbow’s interests? Does she know?!”

        “Oh Celestia forbid, no! She would probably never look at me the same way again! This is just our little secret now,” She said evilly.

        “Okay... So what did I do to ‘pass’ then?”

        “Well for a start you didn’t kiss back. If you had I would have failed you instantly,” She spoke in a manner that reminded Andrew of his high school teachers.

        “You also showed that you were no pushover, but didn’t attack me. You stated your anger without resorting to violence.”

        “I’d never hit a woma- Mare, it goes against everything I was brought up by,” Andrew stated strongly. Hitting a girl was never okay. Even in self defense, he would never punch, just push and, if a weapon was present, disarm.

        “Well that’s good to hear, though I could probably take you,” Firefly boasted.

        Andrew shook his head in disbelief, when a sudden thought entered his head.

        “When was the last time Rainbow brought home a stallion?” He asked.

        “Huh? Probably when she was fifteen, why?” Firefly answered, the question confusing her.

        “So this little test is intended for teenagers and first timers huh?”

        “Yeah?”

        Andrew had to chuckle at that. “Ha, she really did tell you much about me did she?”

        “No she said she wanted me to meet you in the flesh.”

        “Firefly... I’ve been married before.”

        “What?” Firefly shouted, now it was her turn to be shocked.

        “Well, not married. Engaged,” he admitted.

        “hell I was even a father before I came here. Believe me when I say, that I know how important I am to Dash, and i’m going to do everything in my power to make her happy,” He said, his voice conveying a steely resolve that Firefly knew was genuine.

        “If you had a family why did you leave them? What kind of father leaves their chi-” Firefly’s retort was cut short by the powerful glare she got from the human.

        “Don’t. You. Fucking. Dare,” Andrews said quietly. His tone conveying so much rage and hurt, as if the collective suffering of humanity found its way into his words.

        Firefly was so taken aback by the strength of the statement, she simply nodded dumbly.

        “And for the record,” Andrew added as he turned to leave. “Your daughter does deserve better. But she got me instead.”





        All in all, the day went well after that small encounter. Firefly became more reserved and friendly towards the human, now that she understood his plight, she had become far more understanding.

        Dash had taken her brother away to speak with him about what he could and couldn’t point out. Understandable, High Ace was horrified when he learnt what he had been saying had been offending her sisters new interest.

Masquerade had become far less weary of Andrew when the two had started swapping stories. Namely about one blue pegasus, that gave them both endless entertainment and annoyed Rainbow to no end.

Spectrum had even decided to cook a barbecue. (Vegetarian of course.) And with a little help from Andrew, the self proclaimed ‘B.B.Q King’ a feast was soon prepared, and devoured.

The day had gone so well in fact that Andrew decided to take up their offer on spending the night. Needless to say, seeing Dash’s room from her teens was rather amusing.

As Andrew lay in the comfy cloud bed, Dash spoke up from her spot on top of him.

“Mom seemed a lot better around you after you two spoke. What did she want to talk about?” Dash questioned innocently.

Andrew’s eyes shot open, “Uh just, about you and plans for the future,” he lied.

“Really? That doesn’t seem like her,” Dash pondered.

“Well she did get me thinking. What are we gonna do about, you know. Kids?”

Dash looked wide eyed into Andrew’s own. “I-I uh, um. I do want kids. I really do, but, can we even have them? You and I?”

Andrew felt a smirk cross his face, “We can always keep trying,” he whispered into her ear.

Dash returned the smirk, eager to drop the subject. “I’ve always wanted to do it on this bed.”






        


        


        



        

        





        



> Fragile
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        “Ow ow ow ow owww,” Andrew droned while Rainbow opened the door to his house. Clutching the icepack to his forehead.

        “Go lie down, i’ll get you something to eat,” Rainbow said softly. Her voice full of concern.

        “Thanks sweetie,” He replied, smiling at her, before collapsing into the large sofa in front of his fireplace, eager to take the weight off his, now injured left leg. Groaning in pain and relief.

Once Rainbow was safely within the kitchen, away from prying eyes, she let loose a massive sigh of relief.

        While she would never admit it, she was deathly afraid of her big human getting hurt. When he had first arrived, his huge body and ‘bulletproof personality’ as he put it made him seem so, indestructible.

        But, as time wore on, and the little scuffs he got from day to day activities and the little rough-housing between himself and Dash began to show that, compared to ponies, he was quite weak.

        The temperature affected him, far more so than anypony else. His skin wasn’t as thick leading to numerous scuffs and scrapes. 

Rainbow recalled the sick feeling she developed in her gut when she learnt that the playful slugs she hammered into his arms were actually leaving huge bruises and welts. Despite this, Rainbow knew he was no toothpick, but after today she couldn’t help but worry. 

This morning Andrew had been helping Applejack, replace a rotted girder in one of her older barns. It wasn’t a particularly hard job, yet his superior flexibility and amazing skill with the bane of ponykind, the hammer, it made him an ideal candidate for the job. Plus the fact that Andrew would never turn down a friend.

But when the new wooden rafter was being hoisted into place, the absent-minded crusaders that were in charge of hoisting the beam, had spontaneously decided that bickering about a dentist cutie mark was more important than holding the rope.

The heavy girder instantly fell victim to gravity and swung back down towards the unsuspecting human like a battering ram.

The sizable beam of timber, slammed into his right shoulder, sending him sprawling to the ground. On the downward journey the side of his head had collided with nearby crate knocking him unconscious, while his leg landed on an inconveniently placed plough frame.

Luckily the blades were off being sharpened at the time, so the frame was all his leg hit, but even still he was in a bad way.

        When Rainbow arrived after sweetie had come and retrieved her. the pegasus was in a frantic, panicked state. she wasted no time in hoisting her human onto her back and bolting across town to the clinic.

While an unconscious pony, with head injuries was fairly highly prioritised to the hospital staff, an unconscious alien with head injuries was almost enough to make them drop everything.

Thankfully he woke within a few hours, suffering only minor head trauma, much to the relief of Rainbow Dash who had assumed the worst. But of course, what kind of marefriend would she be if she didn’t?

In any other situation, the sight Andrew awoke to would have been heartwarming. With his right eye obscured by the bandage holding his ice pack in place, his left could clearly see the small rainbow mare making herself sick with worry.

Her mane was disheveled. her feathers were a mess. her ears were twitching sporadically and her tail was flicking anxiously. Even so, she was still a gorgeous sight to the pained human.

all the while, her hoof never left his own hand, even if he didn’t grasp back while he was unconscious, she knew he would appreciate her company.

“Hey good looking,” He said with a croak. “What did I do to end up with a angel like you as my nurse,” he cracked a grin before a splitting pain echoed through his skull.

“How do you feel?”

“Like I just went ten rounds with an express train,” he groaned, trying to sit up.

Once he had successfully pulled himself up into a sitting position, with a little help from Rainbow he turned to her.

        “Can I get out of here? The laundry still needs doing.”

        Rainbow rolled her eyes in response. “You’ve got a concussion, a fractured shoulder and and swollen knee. You’re not going anywhere,” She stated.

        “Aw come on, i’ll be fine just dose me up with some Panadol and i’ll be right as rain,” Andrew joked.

        “Panadol?”

        “Aspirin,” He quickly corrected himself.

        “What are you talking about?” Rainbow questioned.

        “Magicky-makey feely-better, make the hurt go away pills,” He said with accompanying hand waves from his good arm.

The comedic gesture was enough to momentarily suppress Rainbows concern for her boyfriend. his charming personality shining through the pain.

        Contrary to what Rainbow had originally thought, Andrews’ injuries were minor enough to allow him to be discharged that afternoon, And with Rainbows’ help, he managed to limp across Ponyville back to his house.

Shaking herself from the daydream, Rainbow returned from the kitchen with a simple cheese sandwich balanced on a plate between her teeth. Upon re-entering the small living room she smiled warmly when she saw her big human asleep on the couch. His legs comically hanging over the edge of the slightly too small seat.

Setting the plate aside, she slowly sat down on the floor just near his head. His eyelids fluttered over his light blue eyes as he entered the ‘rapid-eye-movement’ stage of sleep.

 Gently, Rainbow raised her hoof to stroke his short black hair, soothing him in his slumber, earning a content sigh from the unconscious alien.

It scared her when she realized just how easily he had fallen. If a pony had been in the same accident the worst injury they would get was most likely a bit of a headache. 

Rainbow recalled when she had darted underneath the falling sculpture at the Gala. Even though it was hollow, it was still fairly weighty, the bruising along her back the next day testified to that.

But if it had been Andrew in her place... 

She didn’t even want to begin to imagine what might have happened. 

The injured human murmured in his sleep, saving Rainbow from the horrid thoughts she was putting into her own head. Another calmed sigh sounded from him as he affectionately rubbed his face against her hoof.

To her, he seemed so peaceful, so content, so harmless. It was a far cry from the six foot, war mongering, apex predator he claimed to be.

A small whimper sounded from the man, interrupting Rainbow from her thoughts. A grasping hand reached out into the air around him, searching for his mare.

Rainbow felt her heart warm at the gesture. leaning into the hand, she revealed in the familiar feeling of his dexterous fingers massaging her scalp.

“Mm-mmh, R-rainbo...,” He mumbled.

“Shhh,” She cooed, “It’s gonna be alright.”

“I’m not going, anywhere. You big Idiot.”
	
	











	
	
	
	







> Here in my arms
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The wind howled violently, outside Andrews home. The long, sorrowful whistling coming through the gaps in the window, sounding as if the Windigoes had returned. Rain began to patter against the glass, adding to the chilly feel of the room. 

        The only defensive measure against the oppressive cold was that of the roaring log fire, that dominated the living room. Its warm, inviting glow flicking around the dim room.

        Also within said room, was a snoozing human, and strangely, a quite pegasus. The two were wrapped in the same thick rug, lying on the soft couch, with Rainbow Dash reading one of her favorite novels whilst lying atop Andrew.

        It seemed that the two pets of the house, had decided to take a page out of their respective masters books. Eureka snoozed quietly, curled up in a little ball while laying atop of Tank whom had retracted into his shell.

        Rainbow paid them no mind however as she continued reading. She was so immersed in her book, she failed to notice her human wake underneath her, and snake his hands up until they rested on her back, just below her wings.

        Setting the book down she eyed her lover playfully.

        “Welcome back,” She joked.

        Andrew simply stretched in the confines of the rug before responding by nuzzling her. A pony gesture that the human had eagerly adopted.

        “I forgot how uncomfortable this lounge was,” He grimaced, shifting around.

        Another echoing gale, blasted the house, making the small pup in the corner shiver, just by sound alone.

        “I’m so glad I got the day off,” Rainbow said gratefully, relaxing into Andrew.

        “I wouldn’t wish Winter storm duty on anypony,” She added before leaning down to rest her head in the crook of Andrews neck.

        “Oh believe me, no ones more grateful than me,” Andrew responded.

        Rainbow simply mumbled incoherently in response, intent of sucking all of the heat she could out of her mate.

        “This is the life in’n it? Laying around the house in bad weather, cuddled up to a beautiful mare in front of a real fireplace,” Andrew said thoughtfully, gently massaging Rainbows scalp through her mane.

        “True, but remind me why, we got out of bed in the first place?”

        “Because I had to keep an eye on the fire, and you wanted to read,” Andrew replied, now scratching her ear.

        “Speaking of fire,” He added, suddenly remembering his one chore for the day. Carefully he peeled Rainbow off him and unwrapped himself from the cocoon of warmth.

        With a sigh, and a bone popping stretch he made his way outside to the woodpile stacked underneath a small lean-to against the side of the house.

        Pulling on a heavy coat, and grabbing the nearby wood crate, he kept besides the back door, her braced himself for the weather.

        Channeling the cold resisting blood of his ancestors, Andrew quickly opened the door, exposing himself to the freezing winds.

        Making his way over to the small hut, he rapidly began to fill the crate with sizable chunks of thick wood. As he loaded up, he spared a thought for the poor souls who were in the sky right now, freezing their tails off in order just to make a living.

        It almost made Andrew feel bad about having a stay at home job where cheques arrived in the mail every week.

        Almost.

        Finally the crate was topped with wooden fuel, and Andrew wasted no time in returning to the warm embrace of both the house, and Rainbow.

        “Geez it’s a bit fresh out there,” He joked as he entered through the archway to the living room. Setting the crate to the side of the fire and throwing a log on for good measure he turned back to his mare.

        In a rare display of affection. (Well, rare to anyone who wasn’t Andrew.) Rainbow sat upright in the ruins of the blanket wrap with her hooves outstretched towards Andrew.

        Waving her hooves back and forth in a recognisable gesture, she simply said one word.

        “Hug.”

Of course, it was impossible for Andrew to deny her request. Especially when she employed those gorgeous eyes to drive it home.

        After a few moments of shuffling, the pair had finally managed to return to their previous positions, accompanied by a, now reinvigorated fire.

        However, there was no fire, not even that of the sun, Equus or Earth, that could compare to the fire of love they shared for one another. A true companionship, an unrivaled feeling of completeness and joy.

        The power of love.

        And even though it took Rainbow most of her life and many failed relationships to realize this, there was nothing she was surer of. This being the case, in her time dating Andrew she had radically changed.

        Sure, she was still the boisterous, brash, awesome pegasus that everypony knew her for, but when she was with Andrew, she just melted. He treated her the way she wanted to be, even if she hadn’t realized it.

        He treated her like a princess, like nothing else mattered. He was always there for her. She was his whole world.

        Maybe that’s why all her previous relationships failed. She was so hell bent on proving herself to the stallion that she scared them off. Nopony wanted a mare who excelled at everything, then as soon as she hit a speed bump would break down.

        But Andrew was different. When things got rough, he made sure he was there. In a land where females outweighed males five to one, most stallions didn’t even bother with ‘problem mares’.

        Andrew wouldn’t have a bar of that. His human nature forced him to fight for his woman, even if his woman was a mare.

        Never once did he give up on her. Never once did he think that it was too much work and look for another. He, just like her, was loyal.

        To a fault.

        “I’m so glad I found you,” Rainbow said dreamily, into Andrews chest.

        “Mmhm?” He responded drowsily, coming back from the cusp of nodding off.

“I mean, you could have any mare you wanted, a couple probably, yet you chose me.”

“Oh Dash,” Andrew said, sobering up.

“I’ve told you, I didn’t fall in love with you because you were the best option. That makes you sound like an object.”

“I fell in love with you because I love you. That includes all the faults,” He said warmly, brushing a part of her mane out of her face.

“And as for having more than one mare? You know that doesn’t sit well with me,” Andrew stated.

This was a fact Rainbow appreciated more than anything. Because of the skewed gender ratio, many stallion had more than one mare in ‘herds’.

While a viable solution for lonely mares, the idea just never sat well with Rainbow. She believed that love couldn’t be divided or shared amongst more than one lover. She assumed this was because of the fierce loyalty she was known for.

When she had told Andrew about this, she was overjoyed to learn that he felt the same way. He couldn’t fathom why a stallion who had something great with a mare would jeopardize it by bringing in another.

As far as he was concerned it could only end in tears.

“And for the record Dash,” he began, staring straight into her eyes.

“You’re all that I want, and when you’re lying here in my arms. I find it hard to believe i’m not in heaven,” He spoke from the heart.

Dash felt her heart warm at this. The way he said it just made her feel so lucky.

“I don’t deserve you,” Dash whimpered.

“No,” He said pulling her into a deep hug and resting his chin on her head. “You deserve better.”

Dash whimpered again in response, burying her face into his warm chest.

“You do so much for me, I wish I could return the favour,” She admitted glumly. Saddened that she couldn’t return the never-ending affections she received.

“Hey,” he said sternly, putting a finger under her chin and forcing her to look up at him.

“Love is all that I need. And I found it there,” He paused pointing a finger to her chest. 

“In your heart.”

“I love you so much,” she whimpered into his chest.

“I love you too,” Andrew replied, holding the mare close, before lying back down on the lounge, never once letting her go.

‘Thank you Bryan Adams.’ He thought to himself.
















        





> Musings of a lonely princess
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Rhythmic, yet muffled clacking of the carriages wheels, sounded from underneath the train car. Within the carriage, six ponies, plus one human and one dragon were casually chatting.

        Princess Twilight Sparkle sat on her own designated bunk, watching her friends with a happy smile. The group were on their way to the Crystal empire. Not for any special reason, Twilight wished to visit, and because Andrew had never been, it was an ideal outing for them all.

        The locomotive had been majestically thundering along for a while now. Equipped with the humans revolutionary gearing system, the journey had almost been halved in the time it took to undergo.

        Still, it was mid-afternoon and they had only just started to see the first signs of snow. Twilights faithful companion, Spike, had fallen asleep beside the Princess hours ago, leaving the adults to talk.

        When Rarity steered the conversation onto more... Mature topics, Twilight chose to sit out. Content on letting her friends to the talking for her. After all, conversations regarding that kind of material were very unbecoming of a Princess.

        That didn’t mean she couldn’t listen in though

        “So Fluttershy dear,” Rarity began. “I hear you and Applejacks brother...”

        The pegasus in question blushed an impossible shade of red, trying to sink further into the bunk she was on.

        “We’ve... He and I... W-we’re just good friends!” She shrieked, or at least shrieked by her standards.

        “Well ah think it’s cute. Mah brothers so set on his work, he needs somepony to take his mind off it,” Applejack smirked.

        “You’re not much better AJ,” Dash spoke up from her position on top of Andrews chest. “You could do with finding your own stallion.”

“Yes Dash, we all know how ‘awesome’ a relationship can be. You’ve told us many times,” Rarity said.

“You been talking about me, when i’m not around, Dash?” Andrew smirked, from under her. Not bothering to open his eyes.

“Why wouldn’t I? I love to tell them all you’re little habits. Like chewing on my ears,” She grinned, enjoying watching Andrew squirm, when she mentioned some of his more common bedroom, tendencies.

“I know you like that. Besides, I could say some things about you,”

“Oh?”

