Big Mac hid his eyes under his large hand, groaning dully at what was happening out on the field. It was the first practice after the Cloudsdale game, and the team was getting back to their normal selves already. That was truly apparent in the fact that Rainbow Dash was currently shouting so loud the back of the stands could probably hear her.

“Just because we managed to pull off a victory doesn't mean we're worth fuck all! Get your heads out of your asses and keep those knees up, I want to see you sweat!” Rainbow Dash screamed from her post right next to the players doing their warm-ups, and would have been running laps around them if her ankle had fully healed yet. She had said that it didn't bother her, but after playing on it the rest of the game, Applejack didn't want her to push herself until she was certain. Speaking of Applejack, Rainbow Dash turned around and faced her, as she was standing by the bleachers with her older brother, “Baby, I wanna see you sweat with your knees up, too!”

Hiding her amused smile behind her fingers, Applejack stifled her giggle and said nothing in response. She could already tell that such a comment had Big Mac boiling with rage, as he was grumbling and clenching his fists up. It was still a wonder to her, why he disliked Rainbow Dash so much anyway. Was it really just because of her incessant flirting with his sister?

“She's a punk,” Big Mac sneered, frowning deeply and glaring at her like it could affect her at all.

“C'mon y'don't think she's th' least bit cute?” Applejack found herself musing, catching the fond tone in time to add a nervous chuckle to the end.

“Nnope,” Big Mac denied firmly, casting the glare over to his sister instead. “She ain't no good, that's that. Startin' fights, bein' rude t' y'all, cussin' every other word, she's bad for th' team.”

“She ain't your everyday leader, that's for sure,” Applejack nodded, watching the girl trying to rip Dumbbell's arm off because he was stretching too lazily. “But she tries.”

“Ah dunno,” Big Mac growled, rolling his eyes at such an idea.

“What's your problem with Rainbow, any who? Y'hardly know th' girl,” Applejack's tone dropped lower and her eyebrows fell serious over her gaze.

“Ah can't stand her. She's a troublemaker, AJ, always 'as been since y'all were jus' kids. Ah r'member, a long time ago,” Big Mac started, his expression settling on her. “Musta been years, an' Ah ran into her when—”

“Hey, Mac,” Shining Armour interrupted, walking over with the roster in his hands. “Have you seen Scootaloo around? She didn't show up for practice.”

“Ain't she still hurt?” Applejack asked, peering around her larger brother to speak to the other coach.

“No, the infirmary released her shortly after the game, she just needed some bed-rest and a few pain killers,” Shining Armour explained as he had read the report himself, needing to do so as the assistant coach to permit her back into action.

“Didn’t look like nothin’ permanent was damaged,” the farm boy added.

“If it was only physical stuff,” Applejack muttered, and the two boys looked over at her oddly. “Well… Maybe she’s just shy ‘bout comin’ back, tha’s all.”

“Well with Dash injured and Scootaloo absent, it’s somewhat difficult to practise any running plays,” Shining Armour spoke up, glancing out to the field, where the team was still just getting warmed up on drills that Rainbow Dash was shouting about.

“Ah’m sure it ain’t no big deal, just give th’ girl some time t’ recover, we owe her that,” Applejack told them with a confident smile. However, it was forcibly held up, and though the boys could tell, they said nothing. Applejack looked out at Rainbow Dash and her expression softened, wondering if the belligerent girl was still upset about what happened. She sure was good at acting. “But just in case, don’t tell Rainbow, ‘kay? Ah don’t want her to worry about it.”

“I don’t know, but they have said!” Rainbow Dash chanted loudly, tossing her fist up in rhythm as the team squatted or jogged to the same tempo. The rest of the team’s voices boomed an echo of her chant, and she went on to the next line, “Applejack gives awesome head!”

Big Mac groaned and shook his head, rubbing his temple with his free hand as he grumbled, “Th’ only thing she’s worried ‘bout is where t’ find ‘er next lay.”

“Naw, she ain’t worried ‘bout that.” His little sister shrugged passively with a knowing laugh. Noticing how incriminating that was, she cleared her throat and grabbed her helmet at once. “Uh, guess Ah should get back t’ practisin’!”

“Ah’d say so,” her brother growled, glaring at her as she sheepishly grinned and jogged away.

Spike laid out on the soft bed, relishing in the feeling on his back. Frilly? No, that wasn’t the right word. Fancy, for sure. Silky smooth sheets, a warm room and cool hands spreading lotion onto his back. Rarity gently pressed her finger tips into the aching shoulders Spike had obtained from the last football game, the boy groaning each time she applied pressure into the sore, tense area.

“I do not mean to speak an old cliche, but you are pretty tense, Spike. Your shoulders are especially stiff. It surprises me that they can move,” Rarity responded, pressing harder into the tense flesh before working her way down his back.

“Ugh, no I can’t right now,” Spike muttered, enjoying the light sensations. “Arm’s are totally... fucked.”

Pausing, Rarity ignored the cuss and squirted more lotion onto her fingers. “Oh. Well, too bad. I was going to suggest some more recreational activities later after we’re done. I could ask you for inspirations on a design, however,” Rarity said, lightly sighing before she continued rubbing in the lotion.

“Mmm?” Spike responded, shifting his position so he could glance back at Rarity.

Pausing her thoughts, Rarity focused on Spike’s lower back, pressing gently yet firmly around Spike’s spine, trailing up the bumpy protrusion. Rarity took a moment to focus on the texture around his spine, feeling a sort of rough, leathery spots trailing up his back, reminiscent of a reptile. They were firm and thick, possibly protecting the sensitive boney line, but that seemed silly. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she carefully continued.

“It was for a more adult client rather than the usual younger crowd I drew in, and it was more risque, but I shall still sell it regardless of the thoughts of my peers,” Rarity responded with a stern tone. “Whenever talked to about my business, someone always asks if I’m designing naughty lingerie, and insinuates that it is a horrible thing or thinks of me as a pervert. Males, too; many have come up to me thinking I craft leather and straps for my job before I correct them with ‘frilly frou-frou dresses’ which quickly turns their topic of discussion to compliments about my well-endowed figure rather than something else that would make a girl want to bed a man.”

“So, guys basically go, ‘Hey, Rares. Nice tits, wanna bang?’” Spike asked, trying on a mocking voice and rolling his eyes. Spike let a rough sigh pass his lips, almost hissing as the bitter thoughts of other men coming onto his Rarity passed through his head.

“That’s putting it vulgarly blunt, but yes. As if talking to me about interesting topics and making me laugh was not adequate enough to endear a woman. Contrary to popular belief, Rarity does not go for the so-called hot boys although she shall sometimes attempt to lightly flirt with those who could recommend her to more powerful people.” She gulped, realizing that she may have made Spike jealous by mentioning that. “Certainly not what I’m proud of, and that’s in the past now as I’ve got the connections I want.”

“That, and I don’t think I’d feel too happy about you doing such a thing,” Spike told her.

“Well, yes, but I can take care of my own self,” Rarity responded unsurely. “Besides, I’ve yet to do anything more than kiss, to which I’ve regretted very shortly after.”

“Well… exactly, yes. Regret mistakes, and—” Spike paused, gulping as he realized that what he had said might be construed as an insult.

Rarity’s hands stopped massaging his back and Spike meekly turned his head, his confidence and possessiveness that he spent the last two months working on fading away in an instant as he felt like the weak, useless, vulnerable boy he was on that first day of school. Rarity seemed to be glaring at him, her lip curled up at the side with an eyebrow raised.

“Excuse me? Pardon me, but I believe I showed the restraint as well as the temperament to at least try and go fishing for someone that could potentially be my soulmate, even if I had initially wanted it to be you,” Rarity responded, wiping her hands off on Spike’s back as she folded her arms.

“But—” Spike said, rolling onto his back as Rarity slid off his legs.

“Unlike someone, I had attempted to try to fit in. I don’t need you to be possessively protective of me when you couldn’t stand up for yourself. I apologize for being so blunt, but I want to make it clear that you are no… no Superhero! And you're not here to save the damsel in distress. Just because I’m a lady does not mean I don’t know how to take care of myself,” she explained with an air of steel confidence.

Spike didn’t respond and as it seemed Rarity would continue, he glanced up at her and their eyes met. Spike’s seemed so hopeless and Rarity’s instantly lost the edge they just had. Spike twisted himself until his legs were dangling off the end of the bed as he grabbed his purple long-sleeve shirt and slid it on.

“Spikey, wait,” Rarity started, crawling towards him as he stood up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I had merely taken offense to those words.”

Spike sighed, feeling himself unable to hold up to his slightly hurt feelings and leave. Rarity crawled up from behind, wrapping her arms around his midsection as she buried her face in his hair, sighing deeply against his neck.

“Even if I spent seven years waiting, we have had different social outings… you’re not used to this and neither am I. But I’m sure we’ll be fine. We just need an adjustment period before it becomes easier to define what the other is saying completely,” Rarity responded.

Rather than speak, Spike turned around, standing up as he did and Rarity almost fell off the edge of the bed. Pressing a hand against the floor, she pushed herself up onto the bed again, glancing up as Spike removed his shirt. Rarity sat on her legs, still trying to process what Spike was doing before he tossed his shirt to the side, undoing his belt as he did. Climbing onto the bed, Spike’s hands held onto Rarity’s shoulders and the girl giggled as he nipped at her neck. Rarity fell back, allowing Spike to lay atop her and she felt her limbs go weak as he gently bit at the soft, tender flesh. Immediately, his hands slid down her arms then onto her body, gripping the soft mounds in her shirt. She let out a moan, wrapping her shivery arms around him as he fondled her gently.

