//------------------------------//
// Day Eight - Patronization 
// Story: Tenacious Dash 
// by Hipster Cloudchaser 
//------------------------------//

	Applejack woke the next morning feeling groggy. She reached out to nuzzle Rainbow, but found her muzzle stopped halfway. She blearily opened her eyes to see…

“Happy Birthday, Rainbow Dash!”

From the other side of the pink mare who had suddenly appeared between them, Rainbow jumped in shock and fell off the bed, the force bringing Applejack down on top of her, though Pinkie was nowhere to be found. Applejack successfully completed her earlier attempt to nuzzle her marefriend, who groaned, “Pinkie Pie, what the hell?”

Applejack, being slightly more awake, had enough of her wits about her to remember, “Pinkie, Rainbow’s birthday ain’t for another-“

“Eighty-six days, I know!” Pinkie lamented from atop Applejack’s bed. “That’s almost three whole months! But it’s never too early to celebrate, you know.”

“So aside from being random, why are you here?” Rainbow’s voice was slightly muffled.

“Oh! I’m here to invite you to my water party this afternoon!” Pinkie cheered. “I got too excited so I just had to come over and tell you myself, even though I told Mac to, but that’s okay because we talked that out.”

“And when did ya do that?” Applejack asked, rolling off of Rainbow to attempt to disentangle them from the sheets.

“Last night, of course!”

Applejack paused. “So ya’ve been here all night?”

“Oh, no, I went in and out when it was appropriate,” Pinkie assured them.

Rainbow managed to poke her head out of the tangle of sheets. “Appropriate for what?”

“For the plot!” Pinkie chirped.

Rainbow frowned, trying to think of what Pinkie might be going on about.

“Now hold on a damn second!” Applejack burst out. “You were watchin’ us?”

“Nah, that was one of those out times,” Pinkie explained. “I did hear you, though, and it sounded like a whole lot of fun!”

Applejack made to tackle Pinkie and strangle her, but a combination of a tug at her tail and the sheets being uncooperative had her fall back down in a thoroughly-annoyed heap. “Rainbow, why did ya-“

“Think about how bad Ponyville was without Pinkie, AJ. Do you really want that to happen again?”

Applejack scowled. “But she was bein’ all sneaky and spyin’ on us in a real private moment!”

“At least we know she’d be okay with the foaling spell,” Rainbow pointed out.

Applejack groaned. “Don’t remind me. Ah’ve got half a mind ta stomach one o’ them carrot muffins if it really is another option.”

“You know that wouldn’t work again in a million years, right?” Rainbow laughed. “What I wanna know is how it worked once.”

“Easy; she crit failed her deliciousness roll!” Pinkie answered, reminding the two trapped mares why they were in this situation to begin with. And also thoroughly confusing them.

“She did what now?” Applejack questioned.

“I think we’re getting a little off track here. Aside from your weird-ass invitation, why else are you here?” Rainbow prodded. “What else did you do?”

“Oh, well, I came here around the time you got back from the music shop, but then I couldn’t find Mac anywhere, and then I heard you two talking upstairs so I went to listen. You were talking about drumsticks and making all kinds of silly noises, so I figured out pretty quick what was going on. But then I was wondering why you were using drumsticks instead of something better, and then I remembered the party, and no party’s complete without gifts, right? So I got you this!” Pinkie held out a small plastic card.

“You got us what?” Rainbow asked from within her soft confines.

“Oh, right, you can’t see through sheets,” Pinkie tugged on a single fold of the blankets imprisoning her friends, managing to unravel the intricate series of knots and tangles and deposit the pristine sheets back onto the bed where they fell in perfect arrangement.

Knowing better than to question Pinkie’s antics, Rainbow simply took the proffered card, which turned out to be a gift card to… “Trixie’s Secret Stash? Wait, are we talking about the great and powerful Trixie? When did she get a store?” Rainbow inspected the card again. ”In Ponyville? Why haven’t I heard about that?”

“Because it’s a secret, silly,” Pinkie giggled.

Applejack’s brow furrowed. “Alright, then what’s in it?”

“I just told you; it’s a secret. You’ll just have to find out for yourselves!” Pinkie teased in a sing-song voice.

“Wait, if it’s a secret, then how come you know about it?” Rainbow challenged.

“Because I know all the secrets in Ponyville.” Pinkie grinned confidently. “I keep them all right here in my Pinkie Safe!” Pinkie brushed her mane to the side with a hoof to reveal some sort of cylindrical protrusion on her forehead. The only feature that could be noted before it was hidden again was that it was pink and furred.

Rainbow tilted her head this way and that, trying to get another glimpse at it, but it was impossible to see through Pinkie’s thick, poofy mane. “Has that always been there?”

“If that’s what I think it is, Ah’m not sure Ah wanna know,” Applejack put in before Pinkie could speak.

“That’s okay. It’s a secret, anyway,” Pinkie quipped.

Rainbow frowned. “What is it with you and secrets today?”

Pinkie gasped. “You’re right; there is something I needed to tell you!”

“Which is?” Rainbow prompted.

Pinkie bounced to the door and opened it before looking back over her shoulder. “Rarity asked me to help get you back for beating her, so I spiked your juice last night.”

“You what?” Rainbow managed before the door shut. Rainbow’s hoof met her face. “Why am I not surprised by that?”

“Ah don’t know, we were actin’ pretty silly last night,” Applejack supposed. “Also explains why Ah can’t remember much of it.”

Rainbow groaned. “Why do I get the feeling Rarity’s got a whole lot more dirt on us?”

“Ah’m sure it’s not that bad, sugarcube. Ah mean, it’s not like we woulda gotten frisky on the dinner table, right?” Applejack tried to console.

Rainbow froze. “Oh, Luna I hope not.”

Applejack chuckled, leading Rainbow downstairs for breakfast. Rainbow followed after placing Pinkie’s gift on Applejack’s nightstand.

Upon entering the kitchen, they were greeted by the harbinger of their night of drunken revelry. “Good morning, dears,” Rarity chirped. “I do hope the hangover’s not getting to you too badly.”

Applejack paused at that, shooting a glance at Rainbow, who shrugged. “Ah actually haven’t noticed one yet.”

“Yeah, but last night still seems kinda fuzzy,” Rainbow added, taking her seat beside Applejack. “How did you even do that, anyway? There was like, no time between me saying that and taking my first sip of juice.”

Rarity chuckled. “Well, I don’t know if she’s told you, but Pinkie overheard your sexual encounter. Naturally, she relayed her suspicions on to me, at which point I decided a little revenge was in order.”

Applejack frowned so deeply that her lower lip curled. “Do we gotta Pinkie-proof mah bedroom now?”

“But then she wouldn’t be able to join in!” Rainbow protested jokingly.

Applejack cuffed Rainbow’s ear lightly. “Call me selfish, but Ah ain’t gonna share you with nopony. Besides, you don’t even know if she’s inta mares.”

Rainbow shrugged. “It was just a thought.”

Applejack eyed Rainbow warily before turning her attention to Mac. “So, did AB spend the night over at Scoot’s?”

Mac nodded. “Don’t see why she wouldn’t have. You comin’ to the party today?”

“Hay yeah! When Pinkie throws a party, I am there,” Rainbow proclaimed. “Kinda wanna check out that Secret Stash, though.”

“How much is that card good fer, anyway?” Applejack asked.

Rainbow’s eyes moved to the ceiling, as if trying to see through it. “A hundred bits, I think.”

Applejack’s eyes widened. “Must have some fancy stuff there.”

“I’m just hoping it’s not one of those stores where everything’s in the same sized boxes with question marks on them and you don’t know what’s in it ‘till you buy it.” Rainbow shuddered. “Never again.”

“Ah, yes, where untrained wallets go to die,” Rarity chuckled. “A learning experience, to be sure.”

“Ah reckon we could go check it out ‘fore we head on over ta Sugarcube Corner fer the party,” Applejack offered. “But there ain’t gonna be any more days off, y’hear?”

“Yeah, yeah, maximum overdrive and all that stuff.” Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively.

Applejack chuckled. “It’s gonna be more ‘n just buckin’ apples now. The ones we harvested last week are ours fer the season, and now we’ve got more trees ta work with, we can start sellin’ as many as Ponyville’s buyin’.”

Rainbow shrugged. “Hey, if it’s good for business, I can’t say much.”

Applejack eyed Rainbow suspiciously. “What’s that supposed ta mean?”

“That I have absolutely no idea how to sell apples,” Rainbow clarified.

“And yer questionin’ mah methods?” Applejack frowned.

“Nah, I can see how it would work. Wouldn’t want ponies clamoring for apples you don’t have yet.” Rainbow cocked her head. “Come to think of it, why don’t you do that for cider season?”

“We do,” Applejack stated flatly, “and if we waited much longer, the apples would start goin’ bad.”

Rainbow’s ears drooped slightly. “I… I don’t have to worry about not getting any cider anymore, do I?”

Applejack chuckled. “Ya never had to, ya silly filly. We always keep a few barrels for ourselves, an’ Mac ain’t exactly the hardest drinker. Ah didn’t even know it was botherin’ ya ‘till last year. All ya ever had ta do was ask.”

Rainbow’s mouth formed a perfectly straight line. “You do realize I’m going to pillage your whole stock this year for not telling me sooner.”

“Only if ya think ya can beat me to it,” Applejack teased.

Rainbow grinned. “Oh, you are so on.”

“Ya do know cider season ain’t fer another eighty-some days, if Pinkie’s math skills are ta be trusted, right?” Applejack reminded.

Rainbow’s grin fell slightly. “Well, you’re on in eighty days, then!”

Applejack chuckled, shaking her head lightly.





From breakfast, the day proceeded with agonizing slowness. It felt like years since they’d started applebucking, and Applejack seemed prepared to work all the way until it was time to leave for the party. “Come on, AJ. If we tire ourselves out now, how are we gonna have fun at one of Pinkie’s parties?”

“By findin’ a nice quiet spot ta talk with Vinyl an’ Octavia,” Applejack answered easily. “Unless ya fergot we was gonna share stories with ‘em.”

Rainbow groaned, falling over and splaying out on her back dramatically. “Pegasus, your life force is running out!”

Applejack cocked a brow. “Ya look fine ta me.”

Rainbow rolled over onto her stomach. “No, it’s a… Oh forget it. You’ve probably never even played that game.” Rainbow got up and flew over to the next tree, leaving Applejack to ponder just what Rainbow was on about this time. “Is earth pony’s life force running out, too?”

Applejack shook her head slowly. If Rainbow had any interest in it at all, she’d be sure to know all about it within the course of the day. “Yeah, Ah’m comin’.”

“So you’re seriously telling me you’ve never played Hooflet? It’s like, the best game ever!” Rainbow started up upon Applejack’s return to her side. Applejack sighed; at least it was going to make Rainbow stop complaining. About applebucking, anyway.





Apple Bloom woke to the pleasant sensation of one of Scootaloo’s wings brushing across her face. She nuzzled into the feathery appendage, giggling lightly when it twitched. Scootaloo’s wings were finally hitting that growth spurt that would make flying much easier. They were far removed from the little stubs she had when they first met.

Sweetie Belle yawned from the other side of the bed, rubbing her eyes with a hoof. She looked around for a clock to find her side of the bed lacking a nightstand. “What time is it?” she mumbled sleepily.

Apple Bloom glanced to the side to check the clock. “About half past seven,” she whispered in answer.

“It’s times like these when I wish I could just have breakfast in bed,” Sweetie Belle groaned. Half a second later, she jolted upright. “Idea!”

Scootaloo woke at the sudden movement of the bed, jumping away from the point of contact and promptly colliding with Apple Bloom. “What the hay? Sweetie Belle?”

“Aw, now it won’t work.” Sweetie Belle frowned in disappointment.

“What’s going on?” Scootaloo prompted a second time.

“Ah’m not sure, mahself,” Apple Bloom said.

Sweetie Belle perked up. “Oh, wait, another idea! Scoot, go back to sleep!”

