Applejack was missing.

The earth pony that everypony in Ponyville knew hadn’t been seen for weeks. At first, nopony noticed. Wasn’t uncommon for her to get lost in her work over at Sweet Apple Acres, or be off visiting family, or out adventuring with her friends. But when others in the Apple family started asking where she was, ponies knew that something was up! And when word of her unknown whereabouts reached Rainbow Dash, the recently-minted Wonderbolt, took it upon herself to find out where her friend had gone and to save the earth pony herself!

Rainbow was immediately on it the instant she heard, even skipping her usual afternoon naps. Her friend’s well-being was on the line!. Feeling like she was taking a page out of a Daring Do novel, Rainbow got to trotting around town, asking ponies when they’d last seen Applejack, if she told anyone where she was going, and other such interrogatives. A lot of ponies had nothing to offer, but Rainbow kept at it, thinking (hoping) that somepony knew where the farmpony had eventually trotted off to.

Finally, after a full day’s worth of talking to ponies, she found her answer: Somepony had spied Applejack leaving Ponyville shortly after market hours ended. What had caught his attention was that Applejack wasn’t returning to Sweet Apple Acres with her siblings. Instead, cart full of apple-based goods in tow, he recalled Applejack heading for the mountains instead. Rainbow’s eyes lit up in revelation the instant he’d said ‘mountains’, and with a quick “Thanks!” shouted over her shoulder she bolted into the sky.

Another dragon had moved into the area recently. It’d completely slipped her mind when it was initially brought up to the ponies in town (there was some nervousness, but that was quelled by princessly reassurances). There’d been a dragon living in Ponyville for quite some time now, so a second wasn’t exactly big news, for Rainbow Dash especially. She couldn’t remember the dragon’s name, though, only recalling that it was the big red dragon from before. Probably set himself up back in the cave where we found him last time, she realized, flapping her wings and booking it for her home in the clouds.

If the dragon had decided to keep Applejack, it was quite possible that she’d have to fight him! And unlike last time, she wanted a bit of protection going in. As it happened, Wonderbolt outfits were equipped to deal with some manners of extreme heat, fires included. Wonderbolt stunts involved fire, lightning, and other dangerous elements a lot of the time, and the outfits not only protected the wearer, but kept them all looking good should disaster strike. It was important to cater to the crowd! Though Rainbow had no idea how hot a dragon’s flame could get, she figured it’d offer her some manner of defense in that worst case scenario. She raced inside once home and quickly donned her outfit, goggles and all. Once dressed she set to launch from the cloud straight for the mountaintop, then paused.

Should I get the others? Applejack was their friend as much as her own. While word had spread to a degree about Applejack’s disappearance, it hadn’t stretched beyond Ponyville as of yet, and Twilight and the others were off in Canterlot, winding down after some princess-related ceremony (which Rainbow did attend, but had raced home shortly after to catch up on missed Wonderbolt exercises). In hindsight she was glad she left early, otherwise Applejack’s fate wouldn’t’ve been followed up on for even longer!

In the end Rainbow decided to go it alone. Far from an ego-based decision, Rainbow was quite frightened potentially facing a full-grown adult dragon on her own. Even those annoying punks Spike palled around with were too much for the likes of a pony. No, her decision to act fast was purely for the sake of Applejack, where – if Rainbow’s assumptions about a dragon pony-napping her were correct – time was a critical factor. “I’m coming, Applejack!” Rainbow exclaimed before jettisoning off the launch pad that was her cloudy front lawn, speeding off to the tall mountains off in the distance.

