A Dash Of Life.

by Unarmed Pony

Chapter Two: The Big Day

I woke up the next day to see Dash curled up, perfectly fitting into the curve of my belly. I slowly lifted my watch so as not to wake her. It was 5:00 am. I figured I would get up since I was due to do so in an hour anyway. I pondered on how to get off the bed without waking the sleeping pegasus. Eventually I decided to just slip down and off the bed. I slowly started to slide down. "So far so good." I whispered. My feet touched something. How could I have been so stupid as to forget that I had a bookshelf at the end of my bed! I mentally barraged myself with questions on how I could forget such an obvious thing. Then I noticed something. From where I was, I could duck down and slide below her. I just hoped she didn't buck in her sleep. I slowly stared to crouch down. I heard Rainbow mutter something in her sleep. "Wonderbolts..... Yeah." I froze in place. I was so still that people would have thought I had a staring contest with a Cockatrice. Oh wait, we don't have Cockatrices here. Nevermind. Anyway, Rainbow started to roll over. She threw her front leg over where I was mere seconds ago. I blushed softly at the image of waking up like that. I finally finished my slither off of the bed at 5:05. These things should not take five minutes! I walked over to the wardrobe to get changed and realised. I'm still in my school uniform. There was no need to get changed. I decided to wake Dash up. She would need to be awake before I went to school, anyway. I gave her a little nudge. "Rainbow Dash?" She started to mumble something about dresses and 20% cooler. I gave her another nudge. "Rainbow Dash? You need to get up."

"Mum, go away ."

I giggled a little. "Rainbow, this isn't your mum."

"Go away Dad."

"Wrong again."

She turned over slightly and turned her head to face me. She half opened one eye to get a look at me. As soon as she grasped reality, she started to stand up. She stretched out her wings and her legs. As soon as she was finished, she collapsed on the bed. "Five more minutes."

"Fine. But once the five minutes are up, you get up. Ok?"

"Yeah whatever."

___________Five minutes later___________

"Come on sleepy head! Time to get up!" I started pushing her. "Get up!"

"Go away!"

"You said you would get up in five minutes. It's been five minutes!"

"Ok fine, ten minutes!"

"We had an agreement."

"Oh for Celestia's sake fine. I'll get up." Rainbow Dash started to get up. "So, why am I awake before mid-day?"

"Firstly, I have school and you can't stay here while I'm there. So I either need to hide you or take you with me. Secondly, you need to learn to get up early in the morning 'cause when you're in my home on a weekday, this will happen every morning. Sorry but education isn't a choice."

"I can see this is going to be fun." She said. Obviously being sarcastic.

"In the five minutes you where dozing, I was choosing whether or not to take you to school with me. I chose yes."

"Won't everypony wonder what I am?"

"Firstly, here it is everybody. Secondly, not if you stay out of sight. Now I have exams today so I will need you to be patient."

"I don't do patient." She jumped off the bed and started to walk around.

"I know. But I still need you to do something to occupy yourself without straying too far from the school."

"K. Where can I take a wiz?"

"Depends on if you have the same toilets as us."

"I'll just do it outside."

"Come straight back up here when you're done."

"K."
She's more sarcastic and annoying than I am...

_________________________

we were walking to the bus stop. Or rather, I was walking. She was trotting. Before we got to the stop, I told her to fly above the bus. She flew up and perched herself on top of a building and waited for the bus.

When the bus arrived, I gave a quick nod to Dash. I got on the bus and went through the boring ticket thing again. Just like yesterday. I took a seat in the same place as ever. Talked to Jack. Mentioned ponies. Awkward silence. Got off the bus and went straight to the sports hall for the exam. I gave a noticeable but subtle thumbs up to Rainbow Dash. She flew up and sat on the roof of the sports hall and waited for me to come out. I mentioned to her before-hand that I wouldn't come out when the others came out. I would be coming out 5 minutes before they did.

The exam was boring to say the least. 1 hour for science. 1 hour for maths. 1 hour for english. Then the end of school. It was a half day because of the exams. After I was dismissed, I walked at a casual speed as not to attract un-wanted attention. Again, I gave a noticeable thumbs up to Dash. I heard her take off as I walked to somewhere I knew we wouldn't be seen.

As I walked through the door of the afore mentioned place of the meeting, I stood somewhere warm and waited for Dash. Sure enough, a few seconds later, she came trotting through the door.

"So when do you think Twilight is going to come and find you?"

"Soon I hope. Not that I don't like it here, but I'd rather be home. Tank is probably so worried."

"Do you think I might be able to come with you?"

"I hope so."

"Wait a second."

"What is it?"

"Shh. Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Rainbow adjusted her ears in all directions possible. She stopped. "Hoofsteps."

"I'll correct you later. We need to go. Quick, up the stairs."

Rainbow Dash started to hover up the stairs. She turned her head to see I was still standing there. "Aren't you coming?"

"No, I will be up in a few minutes once I know they're gone."

"Ok, just don't get yourself hurt." She continued up the stairs. She turned the corner just before the door opened.

A feeling of relief flooded over me as I saw who it was. "Oh, hi Neeky."

"Hi Josh! How are you?"

I should probably tell you who Neeky is. Neeky is Jack's sister.

"Well, I'm ok. You?"

"I'm ok. These exams are really hard!"

"I know. I need to show you something. Wait here."

