> Rainbow Dash's First Crush > by Brian Jacko > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Her First Day of School > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainbow Dash kept her front legs wrapped tightly around her Father's neck. The wind was blowing through their rainbow colored manes and tails as he flew through the sky. Rainbow Dash's Dad began to slow down as he prepared himself for landing. He touched down on a cloud that led the way to a large building in the sky. He was holding onto a brown paper bag and he placed it on the cloud. Rainbow's Dad wiggled his body gently. "Come on Dashie, we are here." Rainbow Dash burrowed her face in her Father's mane. "I just don't want to go Dad! I'm so scared what all of the other ponies will think of me." The stallion sat down and said, "Come on Rainbow, I know you're feeling very shy and nervous right now. It's normal for ponies your age. Just pretend that you're like your mother. A rough and tough tom-boy pony who isn't afraid of anything!" Rainbow Dash suddenly let go of her Father's neck and slid down his body. "I guess you're right," she said. Rainbow's Dad picked up the brown bag and placed it next to his daughter. "Don't forget your lunch Dashie." Rainbow picked up the lunch bag with her mouth and took several steps away from her Father. As she got closer to the building, she noticed the other parents dropping off their colts and fillies. She stopped and turned around to look at her Father. She had a worried look on her face. Rainbow's Dad smiled proudly at her as a tear drop formed in his eye. This was his little girl growing up and going to school for the first time. He stuck his hoof out and waved at her. "You're going to be fine Dashie! I love you sweetheart! I can't wait to hear all about your day when I come back to pick you up." Rainbow turned her back on him and continued to travel to the building. When she got to the main entrance doors, she noticed that all of the other fillies and colts were in groups talking to each other. Rainbow Dash distanced herself from the others and waited patiently for the door to open. Within time, the door opened and their teacher greeted them all with a great big smile. She led the ponies inside. The teacher had a blonde mane and tail and her coat was a deep shade of purple. She had a picture of a red apple and a chalk board as her cutie mark. She also wore glasses. As Rainbow Dash walked down the hallway with the other ponies, she looked at each one. None of them seemed to be very interesting to her. She simply listened to the loud clacking sound of everyponies hooves striking against the tiled floor. The teacher entered the classroom with her new students. They followed her inside, much the same way as ducklings would follow their mother. "You will notice that you each have a cubby hole for you to place your school work and lunch in. I have labeled your names on them so it will be easier for everypony to find. Please put your lunches in them now." The young ponies did as the teacher instructed them. The teacher beamed with a smile and said, "Well done everypony! Now please pick out your seats that you wish to sit in." There were colorful bean bag chairs for the ponies to sit on. They were organized in a circular fashion. Rainbow Dash randomly picked out a bean bag chair to sit on. As every pony took their seat, the teacher began the role call. Rainbow Dash looked out the window as the teacher began to call out the names of the ponies. She was hoping that she would see her Father soon. "Is there a pony named Soarin' here today?" the teacher asked. The second she said that name, a mare entered the room with her young colt that was sitting on her back. She had three brown paper bags in her mouth. She placed them on the floor and said, "He's here! I'm so sorry we are late!" The Mother sat down on the floor. "Soarin' sweetie, it's time to go into the classroom now. Don't forget your lunch. I made sure to put a slice of apple pie inside." Soarin' hopped off of his Mother's back and stood by her side. Soarin's Mother kissed him on his forehead and then quickly left. Soarin' stood there for a moment as he stared at the other ponies in the classroom. The teacher came over and guided Soarin' over to his cubby hole. She put his lunch, or more like lunches, inside the hole with his name on the ledge. Rainbow Dash perked up and couldn't take her eyes off of him. A weird sensation was felt in her stomach and she felt this strange attraction to the cute little colt that she had never experienced before. The teacher guided the pony back to where the other ponies were and told him to pick out a seat. Soarin' sat on the furthest end away from Rainbow Dash. There was also another bean bag chair next to him that was vacant. Rainbow continued to gawk at Soarin' and became very upset that he didn't decide to sit next to her on the empty bean bag chair that was next to her. She became so upset that she waved her hoof in the air frantically. The teacher gave an unusual look at her. "What is the