Morning arrived before Dash and Rarity awoke. Dash found herself tangled in Rarity's arms. Something she didn't mind, of course, but it was something new. She grinned at the feeling of Rarity's fingers combing through her hair yet again. She backed into her lover's body and snickered.
"Geez. I know my hair's sexy, but I didn't think it was that sexy," she mumbled sleepily, a laugh chiming from behind her.
"And good morning to you too, darling," she heard Rarity reply. The two simply lay there, enjoying the pleasure of each others' company.
"Dashie? You up?" Pinkie called, and Dash answered.
"What's up, Pinks?" She waited for a minute.
"Um... Well... What's up with you and Rarity?" Dash snickered.
"Is that Pinkie?" Rarity asked from behind her. Dash nodded. "Tell her I said hello, then. Twilight seems to be... well, I'll let you figure it out."
"She's right here. She says hi. I finally told her how I feel. Well, Loyalty kind of made me, but after he told me that she felt the same way." She heard Pinkie squeal in joy.
"That's awesome, Dashie! Oh! Tell her the party's gonna be at the Black Mare tomorrow night. Twi and I will be getting there around seven." Again, Dash could almost see her closest friend bouncing around in glee.
"Speaking of Twilight, Rarity said there's something up with her. You know anything?" Pinkie was uncharacteristically quiet for a moment.
"Well, after Fluttershy and AJ went home, Twi and I decided to have a few drink. She had a few too many, so I let her stay the night. And we... did things..." She'd never heard Pinkie this flustered.
"Naughty things?" Dash teased, making Pinkie squeak. She could swear that she felt her blushing.
"Yeah. But this morning, she said she had... feelings for me. And I feel the same way, so..."
"You're together now?" Dash smiled and nuzzled back into Rarity.
"You're not mad?" Pinkie sounded shocked.
"Why would I be mad? I'm happy for you, Pinkie!" Pinkie squealed.
"Oh, thank you thank you thank you! I'm happy about you and Rarity, too!" Dash smirked.
"So, how was she?"
"How was she at... Oooooooh! Well, she wasn't exactly experienced, but her magic... Dashie, her magic... Mmmmmm..." Dash grinned. She could see her friend writhing around in her bed like she always did when talking about these kinds of things.
"Niiiiiiice. Looks like I have something to try with Rare for out first time. Anyway, we need to get up. It's kind of late. Black Mare tomorrow at seven, you said?"
"Yup! See ya then, Dashie! Buh-bye!" And with that, Pinkie was gone. Dash smiled and shifted around until she was facing Rarity. She wrapped her arms around the beautiful woman sharing her bed.
"Is everything well with out favorite party animal?" Rarity asked, with Dash nodding.
"Yeah. She said to meet up with her and Twi at the Black Mare tomorrow night at seven," she murmured into her lover's hair.
"Well, Twilight wants us to meet her at the library as soon as we can. The Princess sent her a letter that she wants us all to see."
"'Kay. I'm not ready to get out of bed yet, though," Dash chuckled and nestled into Rarity's hair. Rarity smiled and kept brushing her fingers through the rainbow-hued mess Rainbow Dash called her hair. "Rarity, you keep that up, I'm gonna fall asleep again," Dash's muffled voice came from her hair. Rarity laughed and kissed the crown of her head.
"Come on, dear. You know how Twilight gets about being late." Dash couldn't help but laugh.
"Don't remind me," she murmured, giving a playful whimper as Rarity untangled herself from the blankets and around Dash, who threw the blankets off of herself. Her shirt had ridden up during the night, exposing her flat, toned stomach. Rarity blushed and tried to look away, but Dash caught her.
"C'mon, Rare. If you're embarrassed to look at me, we're not going to get very far," Dash chided, and Rarity found her eyes wandering the slightly tanned skin of Dash's stomach. "That's it..." Dash blinked as she felt Rarity's hand upon the firm muscles in her abdomen. The pressure and eventually rubbing was pleasant, and she found herself letting out a small purr of contentment. "Rarity, what..."
"Generosity told me you'd enjoy this. I just... hope I'm not being too forward," Rarity was blushing, the red clearly showing on her alabaster skin. Dash chuckled, the muscles in her stomach contracting with the action.
