Three childhood friends must overcome the past to start a new future together.
As foals, Moonstone, Missing Nail and Shooting Star were thick as thieves. Together they'd strike out to find their cutie marks and dream of the future, a future in which they shared as friends.
But growing up tends to complicate things, especially in a group with two stallions and one mare. These days, they're hardly talking to one another. A rift has grown between the two stallions, leaving it up to Shooting Star to fix their once unbreakable friendship, and perhaps even elevate it to a new level.
Anthro Clopfic. (Characters are over the age of 18 in clop scenes.)
Commission for Darkhanos and Nightmare_Shinigami, featuring their OCs Moonstone and Missing Nail. Thanks for your support.
Large snowflakes were drifting lazily across the sky, just as Princess Celestia had finished setting the sun to illuminate the Eastern skies with the first rays of morning.
All was quiet, except for the crunching of freshly fallen snow underneath Moonstone's boots during his customary morning walk. The gray unicorn stallion enjoyed these even more now than he did in the summer. With everypony either still asleep or unwilling to come out into the cold, the world was a quiet place, a place where he could gather his thoughts and clear his mind to let the creativity flow through him for the rest of the day.
He never set out with any specific destination in mind. As fate would have it, today he found himself in a small park in the lower city ring of Canterlot, and a nostalgic feeling took hold of him as he beheld the small, snow-covered playground.
“Have I walked this far?” he asked himself, his breath condensing in front of him. He pulled up his scarf to ward off the chill.
Of course the playground was empty. It was the middle of the week, and all the good little fillies and colts would have school. But as he looked at the swing set moving with the morning breeze, the snow settling on the slide and the monkey bars in the distance, it was as if he was back to his 13-year-old self. He could hear the laughter of his friends, see the rays of sunlight reflect off the metal railings and smell a hint of summer in the air.
“How long has it been since that day?” he wondered. “Must have been almost thirteen years ago.”
Wondering if it was still there, he approached a large oak tree, brushing the snow from the bark with one gloved hand. It was indeed still here, the crude sketch of a young pegasus filly, framed by a heart with the inscription The Hero of Canterlot, carved into the wood. It had once been carved by two grateful, young colts.
Moonstone's gaze drifted over towards the nearby battlement, beyond it the sheer cliff face of the Canterlot Mountains, a straight drop of over a mile.
He didn't mind the snow settling on his white mane and making it damp as he remembered that day, half a lifetime ago, the day he almost died.
* * *
13 years earlier...
“Explain it to me again.” Moonstone asked his friend while they sat together on a bench in that very same park.
“It means that I can analyze any situation, and see how major events would have played out differently due to minor changes.” The purple earth pony colt said smugly. “Like, for example, if Shooting Star hadn't accidentally bumped into the table during our Oubliettes & Ogres game last week, you wouldn't have a rolled a 1 on that agility check, and the party wouldn't have been wiped out by that Daring Do giant cheese wheel trap in the Temple of Gloom.”
Moonstone rubbed his temples. It was frustrating, trying to deal with Missing Nail's bragging. Then again, he probably hadn't been all that subtle himself when he had gotten his cutie mark for sculpting during a class project a month ago. “I get that. But what is it good for? We still lost. Could you have used it to make us win that campaign?”
Missing Nail scratched his cheek. “That's not really how it works. How could I have known that Star would bump into the table? I can't see the future.”
“Lame!” a clear voice called from up above them. The pegasus filly with the red coat and blonde mane, who had almost made it to the top of the pyramid-shaped jungle gym, looked down on them. “Hindsight isn't a special talent. Look, I can do it, too. If some weirdo hadn't written a cranky letter to the Princess, that thing wouldn't be up in the sky,” she declared, pointing at the purple shield of magic that was currently covering Canterlot.
Missing Nail frowned at that. “You're in no position to talk, Shooting Star. You don't even have a cutie mark yet.”
“Yeah, because mine is super extra awesome. That's why it takes a little longer. Besides, I have a feeling that today is the day,” she declared, continuing to climb.
Not having their cutie marks yet had been one of the major factors in bringing the three of them together in the first place. Shooting Star was the most adventurous of the group. It was usually her that invented their games and led the colts in new ideas to find their cutie marks.
Of course, her plans were often ill-conceived, sometimes ending in scrapes and bruises, and surprisingly often covered in tree sap. Being the only filly in the group, however, meant that the adults tended to blame the two colts for any mishaps while she usually got off scot-free. Whenever this happened, Moonstone and Missing Nail would swear never to speak to her again, and just as quickly they would go along with her latest scheme anyway, because she assured them that they'd definitely get their cutie marks this time.
Moonstone looked up at the castle in the distance. “Wonder if the ceremony is already over. Hey, remember when your sister took us to see the Canterlot Statue Garden? That was cool.”
Missing Nail nodded. “Yeah, all that history stuff was totally awesome. Too bad they wouldn't let us near the castle today.”
Shooting Star, having reached the top of the climbing frame, clicked her tongue. “Who cares about some boring, old statues or a schmaltzy royal wedding. But if it gives us a day off from school, I'm all for it. Ready down there?”
The two colts looked at each other dubiously before moving to the base of the jungle gym and spreading out the bed sheet they brought between the two of them. “Are you really sure about this, Star?” Moonstone asked apprehensively.
“Yeah, you're going to flight camp next year anyway,” Missing Nail added. “Why not just wait until then?”
The filly stretched out her arm and pointed it to the sky, no doubt in her mind the pose to strike for a grand speech. “Because the best fliers always learn to fly before flight camp. Besides, what's the worst that could happen? You two just make sure that you have enough tension.”
Before either of her companions could object again, she jumped off, flapping her wings as hard as she could. “Here I come!” Always before, the best she had been able to do was make herself fall a little slower to varying degrees. So she figured that jumping off from a greater height would give her much more time to figure this whole flying thing out. That was just logical, right?
She was slowly descending, even as the colts anxiously readjusted their position to stay underneath her for the inevitable fall. Yet she could feel that she was getting close. Gradually she got a feel for getting some purchase on the air as her wings began to create more and more lift. Likely she would have learned to fly right then and there, had it not been for what came next.
Boom! Crack!
Losing her concentration from the horrible noise, Shooting Star fell from the sky, pluncking down unceremoniously, but uninjured, into her safety net plot first.
While they did manage to avert the worst, Moonstone and Missing Nail couldn't manage to hold onto the sheet, and so the trio tumbled down into a heap.
“What the hay was that?” Star was the first to recover from the impact. After all, it hadn't been her first.
“The shield spell. It came down,” Moonstone pointed out, looking up as the last remnants of the Guard Captain's magic crumbled in the sky.
The three foals continued to watch. What seemed like tiny, black spots in the distance became larger and larger, until several bug-like beings landed in front of them, completely surrounding the group.
“They're Changelings,” Missing Nail said in awe. “I read about them in a book.”
“What do we do with them?” one of the new arrivals asked.
Another shrugged. “Restrain them. We'll see what the Queen wants done with the civilians later.”
It was only now, that the strangers started moving towards them with outstretched arms, that the three foals realized the danger they were in. A look passed between Missing Nail and Moonstone. They both nodded.
“Shooting Star! Run!” Missing yelled as he charged his would-be captor, pelting him with his fists, even though his eyes remained firmly shut.
“We'll hold them off,” Moonstone added, doing the same.
As brave as their charge was, the Changeling soldiers didn't even flinch as they took the blows from the half-grown ponies with a bemused expression, and then simply grabbed their wrists to restrain them.
When the third Changeling went for her, Shooting Star looked at him with wide eyes. Her mind told her to run. Her two best friends told her to run. But her gut told her something different. Taking an unexpected step forward, she swung her leg, hitting her enemy right between the legs with a solid kick, followed by a sickening crunch.
“Owwww!” The Changeling howled and went down.
The other two, shocked at this turn of events, took action immediately, reassessing who the actual threat was. Pushing the colts aside to draw their weapons, they hadn't realized that the battlement was right behind them. They had only intended to push them away.
Yet with screams of panic, Moonstone and Missing Nail got tripped up by the low wall and tumbled over the edge.
“No!” Once more instinct overrode her brain as Shooting Star lunged forward, missing the soldiers' drawn blades by sheer, dumb luck, and hurled herself after her friends.
“Shit,” one of the Changelings muttered. “We were supposed to take as many alive as possible. Queen Chrysalis is gonna be pissed.”
“I won't tell her if you won't,” the other replied.
“Can I get some ice over here?” the third one, with a much weaker voice and curled into a ball on the ground, asked.
Moonstone could feel the wind rushing past him as he fell. He was gonna die, and he knew it. Then he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as his arm was yanked upwards violently. For some reason his fall was over much too soon. Opening his eyes, he looked up to see Shooting Star, and she looked like an angel to him.
Looking to the side, he realized that Missing Nail was also there. Shooting Star was holding onto each one of their arms while flapping her wings frantically.
“Star, you're flying!” he yelled part in surprise, part in elation.
“No shit. You figure this out by yourself?” the filly replied between clenched teeth. It was taking all of her strength to keep them in the air, below them nothing but a mile of empty air.
