The Tale of RariDash - Series 1

After the ending of the ball and the train ride back, Rarity and 'Jet Lightning' had rushed back to the Boutique before Ponyville would wake and catch them. Besides, Rainbow might have been passable under the veil of night, but the morning sunshine would have not have been as friendly! As soon as they got through the door, it was off to bed. But not before Rainbow reverted to her filly state, happily shedding the thick, cumbersome dinner jacket she had been cursed to wear for the entire night.

The day had soon slipped into the cool of the afternoon, allowing the couple enough rest to last them until bedtime. All of that night had remained a secret, with the last shred of evidence about to be wiped clean. Yet again, Rainbow Dash found herself in the tub, a grim look on her face as the blue glowing shower faucet and a bottle of special shampoo descended upon her hair. Rarity made sure to pour a generous amount of the dye-leaching wash into the mane and tail of her whining girlfriend, the bright blonde soon washing away to leave the awesomeness of her rainbow locks to shine through once more.

"Everything's back to normal, yeah? Not gunna make me dress as anything else?" came a half groan, half snigger from the wet pegasus in the tub.

"Oh, I dunno. I was thinking we could perhaps curl your hair, give yourself my fabulous style! We would almost be twins!" teased Rarity, hooves making sure that every drop was washed from Rainbow's mane, kneading the wet strands tenderly over and over again in her hooves.

"Very funny," came a chuckle from Rainbow, looking upon the white mare with a smirk.

Rarity dipped her head down, pressing an affectate kiss to Rainbow's lips. It was surprising how comfortable that felt now, considering the nervous wreck they both had been at the lake just a day or so ago. And if this felt so natural, why should they hide it? Maybe it was time for them to open up, to tell the truth to their friends. Maybe it was time to come clean.

Suddenly, Rainbow gave a impetuous shake of her head, showering Rarity in water from the flick of her mane.

"Rainbow! Not my hair!" came a cry of fear, Rarity using her magic to spray at the excitable filly with the shower attachment to deter her rowdy actions. An unwise decision, defusing an impulsive and soaked mare with more water! Before they knew it, a simple bathing session had turned into an all out water fight, Rarity hosing Rainbow down who in turn tackled her mate to shake water all over her.

A heavy hoof at the door soon ended the impromptu battle, with Rarity having to levitate Dash off of her, "Alright, alright! I surrender! You're victorious!"

Dash gave herself a congratulatory hoof pump, pretty pleased with her water fighting prowess. The cocky victory dance was softly ended by a fluffy towel to the face as Rarity quickly clopped downstairs to the attend to the door. Blue magic slid the entranceway open, revealing a rather cold looking Twilight on the other side.

"Oh my! Hello there Twilight!" bleated the white mare, keen to emphasize the name as to alert Rainbow upstairs, "Whatever can I do for you?"

That cold stare soon turned to a frown, purple eyes staring right through Rarity as if she was nothing. It was almost hurtful, vicarious.

"Did you really think you could lie to me? To your closest friend?" came a snort, magical hue surrounding an object in the upset unicorn's side bag. It turned out to be an empty sachet of blonde mane dye, the same Rarity had used, "Maybe you should remember to close the door before you rush off to some party...with another mare."

Throughout all of this, Rarity only seemed to grow more and more distressed. Both had been ready to share their secret, but if this was the way Twilight was going to act, what of the others? Maybe it wasn't such a good idea.

"Is it...wrong?"  timidly asked Rarity, fighting back tears in her eyes.

"Wrong? Wrong!?" snarled Twilight in full fledged anger, "If Celestia had found out you had gone to that ball last night with another mare... You'd both be thrown in the dungeon. Or worse! There's a reason there are no mare/mare couples in Ponyville! You obviously didn't read the book I gave you..."

The book! She had been so busy working on Rainbow Dash's costume that she had never gotten around to reading it! This was awful; maybe what they felt wasn't right. Maybe the dance they shared didn't mean anything and it was just an illness they had.

"Look, I need to do more research on this, see what I can find out," began Twilight, giving a sigh that would diffuse the heated antagonism in her voice, "For now, just keep doing what you’re doing. I mean, you’re not hurting anypony. I'll ask Celestia about it, maybe I can explain the situation to her. Just make sure you don't tell any pony!"

A faint smile timidly slid to Rarity's lips, taking a few moments to breath as her head gave a confident nod, "Thank you ever so much, sweetheart."

"My pleasure." A nasty grin sat hidden on Twilight's face, gone unnoticed as Rarity wiped the tears from her eyes. A subtle glow of magic sparking from that horn...

With her friend bidden adieu, Rarity softly clopped up the stairs and back into the bedroom. The news had been crushing, but she understood Twilight was only looking out for her. For both of them. Besides, they were getting used to hiding their feelings. Who knows? Maybe they were just sick or something had gone wrong in their heads?

Rainbow Dash made her way out of the bathroom, firmly scrubbing at the newly rejuvenated rainbow of her glorious mane. "Ta da!" came a happy cheer, letting the towel hang across her shoulders, "Back to normal!"

The news was only half received by Rarity, a faint smile barely registering on the mare's muzzle as troubling thoughts kept her occupied.

"What's up?" asked Dash, a hint of concern in her voice as she padded closer.

"Oh, it's nothing," responded Rarity as she played off her distress, "Twilight doesn't think it's a good idea to go public with our little affair, that's all."

"Oh, well alright then," befell a plain reply as Dash trotted past Rarity to the stairs, "I fancy daisy sandwich. Want one?"

"Not for me please, dear," called Rarity in response, eyes still drifting off into space. It's as if she had lost a part of herself. Or as if something was affecting her mind. Once again, something just didn't feel right.

