Chapter 26: Guiltier Than Sin

Rarity was locked away in her bathroom, isolated from the world. So much had happened the past couple of days and she had needed the time to think. She stood in the shower and let the water wash over her like rain. The water left her mane hanging straight down, which Rarity normally hated but paid little attention to now.

The fact of the matter was she had expected Twilight to lunge at her that night as Ruby had, but she had chosen to sit down and discuss the matter like adults. Rarity had underestimated her friend’s maturity, even though she definitely saw livid anger in the way she looked at her, which was no less than what she deserved.

Rarity still felt like the worst pony in existence. So much had been destroyed when she had taken Spike like that. And to think that he still loved her! It made Rarity sick to think about the love she did not deserve.

And yet a part of her wondered if Spike had actually enjoyed what had happened to him that night. There was no evidence that he held any animosity towards her, and the way he had kissed her out of the blue like that… Rarity shook her head indignantly, telling herself she could not allow herself that small chance of escape. What she had done was heinous, plain and simple, and now every animal desire she had was tainted with her dark transgressions.

Then her mind wandered to Big Mac. If she had guessed right, Rarity thought he’d been there to hold Twilight back in case things got too heated. It had been a wise choice; Rarity knew nopony more even-tempered. But there was something else he had said that still troubled her, only for the life of her she couldn’t remember what it was.

Then, as if by magic, her mind found the answer. He had been so crass as to suggest a threesome with her and Twilight! That scoundrel! Rarity thought, but she took a minute more to remember the figure of the stallion who had said that. Tall, muscular, able-bodied, Big Mac had a lot going for him when it came to looks. Yes, his mane was unfortunately bland, but beyond that Rarity could see nothing wrong with his figure. Even more impressive was his gentle nature and his compassion for his family and his farm. She was sure he had compassion for his friends, too, but it was difficult to know without being one of them.

Yet he knew her just as little and still essentially admitted to his girlfriend that he wanted to have sex with her.

The thought made Rarity’s stomach flutter, and that reaction in itself made her even more nervous. It wasn’t that she was surprised by his alleged attraction for her; seldom did a day go by when Rarity didn’t notice a stallion or even the occasional mare checking her out. It was that the interest came from one of the most reserved ponies in Ponyville. Rarity expected attention, but not necessarily attention from a pony as shy as he was.

Rarity smiled to herself, letting her mind wander for the first time in a while. She had a picture in her head of that proposed threesome. She imagined herself, Twilight, and Big Mac lying in Twilight’s bed, the stallion nestled in between the two mares. She saw Twilight kissing her boyfriend and herself lowering a hoof to her crotch and playing with herself. Then, Big Mac turned over and kissed Rarity, who melted under the touch of his tongue. Rarity pictured Twilight straddling Big Mac’s sizable cock while Rarity allowed Big Mac to lick her delicate folds while Rarity kissed Twilight. Then the image changed to Rarity sucking on Big Mac’s penis while Twilight ate her out.

Her fantasies became more vivid and more erotic with each passing moment, and Rarity soon found she had her hoof rubbing at her crotch vigorously. Rarity moaned and gasped as she masturbated, picking up the pace when she thought about Twilight kissing her and letting her taste her own fluids. She could feel her folds becoming slick, which made her hoofwork slipperier and easier. Rarity started gasping for breath, feeling the pressure in her loins build steadily until finally she started to squirt and could feel energy rocketing through her body. Rarity rode the high, moaning as she gasped for air, and already she could feel herself falling from the high. Rarity took a deep breath and smiled contently; she had surprised herself with her own feelings.

Perhaps Big Mac had the right idea after all, she thought.

Rarity spent a bit more time cleaning herself up in the shower before finally turning the water off, stepping out, and wrapping her wet body in a towel. She was relieved that she could have a sexual fantasy without feeling so tainted with her dark deeds. Of course, she laughed off her fantasy as a dream and nothing more. Now that Twilight was with Big Mac, there would be no way she would want to share him, not even if it was with her former lover. And who, Rarity thought, could blame her? Big Mac was quite the catch.

