For Airmail, Tempest and Wildfire, the flight to the train station from the castle was a pleasant if uneventful one. The three pegasi flew in a loose triangle formation with Airmail, the eldest, at the lead. While Wildfire couldn’t see the sun and the amazing view, she could feel it on her recently renewed feathers and the scars on her face. Tempest, for her part admired the weather pegasi in the distance as they laid storm clouds around the Residential and Warehouse Districts.

Landing at the station, Tempest looked up at the nearby timetable and smiled. “We have thirty minutes, Wildfire.” She announced, her Trottingham / Manehatten accent at odds with the ponies milling on the platform. “Do you want the cafe, sit and wait, or is there something else you'd like to do?”

Tucking her wings away following her landing, Wildfire oriented herself on Airmail’s right side with a wing tip. “Hmm, the café sounds cool, I can always do a black coffee.”

Airmail snickered, “You off sugar, sugar?”

Wildfire smiled, “Only when I stop breathing, Pretty.”

“Well, black to Caffy is pure coffee of the moon goddess with nothing added.” Airmail giggled and Tempest led the way to the café, which for a Friday morning, was relatively empty.

“I've had his black coffee,” Wildfire commented to the azure blue mare as they walked up to the counter. “It’s divine, kinda like me.”

Tempest took a valuable moment from perusing the freshly prepared cakes and treats behind the counter to whisper loudly and conspiratorially over Wildfire’s back to her herd-mate. “Too much Zebran, right to the brain.”

Sniffing the treats, of which she was sure there were chocolate brownies, cinnamon buns and vanilla slices, Wildfire giggled behind her hoof. “What? I can’t be in a good mood?”

The violet pegasus kissed Wildfire’s right cheek, which was followed very quickly at the counter by a kiss from Airmail. All this time the serving mare waited patiently, although she conspicuously avoided looking at the little yellow mare’s face. “A vanilla latte and a cheese Danish for me please,” Tempest said, placing her order.

Airmail placed hers next. “Coffee with cream and a blueberry muffin. What do you want, Wily?”

Wildfire stole two quick kisses to her taller marefriends while she made up her mind. Going purely on the smells, of which there were many and those that were there were confusing, she decided to play it safe. “I’ll have a black coffee, two sugars and something chocolatey, please.”

The earth pony mare at the counter gave the diminutive pegasus a quick glance, “Choco, choco chip muffin or brownie, dear?”

Wildfire gave an internal cheer. She knew she smelt a brownie! Score one for her choccy Wily sense. “Oooh yes, one of those, a brownie, please.”

After paying the requisite bits, Airmail collected the pastries and brownie on a tray in her mouth and steered Wildfire over to one of the empty tables. “I’ll bring the drinks.” Tempest called from the counter.

“Ready to meet my mom and dad?” Airmail asked once she had laid the tray down on the table and she had taken a seating pad, scooting over to make room for Wildfire to sit next to her.

Wildfire nodded and sniffed at her chocolate brownie. The smell…oh, after five years at the care home, she’d never ever get tired of sniffing chocolate. “I really can’t wait, Pretty.”

“The youngest two still live in Vanhoover, so we'll meet them for sure.” Airmail said as she nibbled her pastry. “The other two are going to try to stop in.”

“Awesomes,” Wildfire replied after she licked her brownie. She was determined to savour this. “Hey, this must be what a grown up relationship is, when you get taken to meet the parents.”

Just then, Tempest arrived with the tray of drinks in her mouth and set it on the table with the steaming hot drinks nearest to those who had ordered them. “I've met your mom, so you need to meet mine.” Airmail said and Tempest giggled as she took a seating pad opposite the other two mares.

“Yuppers, and Honey's met dear old daddy,” Wildfire shivered as she sipped her black coffee. “Oooh, that’s nice…”

Tempest smiled, “Not bad for a Starcolts.”

“Nopes, it’s alright.” Wildfire shook her head and took another sip of her coffee when a thought occurred to her, about what Princess Luna had said at the breakfast table back at the castle. “So, what did you two dream about?”

“I never remember my dreams.” Airmail stated plainly.

Tempest shrugged and put her coffee cup down. “I was rutting Airmail.”

“Well, if that’s all, I feel positively filthy working my way through the whole rugby team.” Wildfire paused and giggled, “Again.”

Airmail took a bite of her pastry and sniggered, “If you worked your way through them in the shower you'd feel a lot less filthy.”

“We never make it out of the locker room.” Wildfire commented innocently and finally after several licks she took a bite of her brownie.

Airmail and Tempest both noted the way their herd-mate treated her brownie but they chose to say nothing about it. “Will you need a chastity belt and a muzzle for the interview?” Airmail asked her with an amused smile.

Wildfire giggled, “You know me so well, Airy.” Taking another sip of her coffee, the blind mare turned her head towards the sandalwood scent coming from the other side of the table. “Y'know Airy, Stormy was talking the other day about the Trottingham Titans, bless her.”

Airmail rolled her brown eyes. “Some sports fans never give up.”

“Even the Goddesses couldn't help them win.” Wildfire sniggered playfully, she could just imagine Tempest sticking her tongue out at her. “Everypony knows the Sharks have got their hooves on the cup, again.”

“Would that be the coffee cup or the tea cup?” Tempest asked, indeed she was sticking out her tongue, earning herself a snicker from Airmail.

Holding her coffee in her hooves, Wildfire giggled, “not my coffee cup.”

“I'll be the first to say Vanhoover doesn't have a chance either.” Airmail spoke up in Tempest’s defence. “Baltimare is the only team I think that can realistically stop the Sharks.”

“Totally!” Wildfire nodded eagerly. At last she had a sports buddy to talk rugby with. “You know it’s gonna be the Ravens and the Sharks in the final. It’s sooo gonna be a rematch of the 2024 final!”

Tempest rolled her eyes with a huff. “Does this mean I'll need to learn sports now?”

“Don't worry Honey, we'll teach you.” Wildfire said with a bright giggle, “as long as you know Apple Honey's the best captain the Sharks have ever had, you'll be okay.”

Tempest sniffled, really pouring on the ‘sad mare’ look. “I'm down to third mare now behind Apple Honey and Airmail...”

“Aww,” Wildfire reached across the table with her hoof, aiming to comfort her upset lover. “You're still my bestest weather pony, Honey.”

Seeing the hoof reaching for hers, Tempest helpfully put her violet hoof where it could be touched and she sniffled some more. “Y-You haven't met Airmail’s mom yet.” She muttered sadly, though her blue eyes were twinkling mischievously.

“Wait till she meets your parents.” Airmail snickered, “You'll really be out of the running.”

Wildfire put her half empty coffee cup down. “It sounds like Stormy could use a cuddle.”

“Always.”

The little yellow mare opened her forehooves for a cuddle, which Tempest quickly filled. “You're better than Apple Honey anyway, Honey. The press says she has an awful temper.” She then nuzzled the older mare’s neck and breathed in her sandalwood scent that told her everything was going to be alright. “And, Airy’s good with the crop and a preen, and you can cook, Stormy, so I guess I'll keep you.”

It was a good thing Tempest had just put her coffee down, otherwise she would’ve spat it from laughter. “You hear that Airy? We can stay at our own house!”

“Thank Celestia,” Airmail laughed, “I was worried we'd be on the street.”

“It is a nice house,” Wildfire giggled, going along with the joke, “you can stay in it I suppose.”

“That’s it!” Tempest declared dramatically with a hoof to her forehead, “We're moving.”

Airmail snorted out a laugh. “I’m with you, Stormy.”

“Does this mean I get to have the bed all to myself?”

Again, Airmail laughed, this time at Wildfire’s question. Partly because she remembered the last time Wildfire had been left at home one her own, all tied up and sexy looking. “Only if you're home alone,” she sniggered, “and then I'd expect you to be up and dusting!”

“As it happens, I'm very good at dusting except when somepony…” Wildfire coughed conspicuously, “Stormy…” she coughed again, “moves the chocolate chips.”

Tempest giggled, “Or tells somepony how priceless the dishes are.”

“That was not fair!” Wildfire whined, an act that earned her a dangerously narrowed look from Tempest and a shake of the head from Airmail, “I could've gone on quite happily not knowing that.”

Recovering quickly from her very brief flash of temper, Tempest took a moment to drink the rest of her coffee and settle herself. “It was priceless though to watch you jump.”

“Of course,” Airmail put in, “Stormy and I have broken a few over time too.”

“True,” Tempest agreed, “as long as it wasn't a saucer we would have easily replaced it.”

“You're both mean.” Wildfire stuck her tongue out to both of her marefriends, “and I'm not dusting them again.”

Airmail casually inspected her hoof and whispered warningly in Wildfire’s ear, “I'm sure Mapper won't notice the dust.”

That made Wildfire shiver, and not from the proximity of Airmail’s lips to her ear. “C'mon, I'll do everything else, I just think those are best done by somepony who can oh, I dunno, see...? Please?”

Tempest had to bite her hoof not to throw a retort when Wildfire began decrying her abilities. Especially when she had shown she could do so much already this past week. “Ser might trade dusting duties for kisses.”

“I hope so…” Wildfire let out a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding in just as the Friendship Express steam strain pulled noisily into the station ten minutes before its allotted departure time. “I’m sorry guys, I just really don't want to break any,” she rubbed her left foreleg along her right, feeling some of the old breaks that lingered there.

“Really Wily,” Tempest giggled as the passengers on the train began disembarking, “you worry too much. Finish up, I have us a compartment booked.”

“I guess I do,” Wildfire blushed and she quickly downed what was left of her sugary black coffee in one mouthful. Thankfully, what was left in the cup had cooled. “Done!”

“The last two cars for Vanhoover,” Tempest explained as she too finished her pastry when Airmail finished hers. “The rest of the train is going to the Crystal Empire at the end of the line.”

“Let’s see if we got a cabin to ourselves.” Airmail said as she gently leaned on Wildfire to get her to get up from the café seating pad.

Feeling Airmail’s nudge, Wildfire did get up. “Ooh I’ve never been to the Crystal Empire...then again I’ve never been to Vanhoover either.”

When Airmail got up with Tempest, both mares checked their saddlebags to ensure they had everything. There were ‘supplies’ they’d both need for the trip in them. Fun supplies. “You'll need to add that to your bucket list then,” the azure blue mare smiled and kissed her little lover’s ear, “Maybe we can drum up an excuse to go that far north.”

“Hmm, can’t we just go because it's pretty?”

Tempest rolled her blue eyes again and flicked her black tail under Wildfire’s nose to get her to follow her scent. “It is another twenty hours on the train north of Vanhoover.”

Airmail nuzzled Wildfire’s flank as they left the café and walked back out onto the noisy busy platform. “And, if you like ice then it is pretty.”

Wildfire shuddered, remembering the abuse that Amethyst Glory used to deliver to her wings when it was winter in Canterlot. “I'm not a huge fan of ice, but it'd be an experience, and you never know we might meet the Princess.”

“Mapper is getting pretty close to Luna,” Airmail nodded as they waited their turn to get onto the carriages marked for Vanhoover, “so you may be meeting more Princesses than you could ever want.”

Tempest snickered as they boarded the train. “I’d like Princess Cadance to sign my stallionhood, while I'm wearing it.”