Scootaloo blinked. “Why?”

“Because you have to be asleep for this to work, of course. Now go back to sleep!”

Scootaloo looked to Apple Bloom for an answer. Apple Bloom could offer little more than a shrug.

“Well, Ah’m getting’ kinda hungry,” Apple Bloom spoke after a pause.

“Me too,” Scootaloo added, getting up out of bed with Apple Bloom.

“You comin’, Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom asked, turning to see Sweetie Belle fast asleep.

“Don’t ask,” Scootaloo said before Apple Bloom could open her mouth a second time.

Apple Bloom frowned. “Well, she did seem kinda out o’ it. Said somethin’ about breakfast in bed.”

Scootaloo perked up. “Ooh, how about we bring her breakfast in bed?”

“Great idea, Scoot! Let’s go get that breakfast.”

As they left the room, Scootaloo could have sworn she heard Sweetie Belle mumble, “Stole my idea.”





“I swear I got back in time, but the stupid machine ate my token and killed my character!” Rainbow was going on. “It was the last level and I was so freaking close to beating it finally, but it’s just like ‘Nope! Try again!’ Of course, the next time I played, I beat it all with one credit, but still! Still pissed about that one.”

Applejack frowned. “Weren’t ya just goin’ on about how ya could only do that with an earth pony er a unicorn?”

“Well, maybe I went earth pony that one time, but only because I was frustrated! It’s not my fault they made the pegasus so underpowered,” Rainbow countered.

“And ya were runnin’ low on bits, weren’t ya?” Applejack asked with a knowing glint in her eye.

Rainbow crossed her forelegs. “Okay, yeah, that too. But I still beat it with the pegasus the next day!”

“You ever try with the unicorn er the donkey?”

Rainbow scoffed. “Please, I only play cool characters in my games.”

Applejack smirked. “And that happened ta include the earth pony?”

Rainbow flinched. “I… shut up!”

Applejack chuckled. “Ah might just have ta play with ya sometime.”

“Well, they are coming out with Hooflet II this year,” Rainbow suggested.

“Sounds like a plan, partner,” Applejack agreed, holding out her hoof for a spit shake, which Rainbow returned.

“Those monsters don’t stand a chance,” Rainbow boasted. “With both of us there kicking flank, there’s no way it’ll take us more than one try!”

“Maybe if ya teach me how ta play one o’ these days,” Applejack supposed.

Rainbow brightened. “That’s right, you’ve never played it. We have to find time to head on down to the arcade today or tomorrow.”

“Well, Pinkie’s party’s probably gonna take up most o’ the day, so how’s about tomorrow ya show me the ropes?” Applejack suggested.

“You bet your fine plot I will,” Rainbow promised.

Applejack chuckled, “Ya know, of all the things Ah expect outta you…”

“Hey, just because I’m an athlete doesn’t mean I can’t like video games,” Rainbow retorted.

“Never said ya couldn’t, sugarcube,” Applejack clarified. “Ya just keep findin’ new ways ta surprise me.”

Rainbow shrugged. “I’m sure you’ll run me dry one of these days.”

“Not sure if Ah should be grateful er disappointed.”





Scootaloo reached out to give Sweetie Belle a kiss on her horn. Sweetie Belle’s face scrunched in response as she offered a little groan before righting herself and rubbing an eye tiredly. Yawning and looking around blearily for anything out of place, a tray of food caught her eye.

“Eat up, sleepy head,” Apple Bloom giggled.

“You guys…” Sweetie Belle blushed.

Scootaloo puffed out her chest proudly. “It was my idea.”

“You sure about that, Scoot? Sweetie Belle was goin’ on about somethin’ before,” Apple Bloom pointed out.

Sweetie Belle smiled. “I was gonna suggest we bring Scootaloo breakfast in bed as a sort of welcome home present.”

Scootaloo smiled back. “Aw, that’s sweet of you, Sweetie.”

“No complaints about it bein’ too sappy for ya?” Apple Bloom jested.

“Hey, it’s different now that we’re fillyfriends,” Scootaloo argued. “The sap’s not gonna stop, so I might as well get used to it, right?”

Sweetie Belle giggled. “I think it’s really cute, Scoot.”

Scootaloo blushed. “Uh, thanks, Belle.”

“Get a room, you two,” Apple Bloom said in mock distaste.

“Only if you’re there with us,” Scootaloo returned.

“But we’re already in a room,” Sweetie Belle pointed out.

Scootaloo frowned. “Then what are we supposed to do now?”

Sweetie Belle’s stomach growled in response. “Um, eat?”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom laughed, each giving her a peck on the cheek and sitting down to wait for Sweetie Belle to consume her breakfast.





“Ah’ll take it from here, you two,” Big Mac called from another part of the orchard. “Go on an’ head to the party.”

Rainbow looked to Applejack hopefully.

“Alright, let’s go check out this Secret Stash o’ Trixie’s,” Applejack finally said after they had bucked just about every tree in the entire orchard.

Rainbow collapsed onto her stomach. “I’m pretty sure pegasus’ life force just ran out.”

“Well, good thing earth pony’s here ta help her up,” Applejack laughed, hoisting the prone pegasus onto her back.

“Onward, faithful steed!” Rainbow commanded between pants. Applejack rolled her eyes and headed into town.

Mac watched their antics with a smile; it was great to see Applejack enjoying herself so much. He hefted the last load of apples onto his back and started for the barn to organize what he’d be bringing into town for selling.

As Mac busied himself sorting through apples and loading the prettiest of the bunch onto a wagon, Rarity watched him from the doorway. “You know, it really is sweet of you to do all this for them.”

Mac chuckled in response. “Well, Ah reckon Ah owe it to ‘em after they helped me outta that mess with Granny. Usually ain’t so smooth when ya skip out like that.”

“Yes, I suppose your family does hold tight to traditions,” Rarity agreed.

Mac paused in his work. “Speakin’ o’ family, how long’s it been since ya’ve talked ta yers? They know ya’ve had yer eye on a simple farmpony like me?”

Rarity frowned. “No, I don’t suppose they do, nor can I properly gauge their reaction. But we needn’t worry ourselves about-“

“They’re yer family, Rare,” Mac insisted. “Even if ya ain’t too keen on ‘em, they’ve got a right ta know ‘bout who yer datin’ ‘fore ya get yerself hitched.”

“I wasn’t going to suggest we wait that long,” Rarity reproached.

“Why wait at all? Longer ya wait, the more likely they’re gonna have a problem with us,” Mac pointed out. “If they don’t think Ah can be proper ‘nough ta come clean ta them Ah’m datin’ their daughter-“

“Alright, that’s enough,” Rarity interrupted. “If it really means that much to you, I suppose there is some time left before the party.”

“Family should be important ta you, too, Rare. Ya only get one Ma n’ Pa, an’ ya never know when ya might lose ‘em,” Mac intoned. “Life’s too short ta hold grudges, and Ah reckon Ah learned that the hard way.”

Rarity blinked, a look of sympathy coming over her as she moved to comfort her coltfriend.

Mac sighed. “Ah’ve got apples ta sell today, Rare. An’ the party’s gonna be startin’ soon, so Ah ain’t got too much time ta do it.”

“I’ll come with you, and then we can confront my parents,” Rarity promised. “For you, I’ll make sure they have no choice but to love and accept you.”

Mac smiled. “Thanks, Rare.”





“So where is this place we’re lookin’ fer?” Applejack asked, meandering through Ponyville with a lazy pegasus lounging on her back.

“It’s downtown, 570 Saddle Lane,” Rainbow relayed.

Applejack frowned, but refrained from commenting. She was starting to get suspicions about what this place was. But they proved unfounded when they came upon the addressed building and found it empty. “What the hay? There ain’t anythin’ here!”

Rainbow clambered off Applejack to try to get a look through the cloudy window, but it was impossible to see anything. A test of the door revealed it to be locked. “So, Pinkie gave us a gift card to an empty store? I don’t buy it. There’s something we’re missing here.”

“Ah suppose it could just be closed today,” Applejack surmised. “That don’t explain why the windows are fogged, though.”

“Well, Pinkie said it was a secret, right? Maybe it’s just to preserve the illusion. I don’t know, but they can’t keep this up forever!” Rainbow pressed her face back up against the window.

“So what are ya gonna do, then?” Applejack asked.

Rainbow turned and grinned at Applejack. “We come back after the party and investigate under the cover of darkness.”

“So ya wanna break in,” Applejack deadpanned.

“No, just, you know, investigate!” Rainbow denied. “We’ll only use force if needed.”

Applejack sighed. “Well, Ah don’t suppose Ah could leave ya ta get arrested alone. Ah’ll come with ya.”

“Perfect! Everything’s coming together nicely,” Rainbow said in a dramatic voice, rubbing her hooves together dastardly.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Come on, let’s get to the party.”

Rainbow jumped back onto Applejack’s back. “Okay, but I’ve gotta ride in style.”

Applejack eyed Rainbow lounging on her back before rearing up. Rainbow fell to a confused heap at Applejack’s back hooves, until she noticed the view. A flank tap and a hoof to the face later, they were off to Sugarcube Corner.





By the time Applejack and Rainbow arrived, the party already seemed to be in full swing, despite having only started a couple minutes ago. A trip to the back room also revealed a new addition. Built into the floor was a sizable indoor pool, with several ponies lounging and playing in it.

“How do ya think she managed this one?” Applejack mused.

Rainbow shrugged. “I dunno, but knowing Pinkie it’s gonna be gone by tomorrow. Might as well enjoy it while-“ Rainbow paused. While scanning the crowd idly, she swore she caught sight of something rainbow-colored. Shaking it off as some sort of decoration Pinkie put up, she turned back to the pool and nearly jumped out of her coat upon seeing who stood before her.

“Rainy!” A pink-coated pegasus mare with a blue mane and a cutie mark of two lightning bolts embraced the startled pegasus.

“M-Mom?” Rainbow asked in pure confusion.

“Oh, we came as soon as we heard! Congratulations, Rainy!”

Rainbow cocked her head. “How did you hear about me and AJ all the way in Cloudsdale?”

The pink mare disconnected her hug to gaze uncertainly upon Applejack. “But Applejack’s an earth pony, sweetie.”

Rainbow bristled. “You have a problem with that?”

Rainbow’s mother blinked. “Of course not. But how did she get into the Wonderbolts if she doesn’t have wings?”

Rainbow’s hoof met her face. “Oh, that’s what this is about.”

Another pony sharing Rainbow’s distinctive mane color approached the group. “What else would it be about, squirt?”

Rainbow turned her head to regard the new arrival. “Hey, Dad. And, uh, didn’t you read the banners?” Rainbow indicated a pair of banners, one of which read, ‘Calling all fish to Sugarcube Corner,’ the other reading ‘Congratulations AJ & Dashie.’ The latter of the two banners also happened to be decorated with a Pinkie-sized amount of hearts.

“Oh, we-“

Rainbow interrupted her mother. “I know what you’re going to say, ‘Oh, we knew this was gonna happen because you talked about her a lot, blah.’ So don’t.”

Her mother flinched. “No, I wasn’t going to… it’s just that…”

“What, is it because she’s a mare?” Rainbow challenged.

“What your mother is trying to say is, are you sure?” Her father asked.

Rainbow frowned. “Yeah, I’m gay, so what?”

“It’s just that… last time you, uh…” Rainbow’s mother chuckled nervously. “Ah, brought a filly home, you…”

Applejack’s brow rose. “What’s this about bringin’ a filly home, now?”

“Ugh, it was a long time ago, and it was one of those stupid phases, and I, uh…” Rainbow trailed off.

“Can you believe she brought Gilda home one day and tried to convince us she was her fillyfriend?” Her father chortled.

Applejack recoiled in shock, scanning Rainbow’s face for a reaction.

“Like I said, it was a long time ago and I was just being stupid and…” Rainbow took in the hurt expression on Applejack’s face for the first time. “No, I swear we didn’t do anything, AJ. Like, literally nothing. Gilda wasn’t even really interested, and she just went along with it ‘cuz we were friends. I was just trying to prove some stupid point, and I just made myself look like a foal.”

