Later on, the Cutie Mark Crusaders met up once again at the clubhouse to discuss their progress. While Scootaloo hadn't gotten too much out of Rainbow Dash at the time she had been with her, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle reported Fluttershy's reaction to Rainbow Dash allegedly liking her.
While they were pretty sure they must have, they didn't have any definitive answers. Whether or not it would lead to a bigger problem, was a mystery at the moment.
“So, let me get this straight. Our story is that Rainbow Dash thinks Fluttershy likes her. Then Fluttershy thinks Rainbow Dash likes her. But neither of them know the real truth, and neither of them know the other knows,” Scootaloo concluded, and then slapped her head onto the table. “This is confusing!”
“Ah know, it's purty complicated now. ...So...what will Phase Four be?” Apple Bloom wanted to know.
“Trying to get them alone together again?” Sweetie Belle suggested.
“Ah don't know, won't they be suspicious? Ah mean, now they know what'll be comin' if we try that,” Apple Bloom shook her head.
Scootaloo groaned, looking at her friends. “We have to do something! They think the other likes them! We gotta stop playing around, and find out the truth!”
“The truth about what?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Whether er not they do like each other?” Apple Bloom guessed.
“Pretty much. We have to find out how they really feel about each other! No detours, no throwing bones, we're going to find out the truth!” Scootaloo declared.
“All right!” Sweetie Belle smiled in approval. “Then we'll know for sure! I really hope they do, they're perfect for each other!”
“Ah agree, so let's go out there and initiate Phase Four!” Apple Bloom proclaimed.
“Right!” Scootaloo nodded. “Let's go, Crusaders! Phase Four: Find out the Truth!”
They slapped a high shoe, then were about to leave the clubhouse. But they didn't get out the door before a brand new problem arose. Looking at one another, the unspoken question was looming above their heads like a storm cloud, an awkward silence falling over them. Having not figured this in the first place, it almost ruined their triumph.
“Where are we going to find them?!”
-------------
They first tried asking Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy's friends to see if they had seen them.
“No, I haven't seen them yet. Maybe you should try Applejack?” Twilight Sparkle had said.
Applejack had fared no better. “Nope, ain't seen hyde or seek of 'em! Maybe Pinkie Pie knows?”
“Nopie-dopie-lopie! I haven't seen them all morning!” Pinkie had said. “Ooh! Ask Rarity!”
Even Rarity hadn't seen them. “Why no, girls! I've yet to see them at all!”
This left the Cutie Mark Crusaders to not only ask around Ponyville, but also to explore the town, and the areas beyond. Because they couldn't easily reach Rainbow Dash's place, they isntead went to Fluttershy's cottage. No one was home, not even Angel.
With no luck for the past hour, that was when the three fillies decided to try the park.
Quite a few ponies and fillies alike were the park today. Having picnics, playing in the sandboxes and on the grass, walking around, enjoying the flowers and plant life, watching birds or butterflies, and there were even some Pegasi doing some aerial tricks for practice. But no sign of Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy so far. Wherever they were, they had really been well-hidden.
“It's no use! They're nowhere to be seen!” Scootaloo complained, sighing. “What's the use, I think all we ended up doing was messing things up.”
“Ah think we did...” Apple Bloom agreed grimly. “Ah wish we ain't never thought of it in the first place...”
Sweetie Belle sniffled a bit. “They would've been so sweet together... But I guess it just wasn't meant to be...” She looked up then, and stopped the other two fillies in their tracks. “Girls! Look!”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders all froze when they came across the sight of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy sitting together under a willow tree, further off in the outskirts of the park, hidden from anypony seeing them, for the most part. Rainbow Dash's pet tortoise, Tank, and Angel, were frolicking in the grass near them. Or rather, Angel was frolicking happily, while Tank was just lazily standing about, occasionally blinking or taking one slow step forward.
Immediately, the three fillies dashed over to nearby bushes to be within earshot of what the two Pegasi were talking about.
“-it's true, Fluttershy?”
“Well....um...”
“What are they talking about?” Scootaloo whispered.
“Ah don't know, be quiet!” Apple Bloom hissed.
“I think they're talking about what we said!” Sweetie Belle offered.
The two older Pegasi were quiet for a few moments, before Fluttershy spoke up again.
