Charity and Devotionby FrostyDawnChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 1The streets of Ponyville were shrouded with the inky cover of night, and Sugarcube Corner was shaking violently, and an eerie green light poured out the windows. The voices of several young girls rang inside, and the trembling building was barely enough to drown them out. “Pinkie! Stop! It’s not worth it!” “Of course it is! I need it!” “Give it up, Pinks!” “NO! It’s mine!” “It’s gonna blow!” “Someone stop her! In less than in instant, the shaking and light stopped. “Uh oh...” The walls of Sugarcube Corner caved in, condensing into a single point. The gingerbread walls and everything inside were crushed into a sphere the size of a golf ball. The very light around this sphere was pulled into it as well, forming a dark, circular void. Pieces of loose debris and specks of dirt were lifted into the air, being sucked in as well, and the other houses of Ponyville bent toward the dark object. And soon, the sphere shrank into nothing. The debris fell to the ground, and the night was still again. A few citizens wandered out of their homes, gasping in awe at the empty spot of town where Sugarcube Corner once was. <><><><><><><><> Rarity never liked the ocean. Or laying on anything that wasn’t a cushion. Or seagulls. So, why was it she awoke to all three of those things? Rarity’s eyes slowly peeled open, looking at a cloudless sky overhead, with a white gull lazily drifting above, cawing loudly. She sat up, and got a better look at her surroundings. She sat in a small dinghy, floating endlessly on clear blue water, spanning out for as far as Rarity could see. But the biggest surprise was the person sitting across from her. “Oh, my head’s killing me.” The passenger grumbled. Her hair was short, but striped with several colors. “Rainbow Dash?!” Rarity said, both relieved and confused to see her. “Rarity? What happened? How did we get here?” She asked, looking down at the small raft they sat on. “Is this... gingerbread?” Rainbow Dash asked. Rarity curiously inspected the raft, and it smelled of cinnamon and vanilla. It felt like wood, but the grainy sprinkles that dotted the boat was a definite give away. It was concave, which made it look more like they were floating in a cereal bowl than a boat. “By Celestia, it is!” Rarity squeaked. “B-B-But how?! Why?!” “Beats me.” Rainbow replied. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this looks like it came off of-” She said, before her eyes widened along with Rarity’s. “Sugarcube Corner.” The two said in near-perfect unison. “It was Pinkie Pie! Her accursed antics must’ve done something to strand us here! What did she even do?!” Rarity cried, rubbing her forehead. “Probably something egghead-y.” Rainbow Dash said, crossing her arms. “Some kinda ‘dimension-quantum-whatzits’.” Rarity turned her head. “I’m surprised you were able to string those words together. I thought you didn’t like ‘egghead’ jargon.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I dunno. I guess hanging around Twi will do that.” Rarity sighed. “Well, whatever happened, we’re both stranded. In the ocean. With no way home.” Rarity said, hanging her head over the side of the dinghy, gazing at her reflection in the water. “Uh, hello? You got me, remember?” Rainbow Dash gloated, pointing toward her over-confident smirk. She then soared up into the clear blue sky. She looked around, before soaring higher. Rainbow Dash saw nothing but water in every direction. It was only until she did a quick fly-by of the ever expanding ocean did she realize there was no land. No matter how far she flew, she was greeted with nothing but water. If she flew any further, Rainbow Dash would lose track of Rarity and the boat. But she had the feeling that she wouldn’t find land anytime soon. She glided back to the raft, with her heart a little heavy. “Well?” Rarity asked. “Anything?” “Nothing.” Rainbow replied, sighing. “We’re gonna be stuck here for a loooong time.” “We?” Rarity said, raising an eyebrow. “Couldn't you just fly until you see something?” “I didn’t see anything. No islands, no other boats, nothing. Besides...” Rainbow paused. “I couldn’t leave you here... by yourself.” Rarity felt a warm smile form on her face. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash. I’m glad you’re here with me.” She sighed. There was a low rumble from Rainbow Dash’s stomach. “Ugh, I’m hungry... if we’re stuck out here, what are we gonna eat?” “Well... we are floating on a piece of gingerbread... but we really shouldn’t. I mean, it is our-” *CHOMP* Rarity’s eyes opened with shock as Rainbow Dash took a big bite out of the edge of the gingerbread dinghy. “You.... you just ate a piece of our boat.” Rarity said. “What? I said I was hungry.” Rainbow said, wiping the specks of sugar off her cheeks. “Rainbow, this is our boat! The only thing keeping us alive and dry! We can’t eat it, unless you know how to swim indefinitely.” Rarity scolded. “Chill out, Rare.” Rainbow Dash said, and oddly, Rarity felt herself relax. She truly couldn’t stay mad at Rainbow Dash. “I’m sorry. But please... try to restrain yourself. We don’t exactly have unlimited resources.” “Gotcha. But we have plenty of water.” Rainbow Dash said, looking over the ocean. “Surely you jest. You know saltwater isn’t the same as our drinking water.” Rarity said flatly. “Really? Could’a sworn...” “Just take my word for it.” Rarity said. “It’s going to be a long... stay.” Rarity said, unsure of how long they would be on the ocean. “Hey.” Rainbow Dash said. “Don’t worry. I’m not gonna let anything happen to my friend.” Rarity smiled once more. “Nor will I.” The sun kept inching across the sky, hour by hour. The two of them sat in silence for a while, the only sound being the water lapping against the hull of the dinghy as they stared out over the open water. It wasn’t long before Rarity’s mind began to drift. “If Rainbow Dash and I are stuck here, what happened to the others? Oh, poor Fluttershy. She could be trapped somewhere horrible. I suppose Applejack could muscle through it, like she always does, and Twilight would be smart enough to survive for a respectable amount of time. Pinkie Pie, however... I don’t know what she would do. Probably celebrate for some inane reason, like always.” Rarity turned her head back to Rainbow Dash. The winged girl reclined her athletic build on the boat’s floor with her hands resting behind her head, and her eyes gazing up to the near-cloudless sky above. The sun was close to setting, making the sky glow a dim orange, and the night sky rolling in from the other side of the horizon. Rarity saw her short, prismatic hair that softly rested on her shoulders. The sunlight bounded off Rainbow Dash’s magenta iris’s, making them faintly glimmer. And her smile... Rainbow Dash’s lips were positioned so perfectly, reflecting her cocky attitude and confidence. Rarity snapped out of her trance as she heard Rainbow speak to her. “Uh, Rarity? You alright?” The fashionista blinked her eyes. “Huh? Oh! I-I didn’t-” She stammered as Rainbow glanced at her “You look kinda cold. You’re shivering.” Rainbow Dash interrupted. Rarity looked down at herself. And her hands were shaking slightly. As Rainbow mentioned being cold, Rarity did begin feeling a chill wash over her as the sun set. Not not mention Rarity wore a thin white blouse, which did little to keep the heat in. “Uh, yes... I suppose it gets frigid rather quick here. Aren’t you cold?” She asked. “Nah. My feathers are insulated. Keeps me warm when I’m flying way high up.” Rainbow Dash said, unfurling one of her wings. “C’mere.” She said. “What’s this about?” Rarity asked, but didn’t complain. She scooted a little closer to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash took her unfurled wing and draped it around Rarity’s shoulder, the feathers working like a makeshift blanket. “Keepin’ you warm, that’s what. I told you I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.” “Rainbow... that’s very sweet of you.” Rarity said. “You’re my friend. I’m sure you’d do the same for me.” Rainbow said, without a hint of doubt in her voice. She leaned her head on the raft’s side and closed her eyes. Rarity’s heart fluttered around in her chest, and slowly closed her own eyes, awaiting pleasant dreams and blissful sleep. Chapter 2The calming waves of the ocean slowly lulled Rainbow Dash from her sleep. She rubbed her eyes, and seeing the sun slowly creep over the horizon. “Morning, Dash.” A soft voice said to her. Rainbow looked down, to see Rarity still curled next to her. Rainbow Dash was a little surprised, because Rarity never called her ‘Dash’ before. “Hey...How