One Shell of a Surprise
"Rainbow!" called a distinct drawl from outside the door. "Rainbow, open up! I got sumthin' yer gonna wanna see!" This time, an incessant knock accompanied the voice.
Rainbow Dash had already been awake for some time, though, blushing furiously at the dreams that woke her. She sat up in her bed, groggily heading to the front entrance and opening the door. "Yeah, Applejack? What is it?"
The farmer rushed in with an uncharacteristic speed, sitting on the couch and beckoning her friend over. “You won’t believe what I found when I was scrapbookin’ this mornin’!”
The question sparked a bit of curiosity in the Pegasus. “Really? What is it, some kinda hidden apple that everypony forgot about until now?”
“Why don’tcha take a look ‘n find out?” the Earth Pony replied with a smirk.
Rainbow huffed haughtily, taking her time as she walked over the farmer. “This oughta be good.” She sat on the couch, eyes still confidently shut. “I bet it’s some old photo of Granny Smith ‘back in the day’.”
“Well, yeah, but that ain’t all.” She held the photo up to the Pegasus, letting her smirk widen more. “Now get a load o’ this!”
When Rainbow Dash opened her eyes, they immediately went wide. It was a faded photo, a sign of its age. As she’d expected, Granny Smith was there, but there was another pony that reminded her of Apple Bloom. It was difficult to tell for certain due to the lack of color, but the features looked similar enough. “So, is Apple Bloom secretly old or something?”
“Nah, that’s my daddy when he was a young’un.” Applejack dismissed. “Keep lookin’.”
“Okay…” Rainbow did as directed, squinting as she examined further. The little pony’s forelegs were raised with a smile plastered on his face, as if he was riding something. Curiosity piqued even further, she looked under the colt in greater detail. He was riding something. A shell of some kind. A rather familiar shell, in fact. “Wait a second… Is that--” She looked over the photo to a corner of the room, where that same shell and its owner slowly smiled back at her. “Tank?!”
Applejack nodded, her smirk becoming a smile. “Sure looks like ‘im ta me!” She looked over to the tortoise in question, resting her head on her hoof. “Fluttershy always told me that some reptiles can live ta be hundreds o’ years old, so it sure wouldn’t surprise me if ol’ Tank here’s been around fer an age or two!”
“Yeah…” Rainbow confirmed, taking a seat beside her pet, slowly stroking his shell. “You were searching for somepony for a long time, weren’t you, little guy?” Her features grew softer as she held the reptile close. Somepony to love, huh?? I can’t believe you’d wait that long… I know I'd have a hard time. “I think I wanna do something for him. Let him know he’s appreciated, you know?”
Applejack raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “Oh? Whatcha got in mind?” Rainbow put a wing to her chin, pondering for a moment before a sinister sneer appeared. She rose to her hooves, snickering as she took her time approaching the farmer. “Uh… Rainbow? Why’re you lookin’ at me like that?” The cyan mare kept silent, spreading her wings wider with each step. “Now, I know you ain’t thinkin’ anything drastic, right? You just wanna--” Before she could finish, Rainbow’s wing became little more than a blur, passing over Applejack’s head with an off-putting draft. The Earth Pony immediately put her hooves on her head, feeling around to feel only hair as she looked on in horror. “Rainbow… What’re you doin’ with Talulah?”
Rainbow's features had become the epitome of mischief, a crooked smile lining her muzzle as she spun the stetson on her hoof. "Oh, you don't need to worry about that…"
Applejack took a tentative step forward. "Now, Rainbow, I know you know better than ta do anythin' to--" with a flourish of her foreleg, Rainbow balanced the hat on the edge of her hoof, teetering dangerously close to falling before… "MY BABY!"
Dropping the hat.
Applejack's foreleg stretched out, crying out in desperation while the multicolor mare chuckled villainously. A cloud of dust began to form, blinding the farmer for a moment as something seemed to slide across the floor. She tumbled backwards, landing on her rump and looking on as the dust cleared and something oddly pink was revealed.
"You need something?" Pinkie asked, looking back and forth between them.
Applejack's jaw dropped.
