Picnic Peepers

by Art Inspired

Picnic Peepers

It was partly cloudy, and there was a light breeze. Smells of freshly blooming flowers of varying varieties were blossoming thanks to the icy snow that had finally melted over, and the sounds of birds, bees and busy ponies could be heard all over town. It was just about the most beautiful day, so beautiful that Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo considered it just right for a game of tag. Although, that’s something they’d end up putting off until later on.

The two were headed towards the outskirts of Ponyville, to the park they usually played in with Apple Bloom. Unfortunately, the third member of the bunch couldn’t be with her friends today. Apple Bloom was away with the her family for another reunion.

“It’s too bad Apple Bloom couldn’t be with us today,” Scootaloo remarked glumly as they trotted along the concrete walkway. “Sure is a nice day.”

“Yeah,” Sweetie agreed. “But you know how important it is to her, to see her family, especially Babs.”

“Mmhmm…”

“Thanks for coming on by to play with me, by the way. I don’t know what I’d do, all alone in the Boutique.” Sweetie smiled for a second before her expression turned to displeasure. “Rarity’s been so busy lately, it hardly feels like I have a sister anymore.”

“Really? What’s she busy with?”

“Well…” Sweetie Belle stopped before a fountain, her hoof coming to her chin in thought. “For one thing, I think she’s seeing somepony. As in, I think she’s in some sort of serious relationship.”

Scootaloo’s eyes became wide. “With who?”

As a response, Sweetie Belle squeaked, “I don’t know!” Her hoof was now on her forehead. “She talks about a special somepony in hushed tones, all to herself, but whenever I ask about it she just says it’s nothing!”

“Well, Hearts and Hooves day is coming up.”

“Exactly, and that’s why this is… kind of driving me nuts.”

Scootaloo laughed. “Naw, it’s cool… Actually, y’know, Rainbow’s been acting strange lately, too. Like, I came over to her place first before seeing if you were home. I was hoping we’d get a little practice in this morning, but she told me she’s gonna be busy all day!”

Sweetie asked, “Did you find out what she’s doing?”

“No,” Scoots said with a scowl. “When I asked about it, just like Rarity, she said that it’s nothing.”

Sweetie Belle nodded concerningly. “Strange… I don’t think anypony else has been acting this way. The thing is, Rarity started doing this gradually. You know, little by little, like, three weeks ago I think. Just recently.”

Scootaloo looked away. “I think… that’s roughly around the same time Rainbow started to…” She looked back up with a frown. “Well, she stopped hanging out with me all the time, like she used to. To be honest, that’s why I’ve been so free lately, hanging with you and Apple Bloom.”

At that time, it almost sounded as if Rainbow was behind them, because she had replied with, “It’s not like I’m trying to avoid her.” Had that last word to Rainbow’s sentance been ‘you’, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle would’ve been fooled into thinking Rainbow had been listening in, replying to what the young pegasus had said.

However, she wasn’t listening in, and in fact hadn’t noticed the two at all despite them being just on the other side of the fountain, now peeking in on her. That was due to Rainbow Dash’s attention being redirected to non other than Rarity, who was now replying with, “Oh, I know darling, but at least today I served Sweetie breakfast. According to your description, you didn’t even try to apologize or anything.”

Sweetie Belle leaned in to hear them better, crouching as to not get caught. Scootaloo did the same, a somewhat surprised look crossing her muzzle upon hearing Rarity’s voice. She became more animated when she saw the two fully. “Hey, Sweetie Belle, it’s your sis.”

The unicorn came closer to speak in a very low volumed voice. “I know, I can hear that… She’s got a basket with her.” She gasped. “She had that before leaving the house today! She was in such a hurry, I didn’t even have time to ask about it.”

“And, is that a… present on Rainbow’s back?”

The two mares indeed walked side by side, Rarity holding a picnic basket by the strands of her aura, and Rainbow with a present signed to the mare she walked along side with. Both ponies seemed really happy, too, despite the conversation they were on being somewhat negative.

Rainbow sighed before saying, “Sweetie’s your sister, though. Scootaloo just kinda… y’know, looks up to me and stuff.”

Rarity gruffed at that remark. “Stuff like wanting to be with you during sisterly events and moments?” She giggled, “Why, Dash, recall them getting their cutie marks? How much you bonded with her? If that isn’t classic, sisterly love, then I’m afraid I don’t know what is!”

