It goes without saying that stallions and mares are different. It also goes without saying that their sexual habits and desires are somewhat different, as well. It has been said that while a male is much more ready to go at any time, a mare has to be somewhat prepared. For example, while many stallions can be easily enticed to some morning loving, many mares (like Cheerilee) have very little interest in sensual activity that early in the mornings.
So it came as somewhat of a surprise to Big Mac when he awoke to something small, warm and wet along his cheek. He opened his eyes to see Cheerilee straddling him and licking the side of his face repeatedly.
“Mornin', Mac,” she breathed. “Did you sleep well?”
Macintosh wasn’t entirely sure how to respond to this. “Uh... eeyup?”
“I'm so glad you're awake,” she whispered. “I've been waiting for you for... sooo lonnnng...”
Mac raised an eyebrow. This wasn’t normal.
“Mac, that means I need you,” Cheerilee translated. “Like, now.”
She drifted her hoof somewhere on the lower part of Mac's body, but he slapped it away. Cheerilee looked up with a hurt expression on her face, which slowly morphed to confusion at Mac's angry expression.
“Where’s Cheerilee?” he demanded.
“Mac, it's me... I'm your Che-”
Macintosh slammed her against the headboard, squeezing out a squeak of pain. “Where is she?” he demanded.
“Mac...?”
“Where is she?”
“Mac, y- you’re hurting me…”
Mac rested his forearm across her throat. “Where is she?”
“Mac! It’s me! I'm Cheerilee!”
“Where is she?”
“Comma splice! Comma splice!”
Upon hearing their safe phrase, Mac dropped his hoof quicker than if Cheerilee’s neck had been hot iron. His mouth opened and he started to breathe heavily, realizing that it had indeed been Cheerilee he had been trying to choke out. “Ah’m so sorry, Chi…”
“I- it’s fine,” Cheerilee said hesitantly, rubbing her neck with a forehoof.
Mac sighed and pulled her into a hug. “Ah’m sorry. Ah just… you don’t often act like that in the morning, you know? You’ll excuse me sayin’, of course.”
“Of course, I just… I don’t know what came over me,” Cheerilee said, her face a mask of confusion. “I’m just…” She looked down at her body, as if it had betrayed her somehow. “You know I prefer getting taken in the afternoons, usually.”
Mac shifted uncomfortably. Yes. He knew. He knew very, very well.
“I just… I woke up and just felt so… needy, you know? It’s like I’m in heat or something.”
Mac chuckled at that thought… and then stopped. “Chi…”
Cheerilee was stunned as the implications hit her. She looked down at her body again, and then looked up at Mac. “Mac, I’m in heat,“ she said simply.
“Eeyup.”
Cheerilee began bouncing up and down on the bed, squealing like a filly half her age. “I’m in heat! I’m in heat! I’m in heat! I haven’t been in heat in at least seven years but I’m in heat!”
But the problem is, ponies used to live in secluded colonies. To avoid inbreeding, the mares developed a system that when they were ready to mate, they would release pheromones that could be detected from a distance to invite stallions over.
So you can imagine what those hormones did to one stallion in a tiny enclosed space.
Cheerilee’s bouncing was interrupted when she was forcefully shoved off the bed, landing hard on the floor. She didn’t even have time to look up in confusion before her body was physically thrust back against the bed, low and in what could only be called a compromising position. She let out a needy whine as she realized exactly what was going to happen.
And it was at that point that both of them lost any semblance of self-control.
* * *
Applejack grumbled as she walked upstairs. “Mac, it sounds like there’s an earthquake in your room! What on earth are you…”
She pushed open the door and… well… To say ‘Macintosh was utterly destroying Cheerilee’ would be the understatement of the year; closely followed by ‘Cheerilee was enjoying herself immensely’.
Applejack caught a whiff and knew exactly what had happened. She smiled knowingly and then bolted the door, using the drawchain designed exactly for the purpose of keeping little foals out of dangerous business. She resigned herself to knowing she would be doing all of Big Mac’s chores for the rest of the day, likely the week; but she was happy for both of them. She wasn’t feeling bad at all.
