> The Derpy I Know And Love Volume 3: How Pinkie Got Her Groove Back
>  by Stormbringer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> CHAPTER ONE: A Scream in the Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Pinkie screamed as she plummeted to the ground.
“Dashie!” 
The ground was coming up quickly.  
As she smashed into the earth, her helmet split as if made of egg shell, her head hit hard against a large rock.  She couldn’t remember anything ever being more painful.  The last thing she saw was blood splattering everywhere.
All went dark, she was in a world of mist, more like a tunnel.  She was being drawn quickly toward a dark opening.
There was a gray stallion with red mane and tail standing by the yawning black opening.  He looked at Pinkie and smiled.
“When I gave you my life, I took yours.  I’m on my way to the Fields of Elysium, thanks to you.  Enjoy my fate.”  He said as he disappeared.  
Then, all of the sudden, the opening was alive with intense flames.
Pinkie tried to turn and run in the opposite direction.  But her speed was increasing in the direction of the opening.  
She passed through the opening then started falling.  The flames surrounded her, engulfing her.  It burned the hair of her mane, coat and tail.  Her flesh was on fire, it was falling off her.  The smell was putrid, burning flesh and hair mixed with the smell of burning sulfur.  The pain was more than Pinkie could stand.

“DASHIE!”

Rainbow Dash thought she heard her name being called, the bed was shaking violently.
At first Rainbow thought that the cloud house was being hit by an unscheduled storm.  Then she realized they’d temporarily taken a house on the ground while Pinkie healed.
“Dashie!  Please help me Dashie! It hurts so bad!”
Rainbow sat up straight.  Pinkie was having another nightmare.  Her pink wife was flailing about, screaming and crying.
“Dashie! Help me!”
Rainbow reached over and shook Pinkie as hard as she dared.  It was dark, but Rainbow could see Pinkie’s eyes pop open widely.  She’d stopped thrashing about.  At first, it looked as if she was still asleep.  But then she turned her head toward Dash.  Her eyes locked in Rainbow’s.  Pinkie put her forelegs around Rainbow, pulled her close and started crying on her shoulder.  Rainbow put her forelegs and wings around Pinkie and held her tight.  It hurt to see Pinkie like this.  
Just a few months ago, Rainbow wouldn’t have believed she’d ever admit to caring for anypony this deeply.
“Oh Pink,” said Rainbow in a comforting tone.
‘Pink’ was the only pet name Rainbow could manage.  It helped Pinkie feel special having a name nopony else used, even though Rainbow thought it sappy, Pinkie was worth it.
“Another nightmare?”
“Yes,” said Pinkie between sobs.
Seeing Pinkie this scared was un-nerving.  After she’d only giggled at the terrors Nightmare Moon had thrown at them several years ago.  But since, they’d been through a lot.  Her darling Pinkie had passed through life and death.  Rainbow reasoned that in itself earned her the right to have bad dreams.
“Just like the other ones?”
“Yes, it was so real.  I can’t stop shaking.”
“Well, at least you didn’t wet the bed this time.” Said Rainbow trying to lighten up.
“I’ve never wet the bed,” said Pinkie.
“Come on Pink.  I’m messing with you.”
“I’m sorry Dashie, I’m just not in a messing mood.”
“Its okay Pink, there’s still a lot of night left.  Let’s go back to sleep.”
“I can’t, I’m afraid to have the dream again.”
“What can I do to help?  Get you a cup of water, warm milk, whiskey?”
“You know what I want.” Said Pinkie.
“Oh come on, its late and you know I can’t sing.”
“You sing good enough for me.”
Rainbow paused, looking into Pinkie’s imploring eyes.
“Only for you Pink, only for you.  I love you that much.”
Pinkie loosened her grip on Rainbow.  Rainbow retracted her wings, they both lay back, and Pinkie rested her head on Rainbow’s chest.
“Are you sure?” asked Rainbow, hopefully.
“Yes Dashie, I’m sure”.  
Rainbow cleared her throat.  Knowing this pink pony was the only pony in the world she’d ever act this sappy for.

	       “♪My name is Rainbow Dash, ♪”

“Rainbow Pie-Dash,” Pinkie interrupted, giggling lightly, her humor returning.

	     “♪My name is Rainbow Pie-Dash
And I’m here to say  
I'm gonna make you smile, and I’ll brighten up your day! 
It doesn't matter now 
If you’re sad or blue
'Cause cheering up my wife is just what Rainbow’s here to do. 

'Cause I love to make you smile, smile, smile 
Yes I do 
It fills my heart with sunshine all the while 
Yes it does 
'Cause all I really need's a smile, smile, smile 
From this happy love of mine.

I like to see you grin  
I would love to see you beam 
The corners of your mouth turned up 
Is always Rainbow’s dream 
But if you're kind of worried 
And your face has made a frown 
I'll work real hard and do my best 
To turn that sad frown upside down.

'Cause I love to make you grin, grin, grin 
Yes I do 
Bust it out from ear to ear, let it begin 
Just give me a joyful grin, grin, grin 
And you fill me with good cheer. 

Its true, some days are dark and lonely 
And maybe you feel sad 
But Rainbow will be there to show you that it isn't that bad. 
There's one thing that makes me happy 
And makes my whole life worthwhile 
And that's when I talk to my wife and get her to smile! 

I really am so happy 
Your smile fills me with glee 
I give a smile, I get a smile 
And that's so special to me. 

'Cause I love to see you beam, beam, beam 
Yes I do 
Tell me, what more can I say to make you see 
That I do 
It makes me happy when you beam, beam, beam 
Yes, it always makes my day! 

Come on now Pinkie smile, smile, smile 
Fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine 
All I really need's a smile, smile, smile 
From this happy love of mine! ♪ 

Rainbow couldn’t go on singing.  There was one very good reason she gave in to singing Pinkie’s song so easily.  It was because it always put Pinkie in the mood.
“I thought you weren’t in the messing mood,” said Rainbow.
A giggle was the only response. 
While she was singing, Pinkie had moved down and was now ‘eating’ Rainbow’s marehood as if there wasn’t anything else to do in the universe.
Rainbow had to be careful of repositioning Pinkie.  Her injuries were fairly healed.  But there was still a lot of pain and weakness if she moved wrong.
Soon Rainbow had her tongue deep in Pinkie’s sweet marehood.  After hearing Pinkie screaming and crying, it was good to hear Pinkie’s unique climax laugh.
Pinkie would be able to sleep now, but there was no rush just yet.

About two hours later, Pinkie and Rainbow were back under the covers.  Rainbow was almost asleep, she was ‘spooning’ with Pinkie.  Her forelegs around the pink pony.  In retrospect, Rainbow questioned why she’d ever wanted to be unfettered.  There was no feeling in the world greater than when she lay in the bed this close to Pinkie.  Just like now, with no manic craziness, no random songs, no bouts of Pinkie logic.  Just the feeling of holding the pony she’d not before allowed herself to realize just how special she was.  And how deeply she’d loved her without even admitting to even herself.  
It was brought home sharply when just a few scant months ago, Pinkie lay on death’s doorstep.  Muffins’ ex-husband performed a spell to give his life-force to Pinkie thus saving her at the cost of his own life.  It was even more amazing to find how much her friends were willing to go to save her.  
Rainbow and Pinkie learned Twilight Sparkle was going to give her life to save Pinkie, but Shooting Star had put a spell on Twilight that knocked her out, then Shooting Star had taken the spell from her.  
Rainbow didn’t want to lose her best friend and she didn’t want to loose Pinkie.  But what bothered her most was, if the places were reversed and if it had to be her choice, would she do the same for Twilight, or one of her other friends?  Or most especially, for Pinkie?  She liked to think she was noble enough to lay down her life for her friends, but put to the test, she wasn’t sure if she’d come up lacking.
But she wasn’t ungrateful, she’d asked Twilight if she’d perform a marriage ceremony there in the hospital, surrounded by her closest friends.  No other pony was worthy to do this for them, not even Celestia.  Rainbow and Pinkie owed their lives to Twilight and now they owed their love and happiness to her as well.
While laying there, just enjoying the afterglow of their love-making and the feeling of this most special of ponies in her forelegs, Pinkie turned over and gave Rainbow a small but honest kiss.
“Dashie, I need to ask you something, and don’t be mad at me for asking.” Said Pinkie.
“Why would I be mad at you?” asked the blue Pegasus. 
“It’s just I’m starting to remember parts of when I was out, after the accident.”  Said Pinkie, uncharacteristically subdued.  “I remember you telling me you’d not let me go alone.  As soon as I was gone, you’d go outside and climb as high as you could and then do a sonic rainboom straight into the ground, you had to go out in style.”
“I think I did say that.”
“Dashie, I love you so much, more than anypony ever.  I think I have for a very long time.  And I’m flattered you think you’d have to go if I went.  
But that wouldn’t be my wish.  My wish would be the pony who is so special to me, a pony I don’t deserve, a pony that every time I think I’m now her wife, it gives me such a thrill.  I’d want her to go on and find ways to keep my memory alive.  To find joy, happiness and even love for me.”
Pinkie then pulled Rainbow close, she rested her head on Rainbow’s shoulder.  Rainbow could feel tears against her coat.
“Pink, it’s I who doesn’t deserve you.  So many years I’d avoided you.  Yes you still can be a pain in my flanks.”  
Pinkie giggled, Rainbow continued.
“But I think the biggest reason I avoided you was I did have feelings for you.  More than I ever wanted to admit or believe at the time.  
Yes, I let my guard down from time to time.  And when I did, I never regretted any of the times I woke up next to you.  In fact, when Twilight told me she’d woke up to find you in her bed.  Well, I was a bit jealous, even though I knew you wouldn’t have done anything with her.”
“Scrawny flanks!” They said together giggling.
“I guess she’s Muffins’ problem now!” said Pinkie.
They both laughed.
Soon the two ponies were in blissful slumber, still with their forelegs around each other.  Thankful to have the other as a wife to love fully.  

After a night interrupted with nightmares, love-play and honest pillow-talk, Rainbow was amazed that Pinkie was still up early and making breakfast.
Rainbow walked into the kitchen, immediately she knew something was up.  On the table were all of Rainbow’s favorites.  There were oat muffins, berries with whipped cream and eggs over easy.  A hot cup of coffee steaming by her plate.  Pinkie was already sitting at the table.
“Good morning, sleepy-head,” said Pinkie, no trace of the night’s terrors in her voice.  “I was just about to come get you.  Sit and eat before it gets cold.”
Rainbow sat and the two ponies ate in silence.  Odd for Pinkie, but it was the way Rainbow liked it, which set off another red flag.  Pinkie had done a fantastic job on the breakfast.  Rainbow had finished and was sipping on a second cup of coffee, she figured it was the right time to ask what she was being buttered up for.
“Great meal Pink, as usual,” she started, “so what’s up.  You don’t go this all out unless you want something.  So spill it.”
“What do you mean Dashie?” said Pinkie, pure innocence in her voice.  “Can’t I cook the pony I love more than anything her favorite breakfast?”
“Then you aren’t wanting or needing anything?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Okay look, its not like in the past where you had to chase me down to see if I’d hang with you and pull pranks.  We’re married, I’ve pulled my head out of my flanks and realized just how important you were and are to me.  We’re partners now, if you need something and you don’t know what I’d say, then just tell me.  I love you, I’ve made that clear and I only wish I’d admitted it sooner.  So out with it.”
Pinkie looked at the floor in thought.
“Since the accident, I’ve been stuck at home, not even our home.  I know I needed to take it easy so I could heal.  But now I feel like the walls are closing in.  I’ve read all your Daring Do books three times, and the mail and the news papers.  I’ve even had Scootaloo bring me the Foal Free Press, just to have some diversion.”
“And...” Interrupted Rainbow.
“I want to go back to work Dashie.  I’ve talked to Carrot and Cup Cake and they said they’d love to have me back helping.”
“Do you feel up to it?” asked Rainbow concerned.  “We don’t need the bits.  I got a promotion with the weather bureau.”
“Its not the money,” said Pinkie. “I just need to get out of the house before I go more coco-loco!”
Rainbow got up and walked to Pinkie.  She gave her a large hug and kiss.
“If you feel up to it, then go ahead.  Just promise me you’ll take it easy.”
“I promise Dashie!” said Pinkie returning an even larger kiss to Rainbow.
	
> CHAPTER TWO: What Is Up With Pinkie?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Muffins was in Sugarcube Corner picking up her favorite cookies.  
“Pinkie!” exclaimed Muffins, seeing her friend.
“Muffins!  So good to see you,” said the pink pony.
“You must be doing better to be back at work.”
“Yes, I told Dashie if I didn’t get out of the house, I’d go crazy.  Or at least crazier.” 
Both ponies chuckled. 
“I understand.” Said Muffins, “after giving birth to Dawn, Twilight and I decided we wanted to nurse her as long as possible, I got tired of being stuck home most of the time.  But since I live where I work, I didn’t have to miss that.”
“I know what you mean.  You know that I use to live here, so I use to have no problem being at work.  But being stuck in the house, well it was time I got out.”
“Well I’m glad to see you out and about.  You and Rainbow need to come over for dinner one evening.  It’ll do you good to be around your friends.  And Cookie and Dawn miss you.”
“Awe! They’re so sweet,” said Pinkie. “I miss the little angels too.  I’ll talk to Dashie and we’ll make a date.”
“That’s great,” said Muffins turning and leaving.  “I’ll tell Twilight.  See you later Pinkie.”
“See you too BH.” said Pinkie going back to the backroom.
Muffins stopped in her tracks.
“Did she just call me what I think she did?” Muffins asked herself out loud.  “No, couldn’t be.  Just my imagination.”

Later that evening, Twilight had finished reshelfing the cooking section, she came into the main room of the library to see Pinkie spread out on a sofa, there were several books around her and on the floor.
“Hey Pinkie,” said Twilight, glad to see her friend.  “I heard you were back to work, that’s great.  Muffins told me that she invited you and Rainbow over for dinner some night.  I have some eggplant steaks we could put on the grill.  How about Thursday night?”
“That sounds great Twi.” Said Pinkie, “I’ll bring a carrot cake, not my boss.”
Both laughed.
“Hey Twi, do you have a copy of Orion Shine’s The Dark Magic of Spirits?”
“Yes, it’s over there on the top shelf...” Twilight paused, she noticed the books Pinkie had around her.  All advanced magic books.  “What do you need that for?”
“Just catching up,” said Pinkie nonchalantly. 
“Are you going to be taking all these books home?” asked Twilight.
“No, I’ve already read them.”
“O... K...,” said Twilight, “I’ll get your book.”
Twilight looked back at the shelf but the book was gone.
“Its okay,” said Pinkie, “I got it.  Just needed to check one thing”
Twilight was sure that Pinkie hadn’t gotten up.  Twilight turned to look at the shelf again, the book was now there.  Then she heard the door.
“See you later,” said Pinkie leaving.
Twilight turned back and all the books Pinkie had collected were back on the shelves. 
“Uh… Bye Pinkie Pie,”
Pinkie laughed as the door closed.
“That rhymes!” 

