Chasing Rainbows

by Gallifrey

Reshelving Day

A single, lonely cloud drifted lazily over Ponyville.
The morning springtime Sun shone down brightly over the town, basking it in its warmth. The trees were beginning to bloom their bright pink blossom, Applejack's orchards looked more like a vast swathe of cotton candy than a grove of trees, Butterscotch's animals were as active as ever, the birds singing their sweet tunes on the breeze and animals building nests and dens, Bubble Berry was selling plenty of ice cream at Sugar Cube Corner, and Elusive was designing a whole new fashion line for spring. The annual Winter Wrap Up was last week, and since then, the town's pegasi had been celebrating with back to back clear skies. Well, almost clear skies.

What the hell is that? Thought a certain blue pegasus from high, high above.

From his vantage point, some twelve thousand feet above the town, Rainbow Blitz could see next to all. He saw a small white smudge down below where lesser mortals dwelled.

If that's what I think it is...

He glided serenely to his right, looking down as he angled himself up, he fluttered around a bit, finding the precise position he desired.

"Let's fly," he whispered, and with that, he dived. Accelerating like a rocket, he shot towards the offending cloud spoiling his flawless sky. Blood coursed through his veins, fuelling his powerful flight muscles. He stretched himself to the edge of his prodigious ability, all the while getting faster and faster. The air streaming over his powder blue wings swelled to a roar around him and he started feeling a familiar sensation of resistance building up at the tips of his hooves, white hot sparks flickering around them.

Here we go!

There was a moment of eerie dead silence, followed by a mighty explosion as Blitz broke the sound barrier, a brilliant spectral ring of light burst into existence, expanding from the epicentre of pure coolness that was Rainbow Blitz.

Aw, yeah, I'm awesome! Maybe too awesome...

He flew through the cloud, dissolving it instantly, and now he could see the library that was hurtling toward him at roughly eight hundred miles an hour...

---------------

All the curtains were drawn, the sign on the door dictated a clear message, 'CLOSED.' and all dragons had been temporarily relocated. All was dark inside the library, except for a few flickering candles.

"No distractions," murmured a purple stallion, walking around the room, lighting more candles as he did so. "Today is too important."

Dusk Shine took up his position in the middle of the library floor, levitated all the books off the shelves, and let them fall to the ground.

"It's reshelving day!"

As one, they all rose again into orderly floating lines.

"Eternal," he muttered, looking at the first book, "you belong in 'inspirational stories.' Legend of the Silver Arrow, you go in 'fantasy,' The Tail of Draig, you go in 'poorly written.' Spellcasting Advan-

CRASH!

"Rainbow Blitz!"

"What?" asked the pegasus, who was upside down against a wall, covered in books.

"What? You crashed into my home. Again. I'm just glad you crashed when they were already on the floor I suppose."

"Yeah, well, I..." he said looking around as if to confirm this was indeed the library, "yeah, I guess I did. I was doing another trick and it didn't quite work..."

In truth, Blitz had intentionally set this up... again. He had aligned himself to fly through the cloud and straight into the library. As to his reasoning behind the apparent madness, he wanted to see Dusk Shine. Dear Solaris all he wanted to do was see Dusk Shine again. Ever since he had first met the introverted, bookish purple stallion two years ago, Blitz had always harboured a soft spot for him. That soft spot evolved into a crush as they shared adventures and experiences together over time, and recently it had blossomed into a full blown attraction.
Rainbow loved spending time with him, and the two had become extremely good friends, bonding particularly well when they had reading sessions together.
Nopony else knew that Blitz was bisexual, though he had known himself for about five years now. Some ponies certainly had suspected he might be on numerous occasions, but nobody knew for definite.
Rainbow's eyes were fixed on Dusk as he walked around the library, picking up books. The pegasus looked at his lips, they were moving, but Blitz wasn't listening, he was too entranced by the purple unicorn's form and physique. Dusk turned around to pick some books up, that's when Rainbow saw it.

Aw yeah, that's the stuff, he thought, pupils shrinking to pinpricks at that glorious purple plot.

His imagination started running away from him as he drifted farther and farther from reality.

"Blitz? Hey Blitzy, come back to me here," said Dusk, waving a hoof in front of his face.