Both would begin to reflect upon the night before, of what happened and how it was affecting them. In truth, Rarity was struck with guilt, having asked so much of Dash and given nothing in return. Hell, Dash had even dressed as a stallion for her! Rarity might have been very picky in terms of what activities she would do and what presents she would give, but she knew just the thing to tickle Dash's fancy!

Coincidentally, Dash was not feeling as fulfilled either. Although she had gone to the EverNight Ball and had quite the wonderful time, she had also 'not' attended at all. Jet Lightning may have made a name for himself and flew with the Wonderbolts, but she never did. It was a bittersweet realisation, almost as if she had lived as the shadow of a stranger. And as she took her place in front of the kitchen counter, things began to sink in. It made her feel rather sad.

Yet that night would be different. For a start, Rarity had specifically asked to stay at Dash's that night. Seeing as Rarity was a unicorn, and Dash's home of the clouds was located high up in the sky, the plan seemed a tad flawed! However, Dash was perched on the edge of her cloud base as usual, sat on her hindquarters as she peered in bemusement over the edge. She had assumed that Rarity would be arriving by hot air balloon or maybe an air carriage. Perhaps she would magically float up! It wasn't any concern of Dash's, as Rarity had previously boasted her resourcefulness!

"You expect so little of me, Dashie!" came a harrowing tease from an all too familiar voice. Dash's eyes would dart around for the source, moving across the edge of her rainbow pools, the porch and even over the edge once again.

"Rarity?" squealed the perplexed pegasus, still unsure of the voice's source, "Where are ya?"

"Why, I'm above you darling!"

Even in the dimming sunlight of the dying afternoon, the sight was as clear as glass. Head crooned up immediately, jaw shooting the other direction as those eyes looked over her the white mare...and her flapping wings.

Rainbow took off herself, fluttering up to meet her suddenly airborne girlfriend, "What...how are you--?"

"Zecora," stated Rarity simply, moving a hoof up to pat at the mane over her forehead, showing no horn jutting from the violet locks, "Not that it didn't come with a price..."

Rainbow wasn't used to sacrifices being made on her behalf, giving a sad, almost distressed look back to the ex-unicorn, "Oh Rari'...it's not permanent, is it?"

"Oh Heavens no! Don't be silly, Dashy! However, it will wear off in 24 hours."

Rainbow seemed to be gripped with relief, moving in close to embrace her floating mate in a warm hug, "Ah awesome."

"Yes quite 'awesome'," chirped a happy Rarity, "but this isn't your surprise."

Rainbow had not noticed the bag that Rarity had brought with her, not until the new white pegasus retrieved it and invited herself inside. Soon enough, Dash was waiting outside her own bedroom, forelegs crossed as she sat impatiently on the floor. Whatever Rarity was doing in her chambers to put together this surprise was taking quite some time, the generous mare humming the entire way through her preparation. Dash had almost fallen asleep when the teasing call rung out from within, "I'm ready! You maybe enter now, Dash!"

The blue pegasus didn't know if she wanted too! The drag act she was forced to endure was bad enough, but one of many more horrible things could have been waiting behind her simple bedroom door. A hoof slowly took to the handle, eyes half closed in a squint as her weight pushed open the door. She was expecting the worst.

And there, upon the blue bedcovers with the lightning bolt decal laid Rarity...dressed in a mud brown adventuring shirt and safari hat. Not only had Rarity made her own Daring Do costume, she had put it on and was posing on her side with a flirtatious look plastered on her face.

"I know it's not the height of fashion," began the eccentric looking mare, "but I'm sure ready to raid any tomb and ford any stream or...whatever!"

Surprise on Dash's face soon turned to contained hilarity, biting down on her bottom lip as she began to snort out her little titters and giggles.

"Rainbow Dash! I worked very hard on this outfit!" gave the costumed Rarity in a huff, sitting up on the bed covers and crossing her forelegs in humiliation.

"It's a great costume! Just...Daring Do is a golden coated pony with a black mane. You look NOTHING like her!"

"Yes, I know that!" snapped Rarity at the sniggering pegasus who begun to close the bedroom door, "It's just that I didn't want to ruin my mane. Speaking of ruining my mane, do you mind if I take this hat off?"

Delicately the white mare slid off that safari hat, hooves tenderly sprucing her curled, glorious mane back to its untouched state. It was too much; in a matter of moments. Dash was flat on her back, a flurry of tears pouring from her eyes as she roared in giggling laughter. Rarity peered over the cloud-shaped foot board, a smile growing on her face that soon erupted into a happy laughter. After all Dash had been through to please Rarity, this half effort seemed to only make Dash hysterical! Still, she knew it was something that took Rarity a long time to plan and put into place. The pair would take their time to recover, Rainbow pulling herself to her hooves and wiping away the tears. She clopped over to the bed and pulled herself onto the mattress.

"You're just...crazy!" began Dash, leaning in to nuzzle at her girlfriend's cheek.

Rarity took that finely crafted Daring hat, carefully placing it atop Dash's mane and flicking it back to slant it into place, "Shut up and kiss Daring Do!"

A bright grin took to Dash's face, pushing Rarity back to the sheets as she followed her down to press a soft kiss to her lips.

"Mmm, more like Dashing Rarity!" came a cheeky suggestion as the kiss softly broke.

"Or Miss Rarity Do!" added that white pegasus as she wrapped her forelegs around Dash's neck.

"Or what about Do Rar..."

With a sudden giggle, the bashful mare pulled Rainbow's head to her chest in an attempt to silence her, "Don't you even dare finish that sentence!"