One benefit Rainbow had going at this alone was not having to go slow for the sake of her friends. The time all six had trekked up the mountain it took all day! Rainbow Dash, not only a speedy flier, but far more efficient since those days, made the trip in a manner of minutes. And most of that time was spent not getting to the mountains, but finding the cave the big red dragon had taken up residence in. She spotted it when a glint of gold deflected sunlight and twinkled inside the yawning mouth of the cave. Rainbow surveyed the surrounding area, making sure the dragon wasn’t potentially skulking about somewhere. “Nothin’ ugly around here, nope. Must be in the cave.” She made to dive right inward, then halted, memories flooding back. There was quite possibly a fully-grown dragon waiting for her inside. Likely hoarding Applejack for Celestia-knows-what. “Applejack’s one tough pony… I’ll just have to be tougher to rescue her!” Rainbow Dash snorted and folded her wings to plummet straight to earth. A second from crashing, she flared those wings and swiftly turned horizontal, dust kicked up behind her flickering tail. Right into the maw of the cave she went, things going darker. Deja vu flashed through the mare’s mind as, like once before, she hugged the ceiling and ended up right among a dragon’s hoard… along with its owner. Curled up atop his mass of treasure and sleeping the afternoon away.

“Hey! You! Wake up!” Rainbow managed to keep the quivering out of her voice. Rainbow had forgotten just how big this dragon was. Keeping wing and thus altitude, Rainbow stared down as Basil the Dragon was stirred from the sudden pony alarm clock. He blinked once, twice, then lifted his head and neck to leer right at the Wonderbolt fluttering in his cave. “Yeah! Hey! I had a few questions for you… if you don’t mind.” Rainbow wasn’t all bad cop here: She didn’t know for sure, despite what she’s learned, that the dragon had done anything wrong. She was doing a good job keeping composure, until the dragon yawned his mouth wide open, aiming right for her. “Yikes!” Rainbow cringed, throwing fores in front of her face to block the incipient onslaught of flame!

But, as it turned out, Basil in fact was just yawning. Loudly, widely, tongue flicking inside that monstrous, toothy maw. Rainbow peeked between hooves and sighed in relief, though that mouth (and the deep, black throat twitching beyond) was anything but comforting to the equine. She tried to look tough when the maw closed, dragon eyes bearing down. “And what questions would you have, o pony who’s brave enough to awaken a slumbering dragon?” The deep, booming, mocking voice was followed by a few smacks of lips, Basil still waking up.

Her acting tough clearly wasn’t working. And why would it? She was no bigger than a grape to a full-grown dragon! Rainbow softened, even pulling her goggles down to hang around her neck. “Look, Mr. Dragon, I’m only hear cuz a friend of mine is missing. You haven’t happened to seen an earth pony named Applejack lately, have you?”

In response, Basil yawned again, this time standing on all fours, arching his back, and flicking his long tail. Rainbow crossed her forelegs and remained in the air and was about to get forceful again when Basil answered. “Why would I have seen a pony all the way up here? The climate is desirable but I prefer to remain alone. And this mountain top is a far cry from the little town far below.” Reasonable, Rainbow considered, but…

“How should I know? Applejack’s a tough pony, maybe she just went for a hike and decided to walk in and say hi? Being new to the area and all.” Not far from the truth, Basil recognized, but kept his face emotionless. Instead, he was scanning over the flying clothed pony from head to tail. It had been a while since he’d enjoyed pony meat, the incident with Applejack weeks behind him. When the pegasus wavered from side to side in an impatient gesture, Basil got a good look of the pegasus: More lithe than the earth pony, but curves that were accentuated by that suit she wore. A smile crept to the edges of scaly lips. “Well?” Rainbow pressed, descending closer, feeling more comfortable.

Basil decided to stretch his wings that moment, the mere extension of the large leathery things billowing Rainbow backwards. “Oh yes, I recall now. The pony and her wagon full of pony delights, intent on welcoming me. It has been a fortnight at least, since she entered my dwelling, much as you have now.” The grin spread to the rest of his face, and Rainbow took another flutter backwards as rows of jagged teeth were bared. “Would you like to see her again?” Rainbow wasn’t expecting that! She landed on all fours and paced right up to the edge of the glimmering golden hoard the dragon sprawled atop.

“Of course!” she exclaimed, staring up to Basil with a tail twitch. “So, out with it then, Mr. Dragon. Where did she go after visiting you?” Basil chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound shaking the very floor of the cave and sending some coins tumbling off the hoard. He stretched out his legs and planted one after the other on either side of Rainbow. Rainbow Dash froze as the big dragon lumbered right over her, the mare having to duck as a swaying stomach nearly scraped at her mane! Was he always that fat?