The pegasus blushed under her breath. “Thanks for the third degree, babe.”

That was something that caught those two’s attention more than anything else. Rainbow calling Rarity her ‘babe’ confirmed all doubts in their minds. Yet even so, they looked at one another in disbelief. Were it not for the two’s voices fading away in the distance, Sweetie might’ve inquired more as to what in the hay was going on.

With another gasp, Sweetie quietly instructed, “They’re getting away! C’mon, let’s follow them, and stay low…”

“Okay…” As they crept closer and closer, keeping shielded with whatever they could use such as bushes and trees, Scootaloo noted how Rarity was now touching Rainbow’s side with her flank. That showed just how allied these two had become over time, and still, it was unbelievable.

What was even more unbelievable, though, was how far away they’d gone from the city. Sweetie and Scoots soon found themselves in a vast meadow with rolling hills, and one large oaktree. Rainbow began leading the way towards the landmark, but just before finally reaching it, she glanced around to make sure they weren’t being trailed. Luckily, she missed their follower’s direction completely.

“Alright,” the cerulean pegasus said while relaxing, and smiling at her unicorn friend. “I’ll get the sheets.” She pulled out a pink and white checkered cloth, and using both hooves, settled it down on the grass nicely. Meanwhile, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle crept ever nearer, and both fillies leaned against one of the good, grown roots that belonged to the large oak.

While Rainbow finished taking care of pretty much everything else as well, Rarity just watched graciously, a hoof raising every so often in concern, but Rainbow had obviously done this before base on how quickly she responded to things that needed correcting or slight adjusting.

“I’m so lucky,” Rarity mentioned as Rainbow placed rocks at the corners of the tarp for good measure. While she spoke, her sister only became that much more engrossed from seeing Rarity like this, especially towards Rainbow of all ponies. “Don’t forget the- ahah, you’ve got it. Good…” The unicorn simply watched, and watched, but not the area being built anymore, but just Rainbow instead. They could see the infatuation for her developing in Rarity’s eyes. “Perfect, darling.”

“Not too shabby, huh?”

“It looks grand! Can I open my present now?”

Rarity grabbed hold of the package wrapped in lovely red, her eyes sparkling with interest, and Rainbow simply replied with a smirk, “Typical…”

“Was that a yes?”

Rainbow chuckled. “Yeah, tear away…”

She did so, but like a lady of course, and inside the first box, Rarity found another box. To the two crusaders’ distaste, this box was even redder, and heart shaped. Rarity squealed, her voice breaking into delighted giggles before uttering, “Chocolates?!” She looked at Rainbow. “How wonderful, and it’s not even Hearts and Hooves Day yet! Thank you!”

She made a move to put them aside, and to hug Rainbow with great amounts of admiration. Scootaloo’s mouth dropped upon witnessing Rainbow openly embrace Rarity like this. While she had the chance, Scoots looked over to Sweetie, her hoof pointing to the back of her throat to signal just how much this was apparently grossing her out.

“Stop it,” Sweetie whispered. “I think that’s sweet… Just, Rainbow’s the last pony I’d think Rarity would have a crush on.”

“Well,” Scoots offered in denial. “Maybe they’re just being really, really friendly because… Umm…”

Sweetie shook her head, but even she wanted to believe this. All remaining uncertainty was washed away, however, after Rarity first asked, “Would you like the first bite?”

She offered a piece by lifting it up by her aura. Rainbow responded quickly by saying, “Sure,” and then took the whole thing in her mouth with one swift chomping motion. Rarity even jumped at the act, but sarcastically said, “You were supposed to say that I should go first!”

“Then why’d you offer?”

They both laughed, and after a moment more, Rarity reached for one, but was stopped by Rainbow grabbing hold of her. Rainbow seemed to kiss her, but Sweetie and Scootaloo couldn’t tell from where they were. She had left behind blotches of chocolate from where she’d muzzled Rarity on the back of her neck, though.

“No! Stooop!” Rarity cried and fought, but her expression was anything but disapproval. Roughly around this point, the two behind the roots both had mouths open wide, astonished.

Scoots ducked, and asked, “You don’t think Apple Bloom messed around with another love potion of some kind again, do you?”

“N-no, she just recently left, and this must’ve been going on for a while because Rainbow’s been visiting the Boutique more often.”

Scootaloo looked back at the two to see Rainbow leaning against the bark, their proximity just out of sight due to their changes, but she didn’t see Rarity. “Where’d your sister go?”

