Edited by JimboTex

“Go get me some cider!” Coco screamed. She was being even meaner than usual ever since the fiasco at the hospital, ordering everypony around like a crazed dictator. Having seized upon Tink as the primary cause of the herd’s failure to teach the “freak” his place, Coco had been especially hard on the timid pegasus of late.

“O-Okay,” Tink whimpered. Eager to avoid the unicorn’s wrath, she quickly fluttered down the stairs and into the grimy kitchen. It was a mess, as usual—empty bottles littered the bench, along with dishes that hadn't been washed for days. Ace sat at the table, drinking as usual. He glanced up when Tink entered the room, glaring at her with one eye—the other was concealed by a black eye patch.

“Oi! Bitch! I thought I told you to stay the fuck out of my sight!”

“I’m sorry… Coco wanted me to-” Tink squeaked, but Ace had already levitated a mouldy pan off the bench and shot it towards her face. Pain exploded through her eye, and she yelped, bolting back through the front room and up the stairs.

Ace had been furious with her for being reluctant to come to his aid and attack the “alien.” She’d only hesitated for a split second, but her whole herd had noticed. Now, they kept calling her names—slyly suggesting she wanted to buck him like “that Still Way freak” was almost certainly doing. Tink didn't have anything against the tall creature, or Lyra for that matter. She was terrified of them both, and would much prefer to just stay well out of their way—but it was a little difficult with Ace and Coco so intent on confronting them.

The unicorn couple had been charming when she’d first met them at the Summer Sun Celebration in Hoofington: carefree spirits, always laughing and playing little jokes on ponies—so much so that Tink had plucked up the courage to ask to join their herd.

But over the past few months they’d changed, their little “practical jokes” turning into nothing more than cruel pranks. It also didn’t help that they’d taken to drinking everyday. Shimmer, Nox, Lily, and Opal just followed suit as usual—often being just as cruel as Ace and Coco. Tink had a feeling they didn't care about things such as morality, as long as they had a stallion to play with.

The pegasus paused in the hallway, closing her eyes and biting her lip in an attempt to fight the tears. She’d been doing that a lot lately. She didn't want to cry in front of her alpha, because Coco would only berate her, calling her hurtful names as usual.

Several times she’d thought of leaving. If she had someplace to go, she’d have done it in a heartbeat. Sadly, with the Chrome herd so universally reviled, she had no friends. She didn't even have any family, having been the only foal to monogamous parents killed in a timberwolf attack.

No don't think about that! A sob escaped her throat, a tear finally forming in her blackening eye and running down her cheek as she recalled the horrific experience of finding their mangled bodies—their once caring faces torn into unrecognisable mulch.

“Ugh, quit being a whiny little bitch and BRING ME MY FUCKING CIDER ALREADY!” Coco screamed from the bedroom. Tink jumped, forcing herself to suppress her emotions as she dashed back down the stairs.

She slowly edged toward the kitchen door, wings trembling nervously. As she approached, her ears swivelled like miniature radar domes, ever alert for the slightest sound that might indicate the approach of one of her tormentors. By the time she worked up the courage to cautiously glance around the frame at the plain wooden table, her heart—which was already thundering in her chest—revved up to an even faster pace. Ace was slumped over, drooling slightly with his good eye closed. If she was quiet, she could probably grab a bottle of cider from the ice box without him noticing her.

Holding her breath, Tink silently padded over. She lifted the lid with a wingtip, mentally cringing at both the thick layer of grime that had been allowed to accumulate on the exterior and the barely audible creaking issuing from the hinges of the container. Carefully grabbing a bottle between her teeth, she had almost made it back to the threshold of the kitchen when the door slammed shut in a magical aura.

“Looks like I need to teach you some obedience.”

“No, please-” Tink squeaked, recoiling. The action caused her to drop the bottle, which smashed into thousands of shards—hurling dangerous glass missiles in every direction and causing the chilled beverage to spill uselessly across the mildew-stained linoleum. Ace growled in anger, leapt up and struck her with his forehooves, catching both of her eyes. Tink screamed, falling to the unwashed floor as her eyes wept copious amounts of fluid—probably blood. The whimpering pegasus curled up into a fetal position, bringing her forelegs up to her face in an attempt to stem the flow.