It was the strangest letter she had ever seen. Rainbow Dash needed help with something. It was vague, about a centuries-old turtle and the challenge she faced with her friends. The tan-coated mare knew this had to be serious, and dawned her cloak, glasses, and headpiece. Her disguise in place, she headed to the nearest train station. It was an agonizing wait, with other ponies constantly stopping her to chat, or worse, ask for her autograph. But such was the price to pay for the name she chose. Finally, her destination was reached. She stepped out to the platform, finally experiencing Ponyville for herself. But something was off. The letter spoke of a challenge, but all she saw around her were happy ponies living their lives. Only one of which, who was standing just off the platform, seemed familiar.
"A.K.! Over here!" Rainbow Dash called out, prompting the traveler to walk over. “I’m so glad you could make it!”
“Good to see you.” came the quick reply. She looked around with a furrowed brow. Despite her appearance at the time, she was prepared for any eventuality. “So where’s that turtle creature you mentioned?”
“Oh, him?” Rainbow chuckled, beckoning her along with her wing. “Follow me, and everything will become clear.”
“Getting cryptic on me, huh?” A.K. wondered, starting into a trot. “This oughta be good.”
Rainbow led her friend through a typically bustling town. A standard market, a standard town hall, standard mailmare bumping into almost everything. It was certainly an interesting town, but she couldn’t find anything that would demand her particular skill set. After a while, she found herself in a clearing, looking up at a pair of houses made of clouds. There was a large number of ponies gathered below with some even flitting about above. A.K. swallowed a sudden lump in her throat, making a steady way forward. “Is this that challenge you were talking about?”
Rainbow tilted her head with a confused smile. “Uh, what?” She laughed at the thought that sprang to mind. “Nah, this is just a party! Come on and meet everypony!” She flicked her tail excitedly, ready to shoot toward the crowd.
With a furrowed brow and a half-frown, A.K. chomped down on the multicolor tail, pinning her to the ground. “Rainbow Dash, I appreciate the invite, but this is not what you talked about in your letter.”
"Uh, yeah it is." the cyan pony answered, pointing at the celebration. "See? My friends are all there. And the 'turtle creature' is right in the middle of it. There's a few-- Well…" Her hoof rubbed her neck a little, her face turning a shade of red. "Somepony I really want you to meet, so…"
"So…?" A.K. repeated, trailing on with anxious anticipation.
As if on cue, a shadow passed over the sun to bathe the pair in shade. A.K. reared back at the sudden darkness, glowering up at the-- "Hey Rainbow Dash! You're back!" Pony? The shadow swooped down for a landing, touching down with a light flutter next to the Wonderbolt. "So this is that awesome friend you were talking about, huh?" He extended his white hoof to her. "Nice to meet ya! Name's Soarin. I'm kinda Rainbow Dash's main squeeze. What's your name?"
The tan mare rolled her eyes, taking the hoof and shaking. "A.K. Yearling. Nice to meet you too." When she lowered her hoof, the stallion’s foreleg seemed to keep shaking. His face seemed blank for a moment, as if he’d fallen into a stupor. “Are you okay?”
“So… you’re… A.K... “ His head jerked to the side, staring wide-eyed at Rainbow Dash. “BABE! I can’t believe it!” He turned to face her entirely, putting his hooves on her shoulders. “I mean, I knew you were awesome, but you’re actually friends with A.K. Yearling?!” He turned back to the author, shaking her hoof faster than before. “It’s such an honor to meet you! I’m, like, your biggest fan!” Rainbow Dash cleared her throat aggressively, sending a chill down his spine. “I mean… second biggest.”
A.K. rolled her eyes, turning her gaze toward the friend that had brought her here. The friend that was smiling mischievously and… blushing? Rainbow Dash was blushing? "Well, um… I'm sure you got a lot to do, and I need to introduce my friend to Tank, so…" Rainbow delivered a swift punch to Soarin's shoulder, leaving a small red mark. "I'llseeyoulaterbye!" And in a flash of color, she was gone, taking the other mare with her.
"So, is there anything you wanna tell me?" A.K. inquired, staring at Rainbow Dash over a still-spinning shell. The two sat in a bedroom littered with trophies for flight competitions, Wonderbolts posters, and artwork of a certain adventurous mare. On the bed itself spun a startled shell that shook with the sudden arrival. "Like… maybe why you brought me here?"