matter Rainbow Dash? Do you have to go potty?" Rainbow Dash shook her head no and said, "Teacher, I want to move my seat." "Oh?" the teacher said. "I already wrote down what seat everypony chose so I can remember your names. Why do you want to change your seat Rainbow?" Rainbow Dash's mind was very young and she had trouble finding a fraudulent excuse as to why she wanted to move because she feared the other ponies would make fun of her for her true intent. "I-I-I.....I just like the color of that bean bag chair better." "Oh, that makes sense," the teacher said. "You may move your seat." Rainbow Dash instantly got up and went over to her new seat. She suddenly stopped and stood in front of Soarin' and stared down at him. She didn't sit down on her bean bag chair. "Um, Rainbow Dash. Are you going to have a seat?" the teacher asked wondering what exactly she was doing. Rainbow's face was bright red with blush and she finally sat down next to him. The teacher pulled out a large board and began to teach the ponies the first few letters of the alphabet. Rainbow Dash wasn't listening and stared at Soarin' the entire time during the lesson. Suddenly, the bell rang and the teacher said, "It's lunch time everypony! Please get your lunches and we will be heading to the lunch and snack table in the corner of the room." Everypony ran to grab their lunch bags and lunch boxes. There were two tables in the back. One table for the colts, and one table for the fillies. As the ponies all took their places, Rainbow Dash became sad because the table with the colts was full and there was one seat left at the table with the fillies. Soarin' happened to be sitting at the end of the table with the rest of the colts. Rainbow Dash walked over with her lunch bag and plopped herself down on the floor next to Soarin'. Rainbow looked up at him with sad and innocent eyes as he drove his head into the bag and began to devour the contents inside. The teacher noticed that Rainbow was sitting on the floor and scooped her up in her hooves. "Come on Rainbow. There's one extra seat for you at the other table. You have to eat your food at the table. I can't have you sit on the floor right now." As she carried the little cyan colored pony, Rainbow Dash reached out with both of her front legs as if trying to reach out for Soarin'. The teacher placed her down at the table with the other fillies. Rainbow Dash sighed to herself and reached inside her bag. She pulled out a juice box and stuck the straw in the top. She studied her crush, watching every move he made as she slowly sipped the juice. She realized that Soarin' had an appetite of a full grown stallion. Soarin' was not an overweight pony by any means. He just had a very fast metabolism and his parents always told him that one day he would become a great Wonderbolt. He loved to eat, and he loved apple pie. Rainbow Dash took a mental note of how fast he ate his slice of apple pie. The bell rang loudly and the teacher spoke once again, "Ok my little ponies! It's time for recess! In the back of the room is the play area. I have lots of toys and games for you all to enjoy!" The ponies left their lunch tables and made their way to the back. They took out coloring books, games, and other things. Soarin' stood alone in the corner looking out the window. He suddenly felt a hoof tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Rainbow Dash shyly looking away from him. Her face was bright red with blush and embarrassment. "Um, excuse me Soarin' I just wanted to say that I really like you and that I think it would be nice if we played a game together." The young colt blinked several times in confusion at what Rainbow Dash had just said. Suddenly, a red ball with white stars all around it slowly rolled past Soarin'. Another classmate was playing with it until he got bored and rolled it away from himself. Rainbow Dash looked back over to the board game that she had set up on the floor and continued, "So if it would be ok with you, I picked out a game for both of us to play." Rainbow Dash turned her head back to the colt and she became horrified that he went chasing after the rubber red ball. She came bounding after him "Soarin'. Soarin'. Please wait! I have a game for us to play." The colt continued to push the ball with his nose and chase it, ignoring Rainbow Dash's request. He was so captivated by the little red ball that he forgot what Rainbow Dash had told him. The teacher noticed Rainbow Dash's failed attempt to find a playmate and scooted over another filly to play with her. "Here's a playmate for you Rainbow Dash! Oh, you two should have so much fun with this game!" Rainbow Dash looked back at Soarin' who was now batting at the ball with his hoof. He kept hitting it against the wall and he was mesmerized by it. Rainbow Dash let out a sigh in depression as the teacher sat down and began to teach them how to play the game. Rainbow Dash wanted nothing to do with the game now. All she wanted was to be next to Soarin'. When play time was over the teacher had them gather around a