The animal shelter was off the interstate highway going south, and that way was mostly comprised of fields and forest. They pulled off onto a little known hiking trail where Fluttershy led Rainbow to one of her favorite spots. It was quiet and secluded. Sunny, but with some shade. The animal lover removed her leather jacket and laid it on the grass for them to sit. There, they sat down and had a few donuts. Then they shared a few kisses. That in turn evolved into a great deal of hugging, which somehow incorporated even more kissing. The next thing the animal lover knew, she was pinned up against a slanted tree that made it easier for Rainbow to get leverage on her squeaky partner.

Fluttershy was sensing that Rainbow Dash thoroughly enjoyed cornering her, and if she was perfectly honest with herself, she was quite happy to be cornered. It was just...new. She’d never kissed anyone before, having been too shy to date in high school, but when she focused more on the sensations and less on her thoughts, she found the experience to be much more intuitive than she had previously expected. If Rainbow suckled her lower lip (which Fluttershy loved) then the girl would in turn lightly trace her tongue over her new girlfriend’s upper lip. If Rainbow turned her head to the side, Fluttershy would in turn move her head the opposite way to provide better access. Her instincts for intimacy seemed to go beyond even these logical moves. For instance--

Fluttershy really liked jelly donuts. Her favorites were the raspberry flavored ones that were both tangy and sweet at the same time. After a particularly large bite, her tongue would ignite with sensation, making her shiver in delight. Pinkie Pie had teasingly called it, the Yummershy Effect.

The girl blushed as Rainbow’s tongue swirled around hers, one of the athlete’s hands reaching under Fluttershy’s shirt to trace her heated skin, and all the while the sweet tang of raspberries tickled her tastebuds. She chased the flavor eagerly, her tongue energetically exploring her partner’s mouth as she delighted in the heady mix of raspberry and mesmerizing sensation.

I’m glad Pinkie isn’t here to see… She’d call what I’m feeling that embarrassing phrase. But Rainbow is just… She’s just so…

Fluttershy gave up trying to define what her girlfriend was because Rainbow Dash had just grabbed her wrists and pinned them over her head. Shy’s eyes snapped open as Rainbow pulled back to eye her with a smirk.

“Do you know how cold that shower was last night?” Rainbow murmured huskily.

The animal lover gave the smallest shake of her head. She had the wide eyed look of a frightened rabbit.

Rainbow’s smirk took on a predatory tilt. “Think polar ice caps.”

“B-but the ice caps are melting, aren’t...they…?” Fluttershy trailed off at the dry look the tomboy was leveling at her.

“My point, featherbrain, is that I really, really want you.”

Fluttershy squirmed. “Rainbow--”

Rainbow Dash let go of one wrist to place a hand on the girl’s lips. Fluttershy obediently kept her arm in place as she fell quiet. The athlete returned her hand to the girl’s wrist, but it was with a gentler grip.

“I know you want to wait. I can wait. I can.” Rainbow grinned and let her hands trail down Fluttershy’s arms, past her shoulders, where her touch slowed considerably along the sides of her breasts. “I reserve the right to tease you like crazy, though!”

Fluttershy whimpered, her body shifting against the tree trunk. “Rainbow Dash, that’s...that’s not fair!”

Rainbow’s grin faded as she leaned in close, her wet mouth on Fluttershy’s ear. Her voice was all hot breath: “Fair like how you’re still not wearing a bra right now?”

It was true. Fluttershy had foregone replacing her bra from the previous night in favor of stashing it in her purse. It hadn’t been with the intention of teasing Rainbow. Rarity had dug out a lacy brassiere she’d purchased for Fluttershy’s last birthday and all but threatened death should she refuse to wear it. The thing was a push-up bra, and dreadfully itchy. Fluttershy wanted to be comfortable and focused during her time at the animal shelter.

Now she wished she had perhaps thought about the implications of her choice a little more.

The animal lover sucked in air as Rainbow’s hands grasped her breasts firmly, pushing them up and against each other. Her back arched a little. Rainbow practically purred, her teeth lightly nipping at Fluttershy’s earlobe. The girl could feel her girlfriend press in closer, her thigh pushing into her pleasure center with some insistence. Fluttershy’s throat tightened. She bit her lip to stifle the growing need building up inside of her--

Rainbow Dash’s mouth trailed from her ear down her neck where she grazed her teeth lightly over the sensitive skin. Fluttershy, still with her hands over her head, let out a low squeak.

As if encouraged by this, the pre-vet felt Rainbow bite and suck hard on her skin, making the shy girl buck lightly with surprise. Still, even this did not extract the reaction that the tomboy seemed to be hunting for.

