Chapter 3
Dash sighed through a smile as she eased herself back along the branch, the little notches and grains gently teasing at all the little tensions in her back. Her wings fluttered a little as the occasional big one found a sweet spot and sent tingles racing through her spine. Once her head found that familiar little bowl on the side of the trunk, she let her eyes close softly.
Her smile deepened. This, no matter what Rarity said about her darling spa—and how comfortable those weird chairs that place had were, come to think of it—was the way to relax. The high sun keeping her nice and toasty, the quiet puffs of wind ruffling through her mane and unwinding all the knots on her forehead, the sweet scent of apples filling her lungs?
“Yeah…” she sighed, folding her fore hooves over her chest and peering up through the branches. What better way was there for an awesome pegasus to spend their afternoon?
Through the leaves and the twigs, the big, blue, completely-clear-with-nopony-in-it-to-get-in-the-way sky answered for her. Dash scowled, a third sigh rushing out of her nostrils and her shoulders slumping. She turned her head away and closed her eyes.
It wasn’t that talk. No. Not even with Rarity giving her those… eyes. And that little wobble in her voice. And those—
Dash shook her head.
Besides, it had been nice to remember that big fruit-growers’ competition last week, even if it meant AJ spending about half an hour reminding them all who the greatest apples in Equestria were grown by. Dash snorted, but she kept smirking. And they said she was full of herself! Plus, now she knew just when she had to book time off the weather patrol for next week’s trip to Pinkie’s old farm for her Ma’s fiftieth. Hay, she was even going to see the Wonderbolts in a couple of weeks.
Dash grinned, but held back on the squeal this time; that sort of sound could carry out here. Still, any morning where she found that out had to be a good one.
No. It hadn’t been the talk. Although, maybe if they hadn’t been talking about all that mushy stuff, she wouldn’t have ploughed her way through all those sweets and that… ugh.
Now Rainbow frowned, and she bit at her lip.
Ordinary flying on a full stomach? Nothing to it. Hay, even the Wingmare’s Weave she’d wanted to pull off would have been a cinch. But with a totally empty sky, the only tricks that still sent her blood pumping were high speed ones. And flying right up where the cold stung at her eyes and summoned water and not tears to do battle against it, pumping her wings so that the ground was nothing more than a blur far below, before swooping around in a massive arc and feeling the air press against her wings, her insides churning and squirming around…
Dash cringed, her cheeks puffing up for just a second.
Yeah…
Nothing a little nap couldn’t fix, though. Besides, she was probably due for one, anyway; she had been up for a whole seven hours, now.
Her smile returned and made itself much more comfortable this time. She closed her eyes.
Besides, if she timed this right…
She nestled closer to the trunk, her breaths deepening.
… by the time she woke up…
One hoof fell off her middle, and she left it dangling by her side.
… she’d be ready…
“Rainbow!”
Dash jolted, her eyes shooting open and her wings flaring. Then she grimaced, and she raised a hoof over her eyes as they creaked nearly all the way closed again.
That couldn’t have been more than a minute. Right?
“Rainbow Dash?”
She flipped over, and eyed the orange mare standing below. Applejack stared back, her eyes bright and perched above a little smile.
“Yeah, Appleja…” was as far as she got before her words dissolved into a yawn, and she had to raise a hoof to her mouth. Her gaping mouth titled her head back, and her brows furrowed as her eyes raked the sky.
Hadn’t the sun been right above her when she got here?
“Sorry ‘f’I’m interruptin’ your busy day, Rainbow.”
Dash’s eyes snapped back to AJ and narrowed at her. “Hey!”
She leapt off the branch and flared her wings, landing with a heavy thud before walking over to Applejack. From here, she could see AJ’s smile had curled into a smirk.
Her eyes narrowed just a little further. “This was supposed to be my day off, Applejack. Or don’t you know what those are?” She grinned.
Applejack did the same, before letting out a chuckle that faded into a smile. Then AJ’s lips wriggled between her teeth, and she looked away.
