Later that night, the pair leave the VIP room and head down the nearly empty corridors of the arena. Rainbow Dash turns to Arc and grins.
Later that night, the pair leave the VIP room and head down the nearly empty corridors of the arena. Rainbow Dash turns to Arc and grins.
“That was a game and a half!”
Arc chuckles. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”
“Sure did! But I don’t really get why we stayed so long after the game was over.”
“Truth be told, I just wanted to see what happened after the cameras were off.”
“And...?”
Arc shrugs. “Not really sure what I was expecting to see. Well, other than the cleaning staff to start making their rounds, and whatnot. But it’s not exactly something you can see on television.”
Rainbow Dash latches onto Arc’s arm as they walk. “And it gave us some more time to talk together!”
“There’s that too.”
“So what do you want to do next?!”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Aren’t you tired?”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “Nah! I’m up for more if you are!”
Arc puts a hand to his chin thoughtfully. “Well... not really sure if you’d be up for this, but... there is something interesting going on right now nearby.”
“Let’s go!”
“But you don’t even know what it is.”
Rainbow Dash laughs as she pulls him along. “Arc, if you say it’s interesting then that’s all I need to hear!”
“Alright.”
Heading for the exit, they walk through the now nearly empty parking lot. Getting into the Jeep, Arc starts it and begins driving. A short time later they pull into yet another parking lot and find a spot. Rainbow Dash turns to Arc, confused.
“What is this place?”
Arc looks to her as he turns off the vehicle. “A roller rink.”
Rainbow Dash raises an eyebrow. “That didn’t really tell me anything.”
“A place where we can go skating.”
Rainbow Dash frowns. “It’s hard to get answers out of you right now.”
Arc chuckles as he opens his door. “It’d probably just be easier to show you.”
Getting out, Arc leads Rainbow Dash toward the building. As they enter, the slightly muffled sounds of loud music rings out from beyond an inner door. Walking up to the ticket booth Arc speaks to the attendant.
“Two please.”
Paying, he and his date are allowed into the interior. Rainbow Dash’s eyes grow wide as she looks around at the blacklights, strobes, booming speakers, and people zooming around on skates. Arc puts a hand on her shoulder as he calls out loudly to be heard over the din.
“This is what we humans call skating!”
Rainbow Dash gasps as she looks around. “Wheels... on HOOVES?!”
Arc puts a hand on her shoulder. “Feet, Raine, feet.”
“But... but HOW...?!”
“Why not just try it for yourself and find out?”
Rainbow Dash grins. “I think I’d better!”
Walking over to a bench, Arc motions for Rainbow Dash to take off her shoes as he does the same himself. Bringing both pairs up to the ‘rentals’ counter, they set them down as an attendant approaches.
“Skates or blades?”
Rainbow Dash grimaces. “I, uh...”
Arc interrupts her. “Blades for both, please.”
Nodding, the attendant pulls the proper sized roller blades from their place in the racks and puts the shoes in their place. Setting them down on the counter in front of Arc and Rainbow Dash, he speaks.
“Here you go. Let me know if you need a different size.”
Arc nods. “Thanks.”
Taking them back to a bench, Arc sits down with Rainbow Dash and demonstrates how to put them on. She grins widely as he finishes.
“This is going to be SO MUCH FUN!”
Arc grins. “Yeah. Now then, be careful when you stand up. After all you don’t want to lose your...”
Before he can complete his thought however, Rainbow Dash jumps up to a standing position. As all our readers probably expected, she immediately loses control and falls forward as Arc proceeds to finish his sentence.
“...balance.”
Rainbow Dash looks up, confused. “What the...?!”
Arc stands and rolls over to her to extend a hand. “You okay?”
Rainbow Dash nods as she is helped up. “Y-yeah. Just kinda... surprised, that’s all.”
“It’s a bit tough to start admittedly. Probably more so for you being new to the whole hind legs walking idea.”
“I can understand that. Humans are really top heavy!”
Arc nods as he points to his roller blades. “Add to that having wheels on your feet and you’ve got what looks like a hopeless situation.”
Rainbow Dash gestures those whizzing around the skating floor. “Not hopeless though! After all, they’re doing it!”
“That they are. Now then, are you ready to give this another try?”
“Sure. How does it work?”
“First of all, have you even gone ice skating?”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “Nah. Pinkie’s been trying to get me to do that for a while now though. She’s REALLY good at it.”
“This is kinda like that. You turn your foot at a slight angle so that the wheels don’t turn on that one foot. Like this.”
He puts his left foot at an angle before continuing.
“Then you push on it to go forward on the other foot, which is straight so that the wheels CAN turn.”
Giving his foot a bit of a push, Arc slowly rolls a few feet before turning back to Rainbow Dash.
“After that, you repeat the process with the other foot. The one that was used to roll forward is then turned at an angle to be able to do the pushing.”
Rainbow Dash grins. “Rinse and repeat.”
Arc nods. “Exactly. And while I’m sure it goes without saying, the harder and more often you push the faster you go.”
Rainbow Dash looks out over the skating floor at people flying by. “They can really get going on those things!”
“And you will too with some practice. Ready to give it another try?”
“Oh yeah!”
“First, just try standing up without falling.”
Rainbow Dash smirks. “That’s what Pinkie said when she taught me to stand on my hind legs.”
“Same basic concept, I guess. It’s all about maintaining your center of gravity.”
“Center of... what now?”
“It’s a balance issue. If you shift your weight properly you won’t lose your balance and fall down.”
Rainbow Dash sighs. “Trust me, that ain’t easy.”
“I know you don’t have a lot of experience doing things like this. But I believe you can do it with practice.”
Rainbow Dash sighs and takes Arc’s outstretched hand. Pulling her to her feet, he holds her hand. Doing her best to not allow the wheels under her to roll, Rainbow Dash grimaces.
“It’s like these things have a mind of their own!”
Arc chuckles. “Yes, well... how about we start moving around a bit?”
Rainbow Dash gasps. “But I’m not ready for that yet!”
“Don’t worry. I won’t let go of your hand.”
Pushing off, Arc carefully pulls Rainbow Dash along with him as they slowly makes their way down the outside of the skating floor. Reaching the far end he stops and turns to his date.
“How did that feel?”
“Kinda weird. I mean... rolling along instead of walking just feels kinda unnatural to me.”
“If you don’t like it we don’t have to stay.”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “No, no. I mean, it still looks like a lot of fun. That is, if I can do it without falling on my flank again.
“How about this? We’ll go back the way we came while I hold your hand and you try to push yourself forward like I showed you earlier.”
“Okay.”
Pushing off, Arc watches as Rainbow Dash does her best to propel herself forward. By the time they reach the other end of the room she is able to slightly push herself along, albeit shakily. Turning around, Arc repeats the process a few more times to allow Rainbow Dash to gain confidence and skill. Half a dozen more times later she turns to him with a grin.