“Stranger things have happened surely.” Wildfire commented, very closely following the violet pegasus’s scent so as not to lose her. “Airy, I bet a week ago you never dreamed you'd be flying to Princess Luna's place and asking her to lead an arrest.”

“I would have lost that bet.” Airmail admitted while the threesome made their way through the Vanhoover carriages in search of an empty compartment they could commandeer. “I had to do something, and killing your father was not one of the somethings.”

Tempest gave her herd-mate a ‘look’ over her shoulder. “I never dreamed of having breakfast with Princess Celestia.”

“Or of having group sex in the Prince's suite?” Wildfire interjected with a grin on her yellow muzzle.

Airmail giggled. “Group sex, yes, Canterlot Castle, no.”

“See?” Wildfire snickered as she felt Tempest in front of her slow down. “Benefits to having Dusky as your best friend.”

“Good,” Tempest said loudly once she had come to a halt outside of a compartment three quarters of the way down the first Vanhoover carriage, “It looks like we have the compartment all to ourselves.” Tempest grinned back to Airmail and both mares shared a nod and a wink as the violet weather pony slid open the compartment door. “Wildflower,” she declared, her attitude changing to become more severe, “you were a bit flippant in the castle about being rutted.”

Wildfire followed her lover into the compartment and at once caught not only the code word to become a Pet but the subtle change in Tempest’s voice as well. “Um, well, I ah…I thought you'd forgotten...Mistress.”

“Still the flower has a wild streak.” Like her herd-mate, Airmail’s tone had hardened and she licked her right ear. “Spread your hooves.”

“Yes, Mistress Airy.” Obediently, now fully in her role, Wildfire spread her four hooves wider than shoulder width apart. As soon as she did so, the little blind mare heard a rustle in a saddlebag behind her to her left, and a moment later she felt Airmail and Tempest place padded cuffs on all her hooves and securely buckle them in place.

“Now,” Tempest ordered, “stand with them close together.”

“Yes, Mistress Stormy.” Doing as she was told, very quickly, she stood and drew her hooves close to each other.

“What do you think, Airy?” Tempest asked conversationally, pointedly talking to her partner as if the little yellow pegasus wasn’t there at all.

Airmail looked her little lover over critically. She had no real doubt in her mind that she could take absolutely anything that either of them were willing to dish out, thanks to her recent past, but this was different. This was a game. “She is still in training, let’s go with twelve.”

Wildfire was wondering just what Airmail meant by ‘twelve’. Twelve what? She didn’t know but she was excited to find out. As she was pondering this she felt something get clipped to each cuff of the four cuffs and one of her partners, she judged it was Airmail by the scent, slowly spread her legs apart.

It quickly became apparent that there was a twelve inch chain going from each cuff to a central ring. Wildfire allowed her legs to be spread until she felt the foot long chains become taut. The diminutive mare just got accustomed to this when a blindfold was placed over the scars where her eyes used to be which was followed by a bit and bridle. Almost straight away she could feel the weight of the reins on the bridle.

“Isn't Wildflower a pretty mare?” Tempest asked somewhat rhetorically as she watched Wildfire shake her head slightly, feeling the familiar weight of the reins and bridle.

“Yes,” Airmail agreed cheerfully, “she is a very pretty mare. To the club car!”

Wildfire felt the reins get tugged and she knew she was going to be led out of the compartment and through the train, which had by now started moving. Knowing full well they were now in a ‘session’, Wildfire paused and giggled, pulling back on the reigns a little as she did so. Straight away without hesitation the yellow mare felt the sting of a riding crop bite quite forcefully over her left cutie mark courtesy of Airmail.

“Problem, Wildflower?” Tempest asked from the front of the trio.

“Aaah!” Wildfire squealed at the bite of the crop. She could tell from the scent and the direction of her voice that Tempest was to her front so she must have the reins. “N-No problem, Mistress Stormy, I'm just a bad pony…” the reins were pulled once again and this time, Wildfire walked with the reins, not pulling back as she was led through the Vanhoover couch car. There were a few giggles from the other passengers, some whistles of approval and more than a few ‘Oh my!’ comments. With her head held up high and proud, Wildfire smiled, resolving to put on a good show.

Next along on the walk was the dining car, which as it happened was nearly empty. There were a couple of late risers from the sleeper carriages having their breakfasts but none of them chose to make any comments of the three mares as they walked past. The next car was the club car. Tempest led Wildfire along to an empty table. Wildfire didn’t really like this carriage. It was noisy, scents and sounds of ponies from all around her assaulted her senses and were it not for her marefriends she would’ve been quite disoriented. “Sit.” Tempest ordered.

“Yes, Mistress Stormy.” Wildfire was very grateful they were there, and with a cuffed hoof she felt the edge of a seating pad waiting for her.

In short order a waiting stallion appeared at their table, a dappled grey earth pony, “Would you like something?” He asked politely, sparing Wildfire and her state of dress an interested glance.

“Two hot spiced chai teas and one water, please.” When Tempest placed the order for the three of them, the waiter quickly vanished and returned with the drinks on a tray. Helpfully, he slid one of them in front of the blind pony touching her right wing. “You may drink your water as you like, Wildflower.”

“Thank you, Mistress Stormy.” Taking the glass in her wing, she took a sip of her water.

“Excuse me.”

The dappled grey earth pony stallion turned his attention to Airmail. “Yes madam?” The only thing Wildfire heard was a series of taps on the table between her and her marefriends. She assumed, correctly, that it was a menu. Idly she wondered what the azure blue mare was ordering. The waiting stallion nodded, “Yes madam.”

Not ten minutes later and a large plate was placed on the table along with some smaller plates around it. A split second later after that and the blind pony smelled something on the relish tray that she’d rather not smell. At all. Something she hated with a passion. Sipping her water, she sniffed at it again to make sure. “Mistress?” She asked hesitantly, “that's not...it is, isn’t it?”

“It is a relish tray, Wildflower.” Tempest explained, her tone that of the consummate Mistress. The violet mare slid a small plate in front of Wildfire to the left of her water. “There is some blue cheese dip in front of your plate. You will eat everything on your plate, Wildflower.” At that, Tempest and Airmail sat back on their seating pads and while they ate the light vegetables in front of them they chatted about Vanhoover, about Airmail's family and must see items that they simply had to do while they were going to be in the northern city. Both were pointedly ignoring their Pet.

Wildfire sniffed again at her plate. “B-But...Mistress, there's celery...” her muzzle moving over the plate, she detected not just the hated celery but there were carrot sticks, bell peppers, zucchini slices, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes and black olives. She was very glad to have the blue cheese dip.

“I told you our pretty mare was smart too.”

Tempest snickered. “You did Airy, and I didn't disagree with you.”

Frowning a very deep frown, Wildfire dipped her muzzle into the plate and began eating the carrot sticks, conspicuously shuffling the pieces of celery far over to the side of her plate. Unfortunately, this did not go unnoticed by Airmail and Tempest as they carried on their conversation about the harbour, and maybe a whaling tour. Wildfire dipped the peppers in the sauce and ate them with a sip of water. “Mistress, must I eat this?” She pointed to the celery with her nose.

“Does Mistress Stormy need to repeat herself?” Airmail asked imperiously, “I thought you were a clever mare.”

“But...no Mistress, she doesn't need to repeat herself…” Wildfire’s shoulders slumped as she moved on to the cucumber and tomatoes. Airmail and Tempest resumed their talk about the upcoming visit. Apparently all three of them would be staying at Airmail's family house. Wildfire wasn’t really listening. She was focussed on her plate, her thoughts milling around in her head. She really hated the thought of the celery, but…but it wasn’t like Lotus Stripes was there ready to break her legs if she left any anymore, was it? This was a game. Wildfire had to keep reminding herself off that as she ate the zucchini and the black olives while saving the blue cheese dip to take away the taste of the upcoming celery.

However, when there was nothing but celery left on her plate, Airmail fired a broadside into her carefully laid plan. “Stormy, I've run out of dressing.”

Tempest had to really try very hard not to laugh at the sour look on the little yellow mare’s face. “Oh, here Wildflower hasn't even touched hers.”

“Thank you.” Airmail smiled as she swiped the blue cheese dip over on to her side of the table.

With the loss of her last hope of rescue from the hated celery Wildfire let out a loud petulant whine and, as she picked up one of the celery sticks in her mouth Airmail and Tempest both had the biggest smiles on their muzzles. Grimacing, the yellow pegasus took a bite, chewing it as fast as she could before swallowing with distaste and going for her water to get rid of the peppery taste.

Again, it wasn’t like Lotus was there forcing it down her gullet, but she ate stick after stick of it for fear of disappointing her Mistresses. She knew she could say ‘peaches’ at any time and end this little game, but she didn’t.

“She is eating it so quickly and she saved it for last.” Tempest commented with just a hint of a gloat in her voice. “Do you think she wants some more?”

“No!” Frantically, Wildfire shook her head. “No Mistress please, don't order anymore.”

Airmail took pity on her begging lover and Pet. “I'm rather full, and we would have to order a whole tray.”

Reluctantly, Tempest agreed. This was after all supposed to be fun, and Wildfire’s face right then was anything but fun. “You're right, Airy. I'm sure we can pick some celery at the store in Vanhoover.”

“Thank you Mistress!” Wildfire breathed a huge sigh of relief. ‘I'm not being beaten by celery,’ she thought as she finished the very last of the celery on her plate and lunged for the rest of her water.

“I feel restored from that snack.” Tempest got up from her seating pad in the club car and tugged on the reins she held. “Come Pet, let’s go back to our compartment.”

“Yes Mistress,” Wildfire grumbled a little as she allowed herself to be led along. “It was...lovely…” walking somewhat sullenly, she kept up with the pull of the reins.

“Yes,” Tempest said as she led the way back to the cabin, “it will be lovely.” Sliding open the cabin door, the violet mare entered first followed by Wildfire whom she led to face the window.

When Wildfire entered the compartment, she could feel Airmail enter right behind her. In a bit of a mood from having to eat the frankly evil celery, the little blind mare resisted and once more she pulled a little on the reins. She tossed her head side to side but still, she stood in front of the window where directed. Tempest of course noted this sullen behaviour straightaway. “I think she may be sulking, Airy.”

Airmail gave her herd-mate a series of ear flicks and she got a silent nod in reply. “I did have to remind her of your instructions.”

“Yes,” Tempest tapped her chin thoughtfully, “Our Pet is most forgetful, it seems.”

Another set of ear flicks and both mares shared a nod of the head and a knowing smile. “Do you think it’s her attitude?” The azure blue mare asked.

Tempest nodded. “She has been a hoof-full since the palace.”

“It was a rough day yesterday.” Airmail commented as she ran her left wing gently over Wildfire’s right flank.

Tempest didn’t buy that at all. “Sound like an excuse to me.”

Facing the window, her hindquarters pointed towards the compartment door, Wildfire lowered her head. They were right of course, she was acting a lot like a spoiled brat. “It’s no excuse for my actions, Mistress.”

Airmail gently swatted Wildfire’s flank with her wing. “Did you ask to speak, Pet?”

“I don't recall her doing so.” Tempest said with a wink to Airmail.

