Regret

by I Am The Night

Chapter I: Planning Day

Though it was still a bit early in the morning, almost ten o'clock, the town's market was full of life, with most of the ponies setting up their little shops, advertising their foods or whatever they had in store for the citizens. Sometimes, ponies would walk away, as they would have further business to attend to, but at other times, ponies would observe and either be intrigued or disappointed at what they found themselves looking at.

While you didn't exactly have a clear mindset on what to get Rainbow for her birthday, you were sure that you would find something worth buying for her, and you were sure that, whatever it was, she would like it.

But it really wasn't until you actually stepped hoof into the market that you even began to think of really what she would like.

Then that brought up an honest question: What does Rainbow like anyway?

The first automatic thought that came to your mind was, of course, the Wonderbolts. You were well aware of what exactly the Wonderbolts were, in full, endless detail. Every day, Rainbow would talk openly about them, talking about their 'daring performances' or their 'sick moves'.

You did see the show they performed a few months back, but while you didn't think they were 'extravagant', they were quite impressive, but they were never something you would dream about at night.

However, you never had a problem with Rainbow obsessing over them, and for a while, you considered getting her something commemoratively reminiscent of her famed heroes, like plushies or necklaces or even a book on their history---she would love that.

But a part of you wanted to buy her something even more special than small dolls. You considered buying her tickets, rather expensive ones, to one of their next shows. They were planning another show here in town in the next few months, and from what most were saying, it was one of their biggest shows yet: 'A 120 minute spectacle of the century,' some have called it.

You mostly knew of this from Rainbow paining over the fact that she didn't have the bits to purchase even one ticket, one of which was well over 1,000 bits.

While you did have some bits in the bank, it was not enough to purchase one of the tickets, and you felt guilty about it, but you made it a goal, maybe not today or tomorrow, but somehow, you would get those tickets for her, even if it meant selling a few things in your home.

Most of it was junk, anyhow.

The next topic Rainbow really loved was the Daring Do series. It was a series of books mainly revolving around a particular mare named Daring Do, who went on adventures across the world, discovering tombs and finding old treasures.

For a short while, by the way the stories were written, you had the assumption that the character was entirely fictional. But it wasn't until last year, on a trek to find A.K Yearling, the series writer, that you discovered that Yearling herself was the famed Daring Do.

You asked her at a point why she disguised herself. She never really gave a good explanation, but she did say that if ponies discovered her true identity, they would be at risk to her enemies. She did add that once her dangers were gone, then she would reveal herself, but for now, the only ponies that really know who she truly is was you, Rainbow, and the other Elements of Harmony.

And you let it stay that way.

For gifts that could be worth giving to Rainbow, there were really only plushies and books. As far as you knew, Rainbow didn't exactly like plushies, as they were 'too girly', and as much as Rainbow has bragged about the stories, she essentially has every book that Daring---or is it Yearling?---has ever published.

...

...Well...maybe not every book...

'Borrowing' a few bits from the bank, you hopped your way onto a train and made your way to Galloping Gorge. To your surprise, it took only a few short hours to arrive to the destination. You were always confused at spans of distances in Equestria. Places that were miles away would take a day or two to reach, but in other cases, farther places would take just a mere few hours. You assumed that it was because of the design of the train tracks, how much they curved or twisted about, but you didn't ponder on it too long.

Once you arrived at the train stop nearest to Galloping Gorge by noon, you began to walk the rest of the way there on hoof. Once you made your way to the forest to the west, you began to cut your way through.

Well, that was rather a lie. You were slapped quite a lot by branches, but luckily, they weren't big enough to cause much harm to your face or...other parts.

But after a good few minutes cutting corners and trying---and failing---to avoid branches, you finally make your way to a small open and isolated area. For the first time in several minutes, you could once more feel the sunlight as it shone down on you.

The area around you consisted of an open grassy area with few bushes; nothing too special. But the one thing that stood out the most in your view was the small cottage not more than twenty hooves in front of you.