Rarity laid on the bed, panting lightly with a frown adorning her face. Her eyes slowly trailed to the right, glossing over the light sweat drizzling down Spike’s back. Spike’s face was buried in his hands and he let out a heavy, deep sigh. Rarity opened her lips as she wanted to say anything to the boy, anything reassuring him that everything was fine. There was no point as the damage was done and the only thing Rarity could hope for is that Spike forgave her.

It had been only a few seconds since Rarity had yelled at him for lasting less than a minute, and all of the confidence Spike had vanished. He twitched now and then, cringing slightly as the cool sweat ran down his spine. A hesitant hand reached out towards Spike, aiming for the nape of his neck before it stopped an inch away. Another heavy sigh escaped Spike’s lips and Rarity bit hers.

“Guess I couldn’t expect a little leeway from a fairy-tale airhead,” Spike muttered.

Like hot water scalding her scalp, Rarity tensed her brow and sat up immediately in response, trying to find her words. She held back whatever intentionally harmful words wanted to break free of her lips and settled for a simple scoff instead.

“Ugh, I’m… I’m sorry,” Spike said, his voice breaking and quiet. “God, I can’t believe I said that, I’m—” He gulped. Rarity waited expectantly, her eyes fixated on the back of Spike’s head. “Y’know,” Spike finished.

“Y’know?” Rarity repeated bluntly. “No, I do not know. Maybe later I’ll feel better but right now, I am pretty agitated with you, Spike. Maybe what I said was unjust, but what you said was just plain unnecessary and only added more to the fire.” Rarity let her head fall back, landing with a soft plop against the large pillow. “I specifically said not to ejaculate inside me, I could have forgiven that, but it seems you were content with not only jumping straight into the action but forgetting to tend to me. Sex is a two-way street, Spike.”

Rather than try and calm Rarity down, Spike stood up, searching for his clothes. Half of Rarity had hoped Spike attempted to talk things out but the other half felt justified in her anger. Spike’s inexperience with handling social situations showed like no other she knew. The frustration of having to deal with it clashed with Rarity’s love and she couldn’t even find the words to keep Spike present.

“Text me later,” was all she could say.

Spike didn’t bother responding, gathering his clothes in a flash and waltzing towards the bathroom. Like Rarity, he found inner conflict guiding his actions. He did not want to text Rarity later, but he wanted so badly to go back there and apologize, caress her and kiss her, telling her that he was sorry. His pride got in the way, too proud to admit his fault.

‘It’s not like she took charge… right?’ Spike asked himself. He shook his head and winced as he left Rarity’s room, slamming the door. ‘I’ve gone too far now… I’ll just apologize later. She’s always okay with that.’

One by one, his clothes slid onto his body. A pair of underwear and shorts, a mobile phone in one pocket, a belt through the loops, a shirt over his head. It was robotic at the moment and he knew he was about to leave. Sighing, finally allowing himself to accept the fact, Spike checked his face in the mirror, seeing sweat had dampened his hair. Grabbing a nearby towel, he ran it over his head several times as well as his face until he looked dry, and tossed it haphazardly into the laundry basket. With a slap to his face, he turned around and opened the bathroom door.

Rarity’s head turned away, obviously having been fixated on the bathroom door, and Spike shrugged, dragging his feet to the door, forcing his drooping hands to latch onto the handle. With a twist, it opened up and Spike forced himself through, the tugging at his chest killing him. Pulling it shut behind him, he abandoned whatever solemn mood he had and ran down the short hall, down the stairs and out the front door, ignoring whatever they were doing prior. Once outside, he yanked his bike away from it’s position against the side of the building and hopped on it. His feet whirled as he pedalled as fast as he could manage and he skidded his tires as he sped down the sidewalk.

City blocks passed as he wheeled without focus, his eyes only scanning for obstacles. No clear destination; perhaps home, or another friend’s place. He didn’t know.

Ahead, he saw several people round the corner and Spike squeezed the breaks, fighting the feeling in his crotch as the bike seat pressed against him. Expecting to ram into the others, he found a hand pressed against his chest, throwing him backwards as he fell off the bike seat and landed roughly on his back. Wincing, he immediately pushed himself up to the point where he could see his bike. He watched its front wheels crank to the left due to his left hand being the last to hold on and fall over in the street… just as a garbage truck drove over it, crumbling it. Glancing up, he went to thank the one that saved him from being ran over by a truck, only for his words to hang in his throat.

“Saved your life, iguana,” Felix said with a chuckle.

Next to him were his usual two cohorts as well as, for some strange reason, Gilda and someone dressed in a Cloudsdale Griffons t-shirt. Spike rolled away from the two and he stumbled to his feet, cursing his luck. He waltzed over towards his bike as the garbage truck skidded to a halt right ahead and the driver stepped out.

“Yo, that’s not how friends say thanks, fucking iguana,” Felix called after him, his voice taking on a more hostile tone.

“Might wanna change your insult, fuckstick,” Spike responded as he inspected the twisted metal. “Iguana’s have two dicks. That’s kind of a compliment.”

“I don’t care, you’re a fuckin’ freak, faggot,” Felix shouted louder.

Gilda seemed to stare at Felix derisively, rolling her eyes as she folded her arms with a deep sigh. She must have thought the whole interchange was somewhat juvenile.

“How about you stop wasting my fuckin’ time, the goddamn chicken managed to satisfy me faster,” Gilda responded, gritting her teeth.

“Yo, fuck off and wait a minute, I’m talking to old friends,” Felix told her with a chuckle.

“Whatever, hurry up, I’d like to get a six pack already,” Gilda muttered, walking down the street.

“Hey, what the hell are you stupid kids doing back here?” the garbage man shouted from around the corner of the truck.

He rounded it and glared down at Spike as the boy sighed, tossing the bike into the back of the garbage truck. He just moseyed off without saying anything else, grumbling.

“Just so you know, we’re making sure Scuntaloo is having a safe recovery, Gilda’s idea,” Felix shouted as the garbage man returned to the truck.

Spike stopped on the opposite side of the road and grit his teeth, clenching his fists as his pupils turned to slits once more. His adrenaline rushing always gave him a fuzzy feeling in his head, and made him particularly bothered. Turning around, he saw the group already walking away as the garbage truck started moving yet again. For some reason, Spike held his hand up, clenching his pinkie and ring fingers as he pointed his middle and index towards Felix.

“Bang,” he whispered, pulling his hand back as if shooting a gun.

Biting his lip, Spike trudged down the street in tranquil fury until coming towards his house. Glancing at the larger building, he wondered if he should sneak in and pretend he didn’t leave, or if he should just waltz right in. Either way, he’d have to be questioned as to why he didn’t return on his bike and explain that. Sucking in his gut, he let out a deep sigh as he walked up the sidewalk until gently opening the door. Again, his father was sitting there watching TV and his mother was busy preparing dinner. Before he could respond, Spike had moseyed over towards the living room and sat down on the couch, sighing as he glanced at the TV.

“Mmm, noticed the… uh, lack of garage door opening. Something happen to your bike?” the man asked, glancing towards the boy.

“Ran into Felix. The jerk threw me off my bike, just in time sadly... because if he hadn’t, I would have gotten hit by a garbage truck,” Spike muttered irritably.

“Oh wow, are you alright? Did he do anything?” his father asked, turning away from the TV entirely.

In the kitchen, Spike’s sensitive, keen ears heard his mother stop moving, obviously listening, and even further so, he heard Twilight through the open door turn down her earbuds. The walls were made thin for the summer heat, so Spike could only expect this. Gritting his teeth, he let out a low growl.

“It’s none of your business, dad,” Spike muttered, hoping that he took the hint. “I can take care of myself.” The man didn’t respond, turning back towards the TV. A report about some invasion in a nation across the ocean played, allowing Spike idle time to think. The two girls resumed what they were doing as Spike could hear the significant increase in sound. Sighing, he let his head droop. “I’m sorry, I know you’re just looking out for me. I’m still not adjusted to… this, I guess.”

“This?” his father asked, continuing to stare at the TV.

“13 years… and I’m still wishing that I was back at 96 Dragon Road...” Spike let himself sink into the couch cushion, not caring that his family was once again listening in. “Twilight and Shining aren’t related to me by blood, and those last words didn’t help me process anything. Add that to the fact that they seem so radically different from me, and it just doesn’t feel like home… even if it’s the only one I can fully remember.”

“You feel like you don’t belong?” Night Light asked, the volume on the TV going down slowly.

“Maybe. I dunno. I mean, look at me? I have these… these weird, alien irises, which people are far too happy to point out and remind me of why I don’t fit in. I assist Twilight with stuff, yet I’m never really remembered. I mean, there was that one birthday Twilight had where she invited everyone else to it but me because she ‘forgot the invitation’, or a lack of involvement in Shining Armour’s life. Or with others at school… I do nothing and they do something. I mean, for a while, I was essentially a slow fax machine between Twilight and Principal Celestia at her private school since she was ‘too busy’ to do anything.”

