“What?! Why can’t we do something? Waiting two hours before we can go with only sitting and chatting, that’s boring!” I scowled, tossing my still damp mane to the other side.

“Hey, calm down. I promised you we’d have fun after court. Now would be a pretty bad idea, and you know it. We’d never be ready in time!” Spitfire tried to reason with me.

“But!” I started, just to be stopped by Octavia.

“Look, Rainbow. I know it’s hard to keep calm. I can tell you that much, after last night, I’m still shivering for more,” she said, and I could actually see her shudder for real before she continued, ”Just look on the bright side. As soon as court is over, you two have time for everything.”

“And this time, alone, just as you like it the most,” Spitfire whispered into my ear.

Those words caused the hated reaction; my wings trying to get stiff and forcing against the bandages they were in, causing me to yelp in pain.

Immediately, Spitfire peppered kisses against my muzzle, while mumbling, “Sorry, sorry!”

Of course, that didn’t stop Vinyl and Octavia from laughing madly.

“Yeah, yeah, share the fun, you two,” I smiled, “But let me remind you, it was us that fucked you two like mad mares in heat.”

All I got in response were two similar raspberries.

“So, what now? We keep talking, or do something?” I asked.

“Playing a game? Or we could go and eat something?” Vinyl suggested.

“Something to eat sounds pretty good,” Spitfire said, and I could hear her stomach grumble.

She blushed, but I gave her belly a quick kiss before planting one on her muzzle, ”Yeah, we should definitely go and eat something.”

“I think we all could use something to eat after last night,” Octavia added with a wink.

We all blushed at that, but Vinyl was the one to open the door and wave us on, “Move your lazy flanks, I know just the place for some nice, greasy food.”

“Breakfast, Vi, not greasy food,” Octavia frowned.

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

She earned a playful scuff over her head for that, but shrugged as we left the apartment. At the elevator, she paused and looked at Spitfire, who just shrugged and pointed at me in reply.

“Firefly, take the stairs if it’s too uncomfortable for you. I’m sure I can survive a minute without you,” I said gently and nuzzled the side of her muzzle.

She kissed me and followed us into the elevator, her coat pressed deeply against mine the entire time. I could hear her sighing as we left the elevator and the apartment.

“You never told me why you dislike elevators,” I whispered into her ear.

“A good friend of mine was involved in the accident with the test model years ago in Baltimare,” she whispered back, but hesitantly.

I felt that it was a topic which she wasn’t sure to talk about, so I simply rubbed my coat against her, trying to comfort her and telling that I was there for her. She answered with a soft kiss and a smile.

We soon reached a building that looked like a pub. We all could’ve just guessed it, since it was Vinyl that lead us. Never would she lead us to a fancy restaurant, not that I would ever complain about it. Just the look of Octavia and Spitfire were priceless.

“Vi, dear… Please tell me that this is some kind of silly jest!” Octavia sputtered, much to Vinyl’s amusement.

“Nah! It’s just the place for greasy food!” she exclaimed proudly.

“Vi… I’m going to tie you to the bed and buck that silliness out of you!” Octavia suddenly growled and glared at her marefriend.

“If you insist,” Vinyl said with a smile, “But until then, calm down and get in. You will be surprised.”

I simply shrugged and went in, followed shortly by Spitfire and Vinyl. Octavia hesitated, but saw no other way than to follow us in the end. Immediately, we were pushed out of the way by a blue mare who jumped at Vinyl.

“Vi! I thought you’d never come back here to grab a bite or visit me!” she shouted.

“Ugh, Open Blue! You’re…. you’re… I can’t breath!” Vinyl barely got out.

That’s interesting. She can call her Vi, so they have to be pretty close.

I could also see that Octavia didn’t look amused.

“Open Blue… It has been quite a long time,” she spoke coolly.

“Oh, c’mon, Tavi! She said it was an accident! I haven’t met her since school at that time, so she couldn’t know what happened with Brass!” Vinyl answered.

“That doesn’t mean that I have to like the mare that uses every possibility to swing her hooves around the neck of my marefriend,” Octavia frowned.

