//------------------------------// // They're Winging It (Part 1) // Story: Winging It! // by Thunderscourge //------------------------------// A/N: Special thanks to CursedKitty, BattleMaestro, Spectrum Destiny, TaylorSky, Drgnwolf, Sirflysalot, DanteRevolution, Rokas, MyLittleXyo, thasbrony, Sky Blazer, NightWolf289, Killabyte, rainbowangel409, ponies_forever, coolstorybrah, and SageBrony07 for your comments last chapter! Your thoughts are greatly appreciated, and I hope to hear what you guys think about the next piece of the story! There's a .Hack G.U. reference in there for those of you who have even heard of it...anyways, enjoy regardless! Next part of the story begins now, so please leave your thoughts in the comments below so I can bring you more fun chapters down the road! “Ohmygosh-ohmyg-g-gosh-ohmygoshhhh…Soarin!” “Ohmygosh? Really?” “P-please kill me…I never thought I’d sound like that…that’s so embarrassing…” “Haha, why? It’s actually kind of adorable.” “S-shut up…” (Two weeks later) Oh boy! I don’t think I’ve felt this good in a long time! Heck, I don’t think I’ve felt this good ever! Having a marefriend who is real nice, fun, and who I see all the time is really a stellar opportunity! I hope Rainbow and I can be this happy forever! I mean, waking up besides her is so nice…even if she is a bit frisky, I don’t mind! It’s been a month of us being together, and two weeks since we moved in together. Well, kind of moved in together. She’s sleeping at my place now, and sometimes I sleep at her place, but the fact of the matter is we’re always together! I can’t wait to see her later— Wait, where is she? I should be seeing her now, since I’m overlooking her drills with Fleetfoot. The trainees are supposed to be all here right now, and our best one isn’t! That’s quite noticeable, and hard to hide! “Uh, where’s Dash?” Fleetfoot asks me in a whisper as we watch all the trainees who are here take off. Only Dashie is missing…did she lose track of time or something? I could have sworn I woke up after she did today…yeah, definitely. When my alarm went off she was already gone! I shrug to my fellow flight instructor, “I don’t know. She left early this morning. I thought she’d be here first.” Fleet gives me a cheeky smile, confident in how all the trainees can’t hear us from their places in the sky, “Having sleepovers so soon?” Yes…sleepovers. That is a word for it. When Rainbow Dash so cutely says “Ohmygosh” in between breaths. I feel dirty just thinking about it… I know I am blushing as I look away from her, “Please, Fleetfoot. It makes me feel weird as it is, not to mention talking about it with my friends.” “It gets easier the more you do it. I’m an ace! Just ask anypony around Cloudsdale!” Fleetfoot brags, though I can only roll my eyes to her. Fleetfoot is quite the interesting character, that she is… Still, she is my friend and I would rather not know that my friend has ‘been’ with everypony from the mailmare to the mayor, or whomever she has been with, “Too much information,” I sigh as I realize my other friend probably has to hear about this stuff all the time, “Poor Spitfire probably hears way too much about it, what with your loud mouth and her being your friend.” “Hahaha, you don’t know the half of it,” Fleetfoot’s chuckling worsened as she continued talking, her voice completely suggestive, “Anyways, where’s your landing pad?” “Fleet!” I admonish her, noting that she has gone too far. I mean…it is kind of funny, but I respect Rainbow too much to allow her to be called that! …unless, of course, she allows it. Then I’ll allow it too, just between us. Because it really kind of is funny… Fleetfoot just keeps laughing, not seeming to care about my complaint, “What? I thought it was clever!” “Which should have told you it was a bad idea,” I snort, to which she rolls her eyes and gestures towards where Rainbow should be. “But, anyways, seriously, she’s always here on time! Where the heck is she?” she pauses for a moment before laughing again and winking at me, “Huh, come to think of it, she once told me she’d do anything for the Wonderbolts or something of the like. Seems like she was right!” …I… Okay, we’re done here. Sometimes even your friends can be too much. “I’m going now.” “Oh you’re no fun!” she complains as I walk away, “I bet Spitfire would get the joke…at least, after a few mugs of cider…” Ugh…Fleetfoot. Sometimes you should just keep your mouth closed— Wait, was that an innuendo too? I don’t know. Did I mean it to be? Ugh, she’s getting to me on a mental level! I