The Simple Life Chapter 11

There was a strong wind that blew through the clearing outside the mansion and suddenly Foxtrot felt something strike him in the back, sending him colliding hard against the ground and stopping him dead in tracks. He felt a weight on his back, and before he could rise, something snaked under him and around his neck and pressure, strong and rapidly increasing pressure, was applied on his windpipe. The sudden loss of air gave him a reason to pause and figure out what was happening. It quickly dawned on him that pair of arms held him tightly in a sleeper hold. He spied out of the corner of his eye as he struggled against his capture, the tell-tale white gloves of the stallion’s savior.

“DOWN BOY!” Sonic yelled to him, holding him tightly as he tried to sooth the savage beast.  “You gotta calm down before you do something you’re really gonna regret! Let’s talk about this!”

Foxtrot’s response was to bark, showing his teeth, and rise up on two legs. As he switched to his bipedal gait, he moved his hands to the hedgehog’s arm and forced a small gap for him to gasp air that Sonic, now suspended in the air, quickly clamped back down.

“I said CALM DOWN!!” Sonic yelled as Foxtrot frantically stumbled around the mansions front yard, his strength renewed by the quick breath of air and his thrashing now intensified. As the wolf writhed about, he unknowingly was drawing closer and closer to Macintosh.

*************

The stallion whispered a prayer of thanks as he saw Sonic come to his aid and halt Foxtrot’s attempts at escorting him to an early grave. Once more, as he witnessed Foxtrot rise tall on two legs, Mac saw the opening he needed but most certainly did not want to take. He knew what could happen if he did, but the wolf had left him little choice and as Foxtrot’s struggling brought him closer, the stallion moved to position himself. He gingerly spun as quickly as his broken leg would allow him, despite the mind numbing pain spiking with each application of weight no matter how minor. Once in position he planted his right foreleg and against everything that his body and mind screamed at him, he gingerly forced the left one down as well, mustering all the willpower he had to block out the pain.  He turned his head. The wolf grew near, and so his target grew large.

Macintosh roared in anguish as he reared onto his forelegs and the muscle memory of years and years of apple bucking won out over ravaging pain that screamed from his left leg as he cocked his rear legs back.

***********

There was a collective cry from the spectators as the large red stallion unloaded; striking the wolf hard in the abdomen with a powerful buck that sent him, as well as the blue hedgehog on his back, flying through the air. Another cry erupted from them as two collided with a tree on the other side of the small courtyard. The hedgehog’s spikes completely embedded themselves deep into the bark of the tree, suspending him in several feet above the ground. The last sound Sonic heard was the dull thud of his skull smashing against the tree trunk due to the impact and his arms fell limp as he slipped into unconsciousness, dropping his hold around Foxtrot’s neck. With the choke hold broken, the wolf tumbled like a ragdoll to the ground, arms gripping his ribcage as he rolled on the ground howling in pain. The crowd grew silent, so much so they could all hear Macintosh’s labored breathing and Foxtrot’s quite whimpering. The stallion had once more fallen to the ground and appeared unable to raise himself up any more as the pain in his leg was too great. He looked over and saw Sonic motionless in the tree and his friend on the ground crying in agony and felt a harsh pain in his chest as he contemplated if he had taking it too far.

************

“My bed,” Foxtrot called out to no one particular in voice just above a whisper.

The wolf’s world spun. He couldn’t tell which way was up and all he knew was pain. He cradled his ribs which felt as if they were on fire and each breath he took set his insides ablaze. The searing pain forced his breathing to slow down, sub-sequentially helping clear his head and allowing him to focus. He slowly, painstakingly, pressed two fingers against his ribs and pushed, slowly dragging them across his chest, fighting the pain, and moving systematically from rib to rib until he was satisfied that none were broken.

“On my bed!” he said, more strength finding its way to his voice.
He gritted his teeth and forced himself to roll over. His eyes saw the crowd and he saw the mixed looks of ponies that had witnessed the fight bearing looks ranging from fear, to disdain, to contempt of the animal on the ground before them. But he didn’t care about them; he didn’t care about any of them. It was the stallion that pervaded him thoughts, him and him alone.

“You did it on my bed!” He spoke out angrily this time his voice being heard, reaching the ears of everyone in the crowd as well as the red stallion, who upon realizing the wolf hadn’t given up began to lose color in his face from fear.

The wolf planted his hands and pushed himself up from the ground and onto his feet and he saw that his prey was unable to rise, unable to fight back. His eyes flicked to a wooden table that was setup with food and he stumbled over to it, with each step gaining more composure as his rage began to bubble over once again. “After everything we’ve been through together!” his yelled as his hands gripped tightly around one the table legs, “I thought you were my friend!” His muscles tensed, and with a strong jerk the wood snapped, collapsing the table and sending food scattering across the ground, “I trusted you!” Foxtrot seized the table leg tightly in one hand and turned menacingly towards Macintosh, “and you betrayed me, AND YOU DID IT ON MY BED!!” The madness had returned to his eyes and then with slow, ponderous steps, Foxtrot began to stalk his way to the downed stallion who now, in his futility, tried to push himself up, with nothing but vicious and brutal thoughts racing through his mind.

“STOP!!” a high-pitched, slightly cracked voice screamed out as Foxtrot felt small forelegs wrap tightly around his leg, halting him in his tracks. “YOU DON’T NEED TO DO THIS!! PLEASE STOP!!”

Foxtrot looked down to see wide green eyes that pleaded for his mercy Sweetie’s Belle’s begged him, desperately trying to reach the better part of his nature. Foxtrot’s snarl dropped and his expression softened as he felt his rage melt.

