The Heart of Pleasure
By Haunter Rayne
Chapter 23 - Passing Hurdles

It was early in the morning at Sweet Apple Acres. The sun had been lifted not too long ago and morning chores were still being finished. The rooster was crowing at the new dawn and the pigs were snorting away at their trough having just recently been poured their breakfast. However that was when an orange pony in an old cowgirl hat stepped out from collecting eggs in the chicken coop after noticing the sound of voices coming from the in the barn. “What in tarnation? Ain't nopony supposed to be out here at this hour 'cept for Big Mac and myself." She quitely began creeping around the side to investigate in case there might be scoundrels at work.

As she got closer she could hear someponies laughing as well as the sound of something being knocked around. Just as she rounded the corner a hay bale shot through the air right passed her face. Peeking her head in she saw two large stallions, one red and one black, both of which were chuckling up a storm. “Ha, ha, ha. OH! Applejack, I didn't see you there. I'm glad we didn't hit you with that last hay bale.” Said the dark stallion as both of the boys looked to her apologetically.

At first Applejack was surprised to see Rayne but then noticed the half loaded wagon that the rocketing hay bale had landed into. “Don't worry, I'm alright. I'm just confused as to what's going on here. I heard so much snickering that I thought robbers might be taking us for suckers. What are you doing here in our barn so early in the mornin?”

“Oh I woke up particularly early this morning but most of Ponyville was still asleep. I figured that there'd be someone awake here at Sweet Apple Acres and I know that farmworkers can use an extra hoof. So I figured I'd see if there was anything I could help out with.” Applejack looked a little concerned but let Rayne continue. “I met Big Mac outside and he said he didn't mind. So I've been helping him with chores all morning.”

“Eyup!” Big Mac said, clearly seeming to be enjoying Rayne's company.

“Uh huh.” Applejack stated apprehensively, remembering the last time that a pony had both flirted with her and also had been excited about farmworking. “You aren't all of a sudden totally in love with farm life now, are you?”

Rayne looked up to her surprised but then remembered about the Trenderhoof episode. Knowing this would come up he just laughed and shook his head. “What? Oh no way. I love good exercise and Big Mac has sure kept me busy but there is no way that I could keep this up on a regular basis. Want to show her Big Mac?”

Suddenly the red stallion started laughing like he had just remembered an old joke. “Eyup!”

Rayne walked over to where there were some hay bales that had been stacked. “Big Mac told me that he needed to move some hay out from the barn. I offered to help so we made kind of a game out of it. Uh, could you take two steps to the left there Applejack?” Rayne asked. Then he turned around and bucked one off the top sending it flying right towards Big Mac. In turn, Applejack watched her brother then kick it so that it landed right into the wagon. Both of them laughed like young colts together.

While they chuckled away, she took a moment to notice the striking similarities between the two boys. Rayne was definitely large for a pony. He was almost as tall as Big Mac but wasn't anywhere near as heavily built. That didn't stop Rayne's chest from looking just as broad though and his legs definitely appeared to be more defined than her brother's.

Although Rayne wasn't quite finished as he went on to say, “Buuuuut… that wasn't exactly how it started out. Was it Big Mac?”

Now Applejack watched as her brother had started snickering behind his hoof. “Nope!”

Rayne walked in front of a hay bale that was just sitting on the ground and he bent down to grab it by the twine with his teeth. Applejack watched waiting to see how far he could carry it but then was shocked to see Rayne fall flat on his face, not even being strong enough to lift the bale from the ground. He spit the twine out and grimaced a little embarrassed as he stood up from where he had fallen. “Ta-da!” He said meekly, knowing that his failure was just down right sad. "I always did have a weak neck." He chuckled.

Applejack just stared at him for a moment, making Rayne wonder what she was going to think. But then he was relieved when the mare cracked a smile and just started laughing out loud. “Hahaha, whoooiee that sure was a miserable display of farm work if I ever did see.” She then stepped over to grab the twine with her own teeth. She lifted and tossed the hay bale back over her head like it was nothing. It flew through the air and landed perfectly into the cart, reminding Rayne of people who can sink a basketball into a hoop without looking. “You boys are clever but you've sure got a lot to learn.” She laughed again seeing the stunned faces on both of the boys. Turning to Big Mac she said, “Alright now, that's enough horsing around. I'm glad to see that you're ahead on your chores but that hay still needs to head out. I going to see if Granny Smith needs any help with the pies and then it's nothing but the orchard for me for the rest of the day.”

Seeing an opportunity Rayne stepped forward to say, “You know, I wouldn't mind assisting Granny Smith if it would help make your day any easier Applejack.”