Missing Nail took one look at the cliff, realizing that there was no place for her to set them down and they were already descending. “Can you get us all the way down?” he asked, already analyzing the situation, even though his eyes were wide with fear.
Star opened her eye slightly to look down. “I don't think so. If I descend at a safe speed, my wings will give out before we're down.”
It remained unspoken, but they all knew that Shooting Star wouldn't be able to pull them all back up. For the moment all she could do was flap her wings and hang on for dear life.
“If only he'd have been left-handed,” Missing said with a sigh.
“What?” Moonstone asked at the strange statement.
“If that soldier who'd been holding me was left-handed, he would have shoved me into the other direction, because his weapon would have been on the other side. That way we would have crashed into each other instead of falling over the edge. Or maybe if I'd worn my track shoes today instead of ...”
“For the love of Celestia,” Shooting Star grunted. “If you don't stop with the 'what-ifs' right now, I swear I will drop you.”
There was a strange look on the colt's face. “Then drop me.”
“Are you insane?”
Moonstone caught the look and, knowing his friend's mind, he understood. “He's right, Star. You can't hold us both. If you drop one of us, you've at least got a chance.”
“No!”
“Star!”
“I said NO!” she yelled back. “How can you ask me to choose between you? I'm not gonna let one of you die to save the other. Now shut up! I have to concentrate on keeping us alive, ALL OF US!”
Neither of the three could tell how long they remained there. Shooting Star's breathing was getting heavier by the minute, and their descent gradually got faster and faster as her screaming muscles threatened to give out at any moment.
“Star, just let go and at least save yourself,” Missing Nail urged her again.
She could feel her grip slipping as the sweat ran down her forearms. With tears in her eyes, she looked at Moonstone.
“It's alright,” the unicorn said. “Just let go.”
For a brief moment, she considered it. There was still a chance that with the remainder of her strength she could at least save herself, but it meant dropping both of them. She'd already missed her chance to save at least one. She'd foolishly tried to keep them both alive, given all she had to save them, but it hadn't been enough. And now, with her inability to choose, she had doomed both of them. Was there really a point in all of them dying? Her grip on their arms began to loosen with that thought. “I'm sorry,” she said with tears in her eyes.
Then she could feel something wash over her, like a wave of powerful magic that seemed to come from Canterlot above, and it warmed her soul, ignited something within her. It felt like something she'd never felt before. There was only one thought on her mind.
NO!
Just as they were about to slip out of her grasp, Shooting Star redoubled her hold on the two colts, digging her nails into their skin, ignoring their pained outcries. Not like this, she told herself. I'll let my wings give out before I let go of them.
And then they did. Shooting Star's wings failed her and they fell. For all her renewed resolve, she'd only bought them a few more seconds before they all went into another free fall.
But it was those few seconds that proved crucial, as Moonstone and Missing Nail found themselves carried once again, by a fully grown pegasus each this time. And Shooting Star felt herself being seized by two slender yet powerful arms.
She looked up at the pony that had rescued her, recognizing the flight suit that was the same her two male companions were wearing. “Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts,” she said in between two exhausted breaths.
The mare gave her smile. “It's okay, kid. I gottcha now. Take a rest. You've earned it.”
As it turned out, the Wonderbolts had watched the whole thing, but had been unable to act due to being restrained by Changeling magic themselves. As soon as they'd been released, they rushed over to the foals. But for all their speed, it wouldn't have been enough without the crucial moments Shooting Star hung on in the end.
Canterlot was saved from a Changeling invasion by Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor that day. And a certain young filly gained her cutie mark for bravery, or as her two best friends liked to call it: 'Sheer pigheaded unwillingness to admit defeat.' Certainly it wasn't the worst special talent a pony could possess.
* * *
Present day...
Returning home from his morning walk, Moonstone hung up his winter coat and put the mail he'd just carried in on a nearby end table. Then he poured himself a cup of coffee and looked around his studio.
There were several unfinished sculptures he was working on right now, but neither one was due for delivery to their clients anytime soon. He decided to continue work on one that wasn't made to order, so he could start off the day with something that he really wanted to do. It was a clay sculpture of a pegasus mare in flight, though the fine details were still missing. It seemed somehow fitting.
As he gathered his tools, he recognized the handwriting on the top envelope of the mail stack. Curiously he picked it up and began to read after opening it.
Dear Moonstone,
how are you doing? I recently saw your piece in the Las Pegasus Museum of the Arts. You've really come a long way since I was your senior at Canterlot University.
Anyway, I've got an opportunity for you, if you're not too busy with other commissions. I was recently approached by the Wonderbolts. They have a big anniversary coming up, and they asked me to do some sculptures of famous commanders in their history. Only problem is, they want them done in stone, since they're supposed to be added to the Canterlot Statue Garden after the event.
As you know, I only work in ice sculptures these days, so I took the liberty to refer them to you. You'll find they are willing to pay quite handsomely. The contact address and everything else you need is enclosed in this letter.
Love, Diamond Dust
Diamond Dust, Missing Nail's older sister. Her influence had been one of the major factors in Moonstone choosing his career as a freelance artist.
“The Wonderbolts, huh?” he muttered to himself. “Seems like the past keeps haunting me today.”
Opening a drawer from his workbench, he pulled out an old newspaper clipping. It had a photo of the Wonderbolts Academy graduating class from a few years ago on it. He read a passage of the article that had been highlighted with text marker a long time ago.
Giving the commencement speech on behalf of this year's graduating cadets was 2nd Lieutenant Shooting Star, top of her class and at age 19 the youngest mare to ever receive an officer's commission from Equestria's Elite Flying Corps.
“Wonder how you're doing, Star.”
Sitting down at his workbench and laying the article next to his current project, Moonstone began to run his hands along the curves of the sculpture, carefully smoothing out here, adding a little there.
He knew the shape so well, he could have done it blindfolded as his mind turned back to the day mentioned in the article. It was a simpler time, a time he wished he could go back to, a time where he could call Shooting Star his marefriend. It had been six years, but he could still remember the feeling of her body under his hands.
* * *
6 years earlier...
“Star, if you don't hurry up, the champagne will go flat!” Moonstone called, sitting on the couch in the tiny one room apartment he shared with his marefriend.
“Just a second,” Shooting Star replied from behind the closed bathroom door.
He sighed, looking at the cheap bottle of sparkly he'd picked up earlier that day in celebration of Star's graduation. He really wished that he'd been able to afford something more, maybe take her out to a nice dinner. But being a 20-year-old poor art student, this was the best he was able to manage on his budget.
“I'm ready.”
When he looked over towards her, his mouth simply stood open. “Woah.”
Obviously enjoying his reaction, she turned around slowly to give him a good view of how she looked in her new skin-tight flight suit. “I wanted you to be the first to see me in it. Much better than the cadet suit, right?”
“Much,” Moonstone agreed, admiring the effect of the blue suit with the lightning symbol running across the front as the light hit it. It was actually gleaming, since it was brand-new. And the body beneath the suit he had always admired.
As she sat next to him, he handed her a glass of champagne. “To the future Captain of the Wonderbolts,” he said, clinking his glass against hers.
“Thank you,” Shooting Star replied simply, giving him a quick kiss before taking a sip.
“Sorry this is all I could do for a celebration. You deserve more.”
“It's okay,” she told him. “As a commissioned officer, I'm due a paycheck next month. Then I'm gonna treat you for our anniversary.”
The unicorn stallion scratched his cheek, not sure how to feel about that. “Still, I wanted to give you something special, considering I haven't seen you for two months.”
Shooting Star had to remain on base for the duration of final evaluation and exams. It had probably been the hardest test for their relationship so far. But she simply shook her head. “The one thing I really wanted tonight is you.” Putting the champagne glass aside, she straddled him on the sofa, giving him a deep kiss. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” Putting his arms around her waist, he leaned in for another kiss, pushing his tongue forward this time. Her lips parted easily, allowing him access to explore her mouth fully. They both enjoyed the sensation they'd been missing for the last couple of weeks.
His hands moved along her back, and, noticing the absence of a certain something, he brought one hand around to the front to confirm the suspicion. “Are you not wearing a bra?”
She gave him a look that was so sexy it made his heart flutter. “Regulations. It's more aerodynamic this way, you see.”
“No, it isn't,” he laughed, rubbing the large mound over the latex material.
“Hey, who's the expert on avionics here?” she teased right back.
“Well, that would be you, lieutenant,” he admitted. “Still I believe that things sticking out will increase air resistance rather than lower it.” Finding her nipple, he pinched it.
“Ahhh!” Shooting Star moaned loudly. “So maybe it's not stream-lined for the traditional kind of flying. But it's stream-lined to facilitate easy access.” Taking hold of his wrist, she guided his hand between her legs.
Rubbing his fingers along the outline of her slit a couple of times, Moonstone realized that she wasn't wearing any panties either. “Oh, man. Do the Wonderbolts know that they accepted such a horny mare into their ranks?”
Rather than giving him an answer, she simply picked up his t-shirt and pulled it over his head. Then she leaned in again, kissing his neck before lightly biting his shoulder.
