“She said it was because I keep showing up for work drunk! Seriously!”
Rainbow Dash gesticulated wildly as she told the story. She nearly fell over as a result but managed to regain her balance. Fluttershy cringed slightly.
“Oh, that’s just awful, Dashie. I can’t believe Mayor Mare would do that.”
“I know, right?! Where is she going to find somepony who can head the weather patrol as well as me?! Not in Ponyville, that’s for sure!”
Fluttershy flattened her ears against the side of her head. Rainbow Dash noticed her reaction and seemed to sober slightly.
“…Fluttershy, be honest with me: do I have a drinking problem?”
“Oh, no…of course not,” Fluttershy replied. “You’re a very responsible pony.”
Rainbow Dash nodded. “That’s what I thought.”
Fluttershy felt her stomach tie itself in knots from guilt and shame. She wracked her brain for some way to fix the situation. Fortunately for her, Rainbow Dash had an idea.
"Oh well, more time for bucking!" she said cheerfully. She lunged forward awkwardly to plant a kiss on Fluttershy's lips. Fluttershy meeped and tried to pull back, but Rainbow Dash wrapped a foreleg around the back of her neck and drew her in for another smooch.
"Come on Shy, let's do it right here!"
Fluttershy struggled as the familiar stench of Rainbow Dash's alcohol-infused breath hit her. "But Dashie," she stammered, "I need to—mpff!"
Whatever Fluttershy had been about to say was cut off as Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue into Fluttershy's mouth. Rainbow Dash leaned into the kiss, and the part of Fluttershy's mind that wasn't currently overwhelmed by shame started making a very good case for why she should let Rainbow Dash throw her down and take her right there on the living room floor. She felt her eyes roll back slightly as she began to swoon. Rainbow Dash continued to press in. She rose up on her hind legs, drawing Fluttershy along with her. Fluttershy felt her athletic friend's compact chest hard and firm against her own. Rainbow Dash began to hook one of her hind legs around Fluttershy's, and the beautiful pegasus knew that her friend's next move would be to sweep her onto her back and commence bucking her senseless.
That was when the knock at the door came. Fluttershy squeaked and jumped straight up, breaking the clinch. Rainbow Dash staggered and fell back onto her rump. Fluttershy blushed as she hovered in the air above. Her wings flapped faster than usual.
“OhIhadbettergetthatitcouldbeimportant!” she said in a rush.
She opened the door to see Rarity and Applejack standing there waiting. “Sugarcube,” Applejack said. “Is Rainbow Dash here?”
Fluttershy stared at them with wide eyes, trying to come up with a response. Before she could Rainbow Dash’s voice came from inside.
“Hey AJ! How’s it hanging?”
Fluttershy froze. Caught. Applejack brushed past her once she caught sight of their friend laying on her back with all four legs up in the air.
“You alright RD?”
“I’m great! You caught right about to start banging my marefriend. Wanna watch?”
Applejack’s jaw dropped. Rainbow Dash smiled obliviously and gave a slight belch. Rarity raised an eyebrow.
“Your...marefriend,” the elegant unicorn said.
“That’s right!” Rainbow Dash said happily as she flopped around trying to regain her hooves.
“You and Fluttershy,” Applejack said slowly.
“Yup!” Rainbow Dash said as she slipped and planted her face on the floor.
“But darling, you love the cock!” Rarity protested.
“Yeah RD, y’all have said how you want my brother to rut you more times than anypony ever wanted to hear,” Applejack said crossly. “Specially me.”
Rainbow Dash Finally remembered that she had wings and began flapping them. That lifted her up into the air; no amount of alcohol could take away her flying ability. She touched down on her hooves and regarded her friends blearily.
"I've decided that no stallion's cock feels as good as Fluttershy's flank," Rainbow Dash said happily. She walked unsteadily over to the door and gave the furiously blushing Fluttershy a cheek nuzzle. Rarity and Applejack exchanged looks.
"Well that's, uh...Ah'm happy for you," Applejack said awkwardly. "You too, Fluttershy."
"Meep!" Fluttershy said as Rainbow Dash traced a line of kisses down her neck and back. She went rigid and began hoping she would actually die of embarrassment as Rainbow Dash started on her wings. It seemed like the best possible way out of her predicament.
"Yes," Rarity said slowly. She was clearly trying to pick her words carefully. "Well, I apologize if we came at a bad time. We heard Rainbow Dash suffered a loss of employment and wanted to see if she was alright."
"Yep, it's true!" Rainbow Dash said. "Got canned. Good riddance I say."
"But Rainbow Dash, darling, you worked so hard to get the position!" Rarity protested.
"And the town needs ya!" Applejack agreed. "Ain't nopony who can do the job better!"
"Eh, I've got some bits saved up," Rainbow Dash said negligently as she mounted Fluttershy from behind to better reach a particularly sensitive spot on Fluttershy's rigid wings with her mouth. She wrapped her forehooves around Fluttershy's body for support as the other mare shuddered like a melting stick of the butter her coat resembled. "I'm sure they'll come crawling along to beg me to come back," she added through a mouthful of downy feathers.