Rainbow put a hoof on the shell, bringing it to a stop and patting it gently. “Well, the main reason is for this little guy.” The reptile poked his head out of his shell, looking up at his owner and starting a little smile. “We just found out that Tank here is waaaaaay older than we ever thought. So I figured we’d throw a birthday party.” He gave the writer a smirk. “And we all know how much you like old stuff.”
“Old stuff, huh?” she repeated, moving to pet the tortoise. “First of all, it’s more than just ‘old stuff’. Those artifacts are Equestria’s ancient history and--” She stopped for a second, glaring at the Wonderbolt. “You know what I mean. But that’s not all there is to it, is there? You wouldn't pull me away from the latest Daring Do book for something this simple."
“Wait,” Rainbow nearly leaped from her bed, jutting her head forward. “There’s a new book coming out?”
"You think your letter would have made it if I was doing my other thing?" A.K. replied behind a smirk. She returned to the floor, making for the exit. "But if it's really that important that I'm here for now, I guess I can stay. You know, for that cute guy of yours."
Rainbow chuckled into her hoof. “Yeah, he’s cute, alright.” After a moment of silence, her eyebrow rose, looking at the gray-maned mare at the door. "Wait, which one are you talking about?"
A.K. winked. "Oh, you know." She let out a little laugh, swiftly moving past the door and shutting it before a response could arrive.
It was an interesting challenge, getting down from the cloud house without being seen. But A.K. had faced worse several times before. Before she knew it, she was looking around a party with a simple tortoise-based theme, populated with a mixture of strange and familiar faces. She raised her hoof slightly, ready to call out to one of them when-- “HI DARING DO…” Another pony called her, trailing into a droning pause. “...’S AUTHOR A.K. YEARLING WHO IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PONY!”
A.K. cringed, both figuratively and literally, at the sudden greeting. “Hello, Pinkie Pie…”
The cotton candy mare zipped over in a near instant, bouncing in place with a level of excitement that almost sent the writer reeling. “”Oh my gosh I can’t believe you came! Is this your first time in Ponyville? What’s your favorite kind of cake? Is there a secret reason you came? What about--” A hoof came forward to mute the mare’s manic muzzle, muffling any other questions for the moment.
With a deep breath, A.K. pulled back. “Yes, this is my first time in Ponyville, and there’s no secret reason for me to be here.” she snuck a look back to the cloudy home above. "At least none that Rainbow Dash is telling me."
“Aaaaaaaaaaand?” the party pony asked, craning her neck to get closer to the bespectacled mare.
“And what?”
“You never told me what your favorite kind of cake was!”
“Oh. That.” A.K. looked away for a moment, unsure if she wanted to meet Pinkie’s eyes. “I’m… not really a big fan of cake, actually.” She scratched her neck a little. “It’s too much sugar. If I’m gonna have something for dessert, I might as well have pie. Fruit is a lot easier to digest.”
Pinkie’s head ticked like a clock to one side. “Really? You don’t like cake… but you like pie?” With a nod from the writer, a chortle emerged. “So, you, of all ponies, don’t like cake, but you do like pie? And Rainbow Dash…” Her speech devolved into a high-pitched laugh, stopping her in place for a moment.
“What’s so funny?” A.K. wondered.
“Oh, nothing!” she dismissed, waving her hoof. “I just like to laugh.”
“Riiiiight…” The two of them kept on in silence for a moment, A.K. simply looking awkwardly around. “So… A party, huh? Sure is a lot just for a pet.”
Once again, Pinkie’s first response was laughter. “A lot? It’s the least we could do for him! He is part of Rainbow’s family, after all!” She nudged her companion in the side. “Wouldn’t you do the same for your own pet?”
A.K. shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. Never had a pet before.”
Pinkie let out another chuckle, pointing to a pony in the distance. “Don’t let Fluttershy hear that. She’d be shocked!”
The tan mare laughed in kind, sending a smile at the pony in question. “I can imagine. With you two around, I guess it makes sense to hold parties for pets.”
“Normally, yeah, but this whole thing was Rainbow Dash’s idea.” the party pony admitted, admiring the decor. “I just helped with the execution.” She let out a sigh, watching the various ponies pulling party prep. "That mare just can't hold back for the ones she loves. She even went so far as to try to stop winter from coming just because she didn't want Tank to hibernate! Can you believe it?"
