Captain Spitfire’s steely gaze remains on Rainbow Dash as the recruit plummets down, counting away the seconds before cerulean wings spread, dancing her around the clouds. The pegasus certainly appears happy - ecstatic, even - though Spitfire can’t exactly fathom why. It would be a tough three years for anypony, thrust into an unfamiliar position with no warning or training beyond what everypegasus - or at least everyweathermare - knows.

But a head weathermare’s job is, much like a Wonderbolt’s, especially visible. There would be nopony to blame for any mistakes, even if they come from a subordinate, even if they came from the bloody Everfree Forest. Because a competent weathermare is supposed to take into account that chance.

But it’s a challenge Spitfire is confident the hotshot will succeed at. She looks forward to three years from now, after Dash’s foal has grown and started school, and the ‘fastest flyer in Equestria… in a straight line’ returns. Hopefully she’ll have picked up some useful skills in the meantime, and not grown complacent with her workouts, but she has every reason to believe they’ll be seeing each other again.

Well, assuming that human doesn’t knock her up again.

Spitfire glances to her two compatriots: Sight Seer stays focused on their destination, the Wonderbolt Academy, and she can almost believe he is watching the results of the sprints. Fleetfoot, meanwhile, has yet to pull her eyes away from the ground.

“Think we made the right call?” Captain Spitfire asks her fellow mare, genuinely curious to her reaction.

Fleetfoot doesn’t bother suppressing her disgust. “It’s a shame what happened, losing a flyer like that. It was a stupid risk she took. You wouldn’t have let us attempt a trick with those odds in practice, much less a show.”

Captain Spitfire grunts in agreement.

“She would have made it,” the arctic blue pegasus continues, unreservedly. She meets Captain Spitfire’s curious gaze. “If she chose the race. She would have beaten me, if she went all out.” She takes a deep breath, shuddering at the admission. “She would have gone all out.”

“You just flew for two hours-” Captain Spitfire starts, a rare bit of sympathy in her voice.

Fleetfoot immediately cuts her off, “So did she. The difference is that she has something to prove.” She chuckles to herself. “Wind Rider better watch out.”

Captain Spitfire snorts. “He’ll have another two years to flap those records over everypony, then he’ll retire.” She glances at Sight Seer, but her question is still directed at Fleetfoot. “Think he’ll wait for anypony in particular?”

“Wind Rider?” Fleetfoot asks, a little taken aback. “...Maybe High Winds? She’s pretty cute, if you can get past that dark mane.”

“Nah, she’s got too much time left, he’s not gonna wait that long,” Captain Spitfire counters. Her muzzle twists as she tries to imagine who the elderly (well, comparatively) Wonderbolt would go for. “Rainbow Drops? She’s got that pink all the stallions want.”

Fleetfoot nods along. “‘Cause you gotta have pink hair.”

“Princess of Looove!” belts out the captain, grinning madly. She throws in a wingtip roll for good measure. “You know he’ll be thinking about that wavy flow!”

“Ugh, not you too,” groans Sight Seer, finally speaking up.

“Oh, yeah?” Captain Spitfire retorts. She glances at the third Wonderbolt, the older stallion mostly focusing on keeping his breathing steady. “Then who do you think it’ll be, Sights?”

Sight Seer shakes his head, sure of his answer. “When are you mares going to see past the mane? He wants somepony good, but not too good. Anypony who retires might age better than him.”

“Oh?” Fleetfoot asks, intrigued and curious if the stallion has some inside information. “He gonna go for two of the recruits that don’t make it?”

“That’s more likely,” Sight Seer agrees as the discussion turns to the fifteen other recruits and how they think they’ll have performed in the sprints.

*

“And that’s the last of them,” Doug says as he hoists a gem filled bag up to Rarity, the unicorn standing on a worktable, her forelegs against the wall. She grabs it with her aura, drags it the last few hooves to the top shelf in her storeroom and slides it into place. His newly freed hands go to her full flanks, deliciously positioned at eye level, ostensibly to help steady her.

Rarity admires her hoofwork, her storeroom finally starting to feel full. She hates having just one container for her yellow gems, and then having to sift through to find exact matches of color and clarity. Three might not be enough, even after she sells a few of the more brilliant ones to Silver Set’s or to some of the jewelers in Canterlot! She quivers with excitement, the anticipation of sorting through everything and finding the perfect inspiration almost too much for her!

Except she can’t get down quite yet, her flanks currently engaged in battle with Doug’s hands. She smirks as she glances back at him, flexing one side and then the other, attempting to dislodge him through pure jiggling. “Having fun?”

“Mm, it’s tough to say,” Doug quips, squeezing one side and then the other, refusing to withdraw. “I’m leaning towards yes.”

“And Ah’m leanin’ towards wantin’ to go,” Applejack grunts out from the doorway. It’s not that she’s uncomfortable in the unicorn’s shop, she just doesn’t see the need for fancy getups, preferring her stallion au natural.

“Back to Sweet Apple Acres?” Rarity asks as she turns, apologetically pulling her flanks away.