Fluttershy was not the only one blushing at this point. Rarity cleared her throat.
"Rainbow Dash, don't you think you may be taking you displays of affection a bit far given that guests are present?"
"Nah," Rainbow Dash said casually as she began dry-humping Fluttershy. "I'd rut Fluttershy right in front of town hall with everypony in Ponyville watching if she'd let me."
"I...see," Rarity said. "And Fluttershy darling, are you okay with this?"
Fluttershy's eyes were lidded most of the way shut with pleasure. Rainbow Dash was apparently doing an excellent job of distracting her from her embarrassment earlier. She managed to squeak and nod her head in an affirmative, but focusing enough to do so clearly took an effort of will. Rarity and Applejack exchanged another look. Rarity twitched her head to signal that it was her companion's turn to speak. Applejack cleared her throat.
"Whelp, glad that's cleared up. Anyhoo, we was just a mite concerned about ya, RD. That little scamp Scootaloo done told me about the weather patrol thang. Said you'd been acting funny lately, and not training as much. You know how much that filly looks up ta you, so we reckoned we oughta pay you a visit. Because that's what friends do. They visit." She grinned nervously once the flood of babble trickled to a halt.
Rarity rolled her eyes. "What Applejack is trying to say is that we wanted to check to make sure nothing was amiss with you, and to offer to help in any way we can if there is."
"Nope!" Rainbow Dash said cheerfully. "Past month has been some of the best days of my life! Don't know why I didn't try it sooner."
With that Rainbow Dash seemed to decide she had given Fluttershy's wings enough attention. She slid backwards and began working her muzzle across Fluttershy's supermodel quality flank. As she did she mumbled, "Hey, speaking of coming at a bad time, watch this!"
Applejack and Rarity stared in stunned fascination as Rainbow Dash made her way towards Fluttershy's genitalia. The smell of arousal wafting from between Fluttershy’s haunches was what finally shocked them to back their senses. Rarity was the first to recover.
"Applejack," she said crisply as she turned and walked back out the door. "I think we should be going."
Applejack gulped, thoroughly uncomfortable. "Ah reckon so," she said, dropping her Stetson hat down over her eyes as she hustled out after Rarity. Rarity shut the door as quickly as was possible without slamming it in a completely unladylike fashion the moment her friend joined her outside. Behind them they heard a high-pitched squeal, followed by laughter and the sound of Fluttershy shouting "Dashie!" repeatedly. The two looked at one another in disbelief, red-faced.
"Well that was just, uh..."
"Surreal," Rarity finished.
Applejack nodded. "Surreal," she agreed. "Very surreal."
They stood stock still for awhile, wondering what the buck they were supposed to do after a conversation like that. They flinched as the silence was broken by a quiet but disturbingly intense "Yay!" from within. Fortunately for them no red-blooded pony could see a mare as beautiful as Fluttershy in a situation like that without being aroused as well, so they both reached the same conclusion at approximately the same time.
"Mah place or yours?" Applejack asked.
"Sweetie Belle is staying over at the moment," Rarity replied immediately. "And besides, we haven't given your barn a proper workout in some time."
With that Rarity sashayed off, deliberately brushing her immaculately coiffed tail across the bottom of Applejack's muzzle as she did. Applejack watched Rarity's dangerously swaying flank for a moment before adjusting her hat and grinning.
"Yes ma'am!" she said as she trotted off after her friend.
†
"Uhm, hello?" Fluttershy said timidly as the chimes above the front door to Carousel Boutique stopped jingling.
"Fluttershy darling, so glad you could make it on such short notice," Rarity said. She stood with her shapely backside facing Fluttershy. Her horn glowed merrily as fabric levitated to and fro before her.
"Oh, of course," Fluttershy said cautiously. She wasn't sure what to expect but she doubted it would be good. "Is something wrong?"
"Oh not at all," Rarity assured her. The storm of raw clothing materials began to abate as each piece darted to its proper place and tucked itself away. Rarity finally turned to regard her friend with a reassuring smile.
"I'm terribly sorry, but I had a burst of inspiration yesterday and I've been up all night. I don't think I've come down from the rush enough to sleep yet, so I was wondering if you'd like to have our spa session a bit early this week?"
"Oh!" Fluttershy said, clearly relieved. "Yes, that would be...nice."
"Wouldn't it though?" Rarity beamed. "Just let me finish up a few things before we depart."
Rarity returned her attention to clean up, carefully sorting each tool and scrap of fabric and returning them to their proper place. She hummed as she worked, and Fluttershy felt the tension ease out of her. Just as the work space was restored to uncluttered perfection Rarity casually said, "So, about yesterday."
"Eep!" Fluttershy said as her body went rigid. Rarity turned to face her directly. She sighed.