A.K.’s eyes went wide for a moment, wondering how such a feat could even be possible. “That’s… extreme.” She thought about the mare in question, remembering the lengths she had gone to simply ensure that a single book would release. “So then, what’s the deal with Soarin?”
“Oh, him? He’s Rainbow Dash’s boyfriend!”
A.K.’s eyes nearly rolled back into her head. “I knew that. I was wondering how it even happened. Rainbow’s not really the type to do the whole ‘romance’ thing.”
“Ooooh!” Pinkie started, face lighting up like an excited foal. She moved the author to a nearby picnic blanket, sitting her down and taking a deep breath. “Weeeeeell… I suppose it all really started when she impressed the Wonderbolts at the Grand Galloping Gala by saving his pie but it was when she started Wonderbolt Academy that they all started noticing her. But Soarin really started to talk to her when Ponyville was trying to qualify for the Equestria Games and she proved how loyal she was and taught all of them the same lesson. But then there were a few other times where they got to talking like when she got framed for sending Spitfire away. But then when she really became an honest to goodness Wonderbolt then they started talking a LOT more up until he showed up at Twilight’s castle and made friends with Bolt on Hearts and Hooves Day. Then after Rainbow Dash got all upset he started staying in Ponyville saying it was all for the Wonderbolts but everyone knew it was because he had a crush on her. Anyway. They started flying together a lot and talking a lot and sometimes they even lit up the sky with magical Pegasus lightning fireworks! It probably helps that Soarin played a big part in teaching Scootaloo how to fly. But then, once they won gold at the last Equestria games she finally kissed him. They’ve been dating ever since, but every time Soarin does something sweet for her she gets so blushy she can’t say anything. First she would just back off a little, but these days she likes to hit him real hard and fly away. Kinda like she did when you got here!”
Of all the strange occurrences that had happened that day, A.K. found herself having trouble figuring out which was weirder. The fact that she was met with such a waterfall of words, or the fact that she easily understood every word. “So that’s… interesting.” She turned away from the bundle of pink, waving a hoof as she walked away. “I think I’m gonna mingle a little. Thanks, Pinkie Pie.” With the fastest wave the author had ever seen, Pinkie promptly hopped away, lifting a nearby gator onto her back as she went. There were many ponies around that A.K. could have talked to, but she decided that beating around the bush was a bad idea. She looked straight up, tempted to throw off her cloak and approach, but opted instead to raise her hoof. “Hey Soarin! You got a minute?”
“Yes ma’am!” his voice called out, forcing her to jump as she turned to him. He was standing in salute, a cloud of dust indicating his swift landing. She stared for a moment, a little confused at the gesture before he finally lowered his hoof. “Sorry. Force of habit. What do you need?”
“Nothing, per se.” she admitted, starting toward the edge of the gathering. “Just wanted to talk. Maybe see what all the hype is about.”
“Uh… hype?” Soarin echoed, scratching his mane with a curiously cocked eyebrow. “I’m not sure I follow.”
“What made a pony like Rainbow Dash decide to start dating?” She cut in front of him, stopping short and putting a hoof on his chest. “To be completely honest, your whole relationship is one big puzzle, and I wanna solve it.”
“A puzzle?” He wondered, tilting his head confusedly. “What, did you hear all your details from Pinkie Pie or something?”
A.K.’s hoof immediately retreated, a flush forming on her face. “I… well… Maybe.” She wiped away her embarrassment, furrowing her brow and glaring at him. “Still. You’ve got me curious, and I don’t give up easily when I’m curious.”
Soarin shrugged, letting a little red onto his cheeks. “Honestly, your guess is as good as mine.” He shot a glance up to the house, a goofy smile appearing as his favorite mare appeared outside the door. “I’m like- the worst Wonderbolt, especially compared to somepony like Spitfire. I haven’t really done anything besides be honest with her, either.” He looked back at the guest, finding a raised eyebrow over the rose-colored eyes. He backed off a step, waving a hoof between them. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining! I mean, I’ve liked her for a long time, and I’m stoked that she feels the same way! I just… don’t understand why.”