“Unf.” That was gonna leave a mark, but he didn't mind that as she started running her delicate fingers along his sensitive horn. He could feel the blood rushing from his head and an uncomfortable tightness form in his pants.
No doubt Shooting Star felt it as well, since she began grinding her hips in his lap.
“Hey, Star. Can you keep the flight suit on? This is really hot.”
She grinned at him. “Sure, but only if you can make me cum regardless. It's no fair if you have all the fun.”
Giving her a mock salute, he responded. “Yes, ma'am. I'll do my duty.”
With a giggle, Shooting Star pushed him down onto the couch, getting back on top of him in a 69 position. “Carry on, soldier,” she said while unbuckling his pants.
Lifting her tail with one hand, he used the other to rub her secret spot again. Being so close, he could clearly see the outline even underneath the latex.
“Wanna know the best thing about dating a bona fide Wonderbolt?” she asked over her shoulder while rubbing his shaft.
“What?”
“I can take you to heaven and back, whenever I want to.” With that she wrapped her lips around his tip and began to suck on it noisily.
Moonstone moaned loudly, shuddering at the feeling of his member being enveloped by her hot mouth. She didn't waste a second, moving her tongue expertly to please different spots along the way.
Then she wiggled her plot in front of his face, indicating that he better keep his earlier promise if he wanted her to continue. He pushed his finger deeper inside, although he couldn't penetrate too deeply, for fear of damaging the brand-new flight suit. But a wet squelch indicated that she was indeed wet underneath the latex.
Luckily he had more at his disposal than just manual work. Firing up his horn, he enveloped the base of her wings with the blue aura of his magic, applying gentle pressure as if massaging them.
“Mmmhh.” Moaning around his cock, she took even more of him into her mouth, moving her head up and down with slurping noises.
Even though he knew how good she was at giving head, he found himself unprepared after not seeing her for so long, the pressure at his base building up steadily. When she began using her hands to gently fondle his balls, he couldn't help but to start thrusting his hips slightly.
Feeling the heat even through the flight suit, he could tell that she was getting close as well, however. Not wanting to cum without her, he found her clit and began to rub it over the shiny material.
“Oh, fuck! I'm cumming, Star. I'm cumming.” Pushing his hips upward, he released his seed into her mouth in several large spurts. She took it all, swallowing the goopy liquid eagerly.
Even as she gulped it all down, he could feel her quiver underneath his touch, her wings standing up from the continued application of his magic, indicating that she had climaxed as well.
They both took a few minutes to catch their breaths before Star stood up. “I better get out of this suit and take a shower,” she declared, stopping in the doorway to give him a smoldering look over her shoulder. “Care to join me?”
Grinning broadly, Moonstone got off the couch and squeezed her flank playfully. “I'm getting the feeling that you're gonna make me 'stand at attention' all night, lieutenant.”
“Nothing less from a Wonderbolt, right?” she replied, grabbing his arm and pulling him along with a naughty smile.
“So in conclusion, it can be argued that the Rise of Nightmare Moon wouldn't have been possible without the removal of the Elements from the Tree of Harmony in the first place, which makes her subsequent banishment and defeat a non-issue in terms of the after effects,” Missing Nail spoke out loud as he finished the final chapter of his latest book on speculative history.
“The ramifications would have mainly been felt by the Crystal Empire, since the presence of the Elements directly leads into King Sombra's defeat, and pushing him into his desperate act of displacing it in time. In which ways Equestrian society today would be different, had the Empire been around for the last thousand years, shall be the topic of my next volume in the series.”
Putting his quill aside, he lifted his coffee mug to his muzzle while pushing his glasses straight. Determining how things could have played out differently due to minor changes was his special talent, but it wasn't exactly practical for making money. As such, he relied rather heavily on his book royalties.
“Strange how the closer you are to these events, the less you're likely to see those little things in time,” he thought to himself wryly while leaning back in his desk chair, his eyes gazing on the framed picture of three young foals on his wall. “So many things I could have done differently.”
Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Wondering who it could be this early in the morning, he looked through the peephole, then opened the door with a smile.
“Diamond Dust!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
The beautiful pegasus mare with the icy white coat and frost blue mane stepped into his small apartment. “Do I need a reason to drop in on my baby brother?” she asked, giving him a hug.
“No,” Missing Nail replied while blushing, feeling his sister's ample bosom pressed against his chest. “I just wish you'd call before dropping by, if only so I could clean up a bit.”
Raising an eyebrow, she poked his nose. “The day you start cleaning up after yourself, I'll become a nun in Griffonia,” she said, looking around his bachelor pad. “Have you been burning the midnight oil again?”
He shrugged, closing the door and gesturing for her to take a seat on the couch. “You know I do my best work at night. Besides, for writing a book on Nightmare Moon it seemed kind of fitting. Can I get you anything? Coffee?”
“Depends. Is it gonna be more than lukewarm?”
Missing Nail shrugged again. “Freshly brewed last night.”
“Pass,” she waved him off, making her way into the kitchen to make a fresh pot. Running her finger along the counter, she took notice of the layer of dust. “You know what you need? A wife. Somepony who'll break you of your bad habits.”
“You're not gonna be happy until you fix me up, are you?”
Piercing him with her emerald eyes, her lips turned into a naughty grin. “I know you want to marry me, and I can't blame you,” she said, lifting her arms above her head to show off her curves, teasing him a little. “But you can't. I'm your sister after all.”
The earth pony stallion blushed. “You're never gonna let this go, aren't you?”
“Why would I? I got it in writing,” she said, pulling a piece of paper out of her purse. On it, written in crayon, were the words of a certain young colt.
When I grow up, I'm gonna marry D.D!
“Come on! I was in first grade when I wrote that,” he protested. “What do you expect from a six-year-old?” He looked away from his sister with a long sigh. “You know how it is. If I'd ever married somepony, it'd have been her.”
* * *
4 years earlier...
Missing Nail stood in front of his desk, making sure he had everything he was gonna need for a night of writing. “Quill, check. Parchment, check. Fresh pot of coffee, check. Okay, time to get serious,” he said to himself, rubbing his hands together. He'd definitely make some headway tonight.
Knock! Knock!
Or at least he would as soon as he'd gotten rid of whoever was at his door. Grumbling to himself all the way, he went to check who it was.
“Shooting Star?” he asked when he opened the door, all thoughts of getting some work done going out the window at the sight of the pegasus mare with the two bags.
“Hey, Missing Nail,” she greeted him dejectedly. “Mind if I crash on your couch tonight?”
“Of course not,” he replied immediately, stepping aside to let her in. “You know where everything is.”
“Thanks.” With a practiced routine, she put her bags down next to the sofa and got the spare pillow and blanket from a nearby cabinet.
It wasn't the first time she'd sought asylum here, and it wouldn't be the last. However, lately it had been happening more frequently. “Big fight?” he asked simply, getting some beer and two glasses.
“Oh yeah,” she replied, rolling her eyes, sighing and falling back onto the couch while he poured the drinks. She loosened the tie of her dress uniform and crossed her legs.
Missing Nail almost spilled the drinks as he poured, because he was momentarily distracted by her thighs flashing underneath the navy blue skirt. “Was it about the Playcolt thing?”
She nodded, gratefully accepting the glass and taking a long drink. “It's not unreasonable, right? I mean, every year they do a photo shoot with some of the mares from the Flight Squadron. Spitfire has been on the cover, for Celestia's sake! And Moonstone is acting like this is somehow showing that I don't take our relationship seriously.”
Missing Nail nodded. “I hate to say 'I told you so,' but I told you so.”
“Don't,” she hissed at him, raising a finger. “You really think it would have been better not to tell him anything? That would have been even worse, trust me. He even got upset that I'd discussed it with you first. All I did was get a second opinion, right? At least I can talk about these things rationally with you.” She stood up, pacing around the room. “But he still turned it around on me, saying that relationships were about compromise. You know what he said then?”
“What?”
“He FORBID me from doing the photo shoot. Can you believe that?”
Missing Nail raised an eyebrow. “He can't do that.”
“Damn right, he can't. And that's what I told him. I'm telling you, this time it's really over. This is the last straw. I just can't deal with this anymore.”
Missing Nail kept quiet. He knew she was only venting. He'd stopped fooling himself into thinking that they'd actually break up and he could be the one to swoop in and put the pieces of Shooting Star's broken heart back together.
“And I know he's got his own stash of Playcolt back issues, make no mistake about that. That's hypocritical, isn't it? He'll look at them, but somehow me getting featured there is wrong. Why can't he be more like you in that regard?” Star leaned over, picking up a magazine from the spot under the coffee table. “You don't make a big deal out of this, right? Ohh, is that the issue with Candy Swift?”
Missing Nail coughed a little embarrassed as she began leafing through the pages. “Yeah, well. Not everypony has the stones to leave these lying around while there's a lady in the room.”
“But this is what I mean, you know. Candy Swift, rising star of the Wonderbolts cheering squad. She's TWO YEARS my junior, but she's done with her photo session. Nopony's gonna bother her again about it, but I keep putting it off because of Moonstone.”
“You don't have to do it, right?”
She gave him a complicated look. “Well, no. But nopony I know at base has ever turned the offer down. How would that make me look?”