Basil turned and remained standing, Rainbow only beginning to realize he was now blocking her only exit. “She never left,” Basil confessed, bringing a claw up to his mouth to pick at a tooth, keeping that smile. “I dare say there, in fact, is nothing left of that delectable pony. Maybe a couple bones still stewing around in my belly. Didn’t put up much a fight.”

Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped. “Y-you ate her?!” she exclaimed, lower lip now quivering. And with the rest of Basil said, she was… “No!” Rainbow shot off the ground and aimed to ram the evil dragon right in his big red snout! Indeed, Basil couldn’t possibly react in time, and flinched when the Wonderbolt rebounded off his scaly nose, hardly budging it. Rainbow, in her fit of rage, was left dizzy and barely keeping wing, relying on pure instinct to keep her altitude. Basil licked his lips and gracefully reached up, clenching a claw around Rainbow Dash and squeezing tight. Rainbow gasped, eyes wide, and panted, desperate for air. Basil loosened his grip just a touch, and felt the pony inhale deeply. Rainbow Dash then started trying to pull free, but she couldn’t overcome a dragon’s hold, and was helpless, even when Basil used another claw to tear her goggles from her neck and dangle them just in front of his muzzle.

“I devoured her, whole and alive. The best flavors excrete themselves when you equines panic and perspire so.” Basil murmured and slowly licked his lips once more, some hot drool dribbling down to the dirt. Rainbow whimpered when Basil casually pursed his lips and shot a jet of red flame, engulfing her goggles. When the smoke cleared, a cloud of ash dumped over Rainbow’s head, sending the mare into a coughing fit. “And while you may not be as… meaty as your earth pony friend, you certainly do smell delicious. And I haven’t been able to sate my appetite since your friend volunteered to be my supper.

Rainbow was flooded with emotion, wanting to pound and kick and shout at the top of her lungs, but her goggles-turned-ash had left her with watery eyes and little clean air to work with. Not to mention Basil still gripping her rather tightly, digits of his claw shifting and squeezing into her individually. She hardly noticed when she was pulled out of that ash cloud and held up where her goggles met their demise… assuming she was next. “Nuh-nuh-no!” Rainbow managed, waving her fores up and over her head as if trying to get his attention. “No way nu-uh don’t fire blast me too!”

“Why,” Basil countered, that booming voice so near, and every word parting his lips such that Rainbow caught frightful glances inside his maw, “would I ruin a perfectly good meal by doing something so hostile, little morsel?” He leaned his head forward and smothered his tongue on and around Rainbow Dash’s face, the pegasus trying to flail her trapped wings, protest, do something, but was left sopping-wet in viscous, nearly-burning dragon slobber, reduced to a sputtering mess in seconds. The vibrating mumble of appreciation frightened Rainbow more than anything else had that day. “You don’t, in reality, have a choice, by the way: I’m going to reunite you with your friend, and you may share the same fate as the one who kicked apples at me.

“Wh-what? S-she never… did…” Rainbow denied on instinct, though that day with the rest of her friends atop the mountain… No, Applejack did do something like that, didn’t she?

And Rainbow…

“Yes, I remember you now…” Basil lunged forward with open jaws, eliciting a scream from Rainbow Dash! She flinched as jaws clacked shut, hot wind flowing as they connected millimeters off her fur. The precise Basil then tore his head upward, and Rainbow’s protective Wonderbolt costume was torn in two. Basil discarded the one half, then plucked Rainbow up by suddenly free-and-flapping wings, the feathery things twitching useless in his grasped. Basil lifted her up with one claw, and tore away at the rest of her outfit like a birthday present, her bright blue fur coat on full display now. “Yes, not just the tail, but the rest of you.” She was just above Basil’s muzzle now, being stared straight into by those large intimidating eyes. “You actually invaded my lair, and kicked me. I’d return the favor, but that would only soil what is promising to be a rather, mmm… tasty supper.”

“NO!” Rainbow hollered, snapping out of it and swaying every which way, unable to dislodge the base of her held wings free. Four legs flailed along with her head as Rainbow grunted, groaned, and denied reality. “I’m not tasty I will get you for what you did to Applejack, do you hear me?!”