“So, why don’t you just ask her?”
The stallion let out a sudden chuckle. “That’s a good one.” He shook his head with a brief sigh. “I’ve tried. She just does that thing where she hits me and flies away.” He rubbed his shoulder, wincing a little at the contact. “I wish she didn’t hit so hard, though.”
The idea of Rainbow Dash hitting anyone brought a fond memory to A.K.’s mind, forcing a laugh out. “You think that was hard? You should see how she does against Caballeron’s henchponies!”
The duo burst into a fit of laughter, the stallion wiping his brow and stepping back. “That’s a good one!” he exclaimed between breaths, still having trouble working past the yuks. “Caballeron’s… henchponies…” His breathing began to steady, eyes opening to see A.K. Yearling all over again. “Wait, what?”
She took a quick breath, raising a hoof in her nostalgia. “Oh! Last time Rainbow joined me on an adventure, she hit Withers so hard he had a hoof mark on his cheek for the next three adventures!” Her rump fell to the ground, knocking her cloak loose to reveal tan feathers. “I bet it’s still there! I almost felt bad for hitting him again!”
Soarin’s laughter came to a halt. He examined her anew, finding the features more familiar than before. “Yeah, that sounds like Dash, but…” He leaned in closer, squinting at what he saw. “Wait a sec… Are you actually Daring Do?”
“What?!” His question pulled A.K. from her revelry, forcing her to examine herself a little. “What are you talking about? I’m just…” She looked up at him, finding a mix of curiosity and wonder in his eyes. Her gaze suddenly went all over, making note of everypony present. Nopony here who doesn’t know already… Well, maybe a few, but that’s not a problem. It should be okay. She looked the white Wonderbolt in the eye, delivering an almost playful smirk. “What if I was?”
Soarin’s jaw slacked. “Huh?”
“I said…” she started, rising to her hooves with a flare of brilliant wings. Her cloak flew away, and a single swipe of her hoof removed her glasses and hat to reveal a jacket, pith helmet, and compass Cutie Mark. Her hoof moved over her heart, cheeky grin on full display. “What if I was Daring Do?” She stepped forward, her muzzle mere inches from his. “What would you do?”
The stunned Soarin stood in silence, eyes tracking the now-obvious Pegasus as she circled him. “I… uh…”
“Well? Your favorite character from the books is right here.” she teased, flicking his mane with her feathers. “What do you want to do?”
High above the party prep, Rainbow Dash sat with her favorite reptile. The time was drawing near, and she had just finished the arduous task of getting Tank’s flight harness on. As always, the tenacious tortoise was slow to start, but the moment she twisted the propeller into place, he was off. She waved him off with a laugh, turning her attention downward. Everything was more or less normal. Pinkie, Cheese, Twilight, and Fluttershy were all dancing around the record player, Rarity was obsessing over the decor, and Applejack was pacing around the food with a trio of Crusaders close behind. All the while, every critter from Fluttershy’s cottage and every pet she knew were running around in pursuit of the now-airborne birthday boy.
Then her eyes fell upon Soarin.
He was more stiff than usual, like he was dumbfounded by what he was seeing. Stranger still was the pony with him. “A.K.?” she asked herself, narrowing her eyes at the all-too-familiar sight. “Wait a sec… Daring?!” She stepped back, shaking her head. “Okay, so she dropped the disguise, it’s not like she’s…” She snuck a peek back over the ledge, finding the adventurer leaning much closer than before. Eyes half-lidded, and her signature smirk in place, it sent a twinge of emotion through Rainbow Dash’s mind. “Oh she better not be…” Her face turned a dark red, sending her leaping over the ledge toward them.
“What do I want to…?” Soarin once again repeated, eyes wide with confusion. Daring Do was standing in front of him, and he found himself drawing a blank. She looked at him in a way that reminded him of Rainbow Dash, sending his heart racing, but he just couldn’t bring himself to even think. “I… uh… I mean…” His wings came forward in a metaphorical flash, leaving bright red marks on his face as his thoughts caught up to him. “So, you mean now that I know your secret?” he wondered, putting a feather to his chin. “I mean I got a lotta questions, but as for what we’d do… Could you teach me how to handle a whip? The way you do it in the books is totally awesome!”