table. She brought out large sheets of paper and paint. It was time for the ponies to make art. "Ok, my little ponies, it's time to do some hoof painting art work!" the teacher said. Rainbow Dash took her seat at the far end of the table and said a prayer hoping that Soarin' would sit next to her. She ended up sitting next to Derpy Hooves. Soarin' ended up sitting across the table from her, but at least he was in her direct view. The teacher placed the supplies next to each pony and told them that they could start painting. Rainbow Dash had to do something to win Soarin's heart. She began to hoof paint and she made her best attempt to spell out Soarin's name on the paper. She also added a ton of glitter over it to get his attention. When the time was up for their arts and crafts, the teacher walked around and praised each pony for their art work. "Well done my students! You may all place them in your cubby holes and then you can take them home to show your parents!" Rainbow Dash waited behind everypony else. She was waiting for Soarin' to put his picture away in his cubby hole. When Soarin' came back to take his seat, she snuck over and placed her art work inside of Soarin's cubby hole. Rainbow Dash came back to her bean bag chair and continued to stare at Soarin'. She hoped that it would finally register with him that she really likes him. When it was time go home, Rainbow Dash turned around and sunk low into her bean bag chair. Just her two eye's peered out as she watched the ponies go to their cubby holes to collect their art work to bring home. Derpy Hooves had walked by and accidently took the wrong picture out of the wrong cubby hole. She took the picture that Rainbow Dash had made for Soarin' as well as the picture Soarin' had made too. "Oh boy! I feel like I'm going to be a mail mare just like my Mommy is!" Derpy said as she used her imagination to pretend that the cubby holes were like mail boxes. Derpy continued to make her way out the door. Rainbow Dash came charging at her. She caught up with her and she was walking quickly behind Derpy Hooves who was making a speedy exit out of the classroom because she was so excited and couldn't wait to show her Mommy her work. "Um, excuse me Derpy, but I think you took the wrong picture," Rainbow Dash said. The words of Rainbow Dash fell on deaf ears and Derpy continued to trot away from the classroom as she said to herself, "Mommy is going to be so proud of me! I know that I'm going go to get a muffin today because I was so good." Derpy Hooves wasn't exactly known for her listening skills. Rainbow Dash stood there in shock. Derpy Hooves had ruined her plan! > Win His Heart > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Outside, Rainbow Dash walked over to her Father with her head hanging low and her ears flat. "What's the matter Dashie?" her father asked. "Did you have a bad first day of school?" Rainbow Dash didn't look up at her Father. She kept her head hanging low and said, "I just wanted to make a friend, and I can't get this pony's attention." She looked for Soarin' and noticed that he happened to be having a race with the other colts. They would run from the flag pole, all the way back to the school building. They also would try to race each other again, but with their wings. "Who did you want to befriend Dashie?" her father asked. Rainbow wiped a tear from her eye and pointed to the little colt with the dark blue mane and tale. "His name is Soarin'," she said. Her Father smiled. "I am surprised you're interested in befriending a colt. I figured you'd be a little too young to want to be friends with a colt. Why don't you go over there now and have a little race with him? "But Dad, I don't like to race." Her Father let out a laugh. "If your Mother ever heard those words come out of your mouth, she'd have a fit!" Rainbow's Father put his head to her flank and began to push her towards the colt that she was so obsessed with. "Just go on over and do your best. I bet if you can beat him, then you'll get his attention." Rainbow took some steps away from her father and looked back at him with a worried look on her face. "But Dad...." she said. Rainbow's Dad gave her a huge grin. "Don't be shy Rainbow. Give it your best shot. I'll be right here watching you! Don't worry what the other's may think. You have to win his heart!" Rainbow walked over to the group of colts that were now lining up again. They would alternate the races between their hooves and their wings. This time they would be racing with their hooves. One of the colts looked at her and began to laugh. "Hey guys look at this, a girl thinks she can play with us. Why don't you get lost and do some girly things!" The other colts began to laugh except for Soarin'. He didn't say a word, but he kept his focus on the check point a head. The words of her Father echoed through her mind. "Don't worry what the other's may think. You have to win his heart!" Rainbow Dash dwelled on the meaning of what it means to win his heart. Her mind was still so young and she couldn't piece it together