"Huh?"

"One minute you were fine, then I turn around and your eyes had all glazed over, did you hurt your head in the crash?" he asked, looking concernedly into his friend's magenta eyes.

"Y-yeah! Just a little bit," said Blitz, thinking fast. He rubbed his head. "Oooh, yeah, that totally hurts. Owww..."

"I know a spell for headaches and migranes," said Dusk enthusiastically, "may I try it on you? I've been looking for a test subject."

"Test subject?" asked Blitz worriedly.

"Oh don't worry, it's completely harmless!"

"If you say so..."

All this just to avoid telling him... thought Blitz grumpily as Dusk's horn glowed with magic. His vision warped and he could taste strawberries, then it was gone.

"Did it work?" asked Dusk apprehensively.

"Yeah! I feel one hundred percent better!"

"Oh good! I'm glad to have helped."

"Yeah, thanks. Um, Dusky?"

"Mmmhmm?" said the unicorn, putting books back on the shelves.

"You know we haven't had a reading session together in a while?"

"You mean since Saturday?" Dusk chuckled.

"Yeah, you don't mind if we have another one today do you?"

"Of course not! I have a free afternoon today anyway, and I love them!"

"Awesome! Three sound good?"

"Three sounds perfect."

"Sweet, see ya later dude!"

And with that he sped out of a window, leaving a lingering rainbow trail as well as a happily humming Dusk Shine in his wake.

----------------

Oh yeah, you totally nailed that Blitz, you smooth talker.

He was zipping through the air over town, spinning around, looping loops, and diving spectacular dives, often all at the same time.

Not smooth enough to just tell him though are ya? Said an unpleasant little voice at the back of his head.

His flying suddenly lost all momentum and he slowed to a stop and hovered in the air, wrestling with his subconscious.

No. No, I'm not... and I'm not proud of it either...

Blitz found it almost funny. He never backed down from a challenge, he always charged at it with full force until he triumphed, be it performing, helping a friend out, or otherwise.

So why can't I tell one stupid stallion how I feel?

If there had been a wall nearby, he would have banged his head against it in frustration, he had to make do with face-hoofing instead.

It's not even difficult you dolt, he admonished himself. Just tell him! What's the worst that could happen? He says no. And then you get the fuck over it and move on.

So why am I still afraid?

He shook his head, as if in denial, to clear his thoughts.

Ugh, I can't think about this stuff on an empty stomach.

He looked down and zoomed to the ground, landing somewhat harder than he intended. He stumbled, and after a quick glance around to confirm nopony saw, he picked himself up and prowled the streets, looking for somewhere to eat.
His hooves lead him to Sugar Cube Corner.

"S'good enough for me."

A bell tinkled merrily as Blitz entered. The shop was fairly quiet, with just a few ponies dotted here and there. Blitz recognised a certain yellow stallion quietly enjoying a cup of tea a ways off.

"Hey, Scotch!" he called out.

He wished he hadn't. The poor pegasus started violently, diving under his table and knocking it over in the process, smashing his teapot all over the floor. Rainbow sighed and trudged over.

"Oh dear, oh my, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" he said to nopony in particular, just uttering a stream of apologies to anyone who would listen.

"Gee, um, sorry Butterscotch, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Oh no, it's not your fault Rainbow, I shouldn't be such a scaredy pony. What's Berry gonna say about this?!"

"I'll tell ya what I'm gonna say!" burst out Bubble Berry from behind Butterscotch, causing the yellow stallion to fall over again in surprise.
"Oops, sorry Butter, anyway, it's no big deal you know, it was an accident."

"You should ask Dusk to strengthen up your teapots Berry," Blitz joked, pawing at the fragments of ceramic with a hoof.

"That's a good idea Blitzy!" Berry bubbled. "I normally just ask him to fix them for me but stopping them breaking at all is twice as better!"

"Yeah, I guess it was a good idea wasn't it?" said Blitz proudly.

"Sure was, is there anything I can get you?"

"In fact, there is. Could I have five blueberry doughnuts, a vanilla muffin and a chocolate milkshake please? Oh, and a pot of tea for Scotch."