“I know you’re mad, I know you’re upset, but please stop!” the small unicorn implored. “You don’t need to hurt him anymore! You’re the better than that! You’re best remember?” She asked, reminding him of his award and the only time he’d ever been considered anything greater than the runt of the litter. “Please…please don’t hurt him anymore.”

Foxtrot didn’t want too. In that instant, all of the anger, madness, and fury in his heart had ebbed away, and the weight of his actions suddenly began to grow heavy. He looked and saw that Big Mac, his friend who gave him home when he had none, who was a good, hard working farmer that had a family that loved him,  who he had once fought beside and put his life on the line for, was lying on the ground, bleeding profusely and unable to stand. And it was his fault, he had done this, all of this was by his own hand. He looked back down at Sweetie Belle and tried to speak, try to say something that could make her smile, but what could he possibly say to her. His gaze traveled to the table leg that he still clutched tightly in his hand as he shivered at the act he almost committed.

Sweetie Belle eased her grip as she saw his expression change from anger to worry and she offered him a smile. “It’s over okay,” she whispered to him as she let go of his leg and reached a hoof up for him take a hold of. “Let’s just go ho-“

“HOW DARE YOU?!” Fluttershy’s quiet scream filled Foxtrot’s ears, snapping his attention away from the filly and bring it towards the mare. The yellow pegasus hovered inches from his face and stared at him with angry eyes that startled him so much that he stumbled backwards and away from her and Sweetie Belle. However he couldn’t escape her glare as Fluttershy immediately closed the distance, offering him no respite from her eyes that seemed to tear hole strait to the core of his being. “Just who do you think you are mister?! Just what did you think you were gonna do?! What has he ever done to you?! The Apples have taken you into their home and this is how you repay them?! By attacking Macintosh like some wild beast?!” She accented her speech with strong jabs to his chest at the end of each question, pushing him back another step each time. Foxtrot felt his mouth slacken and tears begin to form, the back of his throat stung with guilt. “Ponies don’t hurt other ponies like that around here, but you wouldn’t understand that would you?! No, I guess you couldn’t! Angel Bunny, the chickens, all my other animal friends where right about you! You’re nothing but a big bad wolf!” Foxtrot dropped the table leg as he fell back down to all four legs, back peddling as he whimpered under her gaze, but unable to break eye contact as he fought to keep from crying. “I thought you were different! That you weren’t like those other mean ole’ wolves, but I was guess I was wrong! This was supposed to be Mac and I’s special day but now…” Fluttershy paused; tears filled her own eyes as she fought to find the words to express her anger, an emotion so foreign to her. “But now look what you did to him you MONSTER!”

Foxtrot, unable to fight his tears any longer let out one last whimper as wheeled around as quickly as could, tucked his tail between his rear legs and ran away as fast as his legs would carry him, disappearing from sight as he escaped into the thick brush beyond the tree line as he headed the same way he had come.

Once he was gone, Fluttershy turned to check on Macintosh, but instead it was here turn to be stopped in her tracks.

“HOW DARE YOU?!!” an angry high pitched, slightly cracked voice screamed her. Fluttershy was quickly grounded by shock as Sweetie Belle advanced angrily, her green eyes burning with an anger that rivaled what hers was just moments ago. “You didn’t even ask him?!”

“W-what do you mean,” Fluttershy questioned as her normal meek and timid nature quickly resurfaced as she was unprepared by this assault from the filly after she driven off her coltfriend’s attacker.

“You didn’t even ask him why he was so mad?! Do you really think that he would do this for no reason?! You didn’t even ask him?! After all he’s done, hadn’t he earned at least that from you?!You know what?! You don’t deserve him!” Sweetie Belle screamed as she pushed past her angrily and made her way to the wagon she came in and her eyes fell upon the bouquet causing her to shoot one last scornful look at Fluttershy, “I thought you were supposed to be the kind one!” she shouted before scooping the bouquet in her mouth galloping away into the Ponyville streets after her heartbroken friend, Scootaloo, Applebloom and Winona a half-step behind her, leaving the bewildered and confused Fluttershy looking to Macintosh, who was being gingerly raised to his hooves by Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Rarity, for an explanation.

She felt a horrible feeling in her chest when the wounded stallion couldn’t look her in the eyes.

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“Way to go Rumble,” Thunderlane whispered as he spied on his brother from outside the Apple Family farmhouse. Rumble and Diamond Tiara hadn’t noticed the blatant invasion of privacy as their attention was solely on the board game the two were playing. “This young and he’s already a ladykiller. Guess he’s a chip off the ol’ block.”

“You mean block-head?” Cloud Chaser mocked playfully in a hushed voice.

“Ha ha, very funny,” Thunder retorted, but unable to wipe the smile off his face, no matter how hard he tried.

The two flapped their wings as quietly as possible as they hovered just outside the top floor window where they watched the filly and colt. Thunderlane had grown concerned when his brother hadn’t come home that evening and happened upon Cloud Chaser as he searched Ponyville for him.When she told him he was out trying to get a fillyfriend for Hearts and Hooves Day he hadn’t believed her, his brother was still afraid of cooties for Celestia’s sake! But when Cloud Chaser lead him to the farm house and showed him all he needed to see, needless to say, it shut him right up.

“C’mon Thunder,” Cloud Chaser said as she lightly elbowed him, “Let’s give them some privacy.”

“Oh yeah,” Thunderlane responded as he realized how easily he could blow his brothers chances if the two of them were caught spying on him. “Good idea, let’s get out of here,” he whispered as he flapped his wings and ascended, leaving the farmhouse behind him. Cloud Chaser followed suit and quickly pulled alongside him and the two flew in tandem towards his home. He noted how bright Ponyville looked despite how late it was, peered up, and saw that the moon looked fantastic tonight and seemed to light up all of Ponyville.

