From Sky to Earth

by RaijingtheClockworkPony

Reading Rainbow or A Dash of Truth

Rainbow Dash really didn't want to be where she was. She would rather be doing anything right now. Practicing her flying routine, working the weather patrol, listening to one of Twilight's long winded lectures... okay maybe not that but it was starting to look really good at the moment. Rarity poked her near her wings just below her shoulders.

"Darling if you would just stand still this would be much quicker. Now give me a small flap of the wings."

Dash sighed and flapped her wings and felt the fabric move over her coat. How did I get roped into this again? Rarity set herself to humming as she worked on the design Dash was wearing. She snipped a piece of bright yellow fabric that shimmered and walked around so Dash could see her once more.

Rarity was smiling as she looked at Dash. "Oh, this design will be all the rage in Cloudsdale. I can't thank you enough for posing for me. I just can't get pegasi physique quite right, and I would hate for this outfit to restrict my client’s wings."

Dash stretched her neck. "No problem but it would be nice if I had something to keep my mind busy." She looked over to the stair case and spotted the purple dragon coming down them. "Hey Spike! Could you do me a quick favor?"

Spike placed a pile of fabric down next to one of the sewing tables. "Sure, what do you need?"

Dash gave him a grateful smile. "Could you go get me the newspaper? I'm dying of boredom here."

Spike looked over at Rarity. "Do you still need anything Rarity?"

She stopped working on the outfit and glanced over at the dragon. "Well... I would like to read the latest issue of the National Equestrian. Would you be a dear and get me that while you're out?"

She walked over to a drawer and levitated a few bits over to his claw. Spike headed towards the front of the store and out of sight. The pair of mares watched him go and stayed silent until they heard the front door of the boutique ring closed. Dash let out a slightly tired sigh.

"You gotta stop making him do all the work around here."

Rarity looked offended for a moment then noticed the playful smile on Dash's face. She let out a small chuckle. "Well I dare say that he has been rather helpful around here lately. I should do something nice for him."

Dash nodded. "You should take him out somewhere. He would love that and I think you would too."

Rarity ran a hoof through her mane. "I have absolutely no idea what you mean by that."

Dash moved off the dais and nudged her friend playfully. "Aww, you're trying to hide your crush. That's so cute."

Rarity tried her best to hide her smile and was failing miserably. "Is it that obvious?"

Dash let out a small laugh. "Oh come on, how could it not be. I swear I knew you liked him since the little incident where he became a really big dragon and tore the town apart. All five of use saw that kiss on the cheek."

Dash hugged her friend and gave her a playful smile. "I think the pair of you would be really cute together.” Her smile faded and she became deathly serious. “Tell anypony I said something that girly I'll hunt you down."

Rarity returned the hug and gave the cyan pony a grateful smile. "Thank you and I promise this is between us. Now let's get this outfit finished, and then we can head over to the Sugarcube Corner for a nice treat."

Dash stood up and returned to the dais. "Cool, but I think you should talk to him about this as well. I think he has a right to know."

Rarity nodded. "In due time."

A few minutes passed as Rarity worked her magic on the fabric that covered Dash. They were both talking about the minor gossip of the town when they heard the bell of the front door ring and the panicked voice of the young dragon reach them from behind.

Spike came around the corner holding a magazine. "Girls! Take a look at this!" He held the magazine up so they could look at the cover. A moment of silence passed as the pair of mares slowly realized that they knew the mare on the cover and Dash knew the why she was standing with the stallion on the cover as well.

Dash flew over to Spike and ripped the magazine from Spikes claw. She quickly flipped through the pages and found the article she was looking for. She was halfway through the article when Rarity joined her at her side.

"What does the article say Dash?"

Dash finished it and felt the blood drain from her face. "I need to check on Fluttershy!"

She bolted through the boutique leaving the unfinished outfit hanging in the air for a moment as a rainbow colored trail faded. Rarity picked up the magazine and started to read the pages. Spike read it while he stood off to her side. They finished the article together and gasped.

"Oh my."