The azure blue mare resumed her tender caress of Wildfire’s flank. “Maybe an attitude adjustment is needed?”

Grinning, Tempest bent down and whispered in Wildfires’ left ear. “Does my very bad pony need a spanking?”

Wildfire nodded her head enthusiastically. “She does Mistress, to remind your Pet how to behave.”

Tempest stood back up to her full height and nodded to her herd-mate. “You may begin Airy.” The violet weather pony then stood back and watched as Airmail tenderly stroked the feathers of her wings over Wildfire’s right flank, up and down her hind legs and finally between her hind legs. The azure blue mare then repeated this gentle treatment on the yellow pony’s left side and continued back and forth. “That's it Airy,” Tempest cheered, “You give her what for!”

Under the maddeningly gentle wing caresses, Wildfire let out a frustrated whimper, hopping from hoof to hoof in a desperate need to be spanked. The next thing she felt was Tempest giggling in her left ear. “Careful Pet, if you displease me it will be the socks next.”

That was the absolute last thing she wanted. She recalled the horrific beating that Lady Octavia had endured at the Manehatten fountain. Wildfire whinnied, “I ah, I understand Mistress.” With an act of will, she forced herself to stand still as the feathers caressed her.

“Good Pet,” Tempest whispered, still in her left ear, “take it like the bad pony you are. Tail up high please.”

Wildfire tried very hard not to smile. “At once, Mistress.” Flexing her dock, she lifted up her tail as high as she could get it, exposing her slowly moistening marehood to anypony that happened to walk past the compartment and look in. There was now a pause between each tender wing stroke as Airmail darted in to lick between Wildfire’s cleft. “Hmmm!” The blind mare cooed at the touch of the hot wet tongue on her labia.

“Airy, love,” Tempest said in her ‘Mistress’ tone as she backed away, “I think our Pet is enjoying her punishment. Pause for a moment and help me prepare for the next event.” Tempest moved away and all of a sudden the wing caresses and the licking stopped. Almost immediately Wildfire whined at the loss of the contact and smiled impishly as she lowered her black tail.

Two minutes later and the smell of strawberries filled the compartment, along with the musky scent of Wildfire’s arousal as she began to leak juice down her hind legs. She sniffed the scent of strawberries knowing full well what that meant and that just served to get her more excited. A second later and she felt the sharp sting of the riding crop on each cutie mark and quick as a flash Tempest was back in her ear. “Did I change your instructions?”

“Aah!” Wildfire gasped out loud. That flash of stinging pain always came as a 'nice' surprise to the blind pegasus. “N-No Mistress, you didn’t.”

“Are you sure?” Tempest asked as she landed two more rapid strikes over each of her stylised fireball cutie marks.

“Aaah!” Another gasp and Wildfire raised her tail back to where it was. “I'm sure, Mistress.”

“Okay, I am going to pause the game for a moment.” Tempest declared, her voice at once going back to her usual blend of Trottingham / Manehatten. “I have a question that only Wildfire can answer. I want Wildfire to answer this question. I know you have toys for both holes, but I'm going to rut you. Which hole does Wildfire want me to rut her in?”

Wildfire was very, very grateful for that. She smiled both inwardly and externally. That love, that simple show of love, respect and affection was all the difference between the care home and now. It was still something she was getting used to, but she appreciated in nonetheless. “Um, can you rut my tail-hole, please Stormy, if that's okay?” She said and puckered her lips, offering up a kiss.

Tempest didn’t look away from the little yellow mare in front of her. “Prepare our Pet, Airy.” Smiling, Tempest returned the deep kiss.

“You need to relax.” Airmail said as she smeared her strawberry lube covered hoof over the muscular ring of her newest herd-mate’s anus. There was the tiniest frown on her azure blue face at how easily it opened to accept the very toe of her hoof as she liberally applied the lube.

“Thank you, Honey.” Wildfire whispered and took a deep breath to relax herself as the lube was generously applied to her ass.

Tempest gave her diminutive lover another kiss and she stood up, her aspect once more returning to the ‘Mistress’. “Now Wildflower, you punishment will begin in earnest.” Tempest moved away and Airmail stepped up to Wildfire’s front and lovingly nuzzled her right ear.

Wildfire felt a pair of hooves on her back and something wide pressed against her tail-hole. “Relax,” Tempest purred into her ear, “I don't want to tear you.” Taking another deep breath, Wildfire nuzzled Airmail’s cheek as she planted her hooves on the floor of the steam train’s compartment, relaxing herself as much as possible.

Bucking her hips, Tempest pushed forward until Wildfire’s well-used ring finally give her entrance. Airmail whispered in her left ear, “Don't be afraid to use your safe word.” She gave her a delicate kiss as Tempest shuffled forward, sliding the length of the toy into her lubed up ass.

“I-I won't Airy…hmmm!” Wildfire swooned as she felt the length and girth of the toy enter her hole. “Oooh M-Mistress!”

Airmail broke the kiss. “Rut her Stormy.” She was satisfied that Wildfire would use her safe word if she needed to. “Rut her hard.” Back in Wildfire’s ear she whispered, “take it all, my pretty mare.” Given the go ahead, Tempest had half the length of the dildo buried in Wildfire’s asshole and she started pumping it in and out, leaning her full weight on her back as she wrapped her forehooves over her yellow wings.

“I-I will Mistress!” Wildfire squealed at the intrusion into her ass, feeling very full from the toy that spread her and stretched her open. “Ngggh! Thank you for rutting me, Mistress!” In her teeth, Tempest grabbed the black mane and pulled her head back away from Airmail's mouth. From experience she knew how far she could shove up an ass as her pace picked up.

“Oowoow!” Wildfire moaned and bucked her hips backwards against Tempest's thrusts with a smile. “H-Harder, M-Mistress!” Underneath her, Airmail moved to lavish her attention on Wildfire’s hard exposed clit while Tempest slammed into her butt. “AaaaAAAHH that’s gooood...”

Lost in the sensations of plowing the diminutive mare, Tempest stamped her hoof. Sucking hard on her clitoris, Airmail knew her lover was close. “You may cum, Pet.” Airmail moved from licking to nibbling her hard nub.

Just then, when all three mares were lost in the moment, the door to the compartment slid open and an earth pony stallion – who had been admiring the show since it began – said, “Tickets please.”

Tempest didn’t miss a beat as Airmail slid out from underneath Wildfire and showed the stallion the tickets. She just slammed the little mare harder and harder. “Thank you, have a pleasant trip.” The stallion, for his part didn’t flinch or blush, he just shut the door and went to his cabin to enjoy what he had just seen.

“Th-thank AAAAH! Thaaank y-you Mistress!” Wildfire shouted and shuddered as her climax took her over the edge. “Mmmm sweeEET CELESTIAAAAA!” Her legs buckled as she came very hard. As she squirted, Airmail got under her just in time to lap up her juices while behind her Tempest kept driving hard, not letting up her hard solid thrusts. “Aaah-ooow ooOOOW!” She squealed, starting to get a little sore but it still felt sweet due to the mare lapping at her crotch.

Snorting, Tempest twisted Wildfire’s black mane and she didn't slow down. She just got faster and harder. Airmail stopped lapping, and stepped away to watch what was happening. “Ooow ooouch!” By now she was starting to get really sore, it felt like Tempest was tearing her in half. “AAAH OOOOOOW! P-Peaches!”

When Tempest didn’t show any immediate signs of stopping, Airmail bit the violet mare’s ear hard. “Ooow! Ohhh…” coming back to herself she paused and then she slowly pulled out leaving a gaping Wildfire in her wake.

Wildfire hung her head slightly, “I’m s-sorry!”

“I love you, and don't you ever forget that.” Tempest smiled, sounding for all Equestria like herself again. “Airy knows I get carried away slamming ass.”

“I was watching you Wildfire, and I was about to bite her anyways.” Airmail said as she moved to stand at Wildfire’s right and nuzzled her ear. “I love you too.”

“I-I love you both too, I’m sorry I ended it…” Wildfire muttered. She deeply wished she could’ve stopped it so easily back at the care home, but nopony had loved her there. “It was really nice at first, then it started to hurt.” She blushed a bright red. “Thank you, for stopping, Honey.”

Tempest moved along Wildfire’s left side and nuzzled that ear. “Thank you for being willing to stop me.”

Wildfire kissed both of her marefriends. “Thank you,” she kissed them both again. “Did you, um, come too?”

“No, which is why I didn't stop...” Tempest admitted, “I’m sorry, it’s different between which hole I'm in. I sort of lose where I'm at...”

“She gets too focussed rutting you she forgets to rut herself.” Airmail explained.

“Yeah.” Tempest licked Wildfire’s left ear, “you want to finish me off?”

Wildfire nodded. “I'd love to, Stormy.”

“You up to rutting me?” Tempest asked, “We brought your toy too.”

“Oooh yes please!”

“You know the drill,” Airmail smiled as she took out Wildfire’s stallionator toy from one of the saddlebags and generously applied the strawberry lube to its veiny length. “Step back into the harness, Wily.”

Wildfire sniffed the strawberry lube with a smile and stepped backwards awkwardly with her hind legs into the harness. “I’m sorry,” she giggled, “I’m a bit stiff.”

“Hmm,” Tempest moved back at that comment and ducked her head under Wildfire’s tail. “It does look like an open tunnel under that tail of yours…” she didn’t know whether to be proud at that or a tiny bit ashamed as she watched Airmail move the dildo up and into Wildfire’s very slippery slot filling her in a new way. “Swap spots and you can lower your tail now.”

“Gee, that’s a nice image…” Wildfire sniggered at being described as an ‘open tunnel’ and moved to one side, lowering her tail to hide the view.

“Just like last time Wily, you can do this.” Airmail said as she ushered Tempest into position at the window before whispering in the blind mare’s ear, “Once you're in don't hold back.”

“Oh okay...” Blindly, Wildfire felt for Tempest's hind quarters and, once she found her, she reared up to her hind legs and placed her forehooves on Tempest's wing joints. ‘I got this,’ she thought to herself as she roughly aimed the tip of the toy at her marefriend’s waiting marehood, fumbling slightly as she entered her. “You okay Stormy?”

“No,” she snorted in reply, “you're not rutting!”

Wildfire blushed, feeling a bit daft. “Sorry!” Resolving to be more firm, Wildfire gripped the base of Tempest’s wings with her forehooves as she rocked her hips forward, entering her older lover to the hilt in one smooth thrust before pulling out half way and firmly thrusting back inside.

Stepping back to watch the show, Airmail snickered, “I wish I had some popcorn,” to which Tempest snorted a deep lusty breath as Wildfire picked up her speed, slamming the toy into Tempest harder and deeper with every thrust of her hips. The violet mare pushed back and snorted some more. “Ride that pony!” Airmail cheered them on.

Wildfire was really going for it, slamming into Tempest’s sopping wet marehood as hard as she possibly could, pulling her lover back onto herself with each deep thrust. “Yessss yeessssssssaaahahaaaa!” Tempest screamed as she came, and Wildfire could feel her climax and her muscular tunnel clenched around her false shaft.

“Oh yeah,” Airmail grinned, “that was worth the price of admission.”

Slowing her thrusts, Wildfire lowered herself to Tempest’s back, kissing along the back of her neck and her black mane. “So Wily,” Tempest was panting as hard as she was, “how was our performance?”