“So…” Cloud Chaser began, her hesitation perking Thunderlane’s interest as he turned his to face her. He saw that she was running a hoof through her mane and looking away, seemingly trying to avoid eye contact with him. “Did you have a special somepony for Heart’s and Hooves Day?”

“No,” Thunderlane said flatly, he hated sounding like a dweeb in front of Cloud Chaser who no doubt had a ton guys trying to ask her out, and  undoubtedly she give him flak for it. “But it was because of all this stuff going on with Rumble, you know? I just have been sort of out of it since the Running of the Leaves, so I hadn’t really been thinking about mares?”

“Aww C’mon, it can’t be that hard,” Cloud Chaser teased lightly, “I’m sure a stallion like you could have found at least one filly who wouldn’t mind being your special somepony tonight.”

“Oh yeah, I gotta smoking hot mare back at my house, just lying on my bed raring to go.” Thunderlane sighed as he rolled his eyes.

“Fine,” she eased up seeing that it bugged him before pursuing the topic. “Well do you at least have any mare in mind who you would’ve asked?”

“No not really,” he answered. It was true, the past couple weeks he hadn’t really given any thought to Hearts and Hooves Day what with the trouble with Rumble he had been having lately. He angled his wings to begin his decent to his home. On top of that, word of his expulsion from the Wonderbolt Academy had spread like wildfire, which wasn’t exactly the sorta thing that drove the mares crazy. As the ground grew closer he widened his wingspan and let the air draft slow his fall and he expertly landed on all four hooves just outside his door. He heard the soft thud of hooves next to him and saw that Cloud Chaser had landed beside him, and turned to her and let her in on his small problem. “Besides, Wonderbolt Washout doesn’t make for good dating material,” he said with a half grin.

“For Celestia’s sake Thunder, you sound like Rumble now! You saved my life back there. I’ll have you know if it weren’t for you, I dunno what would have happened to me. You’re a good stallion Thunderlane. Any mare would be lucky to have you. I mean it.”

“Oh, well,” Thunderlane blushed a little at the compliment, as he rubbed the back of his head while his eyes fell immediately to his hooves. “I just did what I had to. Really wasn’t anything special.”

Cloud Chaser placed her hoof under his chin and raised his head so he looked her in the eyes.

“It was special to me,” she whispered, and before Thunderlane could react she leaned forward, closed her eyes and gave him a long soft kiss on the lips. After a time, she stopped kissing and threw a foreleg around him, drawing him into a hug as she nuzzled his neck lightly and whispered into his ear, “Happy Hearts and Hooves Day Thunder.”

“Happy Hearts and Hooves Day Chase,” Thunderlane whispered back to her and he returned the hug and loved the feeling of her soft body so close to his. She giggled. “What’s funny?”

“You,” she replied, “you haven’t called me Chase since we were foals. I hated it so much!”

“Oh,” Thunderlane said, his voice becoming apologetic as he stepped back from the hug, “My bad, I forg-” he was swiftly silenced by her hoof gently resting against his lips.

“It’s cool,” she said with smile. “It grew on me.” The lilac Pegasus explained, as she spread her wings and took off towards her own home, leaving the stallion to his thoughts.

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Soarin’ was miserable. He bucked over a freshly made fort of pillows that he had recently constructed, snorting angrily as he now looked at the dozens of pillows that now lay strewn about his living room floor that he brought out from his bedroom. He grumbled to himself as he carefully began to pick them up one by one and carefully stack them as he began to build another fort. He sighed as he realized that no matter how many pillow forts he tried to build, he wouldn’t be able to take his mind off what had happened today. He was so flustered when he left the party that he had tried to calm down by flying in circles as fast as he could, he tried flying in loop-the-loops while corkscrewing, he even tried doing non-stop barrel rolls in succession, trying to see if he could break his own personal records for how many he could do in a row which only resulted in him throwing up. However it seemed he was doomed to feeling terrible for the rest of Hearts of Hooves Day no matter how hard he tried, and he had only one mare to blame for it.

Rainbow Dash had ruined everything, and Soarin’ felt terrible that he hadn’t listened to Spitfire earlier about her. He had been so sure that she was a great mare, she was fun to be around, always made him happy when they talked, and was a blast to fly with. He knew she and Spitfire didn’t like each other, but for Dash to sink so low as to hurt Sonic, that wasn’t cool. That wasn’t cool at all. Spitfire was right about her, not matter how much he didn’t want to believe it, but it seemed she was always right about other girls. It seemed that she was the only one that he could trust. But now it was even too late for them, Spitfire had started to becoming attached to the Sonic. But he couldn’t blame her, not after bouncing back and forth between her and Dash, that wasn’t fair to her. Besides, Dash had been right, they did look like they would make a good couple. But, who would that leave for him? What were the chances he’d find another mare as awesome as Spitfire…as awesome as he thought Rainbow Dash was? He always wanted a little colt to build forts with.

A knock came at his door.

“Soarin’?” Spitfire’s familiar voice shouted from the other side. “Soarin’ you in there?”

Soarin’ sighed as he trotted to his large doors and put his hoof against the door, torn between letting her in telling her to go away so he could think things through some more.

“Could you come back later?” Soarin’ shouted back, compromising on his decision.

“Soarin’,” Spitfire yelled back in an annoyed tone. “Stop being silly and open the door.”

“I don’t wanna,” he responded.

“Are you serious right now?” She replied and Soarin’ could hear her groan in frustration. “Just open the door.”

“I wanna be alone right now,” he answered, trying to sound as nice as he could. “I just need some time to think things through.”

“No Soarin’, I’m not giving you the week off!” he heard her say with a chuckle accompanying her tease.

“Well if you’re just gonna make fun of me!” he shouted back, upset at her jest.