Pausing, Spike slapped himself in the face and groaned. “I’m getting too off topic. My point is, whenever I want to fit in and try to get out there, any opportunities seem to be gone. Like, when I went out with everyone from the football team, just a friendly outing. Y’know, I almost hit Felix in Joe’s Donut Shop the other day, because he decided it was a good idea to make a quip about my status as an orphan. As if that wasn’t done by Twilight and Shining when I first arrived.”

Spike bit his lip, clenching his fists as he turned away, facing the door. Already, he wanted to leave the house again and not return for a whole night. Last time he did that, his family learned their lesson to not call the police, since it’d only cause Spike to grow even more agitated. Sighing, he lifted himself off the couch and headed towards the door before stopping, stepping to the side to lean his arm against the door frame to rest his head on his arm. Closing his eyes shut, he attempted to think.

He spun around, much to the surprise of Night Light and stepped upstairs, noticing that Mrs. Velvet was resuming her duties in the kitchen. Stepping up the older stairs, Spike proceeded down the hallway, pausing as he spotted Twilight in the door of her room, glancing at him. He couldn’t get a read on her face but for a brief moment, he really hated it. He wanted to kick her as if that’d change the initial negative reaction she had towards him when he first arrived in the home. Closing his eyes to avoid looking at her, he stepped around her and walked towards his door.

“I love you, Spike,” Twilight told him, shattering the silence.

As if to dictate his emotions, those four words completely evaporated all negative feelings he had and the events of the day as well as recent hostilities he’d experienced. From Felix, or Rainbow Dash, or Gilda, or anybody. He leaned against his closed door, letting a light cough escape as he began to sob, his legs buckling. Almost immediately, Twilight wrapped her arms around him.

“I f-fucking hate being me, some dumb iguana,” Spike choked out, not even bothering to hold himself up as he allowed himself to fall to the floor, head propped up against the wood.

“You’re not an iguana… you’re my brother, even if not by blood,” Twilight whispered, grunting as she pulled him up until he leaned against her chest where she cuddled his head, petting his hair. “This is 13 years too late, but I’m sorry for what I called you back then. I had honestly thought it was cool and I didn’t realize it hurt you.”

“Feh, I dunno… being called a dragon is better than being called an iguana. I’ve been getting that a lot lately,” Spike muttered, chuckling as Rarity’s words entered his mind. “And I’m a bit sore at the moment, I realize.”

Twilight chuckled. “Sore? Why?” she asked, hoisting the two of them to their feet.

Opening his door, Spike let out a yawn before craning his neck until it cracked. “It’s… sex stuff.”

“O-oh,” Twilight responded shyly, not sure how to take that. Spike attempted to walk into his room before Twilight’s hand landed on his. He turned to her and she stammered briefly. “Can… I, uh, ask you a few questions about... ‘it’?”

Spike’s jaw briefly dropped before seeing the analytical side of Twilight, as well as her studious side pop out. “Uh, questions?”

“Yes! I mean—” Twilight coughed, looking away to seem less excited. “I’m just a bit curious to hear what… 'it' is like. From a close friend or whatnot, rather than just rely on dusty old textbooks from thirty years ago.”

“Is the internet a thing?” Spike muttered, rolling his eyes with a chuckle. “Uh, sure, I guess. Although it feels a bit awkward.”

“Oh, we don’t have to,” Twilight gave him the option, releasing her vice grip on Spike’s hand. Immediately, he rubbed the back of his head.

“Naw, I’ll be happy to,” Spike said, stepping into his room.

In the room between their own, Shining Armour did his best to keep a stone-cold poker face as he listened to every single word his brother and sister said, before having to purge unethical thoughts from his mind, groaning as he mentally asked himself why he decided to eavesdrop.

The grass bent and bowed beneath her cleats, being likely the only thing to do so for her. From the shadows of the entrance to the change rooms, she was mostly hidden from the eye-line of the rest of the team. Not that they were looking anyway, they were too busy starting to stretch out for practice. Her blank expression darkened with sorrow, as it seemed they didn't even notice she wasn't there at all.

Ducking her head (as if she could ever hope to be tall enough to bump it on the overhang; even Pipsqueak wasn't so large) she started off to the field. The pain in her stomach muscles that had lingered from the hit in the previous game had all but disappeared, save a mild ache when she sat up, so she couldn't legitimately keep herself away from the game much longer. But then again, he had not rested well enough after the previous game to avoid a few new aches and pains she’d earned from something other than football. Scootaloo brushed her bangs over her face lower than usual, hoping to hide the swelling. Unfortunately, there was no collar on the football jersey, so she had no means to hide the marks along her neck.

She yelped as she nearly fell face-first into the grass, the force of the smack at her back almost bowling her right over. As she regained her composure, she glanced over her shoulder at the source of her trouble, meeting the grinning and expectant gaze of her captain, Rainbow Dash. Striding in front of her, Rainbow flashed Scootaloo a thumbs up before extending her curled up knuckles to her.

“Heya squirt, long time no fist-bump,” Rainbow stretched her arm out in front of Scootaloo's face, waiting for the response. Scootaloo merely stood back up to full height, but in doing so, flipped her bangs off her face. Widening her eyes in surprise, Rainbow pointed at the swollen and purple bag around Scootaloo's right eye. “Whoa... From me, anyway. What's with the shiner?”

“It's no big deal,” Scootaloo hurriedly covered it up again, pouting her lips and looking away from the obnoxious girl in front of her.

“Whatever you say kiddo, you look like a boxer that just got her clock cleaned.” Rainbow teased, snickering as she fell into a lower stance. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she jabbed out into the air with her fists again and again. “You wanna try me? Huh? You wanna go?!”

“Hey, stop,” Scootaloo raised her hands to defend herself, her body tensing up as Rainbow pretended to fight her from a foot or so away. Even though the captain was not threatening at all, Scootaloo found herself cringing and flinching at each swipe.

“Dash,” another voice stopped Rainbow's incessant aggression, and the two shorter girls looked over at the speaker. It was Spike, who was glaring at the captain dully as he addressed her, “What are you doing?”

“Nothing, dualdicks, just razing the girl.” Rainbow rolled her eyes and scoffed.

“As usual, you're up to no good. Look at her, you're freaking her out... wait,” Spike's voice went softer and his disrespectful expression waned as he noticed the markings on Scootaloo's face. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“Pfft, suddenly you care?” Scootaloo murmured to herself, looking away before speaking directly to Spike, “I'm fine to play. It looks worse than it is.”

“Did... did Felix do this?” Spike was hesitant to ask, but his curiosity got the better of him.

“It doesn't concern you,” she told him firmly, though her body language was shy and introverted. “Like I told Dash, I’m fine.”

“More than fine, those look like hickeys,” Rainbow said through her wide smirk, hiding her laughter behind her hand as she pointed at Scootaloo’s neck.

“Hickeys?!” Spike flinched at the accusation, leaning in to take a better look. She was right, they did look like hickeys, and it made him very uncomfortable. For the life of him, Spike could not get the image of Felix’s cracked, smirking lips tracing the marks out of his head.

“So, he sucked on you… did you suck him back?” Rainbow Dash elbowed the younger girl suggestively, three times in fact. “Huh, huh?”

“I don’t want to know,” Spike shook his head with a disgusted face, and Scootaloo scowled at him.

“It wasn’t… just Felix,” she murmured in a whisper so quiet it nearly went completely unheard.

“Hey, Rainbow! Hurry up!” her name was called from across the field by the bleachers, and the three turned to find Applejack waving the captain over.

“Well, later squirt, I’ve got a gentlelady caller,” Rainbow Dash told her with a wink, nearly skipping over to Applejack without a second thought. “Get training, losers!”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake...” Scootaloo cursed with a shake of her head, feeling utterly neglected by the girl who once seemed to actually give a damn if she lived or died. “So much for giving a damn. What kind of a captain is she, anyway? Not much of a friend, either.”

“That’s a bit of an overreaction,” Spike murmured with a furrowed brow. “She’s just a little obtuse sometimes, you knew that.”

“Well duh, I’m not an idiot. Thanks for condescending and shit. Shouldn't you be screwing Rarity behind the school parking lot or something?” Scootaloo asked blankly, raising an irritated eyebrow at the boy who prodded too far.

“Um, no. I think I have some class, thank you.” Spike responded critically.

“Wouldn’t know it, when you spend all your time drooling over a materialistic wannabe pornstar,” Scootaloo muttered, gritting her teeth.

“At least I’m trying to let go of the past instead of obsessing over an old and expired image of a person,” Spike retorted, feeling his arm shake as he nearly crushed the mouthguard he held.

“At least I had a childhood that I spent with others instead of whining about it and complaining that nobody cares, when it’s pretty fucking clear that some people do,” Scootaloo turned to him, clenching her fists. “At least I know when to accept that I need help!”

“At least when I ask for help, I go to the right people, instead of let a bunch of pricks toss me away like a used condom,” Spike shouted, tossing his mouth guard as he stepped closer towards Scootaloo.

Scootaloo grit her teeth and her voice cracked as she spoke, the girl ignorant to the few eyes that now looked at them. “At least I knew my shitty parents that ditched me the moment I tried to defend Rainbow Dash!” she squealed, her eyes clenched shut as her body was starting to shudder.

