Chapter 18: Stunned at the Possibility

Applejack was now desperate to find Rainbow Dash to talk to her. She didn’t want it to wait until they met at the park, because she didn’t want the other ponies to know they had been arguing. All through Ponyville she ran, bumping into other ponies because she had her eyes trained on the skies. It surprised her, then, when she suddenly crashed into somepony and it turned out to be Rainbow Dash.

“Sorry…Rainbow Dash! Thank Celestia ah found ya! Ah really need to talk to ya.”

“Save it, Applejack,” Rainbow Dash said. “Don’t want to be seen talking to a cunt, would you?”

“Actually, it’s that ah want to talk about. Rainbow Dash, I’m really sorry―”

“Sorry? Sorry? You don’t just get to say those things and then say you’re sorry! They really hurt, Applejack,” Rainbow Dash said, trying not to shed a tear but failing to keep one in. Applejack sighed and shook her head.

“Look, RD, what ya did to me was terrible, but―”

“You didn’t even let me explain myself!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “You just jumped to conclusions instead of hearing me out.”

“Well, it seemed pretty obvious where it was goin’…” Applejack said lamely.

“Maybe to you, farm mare, but all you had to do was hear me out. Well, it’s too late now.” Rainbow Dash spread her wings as if she was ready to take off.

“Wait, Rainbow Dash!” Applejack said. “Okay, ah overreacted and ah’m sorry! Look, ah know you wasn’t just usin’ me fer sex, and ah know yer confused.”

“Really?” Rainbow Dash asked. “And what drew you to that conclusion?”

“Ah reckon mah own feelings did that,” Applejack said. “Not too long ago, ah wasn’t sure if I were a filly fooler, so ah can’t really blame ya fer bein’ confused. But…why did ya say ya love me only to take it back?”

“You already said it. I’m really confused. I think maybe we should slow things down and really think about what we’re doing here.”

“Oh, great, ah don’t believe it…” Applejack said.

“Believe what?” Rainbow Dash asked, throwing her hooves up into the air.

“Yer breakin’ up with me!” Applejack shouted.

“Do you hear yourself?” Rainbow Dash asked, putting her head in her hooves and shaking her head. “You’re jumping to conclusions all over again!”

“Am not,” Applejack said. “That’s the way it always goes. ‘Sorry, but we really need to see other ponies.’ ‘It ain’t you, it’s me.’ ‘There’ll be other fish in the sea.’ Ah know the drill.”

“What did you, read one of Twilight’s sappy romance novels?” Rainbow Dash asked. “That’s not what this is at all. I’m just saying if you’re that upset over the sex, then the sex can wait. We can still go on dates, cuddle, whatever girly thing you like to do.”

“RD, we both know I ain’t the definition of girly.”

“Yeah, but you’re no tomboy like me.”

“And how do ya reckon?”

“Great, we’re going off track,” Rainbow Dash said. “The point is we can still date. Just take all the dirty stuff out of it.”

“Come now, RD, it wasn’t all that bad,” Applejack said. “Ah got really confused about the sex, but that don’t mean it wasn’t still great.”

“Well, you have a point there,” Rainbow Dash said, her mind involuntarily jumping to an image of her rutting Applejack silly. What is wrong with me? she asked herself.

“Well, so do you, RD,” Applejack said. “Perhaps it is best fer us to cool it. It might clear things up fer us.”

“I hope so,” Rainbow Dash said. “So…marefriends?”

“Marefriends,” Applejack said, and the two of them hugged and pecked each other on the lips, each of them feeling relieved.

At that point, as much as they wanted to spend more time together, Applejack regretfully admitted she had things to do, but that they would see each other at the park later that day. So Rainbow Dash flew off and left Applejack to her errands. She did a few victory loops in the sky to release the energy that had fed into her system. She had turned something horrible completely around overnight, somehow, and the results made her elated. But once that elation began to wear off, something more sinister and foreboding took its place.

You still don’t love her, a horrible voice told Rainbow Dash in her own head.

What the hell are you? Rainbow Dash asked the voice.

I’m you, just a different side of you, the voice replied.

Well, what do you mean I don’t love her? Rainbow Dash asked.

I mean exactly what you think I mean. It’s not that complicated.

So? We made up just now. Everything’s okay again.

Maybe for now, but what happens when you realize that slowing down the sex will only make you two grow apart?

That’s a terrible thing to say!

But you know it’s true. How can intimacy be deepened when you cut it off.

