Rarity and Rainbow Dash cleaned themselves after their session and exited the bathroom in full clothes. Seeing her dress was ruined, Rarity had changed into her bathrobe. They smiled at each other their way out of the room, feeling . . . comfortable around each other. Comfortable and relaxed. The horror and dread from earlier was nearly almost forgotten when Rainbow Dash spotted Sweetie Belle cowering around the corner of the door at the bottom of the stairs.

"Sweetie Belle?" Rarity called, putting her hands on the stair rail. "What's wrong?"

"Ooh!" Rainbow Dash bit her lip. "I forgot to mention. When you had your . . . episode earlier, you kind of grabbed Sweetie Belle by the neck."

"What!?" Rarity squealed in dismay. "Why didn't you tell me sooner!?" She bolted down the stairs.

"Well, you were kinda focused on some other things at the time!" Rainbow Dash complained, tossing her hands in the air.

Rarity rushed to meet her sister, but Sweetie Belle clearly mistook her urgent as the charge of another attack. Rainbow Dash made her way down the stairs into the room with them, where Sweetie Belle was slowly backing as Rarity crouched down and attempt to coax her sister back to her.

"Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle. Come back to me, darling." Rarity said with wide open arms. "I won't hit you again. I promise."

Sweetie Belle continued to step away, putting her knuckles to her mouth.

"Please, let me explain!"

"Hey." Rainbow Dash said, putting her hand on Rarity's shoulder. "It's okay. Give her a chance."

Sweetie Belle looked up at Rainbow Dash. Apparently her vote was enough to change her mind, as Sweetie Belle walked to Rarity and opened her arms. Rarity swept her up in a tight hug.

"I am so, so sorry that I hurt you." Rarity apologized, almost crying. She removed Sweetie Belle from her grip and put her hands on Sweetie Belle's shoulders. "See, Sweetie Belle, I've . . . come down with something. An . . . infection, if you will. I've never had anything like it, so I don't know what to expect. I had an episode, all right?"

Sweetie Belle sniffed. "Will . . . will it happen again?"

"No." Rarity assured her. "Not as long I take my . . ." She cast Rainbow Dash a wry glance, "medication."

Rainbow Dash made a faux-innocent smile, as if to say "Surely you don't mean moi, do you?"

Rarity and Dash looked to Sweetie Belle again, who was looking down at the ground. It was transparent that she still hadn't made a full recovery from the shock of Rarity grabbing her.

"Hey." Dash said. "Hey, hey, c'mere, sport." Dash scooped Sweetie Belle into her arms and lifted the little girl up over her shoulders. Sweetie Belle wrapped her legs around Dash's shoulders. "Hang on!" Dash spread her wings and proceeded to zip around the room. Sweetie Belle yelped in excitement as the walls blurred together.

"Aww." Rarity cooed, standing up and putting a hand to her cheek. She turned her head left-to-right to keep up with Dash's twists and turns. Eventually, Dash descended gently to the ground and let Sweetie Belle off.

"That was awesome!" Sweetie Belle announced. "Can we do it again!?"

"Sure!" Dash assured her, placing a hand on Sweetie's shoulder. "Just right now, okay, kiddo?"

"Aww . . ."

Rarity continued to watch in rapt amusement at Dash's effective handling of her sister. In her mind, a thought began to form. "Sweetie Belle?"

"Yeah?" Sweetie Belle was smiling now.

"Rainbow Dash is . . ." Rarity glanced uncomfortably at the pegasus. "Is probably going to be spending plenty of time with us in the coming days."

Sweetie Belle was confused. "Why?"

Dash bit her lip and shied away.

"She just . . . is, all right?" Rarity asked. "Now, this is a very important question for you." Rarity approached her sister and knelt down. "Would you like Rainbow Dash as a big sister?"

Sweetie Belle's eyes went wide and shaky. "Really!? TWO big sisters, just for me!?"

Rarity placed her hands on Sweetie Belle's shoulders. "Yes. First myself, then Rainbow Dash. Think about it. Rainbow Dash could play with you all the times I'm not able to. She could fly you to school in the morning, and carry you back in the afternoon."

"I would LOVE that!"

"Excellent! Then its settled." Rarity took Sweetie Belle into a hug. "Why don't you go into the kitchen and get yourself some ice cream?" Sweetie Belle nodded, and Rarity let her go on her way. Rarity stood up to face Rainbow Dash.

"Heh." Dash laughed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence." Dash turned around towards the door. "See ya around!" She tossed a wave over her shoulders.

"What!?" Rarity shrieked. Before Dash could get far, Rarity grabbed her by the wrist.

"Hey! What gives?"

"You can't leave!" Rarity decried. "I had a seizure here without you! I nearly choked my own sister, and couldn't clean myself! Please . . ." Rarity wrapped both her hands around Dash's wrist, then lifted Dash's hand up to her neck. "Please don't leave me." Rarity bowed her eye, her blues shining at Dash like pitiful diamonds. "Just stay the night, at least?"

Dash humphed. "Fine!" She jerked her hand free of Rarity's grip and stomped off. "But don't think just because we had sex means I'm sleeping in your bed!"

"I never said it did." Rarity replied calmly.

Later that evening, Rarity helped Rainbow Dash set up a sleeping bag in the floor of her room.

"Don't you have a guest room?" Dash complained as they patted the sleeping bag out.

"Well, yes, but if I start seizing up in the middle of the night, you being another room isn't going to do me any good, now is it?"

"I guess not." Dash agreed as she took out a pillow and began fluffing it. "There." She said when she was satisfied. Dash tossed the pillow to the top of the sleeping bag.

