Shining Dash

by Ianpiersonjdavis

Complications

“So tell me again why we couldn’t have just sent Princess Celestia a letter?” Rainbow Dash asked after her and Shining Armor boarded the train.

“Because sending a letter would risk it getting intercepted by a Changeling who could have replaced one of the castle’s staff.” Shining explained.

Spike had to stay behind for his own safety in case of another Changeling ambush on the train or at Canterlot itself.

Fluttershy agreed to take care of Tank until they returned to Ponyville.

Cloudy Skies had also agreed to rehire Dash as he believed that she was the greatest weather manager the Ponyville ever had and pointed out the since it was a Changeling imposter that had cost her the job, she was never technically fired in the first place as far as he was concerned.

They walked a few cars back before settling in the fifth to last car on the train where Rainbow Dash took a seat next to a window where the sun could be seen setting over Ponyville.

Shining Armor sat next to her as they flung their saddlebags onto the seat facing them.

“Why are you sitting next to me?” Dash asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Because we’re travelling together.” Shining replied.

“But, you’re sitting right next to me.” She pointed out.

“Sorry, I’m just a little paranoid that there may be a few more Changelings on this train that we may have missed and I just wanted to take the necessary precautions...isn’t that why we’re sitting all the way back here?”

“Uh, no…I’m sitting back here because there are barely any other ponies or crying foals to wake me up so I can get in a decent nap before we get to Canterlot.” Dash replied.

Now that he thought about it, they hadn’t really gotten much rest since he got out of bed; the Changeling, the cave, and packing had taken all of the energy Zecora’s potion had given him and all of the walking they had done was causing all of his legs to ache.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “If you want I’ll move over so you can lie down.”

“Nah, it’s cool.” Dash declined, waving her hoof dismissively as she leaned against the window and shut her eyes.

“So what’s the deal with Cadance?” she asked. “I mean, we’ll probably run into her at the castle if she’s feeling well enough to write you a letter…are you gonna try to patch things up with her, try to find someone else, or just stay on your own?”

“Well, to be honest I’m not sure what I’m going to say when I see her again-especially after I drop by completely unannounced.” Shining admitted.

“Why? Is there something you think I should do?”

“I don’t know.” Dash sighed. “I don’t know anything about this mushy stuff…Rarity is the expert on that with all of those romance novels she reads…and I don’t really care about it, either.”

“Then why’d you ask?” Shining challenged.

“Look, I don’t care about ‘romance’ or ‘love’ or whatever because I see cool people like you get all messed up emotionally because of it and that’s why I stay away from it.” Dash elaborated.

“So, you’re afraid of getting hurt by someone if you get romantically attached to them?” Shining pressed.

“I’m not afraid of anything.” Dash grumbled. “What I meant to say is; no offense, but you’re a pretty cool guy and really fun to hang out with before you get all mopey whenever you think about Candace.”

“Cadance,” Shining corrected. “And the fact that I’m hurt by her breaking up with me annoys you?”

“No,” she protested, growing agitated as she opened her eyes. “I’m saying that I’ve hung out with others in the past-even with some guys like you-but, they were always hung up on some other girl to even notice me when I was right in front of them.”

Shining Armor just looked at her in shock before Dash realized what she had just said.

Her face flushed red as she turned around to face the back cushion of the seat and hide her embarrassment.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.” He apologized. “If you want we could talk about something else.”

“No,” she sighed, still keeping her face hidden. “It’s just not something I’m used to thinking about; sometimes when the guys I liked did notice me, they would join in with those other jerks you met from Cloudsdale and call me ‘Rainbow Dyke’ or avoid me because they thought I was some kind of psycho when I stood up for my friends.”

“So they were intimidated by you.”

“I guess…”

“I think I might just talk to her.” Shining sighed before Rainbow Dash turned back over to face him.

“Just to you know, see where we stand.” He added.

“Well for what it’s worth…” Dash rolled onto her back. “I hope it works out better for you than it ever did for me.”

Part of Shining had believed that if Cadance saw that he was okay, she would reconsider breaking up with him but even if it did work out that way for some reason he couldn’t quite place he couldn’t help feeling guilty bout it.

Shining leaned back against the seat as Dash once again shifted in her seat so that she was leaning against the window again.

With Twilight still in Canterlot, he wondered if he would be able to see her if she wasn’t too busy with Celestia in whatever it was that they were doing.

He thought back to what Dash said earlier and wondered if she actually meant it in the way he thought-she couldn’t have meant that she had a crush on him-could she have?

Afraid of misinterpreting anything, he was hesitant to believe so not only out of fear of fear of ruining his friendship with Rainbow Dash, but of blowing any opportunity of fixing things with Cadance.

The feelings he was beginning to develop for Dash were definitely not something he had either anticipated or prepared for.

Ever since the Changelings first showed up, things seemed to be getting more and more complicated.

Shining Armor chuckled to himself at the irony; if it wasn’t the physical trials of dealing with Changelings, it was the emotional turmoil of dealing with these relationships plaguing his mind…no matter what he did, it seemed like he couldn’t rest.

Now he had a newfound appreciation for what the other guys in the guard had to deal in their everyday lives while they were both on and off duty.

That brought his mind back to Flash, he wondered if he was holding up all right or if it was wise to put him in charge or if he was strong enough to deal with the pressures of leadership of so many who so openly despised him.

He wanted to help the kid out, but maybe he had approached it the wrong way.

Rainbow Dash leaned against his shoulder, snapping him out of his train of thought when he noticed that she was already asleep.

Comments

[Ninoyiya]

I like where this is going.

[Rainbow87dash]

Huh for some reason this see,s better written than the last chapter

[Stardoost]

“Cadance,” Shining corrected.

You, my friend, have just blown my mind. All this time I thought it was Candace.

[Dragon of Shadows]

“Just to you know, see where we stand.” He added.

so

believe so not only out of fear of fear of ruining

believe so not only out of fear of ruining