When Two Hearts are Daring

by Pigeonsmall

Reading and Misreading

Chapter 4

Nine years ago, Cloudkicker flapped her small filly wings as hard as she could, trying her best to avoid attracting attention of any inquiring adults who would stop her and promptly ask why she was in such a rush. She was in luck. When she reached the little school-house, the home room teacher was absent, leaving several of her classmates milling about, and talking about the special event that was taking place later that day. Cloudkicker perched on the window sill, tapping her hoof on the glass. A colt named Thunderlane ran over and opened the window.

“Oh wow you guys are not gonna believe this!” Cloudkicker said, with large eyes beaming with excitement. “Rainbow Dash and that bully are finally going at it!”

“What?” Thunderlane’s question echoed in the faces of his nine other schoolmates.

“Where are they?” A filly asked.

“The gym at the second school yard! It's gonna be awesome!” Cloudkicker jumped back outside, ready to lead the way. “Come on, hurry up before the parents break them up!”

---

The ponies who saw the fight that day, if they can remember back that far, will usually tell you that Rainbow Dash won the fight easily. Though that may be the result of bias due to the very divergent reputations of the two ponies over time. One of them became a hero while the other became a bully that you always did your best to avoid. In truth it was more a draw. It took two flight camp coaches, one of them being Dash’s father, and a teacher to disentangle the furious knot of feathers, fur and hooves away from each other. Dumbbell had a black eye and a busted bottom lip, and Rainbow Dash sported a broken nose and two lost teeth. She was lucky the dentist could put them back.

These memories flooded into Rainbow Dash as she sat in an expectant slouch inside the weather factory superintendent’s cluttered office. Her forehooves pressed together and her eyes bored a hole into the floor, while the elder pony in front of her shuffled a few papers. Either he wasn’t in a hurry to pass judgement or he enjoyed watching Rainbow Dash stew nervously. Either way, Dash’s discomfort was raising by the second. She had a feeling that somewhere in the complex, whether she’d seen it or not, Cloudkicker was laughing like the gleeful little instigator she had been during their foalhood. And Rainbow Dash herself had been defiant about it then, even proud! But now...

“So let me understand this fully, miss Dash. You thought it was proper to assault a fellow employee while on the clock, on weather management property, causing distraction and disruption of very important weather management work for...” He squinted one eye through his thick spectacles. “A Daring Do novel?”

Rainbow Dash flinched internally. When he put it that way it sounded horrible.

“Well I-I mean he-!” She sighed in resignation. In some irrational part of her mind, Dash told herself that it was in self-defense. But she knew that as a mature well adjusted adult pony, there was no excuse she could give.”I’m sorry sir, I just don’t know what I was thinking.”

The superintendent pony signed. “Well I certainly haven’t seen this kind of shocking behavior from you in the past, Rainbow Dash. Lucky for you, Dumbbell chose not to pursue the issue so I will let you off with a warning. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to suspend you for the rest of the week without pay.”

“Yes sir!” Dash said. Secretly breathing a sigh of relief. Though the lack of funds may affect her gift giving capabilities, the repercussions could have been much worse, and still could be. What if word of this reached Captain Spitfire?

She would have to deal with damage control later. There was nothing left to do but go home. She was in the lowest possible mood and thoroughly embarrassed about her own actions. The result of which was now not only a lack of spending money that she was planning to use to buy presents. But there was no way she’d be reading Daring Do and the Crypt of the Dark King anytime soon.

“Today just sucks!” she thought to herself. Ponies enjoyed gossip. She wondered how long it would take for word of this to reach her friends.

Her path home brought Rainbow Dash over a cloud shuttle stop, which was nothing more than a sign and a bench sitting on top of a cloud. The shuttles ran paths all over Cloudsdale similar to the cable cars in Manehattan, only these were made specifically for the old, injured, ill, or too young. When your home floats many hundreds of feet above the ground, it's best to be cautious.

She flew over and saw a pony waiting by the bench for the next shuttle, surprised to see that it was Dumbbell with a patch of guas wrapped around his head. With his back to her, he didn’t seem to notice. Rainbow Dash thought about what she’d done and felt the pang of guilt return. Going against her more sensible judgement, she landed, knowing she needed to make amends for the mess she had caused.

“Uh-ahem-hey, Dumbbell.” Rainbow Dash leapt over the back of the bench and took a seat next to the brown stallion, trying to gage his emotions from the corner of her eye. He shifted, seemingly in response to her voice, but he stayed silent. She noticed the shuttle close by. It would be at the stop in about a minute.

