Of Hearts and Hooves
Chapter 23: Of Hearts and Hooves
As the days passed, Scootaloo and Dawn's training continued to progress. In addition to working Scootaloo through the wind manipulation skills needed to create the Gale King's wind blades, Dawn also began walking her through the physical techniques of using those blades, similar to how he had walked her through the first batch of techniques for the Gale King. Then, just as Scootaloo had suspected, Dawn had her link those techniques together into forms.
Ironically, that made it all the easier for her. As Dawn had once demonstrated to her, though there were differences to how the wings were held and moved, the steps to all the forms were the same, allowing her to move almost seamlessly into practicing the First Form of the Gale King, but moving her wings as though she were using the vacuum blades, rather than bursts of wind. The most difficult thing about the practice was fighting muscle memory as it tried to drag her back into performing the First Form as she had originally learned it. But that proved to be a minor difficulty at best.
In many ways, Dawn's instruction seemed to be little more than a courtesy, as Scootaloo had been able to work out how to proceed for herself. Dawn had often told her that this was one of the greatest strengths of the Gale King. Once a practitioner had learned and memorized all five forms, it was possible for her to practically teach herself how to use more advanced skills, as everything was either a refinement or variation of the techniques that had come before. Through continuous practice, a greater understanding became clear and, so long as the user practiced diligently, no further instruction was needed...
...Not that Scootaloo minded having Dawn around to continue instructing her regardless. With his input, she progressed much faster than she would have on her own. Scootaloo counted herself lucky to have such a dedicated teacher, who also happened to be her coltfriend. When they were training, that latter aspect of their relationship didn't factor into what they did, though Dawn sometimes used little kisses and nuzzles as forms of encouragement, something that Scootaloo loved. What really mattered to her was that a certain day was looming large in the near future, a day where Scootaloo's romantic relationship with Dawn would come to the fore.
"...Sure! I can do that. No problem." Pinkie Pie grinned widely as she bounced in place, her teeth gleaming.
"Thanks," said Scootaloo with a relieved smile, glad that she had thought to do this beforehoof, rather than try to do it on Hearts and Hooves Day itself.
"I'll just add you two to the list," said Pinkie, turning to Mayweather, who was watching from behind Sugarcube Corner's counter, "Put Scootaloo down for one Picnic Lunch-DS."
Mayweather raised an eyebrow. "DS?"
"Dawn Special!"
"You have a special lunch just for Dawn?" asked Scootaloo.
"Of course I do!" exclaimed Pinkie, holding a hoof out imperiously, "What kind of party planner would I be if I didn't take a pony's tastes into account when I plan for them?" She moved a few steps to the right so that she stood an empty part of the floor. "Pull the lever, Mayweather!"
Looking to the wall behind her, Mayweather reached out for one of the two levers mounted there. Scootaloo watched, tilting her head in confusion. Wait! Were those always there?
Mayweather pulled one of the levers down. With a click, a trapdoor opened beneath Pinkie's hooves. Looking down, she had just enough time for her eyes to go wide and a gasp to escape her throat before she plunged through the opening. "WRONG LEVEEEEEEEEEEER!" Her words terminated with a loud splash sounding out from somewhere down below. The doors swung shut.
Scootaloo looked over at Mayweather, who was staring at the floor, aghast. Neither of them said a word.
A few seconds later, the front door slammed open and a dripping wet Pinkie Pie came stomping in, her mane and tail now soaked down so that they hung straight, her toothless pet alligator, Gummy, clamped onto one of her haunches.
"Why do we even have that lever?" she groused, shaking vigorously, the motion dislodging Gummy, who went tumbling through the air, only to land on the counter with all four feet, his naturally vacant gaze staring across the room as though absolutely nothing of interest had occurred.
Now that she was finished shaking, Pinkie's mane and tail had returned to their natural state and she stomped over to the exact same spot on the floor as before, before nodding at Mayweather with a serious expression.
With a sigh, Mayweather reached over and pulled the second lever. This time, rather than dropping out from under Pinkie, the trapdoor instead tilted down part way so that the party pony slid down off of it with a jubilant squeal that echoed through the shop until the floor returned to its original position.
Scootaloo blinked and looked at Mayweather. "What's down there?"
"Beats me," said Mayweather with a shrug, "I haven't been down there yet."
They stood there for a few minutes, watching the floor and waiting for something to happen. Then the trap door dropped down to a slanted position again and Pinkie Pie came sliding right back up. "Got it!" she said, proudly displaying a rolled up scroll.
"What's that?" asked Scootaloo.
Pinkie tossed the scroll to Scootaloo, who caught it and began to unroll it. Her eyes widened as she perused the scroll's contents. "Hey! These are party plans for Dawn! You've come up with all of this?”
"Yep," said Pinkie, "Everything from his favorite food to the colors he likes best and even what music he prefers and what arrangements I can do depending on the kind of party."
"Cool!" said Scootaloo, scanning the scroll, "Wow! You're already planning out his birthday party...and his cutecenera..." Her eyes continued to scan down. "...and his wedding reception..." Her cheeks went bright red. "...his first anniversary..." The color spread to the rest of her face. "...his firstborn FOAL?"