and figure it out. Rainbow got into position next to the arrogant colt and got into ready position. One of the ponies began to count down. "THREE! TWO! ONE! GO!" Off they took running at full speed to the check point. Rainbow Dash was not a runner nor much of a good flier either at this time in her life, but she gave it her best. She did pretty well for her first race. She kept up with all the other colts, but she did tire out near the end and her lungs began to burn. Rainbow Dash slowed down as she came in last place. She looked over and noticed that all of the other colts were praising Soarin' for coming in first place. After that race, each pony went home with their parents. Soarin's Mother did not show up yet so he stood by the school building waiting for her return. Now was her chance. Rainbow Dash nervously went up to him and said, "Um, I tried to do my best, but you were too good in that race. My Daddy says I have to beat you in order to win your heart. Will you let me beat you so we can be friends?" Soarin' stared at her with confusion written all over his face. He had no idea what in the world she was talking about by winning someone's heart and Rainbow Dash had no idea what it meant either. Just as he opened his mouth and tried to form a response to what she had said, he noticed that his Mother had finally arrived. Soarin' became distracted because he knew that his Mother had promised him that she would bring him an extra special slice of apple pie. His Mother put the bag down and smiled as her little joyful colt came bounding over to her side. The first thing he did was plunge his head into the bag and began devouring the pie as if he hadn't eaten in days. Soarin's Mom looked down at him with concern and said, "Were you talking to that little filly, Soarin'? You two look so cute together! Why don't you go over there and share some of your pie with her?" The moment when Soarin's Mother suggested that he go share his treat with Rainbow Dash, he picked his head up as he was already done eating. Soarin's Mother gave him a rather concerned look and said, "Soarin' you really need to slow down with your food. You just missed out on a wonderful opportunity to have had a magical sharing experience with a new friend. Why don't we both go over to her and set up a play date with her?" Soarin' looked back and noticed that Rainbow Dash was now walking back to her Father with her head hanging low. He turned back to his Mother and said, "I don't think she likes me." "Why would you say that?" Soarin's Mother asked. "Because she would have came here if she wanted to set up a play date. I want to go home now." Soarin's Mother was not quite sure if her son's logic seemed very sound. "Ok, sweetheart, we can go home, but I hope you talk to her at another time. She seems to like you, I think." Soarin' hopped onto her back and wrapped his front legs around her neck. Rainbow Dash stood next to her Father as they both watched Soarin' leave. "I don't think he understands," Rainbow said. Rainbow's Dad let out a laugh and said, "Boys at this age tend to not always be with it. Girls are usually more on the ball when it comes to understanding things. Give him time, I'm sure he will talk to you sometime. Come on sweetie. Hop onto my back and we'll tell Mommy all about your exciting day." Rainbow Dash hopped onto her Fathers back and held on to his neck. He took off and headed home with her. When it was time for bed, she would dream plans and ideas on what else she could do to win Soarin's heart. > Getting His Attention > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next day Rainbow's Father was in the kitchen preparing her lunch for school. Rainbow Dash stayed glued to his side watching him like a hawk. She had already eaten her breakfast very quickly. "Um, is there a problem Dashie? You normally don't watch me like this when I make your lunch." Rainbow Dash walked away from him and opened the refrigerator. "Uh, Dashie what is it that you are doing? I have your food right here." Rainbow Dash ignored her Father and continued to push aside objects inside the refrigerator. Rainbow's Dad stopped making her lunch and came over to her. He gently put his hoof on her shoulder. "Dashie, please tell me what you are up to. What can I get for you?" Rainbow still ignored her Father's question and kept moving things around. Finally, she found what she was looking for. She took out a pie and brought it over to the table. "I want to take this with me to school today." Rainbow's Father began to laugh. "Oh, Dashie, you can't take that entire pie to school with you today! That's way too much for anypony to eat! I thought you didn't like pie anyway." "I don't," Rainbow said. Rainbow's Father cocked an eye brow. "Then why do you want to take it to school?" he asked. Rainbow's mind repeated the words over and over in her head again and she said it out loud. "I need to win his heart, Daddy." Rainbow's Father then remembered that he had told her that line yesterday and he started cracking up. "You mean you want to give