Ace merely laughed, taking the opportunity to stomp on her quivering body. Excruciating pain lanced through her joints as the cruel unicorn telekinetically bent her wings at odd angles, grinding his filthy hooves into her feathers. Tink writhed in agony, screaming for help even though she knew nopony would come running—nopony ever came running. Ace removed his hooves, only to bite her mane, dragging her up off the floor and forcefully shoving her over the table.

“You’re up, slut,” he spat at her.

The drunken stallion mounted her, painfully pinning her wings to the wood with his hooves. She could feel his erection poking beneath her tail, trying to gain entrance. Tink was whimpering, pleading for him to stop, but her cries fell on deaf ears.

She closed her bleeding eyes, trying to lose herself in the few happy memories she possessed. The familiar image of her parents flashed in her mind. They’d been the kindest ponies anypony could ever hope to meet, and they’d cherished their little Tinker Breeze till the day they’d died. She cried for them, shame and regret. Yet again she wasn't doing them proud. They’d deserved a better filly than her, they always had. What would they think of her if they could see her now? Just letting this happen. What would they say to their delicate little angel?

Something snapped inside the pegasus. A spark of defiance that quickly unleashed a torrent of rage, driven to a blazing inferno of fury by the ever-constant grief in her shattered heart. She bucked, hard. Ace grunted, collapsing to the floor. Tink wasted no time, screaming in unbearable agony and frantically buzzing her protesting wings. A miniature whirlwind swept through the kitchen—grimy pots, pans, plates, and utensils were caught up in the vortex as the pegasus launched herself at the window. It shattered, shards of jagged glass cutting deep as she shot up into the clouds—finally, blessedly free.

“Woah! Jeez…”

It was nine forty-five, Kye had arrived at the spa and been ushered through into a neat little “employees only” office. Rows of shelves lined the walls, full of what looked like leather-bound log books, while a small desk sat beneath a rectangular hatch into the lobby.

Aloe had just greeted him by nuzzling his crotch. She hadn't even tried to disguise the action—blatantly rubbing her muzzle over his denim-clad junk.

“Okaaay…” Kye nervously chuckled in a rather high voice, hastily taking a step back. Octavia had certainly been spot on about the overly friendly Earth pony.

Aloe immediately closed the distance. “Morning,” she purred provocatively, fluttering her long, delicate-looking lashes up at him as she wrapped her tail around his legs in the same manner Lyra had a couple of days ago.

“Aloe!” Lotus snapped. “Ze grandmaster’s tolerance ov your foalish advances tovards her stallion vill not last forever.”

The pink pony merely pouted at her sister, her silky blue tail now binding itself around one of his upper thighs. Kye tried to ignore the blood rushing to his member, and the subsequent guilt that followed.

“Aloe! Zis is not professional—if his alpha finds out, zen you vill ‘ave big problems!” Lotus barged her sister away, the pink pony’s tail finally slipping free. Aloe merely smirked, raising an eyebrow.

Kye gulped as a thought occurred to him. Earth ponies were strong—much stronger than humans—and Aloe hadn't seemed the least bit worried by her sister’s warning. If she decided she wanted a piece when her sister’s back was turned, then Kye was screwed. Literally.

Lotus obviously hadn't noticed his plight though, because she began to explain the pay system. She told him he’d get a base rate, regardless of whether he had any clients or not, and a commission would be paid on top for satisfied customers.

“I believe you vill be able to make a lot ov bits vith zose ‘ands’ ov yours. Zey certainly chased away my vorries,” Aloe chimed in, flashing a devious smile along with blatant ‘“I-vill-have-you” eyes. Kye shuddered. He was genuinely concerned she was gonna jump him at the first opportunity.

The entrance bell chimed. Kye glanced through the hatch in the wall to see Rarity. Wow. She looked hot. Even hotter than usual—Kye’s semi suddenly wasn't so semi anymore. Luckily, nopony seemed to notice.

“Ahh, darling, there you are.” Rarity beamed at him through the hatch, and Kye returned her smile. He instantly felt more comfortable with the added presence of his unicorn companion.

The twins ushered them to the same private massage room they’d used for the induction. Rarity wasted no time in hopping up onto the table and laying down. Lotus had to practically drag Aloe from the room—the latter was shooting odd jealous looks at Rarity in between lustful glances at Kye.

As soon as the door closed, Rarity leapt up and kissed him—ferociously so. He was once again lost to the bizarre hallucinogenic effects of the stunning unicorn’s erotic embrace. Her hooves captured him, both of his hands quickly found her twitching ears. The coupling lasted a good few minutes, his hands and her hooves exploring in unison, making use of their current solitude.