"Good night." Dash told Rarity, diving feetfirst into the sleeping bag's embrace.

Rarity sighed. She was hoping for Dash to be just a little more hospitable. "Good night, darling." Rarity got up from the floor and made her way to her bed. Just as she was kneeling over it and about to get in, she turned back to Rainbow Dash.

"My darling . . ." Rarity muttered quietly.

"Mm? You say something, Rarity?"

"N-no. Good night."

Rarity crawled under her covers. Once she was all tucked in, she couldn't help but stare at the wall. The last few days had certainly been . . . an interesting turn of events, to be sure. And she couldn't help but feel closer to Rainbow Dash.

Although that may have just been the back of her mind anticipating more free sex.

Yet . . . yet . . . she felt something growing for the pegasus. The way she so selflessly volunteered to sample Rarity's product. The way she so skillfully handled Sweetie Belle today. The loyal, stalwart companion she was. Almost like a dog.

"Yes . . . my dog." Rarity muttered, the daze of sleep slurring her thoughts into an incoherent mess.

The next morning, Rarity felt quite cramped in her bed. "Hmm?" She rolled over, trying to ignore the many, many lumps she felt traveling along her mattress. When she completed her turn, she opened her eyes and was startled. Rainbow Dash was sleeping in her bed! Her bed! Even after she said she wouldn't be!

But Rarity couldn't deny Dash's face was adorable when she was asleep. She almost didn't want to wake her up.

"Rainbow Dash . . ." Rarity spoke softly, placing her hand on Dash's cheek. "Rainbow Dash, my darling, wake up . . ."

Rarity blushed. Where had that "my" come from?

"Hmm?" Dash opened her eyes. She was confused at the presence of Rarity's face inches from her's. "Rarity? Weren't you sleeping on your bed? What are you doing on the floor?"

"Darling, I am on my bed."

"What?" Dash looked up and down at her surroundings. "But – but how did I get on your bed?"

"I don't know . . . maybe you were sleepwalking?"

"Clearly!" Dash exclaimed. "That's the only explanation that makes sense."

"Or maybe . . ." Rarity said, adjusting herself. "Maybe you wanted to get close to me, hmm?"

"What!? No way. I'm not one for all that mushy stuff." Dash turned away, lips pressed together.

"Oh, I don't know about that . . . you handled Sweetie Belle quite well yesterday."

"So?"

They stared intensely at each other for a bit. Then something went snap in both their heads, and they were on each other in an instant. Eyes closed, kissing passionately and running their hands up and down the others' back.

"Mmmmmmph . . ." Rarity was the first to open her eyes and pull away. "Rainbow Dash?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember getting up from the floor to get on my bed?"

"No." Dash answered. " . . . wait, I . . . I can barely remember a little voice in my head, telling me to get closer to the . . ." Dash flushed.

"The what?"

Dash sighed. ""The source of the milk", and I quote."

"Hmm." Rarity said. For some reason, she wasn't surprised at all, though she did start wondering more about what was in her milk to make it so good to Dash. Like, what was in, specifically? What kind of chemicals were mixed in, and how did the slime's infection get them into her?

"Speaking of milk . . ." Dash said, reaching to grope Rarity's breast.

"Oh," Rarity scoffed, "try to have some impulse control, Rainbow Dash!" Her eye twitched as a gurgle came from her chest, which Rainbow Dash felt with her hand on Rarity's breast.

"Never mind what I just said." Rarity began removing her night gown, presenting her breasts to Dash. "Drink me dry."

"Rarity?" Sweetie Belle's squeaky voice called, making Rarity wince. "Are you gonna come down for breakfast?"

"In a minute, Sweetie Belle!" Rarity yelled back as she worked to shove the tip of her breast into Dash's mouth. "Don't come in right now!"

"Okay . . ."

Sweetie Belle stood there on the outside of the door, gently swaying from side-to-side as she waited for her big sister to come out. After what seemed like forever to her, but was really only a few minutes, Rarity and Rainbow Dash stepped out.

"Sorry about that, Sweetie Belle." Rarity apologized. "We had some things to take care of."

"That's okay." Sweetie Belle said, perking up at the sight of Rainbow Dash. "You didn't tell me Rainbow Dash was staying the night!"

"I thought it would have been obvious . . ." Rarity murmured. She and Dash followed Sweetie Belle down the stairs.

They made their way into the kitchen, where Sweetie Belle happily poured her and Rarity a bowl of cereal. They crowded around Rarity's table.

"You want some, Rainbow Dash?"

"No thanks." Dash said, but she was courteous enough to sit down. "I'm good."

"You sure?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Rarity always says breakfast is the most important meal of the day!"

"I already had breakfast." Rainbow Dash mumbled hurriedly, turning away.

Sweetie Belle looked confused. " . . . in bed?"

"Yes, Sweetie Belle, in bed." Rarity snapped, dropping her spoon into her bowl. "Now kindly drop the subject, please."

"You never give me breakfast in bed!" Sweetie Belle complained. Rarity nearly gagged, while Rainbow Dash stifled a laugh.

"Yes, well . . . I suppose something will have to be done about that, then." Rarity said blandly.

After Rarity and Sweetie Belle finished their breakfast, Rarity went to the door and put on a coat.

"Hey." Dash called, hanging in the doorway. "Where ya goin'?"

"To Twilight's place." Rarity answered, her hand on the doorknob. "I'm going to ask her a few questions."

"All right . . . hey, you're not mad at Sweetie Belle, are you?"

"Why would I be mad at her?"