Now she looked to Rayne as if he had just asked her the strangest thing she could imagine. “You want to help with baking pies? With Granny Smith?” She stammered in disbelief.

“Well sure, I don't mind. I might not have the strength to be cut out for farm work,” he smiled stepping right up to Applejack, “but I know my way around a kitchen.”

“Are you trying to tell me that you know how to cook?” She was clearly trying to get a read on this helpful stranger.

“Well sure. You don't think that my answer for everything is bucking it, do you? And besides, I need to do something to make up for my embarrassing display there a moment ago.” He said while giving her a suave smile.

That was until Big Mac looked over at him while sliding into the harness to pull the cart. “Eyup.” He laughed seeing Rayne's face change to a scowl and then walked off with the wagon in tow.

Now that they were alone, Applejack took off her hat and gave Rayne a concerned smile. “Look Rayne, I may be country but I ain't no fool. I can see what you're trying to do. You ain't the first stallion to think that helping out with some chores or carrying some things for me will help me to take a liking to you. This is just every day work for me and it needs to get done. It's nothing special. If you really are just wanting to help out, then I appreciate it. But if you're trying to impress me then you're gonna have to try a lot harder than that.” She told him as she was pulling some baskets together to catch apples in.

Rayne just grinned as this had not been discouraging to him at all. “Don't worry Applejack, I give you a lot more credit than that. I would never think that you'd be swayed by such minimal effort. I promise that I'm not trying to charm you with farm work.”

Hoisting the baskets up into a separate wagon she just gave a smug look from over her shoulder. “Oh really? You're not are you? And the Flim Flam brothers have started offering things for free too, right?”

Rayne had been speaking plainly before but now he droped his voice to a more seductive tone as he leaned toward her. “Oh no, you're worth far more to impress than a few simple chores.”

Now she chuckled to herself. “There it is. I knew you still had that same kind of sense in mind.” She kept a smile on as she rebuked him to let Rayne know she wasn't upset, but wasn't being swayed at all either. “You're one smooth talker, I'll give you that. But if you want to get me to like you, you're in for a world of hurt for what I'd put you through.”

They both heard Granny Smith clamoring around in the kitchen and Rayne took a few steps in that direction showing that he had been serious on helping her. “Then I'm in luck Applejack.” He said from over his shoulder now. “I must be ahead of the game… because you already like me.” He said with a smirk.

Applejack quickly turned back to argue and almost tripped over the harness to the wagon as she approached him. “Hey now- Whoa!” After she caught her balance she raised her head stubbornly fighting to not lose the high ground in their argument. “Oh yeah, me interested in a pony who can't even lift a hay bale. Heh heh, you just keep telling yourself that while you watch these ‘firm’ and ‘toned’ legs o' mine walking away as you stay here to help ol' Granny Smith.” She teased, slipping into the harness to start heading towards the orchard.

However to her genuine surprise the smug look on Rayne's face didn't falter. As he was standing beside her at the barn door he admitted, “Oh well I can admit that I might be wrong. It is mighty presumptuous of me, it could just be my fantasies about you running away with me... But if you're right then that means there is absolutely nothing embarrassing about the fact that you just had a second hoof kiss to your lips from me by that hay bale you used to show up Big Mac and I." Rayne then slinked around the corner of the barn like a sly cat before she could have another word. But he definitely didn't miss the sudden blush on her cheeks though before he left.

- That Same Morning at the WOTC -

One by one all of the Wonderbolts started showing up on the training field. They were dressed and prepared for the day but seemed to have much less confidence this morning. Several were still carrying previous injuries and it had been discouraging for there to be no sign of Spitfire yet.

“What do you think is going to happen?” Surprise asked with concern.

“Do you think Spitfire is okay?" Blaze whispered, trying not to be too loud. "Will Soarin have to take over if she doesn't come back? And where are Crash and Flatfoot? They're both missing too.”

Thunderlane started the complaints off early this morning, "I don't know how effective this day is going to be if we can't get passed that eighth challenge.”

“What are we going to do?” Misty Fly asked.

“WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST!!!” What they didn't know was that another pegasus had been hiding just around the corner, breathing deep and trying to psyche herself up. After hearing all of the companions she finally stepped out and had yelled over all of their voices.

Now the Wonderbolts straightened up but then looked surprised seeing Rainbow Dash step out into Spitfire's spot on the field. It was Soarin who spoke to her first. “Good to see you up and about. I was worried when you weren't in the locker room today. But why aren't you in formation and... why do you have Spitfire's whistle?”