“I've missed you,” she said after they finally broke apart.

Kye attempted to respond with “I missed you, too,” but all he could manage was a few mumbles that trailed off into nothing. He was still reeling from the kiss, and so lost in the shimmering depths of her beautiful blue eyes he was unable to properly form a sentence.

Rarity giggled, laying back down. “You may begin.”

Kye blinked a few times, intertwined his fingers and pushed his palms out, the knuckles cracking. A twinge of pain shot through his left set. Ouch, he thought, Fucking Ace... He began with her brilliant white coat, running his fingers through her exquisitely soft fur. No reaction. Kye grinned—Rarity was obviously expecting a bit more of an effort on his part as opposed to last time. Fair play, he could roll.

Wanting to learn every inch of his new marefriend, he let his hands wander to her cutie marks, one on each flank. It was almost as if the blue diamonds were trying to rise up to greet his delicate caress, even though the unicorn still gave no reaction.

Kye practiced every trick the twins had taught him: kneading her toned muscles, gently gripping certain areas between thumb and forefingers and slowly running both hands down her sides, applying firm pressure. Rarity was silent throughout. Time to bend a few rules.

He let a hand flow over her back and up her neck, his fingers gently sliding into the familiar sweet spot. The unicorn still didn't make a sound. Kye gripped his fingers together, capturing a large amount of silky purple strands between them before giving the slightest of tugs. Nothing. He leaned over, gently brushing the tip of his nose against her ear whilst letting out a breath.

A flick of the ear was followed by a gasp escaping the unicorn’s mouth. Her eyes were closed and she was smiling. Kye chuckled softly, his fingers still massaging her mane as her breathing finally became audible. He continued to nuzzle at her ears, being mindful of the sharp white horn now only inches from his face.

One small movement, a gentle nibble on the still-quivering ear, was all it took to elicit a whimper. Success. Kye pulled back.

“I think we’re done here,” he declared.

“What?” Rarity squeaked, losing some of her elegant composure.

Kye chuckled. Gods, she’s adorable. “With your back, Rarity. Turn over.” Kye said the last two words with an authoritative tone.

The unicorn complied without comment, rolling to her back, curling her forehooves up and holding them together, but allowing gravity to splay her hind legs apart, shamelessly revealing her core. She kept her gaze fixed on the ceiling.

Kye couldn't help himself, he glanced between her legs. Holy crap! She was wet—really wet. It was the first time he’d got a detailed view of “feminine equine anatomy”—he’d only really gotten a fleeting glimpse or two of Lyra—and he noticed she wasn't too different from a human. Soft, white fur neatly lined her slick labia, and her clitoral hood was protruding ever so slightly from between the moist folds.

Kye wanted to taste her—something he hadn't even attempted with Lyra because he’d been too scared of her potential reaction—but Rarity looked, well…too delicious to pass up. He made a decision. Okay, now where to begin…

Kye started on her barrel, using the same technique of kneading and rolling, gradually working his way down. Rarity still had her gaze locked to the ceiling. It was almost as if she were afraid to look at him while her goods were on show. Kye grinned, leaning over to kiss her barrel as his hands reached her nipples, or teats, he guessed. Kye had no idea if these were actually sensitive or not, nopony had mentioned if they were. One way to find out…

He leisurely ran his tongue down her coat, taking time to enjoy the texture of her fur with his mouth. She was breathing rather heavily at this point. A hand slipped lower, the fingers parting to brush over the fur lining her pouting lower lips.

“Ohhh…” Rarity began to whimper.

Kye’s tongue eventually reached her teats, and he gently suckled one of them between his lips. Rarity quivered atop the table, her tail and ears twitching, her breaths ragged, short and quick. Kye couldn't stall any longer: he had to know if this unicorn tasted as sweet as she looked. His tongue slipped lower, moving to the side at the last second to quickly bypass her wetness, then slowly approaching her marehood from below.

“Sweet Celestia—you’re not actually g-gonna-EEEEP!”

Kye had slid his tongue between her lips in a sensuous glide up to her hood, before plunging back down to explore her velvet depths. His new technique proved to be highly effective on the mare, as she began moaning loudly—way too loudly. Not wanting to alert the twins to his “extracurricular activities” with his marefriend, Kye abruptly halted his ministration.