“Heh, I guess I got a little carried away back there. But no harm no foul, right? How about we shake and call it even?” Rainbow Dash said, extending a hoof.

Dumbbell looked at her this time and Rainbow Dash retracted her hoof immediately.

“I didn’t mean to hit you that hard.” said Dash sorely.

"Beat it, Crash.” He said. The shuttle pulled up and the doors opened expectantly. Dumbbell adjusted his saddle bag and jumped over the edge of the platform, leaving Rainbow Dash at a loss and an expectant shuttle driver waiting for some pony to step inside.

“Uh miss, are you going to get on or what?” The shuttle pony asked. But Rainbow Dash didn’t hear him.

“I really didn't mean it!” Dash hollered, and she followed the other pegasus downwards. She was surprised that he was not flying towards his own home, instead heading straight for the ground.

'Is he going for Ponyville?' She thought, but he banked west and they both landed on the edge of

White Tail Wood, the place where the Running of the Leaves took place, only about a mile out from Ponyville. The forest was already awash with the colors of autumn, with only a few evergreens strewn about. When winter came most of the trees would become bereft of color.

Dumbbell started to trot straight into the forest. If he knew Dash had followed, he was ignoring her completely. She groaned and ran after him.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked.

“Trying to get away from the most obnoxious mare in Equestria. But it isn’t working!” Dumbbell hissed. Rainbow Dash jumped in front of him, demanding eye contact.

“None of this would have happened if you weren’t being such a jerk!” she said.

“Me? I’m the jerk? Well excuse me for making the obvious mistake of thinking the element of loyalty could actually keep a promise.” He turned away, leaving the blue pegasus to seeth.

“What did you just say?” Rainbow Dash growled.

“What I’m saying is... this is the stupidest argument I think I’ve ever had. Ever. And it’s not even worth it. If you want to tell everyone in Cloudsdale that I read then fine. Go for it! I’d rather put up with that than deal with you.”

Rainbow Dash looked down at her hooves sullenly.

‘C’mon Rainbow Dash you’re better than this.’

Giving up never sat well with her but for once Dumbbell was right. This was getting out of hand, heading in a direction she didn't want to go .

“I wasn't going to tell anypony that you like books.” she admitted, this time a lot calmer than before. “You are...” she sighed heavily. “You’re right, we haven’t been going about this the right way. And it's my fault, I don't want to fight you about this."

Dumbbell stopped, turning to look at her curiously.

"I actually think it's really cool that you like Daring Do. But I guess I was so psyched to read it that I wasn't giving your feelings any real consideration. And I'm sorry." Rainbow bowed her head. "I'll just wait for the official release like everypony else." Feeling sufficiently humbled, Dash turned to leave.

“Wait a second.” Dumbbell’s voice was constrained but it was enough to get Rainbow Dash to look back at him. The Daring Do book at hoof, looking at it in consideration and back at her with a wry glance.

“How about this,” he said. “Instead of this swapping hooves thing, lets just read it at the same time.” The suggestion was brief and simple. Rainbow Dash thought for a moment. It could work for her, given that she now had the whole week off, a veritable vacation if not for the fact of the circumstances.

“That could probably work...” she said aloud. “But what about you?

Dumbbell smirked. “Hah, would you believe I bagged a whole week off? With pay by the way.”

Dash was flabbergasted. “What?”

“Yep.” He pointed his hoof at his “wound”. “I guess I got you to thank for that. They really thought your little sucker punch gave me a concussion so I played along. Figured I deserve a little RnR.” He pulled the bandages away, further emphasising his health. “See? Not even a bruise. I got plenty of time.” He looked towards Rainbow Dash. “What about you?”

Rainbow Dash knew admission of the truth would send him rolling.

“Well I-. Don’t worry! I’ll have the time!” She finally managed to stammer. Just a small lie of omission.

“Hey, since we’re so close to Ponyville, why don’t we fly to my place? No better time than the present!” she asked.

“Sure why not.”

“WooHoo! Time for another wild ride on the Daring Do express!” Rainbow Dash started jumping around like an excited filly. She’d finally be able to make some progress!

Dumbbell could only stare at the spectacle. “Eh, yeah. Your enthusiasm is kinda frightening.” He watched her twirl and dive in and out of the tall trees. As soon as she’d started, Dash put on the brakes, as if suddenly realising that revealing her fan girlish behavior so openly wasn’t auspicious. She landed and folded her wings while clearing her throat.

“Right! Let’s go!”

Just a short time later, the pair stood in front of Rainbow Dash’s cloud home. Immaculate on the outside though on the inside still a total mess. She hadn’t had much time to clean but it was something she’d just have to deal with. Flying all the way to Dumbbell’s house would have taken twice as long.

