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// Prompt #90: Catch Me 
// Story: Ponywatching 
// by ThunderTempest 
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One of the first things that Rarity had done once she and Rainbow Dash had started dating was go to Twilight and learn the cloud-walking spell. It was only common sense, she had said. Rainbow was a pegasus. She would undoubtedly want to show Rarity things that only other pegasi could see, and whatever she may have claimed in public, Rarity did enjoy the occasional Wonderbolts airshow. Rainbow Dash claiming that they were twenty percent cooler when they didn’t have to worry about things like the ground had nothing to do with it. And the upcoming show in the cloud stadium in Las Pegasus had been completely unrelated.

Still, though Twilight had said it was simple, and certainly easier than giving her wings again, the spell still caused an ache in Rarity’s horn the first few times she had cast it successfully. But Rarity had persisted, and was quite adept at casting the spell, only needing a few moments before Rainbow whisked her off to wherever as she was prone to do sometimes.

It was this proficiency that allowed Rarity to sit comfortably on a particularly fluffy cloud as Rainbow Dash pushed it upwards. Oddly, when Rainbow had asked that she sit on the cloud that morning, she’d been unusually silent. Just asked, and when Rarity tried to press for a reason, Rainbow had clammed up.

So Rarity sat on the cloud, and not asked further. She assumed that maybe they were going to Cloudsdale, but when Rainbow simply blew past it, Rarity tossed that assumption away. Indeed, Rainbow didn’t stop the climb until Rarity actually had to call out to Rainbow that it was getting difficult for her to breathe.

Rarity looked down. ‘Okay,’ she thought, ‘that was a bad idea.’ She instead fixed her eyes on Rainbow, who had fluffed out the cloud a bit more, and was sitting on the side, twitching every few seconds.

“Rainbow,” said Rarity, her voice sounding oddly tinny to her ears, “is there a reason that you brought me up here for?”

“Yeah,” muttered Rainbow, “I guess there is. But it’s kinda a pegasus thing, and,” Rainbow trailed off. On her face, Rarity could see a whole host of emotions and desires battling for dominance. Rarity decided to help her out.

“Rainbow Dash,” she said, “you have brought me up here for a reason. Would you please tell me what that reason is? I promise that I won’t laugh.”

“Okay, look,” began Rainbow, “I asked my dad and Spitfire about this. There’s kind of a tradition with pegasi.”

Rarity nodded. She had expected as much.

“When two pegasi start dating, or whatever, one of the first things they do to really proclaim that they love each other is fly up to the cirrus layer,” here, Rainbow pointed upwards at the wispy clouds that still floated far above Rarity, “and they run a scarf or blanket through the clouds. Sort of a bravery, mutual love thing.”

Rarity sighed. That did sound romantic, and she was delighted that Rainbow wanted to do that with her, but she could still tell that Rainbow was holding something back.

“Rainbow,” asked Rarity, “what happens after that?”

Rainbow swallowed. “Well, after that, one of them stops flapping their wings, and falls. It’s up to the other to save them. Once one’s safe, they repeat. Trust thing,” finished Rainbow.

“Rainbow, you are aware that I can’t fly, aren’t you?” said Rarity, and Rainbow nodded.

“It was a stupid idea. Come on, I’ll take you back down.”

Rarity had always been good at impulse ideas-it was what helped ensure her success as a dressmaker. So, just as Rainbow circled around and was about to begin pushing the cloud back down, Rarity spoke.

“I have a better idea,” said Rarity, trying not to think too much about what she was about to do, “why don’t you catch me again, Rainbow? I trust you.”

And with that, Rarity cancelled her cloud-walking spell.

****Time****

Rarity was deeply regretting her impulse decision. Fortunately, the rapidly approaching multi-coloured dot above her was her saviour, and as long as she didn’t flail, Rainbow would catch her pretty quickly.

Rainbow pulled along side Rarity, fixing the unicorn with a glare that was half concern, half amused, and then, without warning, swiped sideways.

“You’re an idiot, Rarity,” said Rainbow Dash, bringing herself to a stop.

“What can I say, Rainbow? You bring out the worst in me,” said Rarity, as Rainbow hovered, Rarity in her forehooves.

“The worst, huh? Then I guess I shouldn’t disappoint,” grinned Rainbow.

“Rainbow Dash, don’t you dare -” 

Rainbow Dash dropped Rarity. Despite herself, Rarity laughed as she fell, and Rainbow pulled alongside her, her mouth turned up.

It was pure idiocy. One mistake on Rainbow’s part, one panic from Rarity, and there was a high chance that neither of them would walk away.

Rarity loved it. This was how she wanted to feel every day.