“So you haven’t been lyin’ ta me at all?” Applejack asked gruffly.

Rainbow sighed. “AJ, everything I’ve told you is true. You were my first date, my first kiss, my first buck, everything!”

Applejack blushed at the last. “Uh, Rainbow, Ah’m not sure that-“

“Ooh, you’ve already done all that? You’ve gotta tell me all about it!” Rainbow’s mother piped up.

“Mom, please,” Rainbow muttered, cheeks coloring. “What I do with my marefriend is my business, alright? Well, mine and AJ’s, but you know what I mean.”

Her mother sighed. “Oh, well. It was worth a shot, I suppose. Don’t hold anything back now.”

“Ah don’t think ya gotta worry ‘bout that, Mrs. Dash,” Applejack chuckled.

“Please, call me Firefly,” Firefly offered a hoof, which Applejack shook. “It really is nice to finally meet you in pony after all Rainbow Dash has told us.”

“Mom, cut it out!” Rainbow reproached.

Applejack responded by taking off her hat and placing it on Rainbow’s head, who pulled it over her eyes gratefully. “Ah’m sure it ain’t half as bad as all the sap ya’ve covered me in the past few days,” Applejack reassured.

“And that was supposed to make me feel better how?” Rainbow grumped. “Now my mom’s gonna ask about that, too.”

Firefly grinned shamelessly.

“Well, she sure is a character, ta be sure,” Applejack laughed. “Yer father always been a quiet type?”

“Hardly,” Firefly answered. “He just knows when to give me space.”

“Comes from flying as her wingmate for fifteen years,” he chuckled. “Name’s Lightspeed, by the way.”

Applejack shook Lightspeed’s hoof. “Well, it sure is nice ta finally meet y’all. Can’t say Rainbow’s told me too much.”

“Well, a hyperactive mother who works at the Weather Factory after losing the energy to keep up with the weather team, and a waning team captain who always dreamed of the Wonderbolts as a colt isn’t really much to talk of,” Firefly supposed.

“Yep, you pretty much covered it all in one sentence,” Rainbow quipped, raising Applejack’s hat onto her head properly. “Applejack’s got way better family history.”

Applejack blushed. “Well, Ah wouldn’t say that…”

Rainbow grinned, returning Applejack’s hat. “AJ, your family single-hoofedly caused an entire town to form around you because your apples are just that good.”

Applejack’s blush deepened. “Well, Ah reckon Stinkin’ Rich had a hoof in all that.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Marketing only goes so far without an amazing product, you know. Don’t listen to AJ; she’s just way too modest about this stuff. Her Granny Smith is like, the lynchpin of Ponyville.”

Firefly cocked her head. “Is that a pony or are we talking about the apple?”

“Both,” Rainbow jested, laughing as Applejack’s hat fell over its owner’s eyes. She sidled up next to Applejack to whisper sensually in her ear. “Don’t tease the bull unless you’re looking for a rut, AJ.”

AJ’s face scrunched as she pulled her hat further over her eyes. Rainbow sniggered, giving Applejack a peck on the cheek.

Pleasantries exchanged, Rainbow’s parents let them mingle and enjoy the party. The double-edged sword came with the promise that they’d be stopping by again soon to hear all about their little romance. Knowing her mother’s eternal schoolfilly mindset, Rainbow accepted her fate with little more than a sigh.

Free at last from her overbearing parents, Rainbow flung herself into the pool to hide as much as cool off. Applejack chuckled, dropping down into the water beside her irascible marefriend. “Ah’m sure it won’t be as bad as ya think,” Applejack consoled, offering a hoof in support.

Rainbow’s head came to rest against Applejack’s shoulder. “Probably not, but it means we have one less day to work with.”

“C’mon, she ain’t that bad.”

“You’ve barely met my mom,” Rainbow countered. “What you saw right there was tame by her standards. If she didn’t have something else to do today, we’d have been talking about sex all day. And that’s not even including anything else about our relationship!”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “We got experience fightin’ Pinkie off. Ah’m sure we can handle yer mom.”

“Yeah, but Pinkie isn’t related to me,” Rainbow groaned. “Believe me, that adds a whole new level of invasiveness.”

Applejack sighed. “Well, yer family’s yer family, sugarcube. Ain’t nothin ya can do ta change it.”

“Exactly my point, AJ,” Rainbow grumbled.

Applejack nudged her mare. “C’mon, Dashie; this is a party, ain’t it? We can leave all that bellyachin’ fer later.”

Rainbow took a deep breath before splashing Applejack with a wave of water. Applejack blinked as her mane was soaked through. “This is a party, isn’t it?” Rainbow asked to Applejack’s bemused expression.

Applejack grinned. There was the Rainbow she knew. A space was quickly cleared for them in the middle of the pool for what was sure to be a splash fight for the ages.





Rarity stood before her parents’ house with a feeling of dread. “Well, I suppose we should get this over with.”

“Ah’m here for ya, Rare,” Mac promised.

“I know you are, darling,” Rarity assured, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She took a deep breath before reaching a hoof up to knock.

Rarity’s mother opened the door. “Oh, hello Rarity dear!” She smiled and hugged her daughter. “And who is this?”

“Mother, this is my coltfriend, Big Macintosh,” Rarity introduced. “Mac, this is my mother, Pearl.”

Pearl laughed, hugging a bemused Mac. “So our little Rarity’s gotten her first coltfriend, has she?”

“Uh, it’s nice ta meet ya, too?” Mac sounded unsure.

“Oh, where are my manners, please come in!” Pearl released Mac and stepped aside.

“Apologies, my mother can be a little… unorthodox,” Rarity murmured.

Mac chuckled. “What about yer father?”

“I’m a bit more worried about him,” Rarity admitted.

“So you’ve finally brought a stallion home to us, huh?” A male voice said in an odd tone.

Rarity sighed. “Yes, father, this is my coltfriend, Big Macintosh. Mac, this is my father, Magnum.”

Magnum’s nose twitched, otherwise staying completely still.

“So, tell us about yourself, Big Macintosh,” Pearl chimed in.

Mac blinked. “Well, Ah’m a real simple pony. Ah work mah family’s apple orchard with mah Granny and two sisters, Applejack and Apple Bloom.”

Pearl’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Oh, so you’re Applejack’s brother! I thought I recognized you from somewhere.”

Mac nodded humbly, thankful he wasn’t getting any resentment for his humble origins.

“To think, if we hadn’t interfered, you might be coming home with Applejack herself,” Pearl went on.

Rarity’s eye twitched. “Let’s not speak of this ever again.” Rarity coughed, recomposing herself. “Besides, if anything I would think you pushed me ever so slightly closer into the line of fire with what you pulled.”

Pearl blinked. “How’s that?”

Rarity blinked. “Applejack has no interest in stallions.”

“So she’s one of those fillyfoolers, huh?” Magnum scoffed, speaking at last. “Well, now we know where Sweetie Belle’s been getting all these awful ideas.”

Rarity scowled. “Father, I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t speak of it as if it were something unclean. It’s a perfectly healthy lifestyle, and I’ll have you know that Applejack and Rainbow Dash are very happy together. Need I remind you that you are technically talking to two romantically involved stallions?”

It was Magnum’s turn for an eye twitch. “No, I think I’d prefer you didn’t.”

“If you really are so homophobic, then perhaps Ponyville is not the place for you,” Rarity continued. “I’m sure you’ve not noticed, but fillyfooling and coltcuddling happens to be quite rampant around here.”

“You know, that’s not a bad idea,” Magnum shot back. “We should be raising a filly somewhere more respectable, like Hoofington, maybe.”

Rarity recoiled. “No, you can’t do that! Sweetie Belle’s place is here in Ponyville, and I won’t let you take her away!”

“It’s too bad we still have legal custody of her for another six years, then,” Magnum haughtily replied.

“You’re monsters! I’ve tried so hard to convince myself otherwise, but it’s just one thing after another with you, isn’t it?” Rarity bristled. “Big Macintosh had such high hopes for you, and what do you do?” Rarity looked to her coltfriend for support. Mac simply offered a steadying hoof on her shoulder. “I am free of your custody, so it is with no small amount of pride that I can say that you are no family of mine. I disown you as my parents for this.”

Magnum grunted. “If you really feel so strongly about this…”

Pearl sighed, “You know, Maggy, maybe it’s time you gave it up. Are you really gonna separate your daughters just to make a point? What happened to the fun-loving stallion I fell in love with?”

Magnum winced at his wife’s tone. “Pearl, you can’t really tell me you’re okay with your daughter throwing away a chance at a family?”

“I’m okay with letting her make her own decisions,” Pearl chided. “She’s growing up, Maggy, and if this is what she wants, do you really think she’ll listen to you?”

“I just…” Magnum hung his head. “I can’t let my line end with me, hon. And we can’t keep trying again forever.”

Pearl shot Magnum a reproachful glare. “This isn’t about raising the perfect daughter. This is about family, and if you can’t accept your daughters for who they are, then what kinda father does that make you?”

“No father of mine,” Rarity restated. “Though I may have to reconsider about you, mother.”

Pearl offered Rarity a grateful smile before rounding back on her husband. “Well, Magnum?”

Magnum finally relented. “Alright, I guess I can apologize to Ma and Pa and just move on. But don’t blame me when they wring my neck.”

“So you’re not taking Sweetie Belle away?” Rarity demanded.

Magnum took a deep breath. “No.”

“And you’re gonna respect her decision to be with her fillyfriends?” Pearl added.

“Yeah, she can do whatever she wants,” Magnum rolled his eyes.

Pearl frowned. “Magnum.”

“Alright, alright,” Magnum resigned. “I accept her decision and I won’t interfere with her relationship.”

Rarity allowed a smile to grace her lips. “Then I think you’ve earned the right to know that you’ve no need to worry about your line ending.”

Magnum’s ear twitched. “What was that?”

“Our friend Twilight has managed to dig up an old spell that lets mares have foals together,” Rarity revealed. “But it’s good to know you wouldn’t mind either way.”

Magnum blinked twice before bursting out laughing and hugging Pearl. “You hear that, Pearl? We’re gonna get grandfoals after all!”

Pearl smiled, “It’s still her decision whether she wants them or not.”

“I do have to ask, though. If you really wanted grandfoals so badly, why did you raise me as you did?” Rarity questioned. “Surely you didn’t think I could bear a foal by merely believing I was a mare.”

Pearl sighed. “I told your father I wanted a daughter someday. And being as featherbrained as he is, he got a little carried away. I didn’t even really think about what he was doing to you until he came back one day with your face reconstructed. It took me another four years to convince him to have another foal to give you some time to recover and grow up without him smothering you, but the damage was already done by that point.”

Rarity blinked. “I thought you had Sweetie Belle because you were unsatisfied with me.”

“What? No, of course not, dear,” Pearl laughed, standing to give her daughter a hug. “I’ve never been unsatisfied with you. Even if you weren’t supposed to, you grew up to be a wonderful mare. I admit I was a little worried when you ran out on us, but it sure was a stroke of luck to run into somepony like Hoity Toity.”

Mac cocked his head. “Hoity Toity?”

“Oh, did Rarity never tell you that story?” Pearl asked.

Rarity blushed. “Well, he already listened to so much, and, well I don’t like to brag.”

“Nonsense, you tell him all about it!” Pearl insisted. “He’s a real keeper, so you don’t have to be!”

Rarity smiled up at Mac. “He certainly is.”

Mac beamed back down at his marefriend, unable to stop himself from planting a gentle kiss on her lips.

Rarity grinned. “Come on, Mac, you’ve gotta give me something better than that.”

Before Big Mac could ask what Rarity meant, he was tackled to the floor and kissed deeply. Mac smiled, opening his mouth to allow full access. It was all well and good until Mac felt something poke his stomach. “Heh, maybe we should take this somewhere a little more private.”

Rarity blushed. “At this rate, we’re going to miss most of the party.”