“Loud and clear. Unfortunately,” Basil sighed, before casually licking Rainbow Dash once more, this time able to creep his thick forked tongue over her whole body, neck to tail, thighs and rear, barrel and legs. Rainbow’s tirade was halted immediately, anger morphing into terror, knowing the dragon could lap her up any second! After a smack of his lips, Basil continued. “There, see? Blissful silence… Except for that, of course,” he admitted, as a lower, bubbling growl from his stomach burbled to life. “Getting hungrier with you in claw, your taste on my tongue, and your exquisite pony form growing more flavorful by the second, as you struggle and protest.”

Rainbow didn’t know what to say! It seemed everything she did was playing right into whatever sick plans Basil had in store for her! She kept up the futile struggles, some blue feathers fluttering down to the ground, to join what remained of her Wonderbolt outfit. “M-Mr. Dragon, j-j-just let me go…”

“Oh, that is unavoidable, colorful one.” He licked his lips again, flecks of hot saliva stinging Rainbow’s face. “The time for conversation has ended.” Rainbow’s eyes widened and she started shaking her head violently. “You have basted yourself suitably in your own spice, and you are long overdue for joining your earth pony companion in my belly. Farewell.” Rainbow continued quivering and shaking her head, now flailing her legs and swinging her body violently to try and free herself. Basil didn’t say another word, instead maneuvering his serpent-like neck down, to position his head beneath the trapped pony. Rainbow, dangling by the grip on her wings, saw past her own flailing hinds and dangling tail, to see the dragon’s mouth spread wide open, just for her! Pent-up drool strands bowed down towards the glistening gullet, pulsating eagerly, as a forked tongue was at rest, ready to sample her once more.

Though, he didn’t let go yet. He simply waited for the right moment, knowing there was a chance – however small – that the flying pony could right herself and escape if he let go. And while he could simply snap up and gulp her down, he wanted her to see her fate approach, using a force she so-frequently defied. And the means to this plan requiring patience began to blossom, as Rainbow flailed harder than she usually would. At this point, Rainbow Dash didn’t care if she lost her wings. She just had to set herself free! The tips flailed uselessly against the claw, while the base joins jostled and jerked with every contortion the pegasus attempted. She kept at it, going at it more and more until she froze stiff… then cried out in pain! The poor pegasus had gone and sprained one of her wings, left one now dangling limp against her body. Rainbow was shocked, looking from wing down below… and saw the edges of those dripping lips curve into a grin.

The plan had worked.

Only then did Basil loosen his grip, and Rainbow Dash, realizing her mistake too late, tumbled down towards the awaiting heated maw. “YAAAAHHH!!!!” she squealed, tumbling head-over-tail, down into Basil’s mouth, splatting chin-first on the soft, squishy tongue, a mound of drool coating her face instantly. “Eugh, n-noooOOOO!!!” Basil rolled his outstretched forked tongue inward until the top sandwiched over the delicious pony, up between her legs, forked end straddling her snout. Rainbow Dash’s cries halted when those scaly lips softly sealed shut around her, oozing too-hot slobber working down into Rainbow’s fur. “HLLLLPPP!!!” Basil laid down on the spot, keeping his head raised, and happily worked his tongue back and forth, over and under the delectable pegasus pony, who had to feel that injured wing burn while being served to the dragon for dinner!

The tongue unrolled only after Basil had rubbed his tongue up and against Rainbow’s underside and butt, reveling in the marvelous taste. Why, she was almost tastier than Applejack! Rainbow let out a fresh cry when Basil murred, her whole world shaking as the tongue came off and she was squished up against one of the dragon’s cheeks, bulging it out slightly. She was worked from one to the other in rapid succession, toppled and tangling up in her own legs and wings, sopping-wet with slimy drool, and Basil couldn’t care less about his food’s fate. Whatever muffled muttering cries she managed were no more than little vibrations within his maw, as he spent just a little more time teasing and tasting her up. Rainbow was dizzy and nearly blind in the darkness, what little vision she had swimming in oozing slobber. There was nothing she could do but get casually floated back and forth as Basil had his way with her, content for a little while longer simply savoring his supper.