“Would anyone like to hear about who Dash fantasised about in her teens?” Andrew called through the cabin.

“No!” Dash shrieked, clambering up his body to muffle him with her chest.

The carriage devolved into childish giggles, causing Dash to join fluttershy in the full faced blush.

Twilight shook her head, a smile on her face. She couldn’t believe that of all her friends Dash would be the first one to get into a serious relationship. She seemed so jovial and all round happier, when she was with Andrew.

Infact, Twilight hadn’t seen Rainbow this happy since she won the best young flyers competition. Nor had she ever seen her friend become so openly affectionate. Rainbow had seemed to disinterested in stallions that Twilight had begun to suspect that she wasn’t into them at all.

Casting a glance back over to the pegasus, she saw that the mare was comically biting her humans nose.

Of course, now she had no doubt. She had always expected Rarity or Fluttershy to find a stallion before the rest of them, seeing as they both were on the search for love. Rainbow was the last pony Twilight would have guessed to find somepony.

‘No. Someone, not somepony,’ She corrected herself.

Twilight couldn’t help but feel happy for the pair. She knew Rainbow had always had trouble keeping stallions interested. She’d been dealt some bad cards, but now, it looked like Twilight was going to be a bridesmare in the near future.

And then there was Andrew. Twilight felt like she could finally stop fretting over him. In the early days, Applejack had taken care of him, and Twilight had educated him. Between the pair, they had basically mothered the human. A strange feat considering he was older than both of them.

In her time with Andrew, she had noticed that he had a very severe case of depression. That’s why she recommended a psych. But now that Rainbow was around, he’d just gotten better. He was happier, he laughed more, he even became the one to start conversations instead of being roped into one.

It suddenly clicked for Twilight. Andrew so often said that Rainbow was his whole word now. At the time, she had simply disregarded it as another way of him confessing his love, but now it made sense.

She was what kept him sane. Without her, he would easily surcome to the horrific pit of depression. A pit that would make him call for his old world, and the people in it.

Rainbow Dash was his tether to this world. To happiness and love, Rainbow was his world.

Twilight chuckled at the analogy she had just created. How ironic that a pegasus would keep anything grounded.

The happy couple had snuggled up to one another. Andrew lying on the bunk with Dash fast asleep on top of him, earning an “Awww,” from Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rarity, as they rarely saw this side of her.

Twilight let out a sad sigh, it seemed they were all moving on to the next stage of life. Rainbow had already found someone to share her days with and Fluttershy seemed to be headed in the same direction.

How long would it be before they were all married with kids? The always knowledgeable mare didn’t have an answer for that, but it couldn’t be too far on the horizon. 

Seeing Dash so happy with Andrew had subconsciously prompted the rest of her friends into finding their own special somepony. They all like what they saw, they wanted to be treated as she was. To be loved and cared for.

Maybe, just maybe it was time to slow down. To find a nice stallion for each of them and attain the next level up from friendship.

Love.
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	






> Bath time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	‘Knock Knock.’

Andrew blinked at hearing the sound of someone at the front door. He hadn’t been expecting anyone, and Rainbow was at the park with Scootaloo. Getting up from his expensive, varnished, desk (Which had costed a small fortune, yet Andrew still maintained it was well worth it.) he walked downstairs.

Money had been rolling in nicely from his patent, yet Andrew had decided to undertake an old occupation that he had always secretly dreamed of since he was a child. 

He had always wanted to be an author.

It wasn’t a pipe dream either. He had always been good at spinning a tale and using words. When he had been given writing assessments in high school for ‘creative writing’ he had always gotten top marks. Everyone who had read them also said that he should go into writing, but of course, a busy mundane lifestyle ended that dream.

Now however, having so much more free time, less distractions and a steady income without working, it gave him the perfect opportunity to start. The two spares bedrooms in the house had been turned into a guest bedroom, and office, respectively.

It also helped he had a bookworm/princess for a friend, who could probably get him a publishing deal easily. Rainbow Dash had pressured him into writing something similar to Daring do yet Andrew had decided to do something a little more original.

The knocking came again, this time slightly harder, indicating that it’s creator was beginning to get restless. Wrapping a hand around the doorknob, he opened it to reveal a sap monster that had swallowed two familiar mares.

“What tree did you two fight and lose to?” Andrew snickered, looking over the sap covered Rainbow Dash and her ‘adopted’ sister Scootaloo.

“I was flying along side her, keeping an eye on her wing patterns when she flew us straight into a sap covered pine!” The Rainbow mare said, pointing a hoof at the filly, who was cringing with an embarrassed smile.

“I thought you were good at flying Dash,” He smirked.

“Yeah yeah, come on I wanna get cleaned up,” She said exasperatedly, pushing past him into the living room.

“So thats why you’re back early?”

“Well you can’t really keep flying when your feathers are stuck together,” Scootaloo spoke up as she headed towards the stairs.

Scootaloo had visited Rainbows new home frequently and had quickly made herself at home, navigating the house with ease.

“Makes sense,” Andrew replied, before calling after the filly. “You staying the night squirt?”

The eager filly was back at the top of the stairs in a flash, fluttering her wings excitedly. (Or at least as best she could while stuck to her body.)

“Can I Andrew?!” She squealed.

“Dunno, you know it’s Dash’s choice whether or not she wants to put up with you for the night,” he joked.

“Of course she can! Scoots our house is always open to you,” Rainbow responded warmly.

“Awesome!” Scootaloo squeed before running off to the bathroom.

“heh, kids,” Andrew commented as he turned to Rainbow who was fluttering in front of his face.

“Come here,” She said huskily, moving forward for a kiss.

“Whoa there!” Andrew cried, a hand shooting up to block here. “I don’t want your sappy hooves all over me. Go get cleaned up,” he ordered.

“You’re such a buzzkill!” She shouted.

“You’re sticky,” he giggled before adding. “Besides, do you want a Cutie Mark Crusader in our bathtub? Alone?”

Rainbows eyes widened in horror as she envisioned the inevitable flooding.

“Exactly. Go help her clean up. I know you always have trouble with that spot between your wings,” He said.

“You know I get you to clean that because it feels good right?” She asked.

“Duh. Now go, I gotta tell the orphanage that scoot is staying over.”

“Dash! How do I stop the water!?” The voice of scootaloo called from upstairs.

“Alright go! I’ll deal with this, but don’t forget you owe me a kiss!” Dash reminded him.

“Ooh, such a hard bargain. But I think I might be able to oblige,” he smirked as he headed for the door.

“Coming Scootaloo!” Dash called as she flew upstairs.



	

The walk to the orphanage was not a lengthy one. Just a few blocks down and a right turn would plant you on the large buildings’ doorstep. The double doors opened with a chime as Andrew entered.

The unicorn mare sitting behind the desk, immediately perked up. Being an orphanarium, business wasn’t exactly booming, so seeing a familiar face could be considered a daily highlight.

“Andrew!” Warm Smile cried as the human entered. Removing herself from the seat, she trotted up to him to embrace him in a hug. Outside of Rainbow’s friends and scootaloo, there were very few ponies who would actually hug the big human.

Warm Smile was one such pony. Initially, she had been rather friendly with Andrew. She had been described as arguably one of the most accepting, caring and understanding ponies in Ponyville.

The reason it was up for debate was Fluttershy, the two had some rivalry for the kindest mare in the town. Which both found funny seeing as they were good friends and found the competition completely ridiculous.

As a result, it made sense for her to work in an Orphanage. After all, who needed ‘warm smiles’ more than a foal who had lost their parents?

“Hey Warm. How you doing?” Andrew asked, breaking the hug.

“Better now that you’re here,” She joked. If she wasn’t a complete saint, Andrew would have sworn that she was hitting on him.

“So I take it you’re here for Scootaloo’s overnight bag?” She asked, already pulling the pre-prepared bag from under the counter. It having being moved from Scoots room to reception on account of how frequently it was used.

“You know one day I might actually just come in here to have a cup of tea and a chat,” he replied as she levitated the bag over to him.

“That sounds wonderful. Though I do wish you came over for other reasons,” She replied.

“Oh?” Andrew asked, curiosity pipped.

“Well, you and Rainbow are so happy together, yet you can’t have kids of your own, why not adopt?” 

Andrew paused, and looked back to her. “I think it’s still a bit early for a family. I mean I’d like to get married first.”

“Oh come on Andrew! Kids like Scootaloo aren’t going to stay young forever! Snatch up the opportunity while you can. I mean, haven’t you ever thought of becoming a father?” She asked innocently.

Andrew stopped dead in his tracks. There wasn’t much you could do to the human to upset him, apart from one major, unspoken rule. Never mention fatherhood around him.

Even though Warm Smile was a close friend, her had refrained from telling her about his previous life and daughter. The less ponies knew the better, he didn’t want their pity, he would never have been able to move on otherwise. This was something that ponies who knew him respected, and kept quiet about it.

But Warm Smile didn’t know. Of course the Unicorn had no clue how much that statement had impacted him, and drilled into his soul. 

Keeping calm, he responded. “Yes... But not yet.” he replied as he headed for the door.

 “Not so soon,” he whispered to himself as he left without another word.



	

Having his mood severely soured did not suspend him from his duties of caretaker of two rambunctious mares. Upon entering, he called out.

“I’m back!”

“Andrew can you bring some towels up? I forget them,” Dash called back.

With a sigh, Andrew made his way to the linen cupboard in the hallway outside the bathroom. Andrew couldn’t fathom why they didn’t just keep towels in the bathroom all the time, but Dash maintained that the moisture in the air would dampen the towels anyway.

Not wanting to argue with a weather mare, he resigned to keep them in the small cupboard in the wall.

Grabbing two fluffy, white towels, he entered the bathroom. He needn't worry about seeing anything he shouldn’t, for obvious reasons. The main reasons doors existed on bathrooms in Equestria was to keep the steam in, or when somepony was on the toilet.

Scootaloo jumped up when he entered. Now sap free, she draped her small orange hooves over the side of the tub and greeted him with a closed eyed smile.

Rainbow moved up behind her, wrapping her hooves over the filles shoulders, she regarded Andrew with one of the most warm and loving expressions






























Andrew felt his heart melt. The way her mane fell around her neck, and her perfect eyes conveying nothing but pure love for him, extinguished the sorrow that Warm Smile had unintentionally resurfaced.

Wrapping a towel around the orange filly, she galloped off to find her overnight bag, that held all her toys. Leaving Rainbow Dash to gracefully exit the bath.

“You know, I wouldn’t mind a kid like her,” Dash said as she watched the filly run off.

Andrew looked over too. Seeing Rainbow and Scootaloo like that, it made him realize just what he had been missing out on. He truly thought he was past the sorrow. Obviously he wasn’t and that was why he hadn’t thought of children.

But now. Now, seeing how much a foal could affect them. Maybe he was a step closer to giving in.

“Hey,” Rainbow said, causing Andrew to look over, resulting in a sudden kiss that he owed.

Maybe it was time. Time to start over.

To have a family.
	
	
	

> =Change of plans=
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“I’m so glad you decided to take my up on my offer on coming over,” Andrew said happily to Warm Smile as she entered his home.

        “Well, as much as I love the kids at the orphanage, they can be a bit of a hoofful at times,” She admitted. “It’s so nice that Fluttershy and Rainbow offered to look after them for a while.”

        “Yeah, they're good mares,” Andrew responded as the unicorn took a place on the couch. What Andrew neglected to tell her was that it had been Rainbow’s idea to get the two alone to better their chances of adoption. Inviting the sweet, but lonely mare over for tea was an ideal option.

        “So how would you like your tea? With milk or without? One lump of sugar or two?” the human called casually from the kitchen.

        “Oh, milk and three lumps please!” the mare called back.

        “Figures. Of course she would like it sweet,” Andrew chuckled inwardly to himself.

        “The kettles gonna be ready in a bit,” Andrew pointed out as he returned. “So tell me, what's been going on with you?”

        “Oh, not much,” Warm waved a hoof casually. “The same old, you know. Though Feathered Quill has been going through far more paper and ink than I can afford. I swear that filly is going to be a great writer one day,” she smiled.

        “Oh? Looks like I’ve got some competition then,” Andrew smirked.

        “Huh?” 

        “Well, I’ve been dabbling in writing too. Nothing concrete yet, I’m still working on fleshing out the storyline and making sure there’d be no kinks or bits that the readers wouldn’t like.”

        “Wow, I didn’t know you were into writing.” The mare smiled.

        “Yeah, I’ve always liked a good book. So you’re saying this filly is running out of paper?” Andrew inquired.

        “At an alarming rate. She’s in one of her ‘modes’,” Warm responded, using her hooves to punctuate the statement.

        “Huh. Wait here,” Andrew motioned for her to stay as he made his way upstairs.

        He returned a few moments later with a sizable bundle of paper, with a few inkwells sitting on top.

        “A present from the big scary alien,” Andrew chuckled, setting the pages down on the small coffee table in front of the seat.

        “Oh, thank you!” Warm smile beamed. “I’m sure she’ll be very appreciative.” She finished with a sure tone.

        “Don’t worry about it. I’d get her a typewriter too, but those things are a pain to keep working,” He grumbled, remembering how the typewriter sitting on his desk upstairs had a dodgy enchantment on it that liked to start a new paragraph on a whim.

        The sound of a shrill whistle chimed from the kitchen. “Ah, that’ll be the kettle,” Andrew confirmed as he made his way back over to it.

        The unicorn continued to smile warmly, until the human had disappeared from sight. When he had, she let out a sad sigh and slumped back into the soft lounge.

        While she had come over to drink tea with her friend, and was very much looking forward to doing so, there was another reason for her coming over. 

        Warm Smiles may not have been a genius but she certainly wasn’t blind. It was obvious, especially to her, that Andrew and Rainbow had been dropping hints and gestures of adoption. It was most obvious on the mornings when scootaloo came home, commented on how they kept calling her ‘their little girl’.

        The unicorn found it so heartwarming to see the young couple, finally deciding to take it further. Which is why it broke her heart to have to tell Andrew what she knew.

        Andrew soon re-entered the living room, carrying two porcelain teacups, two fingers wrapped around the handle of each. Now that she saw how the human used the handles, it made their purpose far clearer.

        Magically snagging the cup which Andrew had indicated was hers, she brought it up to her muzzle, and began to lap at the sweet brew delicately.

        Lapping up a beverage was not considered animalistic in Equestria. Though it wasn’t something you would ever find a higher-up doing. Seeing as it was just a casual meeting between two friends, Warm Smile didn’t worry much.

        It was apparent that Andrew cared little too. Content to alternate between sipping and gulping the drink loudly. Casual conversation kicked up once more, lulling them both into a relaxed state. 

        Though as the unicorn’s tea drained, so did her confidence about telling Andrew. She didn’t want any part of this, but the aforementioned higher-ups cared little about feelings or families.

        She didn’t want to do this. She was Warm Smile, the friendliest, most loving unicorn under Celestia’s sun. She couldn’t do this to a fledgling family. Especially one as nice as this. But keeping it from them would be just as cruel. They would find out sooner or later.

        ‘Why do I have to be the bearer of bad news?” She moped to herself.

        “I uh- I’ve got something to tell you Andrew,” Warm said, putting the cup down as she had finished it.

        “You’re not pregnant are you?” He chuckled aloud, until he saw that she did not return the humour, only looking at him with a sad expression.

        Shutting up quickly, he allowed her to continue.
        
        “Listen Andrew. I know you are seriously thinking about adopting Scootaloo,” She said, causing Andrew to nod in confirmation.

        “Now believe me when I say this, but I would love for her to live here. She just seems so much happier when she's around you two,” the mare sighed sadly.

        “What’s this about Smiles?” Andrew said evenly. His tone dead serious.

        Warm Smiles shifted uncomfortably, looking anywhere but directly at the human. With an almost sob, she looked to the floor and shut her eyes.

        “You can’t adopt her,” she said weakly, before adding. 

        “Or any other foal.”





        Rainbow Dash stormed angrily around the room, as Andrew sat, hands rubbing at his temples.  Sadly, the information that the unicorn had given him hadn’t gone down well with the pegasus. Andrew was just glad that by the time Rainbow came home, Warm Smiles had already left.

        After all, neither were in the mood for tea after that.

        “I can’t believe this! Who gives them the right to say you’re not fit to parent!” Rainbow shouted angrily, eyeing the small, battered table in the corner of the room that frequently became an outlet for her rage.

        “I’m an alien, Dash. There’s no way they’d let me adopt, they barely know anything about me! I can’t believe we didn’t think of this,” Andrew moped into his hands. Once again, he had put his new life on the rocks simply by being him.

        Anger welled within him. Since coming to Equestria, he had tried so hard to shield the ponies from humanity’s darker side. But twenty thousand years of anger and hatred was hard to suppress, and occasionally slipped free.

        “This is fucking bullshit!” He bellowed, standing and delivering a hugely powerful boot to the small table that Dash had been contemplating doing the same thing.

        The small article of furniture skyrocketed upwards, straight into the brick mantelpiece. Unsurprisingly, it survived. The table had an admirable tolerance to damage, despite its abused body.

        While it was frightening to see the big human angry, Rainbow never felt scared. She knew he would never ever hurt her.

        “Hey come on now,” Dash said softly as she fluttered up behind him and draped her forehooves over his shoulders, around his neck, while she nuzzled the back of his head with her nose. While it was rare for the pegasus to be the one to comfort the human, it did happen.

        Andrew loosened beneath her. the feeling of her amazingly soft fur around him soothed him like nothing else. If he wasn’t so upset with the government for not allowing him to adopt, he would have found Rainbow’s sudden switch from angry to calming funny.

        “We’ll work something out,” she reasoned, whispering it into his ear from behind.

        Andrew didn’t respond, only letting loose a powerful exhale, and rubbing back against his mare’s face as best as he could.

        “I’ll make dinner tonight, you just sit down,” Rainbow said softly, though her tone indicated that she was not to be argued with.