Mac chuckled. “You kiddin’? Yer all the party Ah’ll ever need, Rare.”

Rarity smiled, giving Mac a peck on the nose before giggling like a school filly and running out of the house. Mac laughed along, stopping to wave to Rarity’s parents.

“You have fun now, you two,” Pearl teased.

“Yes, ma’am,” Mac promised before chasing after his marefriend.





Clop





“Heh, you’re pretty good at this, AJ,” Rainbow admitted.

“You ain’t too bad yerself,” Applejack returned.

Rainbow grinned. “But I just thought of a way to end this right here.”

Applejack watched in bemusement as Rainbow breached the water and flew to the ceiling.

“You ready for this?” Rainbow taunted.

By the time Applejack knew what Rainbow was planning, it was much too late to do anything about it. Rainbow’s Atomic Rainbomb detonated just below the surface of the water, lessening its effects somewhat, but not enough to save a single droplet of water from its wrath. Rainbow blinked as she found herself at the bottom of an empty pool.

“Did… what just happened?”

Applejack sighed. “What did ya think would happen, ya crazy filly? That’s the same move ya used to blow up one o’ mah old barns!”

“I didn’t think the water would just… disappear!” Rainbow protested.

Applejack looked around herself to find the pool miraculously unharmed. “Yer lucky ya didn’t destroy the whole shop!”

“Hey, I was just trying to get you wet, not wreck the place,” Rainbow argued.

Applejack groaned. “There are other ways ta get me wet, Rainbow.”

Rainbow blinked, a grin slowly coming to her lips as Applejack seriously regretted her choice of words. But before she even had a chance to protest- “Oh, I’ve got an idea!”

With that, Applejack was alone at the bottom of the pool. She let out the breath she’d been holding.

Rainbow returned with a sizable raincloud, placing it over the pool and giving it a light buck. Satisfied with her work, she rejoined Applejack at the bottom of the pool amidst the downpour, grinning.

“Not what Ah expected, but just dandy all the same,” Applejack chuckled.

Rainbow licked her lips. “You know I can’t resist you with a wet mane, Jackie.”

Applejack blinked. “Wait, Rainbow, we’re in public here!”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Chillax, AJ. It’s not like I’m gonna do anything sexy.”

Applejack eyed her marefriend warily before gulping. “Well, alri-“

Rainbow interrupted Applejack with a tactical tackle, pinning her to the floor of the surprisingly smooth surface at the bottom of the empty pool and smothering her with a kiss. Applejack had little choice but to reciprocate, and despite a little initial hesitation, found she was enjoying herself quite a bit.

Before too long, Pinkie came by with a hose in her mouth. Dispersing the cloud to the disapproval of the two mares in the midst of a make out session, she released the hose from her mouth and bounced away.

Rainbow shrugged and went back to kissing Applejack. This didn’t turn out to be the wisest decision, as the pool began to fill up at an illogical pace. Applejack and Rainbow found themselves completely submerged in the abrupt deluge of water before they floated back up to the surface.

Applejack broke the kiss. “What in the world did that filly do this time?”

“I dunno, but kissing underwater was more fun than I thought it would be,” Rainbow jested.

Applejack chortled, splashing Rainbow in false indignation. Rainbow was all too happy to splash her back, starting their descent back into their war of water.





Scootaloo leaned back with a sigh on the couch of her old living room. “You know, it’s kinda weird being back here, and seeing nothing’s really changed.”

“Almost like ya never left, huh?” Apple Bloom nuzzled Scootaloo’s shoulder.

Scootaloo’s wing reflexively extended to wrap around Apple Bloom. “I guess, but it’s still pretty hard to forget when it’s so fresh in my mind.”

“I’m sure you’ll get used to it again,” Sweetie Belle assured. “Nothing quite like knowing you always have a warm bed to come home to.”

Scootaloo frowned. “That reminds me. Aren’t you still grounded, Sweetie Belle?”

Sweetie Belle flinched. “Maybe?”

Apple Bloom sighed. “What are we gonna do with ya, Belle?”

“I can think of a few things,” Scootaloo said, licking her lips. “Like tying her down and making her-“ Scootaloo cut herself off as her eyes widened. “Why did my mind go there?”

“Were you thinkin’ about sexy stuff, Scoot?” Apple Bloom asked incredulously.

“I… I think so, but…” Scootaloo blushed heavily. “I’m not sure that…”

Sweetie Belle giggled. “You’re probably just not quite recovered from yesterday yet.”

“I don’t know,” Scootaloo admitted. “I mean… aren’t you girls at least a little curious what sex is all about?”

“Scoot, Applejack said we can’t just rush inta this stuff,” Apple Bloom warned. “She made us promise ta wait until we get our cutie marks.”

“And who knows when that’s gonna be?” Scootaloo went on. “Are we really gonna wait until some magic event in the uncertain future to tell us when we can have sex?”

Apple Bloom frowned. “This ain’t about our cutie marks, Scoot. It’s about maturity. Rainbow Dash said it herself; yer body can be ready all it wants, but it’s yer heart that’ll tell ya when it’s time.”

Scootaloo sighed. “I’m sorry, I just… I don’t even know why I’m so frustrated right now.”

“Maybe because our bodies have been ready for cutie marks for three years now,” Sweetie Belle offered. “We’ve tried everything but we still haven’t gotten anywhere.”

“Have you tried muffins?” Derpy called from the doorway, just having returned from a delivery.

Scootaloo’s brow furrowed. “I guess not, but what does that have to do with us?”

Carrot Top appeared to greet her wife back home. “What she means to say is maybe you shouldn’t be venturing so far out of your comfort zones. Ask your friends; what do they think makes you special?”

“Well, golly, Ah reckon there’s a lot that makes Scoot special,” Apple Bloom pondered.

“How are we supposed to pick just one?” Sweetie Belle challenged.

Carrot Top laughed. “You’re thinking too hard again. Cutie marks have to do with special talents. What do you really find special to you?”

Scootaloo frowned briefly before perking up. “I’ve always really wanted to be able to fly with Rainbow Dash!”

Sweetie Belle gasped. “And you were telling us just the other day about how you’ve been taking flying lessons from her!”

“It sounded like ya were doin’ pretty well, too,” Apple Bloom added confidently.

“And Sweetie Belle’s finally getting a hold of magic,” Scootaloo went on. “Maybe she should talk to Twilight about that!”

“But Twilight’s still away in Canterlot,” Apple Bloom lamented. “It might take her forever ta get back here!”

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to wait a bit longer for mine,” Sweetie Belle shrugged. “You said you were getting pretty good at fixing up the barn, Apple Bloom. Is there anypony around Ponyville who might know something about construction?”

Carrot Top shook her head sadly as she retreated, accepting defeat. She knew better than to try to derail any thought that went through either of her daughters’ heads. The fact that this particular one had caused Scootaloo to found a cult didn’t help much either.

“But where are we gonna get a jackhammer that ponies aren’t gonna take away from us?” Scootaloo questioned. “And don’t even think about asking my dad to get us one. She’d probably just come home with Applejack and a hammer.”

“But if your dad brought Applejack here, that might make Rainbow Dash show up,” Apple Bloom pointed out.

“But then what are we gonna do with the hammer?” Sweetie Belle wondered.

Scootaloo shrugged. “We’ll just keep it around for whenever we might need it.”

“Are we even sure that’s gonna work?” Apple Bloom hesitated. “And it’s not like we ain’t gonna get another chance ta set up flying lessons fer Scoot.”

“Eh, good point,” Scootaloo conceded. “But if we can’t get Rainbow Dash or Twilight or a construction pony today, then what are we gonna do?”

“Walk around Ponyville aimlessly while we look for clues that might get us closer to our cutie marks?” Sweetie Belle suggested.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo shared a glance before shrugging. “Works for me,” Scootaloo decided.





Shivering, drenched, and unabashedly cuddling for warmth, Applejack and Rainbow lay in the wake of their tremendous clash. The pool had lost a good six inches of water, despite the room being suspiciously dry.

In response to this newest crisis, Pinkie bounced by with what appeared to by a drinking straw in her mouth. Lowering the utensil to the water, she used her bizarro Pinkie Pie powers to raise the water level to the point where it was near overflowing. “Whoopsie!” Pinkie took the straw to the pool again and returned the water to the proper depth. “There we go!” Pinkie bounced away triumphantly. The room was left to share a collective shrug.

“Pretty slick moves out there, Dash,” Vinyl said, appearing at their side with Octavia in tow.

Rainbow laughed. “I don’t know, AJ got me pretty good there a few times.”

Applejack responded by nuzzling in closer with a shudder.

“Yeah, I think AJ’s had enough of the pool for a while,” Rainbow observed. “So, what’s up?”

Octavia answered. “Well, I was initially going to approach you two about getting to know each other a bit better, but I don’t think this is the most… ideal setting for idle chatter.”

“There probably aren’t too many ponies out front,” Rainbow pointed out. “We could try talking there, and if that’s a no go I’m sure Pinkie would be able to find us some place around here.”

As it turned out, there weren’t many ponies out front. In fact, it seemed positively barren. The only problem was that the noise from the back was still as loud and distracting as ever.
“Yeah, it’s so much better out here,” Vinyl deadpanned.

Rainbow harrumphed and faced away from Vinyl dramatically. It was then that she caught sight of a single pony off in the corner. It was Cloudchaser, sans Flitter, and looking miserable. That was more than enough reason for Rainbow to be curious.

While the other three members of their little group were occupied trying to find Pinkie, Rainbow approached the lone mare. “Cloudchaser? Why aren’t you in there having fun? And where’s Flitter? I never see you guys apart.”

Cloudchaser visibly winced at the mention of her sister. “I don’t feel like talking about it. It’s… really personal, and no offense, but as much respect as I have for you… I don’t really know you that well.”

“Well, maybe it’s something I could help you with. If it’s something to do with your new weather duties, I could…”

“I don’t need a life lesson from somepony younger than me,” Cloudchaser scoffed. “Besides, you’re single.”

Rainbow cocked her head. “No I’m not.”

Cloudchaser narrowed her eyes at her interrogator. “Since when?”

“Since AJ and I started dating a few days ago,” Rainbow answered. “Doesn’t anypony read the banners?”

“Yeah, and I’m sure it’s all sunshine and rainbows for you two,” Cloudchaser quipped, rolling her eyes.

“Well, half of that’s a given,” Rainbow pointed out. “And it’s not been all smooth sailing. We have our differences, and sometimes even our likenesses put us against each other. But we work out our problems and come out stronger for it.”

“I need a friend, not a self-help guru!” Cloudchaser blurted out. She face-hoofed when she caught her slip too late.

“Well, what do you think I’m offering here?” Rainbow frowned. “Does it have something to do with Flitter?”

Cloudchaser bristled at that. “You don’t have the right to ask me about this.”

“So it is about her. Did something happen between-“

“Just shut up and leave me alone,” Cloudchaser growled, rising from her table and exiting the building.

Rainbow wasn’t about to be dissuaded. “Hey, you get back here!”

Cloudchaser couldn’t get more than a block from Sugarcube Corner before she found herself pinned to the ground by powerful blue forelegs. “What the hell? Get off me you crazy bitch! Can’t you take a hint?”

“No, I guess I’m too stupid to get it. Now tell me what the hell’s gotten into you!”

“You’re the one who assaulted me!” Cloudchaser protested, struggling to break free to no avail.

“Don’t try to avoid the question,” Rainbow growled.

“Why do you even care?”

“Because you’re a Wonderbolts prospect, like me, and you’re my replacement as weather captain. Gotta make sure Ponyville’s in good hooves, right?”

Cloudchaser abruptly stopped her struggling to level Rainbow with an unamused glare.

Rainbow sighed heavily. “Okay, I know that sounded shallow, but give me a break! I’m out of my element here.”

“Yeah, and Pinkie had the sense to leave me alone,” Cloudchaser grunted. “If you weren’t such a Luna damned hothead, maybe you would have thought of that.”

