I wonder if other ponies ever do or think the things that I do. I wonder if I'm the only mare in the world who intentionally cries herself to sleep. Am I the only one in the world that locks herself into dire situations with no hope to come out clean, and do I do it on purpose? Do I like the pain I cause, or do I like knowing that I'm capable of doing so? I'd never really thought about those things until now, and I'm beginning to believe that my time here in Ponyville will unveil some answers. Maybe the pain'll even out, or hell, maybe I'll fall in love with somepony. Unlikely...

I don't think I'm the type of mare capable of falling in love; at least, not true, unending love. I'm a go-to girl, a pony meant to be used for a sliver of happiness. I can show another mare what it means to be desired, and I can show a stallion what it's like to be unbound and without regret. If I can be a light in the dark, then so be it. I'd gladly trade my body for the happiness of somepony I care about. It's a win-win situation, usually.

Exie stretched her limbs and let a deep yawn into the air as she unlocked the door to Sew Fine and trotted inside. Before she caught her breath, she placed her hooves over her mouth and inhaled deeply, her eyes squeezed shut.

"Achoo!" she sneezed, stumbling backwards.

Shaking her head, she fanned her hoof in front of her nose, spotting an infinite number of dust-motes drifting through the bright afternoon sunlight. She trotted through the veil of dust towards the back of the store, where she flipped a switch to activate the central fanning system. As the air circulated, the haze lessened, and Exie took a deep, relieved breath.

"That's better," she mumbled as she grabbed a broom and cleaned empty boxes and crate splinters off the floor.

"Knock knock!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she pressed through the glass doors, her ears lowered and her gaze averted.

"Hi there," Exie said, clearing her throat and leaning the broom against the wall. "So, ready to get some work done today?"

Rainbow scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Sure..."

Exie gulped, swallowing a lump in her throat. "Um... something on your mind?"

"Oh, not much. Just the fact that you left me hangin' all morning!" Rainbow shouted as she fluttered up to the redheaded mare.

"I told you I was going to do things with Applejack today, because, you know... she asked first," Exie explained with a nervous grin. "I didn't realize it mattered so much to you. I'm sorry, Dash."

The pegasus crossed her hooves and cocked a brow. "Psh, I don't care. I just didn't think you'd pick Applejack over me."

Exie scowled and flattened her ears, a glint of rage flashing in her eyes as she ground her teeth. "For the last time, Applejack asked me to go with her first! Why are you being such a bitch to me about this? Is this how you make friends? Huh?"

Rainbow Dash looked away and cringed. "Whoa... I was just giving you a hard time... I was actually just napping all morning at the pond like I usually do. You know, boss, swearing at your employees is pretty unprofessional."

The flustered young mare placed a hoof to her forehead and groaned, falling backwards into a pile of empty cardboard boxes. "Come on, I've had a rough day. I'm sorry, alright?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled and fluttered up to collapsed mare laying on her back, legs limply spread. "I'll let it slide this time, but call me a bitch again and we're gonna have a serious problem." She reached down and helped her boss to her hooves. "So what's got ya so worked up today anyway? Applejack make you kick trees or something?"

Exie brushed herself off and lowered her eyes, a heavy pit sinking into her stomach. "Not exactly... But I wanted to ask you something, so let's just forget what happened when you showed up and start over."

"Okay," Rainbow Dash agreed, shrugging as she landed face to face with the mare. "What's up?"

Exie cleared her throat and brushed Rainbow's messy, multicolored mane from her face, then placed the tip of her hoof on her chest, running it in tiny circles. "I know I asked before, but I have to ask again: how do you feel about Applejack?"

Rainbow Dash shook her head and recoiled. She lifted her hoof and opened her mouth to speak, then shrugged and fell to all fours. "I dunno. What are you asking, exactly?"

Exie raised an eyebrow and blatantly looked over Rainbow's chest and legs. "You know... I mean, it's obvious you want to rock her world, but is that it? I mean, if that was the case then surely you'd have done it by now, right? I get the feeling that there's more to it. I know you two are friends, but... friends do it sometimes. Why haven't you?"