“Rarity, you’re gonna have be a bit more quiet-” he began in a low, stern tone, but was cut off by the beautiful mare before him.

“No… please don’t stop!” She gasped, her voice strained. Her hind legs shamelessly wrapped around his neck in an attempt to pull him back down to her glistening marehood.

Kye folded like a house of cards. As he resumed the sensual feast, her whole body spasmed in response. Her taste was just as exquisitely enrapturing as the rest of her, sweet, with just the right amount of intoxicating musk. He firmly fixed his lips around hers, not letting a single drop of arousal escape. Occasionally, he would flick his tongue over her clit, causing her glossy tail to twitch each time he did so.

Rarity writhed in ecstasy—her back marginally arched, her forelegs quivered, and her hind legs clamped around his head as she whimpered in bliss. Kye put his hands on her cutie marks and sent his tongue deep, seeing how far he could penetrate her with it.

He felt her walls begin to grasp in response. Once, twice—gaining frequency until she clamped his tongue in a particularly firm yet slippery grip and flooded his mouth: her sweet secretions slid down his throat with his swallowing reflex.

Bright blue sparks—easily as beautiful as the unicorn they originated from—filled the room. They bounced off the walls as she loudly panted, locking his head in a vice grip and grinding her gushing core into his mouth. Kye could barely breathe: her hind legs were deceptively stronger than they appeared. It took around half a minute for her writhing convulsions to die down before she released him.

Nailed it. Kye gave her one last lick, swallowing the last few droplets of her sweet satisfaction before pulling away. He couldn't help but smile at the now softly mewling mare, still twitching occasionally with aftershock. The light flush of her cheeks along with her tightly closed eyes and the subtle afterglow surrounding her horn all added to the considerable allure of the sated unicorn. Kye was rock solid.

He wanted to ravish her, but forced himself to quell the urge. If he was caught with his pants down—screwing a mare he was supposed to be giving a massage to—then Lotus would probably be pretty miffed. Even though Rarity was his herdmate, he was still at work. If it was Aloe that caught them, then she would probably just want to join in.

“I hope you’re not planning on doing that to all of your clients,” Rarity breathed, finally finding her voice.

“Don't worry, gorgeous. Only you get the happy ending,” he shot back at her with a sly grin.

She returned his smile, sitting up on the table. “I must say I’m rather surprised by your… methods.”

Kye frowned. “You didn't approve?”

“Well of course I did, dear. Surely, you must know by now what the sparks mean.” She blushed adorably. “I’m just shocked that you… you actually… licked me… down there. Nopony has ever done that before.” She avoided his gaze, her cheeks reddening further.

“Really?” Kye couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Rarity was drop dead gorgeous—to think she’d never had anypony go down on her before was pretty far fetched.

“Stallions just… don't do that.” She continued to blush. “There’s nothing in it for them, so they don't bother. It’s only really filly foolers-”

“Filly foolers?!” Kye repeated. He was pretty sure he was missing something here.

Rarity looked a little confused at his exclamation. “Mares who like other mares, dear. There’s quite a few, considering the stallion shortage.”

Comprehension dawned. “Oh right…” Kye cleared his throat. “So stallions don't like drinking from the furry cup, then? Seems a bit selfish if you ask me.” He grinned at her.

Rarity giggled, an adorable sound that made his heart melt. He sat on the table and wrapped his arms around the chuckling unicorn. She kissed him, playfully rubbing a soft hoof over his crotch.

“Time for me to return the favour,” she declared in a husky voice, her horn glowing in a beautiful blue aura. His belt buckle instantly unclasped, along with the button on his jeans, he heard the zip of his fly.

Kye’s heart thundered, if he was correct in his assumption then he was about to get a blow job from a pony. He wondered how it would compare to-

A knocking at the door derailed his train of thought. “Kye, your next client iz ‘ere,” came Lotus’s muffled voice—or was it Aloe’s?

Rarity paused, waiting a few moments before whispering. “Do you still want me to… you know? I can make it quick.”

Kye was tempted—very tempted. “No… better not keep them waiting,” he forced himself to say, failing to hide his disappointment.

Rarity kissed him again, her wonderful tongue exploring his mouth so thoroughly that she was probably able to taste the remnants of her carnal deposits. “I’ll make it up to you tonight, I promise.”

