Crossing Rainbow Bridges

by David Silver

5 - Welcome Welcome Welcome!

Just as they were passing where they had arrived in Equestia, they ran into a new pony, looking at them with a curious smile. "You made it, didn't you?"

Brad blinked at that, drawing Bella to a gentle stop. "Made what, um, and who are you, miss?"

"Rainbow Charm!" She pointed a hoof up. "And every time there's that sudden rainbow, I get the shivers, and my cutie mark glows all shiny, and—" She cantered in place, unable to continue a moment. "It has to be you. You made the rainbow, didn't you?"

Bella tossed her head, sniffing at the new pony with obvious curiosity. "It is nice to meet you."

She paused, tilting her head. "Wait, what?" Bella had not said a word, but Rainbow had heard her meaning quite clearly. "Wow! I never met a pony that talked that way before." She touched her nose to Bella's large one. "Hi there! So, about the rainbow?"

Brad slid to the ground, patting Bella gently. "You caught us, not that we were keeping it a secret. I'm Brad, this is Bella. Nice to meet you, Rainbow Charm."

"You can go with RC if you prefer." She circled around Bella and brad with a giddy little noise. "So what's the deal with that rainbow? Why are you making them?"

"Well, it's a little complicated." Brad grinned. "We aren't sure why, exactly, Bella and I can cross from my world to yours through it. And we aren't sure how we get it either."

Rainbow halted to look at him, eyes narrowing. "Is it like, a random thing?"

"No, it's a rainbow road, that she's found a way to use twice now to bring us to Ponyville." Brad stroked along Bella's powerful neck.

Bella shook her head with a snort.

RC inclined her head. "Oh, you just run and jump?" Bella whuffled, and RC seemed to understand it. "Anywhere? Show me!"

Brad guided Bella forward. "We were about to head into Ponyville for the first time. Come with us?"

RC huffed gently herself. "If that's where you're going, I'm going too." She slid in next to Brad, tail swaying with energy. "Lead the way!"

The three headed through the little town, Bella tossing her head back with excitement and pleasure, looking at all the sights before her. Ponies, so many ponies, with such interesting appearances, and all with their own special flair. Bella leaned aside and nipped at one pony's mane.

Lyra laughed, swatting the horse back. "Thanks, I brushed it extra today."

Brad shook his head at the silent, to him, communication that flowed between his horse and the ponies. Still, both sides seemed to enjoy it, so he let it be. "RC? Do you know about this place?"

"Ponyville?" She hopped forward and twirled to face Brad. "It's a nice place. I live here." She lifted into the air with powerful flaps of her wings. "I help bring the rainbows when they're needed. Speaking of that, you, rainbows! I have so many questions." She grabbed Brad by the shoulder and began dragging him with her flight. "Come on!" She guided him to a park in town, which was deserted, save for a few birds and squirrels going about their business. "Make with the rainbow."

Bella trotted to join them and nudged at Brad.

Feeling trapped between a small horse and a large one, Brad raised his hands. "Alright, alright. Just once. We really do want to look around, don't we?"

Bella nodded, one gesture she knew of the human lexicon.

"Right." He hopped up and mounted Bella firmly, patting her from above. "Let's show her a rainbow."

Bella bolted for the far end of the park, running in a zigzag as she neared the tree there. She leapt for a moment, then hit the ground, racing in a circle back towards RC. She hopped into a grand leap, leaving a rainbow right over Rainbow Charm's head, landing just past it, on a rainbow that extended from the ground, through her hooves and leading up into the sky.

She softly whinnied, as if calling RC to look at what she'd done.

RC's cutie mark was shimmering as she shivered. "Yes! I knew it!" She pumped a hoof in the air as she danced. "This is what I was talking about." Without thinking about it, she darted up the rainbow to join them, standing on it easily, despite Twilight's earlier failures to do the same. "This is amazing!" She spun on the rainbow bridge, letting it slide beneath her hooves. "It's better than amazing!"

Brad laughed at that. "I'm glad you like it. It's...just something Bella and I can do. It's good that it makes someone happy." He stroked Bella's neck gently as the big girl shook out her mane, turning to face the newly arrived pegasus.