Vinyl rolled her eyes before nudging the blue mare, “Can you prepare two of my specials and then two portions of eggs benedict please?”

“They have eggs benedict?” Octavia and Spitfire asked in unison.

Well, there’s the surprise.

Open Blue laughed before jumping up, “Sure, take a seat. And just ignore that pegasus in the last corner. She’s been crying all day, but refuses to speak.”

While Vinyl and Octavia did just that, Spitfire cast a glance at the pegasus and her eyes went wide, “Oh Celestia, that’s Sassaflash,” she whispered into my ear before joining the other two in the booth.

Before I could ask her anything, she just shook her head, “Don’t. I’ll take care of that on a less hectic day,” she whispered and planted a kiss on my muzzle, and I switched my attention back to Vinyl and Octavia.

“Well, now, what was that about you complaining? You should learn to trust me!” Vinyl said with a smug grin.

“Yes, I know, Vi, and I’m sorry,” Octavia sighed, “While you’re rubbing off on me, I’ve still got some of my old self left to complain.”

“Hehe, rubbed off,” I couldn’t help myself.

My comment earned a look of death from the refined mare, and a smile of a job well done from her marefriend.

“Let’s save that for later, Rainbow,” Spitfire replied with a kiss on my cheek.

“Pinkie promise?”

“Of course.”

“Well, now that the obvious has been settled, we shouldn’t dilly dally too long, you two don’t want to be late for the train,” Octavia reminded us.

Spitfire's mood went sour at that, “Gotta ruin a good thing, huh?” I asked blankly.

“Besides, it’s not like the food-- Celestia dammit!” Vi shouted as at that moment the blue mare showed up.

Open Blue laughed, “What? It’s not like it’s packed in here or anything, did you think it’d take long?”

“There’s no reason for such coarse language, Vinyl. Apologize to the mare,” Octavia stated.

“...”

“What was that?”

“Sorry…”

“Better.”

As much of a kick I got from watching Octavia chastise Vinyl, my eyes turned to my marefriend, and the look of uncertainty on her muzzle, “Hey, you okay?” I whispered.

“Huh? Yeah, just…”

“Yeah nothing, you’re worried, aren’t you?” I asked.

“Not like you to be so insightful.”

“Not like me to have somepony I love so much,” I replied back with a small smile, one that disappeared when she didn’t return it, “You know it’s going to be okay, right?”

“You can’t know that. Today could be the last day we had to wake up together. And rather than spend it together, we…”

“Spent it with our good friends?”

“You know what I mean,” she looked at me with a deadpan expression.

“You’d have preferred to simply held each other in bed?”

She nodded.

“Well, I say buck that.”

“What?” she asked, shocked.

“You forget, I’m THE Rainbow Dash. When a problem shows up, I charge right at it, refusing to let anything or anypony keep me from what I want, and right now, I want you. I want to spend my life with you. So if this is the problem we gotta solve, I say we charge headfirst straight at it.”

“I would say that’s the attitude that screams for trouble,” a cool voice said right next to me.

We all turned to see the cream coat of the pegasus mare nopony wanted to see.

“Wild Fire. I’m surprised that you managed to recover from the exercise so fast,” Spitfire frowned, “You should work on your leg muscles, too, not only your wings.”

“You mean like you do with your exercises, Spitfire? I know how you always complain about them eating up so much of your day. Don’t worry, you’ll soon have plenty of time to get them done.”

“Are you seriously threatening my mare?” I asked with venom dripping from my voice as I got up from my seat.

“A back-talking cadet, another shining example of Spitfire’s leadership.”

“I think it is time that a mare teaches you some manners. How about me?” I continued as she tried to see through me and only attack Spitfire.

I was all about to tackle her, but soft, yellow wings held me back.

“She’s not worth it, Rainbow. Let’s deal with her at court, that’s all she deserves.”

“All I deserve?” Wild Fire spit the words out, “The only thing you two deserve is dismissal of your duties forever, you maybe even jail for seducing a cadet!”

A shout of “Rainbow no!” was lost to the winds as I pulled my hoof back and made to connect it with Wild Fire’s jaw. It would have, too, it was a solid hit that I’d knocked out changelings with, but a blue aura encased my hoof a split second before it made impact.

