Chapter II: Reassurance.
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Gliding on slivered gusts of wind above the rolling greens of Dream Valley, Rainbow Dash made her gradual descent down to Ponyville, casually scanning the activities in the dirt streets below.
Unlike most towns in Equestria, Ponyville had no real physical boundaries like walls, rivers or coastline to define its city limits. Instead, its jurisdiction was spread all over the valley, its thatch-roofed buildings scattered about haphazardly like seeds sown by a giant farmer. Like a fractal pattern, the buildings themselves were surrounded by the typical rural satellites of water wells, signs, billboards, woodpiles, barrels, animal pens, propane tanks, sheds and the odd swimming hole. Most of the buildings were heaped in a big ring-shaped pile centered around town hall, not unlike iron shavings to a magnet. Outside of the town center were a few smaller parodies of its courtyard, focused around landmarks such as Sugarcube Corner, the marketplace, the Gondola leading up to Cloudsdale and the Ponyville Library: Rainbow Dash’s destination.
Landing softly on the library’s bedroom balcony, Rainbow Dash turned herself towards her immediate surroundings and took mental note: Around her was a panorama of old, Trottingham Revival-style houses grouped together to form great heaps of semi-rural accretion and spaced apart to form dirt roads partially flooded with its Equestrian residents. Even though it was technically mating season, there was nothing all that much different from any other day, save for the fact that there were many shop signs that catered to cute couples or singles, with the occasional placard advertising “Discreet Wares”, with arrows pointing to the doors of shops that foals were strictly forbidden from even going anywhere near them. The small niches between buildings were occupied by small shrines to Cadence, their concrete likenesses of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza almost completely obscured by flowery garlands and rosaries; votives left by lonely bachelors or scorned lovers.
As for the citizens of Ponyville, the only things out of the ordinary were the numerous couples of all orientations and ages rubbing noses and exchanging dreamy stares, the many Ponies that had much more energy than normal (Some even giving Pinkie Pie a run for her energetic money), the occasional mare and stallion that really needed to get a room and the rare Pony that looked suspiciously similar to Somepony Rainbow Dash knew. She even did a double take when she noticed that there were two Bon Bons at the same storefront. Changelings weren’t always known for their intelligence.
But in spite of these differences, everything was (relatively) ordinary in Ponyville. Equestrians were sentient beings perfectly capable of overriding instinct with free will after all, so in spite of numerous public displays of affection, it wasn’t like there was an orgy on every street corner every three or six months.
Well, except for that one time...
Meanwhile, a very giddy-looking Twilight Sparkle entered her library/home carrying a very bulky-looking saddlebag on her back and followed by a visibly exasperated Baby Dragon. Closing the door behind the two, Twilight happily trotted up to her room with Spike trudging along behind her.
“What’s the big deal, anyway? I mean, it’s just a big book, Twilight.” Said Spike, entering her room.
In a flash of pink energy, Twilight teleported right in front of Spike, staring at him with a shocked and offended expression as if to say that he beat up Sweetie Belle. Spike recoiled from her sudden reappearance in front of him, even though he was well used to her losing her cool on a couple of very memorable occasions.
“‘Just a big book?!’” Twilight responded, echoing her assistant’s remarks. “This isn’t just any book! This is a rare book from the Star-Swirl The Bearded Wing of the Royal Canterlot Library and is almost always checked out by somepony else!”
“Bookworms...” Spike muttered under his breath before Twilight levitated the five-inch-thick book right in front of his face. The book was a particularly old one, even by the standards of Twilight’s personal collection of antique manuscripts. It was a hefty stack of moldy, age-yellowed parchment sandwiched two great sheets of Red Cedar upholstered in Dragonskin and held shut by a gold-buckled strap of leather.
“‘Transeuclidean Paracosms of The Higher Paradigms?’” Said Spike, carefully reading the gilded words on the book’s cover with a puzzled tone of voice. “What is this, even?”
Twilight simply smiled in response, letting out a cute “Squee” noise. “I don’t know, either!” She said ecstatically to her confused purple apprentice. “All I know is that whatever is in this book must be some of the most advanced fonts of knowledge in the field of magical studies! I can only imagine having the very fabric of the universe bend and warp like putty to my touch! Ohhh, this is going to be more fun than the time Celestia let me disassemble her old Antikythera device!”
“Riiiight...” Said Spike unenthusiastically, rolling his eyes in exasperation. Even if you were the best friend and assistant to a Unicorn with a combination of OCD, Paranoia and Asperger’s, you too would have those kind of days. Especially if you lived in a magical land of talking Ponies that was almost always under siege by monsters of some kind, but hey - no place is perfect.