Dash raised an eyebrow. “Applejack?”
Before she could take more than a step, Applejack sighed and hung her head. “Dash… I’ve… I’ve been meanin’ t’ask you somethin’ for a while, now…”
Dash had to hold back a gasp as AJ turned to look at her again, and she felt something cold jab at her. Her eyes…
No. She shook her head. She was not going through this again!
“AJ…”
“No, Dash,” she said, raising a hoof, her eyes clearing a little. Enough for Dash to make sure of that, anyway. “I need to know… and what we were talkin’ ‘bout at Rarity’s made me remember that…”
Dash had a sudden vision of big, wet blue eyes, wobbling at her—
Nope. Not going there.
“Dash?”
Her face softened, and she looked up from her scowl to find AJ staring right at her, something that looked like a smile stretching across her muzzle. At least, she hoped that’s what it was. “Yeah?”
AJ bit her lip again. “Dash… what you said ‘bout not wantin’ a special somepony… it hasn’ got anythin’ to do with what happened in Canterlot, has it?”
Dash stared at her. “What? You mean Soarin’ hasn’t told you that?”
“Well…” AJ tapped her chin with a hoof, just starting to smile. “He said you were kinda’ angry with ‘im, and you were kinda’ quiet the whole way back t’Ponyville.” That smile creased into a smirk. “And then I saw you storm back t’yer place…”
“Okay, I get it.” Dash aimed her glare right at that smug smirk of AJ’s before it softened under AJ’s… smugness. She sighed. “Yeah, I guess I did get kind of angry with him, you see…”
Dash dragged her hoof through her mane, pulling the lingering, sweaty strands away from her eyes before they could sting. Not that they’d bother her too much. No. Not when she’d already fought off a huge swarm of changelings with her friends, helped put back together some of the tents and marquees the wedding was using, and pulled off a Sonic Rainboom right over the castle with barely a hoofball-field’s worth of dive.
And without even a scratch on her, if the mirror wasn’t lying. She smirked at her reflection.
Yep. All in a day’s work for the most awesome pegasus in Equestria—
Ah, who was she kidding. Today could easily top her list of ‘Best Days Ever’, and it was up against some stiff competition. Even so, those others would have to beat the fact that she’d got to spend the whole evening hanging out with and talking to the most awesome pegasi in the world!
A little squeal eased itself through her grin, but she was too busy clopping her hooves to care. She’d got to talk to Fleetfoot about her technique for maintaining high speed through curves—all in the shoulder, according to her, and Dash didn’t have any reason to doubt her! She’d spoken to Storm Surge about where he’d started out—the Hoofington weather patrol! And, best of all, she’d been able to ask Spitfire about those flames that the Wonderbolts always had coming from their tails—something about food from Maredras…?!
She pumped the air with a hoof, her grin squeezing her eyes shut.
Aw, yeah! Could this day get any more awesome?
“Rainbow Dash?”
She spun around and instantly felt her eyes widen. Right in front of her, lit up by the pale moonlight, stood a stallion. A tall, light blue stallion, with a dark blue mane swept back like he’d just flown in through a gale, looking more than a little out of place in a shiny blue suit. He gazed at her with soft green eyes, an awkward little smile on his lips.
“Soarin’?”
Yes. Yes it could get more awesome!
His smile flickered for a moment, giving her a glimpse of perfect white teeth. “Hey, Rainbow Dash…” He bit his lip, taking a step forward. “I need to ask you something…”
Dash felt her jaw swing open. That was fine, though. This was Soarin’! Still, it didn’t hurt for her to close it, but she could keep her eyes the size of dinner-plates.
“I know this might be a bit of a surprise to you…” he continued, getting ever closer.
Rainbow’s wings fluttered, and so did her chest. A grin slowly began to stretch itself across her muzzle. Could… could he be—
No. He was a Wonderbolt. He wasn’t going to be asking her for tips!
