//------------------------------// // Favorite Reading Spot // Story: When Two Hearts are Daring // by Pigeonsmall //------------------------------// Chapter 2 Rainbow Dash made it to Cloudsdale in no time, effortlessly gliding across the white fluffy citadel until she passed over the weather management complex. A closely knit unit of buildings, encircling a large spiraling tower, the tallest tower in the city. Dash circled round until she found the snow and sleet department, which would be working around the clock to prepare enough of the soft stuff for Hearth’s Warming Eve.  In fact most of the weather factory work force had been moved to this location since less pony power would be required elsewhere. Hopefully this would make her search easier. “April, how’s it goin?” Rainbow Dash landed next to the pony nearest her, who was inspecting the built-in thermometers in front of a long row of vats. “Hi, Rainbow Dash. Oh you know, checking the temps on these snow vats, its riveting work I assure y-” The yawn laid waste to the end of April Shower's sentence, which pulled a quick guffaw from Dash. “Sounds very interesting, Drizz. But anyway, I know this is going to sound weird but...” Rainbow Dash paused to think. Yeah it was going to sound weird no matter how she said it. “Have you seen Dumbbell around here today?” As Dash expected this earned a look. It was a short one that April Showers quickly straightened but Dash had caught it anyway. “Dumbbell? You won’t be seeing him around the factory, today is his day off.” Dash huffed in frustration. “You wouldn’t happen to know where he lives, would you?” she asked. “Nah, Sorry Dash.” she paused. “But that other guy, ya know, Hoops I think, he’s here. Out of anyone here he’ll know. Go East a bit, you’ll see him with the cloud movers.” Rainbow Dash thanked April and left. Sure enough there were several pegasi out today doing cloud sorting work.  In this case moving out the normal clouds and replacing them with the thicker, heavier clouds. Each laden with moisture cold enough to produce snow. Hoops was out in the middle with a group of other pegasi pushing the heavy clouds into the correct place. Dash flew over and landed right onto the cloud he had been pushing alone.  Her extra weight getting his attention immediately. “Yo, Well if it isn’t the great Commander Hurricane.” he said in his typical laid back way, giving a sarcastic salute. “What brings you out to this humble corner of the sky?” Rainbow Dash grinned and saluted back. “At ease, private. I’m here for information! Since I don’t have the time to search every corner of Cloudsdale. I need you to tell me where Dumbbell is.” Hoops stopped pushing the cloud and leaned on it, scratching his chin “Huh, and I thought you just couldn't resist my charm any longer. Well you’re not gonna find him anywhere around here, it’s his day off.” he answered. “I’m already aware,” said Dash. “But you know his usual hangouts, right?” “Sure! There’s the billiard hall, the diner, the gym, the bar, the race track, and uh... oh yeah, the shipyard!” The last one caught Dash’s attention. “The Shipyard? What does he do there?” “I have no idea, babe!” Hoops said with a laugh. When Rainbow Dash didn't look convinced, he stopped. "Nah, I'm serious. Not even Score knows why he goes over there so much." He spoke again. “You know, I probably shouldn’t have told you about the yard but you’ll probably never find him. The place is busy as heck this time of day.” “Huh, we’ll see about that.” Rainbow Dash leapt off the cloud in a shot toward the shipping yard. “Thanks for the info!” she called back. “Yeah whatever, just don’t tell him I said anything!” Hoops shouted back. The shipping yard was a large complex, a mile long stretch of strong solid cloud material which connected naturally to the side of Cloudsdale. Day by day airships would land on the platform and the workers would take the goods carried inside to a place where they would be sorted out via a complicated array of tubes, conveyor belts and magic locator enchantments to find the correct destination.   From there it was a simple matter of getting the goods off of the cloud city and down to the thousands of citizens across Equestria. As hundreds of pegasi bustled about, Rainbow Dash began to understand what Hoops had meant.  Aside from the shipping yard being enormous it was chock full of....stuff! And incredibly noisy to boot.  She’d flown over the yard many times but rarely did she place herself among it since there wasn’t much for her to do there. The ships, six in total, stood high above her like gargantuan balloons. Walking and flying out of each of them were pegasi laden with nets full of cargo, some bunches were so heavy that it needed at least six strong workers to carry it.  Rainbow Dash needed to step lightly, not only to keep a lookout for Dumbbell but also to make sure she didn’t accidentally fall onto the path of something dangerously heavy. Since he didn’t actually work here, at least to her knowledge, it would be pointless to ask if anypony had seen him around.  