“I think I’ve got the hang of it, Arc.”
“Want me to let go now?”
“
Rainbow Dash nods. “Yeah!
Releasing his date’s hand, Arc glides away from her a few feet and watches. Steadily, she pushes herself along slowly by deliberately, grinning ear to ear as she does so. Arc nods in approval.
“Looks like you’ve got the basics down.”
“Yup! Ready to get on the floor?!”
Arc chuckles. “You tell me.”
“”Let’s do it!
Grabbing Arc’s hand, she drags him toward the others already on the skating floor. They wait a few moments for an opening before hurrying out. Rainbow Dash looks to Arc as they skate.
“The floor! It’s so smooth!”
Arc chuckles. “That it is. Wouldn’t wany anyone tripping on a crack and getting hurt.”
“Wanna see how fast we can go?!”
“Probably not the best idea, seeing as how you just learned to skate.”
Rainbow Dash grins. “Come on, Arc! What’s the worst that could happen?!”
Arc rolls his eyes. “I can think of a few things. Several of which involve you seeing a doctor.”
“Spoilsport!”
“Just looking to keep you safe, Raine.”
“How about if I got better?!”
“That’d still take time.”
Rainbow Dash smirks. “Then I’d better get to it!”
Lurching ahead, Rainbow Dash pushes with all her might. However, as she nears the spot where one is supposed to turn, she just keeps going straight. Crashing into the dividing wall, Rainbow Dash flies head over heels over it. Arc hurries over and looks over the wall.
“Hey, Raine! You okay?!”
Rainbow Dash grins woozily as she sits up. “Never... better!”
“What happened?!”
“I, uh... realized a few seconds ago that I didn’t actually know how to turn.”
Arc sighs as he hops over the barrier to help her up. “That’s why you need to take things slow and learn before advancing.”
Rainbow Dash grunts and looks away as Arc extends a hand. “I know what I’m doing!”
“Then why are you on the floor?”
There is a tense silence as Rainbow Dash ponders Arc’s words. Eventually she sighs and takes Arc’s hand to allow him to help her up.
“Yeah, yeah. It’s just...”
Gasping suddenly, she leans heavily on the divider behind her. Arc frowns.
“What’s wrong?”
Rainbow Dash grimaces, clearly in pain. “N-nothing!”
“Really?”
“It’s just a little sting in my knee!”
“How about I take a look at it?”
Rainbow Dash sighs. “Fine.”
Sitting on the wall, she allows Arc to roll up her pant leg. He looks it over for a few moments before frowning.
“Can’t really see anything. Too dark.”
Rainbow Dash grimaces. “I’m fine, Arc! Really!”
“How about we go over to the concession area where it’s lighter and make sure then?”
“Do we have to?! I mean, it really doesn’t hurt THAT bad and I want to skate some more!”
“I suppose it’s up to you. But I’d feel a lot better knowing you were really okay before we went back on the floor.”
Rainbow Dash sighs. “Fine. Which way?”
Arc takes Rainbow Dash’s hand and carefully guides her down the way towards a more well-lit section of the building. A number of benches next to a row of arcade cabinets sit across from a small snack bar. Leading her over to an empty bench, Arc helps his date sit down before kneeling to look at her knee. Rolling her pant leg up again, he looks it over and frowns.
“There’s a lot of swelling here.”
Rainbow Dash gasps slightly. “I’m okay!”
“And a cut.”
“Huh?! I didn’t hit anything sharp!”
Arc shrugs. “Looks like a friction wound. Not much in terms of blood though.”
Rainbow Dash groans. “Great.”
“I think we should call it a night. How about I turn in our blades and get our shoes back?”
“But I wanna keep going!”
“Tell you what. If you feel better tomorrow, I’ll take you skating again after a nice steak dinner.”
Rainbow Dash grins. “You mean it?!”
Arc smiles and nods. “Yup. But only if you rest your leg now.”
“Sure!”
“Alright. Need some help getting your skates off?”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “Nah. I got it.”
Arc sits down on the bench next to her and unclasps his own footwear. Stepping out of them, he picks up Rainbow Dash’s roller blades and stands.
“Be right back.”
Rainbow Dash waves. “Sure. I’ll be here.”
Walking back out into the darkened skating rink, Arc returns to the rental counter. After retrieving their shoes, he returns to the bench and sits down again to hand over the footwear to his date. They put them back on as Arc looks to Rainbow Dash’s knee again.
“How about I get a wet paper towel from the bathroom and clean that for you?”
“It’s fine. I’ve had worse.”
“I just don’t want it to get infected.”
Rainbow Dash smirks wickedly. “Sure it’s not because you want to play with my hind leg some more, Arc?
Arc rolls his eyes. “Har, har.”
Rainbow Dash groans. “Fine then.”
Arc stands. “I have to go to the toilet anyways. Just realized that I haven’t used the facilities since we left my place.”
“Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.”
Heading for the nearby bathroom, Arc enters. No sooner has the door closed behind him though than a guy in a leather coat walks over to Rainbow Dash.
“How you doing, little girl?”
Rainbow Dash looks him over and frowns. “Whaddya want?!”
“Nothing really. Just wanted to say that I thought you handled that fall out there like a real champ.”
Rainbow Dash smirks. “Glad somepony appreciates a good crash.”
The guy motions to the bathroom with his eyes. “Your boytoy doesn’t?”
“He’s not exactly my... whatever it was that you called him!”
“Really?”
“Yeah! What’s it to...?!”
She is cut off as the guy quickly leans down and gives her a peck on the lips. Her eyes wide, she watches as a group behind him roars happily and high fives the guy as he runs over to them. Seething, Rainbow Dash gets to her feet and hobbles over to them as several of the group opens their wallets and hand the guy some money.
“What’s the heck...?!”
The punk smirks as he looks over his shoulder. “Sorry, babe. Just trying to win a couple bets.”
“BETS?!”
“Yeah. You see, I bet all my boys here that I could get a kiss from you. They said I’d get shot down right away. Guess I showed them who’s...”
He is cut off as Rainbow Dash grabs his arm, whirls him around, and punches him squarely in the jaw. Stumbling backwards, he recovers and knocks the young woman before him to the floor with a violent shove as his friends laugh heartily at her. Screaming in a blind rage, Rainbow Dash scrambles to her feet, lunges toward him, and begins pummeling the guy as his friends just stare in disbeliefe. A few blows later the sound of footsteps running toward them ring out. Arc grabs Rainbow Dash and pulls her off the guy as she fights to continue her tirade.
“LET ME GO! LET ME AT HIM!”
Arc calls out. “Stop it, Raine! What’s this all about?!”
Rainbow Dash points at the guy as his friends help him up. “This pig just came up to me and KISSED me!”
“What?!
The guy sneers. “Just trying to make a few bucks! Nothing to get bent out of shape over!”
Rainbow Dash steps forward angrily. “Why you little...!”