Years of rage swelled up in an instant yet Spike found himself growing calmer the more he stared at Scootaloo’s state. She didn’t seem like a hateful person, more reminiscent of a frail old woman that looked like a stiff breeze would knock her over… or if he so much as looked at her the wrong way, she’d start crying. Spike attempted to reach out a hand towards her as if to test her reaction. Before he could, her eyes opened and she swung her fist back, swinging it towards him. Expecting a hit, Spike braced himself only for Scootaloo’s fist to slow, her legs buckling. Rather than fall down, she allowed her hand to grab onto Spike’s jersey and pushed off, walking in another direction.

Score and Hoops, standing directly in her path, separated immediately as Scootaloo picked up a stopwatch from a small basket on the bench. Spike solemnly watched as Scootaloo sauntered off, realizing that once more he had failed to keep true to his words, and watched someone suffer. Even when he tried to reach out and let someone know he cared, he failed, and now had the girl angry at him. Sighing, he picked up his mouth guard and glanced back to see Rarity and Twilight immediately avert their gaze along with anyone else as he scanned the field. Putting it in his mouth without a care for the grassy taste, he picked his helmet off and waltzed into the field to start drills.

Practice dragged on, Applejack noticed as she peered up from the clipboard and noticed the team beginning to tire. There was still a good while left to go, so their exhaustion was somewhat disappointing. Big Mac and Shining Armour were out on the field with them practising some linesmen stances and blocks, so she was mostly alone at the benches. Spike was nearby, as he had went to grab a drink and was just at the end of the bench, pouring himself a cup from the large beverage dispenser.

“Y'okay, Spike?” Applejack asked casually. “You've been comin' over t' get drinks a lot.”

“I'm just thirsty,” he murmured a reply over the liquid that was now at his lips.

“Ah just thought maybe there was a reason y'all were avoidin' the field,” she pondered knowingly, pretending to be writing something on the clipboard. At his lack of response, she went on, “It's nice havin' Scootaloo back, wouldn't y'say?”

“Have you seen her?” Spike grumbled, his eyebrows dropping low.

“Rainbow told me somethin' 'bout it,” Applejack nodded, remembering hearing about the back eye and marks on her neck. Rainbow Dash hadn't seemed concerned about it, but maybe she should have been. “D'you know what happened?”

“My money's on Felix,” Spike told her, refilling the cup already. “I ran into him the other day, he was hanging around with Gilda and some friends. They mentioned her name a couple of times, and I don't like the sound of it.”

“... Ah see,” she sighed in disappointment, glancing over at the girl in question, who was standing on her own a little outside of the group. “Bet she ain't in'erested in havin' someone like me get involved, Ah don't reckon she much likes me. But Ah still worry about th' girl. Y’know, Dash used t' get int' trouble sometimes too, when she was younger.”

“Yeah, I heard about that,” he kept it vague, looking out at the field.

“Any who, Ah just don't want lil' Scoots gettin' hurt. She's a good kid, just a little lost,” Applejack forced a sad smile, realizing she didn't know that much about Scootaloo at all.

“A little acting ridiculous, more like it,” Spike scoffed, taking his drink and turning on his heel at once.

Applejack just watched him leave, her expression stoic and serious. It was easy to tell that whatever Scootaloo had been up to was bothering him, and though he might not be so eager to admit it aloud, he did care for the girl. Smirking, Applejack shook her head and huffed a laugh. It was amusing, after all, the way that neither Scootaloo nor the old Rainbow Dash had even noticed that someone was watching, that someone gave a damn. Speaking of the girl, Applejack heard her let out a great exasperated sigh from down the field a ways.

Noticing Rainbow Dash striding over to her after finishing some set-up for the agility training, Applejack found herself staring. The girl looked so small in her massive shoulder pads, but Applejack thought that was kind of cute and endearing. She hid her nose back behind the clipboard and read over the same improvement notes for the second or third time, having to keep going over it as she hardly took in the information.

“Hey sugartits, missed you,” Rainbow said as she came right up and placed both hands on Applejack's breasts at once, though she immediately swatted them away. “Let’s bone.”

“That wasn't even subtle!” Applejack complained, crossing her arms over the clipboard and pressing it to her chest to protect herself.

“It's me, get used to it,” Rainbow murmured through pouted lips. A smile broke through them though, and she reached out and pulled the clipboard out from between Applejack's arms. “Come on, sometimes you're just too careful. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?”

“Ah dunno, but Ah wanna tell people in m'own good time,” her voice dropped quieter in case anyone was listening, though the closest eavesdropper was Spike, who already knew rather well what they were talking about.

“I told you, I respect that.” Rainbow placed the clipboard on the bench beside them, and noticed Applejack watching her as she leaned over. “I personally want to just scream it from the rooftops, but, you know, they don't let students up there.”

“Like that'd stop you,” Applejack said through a smirk. “Ah was thinkin', maybe Ah'd tell Big Mac. Ah mean, he really ain't a big fan'a yours, maybe this whole thing could, Ah dunno, help y’all make amends.”

“Really?!” Rainbow was surprised that the first person she thought to tell was her big brother. Surely he would be the last on the list, he didn't seem all that approving of Rainbow at all.

“Yea', Ah mean, Apple Bloom an' Granny sure ain't gonna hold it against me, an' our friends already know 'bout you,” she chewed the idea out loud, poking Rainbow in the chest when she mentioned her.

“Yes! I knew you'd come around!” Rainbow pumped her fist into the air before nearly tackling Applejack right over in a hug, squeezing her to choke.

“Ouch! Y'suffocatin' me,” Applejack grumbled, putting her hands on Rainbow's hips to try and push her away. It did serve to make her stop squeezing, but the touch seemed to ignite a different kind of fire in the girl.

“So, you're going to tell everyone that you kissed me?” the captain teased, swaying her hips against Applejack's seductively. “You're going to tell them you fucked me all night at Rarity's party? You're going to tell them you looove me?”

“They don't need t' know how we fell into bed like that,” Applejack murmured with a frown, trying to desperately fight the desires that were bubbling up inside of her.

“But I love that story. I get a boner just thinking about it,” Rainbow hushed into her neck, lapping at it lightly and dropping her hands a few inches down her back.

Applejack moaned quietly as she felt the girl's hands on her body, teasingly avoiding her usual favourite spots to play with. From afar, it may have looked like the two were merely talking, with Rainbow Dash standing so close in front of her. Since Applejack was facing the field still, she glanced out at the rest of the players and prayed they were too busy with training to notice. Anxiety flaring up, Applejack tried to fight off the persuasive groping.

“Quit that, m’ brother's gonna see!” the quarterback whispered harshly, searching around for onlookers.

Rainbow Dash raised her head and glanced over Applejack's shoulder, noticing the only one who was looking over at them from the bleachers. It was Spike, and he was just staring at them blankly, a frown present on his features. Rainbow grinned at such a thing and flashed him a daring look and a wink, forcing him to look away again irritably.

“Everybody else is looking out at the field, except me.” Rainbow returned to her duties with Applejack, rubbing her through the fabric of her uniform and keeping it hidden from view. “And it's not like I don't usually touch you, I think they'd notice something was up if I suddenly stopped.”

“Rainbow,” Applejack sighed her name, her eyes feeling very heavy and very much like rolling into the back of her head and giving in. Of course, she couldn't do that, not with all those people around. Instead, she grabbed Rainbow Dash roughly by her arm and raised her voice, “Al'right, that does it!”

“Huh?” Rainbow blinked in surprise as Applejack yanked her and stormed off in the other direction, abandoning the field.

“You're comin' with me,” the farm girl told her firmly, dragging her towards a more secluded spot on school grounds.

“I like where this is going,” Rainbow grinned deviously and jogged faster after her.

But there had been someone else watching, someone who always did happen to be overlooked. Scootaloo frowned deeply and grit her teeth, already imagining what it must have been the two were going to do. That is, if her suspicions were right. And even if they weren't, something bothered her about the two.

It infuriated her, it really did, the way Rainbow Dash had forgotten all about her and fallen back into Applejack's arms without a second thought. Did she even care that Scootaloo was suffering? Did she even notice? Well, Scootaloo was not about to let her get away with it, not any more.

Rainbow Dash huffed as Applejack led her behind the bleachers and behind a storage shed. Her limp was gone by now, but she could still feel the ache from her eager sprinting. At last, though, they arrived at a good enough spot, and Applejack threw her captain against a chain-link fence, nearly tackling her right away. Their lips were together at once, and their heavy breaths could hardly be heard above their pounding hearts and adventurous hands.

“This is so unlike you, Applejack. Leaving practice for something like this,” Rainbow Dash said through the kisses, hardly catching enough breath to do so. “What if someone catches us?”

“Ah need y'right now Rainbow, it don't matter much where 'r how,” Applejack growled into Rainbow's neck as her teeth touched smooth skin, pressing her body hard against the captain's. “B'sides, it's late, school's been out f' hours, an' with Mac and Armour watchin', ain't no one gonna sneak out o' practice.

“Fuck, Applejack, you make me crazy,” Rainbow Dash moaned loudly as she tipped her head back, feeling Applejack drop lower onto her chest with her mouth. “I can't believe this is actually happening.”

Applejack's hands gripped and tore at Rainbow's pants, undoing the uniform belt and nearly ripping the button and fly apart. “Lemme prove it t' you.”

In the middle of her warm-ups, Scootaloo grit her teeth, dejected thoughts running through her mind as Spike’s words towards her echoed. As much as she hated it, they were true… yet so was what she had said. Reminding herself of the cause of it all… she glanced over to where she saw Rainbow and Applejack vanish.