As Pinkie was leaving, Muffins was returning;
“Hello again Pinkie.”
“Hello again Muffins.” said Pinkie.
As Pinkie passed, she reached out and ‘goosed’ Muffins on the inner side of her thigh.  The exact spot extremely ticklish to Muffins.
“Pinkie!” she exclaimed, but Pinkie had already taken off at a fast trot.

Muffins rushed into the library and called out.
“TWILIGHT!”
Twilight froze, no endearment, no ‘hello, I’m home!’  Twilight tried hard to think of what she might’ve done… 
Or forgot to do.
“Yes Darling?”
Twilight could tell Muffins was pissed about something,  When she was irked, she’d hover about three feet off the floor in an upright posture with her forelegs crossed across her chest.  It was an instinctive action to make her look bigger and more intimidating.  And right now, it was working.  Muffins reminded Twilight of some bird of prey about to pounce on a helpless mouse.  
And Twilight was feeling very ‘mousey’ right now.
“What intimate information about us have you been telling Pinkie Pie?”
“Other than you could suck the chrome off a wagon hitch, lick a stone mare to climax and that you drool when you sleep, nothing.” Said Twilight hoping to be funny.  
It didn’t work.  Muffins rose about another foot up.
“Twilight, the children are upstairs and they can hear you.  
And I don’t drool!”
“Sorry Sweetie,” said Twilight, “I didn’t think you were serious.  I don’t talk about such things to anypony, even my closest friends, why?”
“Well, while I was leaving Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie called me by a name Shooting Star used to call me while we were dating.  Then as I was coming in, she ‘goosed’ me in my ticklish spot.  How’d she know about these things unless you’ve told her?”
“First, I’ve not said anything.  That ticklish spot was found by me after hard, honest lovemaking.”  Twilight said with a sly smile.  Muffins blushed.
“Well what about the name?” asked Muffins.
“What about the name?” asked Twilight.  “I’ve never asked you anything about your love life with Shooting Star, other than maybe ‘who licked your clitoris better?’”
Muffins looked annoyed but smiled and blushed anyway. 
“The children can hear you,” said Muffins. “Then why did Pinkie call me BH?”
Twilight was puzzled;
“What’d you do to make Pinkie call you a bitch?”
“Not bitch, BH.  Because of my cutie mark, Shooting was calling me Bubbles, Bubbles Hooves, B-H.  Shooting was into initials at that time for some reason.  You know scientist with their abbreviations, acronyms and jargon.”  
Muffins settled back to the floor, wings still upraised.  Another sub-conscience intimidation posture.  Twilight had seen Rainbow Dash do this when she was chewing out one of her Weather Team underlings, Muffins had probably been on the receiving end of such a rant at one time.  
Twilight was starting to wish she’d grown up with Pegasi friends.  It would’ve prepared herself to deal with the actions and reactions of her wife.
“That’s starting to bother me.  Just before you came in, I found Pinkie with several advanced magic books, she said she’d just read them.  She asked for another one.  When I went to get it, it was gone.  When I turned back to Pinkie, she had it.  Then when she went to leave, all the books were back where they belonged.  And I’d swear that Pinkie never left where she was sitting.”
“We had better keep an eye on Pinkie.” Said Muffins, folding her wings.  “She’s been through a lot.  Maybe she’s still suffering some affects of the brain trauma.”
“Yes,” said Twilight, then with a sly gleam in her eyes, “and speaking of your ticklish spot.”
There was a purple aura around Muffins and Twilight, then in a flash they were in their bedroom.  Twilight tackled Muffins to the bed and proceeded to make merciless love to her wife.  
Making sure to get her ticklish spot good. 
“Oh Twilight!” moaned Muffins.

It was a long first day back at work.  Rainbow was concerned her wife would overdo it.  But Pinkie reported she had fun and even had some time to go to the library.  She related how Twilight and Muffins invited them over to grill some eggplant steaks on Thursday.  
Pinkie was feeling good enough to make a oat noodle and cheese casserole.  They spent the evening sitting around and talking about their day.  
It was getting late and having her pink wife all back to normal was making Rainbow happy.  Rainbow said she was going to hit the shower before bed.  Pinkie said she would too, but she had to finish putting the dishes away.

Rainbow was laying on the bed, she could hear Pinkie in the shower.  The shower stopped and she could hear her pink pony brushing her teeth.
After a few minutes, Rainbow heard Pinkie come in the room.  Pinkie climbed on the bed.  She gently rolled Rainbow on her stomach.  Rainbow felt Pinkie’s hooves on her hips pulling her up,  Rainbow took the hint and raised up to her elbows and knees.  She was happy to accommodate the best love maker she ever knew.
Soon Pinkie’s tongue was deep in Rainbow’s marehood, the feeling was awesome.
“Pink, for a pony who isn’t a mare-lover, you’re the best mare-lover I’ve ever known.” 
Then Pinkie stopped.  Next was unexpected, Pinkie mounted Rainbow’s back.  Rainbow was about to ask what her wife was up to when she felt her marehood penetrated.  A shock, but not unpleasant. 
‘Pinkie must have found a new toy,’ thought Rainbow.
It had been a while since Rainbow has had intercourse as with a colt.  Not her favorite way, but it still was good.
Pinkie was working it good,  Rainbow felt parts of her marehood stimulated that had been untouched for a while.  The orgasm was coming and fast, she could tell that Pinkie was really into this.
The orgasm hit, Rainbow let out a loud cry, but so did Pinkie, not her typical climax laugh.  As she did, Rainbow could swear that she felt something hot pumping deep inside her marehood.  But the feeling quickly passed, she attributed it to her imagination.
Rainbow slumped to her belly, Pinkie rolled off Rainbow’s back and on to her own.  Rainbow looked over to her wife in prelude of giving her a kiss when she noticed a red aura around her wife.  Also, there was no sex toy strapped to Pinkie.
Rainbow panicked.  She ran to the bathroom and checked herself.  Other than the normal marehood wetness, there wasn’t anything inside her.
She returned to the bed room and from the doorway she saw that there was still a red aura around Pinkie, but it was slowly fading.  
Pinkie looked over at Rainbow, still in the doorway. 
“You’re still the best lay in all Equestria… Muffins.” Said the pink pony.

It was like being hit with a bag of rocks.  Rainbow rushed the bed and grabbed up Pinkie and shouted.
“Muffins??? Muffins!!! If you weren’t getting over a head injury, I’d slap the horse-apples out of you!  That’s not funny!”
Suddenly the aura around Pinkie was gone.  Pinkie looked panicked.
“Dashie! What are you doing?” said Pinkie starting to cry, “I thought you loved me!”
“Calling me Muffins isn’t cool!  I don’t appreciate you thinking about somepony else when we’re making love.  Or is there something more to it than that?  Do I need to go talk to Twilight about you and her wife?”
“Dashie, you’re frightening me!  I’ve no idea what you’re talking about!”  Tears were streaming from her eyes.
“We’ll talk in the morning!”
With that Rainbow grabbed a blanket and stormed out to the living-room to sleep on the couch.  But she couldn’t go to sleep, Pinkie was crying that loud.

Nothing made sense, Pinkie was a joker and a sex fiend when she was alone with Rainbow.  But to think Pinkie was fantasizing about one of their friends during sex. Or worse, Pinkie and Muffins were having an liaison was unthinkable.  

Rainbow got up and went back into the bedroom.  Pinkie was laying on her side, facing the wall.  She was still crying.  Rainbow lay back down on the bed, Pinkie spun around and threw her forelegs around Rainbow and looked into her eyes.  Pinkie’s beautiful blue eyes were red from crying, in her face was the innocence of a newborn foal.  But the fear which comes from the threat of lost love.
“What ever I did, what ever I said, what ever I thought, I’m so, so sorry!” she pleaded.
“No Pink, I’m sorry.  I’d no right to threaten to hit you. What ever the reason.”
Rainbow was trying to stay cool about it, but it wasn’t working.  She could feel the tears pouring down her cheeks.
The two lay there hugging tightly, crying hard.
“Pink, I love you so much, please forgive me.”
“Forgive me Dashie, I’d never do anything to make you doubt me.  Being your wife is the greatest thrill, the greatest success of my life!  Don’t hate me.”
“Oh Pink! I never could,” said Rainbow.
The two of them hugged tightly and cried themselves to sleep. 

Rainbow awoke the next morning, Pinkie wasn’t in the bed and there was no smell of cooking.  She got out of bed and went to find Pinkie.  Pinkie was just sitting on the couch in the living room.  She looked up and saw Rainbow.
“Dashie, I’m frightened,” said the pink pony.
“Of what?” asked Rainbow.  “Last night was a fluke.  All couples have falling outs.  The important thing is they work it out and move on.  Our love is strong enough to weather this.”
Rainbow sat by Pinkie and put her wing around Pinkie’s shoulders, and put her hoof in Pinkie’s lap.  Pinkie took her hoof and kissed it and put it to her cheek.
“Listen Pink, last night I threatened to go to Twilight to talk about what I thought was going on.  I still think that we should go talk to her.  Not about me thinking you’re unfaithful, which I don’t think you could ever be.  But something is going on and Twi knows a lot about a lot.”
“Sure thing, I want to find out myself.”
“Good, we can grab some donuts and coffee at Sugarcube Corner.  Plus you can let the Cakes know you won’t be in today for personal reasons.”
Rainbow held Pinkie close, put both wings around her pink love and kissed her deeply.  

The couple walked to Sugarcube Corner, quite often gently nudging the other playfully with their flanks.  Since the accident, Rainbow stayed on the ground when she was with Pinkie.  She’d always enjoyed the thrill of flight, even if it was just hovering along while her friends walked.  But Pinkie still had some weakness in her hind legs and the occasional dizzy spell.  So Rainbow liked to be close by to help.  
Rainbow didn’t care how sappy it made her look, doting over her wife.  She’d almost lost her permanently and she was bound and determined to make sure she gave Pinkie all the attention she deserved, and had been denied by her in the past.
Rainbow often reflected on the past, how she’d actively avoid Pinkie at most times.  Pinkie was so wild and free, random and infuriating.  But most ponies would just say ‘Pinkie Pie is just being Pinkie Pie’.  
The truth was, Rainbow was just as wild and free, and she was actually a little jealous.  Rainbow thought she had to appear ‘cool’ at all times.  Pinkie didn’t care what ponies thought of her.  She had fun and she did what she wanted to do.  
Such a pony was the only type of pony Rainbow could love.  She just had to come to terms with the whole ‘love’ thing, and it was hard.  She’d always thought it was too sappy when a couple would sit in the park and hold hooves, or sit at the soda shop and share one hay smoothie with two straws.  Or worse (at that time), be committed to an exclusive relationship, with all the playful banter and pet names, in public.

Now Pinkie sat eating a couple jelly-filled donuts and sipping some fresh milk, while Rainbow enjoyed some maple frosted bars and some stiff coffee.  Pinkie was a beauty to Rainbow, even now with powdered sugar on her face.
“Dashie, I want to change my name.”  Said Pinkie out of nowhere.
Rainbow paused, swallowed her mouthful of donut, and washed it down with coffee.
“Change it to what?  And why?”
“I was thinking that Pinkamena Diane Dash sounds so much better.  After all, you’ve taken such good care of me.  Watched over me, and was even ready to die for me.  I’ve no way else to prove how much I’m thankful for all you’ve done and are willing to do.  I’m yours and nopony else’s and I want all the world to know.”
“That’s a big step,” said Rainbow, feeling a little misty. “We kept our names and added the others as a sign of our partnership.  I know it’s an old-fashioned idea, but I always thought when a mare took the colt’s name it was more like a sign of property.  Neither of us is a colt.”
“Thank Celestia,” injected Pinkie with a giggle.
“But if this is how you truly feel, then I’m for it.  Do you want me to drop the ‘Pie’ from my name?  I kind of like having that connection to you.”
“You can do what you want, you always can.
I see how my mother is always there for Maude, Limestone, Marble and me.  She’s always there for my dad as well.  She’s proud of who she is, and works hard in the home and at the rock farm.  Being my dad’s wife is the proudest thing she does.  My dad sees all this and does all he could to make things easier on mom.  
I want us to be like that.  You’re not the husband or the dad.  But in our relationship, you kind of fill that position, and I’m happy with that.  It excites me to think of you that way.  And I want to be the wife you deserve.
So I hope you’re not upset, but I asked Twilight about a week ago if she’d draw up the papers and have Princess Celestia sign them.”
There was such a tender look on Pinkie’s face.
“I’d breakdown and cry right now Pink, but it’s hard to take you totally seriously with donut sugar on your face like that.” Said Rainbow with a smile.
“Well, you can lick it off me if you want,” said Pinkie flashing her ‘bedroom eyes’.		
‘What the Tartarus?’ thought Rainbow, and she leaned forward started to lick Pinkie’s cheek.  
But Pinkie quickly turned and caught Rainbow’s tongue in her mouth.  The pink pony sucked it in then would back off again, she did this over and over again.  Finally their lips met and were firmly sealed against each other.  It was perhaps the most erotic kiss Rainbow had ever done with any pony in public, and Rainbow didn’t care who saw.  She only hoped nopony would notice just how wet she’d become.  
“Get a room,” called Lyra Heartstrings jokingly from another table.
“Yes, and let us know if you need any help,”  Said Bon-Bon, her wife.
All four ponies giggled.
“Not this time girls,” said Rainbow.
“Can we get a rain-check?” asked Pinkie.
Laughs all around. 

Rainbow and Pinkie got up to leave, but not before Rainbow took a napkin and wiped off the cushion she’d been setting on.  Then just to be sure, she turned it over.  
Lyra and Bon-Bon giggled at the procedure but said nothing.  Rainbow looked over and shrugged her shoulders.  Bon-Bon and Lyra responded by copying the kiss between themselves.  Rainbow just smiled.
On leaving Sugarcube corner, they turned down the street toward the library.  
Standing by a vegetable cart, were Muffins and Twilight.  Rainbow couldn’t tell what Muffins was saying, but it had Twilight looking sheepish.  Then, while Muffins was saying something with an impish look on her face, Twilight grabbed the blue-gray Pegasus and planted a large kiss on the lips.
What followed, shocked Rainbow to the core.
“NO!” screamed Pinkie. 
Pinkie took off like a shot in the direction of Twilight and Muffins.  Rainbow saw the red aura around her wife again, it was visible even in the bright sunlight.
“Keep your filthy hooves off my wife you mare-lover!” continued Pinkie.
There was a red aura around Muffins, it pulled Muffins away several feet from Twilight.  Startled by her wife moving off mid-kiss, Twilight looked up in time to see Pinkie draw back and backhoof her across the face and jaw.  Twilight went flying.  Rainbow saw Pinkie rear up on her hind legs as if she intended to come down on Twilight’s head with both front hooves.
There was the sound of a loud voice, but the word was unrecognizable.

