About seven months into pregnancy...
Rainbow Dash woke up with a dull ache in her body. She felt like there was nothing compelling her to get up. This wasn't something she was new to. There had been other mornings in the past where she had to wake up like this. Here she was, sleeping on the couch while Fluttershy was upstairs with the whole bed to herself.
Like several other nights, the creamy pegasus was restless and had a hard time falling asleep. There was nothing that Rainbow Dash could do about it. She couldn't just put an arm around her or use her wing for it's comforting touch. Fluttershy would constantly be trying to shift positions to get comfortable. Sometimes she would be frequently getting out of bed to use the bathroom. In the end, Rainbow Dash would also be getting very little sleep some nights.
They both were very eager to have this filly but it seemed like the cost was so high. Many freedoms and pleasures had to be given up during this difficult time. Fluttershy no longer could get herself in a comfy position whenever it came to snuggling with her special somepony. Rainbow Dash had nopony to fly with and sometimes relied on Twilight Sparkle or somepony else from her weather time for company. Nothing seemed to be same like it was before.
Rainbow Dash's patience and commitment were really put to the test. She loved Fluttershy to death but was very disappointed that she had to keep the affection to a minimal. She couldn't be rough like she sometimes was when she would swoop down on the unsuspecting pegasus from the sky, grab her, and tackle her into a hug on the clouds. She knew it was temporary and after Fluttershy gives birth, the stress will finally be taken off of them.
Something was pushing against her side now. She peeked one eye open to see a familiar tortoise looking at her with what she could only guess was a sad expression. He looked like he could see her distress, the feelings of misery behind her magenta eyes.
"Hey, buddy. How are ya doing?" Rainbow Dash weakly asked.
Tank merely tilted his head a little in response.
Rainbow Dash could only guess what he might be getting at. "I wish I could be with her but the lady needs the whole upstairs to herself," she tried to explain. "I miss the old Fluttershy, pal. She's just not the same anymore. We were so much happier back then."
Her ears drooped down and a curving frown replaced the straight line of her lips. The tortoise sympathetically nuzzled his head against one of her hooves which was hanging over the couch. In response, she rubbed the reptile's head back with the same hoof.
"She's not as happy either. We've tried so hard to pull through."
The tortoise nodded his head.
"I wish there was somepony I could talk to about this. My parents were the best when it came to advice about relationships but I could never get a hold of them these days..." she complained. "Well, I suppose there's my friends if I really need some good advice."
Again, he brushed his head against her hoof. This time he did it with a little more pressure as if he were trying to urge his owner.
Rainbow Dash took the hint. "You really think I should go to them about this?" she asked. A sigh of hesitation escaped her muzzle. As much as she disliked showing any weakness, this was something very important. Months ago and even before that, she had been convinced that she was fully committed to her spouse. By now, it was only a year since they were married. She wished they had more time to bond even closer before this big, life changing decision was made.
It was too late now to back down. They wanted a filly so much that they never stopped to consider the emotional impact it would have on their relationship along the way. It required sacrificing some things during the process and staying true to each other.
Sighing again, Rainbow Dash gave in. "I know I should talk to Fluttershy about it to sort it out but I'm not even sure where to start or how to explain all of this right..." she admitted. However, she found herself suddenly changing her mind. "...but I can't just do that. I've relied on them enough already. It's up to me to try to tell her how I feel about things," she said with conviction.
With a grunt, she pulled herself up and leaned her back against the couch. Tank gave her an odd look and nodded his head as if he approved of her rather more mature decision. She started rubbing her eyes when a noise started coming from the top of the stairs. This was it. Now was her chance to explain her feelings and work things out.
"Oh good morning, Rainbow Dash! I thought I heard you talking to somepony but I guess it was just Tank.. but um... I wasn't really listening," Fluttershy innocently greeted with a sheepish grin as she slowly walked down the stairs. The bulge in her body was a sign that she was only a few months away from giving birth. If anything, she had about four or five months left to go.
Rainbow Dash froze for a second before greeting her back. "Morning, Fluttershy! Heh, I didn't expect you to be up so early," she said as she nervously rubbed the back of her head.
Fluttershy stood at the base of the stairs. "Well, actually, it's not quite that early as you think it is," she explained, noticing how weary her spouse looked. "I'm umm... sorry that you had to sleep down here again."
"Hey, it's alright... but.. uhh... Fluttershy? I think we need to talk," Rainbow Dash replied in an unsure voice.
