//------------------------------// // 4 - Seaside Confessions // Story: Brayside Crush // by Outlaw Quadrant //------------------------------// Finally, a time to relax. After five minutes of galloping down a cobblestone road at top speed, Blitz had pulled enough of a gap from the seagulls. They called off their pursuit and headed toward the nearby open sea. By then, he and his passengers found themselves in a region surrounded by hills with hay huts and wooden shacks at the top of each one. Blitz slowed to a more modest pace and scanned the ancillary dirt paths that branched off the main road every few hundred yards. “I think you missed the turn,” Widget instructed him. “Isn’t it the first right after that billboard there?” “That’s to get to your shop,” Blossom corrected. “It’s the first left after this upcoming curve.” As the cart rolled by the billboard, Rarity withheld a gasp. There was Surfing Blossom depicted with sultry eyes and free flowing hair holding onto her surfboard by the shore. “Have fun at the beach,” she enunciated off the printed bold words. “That’s a rather, ahem, sensuous picture.” Blossom stared at the twenty foot depicture, ears flopping in the gentle breeze. “Ohhhhh! I told those ponies to take that down by now! Not that I look good but maybe a little too good. It’s been a major… Blitz! Eyes on the road!” The wagon’s right wheels drifted off the cobblestone. Before the shadow of a surfboard could fall over his head, Blitz swerved back hard, nearly tossing out his riders. “Sorry! Sorry!” After rounding the next bend, Blitz made a turn to a downhill path that ran parallel to the ocean half a mile away. Rocks jutted out of the water, blocking the crashing waves from reaching the sand shining under the sun’s soft orange glow. Up one small hill and down the other side, a one story wooden house came into view, coated in a mesh of soft reds and pinks. A white picket fence enclosed a garden and a solitary blossom tree, a stranger in a land peppered with tropical trees and bushes. Blitz stopped in front of the door decorated with three painted flowers and unhitched from the wagon. “Aw, sweet! I can already taste that home cooking!” “Just don’t eat it all this time. We do have guests,” Blossom reminded him as she opened the door and held it in place. “In the meantime, make yourselves comfortable, everypony.” When the group stepped indoors, they all caught a whiff of a fresh flowery scent reminiscent of a spring day in the fields. Blossom had decorated her walls in a predictable pink with blossoms scattered all over the place. All her furniture was redwood, from the tan cushioned couch neatly tucked in the corner to the tall cabinet with glass doors. Pictures, surfing competition trophies and books lined the shelves. A few of her guests took the time admiring her trinkets. Others glanced through the sliding glass doors and with Blossom’s okay, they stepped into the patio partially shaded by a white cover. Rarity and Fluttershy immediately took a seat on the hanging bench on the right and admired the not too distant water separated by sand and patchy grass. Then Pinkie and Widget partially obstructed their view, dismantling the Party Cannon in order to examine its inner workings. “Must you do that here?” Rarity huffed. “I’m trying to enjoy the sunset!” She got no reply. In fact, the view worsened thanks to Applejack and Blitz. A few insults about their respective fruits escalated to a challenge of tug of war. They found a rope and a moist part of dirt to serve as punishment for losing. “You ain’t got nothing against me,” Applejack barked. “I’ve got the strength of apples inside of me!” “Soft mushy apples,” Blitz chided, flexing his muscles. “Everypony knows that pineapple is the fruit of champs!” Meanwhile, Blossom worked inside a narrow kitchen, chopping away on some vegetables on a granite countertop. She began humming a peppy tune only for a hair stands to pop out when Twilight’s head poked in from the open doorway behind her. “Hey, Blossom? I don’t see a dining room table anywhere. Where are we supposed to eat?” She delivered a hard chop of the knife to a tomato. “I usually have my company eat from one of the small tables outside. That way, they can enjoy the wonderful outdoors with plenty of room to stretch their hooves.” Twilight rubbed her chin. “Hmmm, I don’t think that will work, not with this many ponies. I’ll pull out the large table from the living room. I’m sure everypony will like that. Oh, have you reconsidered about going with a finely tuned orchestra for the festival?” Her hoof pulverized the vegetable. “No, Twilight. I haven’t.” “You really should.” She nudged Spike into the kitchen. “Anyways, he can help you with dinner preparations. It’s nice to have an extra set of hooves, or in this case, hands.” Before the dragon assistant knew it, he was staring down a mare holding onto a knife dripping with juice. Raising a shaking claw, “Um, I can understand if you don’t want me in here.” He gulped. “Please don’t hurt me!” Blossom gently placed the knife on the counter and sighed. “It’s all right, little one. You don’t seem like the bossy type.” “More like the bossed around type,” he said, hands on hips. “It’s okay. I’m used to it by now.” “Oh, you poor little thing!” Blossom stroked his head, “It must be hard for you working for somepony like her.” “It’s not that bad. Yeah, Twilight’s not always the easiest pony to deal with but deep down, she’s a great pony who always has the best intentions. Just give it time, Blossom, and I’m sure you two will be the best of friends!” Her eyes closed halfway. “We’ll see. Well, as long as I have you here, how about you grab some more tomatoes from the garden, please?” “Sure thing!” He walked out of the kitchen, only for Blossom to call him back. “By the way, what do small dragons like to eat?” “Anything with gemstones!” He scuffed the wooden paneled floor, “But that’s okay if you don’t have any. It’s not like anypony in Equestria expects having a dragon as a houseguest.” Blossom beamed. “Actually, gemstones wash up on the shore from time to time. If you can find some nearby, I can try making a special meal just for you!” “Really,” he squealed. “In that case, tomatoes and gemstones coming your way!” The assistant ran with vigor across the living room, through the threshold and right into Rarity’s extended hoof. “Oh, sweetie! Where are you going in such a hurry?” “Delicious gemstones,” he wheezed. “Over… by the water!” She raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? I