“What was I supposed to do? Just ignore you and walk away?”

“Yes!”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Look, I’m the element of loyalty. I don’t like seeing ponies suffer when I know I can do something about it. Now if you’d stop being so stubborn, maybe I could help you try to deal with banging your sister!”

With a surge of adrenaline, Cloudchaser catapulted Rainbow Dash off of her. “It’s not like that, dammit!”

Rainbow’s eyes widened; she didn’t think she’d hit so close to the mark. But before she could recover enough to continue the chase, Cloudchaser was nowhere to be seen. Rainbow sighed. “Smooth, Rainbow. Real smooth.”





Applejack snorted in frustration. They had found Pinkie Pie easily enough, but now they were missing Rainbow Dash. “Where the hay did that dang filly get off to?”

In answer, a disheartened Rainbow Dash stepped back into Sugarcube Corner with heavy hooves. She looked up to see her little entourage staring at her. “Oh, hey guys. Sorry, I just went for a little walk.”

Applejack blinked. “’Scuse me if Ah don’t sound convinced. Now let’s try that again; where exactly have ya been?”

Rainbow quickly glanced around the room. It was empty, but there was no telling how long it would stay that way. “Okay, something really private came up, so could we just go to wherever Pinkie said we could talk? You did find her, right?”

Applejack looked to Octavia and Vinyl, who shrugged in synchronization. “Come on, she gave us her room,” Applejack said at length. She offered many a loving nuzzle on the way up, though Rainbow was too distraught to reciprocate.

Octavia shut the door behind them before looking at Rainbow expectantly. “Well, what is it?”

Rainbow sighed, leaning against Applejack gratefully. “Well, I don’t know how well you all know her, but I saw Cloudchaser off in a corner looking all depressed.” Rainbow looked to Applejack. “She’s the pony who took my spot on the weather team, remember?”

Applejack nodded. “Captaincy not treatin’ her too well?”

Rainbow shook her head. “If it is, that’s the least of the mess she’s in. She has a twin sister named Flitter, and they’re practically inseparable from what I’ve seen. So to see her alone was also pretty worrying.”

“I think I remember those two,” Vinyl spoke up. “Purple coats, blue manes, right?”

Rainbow nodded. “So, from what I can gather, Cloudchaser, uh… bucked Flitter.”

Vinyl blinked. “No way. That’s hot.”

Octavia was quick to issue a hoof to Vinyl’s face. “It’s also a very serious matter, Vinyl.”

“So you’re not denying that it’s hot?” Vinyl laughed.

Octavia frowned and gave Vinyl another beating.

Rainbow turned to Applejack for her reaction to find her gazing up at the ceiling absently. Rainbow gave her a nudge, snapping her out of her trance.

“Oh, sorry,” Applejack mumbled. “You said they was twin sisters, right?”

“Still are, hopefully,” Rainbow chuckled.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Well, much as Ah hate ta say it, that sorta thing ain’t too uncommon ‘round farm folk. But Ah’m pretty sure they ain’t even workin’ at any farm. Not ‘round here, anyways.”

Rainbow shook her head. “Not that I know of. So, are you okay with it or…?”

Applejack shrugged. “Ain’t mah place ta judge, sugarcube. But if it makes ‘em happy, then Ah can’t see nothin’ wrong with it.”

“Where is she now?” Octavia asked after a pause.

Rainbow frowned. “I dunno, she ran off somewhere, and I don’t know her well enough to guess where she’d be. She said she needed a friend, though, so she’s probably going to one of them.”

“Do any of her friends know about all this?” Octavia wondered.

Rainbow frowned. “I don’t know. She seemed pretty lonesome, so maybe she-“

Before Rainbow could complete her thought, the door was thrown open. “Cloudchaser, are you in he-“ A very sheepish looking purple pegasus stood at the doorway. “Oh, uh, sorry for bothering you…”

“Flitter, wait,” Rainbow blurted before the mare could retreat.

Flitter glanced back curiously.

Rainbow sighed. “Well, your sister was just here, but I kinda accidentally chased her off.”

Flitter frowned. “Gee, thanks.”

“I’m sorry, I know I probably shouldn’t have gotten involved, but she seemed really broken up and I…” Rainbow trailed off lamely.

Flitter sighed. “Well, I guess that’s just as well anyway. She probably doesn’t want to talk to me right now anyway.”

Rainbow paused, trying to figure out how to approach the subject. Unfortunately, she didn’t have to.

“So, how was it rutting your sister?”

“VINYL!” Octavia smacked her marefriend. “I am terribly sorry for-“ Octavia cut herself off as she heard Flitter choke back a sob.

“Hey, calm down there, sugarcube. We ain’t judgin’ ya fer what ya did,” Applejack soothed. “Ah know we ain’t the most familiar ponies, but maybe ya’d feel better if ya talked about it?”

Flitter nodded, sighing. “It’s my fault, really. She was just so… miserable since she got rejected by Thunderlane… I… I just wanted to make her happy again. She kept going on about how she had her virginity tossed out the window by somepony she used to be so close to, and I just… I wanted to give her a second chance.

“I never would have hoped she’d say yes. I know it’s wrong for me to feel this way, but when she told me she’d wanted me since we were fillies… it was like she’d pulled me right out of Equestria, and all that mattered anymore was her; the pony I… love.  It was the greatest night of my life, but when the morning came and she started apologizing… I never knew a kiss could drive somepony so far away…”

Flitter devolved into a blubbering wreck, prompting the four assembled mares to lift her up into Pinkie’s bed, where she soon cried herself to sleep.

Rainbow sighed. “Now I really wish I had gotten more of Cloudchaser’s side of the story.”

“Well, it seems we have a new directive,” Octavia giggled. “This is just far too sweet to go unresolved.”

“Adorable, hot, and related? That’s way too good to pass up,” Vinyl agreed.

“Not everything is about sex, Vinyl,” Octavia chided.

Vinyl shrugged. “Hey, it won’t hurt our chances.”

“But we all know that if there’s gonna be a gratuitous threesome, I’m their mare,” Rainbow boasted, getting a playful swat from Applejack. “Hey, who says we were gonna turn down a fourth?”

“Why do I get the feelin’ that by the time this is all finally over, y’all are gonna organize some great big orgy with every mare in Ponyville?” Applejack mused.

“Because that’s not a half bad idea!” Rainbow grinned.

“Half-baked, maybe, but definitely something I could get behind,” Vinyl added, looking at Octavia expectantly.

Octavia sighed. “You two are incorrigible. I truly dread the day we get Lyra in the same room as you.”

“Hey, great flanks buck alike,” Vinyl retorted. “Wait, that didn’t rhyme.”

“Neither does the original,” Octavia quipped.

“Well it kinda almost rhymes!” Vinyl insisted. “They both have the ‘i’ part. And the… the end isn’t like, a vowel sound in either of them.”

Octavia rolled her eyes. “Yes, the similarities abound.”

Vinyl frowned. “But you said you weren’t ready for bondage yet.”

Octavia smacked her face with a hoof. “Why do I even bother?”

“Because you love me?” Vinyl suggested, batting her eyelashes.

Octavia remained silent.

Vinyl’s lower lip quivered. “Tavi?”

Octavia seethed briefly before smothering Vinyl in a fiercely aggressive kiss that left the stunned DJ twitching on the floor. “Apologies. I love her to death, but she can still get me quite heated.”

Rainbow blinked, her mouth slowly forming a grin. “Hey, AJ, how come you never kiss me like that?”

“Because Ah don’t tick the same way Octavia does,” Applejack returned.

Rainbow’s grin grew wider.

Applejack’s eyes widened in fear. “Wait, Ah didn’t mean-“

Before she could even turn to the door, Applejack was beset by the most fearsome creature in all the land; the tickle monster. The poor mare never had a chance.





Applejack was splayed out on the floor, panting heavily to try to regain control of her breathing. Rainbow lay atop her, in no better shape than her less-than-submissive prey.

Octavia giggled at the spectacle. “So, now that we’ve gotten that out of our systems, let’s return to the task at hoof, shall we?”

Rainbow’s head struggled to rise from Applejack’s chest. “What else can we do? I mean, it’s not like we can just stick around here until Cloudchaser shows up.”

“Perhaps not, but surely there was something she gave you. Even something small, anything we can use,” Octavia suggested hopefully.

Rainbow frowned, her head falling back down. “Well, she mentioned Pinkie, but-“

“Ohmigosh is everything okay?” Pinkie suddenly appeared in the doorway, rushing over to inspect the peaceful, sleeping form of Flitter. “Oh, thank goodness. I was worried something awful had happened!”

”Ah, we were just talking about you, Pinkie,” Octavia greeted.

“What happened to Scratchie?” Pinkie walked over to prod one of Vinyl’s hooves, the mare to which they belonged still unconscious from the sensory overload she had recently experienced.

Octavia blushed. “Oh, yes, that. Well, you see-“

“Tavi mouth-raped her,” Rainbow answered. “So, Pinks, what do you know about all this?”

Pinkie developed a scholarly expression and gestured to a blackboard that all the assembled mares could agree had not been there before. “Well, Twilight’s told me it all started when there was nothing but these little specks of dust floating around in outer space.”

“We meant about the developments between Cloudchaser and Flitter,” Octavia clarified.

“Oh, that!” Pinkie shoved the blackboard back into her closet. “It’s… complicated. Flitter’s all embarrassed because she got Cloudchaser to sleep with her on the rebound from Thunderlane, and she’s had secret feelings for her since that all started. And Cloudchaser’s all worried that ponies will think she took advantage of Flitter when she actually really cares a whole lot about her, so she’s trying to figure out how to approach the topic of a relationship, but she’s also worried that ponies won’t like that because they’re sisters.”

“Sounded to me like Thunderlane gave Cloudchaser a pretty rough go of it,” Applejack prompted.

“Tell me about it,” Pinkie sighed. “A drunken one-night-stand is never a good thing when one of the ponies really cares about the other and wants it to go further than that, but the other isn’t interested and is already in a relationship.”

“Ouch,” Rainbow observed. “So, Cloudchaser and Flitter both love each other, but don’t know how to deal with the obstacle of being sisters?”

“Pretty much, yeah,” Pinkie nodded.

“And neither of ‘em know how the other feels?” Applejack ventured.

“Not a clue,” Pinkie confirmed. “I’ve tried to get them to talk it out because they’re both being so silly, but Cloudchaser’s being really stubborn about it all.  But giving them space doesn’t seem to be getting them anywhere either. It’s been going on for almost a week now and I’m really starting to get worried it won’t end with them being happy together.”

“Well, Ah reckon Ah’ve got some experience dealin’ with stubborn pegasi,” Applejack chuckled.

“Yeah, if you can’t get them to talk, you have to make them talk!” Rainbow added. “We just need to get them in a room together where Cloudchaser can’t escape, and Flitter can have her chance to win her back!”

“If you can be sure that won’t end horribly…” Octavia challenged.

Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively. “Please, it’s not like they’re both being stubborn about it. All they need is a confrontation and they’ll both go home happy.”

“Yeah, we just gotta figure out how ta pull it off.” Applejack looked to Pinkie expectantly.

Pinkie grinned. “Okay, ponies, here’s the plan…”





“So, any ideas for today, Crusaders?” Scootaloo asked as her little troupe made their way through Ponyville.

“Well, there ain’t too many ponies in the streets,” Apple Bloom observed. “Ya think somethin’s goin’ on today?”

“Nothing bad, I hope.” Sweetie Belle shuddered.

“I’m sure it’s just another one of Pinkie Pie’s crazy parties or whatever,” Scootaloo assured.  “I guess that means we’ve got most of Ponyville unprotected, then.”

Sweetie Belle gasped. “My sister told me that’s dangerous! We could get infections!”

“And since when do you listen to anything Rarity tells you?” Scootaloo cocked a brow.

“And how’re we gonna get infections just ‘cause all the adults are hangin’ out ‘round Sugarcube Corner?” Apple Bloom prodded. “I mean, look, there’s one right there who looks downright miserable!”