And she definitely wasn’t feeling jealous and wishing her own romantic partner were here right now.
* * *
Some days, the Wonderbolts enjoyed going incognito—sans outfits and goggles. For the most part, this allowed them to retain some semblance of anonymity.
And some days, like today, they didn’t.
Rainbow Dash had been a member of this elite squad for nigh on a year now, but she still couldn't suppress the spark of excitement she felt when she saw the reactions of the ponies in the restaurant. It ranged from doubletakes to spittakes, and she couldn’t help but grin. It wasn't a fancy place, just as Spitfire had wanted.
The hostess at the desk was scribbling something down on a notebook when Spitfire leaned against the podium and grinned.
“Spitfire, party of seven? I should have a reservation.”
The hostess dropped her pencil and looked up, eyes wide as she realized exactly . “I- I thought it was a joke…” she whispered.
Spitfire shook her head. “It’s us. We’re here and we’re hungry, so whatchu got for me?”
“Uh…” Right then, the hostess would probably have trouble remembering her own name, let alone her responsibilities.
Spitfire chuckled. “Maybe a table or something?” she suggested.
“W- would you like a table?”
Soarin’ shook his head. “Nah, we'll be fine on the floor. Carpet for five, please,” he said teasingly.
Spitfire jabbed an elbow hard into his ribs, effectively shutting him up. “A table sounds great,” she said.
* * *
Rainbow grinned as she looked around their booth. It was back in the corner, so to be out of the way of others.
An earth pony waitress walked over and froze at the sight of the Wonderbolts at her table. She licked her lips, obviously overwhelmed a bit at her responsibility.
Spitfire decided to cut her some slack. “So I’ve heard the cheesy hay fries make for a great appetizer,” she said.
She quickly recovered. “Hi! I’m Mango Glow, and I’ll be your server tonight. Can I start you out with something to drink?”
Spitfire grinned, and that’s when Rainbow knew it was shaping up to be a great night.
* * *
Rainbow grinned as she drank what must have been her fifth daiquiri. When Spitfire said dinner was on her, she meant it; and everypony had been eating like a princess. Well, if a king were to eat common diner fare, that is. Rainbow certainly felt like a queen, though.
And she hadn’t even been the one drinking the most. Of course, none of these were alcoholic; when Rainbow asked, the reply was a murmured ‘Starwing’, and a pointed change of subject, so Rainbow quickly dropped that.
As is common when important guests, the manager showed up to greet them. And, as is common when at a restaurant, he arrived right as the majority of them had their mouths full. “How is everything tonight?” he asked.
The Wonderbolts gave affirmative nods and light stomps on the table.
“Well, it’s a great thing to see you here, so if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask, ok?”
“You got it.”
He backed away slowly, as if afraid his most important guests (probably the most important in the history of his restaurant) would vanish if he looked away.
But vanish they did not. The only thing that disappeared were the numerous drinks and appetizers.
And unfortunately, they needed to go somewhere.
Rainbow pushed herself back. “I gotta go… you know.”
Spitfire chuckled. “Take Fleetfoot with you.”
Rainbow missed the gleeful look in Soarin’s eyes as she flew up and landed at the foot of the table. “I’m a big girl,” she said, “I can take care of myself.”
“Rainbow…”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s policy, I know. Come on.” Rainbow led the way, and Fleetfoot followed behind. She hadn’t spent much time with Fleetfoot before, but she seemed nice, if a bit… excuse the pun… flighty.
As they left the bathroom, they happened to bump into the manager again. Rainbow gave a courteous nod, but Fleetfoot stopped short. She grinned and ran her tongue along the front of her teeth. “I saw you looking at me. You don’t hide your feelings very well, you know.”
The manager blushed. “I- I don’t know what you’re talking abo-”
But that’s as far as he got, because she leaned forward and kissed him, right on the lips. He couldn’t suppress a small whimper, but soon sank into the kiss.
