Star Shine stopped protesting when he realised nopony was going to help him. He sighed and resigned himself to being stuck on Rainbow Dash’s back.
“Can I get down now? I won’t run away but I’m getting tired of all the looks I’m getting.” Star Shine asked, looking at the ground so he didn’t have to look at the ponies pointing and laughing at him.
“You can stay there. This is part of your punishment. Do you think I like carrying you around? You said yourself Pegasi don’t have hollow bones.” Rainbow Dash replied. Star Shine wasn’t actually being punished for anything anymore but playing up to his guilt had been Phase One of The Plan. If he thought he was being punished he wouldn’t question what Rainbow Dash was going to do with him.
“Does it annoy you to carry me around?” Scootaloo asked, suddenly hit by a terrible thought.
“Nah, you’re small, light, and most of all, cute.” Rainbow Dash reassured Scootaloo. Scootaloo smiled and jumped up to nuzzle Rainbow Dash quickly.
“I’m cute too..” Star Shine protested quietly. Rainbow Dash laughed.
“Maybe a little.” Rainbow Dash admitted. “But you’re not small and you’re not light.” she added. Star Shine sighed and looked downcast again.
“At least the view isn’t bad.” Star Shine said, turning his head to look at Rainbow Dash’s flank. Rainbow Dash swung her tail around and hit him in the face with it. Star Shine massaged his face where he had been hit and chose to look in front of him rather than behind.
“That’s it, you’re getting off. But no running away.” Rainbow Dash said, bucking Star Shine off her back. He landed flat on his haunches with a resounding thud.
“Where are you even taking me anyway?” he asked as he got up to his hooves and walked in place besides Rainbow Dash.
“Oh you’ll see.” Rainbow Dash said gleefully. Star Shine was a little worried about her tone of voice. “It’s something nice for Scoots. You DO want to be nice to her don’t you?” she asked, leaning close to Star Shine and raising an eyebrow.
“...sorry.” Star Shine said quietly, looking down at the ground sadly.
“I know you are. Don’t worry about it.” Scootaloo said, giving him a quick nuzzle. She didn’t want him to place all the blame on himself and wanted him to feel a little better. It wouldn’t be good for anypony if he couldn’t even look her in the eyes anymore.
“Why are you being so nice?” Star Shine asked her. He expected to be in a lot more physical pain at the moment.
“So you’re finally stumped huh? It took long enough for you to not have the answer.” Rainbow Dash called to him. It was a moment she had waited a long time for and thought she would have to wait until he was with Twilight to see.
“I guess you can’t be right all the time.” Star Shine said, playing with his mane sheepishly. It was one of the hardest things for him to admit.
“I never thought I’d hear you say that.” Rainbow Dash said. “This must really be eating away at you.” Star Shine nodded and Rainbow Dash patted him gently with a wing. She was beginning to think that maybe she should just tell him everything. She expected he would actually really love the idea. All three of them having a fancy dinner together in Canterlot was something he would definitely enjoy.
“It was just an accident, don’t beat yourself up about it so much.” Scootaloo reassured Star Shine, tapping his foreleg with a hoof. She’d have tapped him on the shoulder but she couldn’t reach it.
“So why won’t you just tell me what you’re doing and where we’re going?” Star Shine asked. Scootaloo raised herself onto her hind legs, shrugged, and pointed a hoof at Rainbow Dash before coming back down onto four hooves.
“It’s her idea, not mine.” Scootaloo said to exonerate herself. Star Shine looked at Rainbow Dash for answers.
“It’s more fun this way.” Rainbow Dash said, laughing. “Plus I think you need a lesson in keeping secrets and it’s nice to see you, the Prince of Know It All’s, to not know something.” she added, winking at Star Shine. He sighed and accepted his fate. The part of him that insisted living in guilt considered it an apt punishment.
“Please don’t be sad.” Scootaloo said quickly, huddling up to him. She was worried he might still be blaming himself.
“I messed up big time though.” Star Shine replied. Scootaloo hopped up onto his back and wrapped her forelegs around his neck in a hug.