"Whoops!" yelped Pinkie, swiping the scroll away from Scootaloo, "I let you read a little too far ahead. Spoilers."
Steam began to come out of the fillly's ears as she glared at Pinkie Pie, her face practically glowing red.
"So...um...anyway, I'll make sure to have your lunch ready on the big day," said Pinkie, quickly diving over the counter and rushing back into the kitchen, "See ya later!"
"Wait!" Scootaloo froze when she realized that Pinkie was already gone. In her mind, she remembered what Rainbow Dash always used to say about Pinkie. Pinkie Pie, you are so random. Strangely, it seemed almost the opposite in this case...and it creeped Scootaloo out a little. "You know what, I'm just gonna forget about it. Yep, bleach it from my brain, never talk about it again."
"That sounds wise," said Mayweather, nodding sagely.
"I don't know how you put up with her," said Scootaloo, giving the former cultist a wry smile, which Mayweather returned.
"She makes life interesting, I'll say that," said the mare with a giggle, "With her around, I don't think I'll ever fail to see the bright side of things."
"Do you two have any plans?" asked Scootaloo. Come to think of it, she wasn't even sure that Mayweather and Pinkie Pie were actually an item, for all that they had been spending so much time together.
A faint tinge of pink on Mayweather's cheeks appeared to confirm Scootaloo's suspicions. "Not this year," she said, "Since she thinks the two of us can handle it, we're giving the Cakes the day off so that they can have it to themselves." Normally, Mr. and Mrs. Cake spent the day running the shop, which was always especially popular on Hearts and Hooves Day. On top of that, a lot of ponies had the same idea that Scootaloo did, wanting to order picnic lunches or baskets of treats to share with their special someponies ahead of time. Normally, the couple were loaded down with work until well after the holiday was over. When asked about it, they often said that they had had their fun and were giving the younger ponies a chance to enjoy the day.
"Are you going to look after the twins too?" asked Scootaloo.
"Yep," said Mayweather, "I don't understand how Pinkie and I can handle it, but the Cakes seem to believe we can do it and I'd be happy to give them the chance to take the day off for once." When Mayweather had opted to stay in Ponyville after her former fellows from the Cult Solar had returned to Appleloosa, the Cakes had treated her like family, always welcoming her into the shop with open arms, even hiring her on, even though they didn't actually need an extra hoof.
"Good luck with that," said Scootaloo, glad that she wasn't looking after the double bundle of infant terror. Her mother had regaled her with stories of what she had been like at that age and Scootaloo couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like to deal with two infant foals at the same time, much less one who was a unicorn on top of one who was a pegasus. Thankfully, according to the Cakes, the twins were nearing the end of their spurt where their respective magics were flaring.
"I guess I'll see you then," said Scootaloo, heading for the door.
"Yeah," said Mayweather, "We'll have your lunch ready to pick up at eleven. Remember that those dumplings won't retain their heat for too long, so you'll want to get to eating them fairly quickly."
"'Kay, thanks," said Scootaloo over her shoulder as she went out the door. Now that that was out of the way, it was time for her to head over to Bon Bon's shop. She had another order to place with the candy maker.
"There!" exclaimed Rarity, her eyes shining as she viewed the finished piece, "Perfect, don't you think."
"It really is," agreed Coco, smiling widely at Rarity, practically glowing with satisfaction as she looked at their latest collaborative piece.
Rarity's smile widened when she saw just how happy Coco was. Now that she no longer had the threat of Baron Elderflower hanging over her, Coco Pommel almost seemed reborn. It was as if her former attitude of fear and paranoia had washed away like a coating of dust, leaving behind a lively mare who was practically glowing with energy and enthusiasm for her craft. Granted, her mannerisms were still much more reserved than Rarity's and she didn't quite have the confidence of a true master artisan, but she was definitely getting better. It did Rarity's heart good to see Coco so happy, especially after all that she had suffered these past few months.
"Berry Punch will just adore this dress, I know it," said Rarity with a squeal as she moved the ponyquin and its load to one side so that she could begin work on the next one. Coco was hard at work on yet another piece as well.
The two of them exulted in once again having all the room they needed to really work. Repairs on the Carousel Boutique had finally been completed, allowing them to move back in after so many weeks spent cooped up in Rarity's parents' house. The place had been homey, but with four ponies and the necessary implements of Rarity's business, they had been on the verge of popping out through the seams. As it was, Coco was still staying at the house while she waited for the workers to finish construction on the house that would be hers on the plot of land that had formerly been owned by Caramel. Unfortunately, said house was on the bottom of the list of priorities as reconstruction efforts continued and displaced ponies struggled to get their homes and businesses up and running.
Fortunately, things were coming along quickly. Sugarcube Corner and several other business establishments had been successfully rebuilt over the past few days and more ponies were moving back into their homes. In fact, it was predicted that the construction might be finished by Hearts and Hooves day or shortly afterwards, much to the relief of everypony in town.
It was a good thing the Boutique was once again ready for business, as business was booming. Hearts and Hooves Day was another big day of business for Rarity, with countless ponies looking for dresses or suits to impress their significant other. On top of that, ponies from out of town had heard of Rarity's skills, especially after she had obtained the Royal Warrant and now she was being swamped with dress orders, including ones from Canterlot; though the members of the Noble Court would probably never be amongst her clients ever again, what with most of them being arrested and all.