The playful smile was wiped clean from Daring’s face, a couple of silent blinks filling the silence. “You wanna…” she looked at her haunches, then back into the emerald eyes. “A whip?” Her expression quickly devolved into a chuckle, getting louder and fuller with every passing instant. “I see why she likes you so much!” A burst of delight sent her hooves around her barrel, wings flapping on instinct to keep her aloft in her laughter.
“What’s so funny, Daring?” a gravelly alto inquired. The party ground to a halt at the question, all eyes converging on the red-faced scowl of Rainbow Dash. “Or are you too busy flirting to think of an answer?”
“Whoa, Dash!” Soarin started, coming closer to the cyan pony. “It’s not what you thi--”
Rainbow’s hoof pressed against the stallion’s nose. “Then why are you so red, huh?” She pushed him back, leaving a hoof mark on his snout. “We’ll talk later!” She turned her attention to the adventurous author. “So what about you? Suddenly you’re okay with being social and letting your secret out?”
“Most of the ponies here already know that!” Daring argued, gesturing to a number of unsurprised faces all around them. “And they’re your friends! I know you trust them! And I trust you!” She crossed her forelegs, turning away from the Wonderbolts. “Maybe I shouldn’t have… You couldn’t even invite me to your house without some stupid excuse making it sound like an adventure, anyway…”
Rainbow's eyebrow raised as her jaw went slack. "What else was I gonna do? I didn't think you would show up otherwise! What do you think I should have said? 'Hey A.K., wanna come to Ponyville to help me impress my boyfriend?'"
The silence that fell between the two of them felt like forever. Daring let herself down, gathering up her disguise. "So that's it, is it? That's all I'm good for?" She draped the cloak over herself, sneaking a look back. "Well, I should get going. You had your party clown, so my business is done here." And with a wipe of her face and a flick of her tail, she galloped off.
Rainbow stood there for a moment, at a loss for words at what just happened. Soarin reached toward her, looking like he was about to say something, but found himself blown back a ways as cyan wings began to pump. "I'll be right back!" she informed him, her reflexes sending her airborne as she shot after her friend.
Daring stood near the town proper, shuffling her way back into her public persona. She shook her head quietly, wondering why she even bothered coming to this town after all of that nonsense. "Even my friends just wanna use me…" Her walk resumed, slower than before. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's why I work alone…" She took one more look back over her shoulder, inhaling deep as a rainbow streak started to close in on her.
"A.K.!!" the streak cried out, coming to a skidding halt in front of her that left grooves in the dirt. Almost immediately, a pair of filthy hooves met the dejected writer's shoulders. "Please, just listen to me!"
The hooves were immediately pushed away, met instead with a fierce scowl. "Haven't I listened to you enough for one day?"
"I get it, I was a jerk!" Rainbow admitted, putting her hoof on her foreleg. "I should have been more up front about everything… I was just so excited to see you here in Ponyville that I got a little ahead of myself."
"Would have been nice, yeah." A.K. stressed, making her way around her.
"And I shouldn't have used you like that!" came another confession, this one stopping the tan pony for a moment. "Showing off is one thing, but… I shouldn't use my friends as a way to make myself look cooler."
"Or jump to conclusions when they start getting along."
"Yeah… That too." Rainbow's hoof rubbed the back of her neck. "I dunno what came over me… like, just seeing him look at you like that…"
"You mean after he smacked himself in the face so hard he turned red?" The adventurer corrected, stepping closer. "Looked like he was snapping himself out of something."
"That's what was going on?!" The Wonderbolt hung her head for a moment. "Wow, I really messed up, huh?"
Daring simply nodded, putting a hoof on her friend's back. "You normally don't get that jealous. I guess you really love this guy, huh?"
Rainbow let out a soft chuckle, raising her head and looking at the clouds. "He's always catching me off guard. Not in a bad way, just… He's so honest about his feelings, and it throws me off. I don't know how to respond."
"But you do love him, right?"
"Absolutely!" she affirmed with an emphatic nod. "He's one of the best flyers I've ever met, he always believed in me way before I was a Wonderbolt, he was one of the ones that helped Scoot learn to fly, and--"
"So…" the author interjected, her hoof on her chin. "Why haven't you proposed yet?"