        “Thanks, love,” Andrew smiled, reaching up to scratch her behind the ear.

        Eventually, she peeled off, flapping over to the kitchen. Letting Andrew collapse into the lounge and bring his hands up to his face, with a groan.

        Out of all the things that could have happened, this was one massive kick to the gut. Andrew had always prided himself on being two steps ahead, how he failed to see this was beyond him.

        What hurt him the most was that he was once again, reminded that he was still an alien. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling to have the fact that you’re different to everyone else so plainly thrown up in front of you.

        He bristled with anger, they hadn’t even given him a chance. They had just flat out assumed, that he would be unfit to become a parent. What evidence did they have to support those claims? Sure, he may have been less than emotionally stable when he arrived in Equestria, but he had calmed since then. Thanks to the loving courtesy of one gorgeous blue pegasus.

        He was sure that all his friends would encourage him to appeal to the day and night courts. If he could win them over, he would likely be able to sway the adoption agency’s mind.

        But he just didn’t have the drive to do so. He didn’t want to have to deal with the princesses and their lackeys anymore than he had already. It was no secret that Andrew plainly didn’t like them. But then again, when they lock you up in a laboratory and rip memories from you just to try to learn about your past, one wouldn’t have a high opinion of them either.

        So Andrew just lay there, his mind churning at a thousand miles per hour. He and Rainbow had known each other for three and a half years now, and had been dating for over a year.

Some might say that that was a little early to have kids. After all, they weren’t even married. But this is what they both wanted. Besides, Rainbow’s parents had High Ace when they had known each other for just fourteen months. Which is funny considering that a pony’s gestation period is eleven of those months.

        Rainbow had quite frequently commented that her brother was an accident after all.

        Andrew was at a loss. They couldn’t adopt, and Rainbow very strongly opposed the idea of being inseminated, claiming that it wouldn’t be their child, and it would be like she had cheated on him with some random stallion.

        Of course, Andrew respected her wishes, but now it looked as if they would never have a child of their own. It wasn’t as if he could get her pregnant…

        ...Could he?

        Andrew’s eyes shot open. Playing god couldn’t be that hard when you’ve got magic right? The basics were there, and Twilight was the most powerful magic user that he knew of, would it really be that hard for her to alter a few million single celled organisms into something more pony friendly?

        He’d seen her turn oranges into frogs, and levitate entire fields of apples at once, all without breaking a sweat. She had even time travelled and claimed that it was ‘nothing much’.

        The more and more Andrew thought about it, the more the pieces began to fall into place. Maybe there was hope yet. A smile teased its way across his mouth.

        “Rainbow!” He said jovially. Springing up and running into the kitchen.

        “I’ve had a thought.”

        



        

        

        

        

        

        

        

        
        




        

        

        

        
        
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	


> The start of something wonderful
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        “Ah still think it’s a might odd. Since when does Rainbow call a private meeting? Especially one at the library,” Applejack mused aloud to Rarity who was walking beside her.

        The pair had recently been informed to make their way to Golden Oaks library, on the request of Rainbow Dash. When Pinkie Pie had delivered the message, she had specifically stated to make sure they kept that tuesday afternoon clear. Apparently, it was very important that they know what the pegasus wished to tell them.

        “Well if it is as important as Pinkie said it is, she is going to want everypony there,” Rarity responded. “After all, the library has the most room.”

        “But why couldn’t she just tell us? Does whatever she wants to say, really call for a meeting?”

        “If Rainbow thinks it does, then it must. You know she wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t necessary. Knowing her, she would rather fly round at top speed telling everyone,” Rarity waved a hoof.

        “So what do ya reckon it is then?” Applejack enquired.

        “I’m not sure. Maybe she got accepted into the Wonderbolts?” Rarity offered.

        Applejack scoffed. “If that was it, I’m sure no window within two hundred miles would’a been saved. It’s gotta be something else.”

        “Well, we’re about to find out,” the fashionista motioned towards the large tree they were coming up on. All seemed normal. The door was closed, the windows were intact and not a single leaf was out of place.

        Quickly making their way to the front door, the two ponies entered.

        Fluttershy and Pinkie had already arrived. Both were seated on cushions that made part of a small circle, a cushion for each of the expected guests. Spike was fumbling around out of sight, making tea for the group, while Twilight sat on her own cushion, with a knowing, yet nervous look.

        Strangely, one cushion was missing. The reason being is that the mare of the hour, Rainbow Dash, had neglected to sit on one in favour of using Andrew’s lap. The mare was fidgeting in place, a look of barely contained excitement dominating her whole attitude.

        Andrew didn’t seem to mind. His arms were wrapped around her in a backwards hug. His expression was one of happiness, as he looked down at the top of her head. The subtle gestures he made, like gently rubbing her chest with one hand, or kissing her on the crown of her head displayed only pure love for the lucky mare.

        Upon hearing the door open, Twilight spoke up. “Oh excellent, we're all here! Spike, come here, please!” she sang.

        The young dragon returned from the kitchen, balancing a tray of tea cups on both of his clawed hands. “This better be some announcement,” he mumbled, passing a brew to each mare, and one decidedly larger, much stronger looking drink to Andrew.

        It was no secret that Andrew took tea drinking to a whole new level. Who’d have thought putting honey in a drink would be so good?

        “Don’t stand in the doorway, sit down!” Rainbow cried with excitement. Hopping up and down slightly within the confines of Andrew’s embrace.

        “Calm down, sweetie. I could run my old house from the energy you’re bottling,” Andrew chuckled, earning a strange stare from the mares in the room, minus Twilight. It was rare to hear the human use anything like sweetie, or honey when referring to Dash, as she maintained that it was embarrassing.

        It was made even odder when she not only seemed to enjoy hearing it, but also started to nuzzle up to Andrew. Rubbing her nose into the underside of his chin and neck.

        “So what’s this all about RD?” Applejack asked as she sat, politely taking one cup from spike.

        “Yes I hope we didn’t miss out on this big reveal, whatever it is,” Rarity commented.

        Andrew smirked. “You wanna tell ‘em, or should I?” he whispered down to his lover.

        Rainbow’s ears perked, a huge smile growing on her face. “I will!” she squealed, her tail thumping back and forth between herself and Andrew’s chest.

        Taking a deep breath to calm herself she looked over at her friends who were watching her with confused expressions.

        “I’m pregnant.”

        “What?!” They all cried.

        “What?” Andrew puzzled, before Rainbow began to laugh.

        “Oh that was priceless! You should have seen the look on your faces!” She giggled.

        “Hilarious, Dash. Well if that was all I came here for than I think I’ll be taking my leave,” Rarity huffed.

        “No no! Wait! I do actually have something really important to say,” Rainbow reasoned.

        “Okay. Girls. Andrew and I have decided, to have a foal!” She squee’d, earning shocked stares from all those in the room minus Twilight.

        “Whoa! Dashie’s gonna be a mommy? How? Who’s the lucky stallion? Does Andrew know?” Pinkie asked accusingly.

        Dash stared at her weirdly. “Duh, he's gonna be the father,” she said as she swatted a pink hoof away.

        “How?” Applejack spoke. “No offense here, but he ain’t no stallion. I dunno much ‘bout biology but ah’m pretty sure it doesn’t work that way.”

        “That’s where I come in,” Twilight spoke up. “Rainbow and Andrew came to me yesterday, asking if I could genetically alter Andrew’s sperm to be compatible with Rainbow’s egg cells,” She smiled, the mention of sperm causing Fluttershy to blush and hide behind her teacup.

        “So you just magic his boy juices into pony stuff?” Pinkie questioned, earning a flat look from Twilight.

        “Well no, there's a lot more to it than that. Chromosome pairs and genomes have to be altered as well. If it was anything more complicated than a single cellular organism, then I don’t think I could do it.”

        “Sadly, the offspring is going to look more or less just like Rainbow. I’ll be altering Andrew’s DNA so much that i’ll be surprised if any of his traits come through.”

        “But it will still be his,” Rainbow added, looking up lovingly at the human. “We just gotta wait till my next cycle, but we just wanted you to all know.”

        “Ah’m still not sure how thats gonna work. Yeah, Ah’’ve seen Twi here change things into other things but it always wears off. What if that happens inside’a you?” Applejack pointed to Rainbow’s belly.

        “Well, they’re going to have to keep coming back to me so I can boost the spell. We’ve already talked it over, and they know the risks,” Twilight pointed out.

        “W-well I’m sure you two are going to make a beautiful foa- Will it be a foal?” Fluttershy asked quietly.

        Andrew nodded. “Yeah, it’s easier for Twi to transfigure my genes, than it is for her to change Rainbow’s egg cells to a human’s. After all, she doesn’t know what human egg cells are like. Besides, It’s gonna be hard enough for the scamp to have an alien daddy. I wouldn’t want it to be shunned for actually being one.”

        Applejack remained unconvinced. “Ah’m still not sure bout this. This is a child’s life were talkin’ bout here.” She said before looking directly at Rainbow. “And are you even ready for this? I’ve never seen you do anything remotely motherly.”

        Rainbow looked hurt. “I might be young but you of all ponies should know that when I want to do something, I do it right!”

        “And as for not being motherly? You didn’t see her when Scootaloo brought home a baby bird,” Andrew added.

        “It was so sweet. The bird’s mum had died, and scoots had found it trying to fly back up to the nest. She brought it to us in tears, and Dash sat down with scoots for about an hour, preening its wings,” he gushed.

        “Aww,” Pinkie joined.

        Rainbow blushed. “See? I’m caring.”

        “It was even better when you started on Scootaloo’s wings,” Andrew chuckled quietly behind her ear.

        “Well, she didn’t know how to do it. And there’s no adult pegasi at the orphanage to teach her either.”

        “Warm Smiles does try though,” he responded, the conversation going very off topic.

        “Yeah, but she’s not very good at it,” Rainbow grumbled,

        Twilight smiled. “I think Rainbow is going to be a great mother.”

        “Okay, okay. But what about you Andrew? You ready for this? Again, I mean.” the apple farmer spoke.

        Rainbow felt her human tense underneath her. She knew that Andrew still bore some scars in his mind,meaning that when somepony mentioned or asked about his past life, he would completely lock up. 

        This time however, it was different. While still not comfortable with the issue, he spoke. “I am. I...I never got a real chance last time. This is what I need, something to finally keep me here.”

        “What,you think I’m not enough?” Rainbow joked, trying to take the edge off.

        It worked. “Oh I dunno, I mean you snore. Like a lot. If I went back I might get a decent night’s sleep,” he responded.

        “That’s not the only reason you can’t sleep,” Rainbow purred up at him. Completely forgetting they had company.

        “Ahem,” Twilight cleared her throat. “Well it’s settled then. I’d never have thought that out of all of us,Rainbow would become the first mother.”

        “ Actually, I was thinking you could all help out. I mean, I’m good and all, but I probably would need some help,” Rainbow admitted.

        “Say no more, Dash! We’re always keen to help out!” Pinkie jumped in, before turning to her friends with a powerful glare.

        “Right, girls?”

        “Of course! I will treat it as if it were one of my own,” Rarity put in.

        “You can count on me sugarcube. Just don’t go rushing headfirst inta this,” Applejack said.

        “Oh, of course, anytime you need me,” Fluttershy smiled sweetly.

        Twilight gave a small nod, already having agreed.

        “Thank you guys so much,” Rainbow smiled, wrapping them in a signature group hug.

        Andrew stood off to the side, smiling. It was a lot easier than he had anticipated, but it was becoming apparent that their friends would support them no matter what. He briefly wished that he had had friends like this in his previous life, but dwelling on what could have been was a waste of time.
        
        Seeing the mare that he loved being so happy and surrounded by her friends, filled him with such utter joy and peace. For once, everything was right, everything was perfect. Everything was looking up.

        It was the start of something wonderful.
        

        

        

        

        

        

        

        

        

        

        

        

        

        



        

> Summer rain
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Powerful sheets of rain blasted the quaint town of Ponyville. The middle of a summer heat wave had prompted the suits in Cloudsdale to send down a thunderstorm, drenching the town and surroundings with its strong downpour.

A splitting flash, and distance crack of lightning and thunder echoed far out. The booms had been growing in volume since they started, indicating that the pegasi had rigged the storm to drift over the town, once it got going.

Roadways turned to mud and puddles. Carts lay abandoned in the market square, a tarp haphazardly thrown over them to protect them. Most houses had their shutters closed, in order to keep out the powerful rain, giving the town and eerie, ghostly look.

One house however, stood out, much like its occupant. All the windows were up, and the front door was opened wide. Andrew stood in the frame, leaning against it while watching the rain.

A soft smile crossed his face. Though one could be forgiven for misplacing it as a sad one. The look of his eyes betrayed him, staring off into the distance, obviously deep in thought.

“Andrew, why is the door open?” Rainbow asked as she came downstairs from the bathroom, having just finished washing herself after finishing her shift on weather duty.

The human blinked, but didn’t bother turning. “Just watching your handiwork,” he said, not noticing the human phrase slip out.

“You’re gonna catch something if you let all the rain in!” Rainbow complained, a towel still wrapped around her mane.

“There’s no wind, it’s not gonna come in. Anyway it’s not like it’s cold,” he smirked, reaching a hand out from under the small awning above the door, and letting the warm rain fall onto his arm.

Sighing, Rainbow’s wings sprang open, and she floated up to wrap herself around him. With two hooves on either side of his neck, and her lower legs around his waist in a piggy back position, she spoke gently to him.

“Whatcha thinking about?”

A loud exhale sounded through his nose. “Earth,” he said, in a tone that, for once, was not longing, but more remembering.

“Oh...,” Rainbow said sadly, clearly disheartened that he was, once again, thinking of his old home.

“Andrew. I thought we were past this,” Rainbow said, afraid he might be relapsing.

“Huh? Oh no I’m not sad. Quite the opposite actually,” he smiled, reaching up the scratch behind her ear.

“Ooh,” she cooed, leaning into his hand, closing her eyes and smiling. “How do you know just where to scratch?”

“Practice,” Andrew smirked, bringing his hand down, earning a squeak of disappointment from the mare.

In response, Rainbow’s hold around her lovers body tightened, ensuring that no more contact could be lost between them.

“You are such a cuddle bug. You know that right?” Andrew laughed, turning to look back out the rain.

“Only for you,” she whispered into his ear.

“So what did you mean by ‘quite the opposite’?” She asked, after a few moments. Staring out into the storm with him. It was odd to see how dark it was, even if it was only One O’clock.

“This storm reminds me of my childhood. We used to get huge storms like this, back where I used to live. Sometimes, I would just watch them for hours on end,” he answered.

Reluctantly disentangling herself from her perch, Rainbow fluttered around to face him. 

“Tell me,” she smiled sweetly.

Andrew smiled in return. Pulling her close into a gentle hug, he kissed her softly. No tongue, he was saving that for later.

Pulling back, he began. “I used to live on the coast. It got pretty hot up there in summer. I mean really hot, so it was always nice when the rain came,” he recalled.

“When the storm front hit the hot air, we got huge thunderstorms. I remember our power going out all the time, and watching the windows shake with the force of the thunder.

My family wasn’t rich, but we managed to afford to live pretty close to the beach. There was this old lean to built into the sand on the beach near us. I don’t remember what it was for, shade probably. Anyway, when I was having an off-day or I got into a fight with my parents, or when I was just bored, I would go down to it.

I would sit there for hours, watching the rain hit the sand, and the storm waves shatter on the bay. Because it was summer, I was never cold, so I just sat there. Thinking,” he explained.

“Thinking?” Dash asked.

“Yeah. I didn’t bring any books down, cause it would distract me from the rain. I just liked to sit there and watch, it was so calming. I made some of my greatest decisions sitting under that bit of wood, and rusted coro,” he chuckled.

“So what happened after?” Rainbow asked, hoping it wasn’t too sensitive.

“Dunno. We moved to the other side of the country a few years later. The shack is probably gone, I never bothered to go back and look,” he shrugged, indicating that he had indeed moved on.

Rainbow realized this, and gave him a beaming smile. “So thats why you’re looking at it now?”

“Yeah I mean. It reminded me so much of that shack. It made me realize just how good my childhood was,” he smiled, looking directly at the mare, and placing a hand on her stomach.

“And how good ours is going to have.”

“Rainbow softly stroked the area of her belly as he pulled away. “Yeah... But you gotta get me pregnant first,” she stated bluntly.

“Jeez way to kill the moment Dash,” Andrew snorted.

“Sorry,” she giggled, turning around so that her back was to his chest, and his arms moving to their place, under her arms, linking together on her chest, in a backwards hug.

The two stood there for a few minutes. Neither saying anything, content to watch the rainfall. The thunder continued to boom, yet it did little to distract the pair.

Every now and again, Andrew would bend his neck, kissing the mare on the crown of her head, or rubbing a hand over her belly. Rainbow relished in the attention, she could never quite get past just how much love and affection he treated her with. She almost felt like she didn’t deserve it.

Almost.

The constant, calming patter of rain was soon accompanied by the ever so soft singing of Andrew. The human was quite well known for randomly singing old songs, even if he had no vocal talent whatsoever. Twilight had theorized it was some form of coping mechanism, but this. This just seemed like it was only for Rainbow.

“I remember the rain the on our skin, and our kisses hotter than the Santa Ana winds. Whispering out goodbyes, waiting for a train, I was dancing with my baby, in the summer rain.”

“Andrew, why are you singi-,” Rainbow made to ask, but was silenced when he jolted forward out the door, into the rain.

“Ah!” she shrieked in her adorable, scratchy voice.

He started again, louder and happier sounding. “I remember laughing till we almost cried. There at the station that night. I remember, looking in your eyes!” He sang to her, twirling her about in the rain.

“Andrew put me down!” Rainbow shouted, failing to hide the giggle she was developing.

The human complied, setting the pegasus down, he immediately picked her forehooves back up and placed them around his waist.

“Oh my love it’s you that I dream of! Oh my love, since that day! Somewhere in my heart, i’m always dancing with you in, the summer rain!” he continued laughing all the while, as he and his loved one began to dance.