“I’ll teach her to fuck with Rainbow,” Scootaloo muttered, slowing her sprint on the track as she jogged onto the field.

She didn’t bother swerving, running in the middle of several drills that were being performed. Craning her neck until it cracked, she slowed to a walk as she panted lightly, walking up towards Shining Armour and Big McIntosh. Falling to her knees, she shifted her position until she was sitting on the grass in a relaxed way. Shining Armour glanced down briefly before returning to shouting demands at the Dumbbells and Apple Bloom. Big McIntosh’s gaze lingered, however.

“Tuckered out?” he asked monotonously.

“Eeyup,” Scootaloo responded, mimicking Big Mac’s catchphrase.

“Fair ‘nough.” He scanned the area, muttering to himself as he did before glancing towards Shining Armour. Seeing he was busy, he turned his gaze towards Scootaloo. “Have ya seen my sis? She was s’pposed to be out here five minutes ago.”

Scootaloo shrugged, spotting the perfect moment to execute her simple plan. “I saw Applejack go off with someone behind the bleachers a little while ago, I wonder what they’re up to,” she said with an oblivious tone, making it quite obvious, though Big McIntosh didn’t pick up on her intentions.

His eyes immediately veered towards the bleachers on both sides and he grit his teeth before wordlessly giving Shining Armour his clipboard and storming off in said direction. The Dumbbells saw that, like Scootaloo, Big McIntosh wasn’t going to walk around them, and also caught a glance of the expression Big Mac wore, immediately finding it in their best interests to move. As they separated, Big Mac walked by and continued towards the bleachers as the trio watched.

“I think he’s scarier than Apple Bloom,” Score muttered.

“‘cause you’re a pussy,” Hoops responded with a snort.

“You’re both ret—” Dumbbell attempted to say before a football impacted him in the side of the head, ear protected by a helmet.

“Y’all are goshdang inconceiv’bly stupid,” Apple Bloom shouted as she pulled her arm back from the throw.

“Bull fuckin’ shit he’s worse,” Hoops muttered as the trio went back to practising their stances, their feet stamping repeatedly against the ground.

“Fuck, AJ, fuck,” Rainbow groaned in their seclusion, her head leaning back and pressing into the fence so hard it almost hurt.

Her one hand was by her head, her fingers fed through the links to give her some grip on the situation. She squeezed it again, tugging at it as Applejack continued between her legs. With her other hand shakily digging into Applejack's brilliant blonde hair, she pulled the girl closer against her, feeling the fullness of her tongue as she did. Careful not to be too rough, Rainbow rubbed her thumb along her quarterback's scalp, as if praising her.

With Rainbow’s knee up on her shoulder, Applejack got a much better angle at her target, which she continuously worked on. Again, another aroused sigh escaped Rainbow Dash, and she felt her body twitch and convulse at the sensations. Applejack's hand was well up her shirt by now, groping under her sports bra at another affectionate area. Opening but one eye to glance down at her lover, she could not keep the adoring smile from her lips, finding the quarterback looking right back up at her.

“C'mere,” Rainbow could barely speak in her raspy tone as she pulled her up at once, grabbing Applejack by the jersey and pressing their lips together.

Though the kiss, which was certainly more wet and flavourful than usual, was enthralling, Applejack's fingers still were preoccupied with their goal. Rainbow Dash moaned into the kiss, feeling the farm girl sliding deeper and deeper inside of her. Her pants fell lower, having little hold on her hips since they were mercilessly plucked open. Rainbow negotiated her way into Applejack's shirt at once, untucking her jersey and climbing right inside.

Big Mac stormed right past Spike, his steps heavy and accusative. Spike almost stood to ask what was wrong, but found it a much safer course of action to remain still. He glanced at the field, wondering if that was the problem, but only found a few of the players bickering, and Scootaloo sitting on the grass laughing about something. Taking the final sip of his drink, he wondered what could be so funny.

Applejack pressed Rainbow harder against the fence, their lips and tongues wrestling in their mouths and hands trailing everywhere. Their entire bodies moved back and forth with each thrust, and Applejack could not have cared less how hot her hand felt between Rainbow’s legs and inside those tight uniform trousers. Another few huffs and moans commanded the attention of their pursuer, who rounded behind the shed and caught sight of them immediately.

With Applejack’s back to him, he could hardly see what she was doing, but the arms gripping around her and the stifled groans filled in the blanks. The slim hands and raspy breaths weren’t enough to identify whoever Applejack was—at the very least—kissing, but at that moment, Big Mac was blinded by anger anyway. The farm boy stormed right over to them, his fists clenching up so tight the skin of his knuckles nearly split with the force.

“Git off’a ma sister!” Big Mac shouted without clear thought, storming up to his sister and grabbing her by the shoulder roughly.

“Mac?!” Applejack gasped incredulously, only to be yanked away from Rainbow and forced to stumble a foot or two backwards, her wet hand pulled free from the girl’s pants.

“Ah ought'a—” Mac raised his hand menacingly, balling it up into a tight fist to pound the face of whoever it was who would even think of doing those things to his little sister. To his surprise and horror, he came face-to-face with the last person he ever wanted to see Applejack kissing, and managed to pause in his brutal retaliation. “Dash?”

“Uh, hey.” Rainbow Dash grinned a sheepish smile and waved tensely.

They held their positions for a few seconds as Mac tried to wrap his head around it all. His eyes dropped down to her pants, as they were still left dangling open, and he caught a glimpse of her bright blue undergarments, much to his dismay. Rainbow nervously chuckled and reached down, folding the corners of her pants over each other to cover herself. Her infuriating, aloof expression, her casual greeting, and whatever she had been doing with his sister—which he didn't even want to think about—drove him mad.

Big Mac struggled to get a hold of himself, his anger clear in his shaking fist. With a forceful and vicious swing, he struck the fence behind Rainbow Dash, letting the crossing twists of metal leave imprints in his knuckles. The fence shook and hissed loudly as the metal twists rung against each other.

“Is this—?! Goddang it, AJ, what're y'thinkin'?” He roared loudly, so livid that Applejack's excuses and reasons got caught up in her throat and brimmed in her moistening eyes.

“A-Ah, Ah didn't mean f' you t' find out like this,” Applejack managed in a timid voice, shrinking under his glare. “Ah wanted to tell you, Ah really—”

“With her? Of all th'—!?” he finished with another exasperated groan, pressing his palm over his face angrily as he tried to catch his breath. He just couldn't believe it, he couldn't believe his sister would be so suicidally stupid as to get involved like this. But he had to be certain of what it was, he needed some truth.

“But Mac, Ah swear, this ain't just some foolin' 'round, this is—” Applejack tried again, but she didn't get the chance.

“Stop,” Big Mac silenced her protests by raising his large hand between them, looking intently between the two as he tried to calm himself down. Finally his stern stare settled on his younger sister, and his words rolled out calmly and slowly, “Kiss 'er.”

“Say what?!” Applejack shouted in shock, her voice nearly cracking in the unusually high pitch.

“Ah wanna see it for m'own eyes.” Big Mac nodded slowly, resolved. He needed to know just what his sister thought she was doing with a girl like that.

“You don't have to ask me twice,” Rainbow Dash agreed eagerly, grabbing Applejack by her shoulders and yanking her back to where they were.

“Rain—!” Applejack's word was silenced as their lips came together.

The fence hissed and rattled again as Rainbow Dash fell back, allowing Applejack's body to crush her against it. Drawn in by the sudden move, Applejack mused a moan against Rainbow's lips, her fingers digging into the fence wantingly. He could even see their tongues peek out between their lips as Rainbow forced into her mouth. Big Mac ground his teeth together to watch it: the way his sister melted against this ridiculous girl, the way the two kissed in perfect synchrony, the way it stirred some disgusting response from his own body.

“Al'right that's enough!” Big Mac couldn't take any more, and tore the two apart once more. “Ah can't jus' sit here an' watch this.”

“No one's making you,” Rainbow Dash snarled, her eyebrows arching. “Honestly, I'd rather have AJ alone right now any—”

“Shut that dirty little mouth'a yours!” Mac snapped at her, raising his hand to her once more and shocking her with his volume. “Ah don't wanna see you anywhere near m'sister, ever again! You're pollutin' her with your sick, sick sense'a humour.”

“Humour?” Rainbow Dash scoffed at the word, crossing her arms defiantly. “This isn't some kind of joke, buddy.”

“Ma sis’ ain't never acted like this before,” the farm boy explained, gesturing to his sister violently. “All a'that weird touchin' an' flirtin' y'did t'her is makin' her all crazy!”

“No it ain't!” Applejack spoke up at once, slapping his hand away from pointing at her like some object. “Mac, Ah ain't polluted or nothin', Ah'm not goofin' around and Ah don't belong t'you. Ah can make my own—”

“'nough'a that lip! Ah don't wanna hear any'a your excuses,” Big Mac told her, continuing to ignore her to talk to Rainbow Dash. Applejack threw her hands up in exasperation. “Ma sister ain't some plaything, Dash.”

“As fun as that sounds,” Rainbow Dash hummed and smirked to annoy the older boy with such a thought, but went on more seriously, “That's not how I see her, so quit putting words into my mouth. Besides, we aren't doing anything wrong.”