Almost instantly, you recognized the cottage as Yearling's---or Daring's---home.

Seeing as how a year has passed since you last saw her, you'd assume her house would be prim and proper.

But it's not.

In fact, it's as if it had been pilaged. Again. Furnature was scattered around the outside, a window was smashed in, and the door was entirely ripped from its hinges.

Upon walking inside, you are given a view of devastation, with furnature toppled over and glass scattered around the broken window, but interestingly, it isn't as bad as last year. You assume this is likely the work of that...enemy of hers. What was his name again? 'Something' Ziti?

You can't remember, but honestly, you didn't care.

"Who are you?" a voice calls out to you from behind.

Upon turning around, you are greeted with none other than Daring Do, who was mixfully confused and suspicious on your doing here.

Before any awkward suspicion could really take hold, you explain to her who you were and that the two of you had met before, reminding her of last year's events.

As she ponders and remembers of the event, her face almost immediately beams into a smile of relief as she begins to recognize you.

"Oh, that's right! You're Rainbow Dash's friend!" She says your name and questions if it was correct, to which you reply that she said it right.

Daring then suddenly apologizes about the mess, claiming it was from another attack by Ahuizotl---as she had pronounced to you---and his so-called henchponies.

"You don't need to worry about this stuff, anyway. I'll clean it up later...*sigh*...until he attacks again, that is," she said in a bored, but disappointed tone.

Putting away her frown and lifting a smile again, she looks towards you and asks, "So, what can I do for you?"

For a moment, you nearly forget why you were even here to begin with, but upon remembering, you begin to explain the story.

"Well, uh...well...you see...it's Rainbow's birthday tomorrow, and-"

"It is?" Daring sparks up with surprise plastered onto her face.

"Yeah. I've been spending the morning trying to find her a gift, but...well, I haven't exactly had much luck...or money."

Daring takes your words into understanding, but the confusion remains upon her face.

"And? What did you come to me for?"

You thought of your coming sentence in your head, but you tried to make it not sound rude or forceful.

"Well...seeing as how you're her idol, I was wondering if...you had a copy of your next book for me to give her."

You, upon finishing your sentence, smile sheepishly, patiently waiting for her response. Daring, at first, rubs her chin with a hoof, as if thinking about one of two things: Having a copy, or considering giving you one.

This pose of hers only seemed to last for a few moments before her face clicked with realization and excitement.

"Yyyes! In fact, I DO remember having a copy somewhere! Let me go check! Just---make yourself comfortable, if you can."

Daring Do makes her way upstairs to the second floor, but you don't follow her. Instead, you sit down on the nearby couch, which had been moved quite a bit from its original spot, now positioned closer to the broken window. A few pieces of glass were on one of the cushions, so you brushed them off before sitting down.

As you 'make yourself comfortable,' you find yourself looking about the living room. While some of the things in the place had been moved about and busted, others were intact and left untouched, and it gave you a sense of what the living room normally looks like. You always wondered why Daring had such a small cottage, but you assumed that it was to be less 'visible', in a way.

Just above you, you can hear the sound of shuffling hooves and papers flapping about, with Daring going 'Aha!' A few moments later, the khaki mare clops her way down the steps once more, carrying in her saddle the supposed final draft copy of her upcoming book.

"Here," she says as she stands just beside you. Grabbing the book out of the satchel, she doesn't exactly give it to you right away, but begins to say, "This may be the final copy, but it isn't the FINAL copy. There's a couple of errors here and there, but nothing too serious. Don't forget to tell her that, alright?"

"Sure," you nod.

She smiles a bit and holds the book out to you, to which you grab it. This book had a different texture to it from the rest. With the book in your hooves, you begin to do the motion to put the book in your own satchel, but to your own unintended stupidity, you realize that you had forgotten it back home.

