Dashes, Dots, and Pegasus Spots

by Nightwings81

Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Twenty minutes later, Rarity led an uncommonly quiet and earthbound pegasus from Twilight’s library, keeping up a steady stream of encouraging chatter like she did when she was trying to coax her cat out from beneath the bed. Rainbow Dash was still wrapped in Twilight’s striped blanket, but shivered so violently she had trouble walking.

“I’m going to keep looking for some remedies,” Twilight assured them both from her doorway. “Even if I don’t find a cure, I’m sure I’ll come up with something to alleviate your symptoms, Dash.”

“Mmhmm,” Dash murmured, and sneezed.

“Feel better, Rainbow,” Spike called out, wisely omitting the Rash while he was still within kicking distance.

“I’ll bring back your blanket later, Twilight,” Rarity promised. “Come on, Rainbow dear…let’s get you home and straight into bed.”

Rarity’s boutique smelled like flowers and made Rainbow Dash sneeze. The sneezes made her head throb, and her pained groan brought a curious meow from Rarity’s white cat.

“Mummy’s back early, Opal, darling,” Rarity cooed. “And I’ve brought us a guest. You remember Rainbow Dash…she’s going to stay with us for awhile.”

Rainbow Dash and the cat eyed each other warily, then Opal sniffed and sauntered away.

“Nice to see you too,” Rainbow muttered.

“Don’t mind her. She does that to me too. She only really gets along with Fluttershy.” Rarity shucked her saddlebags and waved a hoof to Rainbow Dash. “Sweetie Belle’s room is this way…” She stared at the pegasus for a moment, her head cocked to one side, and tsked sadly. “It really is a shame your spots are such a garish hot pink—a light pick or carnation would have looked lovely with your coat.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Yeah, Rarity, that’s what I’m concerned with right now.”

The unicorn tapped her chin with a hoof, her lips pursed thoughtfully. Suddenly, she gasped, and her dark blue eyes began to twinkle with excitement.

“I know just the thing, Rainbow Dash.” She grabbed the weakened pegasus, pushing her backwards into the room until she stood in the center of a small area rug. “You stay right there. I’ll be right back!” She rushed away, returning only a moment later with a folded bundle of pale pink cloth.

Rainbow Dash took a hesitant step backwards, her eyes growing wide and worried.

“What is that?” she asked, voice breaking into a cough.

“Just the thing to make you comfortable.” Before Rainbow Dash could escape, Rarity grabbed her and flew into a flurry of frantic dressing.

“Ow! Stop it! What do you think you’re…? What’s with the pink! Is that—lace, are you crazy! No, not ruffles! Rarity…I’m not…ow…there’s no place for my wings! Aaiih! Watch out with those scissors!”

“Hold still, Rainbow Dash! Ugh, will you stop trying to sit! This would go a lot easier if—ow, your wing just hit me.”

No matter how prim and delicate Rarity claimed to be, at the moment she was able to overpower the ill pegasus and, moments later, she backed away from a thoroughly disheveled and disgruntled Rainbow Dash, who stood in the middle of the rug with her head hanging and her hooves splayed in a defensive posture. Realizing Rarity was finally done with her, she glanced down and let out a distressed little whinny, for she was now clad in a pale pink silk pajama set with pearl buttons and flared sleeves that came halfway down each leg before ending in a cuff of delicate, filigreed lace with a decorative bow. Rarity had cut holes in the back for her wings and had used her magical skill at sewing to neatly hem the edges so they now looked as though they had been made for the pegasus.

“Oh, Rainbow!” Rarity’s eyes closed as she smiled with delight. “You look absolutely adorable!”

Rainbow Dash stuck out her tongue in disgust. “Are you nuts? I look ridiculous, Rarity! I can’t wear this…I’m…” She sighed suddenly, her tail drooping and her head hanging low. “I’m too tired to even fight over this…I just wanna take a nap.” Her rose-colored eyes suddenly widened and she lifted a hoof. “But I draw the line at the bunny slippers.” She kicked off the offending, fluffy white footwear.

The unicorn grinned playfully. “I’ll admit, the slippers were just a little joke on my part, I never expected to get away with them for long. Now, let’s get you upstairs and into bed…Sweetie’s room is right this way.” She led the cyan pony through the boutique to her living quarters, then down a tastefully decorated hall to a door emblazoned with a Do Not Enter sign and a crayon colored shield with the letters CMC in the center. Rarity pushed the door open and gestured Rainbow Dash into a cheerful, bright room decorated in shades of pink, lavender, and aqua. The plump bed was covered in a thick, fluffy quilt edged in ruffles, and the pillows seemed to call out to the exhausted pony.

“You’re sure Sweetie Belle won’t mind me taking her room?” she asked, looking around at the wooden toybox, shelf full of books, white desk, and braided rug strewn with toys. As she edged closer to the bed, she noticed several drawings pinned to the wall and recognized a childish sketch of three little ponies: a yellow earth pony, a white unicorn, and a bright orange pegasus. The letters CMC were scrawled at the top.