"'Coz of what she said at breakfast . . ." Dash muttered.

"Oh, please, Rainbow Dash. How petty do you think I am? She didn't know any better." Rarity stepped out the door.

It was a good thing she had put her coat on, at it was more than little windy and chilly today. Rarity fastened her jacket to her chest and hurried her way over the local library, where her friend Twilight both lived and worked.

The library was built into a huge tree, so it wasn't much of a hassle to find. Rarity knocked on the pink wooden door a few times before it pulled open, revealing Twilight. Twilight was a bit on the short side, a bit petite. Her hair was purple with a stripe of pink running through it, and today she was wearing a light blue shirt with long dark pants. Not enough to register a tick on Rarity's fashion radar on either the good or bad side.

"Can I help you- Oh, hey, Rarity!" Twilight cheered up at the sight of her friend. "What's up? Chilly today, huh?"

"I wanted to you ask a few questions." Rarity explained, holding her hands up to the chest of her coat.

"Okay. Why don't you come in?" Twilight stepped aside, allowing Rarity to enter and get out of the frigid winds blowing today. Twilight closed and locked the door behind her. "Have a seat. What did you want to ask me about?"

Rarity took in a deep breath. This wasn't going to be comfortable for her, no matter which way she tried to spin it. "Lesbianism."

Twilight blinked. "Lesbianism?"

"Will that be a problem for you, darling?"

"No, no. I've read a lot of books about the topic of sexuality . . ." Twilight crossed her arms. "I'm just not sure why you're suddenly interested in it now."

"Well, recently I've been seeing-" Rarity was about to say "someone", but as vague as that was, it still let Twilight get a little too close to the truth, and Rarity wanted to carefully control how much Twilight did and did not know about her situation with Rainbow Dash. "Women, in general," Rarity said, the lie coming to her as freely as a bird, "in a much more attractive light than I'm used to. And I wanted to know . . . if it was possible to go from being straight to being a lesbian?"

Twilight sighed and shook her head. If Rarity was reading her face right, Twilight had dealt with this sort of thing before.

"Common mistake." Twilight said. "Lots of people think that after a bad experience with the opposite sex, the trauma makes them "transform" into a homosexual. But that's not really how it works at all."

"Ooh?" Rarity had only come to answer her own questions, but now she was curious to learn.

"Yeah." Twilight took up her own seat. "See, in past years, it was common for people to try to "raise" their children not to be homosexual, so the children grew up thinking they weren't really homosexuals when they, in fact, were. So then they start having an active romantic-slash-sex life, and then one bad date, and boom! Suddenly they're somehow "turned" into homosexuals by the experience. But really, what's happening is that the bad experience has somehow disabled those little blocks their parents put in their heads. They're not "turning" into homosexuals, they're discovering that they always were."

"So, suffice to say, Rarity, if you're finding women attractive all of a sudden, it's because you're turning into lesbian, it's because you always were one and had convinced yourself otherwise."

Rarity blinked.

None of this was helpful to her. And had she not lied, and told Twilight the truth about it being just women in general, but just Rainbow Dash, she probably would have a more helpful answer. But she couldn't stand the thought of divulging what she and Rainbow Dash were doing together, or anything about what happened in the cave. No, the less Twilight knew, the better.

"Go . . . good to know." Rarity muttered, putting a finger on her forehead.

"Are you all right?" Twilight asked.

"Fine, fine." Rarity waved her hand. " . . . is it possible to make exceptions? Like, say, falling in love with a woman when you know you're straight?"

"Well, that sounds like you're bisexual."

Rarity had to fight really hard to resist the urge to face-palm.

Twilight was about to launch into another tirade about the nature of sexuality, so Rarity quickly moved to shake her hand.

"Hahaha. What a lovely, educational time we've been having!" Rarity put on a fake, broad grin. "It's been oh so very enlightening for me, and I thank you for time, Twilight." Rarity ran out the door, leaving a confused Twilight behind.

Rarity made her way back to her Boutique, ignoring everything Twilight had told her. The wind blew at her, making her hair flap in every direction, and the ends of her coat ripple.

Rarity successfully returned to the Boutique, and she found Rainbow Dash waiting anxiously in the foyer. Her smile was apprehensive, and her hands were lopped behind her back.

"Rainbow Dash?" Rarity questioned. "What are you doing here? Well, I know what you're doing here here, but I mean, what are you doing – aaagh!" Rarity got herself tongue-tied.

"Come to the kitchen." Rainbow Dash said, pointing to the kitchen entrance. "I got a gift for you."

"A gift?" Rarity asked dryly. "We've only been dating for three days!" She meant that sarcastically, but as she thought about it, the more she felt like it was true. Or at least, should have been true.

Rarity followed Dash into the kitchen. On the counter was a small blue gift box wrapped with red lace, with a tag denoting as a gift from Dash to her.

"Come on, come on! Open it!" Dash, sounding as excited as though it were a present for her.

"All right, all right." Rarity carefully undid the lace tying it, and lifted the lid up. She reached in and pulled out the box's contents.

It was a light shade of lavender dog collar, with a leash of the same shade.

"A . . . dog collar." Rarity said, not sure what to think.

Dash smirked. "Read the tag."

Rarity rolled her eyes, doubtful Rainbow Dash could do anything to justify this as a gift, but she obliged her. " . . . it says "Rainbow Dash"." Rarity eyed Dash suspiciously.

"Keep reading." Rainbow Dash instructed.

Rarity was unconvinced, but she read read on. ""Property of Rarity" . . . "If found, please return to . . . "Rarity." Rarity looked to Rainbow Dash softly. She held the collar closely to her chest. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, I don't know what to say!"