Rarity wasn't the only one loaded down with work. To her absolute surprise and wonderment, Coco had received several commissions from Canterlot as well. The apprentice designer was still in a bit of a shock that ponies had noticed her work during the selection process for the Royal Warrant and actually wanted to order her work when they could order Rarity's.
"By the way, dear," said Rarity, "Have you made a dress for yourself?"
"F-for myself?" asked Coco, blinking in surprise at the sudden shift in topic.
"Yes," said Rarity, "I've already started work on my own ensemble." She didn't bother saying who that ensemble was for or that she'd also made an excellent suit as an accompaniment. "One never knows. You might just catch the eye of some handsome young stallion."
"Th-that..." Coco's voice trailed off as she looked down, her work momentarily forgotten.
"Oh! I'm sorry dear," said Rarity, seeing how Coco's mood had suddenly taken a turn for the downcast, "I didn't mean to push you into something that you're uncomfortable with."
"I-it's okay," said Coco after a few seconds, "I just...don't really think I need to catch somepony's eye." She stared out the window.
"Hmm?" Rarity raised an eyebrow before she remembered something. "Oh...Do you think he'll be here?"
"I...I don't know," said Coco with a sigh, "I hope I'll get to see him...But the last time I saw him...it felt like a goodbye to me."
"Goodbyes aren't always for forever," Rarity came up to lay a hoof on Coco's shoulder, "I am sure that, if he truly cares about you, he'd want to find some way to share that with you."
"I hope so," said Coco.
She'd told Rarity, of course, about her experiences as Elderflower's hostage. Rarity had been shocked to learn that Coco and Perlin Bluestreak had known each other before the night he had supposedly forced her to let him into the Boutique so that he could steal a sample of Rarity's new shimmersilk. It had been even more surprising to learn that Perlin had something of a crush on Coco and that her being held by the Baron was just as much about keeping him under control as it was about keeping her quiet. Rarity didn't quite understand how Coco had actually come around to reciprocating the feelings of a young stallion who'd been, more or less, stalking her for several months. However, she got the impression that Coco's feelings were genuine and that she truly cared for Perlin. However, there had been no sign of the boy after everything had ended. He'd made no efforts to contact Coco again and the only information anypony had about him was that he had been the one behind the massacre of the mercenaries that Elderflower and his cronies had been amassing.
Part of Rarity wanted to urge Coco to move on. Whatever Perlin was doing, it was clear that it didn't involve Coco anymore. If anything, his staying away could very well be taken as a concession on Perlin's part for all the distress he'd caused Coco and that he felt she was better off without him. Still, at the same time, Rarity wanted to respect Coco's feelings. She would not have simply started reciprocating Perlin's feelings because his stalking had won her over, but because she had seen something in him worth liking. At least, that was what Rarity hoped was the case.
It won't do her any harm to have this opportunity to sort her feelings out, thought Rarity as she watched Coco resume work, There will be other Hearts and Hooves Days after all.
As the next few days passed, there was a growing sense of excitement hanging over Ponyville. Hearts and Hooves Day was one of the town's favorite holidays and nearly all of Ponyville's inhabitants were making plans for it in one way or another. Even ponies who had no significant other with which to spend the day usually found something that they wanted to do on that particular day, even if it was nothing more than spending the afternoon at the bar with their friends, lamenting their collective lack of success in the romance department.
Decorations went up around the town, decking it out in pink and magenta, paper hearts hanging from every possible surface. Under Mayor Mare's direction, teams of ponies swept the streets, picking up the debris leftover from all the construction work going on as the work itself was suspended for the day. After all, nopony wanted a romantic stroll interrupted by a nail through the hoof (unless they were into that sort of thing...some ponies had weird tastes). The stores that had managed to reopen were displaying all manner of Hearts and Hooves-themed items, from candies to jewelry to tempt passing ponies. The weather team had set up several rainbow formations around the town at scenic spots where they could be admired by gathering couples.
Cheerilee, as always, only held a half day of school for her foals, many of whom would be partaking in the celebration of the day, even though many of them were far too young for romance. Under Pinkie Pie's guidance, several games had been set up around town for the younger foals to enjoy themselves, which would keep them from getting underhoof, something the adults appreciated (and also, hopefully, would keep the foals from asking too many awkward questions later that night).
The day dawned bright and clear and the foals eagerly streamed into the newly rebuilt schoolhouse for their half day of class. As always, the foals exchanged cards and small tokens of affection with one another (those who had a special somepony, anyway). Cheerilee mostly overlooked this, so long as it didn't distract from the few lessons they had that day. After the noon bell rang, students streamed out of the schoolhouse, many of them foregoing lunch and heading straight back home to get ready for the remainder of the day.
"You look sharp, bro," said Thunderlane, giving an approving nod as Rumble tugged a little on his white suit jacket, trying to get it to sit straight on his body. Rumble had put on more muscle in the past few months since he'd last worn this particular suit, which made it sit a little tight on him. He would have liked to take it to Rarity to see if it could be fitted a little better, but she and Coco had looked so busy that he hadn't wanted to bother them with yet another project.