“Gahh!” Spitfire shouted out in frustration and for a moment there was silence and Soarin’, for a time, thought he convinced his Captain to leave until she spoke up again in quieter, kinder tone. “Look, I know you’re feeling pretty bad, just open the door and we can talk about it.”

“I think this might be one of those things I need to figure out for myself Cap,” Soarin’ responded sadly.

“I’ll make snickerdoodle cooooookies!” she said in a sing song voice.

“You will?” Soarin’ said perking up.

“Uh huh,” said sweetly, then her tone turned slightly mocking “but only if open the door and you tell your big sister all about it.”

Soarin’ sighed as a small grin crept across his face as his hoof opened the door lock and pushed the door open to reveal Spitfire standing in there, a victorious smile upon her face.

“That really did sound a lot better in my head,” Soarin’ offered her.

“I bet a lot of things sound better up their Soarin’,” she chuckled as she walked in deliberately closing the distance between then and sniffing his mouth. “You threw up doing barrel rolls again didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” Soarin’ said as he kicked the floor.

“C’mon, go brush your teeth,” she said as she made her way to his living room as Soarin’ obeyed and headed to his bathroom. “When you’re done we’ll sit and talk this one over before you start bu-“ she began but stopped as soon as she saw all the pillows on his floor. She sighed. “Never mind.” She smiled at the mess that he had made and began carting them off back his room and tossed them onto his Calneighfornia King sized bed while he brushed his teeth. She never understood why he always would build pillow forts when he was upset, oddly enough he built them quite well, but it was one of the quirks she loved about him.

“So,” Soarin’ said as he entered the room.

“So,” Spitfire said hopping the corner of his bed and tapping the portion of the bed beside her, gesturing the stallion to sit next her which he did. “What’s eating you?”

“Dash…You,” he muttered.

“I told you about her Soarin’, I really did. I wish she didn’t hurt you so bad and would go back in time and stop her…but I can’t”

“I know, I know,” Soarin’ admitted.

“So how about you tell me what I’m doing that’s got you building forts.”

“Are we done? Do you like Sonic? I mean…where does that leave us?”

“Well now,” Spitfire said with a chuckle, “those are some tough questions. Let’s start with the hard one. I like the Hero, he’s been a great friend to me these past couple weeks and there might be something between us, but then again there might not be. We’ll just have to see, I’ll be honest I think he’s still got a thing for the Twerp right now.”

“Are you serious?” Soarin’ said with disgust, “didn’t you tell him about her? That she’s just using him?!”

“No Soarin’, I didn’t.”

“But why?”

“Because,” Spitfire said with smile as her hoof found its way on top of his. “He’s really in love with her, remember how you didn’t believe me, and thought I was just being mean the way I talked about her?”

“Yeah,” Soarin’ said as he recalled their temporary break up on the Fortis Equus over Dash, which made him angrier as it occurred to him that maybe that was Dash’s plan as well.

“I’m only gonna look like a jealous little school filly to him, spreading lies about the mare that helped him save the world. So I didn’t say anything.”

“But Sonic dese-”

“Shhh,” Spitfire silence him, “don’t worry, I got this.”

“How?” Soarin’ asked.

“Because I’m better than her,” said confidently before changing topics, “As to ‘are we done?’ or ‘where does that leave us?’” she said and her voice subtly turned sultry. “You and I, we’ll never be done, you’re my best friend and my Ace remember? The only thing that’s gonna split us apart is when one us gets a blade through the chest. And the way I see it,” she said moving her hoof to his chest and gently stroking him where Metal Sonic’s spear had pierced him. “It might take more than that.

Soarin’ chuckled as she tickled him, “No bigs Cap, I’d do it again if I had to.” Then he let out a deep sigh and gave her a weak smile, “So…friends then?”

“The very best Soar,” Spitfire said, “now how about I help you get your mind off that rainbow maned little headache?”

“Good luck with that! I’m not sure I’ll ever forget her, I’ve never met a girl that was such a little snake!”

“Sure you have, all mares are snakes Soarin’,” Spitfire said as she sidled up close to him.

“That’s not true,” Soarin’ said defiantly as he looked back at her, and noticed the familiar look in her eyes that he knew so well that made him shiver a bit as his wings twitched. “You’re not.”

“Soarin’, Soarin’, Soarin’” Spitfire said in voice just above a whisper, “That’s what I love about you, all this time we’ve been together…and you haven’t figured it out.” She slithered even closer, practically sitting in his lap. “Now, what can I do to make you forget about her?”

“Snickerdoodle cookies!” Soarin’ said as his face lit up as he remembered, prompting Spitfire to roll her eyes, which inversely caused him to furrow his brow. “Hey! You promised!”

“How about I snicker your doodle and we’ll call it even?” she said with a passion in her voice as her hoof trailed lower.

“Whoa!” Soarin’ spouted out, shocked and surprise at her actions as his wings shot out rigidly. “I thought you said we were just friends?!”

“We are friends Soar,” Spitfire said as she closed the distance between them and moved her hoof to the side of his face and gently kissed him, “the very best”

Soarin’ felt her other fore hoof find its way to his shoulder and push him roughly on bed as she straddled him and kissed him forcefully pushing her tongue in his mouth. Soarin’ wasn’t sure what was going on anymore, but he quickly decided that this was definitely the type of friendship he could live with. However, one question stuck in his mind and it needed to be answered.

“SpitMmmwwk!” he struggled to get out through her kisses. “Spitfire! What havmmmwk! What haven’t I figmmmwk! Figured out?”

Spitfire pulled back and smiled at the stallion gazing into his bright green eyes and laughed.

“That I’m the deadliest viper in the pit.”