Rarity wrapped the towel around her head and stepped into her room, lying down on her bed. She sighed with relief after a healthy release of sexual tension she had been holding for a while. Rarity thought she should pleasure herself more and manipulate innocent hearts less. Yes, she thought, that sounds like a pretty good plan to me.

***

Applejack leaned back into the pillow as Rainbow Dash kissed her. The farm mare wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow Dash’s neck as her tongue explored the pegasus’ mouth. Rainbow Dash reached down and started to rub her hoof against Applejack’s thigh, which elicited a moan from the orange pony.

Rainbow Dash broke the kiss and started to nip lightly at Applejack’s neck. Applejack moaned with pleasure as Rainbow Dash rubbed further and further up her thigh, coming dangerously close to her folds without reaching them. Rainbow Dash then started to work her mouth’s way down Applejack’s chest. By the time her mouth reached Applejack’s abdomen and it became clear what was going to follow, Applejack pulled the brakes.

“Hold on, RD, just stop, please,” she said. Rainbow Dash, though crestfallen, obliged her partner.

“What’s up, AJ?” she asked, her face wearing her concern.

“Ah just, ah mean, ah’m havin’ a hard time goin’ through with this,” Applejack said.

“What’s going on?” Rainbow Dash asked. Applejack turned away and grimaced.

“Come on, AJ, talk to me,” Rainbow Dash said, cuddling up next to her lover and wrapping a foreleg across her shoulder. “I want to know what’s up.”

“Ah just feel so guilty, that’s all,” Applejack said.

“Guilty? About what? We’ve been doing this for quite a while, and you never expressed any guilt then.”

“Well, now things are different,” Applejack said. Rainbow Dash nodded, thinking she knew where this was going.

“I think I get it. You’re upset because of what your family said to you, right?” Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash, and Rainbow Dash could clearly see the hurt in her eyes.

“Was it that obvious?” Applejack asked with a small smile.

“Pretty much,” Rainbow Dash said. “Look, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I know it must be hard to have your family turn on you like that. What exactly happened?”

“Well, Granny Smith went on and on about how immoral ah was, how ah wasn’t settin’ a good example for Apple Bloom, and the like. Big Mac was just confused. Both of them kept askin’ how ah could make a choice like that. Ah tried to tell them it weren’t no choice, but they wouldn’t have none of it.”

“That’s rough,” Rainbow Dash said. “How about Apple Bloom?”

“She didn’t want me to go, but Granny Smith insisted ah leave the house and ah wasn’t about to start no fight, so ah packed up mah things and left.”

“And now you’re here,” Rainbow Dash said. Applejack nodded.

“Ah thought ah could just get over it, but ah reckon ah can’t…”

“Well, we don’t have to go through with this now if you don’t want to,” Rainbow Dash said.

“But that ain’t really fair to you, is it?” Applejack asked.

“Nah, I wouldn’t feel right if your heart wasn’t in it,” Rainbow Dash said. “Come on, why don’t we just cuddle?”

“Ah thought you hated cuddling,” Applejack said, giving Rainbow Dash a skeptical look.

“Don’t make me ask twice. Just cuddle with me, damn it.”

“Okay, okay, ah’m comin’,” Applejack said. She sidled up to Rainbow Dash and Rainbow Dash wrapped her foreleg around her. The two of them lied still and just focused on breathing deeply.

“Rainbow Dash?” Applejack asked.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for lettin’ me stay at yer place.”

“Oh, you don’t have to thank me for that,” Rainbow Dash said. “It’s no big deal.”

“Nah, it really means a lot to me,” Applejack said. “Ah really do appreciate it.”

“Well, you’re welcome,” Rainbow Dash said. The two of them lied there like that until they both gradually drifted off to sleep.

***

“Spike…” Ruby said. The two of them were in Ruby’s hotel room. Spike had gone over because he had felt distracted and needed somepony to help him collect his thoughts. Twilight had sent him to see Ruby without hesitation.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Spike said. “I don’t know why I told you I loved her.”

“Well, could you try to explain it to me?” Ruby asked. “I don’t really get it.”

“I’ve had a crush on Rarity from the day I first met her,” Spike said. “I always thought she was beautiful, elegant, graceful, kind. I was totally smitten with her, as Twilight might say. So when she suggested that we…you know…sure, part of me was confused and didn’t want to go through with it, but another part of me was really excited. I think that’s why I didn’t really put up much of a fight.”

