The Art of Racing in the Snow

by EpicGuy

Chapter 1- Ignite the Night

As Rarity gazed out her window, her glasses and tape measure were primed to resume working. A few white flakes began to fall from the sky and landed in a ragged circle on her lawn.Following those few flakes came more, and then more, until the sky had turned a soft shade of white. The flakes picked up pace, blanketing the ground in a thick white sheet.

"Ah, winter." she thought, watching her breath fog up the window, and then disappear almost as quickly as it arrived. "I dislike it so."

Rarity grumbled loudly, pulling down her drapes and covering up the horrid scene with a twinkle of magic. She lit a few candles, watching everything settle into place- exactly where she liked it- then headed towards one of many awaiting mannequins.

"It's just so cold!" she cried out in distress, fiddling with the outfit that adorned her mannequin- a chic, strapless gown, all a deep shade of aquamarine, commissioned by Sapphire Shores herself. The famous singer had requested that it be suitable for this time of the year, and Rarity had obliged by adding a sleek coat that was filled with griffin down feathers. "The only good that comes from it is a few bits for ski resorts. What about the poor ponies who thrive on warm weather to boost their sales?"

Her eyes glided across the boutique and landed on one of her other projects, this one thrust in the back of the farthest corner of her home. It was cropped to the point where some sensible ponies would have considered it risqué, but it made up for that with enough frills to make one of the Canterlot elite gag. She had (stupidly) designed it in two pieces, much like a bikini (She had also found most of her inspiration in them, too, but she didn't appreciate admitting it), so it would become the laughing stock of the town if one were to put it on when the fillies of the neighborhood were singing delightful Hearth's Warming Eve carols, not planning day-long excursions to the beach.

Or as Rarity fancied calling it, "useless and faulty." Thus was why she hid it behind random bolts of fabric and unraveled threat, hoping that its memory would soon be forgotten.

"I'll have to talk to Rainbow Dash sometime," she said, making a mental note to talk to the cyan mare. She levitated a small box full of pins to her side and was beginning to patch up a section of the gown. But will she listen? Most likely not, Rarity, and you know that. Talking to that pegasus is like talking to a brick wall and expecting it to answer.

With a heavy sigh, she set down the pin set and adjusted her eyeglasses again. The area was perfect, and there was no evidence that there had ever been a problem attached to it.

"And... done." she said flatly. "This should be an exciting moment, finishing this elaborate gown for the mare whose name is universally known in the music business, but this so called 'accomplishment...'" Rarity sat down, dejected and confused, and put her hooves on her chin. She sighed deeply, then lifted her gaze back up to the gorgeous gown. "...Why does it feel so empty?"

Before the first snow of the season fell, the white unicorn was already having a less-than-stellar week.

On Monday, Sweetie Belle had utterly demolished a ball gown for a sweet little filly in urban Canterlot- the filly had apologized multiple times, but even her cries for forgiveness couldn't heal the hurt in Rarity’s heart.

Tuesday was spent remaking said dress, instead of going to the spa with Fluttershy. The pegasus had been extremely concerned when her companion hadn't arrived after an hour, and she had even resorted to tears when she didn't turn up at all.

On Wednesday, she had surprised Fluttershy with an afternoon on the town, and when she returned home, she had found five new orders on the roster, all the commissioners demanding that they be finished prior to Hearts Warming Eve. Thursday...

Rarity blinked back moisture. She... she didn't want to think about Thursday.

She looked back at the gown, which was simply stunning. The candles’ light reflected off of each jewel on the coat that she had so meticulously placed, creating a spectrum of colors.
She could only imagine the look on Sapphire's face when she presented the dress— it would first be surprise, and as the initial first look sank in, her expression would morph to happiness, drinking in all the details. The symphony of feelings would finally end with a huge smile, many thank-yous, and perhaps some sweet yet utterly shallow praise, if the mood was right. It was always the same.

Slowly, she levitated the gown to the doorway, and brought her favorite couch to her side. She looked out the window at the bank of snow that had accumulated outside her window.
Delivery can wait, she thought glumly, the snow probably delayed shipping and train departures. Poor Derpy probably won’t be allowed to carry even a simple letter until the snow stops. Again, she cursed at the weather.