“Andrew! Someone might see us!” Rainbow tried to reason, to no avail.

The rain continued to pour on the pair as they danced on their doorstep. Rainbow’s brilliant spectrum mane began to matt to her head, cascading down her shoulders and leaving her with a gorgeous, natural look.

It didn’t take long for her to join her sweetheart in the passion, twirling and laughing like two lunatics in the storm. The rain might have been warm but it wasn’t something you would voluntarily go dancing in.

Unless of course those two lunatics were madly in love.

The two danced together. Rainbows hooves and Andrews pant legs becoming drenched with mud. Rivulets of rain water washed over the two, soaking Andrew clothes and Rainbows coat.

Princess Twilight chuckled from under her umbrella, a few metres down the street. She had come to see if Rainbow was ready to return the ‘special’ book she had checked out from the private section of the library. 

But after seeing how happy she looked. Her joyous smile, her closed eyes, and her soaking mane and coat not bothering her at all. She would probably need it for that night.

If the bedroom eyes she was now giving him was anything to go off.
	
	
	
	
	
	
	

	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	

> Wet (NSFW)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


	~Warning! This chapter contains intercourse between a human and a pony, as well as NSFW images. You have been warned.~


	




	


        The human chuckled as his little pegasus led him back inside by the collar of his shirt. It seemed whenever she wanted him in bed, that was the first thing she went for.

        Pulling her off from himself, he set her on the ground, before kneeling down to share the kiss she obviously wanted.

        “You wanna get into bed, when you’re soaking wet and covered in mud?” he smirked.

        “I thought you liked me with a wet mane,” she returned, nuzzling under his chin, her tail beginning to flick back and forth excitedly.

        “I do. So get your butt upstairs into that bath,” he smiled, showing the pointed teeth that Rainbow wanted so desperately to be digging into her flank right about now.

        “But, I’m horny noooww,” she whined as she used her prismatic tail to caress his chin, causing Andrew’s tent to start pitching.

        ‘Fuck thats hot,’ he thought to himself as the mare continued to run her head and neck all over his chest.

        “I was out in that rain too, love. You’re not the only one who’s gonna be in that bath,” he said playfully, letting Rainbow catch onto his idea.

        The mare’s eyes widened before changing into a confident, yet sultry smirk. Turning, she walked over to the stairs. When her forehooves were a few steps up and her rear hooves still on the ground, she looked over her shoulder, spreading her hind legs and flicking her tail out of the way.

        “Don’t keep me waiting,” she said in a breathy voice, before rocketing upstairs.

        Andrew couldn’t help but shake his head, mouth agape. How a cute, innocent looking mare could be such a turn on at the flop of an ear surprised him to no end. Standing up in more ways than one, he started to make his way for the steps.Just as he was about to ascend, he felt his foot slip slightly on the wooden floor.

        Curious, he looked down. Beneath his boot, a suspicious puddle had formed, right where Dash had been standing. The pegasus was excited, that much was clear.

        Andrew adopted a wicked smile as he recalled the book that Rainbow had tried (and failed) to hide from him. 

        The book, if he remembered correctly, had several parts that had been dog eared, along with some questionable stains splattered across its pages. He was glad he’d found out what Dash seemed to be keen on.

        He had no idea just how much Rainbow was keen on doing it underwater.





        By the time Andrew made it to the bathroom, the tub was already halfway full. He had no idea how the designers got it to fill so fast, but it was far better than waiting what felt like six hours for it to fill up, before realizing that the water was too hot for him, forcing him to drain it and starting again.

        Rainbow seemed to be eagerly awaiting his arrival, with a large emphasis on eagerly. Upon opening the door, his eyes were drawn to the presenting mare in the centre of the room.  Her head and upper chest were angled down to the floor,her rump was raised high into the air, the hind legs were spread out in order to let her winking, drooling marehood do the greetings for her.

        Doing her best to look around at him, without breaking her sensual position, one of her idle forehooves moved towards her goods, spreading her soaking lips with a hoof.

        “Enjoying the scenery?” she teased, waving her wares from side to side.

        Andrew nodded dumbly, far too mesmerised to reply properly as he watches a droplet of her juices slowly making its way down to the floor, suspended by a clear line of fluid as it slowly flowed from her perfect rose.

        The slight wiggle she made caused it to swing, before sticking to her inner thigh. He saw the droplet join the others as it trailed down through her ultra soft fur.

        Shaking himself out of his stupor, he walked up behind her. His ring finger on his right hand made subtle contact with the bottom of her slit. She moaned as he kept walking forward past her, dragging it upwards towards her tailhole.

        Just before his hand left her, the rest of his fingers came in and wrapped around the dock of her tail, giving it a firm tug upwards, adding to the pleasure.

        A pony's tail was nothing special when it came to sex, but pulling on it the right way evoked a small jolt of pleasure through its owner, like one would from having their neck massaged.

        Standing back up onto all fours, Rainbow looked to Andrew, who was already beginning to take off his shirt.

        While his vision was blocked, he felt Rainbow’s muzzle bite down on the buckle to his belt. She had no hope of un-doing it with her tongue so she resigned to tug on it, indicating that the pants needed to come off, now.

        Removing the shirt, Andrew carelessly flung it away, landing on the nearby sink. Pushing her head back slightly, she released the buckle, allowing him to unfasten in. Making short work of the metal clasp, he pulled it through the hoops on his pants.

        The jeans he wore slumped a little, but didn’t fall. Rainbow was about to make her move when Andrew held up his hand to halt her.

        Using the hand that wasn’t holding the belt, he rotated his finger, signalling her to turn. Rainbow complied, albeit with a confused expression. Turning so that her backside faced him again, he spoke.

        “Show me that ass, Rainbow,” he spoke from behind her.

        Once again, she bent over, assuming the classic, submissive position that made her feel so vulnerable, with her marehood on display, and no way to see what was going on behind her.

        And by Celestia, she loved it!

        “Good girl,” he said as he looped the belt over itself.

        “Andrew what are yo- Ah!” Rainbow squealed as the only leather belt in all of Equestria, sailed through the air, slamming hard into her soft rump with a meaty clap.

        It hurt, but it was the good kind that left her wanting more. Had it been another mare, they might have gotten upset. But this was Rainbow Dash, and the experiments she experienced with her lover had revealed that she liked it a bit rougher than most.

        Dash felt herself get wetter as the belt smacked into her ass again, this time on the other cheek. She closed her eyes tightly as her mouth opened, strands of saliva spanning between her lips, accompanied by hot breaths that came out in raggard exhales.

        A cross between a moan and a whimper escaped her throat as she heard Andrew turn the water off. Discarding the belt in the same manner he had his shirt, his pants finally came off, quickly followed by his underwear.

        Rainbow was about to join him, when she felt his strong hands wrap around her belly. Lifting her up, he carried her into the bath. Settling down in the long bath, Rainbow sat on his submerged stomach, beginning to grind against him.

        Andrew allowed her to continue, loving the view of his beloved sliding up and down on him. The feeling of her soft lower lips grazing the skin of his belly was an amazing experience, causing his length to emerge from beneath the sudsy water.

        As soon as Rainbow noticed it, she stopped her motions, eyes locked to the swollen red head, mounted on its long shaft.

        A small stand of saliva fell from the corner of her mouth. Slowly, she stood up, giving Andrew a fantastic look of her nethers which she now soaked with the bathwater. Her tail was wet and it clung to his chest, the weight of the water forcing it to stick to him.

        Rainbow reached the end of the bathtub before turning to look back up at her lover. Folding her legs under her, she sank down into the water between his legs, looking back up at him with her brilliant magenta eyes.

        Slowly, she inched closer to his rod, which was now helpfully suspended out of the water by way of raising his hips. Eventually, her snout made contact with the sensitive underside of his organ and she began to move her nose up and down on it, reveling in its unique scent.

        Her treatment continued, loving the feeling of the tiny hairs on the tip of her muzzle to become wet by collecting the moisture on the rod. Rainbow’s ears perked up upon hearing Andrew’s grunts and moans. A subtle thrust upwards of his hips was enough in telling her that he was getting worked up without a proper release.

        Finally, she moved up till her mouth was position directly underneath the head of the penis, where the two halves of the head met. Her tongue quickly darted out, pressing itself against the hyper-sensitive flesh that met there.

        A sharp gasp escaped the man’s lips, causing her to smirk. Looking directly up at the human, she spoke innocently, “You want me to play with this?” she asked in a sexy, innocent way.

        His response was that of a gentle thrust trying to gain access to her mouth. Smirking, she opened her maw, allowing the access of her treat. Moving her forehooves, she placed them up on Andrew’s pelvis, either side of her current mouthful. 

        Slowly, she lowered her muzzle around his meat, providing gentle suckles as she went. All the while, she never took her eyes off from his.




        
Andrew groaned heavily as he let his head fall back onto the wall of the bath. Rainbow may have been a virgin before their relationship but that didn’t mean she didn’t know a thing or two. 

        The insides of her hooves gently massaged the root of his shaft, working in tandem with her tongue and lips in pleasuring her man. Unfortunately, Rainbow didn’t quite have the experience to completely take him in yet. Not that Andrew cared much anyway as she more than made up for it in other ways.

        The feeling of her hot tongue sliding around his head was amazing, it only got better as she traded her long, slow strokes to faster and faster bobs. Pretty soon, her head was pumping away at his length, her eyes closed in concentration as she, like everything she did, put her all into it. One thing that didn’t play into her perfect ministrations however was Andrew himself. Every so often, his hips would buck up as she was on a downwards stroke, causing her to gag slightly.

        She was so focused on pleasuring her big human, that she almost forgot about her own needs. One of her hooves silently removed itself from around her lollie and slipped back under the water, to its position between her own legs.

        Now pleasuring herself, as well as Andrew, a soft moan escaped around her mouthful. She sped up, trying to finish him off faster so that her needs could be sated.

        “Da- Dash, it’s coming sweetheart,” he groaned, moving a hard to rub at her ear.

        Rainbow moaned happily in response, managed to continue her work while leaning into his hand. Opening one eye, she gave him a look that simply said, ‘do it’.

        With that, Andrew’s teeth was bared and his eyes were clenched shut as his back arched upwards, firing shot after shot of his milky love into her throat.

        Rainbow moaned hard as the hoof between her hind legs began to furiously work herself. Swallowing the load she was being given, she struggled to contain it all, letting some slip around him and stick to her lips.

        Releasing him with a wet pop, she crawled back up his body, washing her face as she went.

 Her trim and tone form was glistening from the water dripping from her body. Putting her two forelegs close together on his chest, she slowly arched her back downwards, pointing her rump in the air. All the while, her tail whipped around erratically, sometimes slow, sometimes fast; A clear indication of arousal.

        Andrew managed to stop panting hard and return to a more upright position, meeting Rainbow halfway with a kiss. It was amazing to him just how much this mare changed when the two were alone. When they were together, especially like this, she didn’t want to be ‘Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in Equestria’. She wanted to be ‘Dashie’ the affectionate, loving mare that just wanted to hold and be held.

        To be told that she was loved.

        “I love you Dashie,” he quietly said to her, stroking the blue and green of her mane on the back of her head.

        Rainbow tried to return the affection, but the eagerness growing in her lower regions was beginning to get worse. Plonking herself back down on Andrew’s crotch, she desperately tried to get some pleasure out of his flaccid member.

        Andrew noticed this and smiled. “Getting worked up, dash?” he smirked, already knowing the answer.

        Rainbow nodded her head furiously in response, a moan slipping from her throat as she managed to graze Andrew’s penis with her clit.

        With a short chuckle, his hands found their way around her midsection, giving him the leverage to turn her around, putting them belly to belly.

        Rainbow wasted no time in beginning to lap and his chest, causing Andrew’s length to already begin to grow again.

        “Rut me Andrew,” she said breathlessly, eyes closed as she slid her marehood over him.

        Sliding his hands down over her body, he rested them on her flank, caressing her cutie marks. Lining up with her hole, he slowly pushed in.

        “Oh yes!” Rainbow meeped as the water around them helped him slip effortlessly into her. 

        Not wasting time with going slow, he hilted completely on his first thrust, leaving Rainbow to cling to his bare chest, moaning as he filled her. 

        Pulling back, he shot forward again, loving all the noises he was coaxing from his little pegasus.

        Rainbow seemed to regain some control of her body, and began to forcibly push her nose into the crook of Andrew’s neck, leaving little love bites now and then.

        Water began to splash over the sides of the tub, as Andrew’s thrusts began to speed up, doing all he could to please his mare. A particularly well aimed jab found its way straight into rainbows G-spot, making her cry out his name in ecstasy.

        “Andrew!” she howled, propping herself up with her forelegs on his chest to drive him in further. Focusing, she used the muscles in her vagina to clench and grasp at him as he pounded, earning a deep throated groan from him.

        The pegasus threw her head towards the ceiling, mouth agape. A small strand of saliva beginning to drool from the sides of her mouth. Her eyes closed as every thrust jerked her body upwards a little,due to Andrew’s powerful leg muscles lifting her slightly.

        Not seeming to be able to keep still, she moved back down to his chest, grabbing tightly and resting her head on his chest. Her eyes were glazed over,as she lay there staring at the side of the bathtub, and a slightly opened mouth that let loose the occasional gasping moan.

        The sound of slapping bodies and sloshing water filled the room. The water was beginning to grow cold, though its bathers kept warm by senselessly rutting one another.

        Rainbow’s throaty moans began to grow in pitch and volume as she neared her peak. Biting her lower lip, the mare began to demonstrate why Andrew so often called her a squealer.

        “Ah, ah, ah! Aaaahhhh AndreeeeEEWW!” Rainbow wailed, her orgasm thundering through her like a heavy ladened freight train with no brakes.

        Her insides clamped down on Andrew’s pride with a force that would make a pressure cooker jealous. Despite the lubricant of both their bodies and from the water, Andrew found it nearly impossible to keep moving inside her. Halting deep inside, he held out through her orgasm.

        One last bite on his neck courtesy of Rainbow trying to muffle herself finally pushed him over. Firing bolt after bolt of hot man cream into her accepting womb.

        The mare seemed to have another, mini-orgasm as she felt the molten slag fill her. A rear hoof kicked out in a small spasm as she descended from her plateau.

        Panting heavily, she resolved to rub her face over Andrew’s chest, rather than speak. Bringing a hand up her body, Andrew began to stroke her mane, speaking between breaths.

        “So, that book did have some good ideas eh?”

        “I guess you knew my little secret,then?” Rainbow panted.

        “It was under your pillow Rainbow. I make the bed every morning, how could I not see it?”

        “So thats why-” she paused to breathe. “-you took me to the bathroom?”

        “I may have noticed your drool marks on that page,” he smirked, having recovered from his orgasm far faster than she had.

        “Thank you,” she nuzzled into him again.

        “Anything for you Dashie,” he returned, causing her to sigh happily.

        After a short pause, Rainbow spoke up. “I guess I really am an egghead now. Getting sex tips from a book,” she said, finishing with a tired chuckle.

        “Yes. But you’re my egghead,” Andrew said, dragging her up to him and kissing her softly on her nose.

        Leaning down to whisper in her ear, he continued. “And I’ve always liked girls who read.”

        “Oh?” Rainbow smirked, shifting in the bathwater. “So how come you chose me over Twilight then?”

        Stealthily sliding his hands back down Rainbow’s body, he laid them on her wings. “You know I’m all about pegasi.”

        “So how about I make you scream for me to preen you?”

        

        

        

        



        



        



        

        


        









        

        
        

> Simply irresistable
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The night light from the moon shone through an open window into the second floor bedroom of Andrew and Rainbow’s home. In the soft moonlight, Rainbow lay asleep, peacefully resting on her side.

        Andrew also sat in bed, but was more than awake. Sheets pulled down to the end of the bed, exposing the small pegasus form. Andrew sat upright, leaning against the bedhead, shirt off, looking down at the dozing mare.

        The small, gentle rise and fall of her chest was so calming, so peaceful, he couldn’t help but just watch her. Gazing over her, he couldn’t believe how he had managed to find such an amazing girl, to spend his life together with.

        She was perfect. Everything about her was utterly astounding. The way that his fingers could trace their way through her flawless coat, without finding so much as a speck of dirt.

 The way her mane, was so vibrant and carefree, yet was still as smooth as silk. All the colors were bold, but not garish, they accentuated her free spirit amazingly.

        Her long, dazzling tail, that possessed the same qualities as her mane, but was so much longer, and more fun to play with.

        The perfect lines and curves of her legs, stretching down to meet in her adorable hooves that only he was allowed to touch.

        The jaw dropping curves of her body. Curves that were athletic, yet not overly muscular, giving her a fit, healthy, young look.

        Her belly. From afar, tight and lean looking, adding to her image of a superstar, yet up close, soft and just a little bit pudgy, as with all ponies, which made giving bellyrubs just as enjoyable as receiving them.

        Her cutie mark. A literal picture of her destiny, like a portrait of her soul. The way it was actually a part of her coat, giving an electric feeling whenever it was touched. Its shape, colors and meaning, perfectly reflecting the mare it was etched upon.

        Her strong, amazing wings that she took so much pride in. The tools that she used to make her name. An amazing array of gorgeous blue feathers that could look both strong and inspiring, yet also, soft, and caring.

        Her beautiful face. The face that anyone would be lucky to wake up to in the morning sun. The way it was so perfectly framed by her mane, was simply amazing.

        Her pointy, fluffy ears, which were so much fun to nibble on and play with. The way they were so expressive and cute, made her that much more adorable.

        Even her more ‘adult’ regions were the most fun, and nicest Andrew had ever had the pleasure of ‘using’.

        Then there was her amazing personality. Everything about her was just perfect in everyway, ever her faults and shortcomings. She was simply, irresistable.

        But if there was one feature that was head and shoulders above the rest about her. It was hands down, her amazingly brilliant, vibrant, fiery, magenta eyes.