"Here." Dash said, walking around the table. "Try it on."

Rarity looked at the collar confusedly, then to Rainbow Dash.

"Come on!"

"All right . . ." Rarity unlatched the collar, then looped it around Rainbow Dash's neck, clicking the buckle around it. "Hmm . . ."

Rarity pulled the leash through her hands, sliding it freely from one palm to the other. She grabbed it firmly, then tugged on it, jerking Rainbow Dash forward. Dash yelped.

"Hmm . . ." Rarity cupped Dash's chin and stroked it affectionately. "Wherever did you get the idea for this, darling?"

"Well, last night, I heard you muttering something about dogs. I couldn't make it out what you were saying exactly, but I figured you might like this." Dash explained with an infectious smile, which Rarity couldn't help but return.

Suddenly there was a gurgle from Rarity's chest, and she fell against the counter top. She supported herself with one arm and clutched at her chest with the other. "Damn it! Again already?"

"Come on, come on." Dash encouraged, helping Rarity up. "Do you wanna do it in the bedroom or the the shower?"

"Considering what happened the last time we did in the shower . . ." Rarity growled.

"Oh, I didn't think my performance was that bad, was it?" Dash teased.

"You know that's not what I meant!"

"Yeah, yeah . . ."

Rainbow Dash, without further complaints, carried Rarity up the stairs and to her room. Once there, Rainbow Dash laid Rarity on her bed. Dash let her find her footing before sitting down on the edge next to her.

"All right, open up." Dash commanded, like a doctor barking orders.

"Excuse me?" Rarity hissed, narrowing her eyes. "I am not your plaything, Rainbow Dash."

Dash waved her hands apologetically. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was just having fun . . ."

Rarity sighed, then proceeded to shake her dress off enough for Rainbow Dash to drink. Dash leaned in and did her work with all the enthusiasm for it she usually showed. Rarity, for once, didn't feel ashamed at all for enjoying it. She didn't have thought of herself being barbaric or disgusting. She felt . . . normal doing this. Granted, the circumstances were anything but normal, but if other "normal" people were under the same circumstances, they would be doing the same as she was now.

It proceeded as normal (relatively speaking) for awhile, but Dash stopped like she was having a hiccup.

"Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Pfft." Dash pulled away and sputtered. "I don't know . . . I was just drinking like I usually do when it started tasting funny." There was a pause. "More so than usual, I mean."

"Hmm . . ." Rarity suddenly blinked several times in rapid succession.

"Rarity?" Dash inquired. "What's wrong?"

"MMHP!" Rarity groaned, her eyes dilating.

"Rarity!?"

Before Rainbow Dash could react, Rarity slapped her hands against Rainbow Dash's cheeks and forced their lips together. At first, Dash didn't mind. Kissing was a natural part of the romantic chain. But then something started . . oozing out of Rarity's mouth. And whatever it was, it tasted and felt just like the goo creature's tendrils in the cave. Rainbow Dash might have protested. She might have deduced that the infection was giving Rarity the ability to produce derivative . . . goo . . . pieces. But the taste! The taste of this- this wondrously delicious goo! It completed dominated her mind, and all she could think about was much of it Rarity was going to give before running out.

"MMMMH!" Rainbow moaned loudly, swallowing the semi-solid chunk of goo in her mouth. The feeling as the slick substance slid down her throat was beyond description. She started panting, overwhelmed. Meanwhile, Rarity's mind returned to normal.

"Uuh . . . huh?" Rarity looked down at Rainbow Dash, who was still suffering from the effects of the goo. "Rainbow Dash, are you all right?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good!" Dash quickly assured her. Almost too quickly. Before Rarity could ask anymore questions, Rainbow's eyes went wide in horror.

"Dash? Dash!? Rainbow Dash, what's wrong!?"

Rainbow Dash silently pointed. "Y-your finger . . .!"

"What's wrong with my finger-?" Rarity questioned, idly raising her hand. She copied Dash's horrified expression when she saw it. Her index finger was covered in a thin film of the purple goo. "AAAH! Get it off get it off get it off!" Rarity shook her arm wildly, trying to get the gross thing off, but all that did was just make it wiggle a lot.

"Rarity . . . I . . .I'm sorry, I don't know what to do, or say . . ." Dash apologized.

"Don't apologize, darling. It's not your fault." Rarity looked at her gooey finger. She wrapped her hand around it and tried to force it down. "It's mine. I was the one who brought us to the Forest that day . . ."

"Yeah, but I was the one who said we should ignore your map."

"I suppose it's too late now. Think you can do anything about this?" Rarity asked, holding the finger up to Dash.

"Yeah, uhm . . . let me try . . ." Dash wrapped her fingers around the coating and tried to pull it off. The results were mixed, as she tore a small piece off the tip, but the goo as a whole was unharmed.

"Oh, wow . . ." Dash muttered, kneading the piece of goo in her hand. "This feels really good on the skin . . ."

"I suppose it helps to sooth the victims." Rarity speculated.

"Yeah . . . yeah." Dash's eyes turned daze as she continued rolling the little thing in her grip. "Yeah . . ." Dash kneaded the goo into a perfect sphere, and popped it into her mouth like a candy.

"Rainbow Dash, what are you thinking!?"

Dash swallowed. "I was thinkin' . . . this goo stuff tastes pretty great." Dash began to eye Rarity's goo-covered finger. Rarity noticed, and raised her hand to Dash's level.