“Oh,” Ruby said. “And you never felt like that about me, right?”

“That’s not really true, as I already told you,” Spike said. “You’ve been there for me when I needed you, and that says a lot.”

“So what can I do to get you to forget about her?” Ruby asked. “She’s no good for you, Spike. She made that abundantly clear when she raped you.”

“Can we not call it that?” Spike asked. “It makes me feel queasy.”

“But that’s what happened,” Ruby said. “It doesn’t help to live in denial, Spike.”

“I know it doesn’t,” Spike said. “I wish it did help though.”

“I do too, sometimes,” Ruby said. “It would make life a whole lot simpler.”

“Guess life never really is that simple,” Spike said. The two of them sat awkwardly in silence, each unsure of what to say next.

“I really wish you hadn’t attacked her,” Spike said.

“I know,” Ruby said, and tears started to form in her eyes. “But when I heard what she…what she did to you, I couldn’t help myself. I had to get even somehow.”

“She’s still my friend, Ruby, and I don’t want you attacking any of my friends.”

“But that’s the thing I don’t get!” Ruby cried. “How can she still be your friend after she raped you? Do you see how that makes no sense?”

“Part of me wanted it, Ruby. I don’t know if that keeps it from being rape.”

“Did you really want to go through with it or not?”

“Uh…” Spike said, thinking.

“It’s a simple question, Spike!”

“No, it isn’t!” Spike cried. “Not with her. Not with her…” Ruby huffed in frustration, grabbed Spike, and shook him a bit.

“Tell me what exactly happened. What did she say to you? What did you do in response?”

“I…well, I went into the library. Twilight was out with Big Mac, I think, and Rarity was lying on the couch all by herself. I asked her what was wrong, if I remember correctly. She said it was too complicated.”

“Okay, go on,” Ruby said.

“I…really? This didn’t happen that long ago…I told her I had a date with you. That was the night you told me not to wear the bowtie.”

“Oh, it was that night?” Ruby asked.

“Yeah, the bowtie was a gift from Rarity, but I didn’t know that at the time. So she was a bit upset when I told her I threw it out.”

“Oh, that must have been awkward.”

“A little. Anyway, don’t get mad or anything, because this was a while ago and how I feel about you now is different, but I told Rarity I had stronger feelings for her than I did for you.”

“You said that to her?” Ruby asked.

“Sorry,” Spike said.

“No, I think I get it,” Ruby said. “Continue.”

“Then she asked if there was anything she could do to help me feel better. I said maybe if she changed the way she felt about me, that would be a start. Then she offered to do me some ‘favors’…”

“Favors?” Ruby asked.

“I thought it was weird, too,” Spike said. “At first I didn’t know what she meant, but then she told me exactly what she was talking about and I was dumbstruck.”

“What were you feeling?” Ruby asked.

“It was a mixture of terror and excitement,” Spike said. “I was so confused. I didn’t know what to do. I probably should have just left her there, maybe gone back to your hotel room. Then none of this would have happened…”

“You can’t change the past, Spike,” Ruby said. “What’s done is done.”

“She asked me if I loved you, and that just made me even more confused.”

“What did you tell her?”

“At the time, I told her no.” Ruby looked hurt. Spike placed a claw on her shoulder.

“Remember what I said? My feelings have changed.”

“Are you sure?” Ruby asked.

“Positive,” Spike said. “Anyway, then she asked if I loved her, and I told her yes. Then I told her she had to leave, but she said we both knew I would leap at this opportunity if I had the chance. She said we could do this the easy way or the hard way…”

“What was that like?” Ruby asked.

“Horrible,” Spike said. “That’s not how I wanted it to go at all. I was hoping she’d actually care about me. I don’t understand why she forced herself on me like that…”

“Well, there’s no doubt about it in my mind any longer,” Ruby said. “You were raped.”

“I guess I was…” Spike said, and he started to bawl. Ruby wrapped him in an embrace while he cried on her shoulder.

“I should have known,” Spike said. “I should have known it was forced.”

“It’s okay, Spike,” Ruby said. “I know it’s confusing.”