“Your principal might not see it that way.” Applejack and Rainbow Dash's eyes widened to realize just the predicament they could be in. “Or th' team, an' Ah sure ain't puttin' up with it.”

“It's not your secret to tell!” Rainbow Dash barked, clenching her fists up and stepping towards the much taller boy.

“Y'doin' it on my time, an' in broad daylight?” Big Mac narrowed his eyes and stepped towards the girl as well, towering over her intimidatingly. “It ain't a very well kept secret if y'ask me.”

“Please Mac, why're y'doin' this?” Applejack's much quieter voice spoke up, her own expression pleading and uneasy. It was true, if Big Mac went and told the principal, they could get in a lot of trouble: suspension, marks on their permanent records, and they could both be kicked off the team.

“Ah should ask you th' same; Ah thought y'knew better?” Big Mac scolded her with a deep voice, threatening her with a shaking finger. “Ah thought you were th' one Ah never had t'worry 'bout?”

“Don't talk to her like that,” Rainbow stepped back in and stood in front of the girl, pointing a thumb at herself. “I don't care who you think you are or how big you might be, I will kick your ass!”

“An' you!” Mac turned back to Rainbow Dash and his voice went back to near shouting. “Ah don't wanna see y'anywhere near m'sister, am I clear?”

“What? No fucking way!” Rainbow denied firmly, having no intention to do as he said at all.

“You ain't on th' team no more either, y'got that? You're gonna quit right now and keep t'hell away from AJ,” he made himself very clear, grabbing her by her collar with his big hand and nearly picking her right up off the ground to glare into her defiant eyes. “Ah'll do anythin' to protect m'sister from your greedy little perverted fingers, Ah don't mind loosenin' m'lips about this t'everyone, an' Ah mean everyone.”

Rainbow Dash didn't have any logical comeback for that, but she kept on holding the stare and baring her teeth at him. While she usually would have forced them apart, Applejack stood completely still beside the pair, her face paling. Rainbow Dash noticed her lack of action and turned to look at her, seeing just what horror played on her face.

“Applejack?” Rainbow's voice was gentle and quiet, shaking as she spoke to the girl; but without a response, she knew what she had to do. She broke out of Big Mac's grip and looked on Applejack with understanding and selflessness. No matter what, she had to protect her. Applejack was a great quarterback and a good leader, the team needed her. “Yeah, all right. I'll quit the team, but you leave AJ out of this, okay? It's me you've got a problem with.”

“Ain't that th' truth,” Big Mac agreed, and the two glared at each other again.

Rainbow Dash scoffed and turned away from him, facing Applejack completely. The girls looked at each other, knowing there wasn't enough distance across the world to keep them apart, no matter what Big Mac might have wanted. Applejack swallowed nervously and bit at her lip, wanting nothing more than to go back to keeping it a secret. At least then they could be with each other in peace, even if it was dishonest. Rainbow reached out and placed a hand on Applejack's cheek, feeling the farm girl respond immediately by rubbing against it.

“Enough,” Big Mac shoved Rainbow by her shoulder and nearly knocked her right over, being so significantly larger than she was. Applejack immediately went to reprimand him, but his firm stare shut her up. “Keep yer disgustin' lesbian hands off my lil' sis.”

“Chh, make me,” Rainbow almost sniffed, fighting back the salts of rage that sprinkled her eyes. She tripped again as Big Mac shoved her, forcing her to walk a step or two ahead.

“Don't, Mac,” Applejack growled, grabbing his arm and keeping it away from Rainbow Dash as strongly as she could.

“Y'all make me sick,” her brother yanked his arm away from her and her shook his head, like some father figure punishing two naughty children. “Ah thought better o' you, AJ.”

Applejack had nothing to say to that, and kept from looking over at Big Mac. She was getting all misty-eyed already, and she couldn't have Big Mac yelling at her about that too. But Rainbow Dash was hardly any better off than Applejack.

“Fucking... dammit,” Rainbow murmured to herself, hurriedly reached up and dragging her thumb across her cheek, roughly flicking a tear away and bowing her head to keep it out of sight.

“Rainbow,” Applejack whispered her name, knowing even from looking at her back that she was losing it. Rainbow Dash was rarely the type to give in to emotions, but what with everything happening at the last game, and now this; it was too much for anyone to handle.

“You know, you really aren't much of a big brother.” Rainbow shoved her hands into her pockets, not looking back at the man in question as to reveal her reddening eyes. “You're too stupid to even notice that I'm not manipulating anyone, and shit—I am not screwing around either. It doesn't even matter to you what Applejack might want, does it?” The captain sighed, forcing herself to keep distance between herself and the siblings. “I hope one day you'll realize just how big of an asshole you're being right now, Mac... I was the one who thought better of you.”

Almost as soon as their secret was found out by the one they dreaded most to know, the team was rounded up, including the reluctant Scootaloo. Big McIntosh, Shining Armour, Applejack and Rainbow Dash all stood in front of the team that had amassed on the bleachers, along with the cheer squad and Twilight.

“Dash has somethin' tha' she's gotta tell y'all,” Big Mac shoved the girl forward, right into the ring of teammates that she usually shouted at. She used to love being the centre of attention, but now, it made her shrink and sweat. “Go on.”

“I, uh,” Rainbow Dash cleared her throat and chewed on her words, filtering through expressions as she did. Applejack watched silently, her heart breaking to witness the girl have to lie and face this sort of thing alone. Finally, she opened her mouth, and in her usual way, spat it out bluntly, “I'm quitting the team.”

“What?!” The entire group gasped in shock, looking around at each other and wondering if it was some joke.

More murmurs and expressions of surprise or disbelief rang through the group, and Rainbow Dash just waited for the inevitable questions. She glanced back at Applejack for barely a second, and found the girl staring right at her with a tormented look of regret on her face. Brushing it off, Rainbow let out a slow breath and came to terms with such a hard reality for her. Scootaloo bit her lip and squeezed her hands together. It hadn't been exactly what she wanted, but maybe getting her off the team meant she would get back to her old rebellious ways. Her narrowed eyes shifted to the quarterback, wishing looks could kill.

“But... you're the cap'n?!” Pipsqueak spoke up, trying to meet her evasive and distant eyes.

“I know,” Rainbow passively agreed, shrugging her fidgeting hands into her pockets.

“You can’t be serious?” Twilight asked gently, Pinkie Pie behind her covering her mouth in bewilderment.

“Why you?” Scootaloo asked in a near growl, wondering why it hadn't been Applejack to leave. Rainbow blinked at the odd phrasing, but answered.

“Look, it's complicated, all right? I just,” Rainbow started, pausing to try and think of some vague way to put it. “I have more important things to do, that's all.”

“More important?” a few of the players repeated in varying degrees of annoyance or sorrow.

“I loved playing with you guys, damn it, did I ever. But,” Rainbow forced a chuckle to keep the shaking in her voice out of their ears. She blinked quickly a few times to fight back any emotion from breaching them. “I can't stay.”

Spike was silent too, watching the display carefully. He knew that Rainbow Dash loved the team and the game, she wouldn't just up and quit for no reason. Despite her flaws, she was one of the most loyal people he knew. So then, why was she leaving? Spike was particularly perturbed by Applejack's lack of adequate response, she just stood there like a statue. Her expression did look upset, but it also looked... sorry. In contrast, her brother had a difficult time hiding his pleased smirk, which crept out of one side of his mouth.

'Did he put her up to this? I know he doesn't like Rainbow Dash, but to do this? And there's no way she would just quit if he asked, so... what does he have on her?' Spike dropped his eyebrows and observed carefully.

“Who's going to make our plays?” Score spoke up with a snort.

“Like you shitbricks followed them anyway,” the former captain snidely remarked.

“Who's going to insult us with those weird names?” Snips asked, seeming actually disappointed by that.

“Ah think y'all live without that,” Big Mac mentioned, rolling his eyes. “In fact, we'll do jus' fine without 'er, y'all 're a great team, y'don't need Dash t' win. Y’don’t need her at all.”

“Life goes on, bitches,” Rainbow scoffed and started off towards the change room, only raising her hand to wave a goodbye. “Later.”

“...Ah need 'er,” Applejack whispered, so quietly that only Big Mac and Spike heard anything at all. Spike glanced over in time to see her brother roughly nudge her, causing her forlorn expression to drop off the retreating back of Rainbow Dash.

'Is that it? He knows about her and Applejack?' Spike realized, noticing the resentment apparent in Mac's eyes when he looked at Rainbow. Perhaps he hated her more than Spike realized. 'I was sure that Rarity and I were the only ones who knew that they were together, how did he find out? Is he that protective of his sister, of the team?'

“Get back t' practice,” Applejack grumbled her command, turning away and nearly storming off towards the benches, where the clipboard with circuits and statistics was.

“Y'heard your new captain,” Big Mac raised his voice to the team, who were surprised to hear the news.

“What, we don't even get a vote?!” Scootaloo asked with an aggressive squeak in her voice.

“She is the most senior player,” Shining Armour had to agree, looking back at the blonde girl as she left the group. “And the quarterback. She's level-headed, and knows the plays better than even I do. It does stand to reason.”

“Fucking ridiculous,” Scootaloo swore, kicking at the dirt.

