//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Love Breeze // by Rated Ponystar //------------------------------// If Rainbow Dash was being honest, she didn’t know the first thing about potion-making. That kind of science nerd stuff was something Twilight or Starlight did. However, they would never agree to Dash’s idea of making a love potion to drive Zephyr Breeze away from her once and for all. Sure, it wasn’t exactly an ethical thing, making a pony fall in love with some stranger, but Dash was desperate.  Of course, love potions technically were illegal to have or to make except for extreme circumstances. Plus, Dash didn’t even know the first thing about making them. Scootaloo and her friends made one, but it turned out to be some kind of love poison. She may have disliked Zephyr but not enough to poison him...mostly. No, she needed to do this right, and the only creature who could help her was Zecora. If there was any potion that could be brewed, the zebra could do it. Dashing through the Everfree Forest at top speed, Rainbow Dash skeeted to the ground so fast it caught on fire. After blowing the flames out to prevent the forest from burning down, Dash knocked on the door. “Hello?! Hey, Zecora?!” Moments later, the zebra opened the door and answered with a curious smile. “Oh, Rainbow Dash. This is a surprise. What brings you here down from the skies?” “I need your help with something. Do you mind if I come in?” Rainbow Dash asked with a smile. “Not at all. Not at all. Make yourself at home,” Zecora offered as she stepped aside. “I wasn’t doing much myself. Just reading a tome.”  Rainbow entered the strange wooden tree hut with many of Zecora homeward relics placed around in decoration. She always wondered what the peculiar masks, statues, and charms were for, but the pegasus decided to ask that another time. Turning to Zecora, who returned to her chair, Rainbow Dash eagerly asked, “So, Zecora? Do you mind helping me with something? I need a potion for dealing with Fluttershy’s brother.” “This is the pegasus that bothers you, is he not? The one always asking you to tie the knot?” Zecora questioned. “Yeah, but I think I finally got the means to get him off my flank!” Dash proclaimed with her hoof in the air. “I just need to make him fall in love with somepony else! And what better way than with a love potion!” Zecora raised an eyebrow before shaking her head. “I think my ears deceive me, for I am not sure if I heard clearly. You wish a potion to make Zephyr Breeze fall in love with a potion? And you wish me to make the concoction?” “Well, not with his family or with me! Or any of my friends actually,” Rainbow Dash quickly said as she lifted herself off the ground. “Just some random pony who is around his age and doesn’t have a special someone in their life.” Sighing, Zecora walked over to her book of potions, which was on a dark wooden stand. “While it's true, I can make a love potion for you. I sadly must refuse.”  “Aw, but why?!” Dash asked, sinking back to the ground. “Messing with another pony’s heart is not the right thing to do,” Zecora answered, poking at Dash’s chest. “No matter how much this pony is a bother to you.” “But Zecora! You don’t understand!” Rainbow Dash groaned as she rubbed her temples. “I have spent years telling Zephyr Breeze to leave me alone! I have spoken to him! Threatened him! Beaten him to a pulp! Thrown him into a lake! Spelled it out to him in the clouds! And even sicked Tank on him to which he chopped off his tail with his helicopter blades! Even after I started dating another guy seriously, he still butts in! This is the only thing I have left!” “I am sorry, Rainbow Dash,” Zecora said, making her way to her door. “I wish I could assist, but I am afraid that I must ask you to cease and desist.” She opened the door and pointed the way out. “Perhaps there is some other avenue you can explore? Perhaps all you need is to look a bit more?” Dash just grumbled as she slowly left Zecora’s house and flew back towards Ponyville. Only she had no intention of being gone for long. If Zecora wasn’t going to give her the potion, then she would have to make it herself. *** Despite feeling bad about doing this, Rainbow Dash wasn’t going to stop until she had that potion. Dressed in a black sneak suit, Rainbow Dash glided her way down from the sky towards the top of Zecora’s home. Her many training sessions in infiltration came into play as her hooves made not a single sound.  Taking a deep breath, Rainbow Dash slowly climbed down until she was at one of the windows. Thankfully, it was unlocked, so all she had to do was squeeze inside and landed as quiet as a mouse. The soft snores of Zecora’s slumber could be heard near her bed as Dash breathed as little as possible. Step by step, she slowly made her way to the book stand that was next to the burning fireplace. Using its warm light, Dash was able to make it across without fear before opening the book.  Page by page, she breezed through with haste. Potion for curing boils. Brew for communicating with the dead. Tonic for rashes under your...ugh, ew. Mental images. Potion for dreamless sleep. Potion for lovemaking...save that for another day. Ah-ha! Love potion! Taking out her notepad and pencil, Rainbow Dash carefully wrote down all the ingredients and instructions before closing the book. She froze in place when she heard Zecora snort before hearing her snores again and sighing in relief.  