"Well, I love it. But if you keep doing it, I'll never get out of bed-mmmph..." She was cut off by Rarity, who had her lips pressed to her own. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she found herself relaxing quickly and reciprocating the kiss. Her lips were like silk against her own, and she more than once caught herself letting out little coos and moans of passion into her lover's lips. She could feel more than hear Rarity returning them. The kiss lasted for a few moments before Rarity reluctantly pulled away, a heated blush painting her cheeks. Dash panted, feeling her own warm blush.
"Wow..." She gasped.
"Yeah... Wow..." Rarity returned.
"I think I forgot to breathe for a minute there..."
"I think I did, as well..."
The two stared at each other for a few long moments, catching their breaths as well as enjoying eying the other. Rainbow Dash eventually spoke up.
"Alright... I think I need to get up now..." Rarity nodded and sat up on the bed, watching Dash do the same. She didn't even bother letting the shirt fall back down to cover her before she took it off, folding it neatly and standing up. She hadn't bothered to wear a bra the night before, and with her stature, she decided not to wear one that day. She traipsed over to her chest of drawers, placing the shirt on top of it before slipping out of the bottoms and her underwear. She didn't mind being naked in front of Rarity, given what had happened just a few moments ago. She threw the underwear haphazardly into the hamper in the corner of the room before folding the bottoms and putting them on top of the shirt. She opened one drawer and pulled out a pair of rainbow-striped underpants, closing it and moving down a drawer.
"Rainbow Dash, are you comfortable with me here? I can go if-"
"Are you kidding? I'd be bothered if you weren't looking," Dash cut her off, giving a playful smirk at her new lover before turning back to the drawer. She dug around for a few seconds before finding a white t-shirt. She threw it lazily on top of the drawer with the underwear she'd taken out. She smirked to herself before purposefully bending over to get to her bottom drawer. She'd always wanted to tease Rarity in that way, and she finally had the chance to do it. She dug around in the bottom drawer for a few painful seconds, feeling Rarity's eyes glued to her rump and the treasure between her legs. She found a satisfactory pair of jeans before looking back to her love.
"Enjoying the show, cutie?" She purred, her voice taking on a sultry tone for a moment before she snickered, standing up straight again. She grinned to herself before deciding to end the torture. She slipped the pair of panties up over her rear, letting the elastic of the waistband smack against her hips. She snickered again before sliding effortlessly into the pair of blue jeans she'd chosen, doing up the button and fly before turning around and maneuvering the shirt over her head. She nearly choked at what she saw.
Rarity had stripped her casual fare for the night, standing in nothing but her bra and underwear. She was digging through a bag she'd brought the night before, and Dash could see a smirk on her face.
"Oh, you are evil. Pure, utter evil," Dash growled under her breath, watching as Rarity pulled out a black skirt and, with peerless grace, slipped it over her hips. Not before giving Dash a teasing view of the round orbs of her rump. She pulled out a blouse and slipped it over her head, obviously waiting a minute to properly put it on to give Dash another tease. Dash found herself staring at her lover's breasts longer than she'd meant to.
"Enjoying the show, darling?" Rarity snapped her out of her reverie. She nodded dumbly, a grin plastered across her face. Rarity finished slipping the blouse onto her body before strolling over to Dash, pressing a playful kiss on her cheek. "Would you be a dear and walk with me to the boutique? I have a few things I need to drop off," Rarity cooed in her ear, swaying her hips back and forth. Dash blushed and nodded again, making Rarity giggle playfully. "Well, what are we waiting for, dear? I'm certain the others are already waiting for us..."
"You're just trying to get me to throw you onto the bed, aren't you?" Dash teased, watching as Rarity turned and sauntered towards the door, having stepped into a pair of black heels while Dash was dressing.
"Perhaps... Perhaps later..." Rarity purred with a wink back to her love. Dash smirked and pulled on a pair of white sneakers, following Rarity out the door to her apartment. The two meandered down the street slowly, chatting about this and that. At times, they'd simply walk in silence, enjoying the weather and each other. It didn't take too long to reach the Carousel Boutique, where Rarity gave Dash a loving kiss on the cheek.
