//------------------------------// // Over the Hills and Far Away // Story: What Lies Beyond // by Sparx //------------------------------// Over the Hills and Far Away Rainbow Dash slept soundly under the hot afternoon sun. Her work done for the rest of the day, she smiled to herself in her dreams. Just as her smile reached her peak she was shaken awake by the call of "RD!" Dash's eyes shot open and she let out a groan. Looking down from her cloud she saw Applejack beaming up at her. "Oh hey AJ! What's up?" "Well ah reckon besides you, I got a few things ah'd like ta talk about. Ya wanna help me buck some apples while we chit-chat?" Applejack had a rather comforting smile on her face today as she looked up to Rainbow. Dash really wasn't too eager to work, but then again, she didn't really have any plans either. As the element of loyalty she decided it was best. "Sure AJ. I'd love to hang out." Rainbow Dash flew down and landed next to her friend so they could walk together. "Whatcha wanna talk about?" AJ started walking with Dash at her side. She began to blush and smile. "Ah nothin'. Just two good friends talkin' to one another." Rainbow Dash couldn't help but catch Applejack's contagious good mood, and began smiling as well. "Aw c'mon AJ. You can tell me anything. I'm Rainbow Dash, your best friend. We know everything about one another." Rainbow's eyes narrowed as she smiled wider. "Eeeeeeverything." She whipped AJ's flank with her tail and managed to get the country pony to let out a bit of a squeak and blush harder. "Well, if'n yer so intent on knowin'... Ah would like ta talk about Saturday." "Saturday?" Rainbow Dash thought for a moment then grew a smile. She and AJ had taken the time to learn more about one another in a more 'physical' aspect. "Fun! You've got an incredible tongue AJ." The orange pony became almost completely red as she chuckled. "Tweren't nothin' Rainbow. But Ah was wonderin' somethin'." Applejack stopped as they entered the acres and bucked at a tree. "How those amazing thighs didn't manage to crush my head?" Rainbow Dash joked with a perverted smile. AJ let out another laugh. "Actually I was wonderin' if'n ya wanted to do that more often. Like intimates. Y'know, callin' one another cute names an' such, maybe meetin' up somewhere in the moonlight and pressin' lips?" Rainbow Dash instantly stopped smiling and rather had a bit of a puzzled look on her face. "Going steady? You and me?" She had thought about it a good number of times. "Yeah." AJ Kicked at the next tree and filled up another bucket of apples. "Jus' cuddlin' up in the night mah lil' RD an' me. Hoof around hoof down the street." Rainbow Dash kicked at a tree herself, knocking down only half the produce. "Well..." Rainbow started. "Believe me when I say I'd love to AJ, because I would. You're really awesome and fun, as well as one hell of a mare when it comes to bucking in the bed... but." AJ's smile stayed but had lessened. "But?" "I just don't know if I'm ready yet. Y'know? I like you AJ, I really do. If we'd been doing... 'this' for a lot longer, I wouldn't hesitate at all. Hay I'd leap on top of you right now. But I think we should build up more than what we have, you get me?" Rainbow Dash kept her composure surprisingly well for herself, she said exactly what she felt, and it helped that Applejack was looking at her so warmly. "Ah understand RD. I guess yer right too." Applejack smacked another tree, her mood wasn't at all affected. "Well then, would ya like to get together tomorrow night then? The sooner ah can have you ta mahself the better." "Of course!" Dash smiled warmly. "I'd never give up a chance to pounce on you after what I've seen you doing." Applejack and Rainbow Dash continued to applebuck together for about an hour, just talking about various things like: how's Tank, you try Pinkie Pie's new recipie, how's that new Daring Do book? In time the two mares spent talking they lost track of the time and soon the night was looming on in the distance. "Sorry AJ, I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow." "Heck yeah ya will Sugarcube." Applejack winked as her friend flew off. Rainbow Dash blushed with a grin as she flew off towards her home. She felt really good right now. Perhaps she and AJ should become a couple. It would make them both happy wouldn't it? There was just one problem... "How do ya do Dashie?" When Dash landed on her porch she heard Spitfire's voice just above her head and her wings stiffened. "Spitfire!" Applejack wasn't the only pony Dash had romantic connections to. The yellow pegasus landed herself down next to Dash and gave her a kiss. "I thought I'd stop by and visit my number one fan." Dash blushed and her heart started to race. "Your mane is down, you're not wearing your uniform." "I like it better this way, and it's not like you haven't seen me without my uniform on Dashie." Spitfire stuck out her tongue with a small taunt. "Now, you going to invite me in or not?" "Of course!" Dash opened up the door and let her hero in first. Spitfire bowed graciously and trotted on in. "You want anything?" "No need for the formalities