> Songs of Hawkfire
>  by Winter Rosario
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Two beings sat in front of each other; one was an Alicorn made entirely of stars. Her eyes were like supernovae glowing brighter than the birth of creation itself. Her regal body, feminine in structure, told two stories. One, I can drop a planet on you at will. Two, these hips belonged to my husband, and he plows them like a field of battle every day, and I'm not afraid to show you how powerful they are. 

The other being, the athletically slender mare, sat in front of the Alicorn as if she was being tried for all the crimes she committed in her life, but such was not the case. Her posture was calm, her head held high with a soft smile creasing her lips. Both were sitting on a field of stars on top of an unknown Galaxy somewhere in the universe. 

The Alicorn was taken aback from such calm behavior. Normally, whoever deserved the right to be judged by her personally was a trembling mess of ethereal nerves, but the mare in front of her? No such fear. In fact, she was quite happy that the mare standing before her found comfort in her presence, which made the moment all the sweeter. 

"Do you know why you are here?" the Alicorn asked in a surprisingly normal, motherly voice. There was no immense power, no weird audio, just your average, albeit, somewhat heavenly female voice.  

"I'm guessing to say how bad I was before being sent down?" the mare replied honestly. 

"Well, you definitely were bad, but not in the usual sense of the word. A lot of lust, not so much malice. Frankly, you are pretty tame all things considering," the Alicorn chuckled. 

"Oh, God. I was hoping for Succubus status. Now you are telling me that I will be a shit Demon of Lust? My life in Hell is ruined!" the mare whined jokingly. 

The Alicorn couldn't help but smile at the antics as it was a rare occurrence that one of the judged would try to lighten the mood in order for a better punishment, but it was not the case. Not this time anyway. 

"I'm pretty sure the Succubi of Tartarus would love to have you in their ranks, but that is not the case today," the Alicorn replied. 

"It's not?" the mare pouted. The Alicorn shook her head. 

"No, and the best part is where you will be going. Would you like to know where you will spend a large portion of your new life?"

"Uh, huh?" the mare nodded. 

"Well," she began. "Since your old body was incinerated via magical fire, your resonance with that world was also vaporized. Therefore, if I were to send you back, even through reincarnation, the world will reject you, In other words, you will die right as you were born."

"However, I can send you to a world similar to your own, where you can, without fear this time, have the life you deserve, but once you die there. No more do-overs. Do I make myself clear?" 

The mare didn't know what to think. The Alicorn of sexy punishment was giving her a second chance to have everything she always wanted; a family, a lover, friends, her own private BDSM dungeon. Never would she had thought she would be given the chance, but here it was. Just for her, but what's the catch?

"I know that look," the Alicorn smiled knowingly. "The catch is simple. All you have to do is support the mare of the Night in her time of need."

"Like, work for her as a Guard or something?" the mare asked quizzically, not liking where this was going. 

"More or less. The time will come when she needs ponies like you to rally at her side."

"But do I get my cuddle dungeon?" the mare inquired. The Alicorn rolled her eyes.

"Of course."

"Then can I go now?" 

"Awe, and miss a good time with me?" the Alicorn teased. 

"As much as I want to know what those thighs can do. I don't want to die in the afterlife from snoo-snoo." The Alicorn laughed as her horn glowed a soft white. 

"Then off you go, and please. Enjoy this life. You have done more than enough to earn this chance." 
> Chapter 1. Race Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Speed. I am Speed," I breathed out slowly, eyes closed and mind focused on my heart. The cheering of the crowd in the Cloudsdale Cloud Track was distant as if they were merely a whisper, but they were there. "Three winners, nine losers," I breathed in, flexing my wings outward to get a feel for the air. 

"Don't focus on the others, just yourself," I breathed out once more and opened my eyes. Lights flashed from hundreds of cameras, the lights from the stadium didn't help the sudden visual assault as well, but I adjusted quickly. 

"Fillies and Gentlecolts!" screamed the announcer as I took my position on in the innermost lane with the biggest pain in my ass since Flight Camp to my immediate right. He was a large stallion, wealthy, had power, a father was the coach of the Wonderbolts. Flash Sentry was a hotshot and two years my senior and already in the Royal Guard under Sergent Shining Armor. 

The light orange Pegasus stallion with a short electric blue blown-back mane shot me a dirty look. He wore a skin-tight latex flight suit to give him an edge in this race, while I didn't need one. They were too restrictive in my opinion. To his right in the third lane was a Griffon named Gilda. She was interesting, to say the least. I little rough around the edges, but she knew how to cook a mean steak. I threw her a cheeky smile, she threw one back as everyone else got into position. 

"Today the best fliers in Equestria will test their Speed!" I rolled my shoulders and tensed my legs for a good kick off of the ground. 

"Their Agility!" Flash did the same but showed off his muscles to all the gushing mares in the crowd cheering his name. 

"Their Endurance!" In the corner of my eye, I saw Gilda dig her claws into the cloud flooring for even more initial thrust, a common trick amongst Griffons. 

"But today! We have something special!" I rolled my eyes, already knowing what was coming. It was the main reason Flash hates my guts. "The youngest of the group, standing at a tiny three-foot-eleven. Ready to pounce in position 1, the inner-most lane. Hawkfire!" The ground cheering erupted a few extra decibels louder. 

'Wait for it,' I groaned internally. 

"Never before in the History of Equestria Racing has a rookie that came from an Earth Pony town in the middle nowhere climbed to the top of the Junior season with such a perfect record!"

'Being raised by Spitfire would do that,' I sighed to myself. 'I know her Junior Year she had the same record, and I was there to watch, even though I was just a pup at the time.' 

"But can she beat her predecessor's record on this track!? The Captain of the Wonderbolts who is sitting with her team in the V.I.P booth?" 

'Hi, Mom! Don't mind me. I'm just going to shatter your record today,' I smirked deviously. 

"Or will she crash and burn in a blaze of glory? Like the second placeholder who stands to her right?!" 

'Sucks to be you, Flash. Always number two.'

"Let's find out in this years, Equestria's Junior Lightning Cup!" 

"BOOM! SNAP! CLICK! BOOM!" Went the crowd and their cameras in tandem to the pyrotechnics lining the track. The cheering was deafening as you would think of a race track, minus the five-hundred-plus horse-powered machines on wheels. 

"Ready chickens, cause you are going to eat my dust," Gilda boasted with an intimidating flap of her wings as a pony with a checkered flag got into his little tower against the stadium wall. 

"Ha! The only ones eating dust is the freak to my left and you, Chicken Strips," Flash mocked back. I rolled my eyes and dug my hooves into the cloud layer as deep as I could go. 

'Ten Bits says flash with tweak Gilda's wing and blind me on the last lap?' 

'You are on.' 

"Racers! Get into your final positions!" the announcer boomed once more before the dome of the stadium began to close, and the artificial lighting came on to bathe the track in a whitish amber glow. Looking around the track one last time, I realized that the track wasn't going to be your typical circle. Instead, there was huge climbs, sharp turns, steep dives and as well as a line of rings to fly through. 

'Interesting,' I thought as I knew Flash can't climb or dive for shit while Gilda had difficulty with sharp turns due to her large wing span. Thankfully, I was golden on the Endurance part, I just had to pace myself accordingly and sharp turns, climbing, and diving were my specialties. 

"On your marks!" the flag pony lifted the black and white flag, causing everyone to tense up in anticipation. 

"Get set!" the crowd lost complete control, cheering Flash Sentry while booing me. Such nice ponies, but they didn't matter. Nothing mattered. The only thing that remotely came close was the feeling of the air flowing through every fiber of every feather. The intimate bond of Pegasus and the Misteress of the Sky was all that mattered. Her sensual touch of the wings, her loving kiss of the rain. Her tender warmth of the snow, and her ferocious punishment from her storms. That's all that mattered. 

"Go!" 


❄⚔❄


Like bolts of lightning, the racers shot out from their starting points with blinding speed, forcing the excited crowd into a wild frenzy. The camera's clicked, bets were made and some even booed at some of the racers to slow them down. The leaders of the group stayed neck and neck down the first stretch until the first corner came into reach. 

Spitfire, Soarin, Fleetfoot and the other Wonderbolts watched in astonishment as Gilda and Flash were heavily overtaken by Hawkfire at the first corner by turning nine-degrees to her left without slowing down like the others and banked into the corner of the cloud pylons without crashing and without losing speed. 

This caused alarm to flare in the beating hearts of her two competitors as they struggled to catch up from their sudden leave-behind, but the next obstacle was even more sharp turns in the shape of a relay. 

"Did you see that bank?! Where did she learn that?!" Soaring cheered the loudest of the group. His enthusiasm matching that of the more quiet Captain of the Wonderbolts. 

"You said she was good, but not that good!" Fleetfoot exclaimed. Spitfire only chuckled as she knew the mare in question on a more personal level, and her twin, Fleetfoot knew it, but always forgets about it. Reaching for her drink, Spitfire watched with growing anticipation. 

"I said she has talent if she didn't sleep all day. Now shush, the others are coming to the relay," Spitfire chuckled. Like she said, with Hawkfire in the lead with Flash and Gilda slowly catching up, the colored pylons of the relay came into reach. 

With a smirk, Hawkfire rolled left and right, using her weight to weave in between each pylon without losing speed, while the others tried her banking maneuver which only slowed them down. To her, going in a straight line while rolling in between each pillar was faster, and the others were learning that as well. Though, she was glad that they had the respect to at least try what she was doing, except for Flash. She hates Flash. 

"Well, I know that trick. At least, Hawky listens during her lessons, eh?" Fleetfoot smirked as the mare in question exited the pylons and into the rings. 

Spitfire smiled a genuine smile as she watched her daughter weaved through each ring with the grace of a Goddess. The young mare was a pain in her flank at times, mostly because she loved to annoy her. It was one of the ways that she showed ponies that she cared. When Hawkfire wasn't being a pain, she was quiet, respectable, and hard working. 

She would find her daughter on most days at her job when she wasn't practicing on becoming a Guard when she became of age. The little coffee shop that she worked at was a wonderful place to wind down and enjoy a good book. Plus, she found her uniform absolutely adorable! When she wasn't there, however, she was at her flight lessons with Spitfire. 

At first, when Hawk was just a baby, she simply adored the flight lessons, always begging for more. As she got older, that joy slowly turned to boredom. Spitfire didn't blame her, a lot of what the Wonderbolts did involved a plenty amount of math. Knowing the vectors, angles of decent, angles of attack, and so on was just as important as preening. 'At least she gets perfect math scores, Equish on the other hoof...She tries, but like cooking. It was never meant to be.' 

Spitfire missed those days, of her little girl hugging her head affectionately as they walked from their home in Ponyville to Sugarcube Corner for some ice cream. Hawk was so innocent back then, now, though? Now she had more scantily clad mares on her walls than "actual" wall. 'Thank Celestia that she was into mares. I don't think stallions would survive that long with her.' Peeling herself back to reality, Spitfire watched the rest of the race with unblinking eyes and a permanent smile on her face. 

"Hawkfire's lead is beyond what anypony could predict!" the announcer shouted through his megaphone, earning a venomous hiss from Flash Sentry who was leagues behind the mare and coming to the third lap. He wasn't happy that he was losing to that freak of nature, Her fucked-up, discolored eyes was a blight on pony society. His hatred of them grew each time he saw the pair on the center podium after each race he lost! 

"It would be a miracle for the others to catch up with only three laps left!" 

Second place wasn't an option for Flash, especially now since he was in the Guard! If he didn't win, he will always be known as "Number Two" on his squad. The poop jokes will never end, and no mare will ever like him. Even now when mares ask around at bar's, they all laugh because he was "Number Two," and proceed to hook-up with some land pony. 

'Today, that ends Rose!' 

"What is this?! Flash and Gilda are pushing hard on the straightaway for the Azure Comet herself! What a turnaround?!" 

"Hey, twerp, where do 'ya think you're going?!" Gilda shouted with a cheeky smirk from his right, but Flash didn't care. All he wanted was Rose out of the race, and he knew just how, but first. Gilda was in his way. 

"Out of my way, Seed pecker!" Flash spat, pushing extra hard on his wings into an Aileron roll too close to Gilda. She gasped and tried to pull away from the venomous stallion, but she wasn't fast enough. 

The tip of his wing slammed hard against hers, causing it to have a mini-spasm. She winced in pain, the slap forced her into a long glide to prevent cramping. The blow itself wasn't all that strong, but the impact was enough to keep her from flying at her fastest. Cursing at the stupid stallion, she tried to keep up. 'Stuck at third again. At least Rose is cool enough to hang out with me at the grill. Fucking Cum Twat, Flash Sentry.'

The one think Flash had in droves against Hawkfire was speed and size. Having a lightning affinity also helped. He cleared the distance from Gilda and was now riding the azure flame trail of Hawkfire, while his own, straight, Tron-like trail trailed behind him. 

He smirked as Rose looked back in shock to see that he was right on her tail. The snow white mare with a wolfishly wild, two-toned azure mane and tail with red paintbrush splashes throughout her hair had nothing on him in the looks department, and from where he flew, he had a good view of her cutie mark. It was a beveled shield with a red outline. An azure rose in full bloom in the center of the shield with two long swords—With green, stem-like cross-guards, handles, and pommels—Crossed behind it. To finish it all, there were two olive branches flanking the shield from base to tip like a pair of outstretched wings that were crossed at the stems at the bottom.

In cutie mark glass, the olive branches was a royal symbol of the Pegasi, along with wings, and certain weather patterns, but the branches themselves were most important, and it infuriated him. The freak of nature shouldn't have such a rare cutie mark! How could she be a part of the Hurricane Line! She lives in a land pony town in the middle of nowhere! 

The quick to anger stallion, now right beside her again as they crossed the finish line for their second last lap, chewed on a little capsule in his mouth. The taste of magical powder that would temporarily blind someone for a few minutes was bile. The judges wouldn't be able to disqualify him due to the nature of the mixture and how no traces of it could be found once the effect was over. It was perfect, and just what he needed to take Rose out of the picture, maybe even making her look like the biggest flop in Equestrian Avionics History. 

With his plan in motion, he pushed passed Rose and prepared his mixture before she could overtake him at the first turn. He looked back with a smug look at the unamused mare shooting back a bored expression, knowing exactly what Flash was about to do. Then he spat, forcing Hawkfire to stop in pain as he bounded around the corner with all the other racers zooming by the mare desperately trying to clean her eyes out of the gunk, but to no avail. 

"Oh no! Hawkfire seems to have something in her eyes!" the announcer gasped. 

"Did you see that snake! He blinded her!" Soarin growled as his wings twitched and flared in anger. Fleetfoot also shared that anger as her little niece was falling behind the other racers, and she knew that if Hawky didn't get back in, then she will finish in Last Place. "I'm going to kill that kid when this is over." 

"Spits, can't you do something?" Fleetfoot asked. 

"Don't need too, look," Spitfire pointed to the track. Thinking that the paramedics were on the scene to help her little niece out, what she saw confused her, but that confusion quickly turned to shock. 

"Hawkfire is back in the race! But wait?! WHAT'S THIS! She is flying with her eyes closed! I don't know if she is showing off, or just that amazing of a flier!" 

"How?!" Fleetfoot gasped at the sight. 

Spitfire smiled. She knew that her little girl didn't use her eyes to fly, to begin with. She said that a true Pegasus flew with their wings and not their eyes. That their sensitivity to the air was enough to soar in the sky without ever needing to look where they were going. The air currents should be enough to guide them where they needed to go. 

"That's an Air Affinity for you," Spitfire beamed with pride as her little girl danced around the backline and through the obstacles as if they were her dance partners. She reveled in the shock of the crowd, as her little girl reached fifth, before shooting up into the air to climb the final section of the track. 

"Like Snowdrop, the Blind filly from way back when that invented the Snowflakes?" Soarin whistled. 

"The one and only. Now shut up and cheer on our filly." 


❄⚔❄


Heart pounding like it's about to explode, lungs on fire. My eyes burned with whatever Flash spat in my face, preventing me from seeing anything. The roar of the crowd was deafening. The strain on my wings was crushing, yet I pushed on. 

The air around me told me where to go, guiding my every movement like a passionate lover. Her hooves traced my curves lovingly. Her lips timidly nipped my wings lustfully. If I wasn't racing, I would have let out a few moans of pleasure for how good it was to fly like this. 

Even as I climbed past fourth place with Gilda going into a dive, I felt so alive! I would never tell my Mom how amazing it was to fly with only using the sensitivity of your wings, she was a grown mare. She didn't need her daughter telling her how to fly, but fantasizing had to wait, ass kicking began now. 

"Hawkfire is back in the top three?! Can she take the lead after such a setback?!" the announcer bellowed in the distance, his cries riling the crowd almost to the point of riot status. 

I smiled as I came to the top. I twisted my body in the air with my back facing down like I was doing High-jump. The whole world went quiet for a moment like everything was in slow motion. Weightlessness overtook my senses as every mare, and stallion saw all my curves being emphasized by my arch, then with a powerful flap of my wings, I shot downwards like a bullet. 

The crowd went wild again. 

'Now, time to show that cunt who is the real fastest flier IS in Equestria.' Slowing my breath, I pushed harder and harder in my rapid decent. I made myself as straight as could be with my hooves tipped like an arrow in front of me.

"What are those sparks coming off of her wings?! And...And is that a cone forming?!" the announcer gasped in shock once more. Pushing harder, I could feel a wall forming in front of me as well as a shocked Gilda altering her course to avoid me. 'Just a little more.' 

"No way! She is about to pull off the impossible!"

Slowly my senses left me one by one. First was the screams of the crowd. Next was my sense of taste, for some reason. Third my internal compass, and fourth my eyes. 'Almost there,' I wheezed. The wall in front was starting to give way, I could feel it, but I was running out of falling distance. I pushed, one last time, and felt the wall explode. 

"BOOM!" 

"SHE DID IT! UNBELIEVABLE!" 


❄⚔❄


"What?!" Flash howled in both anger and shock as an azure comet blasted passed Gilda at the dive and now was heading straight for him faster than any Pegasus was capable of!

He flapped his wings as hard as he could, hoping to cross the finish line before Rose passed him. It was just in reach, he could taste it. The crowd was cheering him on! He will finally get to meet the Wonderbolts and even, if he was lucky, get asked to join them! He could imagine it: Flash Sentry, Wonderbolt, Playpony, the best of the best. Standing tall on every cover of all the best magazines. Mares will flock to him to bask in his presence! 

No more, "Flash Toilet!" 

No more, "Number Two!" 

No more, "Rose!" 

He was going to BE NUMBER ONE!

"Just a few more meters!" he hissed through clenched teeth. The checkered flag was in the air, cameras were flashing, waiting for his victory. He could see the trophy and him holding it, he could see the...Ground coming too fast. "Wut?" 

"Thunk!" "Flop!" "Pomf!" 

"Winner by a miracle Ladies and Gentlecolts!" screamed the announcer as the racers passed the finish line, all of them panting from their hard work and determination. Gilda joined the recovering Hawkfire near the podium who was chugging down as much water as she could muster. The Wonderbolts flew down from their booth to award the winners, while a group of paramedics flew down to the dazed Flash Sentry. 

"Are you alright, Sir?" one of the paramedics asked as he began standard procedure on the half-conscious stallion. Flash blinked for a moment, trying to understand the situation that he was in. He remembered that he was at the finish line, but what happened after he crossed it? 

His reply was as followed, "Did I win?" 

"No son. You choked so hard that I think you might be remembered as the stallion who literally ate dust," the paramedic replied. "At least you tried, right? You put on a good show. 'Sucks you got Last Place. That was some nice flying by the way, but to be honest? That Hawkfire was something else. If it wasn't for her Sonic Rainboom and that insane show she put on, she would have gotten Second Place. First is nice and all, but I don't think she cares about winning all that much."

Flash Sentry's eye twitched in disbelief as he was carted away to the Nurses office for a check-up, and the last thing he saw as he left the stadium was Winter Ruby Hawkfire Rose, holding his trophy, hugging his Wonderbolts. DRINKING HIS CHAMPAGNE! Surrounded by HIS MARES! 

'This isn't over Rose! Mark my words! THIS ISN'T OVER!
> Chapter 2. The Morning After
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Laughter, music, strobing lights, these were the hallmarks of a vibrant Nightclub. Heavy Base moved bodies in a fast paced rhythm. Drinks of various colors, shapes, and sizes lubricated more than just the pony that consumed them. Food of all kinds reached the stomachs of those that wanted to take a break from rubbing bodies on the dancefloor. Intricate songs erupting from the DJ's Soundbooth brought colorful emotion to the many interlopers of the Nightclub.

It was early in the night, just a few hours after the rewards ceremony and I, along with the other Racers decided that we should all spend one last night together in comradery rather than rivalry. Since Flash Sentry was in the hospital for a concussion, we didn't have to worry about getting kicked out for his "High and Mighty" attitude. 

After I shipped my first place trophy aptly titled at the base, Junior Lightning Champion, back home, along with other belongings. I exited my hotel room wearing my favorite leather jacket and some black mascara. Walking into a large hall with white walls lined with dark brown doors, I saw Gilda waiting impatiently for me on the clean, red carpet. 

"Jeez, we are just going to drink, not get laid," Gilda greeted. I rolled my eyes, pointing to her violet eye makeup that she was wearing proudly. 

"Look who's talking," I greeted back. "Though if you wanted to show me that you want "this," all you have to do is ask," I winked. Gilda, who I knew was easy to make blush, took a step back with pink cheeks, and twitching wings. 

"L-Like hell I would. You are half a head shorter than the average mare! You are too tiny for even for me," Gilda stammered. "Not that I have a thing for Hens or anything."

"Riiiight," I purred with a cheeky smirk gracing my lips. I took a few steps toward the Griffon, giving her a hungry look. Gilda, because of her size, backed into the wall. Licking my lips ever so slowly. I traced my hoof down her ruffled chest oh so slowly. "I'm sure that this big, strong, Griffoness, wouldn't like to devour this little Pegasus?" 

Gilda turned every shade of red as her wings became fully erect. Her body quickly became rigid to my sensual touch. She struggled to find words, the only sounds to come out from her beak was garbled gibberish. Happy with my little victory, the other Racers that were joining us, slowly came out of their rooms, dressed and ready to party. Taking a step back, I slapped Gilda's chest with my tail and trotted off, leaving behind the stunned Griffon for a few short minutes. 

"Hey! Get back here, Cunt!" 

Or not. 



 

"So this is the place?" asked Maze Runner as we walked up to a large building roughly the size of a small warehouse. 

The brick building was square in structure and painted a dark blue. Various lights beamed from underneath a decorative ledge lining the wall in a wide variety of inviting colors. In front of the building was a set of black double doors. Standing next to the doors and holding back a sizeable line from entering the Nightclub were two, large, muscular stallions wearing matching suits. 

Looking to my right, the dark brown Pegasus stallion with a straight, steel mane and a stubby tail that asked the question looked rather uncomfortable at the intimidating sight. It didn't help that a disgruntled mare at the front of the line was picked up, and thrown into a nearby trash bin for getting rowdy. I gave him my signature smile in response. 

"Sure is. Let's go!" I cheered, leading the pack of quiet Racers and Gilda, who wasn't too pleased with my comments earlier, towards the buff stallions. 

"Doesn't look like we'll get in with that line," Aurora Tempest, another one of our fellow Racers, commented dryly. Pretending that I didn't hear that, I trotted up to the stallions with my winning smile, and let's not forget about the death glares freely given from the ones stuck in line, and began to assert my authorata! 

"Can you two Gentledrakes let us into this fine establishment for this evening?"

"The lobby is full, and unless you and your friends have a reservation or V.I.P Ticket, you are not getting in," the stallion standing to my right. 

"Told you," the lame-pants Aurora quipped. Rolling my eyes, I reached into my jacket and pulled out a shiny, silver piece of paper, and handed it to the stallion on the right. 

"What's this?" the stallion asked, looking over the paper with scrutiny. 

"Just a gift from my Aunt Fleetfoot. She recommended me this club," I replied. Frowning, the stallion on the right whispered into the ear of his partner over my sweet sixteen birthday present. The magically enchanted piece of paper given to me by Fleetfoot was a Lifetime Membership to every club associated with the Wonderbolts. Even though I wasn't one myself, having family in the group sure had some benefits. The best part of the membership was that I could have a group of fifteen accompany me. 'Thank you, Aunt Footy. May you one day hold down a stallion longer than three months.'

Elsewhere....

"You alright, Fleetfoot? You aren't angry with me, are you?" asked a soft-spoken stallion enjoying a romantic dinner at the Le Grande Del Rosa restaurant in Canterlot. 

"No, I'm not mad at you, Valiant, but there is this one filly that's going to die tomorrow." 

"What did she do?" Valiant sighed at the easy to anger Pegasus mare. 

"Talk shit about my love life."

"Well..." Fleetfoot directed her glare at Valiant, silencing what was about to come out of his muzzle. "...Never mind." 

Elsewhere....

"Everything checks out. Have a pleasant evening, Miss Rose and company," the stallion on the right said, handing me back my document. I gave him a thankful nod and motioned the slackjawed group to enter the club, much to the outrage of the ponies waiting in line. 

"What was that magic you pulled off?!" gawked Razorwing in awe. "I was sure we were going to get turned away!"

"It's called the magic of best Aunt," I replied triumphantly. The mare continued to gawk as everyone else went their separate ways for the night. Trotting along to the bar for a drink, I couldn't help but enjoy the lively atmosphere. 

The purple walls, red carpet, loud music reminiscent of orgasmic Dubstep; the hundreds of bodies writhing and raving around and even against each other in a fast-paced orgy of the flesh brought an old flame deep within my heart back to life. Walking around the cornucopia of ponies rubbing against each other, I found the bar at the far end of the dance floor underneath the second-floor balcony. 

Taking one of the empty velvet stools in front of the obsidian countertop, I gazed over the large selection of spirits and hard liquor on display shelves against the wall behind the counter. The beer taps themselves were quite literally within arms reach as they were attached to the countertop for ease of access. 

As for the bartender? She was a cute Pegasus with a sleek amber coat with a dark purple and red mane and tail. Her mane was tied in an adorable ponytail while her own tail was straight with a slight curl at the tip, and she wore a little black bowtie around her neck. 

"What can I get you sweetheart?" the bartender winked my way while cleaning a glass with a white rag. Now that she was facing me, I saw that her bowtie had the name, Black Sunshine, on a pin attached to the tie. Let's not forgot the wonderful view of her alluring, golden eyes that seemed to glow in the neon lights. Feeling a little adventurous, I wanted to start the best night of my life with a bang!

"How about Amber Delicious's favorite pick?" I winked back. The bartender couldn't help but giggle before reaching for a bottle of Whiskey with one hoof while her wings grabbed a few other things from behind the counter. 

"Really? Amber Delicious? Do I look like an apple farmer?" Black questioned while mixing what looked like a Canadian favorite; Whiskey, Maple syrup, a little bit of sugar, and ice. 

"I'm just teasing, Sunny. Besides, you are making one my personal favorites. Are you, perchance, a mind reader?" 

"Hmm," Black hummed, placing my drink in front of me. I grabbed in my hooves, swishing the viscous concoction in my hooves with mute glee before bringing it up to my lips for a quick sip. And praise Lunas Futa Dick was it good!

"Depends on the mare. Some are easy to read, while others...Not so much."

Feeling a little bold, I traced the tip of my hooves thoughtfully. "I agree, so, when do you get off work?" 

Black smile. "A few hours, though I must ask. Are you off age?"

"I'm just shorter than normal, but yes, I am, And, I know what you like. If you are interested," I purred. 

"Hmm, then don't get too drunk Hawkfire, and we'll see," she purred back before tending to another customer. Looking at the clock above the bar, I saw that I had time to dance for a little bit with Gilda and have a few more drinks. Looking down at the drink I was currently holding, I figured I could have a few more. Besides, the night was young, and you only live once...erm...Thrice!


❄⚔❄


Warmth, a soft bed, the arm of a lover greeted me with a heavenly aroma of Maple Syrup, clean bedsheets, and last nights shame. The feeling of a fluffy body spooning mine, as well as an arm and a wing holding me close, wasn't a wake-up call that I would have expected. Then again, I vaguely remember bringing home a mare from the Club home with me, but who? Deciding that sleeping in this morning wasn't going to be an option, I hesitantly opened my eyes. 

Through blurry eyes, I saw the familiar shapes of my room back in Ponyville. The worn, beige end table that held a lamp and my alarm clock were just within reach, as well as a set of strange, square glasses resting next to a cup of water next to my bed. I could see my dark-brown dresser slightly opened where I kept my toys directly in front of me. Looking down to where the hoof and wing was, I was glad that I saw the amber appendages gripping me tightly like a teddy bear. Smiling, I rolled over to meet the mare I've taken home and found her staring back at me with soft laden, eyes, still bathed in last nights afterglow. 

"Morning, Love," I smiled back. "Wasn't last night wonderful?"

"Hmm, I'll say. Shame I can't stay. My worthless coltfriend should be coming out of the hospital today," Black paused to yawn. "You could teach him a thing or two."

"Yeah, I bet. Shame this was only a one-time thing. I wouldn't have minded a few more rounds."

"A few more rounds of what, Rose?" growled a new voice, causing both Black and me to bolt up and face the door to face the wrath of a fiery orange Pegasus mare, glaring pure death at us both. 

"T-This isn't what it looks like!" Black blurted. "I swear I didn't know she had a marefriend!" Groaning in annoyance for the sudden incursion, I plopped my head down on my pillow, wanting the unfolding nightmare to never start. 

"I'm not her marefriend. I'm her, Mother." 
> Chapter 3. Home Sweet Home
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Beep!" "Beep!" "Beep!" went Satan next to my head. The little indestructible Demon screamed its head off in an effort to wake me from my slumber. Reaching over with a tired hoof, I grabbed the noise machine and threw it out my opened window, earning wonderful silence for a few more—

"Get your lazy ass up, Rose! You have work today!" screamed the second Demon in the house. 

—Never mind. 

Like all good mornings, life didn't like them. It was like the world wanted me to hate them, to loath them. No matter how many times I've tried to sleep in on a day that wasn't a Saturday, there was something, someone, had to ruin it, and that someone today was the cunt muffin named Spitfire. 

Groaning in anguish like a zombie awoken from the dead, I got out of bed with a yawn. Walking out of my room and into a cozy carpeted hall with hundreds of pictures, plaques, certificates, and ribbons—All belonging to both me and mom—I made my way into the bathroom. 

As I began my business of grooming the wild mess that was my bedhead, the smell of cooking bacon and coffee rose me from death. The heavenly aroma of bacon would have made most ponies vomit at the smell, but not me, nor Spitfire. 

It was interesting to learn when I was older that there was more than one type of Pegasus in this version of Equestria, three in total. Thestral, Imperial, and just plain Pegasus. The Thestrals were perfect omnivores with the only difference of bat-like wings, fluffy ears, and orgasmically long tongues. Imperials were also omnivores, but they kept their feathered and much larger wings. Imperials also inherited their Thestral cousin's tongue and ears, but they were smaller than the average pony. 

Pegasi had it okay in the food department. They weren't complete omnivores and were limited to a small selection of fish. They still needed the protein and energy to be healthy for flying, but it was extremely limited. As for their looks? Their wings were small and relied more on their innate weather magic to fly, unlike Thestrals and Imperials. They didn't get the Legendary Thestral Tongue and their ears weren't as fluffy. To be honest, Pegasi were average as far as Equines go.

The day that I learned that I was an Imperial was the happiest day in my life, but it would be a few years before the length of my tongue showed its wonderful splendor. Oh, and Spitfire was one as well, even if she was on the tall side. 'Fucking Giants. Always picking on me because I'm half a head shorter than the average mare. HA! Joke's on them, mares like a cute little Vixen to cuddle with. Them long-legs in Canterlot can fuck a cactus.' 

"What's taking so long?!" shouted Spitfire from downstairs, the older mare sounded a little more annoyed than a few minutes ago. 

"You know how long it takes to preen my twins!" I shouted back in minor annoyance. 

"It takes you ten minutes per wing when you aren't doing practice!" 

'Damn it.'

"I heard that!"

'What?! How?! I thought that!'

"I'm a mind reader, now get gud scrub! Your shift starts in an hour!" 

'Bullshit.'

"That's a Bit in the swear jar!"

"WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE!" 

"THEN WE SHOULD START ONE! AND WITH THAT MOUTH OF YOURS! WE CAN BUY ANOTHER HOUSE WITHIN A YEAR!" 

The familiar eye twitch made its presence known as I finished most of my morning routine as my mind struggled to figure out how Mom knew what I was thinking, but the more I thought about it. The more my head began to hurt. So, instead of thinking of my mind-raping mother, I focused on the blissful feeling of my six-inch tongue slithering through my ruffled feathers. 


❄⚔❄


"Morning, Kiddo," mused the fiery orange mare without her signature, blown-back mane without looking away from preparing breakfast. 

'Strange, she only combs her mane straight and slutty when she has a week off but doesn't she have a show in Las Pegasus tomorrow? What gives?' I wondered as I made my way to the square, mahogany table capable of seating more visitors than we usually get, and sat down in a spot already housing a plate of heaven with my name on it. 

"Morning, Mom," I replied before digging into the best cooking in the world!

Without saying another word, Mom walked from the kitchen through the open archway on the far side of the dining room with her food perched on her back. Since I was in food mode, I didn't see her sit down in her usual spot at the other end of the table. Where she did sit was also strange for her since she never sits next to me. She always sat in front to maintain eye contact, plus, from over my shoulder, I could see that she was giving me "The Look."

'Ya know? The kind of look that a concerned mother would give you when she catches you playing with your pussy for the first time, or finding your stash of porn. Not that she cares all much about my porn games, videos, or pictures on my Magically Linked Personal Computation Machine—MLPCM for short—Or my porn magazines, Hentai posters from Neighpon, and sex toys...And body pillow of a white pony Succubus with long, flowing, crimson red mane and tail, silver eyes, demonic wings, and very submissive from High School O&O, also from Neighpon. Which I hide from all the mares I bring home for a little while. I don't want to scare them away for being a total Weeb. 

'I still can't get over the fact that this Equestria has the Internet, Video games, Anime, and T.V in color. It's both weird and amazing.'

"Rose, we need to talk," Mom said sternly. 

'Fucking called it!' 

Turning my attention from my breakfast to the mare beside me, I saw that was staring into her coffee steaming in a white mug with the inscription; "When this mug is empty. You may speak without dying a long, painful, death."  The other side had #1 Mom for the "Lulz." Gulping down my bacon, I gave her my full attention for whatever she want's to talk about. 

"Talk about what?" I asked through a morning yawn. 

"Well, for starters, can you explain the rules about bringing a pony home?"