But still, maybe…
She gasped. A little. Maybe it could be…
“Or maybe not, actually.” He chuckled, flashing her a grin. “After all, this isn’t the first time we’ve met…”
Yes! Yes it was!
It had to be!
She could see it now…
“I don’t know what the rest of the ’Bolts are gonna’ think when they find out…”
She would stride confidently down the cloud steps, her eyes focused on the light at the end the poured in through the opening. The opening that led to the greatest honour a flier could receive!
She would step out the hole, and the crowd would roar for her. Ponies would hold up banners declaring her to be the greatest ever, or that they knew she’d make it. Foals would have their manes died so they could be just like their hero. Her parents would be there, too; Mom’d be bawling her eyes out with a hoof over her mouth, while Dad would be leading the applause with one tear streaking down his muzzle.
“… Actually, I don’t think Spitfire’ll mind all that much,” he said, shaking his head with a chuckle. “Might get rid of some rumours…”
And there, in the stand right above her entrance, would be all her friends. Pinkie’s squeaky yells would cut through everypony else’s, as she bounced around like she’d downed another three bags of sugar. AJ and Twilight would both be trying to keep up—Twi taking the odd glance at Cheering for Eggheads, or something, and AJ hurling her hat almost to the rim of the Cloudiseum. And in the corner, Rarity and Fluttershy’d be leaning against each other, both smiling so hard that it wouldn’t matter if they were crying.
She’d give them a wave, and a grin so wide it’d probably give a less-tough pegasus jaw cramp, before carrying on towards… them.
“So… Dash?” He stood right in front of her now, his head cocked a little.
He’d be there in the Cloudiseum, too. So would all the Wonderbolts. Him, and Rapidfire and Fleetfoot and Storm Surge and Raindrop Flare and Whirlwind and Lightning Flash and Banana Milkshake. Well, the A Team would be there; the other Wonderbolts would probably be off someplace else doing their showstopper, or getting the training grounds ready.
And they’d all be smiling at her as she walked between the rows of them. Maybe Milkshake’d even hold out a hoof for her to bump, and before she’d know it she’d be face-to-face with the most awesome pegasus in the stadium.
“Yes?!” Okay she’d squealed a little too high, there, but this was so worth it!
Spitfire.
Dash’d grin, her wings fluttering a little at her side. Spitfire would smirk, and then she’d reach behind herself for something. That smirk would soften a little, and she’d hold the… something out for Dash as the roars around them grew to their loudest.
“Rainbow…”
A neatly folded, slightly shiny suit of dark blue, complete with little yellow lightning bolts, and a pair of goggles perched on top!
“… would you mind introducing me to that orange mare you came with?”
In an instant, Spitfire no longer stood in front of her. Instead, she was still staring at Soarin’, who looked back with a goofy smile and his eyes shining a little in the moonlight.
“What?” she grunted.
Soarin’ raised an eyebrow. She could feel the racing beat in her chest start to ebb away like a dying storm. “You know… the mare with the apple cutie-mark? And the hat?”
“Applejack?” All around her, the other Wonderbolts began to fade into the murky darkness.
Soarin’s smile eased itself wider, and he heaved a quiet sigh. “Yeah… I mean, I know it’s weird that I didn’t even know her name and I… I can’t stop thinking about her…”
The crowd slowly started to disappear, too. All those banners and stamping hooves and rainbow manes. And foals with their eyes twinkling in that same way hers had when she’s seen the Wonderbolts for the first time. And her parents, still crying and whooping and cheering her on.
All gone.
Poofed back into the darkness of her head.