The punk smirks as his friends move to back him up. “Ease up, flat chest! Unless you and your boytoy want to get hurt!”
Rainbow Dash seethes. “WHO YOU CALLING...?! “
Arc interrupts her as he steps forward. “Let me handle this, Raine.”
Turning back to the group Arc continues.
“Now then, why don’t you and your pals turn around and walk away.”
Their assailant appears confused. “Uh... why?”
Rainbow Dash points an finger at them angrily. “So you don’t get hurt, clown!”
Arc nods. “She’s right. Now then, while I certainly didn’t start this, I promise you that I WILL finish it if need be.”
The group laughs heartily as the guy walks toward Arc. Looking him over, he smirks.
“There’s a dozen of us and one of you. So I think it’s YOU who needs to walk away!”
He licks his lips as he looks past Arc at Rainbow Dash before continuing.
“Besides, the boys and I wouldn’t mind flat-chest here’s company.”
Arc frowns. “Is that your final answer.”
“Yeah! So get moving!”
Arc sighs. “Have it your way then.”
Stepping forward, Arc punches the guy in the gut which causes him to double over as the wind is forced out of him. Kneeing him in the face, he knocks the guy over onto his back before rendering him unconscious with a quick kick to the head. Looking up at the others, Arc is just in time to see two of them charge forward. Catching the first one on the chin, Arc turns to face the second as a third makes his way behind Arc while he is distracted. However, before the newcomer can attack, Rainbow Dash decks him in the face. Arc and Rainbow Dash look to the group defiantly together as they back away. Arc frowns and points to the door.
“Now then, I think all of you should leave.”
Nodding, they cautiously grab their friends before running out of the building together. Those around them clap and cheer as Arc turns to Rainbow Dash.
“You okay?”
Rainbow Dash grits her teeth angrily. “Can we go after them?!”
Arc shakes his head. “No, Raine.”
“Why not?!”
Arc waves a hand dismissively. “Just let them go. It’s not worth getting into trouble with the law over.”
Rainbow Dash frowns. “Fine.”
“That and I want to get you off that knee.”
Taking her hand, Arc sits his date down and tends to her scrape. After getting her wound cleaned, he slowly leads Rainbow Dash out the door and back to the Jeep. Getting in, he starts it and pulls out of the parking lot. Returning home, Arc presses the button to close the garage door before stepping out of the vehicle. As they walk up the back steps though, Rainbow Dash trips. Arc catches her arm before she hits the ground and cries out.
“I got you!”
Rainbow Dash grimaces in pain. “Th-thanks, Arc.”
“What happened? Did you twist your ankle on a step?”
“Kinda, yeah.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Kinda?”
Rainbow Dash groans. “Twisted, yes. On the step, no.”
“You mean...?”
Rainbow Dash smiles nervously. “At that roller place when I fell over.”
Arc sighs as he puts an arm around her shoulder for her lean on. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?!”
“I thought it’d go away!”
Arc opens the door and helps her inside. “Well, let’s get you sitting and take a look at it then.”
Leading Rainbow Dash over to the couch, Arc uses his magic to turn on the lights as he helps aids her in sitting down. Kneeling before her, Arc pulls her shoe off. Rainbow Dash eyes grow wide and she gasps as he does so.
“Easy there! That’s tender!”
“I’ll try.”
Slowly removing her sock, Arc tosses it aside and looks over the ankle in question. Frowning, he looks up at her.
“It’s pretty red and swollen.”
Rainbow Dash grunts. “Hurts like crazy too!”
Arc sighs. “I don’t think this is just a twisted ankle.”
“It’s not broken though!”
“We don’t really know that. How about I call for the doctor to tell us for sure?”
Rainbow Dash groans as she leans back. “Do I have to?”
“Not if you really don’t want to, no. But I would imagine that you DO want to feel better.”
“Of course!”
“Then the first step should be to have it looked at by a professional.”
Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes. “Fine. But could we do that upstairs? My whole body is sore right now.”
“It hurts elsewhere?”
“A few places, yeah. Remember, I did hit that barrier at top speed.”
“Then we’d better get started.”
Assisting Rainbow Dash in climbing the stairs, Arc leads her to his parent’s room and helps her lie down on the bed. Touching his earring, he orders the operator to send for Doctor Whooves. Opening a portal a short time later via the Rainbow of Light, he watches as the stallion steps through with his little black bag. Looking to Arc, he smiles.
“What appears to be the problem today, sir?”
Arc gestures to Rainbow Dash. “We were out skating and she had a really bad crash. Could you look her over please?”
Doctor Whooves nods. “Right away, sir.”
Walking over to the bed, the stallion puts his front hooves on the bedspread and looks to Rainbow Dash.
“Can you tell me where it hurts?”
Rainbow Dash points. “Mostly my knee and ankle here.”
Arc quickly chimes in. “She hit a divider wall pretty hard. Might want to give her a full look over though.”
“Yes sir. However, to do such a thing I will need the young mare to remove her clothing first.”
Arc heads for the door. “I’ll wait outside then.”
Rainbow Dash calls out after him. “Why don’t you go make yourself a snack and watch something on that box downstairs, Arc?”
“Television?”
“Yeah, that.”
The doctor nods as he opens his bag. “You may want to entertain yourself, sir. This may take some time.”
“Alright. I’ll be waiting to hear your report, doctor.”
Leaving the room, Arc heads downstairs and sits down on the couch. Leaning his head back he muses to himself.
“I’m sure she’ll be alright. But I sure hope her ankle isn’t sprained... or worse. That would be a terrible note to end this date on.”
Groaning, he continues.
“To say nothing for how it would translate over to a pony body.”
Closing his eyes to think for a few moments, Arc suddenly feels a slight poke at his arm. Straightening up and opening his eyes, he spies Doctor Whooves standing before him.
“My apologies for disturbing you, sir.”
“That was fast.”
Doctor Whooves appears confused. “Fast, sir?”
“Yeah. I mean, you just started.”
“That was around an hour ago, sir.”
Arc puts a hand to his forehead and sighs. “Sorry. Guess I must’ve dozed off. How is Rainbow Dash doing?”
“I looked at her ankle and knee first. Neither are broken, just heavily inflamed from the impact.”
“How long until she can walk properly again?”
“Right now actually.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “But she was in so much pain earlier.”
“I cast a specialized spell on her to reduce the swelling. After that I ordered her to take a long hot bath to finish up the treatment.”
“Find anything else?”
“Nothing more than a few bumps and bruises really. The only other injury of note was her wrist.”
“Oh?”
The doctor looks over his notes as he speaks. “The patient told me of the... altercation she got into earlier this evening. There was some bruising on her fingers and hand, naturally. However her wrist was also heavily inflamed from the numerous times she claimed to have hit her opponent.”
“And the prognosis?”