need to go see Dash to cool down...but I still got a lot of work...ugh. Why can't Dash just be here today? After a long day of work, ending somewhere around 8PM at night because of stupid paperwork, I return home ready to eat Dash’s pie! …not THAT pie. I mean the pie she said she would make for me today. She’s actually good at it now since she got that recipe from her friend— Oh who am I kidding, I meant both. Anyways, I am surprised upon entering my house (where we agreed to sleep tonight) to find that Rainbow is waiting for me on my couch right by the front door. She isn’t bouncing around in joy like she has been the past month, so right off the bat I am taken aback. Is something the matter? I open my mouth to say hello, but she manages to say my name first. Her voice sounds kind of forced, not to mention that it is cracking, “Soarin.” Oh dear, has she been crying? Her eye appear a little red. Has something happened? Maybe I should play this safely until I know what’s the matter…I don’t want to make her feel bad by saying anything insensitive. “Oh, hey Dashie! I didn’t see you out there today. What’s up?” I approach her on the couch and she looks away from me, her voice continuing to waver, “I was…” As I sit down beside her, she turns back to face me with a smile I can tell is fake. “Busy. Yeah, that’s it.” Okay, she’s not getting off the hook that easily, “Busy? With what?” “A doctor’s appointment.” Her smile has morphed into a little laugh. Okay… I snuggle up beside her and smile back, trying to play into her little charade. Had she gone to see one of our Wonderbolt doctors or related medical personnel? “Oh, so you saw Doctor Hawk Eye?” She shakes her head, briefly breaking eye contact, “Uhhh, no. Not him.” Okay, maybe Hawk Eye’s partner? “Doctor Honey Cut?” She laughs nervously, shaking her head no, “No, I didn’t see him.” That leaves only a few others, and I really hope it’s not one of them… “Don’t tell me it was Doctor Burns. I don’t even know why we hired him! He’s terrible!” “Of course not!” she giggles for a moment before sighing and looking me in the eyes with her own, which appear to be tired, “I saw my personal doctor back in Ponyville. The brother of your friend Caramel.” Caramel’s near identical brother! That’s somepony I know, since he took care of me when I got all beat up awhile back in Ponyville, “Oh, Doctor Stable! He helped me when I crashed in Ponyville back at the trials.” Wait…that’s a long flight. Why’d she go back home for a doctor when we have many here she could have gone to? Okay, this is getting really weird, “Wait, why were you seeing a doctor back in Ponyville? A checkup?” Rainbow nods, her smiling beginning to fade. I think she can tell I am catching on to her little dancing routine of the truth, “Hehe, yeah, one I didn’t think of until just recently.” Okay, enough of this little game. If something is wrong, I am going to help her with it. She saw the doctor? Then something must be wrong. She might just feel uncomfortable saying it. I put a hoof around her and pull her into a hug, “Is something the matter Dashie? What’s wrong?” She returns the hug, but she is holding me much more lightly than I am her, “Uhhhh…” she perks up and tries smiling again, though her poker face leaves much to be desired, “Nothing! Nothing’s…wrong! Per say…” Rainbow is silent for a moment, and I let her have the silence. I’m hoping she will speak her mind if I give her the chance. This possibility comes true when Rainbow’s façade melts away into a face of complete nervousness, her lip quivering and eyes shaking, “If you, you know, don’t consider my career being over as being wrong.” Is this about today’s practice? A bit of an overreaction, but she is wholly devoted to the Wonderbolts…it wouldn’t be too out of place for her to have a breakdown about missing a practice. I hope that’s it, at least… I rub her back soothingly and smile to her, letting her know I am here for her, “Just missing one practice isn’t going to be any big deal. Don’t worry about it, Dashie.” I kiss her forehead and then rub my own against it. Oh how I love her. Rainbow sniffles as she begins to fight back tears, “That’s not it,” she bites her lip and looks up and down between me and the couch. “I’m…” She mumbles something that I can’t hear as she buries her head into my chest fur. What was that she said? Oh, I should probably ask that out loud, “What was that?” Rainbow continues to bury her head into my chest, “I’m…” She mumbles again, and I begin to grow really worried. What’s the matter with my