this whole pie to that little colt you like? What is his name again? Soarin'?" "Yes Daddy," Rainbow replied. "He likes pie and I have to win his heart." Rainbow's Dad looked nervously around hoping that his wife wasn't around them. "Ok, Rainbow. I'll make you a deal. Mommy said that we should try not to eat this pie, because she made it for dessert tonight. But I was planning on having some anyway after lunch. You know how much I love apple pie. Does Soarin' like apple pie too?" Rainbow Dash nodded her head yes innocently. "Yes Daddy, I think apple pie is his favorite." Rainbow's Dad smiled and brought out a knife. He then began cutting the pie. "No, no, Daddy. Stop!" she said. Rainbow's Dad looked down at his little girl. "What now Dashie?" he asked. "It's too small. Soarin' eats a big slice of pie." "Oh," her Father said. He repositioned the knife and began to cut further away from the original incision. "Is this ok?" he asked. "No Daddy, bigger. Much bigger." Rainbow Dash said as she stood on her hind legs and spread her front legs out as wide as she could, trying to emphasize just how big this slice of pie is supposed to be. Rainbow's Father felt a drop of sweat trickle down his head. "Um, how much does this colt eat?" Rainbow leapt up onto a chair near by and wrapped her front legs around her Father's front leg that was wrapped around the knife. She slowly moved his front leg over to where she thought would be a reasonable, or more like a Soarin' slice of pie. "Are you kidding me Dashie?" her father asked. This is literally half the pie." "We must do it Daddy. I have to win his heart." Rainbow's Father let out a nervous little laugh and said, "When your Mother finds out what we did, she will kill me." Rainbow Dash hopped off the chair and came back with more food and snacks. "These too Daddy! These too!" Rainbow's Father had a look of shock on his face. "Ok, Dashie, but seriously no more than that. I think you may have forgotten that I still made you lunch on the counter and I can't imagine you both being able to finish what I'm about to pack here." "Win his heart Daddy. Win his heart." Rainbow's Father put his hoof to his forehead. "Ok, ok, ok, we will win his heart!" He began to pack the food in multiple lunch bags. Rainbow looked up at her Father and said, "Can we go to school now?" Her Father looked at the clock and said, "If we left now you'd be very early. Although I'm sure you want to go because of Soarin' right?" The little filly proudly closed her eyes and nodded her head yes with much excitement. Rainbow's Father let out a sigh. "Ok kiddo. Let's go." He grabbed the many lunch bags he had prepared. He then turned his back to her and squatted low to the ground. Rainbow Dash instantly jumped onto the stallions back and clung to his neck. The stallion walked out of the door and took off into the sky. When he reached the school grounds, he landed on the cloud and Rainbow hopped off of his back. He set the lunch bags down beside her. Rainbow's Dad gave her a playful pat on the back and said, "Ok sweetie, here are your lunch bags." Her Father started giggling to himself. "Hey Rainbow, when you share the lunch with your special colt friend, tell him that you know that the only way to a stallion's heart is through his stomach." Rainbow Dash repeated the phrase several times out loud hoping that somehow that phrase would be like a magical saying that would instantly have Soarin' all over her like fly's on pie. She hadn't had the slightest clue as to what the phrase really meant, but she trusted her Father. "Ok Daddy, I'm going to win his heart today." Rainbow's Dad continued to laugh to himself. "You go do that sweetie. I'll be here to pick you up after school and maybe we can talk to Soarin' and his Mother about setting up a special play date! Go get him, tiger!" Rainbow's Dad suddenly gave her a very playful punch on her jaw with his hoof. Rainbow became so confident in herself because of her Father's pep talk, that she ran full speed to the building. She got there extra early to talk to Soarin', but nopony was there yet because she showed up so early. Rainbow Dash put the many bags of lunch down and walked over to the flag poll. She began to count out loud. "ONE, TWO, THREE, GO!" Rainbow sped off to that check point that the other colts were using yesterday. She practiced running and flying back and forth between the two in order to become faster and to perhaps impress Soarin'. She practiced quite a few laps and then became tired. Eventually, all the other colts showed up except for Soarin'. She waited patiently for him because she wanted to try to beat him at the race. She felt that if she won a race against him, then he would be interested in her. Rainbow's ears perked up when she saw his Mother flying towards the school. She raced over to the flag pole and watched Soarin' hop off of his Mother's back. As he walked by her, Rainbow stopped him. "Soarin' I have been practicing racing and I want to play with you. Can we have a race together?" Soarin' suddenly looked back at his Mother