“I cast the same spell on her wrist to hasten the healing of it as well. After the prescribed bath, however, she should go to bed. Rest and relaxation is also recommended for tomorrow as well. Or, at the very least, no strenuous activities should be undertaken under any circumstances.”
“Like fighting?”
“That would be for the best, sir.”
“Alright. I’ll keep her here at the house tomorrow. Anything else I can do for her?”
Doctor Whooves shakes his head. “Not really, sir. Other than what I’ve already said, you simply need to keep an eye open for any further inflammation, as such a thing could be signs of further complications. Should you spot any new symptoms, or the return of that which I’ve already mentioned, please contact me for a more in depth medical examination.”
“I’ll do that. Shall I return you to the castle now?”
“Yes sir. I’m ready.”
Calling forth the Rainbow of Light, Arc focuses his magical power into it as a portal forms. The doctor steps through and is gone. Closing the portal behind the stallion, Arc heads for the stairs. Opening the door to the guest room he pulls shorts, a t-shirt, and undergarments from the dresser before making his way down the hall to the main bathroom. Knocking lightly, he opens the door a crack and calls out.
“Hey. You doing okay in here?”
Rainbow Dash calls out from the tub. “Y-yeah.”
“I, uh... brought you some fresh clothes to change into when you’re done in there.”
“Thanks. I’ll try not to take too long.”
“No, no. It’s okay. Take as long as you need.”
“Alright.”
Tossing the clothes inside the bathroom and closing the door, Arc sits down on the floor next to it. Closing his eyes, he listens to the sound of running water on the other side of the wall for a time before nodding off. An indeterminate amount of time later he hears the door open. Jerking his head up, he turns just in time to see Rainbow Dash step out into the hall wearing the t-shirt and shorts he brough to her earlier. Smiling sheepishly at him, she speaks.
“Hey, um... sorry for taking so long in there. I... mighta... sorta... kinda... fell asleep in the tub.”
Arc quickly gets up. “It’s no problem. Admittedly I did the same thing just now. But how are you feeling?”
“Okay, I guess. Doctor Whooves said that my knee and ankle will be a little sore for a day or so though.”
“Can I help you to your room?”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “It’s okay. At the moment walking’s not an issue for me. But... um... do you think... could we... ah...?”
She cuts herself off as a large yawn springs forth from her mouth. Arc chuckles sleepily as he speaks.
“I think we should continue this conversation tomorrow morning. After all, I did keep you out significantly later than I had originally planned.”
Rainbow Dash sighs sleepily. “Alright.”
Parting ways, they each head to their respective rooms. Laying down, Arc yawns heavily and turns off the light. Rolling over onto his side he closes his eyes and quickly falls fast asleep. However, sometime later he is awakened by a small knock on his door. Sitting up groggily, Arc rubs his eyes and switches on the bedside lamp before calling out.
“Come in.”
Rainbow Dash opens the door and slowly walks inside. Arc quickly notices that there are bags under her eyes.
“Hey, um...”
Arc looks her over. “What’s wrong? Is the pain keeping you awake?”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “Nah. It’s manageable.”
“Then what...?”
Rainbow Dash interrupts him. “It’s just...!”
She fumbles to find the right words for several moments before Arc smiles and speaks.
“Why don’t you just start at the beginning?”
“That’s just it! I can’t really figure out where the beginning is!”
“You were okay when we got home though. Something happen since then?”
“...kinda.”
Arc sighs. “I can’t help if I don’t know what’s bothering you.”
“Okay. Let me try to make sense of it.”
Arc pats the spot next to him on the bed. “Why don’t you sit first though? You look like you’re about ready to fall down.”
Rainbow Dash groans. “Thanks. That might help.”
Sitting down next to him, Rainbow Dash sighs and takes a few moments to gather her thoughts before speaking.
“After we parted outside the bathroom earlier, I went back to my room to try and get some sleep. That much I’m sure you already know. But something was bothering me. Keeping me awake.”
“Have you been lying in bed thinking about it?”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “Nah. I mean... I did for a while, yeah. But it wasn’t really getting me anywhere. So I decided to go downstairs for a snack.”
“Good idea there. What did you have?”
“Just a quick sandwich and a glass of milk.”
“Then what?”
“I sat on the couch for a bit. However, when I went to lay down I accidently flopped on top of the control box.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “You mean the remote control for the television?”
Rainbow Dash shrugs. “Whatever the thing is that turns the television on is called, yeah.”
“Watch anything interesting?”
“Not really. Just kept switching channels looking for something.”
Arc chuckles. “Here on Earth we call that ‘channel surfing’.”
“There were a lot of things that just didn’t make sense to me though. I mean... I knew that the humans on there were actors just playing a part in their play, or whatever you call it. But I would imagine that the script would have to be somewhat... believable to appeal to the watcher.”
Arc nods. “Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It really depends on the subject matter the show at hand is trying to portray. We have total realism, total fiction, and everything in between. What were you watching?”
“A lot of shows about humans doing really violent stuff. Heroes and villains fighting it out. That sort of thing.”
“Did that bother you?”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “Not really, no. Well... not the fighting part. I knew they were just acting like you told me the other day when we were watching ‘The A-Team’. It’s just...”
She looks down at her hands before continuing.
“...a lot of the shows treated mares really poorly.”
“What do you mean?”
“Like they were just things to be won and possessed. I saw a play where two stallions were fighting each other over who would get to keep the mare. Another one showed a mare being rescued by a stallion hero from a villain. But the thing was, she honestly could have gotten away on her own SO easily if she had just tried.”
Arc nods. “Shows sometimes do that for dramatic effect.”
“One looked like it was from another world entirely. It was about a mare whom was asleep and only woke up when she was kissed by a prince.”
“That’s sounds like ‘Sleeping Beauty’. It’s a classic here on Earth.”
“So mares are sorta dependent on stallions to keep them safe here?”
“Not really. The television does kinda make it look that way sometimes though.”
“That got me to thinking. What exactly dictates a mare’s... place in this world’s pecking order?”
“You mean how good looking she is?”
Rainbow Dash nods. “Exactly! I wanted to know what made a human mare attractive, so I kept watching more shows to try and find out.”
Arc sighs. “Probably not the best way to go about doing that. But what did you figure out?”
“A few things contributed to whom was the most attractive. However, two things really stuck out as being the most important.”
“And what makes you think those are the most important?”
Rainbow Dash sneers. “Something that jerk at the skating place said came to mind. Now then, I need to ask you something really important, Arc.”
“What is it?”
“First I need you to promise me that you’ll answer it truthfully and without thinking about my feelings. Just be totally Honest with me about it.”
Arc nods. “I can do that, sure.”
“Do you promise?”
“I promise, yes.”
“Okay. Here goes.”
Standing, she slowly walks to the center of the room. Turning to face Arc, Rainbow Dash holds her arms out at her sides and looks him in the eye.
“How do I look?”
“Um... kinda tired.”