Twilight and Muffins were picking up some fresh vegetables for Rainbow and Pinkie’s visit the next day.  Muffins gestured to the vegetables.
“We should pick up some carrots for the children, you know how much they love carrots.” Said Muffins, then with a mischievous gleam in her eyes, she continued. “But look at the size of those cucumbers.  Maybe we could pick up some for something other than the salad.”
Twilight blushed and lowered her head.  Muffins was enjoying Twilight’s embarrassment, so she continued teasing. 
“So which would you prefer?  One of these large round ones?  No, I bet you’d like one of the really long ones...”
Muffins was cut off by Twilight’s kiss.  It was taking Twilight’s breath away when she heard what sounded like Pinkie screaming.
“Keep your filthy hooves off my wife you mare-lover!”
Muffins felt herself lifted and moved away.  
Twilight was confused.  Muffins just moving off in the middle of a kiss was a shock.  She looked up in time to see what looked like Pinkie but encased in a red aura.  Then came the backhoof across her face.  It stunned Twilight for a moment.  She managed to open her eyes in time to see Pinkie on her hind legs with her front hooves poised to come down on her head.
There was the sound of a loud voice, but the word was unrecognizable. That was followed by a flash.
	
> CHAPTER THREE: Zecora
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Zecora was in meditation.  To most ponies she was just that odd zebra who spoke in verse and lived in the Everfree Forest.  An herbalist and natural medicine healer.  But there were a few ponies, like Twilight Sparkle, who knew her talents, and yes, powers were much deeper.
She was living proof of the theory you didn’t have to be a Unicorn to be able to use magic.  She practiced a slightly different type of magic than the Unicorns did.  There were charlatans who used theatrics, superstition and to a degree, knowledge of chemistry to fool others into thinking they’d special powers.  Even some Unicorns like Trixie Lulamoon who took this short-cut rather than honest study.  
But Zecora used a knowledge of the natural universe, the living world, medicinal plants and substances along with a discipline which had been passed down for incalculable generations back to antiquity.
Zecora reached out in her contemplation, feeling the flow of nature.  She could feel something out of place.  It was coming from Ponyville.  The feeling of a presence which shouldn’t be there.  
‘Go,’ said the voice of her spirit guide, in her mind.  From the sound of his voice, it was important.
Zecora opened her eyes, lowered herself from the staff she’d been balancing on the top of with just one hoof.  She collected her saddlebag and placed several herbs and bags of premixed ingredients in the saddlebag, and headed out to Ponyville. 

In many ways, the Everfree Forest was still an alien world to her.  Zecora missed the wide open savanna of her native land; which stretched from horizon to horizon, the sight of the holy mountain in the distance.  She and her kind had occupied these lands for all of time, or so it seemed.  It was a wild beauty which was part of her.  Her tribe and all the zebra tribes lived nomadic lives, following the food, when one area was well grazed, they’d move on.  It was hard sometimes having to compete with some of the other, not quiet sentient occupants.  Also the predators made life sometimes precarious.  
The lions had risen in intelligence as well and were seldom a threat to sentient species, but they often would demand tribute to protect the weaker species.  For the most part they weren’t too demanding usually it was medicine and healing from the shamans.  It was nice to have such an ally.  
However, they couldn’t be everywhere, but their wrath was great when they found that the lesser predators, such as hyenas, had attacked clans under their protection.
Evolution had led some of the others in the land to a level equal to the point of lesser equines of antiquity.  In fact giraffes and gazelle were starting to be at a point where some could communicate with her people, but at a primitive level.  
It was a hard living, but Zecora did enjoy a certain level of privilege, being a tribal shaman.  But came the day when she was out collecting herbs when she returned to the encampment to find that her people had been decimated and mutilated by a pack of vicious hyenas.  Only old Kin’la, her teacher, was still alive, but barely.   There were many hyena carcasses surrounding her, but there were more hyenas than she could’ve handled.  Zecora knew she also would be laying dead if she’d been there.  Two shamans were not enough to stop the hyenas once they had tasted blood.
Kin’la told Zecora to seek her destiny elsewhere or suffer her people’s fate.  She had to find a spirit guide and trust them.  
Then Kin’la was gone.  
Zecora felt crushed to loose her people. But more over, to loose Kin’la, her teacher, mentor and her mother.  It was more than enough motivation to leave.
Afterward, she meditated in a safe spot she’d found on the holy mountain.  She ate nothing and only took a few sips of water each day for twenty days.  
Finally when she was about to give up, her spirit guide came to her.  
He was like a gorilla but not as stocky.  He stood upright on his hind legs.  He looked wise yet sad.  He was almost hairless except for the top of his head, and it was the color of the snow which always covered the top of the holy mountain.  His skin was the color of night with bright eyes shining forth on his face.  It appeared he was covered, lightly, with colorful flowing robes.  Her spirit guide said he was a binadamu(1),(2),  a race who destroyed themselves countless millennia ago.  He’d once been a holy-man and healer of the Maasai tribe in this land.  He’d chosen to stay between the worlds to try to prevent any race which came after, not to make the mistakes which destroyed the binadamu(3).
He had the strange name of Dahood.  Dahood told Zecora she needed to travel north, to a land inhabited by a race called ‘Little Ponies’.  
Zecora had heard of them, it was said their rulers were responsible for the raising and setting of the moon and sun.  They had magic, science and wisdom.  They had powerful leaders but few had any true direction.  He was sending her to be the first to offer direction.  Her and any apprentices that may be willing to come after.
It’d been an arduous journey from there to here.  But Dahood directed her to this place.  She could always feel him at the edge of consciousness.  And with meditation, she could communicate with him.  Along the way she learned from witch doctors, shamans and scientist.  
Her powers grew, but she’d made sure to not to cultivate fame or public notice.
It was her intent to let her knowledge and personality bring those who needed her help to her.
It had worked, she now had many friends in Ponyville after a shaky start.  It took one brave little filly to break the ice and get others to know her.  The filly was always full of questions, and for the most part, they were the right questions.  Indeed, Zecora was starting to teach her to be an apprentice.  She could always feel the curiosity when Apple Bloom visited, and these were becoming more and more frequent.  She found Apple Bloom’s little filly friends were encouraging her to learn more and more.  Once Zecora was a pariah, now she was almost as much a celebrity as the six hero ponies of Ponyville.  Apple Bloom looked up to Zecora the way Scootaloo looked up to Rainbow Pie-Dash.
As Zecora left the boundaries of the forest, she headed directly into Ponyville.  She was almost to Sugarcube Corner when the feeling of something out of place hit her harder.  She looked and saw Pinkie charging toward Twilight and Muffins Sparkle.  What she saw next wasn’t something she’d expected.  Pinkie was surrounded by a red aura.  Pinkie projected that aura at Muffins, lifting and moving her away from Twilight.  Then Pinkie struck Twilight across the face, knocking her down.  Pinkie reared up to bring her hooves down on Twilight’s head.  It could’ve been a death blow.
Zecora shouted in her native language a command taught to her by old Kin’la, her mentor:
“Kufungia!”(4)
There was a bright flash around Pinkie.  The red aura was still there but she was frozen mid-action.   Pinkie’s eyes looked this way and that.  But that was the only motion from the pink pony.

Rainbow came flying up.
“Twi!  What did you do to her?”
“It wasn’t me Rainbow, I didn’t have time to do anything!”
“Then who did?” Asked Muffins.
At that moment, Zecora came trotting up.

	“It was I who did it, Muffins My Dear;
I couldn’t let Pinkie hurt Twilight right here.”

“Thank you, Zecora.  You must teach me that sometime.” Said Twilight.
Zecora just smiled and nodded her head.  Then the zebra chanted another command that the rest didn’t understand:
“Usingizi.”(5)
Pinkie collapsed, her eyes closed, but the aura was still there.
“What did you do now?” exclaimed Rainbow.

	“She’s only asleep, but I think it best;
To take her to my hut, to discus the rest.”

Twilight levitated the motionless Pinkie and started to follow Zecora.  Muffins and Rainbow followed.  Muffins noticed blood oozing from the corner of Twilight’s mouth where Pinkie hit her.

“Are you alright Darling?” asked Muffins to Twilight, “you’re bleeding.”
“I’m fine for now.  I think Pinkie knocked a couple teeth loose.  I’m starting to feel it.”

	“Fixing your teeth will be easy, my friend;
But fixing Pinkie may be harder, in the end.”  

They entered the Everfree Forest and followed the well worn path to Zecora’s hut.  Once inside, Zecora motioned to put Pinkie on her bed.  Zecora busied herself gathering some herbs and berries, put them in a mortar, and ground them with a pestle.  Then she dumped the ingredients into her cauldron.  There was a puff of green smoke.  Zecora took a ladle, dipped it into the brew, and then poured the measure into a drinking bowl.
Zecora then motioned Twilight to take the bowl.

	“Drink this down, every last drop;
It’ll fix your teeth and cause the bleeding to stop.”

Twilight levitated the bowl to her mouth.  Trusting Zecora, downed it quickly.  There was a tingling in her mouth, she felt the teeth moving.  Then all was still.  Twilight felt the teeth with her tongue.  They were solidly imbedded in her jaw.  She also noticed the taste of blood had stopped as had the pain.
“Thank you Zecora,” said Twilight.  “Again, I’m in your debt.”

	“Your friendship is all the payment I need;
But Pinkie’s story I must now heed.” 

Twilight started to relate what had happened about six months ago when Shooting Star, Muffins’ late ex-husband appeared from the past.  And also the crash which all but killed Pinkie.  How she was crushed by Shooting Star’s insistence he would keep herself from her beloved Muffins and children, even if he had to kill her.  Then overhearing that Pinkie was about to die and Rainbow swearing to kill herself when it happened because she didn’t want to go on without Pinkie.  Twilight told how devastated it made her, she felt she was about to loose her love, her family, two of her best friends and perhaps her life.  It was then she remembered an obscure spell for trading your life-force for another pony’s.  She was just about to do the spell when Shooting Star knocked her out with a spell of his own, and while she was out, he performed the spell and gave his life to Pinkie.

	“After this time is when, I presume;
Pinkie’s troubles started to bloom?” 

“Shooting Star had left a book inscribed to me.  When I read the inscription, Pinkie quoted some fact about the book, saying it was Shooting Star's favorite chapter.”  Related Twilight.

	“That’s strange, I must admit;’
But there’s more that’s not been revealed yet?”

“Well,” said Muffins, “I met Pinkie at Sugarcube Corner.  She’d just went back to work.  When I left she called me BH.”
Zecora chuckled;

	“Oh dear Muffins, that’s really rich;
What’d you do to have Pinkie call you a bitch?”

Twilight and Rainbow snickered.  Muffins kicked Twilight’s shin.  
“Ouch!” exclaimed Twilight. “Rainbow laughed too.”
“I’m not married to Rainbow,” said Muffins.
“And not bitch,” said Muffins turning her attention back to Zecora, “B.H., Bubbles Hooves!  It’s a nickname that Shooting Star called me when we first started dating, then he started to abbreviate it.  
Later that day I met Pinkie coming out of the library, she ‘goosed’ me in a very private ticklish spot that only Shooting Star and Twilight knew about.”
“Oh yeah, where?”  whispered Rainbow to Twilight.
“Rainbow!” exclaimed Muffins.  Despite not being married to Rainbow, she kicked her shin as well.
“Horse-apples!” exclaimed Rainbow.
Twilight continued with her experience from that day.
“I came into the main floor of the library, there was Pinkie surrounded by advanced magic books.  She said she’d just read all of them and asked for another.  I told her where it was, when I turned to get it, it was gone and Pinkie had it.  I turned again to look and the book was back, in fact all the books were back in their place.  And I’d swear that Pinkie hadn’t gotten out of her seat.”

	“This is good information to know;
But I believe there’s more, am I right Rainbow?”

“It’s rather personal.”  Said Rainbow, here friends had never seen Rainbow this embarrassed.

	“If you wish to help Pinkie, the truth must be had;
Otherwise the end of all this will be sad!” 

Rainbow blushed and took a deep breath.
“Last night, Pinkie came to bed and pulled me up to my back knees and elbows.  She proceeded to perform oral sex.  I was really getting into it when she stopped.  She mounted my back and I felt something penetrate my marehood, just like a colt’s ‘thing’.  You know the feeling, there’s no mistaking it.”
Muffins and Zecora nodded their heads.
“Actually, no,” said Twilight quietly, lowering her head embarrassed.
“You aren’t missing anything my Darling,” whispered Muffins nuzzling her wife.  Zecora smiled and nodded in agreement.
“I thought Pinkie had got a new sex toy.  It was feeling really good.  When the orgasm hit, it did for Pinkie also.  But instead of her normal noise, she let out a cry, I swear I felt something hot pumping in me for a moment.  Pinkie rolled off and I was about to kiss her when I noticed the red glow around her.  I also noticed there was no sex toy.  I ran into the bathroom to check inside my marehood, but there wasn’t anything.  I perhaps imagined  it.   But when I came back into the room, Pinkie was still glowing.  She turned to me and said, 
‘You’re still the best...’”
“...lay in all Equestria, Muffins,” finished Muffins.  “Shooting Star would always say that after sex!”
Twilight looked a little uncomfortable.  
“Sorry Darling,” whispered Muffins.
Rainbow looked unnerved. 
“I lost my temper,” said Rainbow, “I said I was going to talk to Twilight and accuse Pinkie of having an affair with Muffins.  Then I went too far, I threatened to slap her for fantasizing about Muffins during sex.” 
There was a tears rolling down Rainbow’s cheek.
“I’m so, so sorry Muffins, I lost my head, I know you and Pinkie could never do that.  I guess after all these years of denial, I’ve become quite possessive of Pinkie.  
She told me this morning about contacting you, Twilight, about changing her last name to Dash and dropping the Pie.  I never thought I could feel this much love for anypony, so the thought of Pinkie being with another pony hurt so much.”
“The princess signed those papers and I have them in the library.  We were going to give them to you at dinner tomorrow,” said Twilight.
Muffins hugged Rainbow, Rainbow cried hard.
Zecora looked at the ground, as if in thought, then she spoke to Twilight.