“It was just an accident. I know you didn’t mean to do anything.” Scootaloo said softly into his ear. “Don’t punish yourself like this okay?”
“Punishing myself?” Star Shine asked, his eyes wide with surprise. “What makes you think I’m punishing myself?”
“I’ve been hurt a lot and let down before. What you did was pretty tame really. I punish myself sometimes too...so don’t do it.” Scootaloo said in a commanding tone. Scootaloo had been hurt so much before she understood the pain of others well, and knew that emotional wounds could hurt a lot more than physical ones. On the one hoof, Star Shine was grateful, but on the other he was deeply saddened by how much pain Scootaloo must have endured to learn one of life’s harshest lessons.
“You really are a wonderful little pony. Never let anypony tell you different.” Star Shine said to her, amazed by her levels of maturity.
“I won’t.” Scootaloo beamed back at him.
“I won’t let it happen either.” Rainbow Dash said, ruffling Scootaloo’s mane. Scootaloo hopped onto Rainbow Dash’s back, cuddled up to the back of her neck, and then jumped down onto the ground once more.
“Where are you even taking me anyway?” Star Shine asked. He hoped that if he asked them suddenly they might just say it, much like he himself might have done. Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash shook their heads.
“You’ll have to find out when we get there.” Rainbow Dash said. Star Shine gave Scootaloo a pleading look but she just shook her head again and wouldn’t tell him anything. Star Shine sighed and accepted this was probably how it was going to be. At least he’d find out soon. Scootaloo still liked Rainbow Dash more and as this was her idea, she felt Rainbow Dash should be the one to tell him. If she didn’t want to, then Scootaloo wouldn’t say anything either.
“We’re here.” Rainbow Dash said a short time later. Star Shine gave a sharp intake of breath at the sight before him. It was a large building that was designed to look like a carousel and his eyes trailed until they found a sign. The design made sense to him as he saw the name of the place; Carousel Boutique.
“Why are we at a boutique? What are you doing?” Star Shine asked. He was panicking a little but Rainbow Dash ignored him and just pushed him inside the shop. She didn’t like being in a boutique any more than he did and wanted to get the experience over and done with. Scootaloo trailed close by and followed them inside.
“Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique” Rarity called as they entered. It was the way she normally greeted customers and she said it out of instinct before realising who it was that had entered her shop. “Ahh if it isn’t Rainbow Dash and your handsome little coltfriend. Star Shine was it?” Rarity asked. Star Shine feared for Rarity’s safety.
“He’s not my coltfriend, and we’ll talk about that later. For now though I’d like you to make him a suit.” Rainbow Dash replied. She was content to wait to talk to Rarity about Gabby Gums. Star Shine breathed a sigh of relief at how easily Rainbow Dash had brushed aside the ‘coltfriend’ comment but panicked when he realised what else she had said.
“Suit? Why do I need a suit?” Star Shine asked. “I have a perfectly good suit at home.”
“Yeah, at home in Trottingham. You need one for here.” Rainbow Dash replied. Rarity was curious but she had a job to do. Questions could wait.
“Stick him behind the screen there and I’ll measure him, then get to work.” Rarity said. Rainbow Dash started pushing him but Star Shine moved ahead of her.
“I can walk you know. You don’t have to carry me everywhere.” Star Shine commented as he moved behind the screen. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo stood on the other side while Rarity disappeared behind the curtain and began measuring Star Shine.
“So what’s the occasion? A date?” Rarity asked Star Shine as she measured his forelegs. She was talking quietly so Rainbow Dash couldn’t hear. Star Shine lifted up a foreleg in a shrug and Rarity tapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t move your forelegs while I measure them dear.” she chastised.
“Sorry. I don’t know what she’s planning. She just dragged me here without telling me anything.” Star Shine explained. Rarity hmmed as she thought over the implications.
“So it’s true that you aren’t a couple?” Rarity asked, measuring the length of his back.
“Yes ma’am, I really am just Scootaloo’s flight instructor, and an old friend of Rainbow Dash.” Star Shine explained. He wanted to get all the confusion sorted as quickly as he could.
“But last time I saw you, you said you were her specialist friend. Her most special friend.” Rarity replied, her face showing her confusion and misunderstanding.