“Shooting Star giving in to peer pressure? That'll be a new one,” Missing Nail said in a slightly amused tone.
“It's not just that. I really wanna do it, too. I mean, look at that!” She pointed at the centerfold of her fellow Wonderbolt in the magazine. “Doesn't that look awesome? I wanna be admired that way, too. It's not like I have anything to be ashamed of where my body is concerned.” Suddenly she held the magazine away at arm's length. “I'm not gonna ask why these pages are sticking together.”
He gave her a look that was part flustered and part innocent. “I just spilled some soda on it.”
“Riiiiiight.” Despite the assurance, she gingerly put it down on the coffee table before sitting back down with a sigh. “Sorry for showing up out of the blue and unloading on you, Nail. You probably had things to do,” she said, glancing over at his desk.
“Oh, it's no problem,” he said. He was used to it by now, and truthfully it made him a little happy as well. Shooting Star didn't have to come here. She could always stay at the base, if she really needed a place to sleep. But instead she always came here. As much as he hated seeing her unhappy due to another argument with Moonstone, this way at least he had the chance to be with her every now and then, however fleeting that moment would always be. All the more reason to use the opportunity to its fullest when it presented itself.
“So, about me staying the night. You want the usual?”
““Get on your knees and suck my dick,”” they both said in unison, Shooting Star giving him a grin.
“How did you know I was gonna say that?”
She rolled her eyes. “Because that's what you always ask for. You only start asking for the fancy stuff if it's more than one night.” She stood up and began to undress herself. “Just let me get out of my uniform. You have no idea how tough it is to get the stains out of this.”
“You don't have to do this, you know.” His actions betrayed his words, as Missing Nail had already pulled down his sweat pants, letting his half erect cock swing freely while he watched her undress. “It's not like I'd kick you out or anything for saying no.”
Carefully folding her jacket and blouse before setting them aside, Shooting Star knelt down in front of him wearing only her skirt and bra. “I know, but it feels like I'm being a bad friend if I take advantage of your hospitality and unloading my problems on you without giving something back in return.” She took hold of his member and started rubbing it slowly. “And there's nothing you like more than getting a blowjob.”
He shuddered at her touch, reaching out one hand to gently stroke her blonde mane. “Correction. There's nothing I love more than getting a blowjob from you, Star.”
“D'aww, what a sweet thing to say,” she teased him, and then teased him some more by circling his glans with her tongue.
Having known her for so long, he began running his fingers along her ear, which was one of her most sensitive spots.
In response Shooting Star wrapped her lips around his now fully erect member and began to suck on it noisily.
To Missing Nail there was nothing more sexy than seeing her give him that heavily lidded look while she worked his cock with her mouth, except for one thing that could make it even better. Reaching around her, he unclasped her bra, and Shooting Star let the piece of fabric slide to the ground, revealing her generous cleavage.
Bringing his hand back to the front, he cupped one of her breasts, moving it around with his palm, enjoying the softness and pinching her hardening nipple every now and then.
He savored the feeling of her moaning around his shaft whenever he did that. Soon he was fully in the moment, pushing her head down slightly to get her to take more into her mouth with every stroke. His hips began to pick up the rhythm by themselves.
Feeling his tip hit the back of her throat, and without warning, he pressed down on her head a little harder this time while thrusting his hips forward, pushing it all the way in.
Shooting Star didn't gag once as he held this position for a while, before pulling back completely to allow her some much needed air.
Having caught her breath, Shooting Star opened her mouth wide and stuck out her tongue, knowing that he liked to set the speed.
“Fuck, that looks sexy,” Missing Nail mumbled to himself. Unable to contain this feeling, he grabbed her mane with both hands before pushing his pride past her lips once again. “You love it when I stuff my cock down your throat, don't you?”
“Mm-hm.”
Hearing her muffled reply, he began to move his hips, faster and faster to the point where she couldn't keep the seal with her lips. The slurping noises pushed him further and further as he fucked her mouth like a pussy.
With each thrust saliva and precum were overflowing her lips, dripping down onto her tits and coating them with a clear, sticky fluid. Watching that gave him an idea. “Lay down on the couch,” he told her after pulling out.
Already reasonably sure what he had in mind, considering how hard he was staring at her chest, Shooting Star obliged.
Straddling her stomach, he rubbed his tip against both her mounds and nipples, before placing it between the two peaks.
Shooting Star pushed them together for him without any prompting. With a smile, Missing Nail surged forward, his hips once again picking up speed.
Once again he began to pinch her nipples. He was so jealous of Moonstone, who could do this whenever he wanted. Deep down, Missing felt bad about actually hoping for them to fight and the mare he loved to show up on his doorstep. But he couldn't bring himself not to do it. For tonight, those tits were his to do with as he pleased.
Grabbing onto them, he squeezed them more tightly together to get the most pleasure out of it, his shaft lubricated by the fluids from earlier.
With her own hands now free, Star began to fondle his balls even while she stuck out her tongue, so his tip would brush against it with every thrust, sending even more current-like pleasure through his brain.
“Show me your slutty face, Star,” he said in a commanding voice. “The one Moonstone doesn't appreciate. Open wide and beg me for my cum.”
Shooting Star stuck out her tongue even further. “Yeah, shoot your semen all over my face and tits. Come on. Give me that cumshot!”
Hearing her talk dirty like that sent him over the edge. Placing one hand on his shaft, he aimed it at her face and began jerking off furiously. “Here goes!”
With a grunt, he came in several large spurts, making a mess of her face. It felt good. He never masturbated, always waiting for that time when she'd show up here again, so he could give her a good load.
Shooting Star swallowed what had hit her tongue and mouth, and he inched forward. Rubbing his cock against her cheeks, he smeared the white semen even more across her face. “Go ahead, clean it up.”
“Hm.” Purring like a kitten, she wrapped her velvety lips around his cock again, licking and sucking off the last bits of cum to cling to it. “Thank you. It was delicious. There's nothing like a bit of service to take my mind off things.”
Smiling at her, Missing Nail gently ran his fingers through her mane. “How long are you gonna stay this time, Star?”
“I don't know yet,” she told him honestly. “Let's just take it one day at a time.”
“Works for me.”
* * *
Present day...
“You know, if you hadn't asked for sex as payment every time she crashed here, you probably could have become a couple,” Diamond Dust dead-panned.
Missing Nail sat straight upright on the sofa next to his sister. “That's not how it was.”
“But that's what it always came down to,” she pointed out. “I'm not saying that you took advantage of her. Obviously she enjoyed those little one-nighters as much as you did. But what she needed, what she was looking for from you in those instances, was emotional support, not your cock.”
Missing Nail glared at his sister, knowing that she was right at least in some respects. He'd never been good at this relationship stuff or making his feelings clear. It was the very reason why Shooting Star and Moonstone had become a couple in the first place. His friend had simply beaten him to the punch by having the guts to ask her out first, right after graduation. “At least I wasn't trying to tie her down with commitments. Shooting Star isn't the kind of mare you can boss around. She's got her own mind, and that's one of the reasons I've always admired her.”
“Ever tell her that?” Diamond Dust asked matter-of-factly.
He didn't answer that. “I'm not the bad guy here. While she was with Moonstone, they were fighting all the time. She wouldn't have been so unhappy with me.”
His sister nodded. “Maybe. But did you ever wonder why she kept going back to Moonstone? Fighting is part of any relationship. At least he was willing to work on it.” She sighed. “Sometimes I really pity her, being stuck between two such stubborn stallions for all those years.”
“Yeah, well. Thanks to Moonstone, that's ancient history now. Neither one of us can go back to the way we were.”
Diamond Dust looked at him over the rim of her coffee mug with her piercing gaze. “Are you telling me that you weren't in any way to blame for the incident?”
The stallion looked away, wanting nothing more than to bury the memory of that awful day way in the back of his head. “Did you just come here to rip open old wounds, sis?”
Putting her mug down, she took a deep breath and took an envelope from her purse. She knew there was no point in continuing this discussion with him. “Actually I came here to give you this.”
“What is it?”
“A job offer. The Wonderbolts are commissioning some statues for their anniversary, and they need somepony to do some historical research on old uniform styles, specifically the old E.U.P. Guard uniforms.”
“Tsk. The Wonderbolts!” Missing Nail almost spat the word.
“Shooting Star never blamed the Wonderbolts for what happened, you know.” She stood up, getting ready to leave. “Just think about it. You coming home for mom's birthday next month?”
He nodded wordlessly.
“I'll see you there, then.” Before leaving, she leaned down to kiss his cheek.
“Sis!” Missing Nail called after her when she was already at the front door. “I'm sorry for snapping at you. I know you're just looking out for me. … I love you.”
Diamond Dust gave him a warm smile over her shoulder. “I know. I love you, too.”
* * *
3 days later...
After having his ID and the letter confirmed by the gate guard, Missing Nail was escorted onto the Wonderbolts base in Canterlot, ready to meet with the officer in charge of the anniversary project.
He was led to an office building at the far end of the base by a pony with sunglasses and a bushy mustache. He seemed to be some kind of petty officer, a corporal judging by the stripes on his shirt.