While Kye busied himself with refastening his jeans, the stunning unicorn nuzzled his chest in affection. She then gracefully hopped down off the table and gave him one last smile before trotting out.

The bell chimed, signalling Rarity’s departure. Assured that he was alone in the room, Lotus entered, giving him a wry smile. “Sounds like you have quite ze talent ven eet comes to massage,” she said, blatantly emphasizing the last word.

Kye wasn't sure how to respond. He’d been expecting a good telling off, not casual teasing. “Um…”

“I ‘ad no idea you vere so… promiscuous… If zis is ze case, zen maybe you could ‘take care’ of my seester: she appears to ‘ave taken quite a shine to you,” she casually suggested. “Plus, if you don’t mind zis sort of thing, maybe you could offer… an enhanced experience to mares zat vant a little something extra.”

Oh dear. Lotus was clearly under the impression Lyra had no idea about him and Rarity. He cleared his throat. “Yeah… Um, Rarity’s actually a herdmate… Plus, I’m nowhere near stupid enough to go behind Lyra’s back, y’know, considering she could kill me in an instant if she wanted to…”

Lotus blinked. “Oh… Vell, I guess ze cat is out ov ze bag. My seester… vants you Kye, so be vary. As for ze ozzer thing… think about eet. Zere are a lot of lonely mares zat vould pay high rates for a more personal touch—nozzing too heavy, just a leetle petting ‘ere and zere.” She smiled before trotting out the door.

Kye was speechless—it kinda sounded like Lotus was trying to pimp him out. Fuck. That. He was more than happy enough with Lyra, and Rarity, and… Octavia. Kye shivered. Just the thought of the devastatingly pretty Earth pony had him craving like an addict. Nicotine can suck it: I’d rather have Tavi.

Three more mares visited his massage room that day: two Earth ponies and a unicorn. Kye had been more than a little apprehensive about touching their unfamiliar bodies at first, but he persevered. Despite having just been encouraged to break the rules, he maintained a scrupulous adherence to them, staying well away from any erogenous zones.

One of the Earth ponies was a pretty young mare named Roseluck—Rose for short. Despite her pale yellow coat and cutie mark bearing her namesake flower, her raspberry mane was styled in a manner that reminded him uncomfortably of Lyra. She had been very friendly and flirtatious with him—Kye probably could have gotten away with stripping naked, pulling her rump to the edge of the table, slipping himself beneath her raised tail and rutting her senseless. He hadn't of course, but he got the feeling she wouldn't have minded if he had.

When he left around mid-afternoon, he was feeling rather good about his first day, it had certainly went a lot better than he’d expected. Even the fact that Lotus had had to drag Aloe away from a rather intimate goodbye hug as he walked out the door did little to sour his assessment of his job performance.

Kye mounted his bike, turning the ignition on and selecting electric-only mode. Lyra was still at work, Rarity had gone back to finish a few of her designs, and Octavia… Well, Octavia still made him feel like like clueless schoolboy with a crush. That kiss, though…

Kye still couldn't get over how much—and how effortlessly—the Earth pony had made him desire her. Even now, he wanted to go and seek her out: see if she’d throw him a few scraps of affection. The only problem was that he didn’t know where she lived. Probably for the best. He didn't want to appear desperate to the alluring violoncellist.

Instead, he decided to take Lyra’s advice, and go pay Fluttershy a visit. He hadn't seen the pretty pegasus since she’d ran away the other day, and he was starting to miss her.

Lyra had mentioned that she lived in a cottage on the edge of the Everfree forest, a location that suited her veterinary occupation. His alpha had warned him to stay out of the forest though: apparently it was full of dangerous creatures. Kye certainly didn't need telling twice—the memory of the hydra from the swamp still sent the occasional chill down his spine.

The Ohlins suspension soon began to protest at the increasingly uneven path as he headed along the outskirts of the village. Kye eased off the throttle, the characteristic whir of the electric motor dropping a semitone or two.

The trees that loomed in the distance were large, and many of them looked quite formidable. Gnarled thick trunks rose up from leafy bushes and thickets of thorns. There were many plants he didn't recognise: some were bland, others were alarmingly colourful. Some even appeared to have a luminescent glow. It kinda reminded him of the forests of Pandora, the alien world from the movie Avatar.