Sweetie Belle, who had a better spot, said, “She’s in Rainbow’s… lap.”

Her head lowered so that her muzzle was hidden, and they watched some more as one chocolate after another was devoured slowly. Not knowing what to think of this, Scootaloo suggested, “We should go. This is kinda… too mushy for me.”

“Wait,” Sweetie Belle said with a hoof, because Rarity had stood just then. By the looks of it, they were about to start eating the food that they’d prepared, but Rarity had turned back around to face the mare who remained sitting with her wings brushed up against the rugged terrain of the picnic tree. For leverage, they extended slightly to help Rarity with what she was about to do.

The white coated unicorn smiled down at her pegasus kindly, lowered her torso accordingly, and serenely pressed her lips against Rainbow’s. The two stayed in that exact, oddly cute position for several seconds, eyes closed, and Rainbow’s hoof resting on the tufts on Rarity’s chest.

Sweetie looked at Scoots with a stunned expression, and muttered, “Y-your idol’s smooching my sister!”

Scoots just grimaced, making this noise of disgust, but overall Sweetie Belle found all this to be rather cute. Even with them hidden well enough, they’d spied on the two grown ups long enough, and with Rainbow getting up, poor Scootaloo slipped, a twig breaking underneath her steps.

Sharp as ever, Rainbow was already above the ground, sights locking onto the two crusaders. At first, she seemed more angry than ever, but once she saw who was there, all that changed. “S-Scootaloo?!”

Rarity trotted around the cloth to look, and gasped. “Sweetie Belle! H-” She became speechless for a moment, as did the rest. Then, finally, she blurted out, “What do you two think you’re doing here?”

Rainbow took charge quickly after that inquiry. “Oh, I think they know what they’re doing here! Big question is…” Her muzzle scrunched, and her tone of voice became somewhat hoarse. “How long were you guys there?”

Sweetie Belle just sat there, worried as ever, and so did Scootaloo, but Sweetie hadn’t expected her friend to say, “Well… Long enough.”

Even though Sweetie was more wanting to keep her mouth shut, she spoke up, “We saw you two kiss.” It was too late to try and make anything up anyways, so why not admit it?

Rainbow’s response to these answers was anything but what Scootaloo had at least expected. “Shoot…”

That’s all she said before floating back down to the ground, more embarrassed than she’d been in a while. Rarity, however, at least tried to mask what was happening with, “No, no, you see… This is just a little get together! Yes, and, err…” She tapped her hooves together in desperate thought. “I, umm, want to get stronger, so I uhh… need to gain weight? A-and Rainbow and I wrestle!” She nodded while her sister shook hers, disagreeing the whole way.

Rainbow intervene before Rarity could make things worse than they already were. “Please, stop Rarity… Just give it up. We got caught.”

Scoots surprisingly asked, “You got caught?!”

At that, Sweetie also asked, “Yeah, isn’t it us that’s been caught?”

“Well,” Rarity mumbled. “Mmmh, not really. I’d have to side with Dash on this. You… caught us, and now know about… this.”

“What she’s trying to tell you guys is, nopony else knows about this. We’d… really like it, though, if you could keep this a secret.”

“Yes, a secret,” Rarity agreed nervously. “Why, think of the others, if they found out about our relationship!”

Sweetie, as innocent as ever, said, “They’d probably be happy for you,” and to that, Rarity made a sound that Rainbow would remember for a good, long time. It was a mix of sheer anguish and affliction, that Sweetie might be willing to share this to the others, or even somepony else that Rainbow and Rarity knew.

“Look,” Rainbow said with a cool voice, smiling to the best of her abilities. “Keep this a secret between yourselves and us, and us sisters will be quite thankful...”

Rarity corrected, “Quite generous, even.”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at one another curiously. Then, with both of them nodding, Sweetie Belle said with her eyes closed, “Alright. If it means that much to the two of you, we won’t tell anypony about what we saw today.”

Rainbow hoofed a few beads of sweat off her brow, and Rarity took a deep breath before sighing with relief. “That’s good,” Rarity mused while Rainbow came up to her.

“Now, uh, hey squirt?”

Scootaloo looked back up to Rainbow. “Yes?”

“Thanks. I’ll, uh, be along later today. I’m… also sorry for brushing you off earlier.”