long have you been awake?” Rainbow asked groggily. “Not too long. I just wanted to say thank you. For keeping me warm.” Rarity responded. “Uh... no problem.” Rainbow said, her cheeks reddening. She unfurled her wings and letting Rarity sit up, before her stomach rumbled. “Hungry?” Rainbow asked. “Well... I suppose so. But I couldn’t. Not after considering what you did yesterday.” Rarity said, looking at the huge bite mark in the side of the boat. “I said I was sorry. Besides, this thing’s still holding up fine. I bet another bite won’t hurt. A lady has to eat, doesn't she?” Rainbow cajoled, smirking. Rarity sighed. “Fine. You got me. But we really shouldn’t.” She said. Rarity grasped the side of the dinghy, and slowly cracked off a small piece. She slowly chewed it, savoring the gingerbread. She would have to make this last for quite a while. “See? We’re still floating.” Rainbow Dash said. “I told you it was gonna be fine.” Rainbow said in a ‘I-told-you-so’ manner. “Rainbow... you know we can’t eat the whole thing. Personally, I’d rather starve than drown.” Rarity asked sternly. Rainbow’s eyes sprang open with surprise. “Oh... well, I just didn’t...” “Didn’t what?” Rarity said, lowering her gingerbread and arching her eyebrow in curiosity. “Well... I didn’t think we were going to die out here.” Rainbow Dash said, sitting up straight. Rarity was rather shocked to hear Rainbow Dash’s reaction. “Are you serious?” She asked sincerely. Rainbow simply nodded. “I don’t want to sound pessimistic. But we don’t have a lot of options here. The best case scenario is that Twilight finds a way to bring us back to Ponyville, and everything’s better than it was before.” Rarity said, seeing the look of disappointment, regret and despair in Rainbow Dash’s eyes. “So? Twi will pull through. She always does, right?” Rainbow asked. “She hasn’t let us down before. But we don’t know what happened to her... I doubt she even knows what happened to us.” Rarity continued. There was a long pause, and both of them went silent. For the very first time, Rainbow Dash accepted her mortality. “I never thought I would die like this.” Rarity slowly picked her head up. “What about dying with a good friend?” Rainbow managed to look up at Rarity, her eyes watering. “Thanks, Rarity. You really are a true friend.” “As with you.” Rarity said. Rainbow Dash turned her head to the ocean, and rubbed the back of her neck. “Y’know, Rarity, there’s something I want to say to you.” “Really? And what would that be?” Rarity asked, listening intently. “You remember that day at the Best Young Fliers competition? The day I pulled off a Sonic Rainboom?” Rainbow asked. “Of course I do. I nearly fell to my death due to my arrogance and you saved my life!” Rarity said. “I don’t think I could ever repay you for such a feat!” “Well, that’s the thing.” Rainbow continued. “It was one of my greatest achievements, and the only other time I did a Sonic Rainboom was when I earned my cutie mark. Well, yours too. And the others.” She mused, scratching her chin. “But anyway, my only motivation to do it again was to save you. I realized how important you were to me, and how much I cared about you.” Rainbow explained. Rarity’s eyes slowly widened as Rainbow Dash explained. “What are you getting at?” She asked, half knowing the answer already. “I’m saying... that since we have nothing but time together, I might as well come clean.” Rainbow Dash said, looking Rarity straight in the eye. “I love you, Rarity. You always make yourself look beautiful and put your friend’s needs before your own. All I see when I look in your eyes is beauty and truth. If I hadn’t been there to save you... I couldn’t afford to live with that guilt.” Rarity sat in surprise, her cheeks reddening. She never figured that Rainbow Dash thought about her for so long. The Young Fliers competition was over a year ago. Did Rainbow Dash really love her for so long and never said anything about it? “Rainbow... I don’t know what to say...” She stammered. “It’s ok. I get it.” Rainbow Dash said, hanging her head. “You’d prefer a Prince Charming over a girl like me.” She sighed with disappointment. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” She grumbled, hitting herself in the head. Rarity paused for a moment, and let her thoughts mull over. “Rainbow Dash, I’m proud to call you my friend. You risked your life to save mine, and achieve what was nearly impossible doing so. I can’t possibly thank you enough. You had a lot of courage to tell me something like that. And we’re both here, together. If the last moments we spent together weren’t happy ones, it would be my fault.” Rainbow Dash picked her head up, and her eyes were beginning to leak tears. “And if I’m stuck here, with a girl as caring and loyal as you, I won’t need a Prince Charming.” Rarity continued. As she finished, she felt Rainbow fling herself at Rarity and wrap her arms around her, hugging her tightly. Rarity hugged back, and heard Rainbow Dash choke out a few sobs. “Thank you...” She whispered. A tear slipped out of Rarity’s eye as she herself struggled to speak clearly. “No, thank you. You’re the best girl anyone could ever ask for.” Rarity responded, knowing her friend was more joyous than she ever felt before. “I just want to make you happy.” Rainbow pulled away, wiping her eyes. “Rarity, you have no idea how much this means to me.” She said, her voice a little more confident. “Rainbow Dash, you’re my friend. I’m sure you’d do the same for me.” Rarity replied, smiling widely at Rainbow Dash. She too felt a great sense of joy come over her. She couldn’t tell what was more rewarding. The fact that her best friend became a lover, or that she made both of them happier than she ever anticipated. Chapter 3After Rainbow Dash told Rarity about the love she had for her, She felt like a big smile was just plastered on her face. In fact, for most of the time, it was. Two days had passed, and Rainbow Dash could not get her mind of Rarity. “This is great! I can’t believe Rarity likes me back! Kinda weird... Rarity’s been waiting for the perfect guy for as long as I can remember. And in a few short minutes, she seems completely fine being in love with another girl. Ah, well. I shouldn't complain.” Rainbow Dash thought. She turned to Rarity, who was staring off into the horizon. She turned, and warmly smiled at Rainbow Dash. “I can’t believe that worked. I’m so glad we’re alone here. Otherwise, I never would've told her.” Rainbow’s eyes widened as her own words registered in her mind. “Geez... would I really do that? Would I just keep watching her like a lovesick schoolgirl if it weren't for this crummy boat? Am I so out of touch?” Dash thought. She let her thoughts linger in her head, and began tapping her fingers against the hull of the gingerbread dinghy. It was a mindless tune, a set of staccato and steady beats that mimicked the first song that came to mind. The more it progressed, the more pieces to the song Rainbow added. In her mind, she imagined a vibrant, electronic song, but it wasn't long until she was cut off. “Will you stop with that incessant tapping? It’s driving me mad!” Rarity said sternly. “Saw-REE.” Rainbow sneered back. “I gotta stay sane somehow. And how else am I gonna make music on this thing?” “You call that music? That is not music.” Rarity quipped. Her tone changed to a calmer demeanor, like she was daydreaming. “Music is the language everyone understands. The essence of one’s soul and emotions. The eternal reward that-” “You listen to Octavia too much.” Rainbow Dash said flatly, interrupting Rarity. “Well, you listen to too much Vinyl Scratch.” Rarity dryly replied, sitting up. “Hey, Vinyl’s a great DJ! At least she can keep a party going without putting everyone to sleep.” Dash countered, leaning closer to the purple-haired girl. “By blasting everyone’s eardrums with that techno gibberish? If there was a sound to madness, Vinyl Scratch would be an insanity aficionado.” “I don’t even know what that means!” Rainbow grunted, exasperated. “An expert, Dash. A pro.” Rarity responded, rolling her eyes. The girls’s faces were close enough for both of them to detect their tension through an innate sense. “Whatever. Classical’s for snobs. At least dubstep is fun. When was the last time you ever did anything fun?” Rainbow Dash found her answer as Rarity leaned in, closed her eyes and pressed her warm lips against Rainbow’s. Her cyan wings sprang open with a faint POOMF as her eyes widened and cheeks filled with blood. It felt like time stopped, until Rarity broke the kiss, exhaling with relief. “There. That was fun, wasn’t it, Dash?” Rarity sighed, with a sly smirk. Rainbow sat there in silence, her