"Eh." Rainbow huffed and scratched the back of her mane. "I just don't think she really wants to. I mean, I still think she's straight."

"I made out with her. Like, hard," Exie said, looking the pegasus straight in the eye. "She's definitely into mares. If you want that, you better go for it. Or... I just might take her for myself."

Rainbow furrowed her brow as Exie circled her, her soft red tail running beneath her chin. Standing pressed up against her side, Exie wrapped a foreleg around the pegasus' neck, pulling their cheeks together. "Would you mind?"

The pegasus spread her wings, pushing Exie away. "You do whatever you want. But if you hurt her..." She turned around and glared into Exie's eyes, her lip quivering. "It won't be pretty."

Exie grimaced and stepped back, her ears flattening. "Easy—I don't really want to be with her, but it's obvious how much you care. You two would be good together."

"Why don't you just mind your own business?!" Rainbow Dash snapped, striking a defensive stance as if ready to strike.

"Whoa! You need to loosen up." Exie brushed the mane out of her face and trotted up to Rainbow Dash. "Let's go get a drink and talk, my treat. There's not much left to do here until we open for business. I'll need a lot more help then."

Rainbow Dash bit her tongue and took a breath. "Heh... Sorry about that... So, a drink, huh? Ponyville is pretty dry, and the only pub is pretty dull."

"So. How about you and I liven up the joint, huh? It'll be fun, and we can become better friends like we talked about, remember?" Exie led the pegasus to the front door and held it open with a bright smile.

Rainbow Dash shrugged and followed the excitable mare out into the late-afternoon air. She trotted to Exie's side and nudged her in the right direction. "It's this way. Where you goin'?"

Exie giggled. "I'm just following the road to town, I figured it'd be that way somewhere."

"It's at the edge of town, in this direction," Rainbow Dash explained as she trotted ahead down the dusty road.

Exie quickly followed and brushed herself up against Rainbow's side. "So tell me more about yourself."

The pegasus tilted her head as she trotted. "Uh, what do you wanna know?"

"What's you're favorite way to pass the time when you have nothing to do?"

Rainbow stopped and placed a hoof on her chin. "Huh... I like hangin' out by the pond. You know, like relaxing after work, or swimming. I like to race too. If you ever wanna have a race, I'm down."

Exie's smile slowly vanished from her face as she took in her Dash's innocent answer, an epiphany flooding her mind. With a sharp, rueful sigh, she looked down at her front hooves, and thought about how she would have instinctively answered the same question.

"You okay?" Rainbow asked, turning back to face the sulking mare.

"Yeah, of course." Exie snapped a smile back onto her face and trotted ahead. "So, now you ask me something."

"Okay," Rainbow muttered as she bit her lip and looked up in thought. "Alright! Who would you rather get it on with—me, or Applejack?"

Exie blinked, a knot growing in her throat. "What? I... That's a weird question... You're weird."

Rainbow reared up and crossed her front hooves. "Oh, okay—little miss sexy-boots is too scared to answer a question, huh?"

"Yeah! I'm scared that you'll beat me up if I don't pick you," Exie closed her eyes and nervously scratched her head.

"Oh! So you're saying you'd pick Applejack then." Rainbow scowled and scrunched her mouth.

Exie raised her hooves defensively and forced a smile. "Hey now, I didn't say that..."

"I don't get it... Why do you like her so much anyway? You barely know her." Rainbow Dash turned her back and fell to all fours, her ears and wings drooping. "I'm supposed to be the... the one everypony wants."

Exie lowered her eyes and thought about the mare in front of her. It was obvious to her that Rainbow Dash was full of pride and confidence, and when something challenged her, she could only aim to conquer that challenge, even if it was her closest friend. She must have hated the thought of losing, and the more ground her opponent gained, the weaker her self esteem became. The situation wasn't just a competition to her—it was a game. Exie cracked a smile and trotted up behind Rainbow Dash, placing a hoof over her back, certain of how to restore the mare to her usual, confident self.