Dash. I'm not a Wonderbolt right now. I'm yours for the night honey." Spitfire batted her eyes towards Dash who couldn't manage to force her wings down even if she tried. The rainbow pony's heart was beating faster than she had ever flied. She'd always had a crush on Spitfire, always, she was the reason why she wanted to join the bolts in the first place. "I really dig the place Dashie, it's cute, much like yourself." Spitfire walked over and found a bobble head of herself, playing with it. "Almost everything you own has my face on it." She giggled and Dash's heart fluttered. "Of course, you're my favorite." Rainbow walked over beside the other pegasus. "Only, there's one place I'd really like to see it in that it isn't." "Huh? Where's that?" No sooner had Dash asked the question than her lips were met with Spitfire's. The yellow pony brought Dash to her back. Dash wrapped her front hooves around Spitfire's neck as they continued their kiss until Spitfire pulled back. "I just thought of another place." Spitfire kissed at Dash's neck, then at her chest, then to her stomach... The next morning Dash woke up in her bed with Spitfire in her front leg looking back at her. "Good morning Dashie." A giggle came from both of them. "You know, I was wondering. You own almost everything 'me' that's ever been created." "I thought I did own everything that was you Spitfire." Dash looked confused. Spitfire shook her head. "You're missing one piece to your collection." She leaned over and kissed Dash again. "The original." Dash didn't resist the next kiss but her eyes stayed open. "You mean you want to-" "Be fillyfriends yes. Maybe we could move in at some point down the road as well." Spitfire cuddled into her lover. "Uh..." Dash suddenly became quite uncomfortable. Where originally she had two amazing mares that she would spend long sleepless nights with, now she had two ponies that were falling in love with her, and she couldn't decide between the two. Applejack was always there for Dash, loyal and honest and kind, a great friend. Spitfire though had been intimate with Dash for longer, she could fly and Dash had held strong feelings for her since she knew who she was. "Spitfire... I'll have to put you on hold for that. I'm very sorry. I just have to think some things out. I'd love to, and normally I'd agree in an instant, but... something is up." "Are you alright?" Spitfire looked up to Dash in concern. "Yeah I'm okay. I just... I have to think." Dash smiled at Spitfire. Spitfire smiled back. "Alright Dashie, no rush." "Thanks Spitfire, it means a lot." Dash leaned over and gave Spitfire another kiss. "I'm going to go fly around the town, try to clear my head." "Of course. I'll be at my place if you should ever need me." Spitfire winked to Dash and flew out the door. Dash flew over Ponyville, circling the edges. What to do? Rainbow Dash cared for both of her friends, she didn't know who she could pick out of the two. Applejack or Spitfire, how could she choose? Maybe she would ask one of her friends, maybe she'd- "RD!" Applejack's voice called up towards Rainbow Dash. Oh man. I don't need this right now... Rainbow flew down to meet Applejack with a look of worry. "You doin' alright Rainbow? Ya ain't lookin' too good." "I'm... alright. Just a little worried is all. I was flying around to help." "What about? Can ah help?" Rainbow smiled lightly. "Nah, not in this AJ." "Well if'n it's botherin' ya that bad we could postpone our plans fer tonight." Dash had almost forgotten. "Yeah, if we could, that would help a lot actually AJ. Thank you." Perhaps she should stay with Applejack, she was always understanding. But Applejack is always busy with her work, Spitfire and I would have a lot more time together. Oh why does it have to be so hard? Rainbow Dash flew off a bit disheartened with Applejack looking after her. From the edge of Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash looked down upon the ground below. "I can't decide between the two of them. I'd be lucky to be with either of them. Both are amazing and fun, and if I choose one than the other is going to feel like junk. What do I do? I'm the element of loyalty, not the element of choices. Oh MAN!" She sighed and collapsed onto the cloud. When she opened her eyes she saw mountains in the distance. "That's where we all fought the dragon... huh... I wonder, what's past the mountains?" She brought herself up on her hooves once more. "Has anypony even bothered to explore anymore? What's out there?" Rainbow spread her wings, but retracted them. "It could be dangerous... like the Everfree Forest. Maybe worse." Dash looked past the mountains. She felt it calling out to her, pulling at her to come. She spread her wings. "It could be just what I need. I do need to clear my head..." Dash hovered over towards the direction she felt compelled to go. "I could... I'll go check it out. Maybe I'll find something to help, a sign or an answer." Dash flew off. She flew over Ponyville and over the trees of the Everfree Forest. She flew past the mountain where they fought the dragon, and she kept flying on, beyond her knowledge and safety.