        If her cutie mark was a portrait of her soul then her eyes were the windows. A man could get lost in those pools of purple. Something about them was so encapturing, so beautiful, so unmatched by anything else. Those eyes that held untold love for the human.

        Those eyes that were now staring straight up at him.

        “Andrew,” the beautiful mare yawned. “You woke me up.”

        “Sorry,” he whispered, moving down to lay next to her.

        “I can’t help it, your mane is too much fun to stroke,” he admitted.

        After laying in silence for a few moments, Rainbow spoke, “Whatcha thinking about?”

        Wrapping his arms around her, and pulling her close, he looked straight into her eyes. “You,” he smiled.

        “Huh?”

        “Just thinking about how I managed to get a catch like you,” he smiled, rubbing his nose against hers.

        “Oh come on Andrew. We both know that there are better looking mares out there than me,” he sighed. Despite wanting to be perfect in every regard, Rainbow remained very insecure about her appearance.

        “Not to me there aren’t. You are absolutely perfect in everyway. I wouldn’t trade you for anything.”

        “You’re my blue angel. My loving, caring mare. The color of my world,” he smiled, getting a loving smile in return and eyes full of affection.

        “You’re my Rainbow.”



> Do you believe in ghosts? Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Tonight, the homely village of Ponyville was lightly shrouded in mist. Coupled with the flickering lights coming from the decorations and the cover of night, any visitors coming here would have mistaken the place as a ghost town, ready to lure unsuspecting ponies into whatever horrors that may lurk within. 

 At least it would have appeared so, were it not for the sounds of foals running around and having a good time with their family and friends. For tonight was Nightmare Night, an evening dedicated to a once feared adversary that brought fear into the ponies’ lives

        Walking alongside two costumed pegasi was a curious being named Andrew. This human as he called himself, was heavily clothed, with a leather jacket and a fedora. Completing the look was a whip that hung limply on his belt buckle. 

“I’m telling you, Daring Do is more awesome than your Indiana Jones!” debated the colorful pegasus. 

“And I’ve told you that Indy’s better just by all the things he’s been through,” Andrew argued. 

Trotting between the pair was Scootaloo, who was costumed as a mummy and was content just to walk alongside the bickering couple. Because at times like these, she could almost feel like she was part of a family. 

“-and the Nazis were utterly vaporized because they didn’t take the ark’s warning seriously! Tell me Dashie, has your Daring Do been through something as scary as that!?” 

“She totally did! It was in Daring Do and the Headless pony’s skull. I uhh, just haven’t read it yet,” 

“Why Dash, don’t tell me you’re actually easily spooked?” questioned Andrew, who had a growing smile on his face. 

Before she could answer however, they were interrupted by a scarecrow that popped up from a nearby bush, causing Rainbow to yelp loudly and fly straight up into the air. 

“That answer your question, sugarcube?” quipped a stetson wearing orange pony that was dressed as an overgrown apple.

Andrew was thoroughly shocked at the country pony’s getup, but for other reasons. “Seriously, Applejack? You had to go out as that?”

“Couldn't be bothered thinking up a good enough costume, best to go by my strengths instead.”

Deciding to let the matter go, Andrew turned his attention to the pegasus that was still warily flying nearby.

“What? I wasn’t scared by that scarecrow, I was just surprised that’s all!” said Rainbow Dash.

“Sure you weren’t. Why, I guess that time when Pinkie came outta the bakery covered in flour and you were screaming all over town that there was a ghost coming out to get you came out as a surprise as well?

“It was dark outside, okay? She just caught me off guard, that’s all!” Rainbow tried to defend herself, though it was plain to see that both her lover, and the element of honesty could clearly see straight through her. 

Of course, there was one pony in the small group who believed her and that was Scootaloo, who marched up to her idol. “ Yeah! Rainbow Dash is too awesome to be scared by stuff like that!” she proudly proclaimed. 

“How about a bet then?” challenged Andrew. “Ten bits here says that Dash wouldn’t last ten seconds against one of my spooky stories.”

Rainbow went pale at the mention of Andrew’s stories. If there was one thing that her lover was better than her at, it was his skill at telling stories and making it come alive to the listeners. 

“I dunno, Andrew. We still have to-” Rainbow started to say. However, at the same time, Scootaloo shouted out as well. “Of course she will! She can take whatever you can dish out, isn’t that right Rainbow Dash?” 

Not wanting to disappoint the filly, Rainbow resigned herself to her fate. “That’s right, squirt. Go ahead, Andrew, give me your worst!” 

“Alright, you asked for it.” said Andrew. The human began to adopt a sinister visage as he gazed upon his (mostly) willing listeners.  With his tone of his voice lowered in order to fit the story’s mood better, he began to tell his tale.

“Back on my world, we had huge hospitals. The size of which you girls aren’t normally used to seeing. With such a big hospital, one would expect a large number of patients inside, right?” 

With the nods coming from his audience, he continued. “But therein lies the problem, with lots of patients the doctors had to see on a daily basis, they had to come up with a quick way to identify a patient and see what’s wrong with him or her. That’s when they came up with using wristbands.”

The human paused there to show the ponies where his wrist is, since they were unfamiliar with his body’s anatomy.

“Since then, when you are admitted to one of our hospitals, the doctors place on your wrist a white wristband with your name on it. There would be other different colored wristbands that symbolize other things. The red wristband, for example, would be placed on patients who are deceased.” he said, earning a small grimace from those listening.

“One night, there was a surgeon who was working on the night shift. He had just finished an operation and was on his way to the basement. He entered the elevator, and was surprised to see a young woman in it. The surgeon casually chatted with the woman as the elevator descended. When the elevator stopped on one of the lower floors, another woman was about to enter, when the doctor repeatedly pressed the close button and punched the button to the highest floor,” Andrew continued, despite the ponies’ confusion on the last part.

“The woman who was with the surgeon was surprised. She reprimanded the doctor for leaving the poor woman behind and asked why he didn’t let her in. It was then when the doctor eerily replied to her the reason why he refused her entry.”

Andrew then changed his tone once more, to make it seem that he was speaking as the doctor.

“Look, lady. That was the woman I just operated on. She died while I was doing the procedure. I was even the one who put that wristband on her once I confirmed the time of death. Didn’t you notice that red wristband she was wearing? It was at that point where the woman began to smile at the doctor as she raised her arm”

Once again putting on his grim smile, Andrew finished the story using his most sinister sounding voice he could muster.

        “Do you mean something like this?” he finished, flashing a toothy smile down at the ponies as he held up his wrist. Of course their was no band their but the action got the point across.

        Applejack seemed unnerved, looking wide-eyed at Andrew, obviously rattled by the tale. Scootaloo had decided that hiding underneath Rainbow would shield her from some, non-existent threat. Yet Rainbow was definitely the best laugh.

        It was obvious to see that the story had gotten under her skin, even though she tried not to show it. It hadn’t affected her as bad as Scootaloo, but not being as scared as a child wasn’t really a great achievement.

        She was glancing around, trying to scan everything in her surroundings, one foreleg, rubbing the other, in a clear sign of anxiousness. Deciding to be extra cruel, Andrew clapped his hands together, just a few inches from her ear when her head was turned away, causing the mare to launch herself towards the closest cloud.

        The human seemed to find it funny.

        “Oh god that was priceless!” he cackled holding his stomach. “I haven’t seen a scare that good since ever!” he guffawed, actually having to stop walking to steady himself.

        “Oh my sides,” he breathed heavily as he came down from a laughing fit.

        “You should have seen your face! That wasn’t even remotely scary, compared to some of my really good ones,” he giggled, wiping a tear from his eye as an irate looking Dash descended from her safety cloud.

        “Not cool, Andrew!” Rainbow Dash angrily said, fuming over his cruel prank, while her boy friend continued to cackle cruelly.

        Scootaloo was perplexed. “I don’t get it,” she stated. “If Rainbow is creeped out by scary stories, why was she always telling them on our camping trip?”

        “Probably because, when you're the one telling the story, it’s not scary,” Applejack commented, looking over to the pegasus and the human who were talking a little heatedly with one another.

        “Just cause she scares easy doesn’t mean she don’t enjoy spookin’ others.”

        “But I thought Dash was fearless?” Scootaloo asked, fascinated that her idol actually had a weakness that she herself shared.

        “Look sugarcube,” Applejack said, getting down to eye level with the orange filly. Not an easy feat when wearing an over-sized apple costume.

        “When you’ve known Dash for as long as ah have, you learn that she is absolutely petrified of what others think of her.

        “Dash has fears too, just like you or me. She never grew up on the ground so all those stories of things that climb out of the woods really used to get to her. She’d never admit that though, ‘cause of her being far too proud of herself,” Applejack finished, looking back to Andrew and Dash who seemed to be coming to the end of their argument.

        “Come on Scoots,” Dash said, fluttering over to the filly, a decidedly pissed expression on her face. “Let’s go have some fun.”

        “Aw, Dashie come on! Don’t be like that!” Andrew called after her as the two pegasi fluttered away.

        Applejack trotted up the Andrew, a very accusing look boring holes into his eyes. “Don’t. Say a word,” he said.

        “It’s not about Dash, Andrew,” Applejack said. “You telling us that story somehow reminded me of another one I used to hear long ago, back when I was still a filly.” 

“I think I’ve had enough of scary stories for tonight, thank you very much,” he pointed out. 

The mare paused for a bit, unsure whether or not to tell him about it, the need to tell him won over her hesitation. “ Sugar, it’s not a story, it’s a legend.” 

“So what? A legend is just another word for a fancy story.”

“I suppose the legend of Nightmare Moon is just an old mare’s tale then?” argued Applejack.

“Ok, you’ve got me on that. That still doesn’t answer why you want me to tell me this legend of yours.” 

“Because sugar, the legend started off on a night just like this.”

“Ohh,” Andrew waved his fingers sarcastically. “Sounds horrific.”

Applejack said nothing. Choosing to continue her tale.

“They call her the mourning mare,” she began, “they call her that because she’s said to appear in black mourning clothes and her head is always hidden behind a veil.”

“According to the legends, when Ponyville was just starting out, there was this mare who was tending to her foal, who was deathly ill. Despite her best efforts, the foal passed away. On that foggy night, she made her way to town hall to do what was needed to bury her child. However, she was shocked to find out that the mayor would not allow her son to be buried without payment. She begged the mayor to reconsider, saying that she spent all her money trying to cure her sick baby and that she would pay him back but it was to no avail. Despondent, she simply picked up the foal’s remains and left town. Since then, there had been sightings of a mare wearing mourning garbs near the town square every foggy night.”

“Nopony knows what her real name is or what she really looks like behind that veil of hers, but if anypony was unlucky enough to have encountered her, those ponies would never be heard from again,” Applejack said, in her best imitation of a spooky voice, yet Andrew couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“Some say they were spirited away by her. Others claim that they go mad after meeting her and hurl themselves over ghastly gorge just to end their own torment. But if there’s one common thing all these stories have, it’s how she appears on a foggy night just like this, and asks for one’s help.”

“Now I know I’m always a dependable kind of gal and would never refuse a plea for help, but if you had any smarts on you, I’d hightail it outta there. Because if you don’t, then may Luna help your poor soul.”

“So why is she doing this then?” Andrew asked, enjoying himself in trying to poke holes in the story.

“Beats me,” Applejack confessed. “Revenge perhaps? The only ones who’d know is the mare herself and her ‘victims’. All the same though, avoid meeting her if you know what’s good for ya.”

“Cute story, Jackie, but I don’t spook so easy,” Andrew replied, waving her off.

“That’s the kind of attitude that gets ponies taken!” Applejack called after him as he walked ahead.

Without company, Andrew decided he would at least try to enjoy the rest of the night. He was already dressed in the mandatory garb for this holiday, so divulging in its festivities would be a good way to pass the time, at least until Dash cooled down.

Weaving and whirling through the streets, Andrew continued to aimlessly walk, enjoying watching many a foal, demanding sweets from elders behind the guise of either a well fabricated costume, or a white bedsheet.

Eventually, the streets and houses began to thin out. Andrew had no idea where he was going, a small part of his mind reminded him of the fact that everything looked different at night, yet nothing appeared remotely familiar.

He was just about turn around to retrace his steps when he heard the soft voice of a mare.

“Excuse me sir, I need help...”
	

> Do you believe in ghosts? Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The wind picked up for just a moment, letting a chill run down the length of Andrew’s spine. Surely Applejack hadn’t followed him all this way, had she? Still highly skeptical, Andrew turned to be confronted with...

        Nothing.

        An empty street stretched out behind him, the occasional house dotted along the side of the road. Looking around, he noted there was not a soul in sight, certainly not any mares within earshot either.

        Sticking a finger in his ear, he rubbed it around, chalking it up to him starting to hear things. He would have said it was the wind, but it was too pronounced, too clear. It also sounded nothing at all like Applejack.

        Andrew briefly wondered if a pegasus had overheard their conversation, and decided to follow him on a cloud. It was Nightmare Night after all, pranks and tricks were abound.

        However, as Andrew recalled the voice, he noted that it sounded far closer to him than someone standing behind him. Almost as if they had whispered it straight in his ear.

“Hello? Is there anyone there?” Andrew called out. With a chill creeping up on his back, he looked at his surroundings once more, trying to find the source of that whisper. 

        He didn’t have to look very far, for in the distance he spotted a silhouette. Andrew tried to catch its attention but for some reason he couldn’t bring himself to raise his voice, or even talk. It didn’t matter though, for the silhouette was moving closer to him and as it was, the figure became more pronounced in appearance. 

        The first thing that came to his mind was her attire. The mysterious stranger was wearing a full mourning garb, complete with a veil that obscured the pony’s face. The shade of black she had on her attire, combined with the gloomy surroundings made Andrew think that he was looking at a living shadow rather than a pony. 

        What struck the human other than her appearance was the sound she was making. The rhythmic clip clop sound that Andrew came to recognize as a pony’s hooves when they trot seemed to be echoing, despite the village’s lack of acoustics that should support said sound. More than that, he could make out that the visitor was softly weeping, almost inaudibly so. 

Andrew didn’t know what to make of this. Perhaps she was actually in need of help? He couldn’t let it get past his conscience that a mare was left in tears.Despite the alarm bells going off in his head and the creeping feeling that this mare was more than she seemed to be, Andrew set out to meet the lady halfway, intent on confronting her and getting to the bottom of the matter.  

“Hello? Are you alright?” Andrew asked.

The mare said nothing, only choosing to continue walking ever so slowly towards him. There was something seriously off about this mare, the way she was walking was just... unnatural,. Every four or so steps, her body seemed to shudder involuntarily.

Despite closing the distance between them, albeit slowly, the weeping never seemed to change pitch or direction, as if it was still coming from where he had first heard it. Finally, after the two bridged the gap between them, they stopped and looked at each other. The mare fell silent as she looked up to the tall biped. The quiet yet unnerving calm between them didn’t last long however, since the mare spoke up.

“Excuse me, good sir. But may I ask from you a small favor?” she softly said. Her voice carried a smooth,silky yet calm dictation that was at odds against her ominous appearance and stature. 

         “Uh... Sure.”

        “I realize this is a strange request to give, especially at this hour, but could I possibly ask you to accompany me to the graveyard? I want to visit my son there since it’s the anniversary of his death today. It seems I came to visit so late that it was dark by the time I came to this place. I just want somepony to walk with me there since I’m scared of going alone.” 

        “I guess I could go with you, as long as it’s quick,” replied Andrew

        The mare nodded in thanks, her obscured face giving a small smile at the human. They then set out into the dark streets towards the Ponyville cemetery.

        The two were walking in relative silence but Andrew’s thoughts were anything but quiet. His mind was screaming at him that going with this pony was a bad idea. He looked again to the stranger, hoping to find some way to voice out his growing hesitation but the lady didn’t even glance back at him, she looked like she was set to visit her son no matter what. Every now and then, he could have sworn he could hear a low chuckle coming from her, disturbing the human once more.

‘This can’t be happening, this has got to be a prank. It’s just a mare in a costume,’ he tried to reassure himself.

        His fear getting the better of him, the human was too busy trying to calm himself down to    notice that they were walking along roads to places that were unfamiliar to him. After what felt like hours, the pair found themselves not at the gates of the Ponyville cemetery, but at a small foothill by the outskirts of the town.
        

The hill would have appeared unremarkable, if it weren’t for the presence of a huge, sinister tree with numerous roots hanging from its branches. As if to emphasize its chilling appearance, the wind appeared to be blowing in this area, making the roots move flail about as though they were alive.The tree itself was surrounded by pale blue flowers that were at contrast to the ominous atmosphere. He was somewhat familiar with these flowers but he couldn’t remember its name. Not that it mattered much at the moment, for the stranger beckoned him to follow her to the top.
 
        Andrew desperately wanted to escape the scene, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He felt his chest tighten as his limbs rebelled against its owner’s will. It was as if an unnatural force was compelling him to go along with her.

        As they reached the top of the hill, Andrew noticed a small headstone by the base of the tree. Upon closer inspection, he was surprised to see that the stone was unkempt to the point where the writing on the gravestone was eroded, leaving only trace indents on its surface. 

        He looked to her in question. “It’s been a long time since I’ve last visited my son.”

        Suddenly, the one-sided conversation took a strange turn.

        “My poor dear, you’ve been alone for so long…” She continued. “But don’t worry, mother is back and she brought you a present.” 

        Andrew was confused. She didn’t seem to be carrying anything that would count as a present. 

        “Look here, I’ve brought you a friend to play with.” The mare stated, pointing her forehoof to Andrew. “Isn’t it nice? Now you could have someone to be with, just like you wanted all this time.” Suddenly the wind picked up in intensity, as though it was in response to the lady’s claim.

        Andrew’s eyes widened in disbelief. It was at that point when things have finally clicked for him. He wasn’t really here to accompany the mare, he was brought here for something far more sinister.

        He opened his mouth in protest, only to find himself unable to speak. He wasn’t even given the luxury to scream, given what happened next.