After a few minutes of searching Dash began to think that the yard was a bust until she noticed a high stack of crates  just in front of the pier of the sixth air ship. Angled a bit off to the side, so that most of the crates leaned against one of the buildings that the cargo was being taken too.  She flew over and inspected the wall, the crates were all empty and ready to be recycled via a return trip. All stacked together like a massive wooden partition, separated from the rest of the docking space. “Hmm...it’s a shot in the dark, but-” Rainbow Dash went up and peeked over the side- and had to bite her lower lip to keep a triumphant laugh from leaping forth.  She laid on top of the crates, putting on a casual air. “Hey, hows it goin?” she said coolly.  Dumbbell’s reaction was immediate. He stopped mid page turn as his back went rigid.  He turned to see her and the book fell away, landing with the cover facing up, giving Rainbow Dash a clear view of it. Aha! “What are you doing here, Rainbow Dash?”  Dumbbell asked crossly, the way he said her name made it clear that he was pulling back on the reins of anger. “Nothing much. It’s a total coincidence that I happened to find you hear hiding behind a bunch of boxes reading a book.”  said Dash, pretending to inspect the bottom of her hoof. Dumbbell picked the novel up, looking grudgingly vulnerable under her gaze. “Did you really find me all the way out here for a book?” he asked in a measured tone. “Yeah. My book.” Dash corrected. The stallion scoffed. “You either have way too much time on your hooves or you’ve got problems. What's the matter, couldn’t find anyone to bore with your Wonderbolt tricks?” Dumbbell stepped around the wall of crates, walking to anywhere else where Dash wasn’t. "Who would have thought you read books?” Dash chuckled slyly. “I wonder what everyone else would say..." This made Dumbbell stop mid step. He turned back around and stomped back over to Dash, so close that their snouts bumped together. “Just what the heck do you want, Crash?” he asked, the muted undercurrent threatened to spill over. “First you’re jumping me in the streets back in Manehattan and now you’re stalking me across Cloudsdale!” he paused, pulling back and glancing around the immediate area. “How’d you even know I’d be here?” Rainbow Dash tilted her head, feigning innocence. “Lucky guess?” Dumbbell snorted and brought the book up between them, giving Rainbow Dash a rather harsh but level stare. “So you’re that desperate are ya?” He glanced down at the Daring Do cover one last time before he thrust the book onto Dash’s chest. “Fine. Take it.” The sudden action took Dash by surprise. She had to reach out for the book before it clattered to the ground. She looked back at him, mouth agape as jolting realization struck her.  As she watched him standing awkwardly with his head bowed too low to see his eyes from beneath his mane.  She remembered her broken wing, the tasteless hospital food, and the first Daring Do book she had ever read, and how great it felt. The memories came back for only a second but that was enough.  Rainbow Dash was already tumbling in abrupt feelings of glee and somber understanding. She understood this all too well. Dumbbell straightened and resolutely turned to walk away like a defeated warrior trying to get away with a fraction of dignity. "Wait a minute, I don't want to take this. I was just ribbing you a little!” Dash said.  But he was already airborne. flying away from the piers and back in the direction of the factory. Rainbow Dash cut him off, her forelegs stretched out to stop him mid-flight. “Hold on a minute, will you?” Dash insisted. “What do you want?” Dumbbell obviously wasn’t interested in what Rainbow Dash had to say, he hadn’t heard her the first time, but he stopped just short of flying right past her “Look, if I'm reading you right, and I totally think I am, then I can say I know where you’re coming from.” Rainbow Dash said confidently. “And that’s okay! Theres nothing wrong with liking books. I mean, hay, if I like it then you should know its cool!” For a moment Dumbbell was silent either out of surprise or exasperation, or both. Rainbow Dash knew perfectly well that he didn’t necessarily see her as a figure of coolness although he should in all honesty. But it was worth a shot to lower the tension and make him see reason. After a little while, Dumbbell’s ears went flat across his head and he looked out towards the airships. If Dash could read minds she’d guess he was weighing a risk. Finally he turned back and said, “ So long story short, you weren’t going to rest until you got your hooves onto this book,right?” “Right!” Dash said elatedly. “But I’ve thought about and I think we can work something out.” Before Dumbbell could reply, Dash flashed a sportive smile. “I’ve got an idea!”