Sunny Healing
By midday, Rainbow Dash was strong enough to start walking again. Though nausea and dizziness lingered at the edges of her mind, she could at least move under her own power. But she was still weak, and she knew it, so she only moved in short spurts, stopping to rest every so often.
The sun felt great on her coat; even though she knew it was probably hotter than it felt, the poison had left her feverish, so she embraced all the warmth she could get. It helped keep the shivers at bay, and several times she caught herself dozing under its light.
Rarity came and went, though she lingered around the shelter when she could. Rainbow rolled her eyes as the unicorn watched her from the shade of a cluster of palms. While she appreciated everything Rarity had done for her, she hated having Rarity worry over her like a mother hen. At least Rarity seemed to know that, because she wasn’t constantly asking Rainbow how she was feeling or if she needed anything. The only things Rainbow needed were rest, food, and water, and thanks to Rarity, all three were readily found at their shelter. She’d already done enough hard work to make sure Rainbow could recover.
Rainbow grunted and forced herself to stand on her shaky legs again. Once she rose to her full height, she staggered across the sand, focusing on moving one hoof at a time. It was careful work to keep herself from falling over, especially with the lingering pain in her left flank, but she slowly trudged closer to the beach. Rarity’s ears perked when she saw Rainbow on the move, and after a few seconds, she too got up and followed Rainbow out to the beach.
She didn’t get very far before Rainbow decided that she’d found a good enough spot to lie down on. The soft sand on her stomach and legs felt like a feathery mattress, so she sighed and laid her head down as well. Now sprawled out on the beach, Rainbow hummed to herself as she absorbed the sand’s heat through her chest while a stiff ocean breeze kept her from overheating in the harsh sunlight. When she felt Rarity settling down next to her, Rainbow smiled. “This is the life, ain’t it, Rares?”
“Given how our week has been, it’s certainly nice to have some peaceful moments like this,” Rarity agreed. She sighed and her hooves pushed through the sand, rearranging it into a little pile in front of her. “I still contend that the lagoon would be a wonderful island getaway locale, venomous sea urchins excluded.”
“And then there’s the minotaurs we haven’t seen yet and the stupid Celestia-damned flies. I’m just amazed that the mosquitos aren’t worse, given that there’s a big pond of nearly stagnant water in the middle of this island.”
“It would certainly take some work. I never did say that it was feasible, just that the vistas are splendid.”
“I guess you’re right.” Rainbow’s ears pivoted out toward the crashing waves, and she flickered her eyes open. White sand raced down the shoreline until it met the emerald waters, blending with the foam and spray the waves tossed onto the beach. A flock of white birds wheeled over the water, occasionally diving down low and emerging with a fish pinned in their beak. Rainbow could understand why Rarity liked this place so much in spite of everything that’d happened; it really was calm and peaceful.
Rarity, Rarity, Rarity… Sometimes Rainbow really wished she was better at reading ponies. Ponies like the Wonderbolts were easy to deal with; they rarely veiled their thoughts or intentions and just spoke openly with each other, even when that openness sometimes verged on bluntness. There weren’t any games to play around. But Rarity was different. She lived by the definitions of polite and high society; there were layers to her words and actions, and ponies like her would almost never directly approach a topic they had reservations about or considered impolite. They also hated it when ponies like Rainbow tried to just slice through the veil and get to the point. They’d become defensive, and then it’d take even more effort to get an answer out of them.
All of this together meant that Rainbow couldn’t just ask Rarity the question on her mind. She likely wouldn’t get an answer, and it’d only make things awkward. And the last thing Rainbow and Rarity needed was to feel uncomfortable around each other when it was only them and Chirp on the island. But it was still something Rainbow wanted to know, given all that’d happened yesterday.
“So…” Rainbow started, fidgeting with the sand. “About yesterday…”
“What do you mean?” Rarity asked. Her voice wavered a bit.
“I think you know what I’m talking about.”
“Oh.” The waves filled in the silence between them.
