On a wing and a rainbow

by Killbles

Ship Teasers

Chapter 3: Ship Teasers

Rainbow trotted out of the Ponyville clinic. She had been released that morning. While she was mostly healed, she was under strict doctor's orders to not do any strenuous or stunt flying for a few more days. Because of this she had decided that she would not quite take up Soarin's offer just yet. She decided that the only way to not go crazy from the lack of flying would be to make herself useful for her friends. Mulling over where to go first, she finally decided to visit Applejack first. She would most likely need help with something. Rainbow took flight and made her way to Sweet Apple Acres at a leisurely pace. She spied her orange friend pulling a cartload of apples back to the barn. Swooping down gently, she landed lightly on the tower of apples with a flutter of wings. Applejack turned her head at the sound. "Heya Rainbow! Did you just get outta the clinic?"

"Sure thing I did. I'm not allowed to do any awesome flying though which stinks." She dropped off the cart and pawed at the ground in annoyance. Applejack pushed her trademark hat back slightly. She looked around before speaking again. "So what about that offer from the Wonderbolts, are ya gonna go up there?"

Rainbow drew back in surprise. She hadn't told her friends about Soarin's offer. She narrowed her eyes and glared at the earth pony. "How do you know about that?"

Applejack chuckled nervously. "I knew I wasn't supposed to say that…" She bowed her head in resignation. "Alright, we were listening. It wasn't ma idea but we all listened in. sounds like you two had some fun." She winked suggestively.

"HEY! Nothing happened!" she yelled defensively

"Didn't sound like nothing" Applejack managed through chortles. "Sure you don't have anything for him? He's a cutie. You sure looked a bit dumbstruck when he left."

Rainbow blushed slightly but quickly regained her composure. She growled lowly at Applejack before spreading her wings and flying off. She probably would have enjoyed working with Applejack for the day but she knew Applejack wouldn't drop the topic.

As she flew away, the sounds of Applejack's laughter reached her ears. She scowled and flew back to Ponyville.

---

"How did I get into this?" Rainbow asked herself aloud

"Quite simple darling, you were just floating around aimlessly and I asked if you wanted to help me with something and you said yes and now we're here." Rarity said simply

"Yeah… I remember now." Replied Rainbow her voice dripping with sarcasm as Rarity attached another sheet of fabric to her already fancy dress with an enthusiastic pace that approached viciousness. She winced as a needle poked her in the flank. She squirmed slightly only to get poked by another three needles. "Rarity? Is possible for you to make this less…" She searched for the right word but all she could think of was needle-y. "Needle-y?"

"Sorry I can't do that Rainbow, there is still far too much to do before I can start sowing." The conversation ended for a moment. "So… Rainbow, about the Wonderbolts? I assume you're going to join them. It's been a dream of yours for a long time hasn't it?" Rarity began in an attempt to restart the conversation.

"Aww hay, not you to." Dash whined. She instinctively facehooved but managed to jab herself on the nose with a needle. She winced in pain.

"Of course dear, I'm afraid that it was second nature for me to listen in to your conversation with Soarin was it?" She flashed a devious smile at Rainbow Dash.

"I don't like where this going…" Rainbow said

"He is such a handsome colt and captain of the Wonderbolts as well!" Rarity continued, oblivious to Dash's comment. "I don't suppose you've taken a fancy to him, have you dear?"

"What! No!" Rainbow protested for the second time that day.

"Didn't look like it. You looked like you were all dreamy when he walked out. I've seen that look before." She winked at Rainbow.

"I don't like him!" She said.

"I don't believe you."

Rainbow roughly threw the dress off and took off through an open window, fuming the entire time. She left a slightly dumbfounded Rarity staring at were her model was.

Rarity shrugged nonchalantly before moving her work to a mannequin.

---

Rainbow dash landed on a cloud with a crazed look on her face. 'How does everypony know what's going on? Why do they all think I like Soarin? Is everypony gone CRAZY around here?' she screamed in her head. She curled up slowly in a tight ball and whimpered to herself. A quiet voice broke her out of her stupor. "Umm… Rainbow Dash… are you alright?" Rainbow turned her head and saw Fluttershy hovering uncertainly a few meters away.

"I mean… we can talk about it… If you want…" she offered timidly.

Rainbow dash curled up in a ball even tighter. "Don't want to talk about it." She mumbled. She buried her head in her hooves so Fluttershy couldn't see her face.

"Aww… Come on Rainbow Dash. Is this about what Soarin said to you when you were injured?" She asked nervously

Rainbow's ears pricked up. "You know as well?" she stammered

"Oh sorry… I guess I do…" she looked down sadly.

"Is there anypony who doesn't?" Rainbow almost yelled

"Well… I don't know for sure… But most of us do… I think"

Rainbow's mouth was agape for a moment. She got her mouth under control again. "But how does everypony know?"

"I don't know… Sorry… don't be mad."