"Thanks," said Rumble, looking up at his older brother, who was, likewise, dressed to kill.
Thunderlane chuckled and used his hooves to tug the outfit into a better position, one that he hoped wouldn't give Rumble the impression that the collar was trying to choke the life out of him. "So, what's the big rule?"
"Be home by seven," quoted Rumble earnestly. For Hearts and Hooves day, even by the standards of foals his age, that was a rather early curfew. But it had been the only concession that Flitter had required in order to lift Rumble's grounding for one day so that he could spend it with Sweetie Belle.
"Right," said Thunderlane, grinning in approval. Leaning down, he spoke in a conspiratorial whisper into his brother's ear. "And what's Super Secret Rule Number 1?"
"Have fun," replied Rumble with a playful grin.
"Right again," said Thunderlane. Lifting his head back up, he looked down at his little brother and smiled fondly. "I don't say it often enough, but I'm proud of you, bro. You're incredible."
"Thanks," said Rumble, blushing and averting his eyes.
Lowering his head again, Thunderlane gave Rumble a little nuzzle. "Between you and me, Cloud Chaser and I probably wouldn't have grounded you, but you know how Flitter gets. Sorry."
"It's okay," said Rumble, "I kinda deserved it. Even if I was doing the right thing, I really scared you all, Flitter especially."
"She doesn't say it, but I think she's proud of you too," said Thunderlane, "I know Storm Front is."
That brought a smile to Rumble's face. Storm Front and Flitter wouldn't be doing anything too strenuous for their date. After several weeks of intensive healing spells, Storm was well enough to walk under his own power for short distances. But he wasn't up to flying yet. Whenever he wanted or needed to go out, somepony had to ferry him down to ground level via cloud. Odds were good they would be home well before Rumble's curfew came around, which nixed any idea that he might be able to stretch the limits of it, not that Rumble was inclined to push his luck in any case.
"Good luck," said Thunderlane, clapping Rumble on the back, "Time for you to go out and meet your filly, right?"
"Yeah," said Rumble, blushing yet again as he made his way to the door, "See you later."
Thunderlane watched Rumble head out and take a flying leap off the porch of the cloud house as the door swung back shut behind him. Turning back to the mirror the stallion chuckled as he continued to work on making himself presentable for his date with Cloud Chaser, checking to make sure that the small box he'd acquired was tucked securely inside his suit.
"I don't know..." said Spike, looking over his suit as he posed in the mirror, "I'm just not sure about it."
"You look fine, Spike," said Twilight with a smile, even as she rolled her eyes, "Lace on the cuffs and antique military buttons would have looked ridiculous anyway.”
"But I'm just not sure about the color..." Spike began.
"THE COLOR IS FINE!" roared Twilight, at the end of her rope with her younger brother's dithering, "We've been all through this before. Once you'd tried that other suit, you'd hate it. Black is a great color! It sets off your spines."
Spike blinked and refocused on his reflection in the mirror. "You really think so?"
"Of course," said Twilight, panting after her little rant, "Now, how about you get along with meeting Apple Bloom, you don't want to keep her waiting."
"I just want to look my best," said Spike.
The sound of clopping hooves announced Arkenstone's presence as the beige stallion tramped his way up the stairs, a small smile on his face. "I think you look spectacular," he said.
"Hey, thanks-" Spike froze for a second. "Why do you do that?" he asked in a deadpan tone as Twilight struggled, and failed, to hide her giggles.
Arkenstone chuckled. "I figured it was a good way to get you motivated," he said, "After all, I think you have about three minutes left before the time you agreed to meet her."
"Wha-" Spike glanced at the clock and let out a surprised yelp, "Holy guacamole! You're right! I'm gonna be late!" He dashed down the steps, rushing towards the door as fast as his legs could carry him.
"Hmmm...he's gotten better at running on all fours," Arkenstone noted as he heard the door slam shut down below, "He didn't trip even once."
"That's something I'm glad for," said Twilight with a relieved sigh, "I keep getting worried whenever he trips up."
"I think he'll be fine," said Arkenstone with a smile, "Are you ready for our plans?"
"Almost," said Twilight, "Now that the worrywart is gone, let me get dressed." Even though she knew he couldn't see her expression, Twilight gave him a half-lidded smile. She suspected that Arkenstone, blind though he was, would easily be able to sense her intent.
"Of course," said the stallion, "I'll wait for you downstairs."
As he departed, Twilight let out a relieved sigh and began to go through the process of putting on her dress.
"I'm impressed that you're so calm for your first Hearts and Hooves Day date," observed Caramel with a chuckle as he watched Dawn, who was laid out on the couch, waiting patiently for Scootaloo's arrival.
"It can't be that much different from the Harvest Festival or the Winter Gala," said Dawn, "Scootaloo told me to let her take care of everything, so there's no point in worrying about things that I have no say over."
"I guess that's true," said Caramel. Dawn was right. All things considered, the colt's date with Scootaloo was unlikely to lead to anything groundbreaking (or rather, Caramel would be seriously worried if it actually did lead to anything groundbreaking at their age). He was in similar straits with Fluttershy after all. Neither of them wanted to do anything that pushed the boundaries of their relationship right now. Hearts and Hooves Day was, first and foremost, a day for reaffirming the feelings that they had for each other. All in all, it wasn't really any different from the dates that he and Fluttershy had shared since the beginning of their relationship.