The expression on the creamy pegasus's face quickly faded to something more serious and worried. All it took was those words, 'we need to talk' to make any lover or friend seriously concerned. The fact that her usual cheerfulness had been so quickly replaced by fear upset Rainbow Dash. She was trying to work this out as peacefully as she could with few tears.
"What is it, Rainbow?" Fluttershy cautiously asked.
"Could you sit down with me?" Rainbow Dash politely asked.
Fluttershy stuttered but complied nonetheless. "Well, um... okay," she said and joined Rainbow Dash on the couch. It took a few seconds for her to get into a comfortable spot before focusing all her attention on her beloved.
Rainbow Dash was unsure of how to start this but she had seen how Rarity and Applejack settled things so she did what they had done. With tender hooves, she pulled one of Fluttershy's hooves and very gingerly pressed it between them. The point wasn't to squeeze them but to maintain physical contact with her lover. Using the hoof on top, she lightly rubbed the yellow hoof to show that she meant well.
"Oh, Rainbow Dash... please tell me what's wrong," Fluttershy pleaded.
"Look, I really need you to hear me out. I'm not that good at explaining this mushy kind of stuff but it's really important. So, I really hope you don't take this the wrong way 'cause I'm not mad at you or anything," Rainbow Dash begged. She received a nod in return. "I don't know how to explain it but it's like we're drifting apart here. I mean, ever since Winter Wrap Up, things have been getting pretty dull between us."
"I-I don't-" Fluttershy tried to say.
"Just listen. Before we went through all this stuff and before you were pregnant, we were one of the happiest couples in Ponyville. We did almost everything together. I bet we cuddled each other to sleep almost night every night. It was great," Rainbow Dash explained, wiping a tear from her eyes. "But even after you were pregnant, we managed to stay together and do some stuff. Now, it's like: I wake up, make breakfast, eat with you, we talk a little, and that's it. There's nothing between us anymore. I really love you, Flutters, but there's like nothing we do as a couple anymore."
Rainbow Dash gulped and waited for a response.
With her free hoof, Fluttershy rested it on the hooves which held her other one. "I... I know what you mean, Rainbow. I'm really sorry that things haven't be so exciting between us. But honestly, I do feel the same way. I want to be close to you and stay that way but I've always been feeling so weird and even more awkward than usual-I just get lost with trying to deal with everything," she carefully explained.
"I mean, like we don't spend any meaningful time together. I don't remember the last time we even snuggled or did something special for lunch or dinner. In fact, I never had gotten a chance to show you my flying tricks. It's all those little things we did when were dating that I really miss," Rainbow Dash elaborated.
Fluttershy sighed. "I'm sorry... I really do miss doing those things though... but you're right. We really haven't spent that much time together. You're the last pony I want to drift away from," she apologized with a light nuzzle against Rainbow Dash's cheek.
Rainbow Dash wrapped a hoof around Fluttershy and brought her close. "It's okay, Fluttershy. It's not just your fault. I should have mentioned this earlier and tried to talk it out," she cooed.
"Is there anything we can do to fix this?" Fluttershy asked through the prismatic mane.
"Of course..." Rainbow Dash answered. "How 'bout we spend the whole day with each other?" she suggested.
Fluttershy pulled her head back so that she could see Rainbow Dash's face. "That would be wonderful!" she replied and pecked Rainbow Dash on the cheek.
"Heh, and I already have a few ideas on what we could do today." Rainbow Dash said.
"Really? Like what?"
Blushing a bit, Rainbow Dash reached over and slid a hoof down one of Fluttershy's open wings. The soothing feeling made her shudder. "Well, it would seem like somepony hasn't been preening lately... so, I think I should take care of that. Right now sounds like a pretty good time, doesn't it?" she half-whispered with a mischievous grin.
Caught off gaurd, Fluttershy blushed a bright red. "Oh my! Are y-you sure?" she stuttered in embarrassment. "Right now?"
Rainbow Dash replied, "Oh, I'm su-" before being interrupted by a rather loud rumbling sound from her stomach. The face that was so close to hers was now giggling with a bright smile. She couldn't help but chuckle. "Uhh... I guess not right now," her voice cracked.
Now it was Fluttershy's turn to tease. "Oh, I guess somepony forgot to make breakfast for herself," she giggled and gently poked Rainbow Dash in the stomach.
"Heh, I guess so!"
"Maybe I should make breakfast for my hungry pegasus." Fluttershy offered.
Rainbow Dash stopped her. "Wait, usually I make breakfast now," she argued.
"I think I can manage today. I really don't feel tired at all," Fluttershy stated.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Rainbow."