" . . . hmm." Rarity huffed. Taking a chance, she shoved the gooey thing into Dash's mouth. Dash moaned uncontrollably, and suckled the goo-finger as voraciously as she did Rarity's breasts. Rarity, a morbid curiosity overtaking her better nature, began to wiggle her finger in Dash's mouth. Dash's eye twitched, and her body went into spasms from the no-doubt sexual pleasure she was experiencing.

After awhile, Rarity decided Dash had had enough of this torment, so she slid her finger out of Dash's mouth. Dash took in a desperate gasp for air and clutched at her chest.

"Holy . . ." Dash muttered.

Rarity idly examined the goo on her finger while Dash caught her breath. She quickly came to the conclusion that it was a side-effect of the infection. The "central" goo, the thing in the cave, infected unfortunate travelers who stumbled on it, and then the infected were given the ability to produce the goo themselves, so then they could go out and infect others, spreading the infection like a plague.

But to what end, though? Rarity wondered. To devolve the populace into a bunch of goo-addicted sex-crazed maniacs?

As she was pondering, the goo absorbed like moisture into the flesh of her finger. Rarity decided to ignore it and continued on with Rainbow Dash.

"Got your breath back?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah. Where were we? We . . . we were at the milk, right?"

"I believe so."

Rainbow Dash moved to suckle Rarity again, but the dog collar pulled and choked her.

"What?" Rarity got up, promptly revealing that she had sat on the leash. "Oh dear, Rainbow Dash, I'm so sor-"

Rarity's apology was cut short by Rainbow Dash holding the leash towards her.

"What?"

"Take it." Dash instructed. "Come on."

"O . . . kay." Rarity took the leash.

"Pull." Dash said with a smile. "Pull. Pull!"

"All right, all right, I'm pulling!" Rarity obeyed Dash's instructions and pulled the leash back with all her might, which had the side effect of choking Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash choked and gasped for air.

"Goodness, Rainbow Dash, I didn't mean-" Rarity started to slacken her grip when Dash yelled.

"N-no! K-keep going! I-I like it!"

"You like it?" Rarity questioned.

"Y-yes! Now, please, pull!"

Rarity began pulling again, choking Rainbow Dash. Dash clutched the dog collar, her wing bristling out. The longer she listened to Rainbow Dash's pained gasps, though, the more it sounded like there were pleasured moans mixed in with them.

Rarity also knew that pegasi' wings communicated their emotions. And judging from the way Dash's feathers were buffering out, Rarity would guess the emotion she was feeling was "arousal."

"Ooh." Rarity squealed in understanding. "Oh, yes, I see! You like this, don't you? Of course. Nothing's ever good enough for you unless you can get some measure of adrenaline out of it, isn't it, Rainbow Dash?"

Dash, amidst her moans and pants for breath, smiled and did her best to nod. Rarity, recognizing and respecting Dash's interests, tugged on the leash harder.

"Say, what if we do this?"

Rarity gave the leash a particularly strong jerk, pulling Dash's head towards her. She wrapped her arms around Dash's neck and shoved Dash's head into her cleavage, which had more than enough mass to smother Rainbow Dash's mouth and nostrils, cutting off her air.

"Frraity!" Rainbow Dash yelled, shaking wildly, her wings folding in and out. "A'm-A'm going to-!"

Sometime later, Dash and Rarity were lying parallel to each other on Rarity's bed, their stomachs rising up and down with heavy breaths. Their arms were spread out, and they were gazing at the ceiling.

"That," Rarity said between breaths, "was quite possibly your best effort yet, Rainbow Dash."

"Gimme time. I'll . . . huff . . . I'll find some way to top it."

"Hmm . . ." Rarity muttered. "You know, you've only been drinking more and more milk . . .

"Yeah?"

Rarity rolled over, crossing her arms under her chin like a schoolgirl at a sleepover. "Yet, I haven't to make you throw up in awhile. Why is that?"

Dash raised her arm, pointing a finger in the air like a schoolteacher. "Because! You'd be amazed at the kind of calories sex can burn through."

"Hmm. Is that so?" Rarity patted the sides of the bed, pushing herself up. "Well, I believe we ought to get started on dinner."

"Oh, pfft." Dash scoffed, resting her arms under her head. "I'll be fine. Just another swig of your awesome milk and done."

Dash closed her eyes, meaning to nap, but a shadow come over her light. She opened her eyes to see Rarity standing over with a disapproving expression.

"I suppose you might. So that's it, then? We're just going to replace our regular meals with the milk?"

"Yeah, why not?"

Rarity glared, and Dash began to feel very, very afraid.

"So, tell me, Rainbow Dash. To get out of work, you would rather I feed Sweetie Belle my breast milk? My orgasm-inducing breast milk?"

Rainbow's mouth curled into an embarrassed 'o'. She sat up and clapped her hands. "Uuuh . . . let's get started on dinner, shall we?"

"That's what I thought." Rarity snarled, before stomping out the door.

"Uuh . . . umm . . ." Dash stuttered, trying to come up with ways to get herself out of the doghouse. She got up and chased after Rarity. "Hey, have I ever told you how gorgeous you look when you're angry!?"

"Much appreciated, but flattery will get you nowhere, darling!"

Dash face-palmed. "Rats."

The rest of the evening happened uneventfully. Rarity made dinner, "dispatching" Rainbow Dash as a distraction, so that the well-meaning, but cooking-incompetent Sweetie Belle wouldn't try to help and make a total mess of Rarity's plans. Rarity finished cooking and served it. Dash and Sweetie Belle sat down at the table and ate. They finished, and Rainbow Dash played with Sweetie Belle a bit more until the little girl tuckered out and couldn't protest being put to bed.

