Chapter 1
Rainbow Dash stared at the flickering yellow flame of the candle that was set in the glass bottle in the middle of the table. It had been about three quarters of a candle length when the waiter had lit it, and was now burnt nearly to its base. The candle and the moon were the only sources of light in the closing restaurant, but it was enough to illuminate the chairs sitting upside down on the tables around her as well as the red tablecloths set upon them. The candlelight danced in her magenta eyes.
He didn’t show up.
After the first fifteen minutes, Rainbow had thought he was just running late. Because that was something that could happen, right? They’d chatted together, she’d said she’d like to get to know him better, he’d said yes to a date, she’d been so happy and excited that she even put on some clothes that she thought complemented her (lack of) looks, and now he was just running late, right?
An hour later, she no longer thought that was the case. She’d been ditched. Maybe she should’ve seen this coming.
Many thought that Rainbow Dash didn’t care at all about romance. Those many would only be partially correct. While she didn’t care for the subject as much as somepony like Rarity, that did not mean that she was completely devoid of romantic desires. She wanted to some day find a stallion who would love her and be with her through everything; being the most awesome pony in Equestria was hard work and (she would never admit this to anyone) sometimes she just wanted somepony to hold her in his hooves so she could relax and not have to worry about being the best for at least a short time. To feel safe. To come home from a long day of weather patrol and just collapse into somepony’s hooves.
However, Rainbow Dash knew she wasn’t what most ponies would call attractive. Her muzzle was a bit too short in relation to the rest of her face; her rainbow-coloured mane and tail, while unique, were not a colour desired by ponies, being caused by an extremely rare genetic defect; her red eyes didn’t mesh that well with the rest of her, and many ponies found it a bit threatening. In her flight academy days, everyone had teased her about her looks. Add on to that the fact that the colts at flight school didn’t really like fillies who could fly faster than them, and it was easy to see that she didn’t have much of a chance with them.
Sadness crept up on her slowly. It started as an emptiness in her heart, which only grew as time went on, shared by disbelief. She'd been stood up before, but that was when she was still in school and the colts had been the little jerks they were at that age and thought that asking someone out only to not show up for the date was funny. She thought a grown up stallion would know better than to not show up for his date.
The sadness continued to spread in her chest, and she felt a lump form in her throat. Her eyes threatened to water. She wiped her nose on the back of her sweater sleeve, not caring about getting the thing dirty at this point.
She felt the tears start to slip past her eyelids. She tried to hold them back, because she sure as heck didn’t want anypony to see her cry, but the sensation of trying to push the lump in her throat down just reminded her of the fact that she was sad and trying to hide it, which made her want to cry more. She crossed her forelegs on the table, buried her head in them and gave up. She gritted her teeth in an attempt to stifle any sobs so that the only signs of her broken heart would be tears, and let them flow.
"Ma'am? We're closing, and I'm afraid you have to leave." Rainbow Dash tried to make her face relax before she looked to see who had interrupted her silent crying. She looked up and saw one of the waitresses standing before her on the other side of the table. Her eyes were set in a frown, clearly bothered by the fact that somepony was still at the restaurant this late. Rainbow quickly tried to wipe away the tears before addressing the mare properly.
“Sorry,” she said, followed by an involuntary sniffle. “I’ll leave now.”
The waitress’s eyes softened when Rainbow looked at her and saw the pegasus’s face. Rainbow turned away from her and got off her chair, slowly making her way to the exit.
“Stallions can be bastards,” the waitress muttered as Rainbow passed her. She continued walking. She was inclined to agree.
The night was clear with the moon hanging in the sky like a shining silver disc when Rainbow Dash stepped outside, the stars twinkling like thousands of fireflies. The air was cold. Rainbow wished that it had been raining so that the weather would at least do a proper job of reflecting her mood. As it was, she was only reminded of how nice it would be to sit on a park bench, gazing at the stars and sharing warmth with somepony.
She took a deep breath and took to the skies.
When Rainbow Dash touched down in front of her cloud home, she did so without any tears in her eyes. She’d refused to give the stallion the satisfaction; he was just another jerk in a long line of jerks and wasn’t worthy of it. Now she just wanted to lie down in her cloud bed and sleep. Rainbow opened the door and stepped inside.