think I’ll join you, then. Anything for a change of scenery.” Nearby, Applejack fell onto the dirt thanks to a hearty pull from the much larger stallion. Cheating allegations quickly broke out followed by another challenge; hoof race down the beach. “Hey, Rarity?” Spike pointed at Twilight walking down the shoreline toward some cliffs off in the distance. “Where’s she heading?” “After Rainbow and Swift. He lives in a cave over there, supposedly.” She scoffed. “I know he’s said that a few times but I’m certain he meant that as a joke.” *** PAGE BREAK *** “This is the way to your pad, Swift? Really?” “What’s wrong with this, Rainbow?” Pegasi living in clouds was the norm but Rainbow thought nothing about choosing something closer to the ground: a cottage in the country, an apartment within a big city or a cabin tucked deep in the woods. A cave with an entrance one hundred feet above the waterline – that was a first. She all but asked how anypony without wings could reach such a secluded area when she realized the narrow path she landed on ran all the way beside the steep rugged cliffs. There was enough room for hoof travel but vertigo or a gust a wind could take a traveler tumbling down the steep rugged decline to the ocean. Leo went that way by choice, using his shell to roll his way into the splashing water. “Later,” the stallion waved to his animal friend. “Say hi to your other turtle bros for me!” Rainbow walked into the narrowing cavern but cloud material up ahead blocked the passage. “What’s that supposed to be? Decoration?” “It’s a door,” Swift answered plainly, walking closely behind her. “Heh. A door? It’s nothing but condensed water, Swift.” She continued marching forward without breaking stride, “You think this is gonna stop anypony from just waltzing in and—” Her snout hit a brick wall. “Ow!” She took a step back and rubbed her nose. “Hey! What gives?” He grinned. “That’s made of specially formulated water vapor that my dad developed.” Swift pulled out a key and inserted it into a side hole. “Just gotta turn it here and—” Built-in sprays from the rock ceiling ejected green fluid onto the door, disintegrating it into mist. Rainbow’s eyes widened in expectation of a vast space filled with glimmers of light shining on oddly shaped geological formations and waterfalls pooling together into a private lake. That had to be why he needed such a contraption, a curtain to unveil an awesome abode! “Oh.” Rainbow stepped into an oblong chamber. While the area did have some height, a few lonely cracks allowed in natural light to seep into a space that would be cramped for a living room, let alone somepony’s entire living quarters. One side had a plain desk with a four-drawer cabinet next to it and the other a wooden table with three chairs. Across from her tucked in the narrow end of the cave was the only object she was accustomed to seeing in any pegasi home, a couple of clouds bunched together to form a simple bed. “Told you my hangout’s nothing special,” Swift said. “I’m usually here only when I need to sleep for the night.” She refrained from criticizing to gander at a few framed pictures hanging on the wall. Most of the faces she recognized: a peregrine falcon, his immediate friends, his pegasi parents and a smattering of other ponies she’d seen in and around the town. When she spotted the image of them together on a victory podium, Rainbow opened her mouth for a question. However, she found her answer at the dimmest corner of the cavern. “A trophy case?” Rainbow trotted to a tall case enclosed in glass. Within, she saw her reflection off the sparkling silver prize. “You actually kept this. I thought you would’ve chucked this in the ocean.” He pawed hard silt ground, “I’ll admit I had that thought when I brought it here but then you and my folks would’ve chewed me out big time. Besides, I did work my flank off to get it.” “You don’t say?” She wriggled an eyebrow to him, “Is that a little pegasus pride I’m hearing?” Swift shrugged. “Whatever you wanna call it.” She meandered to his bed and then fell backwards into it. The cloud vapor’s composition rapidly changed to just the right setting, super soft and cool to the touch. There was no need shifting to a more comfortable position – sprawled across it was. Forget a spa massage; the best professional couldn’t match how this bed soothed every muscle into goo. “How is this even possible?” she moaned, looking at him with just one lazy eye. “You’ve really outdone yourself, Swift.” “Actually, that’s my dad’s hoofwork. He sets it up every time he visits. Now, if you don’t mind,” He extended a foreleg, “you’re gonna mess it up.” She swatted him away. “Geez. Picky. Give me a few, huh?” Rainbow sat up onto the bed’s edge. On the top of his nightstand was the expected firefly lamp but what caught her attention were the photographs placed beside the simple alarm clock. He had the obligatory son-parents and close friend group shots but the third image was a replica of one of the first few items she saw every morning by her bed. He even had it encased in a frame designed for a four-picture strip, except his was a glossy blue rather than her choice of sparkling cyan. She grabbed the framed picture and touched the image of Swift and she having fun inside a photo booth. “You kept this too?” He sat next to her on the bed. “Well, yeah. You literally chased me down to give it to me. There’s no way I’m losing this.” “Yeah. I guess you’re right.” She placed the picture back to its original spot. “Seriously, if you did, I would’ve noogied you so hard, I’d set your hair on fire.” “Sounds like something you would do… except you haven’t done that to me.” He fluffed his forelock, “Not lately.” She squeezed the cloud bits below her, “Well, I just thought that, um, maybe I shouldn’t do stuff like that anymore. Well, I do with Scoots but that’s, different. She’s younger than me so that’s okay.” “Oh. Gotcha.” No doubt, she heard a tinge of disappointment from him. If she had the courage, she would’ve told him the reason; such a ritual drew too much undesired attention from anypony in the vicinity. Then again, she delighted in touching his blue strands from the first time she did so out of pure curiosity. Nothing could beat a cloud in terms of being a toy for comfort but his hair wasn’t far behind. Noogie withdrawal was anything but easy and her lips paid for it courtesy of her teeth. “Guess I don’t have to play along anymore, then,” he mused. She gave him a puzzled look. “What did you