"At this rate, I'll be up to my chin in snow before Heart's Warming Eve." she mumbled, pulling a fleece blanket up her body. The design was one of her favorites, a classic by the esteemed Inkamena Pie. There were times when she marveled at the amount of detail that could be made with a simple swipe of a brush and transferred to such soft fabric. Often she forgot that Miss Inkamena was an earth pony, which increased her surprise tenfold. This was not one of those times.

The pillow beckoned to her aching head, and the unicorn gratefully obliged. Her mind was a cesspool of confusion, procrastination, and the memories of... her throat jumped upon thinking of the day everything came crashing down in a single conversation. How something so right could become so wrong in just a minute, I will never know, Rarity thought, and the consequences of what we both said still stings like a branding. She wondered, only for a fleeting moment, if the other pony present on that day felt the same wounds.

She was deep in thought when the strike of a hoof against her door dragged her out of her psyche and deposited her in reality. Another customer, she thought.

"Hello! Rarity!" a female voice called. Knock knock. "Are you home?" Knock.

"I'm busy wallowing, dear!" Rarity yelled in response, though it came out more spiteful than she had intended. She rolled over, digging the edges of the blanket into her ears. "Come back in the spring!"

"I see the candlelight, Rarity!" the anonymous pony retorted. "You can't fool me, nosiree!"

Rarity snorted. Unladylike, yes, she thought, but completely called for.

"I can't wait 'till spring, Rarity!" The voice took on a sad tone, and Rarity flicked her tail from under the fleece blanket. Her heartstrings flinched, not enough to make a sound just yet. "C’mon Rares, please let me in!" The knock-knocking on her door became a sort of pawing, like a young puppy trying to enter his house when its owners had already fallen fast asleep.

Rarity’s horn glowed a pale blue, and she dived into the covers, shielding her head with the pillow. She heard the door open, felt the cold breeze of the outside world chill her bones (Blasted snow, she fumed), but there were no hoofbeats. No breathing. No talking. No nothing. Could it have been my imagination?

No, Rarity chastised herself, I heard something, I just know it. Maybe she decided to go harass somepony else.

Silence.

The white-coated mare rose from her couch and took a long look around her boutique, which was currently being ravaged by the snow and winds of the outside world. Nothing seemed to come into contact with her dress, though, so she didn't take any action against it. Usually she would dive towards her creations, shielding them from the bitter elements with her body- but her heart just wasn't in it today. It wasn't in a lot of things, come to think of it.

And then she saw her.

The mystery knocker, the anonymous mare who had begged to see her face. A body sleek and slender, a mane that had seen better days but still had a cute curl. The visitor showed her true colors with pride and outstretched wings, her eyes sparkling with a strange, warm light.

"I've missed you, Rarity," said Rainbow Dash.

Rarity huffed as the air was violently squeezed out of her lungs by Rainbow Dash’s strong hug. She had heard from one of Twilight Sparkle's lectures that pegasi bone structures were exceptionally light, and that was the reason they were able to walk on the cloud layer. Rarity objected. What Rainbow Dash lacked in bones she made up for in sheer muscle.

"I've missed you, too?" Rarity said, unsure of her feelings towards the mare. Both ponies, plus their other four friends, were bound together by the Elements of Harmony- that didn’t mean she shared any strong feelings for one in particular, though. This wasn’t like the Rainbow Dash she knew at all- for a moment, she thought it could be an imposter- but she decided to give the pegasus the benefit of the doubt and kept her mouth shut.

"Although, Rainbow Dash, I saw you just last Thurs..." The word caught in her throat, she feared that the pegasus might lash out at her for attempting to mention the accursed day.

But she did just the opposite, and ended the hug before turning to Rarity with a slight grin. "Oh well." the light blue mare murmured. "I'm just so happy to see you! You know, because of how busy you get ‘round the holidays and all of that...”

"That's wonderful and all, but might I ask why, exactly, you are here?" the unicorn questioned. Usually, Rainbow Dash arriving in Carousel Boutique meant either a fitting or a modeling of the latest and greatest trend, both of which were not on Rainbow's accord.