They pretty much flew around Ponyville instead of flying over it. Of course she knew that this was an innocent meeting, but for the sake of not having to explain to everypony later, it was better now to be discrete.

"Hope you don't mind the cold air. My heater is on the fritz." She said as they arrived.

“Ni-ice digs.” Dumbbell complimented. Rainbow Dash pushed open the impressive wooden doors, revealing the spacious entry way. It was probably the cleanest area in her home . It was the only place besides the kitchen where she was able to flip everything right side up before rushing to work that morning. As they walked further inside, the internal state of affairs became much more obvious.

“Wow.” They both stopped as soon as they reached the main living area, taking in the sight. “Like I said, nice digs.” The humor in his voice was palatable. “Looks like a wild party ran through this place. Is that the ‘weird thing’ you were talking about?.”

“No, no it wasn’t a party.” Rainbow Dash said, suddenly feeling self-conscious. For the most part Rainbow Dash’s home was a private abode. Fluttershy being the only other pegasus who’d been inside. And in this situation it was strictly for the chance to read and not out of any wish to spend time with the pony who owned the book.

She was then fully aware of the fact that Dumbbell was actually the second pony to ever see the inside of her home, and in such a horrible state no less! It was exposing and a little uncomfortable, like allowing a stranger to read your secret diary.

“So I guess over here then?” Dumbbell went to the kitchen table, pulling out a chair. “Looks like the only place in this whole house that's right side up.”

“Hah. Funny.” Dash took an opposite seat at the breakfast table. The kitchen was as good a place as any. The orange book was dropped on the table and pushed towards Dash’s hooves expectantly.

“Since this was my idea, you get to read.” he said, leaning his chair back on its rear legs. Rainbow Dash watched him incredulously.

“Me?”

“Yeah you. Now get started. Chapter two is where you left off, right?”

“Why don’t you do it?”

“Because I’m injured remember?” Dumbbell pointed at his perfectly fine forehead. “It wouldn’t do for a pony with a head injury to read. You might’ve given me dyslexia or somethin.”

Rainbow Dash grumbled something under her breath but took the book and flipped to the beginning of chapter two. She scanned the first few sentences before she started to read out loud.

Under the mask of darkness, the thick fog hovered menacingly across the surface of the deep dark waters. Though appearing to be mostly still, it was an illusion of the mist. Beneath the little punt the water churned and rolled when the slightest of currents met the bottom of the boat, rocking it gently. The invisible forces teasing, threatening, and testing the adventurous mare who waited stolidly in the stern. Her cloaked benefactor, the only other soul to share the craft, stood at least three heads taller on the bow, a crooked staff gripped firmly in his claws. It was a conduit for his magic and the only way to propel the boat across the canal towards the craggy base of the castle mountain.

“The graves of his children reside on the top floors of this place. The dark king’s tomb resides at the very bottom, below the sky, below the rock, below the water.” he instructed. “And between the two points resides many a great hazard.” The cloak to look back at Daring. “But your reputation precedes you, I assume impending danger doesn’t do much to deter you these days.”

Daring Do smirked at the tall hooded figure. “The thought never crossed my mind.”

“Good, then you will need this.” The cloak reached into its folds and pulled out a small metal lantern, unremarkable in design, and held it out towards her—

"Is that seriously the best you can do?" Dumbbell's voice suddenly cut through Dash's concentration, pulling her eyes away from the pages. He was leaning over the table, his face twisted into a grimace. She felt a rich heat rise on her face.

"What are you talking about? I’m reading it just fine!"

"Not as bad as some kid reading a boring book report, maybe." he said. "But about as good as some stuffy old pony giving a eulogy. You call yourself a Daring Do fan, heh, seriously?"

"Why don't you try giving me a few minutes to get into it?" She asked, honestly feeling insulted. She had heard the awkwardness in her voice well enough. "It's not like I read in front of random ponies across my kitchen table every day!"

"Well I'm the one who has to suffer through it so again!" Dumbbell pushed his chair back to its original position. "With feeling."

“How about you read then?”

“Good idea, Crash. I could just read it myself.” He pulled the book over to himself. “I’ll just let myself out, thanks.”

“Augh, wait!” Rainbow Dash reached across the table and pulled the book out of his grasp, slamming it back down in front of her in the same spot she was on before.

All Dash wanted to do was tell him where to shove his 'feeling', but quickly pushed against the idea. It had been hard enough simply getting to this point. And damaging the already tenuous truce she shared with Dumbbell wouldn't win her any favors. Her eyes narrowed at him as she fought to keep her temper in check.