"That I'm not allowed to bring anyone without your consent because ya'll be the Captain of the Wonderbolts, and don't want shit stolen?" I replied, not fully understanding the problem. She knows that Octavia, Vinyl, Cloudchaser, Razorwing, and Fluttershy come over every other day to game out on my Gemstation 4, play Ogres and Obelisks, watch a movie or nerd out about the latest Ponime to enter Equestria from Neighpon. They were some of the few ponies that were allowed to "be" around Spitfire when she wasn't working according to all the Restraining Orders she filed over the years. It's common knowledge at this point that our house is off-limits. 

As well as our street during the holidays. 

Sure we get the odd parent that wanted flying lessons for their foal. We do have rules for that as well. The only problem was that the parents had to be living in town, and I had to teach them because of Wonderbolt reasons. Some got mad when they learned that I was the one doing the teaching, but when they learned which bitch I belonged too. They became somewhat docile. 

It's how I met Fluttershy when she moved into Ponyville a few years ago. Her parents tried to be all tough and macho, but they were so soft and gentle about it, Spitfire almost broke. Almost. Once they learned that a filly just a year older than their daughter was going to teach her, they practically thanked Spitfire for giving Fluttershy a friend as well. 

Plus, the sounds she makes when we preen each other's wings during her lessons is extremely sexy. It sucks that she was only into Stallions. But I guess cuddling while watching the latest movie to come out from Applewood is alright. 

I just hope I didn't fuck with her future as the Element of Kindness with her major confidence boost over our years. Or Pinkies with her more "controlled" hyperactive one. Or Rarities with her new love of Blacksmithing. Or Applejacks with her bar. 

Still, I haven't seen Rainbow Dash move in yet, so there is still hope for us all. 

"Well, that's one way of putting it," Spitfire hummed thoughtfully. "But what about ponies that are more than just friends?"

'What does she mean—Oh, ponies that I fuck. Is this about my one-night-stand with that demon in the sheets a few days ago that she walked in on?' I thought profoundly. 

'Probably,' my libido replied. Taking a sip of coffee from my mug labeled "Mommy's Little Whore," and wincing from the still boiling water. I wondered why she would be concerned about my love life.

She knew I was gay, that much was certain. I made sure to drill it into her thick skull over the years. She knew that Black wasn't the first mare that I brought home with lustful intentions, that honor went to a cute filly named, Trixie Lulamoon when she came into town as an upstart performer two years ago. She comes back twice a year to perform an impressive display of magic for all the fillies and colts, even giving some of them beginner-level magic books to learn from, and each time she shows up. We share a drink, have a laugh, and wake up sweaty, musky, and sore. It's a shame we are only fuck-buddies, but hey? What can you do? 

"That as long as I use protection and that the mare doesn't break my heart, yadda, yadda," I replied nonchalantly. 

"Rose, I love you, I do," Spitfire sighed. "But you can't do this anymore."

"Can't do what?" I asked, slightly confused. I figured that she would want to talk about Black, but was I wrong in that assumption? Maybe. 

"This!" she motioned towards me with her free hoof. "You know what society thinks of filly-foolers and Stallion-stuffers! They are treated like crap! It is hard for them to get a job in some places while others fire them on the spot! This phase has too—!"

"Mom," I cut her off with a stern glare into those two, sullen eyes. The kind of eyes that screamed, "I don't want to say this, but I have to cause I love you." Placing my mug down, I turned my entire body to face the disheveled mare in full. 

"I'm not going through a phase, you of all ponies should know that after my first heat. Do you remember that day? I didn't bother to take meds and walked into town smelling like a slut that wanted to fuck everyone in the middle of town square." She winced at my sudden use of harsh words, and my mentioning of that day. 

"Do you remember that every stallion I walked passed said I smelled fine, but all the mares noticed me?"

"Rose—" 

"As much as I want to say all the words that will make you happy, I can't. My body, heart, and soul say, "Mares Only," and I'm not changing."

"That's not—!"

"I don't care," I finished with a sigh, and turned way to stare blankly into my coffee with a tight grip around the mug. "I really don't care if some asshat says I can't do this or that because my interests are feminine in origins. I don't care if I get picked on either. All I care about is the one that I will share my heart with and that's final."

Hearing another sigh, I took a sip of coffee in a short wait for my mother's reply. The warm liquid was comforting, but it needs a little bit more sugar. Reaching for the plate of sugar cubes, Mom spoke again. 

"I'm...I'm just worried, sweetheart. You are a kind, smart, caring, and strong mare for your age. You look out for your friends, give flying lessons every Sunday to the foals at the school, and you are a ferocious fighter. You are seventeen going on eighteen in a few months and soon you will leave the house to go to Fort Hurricane Military Academy to begin your career as a Guard."

"However, until you do, I still have to worry about my little girl," she whispered lovingly as she pulled me into a tight embrace. Letting out a sigh of my own, I hugged her back while still in my chair. Once the warmth was over, she sat back down with a weak smile on her face. "Part of my worry comes from your reputation of being my daughter."

"Because of all my trophies, ribbons, and the recent victory at the Junior Lightning Cup?" I added quietly. 

She nodded. 

"Most of your ribbons and trophies aren't all that noticeable. The only exceptions are your number ones from your four years in the Sky Cup, but the Lighting? You are three more years away from flying in the Phoenix Cup with your old lady. Do you understand what I'm getting at?"

I nodded back. 

"Yeah, me being openly gay will cause shit with the professional setting, and possibly ruin your reputation, but you know how good of a fighter I am? The odds are strong in my favor for being posted in the Frontier Forts of Equestria; fighting Diamond Dogs, Dragons, Bandits, Slavers, the Cat people and so on." 

"What makes you think that Professional Racing is my fall-back plan?" I asked back. 

"Well, cause your job at the Bounding Bunny Cafe definitely isn't," she chuckled. "I still want a picture of you in that adorable bunny outfit. Speaking of work, you should get going."

"Nothing else?" I questioned as I stood up from my seat to get ready for work. She shook her head as I chugged down the rest of my coffee and stretched her wings with a yawn. 

"No, Rose, but please be careful. I just want you to be happy." 
> Chapter 4. Welcome to Ponyville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Celestia's sun shone through painted glass of the slowing train coming pulling into the station. The warm rays stirred the sleeping cyan mare awake from her little nap. She let out a long, tired yawn as the train pulled into the station. It wasn't the first time she slept in the slow vehicle when traveling from Cloudsdale to wherever she had to go, but it was her first time coming to Ponyville. 

All those other trips were to see the Wonderbolts in action! From their races in Canterlot to their Airshows in Manehatten, she was there. She always saved enough money to make it to each event from her job as a Weather Pony in Cloudsdale. Even though this type of lifestyle prevented her from living in luxury or cheaply, the extensive studying of her idols in action in the grand spotlight was going to pay off all her debt in the end, and with her promotion to Weather Manager for Ponyville. It's just a matter of time before she could become a Wonderbolt herself. 

Steeling herself from her dreams for a moment, she stood up and stretched properly. 'Alright Rainbow Dash! Ponyville is your new home. The Cloudhouse Dad bought will arrive in a few days, so we'll be staying with Fluttershy until then,' she reminded herself. 'Huh, I haven't seen her in years. I hope she doesn't mind me mooching off of her for a bit.'

"Welcome to Ponyville!" exploded the train conductor through the intercom, starting the rainbow-maned Pegasus from her thoughts. She frowned at the little white box above the door before grabbing her bags from underneath the bench in her room. 

"Population: one-thousand. Home of the Ponyville Timberwolves Hockey team, and actual Timberwolves! Don't worry, though! Ponyville is located within Canterlot's Township and thus has a prominent Guard presence, however. As a reminder to all visitors from Captain Steelwing: "All ponies are to stay clear from the Everfree Forest unless you want to die. If you want to go foraging for the plentiful herbal plants located within? Then please talk to our Herbalist and local Zebra, Zecora." 

"Now, today's weather is forecasted to be..." the conductor continued, but Rainbow Dash didn't care for that since she already knew, however. She found it surprising that the little town in the middle of the country was one-third of the population away from being classified as a city, but that also meant more ponies to see what an amazing flier she was.

As the train made its stop, Rainbow trotted out of her room with her suitcase rolling behind her with a smile on her face and plan in mind. 'First, I'll "wow" these townies with some simple tricks and feats of speed. Then I'll find the fastest Pegasus in town and beat him or her in a race, and once I've firmly planted myself as the Boss of Weather in Ponyville. My dream of becoming a Wonderbolt is that much closer!' 





The town of Ponyville was a quiet little place. Ponies from all tribes walked among the thatched roofed homes carrying various things on their person, to visiting each other at one of the many parks within the town. Fillies and Colts ran around playing their games, their parents working at their respective jobs with babysitters trying to keep up with the little balls of energy. Rainbow saw this and more while trotting from the station to her meet-up with Fluttershy at the Bounding Bunny Cafe. 

Some of the things she saw shocked her, the most prominent of which were the amount of Griffons living within Ponyville. Within the first few blocks from the station, while passing by carts, stores, and many different types of food stalls, she counted at least one-hundred Griffons talking and flying around. 

Her jaw went slack when one Griffon nuzzled an Earth Pony stallion with a little Hippogriff bouncing around her paws. 'Not only more Griffons in one place than Las Pegasus, but ones that mix!?' Rainbow gawked for a moment at the sight since the most Griffons she's seen in one place never left the single-digits. 

Shaking herself from the culture shock, another thing was quick to replace the disbelief, and that was in the form of a Pink blur that stopped in front of her, gasped, then ran away faster than her eyes could track. The sheer impossible speed of the pink Earth Pony was almost too much for the rainbow-maned Pegasus, that was until she found where she was supposed to meet her foal-hood friend. 

Stationed on the corner of Baker Dr and Bunny Wy, was a large, white, two-story building with a revolving door located at the corner. What was shocking about it was that the architecture was modeled to look like a giant, cutesy bunny with a sign placed on one of the two, protruding ears of the building with the name, Bounding Bunny Cafe, emblazoned on it in text only a filly would write. 

'And this is where Fluttershy was waiting for me? In this dump for babies?' 

Rainbow gagged at the thought of being seen near the building let alone in it. Her currently non-existent reputation would start out down the drain if anypony of importance saw her enter the girly Cafe, but she had too, her best friend since Flight Camp was waiting for her and she wasn't going to ditch her because of some "Fluffy" cafe. 

'Alright Dash, just go in, ask for a place to stay, and get out before her place-holder catches wind of you. Then find the best flier in town and show them who's boss.' Swallowing her pride for the sacrilege of her coolness, she walked through the glass doors and immediately regretted the decision. 

Her cyan fur turned several shades of red when a light gray mare with a charcoal-colored mane and tail dressed in a Playpony bunny suit walked up to her with a noticeable bounce in her step. Her blushing face turned even brighter when the mare in question tilted her head in a certain way, showing that her tail was tied up to look like a rabbit's signature cottontail, and making her look even more "cute" than what Rainbow was prepared for. 

With her mind on shutdown, Rainbow didn't even realize that the mare in front of her was talking. It took several attempts as well as a smack upside the head with the mares stack of menus to pull Rainbow from her stupor and make her sound like an idiot. 

"Wut?" dumbly said with a nervous flutter of her wings. The gray mare in front of her rolled her eyes and spoke again in a posh, high Canterlotian accent that those snobs spoke in the grand capital of Equestria. 

"I said while you were staring at my uniform like a virgin stallion, 'Do you have a reservation, or is someone here waiting for you?'" 

"I-I-I'm not a virgin! I know foals come from the Great Cloud Carriage from the North!" Rainbow blabbered out, earning herself a few snickers from a few close by ponies, the hostess in front of her included. 

"As much as I want to tease you about your lack of knowledge in that particular field of Pony Biology, I'm afraid I have work to do. Now! Do you have a reservation, or is someone waiting for you?" the hostess repeated. This time, with a lot more embarrassment, Rainbow Dash shakily gave the mare a slip of paper, telling the hostess that Fluttershy was waiting for her somewhere in the Cafe. 

"Ah! Lady Fluttershy is sitting in the quiet area upstairs. Would you like me to take you, or can you find her on your own?" the hostess asked politely. 

Taking back the piece of paper, Rainbow decided that further embarrassment were to be avoided at all cost. She looked around the front of house, quickly finding a set of open stairs leading up to where the quiet area was. With a nervous smile, she replied. 

"I-I can find her on my own. Thanks, Miss...?"

"Octavia Melody, or Miss Melody," Octavia replied with a smile. 

"Yeah, sure. See you later Miss Melody," Rainbow thanked before proceeding at a rapid pace up the stairs, hoping that nothing else embarrassing would happen. 

The top floor, much to Rainbow's relief, looked like an "actual" Cafe lounge. Several couches, recliners, beanbag chairs, and pillows were placed in an orderly pattern on the hardwood flooring. Near each chair was a table of some kind, most of which shared the same light brown color as their respective furniture. The only seats that didn't have a table were the beanbag chairs, which look exclusively for reading and not drinking or eating. 

Light blue walls and ceiling gave a calming contrast to all the subdue browns and grays of the top floor. At the far end of the room, Rainbow saw a counter where another mare in a bunny suit sat watching the few ponies lounging around without a care in the world as she made coffee or tea from her insanely large collection of jugs and containers lined in such a way behind her on the shelves against the wall, that anypony can come into the Cafe and find exactly what they wanted within seconds, but as much as she wanted to try an exotic brew. She didn't have the time. 

Looking around the room more thoroughly,  Rainbow Dash found Fluttershy reading a book on one of the collections of pillows surrounding a table in the corner of the room. 

Rainbow froze once more, a lump forming in her throat. It has been so long since she's seen the butter-yellow Pegasus, she didn't realize how pretty Fluttershy was in comparison to her more tomcoltish build. Her long, soft pink mane flowed over her eloquent features like water cascading over a sparkling diamond. Her long, fluffy, yet, combed tail, curled around her like an awaiting majestic feline from the jungle. Not to mention her yellow coat that shone as bright as the sun. And her wings! Her big, soft wings hugged her body like a protective blanket and looked just as cozy to curl under for warmth and love. 

In Rainbow's eyes, Fluttershy was the very definition of what makes a mare beautiful. She could only dream of having a body like hers, however. Training to becoming a Wonderbolt meant having more muscle than baby fat, so for her to work on being naturally pretty through careful dieting and exercise was out the window. 

'She...She also looks more confident with herself. Has living on her own in Ponyville by her lonesome help with her shyness or something else?' Rainbow wondered as her eyes lingered on her friend's curvaceous flank. 'Wait...Oh, Celestia, I was checking her out!? I'm not a filly-fooler! Rainbow, pull yourself together!' Slapping herself free from her impure thoughts of burying her face in her friend's plump rump, she slowly, and shakily walked up to the preoccupied mare reading a book. 

"H-Hey, Fluttershy," Rainbow coughed, earning the attention of the mare in question almost immediately. "How's it going?" 

Fluttershy, startled from the sudden noise directed at her, looked up from her book to find a shuffling, cyan Pegasus looking at her with nervous look plastered on her face. Her light blue eyes widened in shock before jumping up from her pillow, pulling Rainbow into a bone crushing embrace. 

"Oh, Rainbow Dash It's been so long!" Fluttershy exclaimed quietly. "How is Firefly and Rainbow Blitz? Are your parents alright?" Struggling to find air to breathe, Rainbow tapped her friend on the back. 

"Fluttershy...can't...breathe...!" 

"I'm sorry!" Fluttershy squeaked, letting go of Rainbow Dash in the process. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" 

Taking a few moments to recuperate from Fluttershy's death grip of a hug, she made a mental note to figure out what kind of shampoo that can cut through the stench of animals since her workout routine left her sweaty and disgusting for most of the day. 

"I'm...I'm fine, just a little crushed is all," Rainbow huffed. "How about you?" 

"I'm doing great, as well as all my animal friends. Thank you for asking," Fluttershy blushed apologetically as her friend sat down on one of the pillows. "And...Um...Sorry if I hurt you. Sometimes I forget how strong I can be at times."

"It's fine," she smiled as Fluttershy sat back down. Taking this as her opportunity to learn about the town she was moving into, Rainbow got comfortable for a long overdue talk with her best friend. "Anyway, care to tell me what's life like in Ponyville?" 

"Well....I...I can try," Fluttershy replied sheepishly. 

"I moved here after..." 





Minutes turned into hours as Fluttershy talked about everything since the day she first moved into the small town a few years ago, and Rainbow listened to every word in earnest. She laughed every time a mare named Pinkie Pie was involved in part of Fluttershy's story, and she cringed whenever she talked about her spa dates with one of her new friends named Rarity. 

Rainbow could never have imagined that Ponyville was more diverse and alive than the backwater town in the middle of nowhere she's heard about back in Cloudsdale. From parties hosted by Pinkie Pie and or a DJ named Vinyl Scratch, to housing some of the best fliers in Equestria, which she highly doubts. 

She knew all the best fliers by heart and not once had she heard of Cloudchaser, Thunderlane, Razor, Bullet Time, Silver Arrow, and definitely not a mare named Hawkfire. 'Like seriously, did she change her name to mimic Spitfire like a crazy fangirl?' she mused. 'I bet she's the type of filly to gush about dolls and frilly dresses and gossip about boys.' When Fluttershy couldn't convince her that it was true, she moved onto other topics like about the Apple Family. 

'Apple Jack. Now there's a pony I can find a good challenge in,' Rainbow praised as Fluttershy went on and on about how the Apple Family managed the biggest apple orchard in Equestria. 'All those apples and only three ponies. She must be one tough cookie.'

There were other things of note that Rainbow found interesting, mostly things about Fluttershy herself. Apparently, Fluttershy was close friends to the mare known as Hawkfire, and they hung out and played on the Nerd Machine like complete dorks. Not that Fluttershy was a dork or anything. Rainbow just couldn't understand why going "pew, pew, pew," on a T.V was fun. Now Air Hockey. That, right there, was fun! 

What's the point of playing games that didn't involve sweat and real skill? The rush of racing down the field with a pole with a little net at the end meant for the ball or "puck" as it was called, around your opponents above the ground a few hundred hooves in the air was beyond amazing! The rush, the adrenaline, the cheer of the crowd when you score a goal. No Dork Machine can compete with that. 'And if this Hawkfire is into that then she's definitely not worth my time. This Wonderbolt in training needs friends that can keep up with her. Though, it's nice to see somepony that can keep up with Fluttershy. She needs more ponies like her in her life.'

A few others things that Rainbow found interesting about her foalhood friend was her career involving animals, and how she was going for her Veterinary license. How she was friends with the mare in the bunny suit downstairs, but as shocking as that was, her plans of making sure that Octavia wasn't using her would have to wait for a bit. And the last thing she found of interest (Not really) was how Hawkfire claimed to know Spitfire personally, and how she managed to get Fluttershy on believing her. 

"Look, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash paused to take a sip of her energy drink. "As cool it is to know that Hawkhead gives you flying lessons, I though you can do better than a dork that lives in their mom's basement playing on a Dork Machine."

"Well, if you meet her, you can see how 'Not a dork' she is," Fluttershy argued meekly. "Then you two can be friends and race each other. Not that I don't want you racing Applejack or anything." 

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow figured that she should at least humor her friend just to prove her point and that she'd be better off learning from her rather than a mare that wears a Bunny suit and plays video games all day. Once she shows that she is better, then she can get back on track on her goal of becoming a Wonderbolt. 

"Fine, when can I meet her?" Rainbow asked dryly with a flick of her tongue. 

"You can meet her right now if you want too, that is," answered immediately, earning a frown and groan combo from the rainbow-maned Pegasus. 

"Well, I have time right now. Where is she so I can get this over with?"

"Get what over with?" spoke a new voice in a seductive, tomcoltish, alto that could melt steel with just her words and her words alone. 

Nearly jumping out her seat, Rainbow turned around to see a short, silver-white Pegasus mare wearing a black and purple bunny suit that hugged her jaw-dropping athletic curves so tightly, that she couldn't help but feel like an invalid just looking at them. The new pony had a wildly-wolfish, two-toned azure mane that came down past her shoulders with fox-like curves as well as bangs combed over her right eye; with red paintbrush splashes throughout it at the tips of her hair. Her tail was brushed and tied to make it look like a rabbit tail, and she wore ear coverings that made her ears also look like they belonged on a rabbit and not a pony. And not to mention her naturally long and seductive eyelashes. Those just made her deep and encapturing azure eyes all the more enticing. 

"Um, hi?" Rainbow Dash greeted without a hint of jealousy in her voice. "Do you need something?'

"Meh, not really. I was just checking up on Fluttershy to see if we were still doing the LAN tournament today. We need our Number One Support for League of Titans. I can't carry the game without her," the mare smiled as she took an empty seat in between the two mares. 

'LAN? Support? League of Titans? What in Tartarus has that to do with a tournament let alone Fluttershy?!' 

"Oh, um, of course, I can make it. I just need to hand in my Thesis on Everfree Timberwolves and their Magical Biology and how their Nature Magic Harmonizes with the School of Restoration on an Archmage Level. It's quite the paper for my supplementary course required for my Veterinary Doctrine," Fluttershy replied, completely throwing Rainbow Dash off and out to sea without a hint nor clue as to what the hay they were talking about. 

"I bet, but The School of Runeterra is more my thing," the new mare said with a proud smile on her face. "Rune Magic is pretty cool, and it's one of the few types of magic that a Pegasus can actually use." 

'What? Pegasi can't do magic?! What is going on here?!' Before Rainbow Dash was completely forgotten at the table, she stepped in a little miffed that the new mare could just waltz right in and steal her friend away after they've been apart for so long. 

"Wait a Celestia damn second," Rainbow interjected with a firm hoof on the table. "Who in Tartarus are you?"

"Me?" the new mare said, pointing to herself with a puffy lower lip. 

"No, the yellow mare also sitting here," Rainbow deadpanned. 

"I'm Winter Ruby Hawkfire Rose, but most just call me Rose," the mare...Rose greeted with a knowing smirk. 

"She's, Hawkfire?!" Rainbow pointed at the mare twiddling her hoofs innocently, not believing what she was looking at. 

Rainbow figured that Hawkfire was some nerd with huge glasses, pimples, and sporting braces, not a sexy mare that looked like a Playpony model! She expected a mare with weak, small wings that haven't seen more than a few hundred hours of flight in a year, but this?! Her large, strong, majestic wings looked like they were put through the ringer every day for hours on end! Just who was this mare?! 

"Um, well yes," Fluttershy blushed with a little nod. "And Rose, this is my foalhood friend, Rainbow Dash. She want's to be a Wonderbolt." 

"Not want, going to be," Rainbow huffed in resignation. 

"Wonderbolt, huh?" Rose smirked like the hot dork knew something she didn't. "Which Flight Division are you a part of? I fly in the Solar Division since Ponyville is part of Canterlots township." 

'Flight Division? What in Tartarus is she talking about?' Rainbow gulped. Her mind was racing for an excuse to show the mare she knew what she was talking about. After all, she promised herself after revealing to a group of mares that she was a virgin a few hours ago to not embarrass herself anymore today. Especially in front of Fluttershy of all ponies! With quick thinking, she came up with one that should trick Rose into thinking that she was in the best Flight Division in Equestria, whatever that means. 

"I'm in Cloudsdale's of course! Best Flight Division in Equestria to race in!" she proclaimed proudly with a nervous flutter of her wings, hoping to stop Rose from questioning further, but she saw through her lie. 

"Cloudsdale doesn't have a Division because the city moves around the country," Rose corrected. "Ponies from there have to either join Las Pegasus Shadow Division or Applewood's Star Division or even if you are lucky, Vanhoover's Shark Division." 

'Crap!' 

"Really? I didn't know that." Fluttershy chimed in, giving Rainbow enough time to make something else up. Looking around the room to distract herself, Rainbow saw a poster on the wall with Hawkfire out of her bunny outfit posting in an aviator jacket with a pair of goggles on her forehead and right eye closed. Her wings were flared out with her tongue poking out her smiling lips. Right under the mare was a line of words that filled her with more dread and confusion about the whole situation she found herself in. 


Second time Lightning Cup Champion. 998-999 C.R.
Close your eyes and follow your heart. It will never fail you.
-Hawkfire.



"So Rainbow, which Division are you really from? Cause I understand if you are embarrassed by it. Some of them have a really bad reputation," Rose inquired curiously. 

Realizing that there was no way out of the hole she dug, and without knowing who Rose really was, Rainbow sighed in defeat, but only for today. 'Next time we talk, I'll know what these Racing Divisions are, and once I do. I'll show you that they don't mean anything when it comes to being the best of the best!' 

"I'm...I'm not in one yet. I was stuck with work back in Cloudsdale at the Weather Factory." 

"I bet," Rose nodded happily before sneering at her smugly. "It's a shame too." 

"Why?" Rainbow frowned. 

"Because the Wonderbolts Racing team Fly in the Phoenix Cup, which I'm two years away from entering, and in order to even be considered joining the Wonderbolts, you need to place in the Lightning Cup."
> Chapter 5. Just an Average Monday
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	As I tied silver silk ribbon near the base of my tail, thoughts of my encounter yesterday came to mind. The little meeting that I interrupted brought some things to light as well. Such things were trivial, like how Rainbow didn't have a clue what the Racing Divisions were. 

One would think that a Wonderbolt Fangirl would know that the Wonderbolts Raced in the Phoenix Cup, but Rainbow? She hasn't even heard of it! She calls herself the best flier of Equestria, but Cloudchaser could race circles around her, and she placed third in the Lightning Cup! Third! Rainbow is supposed to be the best of the best, not an average scrub. She should be racing, performing, and NOT managing Weather for Ponyville and its district! What's worse is that all she knows about the professional flying scene is the Wonderbolt Flight shows. She has never heard of the Shadow Bolts, Blue Ravens, The Falcons, Red Eagles, nor Sky Striders, the Wonderbolts archnemeses! 

If Rainbow wasn't the Element of Loyalty, her and I would've had a talk involving my hoof, her flank, and some whipped cream, followed by some serious testing to see if all Pegasi were masochists. 

Then there is the issue of her knowledge of Spitfire or lack thereof. Most Fangirls or Guys knew that I was her daughter and would try to get to her through me. Which was nice at first, but using them as my minions got old, and I got grounded. Multiple times. Nowadays, I am the one with Fangirls and Guys. Though not many, plus I'm not well known as the Wonderbolts either.

"Hawkfire, the Azure Comet!" is what they call me on the track. "The White Rose," is what they call me on the stage. "Ruby, the Crimson Death," is what they call me in a fight. All three names related to my talents, but there is one more, however. The one thing I find my solace, my comfort, and I'll never do it again. Not for my mother, not for my lover, not even if my life depended on it. 

I. Will. Never. Sing. Or. Play. Music. Again. 

End of story. 

'Though, I wonder what Rainbow is thinking with all the Griffons around?' I wondered, finishing tying my ribbon. Reaching over to my vanity dresser, I grabbed a black, leather collar and put it on with a little "tingle-ting," of the silver bell attached to it like a dog tag. Putting it on, I began the long, meticulous task of preening my wings. 

'I know Cloudsdale has no Griffons living in the city since the locals don't trust them. I hope Rainbow isn't like that. It would be a shame to take her out to dinner where they served meat, but what do I care? Pinkie Pie has probably already forced her to not hate Griffons anyways with a Pinkie Promise, and everyone knows that breaking one of those is a death sentence.' 

"Hmm, maybe. I'll check later after practice," I thought out loud with a final pluck of a pesky Primary that finally decided it wanted to come out after bothering me for a few days. Checking myself out in the mirror on my vanity to make sure I was picture perfect, I grabbed my leather jacket and put it on, even though it was late summer, and walked out of my room to begin the day. 


❄⚔❄


Elsewhere in the town of Ponyville, a rainbow-maned Pegasus was trotting down the gravel streets with the enthusiasm of a snail. Her wings sagged in dejection from the little fight with her best friend, Fluttershy. 

Rainbow couldn't understand what she did wrong. All she asked was to be Fluttershy's Flight Instructor instead of that nobody in the bunny suit. Even when she made a valid argument that Rose was a horrible teacher by pointing out her lifestyle choices and how she couldn't possibly stay fit by consuming Nuka Cola like water and munching Chips like her life depended on it, or how it was impossible for the mare to have learned directly from Spitfire, Fleetfoot, and Soran themselves. The amount of Brainwashing that Rose did to Fluttershy and her other friends was going to end, starting today. 

Though, she will admit that she went too far about stallions when they got involved. How was she supposed to know that Rose was a Lesbipony?! Stallions wouldn't stop gawking at her in the bunny suit when she left! She just doesn't understand any of it, and it frustrates her. 

Dragging her hooves behind her, Rainbow walked passed several stalls without realizing it. The scent of fresh produce, baked goods, and horrifically, meat, roused her from her negative thoughts back to the reality. Looking up from her staring contest with the ground, Rainbow found herself in the center of a farmers market. Sturdy, wooden stalls with homegrown or cooked food sat in the open to entice customers everywhere she looked. Ponies and a few Griffons walked to and fro buying, selling, and trading for the delectable treats and the standard fare with cheer. 

The far side of the market she saw a stall selling apples. Her stomach grumbled like a dragon, ordering her to eat something to stave off the hunger from missing breakfast. Licking her lips, she twitched her wing where her wallet was hidden and felt that she had a few bits to spare. 'I know I shouldn't eat too much before lunch, but an apple or two wouldn't hurt,' she thought. 'I wasn't going to eat much at breakfast anyway. I got to stick to my diet.' With her stomach dictating her next move, Rainbow walked over the apple stall with more skip to her step.

In a few strides, and a bump or two into a few ponies not looking where they were going, Rainbow found herself standing in front of a well-decorated stall. The wood was painted a clean red with golden trimmings, many different types of apples of various colors, shapes and sizes sat in orderly, overlapping trays on either side of a makeshift counter. And there was a sign in the shape of an apple with the words "Sweet Apple Acres," that glowed in the sunlight. Looking at her choices, she reached for the cheapest-looking apples and placed them on the counter. 'Hmm, where is the pony—?'

"Well, howdy stranger!" greeted a blond, Earth Pony mare, with a slightly darker shade of blond mane with a red ribbon tied at the end. She wore a worn stetson hat that matched her built, farmer's body. Three apples adorned her flank where her cutie marks should be, but those were overshadowed by the sculpted muscles of her backside. 

Taking note of the cannons attached to the pony's firm rump, she made sure to never be on the receiving end where those legs have been. She liked her face, and would greatly enjoy not having it reassembled in the hospital. 

"Hey," Rainbow replied with a gulp. "How's it hanging? I'm Rainbow Dash." 

The mare standing behind the stall gave her a knowing smile, the kind of smile that screamed, "I know where you're looking at," but Rainbow didn't notice. Instead, she grabbed her wallet and placed it on the counter. 

"Rainbow Dash, huh? I reckon we've haven't been properly introduced yet," the mare said before sticking her hoof over the counter. "Name's, Applejack." 

'Wait...that's Applejack?!' Rainbow screamed within, her eyes going wide for a moment in the realization that the mare she wanted to meet since she moved to Ponyville was right in front of her. Quickly looking over the mare once more, Rainbow couldn't help but feel like she made a grave mistake on sparring partners. 

The pure, raw, Earth Pony muscles on the mare made her more sleek build look tiny in comparison. If she raced her without wings, she would loose, if she fought her in a sparring ring, she WILL lose. Any contest of strength was out of the question, while endurance was going to be hard fought. The only way she could beat Applejack in anything involving sports is by upping her workout routine ten-fold for a few months first. 

Hesitantly she grabbed her hoof and gave it a firm shake before handing the mare her money for the apples she chose. "Nice to meet you, AJ." 

With a thoughtful expression, Applejack took Rainbows Bits and began packing them in a brown paper bag. She wondered who the rainbow-maned Pegasus was, and why she was hanging around Fluttershy yesterday evening, especially during Rose's shift at the Bounding Bunny Cafe. 

Normally, she wouldn't have minded. Fluttershy has a few friends that were alright in her books, herself included amongst them, but she has never heard of Rainbow Dash being a part of that group. What worries her about Rainbow Dash was Rose. Just by looking at her, Applejack knew that Rainbow was the type to search for competition. This was all fine and dandy in her eyes, but this trait leads to trouble eventually. The kind of trouble that was the Vixen known as Rose. 

Applejack didn't like Rose, not by a long shot. She was a liar, schemer, and downright dangerous. Sure she's helped out a lot around town, helping those who simply asked. The biggest example was her being a flight instructor for the fillies and colts at the school. She has also helped Fluttershy's shyness and confidence in herself over the years as well, along with other ponies that were uncomfortable with who they are, but there was an air floating around her. The kind of air that sent shivers down her spine. 

The air of a Killer, a Thief, an Assassin, a Demon. It was like Chaos Incarnate walked amongst them, and the citizens of Ponyville were none the wiser, but Rainbow? She didn't know what happened that day, and as much as she wanted to tell her, she couldn't. Applejack Pinkie Promised, along with the entire town at the time, to never speak of the day Rose got her Cutie Mark. The least she could do to keep the stranger safe from Rose if she were to continue hanging around Fluttershy, was warn her of the danger she possessed. It's just a matter of how she was going to bring it up. 

"So tell me about 'yerself. I've never seen ya'll before around these parts," Applejack smiled as she placed the filled bag on the counter. 

Taken aback at the sudden friendliness, Rainbow saw this as a chance to learn about her new competition as well as learning what the deal is with Rose and Fluttershy, and about this other mare named Cloudchaser, who apparently placed third in the made up Lightning Cup that all the Pegasi in town were talking about. 

Pointing to herself in a boasting manner on her back hooves, she smirked, "So you want to know about the best flier in Equestria is, huh?" 

"Yeah, yeah, all Pegasi and Griffons say that," Applejack dismissed with a wave of a hoof. "But until ya'll prove it in one of them flyin' Cups. Ya'll are just spouting hot air." 

'Damn it, her too?' Rainbow frowned inwardly. 'Am I the only Pegasus in Equestria that hasn't heard of these Racing Cups?' Placing that thought aside, she rolled her eyes and moved on. 

"Well, I've been spending most of my time with work. I don't have time flying in circles for attention." 

"Wow, ya'll have my respect," Applejack let out a surprised whistle. "As my ma' always said, 'A hard working mare thrives, while an aloft mare only survives.' Anyway. I've heard ya'll the new Weather Manager. I hope ya' ain't like the old one. I don't remember how many times the rain for our farm was behind schedule. We almost lost our harvest multiple times 'cause of that useless idjit."

"Thanks, though sometimes I wish someponies would see me as a mare that works hard and not a lazy pony that sleeps all day," Rainbow chuckled sheepishly with a light rub of the back of her neck before a frown greeted enveloped her face. "Unlike someponies." 

"Someone 'givin 'ya some trouble, Sugarcube?" Applejack inquired. Rainbow gave her a silent nod and sighed. 