Spike stood completely still as the others shrugged it off and got back to their usual routines. By then, Rainbow's small form was disappearing into the hallway towards the change rooms, and Applejack was on the other side of the field. Scootaloo was apparently still upset by whatever had perturbed her, and showing up to practice with bruises all over her was depressing to say the least. It seemed like nothing was going right, that everything around Spike was just going to shit.

Spike changed back into his regular clothes immediately after practise, not even pausing to talk to anyone in the change room, not even Featherweight, who claimed he needed help on a yearbook assignment. As he came back outside towards the parking lot, it hardly took him ten seconds for his blood to reach a full boil. There, just by the fence to the field, was Felix, Gilda, and some of their friends who Spike hardly cared to learn the names of.

Pipsqueak and Apple Bloom were hanging around outside too, but they hardly even noticed the company by the fence. They must have been talking about some training regiment, that was one of the only things that got Apple Bloom so narrow-sighted. And Pipsqueak? Well, he just knew if he ever interrupted a conversation with Apple Bloom, he would really hear it if he did. A couple of the Dumbbells were over by their vehicles yammering about some party, but Spike really couldn't care less. Trying to avoid being seen by the group, Spike ducked his head and tried to weave into the parked vehicles nonchalantly.

“'ey, Spike,” it was Applejack's voice, and Spike stopped dead still before looking over his shoulder at her. “Y'need a ride home at all? Plenty'a room in Mac's truck, considerin' he's drivin' me. Won't lemme outta his sight 'r nothin'.”

“Um, no, that's okay,” Spike quietly brushed the offer off.

“Oh yo, Iguana faggot,” Felix called through the filter of his cigarette, and Spike cringed at the sound of his voice. “You know where my little bitch is at? She was supposed to fucking be here by now.”

“I don't know. If you call her stuff like that, I don't think she'd respond all that promptly,” Spike muttered, rolling his eyes.

“Hah, you must not know the cunt too well,” Felix snarled and guffawed, some of the others joining in.

“Al'right, tha's it,” Applejack sighed, approaching the group directly with Spike hurriedly following. He knew them much better than she did, and knew they weren't to be taken lightly. “Y'come 'round our field right after our practice, an' y'talk about m'teammate like garbage? Ah ain't gonna put up with that.”

“That's Dash's wankbuddy,” Gilda told Felix, mostly ignoring what she had to say. “Hey, where's Dash at, anyway? Isn't she on your lame team too?”

“She quit,” Spike told her flatly, noticing the distinguishable way that Felix draped his arm around her.

“Hah! No shit, huh? Fuckin' loser, anyway,” Gilda said, and Spike flinched, noticing Applejack's fist curl up in a surprisingly fast motion. He hadn't really seen her angry before, but the very energy around her changed. “Guess I really must have pissed her off.”

“Ain't got nothin' t' do with you,” Applejack's voice was oddly calm, and Spike watched her carefully.

“Oh, listen to this bitch,” Gilda pointed a thumb at Applejack and rolled her eyes. Gilda's eyes met hers, and she became quite serious once she saw the direct resentment in them. “You want to fight, blondie?”

“Tha's th' first thing y'say t'me?” Applejack raised an eyebrow, but did not move a muscle. Though Gilda looked quite eager to push her around, Applejack remained still, observing her. “Naw, Ah don't wanna fight you.”

“Smart idea, redneck.” Gilda scoffed, snatching the cigarette right out of Felix's mouth and sucking hard on it. She snorted a laugh as she breathed the smoke out through her nose, and spoke again, “Pfft, leave it to Rainbow Dyke to want to screw a pacifist.”

“Y'got a reason f' comin' 'round here?” Applejack asked simply, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes.

“Yeah, Scuntaloo's expecting us,” Gilda shrugged, leaning against the fence and biting at the filter of her smoke, making an impression of her teeth.

“Tha's too bad,” Applejack nearly sighed, her expression quite sorrowful to hear that.

“What'd you say?” the white-haired Cloudsdale resident pulled in just about all of the tobacco in one breath, spitting the cigarette down at Applejack's feet before grabbing her by the collar forcefully. Still, though Spike flinched and readied to fight the group, Applejack remained calm and let it happen, merely looking right into the girl's eyes as she shouted, “Listen, you worthless country scrub: you don't talk to me, you don't look at me, and you definitely don't insult me, got that?”

“Applejack,” Spike almost whispered, glancing around to notice Pipsqueak and Apple Bloom stop talking and look over at them.

“Y'ain't gettin' no argument from me on that one,” Applejack chuckled in agreement, wanting even less to do with the girl than she wanted with Applejack. The quarterback (and now captain) merely reached up and grabbed her wrist, prying it from her collar and straightening it back up. She stepped back, calmly heading towards where she knew Big Mac had parked, “Well, Ah'll see y'later, Spike.”

“You better walk away, fucking twat!” Gilda shouted after her, but again, there was no response from Applejack.

Spike stared at her casually retreating form for a moment, wondering why that was. It sure seemed odd to him, how doing nothing at all seemed to bother Gilda and Felix more than anything. He shook it off though, his own protective instincts kicking in.

“What's your deal, anyway?” Spike asked in a growl, meeting eyes with the white-haired girl.

“Wouldn't you like to know,” she said with a wink, and that really made him uncomfortable. “Reptile eyes like that, bet you have one hell of a trouser snake. Leave it to Scuntaloo to pass that shit up.”

Before Spike could respond, the girl in question walked out of the school, instantly calling the attention of the group.

“Yo, dicksuck,” Felix shouted out, raising his hand.

Scootaloo didn’t respond or look up, opting to simply walk straight towards the group. Spike averted his eyes, trying not to interfere with Scootaloo’s decisions. She walked in between Felix and Gilda, the former immediately slapping his hand against Scootaloo’s rear. She continued to avert her gaze from the others yet she shifted closer towards Felix as he continued to fondle her.

“Scoota—” Spike started.

“Fuck off, iguana,” Scootaloo responded immediately, yet her words seemed shaken. “I mean, I just… Uh—”

Felix’s other hand came up and impacted her face, roughly jerking her head backwards as she let out a squeal. Before Felix’s hand could return to his side, before Scootaloo’s head faced forwards again, a larger hand shot forward, the fingers wrapping around Felix’s smaller neck. Spike clenched his hand, the suddenness of the motion caused Felix to release his hand from Scootaloo’s rear. He was caught in the middle of a breath and choked out once.

After a second, he and the others processed the motion and his usual two friends immediately grabbed onto his wrist to no avail. They tugged fruitlessly without being able to budge Spike’s hand, let alone make him move.

“Let him go, fuckstick,” one of his friends grunted through his teeth.

Gilda and her Cloudsdale friend merely shared the cigarette, watching the scene while Scootaloo began to panic, looking around worriedly. Spike grit his teeth, staring through his bangs that became ruffled from the practise as he attempted to glare at Felix.

‘Just a little longer. Just a little longer is all it takes to shut him up for good,’ Spike thought, his mind flashing back to previous incidents.

Regardless, Spike closed his eyes and his arm shook. His grip loosened entirely and he felt his body grow slightly weak as a voice pierced his mind. Rather, two voices.

“Spike!?” Rarity and Twilight’s voices shrieked from a distance.

Spike spun around as Felix violently coughed, hunching forward as he crumbled to the ground. Scootaloo merely crossed her hands, covering her mouth as she watched Felix recover from being choked. Spike ignored entirely and stepped towards Rarity and Twilight. Both girls had a stern glare on their faces and Spike felt his aggression return to his usual timid nature. His shoulders dropped and he felt himself hunch forward unintentionally.

“Twilight?” Spike asked as his mind raced.

“Just get in the car, Spike,” Twilight muttered, turning away as she walked towards the parking lot.

Rarity followed suit and Spike grunted, glancing back as Felix stood up, now lightly coughing. Scootaloo was now glaring directly at him and Gilda and her friend were still completely stone-faced in regards to the situation. Meekly following, Spike shuffled into the back seat, accidentally slamming the door. Tossing his sports bag to the floor, he buckled up and let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. Twilight sat in the drivers seat, not speaking and Rarity happened to get into the back seat through the other door. Spike turned his head away from her and he sighed deeply.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, feeling a situation similar to a childhood chastisement.

“Don’t be. Felix is a vexing person towards you, and after a while, it’s got to be a little aggravating having to sit still and take it,” Twilight responded understandingly.

“Why do you give a damn?” Spike asked, retracting his hands as he folded his arms upon Rarity attempting to hold hands.

“You’re my brother, why wouldn’t I?” Twilight asked, turning towards the younger boy.

“I am not your goddamn brother,” Spike responded in an almost shout.

Rarity responded immediately. “I wouldn’t talk like that to family, Spike,” she said. Spike opened his mouth as if to speak yet Rarity cut him off. “No. Listen to me for once, or listen to others for once in regards to this issue. Twilight does her best for you as well as the others. And I don’t want to be rude, but you more often than take it, opt to ignore what they say out of some misguided sense of being a man by doing everything yourself.” She contemplated lightening up on her words, shaking her head and continuing. “And I can’t stand it sometimes. Just accept that there are people there for you.”

Spike held a stare into Rarity’s eyes and he looked towards Twilight briefly as she started the station wagon. Spike placed his arm on the rest, glancing out the window. Rarity let out a soft sigh, facing the front of the vehicle as Twilight backed up. Placing her hands on her lap, she faced out her window as Twilight left the parking lot. Feeling a hand atop hers, she glanced over to see Spike’s reddening cheeks yet his eyes continued glancing outside. Taking his hand into hers, she allowed a small smile to appear on her face.