as if he were waiting for her to tell him what he should do. His Mother had no clue what they were talking about because she was too far away, but she gave him a beaming smile and a hoof up in the air to show her approval. He turned back to Rainbow and said, "Ok, let's have a race." The moment he said those words, the main doors to the school building opened up. "Welcome back everypony!" the teacher said. "It's time to come in and start class." Soarin' looked at Rainbow Dash. He had a rather confused look on his face. "Maybe we can race later Rainbow. I think we need to get to class now." Rainbow Dash lowered her ears in sadness as the colt turned his back on her and walked into the school. She followed closely behind him. Rainbow Dash kept her eye on Soarin' for most of the time, but she also couldn't help but look back at the clock. She couldn't wait for lunch time so she could finally prove to Soarin' that she likes him. The bell had rung and Rainbow Dash rushed over to her cubby hole. She pulled out the many bags of food and sat at her lunch table. The teacher was shocked that she had packed so much food. She had never seen anything like it before. She didn't even remember seeing Rainbow put the bags away in her cubby hole. Rainbow Dash began to organize the food around her table as if it would attract the colt of her dreams. She watched Soarin' walk right over to her. "It worked! My plan worked!" she thought to herself. Soarin' suddenly walked past her and sat in the same spot where he sat yesterday. He opened up his bag and began to consume his food very quickly. Rainbow's jaw almost hit the table. Her heart weighed heavy in her chest and she refused to touch any of the food. She sat back against the chair and crossed her front legs. She had a rather angry look on her face because she was so upset at how slow Soarin' was to understand her feelings. The teacher noticed that lunch time was half way over now and Rainbow Dash hadn't touched any of the food that she had brought. She walked over to her and put her hoof on her shoulder. "Rainbow Dash. Aren't you going to eat? You almost have enough food to feed the entire class! Why did you bring so much food today?" Rainbow Dash's face turned red with embarrassment. She tried to speak but she couldn't say the words out loud where the other fillies could hear her. Rainbow Dash got out of her seat and grabbed the teacher by her hoof. She dragged her over to another corner of the room. "Rainbow Dash what are you doing? Is there a problem?" the teacher asked. Rainbow looked up at her and waved her hoof as if motioning for the teacher to bend down so she could tell her a secret. The teacher bent down low and Rainbow began to whisper in her ear. "I like Soarin' and I brought all this food to share with him today, but he won't sit with me and you won't let me sit next to him at his table. I don't know what else I can do." The teacher put her hoof to her mouth and her cheeks turned slightly red at what the little filly just admitted. She leaned closer to Rainbow and said, "I think I can help you out. Let's go back to the tables." The teacher instructed Rainbow Dash to take her seat. She went over to the closet and pulled out another chair and placed it across from where Rainbow Dash was sitting. She walked over to Soarin' and whispered in his ear. "Soarin' I think Rainbow Dash wants to be your friend. She brought some food to share with you today. Why don't you sit with her and talk?" The idea of eating more food sounded very appealing to Soarin'. He got up out of his seat and the teacher guided him over to where Rainbow was sitting. He took his seat that was across the table from her. Rainbow Dash lit up with a huge smile and began to shove the food across the table to him. Soarin' instantly bent down and began to devour all of the food. She sat there in contentment as he continued to practically inhale the food that she had brought him. The teacher stood there quite surprised. "Aren't you going to have any of your lunch, Rainbow?" Rainbow looked back up at her and said, "No. I want him to be happy." Soarin' drove his entire face into the apple pie and began to chew loudly. The teacher had a look of shock on her face. She was almost certain that Soarin' would end up at the nurses office with a bad tummy ache, or even worse, that he might vomit all that he just ate. Rainbow Dash pointed her hoof accusingly at him and said, "My Daddy says that the only way to a stallion's heart is through his stomach." Soarin' stared at her with the most dumb founded look on his face. His mind was not ready to process such phrases of that nature. Suddenly, one of the other colts yelled out to Soarin'. "Hey Soarin' I'm not going to eat all these celery stalks. I'm going to throw them out if you don't want them. Soarin's ears perked up at the thought of eating more food. He quickly got up out of his seat. "Soarin', Soarin', Soarin, wait. Where are you going?" Rainbow Dash asked, but the colt was too excited and distracted by the free food offer. He left Rainbow