“The Major will be with you shortly,” the pony said as they arrived at a desk, presumably his, in front of a larger office that belonged to the Commanding Officer of the 2nd Support Squadron. He gestured towards some chairs. “Have a seat while you wait, sir. There's another civilian contractor here on account of the same project. You should probably introduce yourselves, seeing that you'll be working together.”
Missing Nail nodded. Normally he was quick to speak up, but the stiff military bearing of the corporal, as well as the bad memories from the last time he visited this very base, were enough to make him more tight-lipped than usual.
Frankly, he was grateful for having another civilian here, so he rounded the corner with a smile to make a good first impression. That smile faded as soon as he saw the gray unicorn sitting there in the waiting area, a gesture that the other stallion returned in kind.
““YOU!”” Missing Nail and Moonstone exclaimed simultaneously.
“What the hay are you doing here?” Missing Nail growled.
“I could ask you the same question,” Moonstone replied, not even trying to mask his hostility. “Don't tell me you're working on the anniversary project.”
“As a matter of fact, I am. YOU'RE the sculptor on this?”
Having noticed the argument, the Corporal came over to check on them. “What's going on here? What's with the shouting?”
“I'm not working with HIM!” Missing proclaimed, whirling around and pointing at Moonstone.
“Ditto,” Moonstone added, his mouth drawn into a thin line.
The office clerk looked at the both of them, seizing them up one at a time. “Is this a personal problem?”
“Well, quite frankly, yes,” the earth pony said.
The military pony looked on with unruffled calm. “Solve it,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Pardon?” Moonstone seemed just as taken aback as his former best friend.
“You heard me. Both of you have agreed to take on this assignment. The CO already signed off on the initial designs you sent in beforehand. It's too late to find replacements now. I suggest you settle whatever gripes you have and get ready to present your ideas to the Major.” Not giving them a chance to reply, he turned around on his heel, sat back down at his desk and got started on some paperwork.
Seething, Missing Nail sat down, handing Moonstone a stack of papers. “Here, my research on E.U.P. Guard uniforms,” he said, without looking him in the eye. “Let's just get this over with.”
The unicorn took the papers and handed him a sketchbook in return. “Here's my preliminary sketches. See if there's anything out of place.”
Missing Nail looked at the artwork that was gonna be turned into statues later, noting the resemblance to a certain pegasus mare whenever it depicted a female member of the Wonderbolts. “You draw these from memory?”
“Yeah, even though it's been years since I've seen her.” He skimmed the research. “I'm gonna have to make some changes. Where'd you get these?”
“Canterlot Archives,” Missing Nail replied. “Wasn't easy. Had to get special permission from Princess Twilight to see the military records. … You have any idea who this guy we're working for is?”
The unicorn hesitated. “Haven't gotten a full name yet. But I've heard the name Major Star being thrown around.”
Missing Nail gave him a look, suddenly the picture of somepony he hated almost as much as him flashing through his mind. “It couldn't be HIM, could it?”
“I hope not. I don't want to have to work with both the stallions responsible for ruining Shooting Star's life.”
Missing Nail sneered. “Yeah, right. As if you had nothing to do with it.”
* * *
3 years earlier...
“So, what do you guys think?” Shooting Star asked cheerfully as the three of them entered the officer's mess at the Canterlot Base. “Am I awesome or what? Who's your favorite childhood friend?”
Missing Nail chuckled. “You are, Star. Not many can claim to have gotten V.I.P. tickets to the Wonderbolts Derby from a Wonderbolt herself.”
“You were great,” Moonstone told her. “Too bad you only got third place in the single race.”
She waved that off with a wink. “Ah, don't worry about it. This is the first time I was allowed to compete. I'll beat Spitfire and Fleetfoot next year.” She smiled at them. “Isn't this nice? The three us being out together as friends? Feels just like old times, doesn't it?”
They nodded uncomfortably at that.
Shooting Star glanced at the bar, seeing that the line, that had formed after the Derby itself was over, was starting to thin out. “Wait here. I think I can make a charge and get us some drinks.”
The two stallions were left standing off to the side of the room, both being quiet and trying not to make eye contact. “Woah. Hey, looks like even Fancy Pants is here,” Missing Nail commented, pointing, more to break the awkward silence than out of any real sense of surprise.
“Look, Missing Nail. Star has admitted that she was wrong, and I've accepted her apology. But I haven't exactly forgiven you for what happened yet.”
The earth pony raised an eyebrow at that. “Oh? That really pains me, Moon,” he said sarcastically. “At least it would if I knew why I would need your forgiveness.”
“You know exactly why. Be that as it may. Since Star and I broke up, she's been trying hard to repair our friendship. I think the two of us can get along for one afternoon.”
“You mean since she finally dumped you for real,” Missing Nail replied, ignoring the second part of that statement completely.
“It was a mutual decision,” Moonstone corrected while glaring at his former friend and rival. “And whose fault is that anyway? You know the agreement we made before graduation. Whichever one of us manages to win her over, the other will respect her decision and not interfere.”
“I remember,” Missing Nail said with a grunt. “And for the record, I didn't interfere. You managed to drive her away yourself.”
Moonstone clicked his tongue. “Yeah, right. I was trying to maintain a relationship.”
“By suffocating her. You call that a relationship? For your information, I didn't ask her to come to me whenever you turned some minor thing into a giant argument. She made that decision herself, and that's what respecting her choice means.”
“And what do you know about relationships? I haven't seen you ask her out yet.”
“Well, I don't need to,” Missing Nail said, both stallions putting on a fake smile when they saw Shooting Star approach with drinks in hand. Then he added under his breath: “But I really should thank you for being such a stick in the mud. Thanks to the two of you constantly fighting, I probably got to fuck her more often than you did while you were together.”
Shooting Star had no idea why it happened at that exact moment, since she hadn't heard their discussion. But even years later, she would be able to recall that moment in perfect clarity. The moment when Moonstone turned and punched Missing Nail right in the face. “Guys! What are you...?”
Missing Nail reeled from the blow. But once he'd wiped the blood from his lip, he actually smiled. “You wanna make something of this? Then come at me!”
“Missing Nail! Stop!” Shooting Star cried, but it was too late. Her two oldest friends were already locked in a scuffle, right here at the Wonderbolts Derby, and everypony in the room turned to look at them.
Neither one was what you'd call fit, after all these were a sculptor and a historian fighting. At the moment, though, they seemed more like wrestlers, exchanging badly aimed kicks and blows even after they'd tumbled to the floor.
“Stop it, you guys!” Shooting Star didn't know what to do. Her words didn't even seem to reach them, as years of competing for her affection and silent rivalry came bubbling to the surface, unloading itself in a flurry of blows and cursewords.
Crash!
The drinks she'd brought dropped to the floor as Shooting Star moved in, grabbing the unicorn stallion under his armpits and pulling him off his opponent. “Moonstone! Cut it out.”
This could have been the end of it, had it not been for Missing Nail taking the opportunity to kick his rival in the shin from his position on the ground.
“Motherbucking son of a …!” Through sheer strength of will, Moonstone managed to shake off the more physically fit Wonderbolt and resumed the fight.
Not even realizing it, he'd sent Shooting Star crashing into the wall. “Argh!” Her mind went numb for a moment as a sharp pain shot through her back. Looking over her shoulder, she could see her wing had bent at an unnatural angle. The pain and her inability to stop the fight starting to get to her, Shooting Star pushed herself away from the wall. “MOONSTONE!”
For the first time since the fight began, the surprised stallion turned around when she yelled his name. Big mistake. Her fist connected with the side of his head with a crunch, sending him sprawling to the floor. The unicorn was out for the count, not being able to stand back up with his head ringing, though it wasn't for the lack of trying.
“Nice shot, Star,” Missing Nail said with a wheezing chuckle. “Ugh!” His chuckling didn't last for long, as Shooting Star whirled around and punched him right in the gut, sending him back to his knees as well.
The Wonderbolt was panting heavily, not so much out of exertion, but because her mind couldn't compute what had just happened. Today was supposed to make everything better, to return things to the way they used to be. At least she'd stopped the fight.
“LIEUTENANT SHOOTING STAR!”
Shooting Star swallowed hard after hearing that booming voice. She turned around slowly to confirm her fears, then stood at attention. “Major Starfire, sir.”
The hulking pegasus with the white coat and buzz cut looked at her like a snake staring down its meal. He was, quite frankly, intimidating, towering at least two heads above everypony else in the room. His rippling muscles were visible even underneath the dress uniform. He looked across the room. A broken table and several broken glasses. Missing Nail had lost a tooth it seemed, and Moonstone was nursing a black eye. Then there was Star's broken wing. It certainly didn't look pretty. “What were you thinking?”
“I...” Words escaped her as her squadron commander looked on disapprovingly. “I'm sorry, sir.”
“Sorry?” he thundered. “Sorry isn't good enough. This is no way for a member of my squadron to behave, getting into a bar brawl, behaving like a minotaur in a china shop!”
“Now, wait a minute. This isn't Star's fault,” Missing Nail tried to interject.
“And I started it,” Moonstone was quick to add.
The Major gave them a look that silenced them both immediately. “It doesn't matter who started it.” He looked back at Shooting Star, his jaws flexing the whole time. “You hit a civilian, two in fact. Do you deny this, Lieutenant?”
