//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Strong Cider, Weak Hearts // by Toiski //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle poured some of Applejack's leftover cider into a cup. She placed the cup onto a metal grating and lit the Bunsen burner under it with a spark of her magic. Then she floated over a vial containing a dark purple liquid and, after briefly consulting a tome filled with complicated formulas, poured it into the cup. She flipped a few pages and began to read, just as she heard the basement door open above and behind her. Spike's voice echoed in the sparsely decorated basement. ”Twilight! Rainbow's here to see you!” Twilight glanced at the heating cup of cider and replied: ”Not now, spike. I'm in the middle of an important experiment. I'll be up in a few minutes.” ”Rainbow says it's urgent. She looks pretty winded, like she raced here.” Twilight groaned. ”Okay. Send her in, but tell her not to touch anything.” In Twilight's opinion, Rainbow Dash was a hazard in the same class as errant tornadoes and hordes of rabid badgers. She didn't mean to disrupt, but Dash's speed and energy could 'displace' anything not nailed down, especially if she was in a hurry or excited. Soon the aforementioned pegasus glided down from the basement stairs and landed behind Twilight. “Hey, Twi, could you- Uh, why are you heating up cider?” “Oh, it's probably nothing. I heard Applejack left these last bottles of cider out in the sun for too long, so I'm making sure they're okay to drink. You see, when apple cider is exposed to excessive temperatures for periods exceeding-” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Forget I asked. Anyway, I was wondering. What should I-” She cut herself short and waved her hoof in the air, as if to erase her words. “I mean not me, but, you know, in general, what should a pony do, if somepony told them they like them, but that pony doesn't like her back?” She paced from hoof to hoof, looking everywhere except at Twilight. Twilight noticed Dash's inability to stay still. She's always on the go, so she must be feeling anxious in a closed underground space, she guessed. “Rainbow Dash, is there somepony who you would want to be friends with, who doesn't like you?” Rainbow appeared confused for a second. “What? No, you've got it all wrong. I mean like like. As in, has a crush on?” She waited for a moment, as Twilight revised her mental model of the situation and nodded to show she was following the conversation. Rainbow Dash added hastily: “Besides, this is totally not about me in any way. Nope.” “Well, if you say so.” Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof. “I'm flattered you came to ask me, but that's not really my area of expertise. Maybe there's a book in the library that could help you? Spike can check one out for you.” Rainbow Dash stomped a hoof. “I don't have time to read! I'm in sort of a hurry here.” She didn't seem angry, just anxious. Twilight completely understood the feeling of urgency when faced with a difficult problem, hypothetical or not. She was glad that Rainbow was engaging in a mental excercise so vigorously, even if she did lack independence. Twilight searched her mind for alternate information sources. “Well, you could always ask Rarity. She seems like the kind of pony that would know more about romance.” Rainbow hung her head. “Okay then. I guess I'll have to...” She raised her head in alarm and pointed a hoof over Twilight's shoulder. “Twilight, there's smoke coming out of the cider.” Twilight twirled around and saw that the cup of cider was indeed emitting a bright green vapor. She quickly shut the valve on the Bunsen burner. “Green? That means my hypothesis was right! This means the cider contains ethyl alcohol, which can cause intoxication similar to that from a salt lick. But the alcohol has been banned from use in food products for centuries, because of its effects on the liver and other organs. Rainbow, this means you have to-” But when she spun around, Rainbow Dash was already gone. -O-O-O- Rainbow Dash was walking towards Carousel Boutique. I'm walking. When's the last time I've walked anywhere? She stretched her wings, and they still complained. For that matter, when was the last time my wings were this tired? Not one of my best ideas, flying upside-down while carrying a sleeping pony on my chest. But I couldn't wake up Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash was grateful that the other pegasus hadn't woken up during the flight, or that short while she took to rest her wings, lying on Fluttershy's bed, sweating like she hadn't since she could remember. Slow flying meant she wasn't cooled down by the breeze like usually. She smelled her wingpit, and was beaten back by the smell of drying sweat. Now that I think of it, maybe it wasn't cool to sweat all over Fluttershy's bed. She suddenly remembered she had left her flying goggles somewhere at Fluttershy's. She had probably just set them down somewhere after wiping the sweat from her forehead. I really need to get my head together. My cool is supposed to be unflappable, and she's got me so flapped I'm almost not cool anymore. There it was now, the round, purple building that was