"Okie dokie lokie! Woweee that's a lot, Blitz, what's the occasion?"

"Let's just say in gonna need it for later."

"Oh? You goin' somewhere?"

"No, but I'll need it."

"Hmmm," he said, considering Blitz carefully for a moment, then licking his left forehoof for no apparent reason. "Hmmm," he said again. He nodded to himself and meandered off, in the general direction of the shop counter.

Rainbow felt confused by Berry's strange behaviour, but shrugged it off. He looked down to see Butterscotch struggling to right the table, so he helped the shy pegasus pick it up and tidy the surrounding area.

"I never asked, how are you Rainbow?" asked Butterscotch as they took their seats. "I haven't seen you since last week."

"I'm good, I'm good," said Blitz, stretching his back. "How are you? Been up to much?"

The cyan stallion slumped back into his seat.

"I'm good too, Rainbow, thank you. I've been rather busy after Winter Wrap Up; I've been helping my friends build their homes, I've also been taking the annual census for each species, it's a lot of work." he yawned quietly. "Yes, a lot of work. What about you?"

"Just keeping the skies clear, being awesome, you know how it goes. I'm going Dusk's this afternoon to read with him."

"Is that a euphemism?" asked Butterscotch giggling.

Rainbow looked shocked. He never expected Butterscotch to say something like that. The yellow pegasus looked equally surprised and his cheeks turned red.

"I er- No! It's not! We just like to read together!"
And reading actually is all we do together...

"I'm sorry Rainbow, it's just that you go there at least three times a week, and it's always just you two, surely you can forgive me for wondering?"

"Of course I can, Scotch. Hell, I'd find it suspicious too!"

The yellow pegasus visibly sighed when it was clear he hadn't accidentally insulted his friend.

"Wheeee!" squealed Berry, falling from the air out of nowhere, bearing their orders. How he managed to do so they never found out.

"So that's tea for Butters, and milkshake and a lot of food for Blitz."

"Thanks Berry, how much do I owe ya?"

"It's on the house!"

"Berry, I can't do that," Butterscotch protested.

"Nuh uh, you are two really great friends, I insist!"

"That's good enough for me!" said Rainbow, wolfing down his doughnuts and milkshake; he left the muffin.

"Why are you leaving the muffin?" asked Butterscotch curiously.

"Oh this? I'm, um, saving it for later."

He never was a good liar, Butterscotch thought, watching Blitz look around shiftily.

Berry accompanied them to the door once they'd finished.

"Thanks for the free stuff Berry!" said Blitz happily. "I owe ya one!"

"Any time, Blitzy!"

"Yes thank you," agreed Butterscotch.

"I gotta be off to Dusk's, I'll catch you two later, see ya!"

And with that he sped off.

"Berry?"

"Mmmhmm?"

"I'm not the only one who's noticed that Blitz has been acting odd lately am I?"

"Nope, I've noticed too. Though I dunno what it is, my Berry sense gives me a hoof that tastes of pineapple, but I don't know what that means! D'you wanna come round mine and we can try and work it out?"

"I'm busy all day, but I can come round this evening if that's okay?"

"Awesome sauce, yeah that's fine."

"Okay, see you later!"

"Byeeeee!"

-----------------

Knock knock knock knock.

"Hello?" Rainbow called, looking at the big 'CLOSED' sign on Dusk Shine's front door with puzzlement. He tried looking in through the windows, around the house but they were all curtained up. He fluttered to the ground and was about to knock again when the door opened.

"Ah, good afternoon, Blitz!" he said cheerfully, welcoming the pegasus into his home.

"Hey Dusky, why were all your curtains drawn? Were you cracking one off or something?"

Dusk blushed a deep red.

"Heh, n-no I wasn't," he said, looking at anything other than Rainbow. "I was reshelving my library, remember?"

"Huh? Oh yeah! Totally didn't forget that."

"You featherbrain!" said Dusk, laughing.

"You don't have to tell me that," said Blitz, joining in. "Did you finish?"

"Literally a minute ago, now, please don't crash here any time soon?" he implored, giving his best puppy dog eyes.

How can I disagree with that face?

"I promise."

"Yay! Also, what's in the bag?" he asked.