"I think I'm starting to get you. I'm actually starting to understand what's going on between you and Applejack too. You're a complicated little bunch up in this dull little town, aren't you?" Exie chuckled and pulled Rainbow Dash into a friendly, one-leg hug.

The pegasus reluctantly accepted the gesture and turned to hug the mare back, letting her front hooves limply fall over Exie's back as she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Ponyville can be pretty exciting sometimes... Just wait until some freak accident wipes out the town. It happens at least twice a year."

Exie skeptically scoffed and glanced around the peaceful town, now tightly holding onto the stubbornly unenthusiastic pegasus. "Be quiet and hug me."

Rainbow groaned and accepted the situation, a large part of her embracing it as she closed her eyes and buried her muzzle against Exie's neck, pulling her tightly. She took a deep breath, admiring the strange, yet enticing scent wafting from her coat. Her heart pounded in her chest as she shared a warm, almost intimate moment with a mare she hardly knew. "Uhm... Why are we hugging?"

"Shh." Exie grinned widely as she ran her hooves up her friend's back, sliding them beneath her wings up to the back of her neck, pulling tighter as she went. She pressed herself forward, grinding her warm, peachy chest up against Rainbow's. "Do you wanna know my answer to your question?"

Before Rainbow Dash could respond, Exie pressed her lips against hers. A sharp pain of regret pierced her heart as she parted her lips and kissed the beautiful mare in front of her, but she pressed on. She flicked her ears and slid down to her hooves. The sun was setting behind the hilltops, shining its bright orange light across the countryside. Rainbow Dash's deep magenta eyes glowed in the light as she looked into Exie's glistening blue ones.

"Let's skip the drinks, I'll treat you later. I wanna go somewhere where we can be alone..." Exie put on a mischievous smile and licked her lips.

"What happened to us getting to know each oth... Forget it, I'm down." Rainbow Dash nodded and pointed to a clearing veiled by a small group of evergreens. "Let's just go over there."

"Look, I've been trying to hold this back all day with Applejack, and now here you are being irresistible. I'm aroused and want to get some already..." Exie then cringed and shook her head at the clearing. "But not there. How about we go back to your place, or something?"

"What's the matter? Scared of a little dirt?" Rainbow playfully grinned and swatted Exie's flank with her tail.

The young mare jumped and rubbed her haunch. "I just don't really feel like being covered in pine needles."

"Well, you can't come to my place because I live in a cloud. Well... Eh, never mind. Let's go to your pace instead." Rainbow Dash nodded with a wide, eager smile.

Exie gulped and ducked away. "Uhm, I'm kind of renting out Applejack's guest room..." she confessed, realizing the pegasus would find out eventually anyway.

Rainbow Dash immediately snapped her teeth and turned away. "So? Afraid your little crush will find out that you prefer me? It's your room, you can do what you want in there."

Exie placed a hoof on her forehead and took a deep, relaxing breath. "You know what? You're right. Let's go rub it in Applejack's face when we're done, but I don't want to do it there, because..."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Because what?"

Exie chuckled and looked into the mare's eyes, her head tilted down as she bit her lip. "The thing is... I'm really loud, and I get really into it, and I don't want to be like that around Apple Bloom."

Rainbow Dash felt her cheeks get hot as Exie stepped closer to her.

"You don't mind if I'm loud... do you?" the Manehattan mare asked, her eyes locked on Rainbow's as she stepped towards her like a tigress moving in on its prey.

The pegasus wiped a bead of sweat from her brow and put on a sheepish grin. "Okay, we better just go back to the shop then. Let's hurry?"

Rainbow Dash took Exie in her front legs and kicked off the ground with her wings spread wide, a plume of dust whirling into the air in her wake. Within seconds she landed into a skidding halt, sliding inches away from the front door. Exie fell to her hooves, shaking.

"Warn me next time! Okay?!" she shouted with wide, terrified eyes, her heart about to explode in her chest.

The cocky pegasus chuckled and gestured towards the door. "Lighten up; you know you liked it. Now, let us in."

Exie shook her head with a smile and rifled through her saddlebag for her keys. She pulled them out and dropped them onto the ground, her hooves still shaky.