“So if you would be so kind, I would like it if I could read this in peace. I need to concentrate on such a juicy-looking book!” Said Twilight, making her way to her bed with her gigantic tome. Spike casually turned and walked away, leaving her in peace.
“Might as well.” Spike said, shrugging. “I had to go to the market anyway. See ya.” The dragon made his way down the carved wooden stairs and towards the door. "Need anything, Twilight?"
"Just some more Oolong Tea, please!" Called Twilight. "We're almost out!"
"Hear you loud and clear!"
“And please remember to pick up some Green Zebra Tomatoes this time! They’re not overly ripe, they just look like they are!”
“I got it! Thank you!”
The door opened and slammed shut, the signal Twilight was looking for to let her know its time to read her brand new, musty old book. Like a child that couldn’t wait to play with a new toy, she giddily climbed into her bed and nestled herself halfway under the covers, levitating the ten-pound book slowly and comfortably into her lap. After letting out a soft sigh of contentment, Twilight perked up after hearing the sound of a hoof softly rapping on the glass of her window. After magically pulling back the curtains, she let out a startled yelp upon seeing a worried-looking Pegasus on the other side of the glass, leaping a solid three inches into the air and sending her book flopping heavily onto the bed.
“Rainbow Dash, what in the world are you doing here?” Said Twilight, taking note of her cerulean friend’s anxious expression and flushed face. “Is something wrong?”
“T-twilight?” Asked Rainbow Dash, blushing a bright red and shedding the odd drop of sweat. “Can you help me...Can you help me out with s-something?”
“Of course I can!” Said Twilight as she opened the window for the cyan mare. “As a good friend, you know that you can always count on me to help you with whatever issue that you may have! Now come inside and we’ll have a chat. After all, what are friends for?”
“Gee, thanks, Twilight...” Dash said nervously, climbing up the window ledge and leaping onto the bed. As Twilight closed the window behind her, she couldn’t help but notice an...unusual scent in the air. It was a subtle, yet somewhat slightly kind-of sort-of distinct fragrance that could be best described as “flowery”. Whatever it was, it made a part of the Unicorn’s brain feel funny, but Twilight paid it no heed, as Rainbow Dash clearly had something on her own mind. Rainbow simply sat there hunched over, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Twilight, save for a couple quick glances over the shoulder as she nervously pawed at the comforter beneath her. This really worried the Unicorn, as this was behavior she’d expect from Fluttershy coming from Rainbow Dash of all ponies! A long, awkward minute of stillness ensued before Twilight broke the silence.
“Rainbow Dash?” Asked Twilight Sparkle, her face and voice soft with worry.
“...Yeah?” Replied Dash, looking at the lilac mare out of the corner of her eye.
“Is there something you need to tell me?”
“Yeah, kind of...”
“Well, it looks like there’s something really bothering you... You’re acting like Fluttershy when I first met her, you’re sweating...” Twilight reached out and placed her hoof on Rainbow’s forehead before quickly yanking it back in recoil. “Ouch! And you have a really bad fever too, you’re burning up! Your face is redder than Big Mac’s rear end...”
“I know...”
“Are you sick?”
“No.”
“Are you allergic to something?”
“No...”
“Is an imbalance of hormones hyperstimulating your pneumogastric nerve?”
“What?”
“Err...Nevermind.” Twilight said nervously, blushing a bit herself. “Are you...afraid?”
Rainbow Dash sighed heavily, swiveling around on her tailbone towards her friend. “Yes...”
“So what is it that you’re afraid of?” Twilight asked, levitating a clipboard and pen closer towards her after pulling it straight out of hammerspace a few seconds ago. “Knowing you, it must’ve been something really hair-raising.” She said as she quickly jotted down notes onto the board’s sole sheet of paper, reminiscent of her foalhood therapist.
“Well...*gulp*...I’m in heat.” Dash replied, giving a dry, throaty gulp.
Momentarily surprised, Twilight’s mood turned from worried to sheepish. “Well, obviously!” She said, staring at Rainbow Dash in a perplexed, wide-eyed “you’ve gotta be bucking kidding me” kind of way. “It is the start of mating season for most ponies after all, so you must have a crush on somepony!” Her mood brightened a bit, eager to hear who her object of affection must be. “So who’s the oh-so-lucky stallion you’re interested in? Lemme guess: it’s Soarin’, isn’t it?”
“No, it isn’t Soarin’.” Replied Rainbow Dash forlornly.
“Is it...Big Macintosh?” Twilight asked.
“No.”
“Is it Braeburn?”
“No...”
“Meadow Song?”
“No...”
“Caramel?”
“No...”
Twilight paused. “...Donut Joe?”