Dash was standing proud, not wanting to disrespect Spitfire's role today. “I was up early and got prepared an hour before so that I could be ready for when you all came in. Spitfire is out at the hospital until further notice so I am going to be filling in as your instructor today!”

But then some of the Wonderbolts looked confused while a couple of others just laughed. High Winds spoke up next saying, “Oh come on Crash, get real. You may be ‘one of’ the best fliers on the team but you aren't next in line for when Spitfire is unavailable.”

But before any other pony could respond there was loud voice called from the distance. “It's true!” They all turned to see Fleetfoot flying onto the field from over the compound. “It really ith true. Rainbow came by last night before I took Spitfire to the hospital. They mentioned having a new plan and Spitfire gave the okay for her to take the lead today.”

Now they all murmured again but they eventually one by one they each turned to Soarin. He looked from Fleetfoot to Dash and back before saying, “Well unless Spitfire comes back to say otherwise, then that's good enough for me! We're all yours today, Commander.” He said to Dash respectfully. Then all of the other Wonderbolts snapped to attention as if they were in front of Spitfire herself.

Getting into the role as an appropriate authoritative figure, Rainbow Dash turned to the pegasus beside her and asked, “Flatfoot, thank you for helping with the announcement... but why are you late?!”

“Thorry ma'am! I stayed the night with Spitfire and fell asleep. I didn't have my alarm there but a nurse woke me up. It won't happen again ma'am!”

Rainbow Dash nodded but then dropped to a softer tone. “Don't worry about it. Is she doing okay?”

Fleetfoot smiled and whispered back. “She’ll pull through. Doctor said there will be no permanent damage. But really, thank you for what you did Dash." She ended heartfully before falling in line.

“No problem.” Dash smiled back. But then she cleared her throat and returned to her leadership tone. “Alright Bolts! So we've got a big problem here. And that problem is NOT the WOTC! It's us! We've all been looking at this with the completely wrong mindset! Wonderbolts, what does the W.O.T.C. stand for?!”

All in unison the Wonderbolts shouted, “Ma'am, the Wonderbolts Obstacle Training Course ma'am!”

“That's right!” Dash shouted. “Now all of you, what does the T in WOTC stand for?!”

Once more they shouted in unison. “Training!”

“Again!” Dash yelled.

“Training!”

“AGAIN!”

“TRAINING!”

Dash suddenly blew the whistle and looked at them very seriously. “Then can any of you tell me WHY we have been RACING EACH OTHER?!”

Suddenly none of them had an immediate answer, most looking like they didn't even understand the question. It was Thunderhoof who spoke up first. “Uh, because it's what we do?”

But he knew he had answered incorrectly at seeing Dash scowl to his response. “I think I'm starting to see why Spitfire was so mad at us. Soarin, please tell us WHAT SPECIFICALLY the Wonderbolts are!”

Soarin stepped up proudly and said, “Ma'am, the Wonderbolts are a team of elite flying-" But suddenly Dash blew the whistle on him.

“That's correct Soarin but more than I was looking for! Try it again!” Dash commanded.

Soarin looked less confident now but said, “The Wonderbolts are a team of-" But again Dash blew the whistle.

Just then Fleetfoot stepped up beside Soarin and shouted, “We are a team! Ma'am!”

Now Dash leaped into an air loop and then landed back down. “YES!” Looking to all of them now she yelled, “What are the Wonderbolts?!”

“We're a team!”

Louder she yelled, “WHAT ARE WE?!”

“WE'RE A TEAM, MA'AM!”

“That's right! Wonderbolts, is the WOTC an aerial competition?!”

“No ma'am!”

“Is the WOTC for a performance so that fans can watch us?!”

“No ma'am!”

“What is it then?!”

“It's for training ma'am!”

“Training for the Wonderbolts?!”

“Yes ma'am!”

“And what are the Wonderbolts?!”

“We are a team! Ma'am!”

“Outstanding!” Dash cheered in response but she was still looking deadly serious. “Now that we know what we are, let's move on to what we do! Think about what Spitfire told us! Think about why we have the WOTC! WHAT ARE THE WONDERBOLTS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING?!”

Blaze shouted. “Helping Equestria!”

Rainbow Dash yelled, “Wonderbolts, what is your primary function?!”

In unison they shouted, “TO HELP EQUESTRIA!”

Now Dash started getting to her point. “Well we're never going to be able to do that if we can't help each other through this course!” She shouted angrily while pointing to the field behind her. “Now I believe that I can lead you through this! Not because I'm great. But because we're great! But I need to know… ARE YOU WITH ME?!”

