A Song Worth Singing...

by LoveandEdify

Chapter 3: A Truth Worth Seeking...

Oh my goshiness!!! This actually turned out to be the very bestest day of my life!!! And there’s gonna be a lot more of them too!!! Turns out Rapid was every bit of nice of a guy as I thought he was; genuine, kind, benevolent... *sigh* What else could there be?

Oh yeah, sorry. Totsilly spaced out on you all for a sec. I kinda knew this about Rapid Crest from my first time stalking him; but the guy is very very rich. I know, right?! And I’m really excited for him!!! 😁😁😁 Only... my sisters and I were very wealthy and successful for a while too. And that was by stealing and turning people against each other. 😞😞 But nope, nope, nope. Never gonna be that Sonata Dusk ever again. My Past Is Not Today!!! 😁😁😁 (Now where have I heard that one before? 🤔🤔🤔)

Ugh!!! I keep spacing out. Anyway, I feel a bit terrible for him too. It just seems that nobody wants to talk about the great things he brings to the community. I mean, the guy is rich and successful in more than the money sense of the word; but he acts like he doesn’t need any of it. As if it literally were pieces of green paper and small metal coin-like coinsy-type things. Like they’re nothing. He seems to be happy without all the things he has; yet he also seems to be very grateful for all he does.

Not just the stuff he earned like the businesses, the cars, the sponsorship deals, the stocks and bondages (sorry, I could never understand financy-type words 😂😂😂); but he seems to invest more in the things that money can’t buy.

Here’s an exemplary for ya... so one time he builds this sleek brand new car that he found and brought parts for, and at the same time, his school’s about to cancel their academic decathlon trip because most of the funds were going to the basketball team going to their own tournament.

So get this; he holds out of practice, he gets the whole team to hold out of practice until the school got their fundings and priorities squared away, and guess who made a deal with the coach to give half of their funds away because the two of them were close friends and they both saw where it was going wrong?! Rip-Roaring Rapid Crest, that’s who!!! 😁😁😁

STILL not enough for you?!? He sells the car he made for around $750,000 (which funds the team’s trip to the State Championship); oh and by the way, this all happened when he was 13 in his second-to-last year in Bostallion, while he was in their MIDDLE school.

MIND... wait for it, BLOWN!!! *sighs dreamily*

The more I follow him; the less I see him for the things he has and the things he does, but more for who he is. That’s not to say that it isn’t cool that he’s got all of these awesome things he does; they’re great. But unlike those people (like my sisters and I at one point) who are better than everyone else because of the abilities, toys, gifts, whatever that it overshadows them as a person; it’s the exact opposite with him.

Everybody else might just see what he does; but I’ll promise to let him know that I love him for more than that.

No, I’ll Pinkie-Promise him that.

Let’s see... how does that go? Hmmm... Cross my Heart, Hope To... Hope To...? 🤔🤔🤔

Oh well, I’ll ask Pinkie later. 😁😁😁

Normal P.O.V.

All things considered, things started off very well between Sonata and Rapid. Rapid had to admit that Sonata was way more of a pleasant “date” than he had assumed earlier. It was true that she was very bubbly; but, in surprise to him, she was actually focused and sympathetic when he eased in a few more serious topics.

Most of their conversation was light-hearted and served as a bit more of an ice-breaker in theme. And although he wisely discerned that he shouldn’t veer his conversation to super-serious matters yet; yet when he did decide that he should test those waters, Sonata swam through them with grace and understanding.

“I think the night turned out well, wouldn’t you agree, Sonata?” Rapid asked, while tapping a few apps on his phone.

Sonata didn't seem to hear Rapid’s question; for she seemed to be starring at the moon and the stars, as if the very constellations replayed their night together. “Sonata?” she heard a voice softly call out to her.

“Hmmm? Oh, sorry Rapid. I guess I was just daydreaming again. What were you saying there?” Sonata asked in reply. She then turned to see Rapid laughing at something. She turned away in embarrassment, hoping that she didn’t say or do anything that could have turned a favorable night out into an embarrassing one.

“Sorry,” Rapid apologized, slowly ceasing his laughter, “it’s just that you said you were daydreaming and it’s the middle of the night.”