Rainbow Dash's ear twitched, but her expression was unwavering. "To have some fun, duh!" she exclaimed. She began trotting in place, huffing and puffing as if she had just finished the Running of the Leaves before she got there.

"Fun?" she asked, frowning. She shut the door with a blast of magic energy and levitated the couch back to its former position by the wall. "You'd be better off asking Applejack, or perhaps Pinkie Pie. You know how the holidays affect the Apple Family’s business."

"They’re awesome, that’s for sure, but..." Rainbow Dash’s tone sounded reminiscent of a foal, pandering to its mother about purchasing the newest gadget or a sweet treat. "I wanna hang out with you, Rarity."

Rarity stopped in her tracks. "Me? A humble dressmaker with an adoration for the fine arts, not the sky? Rainbow Dash, you must be joking."

"I'm not joking." Rainbow's tone was much more serious than it had any right to be. Eyes shadowed with determination, she yanked on her friend's finely curled tail and headed towards the doorway. The unicorn's legs were pulled out from under her, and she fell in a heap with all hooves in the air, but her winged companion didn't even turn around. After much grunting and squirming, they were both outside.

In the snow, which was gently falling.

In the cold, which was relentlessly pounding her.

Outside, in the first snowfall of winter, with Rainbow Dash.

"This can't end well..." Rarity murmured under her breath as Rainbow Dash dragged her through a snowdrift.

* * *

"C'mon, Rares, I'll show you how to do it!"

Rarity slipped across the ice with the grace of a water buffalo, ears pinned to her head.

"I will not be taking any directions from you, Rainbow! You don't even have skates on!"

"Skates are for fillies that don't know the definition of ‘daring’. It's really easy!"

Along she slipped, her eyes darting from the thin ice to Rainbow Dash’s determined face and her hooves quivering. Her mane, entangled in more snow than what was still on the ground, was beginning to weigh her down.

"I've already had my say in the matter, Rainbow."

"At least watch me! You'll see!"

She swiveled her head. Blue eyes met magenta, and the dance on the ice began.

For the first time in nearly four years, the mare with the passion for beauty noticed just how strong her friend's legs were. They were like falcon wings, slicing through the air with the agility and ease of the graceful bird. Her mane flowed in the wind, twisted around her neck, caressed her face, and then bounced back down before finding some more energy to get right back up and do it all again. She seemed so sure of herself, where her hooves were going to be, how much to turn to ensure stability...

Rarity was mesmerized.

The pegasus leaped, wings outstretched, and flipped over before landing perfectly on four hooves. She bowed gracefully, and when she lifted her head back towards Rarity, her eyes were filled with longing. Whether it was for praise or for herself to get her flank on the crude rink, neither of them would ever know.

"So, do you wanna try? Or are you a scaredy-filly?"

Hesitation brewed in her mind. She swept it into the cosmos, and she alighted on the ice with a sneaky grin.

“I’d never back down from a challenge, Rainbow Dash,” she said.

* * *

"Please?" Rainbow Dash’s eyes drooped innocently, and she stuck out her quivering bottom lip.

"No" was all the alablaster unicorn said in response. She kept a stoic expression whilst the mare pleaded.

"Please?" Rainbow smiled, her pure white teeth catching the dull sunlight and blinding her unicorn friend.

"No. Final answer, Rainbow." Rarity snorted.

"But...but you ice skated with me! How could skiing be much different?" Rainbow Dash motioned to the snowy peaks behind them, each one nearly touching the sky. Rarity took one look at them and cringed.

"They're polar opposites, Rainbow Dash." she retorted.

"All you need to do is remember to watch out for trees. It's easy, promise!" the pegasus exclaimed. Her wings, eager for an adventure, loudly thumped against her flanks.

"You said that about ice skating." muttered Rarity.

"And it was, wasn't it?" Rainbow pressed. It was as if the steep mountain range was calling out to her, begging to feel her ride the slopes.

"I guess." Rarity said, still firm on her decision.