Fluttershy felt Rainbow meant what she said about respecting her wishes--they were still fully clothed, and the girl was sure her partner knew just how much she was enjoying this...but it was a delicious kind of cruelty, to be so worked up and have no way of releasing the tension. Rainbow Dash was mischievous, an aspect of her personality that Fluttershy had always thought both intimidating and enticing at the same time. But was she also secretly a masochist? Wasn’t she feeling just as desperate for release?

Though Fluttershy supposed that was the point. Rainbow Dash was always the sort to push her limits. If the line that was drawn stopped at “clothes off” then the tomboy would happily find ways to work around that.

Like when the pads of her thumbs flicked Fluttershy’s nipples through the fabric of her shirt.

The tension in Fluttershy’s throat peaked. She couldn’t contain it anymore.

A long, strangled moan escaped her. It was low and soft, but there was no denying what the sound had been.

Somehow, Fluttershy knew she had admitted something she could not take back. It was like a firework going off in a dark night sky. She was out of her mind with need, to the point that complex thought escaped her, and Rainbow Dash heard her loud and clear.

With a low growl, the tomboy shifted down to grab Fluttershy’s leg behind the knee. With a strong jerk, she pulled the girl’s leg up and gyrated with her hips. Fluttershy let out a choked gasp, her hands finally falling from their position up high to clutch at Rainbow’s hips--not to push her away, but to keep her girlfriend close. Their lips found each other’s in a heated kiss, and Fluttershy felt herself slipping beneath the surface of her self-control, a warm bliss rising up over her head as she held on to Rainbow Dash with a desperate grip.

Shy’s body tensed and her fingers dug into Rainbow’s hips as she moved in tandem with the other girl. The tomboy moaned into her mouth, the sound low, but unmistakably vulnerable, like the athlete was on the brink and she was powerless to resist it.

It was a strange thing to hear from the rough and tough Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy couldn’t help but feel her pride swell at the thought that the athlete could reveal such a thing to her. It was intimate. Personal.

Fluttershy’s arms wrapped around Rainbow’s neck as she moved with more confidence. She brushed her lips against her girlfriend’s tenderly, and breathed, “Rainbow Dash…”

Rainbow’s breath hitched, she hugged Fluttershy and buried her face in the girl’s neck, as she let out a choked groan. Even as the animal lover felt the athlete’s body relax into small shudders, she didn’t stop grinding her hips. With Rainbow holding her, her hot breath tickling her collarbone, Fluttershy could feel the knot in the pit of her stomach release, a cool wave sweeping through her as her head threw back and groaned softly.

When the last twinges of pleasure eased out of her, Fluttershy settled back against the tree, her body limp and her eyes closed. She was panting, but smiling. Rainbow pulled away from her, but not before grabbing her hand and pulling her off of the trunk. Fluttershy’s knees were weak, so she stumbled. Rainbow tried to catch her, but the athlete only managed to grab her girlfriend around the shoulders before they both tumbled onto the grass.

Fluttershy rolled over to one side, and both broke out into a sleepy kind of laughter.

When their humor died down, Fluttershy scooted in to lay her head on Rainbow’s shoulder. The tomboy automatically put an arm around her. Her eyes were on the sky.

“You… Okay?” Rainbow Dash asked, her voice barely above a murmur.

Fluttershy frowned softly. After a brief moment, she gave a small nod. “Yes.”

“I didn’t plan that.”

“I know.”

A pause.

Rainbow Dash put a hand under her head and crossed her ankles. She took a deep breath and said with an innocent expression, “For the record, that totally didn’t count.”

Fluttershy had to turn her face into Rainbow’s neck just to stifle her giggles.

---

By the time they arrived at the animal shelter, Fluttershy was having trouble straightening her clothes, and Rainbow was feeling flushed and distracted, her lips still tingling from their latest makeout session. Or was it just a makeout session anymore? The athlete really had no idea what to call what had just happened. She was pretty sure the textbook definition for sex involved penetration of some sort. The pop culture definition was looser, but even that seemed to require less clothing. Whatever the case, she was just happy Fluttershy didn’t seem upset. The two had been swept up in the moment. Star Weld wasn’t being snubbed. Not really.

It was also really exhilarating to know that just because Fluttershy wasn’t ready to go all the way, didn’t mean she wasn’t willing to go some of the way.

Despite her good mood, Rainbow grimaced as they started their volunteer work.

Note to self--next time you plan to dry hump to a finish, bring extra boxers!

Aside from this discomfort, though, the tomboy found herself genuinely having fun. The dogs were cool to play with. The cats were happy to be pet. Fluttershy had even received permission to handle a ball python snake. She draped this over Rainbow’s shoulders, and at the athlete’s urging, took a photo.