poor Dashie? I open my mouth to ask her to speak louder, but she does so without my prompting. Her voice increases multiple levels to the point she’s shouting and crying into my chest. “I’m going to be missing the next ten months of practices!” Uhhh…what? Why would she be missing practices? Has Princess Celestia decreed that she and the other elements of harmony go save the world on some quest or something? Something else? Is she not able to fly well? No, that can’t be it…she flew back to Ponyville and came back here today! She’s fine as far as flying goes… I bite my lip, unsure as to just what is wrong as she continues to cry into my chest, “Why, are you going somewhere?” Rainbow moves her head away from my chest so that she can groan, “No, egghead, I’m not going to be able to fly for that long. I can’t be a Wonderbolt unless I…” she turns back towards me and I can hear her whimper as she continues to cry, the tears flowing even faster now, “I…do something to change the condition I’m in. And I—I don’t want to…” Ooooh, I see! Okay, she doesn’t need to worry. I’ll help out however I can! Some medical issue shouldn’t make my poor Dashie upset! “Oh!” I smile down at her as I lower my face to kiss her forehead, “Do you need money for an operation? I’m sure I can help you out—” She moves back a little so that she can look me in the eye, her voice raising to a shouting level. “I’m pregnant, Soarin! You knocked me up! We’re having a baby!” … W-w-what? … I…she… Having a foal? Foal = pregnancy. Pregnancy = no heavy duty flying. No flying = no Wonderbolts. Oh Dashie… But…I’m going to be a dad? I…we’re going to be parents? Oh my…what should I say? What should I do? The idea of being a father is exciting, but what this means for Dashie… Is she even going to…I mean…I… Oh Dashie. What’s going through your head right now. Rainbow begins to calm down, water still tearing in her eyes. She must realize how stunned I am as she begins to soften in her voice as well, though it is quite fast paced as she rambles, “I just…I’m sorry for yelling. I just don’t know what I should do. This is so gonna ruin my Wonderbolt career, and I’m not sure I want to have a foal at all, especially when I still have so much left to do in my life! How can I afford to take care of a foal and also go and be a Wonderbolt at the same time?” I…oh Dashie, I’m so sorry…what can I do? I mean, someone needs to take care of the foal, if she has it… Just because mom’s are expected to take care of foals doesn’t mean that I can’t do it instead though! I mean, my flying days are about over. I’m slowing down as it is, and if Dashie has the foal that’d let her get back to work on her training. Maybe me being old isn’t bad for once…it makes this a better option than it would be otherwise! I’m just sorry that Rainbow has to go through this. Oh Soarin you idiot, one month into your first relationship you get your marefriend pregnant! “I could take care of it,” I swallow my breath before clarifying, “Our foal, I mean.” “But you’re just as busy as I am…” Rainbow mumbles, though it is loud enough to understand. I shrug. If it means helping Rainbow’s future after she and I have both just screwed it over, then I’ll do it. Anything for her, and our foal. Our foal… “I’ve been thinking about retirement for awhile now. I could always retire and take care of it,” I am the one to avert my eyes this time, “That is, if you know…” She looks up to my eyes and I see that she is scared. I pull her in tightly to a hug, trying my best to physically comfort her as she continues to mumble, “I wouldn’t feel comfortable with not having it.” Okay, phew…she’s having it. If that’s what she wants, then I’m happy for her. I was a little worried she might not, but then again that would be best for her career… Whatever, that doesn’t matter! She sounds like she has come to her own conclusion of sorts, and it is my duty as her coltfriend and the father of this child to help her however I can! …yes, I am old fashioned-ish. If I was completely old fashioned I would not be in this situation. So, where do we go from here? I nuzzle her head and bring her in close to me, “Okay then, so what should we do next?” “I don’t know…” she whimpers, which I understand completely. Oh Dashie…she must be so scared right now. I hope she can tell I still love her completely. I’m not some deadbeat who runs from responsibility, and I am going to help her however I can! I vow myself to that! “Rainbow, look at me.” I bring a hoof to her face and wipe a tear from her eye, at which point she begins