“I feel so dirty,” Spike said. “Like there’s filth on me that I can’t wash off.”

“I think that’s normal,” Ruby said. “Sorry, dragons are a little barbaric. That kind of thing happens with us all the time, except it’s usually the male raping the female.”

“That’s terrible,” Spike said. “And to think I wanted to be more like a dragon…”

“I wish I could be more like you, Spike,” Ruby said.

“But you’re way nicer than all of the other dragons I’ve met,” Spike said. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, I did attack Rarity when I saw her. I’m not that nice.”

“I had just told you what happened. You were probably as shocked and confused as I was. If it had been you in my shoes, I might have done the same thing.”

“Really?” Ruby asked.

“Yeah, probably,” Spike said. “I am a dragon, after all.”

“That’s really nice of you to say, Spike,” Ruby said.

“Don’t mention it,” Spike said. The two of them lay down on the bed and Spike kissed Ruby on the forehead.

“Thanks for hearing me out,” Spike said. “It feels good to get that story off my chest. It’s like poison has left my body or something.”

“You’re welcome. I’m sorry I attacked her, Spike.”

“Like I said, it’s no big deal,” Spike said.

“You know, I really do love you, Spike,” Ruby said. She looked at Spike with expectation and a little bit of fear. Spike thought that was adorable, and he had no trouble saying what he said next.

“I love you too, Ruby.” The two of them kissed, their tongues slipping into each other’s mouths. Spike could feel his member rise, especially when Ruby crawled up on top of him. They kissed passionately for a while, and then broke apart for a moment.

“Is this…?” Ruby asked. Spike shook his head sadly.

“It’s too soon,” Spike said. Ruby looked heartbroken, but she tried to understand as best she could.

“Just kissing, then?” she asked.

“Yeah, that sounds good to me,” Spike said.

“All right,” Ruby said, and their lips locked once again.

***

“Twilight,” Big Mac said. “Somethin’ mighty wrong happened at our place last night.” Big Mac and Twilight were at the library. Spike had gone off to see Ruby, so the two of them had the space to themselves. “It’s been gnawin’ at me ever since it happened.”

“Applejack already told me,” Twilight said.

“She did? Why?”

“She…came over to let me know what happened,” Twilight said. She wasn’t comfortable telling Big Mac where she was staying, in case that caused any more animosity.

“Do you know where she went off to?” Big Mac asked.

“I don’t know,” Twilight said.

“What? She didn’t tell you? But then she could be anywhere!”

“Oh, wait, she told me she was going to Fluttershy’s,” Twilight said. “But it wouldn’t be a good idea to visit her. She’s really upset with you.”

“Well, when she told me about how she felt, ah got all confused. Ah said why’d you make that choice?”

“It’s not a choice, Big Mac,” Twilight said, starting to lose her patience. “Applejack was born that way, and it doesn’t make her any less of a pony.”

“Are ya sure, Twilight?”

“I’m positive! How can you even ask that?”

“Well, ah know you and Rarity had a bit of a fling, but then ya decided ya liked stallions after that, so ah wasn’t sure,” Big Mac said. “Maybe this thing with Rainbow Dash is just a fling…”

“No, I think they really love each other,” Twilight said.

“So why isn’t she stayin’ with her, then?” Big Mac asked.

“Maybe she doesn’t want to disappoint you anymore,” Twilight suggested. She thought it was a very good cover. Big Mac looked down, feeling guiltier than sin.

“Ah can’t believe ah let this happen,” Big Mac said. “Ya know, it was really hard workin’ the farm today without her. Ah didn’t realize how much harder the harvestin’ was gonna be until she left.”

“Really? That’s all you can think about, is how much harder it’s going to be for you?” Twilight asked, her anger now dramatically taking control.

“That’s not what ah meant!” Big Mac cried. “Ah was just sayin’ ah really didn’t think this through, and ah don’t think Granny Smith did neither.”

“What did Granny Smith say?” Twilight asked.

“She told Applejack that her lifestyle was dirty and that it wasn’t allowed in the house,” Big Mac explained.

“So she’s the real reason Applejack left,” Twilight said. Big Mac nodded.

“Why didn’t you stick up for her?” Twilight asked. “She’s your sister.”