There’s more to intimacy than just sex, you know.

Right, of course. But what about your physical needs, Rainbow Dash? Who’s going to satisfy them for you?

Dear Celestia, you’re a pig. But I guess I could always pleasure myself…

Can you really, when you once had somepony else doing it for you? You know you can’t possibly match the elation another pony can give you.

Why can’t you just leave me alone? Rainbow Dash asked the voice.

Didn’t I tell you? I am you. How can you leave yourself alone? It was then that Rainbow Dash saw Pinkie Pie bouncing down the street. She’d been running into Pinkie Pie a lot lately, but now was definitely an inopportune time to speak to her. Unfortunately, Pinkie Pie looked up and saw Rainbow Dash, so the pegasus had no choice but to say hi to her. She swooped down to the ground and, surprisingly, Pinkie Pie gave her a hug.

“I just finished talking to Applejack,” Pinkie Pie said. “I didn’t know you two were fighting. Is everything okay?”

“We worked it out,” Rainbow Dash said. “Didn’t Applejack tell you?”

“Oh, I guess she did. I must have forgotten!” Pinkie Pie laughed, and in her laugh she snorted a little. Rainbow Dash found it almost unbearably adorable. Snap out of it! she told herself.

“Why did Applejack even tell you we were fighting?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I don’t know,” Pinkie Pie said. “Why would you two be fighting in the first place?”

“It’s complicated,” Rainbow Dash said, which meant that she didn’t feel like mustering up the energy to answer.

“Oh, I get it,” Pinkie Pie said. “Too deep for bouncy, happy Pinkie Pie to understand. Yep, don’t tell her anything, because she’s not mature enough to handle it.”

“Where is that coming from?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Applejack wouldn’t explain what you were fighting about either. It’s almost like you don’t think I’d understand.”

“I never said that,” Rainbow Dash said. “To be honest, I just didn’t feel like talking about it. I don’t think you’re immature, Pinkie Pie. Random, yes, but not immature. Would a mature pony know better than to try to prank Fluttershy? You taught me that you have to take other ponies’ feelings into consideration, and it really helped me say no to Gilda when she was bullying you.”

“Oh,” Pinkie Pie said sheepishly. “I’m sorry. Guess I just kind of assumed…”

“It’s okay, Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Well, Dashie, I’ve gotta run, but it was nice bumping into you. See you later!” Pinkie Pie bounced away exuberantly, doing an about-face from her brief moment of melancholy. Rainbow Dash shook her head and smiled before taking back to the skies.

***

“Fluttershy?” asked a brown unicorn wearing spectacles and levitating a clipboard and quill in front of him. His cutie mark was of an opened book, which signified that he was always expanding on his knowledge.

“Um…hi,” Fluttershy whispered so inaudibly that the unicorn didn’t hear her.

“Fluttershy?” he asked again. Fluttershy got up from her seat in the waiting room and trotted hesitantly over to the unicorn.

“Are you Fluttershy?” he asked. Fluttershy nodded slightly.

“I see,” said the unicorn. “Hello, Fluttershy, my name is Doctor Shrink. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Doctor Shrink offered his hoof. Fluttershy looked at it and shook it quickly before withdrawing her hoof timidly.

“Please come in,” Doctor Shrink said, offering Fluttershy access to his office. Fluttershy hesitantly entered the office and took a seat on the couch. Doctor Shrink followed her inside, slowly shut the door, and sat in what appeared to be a comfortable armchair. Fluttershy liked the soothing quality of his voice as he spoke with her.

“Now, since this is your first time here, Fluttershy, I would like to get to know you. Maybe we can start with where you grew up. It might seem like I’m grilling you and that this is more of an interview than an actual session, but I promise it will be the only time it feels that way. Is that all right with you?” Fluttershy shied away, looking confused.

“Is something wrong, Fluttershy?” the doctor asked. Fluttershy nodded.

“Aren’t…” she said, “aren’t you going to make me lie down?”

“Only if you want to, Fluttershy,” Doctor Shrink said.

“I think I’d feel better if I lied down,” Fluttershy said.

“Suit yourself,” said the doctor. Fluttershy lowered her back onto the couch and sighed contently. This felt a lot more comfortable and a lot like she imagined a therapy session would feel like.

“Now,” said Doctor Shrink, scribbling something on the parchment he had on his clipboard, “where are you from?”