Looking at Dawn again, Caramel's eyes narrowed as he spotted something in the colt's mane. "Hold still," he said, leaning forward and using a hoof to gently brush out a small tuft of white fur, "You missed something," he said.
"Oh..." said Dawn, looking at the small piece of fur, "Angel slept in my bed last night...again."
"He's been doing that a lot, has he?" asked Caramel, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," said Dawn, "The other animals too. It's odd, they all used to stay in your room with Mom."
Caramel blinked and his expression of mild suspicion vanished, replaced by one of embarrassment as his cheeks flushed and he realized exactly why the animals were vacating the room he shared with Fluttershy. "Oh! Right!"
To the stallion's unspoken relief, Dawn appeared to be oblivious to his embarrassment and clueless as to the reason why he suddenly had so many fluffy and feathery roommates.
A knock on the door prompted Dawn to look up. Hopping off the couch, he glided gracefully over the table, landing soundlessly right in front of the door and opening it. Scootaloo stood there, decked out in the same grayish-purple dress she'd worn to the Harvest Festival and the Winter Gala. She'd supplemented it with the her shimmersilk scarf. Her cheeks were already tinted pink as she smiled shyly at Dawn. "Hey...You ready?"
"I am," said Dawn with a warm smile on his face. Already, the sight of Scootaloo in the sleek, silky dress that hugged the contours of her body was making his heart pound a little faster and his cheeks heat up.
"Then let's go," said Scootaloo, her eagerness overcoming her shyness as she tugged Dawn out the door. The two of them were gone in a rush of wind, Dawn leaving so quickly that he didn't get the chance to close the door behind him.
Caramel chuckled as he came up and shut the door in the wake to the pair's departure.
"Did they leave already?" asked Fluttershy quietly as she descended from the bedroom, the wispy, cloudy folds of her mist-like dress drifting around her as she moved. The sight of her all done up caused a lump to form in Caramel's throat. Silently, he nodded in answer to her question and, inside his own head, proclaimed himself the luckiest stallion in the world.
"Oh good," said Flutttershy, giving her coltfriend a meek smile, "Are you ready?"
"S-sure..." Caramel had to swallow and get his throat to work before he could speak properly, "I'm ready when you are."
Giggling at his dopey, smitten expression, Fluttershy gave Caramel her happiest smile. "Then let's get going too. I don't want to miss our reservation."
"Me neither," said Caramel with an emphatic nod.
"Looks like everyone is having fun," said Rainbow Dash as she looked down over Ponyville and smiled. Down below, she could see ponies as they mingled with their significant others, exchanging hugs, kisses, and nuzzles with plenty of enthusiasm. The bevy of warmth and affection that was nearly tangible, even up in the clouds above town, was such that Rainbow could forgive the sappy premise of the entire holiday.
Under normal circumstances, Rainbow would be glad for the opportunity to continue her training, happy for an excuse to not be swamped by the lovey doveyness of the whole holiday. Her training would give her the excuse she needed to stay outside of town and focus on something else for most of the day, with something to occupy her time and attention other than the sappy lovefest going on below.
However, this time, Rainbow was glad for the chance to participate and the reason for that gladness was stooping down from the sky behind her as she waited. A pale-blue stallion with a dark-blue mane and emerald-green eyes flared his wings and touched down on the cloud, making it bob slightly under Rainbow's hooves. One of his outstretched wings came to rest over Rainbow's back so that he could pull her up against his side.
"Ready for some fun of our own?" asked Soarin', second-in-command of the Wonderbolts as he nuzzled Rainbow's cheek.
"You bet!" aid Raibnbow, excited for Hearts and Hooves Day for the first time since...ever, really. This would be the first time she had ever spent the day with her special somepony or had a special somepony to spend the day with. In the past, she had been too wrapped up in her training for the Wonderbolts to worry about crushes and romance. Now, things were different.
"So...what should we do then?" asked Soarin', "I didn't really plan anything, I'm afraid."
"Eh, I don't have anything planned either," said Rainbow with a shrug. "We can just go down and hang out in town for a while. They always have plenty of things for ponies to do on Hearts and Hooves Day."
"Sounds good to me," said Soarin' with a grin, before planting a kiss on Rainbow's cheeks, "I'll let you take the lead on this. It's your town after all."
Turning her head, Rainbow returned the gesture, but by pressing her lips against Soarin's. "Sure thing," she said with a sultry smile, "I'm glad you could make it."
"So am I," said Soarin', pressing his neck up against hers, "I've been missing you up in Cloudsdale. I hope you can finish your training soon. We're all waiting for you."
"I'm trying," said Rainbow, "But I'm not exactly getting it all that easily."
"Give it time," said Soarin', "There's no need to rush. I miss you, but we can wait however long you need us to."
"Thanks," said Rainbow, leaning against him with a happy sigh, "Now let's go have some fun."
The two of them jumped off the down, allowing their bodies to drop for a short distance before their wings snapped out to catch the air and slow their descent. The two of them moved in perfect, polished unison as they swooped down towards the street, the tips of their wings just barely brushing against one another. It was an impressive display of synchronicity worthy of two Wonderbolts, even though only one pony had really seen it.