A more harrowing moment came when Fluttershy dared to handle a rose hair tarantula, and she tried to give Rainbow Dash a turn to hold it.

“Rainbow, she’s so beautiful! Are you sure you don’t want to hold her for even a little bit?” Fluttershy approached the other girl with the spider outreached. “Rose tarantulas are very docile!” she sing-songed.

Rainbow stiffly hurried out of the insect room. “As if!”

Fluttershy met up with her later at the reptile room again, where tomboy glared sulkily at the ball python she’d taken a photo with.

“Rainbow--” the girl started gently.

“I wasn’t afraid, all right!?” Rainbow snapped. She winced at Fluttershy’s wounded look. “I mean-- I just thought the thing was gross, that’s all. I don’t mind looking at spiders, I just don’t feel like getting all touchy feely with ‘em.”

Fluttershy nodded, her lips pursed in a reserved smile. “Okay.” She pointed gingerly over her shoulder. “Um… But I was trying to ask you if it would be okay for us to take an animal in your car. I wanted to foster one at my house.”

Rainbow blinked. “Oh!” She blushed and rubbed at her neck. “Um. Yeah. Sure. What animal were you taking? Is it big?” She winced. “Does it shed?”

The pre-vet shook her head eagerly. “Oh no! It’s not big, and it doesn’t shed.”

“So what is it?”

“It’s a tortoise.”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “A tortoise? You’re taking a tortoise home?”

Fluttershy smiled. “Yes!”

---

“No,” Star Weld said flatly. Her brother blocked the doorway to their house like he was a gatekeeper. It was his day off, and yet the car grease still stuck to his hands stubbornly.

Fluttershy was near to tears. “But Star--!”

“No buts!”

“I don’t understand! You let me keep Angel, didn’t you?”

“Because he’s your pet, and the little freak seems overly attached to you, that’s why!” Star snapped.

Fluttershy gasped. “Don’t call him that! You’ll hurt his feelings!”

Star Weld ruffled his blue hair. “Feelings? FEELINGS!? Fluttershy, Angel’s creepy! Like why does he have an opinion about what’s on the television? Why does he bite me whenever I suggest he needs a bath?” His voice dropped lower, his eyes shifting side to side like he was afraid the neighbors would hear. “It’s bad enough you have that weird magic thing going on, but do you need to have the furry sidekick to go along with it? Did he get hit with a magical sparkle ray or something? I’ve always wanted to ask, but I was half afraid he’d poop in my bed if I did!”

The shy girl hunched her shoulders. This moved her hair back just enough that the man’s eyes darted to her neck. “What is that?”

Fluttershy slapped a hand to the place he pointed to, her body going still.

Rainbow Dash stiffened behind Fluttershy. She was standing on the path leading to the house with the tortoise balanced on her hip like a basketball. He’d retreated in his shell. She kind of wished she could do the same.

Crap, why did I leave such a big hickey on her neck!?

“It’s um--a rash,” Fluttershy said with a noticeable tremor.

Star Weld’s lip curled. “It looks kind of like--”

“It’s a rash,” Rainbow cut in. She fought to keep her face neutral as he looked at her. “Rarity made her wear some weird necklace that irritated her skin. It was gross.”

The man scrunched his nose and looked at his sister, who nodded.

Just then, Angel scurried past Star Weld’s legs to hop eagerly at Fluttershy’s feet. She stooped down and picked him up without a pause. “T-to answer your earlier question... One theory I have for why Angel seems so smart is because he went through a… a portal to Equestria once. It was very brief, b-but I think some of the magic made him more intelligent than ordinary bunnies.”

Star Weld glared, “You could have told me that! All this time I just thought he was like...a mutant or something!”

“He doesn’t know about Spike?” Rainbow asked eagerly. Gotta keep him distracted from that thing on her neck!

Fluttershy gazed back at her, her eyes wide and her face pleading. The tomboy blinked in confusion. Please don’t bring up Spike, the pre-vet’s face seemed to say.

Star looked between the two of them. “Spike? You mean Twilight’s dog?”

Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut with visible suffering. Rainbow grimaced.

Oops.

Star Weld’s mouth fell open, one hand holding his head. “Fluttershy! Aw man, Sis! When I dog sat him last time I let him see me--I mean--raaagh!” The man turned on the spot, his head hanging as his skin turned a bright pink.

Rainbow squinted one eye. “Do we even want to know?”

Fluttershy had covered her face with both hands. “Star Weld, please. This poor little tortoise has nowhere else to go!”

“Fluttershy, I am not taking care of another charity case! They always end up staying here indefinitely, and it’s freaking expensive as all get out.” Star said over his shoulder. “It was hard enough clearing the house of all those animals you fostered when you graduated high school, how do you think you’ll get through college if you start that crap up again?”