say?” The corners of his mouth moved coyly upwards. “C’mon, Rainbow. All this time, I’ve just been letting you grab me for a noogie.” “Huh? You’re pulling my mane.” “I’m not, Rainbow. Don’t forget whom you’re dealing with. If I wanted to, I could get away from you just like—” Without warning, she lunged at him. Swift tossed himself back and then reached out to place her in a headlock. He got in one rub before she pressed her body weight against him, rolling them both deeper into the malleable bed. Wings sprouted and hooves flailed as it become a battle for control – agility and cunning versus speed and strength. A wriggle here, a tickle and laugh there, two ponies refused to cede the battle. “You’re mine, Swift!” With a grab and shove, she pinned the slender stallion right below her. In an instant, their playful struggle stopped and a prolonged staring match began. “’Sup,” he mumbled, the crimson building in his cheeks. “Hey,” she whispered in kind. A long few seconds later, “Um, we should probably stop.” “Didn’t we?” “Eh?” Her face gravitated toward his and despite her loosening grip, he chose surrendering to the inevitable. “Wow! A live-in cave!” Twilight’s voice was a whip to their backs. They both stood up erect just as she waltzed into the open chamber. “I wonder if it’s limestone or sandstone.” The new visitor patted the walls, “Swift? How do you manage living in here? When did you find this place? Does it leak when it rains?” The stallion walked over so he could answer every one of her questions. He welcomed anything that would distract him from the erratic heart palpitations and how sweltering it had become inside his home. Rainbow sat back down on the bed, steam coming out of her ears. Darn it, Twilight! Why did you have to barge in here and— A splash of logic doused her fury. Why was she angry in the first place, she thought. If anything, Rainbow should’ve been thanking Twilight for her inadvertent interruption. Certain lines were in place for a reason and yet she almost went across one, again. When the framed photo booth image crossed her sights, she flipped it backwards. The last thing she needed right now was more reminders of that question that hammered her every time she let down her guard. What’s wrong with me? *** PAGE BREAK *** “Dinnertime!” One by one, Blossom and Spike brought out onto the patio a vast selection: quesadillas, vegetable soup, lettuce wraps with a hint of lime, cucumber kabobs and fruit yogurt for dessert. Based on the shower of compliments to the chef, Blossom should’ve been grinning from ear to ear. Alas, Rainbow and Swift had informed her that Twilight would be a late arrival. The nearby geology was apparently more fascinating to her than a home cooked meal with friends. “Should we save some food for Twilight,” inquired Spike as he munched on a tortilla roll stuffed with crushed gemstones. “Don’t you worry about that,” Blossom answered while picking up some dirty plates. “I can give her something else to eat.” Under her breath, “A bowl of stale Barn Flakes.” By the time half the sun hid under the horizon, the studious unicorn returned under the capony’s shade and took a seat on a lawn chair. Despite a solitary kabob on the nearby table, Twilight gabbed about cliffs and caves, her newfound discoveries having satisfied her hunger. It wasn’t too long before she brought up the matter about the festival. Blossom, sitting across from her, wrinkled her nose. “We’ve already hashed out some of the details before you arrived.” She patted Spike on the head. “Thankfully, he was quite helpful taking notes and with tonight’s dinner. I’m sure he can fill you in on the game plan for tomorrow.” “I sure can,” Spike chirped before he resumed savoring his food. Twilight had a sudden eye twitch. Spike’s glee with this new pony had her questioning his loyalty. Time for a test. “Ahem. Spike? Have you’ve told Blossom of the merits of an orchestra like you were supposed to?” He squeezed his roll and gemstones clanged on the floor. “Um, actually, I guess I kinda, heh heh, forgot about that. In fact, Blossom made some really good points about rock bands livening up the—” She rose from her seat. “I’d like a word with you, Spike. Alone!” He let out a meek gulp. “Yes, ma’am.” They walked into the vegetable garden where nopony could see them from the patio. Spike fell onto both knees and clasped his hands, “Please, Twilight! I’m sorry! I just couldn’t! I was too weak! She cooked gemstones and they were delicious! I—” She held his mouth shut. “Don’t worry about it,” she whispered. “I had a feeling it wouldn’t have worked anyways. Time for put my plan into action. Spike? I need you to do a favor for me.” Spike got back up, his jaw free of restraint. “Okay. What is it?” Twilight conjured a scroll. “It’s a letter to the Princess asking her if she could inform the orchestra stationed there that they’re needed here right away.” He put up both hands, “Hold on! You want me to deliver... but Blossom’s already settled for a rock band, Twilight!” “I know that but believe me, once she hears them play, I’m certain she’ll change her mind.” “But if what she doesn’t? You don’t want to upset her any further! I mean, shouldn’t we let her make the final call?” Twilight chuckled off his concern. “Now, Spike. Sometimes, you just gotta make some tough decisions that will benefit everypony in the long run, even if somepony else can’t see it yet. I’m confident this will work out in the end and she’ll be thanking me for taking the initiative.” “B–but—” She gave him the letter, “Send it off, please.” He blew a small wisp of green flame onto the scroll, which disappeared in smoke. “I really hope you know what you’re doing.” They made their way back to the patio, where Blossom had shifted the discussion to tying an aerial performance with rock music. Spike glanced at Twilight for instructions – she simply placed her foreleg over her lips before taking a seat. “I can’t think of a better pair than Rainbow and Swift for some razzle dazzle in the skies,” said Applejack, pausing to sip on a cool drink. “Why are you two acting all strange about it?” The two ponies in question sat in adjacent lawn chairs, doing everything in their power to look in opposite directions. “I’m not sure about doing something fancy in public,” Swift mumbled. “Got enough publicity from that race.” Rainbow leaned back, “Doing any type of stunts with somepony else is, um, complicated. Takes a lot of practice.” Rarity pulled both their chairs closer. “And that’s why it’s important