“It was great!” Wildfire replied as she pulled out of her herd-mate and hopped back to her four hooves and trotted round to her front for a kiss. “Even the celery.”

“Good.” Tempest smiled as her breathing returned to normal. “Airy, check she is okay.”

Airmail nodded from Wildfire’s rear end. “Lift your tail, please.”

Wildfire gave a little derisive snort. “I'm fine.” She still lifted up her black tail though.

Airmail inspected her little lover’s ass closely. “She has a welt over the left cutie mark, a couple over the right, and no bleeding.” The azure blue mare reported, breathing a considerable sigh of relief that the blind mare’s used tail-hole was closing up.

“See?” Wildfire kissed her marefriend, “I'm fine.”

“Mother hen, remember?” Airmail said with a giggle, “You ready for me to slide this out of you?” She asked as Tempest joined her in a giggle.

“Yuppers,” Wildfire answered quickly, “and I wouldn't have her any other way.” She smiled as Airmail helped her out of the toy’s harness before getting a cloth to wipe both of them down. Flexing her hind legs, the blind mare gave a little wince and a groan as pain spiked from her ass. “Well, almost fine.”

“Thanks for indulging me.” Tempest said as she turned and nuzzled Wildfire’s cheek. “Airy still thinks it is an output device only.”

Wildfire lovingly nuzzled her partner as Airmail noisily raspberried the two mares. “You were the gentlest ever, and I love you for that.”

“I love you too.” Tempest knew exactly what she meant by that last remark and to be honest she didn’t want to dwell on it too much. “I'm for a nap till lunch.”

“I'm going back to the club car.” Airmail stated, “You napping too, Wily or coming with me?”

“Um,” Wildfire made her mind up quickly. “I'll go with you Airy, I'm not tired.”

“Hoof cuffs, but no chains?”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire nodded, “that sounds good.”

As Tempest hopped up and got herself comfortable on one of the fold down beds in the train compartment, Airmail removed the twelve inch chains and left the cuffs, bit, bridle, and blindfold in place. Taking up the reins in her hoof she gave them a firm tug. “Let’s go.” She said and led her little lover through the Vanhoover coach, the dining car and onwards to the club car which had gotten more crowded in their absence. “Excuse me, can we share you table?”

A pea green earth pony mare with a dark green mane tied up in a bun looked up her seating pad. “Oh, sure.” At that, Airmail led Wildfire to a vacant seating pad opposite the earth pony.

When Wildfire felt the edge of the seating pad with the leading edge of her hoof she hopped up on to it and scooted over to make room for Airmail to take a seat beside her. “Thanks,” she said with a smile to the mystery mare.

“Willow.” The pea green mare supplied with a nod of her head.

“Airmail.” The lead editor gave her name as she too sat down next to Wildfire.

“Hey Willow,” the blind pony extended her cuffed hoof across the table in greeting. “I'm Wildfire.”

“I see you're all dressed up,” Willow said as she addressed the bridle and bumped the yellow hoof that was extended to her. “But, why the blindfold?”

“Oh I'm blind,” Wildfire stated blandly. “It was an accident at university.” Wildfire knew she was skirting the issue, but she figured there was no need to go into heaps of detail just yet, if ever.

“A bit redundant then?” Willow remarked with a raised eyebrow.

Airmail smiled, “It’s a good conversation starter.”

“Okay,” Willow grudgingly admitted, “I guess I fell for that.”

Wildfire giggled. She rather liked the sound of this new mare. She had a soft fragile voice that carried a hint of determination to it at the same time. It was a tone she could emphasise with. “It looks better than what's underneath, and yuppers, it’s an icebreaker.”

“Do you want black coffee and two sugars this time, Wily?” Airmail asked and when she nodded ‘yes’ the older mare placed the order with the waiter that had stopped at the table.

“How far are you both going?” Willow asked after the waiter had gone and she had taken a sip of the tea she was nursing in front of her.

“Vanhoover,” Wildfire replied eagerly. “I’m meeting Airmail's family. How 'bout you?”

“End of the line.” Willow said with a nervous smile and she glanced at her feather duster and apron cutie mark. “I’ve got a maid job in the Crystal Empire at the palace, it’s better than cleaning a hotel room in Canterlot.”

That certainly got Airmail’s attention right there. Leaning forward, her ears perked up with interest, she asked, “How hard was that to line up?”

“Six months of applications and interviews,” Willow answered with a not too small amount of pride in her voice. “I tried for the Canterlot palace and the Ponyville palace too.”

“The Canterlot palace is nice, I’ve never been in the Ponyville one.” Wildfire commented as she smelled the drinks arriving. She could tell from the scent of the coffee that it was a decent brand.

“Did you work at the palace?” Willow asked, making conversation.

Wildfire shook her head. “No,” she paused and took a sip of her steaming hot black coffee. “My best friend Dusk lives there.”

Willow’s jaw hung open in surprise and a bit of shock. “The Prince!” She had no idea she was in the company of those that knew royalty. The pea green mare felt very out of place, seeing as she didn’t have two bits to rub together. “If you want this table to yourself, I can move, ma’am.”

Wildfire raised up her hoof. “Don't be silly Ms. Willow, you were here first, right Airy?”

Airmail couldn’t help but giggle. “Okay, that was funny, and you are an awful name dropper Wily.” To Willow she smiled a sympathetic smile. “They're both pegasi and when to school together.”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire giggled, “we went to the same dull boring school where nothing ever happened.”

“Well, at least you got to see the inside of the palace.” Willow commented, trying very hard to keep the resentful edge from her voice. “I got to take care of the rooms of stuffy nobles.”

Wildfire shrugged. “They're all stuffy…mostly.” She added quickly, amending her statement.

Willow gave a light little giggle that entirely suited her soft voice. “Yes, they are, but I hear it is different in the Crystal Empire.”

“You don't mind the cold?”

Willow turned her sparkling blue eyes to Airmail as she considered her question. “Well, it helps being an earth pony, and it really isn't bad unless you leave the main city.”

“Oh I am sorry,” Wildfire rested her black coffee back on the table and felt really rather silly, and a bit rude. “I should've asked what pony you were Ms. Willow...um, would you mind if I touched you, please?”

“Ooh, ahh no.” Willow wasn’t expecting that, at all. “Let me come around to your side of the table.” When the pea green mare got up, Airmail moved aside so that Willow could sit next to the little blind mare. When she was sat comfortably next to her, she said, “Go ahead Ms Wildfire. So you've met the Prince's family?”

Airmail was, through a considerable act of willpower, able to hold in her laughter at that understatement as Wildfire lifted up her hooves and gently touched Willow's face, carefully taking in the features of her nose, her muzzle and her cheeks. Now she determined that she liked this mare even more. “We've met them once or twice, his parents are pretty cool.”

“That sounds so exciting.” Willow said, trying not to move her jaw very much as her face was felt all over. Idly she wondered what the yellow pegasus saw in her mind’s eye.

Wildfire nodded as she lowered her hooves. “They're a laugh, for old ponies.”

“Oh my!” Willow gasped, that fragility back in her soft voice. “Let me move so your partner can have her place back.” With that the pea green mare got up and moved back around to the other side of the table and Airmail slid in to sit back down next to Wildfire. “I'm hoping I'll be able to meet Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.”

“Call her Cadance,” Wildfire spoke up, “D says she prefers it to her full name.”

Willow didn’t know what to make of that. She doubted she’d get that close as to call the alicorn anything other than her full title. “A servant shouldn’t presume.”

“You can trust Wildfire on that one.” Airmail said kindly, “It may help you get promoted when you arrive in the Empire.”

“Um…okay…” Willow still wasn’t wholly convinced. When the waiter came over she quickly finished her cup of tea and gave him her empty cup. “I'll have another Jasmine tea please.” She then turned back to the other two mares. “Did you stop in Canterlot to visit?”

“Kinda,” Wildfire said with a smile, “I introduced Airmail to my mum, and we had some ‘other stuff’ to take care of as well.”

Willow giggled, “It’s always nice when a couple does the 'meet the parents' thing.”

“It was, I think they got on nicely.” Wildfire giggled, not feeling the need to go into all the ins and outs of the day and exactly what had happened, “Then we had a night out with some friends in a posh restaurant, that was fun.” She was well aware that ‘posh’ didn’t go all the way to describing just how upper class and elite that restaurant had been.

“Yes,” Willow’s soft voice sounded very distant. “I'm sure it was…”

At once, Wildfire picked up on the change in Willow’s voice. “What’s the matter, Ms. Willow?”

“Hmm?” Willow made the noncommittal noise without really listening. “Oh, nothing Ms. Wildfire, I just don't tend to go to posh restaurants.”

“Me neither as a rule, they’re way too stuffy.” Wildfire had an idea that she had said something wrong and intentionally or not, she had upset the mare she liked. She also had an idea to make up for it. To Airmail she asked, “Have you got your phone on you, Airy?”

“Yes dear,” Airmail replied and she retrieved her cell phone from her bag. “Left yours in the cabin?”

“Thanks, Airy. I was gonna show Ms. Willow the clips of our night out, to cheer her up.” She whispered, “Y’know, the ones that Moonbeams took…ah, how'd I get Facetube up on this?”

“Okay,” Airmail caught on to what Wildfire had in mind and she took her phone back with a laugh and swiped her way onto the right screen. “Okay, give me a moment. Good, they have WiFi in the club car. Here's an earpiece, Willow.” Airmail then slid her phone over on the table so that Willow could easily see the whole screen. “That's Wildfire in the white dress, and Dusk is there, wearing that dress.”

“Dress?” Willow’s blue eyes went wide as she watched the scene unfold on the screen.

“Yeah, dress.” Airmail supplied, “I'm the one in the blue dress.”

“You’ll love it,” Wildfire laughed, “and yeah, Dusk likes wearing dresses, it makes his stallion happy.”

“Oh, I see.” Realisation dawned on Willow as to what was happening when she saw the reveal of the same sex partners making out in public at the restaurant and the ensuing debacle afterwards. “Is that the stallion that just ate the bill?”

Wildfire cracked up into fits of giggles. “Yuppers, that's him.”

“Oh my!” Willow was shocked that anypony could act like that in Canterlot. “If Mr. ah...Oils, was it? Is with Prince Dusk, then why is Prince Dusk with that mare and Mr. Oils with that stallion? This is very confusing…” then the bit dropped and it became obvious as to what was happening. “Aaah…so this was all a set up?”

“Yes,” Wildfire laughed, “I’m afraid it was rather.”

“Oh my, this is…this is…” Willow began laughing behind her hoof. “This is really funny!”

“It turned out to be a decent night didn't it, Airy?”

“It did Wildfire,” Airmail agreed, “yes it did.”

Reaching a wing out for her coffee, Wildfire found her cup and took a drink, draining what was left in one gulp. “Is it going to be just you in the Crystal Empire then, Ms. Willow?”

When Willow finally stopped laughing and removed the ear piece, the giggling pea green earth pony mare pushed the cell phone back over to Airmail who put it away back in her bag. “That was pretty good, and yes, I’m making a fresh start.”

Now Wildfire decided that she liked her even more. “Good for you. I did that with Manehatten, I start work there in about a week.”