cheeks still red and wings still extended. “Damn...” she muttered. “Now you knows what it feels like to listen to classical.” Rarity said, feeling proud and smug. Dash shook her head and curled her wings behind her. “Does it taste like marshmallows, too?” She giggled. Rarity let out an unimpressed sigh. “Why does everyone keep calling me that?” She grunted. “It’s cause you’re a big softie, Rarity.” Rainbow said, lightly hitting Rarity in the arm. “Ow!” The fashionista whined, rubbing her forearm. “See? Softie. Besides, whenever Pinkie or I prank you, you always overreact.” “Overreact?! I understand flinging pies at me or pushing me into the lake, but you once put a Scarlet Hypnosnake in my bedroom! How could I possibly not be frightened by that?!” Rarity cried. “Hypnosnake? Oh, I remember that! Man, that hilarious!” Rainbow Dash snickered. “I could’ve gotten hurt! You put nearly all of Ponyville in danger!” Rarity hung her head over the side of the boat. “I’m getting sick just remembering...” Rainbow Dash looked back up, and noticed the ocean became a little choppier. “I think you just might be getting seasick, Rare.” “I’m not surprised. I hate the ocean.” Rarity grumbled. The sea had escalated to large waves that undulated the boat up and down. She sat back up, and her face was already looking a little flushed. “I hate it as much as Pinkie likes parties.” “Really? What’s the ocean ever do to you?” Rainbow asked. “I’m seasick, for one. The saltwater does not do kindly to my hair, and it always leaves the smell in my clothes. Not to mention the whirlpools, riptides, waterspouts, tsunamis, and don’t even get me started on what lives down there.” Rarity shuddered. “Seriously? You’re afraid of fish? You really are a softie.” Dash chuckled. “Do you think I’m a fool? I know what lurks down there.” Rarity retorted. “Twilight’s invited me over plenty of times, and while I was there, I did happen to read some of those books.” “Oh boy. Here we go...” Rainbow Dash said, rolling her eyes and laying back in her nonchalant position. “I’ve read descriptions of enormous leviathans that could swallow a train whole! Swarms of parasites that could strip a cow to bone in a matter of seconds! A-a-a-and colossal squids that could crush a person with one arm!” Rarity panicked, droning on and on about all sorts of sea monsters. “Blah, blah, blah.” Rainbow replied. “Why do you keep reading that stuff, anyway?” “I couldn’t help it... Books tend to drag you in with fear and intrigue...” Rarity said, calming herself down. “But surely you have to admit-” she said, staring down into the dark waters below. “There must be something down there.” “Do you really want to find out?” Rainbow asked. “Would you rather worry about something you read in a book, or relax with this gorgeous girl?” She continued, pointing her thumbs at herself. “Fine. I got a little carried away.” Rarity said. “But I still don’t have my sea legs...” she muttered, her eyes getting a sickly color as the rocking waves made their rounds once more. “Yeah. You don’t look so hot. Well-, I mean, you are hot, but I-...” Rainbow Dash stammered. “Ugh... I get it.” Rarity replied, rubbing her forehead. The air then shook with a low rumble, that also resonated in the water. “What the hell was that?!” Rainbow Dash asked. Rarity sat up, scanning the area. Neither of them saw anything, except fog rolling in. The sky was a dull gray from the stretching clouds. “Was that thunder?” Rarity asked. “No... thunder leaves a sort of metallic taste in the air. This is something else.” Rainbow Dash examined. Rarity didn’t detect any metallic taste in the air, but rather a briny musk that mixed with the saltwater. It wasn’t long before they heard a large amount of water churning, and a tremendous roar. Off in the distance, a green shape burst up from the ocean, and it was obvious what it was. A serpent. Despite the massive gap between them, Rarity and Rainbow Dash could see a dragon-like head rise from the depths of the sea, complete with scales, fins, and an enormous maw, possibly bearing hundreds of teeth. Large frills and spines ran down it’s back, and protruded as it rose from the water. The serpent kept rising into the sky, pulling more of its massive green body out from underneath it, until its head disappeared into the clouds. “SWEET MOTHER OF FAUST WHAT IS THAT!?!” Rainbow Dash cried as her eyes widened. Rarity began shaking, and managed to pull her thoughts together. “I told you what was down there! Do you see how massive it is?! Oh my, I feel ill...” She whimpered, her knees shaking. There was another roar high above the clouds, and the girls felt their hearts skip a beat. “Rarity?” Rainbow Dash asked as the clouds above them began to churn. “Yes?” “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.” Rainbow Dash said. The serpent began descending from the sky, its jaws wide open. The two girls braced for impact, as the leviathan dove into the water, missing their raft by mere inches. The shockwave sent a huge wave of water all around it, flinging Rarity and Rainbow Dash out into the icy water. As Rainbow tumbled down into the abyss, she held her breath. The shock of hitting the water so suddenly nearly knocked her out cold. She was just lucky the beast didn’t turn herself and Rarity into chum. She composed herself again and opened her eyes. In the dark blurs of the ocean, she could make out two shapes. The first was a twisting, greenish shape slinking back into the darkness, and Rarity drifting, hardly moving. Bubbles of air flowed all around them, making it easier to sink further down. Rainbow Dash began flailing to swim toward Rarity, and wrapped her arms around her friend’s waist. Dash’s lungs stung from the lack of oxygen, and her limbs were growing numb. She looked up toward the surface, and gave it her all reach the haven of the boat, still afloat. Rainbow’s mind began clouding as she swam upward at high speed. Chapter 4The ocean was silent. The gingerbread dinghy sat still in the water, the only landmark to see in a foggy, opaque atmosphere. Rainbow Dash broke the surface, dragging Rarity up with her. Coughing and sputtering, Rainbow spat out the water to take in precious oxygen. She hauled Rarity into the boat, and crawled in herself. She was still sopping wet and tried to clear her lungs. “Oh Celestia...” she moaned. “Good thing this boat’s still intact, right, Rarity?” She asked. Rarity coughed out as much water as she could, before choking out a response, albeit an incoherent one. "Ugh..." she groaned, laying on her side. "Now I can see what you mean. That thing was massive!" Rainbow Dash said in awe of the beast that nearly crushed them moments ago. She rung the water out of her shirt before leaning over Rarity. "You alright?" Rarity, however, was far worse than Rainbow Dash. Her eye twitched involuntarily as she shivered from fear. "Never again..." she muttered. "Guess you weren't kidding about being afraid of that kind of stuff." Rainbow Dash chuckled, helping Rarity sit up. "That would be an understatement." Rarity said, finally clearing her head, and fixing her hair to the best of her ability without a brush. "Understatement, shmunderstatement. You're just lucky I'm not afraid of anything, otherwise we'd both be freaking out." Dash boasted. "I find that hard to believe. Surely you fear something. Everyone does." Rarity replied, looking back the horizon to make sure no other beast would come barreling toward them. "Psssh. Yeah, right." Rainbow Dash said, taking another chunk of the gingerbread to eat. Rarity withheld her urge to lecture Rainbow again, but wouldn't let herself get distracted. She scratched her chin at a revelation. "I remember now. During the Young Flier's competition, I drew so much attention that you became nervous." Rarity reminded. Dash's smug grin faded, but she tried to keep her cool. "Uh... yeah?" "And since you got nervous, you became worried the Wonderbolts wouldn't be impressed. Now I get it-" Rarity said, putting the pieces together. "You're afraid of failure." That last word made Rainbow Dash flinch. "Uh... no! Of course not!" She stammered, tugging at her shirt collar. "Well, it makes perfect sense." Rarity explained. "With failure, your'e scared of others ridiculing you. You just want to feel accepted, because you don't want to be alone." Rainbow Dash wrung her hands, and a hint of defeat in her voice. "Alright, Rare. You got me. I can't handle rejection, so I give it a hundred and twenty percent to everything I do, so nobody thinks of me as a loser." She confessed. Rarity felt sorry for Rainbow Dash having to deal with such distress. But she felt another thought arise. "Rainbow, there's