"Fine, but I get to make lunch," Rainbow Dash declared as she ran her hoof through Fluttershy's mane. She relished in the soft, silky, and pink mane before bringing her lips in for a kiss.
Fluttershy's mind went blank for a few seconds before she returned the kiss with equal pressure. She sat up on the couch and reached over with her hoof around Rainbow Dash's head. From there she was able to apply more pressure to kiss and turn it into something more passionate. She let her hoof run up and down the back of Rainbow Dash's head. It wasn't until a rumbling from her own stomach made her halt the make out session.
"It sounds like you could eat too," Rainbow Dash joked.
Fluttershy giggled. "I suppose so," she said with a little smile.
Rainbow Dash laid back on the couch while Fluttershy hopped off to go get their breakfast ready. Just as she leaned back and let her hoof dangle over the edge, she felt something nudging it. Unsurprising, it was her pet tortoise again. She realized that he had never left the room.
"You were here the whole time?" she asked with a curious look.
Tank nodded his head.
"Heh, I guess that wasn't so hard at all," she admitted. "I just don't know why I didn't have this little talk much earlier."
Fluttershy returned from the kitchen with two rather large muffins. Both were covered in chocolate chips and a light layer of frosting. The sight alone was enough to make Rainbow Dash almost drool.
"Remember these?" Fluttershy asked. "I almost forgot that we still had these in the fridge. I was going to make something but it just looked too good to pass up," she explained.
"Oh my gosh, those look awesome!" Rainbow Dash commented as she licked her lips.
Fluttershy laughed in her timid nature and sat down with her beloved.
They shared a quick breakfast as they sat next to each other on the couch. Both of them were eager to share the whole day together as the couple they were. After they finished eating, Rainbow Dash helped brush crumbs off the couch to maintain its cleanliness.
Willing to have her wings fixed up, Fluttershy quietly asked, "So, um... where we should do this? Could I lay on the couch?"
"Well, it would be a whole lot easier if we used our bed. I mean, I know we agreed that we wouldn't do... anything... at least until after this whole pregnancy thing is over for you," Rainbow Dash explained as she awkwardly scratched the back of her head.
"Don't worry, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy reassured her. "I get what you're trying to say. As long as we're careful, I won't strain anything or get uncomfortable," she said and briefly nuzzled her lover.
"It's just that I can work on both of your wings without having to move you around if I did this on the bed," Rainbow Dash quickly explained.
Fluttershy giggled and nudged her. "I trust you, Rainbow Dash," she said sincerely before slowly trudging up the stairs to their bedroom.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Rainbow Dash teased.
Fluttershy merely turned around to give a smirk before continuing to walk up the stairs. She was quickly followed by Rainbow Dash who was eager to give a proper preening. If done right, preening could also be one the best massages to give to a pegasus. However, since their wings are sensitive, it could make for a very discomforting time if done in a sloppy or hurried manner.
Upon entering their bedroom, Fluttershy approached the bed and carefully climbed up it. She slid herself towards the middle and laid on her back. Her wings were already splayed out, showing that she still trusted Rainbow Dash like she always had before.
Rainbow Dash grinned before climbing up on the bed to join her. "Well, it looks like somepony is eager to get their feathers cleaned," she teased.
"My wings have been aching for quite a while. I should have done this earlier but I was never in the mood and I umm... forgot to keep up with grooming them," Fluttershy complained.
"I can make them feel much better then," Rainbow Dash whispered as she approached Fluttershy's left wing.
She decided to do the job one wing at a time. First, she carefully brushed her muzzle against the feathers, feeling for any that were loose enough to be pulled out with no force. This elicited a light giggle from Fluttershy because of how ticklish it felt at the moment. Rainbow continued her search until she pulled out two more feathers which were damaged beyond repair.
Now that she was done with the slightly unpleasant part, it was time to realign the feathers. Rainbow Dash pushed the small pile of feathers off to the side and leaned in closer. Using her mouth, she straightened out a feather and aligned it into the right position. Fluttershy let out a little moan as Rainbow Dash did the same thing to the next feather.
"Am I doing a good job?" Rainbow Dash asked as she stopped for a brief moment.
"Oh, yes! It feels wonderful!" Fluttershy softly answered.
Pleased to hear that she was doing well, Rainbow Dash continued to preen. The dull ache in Fluttershy's left wing was soon replaced with a feeling of relief. After finishing up on the wing, she decided to tease a little by licking down from the top. It could only be described as a wonderful sensation to Fluttershy as she felt Rainbow Dash's tongue massage her wing.