Tiptoeing to the window, Dash climbed out and quickly flew into the night with a grin on her face. Too easy! Next up! Making the actual potion! *** “Okay, a tuft of cloud, a rainbow’s glow, crumbled up birthstone of the pony drinking the potion, three helpings of rose petals, a spoonful of sugar, and boiled in a pot for sixteen minutes!” Rainbow Dash lifted off the ingredients as she watched her homemade potion slowly bubble on her stove. “Now, all I have to do is wait.” A knock on the door made Rainbow Dash zoom over to open it, only to grumble in annoyance upon seeing Zephyr Breeze on her front door. “Hi, Rainbow. Miss me?” “Like missing a bee sting in your butt,” Dash muttered before asking,” What are you doing here?” “I just thought I’d come to apologize,” Zephyr Breeze. “For what?” “Interrupting your date with Soarin,” He answered, which surprised Rainbow Dash. “Honestly, that was just rude of me to do so, and I shouldn’t have butted in.” “Oh...well,” Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head. She wasn’t expecting this. “I guess I can accept-” “I should have just simply asked you out myself! No need to have Soarin interrupt our time together when-” Dash just shut the door and held back the urge to hide a murdered body at Ghastly Gorge. She was about to walk back to the kitchen when Zephyr’s head popped right in front of her through the cloudy floor. Dash yelped as she jumped onto her nearby blue and yellow colored cloud chair. “Oh please, Dash! Just one date! Let me prove myself to you!” “How about you get out of here!” Dash cried as she took one of her pillows and pounded him out. He just popped up in another location, causing Dash to scream in frustration before pounding him again. This went on for some time until a tired Dash just sat down in frustration. Zephyr, appearing behind her, offered her some water, which she just threw back at him. “Oh, come on, Dash,” Zephyr whimpered with puppy-like eyes. “What does Soarin have that I don’t?” “For one, he doesn’t act like a creepy stalker! Two, he’s actually nicer and cool to be with. And Three, because you’re a creep!” Dash screamed, grabbing him by the wings and tossing him out her window. “And if you come back to my house, I’ll thundershock you so hard you’ll be paralyzed from hoof to ear!” “One day, you will not deny my love!” Zephyr shouted as he fell down below. Moaning, Rainbow Dash fell to her couch and grumbled, “How long am I going to have to keep up with this?!” She soon began to envision her future with Breeze always getting in the way. *** “Do you, Rainbow Dash take Soarin to be your lawful wedded husband?” Princess Twilight asked while standing in a fancy church where everything had been decorated white for the big day.  With tears in her eyes, Rainbow Dash looked into the eyes of her soon to be husband and nodded. “I do.” “And do you, Soarin? Take Rainbow Dash to be your lawful wedded wife?” Princess Twilight asked. “I do,” Soarin replied with a smile as big as Dash’s. “Then by the power invested in me as Princess of Equestria, I now-” Crash! The three ponies looked up only to gasp in shock before a green flying pegasus, in a white gown, landed on Soarin, knocking him out. Zephyr Breeze shook the dust off his wedding dress before posing. “I’m ready to get married!”  *** “Push! Push! One more! Just one more!” The doctor shouted. “Gaaaaaaah!” Dash cried before finally feeling the baby come out. She sighed in exhaustion as the crying sounds of her newborn foal echoed in the room. “It’s a boy! You have a healthy boy, Mrs. Dash!” the doctor said as he held a crying little blue colt with a puff of rainbow-colored mane on top of his head. Rainbow felt tears forming in her eyes as she held her child and nuzzled him gentle against her snout. His crying soon faded as he closed his eyes and dozed off into sleep. With a warm smile, Dash began to rock him back and forth as the doctor began to write on his board. “Do we have a name for the baby?” Rainbow Dash was going to answer until a voice cried, “Zephyr Dash Jr!” Dash’s eyes widened as Zephyr Breeze rushed into the room and snuggled the two. “Aw, don’t worry, Dash! I’ll be the best father ever!” Suddenly, the baby started crying again. *** In Heroes' Cemetery, the grave of “Rainbow Dash,” hero and savior of Equestria, was gathered by her family and closest friends. Tears were shed as the rainbow-colored coffin was lowered with flowers laid all across before hitting a final thud upon the earth.  Unbeknownst to the living, an angelic soul slowly lifted itself off from its mortal shell and began playing the harp in her newly restored youth. With glowing white wings and a shining new halo, Rainbow continued to play and fly at the same time until she made it to the heavens. There, she landed on the softest of clouds where a giant golden gate awaited her. Nearby, a young white pegasus with a halo and draped in white robes looked at their book on a podium. “Rainbow Dash?” “That’s me!” Dash proclaimed with a smile. “Ah, we’ve been expecting you. Welcome to Heaven,” the angel pony said with a grin as the gates began to open. “Enjoy your stay!” Dash took a deep breath and began to slowly walk in to enjoy her eternal paradise until she found herself tackled by a green pegasus with a halo over his head. “Oh, Dashie! I waited forever for you to die and end up here!” Zephyr Breeze shouted as he nuzzled her cheek. “Now, you and I can be together forever!” “Gaaah!” Rainbow Dash cried as she rushed over to the stunned angel pony and shook his shoulders. “Send me to the other place! Send me to the other place now!”  *** “Gah!” Dash cried as she shook her head to get rid of the images. Thankfully, her stove went off, and she rushed to her kitchen to find the pot boiling with a rose-colored liquid that was giving off steams shaped like hearts.  “Finally,” Dash sighed in relief as she turned off the heat and started pouring the potion in a small squeeze bottle. “With this, I can finally get Breeze out of my hair once and for all.” *** With the potion in hoof, Rainbow Dash tried to figure out where Zephyr would have gone after being kicked out. She tried Fluttershy’s cottage first, then Sweet Apple Acres, and town square. She was getting impatient until somepony mentioned seeing him at Sugarcube Corner. Arriving in a flash, Dash slowly landed in front of the bakery before making sure her disguise was on: a black trenchcoat, black fedora, and a mustache.  With a heavy breath, Rainbow Dash entered the establishment where she spotted Zephyr Breeze lazily finishing a raspberry milkshake with Pinkie Pie in the process of making a second one. Dash quickly made a table and pretended to be reading from the menu but kept an eye on her target. “Almost done, Zephyr. You’ve really been hitting the milkshakes hard today. Rough day?” Pinkie asked. “Oh, just another day of failure of winning my one true love over,” Zephyr muttered as he sipped the last of his drink. “Oh, what cruel winds of fate caused me to fall in love with such a goddess of the skies that denies me time and time again?!” “Well, it's nothing that another milkshake won’t fix. Here you go!” Pinkie Pie said as she bounced over and placed it in front of the depressed pegasus. “I’ll have in a minute. I’m just going to use your restroom first,” Zephyr said before heading for the nearby washroom. He stopped in place and then began sniffing around. “Hmm, my Dashie senses are tingling.” Dashie senses? Rainbow Dash cringed. “Eh, must be nothing,” Zephyr said before closing the door behind him.  Seeing her chance, Rainbow Dash double checked to make sure Pinkie’s back was turned before flying over and pouring the love potion in. Laughing sinisterly, she darted back to her table and smirked. Too easy! A few minutes later, Zephyr Breeze walked out of the bathroom and made back for his stool on the counter. Rainbow Dash bit her lip in anticipation before a bright and smiling pinkie pony got in her face. “Hi, Rainbow Dash! What’s up with the disguise?! Oh! Are we playing a spy game?” “Pinkie! Shhhh!” Rainbow Dash cried out as she ducked Pinkie under the table. “Listen, I need you to pretend I’m not here!” “But why?” Pinkie asked before gasping. “Are you playing hide and seek?! I love that game!” “I....yes, but I need to make sure I’m not caught. Can you do that for me?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Okie doki loki!” Pinkie Pie said with a wink as the two got back up. “I wish I could play too, but my sister’s coming over to see Maud and me.” “Your sister?” Rainbow Dash asked just as the door opened. She turned to the entrance and saw Limestone Pie walking inside with her usual angry expression. “Pinkie! Where the hay were you?! I waited at the train station for five minutes, and you weren’t there!” Limestone yelled. “Sorry, Sis! I guess I lost track of time!” Pinkie apologized before bouncing over. “You wanna get a snack before we head over to Maud’s?” “I’m not hungry. Besides, I want to see those new shale stones that might be good for the fa-” “OH, MY STARS!” To the surprise of everypony in the room, Zephyr Breeze suddenly appeared before Limestone, with his eyes sparkling and hearts coming out of his head. Limestone raised an eyebrow. “Uh, who are you?” “Oh, my dear, who am I?! I am the one you have been waiting for all your life! You are the one I have been dreaming about! This meeting is destiny come to fruition as I gaze upon you with my heart, beating like the drums of heaven bursting with joy for the gates of salvation are upon us!” Zephyr Breeze spoke with vigor. “...what?” Limestone asked. “What heart has cupid pierced me with to see such a sight and wonder before my very eyes! What gentle soul comes before me to steal my heart and take me away! Tell me, fair lady, what is thy name!” Zephyr begged as he got on one knee and started kissing a freaked out Limestone’s hoof. “Aw, I think he likes you, Limestone!” Pinkie cheerfully pointed out. “What?!” Limestone shouted as her cheeks turned red. “Limestone! The foundation of love itself! That which warms the earth and tenders her children with protection and care! Such a name of power and passion that could only belong to one as beautiful as you! I, Zephyr Breeze, do proclaim you to be such a loving being that none shall have you but I! Say you will be with me and none other, and my heart shall be your slave forever!” He cried as he took Limestone into his embrace. “Oh, kiss me, darling! Kiss me and enslave me with your chains of beauty!” POW! Limestone smacked Zephyr Breeze so hard he sailed into the kitchen as a crash of pots and pans. “Get away from me, you freak!” Limestone shouted as she rushed out of the room. Zephyr jumped out of the kitchen with a wooden spoon in his hoof and a pot on his head. “I shall not give up on you, my love! Tally ho!”  He dashed outside as Rainbow Dash just stared at the scene and realized that maybe she went a little too far on the potion.