“Oh, not at all. She’s not called Sweetie for nothing, you know. She’ll be thrilled to have company and will probably want to help me nurse you back to health.”

“You really don’t have to, Rarity…I probably just need lots of sleep. I don’t want you to go all out for me.”

Rarity trotted to the bed and pulled back the quilt in a neat line. Turning the Rainbow, she patted the mattress. “Into bed now. And don’t you worry about putting me out. I want to help.”

Rainbow Dash suppressed a groan as she climbed into the bed and flopped down on her side. Her entire body ached now and her head was throbbing with each breath. She wriggled and nestled into the pillows, trying to get comfortable.

“I must say, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said as she pulled the blanket up over the pegasus, “No matter what you think, those jammies look wonderful on you. I simply must make you a set of your—Rainbow Dash, what are you doing?”

The sky-blue mare had turned over once, then rolled back again abruptly. Now she was batting the pillows with her hooves. “Trying to get comfortable,” she answered, flopping onto her back, then turning onto her belly. “These sheets feel scratchy and the bed is all lumpy.”

“Scratchy? Lumpy?” Rarity laughed. “Oh, dear, it must be the fever talking.” She scooped up a fold of the lavender sheets and rubbed them against her cheek. “These are 1200 thread count cotton sheets that I brought all the way from Fillydelphia. There is nothing finer for bedding, I assure you.”

“Maybe if you don’t sleep on a cloud!” Rainbow tossed about one final time, then finally came to rest on her side, her head nestled in the pillows. She gave a sad little sigh.
“You never even need to fluff cloud pillows. They always stay soft and don’t go flat.”

“Oh, well, I guess that must be true. Hmm, let me see…ah, I know. I’ll get you more pillows and you can sleep on them and pretend it’s your cloud. I’ll be right back!”

Rainbow Dash watched her trot quickly out of the room and smiled as her eyes drifted closed. Despite the pajamas, Rarity was being so nice…truly the spirit of generosity. Maybe being grounded wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Rarity returned with a pile of spare pillows, all covered in striped pink shams.

“Well, Rainbow Dash, these don’t exactly match Sweetie’s décor, but I think they’ll do for—” She paused in the doorway and smiled. Rainbow Dash was already fast asleep, her wings tucked close to her body and one hoof hugging the pillow.

“Poor thing,” the unicorn said, shaking her head. She piled the extra pillows by the door, then tiptoed to the bed. Using her horn, she levitated the quilt over Rainbow Dash’s slumbering form and carefully tucked it around her. She turned to leave, but paused and trotted quietly back to the braided rug. Selecting a small green plush teddy bear, she gently slipped it beneath the covers and lifted Rainbow Dash’s hoof over the toy. The pegasus sighed in her sleep and unconsciously hugged the bear close.

“Oh, she will love this when she wakes up,” Rarity whispered slyly. “Best Young Flyer and Teddy. Oh, precious!” Turning off the light, she added, “Sleep well, darling,” and slipped out of the room.

**

She was in her sewing room, drawing out the designs for a new pair of silk pajamas, when the front door opened to a wave of giggles and youthful voices. Her little sister, Sweetie Belle, pranced into the boutique, followed by her two best friends and fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. Rarity hurried to cut them off before they could head upstairs.

“Hello girls!” she said. “How was school?”

“Boring!” Scootaloo exclaimed, her face crumpling in disgust “Miss Cheerilee gave us all a report to write on the history of pony made irrigation in Equestria and we have to get it done by Monday!”

“Yeah, it’s so unfair,” Apple Bloom said miserably in her gentle accent. “It’s gonna take all weekend.”

“We were just going upstairs to study,” Sweetie added, shrugging to show the large schoolbooks in her saddlebags. She started around her sister, but Rarity side-stepped to block her. “Hey!”

“You can’t go in your room, Sweetie Belle…at least, not right now.”

“Huh? Why?” The tiny unicorn’s light green eyes widened in shock. “Did Opal get in and mess up all my toys again? Ooh, that mean cat!” She tried to edge around Rarity, but her sister spun and caught her fluffy pink and purple tail in her mouth.

“No, dear, Opal hasn’t done anything lately…and I think you owe her an apology for that. No, the reason you can’t go in your room because Rainbow Dash is in there right now…and she’s sleeping.”

Sweetie Belle sat on her haunches, looking thoroughly confused. “What?”

“That’s weird.” Apple Bloom cocked her head to one side, squinting. “Why?”

Scootaloo’s purple eyes brightened and her mouth dropped open in excitement. “Rainbow Dash is here! Hey, maybe we should ask her about irrigation in Equestria. She knows all kinds of things!”

“Well, uh, Scootaloo…while Rainbow is very bright and knowledgeable about many things…you’d probably be better off asking Applejack about irrigation. Besides, Rainbow Dash is in no state to answer questions right now, and actually, Scootaloo, I’m very sorry about this, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

The little orange pegasus visibly wilted and Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked stunned.