“Striking a superior officer?” Wild Fire said in mock surprise.

“I would love to let her do it, but you are disturbing a wonderful day. Dust off before I deal with you,” Vinyl said bittersweetly after a nod from Spitfire.

Spitfire just nodded at that, “Besides, it only counts if she actually touches you.”

“Wait, didn’t they dismiss us until after the court? I can do what I want to her!” I cheered, raising my hoof again.

A hoof wrapped around mine and stopped me, “Not quite, Rainbow. Technically we’re on administrative leave, the rules still apply,” Spitfire stated.

“We do get discharged, somepony is getting her flank whooped,” I stated flatly.

“And then you’ll end up in jail.”

“I never said that I’ll kick her flank in that case. Seriously, why does she hates you? Just because she doesn’t get a special somepony for herself? Bo-ho, I’m crying in sympathy,” I mocked.

Wild Fire turned beat red at that, an action that should’ve earned applause, considering her cream coat, “I should deal with you two right away!” she bursted out.

“Oh, throw the first punch, please, please make my day,” Spitfire said with a shit-eating grin, “I’d love to see what happens next. Or did you forget that we have three witnesses? And trust me on this one, Rainbow’s no slouch.”

“I believe the term is, Protector of Equestria,” I said with a grin, “So please, let’s see what you can do. I’m sure showing up to the court room with a black eye will help my case out a great deal. Not that your wheelchair won’t offset that a little.”

Wild Fire looked down at us, and I could see her seriously considering it. That is, until the door opened and another pegasus walked in.

“Wild Fire, I said don’t follow them!” Cloud Break growled after giving us four at the booth an apologetic smile, “You insist that I support you, yet you doing such dumb things!”

“Cloud Break, shut up,” Downdraft cut him off as she stepped in behind him, “Wild Fire, it’s unbelieveable… but he is right in this case. We should go now, the chariot will be here soon.”

Wild Fire had the look of a foal caught red-hoofed raiding the cookie jaw. I could see her steaming at the insult we had done to her. Part of her was pissed, she had come here to destabilize us, to gloat over what she did, instead, she got to know more of me.

Given it wasn’t the me I wanted her to know, but putting a superior officer on the floor unprovoked was probably a bad idea, or that’s what Spitfire would have told me. Personally, I thought it would be funny as hell.

“This isn’t over,” she mumbled before leaving us in peace.

“Got that right,” I replied snarkily as she left the table. I found myself partly hoping we would get discharged, just so I could whoop her flank for that little stunt. Sure, Celestia might frown at that, but hell, she owed me after helping to save Luna from Nightmare moon.

It was useful to have friends in high places.

And Spitfire has no idea what I managed to set up for the court.

As much of a fun distraction that was, when I looked back over to my marefriend, Spitfire was still look down, playing with her food with a fork, “Anything I can do to cheer you up? I can still catch Wild Fire and whoop her flank if you want?”

That earned me a giggle, almost enough to just go do it, almost, “No, I just want today to be over.”

“I don’t,” I replied back, serous.

“Why?”

“Because I would never want a day with you to be over,” I replied and planted a kiss on her muzzle.

She raised one eyebrow and simply stared at me, as if to see if I was kidding or not. I met her gaze, refusing to leave even the smallest hint that I was kidding. In the end it worked, I got the small smile I wanted to see, “Never change, Rainbow.”

“Change all of this awesomeness? I don’t think so!”

It was her turn to kiss me.

The kiss felt endless for me. Sadly, everything comes to an end, and as we broke, we noticed the smiling gazes of Octavia and Vinyl upon us.

“You two are adorable!” Octavia stated.

Vinyl made a gagging expression, but smiled nonetheless while still earning a cuff over her head from her marefriend.

“It was still close. And I feel I must remind you that you promised me to not do anything stupid. It could’ve ended badly if you hit her,” Spitfire lost her smile.

“Ehh, it was worth it,” I replied, putting my forehooves around my head and leaning back, grinning.

“Rainbow!”

“It got you to smile.”

