CHAPTER FOUR
A Dash Of Romance
As Twilight recounted the story of how her foals got their names, Rainbow Dash wasn't listening. Her thoughts were focused solely on a certain pony.
"That unicorn who runs the repair shop in town?" she'd asked. "Now there's a guy who knows how to fix things."
The inflection at the end of that sentence had thankfully, for her at least, gone unnoticed by the rest of the group. And as Twilight finished her story, Dash found herself thinking that maybe she should act on her feelings and ask him out.
Feelings. There were plenty of those floating around at the moment, and as much as she hated to admit it, Dash didn't want to feel left out.
"Come on, Geo."
Dash was snapped out of her trance-like state and saw Shining Armour leading Geo from the library.
How long was I out? She wondered.
As the door closed behind the two of them, Twilight let out a sigh.
"He's right," she said wistfully, "the universe is a bastard."
"Twilight!" gasped a clearly shocked Rarity.
"Sorry, Rarity," Twilight replied with a huff, "but it's true. We've barely had any time to ourselves since he got back, what with the trial, his sentence, our friends - no offence - and these two."
She indicated Azure and Evening. The foals were sound asleep, oblivious to their mother's torment.
"Ah hear ya, Twi." Applejack said. "So Ah'll tell ya what. Next time he comes ta see y'all, we won't be here. Then y' can have all tha time ya want ta yerselves."
Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie nodded their agreement with Applejack's idea. Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, seemed to be focusing on a particular spot on the wall.
"Dash?"
The cyan pegasus continued looking at the wall, as if she were trying to win a staring contest.
"DASH?!" Applejack shouted.
"Huh? Wha-?"
"Ah was just sayin' ta Twilight that we'd give her and Geo some space next time he's here. Y'all okay with that?"
"Uh, sure," Dash replied, "no problem. I've got somepony to do ... er, I mean ... something to do."
Before anyone could stop her, she was out the door.
***
Spark Plug whistled contentedly to himself as he locked up his shop, preparing himself for his journey home. It had been a long day, and he could almost swear that he could hear a cup of coffee calling his name.
Glancing skywards, a familiar chromatic trail streaked across the sky. Spark smiled inwardly to himself.
"That's gotta be Rainbow Dash," he said to himself, "because only she can make flying look so beautiful."
"Beautiful?" said a voice from behind him, "Try awesome."
Spark jumped a few hooves into the air with a yelp, landing on the ground in a heap. He looked up to see a blaze of colour in the form of Dash's mane. She had a sly smile on her face, and was gazing at Spark with something akin to wonder.
"Sorry," she said sheepishly, offering a helping hoof, "it's just that I've been looking for you."
Spark gripped Dash's hoof with his and was pulled up. He dusted himself off before clearing his throat.
"If you want something fixed," he said, "you'll have to wait until tomorrow. I'm closed for today."
Dash shook her head.
"No, I don't want anything fixed." she said.
"Then what do you want?" Spark asked, raising an eyebrow.
A small tint of pink appeared on Dash's cheeks as she blushed. She scuffed a hoof along the ground.
"It's ... kinda awkward," she said, "given how I've never done this sort of thing before."
Spark's eyebrow raised even further, but he made no comment.
Dash let out a sigh and took a couple of deep breaths.
"I was just wondering ... " she said, " ... if you'd like to come and hang out sometime?"
Spark's eyebrow fell back to its usual resting place, while his jaw took a similar downward journey to the ground.
"You mean, like a date?" he asked.
Dash smiled and nodded.
"Uhh, yeah. Sure." he replied. "That sounds great."
Dash suddenly seemed to perk up, her blush vanishing and her smile replaced with a huge grin.
"Cool," she said, "so how does tomorrow sound?"
"Tomorrow is great." Spark replied. "I'll see you at seven?"
"Sugarcube Corner," Dash said, "don't be late."
Spark nodded as Dash shot into the sky, her trademark rainbow streak trailing behind her.
As soon as she was out of sight, Spark let out a cheer he didn't know he was suppressing.
"I can't believe that just happened!" he said to nopony in particular. "Rainbow Dash just asked me out! Rainbow-freaking-Dash!"
Spark walked down the street towards his home, an obvious spring in his step, and a huge smile plastered firmly on his face.
***
The next day, Spark stood outside Sugarcube Corner. The town clock read 6:59pm, and the smells emanating from the confectionery establishment caused his mouth to water, and his stomach to rumble.
As the clock struck seven, Rainbow Dash landed on the ground in front of him. She had clearly made an attempt to tidy her mane, but her efforts had been wasted from the high-speed flying she had been doing. The result was a wind-swept style that would have Rarity in a fit, should she see it.
"You're here, then." Dash said as she folded her wings neatly by her sides.
"Seven o' clock, just as we agreed." Spark said with a smile. He opened the door to the bakery and gestured Dash inside.