Rainbow Dash stopped to look at her handiwork. Fluttershy's wing looked much better now. All the feathers looked decent and no longer were shifted into the wrong, uncomfortable position. She carefully stepped over Fluttershy and began the same procedure to her right wing.
She looked at the blissful expression on Fluttershy's face. "Are you having a good time over there?" she playfully asked.
"Yes... I feel great," Fluttershy whispered. "Thank you," she added sincerely.
"Heh, you're always welcome... but I'm not done yet," Rainbow Dash replied.
Like before, Rainbow Dash leaned in close and felt each feather with her mouth. She pulled out a few loose feathers and one that was too damaged. That out of the way, she used her mouth again to straighten out the feathers and realign them.
Fluttershy closed her eyes as she felt the rest of the tension in her wing disappear, only to be replaced by a warm, tingling sensation. She missed this close intimacy which she was sharing with Rainbow Dash. It had been so long since any passion had been sparked between them.
Now finished with the preening, Rainbow Dash saw no harm in continuing to tease Fluttershy's feathers with her tongue. With her hoof, she reached over and rubbed the other wing while she nuzzled and licked. This elicited more soft, little moans from Fluttershy as she went into a state of euphoria.
After a couple of minutes of massaging Fluttershy's wings, Rainbow Dash finally decided that the job was done. "How was it?" she asked with a smirk.
"Oh... just wonderful! Thank you so much!" Fluttershy replied. She squinted her eyes open and reached out with her hooves for a hug.
Rainbow Dash gently moved Fluttershy's wing into its resting position on her side before accepting the hug. It was a close hug that became very intimate as Fluttershy started to move her hooves around to feel the familiar territory of her lover's body. She rubbed almost every inch of Rainbow Dash's body, relishing in her smooth, sleek, and tone body.
Fluttershy giggled to herself when Rainbow Dash failed to stifle a moan. It pleased her that she was making her spouse happy in return for such a romantic gesture of preening her wings. Part of her wished that she could make this much more passionate but she was already too far into pregnancy. For her own sake, it seemed wise to leave the lovemaking for after she recovered from giving birth.
"You haven't been this cuddly for such a long time," Rainbow Dash pointed out as she rolled over on her back.
Fluttershy leaned over so she could slowly rub Rainbow Dash's chest.
Rainbow Dash sighed. "What happened to us, Fluttershy?" she asked. "I mean, it's like we drifted apart."
Again, Fluttershy apologized, "I'm really sorry, Rainbow. I tried not to be so needy. I know I haven't been acting myself but ever since I became pregnant, things have felt so different for me."
"It's okay, Fluttershy. I know you're trying and it's not your fault," Rainbow Dash said.
Fluttershy moved her hoof over to massage Rainbow Dash's side in a circular motion. "I want you to know how much I appreciate you, how much I care for you, and just how much I love you," she explained.
"Oh... so that's why you're all touchy," Rainbow Dash whispered in a suggestive tone.
Fluttershy blushed. "I was just hoping that I could return the favor," she whispered back.
"Well, you're doing a pretty good job at it," Rainbow Dash replied with a smirk.
Fluttershy moved her hooves over to Rainbow Dash's back and started to rub around her wings which promptly opened up in full display. To Fluttershy, it was a beautiful thing to see such feathers in their excellent condition. It seemed that Rainbow Dash really did take proper care of her own wings.
She ran her hoof up one of the open wings, sending a tingling wave of pleasure down it. Rainbow Dash shuddered before slowly closing her eyes as she was sent into a state of bliss. From the position of laying on her side, Fluttershy was able to effectively massage while maintaining her own comfort. As she continued though, she did slowly tire out and her muzzle kept going lower and lower until it was resting on Rainbow Dash's chest.
A sudden realization came through Fluttershy's head as she just remembered something she had forgotten. "Oh my goodness!" she yelped with her ears perking up.
"What?" Rainbow Dash quickly asked.
"The animals! I can't believe we-I forgot about them," Fluttershy replied as she released the soft grip she held on her lover. "I can't believe I missed feeding time!" she said in a worried voice.
"They're fine," Rainbow Dash said while she tried to rub Fluttershy's shoulder to convince her to stay for a little while longer.
To Rainbow Dash's dismay, Fluttershy was more worried about her beloved animals than continuing their intimate snuggle session. Reluctantly, she pulled herself up to chase after the mare who was already making her way down the stairs.
She caught up to the worried pegasus who was stopped in the middle of the doorway. "Whoa, slow down, Fluttershy. I'll help you out. Just down calm down bit," Rainbow Dash cautioned her.
