//------------------------------// // The day before // Story: New Year's Eve // by Cedric Inuzuka //------------------------------// CHAPTER ONE:   The day before     Somewhere in Ponyville, near the Everfree Forest, stands a small cottage which belongs to a very particular Pegasus. What makes this Pegasus so special? Some would tell you that it's because she has the special talent to understand and talk to animals, even the big and scary dragons, while others would tell you because of how calm and kind she is, even in the face of disaster.   But today could be the day she throws all this out the window and tells her guest a few home truths. Who could be this guest? None other than the self-proclaimed 'Awesome One', the one and only, Rainbow Dash. But today, like many before, she didn't feel like bragging and boasting of how great she was, today she was more depressed than ever yet she shouldn't have been, she just finished valedictorian of the Wonderbolts academy, a bright future awaited her, a future this Pegasus wanted more than anything else, except that now she had it within easy reach, she knew that it wasn't what she really wanted.   No, she knew exactly what she wanted, or more importantly, who she wanted because, fillies and gentlecolts, our own Rainbow 'danger' Dash is in love.   When Fluttershy came back from her kitchen with a tray filled by a plate of cake and two cups of tea, the blue Pegasus was still watching the snow fall outside.   “Hum... Rainbow, I brought back the tea and some cake... If that's ok with you.” The yellow Pegasus spoke, putting the tray down on the table and giving a cup to her guest, who’d finally turned away from the blizzard, who took it.   “Thank you Shy. A hot drink is awesome when it's cold outside.” But rather than drink any, she preferred to look at her tea with a pensive look and after a little while, she sighed.   “Is everything alright? If you want to talk about it that is.” Fluttershy knew something was on her friend's mind and although this wasn't the first time she’d seen her so depressed, as far as she could remember the first time she’d seen her like that, it was six month ago, the day after the marriage of Applejack and Rarity.   “All is well, why wouldn’t it be? I'm going to be a Wonderbolt soon, my dream is within hoofs reach, and I've never felt so empty.” She finished in a whisper; a single tear escaped and began to run down her cheek, as several times before, Fluttershy took her friend’s hoof in her own.   “There, there.” She brushed the rainbow mane and tried to comfort her friend with soothing words. “It's not good to keep everything inside, why don't you tell me what's eating you up? If you don't mind... of course.” They remained like that for a little while before Rainbow finally nodded.   She removed herself from the embrace of her friend and resumed her place at the table, looking at her tea. “You don't have some hard cider, do you? Because I don’t think I'm drunk enough to tell you.” Surprisingly Fluttershy nodded, went to her kitchen and came back with two bottles of cider which she placed on the table, one in front of Rainbow and one in front of her.   “Whoa Shy, I was joking, but since you offered, I think that will help, bottoms up.” And in ten seconds flat, she finished her bottle. “Hum, this is some strong stuff you have here.”   “This was a special vintage from Applejack's cellar.” Fluttershy sighed and poured her remaining bottle into two glasses and gave one to her friend. “Please, don't drink it too fast.”   “Bwahahaahhahaha, don't worry.” She took her glass but didn't drink it, she played with it instead. “Where do I begin?”   “At the start, that’s always the best.”   “You're right; now let's see where it all began...”   _________________________________________________________________________________   The Summer Sun Celebration was going to be awesome! At least, that's what Rainbow Dash thought, with princess Celestia coming to Ponyville and, more importantly, the Wonderbolts performing at the celebration tomorrow. She was going to show them what she was made of, and for this she needed to practice more than ever, even if she had weather duty today.   She was flying near the ground to do her future signature move, The 180° backward rainbow turn, when something caught her eyes, it was purple, spoke with a small dragon and it was approaching at high speed, Rainbow would normally react immediately, but for some unknown reason, she couldn't move, much less look away from the purple unicorn before the inevitable happened, the Pegasus collided with the unicorn and they both ended up in a puddle of mud.   “Hehehehe, hum... ‘Scuse me? Hahaha” Rainbow said but in the inside she was panicking 'Why I am laughing? This isn't funny, fuck brain start working.' After a little while, she had an idea. “Hehehe, let me help you.” She flew away and brought back a cloud filled with water, leaping on top and jumping several times until the cloud was empty, she looked at the purple pony who was still below and what she saw took her breath away '*gasp* So beautiful, erf what I'm saying ? C'mon brain, it's time to wake up, please.' While Rainbow seemed calm and composed, inside, she was panicking, and when Rainbow Dash panics, she panics one hundred and twenty percent more than anypony else. “Hehehe, oops! I guess I over did it. Hum, ha, how about this?” She began to fly around the unicorn as fast as she could. “My own patented, rain-blow dry.” She finished, full of herself. “No, no, don't thank me, you’re quite welcome.” When she landed and looked at the unicorn who’s hair was in a sorrier state than Pinkie Pie’s, she tried to keep her laughter to herself, but eventually cracked and before she knew it, she was on the ground, laughing with the little dragon on her. “Bwahahahahaha.”   “Let me guess, you're Rainbow Dash.” The unicorn spoke for the first time and for the Pegasus, it was music to her ears.   She stood up, throwing the dragon away. “The one and only.” She couldn't believe it, had the purple unicorn knew her name? She flew toward the other mare and stopped just in front of her. 'She’s even cuter when I'm close.' She had to be sure. “Why? You heard of me?”   “I heard you supposed to be keeping the sky clear.” How those words hurt the Pegasus, she even recoiled and when the unicorn looked away, she flew toward the nearest cloud and turned her back to the other mare, at least she wouldn't see the first of many tears that Rainbow Dash will devote to the purple unicorn whom she’d learnt later was named Twilight Sparkle.   _________________________________________________________________________________     “Oh my, when I said from the beginning, I didn't know it was...”   “From day one, I fell in love with Twilight Sparkle. It might have been love at first sight or maybe when she first spoke my name.” The light blue Pegasus sighed again.   Fluttershy was shocked, she knew her friend wasn't well, but she didn't know that it had been so for this long. “But that means...”   “Two years, six months and ten days, still counting.” Rainbow took another sip of cider.   “But at that time you were with Gilda, you were with her since flight camp, I always thought...”   “Ah! Gilda...” Rainbow laughed without humor. “I've never been so happy to know Pinkie than the day she ran Gilda out of town. She saved me from an awkward break-up talk.”   “What? I thought you never broke up with Gilda?”   “Bah, since that day I haven’t had any news of her, which was as good as a break-up.” And to emphasize her point, she finished her drink.   “Two and a half years… you hide it well and I suppose a lot of things make sense now.” Fluttershy refilled her friend's glass.   Rainbow thanked her and asked. “Things? What do you mean by that?”   The alcohol gave the yellow Pegasus some courage and she began to tell of what she’d seen since Twilight had come to Ponyville. “Oh just some little details… like the best flier of Equestria always crashing into the library and rarely into other buildings or only whenever a purple unicorn is near.” She finished her glass and poured herself another dose of cider, then with a smug smile, a rare sight on the quiet Pegasus, she continued to speak. “You always tried to be near her, now that I know, I think it's cute." She giggled; the cider was beginning to take effect.   “You can laugh, I didn't know how to get her attention, but I always thought I had time because she didn't seem interested in romance.”   “This isn't like that anymore.” The not-so-quiet-anymore Pegasus pointed out.   “Yeah, after her brother and princess Cadance wedding, she began to search for her special somepony.” The future Wonderbolt sighed… again.   “That made one and a half year? I always wondered how she could never find somepony ?”   Rainbow started to laugh and calmed down after some time. “Hehehe, let’s say I helped a little with that.”   Fluttershy was puzzled. “What do you mean by that?”   “For the last year and a half, I ruined every relationships of Twilights’. Oh and some dates too.” She said happily whilst finishing her drink.   Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe she’d finally lost it, but the only reaction Fluttershy had, was laughter, but not a discrete and quiet little laugh that would usually emanate from the quiet pegasus, this was one that came from the heart. Both Pegasi laughed for quite some time before, eventually, they calmed down. “You have to tell me how you were able to do it for more than a year ... if that’s okay with you." Even with alcohol, some things never changed.   “At the beginning, it was easy with my new job as a mail-mare...”   “So it wasn't because you needed more bits?”   “Of course not, you have to know that everything I’ve done for the last and half year, they were all for Twilight. For her I will do anything.”   “Except tell her the truth about your feelings.” Fluttershy remarked, looking at the empty bottle with some confusion.   Rainbow stared at her friend and said in a tone of resignation. “I would do anything for love, I’d run right into the heart of Tartarus and back, but I won't do that. No, I won't do that.”   Fluttershy asked herself if she was hearing a guitar playing in the background or if that was just her imagination. 'This cider is very strong but at least Rainbow is opening.' “You were saying with being a mail-mare?”   “Oh yeah! It was me who was responsible for delivering the mail on the side of Ponyville where the library is. I filtered her mail and eliminated a lot of pretenders. Simply, by accident, losing their letters or I changed the date of their meeting, a lot of stallions doesn't like to wait two hours, especially when it's raining on them.” She laughed a little and finished her drink, when she reached over to help herself to another glass, she saw that the second bottle was empty. “Hey Shy? You don't have some more stuff to go with this thing.” She was showing her empty glass.   “Maybe we should stop drinking…” Fluttershy said carefully, “Don't forget that tomorrow, we’re going to Canterlot for the New Year’s Eve ball and the train leaves early in the morning.”   “Bah don't worry! You want to know everything, right? You will need to get me drunker than this.” She finished with another laugh. “And if you have something stronger, bring it on.”   Fluttershy was torn between her desire to know what her friend had done and what the right thing to do was. Finally, and probably due to the alcohol which was in her body, she nodded and went into her kitchen to bring back her most alcoholic beverage, a bottle of cider from the Apple family which was going on twenty years old.   Rainbow whistled when she saw the bottle and she held out her glass that Fluttershy filled reverently, she smelt it and took a sip. “Oh yeah! This is exactly what I need.”   The yellow Pegasus poured herself a glass and took a sip. “You were saying 'and some dates', can you explain a little more?” “I knew it wouldn't take much time for Twilight to realize that something was wrong with her courier, that mare is too smart for her own good, or mine...”   “Then, what did you do?”  Fluttershy cut her friend's rant off, too eager to know the truth.   “Sheesh Shy… don’t you remember when she dated Big Macintosh? Even if that didn't last long, courtesy of the 'Awesome One', hehehe.” She finished with a little salute with her left hoof.   The yellow Pegasus put a hoof in front of her muzzle and gasped. “Oh my... What happened?”   “Oh nothing big, just that miss Smarty Pants happened to be sat on a bench during their walk in the park, they had a little fight and went their separate ways, they didn't even make it to the lunch part, bwa-ha-ha.” And like many times today, she finished her drink in one go.   “You’ve been a bad filly.” Fluttershy added with a smile.   “Yeah but everything’s fair in war and love. The best part was when I brought the doll back to Twilight; the hug was totally worth it.” She said with a melancholy look. “But Big Mac wasn't the worst, if I wasn't in love with her I would have approved.”   “Bad luck for him that you're in love with her then.”   “Hehe, at least he was better than Soarin, I admire his way to fly but come on, the moment his hooves touch the ground and he starts to talk, the magic is gone faster than a rainboom, and the worst part is that he believes he’s a gift for all mares, pfft loser, he was one that I didn't regret ruining his date with Twilight."   “Oh? What did you do this time?”   “I changed the hour of their meeting for Twilight then I lightly flirted with him until she arrived, I waited until she was there, and just before he gives me a kiss, I started screaming 'stop Soarin', no mean no, please somepony help me!’ at the top of my voice, I must have been pretty convincing because the next moment, he was thrown toward the exit surrounded by a purple aura. After a shouting match between them, he was flying toward Cloudsdale, his tail between his legs and me? I was invited to the library with a purple unicorn who pampered me, to be sure I was alright. I got the better end of the deal; I played the innocent victim at one hundred and twenty percent with something like 'I don’t think I can sleep alone tonight, please Twi'.' Hum, I shiver when I'm thinking back, her coat again my coat, that was the best moment of my life, but this was also the worst because the next day it was gone and it was built on a lie.” Rainbow sighed.   “And she never suspected you?”   “And she never suspected me or at least she never showed it.”   “That’s strange, I mean Twilight is one of the smartest ponies I know, and if you’ll excuse me, you're not the most discreet.”   “Hey, I was stealthy enough for stealing the daring do book from the hospital.”   “Enough for waking up Ponyville and... finishing in front of the... oh my...” Fluttershy understood and put a hoof in front of her muzzle. “You planned that, you woke up the entire town, just to show her that you liked her book and you have mutual interests. You know, normal ponies give flowers for showing their attractions. Why you must exaggerate everything you do?” “Because she worth it and she is as far from normal as a pony could be.”   “In short, like you.”   “Yeah, like me.” Rainbow sighed again and looked outside, the night has fallen a few hours ago and the snow still continued to fall while a cold wind blew outside. “Shy, can I sleep here tonight? I'm too smashed to fly home. Please?”   Normally, Fluttershy would have replied an affirmative, but tonight wasn't a normal night and she had an idea. “Of course, on one condition, you have until the twelfth stroke of midnight tomorrow to confess everything to Twilight.” She finished with a smug smile.   “WHAT? NO WAY! I prefer to try my luck with the snowstorm, goodnight Shy'” The rainbow-maned Pegasus was already at the door when her friend, without shouting or even raising her voice, froze her with a single sentence.   “Or I tell her everything you did for ‘love’.” She finished her drink and watched Rainbow come back to the table and sit down.   “You don't give me a choice? There’s a word for that you know…”   “I think it's time you stop being a coward and face your fear.”   “I'm not a coward.” The blue Pegasus weakly replied.   “Sure you're not and tomorrow you will prove it at the New Year’s Eve ball.”   “Tomorrow...”           Earlier in the day, somewhere in Ponyville, or more precisely at the carousel boutique, two unicorns were discussing, at least one of them was complaining about her love life and the other one was listening.   “It's been almost two years Rarity. Two years of searching and nothing.” The purple unicorn was saying after she thanked her friend for the tea she brought from her kitchen.   “Oh darling, I'm sure you’re exaggerating a tiny bit.” The dressmaker answered while she took place in front of her guest. “Didn't you have a date with that Canterlot unicorn a week ago. What was his name?”   Twilight sighed and replied in an indifferent tone. “Carnelian Circlet. Please, I don't want to talk about him.”   “But darling, I’d love to hear about your misadventure.”   “Alright, alright, I will tell you. You remember that was a date arranged by my mother? Since I couldn’t find a special somepony, I asked for her help, I still regret it.”   “At least you learnt from your mistake before it was too late, unlike me." She finished with an empty look and a single tear flowed along her cheek, she wiped it with a white handkerchief and smiled to her friend. “But it is in the past, now I have you my darlings and I have 'ma chérie'” She said the last part with a brilliant smile.   Twilight was a little jealous of the happiness radiating from her friend, she wanted some for herself. “So I was telling you about my date with Carnelian Circlet...”   _________________________________________________________________________________     'It will be a good day’ Twilight was thinking while she trotted next to her date, a white unicorn with an azure mane, the nephew of Fancy Pants. He was a teacher at the magic school for gifted unicorns and she was wondering how she didn't meet him when she was younger. They had already exchanged some magic's theory by mail; she smiled when she remembered that some letters felt like they were wrote with his mouth and not by magic. 'Mother knows my taste well, he's smart, well-built but not overly muscular, I have yet to see if he's funny. Now let’s check the list, mane and teeth brushed? Check; a little touch of perfume? Check; a reservation for this fancy restaurant? Check; maybe tonight when we will say goodbye at my door, I will invite him inside and finally, I will check the box for the first kiss.'   “Hum Miss Sparkle? Are you alright? You're kind of red, are you sick?” The stallion asked with a hint of worry.   “Hum, no it's just I'm hot *cough* I mean it's warm today.”   “Yes you're right; we are blessed with a wonderful autumn.” He threw a charming smile and a wink toward the purple unicorn who could only answer by blushing.   'He's quite the charmer. Tonight I will finish my list, at long last, I will finish my list...’ Twilight saw the front door of the restaurant. “We have arrived, let's check our booking.” But before she could move, he stood in front of her. “What is it?”   “Nothing my lady, just let me open the door for you.” He made a little bow and opened the door with his magic, a light blue aura.   'A perfect gentlecolt, maybe a little too much but let's play along for the moment.' “Thank you, kind sir.” She thanked him and went inside.   When the couple passed the front door they were greeted by a server who led them to their table, Carnelian pulled her chair and waited she sat down before sitting down. The waiter took their orders and left them alone.   They had an appetizer and started a discussion on some theory when a green missile shot down the white stallion, Twilight was shocked and her mouth was wide open. It was only when a blue hoof waved before her eyes that she closed her mouth and looked toward the owner of the hoof, purple eyes met cerise. "Rainbow? What are you doing here? And what happened to Carnelian?" She was looking everywhere when, finally she found him, he was sprawled on the ground with a bump on the right side of his head.   “I think he’s out for the count and Tank is the winner.” The blue Pegasus raised the right front leg of her tortoise with a smirk.   “Rainbow, this is not the time for jokes.” Twilight said with authority, but a light smile graced her lips. She trotted toward her unconscious date and saw the damage he’d sustained, at the very least, he’d walk away from this with a concussion. “Care to explain me how your tortoise did that?” She was showing the bump with her right hoof.   "I think his flying device malfunctioned." And it seemed that indeed the device wasn't in tip-top shape since Tank couldn't keep a proper height.   “Strange, I just did the revision and he wasn’t due back for another two months. If you could wait a little, I will bring Carnelian to the hospital and I’ll repair Tank's flying device.”   “Let me help you, since it’s a little of my fault he's like that, can you wake him up with your magic ?”   “I can.” Twilight concentrated and a light purple aura encompassed the white stallion who woke up a few seconds later.   “Wh... What happened?” He tried to stand up but failed.   “You got hit by a tortoise.” Twilight answered.   “Very funny, I was hit by a flying turtle?” He asked with an incredulous tone.   “Hey buddy, she told you it was a flying tortoise and his name is Tank.” The Pegasus intervened while checking on her pet.   “I'm not your buddy, dirty ruffian; put a leash to your pet if you can't control it.” The stallion exploded and attacked verbally the blue mare.   “What did you call me?”   “A dirty ruffian, you should at least know who is your superior, cloud hugger.” He finished, proud of himself and stood up, wincing slightly. “Come Miss Twilight, we should leave this worthless pegasus to her turtle.” He said with a note of finality in his voice.   “I don't think so.” the tone of her voice was icy with a hint of danger on top. “You just insulted one of my best friends and showed me your true colors, you’re one of those ponies who think unicorns are superior to all other aren’t you.”   “But yes, we are.” He replied, confident he was right.   “I’ll give you until the count of ten before I send you back to Canterlot.”   “What?”   “One.”   “But...”   “Two.”   “If I was you, I would start to flee, buddy.” Rainbow added, smiling.   “Three, you are still here.” She began to charge her horn and a purple aura encompassed it. “Four.”   “Pfft, I accepted your mother's request because you were the personal protégé of Princess Celestia, and therefore I could brag that I nailed you, but when I look at you, bah, I deserve better.”   “Ten”   “What al...” He couldn't finish because like she promised, Twilight sent him back to Canterlot.   “And it’s tortoise!” Rainbow shouted after him, “What a loser.” The pegasus added. “It’s a good thing that you sent him away because he was two seconds to a flank kicking.”   “Hum, I could bring him back and enjoy the show if you wanted...”   “As you wish, Miss Twilight.” Rainbow bowed in front of her friend.   “Please Rainbow, this was cute the first time he did it but no more than that. I think we can go to the library so I can repair Tank's device.”   "Okay, lead the way, Miss Sparkle.” Teased Rainbow.   “If you don't stop, I won't let you get the next Daring Do which just arrived this morning and should be on the shelves tomorrow.”   “What? You should have started with that.” the Pegasus was already flying toward the library, leaving a unicorn with a tortoise in front of the restaurant.   “Ah Rainbow Dash, what my life could be without you? Quiet but boring that’s sure.” _________________________________________________________________________________     “... And I finished the day with Rainbow, reading the last Daring Do together.”   “Oh my, darling that must have been an awful date.”   “The date was bad but that was a good day with Rainbow.” The purple unicorn said, smiling.   'And you still don't see it, poor Rainbow. Love is unfair.' “This was the last stallion of a long list.”   “Yes, one and a half years, but I'm still at the same level than the day I started searching for my special somepony.” Twilight sighed.   'Oh Rainbow, with what I'm going to do, you will own me a big one.' “Maybe you didn't search in the right place?”   “What do you mean?”   “Look darling, it's easy, take my example, at least the good part.”   “Huh?” Twilight didn't look convinced.   “I am a mare and 'ma chérie' is a mare too.”   “I know that you and Applejack have been happily married for six months, don't rub your happiness in my face.” Twilight said, grinding her teeth somewhat   'Patience Rarity, patience. She is a little lost and you weren't the smartest for knowing that you preferred mares. Let’s try to guide her. And I talking to myself, I'm going slightly mad.'   “What are you trying to tell me, Rarity ?”   'Oh dear, here come the question worth one hundred bits.' “What I trying to say is, that, maybe you like mares.”   “WHAT? NO... At least I don’t think so.” Twilight tailed off, confused. “How could I know?” she asked her friend with pleading eyes.   “Don't look me with those eyes; it took me a drama to understand so I'm trying to avoid that with you. Maybe you don't like mares, you just have the worst luck when it comes to romance.” 'And a determined but cowardly rainbow-maned mare on your tail.'   “How would I know for certain?”   “Only you have the answer, darling. Why you don't sleep on it and maybe tomorrow you will have your answer, you’ve been seeking for almost two years, you can wait a little more right?”   “Tomorrow...”       Applejack hadn’t had a good week, she was vomiting every morning and sometimes at night too. When Rarity asked what was wrong, she’d said she caught a cold by taking care of the farm. How she would have preferred this diagnosis than the one the doctor told her ten minutes ago.   She was walking aimlessly in the streets of Ponyville when she stood before Sugarcube Corner, she knew her new condition required more sugars than a normal pony, she entered and saw that only Pinkie Pie was at counter.   “Hello Applejack, I knew you will come.” The pink pony welcomed her friend ominously.   “How did ya know Ah was coming, Sugarcube?”The only answer she had was a rapid eye blinking from the party pony. “That’s right, ya Pinkie sense. How Ah could forget?” Applejack said, sighing with resignation   “Maybe because you’re expecting a happy event? Congratulations by the way!”   Applejack wasn't moving. “How in tarnation d’ya know this? Even Ah didn't twenty minutes ago.”   “Easy silly, first I had a dozy hoof, then knee twitch, then Ear flop, then eye flutter.”   “All right, ah understood now, but please Sugarcube, don't tell anyone before I do.” Applejack was nearly crying when she asked her friend who nodded.   “Off course silly, I pinkie promise you. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” She finished with her right hoof in her eye. “But I'm curious how you did it, since you and Rarity are both mares?”   “Erh sugarcube? Ya sure ya want to know?”Applejack blushed a dark red and like last time the answer was a rapid eye blinking. “Alright ah’ll tell ya... ________________________________________________________________________________     Greeting reader   This is a statement from the flashback team.   Following a technical problem of beyond our control, we can't show you the night of love between Rarity and Applejack where they tried a spell who gave stallion attribute to the unicorn.   And no this isn't because the writer doesn't know how to write a clopfic and doesn't want to make a fool of himself.   Also this isn't because he don't want to be rated mature since he was borderline with all the alcohol ingested between the Pegasi.   Thank you for your understanding as we go back to the present.   The flashback team   For a better past.   _________________________________________________________________________________     “... That was strange.” Applejack wondered.   “No I don't think so.” Pinkie countered. “So you will tell everypony tomorrow?”   “Tomorrow? Why?”   “Because silly, in two days I will throw a party for you, Rarity and your future apple, this will be a secret of course.”   “But tomorrow this is the New Year’s Eve ball and we’re leaving for Canterlot at the crack of dawn.”   “Everypony will be there, that simplifies everything, so tomorrow?”   “Tomorrow...”