“YES MA'AM!” They all cheered with conviction. Dash pointed to the starting line and they all took their positions.

Dash walked to the starting line but then called out one more time. “Wonderbolts! One last question and I think this is what Spitfire had in mind for the chopping block.” Now they all looked to her kind of worried. “What are we NOT?!”

They each looked to one another. They knew this was important but they didn't know what Rainbow Dash was going for. That was, all except for one of them. Fleetfoot raised her head up over the shoulders of the rest and grinned out with a smirk. “Show ponies!”

When they all saw the smile on Dash's face they all grinned proudly and chuckled together in agreement. Every one of them now knew what Spitfire wanted and they waited on eagerly Rainbow Dash's call. The acting commander took her mark and yelled out, “Remember team, together! On my mark… GO!” She shouted and as she took off each pegasi linked up one after the other in a syncronized formation.

As they approached the first challenge Dash zoomed around quickly finding one of the tunnels that had light at the opening. Instead of flying through it she stopped at the entrance and yelled out, “Here! Here! The pathway is clear through here!” All of the bolts looked to her with surprise and smiled as they started zooming through one after the next without any of them having to break speed. Seeing that they were getting it Dash zoomed over the piping to cut ahead to the third challenge.

Once the team was through the spiralling loops Dash was waiting for them by the barricades. The Bolts were surprised to find that somepony had painted pictures upon each of the barricades. One showed a changeling in its evil form, another showed the Storm King, while another showed Tirek while he was full with power. Even though the paint job was sloppy, all of the Wonderbolts could see a list of villains on each one. “These barricades are attacking your home! They are attacking your families! They want to grab you and capture you! ARE YOU GOING TO LET THEM?!”

“NO MA'AM!!!” They all roared and each Bolt beat into the barricades so hard that they instantly started smashing the flimsy paint from the sticky tarps. Not a single one of them got stuck or lost momentum even to the last barrier.

Next up were the revolving columns and twirling rows. These were where most of them had struggling with. “I'm with you Crash!” Misty Fly shouted nervously. “But I don't know about this!” She gasped charging in. She tried to zip in between two of the columns but one was coming in to fast. She tried to dodge to the side but her natural instinct forced her to dodge upwards where there was only more column to hit her. But suddenly there was a flash of color and Rainbow Dash bumped her sideways and out of the way. Several of the Bolts cheered in awe of Dash’s technique. In the next challenge Soarin was attempting the rows and accidentally dodged sideways until an updraft came out of nowhere, lifting him away from harm.

Dash was flying underneath and gave him a gust to support him. Then as all of the Bolts saw this they cheered. Dash quickly yelled out, “All Wonderbolts! Repeat the fourth and fifth challenge three times each, circling back around! Sideways dodgers bump vertical dodgers! Vertical dodgers give a boost to side dodgers! Help each other!” All of the Wonderbolts seemed excited as now these challenges began to make much more sense. “These are rocks thrown about from a storm! Some are flying at you from above while others are whipping about to the side! They are endangering everypony! Are you going to save yourself and let your friends fall behind?!”

“NO MA'AM!”

“That's what I want to hear! Pair up! Opposites support one another!” Dash called, making sure that not a single one of them were left alone without a partner to look out for them.

Then before they finished their third lap Dash zoomed ahead to the spring trap which had always caused them delays. But before Dash could even say anything Soarin yelled out as he flew up in the lead. “Wonderbolts! The exit is collapsing but I refuse to let my friends get trapped in this cave!” Rainbow Dash was surprised but let him run with it to see what would happen. He charged the spring, grabbed hold of it to start the strenuous task of pulling the spring upwards. But instead of darting through he wrenched the spring even higher and yelled out, “Go! Go! Go! Get out while I hold it open for you!” In record time the Wonderbolts were zipping through as a group instead of one by one. They even ignored that there was a second option because one of the pathways were already open, just as if it were a repeat of Dash helping them with the first challenge.

It didn't end there either as Thunderlane came in at the end of the line. Once the rest were through he stopped and grabbed the spring with Soarin. “We can't leave you behind either! We do this together!” And they both supported the weight as they squeezed through so that nopony got a wing or a limb pinched when it snapped shut. They smiled seeing the other Wonderbolts had all waited for them to make sure they stuck together. “Alright now how do we all get through the wind tunnel?” Thunderhoof shouted over the roar of the wind.

But Fleetfoot jumped in shouting, “Just like you told Soarin! We do it, together!” She immediately flew up under him putting his hind legs over her shoulders.