“It’s just one animal!” the girl pleaded.

“Sure. One turtle now, but then--”

“Tortoise.” Fluttershy interjected, the smallest hint of frustration eking into her voice. “He’s a tortoise!”

Star Weld whirled around, his pink skin now turning a bright red. Fluttershy visibly wilted. Rainbow had to bite her lip to keep from grinning. She’d always known the older brother to get unbelievably annoyed when his little sister pointed out his ignorance about something in front of others. Animal facts were his bane.

“I don’t care what the hell it’s called, you aren’t keeping it here and that’s final!” Star spat.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. There was no hope of telling Star Weld she was dating Fluttershy today. Better to end this before it got any weirder. “Geez, guys, forget it, I’ll take the critter, okay? Can we get on with our lives now?”

Fluttershy turned and looked at Rainbow with surprise. “Y-you’ll take him?”

“It. I’ll take it. And yeah.” The soccer player added with a smirk. “How hard can taking care of something this slow be?”

The animal lover approached her with a piercing stare. Irritatingly enough, Angel copied his owner in her arms, his long white ears pinned back. Rainbow Dash shrank away from them, her smirk wiping. She wasn’t quite getting The Stare, but if Fluttershy’s signature look could be turned on by degrees, she was pretty sure she was getting fifty percent right about then. Meanwhile, Star Weld quietly shut the door behind his distracted sister. The athlete scowled when she spied the man mouth at her, Thank you!

“Rainbow Dash, please,” Fluttershy said earnestly. “This is very serious! This tortoise was neglected. He needs to be seriously cared for. The shelter gave me eye drops to use once a day. His species are also voracious eaters. I’m afraid you’ll either have to leave a lot of food for him, or take him with you to feed as you go.”

Rainbow balked. “Just how much does this thing eat?”

“He can eat quite a bit for his breed. He’s still growing.”

The tomboy looked down at the tortoise doubtfully. Man, I dunno now…

She looked back up at Fluttershy. Those big blue eyes. That quivering lower lip.

Aw, damn.

“Yeah. I’m serious. I’ll take care of...him.” Rainbow gave a weary thumbs up. “You can count on me, Shy.”

Fluttershy squealed happily, giving Rainbow a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. Rainbow grimaced over her shoulder as Angel squealed his protest between them.

Me and my big mouth.

---

“Rainbow Dash, why do you have a tortoise?” Twilight Sparkle asked as she met Rainbow at the parking lot. It was evening. They had coordinated to meet with Applejack near the location they intended to scout. Spike had been left in the care of Twilight’s parents.

The tomboy looked down at the tortoise like a piece of gum she’d just stepped in. “Don’t ask.” She stooped down and plucked the creature up from the asphalt. She wrinkled her nose at her friend. “Why are you dressed in all black?”

Twilight pouted and looked down at herself. She was wearing a plain black knit sweater, slim black leggings, and black penny loafers. She even had a black beanie on her purple hair. “We’re going on surveillance,” she mumbled. “I was trying to dress appropriately!”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and went around to the driver side of her car.

“Wait, are we taking that thing with us?” Twilight asked as they started to enter the convertible.

Rainbow Dash grunted an affirmative as she placed the tortoise on the floor of the backseat of her car. There, a salad bowl from the nearby cafeteria was uncovered. It had large leaves of lettuce, sliced tomatoes, carrot shavings, cabbage shreds, and--

“Uh… Rainbow, you do know that tortoises are herbivores, right?” Twilight commented as she gazed dubiously at the tortoise’s meal.

“Yeah? So?” Rainbow started the car. She was a bit irritable for having to lug the tortoise to her captain’s meeting--which she had been late for, thanks to Fluttershy’s unforeseen dilemma. Sassaflash had teased her mercilessly.

“Awww! Rainbow, you finally found a pet that could keep up with you!” the vice captain cooed at the meeting.

Rainbow gazed at her teammate coolly as she leaned back in her chair. The tortoise was set on the floor in front of her. “Hey Sass, how did that super raunchy Dr. Bray rap song you like so much go again?” the tomboy asked. Sassaflash slouched in her seat and glared. Rainbow Dash propped her feet up on the tortoise’s shell, her eyebrow arching. “That’s what I thought...”

Back in the present, Rainbow could see Twilight look at her from the corner of her eye. “The salad is sprinkled with bacon bits,” the bookish girl deadpanned.

Rainbow Dash screwed her mouth up. She shifted to reverse. “Oh give me a break! Everyone loves bacon!” The car tires squealed on the asphalt as the car accelerated backwards, making Twilight yelp as she lurched forward in her seat.

Next Chapter: Chapter 21 (2023 3rd Draft Edit) Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 22 Minutes