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Thunderlane’s head was spinning a mile a minute as he watched the lilac pegasus fly away. Cloud Chaser just kissed me. Cloud Chaser just kissed me! I can’t believe this! Holy cow, she likes me! She totally likes me! I mean, I know she liked me before, but I never knew she really REALLY likes me! the thoughts of joy fired off threw his brain with glee. So much so that he completely ignored the fact that the door to his house wasn’t locked as he pushed it open. Wait, what if she doesn’t really REALLY like me? What if that was a pity kiss? A kiss because I didn’t get a date for Hearts and Hooves Day? What if she only likes me as friend and she was just trying to make me feel better? Thoughts of doubts now drove him crazy as he deftly maneuvered through his house to his bedroom, utterly unaware that his bedroom door was shut when he normally left it open. I know! I’ll ask Flitter tomorrow, those two share everything, I’ll just hit her with the ol’ Thunder charm and she’ll…tell…me….. Thunderlane’s thoughts came to a grinding halt as he stepped into his room and beheld the sight that had been awaiting him as his heart began to race and he fought with all his might to keep his wings down.

*********

Luna smiled.

She knew that breaking-and-entering was a serious crime, but as she lay on the shocked, wide-eyed stallion’s bed and saw him fighting a losing battle to keep his quickly stiffening wings in check, she doubted he would press charges.

“W-what are y-you doing here?” he babbled out nervously.

Luna chuckled as she slowly rose from his bed, never breaking eye contact as she gazed at him with hungry eyes, stretching in such a way that the light from her moon that poured through his window accentuated her figure. She slowly made her way over to him, her pace deliberate, her gait suggestive, and as she closed the distance between them, she could hear the stallion’s breath exiting through flared nostrils.

W-what do you want?” he managed as he looked up into her deep blue eyes that seemed to twinkle like the stars in the night sky.

Luna chuckled once more through her soft grin, leaned down and gently kissed him on his nose before pulling back and letting the stallion see her run her tongue slowly across her top row of teeth and saw him shudder at the sight as her gaze turned from hungry to downright salacious. She turned around, wrapping her long, flowing, sparkling tail around his neck and began to guide him back to the bed, which he willingly followed, entranced by her beauty.

“Thou hath questions?” she mused as they both were now on the bed as she swatted at him playfully with her tail, “and all of them so inconsequential.” She saw the stallion barely able to contain his building desire as his eyes became fixated on the object of his growing wantonness. “Nay young pegasus, there is but one question that demands fitting response,” she spoke, swishing her tail rapidly back and forth, just denying him the view that his slightly quivering lips told her that he craved. The alicorn buckled her forelegs, arched her back and decisively flicked her tail aside. She felt his fore hooves find their way to her backside, knowing the Pegasus was now driven by instinct and carnal desire, but as she expected, he still hesitated. She snapped her head back, a devious smile on her face as Thunderlane’s gaze locked with hers as his golden eyes pleaded for permission before he committed. “Thou hast me stallion! What stayeth thine sword?!”

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“Hey,” a voice whispered as Sonic felt something gently jostling him. “Hey, wake up! You okay?”

Sonic’s head pounded as he stirred back to consciousness, trying to shake his head but finding that he couldn’t. He raised his hands and rubbed his temples which did little to help the pain but at least allowed him to blink open his eyes. As his vision cleared he was greeted by large magenta eyes and the nervous smile from Rainbow Dash.

“You doin’ alright buddy? What happened to you?” she asked.

“Ugh…feels like a train hit me.” He groaned, then he noticed that Dash was soaking wet, her dress was torn beyond repair and she overall looked completely worse for wear. “What happened to you?”

“I uhh,” she paused as she wasn’t really in the mood to say she got her flanked kicked six ways from Sunday by Spitfire. “I ran into a doorknob?” she lied terribly as her statement ended in upward inflection making come off as a question.

“Looks like you ran into it ten or twelve times and then fell in a lake,” Sonic said flatly instantly seeing through her, but willing off let her off the hook. However, he did manage to make the Pegasus giggle at his joke “Where is everypony?”

“Gone, everypony left after some sort of big fight or something, the last of them cleared out after I volunteered to stay with you till you woke up. You’ve been out for at least an hour or two,” she chuckled as she extended her fore hooves towards him. “Now let’s get you down.”

Sonic didn’t know what she was talking about until he realized that he was stuck, buried to the tips of his quills in a tree, suspended three feet above the ground. He groaned as all the memories came flooding back…all of them. “Sure, appreciate the help,” he muttered has he grabbed onto her fore hooves and the pegaus began tugging as hard as she could. “So…ouch! How did things…Oww!...work out with Soarin’?”

“Terrible, Hurrrrgh! Pretty sure he’ll never talk to me again! Hurrrrgh! But hey, Hurrrgh! Let’s not talk about him. Let’s talk, hurrrrrgh! About us.”

“Owwww! What about us?” Sonic replied.

“Hurrrg! Let’s just say that, Hurrrrgh! I heard that, Hurrrgh! You may or may not, Hurrrgh! Have crush on me!”

“Yeowch!” Sonic yelled as he felt his quills begin to wiggle themselves out the wood. “Oh really, who told you that?!” Sonic said despite the pain, quickly feeling embarrassed as he guessed who might have told her.

“Hurrrrrgh! Let’s just say that…” Dash paused and thought for a moment, “A very reliable doorknob told me.” Dash chuckled, “Now hang on! HUUUURRRRRAAAGGH!” she yelled as she jerked as hard as she could and flapping her wings for extra leverage and finally she was rewarded as Sonic came free with a loud thwack! And the two tumbled backwards onto the grass over and over each other until they came to a stop with Dash on top of Sonic.

How’s that for Ahm-batons! Dash thought as she grinned.

Greatest wing-mare there is! Sonic thought as he grinned back.