He was still just a child, but he was only able to improve from that point.

Her eyes were closed, yes, her breath was slow, yes, but she was not asleep. The furnace kicked off, predictably unpredictable in that old farm house, and it seemed a great deal quieter. Applejack's arms were outstretched to either end of her bed, and for a while, she just laid there on top of the covers in the bitter darkness. There was a great, weighted sadness on her chest, but she could not contort her face well enough to express it, not even to the ceiling, which in its blankness hung over her bed like a crib carousel covered in dust.

It was awful, the way Applejack suddenly understood the loneliness she had not even noticed or acknowledged most of her whole life. An empty bed now felt cold, silence seemed taunting, and her body, her body was numb without touch. Another sigh, and she was certain the room was filled to the rafters with the sentiment. It still embarrassed her, remembering the way her brother had looked when he had walked in on her and Rainbow Dash. But the consequences were what squeezed her worse.

Rolling her head to the side, her dull green eyes stared at the old flip phone on her nightstand, which was long past asleep for the evening. Usually it would be going off all night, filling up her inbox with texts from Rainbow Dash. She smiled sadly as she remembered them, how angry she would get having to manually delete them all when she filled it up, how she would tell Rainbow time and again that she needed to sleep and couldn't stay up chatting about every little thing. She loved those silly conversations though, and she was too awake without them.

She reached out, the tips of her fingers catching on the edges of the phone. Her body folded over her other arm as she grabbed the phone, though she had to try twice to get a good enough grip to take it over. It flipped open easily in her hand, and though it stung her eyes a bit, she stared at the background picture longingly. It was her and Rainbow, in their uniforms. Rainbow herself had taken it, and obviously it was crooked and the lighting was awful, but Applejack loved it that way. Finding the girl's name on her contact list, she thought for a good few moments, weighing the decision.

After absently tapping her fingers too lightly over keys to make any letter, Applejack settled on sending something. She typed it out and looked it over, her heart beating in her throat as she held onto the truth of the statement. Closing her eyes and remembering the face of the receiver of her text, she hit the SEND button at once.

'I miss you already.' It vibrated onto the bedside of a sleepless girl across town, who snatched it up and held it right up to her face, reading it again and again.

Rainbow Dash smiled, typing in a response with a grin splitting her cheeks, 'I know, I can't sleep without you, babe.'

Applejack's hands and chest shook as the text reached her, and she pulled it up from over her heart to wince at the light of the screen. Even reading the endearing colloquial diminutive made her chest tight, and she could still hear it on Rainbow's lips. She smiled at the eager response, and played with a coy smile as she came up with something uncharacteristic to say.

'Like we'd do much sleepin, anyway, ;)' Applejack replied, emoticon faces not a usual inhabitant of her texts.

'You perv.' Rainbow snickered at the hypocrisy of calling the farm girl such a name, but went on to type more, 'What would your brother do if he caught you texting me, and this late?'

Applejack momentarily considered such a thing. He would probably wake the whole house up with his surprisingly loud voice, yelling at her the way he might if she had betrayed his trust. But no matter how troubling such an image was, there was something all the more polluting and captivating that made the dare worthwhile. In fact, Rainbow Dash occupied most all of her idle thoughts, and when she was in bed, this was especially true.

'He ain't who I'm thinkin about doin stuff to me,' the farmer replied suggestively, and the girl at the other end grinned even wider to read it.

Rainbow groaned to imagine what was going through the farm girl's head, rolling on her bed wantingly. Feeling herself physically responding to the texted teasing, she squeezed her legs together tightly to try and satisfy or restrain herself. She ended up on her back, holding the phone far away from her throbbing body and managing to type out an understandable response.

'Damn, you're making me really hot, talking like that, AJ.' Rainbow Dash responded, hoping text could convey her lust.

Indeed it did a good job, because Applejack felt the same desire as her friend. Flipping onto her stomach, she wrote a reply that did little but further Rainbow Dash's infatuation with the conversation, 'Naw, you were always hot.'

'Hot for you.' Rainbow clicked the buttons, tapping her thumb in place as she thought of more. It was quite thrilling, hearing the same flirtatious nature from Applejack that she knew in herself. 'Listen to you, you sound like me! I guess by rubbing up on you, I've been rubbing off on you.'

The response accompanied a perverse grin, and brought up more detailed images of just such instances they had shared. Both girls sighed simultaneously, and Applejack quickly checked to make sure her bedroom door was closed up tight. She kicked her bare feet under the covers of her bed and spread her legs a bit, noticing the moisture she had accumulated. Her pajamas had fallen down her hips a bit, and she was darn near warm enough to kick them right off. Gulping and chewing on her lip, she begged for more.

'Mmm... say more stuff like that,' Applejack pleaded simply.

'Like what? Man, you’re a horny fucker, you know that? lol,' Rainbow flinched her toes just to think about what she would be doing if they were together, and actually considered sneaking into Applejack's window. That is, until she remembered how loud the two could be. That would be hard to cover up.

'You love it.' The farmer's text rang in, and Rainbow Dash could not deny it.

'I do. So, how about a little treat, then? For my favourite quarterback,' Rainbow teased playfully, hoping her partner in secretive seduction would comply.

Applejack raised her eyebrow at the suggestion, but was intrigued. Taking a slow breath to try and calm her concupiscence, she shifted on her stomach and propped herself up a bit on her pillow, waiting for what it could be. 'Oh? Yes please.'

Excited by the earnest response, Rainbow sat up at once. It was dark in her room, but that didn't cause any concern. Shuffling her rear against the comfort of her mattress, Rainbow Dash pressed her hands against her chest, feeling what was there. Wearing such a loose shirt, it was hardly any trouble to stretch the neck out far enough to angle the camera on her phone down there. The flash illuminated her body and her smirk, and the time between the snap and the send was hardly a few seconds.

[Image sent.]

Applejack opened her phone and blinked in wonder, noticing a blank text with a picture attachment. She wasn't much for this technological stuff, but she knew it well enough to fumble her way to opening the attachment. As it loaded onto the screen in her hands, her eyes widened considerably, a dark blush spreading across her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled at the sight, and she stared at the image for so long she twice had to tap her phone to get the picture back up.

Squeezing her hot and tingling lips together and chewing at them, Applejack flipped onto her back, allowing herself deep breaths to contain her excitement. The heat from her own body proved too distracting, and she pressed her cool hand to her chest. Just like that, it brought up the memory of Rainbow's cool hands on her. Moving her tongue around in her now watering mouth, Applejack's hands ventured her body, touching places where she had known familiar kisses.

Her legs rubbed against each other, craving something like Rainbow's thin body between them. That very thought caused her to become much more involved with and entranced by her own imagination, glancing over at the dimming image of the girl's body on the pillow beside her. Her hand crept down beneath the covers, crawling over her body, and made its way to the loose hem of her pajamas. She never made a habit of doing things like that at all, but she really had no control with Rainbow Dash showing her stuff like that.

A soft moan escaped her lips as she traced herself, her closed eyes displaying the visage of her closest friend, leaning down to her. She pressed her back into the bed and grasped at the sheets, imagining Rainbow Dash herself dropping lower and lower under the covers, taking all of her sanity with her. Another, higher and louder groan escaped her lips, and she wished to speak the name of the girl who did such torturous things to her. Of course, Rainbow Dash was not one to be left out.

Applejack flinched in surprise as the phone vibrated again, the sensation tickling her shoulder as it ran across the pillow. With her free hand, she grabbed the phone and opened the text, realizing it was from the same girl who had sent her the tantalizing image.

'… you there?' Rainbow Dash impatiently waited on the other end of the phone, kicking one leg up and down over the other. She felt uneasy since she had not received a response sooner.

'What? Ya, I'm here, sorry, I was, uh...' Applejack quickly typed out a response, her fingers trembling to make words. Trying to think of a polite way to say what she was doing with the image, she settled for, 'usin that.'

'You dirty little thing, you!' Rainbow Dash ecstatically replied, her grin wide and confident.

Applejack clenched her eyes shut in embarrassment, but responded defensively. 'I can't help it!'

After a few more amused snickers, Rainbow Dash pursed her lips and thought of a very interesting idea. Writing it out, she wondered what might be the answer to such a potentially enthralling question, 'So... does your phone have a camera?'

'… it might.'

Through their physical distance, the intangible electricity ran hot. However, most of the rest of the night slept peacefully. Most.

Across town, Spike glanced at his phone, his face flushed as he sat in his bed, wearing only boxers that may be too tight for him right now. After the day he had, he was surprised at what was occurring, having asked Rarity for a method of improving his mood. A promise of trying to better himself managed to end that conversation. He was surprised at how easy it was yet was even more surprised at what he was going to text. Gulping once, he tapped the SEND icon on his screen and watched as the message went through.

‘Hey, Rarity, does your phone have a decent camera?’ he typed.

Spike stopped breathing, watching the screen and managing to ignore the sounds of Twilight’s headphones… and Shining Armour’s pornography. He blinked only once as he waited until the device vibrated and he saw the response.

‘It might~ ;3’

Author's Notes:

Aha! And the plot thickens...
Hope you all liked a little more of the M rating.
Oh... and how do you like the new cover image? Courtesy of Arby and myself!