Dash soared through the air at a breakneck pace. She tried her hardest not to think about what the article had said but it kept bugging her. She was pissed off at what the journalist had said but that wasn't what worried her. She was worried about how the article would affect Fluttershy. I hope she doesn't believe the article, no scratch that I hope she hasn't read it yet. How dare that Silver Tongue write something so untrue! She forced the anger aside for now and raced to the outskirts of town where the timid pegasus lived. She was stopped however when she spotted a crowd of ponies standing on the road. The first thing she noticed was that they were all carrying cameras and some were holding the National Equestrians in their hooves.

For a moment she stopped midair and wondered why the paparazzi were simply standing on the road and not moving toward the cottage. Her questions were answered when she spotted the large grey bear curled up in a ball in the middle of the path leading to the front door. Huh... the bear is keeping them away. Maybe she's already read the article. Dash floated there for a moment then dove down toward the crowd. She pulled up sharply and flew through the crowd slowing only for a second to grab a copy of the magazine.

She landed next to the bear and ducked behind it so that she was out of site. The bear lifted its head and started to growl but when it recognized Rainbow Dash it stopped immediately.

Dash leaned close to it. "Keeping them away huh?"

The bear nodded. Dash took a quick look at the camera carrying ponies that were now realizing that she had joined the bear near the cottage. "You wanna mess with them a little?"

A wicked grin spread across the bears face and it nodded. "Well then, play along."

Dash stood up and began to scream. She rushed to the cottage door and started banging on it and calling for Fluttershy to let her in. The bear stood up and started roaring at her. Dash could just barely see the crowd as it started to panic but she unable to see the rest as the door opened and she fell inside the cottage.

The bear made a swipe at the retreating for just as she became out of reach. When the door slammed shut it turned and roared at the crowd. The now panicked and frightened ponies started scrambling down the path or flying away. With a self-satisfied grin the bear settled back down on the path and closed his eyes for a quick nap.

Dash looked around the normally comforting home and saw that every window had been covered and the fireplace had been boarded up. She took a quick glance and noticed that it was Angel that had let her in.

She walked to the stairs and yelled up them. "Fluttershy! Hey where are you?"

She heard a soft *EEP* from behind her in the kitchen. Dash turned around to hear the yellow pegasus rummaging through her kitchen. Dash walked into the kitchen and spotted her friend scrambling around in a cupboard.

Fluttershy looked up from the cupboard and quickly walked over to Dash and gave her a hug. "I'm so glad to see you! Sorry for not getting the door for you or having tea ready for you. I've been stuck in here all day. Those ponies out there just won't leave."

She released Dash and started wringing her hooves together. Dash stood there for a second hoping that she wouldn't have to ask if Fluttershy knew why they were out there. When Fluttershy walked over to the window and gave a quick peek it became clear that she would. Gotta make sure.

She walked over and placed her hoof on the timid pegasus. The yellow pony jumped slightly then relaxed. She looked at the magazine Dash was holding and a curious look crossed her face.

She pointed to it. "What's that Dash?"

Dash looked down at the magazine then to her friend. "This... this is why that crowd is out there." She showed her the picture on the cover. The timid pegasus took one look and all the color drained from her face. Dash barely had time to react when Fluttershy grabbed the magazine and flipped through the pages. Dash watched as Fluttershy read the article and bit her lip in fear. Please don't freak out. Please.

Fluttershy placed her hoof on her chest and her breathing started increasing rapidly. This sudden increase caused her to drop the magazine on the floor as she started to hyperventilate. Dash moved to her side and wrapped her forelegs around her in support. "Breathe. Just breathe. It's alright."

Fluttershy looked at her friend in panic. "How did they get that picture? How did they know we are a couple? I've only told you five and the only other pony that knows is him..." She fell silent and her face paled even more.

Dash settled her down on the sofa in the living room when Fluttershy started to tear up. She gripped Dash's hoof. "Do you think he—"

Dash shushed her. "Come on 'shy, you know him. Does he seem like the kind of stallion that would do that?"

She shook her head but looked pleadingly into her friends eyes. "But what if the article is true? What if he is just using me and—"

She was silenced again by her friend with a powerful hug. Fluttershy placed her head on the cyan ponies shoulder and felt all of her worry crash down on her. She buried her head into Dash's shoulder as the tears started to spill from her eyes. She suddenly remembered earlier in the morning.