to do just that. Come. We can work on basic choreography while we still have some daylight left.” The two wanted to raise an objection except all those around them had voiced their resounding approval. Rainbow Dash and Swift Flying were in the program for a Saturday night performance. They never really had a choice in the matter. “That settles it!” Blossom raised a glass of punch. “Let’s make this the best festival Brayside Beach has ever had! Cheers!” *** PAGE BREAK *** “A spin, not a bump, darlings.” Rarity sat on a fold-up chair placed well beyond Blossom’s patio. While the sun had already called it a day, she had enough moonlight to continue the almost private practice session. Half an hour ago, Blitz had taken Widget and the deconstructed party cannon to her workshop and the Ponyville ponies back to the motel. Blossom – at the unicorn’s request – went asking the neighbors for more appropriate record music. Island music wasn’t going to cut it, not tonight. Even with no disc on the nearby record player, Rarity instructed her unwilling pupils to imagine a tune in their heads while they performed some simple moves. She had no way of knowing whether they fulfilled the former but the latter was a train wreck in the skies. Months ago, in front of her very eyes, these same two ponies dominated the dance floor. Now they couldn’t get out of each other’s way and no amount of direction could help them. Oh dear. This isn’t the start I envisioned. I’m certain that one night wasn’t a fluke. Eventually, Blossom made her return with a stack of dusty albums. “Not exactly a great selection, Rarity. All I found was,” she shuddered, “classical and some jazz.” Rarity nodded as she flipped through the music selection, “That’s quite all right, dearie. At this point, any type of beat is better than none at all.” Raising her voice to the hovering pegasi fifty feet above her head, “Now, don’t you worry, you two! I’m certain you’ll do better with some actual music!” Rainbow had both forelegs on her hips, “Do we really need to hold hooves for this thing?” “I sorta agree with her,” Swift added. “Can’t we just do stunts side-by-side or something?” “I’ve already gone over this,” Rarity rebuked, wagging her hoof at them. “This can’t just be another ho-hum performance like with the Wonderbolts.” Rainbow gasped. “Ho-hum?” Ignoring her flare-up, “We need something magical. We need something extraordinary.” She clutched her chest, “We must make our audience feel! We want them to remember your performance in the night skies for the rest of their lives!” Blossom tapped Rarity’s shoulder. “I appreciate your enthusiasm but they’re just dancing to a rock song. As long as they can keep the audience entertained while the band plays, that’s all we need out of them.” “I understand that,” she whispered into her ear. “I’ll admit I do have an ulterior motive here.” “Oh?” Her eyes darted between the two hovering ponies. “Don’t tell me you can’t see there’s something going on between those two. I’m just trying to lend a helping hoof to open up—” She fluttered her eyelashes “—new possibilities.” Blossom snickered. “Well, if you must know, Swift promised me not to tease him about something, if you get my hint.” “Really?” “But he didn’t say anything about helping him with this something.” In an instant, they giggled like fillies in the playground. “What’s going on down there?” Rainbow shouted. “Nothing,” they both responded. Eventually, the choreographer placed an album onto the turntable and moved the needle into position. After a few audible cracks coming from the speaker, the recordings of a fast saxophone had Blossom bopping her head to the pleasing melody. Rarity tapped her hoof on the patchy grass as her mind processed what moves would fit the tune. When she had it planned out, she outlined the moves to her two performers. “And don’t forget the combination spin at the end,” Rarity finished. “Together then apart, nice and slow.” Rainbow and Swift grumbled their uneasy approval. “Miss Blossom? If you please?” The surfer mare reset the music and then observed alongside Rarity what should’ve been an upbeat jig between two pegasi. However, they became witness to newfound ways to screw up every time Rainbow and Swift got within a foot of each other. If they didn’t bump wingtips, the pair missed their grabs and holds or mistimed a turn. Their facial muscles contorted into restrained disgust as though their respective partner had some contagious disease. Awkwardness might as well be. As the music came to its conclusion, Rainbow reached out to the stallion but just a glimpse of his eyes and her mind went on autopilot. He should’ve realized the imminent collision except his alarms malfunctioned. Blossom winced at the mid-air crash. “All wrong,” Rarity complained with a facehoof. “Let’s try this again, shall we?” For the new few attempts, Rainbow and Swift did their best to disprove the saying that practice indeed made perfect. While they cut down their crashes, their flying would’ve had their licenses revoked – if there was such a thing as pegasi piloting certification. “Stop! Just, stop!” Rarity turned to her viewing companion, “Can you be a dear and go up there and show them what they’re doing wrong?” “I’d love to but—” Blossom flexed her wings and gestured toward the sky “—that may be a little hard for me.” Rarity blinked a few times. “I don’t quite understand what… oh. Oh! I’m so terribly sorry! I didn’t know that—” “It’s all right,” she said, smiling broadly. “My wings still has its uses.” She sighed. “Hovering’s not one of them. It’s a shame. I think Swift would feel a lot better if he practiced with me in the air.” The unicorn gasped. “That’s it! I We’ll just have them dance down here in the ground, with us! Once we get them into a nice rhythm, we can then switch partners! If we can just make them less nervous, then everything else will fall into place. What do you say?” Blossom winked, “You got it!” When Rarity waved over Rainbow and Swift and told them of the switch in tactics, they jumped all over it. Anything was better than apologizing to each other for every mistake. “Allow the dancing come to you naturally,” Rarity coached her pupils. “Don’t think about what to do. Just, let it happen!” Blossom tossed out one record for another. The following song – a mixture of piano, saxophone and trumpets – enticed Rarity to swing her hips. “Just like this, everypony!” Blossom pulled Swift right in front her. “C’mon, you! Don’t be hiding those mad dancing skills from