	“What was the spell, Shooting Star did use;
I must know, or Pinkie we may loose.”

Twilight started to speak in terms only she and Zecora understood.  It was if they were speaking in another language.

“I know this spell, if your words are true;
It is one that was known to my tribe too.
There must be preparation of the mind, you see;
Or trouble with the results there will be.
If the mind isn’t bound to the spirit, or so I’ve heard;
Then more than the life-force is transferred.
Instead of the spell being a means of salvation;
It becomes a vehicle of possession!”

“I doubt Shooting Star knew of this, or had time to do the preparation,” said Twilight.  Then Twilight’s eyes went wide and looked at Muffins, “or perhaps he did know this!”

“Oh no!” said Muffins in horror.
“That makes sense,” said Rainbow, “Pinkie’s been having nightmares about her crash.  She’s in a dark tunnel and there’s a stallion she describes as gray with red mane and tail.”
“Shooting Star!” exclaimed Muffins and Twilight.
“He tells Pinkie when he gave her his life, he took hers.  Then Pinkie is drawn into what can only be described as Tartarus.”

	“There’s no more room for debate;
We must act before it is too late!”
	
> CHAPTER FOUR: A Dark Journey
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It took a lot of persuasion to get Rainbow to leave the hut with Pinkie unconscious.  But Zecora told her she needed assistance and there was only one pony to do this, and Rainbow Dash was the only pony who could go and get them and come back quickly.  To all’s surprise, the pony she wanted was Apple Bloom.  
It was a bigger surprise when Rainbow Dash barged in on Miss Cheerilee’s spelling test and insisted there was a medical emergency and Apple Bloom was needed for it.
Dinky, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon (who both had become better friends with the CMC’s after Twilight saved Diamond from expulsion from school), were worried for their friend.  They thought something was wrong with Granny Smith, Big Mac or Applejack.
Rainbow told Apple Bloom on the way that Zecora had requested her assistance.  This was no surprise to Apple Bloom.  But Apple Bloom did thoroughly enjoy the ride on Rainbow’s back.  She could see why Scootaloo was so stoked about the flying lessons Rainbow was giving her.

When they arrived at Zecora’s hut, Apple Bloom got off Rainbow’s back but was courteous enough to thank her for the ride.

On entering, Apple Bloom and Zecora greeted each other in words the rest of the ponies didn’t understand, then gave formal kisses to each other’s cheeks.

“Salamu bwana mganga(1),” said Apple Bloom.
“Salamu mwanafunzi(2) ,” replied Zecora.

Rainbow stood by the bed so she could be by Pinkie, she was being reminded of a similar time with Pinkie laying on a bed comatose, not that very long ago.  Rainbow didn’t know if even her daredevil nerves could take that again.  Rainbow was stroking Pinkie’s mane and speaking quietly. 
“Hold on Pink,” said Rainbow, “I won’t let anything happen to you, I swear.  I love you too much to lose you.”
Then Rainbow leaned in and kissed Pinkie lightly on the lips.

Zecora was consulting some scrolls and then turned to Apple Bloom and spoke;

	“Empty the caldron and fill it anew;
Fresh water must be had for the next brew.”

“Ndiyo, bwana mganga(3) ,” answered Apple Bloom

Apple Bloom walked over the cauldron as if to size it up.  Twilight knew that the filly couldn’t move such a large vessel full of liquid by herself, at least the Earth Pony way.  Twilight started to go over to help her, when Zecora put a hoof out to stop her.

	“I thank you for your offer, but I must insist;
The apprentice is able to handle this.” 

Apple Bloom stood in front of the cauldron, she lowered her head and closed her eyes.  The filly started chanting something in a quiet voice.  Nopony could quite hear it or at least, understand it.
Twilight looked at Zecora who was smiling proudly, then Twilight looked back at Apple Bloom.

	“Now you will heed;
Why your help she didn’t need.”

Twilight was used to the workings of magic, but this was new to her.  There was no magic aura around the cauldron, at least what she was accustom to.  She thought she could detect the air around it shimmer.  Then to the surprise of all but Zecora, the cauldron rose about a foot off the fire and proceeded Apple Bloom out the door. 
“Would you look at that,” said Rainbow.
“I didn’t realize that Apple Bloom was studying under you, Zecora,”  said Twilight.  “If I can be any help in the future, please let me know.”
Zecora smiled and nodded.  
Apple Bloom came back with the caldron.  She maneuvered it on the fire.  She then went out and quickly came back levitating more firewood.  It was stacked around the caldron neatly.  Then again to everyone’s astonishment (except Zecora) the filly said a word of command which caused the wood to burst into flame:
“Kuwasha!(4)” 
“I didn’t realize Apple Bloom had such abilities.” Said Muffins.
“I’m not ‘llowed to use anythin’ I’ve learned without Zecora’s supervision,” said Apple Bloom.
“A wise policy,” said Twilight chuckling, “I’ve seen reasons why when I was in school.  We weren’t sure if we could get Lemon Hearts’ head out of that flask before she suffocated.”

Zecora started to gather some herbs from a chest against the wall.  Twilight recognized what she was using.
“I beg your pardon, Zecora, but aren’t they poisonous?” asked Twilight.

“If eaten without care, poison they’d be;
But used the right way, the results you’ll see.
I’ll not lie, the risks are high;
But to go where you must, you must all but die.
But to save Pinkie’s soul, then it is a must;
My words you must heed and my skills you must trust”

“Are you saying we must come close to death, and there’s a possibility we may not come back?”  asked Twilight.
Zecora gravely nodded her head.  She informed them it must be Twilight and Rainbow that’d have do this.
Twilight looked at Muffins.  There was fear in her eyes.  Twilight knew from memories shared at Dawn’s birth, Muffins had watched her husband die.  The same look was now on her face.
Rainbow was struggling with thoughts she’d had before.  Could she willingly give up her life, the life she loved so much for a friend, or even for her beloved Pink.  
She looked over at Twilight and Muffins, they were embracing.  Muffins had just told Twilight she knew Twilight was ready to die for Pinkie and Rainbow once before, and even if she could talk Twilight out of it, Twilight would regret not taking the chance for the rest of her life.
Rainbow felt shame, Twilight had nothing at risk with this but she was going to do this for Pinkie and for herself.  For a pony who hadn’t known anything about real friendship just a hoof-full of years ago, Twilight was willing to practice the highest level of friendship, that of love.  The words returned to Rainbow;


‘No greater love has anypony than that they lay down their life for another pony.’


Did Twilight love Pinkie more than she loved Pinkie?  She’d denied Pinkie for so long, and now she’d accepted her as the love of her life.  Why did Twilight love Pinkie so much, then Dash also realized Twilight also loved Rainbow as well.  
The most random of thoughts hit her at that time, perhaps being around Pinkie so much was having an effect on her.  She remembered Twilight’s love crisis after Bon-Bon and Lyra’s wedding.  When Twilight mistakenly thought Rainbow was wanting to marry her and have sex.  
Now, just out of a newly perceived understanding, and yes, love for this friend, she wished she had at least once, had sex that is.
Then Rainbow heard her name;
“Rainbow, are you in?” asked Twilight.
Not wanting to appear reluctant she chimed in;
“Of course, what are we waiting for?”

They placed the unconscious Pinkie on the floor.  Zecora had drawn with chalk many strange glyphs around her unmoving form.  Zecora then mixed up her brew, it smelled nasty.  She instructed Rainbow and Twilight to lay on either side of Pinkie and hold her hoof.  
Muffins stood off to the side, not sure if she wanted to watch this or not.  But love made her strong.

“After you drink the brew, 
I can not assist you.
You’ll know what you’ll have to do; 
You’ll come back only when your task is through.
If Pinkie can not be spared; 
Then her fate you’ll share.”

Then Zecora did something Twilight had never witnessed before.  She repeated her warning in plain words so to give weight and understanding to what she was saying.

“You understand you don’t have to do this.  But once started it can’t be undone until you’ve accomplished your task,” Zecora paused, “or you’ll expire.  
All of Pinkie isn’t here, nor has all of Shooting Star gone away.  This is the task you must accomplish, you must go and get the rest of her from the underworld.
Also realize, this is probably just what he wants you to do.  So beware, you’re probably expected.” 

Muffins was trying not to cry.  She walked to Rainbow bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“Good luck, bring Pinkie back,” said Muffins.
Then she went to Twilight and gave her what she hoped wasn’t their final passionate kiss.
“Bring them both back, My Love,” she said.
“Don’t worry,” said Twilight trying to be brave, “I will.”
“Hey!” said Rainbow trying to lighten things up, mostly for herself.  “Twilight gets an awesome kiss and I get one I would’ve been disappointed with if my mother had kissed me that way.”
Despite the grave situation all got a chuckle.
“I’ll let Pinkie fix that for you,” said Muffins, “when you get back.”

	“When you’re done and a path you do lack;
Follow the chant and drum, to find your way back.”

Zecora then levitated two drinking bowls and dipped them in the brew.  

	“You must drink these dry;
Or else all you’ll do is die.”

The bowls floated to Rainbow and Twilight, they opened their mouths and the foul liquid poured in.  It was the worst thing they’d ever tasted.  
Zecora started to chant and Apple Bloom started to beat a steady beat on a drum.
It didn’t take long.  Twilight felt her stomach on fire, it spread through her quickly.  Twilight was about to panic, afraid that Zecora miscalculated and she was truly dying.  She was thinking how much she would miss her friends, her parents and brother.  But most of all, her wife and daughters.  Her will kicked in and she remembered Zecora telling her that she had to trust her skills.   It was a superpony effort, but she let her mind relax and accept what was going on, she only hoped that Rainbow could do the same.   
Rainbow felt the brew having its effect.  She knew that this was perhaps the closest she had ever been to death, despite all her ‘death defying’ stunts.  She was about to jump up and try to vomit the stuff out.  But then she remembered that Zecora said she had to trust the zebra’s skills.  Rainbow tried to relax and let it happen.  She could see Pinkie’s beautiful face, she was telling Rainbow to believe and come help her.  And even if she failed, they would be together always.  Rainbow found reason to give herself totally to what was happening. 
As it hit Twilight’s brain, everything grew dim.  She felt colder than when she was in the arctic on the way to the Crystal Empire.  Soon she couldn’t feel her limbs, her sight was going, and the last thing she saw was Muffins crying.  There was a ringing in her ears which was growing softer and softer until the only thing she heard was the chant and the drum.  It felt as if she was holding her breath but try as she might, she couldn’t take a breath.  Then all was black, there was no longer the feeling of breathlessness, no numb feeling in her limbs, no feeling at all, not even the cold.  There was only the chant and the drum.

The black gave way to a misty, half dark world.  The mist started to lighten up, she saw Rainbow laying on the ground, if ground it was.  Twilight stood up and walked to her friend and shook her.

“Rainbow!” she said loudly, “are you with me?”
The Pegasus moaned then slowly opened her eyes, looked around then focused on Twilight.
“So this is the place Pink tells me about, when she feels like talking about her crash.”
Rainbow got up, helped by Twilight.  Somehow Twilight’s touch gave her strength and reassurance.
“Let’s get going and find Pinkie,” said Twilight concerned, “I don’t think we can spend too much time in doing this.”
“Nor do I want to,” answered Rainbow.  “I don’t think living ponies were meant to spend too much time here.”
They looked around and saw ghostly shapes of ponies all going in one direction, just on the edge of sight.  There was also the sound of the chant and the drum.
“I guess we go this way,” said Twilight, pointing in the direction of the way the specters were headed.
Rainbow and Twilight walked together so close they were touching.  The feel of the warmth of Rainbow was the only physical sensation she was having.  It was comforting.  Rainbow was feeling the same.
The touch also awakened something in Twilight.  She could remember, or was it a premonition?  In here, time wasn’t certain.  She and Rainbow were grieving together, finding comfort in the forelegs of the other.  Passion was the only solace for the pain they’d been feeling for years.  Twilight could feel they were in love.  There was the memory of making love with Rainbow.  It wasn’t better or worse than with Muffins.  It was different, and that made it special.  But this was another time, to come or gone by, she couldn’t tell.
Twilight looked at Rainbow, Rainbow was looking back at her.
Rainbow lowered her head as if embarrassed and said;
“I’m sorry I may’ve hurt your feelings in the past, your flanks are actually hot, they were never too scrawny.”
“I’ve always admired your body, the way all that activity has sculpted you.  I only call you a show-off to hide my feelings.” Said Twilight, “I just wanted you to know just in case we never make it back.”
There was a sudden urge to embrace each other, but they fought it as neither the place or the time.
As they went along, they saw a glow, they weren’t sure if it was coming toward them or they it.  Then the mist around it cleared.
“Princess Celestia!” cried both ponies at once.

Muffins looked at her love and her two friends.  Twilight and Rainbow were pale, deathly pale.  She could hardly see them breathing.  She was frightened beyond words.   She’d so many things she wanted to ask Zecora, but she was told not to say anything while the chant and drum were going.  It had been hours and sometimes she felt the urge to breakdown and cry.  But she was afraid she’d distract Zecora or Apple Bloom, and then there would be no way back for any of them.  So Muffins would go outside until she got her crying under control, but she’d stay at the window to see what was going on.

“Yes it’s me,” said the Princess.  “You were going to learn about this quality of my position soon anyway Twilight.  I’m indeed the guardian and guide of Equestria’s dead.  I exist here and in the world of the living at the same time.  You’ll learn this one day, but now isn’t the time to talk about it.”
“We’re so glad you’re here, will you help us with getting Pinkie back?” asked Rainbow.
“I’m sorry My Dear Rainbow, here I can’t interfere with the natural course of things.  I’m only a guide.” Said the princess, “but as guardian I couldn’t allow even you Twilight to hinder those who’ve already gone.  There’s time for Pinkie, but not much.”
“Then as guide can you tell us where to go to find Pinkie?” asked Twilight.
Celestia smiled and pointed in the direction they’d been going.
“There’s only one way here, normally.  Just follow the other ponies,” said Celestia.  “But beware, I sense great magic, there could be obstacles.” 
With that Celestia faded and no other questions could be asked.

The two friends walked on, this time afraid to touch.  But they’d glance at each other from time to time.  They walked on for what seemed like forever.  Twilight couldn’t take the awkward silence any longer.  She stopped and turned to Rainbow, who stopped as well.