“Cloudsdale,” Fluttershy said. Doctor Shrink’s voice was slowly getting her to relax, so she was able to speak up a little louder, but Doctor Shrink still had to strain his ears to hear her.

“Ah, I see. Mighty strong population of pegasi in Cloudsdale, isn’t there?”

“Well, they’re the only ones who can even stand on clouds without magic,” Fluttershy said.

“Naturally,” said the doctor. “So what was it like growing up in your household? Did you live with your parents or some other relatives?”

“I lived with my mother and father,” Fluttershy said, her squirming stomach muting her voice. Doctor Shrink wrote some more notes.

“Would you care to tell me more about them?” he asked.

“I’d rather not right now, if that’s okay with you,” Fluttershy said.

“Of course it’s all right with me. This is your session, Fluttershy, not mine,” the doctor said. Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief, which Doctor Shrink noted.

“So, is there anything else about Cloudsdale you want to tell me about? How about the flight school? I understand that most young pegasi living there attend.”

“I went, but I wasn’t a very good flier,” Fluttershy said, feeling more comfortable with this line of questioning ever since she had helped the other pegasi of Ponyville raise water to Cloudsdale. Her flying abilities, while still meager, were not the source of embarrassment they once were.

“I see. I imagine that must have been a source of amusement for the other pegasi. Foals can be cruel at such a young age. I know the pupils of the unicorn school that I attended were pretty hard on those who struggled with learning magic.”

“Well…the other pegasi did make fun of me,” Fluttershy said. “They used to chant ‘Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly,’ over and over again…”

“Did they? That’s terrible,” Doctor Shrink said. “I’m sorry they did that to you.”

“Oh, it wasn’t really anything. They were just being honest.”

“Still, it was wrong of them to taunt you like that. You didn’t deserve to be treated like that.”

“Really, it’s okay,” Fluttershy said. “It’s not a big deal now.” Doctor Shrink didn’t believe her, but he wrote down some notes and decided to move on.

“Did you have any friends at flight school,” Doctor Shrink asked, “or did they all treat you poorly?”

“I had one friend. I still do, actually,” Fluttershy explained. “Her name is Rainbow Dash.”

“I think I’ve heard of her,” Doctor Shrink said. “Doesn’t she head the weather patrol here in Ponyville?”

“She does,” Fluttershy said, “although her dream is to be a member of the Wonderbolts.”

“That’s a tall order,” Doctor Shrink said. “Only the best of the best flyers are even considered for a slot on the team.

“I know,” Fluttershy said, “but Rainbow Dash could do it. She won the Junior Flyer’s competition a year ago.”

“Did she?” the doctor asked. “That is impressive. So I take it you’re close friends.”

“Absolutely,” Fluttershy said. “She’s like a sister to me.”

“That’s great to hear,” Doctor Shrink said. “Was there anyone else close to you?”

“Not really, no…” Fluttershy said. Doctor Shrink nodded and wrote down a few more notes.

“Well, how about now?” he asked. “What do you do now?”

“I’m an animal caretaker. It’s wonderful, actually. I remember the day I got my cutie mark. I had fallen to the ground only to be saved by butterflies. That was the first time I had ever explored below the cloud line, and I met so many wonderful creatures that I burst into song. Now I take care of creatures every day, and I cannot think of a more fulfilling career.”

“That’s very good,” the doctor said, writing down some more notes. This continued in this manner, with Doctor Shrink asking questions of Fluttershy’s background and Fluttershy answering those questions. What they revealed was that Fluttershy was very timid unless her friends were in danger and that when this occurred she somehow found a reserve of courage that was totally alien from her own personality. Doctor Shrink also reasoned that if he were to get anywhere with helping Fluttershy, he’d have to probe her about her parents, but that could wait till next time.

“Thank you very much for your time, Fluttershy. If you have it, I would appreciate a payment of one hundred bits for the session, but if you don’t have it on you at this moment, we can wait till next session for you to pay it.”

“Oh, sir, I have it now,” Fluttershy said, and out of her saddle pack she gave the doctor the hundred bits.

“Thank you, Fluttershy,” Doctor Shrink said. “You may go.”

***

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had braved the Everfree Forest and had followed Applebloom to Zecora’s hut. It was about time they straightened out what was going on between Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and apparently now, Pinkie Pie. Applebloom knocked politely on the door, and the zebra answered it.

“Applebloom, what a pleasant surprise! And are these your friends before my eyes?”

“Yep,” Applebloom said. “You remember Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, don’t ya? They come hear your story about Night Mare Moon every Nightmare Night.”