me!” “I’m not that great,” he replied casually. “We’ll see about that.” Meanwhile, Rainbow moved across the grass field in a confined space, careful not to run into a dancing partner that could trip over her hooves any second. With the music speeding up, snickers soon escaped her clenched mouth, much to Rarity’s chagrin. “This isn’t easy, you know!” She paused to wipe her forehead. “The pace is rather demanding!” “Pffft! It’s a piece of cake! Here!” She grabbed Rarity’s hoof. “Let’s do a spin!” “Hold on-nnnnnnn!” Rainbow twirled the unicorn in a full circle and into the ground with a plop. “More fair warning next time,” she grumbled as she got up and shook off dirt. “And not that fast!” She didn’t hear her complaints. All of her attention had turned on the other dancing pair. Not only had Swift successfully spin Blossom, she did the same to him. Then out of nowhere, Blossom flipped above the stallion and despite surprise written all over his face, aided her to a gentle landing as though he’d practiced that move for years. Then they went through a synchronized step pattern, definitely not one achievable by beginners. “Wonderful, you two,” Rarity chirped. “I think I’m ready for that spin now, Rainbow. Rainbow?” Swift and Blossom continued their iron grip on Rainbow’s focus but not because of their dancing prowess. Why were they smiling? Why were they laughing? Why was the redhead suddenly making her face turn red? “We should switch, shouldn’t we?” Rainbow said through clenched teeth. Rarity verbally acquiesced – now she had the object of her ire as her partner. “Think you can keep up with me?” Blossom told her with a mischievous smile. When the beat called for it, Rainbow put all her muscle spinning Blossom faster than a tornado. The redhead’s hooves dug deep into the silt but she stayed upright and then returned the favor. While she didn’t have the same might, Rainbow slipped on a moist patch. Her partner grabbed her, saving her from a fall. “I’ll go easier next time, ‘kay?” said the surfer mare. Rainbow responded with an eye tick before checking on the other dancing pair. Like magic, her unicorn friend suddenly managed a semblance of competence, thanks to a patient stallion that guided her every step. She even managed a perfectly executed twirl at speed. “Wooo!” Rarity cooed. “Are you sure dancing isn’t part of your cutie mark?” Swift chuckled. “Nah. I can name a few on my weather team that are better than me.” “Don’t be so modest, darling!” She went for another twirl. “Oh, this is so much fun!” Rainbow didn’t have as much. For how uncomfortable it was pairing up with the agile stallion in the skies, now she wished to have another crack at it. She was ready to ask but then noticed him looking her way. In a flurry, Rainbow turned her head back toward Blossom. Before she knew it, the surfer mare tossed her sideways in the air, yelling for Swift to make the catch. He moved right into position with plenty of time to spare, only for hesitation to make him nothing more than an unwilling cushion to break her fall. “Ooof!” For the second time today, Rainbow Dash was atop of him and this time, he couldn’t move for a different reason. Her hindquarters had his left wing pinned against the sparse grass. “Sorry,” she blurted out as she rolled off him. “No worries,” he hissed, savoring his slightly bent wingtips. “Not the worst thing that’s happened to it. What was that all about, Blossom? I wasn’t ready for that!” She moved the needle off the record. “Remember when Blitz suddenly threw me like that during the Hearts Warming Eve party last year? That time, you caught me just fine so I thought you could do it again.” “But that was completely different.” “How is it different, Swift?” She strutted toward him, “Rainbow and I are about the same size, same height. Both times, you moved into the right spot for the catch. You looked even more ready this time so how could it be different?” Swift leaned back against her devilish leer. “Don’t tell me the moonlight caught your eye.” “Well, I… it’s that you—” In a low voice, “whatever.” Rarity clasped her hooves together. “All right, everypony. That was, um, progress, I suppose. Let’s pick this up again, tomorrow, shall we?” Again, Rainbow wasn’t paying attention. She was staring off into the horizon where the millions of white dots competed for real estate across a vast purple canvas. Miles away, the center of the town glowed different hues of ember, pale green and cool blue. Unlike a place like Ponyville, this town must have a more lively nightlife but she couldn’t hear the hustle and bustle from this distance. Instead, she picked up the sound of crickets and crashing waves. It was just what she needed to forget about what unfolded within the last few minutes, the soothing sounds of nature. Then a thought shattered that calm. “Um, I guess I gotta fly back to the motel, huh?” Rarity inspected her surroundings, “Oh dear. It is getting rather dark. I’m not exactly comfortable having to walk back, especially in a town I don’t really know.” Blossom chuckled. “Oh, you two! There’s no need to go anywhere! Hey! How about we have a sleepover?” Rainbow whipped her head back. “A sleepover? Um, I don’t think—” “Wonderful,” Rarity exclaimed. “It’s a perfect way to bond together between us girls!” After a pregnant pause, she turned to Swift. “Oh, yes. Ahem. Well, I suppose we can allow you to partake.” “No, no, no,” he said, taking three steps back. “Sounds like a one hundred percent mare thing. I’ll just be in the way. That and I’ve got some weather stuff I gotta take care of before dawn.” “Maybe Rainbow Dash could join you in that, then?” The pony in question squeaked in surprise. Swift waved off the unicorn. “Um, I’m not… t–that won’t be necessary! I know you hate doing anything that early, right, Rainbow?” She mumbled a generic agreement, which was his excuse for a quick good night and takeoff heading north. Rainbow gave him a cursory wave before staring at the nearby ocean water pounding the shoreline. Behind her, Blossom and Rarity began gabbing about things she could care less about: summer clothes, furniture and makeup. Touring Brayside Beach attractions at this hour or even returning to the motel sounded like better alternatives but alas, her body was in no mood to fly. Maybe it was the trip itself or the warmer temperatures here than Ponyville but her internal body clock told her it was approaching midnight despite it being no later than eight o’clock. Straight to sleep it was, then. That was a serviceable