With slumped shoulders and heavy steps, she made her way to her bedroom. The moon cast the room in a silvery light so bright that Rainbow didn’t need to turn on the light. She shrugged out of her clothes, leaving them on the floor and heading left to her bathroom to brush her teeth. She turned on the bathroom’s light as she entered. She turned to the sink and reached for her toothbrush and toothpaste. After applying what she thought was the appropriate amount of toothpaste, she set the brush in her mouth and looked up at the mirror above the sink.
Rainbow Dash stared at the red eyes staring back at her, mocking her. They used to burn with the fire of her determination, her refusal to give up when anything wanted to impede her progress towards being the best there was. Now they were drained of their usual energy, replaced by a look that she hated whenever she saw it, especially on her face: defeat.
Her eyes threatened to water again.
She shook her head and frowned. She’d told herself she wouldn’t cry over that stupid stallion. That meant no looking at her stupid face so she would be reminded of her failure. She turned her gaze to the sink to avoid eye contact and started brushing her teeth. She kept her gaze fixed on the sink during the whole process.
When she was finished, she made her way out of the bathroom, turning off the light as she left it behind. As she walked over to her bed, she paused by the standing mirror she used to admire herself in.
She wanted to challenge herself. She wanted to beat herself. She wanted to look at herself in the mirror and prove that she could look at her ugly face without breaking down in tears. Because she was Rainbow Dash.
She steeled herself and stared at the mirror, her eyes red with unshed tears but her face set like flint. She saw every imperfection in her face, accentuated by the silver moonlight. She felt the lump in her throat start to constrict, her eyes starting to burn, her resolve crumbling. With no one around to see her, she sat down, hung her head and sobbed, letting the tears flow freely. She let out all of her anger and self-hatred.
Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
She was tired. She was tired of being let down by every stallion who had ever asked her out and stood her up. Why couldn’t they look past her undesirable appearance and see just how awesome she was, how awesome it would be to have her for a girlfriend? Was it because they didn’t want to be outshone by her? Were they all so insecure about themselves?
Why did she think this time would be different?
She didn’t know for how long she cried, but when she felt like she’d cried enough, she pulled herself up, keeping her head low so she didn’t look at the mirror again; she’d had enough of being confronted with her own weakness for the night. She turned and walked to her bed. She climbed in under the covers and settled in for the night.
Alone.
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Unfortunately for Rainbow-chan, her date was the "I Wanna Dakimakura for Christmas" guy... and he got arrested.
... Or maybe she's really lucky, all things considered...
And then the demon, Discord slunk into her room, "I can make you pretty, Dashie... you just have to make a wish..." He held out a Monkey's Paw sticking out of an old lamp!
I feel so bad for Rainbow that I just wanna give her a big comforting hug and tell that she's the most beautiful and attractive mare in my eyes.
I also wanna track down the no good jerk who stood her up and knock him out for doing that to Rainbow Dash.
this is why hooking up with applejack is best choice, a apple a day keep rainbow depression away
Aww, it's so sad, poor Dash
Really well-written story.
The pacing was good and the tone was consistent, it was a nice believable somber read. Thank you for writing it
Right in the feels.
Sad Dash makes me sad
I hope her friends can go and comfort her
I never really considered Rainbow Dash an ugly character, but I think you hammered it in pretty well, and it is understandable; if not really emphasized much in the actual show.
Poor Rainbow Dash. I wanna hug her so bad.
Even though this story made me cry, this was beautiful and very well written. Thanks for the good read.
I usually avoid these heavyhearted stories, but it was good. Well done. +1
Poor Dashie!!! She needs a big hug right now!!!
Someone give RD some boops and cuddles this instant or I shall declare war, my weapons shall be pillows and other soft objects alongside hot chocolate.
little does she know, the stallion was killed on the way to the restaurant
Well that was depressing.
11468317
Perform your duty. Snuggle a pony today.
Also, poor Dashie.