“I wish both of you well then,” Willow said as she summoned the waiter and paid her bits for the jasmine tea. “I'm going back to my seat, I may meet you again later today.”

After Willow had gone, Airmail playfully nudged her little lover in the ribs. “You name dropper.”

“Whaaaat?” Wildfire giggled, “I only said my friend lived at the palace, which he does.”

“Just teasing you.” Airmail snickered, “I hope she does find that new start she’s looking for.”

“Yuppers, so do I. I liked her, and we all deserve a fresh start.” She then placed a delicate little kiss on her marefriend’s cheek. “Our past is not today, right Pretty?”

“Eeyup.” Airmail couldn’t argue with that. “It got us here, but it isn't leading us on.”

“Well said love.” Wildfire affectionately nuzzled the older mare’s neck. “Thanks for watching out for me with Stormy.”

“No problem love.” Airmail drained her own drink with a lick of her lips. “Stormy won't do that to you solo, she knows herself well enough.”

Wildfire shifted a little on her seating pad. The pain in her rear was almost completely gone by now. “It was nice, mostly.” She giggled like a filly when a thought occurred to her. “I hope the conductor got a good show.”

Airmail laughed out loud at that. “I'm sure he has seen it all.”

“Well, I've just about felt it all.” Wildfire commented somewhat ambivalently, her tone a mixture of pride and sadness.

“You want another coffee?”

“Actually Airy,” Wildfire used her sense of smell and touch to pinpoint her marefriend’s location and waggle her eyebrows, “I was thinking we could play a game…”

Unfortunately the sexy gesture went over Airmail’s head. “I don't think the train has any gaming systems.” She said, missing what Wildfire had intended.

Moving close to the larger older mare’s ear, Wildfire giggled, “not that kind of game. We need to go back to our compartment to play it.” Then, she gave up being subtle about it. “It’s called how many times can I make you cum without waking up Stormy.”

“You mean the Stormy that sleeps through her own thunderstorms Stormy?” Airmail deadpanned, “I think you have a better chance of making me pass out than waking her.” She continued with a giggle, “I'm game.”

“Awesomes!” Wildfire leant up and kissed her ear. “It depends how loud you are. The longer she sleeps, the more you cum. Simples.” At that, the little yellow mare felt her reins being tugged, and with a giggle she allowed herself to be led from their table in the club car. On the way back to their carriage, while she was looking forward to their impromptu game, Wildfire paused. “Pretty, what did you think of Ms. Willow?”

The question, unexpected as it was, made Airmail pause in turn. “Willow was a nice mare.” Airmail answered truthfully. They hadn’t spent a great deal of time with the earth pony, but she had come across as genuine. “I think she has had a hard life and looks to change her fortune in the Crystal Empire.”

“I thought so too.” Wildfire thought as they started to walk through the dining car. “I was thinking, y'know, about fresh starts and everything, maybe I could give D a ring after our game see if he can’t help her out.”

Airmail liked the sound of that. “Sounds like a good plan. I'm sure Dusky knows how to pull that off without putting Willow on the spot.”

“I hope I'm not sticking my muzzle where it doesn't belong,” Wildfire fretted, “but everypony deserves a fresh start right? I’m thinking of Emerald, you, me y'know?”

Airmail nodded. She couldn’t argue with any of that. “I have to agree with you, and I do think Dusky can do it right, so if you can lend a helping hoof, then go for it.”

“I will, thanks Pretty.” Wildfire smiled, feeling buoyed about what she was planning to do. “Now about our game, what don't you want me to do?”

“No hoofing me,” the azure blue lead editor replied quickly, she was very grateful Wildfire had asked that. “But, anything else is pretty much game.”

“Okay love, I wasn't going to as I haven't washed these since last night.” Wildfire said, the very last thing she wanted was a repeat of the freak out she had caused in their bedroom back in Manehatten. She’d learnt that lesson good and proper. “Are you alright with me licking yours?”

Airmail nodded. “If you wipe them down first I may have stepped in a puddle in the club car.” She slid open the compartment door and almost straightaway there was the sounds of a softly snoring Tempest coming from within from her chosen perch on the lower left bunk. The other three bunks were left folded up.

Wildfire lowered her voice and whispered, “It sounds like somepony's enjoying her nap time.”

Walking into the cabin, Airmail smiled, “For her the morning is the minute between eleven fifty nine a.m. and noon.” Airmail let out a light giggle. “And you won't be surprised to see me pass out by nine p.m.” Thinking to their upcoming game, Airmail looked around the cabin. “There is the open area in the middle where you stood, and seating pads on the right. We can lower the bunk too, you know how narrow those are.”

“Best lower the bunk,” Wildfire thought, picturing the scene in her head, “I need to bend you over something.”

“I'm liking this game already.” Airmail said as she quietly lowered the right lower bunk.

“Oooh, we need a couple of props.” Wildfire said with a grin when she heard the bunk being lowered down and clicked into place. “Can you please help me into my toy again, and get a vibrator from the toy bag?”

“Which one?”

“The not-the-butt-plug one,” Wildfire grinned, “I know you don't like that.”

“Just checking.” Airmail smiled and walked over to where they had left their saddlebags. “Anything else from the bag?”

Wildfire shook her head, “nopes, that should be fine.”

Airmail gave a little bow as she hoofed over the vibrator to the blind pony. “As you wish, Mistress Fire.”

Giggling very hard indeed, Wildfire accepted the vibrator from her lover. “Mistress Fire…teehee, I kinda like that. Thank you, for helping me into the harness again, Pretty.”

“It would please me to help you, Mistress Fire.” Getting the stallionator and its harness from the saddlebag, Airmail carried it over in her mouth and knelt down behind the diminutive mare. “When you're ready, Mistress Fire.”

“I’m ready, Pretty.” Stifling another loud giggle, Wildfire stepped into the straps so she could lift it up and slide it inside her. “Thank you Pretty. One last thing, take my blindfold and put it on please.”

Reaching up, Airmail carefully untied the blindfold from around Wildfire’s head and obediently she slipped it on over her brown eyes and turned to face the yellow mare. “Done, Mistress Fire.”

“Good,” Wildfire tried very hard to sound authoritative, eventually she decided to go full ‘Canterlot’ with her accent instead. “Now, bend over the bunk please, wings spread wide.”

Moving to the lower right bunk, Airmail bent over it as she was instructed as made sure she was as far forward as she could manage, her chest to the wall and her head to the right. “Yes, Mistress Fire.”

Feeling where she was, Wildfire knelt down behind her marefriend’s outspread left wing and laid her right forehoof on her back. “I promise I won't hoof you, but if anything else I do freaks you out, stop me, 'kay?”

Airmail nodded. ‘Luna’s mane she’s adorable,’ she thought with a smile. “Yes Mistress.”

“Awesomes.” Wildfire turned on the vibrator she held in her left hoof, setting it to medium and resting it at the base of Airmail’s left wing while her right hoof stroked teasingly up the inside of her left hind leg. Almost straightaway, the azure blue mare shivered under the sensation at her sensitive wing base. “You like that, Pretty?” Wildfire asked rhetorically as she moved the vibrator slowly up the leading edge of her wing to the elbow and back to the base.

“Eeek!” Even though she tried to hold still, when the vibrating toy neared her elbow Airmail's wing jerked away. “F-Forgive me, Mistress…” she murmured and steadied the limb when the toy moved away from her sensitive joint.

“Forgiven this time, Pretty.” Wildfire couldn’t hide the smile in her voice as she stroked the vibrator up the edge of her wing this time all the way up to the wingtip. Airmail still jerked her wing at the elbow and fluttered it a bit on the finger joints but not as bad. Wildfire ran her right forehoof up to the top of Airmail’s inside leg, over her marehood to the base of her summer green tail and back again while stroking the vibrator over her primary feathers.

“Mmmmmmmm!” Airmail purred heavenly and, encouraged by her moan, Wildfire ran the vibrator along the edges of a few feathers, circling her moistening labia with her other hoof. Airmail pressed against the yellow hoof and the feathers shivered along the vibrator. Running the vibrator along her secondary feathers now, her right hoof began tracing circles around the hood of Airmail’s hard clit. “AhhhHHHhhh!”

“Is that nice my Pretty?” Wildfire asked as she moved the vibrator back to tease her primary feathers while starting to nip and suck on the tertiaries, her hoof still toying around her clit.

“Yes Mistress, very nice…”

“Awesomes.” Switching the vibrator over to her right hoof, Wildfire ran it along the primaries on Airmail’s other wing. “Best not neglect this one, hmm?” Scooting quickly around to her lover’s right side she ran her left forehoof around her hood, gently flicking her nub.

“OhhhAAhhHH!” Airmail gasped as she ground herself backwards onto the soft yellow hoof. Wildfire held the vibrator against her primaries, nibbling and sucking on the secondaries, while she was flicking the tip of her hoof across her clit as the azure blue mare ground against it. “A-Ahh!” She moaned and jerked at the hoof flick.

Passing the vibrator back to her left hoof, this time Wildfire ran the tip of it over her ever moistening labia as she sucked and nipped at the tertiary feathers. “Niiiiiiice Miiiiiiiistressss…”

“I'd like you to cum for me, Pretty.” Wildfire commanded in her Canterlot accent as she slid the vibrator inside her wet tunnel while her right hoof rubbed in figure eights over the base of her right wing.

Whimpering, Airmail pushed back against the vibrator. “W-Would Mistress please bite at my feathers?”

“Of course my Pretty.” Switching the vibrator up a couple of notches to high, Wildfire lowered her head and tentatively bit down on the shaft of a primary feather.

That did the trick. “Ahhh, yeess ah oooaoo aa hhh ah!” Airmail’s body shuddered and Wildfire’s hoof got considerably wetter.

Seriously, Wildfire asked, “Was the bite okay Airy?” The last thing she wanted to do was hurt her lover.

Airmail barely managed to nod her head. “Y-Yes Mistress Fire, I like them tugged, not removed.”

“Awesomes.” Switching the vibrator up one more notch, as high as it would go, Wildfire selected another primary feather and biting it between her teeth she tugged it hard as Airmail rotated her hips to get as much of the vibrator in her as she could. Sliding her left hoof to her hard clit, she rubbed her hoof gently across it and she took a couple of secondaries in her mouth and bit down on them. Airmail's body shuddered as she let out a low moan of happiness that Wildfire had heard before.

Sliding her way across to her left wing, Wildfire bit down and tugged on a primary feather as her right hoof tapped the buzzing vibrator in and out of her sopping wet marehood. “Please Mistress…” Airmail begged as she climaxed for a second time.

“Yes Pretty?”

“Mount me please, Mistress Fire.”

“Seeing as you asked nicely,” Wildfire slowly withdrew the vibrator and turned it off before putting it on the floor. “How can I refuse?” Smirking a little, she said, “Face the window if you please, Pretty.” When Airmail moved to stand where she herself had stood earlier, she positioned herself behind her older marefriend and reared up onto her hindlegs with her forehooves gripping at the bases of her wings.

Airmail’s outstretched wings fluttered in anticipation. “Rut me hard, Mistress Fire.”