She looked back up into the magenta eyes. "He tried to hide the magazine from me... why would he do that?"

Dash bit her lips as she tried to think of something to say to calm and comfort her friend. She placed Fluttershy's head back on her shoulder and started to brush her mane.

"It'll be alright. I'm certain he did that for a good reason." Dash held Fluttershy for a moment then noticed that she was about to protest again. "Hey if he was like that I wouldn't have set you and him on a date. If you can't trust him then just trust me. The easiest way to find out the truth is to ask him next time you see him."

Fluttershy placed her head back down on the warm and comforting shoulder. "Okay. Please stay with me for a little while."

Dash brushed her friend’s mane and nodded. "I'll always be here for you. You know that."

The bright rays of the morning sun filtered into the window of a penthouse. The occupant lightly groaned as a beam hit her right on her closed eyes. She rolled over and stretched her legs outward. She felt the cool bed sheets beside her and a small fact registered in her mind. Her partner from the night before wasn't there. She slowly opened her eyes and was greeted by the sight of her bed room.

It was a comfortable room, simple but comfortable. The bedroom merged with the kitchen with a half wall that obscured the bed from the living room and vice versa. From where the mare was laying she could see the island which her partner was sitting reading a magazine that she couldn't quite see. She sat up and called out to him in a sultry voice.

"Hey why are you all the way over there when the beds in here?"

The stallion looked at her with a look she couldn't read. She moved a little closer to the edge of the bed. "Come on Thunderlane why are you all silent. Last night you made plenty of noise."

The pegasus looked at her and spoke in a scornful tone, his golden eyes filled with anger. "How's Prince Blueblood been lately?"

Spitfire felt her blood run cold at the name as her ears pinned to her head. She sat there silently trying to work words out of her mouth. She silence only made Thunderlane look back down at the magazine.

He looked back at her with anger. "Or how about that fashion pony, or maybe those teammates you dated? I bet it's easy to keep up with them, seeing as you talk to one of them every day." He rose from his seat and approached the bedroom. "You know when I asked you if you had dated other stallions you'd think maybe royalty would be one of the first ponies to pop into your mind. At least for me it would! Hell I would have thought that since you had dated a few teammates you might have wanted to mention that to me but I guess I didn't need to know!"

He paused as his voice rose to an almost violent shout. He stopped and started breathing heavily through his nostrils. His moment of silence gave the Wonderbolt a chance to speak.

Her voice was soft. "How did you—"

He cut her off with a point to the island he left the magazine on. "How do you think! Though I guess when I asked you the question I would have liked to hear the truth from you, but I guess I was hoping for too much!" He turned away and kicked one of the chairs across the room. "For all I know there could be more than six stallions. I could be the eighth or tenth! Hades, I could be just another stallion to tide you over till the next famous pony that catches your eyes!"

He turned glanced at golden pony. What he saw made his anger stall. Spitfire was crying into her hooves and, from what he could tell, she was trying to hide her face in the sheets. Her voice was choked in tears as she spoke.

"I didn't w-want you to t-think I was..." She stopped and wiped her eyes, all the while making sure not to look at him. She lowered her head and tried her best to hide her face. Thunderlane felt a surge of curiosity mingle with his anger at being lied to.

He took a few steps to the bed. "Was what? That you were a what?"

She looked up at him as more tears threatened to spill from her eyes. "That I was the kind of mare that slept around. That I was a slut that was looking for another thrill. I'm not like that..."

She buried her head into her hooves as Thunderlane stood there. On one hoof he was still furious that she had lied to him, but on the other he couldn't help but think she had done the smart thing. If he had been in her position he would have lied so that she would give him a chance. The fact that she was sobbing also made it hard for him to think she was anything like what she had just said. This was clearly hurting her emotionally. But that doesn't make it right. She lied to me. How do I know she's not seeing another stallion besides me? His answer was in her voice that reached him from the bed.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you before now. Some of those relationships were nothing but mistakes. I just wanted something different and you gave me it. You gave me something I had never had and I didn't want to risk it. Please give me another chance to be the mare you fell in love with." She moved to the edge of the bed and looked into his eyes pleadingly.