“Well?” Dash asked.

“Well what?” Sonic asked back.

“Is it true? Do you like me?”

Sonic thought for a second, earlier this evening Dash didn’t give him the time of day, earlier all she cared about was Soarin’, earlier he was little more than chop liver. But that was then, and this was now…now she was looking at him. Now she didn’t care about Soarin’, and more importantly, now she sitting right on top of him.

“Yeah,” he answered as he stared back at her as he noticed the moonlight made all the colors of her mane seem to glow.

“Good,” she replied with a smile before leaning down and kissing him, catching the hedgehog by surprise.

“What was that?” Sonic said, shocked at her boldness.

“Aww what’s the matter?  Too fast?” she said as her tone turned sultry, “let me slow it down for you.” Dash planted her lips on his and with no resistance offered by Sonic, she was able to push her tongue into his mouth and her enthusiasm was spurred by his arms wrapping around her and pulling her close.

Sonic’s eyes were shut as he felt himself float to heaven and Rainbow Dash was the one to escort him. He hadn’t felt so happy with a girl like this in forever. Sure he had other girlfriends in the past, and this wasn’t his first rodeo, but Dash was different, she was fast, awesome, and amazing in every way. There was no one, no one that came close to her! She was the girl of his dreams! Spitfire had no idea what she was talking about!

Dash laughed into his mouth and quickly pulled back and looked down at Sonic. She decided then and there that she would take up Rarity on her advice about stretching her legs with Sonic right here, right now on Hearts and Hooves Day.

“What’s so funny?” Sonic asked with a cocky grin.

“Nothing, it’s just you taste like strawberries,” she said with a smile before diving forward to kiss him.

Suddenly, she wasn’t the only Pegasus on his mind and no matter how hard he tried to focus on her, the fiery maned Captain’s words haunted him.

Goddammit!

------------

Twilight Sparkle slammed the door to her home shut behind her and didn’t even make it to the make it to her stairwell before she collapsed on the wooden floor sobbing rivers of tears into her oak floor. After a long night of disappointment and painful letdown she threw away her dress and galloped home to bawl her eyes out. The combined noise of the door slam and her cries roused Spike from his sleep who at first groggily made his way downstairs, but immediately picked up his pace when he saw how distraught Twilight was.

“Twilight?! Twilight are you all right?!” he asked as one of his claws found their way to her shoulder.

“No Spike,” Twilight managed between sobs, “I’m not all right! I’ll never be all right!”

“Twilight? What are you talking about?!” He then noticed a floating glass and wine bottle sail in from the kitchen and land beside the unicorn, which only fed his concern as he knew Twilight never drank. “What happened? You said you were saving that for a special occasion Twilight!”

“A special occasion that’s never going to come Spike!” she cried forcing herself to look at the baby dragon. “No pony loves me! No pony is ever going to love a boring old egghead like me!”

“That’s not true Twilight! I mean…I love you!” Spike blurted out, realizing how odd it sounded but knowing in his heart it was true.

“I know you do Spike, and I love you too, but I want somepony to love me the way you love Rarity. Do you understand?” Twilight said, trying to explain through her tears. The dragon’s words were kind but just not what she needed.

“Oh,” Spike said a little dejectedly as he realized that Twilight never went on any dates and was always home with him on Hearts and Hooves Day, and knew how much she had her heart set on finding a date this evening.

“Spike, I just wish…I wish…” she looked at the aged grape wine that was picked, stomped, and bottled in Canterlot’s premier vineyards next her that she had indeed had with her since she moved out of the castle. “I wish I had somepony that I could share this with.” she said with a sad sigh.

--------------------

Foxtrot had done a horrible job covering his tracks, actually he hadn’t done any job covering his tracks so he wasn’t too surprised when he heard Winona’s sniffing and barking as she closed in on him. For a moment he thought about growling and scaring her away as he had done before, but he knew that he couldn’t muster it. Instead he slumped back over and continued whining and wishing that the pain in his heart would go away as tears rolled down his face.

“Foxtrot?” Sweetie Belle’s voice called out to him, but the heartbroken wolf refused to answer. “Foxtrot are you down there?”

The small white unicorn had followed Winona in search of her friend while the rest of the Crusaders had searched elsewhere and after about thirty minutes of looking, the small dog had led her to the stone bridge that lead outside of town that crossed over a river. As she neared it, she heard the sounds of a dog crying coming from underneath and guessed it to be her quarry. She carefully navigated her way down the ground next to the wash where the river met the earth. Winona had beaten her down and sure enough Foxtrot was lying on his belly whining as Winona had moved beside him and was empathetically licking him on the nose.

“There you are,” Sweetie Belle said softly as she trotted next to and began to scratch his head behind his ears. “Come on Foxtrot, let’s get you back to the barn before you catch cold down here.”

He didn’t answer her and only whined instead, Sweetie Belle noticed that his leg didn’t twitch from her head scratching and resolved to sit next to him. They sat there for what seemed like forever, after a time Foxtrot had even covered his eyes with his fore legs as he continued to whine pathetically despite how much he didn’t want to in front of the filly. All that Sweetie Belle could think about was how much her friend was hurting and how she couldn’t do anything to help him. That of all the people that deserved to be happy on Hearts and Hooves Day, that it should have been him. Suddenly Sweetie Belle’s own eyes began to tear up and despite the fact that she tried to hide it, started weeping as well. Her muffled cries drew the wolf’s attention from his own wallowing.

“W-what are you crying about?” Foxtrot asked.

“I’m c-crying cuz y-you’re crying,” she answered.

“T-that’s stupid,” Foxtrot replied.

“I-I can’t h-help it!” she countered.