The path began to narrow, the plantlife thickening, becoming increasingly wild and eccentric as the motorcycle carried him further along the edge of the forest… Hmm… No he wasn't really on the edge anymore, at some point he must have taken a wrong turn. Hehe, Wrong Turn, terrible excuse for a horror film. Inbred cannibals, rape, gore, and blood. Pretty much summed up the whole series.

The bike rolled over a rock, and Kye nearly fell off as he slammed his boots to the underbrush… Underbrush? Glancing down, he observed there was no longer a path. Shit. He’d definitely taken a wrong turn somewhere. Fluttershy’s cottage was nowhere to be found.

Blood. Blood… Kye could see it. It was on the ground, a trail running under his front tyre. Nope. A wave of fear shot through him, but he was powerless to prevent his eyes from following the crimson trail. Nope train, it’s leaving. Something was lying on the ground, partly concealed by a bush next to an aged tree trunk. What the fuck do you think you’re doing? His rational thought was screaming for him make like a tree…

Kye hesitated, but not for long—his damned curiosity got the better of him. He flicked the kickstand down and dismounted. Dropping into a partial squat, he cautiously approached the bush and extended a shaking arm. He swept aside the leaves with a gloved hand, only to be nearly felled by the shock of seeing the pitiful form half-buried under the forest’s detritus.

A grey pegasus—much lighter in fur color than Octavia—was curled up on the ground. She was covered in blood, cuts and bruises. Both of her eyes were black, and her lips were swollen and bust. Her wings were clearly broken in several places.

Kye knelt at her side in shock: he recognised this mare. Her long, bushy red and black mane and tail were easily distinguishable despite their matted, filthy state. Her cutie mark—three autumn leaves blowing in a breeze—was still visible underneath the blood in her coat.

It was Ace’s pegasus. She was supposed to be his enemy, but seeing her in this despicable state banished such thoughts from his mind, possibly forever.

“Can you hear me?” Kye pulled off a glove and put a hand on her side, carefully avoiding her mangled wings, only to stop dead.

She was cold.

No… Fuck, please no… Kye was shaking. He groped at her neck, her blood coating his hand as he desperately searched for a pulse. He didn't find one. Oh, gods, no! Please don't be dead…

It felt like his heart was breaking. The tears were already accumulating as he dropped his hands to the floor. A sharp stinging sensation shot through his ungloved hand, but he promptly ignored it. Leaning over, he rested his ear against her bloody muzzle and waited.

He was rewarded with a breath—very faint, but still defined enough to spark a surge of hope. Kye was hit with the biggest burst of adrenaline he’d ever experienced. He all but ripped the shirt off his back, scooping the broken mare up and holding her to his chest as he tightly bound the fabric around the deepest of her cuts.

She was still bleeding, so off came his jeans. He quickly wrapped the remaining wounds with the denim garment before leaping up to grab the tail end of his bike. With a roar of exertion, he dragged it around to face the other way down the narrow enclosure.

He then scooped her up, lifting her clean off the thorn-laden ground. He’d never picked a pony up before, but this delicate little pegasus was surprisingly light. She remained unconscious as he somehow managed to drape her over his shoulder fireman-style and mount his motorcycle. The engine roared to life at the command of his thumb.

The bike lurched. Kye kept a tight grip on the fading pony as he sped back along his tyre tracks, changing gear with nothing but his left foot. If he could find his way back to the edge of town, he could get her to the hospital.

The extent of her injuries was like nothing he’d ever seen—in this world or the last. He had no idea what kind of monster was capable of inflicting such wounds, but if he ever found the creature responsible, he would fucking destroy it. This pegasus may have hung around with a bunch of assholes, but she didn't deserve this. Nopony deserved this.

It didn't take long for the familiar sight of the quaint little houses to appear above the double-bubble screen. Kye was constantly reminded of his charge’s pitiful condition all way back to the village: one of her wings was swaying in the breeze at an unnatural angle, the feathers matted with blood and all bent out of shape. The evidence of her suffering drove him to a state of uncontrollable fury. How could this happen? Why? Even considering her awful herd, what could this mare have done to warrant such execrable punishment?

He continued on in focused rage, the bike’s engine screaming at the redline as it sped towards the hospital. Since it was the middle of the Equestrian rush hour, many ponies crowded the streets on their way home from work and school. They found themselves rudely presented with a choice, either get out of the way or get run the fuck over. Luckily, the sound of the roaring Akrapovic cans gave fair warning to the homeward bound. Kye vaguely noticed a flash of yellow and grey fly past his left side. It took him a few seconds to realise he’d nearly plowed into Fluttershy and Octavia. He barely spared them a thought—he was too focused on getting the shattered pegasus clutched over his shoulder to the hospital. After a few more death defying corners—and about four feet of air when the bike flew over a humped river bridge—the building he was desperately yearning to see slipped into view.