"Mares first." he said politely.
Dash simply grinned before propelling him through the door with a quick flap of her wings.
"I'm not really into that sappy stuff." she said by way of explanation. "That's more for the likes of Geo and Twilight."
Spark nodded and the two went up to the counter.
"Hello dearies," Mrs. Cake said, "what can I get you?"
"Oh, hi Mrs. Cake." Dash said, looking puzzled. "Where's Pinkie?"
"She's with that coltfriend of hers." Mrs. Cake replied. "They seem so happy together, though I still wonder how he's able to keep up with Pinkies endless energy."
Dash chuckled.
"Can I get a strawberry cupcake and a hot chocolate?" she asked, before turning to Spark. "And what about you?"
"I'll have what she's having." he replied.
"Take a seat, and I'll bring them over."
The two made their way over to a seat in the corner. Soon enough, Mrs. Cake arrived with their order, and Spark reached into his bit pouch, only to be stopped by a cyan hoof.
"I already told you," she said sternly, "that I don't do the sappy stuff. And the stallion paying, is sappy. I can pay for both of us."
"Oh," said Spark hesitantly, as he put his bit pouch away, "thanks Dash. I appreciate it."
You've got yourself a winner here, Spark. Not only is she cute, she doesn't expect you to be a total gentlecolt. Don't buck this up!
Spark ignored that part of his mind, focusing instead on the mare in front of him. She bit into her cupcake, smearing a bit of frosting across her top lip. Fighting back the urge to wipe it off, Spark took a bite of his own.
"So, Rainbow Dash..." he began.
"Just 'Dash' is fine," she interrupted, "as long as I get to call you 'Spark' in return."
"Of course, Dash." he replied. "Now, as I was going to say ... what made you ask me out like this?"
The pink returned to Dash's cheeks.
She's even cuter when she's embarrassed.
"Well, I've noticed you around town," she said, "and you seemed kinda cool, so I thought 'why not?'."
Spark laughed.
"I guess fixing things does make me cool," he said, "but I'm nowhere near as cool as you."
Dash waved a hoof dismissively.
"Shut up..." she said, suppressing a giggle.
"I mean it!" Spark said. "You're the best flyer in Equestria, you're one of the Elements of Harmony, and you've saved our flanks on so many occasions! I may be cool, but I'll never top you."
Dash let out the giggle she was holding as her blush faded.
"Thanks," she said, "it feels nice to hear a stallion give me a genuine compliment. Usually when guys say stuff like that, they're only after one thing, if you catch my drift."
Spark's cheeks turned red and his ears flattened.
"I can guess." he said with an awkward chuckle.
"Anyway," Dash said suddenly, "we're getting close to the sappy stuff again, so let's change the subject!"
"Sure," Spark replied, "what subject did you have in mind?"
"Well," Dash said, "you know a lot about me. But then again, who doesn't? So, I want to know about you."
Spark sighed.
"There's not much to tell." he said. "I grew up in Ponyville with my parents. It was them who opened the store. My dad did all the fixing, while my mother handled the finances, since she was an accountant. I got my cutie mark after I saw my father give up on fixing something. I had a look at it, and out of curiosity, stuck a spark plug in it. Lo and behold, the item worked, and I wasn't a blank flank any more."
He chuckled.
"How ironic, that the very item I was named after would help me get my cutie mark."
"I got my cutie mark after pulling off a So-" Dash began.
"Sonic Rainboom," Spark interrupted, "I heard. I also heard that that same Rainboom helped your friends to get their respective cutie marks as well?"
Dash grinned.
"Now that," Spark said, "is cool."
"Yeah," Dash replied, "it is."
***
"I thought it was the stallion who had to walk the mare home," Spark enquired, "instead of the other way around?"
"Well I live in Cloudsdale," Dash replied, "and the last time I checked, you weren't a pegasus."
"Okay, I get it." Spark replied.
The two of them stood on the doorstep of Spark's home in silence, Luna's moon casting its light across the deserted streets.
"Thanks for tonight, Spark." Dash said. "It was fun. We should definitely do this again soon."
Spark looked at the sky.
"A wonderful evening, and a totally cool mare." he said. "Though I can't help but think that something is missing. Something that would make this night per-"
Spark's words were cut off as Dash's lips met with his, sending a wave of shock coursing throughout his body. He leaned back into the kiss, prompting a moan from the cyan pegasus.
After what seemed like an eternity, the two of them separated.
"Is it a perfect night now?" Dash asked.
"Totally." Spark replied.
Dash ruffled her feathers and grinned.
"Good," she said, as she took off and hovered above the ground, "because there'll be more nights like this."
Spark returned her grin.
"Goodnight, Dash." he said.
"Goodnight, Spark." she replied, as she flew off in the direction of Cloudsdale, leaving a smitten unicorn in her wake.