She is too beautiful.
nitpick here, but her eyes are not magenta!! they are closer to a cerise.
magenta:
about.canva.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/03/magenta.png
cerise:
htmlcolorcodes.com/assets/images/colors/cerise-color-solid-background-1920x1080.png
RD'S eyes:
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/1617f570-4cf2-49be-b42d-924c4936628a/dabi8y6-f9516850-c4da-45e5-8805-0953271339e5.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzE2MTdmNTcwLTRjZjItNDliZS1iNDJkLTkyNGM0OTM2NjI4YVwvZGFiaTh5Ni1mOTUxNjg1MC1jNGRhLTQ1ZTUtODgwNS0wOTUzMjcxMzM5ZTUucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.VAg8q52_EXwj3hGbu1ePdhcorDcwQkh-mf76HxfWgFI
Well...that's a roundhouse kick to the feels and not in the good way.
A great fic, sad, but great, poor Dash, I just want to give her a hug.
11468629
I have been performing this duty since the dawn of time, I shall soldier on. Never shall there be a pony who could cry out 'cuddles pls' and receive none so long as I inhabit this realm.
11468937
A true patriot.
And then Cozy Glow walks up to you...
"Can I have cuddles please?"
11468976
everyone shall have cuddles, did I stutter?
11468988
A man after my own heart.
Incidentally Cozy Glow accepts your snuggles, and endorsement of her as the next Empress of Equestria!
Yay! I'm popular!
I know those feels. The dating scene can be painful.
Has happened to me before.
11469227
X2
11468317
I will admit I haven't read the story, but based on the comments and the title alone, I want to give Rainbow cuddles too. She's too beautiful to be treated this way
Excuse me, ladies and gents, but I have a stallion to beat violently with whatever's handy at the moment.
11469317
Read it, its sad but also a short good read too, and when you finish, give RD a boop, a cup of coco, an a large warm blanket
Don't worry, Rainbow. One day.
That cover art, dayuuum. That is one sad RD. I don't know how to critique this to be honest. It's not a very satisfying story, but clearly it's not meant to be. Stories like this always give me the feeling, "what was the point of al that?". I'm a happy end kind of guy, so I see a build up to some sort of conclusion where RD gets comforted by (one of) her friends, or she finds out there was a valid reason the stallion didn't show up, or she ends up with a different stallion who turns out to be a great coltfriend. Clearly I am seeing things that are not there, there is no such build up. But because I expect it I get that "what was the point of that?" feeling when it doesn't happen.
I can't really say much about what is there. I didn't see any typo's or structural problems (but I'm no editor, so take that for what it's worth). It's perfectly fine.
11469317
11469321
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11469450
I think we can all agree that this needs a sequel
11467566
is he like Chris chans final form?
*cut to a human sneaking in*
Hey dash, you okay?
Dash:crying herself to sleep.
Hey, hey dash shhh, it’s okay your not ugly or unattractive. Your very beautiful and unique.
Plus screw them dash if they can’t see what you really are or find you beautiful and cute. Then well, fuck’em.
They don’t know what true beauty is if it even hit them in the face. Because dash… well theres also a soft side of you, that many don’t see from you, and when your hurting you try to be strong to don’t show weakness. But even we, humans have done some bad things in life as a species, but we still see beauty where others do not.
So dash your not ugly or unattractive you are in fact, beautiful and cute. And if people turn don’t like to lose, becuase your a girl/mare then oh boy. Since dash you can do things they can not even dream of doing. I mean your an element of Harmony for god sake, you stay loyal to your friends even when the odds are stacked against you. You still remain by your friends sides. And you can do a sonic rainboom, if stallions or at least male ponies don’t see that in you then well maybe it time to move on. Or give it a chance with others species who aren’t poines.
So dash, your not ugly or unattractive, your in fact beautiful in your own way. We love you dash, so please dash get some sleep, for you have to tell your friends what happen. Or whenever your ready to do so.
*hugs rainbow dash and gives her a kiss on the head and cheek*
Goodbye rainbow dash.
Hopefully in the sequel, some pony or someone gives you what you deserve.
Now then, time to find that son of bitch that bailed on you.
*racks shotgun*
It’s hunting season
11469627
Let me join
This... hits strangely close to me.
I've never had a girlfriend. In fact, for a long time now, I've never had what Dash and I secretly want. Someone to cuddle up with after a long day.