An angry hiss reverberated as he released the throttle, followed by the sound of tyres sliding over gravel then the scraping of stones on plastic. Kye jumped, clutching the pegasus to his bare chest as the bike fell over and slid a good eight feet or so. With complete disregard for the overturned motorcycle that was still rumbling, as if in protest of being so casually tossed aside, he made a desperate dash for the entrance.

A well-aimed kick sent the double doors flying wide. A waiting room, mostly full of long benches and bored-looking ponies greeted him and his unconscious companion. Within seconds every equine eye was on him. Some of them looked shocked, others downright petrified. He must have looked quite a sight—naked apart from his boxers and bike boots, and covered in blood.

“Help! This pegasus needs help! Where the fuck is A and E?” Kye yelled. Several ponies yelped in fright.

“Kye? Are you okay?” asked a shaky little voice.

Kye glanced down to see Fluttershy gazing up at him. “I need a doctor! This pegasus needs a doctor!” he replied, panic evident in his voice.

Fluttershy blinked, seeming to finally notice the bloody bundle in his arms. “Follow me,” she said in a calm, but firm tone.

She trotted over to a counter, Kye trailing behind her. The unicorn mare desk clerk was gazing at him in terror.

“Get Nurse Redheart—this pony needs medical treatment,” Fluttershy declared. No sooner than she’d spoken a set of double doors opened and a bespectacled caramel-coloured unicorn stallion with a brown mane and tail and a stethoscope around his neck emerged from a corridor. He was wearing a white shirt and black tie, the former partly concealing his heart monitor cutie mark.

Kye felt the weight of the pegasus lift as she was suspended in a magical blue aura. She floated over to a large gurney, being pushed along behind the stallion by a white Earth pony mare with a pink mane and tail. Her cutie mark matched the hospital logo on her nurse’s cap—a red cross.

“She needs a transfusion, take a sample and get the results back to me, stat,” Kye heard the doctor pony say as they both rushed back down the corridor, taking the gurney with them. The doors swung closed, leaving him standing next to Fluttershy with a heavy heart. Please don't die.

Kye sat on one of the long benches, removed his lone glove—he’d left the other in the forest—and rested his elbows on his knees, bringing his hands to his face. One of them was still coated with the dried blood of the pegasus.

Fluttershy settled herself beside him, draping a wing over his bare back. “Kye… what… what happened?” she softly asked him.

He didn't immediately answer: he was still too busy fighting off waves of rage, coupled with an intense regret over not finding the bloodied pegasus sooner. He didn't know why the grey mare’s plight was evoking such powerful emotions in him. He would have been able to understand if he’d found Rarity, Octavia, or Fluttershy in such a pitiful condition, but one of Ace Chrome’s herdmates?

The more he searched through his recollections of the mare, the more he realised she was nothing like the rest of her herd. On the night of the party, she’d actually tried to aid him—attacking her own stallion in order to give Kye a chance to escape.

He thought back to yesterday’s confrontation. The grey pegasus had only halfheartedly dived on him at Coco’s angry command. What had the unicorn called her? Tink.

“Tink…” he said aloud.

“I know who she is, Kye. You still haven't told me what happened,” Fluttershy stated, wrapping a hoof around his arm.

“Well I… I was looking for you, actually. Lyra said you lived near the Everfree, so I headed for the trees—only I got lost. Then I saw the blood, and…and…” The sight of her battered body, curled up waiting to die on the unforgiving forest floor flashed in his mind, so vivid he couldn't stop the lump in his throat; nor could he stop the tears flowing freely down his cheeks.

Fluttershy wrapped her wings around him, partly shielding him from the curious stares of the other ponies in the waiting room. She needn't have bothered. Kye didn't care—they could stare all they wanted.

“What kind of evil could have done that to her?” he sobbed. “The things living in that forest should be shot if they’re capable of doing that to a pony.”

Fluttershy didn't respond: she only clutched him tighter.

The hospital doors flew open in an amber aura, and Lyra skidded to a halt in the waiting room. She spotted Kye and quickly trotted to him.

