With a stretch of your arms, you look up to the bright blue sky above you. The sun is high and the clouds move slowly overhead. A gentle breeze rustles the leaves and cuts the hot summer air. The grass is green and Rainbow stretches her legs out one by one on the path just outside your house.
"Well, how about a race to the lake?" you ask, focusing on your friend.
Dash scoffs, rolling her eyes at your challenge.
"Lemme guess. On the ground, so you can stand a chance, huh?” she says, shifting into her competitive spirit.
"Hey, I've come to terms that my running can't break the sound barrier, but I commend that your flying can. Instead, I’ll settle for beating you in an event I can actually participate in."
"Yeah, yeah. Excuses, excuses," she says. "If you're ready to lose, then I'm ready to run."
Dash trots out to the walking path outside your home and turns toward the lake. You follow behind her, hopping lightly to promote the blood flow to your legs. You know for sure that you're going to lose. However, Dash loves to gloat that she's better than you at cardio. Which is fine. You destroy her at weights. Nevertheless, last night she seemed really down about something. She helped you feel better, and now... it's her turn to feel better. And you’re going to do that. Whatever it takes.
"Alright. On the count of three?" you say, once you reach the path.
"You know it!"
You take a running stance similar to the ones you've seen Olympic runners take. You don't actually know if it helps, but it at very least makes you feel more legit. Then you begin the countdown.
"Three, Two, One, Go!"
The two of you take off right at the word go and Dash takes an instant lead. You take a moment to get your momentum wound up for your two long legs to match her four short hooves. She looks straight forward, her gaze focused, and eyes on the prize. As she steadily pulls ahead, you can't help but watch her rainbow mane flow in the breeze. You pant and puff, wondering if indulging in that third slice of pizza last week was affecting your performance. She glances back at you, smiling to herself.
"Oh, what? Can't keep up, slow poke?" she teases back at you. "I didn't know I had to keep up with a foal."
"Hey! You have, like, double the legs that I do!" you call back, trying to pick up the pace. “That’s kinda cheating.”
"Which means I have to work harder! And I haven't even broken a sweat!"
She does have a point, the longer you run, the closer you have to watch your breathing. You feel the muscles in your leg begin to burn and your gasps grow louder as Rainbow begins to hum a song to herself.
"Isn't this a nice stroll, Anon?"
"Salt..." you call out to her between desperate pants for air. "In wound."
As the two of you sprint up a hill, the lake comes within view. Its waves glistening in the sun's rays. Then, right at the end of the road where the path ends and lake begins, stands a tall oak tree. The finish line approaches. It’s now or never, Anon. Time to give her a challenge.
You push everything you have into your strides, and you begin to surge past Rainbow.
"Now THIS is a race!" Rainbow calls out before picking up the pace herself.
You lean forward, pushing your stride as far as possible with each thrust, but Rainbow quickly pulls ahead again. As the tree draws near, you lean even farther forward in an attempt to get aerodynamic. Then, a surprise rock appears! You step on it and lose your balance. The ground quickly greets your face as you roll forward onto the grass and wind up flat on your back.
Staring up at the leaves and the blue sky behind it, Rainbow leans over you.
"Hey, you alright?" she asks.
"Yeah. Just, trying to find my pride."
"Oh! I think you dropped that somewhere on the way here. It might a been when you-"
"Tripped. Yeah. Ha-ha. I was there," you say sarcastically.
You sit up, placing your hands on either side, and Rainbow sits down beside you, staring out across the lake. She curls her tail around her hooves and remains silent, as if deep in thought. This is the same look you saw her have last night.
"The water looks nice, huh?" you say.
"Yeah," she replies. "It's really soothing."
"Hey," you say, before putting a hand on her back. "Is everything alright?"
She looks down to the grass before saying anything. Her gaze moves back to the lake as a breeze rustles the leaves in the tree.
"No. Everything isn't all right," she says.
You sit completely up, looking over to her. Her lips flatten, as if a whole world of words lies within, and are fighting to escape, but she can't bring herself to turn the key.
"You know you can talk to me, Dash," you say. "I'm here for you."
She looks over to you, and the breeze flows through her mane. Her expression softens, then looks pained once more. Just like last night. What could be on her mind? What in the world is hurting her so much? She never seemed to let this on before.
"I know," she says. "And I will. I just... I need to find the right time. I don't know... how to say it. I don't just want to blurt out something and have it, you know. Ruin everything."
You laugh to yourself, shaking your head.
"Dash, you're worrying too much. Nothing you could say would ruin what we've got," you say with a smile. "And if you don't want to tell me, that's cool.”
Silence fills the air as she stares at the water, unmoving.
“At least tell me one thing,” you say. “Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? Anything to take the edge off the pain?"
She looks back to you, then smiles.
"Nah. I don't think it quite works that way, Anon. But... thanks."
You smile and rustle her mane.
"Anytime, bro."
She looks back towards you before you look out to the lake, watching as the water creates little white caps with the breeze. Silence fills the air as she looks back out over the lake and rests her tail against your leg.