Sonata looked around her and did indeed finally recollect herself to remember where she was and what time of day it was as well. She laughed softly herself, “I guess I did deserve that kind of laughter, eh Rapid?” she asked. She then noticed that Rapid now had a hand on her shoulder.

“No, you were great. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you like that back there; I just couldn’t help myself.” he apologized.

Sonata was about to put a hand over Rapid’s shoulder; but as if her body were possessed by some crazy-love portion of her brain, she kissed him on the cheek instead. Rapid looked at Sonata not with anger or disappointment, but rather caught off guard and taken aback. Sonata just couldn’t help but back away slightly, give a small smile and blush profusely.

“Awe yeah, woohoo!!! I knew you could do it, Sonata Dusk!!! ” a familiar voice called out, snapping the two of them out of their trances. They turned to see the familiar voice of Pinkie-Pie; now out of her work uniform and back into her regular clothes from just a few minutes ago.

“Hey Pinkie-Pie, how was ‘work?’” Rapid asked, partially sarcastic yet genuinely interested. Pinkie quickly walked over to them.

“Oh, it was great. I’m really sorry for bailing out on you two. But my other friend really needed help and I couldn’t just leave them hanging, you know?” Pinkie explained quickly, though not as fast as she could due to her knowing that Sonata wasn’t well kept up on Pinkie-speed as Rapid was.

“Neither do I, Pinkie.” Rapid replied, giving his friends a confident smirk and a wink.

“Neither do you, what?” Sonata asked in confusion. She turned to Pinkie-Pie, who simply jumped up and down with her eyes closed and a big smile on her face in excitement. Sonata noticed that her new friend was almost about to land on a slippery patch of ice, but before she could even turn to help her, Pinkie’s hair turned into a parachute and she landed a couple of steps away from the icy patch.

“How do you do...” Sonata’s question to figure out Pinkie’s, well... Pinkie-ness was interrupted by Pinkie rapidly (no pun intended) turned her body around to show her the luscious piece of machinery that was in front of them.

“Are you two gonna flip for shotgun again?” Rapid asked his friends playfully. Before Sonata could respond, she noticed that she was being bridal-style carried by Pinkie and then slammed into the shotgun seat (although it felt more like a mother gently putting down her baby in a carseat, for some reason. )

“Nope, we’re all goody-two-shoe-goodily-good-good-Raritying to go!!! ” Pinkie affirmed.

“Good.” Rapid happily affirmed, as the roaring smooth engine of the car started by itself. “Let’s enjoy the ride.”

A good 15 minutes later...

“So let me get this straight... you made this when you were 14?!?” Sonata asked.

“Yup.” Rapid verified.

“Using broken parts that would have otherwise been scrapped?!?” she asked again.

“Yep.” Rapid told her nonchalantly.

“And not only did you make all the tech yourself; but it was all powered by a new element you discovered and created yourself when you were merely 4 years old?!? 😁😁😁”

“Eeyup.” Rapid stated in monotone, clearly bored with the unnecessary praise he was recieving.

“Wow!!! 😁😁😁 You’re SO awesome, Rapid!!! ImeanIknowIkeepsayingthisandIknowthatyouprobablyneverhearitenoughbutyou’reSOOOOOOOO...”

“ENOUGH!!!” Rapid yelled, with his patience starting to wear thin. He grasped his hands to the wheel and attempted to refrain from sobbing. Sonata on the other hand, didn’t refrain from doing what she thought was right.

She gently massaged Rapid’s back and held the steering wheel to keep them on the road. “Sshhhh, I’m sorry I overwhelmed you like that. It’s ok, Rapid. No more crazy fan talk, ok?”

As if on cue, Rapid put his eyes back on the road. Sonata clearly saw some kind of anguish and pain in his eyes that she had never expected to see out of eyes like his. She sympathized with him, as she knew that everyone had their secrets. She had secrets, the quote-unquote “perfect” Rainbooms had secrets. Everyone had secrets they wanted to hide. For some reason.

She had yet to meet someone who was perfect and had no evil whatsoever; and Rapid was the closest thing she found to that person. Regardless of the secrets, she learned that the least and the best deserved love. Not because of anything special, but that they just did.

That was why she left the Dazzlings. That was why she loved Rapid Crest. And tonight, even though she saw cracks in him for the first time; she still vowed to treat him as a masterpiece.

