Something Sweet

"Alright. Today's the day," Rainbow Dash muttered to herself, a determined smile set upon her face. "The day I prove that I, too, am as worthy of an awesome marefriend as anypony!"

She stood, her hooves firmly placed on the ground, in front of the Carousel Boutique. It was a strange place for a pony like her to be, as typically this was more of a place for customers to enter, and this hotheaded athletic mare, on the contrary, had no interest in fashion whatsoever. However, she had a mission, and she was sticking to it.

Remembering how condescendingly Pinkie Pie had said it before, that "my new girlfriend is the smartest, most talented, most magical pony in all of Equestria, isn't she?" had just made her want to slap that pink mare across the face, whether it be right in front of Twilight Sparkle herself or not.

Though she knew her friend had probably meant no harm in this statement, the pink mare's boisterous actions had shown that Pinkie Pie obviously hadn't made a very good effort not to hurt Rainbow's feelings while shooting her mouth off about Twilight for what had felt to anyone who listened like the 50th time. Didn't she understand what it was like to be alone, to not have anyone to even look to for love?

Why is what my friend said bothering me so much anyway? Rainbow Dash thought. Never mind that, never mind that. She's just being Pinkie Pie. Now she did have eyes for someone, or so she told herself as she made her way down the brick path that led her gradually closer to the ornately decorated door close ahead. When there was only but a few inches between her and the door, she stopped just as an act of habit to, recollecting her thoughts one last time.

She sighed. "Don't be nervous, Rainbow Dash. It's just Rarity."

Yeah. Rarity, she thought, the mare you never talk to. She'd been pushing to the back of her mind that this strangeness of the visit, this awkwardness and nervousness she felt as she approached the abode, was because she had never even developed a particular liking for hanging out with Rarity. She was just going to talk to the mare like usual (she twitched guiltily at what she couldn't avoid noticing to be an unfitting use of "usual"), maybe compliment her here and there, and Rarity was sure to fall for Dash eventually. Then she just had to ask Rarity on a date, which of course would have to result in the awestruck fashionista accepting and accompanying her on to nice (and perhaps a bit formal, as much as she disliked the notion) dinner on the following night. And bam. No more lonely days for Rainbow Dash.

There was a strange sinking feeling in the usually bold pegasus' stomach as she stood in a manner that she'd at least intended to give the impression of steadfast determination. She told herself she was just being nervous, and that that was fine because everyone feels that way before asking out the love of her life. And Rarity had to be the love of her life, right?

Of course. Rarity was stunning, with her intricate curly hairstyle that was sure to have even wowed other hairstylists, and her eye-catching fashion taste, not to mention talent, and that air of elegance that surrounded her, of which all the ponies had spoken. Rarity had been complimented by many a stallion, as Rainbow Dash knew from...well, Rarity's own conversations with she and her other friends. Rarity was talented and beautiful, the pony every pony should know. So there was no reason for Rainbow Dash not to go after such a mare as Rarity.

Rarity, the pony she never talked to.

Elegant Rarity dating Rainbow Dash, the unfittingly messy pegasus who spent most of her free time performing speedy and daring stunts in the sky or reading action books and didn't have a tendency to hang out with anyone but her closer friends like Fluttershy or Twilight Sparkle.

She gulped.

Without another second of self-doubt, she barged into the room, perhaps a bit too boisterously. The bell rattled and rang furiously, causing Rarity to jerk her head up in alarm from the sewing project she had been so concentrated on. Rainbow Dash gave a guilty grin, immediately realizing the startled state that she had brought upon her friend. The already pale unicorn's face expression made her look as if she had just seen a ghost.

Rarity gave a quick attempt to mask her temporary shock with a casual smile. "Oh, Rainbow Dash. It's you." she shut off her sewing machine, took off her glasses with a gentle flick of her head to shake her hair back into place, and set the ruby-red glasses on the sewing table where she had been working. Trotting gingerly over to the doorway where Rainbow Dash still stood, she began her friendly conversation. "Well you seemed to have been quite anxious to get here, weren't you?" The unicorn giggled cheerfully at the feverish display her friend had made while entering. Whatever is the matter?"

Stay cool, thought Rainbow Dash. "Oh, you know me, I'm just... cruising around the sky at rapid speeds, uh, happened to drop by. Friendly visit, y'know, 'cause after all, we..." she was about to say "don't hang out much", but decided to swiftly change her wording to something more welcoming. "...Are best friends!"

"Oh, um...yes." Rarity took an uncertain glance at the floor that Rainbow Dash pretended not to notice. "Well, if you'd like to 'hang out'... I suppose it's always good to spend time with a good friend, now isn't it?" she put on a small smile and began to trot to the other side of the room. A glimmering blue aura appeared around her horn as well as a few other sewing supplies of hers, which hovered around the air as Rarity returned them to their respective places in cabinets and drawers here and there. Some things, like the sewing machine, that she was sure to use again soon after the short visit, stayed put. Rarity was surely a skillful and tidy pony; before even a minute had passed, the room was looking neat and perfectly presentable as usual, save for a rather large scrap of crimson fabric that lay strangely solitary on the pale pink floor.