This desire of mine constantly tries to screw me over in the OC of mine that is, as much as I may get yelled at, a direct reflection of myself and who I want to be in fifty years. My OC, Timken Bearing, is supposed to be this older stallion who doesn't care about romanticism because that's what I want to be in fifty years.
Yet, because of the way I am now, I keep wanting to write that secret desire he has. The desire to truly be loved. I really DO NOT want to do that, but I do at the same time. A back-and-forth Flip-O-Rama. It's what hinders a lot of people when making OC's, especially those who want their OC to be a reflection of them.
In fact, what SUCKS about self-inserts is that you can tell what the author is like from them. You can tell what their whole life is like, even. You can see what they wish their lives were like instead what their current lives are. THAT is what really sucks to me. The fact that so many authors on here, especially newer ones like myself, just want better lives. It puts me in a bad mood when reading self-insert stories, including my own. It just sucks all around.
Sorry for the little rant, if you can call it that. I just really wanted to get my thoughts out. As for the story, all I can say is that It's a good, bittersweet read that is grounded in reality. No Deus Exes, no savior of hope in the form of a friend or loved one. Just a story about what happens in the real world.
And that's what we need. The stories that pull us back into reality. Like anything else, It's unhealthy to take in too much of one thing; this case being living in other worlds for too long. The reason we do this, of course, is to forget about our world's many, many, MANY problems. But It's up to us to regulate our time in other worlds and to focus on our own to at least fix a few problems here and there.
I'm gonna stop there before I keep rambling on. Thank you for this well-written story set in reality. I hope to read more from you. I also hope to see more artwork from whoever made that cover. I like it.
Such a beautiful story of Dash filled with self loathing and demonizing stallions. Just keeping us here in this moment rather than providing answers to questions makes more interpretations valid. So many ways to take this I wonder what the author intended?
After how Dash has been treating Zephyr I can’t say I have much sympathy for her here. Not that Zephyr is sympathetic himself mind you.
11469789
Have you meant zephyr. I think dash deserves better than him.
I'm not sure what's changed but it used to be rare to get stood up for a date. Sometimes you grinned and dealt with it but it was easy enough in the end to just say 'this wasn't a good time.' Ghosting wasn't a real thing.
11469622 I dunno, the animation shows him as really really skinny.
Ayy, glad to see it finally posted and doing well!
11469878
he reached a level of chan so all encompassing and vast he collapsed in upon himself like a neutron star
11469854
"Have I meant Zephyr"? Why yes, yes I did (we even spelled his name the same way).
You did actually read my post, right?
"I think dash deserves better than him."
Ok... Sure. Yes. I have no argument there; I never even discussed it. What I did discuss (or rather imply), and what you seem to be replying to, was Dash was unsympathetic for treating him (Zephyr) like trash* and yet expecting a 'stallion' to be better. She might deserve better and I think I would argue that she might have received it. Between her past history with stallions and her inner thoughts here I am thinking that unnamed stallion really dodged a bullet.
*She treats him even worse when she flirts (rather badly) with him in season 9. Just using him, and his attraction to her, for her own ends.
11469627
encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSmCCC71r79lfiY3WHPvf_vOmQsuZdB4536dA&usqp=CAU
11469785
I actually have a decent life, I just want an adventure. I've kinda seen what earth mostly has to offer and want something new. I wish I could see Equestria.
11468149
RD needs her mane out a little longer but she's got a fit butt.
Ponies, like us have bad days. Those days don’t always have happy endings. Thanks for a short, emotional piece, which many will relate with.
...is this rated Teen just because of the word "bastards"?
One thing RD can do is stop putting herself on a pedestal all the time. Dudes don't wanna date a competitor, and RD is the Equestrian Equivalent of "strong independent woman". If she'd be a little bit nicer and show more interest in the stallion, she'd probably have better luck.
11469611
Hear hear good sir!
11470190
Speak for your fucking self.
I personally love when a woman stands up for herself, especially to me.
I'm very domineering and thickheaded so if a woman doesn't tell me off or tell me what she wants, I never fucking realize I've done wrong half the time.
Also, I love women who have confidence in their abilities and themself, especially when they can back it up. and RD can back it up