“I mean physically. Am I good looking?”
“I think you are, yes.”
“Take a good look.”
She slowly turns around to show herself from all angles. Coming back to facing Arc again, Rainbow Dash continues.
“Now what do you think?”
“That you’re still pretty.”
Rainbow Dash nods soberly. “How about in my swimsuit?”
“Honestly... very cute.”
“Cuter than I am now, Arc?”
“What are you getting at?”
“Just one last question.”
Without another word, Rainbow Dash whips her t-shirt off and tosses it aside. Cupping her arms under her chest for... um... let’s just say... ‘dramatic effect’, she looks to Arc again.
“What do you think of... these?”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Your breasts?”
Rainbow Dash nods as she gives them a quick jiggle as she speaks. “Yeah. Are they pretty?”
“Um... I suppose so.”
Rainbow Dash appears hopeful. “So... are they good enough for me to be considered hot to humans?”
Arc frowns. “Your chest doesn’t have anything to do with how good looking you are though!”
“Oh really?!”
“Yeah!”
Rainbow Dash frowns. “That’s not what I saw on television!”
“But they’re just acting!”
“I know that! But I saw the same thing in real life here on Earth!”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”
“Everywhere we went these past few days there were stallions out with their marefriends! The better looking the stallion, the bigger the teats on the mare!”
“That’s certainly not an absolute truth though.”
Rainbow Dash scoffs as she folds her arms over her chest and turns away. “Maybe not. But I saw enough of it to know that it’s a pretty well established idea here.”
Arc sighs. “So why bring this up now? Why not back when you originally noticed it?”
“You remember that guy I was beating up at the skating place?”
“What about him?”
“He called me ‘flat chested’!”
Arc groans. “That was just him being a jerk though.”
Rainbow Dash spins around to face Arc again, her breasts in her hands. “But he was right! Look at these things, Arc! I’m nowhere near as big as the other mares I’ve seen!”
“Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you’re a pony mare.”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head vehemently. “No way! The others were all WAY bigger than I am!”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Others?”
“I lent Rarity a hoof helping her get ready to come to Earth and see you two Hearth’s Warmings ago! Her teats were a LOT plumper than mine are!”
“That’s just one person though! You can’t base your opinion around just one individual!”
“Yeah! But what about Applejack?! I saw what happened when Sereb cast the human spell on her with Auriel! Hers were even bigger than Rarity’s!”
Rainbow Dash looks down at her own breasts angrily as she begins tugging them outward in a futile attempt to make them grow.
“And don’t even get me STARTED on Derpy’s size! Rarity told me that her chest puts both her AND Applejack to shame!”
Arc sighs. “I really can’t argue with that.”
“The three of them all bigger than me! Shelly and Lily are bigger than me! Heck, pretty much EVERYPONY around here is BIGGER THAN ME!”
She storms over to the vanity and stares into the mirror angrily before crying out.
“Why... WHY AM I LIKE THIS?!”
Arc stands and walks over to her. Putting his hands on her bare shoulders, he speaks slowly and calmly.
“There’s only so much someone can do to alter their appearance here.”
Rainbow Dash scoffs as she stares down angrily at her chest. “Anything that can be done to make my teats bigger?”
Arc shakes his head. “Other than surgery, no.”
“What would that be like?”
“They put silicon bags in there to make them bigger.”
Rainbow Dash looks over her shoulder with a hopeful look on her face. “Would that... possibly be an option for me? After all, I would look much better in a swimsuit then, wouldn’t I?”
Arc shakes his head. “That’s really not a good idea. I’m guessing that when you change back to a pony they’d still be, um... in there. It probably would turn heads back in Ponyville for all the wrong reasons.”
Rainbow Dash looks forward again and groans. “Guess I really am stuck with these little things then.”
“Hey.”
“What?”
“I’m going to go out on a limb here. But I get the feeling this isn’t just about the size of your breasts.”
“Of course it is! What else could it be?!”
“You tell me.”
There is a tense silence which Arc makes no attempt to break. Eventually, Rainbow Dash mutters something quietly.
“I’m just... not pretty.”
“Oh?”
“The others are. But not me.”
“How do you figure that?”
Rainbow Dash smiles weakly. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Humor me.”
“Alright. Let’s start at the top.”
She takes a deep breath before continuing.
“My mane isn’t soft and workable like Rarity’s is. My eyes aren’t vibrant and bright like Pinkie’s are. My smile isn’t warm and inviting like Fluttershy’s is. My breasts aren’t big and supple like Derpy’s are. My hips and flank aren’t as broad as Applejack’s are. And that’s just the physical beauty.”
“Elaborate.”
“I don’t have a melodious voice or organizational skills like Twilight. Heck, I sound like I’ve got a sore throat most of the time! I don’t have the ‘take charge’ attitude that Hammer has. Cupcake talks and the soldiers just naturally fall into line. I don’t have the royal attitude Ember has. She just gushes with the ‘obey me or else’ brashness of a Dragon Lord. And I don’t have the intelligence Auriel has. That smart little cookie could figure out how to turn bread back into flour for crying out loud!”
Groaning, she bows her head.
“And I have none of that.”
Arc shakes his head. “That’s not true. You’re good at your own...”
Rainbow Dash interrupts him. “I fly fast, Arc! That it! Not smart, not crafty, not skilled in anything other than cloud kicking and pranks! Remember, I was too scared to tell my parents you and I were a thing! Nothing about me is noteworthy!”
“I disagree.”
“Fine. Then why don’t you explain it to me, Arc? Tell me how I’m wrong. What redeeming qualities do I have?”
“Your loyalty.”
Rainbow Dash raises an eyebrow. “That’s just my Element though.”
Arc shakes his head. “No. It’s who you are.”
“Nothing special there though.”
“In all the time I’ve known you, you’ve never once left someone behind. Never forced them to deal with something on their own.”
“Of course not. That’s called ‘friendship’.”
“An admirable trait.”
Rainbow Dash scoffs. “It’s just one trait though, Arc.”
“True. But it’s what defines you.”
“Okay, let’s just say that it is a redeeming quality. What else do you like about me?”
“Honestly?”
“Sure.”
“I think you’re amazing.”
Rainbow Dash smirks sadly. “Yeah, right.”
“No, I mean it. You really are quite...”
He searches for the right word for a few moments.
“...unique.”
“I’m as common as any Pegasus back in Equestria, Arc.”
“Not to me.”
“Then lay it out for me. Tell me exactly why you think that.”
“What you said before is true. You’re not like the others. Looks or personality-wise. But at the same time you are certainly your own mare. Unique in both appearance and temperament.”
“But isn’t that a bad thing?”
Arc shakes his head. “Not at all. It’s what makes you special. Tell me, how many ponies do you know that have a mane like yours?”
Rainbow Dash shrugs. “Just my dad and I.”
“So it’s really quite rare then?”