to calm down again. With her attention gained, I lean in and kiss her. Nopony makes me feel as good and special as Rainbow Dash, and I want her to know that. I smile to her and bring out the happiest face I can put on, “It’ll be okay. I promise.” She sniffles, “But…” Rainbow doesn’t have a complete retort, instead just snuggling herself into me. I think she understands what I’m saying and feeling… I kiss her cheek and whisper to her, trying to cheer her up, “You became Equestria’s best flyer once without almost any formal instruction. I’m sure you can get back to being the best with a little bit of grit when this is all over.” “I hope so…” she sobs into my neck. After a moment she buries herself completely into my chest and I sigh as she continues, “Hold me. I want to just sleep for the moment.” Luckily there aren’t many lights on in the house, and it’s dark outside, so we can definitely just crash here on the couch. I lower my hooves to Dashie’s stomach and kiss her on the lips again, “I love you Dashie,” with my hooves, I rub her beautiful blue stomach. Where our baby foal is now growing. As I slowly caress her stomach, I whisper to her again, “You’ll be a great mom.” This time Rainbow is the one sounding encouraging, her face actually appearing genuinely happy for the first time this night, “You’re gonna be a great dad, Soarin…” We’re just laying on my comfortable couch, jus the two…no, three of us. Silence hangs throughout my house as nopony really knows what to say or do…all we know is that we’re going to get through this together. After a few minutes of our silence, Rainbow pipes up again, “I was worried you’d be mad at me.” Me? Mad at her? Oh Rainbow…please tell me you weren’t worried I’d be upset? I could never be mad at you for something like this…if anything, you should be mad at me…I mean, we’re equal in fault, but I’m the older, wiser one… Wiser doesn’t mean wise, but I just feel guilty… “Of course I’m not mad at you. We’re in this together.” Dash crawls up to kiss me as we lay on the couch, “And that’s why I love you.” Just the three of us… I love her, and I already have some love swelling in my chest for the little lifeform in her. This may not be the most ideal thing, but that doesn’t matter right now. We’re happy, we’re okay, and that is what matters. At work the day after, I am walking through the office building and whistling happily. I’ve already bought a bunch of stuff for Rainbow for when I get home, having filed a fake report today saying she’s sick. It’s kind of true, and I’m the person who reviews that stuff, so abuse of power, yay! I think the Wonderbolts can be corrupt so much as it lets my marefriend not have to do exercise that could cause complications that hurt our foal. I’ve got a mug for her that says “Best Mom”, a bunch of magazines and books for taking care of a mare when she’s pregnant and after, a more stretchy Wonderbolt uniform so she can dress up even as she gets bigger— “Soarin!” That sounds like Spitfire— “Get in my office, now!” I’mgonnadieI’mgonnadieI’mgonnadie! Wait… Okay Soarin, no. You’re not going to die! She has no way of knowing you got Rainbow pregnant! But when she does…well, I was planning on resigning anyways? Oh dear…this is not going to go well. I stroll into her office and give the Wonderbolt Captain a big smile. Technically, we’re the same rank. Technically, she also runs the show…she can’t REALLY get me in trouble without a ton of paperwork, trials, and whatnot… Oh dear. She doesn’t mind doing paperwork. I was hoping to retire WITHOUT being kicked out. I would like my untouched pension, thank you very much! As I smile to my friend, boss, and soon to be executioner, I address her politely, “Is there anything you need, Spitfire?” My fire maned friend leans over her desk and lowers her sunglasses to stare at me, “Why wasn’t Private Dash at practice today? Or yesterday?” And at that moment I realized I will not be able to hold out against her, “Uhhh…” No, Soarin! You have to find a way to handle this. Your marefriend’s and your foal’s future depend on finding a way to go about this that doesn’t get you killed and her thrown out of the Wonderbolts! I smile to Spitfire as I realize I should probably thought of a plan before this moment, “She had a doctor’s appointment. It slipped her mind beforehand, and so she didn’t get a chance to inform us.” Spitfire nods slowly, eyes observing my still smiling face, “I feel like you are lying to me. Are you lying to me to save your marefriend?” Oh dear, did I smile too much? What’s giving