"I don't know what Fluttershy's problem is! One moment, the mare is quiet, shy and awesome to hang around, the next she turns into a major...a major bitch!"  

Applejack blinked in surprise at the sudden harsh words directed at the meek, yellow, Pegasus. She knew Fluttershy if pushed the right way, can be as mean as a Dragon, but a Bitch? The closest that filly has gotten to being classified as one was during those Gaming Tournaments. Applejack had to wonder what Rainbow said to make the quiet mare act so aggressively. 

"A female dog, huh? Now what'cha did to bring out tha' Dragon?"

"It was about this pony Fluttershy knows. You've probably heard of her or met her. The white Pegasus Mare with blue and red hair? The pony that claims to be the best flier in Equestria?" 

"Rose?" Applejack said, masking her joy for not having to bring that mare up. Reaching behind the counter, Applejack pulled out her thermos and drank the warm contents sloshing within with an open ear. 

"Yeah, her," Rainbow hissed, remembering the conversation clearly from a few hours prior, but she shouldn't bring it up just yet. She still had to learn what Applejack thought of her, and if what Pinkie Pie said was true during her Welcome To Ponyville party, then Applejack won't lie about her feelings about the Wonderbolt Wannabe. "I've known Fluttershy for most of my life and this mare just waltz right in lying about everything like it's going out of style. Plus she rubs me the wrong way, and I don't want Fluttershy hanging around her anymore." 

"Well. I don't like that mare either," Applejack said sourly, causing Rainbow to perk up with hope for an ally. "That little Harlot lies almost about everything. Her family, her friends, even about herself." 

Rainbow's Hope's and Dream's intensifies. 

"However, despite that and my own biases, I will admit that little Vixen is one of tha' most lovin' and carin' ponies I've ever met. Rose is a Flight Instructor at the school as well as a math tutor. She volunteers wherever she can, even mah' own farm when I don't want her around my lil' sister." 

Rainbow's Hope's and Dream's Dies. 

"But, there are three things you must know about her," Applejack said sternly. 

"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked with confliction. Her mind finding it hard to deal with the information that her new archnemesis was a paragon of light in the town of Ponyville, but that was put to rest with the dark tone in Applejack's voice. 

"Rose is..." Applejack paused to find her words. "...Rose is known for three things; Her flying, her fighting, and her music." 

"Without a doubt, Rose is one of tha' best flyers in all of Equestria. She probably has more Racing Ribbons and Trophies than every sports team in Ponyville over the past ten years. Tha' only pony that I know of that comes close to Rose in wins is Cloudchaser. So if you want to talk about racing, talk to Cloud." 

'Okay, that I will do. If Cloudchaser is as good as Applejack says she is, then maybe there is some tension between her and Rose that I can use to my advantage,' Rainbow thought as Applejack continued. 

"The music she is known for is just plain nasty! I don't know what she did to Octavia and Vinyl, but Rose has her dirty hooves in a lot of their music. What's worse is that I've seen them handing that Fox a flank-load of bits every other month and when I asked them about it. They told me that it's none of mah' business! Like hell it ain't," she grumbled that last part to herself. Taking another sip from her thermos, the coffee within keeping her going for a long day of work, she let out a sigh towards the patiently listening Pegasus, standing in front of the cart. 

Rainbow on the other hoof was rethinking everything she has learned about Rose over the past few hours and where she was standing against her. Now that she knows that Rose was a liar, thief and the very definition of a scoundrel, she almost had enough to take her down and show her that all bad ponies don't have happy endings. 

Soon, Rose won't be able to hide behind all the so-called "good deeds" that she does from the mob, and with the help of all the ponies that she uses for her own personal gain, Rose will be run out of town and far away from hurting her friends anymore, but why would Rose be known for fighting? That mare was tiny!  She couldn't possibly have done anything to send a normal-sized pony to the hospital let alone given them a bruise, right? Rainbow listened to what Applejack had to say on the matter. 

Placing her thermos back in its spot underneath the stand, Applejack put on her serious face and leaned over the counter with a hard gaze, and spoke with urgency. Hoping to stop Rainbow Dash from making the biggest mistake of her life.

"Now listen hear, Sugarcube," Applejack began, earning Rainbow's full, if not concerned attention. 

"I know ya'll are the type to go picking a fight when trouble rears its head, and I know Rose has rubbed ya' the wrong way, but I must warn you."

"Don't. Fight. Rose," Applejack said slow and harsh like making sure each word was loud and clear, but this only made Rainbow frown in confusion once more. 

"Why? You think I can't take her?" 

"It's not like that, Rainbow," Applejack shook her head. "Sure that Fox looks weak and fragile and all talk, but she will rip you apart faster than a pack of Timberwolves during a Blood Moon Hunt." 

"Pfft...Ya' right," Rainbow scoffed. "I bet I could beat her—" 

"Don't say that Rainbow!" Applejack cut her off. "That mare is beyond dangerous when it comes to a fight, and as much as I want to tell ya' why. I can't. If you were here on the day Rose got her cutie mark, then ya'll understand that you don't pick a fight with her."

"—W-Why?" Rainbow gulped, not liking the sudden fear in Applejack's voice. It was like the Lion within her was turned into a kitten about to be eaten by a hungry vulture. If Applejack saw exactly what happened on that specific day, then maybe she should try to avoid learning it by experience, herself. 

"Go ask Silver Crest, the former Captain of Ponyville's guard, why. Ya'll can find her in Canterlot's Rehab center. She's been there learning how to walk, talk, and fly again for the past two years after what Rose did to her." 

> Chapter 6. Burger Queen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The afternoon rays of the late summer sun shone warmly against my exposed fur. Droplets of water from my after practice shower glistened in the light, drawing attention towards my natural glow wherever I go. Aching muscles from a harsh exercise told me that my body was happy and healthy from my weekly routine. 

Every other day before flight practice, I worked on my swordsmanship. On these days, I flew deep into the Everfree to the Castle of the Two Sisters. The reason I flew there to hone my skills with my blades; Wings, Dual Swords, and Tail Sabre, was due to the Law and the population of Ponyville. 

The Law states that any and all Weapons are for the Guard and the Militia only. Any Pony found with weapons Class B and above will be arrested and fined depending on the type of weapon that they were found with. The Ponies of Ponyville, however. Well, let's just say that they aren't comfortable with me being more deadly than I already am. As for the Weapons that I own? They were a few gifts that I've received over the years. The other gifts were five, black, earrings, a guitar, and two, black gauntlets. 

I knew who they were from, even though Mom wouldn't tell me. She gave me a look of worry when they arrived one by one over the years. I remember when my Star Metal Swords arrived in their scabbards. It was raining, and I was forced to stay in the house. Not because I was grounded or anything, but because Mom hates it when I fly in the rain. 

I don't know why she doesn't like it but to me. Flying in the rain just feels amazing. It's like the sky was caressing my curves lovingly. Sometimes it's rough and fast, other times it's gentle and slow with each droplet feeling like a little kiss upon my body. Standing in the rain is simply, soothing. The only other thing that I love to stand in is the snow, but I hate the cold. Then again, I think Spitfire hates the amount of water I bring in from my waterlogged wings. Or maybe it's because my main and tail smooth out like a Pornstar? I can't tell.

On that day, I was playing Last Fantasy 7 on my Gemstation 2 in my room. Spitfire gave my door a light knock before walking into my room with the look of dread and fear plastered on her face. Frightened, I paused my game, thinking that someone we knew died, but when she placed the Swords on my bed. My eyes went wide in shock. 

Two, three-foot long, straight edge katana's in their simple, yet, eloquent black sheaths with a silver Rune marking on each one representing their names, sat on my bed. The Runes were the symbols commonly associated with Lightning and The Wind. Their names were Tempest Luna and Lightning Rosa, in honor of my teacher, Luna, and former lover, Summer. 

I didn't need to look at the metal used for the Swords to know what they were made of. If my memory serves me right, they were constructed from Star Metal; a type of metal found in meteorites that, when forged, looked like the Night Sky in solid form. Though, I should have told Mom that when she decided to see for herself. 

Mom's surprise was an understatement. When I unsheathed the starry metal blade from its scabbard, she fainted. The "thunk" of her limp body colliding with the floor confirmed it. She later told me that Star Metal was worth a fortune. So much so in fact, that one ounce of refined Star Metal ingots was worth thousands of Bits. After she told me that, holding a few pounds of Star Metal mixed in with the scales from the dragon Jormungand, wasn't a good idea to have around the house. With the help of my mother, we stored them in an enchanted chest at the Castle of the Everfree until the day I would need them. 

The only time I use them was during practice along with my gauntlets, earrings, Tail Sabre—A curved, two-sided blade that wraps around the tail—And my wing blades. They never needed to be sharpened, even after cutting through hundreds of my wooden dummies. They have helped me explore the old Castle by acting as a Skeleton Key. A sharp, Skeleton Key that can cut through stone.

'I should never tell anyone that I used a ten-thousand-plus Bit sword to hack my way through iron-reinforced wooden doors.' 

There were a few instances where the beasts of the Everfree tried to make me a snack. Manticores, Timberwolves, Cockatrices, Basilisks, a few Dire Wolves, Sphinxes, Satyrs, Parasprites and a Dragon. After each kill, I would take what I could to either sell, eat, or add to my collection of Trophies. 

If anyone were to visit the old Guard Barracks that I've turned into my clubhouse over the years, they would find fur rugs, mounted skulls, weapons, bones, vials, and more things a professional hunter would have. The skull of the largest Basilisk that I've killed became my bed after I've cleaned it with fur from a few Dire Wolves making the mattress. I even have light armor made from the fangs of the second largest Basilisk I've killed as well as the fur from a white, Alpha Dire Wolf, forged by Rarity, herself. 

'Though, if Mom were to see my collection, I'll be permanently grounded from ever entering the Everfree again.' 

I don't like the look Mom gives me on the days that I practice my swordsmanship. She gives me the same look that she gave me when my gifts arrived. She's afraid that they were for something far more dangerous than a simple bandit raid in the Great Divide. 

To be honest. I was also afraid. I didn't think I would ever see my old gear again, but if the Mother of Creation herself wanted me to have them, then so be it. I may not be as strong as I was back then, I can still do a lot of damage, and if necessary. I can invoke a Blood Rage. I just hope that my deal with her doesn't force such a sacrifice. I've lost my father to sacrifice. I don't want to follow down that path again, but if I have to, I will. Even though it will utterly destroy Mom, I will do what I must to keep her safe. 

After all, that's what a Guard is, isn't it? A Loyal, Generous, Honest, Kind, Virtuous, Noble, and Magical individual that will sacrifice their life to protect the ones they do and don't love. 

I let out a sigh as I came up to the school. The memories of Dad threatened to shatter my cheerful mood. His smile that told me how proud he was of me hurt like a white-hot thorn stabbing my heart. It was his sacrifice, his stupid fucking sacrifice that earned me my cutie mark on that day! He shouldn't have run in like that. He should have just stayed in our cage with Mom while I saved us without bloodshed. It was his smile that threw me over the edge. The smile that made Mom happy. It was the smile that told me how much he loved us. 

How much he loved me. 

I miss him....

Wiping away a stray tear, I recomposed myself before anyone could see me weak and vulnerable. After which I arrived at a one-story red building with a flat, white, gravel roof. The building had plenty of windows where anyone through to see a class in session. Each window had a picture or drawing of some kind made from someone in the class. A concrete pathway leads from the double doors to the main road and parallel to the building, acting as a marker for the school grounds. There was a single sign, painted red with stylized gold trimmings weaving up and down the borders that said in the center, "Ponyville Community School," in big bold letters. 

'Alright, Winny, don't let Cloud see you all mopey during practice,' I told myself as I walked around the building that I've spent most life in learning and goofing around. 'Think about the time we filled every room and hall with plastic balls. Hehe, good times.'  

As I walked around the building, positive memories replaced my more negative ones. During my eight years of school, I can admit that they were the best years of my life. Most wouldn't agree with that statement, probably because I skipped a few grades and ended high school early alongside Fluttershy, Rarity, Vinyl, and two others. Normally, you had to do a minimum of twelve years of schooling, but here in Equestria, you had the option of dropping out once you got your cutie mark. Those that stayed gained the ability to pursue multiple careers whereas those that dropped out were stuck with only one unless they went back. 

Sure we were picked on for being nerds and such, but we got the last laugh. One such laugh was Fluttershy when she moved into town. She was the most bullied pony in school. Of course, when I started hanging around with her, the bullying stopped almost immediately. Though, I did beat up few that dared try and hurt yellow-fluff when I wasn't around because they were assholes picking on the weak and helpless. I made sure that Fluttershy was safe and welcome in Ponyville. It was a shame that Pinkie was one of her bullies, thinking that her suffering was a good way to make others happy. A very naive way of looking at things that made Fluttershy very hesitant of being around her despite being friends. If only we were in the same class that year and I wasn't flying in the Sky Cup, then things could have changed for the better, but it's all in the past. 

'Poor Fluttershy,' I thought as I walked passed a line of grab apple trees meant for the students. The old trees planted by the Apple Family years ago were one of the few places students could eat real food. The lunch lady tried her hardest to make decent food, but like my cooking, it all turned out black. 

Even the water. I have the same problem. 

Past the Apple Trees was a small hill that had the school's bleachers looking over the sports field and track. Beside the bleachers was the school's sports shed where we had all of our equipment stored for when we needed it. And speaking of bleachers, I totally didn't plow Trixie under them. Nope. I didn't. Not with a Baseball bat nor with heavy usage of tongues. We didn't take turns shoving Baseballs into each other's pussies either. 

Oh, who am I kidding? It was fucking hot. 

As I came up to the place where I lost my virginity, I saw a few sets of hooves through the cracks of the seats. Two out of the three pairs that I saw were light purple with the third being cyan. The cyan set could only belong to the newest pony in town, Rainbow Dash while the purple hooves belonged to the twins, Cloudchaser and Flitter. 

'Why is Rainbow Dash here?' I wondered as slowed my steps. 'Shouldn't she be organizing her office at Town Hall?' 

Thinking that if I walked in on whatever they were talking about, that they would stop and change the subject of my curiosity, I decided to hide underneath the bleachers and eavesdropped on them. Slowing my pace a little more, I began to hear their voices talk about something involving a race of some kind. Now much more curious, I crawled underneath the bleachers and got into a good position where I could hear them clearly, and run away if I was caught snooping. Laying down on a soft patch of grass, I began my eavesdropping. 

"So what's the point of tensing your muscles like that before a race?" Rainbow asked, clearly perplexed of what I assumed was Cloudchasers flight practice. "Won't it cause some nasty cramps if you flap your wings the wrong way?" 

"The point of tensing your muscles is to have stronger acceleration during your initial burst," Cloudchaser replied matter-of-factly. "It's like a slingshot or bow; You pull back on the string which in this case, your muscles in your wings and hooves, and shoot down the field like an arrow." 

"Oh, well, I knew that," Rainbow nervously chuckled before changing the subject to save her ass. "So who do you think has the fastest, initial burst thingy in Equestria?" 

'Fleetfoot.' 

"Fleetfoot obviously," Flitter replied.

'Called it.' 

"She has an initial burst of 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, making her the holder of the world record in that category," Cloud added. "Then again, the pony holding second place is Hawkfire at 4.7 seconds while I'm at 5.3, but where I lack initial burst, I make up for in base acceleration," she finished with a proud smile. 

'Huh, 5.3? You're getting faster Cloud. If you spent more time training and less time partying, you could get to 4.8 in a year. You do have the wings for it,' I noted with a smile. 

"Hawkfire," Rainbow practically hissed, earning a raised brown from myself. Quickly, I adjusted my position to be able to see better through the cracks and saw the disdain for my being in Rainbows features while Cloud had her professional "I'm putting up with your shit because I don't want to look bad," face. Flitter, on the other hoof, wasn't paying attention all that much. She was laying down on the lowest bench with a pencil in her wingtips and an open binder in front of her. A large math textbook laid open on the higher level bench beside her with a calculator resting on the open page. 

'Really, Flitter? Did you seriously end up in Summer School again?' I groaned quietly. 'The Captains at the Academy won't want to see that when you apply for Officer Training.' 

"Don't like her?" Cloud inquired indifferently, but her body said otherwise. If Rainbow said the wrong thing about me, she was going to get a black eye. Since being Cloud's best friend, with Fluttershy as my second best friend, she was very protective of me and has been for years now. We raced together in the Divisions, always taking the two spots for the Cups. We always gamed out in E-Sports tournaments or at home. We party, dance, and kick ass together, and whenever we needed a shoulder to lean on, we were always there for each other. She's an amazing friend. I'm glad I stuffed her bullies in the lockers all those years ago, even though they were only picking on her for her braces. Detention was worth it in the end....The spanking from Mom as well. 

I have problems. 

"From what I've heard about her, 'ya, I don't like her," Rainbow practically growled. Cloud's eyes narrowed in response. 

"And who told you what now?"

"Well, first off, she is a liar, thief, cruel, and overall nasty," Rainbow said, counting her feathers like fingers. "She is a horrible influence on ponies like Fluttershy, and the fillies that she shouldn't teach." 

'You talked to Applejack, didn't you?' I sighed internally. Knowing that mare, she probably told Rainbow a crap-ton of other things about me that aren't true. Like seriously, she talks shit about everyone that eats meat, plus, I think her bar has fed her lies about everyone around town. I know she is the Element of Honest and all, but she is horrible at separating fact from fiction. 

"And she is dangerous!" 

"You talked to Applejack, didn't you?" Cloud face-hoofed. Realizing that Rainbow was just spouting the same air that the apple farmer says on a daily basis, Cloud relaxed her stance to something less intimidating.

'That's what I said!' 

"Yeah? What has that got to do with anything?" Rainbow asked slightly confused with a question. 

"For starters, Applejack runs a bar and all she hears when she works there when not at her farm is rumors and gossip. It also doesn't help that Applejack hates Rose with a vengeance, and all because of an incident two years ago with Captain Silver Crest," Cloud explained with a groan. "She is almost as bad as Rarity when it comes to gossip. That Gold Digger, both literally and figuratively, can convince anyone that someone is up to no good." 

"You mean the incident where Silver was beaten so badly by Rose that she might never fly again?" Rainbow seethed. 

"Did Applejack forget to mention that Captain Silver tried to have the entire town's Griffon population arrested because they all ate meat and tried to kill a few of them because they were "murderers" waiting for the chance to eat ponies?" Cloud hissed back. "Frankly, Silver shouldn't be alive after her shit, but she got lucky when Applejack managed to hold down Rose long enough for the town guard to save her ass." 

"She didn't say that," Rainbow gulped with a fearful twitch of her wings. "B-But wouldn't anypony have helped the Captain besides Applejack?" 

"Doubt it. Most of the town wanted her dead anyways. Some ponies even planned on faking a foal-napping to get the Everfree to kill her," Flitter added on a sour note. "But you haven't heard that from me." 

'Thank you, Cloud, for not mentioning my father to Rainbow and what Silver said about him that set me off,' I thanked silently while looking at the more annoyed Cloudchaser from my hiding place. 

Turning my attention back to Rainbow as she argued about how what I did was wrong, and that I should be rotting in a cell, I could see that she was becoming noticeably uncomfortable around the twins. Her wings twitched every now and again. Her ears struggled to stay straight and non-submissive. She pawed at the ground, and her eyes looked everywhere but the two ponies in front of her. As they continued to argue about the fight for Silver for a few more minutes, I noticed a few more things about Rainbow that was different from both the Show and the Rainbow that I knew from my second life. 

The first thing was that this world's Rainbow was extremely overprotective of her friends. So much so that she began to sound like a bigoted, racist, cunt-waffle, and not the good kind either. She would rant and rave nonsensically about how she was "better" about everything and that she "knew" more about certain things than others. Honestly, all I heard during her rambling about how she was better than me in every aspect of the word, was a major insecurity in herself. 

It was sad really, the Element of Loyalty needs validation in everything that she does. No wonder she clings to Fluttershy so much. Fluttershy's helpless nature and low-self esteem became her crutch and now that Fluttershy is somewhat confident in herself. Rainbow lost that crutch and can't stand the thought that there was someone better than her. 

'Hmm, I bet Rainbow is the type of pony that absolutely loves Slave Play,' I thought as the yelling calmed down and they began to talk about normal things again. 'Maybe if I cheer her up and boost her self-esteem a notch, maybe we could be fuck buddies? Hmm.' 

"I'm telling you I can totally beat Rose in a race!" Rainbow declared, freeing me from my dirty thoughts of dragging her around town on a leash in a cute pair of socks. 

"Girl, she beat Flash Sentry in the Lightning Cup twice. Twice! What makes you think you can beat the Azure Comet herself in a race?" Cloud challenged, signaling me that it was time to come out of hiding and enact my master plan of getting off of Rainbow's shit-list. Carefully and quietly, I crawled out from underneath the bleachers and waited for my cue to join in. 

"Oh, please," Rainbow scoffed. "That Stallion was nothing but a Mare-Magnet with wings. I can totally beat him and her blindfolded!" Taking that as my cue, I walked around from the left side of the bleachers right behind Rainbow with a knowing smile. 

"Beat who blindfolded?" I pretended to ask like I didn't know what she was talking about. 

"Uh," Rainbow blustered out, her body frozen like a deer in headlights. Slowly, she turned around, a nervous smile masking her fear on her face. Tilting my head in fake curiosity, I turned my attention to the now surprised Cloud who looked thankful for my sudden appearance. Flitter on the other hoof, just waved and said "Yo." Taking this as her chance to get rid of Rainbow so that she could go back to practice, Cloud answered for her. 

"Rainbow here said that she can beat you in a race blindfolded. Isn't that right?" 

"Um, yeah, that's right," Rainbow choked out with an epic voice crack. 

"Is that so?" I purred seductively with a predatory grin as I circled the fidgety mare with hunger in my eyes. "Then how about we race around the track? Loser has to buy the Winner lunch." Rainbow, who was growing more and more uncomfortable with the looks I was giving her, straightened her posture as much as she could without looking like she was trying to compensate for something. Cloud, who was watching the spectacle with an odd look, joined in on the fun. 

"Well, Rainbow, you wanted to race Rose so now's your chance," Cloud encouraged. "I'll be the ref. You two get to the line." 

"You heard her, Rainbow," I smirked before taking off my jacket and ribbon and placed them beside Flitter's stuff. While Rainbow was watching in stunned silence, I flexed my entire wingspan outwards, showing her how large my wings were. Twice the size in fact compared to Rainbows, but I'm an Imperial and she is a Pegasus, so that's a given. "Don't chicken out," I winked, and with a hard flap, I was at the far end of the track in mere moments. 

"Hey!" Rainbow shouted from afar. I rolled my eyes as she and Cloud joined me on the soft, orange asphalt track, freshly painted for school when it starts back up in a month. "I didn't know we were starting now!" 

"Well we are, Skittles," I teased, earning a light blush from the cyan mare. "Now, shall I explain how to do a tri-circuit or do you need help?"

"I know what a tri-circuit is!" Rainbow huffed as she got into position behind the runner's line. I chuckled again as I did so as well. 

"What's so funny?!" she barked as Cloud got a stopwatch ready. I rolled my eyes, remembering the many races I've had on the one-thousand-meter track back when I was still in school. Most of them started out the same way Rainbow and I were about to go at it. A hot-shot who learned that I was the daughter of Spitfire and thought that they were the better flier. All of them I won without challenge, and all of them boring, but this time things should be interesting. 

"Nothing, Skittles," I replied with a wink. "Now, are we ready, Cloud?" 

"Yeah, everything is ready. Just make sure to destroy this chick quickly. I'm hungry," Cloud said with a grumbling stomach. I gave her a nod and crouched low to the ground, digging my hooves into the soft asphalt. Tensing my wings for my initial burst, I saw that Rainbow was doing the same thing I was, albeit extremely amateurish. 

"Can do." 

"Alright, three laps, no dirty tricks, no leaving the asphalt and stay in your lane. Now!" she began.

"Ready!" I arched my wings at the optimum angle for the maximum lift at takeoff. 

"Set!" Rainbow gulped with beads of sweat dripping down her brow. 

"Go!"





"I don't understand," Cloud frowned, clearly perplexed of the events that happened a few hours ago. She was sitting in front of me with a box of fries and a large soda. "Why did you throw the race? I thought you were going to stomp her down a few pegs?"

We were at Burger Queen, eating the greatest food in the world. Ponies and Griffons from out of town gave us a strange look, wondering why two athletes were eating pure grease and Cola. The ponies also had the look of shock at the sight of my hamburger, which to be honest, looked like cardboard in between culinary excellence, and had the aftertaste of cardboard as well, but it was still good. 

"Look at it from my perspective," I began with a sip of Nuka-Cola and a few fries that I stole from her box. She glared at me and moved her fries further away with a cute hiss. "A new mare in town, who only knows one pony which was her only friend for most of her life, wanted to make a name for herself. When she finds her only friend and learns how much she has changed due to another mare, the new pony then tries to figure out what happened."

"Okay? I still don't get it," Cloud said slapping my hoof away from her fries. 

"After snooping around for awhile, she becomes more and more insecure about her standing with her only friend and, somehow, finds a pony that fed her insecurity and lowered her self-esteem."

"I'm starting to get it and—Get your own food!" she cried as I took more of her fries. 

"Nao! My fries!" I giggled before washing down my food with more Cola. She wasn't laughing. 

"Anyway," I continued. "The mare in question is Rainbow, and her only friend is Fluttershy while I'm the new mare. Since it's obvious that Rainbow is the competitive type, she tries to find me and beat me to prove her worth to Fluttershy, but there is one thing that I learned about her that changed the outcome of that race." 

"Her insecurity?" 

"Yeah," I nodded. "I'm guessing that Rainbow was bullied a lot growing up and you know how meek and shy Fluttershy is as well as easily impressed."

"So that braggart used Fluttershy as an echo chamber while Fluttershy used Rainbow as a confidence boost, and together they fed into each others problems, preventing them from healing their festering wounds?" 

"Yep," I nodded again. 

"So you threw the race to lift her spirits up and make sure she doesn't become a problem to everyone around her, but won't it be all for naught when you do beat her? Or when she learns that you threw the race?" 

"I have a plan," I smile in victory for my success of stealing more fries. Cloud wept at the sight of her now empty fry-box. With a sigh, she tossed the box in the garbage beside our table. 

"And that plan is?" she asked. 

"Get her into the Lightning Cup, make friends, and if necessary, become her marefriend."

"That's..." she looked at me with a saddened look in her eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing..." she sighed once more. 



> Chapter 7. Plans within plans
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Day passed on by without incident. I did my routine, hanged out with friends and kept tabs on Rainbow, making sure that the new mare in town had high spirits. There were a few issues with Applejack, most of them involved a few other new blood's in town. The apple farmer didn't like these new ponies, calling them names that she uses for me. What was strange about the whole situation was the fact that a few of them, from what Big Mac had told me, asked if she was alright in a weird way. 

Like they knew who she was and what who she was going to be. I decided to keep an eye on them. 

Rainbow, after our race, had a noticeable skip to her step. Ponies thanked me for cheering her up in the way that I did, Pinkie most notably. Of course, they all kept quiet about it. If Rainbow learned that I threw the race for her, then I would be back at square one, however. I can't figure out how she managed to miss Spitfire when she officially started her job. She flew all over town and never saw Mom shopping or practicing her stunts. 

I don't know if she was blind, or just that oblivious. In any case, that was going to end today. Though, I'm not sure how Mom will react to having a new pony walk around our house. It was bad enough when I invited Vinyl and Tavi to show them my instruments, even though I don't play anymore. 

Tavi...She cried when I let her hold my La Valliere Cadence. The custom Violin was a gift from everyone in the Wonderbolts. The wood of the Violin came from an Elder Harmonica Tree—A giant, magical tree found in the province of the Deerlings—And used to make the greatest instruments in the world. Nothing can compete with a La Valliere and their quality. The only other brand comes close is Grand Symphony, but they can only afford wood from an Ender Hearth tree, another type of magical tree used for instruments, but not the best. 

I only played one song on that black violin with red trimmings. That song was a lullaby for my father as his ashes danced with the sky one last time. I earned a different name that day besides Crimson Death, though no one calls me it out of respect. It's for the best I suppose. The name does make me sound very emo. 

While Tavi cried over my insanely expensive Violin, Vinyl was gushing over my baby. Her name is Viper, and she is my little girl. 

Sporting six custom LED fans that work in tandem with my water cooling system for maximum coldness. With two-hundred-fifty-six gigabytes of DDR7 ram, two 12k graphics gem cards, a god-tier motherboard with USB5 compatibility, a 24GHz hex-core processor,  and let's not forget my One Petabyte Solid state Gem Drive for overkill data storage. Viper could do it all, from running full VR to the ultimate gaming experience, or if I got bored and decided to animate in full 3D, she could do it all in her sexy, futuristic, rainbow LED chassis.

'I fucking love this version of Equestria and Crystal Engineering.' 

I could go on and on about how Dream Magic makes it possible for VR,  but I would need to explain Runeterras Seventh Law to do so, and it's a headache. So in layman's terms, there is a bunch of Magical formulas that create an artificial dreamscape that is programmable, and of course, there are fail-safe's, laws, and rules that prevent ponies from trapping or killing other ponies in this artificial space. Also, the Spidernet, which is half-magical half-electrical, is there for multiplayer as well, but most ponies just use VR for porn and RPGS...Mostly porn, and sometimes sex with other ponies around Equestria. Which when you think about it, back on Earth, that would have happened eventually. 

And I'm not a Max Level Demon Succubus on an adult MMO RPG called True Apocalypse—A VR game where the goal is to chose a side, good or evil, Demon or Alicorn, and conquer the world through either war, sabotage, or sex. I also do not rule over the Succubi guild that controls twenty-five percent of Tartarus and ten percent of the Overworld. Nope! 

'Thank Faust Mom hasn't caught me playing that game yet. I don't think she could handle the fact that I have literally fucked my way to the top of the leaderboards.'

I still think I have problems. 

When Mom met Tavi and Vinyl after their little episodes over my stuff, things went well and by well I mean horribly. Tavi tripped and kissed the wall, causing every picture on it to fall on and around her, sending glass everywhere. Vinyl, on the other hoof, she cried when Mom got mad that she wouldn't talk. Mom got the beating she deserved from Grandpa Hawk Fury later that day, with a wooden spoon. 

She couldn't sit without a tube for a few weeks. 

After all that embarrassment, we all agreed that any new Pony that I brought home would meet Mom out of the house. Oh! And Vinyl, with her adorable, soft, and timid voice, said she forgave Mom for the yelling. Fluttershy sounds cute, but Vinyl's voice can explode hearts twice by saying one word. I have seen it happen. 

'Poor Old Hard Balls, may he forever rest in peace and give Gaia his patented hard balls.'

Mom is okay with my bringing home of new ponies, just as long as they aren't Wonderbolt Wannabes looking for a boost in their career, however. We do get the odd one every now and again, but when we do, they get the "Test." 

Mom created the "Test" for those that were our standard annoyance. The unfortunate pony had to bring back three items to show that they were "Wonderbolt Worthy," and they are; the antlers from a Jackalope, a natural black rose from Romania and weapon from one of the lost Forts of Nightmare Moon. One Pony managed to bring back two out of the three items requested. They got the Jackalope and Weapon from the Everfree, which wasn't surprising, to be honest, but they couldn't get the Rose because it was impossible. 

Long story short, the Natural Black Rose is the national symbol of Romania. It is illegal to remove it from the country's soil with the punishment being the Death Sentence. The reason for that is because the Rose is so poisonous, that a single petal can kill a hundred-thousand ponies. Taking out of Romania is akin to an act of war due to the Treaty of Alpha Noctis after the Nightmare Moon rebellion. We gave that Pony an A for effort and some ice cream, but without that rose, he was sent home. 

At the end of the day, Rainbow was going to meet my Mom, and if she freaks out about it, then there is always the option of joining one of the other Flight Show Teams. I could only hope that she doesn't take the "Test." We kinda' need her alive to defeat Nightmare Moon and company down the line. 


❄⚔❄


A lone Pegasus flew through the air, humming a little tune as she surveyed the town below. Her hooves danced on a small map spread out on a clipboard, marking areas of interest to watch out for when tonight's storm hits Ponyville. With each mark made, her worry grew a little more. As manager of Ponyville's weather, Rainbow has many responsibilities. Most of them are small and trivial while others are headaches. Each mark on the map was one of those headaches. 

"Argh, why isn't all homes up to standard in Ponyville?" Rainbow groaned in annoyance. "Like seriously! Half the houses need a serious upgrade just to survive a Type 4 storm! Cloudsdale was so easy to manage when I was only a Junior Manager." 

Part of her duty as Weather Manager is to also direct construction and safety crews to her marks for repairs, upgrades, or clean-up before and after a storm. The reason she does this is to keep the Insurance Company and all of the potential Lawsuits at bay. She doesn't know why the Weather Company at Cloudsdale is responsible for any and all damage when they create a storm. She found it fucked up that anypony could just get a Lawyer and take what they want if something is damaged, however. She can make sure that those types of problems don't pop up. 

Did she pass out during class regarding that bullshit? Probably. Rainbow clearly remembers having a nap or two when School got too boring, and the detentions that followed soon after. In any case, she was finished with her survey and now was hungry for a salad. A dry, bland, tasteless salad without dressing of any kind. 

She hates her diet sometimes. 

Capping her marker with a sigh, she put away her survey materials in her saddle bags for later. Rainbow didn't want to miss her meal for something as boring as paperwork.  Sometimes she had to sacrifice lunch to make her required deadlines, and on those days she went hungry for a few hours, but today wasn't going to be one of those days. 

Rainbow glided down from above the rooftops of Ponyville, landing in the middle of a busy street with ponies and griffons walking from shop to shop with bags in tow. A few ponies gave her a happy nod or a welcoming "hello," as she trotted along to a fast-food restaurant she found a few days ago. It wasn't her ideal place for a meal, but the quick salad was cheap, and she didn't have to waste time and make it herself. 

Walking passed a few ponies that she hasn't see in town before, she didn't notice the strange looks that they were giving her. They were kind of looks that a Pony would give another when they were confused as to what they were looking at, however, the Pony that she did notice was the last thing she wanted to see, and that Pony saw her. 

Walking up to Rainbow in a gorgeous black leather jacket with a high collar, was Rose. The last time Rainbow saw her was after she beat the hot mare in a race a few days ago. Back then, she wore the same jacket, dog collar, and her mane was brushed over her crimson, right eye, in a very seductive way. She wore the same, strange, five, black earrings on her left ear on the right side, and she walked with the same playful skip in her step. Rose's left azure eye that wasn't obscured by her wolfishly wild mane, locked on Rainbow like she was her prey. Rainbow gulped when the Pegasus mare smiled at her. Her noticeable canines shined a perfect white, showing Rainbow that the Imperial was hungry for her. 