“Yeah. I mean, having a naturally multi-colored mane isn’t that uncommon. But for a pony to have more than two colors is. Three is really rare.”
“And you have half a dozen.”
Rainbow Dash puts a hand to her hair. “Just something I was born with though. It’s not like I had to do anything to earn it, or something.”
“Just like the physical traits of the others you listed earlier. They didn’t have to do anything earn them either. It’s just something they were born with. Like manes and eye color.”
“Mine are pretty rare, I’ll give you that. Officially, I have magenta colored eyes. But I’ve always thought of them as just dark pink.”
“Yet another thing that makes you unique.”
“But manes and eye color don’t really mean much.”
“How about your voice?”
Rainbow Dash grunts. “That scratchy mess?”
“It’s unique too, isn’t it?”
“I guess so. Most ponies, especially mares, have sweet sounding voices. Even stallions to a degree.”
“So there’s three things that make you special.”
“Maybe. But I’m still not pretty like the others.”
“Again I have to disagree with you. Your long multi-colored mane may not be soft and silky like the others are. But it’s amazing to look at in its own right. Your eyes too. They just really go well with your mane.”
Rainbow Dash smiles slightly. “They... they do?”
“Yes. As does your voice.”
Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes. “How can you say that?! I sound terrible!”
“ Because it suits you.”
“Uh... how?”
“Like you said, you’re not like the others. And a special individual such as yourself really makes that voice shine.”
“That doesn’t make any sense, Arc!”
“Imagine yourself with a voice like the others. Take Fluttershy for example. Think of what you would sound like with her voice.”
Rainbow Dash closes her eyes and concentrates. Frowning, she speaks.
“It... doesn’t sound right.”
“Now try pretending you’re Rarity.”
“That’s just weird.”
“Pinkie.”
Rainbow Dash smiles. “Kinda like that one.”
“Twilight.”
“Trying to. But I don’t know how to speak ‘egghead’.”
“Applejack.”
“That one’s just bizarre.”
“What I’m trying to say is that your voice is part of who you are.”
He smiles and turns Rainbow Dash to face him before continuing.
“And I think you sound awesome.”
Lurching forward, Rainbow Dash squeezes her eyes shut and grins as she wraps her arms around Arc’s midsection. Arc smiles and reciprocates the hug. Sometime later they step back as Rainbow Dash looks him in the eye.
“Thanks for that, Arc.”
“Just being Honest.”
“And Loyal too. Um... but just so I’m clear on one thing...”
She cups her breasts in her hands before continuing.
“You think these are okay, right?
Arc nods. “They suit you very well, yes.”
“So you like mares with small tits?”
“Size isn’t a big deal to me. After all, it’s what’s on the inside that matters. “
Rainbow Dash licks her lips seductively. “Then how about you see for yourself what I’ve got inside of me.”
Arc chuckles. “I think you’ve been hanging around Hammer a bit too much.”
Rainbow Dash grins. “Maybe. But she and I have a lot in common.”
Arc stretches out a hand and pulls Rainbow Dash’s t-shirt to himself with a quick Telekinesis Spell. “That you do. But we should probably get some sleep now. Especially since you’ve been up all night.”
Rainbow Dash sighs as she accepts the shirt. “Yeah, I guess so.”
Arc turns and takes her hand. “So let’s get you back to...”
He stops talking as he feels resistance from her. Turning back, Arc sees Rainbow Dash shaking her head.
“I... don’t want to.”
“Don’t want to what? Go to sleep?”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “That’s not it. I don’t... want to leave you right now, Arc.”
“But I’ll be right down the hall.”
“Could I... um... sleep with you?”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “This is rather sudden.”
“Yeah, I know. But... there’s a couple other things I’d like to talk to you about.”
“We don’t have to be in bed to...”
Rainbow Dash interrupts him. “It would make it easier for me though. So... can I?”
Arc smiles at her. “Sure.”
Pulling back the covers, he motions for Rainbow Dash to lie down. She tosses the shirt aside and does so. Arc raises an eyebrow.
“Sure you don’t want to wear that? It’s not exactly warm tonight?”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head and blushes slightly. “Nah. After all, you’ll keep me warm.”
Chuckling, Arc gets into the bed with her. Reaching over, he turns off the light and lays down on his back. Rainbow Dash puts a hand on his chest and grins.
“This is nice!”
“Warm enough?”
“I’m good.”
“Now then, what is it that you wanted to say to me?”
“First, I... um... wanted to know how you felt about... cupcake.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Hammer?”
Rainbow Dash nods. “Yeah. You do like her, right?”
“A lot, yes. But what brought this on?”
“She, ah... works really hard for you. Well... her boss in the castle anyways.”
“You mean Flash Sentry?”
“Right. Cupcake really has an eye for making things secure around the castle. And she still makes time for her sister too.”
“Yes, her and Mio are getting along very well. Kinda surprising admittedly.”
Rainbow Dash frowns. “Well, I think she works TOO hard!”
“Oh?”
“She needs to take some time off! Let loose and have some fun!”
“I could talk to Flash Sentry about giving her some leave, or something.”
“That you should! And after that you two could go out together.”
“Go out? You mean on a date?”
Rainbow Dash nods. “Yup. It’d make cupcake really happy.”
Arc puts a hand to his chin thoughtfully. “Well... I do need to get to know her better.”
“She told all of us about the dates you took her on in the past. Really nice from what we heard.”
Arc sighs. “Hammer really fell for me back then. It’s what made me feel so guilty about leading her on.”
“But you’ve done a great job making up for that. At least that’s what cupcake says.”
“I don’t fully agree with that. After all, she lost pretty much everything thanks to me.”
“Maybe. But she also gained something new.”
“Oh?”
“Happiness. And a bunch of new friends too. However, she still deserves so much more. And you’re just the one to give it to her.”
“I’ll talk to her about some ‘us’ time when we get back to Equestria.”
Rainbow Dash grins. “Good! She’s not too good about starting those conversations, after all.”
“Anything else?”
“Kinda, yeah.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Kinda?”
“It’s just... ah... hard to say aloud.”
Arc smiles. “Take your time.”
”I... wanted to talk to you about... Princess Luna.”
“I’m told you had... words with her some time ago.”
“Sorta.”
“And that they weren’t exactly friendly.”
Rainbow Dash frowns. “I know what I heard though!”
“Oh?”
“She got you alone in the Ponyville Town Hall a while back!”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Yes. What about it?”
“I... was listening in.”
“How?!”
“From a window.”
Arc groans. “Great.”
Rainbow Dash appears confused. “Great?”
“Look, you need to just forget what you heard. Luna, she... she’s very... self-conscious about... that particular matter at hand.”
“About wanting to get with you?”
“Um... no.”
“What else could she have meant back then?”
“I can’t tell you.”
Rainbow Dash frowns. “But we’re supposed to be a couple! Couples tell each other EVERYTHING!”