“Listen Rainbow,” said Twilight, “we can’t go on like this.  I’m sure you’ve had the same thing happen to you as I did.  I don’t know if it was a premonition, a memory from a past life (if there’s such a thing), or just a fantasy.  But we have to work together on this to save Pinkie.  We have loving wives to go back to and we can’t become afraid to interact with each other because of amorous feelings that we might have or had or will have for each other.  So I want to clear the air, as it were, and then we have to go on with what we have to do.”
Rainbow looked intensely, Twilight swallowed hard.
“Before Muffins, I was never really drawn to anypony, and you know it.  But even before the thing after Bon-Bon and Lyra’s wedding, I’d always thought you’d be a pony, if I was to give into feelings, I would’ve wanted to be with.  You’re outgoing, athletic and not afraid to say and do what you wanted.  Everything I’m not.  But I never followed up on it because of my studies and my inexperience, but most of all, I was afraid of rejection.  You were and still are a very popular pony and I was sure that you had enough ‘relationships’ that I wouldn’t have been of any interest or at least any challenge to you being the ‘Egg-Head’ you always accused me of being.” 
Rainbow looked into Twilight’s eyes, she was trying to figure the right way to say what she was thinking.
“That first day we met, when I plowed into you, knocking you in the mud.  I did it on purpose.  I’d seen you from a distance, and what I saw was a very cute pony.  You know my ‘proclivities’, so seeing a cute mare I hadn’t met, I wanted to get to meet you.  So I did the ‘Rainbow Dash’ thing and tackled you.  Even though we were laying in the mud, the feeling of being on top of you, you being warm and soft, it was all I could do not to ‘take you’ right then and there.  And if I hadn’t just had a fling with Berry Punch a couple hours earlier, I might have come on stronger than I did.  
But after that I tried to do my best not to think about it.  To just be friends was, and still is a very hard thing.  I said the scrawny flanks thing to mask my true feelings.”
“True feelings?” asked Twilight.
“There were and to a point, still are times, when you’re walking in front of me, your adorable flanks in plain sight, you’d be distracted and slightly relax your marehood, it happens to all mares.  I’d see it peeking out from under your tail occasionally.  I just want to stick my muzzle between your flanks and, as Pinkie says, ‘eat you with a spoon’.”
“I never knew any pony had any kind of feelings for me.  I’d thought Muffins was an exception.  I thought I learned everypony just ‘loves Twilight as a friend’.”
“Twi,” said Rainbow with an odd gleam in her eyes, “there are friends and there are friends.  You know what I mean?  I could name several ponies who’d trade their best set of horseshoes for the opportunity to take you to their beds!” 
“No way!” said Twilight astounded. 
“If you tell anypony I told you this, I’ll deny it.  But Davenport, the pony at the Quill and Sofa shop, I overheard him say after one of your visits that he’d love to break in one of the new sofas with you.  
That artist, Claude Ponet, told me once he’d really like for you to do some erotic poses for him, some he’d even paint.  
And now you’ve come over to the mare-lover side, I can tell you it’s not just the stallions.  
Cherry Berry will always turn and check out your rump as you walk past.
Candy Mane, the pony that runs the Children’s Home where Scootaloo lives.  I was talking to her while waiting on Scoot, the subject of you came up and said she’d love to make a romantic dinner for you and let the chips fall where they may.  
And Sea Swirl, the one mare who looks kind of like Sparkler, but a little lighter in color and has a two dolphin cutie mark.  She was a little more direct.  She told me she’d love to cover your marehood with honey and take a whole day to make sure she’d licked it clean.”
Twilight was shocked.
“Twi, you’re loved and even lusted after.  Don’t sell yourself short.  Given the chance I’d...”
With that Rainbow kissed Twilight a fairly passionate kiss.  Twilight experienced a different kind of breathlessness.  Twilight wanted to push Rainbow away and break the kiss, but she didn’t, and she didn’t understand why she didn’t.  Nor why she and Rainbow were embracing so tightly.
After, they both just stood there looking into each other’s eyes.
“I don’t know if it’s this place or what we were talking about, I’m not even sure we’ll remember all this, if we get back.  But I’ll explain to Muffins if I have to, it was I who kissed you.  But I had to try once, just in case we don’t make it back.”
“I won’t lie to Muffins,” said Twilight, “so if she ever asks, I’ll have to tell her the truth.”
“Fair enough,” said Rainbow with a wink, “let’s get moving before we both have some explaining that neither of us would want to do.”
They smiled at each other and trotted off in the proper direction.  Still careful about touching, but no longer afraid to.  Wondering if this is one of the obstacles Celestia spoke of.
	
> CHAPTER FIVE: Going Ahead 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Pinkie felt the voice inside her saying that this was all going to be over soon.  And she’d be free to go.
‘Go where?’ thought Pinkie to the voice.
‘Why, to go home, if this works out.’ It said, ‘but if you work against me, then it’ll be limbo for the both of us.  Me in you forever, making your non-existence an eternal nightmare.  And don’t try to do anything sneaky, I’m in your head, I know you, I know your friends.  I know everything you know, they’ll not let you die, so I’ll get back and have Muffins in your body or Twilight’s.  With my knowledge and Twilight’s power, I’ll rule not only Equestria, but the world as well.’
‘Why do you want to do this,’ thought Pinkie, ‘I know as well as you you’re not really Shooting Star.  You’re some kind of incomplete copy…’
'Stop that!’ commanded the voice, ‘I am Shooting Star, at least I’m his knowledge, his power, his force of will.  I will continue.  I don’t need any of that compassion or sentiment garbage.  
Muffins will love me, the world will beg me to rule them, and I’ll comply to all their requests with the authority and cruelty they so desire.’
‘And they say I’m loco,’ thought Pinkie.
There was a severe pain shoot through pinkie.
‘Wrong thinking will be punished, right thinking will be rewarded,’ said the voice.
Pinkie took the pain and failed to give the voice the pleasure of crying out.
‘You think you’re strong,’ said the voice with a laugh.  ‘I’m just toying with you.  I can make you scream for me to toss you through the portal before I’m done!’
‘Dashie will save me!  Twilight will destroy you!’
‘Your Rainbow Dash could never harm me.  She’d be swept away like dust before me on a whim!  
Although I’ll try to salvage as much of her as I can.  That sex we had with her was quite satisfying.  Perhaps I, through Twilight’s body, will show her the power of Unicorn Horn Sex.  Yes, she’d be a nice addition to my stable.
And your Twilight Sparkle won’t sparkle as much as she thinks, she’ll find her magic doesn’t work here like in the outside world.  
Why do you think we read all those books in the library?’
‘I thought you were trying to bore me to death,’ thought Pinkie.
‘You still try to be funny, even here where I could dispose of you forever.’
‘No you can’t,’ thought Pinkie, ‘without me you’ll never see Muffins again.  I don’t think you’ve truly thought this out.  I could want to save my friends and just jump through the portal now and save them all.’
‘You wouldn’t!’
Pinkie started to walk in the direction of the portal.  The agonizing pain shot through her again.  She stumbled on, the pain grew until her knees buckled.
‘I know you can’t do worse to me, you feel it too!’ said Pinkie.  Then in a flash of insight, ‘you say you can dispose of me, I can dispose of you.  You’ll get tired of the pain as well.  We’ll see who’s will is stronger.  I’ve the love of my friends and my wife to defend.  You only have misguided anger.  Who stands to gain more in dying?’
Shooting Star started to worry.  Perhaps he’d underestimated this pony.  She wasn’t the idiot he thought that’d be easy to control.  She had a brand of deep twisted logic he couldn’t even begin to understand.  He now, like Pinkie, was hoping that Twilight would get there soon.


Twilight and Rainbow walked on.  Without landmarks, it was difficult to tell if they were truly moving.  The mist would move past them and they’d get the feeling of forward movement.  Then it’d move with them and give the feeling of standing still.  The mist would shift and would come from behind and past them giving the perception of going backward.  
All the time the ghostly ponies were on the edge of vision.

“I guess with these poor souls around us are still going our way, we must be going in the right direction," said Twilight.
They walked on for a bit.  Still glancing at each other, despite coming to terms with what had happened.  And the glances were not always in the direction of the others eyes.  However, Twilight managed to make sure she didn’t get ahead of Rainbow, even though she was pretty sure Rainbow hadn’t brought any spoons with her.
The floor, if floor it was, was as flat and smooth as polished stone.  It was pitch black, that’s why Twilight didn’t see the gaping chasm in front of her.  Her fore-hooves stepped down on nothing.  She’d totally lost her balance, there was no chance of her rearing up on her hind legs.  She felt herself plunging forward and downward.  
Her fall was checked as soon as it started.  But it felt like forever.  Rainbow had caught Twilight’s tail in her mouth.  Twilight had been caught like this before, but then had no problem pulling her back, such is the lift strength of Pegasus’ wings.   But she could tell Rainbow was struggling.  
“Scramble back!  Help me!” said the Pegasus through gritted teeth and Twilight’s tail.
They both went back the little distance to safety and collapsed to the floor.  Twilight heard and felt Rainbow spit her tail out.
“Putttt!  Hey Egg-Head, nice view, got any spoons on you?”
“Right now,” said Twilight, trying to get her breath under control, “if I did, I’d give it to you.”
Twilight got to her feet and crept forward to the edge.  On closer examination, she could make out the color of the floor and the edge of the abyss. 
Then turning back to Rainbow who was still panting on the floor.
“You were struggling, are you not able to fly well in this atmosphere?”
“It felt like the air could barely support me.  I think it was pure panic which allowed me to pull you back.” Said Rainbow, with a wicked smile, “I just kept thinking if I came back without you, Muffins would send me here for real. 
Had I known how strong of will and body she really was when she was on the Weather Team, I might’ve been nicer to her.”
Twilight smiled despite the grim situation.  Twilight reached out a hoof to help Rainbow back up to her hooves.  As Rainbow stood, they were muzzle to muzzle and kissing again before they realized it.  Both mares were finding the kiss arousing, something inside themselves was telling them to go the next step.  Both realized it wouldn’t be appropriate so they broke the kiss.
Twilight looked around at the ghostly ponies as she got her breathing under control, they were continuing without the aid of a floor.
“I’m worried about something,” said Twilight changing the subject, “Pinkie was reading the book; Dark Magic Of Spirits.  I hadn’t read it since I lived in Canterlot.  I think I remember it told how normal magic would work differently in the spirit realm, which is where we must be.”
Twilight then looked around on the floor, she saw a small blue downy feather Rainbow must have shed in the exertion.  She closed her eyes, visualizing the feather.  She attempted the first and easiest spell a Unicorn learns, levitation.  
Rainbow saw the purple aura around the feather, it lifted off the about two feet, then Twilight cried out and it floated to the floor.  
“It felt like when I lifted the Ursa Minor,” said Twilight.
Rainbow walked over to it and blew, it drifted in the air, just like a feather.
“Do you think you can fly ahead and see how far the chasm stretches?” asked Twilight.
Rainbow beat her wings furiously, she lifted up a couple feet and then went forward.  She’d cleared the edge of the pit when her wings simply gave out, with a cry she plummeted down.  It was a cry, but not of terror, but of surprise.
“Twi!” said Rainbow, “the pit is only three feet deep.  The worse you might’ve gotten was a bloody muzzle had you landed on your face.”
“This is getting weirder and weirder,” said Twilight, “pitfalls only three feet deep, feathers which weigh tons.  The best flyer in Ponyville....”
“Equestria,” interjected Rainbow.
“Equestria,” said Twilight with the slightest of chuckles, “who can’t fly ten yards without giving out.”  
“It’s like everything is in reverse,” responded Rainbow.
“Everything in reverse?” said Twilight, to nopony in particular.
“Hold still Rainbow,” said Twilight.
A purple aura surrounded Rainbow,  She lifted off the floor, and she went away from Twilight then back.  It was a little unnerving flying without being in control.  She settled down just in front of Twilight.
“What was that for?” asked Rainbow.
“You weigh a lot more than a feather, so I was seeing how hard it was to move you.  I would’ve tried something else, but we seem to be short of objects to try, said Twilight.  “And it was easier to move you than the feather.  Let’s try this, fly ahead about ten yards and back, but barely flap your wings.”
Rainbow nodded and complied, her wings barely moved yet she shot off the floor and ahead overshooting the ten yard mark by a score of yards or more.  She then  turned and with a little more control, landed by Twilight.
“That’s freaky,” said Rainbow.
“I think somepony is counting on us not to know these things,” said Twilight.  “When confronted, we’ll need to feign ignorance until it’s absolutely necessary.  Let’s get going, we need to find Pinkie, and I’ve no idea how long we have been at this or how much longer we can go on."


With that the two ponies trotted off in the direction the ghostly ponies were headed.  It was hard to tell how long they were going.  Time didn’t appear to matter here, but exertion did take a toll on a pony.  
After a while, Rainbow noticed Twilight was having a little trouble walking, she’d falter on some steps.  Her eyes were glazed and drooping.  Rainbow realized Twilight, being a Unicorn, didn’t have a Pegasus’ stamina.  After all it took a lot more out of a pony to fly than to be an ‘Egg-Head’.  But she was putting up a good face, perhaps not wanting to show weakness to her friend.
“Twilight stop,” said Rainbow, “we can’t go on like this if you’re dead on your hooves, no pun intended.  I think we can afford a short rest.  It’ll not do Pinkie any good if we have to fight and we’re already worn out.”
Twilight started to argue, but she conceded to the logic.
“You lay down,” said Rainbow, “I’ll watch for a while.”
Twilight lay down on her side.  As she lay there she started to shiver and toss and turn, obviously the floor was uncomfortable and cold.
“Twi,” said Rainbow, sitting down, her hind legs jutting out on front of her, “lay your head on my lap.  It’s softer than the floor and perhaps it’ll keep you a little warmer.”
Twilight, too tired to argue, did as she was told.  Rainbow could tell her friend was asleep in no time.  With out knowing why Rainbow started to slowly and gently stroke Twilight’s mane.  It was soft and soothing to the touch.  
The memories of earlier started to come back to her.  Here’s a pony that she will be in love with.  Perhaps to a point has been in love with at a certain level since she first met her.  The thoughts of how awesome sex was or will be with this mare was making her wet.  Pinkie was a freak in the sack.  But thoughts of the intense level of love and passion Twilight delivered was more than anything Rainbow had ever experienced.  
And she was right there for the taking.  
Twilight hadn’t fought the kisses, perhaps it’d be as easy as that.  Perhaps the same argument would work, it was she that initiated it and Twilight was taken unaware.  
She looked over at Twilight’s flanks, her tail twitching that way tails twitch when the pony is content.  The sight of those flanks so often denied, were there.  Round and smooth, her cutie mark appeared to be pointing the way.  It was making her own marehood tingle.
‘Go ahead, take her!' said a voice in her head.  ‘You know she didn’t admit it but you know that she wants you as much as you want her.  Maybe she’s one of those mares that likes to be taken aggressively.  You know of what I’m saying.’
‘I can’t do that,’ thought Rainbow, ‘she’s my best friend, she was and is willing to give her life to save me and Pinkie.  How can I represent the Element of Loyalty and be unfaithful to Pinkie.  Not to mention my relationship with Twilight, Muffins and the rest of my friends?
‘You think they’d ever know?’ asked the voice. ‘You don’t know if you’ll ever make it back.  This might be all that’s left to you.  You might be gone at any moment now.  To die without ever tasting the forbidden fruit… 
Literally.’
‘I better wake Twilight up before I give into my carnal impulses.’ Thought Rainbow, almost in a panic.
‘Before you do that, let me sweeten the deal,’ there was a pause.  
To Rainbow’s surprise, Twilight turned over, her muzzle was brushing up against Rainbow’s sensitive nipples, they erected instantly.  Twilight lay there just inches from her marehood.  She could feel Twilight’s breath against it and it was about to drive her wild!
‘You’ll come to the end of the tunnel soon and you’ll find Pinkie and myself,’ said the voice.  
Rainbow almost panicked when she realized that it was a strange pony’s voice she was hearing and not just her inner self.
‘When you do, aid me.  If you deliver Twilight to me, then you can have her anytime you want, along with Pinkie, Muffins and any other mare or stallion you want, and at any time.  With my knowledge and Twilight’s power, I’ll rule the whole world and you’ll be my queen!  If you don’t or if you tell Twilight what has transpired here, then I’ll cast Pinkie to limbo, beyond anypony’s ability to retrieve her!’
Rainbow felt the presence leave her but she wasn’t sure it was gone.  
Rainbow gently roused Twilight who was delighted to have Rainbow’s nipples in front of her muzzle.  Twilight moved forward and started to suck them, stimulating the tip with her tongue.  Twilight was determined to continue on down, but she stopped herself when she realized what was going on because she had been dreaming of just this.