enough excuse to pass on whatever Blossom and Rarity were planning to do in the living room. “Since when you sleep this early, dear?” Rarity said, giving Rainbow a quizzical look. “Well, we’ll try to keep the noise down for now.” “Have a good night,” Blossom added. Rainbow looked straight at the redhead for a few seconds, her eyebrows stuck in the irritated position. “Good night.” Rainbow stepped right into a darkened bedroom where a reflection of her appeared from a mirror affixed to a dresser cabinet. The sliding door to a closet was open and it held both the expected clothes and unexpected surfboards, at least five identical ones. An open window allowed in the sea breeze that made the red curtains covering the opening dance and kept the air cool. She closed the door behind her and stretched her back. Wait. Is that a— Beside a twin-sized bed, she noticed a white hammock with a heart shaped pillow. Hammocks made of out clouds she had experienced – nothing to write home about – but a cloth one was another story. She threw herself right into it. “Whoa!” It swung like a boat traversing the rough seas but after a few seconds, the hammock settled to a slow sway. Her senses tuned out the intermittent chatter in the other room but not the bombardment of thoughts that held her back from sleep; different town, new ponies and dilemmas both past and present. It took a few yawns but combined by the hammock’s gentle rocking, she slipped into the darkness. Then a loud snort opened the blinders over her peepers. Wha… who’s that? Through the window, the moon that had been halfway up the sky had reached its apex. When she checked to her left, there was Rarity under the sheets donning an eye mask. A few more pony noises and then she returned to prim and proper snoring. If Rarity’s sleeping on the bed, where’s Blossom? Rainbow soon found her but only as a picture hanging on the wall. She had Hearts Warming Eve attire and had hooves around Swift who wore a fuzzy hat. He welcomed the embrace and based on her toothy grin, she adored him like the top present on a wish list. Her eyes pierced through time and gazed right at Rainbow, twisting her heart. Rainbow sat up, her body beginning to shake. Images like this were a bit a dozen; Rainbow had one with her and Fluttershy sitting in a dusty photo album in a bookcase. That was okay but this image was wrong, not just that picture but the others around the room where both were in the same picture. Birthdays, holidays, random get-togethers, Blossom chose to be by his side in just about every instance. There was a connection between them, hinted while she and Swift danced and confirmed by the evidence all around her. Surfing Blossom was guilty of mere association so declared her rising anger. She hopped off the hammock and placed her hooves around the picture frame, the temptation to smash it onto the floor harder to resist the more she held onto it. Finally, she raised it above her head and waited for the emotional trigger to snap. Dammit! What am I doing? Rainbow returned the picture to its spot and rested her forehead onto the wall. I must be losing my mind. A muffled rocking sound popped open her wings. What’s that? She nudged the bedroom door open and tiptoed into the living room. The sliding glass door leading into the patio was open a sliver and somepony had left on one of the outside lanterns. Rainbow slipped through the gap, hoping the constant noise was just a home declaring its need for some upkeep. “Well, Aloha, you!” There was Blossom, sitting on the hanging bench with a smile matching that from the picture. She patted on the empty spot next to her. Rainbow wanted nothing to do with the redhead, not with her feelings about her in flux. “Um—” “I won’t bite, Rainbow. Take a seat.” She did and then clutched the chain that held the bench suspended in the air. She kept Blossom just outside her range of sight, “So, what are you doing out here at this hour?” Blossom moved slightly back and forth, “Sometimes, I just like sitting here before turning in. It relaxes me. I even fall asleep here from time to time.” She pulled out a half-completed sock. “I was also working on this. Rarity was teaching me how to make these for Hearts Warming Eve.” She tossed the sock aside, “Sewing’s definitely not my talent, though. What brings you out here, Rainbow?” Her grip on the chain tightened before rationality clamped down these newfound emotions. “N–no reason.” Blossom removed both hair bands, allowing her mane to flow freely behind her neck. “You don’t need to hide anything. Are you having trouble sleeping?” After a brief pause, “You could say that.” “Do you need more pillows? Is it too warm inside?” “No, it’s not that. Just, stuff in my head.” Blossom scooted closer to Rainbow. “You don’t say? A bit for your thoughts?” She glanced her way. “I’m not much of a talker.” “That’s not what Swift’s told me.” “Wai–what?” She held her wings from unfurling. “W–what did he say?” “Mmmmmmm. He told me you like to brag, a lot.” “He did?” She pulled out a weak laugh. “Oh. Yeah, of course.” Blossom flicked her mane to the side. “I can’t blame you. It’s only natural when your talent draws you into competition. I’ll admit I can be like that sometimes when I’m surfing for a trophy. I do try to be nice but if somepony pushes my buttons, I won’t hold back.” Rainbow thanked Celestia for a more a comfortable topic. “I hear ya. Heh. Everypony knows how great I am but ponies still try to challenge me to races. I don’t mind having to teach them a lesson. Of course, they whine and cry afterwards that I have an unfair advantage. Not my fault I’m naturally fast.” “Like it’s not my fault that a pegasus can be so good in a so-called earth pony skill. Ha!” She turned to face her, “I’m kinda surprised they would let any pegasus compete when you clearly have a competitive advantage.” “Not exactly. I have to tie up my wings before every event but all that means is that I have to work a little harder getting some speed and air. It doesn’t stop me from winning.” “Three time regional champ if read the inscriptions on your trophies right.” “And proud of it!” Now Rainbow could bust out a smile. “I’m glad somepony understands the idea of pegasus pride.” “Actually, I’ve never heard of that until Swift told me one day. I suppose it’s because I’m not your typical pegasus.” She just had to mention him by name. Rainbow immediately stiffened, “I, see.” Blossom moved even closer. “You know. It’s funny. I know this is the first time we’ve met but I feel