Rainbow froze in the center of the street. Her wings fluttered at the sight of Rose licking her lips. Slowly, she mare closed the gap, prowling for her prey. Her hips swayed back and forth. Her eyes narrowed with a flutter of her long, silky lashes. Rainbow tried to move, but the intense gaze that the Vixen was giving her shackled her down. 

She wanted to avoid Rose for as long as possible until she could confront her on her own terms. The other lies that hung around the Imperial stung her in a bad way, especially when Fluttershy wouldn't drop most of them. Once Rainbow was ready she was going to hunter Rose down and make her pay for the crimes that she got away with, but she wasn't ready. She didn't have the information. She didn't have the pony-power. She didn't have the means to protect herself from whatever danger Rose possessed. 

Today, Rainbow was the prey, and Rose was the hunter. 

At least Rainbow knew that she was the better flier. 

"Hey, Rain," purred the fox with a wink as she stopped in front of Rainbow, preventing the cyan mare from escaping Rose's thorny grasp. "I see that my charm still works." 

"W-What charm?" Rainbow asked, looking for a way out of the situation that she found herself in, but there were too many ponies walking and flying around to bolt for safety. 

"Oh, you know? I just have that predatory aura that seems to freeze virgin mares when I'm on the prowl," she replied with a smirk. "Anyway, want to join me for lunch? You ran off after our race a few days ago, and I did promise to buy you some grub."  

"I-I'm not a virgin!" Rainbow garbled out. Rose raised a brow in response. Realizing what she just blurted out, again, Rainbow decided that lunch was currently her only option of getting away from Rose until she was ready. "And I remember about that promise. I just had places to be that day." 

"Well, you just moved into town that day, so it's not surprising that you had places to be, Rain," Rose shrugged. "In any case, want some Burger Queen? Or do you prefer something less greasy?" 

"Something less greasy," Rainbow replied in disgust. "I'm on a diet."

"Alrighty then. let's go to a place that can make something fresh and without millions of preservatives," Rose sighed in disappointment for a moment, but just a moment. Rainbow didn't like where this was going as Rose perked up with an over-enthusiastic smile. She spun on her hooves, pointing down a street with a little less traffic and said, "Let's get lunch at my place! I know Mom would love to meet the mare that beat her daughter in a race! Plus free food is the best food!" 

Rainbow didn't like this idea. 





Rainbow Dash couldn't believe her eyes. No matter how hard she tried, the sight before her was beyond her basic comprehension. Standing in front of a two-story house outside of town, situated next to the river that flows from Canterlot Mountain and next to Ponyville, was Rose's house. The property sat on a sizeable stretch of land on in the forest on the far side of the easternmost point north of the town. Flying with Rose, there were several other beach-side houses in this small forest, connected by a road to Ponyville. The other houses weren't as big as the one that she stands in front of now, but she didn't need to compare them to know that Rose had money. 

Money that Rainbow couldn't hope to earn with her current lifestyle. 

'T-This is Rose's place?' Rainbow thought nervously. 'How much money does her family make?!' 

Rainbow followed Rose to the front door of her home cautiously. She was self-conscious about her wealth even though she lived in a twelve-compartment Cloud Manor. Her home was paid for by her father, who was the current C.E.O of the Rainbow Factory, while she didn't even have enough money in her own pocket to pay the rent for one!

Rainbow knew that her home was going to be the only thing that her family buys for her once she left the nest. It wasn't because they were afraid that she wouldn't be able to find a job to pay for a place of her own. Rent was cheap in most places around Equestria unless you were looking in one of the major cities. Plus her new job as Weather Manager made more than enough to pay for even the highest rate of rent in the country. However, when she looked at the size of the house that Rose lives in, and where it is located, her Cloud Manor, if placed side by side, looked small. 

Rose had a giant front yard with perfectly trimmed grass, a walkway carved from the stone of the nearby mountain. Her entire property was surrounded by a decorative stone wall, with a stylish metal gate. When flying overhead, she saw that the backyard had a dock, pool, hot tub, garden, a few apple trees, a boat, and a huge gazebo with a fire pit in the center. 

She has a boat! A BOAT! 

Her house was brand new as well, it wasn't made in the old Canterlotian Style like the thatched houses in Ponyville that are a few decades old. No, her house was shingled, it was efficient, and it looked expensive. 

"So, this is your place, huh?" Rainbow chuckled nervously. 

"Yeah," Rose sheepishly replied as she unlocked the door. "But you should have seen our first home. It was a three-bedroom bungalow in the ass-end of town." 

"No way," Rainbow shook her head in disbelief as the door opened. 

"Way," a new pony added, causing Rainbow to jump. "It was our home for the longest time, but now?" the new pony paused, giving the bug-eyed Rainbow Dash a gentle smile. "This is home."

"S-S-S-S-Spitfire?!" Rainbow gasped. "What are you doing here?!" 

"I live here?" Spitfire said with a tilt of her head. "And so does my daughter, which I might add, who is this?" 

"Oh, this is Rainbow Dash, our new and young Weather Manager. We are here for some free food," Rose replied happily. 

"Of course you are," Spitfire rolled her eyes before locking on to the malfunctioning cyan Pegasus. "Is she going to be okay?" 

"Thunk!" 

"In about an hour," Rose giggled with a light poke on the unconscious mare. "Or two." 
> Chapter 8. How to Train a Pegasus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Rainbow had the stare. The kind of stare that has seen things that couldn't fathom what she witnessed. The kind of stare that has learned what it means to lose oneself in the vast expanse of eternal nothingness. She had the thousand-yard stare. 

It was sorta' funny, looking at the blank face of the rather cute Pegasus while she shakily nursed a cup of tea. Her hooves shook like she hasn't snorted the white powder in a while and was suffering from withdrawal. It was also a little sad. 

The poor mare had her worldview destroyed in mere seconds, she fainted in front of her hero, and to top it all off, she was in my house. It didn't help that she was staring at a picture of me as a filly wearing a few sizes too big Wonderbolt Suit, with a pair of aviator goggles covering half of my smiling face. In the picture, I was being cuddled by Spitfire and Aunt Fleetfoot in front of the Wonderbolts Academy. I was five years old in that picture, it was also my Moms favorite in the house, well, the second favorite. The first favorite was a group picture with me, Dad, and Mom. Rainbow will see it when I take her to my room. It hangs on the wall between my room and Moms in between all of the other family pictures that we've taken over the years. 

Speaking of my room, I sneaked out of the guest room while Rainbow was distracted and went there. I had some paperwork for Rainbow on my desk. I meant to give it to her earlier, but she fainted. 

Quietly, I opened the door to my room, the golden handle turned without a sound, revealing my holy sanctuary. My room was the second largest in the house. The largest being the master bedroom. My messy queen-sized bed sat in the far corner with a million pillows laying haphazardly on top of it. There was a little end table beside the bed that separated it from my control center. My control center was a giant, black desk with several Gem Monitors on top. There was a few odd cups that I should have set downstairs last night for cleaning, but I was too lazy. 

My VR headset sat in its usual place on top of my electric blue glowing keyboard, that, for some reason, works without fingers. How do hooves work? That is life's greatest question. Next to my keyboard was a small, deformed ball that looked like it was cut in half with a rusty spoon. That was my mouse, and it was strangely comfortable in my hooves. Sitting next to my desk against the wall with two venting grates was my computer. It was easily as big as me if I didn't have a head and I stood next to it. The machine was recently completed thanks to my winnings from the Lightning Cup last season. My old computer sat forever alone in my walk-in closet. 

Resting against the opposite wall to my bed, and in between my closet door and control center, was my dresser. It wasn't large since most of my clothes were in my closet for when I had to go to formal events that Mom would drag me to from time to time. The only things that I keep in the dresser were my sex toys, lingerie, and jewelry. Sitting on top of my dresser was a sizeable vanity mirror. 

Oh! I almost forgot. All my porn, video and VR games found their home in a pull-out drawer underneath my bed, as well as all of my other gaming consoles when I feel like the PC master race needs some time off. 

'But where did I leave...Ah! There it is!' 

I trotted over to my desk with a smile. The forms to apply for the Lightning Cup and the Divisions were waiting where I left them. I needed them for my master plan on grooming Rainbow to be one of the best fliers in Equestria, however, as I grabbed them. I quickly realized that getting Rainbow into racing shape was going to be difficult. 

Her wingspan was that of a Pegasus, so any race involving endurance like Sprints, Marathons, and Mega Circuits were going to be her weakest areas while maneuverability races like; Relays, Obstacle, and Rings were going to be her best, but from what I saw on the schedule for Divisions. Most of the races were going to be endurance-based with all the qualifiers being a Sprint or Marathon. So we were going to have to work on that. 

Then there was Drifting, my worst venue to fly in. Even though I had a huge wingspan in comparison to my body, I sucked at gliding. Drifting was all about gliding as fast as possible through a constructed route without flapping your wings once. If you do flap, you automatically loose, and there was plenty of Drift on the schedule as well. 

'If only Razor would talk to me then I could get him to help Rainbow in that area,' I thought with a sigh. 

Shaking the doubt in my mind away, for the time being, I knew that I need to get a feel of Rainbows habits before we begin training, which meant a nice, long, intimate time nibbling her wings since preening was the best way to learn about someone else's lifestyle. I just hope that Rainbow was comfortable of the idea since preening is the most passionate way an Avian couple shows love to each other. 

'Well, unless Rainbow gets her dating advice from Princess Cadence and her bullshit dating website on the Spidernet. Then preening was dirty and should keep to yourself. Fucking retarded pink whore.' In any case, with the papers in hoof, I walked back to the guest room to begin my master plan. 


❄⚔❄


Rainbow didn't know how long she stared at the picture. A few seconds? A few minutes? Hours? She wasn't sure. One moment she was walking through the front door of Rose's house, the next she was in the presence of her hero, Spitfire, before waking up on a strange couch confused how she got there. Of course, Rose had to tell her that she fainted in front of the coolest mare in all of Equestria, ruining her chances of becoming a Wonderbolt before she even tried. 

What bothered Rainbow, even more, was the fact that Spitfire was Rose's mother. Applejack said that Rose lied about her family, that she lied constantly about who she was and what she was capable of. Rose was supposed to be an ugly, vicious mare that kicked babies and stab kittens, not a sexy fox with good grades and had an amazing family! 

Rose was supposed to be her villain that she had to fight to win back the affection of her best friend, Fluttershy! What's worse was that her "villain" wants to help her, to be her friend, and to be there for her. It was just wrong! 

Now, Rainbow was in Spitfires house with a hot mare that was eyeing her up like a piece of meat and wanted to devour her whole. 'I'm not a filly-fooler! Those jerks in school were wrong! So stop thinking of Rose and her soft lips...enchanting eyes...Argh! Stop it brain!' 

"You alright, Skittles?" Rose asked with an adorable tilt to her head. "I know when ponies meet my Mom for the first time that they sorta' break, but not as long as you have. Would you like some more tea? Water?"

The sudden noise brought Rainbow back to reality from her muddled thoughts of grandeur and away from her less desirable ones about the mare speaking to her. She had to blink a few times as staring at one spot for eternity wasn't good for your vision, and replied. "I'm good, thanks, and my names its Skittles. It's Rainbow Dash!" 

"I'll call you whatever name suits you," Rose said with a smirk. "Besides, Skittles is one of my favorite candies." Rainbow didn't know if she should blush for being called one of Rose's favorite treats, or to groan in annoyance of the never ending flirting. She chose to groan. 

"Please don't." 

"Well, since you said 'please,' Rain," Rose smiled deviously. Rainbow shuddered. 

"I'm...Never mind," Rainbow sighed in defeat. She remembered a conversation a couple days again about how Rose liked to tease ponies as a way of showing affection from a mare named Rarity. She quickly realized that the cutesy names were never going end and that she should give up before the names got too mushy and ridiculous. 

"That's the spirit!" Rose cheered before reaching underneath the coffee table. Rainbow wasn't cheering, but she watched Rose pull out and place a few sheets of paper on the table with mute curiosity. "Now that Mom is out of the house or left a few hours ago. We can begin your registration!" 

'Registration?' Rainbow thought slightly confused. 'For what?' 

Looking on the coffee table in the center of the room, there was a small stack of paperwork waiting for her to read and sign. What purpose did the paperwork serve? She didn't want to find out, however. The mare sitting on the Lazycolt armchair next to the leather couch that she was sitting on waited patiently for her to pick the papers up and read them. Looking passed Rose, she could see that the room she woke up in was the least decorated room in the house. 

There was the armchair that Rose was sitting on, and the couch that she was sitting on. There was a matching loveseat opposite to where the armchair was with a basic coffee table in the center. There was a large, flatscreen, Gem T.V resting on a black stand with a Mana-Ray DVD player tucked in one of the cupboards, and that's it. Rainbow thought that there would be more in the main room of the house, especially the main room of the Captain of the Wonderbolts, but she was clearly mistaken. 

She figured that there would be trophies, medals, ribbons, more family pictures of Spitfire and Rose displayed on all the empty walls of the living room. The only decoration she saw was a beige curtain that blocked the large window that she saw walking up to the house. Even though there was little to see aside from the boring paperwork that sat in front of her. She knew that the room was intentionally left empty to keep crazy ponies from breaking in to steal their stuff. That's what she would do or will do once she becomes a Wonderbolt. They're some ponies in the world that are crazy enough to steal from a celebrity to get famous. Thank Faust she wasn't that crazy. 

At most, she would take a few pictures, and that was it. Okay, she might take a few pictures of Spitfire in the shower to sell on the Spidernet, but nothing else! 

Her perverted plans of voyeurism aside, Rainbow eyed the papers waiting for her approval with a worried glance. She didn't like the thought that Rose was trying to kick her down even more from her embarrassing display in front of Spitfire earlier, but the look of excitement on the Vixen said otherwise. Hesitantly, Rainbow grabbed the first page and read the first few lines. 

Lightning Cup; Divisions Registration/Application form.

'Oh,' Rainbow gulped. 

"Yep, that's right. I got an extra copy lying around because this will be my last year racing," Rose beamed with a cute flutter of her wings. "Mom printed four copies thinking that I would participate in all four years, but I'll be joining the Guard at the end of this season. So I figured that since you are such an amazing flier because you beat me in a race. I think that you would dominate all of the other racers in Equestria! Plus, I still have to do my registration, so I also figured that maybe I could help you write yours out?" 

Rainbow didn't know what to think, her train of thought shot out the station and exploded in a ball of fire. Just looking at the paperwork for the Racing League that she never heard about in her hooves forced an entire bag of rocks down her throat. She didn't know what to say or how to respond! Just looking at the first page; Age restrictions, Mandatory Medical Exams, Minimum Calorie Intake of at least five thousand a day. A Day! She wasn't supposed to each that much according to her diet! Let alone every day during the season! 

She wanted to put the form down, to walk out the house and never see Rose again, but she couldn't. This was an obvious challenge from Rose, to truly prove herself as the best flier in Equestria. She knew that something was off about that race with Rose a few days ago. The way she flew was sluggish and practiced. Like she practiced being bad to let somepony win when they clearly shouldn't have. Just looking at Rose's toned body and wings. The way that Cloudchaser looked at her after she won. The way that everypony in town looked at Rose after she lost. 

'I'm so bucking stupid,' Rainbow spat within her conscious. 'Rose threw the race to make you feel better, Dash. She just wanted to pick you up so she could kick you down in front of millions of ponies worldwide. She's only showing you all of this to prove that she is better in both status and training. I knew her kindness was all for show. I should have seen it sooner.' 

'Mom and Dad were right. There will always be somepony that will be better than you in everything. Always.' 

Rainbow let out a sigh, her eyes threatened to release tears, but she didn't let them. She couldn't, not again. Not in front of that cruel bitch named Hawkfire sitting beside her with a smug grin plastered on her face like a drunken idiot hopped up on power. She thought that Rose was different than the ponies that picked on her in school for most of her life. She thought the Fluttershy was right when she said that Rose was the most loving and caring pony that she would ever meet, but that was a lie. It only took her a week to figure it out. 

'Applejack was wrong in a lot of places, but she was right calling Rose a scoundrel.'

"I get it. Haha, very funny," Rainbow spat while placing the form back down on the coffee table. She wasn't going to be made a fool again by a mare she thought she could trust. The last time that happened was back in school. It was one of the main reasons she left as soon as she got her cutie mark, and she was going to make Rose regret ever treating her like an invalid!

"What's funny?" Rose asked with a slight frown much to the ire of Rainbow Dash. 

"Oh, you know, picking me up just so you can kick me down twice as hard," she hissed a reply. "I fell for it once, but I'm not going to fall for it twice!" Rose eyes widen in shock as Rainbow stood up with flared wings and teary eyes. She watched, frozen in her chair, as Rainbow stormed out of the guest room and into the hall. 

'Fuck! This wasn't supposed to happen!' Rose screamed in her mind as she too shot up from her chair once she was out of her stupor and chased after Rainbow. 'We were supposed to sign that paper, start a training montage, and have surprise butt sex! Not emotional drama! That was scripted to happen at the end of the first arch!' 

"Rainbow wait!" Rose begged, but there was no response. Fear filled her heart as thoughts of fucking up the Element of Loyalty to the point of no return filled her mind, but as she rushed out the guest room thinking Rainbow was already gone. She found her, staring in both anger and sorrow, at the largest picture on the wall. 

'Alright, there is still a chance to fix this. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to resort to Plan C, but I guess there is no other choice.' 

Rainbow didn't know what to think about the picture she was glaring at. It was clear that it was one of the most cherished memories of Rose and her family. The pure joy held within the smiling faces in the picture threw her for a loop. She couldn't understand how such a horrible mare could be so happy! Rose shouldn't be smiling with the innocence of a foal! Just looking at the happiness made her angrier the longer she stared at it, but the Griffon confused her. 

Laying down in front of a cherry blossom was a large Griffon with a soft, loving smile on his face. His bird-half was the purest white that Rainbow has ever seen, while his cat-half was as black as could be. Rainbow could tell that the Griffon in the picture was a pure-breed aside from color. His lion tail was tipped with a white flame while the top of his head had short, scruffy, black fur. His golden eagle beak and talons showed a lot of pride as well as having noticeable scars from fights that she couldn't even imagine, and he had the same intense blue eyes that Rose has. His Crest, however, was strange. Even for a Griffon. 

His chest adorned the same symbols that Rose's cutie mark had—Three black triangles, two pointed up with one pointed down in the center and below. Above the triangles was a pair of simple, black wings with a black circle in between—Rose's cutie mark had a heart, not a circle, and there was a large azure rose in the center of the shield. 

The confusion part about his Crest was the fact that most Griffons didn't have such a unique pattern. The odd shape, or shapes sure, but nothing that the Griffon in the picture had. What confused her further was Spitfire with her mane combed down, nuzzled against the Griffons side with her head resting against his shoulder. Both were looking down with loving smiles on filly Rose, who was sitting between them both with the largest smile that she has ever seen on a mare. When she looked at the bottom of the picture, she saw three names.


Spitfire Hawkmoon. Winter Ruby Hawkfire Rose. Sol Steelwing.


"That's my dad if you were wondering," Rose said abruptly, cause Rainbow to jump slightly. She didn't realize that Rose followed her into the hall nor did she notice that the room she was in wasn't the living room, but a guest room. "You've probably met my uncle, Gale Steelwing. He is the Captain of Ponyvilles Militia. If not, then you've definitely Rex or 'Razor' Steelwing. He placed fourth in the Lightning Cup last season. Though, when he isn't racing, he works with Ponyvilles weather team."

"Ookay?" Rainbow said indifferently. She didn't care at all what the bitch had to say. All she wanted to do was get out of her house and never talk to her again, however. The sudden lifeless tone that Rose adorned like a black haze was intriguing. If there was something in the world that could destroy Rose in the same way that Rose tried to destroy her. Then she will use it as part of her plan for payback. 

"Razor doesn't talk to me anymore," Rose sighed, making Rainbow wonder the purpose of this sudden, one-sided conversation, but she listened nonetheless. "We were close, he even called me his baby sister at one point, but now? He refuses to look me in the eye." 

"He used to be my protector growing up when Dad and Mom weren't there. Back then, almost everybody called me a Demon from Tartarus because of my eye," Rose continued much to the annoyance of Rainbow, but she couldn't find it in herself to leave right then and there. The last part that Rose said didn't sound right and she wanted to know why that is. 

'How was she bullied? She is the daughter of the Captain of the Wonderbolts?! Plus she is the kind of mare that has a million friends! Right?' 

"Despite being Spitfire's daughter, I was bullied, especially when she wasn't around. Fillies and Colts threw rocks at me, parents shot me down and kept those that liked me far away. You've met the worst one out of all my tormentors too. Though, nowadays, Applejack is too afraid to piss me off or pick a fight with me like she used too," Rose continued, her eyes looking over each frame on the wall with a little smile parting her lips. 

Rainbow couldn't help but feel a little shocked about this sudden honesty if it was the truth and Rose wasn't lying again. If she was indeed telling the truth, then where was Spitfire? Where was her Dad or Razor? The worst she got was her mane and tail being shaved off and getting sent to the nurse's office after getting beaten up, but not this?! 

'Getting rocks thrown at you must have hurt if they managed to hit you,' thought with a little bit of sympathy, but only a little. This sudden life lesson was interesting if not pointless. It did give her ammo to use later, but the look that Rose was giving to one of the frames told her that there was something she was hiding. 

'Rose was bullied? Why? Just because her eyes were miscolored doesn't mean she is evil! I've seen many ponies around Cloudsdale with the same problem, and they don't get it as rough! It's not like this town is superstitious or anything?' 

'Oh.'

"I know what you're thinking, Rainbow," Rose chuckled sadly, her eyes looking over all the happy moments in her life on display in her home. "Where were Mom and Dad? Well, because Mom was just entering the Wonderbolts which meant she was gone most of the time. Dad didn't come into my life until I was five, but that didn't stop the ponies at daycare from picking on me. Dad was the Captain of the Militia before he died in action protecting me and mom, so he wasn't around all the time to keep me safe. Razor didn't come into my life until I was nine, so I spent plenty of time crying under a tree, bleeding, bruised and miserable." 

"Then there was Zonya," Rose said darkly. "Ask Applejack what she did to her and you'll understand why no one trusts her word anymore." 

Rainbow winced at the end knowing what that was like. She too spent days in solitude, licking her wounds and crying for someone to save her from the torment. The difference being that she hid in the cloud layer underneath her school rather than a tree. It wasn't until Junior Speedsters Flight Camp that Rainbow got her protector in the form of a Griffon named Gilda, and her first real friend named Fluttershy.

Gilda was nervous being around so many ponies when they first met. She just moved into Cloudsdale's orphanage after the orphanage in Griffinstone shut down due to a fire. Rainbow, at the time, thought that because Gilda was a Griffon, then she wouldn't know anything about pony stereotypes, and she was right. She and Gilda picked each other up when they fell down, they kicked ass and ruled the school. It was because of Gilda that she took up Karate, and it was also because of Gilda that Fluttershy had to patch them up after a more even fight on multiple occasions. 

Their friendship didn't last long, though. Gilda was adopted into a wealthy family from Canterlot. The Black Talons is their name. They were a Griffon family that specialized in Smithing and were damn good at it too. So much so that they made most of the armor and weapons used by the Pegasi Regiments in the Royal Guard. Though, when Rainbow came to visit her in Canterlot, Gilda was never there. Her new parents always said that she was off flying with the big leagues, wanting to be the best of the best. Now that she thinks about it, Gilda was probably flying in the racing divisions in her age group, while she sat on the factory line making clouds.

 'I bet she made it to the Lightning Cup and flew with Rose. Maybe if I take her offer, then I could see Gilda again and keep my promise to her,' Rainbow thought solemnly. 'But then there is Rose. What is her deal anyway? One moment, she's a total backstabbing bitch, the next she is giving me her life story. Not that I care or anything, even though we both had it rough. All she's doing is giving me tools to get back at her later.'

'And who is Zonya?' Rainbow wondered. When she walked through town, talking to the locals, learning their history, and trying to figure out how her touch screen MP3 player worked with her hooves and not once has she heard of a mare named Zonya. The made plans to ask Applejack about her later.  

"Skittles, are you okay?" Rose asked with that Celestia forsaken head-tilt that made her look cuter than a button. 

"Yeah, peachy," Rainbow responded with a roll of her eyes.

"I know what I did was a low blow," Rose sighed, her eyes locked firmly on the ground. Her ears were flat against her head while she pawed the flooring nervously as if she was afraid what she was going to say next and sat down.

"No kidding," Rainbow spat, earning a wince from the mare sitting in front of her. She didn't want an apology. She wanted to leave the house then beat Rose in the Lightning Cup on her own terms and prove that she was the better flier without somepony pitying her like some lost puppy. 

"But I did it to make you happy," Rose said staring into Rainbows magenta eyes, causing her to take a step back from the sudden wave of emotion held within. 

"Bullshit," Rainbow hissed, unable to meet the gaze of the pony in front of her. 

"I did it so I could see you smile," Rose spoke with a soft, kind tone that only Fluttershy could match as she stood back up with a flutter of her angelic wings. 

"You did it to make me feel miserable!" argued at the top of her lungs.

"You're wrong!" Rose shouted back as she took a firm step towards the aggravated cyan Pegasus. 

"Prove it!" Rainbow challenged as she also took a step towards the mare in front of her. "Race me again, but this time. No holding back and I'll show you that I-MMMNFFHHH!" 

Rainbow's eyes widened in shock, her body locked in place. She didn't realize how close Rose was until it was too late. Now, the mare of her ire was pressed against her with her hooves wrapped around her neck for support. She didn't even notice that she fell on her back with Rose on top of her, preventing any attempts of escape. 

The scent of snow-covered roses filled her nostrils with every breath she took. Soft, fluffy fur brushed against her own as Rose wrapped her smaller body in a tight embrace in a desperate need for affection. She felt Roes's insanely large, silky wings wrap her in a warm cocoon with her own, smaller pair instinctively doing the same. 

'I'm not a filly-fooler! I'm not a filly-fooler! I'm not a filly-fooler!' Rainbow screamed inside her head as her body went limp in euphoria to Rose's touch, but no matter how many times she repeated it. It didn't prevent her from feeling the tender, sensual touch of Rose's lips against her own. 

It didn't prevent her hooves from slithering down the small of Rose's back, earning a muffled moan from the Vixen as she locked them firmly in place on the carpeted floor. 	

It didn't prevent Rainbow from wanting this moment to never end. To never let the feeling of safety, the feeling of trust, the feeling of passion, affection, rivalry, anger, sorrow, regret, and so much more to end, but like all good things. It had to end. 

Slowly, Rose pulled away from Rainbow with a light tug on her lower lip, earning a shameful moan of delight from the cyan Pegasus. Heartbroken from the sudden absence of contact, Rainbow returned to reality with bright, red, blush. She looked sheepishly into the laden eyes of the Vixen pinning her down and gulped when she saw her lips start to move. 

"I did it because seeing you stare at the ground, dragging your wings filled my heart with shards of glass," Rose said as she buried her muzzle into the crook of Rainbows neck. "I couldn't stand seeing such a beautiful mare act like crap. I couldn't stand knowing that mare of my dreams never knew of happiness."

"S-Stop it," Rainbow stuttered, her eyes tearing up from hearing the confession of a pony wanting to be something more that friends with her. She tried to push Rose off of her, but for some reason. She couldn't. It was like her entire body refused to leave the warmth of the mare on top of her. "I-I'm not a filly-fooler. I don't swing that way. Plus, I want nothing to do with you! So stop this crap and get out of my life!"

"I know accepting who you are is hard, especially if you were bullied because of it, but in this town. No one cares."

"S-Stop it! I'm not like that!" Rainbow declared. "You drugged my tea! That's it! Y-You're going to jail!" 

"Please, Rainbow, don't be afraid. I'll be here for you when it rains. I'll be there for you when it snows. I can help you reach your dreams and I can show you the light when the only thing you see is darkness," Rose sniffled into Rainbows neck. "Just let me be yours. Please?" Rainbow finally found the strength to push Rose off of her and she did so without hesitation, but when she stood up to bolt out of the house. She was stopped by the crestfallen gaze that Rose held in place of her once fiery eyes. 

"I'm..." Rainbow tried to say something to Rose to make it clear that she wasn't interested, but nothing came. The first pony to show interest in her in a romantic way was also a bitch that tried to destroy her career but did she really? Sure, she was a bit of a bitch... a hot bitch... a soft bitch... a nice bitc-no, she wasn't a bitch. Yes, she acted like one on that day, but if she didn't do it. Then would have Rainbow really be in the state of mind to work? Would she have been able to talk to Fluttershy again afterward? So many questions and she couldn't think straight to find the answers for any them! 

All she could think about was the kiss, the confession, the real reason why Rose wanted to bring her to her house. It was all too much! She couldn't understand why she was feeling everything for Rose! She couldn't understand why Rose wanted to help her! Plus, Rose was her first... kiss. Rose, a mare, was the first pony that she kissed. Rainbow thought it would be that dark-gray stallion giving her looks on the Weather Patrol, not Rose! 

She needed air! She had to go. She had to go, now!

"Rainbow?" Rose asked so softly, one could almost mistake her for Fluttershy for a moment. "I know I came on a little strong and that you hate me, but maybe can we start over?" 

"I.." Rainbow gulped, her heart racing a mile a second as the need to hyperventilate kicked in. 

"Yes?" Rose perked up, a look of hope entered her once dead eyes. 

"I..." Rainbow took a step back and spotted the stairs just passed Rose. 

"What is it?" 

"I... I have to go." Before Rose could respond, Rainbow was already flying down the stairs straight for the front door, and as far away from the sexy Vixen as possible, despite the anguish of Rose's heart and her own.


❄⚔❄


Smooth jazz played its somber tune to the sound of silence tonight. The slow rhythm had only one partner, and that was a cold glass resting on top of a polished oak countertop. Trickles of condensation from the mildly temperate room slithered down the glass, only to stop at a decorative coaster underneath. A lone mare sat on a stool in front of the glass, taking a sip of the amber liquid held within to the beat of the song. 

Another mare was in the dimly lit room with her. Her dark-gray coat matched the muted colors of the bar while her bright pink mane looked out of place. Her name was Cloudy Days, and she was the owner of the bar that the lone mare frequented when her mood turned sour. 

"You have that look on you again, Winter. Thinking like an outsider to a story isn't very healthy," Cloudy impassively while cleaning a glass. I let out a sigh, knowing that she was right. Thinking in "third-person" wasn't a good idea. Before long, you would start talking in the third-person as well. I know of one mare that has fallen victim to such a curse, and she is currently in Las Pegasus performing on Main Street. 

"I know, I'm just... lost," I admitted bluntly and in truth. I was. All of my plans with Rainbow Dash has backfired: Plan A was to lift her spirits up for Plan B, both failed when Plan B was in full effect. 

I didn't think she would figure it out as fast as she did, the other Rainbow was a lot slower to pick up on things like that. Then again, my assumption that this Equestria's Rainbow was the same as the other one in that regard was foolish of me to test. I should have known that this Rainbow was smarter when I learned she gained a high ranking position with lots of responsibility. When I gave her the forms for Divisions, she made the connection and reacted. As for Plan C? I came on too strong, too soon. I don't blame her for wanting to keep her distance, at least she entered Divisions, giving me one last chance to ensure her place as the Element of Loyalty. I just don't know what to do now. 

"Mare troubles?" Cloudy Days inquired. I gave her an honest nod before sipping my Whiskey with a slight purr of delight. "Talk to me, Babe. It's not like you to sulk over prey that ran away." 

"Easy old, hot, and married," I let out a throaty chuckle. "It's not like that and how do you... never mind. You know everything that goes on around town." 

"Well... when that rainbow-maned Pegasus bolted from your house with her tail between her legs. A lot of ponies knew that you struck out on that filly. What's it now? Forty-two mares that didn't want to roll in the hay?" Cloudy teased with a chuckle of her own. I raised a brow to the older mare and shoved my empty glass towards her for a refill. 

"Nah, I was just trying to get on her good side," I half-lied. Cloudy wasn't convinced. "She met Applejack first."

"Is that right?" she hummed in thought while mixing my brew. "That must have cause some trouble on your behalf." 

Taking my refilled glass of golden heaven, I knew that the Apple Family didn't like strangers moving into town. Ever since the Griffins moved into town a few generations ago, the Apple Family has been outright racist to them and anyone that wasn't a "pure" pony. Saying that meat eaters didn't belong in a place of peace and harmony, however, from what I have learned over the years. There are a few unique individuals that they have targeted meat eater or not. 

I knew Applejack specifically targets me as her victim for reasons I cannot understand. If her Family has a sixth-sense on determining who is Human and who isn't, then I could get into some serious trouble if I'm not careful, but that can't be true. Right? As far as I know, I'm the only Human in Equestria, but if there are others. I wonder how they got here? If I meet another Human in disguise, I hope that it's a peaceful encounter. I don't want to draw my blade on a misunderstanding. 

"A little bit. Applejack did fill Rainbows head with the usual crap she spouts. I tried my best to dispel them and half-succeeded."

"Ah, makes sense. I bet Rainbow is going to be your new rival now that Flash Sentry got a promotion and his own squad." 

"What?!" I choked on my drink and spat the contents all over the freshly cleaned countertop. 

"Yeah, I was shocked too when Sergeant Shining Armor was promoted to Captain of the Royal Guard a few days ago. After the ceremony, Flash got Sergeant stapled to his chest," Cloudy frowned before grabbing a rag to clean up my mess. 

"Fuck me," I groaned in response to the news that faggot Pegasus got promoted and probably through family connections too. The only good to come out of this was the fact that he couldn't do anything to me other the other racers for a while with his new responsibility. I know he will want to ruin our lives after he lost the race as badly as he did. He is that type of stallion. Though, I do have ammo to use against him. His marefriend was particularly lovely to cuddle with. I just hope he isn't the type to kill a bitch out of jealousy. 

"Speaking of fucking," Cloudy growled with a raised brow. I looked her way, wondering what she wanted and saw that she was no longer behind the counter, but beside me. I shivered at the thought of what she meant by that. 

"Aren't you married?" I asked innocently.

"Caught him sleeping with another mare," she spat. 

"And?" 

"I know you're CrimsonRhapsody69 on True Apocalypse," she said, almost with a hungry purr. I shuddered again as I felt her hoof trace my spine from my shoulder all the way down to my dock. 

"I didn't think you were the gaming type, and what has that got to do with anything involving your marriage?" I squeaked as she pushed my face down on the cold countertop with her superior Earth Pony strength. 

'Wait, her voice sounds familiar, but where have I heard it?' 

"I do play video games from time to time. Mostly VR, and mostly adult games when my husband can't perform in bed, but with my husband cheating on me. I thought I should do the same. To show him what he's missing." 

