Equestria, the land of friendship and harmony, also home to the Elements of Harmony, and one human who went by the name of Dustin Dustchu Morin. He wasn't much, a skinny body but good muscle, pale complexion, hazel eyes and a scraggly goatee, and curly dark brown hair. He stood at a cliff, his eyes reflecting the dying sun in the sky.
"You know..." Dustchu started, eyes scanning the horizon in front of him as he leaned on the wooden railing. "I've been thinking."
Next to him, was a pony, one of Equestria's inhabitants. She was cyan colored, with colorful rainbow hair and bright magenta eyes that reflected her loyalty and determination. "Bout what?" She asked her human friend, sitting next to him on a rock, flicking her tail back and forth as she idly preened her wings.
Dustchu looked over at his friend, eyes lingering on her wings for a few brief seconds before he answered, "About this cliff." He turned away, eyes looking over and down off the cliff. The rocks below were just a few feet below water, and waves crashed on the cliff side with a quiet roar.
Rainbow looked over at him, preening forgotten. "What's to think about it?"
"... why this specific cliff?" He asked, gesturing to it with his hands. "Why is it I was pulled from my world, and into this one, and spat out onto this cliff?" He turned around fully, crossing his arms as he kicked a pebble across the ground. "I know I've told you how some humans ended up here right?"
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah."
"So... why this cliff?"
The mare shrugged, flapping her wings a few times to rustle loose a few feathers. "I don't know, dude."
Dustchu sighed, leaning back against the rail, looking up into the sky. "Do you think... do you think if, I had ended up in the Everfree, or even Ponyville..." His eyes found Rainbow's. "Things might have been a bit different?"
Rainbow tilted her head, pondering what he meant. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Tapping his elbows, he added, "I ended up here, on this cliff and literally fell on top of you, as opposed to being flung into the Everfree, the badlands or some other place." Dustchu thought back to that day, how awkward it had been that he had ended up in yet another situation that almost got his teeth knocked down his throat. Good times.
Rainbow smiled, also thinking back to that day. "Soarin almost knocked you senseless."
"Pfft, I could have taken him, any day of the week."
Rainbow rose an eyebrow, "He had you in a headlock."
Waving a hand, he replied, "Technicalities."
A sigh was what he heard next, "whatever you say."
Dustchu chuckled, shifting in place as he thought about Soarin, the stallion who had almost beat him into a pulp. He had almost been beaten several times, and nearly killed on others, but Soarin was someone he had the unfortunate luck of angering. Even after apologizing several times, Soarin still didn't like him. "Hey, Soarin... is he cool or..." Rainbow shook her head, making him sigh. "Well crap," He started rubbing the back of his head, scratching. "I thought he had forgotten."
She shook her head, smiling sadly. "Kinda hard to forget seeing somepony on top of your marefriend in a..." she waved her hoof. "precarious position, even though it was an accident."
"Hehehe, trust me, I wish I could change how I came into Equestria," Dustchu laughed nervously, the moment forever etched into his mind. He blushed crimson, coughing as he looked away from his friend. "Well... I hope he forgives me soon, I'm not looking to break you two up or anything."
Rainbow nodded her head, "I know," She told him, "you didn't mean it, and... I know you wouldn't do anything like that," She smiled. "You're a good guy, despite everything I put you through when we first met."
A deep chuckle, "Yeah, you did put me through some stuff," His eyes turned back to hers. "I've forgiven you already, and I did deserve most if not all of that crap." He shrugged his shoulders.
She still smiled, "I'm glad," looking down, she sighed heavily, looking out at the ocean as a calm wind blew over them.
"Problems?" He asked, walking over and climbing onto the rock.
Rainbow thought for a moment, looking away to think of the right way to say what was on her mind. "Why did you forgive me so easily?" She asked him as he sat down next to her, turning to look at him. Despite the human's ragged almost weak appearance, there was something about him she admired. "I put you through so much and... threatened to do a lot of things to you," She shook her head, eyes traveling down to his shirt, which had a human fist on it, held up. "You just forgave me so quickly, a lot of ponies wouldn't have... you did," she looked back up at him. "Why?"