"Now Fluttershy, darling, you know how much I simply despise gossip," she began. Any other mare in their circle of friends would have burst out laughing at that singularity of hypocrisy, but Fluttershy would have been too meek to point it out even at the best of times. Rarity pressed on without a hint of shame or self-awareness.
"But it is clear that something is going you weren't telling us, and I'm concerned about Rainbow Dash's well-being. And yours as well, of course!"
"It's nothing you need worry about," Fluttershy said hesitantly. "Dashie and I have just been really, really enjoying spending time together and, well—"
She stopped as she realized Rarity was eyeing her knowingly. She sighed and stopped mid-sentence.
"That's never going to work, is it?"
"I'm afraid not darling," Rarity said with a mixture of amusement, sympathy and satisfaction. "Come with me. I'll set some tea boiling and you can tell me all about it."
Soon Fluttershy found herself sitting in Rarity's kitchen holding a porcelain cup full of steaming liquid in her hooves as she told the story in quick bursts of sentences punctuated by awkward silences filled with furious blushing. Rarity listened patiently and without comment beyond the occasional polite cough or raised eyebrow. When she finished Fluttershy sat staring ready resolutely into her tea cup before daring to look up.
Rarity was shocked. Fluttershy cringed. Finally she spoke.
"Well darling, that's quite the story. And you saying you've kept her inebriated this entire time?"
Fluttershy nodded. "It's not like I'm forcing her," she said defensively. "Well," she hedged a moment later, "I suppose there was that one time I overslept and she had a hangover and she was still tied to the bed from the night before and she seemed surprised and struggled a bit. But she only choked on the bottle for a little while before she was back to chugging it down."
"I...see," Rarity said slowly. "Well, at least there's that." She paused. "Tied to the bed, you say?"
"She seemed to like it at the time!" Fluttershy insisted. "And we worked our way up to the collar and the whip!"
Rarity's gaped in a most unladylike manner. Another long silence followed before she replied.
"I see. I must confess Fluttershy, I would never have pegged you as the type."
Fluttershy flushed at the word ‘pegged.’ Rarity decided to ignore it for the sake of her own ability to sleep for the next few days. A thought occurred to her and she grabbed at it like a drowning mare at a life preserver.
"Where did you get so much alcohol anyway?"
"Oh, my father left it to me in his will," Fluttershy said with a casual wave of her hoof. "It's what was left of his collection."
"You've never told me about him," Rarity commented.
"Oh, he was a debt collector."
"Oh, like an accountant?" Rarity asked, glad to have found a new topic.
"No," Fluttershy said as she looked off to the side. "He was, uhm, more of hooves on the street sort of debt collector."
"Oh, you mean like a detective or bounty hunter?" Rarity pressed.
"No, he was employed by the more informal loan companies."
"I'm afraid I don't quite understand darling. Was he a—"
"He was a wing breaker!" Fluttershy exclaimed suddenly.
"Oh," Rarity said uncomfortably. The silence that followed was awkward even by the standards of the past day. Finally she took a deep breath and spoke.
"I'm sorry Fluttershy, but I simply must tell the others. What you're doing is clearly unhealthy for both of you and as your friend I—"
"I'll let you use her as a model!" Fluttershy blurted.
Rarity paused. Fluttershy looked at her expectantly. Rarity shook her head
"Fluttershy, I'm shocked!" I could bring never accept a bribe in exchange for turning a blind eye to something like this!"
She pursed her lips for a moment, considering.
"...Unless you also promised to let me style her mane, of course."
Fluttershy stared. She hadn't actually expected that to work. Then she bobbed her head. Rarity extended a hoof. Fluttershy bumped it with her own.
"You know," Rarity confided, "truth be told I find her far more pleasant to be around this way than she was before."
"Me too," Fluttershy agreed happily. The two friends shared a heartfelt laugh. Rarity finished her drink and rose from her chair.
"Well now that we've settled the matter we should be off. We don't want to keep Aloe and Vera waiting!"
Fluttershy took one last sip of her tea before standing to follow. Suddenly it looked like everything was going to work out just fine.
†
From her spynest on the second floor Gilda lifted her ear from hole in the closet floor and scowled as deeply as her beak would allow.
"Little pink-haired rat," she muttered darkly. "Knew something was up."
A deep growl from behind made Gilda jerk her head up hard into the lowest shelf. "Oww!" she shouted as an avalanche of scissors, sewing machines, steaming irons, various heavy wooden objects and other assorted implements of pain fell on her head. Several rolls of fabric followed, all draping themselves over her head except for the especially thick one that her square on the conked. Gilda sputtered and flailed at her untailored prison before managing to claw her way free.
She flopped out of the closet flat on her beak. An extremely angry looking cat with white fur hissed into her face from inches away. Gilda glared at the little beast.
"Whaddya want, furball?"
The cat yowled a battle cry and leapt at Gilda, claws extended. Gilda's screams were audible in the streets outside but they clearly weren't coming from Rarity, so nopony cared.