She was cut off by a gray Pegasus which stuck her head out from underneath the cloud. "Oh hey Rainbow Dash, Hey Fluttershy!" she said goofily. One of her golden eyes spun in lazy circles

"Fluttershy squealed in fright and hid behind Rainbow Dash

"Derpy! What are you doing here? Wait… How did you even get there?" Rainbow peered over the edge of the cloud and saw that Derpy was simply standing on the other side. "How… How… What? Whu..?" She stuttered in confusion.

Derp shrugged in confusion and reached into her mailbag and pulled out a letter for Rainbow. "I don't know what you are on about." She said through the letter.

Shaking her head as if it would clear her vision, Rainbow took the letter and thanked the Mailmare. Derpy flapped her wings and hovered in front of Rainbow Dash. "So Dash, are you going to join the Wonderbolts? Dinky reckons you'd be the best one ever!" Derpy asked

Rainbow Dash looked at her in confusion. "How the hay do you know?"

She shrugged again "I heard you talking about it." She suddenly seemed distracted. Her head spun around unnaturally for a pony, more like how an owl's would. "MUFFINS!" She yelled out suddenly before diving in the direction of Sugercube Corner. A loud crash came from the bakery short moment later.

"I have no idea what just happened…" Rainbow Dash said slowly while shaking her head.

---

After coaxing Fluttershy out from inside the cloud, Rainbow decided to visit Twilight. She came to this conclusion for two reasons. Firstly, Twilight was probably the least likely pony in all of Equestria to not bother her about Soarin and the Wonderbolts and secondly as she would be able to borrow a few books from the librarian which would be a nice distraction from everypony bugging her. She glided down to the library and entered through the open front door. She looked around the foyer but couldn't see her purple friend anywhere. "Twi! You here?" She called out. "Anypony home?"

The sound of crashing kitchen utensils followed by some highly unlady like language reached Rainbow's ears. She grimaced as the flurry of curses continued. Twilight stuck her head around a door frame and looked at Rainbow sheepishly. "Sorry about that… You surprised me Dash."

Rainbow Dash looked back with a look of disbelief

"Never knew you had it in you…"

Twilight glared and returned to the kitchen with a grumble which sent Rainbow sprawling to the ground in laughter. Twilight re-emerged from the kitchen and stared at the heaving mass of cyan on the floor.

"Ha-ha… Very funny Rainbow Dash." She said flatly. Controlling her mirth, Rainbow clambered back to her hooves and grinned. "What'ca doing Twi? You normally aren't one for cooking."

She shrugged. "Read a cook book, thought I'd try it out. How are you by the way?"

"Fine I guess. Doc told me to lay off doing any stunts for a couple of days though."

"I bet you loved that." Twilight replied. She mumbled something under her breath then giggled.

"What's so funny?" Rainbow asked.

"Oh… nothing" Twilight lied.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes and glared at Twilight

"You're laughing at what happened the other day, right?" she said

"No…" She giggled "Maybe…" A wave of laughter suddenly broke out from her and swept over the room. It was now Twilight's turn to roll around on the floor. Rainbow Scowled at her and leapt onto the rolling mare. She pinned her beneath her hooves and stared at her. "Get this straight. Nothing. Happened. Between. Me. And. SOARIN!" she almost yelled again.

"Didn't look like it" Twilight stifled another laugh

"WHY IS THIS SO FUNNY?" Rainbow yelled throwing her fore-hooves in the air

"Your reaction, it's priceless." Twilight said, chortling as she did so.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" yelled Rainbow.

"Aww… Come on Dash, it's pretty obvious. You like him don't you?" Twilight teased

"NO. I. DON'T!" she yelled out again before promptly flying out the window in a blaze of rainbows. Twilight stifled another laugh before trotting back into the kitchen. She turned to the other unicorn who had been silently listening to the conversation. "You know Rarity, you were right." Twilight admitted. "She's too stubborn to ever admit it though."

"I hate being an 'I told you so'" replied Rarity victoriously.

Twilight laughed and returned to her cooking.

---

Rainbow Dash flew away as fast as she could. She landed on a cloud far away from Ponyville and hid her head in her hooves. Night had fallen and the moon had risen and cast a light over the land. 'Ok. Fine' she admitted to herself 'Soarin is kinda cute. But everyone is just overreacting. I got a bit out of hoof. A bit excited maybe. Ok… Too excited.' She felt a little jolt of electricity pass through her as she remembered how gently and caringly Soarin had hugged her. 'No! I mustn't get tied down by this mushy wushy love-y dove-y stuff. I'm far too cool for any of that. Besides, Soarin probably has his own special mare.' She buried her head in the cloud. A small part other mind kept poking her though. A repressed feeling kept trying to force its way to the surface. "STOP IT, GO AWAY!" she yelled aloud to the night sky.

"Oh… Okay..." came a familiar voice.

Rainbow spun around and was greeted by a Pegasus stallion

"Hi" Said Soarin a goofy grin spreading to his face.