‘I’m starting to remember why I never liked you.’ Rainbow Dash mused in disdain while he grinned haughtily down at her, reminding her of those long ago school yard days.

"Fine."

There was a silence that hung over them both for another few seconds, growing heavier over Dash’s ears all the while to a point where she could almost hear ringing.

For a moment her thoughts darted to her busted heater. She’d need to get a repair pony to come all the way out here to fix it or she would spend the night shivering. Or maybe Twilight could take a look at it? Yeah, she was super smart, but it would be kinda weird asking a princess to fix her cloud radiator. In a flash the thought of her friend in regal dress and tiara entered her mind. She was also holding a wrench in her mouth. The ridiculousness of the image made her brain tickle with laughter and apparently the mental laughter was showing up on her face.

“Ahem!” Dumbbell coughed to pull Rainbow Dash back to the real world. “Is there a joke I’m missing out on?”

Shaking her head, Dash swallowed once to refocus her thoughts back to the page. And slowly, but with a lot more feeling as Dumbbell had instructed, she began to read.

The journey through the pages took them to the end of chapter five. With only brief interruptions to clarify details. Reaching the end was almost like coming up for air for Rainbow Dash. The Dark passages and perils falling away to her much more boring kitchen and the shocking cold that chilled her wings.

“Yikes! It just got super cold all of a sudden!” Dash looked up at her clock, 5:00. The pony who coined time flies when you’re having fun wasn’t kidding! The fall days were short and the sun was already well into setting against the orange sky, which accounted for the drop in temperature.

“Wow it’s late. Where did the time go?” Dumbbell asked. Rainbow Dash managed to hear him over her own musings. From a window she could tell that it was quite dark already and on any normal day, she would just now be getting off work. It was pretty eerie, they’d been sitting there for hours.

“I guess it's getting pretty late.” She responded. “So you wanna call it quits for today?”

“I could go for another chapter.” he said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, feels weird ending on chapter five. I mean Daring Do is just about to pull off the death mask of Cambrinum’s second child! What kind of trap could trump the first two?”

“You need to know too, right?”

“Yeah, I really do.”

Despite herself, Rainbow Dash felt the smile on her face grow. This was more fun than she thought.

“Seriously though it's freezing in here. You don’t feel it?” Rainbow Dash asked

Dumbbell shrugged. “I’m alright, I’ve been colder. Let’s just get chapter five out of the way because it’s getting late.”

“Sure, just give me a sec to grab a jacket or something!” Rainbow Dash ran upstairs to her bedroom.

Seconds later there was a knock at the door, or at least what Dumbbell assumed was a knock, it was more like short taps coming from the general direction of the front door.

‘Whoever this is on the other side is knocking like the door is made out of glass’ he thought. He figured Rainbow Dash would never hear it and it was a wonder he could himself.

“Um, hello? Rainbow Dash?” came a timid voice. “It’s me. I’m so so sorry I wasn’t able to help you yesterday. Once we brought the baby hydra back to Froggy Bottom, one of my blue bird friends told me that there was an emergency back at the cottage.”

For a moment Dumbbell looked at the door blankly, not sure who it was he was listening to. And then suddenly the memory hit him. That mousey voice! There was only one pony in all of Equestria who sounded like this. He felt like he was going deaf trying to pick out what she was saying from behind the thick wooden door and finally gave up. Dash wouldn’t mind, right? He pulled the door open just as the yellow mare began her apologetic tangent, her ears flat against her head and eyes squeezed shut. She looked like she was pleading for her life.

“Oh I’m so sorry Rainbow Dash! I figured that after that incident with the hydra yesterday, your house would be a real mess! And I meant to come by earlier to help out but the doe I had been taking care of for the past few months went into labor! Which is very strange because normally deer have their babies in the spring time. So I had to watch her all yesterday and most of today because she was having trouble relaxing, but it all went okay. And then I had to wash the baby and make sure she was bundled up all warm and snug, then feed the animals and finally fly out here to he-” Then she finally opened her eyes, as if sensing the door had been opened.

The last thing she expected to see was the imposing form of Dumbbell to fill her vision.

“eeeaaa...” Fluttershy’s words stuck inside her throat and her mouth hung open in a slight slant. Dumbbell leaned against the door frame enjoying the moment, appearing pointedly unconcerned by Fluttershy’s surprise.

“Well if it isn’t the klutz! Long time no see!”

“I...I...I...”

“Interesting story you got.” he sniffed the air and sneered. “That would explain why you smell like a barn.”