"Lookie, I've already got you some skis! Sure, some other pony might be missing them in the next few minutes, but we can worry about the law later. I'll even fly you up to the top of the hill, if you want!" Slowly, Rainbow Dash pulled two pairs of pristine skis from behind her back and set them on the snow beside them. Her eyes gleamed deviously, and the urge to fly up the range by herself was almost too strong to resist.

"Y-you stole these skis?" Rarity stammered. She pulled her hoof away from the nearest ski, wondering where it had been before Rainbow had taken it. Although she didn’t say it aloud, they did look quite alluring.

"How else do you think I was going to get some?" The pegasus shrugged, oblivious to the smoke coming out of Rarity’s ears. She had begun to strap a light cyan ski to her back hoof when a cloud of unicorn magic twisted her head towards a small, ragged cabin far from the mountain range.

"Renting them from that little shack, of course!" came Rarity’s enraged voice. Rainbow Dash blushed slightly, and she was thankful that the white unicorn couldn’t see her face.

"...Oh. It's the thought that counts, right?" she asked. With a quiet pop, she had full control over her head and she resumed her work on the ski. When Rarity didn’t answer, the pegasus lifted her gaze to her friend. Her luminous eyes fixed on the unicorn’s stoic muzzle.

"I'm not getting out of this, aren't I?" she sighed.

"Nope! Now get on my back." The Element of Loyalty got to her hooves swiftly, bent down until her nose brushed the freezing snow, and playfully shook her back. She heard Rarity groan and chuckled under her breath.

"I'm not sure I'd want to get out of this," Rarity murmured, holding on to her friend's shoulders as they alighted into the freezing air, leaving the ground far below their hooves.

* * *

By now, Rarity's nose was the color of a farm-fresh apple and her hooves were shaking like leaves in the breeze. She had been having fun, and she fully admitted that fact- but the elements were beginning to take their toll on her body.

Rainbow Dash had sculpted a drift into a wall a few feet away from her, and she was busy gathering snow from every corner of their winter wonderland. Swiftly, her hooves dived into the piles of fluffy white, pulled heaps of it out, and shaped it into what appeared to be snowballs before hurling them behind her shoulder and launching back into the fray. At regular intervals, all that Rarity saw of her friend was her distinct rainbow mane.

Finally, the pegasus decided she had a fair stash of snowballs and plopped behind her wall. Her eyes twinkled mischievously, as if there was a hidden meaning behind her actions.

"Ready, Rares?" she called out to her, juggling a few snowballs.

Rarity shivered. A few minutes ago, the action would have just meant that she trembled slightly before continuing on whatever adventure Rainbow Dash threw at her. Now she was not a unicorn but an oak leaf, shaking so furiously she thought she might collapse, right then and there, in the freezing snow. "I don't know, Rainbow Dash," she responded, "I'm feeling, as Applejack would say, 'mighty cold.' Perhaps we should head inside." Without a second thought, her hooves began a slow march towards her warm haven.

Rainbow Dash yelped like a foal, and within a few seconds she was blocking her friend's way. Her wings were outstretched, blotting out all of the Boutique, and she glowered at Rarity. "No! We can't go in yet!"

"Why ever not?" The white-coated mare blended into her environment so well, it seemed as if the ever-growing pile of snow behind her had grown hair. Her eyes, however, with their highlights of blue and ultramarine, could not have looked more out of place. Even her mouth seemed to disappear whenever she was idle. "Are you hiding something from me?"

Rainbow Dash's expression hardened, and her eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "No! Of course not! I'd never hide anything important from you, Rarity. You’re talking to the Element of Loyalty!" She added the last sentence after she had already spoke, as if it were an afterthought. “Then again, Applejack’s the Element of Honesty... But you get my point!”

"You have yet to answer my question." One of Rarity's heavily waxed eyebrows shot up her face like a rocket.

"One more game, then we can go inside and do whatever you want to do." the pegasus said. "Pinkie Promise."

By now, Rarity thought it was a chore to try and reason with the headstrong mare. No matter how long she struggled in this game of tug-o'-war, her winged companion could not be beat. If you can't beat them, join 'em, or so the old saying said.

"Fine, Rainbow Dash. Aren't we persistent today?" she smirked, following Rainbow's tail back towards the clearing where the wall still stood. She stole one look at her swinging, firm flank and blushed furiously immediately after.