“I guess it kinda’ started back at the Gala. You remember that pie you saved? Well, she’s the one who sold it to me. Thing is, though, when I rock up in my flight-suit, ponies usually bend over backwards when I wanna’ buy something. They’re all ‘Oh yes, Mister Soarin’’ and ‘Right away, Mister Soarin’’ and ‘Can I shine your hooves, Mister Soarin’’.” He shook his head, before that dreamy smile stretched even further. “But Applejack… she just gave me the sweetest little smile, and then I looked into her eyes, and oh… I didn’t know it at the time—probably too busy eating that awesome pie she’d baked—but when I thought about her after the gala, her eyes just seemed so… pretty. Not, like, supermodel pretty, or the kind of pretty that makes you stop and stare, but a kind of… nice, quiet pretty… Like… like I’m lying on a low cloud out in the middle of nowhere, just watching a little stream wind through a big, open field of flowers with the sunset turning everything gold…” He titled his head back, eyes softly closing.
All of her friends started to fade away, now.
Pinkie was first to go, bouncing right into the darkness without her smile even flickering once. Applejack followed her out, grabbing to hat just as she slipped away, and then Twilight went as she took one last look at her hooves. Finally, Rarity and Fluttershy faded together, never once looking away from her, and not letting their eyes dry…
“And then when I heard she was coming here… I… I just had to meet her! So I kind of kept my eyes open and tried to find a moment when she was alone so I could talk to her, but she’s just so… so friendly, you know? Every time I’ve seen her tonight, she’s always been talking to somepony like they’ve known each other for life, or playing around with… well, now I guess she’s her little sister… or she’s been making sure everypony’s enjoyed her cooking. Celestia knows, I have!”
His smile stretched into a grimace, and he looked away for a second. “But… but every time I tried to colt-up and just walk in there to ask her… I-I get this knot in my gut… I mean, she’s amazing… She’s saved Equestria!”
Her own huge grin finally slipped away. She let out a big sigh, her wings hanging limp at her sides. The heat that she’d felt in her eyes disappeared, fading under the aches in her cheeks…
“So… I was wondering if you could help me out here, Dash?”
She kept trying to bore through the floor with her eyes.
“Dash?”
Rainbow’s head jerked up, looking right at Soarin’ and that stupid, goofy smile of his. She forced a small one of her own out. “Sure…”
“… and that’s when I told him that you’d been wanting to see him. After that, it wasn’t hard to get both of you to that fountain,” Dash finished, shrugging. And stopping her mind before it could go over them going all mushy over each other in the moonlight.
A shiver rippled up her back. Actually, it wasn’t that bad, what those two did. Still, she could have done without seeing AJ practically melt against him after their third word to each other…
“So…” Dash found Applejack staring at her, eyebrows shoved right up to her mane. “… You thought’e was askin’ you to join the Wonderbolts? Hoo-eee…” She shook her head, a smirk curling its way out. “That must’a been all kinds of awkward when he found out.”
Dash smirked. “Yeah… I told him last time he was here.” She snorted.
Applejack chuckled back. “I was wondrin’ why’e was all torn up, that day.”
It was Rainbow’s turn to raise a brow. “You mean he didn’t tell you that, either?”
Applejack hummed, her lips twisting. “Not really. I mean, when I found ‘im, he looked kinda’ shook up ‘bout somethin’, so I asked him if anythin’ was wrong… and I believed him when he said it was nothin’.”
Dash grinned. “Sounds about right. You should’ve heard him when he was talking to me, though…” Her grin stretched wider, and a chuckle escaped. “I swear, I thought I was talking to Fluttershy’s cousin, or something.”
Although… it had been worth sitting through all those apologies to hear that the Wonderbolts were keeping their eyes on her!
Aw, yeah! Yeah!
She smirked, looking across at AJ, who turned away and bit her lip. Dash took a step closer, and saw her friend’s eyes growing wet with— oh no.
She walked right over to AJ. This wasn’t happening now.
“Applejack?” She meant that wobble to be in her voice. Really.
AJ sniffed, and brought those big, shiny eyes around to look at Dash. That shiver came back. “I…I-”
“Look, AJ,” she said, braving those… eyes and trotting even closer to Applejack, “I really meant it when I said it was nothing to do with Soarin’.” She grinned. “Seriously. I’m happy for you and the big lug.”