"You go on ahead, darling. I need to feed Opalescence and make sure Sweetie Belle got home safely from the farm. I'll meet you there, alright?" Dash was about to protest, but the look in Rarity's eyes told her not to.
"Alright. Just don't wait too long, okay?" Dash leaned forward and returned the kiss to Rarity's cheek. Rarity smiled and pulled her love into a tender embrace.
"Of course. I'll be there soon," Rarity murmured, pulling away reluctantly before entering the boutique and shutting the door behind her. Rainbow Dash sighed and turned to walk away, but Loyalty chimed into her head.
"Are you planning on running to the library?"
"That was the plan, yeah." Dash looked about, scouting out the best route.
"Then begin. There is something I wish to show you."
A fire escape caught Dash's attention. She took off running, leaping and taking hold of the ladder. She clambered up the metal rungs before sprinting up the stairs as quickly as she could. Once on the roof of the building, she took a look out over the horizon. The sun was still being raised to its glorious peak. She grinned and ran, leaping effortlessly from building to building. An occasional flourish kept her thinking, and she found herself going faster and faster.
She got sloppy.
Her foot caught on the edge of a building, sending her careening towards the ground. Five stories she fell, and one thought filled her mind.
I'm so sorry, Rarity...
She stopped.
Her eyes had been slammed shut. The dreaded impact never happened. She cracked one eye open. Then the other. She was floating just inches off the ground. She blinked.
"Loyalty, what the-"
"I have granted you the power of flight. Use it to find your friends, wherever they may be."
"Holy hell... Now, how do I-" She found herself floating upward. She yelped at the sensation of rising higher, but found herself used to it rather quickly. She urged herself to stop once she cleared the buildings. She did. She looked down to find herself floating gracefully. She couldn't help but let out a yell.
"Awesome!"
She took a look around, taking in the town's features before spotting the tree that housed the library. She urged herself forward, and found herself soaring effortlessly through the air. A grin broke out across her face as she continued to make her way to the library. It took less time than running, she found, and she quickly found herself descending in front of the door. She touched down awkwardly, fumbling to find her balance before she stood up straight. She opened the door to Pinkie bounding forward and wrapping her arms around her.
"Dashie! You're here!" She squealed before letting her go and skipping back to Twilight, who was sitting on a chair in the center of the room. The two shared a tender embrace for a moment before they pulled away. Pinkie wore her usual pink t-shirt and a pair of jeans that hugged her form tightly. Twilight looked like she just crawled out of bed. Her long hair was a mess, and she wore only a white tank-top and a pair of black sweatpants. She looked like she was about to fall asleep sitting up.
"Yup. Here I am. Hey, Twi. You alright?" Dash took a step forward, watching Twilight's expression change from suffering to a small smile.
"Yeah. Just nursing a hangover. I'll be alright. Just... not so loud," she chuckled weakly before taking a glass of water Pinkie held out to her.
"Sorry, Twilight. I'll be more quiet. Promise." Twilight smiled and gave Pinkie a kiss on the cheek.
"It's alright, Pinkie. Anyway, is Rarity with you, Dash?" Dash shook her head.
"She had to stop by the boutique to take care of a few things. Said she'd meet me here," Dash looked back before slowly closing the door behind her.
"Alright. Applejack and Fluttershy are on their way, too. Did Loyalty show you what you can do?"
"You mean the fact that I can fly?" A smile crossed Dash's lips. She could tell Pinkie was forcing back her energy. Twilight was skeptical.
"Wait. You mean you can..." She trailed off as Dash began to raise off the ground. Little squeaks and squeals were making their way from Pinkie as she hovered around the room. She lowered herself to the ground behind Twilight and grinned.
"Yeah. I can fly." Pinkie grabbed Dash and dragged her outside before squealing.
"DASHIE THAT'S SO COOL!" She was practically dancing around Dash in her excitement.
"I know! It's pretty sweet, right?" Dash smirked and watched her friend bounce around her.