“Yeah, it’s not like we- wait, what?” Scootaloo followed Apple Bloom’s gaze to a lone, depressed pegasus mare. “What do you think happened?”

“Nothin’ bad, Ah hope,” Apple Bloom echoed Sweetie Belle’s earlier sentiment.

“Well we’re not gonna figure it out standing around here,” Sweetie Belle declared. “Come on, Crusaders!”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo hesitantly followed along as Sweetie Belle marched straight up to the potentially unstable mare.

“Hi! Why are you crying?” Sweetie Belle chirped innocently.

Cloudchaser sighed into her hooves. “Isn’t there anywhere I can go where I won’t be bothered?” She turned a twitching eye to regard who had disturbed her this time and paused. “Oh, hello little fillies.”

“We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and we’re here to help you!” Sweetie Belle proclaimed.

Scootaloo’s hoof met her face. “Sweetie Belle, I really don’t think this is the best time for-“

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders, huh?” Cloudchaser smiled slightly. “Aren’t you all a little old for that?”

“Hey, an epic quest like this takes a lot of time and hard work!” Scootaloo bristled. “You try doing everything you can think of for three years trying to find your special talent.”

Cloudchaser couldn’t keep from laughing. “So what makes you think cheering me up will get you your marks?”

“Well, it worked, didn’t it?” Sweetie Belle giggled.

Cloudchaser smiled. “A little bit, yes. But I’m sure you’re all much too busy to listen to a strange mare’s romantic troubles.”

Apple Bloom perked up. “Ah reckon we know a bit about that, girls.”

Scootaloo shrugged. “It’s worth a shot, I guess.”

“Cutie Mark Crusaders Relationship Counselors! Yay!”

Cloudchaser laughed openly. “I really shouldn’t. I know how impressionable you little fillies can be.”

“How would you know that?” Scootaloo asked.

“I was one once, too,” Cloudchaser reminded. “And I have experience with one in particular. Though I don’t suppose I’ll be getting to see little Rumble too much anymore.”

Scootaloo blinked. “Wait, are you… Cloudchaser?”

Cloudchaser nodded slowly before scrutinizing Scootaloo. She suddenly perked up in recognition. “Oh, I thought I recognized you! You’re Dinky’s sister, aren’t you?”

“Name’s Scootaloo,” Scootaloo grinned.

Cloudchaser smiled sadly. “Well, I don’t know how much you’ve heard, then.”

Scootaloo’s face fell. “Enough to know you’re in a pretty bad spot.”

“I suppose I am, aren’t I?” Cloudchaser mused. “I’m not sure even Rumble knows how far out of hoof this has gotten, though.”

“Well, sometimes ya just gotta let it all out,” Apple Bloom counseled.

Cloudchaser bit her lip. “I still don’t want to go filling your little heads with any unsavory ideas.”

In response, Scootaloo stepped in between her fellow Crusaders and drew them close with her wings. After delivering a kiss to each of their cheeks, Scootaloo grinned. “I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

Cloudchaser beamed. “It seems I was beaten to it, hm? That really is adorable.”

Scootaloo’s protest died in her throat as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle chose that moment to return her kisses.

“Alright then, let’s see. I assume Dinky has told you about my sister, Flitter?”

Scootaloo nodded.

Cloudchaser sighed. “Well, things have gotten a little complicated between us. After Thunderlane was through with me, I got scared, and, well, she was there for me…”

“How far did it go?” Scootaloo asked knowingly.

Cloudchaser winced. “Farther than I’d like to admit. It’s… not that I don’t care about her. Maybe I care too much, even. I just… don’t know what to do.”

Scootaloo cocked her head. “What’s stopping you?”

“She’s my sister,” Cloudchaser emphasized. “That would be like if you started dating Dinky!”

“I thought about that once,” Scootaloo admitted. “But it turns out she likes colts, so…”

Cloudchaser blinked. “I don’t suppose that’s really stopping me, either,” she agreed. “It just came so quickly after what happened with Thunderlane, and I want to know if these feelings are really genuine. And Flitter can be a bit… sensitive. I would never want to subject her to the ridicule she’d get for dating her sister.”

Scootaloo smirked. “You know, us three used to get ridiculed for not having our cutie marks yet. But we shut them all up by showing them just how awesome we can be without them. If ponies don’t like it, then buck them!”

Cloudchaser took a deep breath, closing her eyes and trying to contain a smile. “I know I could shake it off, but Flitter’s a bit different.”

“Then you’ve just gotta be there for her,” Scootaloo suggested. “She looks up to you, doesn’t she?”

Cloudchaser nodded, blushing slightly.

“Then she’ll be fine if she knows you’re there to protect her,” Scootaloo concluded. “Trust me; I know what that’s like.”

“So you’re telling me I should just buck up and be a good marefriend for her?”

“Unless you don’t think you’re up to the challenge,” Scootaloo taunted.

Cloudchaser chortled. “Leave it to a filly to make everything seem so simple. Thanks, kid.”

“Hey,” Scootaloo protested. “The name’s Scootaloo.”

“I’ll be sure to remember that,” Cloudchaser assured.

“Now why are you still sitting around here? Go get that filly and make her yours!”

Cloudchaser nodded, taking off in the direction of Sugarcube Corner.

Scootaloo let out a breath. “Well, that went better than expected.”

“How do you know so much about all that?” Apple Bloom marveled.

“Yeah, I thought you’d never had a fillyfriend before,” Sweetie Belle added.

Scootaloo blushed. “Come on, guys, do you really have to ask?”

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Well, ya got us fer all that now.”

“Believe me, when the time comes, I’m not showing either of you any mercy,” Scootaloo promised, licking her lips.

Sweetie Belle blushed. “Make sure to use protection!”

Scootaloo turned a bemused eye to Sweetie Belle. “You know that’s only for colts, right?”





“This can’t possibly go wrong,” Rainbow capped off their discussion confidently. “By the time we’re done, Cloudchaser and Flitter will be so in love with each other, they’ll have to-“

The door opened to reveal the very mare in question. “Hey, is Flitter in here? Sorry about running off on you earlier, I just needed some time to think.”

Rainbow blinked. “You mean you… figured everything out by yourself?”

Cloudchaser shook her head, laughing. “No, I had the help of a little orange filly.”

“But… but we had a plan!” Rainbow insisted. “It was gonna be awesome and… and you can’t just come back and have everything be fine! There was way too much conflict for it to be resolved that fast!”

Cloudchaser shrugged. “Well, that’s just how things work sometimes, I guess.”

Applejack chuckled. “Do Ah have ta ask why yer so on about this?”

Rainbow shot Applejack a disgruntled look.

“I might have to,” Cloudchaser put in.

“Hey, we’re planning a big orgy at the end of the month, you two in?”

Octavia’s hoof returned to its rightful place upside Vinyl’s head. “There’s breaking the ice and there’s you, Vinyl.”

“Hey, what can I say? A mare’s got needs,” Vinyl replied, rubbing the back of her head.

“Where’d Pinkie get off ta?” Applejack asked suddenly.

Cloudchaser blinked. “Downstairs at the party; she greeted me at the door.”

“But we were just talking to her!” Rainbow challenged.

“Remember what we saw under that curly mane o’ hers,” Applejack chuckled.

Rainbow smacked herself in the face. “Why does that make so much sense?”

“So, is my sister here or not?” Cloudchaser cocked a brow.

“She’s in the bed,” Octavia answered.

Cloudchaser approached the pony-sized lump in the bed, just barely able to make out a lock of Flitter’s hair under the pile of pillows and blankets. She moved to touch her, but stopped when she heard a light snore. Smiling, Cloudchaser couldn’t bring herself to disturb her sister and merely settled down to wait on a chair that had not previously been next to the bed.

“Was that a yes or a no to the orgy?” Vinyl asked.

Cloudchaser laughed. “We’ll be sure to think about it.”

“Sweet.”





Rather than wait for Flitter to wake up, Octavia and Applejack made a concerted effort to lead their curious marefriends out of the way. Cloudchaser looked grateful for the privacy, offering a smile before they closed the door behind themselves.

“But that was like, the most interesting thing happening!” Rainbow protested. “What are we supposed to do now?”

“I don’t suppose there’s much other place in this confectionery that allows for optimal acoustics,” Octavia noted sadly.

“Just ain’t proper ta spy on such an intimate moment like that,” Applejack spoke louder than necessary, hopeful Pinkie’s omniscient ears would catch such a statement.

“Who are you talking to?” Vinyl asked, taking note of the tone Applejack spoke in.

“Pinkie snooped in on us having sex yesterday,” Rainbow answered off-hoofedly.

Vinyl’s eyes brightened. “Did you ask her to join in?”

“We didn’t even know she was doin’ it!” Applejack insisted.

Rainbow shrugged. “Well, it did seem a little too fortunate to have the house to ourselves, I guess.”

“Ah’ve half a mind ta Pinkie-proof the whole farm,” Applejack muttered.

Rainbow cocked a brow. “How are you gonna do that? Nothing’s gonna work on her, you know.”

“Bubble wrap usually works pretty well,” Vinyl suggested.

Applejack frowned. “We’re dealin’ with Pinkie here, not Derpy.”

Vinyl shrugged. “Hey, if it works on one…”

“But Pinkie doesn’t have a bubble cutie mark,” Rainbow pointed out. “That makes the whole thing fall through!”

“Hey, bubbles are kinda like balloons,” Vinyl defended. “They’re both round. And you can pop them. It’s just one’s louder than the other when you pop it.”

“So you’re saying if we popped Pinkie, she’d make a lot of noise?” Rainbow hypothesized. “How does that help us? We want her to stay away, not be louder.”

“Yeah, but if she’s popped, then she’ll eventually go quiet,” Vinyl smirked.

“Other than murder,” Octavia shot a glance at Vinyl, “what else would be a suitable distraction?”

“Well, we could get somepony else to do it,” Rainbow considered, misinterpreting Octavia’s attempt to change the subject. “Somepony with more experience popping balloons; a master of balloon-popping.”

“Ah remember seein’ somepony with a bobby pin fer a cutie mark,” Applejack supplied. “Ah think it was at Diamond Tiara’s cute-ceañera.”

Rainbow gasped dramatically. “We gotta find that guy! He might know the secret to stopping Pinkie!”

Octavia rolled her eyes. “I will take no part in this coup, thank you very much.”

“Come on, Tavi, it’s not like we’re gonna kill her,” Vinyl begged. “I mean, I have no idea what that guy’s like, but we should just get them in the same room and see what happens!”

“With the worst-case scenario being the loss of an element of harmony?” Octavia quipped.

“Hey, just because one of their cutie marks is the arch rival of the other doesn’t mean the guy’s gonna turn into a psychopathic murderer if we leave them alone together,” Vinyl argued. “I think I’ve been taking you to too many of the wrong movies, Tavi. It’s starting to mess with your head.”

Octavia’s hoof met her face. “For the last time, Vinyl, just because you were able to influence me to some degree when we were younger doesn’t make me a sponge.”

“Ah think we’re gettin’ a little off track here,” Applejack chuckled. “Ah don’t wanna change nothin’ about Pinkie; bein’ confusin’ is part o’ what makes her who she is, right?”

Rainbow shrugged. “I guess so. Doesn’t mean you have to be a buzz kill, though.”

“’Scuse me if ah ain’t keen on hearin’ Vinyl and Octavia’s adventures in absorbency,” Applejack retorted.

Rainbow frowned, going silent for a moment before starting up an entirely new subject. “So, am I the only one who thinks it’s a little weird how fast Cloudchaser came around? And, I mean, as hot as it is, Flitter’s her sister. I can’t speak from experience or anything, ‘cause I don’t have one, but that would be kinda like Applejack and Big Mac getting it on.”

Applejack recoiled. “He’s mah brother! Why would Ah ever think o’ doin’ anythin’ with him? ‘Sides, Ah ain’t even interested in colts.”

“So you’re saying if he was a mare, you’d have less of a problem with it?” Rainbow pieced together.