Rainbow Dash's eyes went wide, the world around her moving slower than ever before. It made sense when she really thought about it. What better way to let him know than to make it permanent? In the blink of an eye, she wrapped her forelegs around her guest, squeezing tight with an enormous smile on her face. "Thanks, Daring." She pulled back a bit, finding the face of bewilderment looking back. "Are you… okay?"
Daring blinked, slowly returning to normal. "I'm good. Just… not used to hugs."
The ever-beating sound of propellers echoed around the party venue, drawing a number of eyes up to spot the birthday tortoise. Tank flew aimlessly around above them all, passing by all of his animal friends as he went. As far as he knew, this was just another of those days where ponies got together with music and treats. Lots of treats for him, in fact. And it only made sense once his pony finally came back. She had a big smile on her face, flying straight toward him and catching him in a spin.
"Happy birthday, little guy!" she told the tortoise, hugging tight. "You havin' fun so far?" She took a quick look around, checking to see if anypony was looking. When the coast was clear, she leaned in and planted a kiss on his nose, finally bringing a stop to her spin. "I'm gonna need your help with something, okay? Things might end up changing a bit, but in a real good way. Can I count on you?"
Slowly but surely, Tank's face turned to a soft smile, nodding his confirmation as always.
"Awesome!" Rainbow declared, giving another brief embrace. "Come on! There's no time to lose!"
The two of them raced off into the party proper, the equine landing at the edge of a small group and looking about. Her first target wasn't hard to find, as they'd returned together. She gave Daring a smirk and a nod, indicating that the mission was on, and like any other grand adventure, the two of them were off. They sifted through the various gatherings, looking for any sign of their target. Not with Twilight and Fluttershy by the record player, not with Applejack and the Crusaders by the snacks, not even in either of the houses that floated above them. For a solid white stallion, Soarin was proving exceptionally difficult to find.
"I dunno, man, what if I really screwed up this time?" came a query that cocked Rainbow's ear to the side. "I know it's a big misunderstanding, but she was really mad!"
She turned toward the sound, pulling her pet close. Soarin stood by the cake, head hung low before Big Mac. The corners of her mouth turned up a little at the sight of him, albeit with a hint of nerves behind them. "Okay, Dash… You can do this…" She told herself, wings coming forward to slap her cheeks. After a deep breath, she stepped forward and cleared her throat. With a slight jump, the white Wonderbolt looked her way, his face stricken with fear. "Uh… Hey, Soarin, can I talk to you real quick? I got something I wanna ask you."
Soarin's face lit up for the briefest of moments, sending him leaping over to his favorite mare. "I swear, Dash, I didn't mean to do--" A quick bonk to the head cut the apology short, reminding him to be careful when Tank flew nearby. He rubbed the back of his head, face turning red once more. "I mean… Sorry…"
Rainbow snorted, trying to stifle an incoming laugh. "It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong." She assured, putting her foreleg around him. "Daring made it really clear that I've been screwing up all day long. I just…" Her face began to match her partner's, eyes averting at the thought of what came next. "I wanna at least get one thing right." The pair made their way to the center of the venue, Tank keeping a constant hover around them. All the while, the heat that had now become commonplace in Rainbow's chest had built up to a level she'd never imagined, and this time, she knew why. She looked over to the record player, where Daring Do stood ready. With a mutual nod, the explorer lifted the needle to stop the music. "Hey everypony! Can I get your attention, please?" She began, once again drawing all eyes in her direction. "So how's everypony doin' today? Having a good time?" She let out a nervous laugh as various affirmations went her way. "Great! Great… Oh! And we all gotta wish Tank here a happy birthday!" She looked up at the amazing flying tortoise, met with a round of agreeable applause. "But that's… actually not why I needed an audience. Though, I did wanna have one of my favorite guys to back me up while I…" She turned her deeply blushing face to Soarin. "... talk with the other."
Soarin took a step back, raising a hoof. "Are... you okay?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. I mean, not really." She confessed, turning to properly face him. "Feels like my heart's gonna explode with how fast it's going, but I gotta do this. And if I don't do it now, I'm gonna regret it."
"Okay… What do you…" he started to ask, trailing on when a cyan knee hit the grass. "... mean?"