Because he was Rapid Crest. And because she was Sonata Dusk.

And because no other reason was needed.

10 minutes later...

“Hey Sonata, you said where you lived was the Sidebrook Complex, am I right?” Rapid asked, putting a hand on Sonata while he pulled over on the side of a small two-way road heading towards where his new friend lived.

Although Sonata was very tired from the night’s ordeal, she stayed awake enough to soak in every moment with Rapid. “Wait, I didn’t tell you where I li...” Sonata’s exclamation was interrupted by Rapid putting a finger to her mouth. They turned to see their exhausted friend Pinkie-Pie, looking as if she was knocked out after a prizefight. And the way she “attempted” to put the two together, she must’ve thought that her two friends were “knockouts” for each other, if you catch my drift.

“How did you find out where I lived?” Sonata asked more quietly, but still not any less shocked.

Rapid turned to face her and smirked.

“Hacked Biometrics. I programmed a software program into an old laptop computer I had lying around to research the human body and data to theorize how to maximize the potential in every human out there. The commercial goal of it would be to have the device shipped out to doctors to help them analyze patients with brain traumas, neurological disorders, destroy existing cancer cells and prevent new ones from happening... that sort of stuff.”

Sonata looked like she was about to burst again before Rapid quickly interrupted her, “However, there’s a reason I haven’t sent that work to anybody. You see, anybody who wants to use this technology can obviously use it to help people in third-world countries that would desperately need it; but some other doctor can use it to become the dumbest person alive due to greed and power-lust.”

“Uh, what does this have to do with how you found out where I lived?” Sonata asked gently, trying to get back on topic.

“Ah yes, sorry...” Rapid quickly apologized, with both of them looking away from each other and blushing; then taking a few moments of awkward silence before resuming. “You see, I made a special genetic version of the software that can be converted from computer coding to human genetics.” “Simply put, I can obtain any information I need from a human by looking at them directly or touching them. Kinda like a dollar-store Sunset-Shimmer.”

Sonata quaked slowly in her chair, afraid of the possibility of yet another power-crazed demon amongst Canterlot High. She wasn’t there when Sunset Shimmer, the resident former-bully of Canterlot High, started to use magical powers to take over Canterlot High and reform with help of the Humane 6; but was witness to what Sunset was capable of as she was the leading catalyst of how the Rainbooms beat the Dazzlings in a magical battle of the bands. Whether she wanted to admit it or not; fear was the sole reason that she wanted to start her own reformation.

But not just fear of Sunset. Fear itself. Fear of her unintentionally slipping up on her journey, fear that everyone would make a mockery of her for her past and fear that no one would even consider her worthy of their lives. In spite of the fear; the youngest Dazzling wanted to be good from the get-go, but didn’t know where or how to put her own foot in the ground until after the Battle Of The Bands. She didn’t want to reveal that part of her past of Rapid just yet, but she probably had it revealed anyway through the bio-metric scan.

“Is something wrong, Sonata?” Rapid asked. He must’ve sensed her uneasiness about everything because she saw sympathy, rather than judgement in his eyes. At least she hoped it was sympathy anyway, and not some false sense of security that would fail her later.

She took a deep breath, “Nothing for you to worry about. Let’s just say that Sunset Shimmer and I, we haven’t had it easy in the past.”

As if a light were just flipped on, he remembered that it was to the Rainbooms that her sister’s band ended up losing to in the epic Battle Of The Bands, and that Sunset Shimmer was the one who had lead them to victory. Although he knew of the story of the Battle Of The Bands due to him first transferring the week after that chaotic battle, he didn't really get anyone’s real perspective of the battle, aside from Sunset’s. Now seeing from the opposite side of the playing field, he must have figured that (judging by her reaction) she must have been extremely traumatized by the whole ordeal.

“I forgot that you’re friends with Sunset too,” she confessed, fighting to prevent tears from coming out, “I hope that you don’t think I’m a bad person.” she sobbed, her hands covering her face as she said so. Although Sonata’s voice was cracked and muffled through her sobs, Rapid was able to hear and deduce everything just fine. He waited to see if Sonata would spill any more information for him. She did not.