like I’ve already known you for a while. Every time Swift came back from the Stallihorns, he had something new to share about his trip but he always talked about you the most.” “H–he did?” “Mhm. Maybe it’s just me but I got the impression that you two, how can I put this, spent a lot of time together? I know you two had to work but you’ve kept finding the time to have a little fun here and there. You know, just you two.” Rainbow scratched her head, “I, um, I guess you could say that.” A new question came to her and spent no time mulling on whether to ask. “So, do you and Swift, um, spend time together? Like, do… stuff?” Blossom grinned like a cat that had caught a mouse by its tail. Rainbow retreated to the corner of the swaying bench. “I meant that, um, as, not like—” “Was that a little jealousy I heard just now?” Her wings opened fully. “No! I just wanted—” “Is there something you’re not telling me?” She leaned in close enough to touch snouts. “Something Swift hasn’t told me yet?” All at once, she remembered the pictures on the wall along with the dancing earlier in the night. Rainbow grabbed onto her and if it wasn’t for heroic self-restraint, would’ve tossed her right off the patio. Instead, she shoved her back just hard enough for some breathing room. “Nothing’s happening, Blossom!” Rainbow slouched and crossed her forelegs. “Geez, louise! Can’t Swift and I be in the same town without everypony in Equestria thinking that we’re, well, you know!” Blossom, wily expression intact, craned her head right into Rainbow’s sights. “No, I don’t know. You tell me.” She glowed brighter than the distant lighthouse guiding those traversing the dark sea. Blossom rolled back to her side of the bench and wriggled in place, tittering with glee. Rainbow scowled at the silhouette of nearby cliffs. If she saw even a strand of red hair right now, she would slug Blossom into tomorrow. “It’s not like that. Not like that at all.” “C’mon, now. I’m just teasing you. Lighten up,” said Blossom, wiping off amused tears. “I’ll tell you what. Just to make it up to you, I’ll let you in on a secret about me, something I’ve never told anypony before.” All she wanted was to leave town. “What is it?” Blossom checked her surroundings; this was not for Rarity’s ears in case they were tuning in right now. In a whisper, “There’s something you should know about me and Swift.” Rainbow started turning her direction. “I, used to have a crush on him.” She stumbled backwards, rocking the bench hard enough that both had to hold on just to stay on it. Once the movement slowed, Rainbow raised a perturbed eyebrow at the source of her indignation. “Are you being serious or is this some joke?” “It’s the truth,” Blossom answered, twirling some of her hair. “It happened on the day he earned his cutie mark. Did he happen to tell you about that?” “The day he… oh yeah. The whole deal with those bullies that were picking on those bad fli… ers.” Rainbow let out a long gasp and pointed. “You! It was you! You’re that pony!” She nodded. “That’s right. I’m the one that meanie bully pushed down that day. You should’ve seen Swift, Rainbow. He whizzed all around the cafeteria and made fools out of them. When they all slipped into the hallways, I chased after them.” *** Begin Flashback*** Blossom galloped down the hallway, slowing at every intersection to figure out where next to go. The group she had eaten with trailed her and with each step, Blossom pulled away from them. Her tail carried a lunch tray, ready to wallop a bully on the head. She feared she’d have to do just that. The colt that had tried standing up to the troublemakers didn’t look like the pony that could win a one-on-one fight, let alone take on three at once. She had made up her mind; she would save him at all costs. Suddenly, she heard one of the bullies yell “Pound him!” somewhere ahead of her. The redhead filly pushed even harder but when she tried setting up for the approaching bend, her front foreleg slipped on the tiled floor. She fell and slid just short of hitting her head on a drinking fountain. As she stumbled back up, she turned her head left. All the way at the end of the long corridor, Swift tricked three bullies into crashing right into some lockers. Books rained down upon them, ending the threat for good. Wow! That was so amazing! Blossom approached Swift, now resting by the lockers on the side. Shimmering stars surrounded the dashing colt that had defended her with guile and sheer bravery. “Did I just do that?” the colt said to himself. “You totally did!” she answered. Seconds later, she was face to face with the pony that defended her honor. The ponies that were following her had congregated behind her, as did many others from the cafeteria. “I was gonna whack some sense into them but you beat me to it.” “I wasn’t really trying to,” he said, scratching his hair. “When they pushed you down, I… well, it just—” Blossom brushed her hair aside, snickering. “Oh, I see. You were standing up for me.” A raw emotion drove her into his personal space. “That was sweet of you.” Lips pursed, she was ready to plant a kiss onto this colt but not only did the crowd’s approval stopped her, so did the colt’s urgent protest about getting cooties. Reluctantly, she retreated, using laughter as a cover. “Awwww. Well, doesn’t matter. I wasn’t going to kiss you anyways.” *** End Flashback*** “I lied to him, Rainbow,” spoke Blossom as she gazed at the stars. “I so wanted to kiss my wonderful knight but I had too many ponies watching. After all, first kisses should be a special time just between two ponies. Don’t you think so, Rainbow?” Rainbow had trouble keeping her mouth shut. Blossom was telling her all this so calmly and without a hint of embarrassment. She could barely contain her own. “Um, n–no comment.” She sighed wistfully. “Anyways, I found out real quick that he absolutely hated anything to do with romance. I didn’t mind because I thought to myself that maybe he would change his mind if I spent enough time with him. A few weeks after that, though, my parents decided to move out of Saddlecloud. I hated losing the friends I had made but losing Swift hurt the most. I didn’t have the courage to tell him how I felt so I went with the next best thing. *** Start Flashback *** On the playground, Blossom stood right in front of Swift, her confession letter hidden within her tail. This was her last chance; her parents would be here any moment to take her away from Saddlecloud forever. He waited patiently for whatever she had