Too soon for his liking, she pulled back, letting her tongue rest on his lips for as long as possible. “See what I mean?” she whispered. “Now, don’t you have a restaurant to run?”
The manager couldn’t help but nod and stumble off, dazed. Fleetfoot couldn’t help but giggle. As she turned back to the table, she caught sight of a different earth pony waitress standing there, staring, apparently about to go into the kitchen before that sight had caught her attention.
Fleetfoot ran her tongue across her front teeth. “I swing both ways; do you want one, too?”
The waitress slowly nodded and stepped forward, as if in a dream.
Fleetfoot was as good as her word, and gave her a kiss, too. She reached up and ran her hoof through the waitress’s mane, and then rested it behind her head and pulled her in tightly.
Too soon for her, as well, Fleetfoot leaned back, and the thin trail of saliva between their mouths fell. “Am I right in supposing that will do for a tip?” she asked.
“I- I’m not your waitress…” she stammered.
Fleetfoot shrugged. “It was still good, though.” She reached into her jacked, withdrew a ticket voucher, and slid them into the pouch she wore on her flank, with a complete disregard for her personal space. “Feel free to come to our next show, anyway, eh?”
A wide smile spread across the waitress’s face, and she stumbled off back into the kitchens.
* * *
Rainbow was a bit in shock as she sat back down at the table.
Soarin noticed her expression and couldn’t help but chuckle. “I assume you’ve seen Fleetfoot’s strange habit?”
Rainbow jumped slightly. “Yes. No. I… yeah.”
“It’s not that strange,” Fleetfoot said.
There was a mumbled disagreement.
Fleetfoot held up a hoof to defend herself. “No, see, it’s perfect.” She turned to Rainbow. “I mean, think about it. If one of your friends said she had kissed a Wonderbolt, would you believe it?”
Rainbow paused. “Well, no; but...”
“Exactly. By doing something huge and exaggerated, nopony believes you, even when it’s true."
“But then nopony believes them...”
“Yeah, but it happened. So late at night, when they’re feeling low and useless, they can remember, ‘I was special enough for a Wonderbolt to make out with me’.” She brushed a hoof against her chest. “It’s a public service, really. I should be commended. Maybe even paid for this.”
“Just for the mono treatments, maybe,” Soarin’ jabbed, and this brought a laugh from most of the Wonderbolts.
The one exception was Rainbow Dash. For through this entire conversation, the only thing Rainbow Dash could think about was her own earth pony, and how much she would like to kiss her.
* * *
Late that night, two ponies looked out their respective windows and examined the sky. Whoever said something about ‘at least we’re under the same sky’ was full of horseapples, because both felt a deep longing for something not there that (no offense intended towards Luna) no amount of stars could soothe.
“Well, I left home about a year ago,” Rainbow said.
“Rainbow’s been gone nigh on a year now,” Applejack whispered.
“I wonder how Applejack is.”
“Wonder how she’s doin’.”
“‘Cause, I mean, I’m doing awesome, I hope she is.”
“Ah gotta say, it’s a good day to be Applejack.”
“And it’s not like I’m not having fun, because I totally am.”
“The apple harvest is looking great, and Ah’ve never been prouder of my orchard.”
“I mean, I was born for this!”
“Ah go to bed exhausted every night, and that’s the best feeling ever.”
“My squadmates are great. They’re like the pegasus siblings I never had.”
“My friends have been supportive and more helpful than Ah could have hoped for.”
“I’ve set all kinds of records, and hey, even Fleetfoot over there set a speed record, too. I’m proud of her.”
“Sassaflash had her foalshower today. Ah bet Rainbow would have laughed at that.”
“I’m still going to break it next year, though. Not too quick, though—got to give her some time to brag, after all.”
“On second thought, she probably would have laughed and then pigged out on cake.”
“Either way, it’s been fun.”
“Life has been all right.”
A pause.
“But I can’t help feeling…”
“But Ah can’t help feeling…”
Together, they whispered, “Something’s missing in my life.”