Rarity seemed too flustered to speak; that all but confirmed Rainbow’s thoughts on the subject. She lightly rested a wing on Rarity’s back. “If you’re worried about what I think… well, I’m certainly not going to complain about a hot mare swapping spits with me.”
Rainbow wanted to snicker when she saw how embarrassed and confused Rarity was. Eventually, the unicorn was able to force out a few words. “I… well, I didn’t really have another option…”
“Did you at least enjoy it? Ponies tell me I’m an awesome kisser.”
“Which ponies are these? The ones in your mirrors?” Rarity teased her. Then, clearing her throat, she added, “It was… different. You’re a beautiful mare in your own way, Rainbow.”
This time, Rainbow didn’t hide her light hearted chuckle. “Is that just another way of saying I’m awesome?”
“If you want to look at it that way, I suppose.” She hesitated for a second. “And… me? You think I’m attractive, too?”
Rainbow looked at her friend. “Rarity, you’re always attractive. Even when you don’t think you are. You’re like a literal goddess of beauty and fashion. Not even being stuck on an island with no makeup and covered horn to hoof and sand can change that.”
“I’m certainly glad to hear that,” Rarity admitted. “And while I’m not about to give up the makeup regimen that gives me such a dashing appearance when we get back to Equestria, I’m happy to know that you don’t think lesser of me for the state I’m currently in.”
“Yeah, yeah. You’re welcome, by the way.”
“Oh! Thank you, darling.”
Rainbow slid a little closer and wrapped her wing more firmly around Rarity’s barrel. Now that she’d carefully opened the door, she decided to poke her nose in more directly. She only had so much patience for dancing around the point. “If you ever wanna actually make out, though, I’m totally game for that.”
Rarity gasped and huffed, but Rainbow knew it was just a show; it was the response a lady should give when being approached so directly. But she saw the way Rarity’s pink tongue licked her lips and felt the way her shoulders shifted as she carefully corrected her posture. “My, how very forward of you, darling.”
“Would you rather I used my tongue instead?”
“Rainbow!”
“What?”
“Sometimes I can’t believe you,” Rarity said, her cheeks turning red. “Really, I feel like I need to teach you how to think about what you’re saying. And your manners! That’s no way to tactfully court a lady—!”
Rainbow pressed her lips to Rarity’s, swallowing the last of her words. She kept their muzzles pressed together with a single blue hoof, while the other reached for one of Rarity’s hooves and pressed down on it. Rarity’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but then they drifted shut. She moaned softly, but eventually her hoof gently pushed off of Rainbow’s chest when she needed a moment to breathe.
The two mares stared at each other. Smirking, Rainbow casually looked away and focused her attention on the waves. “You were talking too much.”
Rarity didn’t say anything for several seconds; she just looked at Rainbow like she was in some sort of befuddled daze. Eventually, though, she smiled and went to looking at the waves as well. “I can tell that you’re feeling much better already, Rainbow.”
“I am. What gave you that idea?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Just a hunch.”
“It’s a pretty good one.”
“Indeed.”
The waves continued to wash in and out, in and out. The two mares on the beach happily watched them, but their thoughts weren’t on the ocean itself. Rarity shifted slightly and rested her head against Rainbow’s neck, and Rainbow pinned Rarity against her with her wing, her wingtip trailing in the sand by Rarity’s side. Together, both mares watched the sea—together, alive, and happy.
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A sand island, eh? Is it anything like Fraser Island in Australia, with coffee rock and elevated lakes of fairly acidic water?
MMMMMMMM THATS SOME GOOD SHIPPING RIGHT THERE
Oh that was good. That was really good. The ship has truly begun to sail now!
That was cute as fuck. Rainbow being perceptive is always a plus, too.
ayy lmao
The ship has started to sail and it has gone to flank speed.
Delightful!
8495370
Now the term "ship" can be literal. I approve.
They entered the island as friends, and they shall leave as lovers~
And so it continues to begin.
They shall leave this island as they arrived—in a ship.
Pinkie had rubbed off Rarity
Expected the romance to take longer