Arc shakes his head. “Not if it means keeping a secret for a friend.”
“Come on, Arc! I won’t tell anypony!”
“That’s what I told Luna. That it would stay just between her and I. And that’s what I’m going to do.”
Rainbow Dash grits her teeth. “She’s playing you, Arc!”
“Playing me?”
“The princess just wants you all to herself!”
“But why would Luna...?”
Rainbow Dash interrupts him. “Because you represent something she can’t have! And she’s head over fetlocks in love with you!”
Arc shakes his head. “Believe me when I say that we’re just friends.”
“Maybe YOU are! But she wants more!”
“Are you sure that’s all there is to it?”
“What else could there be?!”
“You tell me.”
Rainbow Dash is silent for a time. Eventually she speaks.
“Fine. I’ll tell you a secret if you promise to keep it to yourself.”
“What is it?”
“The princesses are... really well liked amongst everypony I know. Never a bad thing is ever said about them. At least not from what I’ve heard.”
“
“Is that a problem?
“It is for me. Now don’t tell anypony this, but...”
She grimaces before continuing.
“I... really don’t like the princesses all that much.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “You don’t?”
“Other than Twilight, I mean!”
“What do you have against them?”
“It’s just... they’re so... unchallenged.”
Arc shrugs. “Well, they are the longtime rulers of Equestria.”
“I know that! But they can’t be THAT perfect!”
“No one is ever truly flawless.”
“That’s what I’ve been thinking! Everypony just does whatever they say without question!”
“An interesting statement from the Element of Loyalty.”
Rainbow Dash nods soberly. “I’m loyal to my friends and the ponies of Equestria. Nothing more. Nothing less. And if I feel that they’re in danger I can’t help but...”
Arc interrupts her. “Luna isn’t threatening anyone though.”
“Our herd, yes!”
“Do you trust me?”
Rainbow Dash nods fervently. “Of course I do, Arc!”
“Then listen to me now. That night in the Town Hall, Luna told me her deepest and darkest secret.”
Rainbow Dash gasps. “What was it?!”
“A secret.”
“Aw, come on!”
“All I can say is that she needed to talk to me about what she referred to as her greatest weakness.”
Rainbow Dash raises an eyebrow. “Say what now?”
“Luna has certain... problems. However, she faces them alone as there really isn’t anyone she can talk to about them.”
“What about Princess Celestia? Or Twilight for that matter? The two of them are really close now.”
“I did bring that up, yes. But Luna told me that I had gone through certain... experiences in the past that made me possibly the only one in all the land whom could truly understand what she was going through.”
“That’s pretty cryptic, Arc.”
“I can’t say any more about it though.”
Rainbow Dash appears hopeful. “Can’t I get a hint?!”
Arc shakes his head. “Remember, I did promise her.”
“Fine. But you tell her to stay away from you! “
“We’re just friends. Believe me.”
“Oh, I do believe YOU, Arc! It’s her that I don’t trust!”
“That’s just fine.”
“It is?”
Arc nods. “She said as much. Luna doesn’t blame anyone for her problems. Be they many.”
“And what problems could a princess possibly have?!”
“Do you really want to know?”
“Yes!”
“Alright then. That night in the Town Hall, Luna started the conversation by apologizing to me.”
“What for?”
“All the pain and suffering I had to endure.”
Rainbow Dash grits her teeth angrily. “By Princess Celestia’s horn?!”
“That too, yes. But as a whole she was apologizing for everything that happened to me as the Hero of Light.”
Rainbow Dash appears confused. “What did she have to do with any of that though?”
“That’s what I thought. When I brought that up, she pointed out that everything bad that happened to me as the Hero of Light was, at least in her eyes, her fault.”
“But how?”
“Remember, she was the one whom appointed me to this position. Had she not done so, I wouldn’t have been injured in the line of duty numerous times.”
“She’s right about that.”
“But I told her that I didn’t hold her accountable for any of that.”
“Why not?!”
“Because she just made the offer. It was I whom made the choice to take up the mantle.”
“Kinda wish you hadn’t done that.”
Arc sighs. “Yes, well... had I not, Decimus would have taken full control of the nation when the princesses fell ill some time ago.”
“My friends and I would have found a way to save Equestria!”
“I believe you would have. But who’s to say some of you wouldn’t have been hurt, or worse, in the process?”
“We’ve always been able to rise to the challenge!”
“That’s true from what I’ve heard. However, if my sacrifice was able to save any of you from harm, than I believe it was warranted.”
Rainbow Dash smiles. “And that’s what we like about you, Arc. Your willingness to do what has to be done.”
She looks away momentarily before continuing.
“Is that why you befriended Princess Luna?”
“Huh?”
“Because you felt sorry for her?”
Arc shakes his head. “No. In all seriousness, I Honestly do enjoy her company.”
“And do you have... feelings for her?”
“Just those of a platonic friendship.”
“Then let me run a scenario past you.”
“Oh?”
“Just for the sake of discussion, what would you do if Princess Luna approached you about joining the herd?”
“But I don’t have those kind of feelings for her.”
“Then let’s say that you did.”
Arc puts a hand to his chin thoughtfully. “Well... I suppose I’d bring her before the rest of the herd and tell all of you about the idea.”
“And let’s imagine that we said ‘no’.”
“Then I suppose her and I would have to just remain friends.”
“What if some of us said it was okay while others were against it?”
“I’d suggest that Luna be allowed to join in on some of the herd meetings. See if a consensus could be reached in due time as everyone gets to know each other better.”
“And if we were all for it?”
“Then I suppose I’d also welcome her into the herd. However, let me turn this question around.”
Rainbow Dash raises an eyebrow. “What do you...?”
“Suppose you yourself changed. Had some kind of... let’s just say... falling out with the others in the herd.”
“Then I’d work toward coming up with some sort of redemption plan for myself.”
“Would you?”
Rainbow Dash nods. “Well, yeah. I mean... I’d definitely want to patch things up with my friends as quickly as possible.”
“But what if you didn’t?”
“Huh?”
“Think about it. In this scenario, you were upset enough with your friends to totally walk away from the herd as a whole. That would have to be a serious argument.”
“Eventually I’d come around though.”
“Only you could decide to do that though. And the others would have to want you to come back. That and even if you were able to make amends, our relationships would be scarred forever.”
“Scarred?”
Arc nods. “It would be like a dark cloud hovering over the relationship. Even though whatever transpired is in the past, everyone will always have it in the back of the mind when thinking of you.”
“That’d make things weird, I guess. So I’ll have to do my best to not let things get to that point. For me and everypony else.”
“What about if someone else did something like that? Walked away from the herd. I mean.”
“Then we’d try to get them back.”
“Because everyone deserves at least a chance to be a part of it.”
“Right!”
“And if someone else wanted in?”
“Then we should at least talk about it.”
“Like with Luna?”
“But I thought you weren’t interested in her.”
