The party got started in the Library later that afternoon. It seemed that most of the town showed up for it, surprising Coaldust. He was assured that this was normal for one of Pinkie Pie’s parties. The only ponies from lunch that did not show to the party were Granny Smith (fell asleep), Fluttershy (Oh my! I would, but the kitten…), and Big Mac. The red stallion had gruffly begged off when reminded about the party, saying something about minding the Crusaders.

By the time they reached the tree, the thudding bass of the dance music could be heard quite clearly. Twilight smiled wanly at the dark coated stallion, and braced herself before opening the door. The aural assault almost knocked the ponies on their haunches, which seemed to amuse Pinkie to no end. The music was turned down low enough for the party pony to announce, “Let’s welcome Coaldust to Ponyville, every pony!” The welcoming cheer was quickly covered by the music being turned back up.

Twilight lead Coaldust to a cushion, then lifted two cups of punch over to them. Initially she tried to engage him in a conversation over the philosophy he had read, but quickly realized that shouting over the music was no way to carry on such a discussion. She instead started pointing out ponies she knew, and making observations about them.

She was not his only companion through the party, either. From time to time some she would switch out with one of her friends, leaving him in their capable hooves. When they weren’t sitting with him, the mares he had met would bring friends over to meet him. Rarity, in particular, spent more time winnowing through the amassed town to find business opportunities for him, when she wasn’t pestering him about letting her ‘do something’ about his mane and tail.

Pinkie Pie, as promised, was adamant about stuffing him with various goodies. She also bounced around the party with more energy than a foal hopped up on sugar, which he found tiring to watch. Coaldust could certainly see why she was the go-to mare for parties!

Though he couldn’t join in the dancing, he did see his new friends enjoying themselves on the dance floor. Even Spike was out having fun, wearing a lampshade and a silly grin. Eventually, as with all good things, the party slowly wound to an end. As ponies streamed out the door, he went and found the hostess. “Pinkie, thank you for the party. I really do appreciate what you did.”

Pinkie Pie wore a huge smile as she bounced in place. “You’re welcome Dusty! Didja really like it? Didjadidjadidja?”

“Yup. Good friends, good food… what wasn’t there to like?” Seeing three of the other four mares walking up behind Pinkie, he transferred his smile to the rest of them as well. “Thank ya all very much.”

“I guess this makes you an official part of Ponyville,” commented Twilight with a smile. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“Indeed, Coaldust. I’m glad I was able to help with your business venture.” Rarity’s smile turned playfully calculating, “Of course, if you ever change your mind on your mane….”

Coaldust chuckled, “I know exactly where to go.” Looking around, he couldn’t find the blue pegasus that had been regaling him with her exploits. “Rainbow’s not going to say goodbye?”

Pinkie Pie giggled and bounced even more. “Nope, but that’s okay. She’s passed out and Twilight’s going to pour her into bed, like always.” That earned a laugh from them all.

“Ladies, it’s been a pleasure… but I need to git. It’s a long walk back to the mine. Good night.” With a last smile and a nod to the herd of mares, he stepped out the door. The last thing he heard before the door closed was Pinkie’s voice.

“Hey! Maybe we could have an After-Welcome Party Party for him tomorrow!”

Laughter, nothing but laughter surrounded her. She had failed, again, and they were laughing. They always laughed. They didn’t understand, they couldn’t. No one could. Standing once more, she shook herself. Gathering her will she took flight again, soaring up into the clouds. Up here, she couldn’t hear them. The sky was her realm, here she was untouchable.

Success, that was all that mattered. Success, that would bring her daddy back into her life. Growing up he was rarely around, gone on one errand or another. Her mother never told her what he did, only that it was important. Her mother encouraged her gifts, pushed her towards her goals. It was because of her daddy that she pushed herself to be the best, but it was her mother that allowed her to believe it was possible.

She needed to be special, to succeed. If she wasn’t special… she didn’t want to think about it. Starting the intricate pattern once more, she bobbed and weaved through the clouds. With careful precision she caused vortexes and whorls to appear and disappear, almost at whim. Higher and higher she flew, third cloud height, fourth cloud height, fifth… finally reaching apogee and stalling out. She hung in the sky, momentarily motionless, Celestia’s sun streaming through her mane.

Arching her back, she rolled into a dive. Pushing herself once more, she beat her wings mercilessly. Speed, more speed. That’s what she needed, what she craved. No one could understand that, could feel what she could feel. As she accelerated, she could feel the air pushing back against her. The elastic resistance almost starting to glow before her. Focusing on one, small point. Her eyes squinting, she pushed herself faster….

With a loud bang she was through. Glancing back as she pulled out of her dive, she saw the rainbow shock-wave, her signature. With a fierce exultation, she finished the rest of her planned routine. There were no laughs now.

Gliding to a rest, she sat on her favorite overlook. Daddy was sure to come now. No one else could do that. It was special. She was special.

Light became a dark, inky blackness. Her head and wings drooped. He didn’t come, he never came, she wasn’t special. She never would be, that’s why the Wonderbolts never noticed, why her daddy never noticed.

“You’re special to me,” a deep voice from behind her said. Looking over her shoulder, she got the impression of another pony. Familiar, but yet not recognizable, other than it was a stallion.

She was gathered into a hug, and she returned it. Here, here was some pony who saw her for what she was. Some pony that didn’t need to see the brave face and Nightmare Moon-may-care attitude she always projected. Some pony that could let her drop her brave act.