“That’s not all that counts!” Spitfire scowled.

“For me, it does. Seeing you smile makes my day. Seeing you smile and being happy is what counts for me,” I replied and looked straight into her eyes.

“Hard to argue with that logic, Spitfire,” Octavia said, grinning like a love-struck filly.

“Please don’t encourage her,” Spitfire said as she started to rub her temples, “What am I going to do with you, Rainbow?”

“Kiss me, love me, and never let me go,” I said with a grin.

She looked up at me, her muzzle a face of disbelief, then she chuckled twice and did the one thing I wanted her to do; she smiled, “Deal.”

As she leaned into my chest, I lowered my hoof and wrapped it around the mare, pulling her in tighter, “Told you it was worth it.”

“Don’t ruin the moment,” Spitfire stated.

“Fine, fine,” I replied back, grinning, “It was still worth it!”

She groaned before giggling, “Well, I guess if you would change or be another pony, I wouldn’t love you like I do.”

“Damn right,” I said back.

“Umm... you two going to eat?” Octavia asked, “It’s almost time to head to the train station.”

“You could always just continue the show if you want!” Vinyl chimed in, just to earn a hard cuff over her head.

Spitfire gave her an amused smile, “You got enough shows last time.”

“Hey, somethings are always better in real life,” Vinyl said with a grin.

“Got that right,” I added back, smiling as my hoof traveled down Spitfire's bandages and to her flank.

She squealed when I squeezed her cutie mark and looked at me with a glare that could curdle cheese. I didn’t care, it was yet another thing that would always be worth it in my book.

“Hey, it's my flank, so I’ll squeeze it when I want!” I smiled before leaning to her ear, “Besides, I know you love it when I treat your body right.”

“Don’t overdo it there,” she whispered, but smiled nonetheless, “Besides, you act like I don’t know how to treat your body.”

“Ow, ow, ow!” I complained as my wings tried to shoot back.

“You deserved that one,” Vinyl said with a grin.

“Yeah, yeah,” I stated with a grin. Notably, I didn’t move my hoof. Nor did Spitfire try and push it away. But I also noticed that she didn’t flinch in pain with my hoof squeezing her flank only ago, “Hey, why doesn't your wingboner hurt?!” I complained.

“Because I can behave after all those hard and wet lessons over our time together,” she breathed into my ear, causing me to yelp again.

“That’s not funny!” I growled as Octavia and Vinyl nearly tumbled over each other at laughing.

I grumbled as my wing muscles tried to settle down. My mind going to some rather unsexy places to reduce the effect quicker. Of course, thoughts of Granny Smith in a girdle had another impact on me, as I looked down at what was left of my food. It was unappealing to say the least.

I glanced over as Spitfire sat back up to finish hers, my eyes took in the movement of her fork, she was simply pushing the food from one side of the plate to the other, not really eating either, “Maybe we should just head out?” I asked.

She glanced up at me, then the clock, “Yeah, I guess we can go.”

“Nothing I say or do is going to cheer you up, is it?”

“Sorry, just…”

“Name it.”

“Stay by my side today?”

I chuckled a little as I got off the booth and made to stand to the side so she could get off, “You didn’t even have to ask.”

“You two have our best wishes,” Octavia stated.

“Yeah, sorry we can’t come along,” Vinyl replied.

“Hey, we get it, you two have done more than enough for us both, thank you for everything,” I said with a smile. I meant it, too. They had done so much just letting us stay with them that I don’t think I could ever fully repay that debt.

“Just invite us over if you ever get your own cloudhouse,” Vinyl winked while Octavia blushed at the pretty offensive innuendo.

“Count that as a promise,” I smiled.

Together, we thanked them one last time, even more so when Octavia offered to pay for our portion of the meal. As we left the dinner, we walked coat to coat together down the street and to the train station. We were getting some rather awkward looks as we did so, but I suspected it was more from our bandages than because they recognized us.

Not that it was true for everypony. When we were about half way there, a little filly ran up with a pen and paper in her mouth, asking for our autographs. Spitfire smiled wholeheartedly and signed the paper quickly. What surprised me the most, the filly insisted that I would sign, too.