“Oh I will, Pretty.” Wildfire bucked her hips and entered her lover half way before withdrawing it almost all the way and then she thrust her hips forward hard, burying the dildo up to the hilt inside her marehood, tugging on the bases of her wings.

“Yes Mistress use me!”

Wildfire grunted and slammed into Airmail again and again. “Oh I'll use you Pretty, I like hearing you beg for this cock in you.”

Airmail was in utter heaven. “I want it all Mistress! I want you to ride me!”

Snorting, Wildfire pulled the blue mare onto her with her right forehoof as she used her left to spank her cutie mark – although it wasn’t a very hard hit – and she slammed into her a fourth and fifth time, her yellow fur touching the blue. Airmail bucked backwards against the hard thrusts and Wildfire kept up her hard pace, spanking her flank again as she hilted deep inside her.

Airmail was on the very edge, she just needed a little more. “H-Harder love…” Wildfire snorted into a grunt as she slammed the dildo in has hard as she possibly could, spreading Airmail’s cheeks and hitting her cervix. “YES YESSS AHHHAHH!” Her body arched underneath the blind mare and stiffened up.

“Scream my bucking name!” Wildfire commanded, all thoughts of not waking up Tempest long forgotten as she slammed in again, just as hard as before, once more hitting her cervical wall.

Airmail couldn’t speak for a few moments as she came down from her orgasm. “M-M-Mistress Fire!”

Slowing down her thrusts, Wildfire became far gentler and she leaned forward to kiss the back of Airmail’s neck, whispering as she did so; “I love you, Airy.”

Airmail panted as she came back down to earth. “L-Love you t-too, Wildfire.”

“I love you both,” Tempest interrupted them with a generous round of applause from her bunk, “but how many names does our Wily have now?”

Wildfire just giggled as she pulled out of Airmail and stood back on her four hooves. “Game’s up, I counted four before you woke Stormy.”

“Between three and four,” Tempest commented, revealing just how long she had been watching her two herd-mates go at it. “I do love a good show.”

Wildfire bent her forelegs and bowed a very low bow. “Honey, you're welcome, and the Mistress Fire thing was her idea.” She pointed a hoof over in Airmail’s direction.

“The creative wordsmith.” Tempest smirked as Airmail stuck out her tongue at her violet lover and turned to help the blind mare out of the stallionator’s harness.

“Hey, I just went with it,” Wildfire grinned as she stepped out of the straps around her hind legs. “I wanted to see how many times I could make Airy cum before you woke up.”

“I think it was the first smack on her ass that got my attention.” Tempest said with a giggle. “Did you do anything else while I caught up on my beauty sleep?”

Wildfire shrugged, “We had a chat with this nice mare called Willow in the club car...which reminds me, I need to give Dusky a call.”

“We have our lunch time slot yet?”

“No,” Airmail paused in her cleaning of the strap-on toy to answer Tempest’s question, “When do you want to eat?”

“I can wait a bit,” Tempest replied, resting her violet hoof on her belly that had been so recently filled with the breakfast at the palace, the pastry at the train station and the relish plate in the club car. “How about you Wily?”

“I'm fine for now Stormy.” Wildfire smiled, she never really ate very much as Amethyst hadn’t ever allowed her to, so she was still full as well. “That celery was very filling.” Still smiling, she searched for her cell phone while Airmail left the compartment to go and sort out the lunch seating.

“What?” Dusk answered his cell on the third ring. “Wily, is this important?”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire said as she flipped her phone over to speaker. “It is, why?”

“I'm halfway to Ponyville,” the young Prince sounded harassed on the phone. “Oils nearly fell off me when the phone rang.”

Wildfire sniggered, “Aaaanyway, I met this nice mare called Willow on the train to Vanhoover, she starts work as a maid in the Crystal Empire castle soon.”

“So?” Not that Dusk wasn’t grateful for his best friend calling, but he wondered what this had to do with him.

Tempest couldn’t resist teasing the earth pony artist. “Tell Oils that freefall is a good cardio workout.”

Wildfire snickered. “Tempest says freefall is a good workout.”

“Yeah,” Dusk laughed and the sound of passing wind could be heard over the phone line. “I'll tell him, so this mare?”

“Yuppers, it sounds like she's had a hard time of it in Canterlot and she's starting over in the Crystal Empire.”

“And?” Trying to balance his lover on his back, his phone in his hoof and fly straight, Dusk really wished Wildfire would hurry up and get to the point. “What do you need, Wily?”

“Weeeell,” Wildfire said in that tone that said she really wanted something, “I was wondering if I could call in that favour you're always saying you owe me, and get onto your cousin and make Willow's life a bit easier there.”

“Is that all?” Dusk asked, “Ring Cady for your new friend?”

“Could you, pleeeease?” Wildfire asked again as Airmail returned to their compartment.

“Of course I will.” Dusk stated, “I'll ring you back in a bit, and tell Tempest to stop laughing at Oils freefalling, he's going green on my back.”

“Green is a nice landscape colour.”

“Yeah,” Dusk chuckled at Tempest’s jibe, “not over me it’s not.”

“You aren't speeding, are you?” Wildfire asked with a giggle.

“No he isn't!” Brush Stroke’s anguished voice came over the phone then, sounding very queasy indeed.

Dusk scoffed, “I'm barely pushing forty…”

“The train is faster!” Tempest cajoled loudly, making sure she was heard.

“I know!” Dusk grumbled. He didn’t care at this point if he was punished when he landed. This speed was killing him. “I'm barely maintaining flight as it is.”

“It’s plenty fast enough!” Brush Stroke squealed when Dusk performed a shallow angled bank.

“Even I can fly faster than that.” Wildfire laughed out loud while Tempest and Airmail both started to chant ‘Rainboom, Rainboom, Rainboom!’ in the background.

“Good idea,” Dusk giggled, “shall I sweetie?” As Brush Stroke screamed out a loud ‘Noooo!’, he definitely knew he’d get spanked for that. “Wily, I'm gonna land, get on to Cady for you, I'll ring you back in about forty five minutes ish.”

“Ground!” Brush Stroke squealed, “sweet sweet ground!”

“Okie dokie D, and thanks.”

“You know who Oils reminds me of?” Tempest asked as Wildfire ended the call and put her phone away.

“No, who?”

Finally getting off of the bunk, Tempest kissed Wildfire’s lips. “Caffeinated.”

“Yeah,” Airmail snickered at the memory that came flooding back to her, “It took all we could to get him to cloud walk that one time.”

Wildfire giggled at the image of the robust orange zebra up on a cloud. “Caffy, on a cloud? I'd so love to see that.”

Airmail laughed out loud, “He isn't much for heights.”

“Good thing his shop is on the ground floor.” Tempest joined in the laughter that filled the train compartment.

“Not as bad as my friend Cyclone.” Wildfire sighed as her laughter died away. “Imagine a pegasus so scared of heights she'd pass out on a rollercoaster…poor Cyclone. Well that’s my good deed done for today.”

“So, the call went well.” Airmail leant in and nuzzled the little yellow mare’s cheek. “We eat in fifteen minutes at two thirty p.m.”

“Yuppers, I reckon D'll sort something out for Ms. Willow.”

“Maybe an upgrade from maid to chambermaid?” Tempest wondered aloud.

“Yuppers,” Wildfire smiled, “that'd be cool if he could.” A thought ran through the yellow mare’s head then, a worry that threatened to take over her buoyed mood. “I hope she isn't cross that I've stuck my muzzle in her business, it took her six months to get the maid’s job, and I just swoop in like that…”

Tempest saw the fretting mare and decided to head it off at the pass before it could gather too much momentum. “I think she'll be cross if Dusky gets her fired.” She crossed the cabin and tenderly nuzzled Wildfire’s cheek. “Other than that, I don't see why she would be upset if her position at the palace is of higher station than when she first signed up.”

“Unless she is a terrible maid and that is why she is running from Canterlot.” Airmail thought aloud.

“I dunno why she's running,” Wildfire said, very grateful of Tempest’s cheek on hers, “but the Crystal Empire is a long way to go on your own to start afresh, she must have a good reason. I just saw me in her, y'know?”

“She did sound honest,” Airmail put in, “and I don't think we'll upset her.”

“The difference is, I had two awesome sexy mares looking out for me,” Wildfire said, her comment earning her a generous lick of her ears from her herd-mates. “I thought I'd do the same for her. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what Dusky has to say.”

There was a knock at the door then and a stallion slid it open. “You may be seated now, Ma’am.” He addressed Airmail but he spoke to the cabin as a whole.

In the Dining Car the three mares were going to take a table to themselves when Airmail saw a beige earth pony with a mane as green as her own. “Mr. Kernel?”

The lone stallion seated at the table looked up from his menu at the sound of his name and a second later a wide smile appeared on his face. “Airmail? It has been over a year.”

“Going home with my herd-mates.” Airmail said by way of explanation as she took a seating pad next to the middle aged earth pony. Tempest slid in and took the seating pad opposite Kernel, leaving the pad next to her on her left for Wildfire to take. “How long have you been in Canterlot?”

Kernel nodded at each mare in turn then he answered Airmail’s question. “I just finished some farm bill work in Canterlot, it’s been almost a month now. The wheels of bureaucracy grind even slower than the threshing floor.”

Airmail noticed Tempest’s puzzled look and Wildfire’s tilted head and decided to make the introductions. “This is Mr. Kernel. He heads up the COOP that my father belongs too. Kernel, this is Tempest and Wildfire,” she waved her hoof at the violet and yellow mares in turn.

Kernel nodded politely to the mares sat opposite him. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Hey Mr. Kernel,” Wildfire smiled in the stallion’s rough direction, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Sat next to her, Tempest read out the lunch menu choices as it wasn’t in braille. Between hayburger and hayfries or daisy sandwich with carrot sticks and cucumber slices, Wildfire didn’t really see a choice. “Ooooh hayburger and fries sounds awesomes, I'll have that please!” Kernel and Airmail opted for the same, while Tempest went for the daisy sandwiches.

“Do you want a beer, Wily?”

“Yes please, Stormy.” Tempest placed the order. Again, Kernel and Airmail chose to have a beer with the blind mare while Tempest chose to have a glass of wine.

“Was your trip a success Mr. Kernel?” Tempest asked once the waiter had taken the orders and the menus.

The beige earth pony stallion nodded thoughtfully as he reflected on his business trip to Canterlot. “Got most of what we wanted. Autonomy is always a hard sell with the Nobility.”

“Something's better than nothing, Mr Kernel.” Wildfire commented.

“Yeah,” Airmail agreed, “and holding up production doesn't work with them and only hurts the common pony.”

“It’s the way it is.” Kernel said with a shrug of his shoulders, then the conversation went on hold when the food arrived. For the next few minutes there was no sounds coming from the table other than hungry sniffs and the sounds of four ponies enjoying their lunches. Once he was done eating his hayburger, Kernel stood and wished Airmail well on her visit to her family and promised he may stop in to see Rye some time.

“He was nice.” Wildfire commented as she ate the last of her burger. “Friend of yours Airy?”

“Friend of my father's more like.” Airmail corrected gently as she too finished her fries. “Runs the Cooperative.”

“Cool.” Wildfire drunk the rest of her beer, draining the half empty bottle in one swallow. The whole dinner had taken roughly half an hour and the three remaining mares were all finished as the next seating was ready.