"And you know me how?" I moaned in delight at the touch of her firm lips making their way up my neck and to my ear. Exactly how I like it. 

"Squad Captain ViolentInferno42 reporting for duty my, Queen." 

'Oh... My main Vanguard for Death Level Raids and the pony that always complains about her love life. Huh, why haven't I realized that? I've been going to her bar for the past two years! It's a small world.' 

"Let me... Nyaa... Guess. Had... Fuuck... Enough?" I barely managed to say through all stimulation that Cloudy was giving me. 

"You could say that my, Queen," she said as she laid me down on the counter-top as well as stopping her advances to give me a look of longing through my open legs, but before she did anything else. Cloudy had to close the bar early for the night. "So will you hit the Consent Pop-Up or do I have to force you to press it?" 

"Your Queen orders you to be forceful," I replied with a devilish smile as I watched her lock the door to the bar.  

"Yes ma'am," she turned and smiled back with a loud "click!" of the lock. 
> Chapter 9. School Days
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Time seemed to slow to a crawl. The weeks that followed my failed attempt of keeping the Element of Loyalty stable were monotonous at best, boring at worst. Each day was the same; I would wake up, eat, practice my swordsmanship, work, practice flying, hang out with friends, play video games all night, sleep and repeat. There were a few things that threw chaos into the order, but they gradually got boring as well. You could only stare at cute mares in bunny suits for so long before you want to rip them off and devour the filly wearing the suit like a rabid dog. Though masturbating never got boring, especially when you could fuck anyone anywhere in VR, but cleaning the mess afterward was a problem. 

Thank Faust Mom hasn't walked in on me while in VR. I don't want to explain the games that I play by myself. Then again, she has walked in on me using one of my toys, and watched me finish. Multiple times. I even walked in on her using her own toys and watched her finish just as many times. 

It doesn't help our fucked up relationship when we share a bath every now and again or preen each other's wings as bonding time. Well, when I think about it, Mom grew up with Imperial traditions, and in Imperious, bathing was a family thing since hot water was a luxury in the frozen north. Or it could be that we have some taboo fetishes? 

I know I have some weird turn-ons, slave-play, spanking and golden showers included. What I love most was being dominated completely with absolution, but only if my partner was good at holding my leash. If not, then I'm the one giving punishment.  

Strange, back when my body told me that I was male. I would have never acted this way. Back then, I was much more reserved, calm and gentle. Now ruled by hormones, I want things I would have found disgusting. Like my Mom watching me play with myself. 

To be honest, I don't mind her watching. It was Imperial Tradition for a mother to groom her daughter to be the best lover for her husband. Since her parents grew up in Imperious, she was most likely raised that way; To want to teach me how it's done as intimately as possible. It probably doesn't help that I leave the door open sometimes and look her in the eye as I finish. I could easily tell from the look in her eye that she wanted to be a part of the action and in return. She leaves her door open when doing her own business. 

It used to be awkward during bath-sharing time, but not anymore. I just wished she would stop watching and fuck me already! Fuck I liked to be teased but she drives me crazy! 

Mommy Issues aside. When I wasn't "stroking" the kitten, I was trying to get on Rainbow Dash's good side again. The problems that I made for myself during my impromptu confession had a noticeable effect on the rainbow-maned Pegasus. 

Rainbow avoids me like the plague. Whenever I saw her, she would turn around and walk away, but sometimes I would catch her staring at me with confliction: Like her entire being was in turmoil about our relationship. I mostly understood what she is going through right now, Fluttershy had to fill me in after my fuck-up. If I had known that Rainbow was bullied by a bunch of pricks most of her life because of her mane, then I would have approached her differently, however. As much as I wouldn't mind a short term relationship with her, it wouldn't last. Rainbow is cute, and I bet she is wonderful to cuddle with, but she doesn't have what I look for in a mate. 

I want someone that can pick me up when I fall down, someone that can bring me back from the darkness when I forsake the light. I want someone that can and will pin me down, leash me, and drag me across town like the little exhibitionist slut that I am. I want a mare like Summer, even if the odds of finding this Equestria's version of my walking sunset was nigh impossible. 

I miss her, and I bet she misses me, but I hope she moved on. I barely had time to separate our connection before the bomb went off. If she is still alive in the other Equestria, I hope that she learned to love again. The cost of Soul Bounding is heart wrenchingly horrifying, never being able to love again is the cruelest thing that I could ever imagine. 

I miss you, Summer. Forever and always. 

Speaking of Rainbow, I would also catch her watching me practice for Divisions. She wasn't very good at hiding, to say the least. During my flight practice, there was a stray cloud that always seemed to follow me wherever I go, and it always had a rainbow-colored tail poking out of it. Rainbow's skill in stalking was horrible. Even Derpy pointed her out, and she stares in two different directions! 

Later in the week when I asked Fluttershy about Rainbows stalking habits, she told me that she only does it to size up her competition. Fluttershy also told me that Rainbow got Thunderlane to help her with Divisions. Which was good, I guess. I kinda' wanted to be the one to do that. Thankfully, Rainbow signed up for the Star Division in the league. I didn't want to take her out of the Lightning Cup before the final race. With Thunderlane flying with her in their brackets, and with Cloud and I flying in ours, Ponyville will be the town to live in for a professional racer. 

With Rainbow flying in the Star Group, I wouldn't have to race her again until qualifiers and the Lightning Cup, giving her enough time to train up to race me without holding back, however. Even with Thunderlane helping her, I don't think Rainbow could beat me in the finals or qualifiers. Flitter was the only pony that knew that I only raced with my Air aspect. I'm not sure when she figured it out. I usually kept my secret of being a dual-aspect Imperial under lock and key. If I flew with my Lightning aspect, then who could beat me? No one, that's who. Then again, I pray to Lunaris she doesn't figure out my other Pegasi secret that I gained. I don't want to explain nor reveal my trump card in a fight, but the Pegasi aspects were interesting, to say the least. 

In this Equestria, anyone with a Dual Aspect was considered rare as an Alicorn. The only known Dual Aspect ponies in Pegasi history were the stuff of legends. Commander Hurricane, the savior of the Pegasi during the Windigo Uprising. Legate Willow Wisp, the one who kept the demons of Tartarus at bay for three days until the gates were sealed once more. Midnight Rhapsody, the Leader of the Sirens and Captain of the Lunar Guard under Princess Luna during the Nightmare Moon rebellion. Ashen Phoenix, the stallion that defeated the King of Dragons during the Draconian War of 426 CR. These were some of the Pegasi who had Dual Aspects, and all are forever ingrained in history as some of Equestria's greatest hero's. Of course, all the other races had ponies with Dual Aspects. I could go on and on about them, but if I did. Then I would miss practice, and I can't miss practice. Mom will spank me if I do.

'Faust, saying Dual Aspect is annoying. Why can't anyone just say Dualis? It's much easier.'

Plus, everyone knows the Dualis known as Starswirl the Bearded! I can't stand it when a Unicorn spouts the usual crap about how amazing his magic was a thousand years ago! It's so boring to listen too! I would rather listen to the Tales of Zethora—The Zebra prince that united the tribes of Zebraca with nothing but a wheel of cheese, a stick, and his fifth leg! 





"Alright, class! Have we been practicing hairpin turns like we promised?" I addressed the crowd of fillies and colts in front of me. 

It was sunny out on a warm, autumn day. Birds chirped in the distance, the wind silent like a sleeping baby. It was days like today that I could simply nap on a cloud and enjoy the peace that was the country life, but today was Sunday. In other words; Flight Instructor Day. 

"Yes, Miss Hawkfire," my army of midgets replied in a chorus of high-pitched voices. 

"Good, now then. Can someone demonstrate the maneuver into a low-acceleration aileron roll?" I asked the crowd of children, earning several nervous shuffles from the more, "rowdy," of the bunch. My eyes traced the class in search for a volunteer my gaze landed on a filly looking dismissively away from the teacher bored out of her mind. The light-gray filly with a twin-tailed violet mane, already sporting a cutie mark of a rainbow-themed lily, instantly became my "volunteer." 

"Amethyst Sabre?" I said with the smile all teachers used to show that they cared, but don't. The filly that stood at the front of the group perked up at the call of her name, pretended to give me her full attention. 

'Alright, you little shit. You've been a pain in my ass since your family moved into town a few months ago. Time to kick your bratty attitude down a few million pegs.' 

"Yes, Miss Hawkfire?" Amethyst clicked. The rest of the class went silent. Pointing to the center of the freshly cut field at the back of the school, I smiled. 

"Can you show your fellow peers last week's lesson before we continue with a low-acceleration aileron roll into a subterfuge back-roll?" 

'Hehe, I know you can't do that Amethyst. Your wings are too small to stay upside down for that brief second during the combo. You will fall on your back like a rock, and everyone will laugh! Mwahahaha!' 

"Pfft, that's easy," Amethyst scoffed as she took the position while everyone else lined up on the field next to a few crates that I placed earlier for today's lesson. She gave her little wings a few stretches before smirking smugly to the rest of awaiting class. 

"Then show the class what you can do before we begin the next lesson," I challenged with a smile of my own. 

Amethyst smirked, her wings spread out wide in bravado. I watched with a knowing smirk as she kicked off the ground with a hard flap of her wings. The rest of the class watched as well in awe, but they didn't know what was about to happen. 

Amethyst flew across the field with a smile on her face. She flew until she was far enough away to ensure that she would get enough speed for the maneuver that she was asked to performed. Once she was happy with the distance, she banked hard to the right and charged back to the group. 

She flew low to the ground, wings flapping hard and fast. Her face filled with concentration. The children watched in anticipation as Amethyst arched upwards with her wings flat and stiff. This slowed her down just enough to turn a full one-eighty, but as she did so. She twisted her body until she was upside down, however. While she was halfway through the aileron roll, she began the final part of the maneuver, and fell, like a rock, to the ground. 

"Thunk!" 

The class laughed.  

The reason she fell was because her wingspan was too small to glide upside down for the briefest moment that the trick required. Normally during the glide, she would have kicked her back hooves up in a half-backflip and landed safely on her hooves. This trick was called, "The Humming Bird Stop," it was usually performed as an emergency stop while low to the ground and at high speeds. The only drawback to this trick was the fact that if you flew too fast, you could easily dislocate or even break your wings like twigs. 

"Hey! Stop laughing!" Amethyst whined, slightly winded, but the class didn't listen. She had to suffer the embarrassment for a few moments while she stood back up and dusted herself off. I tried my best to not laugh with the class, but it was a losing battle. 

"Alright, class, please be nice," I said with a stifled chuckle. It was hard for me to watch the little runt drop like a rock with a straight face. That little bitch and her Soccer Mom was a pain in my ass. Spoiled Rich may have moved into town with our local business stallion Filthy Rich, but that doesn't make her the "Queen" of Ponyville like she thinks she was. No matter how hard she tries to make me, and anyone else that she hates, look bad. She couldn't do shit. Then again, it doesn't help that her little brat complains constantly about me and my teaching methods. Almost every single lesson ended with Spoiled Rich showing up to bitch about how I was the worst flier in the history of Equestria. 

'Fucking whore cunt.' 

"Amethyst? Can you explain why you failed the maneuver?" I asked the flustered filly. She gave me a frown as she rejoined the class while I returned to my position in front of the class. 

"You are a crappy teacher?" she responded with a huff. I raised a brow at that comment before turning to the star of the group, Scootaloo. 

"Scoots, can you explain to the class why she failed?" The dirty orange filly with a dirty purple mane perked up with a glowing smile and answered for the class. 

"Her wings are not large enough to maintain an upside down glide," she explained proudly. Amethyst scowled at my prized student. 

"You are correct, Scoots, but you forgot to mention that because of the lack of lift that she would have needed to perform a Humming Bird Stop won't come until she is much older." 

"Oh, sorry."

"It's okay," I beamed with a light tussle of Scootaloos mane, earning a little blush from the filly Pegasus. "Now that introduction is out of the way. I want all of you to grab your partner and warm up before our next lesson!" 


❄⚔❄


Rainbow Dash watched the group of fillies and colts learning how to fly from afar. She hid inside one of the clouds slowly moving over the town, giving her a perfect birds-eye view of the school field where the class was being held. Her eyes narrowed at the mare that was teaching them.

'Who does she think she is!' Rainbow grumbled as Rose began lecturing the children on how to play Air Hockey. 'Spitfire should be the one teaching them how to fly. Not her!' 

She continued to watch the class do their stretches and tried to pretend that Rose was not there, stretching with the class in a very suggestive way, but try as she might. She couldn't help but peek every now and again. The way that Rose arched her back like a cat only made her firm rump look all the more pleasing to the eye. The way that Rose flexed her Griffon-like wings sent shivers down her spine. They were bigger, stronger, and softer than hers. Her long, blade-like feathers looked like they were weaved from silk. She shook her head from the thought.

'Stop thinking about Rose brain!' Rainbow growled at her own thoughts. 'I'm going out with Thunderlane now. Just because Rose kissed me, doesn't mean I liked mares!' 

With confused thoughts filling her subconscious, Rainbow watched the class in her little hiding spot. She wanted to learn everything that she can about her opponent; her teaching habits, her diet, flight habits, and more. She knew that to beat her opponent was to find their weaknesses and exploit them. To bring them down where they couldn't defend themselves. At least, that's what the Sun Snow wrote about in foreign history class, but Rose was a difficult pony to crack. 

Throughout her research, Rainbow has learned that Rose was... strange, to say the least. Rose would work out every single day but disappear every second day into the Everfree. Rainbow would follow her into the most dangerous forest in all of Equestria, but she wasn't crazy. That place was Tartarus on Equis, filled with monsters like Timber Wolves and the like. She wasn't scared of them, not by a long shot, however. She was concerned about the plants in the forest as she knew that some of them could kill her just by smelling one. 

When she asked around town what Rose does in the forest, almost every Pony and Griffon told her to talk to Rarity, which confused her for the most part. 'Why would a fashion designer know what goes on the Everfree anyway? Wasn't she scared of getting dirty?' Of course, those were her thoughts when meeting the alabaster mare for the first time, and they were quickly snuffed out when she found Rarity at the smithy—Covered in soot, sweat, and grease—She was working on a breastplate that she saw some of the guards were wearing. It didn't help their meeting that a gruff, old and nasty looking stallion by the name of Hammer Forge swearing at her for not working hard enough. It also didn't help when Rarity swore back with just as much venom while she pounded the breastplate with the force of a cannon. 

When she had the chance to talk to Rarity later that day, the sight of a perfectly clean and groomed Unicorn mare without a splotch of filth on her almost scared Rainbow. Almost. Rainbow didn't like that Rarity talked like a Canterlot Noble. She preferred the loud, rude, and rusty dialect when she spoke at the Smithy. It was less graining on her nerves.  

In retrospect, Rainbow was told that Rarity was a bit of a prissy gossip, but the sight at the forge said otherwise. Outside of the forge, she understood why the town of Ponyville called her the Queen of Drama and she didn't like it. 

In the end, though, Rainbow didn't learn squat about what goes on the Everfree with Rose. All she pulled out from the conversation was that Rose gathers materials, Rarity turns said materials into items such as armor, clothes, and survival gear, and nothing else. How she got them, that's what she wants to know, and a few other ponies want to know as well. 

That mystery will have to wait. 

Rainbows current mystery she was trying to solve was Rose's never ending preening. She was always straightening and plucking her wings every minute of every hour! It was maddening! She only preens her wings twice a day; once in the morning after a shower and again at night before bed. There are a few times when she needs to realign her feathers during practice, and that's if she crashes! 

'Does Rose realize that preening is a private thing? Seriously! She does it in front of everypony! No wonder most mares call her a slut,' Rainbow groaned while she watched the fillies and colts play Air Hockey before spotting Rose on the field with her muzzle in her left wing. A little blush found its way on Rainbows cheeks at the sight. 'S-She's even doing it now!'  Despite her research on her rival, Rainbow never saw Rose fly without constraint before. That was, until, a strange mare named Sierra Maverick showed her the truth on her Scroll. 

It scared her. 

Rainbow thought that she was the only one that could do a Sonic Rainboom, but after seeing the video that Sierra showed her. She now knew that was no longer the truth. If Rose is capable of performing the nearly impossible feat, then what else was she capable of? That's what she was trying to find out, and so far. She hasn't come close to figuring out this mare. However, with the help of those stallions and mares that recently moved into town, Rose's secrets will see the light of day. 


> Chapter 10. Visitors
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The mare in the moon was visible in the evening sky. Her milky glow brightened the scarcely lit roads for the travelers walking home from work, or to work. The scent of rain from half-light brought the autumn aroma to life with the smell of drought and decay. As the evening dwellers scurry to and fro through the river of moonlight, four ponies chose to stay in the shadows. 

And I followed them. 

They didn't know I was following him. I was using every trick up my ass to keep it that way. Very few ponies knew how to morph the winds to muffle sound and shape water particles around their body to refract light away from prying eyes. I was not this clever. Instead, I had to use one of my earrings to stay hidden. The enchanted earring allowed me to create an illusion around my body as camouflage. 

It was a little cumbersome. My mana reserves were not as strong as it used to be. I couldn't do some of the things that I was capable of many years ago. I can still blink, but only ten times at a max range of a hundred meters per blink. I can still throw Airblades, but I can't use AirKinesis anymore. In a fight, however. I still have one way of refilling my mana reserves, but I don't think living up to my title as—The Winter Siren—Was a good idea. At the end of the day, only one of my enchanted earrings mattered. They were written in a language not native to this universe, making me the only one in the world capable of reading the old tongue, but my fifth earring? I hope that I wouldn't have to use an Aether Bolt again.

Now, where was I? Oh, yes. I was stalking a few ponies from afar that were acting odd. 

There were four of them, two of which I've had the pleasure of talk to a few days ago. The two that I talked to were Unicorns that had difficulty with magic. It was as if they have never used magic before. Sierra Maverick and Phoenix Scribe were their names. Nothing stood out about them at first other than their difficulty with basic Telekinesis, however. They talked fast, straight and without rhythm or harmony. 

Most Ponies and Griffins talk with a beautiful sing-song accent in their voice. Each word flowed to the next without missing a beat. Those that sang on a regular basis made talking in of itself an endless song meant for the ears of all that applaud them. Sierra and Phoenix didn't have this accent. 

Now, as a former Human, I shouldn't have this accent at all either, but after growing up in Equestria since birth. I've developed most of it. To most, it sounded like a tomcoltish purr with a hint of seductive lust mixed in. Hence the reason why most mares call me a Vixen. Not because I'm a mare-slut, but because of how I speak. 

Sierra and Phoenix? They were clearly off with their words, but so are Zebras. I first thought that they grew up in one of the Frontier Forts in Zebraca. It would explain the lack of musical fluidity of their words since Zebras aren't the musical type, however, when they started to ask questions about Equestria. My alarm bells went berzerk. 





It was a boring day at the Bounding Bunny Cafe. Ponies came in to drink expensive coffee, eat breakfast, and flirt with the waitresses. I did my rounds with gusto, made sure no stallion or mare got too touchy-feely with servants and did my share of causing a few virgins to blush redder than a tomato. 

The Boundy Bunny Cafe, or at least the main floor, was a themed Cafe. Every mare that worked here wore a scandalous bunny suit while the stallions were kept out of sight making the meals. The pay was good if you shook your tail for the guests. Tips are what most mares want when they work here. On a good day, a waitress could make a few hundred bits from Tips alone. On a bad day, they were stuck with minimum wage. Of course, there are rates for talking to one of the "Bunnies" since we have tables to manage. For just a Bit a minute, you can have one of us listen to all your problems and give a damn, which is how I make most of my money while working at the Cafe. Ponies just wanted to have me all to themselves. 

Speaking of work and ponies wanting to talk to me....

Two ponies, both Unicorns, waved my way. The bigger one of the two was a light brown stallion with a chestnut colored mane; his Cutie Mark was a scroll with a red quill and blue inkwell. The smaller of the two was a silver mare with a dark gray mane; her Cutie Mark was a silver lightning bolt coming out of a black thunderhead. The table that they sat at was near the back of the room. It was one of our smaller tables, usually meant for a group of four or less. It had a nice view of the Cafe though.

I've seen them around town the past few days. They've mostly kept to themselves in their apartment down on 2nd Street when they weren't working. Sierra, in particular, held my interest since she was the only mare currently in town that I haven't slithered my hoof along her flank. 'Trust me when I say that I've tried fucking every mare within my date-range.' She was on the average side when it comes to looks, but I know I can change that in a few months. The stallion I could care less about unless he was interesting. If not, then I'll take a quickie with Sierra. Faust knows she looks like she needs to relieve some stress, and a six-inch tongue can do just that.

Walking up to the pair, I noticed that one of them was nursing one of our least popular brews. Which was strange since it was eight in the morning and Rum wasn't a good morning drink to mix with coffee. I should know, I've tried it myself. Odd tastes aside, when they realized that I was approaching their table to see what they wanted, both of them tensed up, which was strange since most relaxed when I chose to indulge them. Oddities aside, I greeted the pair with grace. 

"Welcome to the Bounding Bunny! How may this Bunny serve my masters?" I purred towards the pair, earning a delightful reaction of coughing and choking on their beverages. 

"E-Excuse me?!" the Phoenix wheezed in pain from having scolding hot water fill his lungs. 

"Sorry, was I a little forward?" I continued the act with a little quiver of my lips. Without missing a beat, I flattened my ears and hung my head low, pawing at the ground as I did so. "Most ponies like it when I'm forward." 

"A-Ahh..." Sierra spoke nervously. "...It's not that....Erm....It's just....Odd." 

'Really? Odd? Have these ponies never went to a themed Cafe before? Yeesh, I have to pick up my game.' 

"Odd? You don't find me attractive? Or cute? Most mares practically beg for my company!" I sniffled with fake tears dripping down onto the floor in false rejection. Earning me a worrisome glance from the stallion sweating bullets from the stares he's receiving from the other Bunnies. "Am I not worthy of my masters time? If not, then I shall go," I finished with a sigh while letting my wings drop to the floor like a lost puppy. 

"Oh, please, Rose. You are scaring them!" shouted Tavi with an over the top roll of her eyes from a few tables down, causing the two that I was entertaining to look at us in confusion. "If they wanted some acting, then I would have put them in the request area!" 

"Erm, what's going on?" the ponies said in unison. 

"You have killed the mood, Buzzkillington!" I shouted back with a huff. Tavi just stuck her tongue out at me and went back to whatever she was doing, leaving me to deal with the confused mess that was Sierra and Phoenix. 

"Now that everything was murdered by the Mood Serial Killer of Ponyville. How may I help you two?" I asked with a groan. The ponies in question quickly snapped back to reality and gave me their full attention, but kept an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Well, as ordinary you can get in a themed Cafe. 

"W-We just.... we are n-new to Pony, and we thought we should learn a few things that have been bugging us since we've moved here," Phoenix said with a gulp as I gave him my more passive stare when I talk to new ponies. It was also the look I gave when ponies wanted to learn the latest gossip floating around town. After all, going to a bar, cafe or club to learn about town easily lead to misunderstandings. 

"Learning stuff from a mare wearing a Bunny Suit in the busiest Cafe in town is not the best choice to figure out those  kinds of problems," I replied calmly as I checked the time on my Scroll. "Plus, we cost a Bit a minute to talk to. So make it fast before you leave penniless and ashamed."

That earned some attention. 

"Well, um, take a seat I suppose?" Phoenix gulped at the sight of my not so modest stretch of my wings. Sierra didn't have a clue why her friend was blushing at the sight of my body stretching in ways that an average mare couldn't. She chose to instead smack him upside the head for staring. After all, my Bunny Suit only emphasized my athletic curves rather than hide them. It was both a blessing and a curse. 

"So what is it that you two want to talk about?" I asked as I took the empty seat in front of them. They both shuffled nervously at the question. 

"W-Well, we just wanted to know a few things like that device that you have in your shoulder pouch a bit of gossip of a few ponies and, um... about you?" 

"I...See..." I responded slowly. It wasn't every day that a couple of Unicorns asked what a Scroll is or why I have it. It was a Smart Phone, plain and simple. The only difference was that it ran on magic, works with hooves, and anyone that worked or had a social life had one. Some Scrolls, like mine, could access the SpiderNet like a Chapter—A much larger version of a Scroll... sorta like a Tablet Computer—But not as useful unless you wanted to carry a Library around all the time. I can think of three ponies that would find a Chapter useful, but I don't want to meet them anytime soon, however. If these two didn't know what a Scroll was, then they must be from one of the Frontier Forts of Equestria. None of them currently have the ability to house the more mundane technology that us ponies of the Heartland take for granted every day. Unless... 

"It's a Scroll," I answered calmly with a hint of suspicion. "It basically does everything you can imagine what a miniature computation machine does, minus the raw processing power, of course." 

"Does everyone-pony have one?" Sierra inquired. My left wing twitched. 

"They are expensive, but most do."

"I-I see." 

'Odd... why did she correct her wording? Most ponies that come to town know to use inclusive nouns and verbs because of the Griffin population,' I thought while they took a collective sip from their mugs. 'Why did she correct herself for something so trivial, and why did she do it in such a way like she was hiding something?'

"I-I hear that Applejack is a bit sour around certain topics," Phoenix said while looking everywhere but the pony he was talking too. A clear sign that he was afraid of what he was about to say next. I checked the time, and let him continue despite I should have calmed his nerves with honeyed words. It was bad for business for a stallion to leave the Cafe a nervous wreck, but I have a feeling that Phoenix won't be a regular. "Topics like; Zebra's, Griffins, and a mare named Hawkfire. W-Why is that?" 

I couldn't help but raise a brow at the odd question. It was the kind of question that got the Militia involved to deal with the kind of problem that the Guard don't handle. It was the kind of problem that needed a few ponies to disappear and never "appear" again. I better watch what I say, or else these two will end up on the Black List.

"The Apple Family have always hated meat-eaters because we are as dangerous as the Everfree that they live next to," I said without a hint of disdain. "Zebra's, well, you will have to ask Zecora when she pops into town, that is if she is willing to tell you. As for me? Well, she doesn't like me because I rub her the wrong way and because of the Zebra question and the Griffin question."

"Wait, what happened to Zecora?" Sierra blurted with a little more concern than most ponies would care to give, and as much as I want to talk about Zonya. I don't trust them with that story. If they wanted to know what happened on our first day of school, then they will have to pry it from Applejacks bloody hooves. 

"Go ask Applejack," I hissed. "She's the reason why Zecora lives in the Everfree and not the cottage that Fluttershy lives in now." They were taken aback from my sudden venom, causing the pair quickly shift away from the topic to their final one after getting a refill of their beverages, which I supplied since I was waiting on them now. It also gave me time to cool off from remembering the first day of school and what Applejack and her friends did too little Zonya. 

My first real friend in Equestria. 

I shook myself from the memories. I had work to do and think about that particular year of my past only made me angry. The only good think that came from that year was when I made a new friend during one of my trips to Canterlot with Mom, but those also had pain attached to them. Once I was back tending to their table. Phoenix was quick to ask his final question. 

"I've never heard of you before Hawkfire. Where did you come from and how is Spitfire your mother?" he asked curiously. 

"Mom adopted me when she was sixteen while living in Manehatten. Don't ask why. All I ever got was that she need something in her life other than parties and Wonderbolt training," I replied truthfully. Even though I knew about the letter and who sent me to Mom, but they didn't need to know that. Nor did Mom need to know. She just wasn't ready for that kind of information....yet. 

"As for my reputation?" I hummed thoughtfully. "I'm surprised that you don't know who I am. After all, being the daughter of a celebrity that sometimes goes to major parties like the Wonderbolt Prep Rally this weekend. I tend to be on everyone's radar. Then again, I am one of the fastest recorded fliers in Equestria. So there's that." 

"Anything else you want to know?" I asked the pair who shared the same look of deep thought. Sierra was the one that spoke. 

"We're good. Thank you for your time." 





Of course, they did ask more questions after that, but with the other Bunnies. I listened in on them from time to time during their stay at the Cafe. There were a few questions that made everyone look at them in confusion like; What's up with all the Frontier Forts? Why are there so many Griffins in Equestria? Who is Aria Dreamer? How do hooves work? And, where is Twilight Sparkle? 

The first few question weren't all that concerning, it was their last one that earned a few glares there way. Every Unicorn in the Cafe that went to Canterlots School for Unicorns knew who Twilight was and her status at the Academy. No one would talk to me about her personality or how she acted around others when I asked around town that knew her. So I figured she was the same Twilight that I knew from the show, and my second life, but from what I've gathered. This Twilight rubbed a few ponies at the school the wrong way with her private lessons with Princess Celestia, that, and there were a few "older" guards that wanted her hoof in marriage, but they struck out. 

Now, the question wasn't all that alarming, it was the reaction to the answer that was. Sierra and Phoenix didn't like what they learned. It was as if there were in complete disbelief at the notion that Twilight wasn't the adorkable person that we all love, however. At this point in my life, I'm fairly certain that there might be something different about this Twilight. In any case, the duo left rather unhappy with the information that they received. 

'Well, I did tell them that going to a Cafe to learn about the town was a bad idea,' I mused to myself while following the four to the outskirts of town. 'But where are they going?' In silence, I followed them in the darkness to one of the abandon houses located in the outer limits of the town. The poor decrepit place was on the verge of collapse from misuse and abandonment, yet it still stood tall thanks to Earth Pony craftsmanship. The four walked into the place from the back while I watched them from the air completely unseen.  

'Smart, but the Militia or my Wolves would have noticed you by now,' I thought as my eyes spotted three ponies in Militia Armor walk right passed the house like nothing was out of the ordinary, however. Their eyes and ears quickly honed in on the house like a pack of dogs, and in the air with me to the north was on of my Silver Wolves—A group of individuals that I formed a while ago that were good at fighting, and needed a good cause to do so—Hovering in place in black Ranger Armor that covered his body completely. He noticed me and gave a nod before flying back from whence he came. 

'Huh? I should have realized that my Clan in True Apocalypse might actually take me seriously in the real world as the leader of the Silver Wolves. I hope they figure out that it was a joke. Otherwise, I might have to erase the warrior cult I created. Though, if the Thestral knew something was up with those four, then I need to get closer and have a chat with him later.' Once the Militia squad was out of sight, I glided to the back of the house and began the rest of my snooping, but when I got close. I heard voices come from the cellar located in the back. 

"I'm telling you that something is wrong with them!" Shouted someone from within the cellar. 

'Sounds interesting,' I thought as I pressed my ear against the not-so-sound-proof cellar door. 

"Quiet Raven!," shouted the voice that I knew belonged to Phoenix. "This place isn't all that sound-proof. Do you want to attract the attention of those Militia Spooks?!" 

"No!" a new female voice shouted back. "But there is something seriously wrong here!" 

"I agree," replied the voice that belonged to Sierra. "Something has ruined the timeline, and it could have doomed Equestria to complete destruction." 

"What do you mean?" asked the fourth and very male member of the quartet. 

'Yes, what do you mean?' I wondered as I listened more closely. 

"Well for starters; Fluttershy is a Cam Girl Pornstar. Apple Jack is a paranoid Country Hick. Pinkie Pie is Mellow. Rainbow Dash is an average workaholic, and Rarity is a Mage Blade wielding smith that slaughters Manticores on a daily basis. Oh, and let's not forget that Princess Celestia is at war with the Griffin Empire which is the main reason why there are so many Griffins living in Equestria, and not to mention that Equestria is in the computer revolution right now?!" 

'What's that got to do with anything?' I pondered. Everyone knows about The Griffin War. It has been going on for the past hundred years and hasn't gotten anywhere. It's more-less the cold war at this point. As for the other things? I don't see the problem. This Equestria was different from day one, and I know that not all versions of a universe would share the same traits. The Elements of Harmony are just regular ponies at the end of the day. Then again, I am the one to blame for Fluttershy ramming a dildo up her pussy on camera. I shouldn't have told her how most mares pay for university nowadays. On camera, she isn't shy, but off she is. It's really strange, but thank Faust she is only a solo artist. 

"The Elements of Harmony are broken and we must fix them before it's too late!" shouted Raven. 

"Oh, that's what they meant," I let out a sigh of relief, but it was brief. It took a few more seconds of more rambling before I realized what she just said, and it filled my heart with worry and rage. They knew about the Elements of Harmony and who wielded them. They were trying to get close to them for some strange reason that couldn't be good, but like the Nightmare Moon cultists, who had come into town a few years ago.

I won't let them.
> Chapter 11. A small Detour. 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Rain assaulted the locomotive with unrelenting force. The bullet storm courtesy of the Weather Pegasi made each window "crack!" when the tempest outside decided it wanted a turn at slowing the train down, and as a result of the barrage. We were driving at a snail's pace towards our destination of Canterlot: where Mom and I would dress up for the Wonderbolt Prep Rally. 

It was that time of year again for our family when we had to play "nice" with the Nobility. We only put up with their whiny bullshit for a few days in the year so that we had a steady source of income from the various sponsorships and tributes from the cunts. Mom would get all "touchy-feely" with a few of gold digging creeps while I had to socialize with my high-class peers. It was a drag, to put it bluntly, but like the good girl that I am. I behaved. Mostly. 

'Even though I should be gathering incriminating evidence of those four fucks in Ponyville... the Rally is too important to miss.' I let out a sigh with my cheek against the pleasantly cold window. My breath clouding my vision of the black afternoon sky, not that there was much to see. The torrential downpour made it impossible to see more than a few feet beyond my snout. My mood was black as the clouds above, and it didn't help the brooding within the cabin. 

"What's wrong, Love?" Spoke the mare sitting across from me on the red velvet couch in our cabin, voice filled with concern. Peeling myself away from the somber sight outside to answer, I saw mother looking at me with a worrisome look. With ears folding back and a twitch of the wings, I sighed again. 

"Nothing much. Just...thinking." 

Mom raised a brow to that, "thinking huh? About what little dove?" 

"Little dove? Really? You've been spending too much time with Red Heart," I chuckled at the pet-name. At least it was a nice pet-name. "And I'm just thinking about Canterlot. I don't want to spend my entire time there with Cadence again." 

"Sorry, Kiddo. I forgot that you don't like being babied by your old mare," Mom rubbed her head sheepishly in embarrassment. She knew that spending time with Red Heart would make her all mushy when she didn't like acting that way, however. When you spend your time with a Nurse at a book club every other Sunday, things tend to happen back at home that you didn't think you would pick up. Like complaining about reading the book from the book club. That got really annoying. At least she enjoys it. 

"Not all the time, but it's nice to know that you love me enough to keep up with the pet-names," I giggled at her embarrassment. She threw the cushion beside her at me in response. It flew across the cabin so fast that I couldn't dodge in time. The soft, downy pillow collided with my face with an audible "pomf!" ending my life in an instant. 