I went up-stairs to fetch Dash. What I found was far from what I needed to see. Dash was cornered by the nastiest kids in school. And something else. Rainbow was crying and she had a bruise on her side, a cut on her lip and a black eye.

"What do you want from me?"

"We want to know what you are, where you come from and why you can talk!"

"I told you that already!"

"Yeah, like we're going to believe that you're a pony from Equestria." The kid in the middle gave Dash a kick to the stomach.

I couldn't stand to see this go on any longer. I had to do something but what? If I went in there, they would beat me up. The only thing that seemed logical was to run. But then again, I just met a magical talking pony from Equestria yesterday. What logic that was left in this world was already gone. While thinking about what I was going to do, I heard Dash scream in pain. I turned my head just in time to see the kid on the left pull his hands away from Dash's wing. I couldn't stand it anymore. I grabbed the nearest object, which happened to be a long stick, and tripped up the guy on the right. I then proceeded to smack the guy in the middle in the stomach and the other guy in the family jewels. Since they were taking care of, I turned my attention to Dash.

"Are you ok?"

"They broke my wing!"

"Shh, it's ok. We'll fix that. Right now, we need to get you home."

I picked her up and she wrapped her arms around my neck. She clung tightly as to assure that she wouldn't fall. I made sure as not to touch her broken wing. I carried the bruised and battered Rainbow Dash downstairs to Neeky. I forgot she was down there. But I was glad she was. Her mum was picking her up from school today. As she came into view, I started to explain what had happened. Luckily, I didn't need to explain Rainbow Dash because she was a pegasister.

"So I need a lift home. I need to draw the least amount of attention as possible."

"Sure. We need to wait for the kids in the courtyard to go first." She peeked out the window. "Just a few left."

My shoulder was getting wet from the tears of the battered and bruised pegasus I was holding.

A few minutes later, Neeky gave the all clear for the courtyard. We slowly made our way to her Mother's car. When we got their, the questions came flooding in. I said I would explain on the way.

She started up the car and we headed home.

___________________________

As we pulled up to the drive-in of my home, I noticed my parents car wasn't there. Luckily, today was the shopping day. I didn't expect them to be back until about 9. I carried Rainbow Dash, who had now fallen asleep after leaving a sizeable puddle on me shoulder, upstairs to my room. Neeky followed shortly after.

"So how are we going to fix her?" Neeky was looking over Rainbow.

I thought for a while and performed a diagnosis in my head. "Various cuts and bruises, a broken wing and a black eye..... Go get some vodka from my dads alcohol cupboard and then get me some bandages."

"Ok." She walked off to get the item I asked for.

Rainbow Dash was starting to stir. "Rainbow? Do you feel any better?"

"No." She looked over at her wing. "How am I going to fix this in this place?"

"Don't worry. I used to look after birds at the local vet. They said they needed small, nimble hands to bandage such little creatures."

"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not a bird."

"I know, but your wing structure is the same. On the journey here, I had a look at your good wing. A birds wing is very similar."

Just then, Neeky walked in with the items.

"Now Rainbow, this is probably going to hurt a lot. But I need to do this to stop the risk of infection."

"Yeah, yeah just get on with it."

I lifted up one of Dash's legs. This one was the worst when it came to the scratches. If I hadn't of known better I would have thought they had a knife. I started to drop on some of the vodka. She inhaled through clenched teeth. I could tell she hated it and wanted me to stop but it had to be done.

Many cuts and even more bucks to the chest later, I was done. She laid there, half crying and half cheering because it was over.

"And now it's time to bandage the wing."

"Oh no."

I started to bandage her wing. I had to make her close it so I could bandage it easier. I wrapped the bandage over her damaged wing and under the other. I did this about 5 or 6 times and then finally tied a knot to stop it from coming free.

"Well that was hell and back. Sorry about hitting you. It's kind of a reflex."

"It's ok. I've done that loads of times before." I looked up at the clock. "Oh no. It's 9:00. My parents will be back any second now!"

"I gotta go under the bed again don't I?"

"Sadly, yes. If my parents see you here they'll probably throw you out on the streets."

"That's harsh."

"I know."

"Come on, under the bed."

I lifted up the bed enough for her to crawl under. Just as I was lowering it, my parents walked into the room.

"Why is she here?" My dad was pissed. He doesn't like it when I have friends over when no one's around.

"Oh, ummmm." I needed to think of an excuse and fast! "She.. uh...."

"He needed help fixing up a bird. We just let her go." Thanks Neeky. You saved my butt.

"Ummm yeah, that. Let's go with that."

He stared at me for a while. I am a terrible liar. Worse than Applejack. I was smiling like an idiot and could feel a bead of sweat forming on my forehead. I was just about to break when he said.

"Ok then. She should get home now. Her parents will be wondering where she went."

"Yeah, ok."

"And you can go to bed."

"Can I watch a film?"

"Fine. As long as it's none of that pony stuff." He walked out of the door asking himself why I watch ponies. To be honest, I don't know myself. I just do. I waited until he was downstairs before I lifted up the bed for Dash to climb out from under it.

"What does he have against ponies?"

"He thinks they're for girls."

"Come to think of it, there are more mares than stallions in ponyville......"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Last Pony Census proved it."

"Oh well, bed time."

"Seriously?"

"Yes seriously. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man wealthy, healthy and wise. Or in this case, mare."

"Fine."

A/N This chapter was merged with Chapter Three because Chapter Three was way to short.