“You want to walk to the front and find Willow or take the call in our cabin?” Tempest asked as she stood up from her seating pad with a distinctly rounded belly from the food she’d eaten. Wildfire, with a mouth full of beer, tapped her hoof once on the table to indicate the first option.

“Then up and at ‘em.” Airmail said as she too stood up from the dining table. “We can walk to the front to stretch your legs and see if she is along the way.”

“Helps that our cabin is in the last car.” Tempest smiled as she took the lead and flicked her black tail under Wildfire’s snout to get her to follow after her. After the dining car there were three sleeper cars for the Crystal Empire and after those there there are four coach cars until the baggage car. To the first attendant they came across, Tempest stopped her and asked, “Excuse me is there a Willow in sleeping class for the Crystal Empire?”

Very quickly the unicorn mare checked her passenger list and shook her head. “No Ma'am.”

“Blimey,” Wildfire commented when Tempest thanked the attendant for her trouble, “That’s a long ways to go and not get a decent kip…” wordlessly Tempest kept moving forward in search of the pea green earth pony and at the back of the little convoy Airmail made sure Wildfire didn’t lag behind.

As they made their way through the Crystal Empire sleeper cars to the coach cars Wildfire’s phone began to ring. Using her left wing, Wildfire fished in her bag and retrieved her phone. “Hey D, thanks for getting back to me, how'd it go?”

“Cady was fine, we pulled a string or two, nothing huge.” Dusk answered quickly, “Is that mare there with you?”

“No,” Wildfire held her phone in her wingtip as they walked along, “we're having trouble finding her.”

“Stall him a bit,” Airmail hissed from the back, “It shouldn't take long.”

As it turned out, Willow was just inside the next coach car along. At the front of the line it was Tempest who saw her first and she recognised her from the description she had been given back in their compartment. “Bingo!” She said in celebration of the conclusion of their hunt.

“Ah,” Wildfire said to Dusk, “I think we've found our quarry.”

“Oh hello again,” Willow smiled as she saw the three mares approach her seat. The pea green mare was sat on a seating pad wide enough for three ponies with another one facing her. “Out for another walk?”

“All part of our plan.” Tempest replied and Airmail giggled as the two older mares sat on the pad facing Willow, leaving Wildfire to sit next to her.

“Definitely found her, D.”

“Can you give her the phone, Wily?” Dusk asked as Wildfire felt for the seating pad and sat herself down next to the somewhat confused earth pony.

“Sure D, hang on.” Using the scent of lilacs and the sound of her soft gentle voice, Wildfire was confident she had Willow’s location and she held out her phone. “Ms Willow, my friend wants to speak to you.”

Now Willow was thoroughly confused. “Your friend?”

“Yuppers, my friend, y'know, Dusk.”

“P-Prince D-Dusk?” Willow asked nervously, her pea green coat going pale, “Am I in trouble?” While she sat there fretting, Tempest and Airmail just smiled, already having an idea what the outcome of the call would be.

“Nopes,” Wildfire smiled as she offered the cell phone again with a smile, “hopefully it’s good news.”

“Oh, okay…” still very nervous, with a shaking hoof, Willow took the cell phone and lifted it up to her ear. “H-Hello, this is Willow.”

“Hello Ms. Willow, Prince Dusk, it’s nice to speak to you.” The young royal greeted her patiently, well aware how much of a big deal this conversation was to her. “Wily called me earlier, said you were starting work in the Crystal Empire soon, she asked me to call my cousin for you.”

“Ahh...ahhh....ahhahh...”

Dusk couldn’t help but smile. The poor earth pony sounded like she was short circuiting. He did feel a little guilty about what he was going to say next. Only a little. “I had a chat with Cadance, and the thing is Ms. Willow, she doesn't really need another maid...but...”

“But Sir!” Willow interrupted him before he could finish his sentence, her soft voice all alive with panic. She needed this job, she had struggled for months to get this appointment. “I can do the job! I have a reference!”

Dusk simply carried on, “But it turns out Cady could really use a hoof-maiden, if you're up for the job?”

That stopped Willow dead in her tracks. “But I...I...what…I…what…pardon?”

“Yes,” Dusk had to really try very hard not to laugh. It was mean to prank this poor mare, but it was worth it. “Cadance actually needs a hoof-maiden, 'apparently' that’s what she was supposed to have advertised for all along. The job is yours if you're up to the task, Ms. Willow.”

“I-I will be Princess Cadenza's Lady-in-Waiting?” Willow was shocked and more than a little bit stunned. “Y-Y-Yes sir! I'm ready to take on that responsibility!”

“Excellent. You'll love it, Cady's a push over.” Dusk smiled, “tell her you love her hair and she'll love you. So, I'll ring her back and tell her yes, shall I Ms. Willow?”

“Yes Sir! Thank you Sir!”

“Done.” Dusk confirmed with a happy grin at a good turn well done. “A Crystal Pony by the name of Lilac Lustre will meet you at the Empire train station. I'm off to finalise this, and Ms. Willow? Tell Wily I'll always owe her one.”

“Yes sir!” Willow thought she was dreaming. “Thank you Sir!”

“You're very welcome Ms. Willow.” With that Dusk hung up the call, leaving a very stunned and flustered earth pony to pass the cell phone back to a widely grinning Wildfire.

“Soooooo...” the blind mare said as she took her phone back, “good news then?”

“Yes sir...yes Ma’am…”

“Awesomes,” Wildfire put her phone away with a smile. “I'm glad we could help, and I'm kinda sorry if I stepped on your hooves at all…”

Willow silenced the fretting mare as she wrapped Wildfire up in a huge hug. “I'm going to be Princess Cadenza's Lady-in-Waiting! Oh my...thank you Ms. Wildfire, thank you!”

“Call me Wily, and it was my pleasure.” Wildfire blushed as she was hugged tight. From the lack of any nearby conversation or indeed any sounds at all she had a hunch that they pretty much had the attention of the entire car at this time, especially as Willow had started crying on her shoulder in happiness.

“See Stormy,” Airmail said with a smirk, “Wily does make all the pretty mares cry.”

Tempest rolled her blue eyes. “Shush, you.”

“You okay?” Wildfire asked the crying earth pony mare, rubbing her back comfortingly.

“Y-Yes,” Willow hiccupped, trying in vain to slow her happy tears, “I'll be okay, this is just...I just wanted to be somepony, and now…I can never thank you enough.”

“Just make a go of it 'kay?” Wildfire nuzzled the weeping mare’s cheek as she rubbed her back. “I don't know what you're leaving behind in Canterlot, but it must be pretty cruddy if you're coming all this way for a fresh start.” The blind mare tightened her hug. “But, I can relate. Everypony deserves a chance.”

“Thank you,” Willow finally managed to stop sobbing and she dried her blue eyes with the back of her hoof. “I'll do my best and make you proud.”

“You can’t give more than your best,” Wildfire grinned, “unless you're offering a limb or a vital organ, and they aren't necessary.”

Willow laughed out loud at that, her previous tension all but gone. “Thank you, that has calmed me down.”

“See Airy?” Wildfire snickered, “I can make the pretty ones laugh too.” The blind mare then turned back to roughly face where she thought Willow was in relation to her. “Was Canterlot that bad for you?”

Willow shook her head and shrugged. “Just no hope of progression. High end hotel paid poorly and none of the guests ever tipped. What with the cost of living and such, I just couldn't afford it there anymore.”

Wildfire nodded. She knew there was a reason she intuitively saw herself in this mare. “I get that, I had a similar thing, life in a care home with no future. But, I was lucky, I had help from these two, amongst others, and I got out.”

Willow blushed, “Thank you again, I'm a little overwhelmed right now, but I'll be okay. Still over a day to get there. If this is a dream I hope I don't wake up.”

“Can I pinch her?” Airmail asked as innocently as she could.

Again, Tempest rolled her eyes. “Hush, you.”

“You know, I remember saying something like that to Tempest here the day after I was freed, right Stormy?”

“Didn't I pinch you?” The violet pegasus asked with a grin.

“Yuppers,” Wildfire pouted, “And hard too.”

“I hope you enjoy the rest of your Journey, Willow.” Tempest giggled as she got up from the wide seating pad and nudged Airmail to do the same. “We’re off very early at Vanhoover, but we'll be in the club car again before dinner.”

“Yuppers, I hope I'll feel you later.” Wildfire held Willow’s hoof as she too stood up.

“Thank you again…” Willow murmured, as she was still a little dazed.

Airmail this time chose to lead the way back to their compartment, her summer green tail held under Wildfire’s nose. Wildfire, a very big smile on her face, hummed ‘Prettiest Eyes as she walked through the various train carriages, properly chuffed with her little self. When they were back in the privacy of their cabin, Airmail asked, “Who wants to listen to a movie?”

“I'll listen to one,” Wildfire said eagerly, she hadn’t been aware there was a DVD player in the compartment, but still she was game for a movie. “What is it?”

“The Gauntlet, starring Eastwood who wrote it,” Airmail replied quickly with a grin that only got wider when she saw the despondent look on Tempest’s face.

“Another pony count movie?” The violet mare asked with very little enthusiasm.

“Yes!” Wildfire cheered when she recognised the movie title.

Airmail snickered and Tempest yawned openly as the azure blue pegasus fished in her bag for the DVD she wanted to put on. “Fine,” Tempest grumbled, “but I pick the next movie.”

“You brought some?” Airmail asked her herd-mate.

Tempest shrugged, “I saw a few discs missing and thought it best that I did.” Airmail just raspberried her lover in response.

“Stormy,” Wildfire giggled, “did you bring 'Running Stallion', ' The Terminator' or something older than me?”

“I brought Airy, does that count?”

Wildfire’s giggles evolved into full blown laughter. “Depends if she's in black and white or not, though to be fair, most things are older than me.”

“I'll have you know this is older than you.” Tempest snickered as she gave the little yellow mare’s left ear a kiss. “’The Unicorn in Winter’, with Hepburn.”

“Oooh I’ve never heard of that one.”

Tempest wasn’t in the least bit surprised that Wildfire hadn’t heard of it. “She plays the role of Princess Platinum trying to marry off her daughter to marry the Pegasi king’s son to unite the tribes.”

Now it was Airmail’s turn to yawn. And yawn she did. Loudly. “Plots within plots to make me fall on my plot.”

“Cool,” Wildfire smiled, “At least it’s not a musical. I mean, who believes ponies break into song for no reason?”

“You'd rather a musical?” Tempest asked hopefully, “You might like Evita, it is only just a little older than you.”

“Isn't that the one with singing griffons?” Airmail asked, displaying all her musical knowledge – or lack thereof – in one fell swoop.

“Yes.” Tempest replied and Airmail just facehooved.

“I like Evita,” Wildfire put in, wanting to come between the two bickering lovers. “Mum used to have it on video.”

“I have the original in Griffon.” Tempest sounded far more buoyant and happy now she knew Wildfire liked Evita. Perhaps she wasn’t a lost cause after all. “But this one is the Equestrian dub with Maredonna singing most of the songs.”

Airmail tilted her head back and let loose with a loud ‘ARRRRGGG!’