        The mourning mare was moving closer, taking slow but deliberate steps towards him.With every step she took, he did the same but in the opposite direction. With all his attention focused on the advancing phantom, he didn’t notice the root from the nearby tree that was sticking out, causing him to trip and fall backwards. 

Struggling to get back on his feet, he found himself looking face to face with the mare, who was grinning wickedly. Amidst the roaring sound of the wind, Andrew was still able to make out the soft murmur coming from her. 

“What’s the matter? Hurry, stand up.” 

The human was not able to comply, paralyzed in his own fear. He stared at the mare, unmoving despite every fiber in his being telling him to get the hell out of there. 

“It’ll be okay. You boys will get along just fine. After all..” 

A lull in her speech was punctuated by the shrill wind returning. It was as if it were coming from the sounds of a thousand ancient souls screaming at him. The leaves in the tree above them rustled angrily and the mare’s veil began to flap violently and finally causing it to fly away altogether, revealing...

Nothing, not even a head for him to scream at. The black formal clothes retained their shape for just a moment, until they collapsed in a pile. For a moment, he thought it was over, until the very same whispering voice that started it all spoke into his ear.

“...You’ll have all eternity to spend together as friends”

“Fuck off!” Andrew shrieked, finally finding his feet and scrambling away, genuine terror seeping through his veins as he scrambled to put as much distance between himself and the tree as possible.

The howling winds continued to whip at him as he ran, the fear he felt forcing more and more adrenaline into his body. Dark tendrils of mist began to seep around his ankles, everything around him began to appear twisted and gnarled, even the houses lining the streets seemed to be out to get him.

“You’re a fucking story! Made up to scare kids, you cannot hurt me!” he bellowed like a madman, grasping at his head as he ran, trying to block out the sounds around him. Darting into an alleyway, Andrew easily cleared a small row of boxes in a running leap.

Peeling out of the narrow passage, he slipped while turning, legs sliding out from under him like a baseball player sliding for home base. Before his feet even had traction he was already running again.

Ripping the fedora from his head, he desperately swiped at the black mist surrounding him, trying to swat it away like a bug, yet his efforts were in vain as the mist began to envelop his body.

His arms felt colder than ice as they were swallowed by the rolling fog. This was it, the only human in all of Equestria truly was about to become little more than a legend. His feet began to slow, as he contemplated the last few hours of his life.

He never even said sorry to Rainbow.

He briefly wondered how she was going to be able to go on, after all they had shared together, how could she take the pain of losing him without a rhyme or reason? Would she ever be able to see the light again?

Like the streetlight right in front of Andrew.

Feeling a renewed sense of hope, he pulled free of the darkness, pouring on more speed. Even if it was a shot in the dark it had to work, if not for him, for Rainbow.

Reaching the edge of the soft light, A blood curdling shriek echoed in the gale winds around him. He felt the cold leave him as he stood in the warm glow of the lamp. The word around him began to fade back into the sweet and charming Ponyville he knew the longer he stood there.

The wind died down, taking with it the screaming voices. As things returned to how they were meant to be, he began to see houses with their lights on, bathing the streets in their golden glow.

The relief he felt was unimaginable, but that was nothing compared to what he felt when a beautiful, scratchy voice sounded behind him.

“Where the hay have you been!” Rainbow Dash asked angrily, crossing her forehooves as she floated a few feet outside of the light, Scootaloo riding her piggy back style, fast asleep.

Andrew let out a disbelieve laugh, immediately running over to her and sweeping her up in the tightest hug he could. “Oh Dash, I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry” he said into her mane, his tone bordering on the verge of tears.

“Whoa big guy, what’s gotten into you?” she asked, stroking the back of his head as he silently wept into her neck.

After a minute off so of calming himself, he responded. “You wouldn’t believe the night I’ve had.”



	

The sun shone brightly onto Sweet Apple Acres the following day. As expected, Applejack was hard at work, bucking trees to keep her family’s business afloat, she was enjoying the solitude, until a familiar voice called her name.

“Applejack! Get your orange ass out here right now!” Andrew hollered from the edge of the orchard, his tone clear that he was in a decidedly bad mood.

When she finally found him, the big human had his arms crossed and a very cross expression on his face. “Okay, ha ha, I get it, I was mean to Dash, so you decided to plant those fucking ideas in my head. Well done AJ, I actually was fearing for my life. Did you get Luna in on it? Or Twilight!? Come on! Tell me how you did it!” he shouted.

Taking a moment to recover from the strong language, she replied. “What in tarnation are you talking about?”

“You know damn fucking well what I’m talking about! Mourning Mare! Did you enjoy watching me shit my pants as I ran through Ponyville?”

“Andrew! You better start making some sense before I beat it into you!” Applejack shot back.

“This!” he replied, pulling out a blue flower. I found this stuck to my shoe, I asked Twilight, she said its not like any plant she’s ever seen so what the hell did you do to make that whole Mourning Mare thing!”

Applejack’s expression softened, her voice low. “A-Andrew, I made that story up. I wanted to spook you for spooking Dash, but I didn’t go any further than that. Are you saying that you... You actually saw her?”

“Wha- yeah I saw her! She chased me through half of Ponyville! Are you telling me that it wasn’t even a real legend? That you just made it up off the top of your head?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying sugarcube...”

“Mourning Mare never existed.”
	


> Shave and a Haircut
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The hearty thwack of a hammer on nail thudded rhythmically on the outside wall of Fluttershy’s cottage. With each strike, the nail burrowed itself further into the timber, holding the fresh hinge in its new fitting. With a final bang, the head of the nail found its way into the metal of the fixture.

Andrew smiled, placing the hammer to the side and grabbing the newly repaired shutter. With a soundless glide, the old weather-battered shutter swung firmly. He smiled, clapping his hands together while wiping the non-existent dust from them, the universal human gesture of ‘a job well done.’

The front door to the cottage opened, letting a small butter yellow pegasus trot out, a tray of tea balanced on her withers. Upon seeing the newly repaired fixture, she beamed.

“Oh thank you so much, Andrew. I was worried that I would have to replace it, but I see you’ve taken care of it,” she smiled, placing the tray on a nearby tree stump.

“Bah, think nothing of it shy. Just a little hammer time and she’s golden,” Andrew quipped, picking up a steaming cup whilst mouthing ‘thanks’ to the mare.

“I would have done it myself, but I’m not much use with tools. I just hope that it won’t happen again,” Fluttershy admitted, finding a spot on her lawn to sit and chat.

“Yeah, terrible shame about that storm. Dash said something about conflicting air pressures or something. I guess your shutter just wasn’t up for those winds,” the handyman said, cup of tea in one hand and a hammer in the other.

“Anyways, that should hold it for a few years. Well, that or the pony who sold me the nails is a bold faced liar,” Andrew shrugged, picking up a small biscuit that Fluttershy had also brought outside.

With a soft bite, the cookie completely crumbled, scattering particles into his scraggly brown beard.

Andrew grumbled, raking the crumbs from his face fungus with a few flicks of his hand.

Fluttershy cocked her head. “Isn’t that annoying?”

Andrew looked up at her. “The beard? You betcha. I swear I could feed myself for a week from all the crap I get caught up in there.”

“If you don’t like it, then why don’t you shave it off?” Fluttershy asked innocently, picking up and nibbling on a biscuit of her own.

“I would shy but there’s only one barber who does straight razor shaving in Ponyville.”

“Oh. You’re talking about-”

“Close Shave, yes. The Xenophobic prick.”

Despite having lived and breathed the Ponville air for nigh on four years now, there was the occasional pony who lived there who was still as downright terrified of the big human as the day he was first released from quarantine.

Among them was Cranky, Rose Luck, Carrot Top and Close Shave. Together they formed the official ‘stay-the-fuck-away-from-that-thing’ league. Ponyville division. This being the case, there were certain off-limits areas in the small town that the human had learned not to stroll through.

Despite being rather offended by this small party, their fear of Andrew seemed to be completely instinctual. On one such occasion, Rainbow Dash had pulled Rose Luck aside to talk to her.

‘I don’t deny that he might be a nice guy. But everytime I see him I just lock up. He scares me Dash and I feel so bad because of it.’ 

After that, there had been an unsaid agreement that they would try and stay out of each others ways. There was nothing Andrew could do anyway if the ponies who were afraid of him were too frightened to even talk.

Thankfully however. Ponies suffering this ‘anthrophobia’ were in the overwhelming minority. It seemed as soon as the elements of harmony deemed him safe, most of the town calmed,which was then muted entirely as soon as one of them started bunking down with him.

But this still left the problem of one long,annoying beard.

“I think it was something I ate when I went to Zecora’s the other week. I never really had a problem with this stuff till now.” he said, gesturing to the hair.

“Why don’t you just cut it off?” Fluttershy inquired.

“Scissors really aren’t very good at getting to the roots. Also, hairs tend to get caught in the joint.”

“Ouch,” Fluttershy sympathised.

“Ouch indeed. Seriously, why can’t you ponies just invent the disposable razor already?”

“Hmm,” Fluttershy mused. “Well... I guess I could cut it for you.”

Andrew perked. “Really?”

Fluttershy nodded, “Oh, yes. You see, sometimes when an animal comes in injured I have to shave the wound to get at it. It’s awful to see them in pain but shaving isn’t hard at all.”

“Really? Aw thanks Shy, I’d kiss you but then Dash might feel a little jealous,” he smiled, flashing his toothy grin.

Fluttershy giggled. “Oh, it’s nothing. Think of it as payment for fixing my window.”





Andrew scratched the now freshly smooth skin of his chin as he left Fluttershy’s cottage. The small mare had shown a surprisingly exceptional skill with the long straight razor. However, due to the unfamiliar landscape of Andrew’s features, a few tiny, prickly hairs remained.

Not that he minded though, it was simply nice to be rid of the long, hot beard. He made a mental note to return to Zecora and see if he was in any danger of growing another one too soon.

With a soft creak, Andrew pushed through the front door into the living room, being greeted by a small puppy. 

“Hey Eureka, you little mongrel!” Andrew smiled, kneeling down to roughhouse with the small dog, using both hands on either side of the dogs face as Eureka tried to alternate between biting both of them, unable to grasp at them when Andrew pulled them away. 

“Who’s a lil’ shit? Aye? Yeah you, you dumb animal,” he laughed, furiously rubbing the puppies belly.

The pup growled playfully, letting loose a powerful, if underdeveloped squeaking bark which earnt the attention of the houses other resident.

“Hey Drewey, how was Fluttershy?” Rainbow asked as she fluttered down from upstairs.

“Hey sweetie. Shy was pretty good, if a little rattled about the storm,” he said, not looking up from the young dog that was gnawing on his hand.

“What have you been up to today then?” he asked looking up at her.

Rainbow made to respond but stopped when she noted the severe lack of beard on her lover’s face. Her irises widened as she took in the detail. “Whoa, when did that happen?”

Andrew gave out a smug grin, getting the exact reaction from her that he was looking for. “What? You mean this?” he said pointing at his chin. “As it turns out, she's actually pretty good with a blade.”

With a graceful landing, Rainbow trotted over towards Andrew, eyes fixated on his neck and chin the whole time. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so clean-shaven.”

“I can’t tell you how good this feels. I mean I could deal with a bit of stubble but that whole damn beard was way too much. It was better than trying to trim it with scissors anyway.”

Dash said nothing, choosing instead to put her hoof on the skin of his neck, letting the sensitive frog of her underhood feel around.

“Hehe, it’s prickly,” she giggled, running her hoof up and down slowly.

“Well there are still tiny, tiny hairs left silly,” Andrew responded, quickly swiping his index finger down her nose, making her blink as he snapped her out of her fascination.

“That’s so weird!”

“How is it weird? I’ve seen stallions with beards, I know other ponies shave their faces,” Andrew waved her off.

“Yeah but not all the way down to the skin! The only time i’ve seen shaving like that is in hospital. But it really suits you,” she trailed off, returning to her affectionate gaze.

“What can I say? It’s hard not being handsome.”

Rainbow didn’t respond. A worrisome smile crossing her face.

“Andrew...” She started softly. “Could I have a hug?” She asked.

Andrew blinked before smiling. “You know you don’t even have to ask,” he said, opening his arms wide.

Rainbow quickly darted into the gap, launching herself into the best Pinkie Pie bone crushing hug she could muster. Andrew’s arms soon followed, wrapping themselves around the mare’s soft body and beautiful wings, eagerly intent on holding her as close to him as she could.

“You give the best hugs Drewey,” Rainbow mumbled, nuzzling into his chest slightly.

“Better than Pinkie?” he asked, rubbing the tip of his nose in the top of her fuzzy mane.

“Mmm waaay better,” She sighed, closing her eyes.

Andrew smiled, bending his neck to whisper down into her fluffy ears. “I love you Dashie,” he cooed.

Rainbow opened her eyes, turning to look straight up at him, her chin and neck flat against his chest.

“Aw, I love you too. But I’ve got something I want to tell you,” she whispered.

Andrew quirked an eyebrow. “What?”

“Come closer, I’ll tell you,” the mare whispered cryptically.

He complied, bending his head down as far as he could to put his ear next to Dash’s mouth.

Rainbow leaned in and ever so softly whispered her message.

“Psyke!”

“Wha-” Andrew barely managed half a word before Rainbow attacked him with a violent barrage of nuzzles. Furiously, she rubbed her face all over the remaining prickly hairs that scattered the human’s chin, giggling the whole while.

“It feels so cool!” she whispered, giving the tender flesh a little love nip.

Andrew sighed, once again being on the receiving end of one of Rainbow’s dastardly schemes.

“Goddamnit Dash.”












> Letter of a lonely heart
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Telegram for Ms. Rainbow Dash?” The past-his-prime greying mailpony announced, standing at the doorstep to The Blunt Horseshoe inn. Twilight smiled gratefully as she accepted the envelope, wishing the stallion a farewell as she shut the door to keep the building snow storm out.

Inside the inn was a far cozier environment. A large two-story open dining area, wooden balconies providing access to the rooms while two massive coal fired fireplaces sat grandly at either end of the hall. The inn was empty, save for a near-blind, generously proportioned innkeeper behind the faded bar under a balcony, and the six attractive mares he had the pleasure of housing.

“Rainbow, a letter came for you,” Twilight said, yawning slightly, the strange coziness of the rather cavernous room seeping into her. Not that she would let herself sleep of course, not when she, and her friends had been tasked by Celestia herself.

Rainbow’s ears perked, getting up from the beanbags that the group had arranged in a circle just in front of one of the hearths. With a grin, the pegasus swiftly launched herself over to Twilight, accepting the letter readily.

“Who’s it from?” Twilight asked curiously. Its appearance striking her as odd, seeing as the postal service wouldn’t have known Rainbow was in some random inn in the far north reaches of Equestria.

“It’s marked first class. Whoever sent it must have wanted it here quick,” Rainbow mused aloud, biting and tearing into the brownish package.

With a quick flick of her head, the letter came free and Rainbow hastily fumbled to find the sender.

With a happy squeal, she looked over to her friends with a beaming smile. “It’s from Andrew!”

“Aw shoot, ain’t that sweet of him to send a letter all the way out here,” Applejack smiled.

“I’ll be right back girls. Don’t want any prying eyes if theres something for ‘my eyes only’ in here,” Rainbow smirked.

“Have fun!”

“You gotcha! Oh but like... come and tell me if we need to go and save Equestria or whatever,” Rainbow quickly added as she rocketed upstairs.

“Well, its good to know that whatever threat Celestia sent us up here to confront might get the drop on us because of a letter,” Twilight snorted.

“Oh don’t be a stick in the mud, Twilight. It’s romantic. Besides, I’m sure whatever anomaly she sent us up here for was just our princess being cautious. You can’t let your guard down if your subjects’ lives are at stake.” Rarity commented.

Twilight huffed down onto her bean bag. “I know I know. It’s just that... why does Rainbow get such a sweetheart? I mean I’m happy for her and all but she wasn’t even looking for a relationship.”

“My my Twilight, don’t tell me you're jealous of our dear Rainbow,” Rarity smiled coyly.

“Well, maybe I am. Just a little. It’s not so much Andrew, I mean he’s sweet and all, but I’m not looking for... that kind of relationship. I’m jealous because she just happened to have the perfect guy fall right into her hooves.”

“Oh don’t be like that, Twi. You’ll find someone! I mean you're a princess now! Give it another few months when your publicity really picks up and stallions will be falling at your hooves!” Pinkie declared.

“We’re all gonna find someones to share our lives with! Dashie just found hers first.”

“Um.. I do have a colt friend,” Fluttershy added.

Twilight sighed. “You're right, Pinkie. I should be happier for Rainbow. I guess I’m just a little on edge with us being so far from home and not really knowing why we’re here.

“I hate not knowing things,” Twilight grumbled. “Like what was in that letter!”

“Coco’s up!” the keeper suddenly spoke up, pushing a silver tray onto a small coffee table nearest to Applejack.

“Oooh!” Pinkie drooled, instantly trying to slurp up the boiling broth and failing.

“Blow on it would you, Pinkie?” Applejack sighed, handing out the mugs till there was only one left.

“Shoot, Dash ordered one didn’t she? Hang on girls I’ll be right back,” Applejack announced.

Sensing an opportunity, Twilight’s ears perked. “Oh no don’t worry, AJ. I’ll take it up for her. Give mine a chance to cool down.”

“Alright here ya go. I’ll make sure Pinkie keeps her hooves off from your drink.”

“Thanks AJ,” Twilight smiled, taking the mug into her magical grasp before turning for the stairs.





The balcony creaked as Twilight walked across it making her way to the slightly ajar door that was Rainbow’s room. 

“Rainbow, I got your coco,” she announced, rapping her hoof on the door twice before entering anyway, privacy be damned.

“It might be a little hot so you’re probably gonna want to blow on it... Rainbow, are you alright?”