After we had that settled, we continued walking together. That is until Spitfire paused and looked at me with a strange look on her muzzle, “Dash, what’s wrong?”

I was taken by surprise at the question, “Nothing, what do you mean?”

“You’re… fidgeting a lot,” she stated.

“I am?” I asked.

“Yeah, when we’ve been walking I feel your muscles contracting under your skin.”

I paused, confused why I was doing that without being aware of it. That’s when it hit me, “Oh… yeah, I know why.”

“Why?”

“I’m trying to put my wing around you.”

At those words, she nuzzled into my coat, her muzzle pressing up against mine, “Celestia, how do I love you.”

“Strap-on’s work well,” I replied with a grin.

She pulled back and chuckled, “You’re one in a million, Dash.”

If anything, from that moment on, we walked even closer. I could feel it though, my body trying to place my wing around her. It was happening on reflex, almost like it was always meant to be there. Far too soon for my liking, but not soon enough, we arrived. As we approached, we both tensed up at the sight before us. There was a full row of ponies with notebooks and cameras around their neck, waiting. Spitfire and I looked at each other, no need to guess for who they were waiting for.

Never before in my life had I missed flying that much. And I’d missed it every single day I hadn’t been able to do it. I wanted to simply zoom right by them, leaving them with nothing more than a rainbow blur in my wake. A lucky one, a REALLY REALLY lucky one, might be able to get a photo of me as I passed by, but none of them would be able to talk to me, or Spitfire for that matter.

Sadly, that was an option denied to both of us. We were stuck, stuck on our hooves. Our wings were, quite literally, tied behind our backs. We had no disguises, no nothing.

“You ready for this?” Spitfire asked.

“Actually, I think I hear a fully-grown dragon over that way,” I replied, gesturing with my hooves over in the opposite direction, “Let’s go deal with that first.”

She smiled and kissed me. Yes, kissed me in front of everypony, “Let’s get this over with.”

I groaned as she lead the way through the press of bodies. It wasn’t real, not in any sense of it having actually happened, but it was like I could feel her wing wrapped over me. As if just being close to her was supporting and protecting me.

It didn’t help that I couldn’t see a bucking thing. After the eighth time a camera flash went off right in my face, I simply closed my eyes and pressed harder against her coat. Trusting that Spitfire would lead me safely to the train cab.

She did, all the time I heard some humming, just to recognize that it was Spitfire. Truth be told, her voice calmed my own non-existent nerves, providing me the strength to just walk on with her.

She told me afterwards, once we got on the train, that it had been me keeping her going. I’m not sure if I believed that, though.

However, before we made it to the train, Spitfire stopped. I opened my eyes to see what was going on, just to see our way blocked by a white mare with a brown mane and a notebook in her magic grip. She asked Spitfire questions, questions I didn’t want to hear, or didn’t care. I don’t know, but I ignored it. Not really wanting to know what they were saying, and wishing she hadn’t stopped like that.

“All aboard to Canterlot!” the conductor shouted, releasing us from the pain of the newsponies.

“Let’s go!” I said, my first two words since we arrived, and started pushing her onboard. She came along, albeit reluctantly. Something that took me aback, as I had no clue why she’d want to talk to that mare so much.

The conductor quickly blocked the path of the crowd, ensuring that they could not follow us onboard. When I got on, the first thing I noticed was just how empty it was inside. The egghead would call it a display in contrasts, or something like that, going from an overly crowded location to one with almost no ponies whatsoever.

I didn’t know anything about that. Me? I was just eternally grateful to be out of that crowd. Flying above a cheering crowd of a few thousand ponies was one thing, but being caught in them was a completely different thing. Especially when their goal seemed to be to blind me with camera flashes.

The blinding light in the windows served to remind me that ‘that’ wasn’t quite over with. I ran to each one and yanked them down, taking a little pleasure in the obvious disappointment that the ponies outside displayed from my actions.

“Take a seat, Rainbow,” Spitfire said, gesturing to the spot next to her with a hoof.