"Oh, this bag? It's for you."

"For me? Ooh, what is it?"

Blitz handed him the bag and Dusk levitated the vanilla muffin from inside it.

"Aw, thanks Rainbow! How did you know these were my favourite?"

"You mentioned it a few weeks ago"

"I did? Perhaps your memory isn't all that bad after all," he chuckled, "Now what do you want to read?"

"I chose last week, you can choose."

"Well... I kinda wanna read this, only if you want to of course," he said meekly, holding up a book called Don't Let the Fire Die.

"What's it about?"

"Well, ah, it's... how to describe it? It's more adult fiction."

"So not a kid's book?"

"Not at all. It has mature content."

"So... not a kid's book?"

"Oh for pony's sake- there's clop scenes!"

"Oh really?" he said, interest piqued all of a sudden.

Dusk rolled his eyes.

Mention sex and he's immediately interested, typical, thought Dusk, inwardly grinning.

"Is it fairly early in?" asked Blitz hopefully.

"I don't know, shall we find out?"

-------------

Dusk and Rainbow were sitting together on a large, comfy sofa, the unicorn was leaning against the pegasus' side. Blitz felt his mane tickling his sides. Dusk snorted while taking a drink of cocoa, and he giggled.

"Whoa pony boy, be careful with that!" said a semi-alarmed Blitz, looking at the scalding liquid that was threatening to spill. "Did you just read the bit where she pats his ass before his tennis tournament?"

"How did you know?"

"Call me psychic. Nah, I thought it was pretty funny as well."

They both chuckled and continued reading.

"When do you think he'll get her?" asked Rainbow.

"I haven't the slightest idea Blitz, I have no experience in these matters."

"Urgh, I know," he said, turning a page, "I really need to get you laid."

"Hmmm," said Dusk, the double implication sailing over his head.

A few minutes of silence and then:

"Oh yeah, here we go," said Rainbow, eyes twinkling.

"Clop?"

"Hell yeah."

"...What page?"

"Er, seventy six."

"I'm on seventy four, I'll be there in a minute."

"Seventy four?" He flicked back. "You mean where he's flirting like a motherbucker with her?"

"Oh, was that what he was doing?"

"Dusk. You're hopeless," said Blitz, playfully punching him with a hoof.

"Am not," he said, returning it.

"You can't even see flirting when it's right under your nose!"

He grabbed one of Dusk's hooves.

"Well, I suppose not," he admitted, pushing both of the pegasus' forehooves down. "Doesn't mean I never will though."

"Perhaps you're right, then again, perhaps I'm right."

They descended into play wrestling with each other, laughing all the while. Rainbow's mind went into overdrive, all this physical contact, it sent his heart pounding. He made the most of these short precious seconds, the only time he thought he'd ever spend this intimately with the purple unicorn. It was bitter-sweet for him, he was grateful to be doing this, but disappointed at how unfairly short it had to be. As soon as it had started, it was all over.
They lay on the floor together, panting and breaking out into laughter. Blitz looked at his wings and his rapid heartbeat suddenly stopped dead, they were flared out in an unmistakeable-

"Wingboner?" asked Dusk curiously sitting up, looking at his wings of betrayal.

"I- um- I-It's from the book," said Blitz, sitting up too.

Dusk's eyes narrowed.

"Are you sure? You don't seem very sure."

He said this completely neutrally, and Blitz couldn't quite tell whether he knew the truth or not.

It's time to bite the bullet, Blitz.

He took a deep, shuddering breath, heart racing yet again

"N-no, you're right it's not- the book."

"You don't need to be embarrassed Blitz, embarrassment isn't very 'you.' It's perfectly natural, just be glad there's no other... physiological changes."

Blitz took a swift glance between his legs and was very thankful that he wasn't on show.

"You haven't got a mare on your mind have you? Is it Applejack's sister? She's such a pretty girl..."

"No!" Blitz shouted abruptly, disliking Dusk's admiration for Applejack's sister, no matter how hot she was. "No. It's not a mare, quite the opposite in fact..."

"A stallion?" asked Dusk quietly.

A painful lump formed in Rainbow's throat as he nodded. Dusk's face turned from a look of curiosity to one of shock.