“C-c’mon I can’t s-stand it! S-stop it!” he demanded as it hurt him even more to see the filly in tears.

“Y-you first!” she retorted.

“F-fine!” Foxtrot shouted as he raised to his haunches and took several deep breaths, clenched his eyes shut for moment before opening them. He looked down at Sweetie Belle and gave her a weak smile. “Your turn.”

Sweetie Belle vainly made the attempt, dragging her foreleg around her face, trying to wiping the tears away, but unable to stop. She looked up and forced a smile. “B-Better?” she asked.

“No,” he replied as he saw fresh tears already forming, but the smile did the trick for the wolf as he wrapped a foreleg around her. “But it’s more than enough.”

Sweetie Belle hugged him tightly, “I’m sorry things turned out so badly.”

“Me too kid,” he spoke softly. “Me too.”

They sat there for a moment, each one supporting the other less they both break out in tears again. It wasn’t until they heard the sound of hooves above them on the bridge and the crying of another mare that either of them moved as they both craned their necks upwards. They heard a flapping in the wind before a dress came into sight just before it hit the water beside them, followed by the sound of hooves running away.

“Guess I’m not the only one whose had a bad day,” Foxtrot mused, however Sweetie Belle’s attention was on the river as the current had moved the now ruined dress closer to them and she was able to snag it with help of a nearby stick and drag it onto the shore. “I think it’s a tad too big for you Sweetie,” Foxtrot said with a grin.

“This dress…” Sweetie Belle began, sounding worried all over again, “Rarity made this dress for Twilight.”  

---------------

“I got it,” Spike mumbled as he got up to answer the door, Twilight craned her head to watch him, curious herself to see who it was and felt her breath catch in her throat as she saw when Spike swung the door open.

***********

“Is Twilight Sparkle home?” Foxtrot asked nervously as he looked down at Spike, the bouquet meant for Fluttershy clutched in his hand. Spike saw it and beamed.

“Is she ever? Twilight! Come quick! It’s fo-”

“I see him Spike,” Twilight said rising and approaching the door, standing just behind Spike. Her eyes wide with shock as they looked up at him. Foxtrot instantly felt nervous and dropped his gaze down to the bouquet.

“So, umm…” he began, not sure of what to say, her eyes were puffy and slightly red from the crying she had done earlier but that didn’t stop her large purple eyes from lighting up when she saw the bouquet in his hand, so he did as Sweetie Belle had instructed and thrust it out awkwardly towards her as he blurted out “take these.”

Twilight cocked an eyebrow at him and she, Foxtrot, and Spike all heard Sweetie Belle shout in frustration from a bush across the street, “AWW C’MON!!!”

“You pick those for me?” Twilight asked him ignoring the outburst.

“Yeah,” Foxtrot lied. But then he had a change of heart, there had been enough lying going on after all. “No. They were not for you. But they are now. So just take them.”

*********

Twilight felt her heart sink when he said they weren’t for her, but she liked that he was honest with her. But then she noticed something, it looked like he had been crying, indeed he looked utterly devastated and no doubt after whatever happened, Sweetie Belle and the Crusaders had put him up to this. Twilight sighed.

“Girls come out!” she shouted and slowly the Crusaders emerged and stood beside Foxtrot. “Girls what’s going on?”

“Well,” Sweetie Belle began but Foxtrot put a hand out to stop her.

“These were for somepony else,” he admitted, “it’s a long sad story, but the point is I don’t have anyone to give this bouquet to anymore. I don’t need it. So I figured I could either throw it out, or give it to pretty girl who really looks like she could use one right about now. So here, take it, and please stop crying. Sweetie Belle and I did enough for the whole town.”

Twilight was stunned at the sincerity in his voice and without thinking slowly reached a foreleg out and took it. She looked at the arrangement and fell in love with them, and even more so at the reason she got them, and most of all, their downtrodden deliverer. She looked back and Foxtrot and smiled at him. He nodded and turned around to head back to Sweet Apple Acres.

“WAIT!” she shouted, startling even herself.

“Yes?” he replied as he stopped and turned around.

“You said it was long story?” she inquired, then biting her bottom lip as screwed up the courage to speak. “You know, I wouldn’t mind hearing it.”

“AND HE’D JUST LOVE TA TELL IT!” Applebloom shouted as all three of the Crusaders all began to push, pull, and drag him back to the door. “Matter of fact Twilight, y’all should invite him in so he could tell you all about it!”

“Oh, um,” Twilight blushed, “yes, yes of course, won’t you come in?”

“Sure, if that’s all right with you,” Foxtrot muttered nervously.

“Oh my. I almost forgot.” Scootaloo said in a terrible monotone voice that reeked of being scripted speech after Applebloom elbowed her. “We are totally having a sleepover. Spike? Would you like to come over?”

“Nah I think I’ll sta-“ the dragon started but was immediately cutoff.

“Yeah Twilight!” Sweetie Belle piped in. “Can Spike come over?!”

“Sure…”Twilight said as her attention was fully on Foxtrot who the Crusaders had pushed into her home and now stood close enough that she could safely say her personally space was being wonderfully violated. “Gone on and have fun Spike…”

“But I don-“ the dragon was again cut off as he was grabbed and tossed in the back the Crusader’s wagon and held fast by Applebloom as Scootaloo readied herself for takeoff.

“Enjoy your evening,” Sweetie tossed in as she moved to join the on the wagon, but doubled backed for just a moment. “Together.” And with that the four of them disappeared leaving Foxtrot and Twilight standing in close proximity in her doorway.

*******

“Well then,” Foxtrot muttered as he slipped past her putting a comfortable amount of distance between them.

“Yes,” Twilight recovered now that he wasn’t practically breathing down her neck . “That was certainly odd, they have a way of doing silly things this time of year.”