Perched on another cloud, situated even higher up, Firefly chuckled lightly as she watched the two younger pegasi descend down into Ponyville to amuse themselves in the town's festive atmosphere. "Ah, to be young and in love," she said with a fond smile.
Settling down to lie on her back, Firefly prepared to enjoy a nice nap to pass the time whilst the younger ponies enjoyed themselves. Technically, she was supposed to be on watch for Swift Stride, just in case the truant Knight decided to come back and make good on his threat against Twilight Sparkle. However, there was no sign of him yet. Firefly's awareness had spread throughout the air across the town, almost completely imperceptible to anypony down below. If Swift Stride did come to town, she would know it, even if she happened to be asleep at the time. On top of that, even if Swift did manage to slip through her perception, Arkenstone was with Twilight. Though he had been incapacitated the last time he'd fought Swift, Arkenstone wouldn't allow himself to be taken down so easily during their next encounter.
Just as she was about to drift off, Firefly's eyes suddenly snapped open and she sat up, completely alert. Somepony dangerous had entered the town below. To her relief, it wasn't Swift Stride. However, Firefly realized that she did not recognize this unknown pony. Her eyes narrowing, the aged pegasus rolled off the cloud and spread her wings, silently moving to shadow the new arrival and learn whether or not this strange pony was a threat.
Having finished spreading out the blanket and laying out the food in the basket, Applejack paused just long enough to take in a deep breath, savoring the sweet smell of the apple trees all around her, most of them laden down with fruit just on the verge of being ripe. In a couple more days, this section of the orchard would be ready for harvest and she would be coming through here, pulling her cart behind her and laying out baskets in preparation for a session of vigorous applebucking.
But today, that was not a concern. Instead, what she was concerned with was the stallion slowly making his way towards her, a faint sheen of sweat visible on his forehead as he labored up the hill towards the picnic spot. Red River might not have needed a brace on his foreleg anymore, but that didn't mean that he had fully regained his mobility. It didn't help that spending several weeks bound to a wheelchair and, even after being allowed out of it, rarely moving farther than the distance from one room of the house to the other, had left Red's body and limbs weak and atrophied after such a prolonged period of disuse. The healing spells he had been subjected to had drained his body's reserves, even with the supplements he had been taking to help the spells run their course. As a consequence, his body looked considerably thinner than it had before his ordeal, the compact musculature of his form having given way to a skinnier, bonier look.
Just the short journey from the farmhouse to this scenic hill had taken a significant toll on Red's endurance. Aside from the sweat, he also had the look of a pony trying hard to not pant for breath as he ascended the slope, one ponderous step at a time.
Applejack winced in sympathy as she watched her coltfriend struggle. She'd offered to push him up in the wheelchair, but Red had insisted that he needed the exercise. He had to get back into shape after all. Unlike Storm Front, Red fully intended to get his body back into fighting shape once his recovery was complete, no matter how arduous a task that promised to be.
"Well..." said Red, his breath coming in short puffs, in spite of his best efforts, "that wasn't so bad." He smiled as he took in the view, his eyes surveying the orchards as they stretched out towards the horizon. The faint breeze in the air cooled him as it wicked away his sweat, giving Red a profound feeling of satisfaction that a pony might get after a good workout. He was tired, but it was a good kind of tired, not the unpleasant, smothering sense of tiredness that accompanied the healing spells he received.
"Ah wish ya wouldn't push yerself like that," said Applejack as she came up to Red and pressed her neck up against his, resting her chin on his withers as the stallion returned the gesture.
"I need to get my exercise somehow," said Red with a smirk that Applejack couldn't see from her position, but she could unquestionably hear in his tone, "Otherwise, I'll turn into a big blue lump of lard on your couch, thanks to all your wonderful cooking."
"Ah'm guessin' Ditzy's muffins ain't helpin' either," observed Applejack wryly, eyeing the contents of the picnic basket, which included several of the aforementioned treats.
"Probably," said Red with a grin as he stepped way from their embrace so that the two of them could settle onto the blanket, side by side, "That mare shouldn't be allowed in the kitchen. Someday, she'll trigger and obesity epidemic, I swear."
Applejack cackled at that. Ditzy and Big Macintosh had gone into town to spend the day with Dinky, something they'd been doing nearly every Hearts and Hooves Day since the two of them had become a couple. Apparently, their marriage hadn't changed their routine at all.
"Now then, all that's left is..." Red's voice trailed off as he looked around.
"We're here!" called out a voice from above.
Looking up, the two earth ponies smiled as they saw Flitter heading towards them, her forehooves pressed into a cloud that she was pushing in front of her. Resting on the cloud in question was Storm Front, looking uncomfortable at having to be carted from the cloud house down to Sweet Apple Acres by his fillyfriend, however necessary it may have been.
Flitter brought the cloud down until it was hovering only scant inches above the ground. Storm Front disembarked, moving carefully and deliberately. Like Red, Storm looked thinner than before. One of his wings was still suspended in a brace that kept it immobile against his side and the wraps around one of his forelegs showed that it was still a fair ways from being completely healed. Of the two of them, Storm had come off worse from their fight with Terra Heart. According to the doctors, the injuries to his leg and wing would probably not allow him to return to fighting shape, even after he had recovered. They had done their best, but the damage had been too severe. Surprisingly, Storm's reaction to the news had been relatively ambivalent.