"It's incredible, it's, it's..." RC's mouth worked as she tried to find words, then she flung herself at Bella and hugged the older horse. "You are a special pony!" She slid down. "Are you a pony? You talk pony."

Bella whickered gently.

"Not a pony, but close enough. You're a pony in my book." RC giggled as she slid along the rainbow to reach the ground in a smooth motion. "Still, amazing, both of you. Speaking of that." Her eyes settled on Brad. "What are you again? A friend, obviously, but not a pony?"

"I'm a human." Brad dismounted, swinging off with a grin. "In fact, we're so rare that I bet you haven't even seen one before." He considered that with a hum. "The only one around here, I think?"

Bella nudged him and they both walked off the rainbow, it fading the moment they were all free of it. "I'm just visiting, with Bella. This is a very nice town, and, uh, world? I don't want to make a mess of it." He gave Bella a fond pat on the nose.

"Ooh." RC's eyes lit up. "Have you met the princess yet?" She pointed up towards a distant city on the mountainside,. "We have two close by to pick from."

"Two? How do you mean?" Brad couldn't see much of the city from the ground, though it looked impressive. "One for each world?"

"Well, the main one is princess is Princess Celestia." RC pointed up towards the sun. "Ruler of the sun and watcher of us ponies. But then you have her sister, Princess Luna, watcher of the night, guardian of dreams. They work together to keep Equestria safe and running." She stuck her tongue out with a wink. "Or, that's what they want us to think."

"Is it?" Brad chuckled. "Seems like a good plan. I'd like to meet them, someday."

"I haven't. Seen Celestia at some functions, about it." She shrugged, eyes turning to the town. "But this is Ponyville, full of happy ponies that want to meet you."

"Did somepony say happy pony that wants to meet you?!" Pinkie slid in from nowhere. "That's me!" She giggled with a bounce. "Hi! Hi hi! Hello, I'm Pinkie Pie and you're Brad and Bella! Rainbow Dash told me all about you!"

Bella and Pinkie's eyes locked, the pony gasping in surprise. "Nice to meet you too." She popped a party hat atop Bella's head. "And one for you." She held up a hat towards Brad. "May I?"

"Sure, why not?" He let the little pony put the hat on him, but it barely fit on his head.

"But where are my manners? Oh, yes, right here." She stuffed something away, her manners perhaps. "I'm Pinkie Pie, and it's so very nice to meet you both. I don't have my greeting wagon ready, shoot, just pretend. Lots of loud and cheerful music." She danced in tune to the song that wasn't playing. "Anyway, welcome to Ponyville! If there's anything I can do to make your stay more pleasant, just let me know! I love welcoming ponies to new towns." She made a hoof gesture to remind herself to move it along. "Your party will be in two days."

Bard and Bella both started at that. Bella apparently asked first, as Pinkie responded, "Yep, two days. Is that a bad time?"

Brad considered it. "I don't have a show that day. Put it closer to the evening and I'll be there. Where?"

Pinkie spread her hooves wide. "Right here! I'll have it ready for a party, don't you even worry. Just get yourselves here and there'll be loads of ponies to say hi to!" She pointed at Bella with a giggle. "Especially you."

Bella's ears perked, a sign of interest and curiosity.

"Yep, I have to go now. Need to check on my balloons." She waved it away. "And deliveries, so many of those. You two have fun." She smooched both Belle and Brad on the cheek before saluting at Rainbow Charm. "Keep an eye on them!" She rolled her way along the road, pink tail bouncing behind her.

Rainbow Charm stood in place, utterly speechless. "I..."

Brad rubbed his cheek. "Well, she's enthusiastic."

RC shook her head. "Still gets me, every time. She did that to me when I first showed up. That was something." She rubbed at the side of her head a moment. "I'll be there, at your party. We're buddies now, it'd be rude to miss it."

Brad had a feeling it wouldn't have mattered if he turned down the invitation, but he wasn't one to turn down a chance to meet friendly ponies. "We're looking forward to it. It's a relief, actually, knowing we're far from the first ones to get that treatment."