Applejack frowned. “That ain’t sayin’ much.”

“I take my victories where I can get ‘em.”

“So, now that we’ve run the gauntlet from murder to incest, is there anything else we can-“

“Oh, that’s right!” Rainbow perked up, cutting Octavia off unceremoniously. “Scratch, I was gonna teach AJ how to play Gauntlet tomorrow. You ever played that?”

“Please, I’ve played every game in that little caddy shack they call an arcade,” Vinyl waved a hoof. “You should see the stuff they have in Canterlot. One of the few things I miss about the old place.”

“You’ll have to show us someday when me and AJ are the world champs,” Rainbow boasted, wrapping a hoof around Applejack.

“I thought you were already occupied with your guitar lessons,” Octavia said, sounding bemused.

“Hey, nothing wrong with broad horizons,” Rainbow countered. “I mean, we haven’t even mentioned how I’m being recruited into the Wonderbolts.” Rainbow winced and face-hoofed at her slip when two pairs of eyes slowly came to meet hers.

Octavia’s hoof moved quickly to silence any comments that were seconds away from leaving Vinyl’s mouth. “I’m surprised to hear you don’t sound too thrilled about that, and moreso that it’s not been the talk of the town yet. But I shan’t pry; I know a complicated situation when I see one.”

“Thanks,” Rainbow smiled. Scanning the room for a distraction for the less reserved member of their quartet, she took notice to Fluttershy off in a corner, looking very out of place. Smile turning to a frown, she approached the timid pegasus. “Fluttershy, what are you doing here? I thought you didn’t like the bigger parties.”

“Oh, hello Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy smiled briefly. “I really don’t like being in a place with so many ponies, but Pinkie told me it would help break me out of my shell. But it’s just… so loud.”

“Like it isn’t back at your animal-infested cottage?” Rainbow smirked.

“It is when you’re not there to rile them up,” Fluttershy countered.

“Fair point,” Rainbow conceded.

“So have you just been sittin’ here this whole time?” Applejack asked, frowning slightly.

Fluttershy nodded sheepishly.

Applejack snorted. “That ain’t gonna fix anythin’, sugarcube. Pinkie brought ya here ta mingle, loosen up.”

“But I hardly know anypony here,” Fluttershy murmured. “When I’m with you girls, it’s okay because I feel safe, but when it’s just me, I…”

“There’s gotta be somepony ya know here,” Applejack insisted. “Like how about… Oh, howdy miss Cheerilee.”

Cheerilee offered a small smile. “Hello you two, and congratulations.”

“Uh, thanks.” Rainbow rubbed the back of her head.

“We were just talkin’ about how Pinkie’s tryin’a get Fluttershy here ta loosen up a bit,” Applejack relayed. “Ah reckon you know each other pretty well, an’ Fluttershy was sayin’ she was a bit more comfortable ‘round these big parties with a friend.”

Cheerilee blinked. “Oh, uh, I suppose I could take her off her hooves,” she suggested, not catching her small slip.

Rainbow cocked her head. “Don’t you mean take her off our hooves?”

Cheerilee chuckled a bit nervously. “Yes, of course.”

“Well, we won’t keep ya,” Applejack said, pulling Rainbow away. “Ah’m sure y’all have a lot ta catch up on.”

Fluttershy gave a small smile to the retreating pair before turning her attention to Cheerilee.

Applejack and Rainbow caught back up to Vinyl and Octavia over by the punch bowl, where they were sure to keep an eye out for a certain purple mare. Rainbow, on the other hoof, shot occasional glances back over to Fluttershy to see how she was holding up. From the looks of it, despite the slow and awkward start, Fluttershy and Cheerilee were soon having a grand old time.

“Somethin’ wrong, Rainbow?” Applejack asked, wrenching Rainbow’s attention away from the distant pair.

Rainbow shook her head, as much to clear it as to answer. “Just making sure Fluttershy’s alright with Cheerilee.”

Applejack frowned slightly. “When ain’t she okay ‘round her?”

Rainbow shrugged absently. “I dunno, just making sure.”

“Ain’t like Cheerilee’s gonna start puttin’ the moves on ‘er, sugarcube,” Applejack chuckled. “Stop bein’ so protective of her, she can take care of herself.”

Rainbow frowned. It was true that she tended to get a little overprotective of Fluttershy at times, but that was pretty much a given considering they were practically sisters growing up. “Well, sometimes I just can’t help it, you know? It’s like how you get sometimes with Apple Bloom. Except she’s older than me.”

“Ah’m older than ya, too, sugarcube,” Applejack reminded with a smirk.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Yeah, by like a month. Doesn’t count until it’s at least two.”

“Speakin’ o’ months, Ah can’t help but remember you two goin’ on about somethin’ about ‘em,” Applejack said to Vinyl and Octavia.

“Ah, yes, that,” Octavia chuckled. “As much as I would love to speak of it in public, I fear Vinyl wouldn’t speak to me for about a month if I did.”

“You’re damn right,” Vinyl confirmed, crossing her forelegs defiantly.

Octavia laughed, nuzzling Vinyl back into a proper posture.

“That personal, huh?” Rainbow asked, arching her brows. “Sounds like we’ve got quite the stories to share.”

Vinyl groaned at that. “You’re gonna have to give me something good for all this.”

“I would, but Applejack’s told me we’re not ready for foursomes yet,” Rainbow returned, earning a cuff from Applejack.

Vinyl perked up. “You know, that gives me a great idea for a big orgy after the award show at the end of the month. That would be a good starting point for getting all of Ponyville involved.”

Octavia rolled her eyes, unable to refrain from kissing her single-minded marefriend.

“See, Tavi’s on board,” Vinyl grinned.

Rainbow turned to Applejack hopefully. Applejack just shook her head in bewilderment, wondering what she did to earn such a colorful partner.





Big Macintosh yawned, stirring from his rest to regard the position of the sun. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw how close it was to the horizon. He hurriedly woke Rarity, much to her displeasure.

“Mac, what in Equestria-“

“Rare, we gotta go now or we’re gonna miss dinner again!” Mac fretted.

Rarity moved to the window to see that despite Big Macintosh’s worries, they still had about an hour before that would become an issue. “Please, Mac, we have time for tea and idle chatter if we wanted.”

Mac stopped his pacing to fix Rarity with a curious gaze. “Well, Ah was wonderin’ about what yer mother was goin’ on about with Hoity Toity.”

Rarity averted her gaze. “It really wasn’t much, but if you really are so interested…”

Mac nodded expectantly.

“Well, let’s see, as you heard my mother say, it was tied to my departure from home,” Rarity began.

“Ah was actually thinkin’ about that,” Mac cut in. “Ya said ya were fourteen when ya bought this place, but ya also said ya’d missed out on a good bit o’ Sweetie Belle’s foalhood.”

“I did,” Rarity confirmed. “She was three when I left.”

Mac did some brief calculations in his head. “So ya were nine?”

“Ten, actually,” Rarity amended. “It was shortly after my birthday. I had just gotten my cutie mark to take some attention back from Sweetie Belle, but at her age…”

Mac frowned. “Why did ya run away, anyway? Seems a little… melodramatic.”

“Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?” Rarity’s eyes shone briefly.

“Good point,” Mac chuckled. “Still, ya spent four years without a home?”

“Hardly, dear,” Rarity assured. “It’s true I did spend some time peddling my wares to pay for my food without a home to sleep in, but that only lasted a few weeks at most. Hoity Toity happened to be in town around that time and took a liking to my works, and seeing as how I had no home I was willing to go back to just yet, he offered me his own.”

Mac cocked his head. “Ah thought Hoity Toity was some big shot fashion designer up in Canterlot.”

“Just because one is influential does not mean one cannot have humble origins,” Rarity philosophized. “It’s true that his rise to fame took place before my birth, but for whatever reason, he kept his home in Ponyville and visited occasionally.”

“So where was this home he took ya into?” Mac wondered.

Rarity smiled. “We’re standing in it right now.”

Mac blinked. “Yer tellin’ me this place is where Hoity Toity started out?”

“And where I did as well,” Rarity nodded. “He was very good to me, almost fatherly in a way. I suspected that might have had something to do with his otherwise inclined daughter.”

“Who’s that?”

“Vinyl Scratch,” Rarity smirked. “Shocking, I know. I met her a few times over the course of my apprenticing. Something about trying to make Vinyl more sophisticated once he realized all that Octavia was doing was being corrupted by her influence.”

Mac chuckled. “What made him think you’d be any different?”

Rarity shrugged. “I honestly don’t know what he saw in me. He knew I had a family, and I knew he had one of his own. But he always found time to visit me every week for four years.”

“Why’d he stop?”

“I had learned all he had to teach, and he took that to mean that Ponyville no longer required his presence,” Rarity explained. “He sold the boutique to me for twenty bits. I’m not entirely sure why he bothered at such a low price, but I have my suspicions.”

“Like what?”

Rarity smiled. “Advertising costs. I didn’t hear much from him after he left, but I certainly noticed a rise in interest for my wares.”

“Sounds like ya got off ta quite the start,” Mac mused.

“I did indeed,” Rarity agreed. “I was so excited I had to go back home to tell my parents all about it. Sweetie Belle listened, too, of course. I fear that might have been where she got a lot of her ideas to be like me.”

“Ah’m sure she’ll forgive ya someday,” Mac jested.

Rarity chortled. “I would hope she has already. If not, I can only imagine how mad she’ll be when she realizes I’ve been leading her astray.”

“It won’t be as bad as all that, Ah promise,” Mac laughed. “But we really should be headin’ over to the farm soon if we don’t wanna miss dinner again.”

Rarity rolled her eyes at Mac’s worrying, but followed along obediently all the same.





As Applejack and Rainbow Dash bid their friends farewell and set off for home, a peculiar scene caught their eye. Amidst the bustle of the party that would still continue for another hour or so, Fluttershy and Cheerilee were still talking. What was more, they wore matching blushes as they conversed, with Fluttershy’s wings at half-mast.

Rainbow turned to Applejack with an odd expression. But before Applejack could ask what the problem was, Rainbow spoke over her. “I knew you had superpowers!”

Applejack blinked. “Beg pardon?”

“You were just talking about how it wasn’t like Cheerilee was gonna put the moves on Fluttershy, and now look!” Rainbow gestured a hoof back at the conversing pair.

Fluttershy rubbed her forelegs together, head downcast and looking up meekly through her mane, a light smile and a heavy blush on her face. Cheerilee’s smile was more prominent, and her blush less so, as she lifted Fluttershy’s chin to plant a light kiss on her nose.

“Oh my goodness,” Fluttershy squeaked, recoiling slightly.

Cheerilee’s smile faltered. “I’m sorry, was that too forward?”

Fluttershy averted her gaze.  “I… I’m sorry, I just… This is all going so fast, and nopony’s ever been interested in me before, and you’ve been my friend ever since I moved here, and I’m not sure I even like mares, and-“

Cheerilee’s hoof silenced the ramblings of the nervous mare with a sigh. “It’s alright, Fluttershy. It was a stupid idea at any rate.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened as she moved Cheerilee’s hoof away. “Oh, I’m not saying that I’m not willing to give it a shot,” Fluttershy insisted. “You’re my friend, and if you really feel that strongly about me…”

Cheerilee blinked.

“I’m sorry, I’m trying to be more assertive again, but not like last time where I took it too far, just on little things like this,” Fluttershy apologized. “Not that I’m saying this isn’t important, but it’s just between us, and it’s not like I’m doing this in public and-“ Fluttershy’s eyes went wide as she quickly hid herself in a corner. “Oh my goodness, oh my goodness.”

Cheerilee couldn’t contain a chuckle at Fluttershy’s expense, quickly amending herself by sitting between her and the bulk of the party. “We can stay here until the party’s over, if you’d like.”

Fluttershy blushed, a smile slowly coming to her lips as she nodded.

“See, what did I tell you? Cheerilee totally just hit it off with Fluttershy,” Rainbow went on. “Now if you could tell me who was gonna win the next Hoofball tournament so I could bet all my money on it, that’d be awesome.”