it away? “No, I promise I’m not lying!” Okay, now I’m on the defensive…not good! Not good! She is the one smiling now as her little plan comes together, “Good. Then you will tell me about what she needed to see a doctor about in Ponyville or Cloudsdale that she couldn’t come see a doctor about here, since I would have heard if she was in our infirmary.” Okay, that’s it I suppose. S-sorry Rainbow… I sigh as I decide heavily to let Spitfire in on this little secret. If anyone, my very closest friend can understand right? “She was seeing the doctor about whether or not she was pregnant…” Right? “One month! You couldn’t last one month!? I know she’s the hottest mare around town, but seriously Soarin!?” Spitfire yells furiously, her front hooves slamming down on her desk. Not right… Now, I get where she’s coming from but I’m not solely to blame here! Rainbow was the one who was seducing me! How can I be faulted when she’s soooooo beautiful, sleeps in my bed, AND is a tease? Okay, yeah, I guess I screwed up…but I’m not alone! I try to smile and laugh it off, “She’s the one who—” Spitfire continues to yell at me from over the desk, “I don’t care who started it! Your irresponsible actions have jeopardized her chances at ever being a star Wonderbolt! THE star!” …she’s right, and I know she’s right…the opposite side of the great feeling of being a father-to-be… But still, Rainbow and I have come to a decision. I just hope Spitfire won’t stop Rainbow from coming back after this all. As I stare blankly and stupidly at Spitfire, she begins to calm down. After a sigh and taking off her glasses she massages her forehead, her face contorting as she finds herself at a loss for words. I look down dejectedly as I realize how mad my best friend is with me right now I never thought I could make her this mad, but I understand…Rainbow Dash was her favorite student at the academy, and Rainbow and I being together has ruined that… After the momentary, awkward silence she sighs again and says, “Okay, first thing’s first: is she having the foal?” To try and assert some level of agency, I nod and explain my plan, “Yes, and I will be retiring after it is born to take care of it.” This seems to relieve her of some of her negative feelings, “Fine. But I expect your resignation directly after, because that foal is going to need somepony willing and able to take care of it. Especially if it’s half as wild as it’s mother.” I nod to her, sensing that she’s beginning to get over her initial burst of anger, “Of course.” She gets up from her desk and walks over to me, “Soarin?” Is she going to hit me? I feel like she’s going to hit me…I mean, why is that okay? I couldn’t hit a mare, not that I’d want to. But if I got hit right now people wouldn’t be as mad as if the reverse would happen— Oh who am I kidding. This is gonna hurt, and I just need to accept it. She’s right in front of me now, and she’s moving— “Congratulations,” Spitfire says lightly as she moves to hug me. Wait…she’s not gonna hit me? I guess I should return it now… She flashes me a weak smile as we continue our hug, “I just wish you could have waited, you know, another ten years or so.” “Sorry…” I bashfully respond. Yeah, we screwed up…but you know, we’ll manage… Spitfire sighs as she looks down at my chest and then back up to my eyes, “I would say go apologize to Rainbow Dash, but it’s as much her fault as yours.” Finally, she understands…not that it makes it any better. It just means my best friend wants to kill me less for messing up her best pupil’s career track. She pauses, then raises a hoof to my face as her smile broadens, “You’re gonna be a great dad.” Now I can genuinely smile at her, appreciating how well she’s taking this and her supportive nature, “Thanks Spitfire…” You know…maybe…I have a good idea. “Can you be their godmother?” I’ll have to clear it with Rainbow later, but I’m sure she’ll be fine with it…unless she wants her friends to be the godparents. Not sure how that’d work out, but we’ll find out. I mean, I’ve never had a foal before, so I’ve never looked up a lot of this stuff! I mean, I looked up a little before…but that was just out of curiosity, in case I ever wanted to retire and settle down…guess I’m doing that a bit earlier than I thought I was going to! “Sure, under one condition.” A condition? I have a feeling I know what it is…and it’s going to make nights a whole lot less fun. “What?” I innocently ask, hoping that it’s something that doesn’t involve Rainbow and I in separate beds. Spitfire releases herself from our