no one else here to make fun of you. The only thing that you'll get from me is adoration." Rainbow Dash looked up. "Rarity, you really do have a knack for making me feel better." She chuckled, planted a light peck on Rarity's cheek. "Oh my..." Rarity mused. She had kissed Rainbow before, but now she experienced the thrill and surprise for herself. Rainbow Dash ran her hand across her chin in thought. "Say Rare, what do you think would happen if we did get back? Hypothetically?" Rarity paused for a bit, her face changing shape to match the array of emotions and thoughts in her mind. "Well, if we were back in Ponyville, after everything that's happened, we'd continue our lives. I guess you and I would still be together, and..." Rarity trailed off as she realized something. If she Rainbow Dash were still in love, it wouldn't be long until their friends noticed. "-and our friends just accept the fact we're ahem, together." Rainbow Dash blinked at Rarity's reply, and soon thought up her own ending. "Well, I thought you and I would have, like, a secret fling. We'd be the 'Undercover Lovers'! Ha!" She chuckled. "Why in Equestria would you want to hide this from our friends?" Rarity questioned. "Duh. It's more fun that way. I mean, imagine the thrill of sneaking out at night together, or sending each other note right under their noses! Secrets are way more fun than you think." "Uh... as much as I do have my own secrets, it's not best to hide something like love from your friends. I mean, imagine if Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie have been hiding a secret romance of their own, deliberately hiding it from you. How would you feel?" Rarity asked. "Are you kidding? Uncovering secrets is just as fun! I can't imagine why Pinkie and Fluttershy would be lovers, but-" "If it's so fun to uncover secrets, then why wouldn't it be 'fun' hiding our love from the others?" Rarity countered. Dash's eyes widened at the loophole of her argument. "Huh. Good point." She muttered. A loud rumble came from Rarity's stomach, and it was quite clear Rarity was hungry. "Well? Aren't you gonna eat?" Rainbow asked again, offering her the half eaten piece of gingerbread. Rarity bit her lower lip, before shaking her head. The dinghy was starting to get thinner. "No. I can't. You eat what you can." It was then Rainbow Dash felt more concerned for her friend. Rarity's waist was starting to wear thin, and her eyes looked rather droopy. "You look like you haven't eaten in days. You gotta eat something." She said. Rarity's face contorted with hunger and temptation, but held back. "I... can't. I'm doing this for you. Eat. Let me be." Rarity argued, with the shining love that made her the Element of Generosity. Rainbow Dash's stomach rumbled as well, and simply chewed on the gingerbread without a second thought. The rest of the day passed as slow as ever, until the sun set once again. "Well, time to hit the hay, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked, stretching her arms and arcing her back. Rarity blinked her eyes at the bare floor of the raft. "Considering there's no hay to hit, that might prove difficult." "Ah, quit being so literal." Rainbow stated, unfurling her wings once more. Without question, Rarity scooted closer to stay warm for another night. Chapter 5Time is a funny thing, especially when lost at sea. With no clocks or calendars, every day seems to stretch on indefinitely. On the other hand, it's easy to loose track of time when days blur into weeks, and into months. Niether Rarity nor Rainbow Dash could keep track after the fifth or sixth day, solely because they simply lost the will to care. The sun had beamed overhead for a few days, making them sweaty and dehydrated. The only clouds in the sky were simply white streaks, and hardly kept the light from shining through. Rarity's body was much thinner, her muscles thin and tender with a lack of fat. Her hips and waistline shrunk, too. Rarity's hair lost its curl, and her eyes half drooped as she struggled to stay awake. Rainbow on the other hand, was faring a little better. She was not as thin as Rarity, since she had taken advantage of her edible raft, despite Rarity's intents not too. However, one day, in the blistering sun, Rarity felt the agonizing hunger grasp her to the full extent. "Rainbow Dash..." She said weakly. "The hunger... it's too much." "Then eat something... you have too." Rainbow replied. "I can't. I'll put us both at risk. It's just too late." Rarity muttered, her muscle slightly twitching. "No. You can't! I won't let you!" Rainbow Dash cried, leaning in toward Rarity, who lightly grasped her hand with her last ounce of strength. "Rainbow Dash..." Rarity whispered. "I love you... so much. So much it hurts." Rarity shut her eyes slowly as her hand loosened its hold. “No. No no no no no no NO!” Rainbow Dash cried, placing her hands on Rarity's shoulders to get a response, but Rarity stopped moving. Rainbow Dash slowly eased up on her, and the reality sank in. She lay her head on Rarity’s body, sobbing uncontrollably. “It should’ve been me. Why did I have to let her die?” She asked aloud. Rainbow Dash wiped the tears from her eyes, and sat back up. Deep down, Dash resisted the thought of herself dying in place of Rarity. If she died before Rarity, she would feel the same grief Dash currently felt. “But she’s dead.” Rainbow thought. “Now she won’t feel this sadness.” Rainbow lifted Rarity’s lifeless head, and brought her own lips to it. Rarity’s lips were cold and dry not the same warm, soft feeling she gave Rainbow earlier. The feeling of Rarity was just gone from them. No soul, no emotion. Rainbow Dash looked up at the sky, as a painful memory surfaced. <><><><><><><><> “Dad? What happened to Mom?” A young girl asked her father as the two drifted through the sky. The older man next to her had hair striped with multiple colors and cut short, just like the girl. He wore a blue jacket over a white shirt, and worn jeans. His face gathered a serious, solemn tone as his daughter asked that question. “Rainbow Dash, you’re eight years old. I’ve already told you your mother is gone. She’s left.” He said. His voice was deep, but inviting. “But where did she go? Where did she leave to?” The young Rainbow Dash asked again. Her father sat down on a large puff of clouds, and Rainbow sat beside him. He let out a heavy sigh, and looked up at the sky. “The short answer is, I don’t know for sure. But there are a lot of places she could be.” “Like what?” “Well, some would say she’s someone else. Reborn into a completely different person. She could still exist, into a new shape.” Rainbow Dash felt herself fill with disbelief. “Or, she might just disappear completely. Just vanishing from our world without a trace.” Her dad continued. Rainbow didn’t like that reply any more than the first one. “Or... she’s somewhere where she’s happy. A place on the other side of the sun, watching down on both of us.” Rainbow’s father said, this time with hope. Rainbow Dash felt her heart tingle at seeing her father’s face. “I want her to come back. I miss her.” She said, her voice wavering. “I do too, Rainbow, but she can’t come back. Wherever she is, she’s staying.” Her dad said. Rainbow looked down at the ground below, and up toward the sky. “Then I hope that place behind the sun is real. I want to go there, and see Mom again.” Rainbow’s father put her arms around his daughter as she did the same. “I want to see her too, Dashie. But we’ll have to wait. There are still things to do here.” <><><><><><><> Rainbow Dash blinked her watering eyes as the flashback echoed through her troubled mind. “That’s it. I can’t do anything here. Nothing’s gonna help me.” Dash thought, looking down at Rarity’s still body. “But there’s only one thing left to do.” Rainbow Dash took a deep sigh, and flung her wings out. She took to the sky, rising higher and higher, until the boat became a mere speck of brown against a vast blue backdrop. Rainbow Dash was high above the clouds, the sun still beaming over the nearly cloudless atmosphere. The air was starting to become thinner, and Rainbow’s heartbeat quickened. “Don’t worry, Rarity. I’m coming. I’ll see you on the other side of the sun.” She thought, as her speed slowed, and Rainbow’s wings folded in midair. Her ascension stopped suddenly, and she arced backward. Rainbow Dash plummeted head first downward, and she closed her eyes. The clear sky became a blue blur until she passed the clouds, becoming streaks of dull colors. It wasn’t long before Rainbow Dash smashed down into the water, next to the boat. The impact from such a high speed knocked the air out of her lungs, making room for the water. What followed was a cold silence.
Chapter 1The streets of Ponyville were shrouded with the inky cover of night, and Sugarcube Corner was shaking violently, and an eerie green light poured out the windows. The voices of several young girls rang inside, and the trembling building was barely enough to drown them out. “Pinkie! Stop! It’s not worth it!” “Of course it is! I need it!” “Give it up, Pinks!” “NO! It’s mine!” “It’s gonna blow!” “Someone stop her! In less than in instant, the shaking and light stopped. “Uh oh...” The walls of Sugarcube Corner caved in, condensing into a single point. The gingerbread walls and everything inside were crushed into a sphere the size of a golf ball. The very light around this sphere was pulled into it as well, forming a dark, circular void. Pieces of loose debris and specks of dirt were lifted into the air, being sucked in as well, and the other houses of Ponyville bent toward the dark object. And soon, the sphere shrank into nothing. The debris fell to the ground, and the night was still again. A few citizens wandered out of their homes, gasping in awe at the empty spot of town where Sugarcube Corner once was. <><><><><><><><> Rarity never liked the ocean. Or laying on anything that wasn’t a cushion. Or seagulls. So, why was it she awoke to all three of those things? Rarity’s eyes slowly peeled open, looking at a cloudless sky overhead, with a white gull lazily drifting above, cawing loudly. She sat up, and got a better look at her surroundings. She sat in a small dinghy, floating endlessly on clear blue water, spanning out for as far as Rarity could see. But the biggest surprise was the person sitting across from her. “Oh, my head’s killing me.” The passenger grumbled. Her hair was short, but striped with several colors. “Rainbow Dash?!” Rarity said, both relieved and confused to see her. “Rarity? What happened? How did we get here?” She asked, looking down at the small raft they sat on. “Is this... gingerbread?” Rainbow Dash asked. Rarity curiously inspected the raft, and it smelled of cinnamon and vanilla. It felt like wood, but the grainy sprinkles that dotted the boat was a definite give away. It was concave, which made it look more like they were floating in a cereal bowl than a boat. “By Celestia, it is!” Rarity squeaked. “B-B-But how?! Why?!” “Beats me.” Rainbow replied. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this looks like it came off of-” She said, before her eyes widened along with Rarity’s. “Sugarcube Corner.” The two said in near-perfect unison. “It was Pinkie Pie! Her accursed antics must’ve done something to strand us here! What did she even do?!” Rarity cried, rubbing her forehead. “Probably something egghead-y.” Rainbow Dash said, crossing her arms. “Some kinda ‘dimension-quantum-whatzits’.” Rarity turned her head. “I’m surprised you were able to string those words together. I thought you didn’t like ‘egghead’ jargon.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I dunno. I guess hanging around Twi will do that.” Rarity sighed. “Well, whatever happened, we’re both stranded. In the ocean. With no way home.” Rarity said, hanging her head over the side of the dinghy, gazing at her reflection in the water. “Uh, hello? You got me, remember?” Rainbow Dash gloated, pointing toward her over-confident smirk. She then soared up into the clear blue sky. She looked around, before soaring higher. Rainbow Dash saw nothing but water in every direction. It was only until she did a quick fly-by of the ever expanding ocean did she realize there was no land. No matter how far she flew, she was greeted with nothing but water. If she flew any further, Rainbow Dash would lose track of Rarity and the boat. But she had the feeling that she wouldn’t find land anytime soon. She glided back to the raft, with her heart a little heavy. “Well?” Rarity asked. “Anything?” “Nothing.” Rainbow replied, sighing. “We’re gonna be stuck here for a loooong time.” “We?” Rarity said, raising an eyebrow. “Couldn't you just fly until you see something?” “I didn’t see anything. No islands, no other boats, nothing. Besides...” Rainbow paused. “I couldn’t leave you here... by yourself.” Rarity felt a warm smile form on her face. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash. I’m glad you’re here with me.” She sighed. There was a low rumble from Rainbow Dash’s stomach. “Ugh, I’m hungry... if we’re stuck out here, what are we gonna eat?” “Well... we are floating on a piece of gingerbread... but we really shouldn’t. I mean, it is our-” *CHOMP* Rarity’s eyes opened with shock as Rainbow Dash took a big bite out of the edge of the gingerbread dinghy. “You.... you just ate a piece of our boat.” Rarity said. “What? I said I was hungry.” Rainbow said, wiping the specks of sugar off her cheeks. “Rainbow, this is our boat! The only thing keeping us alive and dry! We can’t eat it, unless you know how to swim indefinitely.” Rarity scolded. “Chill out, Rare.” Rainbow Dash said, and oddly, Rarity felt herself relax. She truly couldn’t stay mad at Rainbow Dash. “I’m sorry. But please... try to restrain yourself. We don’t exactly have unlimited resources.” “Gotcha. But we have plenty of water.” Rainbow Dash said, looking over the ocean. “Surely you jest. You know saltwater isn’t the same as our drinking water.” Rarity said flatly. “Really? Could’a sworn...” “Just take my word for it.” Rarity said. “It’s going to be a long... stay.” Rarity said, unsure of how long they would be on the ocean. “Hey.” Rainbow Dash said. “Don’t worry. I’m not gonna let anything happen to my friend.” Rarity smiled once more. “Nor will I.” The sun kept inching across the sky, hour by hour. The two of them sat in silence for a while, the only sound being the water lapping against the hull of the dinghy as they stared out over the open water. It wasn’t long before Rarity’s mind began to drift. “If Rainbow Dash and I are stuck here, what happened to the others? Oh, poor Fluttershy. She could be trapped somewhere horrible. I suppose Applejack could muscle through it, like she always does, and Twilight would be smart enough to survive for a respectable amount of time. Pinkie Pie, however... I don’t know what she would do. Probably celebrate for some inane reason, like always.” Rarity turned her head back to Rainbow Dash. The winged girl reclined her athletic build on the boat’s floor with her hands resting behind her head, and her eyes gazing up to the near-cloudless sky above. The sun was close to setting, making the sky glow a dim orange, and the night sky rolling in from the other side of the horizon. Rarity saw her short, prismatic hair that softly rested on her shoulders. The sunlight bounded off Rainbow Dash’s magenta iris’s, making them faintly glimmer. And her smile... Rainbow Dash’s lips were positioned so perfectly, reflecting her cocky attitude and confidence. Rarity snapped out of her trance as she heard Rainbow speak to her. “Uh, Rarity? You alright?” The fashionista blinked her eyes. “Huh? Oh! I-I didn’t-” She stammered as Rainbow glanced at her “You look kinda cold. You’re shivering.” Rainbow Dash interrupted. Rarity looked down at herself. And her hands were shaking slightly. As Rainbow mentioned being cold, Rarity did begin feeling a chill wash over her as the sun set. Not not mention Rarity wore a thin white blouse, which did little to keep the heat in. “Uh, yes... I suppose it gets frigid rather quick here. Aren’t you cold?” She asked. “Nah. My feathers are insulated. Keeps me warm when I’m flying way high up.” Rainbow Dash said, unfurling one of her wings. “C’mere.” She said. “What’s this about?” Rarity asked, but didn’t complain. She scooted a little closer to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash took her unfurled wing and draped it around Rarity’s shoulder, the feathers working like a makeshift blanket. “Keepin’ you warm, that’s what. I told you I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.” “Rainbow... that’s very sweet of you.” Rarity said. “You’re my friend. I’m sure you’d do the same for me.” Rainbow said, without a hint of doubt in her voice. She leaned her head on the raft’s side and closed her eyes. Rarity’s heart fluttered around in her chest, and slowly closed her own eyes, awaiting pleasant dreams and blissful sleep.
Chapter 2The calming waves of the ocean slowly lulled Rainbow Dash from her sleep. She rubbed her eyes, and seeing the sun slowly creep over the horizon. “Morning, Dash.” A soft voice said to her. Rainbow looked down, to see Rarity still curled next to her. Rainbow Dash was a little surprised, because Rarity never called her ‘Dash’ before. “Hey...How long have you been awake?” Rainbow asked groggily. “Not too long. I just wanted to say thank you. For keeping me warm.” Rarity responded. “Uh... no problem.” Rainbow said, her cheeks reddening. She unfurled her wings and letting Rarity sit up, before her stomach rumbled. “Hungry?” Rainbow asked. “Well... I suppose so. But I couldn’t. Not after considering what you did yesterday.” Rarity said, looking at the huge bite mark in the side of the boat. “I said I was sorry. Besides, this thing’s still holding up fine. I bet another bite won’t hurt. A lady has to eat, doesn't she?” Rainbow cajoled, smirking. Rarity sighed. “Fine. You got me. But we really shouldn’t.” She said. Rarity grasped the side of the dinghy, and slowly cracked off a small piece. She slowly chewed it, savoring the gingerbread. She would have to make this last for quite a while. “See? We’re still floating.” Rainbow Dash said. “I told you it was gonna be fine.” Rainbow said in a ‘I-told-you-so’ manner. “Rainbow... you know we can’t eat the whole thing. Personally, I’d rather starve than drown.” Rarity asked sternly. Rainbow’s eyes sprang open with surprise. “Oh... well, I just didn’t...” “Didn’t what?” Rarity said, lowering her gingerbread and arching her eyebrow in curiosity. “Well... I didn’t think we were going to die out here.” Rainbow Dash said, sitting up straight. Rarity was rather shocked to hear Rainbow Dash’s reaction. “Are you serious?” She asked sincerely. Rainbow simply nodded. “I don’t want to sound pessimistic. But we don’t have a lot of options here. The best case scenario is that Twilight finds a way to bring us back to Ponyville, and everything’s better than it was before.” Rarity said, seeing the look of disappointment, regret and despair in Rainbow Dash’s eyes. “So? Twi will pull through. She always does, right?” Rainbow asked. “She hasn’t let us down before. But we don’t know what happened to her... I doubt she even knows what happened to us.” Rarity continued. There was a long pause, and both of them went silent. For the very first time, Rainbow Dash accepted her mortality. “I never thought I would die like this.” Rarity slowly picked her head up. “What about dying with a good friend?” Rainbow managed to look up at Rarity, her eyes watering. “Thanks, Rarity. You really are a true friend.” “As with you.” Rarity said. Rainbow Dash turned her head to the ocean, and rubbed the back of her neck. “Y’know, Rarity, there’s something I want to say to you.” “Really? And what would that be?” Rarity asked, listening intently. “You remember that day at the Best Young Fliers competition? The day I pulled off a Sonic Rainboom?” Rainbow asked. “Of course I do. I nearly fell to my death due to my arrogance and you saved my life!” Rarity said. “I don’t think I could ever repay you for such a feat!” “Well, that’s the thing.” Rainbow continued. “It was one of my greatest achievements, and the only other time I did a Sonic Rainboom was when I earned my cutie mark. Well, yours too. And the others.” She mused, scratching her chin. “But anyway, my only motivation to do it again was to save you. I realized how important you were to me, and how much I cared about you.” Rainbow explained. Rarity’s eyes slowly widened as Rainbow Dash explained. “What are you getting at?” She asked, half knowing the answer already. “I’m saying... that since we have nothing but time together, I might as well come clean.” Rainbow Dash said, looking Rarity straight in the eye. “I love you, Rarity. You always make yourself look beautiful and put your friend’s needs before your own. All I see when I look in your eyes is beauty and truth. If I hadn’t been there to save you... I couldn’t afford to live with that guilt.” Rarity sat in surprise, her cheeks reddening. She never figured that Rainbow Dash thought about her for so long. The Young Fliers competition was over a year ago. Did Rainbow Dash really love her for so long and never said anything about it? “Rainbow... I don’t know what to say...” She stammered. “It’s ok. I get it.” Rainbow Dash said, hanging her head. “You’d prefer a Prince Charming over a girl like me.” She sighed with disappointment. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” She grumbled, hitting herself in the head. Rarity paused for a moment, and let her thoughts mull over. “Rainbow Dash, I’m proud to call you my friend. You risked your life to save mine, and achieve what was nearly impossible doing so. I can’t possibly thank you enough. You had a lot of courage to tell me something like that. And we’re both here, together. If the last moments we spent together weren’t happy ones, it would be my fault.” Rainbow Dash picked her head up, and her eyes were beginning to leak tears. “And if I’m stuck here, with a girl as caring and loyal as you, I won’t need a Prince Charming.” Rarity continued. As she finished, she felt Rainbow fling herself at Rarity and wrap her arms around her, hugging her tightly. Rarity hugged back, and heard Rainbow Dash choke out a few sobs. “Thank you...” She whispered. A tear slipped out of Rarity’s eye as she herself struggled to speak clearly. “No, thank you. You’re the best girl anyone could ever ask for.” Rarity responded, knowing her friend was more joyous than she ever felt before. “I just want to make you happy.” Rainbow pulled away, wiping her eyes. “Rarity, you have no idea how much this means to me.” She said, her voice a little more confident. “Rainbow Dash, you’re my friend. I’m sure you’d do the same for me.” Rarity replied, smiling widely at Rainbow Dash. She too felt a great sense of joy come over her. She couldn’t tell what was more rewarding. The fact that her best friend became a lover, or that she made both of them happier than she ever anticipated.
Chapter 3After Rainbow Dash told Rarity about the love she had for her, She felt like a big smile was just plastered on her face. In fact, for most of the time, it was. Two days had passed, and Rainbow Dash could not get her mind of Rarity. “This is great! I can’t believe Rarity likes me back! Kinda weird... Rarity’s been waiting for the perfect guy for as long as I can remember. And in a few short minutes, she seems completely fine being in love with another girl. Ah, well. I shouldn't complain.” Rainbow Dash thought. She turned to Rarity, who was staring off into the horizon. She turned, and warmly smiled at Rainbow Dash. “I can’t believe that worked. I’m so glad we’re alone here. Otherwise, I never would've told her.” Rainbow’s eyes widened as her own words registered in her mind. “Geez... would I really do that? Would I just keep watching her like a lovesick schoolgirl if it weren't for this crummy boat? Am I so out of touch?” Dash thought. She let her thoughts linger in her head, and began tapping her fingers against the hull of the gingerbread dinghy. It was a mindless tune, a set of staccato and steady beats that mimicked the first song that came to mind. The more it progressed, the more pieces to the song Rainbow added. In her mind, she imagined a vibrant, electronic song, but it wasn't long until she was cut off. “Will you stop with that incessant tapping? It’s driving me mad!” Rarity said sternly. “Saw-REE.” Rainbow sneered back. “I gotta stay sane somehow. And how else am I gonna make music on this thing?” “You call that music? That is not music.” Rarity quipped. Her tone changed to a calmer demeanor, like she was daydreaming. “Music is the language everyone understands. The essence of one’s soul and emotions. The eternal reward that-” “You listen to Octavia too much.” Rainbow Dash said flatly, interrupting Rarity. “Well, you listen to too much Vinyl Scratch.” Rarity dryly replied, sitting up. “Hey, Vinyl’s a great DJ! At least she can keep a party going without putting everyone to sleep.” Dash countered, leaning closer to the purple-haired girl. “By blasting everyone’s eardrums with that techno gibberish? If there was a sound to madness, Vinyl Scratch would be an insanity aficionado.” “I don’t even know what that means!” Rainbow grunted, exasperated. “An expert, Dash. A pro.” Rarity responded, rolling her eyes. The girls’s faces were close enough for both of them to detect their tension through an innate sense. “Whatever. Classical’s for snobs. At least dubstep is fun. When was the last time you ever did anything fun?” Rainbow Dash found her answer as Rarity leaned in, closed her eyes and pressed her warm lips against Rainbow’s. Her cyan wings sprang open with a faint POOMF as her eyes widened and cheeks filled with blood. It felt like time stopped, until Rarity broke the kiss, exhaling with relief. “There. That was fun, wasn’t it, Dash?” Rarity sighed, with a sly smirk. Rainbow sat there in silence, her cheeks still red and wings still extended. “Damn...” she muttered. “Now you knows what it feels like to listen to classical.” Rarity said, feeling proud and smug. Dash shook her head and curled her wings behind her. “Does it taste like marshmallows, too?” She giggled. Rarity let out an unimpressed sigh. “Why does everyone keep calling me that?” She grunted. “It’s cause you’re a big softie, Rarity.” Rainbow said, lightly hitting Rarity in the arm. “Ow!” The fashionista whined, rubbing her forearm. “See? Softie. Besides, whenever Pinkie or I prank you, you always overreact.” “Overreact?! I understand flinging pies at me or pushing me into the lake, but you once put a Scarlet Hypnosnake in my bedroom! How could I possibly not be frightened by that?!” Rarity cried. “Hypnosnake? Oh, I remember that! Man, that hilarious!” Rainbow Dash snickered. “I could’ve gotten hurt! You put nearly all of Ponyville in danger!” Rarity hung her head over the side of the boat. “I’m getting sick just remembering...” Rainbow Dash looked back up, and noticed the ocean became a little choppier. “I think you just might be getting seasick, Rare.” “I’m not surprised. I hate the ocean.” Rarity grumbled. The sea had escalated to large waves that undulated the boat up and down. She sat back up, and her face was already looking a little flushed. “I hate it as much as Pinkie likes parties.” “Really? What’s the ocean ever do to you?” Rainbow asked. “I’m seasick, for one. The saltwater does not do kindly to my hair, and it always leaves the smell in my clothes. Not to mention the whirlpools, riptides, waterspouts, tsunamis, and don’t even get me started on what lives down there.” Rarity shuddered. “Seriously? You’re afraid of fish? You really are a softie.” Dash chuckled. “Do you think I’m a fool? I know what lurks down there.” Rarity retorted. “Twilight’s invited me over plenty of times, and while I was there, I did happen to read some of those books.” “Oh boy. Here we go...” Rainbow Dash said, rolling her eyes and laying back in her nonchalant position. “I’ve read descriptions of enormous leviathans that could swallow a train whole! Swarms of parasites that could strip a cow to bone in a matter of seconds! A-a-a-and colossal squids that could crush a person with one arm!” Rarity panicked, droning on and on about all sorts of sea monsters. “Blah, blah, blah.” Rainbow replied. “Why do you keep reading that stuff, anyway?” “I couldn’t help it... Books tend to drag you in with fear and intrigue...” Rarity said, calming herself down. “But surely you have to admit-” she said, staring down into the dark waters below. “There must be something down there.” “Do you really want to find out?” Rainbow asked. “Would you rather worry about something you read in a book, or relax with this gorgeous girl?” She continued, pointing her thumbs at herself. “Fine. I got a little carried away.” Rarity said. “But I still don’t have my sea legs...” she muttered, her eyes getting a sickly color as the rocking waves made their rounds once more. “Yeah. You don’t look so hot. Well-, I mean, you are hot, but I-...” Rainbow Dash stammered. “Ugh... I get it.” Rarity replied, rubbing her forehead. The air then shook with a low rumble, that also resonated in the water. “What the hell was that?!” Rainbow Dash asked. Rarity sat up, scanning the area. Neither of them saw anything, except fog rolling in. The sky was a dull gray from the stretching clouds. “Was that thunder?” Rarity asked. “No... thunder leaves a sort of metallic taste in the air. This is something else.” Rainbow Dash examined. Rarity didn’t detect any metallic taste in the air, but rather a briny musk that mixed with the saltwater. It wasn’t long before they heard a large amount of water churning, and a tremendous roar. Off in the distance, a green shape burst up from the ocean, and it was obvious what it was. A serpent. Despite the massive gap between them, Rarity and Rainbow Dash could see a dragon-like head rise from the depths of the sea, complete with scales, fins, and an enormous maw, possibly bearing hundreds of teeth. Large frills and spines ran down it’s back, and protruded as it rose from the water. The serpent kept rising into the sky, pulling more of its massive green body out from underneath it, until its head disappeared into the clouds. “SWEET MOTHER OF FAUST WHAT IS THAT!?!” Rainbow Dash cried as her eyes widened. Rarity began shaking, and managed to pull her thoughts together. “I told you what was down there! Do you see how massive it is?! Oh my, I feel ill...” She whimpered, her knees shaking. There was another roar high above the clouds, and the girls felt their hearts skip a beat. “Rarity?” Rainbow Dash asked as the clouds above them began to churn. “Yes?” “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.” Rainbow Dash said. The serpent began descending from the sky, its jaws wide open. The two girls braced for impact, as the leviathan dove into the water, missing their raft by mere inches. The shockwave sent a huge wave of water all around it, flinging Rarity and Rainbow Dash out into the icy water. As Rainbow tumbled down into the abyss, she held her breath. The shock of hitting the water so suddenly nearly knocked her out cold. She was just lucky the beast didn’t turn herself and Rarity into chum. She composed herself again and opened her eyes. In the dark blurs of the ocean, she could make out two shapes. The first was a twisting, greenish shape slinking back into the darkness, and Rarity drifting, hardly moving. Bubbles of air flowed all around them, making it easier to sink further down. Rainbow Dash began flailing to swim toward Rarity, and wrapped her arms around her friend’s waist. Dash’s lungs stung from the lack of oxygen, and her limbs were growing numb. She looked up toward the surface, and gave it her all reach the haven of the boat, still afloat. Rainbow’s mind began clouding as she swam upward at high speed.
Chapter 4The ocean was silent. The gingerbread dinghy sat still in the water, the only landmark to see in a foggy, opaque atmosphere. Rainbow Dash broke the surface, dragging Rarity up with her. Coughing and sputtering, Rainbow spat out the water to take in precious oxygen. She hauled Rarity into the boat, and crawled in herself. She was still sopping wet and tried to clear her lungs. “Oh Celestia...” she moaned. “Good thing this boat’s still intact, right, Rarity?” She asked. Rarity coughed out as much water as she could, before choking out a response, albeit an incoherent one. "Ugh..." she groaned, laying on her side. "Now I can see what you mean. That thing was massive!" Rainbow Dash said in awe of the beast that nearly crushed them moments ago. She rung the water out of her shirt before leaning over Rarity. "You alright?" Rarity, however, was far worse than Rainbow Dash. Her eye twitched involuntarily as she shivered from fear. "Never again..." she muttered. "Guess you weren't kidding about being afraid of that kind of stuff." Rainbow Dash chuckled, helping Rarity sit up. "That would be an understatement." Rarity said, finally clearing her head, and fixing her hair to the best of her ability without a brush. "Understatement, shmunderstatement. You're just lucky I'm not afraid of anything, otherwise we'd both be freaking out." Dash boasted. "I find that hard to believe. Surely you fear something. Everyone does." Rarity replied, looking back the horizon to make sure no other beast would come barreling toward them. "Psssh. Yeah, right." Rainbow Dash said, taking another chunk of the gingerbread to eat. Rarity withheld her urge to lecture Rainbow again, but wouldn't let herself get distracted. She scratched her chin at a revelation. "I remember now. During the Young Flier's competition, I drew so much attention that you became nervous." Rarity reminded. Dash's smug grin faded, but she tried to keep her cool. "Uh... yeah?" "And since you got nervous, you became worried the Wonderbolts wouldn't be impressed. Now I get it-" Rarity said, putting the pieces together. "You're afraid of failure." That last word made Rainbow Dash flinch. "Uh... no! Of course not!" She stammered, tugging at her shirt collar. "Well, it makes perfect sense." Rarity explained. "With failure, your'e scared of others ridiculing you. You just want to feel accepted, because you don't want to be alone." Rainbow Dash wrung her hands, and a hint of defeat in her voice. "Alright, Rare. You got me. I can't handle rejection, so I give it a hundred and twenty percent to everything I do, so nobody thinks of me as a loser." She confessed. Rarity felt sorry for Rainbow Dash having to deal with such distress. But she felt another thought arise. "Rainbow, there's no one else here to make fun of you. The only thing that you'll get from me is adoration." Rainbow Dash looked up. "Rarity, you really do have a knack for making me feel better." She chuckled, planted a light peck on Rarity's cheek. "Oh my..." Rarity mused. She had kissed Rainbow before, but now she experienced the thrill and surprise for herself. Rainbow Dash ran her hand across her chin in thought. "Say Rare, what do you think would happen if we did get back? Hypothetically?" Rarity paused for a bit, her face changing shape to match the array of emotions and thoughts in her mind. "Well, if we were back in Ponyville, after everything that's happened, we'd continue our lives. I guess you and I would still be together, and..." Rarity trailed off as she realized something. If she Rainbow Dash were still in love, it wouldn't be long until their friends noticed. "-and our friends just accept the fact we're ahem, together." Rainbow Dash blinked at Rarity's reply, and soon thought up her own ending. "Well, I thought you and I would have, like, a secret fling. We'd be the 'Undercover Lovers'! Ha!" She chuckled. "Why in Equestria would you want to hide this from our friends?" Rarity questioned. "Duh. It's more fun that way. I mean, imagine the thrill of sneaking out at night together, or sending each other note right under their noses! Secrets are way more fun than you think." "Uh... as much as I do have my own secrets, it's not best to hide something like love from your friends. I mean, imagine if Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie have been hiding a secret romance of their own, deliberately hiding it from you. How would you feel?" Rarity asked. "Are you kidding? Uncovering secrets is just as fun! I can't imagine why Pinkie and Fluttershy would be lovers, but-" "If it's so fun to uncover secrets, then why wouldn't it be 'fun' hiding our love from the others?" Rarity countered. Dash's eyes widened at the loophole of her argument. "Huh. Good point." She muttered. A loud rumble came from Rarity's stomach, and it was quite clear Rarity was hungry. "Well? Aren't you gonna eat?" Rainbow asked again, offering her the half eaten piece of gingerbread. Rarity bit her lower lip, before shaking her head. The dinghy was starting to get thinner. "No. I can't. You eat what you can." It was then Rainbow Dash felt more concerned for her friend. Rarity's waist was starting to wear thin, and her eyes looked rather droopy. "You look like you haven't eaten in days. You gotta eat something." She said. Rarity's face contorted with hunger and temptation, but held back. "I... can't. I'm doing this for you. Eat. Let me be." Rarity argued, with the shining love that made her the Element of Generosity. Rainbow Dash's stomach rumbled as well, and simply chewed on the gingerbread without a second thought. The rest of the day passed as slow as ever, until the sun set once again. "Well, time to hit the hay, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked, stretching her arms and arcing her back. Rarity blinked her eyes at the bare floor of the raft. "Considering there's no hay to hit, that might prove difficult." "Ah, quit being so literal." Rainbow stated, unfurling her wings once more. Without question, Rarity scooted closer to stay warm for another night.
Chapter 5Time is a funny thing, especially when lost at sea. With no clocks or calendars, every day seems to stretch on indefinitely. On the other hand, it's easy to loose track of time when days blur into weeks, and into months. Niether Rarity nor Rainbow Dash could keep track after the fifth or sixth day, solely because they simply lost the will to care. The sun had beamed overhead for a few days, making them sweaty and dehydrated. The only clouds in the sky were simply white streaks, and hardly kept the light from shining through. Rarity's body was much thinner, her muscles thin and tender with a lack of fat. Her hips and waistline shrunk, too. Rarity's hair lost its curl, and her eyes half drooped as she struggled to stay awake. Rainbow on the other hand, was faring a little better. She was not as thin as Rarity, since she had taken advantage of her edible raft, despite Rarity's intents not too. However, one day, in the blistering sun, Rarity felt the agonizing hunger grasp her to the full extent. "Rainbow Dash..." She said weakly. "The hunger... it's too much." "Then eat something... you have too." Rainbow replied. "I can't. I'll put us both at risk. It's just too late." Rarity muttered, her muscle slightly twitching. "No. You can't! I won't let you!" Rainbow Dash cried, leaning in toward Rarity, who lightly grasped her hand with her last ounce of strength. "Rainbow Dash..." Rarity whispered. "I love you... so much. So much it hurts." Rarity shut her eyes slowly as her hand loosened its hold. “No. No no no no no no NO!” Rainbow Dash cried, placing her hands on Rarity's shoulders to get a response, but Rarity stopped moving. Rainbow Dash slowly eased up on her, and the reality sank in. She lay her head on Rarity’s body, sobbing uncontrollably. “It should’ve been me. Why did I have to let her die?” She asked aloud. Rainbow Dash wiped the tears from her eyes, and sat back up. Deep down, Dash resisted the thought of herself dying in place of Rarity. If she died before Rarity, she would feel the same grief Dash currently felt. “But she’s dead.” Rainbow thought. “Now she won’t feel this sadness.” Rainbow lifted Rarity’s lifeless head, and brought her own lips to it. Rarity’s lips were cold and dry not the same warm, soft feeling she gave Rainbow earlier. The feeling of Rarity was just gone from them. No soul, no emotion. Rainbow Dash looked up at the sky, as a painful memory surfaced. <><><><><><><><> “Dad? What happened to Mom?” A young girl asked her father as the two drifted through the sky. The older man next to her had hair striped with multiple colors and cut short, just like the girl. He wore a blue jacket over a white shirt, and worn jeans. His face gathered a serious, solemn tone as his daughter asked that question. “Rainbow Dash, you’re eight years old. I’ve already told you your mother is gone. She’s left.” He said. His voice was deep, but inviting. “But where did she go? Where did she leave to?” The young Rainbow Dash asked again. Her father sat down on a large puff of clouds, and Rainbow sat beside him. He let out a heavy sigh, and looked up at the sky. “The short answer is, I don’t know for sure. But there are a lot of places she could be.” “Like what?” “Well, some would say she’s someone else. Reborn into a completely different person. She could still exist, into a new shape.” Rainbow Dash felt herself fill with disbelief. “Or, she might just disappear completely. Just vanishing from our world without a trace.” Her dad continued. Rainbow didn’t like that reply any more than the first one. “Or... she’s somewhere where she’s happy. A place on the other side of the sun, watching down on both of us.” Rainbow’s father said, this time with hope. Rainbow Dash felt her heart tingle at seeing her father’s face. “I want her to come back. I miss her.” She said, her voice wavering. “I do too, Rainbow, but she can’t come back. Wherever she is, she’s staying.” Her dad said. Rainbow looked down at the ground below, and up toward the sky. “Then I hope that place behind the sun is real. I want to go there, and see Mom again.” Rainbow’s father put her arms around his daughter as she did the same. “I want to see her too, Dashie. But we’ll have to wait. There are still things to do here.” <><><><><><><> Rainbow Dash blinked her watering eyes as the flashback echoed through her troubled mind. “That’s it. I can’t do anything here. Nothing’s gonna help me.” Dash thought, looking down at Rarity’s still body. “But there’s only one thing left to do.” Rainbow Dash took a deep sigh, and flung her wings out. She took to the sky, rising higher and higher, until the boat became a mere speck of brown against a vast blue backdrop. Rainbow Dash was high above the clouds, the sun still beaming over the nearly cloudless atmosphere. The air was starting to become thinner, and Rainbow’s heartbeat quickened. “Don’t worry, Rarity. I’m coming. I’ll see you on the other side of the sun.” She thought, as her speed slowed, and Rainbow’s wings folded in midair. Her ascension stopped suddenly, and she arced backward. Rainbow Dash plummeted head first downward, and she closed her eyes. The clear sky became a blue blur until she passed the clouds, becoming streaks of dull colors. It wasn’t long before Rainbow Dash smashed down into the water, next to the boat. The impact from such a high speed knocked the air out of her lungs, making room for the water. What followed was a cold silence.