"Smooth... Need me to get that for ya?" Rainbow teased, leaning up against the building, coolly gazing off into the distance.

"I got it." Exie huffed and forced herself to relax, calming her nerves as she unlocked the door. "Get in here before I change my mind."

Rainbow happily hopped into the store behind the flustered mare. Exie pulled her bedroll out from beneath the counter and spread it across the floor. "Boots on or off?" she asked, slowly pulling the black leg warmer off her front hoof.

Rainbow Dash gulped and flapped her wings. "Can I take them off for you?"

Exie nodded and laid back onto her pillow as she stretched out her hind legs. Rainbow Dash stepped over Exie, ignoring her boots and placing a hoof on her cheek. As the young mare opened her eyes, another stinging pain whipped her heart as she met the gorgeous cyan pegasus' gaze. She reached around Rainbow Dash's neck and pulled her down into a deep kiss, their tongues immediately meeting.

Rainbow Dash rested her body on top of Exie's, wrapping her front legs around the mare's head. She flicked her tongue into the young earth pony's mouth, gently sucking at her bottom lip as she pulled away and went back in without hesitation. As she aggressively swirled her tongue around Exie's, she widened her mouth and lapped her tongue, letting their saliva mix freely.

Exie looked up with her eyes mostly closed and deep blush burning on her cheeks, all her feelings of regret no longer existent. "Wow, Dash... you're the best kisser I've ever been with. Don't stop..."

"I am a great kisser, aren't I?" The cocky mare grinned and leaned down, biting Exie's neck.

The young redhead arched her back, pressing herself against her lover as a wave of tingling pleasure coursed throughout her entire body. Exie tilted her head towards the source of her pleasure, involuntarily forcing the mare away with her shoulder as she giggled. Rainbow Dash flicked her tongue at the mare's ear, then leaned up and slid herself down Exie's body, resting her muzzle on the bit of her thigh that was teasingly exposed above her boots.

"Ya know, Dash, I bet you'd look really sexy in my boots. Try 'em on." Exie licked her lips and propped herself up with her front hooves.

Rainbow chuckled at the thought and nodded. "I look really sexy anyway. These boots might make me too sexy."

Exie slightly shrugged and giggled like a little school-filly. "You're right, you are definitely the sexiest pony I've ever seen."

The pegasus oozed confidence as she beamed. She smugly gripped her friend's boot and slid it down off of her leg. Exie recoiled as the cool air enveloped her scarcely exposed leg, sending a chill up her spine. Rainbow Dash stuck her front leg into the boot, reveling in the lingering warmth. She then removed her leg, and held the opening of the boot up to her muzzle, taking in a deep whiff.

Exie chuckled and covered her mouth. "You're an odd one."

Rainbow Dash shrugged and tossed the boot over her shoulder, then quickly yanked the other boot off. "What can I say? I like boots."

"Oh, that's right!" Exie leaned forward and pushed Rainbow onto her back. "You have a hoof thing to work out."

"A what?" Rainbow widened her eyes and tucked her legs in. "I already told you that I don't like ponies touching my hooves. Especially my back hooves."

Exie rolled her eyes and crawled between the mare's legs, sitting up as she lifted a blue thigh against her chest. "Can I touch your hooves?" she asked, her eyes wide and radiating seductive innocence.

Rainbow Dash failed to contain her blush as a nervous pit flooded her stomach. "Hold on..." She squeezed her eyes closed, then took a deep breath and relaxed her muscles.

Exie felt the mare calm herself, and took that as her cue to begin. She rubbed her body against the leg as she kissed up its length, flicking her tongue against the base of her hoof. Rainbow Dash pressed her front hoof over her eyes, mixed feelings along with growing anticipation swirling around in her chest as she bit her lip. Exie kissed the tip of her hoof and brushed her muzzle across the center.

"If you're gonna, then just do it already..." Rainbow huffed and readied her body for an unexpected sensation.