"Ooh! Ooh! Watch this!" With that, she was gone. Dash felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned around to receive a poke on the nose from Pinkie. Her friend rushed forwards, causing Dash to brace for impact. The impact never came. Instead, she felt Pinkie's hand on her shoulder again. She wheeled around to find Pinkie waving at her.
"Say hi to Fluttershy and AJ for me!" Dash watched as Pinkie skipped through the closed door. She blinked. Twice. She then turned around to see the silhouettes of her two friends coming over the hill. She grinned and flew to greet them, hovering a few feet off of the ground when she arrived in front of them. She couldn't tell how Pinkie knew it was them. She barely recognized them from that distance.
"Why, hey there, RD! Yer lookin' a mite better'n yesterday. An' it looks like Loyalty's shown ya yer stuff!" The farmer beamed. Over her plain white tee, she wore a big, baggy plaid red sweatshirt, no doubt borrowed from her older brother. Her jeans were almost as baggy. Dash nodded, still floating around her friend.
"You bet! I'm feeling much better. Where's-" She was cut off by Fluttershy appearing next to Applejack, seemingly from thin air. "Oh, there you are, Shy. You okay?" The shy woman nodded slightly. She hid her body underneath a heavy blue sweater and a pair of white sweatpants. Dash smiled and placed an encouraging hand on her shoulder, lowering herself to the ground.
"Ya already see Twi?" Applejack asked, with Dash nodding in reply.
"Yeah. Just waiting for Rarity now. Pinkie's already there," she said nonchalantly.
"You won't have to wait for long, darling. I'm right behind you." Dash blinked and looked behind her. There stood a short old woman, clad in a tattered old jacket and scarf.
"Uh, Rare? I don't think-" The woman's form began to waver, as if it were dust. She slowly began to vanish, revealing Rarity's form slowly. She was still clad in the same outfit she wore before. She grinned at Dash.
"You were saying?" She teased, taking a few graceful steps around her lover before beginning to walk towards the library. AJ and Fluttershy passed her as she stood in stunned silence. She shook her head and took to the air, swooping over to Rarity and smirking.
"So, you can... what, shapeshift?" Rarity snickered.
"Oh no, darling. It's simply an illusion. I'm still me when I do that," she purred, making Dash blush before they reached the door to the library. The four walked in, with Rarity entering first and Dash bringing up the rear. Twilight and Pinkie pulled away from each other, a large patch of red covering Twilight's cheeks. Pinkie, meanwhile, was grinning ear to ear, conspicuously licking her lips. Dash laughed at the sight.
"C'mon, Twilight. If you're together, don't worry about us catching you two making out," she teased, walking around Rarity and giving her a peck on the cheek. "Now, you said you had something from the Princess?" Twilight composed herself and nodded.
"Yeah. You'd all better take a seat. It's pretty amazing." She waited for everyone to sit down. Rarity was sat on Dash's lap, as was Pinkie on Twilight's. Even Applejack and Fluttershy were sat close together. "Alright. Now, the Princess sensed when Rainbow Dash underwent her Awakening. And when it was completed... something extraordinary happened. You guys remember the wedding between my brother and Princess Cadence?"
"Who doesn't? That was a bit of a nightmare. We're lucky that you found out about that Changeling before the ceremony was over," Dash said bluntly, getting a grin from Twilight.
"Well, after your Awakening... new Elements revealed themselves." The five women all stared dumbly at Twilight. "Shining Armor and Cadence are the Elements of Love. They're going through their Rites today. She's told me that she sensed more appearing in town. Possibly some in neighboring cities."
"Well, has she given us any clues as to who they are? We kind of can't go on nothing when it comes to this," Dash grumbled, with Twilight giving a reassuring smile.
"She's summoned us to Canterlot. I can take us there."
"Oh, darling, shouldn't we take the train? You know that teleportation wears you out." Rarity was speaking out of concern for her friend's well-being. Twilight shook her head with a smile.
"You think Magic hasn't been teaching me any tricks? Come here. All of you." Twilight held her arms around with a grin, her eyes closed. As the four of her friends approached her, they felt a surge of energy within a foot of her. Her eyes snapped open, a violet glow filling the room. They all were forced to shut their eyes to keep from being blinded. When they opened their eyes, they stood in Princess Celestia's throne room. The Princess sat on her throne, a flowing white gown adorning her regal form. Her tri-colored hair billowed in an unseen wind, and her violet eyes met with her subjects.
