//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 - There's a Rumor in Equestria 
// Story: The Change in Our Wind 
// by Sapphire Harmony 
//------------------------------//

2 weeks after the events of Why Me?!

Rainbow Dash walked into Sugarcube Corner after a long day of work. First, she had to fix Scootaloo's scooter, then go watch Rarity's boutique while she ran to get new fabrics, move apples into the barn for Applejack, help Fluttershy with cleaning, and then go to work and get Ponyville ready for nothing but rain all day. She then sat down and looked out the window as the rain began to finally pick up. She was going to go home and take a nap, but she was practically starving and wanted to say hi to Pinkie since she'd been too busy this week to stop by. Pinkie knew this and told Dash she was going to make the best cupcakes she had ever made just for the occasion. Dash watched the rain fall as she thought of Soarin. 

As of today, it has been two full weeks since the Wonderbolt show that brought Dash and Soarin together. Both made it clear to their friends to keep the relationship secret (which has been hard because of Pinkie and Surprise) for their own reasons. Soarin doesn't want all of Equestria's press to corner Dash with flashing cameras and awkward questions whenever she leaves her home. Dash thinks this could ruin her reputation and maybe even give her too much of an advantage at becoming a Wonderbolt.

The two have been sending letters to each other left and right, talking about whatever was on their mind. How the Wonderbolts tour is going, life in Ponyville, friends, enemies, and the weirdest memories they could muster up. Being the extreme romantic type did not mix well with Dash nor Soarin, so if someone else were to read the letters, they would've thought the two were best friends who simply wanted to talk while Soarin is on tour. To them, it was so much more. Although neither showed it on the outside, they were both very, if not extremely, excited when the mail-ponies delivered the letters. 

For some reason, Dash hasn't gotten a letter since last week. Mail-ponies worked quickly, meaning most letters were delivered usually that day or the next. Dash sent a letter almost a week ago, and since Soarin usually wrote back as soon as he got the letter, she was mildly worried that the letter didn't send. Of course, he was also a Wonderbolt, which meant he doesn't have as much free time as Dash does. There could've been a mix up with the letters, and the pony who received the letter was trying to send it to Soarin. Dash also didn't really know how a relationship worked, especially a long distance one, so she could be over thinking this all. She had worse problems happen before, so this was no big deal to her.

Of course, that was until Dash saw someone running quickly to Sugarcube Corner with something in their mouth. This was when Fluttershy came into Sugarcube Corner with a newspaper, soaking wet, and looking quickly for Dash, and looking worried while doing so.



Dash waved over to Fluttershy, who's worried expression only grew.

"Why were you running in the rain? What's up?" Dash motioned for her to sit down next to her.

Fluttershy placed the paper onto the table before sitting down, slightly shivering from being so cold.

"Rainbow, I just got the newspaper for today.  I'm assuming you haven't read it yet, though. I asked everyone where you were before you found out. You really should read it, it's pretty bad..."

Dash looked at her quiet friend confusingly. "Um... no, I haven't. What's wrong?"

"It's about," she looked around before lowering her voice more, "Soarin."

Dash immediately thought that he was hurt during a show, and Fluttershy picked that up quickly.

"Nothing like that happened, but, knowing you, I think you're going to wish he was after what he did..."

Dash looked at Fluttershy wondering what she meant. This was Soarin they were talking about. He was Dash's coltfriend. One of the nicest and greatest ponies she had ever met. He never let his fame go over his head, and he was extremely selfless. He loved her more than he loved pie. He was her world, and she was his. They would both give up everything they had if it meant that they could be together. Sure, they haven't been dating long, but all their friends knew they were soulmates. They were meant to be together since they were born. There wasn't one thing the two didn't know about each other at this point in life. So what could be so wrong that had gotten Fluttershy worried?

"Soarin is a good guy, I know he wouldn't do something wrong on purpose. Plus you usually get worried over the tiniest of things. Whatever you think he did, you must've read it wrong."

"Trust me, I read it over and over again just to be sure. Rainbow, I wouldn't be here right now if I wasn't certain about what I read."

"Okay then," Dash's face had a slightly worried expression on, "what happened?"

Fluttershy, without a response, looked away from her friend before unfolding the newspaper to fully reveal the first page, which showed what Fluttershy wanted Dash to see.  Fluttershy didn't want to see Dash get hurt, she was one of her oldest friends. She knew how much Dash cared about Soarin, even before they started dating. She remembered how happy Dash was after Manehatten. Soarin was Dash's first love, first friend, first coltfriend, and the whole reason she stands up with her head held high. Dash trusted Soarin. She loved him with all her heart. Fluttershy knew this was going to crush Dash's spirit. Fluttershy thought that if Rainbow Dash found out about this through her, it would be better than hearing rumors about it. 

Fluttershy watched as her rainbow-haired friend read the headline. Dash read it over and over again, hoping that her eyes were tricking her.


THE NEW WONDERBOLT POWER COUPLE: SOARIN AND BLAZE