“Rainbow Dash...I'm...I'm so sorry...you had to find out that way...but I suppose...the girls must have thought...”
Rainbow Dash smiled a bit, despite that she looked nervous and surprised. “That we'd be perfect for each other, I bet.”
“I'm sorry, Rainbow...” Fluttershy said sadly, and lowered her head. “I...I do love you...I really do!”
“...Fluttershy...” Rainbow Dash slowly approached her a bit closer.
“Oh no, she's not going to reject her, is she?” Scootaloo gulped.
“Ah hope not! Oh no, this don't look good!” Apple Bloom moaned.
Sweetie Belle swallowed. “This is so sad...poor Fluttershy!”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders paid scant attention as Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder.
“Listen, um...Fluttershy, the thing is...it's not that....well...oh jeez, I don't even know how to say this! Gah!” The rainbow-maned Pegasus groaned in frustration. “Look, it's kinda like this...I can't say I love you back. ...But I guess...I also can't say that I don't love you back...”
Fluttershy managed to look up, her teary eyes seeming to gleam with a spark of hope. A quiet gasp escaped the three hidden fillies as they wondered where this could have been going.
“I've never really liked anypony, not like this, anyway! So I guess I don't really know what being in love would feel like...but you're still my best friend, Fluttershy...I...well, I just don't think I'd be able to say no without giving us a shot. I mean, I don't care that you're a mare and that I'm a mare...It's just...well, I don't want to say I love you unless I know for sure that I feel that way...um....heh heh...” Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her neck, smiling nervously. “I uh...hope that came out right...”
“....R-Really...Rainbow Dash? ...You mean that?” Fluttershy managed in a softer tone than usual, which was saying a lot.
“Well, yeah... I don't really see a downside about...well, being marefriends with you, Fluttershy...so...why don't we give it a shot?” Rainbow Dash blushed a bit, and then cleared her throat. “But um...I know you love me...and I don't know how I feel yet, but um...well...I'll do all I can! I promise! I mean, making you happy is easy enough, and I like making you happy...so...I guess that's a start? So if you're...willing to accept all my stupid idiocy when it comes to all this romantic stuff...I'd really like to give you a chance! Sound uh...good to you, pal?”
“Wow! She asked her to be her special somepony!” Sweetie Belle whispered, beaming happily.
“Ah know! That's amazin'!” Apple Bloom marveled. “Looks like we did it!”
“Yeah! We did! Now they're special someponies!” Scootaloo said with excitement.
“Shh! Let's hear what Fluttershy has to say!”
A tear rolled down Fluttershy's cheek as she gazed at Rainbow Dash with a loving smile. “I'd love to, Rainbow Dash...that sounds good....really good...Oh, thank you!!” She gave her a warm hug, sniffling a bit.
“Aww, hey, don't thank me, pal. It's the least I can do,” Rainbow Dash smiled genuinely as she hugged her back.
“Awwwww!!” The Cutie Mark Crusaders giggled.
“Whoa! Look!” Sweetie Belle gaped.
When Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy pulled back from each other, their gazes locked. Holding their breaths, the filly trio watched with excitement and anticipation as the two Pegasi leaned in closer to each other...their eyes closing...Fluttershy's blush increasing...
Giggles and quiet squeals erupted when the two mares shared their first kiss.
“Awwwww!!”
“They really are so sweet together!” Sweetie Belle cooed.
“I've never seen Rainbow Dash so...tender before...but hey, it's kind of nice!” Scootaloo smiled.
“Ah guess Fluttershy just brings out that side o' her!” Apple Bloom giggled. “They do look mighty happy!”
Prolonging the kiss a few more moments, the two Pegasi pulled away and then nuzzled each other's noses cutely. They gazed at each other, before Rainbow Dash looked right at the bush the Cutie Mark Crusaders were hiding in, and smirked.
“Okay, squirts, you can come out now!”
“Uh-oh...” The three fillies said in unison.
“Guess that means it's time for Phase Five?” Sweetie Belle guessed.
“What's Phase Five?” Apple Bloom asked.
Scootaloo answered for her. “Let them date on their own without us doing anything to help.”
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This is the end! But if you do feel I should add a bit more, let me know. :D