The shy yellow pegasus finally remembered to inhale, but she looked as if she could literally fall through the cloud when she shrank away a few steps.

“Im sorry, I...” She looked left and right. This was Rainbow Dash’s home wasn’t it?

“Yeah you got the right address.” Dumbbell gained the sudden ability to read minds, further throwing Fluttershy off balance.

“It’s not that! Well I mean-it’s just- a-a-am I interrupting something? O-or maybe you’re here to fix the radiator?”

“Gah, do I really need to buy a new jacket already? This one is full of holes and I only bought it last year!” Dash took off the ragged coat and tossed it to the floor. Damaged apparel just came with the territory of being an awesome pony, perfecting stunts even in the cold months. In her search for warm clothes, the best she had done so far was a set of white socks. If nothing else her hooves were warm. But her wings were still freezing!. Now where were those elusive wing warmers? During the search she heard voices from downstairs. Curiously she walked to the banister of her second story, from it she could see two pegasi conversing at her front door. She stomped her hoof and leapt on top of the banister.

“Who told you it was okay to answer my door?” she said angrily, gaining the attention of the ponies below. They both looked at her, wide-eyed. And it wasn’t until then that she realized the mare standing on the outside was her good friend Fluttershy. One of the last ponies she had expected to see at this time.

“F-Fluttershy?”

“Oh, hi Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy said simply, her mood lifting slightly despite the bizarre situation. “I’m sorry for dropping by so late in the day, and if you’re busy I can’ always come back late-”

“Just leaving.”

Fluttershy wasn’t exactly sure if she had heard the other pegasus say anything or not. All she knew was that she barely had time to step out of the way in time. Clumsily she tripped over her own hooves and fell face first into the cloud. She pulled her head out just in time to see Dumbbell flying away at full speed without so much as a backwards glance.

“Was it something I said?” she asked as Rainbow Dash ran to the door.

“Where does he think he's going?”

Fluttershy stood up, shaking a bit of white stuff from her mane. “ I think I might have scared him away. If you both were- well I had no idea you were having a stallion over!” She turned away from Rainbow Dash, as if she couldn't bring herself to look at her friend fully, a dark blush spread across her nose.

“P-please forgive me, Rainbow Dash, you were probably planning this night for weeks and I had messed it all up since yesterday, haven’t I?"

“Fluttershy I don’t get what you're-”

“Eep!”

No longer able to bear the weight of her own embarrassment, Fluttershy fled, flying back the way she had come.

"Fluttershy come back!" But it was too late. Fluttershy was flying faster than she had ever seen the little yellow pegasus book it before. She also noted with a bit of annoyance that the atmosphere outside felt better than the frigid air inside her home. Oh the drawback of living inside a cloud. She went back inside and realized that Dumbbell had actually left without the book, and in that she reveled. Making her way to the kitchen, Rainbow Dash passed a full body wall mirror that hung in the entryway. She finally managed to see herself fully. The tousled mane from trying on the jacket, the white socks...

“Oh...ah crud!”

Author's Note:

Well at least they enjoyed the experience until the unexpected visit. Hopefully they'll recover from this.

Comments

[spetsnaz pinkie pie]

Hilarious ending.

[Shadow_Wolf]

And now the wild conclusions shall be drawn! Maniacal laughter ensues XD

[Rainbow87dash]

...well....

[The Notebook]

I love this story.

[Vexy]

This chapter was really fun to read, and I can definitely feel Dash's and Dumbbell's relationship taking on a form. I cannot wait for the next chapter! I want to know where Dumbbell has gone, what Fluttershy will tell other ponies, what Dash will do now, etc.

But most importantly, how you're going to tackle this particularly tricky relationship. I've gotta admit, though, this is going to be awesome no matter where you decide to take this.

[The Great Derpsby]

Oh. Oooohohoho!

This is going to be fun! Just wait 'til she has her spa meeting with Rarity; that one treats gossip like oxygen...

[Vexy]

3623665

This was exactly my thoughts!

[Yoshifan30]

Well that was something it looks like rainbow got in trouble with her boss for attacking dumbbell while they're at work luckily she only got a warning but unfortunately she won't work without a pay so now she went home but she ran into dumbbell she tried to apologize but he didn't want to hear it so she basically follow him so he can listen tell her after that dumbbell has an idea if they can just read it together so they decided to head for rainbows house and once they got there they read this story together but apparently it got late so they wanted to continue but it got cold so she going to get the jacket until Fluttershy came over and she was a little Starstruck to see dumbbell and apparently he left Rainbow dash was asking what's going on but unfortunately Fluttershy left as well that was pretty awkward lol