“Ah told you ah was really confused. Ah didn’t know what to do, and ah didn’t want to go against Granny Smith’s wishes.”

“I thought Applejack meant more to you than that,” Twilight said, crestfallen. Big Mac now felt even guiltier.

“Ah’m really sorry, Twilight.”

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to,” Twilight said. “And trust me, Applejack doesn’t want to hear it right now.”

“What am ah gonna do, Twilight?” Big Mac asked.

“There’s nothing you can do, Big Mac. You’re just going to have to get by without her for the time being. Maybe Granny Smith will have a change of heart and you’ll welcome Applejack back with open hooves. But until then, you’ll just have to suffer on that farm by yourself.”

“Ah didn’t mean fer any of this to happen…”

“I don’t think anyone means for these things to happen,” Twilight said. “But they happen, and now you have to live with the consequences.”

“Ah guess you don’t want me to stay here tonight…”

“That’s probably for the best. I am sorry about what happened, Big Mac, but your silence is just as at fault as Granny Smith’s harsh words.”

“Ah know it is. Well, thanks fer hearin’ me out, anyway.”

“You’re welcome. Good night, Big Mac.”

“Goodnight, Twilight,” Big Mac said as he walked out the library door.

***

Pinkie Pie was having difficulty sleeping, which did happen once in a while. So she was out on a midnight stroll to try to clear her head. She noticed that she was the only pony up at this hour of the night, which spooked her a bit.

“When I was a little filly and the sun was going down…” she started to sing to herself. She then heard a rustling noise nearby.

“Who’s there? Hello?” Pinkie Pie asked. There was no response. Feeling decidedly more frightened, Pinkie Pie continued to sing to herself.

“The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown…” Suddenly a pony appeared in front of her. The pony was pink with a pale blue mane and a wavy, pale blue tail.

“Who are you?” Pinkie Pie asked, trying not to betray her fear.

“Oh, um, hi. I didn’t expect anyone else to be out here so late… My name is Cotton Candy. Who are you?”

“I’m Pinkie Pie,” she said, and her fears started to fade. “You must be new around here. I’ve never seen you before. And since you’re new, you might not have any friends right now. Do you want to be my friend?”

“Oh, that’s okay,” Cotton Candy said. “I’m a bit of a loner.”

“You must not know me very well, then,” Pinkie Pie said. “I’m friends with everypony in Ponyville. That means I’m going to be your friend, too.”

“Oh, well that’s awfully nice of you,” Cotton Candy said. “Um, can you follow me for a second? I thought I saw something in the alley over there as I walked past, and I didn’t want to check it out by myself, but now that you’re here I was kind of hoping…”

“Okay!” Pinkie Pie said. Cotton Candy led her to the alley and then turned around. Her eyes flashed a sickly green, and before Pinkie Pie could react, a flash of green light struck her and knocked her unconscious.

***

Pinkie Pie woke up in a dark cave. She tried to get up, but she was bound to the cave’s floor by something she couldn’t see. Confused and terribly frightened, she cried for help.

“Come now, Pinkie Pie, nopony’s going to hear you all the way out here…” came a sinister voice. Pinkie Pie immediately recognized the voice as belonging to Discord.

“The princess warned us about you!” she said.

“I’m sure she did,” Discord said. “After all, only the Elements of Harmony can defeat me. But now one of them is missing, so how will you ever form together and vanquish me to my stone prison?”

“You won’t get away with this, Discord! My friends will realize I’m gone and look for me!”

“Really? Are you sure about that?” Discord asked. Then, out of the shadows, an exact copy of Pinkie Pie walked over to her.

“I’m sure Chrysalis needs no introduction,” Discord said. “You caused her quite the strife back at that wedding. Take comfort in knowing that she will fill in for you while you’re away.”

“No!” Pinkie Pie cried. “What are you going to do with me?”

“Nothing yet, dear foal,” Discord said. “But you’ll see what we have planned soon enough.” Pinkie Pie struggled against what she now knew was Discord’s magic, hoping that she could find some way out of the predicament she found herself in. Alas, there was nothing she could do against Discord’s magic. She watched as Chrysalis teleported away and her heart sank.