I looked over, seeing that the crowd was trying to switch sides of the car, but not knowing if they’d get there before the train started up or not. Something told me they wouldn’t, something a little darker wished they’d try by crossing in front of the trian, preferably when it started moving.

I shook that off and walked over to the bench Spitfire was occupying, “Shame we can’t just fly there, could’a skipped all this hastle.”

“I know. But,” she stopped.

“But what?”

“The mare that stopped us,” she stocked, and I could see a tear falling down her muzzle, “She said I was only with you to take advantage of you being best friends with Celestia's protege, and your status as a Protector of Equestria. She said such bad things!”

I looked at her with a deadpan expression on my face before I realized something heartbreaking. That wasn’t a bad joke. I quickly embraced her, nuzzling deeply into her fur. While someponies say that I never opened up, never exposed my true emotions of hurt, those who say that didn’t know Spitfire. If me opening up was once in a blue moon, her opening up was once in a century moon, or whatever is rarer than blue moons. It was a more than rare occasion to see her open like that, but it wasn’t a moment I welcomed. I nuzzled and kissed her coat, trying to get the tears away.

“Don’t believe such crap! I love you, my sweet Firefly, and nothing will ever change that!” I whispered gently.

She continued to sob, pressing her muzzle deeply into my coat while I simply held her tight.

“Shh, everything's alright. I’m here for you. I’m here,” I cooed softly.

“Never leave me!” she sobbed.

“I won’t! I already promised you that several times, and I tend to keep this forever,” I replied with a smile, and she looked up with wide, tear stained and red eyes.

She’s adorable. Even like this.

She sniffed before wiping her tears away with a hoof and settling down, leaning against my coat, “Thank you. I really needed this,” she whispered.

“Everything for the mare I love more than anything else in this world,” I smiled, gently nuzzling her mane.

She hugged me again. It was then I realized that the train had started moving forward. I have no idea how I missed it, but I had. We had. We were on our way to whatever fate waited for us. And as much as I hate to admit it, even to myself, even to her, I was somewhat nervous about what was to come.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’d still meet it head on and buck it square in the face, but…

“Hey, I’m supposed to be the nervous one,” Spitfire said as she ran a hoof down the side of my face. I blinked twice, realizing I spaced out there for a minute or two, or ten.

“I’m not nervous,” I said with a chuckle.

“Dash, it’s okay to be nervous, it’s okay to be scared, to be afraid every once in awhile.”

“But I…”

“That’s what it means to have someone there for you, you don’t have to do it all on your own anymore. I know you, you can carry the world on your shoulders, but now you don’t have to. Let me carry some of that burden for you. Don’t worry about holding it in, because I can catch what you lose.”

“When did you get so soft?” I asked, more defensively than I had meant to.

She ran a hoof down my face and I broke down. A tear fell from my eye, then another, and then another. Soon, they were coming all in a flood.

“We both did,” she whispered as she held me tight to her coat.

“I don’t… I don’t… I don’t want to lose you!” I sobbed. I sobbed like a filly, and at that one moment, I didn’t care that I did.

It was a first for me, I truly didn’t care that I was sobbing like a filly.

She pressed my head against her chest and hummed. I could feel the vibrations through her chest, it calmed me, almost like my mother used to do when I had a bad day.

It was a strange experience, but one that I treasured. Especially with her.

“Like you said, everything will be fine,” she said, “Everything will turn out great, and we get our lives back; even better! From after court on, I can cherish our relationship officially and however I want to.”

“I already cherish our relationship,” I sobbed.

“I know that, and I do that, too. What I mean is officially. I can just kiss you during training, go out with you eating, holding hooves, hay, even wrap you in my wings!” she grinned.

“I’d… I’d like that…”

“Oh, the great Rainbow Dash not afraid to be seen as a softy?”

“They can talk all they want, only one pony has the skills to back it up,” I said back, grinning as she kept holding me.

“Damn right,” Spitfire cooed back.

I giggled at that, “I really rub off on you. And I mean like really rubbing off at you,” I breathed out playfully.

“You can’t stop with those innuendos, can you?” she asked me with a smile.

“Innuendos?” I asked.

“Sexual references.”