Applejack’s hoof came up to her face a bit hesitantly. “Rainbow, Ah don’t even know what ta say anymore.”

Rainbow frowned. “Why not? I just told you.”

Applejack shook her head, starting off on the path to the farm without another word.





“You guys would not believe what happened today,” Rainbow started upon seating herself at the table. “It’s really too bad you missed it. Rarity would’ve had a heart attack.”

Big Mac eyed Rainbow warily. “Remind me why that would be a good thing?”

Rainbow waved a hoof impatiently. “Yeah, I’ll do that later. Anyway, there are these pegasus twins on the weather team, Flitter and Cloudchaser, right? So, it turns out that Cloudchaser got shagged by Thunderlane, but she was being taken advantage of and it didn’t end well. So then Flitter comes in to the rescue and gets Cloudchaser to bed because she’d been secretly in love with her or something, but Cloudchaser was worried that she was the one taking advantage of somepony this time. But then Scootaloo apparently managed to talk some sense into her and now we’re gonna have a big orgy and it’s gonna be awesome.”

Rarity blinked, opening her mouth to speak, but Rainbow started up again.

“Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, you know what we saw before AJ dragged me back here? Cheerilee just snatched up Fluttershy and started kissing her, right after AJ said that Cheerilee wasn’t gonna put the moves on her. At first I just thought she was being silly, but now I’m completely convinced that AJ has superpowers and she’s been using this farm to live in secrecy while she goes out to fight crime all over Equestria in the dead of night.”

“That sounds like the worst action movie of all time, Dash,” Applejack deadpanned. “And Ah would know, ya’ve taken me to some pretty bad ones.”

“But we wouldn’t even need boring side characters for eye candy. You’re already the sexiest mare in… anywhere!”

Applejack rolled her eyes but was unable to keep the smile off her face.

“Can’t say Ah expected ta see Cheerilee take mah advice so fast,” Mac marveled. “Maybe Ah should be the one pairin’ up ponies from now on.”

Rarity frowned. “You just got lucky.”

“Ah reckon Ah did, didn’t Ah? That was the reason we missed the party.”

Rarity blushed. “Touché.” 





“Well, Ah should probably get goin’, y’all,” Apple Bloom said with no small amount of reluctance. “Ya never know what’s happened back at the farm.”

Scootaloo frowned. “Do you have to go?”

Apple Bloom hesitated before nodding. “Ya leave mah family alone fer one day an’ ya might come back to a wrecked barn.”

“Alright,” Scootaloo sighed. “What about you, Sweetie Belle? Shouldn’t you be getting back before your parents get angry?”

Sweetie Belle winced. “They’re already pretty angry at me. They grounded me for just asking about fillyfooling! I didn’t even get around to telling them about us.That’s why I’d really rather stay here until things die down a bit, if that’s okay.”

Scootaloo perked up, giving Sweetie Belle a kiss on the cheek. “Of course!”

Apple Bloom felt a pang of longing at the display.

“Are you sure you can’t stay, Apple Bloom? It wouldn’t be the same without you,” Scootaloo prompted.

Apple Bloom sighed. “Alright, alright. But if they get inta trouble back at the acres, Ah’m blamin’ you, Scoot.”

Scootaloo squeed. “Fine by me! Come on, let’s head up to my room.”

“Have fun, you three,” Carrot Top called after them.

“The toys are in our closet!” Derpy added, earning a smack from her wife.

Sweetie Belle paused halfway up the stairs. “What kind of toys are they talking about?”

Scootaloo blushed, laughing nervously. “Uh, don’t worry about that. We promised not to have sex until we got our cutie marks, right?”

Apple Bloom’s face flushed. “Oh, them kinda toys.”

Scootaloo cocked her head, blush fading slightly. “How do you know about them, AB?”

“Well, when ya got Applejack and Rainbow hangin’ around the house…” Apple Bloom chuckled.

“I don’t get it,” Sweetie Belle stated.

Scootaloo laughed, giving Sweetie Belle a kiss on the horn. “We’ll make sure to keep it that way until we’re ready.”

Sweetie Belle frowned, but refrained from pushing the issue as she got swept up in her friends rush to Scootaloo’s room.





The sun had set, dinner had been consumed, and the party had long since ended. Whatever fatigue Rainbow had accumulated over the course of such an eventful day was shaken off in her eagerness to find out what secrets Trixie’s stash held. “Come on, Applejack, we gotta get there before moonrise!”

“Hold yer horses, Ah’m comin’,” Applejack panted, not fortunate enough to share in Rainbow’s nervous energy reserves.

Rainbow noticed this, and without another word, she stopped before Applejack and knelt down. “Hop on. Don’t wanna tire yourself out too bad, right? We haven’t even had our fun yet today!”

Applejack accepted the reprieve gratefully, clambering onto Rainbow’s back. The experience of such a ride was one she was really beginning to enjoy. Feeling Rainbow’s muscles contract against her chest as she flew, having them occasionally brush lightly against her hooves, the scent of rain ever present in the pegasus’ mane, the wind tousling her own, and above all else, the view it afforded. She had ridden in a hot air balloon on several occasions, but you were always limited in your field of vision by the basket. A pegasus’ back had no such restrictions, and the perspective was unlike any other. It did bring up the thought of how it would feel to fly under her own power, but being able to share in Rainbow’s talent for flight so intimately was something she wouldn’t trade for anything.

As Applejack’s head started to drift, she heard a gasp behind her, followed by an excited squeal. Before she could ask what had gotten Rainbow so worked up, they touched back to the ground. “Ohmigosh, AJ, look!” Rainbow prompted, pointing a hoof excitedly at the new sign above the previously barren store.

Applejack scanned the sign for anything unusual. It did indeed read ‘Trixie’s Secret Stash’, but…

“It’s a sex shop!” Rainbow squealed, pointing out the small ‘18+’ on the corner of the sign. “We have to go in, AJ! Imagine all the awesome stuff in there! Remind me to hug Pinkie next time we see her.”

A blush developed on Applejack’s cheeks at Rainbow’s eagerness. “Well, Ah’m not sure Ah’d be comfortable…”

“Pinkie said it was a secret, AJ,” Rainbow reminded. “And nopony at the party had heard of the place. And it’s not like we told them where it was. It’s probably so new that we’d have the whole place to ourselves! I mean, unless you want to wait until word starts to spread about it…”

Rainbow raised a good point. Applejack bit her lip as she considered her options. She had to admit she was curious, and maybe even a little excited about having some new ways to have fun with Rainbow… “Alright, Ah guess we can-“ Applejack never got to finish her statement as she was pulled into the shop, almost dreading what they’d find inside.





Trixie flipped through the pages of a magazine, trying to distract herself from the inevitable arrival of her first customers. Pinkie had promised her that she would be getting quite the adventurous pair of lovers to purvey her wares to. Trixie didn’t know if that made her more nervous or excited. But in all her anxious speculation, she never thought she would see a familiar looking blue pegasus almost crash into one of her shelves before the bell could chime once. She also never thought that said blue pegasus would be leading a similarly familiar orange earth pony wearing a Stetson.

“Whoops! Ha, years of training to avoid Twilight’s bookshelves must be paying off finally,” Rainbow laughed.

“Rainbow Dash, was it?” Trixie asked in a calm manner.

“The one and only.” Rainbow turned to Trixie with a smirk. “So, great and powerful Trixie. You here to upstage Ponyville with your spectacular sex toys this time?”

Trixie visibly winced. “I don’t want to be boastful. That’s not why I’m here this time.”

“Then why are ya here?” Applejack asked, having since recovered from Rainbow’s shenanigans.

“To start fresh,” Trixie admitted. “I know this probably isn’t the best town to do that in, but something about this place just makes it feel… homely. I haven’t been so kind to you and your friends in the past, but I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. And maybe even grace me with an answer.”

“An answer to what?” Rainbow inquired.

Trixie grinned. “How long have you two goofballs been together?”

Rainbow blinked. Was Trixie trying to be… playful? Applejack, however, understood the sentiment perfectly. “So, yer wantin’ ta turn over a new leaf, huh? Well Ah think that’s just dandy.”

“Uh, I guess so, yeah.” Rainbow was still occupied trying to process the situation, leaving Applejack to speak in her place.

“Don’t mind her, she’ll come around soon,” Applejack chuckled. “Well, Ah reckon me an’ Rainbow here have been together fer… has it been five days now?”

Trixie’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, so a very recent development, I see. How’s it been?”

“Been quite an adventure so far.” Applejack smiled at Rainbow. “Only took this one two days ta get me ta bed. But Ah guess when ya’ve been best friends fer so long, the pace gets messed up a bit.”

Rainbow snapped back into focus at the mention of sex. “Yeah, it’s been awesome, but even as much as it has, I think it would be way better if we didn’t have to use drumsticks for sexy times.”

“Well, I do have quite the selection, as you can see,” Trixie gestured around herself. “And I do believe you’ll find the pricing to your liking.”

Intrigued, Rainbow inspected the nearest item, which happened to be only three bits. Rainbow blinked. “Wait, I thought sex toys were supposed to be expensive.”

Trixie smirked. “Not when you make them yourself,” she reached up a hoof to tap her horn. “And with my level of experience, I know just the right materials to use. Indestructible, easily lubricated, heatable to any temperature you’d like, and best of all, inexpensive in bulk.”

“Wait, yer level of experience? Ah never even knew ya did this sorta thing ‘til just now.” Applejack challenged.

Trixie blushed. “Well, you wouldn’t have. It was mostly just a hobby of mine since I turned the age to get an interest in exploring my body. And, well, when I’m such a remarkable specimen, I can say I have first-hoof experience with every kind of toy in this store.”

Rainbow blinked, shooting a glance at the section of the store containing toys that could only be utilized by stallions. “How can you say that when you’re a mare? I mean, I guess you could use your horn, kinda, but you don’t have a dick.”

“Who ever said that?” Trixie asked with a nervous laugh.

“Wait, yer not tellin’ me ya went through the same kinda thing Rarity did, are ya?” Applejack questioned.

Trixie blinked. “Rarity is hermaphroditic as well?”

Rainbow’s eyes widened. “Wait, so you have a dick and a vag under there? That’s so awesome! You could be with anyone you wanted! And you wouldn’t even have to worry about not being able to have foals!”

Trixie averted her gaze, blushing heavily. “Well, I suppose there have to be some benefits to outweigh all the teasing.”

“Other foals teased ya fer havin’ both?” Applejack guessed.

Trixie nodded. “But let’s not get into that here. We both know what really brought you here. So feel free to look around, and if you have any questions, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Okay!” Rainbow practically dove into one of the aisles, sweeping her gaze over the shelves with a hungry look in her eyes. Applejack followed along sheepishly, not able to keep from admiring the selection.





Clop? Idk.





After depositing their new stash away from the hooves of curious little fillies, Applejack and Rainbow collapsed onto their bed. “Some day, huh?” Rainbow chuckled.

“Kinda makes ya wonder when we’re gonna get a nice peaceful day all ta ourselves,” Applejack mused. “Might be nice fer a change.”

“Hey, at least we’re not going to sleep drunk tonight,” Rainbow pointed out with a giggle.

“Ah suppose there’s that,” Applejack chuckled. “How d’ya think Scoot managed ta talk sense inta Cloudchaser?”

Rainbow shrugged. “Well, she’s got the unfair advantage of being cute and adorable.”

“And you don’t?” Applejack challenged, nuzzling Rainbow for emphasis.

“It doesn’t really help when you’re trying to force information out of an unwilling target,” Rainbow admitted. “Wait, did you just call me cute and adorable?”

Applejack smirked. “You got a problem with that?”

“Yeah, you forgot sexy!” Rainbow protested.

Applejack chortled. “As if ya need me ta remind ya.”

“Not really, I just like hearing you say it,” Rainbow laughed.

Applejack smiled. “Well, g’night then, sexy.”

Rainbow smiled back. “Night, hot-flank.”