You dirty, dirty little filly, she thought.

"Okay, time for an old-fashioned snowball fight!" Rainbow Dash clapped her hooves together. "First one to fall loses. Ready?"

Rarity looked around the perimeter. "Rainbow Dash?" She raised a hoof questionably. "I don't seem to have any snowballs..."

The pegasus giggled deviously, and without warning, fired a snowball at her unicorn friend.

She ducked just in time for the cold weapon to explode beside her. Slowly the wheels in her freezing head turned, and a smile graced her lips and her horn glowed.

"Hahaha!" Rainbow Dash fired snowball after snowball at her foe, watching the previous one fly off into the distance before reaching for another. "This is too easy, Rares!"

Suddenly, everything was still. The tell-tale explosion of white powder had long-since disappeared- as well as her competitor, her partner in crime. Pure white closed on the pegasus.

"Rarity?" she cried. "Rarity?" Her chest felt heavy and tears welled up in her eyes. "You know I didn't mean it....right?"

A single color stood out on the blank canvas. A light blue, lighter than the sky above or the pools below the snow. A familiar shade of blue that could only signify one thing...

Out of nowhere, Rarity appeared, horn surrounded by a blue aura and eyes ablaze with... Rage? Confused, Rainbow Dash found her bearings and unfurled her wings, ready for flight if the need arose. Her jaw went slack.

Behind Rarity was the sum of fifty or more snowballs, all piled into one lump, and hurling towards her. The blue aura wiggled and twisted, laughing at Rainbow Dash's impending doom.

She dropped to all fours and rolled, recreating the movements of her old flight teacher during the fire training lecture.

"You never know when ya'll have to use it," the dusty hag had said. Up until this point, Rainbow Dash had completely dismissed the notion of herself using the technique, whether she was on fire or not.

Unfortunately, she was too late. All at once, a string of events occurred- Rarity landed in a heap by her side, the mutated snowball became a thick flurry, and everything became white. Her feathers were white, her tail was white. Nothing was left untouched by the fingers of the snow.

Rarity squealed, pummeling Rainbow Dash with her soft hooves. "You fell first!" she cried victoriously. "That means I'm the winner!"

"You cheated!" Rainbow whined, playfully nudging her friend. The two sat in the cold snow for quite a while, looking up at the sky then down at one another then back at the sky. Through the blinding white mess that the unicorn had created, the familiar forthcoming of night shone bright.

It was Rarity who got up first. She shook her rump, much like a canine, letting all the snow trapped within go free. Her mane followed suit. Glancing at Carousel Boutique, so alluring with the candlelight burning as furiously as ever, Rarity grinned. The simple expression felt like being stabbed with a thousand needles, but nonetheless she smiled.

She reached down, extending a hoof to Rainbow Dash, who was still splayed across the ground. "Would you like to accompany me, Rainbow Dash?" she asked. "I have hot chocolate, or a new coffee blend, if you wish."

Rainbow Dash grinned, and accepted the mare's hoof- but not before spitting i "That sounds ‘absolutely lovely,’ Rares."

* * *

While Rarity mixed the chocolate powder into the boiling water, Rainbow Dash sat tentatively on her couch. She pawed through some of Rarity's fashion magazines, gazing upon the designs within with wonder and slight confusion.

"Why would anybody wear this?" she yelled to Rarity (In the kitchen), gesturing wildly at a ball gown adorned with griffin feathers. She stuck out her tongue in disgust.

"Remember, Rainbow, that those magazines were made in Canterlot." replied Rarity. "They're a... unique group of ponies, that's for sure. Some of the designs in Ponyville might make no sense to them, when you and I see them around town everyday!"

"I guess you're right." Rainbow Dash tilted her head, flipping the page. The next was a bejeweled spectacle- crimson fabric that looked as soft as pony fur, a crown to rival Celestia's magnificent one, and four dainty little glass slippers, each carved for just the right amount of comfort. It was, to put it bluntly, dazzling. Rainbow Dash, who prided herself on the fast and furious, the daring and adventurous, couldn’t help but be impressed at this gorgeous gown. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but the design seemed vaguely familiar.