She winked after glancing over towards Rarity, and Scoots replied, “Awesome! I can’t wait!”

Chuckling, Rainbow latched a hoof around Rarity, and commented sarcastically to the two, “Now get outta here, kids. Ya bother us.”

The two fillies did exactly as Rainbow instructed, and left the two in peace, content with the development, and if only a little bit taken back. Unfortunately for the picnicking couple, Featherweight had been following along, closely behind Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, curious as to where they were sneaking off to. He’d brought his camera and everything, and just before taking a nice picture of the two laying down together, he whispered to himself, “Nice…”

Comments

[insertfootinmouth]

i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo345/stryke81/MLP/159160-dead_risingFeatherweightFrank_WestPonyville_Confidential.png

[dmechanicbrowser]

Aww that's so cute!

[Donraj]

I...don't think 'loincloth' is the right word in that context.

[Art Inspired]

6778008 Oops... Fixed. Thanks!

[MarchPony]

On no. THE GOSSIP HAS BEEN UNLEASHED!

[Nightmare mare]

Oh shit they got caught again…that was cute

[OmniFox]

Spike is going to be extremely heartbroken,

[Wanderer D]

Daww, it's cute. But I have to wonder why they're so against the others finding out. Love triangles? Applejack is an intolerant ultra-right wing?

[Art Inspired]

6778426 This stimulates my writing creativity...

[Art Inspired]

6779088 It's a picture of Rainbow Dash giving Rarity a hug, them eating chocolate, and being watched by Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo who are shocked to see the two acting so attracted to one another. There's nothing mature with the cover art, nothing mature in the story. Otherwise it would've failed moderation.

[Art Inspired]

6779193 Lol, you're good. To be honest, when I first saw the pic at a glance, I thought it was explicit as well.

[Pink Rocket]

Cute fic, but I've never been a fan of the 'hush hush, we're in a secret relationship' cliché, since that trope implies two people are basically just friends with benefits.

-"You see, darlings, we haven't had enough sex yet to go public with our relationship."
-"Yeah yeah yeah yeah!"

[The 24th Pegasus]

Very cutesy, although you do have a tendency to reach for unnecessary wordiness and LUS. It made reading the story a bit difficult, but it was a good go at it. There are many times when the simple word is better than the "sophisticated" word --- "question" instead of "inquiry" for example. Still, I think you've got a great little story here if you brush that up.

[Geminii]

6778426 My own guess would be that both Rarity and RD are control freaks, in their own way. They like being able to say when (or even if) this rather personal piece of information will get out to the wider community. Particularly as it seems to be early days yet, and they're still exploring what their relationship means to themselves. Neither of them likes the idea that something about them might be seen as less than perfect and ultra-competent (Rarity and her creations and appearance, Rainbow and... practically anything), so it's not surprising they'd delay a public announcement until they themselves were confident in their relationship.

It's true that Raridash ships are somewhat rare, because there seems to be little common ground. Even Rarijack has the whole 'opposites attract' thing going on, but at least Applejack has some common sense, courtesy, and restraint. Rainbow is largely a live-in-the-minute tornado. Still, both Dash and Rarity can work to a plan, both have monstrous egos they're willing to suspend when friends and family need action more than words, and both like to be in control of their lives. (And of course, neither has the best control over their emotions. Raridash has a huge potential for drama and storminess, even as both of them maintain that everything is JUST FINE.)

[Zeyon The Green]

6778426
Could be they are taking it slow.

[Ephemeral]

You don't really see too many good Raridash fics on here, and that is exactly why this was such a delightful read. The dialogue flowed nicely, and the pacing was really well done. I liked how Rainbow was portrayed here, showing the development she made as a character throughout the series, being more humble and willing to not be so full of herself. Something that a lot of other fics seem to brush off.

Rarity being shy was just about the cutest thing In this story, I had to stop reading a couple times to let out a soft dawww here and there. The crusaders spying on them, and the inner conflict they faced while viewing the spectacle felt genuine for their characters . It really did feel like I was reading about two little rascals watching their sisters who they admire greatly kissing and fawning over each other.

All in all this was a really good read, and I wish you good fortune on your future works.

[Inferno demon Dash]

Yep, sounds about right. Great characterization and really good with how they found out, I like it.

[HarmonyRapids]

First Raridash fix I've read. I don't usually ship them, but Celestia I'm impressed!

[MaggotKing556]

Really liked this story. 2 hooves up