“I suppose they do,” Foxtrot chuckled.

“So,” Twilight said joining him in the center of the living room of her house and levitated a fresh candle that was lit and set it beside them. “What’s this long story of yours? Who do I have to thank, or whose flank do I have to kick that sent this beautiful bouquet my way.” She said with a smile as she sat down on the floor.

Foxtrot smiled as he dropped to his haunches beside her. “Well, it all started back in the woods, when Spitfire put me on guard duty…”

*******

They had talked for hours.

It was late. The candle Twilight had lit was now three quarters gone, but neither of them seemed too noticed. She had been shocked that he held a crush on Fluttershy, more shocked that Macintosh had one on her as well, horrified that he had attacked Big Mac, but in the end simply just empathized with him and tried the best she could to understand where he had come from.

In turn, he had listened to her, about the ordeal with dress, where it had come from, how she had spent the past couple days trying to find a date but unable to find a single stallion, and how Luna kept going on and on about getting dates to the Gala.

Twilight found herself levitating out a second glass from her kitchen and pouring each of them a glass of wine, not because it was a special occasion…but because it simply seemed like the right thing to do.

He told her about his life before he met them, how he was runt of his litter, how his mother had died and his father, well he didn’t talk about his father, but Twilight didn’t press the subject as he seemed to grow irritated by it. How all he had was his step-brother Chance, who he hadn’t seen since he had left to join Fenrir’s army. How he never was able to impress a proper wolf date and how everyone teased him for sleeping with a fox despite that fact that he was a virgin. How she had dumped just after he enlisted and before he ever had the chance to lose it.

She told him about her life in Canterlot, how she was Celestia’s private student and had devoted her life to becoming better at magic. How she never had a coltfriend, how she had always been alone. That this was the first Hearts and Hooves Day she didn’t spend alone in the house with Spike. And that Shining Armor was her brother and that Cadence was her sister-in-law, which prompted Foxtrot to laugh at the absurdity of how well connected she was.

“Ow!” Foxtrot yelled out as he winced and hunched over to try to suppress the pain that the laughter caused in his ribs.

“Oh wow,” Twilight said with a hint of worry on her voice as she gently stroked his abdomen with her hoof, gently applying pressure randomly across on his ribs. “Does it hurt a lot?”

“Feels like I got kicked by a horse,” Foxtrot responded with smile, trying to hide the fact that whenever she depressed it hurt.

“Oh ha ha,” Twilight laughed sarcastically at his pun as she continued to examine him, “lemme see, you might have broken something.”

Foxtrot relaxed and leaned back letting her have a full view of his stretched out chest and abdomen and slowly watched her change positions so she sat closer to him and was able to lean over and feel the far side of his rib cage. As her hoof slowly trailed from left to right and right to left across him, Twilight would occasionally look up at him and smile, ask him ‘how does this feel’ and move on when he mentioned ‘not too bad’.  It slowly began to occur to him just how pretty she looked. He couldn’t take his eyes from her pretty purple eyes, her pretty soft purple coat, her pretty purple mane with pink streak running down it, and her pretty little smile that she kept giving him. It seemed everything about her was…well… well it was pretty damn pretty.

*****

Twilight found herself softly humming happily as she enjoyed how warm the soft fur of his stomach was and was even more pleased that she was half way down his ribs and nothing felt broken.  Suddenly her humming stopped and she felt herself grow very warm as she realized she had her hoof resting gently on his abs and felt the strong muscles underneath his skin. She slowly raised her head back up to face Foxtrot and noticed that he was staring back at her. Looking her in the eyes with a look she wasn’t used to getting ...and more importantly, she was liking it.

Twilight what’s the matter with you?! He’s a wolf!

He likes the way you’re touching him Twilight! He wants you Twilight!

“How does this feel?” Twilight asked, not breaking eye contact and subconsciously moving her hoof a little lower, her breath quick and rapid.

“Twilight?” he whispered back, his breath quickening as well.

Are you crazy Twilight! He’s a wolf!

You feel his heart racing? It’s racing for you Twilight! He wants you right now Twilight!

“How does this feel?” she shuddered, feeling herself grow impossible warm as her hoof moved a little lower.

“Twilight?!” Foxtrot said now sitting up and with shock and desire rapidly growing in his eyes.

He’s! A! Wolf!

And he can’t take his eyes off you…

“How does this fe-?” she began as her hoof moved towards its final destination but was stopped immediately as Foxtrot sprang forward and grabbed her at the shoulder.

“TWILIGHT!” Foxtrot shouted snapping her out of her trance.

Oh no!Twilight froze, she quickly began to panic as million thoughts spun through her head.He doesn’t like me! He doesn’t want to be with me! He doesn’t want to be anywhere near me! I’m gonna be alone! I’m going to be all alone!”

“Twilight?” Foxtrot managed in a soft, gentle, concerned tone, “Twilight…C-can I kiss you first?”

All the worry, all the doubt, all her fears and inhibitions flew out the window. As she dove forward and kissed him. Her kiss was clumsy, awkward, and screamed of inexperienced but she kissed for all she was worth and the wolf fed off of it. His hands fumbled, not knowing where to go, not knowing what do, but scrambled across her body determined to do it anyway. Somehow, someway the rolled over and he pinned her delicate frame beneath him and they just breathed heavily together as Twilight ran her hooves up and down his chest and torso.

“Are you sure Twi?” he asked nervously.

“Confidence is sexy Foxtrot,” she replied with a smile as she slid a hoof low, continuing past his abs and gave him all the permission him he needed. “Confidence is sexy.”

Foxtrot lifted a hand to his mouth and licked his index finger, never breaking eye contact while reaching out for the candle next to them and extinguishing its flame beneath his fore finger and thumb.