“Oh awesomes!” Wildfire replied with a smile and an effort not to laugh out loud at Airmail. That version was the one that her mum used to have when she had been a filly. “Not as good as ‘Phantom of the Opera’ or ‘Diamond Dogs’, but it’s still cool.”

“She wouldn't have brought Phantom,” Airmail groused playfully, “I like Phantom...”

~ ~ ~

“Oh, come on!” Tempest cried out as she threw her hooves up in the air when ‘The Gauntlet’ reached its climax. “That bus had to have taken a million rounds and it doesn’t conk out till it gets all the way to city hall?”

“That's pure Ponywood.” Airmail declared in a tone that said that was that and it explained everything.

Tempest though wasn’t placated that easily. “And the motorcycles? Was there a need? Really?”

“You're supposed to suspend your disbelief Honey,” Wildfire leant in close to the violet mare’s ear and whispered, “It’s not really real, you know.”

“But...” words completely failed the weather pony then and she resorted to just; “Come on!”

Airmail giggled and blew Tempest a kiss. “Let’s go get some supper. A full belly will help me sleep through the next film.” She giggled even louder when the violet mare blew a raspberry at her in return, but she still led the way out of the compartment.

Wildfire giggled too as she was led through the train to the dining car. “As if you'll need any help sleeping, Airy.”

As the three mares arrived in the dining car, they were shown to a table with a cinnamon coloured unicorn mare sitting at one of the seating pads while the other three were vacant. She had her drink, but no food yet, nor did she have a menu. “Hello, I'm Ink Blot,” she smiled at them, “Welcome.”

“Hello, I'm Tempest.” She said as she sat down on the seating pad next to her.

“I'm Airmail.” The azure blue mare introduced herself with a smile and sat opposite the cinnamon unicorn.

Wildfire again felt for the remaining pad and sat next to Airmail. “Hey, I'm Wildfire.”

Ink Blot nodded to each mare in turn as they introduced themselves. “Traveling to the Empire?” She enquired politely, sipping her coffee.

Airmail shook her head. “Just to Vanhoover.”

“Hmm,” Ink Blot drained the rest of her drink and ordered another. “I'm returning to the Empire after visiting family in Canterlot.”

“We are off to see my folks in Vanhoover before returning to Manehatten.”

“I’ve never been this far on a train before,” Wildfire commented, then she turned her head to the unicorn’s direction. “I’m guessing you work in the Crystal Empire, did you enjoy your visit to Canterlot, Ms. Blot?”

“Yes,” Ink Blot nodded, “I was lucky that the Stenographer that I worked for was selected by Princess Cadance to be her Stenographer. It’s remote, but I find it rewarding.”

“As long as you enjoy your work,” Wildfire said with a smile, thinking of her own work with the fire department and how much she loved that, “It’s not really work.”

“Until somepony forgets something,” Ink Blot giggled, “then it is panic.”

“And you get to pick up the pieces behind everypony?”

“That is what they pay me for.”

“Yes,” Tempest grinned at Ink Blot’s statement, “Damage control, they call that.”

“Kinda like a firebreak so not too much forest burns down…” Wildfire mused.

“More like the point of blame.” The cinnamon unicorn corrected, “At least in the Crystal Empire Princess Cadance doesn't lop off heads,” she finished with a giggle.

Wildfire joined in the giggles, “you mean the other Princesses do?”

Ink Blot shrugged at that. “There are…rumours…about Princess Luna.”

“Oh?” Wildfire questioned with a raised eyebrow, “I'm sure they're just rumours...right Airy?”

Airmail giggled, as she counted herself as one of the few ponies alive today that knew anything close to the truth about Luna. “Most likely started by the Princess herself.”

“I think it was started by Princess Cadance to let ponies know they can make a mistake and own up to it.” Ink Blot said as the waiter bought over their evening meals.

“I can just imagine Princess Luna with a huge axe yelling 'off with their heads!'” Wildfire sniggered as she lowered her head and took a good long sniff of her fish.

“I imagine Coffee Bean with the axe and Princess Luna yelling 'Off with their heads!'” Tempest put in, earning another round of giggles from her herd-mates.

“Coffee Bean is a Priestess of the Hall back in Manehatten.” Airmail supplied to Ink Blot, who had a confused look on her face.

“Oh,” the cinnamon unicorn nodded her understanding, “a Lunar Priestess?” When Airmail nodded, Ink Blot continued, “That sounds scarier than Princess Luna with the axe.”

After that brief exchange, dinner went swiftly and smoothly, with each mare quietly enjoying what they had ordered. The conversation flowed as easily as the coffee, and before very long Airmail, Tempest and Wildfire had bid Ink Blot a good night and were back in their cabin.

In their cabin, Tempest was a very, very happy pony as she was explaining the plot of ‘Unicorn in Winter’ to an interested Wildfire and a distinctly bored Airmail. It was a story of Princess Platinum's Mom and how her husband had her imprisoned for ten years and how they played her and her sisters off against each other. Ten minutes into the movie and a rapidly falling asleep Airmail was saved when Wildfire’s cell phone began to ring. Reaching for it in her bag, the yellow mare answered her phone on speaker. “Hello?”

“Hi…ah, uh, Wildfire?”

“Yuppers, who's this?” Wildfire answered uncertainly, although the mare’s voice on the other end of the line did sound very familiar.

“It’s, ah…it’s Air Raid…”

“Okay,” Wildfire’s voice had taken on a very distinct ‘edginess’ to it bordering on full Canterlot, while Airmail and Tempest both watched their little yellow lover, ready at a moment’s notice to offer support. “How'd you get this number, and what do you want?”

“A pink unicorn named Mapper gave it to me after she and her wife came to sing at Winter's place.” Air Raid replied quickly, recounting what had happened earlier that evening. “I…listen Wily, I um, I wanted to say I’m sorry…”

“Sorry?” Wildfire interrupted her ex-marefriend, cutting her off mid-sentence. “Sorry…you’re SORRY!?” Wildfire screamed down her phone, “First of all, don't call me Wily, my name's Wildfire. You don't get to ring after five years of buck all and call me Wily!”

“W-Wildfire, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...”

Again, Wildfire interrupted her. “Sorry? What for?” The blind mare asked with a nasty tone to her voice, “Screaming in my face or leaving me because I wasn't pretty enough for you anymore?”

Tempest interrupted Wildfire’s rant with a very loving kiss while Airmail whispered in her ear. “Mapper gave her your number for a reason, and Serenity would have been there as well.”

Wildfire returned the kiss to Tempest’s lips, almost instantly calming down and she nodded to Airmail. After all, the blue mare had a point. “What do you want, Air Raid?”

“I want to apologise for what I did to you, Wildfire.”

“Apologise?” Wildfire asked sceptically. She heard the exhausted tone to her ex’s voice but that didn’t sway her any.

“Yeah,” Air Raid couldn’t hide the sheer amount of fatigue any longer. She had done a good job back at Winter’s place of putting a front on for her parents, but the pressure of racing and four years of looking after Darkstar was starting to wear her very thin. “I tried to go back to the hospital the next day, but you were already gone, look I know I was a jerk...”

“You got that right.” A third time, Wildfire cut across her.

Airmail whispered in her diminutive lover’s ear, “Go with whatever story Mapper told her.”

“I know, and I'm sorry!” Air Raid almost screamed on the verge of long held tears. “I tried to find you, really truly I did. Your dad said you were with family, he hurt me when I kept asking after you.”

“Uh huh…” was all Wildfire said as Tempest nuzzled her cheek.

“Mapper said he imprisoned you for money, I…we, had no idea!”

“Yuppers…” for a split second, Wildfire was very tempted to unleash all the five years of bitterness, abandonment and abuse at Amethyst Glory’s hooves down the phone line at her ex-marefriend. Her heart and soul screamed in pain at the very sound of her voice after so long. She wanted to rant and scream and smash her and hug her all at once and she didn’t know which she wanted to do first. Wildfire wanted to turn her chest into a cannon so she could fire her heart down the line. “Yeah he imprisoned me, but I got away in the end,” was all she ended up saying.

“Wildfire, when are you back in Canterlot?” Air Raid asked, the adrenalin in her system starting to give way to exhaustion. “I'd like to see you, and your marefriends.”

Again, Airmail was there to whisper, “your call.”

“I…” for the first time since she had answered her phone, Wildfire faltered as her ire began to ebb. “I don't know...”

“Wildfire please, please see me just once, please!”

Wildfire turned to Tempest, though she still wasn’t wholly convinced, her words to Willow came back to her, that everypony deserved a second chance. “Honey, when are we due back in Canterlot?”

“We return Sunday evening around ten p.m. and we leave for Trottingham at ten p.m. Monday night.” Tempest answered quickly, sharing a series of ear flicks with Airmail.

“Alrighty…Air Raid?”

“Yeah Wily...ildfire?”

“We'll be on the Friendship Express that gets in Canterlot ten p.m. Sunday.” The blind mare stated, the initial anger in her voice all but gone by now. “Meet us at the train station. If you aren't there we won't wait.”

“I understand...” the relief was palpable in Air Raid’s voice. “Thank you Wildfire, I’ll see you Sunday.”

“Y-Yuppers…bye.” Barely managing to keep her voice even, Wildfire hung up and cancelled the call.

At her lover’s right side, Tempest put out her hoof. “Wily, your phone please.”

When Tempest dialled Mapper’s number, the pink unicorn answered her cell phone on the second ring, almost as if she was expecting a call. “Hello, Wildfire.” She didn’t sound surprised in the least.

“It's me.”

“Oh,” Mapper did however sound surprised that it was Tempest on the line and not her Middle Pet. “I take it Air Raid called.”

“Yeah, she did.”

“Is Wildfire listening?” Mapper asked of her herd-mate.

“Yuppers,” Wildfire spoke up. As the phone was on speaker she could hear everything. “I'm here, Mistress.”

“Firstly, Winter is a wonderful pony, she has a very nice family and Senior Pet had a wonderful time.” Mapper said, for she couldn’t praise the earth pony mare enough. “Air Raid's parents are pretentious, boastful, but not the worse I've seen. Still they are not at all good ponies. Air Raid does not want to be them.” Mapper put a lot of emphasis on the ‘not’.

There was a brief pause before Serenity’s soft melodic voice came over the phone. “She is a bad pony, but so are we all. Even bad ponies can be forgiven.”

Another brief pause that lasted just a few seconds before Mapper asked, “Any questions?”

“I'm really glad you liked Ms. Winter and her family, Mistress.” Wildfire paused, gathering her thoughts. “About Air Raid, I don't know what to think, Mistress. She wants to meet us in Canterlot, and part of me wants to hear her out but I just don't know.”

“It costs nothing to listen.” Serenity said, “You have two poems about her. Which one do you want to keep in your heart?”

“It’s your call Pet.” Mapper stated. It wasn’t for her to make up Wildfire’s mind for her. “Better a clean break than no resolution at all.”

Wildfire sighed a long deep sigh. Deep down she knew what she was going to do. What she was always going to do. It was Air Raid, after all. How could she not at least meet her? “I…I prefer the one I wrote back on our first date. Thank you, Senior Pet, thank you Mistress.” Wildfire felt like the weight of Equestria had been lifted from her little shoulders. “I'll hear what she has to say, and we’ll go from there.”