“Ah yes, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Now, what can I do for you?”

“We just have a few questions we thought you could answer for us,” Applebloom said.

“For questions, this far you chose to roam? Well, come in. Make yourselves at home.” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were understandably uncomfortable with Zecora’s exotic décor, but they filed into the hut after Applebloom and sat near her on the floor. Zecora sat across from them and smiled, which only made Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo more nervous.

“Relax, you two,” Applebloom said. “Zecora’s harmless.”

“Ah, Applebloom speaks the truth,” Zecora said. “But a little fear is normal for youth.”

“We’re not just afraid,” Scootaloo said with earnest. “We’re also confused and nervous about our questions.”

“These questions plague you like a disease. Tell me, what questions are these?”

“Well…” Sweetie Belle said after gulping nervously, “we…kind of sort of overheard Applejack and Rainbow Dash saying they were going out and we wanted to know if two fillies could even do such a thing. Plus we heard them talking about sex and we want to know what that is.” Sweetie Belle blushed a bright shade of red. Zecora looked dumbfounded but then chuckled.

“My little ponies, never fear,” she said. “To answer your questions, Zecora is here. Well, only the first question I’ll commit to tongue. To learn about sex, you are far too young.” The three fillies groaned in disappointment.

“But why can’t we learn about sex?” Scootaloo asked. “We’re big ponies.”

“Ponies, please forgive my rhyme, but you will learn all some other time. Now, about two dating mares, of this I will speak with utmost care. When two mares date, to some it must seem blasphemous and unjust. But in Zecora’s eye, I think it is all right. Who are we to judge with such great might? Some ponies will not have it that way, they feel it threatens them, or so they say. But love is love, and who are we to challenge its righteous decree?”

“But what kind of pony wouldn’t be okay with love?” Applebloom asked.

“What ponies still fear my very name? The ones that fear this love are the same. It is ignorance of the mind that makes them hateful and blind.”

“Gee, that’s terrible,” Applebloom said. “But why would mah big sis hide it from me? Ah mean, it is a little confusin’, but ah don’t really think it’s that bad now that ah’ve heard it.”

“Let your naïveté be tamed. Your sister Applejack is ashamed. Alas, I wish it weren’t so, but that’s the way these politics go. Were it up to me, we’d end all hate and learn to love and tolerate.”

“That’s really nice of you, Zecora,” Scootaloo said, “but I still think it’s a little weird. I mean, if two mares love each other, they can’t have any babies…right? I’ve never seen two mares raise a baby before.”

“Scootaloo, you have a knack for bringing the other question back. True, mares cannot copulate, but they can raise foals as well as any pony straight.”

“What does copulate mean?” Scootaloo whispered to Sweetie Belle.

“What do I look like, a dictionary?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Fillies, please calm down. I don’t want you riled up when you return to town.”

“You’re makin’ us leave already?” Applebloom asked.

“To this, I must heave a sigh. That’s not what I meant to imply.”

“Oh, good,” Applebloom said.

“However, should your questions still persist, I regrettably must resist. I’ve answered you as well as I can, now, would you care for some soup from my native clan?” Zecora pointed to a cauldron where a frothy liquid was boiling away. The goop was a pale green color and looked to be as thick as mud.

“Ah think we’ll pass,” Applebloom said. “Thanks anyway.”

“Oh, you’re welcome, I must tell,” Zecora said. “I guess it’s time to say farewell.”

“Goodbye, Zecora. And thank you!” Sweetie Belle said as the Cutie Mark Crusaders left the hut. Zecora chuckled at the precociousness and curiosity of fillies before returning to her soup.

***

“Spike, may I please have another quill?” Twilight asked, as she was busy working on an assignment.

“Huh?” Spike asked, distracted.

“A quill, Spike,” Twilight huffed. Spike groaned, rose out of his seat, and thrust the quill he procured at Twilight. Twilight sighed and lifted the quill with her magic.

“Couldn’t you have gotten that yourself?” Spike asked.

“That’s not the point, Spike,” Twilight said. “What I want to know is why you’ve been so grouchy today. Something must have happened last night, because yesterday afternoon you were really excited about your date and you told me it meant well. Now, you must obviously be lying, so―”

“Twilight, relax, will ya? I think I’m just tired.”

“Are you sure that’s all it is, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Spike said, though he had stammered a bit and his eyes had shifted as he had said it.