Rainbow Dash cheered out, loving her idea. “Brilliant thinking Flatfoot! Form a chain Wonderbolts! Every pegasus supports the next!” Then while all linked together, like one giant pegasus with rows and rows of wings, they pushed through the wind making it through while supporting each other. “That's it Bolts! Even in the face of a hurricane, if the Wonderbolts are needed then we need to push through!”

Once passed the seventh challenge they all cheered and clapped each other's hooves. But then they stopped. They had never made it this far as a group but they still had no idea on how to make it passed the magical slapping paw. That was when Rainbow Dash flew up in front of them as they all watched it levitating in front of the ring to the rest of the course. “Don't worry, I think I've got this one mostly figured out. Stand ready.” She said as she slowly flew forward. The rest of them prepared themselves but waited for Dash’s lead. The multicolored pegasus took a deep breath and then dove low trying to get passed the paw. It shot down and gave Rainbow Dash a good snack. But as soon as it did she shouted, “SOARIN! GO!!!”

Immediately Soarin shot off and magical paw raised but couldn't move back into place fast enough. He managed to zip by and flew right through the loop without getting hit at all. Now the applause from the others was extraordinary. Dash flew up and around to the left drawing the paw to smack her down instead of Fleetfoot as she zipped to the right through the goal loop. Again applause roared out as now the challenge was no longer impossible. Dash called out, “This monster can' attack all of us at once. I will be a decoy so you each can make it passed!” But Dash was slurring her words a little from having already been hit twice. She tried to draw the paw over to the right but was definitely moving slower.

Right before it hit her though Rainbow Dash got a hard bump from the side and the paw missed flying right by with no one getting hit. Surprise grinned to Dash saying, “No more recklessness huh? Some promise.” She laughed and Dash blushed gratefully.

Although another Wonderbolt suddenly shouted, “LOOK OUT!” As the paw came turning back towards Surprise, Fleetfoot had flown back and zipped down right towards the metal bar at the base of the paw. They all watched as she kicked it hard which sent it twirling almost to the ground. Two more Wonderbolts made it through the goal before the paw came back up. Again one pegasi drew its attention, another pegasi helped them dodge just like in the fourth and fifth challenges, then a different pegasi would kick the bar stunning the paw. It wasn't long at all before they had all made it through.

After that Rainbow Dash called them back down to the ground. “Fleetfoot, that was genius! How did you think to kick the bar?”

She smiled in between taking a big gulp of water from the stream. “Well, I got to thinking why the bar was there to begin with. Everything here is intentional. So I figured it must have a purpose. That and, after it hit Spitfire I wanted to hit it back for revenge.” They all laughed at that and Rainbow Dash clinked hooves with her.

“Way to go!” Dash praised her.

But then High Winds cheered saying, “Hey guys, guess what?! We did it! We made it through!!!” Then they all gave a large cheer.

Rainbow Dash just gave a smug smile and then blew her whistle. “Alright, alright! We made it through once! But Spitfire wants this thing CONQUERED! GET BACK TO THE STARTING LINE!!!”

“YES MA'AM!” They all cheered excitedly as they sped off.

It was Surprise who again came to Rainbow Dash's support though. “Um, Commander? I know we are all excited but could you maybe stay on the sidelines for awhile? You got hit by that paw two more times and we don't need two terrific instructors in the hospital now do we?” She said kindly.

Dash just smiled and nodded to her before Surprise flew off to join the others who were waiting. It just so happened to be right then Flash Magnus appeared on the field. “So, you really did take up leading the gauntlet today didn't you?” He asked as he walked up beside her. He didn't sound cruel or criticizing. Instead he was more curious. “Well, I am eager to see if the Wonderbolts have improved at all.”

Now Rainbow Dash just grinned and hearing this a few of the others snickered as well. Dash took a deep breath and shouted at the top of her lungs. “WONDERBOLTS! WHAT AREN'T WE?!”

“SHOW PONIES!!!”

And with that they all started launching off one after another in a seamless formation, looking even sharper than ever.

Author's Notes:

Alright so, what did you think everybody? I had a lot of fun finally getting this chapter written down. I love how the Bolts come together here and how they end with showing Magnus up in perfect harmony.

As for our protagonist, he certainly has his hooves full. Yes he is totally trying to get with Applejack here. He's actually off to a pretty good start though. For as much as she was telling him that he wasn't charming her, Rayne still had her playing along with their banter. Strange move for somepony who supposedly isn't interested.

But for now it's time to continue Rayne's fifth morning by spending some time with Granny Smith. Even though she's old, she might prove to be keener than he would be expecting. Stay turned for the next chapter! The fans have asked for more Applejack and in chapter 24 you're going to get it! And thank you for reading!