“But why?” Sweetie wanted to know.

“Y-yeah? Did I do something wrong, Rarity? I didn’t mean to.”

“Oh, darling, no, not at all. It’s not your fault. You’re always welcome here…just not today…or tomorrow…or for the next three weeks or so.”

“Rarity, what are you talking about?” Sweetie demanded. “What is going on? Why is Rainbow Dash in my room?”

“It would seem she contracted a very contagious illness called pegapox while she was in Manehattan a few days ago. It’s made her feel quite miserable and tired, and it keeps her from flying.”

“Oh no!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “Thayt’s awful!”

“She can’t even fly?” Scootaloo was horrified by the thought.

“Not right now. And since she can’t fly, she can’t make it up to her house, so I invited her to stay here with us for awhile. But Scootaloo, pegapox is only contagious to pegasi, so you cannot be anywhere near her right now…that is why I have to ask you to leave. Neither Rainbow Dash or I want you to become ill.”

“Oh…okay.” A flicker of nervousness entered the normally fearless filly’s eyes and she took a hesitant step back from the stairs. “I guess I should go then. Tell Rainbow Dash I hope she feels better.”

“Ah’ll go with y’all,” Apple Bloom piped up. “We can go home t’ Sweet Apple Acres and ask Applejack about the irrigation.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Scootaloo sounded disappointed, but brightened quickly and said, “We should make Rainbow Dash a Get Well card…I’ll bet she’d like that.”

“Yeeah! That’s a good idea! Ya wanna come w’ us, Sweetie?”

Sweetie Belle looked from her friends to her sister, and then up the stairway. “I’ll stay here. If Rainbow Dash is really sick enough that she needs Rarity to take care of her, then my sister’s gonna need help. I’ll study up for the report though and we can meet tomorrow to put our notes together.”

“Okay.”

“Yeah, that’ll do fine. See ya tomorrow, Sweetie!” The orange and yellow fillies left the boutique, the door slamming behind them. Sweetie turned to her sister.

“Is Rainbow Dash really, really sick? She’s going to get better, isn’t she?”

“Oh, of course, darling. It’s like when you had the flu that time…she’s tired and achy and has a fever, but it will run its course eventually. I hope you don’t mind that I put her in your room. She needs peace and quiet right now—you can sleep in with me. It’ll be fun.”

“That’s okay…she can even play with my toys when she gets bored.” Sweetie remembered very clearly when she had been sick with the flu. When she hadn’t been napping, the sheer boredom of being bedridden had nearly driven her crazy.

“I’m sure she’ll like that,” Rarity murmured, her eyes twinkling. She returned to her sewing table and the sketchpad she had laid out. Curious, Sweetie followed her.

“What are you doing?”

“Designing a pair of fabulous pajamas for our guest.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea!” Sweetie looked at the sketches, cocking her head to the side. “They’re really pretty…but does Rainbow Dash really like that much pink?”

“Well, not really. But this is just the rough design. I’m sure I have a fabric that will work for her.”

“I know!” The unicorn raced for the storeroom where Rarity kept all her bolts of cloth. There was a slight thump and a crash, followed by an oops, and the filly cantered back with a bolt of cloth balanced on her back. Two spools of ribbon rolled across the floor after her. “What about this one, Rarity?”

The cloth she had chosen was cream-colored cotton and covered in tiny spirals of every possible color. Rarity recognized it immediately as a bolt she had gotten in a special bulk shipment she’d purchases sight unseen. She hadn’t been able to think of a project for it yet, and so had tucked it away in the back of her storeroom. Now she rolled out a yard and stroked the soft cloth, pursing her lips thoughtfully. It certainly wasn’t pink—and the spirals were funky enough to work for Rainbow Dash’s quirky style sense.

“You know, Sweetie…this might just be the thing!” She picked up her sketchpad and started adding color to the drawing with pencils. Satisfied with the result, she spread the cloth out on her table and lifted a pair of scissors with her horn as her little sister smiled up at her. “Rainbow Dash is in for a real surprise when she wakes up!”

Comments

[VGI]

Chapter 2 comes in after Chapter 1 quite neatly. Loving it!

Possible corrections and/or points of improvement for Chapter 2:
1. “It really is a shame your spots are such a garish hot pink—a light pick or carnation would have looked lovely with your coat.”
- Pick or pink?

2. Rarity trotted to the bed and pulled back the quilt in a neat line. Turning the Rainbow, she patted the mattress. “Into bed now. And don’t you worry about putting me out. I want to help.”

3. “No, dear, Opal hasn't done anything lately…and I think you owe her an apology for that. No, the reason you can’t go in your room __ because Rainbow Dash is in there right now…and she’s sleeping.”
- Add "is"(?)

4. Rarity recognized it immediately as a bolt she had gotten in a special bulk shipment she’d purchases sight unseen.
- Can't quite make this out.