"She's sweet when she wants to be, huh?" Dash asked, cowing over Sweetie Belle in her bed, standing next to Rarity like a husband.

Rarity put a hand on her cheek. "I guess she is." She turned and smiled to Rainbow Dash. Dash smiled back. They smiled. The dim light of Sweetie Belle's room was a perfect atmosphere for some light nuzzling and cute cuddling. Rarity put her hand on Dash's arm. Rainbow Dash wasn't just looking like a husband. She was starting to feel like one, too. Starting to feel like . . . family.

The sweet mood was quickly ruined by an mountainous gurgle from Rarity's chest.

"GAAH!" Rarity clutched at her chest and nearly collapsed on Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash was able to get her arms around Rarity's waist to keep her up.

Sweetie Belle made a soft groan at the disruptive noise. Rainbow Dash began backing away towards the door before Rarity's groaning and gurgling woke Sweetie Belle up.

"Damn it!" Rarity hissed once they were safely out of her sister's room. "That's the THIRD time today!"

"Yeah, yeah . . . just-just let us get to the bed and I'll deal with it, okay?" Dash muttered.

"I wish there was a way you wouldn't have to deal with it." Rarity rued.

"But we know what the infection does to you when you don't nurse." Rainbow Dash reminded her.

"I know . . . I . . . I just wish I could do as I please."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I- I mean, I wish I could feel safe without having to keep you glued to my hip. I wish I could walk from the bedroom to the bathroom without worrying that I might collapse if I don't have you near . . ."

"Hey, hey. It's okay." Rainbow Dash patted her on the back. Another gurgle sounded out. "I'm here, okay? And I'm here to stay, all right? I don't have any problem with staying as long as I need to."

"How long will that be, though?"

Rainbow Dash gently laid Rarity out on her bed- their bed, and assumed the necessary position to give Rarity her medication.

Once finished, Rainbow Dash rolled over to the side and took her spot under the covers. She wrapped her arms around Rarity's shoulders, and Rarity responded in kind. Dash rolled over and nuzzled her head into Rarity's underarm.

"Rainbow Dash?" Rarity said softly.

"Yeah?"

"I know I was just complaining about the entire trip, but I appreciate everything you've been doing for me."

"That's . . ." Rainbow paused. She was supposed to say "that's nothing" or "no problem" or a similar expression syndicating how trivial it was to her to help Rarity out like this. Something stopped her. Something . . . soft, something sensitive inside her. Dash didn't think she had a sensitive side.

"Thank you." Dash uttered, lovingly lying her arm across Rarity's chest. "That means a lot to me."

"Mmm . . . I'm glad we went into that cave, Rainbow Dash."

"You're glad we went into a cave and got molested and drugged by some sort of tentacle-thingie?"

"Perhaps . . . that didn't come out right."

"Noo. You think?"

"What I meant, is . . ." Rarity pulled forward and smooched Rainbow Dash's head. "I'm glad we were able to take that horrid experience and . . . turn something good out of it."

"This is good? It's good that I have to be by your side, 24/7, if you need to medicate? It's good that I'm addicted to milky sex with you?"

"Well . . . no. But! You're happy, aren't you?"

Rarity locked eyes with Rainbow Dash, gazing deeply.

"I mean, you are happy with me . . . aren't you?"

Dash was caught off-guard by the pleading in Rarity's eyes. She had to really stop and think for a moment. Rarity was vulnerable right now, and anything Dash said could make or break her.

"With me? With my house? With this bed? With Sweetie Belle?" Rarity elaborated.

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, taking a moment to think. She opened them and reassuringly put a hand on the tip of Rarity's chest.

"Yes, Rarity. I am very happy. And I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. I . . . I like it here, with you."

"Oh, thank you Rainbow Dash!" Rarity unexpectedly pulled Dash into a tight hug. "You have no idea how much this means to me!"

Dash grinned and blushed, waiting for the moment to pass. Rarity eventually pulled back. Rainbow Dash attempted to get comfortable, only to feel an arm around her neck, and for her face to be enveloped by a soft, squishy substance as her head was shoved into Rarity's cleavage.

"Why don't you use this for a pillow tonight?" Rarity seductively offered, rubbing her breasts up and down Rainbow Dash's face.

Rainbow Dash caved in a split-second, putting up absolutely no resistance to the idea whatsoever. However, not to be outdone, she flexed her wing and draped over Rarity's entire upper body.

"Oh." Rarity put her hands to the tips of Dash's feathers. "An extra blanket. How sweet."

Dash chuckled, then adjusted her head slightly so that her forehead was resting on Rarity's neck. Rarity scooted forward, putting her chin on Dash's head. Then Rarity closed her eyes, and they drifted off to sleep . . .

The next morning, Sweetie Belle went down to the foyer and was dismayed to see neither Rainbow Dash or Rarity were awake. Ignoring every lesson Rarity had taught her about politeness, she barged into Rarity's room. The thump the door made startled Rarity and Dash into alertness.

"I'm up!"

"Yeeeaa!"

They shot out of the bed. Rarity looked around the room, trying to make sense of the situation. She saw Sweetie Belle and knew right away Sweetie had grown impatient and stormed in. But that didn't tell her why she couldn't find Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash grunted, raising a hand and pointing at her head, which was somehow still lodged in Rarity's cleavage despite the sudden movements Rarity had made in response to the door slamming.

"Oh my!"

"What's . . . what's Rainbow Dash doing in your . . ." Sweetie Belle asked.