Exie winked at the impatient pegasus and aggressively nipped at the tip of her hoof. Rainbow leaned her head back down and closed her eyes, hiding her embarrassment. The kinky young mare pressed her mouth against the hoof as she kept her eyes closed and stuck her tongue out. Rainbow gasped and cringed at the strong, tickling sensation that followed. Exie grinned, detecting the mare gently jerking back and then relaxing again.

She stuck her tongue out further, swirling it around the sensitive center of her hoof. Rainbow Dash shuddered and opened an eye to see Exie clearly enjoying herself with a wide smile as she licked. "You're really into this... aren't you...?" Dash gasped as she placed her front hoof on her forehead, trying to restrain her unnecessary anxiety beneath a rapidly growing sense of pleasure.

Exie shrugged and winked again. "I'm just really into you," she said before swashing her tongue sloppily all over and around her friend's soaked hoof.

Rainbow didn't respond; she let a small moan escape and immediately covered her mouth, her state of arousal growing exponentially as the licking carried on.

"Dash, you taste great, you smell great, you look great: everything about you screams perfection. You seem like a rough-around-the-edges kind of mare at first glance, but you're not. You're... just perfect." Exie sighed and lowered her eyes, a lustful aura welling up in her chest. "I want you so bad."

"I'm right here." Rainbow grinned and raised her eyebrows. "Come get some."

The feisty redhead licked her lips and dropped her friend's leg, sliding herself back down between them. She kissed her friend's stomach and scooted lower, a deep, hot breath spilling out over her groin. Rainbow Dash quivered in anticipation, and Exie prepared to do what she loved most. She looked up across Rainbow's chest and made sharp eye contact as she stuck her tongue out.

"Eh..." Rainbow raised and eyebrow, eager to get things started.

Exie stared into her eyes as a warm string of saliva dripped down from the tip of her tongue, sliding down between the mare's already moist lips. Rainbow smiled at the tingly sensation to follow, and she rested her head back against the pillow.

"You better not fall asleep when I'm done with you..." Exie said with a crooked smirk, before lowering her muzzle against the pegasus' crotch.

Rainbow chuckled and raised her legs, resting her back hooves into Exie's shoulders. "Don't worry, I never leave a friend hangin'."

Apple Bloom sat merrily drawing out a list of plans sure to earn her a cutie mark. "What happened to your friend?"

"Huh, I wonder when she's gonna be gettin' back," Applejack pondered aloud as she cleared the dinner table.

"Me too!" Apple Bloom added excitedly. "Can we stay up late tonight and play games?"

"Heck no, you got school in the mornin'." Applejack crossed her hooves and stared down at her little sister. "And I don't want you botherin' our guest all day, neither."

"Aw, come on, Sis. Can we at least stay up a little late? Big Mac's havin' a little fire by the barn for when Braeburn's train gets here later, and Fiddlesticks is gonna be here too. Can't we at least introduce Exie?" Apple Bloom pleaded.

"I know what's goin' on. And I already planned to." Applejack sighed and pulled her little sister into a hug. "Come on, let's clean off this table, then we can go check in on her at the shop. She could probably use a little help with something. I get the feelin' she's bitten off more than she can chew with this whole runnin'-a-shop-all-on-her-own thing."

Rainbow Dash slurped up a slurry of jizz and saliva, panting to catch her breath as Exie straddled her face. "You... You've got some serious endurance..."

The young mare ran her front hooves through her sweaty red mane, her heart racing. "You too..."

Rainbow pulled Exie down onto her side and scooted up to her, who then instinctively pulled her into a cuddly hug and kissed her. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and parted her lips, swapping fluids between mouths yet again.

"Hey, Exie, you know what I like about you?" she asked, wiping her mouth.

"My cool mane style?"

"Exactly. I also like that you're not afraid to get dirty in bed," Rainbow added.

"Or, in this case, on the floor." Exie giggled and rolled on top of the pegasus, dragging her tongue down her chest. "Ready to go again?"

"You know it."

Author's Notes:

I know not much happened in this chapter, but next chapter should be well set up now. Let me know what you think! Comments are my only drive to continue writing, so comment away!