Basil was more hungry than vengeful though, truth be told: The pony who kicked him had injured herself and was due for her date with his belly. Rainbow wailed when the tongue gathered her up in its coiling grasp, it squeezing her once or twice, soaking in all that panic-induced taste, only to unceremoniously guide her to the back of the throat and unravel. Rainbow got free just in time to try and straddle the tongue and grip onto it with four legs, wings (injured or otherwise) flailing like mad, loosing feathers everywhere. Her tail, swinging every direction with no rhyme or reason, was what enlightened her to Basil’s finishing move; That tip of the tongue had brushed it aside, and crumpled as it forced itself against Rainbow Dash’s rear end. Rainbow took short gasping breaths as her grip on the tongue did nothing to prevent her from sliding along its edges right to the back of the throat. “Mr. Dragon stop! Stooop! Don’t eat meee!”

Basil’s lips smacked open and closed a couple times as he got that last bite of flavor from the mare, Rainbow’s squeals making a quick escape as she got the light to see her impending demised. Then the dragon sealed his lips, tipped his head back slightly, and – GLURPK! – swallowed Rainbow Dash whole and alive. Like Applejack before her, she bulged noticeably down the thick-scaled neck, vanishing down into the torso in seconds. Basil’s tongue rolled limply out of slightly-hanging jaws, snapping back up and working across his teeth and lips, smacking proudly. “A well-deserved supper and fate, if I do say so myself.”

Deep in the recesses of the esophagus Rainbow Dash heard those words. Impressively, given how her now-raspy voice was a continuous stream of terrified yells. She didn’t stop even when she punctured through the opening of the stomach, squelched tightly and plunged neck-deep into a slimy acidic oven-like pool of stomach acid. Rainbow Dash was nigh-on hyperventilating at this point, the innards of that gut more than wide enough for a party of ponies, but no room to escape those feather-pulling viscous fluids. She splashed about and cried aloud and did her best to not sink. Basil remained perched right where he was, hearing a soft GRRRN from his belly, which was spread out some against the ground where he lay. The setting sun felt nice on his backside, which was protruding from the cave at this point, tail swishing to and fro gently. The contented dragon would go for a flight soon, but he wanted to enjoy the aftertaste of Rainbow Dash first!

Basil was so content having eaten what had been the most offensive of the ponies that had come to visit him (save perhaps the other flier, which had managed to make him kowtow her) that he rested for nearly an hour. In the interim Rainbow Dash fought for her life against literally all odds. But the injured pegasus wasn’t long for her swim in the stomach, as exhausted muscles and injury, not to mention the seething heat from the belly, were too much. She’d struggled like a swimmer lacking a life preserver, unable to keep her head up any more, and dipped below. Reaching forehooves followed, and the last slipped beneath when fluttering wing tips sizzled down into the goop. The stomach rumbled and gurgled and churned, much as it had the past hour, and when Basil stood and stretched, tail flicking up and exposing a slightly saggier scaly belly, he smiled… then let out a satisfied loud burp, jaws spread wide and expelling a few clumps of blue fur. “Ahh… Such is the fate of those who wish to strike a dragon,” Basil sneered, using his tongue to pick a bit of colored tail hair out from his teeth and puffing them away with a tinge of flame.

The big dragon circled in place and exited the cave, spreading his wings and leaping into the sky in one fluid motion. As he flew above the skies of Ponyville (a sight ponies had quickly grown used to, as his recent move-in was no secret) that gurgling belly of his swayed to the gait of his wing-flaps, sagging left, right, left, right. The casual flight over Equestria and further out lasted hours, deep into the night, Basil not feeling the urge to slumber whatsoever. Rainbow had digested fully by that time, nothing but a floating rib cage and skull, which too dissolved into nothing thanks to the great and powerful stomach acids all dragons possessed.

When Basil finally returned to his cave to rest, late the next afternoon, he idly wondered if more of Equestria’s mouthwatering population would offer themselves right within his home. “I can hardly wait,” he rumbled to himself, stretching out on his vast hoard and laying on his side, stroking his softened, occasionally-noisy belly. The fantasies about the meals to come drifted with the dragon into his slumber, and supplied him with plenty of subject matter with which to dream.