Her hands were trembling at her sides, but she remained at attention. “No, sir.”
“And you're responsible for bringing these two onto the base in the first place. Is that correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
His eyes narrowed even more. Impossible as it may have seemed, he started to look even more menacing. “Poor judgment. Assault, in front of guests no less. Conduct unbecoming an officer. I'm ashamed to be your commanding officer, Lieutenant. If it were up to me alone, I'd kick you out of the Wonderbolts right now! But I'll leave that to the court martial.”
“Court martial?” Missing Nail was taken aback.
Moonstone managed to pull himself up. “Now wait just a minute!”
Once again, they were silenced by a single glare from the military pony. “Guards. Escort these two off the base. As for you, Lieutenant Shooting Star. Effective immediately, you're suspended from all flight operations. You're confined to quarters, pending the charges. But whatever consequences those may have, I can tell you one thing. You're never gonna fly with the 1st Squadron again.” He turned toward his executive officer. “Captain Spitfire, she's a member of your flight. Take care of this.”
Dutifully, she obeyed the command of her superior. “Yes, sir.” She turned to face Shooting Star, a strange mixture of regret, sorrow and disappointment playing across her face. She'd been a mentor to Star ever since the Changeling invasion. But none of that was reflected in her simple words. “Come with me, Lieutenant. First we should have that wing looked at by the medic. Then we'll take it from there.”
Her whole body was now trembling, as Shooting Star came to grips with just how serious this situation had become. But she didn't resist. “Yes, ma'am.”
It would be the last either of the two stallions would see of Shooting Star for years to come as she was lead away by the XO of the 1st Squadron.
* * *
Present day...
Missing Nail stared pensively at the door to the office they were waiting to enter. “If it hadn't been for him, this could be her office now.”
“If it hadn't been for us, you mean,” Moonstone added in a low voice.
“… Yeah, either one, I guess. Can't blame her for not speaking to us since. Wonder where she is right now.”
Moonstone gave him a look. “You don't know?”
He shook his head. “What about you? Didn't she try to reach out to both of us after that? What about when she sent us that letter, asking us to meet up at that cafe we used to visit as students?”
The unicorn stallion sighed. “I didn't go. After we screwed up her career like that, I just couldn't look her in the eye. I was convinced that she probably only wanted to tell me what an ass I'd made of myself and to go buck myself. Considering that she never contacted me again after that, I'd say that's a safe bet.”
“Hm, might have had something to do with the fact that we both stood her up, too.”
Moonstone glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “You didn't go either?”
Nail shook his head. “I went there, but I chickened out just before I actually entered the cafe. I'd gone through every possible way this conversation could have taken in my head, and none of them seemed to be any good. So I just left.”
“No, Spitfire, we can't.” The stallions' ears perked up. They looked at each other, confirming that the voice that had just come from outside the room seemed awfully familiar.
Looking towards the entrance, they could see the silhouettes of two mares through the frosted glass windows that looked out into the hallway.
“But why not?” the voice that could only belong to Spitfire asked. “It sounds so cool.”
“Because we're military, Spitfire,” the first voice explained patiently, “and we abbreviate everything. CO, ETA, ASAP. Have you ever considered what the acronym for First Aerial Response Team would be?”
“Well, that would FAR... Ohhh.” Spitfire stopped herself before adding that final letter. “I see what you're getting at.”
“Yeah, unless you wanted a transfer to that unit to be a cruel and unusual punishment, I suggest leaving it at Quick Response Team.”
Spitfire began to chuckle. “That would have been embarrassing if I'd brought it up at the next meeting of the General Staff.”
“Well, that's why you run these things by me first.” The mare reached for the doorknob that led to the waiting area. “See you at lunch tomorrow, Major?”
“Officers' mess, 1300 hours, Major. I'm buying.”
After Spitfire had left, a mare in service dress uniform entered. Her fiery red coat and golden mane making the hearts of the stallions stop for a moment, their mouths hanging open in astonishment. Here she was, despite everything that had transpired, speaking to the famous Spitfire like an equal.
Wondering whether this was some kind of halucination or maybe just a mare who looked a lot like her, that notion failed when the clerk got up to stand in front of the mare, saluting her. “Major Shooting Star.”
“As you were, Corporal,” she replied with a salute of her own. “Report.”
Picking up a clipboard from his desk, he handed it to her. “We received the last shipment of supplies for the Derby and surrounding celebration today.”
Shooting Star leafed through the papers, frowning after a while. “Three hundred refreshment packages for the participants?”
“Yes, ma'am. Enough for the main force and the reserves marching in the parade. Just like we discussed at the meeting.”
“Hm, that decision was made before the E.U.P. Reenactment Society and that detachment of Crystal Guards asked to join in. Call the caterer, see if they can deliver another hundred in time. Tell them we'll pay extra if need be.”
He made a note of that. “Yes, Major. Captain Swift and Lieutenant Dawn from the cheering squad were here earlier. They've worked out the routine, wondering whether you wanted to sign off on it personally.”
“When is their next practice session?”
“Friday, 0900 hours. Gym 4.”
“Tell them I'll be there to observe, but to go ahead and brief the rest of the squad on the new routine. I'm sure whatever our XO came up with is excellent as always. Anything else?”
The Corporal pointed towards the two stallions, who hadn't said a word the whole time. “The two civilian contractors you requested are here.”
“So I see.” The sidelong glance and concealed smirk were the first signs she'd made to acknowledge their presence until now. “Still that startling similarity to deer in the headlights, those two. Oh, that reminds me. Did you get somepony to fix the hole in the perimeter fence? I don't want another incident with a fan running onto the runway during night maneuvers.”
“It's been taken care of, Major.”
“Good. Then I want you to take the rest of the afternoon off, Corporal.”
He raised his eyebrow at that. “Ma'am?”
She gave him a smile and a pat on the shoulder. “This meeting is gonna take me a while, and you've put in a lot of extra hours in preparation for the anniversary over the past week. Spend some time with your family, Taxi Way. I don't want to get another call from your wife, asking if you'd gone MIA.”
Standing at attention, he saluted her once more. “Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am. See you in the morning.”
“Dismissed, Corporal.”
After he'd left, Shooting Star beckoned Missing Nail and Moonstone to follow her as she headed into her office. “Come along, boys.”
They followed her wordlessly, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events. Here she was, the gold rank insignia seemingly glittering on the shoulders of her uniform, handling her subordinates like a seasoned veteran.
She motioned for them to sit down across from her desk while she locked the door behind them before moving around to sit in her office chair. The gilded plaque on the desk was proof of her new station.
Commanding Officer S.P.R.S. – Major Shooting Star
She looked at them. They looked at her, an uncomfortable silence slowly growing. Then she broke out into a huge grin. “What do you think of my office? Pretty cool, huh?”
There she was, that excitable filly they'd known from their childhood, and the two stallions visibly relaxed. “I don't understand,” Missing Nail confessed. “You requested us for this assignment?”
“Yup,” Star replied. “I've been racking my brain to come up with a way to get the two of you into the same room together, since you both blew me off last time. You might have smelled something fishy if I'd asked you to come here myself, so I had to get sneaky. That's why I enlisted your sister's help.”
“Diamond Dust,” Moonstone sighed. Of course. It all made sense now. Nail's sister was the only pony that still had regular contact with all three of them since the incident. “I still don't get it, though. After what happened, we both assumed you quit the Wonderbolts.”
Shooting Star propped up her elbows on the desk, resting her chin on her hands. “The thought crossed my mind, truth be told. Didn't look like I was ever gonna fly again. But I stuck it out, even though I was flying under the radar for a long time.”
“And now you're in charge of this … S.P.R.S? What is it?” Missing Nail asked.
“The Support & Public Relations Squadron. I've got Event Management, Supplies, Base Maintenance, Flight Operations and the Cheering Squad under me. Basically it's like this: Everything that happens in the air, that's Spitfire's domain with the 1st Aerial Acrobatics Squadron. Everything that happens on the ground, I'm in charge. We don't get as much glory, but our work is just as important.” She smiled. “Maybe even more. Without us, the 1st Squadron probably wouldn't even get off the ground.”
“So you're basically on the same level as Spitfire?”
Shooting Star shrugged, like it was nothing all that remarkable to be compared to a mare that had served twice as long as she had and was a national celebrity. “I suppose so, although she technically still outranks me as far as seniority goes. But we both answer to the same ponies.”
“But how did you go from possible court martial to an office like this?” Moonstone wanted to know.
“Well,” she replied with a smile, “wasn't easy. I'll tell you that much.”
* * *
1 year earlier...
Shooting Star checked her uniform one last time, making sure it was in order. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for what was to come. The very nameplate on the door in front of her was filling her with trepidation.
Base Commander Canterlot Strategic Operations Center – Lt. Col. Starfire
It had taken her two years to claw her way back up from the bottom, and now the very same pony who had talked down to her that day held her fate in his hands. No point in drawing this out any further, she told herself and knocked.
“Enter!”