“You don’t look very sure,” Twilight said with curiosity and a deep sense of foreboding haunting her mind. “You look like you didn’t sleep at all last night.”

“Well…I didn’t,” Spike finally admitted.

“What kept you up then?” Twilight asked. “Was it the excitement of the date, or did it not go well.”

“I’ve told you already, the date went fine,” Spike said.

“Then what’s the problem?” Twilight asked.

“I…I don’t want to talk about it,” Spike said. Twilight groaned in frustration.

“Look, Spike, I can’t have my most important assistant slacking on the job and behaving so obstinately. You need to tell me what’s going on right now, or I’m going to assume the worst.”

“How much worse do you think it can get, Twilight?” Spike asked, though he instantly regretted his tone.

“What does that mean?” Twilight asked. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

“No, of course not,” Spike said, trying to correct his mistake. “I didn’t mean it.”

“Didn’t mean what?” Twilight asked.

“That things were bad. Things are pretty good here, I suppose…”

“Again, you don’t sound convinced,” Twilight said sternly.

“Well, you’re just gonna have to believe it anyway. I’m fine!” A small flare escaped from Spike’s nostrils, and he instantly covered his nose out of fear.

“You’re really getting worked up, aren’t you?” Twilight asked, her anger subsiding to a more sympathetic emotion. “Hold still,” Twilight said, and she approached Spike cautiously and placed her ear on his chest to listen to his heartbeat. As she expected, Spike’s heart was rocketing. Something had definitely gone wrong last night, but for the life of her, Twilight couldn’t find out what it was.

“Look, Spike, I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m just worried about you and I want to know what’s going on in your life, and it frustrates me to no end when you refuse to tell me.”

“Friends can still have their own privacy, you know,” Spike said.

“I suppose that’s true,” Twilight admitted, “unless that privacy gets in the way of the friendship. You’ve been quite ornery today, and it’s difficult to deal with you when you’re like that, so I really wish you would stop.” Twilight thought she could see a shimmer in Spike’s eye, but when she blinked it was gone. It might have been the angle of the sun on the window, but she thought she had heard a sniffle when she had blinked. Shrugging it off, Twilight listened to her friend.

“I’ll try to feel better, Twilight, but there are no guarantees. I guess I’m just kind of in a funk.” Twilight gave up trying to investigate any further, so she conceded to Spike and decided to return to her studies.

***

“So, my dear sister Luna,” Celestia said, cuddling with her sister in her bed and kissing her on the cheek, “what do you think about where this is all going?”

“Oh, I think many things, dear sister,” Luna said, “but I’m not about to tell you. I’m trying to keep my decency, after all!”

“Nonsense, Luna. We’re sisters. We tell each other everything.”

“Unless one of us is banished on the moon,” Luna said coldly.

“Luna,” Celestia said.

“I’m sorry,” Luna said. “I keep promising that I’ll stop bringing it up, but I always do.”

“Never mind that now, dear. We have more important things to discuss.”

“Like what?” Luna asked.

“Like sex, of course,” Celestia said. “Would you be interested?”

“That depends,” Luna said, “on the kind of sex. Is it strictly vaginal, or are there kinkier methods you wished to try?”

“I suppose there are…other possibilities,” Celestia said, “but let me just go on a limb here and say anal stimulation is not appealing to me. That part of the body is a bit…well, unsanitary, and should probably not be rubbed against. As far as oral stimulation is concerned, I’m all for it. I can taste your essence on your lips, it tastes like the night itself, and it leaves me pleading for more.”

“Ooh,” Luna crooned, shuddering. Celestia certainly had a way with seduction.

“But that leaves just one other option, and I say it’s the kinkiest of all. It’s also the most dangerous, given its vast potential for magic.”

“Horns…?” Luna asked, stunned at the possibility.

“Yes, dear, horns,” Celestia said. “Don’t sound so surprised, sister. Its close proximity in shape to the male penis lends itself to its own conclusion. Are you interested in my horn?”

“Hmm…” Luna thought, and then she leaned over and gave Celestia’s horn a small lick. Celestia shuddered with delight and wished Luna would do it again, but she settled back onto her pillow.

“I think it might be interesting,” Luna said. “It certainly seems to have pleased you.” This made the great Princess Celestia blushed, and Luna smiled devilishly.

“Then I suppose we’ll have to consider it in the near future,” Celestia said. “For now, a kiss will do.” Luna had to agree as the two of them began to make out. Taking it slow was the best way to savor all of the pleasure.