Rarity returned with two steaming cups and a saucer full of sugar cookies. "Sweetie Belle made the cookies yesterday," she explained, "with Applebloom and Scootaloo. If you don't pay attention to the exterior, they're actually very nice." She took a bite of one that might have looked like a filly, if it had a head.

Rainbow Dash stirred her hot chocolate, watching the marshmallows bob below the surface. As soon as she saw Rarity finish the cookie, she set down the steaming cup and grabbed the magazine by the spine and pointed at the amazing design.

"Do you know who made this, Rares?" she asked, genuinely curious. "It looks so awesome!"

"I did." Rarity barely scanned the photo before returning to her hot chocolate. She blushed.

"Really? Rares, this is fantastic!"

The unicorn raised her glass to her mouth, the chocolate liquid hiding her raging blush. "Oh, stop it, Rainbow Dash." she said. "In fact, that is my Grand Galloping Gala outfit. Remember that little escapade?"

"How could I forget?" Rainbow Dash set down the magazine, putting it back in the chin-high pile of its brethren. "You made everypony a dress in less than a week! You had to listen to me whine!"

She gently pulled Rarity's cup out of the air, earning her friend's undivided attention. The unicorn frowned and waited for an explanation. "Yes, Rainbow?" she asked flatly.

The pegasus hopped up from her seat, hooves in the air and wings outstretched. The candlelight bounced off her expressive eyes, flooding the room in a soft magenta glow. Rarity could never comprehend how one so brash could look so utterly adorable.

Slowly, as if she was a falling building, Rainbow Dash lowered herself onto Rarity, wrapping her hooves around her slender figure and squeezing tight. The white unicorn mare felt sudden moisture on her chest, and at a loss for words, she returned the embrace. Could Rainbow Dash, daredevil extraordinaire, be crying?

"I..." Rainbow Dash choked out the word, her frantic heartbeat feeling oddly soothing against Rarity's fur. It was rhythmic, soothing, so odd yet so right. "I just wanted to tell you, Rarity..."

"...Yes, Rainbow?" she whispered, petting the pegasus' soft mane and brushing away all the excess snow.

"I've waited for this day for so long. Every day for the last three years, I've wondered if it was time to tell you. How I went on before now is a complete mystery." Rainbow's words practically dripped with adoration and lust. Rarity, for one, was perfectly fine with that.

"You flatter me-" Rarity began.

"No." Before she could finish, Rainbow Dash brought her face to her own and locked eyes with the unicorn mare. "You don't understand. I honestly, truly love you. This isn't just some little schoolyard crush, Rares.”

Warmth, sweet and savory, flooded through Rarity's bones, far nicer than her hot chocolate, which was still sitting on the table next to the decapitated sugar cookies. Her mind went utterly blank, the fragile reality around her morphed, and all that seemed to matter was Rainbow Dash. The pegasus was her world, and vice versa. Nothing else mattered to her- not even the discarded gown for the prestigious Sapphire Shores, which was worth more than her house if the singer enjoyed her design. The only other time she had felt this elated was on Thurs-

Rarity growled and swatted the nasty thought away, sending it into the aether along with all her other subconscious fears. The past was in the past, and there was nothing she could do to try and fix it.

She glanced down at Rainbow Dash, prettiest pegasus in Equestria, whose chest rose and fell ever so slightly. She grinned and nuzzled the mare, wrapping her hind hooves around her.

Rarity’s keen eyes spotted a strange object along her friend’s fetlock- a light blue flower accented with darker spots. It seemed familiar somehow, but Rarity’s clouded mind couldn’t put her hoof on its name. She flicked it away with her magic and watched the pieces tumble down the couch.

As curious as Rainbow Dash’s confession was, there would be time to ponder it later. The past was over, but the future was well in her grasp.

Comments

[Garbo]

Interesting. Rainbow kind of came out of the blue there, but then again, I wouldn't expect much of anything romantic from her, so it kind of makes sense. Fits her personality. Good stuff, I'm going to read the rest now.

[Soul of a Diamond]

Love it so much. Great story.