her destination. Rainbow Dash wasn't afraid of anything, of course, but she didn't like the thought of entering it. There were all sorts of foul beasts hidden within. Dresses, hats, and fancy shoes. She would just have to make sure the keeper of the monsters didn't get the chance to command them to attack her. The sign on the door said 'open' so Rainbow pushed it and entered the Boutique, feeling like she was sticking her head into the maw of some giant, frilly monster, although markedly less awesome. She spotted the proprietress fussing with some dresses on a display rack. “Hi, Rarity.” She swallowed hard. “I need to ask you about something.” The unicorn turned around, nearly dropping one of the dresses in her surprise. “Rainbow Dash! Oh, how delightful of you to have come. I don't suppose you're here for fashion tips, hm? I happen to have a few things that would look magnificent on you.” “No thanks. I need your advice with something personal.” Rainbow glanced around the store floor. “Nopony else in here right now?” Rarity nodded and sashayed closer. “You can rest assured that whatever you say will be treated with utmost confidentiality. Would you like to discuss your woes over some tea, perhaps?” Rainbow suppressed the urge to groan. “No. No tea. No dresses. No... I don't know, No hairstyling.” Rarity's eyes lit up at the last one, and Rainbow Dash could feel the unicorn's appraising gaze sweep over her mane and tail. Quick, an excuse! Uh... screw it, let's go with the truth. “I don't have time for fancy stuff. I'm in trouble, and I need your help, Rarity. Please?” Rarity recoiled as if struck. “Rainbow! You said 'please'!” She put a forehoof on her head in a theatrical gesture. “Oh, whatever troubles you must be absolutely horrible to have shaken you like that.” Rainbow Dash bit back a retort. This was no time to argue with the one pony who could help her. “It's pretty bad, yeah. Somepony told me she's in, uh, that she's got a crush on me. And I don't know what to say back to her.” Rarity reached behind Rainbow to flip over the 'open/closed' sign. “This is a delicate matter, and it won't do to be disturbed. I was about to close soon, anyway. Shall we continue this discussion in the boudoir?” She didn't wait for an answer, walking across the store floor to a door marked 'private'. Rainbow sighed and trotted after the white mare. “Fine. But I wanna solve this as fast as possible.” I owe that to her. The other room was lavishly decorated with sofas, cushions and soft, plush carpets. Rarity stretched out on a sofa, while Rainbow collapsed in a heap on a cushion. “Well then, Rainbow Dash. This pony who confessed to you. Who is it?” Rarity must have thought she looked nonchalant, but Rainbow noticed her lick her lips in a predatory manner. “None of your business.” “Oh, don't be that way. I can't rightly be expected to give advice if I don't know the details.” Rarity raised her eyebrows and cocked her head in a pleading look. Dash bit her lower lip. She shouldn't give away too much. “It's somepony who's a friend. I don't wanna let her down, but I just don't like her the same way.” Rarity's ears twitched and the keen look form before was back. “You don't think romantically of her in particular, or other mares in general?” “I don't think romantically about anypony, ever,” Rainbow deadpanned. Rarity dismissed the reply with a wave or her hoof. “Surely, even you entertain some fantasies or idle daydreams. You must have thought of going on a date with one of those Wonderbolts, hm?” Rainbow furrowed her brow in confusion. “Why would I do that? I wanna fly with 'em, not smooch 'em.” Rarity giggled quietly into her hoof. “That would be admirably professional of you if it weren't so adorably naive. Oh, to never have felt the euphorious torture of love!” Despite not understanding all the words, Rainbow knew she was being made fun of, and scowled. Rarity cleared her throat, set her face and continued. “But I digress. If you do not feel for her, there is sadly but one thing to do. You must turn her down, as gently as possible of course.” Rainbow Dash leapt to her feet. “But I don't wanna hurt her! She's... Shes an important friend, and she's probably gonna bawl her eyes out if I tell her no.” Just thinking of it made Rainbow want to cry as well. Fluttershy was a delicate creature, and after sticking with her since foalhood, letting her down now felt like stabbing her friend in the back. Some of Rainbow's feelings must have shown on her face, because Rarity looked at her in that way. It didn't make her feel any better, and neither did the unicorn's next words. “It might be hurtful, yes. But if you lied to her and accepted her advances, only for your deceit to be later revealed, it would hurt her much more.” She got up as well and pulled Rainbow into a tight hug, softly murmuring in her ear. “If you want to keep her friendship, there can be no guarantee. But lying can only make it worse in the end.” “If you say so. I'll take your word for it.” Rainbow Dash couldn't shake the feeling that it was a terrible wrongness, but the alternative didn't look any better. She hugged Rarity back, but her heart wasn't in it. It felt like a gaping hole. “I'll tell her tomorrow.”