“She must be stronger than she realizes.” Rapid mentally observed. He was instantly running through the best responses, verbal and nonverbal alike, to choose what would hopefully help heal her; or at the very least, give him some more information from her side of the battle.

“Can you do me a favor, Sonata?” he asked tenderly. He saw her turn with bleeding scars from her past, coupling with the literal tears that she had failed to restrain in the present, streaking down her face and down to the front neck collar of her shirt. She whimpered and nodded in response.

“If you’re worried about what Sunset and the others might think of you; leave them to me. I know we just met; so I’m not expecting that I would earn your trust 100% after today. But...” he took deep breaths, mentally preparing himself for what he was going to propose, “just give them a chance, like you gave me a chance.” Apparently, somebody needed to think of bringing an axe, a chainsaw or even a laser for these brief few minutes of silence.

But oh how brief they were. For, a few seconds later, Rapid felt a hand gently massage his back. He turned to see Sonata with a gentle smile on her face, and the crystal pools in her eyes beckoning, as if to tell him that everything was going to be more than alright.

“Rapid Aqua Crest, did you ever think for a moment that maybe you’re not the one who needs to worry about everything?” she asked, firmly yet calming. Rapid wanted to process, but everything was coming too quick. Sonata wanted to know what to say; but she knew she couldn’t think quick enough.

There was only one way this could go.

Autopilot. With the rapids flowing smoothly.

“Maybe you don’t understand everything I’ve gone through; and that’s ok. I’ll never think of you any less of a person for it. Cross my heart, hope to fly; stick a cupcake in my eye.” as she went through the motions of the promise, she heard Rapid chuckle slightly. She couldn’t help but giggle at her friend being so happy; but she also gave herself a fist-pump for remembering that confusing catchphrase. “Point is, it’s not you who’d have to face Sunset. It’s me. It’s not you who needs to own up to their mistakes. It’s me. But Rapid,” she paused. before continuing, mentally processing what she was about to say next, “you can’t expect to know everyone’s problems. Or solve them right away. But that’s ok. Sometimes all you need to do is just be there when I do need you. Ok? No pressure.”

Rapid couldn’t help but stare, surprised yet impressed, at her selflessness. He seemed to have been off by miles and not have even known it. He knew that it was only a few hours; yet something out there in the back of his mind was calling him. A more... childish thing, if you will. Like as if these past few hours were all that Sonata should need to prove herself.

Normally, he would wonder where these emotions of peace and assurance in something that was only tested for such a short amount of time.

Only this time, it wasn’t knowledge that served as how he would know best.

It was faith.

And he was now beginning to realize it.

“Uh, are you alright there, Rapid?” Sonata asked, confused as to why he seemed to be in another dimension at the moment. Rapid turned and gave Sonata Dusk a gentle hug in response. While she was caught off guard by it, Sonata wasn’t at all ungrateful as she warmly accepted his embrace.

The Next Day

“Wait, you’re doing what now?!?” Sunset Shimmer asked, shocked at Rapid’s idea. She and Rapid, along with Sunset’s boyfriend (who was also Rapid’s best male friend, Solid Streak) met at Sunset’s house to discuss the plans for a big surprise that Rapid proposed for Sonata Dusk.

“I don’t know, the idea sounds pretty great to me. Especially with a guy like Rapid who has all the resources in the world and then some.” Solid rebutted with a sly remark.

“Right, because that’s all I’m ever good for.” Rapid quipped back sarcastically.

Sunset sighed in annoyance at the boys’ antics. “Well, I definitely know your heart’s in the right place, Rapid. Sonata could really use some friends right now and we’ll be more than happy to be that for her. But are you sure she needs this other big idea?” she asked, not wanting to knock down her friend’s noble intentions but still keep the ever-flowing Rapid somewhat dammed (not that kind of--- you know.)

“I’ve seen the conditions she’s been in, Sunset,” Rapid gently affirmed, “and I’ve already done all the research and requested a leave of absence from Principal Celestia. I don’t just think it’s a good idea; I believe it’s the right thing to do. And I need your help.” he humbly petitioned to his two friends. Sunset and Solid looked at each other, considering all that Rapid proposed and then nodded.

“Count us in, Rapid.” Sunset approved, with her boyfriend nodding before walking to the fridge to get some orange-juice. “Two questions though. What’s the surprise, and what do you need us to do?”