"Ah. You're all here. Good. I was afraid Twilight would keep me waiting." Her tone, while regal and motherly, held a familiar teasing towards her faithful student. The six dropped to their knees, and Celestia rose from her throne. "Please, all of you, rise." They did as she requested, getting a smile from the beautiful monarch. "Rainbow Dash, are you feeling well? I understand your Awakening was especially difficult." Dash gave a cocky grin.
"Of course! I'm only the fastest runner in Equestria. Nothing can keep me down for long!" She boasted, drawing a tinkling laugh from her sovereign.
"That's good. We wouldn't want you missing this little meeting," she teased, stepping down the marble steps to her throne. "Now, I assume Twilight has told you all about the Elements of Harmony?"
"How did that happen? You said Shining Armor and Cadence had two new Elements?" Twilight took a step towards her teacher. Celestia shook her head.
"One new Element. They share it. Their Rites have just been completed. You may see them when we are finished here." Celestia motioned towards two guards stationed in front of the door. They turned and left. "And there are more. Many within Ponyville. I've sensed a few within Manehattan, as well. One is even here, in Canterlot. I do not know who they are. I can point you to where they may be at any given time." Dash sighed and nodded.
"Who should we go after first?" She asked, getting a nod from Celestia.
"The Elements of Music. There are two, as with Love. One has awakened in Ponyville. The other is here in Canterlot. Luna is still attempting to pinpoint a location on the one in Canterlot, but I know where the other is. A nightclub." Pinkie nearly burst.
"There's only one club in Ponyville, and we're going there tomorrow night!" She squealed, with Twilight grimacing.
"Pinkie, Magic may have taught me quite a bit, but she hasn't taught me a mystical hangover cure..." She grumbled, quickly getting an apologetic peck on the lips from Pinkie.
"Sorry, Twilight. I'll be quiet. Promise." She noticed Twilight's flustered expression, and Celestia's smirk.
"You've found someone, my most faithful student?" She asked, getting a squeak and a nod from Twilight. "Very good. I've been wondering when you would. I'm certain Shining Armor will enjoy the news." Twilight flushed a deeper shade of red before she managed to compose herself. "Now, I should let you all go. I'm certain you will want to check on our two newest Element bearers. Tell me when you've found the first Element of Music. I am certain Luna will have an update on the second when you do." With that, Celestia turned and left, a graceful walk that took her out of the room. Dash sighed and walked over to Twilight.
"You ready to see your brother?" She asked, getting a slow nod from her friend.
"Yeah... I'm just... worried about him. And Cadence. Knowing that they have to go through the Awakening... I want to be there for him. For both of them." Applejack placed a strong hand on her shoulder.
"Don't fret, Twi. They'll be okay. We'll be watching over 'em." A scream broke the silence. Two voices, screaming in unison. Dash was the first to move, taking to the air and soaring through the hallways. She moved faster. And faster. And faster still. Her body was taking her around corners at breakneck speed. The only one who was keeping up with her was Applejack. She was sprinting, each footfall sounding like stone striking stone. A flash of violet light in a room they were about to pass alerted them, and both careened through the closed door. Twilight and the others stood in the center of the room, Twilight panting and nearly collapsing. On a single, large bed lay Shining Armor and Princess Cadence, both writhing in agony. Applejack and Rainbow Dash went into action, Applejack using both hands to keep Shining Armor from thrashing and harming either himself or Cadence. Rainbow Dash kept Cadence still with help from Rarity, who was holding her other hand. Twilight limped between both of them, placing a hand on both of theirs. Fluttershy huddled in a corner, whispering words of encouragement, while Pinkie Pie went to help Twilight stand.
The Awakening lasted another moment, and Twilight found herself near collapsing. Shining Armor was the first to come to, followed shortly by Cadence.
"Is... Is it over?" He asked groggily. Applejack nodded and released him.
"Yeah. Yeah, it's over. Yer okay."