"Glad ya could make it," said Applejack, exchanging a brief hug with Flitter before she helped the two pegasi get settled.
"We wouldn't miss it for the world," said Storm, giving Applejack and Red a smile as he slowly laid down on the blanket, Flitter settling down beside him.
"Now that everypony's here, let's eat," said Red with an eager grin as they prepared to tuck into the spread that Applejack had laid out.
Rarity could barely suppress her giggle as she saw a prancing Sweetie Belle out the door. Already, she could see Rumble descending down from the sky to meet her. Ever the gentlecolt, even for one so young, the little pegasus was both well-dressed and groomed, even wearing one of the suits Rarity had made for him. For a moment, she idly wondered if Rumble had dressed like that simply to stay on her good side as he continued to date Sweetie. She quickly dismissed the thought, knowing that Rumble was a good colt and wearing or not wearing a suit wouldn't change that. She hoped he was aware of that as well. After all, Sweetie could have done much worse for a coltfriend, albeit, Rarity silently conceded, she would be hard pressed to find better.
Likewise, Rarity had made sure that Sweetie was dressed properly to enjoy her date. Nothing too formal, of course, but something that would accentuate Sweetie's good looks and make Rumble's wings flutter. After all, it never hurt to remind the colt just how lucky he was to be dating such a cute and...well...sweet filly.
Now that she had seen the younger couple off, Rarity turned her attention to her own endeavor for the day, slipping into the royal-purple dress she had designed to wear to the Winter Gala. While she had been tempted to make a new dress for this occasion, Rarity had always been a little disappointed that she'd never gotten to show this one off to a certain pony.
Said pony was making his way down the stairs as Rarity put the finishing touches on her ensemble for the afternoon and evening. Flaxseed might not have been a member of the upper crust, with intimate knowledge of grooming and preening, but he clearly knew how to smarten himself up for an evening out. It helped that Rarity had made him a suit for the occasion, which she took the opportunity to admire as she looked the stallion over.
Flaxseed's gray-streaked mane had been combed and brushed until it hung straight and even. Likewise, his tail had been freshly combed out as well. His coat was well-groomed and even his hooves had been recently cleaned and polished. He was dressed in a creamy-white suit, the color of blanched almonds, which nicely complimented the color of both his brown eyes and golden coat. It was a relatively simple affair, but one that certainly worked to his advantage as Flaxseed gave Rarity a nervous smile, which Rarity warmly returned.
Upon seeing her in her glittering, purple gown and elegantly coifed mane, Rarity could see spots of red flare on Flaxseed's cheeks as he took her in. Deciding not to waste any time, Rarity sauntered closer and turned to brush her side up against Flaxseed's chest, letting her back pass beneath his nose so that he could pick up the faint scent of roses wafting out of the fabric before winding about to his side so that she could rub the dress against his coat, directly behind where the suit ended. Through the silky fabric of her dress, Rarity could feel Flaxseed shiver at the contact and even hear him sniff as he sought to better appreciate the scent.
"Wow..." was all he could say as Rarity stepped past him and turned around to face him once again.
"You're not exactly looking so bad yourself," said Rarity with a teasing smile, stepping closer and holding out a foreleg, "Shall we? I reserved a table at the Golden Horseshoe. I even made sure to get us a corner booth. It's not for a couple of hours yet, but I figured we could take our time and enjoy the sights as we make our way over."
A shadow passed over Flaxseed's face, something that made Rarity worry. Was he uncomfortable with her suggestion? She hadn't taken him to the Golden Horseshoe before. It was, perhaps, the highest-class establishment that could be found in Ponyville, often catering to the likes of Filthy Rich and the ponies that mingled freely in his circle. Even with her refined tastes, Rarity had never fancied dining in such a restaurant more than once or twice a year. As successful as she was, she never imagined that she'd ever make enough to eat there regularly. Perhaps, given the fact that she'd been awarded the Royal Warrant, that might change. However, even if it did, Rarity wasn't sure she'd want to eat in such an establishment regularly. It always daunted her friends, even Twilight, who'd grown up in the halls of the Royal Palace, to enter such a fine restaurant, to say nothing of ponies like Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, who wouldn't be caught dead in such a hoity toity place (with apologies to Hoity Toity).
She hoped he could manage. The owner of the restaurant was a fine sort of pony, one who might not take offense if she couldn't make her reservation. However, simply not showing up when she had gone through so much trouble to arrange for a table in advance would be rather rude. She'd still give it up though, if Flaxseed was truly uncomfortable with the idea. After all, that was one of the reasons she had tried to reassure him with the promise of a corner table.
After so many years of persecution at the hooves of the Cult Solar, Flaxseed had been left a jumpy, neurotic mess, always looking over his shoulder, keeping one eye out for trouble, and making sure to keep his distance from other ponies. Whenever he went out with Rarity, he was nervous and wary, skittish to such an extreme that he made Fluttershy, on her worst days no less, look positively adventurous by comparison. Whenever they ate out, Rarity always had to make sure that they could get a table in the corner of a restaurant, where Flaxseed could have a clear view of most of the room and nopony could come up behind him.