After entering the room and closing the door behind her, she stood in front of the large desk, standing at attention and saluting. “Captain Shooting Star, reporting as ordered, sir!” she said, glad that her voice hadn't cracked due to nerves.
“Mm-hm,” he grumbled back, only taking notice of her from the corners of his eyes, yet keeping her in view all the same. Without another word, he continued reading the file that was in front of him, leaning back in his chair.
Shooting Star frowned, still standing at attention. She would be unable to move until he returned the salute or gave any indication for her to stand at ease.
The minutes passed by, without him giving any sort of akcnowledgement to even her presence in the room, instead continuing to read the file that, no doubt, he'd already been through. The only noises were the ticking clock on the wall and the occasional rustle of paper.
If he was trying to unnerve her, it wasn't working. If anything, it helped calm her nerves as she settled into a new mood, namely annoyed. But there was no way she'd let him know that.
Finally he sat up straight. “At ease, Captain,” he said, though still refusing to return her salute.
Shooting Star clasped her hands behind her back and settled into a more comfortable position, looking at her superior.
“You're aware that Major Deadlock of the S.P.R.S is about to retire?”
She nodded. “Yes, sir. As a matter of fact, I'm in the middle of planning his retirement party at the moment. I have been his XO for over a year now, after all.”
Starfire grunted. “Make sure it doesn't affect squadron performance.”
“Yes, sir. Of course, sir.”
“Are you also aware that he nominated you as his successor for the position of Commanding Officer?”
“It came up.”
“And, for reasons Celestia only knows, Spitfire is backing that proposition as well. Which puts me in a bit of a difficult position.”
“How's that, sir?”
Interleaving his fingers on his desk, he leaned forward slightly. “You might not be aware of this, Captain. While deciding squadron commanders is my responsibility since I've been promoted to base commander, there is also an unwritten law we've always adhered to. If any two squadron leaders agree on a candidate, that choice is to be respected.”
“Is that so, sir?” Of course she'd known that.
“It is. But I'm still the one making that decision. And quite frankly, I don't even think you deserve to wear that uniform, never mind having the right to command anypony. I haven't forgotten the incident from two years ago, Captain. The only reason you even made it this far, is because Deadlock somehow saw fit to make you his second-in-command. I don't know what you did to impress him, but the same thing isn't gonna work on me.”
Well, he certainly wasn't pulling any punches today. But Shooting Star knew that her return to grace was an ongoing war, and today was gonna be a decisive battle. “Permission to speak freely, sir?”
“By all means.”
“Who do you think has been running S.P.R.S. for the last two years?” she asked. “Major Deadlock? He gets cranky when he doesn't get his afternoon nap. But it's not his fault. The Dead End Squadron, that's what they used to call 2nd Support, isn't it? With the exception of the cheering squad, it was a dump for officers at the end of their career, too old to fly, too young to retire just yet. You couldn't just kick me out over the charges despite the blemish on my record, and I wouldn't quit on my own. That's why you put me there, lock the embarrassment away with the old-timers. Sooner or later she'll quit out of boredom, is what you probably thought. But I stuck it out. I busted my ass off for two years, and the squadron has been operating at peak performance since I become their XO.”
“I'm not questioning your achievements. I'm deliberating whether or not somepony with your history is fit to command.”
Shooting Star took a step forward, leaning onto the desk now, invading her enemy's space. “Yes, you are questioning my achievements. Two years ago, I made a mistake, but I took responsibility for it. I paid for it. But that's as far as you choose to look, not at the hard work or my spotless record since then.”
Starfire actually drew back a little at that. Though that might have been due to embarrassment, because Shooting Star was sticking out her chest in his direction. “I see you still haven't learned your lesson about mouthing off to your superiors, Captain.”
“Oh, I learned that lessen during the first week of basic training. This is something different. It's called 'standing up for yourself.' It's something I learned over the last two years. Now here's the question you really should be asking: Do you want an officer who rolls over and quits when the going gets tough, or do you want one who'll rise to the occasion despite all odds being against them?”
“...”
“Even if you decide not to give me my own command today, I can wait. Another two years. Another three years. Doesn't matter. But I won't go quietly into the night. I'll keep working hard, until you no longer have any choice but to acknowledge what I've done.” Having said her piece, she stood up straight and saluted again. “I'll give Major Deadlock your regards. Good day, Colonel.” Then she turned around on her heel and made her way towards the door.
“Hold it right there, Captain,” Starfire yelled. “I have not dismissed you yet. Turn around!”
She did that. Seeing something sailing towards her face, she quickly snatched it out of the air. Turning it over in her hand, it turned out to be a set of two golden shoulder pieces in the form of a leaf. She looked back at Starfire who'd thrown them at her.
The Colonel had stood up. “Effective immediately, you're in command of Canterlot's 2nd Support Squadron.” And then he actually saluted her. “Congratulations, Major.”
Now with a smile, she returned the gesture. “Thank you, sir. I won't disappoint you.”
He sat back down. “I didn't do it for you. At least now I won't have to deal with you anymore until you mess something up.” He gave her a penetrating look. “With any luck, that won't happen for a very long time.”
Shooting Star thought about that, licking her lips. “Question, sir. Would having sex in my office count as 'messing up?'”
The Colonel looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “With whom exactly were you planning on having sex in your office?”
She shrugged. “I dunno. It's more of a hypothetical question, I suppose.”
He sighed while rubbing his temples. Perhaps he was already regretting his decision. “Then my hypothetical answer is 'no,' as long as you remember to keep the door locked.”
She grinned at him. “I'll remember that, sir.”
“See that you do. Now, DISMISSED!”
* * *
Present day...
“So that's what happened,” Missing Nail muttered to himself.
Moonstone's expression was a little complicated. “You … weren't coming on to him with that question, were you?”
Shooting Star gave him a withering look. “No. And for the record, I haven't had sex in this office … yet.”
“Sorry, dumb question,” the sculptor admitted. “It isn't any of my business.”
“Then this has all been to get us here?” Missing Nail asked.
She nodded. “Pretty much. My last attempt to get the two of you to bury the hatchet was a pretty epic failure I'd say. But I've had almost three years to reflect on who is at fault here.”
“Don't bother,” Moonstone said with a sigh. “I threw that first punch. Obviously it was my fault.”
“Well,” Missing Nail said a little guiltily. “If it hadn't been for me egging you on with that comment...”
“It's my fault.” The two stallions looked at her when she stated it like a fact. “And I didn't realize it until Diamond Dust informed me of your stupid, little agreement.”
“You mean our pact?” Moonstone asked.
Missing Nail grumbled, mentally making a note of having a talk with his sister later. “It was supposed to remain secret, so it wouldn't affect your choice.”
“But it did. Not knowing has kept me from making a choice. I wanted to hold on to what we had as kids. I've never fully committed to either of you, because I didn't know how serious you were. We were all kids once, then we were teenagers, and young adults, with all the dumb choices that entails. My inability to choose between the two of you was the biggest factor in where we ended up. But we're adults now, and I need to make a decision right now. I'd like us, all of us, to be friends again. But before that, I need to know one thing: Do either of you still have romantic feelings for me?”
“What are you asking, Star?” Moonstone looked at her, not sure what she was expecting to hear.
“I'm asking, if I were to put the offer on the table right now, would you want us to be a couple again?”
Moonstone swallowed hard. “Let me ask you one thing first.”
“Fair enough.”
“Would you cheat on me again?”
Shooting Star sighed. She knew that it was what had hurt him the most. Everything else had been trivial in his mind. Even though she had considered them broken up those times when she'd been with Missing Nail, obviously he hadn't. And he had a right to be angry about that. “No,” she replied with absolute sincerity.
His answer followed immediately. “Then yes. Absolutely I'd want us to give it another try. We had our problems, sure, but there were also the good parts. I love what we had. And I still love you. Why wouldn't I? You're bright, determined, kind.”
“And you fill out a uniform like nopony's business,” Missing Nail added with a grin.
She turned her attention to the earth pony. “And what about you? Would you actually commit to a real relationship? One that's more than just physical?”
He scratched his head. “Look, I'll be the first to admit that I can't express myself very well in real life.” He then became serious. “But I love you the same way Moon does. I just show it in a different way, preferably by rubbing a thick load of my baby batter on your face with my dick.”
Shooting Star dead-panned at that. “Well, that was almost cute. It started badly, and then it kinda trailed off in the middle, and the less said about the end the better. But otherwise very heartfelt.”
“Then that leaves us exactly where we were at the beginning,” Moonstone pointed out. “We'll all just repeat the same mistakes, … unless you make a choice, Star.”
The mare closed her eyes, thinking about her next words carefully. “And I'm ready to make it now. I don't want to be the reason for the two of you fighting anymore. You'll both accept my choice?”
They nodded.
She took a deep breath. “Alright, here goes. I choose...”
They gulped.
“... both of you.”
They blinked in confusion. ““Huh!?””
“But you said that you were ready to make your choice,” Missing Nail protested.
“And I did,” she said simply. “I can't choose between the two of you, so I'm going with option three. Haven't I made that abundantly clear thirteen years ago when we were dangling over that cliff?”
They looked at each other, only now realizing that there even was a third option. “You mean, the three of us? Would that even work?” Missing Nail commented dubiously.