“Yes, I’m a specialist at training fillies to fly. I can get any filly to fly and that’s what I meant. Sorry about the confusion.” Star Shine replied.
“Oh no dear. I should be the one apologising for the things I said that ended up in that churlish gossip column. I sure hope Rainbow wasn’t too angry.” Rarity said. She sounded sincere and Star Shine was keen to give her the benefit of the doubt.
“You’re still alive aren’t you?” Star Shine asked. Rarity nodded, confused by the question. “Then she wasn’t too angry.” Star Shine reassured her. Rarity giggled in response and began measuring his hips.
“It’s a shame you and Rainbow Dash aren’t a couple.” Rarity commented.
“Why’s that then?” Star Shine asked, confused. He was trying not to move much while Rarity worked her way around his lower body.
“Well look at you darling,” Rarity said, raising her voice so Rainbow Dash could hear her, “an impressive figure honed by years of flight, a charming accent, you have a good job, and you’re wonderful with kids. Especially her little Scootaloo. What more could a girl want?” Rarity surmised.
“I heard that.” Rainbow Dash replied. Scootaloo giggled at Rainbow’s reaction. She wasn’t well versed in love and the last time she had tried to pair two ponies up it ended in disaster so she tried to avoid having an opinion on that matter. She still found how uncomfortable Rainbow Dash was about it amusing though and wondered if Rainbow Dash still felt the same way she had all those years ago.
“You were supposed to.” Rarity said, leaning around the screen and smiling at Rainbow Dash. “Well I’m all done, and he’s all yours again.” she added as she put the tape measure away and tapped Star Shine on the flank. He jumped at the unexpected contact and moved out from behind the curtain. There was a red tinge to his dark blue cheeks. “The suit will be ready by tonight. Now, is there anything else I can do for you?” Rarity asked.
“Don’t you want to know what I’d like my suit to look like?” Star Shine asked, confused. He thought he would get some opinion on the matter.
“Darling please, I know what my customers want. I learned a long time ago not to let my customers design their own outfits. Those were some of the worst dresses I ever laid my beautiful eyes on.” she said, shuddering at the memory of the time her friends had designed their own dresses. “Now, is there anything else I can do for you?”
“There is one thing...” Rainbow Dash began. Rarity turned to face her but Rainbow Dash didn’t say anything.
“Yes, what is it?” Rarity asked, confused by her friend’s silence.
“She wants a dress. Two actually. One for her, and one for me.” Scootaloo said on Rainbow Dash’s behalf. There was still no way Rainbow Dash was about to admit to wanting a dress.
“Does the one you got for the gala not fit anymore?” Rarity asked. Inside she was practically glowing at the thought of making Rainbow Dash a new dress. Even if Rainbow herself hadn’t actually asked for it.
“It fits fine. I’d just like something...special.” Rainbow Dash replied, so quietly Rarity almost missed it.
“What was that? You want something what?” Rarity asked, teasing Rainbow Dash into admitting what she said loudly.
“Special. I want something special.” Rainbow Dash managed to say. There was a very pink tinge to her cheeks. “It doesn’t matter what it looks like because he’s paying too.” she added, pointing a hoof at the shocked Star Shine.
“I’m paying for these?” he asked, taken aback. He expected to have to pay for something, but not a new suit and two new dresses.
“You heard what Rarity said, you have a good job. I’m going to pay for something else, but this is the more expensive thing.” Rainbow Dash replied, taking her place behind the curtain. Rarity ducked behind the curtain herself.
“You really can’t tell me anything?” Star Shine asked Scootaloo. He was curious about a lot of things and not having answers was close to torturous for him.
“I almost want to but I think she’s right about you needing to be taught a lesson.” Scootaloo replied. Star Shine sighed and lowered himself onto the ground mentally watching all his bits fade away. “I can tell you I think you’d like it too.” Scootaloo added. Star Shine started shaking as he imagined what Rainbow Dash might have in mind and Scootaloo patted his mane in a comforting manner. She had to admit it felt good to be the one giving comfort for once instead of receiving it.