In the corner of the room, the pegasus sat hunched over the small reading table. A soft arcane desk lamp washed the table in front of her, but left her dark as the room. Small sounds of sniffling and the slightest hint of choking sobs left the mare.

Ice settled into the alicorn’s gut, that dreadful feeling of one’s stomach dropping while your skin bristled hot with fear. Quickly making her way over to the pegasus, she placed a hoof reassuringly over her tiny frame.

“Rainbow,” she started, in the same tone a police pony might use to give bad news to a foal. Seeing that the pegasus  wasn’t turning to address her, she took on a more concerned tone. “What’s wrong Dash?”

Rainbow only sniffed three times. turning away she pushed the letter over the desk towards the purple mare.

Twilight’s eyes lingered on the pegasus for a few moments longer, almost as if looking away would make her break down. Finally, she turned her attention towards the slip of paper, fearing the worst.

‘Oh please in the name of Celestia tell me he didn’t break up with her.’


The unmistakable print of a typewriter looked back at her. With a final glance over at the pony in tears, Twilight began to read.





To my Rainbow.


I don’t know if you're going to get this letter. I don’t know if the postal service is as good as they say they are. I don’t even know if they’re going to be able to find you. But I do know why I’m typing this letter instead of trying to steady my shaking hands.


I miss you.


It’s been two weeks now and everyday has me hurting without you here. I guess my shrink was right when he said I have attachment issues. It hurts, Rainbow. It hurts to not be able to see your gorgeous face or to feel your body against mine. It hurts to not be able to hear you laugh and see you smile.


I feel sick. I haven’t slept a full nights rest since you left. Even now as I write this its the dead of night. I can’t sleep. I can’t breath. Not until you're back here, resting with me.


You, out of everyone I’ve met since coming to Equestria should know how... broken I was. A mangled mess of twisted emotions and homesickness.


But then you came along.


Dashie. My guardian, my blue angel. My Rainbow. You were there, every step of the way. You helped me more than I could imagine, just being able to see you each day was enough of a reason to tackle each day with a brave face.


Believe me when I say that when I first cottoned on to your feelings for me, I was surprised. But deep down I couldn’t find it in myself to push you away, or to say no to your affection. I saw your passion, your hope and most of all, your fear of rejection.


I couldn’t say no to you Rainbow. You helped me so much, the least I could do was give you a chance. And then, I opened my heart to you. You may think that I’m always your shoulder to cry on, that I’m the strong one in this relationship. All those times you opened up your soul to me, you looked so fragile. Of course I was going to be your rock in those times.


But what you don’t know is that I rely on you just as much. Your presence alone makes me feel at home, no matter where I am. Just being able to wake up to you each morning, to hear you giggle as I whisper into your ear. It’s the greatest feeling I’ve ever had.


But now, that’s not here.


Our house feels so cold, its like it needs you just as much as I do. Everything feels so much bleaker when you're not here to give it color. Your Rainbow. But you're not here, you're up there.


I understand why you're there. You're a hero, Rainbow. Equestria would be nothing without you and the others being there to pull us through the dark times. You're not only my saviour, but everyone’s.


I miss you Rainbow. Oh god do I miss you. But I know that I can’t pull you away from your duties just for me. You're defending Equestria and I understand that.


And that scares me more than anything.


I already lost everything. I’ve already lost my loved ones, I’ve lost whatever semblance to a normal life that I had before, I’ve even lost the chance to see my most cherished daughter again.


Which is why I can’t lose you.


I can’t, I just can’t. You're everything to me Rainbow. In a world where I have nothing, I have you. Your smile means more to me than the very turn of the planet itself. I would walk to the ends of the earth and back again if you asked me.


You are my world, Rainbow Dash. My life.


Without you, the sunrise wouldn’t greet me for much longer.


I don’t think anyone else could understand, anyone other than you. I miss you Dashie, and the fact that at anytime when Equestria is in danger you have to go risk your life to save ours, I can never shake the feeling that you might not be coming back.


You're out there. Almost an entire continent between us and facing some unknown threat. I'm scared, I’m so scared that this time, you're not going to make it back.


It’s not that I doubt your ability or skill, but what are the odds that you would come back safely from every single disaster that comes our way? I fear that one day, you're going to be called away to fight for your country, and it may be the last thing you’ll do.


I can’t ask you to choose between your home and me. My life isn’t nearly as important as thousands of others, even if you do disagree. You’re needed to go go out there and to save the world once more.


I wish I could ask you to promise me that each and everytime you're going to make it home safe, but I’m realistic. I know that there’s a chance that that’s not going to happen and I don’t want you to worry over breaking a promise to me.


So I’ll make a promise to you instead.


I promise, that if you ever pass. Be it natural, and accident or fighting for your country. I will always love you. If you’ve taught me anything it’s that loyalty is so very very important.


I promise that for as long as I live, you will be my mare.


I love you Dashie. I don’t know where you are, I’m confused as to why as well. But, just know that things will never change for us at all.


Now, and always I will love you with every fiber of my being. You're my Rainbow. I love you.


P.S. Ignore the wet patches on the paper. It was raining when I mailed this.


A purple hoof rubbed under the snout of its owner. With a quick wipe of brewing tears, Twilight turned back to Rainbow, who had since resorted to tiny sniffles.

“Rainbow, I don’t know what to say,” Twilight offered.

“Rainbow sniffed again taking a moment before speaking, “Why do I love him so much?”

“Because he loves you just as much Rainbow,” Twilight responded, putting the letter on the desk.

“I,” she hiccuped. “I never thought about it that way. What if I did die... while we were away fighting?

What would my- my family do? They wouldn’t even know, they would have to be told, and I-”

A hitching breath left the mare, “I couldn’t leave Andrew alone like that. He doesn’t deserve that.”

Burning tears began to spill over her cheeks again. “I love him too much to do that to him. And he’s back home hurting without me!”

With a quick rub of her hoof, she looked up with puffy red eyes at Twilight., “I’ve gotta go back.”

Twilight shook her head. “You can’t Dash,” she said softly.

“He needs me! Why am I out here away from him when he’s back home, hurting without me?” Rainbow replied, keeping herself from shouting at Twilight.

“Rainbow, he even said so in the letter. He asked you to not put him above Equestria,” Twilight returned softly.

“He’s lost without me Twilight,” Rainbow moaned softly head hung low. Twilight moved to her side, putting her hoof across the pegasus’ shoulders and resting her head on Rainbow’s scalp.

“You need to be strong here Dash,” she began. “You need to be that super-confident awesome pony that you are. Do you wanna know why?”

Rainbow didn’t say anything, not even bothering to give a shrug or a shake of her head.

Undeterred, Twilight kept on. “Because if Celestia was right, and we were sent up here for a reason, then we’re going to kick whatever it is all the way back to Tartarus.”

“And you're going to prove to Andrew, that he’s got nothing to be afraid of.”

“ I know that Twi,” Rainbow retorted. “We’re going to find whatever’s threatening Equestria this time and we’re going to prove Andrew’s fears wrong.”

“It’s just that… this letter has given me a lot to think about, and I’d like to be left alone for the rest of the night.”

With Twilight giving her one last concerned gaze before leaving the room, Rainbow Dash wordlessly sat down on the edge of the bed. She then looked towards the window, showing the snowstorm that was still raging outside.  

After the door gently clicked shut, Rainbow casted a glance over to her luggage sitting at the foot of the bed. Silently, she popped the latches, letting the lid open. With utmost care, she slowly pulled out an old, rugged and battered green T-shirt.

With a sniff, she gingerly pulled the wrinkled old shirt over her body, fitting herself easily into the massively oversized shirt, letting its texture and scent sooth her. Curling up into a loose ball, she lay still on the bed, inhaling the lingering scent of her distant man through his old shirt.

She stayed that way for the rest of the night, lost in her thoughts.


> Love at first light (NSFW)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

If there was one thing that made sleeping in a normal bed better than a cloud one, it was all the warmth it retained; a fact Rainbow Dash was grateful for. Only just coming off the cusp of sleep to a warm mattress beneath her, and a warm body behind her. Rubbing herself gently around, she grabbed at the arm that was slung over her body, clutching it as close as possible to her chest as it was when she had fallen asleep that night.

Reaching down slightly, she grabbed at the bedsheets with her teeth and gave them a good tug, pulling them up over her shoulder and relaxing again, all without opening her eyes. Still holding Andrew’s arm against her chest, her tail silently slithered down between his legs, coiling itself around one of his upper thighs.

Content, she smiled, letting all her muscles go loose again along with a happy exhale through the nose. Her ears perked slightly, feeling the pressure on her chest increase as she slowly started moving backwards, deeper into her lover’s embrace.

She felt his face move up into her mane, breathing in her scent before kissing her gently behind her right ear, making it flick in a cute manner. Moving around to her temple, another kiss. Down to her jaw and finally a couple on her neck for good measure.

“Morning sweetie,” he whispered.

Rainbow smiled, pushing her head backwards into the curve of his neck, “Good morning,” she cooed.

More kisses. “What time is it?” Andrew asked.

Popping her eyes open for a moment, Rainbow adjusted her vision in the dimness and the early morning grogginess to focus on Andrew’s phone sitting on the nightstand on her side of the bed, having fallen asleep listening to its music last night.

Reaching over, and hating the cold air on her back as their bodies separated, she quickly nabbed the phone and pushed a button.

“Ugh, like seven a.m,” she moaned throwing herself back into the covers.

Andrew blinked, looking over at pale orange sunlight slipping its way through the bedroom windows blinds. “Huh.”

“You’re not working today are you?” he asked, looking for clarification.

“Mmhhm. It’s Thunderlane’s shift,” she said absently, punctuated by a little squeaking yawn.

The pegasus’ vision suddenly spun over, with Andrew’s arm gently rolling the mare over to lay belly to belly with her, before moving said hand up her foreleg, over her shoulder and landing on her neck giving it a gentle massage.

“So I’ve got you all to myself today then?” he smiled, rubbing noses with her.

“Mhhmm,” Rainbow replied, moving herself upwards, wrapping her hooves around his neck putting her forehead against his. 

The two lay there for a moment, taking in the scent and warmth of each other’s breath, the moist air of their counterpart glancing off their cheeks. The eyes of a human locked with those of his pony lover, and like magic, the two leaned in at the same time.

“Mmmhh,” Rainbow cooed into his mouth, his morning breath not deterring her in the slightest. Strengthening her grip around the back of his neck, she pulled herself deeper into the kiss while Andrew’s hands drifted apart. One ventured upwards towards her mane, while the other travelled downwards towards the great southern land.

While massaging her soft, bedhead mane, mixing the purple in with the blue, the naughty hand decided to grab a great handful of perfectly toned cyan bubble butt.

Rainbow pulled back, breaking the kiss leaving behind a rope of saliva. With a nasty little grin, she puffed slightly. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?” she quipped.

Andrew smiled, already loading a smarmy retort. “With your adorable little bum in easy reach? I’m only human, Dashie.”

Pushing her body up against his, she looked up at him with her chin flat against his chest. “Yeah, you do like my bum don’t you?”

“I love every part of you sweetheart,” he grinned, hitting all the right notes in the getting laid ballard.

“Ha, you're so sappy Drewey,” Rainbow quipped, sounding impartial, but failing to hide the way she tightened her hold around his chest.

After locking in another short kiss, and a few more gropes, Rainbow slid up to his head, purposefully making sure that every contour of her body and prick of her fur slid along his bare chest. “If you’re a good boy, I’ll let you have my cute little butt.”

Taking a leaf from the pony book of affection and nuzzling against her, he spoke “And what does being a good boy entail?”

Purring softly, she whispered. “Lick me.”

“Oh you drive a hard bargain...” Andrew chuckled as Rainbow slid out from the sheets. With one last little slobbery kiss, the increasingly horny mare stood up, each forehoof on his shoulders and her rear legs over his waist.

The sight of her big human lover lying underneath her, this time being the submissive party sent a strong twinge through her backside, making her right rear hoof quake a little. Deciding not to waste a moment longer, she spun around, letting those perfect plump pony posterior pillows hang right over Andrew’s head.

Sliding his hand up her left leg, he pushed against the grain of her soft fur, watching it fold and crease as he glided over top then springing back to where it was when he passed. Cresting her withers he gently pushed down on her back, just above her tail, motioning her to descend. 

Her hind legs unlocked, and like a heavily laden elevator she crept towards him, filling his vision with blue fur. Andrew snorted when her tail flicked across his nose making the mare giggle quietly. When she was but a few scant inches from his face, Andrew’s hand squeezed at her dock, making her halt, and with a quick swish of his hand, her chromatic tail flew upwards, washing its strands over her back in a river of colors, exposing her sweet little box.

“You just gonna stare at it or what?”

“Just admiring how pretty you are, sweetie,” Andrew replied, not turning his gaze away.

“Aw that’s sweet. But this is sweeter,” with that, Rainbow dropped down, smothering her lover in her athletic blue buns. 

“Mmhhm,” she murmured, rolling her shoulders at the feeling of Andrew’s nose digging into a cavity it wasn’t designed for. The feeling didn’t last long, until it was replaced with that of a soft, warm and wet tongue doing circuits around her labia.

The hands returned, this time moving beyond her fine ass and up her body, finding leverage on her soft flanks, just in front of her hind legs. Rainbow’s ears flicked silently, loving the feeling of Andrew’s tongue making its rounds.

With her backside locked into place, and completely at the mercy of Andrew, Rainbow resolved to express her growing horniness with her front legs. Reaching out along his body, she tried the best she could to return the loving touch she was receiving, her progress hindered by the fact that Andrew was still beneath the bed covers.

“Hang on, Andy. Mmh, stop,” she grunted reluctantly.

With a parting smooch to her flower, accompanied by a tiny leg twitch, he released Dash, letting her stand and looked back at him with one of those all too perfect smiles.

“Bedsheets, pyjamas. Lose ‘em,” she commanded.

Andrew shot her a knowing grin in return, untangling himself from the bed and wrestling with his clothes while Rainbow returned to her side of the bed, picking up his phone.

Quickly navigating through its playlists while Andrew shedded his bed shirt, she skimmed over a few dozen songs, finding something suitable.

Andrew’s arms slithered around her flanks, pulling her backwards towards him, while she still fiddled with the phone. Finally finding the mood setter she was looking for, she tapped the play button, just before she was wrenched backwards onto the bed.

A very familiar intro started to chime out of the device, that had been rudely discarded on the edge of the bed. Briefly glancing over towards the phone, he smirked at the mare under him.

INXS? Really?”

“Shut up and kiss me,” Rainbow demanded, grabbing at his shoulders and pulling him down into an oral collision. 

The little mare moaned happily, the feeling of her special somepony on top of her, kissing him wildly sent primal twitches of lust throughout her horny pegasus frame. With her rear legs pinned by Andrew’s stomach and her forehooves locked between their two chests, she was at his mercy.

That didn’t stop her kissing back with all the fire and intensity the spunky athlete could muster.

Eyes closed in loving concentration and lips preoccupied, she could only feel Andrew’s roaming hands slide up from her hips, over her wings and shoulders into her mane. Kissing and kneading her beautiful head of colors, the scalp massage and the full body hug made her face burn and her shoulders tingle, the feeling spiking down her back towards her crotch.

Cutely, she moaned only a little, but enough to tell Andrew she was sliding down the gradient from go-lucky and feisty to sweet and touchy. Her forehooves twitched and kneaded as best they could in their entrapment, moving with the desire to touch and be touched. Pulling away from the kiss, Andrew looked down at his pegasus. Slowly, she opened her eyes, half-lidded and burning with a chasm of need.

Her forehooves were still curled up on her chest, making it look as if she was trying to hide behind them, almost embarrassed. Rainbow’s ears flicked and her tongue traced her lips. With every outward breath she gave, her chest shuddered slightly, her hot breath coming out like a purr with the motion. With one of the hands holding her gorgeous face, he tucked some errant locks behind her ear, making long and slow contact with her face as he did so

“You’re beautiful sweetie,” he said with untold sincerity deep within his voice. Leaning down to kiss her, she gently quaked , giving off a strange ‘mphf’ murmur in her throat. Pulling back to see what prompted the noise, Andrew was met with two radiant orbs of magenta staring at him, their surface glossy with the ghostly trace of a tear.

She smiled, a perfect, gorgeous smile. A little sniff escaped from her nose and her eyes wavered from the threat of her tears spilling out. “I love you, Drewey,” she said with a shaky breath, giving off a simple, happy murmur of a laugh.

Feeling his own eyes burning at the sentiment, Andrew decided to reply with actions. Another kiss, deep and meaningful straight from the heart. Rainbow was his mare, and he was hers, he was going to show just how strong that bond was.

Pulling away, he began the journey from her lips downwards. Her body became a playground of kisses, leaving damp patches of fur as Andrew trailed downwards. Kissing her jaw softly and lovingly making sure she knew where his heart was.

Andrew went down her neck, kissing it and giving it warmth.He was touched that the pegasus gave him free reign over that area; the vulnerability and sensitivity of her neck. An area that required unwavering trust to be touched and caressed. She softly purred, unable to keep the building moan in her throat concealed.

He then went over her chest, kissing the soft fur of her barrel, listening to her heartbeat and her breathing. Her slender, agile and lean frame tried its best to form some kind of resistance against his affection. However, he could find the soft spots, the ones that only the most intimate with the pegasus’ body could locate.

First, he went down her belly, making sure to give a lick through her tiny navel, making the mare’s stomach clench and causing a cute gurgle from her mouth, to which Andrew chuckled; making Rainbow squeak out all the notes she could was one of his favorite pastimes.

Next, he explored her pretty legs, he slowly kissed them , pacing his tongue up and down through the fur from her hip to her knee. Up and down, every stroke getting the mare even hotter under the collar.

Finally, he gently grasped her right leg and moved it to the side, making her spread her hind legs to reveal his prize that he had so eagerly been tending to before. The slow and sensual journey from lip to lip left her in far more of a state than before. Sopping wet, winking and yearning for its missing half, it betrayed how calm the mare it belonged to seemed.