Rainbow shuddered at the feeling of Twilight on her nipples, she was about to lay back and allow Twilight to go on.  But Twilight stopped as she realized what she was doing and sat up quickly.

“Twilight!” said Rainbow with a pleading look in her eyes.
“I know,” said Twilight, “it’s so hard not to let you take me, like I want to take you.”
The two grabbed each other and kissed deeper than they had up to this point.  They lay on their sides and their hooves started to explore the other, it felt so awesome.  They broke the kiss and their heads were resting against the other. 
“I don’t want to stop Rainbow,” said Twilight, her voice shaking, “but if we don’t stop, I don’t know how I could ever look at Muffins again.  I love her so much, but I love you too.”
Rainbow kissed Twilight again, not as deep.
“I love Pinkie but I love you too Twilight,” said Rainbow, “I don’t want to stop either but you’re right, we have to.”
Reluctantly, they removed their hooves from the other’s marehood.  Rainbow actually tasted her hoof, Twilight followed Rainbow’s example.  It didn’t help any in their desire to stop this.
“I want to taste you for real, and so badly,” said Rainbow.
“I do too,” said Twilight, “I would let you but I don’t know if I could stop anything else.”
“I’m sorry Twilight,” said Rainbow, “you may hate me forever, but I just can’t stop.”
Rainbow rolled Twilight on her back, Twilight didn’t fight it, she was overcome with desire.  Rainbow started kissing Twilight again.  She worked her way down Twilight’s chest to Twilight’s nipples.  These were as pleasant as she had imagined.  Twilight turned herself so she was in the same position as Rainbow.  She hadn’t been able to get the Pegasus’ breasts off her mind since she awoke to them.  After a time, Rainbow started to work her way to Twilight’s marehood.  It was right before her, totally relaxed and glistening with the dampness of pure desire.  Rainbow tried the last bit of restraint, worried what Twilight would say.  That is until Twilight’s tongue entered Rainbow’s own love organ.  
That was it, neither could stop they worked each other good.  The climax was better than either expected.  They didn’t stop there, they went on to the scissor position.  Again the climax was magnificent.  The two lay back and caught their breath.  Then they sat back up and embraced.  
Twilight was crying.
“Oh Twilight,” said Rainbow, “I’m so sorry.  I couldn’t stop myself.  I know I’ve just destroyed our relationship.”
Rainbow started to cry as well.  Twilight gently kissed Rainbow.
“No Rainbow,” said Twilight, “we’re both to blame.  I could’ve said no, but I didn’t want to.  I still want you so bad.  But I love and want Muffins as well.  And I know this sounds weird, but I am finding that I love and want Pinkie too.”
“I feel the same about Pinkie, you and Muffins as well.”
They kissed again, but not as wildly.
“We have to go on and save Pinkie,” said Twilight, stroking Rainbows body.
“I know,” said Rainbow.  “Let’s take care of that and worry about the rest later.”
They kissed a simple kiss and got up.
“How long do you think we were ‘doing it’?” asked Twilight.
“I want to say, not long enough, but who knows.  In this place we may’ve been here for days or seconds.  The sooner we get out of here the better,” answered Rainbow, trying not to let herself feel disappointed at Twilight and herself stopping.  
She so much wanted to tell Twilight what had transpired, but she feared the threat of losing Pinkie. 


The chanting and drumming had been going nonstop for thirty-six hours.  Muffins would doze from time to time but she was too worried to sleep.  She could now tell neither Zecora or Apple Bloom could continue much longer.
Knowing that she couldn’t talk to Zecora, Muffins addressed Apple Bloom;
“Isn’t there anything I can do to help?”
“Do you think you could repeat Zecora’s chant accurately?” asked the little filly.
“I think after all this time, I’m going to hear it in my sleep, why?”
“You need to go find Scootaloo, bring her back here.  I know you don’t want to leave them, but if you don’t we may lose ‘em all,” warned Apple Bloom.
Muffins nodded, went to the door, looked back at her friends and her love.  Then she took to the sky.
Muffins wasn’t sure exactly what time it was so she climbed high to get a better view of Ponyville.  As it happened, school was letting out.  She saw Diamond Tiara, Dinky, Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon walking together being they lived in the same direction from the school, Scootaloo looked as if she was saying good-bye to them.  Muffins went into a power dive which would’ve impressed Rainbow Dash.

“I don’t know,” said Sweetie Belle.  “Applejack said she’d not heard from her, but if Rainbow Dash needed her, then she was sure she’s safe and they’d hear from her soon.”
“Plus my moms haven’t been seen either.” Said Dinky.
“I do hope they’re all alright,” said Diamond, looking into Sweetie’s eyes. “I’d hate it if something happened to them.”
Sweetie could feel comfort and concern in Diamond’s eyes.
“Like what?” asked Scootaloo, “it isn’t like somepony just swooped down out of the sky and carried them off.”
They all laughed.  
That’s until a blue-gray and blonde blur arced past and Scootaloo was gone.
“Scootaloo!” cried Dinky, Diamond, Silver and Sweetie at the same time.
They saw the form of a Pegasus with Scootaloo hanging beneath them.  They were headed in the direction of the Everfree Forest.
“I think that was my mom!” said Dinky running in the direction where the pony was headed.
The rest of the friends took off after Dinky.  They stopped however when Muffins was out of sight.

Scootaloo almost passed out from the sudden g-forces.  When her head cleared, she saw she was already quite high off the ground, it was kind of exhilarating.  She then looked up to see it was Muffins Sparkle who’d picked her up.
“Wow, Mrs. Sparkle,” said Scootaloo in awe, “I didn’t know a Pegasus could pick up a load at that speed.”
“We normally can’t,” said Muffins, “I’ve pulled every muscle in my shoulders and forelegs in doing this.  The only thing that keeps me from dropping you is concern for your safety.  Do as I say, I know you can’t fly yet, but flap your wings and trust me.”
Scootaloo complied with Muffins advice.  Scoot started to panic as Muffins dropped her, but Scoot’s wings gave just enough lift to slow her fall.  Muffins quickly did a loop and was under Scootaloo who landed on her back.
Along the way, Muffins related what’s going on and that Apple Bloom had asked for her help.
It didn’t take long to get back to Zecora’s, any faster then they might’ve experienced  a sonic Rainboom.

Inside, nothing had changed, Muffins could tell the fatigue on Zecora and Apple Bloom.  Apple Bloom looked up and smiled.
“Scoot, I’m glad to see you, we need your help.  Mrs. Sparkle if’n you could, sit by Zecora, and start chantin’ with her.  She’ll stop when she’s sure you have it right.  After that, you mustn’t stop for nothin’ until Zecora relieves you.  Scoot, you need to match my drummin’.  Don’t stop for nothin’ or we could lose ’em all.  Just pay attention to the chant and keep the rhythm.  
The two complied with Apple Bloom’s instructions.  After a few moments, Zecora just laid down right there and was asleep in no time, as did Apple Bloom.
The chant became mind numbing, the pain in her shoulders and forelegs was pounding.  The only thing kept her going was the thought she could be the cause of her Darling Twilight and her friends not coming back, kept her going.  Scootaloo took what she was doing more seriously than she ever had anything in her life.  Rainbow was her hero, Twilight was one of her best friend’s mother and who didn’t love Pinkie?

Rainbow and Twilight trudged on, when something odd happened.
“Did the chanting change?” asked Rainbow.
Twilight cocked her head and listened.
“I’d swear that’s Muffins voice,” said Twilight.  “I hope that’s not a bad thing.  Perhaps we’ve been at this a while and Zecora needed a break.”
“We’d better hurry up, I don’t like this even more.” Said Rainbow.
The two sped up to a trot, afraid to run into another pitfall which might be more than three feet deep, but just as afraid to get to Pinkie too late.
	
> CHAPTER SIX: The Ultimate Sacrifice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The tunnel or world or realm or what ever it is was starting to become wearisome.  They couldn’t tell if it was miles they’d traveled or if by some cruel trick had just stayed in place.   However, the only sign they were making any progress was the occasional pitfalls.  Some were just a mild dip, others were about the same as the first.  However they did come across one they couldn’t determine the bottom.  It was a good thing they were so wary or they might’ve just stepped off into nothingness.  Rainbow Dash was able to fly across with some difficulty in getting the control of her flight.  She had to almost do everything the reverse of what her tuned instincts were telling her.     
Twilight found her teleportation didn’t work here, or at least in a way she’d as yet discovered.  She decided to levitate herself across, fearing all the way she’d lose control and plummet to nothingness.
They continued on despite the growing sense of futility.  They weren’t sure if it was the place, something was being projected on them or they were really about to give up.

It was surprising to both ponies that despite the need for sleep, neither had felt any desire for food and they didn’t feel thirsty at all.
Rainbow hadn’t had any good rest.  But even when Twilight was sleeping, she’d stayed awake to watch over them.  Now it was getting to her.  She normally would take several cat naps a day when she could.  But now she felt like she’d not slept in years.

“Twilight,” said Rainbow, “we have to stop.  I can’t take one more step.”
Twilight turned and looked at her friend.  She was about to say something about the urgency of the situation when Rainbow collapsed to the floor.
“Rainbow!” shouted Twilight.
She ran to her friend, Twilight cradled Rainbow’s head.  Rainbow looked up at her and smiled.
“I was wondering what it’d take to get some more attention from you.”
Despite the disparity of feelings she was fighting, Twilight bent down and kissed  Rainbow.  It was getting harder not to just forget everything and make love again.
“Sleep now sweet Rainbow, it’s my turn to watch,” said Twilight giving Rainbow another small kiss on the lips.
Rainbow didn’t argue.  Almost as soon as the words had left Twilight’s mouth, the blue Pegasus was asleep.  
The situation gave her a chance to rest as well.  She only wished that her mind would rest.  
Those other feelings were starting to intensify again, allowing herself to kiss Rainbow wasn’t helping.  Here she was holding a mare that she’d hidden the fact that she was attracted to, hidden even from herself.  She looked on Rainbow’s roguish features, the little smile she was doing right now.  That rainbow mane was always a marvel to Twilight.  
She so much wanted to run her hooves through it.  She wanted to stroke the fine blue coat of this special pony.  
From just supporting her head, Twilight could feel the toned muscles just below the skin.  The feeling of Rainbow was a paradox.  She was as soft as any mare but she was as hard as any stallion.  Then looking down the length of her body, Twilight was starting to fight with the feelings that Rainbow had fought when she was sleeping.  
It would be so easy to gently wake her with kisses that Twilight was sure that Rainbow wouldn’t fight, she hadn’t so far.  She’d work her way down that lovely neck to her strong chest.  Continuing on and not stopping for anything, except perhaps to linger on the nipples she could still see and taste in her mind.  Kissing on until Rainbow’s marehood was before her.  Twilight would dive in and please this closest of friends, pouring out all of her skill to bring to climax this mare that she now knew that there wasn’t any doubt that she loved.  She didn’t even consider in her fantasy Rainbow doing anything for herself, it didn’t matter.  That wasn’t what this would be all about.  If Twilight was to loose the last thread of control, it’d be about showing this mare just how much she was desired, and yes, loved. Just like they had did before.  
But she knew if they let themselves do it again, then there would never be any way to stop and perhaps their relationships with their mates would be destroyed beyond all hope.  It was going to be hard enough to explain if they get back.

Twilight wasn’t sure if Rainbow was asleep for minutes or hours, but she started to stir. 
“Is the air in here getting bad?” asked Rainbow, “you’re breathing awful hard.”
“Sorry,” said Twilight, “I was just thinking of us.”
Rainbow knew better than to ask what about themselves.   But Rainbow hadn’t awakened to Twilight’s nipples like Twilight had, and she was slightly disappointed.  But she too knew that they couldn’t let it happen again.  There was already too much they were going to have to explain.
They stood up, got their bearings from the direction of the ghostly ponies and continued on.