"We'll talk about it when you're older." Rarity told her.

"How much older?"

"Umm . . . 72." Rarity answered.

Sweetie Belle groaned, and willingly left the room without arguing.

"You know you'll have to talk to her about the birds and bees before then." Rainbow Dash said as she yawned and stretched her wings.

"I will put it off as long as possible." Rarity answered.

Rarity and Dash dealt with breakfast, then snuck into the shower for some pre-emptive medication. Rarity had an errand to run today, and she would not stomach the thought of collapsing in the middle of the store.

Rarity got dressed in her usual white dress, while Rainbow Dash did her normal blue t-shirt and shorts combo. Rainbow Dash, however, put on an accessory Rarity wasn't expecting.

"Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked just as they were walking out the door. There was a ring of dark purple around her neck.

"Yeah?"

"What's that on your neck?"

"Oh . . ." Dash became visibly embarrassed. "It's, um . . . nothing."

Rarity immediately became curious to know what it was that could leave Rainbow Dash with a blush on her cheeks so quickly. "Let me see!" Rarity grabbed the purple ring and yanked from the depths of Dash's shirt. It was the dog collar Dash had bought.

"Oooh . . ." Rarity cooed. "You're wearing this out in public?"

"No! Yes! Maybe!" Dash jerked away, stuffing the tag into her shirt. "Is that so wrong?"

Rarity wrapped her arm around Rainbow's neck. "No, no. It's just that's an awfully large sign of . . . commitment." Rarity purred the last word, causing Dash to blush. "Are you sure you're ready to display that to the world at large? That you're "Property of Rarity"?"

Dash picked the tag up, looking at it for a long while with a downcast expression. After a bit, she turned to Rarity and smiled shakily.

"Y-yeah. Yeah . . . well, I'm keeping it in my shirt, but I'm still wearin' it." Dash dropped the tag into her shirt.

They went to a local dress store. Rainbow Dash was confused. Rarity was a seamstress. She made dresses for a living. Rarity explained that she was looking for inspiration.

(And also, the store sold raw fabric for materials. So there was that.)

Once they got to the store, though, they were surprised to see Pinkie Pie, another of their friends there as well.

"Pinkie Pie? What are you doing here?" Rarity asked as they went inside it.

"Oh. Hi, Rarity! Hi, Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie waved at them. "I was looking for something to help with my next party!"

Rainbow Dash chuckled. "Ah, that's our Pinkie Pie . . . always planning parties."

"I get why Rarity's here," Pinkie said, bringing her knuckles up in a timid gesture, "but why is Rainbow Dash here? You hate frills and dresses and things, Rainbow Dash!"

"Yep." Dash confirmed. "I'm just helping Rarity. You know, she could always use a work mule."

"Oh. That's nice." Pinkie said a bit spacily. She eyed Rainbow Dash's collar. "What's with the dog collar, Rainbow Dash?"

Dash pulled away, clutching at the collar protectively. "It's nothing." Pinkie Pie was a good girl, but she sometimes struggled with the concept of "personal space."

"If it's nothing, then why are you protecting it?" Pinkie asked mischievously, wriggling her eyebrows.

"Pinkie Pie . . ." Rainbow Dash growled, still holding the collar.

"Come on! Friends don't keep secrets from each other, Rainbow Dash!"

"Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash snarled, and Pinkie had learned to recognize the particular tone she was using as Rainbow Dash's personal "This is your last warning before I hurt you" tone.

"Okay, okay." Pinkie flattened her hands in surrender and made her way to the store's exit, as she had purchased her materials already. "Keep your secrets that will inevitably ruin your friendship!"

"Ha." Rarity laughed.

Their friendship was already ruined. Though perhaps not their relationship.

Rainbow Dash followed Rarity as she moved about from the store's several circular racks. The store was a large, somewhat tight square on the inside. The building was dressed in white with pink fleur-de-lise pattern for the carpet and wallpaper.

Rainbow Dash was expecting to be made to carry Rarity's groceries. She didn't realize how many neatly-folded blocks of cloth she was going to have to carry. They had only been halfway through the store before Rainbow was carrying a stack of 10 pieces of fabric. She looked like she was handling a block tower.

"Wow." Dash muttered as Rarity picked through a dress rack. "Rarity, are we going to be done soon? I don't think I can carry more . . ."

"Oh, hush, darling." Rarity scoffed. "It's not bad."

Rainbow Dash blinked, unamused. Either Rarity was stronger than she looked, or she usually used her charm to get some male into doing the job Dash was doing now. Because the tower of cloth she was holding was getting heavier with each item, and Dash doubted that slight, feminine Rarity could manage it all on her own.

Everything was going fine until they notice the store clerk suddenly duck behind the table.

"Well, that's strange." Rarity commented, looking to Dash like Dash might have an answer. "Why would that be?"

"Couldn't possibly be those guys coming in?" Rainbow Dash gestured towards the glass doors.

Rarity looked, and sure enough, there was a trio of men approaching the door. One was a tall, muscular man with a bald head. The two to his sides were more sleight in build, and both had short, curly brunette hair. That alone wouldn't have been alarming. But the white shirts, tattered jackets, and boots with lots of straps on them suggested they were ne're-do-well's.

"All right, boys." The bald man said as he shoved the doors open like he owned the place. "The easy dames are always hanging' 'round 'ere."

Rarity's eye twitched. ""Easy . . . dames"?" Rarity turned her head towards them. ""Easy dames!?"

"Rarity." Rainbow Dash said. "D-don't mess with those guys. They mean business. I mean, look at their clothes."