 “You know,” Andrew said teasingly, “I’m kinda thinkin’ I’m not in the mood for this anymore.”

 The mare’s eyes widened as she watched him place her leg back down, then pull the covers over himself as he began to tuck himself back in.

 “Wait, wait wait- What?!” Rainbow almost seemed to be in a panic. She began throwing the blankets off of him. As soon as he was exposed again Andrew quickly snagged her, pulling her against his body and slipping a hand down to her marehood.

“You're so easy to rile up,” he grinned, getting out of bed while still holding the horny mare in his grasp, who was eagerly grinding against his hand and his body.

“Can’t we just do it already?” she whined, speeding up her hips. “The bed was right there!”

“Last time we fucked in the morning I spent almost an hour helping you straighten your wings. I’m just being efficient here.”

“Urgh, I hate you sometimes!” Dash groaned, yet tightening her hold on him while desperately trying to worm one of his fingers inside.

Feeling this, Andrew helped her along by slipping one deep into her, making her go ramrod stiff like a lightning bolt had just struck her.

“No you don’t,” he quipped.

Rainbow’s wings suddenly fluttered against her sides, punctuated with a raspy moan. Her eyes fluttered and she sunk deeper into his hold, letting him control her. If only for the time being.

“No I really don’t,” she whispered.

Walking into the bathroom, and turning on the shower became a challenging task Between holding and fingerbanging his girlfriend, adjusting the temperature of two knobs and making sure he didn’t slip on the wet floor, Andrew’s coordination was tested.

Thankfully, he managed to get them into the warm and steady stream, making sure the water landed straight onto the area of Rainbow’s back just between her wings. The sudden sensation of what felt like one hundred tiny little Andrew fingers massaging and warming that sensitive region caused her to moan in pleasure.

Sparing a pleasure addled moment to glare at him, she spoke. “Warn me before you do that!”

“It feels really funny,” she added softly, looking aside, pouting.

Nibbling on her perfectly position ear, he whispered into it, “Sorry sweetie. Do you want me to make it up to you?”

Rainbow gasped, looking up at him with untold adoration. “Yes.”

In just a few moments, Rainbow found herself looking at the tiles, her mane of fantastic colors falling down into her vision due to an amazing feeling coming from between her hind legs.

“Ooohhh, oh yes!” she gasped, feeling Andrew’s tongue plundering around deep within her. It was difficult for her to find purchase on his body, hanging upside down with only his strength to keep her from falling. The blood rushed to her head, making her face hot, her desire for a good strong and long rutting growing with it. Moving her head, she discovered a little friend of hers that had been poking at her shoulder for a good while now.

Looking at it from upside down, Rainbow’s eyes almost directly lined up with Andrew’s balls, letting her see the underside of his shaft in a strange new view. Wasting no time, she stuck out her tongue, making hard contact with the tip, not so much licking it as just pushing her tongue hard against it, feeling it fold and wrap around his hot, tasty head.

Andrew grunted a little, the vibrations plainly obvious to dash through her backside, but other that that she stirred no other reactions out of her lover. 

That simply wouldn’t fly.

With a final swipe of around his head, she took the whole thing in, moaning when Andrew hit a sensitive spot on his end. With Rainbow building up to a steady rhythm bobbing on his cock, the two managed a vertical sixty-nine.

The water continued to pour, mostly over Andrew’s back, keeping the hot water out of Rainbows eyes, yet still allowing some into her mane, which flick back and forth like a thousand slick little whips as she sucked.

With the pleasure finally mounting in Andrew, the human began to have difficulty dividing his attention between holding Rainbow, making her feel good and receiving it. Taking a step back he leant up against the shower wall, not caring about how cold the tiles were on his back.

With a secondary support to lean on, it gave Rainbow a slightly better platform to lie on, allowing her to up her speed dramatically. Letting a couple grunts and one long moan into her pussy, Andrew locked his legs making sure that he wasn’t going to give. 

Slurping and suckling, the two worked each other feverishly, Rainbow’s head getting all hot and hazy from the blood rushing to it and the hot water raising the temperature all around her. With a slurp, she pulled off from Andrew’s rod, breathing hard and watching the strands of spit span between it and her maw. Feeling her stop, Andrew slowed his pace, just keeping her buzzing with tingles with a few quick dippings of his tongue.

“Drewey...” Rainbow mewled, her voice low and loving. Gently, she purred, nuzzling her face against his leg and crotch.

“Rut me.”

Within seconds, she was down on the wet tiled floor. The water gushed over her back, making her wings flutter gently in delight. She felt a hand softly push down on her shoulders, as if gently persuading her to take the position.

Relenting to her lover’s will, she lowered her front down, her fluffy chest brushing against the water, giving her a cool tingle through her chest. Her hind legs took the opposing route and raised high, locking her knees and almost raising onto her tippy-hooves.

Softly, gently, she felt those wonderful hands begin to caress her again. The left one starting on her side, just below her wing, snaking forwards until it came to rest down on her chest, feeling her heartbeat through his fingers.

His other hand started in the same place, albeit on the other side and slipped backwards, roaming the curve of her ass for a moment before sneakily sliding downwards to come to rest between her hind legs.

Locked in his hold and in a very sensual position, her restraint was only made more intimate when she felt her lover’s body lay on top of hers, the curve of her back becoming the little spoon to his torso.

Taking one of her ears into his mouth, he gently began to suckle on its very tip, before slowly sliding himself inside of the hot pegasi mare.

“Ooh,” she cooed softly, never quite being able to get used to the sudden sensation of being filled all at once. Andrew began to rock backwards and forwards slowly, letting his mare get the full start up before he began.

Unfortunately, Rainbow was far beyond the need for any further build up, and the slow pace only drove her deeper into desperation. A muffled whimper began to sound from her throat and just as she was about to voice her demand to go faster, she was quickly silenced by Andrew’s hand between her legs.

One of his fingers had sneakily swiped across her bean, sending a completely unexpected jolt right up her spine.

Using his nose like a finger, he pushed it into that sweet little spot where her ear met with her skull, rubbing around lovingly. “Did that feel good, sweetheart?” he purred.

“Oh my gosh, yes it did! Now get on with it, I’m dying!” she pleaded.

Andrew chuckled softly into her ear, whispering directly into it, “Someone wants to get right into then, don’t they?”

“Yes I do- ah!” she squeaked as Andrew began. Without any warning, he took her words to heart. Without a second gear to even things out, the pace of his thrust went straight from low range to high, drilling the tiny mare.

Rainbow wailed in pleasure, her call of ecstasy echoing off of the hard bathroom tiles. One long powerful moan that was broken up by the hard pulses coming from her mate, “Ooh-oh-oh-oh-Ah-mmmhhh! Yes!”

The hand on her front pulled her back, holding her as close and as best as it could to him, making Rainbows heart swell just from the small sentiment of wanting to be closer.

Hot breath and kisses were peppering the back of her neck, a sensual bite right on that sensitive nape made her legs quiver.

With the torturous build up that she had been put through since this morning, she knew she was coming on hard and fast. The pleasure reached new heights inside her tiny body, the dam walls buckling under the force was unable to hold back the flood.

Biting into her fore hoof, she half-squealed, half-screamed herself hoarse as the orgasm shuddered through her like a freight train coming off the rails. Her whole body clenched and spasmed, one of her hind legs shaking so much that it gave out, leaving Andrew to support the whole weight of his little mare.

She croaked after it was all done, wanting to howl and scream and squeal all at once, but unable to, her vocal range at its limit, instead she resorted to a kind of gurgle.

Panting hard, her vision swam, her mind hazy and her whole body feeling giddy. When some sense returned to her, she made a happy, closed-eyed smile, her mouth opened just a little to slip out a tiny mewl of pleasure.

The presence of Andrew’s large love tap still made a hefty impression on her. Feeling its furnace like heat and powerful stature invading her made her shiver. Slowly, she felt herself rotate around his cock. On a horizontal swivel, she soon found herself on her back, forelegs curled up on her chest, hind legs resting over Andrew’s hips.

The wet floor was cool on her back, the water falling over the human’s back, around his torso and dripping down onto her chest and belly. Her wings lay stiff and plastered to the tiles as his hands roamed all over her breast and barrel. 

Rainbow squeezed her hind legs around Andrew’s hips, making a strong clenching grip inside her filled pussy, grabbing hard at his cock.

Andrew moaned, enough to send tickles all throughout Rainbow’s body. Grabbing his hands, she pulled the to the side, letting Andrew’s face fall towards her. She met him as he semi-slipped and quickly snatched a naughty kiss from him. Letting her eyes flutter closed, she revealed in the intoxicating feeling of intimacy.

Andrews hands, quickly came back from their journey, sliding around behind Rainbows head and shoulders. Lifting the mare ever so slightly up off the tiles, Andrew held her closely as he began to thrust again.

Rainbow squealed softly into their kiss, only just having recovered from the intense pounding beforehand, the softer, more passionate lovemaking that was happening now wooed her.

Her body was pressed tight against his, snugly fitting into each and every curve as he pumped, filling the mare with shivers of ecstasy.  She released the kiss for a loud, long moan when Andrew found a spot in just the right location to make Rainbow’s brain go fuzzy.

Choosing to silence her moans, she gently bit down on Andrew’s right shoulder, still gasping and grunting adorably. She was now almost completely suspended, hung upside down from her lover and loving every second of their closeness that they shared.

The water continued to fall until it turned cold. Rainbow lost count of how many times she’d screamed his name in orgasmic bliss, or how often she purred out the words ‘I love you,’ and how many times she’d heard them back.

The water eventually was shut off, leaving the two to cuddle for a moment on the shower floor. Rainbow’s pussy swollen with cum and Andrews dick drenched in her fluids. Neither one of them caring about the mess they’d made of one another, or the coldness of the tiles on their bodies.

All they cared about at that moment were each other.



> Crumpets and conversations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The sky over ponyville was calm in the early saturday morning. A few errant wispy white clouds the weather team had left were dotted lazily around while the sun bathed the town with its charming warmth. The air was silent, calm and serene, one could almost hear the sound of winds in the trees.

“Oh for fucks sake!”

Or the sound of a disgruntled human.

Andrew bellowed loudly, delivering a swift boot to the rusty old lawn mower, quite ticked off with the way that the rotating blades were clogged with grass clippings. With a grumble, he bent down to pick at the offending greenery that was seizing the bearings.

“A little less volume would be nice, dear!” Rarity commented, waving her hoof to get Andrew’s attention from her spot by the sun seats at the back of Andrew and Rainbow’s home.

A swift yet silent middle finger was his reply, causing Rainbow who was sitting on her own chair to giggle. “That thing he does with his hand got way funnier after he explained it to me.”

“I take it that’s another one of his strange insults then?” Rarity asked, picking up a small nibbly with her magic.

“Yeah, heh you should hear him when he catches Eureka pissing inside the house,” the pegasus giggled again, taking a sip of her strong tea.

“My goodness, Rainbow. You know since you and Andrew became an item, your vocabulary has taken a vile downturn,” Rarity grimaced.

“Well in my defense you can’t spend as much time as I have around him to not pick up on all those funny sayings that he has,” Rainbow replied.

“I suppose you're right. What was it he said the other day? Wayne-Kerr?”

Rainbow snorted, making that kinds of laugh where its more of just one long noise. “Close. Wanker.”

“Who’s a Wanker?” Andrew quipped from the lawn.

“You are sweetie, now go back to mowing!”

Andrew growled whilst Rainbow settled back into the recliner, blowing on the hot tea in her hooves.

“He has the patience of a princess to deal with you Rainbow,” Rarity remarked snidely.

Ignoring the jab, Rainbow giggled. “Hehe, Princess Andrew.”

“You know I’ve noticed something Rainbow,” Rarity began, looking down into her drink. “You’re a different mare when you’re alone with him.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well... It’s an observation that I’ve made. Remember when we took the train to the Crystal Empire?”

“Yeah?” Rainbow confirmed, setting her cup down.

“When we were all awake and talking, you were your usual rough and tumble self. But when we all went to bed... Well, I still had one eye open, and I saw you two.”

Rainbow giggled nervously. “Hehe, you’ve been getting free shows?”

Rarity shook her head, not seeing the humor. “I’m serious Rainbow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so... cuddly.”

Rainbow batted her hoof in Rarity’s direction. “Pfft, I’m not cuddly!”

“Oh ho ho, don’t you try to deny it. I saw you nuzzling up to him, I even caught some of what you were whispering to one another.”

“Alright alright! I get it! So I love him, and I get a lil’ affectionate in private. Is there a problem with that?”

“Oh, quite the contrary Dash, I think its absolutely wonderful! It’s a welcome change from how you were acting when you two first started dating.”

“What do you mean?”

“You seemed to shy away from any affection he gave you. I’m not sure what you two were like alone back then, but you were always so fidgety and easily embarrassed.”

Rainbow fiddled with her forehooves for a moment. “Yeah... I guess I was like that.”

Rarity nodded, waiting for Dash to continue.

“I’m not sure if you know this Rares. You probably do though, knowing you, but before Andrew, I’d never been in a serious relationship,” Rainbow said, looking over to Rarity who simply nodded once.

“Like, I mean I’d had some colt friends and that, but that was just for the sake of flight school. Looking cool and all ya know?” 

“Don’t get me wrong, back then I might had crushed on those stallions a little but... It’s nothing like what I have with him,” Dash smiled, looking over to her man, who was still struggling with the weeds.

“One time, I did try and get close to a colt. I think he meant well, but it really fell apart.”

“That wasn’t that one DJ fellow was it?” Rarity enquired.

“How did you know about that?!” Rainbow squeaked.

“Loose lips sink ships darling. I have my sources,” Rarity smirked, sipping at her tea.

“It was Andrew, wasn’t it?” Rainbow deadpanned.

Rarity rolled her eyes, clinking her cup down onto her saucer, “Oh fine, yes it was. Can’t a girl have a little fun?’

“As I was saying...” Rainbow continued. “After that, I never really opened up to another stallion. I became a bit withdrawn when it came to boys. It made it really hard to start showing my feelings to others.”

“I can see that. You wouldn’t have dared tell me this a few years ago,” Rarity commented.

“Exactly. Andrew has really helped me... open up,” Dash smiled. “Just another reason to love him I suppose.”

“Thats really sweet Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said, touched by her confession.

“You know Dash. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I never pictured you as a mare on the dating scene. I thought you would have spent all your time devoting yourself to flying.”

“Heh, yeah I know. Between, Flight school, colts and manestyling I’m amazed I had any free time at all.”

“I beg your pardon?” Rarity said aghast. “I believe I misheard you Rainbow, did you just say manestyling?”

Rainbow’s eyes bulged and her forehooves clasped over her mouth. She quickly shook her head, trying and failing to take back what she had just let slip.

“Manestyling?!” Rarity beamed, before a blue hoof was jammed in her gob.

“Not. A. Word,” Rainbow growled.

“Oh Rainbow Dash, please do tell! This sounds like quite the tale,” Rarity smirked.

“Alright. I’ll tell you, but nopony else hears a word of this alright?”

“I swear on Celestia’s sun,” Rarity vowed.

“Alright. Well... It wasn’t that I wanted to be a manedresser or anything. It just sorta happened,” Rainbow shrugged.

“Ya see, Flight school isn’t just for learning about flying. The place has a little bit of everything that a pegasus could study for. Think of it like a community college, with a couple different courses you can do.”

“Now, obviously, I wanted to only sign up for flying related courses to hone my skills. But my mom, while she was fully supportive of my plans, said that I had to take up another course just in case things went south, then I’d have something to fall back on.”

“I’m with you so far,” Rarity responded.

“I didn’t really care about what course I should pick out, with the one-track mind I had back then. So I just chose the one I thought would be the easiest. I mean come on, mane styling doesn’t sound all that hard, does it?”

Receiving no answer, Rainbow continued. “Turns out I was a little bit surprised by the coursework. It was a lot more different than what I was expecting, and I was so focused on my flight studies that I practically completely flunked out of manestyling.”

“And let me guess. You were overjoyed and dropped it then and there?”

“No, actually. When we got our first reports back, the teacher; stuck up whorse that she was, told me that ‘I should drop the course now and save myself the embarrassment.’ She thought I couldn’t do it. Me! The Rainbow Dash!”

“Well I made it my mission to prove her wrong. It was hard, but in the end I got to see that surprised look on that old hag’s face when I aced that class!” Rainbow grinned.

“Aced?” Rarity inquired.

Rainbow smile wavered a little. ‘Well... Not aced, but solid B’s and a few A’s. I’ve still got the certificate around here somewhere.”

“Rainbow,” Rarity said, her tone showing her obvious disbelief. “That means that you’re one of the most qualified mane dressers in Ponyville! Oh, we simply must get together one day! Can’t let all that study go to waste!”

“Whoa whoa whoa! Hold up Rares,I might have gotten top of the class, but it was still only my second choice. That part of life is deeply buried in the past now. The last time those ‘skills’ had ever been needed was back when Trenderhoof came to town.”

“Huh?”

“You know, when you and Applejack had that little spat? When you dressed up like a hick and Applejack brought out her ‘posh’ side?”

“Yes I remember.” How did your skills come about then?”

“Who do you think did Applejack’s mane?”

“That was you!?” Rarity screeched.

“Ssshhh! Yes it was! I made up a quick lie to cover myself, but if you tell her what I’ve told you it won't take long for her to put two and two together. So remember, not a word to anypony!”

“Good thing I’m not a pony then,” A voice said, as two hands slid around Rainbow’s barrel from behind.

“Hehe, hey sweetie...” Rainbow giggled nervously. “How much did you hear?”

“Oh, from about ‘Aced the class’” Andrew grinned devilishly at his mare.

“The same goes for you then. Not. A. Word.”

“Oh Dash, will you ever stop being full of surprises?” Andrew asked, leaning down and kissing her on the top of her head.

Rainbow smiled, pushing her head up to touch her nose against his. “Not while I’m alive I won’t.”