“Let’s just say that I was.”
“Um... then I guess... I suppose we should give her at least a chance to talk to us all about her feelings. I mean... if you really did like her, and all.”
“Talking at least, yes. But the question now is... would you give her, or anyone else whom wanted to join the herd, the benefit of the doubt.”
Rainbow Dash sighs. “I’ll try. That’s the best I can do.”
Arc smiles at her. “Good. Now then, I would like to say that I do like Luna as a friend. And as my friend, I would appreciate it if you would respect her as a pony and her opinions.”
“Fine. I’ll apologize for what I said to her a while back the next chance I get.”
“Thank you. It means a lot to me.”
“There’s just one more thing I wanted to talk to you about, Arc.”
“What is it?”
“Me.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Um... that didn’t really clear it up.”
Rainbow Dash sighs. “I just... don’t really know how I should be feeling about... my place in the herd.”
“Your place?”
“Yeah. I’m not... exactly the nicest mare in it sometimes.”
“Short fuse at times, yes.”
“And I don’t really... um... know if I’m up to the task.”
“Of marriage?”
“Of being... connected to everypony like this.”
“So you’re not sure that you’re ready to join the herd?”
“R-right.”
“That’s fine.”
Rainbow Dash appears surprised. “You’re okay with that?”
Arc nods. “Sure. Anyone who isn’t ready, isn’t ready.”
“But shouldn’t you be a bit... I don’t know... mad after spending days together here on Earth and me not mentioning it before?”
“Why would I be?”
“Because it shows that I’m a coward!”
Arc shakes his head. “No, you’re not. “
“Then what...?!”
“You’re a very brave mare to say it.”
“How is not being ready brave?!”
“It means you had the courage to say that even though you’re attracted to me, that you aren’t where you need to be emotionally to make an important choice in joining up.”
“You gotta understand though, it isn’t because I don’t care about you, Arc. Heck, I get a little wet down there just thinking about you sometimes. But... I’m just not ready to make a commitment like that to anypony.”
She licks her lips seductively before continuing.
“But, as long as we’re both being completely honest, I’d still like the chance to do what it takes to make you happy.
“Meaning...?”
“I... might just have to be something other than a herdmate.”
“Like what?”
“How about... a live-in aunt? After all, I’d still like to be with my friends. And you too, of course.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “But isn’t that about the same thing as you actually joining the herd?”
Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “Not to me, no. After all, I’m just not ready for something like this yet.”
“So you’d just be an aunt?”
“To the foals, you, and the others, I mean. I’ll lend a hoof taking care of the little ones when their moms have to go to work, or whatever else they need to do. To them I’ll just be ‘cool Auntie Raine’.”
“Sticking with the human name, huh?”
Rainbow Dash nods. “I really like it, yeah. And it’ll be easier for the little ones to say. But don’t think that I haven’t thought of you too, Arc.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. I’d still like to be active in your life.”
“In what way?”
Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes. “Do I really have to spell it out for you?!”
“Yup. Just so I’m completely sure of what you mean.”
“I still want... what any mare wants, I suppose. Somepony to love and to be loved. And that includes you plowing me.”
“Plowing you?”
“Remember, if Auriel figures out a way to make your human sperm compatible with our pony eggs you’ll be able to get the others pregnant. They’ll have taken the counteragent for ‘the shot’ and start ovulating. I can be your fallback mare for when you want to have sex without worrying about getting somepony knocked up.”
“So you still want to be with me sexually?”
Rainbow Dash nods fervently. “Yup. After all, I do honestly care about you a lot, Arc. That and I’m pretty tough physically, so you can do literally whatever you want to me.”
Arc frowns. “I don’t really want to think about that.”
“Why not? I mean... I’m totally willing to do whatever you want.”
“Because I see you as more than just a toy, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow Dash smiles warmly at him. “And I appreciate that, Arc. But... this is honestly what I want. To be the one to help you test out sex moves, playtimes, and experiment with what’s possible between a mare and a human.”
“It still just feels wrong though.”
“Think of it this way. I can use what we learn together to teach the others how to have the most pleasurable sex with you. It’ll help them, and you, make the most of your time together as well as keep everypony safe.”
“I mean... if that’s really what you want, and everyone else is okay with it...”
Rainbow Dash interrupts him. “Still have to run it by them first though. Just wanted to get your take on it beforehoof.”
“We’ll all have to talk about it.”
“Good. That and I’m really anxious to do something else with you, Arc.”
“Oh?”
Rainbow Dash blushes slightly. “I... want to know what it’s like to be with you. Like the others during their dates.”
“With me in what regard?”
“Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, and Derpy told us all about spending absolutely magical nights with you. Three of which took place in this very bed, I head. I just want to know exactly what it’s like to be with you, Arc. Feel your skin against mine as I’m held in your arms.”
“So you want us to sleep together?”
“Well, I mean we technically already did the other day.”
“But both of us were too sick to really do much other than just lie there.”
“Right. So... could we sleep together tonight. Totally bare?”
Arc nods. “If that’s what you want, then yes.”
Grinning, Rainbow Dash slides her shorts down along with Arc’s. Tossing them both aside, she lays down on top of him and sighs contentedly.
“This is awesome!”
Arc smiles as he puts his arms around her. “Comfy?”
“Very!”
“I have to admit, it does feel nice holding you, Rainbow Dash.”
“Raine, remember?”
Arc chuckles. “Fine... Raine.”
He leans down and kisses the top of her head. Rainbow Dash moans lightly as he does so. Moving down to her cheek, he pecks his way across her face to approach her lips. However as he does so, his partner quickly turns away.
“Sorry. Did I go too far?”
Rainbow Dash continues to look away. “It... it’s not that. I just... um... feel kinda bad about doing that with you.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Kissing?”
“Sorta. You see, that guy at the roller skating rink, he... he kissed me.”
“You already told me that, remember.”
“I know, but... it just feels like I’d be cheating you if I were to...”
She is cut off as Arc puts a hand on her chin. Turning her face toward himself, he smiles and whispers to her.
“You did nothing wrong.”
Leaning forward, their lips meet. Surprised at first, Rainbow Dash’s eyes slowly close as she melts into Arc’s embrace. Leaning to the kiss, the pair continue making out for some time. Eventually, as they pull back, Rainbow Dash looks to Arc nervously.
“I... I’m not...”
“Not what?”
“Good enough to deserve this.”
“It isn’t about deserving it, Rainbow... Raine. After all, I don’t really deserve you and the others. Yet you all want to be with me.”
“I say that you do though.”
Arc sighs. “Having the love of so many mares really seems unfair though.”
“And we think it’s unfair for you to be limited to just one mare, as you’re just so darn sexy, Arc.”
“So are you, Raine. So are you.”
Smiling widely, Rainbow Dash leans towards Arc and plants a kiss on his lips as she wraps her arms around his neck and holds him close.