Dash sitting at her table and now she had no food to eat for herself. The teacher began to panic. "Uh, Soarin' why don't you sit with Rainbow Dash for now. I think you had enough to eat." Soarin' heard her but his mind could not comprehend what she saying. He could not understand why anypony else would not want to eat free food. He sat down at the other table and began to chew loudly on one of his class mates celery stalks. Rainbow Dash sat there with her jaw hanging open. She couldn't believe it. This colt had to have some kind of attention disorder or focus problems. The bell rang and it was now time to play. Soarin' instantly rushed over to the closet and took out that red rubber ball that he oh so loved to bat against the wall. Rainbow Dash had set up the game she wanted to play with him, but he had no desire to try it. He simply sat in the corner alone and was rolling the ball around with his hoof and then batting it against the wall. Rainbow Dash became so angry that she flipped the board game with her front hooves and the pieces flew everywhere. She ran over to Soarin' and grabbed the ball away from him. She then ran over to the teacher and dropped the ball at her hooves. "Teacher! Please put this ball away and lock the closest door, because I want to play with Soarin' and this stupid ball is distracting him!" The teacher picked up the ball and looked over at Soarin'. He was now crying because he loved that ball so very much. "Rainbow Dash, that's not how to get other ponies to play with you. Come with me." Rainbow Dash followed the teacher. The teacher hushed Soarin' and gave him back the ball. He grabbed onto it with his front legs and squeezed it so tightly against his little chest. He was so happy to have it back. She guided Rainbow Dash and had her sit down in front of the colt. "Now Soarin', please drop the ball for a second." Surprisingly, he obeyed her and dropped the ball. The teacher gently pushed the ball over to Rainbow Dash. "See, this is how you play with each other. Isn't this fun? Now Rainbow Dash, push the ball back to Soarin'. It's your turn." Rainbow Dash did so and the colt clapped his front hooves with delight as the ball came rolling back towards him. The teacher watched them push the ball back and forth several times. She lit up with a smile over the fact that she had fulfilled Rainbow's wish and also kept Soarin' happy at the same time. "This will be our special game from now on Soarin'. Just me and you," Rainbow Dash said. Soarin' didn't say anything. He just simply smiled as the ball kept rolling back to him. When school ended, all of the young ponies ran out of the main doors and found their parents. Rainbow Dash raced over to her Father and wrapped her front legs around his front leg. "Daddy! I did it! I did it!" "What did you do, darling?" he asked. "I won Soarin's heart! I won Soarin's heart!" Rainbow Dash began to bounce up and down in excitement. Her Father stuck his hoof in her mane and began to rough it up. "That's my girl! Where is he? We should set up a special play date with him and his Mommy." Rainbow Dash suddenly turned around, but Soarin' was already gone. His Mother must have picked him up early. "I think he's gone Daddy, but don't worry. I won his heart and he's mine to keep now." Rainbow's Father grinned. He turned his back to her and squatted down low. "Come on kid, hop onto my back and we can tell Mommy all about your new somepony special. I think it will cheer her up since she almost had a fit when she noticed how much apple pie I let you take to school." Rainbow Dash grabbed a hold of her Father and off they went. > Soarin's New Filly Friend > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was Friday and Rainbow Dash's back leg kept shaking. She was full of anxiety because she couldn't wait to play ball with Soarin'. The bell had rung and Rainbow Dash raced over to the closet and took out the red ball. She came bounding over to Soarin'. He laughed with excitement and they both sat down and began to push the ball back and forth to each other. Rainbow Dash couldn't stop smiling. She had the little colt hooked on this game and it made her day that much brighter to see Soarin' smile and laugh. Rainbow Dash suddenly jolted up with a look of seriousness on her face. She waved her hoof frantically in the air. "Yes Rainbow Dash, what is it dear?" the teacher asked. "I have to go potty," Rainbow said. The teacher took the bathroom pass out of her drawer and handed it to Rainbow. "Don't forget to wash your hooves!" the teacher reminded the little filly. Rainbow Dash took the pass and went inside the bathroom. When she came out she was horrified at what she saw. She dropped the bathroom pass and it made a loud noise against the tiled floor. Soarin' was sitting with another filly and was rolling the ball back and forth with her. They were both giggling and smiling at each other. Rainbow Dash ran over to the two and put her two front hooves to her head in distress. "Soarin'! I thought I told you that this was our special game!" She then looked