The piece of fabric, as Rainbow Dash observed with curiosity, seemed to have an odd, unevenly-shaped lump rising from the middle, which was rapidly changing Dash's curiosity into fascination and pure befuddlement as it began to move around as if alive. Just when things probably couldn't get much weirder, it let out a shrill yet somehow soft and gentle giggling sound that even caused Rarity to pause with her straightening up to look over. However, when she observed what her winged friend had seen, her reaction was a simple giggle in the same carefree tone as the one expressed by the mysterious yet apparently friendly lump in the fabric.

Rarity levitated the large crimson sheet from its place on the floor to reveal the body of a unicorn pony just a tad shorter than herself and with a coat of white fur like her own. As the young mare, having recovered from her awkward collapsed position on the floor, jumped to her feet, Rainbow Dash observed the light lavender hue of the mare's slightly thicker mane as well as its pale pink highlights. She also could now clearly see that the mare’s eyes were brilliant sea foam green, unlike Rarity’s immense sapphire blue ones.

“Hiya Rarity! I haven’t seen you in while!” she chirped jokingly.

“Ah yes, I was wondering where you’d run off too, Sweetie Belle.” Rarity replied genially to her little sister, then turning her head toward Rainbow Dash. “Rainbow, you know my sister Sweetie Belle, right?”

“Oh, uh…sure.” Sweetie Belle was the one who'd always hung out with Scootaloo, a young mare who had admired Rainbow Dash and strived to achieve similar flying skills since the two friends were blank-flank fillies.

“And I was wondering who you'd been talking to!” Sweetie Belle added, addressing Rarity but looking toward Rainbow Dash. So she’s heard every word I said, the rainbow-maned pony thought. She silently thanked herself for not saying anything to Rarity outside of a friendly conversation that day.

“Why, I was having a lovely chat with Rainbow Dash here, just like good friends do!” said Rarity with a toss of her head, a smile, and a good deal more confidence than she had when they had spoken just a few minutes ago. “We’re going to hang out today, isn’t that right, Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow Dash simply nodded. Sweetie Belle watched them both intently with wide eyes and a cheery smile, glancing back and forth from Rarity to Rainbow Dash every now and then. Tapping the bottom of her chin with one hoof, Rarity now had a thoughtful look on her face. Then her eyes brightened, as she seemed to have come up with an answer to whatever it was she had pondering over. “How does a trip to the spa sound?”

“Fine by me,” replied Rainbow Dash. After all, there wasn’t much else to say, especially with that little marshmallow midget standing by them, watching with those twinkling eyes that nothing seemed to escape.

“Great! Now, before we leave, I must tidy up just a few more things…including my hair. My my, what a mess!”

Rainbow Dash honestly didn’t even seem to notice anything wrong with Rarity’s mane—if that dainty purple weave could be described as “messy” in its current condition, Rainbow Dash’s hair must have been a rat’s nest. Then again, she couldn’t say she hadn’t heard ponies describe her rainbow mane as just that.

“I’ll be back in a minute, girls. Then we leave!” With a wink of her eye, Rarity plodded briskly to her room and shut the door behind her. After the the door was shut gently by her magic, making a soft sound, there was silence.

A pale blue pegasus pony with a multicolored rat’s nest of a mane stood in a vast room in the house of a fashionista pony.

Though she waited for that very pony to come out of her room so they could enjoy a lovely day together alone, she had not a hint of anticipation. They were to go to a spa. Rainbow Dash did not enjoy the spa. Surprisingly, that didn’t wasn't what troubled her. Today, much to the contrary of most cases, she was willing to endure whatever was in store for her and this lovely unicorn lady. After all, it was for a good cause. Maybe it would be a boring day at the spa and they wouldn't get to talk either. Maybe they would end up having a fantastic time altogether in each other's company at the spa. Maybe it wouldn't be a great experience at the spa but the two would end up realizing something special about each other through the time they spent together. There were many possibilities, but no matter what happened, they were to somehow fall in love. That was the ideal ending.

And that was the problem.

No matter how many possible situations ran through her mind almost as quickly as she could fly, she couldn’t see the ideal ending happening realistically.

And so here she stood, one empty heart in an empty room. No wait, she just remembered. There was company here—one other pony. That little mare that Rarity introduced was still here, wasn't she? Trying not to seem too anxious, she slowly turned her head toward the room’s other occupant. Rainbow Dash knew it would be thought of as cruel to not pay the mare any attention, as inarguably overwhelmed with her own thoughts as she was at the moment.

However, her mind was not prepared to think of anything that had no connection to her inner conflicts, like talking to another mare she barely knew. So Dash simply smiled down at Sweetie Belle in the hopes that the little ball of energy would be just friendly enough to start the conversation herself. Surprisingly enough, Rarity’s little sister still had that bright grin plastered to her face. Not that it was unnatural looking, but she had been that way for a while. In fact, she didn’t seem to be talking, or even moving aside from shifting her glance to Rainbow Dash’s direction. She kept staring like that. Nothing was being said.