“Don't teleport us. I want to stay here,” he shot at her. She nodded, wrapping her hooves around him.

“Where are your clothes?” she said, releasing him suddenly. “Why are you covered in blood? Did somepony attack you?” She sounded angry. Kye brought a hand to her muzzle to silence her.

“No. Something attacked Tink.”

Lyra clutched his arm between her forehooves, freeing her mouth. “Tink? Who’s…” She trailed off, clearly ascertaining the answer on her own.

“She was nearly dead when I found her in the forest. Something messed her up pretty b-bad-” Kye couldn't stop his voice from breaking. He brought his hands back to his face as the sense of dread coursed through him yet again.

Lyra said nothing, her expression unreadable. Kye didn't know if she was annoyed at his blatant display of emotion for the pegasus, but his alpha was giving nothing away.

The hospital doors opened again, this time to admit Octavia. Upon spotting the trio, she trotted towards them. “Kye…” she said, a somewhat distressed tone in her use of his name.

She was going to ask him what was wrong, but the words died in her throat upon seeing his teary-eyed gaze. Instead, she just wrapped him in a hug.

“I’m gonna get you all covered in blood…” Kye weakly pointed out.

“We don't care, Kye. It’s our job to cheer you up when you’re upset… no matter what you’re upset about.” Lyra gave him a warm smile, and it felt like a slight weight lifted from his shoulders.

The nurse pony emerged from the corridor again, trotting over to him. Kye immediately gave her an urgent inquisitive look. “Is she gonna be-”

“We’ll get to that.” The pony cut him off. “I’m Nurse Redheart. I need to ask you a few questions, seeing as you brought her in and she has no living relatives.”

Kye felt his heart break for the poor mare all over again. “Okay.”

“What relation is she to you?”

“A friend.” He avoided Lyra’s gaze.

“What caused her injuries?”

“I don't know. She was lying in the Everfree forest when I-”

Lyra gasped. “I thought I told you to stay away from there.”

“Well, I got lost looking for Fluttershy’s place, didn't I?”

“Don't worry, I can show you where it is,” the yellow pegasus chimed in. She still had a wing draped over his back, her soft feathers soothing him.

Nurse Redheart pointedly cleared her throat. “You didn't see anypony nearby?”

“No, she was lying next to a tree under a bush…” Kye had to follow suit and clear his throat as well: the lump was returning.

The nurse looked at him for a few seconds, before taking a rather sombre tone. “She’s lost quite a lot of blood. We’ve given her a transfusion, but she has a very rare blood type. If we don't find more soon, then chances are she won’t make it through the night.”

“What?” Kye felt a lead weight drop in his stomach. “No! There must be something you can… What’s the blood type?”

“AB negative.”

“Can't you contact other hospitals? Get a unicorn to teleport?”

“We've already checked. It’s really rare.” She gave him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing more we can-”

Kye’s anger returned at her attempted condolence, “No!” several ponies were staring and whispering but he didn't care. “No—don’t be giving me that bullshit speech-” he shot at the nurse, his voice raised. He barely noticed he was being interrupted.

“Kye.”

“-cause I don't wanna hear it. You ponies have got magic and potions and-”

“Kye.”

“-god knows whatever else and you’re trying to tell me you can't save-”

“Kye.”

“-her? It’s fucking disgraceful! She doesn't deserve any of this-”

“KYE!” Lyra yelled at him.

“What!?” He snapped at her. She pointedly raised her eyebrows, and he immediately started to feel guilty. “Sorry…”

She smiled. “If you’d just listen for a second, you might be interested to know that I’m blood type AB negative.”

It took a few seconds to register before the spark of hope bloomed in his chest. “So...you...you’ll?”

“Of course, I will. I’m not gonna just let her fucking die, am I?” She leapt up, looking expectantly at nurse Redheart.

The white Earth pony blinked in surprise, before nodding. “Follow me.” She led Lyra away down the corridor.

Octavia sat in the now vacant space to his right, with Fluttershy still sitting on his left. “She’s gonna be okay Kye,” the Earth pony told him as the two mares sandwiched him in a tight hug.

Kye sighed, wrapping an arm around each of them. “I hope so.”

Author's Notes:

So yea, I've expanded on the pegasus from the Ace Chrome herd, seeing as she's the only decent pony among them.

Also—Rarity clop.... :P nuff said.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter /)