Rainbow Dash plopped on top of a cloud with a content sigh, taking the chance to stretch out her wings. The last few weeks had been intense as Ponyville’s flying team prepared for the upcoming Equestria Games in the Crystal Empire.
Rainbow Dash had enthusiastically volunteered to be the captain and had carefully devised training plans for each member of the Ponyville team. Initially, she had been worried about Fluttershy; however, the shy pony’s confidence had only increased in leaps and bounds ever since the hurricane incident. Rainbow Dash was certain that Fluttershy would hold her own in the upcoming competition.
It had been extremely difficult for Rainbow Dash to find two other pegusai from Ponyville who were willing to participate in the Equestria Games. While other pegusai saw flying as something that could help them in their everyday lives or as something they could do recreationally, it was different for Rainbow Dash. For her, flying was a part of who she was. In the sky, with the wind streaming through her mane, that was where she felt like she belonged. Which was why she had to make sure they did well in the Equestria Games – it was to prove to everypony that she had a unique connection with flying that no other pony had.
Closing her eyes, Rainbow Dash lazily rolled onto her back, basking in the warm sunlight. A slight frown appeared on her face as she considered the other potential hiccup within the team – Thunderlane.
Thunderlane had been acting weird over the past few days. He was usually a competent flyer, yet he seemed to be having trouble with basic manoeuvres whenever Rainbow Dash was around. Often, Thunderlane just seem flustered and distracted. Rainbow Dash had tried her best to help him out yet the one-on-one lessons didn’t seem to help either.
Rainbow Dash’s thoughts were interrupted by her stomach’s growl. She hadn’t had anything to eat all morning. Looking up at the sky, she realised that it was almost noon.
“Oh yeah,” she said, “I was supposed to be having lunch with Twilight and the others! Whoops, I hope that I’m not late.”
And with that, she flew towards Ponyville in a rainbow-coloured blur.
“Ahhh… that hit the spot.” Rainbow Dash said as she leaned back on her chair with her plate empty.
“Rainbow Dash,” Rarity gave her a disapproving look, “I must say that that was quite a messy way to eat… even by your standards.”
Rainbow Dash did her best to look contrite. “Well… I was hungry…!”She protested.
“And it’s no fun just to eat food normally!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “I actually think it’s quite unfair to always eat food without letting food having a chance to eat us first. That’s why I always do this!”
Pinkie Pie then proceeded to smash the rest of her cupcake into her own face before licking all of it off.
“Hmm… Yummyyy…”
“Err… anyway, where’s Twilight and everypony else?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I thought they were supposed to be meeting us today.”
Rarity levitated her cup carefully back onto the table. “Twilight should be here already, but she’s in the middle of some important research for the princess – you know how she gets when Princess Celestia asks her to do something. Applejack and Fluttershy won’t be joining us as they are simply too busy; Applejack has the apple bucking season to take care of while Fluttershy has to take care of her animals. It seems that a lot of them have caught that nasty flu that has been around.”
Rainbow Dash plonked her head on the table with a groan. “I hope Twilight gets here soon, I really need her help on something.” She said.
“What’s the matter? Is there something wrong?” Rarity asked in a concerned voice. “Is it something that Pinkie Pie and I can help you with?”
Pinkie Pie looked up from her pile of half devoured cupcakes at the mention of her name. “Oh! Oh! What do you need help with Rainbow Dash? I’m the best at giving super-duper good advice!”
“Well, it’s about Thunderlane.” Rainbow Dash propped her head up with her hoof. “It’s just that he’s been acting really weird for the past few days and I’m just worried that he won’t do well in the Equestria Games that are coming up. I think it might be nerves or something, so I was going to ask Twilight if she knew any exercises from all her books that could help with that.”
Rarity gave Rainbow Dash a weird look. “Rainbow Dash, my dear, isn’t it obvious why Thunderlane has been acting like this…?”
“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash was confused. “Well, I guess some ponies can get nervous more easily than others, but even Fluttershy is doing really well now!”
“Oh… you actually have no idea.” Rarity looked away nervously. “Well, it’s nothing really big or anything like that. So you don’t need to worry about it…much.”
Rarity laughed nervously and began to furiously sip on her cup of tea. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes suspiciously; something was up. She took a breath and was just about to start interrogating Rarity when Pinkie Pie interrupted like a machine gun.
“OHHHH! Rarity, are you talking about how Thunderlane has this, like, massive crush on Rainbow Dash and has been asking basically everypony in Ponyville how he should ask Rainbow Dash out? And like, the only reason that he volunteered to join the flying team in the first place was to get closer to Rainbow Dash and to spend more time with her? And he has this plan to-” Pinkie Pie drew in a deep breath and Rainbow Dash took the chance to interrupt.
“WHAT?! Thunderlane has a crush on me?!” Rainbow Dash shot up into the air in horror.
“Yes, silly~! That’s what I was just telling you!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “He even has this whole thing orchestrated where he’s going to ask you out – he’s even planned your first date! He’s already asked so many ponies for their advice and all of them agree that you two would be the perfect couple! He even - hey look, there he is now!”
Rainbow Dash whirled her head around. And sure enough, Thunderlane was slowly moving towards them with a group of ponies around him. Flitter, Cloudchaser and Blossomforth were by his side; even Rumble, his little brother, was excitedly walking in front of him. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes at how stupid this entire situation was.
“Wait till I give him a piece of my mind.” Rainbow Dash muttered. “I can’t believe that Thunderlane actually thinks that I feel something for him…”
Rainbow Dash was just about to fly over and bluntly reject Thunderlane when he felt something pulling her down by her tail. Looking down, she realised that Rarity was using her magic to pull her down back into her seat.
“What?”
Rarity lowered her voice. “I think you need to treat this situation carefully, Rainbow Dash. If you’re planning on rejecting Thunderlane, I suggest that you have a good reason that he, and everypony else, would accept.”
“Why?” Rainbow Dash hissed. Thunderlane had reached the café and was slowly making his way to their table.
“Because if you give him a reason that isn’t good enough, he might leave the flying team out of spite! You don’t have a sub for the team do you?” Rarity said in a hushed tone. “And with so many ponies supporting Thunderlane, you can potentially offend half the town!”
Rainbow Dash paused. “But what’s a good way of rejecting someone that won’t offend them?”
Rarity opened her mouth to reply when a shadow loomed over their table and she looked up instead, a smile frozen over face.
“Why hello there, Thunderlane.” She said.
“Hi Rarity,” Thunderlane moved between Rarity and Rainbow Dash, “I was wondering if I could borrow Rainbow Dash for a second?”
Rarity gave a quick nervous nod and Thunderlane turned to Rainbow Dash.
“Rainbow Dash, I’ve always admired you for your dedication to flying. It just makes my day when I see you smile, and the training sessions that I’ve had with you has made me realised that I see you as more than as a friend…”
It sounded like Thunderlane was reciting lines from some type of script and it was all Rainbow Dash could do not to yawn out loud. Thunderlane went on and on and Rainbow Dash wondered if she was allowed to ask for a break when Thunderlane finally seemed to reach the climax of his speech.
“And so… Rainbow Dash, I really think that there is something special between the both of us.” Taking a rose from his little brother, Thunderlane placed it in front of Rainbow Dash and then asked the dreaded question. “Would you be my special somepony?”
Rainbow Dash could hear sighs of appreciation coming from all the other ponies that were in the café. She fidgeted in her seat nervously as she felt many ponies stare at her as they waited for her reply.
“That was so romantic!” she heard Flitter whisper to Cloudchaser. “I wish somepony would ask me out like that!”
Everypony was looking at Rainbow expectantly; she felt beads of sweat forming on her face.
“Look, Thunderlane. I err… think it’s really cool what you tried to do here, but I don’t think-”
Rainbow Dash couldn’t even finish her sentence before Rumble was on the table in her face.
“Are you saying that my big brother isn’t good enough!?” He cried.
Rainbow Dash immediately realised that Rarity was right; everypony was looking at Rainbow Dash like she was the bad guy here. She had to tread lightly.
“It’s not him, it’s me!” Rainbow Dash defended herself. “Like Thunderlane is perfect just the way he is, but I just can’t go out with him!”
Thunderlane turned away slowly. “That just sounds like an awful lot of bull to me.” He said quietly. He began to walk away from the table.
Rainbow Dash looked around at all the accusing stares directed at her. She looked helplessly at Rarity who shrugged her shoulders in defeat. As Thunderlane left the café, Rainbow Dash could hear other ponies start to talks about her.
“I can’t believe that she would turn him down like that.”
“That was just plain rude.”
“How did somepony like her end up being the captain of the flying team for Ponyville?” Rainbow Dash turned in shock as she realised that it was Mayor Mare that had said the last sentence.
“Mayor Mare, you must understand, I had no idea that Thunderlane felt that way about me!” Rainbow Dash protested. She looked around helplessly as she saw that most of the ponies in the café were agreeing with the Mayor’s sentiment.
“I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash, but even in the event that you actually have no feelings for Thunderlane, I cannot believe the unprofessional manner in which you settled this matter. Unless you resolve this matter with Thunderlane properly, I will have no choice but to take you off the flying team. Ponyville cannot afford to have such a pony representing them in the Equestria Games."
In hearing that she might be removed from the flying team, Rainbow Dash instinctively flew towards Thunderlane who had just left the cafe.
“Wait!” she called out.
She landed in front of Thunderlane who looked up at her with downcast eyes. Blossomforth glared at Rainbow Dash.
“Thunderlane, I actually completely meant what I was saying before. If things were different, I wouldn’t hesitate to be your special somepony.” Rainbow Dash said quietly.
“So why did you say no?” Blossomforth asked rudely.
“Well… Err… You see, the thing is…” Rainbow Dash looked back at the café, where the mayor and everyone else were looking at her intently.
She took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure if this was the best idea, but this was the only thing that she could come up with at the moment. I really hope that Twilight would forgive me for the lie that I’m about to tell.
“I already have a special somepony. That special somepony is Twilight Sparkle.”