"Y-you're gay, Blitz?"

He shook his head.

"Wait, I'm confused."

"Bisexual," he croaked finally.

"Sooo..."

"I like guys and girls you dolt," he snapped. He was tense, and stressed right now. "Sorry."

"No it's just, I didn't really expect you to be..."

For such a clever guy, he can be so stupid.

"Really?"

"Yeah, you always seemed so tough, manly, athletic, always flirting with the girls and stuff you know. More so than me... it's just me, my books and my friends, mares scare me a bit to tell the truth," he said, looking down and pawing the ground.

"I don't blame ya."

"But I still find them attractive."

"So do I!"

"I know but it's..."

"What Dusk? It's what?" he demanded.

"I dunno... it's all a lot to take in. You never said who the stallion was."

Though now he had a strong suspicion of who it might be.

"Well it's- um..." Blitz faltered.

"It's me isn't it?" murmured Dusk.

Blitz closed his eyes and slowly nodded. When there was nothing but dead silence, he opened his eyes to see a Dusk Shine who looked like he simply didn't know what to do. Rainbow felt his heart sink like lead, and a cold, empty feeling spread from where it once was. His throat tightened painfully.

"I guess," he began, each word requiring a lot of effort. "I guess you're not feeling the same way then?" He gave a hollow laugh.

"No, no I'm not."

Dusk looked at the pegasus intently, and Rainbow got the impression that the unicorn was searching for some small detail about him. He was just relieved that Dusk showed absolutely no signs of revulsion or anger, which was the worst case scenario; he merely seemed confused, as though he was trying to understand something that was almost beyond his reach. He also appeared shocked at the bombshell that had been dropped, and last but not least, was that curiosity? It was the kind of curious glint Dusk got when he saw something he could study and investigate.

"Why?" Dusk asked simply, while dealing with the turmoil of emotions churning inside him.

"Why what?" asked Blitz sharply. He was in no mood for vague questions right now.

"Why... me?"

"Do you really wanna know?"

"Yes, I do."

Blitz looked desperately around the room, in a vain hope that somepony would come and save him, or that this was all a horrible dream. His gaze finally lay upon Dusk. His mouth, that so often burst into the smile that Rainbow loved so dearly, was now an impassive line. He looked into his eyes, those beautiful purple eyes...

"Well, where to begin?"

Dusk remained silent, patiently awaiting Rainbow's answer.
Rainbow took a deep steadying breath.

If I'm gonna get all gushy and emotional, let's get it over with quickly.

"I suppose, mainly, it's who you are, Dusk. Everything about you. Your cleverness is quite a turn on you know, not just for me either, but for a lot of mares in town. I really don't think you realise how attractive you are. You're the sweetest, most endearing pony I've ever met. You're very kind and caring, you'll always find time to help me out if I have a problem, and it's not like you can afford to waste time like that with a life as busy as yours. I don't know how you do it. Also, you know, looking physically attractive helps too, and in all honesty, I've never met a more handsome stallion... All I want is-" Blitz choked up in his outpouring. He extended his forehooves and tentatively took one of the unicorn's and gently held it. "All I want is to make you happy Dusk," he managed to force out. "That's all I've wanted ever since I laid eyes on you."

Blitz felt the hollow emptiness inside him become a lot more painful as Dusk pulled his hoof out of his grasp.

"Blitz... I-I need some time alone..."

"You want me to just leave after all that?" said Blitz, flaring up again. "That wasn't even scratching the surface Dusk!"

"Be that as it may, I just can't take any more of this today. Please, just go."

Rainbow didn't think it was possible to feel more hurt than he did, and was instantly proved wrong.

"If that's how you want to be," he said, dragging leaden hooves to the door, voice devoid of emotion, becoming a flat monotone.

"Blitz," said Dusk quietly, as the pegasus reached for the door. He paused with a hoof on the door and slowly turned to look at the unicorn. "I'm sorry," Dusk whispered.

"You're sorry? You have no idea. See you around."

And with that, Rainbow left, shutting the door somewhat harder than he would usually have done. He left behind a deafening silence in the library. A silence only broken by Dusk Shine as he began to sniffle.