at the filly and said, "You stole my somepony special! Give him back! This is our special game!" Soarin' nor the other filly didn't respond to Rainbow Dash. They just kept rolling the ball back and forth to each other and continued to giggle. Rainbow Dash ran to the teacher and burrowed her face into her front leg. "I can't look anymore teacher. Make it stop! Make it stop!" The teacher patted her on the back and said, "I'm so sorry Rainbow, but sometimes other ponies just aren't interested in being friends or they may want to take turns playing with another pony. I think Soarin' might get a little bit too distracted sometimes. Maybe it's time you let him go and make a new friend." Rainbow looked up at the teacher and said, "No! My Daddy says I must win his heart and that the only way to a stallion's heart is through his stomach." Of course, Rainbow didn't know the meaning of those phrases, but she kept saying them. The teacher laughed and said, "Ok, Rainbow. I won't tell you to give up on your dreams. Maybe one day he will understand." When school ended, Rainbow Dash walked over to her Father with gloom in her heart. "Where's your special friend Rainbow?" her Father asked. "I-I-I," Rainbow stuttered. "I need to win his heart back. He was playing with another filly at recess today. He doesn't like me anymore." Rainbow's Father laughed. "Aw, come on kid! Just because he played with another filly doesn't mean he doesn't like you! Let's find him and set up a play date with his Mother." Rainbow turned around and her stomach did flip flops. She felt like she was going to throw up at what she saw. There, walking out of the door was Soarin' holding hooves with that filly he was playing ball with earlier. Soarin's Mother came over and she met with the Father of the little filly who was holding Soarin's hoof. "Awwwwww! Don't they look so adorable together!?" Soarin's Mother said. "They sure do! It looks like you found yourself a new playmate sweetie." The Father of the little filly said. "Would you like to come over for dinner? We can have a play date today!" Soarin's Mother said. "That sounds wonderful! Thank you for inviting her over! I can let her stay for a few hours. I am not too busy today," the Father of the little filly said. The two little ponies hopped on their parents backs and off they flew to Soarin's house. Rainbow held onto her chest as if she were about to experience a heart attack. Rainbow's Father sighed. "Come on Rainbow. Let's get home. I think you had enough trauma for today. I'll take you out for a special treat tonight. I am so sorry sweetheart." Rainbow muttered the words out loud as she watched Soarin' disappear into the distance, "He will be mine one day. One day he will be mine." > Taking Loyalty to a Whole New Level > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Four ponies were sitting around the dinner table. They had all finished eating. "And then after I had set up the game I wanted to play with your Father, he got distracted and chased a ball and began to play with that instead!" Rainbow's and Soarin's daughter and son rolled their eyes. "Do we have to hear this story again?" they both whined. "Well, I'll let you go this time. It's just that it's our anniversary, and I love to tell our story so much! You all can go out now. Just don't stay out too late." Rainbow's kids got out of their seats and hurried out the door to play. Rainbow looked back at her husband and said, "I can't believe how short your attention span was when we were growing up. I had to work so hard to win your heart! You know I don't represent the element of loyalty for nothing. I'll always be loyal to the one I love the most no matter what!" Soarin' laughed out loud and said, "Oh Dash, I really wasn't all that with it back then, when I was so young, but you did win my heart and I'm all yours now sweetie. You sure took loyalty to a whole new level when we first met and I know that you'll always be loyal to me, just as I will be loyal to you! Thank you for not giving up on me. You are an incredible wife and I'm so glad that you never gave up hope for me. I know we spent some time away from each other after school because I became a Wonderbolt, but you found me again and how in Equestria could I ever say no to a pony who is so awesome, loyal, and cool as you. Our kids are going to grow up being the coolest kids in town because of you. They'll be about twenty percent cooler thanks to you. You're a wonderful Mommy too." Rainbow Dash leaned over and wrapped her front legs around his body. "I can't believe I ended up with you. I love you so much, Soarin'." "And I love you too, sweetie," Soarin' said. Soarin' held onto his wife and kissed her passionately. They then broke free from the kiss and they both stared lovingly into each other's eyes. Rainbow began to giggle a bit and said, "Now that the kids are out playing with their friends, now might be a good opportunity to hit the bed room. I'll let you have some more apple pie afterwards too." Soarin' did not hesitate on that opportunity. The end.