“NO!” Rainbow Dash shouted, raising her voice enough startle both of them.
“It’s okay, Dash, just calm down...” Said Twilight, trying to keep the Pegasus from getting overly emotional. “...So then, who is it?”
Rainbow Dash knew it would come down to this. She hung her head in defeat, slowly closing her eyes and awaiting the dark results of what she was going to say next like a condemned criminal walking up the stairs to the gallows, looking like she just wanted to fade away like an afterimage. She then softly gave her answer to Twilight, fearing that those next few words will end their friendship forever.
“It’s Spitfire...” Dash then relaxed her shoulders, letting her head hang completely loose in surrender, awaiting Twilight’s inevitable revulsion.
“I...kinda had a feeling you were into mares...” Said Twilight. Dash screwed her eyes shut tight, little saline beads of tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
“I know. I’m a filly-fooler.” Dash said in defeat. The last time she made a confession like this was when she had to admit that she loved reading. As embarrassing as the experience was, it was nothing compared to the soul-bearing stress that she was going through right now and her hormones certainly didn't help.
Twilight knew what she had to do. She took a strong, firm hoof and...
...gently placed it under Rainbow Dash’s chin, lifting it up so their eyes met - Soft violets staring into tearful rubies.
“Rainbow Dash, there’s no need to be ashamed of being a lesbian at all.” Said Twilight reassuringly.
Dash blinked, drying what few tears she had. “But I’m supposed to be a world-class athlete, not a mare-chaser...I have a reputation to uphold!”
“You said the same thing about reading and do you see anypony calling you an egghead? I think not...” Replied Twilight, letting a bit of her snarky side take over. “Besides, we have like at least three lesbian couples in town!” Twilight let go of Dash’s chin, letting her keep her own head up in the conversation. "So it's not like you're having the spotlight of attention focusing on you."
“B-but that’s different!” Dash stammered. “This is my big shot at the Wonderbolts! The initiation party is tonight at the Canterlot Royal Ballroom! You and I both know that! W-what if I lose my cool and end up trying to scissor my idol??”
“Just be strong and keep it together..." Twilight said.
"I'm not sure if I can." Rainbow Dash replied timidly.
"I know you can. You are Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash. If you can pull off a Sonic Rainboom, then I'm sure that you can keep it together and make it through in one piece."
Rainbow Dash paused, coming to her senses and steadily rebuilding her confidence. Slowly reclaiming strength, she took a deep breath and decided to get her head back in the game.
"You're right, Twilight." Said Dash. "If I was able to pull that off, then surely I'll be able to make it through the party easily!" Even though her self-confidence was back to normal, she still felt shaky and edgy after having to confess her secret to Twilight, leaving her resolve strong, yet brittle at the same time. The day might be a very awkward one, of turbulent feelings and social discomfort, but Rainbow Dash felt ready to take on the day anyway!
"Thank you so much for your help!" Rainbow Dash pulled Twilight in for a warm, friendly hug, squeezing her arms tightly around the Unicorn's back and chest, making her blush.
"Not a problem, Dash!" Said Twilight, smiling nervously and ignoring the discomfort of the Pegasus's hoof-shaped vice grip around her. Hesitantly letting go, Rainbow blushed and smiled in the same way Twilight did during their impromptu, one-sided hug.
"Heh...Guess I don't know my own strength..." Quipped Rainbow Dash, letting out a nervous chuckle.
"Not a problem." Twilight replied, smiling warmly before her eyes shot open upon remembering something in the back of her head. "Say, we still have a little bit of Oolong Tea, so would you like to stay a while and have some? I know it's your favorite..."
"Uh, no thanks, Twilight..." Dash replied sheepishly, already hovering a couple feet above the bed.
"But I picked it out for you... Plus, I have plenty of...err...soft comforters to recline on and read Daring Do!"
"It's alright, Twilight. But thanks anyway for offering..." Dash blushed a slight shade of red. Her hormones were kicking in a bit from the Unicorn's barely suggestive offer. "...But I have to go and get...ready for tonight's party and I can't leave Spitfire hanging, so I'll go see what...Pinkie Pie's got going on. Gotta dash!"
And with that clever motto, Rainbow Dash bolted out the window like a caffeinated Flying Squirrel, scattering a couple loose papers Twilight had lying around. Her musk lingered for a bit before dissipating, giving the Unicorn a good whiff of the pheromone-filled fragrance.
After Rainbow had left the building, Twilight Sparkle sighed heavily in resignation, getting back into bed and back to reading her book, her eyes half-lidded.
“I hope by ‘Spitfire’ she meant ‘Twilight Sparkle...’” She muttered. "...But I guess I'm just not cut out for her..."