Rainbow Dash sat in complete silence as the other ponies walked through the crowd. She was glad there were so many ponies, she was gladder that no pony could tell it was her. The party was full of the masked rich, even their cutie marks hidden behind expensive clothing. Her breath was shaky under the scent of cider, her eyes glued to the ground. She glanced at her gown. It was rather uncomfortable, plus the purple and yellow, though she didn’t care much for fashion, didn’t go well with her. Her mane was pulled tightly with a purple bow matching her mask. She lowered her head as she saw Thunder Lane pass her, he wore no mask yet he still looked presentable for the occasion.
‘Why? What would change?’ she thought.
Soarin felt guilty, but at the same time proud he was still alive. In his hooves was an orange tux and mask, Sky sitting on her bed.
“What are you doing again?” she asked.
“Getting food remember?” Soarin said trying to fit his wings through the holes. “This is what you get for overreacting and making me give up my food.”
Sky looked worried.
“But, what if your caught?” she took deeper breathes, “What will happen to me? What if you die?! What if I die?!”
Once Soarin buttoned up his tux, he put a wing around her.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be quick as I always am, now you get some sleep.”
Sky nodded, climbing into bed.
“Wake me up when you come back.”
“I will.”
Rainbow Dash stared at the happy crowd, how could they not hear her scream? How are they so calm and relaxed when she was dying? She shook her head in realization; they were all blind to the sadness, money had stolen their sight. Her thoughts were disrupted when she saw Thunder Lane head over to her. She had to get out of there. She made her way across the room, before she made it, she bumped into a pony.
“Excuse me?” she said in frustration. She calmed down when she saw the stallions green eyes. She could see he was staring right into hers.
“Um, sorry, miss.” He said, he didn’t move though. He recognised her from before.
“Uh, yeah, it was my fault.” She looked down nervously. He saw no need for her to be, her beautiful, raspy voice was full of confidence, but hidden beneath the embarrassment she seemed to be feeling. The two stared for a while as both their minds went bazaar. They looked up as a grey-ish brown mare with a black mane began to play a slow song on her cello. Just then, Soarin said what he thought was the worst thing he could ever say.
“Want to dance?” he asked quickly.
Rainbow Dash looked up quickly, her face covered with shock. As she noticed his nervousness, she smiled.
“Why not?”
Soarin looked back up at her in disbelief, but soon he smiled and offered his hoof to her which she took with a curtsy.
The pair smiled as the tune controlled their hooves, they hadn’t noticed the other couples join them, but they didn’t care, they were happy.
“So,” Soarin started, “why are you going to the Crystal Empire?”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.
“Don’t know. You?”
Worry grew inside the stallion.
“Um, nothing in particular, just wondered how this ship worked.”
“I’m pretty sure there is a book about it.”
“Well, I have no care for reading, seeing is more my speed.”
Rainbow Dash frowned at the ground.
“I see,”
“Well, clearly you do if aren’t stepping on my hooves.”
She looked back at him chuckling at his joke. Her laugh was so perfect.
“Well, you have your flaws good sir, but you can back it up.” She said in a posh voice, only ending up in more giggles. He smiled.
“Beautiful,” he whispered to himself, but she had heard causing her laughter to stop subtly.
“Any mare in your life?” she asked curiously.
“No, just me,” he answered.
“Well, I’m sure you have more opportunities than a mare anyway.”
“Really? Name one.”
“Well, for starters, I am not qualified to fly.”
He chuckled at this, the thought of a pegasus not flying was ridiculous, yet she took it the wrong way.
“Well, if you find my dreams of flight so funny, I guess I shall leave.” She parted from him and made her way through the crowd. His smile disappeared.
“Wait, I didn’t mean-”he trailed off as the clock stroke eleven. “Oh dear.”
He quickly rushed through the crowd to the dining table and grabbed an apple. He then rushed through the door to return the tux and mask.
He returned to his room seeing a sleeping filly. He smiled at her, as he ate the apple he shook his sister lightly.
“Hey, I’m alive.” He whispered.
“That’s nice, I didn’t want you to die.” She muttered, her eyes still closed. He chuckled as she returned to her deep sleep. As he lay in bed, he remembered the cyan mare, he remembered how she laughed, how she talked, her beautiful eyes.
‘What are you kidding Soarin?’ he thought, ‘it was a one off, when Cloudsdale lands, she’ll be just a dream.’
As he threw the core to the corner of the room, he got up and headed for the deck.
Rainbow Dash sat in her room in thought. That stallion had proved her point, all ponies of high money laughed at her beliefs. No pony would understand.
As she removed her mask and brushed her mane, she saw Thunder Lane enter in the mirror, still in his tux and holding a black box.
“Rainbow Dash?”
“Yeah?”
“I was saving this for when we dock, but now seems a good time as any.”
Thunder Lane opened the box, revealing a ruby necklace, shaped as a lightning bolt.
“This used to be one of the rarest jewels of all, a fire ruby, but different than others. Now, it was carved into this known as the ‘Loyalty of the Heart’.” He said as he wrapped it around her neck. “I hope you appreciate this, it cost me a fortune.”
Rainbow Dash stared at its reflection in wonder. It was truly the most beautiful object she had ever seen.
“It’s amazing.” She said.
Thunder Lane smiled in satisfaction as he left the room. When the door closed, tears fled out of the young mare’s eyes. She couldn’t out up with this, not anymore.