He sighed and looked away. He knew that he had every right to be mad, no to be pissed off to no end, and yet he understood. He understood that because of her fame she had lied to him for a chance at something relatively normal. He felt the angered haze leaving his mind as he thought it over. He looked back at the silently crying mare and realized that he was seeing a side of Spitfire that he had never seen before, she was vulnerable. She was always so sure of herself but now she was at his mercy and, in a way, weak when she was always strong. In his anger he had wanted to see her crying and begging but now that the haze was leaving his mind the sight made him feel ashamed of his actions.

He moved over to the bed and sat on the edge. Spitfire didn't move closer to him in case he was still mad at her. She didn't want to ruin what was possibly her only chance at staying with the stallion near her. The dark gray stallion looked at her then craned his neck back to look at the ceiling.

His voice was oddly calm. "You lied to me. Do you realize how that makes me feel right now?"

She nodded then realized that he wasn't able to see her. She spoke in a soft and cautious voice. "Yes. You must hate me right now." She cast her gaze to the bed and lowered her head to the sheets. "I would too if I had found out the way you had."

A quick glance confirmed that he hadn't moved his head. "I could never hate you. Sure I'm pissed off a little but I could never hate you." He looked down at her. "Just... just promise me that you can trust me enough to tell me anything. I just... I just want to know you can do that for me."

The wonderbolt captain wiped her eyes and nodded. "I can do that." She jumped slightly when Thunderlane moved to her side and gave her a comforting hug. Her surprise lasted for a moment then she returned the hug with the enthusiasm of a foal hugging their mother. Thunderlane shifted them both so that she was lying on his chest. He kissed her on the head. The time passed as they lay there holding each other both of them returning to a more normal state. They felt each of their hearts beat in and out of time with each other’s, and in all honesty, they both found it to be the most relaxing thing in the world.

"Hey."

She looked up at him and felt her heart flutter as she noticed his smile. "Yeah?"

He hugged her a little tighter. "I'm sorry. I should've talked to you instead of yelling at you. I should be asking you to forgive me."

She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips. They wrestled each other’s tongues for a few minutes then pulled apart breathing much heavier than when they had started.

Her voice had regained the sultry tone. "I forgive you." A small spark of curiosity about how he had learned of her failed relationships entered her mind. She sat up slightly and placed her chin on his chest. "So was the article about just me or was it about other mares as well?"

Thunderlane smiled at the playful tone then his face fell to a look of panic. Before Spitfire could react he shifted her off of him onto the bed and leaped to the island in the kitchen. He grabbed the magazine and tossed it on the bed. Spitfire was looking at him like he was insane but when he pointed to the magazine she realized why he had acted the way he did. The cover picture made her mind go numb for a moment.

She grabbed the magazine and looked up at the gray pony. "Shit!"

He nodded. "Agreed."

Comments

[karl]

My initial reaction: BLARGLFLARGLE I WANT MORE!

Seriously, though, it'll be interesting to see how everything starts to blow up. I never knew that bears could hold occupations as guards!

[RaijingtheClockworkPony]

1743150 Trust me you should see them as cooks. They are amazing at what they can do.

[karl]

1743160

Are you inferring that the Apple family only keep Big Mac around for when the bears get hungry???

IT MUST BE TRUE! I READ IT IN A TRUSTED NEWS PUBLICATION!

[Linkonpark100]

Shit just got real.

[Frizzy]

Good, but you used the phrase "I would two". NO. Just no. That is not right!

[WildStallion]

How come I've got a strange feeling we are going to see both sides of there family

[RaijingtheClockworkPony]

1744021 I have beaten myself within an inch of my life for making such a mistake. It has been corrected and the person responsible has been denied a cookie. (I really wanted that cookie too... )

[Classy Toad]

Agreed.

[metroid_freak]

1744678
You fixed it, so here.

static.tumblr.com/af06dd0807d256dc1dec8abe12cd8f1b/oghd6vg/FBSmgqgxn/tumblr_static_chocolate_chip_cookies.jpeg