Shooting Star could feel Rainbow Dash coming nearer.  She’d been easy to influence.  Although what her actual thoughts were, eluded him.  Rainbow operated at a more basic level, relying on her impulses and instincts.  She wasn’t stupid but with the basic level she operated, it made it easy for him to use the spirit magic to contact and to a very small degree, control.  
Twilight was different.  She was logical, controlled and suspicious of everything.  Even her passions were tempered with understanding and control.  Shooting Star was able to get Twilight to turn over when she was resting in Rainbow’s lap because she was sleeping and she happened to be dreaming of doing what Shooting wanted her to do.  He could understand why Muffins had chosen her.  She was much like himself originally.  He’d no chance of trying to interfere with her at this point, so he’d to rely on the hold he was having on the Pegasus.  
The only problem, if problem it was, was the Pegasus had a very strong loyalty streak.
‘That’s because her Element of Harmony is Loyalty,’ thought Pinkie.
‘You think you’ve some advantage by knowing what I’m thinking,’ thought Shooting Star.  ‘Don’t, I can still control you, Rainbow and even Twilight.  This will be easy, I’ll return to the real world in one of your bodies.  I’ll take my knowledge and I’ll rule.’
‘And ponies will just submit to you without any question.’ Said Pinkie, ‘I know Twilight and Rainbow would gladly die rather than have you overthrow Celestia.  
But they aren’t the ponies you need to worry about.  You’ve not paid any attention to the fact I’ve already walked to the edge to the portal and it’d only take one more time you’re not paying attention for me to jump through.’
Shooting Star realized what Pinkie had thought was true, they were at the very brink.
‘The only reason I’ve not done it yet is I want to watch Rainbow and Twilight send you straight to Tartarus!’ said Pinkie in a way that made Shooting unsure.
‘You wouldn’t!’ thought Shooting Star in a panic, ‘you love life too much just to throw it away!’
‘My happiness is based on my friends, and especially my love for my wife, Rainbow Dash.  I’d gladly take you to Tartarus myself if it meant Rainbow went home free and the world was free from the threat of you forever.’  Thought Pinkie, ‘maybe I should take that last step now.’
Shooting felt Pinkie’s leg move, he realized if he inflicted pain right now, she might collapse and fall through the portal anyway.
‘I think I now understand why you act the way you do,’ thought Pinkie, ‘it’s kind of fun to make you panic.’


All of the sudden Pinkie came in view, right at the threshold of a gaping maw.  Rainbow and Twilight could feel that beyond it was no return.  And it looked as if Pinkie was about to step into it.

“STOP!” shouted Rainbow Dash.

‘They’re here,’ said Shooting, ‘now I’ll show you what I’m capable of.’
Pinkie felt Shooting Star using perhaps all his reserve strength to control her.  For the moment she saved her own strength and didn’t resist.  They walked a little way from the opening.

“Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, congratulations on making such an arduous journey.” Said Pinkie, but they could tell it wasn’t Pinkie.
“What good do you think it’ll do to have control of Pinkie?” said Twilight.  “Give her up, we can come to terms.”
“Terms?” said Pinkie/Shooting Star.  “Here are my terms.  You Twilight will give yourself over to me.  You’ll be displaced, without any chance of surfacing again.  Pinkie and Rainbow will go free, we’ll go back to the real world and from there we’ll build a new dynasty.  With your power and my knowledge we will be unstoppable!”
“And if I don’t?” Asked Twilight.
“Then I take this one with me to limbo.” Answered Shooting/Pinkie.
Twilight turned to Rainbow and spoke quietly;
“If you love me Rainbow, the way I love you,” said Twilight grimly, “as soon as we get back you must kill me before he can fully use my body.  I’ll fight him as long as I can.  Tell Muffins I’m sorry and I love her.”
Twilight gave Rainbow a quick kiss.
“Twilight! No,” said Rainbow.
But it was too late.  Twilight was walking over to Pinkie.
“Okay, you win.” Said Twilight, “I can’t let you hurt the ponies I love anymore.”
Rainbow caught the inflection on the word love.  She really did love Rainbow the way Rainbow hoped.  She was willing to give her life for friends again.  Knowing as much as Rainbow would hate to do it, she’d comply with Twilight’s last instructions.  

Twilight stopped just short of Pinkie, there was about five feet between them.

“Get it over with damn it,” demanded  Twilight.

Rainbow saw the red aura around Pinkie, it faded, and then there stood the gray stallion with red mane and tail.  He was laughing wildly. 
Twilight looked at Rainbow, she was about to cry;
“Goodbye My Love,” Twilight mouthed.  
Shooting Star stood there laughing between Pinkie and Twilight, the red aura was growing around Shooting Star.
Several thoughts went through Rainbow’s head in a quick instant.

‘If you love me the way I love you’, ‘No greater love has anypony than that they lay down their life for another pony,’ and ‘goodbye My Love.’

Rainbow remembered how things worked here.  She grit her teeth, and said in her mind ‘for the ponies I love’!  
She spread her wings and gave only one small flick.  She shot ahead, and was pleased she felt the impact with Shooting Star, he’d no time to react.  The momentum carried the two right to the portal. 
“I’ll see you in Tartarus!” Shouted Rainbow grimly as she felt the impact and saw the fear on the stallion’s face as they were entering the gates of limbo.
“NO!” screamed Twilight and Pinkie as they saw Rainbow and Shooting Star about to enter the portal.

What happened next, neither Rainbow or Twilight was ready for.  Around Rainbow was a yellow aura.  Rainbow was frozen right at the brink, Shooting star disappeared beyond trying to grasp at anything but failing.  His horn glowed red, a bowl of petunias and a fish appeared in front of him but nothing else useful happened.   
Apparently in his panic, he forgot the differences in how magic worked here long enough to pass the point of no return.

Rainbow floated back to the ponies standing there, Twilight saw a yellow glow in Pinkie’s eyes, she saw Pinkie directing Rainbow back to them.  Rainbow set down, then the aura cleared.  Both Twilight and Pinkie rushed and tackled Rainbow to the ground.  They started hugging and kissing her.

“Now I know I’m dead,” said Rainbow, “I’m in Elysium!”
“Rainbow!” cried Twilight, helping Rainbow to her hooves, “that was the bravest, most stupid thing I’ve ever seen!  Thank you!”
“I couldn’t standby and see anything happen to either pony I love.” Said Rainbow sheepishly.
To Twilight’s surprise, Pinkie didn’t react with Rainbow’s declaration of loving Twilight.
“Of course you love Twilight.” Said Pinkie, “here you learn things if you wait long enough.  And I’m glad when I’m finally gone, Twilight will take care of you Dashie!”

The two mares stood there trying to figure out why Pinkie said what she just did.  Then it hit Twilight.

“Wait a moment!  How in Equestria were you able to levitate Rainbow?” asked Twilight.
“Not that I’m ungrateful but I’d like to know it as well,” said Rainbow.

Pinkie looked embarrassed;

“I know most ponies think I don’t pay attention to anything important.  But when it’s important I do pay attention.  
When I realized he could read my thoughts and was able to know the things I know, I figured while he was busy, I’d see if it worked both ways.  I remembered the theory he’d put forth, not just Unicorns but anypony could do magic.  So I wandered around his mind while he was in mine.   I absorbed his knowledge of magic.  When you’re in their mind it doesn’t take long.  It’s as if you’d learned it yourself.  It might take me some time, but I’m sure with help Twilight, I could master it.”
“It would be my honor to help train you,” said Twilight hugging Pinkie.
“I do have a question for you Twi,” said Pinkie.
“Anything!” said Twilight.
“Don’t you think Dashie is a fantastic lover?”

Rainbow and Twilight stood there dumbfounded.

“Come on!” said Pinkie, “Shooting Star was able to reach out through Dashie and knew what’s going on.  And so did I.”
“You’re not upset?” asked Twilight.
“Heck no!” said Pinkie, “I thought it kind of exciting!  I could tell through Shooting Star, who could tell through Dashie you’re quite the kisser yourself Twilight and more!
When you had awakened from your nap and were making out with Rainbow, I used the knowledge I got from him to give you two a shove into ‘going all the way’.  
And by the way, it didn’t take much of a push to do so.  (Pinkie winked)
But it was so much fun to watch!  I only wished that I could’ve been there to join in.”
“So Shooting Star put all that in our minds,” said Rainbow, glancing over to Twilight.
“No!” said Pinkie.  “Time doesn’t work the same here,  you’re able to tap into the past, present and future.  All he did was bring it to your attention.  He was trying to distract you.  Make you so confused you’d not pay attention until too late.  He didn’t realize the feelings he was making you aware of would be his downfall.  And you making love to the other strengthened a bond that was there to begin with, you were that much more willing to lay down your life for the other.  Now you love Twilight, and Twilight loves you.
Because of this, as you have found out, you now love who the other loves as well.  Don’t be ashamed, love is a very special thing, never to be ashamed of,”
With that declaration and to the shock of the other two ponies, Pinkie kissed Twilight a rather passionate kiss.  Twilight didn’t fight it and she found it enjoyable.  And she found it was oddly familiar.
Pinkie was right, Twilight’s heart was telling her that she did love Pinkie now as well.
“You are a good kisser,” said Pinkie with a wink.  “I only wish we had time for more!”
Rainbow found that she wasn’t bothered at all with Pinkie and Twilight kissing.  
“Hey!” said Rainbow, actually being aroused by watching her wife and best friend kiss. “Save some of those for me.”
“Who,” asked Pinkie with a smile.
“Both of you,” said Rainbow with a large smile as well, as large as the one on Twilight’s face.
They all chuckled.
“I guess I’ve a lot to explain to Muffins when we get back.” Said Twilight.  She was suddenly looking very worried.
“No, you don’t” said Rainbow, “I’ll explain everything.  I’ll take all the blame.  I’m sure that Pinkie isn’t going to throw me out.”
“No, both of you are wrong,” said Pinkie.  “I’ll explain everything to Muffins, since I know everything that’s gone on more than either of you know.  I guarantee it’ll all work out.”

Twilight and Rainbow weren’t so sure.

“Well, this has been fun,” said Pinkie, “but if you two love birds don’t mind, I want to go home.”
“How?” asked Twilight.
“Shooting Star knew how,” said Pinkie, “listen.”
They could hear the chant and drum.
“Here we go!” said Pinkie.
There was a yellow glow in Pinkie’s eyes, then a yellow aura around the three.  The world around them went by in a blur.  The chant and drum grew louder.  There was a very sick feeling in Twilight and Rainbow’s stomachs.  Everything was black.  Twilight opened her eyes, she was in Zecora’s hut.
Muffins stopped the chant as the three ponies sat up.
Zecora sat up and shouted:
“Give them the buckets!”
It was immediately evident to Rainbow and Twilight why the zebra said what she said.  As soon as they sat down the buckets, the two felt the nasty brew they’d ingested was wanting to come out.  The two unashamedly vomited into the buckets.
Zecora just smiled.
	
> CHAPTER SEVEN: Reward
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Twilight didn’t know how she could face Muffins.  At night she’d lay on her side of the bed and didn’t say anything except goodnight.  However Muffins would cuddle up against Twilight and hold her tight.  Twilight tried to not let Muffins know that she was crying, but Muffins could tell.  The guilt was tearing Twilight apart, the thought of the possibly of losing Muffins made her sick.  It was so hard on her, she was insanely in love with Muffins, but it was true, she was now deeply in love with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie as well.  Plus the memory of the sex she and Rainbow had shared wouldn’t go away.  Not to mention the kiss with Pinkie.
Twilight also knew that Muffins could tell that something was bothering Twilight, but Muffins was wise enough not to approach it, yet.  After all, Twilight had come back from the land only the dead normally go.  

It was two days later, despite Twilight being very reserved, pensive and standoffish, Muffins insisted the dinner with Rainbow and Pinkie be rescheduled for this day.  

Their friends came over, some choice eggplant steaks were grilled, and Muffins made one of her awesome salads.  Sparkler was there, Cookie and Dawn were so excited to have Pinkie there to play with them.  But it was evident Twilight and Rainbow were keeping their distance from each other.  They made sure they were at the opposite ends of the table from the other, it also was obvious they were trying not to have their eyes meet.  
Pinkie giggled knowing why Rainbow was staring at her spoon so intensely.

After the meal and desert, Muffins told Twilight to get the paperwork.

“Pinkie,” said Twilight trying to let the moment lift her spirits. “Princess Celestia was delighted to sign this.”
Twilight handed the paper to Pinkie.
“Congratulations, Pinkie Dash.” Said Twilight.
“Congratulations” repeated all the other ponies.
Then Twilight looked at Cookie.
“So Cookie, I’ve a surprise for you,” Twilight said, “do you think it’d be fun to change your name, like Aunt Pinkie just did?”
“What do you mean mom?” asked the filly.
“I’d really like it if you’d allow me to adopt you,” said Twilight, cheering up a little more.  “Would you like to be Dinky Sparkle?”
“Like my mommy and sister?” asked Cookie, “I’d love that!”
Twilight handed her a paper.
“This is yours, but mommy and I’ll keep it safe for you for now.  But it says Princess Celestia has given her permission for you to be my daughter for real, and if you want, you’re now Dinky Sparkle.”
The ponies all around got up and congratulated Pinkie and Dinky.
After the congratulations died down, Muffins spoke.
“Sparkler,” said Muffins, “would you mind taking your sisters upstairs, you may need to watch them tonight if necessary.  Twilight and Rainbow have been holding something back.  So Pinkie Dash has asked to talk to me, alone.  This may take all night.”
Muffins looked at Twilight and Rainbow as if to accentuate the alone part.
Sparkler took the kids to the living quarters.

“Give us a couple of hours and meet us back at the cloud house,” said Pinkie.

“Come on Twi,” said Rainbow, “I think we both could use a drink.”

Later at their favorite pub:

“I’m dead,” said Twilight, “so very, very dead.  I should’ve stayed in the spirit world and jumped through the portal.  It would’ve been quicker.  Muffins is now going to kill me then throw me out and then she’ll never talk to me again.”
“In that order?  How many of those have you drank?” asked Rainbow.
“Two,” said Twilight.
“Come on, we have fifteen minutes, you’re going to need at least one more to kill the pain,” said Rainbow joking.  They ordered another round.
“I guess it’s true,” said Twilight.
“What?” asked Rainbow.
“No good deed ever goes unpunished,” said Twilight.
Rainbow burst out laughing, Twilight managed a smile.
“Come on Twi,” said Rainbow, “if Muffins does throw you out.  You could stay with Pinkie and me.”
“I don’t think I’d have the endurance to survive that,” said Twilight.
“Well,” said Rainbow, downing her drink.  “I think the whisky is having its effect.  Let’s see how bad it’s going to be.”
Twilight downed her drink as well, then they went out the door.  They walked to where the cloud house was hovering.  Along the way they playfully bumped flanks.  Anything to break up the apprehension. 
They looked up, Twilight inhaled deeply.
“As my mother said to my father on their wedding night, let’s get this over with!” said Rainbow.  
The two giggled then Rainbow launched into the air.  Twilight appeared with a flash right beside her.

Rainbow opened the door, it was dark inside.
“Pink!” said Rainbow, “are you here?”
“Back here Dashie,” said Pinkie, “is Twi with you?”
“Yes,” said Rainbow, “but I think she’d rather not be.”
“Just come on back here, both of you,” said Pinkie.

They went through the darkened house.  Twilight had been here enough to know her way around in the dark.  Rainbow had let her and Muffins use the place while they were secretly dating.  Twilight was remembering those times, she was so afraid that that happiness was now over.  
Twilight followed Rainbow into the bedroom, the sight wasn’t what either were expecting.  The only light was candles, there was perfume in the air.  The biggest shock was both Pinkie and Muffins were in the bed, propped up with pillows in a sitting position, under the covers, quite close together.
“What the what?” said Rainbow.