She shrugged. “Why not? It wouldn't be any different than what we did before, minus all the jealousy.”
Moonstone frowned. “Does that mean … we'll also … you know … together?”
“That's the plan.” Star looked at him sheepishly. “If you'll indulge my selfishness. After all I get two for the price of one. And if we make it official, then it isn't technically cheating.”
“She's got you there,” Missing Nail pointed out. “Plus, I'm happy to leave all the proper coltfriend stuff to you. I'll stick with the sex.”
“Oh no, you don't. If you're in this, you're gonna put work into this relationship, just like Moonstone and I do.”
“Fine,” Missing Nail grumbled. “But only if he lightens up a little.”
“Hey, I consider myself to be pretty open by even giving this a second thought,” Moonstone said. “I think I need some time to really think about this.”
“Yeah, me too.” Missing Nail began to chuckle. “Been a long time since we agreed on something, hasn't it, Moon?”
Shooting Star sighed. “I guess that's fair.” She stood up from her desk and walked over to the window to draw the shades closed. Then she slowly began to open the buttons of her blue blazer one by one.
“Star? What are you doing?” Moonstone asked in confusion.
“Giving you time to think,” she answered with a perfectly straight face while slipping out of the blazer. “You've got until I'm down to my panties to make up your minds.” Next to go was the white shirt underneath the jacket. She stood there for a moment, looking at them with a raised eyebrow while her upper body was only covered by the white, lacy bra she was wearing.
“I don't think I can make a decision like that,” Missing Nail gulped. “My blood has kinda left my brain for other regions of my body.”
Neither of them could tear their eyes away as she continued to strip. Opening the zipper on the side ever so slowly, her skirt was the next thing to go. She turned around, bending down to remove it from around her ankles while her tail waved playfully in the air. Standing up straight again, still with her back turned, she unhooked her bra, holding it away from her before nonchalantly letting it drop. Shooting Star turned around. Covering her large breasts with one arm, she simply stood there, only clad in her white panties, black thigh-high stockings and matching heels, looking at them. “Well?” she asked. “I'm not gonna stop you from leaving right now if that's what you want.”
So she said. But really, how could any stallion walk away from that?
“Moon? Had enough time to think?”
“Eyup,” the unicorn replied. “What about you?” The question didn't need a verbal response. When he turned his head, he could see that Nail had already taken off his pants.
Chuckling to himself, Moonstone also began to undress, and it felt like this might actually work. Because it was exactly like when they were foals. Star would decide on a course of action, it was unorthodox, and she'd pull the two along whether they wanted to or not. And neither of them seemed to mind it that much.
Moonstone walked up to the now smiling Shooting Star, doing something he never thought he'd get to do again, which was grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into a deep kiss.
Meanwhile Missing Nail had drawn up to the side, necking her while working his hand underneath hers to grab one boob, moving it around slowly in his palm to reacquaint himself with that wonderful feeling.
Shooting Star moaned into Moonstone's mouth when Missing Nail suddenly pinched her nipple. “I take it, my final argument was the clincher?” she asked teasingly, grabbing hold of their shafts with one hand each.
“What can we say?” Moonstone asked slyly. “No wonder they made you a major. You certainly know how to make a stallion stand at attention.”
“Hey, that's a good one,” Missing commented. “I might have to steal that line. Now, admit it, Star. Mine is bigger, right?”
“It's not about size,” Moon scoffed. “It's about how you use it.”
“Boys, no more fighting, remember?” she told them. Truth be told, she couldn't have said which one was bigger even if she wanted to, and she wasn't about to break out the measuring tape to make it official. Kneeling down, she brought the two large cocks closer to her face while rubbing the shafts with her hands. “They're both perfectly lovely, and they're mine now.” As if laying her claim to them, she gave their tips a quick kiss.
The two stallions shuddered at the feeling. Seemingly wanting to make up for lost time, she began to alternate between them, taking them into her mouth and bobbing her head back and forth. They had their hands on her head, communicating their desires towards her through touch alone.
But even that was unnecessary. Knowing perfectly well how to please each of them, she took Missing Nail's cock deep with every stroke to the point of almost gagging while using her tongue to circle around Moonstone's glans.
“Hang on,” the unicorn suddenly said. “If you keep this up, this is gonna be over way too early.” Picking her up, he sat her down on the large desk. Giving her another kiss, he positioned himself between her willing thighs, grabbing hold of her panties and pulling them off. Then he moved his head closer, running his tongue along the outer lips.
Not to be outdone, Nail moved behind her, reaching around to grab her breasts and resume his nipple play from earlier. At the same time he moved in closer with his head, using his mouth to stimulate the sensitive base of her wings.
“Ahhn!” Shooting Star's moans became more and more frequent. “See how much more fun this is when we all play on the same team?”
“It certainly is. Speaking of playing.” Moonstone lightly brushed his thumb across her clit. Seeing her whole body shudder and her leg muscles tense in response, he stuck out his tongue to push it through her wet folds.
Shooting Star seemed to be enjoying herself as her two lovers developed their own form of divide and conquer, still competing with each other in a way, but only to see which one could give her more pleasure.
“Enough with the foreplay,” she said with a pleading look. “I want one of you inside me.”
They looked at each other. This was gonna be the true test. “You go ahead,” Missing Nail offered.
“You sure?”
He nodded. “Yeah, and I'm sure Star will take care of me like she always does. Right, Star?”
She grinned at him. “Always the same with you. But at least you learned to share.” Climbing off the desk, she positioned herself on the floor on all fours, lifting her tail up invitingly. “Looks like my pussy is all yours for the time being, Moonstone.”
He knelt down behind her, taking a moment to enjoy the feeling of his tip rubbing against her entrance. “Oh, Star. I've missed you.” Grabbing her tail with one hand, he pushed himself deeply into her with one thrust.
“Ah! And I've missed your cock.”
“Don't forget about me,” Missing Nail said, slightly waving his stallionhood in front of her face like a treat.
“How could I? You're the source of my favorite snack, after all.” Wrapping her lips around his pride, she began to suck on it noisily.
“Good girl,” Nail praised her while slightly pulling on her ear to make her take him deeper. “Take it all the way.”
Moonstone couldn't help but stare. It was strange to watch her suck another stallion's cock. There was still a hint of jealousy, yet the sight was strangely hot as well. It was only when she slightly wiggled her hips that he remembered about his own position. “Sorry, Star. Didn't mean to keep you waiting.” Grabbing hold of her firm buttocks, he began to thrust in and out, slowly at first, but quickly picking up speed as her hungry insides seemed to draw him in deeper.
Seeing her get fucked from behind while sucking him off, Missing Nail couldn't help but start moving his own hips, matching the pace that Moonstone set. Every now and then, he would shudder as she moaned while taking it from behind, the vibration transmitting from her mouth to his pride. “Damn, Star. Your blowjobs are even better like this. You want me to fuck your face like Moon is doing your pussy?”
She looked up at him. Their eyes met, and the answer in them was clear.
Inching closer on his knees, he grabbed both sides of her head before really starting to thrust in and out of her mouth.
Moonstone also began to grunt in response to that, her insides tightening and squeezing his cock every time Nail hit the back of her throat. “We should have done this years ago.”
If their individual love sessions had been a duet, this was a symphony, and they all knew what parts they were playing, resonating in an ever increasing crescendo.
Moonstone began to lean in further, putting more weight into his thrusts. Reaching his hand forward, he grabbed her mane. Unexpectedly, he didn't just pull her head back, but pushed her forward as well. “That's it. Keep sucking him off, Star.”
“Fuck her harder,” Missing Nail added. “Really rail that pussy.”
Shooting Star didn't add much to the conversation for obvious reasons, opting to let her actions speak for themselves, as she used one hand to fondle Missing Nail's balls while letting her tail swish across Moonstone's chest, sometimes using it like a whip.
“I'm getting close here,” Moonstone announced.
“Guh. Me too,” Nail confirmed, removing his cock from Shooting Star's mouth for a moment that seemed entirely too long. “What about you, Star?”
She smiled up at him while panting heavily. “I already came twice.”
“Naughty girl. How long have you been fantasizing about getting fucked by both of us at the same time?”
“I don't know. But it's been a long time,” she admitted. “Ahhh!!!”
Shooting Star arched her back as Moonstone sped up for the final push, their lovemaking echoing throughout the room with slapping noises. Holding her plot steady, the unicorn stallion unloaded his seed into her with several large spurt.
Seeing her drawn out moan as she presumably came for the third time, Missing Nail began to stroke his stallionhood, taking aim. “That's the ecstatic face I like to see. Say 'Ah', Star.”
Sticking out her tongue, she tried to catch as much of the sticky white fluid as possible while he came all over her face.
The two stallions were simply trying to catch their breath while Shooting Star began to lick up the cum that was still clinging to the cock in front of her. She also moved her plot slowly in a circle, enjoying the warmth spreading inside of her.
“Now, recruits,” the Major said teasingly. “I want you ready for action for the second round within five minutes. Otherwise you're doing a hundred push-ups each. Is that understood?”
Moonstone and Missing Nail grinned at that. ““Yes, ma'am!””