hug and goes back behind her desk, where she pulls open a drawer and retrieves something. This done, she throws what she just picked up to me and I catch it: birth control pills. An unopened, new case of them. I’d joke about them being unused, but Spitfire really doesn’t need them. Spitfire points to them, “You make sure Rainbow takes these from now on so that the next time you two are feeling touchy-feelie we don’t have to have this conversation again,” she takes her seat again, “At least until she’s retired and behind a desk, like me. I mean, look how far I got without having to deal with being pregnant!” I laugh as I think about how ridiculous what she just said was, “That’s because you’re—” The death glare returns, albeit without the shouting. I should probably not finish this the way I was going to. “—a paragon of self control, hehe.” There. Better. “Just make her take the damn pills,” Spitfire groans, “And make sure she eats healthily! No more cider for her. I know how much she likes it, but that hard cider can do some bad stuff during development I hear.” I can’t help but keep smiling at Spitfire. She’s really okay with this, whether she says it out loud or not. Perhaps she can’t, on a professional level, say too much, but the fact that she congratulated me and seems supportive is good enough… “Thank you, Spitfire. I knew I could count on you.” When I get home later with all of my things, Rainbow is laying down on our bed. Our. Oh how I love saying that… I suppose my house isn’t really meant for having a foal though, since there isn’t a spare bedroom to begin with. I feel like that was the start to this whole debacle, to be honest. Couldn’t make Rainbow sleep on the couch, and she’s been fantasizing about being with me for a long time…and she is stunningly beautiful. A bad mixing pot of stuff. At least we’re okay for the time being…I hope she doesn’t regret this decision. Regret being with me. I know I’m happy for the time being, and I just want to help her and make this as easy as possible for her. “Soarin?” Rainbow calls out to me, awoken from what I assume was a nice, long nap. I put the things I brought home down and head over to our room, the door open but the lights off. I close the door behind me so that she doesn’t have to adjust to the light just yet, and I take my place on our bed. “What is it Rainbow?” I softly ask, nuzzling my face against hers while pulling her in close. “You told Spitfire,” Rainbow pouts, “I got a message saying she’s going to put me on maternity leave.” Is she upset? I guess we didn’t really talk yet about telling the other people we know… “Sorry Rainbow…I had to tell her.” Rainbow shrugs and rolls herself into a closer position to me, “I’m not that mad,” she sighs as she continues to pout a little, “Just upset that I can’t even hang around base now since I’m officially off duty.” Wait, what? “Friends and family can visit though, can’t they?” I ask, not understanding what she’s saying. Rainbow shakes her head no, “Spitfire says it’s too dangerous there for me now. That she’d never forgive herself if she lets her best friend’s foal get hurt by some accident.” I see…after Lightning Dust caused that big accident, I can understand Spitfire’s worry about something happening. I guess it’s understandable though… “Oh Rainbow…” I say to her, at a loss for words. What do I do? What do I say to my poor marefriend, who now can’t even visit the group she’s tried so long to get into and just recently managed to join. After my silence hangs for a bit, Rainbow speaks up again with a semi-worried voice, “So, maternity leave. Do I still get paid or what?” Hmmm…well… “Well, usually it’s for mares after they have foals, not before…” I explain, though I am a bit curious about how Spitfire’s gonna make this work. This must be her paperwork, official way of stating her begrudging approval, “But I suppose since you’re only on the Wonderbolt Reserves and Spitfire and I are the ones who get to make the calls, she’s bending the rules a bit.” “I just don’t want to go hungry…” Rainbow states sadly. Wait, she’s worried she won’t be able to eat? Why I’d never let that happen to her! Of course she’ll be able to eat, even without any benefits given to her, “Hey, of course you won’t go hungry. I’ll do whatever I can to help you out.” Her face lights up, figuratively at least because this room is very dark right now, “You mean it?” I nuzzle my head into hers, “Of course, Rainbow. I’m not going to leave it all to you.” She returns the motion before she begins to