Fluttershy sighed and turned around. "I'm sorry but- oh dear! Excuse me for a minute!" she excused herself and hurried back inside to deal with her bladder.
Rainbow Dash sighed too before muttering, "I wish things were normal" before heading outside.
Deciding to wait for the animal expert, she flew over to the front of their property where their mailbox was located. They had moved it back to their little wooden bridge which crossed the stream that went through the land. Rainbow Dash opened it up and peered in to see that there was only one letter inside.
It had their address in pen and Rainbow Dash's name in the middle, though in a much sloppier writing. There was a return address but it was one which did not recognize at all. Guessing that it was probably just a letter from her parents or someone else, she opened it and began reading it out loud to herself.
Dear Rainbow Dash,
First, I want to apologize for ignoring the wedding invitations that you sent to me and my team. I know it probably meant a lot to have us there and even have a show put up for the fireworks but we had other pressing matters at the time. You might not have noticed but we've been hit with a lot financial trouble. We lost a good sponsor and in the end, the academy had to suffer our losses. So, that is truly why we could not attend the wedding or even have a show for you.
If it's not obvious, I'm writing this letter as myself and not a wonderbolt. I do want to make up for snubbing you so there is something important that I have to offer and tell you about. But, I do want to congratulate you on getting with that sweet little mare. I know it's a little late to say this but I hope the best for both you on your new life together.
Anyway, one of our members is going to retire in several months and his spot is going to be open. Normally, we would hold tryouts and training which isn't open to just any pegasi. For your case, passing the academy with such high marks makes you legible to attend the tryouts. Soarin tells me that you have a lot of potential and if that's the case, this is the only "favor" I can do for you.
If you really are serious about joining my team, I would suggest that you get all the practice and work outs that you need up until we hold our closed tryouts. I can't look the other the way for you or go easy but I can tell you ahead of time when it will take place. You'll have about six good months to get yourself up among some our elite flyers. At that time you will receive more specific information on the tryouts and training. I can agree with what my other team members have said, that you really have the potential to do this.
Very Sincerely,
-Spitfire
Upon finishing reading the unexepected letter, Rainbow Dash felt her heart beating faster than ever. Even though Fluttershy had ended things a little short, her hoof work had left her in a much better state. This was something to top off the day for her. A lifelong dream that was very close to becoming a reality, was now in sight. Seeing her idols honest words and intentions were enough to almost make her faint. It wasn't until she felt something tugging at her shoulder that she realized Fluttershy was right behind her.
"Oh my goodness! That's such great news, Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy commented, now back in her cheerful mood.
Rainbow Dash turned to hug the most important pony in her life. "Are you kidding? This is like the best news ever! My dream is so close, Fluttershy!" she said through the pink mane. Her voice was shaking with excitement that could not be held for much longer.
Without warning, Rainbow Dash let go of the creamy pegasus and took to the skies. Fluttershy looked up in surprise as Rainbow Dash started to corkscrew through the air. Soon, she was making a stunt out of her neglected weather duties. Her amazing tricks made Fluttershy gasp with awe as she flipped and turned to buck each stray cloud in the sky. It wasn't long until she landed back down next to Fluttershy again who wore also shared the same excited look.
"Wow, that was amazing!" Fluttershy said as she put her best cheering face on.
"Heck yeah!" Rainbow Dash yelled out loud. "I'm so ready to become a Wonderbolt!"
A little taken back, Fluttershy fixed up her mane before speaking up again. "Well, I sure hope my future Wonderbolt would help me with the animals then or is she too cool to help out?" she joked.
Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest and made a heroic pose. "I suppose that I could help you out for the price of three kisses then," she answered back with a smirk.
Fluttershy faked a thoughtful face. "Hmm... I suppose that's a fair price. Could you bring the feed over here?" she asked.
After saluting for a quick second, Rainbow Dash hurried back inside to drag one of the large feed bags out. She was too excited and preoccupied to notice the change in Fluttershy's mood again. As she carried the rather large feed bag, she joined Fluttershy to feed each animal around. It was much more enjoyable to feed the animals when done as a team with Fluttershy.
They made their way around the cottage, feeding each critter while Fluttershy cooed at them as they munched on their food. Rainbow Dash couldn't feel any more successful. Besides finally resolving some issues and misunderstandings between her wife, she had been given a much needed shot at becoming a Wonderbolt. It seemed that all of their dreams were going to come true. Of course, there will definitely be more obstacles in the way. If their relationship was as strong as it seemed to be, both of them will be able to overcome those obstacles and grow even closer than imagined.