“Ah, don’t talk eggheadish to me,” I chuckled.

“Why do you do that all the time? Make those jokes?”

“Who’s joking?” I asked as I pulled away.

“Wait…”

“I’m not joking one bit, I love you. I love everything about you. That means yes, I want to fuck you as much and as often as I can.”

I watched as she laughed a bit, thinking I was telling some big joke. She stopped when she saw I wasn’t laughing back, “I absolutely refuse to apologize for wanting to make love with my marefriend, so if you’re looking for one, don’t hold your breath.”

“But…. I mean, we’re not tenageers anymore.”

“So?” I asked, “What’s age got to do with loving somepony?”

“But… I mean, others mi--”

“What’s others got to do with me loving you?” I cut her off.

“Rainbow, we can’t do that all day,” she hesitantly started.

“Doing what?”

“Acting like mares in heat! We have work, friends, everything! It’s not all about fucking each other!”

“I know that,” I frowned.

“What?!”

“Firefly. I’m not doing this to get you out of your coat or anything like that. It is simply a part of our love for each other! I love you more than everything else in this world, and I also think you are the hottest mare. Why do you think I can’t keep my hooves off of you?” my voice was silent.

I could see she was speechless at that, her brain trying to comprehend what I was saying versus what she knew, what others told her was right, “Like I said, I don’t care what others think, I love you, and I’ll express that love until they lock me up and throw away the key. If they have a problem, that’s their issue, not ours.”

“Just that simple, huh?” she asked with a deadpan expression on her face.

“Why not?” I replied, smiling.

“Well, if we do something illegal, we might get thrown in jail for starters.”

“Since when is it illegal if I want to love my marefriend?” I asked her, “You are making things more difficult than they have to be and you know it! Why are you so defensive against it?”

“Because… I mean…. well…”

“It’s not what you're expected to do?”

“Well… somewhat…”

“Like dating a subordinate, or getting put on trial?”

“Now you’re just being mean.”

“The point is, we’ve both done things we were expected to do. So yes, I’m going to make sexual ‘innuandos’ or whatever they’re called when we're in public, and whenever the chance comes up, I’m going to hit that toned flank, because I love you, and I’ll be Celestia damned the day I let somepony else tell me I can’t express that love.”

“You really mean that, don’t you?” she asked silently.

“Why wouldn’t I?” I asked her before the light went on in my head, “You never had a full relationship before me, just one-night-stands, and now you’re afraid of it!”

She went completely silent and blushed, trying to avoid my gaze. I cupped her cheeks and turned her back to me, catching her in a long kiss.

“Just try it, Spitfire. For me, for our relationship, just for us!” I breathed out as we broke.

“Why do I feel as giddy as a school filly that just found her clitoris?”

“Clotrou-what?” I asked.

She laughed, “I think it’ll be better if I show you.”

Sadly, fate itself had other ideas as at that moment, the train started to come to a stop, revealing a very familiar backdrop to me, “Ahh, dammit, we were about to have sex, weren't we?”

“Yep,” she sounded disappointed.

“After?” I asked with a grin.

“You bet your sweet flank.”

“So everything’s better now?” I asked her.

“I guess.”

“No more hiding, no more avoiding, just me, you, our relationship, and everything that belongs to it?” I kept digging.

“Promised,” she said before pressing her lips against mine.

It was a short kiss, but she added a new heat to it as she nibbled on my lips while pulling away, making me shudder. The vixen grinned and pulled away, almost as if she wanted me, dared me to follow her. I grinned and got up, walking after her. As I got closer, she increased her speed, her walk became a trot, then a run, and at last a gallop as I chased her out the door of the train car and down the streets of Canterlot.

There were a few reporters waiting for us, but nowhere near as many as in Manehattan; one of the benefits of being the capital of Equestria. Canterlot often has more important news to report other than a Wonderbolt captain's sexual partners.

The few we did run past were left in the dust by us both.

Spitfire giggled as I chased after her through the train station and down a long street. I knew that she didn’t want to escape, but even if she wanted, I knew she wouldn’t make it. She was a flier and a good Wonderbolt. Sure, she also got the benefits of some ground training, but not even close to what I was used to in Ponyville. My own trainings, the iron pony competition and the running of the leaves made me quite the good runner for a pegasus.