Rainbow Dash sighed eventually. She was going to have to say something herself.

“So, how’s it going?” came her general conversation starter. The words were void of emotion as they slipped from Rainbow’s mouth. The sentence she uttered was a mere filler of the silence, but at least it felt good to make some sort of intelligible sound in that wide open space other than the constant rustlings coming from Rarity’s room as she found various ways to tidy.

“How do you think it’s going?” Sweetie Belle replied playfully soon after, unintentionally squeaking on the word “think”. Her goofy smile was now a toothy grin that was honestly starting to creep Rainbow Dash out just a bit.

“Well, you do seem awfully happy.” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, beginning to show signs of being at least slightly intrigued by the conversation that was picking up. “Heck, you’ve been staring at me with that same smile for like a half hour. Snap out of it, will ya?” She hadn’t meant to seem so brusque.

But Sweetie Belle didn’t seem to notice, much less mind. She carried on with her own conversation, a casual and not overly excited tone at last settling in her voice. “I was just studying your awesomeness. Er, maybe that’s not the right word for it. Scootaloo has never really been good with words. But that’s the main one she uses to describe you. She talks about you a lot. So I was looking at you and trying to decide how good she is at describing you.”

“…And?”

Sweetie Belle put on a thinking expression and tapped her chin with her hoof in a similar fashion that Rarity had before. “And maybe I wouldn’t say ‘awesome’… Well, I don’t use that word often, I guess.” She looked right at Rainbow Dash and thought for a second, but not with a particularly perplexed look. “I don’t know you very well, but you seem like an interesting pony, at least.”

Rainbow Dash giggled weakly. It actually felt nice to hear a compliment from a young pony like Sweetie Belle, especially with all the worrying she’d been doing lately. She smiled at the young mare beside her. “Oh, really? I might say the same about yourself. Why do you say that?”

“Well, for one thing, Scootaloo never said anything about you enjoying a trip to the spa. But here you are all ready to go!”

“Oh…well, this is…different.”

Sweetie Belle gave Rainbow Dash a confused look. “What do you mean, ‘different’?”

“Y-you know…” she looked back at Sweetie Belle’s curious face that continued to stare at her as if it would help her find an answer, and decided that maybe this younger mare wouldn’t know. No, she wouldn’t understand the whole situation if she explained why she had come here. “I just wanted to try something different.”

“Oh. I see.” Sweetie Belle nodded, giving a convinced-sounding tone though her expression said otherwise. “I was surprised when I heard it was you talking to Rarity, since you two don’t talk much. Trying something new does feel weird; I guess that’s why you seem so nervous, huh?”

“What? Nervous? …Oh, uh, right. I have a big flying competition coming up soon, and I heard there are gonna be a lot of awesome flyers there. Just got a bit nervous is all.” She lied again. Did you hear that? She thought. Even Rarity’s sister knows you don’t talk to her often. There’s no way any of this would have worked, she realized. Her hope for her own initial plan began to gradually slip away.

“I know that feeling.” Sweetie Belle remarked casually. “I was really nervous before our act at the talent show a few years ago.”

“Our…?”

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders! We had a talent show act a couple years back. We made up an awesome theme song that Scootaloo sang. Apple Bloom did most of the dancing. I made the props and costumes. We weren’t any good at what we chose to do, though. In the end, it was a disaster, really.” She giggled upon remembering the event. “Anyways, I was really nervous before we went on. But, hey, if you follow your heart and you find just what you were meant to do, you’ll realize that there’s never a reason to be nervous to be yourself.” As she grinned proudly, the little white unicorn gazed down at something Rainbow Dash had overlooked before. Adorning her flank was a symbol that appeared to be a black music note dotted with a pink heart that matched her mane. Sweetie Belle had her cutie mark! Rainbow Dash was shocked that she had forgotten about this until now.

“Guess that’s how you got your cutie mark, huh?”

“Yep! And I know that’s how you’re gonna win that flying competition! By not being afraid to be yourself!”

Rainbow Dash was touched by the sheer amount of confidence that this young mare had in both herself and the blue pegasus she seemed to have only just met. For the first time since she saw Sweetie Belle that day, Rainbow Dash smiled at her. It was a real smile, nothing forced for the sake of Sweetie Belle’s happiness, but an expression of Rainbow’s own genuine happiness. When she had entered the Carousel Boutique that day, she had felt nothing but worry, doubt, even a bit of guilt for what she had prepared to do. But Sweetie Belle made it so humbly clear what the problem was without even realizing it. This wasn’t what Rainbow Dash was meant to do. She wasn’t being herself. She didn’t love Rarity, and she couldn’t force herself to even if she tried.

As she came to her senses for what very well may have been the first time that day, she realized that she couldn’t even force herself to go to the spa if she didn’t want to. And with a friendly goodbye to her new acquaintance, she left the Carousel Boutique not even remembering that Rarity was still in her room, tidying like a clean freak.