He'd been getting better in recent months, ever since an actress and former-fillyfriend of his had come to the Boutique as one of Rarity's customers. Flaxseed's relationship with the mare had come to a traumatic end when she had seen his Eyes of Nightmare and sold him out to the Cult Solar. To say that Rarity was furious with the mare was an understatement. As a consequence, the mare had been unceremoniously ejected from the Boutique without the dress she had been seeking. Rarity had also been pleased to hear that, upon her return to Manehattan, said mare had suddenly had a great deal of difficulty finding roles to play in Bridleway productions and had been forced to accept bit parts in cheap, lower-end establishments, as Rarity had apparently been not the only one to hear and take exception to that mare's behavior.
That incident had been a turning point for Flaxseed. After seeing that Rarity was not about to desert him or allow him to come to harm if there was something she could do to prevent it, he seemed to have come to appreciate how safe he was in Ponyville. Even the threat of Terra Heart's attack had done little to shake Flaxseed's growing comfort and confidence, much to Rarity's relief.
Strange as it seemed, over the course of spending months helping Flaxseed out the morass of fear and paranoia he had been trapped in, Rarity had grown fond of him. At first, he'd been a pony in need of help and comfort, something she desperately wanted to provide. Then he had become an important asset to her business, helping tremendously by managing her accounts and finances. His work was even more important to her now, with all the commissions she was receiving as a Royal Warrant holder. But Rarity had come to see Flaxseed in a different light, as somepony she enjoyed spending time with and getting to know, as somepony she might like to know a bit more intimately.
She supposed that his former trauma might be part of it. Flaxseed's last intimate relationship had not ended on a high note. Given what he had been through, Rarity couldn't exactly blame him if he chose to hold her at a distance for the time being. The guilt he felt for playing an unwitting roll in Twilight's foalnapping only seemed to make him want to keep himself at a greater distance.
Still, Rarity was determined to see if she could bridge the gap between them and maybe build their relationship into something more.
Giving the stallion her warmest, most affectionate smile, Rarity said, "Come along, dear. Let's make the most of our day."
The shadow that had passed over Flaxseed's face earlier was nowhere to be seen for the time being, as he nodded and followed her out the door.
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In fluttershy and caramels seen I don't think his throat is the only place a lump grew when he saw her in her dress.
And yes I do hate my self a little for saaying that but it had to be said
an
_________________
Pinkie strikes me as the kind of person who'd be insufferable in an online forum, due to the amount of memes and references that would be involved.
Never seen the film, but I get the reference.
gladness was
stoopingswooping down fromThe two of them jumped off the
downcloud,If I had a soul or heart, I'd have lost it at the amount of d'aww in this chapter.
Now, is it or isn't it Perlin?
How long have you had the Cake Twins in your story and how long have they remained foals?
They should be yearlings by now...
First off, you're spoiling us with four chapters at once.
Second, I'll admit that I laughed at the part with the levers.
Don't worry too much Scootaloo, she's also planned out her parents' 500th anniversary, she just likes to cover all possibilities.
I have to day, I love the referances. Got Kronk, which made me snort, and then you got me with the Avatar the last airbender referance! ahahahaha Poor Spike. I shall always think of him as Sokka now. this is headcannon for me now. Spike is Sokka reincarnated
Wait... are you really going to make that reference?
You did! I did not expect a reference joke in a story like this. It's not the first time I've seen it happen, but it's far from common. People who write dramatic works often forget the value of comedic relief.
On a more serious note, I'm going to have to ask you to slow down with your updates. Four chapters in one day is too many. It's overwhelming. It's going to be difficult to get through all of that.
ooohhhhh mmmyyyyy
In all your years did you ever think that you'd be writing about dresses in such detail. I've thought about it before but ya know you're pretty good at it.
Homophone error: role
Kuzco reference at the start, this chapter has ALL THE WIN!!
a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/08/Lever.gif
45.media.tumblr.com/86c04ff71c3febbf1fa249c017ea6009/tumblr_mzkqtexOiu1sqjjm1o3_500.gif
Haha! Toph jokes are the best.
6861161 Wait...when did Gummy get teeth??
6858363 I read up to the lump part in that sentence and had uncontrollable giggles for a couple minutes
This chapter should be called SEX IS SUTLY REFERENCED EVERYWHERE :D
6937355
I think that was Gummy's brother. Noone ever mentions him though because he's a drunk, and is in a rather scandalous relationship with a catfish. Although it doesn't help their child looks like this.
Anyone watch 'The Emperor's New Groove', because it seems like the author here has.
Did the train you were riding while you wrote this jolt or something... though it did make for a good laugh.
Pinkie Pie!
7099732
Gotta love River Monsters. It provides truly wonderful nightmare fuel.
10023593
Mhmm. Ain't that the truth.
10023593
Even better, I remember seeing an aquarium wholesale site that had that particular species for sale... for about $350 (US) for a baby one. Of course if you can afford an aquarium capable of housing a six foot long killer fish price isn't really an object anymore is it?
10321617
A Killer Fish that can move on land. Kind of like a Snakehead, but several times as ugly.