Dustchu smiled back at her, another thing she liked to see from her friend. He turned away, looking out at the ocean as the wind blew a few of his bangs out of his face. "I forgave you, cause we needed to work together to survive," He leaned back on his hands, sighing softly through his nose. "Because... even though you hated my guts at first, and I'm pretty sure you wanted to break my bones, I still would have fought off everything in that place to keep you alive." He explained, eyes closing as his head fell back and he just enjoyed the breeze. "you hated me, but I didn't care at all."
She looked at him, frowning sadly. "Did you do that because, you're a brony? Or... because yo-" She was stopped when Dustchu put his finger on her lips, shushing her.
"I did it... because its who I am as a person," He opened his eyes at last. "I was born into poor family, with barely any money, and had to live without a lot of stuff I wish I could have had." Dustchu sat up, pulling his finger away and saying, "I didn't live a fantastic life, but it was mine to live however I wanted, I could have hated everyone, hated the world, and just look out for myself and only myself... but I didn't, I chose to live life as someone who helped others despite not being able to help himself." He looked towards Rainbow Dash, still smiling. "I helped you, because you needed someone's help... you would have died if I hadn't done what I did, sure I... I almost died protecting you," He reached out and placed his head on her shoulder. "But I'd do it all again, cause you're my friend, and that's what friends to for each other."
Rainbow scoffed, pushing his hand off, "You're getting sappy again," She told him, but she smiled and pulled him into a hug. "But... thanks, D." She told him as he put his arm around her, and held her close.
"That's what we have in common Dashie," Dustchu told her, both looking out at the sky as the sun finally set, casting an orange red glow over the horizon. "We're both loyal to our friends, and do whatever it takes." Dustchu smiled still, thinking about Rainbow Dash as his friend. He was glad to have her as a friend, and was glad that everything that happened to him happened. While a part of him may have played with the idea of being with Rainbow Dash on a more intimate level, he was content to be her best friend and trusted ally.
After all, he wasn't one to break up relationships, he didn't do that.
I'm a douche, but not that much a douche. Dustchu thought, thinking of Soarin and Dash and how long they've been a thing.
Rainbow was the same, having thought of the human Dustchu next to her. He was an enigma to her, he could either be your best friend, or your worst enemy and an annoyance either way. But without him, she wouldn't be where she was today, and she was glad she met him. He wasn't anything like the other humans she had met, but he was something.
An idiot of a person... but one I wouldn't trade for anything. She told herself.
Both sat in silence for a while, enjoying the wind as the sun disappeared and was replaced with the moon. Rainbow enjoyed the feeling of Dustchu running his hand through her mane, leaning her head on his shoulder. She extended a wing and wrapped it around his back, her ears swiveled back and forth every now and then as she kept an ear out for any noises. Her protective pegasi nature kicking in, something that most pegasi experience when they wish to protect their friends and family.
The human knew nothing of this however, and thought nothing of it. However focusing his thoughts on how silky Rainbow's mane felt, and her breathing. "Alright, I think we should head back before ya boy decides to come hunting me down." Dustchu told her, hoping Soarin wouldn't be a douche once more about hanging out with Rainbow Dash. He felt Rainbow's wing retract slowly, and he pulled his arm away. Both locked eyes for a moment, and kept each other's gaze.
"So..." She started, smiling sweetly.
"Yeah..."
...
...
"Race ya!" She cried, pushing Dustchu back with a laugh and zooming off.
Dustchu fell off the rock, hitting the ground with a yelp. "Awww you dork! Come back here so I can punch your teeth in!" He yelled, getting up and running after the mare. He put as much speed into his legs as he could as he ran down the path, casting one final look at the cliff before smiling and turning back.
The moon shone brightly as both friends chased one another back to Ponyville, laughter and curses galore filling the air around the two.
The two best friends kept up the chase, joy filling their hearts as they headed back home...
Where soon... another adventure would await them both...
Fin