planned for him and yet, all she could do is let her cowardice run down her face. With a flick, the rose-colored sheet with her emotions neatly inscribed in hoofwritten ink fell through the cloud floor and into open skies. “Goodbye, Fly,” she whimpered before walking toward the playground exit. She refused to look back, not wanting to sob until she was far enough from him. A few slow steps later, he had stopped her with one touch of her shoulder. “If I write to you, will you write back?” he said. “What?” Her voice cracking, “You want me to write to you?” Swift rubbed his hair, “Well, yeah. You’ve been a good friend to me, Blossom, so I wanna keep touch. If you want to, of course.” Eyes overflowing with tears, she squeezed him tight and he returned the favor. “Oh, you sweet colt! Of course, I will! I will! I will! I will!” Then, she caught a glimpse of his blue pearls and that was all the excuse she needed to peck him on the cheek. Swift patted his face as though it was on fire, “Ah! Cooties! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!” Blossom fell back and sniggered uncontrollably, even after her parents arrived. *** End Flashback *** “Mind you, I had other friends that wrote to me but Swift was the only one that kept it up over the years. I was always happy about that.” Rainbow’s jaw drooped. “Y–you actually kissed him? I–I thought that… he never told me this. Why would he… was that—?” Even with Blossom’s hooves covering her mouth, her giggles easily broke through that barrier. “Oh, c’mon! It was just on the cheek, Rainbow! What? You think that because of that, we’re together now?” “Um, a–are you,” she asked before thinking. “Ah! No! No! I wasn’t—” Blossom slapped her sides, her laughter so loud that it likely woke up everypony on this side of town. “Sorry I asked,” Rainbow snarled. She stormed off the bench and marched toward the dark ocean. Once the redhead settled down, she glanced inside the house – Rarity must be a heavy sleeper — before chasing after Rainbow. “Ah, don’t be like that. I’m just having a little fun with you.” Rainbow responded with a terse snort. “Well, I’m not having fun!” Her ears flopped. “You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s a bad habit of mine. If you want, I can explain what Swift means to me. No more joking around, promise.” She waited until she lost the urge to swing at her to shoot a death glare. “Don’t get the wrong idea, okay? I’m just curious. I feel like you know me more than I know you.” “I understand.” Blossom took a deep breath and exhaled. “Time does funny things to ponies. You think you know exactly what you’re doing and feeling when you’re a filly but you really don’t. You see, during the time I spent with Swift, he helped me through a few things and I did the same for him. For example, I had to push him to be a little more assertive and he calmed me down every time I let my emotions get the better of me. Even after we split, we did that through our letters. It felt great, Rainbow, to have somepony l could trust whenever I needed some help. He didn’t always have all the answers but he tried, he always tried.” Rainbow found herself nodding. “Then, I got the news about what happened in Saddlecloud,” she continued in a more somber tone. “I got one short letter from him. All it said was that he might not get back to me in a while. The next time I heard from him was when he decided to take the job here, as Brayside’s new weather patrol leader. At that point, I thought he was all better and I was super excited to see him again.” Blossom stopped walking as they approached the edge of the water. She whisked away some wet sand below her hooves before taking a seat. “Were you,” Rainbow asked as she also sat. “At the start but that feeling didn’t last long. I could tell there was something wrong with him.” Rainbow’s heart stopped beating for a second. “W–what do you mean?” “There was something, different about him.” “The way he looked?” “Well, yes. Taller but less than I expected and his hair grew even more but that wasn’t it.” Rainbow swallowed a gulp. “The stallion that came back to me wasn’t the same one that wrote to me. I knew Swift wasn’t always the most assertive pony but he would always ‘do the right thing’ when the moment called for it. Not after he returned, Rainbow. He played everything far too safe, not trying to offend or get in situations where he’d get hurt. I knew for certain there was something up when that Leviathian came ashore and attacked our Trotwalk.” Rainbow had a case of whiplash. “Leviathian?” “Actually, a baby Leviathian. Long story short, it was wreaking havoc on the pier. Against my better judgment, I decided to take it head on and its tail hit me straight into some rubble. I was woozy and I couldn’t get out but Swift was nearby serving as a decoy. I should’ve been okay. He could’ve done something to help me but when the Leviathian headed in my direction, he hid from it instead. I could see it in his eyes, Rainbow. He wanted to do something but he was just too scared to do anything for me. Eventually, Blitz had to jump in and rescue me and no matter how many times I told him afterwards, he couldn’t forgive himself. He called himself a complete coward.” Coward? I know that he… wait a minute. What is Blossom getting at? Blossom made direct eye contact with her. “I wanted to help him but I didn’t know how. Not long after that, I did in a big way and at the time, I didn’t even know it.” “H–how?” A smile crept onto her face, “A request from Ponyville for a temporary weather leader.” Rainbow gnawed on her lips. “Swift’s bosses were on the fence about sparing him for the job but you could say I made the rather easy argument to them that he would benefit from the experience. The truth was I wanted Swift to spend some time away from here. I thought that focusing on work in a different town would somehow help him or at least forget about what happened. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect such a turnaround. Just like that, the pony that I thought he was not only came back but he was even better than ever. Rainbow, I have you to thank for that.” “Um, me?” She searched for a reason to flee. A Leviathan washing ashore would’ve been nice, “I mean, I didn’t really do… we only—” “It’s all right. You don’t need to explain.” “Explain? What’s there to—?” With one gentle touch on the shoulder, Blossom silenced her. “Rainbow? Swift, he told me everything.” “W–what do you mean?” “Ponyville. I know exactly what happened between you two.”