"Boom! Headshot," Mom laughed as I played dead on my couch with my six-inch tongue lolled out. "Now, time to reap the rewards." 

"You wouldn't dare!" I gasped as I felt her hooves wrap around my limp body and began the most insidious torture ever invented: Death by tickling. 

I never stood a chance. 


❄⚔❄


Elsewhere in Equestria in the town known as Wingshire, twelve Pegasi stretched their wings for the upcoming race. One of the Pegasi was a black-maned-mare named Raven Shadowhoof. Her amber eyes never left the cyan Pegasus with a rainbow mane to her right at the other side of the sun-bathed arena, but every now and again. She would shoot a glare to the dark gray stallion that never left Rainbow Dash's side. 

Of course, she wanted Thunderlane to know that she was watching him. She would entice the stallion with her more femininely-built dark purple body with gestures that only that Vixen mare named Rose would do. She would even bounce her flanks with more sway whenever she passed him by, making sure that he got a good look at her cutie mark: an outstretched, black, Raven's wing. It was all part of the plan: force Rainbow and the gang together by any means necessary. That includes taking away things that would steer the six from the course of Harmony, and, unfortunately. That also meant taking away any love that they might feel for another that didn't belong in the equation. 

Looking past the stallion towards the track, Raven saw a few ponies making the final preparations for the race. They moved a few rings up and around the air in a circular pattern while a Unicorn lit a large bonfire in the center. She didn't understand why there was a need for the fire during a race. Everyone knew that heat would only cause unnecessary lift for the racers, throwing them off and hindering their chances of winning. Her frown at the sight of the bonfire earned the attention from one of the other racers slowly inching his way towards the mare, hoping to be noticed by the wolf in sheep's clothing. She frowned at the gold-furred stallion as well. 

"H-Hey, Raven," the stallion greeted with a nervous chuckle. The golden-furred stallion with an equally obnoxious gold mane didn't stand out from the ground by any means, but he still was talking to her for some apparent reason, and she didn't like it. "H-How are you this morning?"

"I'm fine," Raven replied coldly. "What do you want?"

"W-Well, I was wondering if after the race that we could..." he said into a meek mumble at the end, earning him a roll of the eyes from Raven. Her cold heart had no room for petty romance for the time being, and if she did? It would only get in the way of her mission to separate Thunderlane from Rainbow. Plus, the colt shuffling nervously in front of her was way out of his league. Raven only liked stallions that can stand beside her in battle, and the little twerp looked ready to fall over just by being in her presence. 

'Pathetic excuse for a stallion,' she thought bitterly. Looking back towards the track where everyone was gathering, Raven gave the stallion one last look with contempt and gave him her answer that will stop him from pursuing her ever again. 

"Fuck off you little bitch. The only stallion that can tame this wolf is one that wears the fur of his kill, and you obviously don't." Once those words left her mouth, she snorted and walked away, leaving behind a devastated stallion in her wake. 

"Alright, racers listen up! I will only say this once since it's the first Drift in the season!" shouted a gruff stallion wearing the iconic black and white striped referee shirt. He stood on top of a stool holding a small clipboard with authority, drawing the attention of all the racers. Raven found herself standing at the back of the crowd, staring impassively at the stallion of her forced affection. She kept an ear out for the referee at least. 

"This venue is one of the hardest in the season. The second hardest are Sprints! Reason being is that you are not allowed to flap your wings and are only limited to gliding. That's why we started that, " he pointed to the fire blazing at the center of the field. "However, that fire will NOT be there for the rest of the season, and as such, you all should consider yourself lucky to be babied for your first Drift race!"

Chatter soon erupted after the announcement, most complaints about the challenge placed before them. Most whined like little bitches about the whole ordeal of having to stay in the air with nothing but thermals and updrafts while others recoiled as if they knew the pain of failure, but Raven? She smiled with giddy glee. 

'So this is a Drift? My skills with wing-blades will certainly give me the advantage here. After all: you can't cut while your wings are constantly moving around your opponent,' she hummed to herself. Looking around the field in her deep thought, she saw Thunderlane standing alone and Rainbow out of sight. 'It will be a while before the race starts. The fire needs to be big and hot enough before we begin. I guess it's time to get to work.'


❄⚔❄


Sounds of moaning can be heard from down a large, stone, corridor with magnificent paintings depicting Equestria's greatest heroes next to their statues and stained windows. Guards, maids, and other castle staff all shared the same red tint upon their cheeks when they walked passed one of the guest rooms currently occupied by whoever is screaming like they have no shame, and it bugged me. 

The reason it bugged me because it was not I receiving the pleasure of whoever hides within the room from the whore in pink. I know Princess Cadance was dating Shining Armor, but it saddens me to know that Shining would cheat on Cadence with a random maid. I know we don't like each other, not by a long shot. At the best of days, we were two cats ready to tear the other apart, however. Cadence doesn't deserve such an asshole of a stallion. Her ideas of love may be skewed and biased due to a little bit of tribalism, but her heart is pure as well as her body. 

'That maid should be fucking me, not Shining Dick-Face' I growled to myself as I peeled away from the door and continued to my playdate with the aforementioned, Alicorn of Love. 

'Now, be nice to Cadence, Rose. I know you two haven't gotten along after the... fire, but please tolerate her?' Mom asked before parting ways with me to prepare for the Wonderbolt Prep Rally this evening. At the time, I wouldn't have listened to her and proceeded to drive the pink mare up the wall about how amazing it felt to have someone else preen your wings, but after walking passed the room of her coltfriend fucking Feather Duster? I'll listen. This time. 

Letting out a sigh, I adjusted my collar with my wing. It wasn't every day that I got to spend time at the castle. Long ago, I used to come here to play with... her, before everything went to shit. Now, even as I walk down the hall that was once a blazing inferno that almost killed me many moons ago, I can't help feeling uncomfortable in the palace where I felt so safe growing up. 

As I turned the corner down the final stretch of the hall where I was supposed to have tea with Cadence, Sassy Saddles, and Fleur De Lis, I froze. The scent of the morning dew kiss upon freshly bloomed roses hit me like a truck. The sound of laughter reverberated off the walls like a stampede of Buffalo. There, running from room to room giggling with pure joy—Jumping over the red carpet like it was made of lava—Were two, ghostly fillies playing a game of Tag with the Old Captain.

'Hey, Sunny! Wait for me!' one giggled with a flutter of her wings. Her smile pure, eyes filled with love. She jumped over the carpet just as the Old Captain made a leap for the bounding bundle of fur with a youthful chuckle. 

'Then don't be so slow, Winny!' the other giggle back even though the other was on her tail. She gasped as the Old Captain teleported in front of them in an attempt to cut them off, and it worked. Both couldn't stop in time and they, in a comical fashion, skidded right into the awaiting arms of the Old Captain. All three toppled over in a mass of laughter. 

'Grandpa Fury! No fair!' Whined the Pegasus as the Old Captain pinned her down with a hoof playfully while the other was pinned down by a pillow that the Old Captain found along the way. 

'No fair, eh?' he chuckled evilly. 'I'll show you no fair! Here comes the tickle monster!'

'No!' both screamed in absolute horror before the Old Captain began the most insidious forms of execution. Earning bellowing laughter from the two fillies for a few moments before the Old Captain let them free to continue playing. With a withered smile, he watched the two run down the hall and through the approaching Alicorn of Love. 

"Rose?" I heard off in the distance, pulling me from my trance. I had to blink a few times to let go of the ghosts still running around in my vision, but that didn't stop the tears streaming down my cheek. With a frown, I quickly wiped away my tears before Cadence saw the state I found myself in. 

"Are you alright? You were just standing in the center of the hall," Cadence asked with a hint of concern in her voice. Looking up at her with a strained smile, I straightened my posture to make myself a little taller even though the pink Alicorn was easily towered my smaller frame. I didn't want to cause her any more grief with her insane sense of empathy that was on par with my own. I met her halfway down the hall, and since she was one of the few that knew why I hated coming to Canterlot. I was honest with her. 

"I just had a flashback of the good ol' days. Nothing to worry about," I replied with a twitch of the ear. The Princess, who had her mane tied in a high ponytail, cringed in response. 

"Are you still mad about that?" Cadence sighed, her ears flat against her skull. "You know my Ascension was out of my control."

"I hold grudges forever, Cadence. Your Ascension destroyed my best friend and almost burned the castle to the ground," I hissed back and shoved passed her. "Now, we have a meeting in the Lunar Lounge with Blueblood and Fleur De lis. Let's not waste any time."


❄⚔❄


"Alright, Racers! Take your positions!" shouted the ref from high above the track. Raven cracked a smile as she took her spot next to Thunderlane, and unfortunately, Lightning Streak to her left. The stallion from earlier didn't know when to call it quits after his first rejection. It bugged her to no end. For the two hours of waiting for the fire to reach its peak, she had to endure his constant begging for a "chance," to prove his worth. 

'Fucking cunt doesn't know when to quit,' Raven groaned inwardly while watching the bleachers fill with ponies that came to watch one of the more boring events of the evening, however. Not all of it was monotonous. The stallion to her right was giving her a few lustful looks her way. 'I wonder if he'll take my offer? Rainbow Dash is a fine mare, but I can be better... for the time being.' 

"On your marks!" the ref continued, signaling the racers to dig their hooves into the cloud for extra thrust. Raven's smiled went comically wide, showing her canines to the ponies beside her and most importantly: upsetting Lightning Streak. 

"Get set!" the ref shouted with a raised flag in the air. 

"Ready to take me out to dinner, Thunder?" Raven asked with a wink. This earned a light blush from the dark-gray stallion tensing his wings for the race. Rainbow who was at the far end of the line saw the blush from whatever they were talking about and didn't like it. 

Rainbow frowned at the two, but she couldn't do anything about what that mare was doing with her stallion at the moment. She would have to wait until after the race to tell the mare to "fuck off." Grinding her teeth to stifle her anger, Rainbow spotted a Griffin leaving the arena. 

"Go—BOOM!"
> Chapter 12. Shadowhoof.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Rainbows eyes went wide, breath caught in her throat. She couldn't move even though the world around her was utter chaos. Ponies bolted from the flaming arena while other ran to the fire, armed and armored. The other racers had already fled, leaving her petrified at the starting line. Visions of her past flashed rapidly before her, holding her in place. 

Raven hissed in rage at the sorry sight in center field. She couldn't understand what was wrong with the still Pegasus standing there with ears back, wings twitching, and needle eyes. She wanted to go up there and smack the bitch straight, but that would be counter-productive at the moment. No, what she needed to do was find the culprit and bring them to justice. To make them pay for ruining her plan. Raven breathed in then out, wings outstretched and ready. With a grunt, she leaped from the safety cloud where the guards forced her and those willing to stay if they haven't fled the arena altogether. 

"Hey! Stop!" one of the guards shouted, but he was too late. Raven above the blazing fire and the dead ponies smoldering the wreckage before the guards could do anything. 'Not like they could keep up in the first place.' With her eagle-like vision, she scanned the area around the fire, searching for the exit. 

It didn't take her long to find the exit. It was located directly in the center of all the destruction. She groaned when she realized that the murderer must have fled the scene in an alternate route from the original and made a beeline to the town of Wingshire to cover his tracks. There was no way she was going to fly into the fire just to find the bastard, she wasn't that stupid, but she knew where to begin her search. 

Turning around, she bolted for the town. She had little time to pick up on the trail left behind by the bomber. 'Rainbow will have to wait,' she cursed. In the morning of her eye, the mare in question was guided by the first-responders to the safety cloud. Raven grimaced at the sight of the stretcher that they had to drag her with, but that didn't matter right now. 

Wings beating hard and fast, like the bird of prey she was. Raven was in the large town in mere moments. The little hillside town was alive and in motion. Guards ran through the streets, medics bolted to help those in need, and ponies hid in their homes. It was a sad sight in her eyes. The town was quite the sight before the race. 

"Shame. This place was cute when it's not on Lockdown," she sighed and continued on. 

As she flew over the town, another followed her in the shadows. His eyes refused to leave the sight of the flying Pegasus. As such, he ran through the chaotic streets just out of her vision. He paid no mind to the guards, nor gave a damn to the ponies telling him to take shelter. He only had one mission: Follow Raven and report back to his Mistress, Lady Rhapsody. 

He ran as fast as he could, trying to keep up with the flying mare on a mission. Even though his leather wings could keep up with Raven, having a Thestral suddenly take flight behind a potentially dangerous Pegasus would be a horrible idea. Instead, he chose to stay on the ground, weaving through the screaming masses like a dancer with his partner. 

Of course, he knew why she was flying from the arena. The bomb was large enough that everyone in town could see the fireball rising into the air. The panic was instant right as a large chunk of the arena fell from the sky, crushing everything unlucky enough beneath the cloud and wood structure. He knew no one came out of the disaster unscathed, but he couldn't do anything about it. 

'I know my Mistress won't be pleased with my abandonment, but Raven knows something that I don't, and I must know what that is.' Pushing through a back alley, he saw Raven dive towards an empty warehouse. He knew it was empty because he scouted the area for an escape route earlier in case Raven figured out what he was up too, however. If Raven saw something from the sky heading there. Then it was no longer empty. 

Running by tall buildings weathered from the elements, he came up to his destination: an old, dusty, building, no larger than a few houses connected together by brick and mortar. The once bright yellow paint, now a faded white, peeled like rotting skin. Holes littered the side of the building and the clay roof folded in on itself. He grimaced at the sight of Raven barging through the main gate without a care in the world. He, thankfully, knew better. With a flap of his wings, he jumped over the gate and walked around the side, and smiled. 

The side of the building had a large hole just big enough for him to squeeze through. He knew from his scouting that the hole leads to the office area littered with old and very moldy office supplies. His smile grew bigger when the sound of talking echoed through the building, even though it was faint. All that mattered was the fact that his efforts birthed fruit, however. He still needed to bring back something for his Mistress. 

Silently, he trotted through the office area, following the chatter as he did so. He made sure to keep an eye out for anything that may be amiss, but nothing was out of place. Bounding around a corner with the grace of a mouse, he came to the door that opened up to the loading area, and where the voices were conversing with each other. Quietly as he could, he drew a dagger from underneath his wing and opened the old, metal door, and peered into the empty warehouse. Well, almost empty. 

Standing in the center next to a brand new sky-wagon were three Griffins: all of which wore leather armor and looked like they mean business. He frowned at the sight, but that was a given. What he was looking for was Raven, who quickly made herself known to the trio sporting crossbows, and longswords. 

"Oi! I fucking found you cunts!" Raven bellowed from the far side of the warehouse, earning the legendary gesture: hoof-inside-skull, and a groan from the Thestral. 

"What the!?" one of the Griffins replied. "Maelstrom, you were supposed to lose the bitches before coming here!"

"Don't put this on me! I wasn't the one responsible for the bomb!" Maelstrom exclaimed. "And it's only one pony. Just gut her and leave." Raven didn't look pleased about the proclamation, however. It did make her happy. 

"Gut me, eh?' Raven laughed, maniacally so. "It's been a while since I had a threeway, and since you, three gentlemen are so generous as to confessing your sin. I shall make your death as painful as possible."

The trio chuckled and readied their weapons. This gesture didn't deter the much, much smaller Pegasus mare. Instead, it only made her more willing to brawl with the three. Walking with pride in her every step, Raven licked her lips hungrily for the blood of Griffins. His eyes went wide in shock as electricity erupted from her carnivorous maw, causing the Griffins to take a step back in fear. 

"What's the matter, boys? Afraid of my Lightning Fangs?" Raven chuckled as she took another step towards them. "Don't worry. They will only hurt... a lot." 

"I'm not afraid!" the third one shouted in defiance, cocking a bolt into his crossbow as he did so, but it was pointless. Within a split second, she was on top of him. The other two barely had the time to turn and watch Raven clamp her jaw onto the third member's neck, twisting her body as she did so, and slammed the much larger body onto the ground with a sickening crunch. All the while, the Thestral watched in amazement. 

'To think that there is someone as fast as my Mistress. Lady Rhapsody must know of this,' he thought before the sounds of a blood-curdling screech assaulted his senses. When he looked at what made the sound, he saw the Griffin in her maw convulsing violently.

The other two Griffins could only watch in horror as their friend went limp in Ravens grip before she spat him out, dead and burnt. If he wasn't used to the stench of burnt flesh already, the Thestral would have vomited right there. Instead of losing his lunch, he watched with growing curiosity of his target. Even though it sickened him seeing her lick the blood from her lips with a moan of disgusting pleasure. 

"W-What are you!?" stuttered Maelstrom with a shaky grip of his longsword. He backed away along with his friend from the mare grinning like a madpony. Both of them knowing that death will follow if they engaged the deranged mare. 

"I am Raven Shadowhoof: heir to the Shadowhoof clan of Assassins," she replied with a bow. "I have been tasked with aiding my friends on a very special mission. This mission is to ensure the Elements of Harmony go to their destined bearers and not the six usurpers, and you four, unfortunately, got in the way. So I hate to ask this but... where is the fourth?" 

"I'm not telling you where Xerath is!" the unnamed Griffin proclaimed, but his new found vigor was all for naught. Raven raised a brown and twitched her wing. If the Thestral wasn't shocked already from Ravens sudden revelation, then the six blade-like feathers protruding from the neck of the second Griffin ensured it. 

Raven obviously wasn't pleased with the answer. 

"Tsk, what a waste," she hummed at the sight of the new corpse bleeding its last moments of life onto the ground in a river of ruby. Turning her gaze to the fleeing Maelstrom, she leaped into the air and bolted straight for the Griffin. 

"Where are you going?" she inquired, but the response she got from Maelstrom wasn't to her liking. With a sigh, she clamped down on the Griffins neck before he could fly through the hole in the roof and threw him back to the ground. Without leaving any time to let the Griffin recover, she pinned him to the ground on his back with strength' that shouldn't be possible for a such a small mare. 

"Shall I ask again? Or will you tell me where Xerath is?" 

"P-Please don't kill me!" Maelstrom begged, tears streaming down his face. Raven tapped his trembling beak with one of her steel feathers thoughtfully. 

"Only if you give me what I want," she said, tracing the blade along his neck. 

"X-Xerath is a Steelwing!" the Griffin blurted out. "The Steelwings live in a small town called Ponyville! He wears an Illusion Ring to hide is true identity, but there are only three Steelwings alive! Honest!"

"It can't be the old bird. I know for a fact that he is stuck in Ponyville for the time being, and his brother is dead, however. I have not heard of anyone else that's alive that belonged to the Steelwings other than Hawkfire and Razor, and I know for a fact that Rose isn't a Griffin... well, that's a shame." 

"W-What is?" Maelstrom choked in muffled sobs. 

'I agree,' the Thestral wondered. 

"I didn't want to get on Rose's radar, but her brother has to go," she sighed, "And I liked him too." 

"S-So can I go?" the Griffin asked hopefully. Raven raised a brow, knowing the answer already. There was no way in hell that she was going to let him live after what she told the Griffin. She didn't want the bastard to run off and warn his friends who she is and what she is up too. It was bad enough that she had to kill Razor, which meant that Rose will act a lot sooner than anticipated. 'I could always get her to kill him for me. If she is given proof that Razor almost killed Rainbow Dash, then I don't need to get my hooves dirty.' Looking back down towards the frightened eyes of the Griffin underneath her, she placed raised the steel feather into the air.

"Not in your wildest dreams," she smiled before slitting the throat of the Griffin underneath her. She watched his life slowly snuff out as his blood coated her dark gray fur, and all the while; the Thestral watched as well, but not for long. He quickly left the scene to warn his Mistress of the treachery within her home and family. 

> Chapter 13. Moonlight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Big brother! Why are you so big?!" a little filly whined from underneath the wing of a tall Griffin. Her little form nuzzled against his side, seeking warmth from beneath his large appendage. Her mismatched eyes filled with unconditional love, and wonder for her protector. 

"I'm not big," he replied with a chuckle, rubbing her side with his wing lovingly. "You're just small." 

The little filly gave a little pout. She didn't like that answer. No one would tell her why everyone was taller than her. It was like they were hiding a secret to reaching the cookie jar without needing to use her wings to get to it. Momma could reach the cookie jar, same with Daddy, but every time she tried. She always knocked something over when she flew in the house. She wants to be big too. 

"I don't like being small," the filly grumbled. Big brother giggled at her puffed out cheeks and pulled her closer with an affectionate nuzzle. This caused her puffed out cheeks to brighten with the most beautiful shade of scarlet. 

"Sure you do!" he laughed. "If you were any taller, then you couldn't use me as an Umbrella." 

"N-No..." her blush glowed brighter. "I just don't like looking up all the time..." 

"Whatever you say, Winny... the midget," he snickered. 

"I'm not a midget!" she cried. "You are a giant, Rexy!" 





The clock went tick and tock in an obnoxious rhythm. Each note was grating on my ears. No one would spark a conversation while we waited for Blueblood to return from his sudden departure, leaving Cadence, Fleur, Sassy and I all alone in the same room. All three of them refused to make a sound, and it was starting to bother me. 

Before, we would talk about the good stuff: politics and gossip. It was the one thing we were all interested in. I don't like the celebrity scandals all that much, but I was interested in how the country was fairing. Sassy or Fleur would say something, Blueblood would add to it, and Cadence and I would give our opinions. Our first little debate was on the status of the Wonderbolts, which, of course, my hooves were all over. 

Sassy, in particular, wanted to know when recruitments were happening. I, in return, told her when the roster opens up or when someone spectacular gets recommended. When Sassy asked if it was possible to get in without all the red tape, but when I replied: "The last time someone asked that question. They ended up in a ditch, and their pony was predominately banned from the Wonderbolts," she kept quiet about the topic afterward. 

Fleur, on the other hoof, wanted to know about Cadence's relationship with Shining Armor. To which I replied with a look of concern when Cadence gave the mare a fake smile. The kind of smile that told anyone that it wasn't fine, but thanks for your concern. I didn't want to add my two cents into that mess, but Blueblood just had to say: "That ruffian fucked one of the maids a while ago. I don't understand why you stay with him when clearly your heart doesn't matter. Princess Cadence, it would be wise just to end it and find somepony else before you get hurt."

Her reply saddened me. She knew that Shining was cheating on her with other mares and didn't care. If I had to guess, I'd think that her way of "love" will prevail in the end, but the way things are going with the two. That wasn't going to happen. Thus, I added my two cents. 

"Caddie, even though our views of love are different, I agree with Blueblood," I said bluntly, earning a few gasps from the other two mares at the world-ending news that I've agreed with Blueblood on something. "Just because of the Love Thread, as you call it, connects you two together. Even I know it's a one-way street. All he cares is that you are a Princess, and nothing more." 

Cadance didn't like that. 

"And how would YOU know, Rose!" Cadence spat in my face, with pure, unrelenting rage in her eyes. Her wings flared out as she stomped her Alicorn hooves onto the table, and glared at me with pure venom. The ponies around her gasped when the table that we were using snapped in two, but that didn't matter. With a sip of coffee, I raised a brow in response. 

"Because I looked up the spell?" I replied matter-of-factly. "It does not say anywhere in the book that the Love Thread points you to your 'true love.' It only shows you who YOU love at the time." 

"I'VE STUDIED LOVE MAGIC FAR LONGER THAN YOU ROSE! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" Cadence shouted in the legendary, and ear-raping tone of the Royal Canterlot Caps-Lock. 

I took another sip of coffee, unimpressed with her attitude. Long ago, she wouldn't dare shout at me or anyone for that matter. The fact that she was yelling now shows how distraught her heart was feeling. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what was going on in her mind, however. I knew better about the whole situation. 'Long ago, we were very close Cadence. We used to cuddle, sing, tell stories, and bug Sunset when she got too into her books. As much as I want to blame you for the fire, and I do try. I know when to drop my grudge and be the pony that you used to cry on every night. Literally.' 

"Cadence?" I said calmly and prepared to say something that I haven't told her in a long time. 

"WHAT?!" she boomed.

"Later tonight, I want you to come with me to the room. We haven't gone there in a long time, and you need to calm down. So, will you come with me tonight or do I have to drag you there... again?" 

"WHAT ROOM?!" she shouted even louder with another stomp of her hoof, turning the table into tinder. "I don't know of.... oh," she spoke quietly, earning a few jaws to drop to the floor. "I... I haven't been there since we were fillies." 

"I know," I lamented. "It has been a long time since I've been there too, but we both need something to calm our nerves, and our little hiding spot in the Castle is just the place to talk." 

Cadences eye twitched. 

"Talk about what?" she sneered. "My relationship? HA!"

Letting out a sigh, I stood up in front of our frozen company that watched the spectacle in silence and walked right up to the seething Alicorn, even though she looked ready to kill me. With a weak smile, I buried my face into her soft, fluffy, chest. "Sunset would have kicked your ass if she saw you yelling at me, and I would have been there for you when you cried. Now, shut up Crystal, and give me a hug."

"C-Crystal," Cadence sniffled as I felt her entire body wrap around mine, wings and all. I returned the gesture with a full-body hug of my own. "You haven't called me by my first name in... years." 

"I know when to drop my anger when one of my best friends needs help, and you, Crystal. Need my help," I comforted to the best of my ability and earned a river of tears dripping down onto my head. 

"Please?" Cadence sobbed quietly. 

After that whole emotional event, our little tea party continued albeit in fucking silence. Cadence won't look at me for obvious reasons. Fleur was too terrified to make a sound. Sassy and Blueblood had the right idea to leave, but only one followed through. Our pleasant conversation went downhill rather fast, and nobody dared to speak. If Hell was awkward, then this room was it. 

Not all of my time spent in Hell was wasted: I did manage to learn what was going on with the Griffins from Blueblood. Apparently, they were getting antsy. He described them as a bunch of Termites ready to attack at any sign of danger. He talked about it in such way. That he made it sound like they were waiting for something to happen here in Equestria, and whatever it was. I need to look out for. 





Strings from a beautiful orchestra filled the Gala Hall with their heavenly music. Ponies danced like swans with sticks up their asses in the center, while the more social talked near the tables or food stands. Of in the corner, I saw Mom and Aunt Footy converse with Fancy Pants and his wife, Lady Evergreen. In the other corner chatting up Cobalt Blitz was my uncle, Soarin, looking to score a donut for this evening, which isn't all that surprising. He has been swinging for both teams on the short term for a while now. When he came home with a rather cute stallion and proceeded to makes sounds in the guest room without a care in the world for my sanity, I made a few bits from Mom. 

There were a few ponies that I didn't think would show up here, Vinyl and Octavia included. Octavia I could see sitting the first chair in the cello section, wearing a black suit with her adorable bowtie around her neck. Vinyl, who sported a dark purple visor that looked like it came from the future instead of her regular shades, leaned against the wall closest to Tavi. 

At the other side of the Gala Hall was Blueblood and the two stooges. They were chatting up another upcoming business pony scavenging for favor amongst the higher class echelon like a vulture. He wasn't all that important. Now, I can go on and on about who I knew, and who I hated, but they didn't matter. They were only minor inconveniences to my sanity and social status amongst the rich and famous. Sure, Mom wanted me to be buddy-buddy with them tonight, and I was inclined to do so, however. There were two ponies hiding in the castle, waiting for my meeting with them tonight. Looking around the Hall once more, I made sure everything was in place. I didn't want to suddenly leave from the event. It would only draw unwanted attention to myself and my patrons. 

'Well, let's get this show on the road,' I told myself with a hefty sigh, the party dragged longer than I would have liked. Sometimes I think the Nobles only cared about who can drink the most without passing out on the dancefloor. I know I would have. There was only so much dancing I could do before I required a nap from the monotony. I know Octavia couldn't play for more than Grand Concert, which sometimes lasted for over six hours straight. I was not envious of that fact. 

Pushing from my wall of solitude, I trotted down one of the many identical corridors of the castle. For most, trying to find your way around this labyrinth would seem impossible, but not I! I have spent many weekends running, playing, and laughing through these halls with one of the few friends I made in my life. I knew where each door led, where all the guards were stationed, even all the servant alleys that the maids used to hide from tourists. With this knowledge, I made a good time to my destination.

It was a small door, snug in between marble pillars and only accessible to the staff. No one would suspect anything out of the ordinary about this door, nor the contents held within. On most days, the door led to a small alley with bathroom for the servants, but tonight it served another purpose. Without a care in the world, I pushed open the door and walked right in. My objective was the bathroom where one of my two patrons was waiting. 

"When our souls call out to the Grimoire..?" I said calmly as I entered the bathroom once the door closed shut. 

"...Our hearts answer the call," replied a voice from within one of the stalls. I cracked a smile at the response. My informant was on time and in my desired location for conversation. Quickly, I walked over to the opened stall, making sure to bar the door with the trashcan before hoof, and asked another question. 

"Were you followed, Night Blade?"

"No, my Mistress. I made sure no one knew of our meeting," he answered calmly. 

"Good," I mused as I sat down on the toilet, ignoring the fact that I could see Night's hooves touching the floor. "Now, what do you have for me?" 

"You were right about Raven. She is dangerous," he began. 

"How so?" 

"Her speed rivals your own, as well as your lethality with Lightning. I've seen her dispatch three Griffins with Lightning Fang, and only that spell. Not to mention that she managed to close a one-hundred-meter gap in a split-second...." 

"That's... rather interesting, but why did she kill those Griffins?" I inquired. After all, it wasn't every day that you find someone so willing to end someone else's life casually. Period. Pony-kind is not a vicious race like the Griffins. We try to subdue our attacker, not end them. Of course, there are the rare exceptions like myself, but ponies like me and Raven are few and far in between. It's good to know who I'm up against if a fight were to break out. 'Plus, if Raven is as good as Night is implying, then I wouldn't mind sparing with her every now and again. Slaughtering Timber Wolves stayed challenging for so long.'

"...I was getting to that," he paused for a moment as if what he was about to say would upset me, which was odd. Night Blade never said anything that would come remotely close to make me loose my shit. The closest he came was when he told me that we were out of Black Crystals for a Death Level Raid in Drakens Maw. I only threw a few swears... and spears. I didn't bend Nix—My second in command—Over my bed in my tent and skull-fucked her with a futanari potion. Nope. I let him continue in silence. 

"Well, you see..." he paused again, making me a little annoying for the stalling. 

"Get on with it," I grumped. 

"...Raven, um, when she entered the Lightning Cup and her first race was in a small town called, Wingshire. Rainbow Dash was also there, along with Thunderlane and.... Razor," he choked out, earning a raised brow from my end through the wall. 'Why was Rexy in Wingshire?' I wondered. 'He wasn't supposed to race. He was done so that he could pursue his career in the Militia this year. Strange.'

"Go on," I motioned on. 

"There was a bomb it... killed a few ponies in the stands. The Griffins were responsible, and your brother was a part of their group. He was the only survivor of Ravens rampage, and she is currently hunting him down."

The world went silent. Nothing dared to speak: not the air, not the earth, nor the heavens. It was like everything around me hid in fear for what was about to happen. Of course, my thoughts were darker, troubled, and broken. I didn't want to believe Night Blade, not without solid proof, but I knew better. If there was an attack on Equestria, then Celestia would have instantly covered it up. Anything to fuel the Griffin war we were in would be disastrous. 

Those were the thoughts that I had after I ripped open the bathroom stalls and proceeded to murder-fuck Night Blade out of existence for bringing me the news.
> Chapter 14. Rain
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	My thoughts were like the night sky: black and shattered. Each wave of emotion exploded violently, bright, and gone in an instant, only to be replaced by another. The inner turmoil within my very soul became bleak as the outcome from the Wingshire massacre. Nothing seemed to quell my thirst for understanding why my kind, loving brother killed those ponies. It wasn't like him to just do such an act of evil. I wanted to fly over to Ponyville, burst down his door, and scream at him, beg him to make my fears go away: to hear his deep, rough voice say those three magical words one more time, but I couldn't. I had to stay in Canterlot for the time being, the Wonderbolt Rally was too important to miss, but that didn't stop me from sending the word out to my wolves. Well, most of them. 

Not all of my wolves believed that they could be real "heroes" out of a video game, which I understood. Only a handful followed my orders in the waking world. Night Blade, Shattered River, Obsidian Poppy, Nix, Ash, and Cinder were the aforementioned handful. I contacted them all through Night Blade to meet at the Castle of the Two Sisters, however. I knew Nix wouldn't show up. She was on the shy side and only talked to me on my scroll. Instead, I gave her another assignment to aid the rest of us, and her computer skills will benefit us greatly for what I have planned. 

Thinking about my Silver Wolves did calm my nerves for a time as I walked from my hotel room back to the castle for my meeting with Cadence. They were part of my main squad on True Apocalypse and my most loyal. There were twelve in total, myself included, but the rest didn't care about the real world, only the game. Funny, when I asked them to aid me in the real world with a few things, I didn't believe most of them would actually help. It's good to know that my online friends cared about me.

I let out a sigh, my breath clouding my vision. From underneath my umbrella, I saw the castle gates coming into view. Even in the darkness and blanket of rain, the castle walls that separated it from city-proper was as clear as day. The limestone walls that sported scars of battles long past never looked intimidating at first glance. For most, it looked warm and inviting, safe even. One would have never guessed that five hundred years ago, those walls bore witness to the most bloody war in Equestrian history. A war with the very same enemy that threatened Equestria again. 

Walking up to the east gate, two guards in full-plate armor crossed their spears in front of me. 'Huh, I wonder if they get cold in the rain?' I mused as the sound of metallic pitter-patter echoed ominously in the dark. The larger one of the two took a step forward and spoke with a muffled voice through his helm. 

"Castle hours are closed. Please go home, ma'am." 

"Crystal needs some comfort this night. Your new Captain of the Guard is being a mareizer, and she isn't taking it all that well," I yawned, causing the guard that spoke stiffen. 

"I'm sorry to hear that, but my—"

"I'm pretty sure that my Countess status allows me to visit the castle after hours. I didn't become Thane of Court Noctus Luna for nothing," I cut him off abruptly. 

"—I have never heard of such a thing," he growled in response. 

"If you don't like it, then ask Celestia why she gave it to me when I was a filly running around the castle after hours with one of her prized students. I may not be from Canterlot, however. That doesn't mean my voice isn't listened to, and Princess Crystal Mi Amore Cadenza won't be pleased that her voice of comfort was denied entry during her time of need," I growled back.

The guard bit his tongue in defeat even though it was difficult to tell through his armor. Of course, most guards do when I told them of my real status in Equestria. Of course, my mom knew as well, same with Cadence. It was shocking for both of them when Celestia gave it to me when Sunset and I were found cuddling in the garden, and fast asleep all those years ago. Celestia wanted to make sure that her anti-social student had as many friends as possible, even to go as far as give titles to those that proved their worth. Unfortunately and Fortunately, I was the only one. The guard still didn't like it.

"How do I know that you aren't lying just to get in and pester her highness?" the guard asked with a little more venom in his voice. I took a step forward, a little annoyed myself and poked his metal chest with enough force to push him back slightly. 