Doug merely lets her slide through his hands in a pirouette before picking her up entirely. She briefly frowns at his stifled grunt; even though he’s taller than them, his thin, practically emaciated frame means she is nearly twice his weight. Yet he gamely holds her up, a graceful spin with his head pressing against her belly, gently letting her slip lower until her head is even with his.

Rarity giggles at his soft kiss, returning the favor just before her hooves touch the floor. She clings to him as he tries to let her go, steeling herself for a brief moment.

“Pinkie Pie explained some of this,” Rarity says as she slowly pushes away, one hoof remaining on Doug for balance. He takes her hoof in his hand as he slowly backs up, and she puts less and less weight on him as she steadies herself. And then she lets go, a slight wobble as she completes a full revolution, ending with a light *tap tap* as her forelegs hit the floor.

“Impressive,” Doug says with a fond smile, a soft clap of his hands at the display. He rubs the white ears as they trot up to him. “I can’t wait to see the rest.”

“Mmm,” Rarity coyly draws out as her tail tickles his backside, earning her a gratuitous ear scratch.

The bell from the front door can be faintly heard jingling.

“Hey, you guys back there?” Rainbow Dash calls, barely contained excitement in her voice.

“Eeyup,” Applejack calls back, the three making their way out of the back. “What’re ya doin’ back here?”

“I ran into Captain Spitfire,” Rainbow Dash explains, “and she talked with Fluffy Clouds. So I’m going to be head weathermare! At least until I’m back in top shape, and this little tyke-” she lightly slaps at her belly “-can hoof it on her own.”

“So you’ll be staying in Ponyville?” Doug asks, grinning. “That’s great!”

“Yup!” Rainbow Dash trots up to Doug, beaming happily. “I want to ask, and I hope you say yes.”

“Yes?” Doug asks eagerly, dropping to one knee.

Rainbow Dash turns to Applejack, taking a deep breath. “Applejack, can I, um… oh, how did this go…”

“With your permission,” Rarity supplies.

“Applejack, with your permission, I would like to join Herd Apple, sire Doug,” Rainbow Dash finishes. She nods to herself, expectantly watching the farmpony.

“Well,” Applejack says, glancing to Doug as she melodramatically lets out a sigh. “Ah haven’t exactly asked Doug yet, but-”

“-Yes,” Doug answers immediately.

“I have no objections,” Rarity adds.

Applejack turns back to Rainbow Dash, both with smiles plastered on their faces. “Rainbow Dash, Doug and Ah are glad to welcome you into Herd Apple.”

“Awesome!” Rainbow Dash exclaims, hovering up to Doug’s normal height as he stands. She lunges forward, embracing him as her wings beat faster and faster, threatening to send them both soaring. Doug’s arms wrap around her neck, one hand going up and the other down, drawing her in for a long kiss.

“So they’ll let you in even if you’re in a herd?” Doug asks as he reluctantly breaks away, though not yet willing to let her leave.

“Um, they didn’t say yes or no specifically, but I think they implied it.” Rainbow Dash nods to herself. “Yeah. Definitely. Besides, if she lets me in after I’ve had a foal, I don’t think being in a herd will matter.” She pulls back to look Doug in the eyes. “You’re okay doing the long distance thing, right?”

“If I have to, I will,” Doug says, stroking her mane. “I’d rather you be near, as often as you can.”

“Cool.” A saucy smile spreads across Rainbow Dash’s muzzle. “Guess we’ll just have to make up for lost time.” Then she frowns, saying, “Future time?” and following with a blithe shrug. “Whatever.” She pulls back in, sloppily kissing Doug while her forehooves kneed at his back and head. It’s quickly, and obviously, getting him excited.

“Hey!” Applejack exclaims jovially, swatting Rainbow Dash in the rump with her tail. “Save some for the rest of us!”

“Yes, darling,” Rarity says, a hoof tossing her mane back in preparation of getting herself a bit unkempt. “Though, with this our first night together, perhaps we would like to make it a bit more, hmm, ceremonial.”

“Ah guess we could.” Applejack taps a hoof on her chin, nodding to herself. “And Ah got just the thing, back at home.”

“You mean I have to wait?” Doug sighs dramatically, a hand clasping to his forehead.

“Oh, hush, you,” Applejack says, swatting him with her tail for good measure. She seems to be in a swatting mood, grinning as she does it. “With how much you bug me, Ah wouldn’t be surprised if ya could go a round with each of us.”

“Really?” Rarity asks, a bit surprised even as Doug nods. “Most stallions don’t go past twice in one night.”

“As I’m fond of saying,” Doug starts.

“You aren’t most stallions,” the three mares chorus, revelling in his disappointed pout.

“That would simplify things,” Rarity says, nodding to herself. “We could condense all three nights into one.”

“Three nights?” Doug asks as they head to the front door.

“Correct; I’ll explain once we’re there,” Rarity says, stepping outside into the evening, the four making their way to Sweet Apple Acres with many a wave and announcement to their fellow Ponyvillians.

Next Chapter: Ch. 76 - Three Step Assault* Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 38 Minutes