AJ chuckled, and her eyes cleared again. “It’s not that, Dash, it’s just…” She sighed. “It’s just I never realised Soarin’ felt that way about me for that long…”
Ugh…
Dash stopped herself from actually groaning, but rolled her eyes and threw her head back anyway. What was with her friends, today?
And what was with the sun being that far across the sky?
She squinted at the sky, biting at her lip. Maybe she’d been asleep for a little more than a minute.
Dash looked back at AJ, who still stared into nothing, smiling that same goofy smile she was probably seeing in her head. “Sure you’re all right, AJ?”
Applejack jumped, her eyes landing on Dash. “Yeah, I’m fine now, Dash.” They narrowed as she smirked. “Why? Am I interruptin’ one o’your super-important naps, again?”
Dash grinned back, then she flared her wings and pumped hard.
In moments, the greens and reds of the trees around her fell away into a clear light blue. She took in a deep, chilly breath, which sent a familiar tingle racing away from her chest and down to the tips of her wings.
Down below, she could see AJ scrambling around for her hat, that smirk wiped off her face.
And in a field a little closer to town, she spied a familiar yellow dot waiting as patiently as always for her…
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Fly, my filler. Fly!
Yes, even with just five chapters of pretty empty nothing to write, I've managed to plan in a filler chapter.
As ever, I hope this stands up under the weight of all your kind words and polite-but-correct criticisms. And with the final two chapters, we should be encountering some substance.
(The new cover art comes courtesy from my far-more-artistically-talented friend, Tofazz)
Still have no idea where this is going, and I love it.
I like the new cover art but it makes rainbow look abit like a stallion
Interesting story so far, got my fingers crossed for dash x spitfire. Probably won't happen, but dammit I can dream.
Do I spy a Spitfire? I think I do
Familiar yellow spot, huh?
Alright, everyone, place your bets. Secret relationship with Fluttershy or secret relationship with Spitfire?
Gotta admit, I went "Wait, what?" Right along with Rainbow Dash, but for completely different reasons.
This continues to be hilarious. I love how much Dashie just doesn't care about all that mushy stuff.
1087195 Are you kidding? Trevor puts his bets on BOTH!
Seriously where is this thing going?
I mean, we had two chapter with Rainbow Dash saying: "I am asexuel." Still love it though.^^
Of all your words, the only thing I could find in error was this:
their manes died
I think you mean dyed.
Other than that, it's pretty refreshing to see a fic from Dash's perspective where she isn't immediately shipped with someone.
Keep up the gloriously descriptive work.
1087195
you do realize that it could just be Fluttershy waiting there to watch rainbow practice... and because of that I put five bits on Fluttershy
Didn't RD say she was going to spend time with Fluttershy? And who else would wait for her when she was just napping away?
I really hope that this story is really NOT gonna be about all the mushy stuff. It'd be a great change from all the DashXanything fics. I mean I hear she's in a relationship with a kitchen sink by now.
I am curious about that yellow dot.
1087195
Yes
Okay, so is it really that she has a relationship with someone? Or that she actually doesn't care? Or what? I'm dying to know here. I want it to be a
but you know, anything could happen with this story. The fact that she thought Soarin wanted to invite her to the team instead of ask her out was like...amazing in it'self. But yeah, can't wait for the next chapter.
So what's the deal with Dash's obsession with eyes anyway?
Scumbag Soarin', she saved your life, and your pie!
Fingers crossed for Dash x nopony!
Another interesting chapter, and it paints an interesting introspective view into Dash's character from the way your writing it. You've really managed to write from a specific point of view without any outside influences. This makes it all the more interesting since we only know as much as Dash will notices and what she decides to consider. It leaves a lot of room for the imagination and gets the reader anticipating how everything will unfold.