"Do I need to bring General Fury here? I don't want to bug my Grandfather this night just to get through a gate I know I have access to." 

That got him to budge. 

"H-How can I tell that you aren't lying?" he gulped. 

"General Hawk Fury—Son of Hawk Tempest and Icarus Flight, Husband to Wolf Spectre, Father of Spitfire Hawkmoon and Fleetfoot Wolfbane—As heir to the Hawk Family: I, Winter Ruby Hawkfire Rose, will whine to papa until he throws you off of Canterlot Mountian in your armor," I said with a lot more sass than I would have liked, but it had the desired effect. "Should I go now? He lives just a few blocks away."

"T-That won't be necessary, go on in, just don't cause trouble," the guard squeaked and backed off. I gave him a smile through the rain before walking on through, much to the amusement of the other guard. Her little chuckle told me all I needed to know about the situation. She must have known who I was, but decided to watch her partner squirm to my threat. I didn't get her name, but I liked her. 

Trotting on through the iron gate and the two-meter-thick limestone wall, I entered the east courtyard a little behind schedule. I didn't waste any more time then I had to. I went straight through the vacant courtyard towards a section of Castle that isn't used, well, not yet anyways. This side of the castle was meant for Princess Luna for when she returns from her lunar imprisonment. It had a wonderful view of the countryside due to the fact that the east-wing was situated near the cliff's edge. The place that I was rushing to where Crystal should be waiting for me is the tallest tower on the far side of the wing and passed the main hall. We call it our secret place only because the entrance is hidden with a spell, like Princess Celestia's private quarters. 

The only way we found it was thanks to Sunset's ingenuity, and Trixie's help. Breaking the illusion spell so that us four could use Princess Luna's room as a little club house were some of the fondest memories that I have. Sure, Princess Celestia caught us in the end, but she let us use it for the time being. We were only fillies at the time that thought the room wasn't being used and made it a place of fun and peace. Celestia saw it as harmless fun, but when looking back on it now. I should have been more respectful. 

Growing up, I didn't get all my memories all at once. Having the mind of an adult with an immense amount of knowledge would have screwed with the millions of neurological connections being created. Over the course of many years, my memories returned. The first ones to come back were academic like Math, English, and so on. Mom, at the time, thought I was a child prodigy which led to my early completion of high school before I hit puberty. To our family, and my sanity, it was a gift and a curse. 

My early teens, during the most of my development from a child into an adult, was that hardest point in my life. Day after day, a memory of my past would return, showing who I once was. It confused me, at first, but that quickly turned to absolute horror. I had night terrors, strong ones: strong enough to make Mom sob for hours while holding my screaming, writhing, form. Dads presence did sooth my nerves, and calm the mortified Wonderbolt, but he wasn't always there. Mom took me to the hospital, begging them to make my demons go away. She even begged Celestia to "fix" her daughter, but Dream Magic was out of her league. 

Over the course of two years until the day I got my cutie mark, I never left Mom's side at night. Sleeping on my own was simply impossible. My dreams were so bad, that my left wing—The wing I lost during Teresa's torture of me—Now has a permanent twitch. Every now and again, I would have ghost pain where I lost my wing in my second life. Sure I have it back now, but I will never forget the pain of having a metal fuse with my bones just so that I can fly again. I never told the other Spitfire that the surgery hurt more than pliers ripping feather after feather out of their pores. I didn't want her to kill Doctor Edgy. He was an amazing Doctor. 

What has this got to do with respect? Well, if I had known that little Winter was practicing the magical art of tongue-on-tongue dance theory with Sunset and Cadence in Princess Luna's room. Then I would have taken our practice sessions elsewhere. I don't think the Alicorn of the Moon would appreciate the fact that her private quarters were used for lewd things. Especially if I am to be the one meant to protect said Alicorn from the Shadows. The awkwardness of it all is something I want to avoid at all costs. 

On days like today, where the sky is black, and the heavens cry. My past crept on me with icy claws. Even as I entered the tower, the lives I once had were a far cry from the present. From homeless bum assassin to Empress of Country to a racing superstar, my life held constant flux like a toy. Even as I walked up a flight of stairs to Princess Cadence of all ponies, I knew that change was inevitable. 

In my first life, Cadence was an animated T.V pony. In my second, she was a religious, homicidal dominatrix with a fetish for male humiliation. Now, in my third life, she is an emotional, shy, loving girl who had the responsibility of a world leader thrust upon her. I knew her when she was a Pegasus filly, living on a farm outside of Ponyville. She got dirty. She worked from sunrise to sunset. Hell, we used to tackle each other in the mud until our coats were brown! Ever since she came to Canterlot, she changed into the ponies we hate the most: the Nobility. 

I know my grudge against her for transforming into an Alicorn doesn't hold water. It wasn't up to her to ascend into the Goddess of Love. She didn't utterly destroy Sunset, causing her to let loose Archmage levels of Pyromancy throughout the castle. As much as I want to hate her, blame her for everything... I can't. Not anymore. 

Even as I stand outside a large dark wood door, with a simple symbol of the moon engraved with silver etchings of stars around it, I struggled to continue. With all my memories returned after that faithful day on the worst week of my third life. All my cunning, all my skills failed me. My hoof hovered over the latch with a rock in my throat. I hung my head in shame, ears flat against my skull. The ghost pain returned, reminding me of the magic used on my left wing all those years ago. Everything was crashing around me from my brother to the four in Ponyville. All my plans coming undone, and the one pony I want to yell at the most, begs for my comfort within the room before my trembling form. 

'Fuck me,' I chuckled inwardly, 'life was easier when I'm out on the track flying in circles for the crowd. I can deal with the Griffin rebellion currently being fueled as we speak. I can deal with the four and Rexy without a problem, but why is it so hard to apologize?' 

A single tear dripped onto the cold, stone, floor. Lightning clawed the sky to the right through a barred window. The sound of thunder boomed over Canterlot. My trembling hoof grabbed the latch and opened the door, revealing the bedroom of Princess Luna. 





Three fillies laughed despite the scary sight outside the balcony window. They danced, jumped, and played on and around a large, circular bed. Pillows, blankets, toys, and books lay all around the empty room, yet remained untouched. A whitish-silver filly with a two-toned azure mane with mismatched eyes jumped on one of her giggling friends. The light pink filly with a three-toned: pink, violet, and cream mane gasped in shock before her friend tackled her into a tower of pillows. While this occurred, a light amber filly with a red mane with golden stripes, snuck around the other two. With a devious smile. She joined the attack. 

"No! Stop! I can't breathe! Help?!" the pink Pegasus begged with bellowing laughter from her friends tickling her to death, but it was all for naught. 

"Mwahaha!" the white Pegasus laughed after she stopped her assault, letting Crystal have her moment of respite. 

"The day is ours!" the yellow Unicorn joined with just as much gusto. "Pink butt hath been defeated!" 

"No fair!" the pink one whined from beneath the white one. With a smile, Winter gave a little peck on Crystal's nose, earning a blush from the once pouting filly. While this little detail happened, Sunny quickly changed sides and pushed Winny to the ground and began death-by-tickling on her. 

"Down with the fluffy Empress!" Sunny roared, signaling Crystal to have her revenge. 

For hours, the three fillies roughhoused with each other, ganging up on each other, and giving little gestures of affection towards one another. Half way through the stormy night, a maid walked in to check up on the three fillies and found them snuggled in a little pile on the bed, fast asleep. Her heart soared at the sight before she wrapped the three bundles of fur and wings underneath a large quilt for warmth. As the door closed, a flash of lightning blinded me for a moment, replacing the three fillies with one large Alicorn once my vision returned. 





Sounds of heartbreak echoed in the empty room, coming from the weeping form curled underneath an old, worn, quilt. The sole occupant looked up from the giant bed, showing black streaks that were once her mascara coating her cheeks. Her amethyst eyes, once filled with endless affection and kindness, now red and puffy. Her stylized mane no longer held its luster, and its place was a birds nest of a hairdo. Off in the corner of my eyes lay a broken crown. 

A crown neither of us wanted. 

As quietly as I came in, I closed the door behind me with a sigh. When I turned to face her again, her ears lay flat with her muzzle buried in the soaked pillow. It was a sorry sight. I didn't need to say anything, nor tell her what I'm going to do next. I simply walked over to her, lifted the blankets much to her displeasure, and nestled my smaller body against her shivering side. 

"Head up," I whispered into her neck, causing her to stiffen. 

"W-Why?" she asked softly in between sniffles. 

"I said 'head up,'" I repeated with a bit more force. Reluctantly with a few more sniffles, she did what she was told. 

"There," I spoke more gently as I replaced her pillow with my neck, to which she used as a snot rag soon after, but I didn't mind. For a few moments of silence, while she got comfortable with my body pressed against hers, I draped my wing over her underneath the quilt. Even though I was almost two heads smaller than her, my wings were as big as hers. I let out a giggle when I felt the familiar heat of a blush radiate from her cheeks. Once she was comfortable again, I spoke. 

"Crystal, how are you feeling?" I asked with genuine concern.

"Like shit," she replied. 

"Why?" 

"I... was dumped by Shining Armor instead of me dumping him, and... you were right, about everything," Cadence began solemnly. 

"I highly doubt that," I rebuked with a somber chuckle. 

"But it's true! You were right about the Love Thread, about me not having what it takes to lead, about everything since we were fillies! I didn't want to believe you cause' you were more Sunset's friend than mine, and little jealous Crystal Cadence couldn't see passed that to listen to your kind and caring words of wisdom. Out of the three of us, you were the eldest, the older sister always watching out for us. When you needed me and Sunset to pick you up in your time of need we... abandoned you."

"If only I'd known what happened to your father I'd—!" 

"Cadence!" I calmly stopped her ranting. "Be calm and breathe, like we practiced." 

"—S-Sorry," she coughed before the sounds of deep breathing filled the room. I cracked a smile at the little exercise she was performing. It helped her a lot while growing up. She would always freak out over the little things: from not handing in homework on time to meeting new ponies. From my position, I could feel her beating heart trying to escape her body, but in mere moments, it slowed to a gentle, seductive rhythm. 

"Better?" I mused. 

"Mmhm," she nodded into my neck. 

"I'm glad. You had me worried there," I let out a content sigh. "I don't want to have pity sex with a mare ready to pace around the room for hours. It is very difficult to kiss the mare, let alone message her flower while it's moving." 

"W-What?!" Cadence gasped, her head shooting up in surprise from its pillow. I frowned from the lack of warmth on my neck and looked up with a weak smile. 

"Don't worry about me Cadence. I'm the big sister, remember? Sure I wanted some comfort back then, and it sucked when Sunset yelled at me before setting the Castle ablaze, but that's not your fault. The only crime you've committed in our friendship was not visiting more often." 

"How?!" she bawled. "How can you say that?! I've been a total bitch to you since then!" 

"Because," I spoke softly, leaning towards her with laden eyes, and just as she was about to say something else. The taste of bubblegum lip chap, the feeling of soft, yet, quivering lips, met mine. Her eyes went wide as mine closed shut to enjoy the moment. Before long, her body relaxed, and she leaned into me with a muffled moan. For a few, blissful moments, we held each other, seeking warmth both inside and out from the cold, cold world, but like Fleetfoots love life. It didn't last. Slowly, I pulled away, opening my eyes as I did so. 

"I may not be the kindest, generous, funny, or honest of friends, but I am loyal. No matter what happens, I will always be there for you Cadance, regardless of you being a bitch or not," I finally said. 

"W-Winny," she managed to choke out just as the dam broke again. 

If it wasn't for the thunder and heavy rain, the cries and moans of an angel would have been heard throughout the castle. 
> Chapter 15. Kinky Thoughts.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Lights flared in the distance, little specks of color erupting from a grand explosion to the tune of fantastical music. Ponies and Griffins alike danced around the town square with pure joy enveloping their bodies. At the center of the orgy of the flesh were a bride and her groom. One was the Captain of a prestigious Stunt Team, while the other a common guard. 

Cheers from the crowd echoed far and wide as the groom lifted his daughter into the air, a smile as wide as the horizon encompassing her fuzzy cheeks. Her wings fluttered with glee as she let out adorable laughter before her mother left a little peck on her nose, and sent her off to play. 

The little filly, as happy as could be, ran through the crowd towards the Library. It was there where she would find all the children playing games during the wedding. Her tiny hooves carried her fast across the dirt roads towards a tree near the center of town. Inside, music played, the kind of music that called for Karaoke. 

Bursting through the door, however. She came face to face with a Diamond Dog: twelve of them. Her eyes went wide at the sight of all her friends in a cage against the far wall underneath an empty bookshelf. Frozen in place, one of the Diamond Dogs grabbed her and clamped her mouth shut, preventing her from screaming for help. She thrashed, kicked, and tried to bite the hand of her foalnapper, but to no avail. 

The Diamond Dog threw her against the metal bars of the cage, locking her and the others within. Tears blurred her vision as the familiar touch of a hoof helping her up. She wiped her eyes and saw her big brother at her side. She looked up at him, begging him to help her understand what was going on. She wanted to know why the Diamond Dogs were treating her like a slave!

He didn't need to say a single word, he only acted. Tears flowed freely from the Pegasus filly onto the warm, inviting chest of the Griffin. She pushed deeper into her protector, wanting Mommy and Daddy to come and save them from whatever fate is coming. Her trembling form held firmly in the arms and wings of her brother helped alleviate some of her fear, but when laughter was replaced by terror. All she could do was cry for a Hero. 





"Rose, are you alright?" a soft, gentle voice spoke next to me. Her kind words stirred me awake from a restless slumber. Slowly, I opened my eyes to meet glowing violet orbs before me. No longer were they filled with fear from the events the night before. Now they held concern for my well being. I clicked my tongue, still tasting Cadence's bubblegum lip-chap, and let out a yawn. 

"Just a bad dream," I replied before I stretched my sore body right next to her. This accidentally caused the quilt to be thrown off by my wings, which earned me a hard glare from the Alicorn snuggled beside me. "Sorry. I'm just a little stiff from our bonding time last night." 

If it wasn't for the darkness in our room, I would have laughed at Cadence's burning blush. Last night reminded me why Shining Armor cheated on her in the first place: she was a virgin. Well, not anymore. If Shining Armor remained faithful to Crystal, then he would have learned how amazing Alicorn tongue was. Just thinking about it all the tricks that even I didn't know sent chills down my spine. I may be the Empress of Seduction, but Cadence is the Queen of Orgasm. 

"T-That was—" Cadence squeaked rather cutely, but I stopped her mid sentence with a hoof on her lips. With a devious smile, I traced the tip of my wing up and down her tender flanks oh so slowly, electing a muffled moan of delight from the mare I held captive. 

"That was what, Cadence?" I purred. "Heavenly? Blissful? Euphoric? Relieving? The puddle tells a more, passionate, tale of what we did last night."

"Please don't tell, Celestia. I have it rough already with her magic lessons. I don't need relationship goals on top of them," Cadence squeaked. 

"Yeah, I bet Tia would love to hear the one night stand you've had with me," I rolled my eyes. "I don't she will be happy with my either." 

"Why's that?" 

"Let's just say my knowledge with the Love Thread showed how close Sunset and I were." 





Cheers erupted from afar. The stands holding a large crowd dwarfed the guards holding them at bay. An announcer shouted at the top of his lungs, making claims of grandeur for those preparing for the event. I breathed in, drowning them out from my senses. Their noise only hindered my performance. 'Speed, I am Speed,' I breathed out, closing my eyes. 'One winner, twelve losers.' 

Focusing on myself has taught me a lot about the magic of the Pegasi. Since our magic relies on an internal mana pool, we fly our best when we are in sync with the magic that surrounds us, but I'm not a Pegasus. 

I'm an Imperial. 

The difference between the two race's runs deeper than our physical appearances. Pegasi rely heavily on their magic to fly while Imperials don't. Because of this, Imperials are naturally faster fliers as well as having the most endurance, and we don't fly with magic. Instead, Imperials use pure strength to soar through the air. Our natural sensitivity allows us to do things that Pegasi cannot: Like do a Sonic Boom. 

Now, what would happen if an Imperial used magic to fly? The short answer: backlash. We aren't meant to fly with arcane energy flowing through our feathers. One false pulse of mana or one bad injury and that is the end with our dance with the heavens. The long answer: feats long thought impossible. 

Did you know? There are three families known in Imperious for using magic to fly: The Hawks, The Falcons, and The Eagles. I sure didn't. Good to know that I'm a well-respected Aerialist in the Homeland.

Where was I? Ah yes! I was telling you how I should be permanently grounded. Well, I had a lot of practice learning to cut off the flow of magic before I crashed. It was one of the first lessons Mom taught me growing up, and before every race. I practiced cutting and opening the flow as a warm up. Doing so allows me to relax for the win or lose. I may be one of the fastest fliers, but that doesn't mean that I always win. Remember, the fastest race of fliers were Imperials, and there are plenty of them in the league. 

"Here in Canterlot at the Wonderbolt Stadium, we are privileged to see the returning champion in her class preparing for the event!" shouted the announcer from his booth near the top of the stands. "But will the newest addition to the Lightning Cup, currently reserved by Romania's Sky Striders! The one and only: Lightning Dust!" 

And the crowd goes wild. 

'Well, time to start the show.' Opening my eyes fresh and prepared. I saw the aforementioned Pegasus doing her own pre-game workout near the starting line. Her aqua body rippled with seductive strength with each flex of her muscles. Her two-toned lightning mane flowed gracefully back in an eloquent wave. Her golden eyes locked with my azure and crimson for a moment, before giving me a wink with a rather risque flex of her wings. If my mouth wasn't open, it sure was now. 

'Was she flirting with me?' I blinked in surprise. It wasn't every day that mare of my stature experienced the thrills of being pursued by another. When most saw my eyes, teeth, cutie mark, they tend to back away in fear knowing that I knew how and will throw a punch, however. Those that were brave enough to try and tame this wolf quickly learned I wasn't interested or only wanted a fuck. I'm not in the mood for relationships that won't work out in the long run. My heart still belongs to someone else. 

Shaking my head from the sudden shock, I quickly joined the gathering opponents at the starting line. I saw a few familiar faces, mostly ponies I've defeated before. The two new ponies were Lightning Dust and a Thestral I could care less about, but I knew her name... unfortunately. 

Her name was Midnight Aria: Cadet of the Solar Guard Night Division. Got in early because of high recommendations from Captain Night Canter. She specializes in endurance whereas Lightning Dust looks like a burster. Also Captain of Reaper Squad: one of EmpressDawn's top twelve in True Apocolypse, and a major pain in my ass. I've had the pleasure when I first started the game to know what it's liked to be killed over and over again by her hooves. She loves to grief to the point that new players leave and never return. In the real world, she is one of the best fighters I've seen. How do I know that? Well, I know what it's like to wake up in the hospital after scraping with her at a convention. It was a humbling experience to say the least, and one that won't repeat again. 

"Why, hello Hawkfire. Funny I'd see you here,' snarked Aria with a smug grin that I would love to punch. "Aren't you supposed to be wearing a rat outfit for all the stallions you sleep with?" 

Did I mention I hate her? 

"Hello, Aria. I can say the same to you. I figured you would be sucking off Captain Shining Armor for a promotion instead of joining we kings of the sky, which is laughable in your case," I snarked back, earning a confused look directed at both of us from Lightning Dust. 

"Did I miss something?" Lightning chimed in as I took my spot on the starting line next to her.

"Oh, nothing much dear, so long as you stay away from that slut," Aria spat as she took her spot. 

"I can say the same," I shot back. "Mare's like Aria will only use you until you are broke and homeless. Speaking of which—Do you enjoy the barracks? It must be wonderful compared to your tent in Hollow Shades." 

"Excuse me?" her eye twitched, earning worried looks from the other racers. Meanwhile, Lightning shuddered from the sudden venomous atmosphere looming over the Stadium. I knew from experience that being in between two catty mares wasn't an ideal situation. One false move and you could be in the middle of a bloody fight. I should treat her out instead of a shower. Sex is nice and all, but I didn't want to take my frustration out on her. I'll still be in Canterlot for another day, and Cadence and I still wanted some alone time together. 

"You heard me," I smirked, digging my hooves into the cloud flooring in preparation for the race. She did the same, grinding her teeth as she did so. I hit a nerve I knew was there. She was my enemy, both online and off. Whenever I get the chance to drive her up the wall, I make sure it enrages her, and her home in Hollow Shades is a very good spot to strike. 

Stealing myself back to reality, I took a look around the circular track. Since this was my fourth race in the season, I knew a circuit was inevitable. It wasn't my strongest venue, to be honest. Flying in a circle in one direction, especially left wears down my wing. All racers that actually study their opponents know they can overtake me if I don't pace myself correctly. Circuits are the venue I've lost the most on, but with Aria flying in the Cup? I'm not going to let her win. 

"Racers! On your marks!" the announcer shouted through the speakers. I rolled my shoulders, wings flexing. My eyes narrowed as I zoned out everything else. 

"Get set!" 

Lightning Dust and Aria did the same, albeit not as practiced. I knew Aria would be focused on me from my comment, which sets her at a disadvantage. Her being angry with me will only hinder her decision making in the long run, and we have twenty laps to run. Unlike her, I knew how to control my anger. I slowed my breathing and calmed my heart. Once I found my center once again, I saw the flag raised high in the air by one of the referee's, then it dropped. 

"GO!" 

We all exploded like rockets from the starting line. I pushed hard. My wings flapped faster than the eye could track. I banked the first turn at a mind-boggling speed before Lightning Dust caught up with me at the second. Behind her, nipping at her heels, was one of the other racers that I could care less about. 

I cracked a smug smile as I bolted down the straightaway. Near the back of the pack was a struggling Aria trying to catch up to the others, but couldn't make any ground due to inexperience. Of course, I knew that already. Aria had endurance, not speed and endurance. She could fly for hours without pause, perfect for military life. I can do the same thanks to Mom and her training, but dwelling on that little tidbit can wait. Winning the race is the top priority. 

Just as I banked the third corner during my musing, I failed to notice the grinning Lightning Dust charging passed me. My eyes went wide as a sparkly yellow trail encased my vision. The new Pegasus zoomed by with insane speed, creating a large gap between her and me. I almost lost second place to the one previously nipping at her heels trying to figure out how she was flying so fast! 

"And Lightning Dust takes the lead!" 

Gritting my teeth, I pushed harder to keep my lead. I wasn't about to let some random take second place from me! Especially not in front of Aria. I worked my wings to their limits, arching them with the wind for an extra speed boost. The pony that tried to pass me on the third lap stared in shock as I did a quick aileron roll to close the distance to the front of the pack. Even Dust looked surprised from my little trick. 

"Hawkfire is struggling to catch up with the leader! Is this the end of her career?!" 

"Hell no!" I shouted at myself through ragged breathing as I passed the halfway point. The pony in front of me must have heard my little comment and gave me a sly smile with a little shake of her enticing booty, edging me on for a chase, and like the Vixen I am. I chased with gusto. 

"What's this?! Hawkfire is catching up while Lightning Dust is slowing down?!" 

Sweat covered my body. I had two laps to go. Aria couldn't climb the ladder from the back of the pack, while Lightning and I stayed a lap ahead of everyone else. My left wing burned, throat dry. Lightning looked just as tired from the odd flap with her right wing every now and again, however. No matter how fast I flew, no matter all the tricks I used: I couldn't pass her. Even as I use my air and lightning aspect to keep up, no amount of magic could propel me beyond her plump, round, butt. 

There were times where I came close, but the last turn was coming before the finish line. I know she would slow down at each bend, which was how I caught up with her in the first place, but she would always blast ahead like a fleeing rabbit. It was frustrating, to say the least. 

'First Circuit and it's a second place ribbon. Fuck my ass with a hundred tentacles,' I pleaded my kinky thoughts. 

'With the mare that's going to beat you?' Kinky thoughts replied. 

'Will there be whipped cream?' I inquired. 

'With molten chocolate to pour over each other's wings and clits,' Kinky thoughts purred out a response. 

'Excellent.' 

Realizing what that I was talking to my inner self, I saw the finish line coming up. I even failed to notice the final turn as well as the fact that Lightning and I were neck-and-neck, but that wasn't shocking enough. No. My surprise came with butterflies in my stomach as I looked into the young, youthful eyes of the mare beside me. Her innocence, her astonishment, even pride made itself known as we flew in sync. In that brief moment, when we locked eyes with each other, I swear I saw hope. The kind of hope someone has for their crush. 

I gulped. 

"Fillies and gentlecolts! WE HAVE A TIE FOR FIRST PLACE!"
> Chapter 16. Not so kinky thoughts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	She doesn't remember the last time she saw her. The last time she felt the loving touch stroke her worries, her fears away was ages ago. She missed the silky feathers caressing her body underneath the Ash tree on a warm spring morning. Hearing her voice sing kind lullaby's in her ear brought more joy than praise from her teacher. How she missed those mismatched eyes staring longingly into hers. 

But she can't. Not yet anyways.  

It was a lie she told herself over and over again. She knew the last time she saw her, and she wanted to forget that faithful day. The day Canterlot burned. Her dreams reminded her every night with nightmares of the one she loved burning in the fire: calling out her name as she did so. Those haunting thoughts plagued her soul since the day she entered Camelot, the Capital City of Auro. Her roommate, Jade, would always complain about the noise she made every night. At first, she lashed out, mostly with tears streaming down her cheeks. How would Jade know how she felt or how miserable she was for all the mistakes she made? She knew nothing of what she gave up to save the one she loved! Of course, she didn't know. She could never know. Jade tried to give her something to confide in but at the end of the day. She always cried herself to sleep, feeling as though there was a hole in her heart that could never be filled again. 

It was a sobering experience during her first few days in Camelot. The people there were far different from the villagers in Aurora. Of course, she knew the city folk will always be different. Growing up in a city taught her to trust no one but yourself, and Camelot was no stranger to that particular belief. Still, the constant support each individual in Aurora gave during her time there showed just how different she was to her. From the little gestures of affection to the warmth of accomplishing something great together, she missed it. 

Nowadays as she eagerly waits for the portal to open, her time is spent behind a desk at Camelot Academy of Magic. At first, when she first arrived, she wasn't treated as anything special. She was just another step for the Nobility's children to step on to whatever false sense of grandeur they had. It was immensely annoying, at the best of times, but the worst led to fights that were... unavoidable. 

The so-called "queen" of the school made the horrific mistake of challenging her to a duel. Her roommate Jade begged her not to fight with warnings of Cecilia's archmage-levels of strength in pyromancy. She snorted in contempt as a response. 

When the fight began in the fully packed school arena, Cecilia threw everything at her all at once. Sunset could only laugh as her fire magic couldn't harm the real pyromancer. Sure, her clothes burned off, showing her flawless naked body to her opponent and the crowd before she coated herself in armor made of lava. The look on Cecilia's face when her armor solidified into immaculate obsidian made the bullying worth bearing. After that little show, Sunset retaliated with her heart-fire—The representation of a pyromancer's soul—And nearly killed Cecilia with a single fireball. That was two years ago. 

Now she counts down the final days of the portal's opening with anticipation and fear. Anticipation to see her again, and fear to ask forgiveness for what she's done. 





"Fuuuck me that was boring," mom yawned from her side of the carriage. I rolled my eyes as she lazily slumped down on the couch like a fat slob without a care in the world, while I sat up with perfect posture since everyone else in the car was staring. "At least you had fun from the commotion in the garden. I'm glad you and Cadence finally back on good terms. Speaking of Cadence: I heard she was going to visit Ponyville on the weekend. Want to make a bet?" 

"Really?" I stared blankly at her. I knew Cadence was going to visit the farm as well as her family on the weekend, but making a bet with me was a horrible idea. Mom knew what was going to happen on Saturday: Ponyville panics, Pinkie and Octavia freaks out, stallions ask her out, and the guard attempt to keep her as far away from me as possible. That, and I will be dealing with my wolves at the Castle once I've finished dealing with Raven and Rexy. I might not have time to spend with her once all things were said and done. With everything going on in the background, I don't think I'll spend more than an hour with her until she has to go. I know I will always be there for her, but... I don't know. 'Fuck me.' 

"Yeah!" Mom cheered with her iconic shit-eating grin. "I bet that Cadence will appear as you-know-who and completely throw everyone off." 

'You-know-who? The only time I ever saw... oh! Her disguise. I forgot she had one. Well, I guess I can... no. If she came with her disguise, then she will most likely follow me. FUCK ME TWICE WITH YOUR RUSTY SPOON SALAD FINGERS!'

My once perfect posture fell victim to the ever legendary face-inserted-into-wall-A followed by hoof-implosion-mark-X. With Cadence coming to Ponyville as Pandora Bubblegum. All of my plans instantly became at risk for failure. Knowing Cadence for as long as I have, she will follow me around wanting to know how to live the small town girl life. She will want to dance at the club, drink at the bar, check out my.... job, and make friends with the locals. Also knowing that pink Alicorn, she would drag me against my will to each event and threaten me with tears and bawling if I don't. She is sweet but damn she can be clingy! 

I quickly altered my plans to take into account of Cadences clinginess and made sure to get everything done before then, however. I won't be able to postpone my meeting with the Wolves. I just hope Cadence will not follow me to Castle Everfree. I don't want to explain why I'm meeting up with five armed individuals in the middle of the most dangerous forest known to equine-kind. Speaking of ponies that I don't want to know of my second life....

"You alright kiddo? You kinda' left a dent in the wall," Mom said with a tiny portion of concern. 

"I'm just as stubborn as you, Mom. I can make a bigger one if you want?" I mockingly replied as the town came into view. 

"Please don't. I want that second house in The Shimmering Isle, and a four thousand Bit train wall won't buy it and speaking of money. How about that bet?" 

"No."

"Oh come on!" 

"Not going to make it."

"Chicken."

"Grow up!" 

"I will be twenty-one forever!"

The train rolled into the station with a lot slower than I would have liked. Mom kept whining like a little girl cause I wouldn't make a bet with her, causing our fellow passengers to stare at her like she was a crack addict. It didn't help that she moved around in her seat in odd positions with some of them showing a lot more than I would have liked. Then again no one would have seen anything when she spread her legs quite literally in front of a few mares. Our bodies passively hide private bits by manipulating the fur down there. It's not freaky, or gross, or horrifying. Not at all. As long as I don't think about using that passive manipulation to stimulate my pussy, I can sleep without worrying about waking up to a soaked bed. 

'Fuck me I'm thinking about it.'

'You're welcome!' cheered kinky thoughts. 

'Go away! Come back later while I play True Apocalypse. I will need you for when I plow Nix on my throne,' I ordered kinky thoughts. 

'You're no fun.'

I got off the train with Mom trailing behind. Her amber coat shone brightly in the afternoon sun. I gave her a nod and a quick "see ya' later," before going to do my own thing. She, as usual, gave me a peck on the cheek and flew home ahead of me. I let out a sigh. I didn't want to do what I was about to do. I wanted to hold off for a few days to collect my bearings but If I waited too long, then I would risk the safety of my home. 

'Ready, Rose?' I asked myself. 

'No,' was the answer. 





One of the largest houses in Ponyville was home to the Steelwings. It sat surrounded by a large garden, flowers, trees, etcetera. A worn stone path joined the main gate and the front door, though it rarely gets used by the family that lives here. Birds can be heard singing their songs, while rabbits nibbled on a nearby daisy patch. I let out a sigh and adjusted my wing blades. Gauntlets scraped against the ground with each step I took. The black metal a stark contrast to the almost silver road. If the sun wasn't shining down upon me, I wouldn't have noticed the difference.  

Time seemed to slow to a crawl once I reached the door: a simple, dark wood with a simple carving of the families coat of arms engraved on the surface. It has been a long time since I stood in front of this door. Back when I was a filly, I would wait eagerly wait for my brother to come out and play. He would always say "hello midget," and I would whine with a puffy lower lip in response. This always led to us roughhousing in the garden for a few minutes before the gardener got mad and sent us somewhere else. 

I loved our relationship, but that ended a long time ago. No matter how much I came to the door with tears streaming down my cheeks, begging for Rexy just to say one word. Any word, just to know that he still cares for me. Even now I feel the urge to scream, kick, and cry just by being near this house, but now is not the time. 

If Rexy wasn't going to ease my fears after what I learned from Night Blade: then I'm going to force it out of him.

With a flick of my wing, the door was opened, revealing an open foyer to the three story house. A red rug led up the center staircase where a maid stood frozen in place. The Earth Pony mare slowly turned around as I walked on in without a care in the world. When her eyes landed on me, she relaxed a little. 

"Ah, hello lady Rose. How may I help you?" Puppy Smiles asked.  I looked to my right and saw a few paintings that were there before, and to the right had a statue of Nightmare Moon. Both ends of the foyer had doors leading to other parts of the house, but the room I wanted was on the third floor. That's where Rexy's bedroom was. 

"Where Is Rexarios?" I inquired as calmly as I could, but the venom in my tone-of-voice made Puppy's ears flatten. 

"I-I haven't seen the young master all day," Puppy replied with a stutter. "And it has been a long time since you've visited. Would you like me to make your favorite tea while we wait?" 

"Tell me where Rex is, or I'll kill you," I threatened with a show of my wing blades. It was overkill, sure, but her stutter told me that she knew where Rex is. I wouldn't actually kill her, but if she gets in my way intentionally with force? There was no saving her. 

"I-I-I honestly don't know where the young master is," Puppy gulped. "He hasn't been home for days!" 

"I saw him enter the house five minutes ago," I growled, taking a step towards the trembling mare. She, in turn, took a step back, causing her rear hooves to clip on the rug and fall over with an audible "thud!" I took another step forward, angry that she of all people would stop me from confronting my brother. She was like another mother, always looking out for me and my adventures when Spitfire couldn't. Just listening to her lie blatantly on behalf for Rexy made my blood boil! I took a more aggressive stance, eyes narrowing. I was not in the mood for games, and if she was defending my potentially traitorous brother. Then I am going to kill her. 

There is nothing in the world I hate more than betrayal. 

"Now if you don't answer me, I WILL SLIT YOUR—!" 

"THAT'S ENOUGH ROSE!" 

"—Throat." 

I froze, body refusing to move. The warm, soothing, deep voice that interrupted my threat came into view and stood in a protective stance above the sobbing, trembling mess that was Puppy Smiles. His fierce, crimson eyes stare into mine with a mixture of love and regret. His fluffy, dark gray bird-fluff looked as though it was recently brushed, while his sleek, pitch-black cat fur had a bit of dirt in random places. His silver talons gripped the rug below him while is lion's tail gently caressed Puppy's tears away. His falcon beak let out a sigh, head slumping for a moment, and eyes looked away from mine, but the most striking thing about him was how tall he was. Easily as tall as Celestia, Rexy was a giant amongst Griffons. 