Daring notices this right away and tells you not to worry about it. You assumed that she would walk upstairs or in the kitchen and grab a spare satchel, but instead, she takes off her own satchel and gives it to you.

At first, you're surprised at the sudden 'gift', and you ask her if she'll be needing it, to which she responds:

"Nah. I've got a lot more where this came from. Besides...I've got a feeling she'll like this present just as well."

You thank her with a smile for the satchel, to which you put it on and place the book snuggly inside. Daring asks if that was all you came here for.

"Yes, pretty much. I'm sure she'll be glad to know where these came from."

"Just make sure nopony else finds out, alright? At least, for now?"

You nod in agreement with the mare. Upon getting up from the rather comfortable couch, you begin to bid her goodbye with a hug. During the short hug, Daring reminds you to say hi to Rainbow for her. You make it a promise to do so. Once you two pull away from the hug, you begin to walk out, with Daring waving to you and yelling, "Bye!"

As you walk away from the house, you look back to Daring, who has stopped focusing on you and was now focused on the pieces of scattered furnature around her. You even hear a faint grunt of annoyance.

With book in satchel and satchel on body, you begin to make your way back home.

After another couple of hours, you finally make your way back to Ponyville, with nopony seeming to notice that you were gone.

To you, that was a good thing.

At this point, it was nearly 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and while you had known it for a little while, it still surprised you how fast time was flying by. Luckily, for you, there was still enough time---lots of time, in fact---to get the remaining gifts you intended to get this morning.

With the book in your care, you were able to cross that off your short list.

Now the only thing left was really the tickets.

You knew this was going to be the hardest gift to get.

Sneaking your way back home and making sure that you didn't come across the soon-to-be birthday girl, you take the satchel and book and bring them upstairs to your bedroom, making sure they were away from any windows, should she "accidentally" come across them.

Once they were secure and hidden, you begin to let out a sigh of relief. However, not only were you relieved that you got at least one of the gifts for Rainbow, but you were also mentally and physically exhausted from the travelling and simply thinking---and the branches.

Right now, you just wanted to lay down and relax, at least for a little bit.

And you did exactly that.

And you regretted it. Dearly.

You awoke with a slight stur. At first, the wake-up was quite relaxing. The stretching, the yawning. The flexing.

It was like the morning all over again.

And then you looked outside. And you nearly panicked.

The sun was already beginning to dip below the horizon, signaling that the day was quickly coming to an end. You took a peak at the clock on the stand beside your bed. It was almost 8 o'clock already.

You had been sleeping for nearly five hours. You were only planning on resting for at least a good hour, not almost five.

'Maybe there's time,' you think to yourself.

Without much hesitation---other than still trying to wake yourself up---you nearly sprint your way downstairs, past the living room, and once more out your front door. However, you did not hesitate to lock the front door. Once you were sure that your house was secure, you begin to make your way towards the town bank. You weren't entirely sure how much time you had left before the bank were to close for the day, but you hoped you weren't too late.

There was really only one way to make sure.

And the outcome was NOT what you wanted.

As you approach the Ponyville Bank building, you arrive just in time to watch as the bank's owner shut off the lights inside the building and locked the front doors.

'Nononono,' you say in worry and frustration.

You were hoping you were just seeing things, but sadly, it was not the case.

You watched with disappointment as the owner finished locking the front doors and walked away, keys in hoof, whistling an unfamiliar tune. Looking up, you stared at the eyesore of a sign.

After a few moments, the sign instantly powers down.

Lowering your head, you sigh in frustration, angry with yourself.

'The one time I take a nap,' you think.

As you lift your head back up, you begin to take a look at your surroundings. While the town was still quite alive---it was only 8 o'clock, after all---some ponies were already beginning to take down their shops and head home, while others were still walking along and talking with each other, some even heading down to the nightclub for a bit of nightly fun.

But you didn't care about the nightclub. You cared about those damned tickets.

You mind was filled with several thoughts, and out of those many thoughts, only one came out in words.

"...Now what?"