1087195
Actually, didn't she promise to help Fluttershy and Fluttershy promised to help Rainbow Dash in the first chapter? I can see how the rumors hinted about Spitfire in this chapter would tie into Rainbow Dash denying ever being in a relationship etc. but I'd say not to jump to get your hopes up for the next chapter. Haha, seems like we're all shipping fiends trying to get a fix.
I have no idea where this story is going, still ain't got a clue who Dash is gona get with, if she even does get with anyone.
1087358
I think died was meant as a alternate word for deflated. However I don't know for certain since I haven't read the chapter. WHOPSY!
1087195 Seeing as Spitfire is more orange, I'ma say Fluttershy
100 bits!
1034416 The Tea Party set with Rainbow Dash.
Wow, Dash really has a way of letting her mind run like crazy. Poor pony, musta been such a dissappointment
poor little cyan filly...
It's gonna be a lemon. Bitches love lemons.
Saying it now RD has ADHD :P
So does Dash have ADD/ADHD or something?
1087555
More like Rainbow Dash x Rainbow Dash. After the first two chapters, I was thinking she's asexual, now I'm leaning towards narcissism.
I'm voting for asexual Dash, because darn it I'm spiteful and If I can't have my favorite pairing, no one can!
...
...
Pay me no attention.
1087113
I have to agree with you there on. But its still a great story
I've been thinking you are going to get Rainbow and Flutter together for the past chapters, and my suspicions haven't changed yet. Nice Filler
This story is so far going nowhere plotwise but ITS SO GOOD! LOVE your portayal of Dash's thought processes..
1087408 Dash and that sink are a beautiful couple and you shouldn't judge. That sink makes her happy. In fact I wish had a relationship like that with my sink
1088594 A sink? I figured it would be with the toilet. Especially after those hardcore Pinkie Pie Parties.
For a filler chapter its still done very well, and it gives good back story to how AJ and Soarin got together.
1087195 Fluttershy having a secret relationship with Spitfire!
1088728 No seriously its a sink its beautiful. Mic the mic has a hilarious dramatic reading of it. Its called "But the kitchen sink"
I really like this story. Even though, as you have said, nothing has really happened yet.... Maybe, you should make an entire story... Out of filler!
You, my friend, are a master of suspense.
Wait, this story is eventually going to have SUBSTANCE?
Who'd a thought?
Let it go on record that I think AJ is annoyingly smug. RD is cocky but she still manages to be likable. Applejack to me just seems to think she's great at everything but Dash knows her strengths and weaknesses,sShe only focuses on things like athletics and flying.
Hmm, I can't say I'm a big fan of the writing style in this story, and the fact that it doesn't even feel like it's going anywhere isn't helping. The conversations are so fragmented, I keep expecting the ponies she's talking with to walk off in annoyance, feeling like she's not even listening to them. And Dash's moods and thoughts keep bouncing around so much, I don't know what to think of her emotional state. Plus the occasional instances where it feels like you're being weirdly vague on purpose rub me the wrong way, despite the fact that I usually like subtlety.
I suppose all that is your deliberate style choice, and I don't expect you to change it, but I just figured I'd leave a little feedback that it's not working well for me, although plenty of other people seem to like it. If there's just two more chapters to go, though, I guess I'll stick around until it's done, just to see if it turns around at all for me.
Im waiting for RD to finally get real pissed about them goin on about their relationships and just yell the shit outta it
SOARIN X APPLEJACK YAY!!
1087113
You and me both, brony. You and me both.
Hmm I think I'll choose the long shot and say that yellow dot is Scootaloo so 20 bits on Hooten Scootaloo scootangel lol I'll also place a 50 bit bet on Fluttershy... If that's ok... yay
1088728 Nah. That toilet was just a one-night stand and they both know it. They went their separate ways like two grown up imaginary anthropomorphic animals (or washroom essentials in this case).
But the thing with the sink is here to last. I even hear that Dashie has secretly been measuring the sink's plumbing, just to find out the correct size for an engagement nut.