A giant, cuddly Griffon that I walked under to stay dry from the rain. His wings were like blankets that held me when I cried, and his razor-sharp talons made all my bullies go away. I struggled to find my words. I wanted to say so much to him, but nothing would come out. I wanted to run to him, hug him, beg him to hold me, but I couldn't. That's not what I was here for. Taking a deep breath in, I did something that I haven't done in a long time to calm my nerves and turned myself into an emotionless monster.  

I hummed a song. 

"Rose? Is everything alright?" Rexy asked with concern. Concern that I yearned for. I took a step forward, eyes closed, and activated my Illusion Ring to make my eyes appear normal when they would have appeared pure white with black runes tattooed on. Once everything was ready, I opened my eyes again. "You're starting to freak me out."

"Freak you out? Is everything alright? Rose, enough?" I hissed. "Is that all you have to say to your baby sister after treating me like I didn't exist!" 

He flinched at the sudden volume. 

"How about leaving a poor, lost, filly, sobbing next to her father's grave in the rain: begging for someone, anyone, to make all the pain go away!" I stomped my hoof in a fit of rage, forcing the Griffon before me to take a step back. "Or how about learning that her hero bombed a bunch of innocent people a few days ago! How about that Rexarios! Huh?! How about that!"  

"I had nothing to do with that!" Rexy finally responded with a shout of his own. He took a step forward with a bit more courage while I shed one final tear, knowing the truth from my Mana Sight.  "Please, Winny. I had nothing to do with that incident in Wingshire, honest!" 

"Shut up!" I screamed, eyes turning into slits. I wanted to believe him. I wanted to trust him. I wanted everything to be one big fat lie, but that wasn't going to happen! 'Why can't anything go right in my life!?' 

My wing twitched. 

Eye's locked. 

Heart raced. 

Body tensed. 

'First, it was Summer, then Zonya, Father, and Sunset. Now it's the Elements of Harmony, the Griffons, and my brother! I won't have it! NOT ANYMORE!' Grinding my teeth into dust, I slowed my breathing and calmed down. I was on the verge of another Blood Rage, and I didn't want to waste it on my brother. He took it as a sign that I believed him, but in reality. I didn't. The funny thing about Mana Sight aside from being able to see where magic flows in a spell is that I can also see something else.

A person's soul. 

This allows me to tell if someone is lying, telling the truth, who is strong magic-wise, and who is in love with another. It come's in handy every now and again, but If I use it too much. Then I could go permanently blind to everything else. Funny how that works out when before that wouldn't have happened. 

"Do you believe me?" Rexarios had the gull to say. 

"The brother that I know was loving," I took one more step forward, wings completely outstretched and ready to strike. 

"He was kind," I activated my gauntlets, causing a set of dragons claws to appear. 

"He wouldn't have done the atrocities that label a terrorist what it was." He took a step back, the scent of fear wafting out from his form. 

"And he died the same die my father died." 

"Ha," I paused once more and raised a brow. 

"Hahaha," Rexarios continued to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" 

He paused, giving me a dangerous smirk. 

"You. Are. An. Idiot." 

"What do you mean?" I asked quizzically. He pointed behind me where another two Griffons stood, holding boards, chains, and cloth. All of whom were Griffons that I've never seen before. My eyes went wide. I didn't have enough time to react to the sight of one of the boards charged into view. All I could do was watch. 

"TWACK!" 

And the bright world turned black with laughter as it's music. 

The laughter that I once considered beautiful. 


> Chapter 17. Mistakes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven watched the whole scene from afar. Her hooves didn't dare budge from the disadvantage hiding nearby. She knew there were a few individuals tasked with keeping an eye on her and her friends. All of whom were strong in their own right. Sierra met the one named Shattered River: an exiled Crystal Cat from the Forbidden Jungle, in the outskirts of Ponyville. Once the two locked eyes, both recklessly charged at each other with their weapons drawn. If it weren't for Phoenix and River's friend, Obsidian Poppy, those two would have left more than a black scar on the earth. 

Those weren't the only two that showed up with military grade gear. Three more reared their heads before disappearing into the Everfree. Of course, when Rose suddenly decided to confront her target, all five of them shadowed her and her friends. If it wasn't for the fact that a Crystal Cat with a magical sword held her in place with her gaze alone, Raven would have charged into the manor right behind Rose, however. She was thankful she didn't. 

Within a few minutes of Rose's entrance into the manor, a couple of Griffons showed up. In just a few minutes of their arrival, the place was set ablaze, and they all disappeared. Even Rose. 

'Where did she go?' Raven wondered as rescue personnel began to quell the raging fire. She knew Rose wasn't a part of those troublemakers, but the only body found was a maid named Puppy Smiles, charred, and very much dead. 'She couldn't have gotten far.' Realizing that she was just stalling for time, Raven decided to come out from her cloud, and meet her stalkers face to face. 

"She's coming," whispered the Thestral, from within a particularly dark alley. Gliding down into it, she stopped just a few hooves in front of the rather handsome stallion. His crimson eyes glared pure death into her very soul. His muscular build sent shivers down her spine. If she was honest with herself, she would say she was afraid of him. Even his pitch black coat made it near impossible to see him in the shadows. 

He was, beautiful.

"What do you want, Raven?" the Thestrals friend spat. The tall, equally black, wolf-bred Diamond Dog that stood perfectly upright, and aimed a knocked arrow at her head. She snorted at his threatening stance and directed her full attention to the sexy stallion beside the mutt. 

"Your lady was kidnapped by my target and his friends. Shouldn't you be chasing after her?" Raven inquired with a raised brow towards the growling Diamond Dog. 

"We can say the same. They nabbed your friend Sierra as well. Cinder is currently following them, and we are waiting for a meet-up point," the dog replied in an eerily clear voice.

Tsk. 'Sierra was kidnapped? I told her to stay put. The Griffons must have caught onto our plans and targeted the weakest member of our group,' Raven thought darkly, and without Sierra making the plans for their group. All their work will be for naught. Turning around, she adjusted her wing blades and took to the sky. 

"Come on. We have morons to save." 





Light then darkness. Noise then silence. My body crashed into the walls of a tight cage with each little movement, pulling me from sleep that I desperately craved. Though during my bouts of consciousness, I heard voices: Deep ones, gruff and fearful. They knew what they carried. Their fear was palpable. If it weren't for the drugs they pumped into me to keep me docile, I would have killed them all.  

Of course, I shouldn't have been in this situation in the first place. I made a rookie mistake while being influenced by my emotions. All I could focus on at the moment was my ex-brother, Rex. I looked up to him for most of my life. He was one of the few people that I genuinely loved in my life. Now, from what I've heard during my episodes of coherence, he was recruited by a splinter-cell terrorist group being used by the Griffonian Empire to stir up the war. To take it out of the stalemate that has frozen it for over a century. All in an effort to turn the entire equine race into slaves with Griffons as the true rulers of the world. 

Aren't they wonderful?

The odds of bringing my brother back to the light is slim. Our distance plus whatever brainwashing bullshit that he was subjected to implanted a titanium wedge in between us. I want to kill him, that much is for certain. Betrayal is something I don't react pleasantly too. Next time when we meet, I won't hesitate to end his life with an Aether Bolt. HE. WILL. DIE. But before I can enact my revenge, I must break free and rejoin my warrior cult that thinks I'm the reincarnation of Midnight Rhapsody. Well, I am a reincarnation of myself. So they got that part right. Still weird to learn how Night Blade and the others actually felt about me. Now I just need Eldrich Cat Girl Demon-thing with a whiteboard to complete the gang of ridiculousness badassery.

'Then again... I don't think that will ever happen. Sure having that little demon kill things for me would be a blast, but Wolhanna won't be subtle about it,' I mused. 'Strange, have they forgot to drug me again? That and my pitch black box has stopped moving.' 

Quietly as I could, I activated the unique feature of my gauntlets and began scratching the inner wall of my cage. The guards responsible for my capture only took my wing blades with the thought that my gauntlets were only tramplers. Little did they know that my unique set of armor can transform into magical claws courtesy of Umbra. 

In only a few moments, trickles of light bled through the hole that I made. The box was made of wood, reinforced with metal, so my battle-claws made short work of my prison, and once I had a sizeable hole to look through. I saw the reason why my captors weren't moving me. 

They were dead and currently being devoured by a couple of Dire Wolves in a sickly-dense forest that drank all light that touched it. My cage, by the looks of it, was next to a few others in a little circle around a makeshift camp. Cages that looked like I wasn't the only one captured by the Griffons. Though they didn't appear to have woken up as I have. Otherwise, the animals around us would have attempted to break into our boxes, however. One thing has been made clearly apparent from my observation. I'm in the Everfree and have been here for a while. 

'Time to get to work.'
> Chapter 18. Everfree
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took me an hour or so to break out of the crate. In that time, I had constructed a plan for dealing with a few of the problems that were starting to arise in Equestria. Mainly the Griffons, Ravens little group, and my brother. Now, I'm not the one to make a plan for things. I prefer to just huck a piece of snot and hoped it sticks to whatever I threw it at. Making things up on the fly and dealing with the consequences is the way I roll. Then again, looking back on my life, I could have better success in areas where a plan would have been a big help, but that's in the past. Now I have to deal with the future. 

'Alright, let's see what the boys left in camp.' As quietly as I could, I got out of the box and snuck behind the feasting Dire wolves. The wolves in question were far more dangerous than your typical Timber Wolf and couldn't be taken down without a sharp weapon. With that logic in mind, I had to find a sword, and, thankfully, there was one resting next to the firepit. 

Carefully, and quietly, I stalked my way to the sword while making sure I was down-wind of the wolves. The sounds of them tearing the flesh of their kills echoed throughout the forest in quite the sickening fashion. I absently noticed that the Griffons must have died an hour or so before I woke up from my forced slumber. Which is problematic considering that there should be more than the three currently being devoured by the wolves. Knowing how Griffon hunting parties work, there should be at least twelve skulking around, but where they are. I don't know, and frankly, I don't want to find out. 

Letting out a sigh of relief, I reached the sword right as the dogs finished the first carcass and moved on to the next. The sword that I gripped tightly in my jaw was your standard Griffonian long sword. Nothing fancy, it just looks like a one-meter-long, Roman-style Gladius. Not the strongest sword I've seen the Griffons use, but one that was most widely used. Just as I was about to make my first move, I heard a loud 'TWACK!' From one of the other crates. Followed up with a voice I never would have thought would be in the same situation as I was in. 

"Hey! Let me out of here!" Shouted Rainbow Dash from within the crate, electing an audible groan from my person. "If you don't let me out right now! You bubs' will regret it!"

"Oh, for fuck sakes," I groaned in annoyance, head slumped, and sword dropped. I heard growling erupt from the dead bodies, telling me that the wolves now knew of my presence and the prize located in the box. And as much as I wanted to turn around to check on Rainbow Dash, I had bigger problems in the form of five-foot-tall meat eating dogs. Plus, I dropped my sword, so I need to pick that back up as well. 

'TWACK!' 

I rolled to the side just in time to dodge the smallest of the three wolves pounce, sword back in my maw, and ready to strike. The wolf, (whom I'm now calling Cookie), growled in anger before charging at me from the side. Meanwhile, the second largest of the wolves, (called Muffin), dashed at the same time with Cookie towards my other side. Clenching the sword tightly, I jumped into the air once the two wolves jumped at me, causing them to slam face-first into each other. 

"Hey...!"

Diving down with a hard flap of my wings, I landed on Cookie, forcing the dog to the ground with an audible, "yelp!" Following up my tackle, I plunged my sword deep into Cookie's neck, killing him instantly, but in that moment. Muffin's jaw clamped down hard on my neck, picking me up with little difficulty.

 'THUMP!'

"Fuck you!" I spat as the feeling of weightlessness found my person for a brief moment, before the sensation of pain that usually came from being slammed down into the ground hard, followed soon after. Growling in frustration, I rolled to the side again just in time to dodge the largest of the three wolves, (Brownie), from tearing my throat out. 

"Let...!"

Without a weapon, I used my claws to grab hold of Brownie by the throat. She, of course, didn't like my dominatrix advances and attempted to throw me off. This, of course, was fruitless, as I dug my claws into her throat while being tossed around in the air like a ragdoll. Blood flew everywhere, my body slammed into the ground multiple times, and I gained a love of dirt since I became covered in it. On a side note, with each slam into the earth, I let out a colorful assortment of wizard swears until Brownie fell limp from blood loss. 

'CRACK!'

"Two down, one to go. Come at me Muffin," I chuckled darkly with a becoming wrist. He let out a vicious snarl of rage in response. Smiling, if only slightly from the pain riddling my bruised body, I went on the offensive with a burst from my wings! 

"Me...!" 

Muffin jumped back, eyes glaring pure death at me, he was the smarter of the three and wouldn't let me gain an advantage. That's the problem with Dire wolves. They are far more intelligent than your average dog and were typically used as War Dogs during times of strife centuries ago. Their ability to take commands from a General with the same adaptability and precision of your average soldier was a force to be reckoned with. And that training lived on in their descendants, making them a nuisance in the modern era. 'I fucking hate Dire Wolves.' 

'CLOP!' 

Realizing my current predicament with this wolf, I had to make a plan that didn't involve disintegrating him with a bolt of lightning or eviscerating him with blades of wind. The collateral damage could accidentally kill the ponies in the boxes, and that's bad, m'kay. 

Hissing in frustration, I circled Muffin, probing for an opening. He, like all Dire Wolves that I've faced, did the same to me. I saw the sword I used to kill Cookie was still in him and behind Muffin, and during my event as a ragdoll revealed another sword behind me by the boxes, but if I go for that one. Muffin will jump on my back. My ear flicked in irritation but in doing so. It reminded me of a familiar group of objects that I owned attached to my ear.

'I'm so stupid.' 

Quickly, I activated my third ring and blinked behind Muffin. He was taken aback by my sudden disappearance, however short that was, and took a step back. Letting out a victorious chuckle, I pounced and dug my dragon-scale-magical claws into his skull. He let out a howl of pain as I grabbed hold of his muzzle, spreading it apart until his jaw dislocated with a sickening "snap!" In response, he bucked like a bull in a vain attempt to throw me off. All that did was give me a better hold on his neck where I sliced and diced and made jerky out of his flesh. 

In a few seconds, Muffin was no more. His spine was jutting out from the mutilated muscle I tore to shreds, his blood all over the ground and staining my silvery-white fur. He put up a good fight, but I had magic, and magic is OP. 

"And stay dead," I said with a spat of blood. "Now, what was I doing?" 

"...OUT!" And like Koolaid Man, Rainbow burst out from her crate. She took one look at me and tilted her head in confusion. 

"What are you doing here?"





Rainbow Dash looked at the scene before her, her mind wrought with a mixture of concern and confusion. Around her was a plethora of wildlife that she doesn't recognize. Large tree's towered over her small frame, bushes as thick as sand made walls between the trunks, and sickly, snake-like vines slithered to and fro throughout the forest around her; creating a vile spiderweb of mossy green grossness. And at the center of it all, surrounded by dead bodies, covered in blood with bite marks and bruises adorning her body, was Rose. 

Many scenarios played in her mind of what could have possibly happened to create the grotesque image in front of her, most of which were along the lines of; Did Rose come to save her? Was Rose kidnapped like she was? Where did Rose come from and how is she still alive?! Nothing made sense, not even her current situation. One moment, she was sleeping on a cloud after a long day of hard work. The next, she found herself trapped in a shipping crate with absolutely no explanation whatsoever. Her chaotic thoughts did manage to come up with one thing that should help with her current predicament, but it was a gamble. A gamble that could very well put her in danger, maybe even her life, however, it will be worth the risk. She just needs to convince the mare of her disdain to spill the beans or else face her karate wrath!

Flaring her wings, Rainbow took a step towards the bloody mare, her eyes narrowed, and head held high in spiteful pride. She wouldn't be intimidated by Rose, nor by her so-called reputation as a skilled fighter. She was the fastest flier in Equestria! The soon-to-be best of the best flier of the Wounderbolts! This filly-fooling show-off was nothing compared to her, and she will prove it! 

"Well, care to answer my question, Rose?" she asked harshly. 





The venom in Rainbow Dash's tone clearly told me that she wasn't too pleased with basking in my holy presence. Her flaring wings, (a very common way for a Pegasus to intimidate others), told me she was ready to fight if she wasn't going to get an answer she doesn't like. With that in mind, I could just knock her out and deal with the other bullshit without her, however, in doing so would be detrimental to our already struggling relationship. On the other hoof, telling Rainbow what really was going on could earn me some much-needed brownie points. It all depends on how I go about it. 

'Ah, fuck it. I lost hope in Rainbow Dash once I learned she wanted to be a performer and not a racer. I just hope Twilight could fix this mess when she shows up. I need someone to relate to.' 

Letting out a sigh and a flick of a wing, I replied, "Welp, we have been captured by a bunch of Griffin Empire Loyalists hellbent of enslaving Ponykind. Judging by the crates, we were going to be used as either breeders or sex slaves, which was something I've heard about happening to other mares a few years ago." I paused for a moment to see Rainbow's reaction and, well, her frown quickly turned to absolute horror. Continuing on, I motioned my wing, directing Rain's attention to the dead Griffins. "They were dead when I broke out of the box with the Dire Wolves enjoying a free meal." 

"Other than that, we are somewhere in the Everfree... probably around the Baltimare area. That, and there should be at least ten more Griffins somewhere around here. We should free the others and get out of here as well." Once I've finished explaining the current situation, I took a hard look at Rainbow Dash's expression, and suffice to say. She looks like she has constipation for how deep her scowl was. After my little explanation, Rainbow's stance returned to its former hostile posture. I don't understand why she was so hostile. I haven't done anything to warrant her anger. She could be still mad about the whole racing thing, but from what I've heard, she was doing well for a beginner. In any case, I didn't have time to deal with whatever childish bullshit she wanted to throw at me. I had things to do, people to regroup with, and another cult to smash with.

"Well, anyway. I got to go. Unless you want to tag along, then you are more than welcome, but if not. Then stay out of my way," I said before walking towards the remaining closed crates to check if there was anybody else trapped within them. Rainbow, of course, just had to have other ideas. She took a step in front of me, eyes narrowed, and nose flared. She wanted something, and she wasn't going to let me go until she gets it. 

"You're hiding something, and I want to know what," she demanded with a stomp of her hoof.

"And what makes you think I'm hiding something?" I replied with a roll of my eyes, (though, in all fairness. I am hiding a lot of things). "I told you what I think happened to us. Now, I plan on tracking the Griffin's responsible and report them to the Guard." Her scowl seemed to deepen from that fact. 

"Right, a bunch of Griffins ponynap a bunch of random Pegasi for no reason whatsoever. Why would they take me? I'm a nobody in comparison to you, Rose. The only reason I could think of that makes sense is that the Griffin's wanted leverage against a "so-called" celebrity, with family deep in the military, and a mysterious past that no one will tell me about," Rainbow sarcastically said. 'Damn, I miss Retard Jock Dash. Weather Manager Dash is too clever for her own good.'

"Face it, Rose! You are a high-priority target to them, and they have some kind of dirt on you! And I want to know what that is!?" 

Letting out a sigh, I knew I wasn't going to get away from this one, and that's quite annoying. I had two options again, one of which will lead Rainbow to become a paranoid hick like Applejack, while the other could very well make each other enemies for Satan knows how many years. I couldn't just knock her out as it could jeopardize everything I'm trying to fix if she were to go too far from the path of Loyalty. Though, at this point, I think Rainbow was already off of that path. She has no friends aside from Pinkie Pie, and Pinkie is friends with everyone. Those that she cares about is nothing but a lie, and her insecurities are severely crippling her growth as a character. This just won't work anymore, but what do I tell her? 

The odds of the Griffin Loyalists knowing some deep dark secret about me is minuscule at best. Rex could have told them of the night that I earned my cutie mark; how I murdered every single Diamond Dog that tried to enslave all of Ponyville. But that wouldn't mean much to the Griffins. The only thing that they could know about me that would warrant my capture is if I had information about their little sleeper cells. 'There is a mole in my little cult group. Why can't things be easy?' Groaning in annoyance to both that little realization and to Rainbow Dash's insistence of having an answer for something she doesn't want to know. I relented some information I really didn't want anyone to know. 

"You want information? Then here it is—I have details that would destroy most of the Loyalists forces in Equestria; details about their numbers, who is supporting them, and their military strength. I can ruin all operations in the Equestrian Theater with a few strategic strikes but at the moment. I can't do so. Not only that, but I'm the leader of a private military company that is currently working towards protecting Equestria from these splinter cells, in fact, you met one of my soldiers tasked with protecting you. This could also be the reason why you were also captured; simply because I view you as an important individual, and the Griffins obviously don't know why." 

"As for the reason why I see fit to protect you from afar? Well, if everything goes right, then you will become one of the most important ponies in Equestrian History—A Hero that will be remembered to the end of time," I said with a straight face and neutral tone. 

"W-What?" Rainbow blinked in shock. "W-What do you mean that I'll be a hero? That's not... No! You're lying! Tell me the truth, Rose! I'm... I'm not important," she finished with a whisper, her posture slumped, her ears wilted. 'Damn, what the fuck kind of childhood did she have?' 

"You may not believe it, Love, but you are one of the most important ponies in Equestria. Your destiny will be revealed to you in time, Rainbow Dash," I replied softly. Rainbow just shook her head in disbelief. Sighing one last time, I had made my choice, and now I will have to live with the results. Taking a step forward, I activated my magic, making a bubble of air around Rainbow while she was distracted, and when she looked into my eyes one last time. I saw a fear only found in very few people. The kind of fear that I once had. The very fear that no pony should have. 

The fear of Destiny: A Human Fear, and as I slowly suffocated her into unconsciousness, a few choice words entered my mind. 

'Fuck me Luna with your Lunar Futa Dick. That explains everything wrong with this world.'
> Chapter 19. Sierra Foxtrot Charlie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

To say that I was annoyed was an extreme understatement at the moment. Not only that I have to deal with Rainbow Dash's constant questioning, but I also have to put up with one of Raven's lackey's, Sierra Maverick. The other two that were apart of our group, however, didn't utter a single word, mostly because they were too afraid of the forest to say anything. Still, if Rainbow asks me about what my role is in the universe, life, and everything one more time. I was going to give her the answer to that particular question with smug gusto.

"I don't think she will give you a straight answer Rainbow. This slut will only talk until you satisfy her," said the other annoyance in my life. Groaning in in anguish with my head dragging against the forest floor of the Everfree, I had to think of a way to make Sierra and Rain shut the fuck up. 

"I heard she slept with almost every mare in town. Like who does that?" Sierra continued, stroking my ire. I continued to walk through the twisted landscape, gnarled trees, and flesh-consuming bushes, with an ever-twitching eye. 

"I can believe that. She even tried to seduce me for a one-time romp like I was some cheap whorse meant to be used and thrown away," Rainbow just had to add. The other two mares just stayed silent. 

"With a reputation like that. I highly doubt anypony would want to date her, let alone marry her. I don't think she would be a loyal partner anyway." 

'Did she say what I think she said?' I thought with a growl. Lifting my head slightly, I slowed my pace and turned towards the offending mare in question with narrowed eyes. 

Over the years, I have learned that I have two states of anger. The first one is a blazing inferno that destroys everything in its path, without fear, without mercy. It's this type of anger that caused my first ever blood-rage years ago, and it is this type of anger that I can access for a boost in times of great danger. My second type of anger is that of piercing ice—It's cold, heartless, unrelenting in its overwhelming blizzard. This state of rage only comes out when my friends or family is threatened or when my ability to protect them is in question. And as a side effect of my icy temper, the air around me drops a few degrees, as well as the ground beneath me, slowly becomes covered in ice. No one calls me disloyal! Especially when its directed to the one I hold close to my heart! 

"Oh, look! Someone is angry," Sierra said all too cheerfully. "I'm not sure why, but I can guess that because no one wants to be with her. All she can do to quell her loneliness is by being easy as can be!" she mocked with the smuggest look on her face. Meanwhile, Rainbow was still staring at me with her everpresent glare. That's when I stopped, let out a long exhale to calm my nerves, and explained why I was so "easy" as Sierra said. It was an answer I don't like admitting to anyone, but for Rainbow and possibly the other Elements of Harmony. I wouldn't mind telling the truth about why my love life was what it is, so long as they would keep quiet about it. Plus, it will definitely keep Sierra's mouth shut, and if it doesn't? Then my hoof, will. 

"Tell me, Sierra. Do you know what a Soul Bond is?" I asked plainly. She and the other three girls just looked at me confused for a moment before replying. 

"What does that have to do with anything?" she asked back with a frown. Taking a step forward, I explained as calmly as I could while making sure the nearby Timberwolves didn't get too close. 

"Oh, if you knew anything about true love, then you should know that a Soul Bond is the most intimate and binding form of marriage. You and your partner's souls literally become "one" during a Soul Bond, and do you know what happens while that occurs?" She gave me look of confusion while Rainbow's eyes went wide. Sierra shook her head in response. 

"Well, in layman's terms; During the first ever fuse between you and your partner. You learn absolutely everything about them, and I mean everything. You get to know what truly makes them happy, what makes them sad. All your memories become theirs and them, yours. You get to feel all of their pleasure and all of their pain," I said with an ever-increasing growl, and I made sure my final word was accented with a predatory flutter of my wings. 

"Not to mention that once the bond is complete, both partners can feel what their other is feeling no matter where they are in the world! And do you know what the best part of a Soul Bond is?" I inquired with the creepiest smile I could muster.

"W-What?" Sierra gulped nervously, but her disgust face told another story of how she was feeling about this little piece of information. 

"Hmmhmm, I'm glad you asked!" I cheered darkly. "A Soul Bond is "till death do us part," and if your partner dies. Do you know what happens to the surviving member?" 

"N-No?" 

Dropping my cheery creepiness, wings, and ears. I let out a sullen sigh, "You can't feel love towards anyone else but the one you have bonded with. The only way you can is if you find another person capable of bonding with you, but the odds of that happening is a billion to one. I am what I am because its the only way I can feel connected with anyone else, and before you ask. Yes, I can feel the love of a friend, family member, or sibling. Just not the love of a partner, lover, or companion."

'A little detail Lunaris forgot to tell me before I reincarnated,' I thought bitterly. 

After my little explanation, I saw that it had its intended effects, but only on Rainbow and the other two mares. Sierra, on the other hoof, looked like she wanted to puke. I frowned at this, however. Before Sierra could say anything to enhance her disgust. Rainbow spoke up. 

"So, let me get see if I have this all figured out. You are a mare-slut because you did this "Soul Bond" thing with someone and that someone died. Making it impossible for you to feel any sort of connection with anyone unless you "bond" with someone, and to stave off the loneliness. You sleep with everyone?" 

I shrugged, "more or less." 

"That's—"

"That's horrible!" Sierra interrupted, earning an unamused stare from Rainbow. "What kind of Necromancy are you fucking performing?! Merging two souls together is...It's evil! Pure evil!" 

"It's not evil," one of the unnamed mares joined in with a stomp of her hoof. "It's one of the purest forms of love that one can express there is!" 

"And how would you know, Jasmine Leaf?" Sierra spat. 'Huh, pretty name. Makes me wonder how Sierra knows it.' 

"Hmpf, if you must know. As a member of the Solar Faith, Soul Bonding is something that all couples strive to achieve. It is said to be one of the most difficult things to accomplish as the bond itself is equivalent to combining your own destiny with someone else's to the end of time. Everone knows that! Even Princess Mi Amore Cadenza has made it her mission to try and find couples capable of such an intimate feat of magic!" 

"Tch, whatever, it doesn't change the fact that it's Necromancy," Sierra snarled. I let out a bored sigh and turned to Rainbow while Sierra and Jasmine argued about whether or not Soul Bonding was Necromancy, and to be frank. It isn't. It is classified at Auramancy, the exact opposite of Necromancy. 

"Rainbow?" I said softly.

"Y-Yeah?" 

"Her name was, Rose. Summer Jade Rose." 

"Oh, how did you—?" I stopped her with a raised hoof. 

"It wasn't hard to figure out before Sierra interrupted, love." 

"Is she...?" 

I shed a single tear and turned away. 

"She is."





"Where are they!?" shouted a particularly livid dark-purple Pegasus. She was currently pacing around an empty camp with a few bodies lying dead in pools of fresh blood. "They should be right here! Where did they go?!" 

Night Blade watched Raven rant and rave about their missing charges with a blank look. He had a good idea where his mistress fled to, and he would have told Raven right away, but the second she started her triad? He held his tongue for the time being. 

Speaking of mares, Cinder was lazily trotting around the camp while Ash leaned against one of the open crates with his arms crossed on his chest. Raven's friend, Phoenix Scribe was currently looking over the scene with a scrutinizing gaze, as if he was treating the campsite as if it was a crime scene. 

Letting out a sigh, he turned towards the pile of dead Griffins next to the camp. They were apart of the group of Griffins assigned with bringing the captured mares to a ship in Baltimare so that they could be broken and sold into slavery. The ten rotting corpses in question were all responsible for carrying the cargo, however. Their purpose instead was to lead him, and his compatriots to his captured Mistress hidden away in the Everfree Forest. 

They've their mission admirably until they were disposed of, but once Night Blade arrived at the campsite, he knew that his mission was all for naught. His Mistress was already on the move into Baltimare, and they were lagging behind. This fact bothered him greatly for not being able to save his Mistress, and prove his worth as a guardian of the night. Of course, he didn't view Rhapsody as a weak mare, far from it in fact. She was one of the strongest ponies he had the pleasure of serving. He was simply disappointed in himself for not being able to provide support for his Mistress during her time of need.

Coming back to reality, Night Blade chose to speak his thoughts on the whereabouts of their missing ponies. Clearing his throat to stop Ravens ranting, he spoke. "I think my Mistress is already on her way to Baltimare and we just miss her."

"They're...gone," Raven's eye twitched. Night Blade nodded and pointed towards a trail of blood leading away from the camp. "Explain." 

"My Mistress most likely broke free from her bonds and freed the others. The Griffins in charge were killed by the wolves while they weren't paying attention and my Mistress was the one to kill the wolves," he paused and turned to Ash, who wasn't paying attention all that much. "Can you track their scent, Ash?" 

"Of course I can," the giant Diamond Dog snorted. "The Alpha and the other mares left together just a few hours ago. The Alpha was injured slightly, but nothing that she couldn't handle. I can track her blood-scent all the way to the edge of the forest from here, and on a side note. She smells quite annoyed about something."

"Can I ask a question?" Phoenix chimed in. 

"Go ahead," Night Bladed motioned with a wing. 

"How do you all know each other? Like, I understand Hawkfire knowing Night Blade, but the Drake Blood and the Diamond Dog? That doesn't really make sense."

"Heh, we could say the same for your little group Phoenix," Ash smirked. Night Blade simply rolled his eyes and answered the question. 

"In any case, we all met in various unique ways. For me, I met Rhapsody in Hollow Shades. Every year, she would bring a few gifts for the poorer families of the village. Especially for this one filly named Nightingale. One year, I got curious and decided to confront her on why she was enamored by this village. and do you know what she said?" Raven and Phoenix shook their head. Night continued. "She said; "Princess Luna would be quite disappointed if one of her knights couldn't protect or provide for her charges." That name: Princess Luna, was a name erased from Equestrian History, and only a select few elders from my village knew of that name—The name of the Goddess of the Night, and from that moment on. I knew that by helping her in her mission. I would bring honor to my family and glory to the Thestral race for when our patron returned from her lunar imprisonment." 

"So you just chose to blindly follow a pony who said the name of a non-existent alicorn, and help her do whatever the hell she wanted?" Raven frowned incredulously. Night Blade merely shrugged at the question in response. 

"So far, Rhapsody has proven she knows far more about Equestria history than most could claim, but that's not the only reason." 

"And what reason is that?" Phoenix inquired. 

"She is a Siren—A person capable of using music as a weapon. She even has a special catalyst that enhances a Siren's abilities, as well as owning a pair of blades made of star metal, which is something that only a high-ranking officer of Princess Luna would own. I believe she is the reincarnation of Midnight Rhapsody, Luna's second in command," Night explained proudly. "It's only a matter of time before she fully awakens and when she does. Her songs will bring forth the death and destruction to all of the Sun Tyrants forces in the most bloody symphony Equestria has ever heard!" 

"Oookay.' How about' you, Ash? How did you end up with Hawkfire?" Phoenix coughed, clearly not disturbed by Night Blades questionably dark glint in his eyes. 

"I was raised by ponies in Canterlot. My father was a member of the Royal Guard, and I wanted to follow in his pawsteps. Unfortunately, the Guard wouldn't allow me to join, so I was a little disheartened that I couldn't protect my home and become the strongest that I could be. So, bored out of my mind, I went to one of those "Pegasi Races" and met my Alpha for the first time." 

"That's it?" Cinder asked with a raised brow. Ash shook his head. 

"No, not really. It was my Alpha that approached me with a job opportunity. All I had to do was deal with a pack of Diamond Dogs causing trouble for Appleloosa, and once my mission was complete. She would let me join her pack to do what I always longed to do, and suffice to say. Once I finished the mission, she showed me all the problems with Equestria, the Guard, and the raising Griffin problem. It didn't take me long to join, and I have no regrets about doing so."

Phoenix turned to Cinder... 

"Urgh, dad was a Kirin and Mom was an Earth Pony. I was born in Far Harbor, didn't want to be a Fisher, and became a mercenary for a while until I took up a job with Hawky. I decided she was cool and chose to follow her lead. End of story," Cinder groaned. 

Night Blade rubbed his forehead now that everyone has tossed in their two cents. He wasn't too pleased that they were wasting time talking about their past, not at all. Sure he knew that there would be some trust issues with the other two if they weren't at least forthcoming on a few of their questions. Trust was important to keep their temporary alliance from falling apart, and that trust will determine whether or not to remove Raven and her lackeys from the playing field. 

Now, if only he can figure out how his Mistress was able to disappear from the camp so fast, her scent is only a few minutes old, yet, Ash can track her all the way to the edge of the forest. Could it be the magic of the forest? He was unsure. What he was sure of, however, was that his Mistress needs aid, and wasting time talking to Raven and Phoenix was causing them to lag behind. 

"Excuse me?" Night coughed, earning the attention of the part. "But we should really catch up to Rhapsody, cause at this rate. Our mission to come and save her and Sierra would be a major waste of time." 

"Do you know where they are headed? Cause I have no clue where they went," Raven wanted to know. 

Turning towards the south-east with a raised head and a light flap of his wings, he replied "Balitmare." 

"Gay!" Cinder gagged. 

"Ew, too ponime, bro," Ash coughed. 

"Just. No. Don't do that again," Phoenix added. 

"So hot." 

Everyone slowly turned to stare at Raven.

"Shut up," she grumble-blushed.