mumble, “So, uh, just talking hypothetically here…” she swallows loudly, obviously stumbling as she tries to find a way to say something, “Uhh…you know…would you…” “What’s the matter, Dashie?” Her voice becomes extremely rushed as she tries to say everything at once, “Wouldyouwanttomarrymebecausewe’regoingtohaveafoal?” Despite how fast she spoke, a certain word stuck out. It’s one of those words after all! “M-marry you?!” I respond instinctively, my brain wrapping around the idea as my mouth blurts those words. She becomes defensive and worried instantly, seemingly thinking like she did something wrong by asking, “I mean, you don’t have to. I just…you know…thought that maybe you would want to…” I…I want to be with Rainbow, but getting married…I’m not opposed to it, but is she ready? Is she really ready for any of this? Oh dear…why couldn’t her birth control just worked? That’d have really helped us out of this bind… Still, I should see how she feels about it, “Do you want to?” Rainbow looks away from me for a moment, “It might make it easier to tell my dad. Might not even have to tell him if we do it soon enough.” That didn’t really answer my question… “But do you want to be married to me?” I’m okay with the idea, but does she only want to ask because she’s pregnant? Or does she really want this? Does she know the difference? “I mean, Rainbow, I love you, but we’ve been together less than a month…” Still…the thought of coming home these next months, Rainbow cooking a nice pie that is just ready for me when I get back, her beautiful stomach slowly getting bigger…I think that’s quite the ideal. And then, once it’s born, her coming home to me, and I’ll have dinner ready for her…I am the better cook after all, and I’ll have our foal ready to see their beautiful mother… Yeah…I think I could be married to this lovely, beautiful mare. I don’t think I could ever be with anypony else. I love her, and I already love our baby. Rainbow seems to be the same way, as she nuzzles into my neck and runs a hoof over her stomach, “I love you too…” she kisses me as her eyes bat dreamily, “And I’ve kind of always wanted to be with you.” Before I can respond, she places a hoof in front of my mouth and blurts out, “But you gotta be cool, and real sweet, no matter how demanding and needy I am. Okay?” Only that? I already am ready to put up with whatever Rainbow can throw my way, and I can surely take care of her no matter how needy she gets, “Anything for you. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy.” This seems to soothe her, as she lowers her hoof and smiles to me with tears of happiness in her eyes, “I’ll make you happy too.” To celebrate this momentous occasion of sorts, us now being kinda-sorta engaged, I lower my head down and begin to rub it gently against her belly. Oh how fun it’s going to be seeing our foal develop! I wonder how Rainbow will do when she can’t be the fastest thing in Equestria anymore? It’ll be funny seeing her not flickering about anymore. “Soarin! That tickles!” she laughs as I continue to rub against her. I laugh too, just so happy that we can be together like this. Outside here there might be a lot to be concerned about, but in here it’s just us and everything’s alright, “I’m just so happy! Oh I can’t wait!” “Do you want a boy or girl?” Dashie asks, to which I find myself stumped. I don’t know…haven’t had the chance really to think about that yet! “I don’t really know. I mean, a boy would be nice since I’m a boy and you’re a tomboy, so I think we could raise a boy. But if it’s a girl that’d be nice too, since it’ll be just as awesome as its mother.” “You’re too much…” Rainbow states through what I bet is a blush underneath that blue fur of hers. I continue to rub my head against her belly until she shifts back a bit, still giggling as she tries to retreat from me. “Soarin! Knock it off! T-t-that still tickles!” I continue to join her in laughter, “What’s wrong with a little tickling?” “I didn’t say where it tickles…” Oh…oooooooh. This again. Hey, what’s there to lose this time? “Oh.” Rainbow curls up to prevent me from accessing her stomach, “So, no more tickling,” she uncurls as a devilish look appears on herself, though her voice sounds bashful, “Unless, you know…you wanna…” Okay, see that? See that right there? She’s the kinky one, I swear! “Hey, Dashie? I really do love you. You know that right?” “Of course…and I really do love you. Even if you ruined my career.” “That’s only half my fault!” “Meh, details.” I’ll spare you the rest, as it is. At least for the night.