Her muzzle turned instinctively towards his. This is what she needed, he knew it and was willing to show her he cared about her, not her image. Their kiss did not stay innocent for very long.

Lips meeting, they quickly opened, tongues invading mouths as each sought to taste of the other first. His larger tongue fencing with hers playfully, twining and trapping, then releasing to retreat. Her tongue followed his, mirroring his actions.

Their heads pulled back at the same time, then his dove in again. Flat teeth nipped along the length of her neck, his velvet soft nose soothing afterwards. Her body shivered in response, her breath catching in her throat. With careful pressure, he pushed her onto her back. As she moved, he never let up on his gentle attack on her neck and throat.

His hooves lead the way down her body, his muzzle, teeth, and tongue following. His passage along her belly, normally extremely ticklish, instead elicited groans of pleasure.

As his hooves passed her her udders, they paused to tease her. Electric shocks, more pleasurable than any adrenaline rush she gave herself, coursed through her body. For the first time, a moan passed her lips, and she didn’t mind in the least. She was his, and glad of it.

A few more moments of pleasure, and his hooves moved down to cup her flanks. Her voice raised in a disappointed whimper, which was quickly stifled as his muzzle dropped down onto one of the udders. With extreme care and precision, the teat was sucked into his muzzle and trapped by his teeth. Rapidly, very rapidly, his tongue played across the tip. Her back arched in response, trying to force more pleasure out of the moment, and more of her udder into his mouth.

He chuckled, just as deep as his voice as he switched to the other teat to repeat the performance. Unbid, her body responded again. He then switched once more, then again… back and forth, moving faster and faster.

The waves of pleasure built slowly, much slower than when she teased herself. The pleasure was also very different, there was more to this than simple release. There was an emotional aspect. It was the action of someone who care, rather than a route to mere physical release.

The pleasure built, then stopped… and it stopped frustratingly short. It was almost as if no more could be built up, and he seemed to sense that. Slowing his motions, he eventually stopped. Again, she whimpered, she wanted the pleasure to continue. Yet he stopped, why?

The question was answered as she felt the broad, flat tongue of her partner boldly trace the cleft of her marehood. Once more, her body went rigid in pure shock at the pleasure. Never had she felt such, even with the experimenting that went on at school. The tongue traced the outer lips, gathering a slight taste of her essence. It paused at the top of its upwards swing, swirling around the small ridge of flesh that so electrified her body. It then teased down one side, and up the other, stopping to circle the ridge once more.

Another loop, then a reverse trace to the bottom where the tongue had originally started. She then felt the tongue push into her, and sweep upwards, gathering more of her essence. It then pressed deeper still, eliciting a loud moan which she stifled by the simple expedience of stuffing her hoof into her mouth. The tongue withdrew, then pushed into her once again.

He kept that pattern up, speeding it up then slowing it down. Occasionally stopping to tease her ridge, then start in again. Her body gathered itself, the tension building with the pleasure, higher and higher. Her heart, her breathing, both were coming much faster. She knew this feeling, she knew she was close, all it would take is a little more….

Once more, he stopped, keeping her from reaching the crest. She cried out, her hooves reaching down, trying to force his muzzle back to what it was doing. Gently he kept her from reaching his muzzle, and instead coaxed her to stand. Using his muzzle to push her tail to the side, he laid a soft kiss on her marehood. She knew what was coming next.

A great weight rested suddenly on her back, and she could feel him shifting to align himself. Then the broad, spongy pressure on her most intimate opening, insistent yet comforting. With a shuddering sigh of anticipation, she let her body relax and allow him entrance.

Inch by agonizingly slow inch pressed its way into her, filling her both physically and in a way no pony had ever done. It was almost as if this most intimate act was filling a gaping hole in her heart. Finally, she felt him joined fully with her, and she felt the tears leaking from her eyes. Pleasure, not only of the body, but of the soul was all she felt.

As one, they started moving. The rhythm was the oldest one there is, the movement of stallion and mare. The lover’s beat.

For his part, he was masterful. He changed speed, angle, even depth almost in tune with what her body craved. Due to his earlier ministrations, she knew she would not last long. Indeed, she was nearing the crest once more.

He seemed to sense how close she was, and threw himself into the mating. His body slapping against hers in a frenzy, his breathing harsh in her ear. She could feel the flare starting to swell deep within her. He was close too.

Suddenly, she was there. The crash of her orgasm causing her to scream, her body trying to draw his seed from him. Moments later, she could hear his groan and could feel the jets from him as he sent his essence into her. A melding, the most intimate melding a pony could feel.

Then, it was over. They were both panting hard, and she could feel her legs and wings tremble. He withdrew from within her, and she could almost hear her body complain of the loss. It left her feeling less than complete. Together they laid where they had been standing, his body wrapped around hers. A loving embrace, a closeness she only remembered from the past.

Once again, she turned to kiss him. The playful jousting of before not being repeated, just the kiss of those that had little energy left. Pulling back to look at him, she saw ice blue eyes flare in the darkness.

“I lo….”

-----

With a gasp, Rainbow Dash sat up in the bed. Her heart beating loudly in her chest, her breathing loud and harsh. Looking about rapidly, she took in her surroundings. She was in Twilight’s room in the Library. The lavender mare had placed her in the spare bed, and was still sleeping in her own. Pre-dawn light streamed in through the window, filling the room with a gentle glow.

A dream, she thought as she lay back down. It was only a dream. Damn. Shifting to get comfortable, Rainbow tried to go back to sleep. Sleep, however, eluded her as she waited for dawn.