Bella stomped a hoof with a snort, her ears going to a more relaxed position.

"Something to share, girl?" Brad leaned in to speak with his favorite horse. "Anything to help us figure things out."

Bella merely snorted again, flicking her tail.

RC clopped her hooves. "She wants to trot instead of walking everywhere."

Brad gave her a squeeze on the cheek. "Not in the main parts of town, not until we can work out what it is we're doing. Once we have that, you can do whatever you like." He ruffled the top of her head. "Don't want to scare little ponies with us riding around, now do we."

Bella made a soft noise of disappointment, but walked alongside them through the town. Her eyes began to wander, taking in the people and places with obvious curiosity. Ponies were all different, most of them small compared to her. It would be so easy to trample them, she would have to watch out, to avoid them.

A filly poked her head out of one of the little shops along the road. "Wow, they weren't fibbing," came the entitled voice of a filly as she walked out into view, her tiara glittering on her head. "Stop right there, ancient pony!"

Bella and Brad both paused, and Bella stared at her with a tilt of her head. The filly had a pink coat, but her hair was purple and white.

RC shook her head. "Diamond, you're in the way of our guests. What do you want?"

Diamond Tiara looked up at RC. "I've never seen a pony like that. Or the tall creature."

Brad glanced back at himself. "Tall? Well, I guess you're right, I am." He laughed at the absurdity of his situation. "Name's Brad, local human." He offered a hand towards the small filly. "And you are Diamond?"

"Diamond Tiara." She swiped at the offered hand, but stopped as Bella stared at her. "What?"

Bella lifted her lips as she snarled, putting herself between Brad and the young pony.

"Relax, I'm just setting up an order of dom—" Diamond Tiara didn't get to finish her thought.

Bella had snagged the little filly by the scruff and picked her up, casually dropping her several wide horse steps away. With a soft snort, she made her point clear.

Diamond threw up her hooves. "Sheesh! Fine, you're in charge of him, I get it. No need to get physical about it."

Brad just grinned at that. "I think she thinks that she needs to protect me. Thanks for the thought, Bella." He reached up and stroked her muzzle, cooing gently at her. "What's the matter?" Bella turned and leaned in to bump against him gently, offering affection to reassure herself of his safety.

There was a moment with the two bonding with gentle scritches and the press of Bella's large form. They had their own silent communication, and it was quite clear to either that the other cared for them quite a bit.

RC perked an ear. "Say."

Brad looked down. "Yeah?"

RC pointed up at an ear. "If Bella doesn't mind, I'd like to try that?"

But try what? Brad could only think of one thing, with that pointing. He reached to gently rub and scritch around RC's ear and she let out a happy sigh.

"It's as nice as Bella said it was, keep that right up. Thanks, Bella. I'll give him back, promise." RC closed her eyes, thoroughly melting under the careful ear massaging.

Author's Note:

Is RC enjoying that too much?

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Comments

[Dravkwn]

Ear scritches will get you locked up in somepony's pleasure dungeon.

[Poparakelis]

Ah yes the natural human obligation to pet dah pony

[Okie Brony]

Huzzah! Ear scritches for everypony! (That's often my favorite part of HiE stories.)

Is RC enjoying that too much?

I think she's enjoying it just the right amount.

---

Typo:

"I have'nt. Seen Celestia at some functions, about it."

Haven't.
When Pinkie says "I love welcoming ponies to new towns," that implies that the towns are new. Imho, it should probably be "I love welcoming new ponies to town." (Or, you could add "I also love welcoming new ponies to this town!")

[dlambchic]

Ear scritches are just the start, as one scritch leads to another.

[Booster Spice]

I wonder just how old Bella actually is, and if she is just an Earth Pony?

[David Silver]

11876714
Bella is a grown earth horse.

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

I wonder what would happen if RC followed Brad and Bella back across a rainbow bridge to their home?

[David Silver]

11878848
Would that be wise to allow?

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

11878898
Wise? Maybe not. Interesting to observe? Definitely.

[dlambchic]

RC is a force of nature; Wisdom is not likely to be one of her highest ability scores.