"Rainbow Dash, where's all that bravado you usually have?" Rarity growled. "I will not take their objectification of women lightly!"

"I know, I know. But those guys will hurt use if we don't avoid them."

"Rainbow Dash, look around. There is little where we can hide AND . . . we are the only two people currently in this store."

Rainbow Dash bit her lip. "Oh yeah . . . ponyfeathers, they're coming right towards us."

"Heey!" The bald man whistled at them. His cronies moved around the clothing racks to block off any potential exit they could have. Rainbow Dash attempted to disappear into the clothes. The bald guy placed his hand on a rack. "You look like a pretty girl."

"I am a pretty girl." Rarity retorted, eying him suspiciously.

"Ooh!" One of his cronies squealed. "Feisty, too."

"Yes . . ." Rarity growled, noticing how his cronies were inching closer. "Feisty."

"And what's the winged one doin', huh?" The other cronie inquired. "Ya know hidin' in the clothes ain't gonna do anything for you in the long haul, huh?"

The bald leader grabbed Rarity's arm. "How's about you come with me back to my pad?"

Rarity narrowed her eye. "How about you take your arm off me, and you try persuasion instead of coercion?"

"Ooh." The bald groaned. "Resistant, too. I don't like it when they git resistant."

"AND I DON'T LIKE BEING TOUCHED WITHOUT PERMISSION!"

Faster than anyone in the room could process, Rarity's entire hand bled out and was coated in the purple slime, which she touched to the forehead of the bald leader without even thinking. It was like when a cat saw a little mouse scampering about in its territory. Regardless of what the cat's owner had installed into the cat's mind as proper etiquette, instinct took over the minute the mouse was in eyesight.

Instantly the guy's grip on her relaxed, and his eyes turned dull and glassy.

"R-Rarity?" Dash stuttered. "What . . . what happened?"

"I . . ." Rarity stammered. "I don't know. It just happened."

"Hey!" One of the cronies shouted, both of them raising their fist. "Get your hands off tha' boss!"

Rarity quickly improvised. "Ah ah ah! One wrong move, and I'll fry his brain!"

The cronies halted. Rarity smirked, extremely pleased with herself. "Now." she crooned, rubbing her goo-covered fingers over his forehead. "Let's just see what we can do here . . ." Rarity could feel it. Rarity could feel this bald jerk's mind through her goo connection with him. Was this how that thing in the cave felt it was manipulating her and Dash?

"Raise your hand, darling." Rarity told him. Like a zombie that had been hitting the beers too much, the thug leader obeyed. Rarity's smirk got larger and more . . . Rainbow Dash would almost say evil, but that would be silly.

Wouldn't it?

"Slap yourself." Rarity told him. He obeyed instantly, smacking the flat of his hand against his cheek so hard it turned his head away. Rarity's finger-tendrils were still on him, though, and just with a mere thought, the thug leader turned his head to face her.

"Now," Rarity hissed, and it was both seductive and terrifying, "the next unfortunate woman you try to seduce, you are going to treat with respect. You are going to be courteous and considerate. And you are not going to force to do anything she doesn't want to. Got it?"

The thug leader nodded, his eyes as empty and unfocused as someone who was on drugs.

"Good." Rarity purred. She pulled her goo-fingers off his forehead. She then used the index finger of her other hand to push on his forehead, sending him stumbling backwards despite the pounds he had on her. He stumbled into a clothes rack, his arms catching on the metal rungs.

The two cronies rushed to their boss's aid. "Boss! You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, fine . . ." Their boss assured him, shaking his head and pushing them aside. He was too prideful to accept their help. Their boss gave Rarity an odd look, rubbing the top of his head. His head hurt, like a memory had just been wiped from him.

"Come on, boys." Their leader said, gesturing towards the door. "Let's leave these lovely ladies to their business, huh?" He moved towards the door.

"What did you do to our boss!?" One of the cronies demanded, approaching Rarity while the other beat his fist into his palm.

Rarity calmly pointed her gooey hand at them, the finger-tendrils on it wriggling like a playful octopus looking for friends. The two cronies stopped in their tracks. They wisely decided to bolt after their boss.

"A-are they gone?" The store clerk asked, rising up from the register. "I don't know what you did, but thank you two so much! Those three have been coming into my store periodically for weeks now!"

"You're very welcome, sir!" Rarity replied, handing her goo-hand behind her back. Much to her surprise, she was able to make it bend to her will. It moistly absorbed into her fingers with such uniformity that when it was done, it was like it was never there at all.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash finished their shopping without further incident. The clerk was kind enough to give them a "Thank you for driving those punks off" discount and gave them 80% off every item they purchased.

The shopping bags were heavy enough Rarity split the load of grocery bags between them. Rainbow Dash was uneasy as they left the room.

"Were you . . . were you really going to fry his brain?"

"Oh, no." Rarity assured her, causally dismissing the encounter. "No, I don't think the goo has the capacity to do that even if I wanted to. But there was no way for his cronies to know that, now was there?"

"Yeah." It took Dash a minute to realize the meaning of Rainbow's statement. "Oh, that's brilliant!"

"Yes. It seems the infection's given me the ability to make my own mini-tendrils on my hand." Rarity said . . . clinically. She raised up her hand and examined it. "And then I have the ability to manipulate people's minds . . . the same way that thing in the cave did our own." She held her hand close to her chest as she took in what that could mean for herself . . . and for others.

Author's Notes:

Please politely ignore Twilight's soapbox. It is not the focus of this story.

Also, don't ask where Rainbow Dash's dog collar was during "A Poison Most Intimate."