However, the race did not end with me catching her, although that is exactly what would have happened. Rather, the race ended when my thoughts of Ponyville turned my eyes in that direction and I saw the town I had left all those months ago.

Spitfire giggled a little before looking back, seeing me paused in the middle of the street, looking, not at her, but at the town in the distance, “What’s wrong?” she asked between deep breaths and chuckles.

“I miss Ponyville and my friends. On our free weekend, I sacrificed the visit there for our fun at the club,” I said quietly, and her expression frowned, “Hey, I’m not saying I regret anything! I just miss them,” I quickly continued.

“Well… after this is over, do you want to go back, you know, together? I mean, we don’t have to, I don’t know if you want to introduce me to your friends or not, but…”

“I’d love to,” I said with a grin, “Although, hopefully, you’ll meet one pretty soon.”

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing, nothing,” I replied with a giggle.

She cocked an eyebrow at me as I walked past her, smiling like a filly that knew she just aced a test, “C’mon, slowpoke, the courthouse is right up the street.”

She followed me down the street and up the stairs. I did my best to face away from her, not wanting her to see my grin.

“How do you know where the courthouse is, anyways?” she asked me as she followed me.

“Uhh, it was described in the letter,” I tried to improvise.

“Really? I must’ve skipped that then,” she mumbled.

In truth, I had no idea how I knew, I just knew. Much the same as I knew the layout of Manehattan, I knew the layout of Canterlot. Still, such an explanation would only confuse us both, so I came up with the small lie and was happy she bought it.

“Miss Rainbow Dash, Captain Spitfire,” A pony at the top of the courthouse asked.

“Don’t call me miss,” I growled.

“That’s us,” Spitfire stated.

“You’re almost late,” the unicorn stallion stated.

“Well, yeah, tell that to the news ponies who blocked us in Manehattan,” I scowled at him.

He ignored my testy attitude and simply addressed Spitfire, “Come with me, the courtroom is waiting on you two.”

Spitfire then did something I never expected. She simply stayed there and glared at the unicorn, “You don’t have to ignore my marefriend. You can address her like the proud mare she is, and she is here right at my side,” she said.

He looked at her, almost as if to ask if she were being serious or not. When it became apparent that Spitfire was in fact serous, he turned and addressed me, “Mi-- Rainbow Dash, follow me to the courtroom.”

“Please?” I tacked on for good measure, enjoying his moment of surrealness.

“Please, follow me to the courtroom.”

I nodded and let him lead the way, the shit-eating grin on my face telling everypony I passed about the sort of day I was having at those words.

Spitfire quickly took her spot by my side, a spot I was more than happy to dictate was just for her and nopony else, ever. Together, we took the final steps into the courtroom, the stallion forced to hold the door open as us two ‘refined mares’ walked in with our heads held high.

What I saw inside made my smile light up tenfold.

It was courtroom in every sense of the world. And due to the fact that we were two Wonderbolts, including the captain, and a Protector of Equestria, it was jammed packed. Someponies were smiling at us, some were simply happy to catch sight of us, some were annoyed that we were ‘late’ or whatever. I didn’t care about any of them.

The prosecutors, or whatever they were called, were at a desk up front, two ponies I’d never met before, but judging by their cutie marks, their special talent was in law, something I pittied them for.

The ‘judge’ was a surprise, even for me. Princess Celestia was sitting in as acting judge for the ‘trial’ I guess, I wasn’t quite sure what it was to be honest. But even if that came as a surprise, that wasn’t what made me smile.

What made me smile was the sight of my friend, Twilight Sparkle, sitting at the defence table. My other four friends were directly behind her, no doubt in support of me, and they were all staring at me with big grins on their faces, too.

Although Twilight’s was a little different than theirs, hers was the same as the day we fought off Nightmare Moon. The grin she had when she knew she was right, or in this case, when she knew she was going to win.

Yes, it would be quite a wonderful day.

Author's Notes:

There you go.
That leaves Chapter ten and the epilogue