"Yoh probably figured it out by now, but… I'm… not very good at expressing my feelings." Rainbow declared, looking up and into his emerald eyes. "Not that I don't have them, I just… Every time I wanna tell you how I feel, I just go blank. And you're always being the best dang boyfriend a gal could want! It almost feels like I don't do enough for you. But then Daring gave me the best idea ever!" She reached forward, taking his raised hoof in hers. "And that leads me to what I wanna ask." She brought her wing forward, inhaling sharply before clamping her teeth down on a single feather. With a grunt of effort and a tear in her eye, she pulled, freeing the feather and presenting it to the stallion.
Soarin's eyes widened dramatically, falling to his knees and gripping her hoof in his fetlocks. "Dash, are you doing what I…" He trailed off, a solitary tear streaming down his cheek as she smiled back at him.
"I know it's outta nowhere, but… You wanna get hitched?"
There was a long silence as Soarin took in her words, ponies all around them watching with biting hooves and baited breath. "Aww man!" He finally exclaimed, hooves falling to his sides. Rainbow reeled back a ways, falling on her rump. Her jaw went slack, nearly dropping the feather. "I was gonna ask you next weekend! Was even gonna have Bolt be my wing pony once he got back!"
It was Rainbow Dash's turn at the wide-eyed stare, only the smallest of unintelligible sounds escaping her as Soarin retrieved the feather. Her dumbfounded expression quickly gave way to a smile, though, and a loud laugh burst forth as she tackled her boyfriend lips first before a roaring crowd. After several seconds, she pulled away, punching him in the shoulder one more time. "Guess I beat you to it, huh?"
Soarin shrugged. "You always were faster than me."
Minutes later, Daring Do stood next to a half-eaten cake, looking over her slice at the lively crowd. The day had certainly proven to be an adventure, but of a kind that she never thought she'd take part in. In the long run, though, it had been worth it. She put the plate aside, turning away from the gathering with a smile. "This was nice, but I think I'll just let them have their fun."
"Not so fast, Daring Do!" called an almost soldier-like baritone. Daring looked back to find Rainbow and Soarin smiling at her, the stallion trotting in place. "Oh, man, I've always wanted to say that! How'd I do?"
Daring giggled behind her hoof, stepping up to the couple. "I've heard worse. So what's up?"
"I just wanted to thank you again. For… you know, everything." Rainbow explained, rubbing a sore spot on her wing. "I don't know if I'd have managed to pull this off without you."
"Happy to help." Daring affirmed, nudging the multicolor mare's foreleg. "Just be more honest in your letters next time, okay?"
Rainbow nodded in agreement. "Definitely. Plus, there was one more thing we wanted to say."
The curious explorer's head tilted sideways. "Oh? What are you up to?"
Rainbow and Soarin joined hooves for a moment, locking eyes with one another with a smile before looking back to their friend. "We talked about it a little bit, and both of us agree… that if we ever had foals…" Rainbow took a preparatory breath. "We want you to be their godmother!"
Daring's rump hit the grass, her face mirroring the one Rainbow had shown minutes before. "Their… godmother?" she repeated, trying to make sense of it all. "Are you sure?"
The pair of Pegasi nodded in unison. "Absolutely!"
There was a blur of brown and gray for a moment, forelegs wrapping around the happy couple and squeezing tight. "Thank you…" Daring said, holding back a budding tear. "I won't let you down!"
Stats
Page generated in 0.027 seconds
Total duration
878 users online
513,740 hits today, 2,167,270 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
thank celestia the story is still alive!
A new chapter? A surprise, to be sure, but a pleasant one.
Loved the proposal; it's about time, I'd say.
>>> “You were searching for somepony for a long time, weren’t you, little guy?”
Well there goes my heart. RIP my emotions.
>>> “It’s such an honor to meet you! I’m, like, your biggest fan!” Rainbow Dash cleared her throat aggressively, sending a chill down his spine. “I mean… second biggest.”
>>> “Yes ma’am!” his voice called out, forcing her to jump as she turned to him. He was standing in salute, a cloud of dust indicating his swift landing. She stared for a moment, a little confused at the gesture before he finally lowered his hoof. “Sorry. Force of habit. What do you need?”
Gosh this stallion is such a cutie pie.