“I understand from Pinkie,” said Muffins sternly, “the two of you discovered at some time to come, Pinkie and I’ll be gone, and you two will be in love.  
I also understand the two of you kissed and more than once.  
Worst of all…  
The two of you had sex; 
We’re not sure what to think of unfaithful wives!”
“Don’t forget Twilight kissed me as well,” Pinkie snickered.
“Pinkie kissed me,” said Twilight in defense.
“Po-tay-to, to-mah-to,” laughed Pinkie.
Muffins looked at Pinkie, it appeared she was trying not to smile.
“Because of the revelation, those feelings a part of you now.  Not that you two don’t love us, we’ve no doubt you do.  It’s a hazard of what you went through.
Because of those feelings, Shooting Star or what was left of him, was defeated because the two of you were willing to give up your lives for us and each other.  
Twilight you were going to give yourself to Shooing Star, so to have Rainbow kill you when you made it back, to protect all of Equestria.  
Rainbow, you were going to sacrifice yourself to limbo so to save Twilight and Pinkie.  
And strangely enough, while Shooting Star was in Pinkie’s head, she learned magic without him realizing.  The magic Pinkie learned, save Rainbow.”

Muffins paused as if to let the words sink in.

“So what do I do now?  I’ve a wife who went off and made out with and had sex with our best friend.  The two of you’ve confessed your love for each other, and you were willing to die to save everypony you love.  

And of all ponies, Pinkie saved us all.

Rainbow, I don’t blame you.  As you finally confessed, Twilight is hot!  I’ve always known this.

Twilight, I don’t blame you either.  When I was on the Weather Team, had I been given the chance, I would have, in Pinkie’s words; ‘boinked’ Rainbow.  As Pinkie says, Rainbow is a hottie” 

Rainbow looked at Twilight, neither could tell who was more confused.

“So I think through all this, despite you two going off to save the day, it was Pinkie who turned out to be the hero in the end,” said Muffins, it was getting hard to keep a straight face.  “so I asked her what I should do with the two of you.”

Again Muffins paused.

“Rainbow, thank you for watching after Twilight and being willing to die for Pinkie and Twilight.  You’re forgiven.  

Twilight, you were your noble self, willing to give your life for other ponies.  So you’re forgiven as well.”

Rainbow and Twilight were shocked.  Then it hit them.

“Then why the hoof are you two so cozy in bed?” asked Twilight.
“Yes, I’d like to know that as well,” said Rainbow.
For the first time since they had come into the bedroom, Muffins looked sheepish and blushed.
“Well like I said, Pinkie turned out to be the hero, so I asked what she’d want as a reward.  
She said she wanted two things.  First that I truly forgive you two.”
“And,” asked Twilight.
“Pinkie told me the only thing she could think of, because of the revelations, and plus she’s been wanting it for a while…”
“You don’t mean…” Replied Rainbow.
“A FOURSOME!” squealed Pinkie happier than they’d ever heard her.
“Just one condition,” said Muffins with a smile.  “Pinkie and I are here also, so the two of you better share the love!  But don’t count on doing this again...  

That is if you don’t impress us.”

Both Twilight and Rainbow were in shock.  Even more so when Muffins threw the blankets back, and dove her tongue into in Pinkie’s marehood, which made Pinkie gasp.  

Twilight and Rainbow looked at each other and smiled.  Then unexpectedly, Twilight levitated and turned Rainbow to her back and she landed on the bed.  Twilight then leapt on her spinning around in the air, in a feat of agility which surprised Rainbow.  It was a long held fantasy of Rainbow’s come to life, Twilight’s marehood hovering right over Rainbow’s muzzle, free for the taking without guilt or conditions.
“Now you’ll see what an ‘Egg-Head’ is really capable of!”  Said Twilight, her tongue dove deep into Rainbow’s marehood finding her clitoris instantly, fulfilling her own fantasy.  
Rainbow moaned at the sudden stimulation, but she recovered enough to know what to do.

“Anypony have a spoon?” asked Rainbow.

All the ponies giggled.
	
> CHAPTER EIGHT: Life Finally Goes On
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning found Twilight warm, comfortable and on her back, she felt the presence of other ponies in bed with her.  In fact, there were three ponies resting their heads on her chest and shoulders.  Plus one hoof on/in her marehood (Rainbow’s hoof).
Pinkie’s reward for her saving Twilight and Rainbow was the foursome she’d always wanted.  Twilight was surprised Muffins gave into this, but it did appear that she quite enjoyed herself (along with her enjoying the other ponies as well).  But despite her desire for Rainbow Dash, Twilight wasn’t sure how it’d work out.  

But the memories of a night of awesome lovemaking came back to her.  

Muffins was, as always, satisfying beyond belief.  Before, Twilight had no frame of reference, having only ever been with Muffins (other than some strange dream/memory with Pinkie the night that she had unknowingly shared a bed with Twilight).  But now it was proven as Twilight had conjectured, Muffins was the best at everything.  But now she did get to expand her experience with the blessings of her beloved Muffins.  Rainbow and Pinkie found Muffins to be an artist with lovemaking as her medium.

Rainbow Dash, whom for so long Twilight’s desire for was deeply repressed.  It wasn’t until their recent journey in the underworld that forced to focus not only her desire but yes, love of this pony that represented the opposite of herself.  As Twilight had already found out, Rainbow’s lovemaking was active, aggressive and giving.  But she was found to be sensitive to the needs of her partner, surprisingly gentle and more than willing to please.  And even with the forbidden nature now removed, she was still an amazing kisser who left Twilight breathless in a different way than did Muffins.

As for Pinkie, Twilight didn’t know what to expect.  She’d heard Rainbow on many occasions describe her a ‘a freak in the sack’.  It turned out the drive of this special pony was to bring maximum joy and pleasure to her partner.  She was giving to the point of obsession.  But she received in such a way that drove her partner to want to give more.  
It was slightly unnerving that sex with Pinkie was just like the dream from before.  
Plus Twilight made a mental note to look into what would make Pinkie’s marehood taste so sweet.

To the other ponies, it appeared that to Pinkie, Twilight wasn’t an unknown.  But she found that Muffins had trained her well.  She was precise, methodical and well versed in many techniques.  But add to it a heart that held the whole package together.  It was clear that Twilight was more interested in pleasing then to be pleased.  The best way to put it was Twilight put the ‘love’ in making love.  As sensitive to other’s feelings as Pinkie was, she was quite impressed with Twilight.  To Rainbow, her fantasies were not disappointed as she feared they might be.

Twilight now had experiences to help her understand some of the differences in lovemaking styles.  She’d always feared that if she’d had other experience, would she still see Muffins as special as she has been?  
But with all the carnal pleasure she’d experienced that night, Twilight could tell the other ponies shown like stars in the sky, while Muffins was the sun.  Twilight was pleased that, in spite of her discovered feelings for Rainbow Dash and the pure joy Pinkie had brought, Muffins was still the center of the universe.

“Well, did you get Rainbow out of you mind,” said Muffins quietly.  She was looking up at Twilight with a beautiful smile.
“Perhaps out of my mind,” said Twilight, slyly smiling, “but I think she’s still in my marehood.”
“What’d you expect,” said Rainbow quietly, “apparently I’ll be with Twilight eventually.  So I wanted to get as much as I can, until that time.”
To Twilight’s surprise, Muffins gave Rainbow a passionate kiss.
“What’s that for,” asked Rainbow, “not that I’m complaining.”
“That’s because I know that one day you’ll be protecting Twilight,” said Muffins, “I just want you to know ahead of time how much that means to me.”
“I think the dynamic of our little group has changed,” said Twilight, “even if we never do this again, we can never go back to just being friends.”
“I wouldn’t say it’ll never happen again,” said Muffins with a giggle, “but don’t count on it as a daily thing.”
“I don’t think even Rainbow would have the stamina for that.  I guess we’d better get up and get the day going.” Said Twilight.
“Not so fast,” said Pinkie speaking up for the first time.  Apparently she’d not been asleep.  “Let the pony finish fondling me.  Twilight isn’t the only pony with a hoof in her marehood.”
“Muffins?” exclaimed Twilight and Rainbow.
“Well, I’m very grateful to Pinkie.”  Said Muffins blushing.
They all agreed on one more time before getting up.  Muffins pleased Pinkie as Pinkie pleased her.  And Twilight and Rainbow Dash got to experience each other one more time.


It wasn’t long before Ponyville heard the news of what had happened (the journey to the underworld and defeat of another threat to Equestria, not the foursome).
The Apple family decided to hold one of their famous barn dances.  Plus cousin Braeburn was in town on business so they thought it all a reason for a party.  

Almost everypony they knew were in attendance, both the close friends, the kids and even some from the town who were inquisitive.  Many knew of the now famous six ponies who lived there.  And they were always curious to see these ponies.  Plus it’d been said far and wide when there was a celebration which involved Twilight Sparkle, Canterlot royalty would show up.  
In fact, Princess Luna decided to come to the party, and for the pleasure of her subjects, she’d raise the moon as part of the celebration.  

They weren’t staying apart, but most of the Apples were keeping to one corner of the barn.  Braeburn turned out to be there mostly on business for Appleloosa.  Rarity was with the gathering, being an Apple, and Fluttershy was there also, she’d been dating Caramel and word was that it was getting serious.  
The Cutie Mark Crusaders were enthralled with Princess Luna.  So were their now friends Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.  But the pony who got the most attention was Dawn.  Luna had been visiting the little filly a lot.  She was just starting to talk and she’d cry out ‘Auntie Luna!’ when ever she saw her.

Everypony could tell the sun was being lowered.  Princess Luna called all the ponies in attendance to follow her outside.  She made the crowd form a circle around her.  Twilight came forward to take Dawn while the princess performed her duty.
“That will not be necessary, Twilight Sparkle.”  Then Luna spoke to her niece, “just like we practiced.”
“O-tay, Auntie Luna.”
With that the princess lifted her fore hooves high, still holding Dawn.  She spread her wings, her magic aura surrounded them.  Many got a chuckle because Dawn was copying Luna by lifting her forelegs and spreading her little wings.  Then Luna rose off the ground, her glow became almost blinding.  Then it faded and she settled back to earth as the moon peeked over the horizon.  There were cheers all around.  
Luna acknowledged the accolades.  Then she handed Dawn to Twilight.  There was a collective gasp of the ponies around.  But the Cutie Mark Crusaders all cried;
“No fair!”
But they weren’t really too upset.
There on the little, barely one year old filly’s flank was a cutie mark.  It appeared to be the sun coming up over the horizon.
“A raising sun cutie mark!” exclaimed Twilight.
“You’d think that, factoring in her name.” Said Luna, “but it doesn’t always work that way.  Instead, it’s a rising moon.  This child is destined for greatness.  Or have you been asleep all this time?” 

Everypony was buzzing about what just happened.  But as the party worked it’s way on into the barn, the Sparkles and the Dashes sat at a table away from the greater crowd.  They had, for the last couple days, been trying not to be too noticeable that they were spending a lot of time together.  They didn’t have a repeat performance (yet), but there were secret kisses between themselves, and they felt very happy to be in the company of each other.  
Princess Luna walked over to their table.  The ponies started to stand, but the princess motioned them to stay seated.  She levitated a chair backwards to herself, straddled the back with a hind leg either side and she propped herself on the top of the back.
“Ladies,” began the princess, “a pony couldn’t help but notice how content the four of you look.  The happiness of my subjects is always my top priority.  
So I just wanted to know if the group sex was all you were hoping it’d be?
Don’t look at me like you’re shocked or like you don’t know what I’m speaking of.” 
“Princess?” said Twilight Sparkle.
“Don’t princess me!  I’m the Princess of the Night, sex is my domain.  I rule sex, I bless sex.  I’m the source of all sexual desire.  If I didn’t know of any special occasions which have happened, I wouldn’t be worthy of my tiara.  
So knowing my sister’s apprentice has taken that next step to being a more rounded and loving pony is my job.
I congratulate you, I bless you and I’d be sorely disappointed if it never happened again.
You’re four beautiful mares.  Yes Twilight, I do mean you as well, despite how you see yourself.  You should enjoy this activity as often as possible.  Being the ponies you’re, I’d be greatly surprised if you let this level of love interfere with the love of your mate.
What you’ve achieved is a level of love few ponies can handle.  Life and death and life has tested your love.  You four are bound now as if you all were married together.  It’s special, enjoy it.”
The princess got up and started to walk off.  She paused and said over her shoulder;
“By the way ladies, just in case you feel like a challenge, I try to leave my Thursday evenings free.”
The princess winked and walked on.

Most of the CMC and Silver Spoon were fussing over Dawn, touching the cutie mark as if to either test the genuineness, or hoping touching it’d bring them luck.  The only CMC not there, was Sweetie Belle, she was sitting with Diamond Tiara talking and laughing as if there were no ponies around them.
Suddenly the music on the impromptu stage stopped, Braeburn called for everypony’s attention.

“I guess y’all know I came to Ponyville ‘cause the Apple’s business in Appleloosa is boomin’.”
There were cheers all around.  Braeburn motioned to the crowd for attention again. 
“I’m in need of an assistant to help run the business, I spoke to Applejack, Big Mac and the matriarch of the Ponyville Apple Family, Granny Smith on who I should recruit.  They all named one name. 
Come on up Caramel.”
More cheers.
By this time, Rarity and Applejack had went back to sit with their four friends.  Fluttershy was standing up by the stage.
Caramel came forward, there was more cheering.  Braeburn motioned for quiet again.
“So Cousin Caramel, have you given my offer any thought?”
“I have, Cousin Braeburn,” said Caramel with a large smile. “I’ll go under one condition.”
There was a hush that fell over the crowd.  Caramel looked down to the front of the crowd and said.
“I’ll go to Appleloosa and work the family business, IF’N. you’d come with me and be my wife, Fluttershy.”
The crowd was hushed, Rainbow, Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack and Muffins all looked with surprise and joy on their faces.
Fluttershy beat her wings, shot up on stage grabbing Caramel almost knocking him over and covering his face with kisses.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” shouted Fluttershy in a volume her friends hadn’t heard from the shy Pegasus before.
“Then as soon as we can get married, we’ll go to Appleloosa.” Said Caramel.
There was a cheer from the crowd,  Fluttershy’s friends all ran to congratulate her.  The noise was pandemonium.  
Suddenly a voice that carried above the din rang out.  It was The Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice of Princess Luna.

“I BELIEVE I CAN BE OF SOME ASSISTANCE!” she said.